One of my all time favorite nights happened in Nashville on my birthday, 2017.
Jess and I had a rare night alone as my in laws were watching the girls. Our dinner reservations were at Husk and I couldn’t have been more excited. Their menu looked amazing and I was excited to try a few of their cocktails. Now this happened to be over the Rock n Roll Marathon weekend so I had heard there would be some great music at the outdoor concert venue, just down the street/hill from Husk.
I open the car door and step out to the tune of “What’s my mutha lovin’ (note: it wasn’t lovin’) name” playing in the distance.
Snoop Dogg.
I. Died.
Jess and I made sure we snagged a few drinks outside so we could hear one of my all time favs rock it out.
Snoop never disappoints.
We have visited Nashville on several occasions and I always feel like we just scratch the surface of things to see and do. My cousin Denise has lived there for years and gave us the scoop on an amazing contemporary American spot, The Butcher and The Bee. It has a hip, industrial vibe and an amazing selection of vegetarian options. We had a whipped feta and fermented honey appetizer with pitas that I still dream about! And their King Oyster Mushroom with Manchego sauce had to be one of the top dishes I’ve ever had. Sigh. I wish I could cook!
Mention Nashville to my daughters and they quickly pipe up with their love for The Gulch, a shopping and dining Mecca. Any reality show lovers out there? Two words: Kristin Cavallari. Her store, Uncommon James, features dainty unique jewelry, candles, clothing and beauty products. Urban Outfitters is always a must stop for us. After a day of shopping, an amazing time-out can be had at Biscuit Love. Don’t worry, calories don’t count when travelling. The line is usually long to get in, but you can’t go wrong with any of their fresh, flaky goodness.
No trip to Nashville would be complete without a stroll down Music Row. I’m always amazed at how they fit musicians and their equipment on the tiny honky tonk bar stages! The music is amazing and you’re sure to hear a future star or two along your walk. Right off Music Row is The Southern Steak and Oyster, a must-visit for our family. We appreciate any bar that allows you to saddle up with kids! You are able to watch the oyster shuckers at work and it is a sight to behold. They are so fast! Our favorite “shucker” was Patrick who was nice enough to entertain us with his oyster knowledge, and a few free ones!
Finally, we also hit plenty of great restaurants and other venues around Vanderbilt, like Tavern Midtown and Centennial Park. Tavern – also friendly to children, with a great private dining room – serves up great food, including perhaps our family’s favorite appetizer of all time, grilled Shishito (aka “$hitshow”) peppers. Watching the in-laws and kids knock back Shishito peppers and grimace in delightful flavor/heat makes for lots of family laughs. And Centennial Park has an amazing replica of the Parthenon, with rotating exhibits. We enjoyed lots of long walks and great photo opportunities at the Parthenon! Again, this post doesn’t even scratch the surface of fun available to families in Nashville!
Comments