The Hot Spots in Nashville

   It started back in the seventies when Ed Sconiers, the owner of the Tastee Freeze in DeFuniak Springs, Florida, discovered that I attended college in Nashville, Tennessee. You'd have thought he had won the Publisher's Clearinghouse Sweepstakes, the man was so excited he could hardly stand it. Ed was just sure that it would not be long before Porter and I had made one another's acquaintance and that it would just be a matter of time before I was on a first-name basis with Dolly. It never happened. But what did happen was that all kinds of people started calling me for tips on what to do when they came to visit Ed Sconier's Music City. At first it was just friends of Ed's. And then friends of friends. It's still happening to this day. And it's been a long time.

   And since I was raised by my mother to be helpful whenever possible, I did develop a list of places that are must sees. It has changed and adapted itself over the years. So I reckon it's high time I shared it with you, but be forewarned that there is no way that I am going to be able to cover my Hot Spots in one post, so I'll just have to have a go at it and then we'll see where we end up.

So, without further ado (in no particular order)

The Ryman Auditorium. 

It's known as the Mother Church of Country Music. It was where the Grand Ole Opry started before it moved out to what used to be Opryland (we Nashvillians have still not gotten over that one). In my book, this remains one of the best places to visit whether you are a tourist or not. Most musicians will talk about playing the Ryman with reverence and awe. There really is something magical about it. It's small for a concert hall, old, and it just reeks of history. There are no individual seats here, just row upon row of wooden pews, because after all, this really once was a church. And the honeyed tones of the wood absorb and reflect the sound so that the sound comes out all warm and honeyed as well. If you think I'm lying just read about The Ryman here. Sheryl Crow, Vince Gill, Johnny Cash, Dolly Parton, Wynonna, Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton, BB King, Kings of Leon, Mumford and Sons, Black Keys, Emmylou Harris, Alison Kraus and the list goes on and on and on. You name 'em. They've played the Ryman. Except that it's The Ryman. Kind of like the Holy Grail. It's sacred ground in Music City.

 So go ahead and pay the money and take the tour. You can even stand on the stage and strum the guitar and act like you are singing and they will take your picture and then you have the pleasure of paying for that, as well. But while you are up there squint your eyes and gaze up at those stained glass windows, breathe deeply and imagine. Dream a little. It's what The Ryman does to you. 

It makes you believe. And that's what I love the most about it. 

The Schermerhorn Symphony Center.
   When you visit this lovely lady, you will know without a doubt that Nashville is a city well-deserving of the title Music City. We have come of age. Reputedly ranked among the top ten symphony and performing halls in the world, the Schermerhorn is a stellar newcomer to the stages of Music City and she is all the more enchanting to us because we nearly lost her in the Flood of 2010. The lady Schermerhorn is elegant, refined, and gloriously classical, but with thoughtful contemporary touches here and there. She's a Tennessee girl, after all, and the pride of Tennessee is woven throughout her architecture. If the Ryman is the "Mother," then the Schermerhorn is the newly crowned "Queen," a title she earned all on her own.

The lobby beckons and soars. It gives you a foretaste of the magic within.

  There is truly not a bad seat in the house. I do not lie when I tell you that the acoustics are so refined that if a sheet of music falls to the ground, everyone in the hall is aware of it. Go online to see if a tour is offered. You won't be sorry. As you feast your eyes on the beauty, look around for the Captain's Wheel, the Maxwell House coffee beans, the irises and the lyres, all symbols that call our fair city to mind. The Schermerhorn may belong to Nashville, but the world is her rightful stage. Just ask YoYo Ma.

The NashTrash Tour.

   Do you want to laugh so hard that you wet your pants? Then don't waste a moment more; go online NOW and get your reservation to the The NashTrash Tour. My friends took me for my birthday a few years back. I have never laughed so hard in my life. Now I send everybody I know. It's a once in a lifetime experience. Think Saturday Night Live meets Duck Dynasty. Now you are gettin' my drift. You will find yourself climbing aboard a Pink Party Bus (really a school bus painted Pepto Bismal pink) over at the Nashville Farmer's Market and riding around town for 90 minutes with two sisters who have certainly made a name for themselves. 

This photo of NashTrash Tours is courtesy of TripAdvisor

Oh, and don't forget to bring some adult beverages in a 6-pack size cooler. You won't need any food. The Jugg Sisters thoughtfully provide the Ritz Crackers and the Cheez Whiz in a can. This is one of those times you are just gonna have to go with it. Trust me. If Al Roker did it, you can too.

That's all for today, folks.

Best Southern Style Food in Music City

   I grew up in a part of the country that considered the meat-n-three a form of elevated cuisine. My tiny hometown prided itself on the fact that every single restaurant in town (including the Tastee Freeze) served up some form of the meat-n-three. However, at the time I did not fully appreciate the rich tradition and fine Southern cooking that these establishments provided.
  Part of the allure of going away to college in the early seventies was my desire to experience a more urban lifestyle. Therefore, I was attracted to a campus that was fully integrated into a burgeoning metropolitan area. Imagine my surprise when as a freshman my newly acquired college friends began raving about a place away from campus where you could get the most unbelievable food. After much conversation accompanied by a growing dislike of dorm food, we finally piled willy nilly into some commandeered automobiles and made the trek out to this much talked about place. I should have known something was up when we soon left the lights of the city and drove for what seemed an interminable length of time. As soon as we pulled in, I immediately recognized the restaurant. My first dining experience out in Nashville, Tennessee, and I am suddenly back in the land of the meat-n-three. Oh, the irony.
   Now all roads happily lead to home. In the intervening years I have enjoyed many a great meal at this establishment and enthusiastically recommend it to all comers to Nashville. It is an iconic eatery and serves some of the best Southern food on the planet. And what is this place? Why, it's none other than the nationally renown Loveless Restaurant.

And no, it's not a motel. It used to be. A long, long time ago. 

The restaurant folks just kept the sign because it was retro before retro was in.

   Don't be fooled by this seemingly small and unassuming exterior. Just roll down your car window when you pull into the parking lot and breathe deeply. The smell of all that fine Southern cooking is your first clue that it's gonna be good. Real good.
   Here are some things you need to know before you go: 1) Call ahead for a reservation, if possible or you are going to have a good long wait. 2) No matter what time you eat, you will not be eating dinner...you will be eating supper. It's a Southern thing. 3) Biscuits are served with butter, preserves, honey and sorghum. If you don't know what sorghum is, look it up. 4) Loveless actually serves moonshine (it's legal now), but the best thing to aid with your digestion is to finish off your meal with a little Whisper Creek Tennessee Sipping Cream. Finally, 5) Forget the diet and go ahead and order the fried chicken. If you don't, you are gonna need to have your head examined. Immediately. It's also probably some kind of sin.

This photo of Loveless Cafe is courtesy of TripAdvisor

 My family always eats family style because that's the only way to go in my book. I am really not a fried chicken aficionado so I spend most of my meal savoring the unbelievable biscuits slathered with butter and peach preserves. I also eat my fill of the sides.

This photo of Loveless Cafe is courtesy of TripAdvisor

My friend Carol Fay was the famous Biscuit Lady of Loveless. We have a family connection with her that runs pretty deep. She helped me raise my children and keep my house. I just didn't know then that she was gonna be so famous or I would have gotten her to teach me how to make those biscuits.

This photo of Loveless Cafe is courtesy of TripAdvisor

This is the wall of fame. Everybody who is anybody has eaten at Loveless', and chances are pretty good that you are sitting next to someone who is famous. But in Nashville, we don't act like we recognize them because a lot of the time we don't. So we pretty much leave everybody alone. 

Even if it's Brad Paisley and his beautiful wife and their cute two little boys.

This photo of Loveless Cafe is courtesy of TripAdvisor

So if you want an authentic version of Southern cooking that hasn't changed much over
the past sixty years you need to pay Loveless' a visit.
As I said before, it's some of the best Southern food on the planet.
Can I get an Amen?!

A Native's Guide to Visiting Nashville

     My aunt and her book club are planning a visit to Nashville this fall to coincide with the Southern Book Festival. Turns out that in addition to being book-a-holics, these lovely ladies have also become addicted to the television series, Nashville, that showcases much about our lovely city. Thus, when my aunt called me to tell me about their impending visit, she told me that number one destination on their list was the vaunted Bluebird Cafe. The ladies learned all about the Bluebird from the TV series. I hate to tell them that Scarlett really doesn't work there, but surely they are smart enough to tell fact from fiction (even though you can never be sure which is which in the music business...) Deep down I chuckled at their request. Ever since the series debuted, the lines around the Bluebird have grown longer and longer. Part of me is proud that this little gem tucked far and away from the touristy honky-tonks down on lower Broad is garnering an extended national reputation, but the other part of me is downright sad. I don't want the Bluebird to get any harder to get into than it already is, but I guess that's the price of burgeoning fame.

   I thought I might pass along some of my recommendations for any other folks out there who might be thinking about visiting Music City in the near future.

Part One:  Accommodations in Downtown Nashville
    There are lots of options in the downtown area for folks who want to make this their base of operation. These are a few of my recommendations.
1. The most luxurious history-laden hotel in the city is The Hermitage Hotel (not to be confused with The Hermitage, the home of Andrew Jackson.) This is a gem of a hotel that sparkles with its restored beauty, but be forewarned that this accommodation will definitely set you back some serious bucks. There is also a fabulous restaurant at the hotel and an amazing bar, but I will get to those when I get around to talking about food.

And while you are at The Hermitage, you absolutely must check out the world famous art deco men's public bathroom. Don't worry, someone will stand guard so that you ladies can view it without any bonus sightings. It's actually not uncommon to see brides and grooms taking their pictures in there. Here's a glimpse of the glory!

2. The Indigo - the hipsters like this place, but I think my aunt would, as well. The Indigo is only a couple of blocks from Broadway and has a great contemporary vibe with live music and a hopping bar scene. The hotel is also housed in a former bank building that has found new life. That kind of repurposing makes me happy.

3. The Hilton - for a chain hotel, this is one of the nicer ones. The lobby is large and filled with nooks and crannies for reading and relaxing, and the location could not be more spot on. Situated directly across from the Country Music Hall of Fame, adjoined on one side by the Schermerhorn Symphony Center and on the other by the Bridgestone Arena, the honkytonks, bars, and sounds and sights of the city are just a hop, skip and a jump away.


4. The Hampton Inn (not the one up on West End, but the one adjacent to the new convention center.I actually have not been in this hotel, but one thing about the Hampton chain is that they are totally predictable. You will get exactly what you pay for. No more, no less.
5. Midtown Courtyard Marriott - (not the one on West End, but the one in the century old high rise on 4th Avenue North. This hotel is located in yet another former bank building that is finding new life as a hotel. The soaring lobby has recently been remodeled. Centrally located, this hotel is just steps away from all the fun!

Another option is to do VRBO and rent out an apartment in one of the downtown high-rise apartment buildings: you don't get your towels and sheets changed out every day, but you can do your part to stay green if you stay there.

There are some obvious omissions here, but these are my faves for downtown.

Oh and watch this happy, snappy video of Nashville before you come. It will get you in the right frame of mind to visit our beloved Music City!


Stay tuned, Part Two to follow soon!