Sigh... the is the last post from Nashville. It's been a long busy week and I am definitely tuckered out. My knees held up well this week with all the walking and I'm just now starting to ache. Here's how today went.
We woke up and got ready like usual... Lunch was at Jack's BBQ... we couldn't leave here without having some of that. It was so good... I had a beef brisket sandwich and decided to top it with a combination of 2 of the 5 BBQ sauces that they offered. At first we were surprised that there wasn't more of a line but by the time we were done, the line was out the door! After that we walked down to the riverfront stage to sit on the grass and listen to some music. I didn't know anyone that was playing but outdoor shows like that are never bad... the only thing that was less than ideal was the extreme heat. It was by far the hottest, most humid day yet. Eventually we had to return to the hotel too cool down and shower.
We had dinner at a local place called The Merchant that used to be an old hotel. It was really cool. The food was fabulous and we had plenty of time to enjoy it before walking across the pedestrian bridge for our last night of concerts. Tonight's lineup was Chuck Wicks, John Stephan, James Otto, Bucky Covington, Randy Travis, Sara Evans, Billy Ray Cyrus and Dwight Yoakam. We had every intention of staying for the whole show but Billy Ray Cyrus was just so awful... and not even that funny kind of bad where it's still slightly enjoyable... just straight plain bad. I didn't understand it... everyone was cheering and clapping like he was the sexiest superstar on the planet... I was so confused. And when he broke out with "I want my mullet back" Roberta and I just looked at each other, got up and left! Neither of us are Dwight Yoakam fans so we weren't sorry to miss that either.
All in all this week has been an incredible experience. I can see why everyone who comes here loves it. The city is beautiful, the music is great, the food is fabulous... who wouldn't love it! I can't wait for next year. Pictures will be about a week away as we have half the pictures on each of our cameras and it will take some time to consolidate. I'll let you know when they are available.
Thanks for sharing the journey with me!
See you soon,
Cara
Sunday, June 8, 2008
Saturday, June 7, 2008
Nashville - June 7, 2008
Well, it was another great day here in Nashville. It's hotter than yesterday... and more humid... but still a great day. As predicted, we blew off the Chris Young thing in favor of sleep!! Interesting note... I haven't needed an Ambien once since I've been here. There's our cure for insomnia. Walk and walk and walk and walk... and the heat doesn't hurt either.
Once we woke up and got ready, we made our way out to Hillsboro Village to a local breakfast place called the Pancake Pantry. Apparently it's pretty famous. And it was totally worth the hype! The omelettes and pancakes and hashbrowns were amazing! The street it was on was lined with little shops and so we were able to walk some of it off. We walked into one place that was still all excited 'cause Keith Urban was in there yesterday.
We finally worked our way back downtown and bought our tickets for next year! It'll be June 11-14th. We were able to get our same seats but two rows up. Already so excited!!
Dinner tonight was at The Palm. It was very nice... we chose lighter fare 'cause we were still recovering from the grease-fest that was breakfast. Chicken Marsala and Cedar Plank Halibut. So good. Then it was Concert Night #3. Tonight's lineup was Jason Michael Carrol, Craig Morgan, Little Big Town, Jamie Johnson, Rodney Atkins, Darrel Worley, Trace Adkins, Alan Jackson and the show was closed out by Kenny Rogers.
I'd like to end tonight's post with a quick note to our friend JD... Welcome home!! We're so glad you're back safe and sound!! You've been missed...
I'll be back with the last post from Nashville tomorrow...
Have a good night!
Once we woke up and got ready, we made our way out to Hillsboro Village to a local breakfast place called the Pancake Pantry. Apparently it's pretty famous. And it was totally worth the hype! The omelettes and pancakes and hashbrowns were amazing! The street it was on was lined with little shops and so we were able to walk some of it off. We walked into one place that was still all excited 'cause Keith Urban was in there yesterday.
We finally worked our way back downtown and bought our tickets for next year! It'll be June 11-14th. We were able to get our same seats but two rows up. Already so excited!!
Dinner tonight was at The Palm. It was very nice... we chose lighter fare 'cause we were still recovering from the grease-fest that was breakfast. Chicken Marsala and Cedar Plank Halibut. So good. Then it was Concert Night #3. Tonight's lineup was Jason Michael Carrol, Craig Morgan, Little Big Town, Jamie Johnson, Rodney Atkins, Darrel Worley, Trace Adkins, Alan Jackson and the show was closed out by Kenny Rogers.
I'd like to end tonight's post with a quick note to our friend JD... Welcome home!! We're so glad you're back safe and sound!! You've been missed...
I'll be back with the last post from Nashville tomorrow...
Have a good night!
Friday, June 6, 2008
Nashville - June 6, 2008
Man... am I pooped! These are long, busy days we have going here...
Today started with breakfast at Panera and then we were off to the Keith Anderson Fan Club party. We arrived an hour and half before the doors opened and the "some fans are crazy people" theory was more than confirmed. Don't think we arrived there that early on purpose... we just thought that since it was supposed to start at 12:30, they would let us in early. As for these people, they speak about the artists as if they're close personal friends... if it wasn't celebrity, it would be stalking!
The party itself was in a small bar just on the outskirts of downtown where he used to play before he made it big (apparently). They served lunch... pulled pork sandwiches with baked beans and potato salad. The band played a little and then Keith (see... we're on first name basis also) took questions. XM radio was there recording it for a show that's going to air in July sometime.
Once the party was done we walked back towards the hotel and stumbled across the Country Music Hall of Fame. We had some time to kill before we had to get ready for dinner so figured now was as good a time as any to check it out. I really enjoyed it. I bought the audio thing where you typed in the number by the exhibit and it talked about it. I love that stuff. There were Elvis's blue suede shoes, his gold car and piano. There was a special exhibit about Hank Williams and his family... Hank Jr's Football Jacket was there too! We took lots of pictures of lots of stuff so you'll see that when we post it.
We've made a decision about dinner. We are no longer going to try to "find somewhere to eat". Instead we picked three restaurants that are a little pricier and made reservations. Tonight we ate at Morton's. They were having a special for $99 for two people and more food than we could have eaten. Once we finished there we walked to the Stadium for tonight's concert. The lineup was: Ashton Shepard, Jack Ingrahm, Lady Antebellum, Miranda Lambert, Carrie Underwood, Josh Turner, Julianne Hough (yes, the one from Dancing With the Stars), Jake Owen, Faith Hill... And the surprise, unannounced performer to finish the show.... Keith Urban!!! It was amazing. The show just kept going and going!
So here we are, finally back at the hotel and getting ready to go to sleep. We were supposed to go to a Chris Young thing in the morning but it's almost 2 am and like I said at the beginning of this post... we're pooped!!
Hope you all had a good Friday.
Cara
Today started with breakfast at Panera and then we were off to the Keith Anderson Fan Club party. We arrived an hour and half before the doors opened and the "some fans are crazy people" theory was more than confirmed. Don't think we arrived there that early on purpose... we just thought that since it was supposed to start at 12:30, they would let us in early. As for these people, they speak about the artists as if they're close personal friends... if it wasn't celebrity, it would be stalking!
The party itself was in a small bar just on the outskirts of downtown where he used to play before he made it big (apparently). They served lunch... pulled pork sandwiches with baked beans and potato salad. The band played a little and then Keith (see... we're on first name basis also) took questions. XM radio was there recording it for a show that's going to air in July sometime.
Once the party was done we walked back towards the hotel and stumbled across the Country Music Hall of Fame. We had some time to kill before we had to get ready for dinner so figured now was as good a time as any to check it out. I really enjoyed it. I bought the audio thing where you typed in the number by the exhibit and it talked about it. I love that stuff. There were Elvis's blue suede shoes, his gold car and piano. There was a special exhibit about Hank Williams and his family... Hank Jr's Football Jacket was there too! We took lots of pictures of lots of stuff so you'll see that when we post it.
We've made a decision about dinner. We are no longer going to try to "find somewhere to eat". Instead we picked three restaurants that are a little pricier and made reservations. Tonight we ate at Morton's. They were having a special for $99 for two people and more food than we could have eaten. Once we finished there we walked to the Stadium for tonight's concert. The lineup was: Ashton Shepard, Jack Ingrahm, Lady Antebellum, Miranda Lambert, Carrie Underwood, Josh Turner, Julianne Hough (yes, the one from Dancing With the Stars), Jake Owen, Faith Hill... And the surprise, unannounced performer to finish the show.... Keith Urban!!! It was amazing. The show just kept going and going!
So here we are, finally back at the hotel and getting ready to go to sleep. We were supposed to go to a Chris Young thing in the morning but it's almost 2 am and like I said at the beginning of this post... we're pooped!!
Hope you all had a good Friday.
Cara
Thursday, June 5, 2008
Nashville - June 5, 2008
Hello… I wish I could say that we woke up this morning and bounced out the door early and eager to start the day but those of you who know me well, know that’s no way I start morning on vacation willingly! We took our time getting ready this morning … as I said, we had no set plans for the day. Originally we were going to try to make it to the country music hall of fame but we didn’t manage to get there by the end of it. We walked down to 2nd street and perused the shops and looked for restaurants. I bought a new pair of reddish-brown boots and a t-shirt with sparkles on it!
Then we headed down to the riverfront. The whole area was set up in street-fair fashion with booths of things for sale and food items. Really busy… and then there’s a stage set up right there on the water! We sat ourselves down on the little hillside in front of the stage just as Mindy McCready was finishing up a set. Phil Stacy, David Nail and Aaron Tippin rounded off the lineup that session. It was very reminiscent of sitting at the Blues stage during the jazz festival… only there was a river behind the stage instead of apartment buildings. We listened to the music, walked around looking at hats and jewelry, and pretty much just took it all in.
Next stop was the convention center to check out the booths that were set up. There were a few people who were around signing autographs and meeting people but the lines were crazy. People are ridiculous when it comes to these things! They were yelling and hollering and rushing all over the place… it would have been hilarious to watch if it weren’t for all the pushing everyone else out of the way. It didn’t take long for us to realize that wasn’t really our scene and so headed back to the hotel to shower and change before dinner.
We ate at the old spaghetti factory because we were able to call ahead and put our names on the list. After dinner we walked over to Titan's Stadium for the show. There's this pedestrian bridge over the river which made the walk really easy and not nearly as long as I thought it would be. We're sitting in section 115, Row D, seats 11-12. The tickets are really quite good. I was glad not to be on the ground level 'cause everyone was standing on their chairs! Me being as short as I am, I wouldn't have been able to see anything!!!
The show started with Phil Stacy singing the national anthem... complete with military fly-by. He did a really good job. The acts for tonight were as follows: Jennifer Hanson, Montgomery Gentry, Kelly Pickler, Luke Bryan, Jewel, Rascal Flatts (a surprise addition... they weren't in the published lineup!!!), Taylor Swift and Sugarland!! And that's just the first night of this thing!! There's still 3 more nights to go! Everyone was really good...
Once the show had ended it was almost midnight and so we just came back to the room. Tomorrow is going to be a busy day with the Keith Anderson Fan Club Party at 12:30! Can't wait to see what happens.
Have a good night,
Cara
Then we headed down to the riverfront. The whole area was set up in street-fair fashion with booths of things for sale and food items. Really busy… and then there’s a stage set up right there on the water! We sat ourselves down on the little hillside in front of the stage just as Mindy McCready was finishing up a set. Phil Stacy, David Nail and Aaron Tippin rounded off the lineup that session. It was very reminiscent of sitting at the Blues stage during the jazz festival… only there was a river behind the stage instead of apartment buildings. We listened to the music, walked around looking at hats and jewelry, and pretty much just took it all in.
Next stop was the convention center to check out the booths that were set up. There were a few people who were around signing autographs and meeting people but the lines were crazy. People are ridiculous when it comes to these things! They were yelling and hollering and rushing all over the place… it would have been hilarious to watch if it weren’t for all the pushing everyone else out of the way. It didn’t take long for us to realize that wasn’t really our scene and so headed back to the hotel to shower and change before dinner.
We ate at the old spaghetti factory because we were able to call ahead and put our names on the list. After dinner we walked over to Titan's Stadium for the show. There's this pedestrian bridge over the river which made the walk really easy and not nearly as long as I thought it would be. We're sitting in section 115, Row D, seats 11-12. The tickets are really quite good. I was glad not to be on the ground level 'cause everyone was standing on their chairs! Me being as short as I am, I wouldn't have been able to see anything!!!
The show started with Phil Stacy singing the national anthem... complete with military fly-by. He did a really good job. The acts for tonight were as follows: Jennifer Hanson, Montgomery Gentry, Kelly Pickler, Luke Bryan, Jewel, Rascal Flatts (a surprise addition... they weren't in the published lineup!!!), Taylor Swift and Sugarland!! And that's just the first night of this thing!! There's still 3 more nights to go! Everyone was really good...
Once the show had ended it was almost midnight and so we just came back to the room. Tomorrow is going to be a busy day with the Keith Anderson Fan Club Party at 12:30! Can't wait to see what happens.
Have a good night,
Cara
Nashville - June 4, 2008
I slept in this morning!! OK… a relative sleep in. We woke up at 9 am, which is 7 am San Diego time but I’m trying not to think of it that way. After a quick breakfast at the hotel Roberta and I got in a cab and headed out to Greer Stadium for the 18th annual celebrity softball challenge. The game benefits City of Hope Cancer Research. It was so much fun. The weather was… well… HOT!! At one point it was 89 degrees and there wasn’t much of a breeze for most of the game. But we had water and our cameras so we didn’t mind. Never fear, I was properly coated in 50 SPF Coppertone Sport (best sunscreen ever!) so I didn’t burn… I know some of you worry about that.
The two teams were made up of country singers and Tennessee Titan players. I didn’t recognize any of the football player names but if you’re interested I’ll fill you in on those some other time. Some of the notable country people were Keith Anderson (of course), Chris Cagle, Luke Bryan, Carrie Underwood, Vince Gill, Sara Evans, Phil Vassar, Jake Owen, Joe Nichols, JoDee Messina and many more. After the game we hung around and took pictures with a few people. It was a really good way to spend the afternoon.
On our way back to the hotel after the game we stopped in at Paradise Park for a chili dog and fries (obviously, my dieting has been put on hold this week) then moved into the bar area where a local guy was playing and had a beer. The caliber of talent for “local bands” is significantly better than anywhere else I’ve ever been so it didn’t matter that we didn’t know who he was… he was FAB!
Once we made it back to the hotel, there was time for a quick shower and then we were off again. This time it was to the Wild Horse Saloon for the Wrangler fashion show benefiting Musicians on Call, an organization that brings musicians from all walks to the bedside of terminal ill patients. The models included Chris Young, Eddie Montgomery, Lori Morgan, Danielle Peck, Phil Stacy, Trent Tomlinson and more... and once the fashion show was over we were treated to an acoustic set of one or two songs by most of the artists participating. Our best "find" of this trip so far happened during today's show. It was Jimmy Wayne... so good! One of those times where you just sit there with your jaw hanging open thinking "who knew??".
After the show we saw that they were setting up for another band so we decided to hang around the saloon. Little did we know that we were about to find the only 80s band to be playing in Nashville during CMA. It was hilarious!! And just our luck... no... no-one played any Journey but we were waiting for it! After a while we decided to walk up Broadway and stop in at Cadillac Ranch for our final beverage of the night. Another local band was playing there and it was good to get back to the reason we were there... Country music!
We have no specific plans for the day tomorrow but tomorrow night is the first night of the CMA concerts... I will definitely let you know who all was there.
Thanks for checking in!
Cara
The two teams were made up of country singers and Tennessee Titan players. I didn’t recognize any of the football player names but if you’re interested I’ll fill you in on those some other time. Some of the notable country people were Keith Anderson (of course), Chris Cagle, Luke Bryan, Carrie Underwood, Vince Gill, Sara Evans, Phil Vassar, Jake Owen, Joe Nichols, JoDee Messina and many more. After the game we hung around and took pictures with a few people. It was a really good way to spend the afternoon.
On our way back to the hotel after the game we stopped in at Paradise Park for a chili dog and fries (obviously, my dieting has been put on hold this week) then moved into the bar area where a local guy was playing and had a beer. The caliber of talent for “local bands” is significantly better than anywhere else I’ve ever been so it didn’t matter that we didn’t know who he was… he was FAB!
Once we made it back to the hotel, there was time for a quick shower and then we were off again. This time it was to the Wild Horse Saloon for the Wrangler fashion show benefiting Musicians on Call, an organization that brings musicians from all walks to the bedside of terminal ill patients. The models included Chris Young, Eddie Montgomery, Lori Morgan, Danielle Peck, Phil Stacy, Trent Tomlinson and more... and once the fashion show was over we were treated to an acoustic set of one or two songs by most of the artists participating. Our best "find" of this trip so far happened during today's show. It was Jimmy Wayne... so good! One of those times where you just sit there with your jaw hanging open thinking "who knew??".
After the show we saw that they were setting up for another band so we decided to hang around the saloon. Little did we know that we were about to find the only 80s band to be playing in Nashville during CMA. It was hilarious!! And just our luck... no... no-one played any Journey but we were waiting for it! After a while we decided to walk up Broadway and stop in at Cadillac Ranch for our final beverage of the night. Another local band was playing there and it was good to get back to the reason we were there... Country music!
We have no specific plans for the day tomorrow but tomorrow night is the first night of the CMA concerts... I will definitely let you know who all was there.
Thanks for checking in!
Cara
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Nashville 2008 - June 3, 2008
Hello!
Well, I arrived in Nashville with no stories of adventure. Which, given my recent travel experiences is a definite plus! I flew American, so I was apprehensive from the get-go, but as luck would have it I got upgraded! Not for the whole flight, just the Dallas-Nashville leg... but still, not too shabby. All flights were on time and I arrived in Nashville at 7:35 pm... just as the sun was setting. The weather is perfect. There was a light breeze and it was in the mid-70s. I took a cab from the airport and checked into the hotel. The hotel is right in the heart of downtown. Actually, it's right across the street from where the Predator's play... too bad they aren't playing this week! The best part... there's a starbucks in the lobby!! YAY! I dropped my bags in the room and a quick couple of blocks later, I was sitting across from Roberta at Joe's Crab Shack. Yes, I know... seafood as a first meal in Nashville? Don't worry, there will be plenty of barbecue to be had this week!
During dinner I got to hear all about the Gary Allen fan club party that she attended earlier in the day. She took LOADS of pictures. I was sad that I couldn't make it down here early enough for that but this week promises to have lots of such events and just being here has made me even more excited for tomorrow's festivities to kick off the week!! I'm sure she'll tell all of you (or at least those who know her) of her time at the party so I won't spoil it here. After dinner we walked along 2nd street and Broadway. We settled on having our night's beverages at a bar called The Stage where local bands were playing. The one that we spent most of our time watching was really good but we called it a night around midnight to save our energy for the next day!
This week is promising to be chalk-full of interesting activities so stay tuned! I will post the pictures when I get back on Monday. Tomorrow starts with a charity softball game that benefits breast cancer research followed by a fashion show at the Wild Horse Saloon where the clothes are modeled by the artists! I have a funny feeling that it's going to be quite the evening.
I'll be back with more tomorrow!
Cara
Well, I arrived in Nashville with no stories of adventure. Which, given my recent travel experiences is a definite plus! I flew American, so I was apprehensive from the get-go, but as luck would have it I got upgraded! Not for the whole flight, just the Dallas-Nashville leg... but still, not too shabby. All flights were on time and I arrived in Nashville at 7:35 pm... just as the sun was setting. The weather is perfect. There was a light breeze and it was in the mid-70s. I took a cab from the airport and checked into the hotel. The hotel is right in the heart of downtown. Actually, it's right across the street from where the Predator's play... too bad they aren't playing this week! The best part... there's a starbucks in the lobby!! YAY! I dropped my bags in the room and a quick couple of blocks later, I was sitting across from Roberta at Joe's Crab Shack. Yes, I know... seafood as a first meal in Nashville? Don't worry, there will be plenty of barbecue to be had this week!
During dinner I got to hear all about the Gary Allen fan club party that she attended earlier in the day. She took LOADS of pictures. I was sad that I couldn't make it down here early enough for that but this week promises to have lots of such events and just being here has made me even more excited for tomorrow's festivities to kick off the week!! I'm sure she'll tell all of you (or at least those who know her) of her time at the party so I won't spoil it here. After dinner we walked along 2nd street and Broadway. We settled on having our night's beverages at a bar called The Stage where local bands were playing. The one that we spent most of our time watching was really good but we called it a night around midnight to save our energy for the next day!
This week is promising to be chalk-full of interesting activities so stay tuned! I will post the pictures when I get back on Monday. Tomorrow starts with a charity softball game that benefits breast cancer research followed by a fashion show at the Wild Horse Saloon where the clothes are modeled by the artists! I have a funny feeling that it's going to be quite the evening.
I'll be back with more tomorrow!
Cara
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)