Nashville: Food, Pipeline, & Thrifting

 Dress: Sunflower Print Mixed Media Dress by eShakti (size 30) via Gwynnie Bee Try Then Buy

Cardigan: MAK (size 4x) via Modcloth

Teggings: Re/Dress

Sandals: Born

All Jewelry: Wendy Baker

Photography: Super Boo & Me

Stats: 5'7" 55-50-64

This sunflower dress just makes me SO happy...I love sunflowers & yellow is the color of happiness! I bought this last summer after it was sent to me & I couldn't quite send it back. I nearly didn't wear it this year, but then Nashville happened & it turns out the end of October is still sandal season there. 

I picked the same teggings & sandals as the first time I wore this dress, but all the jewelry is different. 

How fabulous is this street art?! Nashville has so many murals that I would never have to use the same one as a backdrop twice! I could probably do something like this, right??? Our backyard wall needs some splashes of color & pattern. 

On our second day in Nashville we had breakfast/lunch at Puckett's. My mom & I had dinner here when we were in Nashville & I thought it was pretty tasty. We shared some fried green tomatoes that came with a cheese dipping sauce & I had the fried chicken with a side of mac & cheese. Yum. 

After lunch...we headed to the Nashville Rep to see Pipeline. It may seem like a weird thing to check out local theatre on vacation, but it's my thing now. This play was SO GOOD. And the set design was amazingly creative. 

After the play, something more traditionally touristy...we waited in line to take my picture with the What Lifts You Wings...

Then went across the street to take outfit photos in front of a much less famous wall. And, back to the less popular tourist destination of thrift stores. David scored big time at Music City Thrift (I nabbed this photo online because I forgot to take any)...he must have gotten ~60 button up shirts. I got two tops & some yoga pants for sleeping in...& nothing at all at ThriftSmart. But I must say...both stores had the biggest plus size section I'd ever seen.

After thrifting...dinner at Uncle Bud's Catfish Chicken & Such. We barely made it before they closed & they were so kind to us. It's an all you can eat place...I got catfish & David tried their chicken...the multiple sides were also bottomless, but the only one we took advantage of was the hush puppies...look at the size of those babies. I'm not sure why this is mostly just a southern thing...they are addictive. Relaxing back at our cute airbnb.  

World Famous Skull's Rainbow Room

 Dress: Lily Patch Maxi Dress by City Chic (size XXL/24)

Teggings: Re/Dress

Sandals: Born

Necklace & Earring: Wendy Baker

Bracelet: Sobral via eBay 

Photography: Super Boo & Me

Stats: 5'7" 55-50-64

I adore this kimono style dress from City Chic...I have it in 5 different patterns. This dress calls for a bodysuit underneath...why don't I own any bodysuits?! I wore the under slip that came with it & matching black teggings so it wouldn't be obvious when the slip bunched up around my waist. I last wore this dress in fall of 2017. 

I wore this dress on our first day in Nashville, then on our last day in Nashville, & to drive home...I was the fanciest road tripper on the road. We didn't have time in the daylight to get photos the first day...so that is why I wore it again. I had to take advantage of as much street art as I could. 

I didn't wear any of the same accessories as I did the last time. Isn't this dramatic diva necklace divine?!

We stopped for lunch on our way to Nashville...at a place in the middle of nowhere...in a strip mall next to an auto repair shop...that I discovered via Google reviews, Courtney's Diner. It was delicious. We started out with fried green tomatoes, served with jalapeño ranch...amazingly delicious. Then I had a loaded hot dog...chili, cheese, cole slaw, & onions...I'd never heard of putting slaw on dogs...but I liked it. 

After we checked into our cute Airbnb & got Rye settled in...we perused The Nashville Flea Market...which is held every 4th weekend of the month...we lucked out. It was not nearly as nice as the all antique Elkhorn Flea...there were all kinds of vendors at this one (food, crafts, knockoff designer sunglasses)...but there were gems to be found. I snapped a photo of this lamp that caught my eye...but I thought...it's not really us...now I'm obsessed with it & can't stop thinking of how fabulous it would have looked in our dining room. We came home with the grape sconces David is holding, a bit of antique silverware (including the pictured cake server for Angie because that is her pattern), & some vintage jewelry for me. 

The jewelry I got all came from one nice ladies booth... Ellen was sweet & when David showed me the bracelet below...she let us know she made it, so we should be kind. She was delighted when we both loved it. I'm going to gold it up a bit on the white & silver spots...but I think it's fabulous! 

The rest of the jewelry...I'm trying to stick to colors I don't already have a lot of...

World Famous Skull's Rainbow Room...they only take reservations two weeks out & even though I had it on my calendar...I forgot until about 5pm...so the best I could do was 8:30. I was worried they wouldn't let us linger until the burlesque show started at 11...& a long night for us. None of it was a problem.

None of the entrees looked exciting...but many of the starters did...so we ordered appetizers two at a time, along with craft cocktails to accompany them...it took us over two hours to finish our delightful meal. 

We began with carpaccio with arugula & tuna tartare...followed by crawfish risotto & veal sweet breads. If you blow up the photo below, you will see my drink, The Skull No. 3, had a skull in it...

We finished the evening with duck empanada & foie gras. Every single dish was delicious & the cocktails were expertly crafted with unexpected touches such as mustard, porcini mushroom, bell pepper, & herbs. 

After dessert...the burlesque began. After much digging online, I discovered the group that performs at Skull's is Alley Cat Cabaret. I sent a message to them asking the performer's names on this night so I could credit them, but I got no response. They do burlesque shows each week... Thursday, Friday, & Saturday...& according to the hostess, each show is completely different. 

Skull's has a fantastic stage that has a catwalk past the dining area...many famous people have performed on this stage...including Johnny Cash, Elvis, Bob Dylan, Patsy Cline, & Etta James. 

The live band was a wonderful touch to this fantastic show.

All the outfits are created & sewn by, I believe, the performer below. In Tennessee you are not allowed to show under boob or the triangle just above your butt crack...so they have to get creative.

This woman has the most shapely legs...

My favorite performance of the evening...

Performed to the band's rendition of Devotchka's Such a Lovely Thing...

A short video I took...I wish I would have filmed the entire piece...

Good night Skull's & Printer's Alley. Two days later, on Monday...we ate breakfast at Biscuit Love before taking outfit photos & leaving town. 

Despite making all the best of Nashville breakfast lists, the food was most certainly not worth the long wait in line to get in...the coffee was the most acidic I'd ever had...undrinkable. However, those bonuts *swoon*...yep, worth the wait. Bonuts are fried biscuit dough, tossed in sugar, topped with lemon mascarpone, served over blueberry compote. Wow. 

After breakfast...we headed to The Parthenon to take photos, which turned out to be more difficult than we'd imagined. Taken next to the pillars, you can't tell they are pillars...taken far away...people, construction, & not much beauty. I've looked online to see how other people do it & there are some great shots, but none as up close as I want for outfit photos. So, just across the street...there was some lovely street art that we used instead. About an hour-ish outside of Nashville, I found this fantastic family owned coffee house where we had some of the best coffee we'd ever had. 

Me & The Parthenon...

My 1st Trip to Nashville & The Mountains of Tennessee

This post is about my week in Tennessee visiting my parents, where I wear clothes...but it's not really about the clothes. Or fashion. My parents bought a home in Tennessee, by accident, a few years ago. They finally sold their house in Upper Michigan & are retired in Tennessee full time. I've never been to Tennessee...so this was my first trip. My mom met me in Nashville & we stayed there a few nights before going up into the mountains. 

My view flying in to Nashville...are those houseboats? We saw a lot of those in Seattle...but it's still not something I'm used to. The first thing I noticed about Nashville...there is live music everywhere...of all kinds...not just country. Our hotel was in a beautiful old bank building downtown...look at those gorgeous metal doors...

Since we hadn't made reservations for dinner...everything I wanted to go to was booked...so we ended up walking to Wildhorse Saloon. The food & drinks were terrible. I was so excited to eat BBQ...but my mixed BBQ plate with sides of mac & cheese and cheese & grits...all tasted the same...bland. The only fun part of the place was free line dancing lessons between the band's set. I didn't take part...but enjoyed watching. 

Cute doggie in a guitar case...on Broadway on our way to Robert's Western World. This place was awesome! I am not a new country music fan at all...but love traditional country & honky tonk (I wish I knew more about these genres). The band that was playing, Eileen Rose & The Silver Threads, had a standup bass...so I knew they'd be fantastic. She sang mostly classic country songs...Patsy Cline, Loretta Lynn, Tammy Wynette...you know...singers I've actually heard of. Look at that adorable older couple dancing...

Next stop...Tootsies...we showed up between bands & it was jam packed with people. After waiting nearly an hour, the band started playing & they weren't very good...so we worked our way to the door. You know how you can usually gently push your way through a crowd? That wasn't happening here because there was no room to spare...one smart lady said to me...I'm going to hug you & we'll turn around together & switch places...magically, this moved us along. So Tootsies didn't make a great impression on me, but it's all about the band...so I'm sure it's a fabulous place...just not in our brief time there. 

The following day we walked out the side door of our hotel into Printer's Alley to have lunch at Skull's Rainbow Room. I had wanted to have dinner there the evening before because they have nightly burlesque shows with a live band...which is totally my thing. I was sad that we were not able to attend a show...so that is first on my list for my next visit. 

If you click on the photo below to make it bigger...you can see the original checkerboard stage...with a wooden catwalk for the performers to wander on. Elvis & Johnny Cash performed on that stage! While renovating several years ago, they found the original food menu behind the stage, patching a hole in the wall...it was restored & hangs on the wall. The original owner, Skull, was murdered here in 1998 during a robbery...this place has a fascinating history. The lobster bisque here is amazing. I also had a french dip sandwich which was quite tasty. 

Next up, Discover Nashville bus tour...we considered taking a trolley tour that went all over the city & you could hop on & off throughout the day...but this tour included admission to the Ryman Auditorium & the Country Music Hall of Fame & Museum. Our driver was fun & she drove us by all the major sights & briefly filled us in. The Ryman was a spectacular bit of yesteryear...the short holographic film of its history was great. Look at that adorable hat...I want one! The Ryman was home to The Grand Ole Opry for 31 years & is host to all kinds of entertainment events now. I'd love to see a band here. I bought a Ryman Auditorium "The Soul of Nashville" Hatch Show print & a few magnets in the gift shop. 

The Parthenon...it houses a museum inside...but we just stopped here briefly...I would use this as a backdrop for my photos all the time if I lived here.

Musica statue, taken from the bus in the Music Row area. 

I will admit...I was not particularly excited about the Country Music Hall of Fame & Museum...but it was fantastic. There was a special exhibit entitled Dylan, Cash, & the Nashville Cats...which highlighted both their careers, Dylan's recording in Nashville, Cash's TV show, & their friendship...which I had no idea existed.

That's Elvis' 1960 Cadillac above...it has a record player & a gold-plated TV in the back seat. 

To be continued...there are SO many photos to go through...I'm working on it.