Like just about every post that I write about our travels…
Zen-Den was in [fill in the blank] for work and I decided to join him.
In this case he was in Nashville, TN, aka Music City USA. So I flew down there for a goof-off weekend in a city that is cheerful and easy to navigate.
Nashville is fun, y’all. Here are the highlights of our Weekend.
:: We went to the Parthenon.
Built for Tennessee’s 1897 Centennial Exposition, this building has INCREDIBLE detail, a small art museum in the basement featuring regional American landscape art, and is located in a large, somewhat uncared for, city park.
I learned how little I know about Greek mythology while here, y’all.
:: We went to a fancy part of town called Green Hills.
There we wandered around a mall, and adjacent lifestyle center, that had many of the same stores that we have here, BUT they were twice as large with FRIENDLY sales help. As much as I don’t usually enjoy shopping, this I liked.
I bought a Coach purse, y’all.
:: We went to the Country Music Hall of Fame.
This museum was amazing. FASCINATING. Curated to tell, entertain and engage everyone with music, videos, instruments, album covers, photographs, costumes, interactive displays and tasteful decor, we enjoyed this museum more than we thought that we would.
I saw Elvis’s gold Cadillac, y’all.
:: We ate at Ted’s Montana Grill.
This is a chain restaurant, owned by Ted Turner, that features beef and buffalo, along with salads and fish and milkshakes. The restaurant was beautifully decorated in a 1970s steak-house style with lots of dark wood and shiny brass. The food was DELICIOUS and the service was attentive.
I ate a bison burger– and I washed my hands with Boraxo powdered soap, y’all.
:: And finally, the answer to the question that everyone asks when you go to Nashville: Yes, we went to the Grand Ole Opry.
It was GREAT. We saw lots of older performers who we’d never heard of [Connie Smith?], but eventually, as the evening progressed, we saw performers who we knew, like Vince Gill and Pure Prairie League. Then, in true Opry fashion, two superstars stopped by the Opry on a whim– and the crowd went crazy.
I saw Tricia Yearwood AND her husband, Garth Brooks, perform together, y’all.
THE SPECTACLED BEAN 
The Grand Ole Opry was fun. [Comment edited for clarity.]
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Zen-Den, I agree.
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I would LOVE to go to Nashville. Definitely on my list. Now I want to go even more.
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Polly, it was pretty and fun– with pleasant people and a relaxed charm that was southern through and through. You’d enjoy it, I have no doubt.
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So glad you had a great time in Nashville! It is a fun place and very easy to navigate, like you stated. You’ll have to go back sometime and go to Opry Mills Hotel and mall. Christmas time is beautiful there, with trees of poinsettias. I enjoyed our years living close to Nashville. Tennessee is just a beautiful state.
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Beth, Tennessee was friendly and beautiful– so many flowering trees and green grass + bushes everywhere you turn. I can see why you liked it there. I’m sure that we’ll go back sometime because there was more to do– and who know who’ll be at the Grand Ole Opry!
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I’d love to go to Nashville someday. There’s nothing country about me, but I think it would be fun to explore. Especially after reading your post!
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Carrie, I’m certain that you’d enjoy visiting Nashville. It was as much of a learning experience for us as it was a visit to the source of music we know. And so easy to get around in– with decent parking– and nice people.
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I’ve never really wanted to go to Nashville but you make it sound like such fun, now I want to go!
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Zazzy, given the chance to go there, I thought: why not? It was nothing like Disney or Vegas– much more real and classy and less expensive. But it still had an entertainment vibe to it which was cool.
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I believe Vince Gill was a member of Pure Prairie League before he found solo fame, so it was like a family reunion, y’all.
Glad you enjoyed your trip!
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evilsquirrel13, yes he was! According to the older members of Pure Prairie League, Vince was known as the “kid” because when he joined the band he wasn’t old enough to drink yet. Of course now the “kid” is on the cover of AARP magazine, and the older members are– well, much older! However, they still did a fine rendition of “Amy” so I was happy.
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I love Nashville. I loved Memphis too for the music. You were so lucky at the Grand Ole Opry! Didn’t happen when I was there.
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Kate, the crowd went wild when TY came onto the stage and then when she introduced her husband, GB, the place went bonkers. They were amazing together, although I thought that they were separate acts. But maybe not now.
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Since I’ve always disliked country music, I’ve had no interest in Nashville, but after reading your description of what there is to see, I’m more intrigued. Still not on my bucket list, but maybe… 🙂
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Margaret, I was pleasantly surprised by how not overwhelmingly country the city was. I’d been there before, but always work-related and never just the two of us goofing off together. It turned out to be a fun place– and there’s still more to do for the next time we get there.
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Wish I’d known you were headed there. I would’ve recommended a couple of eateries. 🙂
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Andra, next time I’ll definitely talk with you prior to going. We ate at national chain restaurants because we didn’t have anyone with local knowledge to guide us to better, more authentic places.
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Nashville’s life-size replica of the Parthenon is IMO the most wonderfully kitschy, bizzaro bit of Americana we’ve got. Better even than giant balls of twine. I used to live on Parthenon Way, a street just west of that park. On mornings when I left for work early enough that it was still dark out, I would come up over a slight hill — and in the distance, lit up like a full moon or like heaven in a kid’s cartoon, rose up the Parthenon…
Little known fact: the best spot for viewing the replicated temple is at a Burger King across the thoroughfare. The Parthenon sits on a slight rise, and the BK picture window frames it perfectly.
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Alice, oh what a fun thing to know! The next time we go to Nashville I’ll make a point of going to that BK just to snap a photo. You’re so right about it being bizzaro. I enjoyed seeing it, but you gotta wonder…
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I love Nashville. I go there for the Killer Nashville mystery writers conference. This will be my third time there. I love the Country Music Hall of Fame–Elvis’s car was beyond cool. I go out to the Loveless Cafe for the best biscuits and fried chicken. What an awesome trip you had! 🙂
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Kourtney, we had a fun time in Nashville. The mystery writers conference sounds like a hoot, so I can understand why you keep going back there. Didn’t know about Loveless Cafe, but next time it’ll be on our list. Yum, biscuits and fried chicken.
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“I saw Elvis’s gold Cadillac, y’all.”
Did y’all go riding on the freeway
OF LOVE!
Winds against your backs?
Did y’all go riding on the freeway
OF LOVE!
In Elvis’ gold Cadillac?
(With apologies to Aretha Franklin.)
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la p, you make me smile. Pity I didn’t get to see the pink Cadillac, but I’ll take a glimpse of a gold one when offered.
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😉
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