Local activities in Nashville
For 124 years, the Ryman Auditorium has undoubtedly been one of the best venues to experience music in Nashville. Originally opened as the Union Gospel Tabernacle, the Ryman began leasing its facilities to non-religious events to pay off debts. Under the leadership of Lula C. Naff, the “first lady” of theater management, the Ryman booked world-renown entertainers, and became home of the Grand Ole Opry from 1943 to 1974.
When I first moved to Nashville, I figured that I’d find an excess of hot chicken and meat n’ threes, but that I’d be forced to give up my dreams of discovering a truly exceptional slice of pizza nearby.
I can’t tell you how wrong I was. Nashville is actually teeming with delicious pizza places, each with their own unique offerings. Depending on your mood, price point, and comfort with creative toppings (I personally favor a classic cheese, but to each his own), you’ll find that they all offer something special.
Reese Witherspoon has been a household name for decades, thanks to starring roles in hits like Legally Blonde and Walk the Line. But in 2014, the actress received additional attention after announcing her clothing line, Draper James. The name pays tribute to her grandparents, Dorothea Draper and William James Witherspoon, whom she thanks for educating her in Southern etiquette and style. Though she was born in New Orleans, Reese enthusiastically identifies Nashville as her true home.
From the Fisk Jubilee Singers to the Grand Ole Opry, Nashville has been a prominent source of creativity and growth in the American music industry since the late 1800s. Although country music was the foundation of that growth, locals will stress that there’s more to see and hear in the city than the Broadway strip, honky-tonks, and Johnny Cash Museum. So if you come to Nashville and want to live like the locals, keep reading.
Most people who visit Nashville make sure to trek down Broadway and visit the Country Music Hall of Fame. But for those who manage to break away from the quintessential country-themed highlights of Music City, Nashville houses some truly exceptional museums and art galleries:
At the turn of the 20th century, Nashville was home to a mere 80,000 people — the city was much smaller than the vibrant and growing 21st-century metropolis. But a lot of beautiful Art Deco architecture from the early 20th century remains downtown, you just have to look up above street level to notice these buildings. This walking tour is about 1.5 miles one-way, and starts at The Frist Center for the Visual Arts at 919 Broadway.
If you’re tired of the “same old, same old” Saturday night routine, consider mixing it up with the First Saturday Art Crawl. This popular and free event in downtown Nashville takes place during the first Saturday of every month and attracts upwards of 1,000 guests. It showcases art of various styles and genres, and the participating galleries often provide free refreshments. This allows you to sample delicious beverages as you explore the art and even converse with the artists directly.
I should probably preface this article with a slight disclaimer: in the next 400 words or so, I plan on bloviating in the best of ways about my favorite restaurant in all of Nashville – Fido. Nashville is a town that has gastro-city aspirations, and is slowly headed in that direction, but sometimes the concerted push causes people to overlook the tried and true staples.
By Sean McHugh Gone are the days in which enjoying comics solidified your status as a “nerd.” With the explosion of comic book lore over the past decade, comic book culture is a general part of the national zeitgeist. Iron Man made Robert Downey Jr. a household name, […]
I’ll be honest — I recognize Johnny Cash’s unique voice. I know ‘Folsom Prison Blues’, ‘Ring of Fire’ and ‘I Walk the Line’ (the latter being an ill-advised karaoke pick of the past). But other than the songs that are absorbed by osmosis by musicians, I frankly knew almost nothing about Johnny Cash’s life and work. So, it was time to pay a visit to the Johnny Cash Museum, nestled just off Nashville’s Broadway.
