372WN - West Nashville's Magazine by 372WN

Under the HOOD

with Mark Lambert page 6

SPRING GETAWAYS page 48

page 13

Aprilâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;May 2019 VOL. III, ISSUE 3

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Creative Consultant EVELYN MARIE PARRISH

Historian YVONNE EAVES

Managing Editor JENNIFER GOODE STEVENS

Contributors YVONNE EAVES

HANNAH HERNER

LESLIE HERMSDORFER

MARY KATHERINE ROOKER

BRIGID MURPHY STEWART

NANCY VIENNEAU

ELLIOTT WENZLER

Art Direction and Design ELLEN PARKER BIBB

Photographers HANNAH HERNER YVONNE EAVES

Distribution DON GAYLORD

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372WN is a print and digital magazine published every other month by Next Chapter Publishing, LLC. All content presented herein, unless otherwise noted, is the exclusive property of Next Chapter Publishing and cannot be used, reprinted, or posted without permission. 372WN is free for readers; excessive removal of the product or tampering with any of our distribution racks will be considered theft and/or vandalism and subject to prosecution.

CONTENTS VOL. III, ISSUE 3 | April–May 2019

MAIN FEATURE 13

FOOD: WHERE TO SOURCE, BUY AND LEARN IN WEST NASHVILLE

14 Citizen Incubator Kitchens

22 Around the World in Three Miles or Less

28 Lettuce Turnip the Beet

34 Aw Honey Honey

CURRENT HAPPENINGS 42

Adaptive Rock Climbing for Those with Physical Disabilities

Spring Getaways to Shake Off the Winter Blues

FEATURES 6

Under the Hood with Mark Lambert

Newsom Station: The Harpeth’s Last Remaining Mill

IN EVERY ISSUE 62

372WestNosh

372Who kNew?

372WN.com | Aprilâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;May 2019

A NEW EXPERIENCE Enjoy the energizing benefits of Eucalyptus Mint, a clean, crisp, & herbal aroma, now available in hand soap & hand lotion!

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UNDER

THE

HOOD with Mark by Brigid

Lambert

Murphy STEWART

photos provided by Mark Lambert, unless otherwise noted

photo by Brigid Murphy Stewart

372WN.com | Aprilâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;May 2019

“Can’t repeat the past? . . .Why of course you can!” —Jay Gatsby, The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

So Lambert epeating the considers himself past might not fortunate that his be possible, but seemingly innate according to Mark interest is now his Lambert of Lambert full-time job. “I love Auto, you can cerwhat I do,” he said. tainly refurbish and Mark Lambert preparing to test drive a 1934 Packard Dietrich Victoria in the final stages of restoration. When not working preserve it— espeat the shop, he cially when it comes but he believes his love affair with travels all over the country to auto to cars! classic autos came more naturally. shows or to consult for clients, Lambert spends his days in West He thinks he was born with it, like driving pre-war autos when he can. Nashville doing just that – refursome manifest a preference for Weather permitting, of course. bishing mostly pre-WWII autos in music or art. “My father’s father was trading what used to be an old fire hall “Here’s a good example,” he said. used cars in the teens and in the nestled amid bustling businesses “A couple of years ago, my wife 1920s, opened a car lot and owned on Charlotte Avenue. Built in 1936, and I were in the parking lot here a successful racing team,” Lambert the charming red brick building in West Nashville. A young man of said. “And my dad owned a junkholds a treasure trove of works in 12 walked up to me and asked if my yard and built race cars. [He] was progress. Clinks, clanks and the car was a Packard. I told him it was, really a great mechanic. He didn’t buzzing of high-powered tools fill and we proceeded to have a conexactly discourage us from making the air as Lambert breathes life versation about it. He was not from our living as mechanics, but he back into rusty frames and tattered a ‘car family’ but really had a love did encourage us to go into other seat cushions. of vintage autos. Gus McGowan is fields.” Lambert said. “He used to Growing up in a “car family” in now my assistant. He comes and say, ‘You really aren’t going to make Indianapolis helped Lambert develhelps me after school.” much money being a mechanic.’” op the skills to mend vintage cars,

April–May 2019 | 372WN.com

Lambert took his advice, getting a business degree from Indiana University at Bloomingdale. A competitive swimmer in high school and college, he developed many interests other than cars. But that education, Lambert said, along with his skills as a mechanic, gave him the ability to “make the math work.” Lambert hosted DIY Network’s “Classic Car Restoration” from 2003 to 2005, was featured in the book “Ultimate Garages” by Phil Berg, and has been invited to speak on many car-themed radio and 1936 Packard 120 Coupe Roadster. The 120 was the smallest and least expensive Packard of 1936—a large & luxurious car by today’s standards

television shows. He has a world-wide reputation for his expertise in pre-war automobile restoration and has been a judge for several Concours shows, including Amelia Island, The Elegance at Hershey, and, for the past 12 years, the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. “I’m always shocked when I get the call each year,” Lambert said as he talked about the Pebble Beach event, where his expertise as judge spans nearly every era of car. Last year, he was the Class E: Rollston Coachwork judge. (The Rollston Co. manufactured bodies for 1920s and

1929 Packard Sport Phaeton and a little 1931 American Austin Roadster, illustrating the width of the Pre-War product market offerings in size, speed and price.

Various Thirties Packard projects at the Firehall.

372WN.com | April–May 2019

1930s premier luxury cars.) “It’s a complete shock to me, really, for this goofy mechanic out on Charlotte to get this far. I think it’s my versatility and ability to work in many classes. I really consider it one of the most important honors of my life.” After college, working for an old-fashioned hardware distributer, he lived briefly in Nashville’s Sylvan Park area. He saw Nashville as a great car town, so when he decided to start his own business, he wanted to invest in West Nashville. When the fire station on Charlotte came up for auction, he saw a great opportunity. “Nobody wanted it,” Lambert said of the property. “The city sold it at public auction. Only one or two of us bid on it. This part of Nashville was not the desti-

nation place it is today. Charlotte Avenue had always been a service corridor, but now with more shops and restaurants, property values have risen. The area has changed so much.” Like many of the neglected, broken old cars that come into his shop, Lambert saw potential in the building. He has turned the fire station, which once housed people who rescued people and buildings, into a haven for rescuing the history and craftsmanship of vintage cars. Lambert prefers pre-war cars because before World War II, many automobiles were custom-made as opposed to factory-made. They are unique because they were built to owners’ specifications. “Back in those days, you met with a draftsperson and you might say: ‘I’m a large person and want more room. My wife is tall, so I want to accommodate her. I also

want to drive a good distance and get there fast,’” Lambert said. “It all boils down to one thing: the human aspect. Who are the people, and what was the situation?” When considering classic cars as investments, tracking ownership is another consideration. If it was a racecar owned by Steve McQueen or that was in a photo with Judy Garland and Mickey Rooney, these details make it more desirable. It is about the provenance—what’s its story? And for die-hard car restoration customers, Lambert says, mechanical service always bumps out

against cosmetics in importance. Lambert related a story about Enzo Ferrari calling his Jaguar E-type in the 1960s “the most beautiful car ever made.” But from an engineer’s perspective, Lambert said, “beauty is the weakest part of the car.”

14-yr-old Gus McGowan helping to load and secure two Austin Healey Roadsters for transport the Firehall.

1937 Packard Roadster early in the restoration process—a running test driven car undergoing body repairs.

April–May 2019 | 372WN.com

“For my customers, it’s more about how the car feels, how it drives,” Lambert pointed out. And really, not all vintage cars should be refurbished to look new, he added. Some have their original paint or leather seats and should be left intact, if possible. Much like the patina on an old coin, the wear and aging tell their own story. “I think of it as the Hippocratic Oath of Autos,” Lambert said. “To do no harm.” He pauses again. “I have to think that hands much more accomplished than mine in one of these centuries in the future, will come upon this car, this work of art really, and say, ‘Thank God that this

survived!’” Lambert mused. “We are curators, really.” One problem Lambert has encountered in the classic car industry is the fraudulent sale of replica cars built to look “real,” he said. “It’s all about the history. Is it real? Is it counterfeit?” Lambert explained. “It’s my job to protect the owners and the cars. “I once had a guy who brought a car into the shop, and I realized that it was counterfeit. I made note of this on the record.” Lambert recalled. “He left angry, and I didn’t hear from him again. Later, the guy sold it as ‘real’ to a buyer who called me and said, ‘Hey, you’re from this part of the state. Do you

know anything about this car?’ and I said, ‘Absolutely.’ He ended up getting his money back.” According to Lambert, the story did not end there. “That same guy then tried to sell it to another buyer. I got a call from Phoenix . . . asking if I knew anything about the car.” The car world is small, Lambert warned. People know the buyers, the sellers, the restorers. But most of all, they know the cars. It’s a safety valve, Lambert said: “You know the players, and you value your reputation.” Like Lambert’s reputation, the Sylvan Park area has grown significantly over the almost 37 years he has lived here. Lambert

photo by Brigid Murphy Stewart

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and his wife, Leslie Riley, are excited about its future. In the meantime, he lovingly restores and preserves the beauty and dignity of automotive works of art. VI

Brigid Murphy Stewart is a fifth-generation LLE

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Nashvillian, writer and editor who always considers West Nashville her stomping grounds, regardless of where life takes her.

At Pebble Beach visiting the Jaguar Stand where a 1955 Jaguar D-Type was being displayed.

615-383-1444

photo by Brigid Murphy Stewart

Your Neighborhood Dentist

Dr. Tim McNutt, Jr.

www.richlandcreekdentistry.com · 406 Morrow Road · Nashville, TN 37209 Dental Cleanings Teeth Whitening Fillings and Crowns Adult and Children’s Dentistry

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Committed to serving your family’s dental needs. ACCEPTING NEW PATIENTS! April–May 2019 | 372WN.com

FROM FARM TO TURNTABLES

ORGANIC, HOME-GROWN RADIO FOR THE MUSIC CITY 12

372WN.com | Aprilâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;May 2019

When we decided to shift this issue's theme to food, we considered a variety of ways we could approach it. After all, our community holds some of the city's best-kept food secrets, and the hits just keep on coming . . . new eateries and artisan goodies fall in step with the staples and standards that have fed generations of those who knew where to find them. From long-time community residents to ‘New Nashville’ transplants, our community cares about flavor, food sources and learning more . . . whether they're home cooks or professional chefs. We like to experiment as much as we like our comfort foods, and our community delivers a full spectrum of options. To this end, we opted to make our inaugural food issue about some of spots that address all of the above. The following pages contain a few familiar faces and locations, certainly, but in true 372WN style, we also took a few detours along the way. And we know we’ve hardly scratched the surface in terms of what our community has to offer, but trust us, it is a delicious start. Dig in!

April–May 2019 | 372WN.com

by Nancy VIENNEAU

372WN.com | Aprilâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;May 2019

Citizen Incubator Kitchens: Inspires Teams, Dreams and Tastebuds

used with permission by Citizen Incubator Kitchens

“This is the realization of a dream.” –LAURA KARWISCH WILSON

t’s late morning on a Monday, and the brightly painted cinder-block structure at Alabama Avenue and 47th — known to many in the neighborhood as The Love Building — thrums with activity. Welcome to Citizen Kitchens. Outside the doors, Laura Axelson of Dinner Belle, a meal-delivery service focused on healthful eating, is loading up her insulated bags to take to her customers throughout Nashville and Brentwood. The Colombian empanada food truck, Chivanada, is pulling out of the parking lot, motoring to its West End destination. Alan Powell of Nashville Grown is carrying in boxes of fresh collards and curly kale that were just picked at a nearby farm. Inside, Kathleen Cotter of The Bloomy Rind leans over her table, portioning and cutting blocks of farmstead cheeses ordered by area restaurants. Across the room, Sam Tucker of Village Bakery and Provisions is wiping down his workstation, his baking rack now filled with fragrant loaves of rustic sourdough. At another table, the team of Sifted, caterers to innovative tech firms, has laid out a luncheon spread for sampling: Thai peanut chicken over rice noodles, and chopped salad with sesame ginger lime vinaigrette. In the midst of this organized chaos stands Laura Karwisch Wilson, Citizen Kitchens founder and orchestrator of this remarkable culinary dance. She’s positively beaming. “This,” she says, “is the realization of a dream.”

TOP ROW (left) The Bloomy Rind—photo by Caroline Allison, (right) MEEL—used with permission by Marti Emch MIDDLE ROW (left) Village Bakery and Provisions—used with permission by Sam Tucker (middle/top) MEEL—used with permission by Marti Emch, (middle/bottom) Mealprepz with Dez, Marie Newsom, Dontavius Gordon, Arianna Gordon—used with permission n by Desmond Newsom (right) Caity Pies—used with permission by Cait Guszkowski BOTTOM ROW (left & right) used with permission by Citizen Incubator Kitchens

April–May 2019 | 372WN.com

ounded in 2015, Citizen Kitchens provides a wellequipped, commercially licensed facility to food-based businesses at an affordable monthly or hourly rate. For an entrepreneur, the start-up costs of outfitting a commercial kitchen alone are staggering. Equipment, storage, permit fees, electrical and plumbing requirements, waste disposal: these issues can seem insurmountable to navigate and fund. Citizen Kitchens gives its members—which range from caterers to bakers to food truck vendors to aggregators —the space they need to grow their businesses. The shared economy and collective absorption of expenses make the Citizen Kitchen model work. And, there’s an intangible yet critical element: Laura is an award-winning chef and her husband, Grant, a mechanical wizard.

The duo offer their expertise, and for a young business, their services are invaluable. The company slogan is “Power to the Producers,” and the seeds of how it came into being were planted almost ten years ago.

“Five clients. Can you imagine? We now have 60.” –LAURA KARWISCH WILSON

Laura had found herself at a crossroads. OMBI, a creative gastropub she and Kim Totzke co-helmed in Midtown had faltered in the recession. Married and the mother of a

Grant Wilson used with permission by Citizen Incubator Kitchens

372WN.com | April–May 2019

toddler, Laura no longer wanted the “pirate life” of a chef—the long hours, the late nights, the stressful demands. She’d been immersed in that world since 1990. What next? Kathleen Cotter asked her to cochair Generous Helpings, a fundraising event benefitting Second Harvest Food Bank to be held at the Nashville Farmers Market. While working on the affair, Laura got to know executive director Jeff Themm and marketing director Jolie Yockey. Together, they plotted to transform a space inside the food court of the Market House into a thriving center for culinary classes and demonstrations, catered farm-to-fork suppers, and an ongoing incubator/proving ground for nascent restaurants. That led to the creation of Grow Local Kitchen, and Laura became its director. For more than three

Laura Karwisch Wilson used with permission by Citizen Incubator Kitchens

years, she guided it, giving numerous entrepreneurs a venue to test their culinary dreams. “My time with Grow Local Kitchen showed me the enormous need for a commissary kitchen,” Laura says. She valued all that could be accomplished in the market’s kitchen but recognized that it had size limitations. She was dreaming bigger: envisioning a 10,000-squarefoot facility replete with several food prep, baking and cooking stations, walk-in coolers and freezers, abundant dry storage and a separate dish room. Two friends, Jenny Vaughn and Brent Ling, shared her vision. “When we learned that Good Food for Good People (a business occupying The Love Building) had closed,” Laura says, “we leapt at the opportunity.” The 2,800-square-foot building had a bare-bones kitchen they would be able to improve. With an initial goal of acquiring five clients, the trio embarked on the venture. Laura shakes her head and laughs when she remembers that number. “Five clients. Can you imagine? We now have 60.”

Photos above: used with permission by Sam Tucker of Village Bakery and Provisions.

Mealprepz with Dez, Desmond Newsom, Nicole Newsom, Dante Gordon, used with permission n by Desmond Newsom

April–May 2019 | 372WN.com

A year into the project, the trio amicably parted ways—Ling chose to go to Mexico, and Vaughn moved back to Kentucky. Laura ended up buying them out. “I will feel forever grateful to both of them,” she says. “I would never have done this on my own.”

Citizen Kitchens prospered, and quickly. Laura became adept at accommodating the ever-growing membership, which was a scheduling tour-de-force. It helps that the facility is open 24 hours a day, every day. Some members bake in the wee hours of morning. Some come in

MEEL used with permission by Marti Emc

Kathleen Cotter of the Bloomy Rind

372WN.com | April–May 2019

credit: Caroline Allison

after 5 p.m. to do their prep. Some members work strictly Monday through Friday. Others are there just on weekends. Laura takes into account each member’s needs and figures out the schedule, which she likens to the puzzle game Tetris. By mid-2017, the number of entrepreneurs on the waitlist had swelled to 100. That’s when Laura’s husband, Grant, came on board full time and Laura contacted Fresh Hospitality. The multi-faceted investment group shares a similar mission with Citizen Kitchens: to help entrepreneurs grow and flourish. She could readily see that her 10,000-square-foot commissary dream could, and should, become a reality. The folks at Fresh Hospitality agreed. Plans got in motion to incorporate her vision into Hunter’s Station, Fresh Hospitality’s dining complex in East Nashville. Renamed Citizen Incubator Kitchens, the 8,000-square-foot facility at 10th and Main streets is poised to

open. And, it has everything: fleets of ovens and ranges set under 32-foot hoods, a separate, dedicated gluten-free kitchen, a certified micro-dairy, separate wash stations for dishes and for pots, and expansive walk-in cooler, freezer and dry storage spaces. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a good thing, as there now are 200 aspiring entrepreneurs on the waitlist. It will have another terrific component: a food hall. Along with offerings from other eateries under

photos on this page used with permission by Cait Guszkowski of Caity Pies

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the Fresh Hospitality umbrella— Hugh Baby’s, The Grilled Cheeserie, Vui’s Kitchen, Aurora Tacos—will be Citizen Market. Here, patrons will be able to purchase the goods of its members, such as Village Bakery’s croissants, Brightside Bakeshop’s sweet and savory brioche, Bloomy Rind’s cheeses, and dinner kits from MEEL and Dinner Belle. Indeed, growing with Citizen Incubator Kitchens has helped its members in ways they’d never imagined. Sam Tucker of Village Bakery, who joined in the fall of 2016, says, “Every relationship in business is a partnership in some way. Mutual trust is a precious commodity. Laura and Grant understand that you can do well by doing good.” He continues, “So it follows, the culture of membership carries that notion forward. There is a real cooperative environment made up of hard-charging entrepreneurs, people who seem to will things to happen. You can look around and find plenty of people who are in the same fight you find yourself.” Cait Guszkowski of Caity Pies came aboard with CK in December 2017, but she had been working with Laura already for months, since she first wrote her business plan. She says, “I don’t know if we would have made it without Laura providing essential guidance, other members speaking up during difficult days in the kitchen to share their experience, and the connections that come out of the Citizen network.” She recalls one critical challenge,

when Laura helped her navigate a Manufacturer’s Permit. “I can’t tell you how many hours I had spent scouring the Health & Agriculture Department websites for all of the steps to sell a product, and this one permit never crossed my path,” she says. “Laura’s extensive knowledge of the various types of small food businesses and development needs provided invaluable guidance so that I could look before leaping into a new venture.” While not a trained chef, fitness trainer Desmond Newsome has a keen understanding of the effect of healthy eating. He is also a talented cook. Since joining CK six months ago, his catering service, “Meal Prep with Dez,” has come a long

MEEL used with permission by Marti Emc

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way from his townhome kitchen. “From having the accreditation, time and space to prepare our meals, Citizen Kitchens has been nothing short of perfect,” he says. “You feel the home vibe.” Marti Emch of MEEL agrees. “It’s so much fun to be integrated into a community kitchen and work alongside other small businesses. You feel like you’re never alone. And having a walk-in refrigerator was a complete game-changer!” Being in the Citizen Kitchens community has propelled Emch to grow his business in an unexpected way. “When I first joined in 2015, MEEL was strictly in the meal kit business, cranking out locally sourced meal kits based on

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Nancy Vienneau expresses her

Hunter’s Station East Nashville 975 Main St. Nashville, TN 37206

West Nashville 4611 Alabama Ave. Nashville, TN 37209 citizenkitchens.com

seasonal produce available from local farms each week—a ‘farm to front door’ approach,” he says. “Soon, I became inspired by the small-batch, locally crafted goods being produced here and saw an opportunity to offer some to our customers as an additional service.” To better serve his customers, he launched the MEEL Marketplace, which showcases Village Bakery, Brightside Bakeshop, Bao Down, Caity Pies, Le Bar, Wise Butter, That Awesome Taco Truck, The Bloomy Rind, Nashville Grown and many others. “All working side-by-side on Alabama Avenue,” Emch says. Ask any member, and each will affirm Laura and Grant’s knowledge, creativity and dedication to improving the Citizen Kitchens experience. They can count on Grant to fix just about anything. They know they can go to Laura about any food safety regulations and concerns and get real answers. They’ll also tell you she’s a mighty fine taste tester. Responding in a greater way to demands, Laura has assembled a professional “team of gurus”: legal and marketing advisors she knows and respects to add another layer of value to membership. This will be especially important once Hunter Station ramps up with all the new entrepreneurs. She sees her ever-evolving role here as a natural extension of her life as a chef. “I’ve been around a lot of folks in my line of work,” she says. “And all of these folks — these are my peeps. These are the people I love to hang out with.” VI

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passion for food wearing many hats: chef, recovered caterer, food activist and educator, writer and cookbook author. She loves writing and cooking and writing about cooking.

April–May 2019 | 372WN.com

Around the World in Three Miles or Less: West Nashvilleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s International Markets written and photographed by Hannah

HERNER

ome grocery stores in West Nashville are going the extra mile by importing their goods from foreign countries. These four international markets offer not only food, but tools to make and serve it, services, other pieces of culture and employees who are experts on all of it. The U.S. Census reported that 12.8 percent (about 85,500) of Nashvillians are foreign-born. For them, these stores can offer familiarity and ingredients to make dishes that taste like home. For second- and third-generation Americans and beyond, the stores are the best possible chance to make something taste just like grandma used to make. Above all, these international markets are places of discovery and learning. These immigrant-owned businesses symbolize the best of the American dream and give cultures a chance to share a piece of their worlds. International markets give immigrants a little taste of home, but itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s up to the rest of us to make sure they and their businesses feel at home in West Nashville.

372WN.com | Aprilâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;May 2019

K&S WORLD MARKET 5861 Charlotte Pike Nashville

Easily the largest international market in West Nashville, K&S truly serves up the world, including sections stocked with Mexican, Indian, Vietnamese and Thai ingredients. Packages of Ramen are stacked high in aisle formations leading into the store, though you may not find the cooking directions in English. The produce section is expansive, with colorful varieties of fruits and vegetables not found in your typical Kroger. There are also tanks in the back that store live lobsters and crab, and the fresh meat section is extensive. There’s an entire aisle just for different types of noodles and tortillas and a section of tools for preparation. K&S is a place to marvel at the expansiveness of the types of foods that are sought after. HOURS 8:30 a.m.–8:00 p.m., Monday–Wednesday, Friday–Sunday 10:00 a.m.–8:00 p.m., Thursday

April–May 2019 | 372WN.com

SONOBANA JAPANESE GROCERY 40 White Bridge Pike

Sonobana is split into two sections, a restaurant and a market. Its clientele is somewhat split as well — Japanese people and people interested in making authentic dishes, or people who come in for the sodas and candy. Candy featured in the popular Japanese animated feature “Spirited Away” is a common selling point. Sonobana also sells sushi-grade raw fish, but if you’re not feeling ambitious enough to make your own, you can leave it to the experts at the restaurant next door. The grocery section of Sonobana also has Japanese books and DVDs for borrowing — namely of daytime TV shows — none with subtitles. HOURS 11:00 a.m.–8:00 p.m., Monday–Saturday 1:00–8:00 p.m., Sunday

372WN.com | April–May 2019

MI FAVORITA SUPER 6317 Charlotte Pike

Mi Favorita Super is a haven for all kinds of Hispanic cuisine and traditions. They sell grocery items that are typical in the eyes of those of Hispanic descent, but that cannot easily be found at Kroger or Walmart. Spices, sauces and sweets are stacked high to the ceiling in the narrow aisles, leaving no space unused. Opened in 2006, with the same owners as West Nashville favorite 51st deli, Mi Favorita Super also sells hot food made fresh each day. The entire space, inside and outside, is decorated with bright murals, including a farm scene with cows that look over the meat section. HOURS 7:00 a.m.–10:0 p.m., Monday–Friday 8:00 a.m. –10:00 p.m., Saturday and Sunday

April–May 2019 | 372WN.com

COCO’S ITALIAN MARKET 411 51st Avenue North

The stereotype about Italian culture must be true—that it’s all about family. Coco’s own brand of popular take and bake dishes, sauces, and baked goods feature family photos on the label. They’ll even invite you along to visit Italy with them, through their travel business. In the entrance of the sit-down restaurant is a full deli section, with fresh mozzarella made constantly. There’s also a fully-stocked olive bar, gelato bar, biscotti, candies and chocolates. Order a cannoli and they’ll prepare it in front of your eyes. The rest of the shelves are lined with pasta, olive oils, crackers, and other treats, all imported from Italy. There are plenty of options to take home as a souvenir.

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HOURS 11:00 a.m.–9:00 p.m., Monday–Thursday 11:00 a.m.–10:00 p.m., Friday

9:00 a.m.–9:00 p.m., Sunday

9:00 a.m.–10:00 p.m., Saturday VI

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resident of Bellevue and recent graduate of The Ohio State University. She is also an alternative music fan, tap dancer and a Jeni’s ice cream enthusiast.

Registration opens April 22 Join us Summer 2019 for affordable classes in languages, cooking, art + more. Most classes are located at the Cohn School in Sylvan Park!

April–May 2019 | 372WN.com

Lettuce Turnip the Beet: Your guide to our community’s farmers’ markets, CSAs and produce stands by Mary

372WN.com | April–May 2019

Katherine ROOKER

“I think farming is one of those few jobs that really encourages community. It nurtures community, and it really doesn’t work without it.” –TYLER SHELTON, BELLS BEND FARMS

April–May 2019 | 372WN.com

ach spring, we say goodbye to winter coats and heavy boots and hello to short sleeves, bare legs and, best of all, fruits and veggies fresh from the garden. From the large Nashville Farmers’ Market in Germantown to neighborhood markets at Richland Park and Sevier Park, there is no shortage of places where you can stock up on lettuces, strawberries, tomatoes, cucumbers and whatever else is in season.

RICHLAND PARK FARMERS MARKET Saturdays January through April, 10:00 a.m.–noon. May through December, 9:00 a.m.– 12:30 p.m.

With 45 to 55 vendors in the spring through fall and 15 to 20 vendors during the winter, the Richland Park Farmers Market is one of the larger neighborhood markets in Davidson County. Located at 4701 Charlotte Avenue, near the Richland Park Library, the market is open year-round on Saturdays. Vendors accept cash, and some take credit cards. For more details or to see a list of vendors, go to richlandparkfarmersmarket.com.

trying to get the word out,” says Rev. Samuel Adams, an associate rector at the church who also oversees the market. “I think there’s still a lot of potential for it to grow and for even more folks to capitalize on it. We’re working on ways to make that happen, but it has been exciting so far.” The market had 10 to 12 vendors last year, and Adams hopes to have 15 this season. Vendors accept cash, and many take credit cards. For more information, visit the St. George’s Farmers Market Facebook page. If you’re interested in becoming a vendor, email market organizers at farmers.market@ stgeorgesnashville.org. Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) is another popular option for fresh fruits and vegetables. CSA programs connect growers directly to customers. Members pay to join a CSA, producers fill boxes with garden-fresh produce and members pick up their boxes at designated sites, often farmers markets. BELLS BEND FARMS CSA Tyler Skelton and her husband, Eric, run Bells Bend Farms. The couple are gearing up for their tenth CSA season, which begins in mid-

ST. GEORGE'S EPISCOPAL CHURCH FARMERS MARKET Thursdays May through September, 3:30–6:00 p.m.

If you want to avoid the Saturday-morning crowds at the larger markets, St. George’s Episcopal Church offers an excellent weekday alternative. This will be the market’s fourth season. “We’re still

372WN.com | April–May 2019

St George's Market credit: Rev. Samuel Adams

May and ends in early December. While many CSA programs give the same box to everyone, the system at Bells Bend Farms is unique. “We don’t do premade boxes,” Tyler Skelton explains. “We call it a market-style box, a market-style pickup, where we lay out all the produce and folks come with their own bags.” Members can select which fruits and vegetables they want. A typical weekly share will be seven to ten items. “So, in our CSA, you’ll get greens, you’ll get roots, nightshades, but you get to pick which ones you want. Some weeks, you get to pick between okra and pole beans or you can do a mix of okra and pole beans. But if you absolutely hate okra, you do not have to take okra and you will still get your seven to ten items. That’s something that’s special about our CSA,” she adds. Members receive a newsletter with recipes, tips on how to store their produce and information about what’s happening on the farm. They also get a chance to show off their dancing skills. “We host three to four square dances every year, and our CSA members get to come to for free,” Skelton says. “We have square dance

St George's Market credit: Rev. Samuel Adams

callers and old-time musicians who come out and they’re a lot of fun.” Bells Bend Farms also welcomes CSA members to tour the farm. For Skelton, farming is as much about growing a sense of community as it is about growing food. “We see [CSA members] not just hypothetically as shareholders but as actual shareholders in our farm. They have invested in us, they have invested in the land with us and we want to do the best we can. We take that commitment from them very seriously, and we just love that community feel of it. I think farming is one of those few jobs that really encourages community. It nurtures community, and it really doesn’t

Bells Bend Farms photo courtesy of Tyler Shelton April–May 2019 | 372WN.com

work without it,” she says. Bells Bend Farms offers full and half-share options for its CSA program. Full shareholders pick up food every week for 30 weeks. Half shareholders pick up every other week for 15 weeks. Prices for full shares are $800 if members pick up at the farm and $820 if they pick up in Nashville. Half-shares are $420 for farm pickup and $440 to pick up in Nashville. Pick-up times and locations are as follows:

TUESDAYS AT BELLS BEND FARMS 5188 Old Hickory Boulevard, Nashville, 37218 4:00–6:00 p.m.

TUESDAYS AT LAS PALETAS 2911 12th Avenue, South (across the street from Sevier Park and the 12th South Farmers’ Market) 4:00–6:00 p.m.

HAL COLE'S PRODUCE STANDS

THRIVING EARTH FARM CLASSES

If a good old-fashioned produce stand is what you crave, Hal Cole has you covered in West Nashville. Cole owns produce stands at three locations: Kiwanis Park on White Bridge Road; the Retired Teachers’ Apartments in Green Hills; and at JT Moore Middle School on Granny White Pike. Cole said 90%–95% of his produce comes from local farms. The peaches, which come from South Carolina, are an exception. Each stand is open seven days a week, and each accepts cash or checks. Dates for each stand are as follows:

A little further west in Joelton, you’ll find Thriving Earth Farm and Development, where the motto is “living with the Earth, designing for life.” John Ramirez and his wife, Heather Sebcik, own Thriving Earth, which promotes the ideals and concepts of permaculture. “It’s a design science and design methodology for meeting our human needs in a way that embodies three core principles: care for the earth, care for the people and a more socially just and equitable society,” Ramirez explains. “We love this community. We love the people out here. We want to see more of this sort of stuff going on, so if we can help facilitate that we’d love to be a part of that movement.”

JT MOORE MIDDLE SCHOOL 4425 Granny White Pike April 15–Halloween

RETIRED TEACHERS’ APARTMENTS 2209 Abbott Martin Road (produce stand is behind the building)

SATURDAYS AT RICHLAND PARK FARMERS MARKET

May 15–September (and possibly into October)

4711 Charlotte Avenue

KIWANIS PARK

9:00 a.m.–noon

95 White Bridge Road

Bells Bend Farms accepts credit cards and checks. Payment plans can also be arranged. For more information, visit bellsbendfarms.com.

June 15–September 15

Thriving Earth Farm

372WN.com | April–May 2019

A big part of the movement is educating others on all aspects of sustainable living. Ramirez teaches classes on how to grow mushrooms on logs. He’s also working on a regenerative forestry class he hopes will be ready by the fall. “[The class] will include growing mushrooms on logs outdoors. It will include using old-style hand tools like a two-man crosscut saw, a one-man crosscut saw, axes . . . as well as more commonly used tools like chainsaws. We’ll talk about how to select trees for different things, whether it be firewood, timber, mushroom logs or other purposes,” Ramirez says. Classes on growing shiitake mushrooms on logs are $50 and include instructions on how to select trees in the forest, the use of hand tools and chain saws, how to cut up trees and inoculate them, and things to watch out for. The classes are $25 for people who live in Joelton. Visit thrivingearthfarm.com for more information.

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Thriving Earth Farm

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Mary Katherine Rooker is an Emmy award-winning journalist. After nearly 20 years as a television news producer, the Murfreesboro native traded the TV screen for her laptop. An avid runner and sometimes triathlete, Mary Katherine lives in Green Hills with her husband. She's obsessed with her corgis, Phoebe & Fig, and cat, Sister Kitten (sung to the tune of 'Sister Christian').

NEW NAME, NEW SERVICES, SAME EXCEPTIONAL CARE URGENT CARE • Same day treatment for illnesses and injuries • Colds, flu, allergies, nausea, pneumonia • Fractures and sprains with onsite x-ray • Cuts, lacerations and abrasions PRIMARY CARE • Annual physicals and well-woman exams • Diagnosis and management of chronic conditions SPORTS MEDICINE • Non-operative treatment of joint pain and sports injuries

URGENT CARE 7 DAYS A WEEK | 9 A.M. – 7 P.M. NO APPOINTMENT NECESSARY 6 7 4 6 C H A R L O T T E P I K E | 6 2 9 . 2 0 3 . 7 8 5 8 | C O M P L E T E H E A LT H PA R T N E R S . C O M (Located in front of the Nashville West Shopping Center by the log cabin) April–May 2019 | 372WN.com

Aw Honey Honey: Tennessee Artisan Honey Blossoms written and photographed by Hannah

HERNER

ow that it’s April, the honeybees are about to get busy. It’s the start of their honey production season, and the Strange Honey Farms bees are about to make enough honey to supply a number of restaurants in Nashville; make a lot of alcoholic beverages, skin care products and creamed honey; and still have enough left over to sell in bearshaped containers year-round. Carol Hagan is responsible for bringing Tennessee Artisan Honey from the mountains and rivers in Del Rio, Tennessee, to the people of Nashville—and with it, she brings knowledge and passion about a product that isn’t as simple as people might think.

372WN.com | April–May 2019

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How Carol became the ‘queen bee’ Hagan, 61, hasn’t spent a lot of her career in the honey business, but once she discovered it, she took to it like a bee to nectar. Hagan actually started her career as a jeweler, in a traditional apprenticeship. In her 20s, she managed a jewelry shop. In her 40s, she shifted to a software business for a bit, but soon wanted a chance to leave the hive of cubicles and get some fresh air. “I was really tired of being inside,” Hagan says. “I love what I’m doing now because I’m around so many young people. I love the farm-to-table movement. I’m just really excited to be part of that.” Hagan studied beekeeping and botany—something she says was accessible because a lot of beekeeping

372WN.com | April–May 2019

education can be underwritten by the government. For a while, she worked in bee conservation, growing hives and placing them in people’s yards, but her “aha” moment really came six years ago when she found creamed honey. She had bought some to try, but she didn’t love it—so she decided to make her own. “The idea is for you to taste the honey,” Hagan says. “The flavoring is subtle, and that’s why I think people like it.” She now makes five flavors of creamed honey at Tinwings in The Nations, which also sells a range of Tennessee Artisan Honey products. In the beginning of her creamed honey journey, she began using Strange Honey Farms Sourwood honey to make it. She grew a relationship with the Strange family, which led to her job as the Nashville-area seller today.

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Three varieties of sweetness It’s rare for an apiary—a place where honey bees and hives are kept—to have three flavors of honey, and it’s even rarer to keep their flavors consistent season after season. That consistency, though, is what restaurants, brewers and Hagan count on when making their products. Strange Honey Farm, which is about 250 miles west of Nashville, houses 1,500 to 2,000 hives of bees at any given time. It’s difficult to estimate exactly how many bees that is because the insects have a lifespan of only six weeks. The materials that the bees collect to make sourwood honey comes from just one source, the sourwood trees, so the honey

372WN.com | April–May 2019

must be produced in a particular window. The trees start to bloom in June, so Gary Strange brings the hives very close to those trees as they start to have buds, and he collects the honey just before the next round of plants starts to bloom. The Tennessee Mountain Honey comes from multiple sources of wildflowers and is harvested in spring. This strain of honey is sweeter than the rest, so it can serve to replace sugar in baking. Dark Wildflower is also made from multiple sources of wildflowers, but it is left in the hive longer and harvested in the fall. That gives it a darker color and richer flavor. Hagan says honeycomb is always a sought-after product, especially for restaurant charcuterie boards. That is ready for purchase in June.

You’re not supposed to swallow the wax (it won’t hurt you, though, kind of like chewing gum), but it’s nutritious and full of antibodies, Hagan says.

Put some honey on it Most of honey’s health benefits come from the pollen in it. Tennessee Artisan Honey offers pollen by itself, and they only filter the honey once, which preserves much of the natural pollen. “Pollen is a complete food,” Hagan says. “It has all the vitamins, minerals, amino acids and enzymes that you need to have a healthy body.” What you’ve heard about local honey being good for you is true, but it doesn’t have to be made as close to your home as you think,

Hagan says. What is more important is the zone the honey was produced in, and “local” honey is defined as being within 300 miles of your home, according to the FDA. All of Tennessee is considered Zone 7, and that is based on the types of plants and flowers that grow here. “The health benefits of honey—when it’s not been ultra-filtered, it hasn’t been heated, it hasn’t been blended with other honeys—are that it gives you a resistance to colds, it helps with your allergies,” Hagan says.

Tastes like home Hagan says more than half of her business comes from customers at the Nashville Farmers Market. She was born in Gibraltar and spent some of her childhood in Spain before moving to the United States—so she especially enjoys connecting with the many fellow immigrants who shop there. “That’s why I emphasize the fact that we have mountain honey,” Hagan says. “Because all over the world, that’s really where you have your honeybees, up in the mountains. That whole group of immigrants really relates to that immediately.” She says Tennessee Artisan Honey is reminiscent of a taste of home for people from other countries. “Natural honey is revered all over the world,”

y p p ha r u o h MI EL RESTAU RANT

in the bar and on the patio T U E S - F R I 5 - 6 : 3 0 ( R E M A R K A B L E $ 5 S N AC K S A N D D R I N K S ! ) & S AT - S U N 5 : 3 0 - 6 : 3 0 ( D R I N K S O N LY ) 3 4 3 5 3 R D AV E N U E N O R T H | M I E L R E S TA U R A N T . C O M

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We’re looking for West Nashville’s wealthiest.

becoming more challenging being a beekeeper in the Nashville area than it was 10 years ago, 25 years ago.” Universally, some of the main issues threatening bees are pesticides, herbicides and fungicides. If too much of these unnatural products are brought into the hive through the trace amounts stuck to the bees’ bodies, the queen of the hive will get overwhelmed. The bees will then jump ship and die in the weather—that’s colony collapse. In addition, neonicotinoids, which are pesticides that many seeds are treated A benevolent heart yields true wealth, so we are looking with, disorient for the people, businesses, and organizations who selflessly the bees so they can’t find give to our community. Who are West Nashville’s unsung their way back heroes? warmest hearts? compassionate souls? Maybe it’s to their hives. the neighbor who mows everyone’s lawns or the business Those bees also that takes groceries to seniors . . . we want to hear about will die. Bees can get a those who are filling in gaps by caring for others. bad rep, especially with the Send your nominations to stinging and all, 372WestNashville@gmail.com but Hagan says

A honeybee shortage is still a real concern, and development in cities like Nashville isn’t helping. “You’re losing some of your natural nectars and pollens due to the growth of the city—its housing developments, industry. I talk to beekeepers all the time, and it’s

Save the bees

there shouldn’t be a conflict unless they’re antagonized by people. She recalls a time when she was called by a local landlord, who requested that she move the bees’ nests from the backyard of the property, as they were making the tenants nervous. She asked if she could talk to the tenants first. “We talked about how the bees don’t really care about them,” Hagan says. “They’re not like hornets and wasps—which are more aggressive. When you have bees in the city, you just leave them alone.” Bees also like to collect nectar early in the morning and late in the evening, so those could be times to keep more distance. In fact, the vibrations of your voice will push bees away. You can basically ask them to leave, Hagan says. For Nashvillians who want to make sure that bees feel welcome in their neighborhood, Hagan suggests contributing to a pollinator pathway, in addition to supporting beekeepers and natural hive management in your area. It’s important to focus on planting flowers and plants that are native to the area. “The best thing you could do is look around and see when there’s a gap in the season—and plant for the gap,” she says. “If everybody’s got blooming flowers in March through June, but in your neighborhood there’s not a lot in July, do a little research and figure out what you can plant in your garden . . . to provide some July blossoms for the local bees, the local pollinators.” Carol Hagan is doing her part, taking the lead to work toward a future where the bees won’t need saving. E

Hagan says. “Only in America do we feed our bees sugar. Only in America do we sell bastardized honey and try to tell people that it’s real. Africans and Europeans and Scandinavians . . . come in, and they taste our honey and they go, ‘Oh, yeah, this is real.’”

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Hannah Herner is a freelance journalist,

resident of Bellevue and recent graduate of The Ohio State University. She is also an alternative music fan, tap dancer and a Jeni’s ice cream enthusiast.

Painting "Chili Demo" by Chestnut Group member Judson Newborn

Aprilâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;May 2019 | 372WN.com

372WN.com | Aprilâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;May 2019

WEST NASHVILLE GYM OFFERS

adaptive Rock climbing TO THOSE WITH PHYSICAL DISABILITIES ime on t t s r i Her f

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fter using a wheelchair all her life, Saffell, 32, was used to being able to always see her legs. On the wall though, they hung beneath her as she continuously reached for the next hold. “I started to get nervous my legs were in the wrong position and something would happen,” she said. She didn’t make it very far that first try, but she had no previous experience with the sport. She came down the wall and began observing other climbers, taking in their movements and learning how to replicate them. She got back on the wall later that day—and that time, she felt better and climbed farther, she said. “I’ve become more confident every time since then for sure,” Saffell said. That first adaptive climbing clinic was about five years ago. Now, Saffell is the coordinator for Nashville’s twice-monthly climbing clinics for people with physical disabilities. The clinics are offered by a nonprofit organization called Catalyst Sports, which creates opportunities for those with physical disabilities to participate in adaptive sports. In Nashville, the organization puts on climbing clinics once a month at Climb Nashville on Charlotte and once a month at The Crag on Old Hickory Boulevard. The nonprofit has chapters in other southeastern cities, including Murfreesboro, Knoxville, Chattanooga, Atlanta, Birmingham and Washington, D.C. Most chapters offer adaptive climbing, but some also offer paddle sports or cycling. People with a range of disabilities have participated in Nashville’s climbing clinics, including those with spina bifida, cerebral palsy, amputations, autism and visual impairments. Many adaptive climbers hook into the climbing system the same way as any other climber, by using a harness and ropes.

by Elliott WENZLER

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April–May 2019 | 372WN.com

Like in all climbing, someone will stand on the ground and continuously pull the rope through a belay system, which allows the climber to be lowered safely and held steady if they slip from a hold. Sometimes, the climbers don’t require much help once they’re on the wall, but if needed, they can have a “side climber” who ascends an adjacent route and helps the adaptive climber. Climbers like Saffell, who don’t have leg mobility, use only their upper body and arms to reach the top of the wall. There are climbers who have some feeling in their legs, and a side climber will help them by placing their feet on holds as they scale the route. There is also an entirely different form of adaptive climbing using something called the Wellman Rig. The device, invented by a Yosemite park ranger, features a structured seat, a backrest and a leveling rope for the climbers. When using the Wellman Rig, adaptive climbers do repeated

372WN.com | April–May 2019

pull-ups on an attached bar, which uses a four-pulley system to hoist them higher and higher, reaching about 60 feet in the gym. The pulley system allows climbers to only lift about a fifth of their body weight, said Catalyst Sports founder, Eric Gray. There are also two people belaying the climbers in the Wellman Rig to ensure safety, he said. While Saffell prefers the extreme challenge of climbing on the wall, she also uses the Wellman Rig as a cardio workout, she said. The bimonthly clinics usually have anywhere from two to 12 participants, Saffell said. “There’s definitely a community of people with disabilities that climb,” she said. “It’s all ages; there’s a lot of younger kids that climb.” Climbing clinics are $10 per person, and scholarships are available, she said. Donations can be made for scholarships or to the organization at TeamCatalyst.org.

new ways, she said. “Once you realize you can do one thing, you start to realize, ‘What else can I do?’” Saffell said. Through her role as coordinator, Saffell has had the opportunity to see her own growth and that of her fellow adaptive climbers, she said. “I’ve definitely seen people growing in their confidence,” she said. “People come in . . . never having done it and not even realizing their own potential.” Saffell, who is also the executive director of a youth wheelchair basketball nonprofit, encourages young people with disabilities to

come to the clinics as much as possible, she said. “It’s great for them to learn at a young age what they can do. Then they grow up knowing what they can do,” she said. “It’s great to expose them to new things.” Saffell isn’t the only one who thinks adaptive climbing can be a powerful tool for young people with disabilities. Tom Robertson, a pediatric occupational therapist at Vanderbilt, often brings his patients to the clinics to introduce them to the sport, he said. “So many of the kids that I work with from day to day are . . . not

The good adaptive climbing can do Saffell has found that through adaptive climbing, she has had the opportunity to challenge herself in

April–May 2019 | 372WN.com

able to participate in traditional sports,” Robertson said. “The climbing addresses motor planning, coordination, strength and building confidence. (It) also builds a community group.” Robertson began bringing his patients to the clinics after he started climbing himself about two years ago, he said. He believes anyone with physical disabilities and some people with cognitive disabilities, such as autism, can benefit from the sport, he said. Kids with disabilities are often more successful in climbing than in other sports because of its pace and the opportunity for more hands-on coaching and assistance, he said. “So much of the time, their confidence with their physical abilities is poor, but then when you give them something they can be successful at, their [confidence increases],” Robertson said. Climbing can also help kids with things like their grip strength,

372WN.com | April–May 2019

which is one of the most common issues for many of Robertson’s patients, he said. This affects their abilities to tie their shoes, button their clothes and even write things down, he said.

To Robertson, the ideal scenario is for his patients to use climbing to stay active even after they’ve left his care. Having something that helps them realize they aren’t so different from their peers can be

powerful, he said. For Saffell, it’s important to her that people understand this reality. “We might do it a little bit differently, but we get to the top just like everybody else,” she said. “It’s really the same.” VI

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Nashville native Elliott Wenzler graduated from the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville in May of 2017 with a BA in journalism and minors in both business and Spanish. Wenzler fell in love with journalism through long-form podcasts and magazine pieces that capture the heart of an issue, culture or phenomenon. You can find her enjoying tacos at 51st Deli, jogging in Sylvan Park or playing trivia at Neighbors. S

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What: Adaptive climbing clinic for people with physical disabilities

When: Twice monthly on weekends. Details on event dates are available in the Facebook group “Catalyst Sports Nashville/Murfreesboro”

Where: Climb Nashville West and The Crag

How much: $10-$11, with scholarships available

How can I help you?

615-977-9262 • marycarolynroberts@gmail.com www.MaryCarolynRoberts.com

Mary Carolyn for METRO

COUNCIL

April–May 2019 | 372WN.com

Spring

GETAWAYS TO SHAKE OFF WINTER BLUES by

Leslie HERMSDORFER

All photos used with permission by the respective entities.

372WN.com | Aprilâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;May 2019

Nashvillians seem to rely on automobiles to get from point A to point B, and many take to the open road for getaways once springtime breaks through the dreary winter weather. Three fantastic destinations within a two-hour drive of Nashville include Fontanel off of Whites Creek Pike, The Loretta Lynn Ranch in Hurricane Mills, and the Upper Cumberland Wine Trail. On the following pages are some standout features from each jaunt, with each locale primed to get your senses in full bloom.

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Fontanel Fontanel is on 200 acres about 20 minutes north of Nashville, at 4125 Whites Creek Pike. The main house on the property, known as The Mansion at Fontanel, was built in the late 1980s for country music artist Barbara Mandrell. In 2010, the Fontanel property was graciously opened to the public, and it has been a must-see destination ever since—featuring many family-friendly attractions. Fontanel is one of the largest privately held public park areas in the state, with over three miles of wooded and asphalt trails for walking and biking. Some of the trails are part of Nashville’s Trails & Greenways, shown on the trail map as the Whites Creek Greenway at Fontanel.

All images above are Fontanel

372WN.com | April–May 2019

If observing Fontanel’s lush greenery and trees from a bird’s-eye view tickles your fancy, you can soar through the trees at the Adventureworks Zipline Forest at Fontanel. The canopy zip tour includes a 90-minute experience, with a variety of heights and speeds available. Fontanel is a wonderful destination for families or couples. The pet-friendly Inn at Fontanel offers six well-appointed suites and includes free breakfast, parking and WiFi, among other amenities. An expansive deck and patio offer views of the gorgeous grounds, including Porter’s Pond. Visitors can enjoy fine dining and entertainment right on the grounds of Fontanel. Café Fontanella offers brunch, dinner and

cocktails. Evenings are a prime time to explore the grounds, enjoy live music at the café or take in a scheduled outdoor concert at The Woods Amphitheater. Fontanel is also home to Prichard’s Distillery. Guests may tour the distillery and taste handcrafted Tennessee whiskey and rums. The spirits offered are created in small batches, using techniques handed down for five generations. Few leave Fontanel without a visit to the Vintage Creek Boutique, which offers unique gifts, clothing and souvenirs. Fontanel offers something for everyone in the family and is sure to please. More information on Fontanel and a schedule of events can be found at fontanel.com.

Loretta Lynn's Ranch

Loretta Lynn’s Ranch

18,000-square-foot simulated coal mine, post office, Doll Museum, Native American Artifact Museum and a Western store. All locations are assured to delight young and old alike, and the Western Town offers a feeling of stepping back in time. Outdoor enthusiasts can take guided tours on horseback. Additional outdoor activities include kayaking, tubing, hiking, fishing, volleyball, outdoor games, campfire shows, cookouts, picnics and biking. Accommodations at The Ranch are in three main areas, including

Loretta Lynn’s Ranch in Hurricane Mills is about an hour west of Nashville. An unincorporated community in Humphreys County, Hurricane Mills centers around the 3,500-acre ranch. Much of the area is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The ranch holds Loretta Lynn’s Plantation Home and features her personal effects and memorabilia from her extensive career in country music. Visitors can tour the home and can also tour the Butcher Holler Home, a replica of Loretta Lynn’s childhood homestead. Most attractions are on the grounds above the tranquil waterfall of the historic Grist Mill in The Ranch’s Western Town. In addition to Loretta’s Plantation Home and Butcher Holler, you will find the Coal Miner’s Daughter Museum, Lady Loretta Boutique, an Cozy Cabin at Loretta Lynn's Ranch

Stagecoach Hill, which is the premier campground at The Ranch. This location accommodates RVs, or guests can make reservations to stay at one of 17 cabins that sleep up to four people each on the grounds. An eightroom bunkhouse is also available to reserve and is perfect for larger families. The common area of Stagecoach Hill features live music and games during peak season. Hiking trails, which immerse visitors in the beautiful woods of Middle Tennessee, wind throughout Stagecoach Hill. Another area offering overnight accommodations on the grounds is Boone Hill. It is directly off the main highway into The Ranch and provides six cabins. It offers more seclusion from the main ranch attractions, as all cabins are in a cul-de-sac. Boone Hill also has a gazebo and grilling area. April–May 2019 | 372WN.com

The lower campground at The Ranch features a large pavilion and direct access to Hurricane Creek. An array of outdoor activities is immediately accessible, including kayaking, tubing and swimming in the in-ground pool. Camping spots with water and electrical hookups are also available. Each year, the ranch hosts

DelMonaco Winery

Sangria on the patio at Cellar 53

372WN.com | Aprilâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;May 2019

several special events, including concerts, cross country racing, the Loretta Lynn Amateur National Motocross Championship, a June horseback trail ride and Jeep trail ride. More information on Loretta Lynnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Ranch at Hurricane Mills and a schedule of events can be found at lorettalynnranch.net.

Upper Cumberland Wine Trail Tucked in among the historic small towns and back roads of the Upper Cumberland area are eight distinct wineries, where you can visit, sample the wines and meet the families that run them. Included are Cellar 53 in Brush Creek, where the family farm was saved by planting the vineyard in 2015; Chestnut Hill in Crossville, with its fermentation capacity of over 23,000 gallons that makes it one of the largest wineries in Tennessee; DelMonaco Winery & Vineyard in Baxter producing whites, reds and dessert-style wines to please a range of tastes; Highland Manor in Jamestown, with nearly four decades of experience and free tastings and tours; the award-winning Holly Ridge Winery & Vineyards with its emphasis on viticulture and a selection of

and experiences on the beautiful grounds of Fontanel and Loretta Lynn’s Ranch in Hurricane Mills to the exquisite wine tastings along the Upper Cumberland Wine Trail, your next unforgettable encounter isn’t far from home. LLE

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Leslie Hermsdorfer has been cruising N

Hours of operation vary by location, so visit uppercumberlandwinetrail.com for details about each winery, along with helpful tips to help you get the most out of your visits — such as simple etiquette like saving the perfume or cologne for another day, so you can smell and taste the wines. Up-and-coming events include the Upper Cumberland Wine Festival on April 13 in historic Granville, Tennessee, and the first concert of the 2019 summer season on April 27 featuring The Tennessee Backroads Band. May 3 and 4 brings the Mother’s Day Market to the trail with over 50 vendors, a range of delectable eats and live music throughout. No matter which way you head on your next near-Nashville adventure, you’re sure to bring home more than just memories. From the offerings

29 wines; Northfield Vineyards in Sparta, famous for the hospitality of the five-generations-old Ray Family Farm; the Paris Winery in Cookeville, home to a summer concert series and over 9,000 vines producing 23 types of grapes; the Red Barn Winery & Vineyards, just 50 miles north of Nashville and known for French hybrid grapes of the Glen Clements family; and the Stonehaus Winery in Crossville, producers of a range of wines from dry to sweet to Muscadine, or “God’s gift to the sunny south.” Any two or three wineries would be more than enough for one day, so why not plan a long weekend and visit all eight? Check with the winery where you think you’ll finish each day for lodging recommendations, or head to uppercumberland.org where you’ll find a wide range of hotels, motels, bed and breakfasts, cabins, inns and even luxury resorts and rentals. If you plan stops along the entire trail, be sure to pick up a “Wine Trail Rack Card” wherever you begin and ask to have your card stamped at each visit. At the conclusion of your self-guided tour, you’ll receive a thank you gift from whichever winery you’ve ended up at.

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around Nashville for many years, and enjoys listening to music and observing the human condition in both personal and professional settings.

Cellar 53

CONFERENCE ROOM & VIRTUAL OFFICE Located in the Nations. Hourly, daily & monthly rates available. 615-864-1062 | mark@westnashvilleliving.com $40/hr | $250/day | Mention this ad to receive 20% off.

April–May 2019 | 372WN.com

Newsom Station The Harpethâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Last Remaining Mill

photo by Yvonne Eaves

by Yvonne EAVES photos courtesy of Metro Archives, unless otherwise noted

372WN.com | Aprilâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;May 2019

Years ago, a small village known as Newsom Station sprang up near the confluence of train tracks, a main road (now Highway 70) and the Harpeth River. It was just 16 miles west of Nashville and a couple miles from Bellevue.

photo courtesy of Metro Archives

Aprilâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;May 2019 | 372WN.com

he community grew to encompass farms, a sawmill, a grist mill and a rock quarry. It even became home to a railroad depot, a post office, a commissary and a couple of distilleries. But it began when the Newsom family arrived from Virginia in the late 1700s and began to settle the area in what is now the western edge of Davidson County. William and Elizabeth Newsom settled on the Harpeth River with four sons and several daughters. After a few years, William moved to a place near Jackson, Tennessee. His sons Frank and William, however, remained in the area, where they built the sawmill and grist mill. The younger William (1776– 1837) married Lucinda Morton (1788–1871), and together they had 10 children. One of them — Joseph Morton Newsom (1808–

1864) — was responsible for much of Newsom Station’s success. Joseph’s brother-in-law, Samuel W. Adkisson, was the engineer responsible for the drilling of the tunnel at the Narrows of the Harpeth.

September, 1959

372WN.com | April–May 2019

The Quarry The industrious Newsoms brought their knowledge of millworks, farming and blacksmithing to Tennessee. They also established one of the area’s most profitable businesses—a rock quarry. The

photo by Yvonne Eaves

Dilapidated tenant house, September, 1959

September, 1959

Newsom Depot Aprilâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;May 2019 | 372WN.com

Newsom Rock Quarry was about a mile south of the mill. The process of preparing the limestone blocks at the quarry was known as “hand hewing,” and markings resembling Roman numerals can still be seen on the blocks. Each employee at the quarry was assigned a symbol, which he scratched into blocks. The worker’s pay was determined by the number and weight of the blocks produced. Today the quarry would be on the south side of Interstate 40. Hume Fogg School, Union Station, and the Customs House were all built of limestone from Newsom Rock Quarry. The wall around the prison grounds and the old City Cemetery were also quarried there.

The Mill The elder William Newsom grandfather built the first mill in the area before 1800s, but it was destroyed by a flood in the first decade of the 19th century. The original wooden mill was upstream of the existing mill, which was built in 1862.

(A fire in 1960 destroyed the wooden roof and floor.) Looking at what’s left of the remaining mill, it may be difficult to envision how it operated. The water came through the north side, passing through rails that kept limbs and other debris from floating in and jamming the millworks. As the water ran along the north wall, it engaged a sideshot waterwheel and then exited through a hole in the dam abutment. A farmer would bring his crop to the mill, and the miller would process the grain, keeping an agreed-upon amount of the milled product for his pay. Today, the mill’s remains reflect life in a former time. Its limestone blocks, quarried from the Newsom Quarry, stayed intact

through the May 2010 floodwaters—despite there being no mortar holding the rocks in place. Some of the rocks are five feet long, and the exterior dimensions of the mill are 37.9 feet by 46.9 feet by more than 40 feet tall.

photo by Yvonne Eaves

372WN.com | December 2017–January 2018

December 2017â&#x20AC;&#x201C;January 2018 | 372WN.com

Today, the mill’s remains reflect life in a former time. Its limestone blocks, quarried from the Newsom Quarry, stayed intact through the May 2010 floodwaters—despite there being no mortar holding the rocks in place.

photo by Yvonne Eaves

372WN.com | April–May 2019

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Sources: West Nashville its people and environs by Sarah Foster Kelly A History of Bellevue and Surrounding Areas by Doug Underwood Vertical Files Nashville Room at Nashville Public Library.

Long considered West Nashville’s historian, Yvonne Eaves spends a lot of time documenting its changes through the lens of her camera. She is the former president of the Cohn High School Alumni Association and author of Nashville’s Sylvan Park (along with co-author Doug Eckert, Arcadia Publishing).

Joseph Newsom built a mansion for his family. The plantation home, constructed between 1840 and 1850, was three stories, and it was built with limestone from the family quarry. The design was late Georgian style, and the exterior was covered with gray stucco—which likely was imported from Germany or Italy. The walls were believed to be 3 feet deep. Like most antebellum homes, the kitchen was detached from the residence. Also on the Newsom property were a smokehouse made of chestnut logs and a carriage house made of limestone like the house. By the 1850s, Joseph welcomed the railroad through his property. The Nashville & Northwestern built tracks along Newsom land, and that railroad eventually merged with the Nashville Chattanooga Railroad. (The railroad closed the stop in Newsom Station by 1967.) Joseph had originally owned 1,780 acres along the Harpeth River. After Joseph died in 1864, the operation of the Newsom mill and quarry were both taken over by brother-in-law Adkisson. At the end of the Civil War the Newsom properties were left in ruins, and much of the land was sold. Adkisson sold the remaining property to James Ezell in 1905. Ezell bought about 600 acres, including the mill and Newsom homeplace. By that time, Newsom Station was home to 22 families, notably the Lovells, Gowers, Howses, Huttons and Demosses. The name of the Newsom homeplace was changed to Harpeth Heights, and in 1943, Ezell sold 427 acres of land and the old house to John S. Cowden. In the late 1950s, the construction of Interstate 40 led to the demolition of the old limestone mansion—despite several alternate paths proposed by the community that would have saved it from the wrecking ball.

As it turned out, it took much more than a wrecking ball to tumble Harpeth Heights. It even took more than bulldozers. After several days of dozers bouncing off the house, the demolition crew had to blast the sturdy old structure with dynamite. Pieces of Harpeth Heights now rest under the asphalt of Interstate 40. E

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372WestNosh

by Constant

EATER

Whether we’ve driven by them hundreds of times or just spotted a new one we want to try, West Nashville’s got you covered for breakfast, lunch, dinner and cocktails. Bon appetit, salud and cheers!

51ST DELI 1314 51st Avenue North 615.292.2888 www.51stdeli.com

t wasn’t that long ago that the Supermercado, with its neatly stacked shelves and fresh produce, was a keenly kept neighborhood secret; residents knew they could find great produce and oddities like Cojita cheese. Then, the fresh meats department segued into a small deli offering fresh hot and cold sandwiches, meat’n’three comfort foods, and authentic Mexican fare at reasonable prices. The evolution had begun . . . and the secret got out. After re-branding as 51st Deli, the market shelves slowly gave way to repurposed sawmilled wooden tables and seating. Outdoor seating soon followed.

372WN.com | April–May 2019

The quirky inventory remains, alongside market standards: kombucha peacefully coexists with soft drinks, local craft beers share space with domestics, and the produce has expanded, offering a few seasonal surprises every now and then. Owner Kareem Yafai has painstakingly crafted this transformation and at times, we’ve wondered if he’s done so with a magic wand. No eatery can have this much

variety—for breakfast, lunch and dinner, mind you—and do it well, right? 51st Deli is the exception. You can bring everyone. At any age. For every meal. (And this way, you get to eat all the things.) Let’s just start with breakfast, shall we? You can get your standard bacon and eggs platter, biscuits served up any number of ways and bagels that cover the spectrum of bagel-dom. But then there are omelets, hot chicken and waffles, breakfast burritos, a breakfast reuben (!!!) and a generous 12-ounce breakfast parfait of organic granola, Greek yogurt and strawberries (and yes, hipsters, there’s avocado toast). If you’re thinking that such a robust breakfast menu means skimpy lunch and dinner menus, you’re

mistaken. There are 23 signature sandwiches—yes, 23 —or you can build your own. The West Nasty is a neighborhood favorite (breaded chicken breast, capicola ham, jalapeño, bacon, pepper jack, wasabi sauce on a hero, served warm), but we’re also fans of their turkey avocado and reubens, too. All sandwiches are 9 dollars or less, with eight different bread options (!!!) available for any meal, including a gluten-free option. There’s also a hot bar (menu varies), a fresh salad bar, and their signature burger with 14 options for toppings. And we’re not done. Not even close. The pièce de résistance is the authentic Mexican menu with some notso authentic Mexican options to make things interesting. Their tacos, burritos, tortas and quesadillas are downright dreamy. Made to order, they stuff ’em with the usual suspects or you can opt for something like barbacoa, falafel or hot chicken . . . and the sides are just as plentiful. Creatures of habit will enjoy the traditional rice and beans, but there’s a full menu of specialty sides like elote (Mexican street corn), carne asada fries and fried plantains. And for the finish, you can opt for two types of cheesecake, chess pie or cannoli. Sip on one of eight (!!!) coffee drinks made with Bongo Java coffee, or hot Rishi tea. 1-2-3 Happy Hour starts at 4:00 p.m. every day: one dollar off domestics, two dollars off imports, and three dollars (!!!) off crafts. Yes, they cater. Yes, you can order online. Yes, delivery is available. And it’s all done well. Very well. Whether they use elves, fairies or magic wands to make it happen, we’re thrilled that 51st Deli is a very real place. HOURS: Monday through Saturday, 6:00 a.m.–9:00 p.m.; Sunday, 8:00 a.m.–9:00 p.m. HAPPY HOUR: 4:00 p.m.–9:00 p.m., every day CREDIT CARDS: All RESERVATIONS: Not applicable Constant Eater is dedicated to discovering the West Side’s best breakfasts, lunches, dinners and cocktails . . . in the name of fair reporting and satisfied tummies, of course.

April–May 2019 | 372WN.com

372Who kNew? Name: What’s your relationship to West Nashville? Favorite thing about our community? Favorite food? color? drink? dessert? hobby? If you could run any single company or organization in the world, which would you choose? Where will you be on Friday night? Dog or cat? Surf or turf? Dream occupation when you were five? What’s your superpower? What is the one thing you’d most like to change about the world? What excites you most about West Nashville?

372WN.com | April–May 2019

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