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.
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