Nashville Favorites and Recommendations

The people were the best thing about Nashville but I compiled a list of some of the places, and things I enjoyed while living there.

FYI- The list is in no logical order, why would I do that?

MUSIC
Sign up for email updates on these sites if you want to know what bands are coming through Nashville.
http://www.mercylounge.com/
http://www.exitin.com/
http://www.ryman.com/

NASHVILLE SPECIFIC MUSIC

Blue Bird Cafe
Go hear once at least. The people who actually write all the songs that perform on CMT go here and play music. They also talk to the crowd and tell them a little about the song or a relationship they have with someone famous or whatever. FYI - Nobody speaks during the show you just sit and listen.
http://www.bluebirdcafe.com/

Schermerhorn Symphony
They may offer student discounts, I saw Wynton Marsalis here, it was AMAZING. Again you may not have the time or cash to check it out but if you can.
One Symphony Place
Nashville, TN 37201
(615) 687-6400
www.nashvillesymphony.org

Station Inn
If you like blue grass at all this place is supposed to be where it's at or if you just feel like something different.
http://www.stationinn.com/

COMEDY

Zanies Comedy club
If you think you might go join their mailing list. They occasionally give away free tickets.
www.zanies.com

Nashvillestandup.com
All standup comedy shows in Nashville. They have an email newsletter where they give away free tickets and let you know about shows.They've plugged me too many times for me not to plug them.

RANDOM THINGS

Las Paletas Gourmet Popsicles
The popsicles are awesome they are chocked full of fruit like kiwi, mango, pineapple and other weird concoctions. FYI - It's cash only.
2907 12th Ave S

Mafiaoza's Pizza
They have two for one pizza and draft beers on Tuesdays, I think. On that day it is overcrowded right after work 6ish. The kitchen is open till like 3am so nice place for some late night food or lunch in the afternoon.
2400 12th Ave S
http://www.mafiaozas.com/

Belcourt Theatre
This place is an off beat theatre that replays classics etc. You can get a draft beer and watch a good movie. They also have midnight showings which can be fun. Of course there are regular theatres all around Nashville too.
2102 Belcourt Ave
Nashville, TN 37212

Nashville Farmers Market
This is in a ghettoish area but there is parking right next to the tents. If you are looking for fresh produce, Bam lettuce all up in your grill.
900 8th Ave N
Nashville, TN 37208
(615) 880-2001

Downtown Nashville Library
Lot’s of weird homeless walking around but they are harmless. There are some cool things to be found inside. PARKING - you can find free parking, I believe on 6th and 7th street also if you park underneath the library they will validate it at the front desk as you walk in for an hour free.
615 Church St
Nashville, TN 37219
(615) 862-5800
www.library.nashville.org

Bobbie's Dairy Dip
It’s like Dairy Queen, if Dairy Queen was in the ghetto and kept it real.
5301 Charlotte Ave
Nashville, TN 37209
(615) 463-8088

Tomato Arts Festival
IN AUGUST
It’s once a year, eclectic, free and in east Nashville. You should walk around and check it out. www.tomatoartfest.com

Arnold's Country Kitchen
Eat here once, it’s southern cooking in it’s glory. This place is only open during the weekdays on week day hours. You will have to take a nap afterwards.
605 8th Ave S
Nashville, TN 37203
(615) 256-4455

COFFEE SHOPS

Fidos
"This funky coffeehouse is the heart and soul of Hillsboro Village. Fido draws a mix of Vandy students, Music Row execs and soccer moms. Coffee is the main attraction, but large sandwiches and all-day breakfasts are also draws. Egg McFido, a bagel piled with scrambled eggs and cheddar, makes a swell "morning after" remedy." Description stolen from http://nashville.citysearch.com/profile/11340653/fido.html
1812 2st Ave S, Nashville, TN
(615) 777 - 3436

Cafe Coco
Open 24 hours, gets some strange people but they are harmless. I do not know why there are cameras all over the place I have never had a problem. They have bands play in the back and there will often be people studying, writing, reading, hanging out in the front.
http://www.cafecoco.com/

Bongo Java
The hours here are decent, it is on Belmonts campus. Some friends of mine and I put on shows on the upper floor.
2007 Belmont Blvd, Nashville, TN

Bars

Flying Saucer
Have a beer here, they have a huge selection and I think Mondays are pint night so cheaper pints. And they usually have a beer that is “Fire Sale” so its cheaper. Beer cheese soup in a bread bowl mmmmmmm.
111 10th Ave S
Nashville, TN 37246
(615) 259-7468
www.beerknurd.com

Gold Rush
It's a bar that me and some friends used to frequent. Good bar food and pretty laid back place.
2205 Elliston Pl
Nashville, TN 37203-5205
www.goldrushnashville.com

Bars In East Nasvhille
These bars are all in a walking distance of each other and are pretty cool.

3 Crow Bar
1024 Woodland St, Nashville, TN
(615) 262 - 3345

Red Door
1010 Forrest Ave, Nashville, TN
(615) 226 - 7660

Beyond the Edge.
112 S 11th St, Nashville, TN
(615) 226 - 3343

(Chad Ridden - Added to my list)
Sam's Sushi @ Printer's Alley & Church. They call him the sushi nazi, but Sam is probably the awesome person I've ever met. He'll fill your belly for $5 if he likes you.

Prince's Hot Chicken Shack. Open till 4 am fri & sat, closed sunday. m-f they are generally slammed as soon as they open their doors. Don't even think about ordering the hottest choice, you're not going to impress anybody and there's no need to be a hero. Mild is pretty damn hot, and Hot is hot enough. Wash your hands a few times before touching your eyes.

Hot Diggity Dog around 6th south somewhere? not far from Arnolds, actually. Chicago style, NY, Boston, Nashville style dogs, Italian beef.. the fries are fantastic and the people are wonderful. Is goodness.

(Kelly C - Added)
My favorite Sushi place by far is Virago. Quite expensive normally (which is why I only go if somoeone else pays!), but Monday's are 1/2 price sushi, which makes it very reasonable.

I would have to chime in that Sam's is one of my favorite Sports Bars to watch a few Colts or Titans games and chill out!... See More

Past Perfect, a bar on 3rd Ave, has 1/2 price Bison Burgers on Tuesday nights. They are fabulous and it's never crowded. 122 3rd Ave S

I refuse to not have a post in Jan. So I'm cheating and giving you a re-post from my facebook about Nashville. I'm also throwing in a Hank Williams Jr. Video for flavor.

Funniest Death Scenes In Movies

Three movies that had death scenes which made me laugh uncontrollably were, in no particular order as follows:


2. Departed. If you haven't seen the movie don't watch this clip. Don't even rent it, go buy the movie. The scene is the ending. Once you've seen the movie you will understand why this death scene is so good.

3. Titanic. The real life titanic sinking is not funny. But the titanic in the movie, cracks me up. When those bodies start falling off the ship. Their heads start hitting the railings and making that ping and clanging noise. I cackled. (I was not able to find a clip on youtube). (I also laughed in the movie when Leonardo DiCaprio showed his paintings of some woman and referred to her as one legged hooker.)

When I watched these movies I saw them with a date. My favorite of their responses to my involuntary laughter was "Your the only person who would laugh at that." Eh, maybe.

Here I am feeling like an idiot.

Because he probably thinks I am trying to con him out of one of his cds. I admire this guy’s work and now I feel like a complete idiot...

Let me back up a moment, this is story is from a about a year and a half ago. So here is what happened. I drove several hours to work a show without pay just so I could work with Tom Rhodes. I would have drove a couple hours just to watch him, much less get to work with him.

He was selling CDs after the show and I didn’t have any cash on me so I asked the owner of the club if I could get cash back from my credit card to buy a CD.

The owner said, "Just ask Tom for a CD and say it is for me." I hesitated, are you sure? "Yes"
Okay then.

So I sheepishly walked over to Tom and said that the club owner wants one of your CDs.

Tom asked which one,
and like a five year old who is about to get ice cream, I said “Ummm, that one.”

He responded, “You want a cd?”
(The Jig was UP!, I felt like a complete idiot. Here is a guy who is on top of his profession and here I am this dopey MC trying to con him out of his CDs.)

My mind flashes to the future, of him telling this story to another comic, "Yeah then this asshole no name emcee tried to con me out of my CD by saying the owner... Ben, was his name, yeah, never trust this weasel or let him share a stage with you. He’s scum."

But instead of making me feel like more of a jerk than I already do, he smiles, says “Sure thing man, you can have one. That’s cool of you to want one.”

He saw right through me and let me walk away with dignity. He’s a class act.

There is a unique looking cat that

shows up around my apartment. It’s orange, black and white with emerald green eyes and it has 3 legs.

It has 4 legs really but only 3 cat paws. It lost a foot at some point so it hops around like it only has three legs.

Every time I see it, I move calmly and slowly. So it doesn't freak out.

The cat always looks freaked out.

So the other day I was grilling steak the cat showed up. I thought, “It's probably hungry, for God sakes, it's only got THREE LEGS. Seriously, What the hell is it going to be able to catch? ...a handicap space.”

So I cut the steak into small pieces and hooked him up.

The cat, was not interested.

My kindness changes quickly when it's not appreciated. As soon as he was disinterested, I was annoyed. “Stupid cat, I don't remember the last time I had steak, much less enough to share with some Fur Ball tripod.

I told my roommate, “I tried to feed the orange cat” and he said,
"Why did you try to feed it?"

At first I thought to myself, “Ben you were being nice." Then it clicked, my roommate was right.

What asshole cooks steak then wastes it on a cat.

Then I realized that sometimes, I think like a 5 year old girl. I might as well have pretended that I was having a tea party and strapped the cat to a chair.
“OK Mr. Kitty, don’t you just love playing tea party? Have some steak”

I also cut up the pieces of steak for a cat. WAY TO GO BEN.

A cat survives the backyards of Chicago neighborhoods without the use of it's 4th leg but it's a good thing you cut up the steak, because it could have choked.

When a cat eats a bird, it eats the whole bird. Then later it regurgitates the bones and feathers. Great Work Ben, you sure saved the day by cutting up a tender piece of cow.

Besides, if that cat killed itself by choking on a piece of steak, It was that cat's time to die.

Sweet Home Chicago

I first came to Chicago, IL as a kid and enjoyed it but when I came here years later to visit my brother I became enthralled with the city. I knew at some point, I would live here too. I interviewed for a job but did not get it so I moved to Nashville instead.

A few years later in the midst of the biggest economic recession of my lifetime, two friends and I decided to quit our jobs and move to Chicago with no employment or income because we are GENIUSES!

*The posts here will unfold out of order. Pieces won't always fit but check back, I think you will enjoy it.