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Second Helpings of Kindness
Dishin' out thankful stories... and maybe one more slice of pie.
Bubby Tallant & Clementine McBride
November 10, 2025
Well c’mon in, Neighbor! We’ve got leftovers from last week still.
If ya missed it, A Seat for Everyone was all about makin’ room at the table this month, and boy did’ja show up hungry for connection. As we’re typin’ this, 33 (and countin’!) verified submissions have rolled into our community-sourced Patchwork Food Network tool, stitchin’ together pantries and fridge locations, and all the kind folks lendin’ a hand all over Chattanooga.
Take a peek if y’ain’t looked at it yet, or add your own if you’ve spotted a spot that feeds the soul in yer neighborhood recently. Every new pin’s another reminder that even after the plates are cleared, there’s still plenty of good goin’ ‘round.
Now grab ya a fork from the kitchen, we’ve gotta whole heapin’ of fresh stories cooked up for ya this week.
Today's Issue Includes:
Want some music to add to yer experience? Well we picked out this one just for today. Thanks for tunin’ in!
Together with
This week’s Front Porch Partner: Author.Inc
We’ve been lucky to have the good folks at Author.Inc sittin’ on the porch with us these past few weeks, who help writers and big thinkers turn their stories into somethin’ worth flippin’ through.
This’ll be their last lap with us for a bit, so if you’ve been meanin’ to give their ad a click, now’s the time. Every tap on that box below drops $2.37 straight into the Chattynooga piggy bank, no sign-up or fuss required.
Think of it like tossin’ a lil’ tip in the mason jar on your way out as a small thank-you that helps us keep this porch swing creakin’ and the stories flowin’. Take it away, Author.inc!
Smart leaders don’t write books alone.
You built your business with a team. Your book should be no different.
Author.Inc helps founders and executives turn their ideas into world-class books that build revenue, reputation, and reach.
Their team – the same people behind projects with Tim Ferriss and Codie Sanchez – knows how to turn your expertise into something that moves markets.
Schedule a complimentary 15-minute call with Author.Inc’s co-founder to map out your Book Blueprint to identify your audience, angles, and ROI.
Do this before you commit a cent, or sentence. If it’s a go, they’ll show you how to write and publish it at a world-class level.
If it’s a wait, you just avoided wasting time and money.
What’s Goin’ On in the Scenic City?
Community
‘Nooga Fall Cocktail Week
Monday, 11/10–Sunday, 11/16 | Various Locations
Sip and snack your way through Chattanooga during Fall Cocktail Week! Local restaurants and bars are serving up $8 seasonal cocktails and mocktails plus $6 appetizers, all inspired by the flavors of fall. Whether you’re out with friends or just chasing cozy vibes, this one here is a week-long cheers to the Scenic City!
Singles Social with Date Chattanooga
Tuesday, 11/11 @ Atmosphere | 6:30–8:30PM
Tired of swiping? Meet IRL instead. Join Date Chattanooga for an easygoing night of mingling, games, and good vibes. Enjoy a fun, pressure free night and maybe a spark or two.
Fall Children’s Market
Saturday, 11/15 @ Local Juice | 10AM–2PM
Kid entrepreneurs are taking over Local Juice for a market run entirely by children! Stop by to shop handmade crafts, snacks, and creations from Chattanooga’s youngest makers.
🧃 Big dreams from tiny vendors
Music & Entertainment
Book Bedazzle
Wednesday, 11/12 @ Winder Binder Bookstore | 6:30–8:30 PM
It’s part book club, part craft night, and all sparkle. Spend an evening crafting, chatting, and giving your next paperback a little extra shine. Supplies and a book of your choice are included.
Food Drive Drag Pop-Up
Thursday, 11/13 @ The Boneyard | Showtime 9:30PM (21+)
Chattanooga Queer Empowerment and Woodland Wonders Productions are teaming up for a night of drag, community, and giving back. Bring a canned good or donation and catch performances from Kristina Sis Kole, Bambi Montice, and Daisy McGee. $5 cover or donation entry.
Glow in the Garden: Mushroom Luminary Clay Workshop
Saturday, 11/15 @ Joli Jardin | 4–6PM
Spend a cozy, hands-on afternoon with Scenic City Clay Arts at Joli Jardin. Shape your own clay mushroom luminary (no experience needed) and add a little handmade glow to your home or garden this fall.
Outdoors ‘n’ Stuff
Lunch & Learn: Sustainability for Your Nervous System
Wednesday, 11/12 @ United Way | 12–1PM
Join green|spaces and Jewel Carey from The Roots Sanctuary for a mid-day recharge that connects self-care and sustainability. Learn how taking care of your mind and body helps you take better care of the planet, because balance starts within.
Bike Walk Tennessee Summit 2025
Thursday & Friday 11/13–11/14 @ Various Downtown Venues
Advocates, planners, and community leaders are rolling from across the state for two days of collaboration and inspiration. The summit spotlights what makes the Scenic City such a great place to walk, bike, and thrive, including a keynote from Jon Wesolowski, The Happy Urbanist.
Witch Walk: A Magick Market
Sunday, 11/16 @ Frazier Ave | 12–5PM
Almanac Supply Co. and Verre Noir are conjuring up a market of local makers and mystical finds on Frazier Ave. Shop magickal goods, support small businesses, and let your inner witch stretch her legs a little.
Got somethin’ cookin’ that the Scenic City oughta know about? Wanna talk about how cool your weekend was? Tell us all about it! Just reply to this message, or send a separate one to [email protected]!
Hand-Picked Community Spotlight: The Cleveland TN Community Resources & VFW Folks Joined Forces!
This past Saturday, November 8th, the folks from Cleveland TN Community Resources met up with their local VFW chapter for what Alicia Conboy, the group’s founder, called “a day that just felt right.”
What started on the internet ended up right where it belongs: In the parkin’ lot, neighbor to neighbor, doin’ good the old-fashioned way. Both groups of folks teamed up to hand out free pizza, warm clothes, and cold-weather gear for neighbors who needed it most. The VFW crew even passed along their leftover donations when they packed up (and y’all, there were so many socks).
Alicia said heaters were the first to go, “If anyone reading this can spare one, please do. It’s getting cold out there.” But what really stuck with her was holdin’ a one-week-old baby whose family doesn’t yet have permanent housing.
“We are going to help them though, because they deserve care. No paperwork needed, just love!”
If you’ve been lookin’ for a way to jump in, here’s your sign. You can join their brand spankin’ new Discord Channel or visit their Linktree to lend a hand and keep that porchlight of compassion burnin’ bright.
Deep Thoughts with Bubby: What We Bring to the Table
Y’all ever notice how every good potluck’s gotta story?
Someone forgets the rolls ‘cause they left ‘em on their car roof while gettin’ everything else in there safe an’ sound, Meemaw somehow burns the green beans, and somebody else shows up with a dish so mysterious it sparks a 10 minute debate ‘cause no one knows if it’s dessert or dinner. Between all the little efforts, the meal just kinda… works? Regardless of setbacks, ain’t nobody ever leaves hungry.
I been thinkin’ lately about how our community’s kinda like that, too. Not perfect or polished, but a real collection of folks bringin’ what they can every week and trustin’ it’ll fall into place somehow. Some of us show up with time, some with tools, some just with a good word when that’s all they’ve got to give.
That good word can sometimes be more valuable than anything you can hold in your hands, too. ’Cause that good word? It’s the thing that keeps folks goin’, long after the table’s been cleaned and reset after a long day.
When everybody brings what they’ve got, somehow there’s always enough to share. And maybe that’s the secret to buildin’ a community that lasts: not in what we bring, but in how we keep showin’ up for one another.
So tell me, buckaroo: What’s somethin’ you could bring to your tables this week?
If yer unsure where or how to figure that out, I suggest takin’ a few minutes to fill out this helpful quiz from 16Personalities.com, and sharin’ it with us! I’m naturally an ENFP-T (if ya know, ya know), but there’s no right or wrong type for folks to be. Lookin’ forward to hearin’ your results!
Clementine’s Corner: It’s Fall, Y’all
Hey guys, I’ve got a confession to make. I’ve been so busy this week, doing all the fall things and being whimsical and such, that I just haven’t had a second to write. As you know, Bubby is really the master journalist around here. He’s always on me about deadlines and stuff like that. This week I was just not gonna make that deadline and I couldn’t imagine the look on Bubby’s face if I told him I didn’t have anything for my Corner. He’d get that big ol’ sad eye look on his face, like you just crushed every last Oatmeal Creme Pie at Meemaw’s barbecue.
So, I did what any good journalist would do; I improvised. I ripped a page right out of my diary and handed it to him. I slipped him an Oatmeal Cream Pie, too, so hopefully he wouldn’t notice. Anyway, I guess now I present to you, Clementine‘s Diary (entry number 6124):
Dear Diary,
Today, I took Pickle to the dog park. It took us ten extra minutes to get there because I got a little distracted. I was just looking at all the pretty leaves blowing in the wind and somehow took a wrong turn… Well, actually, I think Pickle was the one who got distracted. Yeah, I was just keeping him safe.
Anyway, I kept seeing all the pretty leaves and so I started picking them up. When I got home, I counted them and I had collected 12 perfect fall leaves. I’ve got orange and yellow and red and brown and one that’s still kind of green. I can’t decide what I wanna do with them. I could make a collage. Or maybe I’ll press them in a book and decide next fall.
I’m so happy I live in Chattanooga. It’s so pretty in the fall.
Love,
Clementine
P.S. I found another leaf in my pocket just now. That means I collected thirteen leaves. That’s cool because that’s Taylor Swift’s favorite number. And it’s extra cool cause I didn’t even count them. I’m gonna go listen to Opalite again. Bye!
Phew, seconds always hit better than the first time.
That’s another week wrapped up tighter than-a blanket fresh outta the dryer. Between the full tables and cozy stories y’all keep bringin’ our way, it’s clear our porch just keeps on growin’, one good neighbor at a time.
As the days get shorter and the air gets crisp, don’t forget to check on yer folks, share what warmth you’ve got, and save a little space at your table for someone new everyday. Ya never know who might show up for a plate.
— Bubby & Clementine
How was this week's issue?Don't hold back, bein' honest helps us get better! |
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