Nashville

My friend Whintey aka "Whitners" came to visit me in Nashville a few days before my Cali-Colorado trip. We met at college in Kentucky; she's from Louisville, but is currently living in Chicago. So, I gave her a run for her money, taking her to all my favorite places. Plus, it gave me an excuse to go to all my favorite places. Along the way, I discovered a few new things as well. So, are you ready for another super long travel blog-post? Good. Here it goes:

Place Number one: Virago

Great for: Sushi and swanky atmosphere

I loved: "the bomb" roll and a great seaweed salad

Place Number two: Bongo Java

Great for: the BEST coffee in Nashville, lattes, atmosphere and hipster-spotting

Funny quote I overheard: 

   Female Worker: "I can't find the   
   person who ordered the panini. What does  
   he/she look like?"

   Barista: "He had dark thick-rimmed glasses 

   and wore brown cowboy-boots with a  
   steel-toe"

   Female worker: "That describes every   
   customer here."

Place number three: Fat Straw

Great for: BUBBLE TEA! 

I loved: Mango, Fruit Black Tea with the tapioca bubbles

Place Number Four: The Frist Museum. 

Great For: Manageable but satisfying exhibits, a good little cafe, and a gift shop. Plus, it's in a great location.

We Saw: "The Golden Age of Couture: Paris and London 1947-1957"

I loved: Photographs in the Vogues from this period, especially Irving Penn's

Place Number Five: The Cheekwood Gardens

Great For: The beautiful gardens, the old mansion and its Nashville history, a great touristy stop and a romantic spot at night.

I loved: This current exhibit, "Chihuly at Cheekwood." It was literally one of the best exhibits I have EVER seen. Look up Chihuly's amazing glass sculptures for more.

We look scared...oh so very scared.

Place Number Six: Sunset Grill

Great For: Late night menu, half-priced bottles of wine, great art on the walls, innovative menu

I loved/ always love: The Habanero Bread Pudding

Place Number Seven: Burger Up

Great For: Creative Burgers, Southern flair to food, cute waiters

I loved: the fried pickles, sweet potato fries, the DELCIOUS salad (see pics)

Bad for: Vegetarians 

Place Number Eight: Las Paletas (a Nashville Favorite)

Great For: Delicious, homemade, creative popsicles. Plus, it's next door to Burger Up.

Place Number Nine: Imogene & Willie

Great For: EVERYTHING IT DOES (especially, of course, The jeans); a craving to experience  Americana {the good kind, not that harped-on type that John Mellencamp uses}; a knowledgeable and passionate staff (connoisseurs of everything jean); the quest for "the perfect pair"

I bought: The Imogene.

Place Number Ten: Local Honey

Great For: Affordable, hand-picked Vintage. Awesome boots. Also, it supports local fashion designers and artists

I loved/ always love: The local fashion designers and the jewelry

Place number eleven: My house

Great For: relaxation, food, family and THE DOGS

Now...back to Imogene & Willie: I bought/ was convinced to buy a pair of jeans. I am in NO WAY, shape or form a "jeans girl." My body shape prefers skirts and dresses. In addition, I bought the jean model that has no spandex; the jean must be worn month after month to be broken in and form to your body shape. I quote from the Nashville Scene's article on the store, 

"Stiff as cardboard and just as rough, nightfall-hued and intriguingly plain, they proffer a kind of mythic status: raw, highly fetishized, 9-to-12-ounce selvedge denim, based on a postwar design and made on vintage shuttle looms in either Japan or in North Carolina...Meant to be often worn but seldom washed, the raw denim becomes a second skin, every scuff and scrape a badge of constant wear."

So, I will report back on this blog whether the myth of these expensive jeans is, in fact, truth for a gal like me. So far, I have no complaints (in just one week, they feel so much better!) Plus, they were cutely wrapped in this package:

Here they are on Day 1:

I will keep you posted on the progress of this obstinate pair.

To conclude this massive Nashville post, I will quote some apropos song lyrics, as I so often do. It's called "Tennessee" by The Silver Jews:

We're gonna live in Nashville and I'll make a career

Out of writing sad songs and getting paid by the tear

Marry me and leave Kentucky

Come to Tennessee

'Cause you're the only ten I see

You're the only ten I see

I've looked through offices and honky-tonks for men man enough to be...

Mr. and Mrs. Tennessee

Mr. and Mrs. Tennessee

Oxford and the rest of London

So, on my last day in England, Anna and I decided to go to Oxford to get a different vibe outside of London.

The whole 2 and a half week trip, Anna and I had been joking about when my "panda" would come out of hiding. You see, I've been nicknamed "Panda bear" due to my fair complexion and my extremely relaxed behavior, because Pandas only muster up enough energy to eat bamboo all day in between their naps. And that's pretty much all they do. I am kinda the same way. So, panda became a part of our jargon as in, "Sarah, are you needing to panda out right now?" "Sarah, are you about to go all panda-y?" "Is pandy coming out to play?" Well, Panda was dormant until this last day going to Oxford, and my Panda came out of hiding, full blast. So, I needed a relaxing afternoon walking around the beautiful city of Oxford.

 

There were many of these bikes around town to introduce you to a restaurant or store.

Panda needed to eat ASAP. So we went to this great restaurant and pub, The Turf Tavern. You had to go down this little alley to find it.

Another thing my panda-self mustered up enough energy to do: Shopping. We stumbled upon Aspire Style. Have you ever found the most perfect dress except for one tiny detail!?!?!? That is what happened to me, (hence the face). I had to take a picture of it through which I could vicariously live. Also for remembrance!

London, Take Two

So, I arrived home safely back in Nashville, TN. As you saw in my last post, I was worried about reverse-culture shock and the such. However, much to my surprise, I am loving being back home. I kinda forgot how amazing the USA is, or, more specifically, how amazing Nashville is. Being abroad has really brought to light what a special city it is. Tragically, as many of you have heard on the news, Nashville was flooded a few days ago. My neighbors are now without homes, and Obama has declared it a national disaster. However (urg?! how do I transition from national disaster to shallow post about fashion?!?!?), on a lighter note, I am jumping back a few weeks to follow up about another amazing city, London.

I admitted to the blogosphere that London is my fashion-city-soulmate. I will continue sharing with you a few of my favorite places that I found while promenading the streets of the capital city. So picking up where I left off at number 6, here we go.

6) This Shop Rocks, 131 Brick Lane E1 6SE:
 Here is a vintage store among the many vintage shops on Brick Lane (some of which I mentioned in my other post). Yet, this one stood out; perhaps it was more organized, more accessible.Sometimes I get way too overwhelmed among all the clutter in vintage shops. So I appreciate it when it is nicely organized.Plus, with a name like "This Shop Rocks," this store better walk the walk. I happened to find an adorable apron, which I will probably show a picture of later.

7) Vintage Heaven, 82 Columbia Rd, Bethnal Green, E2 7QB: an adorable charity shop and cafe.

8) The Old Blue's Last, 38 Great Eastern St, EC2A 3ES.
In fact, this is a live music venue and bar, yet every other Sunday from 12-6pm, it's a flea market! It's a great atmosphere with quirky people selling their quirky stuff. Plus, I had the most delicious hand-made, brown sugar cupcake. Grab a beer, walk around, shoot the breeze (chitchat), have fun and find some goodies.

9) The Appletree Boutique, 127 Portobello, Notting Hill, W11 2DY:
There are actually 3 locations of The Appletree Boutique, two of which are on Portobello Road. Great finds and even better prices. Cute and trendy. Go!

10) Cath Kidston, 8 Clarendon Cross, Notting Hill, W11
You can find Cath Kidston all over London and the UK, but when I walked into the shop in Notting Hill, it was the first time I had ever heard of the brand. My inner little girl who will forever love the days of Playmobile and American Girl Dolls fell bum over noggin for the cute, florally patterns. 

 

And while you are on Portabello Road in Notting Hill, why don't you stop by The Castle. I had my first fish and chips there and it didn't dissapoint, to say the least! They had great in-house cider, an amazing playlist (which I asked for, and the bartender wrote down the entire list), and a great staff. Anna is allergic to gluten and the cook came out to talk to her and specifically formulate a meal not on the menu that she could eat.

Best.Picture.Ever.

 AHHHH. 'Twas such a good, relaxing time at The Castle after a vigorous day of window shopping.