GO AHEAD, TAP THAT CLASS
GO AHEAD, TAP THAT CLASS
It was a beautiful day in July when a group of girlfriends and I decided to take a girl’s trip to Nashville, TN. What sparked the spur-of-the-moment decision (literally)? One of us saw a Facebook story about a Nashville restaurant that coordinated donuts with beer. Yep, that’s all it took to decide on a trip to Nashville. Within two hours, our flights and a VRBO were booked for a trip in October. Yep, that’s all it took . . . donuts and beer.
Accommodations: We decided to rent a four-bedroom modern townhouse via VRBO that, for the most part, met our needs. However, we won’t promote the rental as their customer service was below par. There was a major issue with the air conditioner, and my girlfriend staying in the ground-level bedroom never experienced the benefits of AC. While we reached out to them with our concerns, we were never notified when they would be coming to the house, and they entered the unit without our knowledge or without us being present (or at least without having the option of being in attendance).
While this VRBO experience wasn’t our best, we highly recommend checking out VRBO for your accommodations. There are many vacation rental options in Nashville, and did you know Nashville has some of the strictest short-term rental regulations in the country? Homeowners who do not personally reside in the property have to apply annually for a short-term rental license.
Transportation: Depending on where you stay and what you want to do, you may be able to avoid renting a car. However, we knew we would be visiting various areas in Nashville and wanted the freedom to come/go on our own, so we rented a car.
We only visited Nashville for a long weekend, so there was little time, but we crammed in as much fun as possible. Here is what we did:
Broadway is where you must go at night if you love live music. You will find live music in every bar and restaurant; often, a different band is on each floor. It’s amazing!
Many Broadway restaurants and bars have amazing rooftops you must check out. We just walked from bar to bar, listening to live music, dancing, and having a fantastic time with each other. The people-watching was unforgettable, and the memories of this trip will last a lifetime.
When you are in town, head down to Broadway and start making your way down one side of the street and up the other side, stopping at the bars that look the most interesting or where you can hear fantastic music coming from. It is a must-do while you are in Nashville!
The Ryman is considered one of the best performance halls in the world and the original home of the Grand Ole Opry.
How did the Ryman Auditorium come to be? Well, back in 1885, Sam Joes, an evangelist, led a tent rival attended by 5,000 people, including a prominent Nashville businessman named Thomas G. Ryman. Mr. Ryman was so moved by the experience that he dedicated his fortune and life to constructing the Union Gospel Tabernacle. Upon his death, the name was changed to honor his legacy.
The Grand Ole Opry called Ryman Auditorium home from 1943 to 1974 and brought in acts like Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Minnie Pearl, Patsy Cline, and many others. The stage of the Ryman was brought into the living rooms of those around the country for 31 years.
After the Grand Ole Opry moved locations, the Ryman sat empty until a complete renovation occurred in the 1990s. It has since become one of the country’s most significant music heritage sites.
You can check out the Ryman Auditorium event calendar to see who will be at the Ryam while you are in town. If you don’t have time to see a show, we highly recommend a Ryman Auditorium tour.
We didn’t have an actual plan for touring the fantastic murals around Nashville. However, when we stumbled upon one, we stopped and took our picture!
I find it annoying to ask a stranger passing by to take a group picture, so I often travel with a selfie-stick tripod with a Bluetooth wireless remote to snap the picture from a distance. This was a pre-Apple watch, which you can use now to snap a picture from a distance.
Are you looking for the best murals in Nashville? Check out the link below, which lists the murals by geographic area so you can plan accordingly! We would love to see your trips’ mural photos, so post them in the comments below.
It would only be a girl’s trip with doing a little boutique shopping. We checked out more places than I can remember, so I will highlight a couple that sticks out in my memory.
Uncommon James: A few of us are reality TV junkies, and at the time of our visit, Very Cavallari was somewhat popular on TV. Of course, we thought Jay Cutler was adorable, which added to our desire to watch the show. Since we were in Nashville, we thought we should check out the store Uncommon James, founded by Kristin Cavallari. (Do I dare admit that we even drove past their house in a suburb of Nashville? You’re right… I shouldn’t… so I won’t.)
There wasn’t a line the day we were there, but when we drove by the next day, there was a line to get inside. Once inside, we found the store to be overpriced, products needed more quality, and there wasn’t much available for sale in the store. I think one friend bought a necklace for their daughter, but the rest of us left empty-handed.
It is safe to say that we were all very underwhelmed by the store.
Draper James: I guess we had a thing for stores with the name James in it on this trip.
We decided to go to the flagship Draper James store in Nashville. Actress Reese Witherspoon founded Draper James to honor her Southern heritage. The store is named after her grandmother, Dorothea Draper, and her grandfather, William James Witherspoon.
The store had beautiful items, but they weren’t exactly my style, so I didn’t buy anything there. I suggest checking it out.
TIP: If you want to check out the I Believe in Nashville mural (shown above in the mural section), it shares the ally with Draper James.
Since this trip came about from a Good Morning America post on Facebook about The Donut + Dog, I suggest starting there for our first food recommendation.
The Donut + Dog is located in a renovated older home in a residential neighborhood near Vanderbilt University. The walkway to the front door has donuts and hot dogs painted, which sets the vibe for the cute restaurant.
We went there for donuts, and they were terrific! What makes them so great? Well, the 20-hour Brioche donut is award-winning. Twenty hours? Yes, it takes 20 hours to make the dough for the donut, which is so tasty!
Here are some of the donuts they offer:
♥ Boss Hog: Crunch smokey bacon with pecan brittle and bourbon maple glaze
♥ Sweet Baby Jesus: Triple crème bruleed shell with vanilla filling
♥ Dirty Churro: Cinnamon, sugar, Oreo crumble drizzled with espresso
♥ Pillow Talk: Guava and cream cheese, Italian buttercream with a house glaze
Would you be interested in ordering a beer flight with your donuts? Don’t worry! They will suggest which beers they serve that taste best with your donut selection.
This place is a must when visiting Nashville. It is sweet, savory, and memorable!
Biscuit Love started in 2012 in an Airstream® food truck. Now, they own five store locations in Tennessee! When we visited, there was a line outside the door so we had to wait to be seated . . but the wait was worth it!
Their menu includes many options made from biscuits (duh!). Some of our favorites are:
♥ Bonuts: Fried biscuit dough, tossed in sugar and topped with lemon mascarpone and served over blueberry compote
♥ The B-Roll: Biscuit Cinnamon Roll made with their signature buttermilk biscuit dough, topped with a sticky pecan bun sauce, and served with cream cheese icing
We each ordered something different and shared to cover a range of the menu. Everything we had was delicious!
Biscuit Love is open for breakfast and lunch. Please stop by and check them out while visiting the Music City.
Every time we drove past Hattie B’s location, a long line was outside. One day, we committed to stand in line, and it was SO worth it!
I don’t eat chicken (I know, it’s weird), so I can’t talk about the chicken. However, the Pimento Mac & Cheese is probably the best I have ever had!
Regarding the chicken heat levels, there are six options: Southern, mild, medium, and hot! Damn hot!!, and shut the cluck up!!!
We highly recommend stopping by Hattie B’s; however, get in line before you reach hangry status, as the lines tend to be long and wrap around the restaurant outside.
I am trying to remember how we heard about Tin Roof, as it is more of a local hangout than a tourist spot, but it was fun to feel like a local.
In 2002, Tin Roof opened as a place for musicians from the nearby Music Row to play and hang out when they weren’t on stage.
Tin Roof has a more hole-in-the-wall vibe, and while it serves food, it is not known for its food. If you are looking for local music off of Broadway, you should visit Tin Roof!
Here at BEING BOUJEE, we want to ensure you are prepared for your trip to Nashville, so we have created the ultimate packing list for you. Many items aren’t BOUJEE, but you can BOUJEE them up with your spin on them.
LeAnn is a mentor and the ultimate BOUJEE glamour gal. When she left daily drudgery behind in favor of following her own personal path to joy, she made a promise to herself that she would help others do the same. All she’s ever wanted is to do is stay healthy, live her best life and give back to others by introducing them to their inner BOUJEE.
