Things To Do In Maryville

Nestled at the base of verdant foothills, Mountain Meadow Equestrian Center welcomes four-legged friends into a lush horse hotel and beginner, intermediate, and advanced students into an indoor arena and outdoor fields with mountain views. Designed for equine-enamored students aged 5 and older, beginners' classes emphasize handling the horse from the ground along with safety, grooming, and basic riding. Beginning students ride the same horse selected from a stock of experienced lesson horses and ponies each week to develop a trusting relationship and bond by trying on each other's shoes. Intermediate classes focus on trail riding over rough terrain, jumping, or dressage, or advanced classes delve into specialty riding skills that might include hunt-seat, jumper, or cross-country riding. The stables will provide necessary riding helmets and boots.

Tell us about your business.

Friendly Farm is a goat dairy that offers family-friendly activities that help families learn about nature and where their food comes from. We love the outdoors, farming, animals and want to share that love with others.

Do you have a specific philosophy—either toward outdoor activities or nature itself—that you are hoping to share with your customers?

We believe that we should enjoy nature, learn about nature, and by doing so we will learn to take care of our world.

What's one interesting fact most people don't know about your business?

You can train chinchillas to sit on your shoulder.

What special safety precautions does your staff take?

Our staff takes great care to help people learn about nature safely. All our animals are handled daily and we know them by name and are aware of their personalities. Our staff is trained to watch for signs of frustration in our animals and remove the animal to the comfort of its stall if needed.

At abc Art, brushes flick across canvas, a quiet swishing sound that serves as a backdrop for chattering students and clinking wine glasses. While pupils sip brought-in drinks, artists lead the class in painting images that have included cupcakes, landscapes, and abstract scenes. Tucked beneath arms, the paintings leave with proud students and are ideal for hanging over holes accidentally smashed in a refrigerator. The studio space also hosts private parties, which let guests bring in food and drinks to paint the evening away.

Premier Martial Arts instills real-world self-defense skills in students while focusing on total-body fitness. The instructors do it through adult classes in krav maga, kickboxing, submission grappling, and kali, which enhance strength, stamina, and flexibility while sculpting all muscle groups. To teach children similar techniques and self-discipline, they also offer tae kwon do and karate for kids.

Open on Friday nights for gocarts and Saturdays for Racecars. Visit our new and changing website www.smokymountainspeedway.com

I'm a racetrack over 40 years old. My next season will be starting in March. You are able to see my 2011 schedule @ http://www.smokymountainspeedway.com

Fine Arts Connection provides artistic entrepreneurs of all ages and skill levels with the means to create. Instructor Yichen Reneau enlivens brushstrokers with more than 15 years of teaching experience and prodigious skill in an array of styles and media. The 90-minute introductory drawing course inserts biology-class notebook doodlers into a different classroom to work on fundamentals such as shadow shading, how to make thumbs not look weird, and recruiting fruit models. Meanwhile, the two-hour Chinese brush painting class lets students ink Chinese characters with special brushes on provided rice paper, upon which they'll delicately depict the characters for truth, beauty, and Marilyn Monroe sunbathing on a duvet made of Campbell's soup cans.