Lucy’s Pearls Travels: Nashville, TN
On a whim, I decided to drive to Nashville. From Atlanta, it's only a three and a half hour commute. We took the scenic route through Chattanooga and it was a sight to see. I've always wanted to visit Nashville and it was worth the trip.
When I think about Nashville, I think of country music. We all know that Nashville is country heaven, so I expected it to be just that. I expected to see lots of hee-hawing, cowboy hat wearing, barbecue eating, southern living folks. No shade. I wouldn't say I was disappointed but I was definitely pleasantly surprised.Per usual, I researched the best places to eat and The Pancake Pantry showed up on everyone's list. I read that you have to arrive early, like 7am, to be right on time. I took that with a grain of salt since we got there Monday morning. I thought, surely, everyone is at work. Boy, was I wrong. We got there around 11:30am and the line was wrapped around the corner. I was too famished to wait. All of a sudden, their food "couldn't be that good" (although secretly, that was just my way of masking my pain). But guess what? After quickly scoping the area, we found a quaint spot called Fido. You guys, why don't we have this place in Atlanta? It's what Octane Coffee has the potential of becoming, with amazing food and space to boot.
To this day, I regret not going back and getting that salmon burger special.Next on the list to explore was The Parthenon in Nashville's Centennial Park. I'm sure you're familiar with the original statue in Athens, Greece. I'm not sure why they built it, besides it being architectural porn. The Nashville replica has an art museum inside.
After The Parthenon, we were off to walk the John Seigenthaler Pedestrian Bridge. That's their football stadium in the background.
True story, every time I see this picture of myself, I die of laughter. Who in the world told me I was a model and why?? This is ridiculous. LOL!! But, hey skyline.
Give me amazing architecture over most things any day. I googled places to take pictures in Nashville and everyone said the Shelby Street Bridge (which now goes by another name posted below).
Do you notice something new? Well, besides my hair. I cut it back in August. It was still too long for my liking so I've cut it lower twice since the initial cut. Now all I have to do to style is put the top portion in six twists for texture and I'm good to go. Just like I wanted. And my glasses? I've been eyeing them for MONTHS. I've even gotten friends to purchase from them. They're from a new store in Atlanta called Karoo. These babies are exactly what I needed to make me feel and look 30 years old.
Interesting fact: I do not like taking a lot of pictures of myself. Gasp, I know. I hate smiling (with teeth). It's exhausting. But when you're traveling with a photographer who takes 14 million awesome shots of you, it's hard to choose, so you have to post them all.
About the bridge:
Originally it was thought that a trolley might use the center lane, but that idea was abandoned in favor of a bicycle lane. On each side of the bicycle lane are 10-foot-wide (3.0 m) elevated boardwalk-style sidewalks. The bridge includes four scenic pedestrian overlooks that, in the metal of the railing, have artistic renderings of the history of life on the Cumberland River. Wikipedia
Clearly, I had way too many pictures of myself above and not enough images of the city. *thug tear* But hey, here's a boot.
There weren't many restaurants that catered to my new dietary restrictions, or anything that looked super appetizing, really. We settled on a restaurant called Merchants for a late lunch. Guys, I don't know how I always pick the best places to eat while traveling but I always do. (Humble bragging here.) This place fit my style and aesthetic to a T. From the simple design of the menu to the intricate marble on the table, everything was perfect. They served us popcorn (for the freeskee) while we waited on our orders. If you go there, definitely try the duck fat tater tots (skip the ketchup and béarnaise sauces and stick with the chipotle mayo).
Lastly, we stopped by a bar and chatted with locals before heading back to Atlanta. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to see Music Row. I know. That's the whole point of going to Nashville. But there wasn't enough time.One of my goals in life is to be infinitely curious about the world around me. I'm interested in the way people live, their culture, why they believe what they believe, eat what they eat and much more. I learn so much by just observing. And so, as my blog evolves (because that's what's happening), I hope to share more of what I learn by what I observe. I hope you enjoyed this post. Until the next trip...Photography by Ben Styles