Before my parents moved to the quaint little town of Ardmore, TN right on the TN/AL state line a few years ago, I had never in my life heard of the sport or tractor pulling. If you’ve never heard of it either, the best way I know to explain it is Nascar and Monster Truck Jam had baby and that baby was a really strong tractor. Confused? Yeah, I was too. Let me break it down for you a little more. The tractor pull is a classic test of strength…who can pull something heavy the furthest. Competitors invest lots of time, money and expertise into making their tractor (or pickup truck…there are classes for those as well) the strongest, toughest piece of equipment possible. The tractor or truck is then hitched to the front of a “sled.” No one is going to take this particular sled down a hill in the snow however….these sleds are serious business. They look like a flatbed trailer with a small cab similar to what would be on a backhoe or other heavy equipment on the back. The sled is equipped with weights that are on a track. The weights slide forward as the sled moves forward making it increasingly difficult for the tractor or truck to pull it and eventually they come to a hard stop at the end of a straight dirt track. The contest is divided into classes depending on the size and type of the vehicle doing the pulling and the sled is loaded with different amounts of weights depending on the competitor class. Competitors must pull the sled from one end of the track to the other end without swerving outside the boundary lines. The one who pulls the sled the furthest wins. Now that’s you’re all well-educated on how the sport works, I’ll throw it out there that I’m honestly not into cars or car-racing. I’m not really into farm equipment and I kind of hate loud engine noises. I’m basically the least-likely candidate to enjoy this particular event but it’s one of the most fascinating things I’ve ever attended and every time I go, I absolutely can’t look away. While the Ardmore Pull is the only one I’ve ever been to, The MidSouth Pullers Association puts on a whole long list of events through the year and by all accounts from people I know that have attended, they do a really great job on all of them. I’ll leave you with some photos and videos from this year’s pull. If you’re looking for a family friendly event, we highly recommend. Just bring some earplugs for yourselves and some headphones for your littles.
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When I think about the word Hospitality, food inevitably is part of what comes to mind. I've always found this a tad bit unfortunate because while I love people and making them feel welcome, I'm by no means a chef. My friends and family will tell you that cooking not my strong suit and they would be right. BUT, I do enjoy creating meals or treats when I have a sure-fire recipe. I thought I'd share with you three of my all-time favorite cookbooks in case you too enjoy being in the kitchen as long as someone else has already figured out how to make a tasty meal and all you have to do is follow the instructions. ~ Bon Apetité Quick note: this blog post does contain Amazon.com affiliate links which means if you click on a link and purchase that item, I will receive a small commission (but it won't change the price for you at all.) I'm only sharing items with you that I personally own and wholeheartedly believe in - and think you will love as much as I do!
One of my favorite parts about traveling is stumbling across unexpected fun things and seeing what is down the side roads. We headed about 3.5 hours up the road this past weekend to a friend’s wedding in Columbus, IN - a town I had never visited and knew nothing about. Saturday morning we woke up and did a Google search for “Best Brunch near Columbus, IN” (as one does in a new town). Several options popped up and the first on the list that seemed to meet our location & non-chain criteria was called Blackerby’s Hangar 5. We thought we were heading to a downtown storefront with an industrial vibe and aviation-themed decor. However, as we drove through cornfields and over cute bridges it became obvious that our predictions were wayyyyyy off, but what was waiting for us was much more fun than what we had pictured. The GPS took us straight to the parking lot of the Columbus, IN Municipal Airport - a tiny building that seemed to cater only to private planes and possibly small charter flights or regional airlines. A polite teenager clad in a “Flying Fords” tee-shirt flagged us down as we pulled in - they were having a free airshow that weekend; we could park in the field, the restaurant was straight ahead in the main building. Blackerby’s itself is actually inside the airport itself - through the front door and to the left. It has a fantastic retro-diner vibe and while the airshow had obviously brought a few extra customers with it, we were immediately seated at an empty booth with a great view of the runway and all the airplanes on display. The “Flying Ford” it turns out was the headliner of the weekend - an 1928 Ford Tri-Motor plane nicknamed the “Tin Goose.” 200 of these planes were originally built and only 5 are still in flying condition. Festival attendees could take a 20 minute ride on the antique aircraft for $77 per person and although we didn’t have time to take flight, we loved watching it take off and land while we ate. Bartleby’s food did not disappoint either. My husband ordered a classic breakfast of eggs, bacon, hash browns and toast and I had a sausage and bacon omelette that was absolutely out of this world. Our waitress was quick and kind…all around a great dining experience. They were celebrating their 40th year in business and with food that delicious, it’s no surprise that they’ve been around that long. The rest of our weekend took us to Brown County State Park, home of the oldest covered bridge in the state of Indiana, which was beautiful and well equipped with hiking options, a swimming pool and camping/cabin/lodge accommodations to meet anyone’s needs. We also dined at Upland Brewery and attended an event at Factory 12 Event Loft - both fantastic spaces in downtown Columbus. We also passed a million adorable antique shops and coffee spots on the drive from Columbus to the state park (which was located in Nashville, IN) that we didn’t have time to check out but wish we had. If you find yourself in Southern Indiana, we’d definitely recommend checking out some of the places we had the opportunity to visit. You never know where the road may take you!
As much of the country is hunkering down and practicing social distancing, we know that those who are suffering the most are small business owners and those who can't work from home such as food service workers. But there are still many amazing ways to "shop & eat local" while staying safe and healthy and we wanted to share with each of you a list of what is open, open with limited service, or closed in the 12 South neighborhood. We'll do our best to keep this list updated, but as always, things change quickly and this list of businesses is long, so we apologize if we miss something! As always, purchasing gift cards to be used later on is always a great way to support these businesses and their employees in these uncertain times!
At roughly 12:45 this morning a tornado touched down in Nashville, TN and brought mass destruction to so many neighborhoods primarily Germantown, East Nashville, and then on to the Mt. Juliet area just east of town. As I write this, the death toll is listed at 25 people with many, many more that have lost their homes, property, electricity, etc. I woke up this morning to over 100 text messages from friends checking on our family, group texts of friends checking on each other, sharing reports, etc.
It's been a sad, emotional day here. The images of destruction and the stories of those who have lost so much are staggering and hard to process. But the images and stories of strangers and neighbors pulling together and serving one another have been equally powerful in a positive way. Today has shown me that people can be kind, helpful and selfless. All of you who have checked in with us today have wanted to know two things: 1) Are you ok? and 2) How can you help? So I wanted to answer both of those questions here. Yes! We are ok. We are located in the 12 South Neighborhood and the path of the tornado went a couple of miles North and then East of us. There was no property damage in our neighborhood from the storms and the iconic locations like Burger Up, Draper James, Frothy Monkey and the "I Believe In Nashville" mural are all still alive and well (although the East Nashville Burger Up location and Nashville mural were damaged.) For those of you looking to help out, there are many ways that you can do that, but I've listed a few key options below. HELP OUR FRIEND TANNER & HIS ROOMMATE TY These two amazing guys both work for an incredible ministry and the house they rent was completely destroyed with them inside it last night. They are amazingly unharmed, but they didn't have renters insurance and have lost all their belongings. This gofundme account will help them get back on their feet. Donate by clicking HERE HELP ERIC PETERS AND HIS FAMILY Eric is an incredible artist and he and his wife and two kiddos lost their home in the storms last night. He also lost his studio and the inventory of a rare book business that he runs. You can help support him and his family by clicking HERE SIGN UP AS A VOLUNTEER If you'd like to sign up as a Disaster Relief Volunteer, register with Hands On Nashville by clicking HERE PROVIDE FOOD FOR THOSE IN NEED If you would like to provide food for those in need, Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee is a great organization who will steward your gifts well. It has been noted that they are particularly in need of bottled water at the moment. You can get info on how to give including the address of their distribution center where you can bring food items by clicking on their website HERE MAKE A FINANCIAL DONATION The Community Foundation of Middle TN has activated their Middle Tennessee Emergency Response Fund and is a great place to donate funds. You can do so by clicking HERE GIVE MATERIAL ITEMS TO THOSE IN NEED If you prefer to give items, the Community Resource Center is currently accepting personal hygiene items, bleach, trash bags, gloves, box cutters, baby food & formula, baby and toddler clothes, and batteries. These items can be dropped off at 218 Omohundro Place, Nashville, TN 37210. In May of 2010, Nashville experienced a devastating flood that crippled the city, but we linked arms and rose from the waters a stronger, kinder and united city. And I know it will be true as we overcome this storm as well. We are grateful for your thoughts, prayers and donations for all those affected, and we look forward to hosting you next time your travels bring you to Music City. ~ Bethany UPDATE AS OF 3/21/2021: Some of the businesses/addresses/murals have changed since this post was written. For the most-up-to-date info on public art in the neighborhood, please visit our new 12 South Murals "Public Art Crawl" page! One of our favorite parts of 12 South are the many murals that have popped up over the last few years. Whether you're looking for the perfect content to post on your Instagram Feed, or just wanting to see the sights as you stroll around (undoubtably with a las Paletas or Jeni's in your hand!), you can find many incredible murals within just a few blocks of The Carriage House! We've listed the address and location (as well as website if there is one) at the top of each listing and the instagram handles and tags at the bottom because as the kids say, "pics or it didn't happen."
DRAPER JAMES "POSTCARD" & STRIPES
www.draperjames.com 2608 12th Ave S, Nashville, TN 37204 (on the side of the Draper James Flagship Store) While we're hanging out in Howell's Alley, might as well just turn around and check out the happy stripes that Reese Witherspoon's Draper James has brought to town. The awning, mural and bench make any photo as pretty as a postcard, and we're pretty much in love with the blue and white stripes that decorate the rest of the space. The perfect background for a cute group pic! @draperjames #draperjames @howellsalley #howellsalley
GARDEN FLORAL
2900 12th Ave S, Nashville, TN 37204 (on the side of Green Pea Salon) Sadly, I couldn't find the title or painter of this incredible mural (if anyone knows any more info, please message me and let me know) but it's stunning and worth seeing. Fortunately it faces the "Make Music Not War" mural, so you can hit them both in one stop. RIVIVE! NASHVILLE FOX 2814 12th Ave S, Nashville, TN 37204 (on the side of the Iyengar Yoga Center of Nashville building) This mural isn't just another pretty picture! Painted in conjunction with the water conservation focused non-profit Rivive!Nashville, this mural raises awareness about the importance of protecting Nashville's River systems. If you want to see this mural in person, we recommend visiting sooner rather than later as the building is slated for re-development and we can't promise that the painting will survive the renovation. @rivivenashville #rivivenash @mobeoner LOOKING PRETTY, MUSIC CITY
2709 12th Ave S, Nashville, TN 37204 (on the side of the Madewell Denim Edit Store) Not only does this whimsical design bring a cheery vibe to the neighborhood, we LOVE that it was "Created in support of music and art programs in Metro Nashville's Public Schools." As strong believers in the importance of music and arts education, this is the cherry on top of an already awesome mural. Note: If you're looking for the "Peace, Love, Good Deeds" mural, know that it was painted over by this new "Looking Pretty, Music City" mural, so unfortunately it's not a neighborhood fixture anymore. @emily.eisenhart #lookingprettymusiccity @eastsidemurals #eastsidemurals HALCYON BIKE SHOP - DRINK WATER www.halcyonbikeshop.com 2802 12th Ave S, Nashville, TN 37204 (on the side of Halycon Bike Shop) The folks at the Halcyon Bike Shop are just as passionate about art as they are bikes and the nieghborhood is all the cooler for it. On the side of the building is the "Drink Water" mural featuring the anatomy of a bicycle. @halcyonbike #halcyonbikeshop HALCYON BIKE SHOP - JUNGLE SAFARI www.halcyonbikeshop.com 2802 12th Ave S, Nashville, TN 37204 (on the back of Halycon Bike Shop) One of the lesser known murals in town, due to its somewhat hidden placement, also happens to be one of my favorites! This incredible jungle safari-scape is on the back of the Halcyon Bike shop. So once you get a pic of that "drink water" mural, just turn the corner and go on a photo-safari! We've also posted pics below that show both murals to help you find both! @halcyonbike #halcyonbikeshop FOR BECKS & FOR BECKS WITH RAINCLOUD AND GUMMY BEAR
www.forbecks.com www.raddingtonfalls.com (see locations below as photo captions) These two little guys are probably our very favorites of all the 12 South murals. Eternally happy and cheerful, who doesn't want to just go grab the hand of one of these little guys and just know that everything is awesome? :) The little guy on the right is particularly difficult to find as it's on the back of a garage in an alleyway. You can either go through the parking lot behind Frothy Monkey and it's on the back of the garage that "Nashville Looks Good On You" is painted on, or you can turn onto Sweetbriar from 12 South and then turn into the alleyway just past the Islamic Center of Nashville and walk a dozen yards or so. @forbecks #forbecks @raddingtonfalls #raddingtonfalls NOW PLAYING IN 12 SOUTH 2403 12th Ave S, Nashville, TN 37204 (on the side of The Flipside Nashville) We're Music City, so there's always something playing if you're listening! @n.gaged #nowplayingin12south @theflipsidenash #theflipsidenash FIVE DAUGHTERS DONUTS
1110 Caruthers Ave, Nashville, TN 37204 (on the side of Five Daughters Donuts) Founded in Franklin, TN and family owned and operated, these 100 layer donuts are something you just have to experience on any trip to 12 South. Watching what you eat? No worries. Their Paleo options are so good you'll never know that you're eating something that isn't bad for you. Take a pic with their classic mural while you're there, or be part of the picture with their donut-hole-peek-through option on the fence. :) @five_daughters_bakery #fivedaughtersbakery NASHVILLE LOOKS GOOD ON YOU TN 2509 12th Ave S, Nashville, TN 37204 (on the front of the garage behind Frothy Monkey 12 South) There are a couple of these murals around town, including one in the Nations, but we're partial to this one behind Frothy Monkey. Just go down the driveway to the additional parking area (in between MODA Boutique and the Islamic Center) and you'll see the mural straight ahead! (One of the lego men is on the back of this garage) @thenash.tn #nashvillelooksgoodonyou
TROY DUFF GRAFFITI SKYLINE 1204 Elmwood Ave, Nashville, TN 37212 (on the side of 4 Patriots, facing the parking lot next to/behind Taqueria Del Sol) Although the "Reserved parking" sign kills the photo shoot vibe a little bit, we think this skyline of Nashville by graffiti artist Troy Duff is really incredible and worth checking out. @duffomatic This weekend we took a quick trip to see my parents that live on the Tennessee/Alabama line. For lunch we decided to head a few miles down the road to Elkmont, AL and I thought I'd share a couple of great photos from three worth-the-stop local spots. Our first stop was for lunch at The Red Caboose Cafe and everything was delicious Southern cooking. Our waitress was very kind and helpful (dining with a 15-month-old is always an adventure, right?) and the sweet tea was just as it should be. The cafe itself was adorable, and kiddos will love being able to see an actual red caboose just across the street. You can check them out on their Facebook Page where they post daily specials and menus. Next we headed across the street to Fromagerie Belle Chevre, a goat-milk creamery. We stopped in their tasting room and picked up some fantastic goat-milk hand cream and were amazed at all the ice-cream & cheese products available to taste and purchase. While we didn't have time to do the tour (which includes getting to meet and pet some of their herd of goats), it's definitely on our list to go back and do that soon. (see more info in the yellow box below)
Hwy 65 Exit 361 - Elkmont, AL
The Children's wing & Storytime at the Downtown (Main Branch) Library are a fairytale in and of themself. We've heard their praises sung for years and I truly don't know what took me so long to get there, but we're now hooked. The photo below doesn't even begin to do justice to how awesome the show was, but it's hard to capture the space, and also I found out after I took it that I wasn't supposed to have my phone out, (oops!) so I gave up on getting a better photo. Way more than a storytime, this is an all-out production. Two actors/librarians/storytellers/lovely humans wove together hilarious dialogue with big-kid vocabulary words, puppets, songs and stories. The whole thing was masterfully orchestrated in such a way that I couldn't tell if it was brilliant off-the cuff improv, or the result of hours of meticulous memorization. They closed out the show with a song and moment that I found so touching I actually teared up. As awesome as the storytime was, I'd be remiss if I didn't give a full report on the rest of the children's wing.
I waited for a quiet moment so I wouldn't invade the privacy of any families, but just a few minutes prior to this photo, this play-center was crawling with kiddos. There's also a mini rock-climbing wall (!!!) for the older kiddos, and a Ryman Auditorium shaped puppet show theater across the room in the toddler section. All in all, you need to get this on your calendar, whether you can make it for storytime, or if you're going anytime the library is open to enjoy the space and oh yeah, check out some books! In fact, you might find us there almost every afternoon from now on that it's too rainy/cold/hot to be outside. Check out the know-before-you-go box below with helpful tips, and we'll see you there!
It's been chilly in Nashville so I've been on the hunt for indoor activities to keep our [super energetic] 14 month old occupied. This afternoon we hopped in the car and headed just a couple miles to the TN State Museum in Downtown Nashville to check out their Children's Gallery! The Children's Gallery is a huge room decorated with amazing murals of Nashville, Tennessee wildlife, song lyrics, factoids or things to look for (like the one our racoon friend is sharing below.) The floor is an incredible mural as well; a giant map of the state of Tennessee with cities and landmarks. At one end of the room is a set of bookshelves with favorite children's stories plus some blocks and a few toys for smaller kiddos. At the other end is a table with crayons and colored pencils with coloring pages featuring current museum exhibits so you can " #ColorOurCollections " (see photo below). Curator Matt was on hand the entire time if we had questions and very graciously let Clare carry around a clipboard featuring a scavenger hunt of objects and locations to find hidden among the murals and activities to do when you found them. The website recommends the children's gallery for ages 3-8 and I definitely think that we were a little young to get the full experience of reading the facts, doing the scavenger hunt and coloring the printouts. However, Clare absolutely LOVED running around the map and stopping to point out various rivers and places and brightly colored animals. We also colored and read several books that were new to her (and Mama!). The bluegrass music they had playing was also a hit, and she frequently stopped what she was doing for a dance break. All in all it was definitely a fun way to blow off some steam indoors on a chilly afternoon! We didn't venture into the rest of the museum today, but it's absolutely worth visiting as well. Be sure to check out the "Know Before You Go" box below for info - we hope you enjoy your visit!
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bETHANY, YOUR HOSTAirBnB Superhost Bethany has lived in Nashville since 2006 and loves finding fun things to do at home and on the road! Archives
July 2023
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