By the time I remembered to try to reserve a table for this Saturday night’s shows (both the 6:30 and 9:30 p.m. shows) at the Bluebird Cafe in Nashville (10:40 a.m. on the preceding Monday) the show was already sold out (reservations were accepted as of 8 a.m.). Wow – that was fast. Maybe we’ll try for Sunday or Monday – which don’t have advance tix sales from what I can tell. But other places sound like they have great music – and music that’s probably more my cup of tea (alt-country vs. country) including the 5 Spot in East Nashville. (Other options: Family Wash (alt-country), Layla’s Blue Grass Inn or Wildhorse Saloon – for line dancing and lessons at 9:30 p.m.
I’m starting to develop a game plan for our visit: we arrive Saturday – and since that’s the one day my husband is conference-free, I figure we’ll do some of the famous country music sights, try to catch some live music Saturday night in East Nashville and eat at Prince’s Hot Chicken Shack (since that’s the only day it’s open that works for my husband’s schedule.) Not sure about dinner. There’s a few places with potential in East Nashville, including a vegetarian restaurant Wild Cow and Marche Artisan Foods. I had hoped to eat at a bunch of down home rib and/or fried chicken southern cooking spots but some are only open for lunch or are closed on Sunday/Monday. And one can only eat fried chicken so many times during one day (or one weekend). Sunday seems like the day to explore the shops and galleries in East Nashville, since they’re closed on Monday. (And I’m hoping to go to the gospel country music service at the Cowboy Church Sunday morning.) Then maybe dinner at the The Loveless Cafe (more fried chicken) or Monell’s (ditto)
Monday seems like the day to go on a tour of Belle Meade Plantation and it’s the only day I can have lunch at Arnold’s Country Kitchen (which is only open on weekdays for lunch). There are live music options Sunday and Monday nights at the 5 Spot (especially it’s Monday night “Movin’ Dance Party”) and the Bluebird Cafe….
This is the blurb to go with the photo above:
GQ Calls The 5 Spot’s Keep on Movin’ Dance Party ‘the Most Stylish Party in America’
Posted by D. Patrick Rodgers on Mon, Mar 19, 2012 at 5:50 PM
Don’t adjust your monitors: The 5 Spot’s little old Monday night Keep on Movin’ Dance Party — a weekly soiree I once referred to as Nashville’s “Best Hipster Meat Market” — can be found gracing the pages of the April 2012 issue of GQ. A featured called “The GQ 100″ (billed on the cover as “your ultimate source for the best clothes, shops, trends and smart tips on how to pull it all together”) doesn’t appear to be online anywhere, but in the picture you see above, you’ll find that The 5 Spot’s parties landed at No. 92 on the list:
After several recent trips in major foodie towns (New Orleans, New York, Chicago, Lima, Cusco, Arequipa) where I’ve eaten my share of gourmet meals at upscale, creative restaurants, I’m thinking I’ll stick more with the more down home simple stuff in Nashville. Not that the city doesn’t have its share of upscale creative restaurants but it also seems to have some great bbq and fried chicken joints – and to be honest this simple stuff is often my favorite when we eat out here and there. Even in Peru and New Orleans, I often was just as happy – if not happier – with a cup of gumbo or some chiccarones (fried bits of pork) than I was with the more complicated fancier fare. So here are some of my preliminary picks for Nashville: – Prince’s Hot Chicken Shack – where I’m told the medium spicy fried chicken may be too hot to handle (so maybe I’ll play it safe with the mild.) And the chess pie sounds like a must.
