I took an unexpected holiday hiatus from writing. It was not intentional. Believe me. For the first time I spent Christmas in Nashville. My family scattered for the holiday. My brother came to visit me. And though there was plenty of tequila tasted, I just could not grab a moment to do anything other than jot down a few notes and move onto the next adventure with my visiting brother. Don't get me wrong - we had a blast! Infact, I think I miraculously muscled through the signs of the impending winter bug; the one that slammed me like a Mac Truck the minute my brother took off in flight back to New England. Then I was down for the count. Another week of off the radar...
But now I am back. What I was reminded of this holiday season:
Eat tacos. Drink tequila. Spread cheer and peace. All of these elements should be a part of your weekly (if not daily) mantra. For they are all healthy ways to warm the spirit.
Today - IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER - I briefly share my Top 7 Holiday Experiences of current Nashville Tastes, Tunes and Tequila.
1. Taco Mamacita did it again! My brother's first culinary experience in Nashville... A shout out to Maggie, Hannah and Mallory at the bar! What awesome young women! Again the exceptional Chicken Tortilla Soup. This time it was accompanied by a local beer for my brother, The Black Abbey Pale Ale. ("If you are from out of town and you try a local beer you should...") We both enjoyed sipping a Hussong's Reposado. This was a new taste for me. Not your typical reposado. As interesting as its ceramic jug packaging; it is uniquely light and floral. It lingers then dissipates on the front of the tongue, with a hint of honeysuckle. Worth a try. Will be especially appealing to the tequila skeptic.
2. Bakersfield (Look for an upcoming review and interview of this rockin' establishment but for now) One word: AMBER. Amber makes the bar experience an adventure! We enjoyed the incredible taste of our succulent tacos - (you could truly play the "blind point map game" and not go astray with this menu.) - Manager John McCutchen kindly brought us a Tequila Riazul to complete the culinary encounter. It was warm and brandy-like to the tongue - with notes of citrus and a lingering finish.
3. The Southern hangin' for breakfast booth. A much needed comfort on a tough day after. Catch my drift? A much needed Southern sustinence venture. My pick? The Saffire Steak; Grilled Beef Tenderloin on Bleu Cheese Biscuits - always a hit! A welcomed surprise...the BBQ Shrimp. Heads on, savory with a hint of spice and a Orleans Parish flair. This fish girl is sure to order these again.
4. Musical Musts: This was a toss-up for me. We attended two fantastic shows! The Basement East! Todd Snider as his alter ego Elmo and the East Side Bulldogs. (For a good read, check out Jonathan Bernstein's Rolling Stone Article on Sinder, August 1, 2016) This holiday Pep Rally had the audience entranced, laughing and singing along - and my brother jamming on the dance floor - What a show! The staff at BE is stellar. Always a good night out. AND The 5 Spot! For a bluegrass anomoly. Billy Strings with our buddy Brad Tucker on stand-up bass. Brad was the driving percussion - as this band has no drummer - they never missed a beat. The guitar licks and Billy's old-school vocals had us awestruck. As my friend Judd Fuller pointed out: "That's the kind of guy that makes me want to quit." (Judd, as I said that night, DON'T. You are an amazing gift to the music scene as well!)
5. Cheers to Lockeland Table! "Where everybody knows your name." Small. Smart. Stellar. Exquisite plates for every palate. The vibe at Lockeland is enhanced by the addition of the Delicious Dana Radford, who's welcoming energy and venue expertise makes every patron feel like a rock star. From small plates to entrees - wine to craft cocktails - Lockeland has locked it in.
6. Two Old Hippies is simply the coolest. The staff. The guitar room. The bus. The experience. Year round. Their brand of holiday shop reminds me of being back on the Vineyard, where every one knows every one. A sixth degree of separation shop. And every one shows up for the last minute Christmas Eve shop. (A tradition in my family.) My brother and I both felt right at home. As I perused the ecclectic boutique for stocking stuffers, he was engaged in a full-on tour of the guitar room. A ring-out to all our 2OH friends - thank you for bringing the spirit to our shop!
7. East Nashville Christmas! This one, I am sorry to say, you may not be able to replicate, unless you know Judd Fuller and Dana Radford. My brother's fresh Martha's Vineyard Oysters, a bottle of spicey Schramsburg Bubbly and the gift of exceptional friends. We put together a friendsmas that will go down in infamy. To try and replicate this one, you'll have to contact my brother, Donald Poole, on Martha's Vineyard and ask him to come back to Nashville. For now, the oysters are on ice.
Look for a Bonus Blog (tonight) Top 7 Tequilas of the holiday experience.
But now I am back. What I was reminded of this holiday season:
Eat tacos. Drink tequila. Spread cheer and peace. All of these elements should be a part of your weekly (if not daily) mantra. For they are all healthy ways to warm the spirit.
Today - IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER - I briefly share my Top 7 Holiday Experiences of current Nashville Tastes, Tunes and Tequila.
1. Taco Mamacita did it again! My brother's first culinary experience in Nashville... A shout out to Maggie, Hannah and Mallory at the bar! What awesome young women! Again the exceptional Chicken Tortilla Soup. This time it was accompanied by a local beer for my brother, The Black Abbey Pale Ale. ("If you are from out of town and you try a local beer you should...") We both enjoyed sipping a Hussong's Reposado. This was a new taste for me. Not your typical reposado. As interesting as its ceramic jug packaging; it is uniquely light and floral. It lingers then dissipates on the front of the tongue, with a hint of honeysuckle. Worth a try. Will be especially appealing to the tequila skeptic.
2. Bakersfield (Look for an upcoming review and interview of this rockin' establishment but for now) One word: AMBER. Amber makes the bar experience an adventure! We enjoyed the incredible taste of our succulent tacos - (you could truly play the "blind point map game" and not go astray with this menu.) - Manager John McCutchen kindly brought us a Tequila Riazul to complete the culinary encounter. It was warm and brandy-like to the tongue - with notes of citrus and a lingering finish.
3. The Southern hangin' for breakfast booth. A much needed comfort on a tough day after. Catch my drift? A much needed Southern sustinence venture. My pick? The Saffire Steak; Grilled Beef Tenderloin on Bleu Cheese Biscuits - always a hit! A welcomed surprise...the BBQ Shrimp. Heads on, savory with a hint of spice and a Orleans Parish flair. This fish girl is sure to order these again.
4. Musical Musts: This was a toss-up for me. We attended two fantastic shows! The Basement East! Todd Snider as his alter ego Elmo and the East Side Bulldogs. (For a good read, check out Jonathan Bernstein's Rolling Stone Article on Sinder, August 1, 2016) This holiday Pep Rally had the audience entranced, laughing and singing along - and my brother jamming on the dance floor - What a show! The staff at BE is stellar. Always a good night out. AND The 5 Spot! For a bluegrass anomoly. Billy Strings with our buddy Brad Tucker on stand-up bass. Brad was the driving percussion - as this band has no drummer - they never missed a beat. The guitar licks and Billy's old-school vocals had us awestruck. As my friend Judd Fuller pointed out: "That's the kind of guy that makes me want to quit." (Judd, as I said that night, DON'T. You are an amazing gift to the music scene as well!)
5. Cheers to Lockeland Table! "Where everybody knows your name." Small. Smart. Stellar. Exquisite plates for every palate. The vibe at Lockeland is enhanced by the addition of the Delicious Dana Radford, who's welcoming energy and venue expertise makes every patron feel like a rock star. From small plates to entrees - wine to craft cocktails - Lockeland has locked it in.
6. Two Old Hippies is simply the coolest. The staff. The guitar room. The bus. The experience. Year round. Their brand of holiday shop reminds me of being back on the Vineyard, where every one knows every one. A sixth degree of separation shop. And every one shows up for the last minute Christmas Eve shop. (A tradition in my family.) My brother and I both felt right at home. As I perused the ecclectic boutique for stocking stuffers, he was engaged in a full-on tour of the guitar room. A ring-out to all our 2OH friends - thank you for bringing the spirit to our shop!
7. East Nashville Christmas! This one, I am sorry to say, you may not be able to replicate, unless you know Judd Fuller and Dana Radford. My brother's fresh Martha's Vineyard Oysters, a bottle of spicey Schramsburg Bubbly and the gift of exceptional friends. We put together a friendsmas that will go down in infamy. To try and replicate this one, you'll have to contact my brother, Donald Poole, on Martha's Vineyard and ask him to come back to Nashville. For now, the oysters are on ice.
Look for a Bonus Blog (tonight) Top 7 Tequilas of the holiday experience.
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