When I sat down to plan several of my blog posts for the year, the Best Bites of 2020 was one that I looked forward to writing. This stroll down memory lane allows me to relive some of my favorite and not so favorite dining experiences, all while realizing I’ve consumed a million + calories in the past 365 days. C'est la vie!
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As a Nashville native and a food and wine enthusiast, I’m always in pursuit of legendary restaurants and amazing food. If my Instagram and bathroom scale are to be believed, the past few years have been extraordinary.
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2020 will be the first year since I’ve entered the workforce where I have an excess of vacation. I know, first world problems, but it’s one that I have yet to encounter during my career. Usually, I am over here adding days to long holiday weekends just to squeeze in one more trip, while many of my coworkers feel guilty about leaving or simply don’t want to deal with the piles of work they will come back to. Regardless of the situation, I’m sure we can all relate to one of these.
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Hi Everyone!
Over the past several months, I’ve noticed a lot of new faces around here. I wanted to take a moment to say welcome and thank you for reading. It’s hard to believe that Blonde Voyage Nashville has been around for four years. FOUR YEARS! I still can’t believe it.
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Over the past few years, I’ve spent so much time exploring other places that I forgot how beautiful Tennessee truly is. With so many charming towns and breathtaking landscapes, it’s easy to see why people want to visit. A few weeks ago, I had a chance to hike Cummins Falls State Park and explore Cookeville, Tennessee. It was such a treat and the perfect day trip from Nashville.
For those of you in need of a chance of scenery, I’ve put together some of my favorite sites, bites, and brews.
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Even though I have found a sense of contentment in my hometown, I miss traveling terribly. There’s something so exhilarating about tasting new food and trying new wines. You can learn more about culture and heritage in one meal than you often can reading a book or wandering through a local museum.
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Until this pandemic is officially behind us, I plan on making the most of this situation or least distracting myself from it. I can’t say that I’m the most outdoorsy person. Call me cliche or high-maintenance for that matter, but camping for days on end without wi-fi, air conditioning or running water is not something I’m excited about. Tell me there’s an outdoor patio, and cocktails are involved, and I’m there. But like many of you, this pandemic has redefined my definition of adventure. I’ve traded in fitness classes for “driveway workouts” and walks around the neighborhood and rather than catching flights, I’m taking the road less traveled and discovering all the hidden treasures in Tennessee.
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Is it possible to feel normal when nothing is normal?
Let’s face it, we are six months into this pandemic, and living our best life looks and feels drastically different. Pre-COVID-19, all I needed were my keys, cellphone, and the occasional handbag. Now, I am masking up and making sure that I have an arsenal of hand sanitizer, disinfecting wipes, and gloves readily available. Hugs and high-fives have been replaced by a friendly social distanced nod and travel seems to be a distant memory as COVID-19 cases continue to spike and more borders close.
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If someone mentioned the idea of a staycation to me a year ago, I would have quickly dismissed that notion as fast as they recommended it. But, my how times have changed. Like many of you, I’ve been working from home since March. While I adore my home, it’s safe to say I’ve yet to spend this many consecutive days within these walls since I’ve moved in. In desperate need of a change of scenery, and no, I don’t mean moving from room to room, I decided to plan a little staycation at the Graduate Nashville.
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From Coney Island to your favorite baseball stadium or backyard barbecue, hot dogs are indisputably one of the most relished foods in all of American cuisine and no summer gathering is complete without them. In fact, some might argue that they are a quintessential piece of Americana. With hot dog season officially upon us, Nashvillians are celebrating this momentous occasion at gourmet hot dog mainstay, Daddy’s Dogs.
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Life in Nashville as I once knew it revolved around restaurant experiences, quality time with family and friends, live music and travel, lots of travel. Riddled with a sense of bewilderment, I’m slowly adjusting to what many hate to call the “ new normal” where masks are the newest fashion statement, catch up sessions occur via FaceTime, and travel is almost nonexistent.
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If you know me or have been following Blonde Voyage Nashville for any amount of time, it’s no secret that I LOVE wine. Aside from my weekly wine reviews (TJ Tuesdays), I have total geek-out moments when I open my World Atlas of Wine and learn about a new wine-producing region or a grape varietal that I am unfamiliar with. Given my passion for wine, I travel to Napa Valley and surrounding areas at least once or twice a year to explore new vineyards and revisit some old favorites. Even though the airlines are taking the utmost precautions, I’m just not ready to fly.
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We are living in unprecedented times. If I were to describe the mood of most Americans, words like tense, apprehensive, and anxious come to mind. Many of us have been quarantining in our homes for what feels like an eternity, separated from loved ones, family, and friends. Now that city restrictions are lifting, (Nashville continues to remain in Phase 2 during the time of this post), I am more than eager to get out of the house.
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2020, I’d like a do-over.
To say it’s been a hell of a year, is the understatement of the century, especially for those of us who live in Nashville. First, deadly tornadoes swept through Nashville in early March causing severe devastation in East Nashville, Germantown, and other surrounding areas.
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Nashville, Tennessee is the country music capital of the world. While country music cliches, boozy ballads, and cowboy boots are still prevalent on lower Broadway, Nashville has assumed a new identity as it has evolved into one of the premier dining destinations in the United States. Anchored by Southern hospitality and hot chicken, steakhouses are becoming more prevalent throughout Music City. Gone are the days of ordering a premium cut of meat at any old restaurant, carnivore connoisseurs are splurging at some of the cities most popular steakhouses.
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‘Tis the season for all things family as the holiday season is officially upon us. While many of us have time-honored Thanksgiving traditions like watching the Macy’s Day Parade and making our great-grandmother’s cornbread dressing, others may be a little apprehensive about these so-called family gatherings. Navigating dinner conversation while avoiding topics like politics, religion and your current dating situation can be tricky. Let’s face it, people are often better at passing judgment than the potatoes sometimes, am I right?
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If you were to ask me a few years ago about my favorite brunch in Nashville, without hesitation I would have said Public House at the illustrious Urban Cowboy (last seen here). I spent numerous Sundays posted up at the bar (before they decided to take away the bar stools) eating the most glorious tomato sandwiches crafted by chef Tom Bayless. Thinking about the amount of money that I spent on tomato sandwiches and Rosé Palomas is almost cringe-worthy but it was the only way to defeat the Sunday Scaries.
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Oh, fall. How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
The crisp, cool air that hits my face
The changing colors of the leaves
Sweater Weather and all things cozy clothing that comes with cooler temperature ( I’m happy to say bu-bye to bikinis)
Major road closures, football matchups, and multi-stage music festivals did not hinder locals and tourists alike from attending the seventh annual Music City Food and Wine Festival. After all, If there’s one thing Nashvillians love, it’s good food and booze.
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