Music City Honky-Tonks
I recently had the pleasure of showing my family (and new friends) from Buffalo, NY, a night of Honkey-Tonkin in Music City. It was a week-long girl’s get-a-way and I joined them for a music-filled, Thursday night walking the city streets of Nashville. We first drove down by Second Avenue to see the remnants from the Christmas Day bombing. Grateful that no one died that awful day, still solemn to see the destruction caused by one man’s delusion. We felt the blast in Mt. Juliet, just under twenty miles east from the blast zone. I woke up and thought Amazon was working on Christmas and blasting on their new site not far from us. Sorry, Amazon. I was mistaken.
Downtown Nashville
From the back alleys to Broadway, we enjoyed the many venues of country music and multi-genre artists. I regaled them with good ‘ole local rumor mill stuff, and they recounted tales from the haunted tour. They visited Graceland and paid homage to the King; they participated in the Food tour and loves Nashville’s hot chicken – far different from Buffalo Chicken and they should know (cheeky grin).
Our favorite of the evening was Blake Shelton’s Ole Red; we started there, checked out Tootsies Orchid Lounge and a few more, and returned to Ole Red’s to hear Cooper Alan, our favorite entertainer that evening! I had a great time and enjoyed getting to know my cousins and their friends. It’s always nice to find the little idiosyncrasies that connect you to others, from goofy to sincere. I hope it’s sooner rather than later when they once again come to our fine city to enjoy all it has to offer while continuing to build our newfound friendship.
Notes from a Local
Nashville is a popular destination for tourism and a top spot for bachelorette parties. As the mask mandate has been lifted and tourism is rebounding, our workforce can regain its foothold in survival. It’s been a tough year. In March of 2020, we were hit with tornados, then the bars and everything local that is Nashville shut down for twelve to fourteen months. Then we had the bombing just when our economy couldn’t take any more hits.
So, please remember when you’re out and enjoying the entertainment, they’ve been out of work. Tip generously. All the musicians work off of tips, they don’t receive a salary from the venues, so when you love them, show them by Venmo or tip jar. As always, remember the waitstaff and bartenders as well. Help us recover.
Parking tricks: On the weekends, local government office buildings don’t charge to park. Street parking and other areas offering reasonable rates can be found here.
We have Speakeasy’s in the area, dress to impress, and do your research! See speakeasy for more info (one below the Noelle).
We love that Nashville is so popular and invite you to visit our beautiful city and surrounding areas. Remember to tip well, be kind and ensure your safety. We want you to come back time and time again!
As always, thanks for stopping by and I’ll see you in the bookstores!
~Kolin
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