I grew up in Nashville in the eighties when country music was excruciatingly uncool and western wear was worn by the old, the oblivious, or the odd. Mainstream teenagers are now terribly passé and those western-wearing wackos are the hip, ahead-of-their-time, and cutting edge. The Grand Ole Opry still may stand proud and beautiful downtown, but the world’s country music Mecca is no longer a bastion of cowboy boots, big hair, and rhinestones. Country has come back around to cool, thanks to a funky infusion of young, sexy talent and Nashville is reveling in a well-earned revival.
Nashville has much more to offer than just a rich country music heritage, including Civil War history, strong funding for the arts, several fine universities, and successful sports teams. In the last twenty years, the local economy has been on a steady rise, causing big-city establishments such as Tiffany and Louis Vuitton to open up shop. There’s evidently money in them there hills.
Celebrity spotting is now a common pastime in Nashville as a new string of swanky residents move to town, including Nicole Kidman, Reese Witherspoon (a born and bred Nashvillian), and Jack White. The city’s restaurateurs are licking their chops to serve this new brand of worldly local and the quality and choice available is exceptional. Zola, named one of the best restaurants in the country by Gourmet Magazine, offers casual fine dining and well-constructed specialties such as pecan fried beet salad. Zola’s wine list has received the Wine Spectator’s Award of Excellence and the atmosphere is perfect for a romantic dinner. For fine southern cuisine with European and Asian flavor, visit The Acorn, where the service is famous and the menu is as diverse as it is delicious. The best brunch in town can be found on the East side at Margot’s Café and Bar. Chef Margot McCormick mixes up mouth-watering French and Italian inspired dishes in a cozy setting. If it’s a good old-fashioned comfort food you want, slip into a booth at Rotiers (2413 Elliston Place, 866-414-6824) where the burgers can’t be beat. This local favorite is situated in a funky shopping area around Vanderbilt University, just down the block from the Elliston Place Soda Shop (2111 Elliston Place, 615-327-1090), the best place in town for a malt or milkshake.
There’s never a shortage of exciting and inspiring entertainment in Nashville. Pick up the local free paper, The Nashville Scene to find out what’s on while you’re there. You can always count on The Bluebird Café for good country music. It’s strangely located in a strip mall in the up-market neighborhood of Green Hills, but it’s one of the most respected venues for up and coming stars. Famous performers such as Garth Brooks and Vince Gill got started here, playing the songwriter’s show on Sunday nights. It’s not the place for an evening of conversation (their slogan is shhhhh), but The Bluebird is a truly unique place and open mic night, held on Mondays, is worth a visit.
If you’re itching for a genuine local encounter, consider the Springwater. The Springwater is a dive bar in every sense of the word, where young bands play for their friends in the back room, while regulars play pool and swig locally brewed beer. Everyone should spend one evening haunting the old honkytonks located along Broadway downtown. Robert’s and Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge were hot spots in Country’s last heyday for the likes of Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, and Loretta Lynn. The music is still good and the atmosphere is fascinating. Other good venues for live music include, Mercy Lounge and Exit/In.
Nashville has taken special care to preserve its historical sites and even in the center of the high rises downtown, visitors can see an exact replica of the fort that founded the city. Andrew Jackson’s home, The Hermitage, is nearby and has been meticulously maintained to appear as it did when Jackson returned from his second term of presidency in 1837. It’s beautifully located and the house and grounds give an insightful peak into the notorious slave-owning president’s life. Traveler’s Rest is the home of Judge John Overton, a famous Tennessee politician and advisor to Andrew Jackson. His home served as headquarters for the Confederates in the Civil War. Nearby, the beautiful Nashville Zoo at Grassmere is celebrated for its conservation efforts. Children and adults alike enjoy seeing animals in the natural habitats and the play area is home to sixty-six square feet of slides, swings, and climbing structures. Nashville’s stunning Art Deco main post office has been renovated to house The Frist Center for the Visual Arts, which hosts superb traveling exhibits. If you are a Country Music fan even slightly, you definitely won’t want to miss the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. Located downtown in a beautiful new building, the museum tells the story of country music through the turn of two centuries and is interactive and entertaining.
