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

"From Nashville to Kentucky. My Heart, It Draws the Line."

"From Nashville to Kentucky" is the name of a My Morning Jacket song, but it's also what I've been up to recently. First, Gary came to Nashville to stay for a few days; however,  the only photo evidence that I have from that experience are from Virago, a swanky sushi place in Nashville. The pictures are bad, because I didn't wanna disturb that swanky atmosphere with an abrasive flash, but the sushi was powerful stuff.

 I had this number below called "The Bomb" and I've been dreaming of it ever since.

After the Nashville visit,  I returned with Gary to the bluegrass state for the rest of the week.

One of those days, we went to Louisville (from which My Morning Jacket hails). Now, I've talked about my amorous relationships with cities on this blog. Louisville has only been in my life for a total of 3 days, but it was love at first sight. It's character is similar to Nashville, but, for some reason, it seems more laid back. From a few recommendations from my friend Phil, Gary and I ended up at Cumberland Brewery on Bardstown Rd.

That day, they offered a Belgian Triple, 9.5%, so I felt tripled after drinking it. It was delicious.

 We also ate some pretty good grub.

Then we hoped across the street to Why Louisville, the most hipster tourist shop I've ever seen. 

'Twas the Urban Outfitters of tourist shops, except this shop offers locally designed Tshirts. So I'm not ashamed to say I was loving it and bought two Tshirts to display my love for KY. I hardly even wear tshirts, but that's besides the point.

So first one was a connect-the-dots shape of Kentucky (above).  And the second one is awesome, because it's a KetuckYeti screaming...enough said. You can actually by that one online here.

Then, after buying Tshirts and seeing Scott Pilgram (SEE IT, IT'S GREAT!), we stopped at a place called Liquor Barn, the WalMart of alcohol. It was HILARIOUS.  Grab your buggy and stock up. At first it was overwhelming, but then I got super excited because I found a German Riesling that I haven't been able to find for 2 years (not pictured). Here's Gary... looking ridiculous at the Liquor Barn with his goofy sunglasses he had just bought:

Well, add in a visit with my cousin Matt, and that completes my Louisville trip. Now, I am back in Tennessee preparing for my next voyage: Colorado and California!!!