One Night in Nashville

I have always had a curious love affair with the south. Genteel, graceful, tranquil, sultry, all describe the nation’s belle?s charms. When wandering through her ante-bellum neighborhoods or cruising through her cities flowering with urban renewal I often wonder how an entire region has perfected the artful form of repose so many Angelino’s often dream about.

Thus when a recent itinerary found me flying through Nashville, Tennessee, a vibrant metropolis hugged by meandering rivers and emerald hills, I felt compelled to extend my layover for a day. The reason, none other than the opportunity to spend time in a city that I enjoyed on previous drive through’s and fly by’s. Her enduring spirit as the heart of southern country and rock music has always afforded Nashville the cool factor that many cities search for but never attain. And her eclectic neighborhoods, green parks and riverfront address give her an aesthetic appeal that I find lacking in Los Angeles.

With plans to stay only one day, there was little time to waste during my visit. I wanted to see everything possible, from Gaylord’s Opryland to Andrew Jackson’s Hermitage Plantation, and all in between. Yet in the spirit of relaxation, and knowing I had less than 24 hours to operate I narrowed my plans to capture the old and new spirit of this city efficiently as possible.

First and foremost was where to stay as I wanted a hotel ensconced with the local flavor of Nashville. Passing on the Marriott?s and Sheraton?s of downtown I chose the Loews Vanderbilt Hotel. Aptly situated across West End Avenue from Vanderbilt University it is 15 minutes from the airport and roughly 1.5 miles from the downtown river walk area.

Location however, was not the reason I stayed at the Vanderbilt. Rather it was the rich culture of music that has been checking in for decades. Music execs, recording stars and dignitaries have all bedded down here. The night before my party arrived, President Bush had been a pampered guest, no doubt enjoying the jukebox music in the lobby as his Secret Service agents escorted him up to his directive den. Yet for all of its illustrious grandeur the Vanderbilt’s outward appearance is akin to a non-descript literature professor. Enter through the lobby doors and the perception changes- like finding out that stoic literature professor was also a polished blues guitarist who played with the King on Beale Street.

Crossing the gleaming lobby, marble floored and bedecked in native floral arrangements, I spotted the jukebox playing hits from country stars to Stax Studios soul artists. The entire entry foyer glowed in an amber light, revealing a classy, inviting atmosphere highlighted by musical portraits and local artwork. Within the lobby there is Nashville native Harold Krauss? gallery. Opened 6 years ago in the Vanderbilt?s former cigar bar, Krauss floral stills offer a pleasant respite for the weary traveler. According to gallery director Nina Kuzina Farr, many of those travelers end up becoming collectors, enabling Krauss to have a global audience he might not have in a stand alone gallery.

Naturally the hotel staff was reflective of their surroundings, making our crew of well worn travelers feel beyond welcome while reminding us to take full advantage of the concierge floor suites. Any questions we had were immediately answered as concierge manager Regina D. Hicks made sure we out-of-towner’s knew exactly where to go, what to see and where to eat.

As soon as we were checked in, I set out for the Belle Meade Plantation and The Parthenon in Centennial Park. Both spoke to me as old Nashville, embodying the traditional slow down spirit of the South. I had wanted to mix my day with Nashville?s old and new, and these two spots were ideal for the former.

Centennial Park, Nashville’s Griffith Park, was a stones throw down West End Ave from the Vanderbilt hotel and my first stop. With gorgeous grounds for walking, riding or just lying under a tree, the park is an urban jewel rivaling any city park in the nation. In its center stands the Parthenon, a full scale replica of the Athenian original complete with a 42 foot statue of Athena. Originally built for Tennessee’s 1897 Centennial Exposition, it now serves as Nashville?s art museum. Strolling through the grounds of the park and around the Parthenon it was easy to imagine being in ancient Greece, though a cacophony of cicadas kept constant reminder of where I was. I could have spent a whole afternoon enjoying a picnic and reading a book, but I wanted to see Belle Meade and had to cut my stay.

Continuing south on West End Ave brought me out to the gorgeous Belle Meade neighborhood. Described to me as “the Beverly Hills” of Nashville, it didn’t disappoint. Gargantuan neo classical homes stood on ranch size lots, surrounded by a forest bleeding a deep green I had not seen before. The centerpiece of the neighborhood was the early 19th century Belle Meade plantation, a former horse farm now acting as a living museum.

Walking the grounds of the plantation, through the stables and carriage house to the mansion mausoleum, I felt my pace drawl like a gentleman’s speech. I spent time reading the plaques on the slave?s quarters, curious to see how the history of slavery was presented to visitors, before heading to the carriage house and mansion. Forgoing the inside tour for a few moments on the Mansion porch’s rocking chairs I sat back listening to the crickets, birds and creek of the plantations grounds, remarking to my friend how worries seemed to slow down with the humidity. We sat in contented silence for a fair bit before we both realized we had to get back to the Vanderbilt. Happy hour was starting and we wanted to take full advantage of the view from the 10th floor concierge suite.

By the time we got back to the Vanderbilt it was 6pm. Considering our dinner reservation was not until 8, I took the time to explore the Krauss Gallery before heading up to get a much needed cocktail. After cleaning up and taking a moment to enjoy the view of downtown Nashville, I came back down to the lobby to wait on the rest of my party. The hotel lounge, Drink, was more than welcoming. With a stylish bar, comfortable chairs, and Otis Redding howling through the speakers, it was a spot worth staying at. When my crew reassembled for the short cab ride to Radius 10, our dinner spot, I was almost reluctant to leave.

Thankfully, I went. I had read about Radius 10 being one of the cities newest modern-hip-trendy restaurants; if it were transplanted in Los Angeles or New York, the locals say, it would fit right in. While that certainly was true, with a downtown urban location, minimalist interior, soft lounge music and the chic ambience you’d expect in restaurants in the Cahuenga corridor, I wasn?t sure if that was what I wanted. I was in Nashville, and I wanted a Nashville restaurant, where I knew I was in Tennessee and not in L.A. My cynicism didn’t have a chance to last very long. Within minutes of being whisked to our table, staring out huge bay windows over the rail yard into downtown Nashville, and having a gorgeous waitress welcome us with the sweet southern drawl and comforting demeanor, I knew I was no longer home.

After drinks were ordered from the extensive wine and beer list (I chose Maredsous Belgian amber ale) my friends and I dissected the menu. Chef Jason Brumm, originally born in Compton, decided against having a Nouveau Southern restaurant and instead focused on taking regional foods and putting a southern twist on them. The items our table ordered; blackened grouper, ‘low country’ shrimp and scallops over grits, lamb chops, corn bread muffins and banana beignets amongst others, all reflected Brumm’s exquisite culinary credentials (he?s an alum of the prestigious Culinary Institute of America).

Brumm’s desire to have the type of ‘foody’ restaurant we take for granted in Los Angeles has been met with both enthusiasm and hesitancy. While the scenester magazines of Nashville applaud his restaurant, and rightfully so, Brumm knows the importance of keeping in tune with the core Nashville audience and not letting the hip-trendy-cool factor become an overbearing deterrent. “People are very loyal in Nashville”, said Brumm, “and we need to make sure we’re on top of our game every night”. For my friends and I, out trying to get a taste of the new Nashville, Radius 10 was right on target. Our only regret was that the beautiful waitress who greeted us ended up giving way to an affable waiter.

Following dinner we were set to experience the Nashville nightlife, again searching for the new south coming back into the urban centers. Radius 10 was located in the neighborhood known as The Gulch, an area until 5 years ago barren as Mojave. Staying in the area, we headed to the lounge Bar 23 for a quick cocktail amongst the swanky atmosphere. After falling in love with a bartender (some things never change, no matter the city) we hopped back into a taxi for the Hillsboro Village district before I even had a chance to woo her with tales of surfing and movie stars.

No matter, within minutes of arriving at Cabana, an impressive bar/lounge heavy with the Vanderbilt populace, I found myself speaking with a few fellow patrons whose hospitality veered beyond the standard southern cliche. Cabana was as fine as any Westside establishment, with an extensive patio and upscale atmosphere hidden beneath an unpretentious veil. As I sat there, enjoying both the bourbon soda and open air of a warm southern night, I realized I was still missing one key ingredient to my Nashville night- Live Music. Not to worry, said my new friends Martha Ellen and Kara, ya’ll are coming with us to the Tin Roof on Demonbreun Street. Of course we were.

Heading to our third distinct neighborhood of the night, I was surprised we had spent less than $20 on cabs thus far. Given the proximity of Nashville’s districts it should have come as none at all, and after a quick, cheap cab ride we standing in a decidedly different Nashville bar. Gone were the swank and verve of a scene; in its place was a low key, high energy, raucously friendly bar with Henry and The Seahawks playing on stage. Our group, now expanded by 2, drank our drinks out of plastic cups and sang along to every song Henry crooned, albeit in a much worse manner. It was a fitting nightcap to a day of dalliance, and gave the finishing touch to a Nashville I had known about but not yet experienced.

Waking up the next day found a hankering for good coffee, southern breakfasts, and an internet connection. Thankfully Cafe Coco was right around the corner from the Vanderbilt, providing the funky dining and coffee experience standard in Los Feliz but with a southern flair. The soy latte was hot, the breakfast sandwich was fantastic, and the vine covered patio gave enough shade to beat the heat.

When I went to check out from the Vanderbilt, 23 hours from when I checked in, I was smiling but naturally felt a tinge of regret. As incredibly entertaining and enjoyable as my stay was, there remained a thousand more things I could have done, restaurants I could have eaten at, and bars I could have gone to, yet for one night in Nashville there were no better places to be.

Vanderbilt Hotel
www.loewshotels.com/hotels/nashville
2100 West End Ave.
Nashville, TN 37203
Phone: 615-320-1700
Fax: 615-320-5019

Radius 10
(Thursday night has $1 tapas at the Bar and Bar Patio)
1103 McGavock St
Nashville, TN 37203
(615) 259-5105

Cabana
www.cabananashville.com/
1910 Belcourt Ave
Nashville, TN 37212-3718
(615) 577-2262

Tin Roof

1516 Demonbreun St
Nashville, TN 37203
(615) 313-7103
Bar 23
503 12th Ave S
Nashville, TN 37203
(615) 963-9998

Cafe Coco

210 Louise Ave
Nashville, TN 37203-1812
(615)321.9630

The Parthenon
https://www.nashville.gov/parthenon/
2600 W End Ave
Nashville, TN 37203
(615) 862-8431

Belle Meade Plantation
https://www.bellemeadeplantation.com/
5025 Harding Pike,
Nashville, TN 37205
(615) 356-0501