Nashville and Beyond

I used to work in Nashville. A lot. In a previous (vocational) life I was a music writer — for about 12 years altogether — so I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve been to Music City. Still, there’s a lot I haven’t seen or experienced. I recently spent about five days visiting old friends and former colleagues, and even made a jaunt to Auburntown to see some beloved family members. Here’s a little taste of what we found this time around.

The Yellow Porch

This locally owned gem has consistently gotten high marks throughout the social stratosphere (Urban Spoon, Yelp, Trip Advisor, etc.) After one visit I know why: the food is fantastic. 

Without a doubt, my taste buds danced the most vigorously over the Celery Bleu Cheese Soup (I added the pepper.) I wanted to ask for a BIG refill once this cup was gone, but I got a grip and waited for my salad. I do, however, have a deeper understanding of Pavolv’s Dog after visiting The Yellow Porch. Just looking at this photo makes my mouth water.

Just Love 

After lunch we headed toward Auburntown and ended up stopping by this quirky little coffee shop in Murfreesboro. The smell of roasted coffee (probably my favorite aroma in the world) hits you like a glorious wall when you walk in, because the folks behind the counter are constantly roasting beans.

Beautiful sunset in the Tennessee Hills.

Darfons

After spending a couple of days with family we headed back to Nashville for a dinner date with friends. I did a little research to find a good location and we decided on family owned/operated Darfon’s, which is not too far from the Nashville Airport. This dinner spot has a warm, comfortable, not-too-noisy vibe and the food was pretty good. Like The Yellow Porch, Darfons has been reviewed favorably by a host of travelers and foodies.

Arrington Vineyards

The next day some friends took us on a pleasant little drive (about 30 minutes) to Arrington Vineyards, which was founded by Kix Brooks, one half of the country music duo Brooks and Dunn.