There’s no shortage of recommendations from Paris. The coveted reservations, the celebrated boutiques, the familiar addresses that seem to appear on EVERY social feed. And while many deserve a spot on the itinerary, some of the most memorable discoveries happen when you venture off the well-beaten path. For me, part of the pleasure of returning to a city is finding somewhere new to linger, an unexpected treasure to bring home, or an experience that offers fresh perspective on a place I thought I knew. After all, the best trips aren’t always defined by how many places you check off a list (something I have to remind myself of often), but by the discoveries you make along the way.
As a self-proclaimed Type A traveler, I’m the one with an icon-coded Google map, a meticulously organized itinerary, and at least three backup restaurants for every meal. So, spending an agenda-free afternoon in Paris felt like I was rebelling against my natural wiring. It was equal parts liberating and mildly terrifying—with a definite emphasis on terrifying.
There are a few weeks every summer when Nashville quietly becomes a better city, and it has nothing to do with a buzzy new restaurant or another honky-tonk opening on Lower Broadway. It's tomato season, that fleeting stretch when heirlooms arrive at farmers markets in shades of red, yellow, green, and purple, still warm from the field and tasting exactly as summer should.
As much as I love to travel and explore new things, I can sometimes become a creature of habit. I tend to revisit my favorite local restaurants and cocktail bars that I know won't disappoint. Imagine my reaction when one of my dearest friends wanted to brunch "outside the city" in Scottsboro, Tennessee.
There’s no shortage of recommendations from Paris. The coveted reservations, the celebrated boutiques, the familiar addresses that seem to appear on EVERY social feed. And while many deserve a spot on the itinerary, some of the most memorable discoveries happen when you venture off the well-beaten path. For me, part of the pleasure of returning to a city is finding somewhere new to linger, an unexpected treasure to bring home, or an experience that offers fresh perspective on a place I thought I knew. After all, the best trips aren’t always defined by how many places you check off a list (something I have to remind myself of often), but by the discoveries you make along the way.