two days in nashville

Friday, 1130p

Landed at BNA after a 4.5 hour delay (which we spent finishing up Arrested Development: Season 4). It was our first time flying Southwest and between the free checked bag, curbside check-in, and $216 round trip... we barely noticed the delay. (the free beers to make up for the wait helped too)

Friday, 12a

Followed the advice of the friendly guy sitting next to us on the plane and stopped in at Tootsie's Orchid Lounge. Very fun and crowded on a Friday night. A really great cover band played all of the classics. And they have Yuengling! 422 Broadway Nashville, TN 37203 (615) 726-0463

source: http://countrymusictattletale.com/2010/06/08/tootsies-orchid-lounge-celebrates-50-years/

Saturday, 1a Still goin' strong.  We have 6 months of time to make up for with  our Nashville hosts! Legend's Corner was rowdy! We kept up for  the most part :) The band was pretty terrible but we still had a great time.  428 Broadway Nashville, TN 37203(615) 248-6334

source: http://www.worldofstock.com/stock-photos/legends-corner-live-music-venue-lower-broadway/WOS19079


Saturday, 2a

Last stop Rippy's! Really awesome band! Great place to end the night. 429 Broadway  Nashville, TN 37203 (615) 244-7477

source: http://www.nashville.com/restaurant/rippys-bar-grill

Saturday, 12p-

Rented bikes from 

http://nashville.bcycle.com

which was cheap, convenient, and right up our alley! Highly recommend it. 

We stopped in at The Frothy Monkey to cool off with some iced coffee and kombucha. Super cute inside with tons of seating. 

2p, Next stop:

An old garage turned into a really interesting little shop. They had some Shinola products which we were super excited about. Shinola had a big week too! Opened up a new shop a block from my house! 


Saturday, 4p

Dropped off the bikes at Centennial Park which was really beautiful. Happened upon the New Belgium   

Saw a very strange, but highly entertaining 

band called Here Come The Mummies....

and also this hippie family on a 3 person bike!

Saturday, 8p

Met up with my aunt and uncle at Arrington Vineyards. 
BYOBBQ on a hill overlooking the vineyards. Can't beat it. 

Saturday, 11p
Back to the apartment in Nipper's Corner (yes, it's a real place)
Caught up on all the girly gossip with my best friend while the boys fell promptly asleep. Drank a raspberry Mike's Hard Lemonade like old times. Apparently, the old times tasted like diabetes. We have matured...slightly. 

Sunday, 10a 

Brunch at Marche Artisan Foods. Perfectly sunny, French-inspired brunch joint. Busy on a Sunday morning. We waited about 20 minutes for a table for four. We got lattes and iced coffee while we waited. The peach and ricotta plate (pictured below) was definitely my favorite part of the  experience. I got the quiche of the day (amazing and 2nd only to Dee's quiches at Brooklyn Street Local). If you're from Detroit....it's kind of like if Avalon and Le Petite Zinc had a little bistro baby. Worth the stop!

source: http://www.gogobot.com/marche-artisan-foods-nashville-restaurant--nearby--attractions

Sunday, 1p

A few weeks ago I read about this exhibit (Sensuous Steel) in Elle and was really excited that we would be in Nashville while it was running! Frist Center $10. 

                                          

This green one was my favorite.

Sunday, 230p

Quick stop at this beautiful old train station turned hotel. 

Sunday, 3p

Walked over to the main branch of the Nashville Public Library to  ummm...look at the lovely architecture (aka: cool down in the air conditioning, use the bathroom, and snag a drink of water). Actually, this was just a pit-stop 

for our original quest to hunt down 

which was camped out near a children's puppet festival. Everything about it was adorable. There were kids doing a maypole! Seriously...a maypole! It was angelic. 

We also indulged in some

Yes. Nashville has a SNO-CONE truck! Perfect on a sweaty day.

Sunday, 5p 

The Patterson House

I'm sure some hipster would tell me that "speak-easy" style places are getting too mainstream but I still really like them :) I mean check out their pretentous website! Get the "Mexican Hat Dance." It's somehow creamy and super tart at the same time. Perfection. Two drinks here and I was perfectly tipsy for the flight back to Detroit.

Sunday, 620p 

Back to BNA!

Sunday, 11p 

ZZZZZZZZZZsleepingsohardZZZZZZZZZZ

Disclaimer: 

This is a lot to cram into ~48 hours. Not for the weak at heart. If you don't know me and my awesome boyfriend already...you should know that we REALLY can't sit still 

except for this one time last summer.

Confetti Compost Cookies

My attempts at the craziest cookies on Pinterest.

1 1/2 sticks (12 tablespoons) of unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 cup loosely packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg + 1 egg yolk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup crushed salt and vinegar potato chips
3/4 cup chocolate chunks
1/2 cup crushed salted pretzels
1/3 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/3 cup chopped heath bar
1/3 cup peanut butter chips
1/3 cup assorted sprinkles
1/2 tablespoon coffee grounds (yes, actual grounds!)

I 1/2'd all the ingredients and it made 19 pretty big cookies. 

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. In a bowl, mix together flour, baking soda and salt, then set aside.

In another bowl, whisk the cooled butter and sugars until they are combined. Add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla and stir until mixed and smooth. Gradually add in dry ingredients and mix with a spoon until a dough forms – it will look crumbly at first, but it will come together. I even used my hands to help at one point. Fold in all of your add-in's here, using a spoon and also your hands to bring it together. I literally smashed the ingredients into the dough.

Roll dough into 1 1/2-inch balls and place on a nonstick baking sheet (I actually used this method of stacking the dough) about 2 inches apart. Bake for 9-12 minutes, or until the middles are just set. Don’t over bake! Let cool almost completely

[recipe idea from the milk cookbook, recipe slightly adapted from giant rainbow cookies].

Use the star-shaped sprinkles.

I also (accidentally) put in at least twice the amount of coffee grounds. So I am changing the name to "Crazy Girl Cookies."

The original recipe says to bake at 325F for 9-12 minutes. 

They didn't really look "done" until like 17 minutes.

They are a little cripsier than I usually like cookies so maybe try 15 minutes. 

They REALLY hold their shape. 

These would be really cute for a birthday party. 

Best made while listening to the Jose Gonzalez Pandora station. 

A picture says 1000 words

Miami

Detroit


glad to be home...