Before I get started on what I love about Nashville, I’ve actually thought of a few more things I miss about Atlanta (and today, I am feeling a bit homesick, so…):
Decent Chinese food - Nashville has great Thai, Indian, Vietnamese (and Japanese, which I don’t like, but could have if I wanted it) – but I cannot for the life of me find good Chinese – and neither can anyone I’ve asked. It’s odd that a city that boasts numerous ethnic cuisines - Kurdish, Greek and Ethopian come to mind – can’t support a decent Chinese restaurant. I currently believe that PF Chang’s is the best option, and that’s depressing.
Quik Trip – Gas station and convenience store ne plus ultra. They have the cheapest gas and cleanest bathrooms, but what makes them the real standout in my mind is their fountain drinks. Two kinds of ice – crushed or cubes – and every drink you can think of – at least 25 options. In the summer, they usually have a deal – 32 ounces (or a quart - qt, get it?) for 59 cents. Every summer, you’d be likely to find that QT cup sweating on my desk as I worked my way through a diet orange, or a diet Dr. Pepper, or, if I really needed a boost – diet Mountain Dew). Mapco is OK, and when I worked over at MetroCenter, the nice lady at the TigerMart called me Ladybug, and that was nice (especially since the workday I was about to walk into was such a disaster), but those quarts of icy soda…mmm, pure carbonated love.
The AJC – The local paper – The Tennessean is a Gannett property – so if you like USA Today, you’ll LOVE the Tennessean. But when I think Sunday Paper, to me, that will always be the Atlanta Journal Constitution. The AJC has better funnies, they have Mike Luckovich, and there’s usually more news than paper. In full disclosure, the AJC is a product of Cox Media, and I briefly interned for Cox in 1993. As they say, it is what it is.
And now, in defense of Nashville:
Las Paletas – Is $2.50 too much to pay for a popsicle? Come to Las Paletas, try anything on their menu and you tell me. My mother and sister are both addicted. They beat Bobby Flay in a Throwdown. For me, that’s enough proof – and if you need more – I’m so enchanted by the fruit pops that I haven’t even delved into the ice cream pops. Seriously.
My house – Do I need to spend some quality time cleaning and reorganizing? Yes. Do I need to take a weekend to either donate or dump some of our acquired detritus? Absolutely. But I love, love, love my house. The location is perfect, the neighbors are friendly and our little 1930’s Bungalow suits me just fine.
My history – As you might know, my grandfather grew up in Nashville, and lived on the same street as me – though a different part of the street a few miles away. But I like passing his old High School (Hume-Fogg), his old house (which my cousin Amy now occupies) and finding the old Delited factory where my Great-Grandfather used to make jams, jellies, preserves and sauces. Yes, folks, there is jelly in my blood. So to speak. Though I never met my grandfather, I’m told we were two peas in a pod and that he would have enjoyed knowing me. I know I would have liked knowing him – this is almost as good.
Hillsboro Village – Provence has the best bread and prettiest pastries. Their cheese counter isn’t bad, either. Pangaea is the place for fun gifts, and I love killing time and Book Man/Book Woman. A great afternoon is a movie at the Belcourt, then coffee at Fido, or a beer at Bosco’s.
McKay’s - originally introduced to me when Matt and I would meet in Chattanooga, this is just a great, great used bookstore. But if you see it and you want it – buy it. It won’t be there the next time you come back.
The Y – The nicest health club run by super nice people. And a bargain to boot. Yes, I am often tempted to wear my “Let’s Get Baked” T-Shirt and see if it’ll get me kicked out, but the women in my Zumba class are as supportive as my WW group in Atlanta was – and no depressing weigh in.
The Sounds and The Preds – I couldn’t afford to go to Braves games, but I could get the best seat in the house at a Sounds game every week if I wanted to – AND get a beer or two. And who doesn’t love dizzy bat races? As for the Preds, I love me some Fang Fingers. Although, I do find the seats a little small for my zaftig ass. Well, more Zumba is the only prescription.
My friends – It’s somehow easier to make friends here – I don’t know why – it’s not that Atlanta was unfriendly, but here, geography and traffic don’t create artificial barrier. Also, maybe I’m just nicer. Naaah. It’s the geography for sure.
The airport – This is sort of a love/hate – while I love navigating BNA, I do think Hartsfield-Jackson has better amenities. But BNA has Southwest. But ATL has restaurants that stay open 24 hours a day. Ah, well…it's a draw, I guess.
The traffic – As in, there is no traffic.
That's all I have...for now.
Decent Chinese food - Nashville has great Thai, Indian, Vietnamese (and Japanese, which I don’t like, but could have if I wanted it) – but I cannot for the life of me find good Chinese – and neither can anyone I’ve asked. It’s odd that a city that boasts numerous ethnic cuisines - Kurdish, Greek and Ethopian come to mind – can’t support a decent Chinese restaurant. I currently believe that PF Chang’s is the best option, and that’s depressing.
Quik Trip – Gas station and convenience store ne plus ultra. They have the cheapest gas and cleanest bathrooms, but what makes them the real standout in my mind is their fountain drinks. Two kinds of ice – crushed or cubes – and every drink you can think of – at least 25 options. In the summer, they usually have a deal – 32 ounces (or a quart - qt, get it?) for 59 cents. Every summer, you’d be likely to find that QT cup sweating on my desk as I worked my way through a diet orange, or a diet Dr. Pepper, or, if I really needed a boost – diet Mountain Dew). Mapco is OK, and when I worked over at MetroCenter, the nice lady at the TigerMart called me Ladybug, and that was nice (especially since the workday I was about to walk into was such a disaster), but those quarts of icy soda…mmm, pure carbonated love.
The AJC – The local paper – The Tennessean is a Gannett property – so if you like USA Today, you’ll LOVE the Tennessean. But when I think Sunday Paper, to me, that will always be the Atlanta Journal Constitution. The AJC has better funnies, they have Mike Luckovich, and there’s usually more news than paper. In full disclosure, the AJC is a product of Cox Media, and I briefly interned for Cox in 1993. As they say, it is what it is.
And now, in defense of Nashville:
Las Paletas – Is $2.50 too much to pay for a popsicle? Come to Las Paletas, try anything on their menu and you tell me. My mother and sister are both addicted. They beat Bobby Flay in a Throwdown. For me, that’s enough proof – and if you need more – I’m so enchanted by the fruit pops that I haven’t even delved into the ice cream pops. Seriously.
My house – Do I need to spend some quality time cleaning and reorganizing? Yes. Do I need to take a weekend to either donate or dump some of our acquired detritus? Absolutely. But I love, love, love my house. The location is perfect, the neighbors are friendly and our little 1930’s Bungalow suits me just fine.
My history – As you might know, my grandfather grew up in Nashville, and lived on the same street as me – though a different part of the street a few miles away. But I like passing his old High School (Hume-Fogg), his old house (which my cousin Amy now occupies) and finding the old Delited factory where my Great-Grandfather used to make jams, jellies, preserves and sauces. Yes, folks, there is jelly in my blood. So to speak. Though I never met my grandfather, I’m told we were two peas in a pod and that he would have enjoyed knowing me. I know I would have liked knowing him – this is almost as good.
Hillsboro Village – Provence has the best bread and prettiest pastries. Their cheese counter isn’t bad, either. Pangaea is the place for fun gifts, and I love killing time and Book Man/Book Woman. A great afternoon is a movie at the Belcourt, then coffee at Fido, or a beer at Bosco’s.
McKay’s - originally introduced to me when Matt and I would meet in Chattanooga, this is just a great, great used bookstore. But if you see it and you want it – buy it. It won’t be there the next time you come back.
The Y – The nicest health club run by super nice people. And a bargain to boot. Yes, I am often tempted to wear my “Let’s Get Baked” T-Shirt and see if it’ll get me kicked out, but the women in my Zumba class are as supportive as my WW group in Atlanta was – and no depressing weigh in.
The Sounds and The Preds – I couldn’t afford to go to Braves games, but I could get the best seat in the house at a Sounds game every week if I wanted to – AND get a beer or two. And who doesn’t love dizzy bat races? As for the Preds, I love me some Fang Fingers. Although, I do find the seats a little small for my zaftig ass. Well, more Zumba is the only prescription.
My friends – It’s somehow easier to make friends here – I don’t know why – it’s not that Atlanta was unfriendly, but here, geography and traffic don’t create artificial barrier. Also, maybe I’m just nicer. Naaah. It’s the geography for sure.
The airport – This is sort of a love/hate – while I love navigating BNA, I do think Hartsfield-Jackson has better amenities. But BNA has Southwest. But ATL has restaurants that stay open 24 hours a day. Ah, well…it's a draw, I guess.
The traffic – As in, there is no traffic.
That's all I have...for now.
Comments
And what is Las Paletas?
Special K