Breakfasts 38 WAYS TO START YOUR DAY
November 2015 | $3.95 nashvillelifest yles.com
THE SPIRIT OF GIVING: 6 LOCAL CHARITIES PAG E 8 0
OPRY ANNIVERSARY: 90 YEARS YOUNG
EYE OPENERS: GREAT BLOODY MARYS
PAG E 8 8
PAG E 10 6
FEATURES {NOVEMBER 2015} A patient at Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt
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THE BREAKFAST CLUB
38 tip-top ways to start your day
80
THE SPIRIT OF GIVING
We profile six nonprofits doing the important work of helping Music City grow for the better.
88
GRAND OLE PARTY
ON THE COVER Pancakes from The Family Wash/Garage Coffee. Photo by Mark Boughton
ABIGAIL BOBO
After 90 years, the Grand Ole Opry is as vibrant and relevant as ever.
CONTENTS {NOVEMBER 2015}
44 Waverly Grey Lee pullover, $198 (K. McCarthy, 4100 Hillsboro Cir., 615-972-1696; kmccarthy fashiontruck.com) Mignonne Gavigan Le Marcel scarf necklace in gunmetal, $725 (Emmaline, 400 Main St., Franklin, 615-7916205; emmaline boutique.com) Shaffer LA Julian wrap clutch, $218 (Emerson Grace, 2304 12th Ave. S., 615454-6407; facebook. com/emersongrace nashville)
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Spotlight Bullets Over Broadway comes to TPAC, plus there’s a reason to sip wine along Franklin’s Main Street, a vintage pop-up and a fashion event, Vanessa Carlton’s new album, and the Nashville Opera’s rendition of Hydrogen Jukebox.
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43
The Good Life Fringe is in this fall—as is leather in the form of bespoke jackets. We’ve also got healthy restaurant options, a look inside Crossroads Campus, a new studio from design pro Brandy Adams, and a tour of a luxe Belle Meade home.
97 Pick up a few mushrooms from a local grower, peek inside The Honeysuckle, check out the new Green Hills Grille, pull up a seat at Cochon Butcher, and test drive a few Bloody Marys.
108
Social
50 14
NASHVILLELIFESTYLES.COM NOVEMBER 2015
Our Most Beautiful People reveal party, Style Setters, Mad Hatter, and more
AMY CHERRY, ALYSSA ROSENHECK, RON MANVILLE
The Menu
FROM THE PUBLISHER Nashville Lifestyles’ staff at the Most Beautiful Party
Carbs! That’s all I have on my mind this month. After a lot of difficult research, we’ve compiled a curated list of the best breakfasts and brunches in town. (And if you don’t like brunch, we can’t be friends…just kidding.) Once again, we’ve taken one for the team by trying out omelets, pancakes, and Bloody Marys all over the city and narrowing it down to our favorites. Personally, the research sent me into a nocarb diet, which will conclude just in time for our next big event: Nashville Lifestyles’ first-ever Brunch & Bloodys. Join us at the Union Station Hotel on November 21 for a firsthand taste of what you’ll find in this issue. Meanwhile, the holidays are right around the corner! Like you, we often struggle with ideas for what to get friends and family. This year, we’re proposing an alternative: the gift of philanthropy. We
spotlight six Nashville charities to offer up suggestions on where to make a donation or spend time as a volunteer. There are so many wonderful local organizations that we could never mention them all, but these ones have a particularly special place in our community—and we hope you’re inspired to give or get involved. Of course, there’s plenty more on these pages, including non-breakfast-related recommendations on where to eat as well as a look back at the Grand Ole Opry, which celebrates its 90th year this month. We hope you enjoy the issue and, as always, please let us know what you think: wehearyou@nashvillelifestyles.com. Cheers!
BRIAN BARRY
THIS ISSUE BY THE NUMBERS
15
Restaurants participating in Brunch & Bloodys
2
Number of Bloody Marys I’ve had while writing this
NL STAFF
16
Number of pancakes made for the cover shoot
BEHIND THE SCENES
| CONTRIBUTORS
Food photographer Danielle Atkins at Biscuit Love for this month’s breakfast feature
Shooting this month’s food feature, “The Breakfast Club” (page 66), was no chore for photographer Danielle Atkins, who counts Nashville Biscuit House as one of her favorite morning spots. (Go for the bacon, egg, and cheese biscuits with home fries, she advises.) After following in her photographer father’s footsteps, Atkins now shoots with a large-format 4x5 camera and
LAURA LEA GOLDBERG
JENNIFER FARRAR
Writer, editor, and cofounder of The Porch, Nashville’s nonprofit center for writing, Susannah Felts got to know a few of the charities in this issue’s “The Spirit of Giving” feature (page 80). “It was very inspiring to speak with representatives of these nonprofits and think about how they accomplish what they do and what the Porch might learn from them,” she says. Felts is the author of the novel This Will Go Down on Your Permanent Record (Featherproof Books) and has published stories and essays in The Oxford American, The Sun, and Quarterly West. “During the holidays, I make a non-negotiable pact with myself to have a healthy breakfast,” says certified holistic chef Laura Lea Goldberg. That means chia oats with nut butter and berries, scrambled eggs and avocado, or a protein-packed green smoothie. “This sets me up for a day of steady blood sugar and good choices,” she adds. On page 50, she offers up a selection of health-conscious items at area restaurants. Jennifer Farrar covers culture and music for Nashville Lifestyles and always looks forward to fall in Music City. “I love to go to Walden Farm, camp, sit around a bonfire, and watch football,” she says. This month, you might find her out and about at the Kaleo or Nathaniel Rateliff shows, both at Mercy Lounge.
CORRECTIONS: In our September 2015 issue, we unfortunately omitted a few schools from our Optional Schools guide. The following schools are also part of the Optional program through MNPS: Nashville Prep, Nashville Academy of Computer Science, East End Preparatory, and Intrepid College Prep. We’re not perfect. If you catch a mistake, please let us know: wehearyou@nashvillelifestyles.com
SIERRA PILAND, SUPPLIED
SUSANNAH FELTS
utilizes a higher-than-average resolution. “Food photography fell into my lap after I moved to Nashville, and once I started, it became impossible to stop,” she says. “I find it as beautiful a subject as anything else.” A regular contributor to Nashville Lifestyles, Atkins recently captured plenty of fiery fowl in The Hot Chicken Cookbook (Spring House Press), which was released in October.
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1 Nashville Lifestyles’ 25 Most Beautiful People 2015
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Volume 17 / Issue 11
PUBLISHER
EDITORS
November 2015
Brian Barry brian@nashvillelifestyles.com Kristin Luna kluna@nashvillelifestyles.com
What is the
SOU N DTR
ACK
to your fall?
Erin Byers Murray emurray@nashvillelifestyles.com CONTENT EDITOR RYAN ADAMS 1989
CONTRIBUTORS
ART GRAPHIC DESIGNER/ PRODUCTION SPECIALIST
Katy Lindenmuth Danielle Atkins, Abigail Bobo, Mark Boughton, Brita Britnell, Chris Chamberlain, Amy Cherry, Justin Chesney, Christen Clemins, Suzanne Corey, Jennifer Farrar, Susannah Felts, Shannon Fontaine, Laura Lea Goldberg, Emily B. Hall, Jennifer Justus, Margaret Littman, Ron Manville, Jen McDonald, Hannah Messinger, Alyssa Rosenheck Sierra Piland spiland@nashvillelifestyles.com
GRAPHIC DESIGNER/ WEB EDITOR
Valerie Hammond vhammond@nashvillelifestyles.com
GRAPHIC DESIGNER/ PRODUCTION SPECIALIST
Aimee Lindamood alindamood@nashvillelifestyles.com
MARKETING CIRCULATION & MARKETING MANAGER MARKETING & EVENTS DIRECTOR ADVERTISING SALES ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES
Kelli Dill khdill@nashvillelifestyles.com Lacey Greene Keally lkeally@nashvillelifestyles.com
JILL ANDREWS The War Inside
Janna Landry janna@nashvillelifestyles.com Lauren Lackey Hocker llackey@nashvillelifestyles.com Kathryn Gogliotti kathryn@nashvillelifestyles.com Alexa Lumb alexa@nashvillelifestyles.com
ASSISTANT TO THE PUBLISHER INTERNS
READER SERVICES SUBSCRIPTIONS Your subscription includes 12 issues of Nashville Lifestyles per year. Our subscribers are valued customers and are vital to our success. To provide you with the best possible service, we handle all subscriptions and billing through our fulfillment house, Sunbelt Fulfillment. If you have questions about your subscription, call us at 1-888-385-6818 or reach us via email at nashlife@sunbeltfs.com. You may also visit our website at NashvilleLifestyles.com. GIFT SUBSCRIPTIONS Nashville Lifestyles makes a great gift! Use the postage-paid subscription card found in each issue or order by phone, email or
Kimberly Higdon kimberly@nashvillelifestyles.com Anna Kate Read annakate@nashvillelifestyles.com Lauren Necaise
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contact Kelli Dill for back issue bulk rates at 615-259-3636. LETTERS We welcome your letters and comments. Send letters to Nashville Lifestyles, 1100 Broadway, Nashville, TN 37203, Attn: Editor, or e-mail wehearyou@nashvillelifestyles. com. The names and email addresses of our staff members and their individual departments are found on our website’s “Contact Us” page. WRITING OPPORTUNITIES We are always willing to consider freelance writers and article ideas. Please send queries and/or suggestions to Erin Murray, Editor, at emurray@
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THE TENNESSEAN, SUPPLIED
CONTROLLER/ ACCOUNTING
FRANK SINATRA
PROMOTION
NASHVILLE LIFESTYLES
HOT LIST
NOVEMBER 2015
»
The hottest events, happenings, and promotions. Visit NashvilleLifestyles.com for more!
PRIMA BRUNCH Prima in the heart of Nashville’s Gulch district will begin serving brunch November 15th. Prima celebrates contemporary American cuisine and is open six nights a week, with breathtaking surroundings in the main room as well as five private rooms for more intimate gatherings or business events.
CENTER FOR ADVANCED DENTISTRY, PLLC P E R S O N A L I Z E D TR E ATM E NT, B O UTI Q U E S E T TI N G The secret is out! Dr. White is the go-to Nashville dentist, performing his advanced and exclusive treatments to give clients the smile of their dreams. Enjoy a complimentary consultation and experience for yourself why Dr. White is taking over Nashville’s smiles!
For menu and reservations, visit primanashville.com.
Visit whitesmilesforlife.com.
BLISS HOME ’TI S TH E S E A S O N F O R G I F T G I V I N G
WATERMARK 10-YE A R A N N I V E R S A RY
Visit Bliss Home to browse through our festive offerings, which are ideal for hostess gifts and everyone on your holiday list. Bliss Home has inspiring art and accessories arriving daily that are sure to make you everyone’s favorite gift-giver. Visit shopinbliss.com for more information.
This month, Watermark Restaurant will be celebrating 10 fantastic years in The Gulch! In celebration of this milestone occasion, we will be treating our guests with November birthdays or anniversaries to a complimentary appetizer or dessert! Call for reservations at 615-254-2000 and please mention this promotion! Visit watermark-restaurant.com for more information.
DR. DELOZIER C UT TI N G-E D G E, G A M E-C H A N G I N G TE C H N O L O GY B R I N G S YO U YO U R B E ST R E S U LTS. E V E R. Dr. DeLozier is proud to introduce the Helios Procedure for facial rejuvenation. Enjoy amazing results without the use of surgical incisions. Book your consultation appointment today. Visit drdelozier.com for more information.
HOMESTEAD MANOR L U N C H + L E A R N S O M E TH I N G Harvest at Homestead Manor is starting a new innovative professional development series called Lunch + Learn Something. This series will bring industry experts to lead an interactive discussion on topics that are relevant in the business world. Only 25 seats are available. Call 615-538-6113 to reserve your spot today! Visit homesteadmanor.com.
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NASHVILLELIFESTYLES.COM NOVEMBER 2015
SPOTLIGHT
CALENDAR | NASHVILLE MOMENT | THE LIST | HIGH NOTE | ON STAGE | CREATIVE CLASS
NOV
EDDIE CHACON
2015
Perfect Fifth Vanessa Carlton goes in a new direction with album number ямБve, called Liberman, out now. For more on how it all came together, turn to page 36. >>>
NOVEMBER 2015 NASHVILLELIFESTYLES.COM
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SPOTLIGHT
| CALENDAR
November GET READY FOR THE HOLIDAZE.
1
MUSIC IN THE VINES FEATURING SAN RAFAEL Arrington Vineyards. 2 p.m. arringtonvineyards. com
7
WINE DOWN MAIN STREET Main Street, Franklin. 7 p.m. winedownmainstreet. com
7
THE CONSERVANCY GALA: DESIGNS OF INTRIGUE The Parthenon. conservancyonline.com
10 SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE TPAC’s Andrew Jackson Hall. 7:30 p.m. tpac.org
4
THE 49TH ANNUAL CMA AWARDS Bridgestone Arena. 7 p.m. cmaworld.com
5
MILK CARTON KIDS TPAC’s James K. Polk Theater. 8 p.m. tpac.org
10–15
Bullets Over Broadway brings an adaptation of the Woody Allen film to life on the stage at TPAC.
Woody Allen’s Tony-nominated musical comedy Bullets Over Broadway first premiered at New York’s St. James Theatre in 2014, and the team at TPAC quickly snapped up the traveling production for a sixnight Nashville run, taking place this month. Based on the 1994 film that Allen wrote with Douglas McGrath, Bullets tells the story of a young playwright and the shenanigans that ensue when he’s forced to cast a mobster’s girlfriend. Be on the lookout for Allen’s trademark quick-witted humor, roaring 1920s-era music, and the original stage production’s costumes. (Andrew Jackson Hall, 505 Deaderick St., 615782-4040; tpac.org) —Erin Byers Murray
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NASHVILLELIFESTYLES.COM NOVEMBER 2015
BULLETS OVER BROADWAY TPAC’s Andrew Jackson Hall. tpac.org
12
NASHVILLE PREDATORS VS. TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS Bridgestone Arena. 7 p.m. predators.nhl.com
7
13
7
13
HIKE FOR THE HOMELESS Edwin Warner Park. 9 a.m. safehaven.org/ hike
HAPPY HIJINKS
10–15
FIRST SATURDAY ART CRAWL 5th Avenue of the Arts. 6 p.m. nashvilledowntown. com
ROYAL FLUSH CASINO NIGHT AND SILENT AUCTION The Rosewall. 8 p.m. ccfa.org SALON@615: PATTI SMITH OZ Nashville. 7 p.m. ozartsnashville.org
COURTESY OF TPAC, THE TENNESSEAN, KENDALL MITCHELL GEMMILL
1
THE MUSIC OF U2 Schermerhorn Symphony Center. 7:30 p.m. nashvillesymphony.org
LOCAL CHARITY
Cheers to That WINE DOWN MAIN STREET RAISES CRITICAL FUNDS FOR THE BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF MIDDLE TENNESSEE.
13–15
HYDROGEN JUKEBOX Noah Liff Opera Center. nashvilleopera.org
14
NASHVILLE MARATHON, HALF MARATHON & 5K Downtown. 7 a.m. nashvillehalfmarathon. com
18
21
20
23
VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY WIND SYMPHONY CONCERT Blair School of Music, Ingram Hall. 8 p.m. blair. vanderbilt.edu 7TH ANNUAL CHERISH THE NIGHT WITH VINCE GILL & FRIENDS CMA Theater. 6:30 p.m. starsnashville.org
BRUNCH & BLOODY MARYS Union Station Hotel. 10 a.m. nashvillelifestyles. com CHRISTMAS 4 KIDS Ryman Auditorium. 7 p.m. ryman.com
26
2015 BOULEVARD BOLT Belle Meade Boulevard. 8 a.m. boulevardbolt.org
20–Dec. 27 27–Jan. 3 14
LITERARY AWARD GALA Nashville Public Library. 6:30 p.m. nplf.org
COURTESY OF THE TENNESSEAN, THINKSTOCK
14
VANDERBILT COMMODORES VS. KENTUCKY WILDCATS Vanderbilt Stadium. vucommodores.com
15
TENNESSEE TITANS VS. CAROLINA PANTHERS Nissan Stadium. Noon. titansonline.com
DR. SEUSS’S HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS! THE MUSICAL Grand Ole Opry House. marriott.com
HOLIDAY LIGHTS Cheekwood. cheekwood.org
For 15 years, Wine Down Main Street has taken over the historic downtown square in Franklin, where guests take part in a progressive wine tasting, wandering from shop to shop while sampling bites from area restaurants along the way. The fundraiser is one of the biggest for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Middle Tennessee—it’s raised nearly $1.5 million since its inception. Started in 2001 by Phyllis and Mike Hyland, the event has long been a way “for local merchants to band together to highlight Franklin’s culinary scene,” says BGCMT president and CEO Dan Jernigan. Even better? One hundred percent of the profits go toward youth development programs at BGCMT. Those programs, Jernigan adds, “aim to achieve high academic success, healthy lifestyles, and good character and citizenship in today’s youth.” The event takes place on November 7 from 7 to 10 p.m. and features more than 170 wines, thanks to distributor Lipman Brothers. Restaurants like Mangia Nashville, Porta Via, and Saffire will serve small bites from tasting stations, and First Avenue Band will provide the entertainment. Tickets are $85; VIP and premium tickets, which include front-of-the-line access and a gift bag, are also available. (winedownmainstreet.com) —E.B.M.
20–Jan. 9
JOHN BAEDER: WORK FROM 1962 TO 2015 Haynes Galleries. haynesgalleries.com
21
VIVA LA DIVA RUN Nissan North America Campus, Franklin. 7 a.m. vivaladivarun.org
Want more info? Visit NashvilleLifestyles.com/ Events for additional events and details. Have an event we need to know about? Email events@ nashvillelifestyles.com.
NOVEMBER 2015 NASHVILLELIFESTYLES.COM
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SPOTLIGHT
| NASHVILLE MOMENT ENTREPRENEUR
Hal Cato In the business world, Hal Cato is one of Nashville’s most recognizable names, not to mention a relentless cheerleader for the city. For the past three decades, he’s oscillated between the private and nonprofit sectors; aside from having built an impressive career in health care, he served as CEO for Oasis Center for 10 years and founded Hands On Nashville. After selling his tech startup Zeumo—a platform that enables communication between hospitals and their physicians via phones and tablets—over the summer, Cato is diving right back into nonprofits as the newly minted CEO of the social enterprise Thistle Farms. —Kristin Luna
Do-Gooder: The Nashville native has long been an advocate for the city’s youth, having helped start Alignment Nashville, the Nashville After Zone Alliance, the Youth Opportunity Center, and the Mayor’s Child and Youth Master Plan. “Shakespeare’s ‘to thine own self be true’ may have first been written more than 400 years ago, but it’s still the key to living an authentic, happy life today,” he explains. “I realized over the past few years that I am happiest when I’m doing two things: helping an individual overcome the odds stacked against them while simultaneously helping to change the odds for many others just like them. This is what great nonprofit organizations do, and my voice within was calling me back.” Drilling Down: Cato’s grand plans for the nonprofit include building a new manufacturing facility, expanding the Thistle Stop Café on Charlotte Avenue, and enhancing the national educational and business opportunities offered to the 22 sister organizations across the country. “The number of ways we can strengthen our brand, increase revenue, and most importantly, create more social, emotional,
and economic opportunities for women coming out of trafficking, addiction, and prostitution are mind-boggling,” he says. “The hardest part is going to be saying no to some things and staying focused.” The Trifecta: Cato outlines three things the organization must offer in order to be competitive in the marketplace: a quality product, a beautiful package, and a powerful story. “We have the most powerful story out there. We’ll be streamlining the number of products in our portfolio, focusing on quality and ingredients that are as good for the body as they are for the earth,” he explains. “I want to increase our wholesale presence fivefold and at least double what we’re doing in online sales. At the end of the day, the more we succeed, the more the women we serve now and in the future will succeed.” Tough Love: Though Cato says he was worried about being a male leading a femalefocused nonprofit “for about five minutes,” he ultimately let go of any fear. “I’m quickly coming to recognize that that there is no greater privilege than to earn the trust of women who have been bought, sold, and abused by men their entire lives,” he says. “This will be the hardest job I ever loved.”
“I realized over the past few years that I am happiest when I’m doing two things: helping an individual overcome the odds stacked against them while simultaneously helping to change the odds for many others just like them.”
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NASHVILLELIFESTYLES.COM NOVEMBER 2015
SHANNON FONTAINE
Age: 50
SPOTLIGHT
| THE LIST Old Dominion
FASHION
STYLE CONFIDENTIAL Off the Record celebrates top-notch fashion and music talent. as pieces by locals Amanda Valentine, Ani & Ari, Hatwrks, and more. Throughout the night, artists like Big Kenny, Gavin DeGraw, Old Dominion, and Kaleo will be milling about and performing. What brings so much stellar talent together for one night? Created by Gil and Liz Cunningham and Jessica Beattie of Neste Event Marketing, along with celebrity stylist Christiev Alphin (who’s married to Big Kenny), Off the Record is a fundraiser for Second Harvest Food Bank—all proceeds go toward the organization’s mission of solving hunger issues in Middle Tennessee. (November 1, 7 p.m.; $500 per person; offtherecordnashville.com) —E.B.M.
VINTAGE AFFAIR
from November 6 to 8. The
and art, plus there will
event is a collaboration
also be a few select local
A pop-up by two 12 South design experts offers up unique vintage finds for three days only.
between interior designer
vendors—like Kendall Sim-
Maggie Anthony and
mons, who will be selling
Brittney Forrister, an ac-
various finds from her per-
count executive and stylist.
sonal travels. (November 6
If picking your way through
The two met when both of
to 8, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.
antique stores to find
their homes were part of
3 Marias, 400 Overbeck
that perfect vintage piece
the 12 South home tour.
Ln., 615-581-2756; 3mari-
doesn’t suit your shopping
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NASHVILLELIFESTYLES.COM NOVEMBER 2015
Designs by Johnathan Kayne
For FOUND, both For-
as12south.com. For more
style, consider hitting up
rister and Anthony have
details, search the hashtag
the FOUND pop-up at the
collected a selection of
#FOUNDpopup on Insta-
interiors studio 3 Marias
vintage clothing, furniture,
gram) —E.B.M.
COURTESY OF JOHNATHAN KAYNE, 3 MARIAS, SUPPLIED
For serious red-carpet trackers, CMA week brings with it plenty of opportunities to ogle. This year, you can get in on the action with Off the Record, a fashion show and music event that kicks off a flurry of award show festivities on November 1. The high-ticket event takes place at the estate of Sylvia Roberts, which you may recognize as Rayna James’s home on ABC’s Nashville. During a pre-catwalk mingling session, guests can check out nearly 80 looks from local and national designers, visit a Patron Tequila cocktail lounge, and nibble on appetizers provided by TomKats Catering. The runway portion features looks by John Varvatos, Gucci, and Johnathan Kayne as well
SPOTLIGHT
| HIGH NOTE NEW MUSIC
Like a Dream
Vanessa Carlton’s fifth album is a bold, beautiful escape. BY KATY LINDENMUTH
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“Every work you do is personal to an extent, and there’s definitely some songs on there that document a little bit about what was going on with me at different points on the timeline. But mainly, with Liberman, I wanted to go to another place and feel good.” a distant, séance-like sound for Liberman’s ten tracks, a vibe best showcased on the hauntingly trippy single “Blue Pool.” To ground the album a bit, she finished up the last three tracks in her new home-
NASHVILLELIFESTYLES.COM NOVEMBER 2015
town, at producer Adam Landry’s Playground studio in Berry Hill. A proud New Yorker since age 13, Carlton has gotten much more out of her move to Music City than the studio time, a return to
nature, and her first car ever (a sensible Dodge Journey). “The vibrancy in the art community in Nashville—whether it’s music or not, and it doesn’t even matter what genre of music—is so alive,” she says, adding that she’s been composing instrumental pieces and may begin collaborating with music-minded friends. Though Liberman was written in New York, the main inspiration for the album also made the move to East Nashville: a gigantic painting by Carlton’s late grandfather, a designer whose given name was Liberman. She’d been eying the masterpiece—a nude woman, rendered three times, in a hazy swirl of colors—since she was a child and it hung in her grandparents’ side room. “It wasn’t ‘the naked woman painting’; it was always just the cool colors in that painting,” she says. “As I got older, I understood what was going on. That was my grandfather’s muse. As an adult, I really connect with it, but the colors remain the same.” For all the escaping Carlton does on her new album in terms of sonics, she gave it a name planted firmly in her roots. “I feel like it’s leading me to my next thing, in a way,” Carlton says. “It connected the dots perfectly.”
NL
For this month’s new album releases, visit NashvilleLifestyles.com/ Entertainment.
EDDIE CHACON, SUPPLIED
The past few years of Vanessa Carlton’s life have been rife with material for some seriously introspective songwriting: She left New York City for the greener pastures of Nashville, got married to indie rocker John McCauley of Deer Tick, and earlier this year the couple welcomed their first child. But for her new album, Liberman, she abandoned the highly personal piano-pop that’s been her trademark since breaking out with the Grammy-nominated ballad “A Thousand Miles” over a decade ago. “I felt very vulnerable after my last album,” Carlton says of 2011’s bare-it-all Rabbits on the Run. “The pendulum is always swinging, right? [While writing Liberman] I was going into the other direction. Song-wise and structure-wise and lyrically, I wanted the record to feel like someplace else.” So, after writing the tracks in NYC, she recorded it someplace else. She headed overseas to Box, in southwest England, where she reunited with her Rabbits producer Steve Osborne. The duo holed up at Peter Gabriel’s famed Real World Studios, which Carlton likens to a Lord of the Rings–inspired compound. “You live there, you work there. There’s beautiful stone buildings and landscaping with cows,” she says. “It’s like going back to simple times, to a certain extent, and it’s a great place to be creative.” Osborne—who’s worked with New Order, A-ha, and Gabriel himself—helped Carlton develop
TUNE IN
NEWS & NOTES
All the (country) stars align this month. Luke Bryan’s Pop-Up Set On November 1, a week before he packs up his Dirt Road Diary exhibit, Luke Bryan makes a special appearance at the Country Music Hall of Fame’s intimate CMA Theater. A short acoustic set will follow a moderated panel discussion; it’s free for museum members with a reservation. (countrymusichalloffame.org)
49th Annual CMA Awards Whether you’re watching it from Bridgestone Arena, a viewing party, or your couch, country music’s biggest night is a can’tmiss spectacle. Cohosts Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood kick off this year’s CMA Awards at 7 p.m. on November 4—and the fun continues with all-night-long afterparties. (cmaworld.com)
Good People, Great Writers
BOB D’AMICO/ABC
A new in-the-round series is taking over The Sutler on the first Monday of every month. Good People, Great Writers features three established songwriters plus one handpicked up-and-comer on the saloon’s boot-lined stage. The free showcase is a partnership with Good People Brewing Company and American Songwriter. (thesutler.com) —K.L.
Carrie and Brad, cohosts of the CMA Awards
SPOTLIGHT
| ON STAGE OPERA
A DRAMATIC ACCOUNT
It might be 25 years old, but Hydrogen Jukebox still feels relevant. Centered on the social and economic issues that America faced from the 1950s through the ’80s, the piece addresses rock ’n’ roll, drug use, the anti-war movement, religion, sex, and the threat of nuclear annihilation. This month, Nashville Opera is bringing the musical production to the Noah Liff Opera Center. Hydrogen Jukebox is a collaboration between composer Philip Glass and poet Allen Ginsberg, who met by chance in a New York City bookstore. Ginsberg pointed out a poem he had written, and Glass composed a piano piece to accompany it. In his
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“We are the only arts group in Nashville that is able to produce and then program such a piece. This will probably be the only chance our audience will have to experience this brilliant masterwork by two major American artists.” composition notes, Glass wrote: “I so thoroughly enjoyed the collaboration that we soon began talking about expanding our performance into an evening-length, music-theater work. I remember saying to Allen, ‘If these guys aren’t going to talk about the issues then we should.’”
NASHVILLELIFESTYLES.COM NOVEMBER 2015
Allen Ginsberg and Philip Glass
“Hydrogen Jukebox is about us—it’s about our country’s voyage,” says John Hoomes, CEO and artistic director of the Nashville Opera. “It’s a meditation on where we are now, where we’re going, and a look back over where we’ve been,” he says. Because Nashville Opera is a producing company, says Hoomes, the production will be entirely homegrown. “We are the only arts group in Nashville that is able to produce and then program such a piece,”
he adds. “This will probably be the only chance our audience will have to experience this brilliant masterwork by two major American artists.” After each of the three performances, the cast will host a “talk back,” which is a discussion with the audience during which both parties can review how the performance made them feel—a point that speaks to the very origins of the piece. “The opera is about learning from the pitfalls of history in order to create a better future,” Hoomes says. (November 13 to 15, Noah Liff Opera Center, 3622 Redmon St., 615-832-5242; nashvilleopera.org) —Jennifer Farrar
COURTESY OF NASHVILLE OPERA
Nashville Opera’s Hydrogen Jukebox unites the voices of two iconic artists.
| CREATIVE CLASS DIGITAL
THE SOCIAL NETWORK Two label alums find success in crafting digital media campaigns for today’s stars. friends doing what they did best: connecting When a recording artist like Steven Tyler with artists’ fan bases through social media. At launches a new album or begins to tease a the time, they focused primarily on MySpace— global tour, it can be easy to forget that there’s accepting friend requests for clients, running an entire team of strategists involved, steering promotions, creating a strategy for bulletins— every digital move. And that’s exactly what as well as leveraging Facebook profiles in the Cassie Petrey, cofounder of Crowd Surf—an days before celebrity pages existed. They also innovative digital marketing agency focusing were tasked with locking down handles for on organic, fan-driven initiatives—wants the artists like Luke Bryan and Lady Antebellum. public to think: that the artist is speaking Petrey and Driver hired their first directly to them. employee a year later, and the Petrey and Jade Driver were company has been growing steadily students at Middle Tennessee State ever since, now staffing 34 employUniversity moonlighting as temps ees spread between their Marathon in Warner Music Nashville’s new Village base and a satellite office media department when the idea to Cassie Petrey in Los Angeles. And while social launch their own concept began to media platforms are ever-changtake shape. ing—Petrey notes that live-stream“It was the ideal situation: To be “One thing that’s always been ing through Meerkat and Periscope able to study music business and important to us has become a major focus for her work in it at the same time was is: How do we artists—Crowd Surf ’s underlying incredible,” Petrey says. “They really goal has remained the same. complemented each other well. I help our clients “One thing that’s always been consider my job at Warner part of communicate to my college education.” people in the same important to us is: How do we help our clients communicate to The duo was doing a little of way that people people in the same way that people everything, from keeping calencommunicate communicate with each other?” dars and taking meeting notes with each other?” Petrey explains. to overseeing website builds and Today, the company’s clientele is a broad running newsletters, and the labels didn’t have mix of artists—including Lucy Hale, Andy large, dedicated digital departments—yet. So Grammer, Fifth Harmony, and Backstreet they started their own business that capitalized Boys—as well as labels like Warner and on their strengths—forward-thinking digital Sony and even the occasional event, such as media tactics and fan engagement—as well September’s Pilgrimage Festival in Franklin. as artists’ growing need for a solid social Crowd Surf also works with overseas artists media presence. who already have a team in Europe or Asia and “We loved our jobs and what we were doing. need U.S. representation. And while the staff We liked analyzing. We loved doing MySpace educates their clients on strategy, promotions, and interacting with fans. But there wasn’t new platforms, and more, they leave the actual anywhere to go at that point,” Petrey recalls. social media management—i.e., the posting of “There weren’t community manager roles, and content—up to the artists. there wasn’t anything to aspire to at the time in the label’s ecosystem.” “Really, we’re just connecting the dots to make sure that content is being optimized and Crowd Surf launched in 2007 when Petrey delivered correctly and in other territories,” was just 21 years old, and she and Driver had Petrey says. (crowdsurf.net) —Kristin Luna no investors or funding; it was just the pair of
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NASHVILLELIFESTYLES.COM NOVEMBER 2015
BUZZ FEED CROWD SURF AT WORK ON THE WEB @cassiepetrey Some amazing pop tracks on the @carlyraejepsen record...and I’m happy to report they were very fun to watch live! #emotion #troubadour #carlyraejepsen
@crowdsurf You know we couldn’t pass up on National #SelfieDay! Crowd Surf Nashville, here we go!
@cassiepetrey Thunderstruck. #acdc
@cassiepetrey Reliving @ backstreetboys Walk of Fame star ceremony via my iPhone photo gallery right now <3
@cassiepetrey Watching Miley KILLLLLL it. This Bangerz tour is so so so so so on point.
@crowdsurf Step right up for the Grand Romantic...
MIKA KRSTIC, SUPPLIED
SPOTLIGHT
THE GOOD LIFE EDITORS’ PICKS | RETAIL ROUNDUP | PETS | WELLNESS | FIELD GUIDE | ARTISAN SPOTLIGHT | HOME GOODS | AT HOME
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ALYSSA ROSENHECK
In Full Swing We’re having a love affair with fringe this season. For more, turn the page. >>>
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1. L George Designs
Grace, 2304 12th Ave. S.,
5. Akola Project tassel
4025 Hillsboro Pk.,
leather Natalie
615-454-6407; facebook.
necklaces, $48 each
Ste. 504, 615-298-9215;
necklace, $275 (Stacey
com/emersongrace
(K. McCarthy, 4100
hemlinetn.com)
Rhodes Boutique, 144
nashville) 3. Carden
Hillsboro Cir., 615-972-1696;
7. Love, Poppy black tassel
Franklin Rd., Ste. A,
Avenue pearl tassel
kmccarthyfashion
necklace, $82 (Copper
Brentwood, 615-221-9992;
necklace, $425 (Emerson
truck.com)
Penny, 7030 Executive
staceyrhodesboutique.
Grace) 4. Catherine Page
6. Halston Blue Zinnia
Center Dr., Ste. 102,
com) 2. Jonesy Wood Kim
tassel necklace, $196
tassel necklace in matte
Brentwood, 615-678-6909;
necklace, $314 (Emerson
(Stacey Rhodes Boutique)
gray agate, $150 (Hemline,
shopcopperpenny.com)
NOVEMBER 2015 NASHVILLELIFESTYLES.COM
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THE GOOD LIFE
| EDITORS’ PICKS STYLE
ON THE FRINGE In sleek variations of black and white (with pops of metallic, too), our timeless take on this current trend will swing through the seasons with ease. —Anna Kate Read PHOTOS BY ALYSSA ROSENHECK
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1. Nicole Miller fuzzy knit sheath dress, $385 (Emmaline, 400 Main St., Franklin, 615-791-6205; emmalineboutique.com) 2. Hobo Raine clutch in
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sterling, $168 (Stacey Rhodes Boutique, 144 Franklin Rd., Ste. A, Brentwood, 615-221-9992; staceyrhodesboutique.com) 3. Steve Madden Fringly heels in taupe suede, $130 (Revv, 1815 21st Ave. S., 629888-4711; shoprevv.com)
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NASHVILLELIFESTYLES.COM NOVEMBER 2015
4. Rebecca Taylor artisan fringe coat, $650 (Emmaline, 400 Main St., Franklin, 615-791-6205; emmalineboutique.com) 5. Gucci Soho leather disco bag, $980 (Nordstrom, The Mall at Green Hills, 2126 Abbott Martin Rd., 615-8506700; nordstrom.com)
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6. J.Crew pixie pants with leather tux stripe, $138 (J.Crew, The Mall at Green Hills, 2126 Abbott Martin Rd., 615-298-5722; jcrew. com) 7. J.Crew mirror metallic d’Orsay loafer flats, $158 (J.Crew)
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See our current fashion favorites @NashvilleLifestyles on Instagram.
NOVEMBER 2015 NASHVILLELIFESTYLES.COM
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SPOTLIGHT
| STYLE REPORT SALON
MEN’S ROOM The Gulch welcomes a new barbershop. essential oil-infused steam towel treatment, scalp massage, and the beverage of their choice.” That selection includes free draft beer courtesy of Pioneer’s neighbor, The Pub. (Beer is only offered during normal Pub hours.) Customers receive a wooden nickel that can be redeemed for any draft beer on the menu. Open seven days a week, the barbershop aims to accommodate busy workweek schedules. For comfort and convenience while you wait, there are leather chairs, free Wi-Fi, and phone charging stations. Rounding out the atmosphere are craftsman-style oak back bars, porcelain bowls, classic barber chairs, and fine men’s grooming products. “We’ve created an exceptional men’s grooming experience that you can’t find anywhere else,” Gaudreau says. (Pioneer Gentlemen’s Barbershop, 408 11th Ave. S., 615-9152763; pioneerbarber.com) —Jennifer nnifer Farrar
“From the moment [a customer] walks through the door to when they leave, they are treated like a king.”
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The Top Barber Shops & Salons for Men on NashvilleLifestyles.com/Entertainment.
NASHVILLELIFESTYLES.COM NOVEMBER 2015
Owner Tom Gaudreau and his wife
NASHVILLE LIFESTYLES STAFF
Newly opened in The Gulch, the neoclassic Pioneer Gentlemen’s Barbershop provides a male-centric atmosphere for the connoisseur of style and grooming. “What makes Pioneer so unique is the combination of our modern take on the classic barbershop and our focus on the customer experience,” says owner Tom Gaudreau. “From the moment [a customer] walks through the door to when they leave, they are treated like a king.” The stylists at Pioneer specialize in classic and contemporary cuts (but can whip up any ’do). Haircuts, straight razor shaves, color services, hair removal— they currently handle it all and are looking to expand their spa offerings down the road as well. The hot lather shave is a “seven-towel experience, including six hot towels and a cold towel,” says Gaudreau. “All Pioneer guests, regardless of service, receive a complimentary neck and shoulder massage,
NOW OPEN
MINT CONDITION
CEDRIC SMITH
A Charleston boutique finds a home in Brentwood. While the idea of flitting down to Charleston for a girls’ shopping trip often crosses our mind, a trio of longtime Brentwood residents decided that what Tennesseans really need is their own version of the South Carolina retailer Copper Penny. Known for its broad selection of women’s wear—from dresses and evening gear to denim and more casual looks—Copper Penny opened its business to franchise owners a few years back, giving Michelle, Gina (her mother), and Kristen (her sister-in-law) Tedder an opportunity they couldn’t resist. “We’d all shopped at the Charleston store for years and loved that it was a good mother-daughter shopping experience that had great crossover appeal,” says Michelle Tedder. Though none of the trio had retail experience, they’ve put specialties like PR, marketing, and hospitality backgrounds to good use. “Buying is a whole new experience for all of us,” admits Tedder, but because they work under the Copper Penny umbrella, the relationships with many labels are already in place. “It’s been really exciting to work with [owner] Penny Vaigneur and also to get to know our customers and what they love,” she adds. The Brentwood location carries brands like Amanda Uprichard, Trina Turk, Ted Baker, and Sanctuary, plus an assortment of accessories. “It’s nice to bring a little piece of Charleston style to Tennessee,” Tedder says. (Copper Penny, 7030 Executive Center Dr., Ste. 102, Brentwood, 615-678-6909; shopcopperpenny.com) —E.B.M.
SPOTLIGHT
| PETS RESCUE
PUPPY LOVE
At Crossroads Campus, there’s a healing bond between humans and animals.
There is nothing quite like the love one can feel for a pet—and local nonprofit Crossroads Campus puts that theory in motion on a daily basis. The Germantown pet store not only offers treats and grooming services for pets but also provides programming that pairs animals with troubled kids and young adults for much-needed companionship— and life-skill learning. “Our programs give at-risk young people the chance to care for homeless animals and to interact with individuals from throughout the community, including our volunteers, potential adopters, and store customers,” says Lisa Stetar, executive director of Crossroads. “These interactions benefit everyone involved and let compassion and mutual respect win out over
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stereotypes and misconceptions.” One of their newer initiatives is the Crossroads Pets Shop & Adopt program, which helps people aged 18 through their early 20s overcome poverty and other adversities by teaching them crucial job skills. The young adults spend time interning at the store, where they learn the skills needed to run a retail operation and care for the sheltered animals that are up for adoption. This past summer, the nonprofit started building out a second-story residential space over the grooming services area that will be turned into dormitory-like affordable housing units for those who are interning through the program. Funded primarily through a grant from the Tennessee Housing De-
NASHVILLELIFESTYLES.COM NOVEMBER 2015
“Our programs give at-risk young people the chance to care for homeless animals and to interact with individuals from throughout the community, including our volunteers, potential adopters, and store customers.”
velopment Agency’s Housing Trust Fund, the space will be used by the interns, who must abide by certain rules and work with a social worker, for anywhere from a few months up to two years. This new investment rounds out the nonprofit’s other initiatives, including the Caring Connections program, which works in partnership with the foster care resource group Monroe Harding to offer human-animal interactions as a self-esteem-building and teaching tool. Not to mention the full-service pet store and grooming services—all sales from which go toward supporting the nonprofit’s mission to care for both people and pets. (Crossroads Campus, 707 Monroe St., 615-712-9758; crossroadscampus.org) —J.F.
NASHVILLE LIFESTYLES STAFF
Lisa Stetar
THE GOOD LIFE
| WELLNESS NUTRITION
Healthy Holidays
Avoid pigging out this holiday season with these local alternatives. With Thanksgiving drawing near and Christmas just around the corner, eating out at restaurants while resisting the urge to overindulge can be tricky. But with a few simple tips, you needn’t be sidelined from your go-to spots. Here are some smart ways to order your favorite Nashville dishes. —Laura Lea Goldberg, holistic chef and owner of LL Balanced (llbalanced. com)
2. Go Paleo when you’re craving red meat. Don’t skip heavy proteins, but do ask the server to substitute a vegetable for any of the starchy or carb-heavy sides. The meatloaf with apple glaze from Pinewood
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Pineapple pepper margarita from Burger Up
Epice’s Samak grilled fish filet
Social is one good option— request extra Brussels sprouts in place of the sweet potato puree. 3. Seafood is a shoo-in—if it’s fresh and well sourced (find out before ordering). And be careful—fish is often cooked and sauced in butter. Request olive oil instead, and you’ll feel lighter after your meal. Try Epice’s Samak grilled fish filet with veggies in lieu of rice.
NASHVILLELIFESTYLES.COM NOVEMBER 2015
4. Skip the syrup. Many cocktails are made with simple syrup (a liquid sugar), so request that the bartender go light—or ask for suggestions on not-as-sugary drinks. One example: the pineapple pepper margarita from Burger Up, which is plenty sweet without the simple syrup.
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For healthy tailgating recipes, visit Nashville Lifestyles.com/ Restaurants.
TIPS & TRICKS 1. Don’t fear leftovers. As soon as your food arrives, mentally block off half of it for a togo box. Bonus: You’ll already have lunch prepared for tomorrow. 2. Order one sinful dessert and share it with the table. Studies show that dessert becomes less satisfying after the first few bites anyway. 3. Know your cuts of meat. Anything with “loin” or “round” in the name, as well as bone-in pork chops, are lean options. Steer clear of rib eyes, filets, and pork belly.
RON MANVILLE
1. When it comes to appetizers, think beyond the salad and go for (healthy) fat. The obligatory plate of Bibb lettuce doesn’t exactly scream “treat yo’self,” so look for more decadent appetizers that center around lean, satiating fat. Fifty First Kitchen & Bar has two great options: the olive oil poached rock shrimp and marinated olives.
Meatloaf with apple glaze from Pinewood Social
THE GOOD LIFE
| FIELD GUIDE
TRAVEL
BARNSLEY GARDENS, GEORGIA Tucked away in the foothills of northern Georgia, a 3,300acre resort on a wealthy Brit’s former stomping grounds promises a peaceful retreat for Nashvillians—and has quite a story behind it, too. —Kristin Luna
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better part of the past 25 years rehabbing them and moving other historic structures onto the property. The best living example of Barnsley Gardens’ storied past can be glimpsed in the old Manor House Ruins, which also houses Coker’s museum with myriad photographs, artifacts, and other memorabilia. He has written a book, Barnsley Gardens at Woodlands (available in the gift shop), chronicling his findings.
Teeing off at the 18-hole golf course is another favorite Barnsley pastime, as are horseback riding, kayaking, cycling, tennis, paintball, and lawn games like bocce and disc golf.
DO
The SpringBank Sporting Center offers a variety of outdoor activities, but clay shooting is far and above the most popular option. With a course consisting of 15 stations—not to mention a five-stand for groups and private lessons—it’s the perfect sport for enjoying the fall weather and crisp mountain air. Through the end of 2015, the resort is offering a Syren Shooting & Spa Package (from $660 a night), which includes credit for The Spa at Barnsley Resort, where guests can indulge in signature treatments like the Beautifully Balanced Massage or a Deep Forest Detox scrub and mask.
EAT
Barnsley boasts a pair of restaurants: The Woodlands Grill is the more casual of the two, with fare ranging from seared ahi sliders to a Jack and Coke chicken—and plenty of glutenfree, vegetarian, and vegan options, too; meanwhile, Rice House, an old 1800s farmhouse that was dismantled and relocated from nearby Rome, offers the resort’s nightly fine dining experience each Thursday through Saturday. There’s also the Beer
KRISTIN LUNA, SUPPLIED
Barnsley Resort may just be celebrating its 15th birthday this year, but the history of the estate actually spans two centuries. An Englishman, Sir Godfrey Barnsley, came over to the Savannah waterfront at the age of 18 when he saw potential in America’s cotton industry; over time, he built an empire—and a fortune—for himself. He married a local woman named Julia Scarborough and began constructing the home of her dreams: an Italianate-style manor, originally called the Woodlands, in northern Georgia. She died in the 1840s before it was finished, but Barnsley persevered and completed it in her memory. The Civil War wreaked havoc on Barnsley’s buildings, but resident historian Clent Coker—who previously was a BMI songwriter and recording artist in Nashville—has spent the
Garden, with more than 30 craft brews in rotation and a number of casual German bites like bratwurst available to order.
STAY
The pet-friendly resort comprises 90 guest rooms and suites among its Downing-style cottages (starting at $209 a night). Sleeping combinations span from split houses to estate cottages, ranging in size from two bedrooms to seven, ideal for larger groups. Each accommodation has its own porch.
GET THERE
Barnsley Resort is 200 miles—or three hours by car—southeast of Nashville.
KRISTIN LUNA
NOVEMBER HIGHLIGHTS Barnsley Resort spares no expense when it comes to the holidays. Winter festivities kick off on November 25 with the fourth annual Lighting of the Ruins, in which more than one million lights are illuminated throughout the 1800s manor house, Englishstyle village, and surrounding gardens. There are also wreathmaking classes, gingerbread workshops, s’mores makings for roasting over the fire pits, and other holiday cheer on tap throughout November and December. (barnsleyresort.com)
SPOTLIGHT
| ARTISAN SPOTLIGHT FASHION
ONE OF A KIND Savannah Yarborough knew what she wanted to do from a young age. The Birmingham native graduated from high school a semester early to move cross-country and attend the Academy of Art in San Francisco. After two years, she got a call that would change her life: She was selected to be one of 18 design students at the prestigious Central Saint Martins art school. So she dropped everything and moved once again—this time across the Atlantic to London. “Saint Martins is a very creative school that’s not structured like American schools—it’s very much independent study,” Yarborough explains. “They basically give you a project brief and say, ‘See you in two weeks, and you need three finished outfits.’ You get out of it what you put into it. It’s self-taught with a little bit of guidance.” It was during her five years there when Billy Reid recruited Yarborough to come work for him. She quickly moved up the ladder from intern to head men’s designer and was traveling monthly between London and Florence, Alabama, where Reid’s eponymous design empire is headquartered. Yarborough says the designer taught her a lot about how to put together a collection and how things should fit—qualities that would come in handy for her inaugural label, AtelierSavas, which focuses on bespoke leather jackets and debuted earlier this year. “It’s really amazing to have someone like that as your mentor,” Yarborough says. “And since I was in such a senior position, I learned a lot about every aspect of the business, from the creative to production to marketing and wholesale—the whole spectrum.” Yarborough’s two driving influences when designing are music and attitude; it’s no surprise, then, that she’s already collaborated with a number of musicians. Though the designer’s clientele is broad—and extends beyond Nashville to New York, Los Angeles, and Austin—she says many of her customers are athletes who have difficulty finding clothes that fit them well. But she truly designs for everyone, and she attributes her instant buzz to a growing collective desire for things that are custom made—particularly leather. “There are so many leather jackets out in the
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NASHVILLELIFESTYLES.COM NOVEMBER 2015
Savannah Yarborough
AMY CHERRY
An up-and-coming designer debuts her line of custom leather jackets.
“There’s something about a leather jacket that gives you this internal power when you put it on that makes you think: ‘I can do whatever it is I set out to do today because I feel like I’ve got this armor on.”
AMY CHERRY
world right now, but at the same time there’s always something that’s off about it, something you don’t like—whether it’s one too many pockets or the zippers are the wrong color or the shoulders are a little too big,” she says. “Everyone has an idea of what their perfect jacket is like. It’s about pulling that out of them and combining it with the initial materials I select for them.” The AtelierSavas design process starts with an exploratory meeting where Yarborough gets to know the client and figures out what makes them tick as well as what they’re looking for in the perfect leather jacket. After coming up with a general concept, she draws it out, gets an idea of fabrics, and looks at other pieces with the client so they can pick out what sort of embellishments—like snaps, collars, pockets, and zippers—they’d like. She then creates a pattern based on the client’s body measurements and mocks up the design in canvas before creating
the final piece out of custom leathers, from ostrich to alligator. “It’s all from scratch, each one. There’s no system where I say, ‘Okay, I’m going to take this pattern and shorten the sleeve for them.’ It’s completely new every time because each jacket is so different,” she says. “There are so many things out there now, and I think people are getting hungry to have something that is just theirs, through and through. I think it’s something people really crave.” Yarborough opened for business out of her home in February and soon afterward was selected to be a part of Esquire’s AXE White Label mentorship program, which enabled her to collaborate once more with Reid, plus John Legend and the magazine’s fashion director, Nick Sullivan; she also got to show off her craftsmanship at New York Fashion Week in September. Last month, she opened her inaugural showroom at Cannery Row, allowing her to appeal to a broader client base and eventually scale her offerings. At the moment, she creates roughly five pieces a month, each of which is delivered to the client within six to eight weeks. (Designs start at $4,500 and are primarily based on the material chosen.) “There’s something about a leather jacket that gives you this internal power when you put it on that makes you think: ‘I can do whatever it is I set out to do today because I feel like I’ve got this armor on,’” Yarborough says. “I don’t think there’s another piece of clothing that makes you feel like that.” (By appointment only, 615-5844656 or rendez-vous@ateliersavas.com; ateliersavas.com) —K. L.
SPOTLIGHT
| HOME GOODS FINDS
Mix and Match
A designer known for her eclectic vintage pop-ups gives her wares a home of their own.
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Brandy Adams
JEN MCDONALD
Brandy Adams lives and shops by her own advice: “Be bold, be eccentric, but most of all be you.” Her gift of sourcing unique pieces has gained such a following that she recently opened a 1,200-square-foot studio for her home interiors business, Make + Model. For the past three years, Adams has been selling online through her website and hosting pop-up shops in her Nashville home. When lines grew out the door, she knew it was time to expand. Not interested in the commitment of a five-day-a-week retail shop, Adams has kept the concept of periodic openings to the public but also welcomes shopping by appointment anytime. “I love the thrill of the hunt and I want to keep that going for my customers,” Adams says. “By being open periodically, they won’t know what’s behind the studio door. I’d like to keep that excitement for them.” Make + Model is distinctively stocked with pieces ranging from midcentury modern barware and furnishings to Hollywood Regency lighting and accessories. Adams juxtaposes those vintage items with finds from all over the world, such as intricately designed African Juju hats and hand-woven Moroccan rugs she handpicked while in Marrakech. “For Nashville, it’s a fresh look. I don’t think there are a lot of shops that have this vibe going on, and that’s a good thing,” she says. “It speaks to a certain type of style that isn’t everyone’s—but I’m okay with that. What fun is being like everyone else?” (Holiday sale, November 14, 1 to 4 p.m. 4320 Kenilwood Dr., Ste. 105, 615-934-7841; makeandmodelnashville.com.) —Suzanne Corey
MODEL DISCOVERIES
Cameroon Juju hat, $425
Mid-century cocktail glasses, $60 for the set
Alabaster horse head bookends, $85
JEN MCDONALD
1960s ice bucket, $45
“For Nashville, it’s a fresh look. I don’t think there are a lot of shops that have this vibe going on, and that’s a good thing.”
THE GOOD LIFE
| AT HOME
Big Easy BLEND A 1927 home redesign in Belle Meade fuses antique pieces with modern art. BY KRISTIN LUNA PHOTOS BY SHANNON FONTAINE
Carter and Chris Dawson have been collecting artwork for as long as they’ve been together. The partners in Red River Investments have ties to Tennessee and Louisiana—she’s a Nashville native, while he hails from Baton Rouge; they also own a second home in New Orleans. Both areas are strongly reflected in their repertoire of modern paintings, which have been carefully curated from galleries and studios across the South. Incorporating the couple’s existing pieces into a more contemporary design scheme was at the front of interior designer Meg White’s mind when she stepped in to make over their outdated 1920s Parmer Park home. With so many paintings to factor into the overall plan, it was no small feat: White broke down the home, putting the pieces of the design puzzle together room by room. Carter had just one— big—request. “I wanted neutral with pops of color because the art really needed to pop,” Carter explains. “I wanted the art to be the feature and not competing with the room.” So White started with the walls. When the Dawsons bought the house five years ago, every room was a different color: eggplant, yellow, green, orange. Carter asked White to choose a single neutral shade, which they then used throughout the house so they had a blank slate. After that initial facelift, the couple and their two children lived in the home as is for a few years until eventually tackling the bigger picture. “We love old homes,” Carter says. “We loved the house for all the windows. And we had wonderful living space, but we needed functionality, mainly the storage.”
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Owner Carter Dawson and designer Meg White
Great Room Designer Meg White says one of the challenges of tackling the Dawsons’ home was the openness of the downstairs floor plan. “I’ve never dealt with a room that opened up to another room,” she says. >>>
NOVEMBER 2015 NASHVILLELIFESTYLES.COM
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THE GOOD LIFE
| AT HOME
Living Room: While Carter Dawson says every room of her home gets used frequently, her favorite is the front living space that opens up into the dining room. “My husband and I spend a lot of time in here because the light is so nice,” Carter says. “It’s kind of our winter room—we’ll light a fire, use the game table, and just hang out.” The Dawsons admired North Carolina–based artist Ursula Gullow’s work for a year before finally pulling the trigger on purchasing a piece. “She was one of those artists to us that we just kept thinking about,” Carter explains. “The pieces you can’t forget are the ones you want to buy. We don’t go into buying art lightly.”
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“I wanted neutral with pops of color because the art really needed to pop. I wanted the art to be the feature and not competing with the room.” The Dawsons began with a kitchen renovation, then a 1,500-square-foot addition in the back, which included a screened-in porch, patio, and upstairs apartment. Next, they moved the driveway to the opposite side of the house and built a garage. After the construction was complete, White came back in and got to work. The Dawsons have also long been antique collectors and already owned a number of pieces they wanted to use in their home, like a 17th-century French dining room table. But the problem for them, Carter says, was figuring out how to balance this love for the old with a passion for the new. “I love the blend of contemporary and antiques. We have gone and looked for pieces, like the antique game table in the living room, which we knew we wanted. But where do we put it in the house?” she says. “Meg was able to figure out how to work everything in and arrange it.” Aside from creating a fusion that seemed both deliberate and cohesive, White had the added challenge of selecting fabrics and upholstery that could stand the test of time—and hold up against the Dawsons’ young children, who are ages 9 and 12, as well as their dog. White says that in order to counteract the inevitable wear and tear, she chose charcoal hues and velvet upholstery, plus colors that blend in with the floors, fabrics that don’t show spills, reclaimed wood that’s durable, and glass-top surfaces that wipe easily. For the overall aesthetic, she also had to strike that delicate balance between using no color and adding too much, since the walls are white and the Dawsons’ art collection is bright and bold. “You don’t want to have everything be white, so I wanted to incorporate color without being a rainbow of crayons,” White says. “At the same time, with so many antiques, you don’t want it to feel old-fashioned, so each room has a mix of old and new. We wanted the art to blend in but the color to be pulled out from those pieces.” (megwhiteinteriors.com) >>>
THE GOOD LIFE
| AT HOME
Bedroom: Because of the angles of the bedroom, White commissioned a pair of custom demi loons with marble insets so the Dawsons had somewhere to place drinks, books, and other items. The Leontine linens came from New Orleans, and White moved the rug from the living room, explaining that it was a better fit for the space. The windows, however, remained untouched; even the trim is original. “They were so pretty that we didn’t want to cover them up with window treatments,” Carter says. Dining Room: While dining rooms are often used for more formal affairs, Carter says her family of four uses theirs regularly, no matter the occasion. Many of the room’s pieces are traditional, like family heirlooms (including her grandmother’s chandelier and china) and a 17th-century French table the Dawsons found and purchased a few years ago. “We have friends and family over a lot, and we can squeeze up to 12 people there,” she says. Kitchen: The kitchen was cramped and “crazy,” Carter says, so they took it down to the studs before adding all new features. The cabinets are from her family’s business, Kabinart Kitchens of Nashville.
Porch: Carter, whose background is in landscape architecture, says creating unity between the inside and out was one of the first things she did after moving into the house five years ago. “There originally was no connection to the backyard,” she says. “We had this wonderful big backyard, but there was no attachment to the house. So we added on to the back and did a big screened-in porch. In the summer, we eat dinner out there every night.”
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GT pancakes, THE FAMILY WASH/GARAGE COFFEE
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T H E
Breakfast Club Important? Absolutely. But the first meal of the day is also turning into one of the most delicious, thanks to the broad offerings now available across town. From drive-through biscuits to mimosa-filled brunches, here are 38 tip-top ways to start your day. BY CHRIS CHAMBERLAIN, JENNIFER JUSTUS, KRISTIN LUNA, ERIN BYERS MURRAY, AND ANNA KATE READ
MARK BOUGHTON
PHOTOS BY DANIELLE ATKINS, MARK BOUGHTON, BRITA BRITNELL, JUSTIN CHESNEY, EMILY B. HALL, AND RON MANVILLE
NOVEMBER 2015 NASHVILLELIFESTYLES.COM
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East Nasty and the Lily, BISCUIT LOVE BRUNCH
B R E A K F A S T
Fast & Easy
MUST-HAVE DISH:
Breakfast tacos
Hangover Cure
NASHVILLE BISCUIT HOUSE 805 Gallatin Ave., 615-2284504; nashvillebiscuithouse.com
MUST-HAVE DISH: The Hap
Townes with two eggs, a half order of country ham or country fried steak, home fries or grits, and toast or a biscuit
BISCUIT LOVE BRUNCH 316 11th Ave. S., 615-490-9584; biscuitlovebrunch.com There’s not been a day since Sarah and Karl Worley opened Biscuit Love in January that it hasn’t been packed with fans of the former food truck of the same name as well as newcomers who stumble upon the all-day breakfast joint’s convenient Gulch locale. And yet, despite its mass popularity, Biscuit Love remains one of the best spots for a weekday power breakfast or a quick bite in between meetings. ( Just bear in mind that on weekends, the line wraps around the corner.) MUST-HAVE DISH: Lily, which is
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THE FAMILY WASH/ GARAGE COFFEE 626A Main St., 615-645-9930; familywash.com
a play on French toast made with biscuits
PORTER ROAD BUTCHER DRIVETHROUGH 4816 Charlotte Ave., 615-4542995; prbutcher.com Sure, you’ll find a half dozen other breakfast drive-through options along this stretch of Charlotte Avenue. But none offer up the quality of ingredients found at Porter Road Butcher, which puts its own housemade bacon and sausages into its simple menu of biscuit sandwiches. Open Monday through Saturday mornings, the pull-up window offers the same convenience and affordability of those fast food spots—plus you’ll feel one hundred percent better for supporting your local butcher. MUST-HAVE DISH: PRB biscuit with sausage and apple butter
WENDELL SMITH’S RESTAURANT 407 53rd Ave. N., 615-383-7114 Look for the neon “whiskey” lights along Charlotte Avenue to find Wendell Smith’s Restaurant tucked behind a liquor store and
NASHVILLELIFESTYLES.COM NOVEMBER 2015
serving up classic breakfasts for big appetites. This no-frills spot draws a variety of folks who want a basic country breakfast. Go all in for a slab of country ham for a satisfyingly salty start. It’s served alongside runny eggs (or scrambled) sopped up with biscuits or buttery toast; sliced tomatoes, gravy, or grits round out the choice of sides. MUST-HAVE DISH: Two fried
eggs over medium with country ham, toast, and breakfast potatoes
FENWICK’S 300 2600 Franklin Pk., Ste. 103, 615840-6462; fenwicks300.com The team behind Bongo Java knows a thing or two about waking folks up. But along with the coffee at their Fenwick’s 300 diner off 8th Avenue, it’s the spicy turkey chorizo that will give you a jolt. Wrapped in flour tortillas with eggs, potatoes, pico de gallo, and queso fresco, the sausage revs up the already fabulous breakfast taco. A swipe of chipotle crema and sprigs of cilantro add cool, fresh balance. Even though this is the swankiest shop of the Bongo Java empire—there’s exposed brick
As a bar, live music venue, and now coffee shop with a real-deal chef, this is the type of place that can cause your hangover…and then cure it the next morning. The key to the Stoned Grits elixir, in particular, is maximum flavor paired with comforting texture and minimal effort on your part. The grit cake for this dish sits in a moat of beer cheese topped with fried egg and a tuft of greens. Simply show up, slice through the oozing yolk, drag your perfect bite through the melty mix, and repeat. You’ll be recovered in no time. MUST-HAVE DISH: Stoned Grits
FIFTY FIRST KITCHEN & BAR 5104 Illinois Ave., 615-712-6111; 51nashville.com Few things can erase the sin of being over-served more efficiently than the hair of the dog—and a whole lot of music. Fifty First Kitchen & Bar delivers both with their boozy Rhythm and Brunch, which takes place every Sunday. As the sounds of R&B and soul, pulled from chef Tony Galzin’s personal record collection, waft about, order up a seasonal Bellini and the brioche doughnuts to whip yourself back into shape. MUST-HAVE DISH: The Biggie Brunch, aka steak, cheese eggs, house toast, and grape jelly >>>
DANIELLE ATKINS
This family-owned East Nashville favorite is all about no-nonsense, down-home breakfast dishes ranging from omelets and breakfast sandwiches to the prodigious Lumberjack Plate (two pancakes, three eggs, sausage and bacon, grits or home fries, and toast or a biscuit). If that’s not enough to power a day of heavy axe work, you can augment the platter with a sixounce pork chop or rib eye. Bonus: They serve breakfast and lunch all day, so no matter when you’ve got a hankering, Nashville Biscuit House is there to serve.
walls, sea-foam green accents, and table service—they’ll still have you in and out in a flash.
EMILY B. HALL
PRB biscuit with sausage and apple butter, PORTER ROAD BUTCHER DRIVE-THROUGH
strawberry sauce, anyone?) and boozy cocktails when it debuted its brunch service earlier this year. And it took no time for this Gulch restaurant to figure out how to make patrons stay put: two-forone specials on libations like the Pomelo Sparkle and blood orange mimosa—all day, every weekend.
B R E A K F A S T
MUST-HAVE DISH: Hot chicken and waffles with cream cheese drizzle and jalapeño syrup
CITY FIRE 610 12th Ave. S., 615-401-9013; FLW\oUHQDVKYLOOH FRP
Housemade griddle bread, FIFTY FIRST KITCHEN & BAR
210 Almond St., 615-522-0688; thefarmhousetn.com Tucked away amid the construction of SoBro, The Farm House just celebrated its second year of keeping the town well fed with seasonal, locally sourced meats and produce. The Sunday brunch menu is full of chef-owner Trey Cioccia’s takes on classic regional dishes, like the corned beef hash: sautéed spaetzle, corned beef, spring onion, and housemade chow-chow for the final touch. In true Southern style, diners frequently order it with a side of eggs and grits. MUST-HAVE DISH: The pork belly Pop-Tart, served with eggs, duck fat maple syrup, and lemon walnut marmalade—plus a pastry basket
TRATTORIA IL MULINO 144 5th Ave. S., 615-620-3700; trattoriailmulinonashville.com Sometimes after an evening of 70
cavorting and honky-tonkin’ in downtown Nashville, the best way to rally is to return to the scene of the crime. Once you’ve finished the walk of shame to the last bar you visited and retrieved the credit card you left behind, refuel with a trip to Trattoria Il Mulino. The dramatic interior of this local outpost of the vaunted New York City Italian eatery will pry open your eyes, and a filling weekend brunch will calm your stomach. Plus, the ricotta meatball Benedict might just set you free.
MUST-HAVE DISH: Croque Madame, an egg sandwich with cheese, violet mustard, apples, and shallots
HUSK 37 Rutledge St., 615-256-6565; husknashville.com
2600 Franklin Pk., Ste. 102, 615942-7746; sinemanashville.com
Tucked just south of downtown in a refurbished 1880s manse, Husk brings contemporary Southern fare to Nashville’s SoBro neighborhood. While weekend brunch staples like the Husk Cheeseburger and Deviled Ham Deviled Eggs make regular appearances, the menu changes twice daily and is inspired by what’s fresh and available. Don’t overlook the selection of drinks, either: Be it bubbles, a Bloody Mary, or a coffee cocktail like the Dr. Pick Me Up, these beverages provide the perfect complement to a lingering brunch.
Occasionally, all you really need out of a weekend brunch is to laze about in a luxurious setting while
MUST-HAVE DISH: White Lily biscuits with black pepper and sausage gravy
MUST-HAVE DISH: Brioche
French toast
Leisurely Brunch SINEMA
MUST-HAVE DISH: The Hangover Pizza, a hearty pie topped with fresh housemade mozzarella, bacon, tomato, and sunnyside-up eggs
SAINT AÑEJO 1120 McGavock St., 615-736-5301; mstreetnashville.com M Street found the winning combination of inventive morning dishes (Mexican hot chocolate waffles with a cinnamon whip and
NASHVILLELIFESTYLES.COM NOVEMBER 2015
Hangover Pizza, TRATTORIA IL MULINO
RON MANVILLE, JUSTIN CHESNEY
THE FARM HOUSE
Bottomless mimosas for only $8? There’s a reason City Fire has found its stride with the weekend brunch crowd. There are also bacon apple cinnamon rolls and a sweet potato hash—because why cure the hangover when you can simply prolong it?
somebody else does the cooking for you. If that’s not something that happens regularly in your own household, Sinema is the place for you. Surrounded by sexy décor and impeccable service, brunch-goers can enjoy clever seasonal dishes like the Turkey Crepidilla, a cheesy and meaty meal served on buckwheat crepes, or the beefy short rib Benedict on a scallion biscuit dressed with barbecue hollandaise sauce.
Baked egg, polenta, tomatoes, and pecorino, ADELE’S
TAVERN
EMILY B. HALL
1904 Broadway, 615-320-8580; mstreetnashville.com At one of Nashville’s most popular brunches in the heart of midtown, you’ll find young professionals and Vandy students lining up at the door on Saturdays and Sundays. The vibe is lively with two-for-one drinks and football on the TVs. And the menu offers creative takes on classics, such as the red velvet waffle with cream cheese drizzle and a braised short rib Benedict with poached eggs and Tabasco
hollandaise. Another go-to, the wood-fired double yolks, arrives in a warm bowl under a blanket of Asiago cheese. The slices of bread served alongside make for easier sharing and scooping of the harissa-spiced tomato sauce with egg and hunks of garlic.
5th & Taylor’s trendy brunch service is every bit as cool and coveted as its prime-time dinner reservations. The selection includes traditional breakfast items like eggs and bacon, but more adventurous diners shouldn’t miss out on the trout cake Benedict with brioche and hollandaise—a surprise take on the midday favorite that is both rich and satisfying. The menu includes plenty for lunch-brunchers, like beef cheek pot roast and a barbecue pork belly sandwich with herb slaw. Bonus: Every table enjoys a complimentary serving of grits. MUST-HAVE DISH: Chicken
sausage scramble served over toasted sourdough with avocado and jalapeño
MUST-HAVE DISH: Wood-fired
double yolks
5TH & TAYLOR 1411 5th Ave. N., 615-242-4747; 5thandtaylor.com
360 BISTRO 6000 Highway 100, 615-3535604; 360bistro.com What’s old is new again over at 360 Bistro, where general manager
Brett Allen has returned to run the dining room (he left for a brief stint at Prima). It’s welcome news for anyone who appreciates a good glass of wine during brunch, since his knowledge—and ability to train the staff—is second to none. Test that fact by requesting just the right pairing for one of the sweet or savory dishes on the brunch menu, like the French toast or crispy frog legs. MUST-HAVE DISH: Open-faced
omelet with cherry tomatoes, goat’s feta, caramelized onions, and farm greens
ADELE’S 1210 McGavock St., 615-9889700; adelesnashville.com Jonathan Waxman’s culinary homage to his mother offers an inventive menu of New American farm-to-fork cuisine served in a comfortable ambience. Breakfast in the Waxman household must have been pretty spectacular if >>>
EMILY B. HALL
Tandoori shrimp and grits, CHAUHAN ALE & MASALA HOUSE
B R E A K F A S T
Huevos rancheros, FIDO
it was the inspiration for his brunch menu, which includes a grilled skirt steak salad of arugula dressed with balsamic vinegar and Grana Padano cheese as well as a whimsical funnel cake French toast with blueberries and ricotta whipped cream. Even if you never scored an invite for a weekend meal at the Waxmans’, you can enjoy the chef ’s memories of home Friday through Sunday. MUST-HAVE DISH: Baked
egg, polenta with roasted tomatoes, onions, and Pecorino Romano cheese
CHAUHAN ALE & MASALA HOUSE 123 12th Ave. N., 615-242-8426; chauhannashville.com
JUSTIN CHESNEY
This Southern-Indian fusion restaurant rolled out a Sunday brunch service over the summer, bringing with it some much-needed spice to the North Gulch. To sample a little bit of everything, go straight for the Eye-Opening Apps so you can have your cake (the sticky monkey bread) and eat it, too (in the form of This Little Piggy Went to India, Y’all!). For heavier fare, the Essentials section of the menu is chock-full of filling options like the curried biscuit and gravy and Elvis’ Favorite, Transformed: a peanut butter pancake with caramelized banana and candied bacon. MUST-HAVE DISH: Breakfast parantha taco with vindaloo sausage, scrambled eggs, and mango mint chutney
JOSEPHINE 2316 12th Ave. S., 615-292-7766; josephineon12th.com Spend a few midday hours on a Saturday or Sunday inside Josephine’s sun-dappled dining room and you’ll wonder why the rest of the world doesn’t spend weekends this way, too. Brunch here is as thoughtful and hospitable as dinner—with the added bonus of cinnamon sugar doughnuts. There are also light starters, like yogurt with granola and a Bibb lettuce salad with bacon and herb buttermilk dressing, but we highly recommend dropping any dietary restrictions for the day and indulging in a Dutch boy burger, topped with a fried egg.
sides of eggs, griddled potatoes, toast, or biscuits. Called “T for Tennessee,” this menu item features beef from Bear Creek Farm in Leiper’s Fork. Grass-fed and grain finished without antibiotics or hormones, the steak with eggs can also be ordered from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.
egg white frittata and salmon Benedict. While Kitchen Notes is a popular midweek stop—particularly for downtown business meetings and guests of the hotel— their Sunday brunch is an even bigger production, with a carving station and lavish spread of breads, pastries, and desserts.
MUST-HAVE DISH:
MUST-HAVE DISH: Honky-Tonk Omelet with country ham, peppers, Vidalia onions, cheddar, and toast
T for Tennessee
KITCHEN NOTES 250 5th Ave. S., 615-782-5300; omnihotels.com This isn’t your standard hotel breakfast buffet. The Omni’s Kitchen Notes boasts a hearty menu every day of the week, not to mention specialties like the garden
MARCHÉ ARTISAN FOODS 1000 Main St., 615-262-1111; marcheartisanfoods.com Situated in the heart of historic East Nashville, Marché is part bakery, part market, and part >>>
Brown butter waffle with apple, JOSEPHINE
MUST-HAVE DISH: Brown butter
waffle with blueberry compote and a side of sugar cinnamon doughnuts
Power Breakfast THE SOUTHERN STEAK & OYSTER 150 3rd Ave. S., Ste. 110, 615-7241762; thesouthernnashville.com Located at the base of the shiny Pinnacle building downtown and open as early as 7 a.m. on weekends, The Southern makes for the perfect business breakfast. Slide into one of the high-backed booths for privacy in the bistrolike space and start the day strong with a 12-ounce strip steak and NOVEMBER 2015 NASHVILLELIFESTYLES.COM
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B R E A K F A S T
DANIELLE ATKINS
Honky Tonk omelette, KITCHEN NOTES
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bright, bustling European café. The cuisine is seasonal, but some menu favorites (like the croissant French toast) can be found yearround. Need a savory start? Look no further than the vegetable hash, topped with Parmesan and a fried egg. For something lighter, the fruit tartine combines apples, brie, and honey balsamic on raisin sourdough for the perfect sweet and salty bite. If you’re in a rush, swing by the bakery up front and grab an almond croissant or a cinnamon roll scone from chef Tom Huber’s stash of breakfast pastries. MUST-HAVE DISH: Fruit tartine
1808 GRILLE 1808 West End Ave., 615-340-0012; 1808grille.com Located off the lobby of the luxe Hutton Hotel, 1808 Grille serves three meals a day to hotel guests and locals—but breakfast may just be the highlight. A decadent Sunday brunch features creative dishes like Nutella French toast and cinnamon fry bread. For an upscale business breakfast during the week, the more traditional options—think smoked salmon or steel-cut oatmeal—are no less special than the fancy weekend brunch repast. MUST-HAVE DISH: The gluten-free 1808 Skillet with pastrami hash, white cheddar cheese, caramelized onions, potatoes, and sunny-side-up eggs
PINEWOOD SOCIAL 33 Peabody St., 615-751-8111; pinewoodsocial.com Conveniently situated near the crossroads of downtown, East Nashville, and the interstate, Pinewood Social is one of the city’s most bustling morning meeting spots—and you’ll find all walks here most mornings. A relaxed and bluesy soundtrack plays while folks from the neighboring Entrepreneur Center network and musicians shake off the previous night’s fuzzies. Plus, there are plenty of coffee drinks by Crema and a host of dishes ranging from healthy (steel-cut oatmeal layered with apples) to not so much (chicken and biscuits). MUST-HAVE DISH: Reuben Benedict
PRIME 108 1001 Broadway, 615-620-5665; prime108.com Set inside the stately Union Station Hotel, Prime 108 is a formal yet unfussy >>>
In the South, breakfast all too often arrives thrown together in a pile on a plate—and those piles are rarely healthy. Not so at Fido, a fast-casual spot in the heart of Hillsboro Village, serving up killer coffee as well as thoughtful food. Here, the huevos rancheros bring together an array of textures and flavors packing a protein punch. Two fried eggs provide the base for black beans, crispy potatoes, a scoop of salsa, and a wedge of avocado. Corn tortillas on the side help with sopping. It’s a hearty dish, no doubt, but healthful, too.
B R E A K F A S T
dining room where breakfast actually feels like an occasion. Request a corner table so you can scope out the space (and the stunning stained glass that rims it) and settle in for one of the best frittatas in town—theirs is served open-faced and topped with a pile of fresh vegetables. There are also standard dishes like Belgian waffles and crab cakes Benedict, plus spiced pancakes, omelets, and a Prime American breakfast with two eggs, potatoes, and a choice of sausage.
MUST-HAVE DISH:
Huevos rancheros
CAPITOL GRILLE 231 6th Ave. N., 615-345-7116; capitolgrillenashville.com
THE WILD COW
THE WILD COW 1896 Eastland Ave., 615-2622717; thewildcow.com
Just like the Hermitage Hotel that houses it, the Capitol Grille reflects the classy elegance of the Golden Age of hospitality. The ornate rathskeller room was originally constructed as a men’s club for the workers who built much of downtown Nashville. These days, the Capitol Grille serves breakfast to a different bunch of workers: attorneys, politicians, traveling salespeople, and anyone else intelligent enough to take advantage of their inventive farm-to-table menu. Highlights include a steak and eggs dish featuring beef from the Hermitage’s own herd of cattle raised on Double H Farms, along with many omelet selections.
Who knew healthy could taste this good? Casual and creative, The Wild Cow’s menu offers vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free options on the east side of town. Stuffed with tofu scramble and an assortment of tasty seasonal veggies, the breakfast tacos are a top recommended dish. For off-the-menu daily specials, check out The Wild Cow’s social media pages—the Tofuevos Rancheros and Bollywood Breakfast Burrito (complete with chickpea masala and curry tofu scramble) are two of our recent favorites.
MUST-HAVE DISH: Sock sausage
AVO
biscuits, which are house-cured pork patties that hang in a cotton sleeve until ready to serve
(Ɓƀ-! Choice 76
MUST-HAVE DISH:
menu are never heated above 118 degrees in order to preserve living enzymes, vitamins, and nutrients in the ingredients. This certainly doesn’t mean that the food doesn’t taste great—on the contrary, dishes like ceviche tacos and raw lasagna (with marinated zucchini, cashew hempseed ricotta, basil pesto, and sundried tomato sauce) are dramatically flavorful. MUST-HAVE DISH: Coconut yogurt parfait with scratch-made fermented Thai coconut yogurt, fresh fruit, and sprouted raw granola
FIDO 1812 21st Ave. S., 615-777-3436; ERQJRMDYD FRP oGR FDIH
Breakfast tacos
3001 Charlotte Ave., 615-3292377; eatavo.com It’s counterintuitive, but some of the best cooks never actually cook anything at all. At Avo, the raw vegan eatery located in a shipping container in the OneC1ty development on Charlotte Avenue, most of the dishes on the
NASHVILLELIFESTYLES.COM NOVEMBER 2015
Sock sausage balls, CAPITOL GRILLE
LITTLE OCTOPUS 604 Gallatin Ave., 615-454-3946; littleoctopusnashville.com Unearthing a gluten-free breakfast in Nashville is like finding a needle in a haystack. And yet, Sarah Gavigan and Daniel Herget’s East Nashville restaurant—which, like the name implies, is heavy on seafood dishes, both hot and cold—does just that. The duo aims to change the mentality of what breakfast food should be by moving away from heavier options. Instead, they make it satiating and fulfilling without immediately putting you back to bed. MUST-HAVE DISH: The Octopus with jerk spice, served with grits made from ground bamboo rice and cooked in coconut milk >>>
DANIELLE ATKINS, RON MANVILLE
MUST-HAVE DISH: Openface frittata with a side of chicken sausage
5 Great
B R E A K F A S T
Breakfast Burgers
Two Bits Burger, TWO BITS
The invention of brunch was surely made for those who are simply looking for a good excuse to eat a burger before noon—otherwise, why would there be so many stellar options in town? Here are our five of-themoment favorites.
M.L. ROSE GOOD MORNING BURGER Take an almost perfect burger made with local beef topped with bacon and cheddar. Now add a sunny-side-up egg. You can forget that “almost” part. (mlrose.com)
TWO BITS BURGER Eight ounces of grilled Black Angus beef served on a brioche with Sweetwater cheddar cheese plus free Ms. Pac-Man games equals the ultimate lazy Sunday. (twobitsnashville.com)
MAD DONNA’S BREAKFAST BURGER
For Nashville’s best brunch by neighborhood, visit NashvilleLifestyles. com/Restaurants.
A Family ƂŷƁ+& Taking the gang to breakfast can be a special occasion, too. Thankfully, these three spots are good for kids big and small.
NOSHVILLE GREEN HILLS 78
A menu packed with options, speedy service, and plenty of space for a big groups—this Green Hills institution fits the bill for quickly feeding a brood. (noshville.com)
THE PFUNKY GRIDDLE Youngsters will enjoy getting in on the action by loading up the tabletop griddle with their own style of pancakes and French toast. Meanwhile,
NASHVILLELIFESTYLES.COM NOVEMBER 2015
THE VINE’S CHEESEBURGER
Mom and Dad get omelets done their way—and, even better, bottomless coffee. (thepfunkygriddle.com)
The kitchen at The Vine grinds chuck, tenderloin, and rib eye in-house before adding Kumato tomato, baby romaine, sweet onions, pickle chips, and spicy ketchup to create a burger that could satisfy just about any member of the teams that play in nearby Nissan Stadium. (v-thevine.com)
PIED PIPER EATERY
EMBERS SKI LODGE MT. EVEREST BURGER
This colorful Inglewood haunt has one of the city’s best tot-sized selections on their kiddie breakfast menu—which means even the pickiest eaters will find something worth diving into. (piedpipereatery.com)
In a nod to its namesake, this burger towers over the plate with two beef patties, classic American cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion, and pickle perched above a toasted brioche bun. For an extra $2, you can add sliced avocado. And you should. (embersskilodge.com)
BRITA BRITNELL
NL
On weekends, this laid-back eatery adds bacon and an egg to their already popular half-pound Angus burger served on a bun from Provence to make sure that their East Nashville neighbors enjoy the most important meal of the day—or week. (maddonnas.com)
ABIGAIL BOBO
Dr. Meg Rush, chief of staff and professor of clinical pediatrics at The Monroe Carell Jr. Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Hospital at Vanderbilt
The Spirit of
Giving
Nashville is known as a generous community, which perhaps explains its robust nonprofit sector, currently more than 2,000 organizations strong. This month, we take a look at six key players in town. Their missions are quite different, but each does the important work of helping Music City grow for the better. BY SUSANNAH FELTS, KRISTIN LUNA, AND ERIN BYERS MURRAY. PHOTOS BY ABIGAIL BOBO.
SUPPLIED
The Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt As Nashville booms, so does its need for basic services and supplies, like hospital beds. This winter, construction will begin on a $100 million, four-story expansion of the Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt, which, as the region’s only freestanding pediatric facility, is our main provider of comprehensive care for sick children as well as a highly ranked national research facility and the largest recipient of federal funding for pediatric research in Tennessee. (While it became a freestanding institution in the 1970s, its roots reach back 90 years—it was founded by the Junior League for crippled children, primarily polio victims.) The children’s hospital has seen steady growth over the decades, including a 2012 addition of 33 beds. But the upcoming expansion, planned in phases, will be its largest yet. The first new floor will feature family areas, a playroom, a large waiting room, and expanded education and consultation spaces. Perhaps the most important upgrade will be 38 new patient rooms designed to serve the growing number of critically ill children referred to the hospital as well as those who seek regular care. “We’re trying to go with a universal design that allows these rooms to
Rendering of planned expansion at Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt
“We have a longstanding relationship with a very giving community, and we couldn’t deliver many of our programs without that partnership. It touches everything we do: our clinical, research, and educational missions.” be utilized in the most optimal way,” says Dr. Meg Rush, chief of staff and professor of clinical pediatrics. A national leader in pediatric research, the children’s hospital receives substantial funding from the National Institutes of Health for several programs, including newborn intensive care and infectious diseases and vaccine development, for both kids and adults. But the hospital also relies heavily on philanthropic support. In particular, private and
foundation gifts have been instrumental for physical improvements and training new doctors, two areas that Dr. Rush says NIH dollars don’t typically cover. “In an era when there’s decreasing money for training the next generation, we’ve got donors who are investing in the long-term vision of promoting excellence in inquiry and training,” she says. As its capital campaign continues, the Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital
will continue to look locally for support of a building that must add beds to accommodate not only increased regional referrals but the mushrooming Nashville population. “We have a longstanding relationship with a very giving community, and we couldn’t deliver many of our programs without that partnership,” says Dr. Rush. “It touches everything we do: our clinical, research, and educational missions.” (vu.edu/growing) —S.F. >>>
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ABIGAIL BOBO
Tallu Schuyler Quinn, the Nashville Food Projectâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s executive director
The Nashville Food Project An unfortunate paradox of our culture is that quality food gets thrown away every day while families go hungry or lack access to healthy options. In response, the Nashville Food Project fights to both redistribute the wealth and teach communities to better provide their own nourishment. What started with two food trucks has become an ambitious network of gardens all over the city and partnerships with dozens of local organizations, all in an effort to get healthy meals to those who need them, says Tallu Schuyler Quinn, the Nashville Food Project’s executive director. The nonprofit starts by growing food and recovering food that would otherwise get thrown away from local restaurants, groceries, farms, and bakeries. Volunteers then turn that food into hot, delicious meals—think shepherd’s pie with ground beef and venison, fruit salad, green salad, and bread pudding. That’s where partnerships with other local nonprofits and community organizations come into play. These groups help identify the best places and times to distribute meals to recipients. “Serving meals in shared spaces is a big part of our mission,” says Quinn. “We want to bring people out of isolation.” The Nashville Food Project also manages several community gardens where families are learning to grow crops for themselves, such as one at a North Nashville family resource center. One staffer is devoted to that garden, explains Quinn, training folks to start seeds and maintain garden plots to produce a lot of food. Growing as much as possible in a small space is key for the group: From a tenth-acre garden behind their headquarters in Green Hills, they’ve harvested up to 4,000 pounds of organic vegetables in one year, all of which gets turned into meals. The nonprofit’s biggest fundraising push comes every summer, when it holds its annual dinner, Nourish, featuring a multicourse meal prepared by star chefs on the local and national scene. A live and silent auction—food- and wine-focused, of course—completes the evening, which consistently sells out. Quinn has big plans for the coming years. She hopes for expanded kitchen space to increase in capacity, and there’s talk of purchasing land for a robust agricultural program for immigrants and refugees, as well as a social enterprise program. Businesses and organizations that want to get involved, either as food donors or distribution partners, are heartily encouraged to apply. “We love when we get those calls,” Quinn says. (nashvillefoodproject.org) —S.F. >>>
SUPPLIED
Nashville Repertory Theatre When it comes to building and nurturing creative talent in this town, much of the credit goes to Music City’s signature industry. But it’s happening in other fields, too, most notably on the theatrical stage, thanks to Nashville Repertory Theatre. The Rep, as it’s lovingly called, boasts one of the country’s only playwright incubators, Ingram New Works Lab Playwrights. Launched in 2009, the program invites four Lab Playwrights to Nashville each year to create a brand-new play under the direction of a playwright-in-residence as well a nationally recognized fellow—an unprecedented setup for those looking to write plays from the ground up. Now in its 31st season, The Rep is a beneficiary of the Tennessee Performing Arts Center and stages all of its performances at TPAC’s Andrew Johnson Theater, usually for a crowd of about 250 people. Artistic director René Copeland says she wouldn’t have it any other way. “We have a fondness for really intimate theatre. For us, the connection is about seeing an actor live and up close, without a large gap between the artist and the audience,” she says. Each season is a healthy mix of classic pieces, musicals, and contemporary theatre—this year will see the seventh iteration of the production of A Christmas Story; this spring, they’ll produce the musical Chicago. But it’s the New Works festival each spring that brings to life the mission and spirit of The Rep. This February, they’ll produce the world premiere of a play that came out of the playwright program a few years back. Good Monsters is, according to Copeland, “a disturbing drama and a serious piece.” “But it’s also brilliant and
René Copeland
just knowing that we have an opportunity to show off what’s happening in our program is very exciting,” she adds. (nashvillerep. org) —E.B.M.
Nashville Rescue Mission With two campuses in town, the Nashville Rescue Mission provides beds for 500 men and 300 women and children every single night. And while they’re not the only shelter catering to Nashville’s homeless, the Mission also strives to address the many complex issues that surround homelessness, from mental health and substance abuse to lack of usable job skills and education. “Everyone needs a meal and a place to sleep, but that’s just the surface of it,” says Reverend Glenn Cranfield, Nashville Rescue Mission’s president and CEO. “So many factors can work together or lead up to the point of homelessness, and we’re working with our clients to combat all of those issues.” At the Mission, all clients are assigned a case manager who assesses their needs and then works
with other agencies to give them the proper attention, whether they’re a veteran or struggling with substance abuse. With more than 20 counselors stationed at the two campuses, the Mission was able to provide services to 7,700 individuals in 2014. But what might be most striking about this local institution is the dignity that one feels walking onto either campus. They are clean
and professional spaces that offer a sense of safety and shelter—as well as hope. “Hopelessness is a powerfully negative force,” says Cranfield. “We encourage everyone who comes here to embrace hope so that their tomorrows can be better than the past. We want to change their mentality.” (nashvillerescuemission. org) —E.B.M. >>>
“Hopelessness is a powerfully negative force. But we encourage everyone who comes here to embrace hope so that their tomorrows can be better than the past. We want to change their mentality by providing hope.”
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Nashville CARES Since 1985, Nashville CARES has been on the frontline of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, working to educate Nashvillians about the disease and make sure people in our community living with HIV and AIDS are able to get the treatment they need. The nonprofit offers services such as operating a food bank for the HIV population (the only one of its kind in the city), delivering frozen meals to those too frail to leave home, counseling individuals on addiction issues, and offering transportation vouchers and housing assistance. As the nature of the population living with HIV and AIDS has changed—and as the disease has become more manageable— Nashville CARES’ work has likewise experienced a paradigm shift—recent research shows that treatment not only increases life expectancy but can also nearly eliminate the risk of HIV transmission, which is why Nashville CARES aims to identify those people living with HIV and AIDS and get them into treatment earlier. Aside from corporate and foundation grants, Nashville CARES produces several fundraising events annually: an AIDS walk and 5K fun run; Dining Out for Life, which takes place the third Tuesday in April; and Avant Garde, a themed gala with a live and silent auction that draws around 400 guests every year. (This year’s theme: the speakeasy.) Another event, the Red Ribbon
Notes for Notes
Breakfast, is held near World AIDS Day and is geared toward introducing new donors to the organization. And, they are always looking for new volunteers to help with everything from delivering food to prevention education to answering phones. (nashvillecares.org) —S.F.
SUPPLIED
Notes for Notes All youth should be given the opportunity to create music—at least that’s the underlying theme of Notes for Notes, a local nonprofit that offers kids and teens access to after-school recording studio space inside various Boys & Girls Clubs. Rooted in the belief that freedom of expression is a key trait for personal development, the organization aims to equip young musicians with skills that are paramount to establishing a solid foundation for any kind of career, while educating them on potential job paths specific to the music industry. In addition to providing its participants— who range in age from 6 to 18—with studio space, Notes for Notes grants them access to digital workstations, instruments from electric guitars to keyboard synthesizers, and guidance on writing and recording their own music. Though the organization originated in Nashville, it now has nearly a dozen studios in cities across the country, including Brooklyn, Detroit, Atlanta, Houston, and California. (notesfornotes.org) —K.L.
CHRIS HOLLO
A birthday celebration at the Grand Ole Opry took place in October.
Grand Ole
PARTY After 90 years, the Grand Ole Opry is as vibrant and relevant as ever. Here’s a look at what allows this institution to keep making the city—and its stars—famous. BY MARGARET LITTMAN.
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L
ike any 90-year-old, the Grand Ole Opry, which officially reaches that milestone on November 28, has witnessed a lot of change in its lifetime. Launched as the WSM Barn Dance that a fiddle player named Uncle Jimmy Thompson broadcast on the then-new WSM radio station, the Opry predates even the Great Depression. The “show that made country music famous” has evolved from broadcasting locally to streaming to international audiences. Over the years, it has seen its artists’ music sold on gramophone records, vinyl records, 8-track and cassette tapes, CDs and DVDs, and vinyl again— not to mention downloaded and streamed through Napster, Spotify, and Pandora.
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“The same values that presented this hillbilly music show in 1925 are still alive and well today. They’re timeless values of respecting the elders and celebrating family, diversity, and the freedoms we enjoy.” —Pete Fisher Pete Fisher, vice president and general manager of the Opry, thinks part of the institution’s ability to persevere is due to the fact that “the same values that presented this hillbilly music show in 1925 are still alive and well today. They’re timeless values of respecting the elders and celebrating family, diversity, and the freedoms we enjoy,” he says. “They might be interpreted in a different way as time goes on, but the core value is still
the same.” That statement would likely get a standing ovation (the Opry is big on standing ovations for its performers as well as audience members celebrating milestones). But the secret to the Opry’s longevity and significance also lies in its format, the way in which it has been preserved and promoted, and its physical building and the performers who flock to it.
COURTESY OF THE OPRY, SUPPLIED
Throughout 2015, the Opry’s owner, Ryman Hospitality Properties, has feted the institution with special guest stars, a commemorative coffee table book, a two-part concert in New York City, and a series of new artist discovery CDs called Opry 9.0. Some might bemoan that RHP’s stewardship is too slick for what began as (and still is, to some degree) hillbilly music. Yes, RHP has profited from the Opry—the stock price has climbed 22 percent over the past year—but it has also preserved it. Ninety years in, the Opry proves its relevance daily. The show can be heard online, though mobile apps, on satellite radio, and, of course, still at its original home, WSM-AM. It walks a fine line, satisfying old-timers and nostalgia fans while wooing those who never heard of that sacred wood circle until they watched Deacon Claybourne stand there on their TV screen. But that wasn’t always the case. People often thought of Opry entertainers to be straight out of Hee Haw (another iconic RHP entertainment property), with hayseeds sprouting out of entertainers’ ears. In 1983, when The New York Times reported on the sale of the Opry from American General Corporation to current owner RHP (then Gaylord Broadcasting Co. and later Gaylord Entertainment Co.), the Grey Lady struggled to define the radio show’s cultural significance, saying only that “it still claims to attract the largest single listening audience in the world.”
Format Matters What debuted as the half-hour WSM Barn Dance is now a tight two-hour formula. Each show is divided into four 30-minute sections with its own host and sponsor. On an average night, each section has four performers (including the host), balanced with legends, contemporary acts, comedy, and bluegrass. New members are invited based on an undisclosed set of criteria and are typically surprised on stage by a musical mentor. Inductees must be living—the Opry doesn’t do posthumous awards—in part because the honor requires that they make a certain number of appearances on the stage each year. (One exception: Dolly Parton became a member in 1969 but hasn’t graced that hallowed circle in decades.) Currently, there are 63 members of the Opry; in its history, 211 individuals or groups have been recognized with membership. And they do it for free. So when talent manager Gina Keltner reaches out to book artists, she’s competing against paying gigs as well as rare—and valuable—days off. It boggles the mind to think of Keltner booking more than 2,400 artists last year (204 shows with approximately 12 artists each). But volume is one of the things that has allowed the Opry to stay relevant and attract new audiences—the legends bring in the old-timers, the contemporary artists attract the Millenials, and each camp is exposed to the other’s stars. In fact, at one of the October birthday shows held to mark the 90th anniversary of WSM, a largely whitehaired audience sang along to Little Big Town’s “Girl Crush” more loudly and enthusiastically than they did for several of the more traditional acts. Naysayers argue that today’s bigger names (think Kelsea Ballerini and even Keith Urban) aren’t country enough to play on the iconic stage. But there will always be critics: Until the 1950s or 1960s, according to historical accounts, acts were not permitted to have drums on the set—and some still bemoan their presence.
“I think this building is as important to the Opry family as the house you grew up in is to you. It’s where memories are made... It’s where your dreams came true, where you see some of your best friends every time you walk in the door.” —Dan Rogers of ABC’s Nashville. The Opry is a character as much as a set for the hit TV show. The actors, most of whom are singers and songwriters in real life, are often booked at the Opry, and given that Opry Entertainment is a producer of the show, the corporate synergy makes sense. Critics complain that their TV stardom overshadows lower-profile artists who have toiled in the industry for years— but the show has educated younger viewers who otherwise might not have bothered to learn the history. Throughout its four seasons, characters like Rayna, Maddie, and Daphne have waxed poetic on the honor of standing in that six-foot hardwood circle. “The aura of standing in that circle and knowing that Hank Sr. and Willie Nelson stood there, it connects you to that tradition,” says Darius Rucker, who was inducted in 2012. “I don’t think the Opry will ever be irrelevant because people don’t want to get rid of those traditions.” The city’s current surge in popularity has certainly helped the show as well. “Before we can sell a ticket to the Grand Ole Opry, we have to sell a ticket to Nashville, Tennessee,” says Fisher. “And that ticket is very easy to sell now.”
6IHIÁRMRK *EQMP] While marketing might get people in the front door, backstage is about more than ticket sales. The Opry is a place for artists to play as much as it is
a place for them to gather. Part of that, says Dan Rogers, director of marketing and communication at the Opry, comes from the frequency of shows— think back to the sheer volume of artists that Keltner books. “Friday, Saturdays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays [depending on the week], you are all together,” Rogers says. “You have artists who don’t need the paycheck for their Opry appearance but are here because it’s a social outlet.” Rucker agrees, noting that part of the appeal of playing the Opry is socializing before taking the stage. “When you are getting ready and warming up, you are just hanging out,” he says. On show nights, Keltner adds, most of the dressing room doors stay open. “You can just walk in and say hi and catch Vince Gill or whomever it may be preparing for his stuff,” she says. “It is just kind of an open-door policy.” And that sense of family extends to the concert hall itself. “I think this building is as important to the Opry family as the house you grew up in is to you,” says Rogers. “It’s where memories are made. It’s where music is made, in this case. It’s where your dreams came true, where you see some of your best friends every time you walk in the door.” The 4,400-seat Grand Ole Opry House is the Opry’s sixth permanent home (see “Home Sweet Home” sidebar) and the first built specifically for the institution. It was added to the National Register for Historic Places this year, thanks in part to its revered hardwood circle, which was cut and imported from its last home, the Ryman. “It’s unpretentious, it’s accessible, it’s not about one artist,” Fisher says. “The Grand Ole Opry is the star of the show, and every artist who performs here knows that they’re one ingredient in the soup.” >>>
COURTESY OF THE OPRY
Spinoffs and Synergies In 2009, WSM began broadcasting Music City Roots, an Americana radio program that is both a tribute to the Opry and a modern reinterpretation; as the first new weekly live music show in more than four decades, it seemed like a perfect way to introduce the Opry traditions to neophytes. The show originated at the Loveless Barn and is now broadcast live from The Factory in Franklin on a variety of commercial and noncommercial radio stations. And no mention of the Opry and its ability to expand its fan base is possible without a discussion
Darius Rucker
MBER 2015
Home Sweet Home Officially, the Opry has had six homes: 1 1925 to 1934 National Life & Accident Insurance Co. 2 1934 to 1936 Hillsboro Theatre (now the Belcourt Theatre) 3 1936 to 1939 Dixie Tabernacle (then on Fatherland Street) 4 1939 to 1943 War Memorial Auditorium 5 1943 to 1974 (and into the present during the winter holiday season) Ryman Auditorium 6 1974 to present Grand Ole Opry House
But a number of other venues have put a temporary roof over the Opry’s head, particularly while the Opry House was being rebuilt after the flood. Nashville Municipal Auditorium hosted the Opry in both 1974 and 2010, and Lipscomb University’s Allen Arena and Two Rivers Baptist Church opened their doors to the show in 2010. The Opry has also gone on the road, broadcasting across the globe.
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COURTESY OF THE OPRY, THE TENNESSEAN
1925
The Roaring ’90s The Opry isn’t the only nonagenarian in town—1925 was a banner year in Nashville. Here’s a look at three other institutions celebrating their 90th birthdays. >> Then called the HILLSBORO THEATRE, what we now know as the Belcourt Theatre originally opened to screen silent movies. At the time, it was Nashville’s largest stage. The Hillsboro Theatre also served as the home of the Opry from 1934 to 1936. >> WSM (now 650-AM) aired its first broadcast on October 5, 1925, paving the airways to launch the Opry just two months later. >> Today, WAR MEMORIAL AUDITORIUM is a downtown venue for the likes of Modest Mouse and Moon Taxi—but this granite and marble edifice was designed to honor the service of those who died in World War I. And because all Nashville roads lead to the Opry, War Memorial was the home of the
CHRIS HOLLO/COURTESY OF THE OPRY
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the National Register of Historic Places and celebrates its 90th anniversary. >>>
In Their Words GINA KELTNER, Talent Manager Year hired: 1999 Favorite Opry moment: Dolly Parton singing “I Will Always Love You” to Porter Wagoner on his 50th Opry anniversary in 2007. “He could hardly look her in the eye. He was so emotional that she was there. You could’ve heard a pin drop.” In hindsight, it is all the more poignant, as it was the last time the pair appeared on stage together. Wagoner passed away later that year.
JACOBI CALLOWAY, Usher
school assignment. “We had to go to a venue that we hadn’t been to before and watch a show or a concert and do a report about it,” says the 18-yearold. “I’d never been to an Opry show. I really like country music and I wanted to be a part of it, and after I went to that show I wanted to go see another show and it was sold out.” Calloway’s grandmother suggested applying to work at the storied radio show. He was hired two months after he applied and was floored when vice president and general manager Pete Fisher addressed him by name in the middle of a shift. From his first day on the job, he says, “it really felt like home. Everybody was nice. I wasn’t expecting it to feel so much like family.”
Year hired: 2014 Favorite Opry moment: Even though he had seen Brad Paisley perform before, Calloway says he was blown away when he saw The Pais play an acoustic set on the hallowed stage. Making the grade: Calloway first attended the Opry as part of a 94
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DEBBIE BALLENTINE, Executive Director of Operations
Year hired: 1973 Favorite Opry moment: The night Trace Adkins was invited to be an Opry member. “Trace is 6’7” or 6’11”—a very tall person—[and] Little Jimmy was 4’11”, so [Dickens] did this thing where he had this little stepstool, and he stepped up on the stepstool so that he could be nearer Trace’s height to invite him.” Adkins was so overcome that he put his head on Little Jimmy’s shoulder. Ballentine says she thought to herself, “Okay. This is clear. This is not rehearsed. This is about the relationship.” Other favorite Opry moment: The Opry heard about a teen in Austin, Texas, with Down Syndrome whose dream was to be a ticket taker. His dad, a singer-songwriter, was invited to play, and the boy was invited to usher. “He had practiced and practiced to be ready to say, ‘Welcome to the Grand Ole Opry,’ to guests that were coming in that night,” Ballentine says, tearing up as she recalls the story. “Guests could tell this was special. The dad introduced him from the stage and said, ‘I know some of you got to
meet him on your way in; this was his dream. His dream has been fulfilled tonight.’ He was immediately given a standing ovation.”
COURTESY OF THE OPRY
The power of social media: A few years ago, Loretta Lynn had to cancel a Friday night appearance due to illness, putting Keltner’s team into overdrive. “That was huge. We know a lot of our audience is coming to see Loretta, and who can replace Loretta?” she says. “We were scrambling and searching artists’ schedules and calling agents, and one of our staffers just happened to notice that Martina McBride tweeted that she was home doing laundry. So we put in a call to Ms. Martina, and she said, ‘Sure, I’ll be happy to do that for Loretta.’ So she came in to fill in at the last minute.”
CARTER JONES, Tour Guide Year hired: 2013 Favorite backstage moment: “Within about two weeks of working here, I had this little boy on a tour
and he had a Darius Rucker tee shirt on, a Brad Paisley backstage pass, and a baseball cap. It reminded me of me when I was little. He was off to the side of the stage and I could see he started crying, and I went over to him and I put my arm around him and I said, ‘Oh, what’s up, buddy?’ He said, ‘I’ve been wanting to come here since I was a little kid.’ His parents said, ‘He’s been bugging us since he was four years old to come see the Opry.’” Why the Opry formula works: Jones thinks it is “artful” how the Opry attracts new audiences. “They have a segment host and then they have the people who the segment host introduces. For example, Connie Smith might be on a segment and she may introduce Carrie Underwood. So the people who are coming to see Carrie Underwood that are my age will also be introduced to Connie Smith and then they can say, ‘Oh, wow, that was Carrie before Carrie was Carrie.’”
ELOISE RUSSO, Usher Year hired: 1987
COURTESY OF THE OPRY
Favorite Opry moment: Seeing all the employees come together to help rebuild after the 2010 flood. Reason not to retire: Russo ushers at the Opry most weekends, with a frequency her friends and family may not understand. But the 91-year-old, who worked nights when Johnny Cash graced the stage, has no intention of cutting back on her shifts. “It’s such a wonderful feeling working at the Opry—when the guests arrive, you’re able to help them in their seating, assist them with any problems they have, and then when they’re leaving at night, you’re standing right there in the back and you tell them ‘good night’ and ask, ‘Did you have a good time?’ And you see the smile on their face. You come home, you know you not only have enjoyed the show yourself, but you have been a big help to the guest that has taken the time and their money to come to the Grand Ole Opry.”
THE MENU IN SEASON | FIRST BITE | AT THE TABLE | DRINKS
MORNING GLORY
CHRISTEN CLEMINS
Start your day the right way with a spin on the classic Bloody Mary. Drink up on page 106. >>>
Saint Anejo’s Blood + Smoke
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THE MENU
| IN SEASON Hungarian Mushroom Soup ADAPTED FROM THE MOOSEWOOD COOKBOOK Serves 4 2 c. chopped onions 4 Tbsp. butter, divided 1 tsp. salt, plus more to taste 12 oz. fresh mushrooms (preferably shiitakes) 1 to 2 tsp. dill 2 c. stock or water, divided 1 Tbsp. Tamari soy sauce 1 Tbsp. Hungarian paprika 3 Tbsp. flour 1 c. milk Freshly ground black pepper 2 tsp. fresh lemon juice 1 2 / c. sour cream 1 4 / c. freshly chopped parsley In a medium saucepan, sauté the onions in 2 tablespoons of butter. Add 1 teaspoon salt and continue cooking for several minutes. Add mushrooms, 1 teaspoon dill, 1/2 cup of stock or water, Tamari, and paprika. Cover and let simmer for 15 minutes. Melt remaining butter in a large saucepan. Whisk in flour and cook, whisking, for a few minutes. Add milk. Cook, stirring frequently, over low heat for about 10 minutes, or until thick. Stir in the mushroom mixture and remaining stock. Cover and simmer 10 to 15 minutes. Just before serving, add salt, pepper, lemon juice, sour cream, and if desired, extra dill. Garnish with parsley and serve.
The season for wild mushrooms is quickly waning, but you can now get your hands on locally sourced shiitakes thanks to the team behind Fiery Fungi. Owner and farmer Drake Schutt has been growing shiitakes in a 3,000-square-foot warehouse, set on his eight-acre property in Pelham, since 2013. Though he started out growing as many as 15 varieties, he’s found his niche with shiitakes, which are highly coveted—he sells them to a number of Nashville restaurants through the distributor Creation Gardens. “There’s more demand than we can keep up with,” Schutt admits, but he already has plans to expand the operation and will be doubling his weekly harvest this fall. To grow the mushrooms, he inoculates bags of sawdust; the mushrooms reach full size in just three months. And though he doesn’t currently sell at local farmers’ markets, you can find Fiery Fungi shiitakes year-round through Green Bean Delivery. (fieryfungi.yolasite.com; greenbeandelivery.com) —Erin Byers Murray
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| FIRST BITE DEBUT
Sweet Surrender The Honeysuckle brings a new steak-and-oyster experience to Franklin.
It’s rare for a perfectly well-performing restaurant to shutter when things are running smoothly. But that’s exactly what restaurateur Kelly Black did when he closed his Cool Springs location of Pie in the Sky—the revamp, called The Honeysuckle, opened in the spot near Cool Springs Galleria in August. In addition to updating the space into a casually upscale destination, Black provided something unique to this part of Franklin: a progressive Southern restaurant focusing on both dry-aged steaks and a stellar oyster bar. The vibe is Tennessee brasserie, with reclaimed wood, exposed beams, tufted leather banquettes, and a mirror behind the bar, plus a stately looking oyster bar where
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the daily selection of charcuterie and cheese bivalves is set out on plate, which hopefully an ice-covered display. includes the country ham made from Chef Josh Weekley Mangalitsa pigs or Tasso (formerly at 360 Bistro) Chef Josh supplied by Cochon Butcher mans the kitchen and proWeekley (more about them on page vides a selection for all types, 102). Crab cakes packed loosely from couples looking to sear their with that Peekytoe are a good own ahi tuna over a 700-degree follow-up, as are oysters on the salt stone to die-hard foodies who will appreciate his pristine seafood. half shell. For those who prefer their shellfish cooked, the Oysters Weekley is originally from South Vanderbilt is loaded with more of Florida and an avid fisherman, which is how he’s developed strong that Tasso ham as well as a ties with seafood suppliers from barbecue-flavored hollandaise and goat cheese. all coasts—oysters come from Weekley is proud of his dryboth the East and West while Peekytoe crab from a suppliaged Angus, which according to the menu is aged for 21 days. You er in Maine often arrives with can order it in the form of a filet, hand-harvested seaweed. steak frites, or cowboy-style rib eye Wherever you fall in the diner for two. There are also comforting spectrum, aim to start with the
NASHVILLELIFESTYLES.COM NOVEMBER 2015
Elvis Tarte
takes on classics, like the chicken fried chicken and wild mushroom meatloaf. If you’re lucky, Weekley will have just gotten a delivery of a whole West Coast halibut, which might find its way onto the specials menu. Though so many of the dishes are hard to resist, don’t skip dessert by pastry chef Ashley Jent, who used to work at Mason’s—the Elvis tarte tatin is her fun play on the crooner’s favorite dessert featuring caramelized bananas and a bacon-peanut brittle. It’s a killer ending to a refreshing meal and concept for those who either want to stick close to home—or venture out of Nashville for a destination-worthy meal. (1770 Galleria Blvd., Franklin, 615-771-2111; thehoneysuckle.com) —E.B.M.
RON MANVILLE
Steak Frites
Tortilla Soup
NOW OPEN
REKINDLING THE FLAME
RON MANVILLE
Green Hills Grille returns, bringing with it some classics plus a few new hits. Since the closing of Green Hills Grille in 2007, neighbors have pined for the restaurant’s customer service and casual take on Southwestern cuisine. Now, the concept has been revived in a new space by new owner Steven Smithing, who was a longtime employee of the original (and also owns Meres Bulles in Brentwood). Smithing didn’t have to make a lot of cosmetic changes to the space, which used to house Alegria. He removed a few walls for an airier feel, particularly around the bar, and brightened things up with several coats of paint. Behind the scenes, Smithing revamped the kitchen to better serve the volume he expects. (He also added carryout service with dedicated parking behind the restaurant for pick-up orders.) The menu features a number of favorites from the original, like the tortilla soup, chicken salad melt, and Santa Fe grilled chicken pasta—but there are plenty of new discoveries as well, including several types of tacos (think fried white fish, prime rib, and tender pork carnitas). The prime rib also appears on a plate of three small rib rolls, making for an ideal and shareable appetizer. There are flatbreads and a few types of sushi rolls, too. Instead of a traditional happy hour, Green Hills Grille is offering a late-night special with 20 percent off all food and drink during the last hour before the restaurant closes nightly. But even at full price, the food here will likely attract hordes of nostalgic Nashvillians. (Green Hills Grille, 2002 Richard Jones Rd., 615-620-8390; ghgrille.com) —Chris Chamberlain
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Stacking the Odds A New Orleansâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;based restaurant group enters Nashville, bringing sandwiches, sausages, and a built-in fan base. BY ERIN BYERS MURRAY. PHOTOS BY RON MANVILLE.
COCHON BUTCHER
1120 4th Ave. N., 615-567-5887 cochonbutcher.com What to Order Head Cheese with ChowChow and Mustard, $6 Hot Boudin, $6 Marinated Brussels Sprouts, $6 Cochon Muffaletta, $12 Moroccan Spiced Lamb, $12 Le Pig Mac, $10 Le Pig Mac
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hen Cochon opened in New Orleans in 2006—shortly after Hurricane Katrina and a leveesystem failure ravaged the town—it was a symbol of hope for residents. They embraced it with wide-open arms—and so did everyone else who ate there, including The New York Times’ then-food critic, Frank Bruni, who in 2008 declared the Cajun outpost the third best restaurant in the country. He lauded chefs Donald Link and Stephen Stryjewski for their entire pig-centric menu, which he said was meant for “heartfelt feasting.” Ten years later, the Crescent City establishment and its offshoot, Cochon Butcher, are still beloved—not to mention still packed. And when their first replication of the project, Cochon Butcher Nashville, opened this past August, it was met with an equal amount of fawning and adoration. Music City food fans immediately descended—and it’s felt like a party on their Germantown patio ever since. “The response from the community has been tremendous,” says chef Levon Wallace, who was tapped to helm the Nashville kitchen. “Donald, Stephen, and I are collectively very excited to be here, and the support so far has been humbling.” Especially considering that Cochon Butcher is essentially a sandwich and wine bar with the added bonus of a butcher case full of to-go items. Diners order up their food and beverages at a counter before settling in at one of the handful of high-top tables or out on the patio. There’s a small bar with seating for a few as well as several alfresco bar stools that are served by the bar. But there’s more to this concept than muffalettas and take-home sausages. What the Link Restaurant Group simply nails is creating an excellent and memorable experience—from the thought that goes into the homemade pickles to the genuine friendliness of the staff. “It’s not meant to be flashy. It’s just meant to be good,” states Wallace. Originally from California, the chef found himself in Nashville years ago on a cross-country road trip. “I instantly fell in love with it, so it’s always been in the back of my mind that I’d make it back here,” he says. In fact, after a long stay in Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts, where Wallace worked for a hotel group, he and his wife bought >>>
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Morrocan Spiced Lamb
Hot Boudin Levon Wallace
a home here thinking Nashville would be their next stop—but a call to work with the 21c Hotel in Louisville took them to Kentucky for a three-year detour at the hotel’s restaurant Proof On Main. “It was an incredible opportunity to get to know so many people within the Southeastern and Midwest food communities,” he says. Plus, the hotel’s owners are preservationists Steve Wilson and Laura Lee Brown, who live on the historic Woodland Farm in Goshen, Kentucky, where they raise bison and provide the restaurant with bison meat, eggs, heritage hogs, and produce. “I was able to completely connect with the local food systems there,”
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Wallace adds. At Cochon Butcher, he’s primarily focused on pig, thanks to a porkheavy menu. (Cochon is a French term for pig.) From housemade bacon and pork belly to a Cajun pork dog and the restaurant’s signature Le Pig Mac—two pork patties with special sauce and a sesame-seed bun that tastes far better than its Mickey D’s namesake—you can find just about every porcine part on the menu or in the deli case. Part of the reason for that is Link Restaurant Group’s partnership in the Fatback Pig Project, a heritage hog farmers’ collaborative in Alabama, which supplies Cochon Butcher with much of its pork as well as a number of sausages and other
NASHVILLELIFESTYLES.COM NOVEMBER 2015
cured products. (Fresh Hospitality, which has a stake in Cochon Butcher, is also a partner in Fatback.) One look at the menu and there is no question you are in meat country— but there is also balance (and even a vegetarian dish in the form of a curried lentil roti), with most items getting a zing and a pop of acid in the form of housemade mayos, mustards, pickles, and chow-chow. The Moroccan spiced lamb wrap is a blend of a heat-laced meat with the cool creaminess of cucumbers and tzatziki, while the buckboard bacon melt is topped with a tangled pile of collards in between white bread. Wallace and the team ease up where they can, adding chicken liver to their boudin instead of the more
unctuous yet traditional pork liver. Plus, one of the most flavorful items on the menu might just be the Brussels sprouts, which get a nice char as well as a hint of fresh mint. But if meat is your main focus, you’ve come to the right spot. Order up their take on the Cubano (smoked pork with sliced ham and Swiss cheese) or, better yet, the New Orleans classic Cochon muffaletta, which is a neatly rounded sesame bun stacked with housemade deli meats and a tangy olive spread. As Wallace contends, it doesn’t matter what you choose. “We are putting a very high level of attention to detail into every single plate—even if we are just making sandwiches,” he says.
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Wake-Up Call HOW TO WHIP UP EVERYONE’S FAVORITE BRUNCH COCKTAIL AT HOME BY CHRIS CHAMBERLAIN PHOTOS BY CHRISTEN CLEMINS
Old Bay Bloody Mary at Josephine
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hile the origin of the Bloody Mary may still be a matter of debate—some say it was born in Paris at the Ritz hotel’s Hemingway Bar, while others believe it was invented in Manhattan as a hangover helper for comedian George Jessel— there’s no question that the combination of tomato juice and vodka has become an essential eye-opener for generations of brunch-goers and tailgaters. After all, there’s nothing like a spicy jolt of tangy tomato to kick off a festive bout of day drinking. In addition to the classic V8-and-vodka combination, there’s a vast multitude of specialty recipes for the Bloody Mary that encourage bartenders and home mixologists to develop their own versions of the bracing beverage. Traditional addins include Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, Tabasco sauce, and clam juice to add a salty kick, and the usual celery stalk garnish allows drinkers to delude themselves into thinking that they are actually getting some nutrients with their morning buzz. A recent Music City trend is to go completely over the top with garnishes— limes, skewered olives, dill pickle spears, spicy green beans, even shrimp. In Nashville, nothing compares to the so-called Brunch for Two from The Gulch eatery Party Fowl, a 51-ounce Svedka Bloody Mary topped with two fried Cornish game hens, two scotch eggs, four whole fried okra, an avocado half, celery, and olives. (The only thing it doesn’t come with is a coupon for complimentary angioplasty.) If you don’t want to develop your own homemade Bloody Mary recipe, there’s no shame in using a premade mix as a base for your creation. Zing Zang is the ubiquitous spicy mixer of choice for many Bloody fans, and you can always personalize it with a few extra ingredients and a signature garnish or salted rim. To help stimulate your imagination, we asked three local bartenders known for their fantastic Bloodys to share recipes that you can enjoy at home. Pick up a bottle of vodka or even tequila at your favorite liquor store and get ready to experiment.
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RECIPES Sinema’s Bloody Mary Courtesy of Caleb Kimbley
HOLIDAY AND HEYDAY
Sinema’s Bloody Mary
The fourth quarter. End of year. There’s something magical about October, November and December. In sports, business and in life, it’s the last big push of the year. And while some folks grimace and moan about deadlines, pressure and workload, others wisely know this is the best time for camaraderie, teamwork, holiday joy, festivities AND success.
1 32-oz. bottle of V8 vegetable juice 2 oz. Sriracha 2 Tbsp. Old Bay Seasoning 1 Tbsp. celery salt 1 oz. pickle juice 2 oz. orange juice 1 1/2 oz. molasses 4 dashes Tabasco sauce 1 oz. ground pepper For garnish: 1 pepperoncino or pickle spear, cut into fourths 1 lemon wedge 1 green olive 1 slice of salami, rolled Mix base ingredients together and shake or whisk well. Add to a glass of ice with 2 ounces of your choice of vodka. Skewer garnish ingredients with a toothpick and serve.
Saint Anejo’s Blood + Smoke Courtesy of M Street Nashville 1 1/2 oz. Lunazul Reposado tequila 1 2 / oz. Del Maguey Vida San Luis del Rio Organic Mezcal 1 2 / oz. lime juice 4 oz. Zing Zang Bloody Mary mix Chili-lime salt, for rim Strip of crispy bacon, for garnish
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Mix first four ingredients in a shaker half filled with ice and shake vigorously. Spread chili-lime salt in a dish or shallow bowl, then moisten the rim of a pint glass with a lime wedge and dip the rim into the salt mixture. Fill glass with ice and pour cocktail over the ice without straining. Garnish with a strip of crispy bacon.
Old Bay Bloody Mary Adapted from a recipe from Josephine, courtesy of Karen Little Fresh lime juice, for each rim 1 tsp. Old Bay Seasoning, for each rim 1 qt. chilled V8 vegetable juice
/ c. freshly squeezed lime juice 1 4 / c. freshly squeezed lemon juice 1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce 1 tsp. Tabasco sauce 2 tsp. prepared horseradish 1 4 / tsp. Sriracha 1 tsp. honey 1 tsp. fresh ground black pepper 1 2 / tsp. celery salt 1 2 / c. chilled vodka 1 4
Rim each cocktail glass by dipping first into lime juice and then into Old Bay Seasoning. Mix all other ingredients in a pitcher and stir vigorously. Pour individual cocktails over ice in the rimmed glasses. Makes four to six servings.
Find the full list of the city’s best Bloody Marys at NashvilleLifestyles.com/Restaurants.
It’s truly the time of year when work and personal life marry, and the results, if worked correctly, are tremendous. So go ahead and acknowledge your co-workers, business partners and their families. Let it be known we’re all in this together and for all the right reasons. Celebrate this fabulous season. Cheers! OLD FORESTER ALL-NIGHTER 1 tbsp. simple syrup 5 dashes peach bitters 1 apple slice, peeled 1 pinch cinnamon 2 1/2 oz. Old Forester bourbon Ice cubes Splash of sparkling water Muddle syrup, bitters, apple and cinnamon in the bottom of an oldfashioned glass. Add Old Forester, ice cubes and a splash of sparkling water, and stir to combine.
GENTLEMAN JACKED UP 2 parts Gentleman Jack 1 part Lemon Juice 1 part Simple Sy u Shake ingredients, serve in rocks glass over ice and garnish with h an orange slice and a cherry.
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NASHVILLE LIFESTYLES PRESENTS
at Prima Nashville Lifestyles and DAI TRAVEL hosted its exclusive 25 MOST BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE reveal party in celebration of the magazine’s 16th anniversary at PRIMA in The Gulch. Guests enjoyed a variety of delicious hors d’oeuvres, STAGS’ LEAP wine, and excellent company. Jennifer Lee, Natasha Halasa, Dona John Hall, and Alathea Thompson ld Jenkins,
Jared and Martha Followill
Roman Josi and Seth Jones
Chris Carmack and Erin Slaver
Emily Lunstroth, Kimberly Lewis, and Mallory McIlwain
Presented by: Sponsored by:
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John and Karee Hays
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Drew Carney and Mattie Smith
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Dr. Kent and Gretchen White
Christina and Dana Ford Betty Shaw and Ashley Hester
Vanessa Evigan and Miles Adcox
at Prima Honorees included KELLIE PICKLER, JAKE OWEN, CHRIS CARMACK, TOBYMAC, ALAN DYSERT, MARTHA FOLLOWILL, SETH JONES, RUBY AMANFU, JESS RICE, MATTIE SMITH, NAJAHE SHERMAN, KAREE HAYES, DOMINIQUE JORDAN, ALBERTA DOOCHIN, LEE WRIGHT, JENNIFER LEE, JOHN SANDERS, NATE CANNON, DINA SHABAYEK, KIMBERLY LEWIS, DONALD JENKINS, JULIE FRIST, STERLING BARRETT, DIANA HENDRIX, and JESSICA WHITIS. Michelle Hodges, Melanie Stokes, and Arlene Santos
Mary McMinn, Lee Wright, and Holly Osborne
Payton White and Jenni Teaters
Najahe Sherman and Micah Charyn
Dominique Jordan and Coty Sensabaugh
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Dentists RECEPTION
at Trattoria Il Mulino Nashville Lifestyles celebrated the TOP DENTISTS featured in its September issue with a reception at TRATTORIA IL MULINO in downtown Nashville. Guests enjoyed hors dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;oeuvres with wine pairings while mingling with their peers.
Anthony and Ginny Togrye, Suzanne and Chad Curry
Robert and Kaki Pulliam
Wendy Oakes Wilhelm and Matthew DeFelice
Dr. J.A. and Kathy Reynolds, Sheri and Dr. Bob Fesmire
Dr. Shane Williams, Dr. Rhonda Switzer-Nadasdi, and Dr. Spencer Haley
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Jamie and Eva Romero
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Dr. Ellen and John Shemancik
Steve Billings, Lisbeth Bradley, and Mike Williams
Tamara GrifďŹ n and J. Sheats
Daniel and Vaishali Weese
Kevin Barnett and Sean Webster
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at the Hermitage Hotel Nashville Lifestyles’ chic STYLE SETTERS event featured Nashville’s best dressed, fashions for the upcoming season, cocktails, and pop-up shops from RACHEL’S BOUTIQUE and E.ALLEN. Guests enjoyed PRAIRIE ORGANIC cocktails while live models displayed fall trends inside the lobby of the historic HERMITAGE HOTEL. Ashley Wilson, Jeff Carpenter, and Amy Wilson
Brooke Worthington g and Amy May
Brad Ramsey and Jen Ament Sagan
Brooke Hayes, Kayla Ott, and Sheila Sage
Sponsored by:
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Sherrell and Sean Washington
Lori Glover, Elizabeth Pitcher, and Scarlett Buford
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Kristin Dunn and Eric Garcia Sarah Rice and Jayme Rosenberger
Julian Baker III and Harrison Perry James Wilson and Hannah Crowell
William Teague and Sarah Cox
Melanie Baker and Dana Atkins
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Kelli Chidsey, Stephanie Sundock, and Nicole Bird
MAD HATTER GALA The Sexual Assault Center held its 25th annual Mad Hatter Gala at the Hutton Hotel, led by co-chairs Sarah Bartholomew and Meg Moudy. Along with a silent auction, guests enjoyed cocktails and passed appetizers before moving into the ballroom for a beautiful dinner styled by H3 Events. Special musical guest Charles “Chip” Esten performed three songs for the crowd of elegantly dressed Nashvillians. Bo and Sarah Bartholomew, Meg and Matt Moudy
Lisa and John Campbell, and Eileen Hart
Katie Koban and Theresa Sexton
Lance Bell and Carrie Tuttle Bell
Beth Molteni, Sadhna Williams, Judy Scully, and Amy Marsalis
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Jay Joyner, Peter Depp, Sara Garner, and Brian Adams
Pa r k s R e a l E st a t e
Gratitude for Giving BY CHRISTIE WILSON, CEO
I
love November! Football season has gotten so interesting, the holidays are right around the corner, it’s my birthday month, and it is the month focused on giving thanks in so many ways. As we read this issue of Nashville Lifestyles and take in with awe that the Grand Ole Opry is celebrating 90 years, we’re also reading about the philanthropic spirit of this great city. So it’s with immense gratitude I can say I am from, and have almost always lived in, a city whose residents celebrate giving back daily. My gratitude continues to build as I look at my company, Parks Real Estate, and see how much this one company gives to Nashville and Middle Tennessee. Although not celebrating 90 years, Parks is celebrating 40 years of business this year. We are a company steeped in the tradition of giving back both in dollars and volunteer hours. And when The Wilson Group Real Estate Services
merged with Parks earlier this year, a union of like-minded philanthropic professionals became one company. Philanthropy is at the heart of our company. Making our community a better place is just as important to us as being the most trusted real estate company in Middle Tennessee. Our agents give a percentage of their commissions to a cause they believe in, and for many of us, that’s MakeA-Wish. We also have a partnership with Goodwill Industries of Middle Tennessee. Our agents can schedule a truck to come to your house to pick up any home goods you don’t want to take with you when you move. There are so many worthwhile causes that need support. And whether you donate your time, money or used goods, when it’s all said and done, you never know how paying it forward can impact you…or more importantly, someone else. If you are thinking of buying or selling a home, contact your Parks Realtor today.
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