Day 2 & 3: Nashville Site Visit

Nashville Site Visit Day 2

There is always some down time to explore and play during a site visit. It's good to do this so you can get a true feeling of the locale and discover places the locals frequent.

On Saturday we visited the Parthenon in Centennial Park; an exact replica of The Parthenon complete with Athena (one big chick). We explored outside the city and visited Traveler's Rest Plantation. I was expecting a "Gone with the Wind" plantation and my initial reaction was mild disappointed in that it didn't appear much different than a large homestead in New England. The guide reminded us that this was the frontier and initial structures were built with speed and then added onto over the years.

We left the tour a little early to go find some local barbecue, but ended up at an amazing local Mexican cafe not anywhere near a touristy location. And the food was awesome!

Later in the afternoon, we drove to Franklin, a quaint village about 30 minutes from Nashville; home of a number of country music stars (or so they say). We didn't see any, but then again, I wouldn't recognize them if I did bump into them. Franklin had its own Jazz Festival going on in the town square. So after a great dinner we hung out with the locals listening to some great Jazz. Our evening ended with a nightcap in the hotel lounge watching an Alabama vs. Virginia college football game - we rooted for Alabama as was most of the people in the lounge.

Day 3: We had just enough time to have brunch at Monell's located in the Germantown neighborhood of Nashville. Monell's is a must for any traveler. This lovely restaurant is located in an old home. Above the door is a sign that reads, "enter as strangers, leave as friends." Patrons are seated with other patrons until a table is full (about 12 people) and the food is served family style (complete with Southern Hospitality) and keeps coming until everyone has had their fill; buttermilk biscuits with gravy, cinnamon rolls, baked apples, cheese grits, corn pudding, scrambled eggs, pancakes, roasted potatoes, ham, bacon, sausages, and their famous fried chicken. I tried it all, sparingly but still left completely full.