Editorial
Front Page - Friday, September 3, 2010
River City Roundabout
Pleasing Palettes
Erica Tuggle
The Reflections Gallery at the Eastgate Town Center offers hundreds of examples of local art like photography, mixed media and a variety of painting styles. These works provide welcome scenery while walking the quiet and cool interior of the Eastgate Town Center. One of such works is a painting titled “Fawn” by Geneva Green.
- Erica Tuggle
Walking inside the Eastgate Town Center on a weekend is like walking through a ghost town or the set of a film on the apocolypse. I can’t think of a better thing to add to the peacefulness and enhance the draw of “the walker’s mall” than an art gallery.
The Reflections Gallery inside the mall offers the many walkers who seek to stay fit, but keep out of the sun, some lovely scenery of local art to make their walks more enjoyable. Corridor upon corridor of the mall has been filled with this original artwork that ranges from wall-length canvas pieces to painted furniture, photography and mixed media art that are all available for purchase.
One of my favorite pieces along the walk was the painting entitled “Fawn” by Geneva Green. Yet, this work was by no means the only one that had me stopping to get a closer look. The quiet and solitary nature of the Eastgate Town Center made this art viewing much like a museum experience, minus waiting for other patrons to view pieces or an admission price. Inquiries about the art on display can be made at 423-855-5570 or by visiting www.reflectionsgalleryTN.com.
The Reflections Gallery main office is located at 6922 Lee Hwy. and contains more local art to see after you have visited the Eastgate Town Center. They have a “Book Nook” containing a growing inventory of used, old and rare books. Since the gallery also offers custom framing, they can frame your antique picture books to ensure they are protected while still being displayed to enjoy. Visiting the gallery offers antique shoppers a treat, too, as they have many items within their location that would be a must have for many collectors.
The custom framing division of Reflections Gallery offers the complementing features that make an art piece, shadow box, or any wall hanging item stand out.
Reflections Gallery has the largest selection of custom framing choices and offers unlimited framing estimates for free. Before getting entrenched in a framing project of epic proportions, you can visit their gallery and benefit from their recommendations.
This 22-year-old family business also carries home accessories, and pre-framed artwork, and hot tea and refreshments are complementary for visitors browsing the gallery. Whether viewing art alone at the Eastgate Town Center or as a visitor to the Reflections Gallery on Lee Hwy., these are cool ways to enjoy local art.
After expanding your artistic palette, work on your taste palate at Machu Picchu. Although, the name may sound like a new Pokemon character, in reality, it reflects the history of the authentic Hispanic style food that is served within.
Machu Picchu means “Old Mountain” and is the name of the pre-Columbian Inca site situated on a mountain ridge in Peru. Archeologists believe this site was built as the estate for the Inca emperor Pachacuti and is sometimes referred to as “The Lost City of the Incas.” This ties in with the menu and décor of Machu Picchu because along with Hispanic style food, there is a selection of Peruvian style dinner entrees, and the restaurant’s interior is decorated with photos of Peru and the Inca civilization.
The diner atmosphere of Machu Picchu makes it perfect for lunch, and with their $5.50 lunch specials that pile plates high with rice, meat and veggies, the restaurant was bustling with business. They also offer vegetarian, chicken and beef plates, appetizers, deserts, natural juices and Inca Cola.
I ordered an appetizer called “Papa Rellena” which was one of the strangest edibles I have encountered, but was also doubly delicious. It consisted of a fried potato cake that was stuffed with your choice of meat or vegetables. When I cut into it, the inside had the consistency of mashed potatoes, and with a crispy outer casing and tender beef bites inside. It was a whole new way to have meat and potatoes.
For my entrée, I ordered the “Bisteca la Pobre” which consisted of juicy seasoned filets of steak, fried eggs, plantains, French fries, rice and beans. The white rice, which it was served with, was presented in the shape of a flower, and with the eggs and steak cooked to perfection, I had no complaints. The plantains finished the meal out with their sweet taste, and alas, I was too full to even touch the French fries and beans.
Machu Picchu is great for a filling meal with an atmosphere that welcomes families, lunch visits and special occasion dinners. The prices for entrees are almost all under $10, and appetizers and desserts are half that price.
Machu Picchu is located beside the Subway in Collegedale at the corner of Ooltewah-Ringgold Road and Apison Pike. Email Erica Tuggle at reporter@hamiltoncountyherald.com.
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