Chattanooga surprise

Maclellan Island wildlife refuge, Tennessee River

Surprising me in Chattanooga is not an easy game. We spent two to four weekends a year in the Gig City, and always expect a good time. But this trip branched out differently due to the surprises upon which it rested.

Every Chattanooga visit lands us in a new neighborhood. This block of well-kept bungalows featured terraced backyards, including the three-level wooden deck in our backyard. Every trip unfolds a new neighborhood, none of them far from the downtown core or the North Shore.

Crossing the Tennessee River at the Veterans Bridge provided excellent glimpses of the Arts District crown some distinctive white cliffs on the south bank. The bridge runs over the heavily wooded Maclellan Island, an Audubon Society wildlife sanctuary only accessible by boat. The owner of the bungalow provided us a tour, where I came close to putting the pieces together. Until my parents knocked on the door of our spacious rental – three bedrooms seemed a little much for two people – I could not connect the details.

Then my sister jumped out too. The surprise was complete, even if I was still turning 40. This Chattanooga visit would not be a quick lunch with my parents but two celebratory nights.

After years of raving about Terra Nostra to my parents, they finally tasted for themselves. Many of their inspired small plates and glasses of Spanish wine My parents and sister plotted a birthday cake with a Goonies theme, including fondant coin, fondant scrolling that exclaimed “Hey you guys” and candied necklace beads with the crunch of M&Ms. It was delightful. After cake, we had wine on the porch and enjoyed the house’s terraced patio.

On Saturday, Nancy and I had to cross off one place from our Chattanooga to-do list. The whole family went -  before word of the surprise, I planned to ask my parents to push back lunch so Nancy and I could go to the zoo.

Since I shared an anniversary with this place, we had no choice, and I was grateful. The Chattanooga Zoo opened its doors on Aug. 5, 1937. Chattanooga only has about 200,000 people, so the zoo’s size was unsurprising. At 13 acres, it’s among the smallest accredited zoos in the country, nestled into the larger Warner Park east of the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga

These guys were about to be fed

For an anniversary Saturday, the zoo was not too crowded. I expected Columbus Zoo crowds. But no part of the zoo felt claustrophobic (maybe the South and Central American building with a not-quote complete renovation). Since the zoo expanded in the past 15 years, the exhibits are modern and more considerate of both their inhabitants. By avoiding large mammals and focusing on big cats, apes and small, exotic mammals.

Not how I expected our first sand cat encounter

The chimpanzees are a star attraction, circulating high in their habitat, which seems to provide ample space for the small group to live. The chimps had a long history at the zoo due to Hank, who lived at the zoo for 35 of his 42 years, dying in 2011.

Many of the primates in the desert environs slept, including two enclosures of Fennec foxes. A newly arrived sand cat, easily the animal Nancy and I wanted most to see, slept soundly in a laundry basked in its enclosure. As a new arrival, the sand cat was still acclimating to life at the zoo.

 The mountain lions growled as they paced the only shady spots of their habitat. As the sun’s angled changed and shadows spread, they lounged and calmed down. The snow leopard perched on a rocky spot in its cage where it was barely visible. A false gharial hid to perfection among submerged plants, barely visible in any light. The red panda slept inside, easily visible but dead to the world. For excitement, I leaned on the jaguars and the capybaras. The giant rodent never moved, but who doesn't love a pig-sized rodent?

The jaguars ranged from the viewing windows to a secluded spot where they became hard to see. Earlier they spent a few minutes close to the viewing stations, their ornate coats of rosettes shining in the mid-day sun. I could have watched those two all day. The bobcats played with a birthday present box in their habitat, one peeing on the box, showing gratitude as only cats can.

The zoo never felt overstuffed – you could see a few exotic species, loiter among your favorite animals and still have a full day ahead. For that and the 80th anniversary – Nancy bought me a T-shirt - it was a damn fine way to spend a few hours.

One of two exquisite jaguars

After the zoo we had a quick lunch at Good Dog, my parents sticking with Cleveland Dogs as the rest of us branched out. Then they returned home to rest while Nancy and I showed my sister Jenny the North Shore and Frazier Avenue. I tested out the new camera on Maclellan Island and views of downtown. Between Riverfront Park, Coolidge Park and the pedestrian bridge, Chattanooga has a grand array of public gathering places.

We took our typical spin on the Coolidge Park carousel. Despite the splash fountains not running, the carousel carried more passengers than I’d ever seen. Usually we ride the carousel on late fall and early winter visits. On summer weekends, it draws a larger crowd. Open doors and industrial fans refreshed us on every spin around the carousel building. Our rental owner repeatedly told us the Saturday weather would be spectacular. Even at the hottest point in the day, the air felt comfortable.

Before heading back, we stopped for a quick beer. Basecamp Chattanooga, which opened in June. The restaurant’s owners intend it to become a hangout for people enjoying Chattanooga’s ample outdoor pursuits – climbing, hiking, biking kayaking. From the outside, the bar appeared to be a dark dive yet it was brightly colored with a decorative wooden bar. We had a single drink then call for Uber, our driver talkative and friendly to where we wished our drive home was longer than a mile.

For dinner, we had reservations at Hennen’s downtown near the aquarium. I went with the halibut special only to find out it was actually red snapper, which wasn’t a problem. But the appetizers, from white bean hummus to calamari to beef carpaccio, all sparkled.

My zoo 80th birthday shirt (also, the patio)

Rather than bound around Chattanooga bars, we went for more patio time. Seeing all the work that went into the three-tier patio, I wanted to spend as much time as possible enjoying that space. Nancy and I experimented more with the new camera, her shots of the moon bringing out detail that mine did not capture. All we need is more time to play with its features. But the pictures are already expanding horizons.

We talked late into the night, Dad recounted the days of fishing at private lakes on a friend’s land down in Georgia. We talked about Cheers, Frasier and debated the two Cape Fear movies (of course the original is superior, Robert Mitchum is menace played straight, not an over-the-top psychopath). Soon enough, the almost full moon rose over the house and we realized the lateness of the hour.

Sunrise on Eastern time now feels late, as if I’m behind on making something of the day. Daylight at 6 a.m. in Nashville feels early, but the same light an hour later in Chattanooga speeds up the morning. Last mornings of short weekends turn rushed as we pack up, a temporary home suddenly facing a hard deadline. Soon enough we packed up and the weekend house was no longer ours. We crossed the bridge once again, hopped on the highway, and Chattanooga and a weekend of surprises filled the rearview.

Chattanooga's Bluff View Art District