In one week, we finally move into our cute house in the 12 South neighborhood of Nashville. Sorry I'm not sorry about bragging, but it's arguably one of the best neighborhoods in Nashville. With a long stretch of shops & eateries along 12 Ave South itself and many winding neighborhoods streets lined with cute houses & porches, this neighborhood has a lot to boast about. Check out some of the great things that will be within walking distance:
Eateries:
- Burger Up
- Las Paletas
- The Blind Pig
- Frothy Monkey
- Mafiaoza's
- Portland Brew
- Rumours
- Viena Wine & Spirits
- 12 South Taproom
- Corrieri's Formaggeria
Shops, etc:
- Blackbird Tattoo Gallery (if I were ever to get a tattoo - which I never will - I'd want to do it here because they have a front porch)
- Corner Music
- Fork's Drum Closet
- Clean Plate Club
- Granny's Flower Shop
- Green Pea Salon
- Hope Center
- Imogene & Willie Jeans Shop
- Katy K's Ranch Dressing
- Minor Jewelry
- MODA Boutique
- Serendipity
- Suite One Salon
- Summer Classics Outdoor Furniture
- 12 South Yoga
- 21st Century Christian Bookstore
- Halcyon Bike Shop
Outdoors:
- Sevier Park
- 12 South Farmers Market
- 12 South Concert Series
- 12 South Winter Warmer
If this isn't the best place to live, then please tell me what is. Come visit us!
Saturday, August 13, 2011
Friday, August 12, 2011
Nashville Nugget No. 9 - Burger Up
The American eatery I dreamed about most while I was in Namibia was, hands down, Burger Up. You see, they have this unbelievable burger there...bacon, white cheddar, maple ketchup, sweet potato fries. If your mouth isn't watering right now, we can't be friends.
I resisted the urge to drive my car straight there when I first returned to Nashville because the best part of Burger Up, like most eateries, is enjoying it with friends. Burger Up is located in a storefront shop on 12 South and is cozy and intimate. It has tables lining the outside of the room with a continual bench for seats and several long tables in the center where you are seated among other diners. It's almost like a fancy schmancy outdoor picnic, just inside and the cooking & cleanup is done for you. Perfect!
So what do these friends...
...and these friends...
...have in common? They all love our friend Michelle, who - if you remember - returned to Nashville briefly a couple weeks ago in between her stints serving in Senegal. Michelle has actually bookended her time in Senegal by having a frienddinner at Burger Up before she left in 2010, and having another one again this summer before returning for 2011. Not only do we love her, but we also love her taste for good Nashville restaurants.
The great thing about Burger Up - aside from it's mouth-watering menu and trendy atmosphere - is that it sources as many of its products as possible from local farms that use sustainable practices and treat their animals well. Even the wood used in its tables and chairs is from a local lumber store. So that delicious burger (called the "Woodstock," for future ordering reference), is made with Benton bacon, white cheddar from Tennessee Sweet Water Valley, and barbecue sauce from Tennessee's very own Jack Daniel's.
Honesty box: I've never had anything but the Woodstock burger. It's too good to resist it whenever I go. But the rest of their menu is phenomenal. Let's not even talk about the desserts - Olive & Sinclair dark chocolate brownie a la mode? Whoa, baby.
Word of caution: this place is so popular that you'll be in for a loooooong wait if you go during peak dinner hours or weekends. They don't take reservations or call-aheads either. Thankfully, if the weather is nice, you can stroll along 12 South, sit outside, or get a Paleta in the meantime.
Burger Up is located on the corner of 12 South & Paris next door to Las Paletas at 2901 12 Ave South.
I resisted the urge to drive my car straight there when I first returned to Nashville because the best part of Burger Up, like most eateries, is enjoying it with friends. Burger Up is located in a storefront shop on 12 South and is cozy and intimate. It has tables lining the outside of the room with a continual bench for seats and several long tables in the center where you are seated among other diners. It's almost like a fancy schmancy outdoor picnic, just inside and the cooking & cleanup is done for you. Perfect!
So what do these friends...
...and these friends...
...have in common? They all love our friend Michelle, who - if you remember - returned to Nashville briefly a couple weeks ago in between her stints serving in Senegal. Michelle has actually bookended her time in Senegal by having a frienddinner at Burger Up before she left in 2010, and having another one again this summer before returning for 2011. Not only do we love her, but we also love her taste for good Nashville restaurants.
The great thing about Burger Up - aside from it's mouth-watering menu and trendy atmosphere - is that it sources as many of its products as possible from local farms that use sustainable practices and treat their animals well. Even the wood used in its tables and chairs is from a local lumber store. So that delicious burger (called the "Woodstock," for future ordering reference), is made with Benton bacon, white cheddar from Tennessee Sweet Water Valley, and barbecue sauce from Tennessee's very own Jack Daniel's.
Honesty box: I've never had anything but the Woodstock burger. It's too good to resist it whenever I go. But the rest of their menu is phenomenal. Let's not even talk about the desserts - Olive & Sinclair dark chocolate brownie a la mode? Whoa, baby.
Word of caution: this place is so popular that you'll be in for a loooooong wait if you go during peak dinner hours or weekends. They don't take reservations or call-aheads either. Thankfully, if the weather is nice, you can stroll along 12 South, sit outside, or get a Paleta in the meantime.
Burger Up is located on the corner of 12 South & Paris next door to Las Paletas at 2901 12 Ave South.
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Nashville Nugget No. 8 - Dose
Many moons ago, a friend told me of this mysterious off-the-beaten-path coffeeshop called Dose. She boasted of a warm & inviting space and some of the best hot chocolate. As a hot chocolate connoisseur, I had the best of intentions to go right away.
However, two years later, here we are. Only just now setting foot in this rumored establishment.
Another friend, who recently tried Dose for the first time, summed it up best when he said, "six tables, six bar seats, three booths, and two retro chairs fill a wood-clad room with a simple coffee bar...My favorite part about this place is how much wood is around the shop...It makes you feel at home, yet also fuels you to work" (He should be the one writing these, not me, right?).
I love this place! In fact, I'm writing the blog post from Dose right now. The atmosphere is so great - warm, welcoming, cozy. Kind of like Crema (my favorite Nashville coffeeshop) but twice as big. The music is upbeat but not too loud. It's definitely quiet here and great for working, but I wouldn't hesitate to schedule a chatty coffeeshop date here.
And guess what? The hot chocolate sure is GREAT! When it's presented like this, who can resist?
I also have heard that Dose has one of the best mochas in town. I have no interest in trying anything with the slightest hint of coffee or caffeine, so I'll have to take their word for it.
Most of the coffee is roasted right here in Nashville by Humphrey's Street Coffee Co., which is part of Harvest Hands in South Nashville, so you're supporting local organizations while enjoying you drink!
Dose is located on Murphy Road just off West End near the I-440 exit at 3431A Murphey Road. Let's go have a coffee date!
However, two years later, here we are. Only just now setting foot in this rumored establishment.
Another friend, who recently tried Dose for the first time, summed it up best when he said, "six tables, six bar seats, three booths, and two retro chairs fill a wood-clad room with a simple coffee bar...My favorite part about this place is how much wood is around the shop...It makes you feel at home, yet also fuels you to work" (He should be the one writing these, not me, right?).
I love this place! In fact, I'm writing the blog post from Dose right now. The atmosphere is so great - warm, welcoming, cozy. Kind of like Crema (my favorite Nashville coffeeshop) but twice as big. The music is upbeat but not too loud. It's definitely quiet here and great for working, but I wouldn't hesitate to schedule a chatty coffeeshop date here.
And guess what? The hot chocolate sure is GREAT! When it's presented like this, who can resist?
I also have heard that Dose has one of the best mochas in town. I have no interest in trying anything with the slightest hint of coffee or caffeine, so I'll have to take their word for it.
Most of the coffee is roasted right here in Nashville by Humphrey's Street Coffee Co., which is part of Harvest Hands in South Nashville, so you're supporting local organizations while enjoying you drink!
Dose is located on Murphy Road just off West End near the I-440 exit at 3431A Murphey Road. Let's go have a coffee date!
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
TIA Tuesday: Update from Amy in Namibia
Hey all. Remember when I left Namibia, I said that good friend and fellow WorldTeacher Amy would be overseeing my extra funds and using them at her rural school in Bunya? Well guess what? After months of harassing the Ministry and barely seeing the light at the end of the tunnel, she finally got approval for a huge building project!!! I've been itching to share this news with you, so please welcome guest blogger Amy Rossi!
Now that I have gotten official Ministry of Education approval!!!! I have some big/exciting/overwhelming news!
I am building a classroom.
My friend Karen made the difficult decision to leave Namibia earlier this year, and she graciously left behind a very generous amount of extra fundraised money for me to use at my school. Thanks to some additional funding from family and friends I have enough to build a classroom.
I have been in a constant struggle over if this is the right thing to do. The government has the money; however, because of a variety of political factors and my school being a primary school, the government is not going to build a classroom anywhere in the foreseeable future. It is very similar to the discrepancies remaining in our country. Ever watch the Corridor of Shame or seen some of the schools in Appalachia?
The reality is the kids are the ones suffering.
When I arrived at my school, I was shocked at the conditions of the buildings, even more shocked when I was led to the hut that is the grade 4 classroom. When I say hut I mean hut. It is not the rock, mud/cement huts that people live in, it is literally some sticks with gaping holes in the "walls" and roof.
After a few months here you become hardened. Life is hard for these kids, they come to school hungry, when it gets cold they are freezing, they deal with death often, 20% of them have lost one or both parents, and life is just hard. It's actually terrifying how "okay" I have become to seeing this state of poverty.
It's their reality, it always has been and more than likely always will be. It's what they know. They are resilient and show more courage than I can possibly fathom.
When I first arrived I was thinking "I have to build a classroom." A few months in I was thinking "whatever the kids are fine." Term 2 came along and the grade 4 teacher left on maternity leave. Due to some ministry paper work delay concerning pay they were without a teacher for a few weeks. During this time the upper primary teachers and myself went and taught them during our free periods.
That was the first time I had ever spent time in the hut. It was miserable! Namibia is cold right now and that hut was about 100 times colder than being outside. I was bundled up, gloves, hats, scarf, fleece jacket, and I was freezing. Now imagine scrawny little children with short sleeves and no shoes. I was unmotivated to teach anything. It would have actually been more effective to just teach outside.
Even in the afternoon when it was warmer, the conditions were horrendous. The roof was caving in, there were huge holes in the wall, I kept hitting my head on the low ceiling, and there was almost no light. It just wasn't right. I wasn't motivated to teach, and I can imagine those kids weren't motivated to learn. I can't even comprehend how terrible it would be during the 5 month rainy season.
This leads me to "out of sight out of mind." I had "seen" this hut for 5 months and thought it wasn't "that bad." That was until I was forced to teach in it for one or two periods a day.
It's not going to drastically improve the quality of their education, it's not the library my blind optimistic self dreamed of creating pre-departure, it's going to cause me huge headaches, someone will probably rip me off at some point, something will most definitely go wrong, BUT at least I know it will be used.
I am using a local contractor, and we are trying to get community member involvement to do the manual labor. Hopefully, the community will respond and this will be something they can take pride in completing.
These kids may never leave the village but they deserve to feel like they are worth an actual school building and not a makeshift hut. Because they are worth it.
Prayers are most definitely appreciated and needed as I embark further along this endeavor. This is Africa and I'm attempting to build a building?
Please join me in praying for Amy, Sivara (her school), Dudu village (where her school is located), and the Ministry as they all work together to make this vision a reality. Pray for wisdom as they make decisions, expedited processes, honesty in their work, and an unrelenting excitement for this new space. You can follow Amy's blog and her progress here!
Now that I have gotten official Ministry of Education approval!!!! I have some big/exciting/overwhelming news!
I am building a classroom.
My friend Karen made the difficult decision to leave Namibia earlier this year, and she graciously left behind a very generous amount of extra fundraised money for me to use at my school. Thanks to some additional funding from family and friends I have enough to build a classroom.
I have been in a constant struggle over if this is the right thing to do. The government has the money; however, because of a variety of political factors and my school being a primary school, the government is not going to build a classroom anywhere in the foreseeable future. It is very similar to the discrepancies remaining in our country. Ever watch the Corridor of Shame or seen some of the schools in Appalachia?
The reality is the kids are the ones suffering.
When I arrived at my school, I was shocked at the conditions of the buildings, even more shocked when I was led to the hut that is the grade 4 classroom. When I say hut I mean hut. It is not the rock, mud/cement huts that people live in, it is literally some sticks with gaping holes in the "walls" and roof.
 |
| Grade 4 Classroom |
It's their reality, it always has been and more than likely always will be. It's what they know. They are resilient and show more courage than I can possibly fathom.
When I first arrived I was thinking "I have to build a classroom." A few months in I was thinking "whatever the kids are fine." Term 2 came along and the grade 4 teacher left on maternity leave. Due to some ministry paper work delay concerning pay they were without a teacher for a few weeks. During this time the upper primary teachers and myself went and taught them during our free periods.
That was the first time I had ever spent time in the hut. It was miserable! Namibia is cold right now and that hut was about 100 times colder than being outside. I was bundled up, gloves, hats, scarf, fleece jacket, and I was freezing. Now imagine scrawny little children with short sleeves and no shoes. I was unmotivated to teach anything. It would have actually been more effective to just teach outside.
Even in the afternoon when it was warmer, the conditions were horrendous. The roof was caving in, there were huge holes in the wall, I kept hitting my head on the low ceiling, and there was almost no light. It just wasn't right. I wasn't motivated to teach, and I can imagine those kids weren't motivated to learn. I can't even comprehend how terrible it would be during the 5 month rainy season.
This leads me to "out of sight out of mind." I had "seen" this hut for 5 months and thought it wasn't "that bad." That was until I was forced to teach in it for one or two periods a day.
It's not going to drastically improve the quality of their education, it's not the library my blind optimistic self dreamed of creating pre-departure, it's going to cause me huge headaches, someone will probably rip me off at some point, something will most definitely go wrong, BUT at least I know it will be used.
I am using a local contractor, and we are trying to get community member involvement to do the manual labor. Hopefully, the community will respond and this will be something they can take pride in completing.
These kids may never leave the village but they deserve to feel like they are worth an actual school building and not a makeshift hut. Because they are worth it.
Prayers are most definitely appreciated and needed as I embark further along this endeavor. This is Africa and I'm attempting to build a building?
Please join me in praying for Amy, Sivara (her school), Dudu village (where her school is located), and the Ministry as they all work together to make this vision a reality. Pray for wisdom as they make decisions, expedited processes, honesty in their work, and an unrelenting excitement for this new space. You can follow Amy's blog and her progress here!
Thursday, August 4, 2011
Workout Weekdays - Bought to You By the Letter S
Workout Weekdays have been temporarily postponed because...well...I kind of forgot how much it aches to get back into running. I kind of have a major wedding to prepare for this weekend and sore shins are not part of the equation.
So this week, I've been working out by walking around in these bad boys:
They're cute, right? But you see, I have a vendetta against heels of any kind. In fact, the highest pair of heels I own are a mere 1/4 inch (mayyyyyybe half inch, if we're feeling tall that day). Clearly a result of my intense height self-consciousness growing up. Which is no longer a problem since they grow men so tall in the South.
Anyways.
I've recently taking to wearing these babies around the house whenever I think of it. Which means I wear them when I'm cooking, when I'm in my PJs, when I'm doing laundry...I've become a good ol' Stepford Wife.
Thankfully, I no longer walk around like I just finished bareback horse riding and I don't take 20 minutes to walk down the stairs. We're getting there!
Cross your fingers, say a little prayer, and hold your breath that I can successfully walk down the aisle on Saturday...which is cobblestone, by the way. Voted "Most Likely to Wipeout in a Wedding"? I think so.
Pros to my upcoming footwear:
1) the Chaco tan looks especially noticeable in fancy shoes
2) heels make your legs look soooooooo good
Don't worry. My wedding footwear will be strictly comfortable shoes or bare feet. No heels allowed!
So this week, I've been working out by walking around in these bad boys:
 |
| S is for Shoe [photo cred] |
Anyways.
I've recently taking to wearing these babies around the house whenever I think of it. Which means I wear them when I'm cooking, when I'm in my PJs, when I'm doing laundry...I've become a good ol' Stepford Wife.
Thankfully, I no longer walk around like I just finished bareback horse riding and I don't take 20 minutes to walk down the stairs. We're getting there!
Cross your fingers, say a little prayer, and hold your breath that I can successfully walk down the aisle on Saturday...which is cobblestone, by the way. Voted "Most Likely to Wipeout in a Wedding"? I think so.
Pros to my upcoming footwear:
1) the Chaco tan looks especially noticeable in fancy shoes
2) heels make your legs look soooooooo good
Don't worry. My wedding footwear will be strictly comfortable shoes or bare feet. No heels allowed!
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Baseball: America's Pastime
On Monday night, these kids and I had the chance to attend a Nashville Sounds game (fo' free, thanks to Steph and Skanska).
Not only was the warm summer evening quite enjoyable, but it was also $1 hotdog night. Free game and cheap food? Yesss.
I was greatly reminded of my love for America, being outside, relaxing with friends, and cheering for the home team, even if they lost to Round Rock (where is Round Rock, anyways?).
Go Nashville.
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
TIA Tuesday - Glenview, Illinois Edition
I feel a little badly. I tend to love on Tennessee much more than I love on Illinois. But as I was driving through cornfield after cornfield today, I was reminded of where my heart comes from and how deeply I love the great Midwest. Here are a few reasons why I love Glenview, IL and the rest of this great state: the Center of America.
Deep dish pizza. Delicious, fresh ingredients. Thick, chewy crust. Lots and lots and lots of cheese. TIA.
A warm summer breeze blowing through lush fields of soybeans. I never even noticed the soybean fields before! Beautiful beautiful beautiful. TIA.
Fresh sweet corn on the side of the road. TIA.
Walking to the Dairy Bar at night and always ordering chocolate dipped in milk chocolate in a cone. TIA.
Looking down a long, straight, un-rolling road, bordered by farms, as far as the eyes can see. TIA.
Lake Michigan. And going to the beach. And it feeling like the ocean, minus the salt water and dangerous animals. TIA.
Cicadas. Nashville, you ain't got nothing to complain about. We get the same ones you do, plus swarms of regular ones every year. TIA.
The Glen. And the fact that such quintessential suburbia exists at all, just a walk away. "1200 Acres of Perfect Planning." We love it, we hate it. But it's ours. And it's so America. TIA.
Bike riding! TIA.
The close proximity of family. TIA.
But until sweet tea, mason jars, and southern accents make it to the Great Wide North, you can find me in the greater state of Tennessee.
Deep dish pizza. Delicious, fresh ingredients. Thick, chewy crust. Lots and lots and lots of cheese. TIA.
A warm summer breeze blowing through lush fields of soybeans. I never even noticed the soybean fields before! Beautiful beautiful beautiful. TIA.
Fresh sweet corn on the side of the road. TIA.
Walking to the Dairy Bar at night and always ordering chocolate dipped in milk chocolate in a cone. TIA.
Looking down a long, straight, un-rolling road, bordered by farms, as far as the eyes can see. TIA.
Lake Michigan. And going to the beach. And it feeling like the ocean, minus the salt water and dangerous animals. TIA.
Cicadas. Nashville, you ain't got nothing to complain about. We get the same ones you do, plus swarms of regular ones every year. TIA.
The Glen. And the fact that such quintessential suburbia exists at all, just a walk away. "1200 Acres of Perfect Planning." We love it, we hate it. But it's ours. And it's so America. TIA.
Bike riding! TIA.
The close proximity of family. TIA.
But until sweet tea, mason jars, and southern accents make it to the Great Wide North, you can find me in the greater state of Tennessee.
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