I was recently invited
to Nashville, Tennessee and really wanted to decline. What could
there possibly be of interest in Nashville? I had visited this
city twenty-five years ago and was disappointed then, so why go
back? But George said I would like it, and George is right almost
20 percent of the time. When your expectations are low, be it
a dinner party you weren’t looking forward to attending, or a
trip you thought you would not like, Fortuna blows her charmed
breath over you, and you end up having the time of your life.
Fortuna must have been
in rare form when I visited Nashville, as I had a truly wonderful
trip. In fact, I was so impressed, I’m recommending this city
as one of my top USA picks. Here’s why.
This is Music City
USA, home to the Grand Ole’ Opry, and some of the best music in
the world. I denied liking this music until I checked my CD collection
and found I had several country artists tucked between Italians
like Vivaldi, Sinatra, and Martin (Dean not Ricky). At 76, the
Opry is the world’s longest-running live radio show, and the Ryman
Auditorium, the original site of this musical institution, is
still open for tours. When the Opry moved from the Ryman to its
present home on Opryland Drive, an eight-foot circle of hardwood
was removed and placed center stage at the new location. Today’s
stars still tread the boards of the country music great’s who
came before them. I felt a little star-struck when I saw Porter
Wagoner backstage at the Opry just before he set foot on that
famous stage.
The Nashville skyline
has changed since I first visited. Downtown Nashville, an area
to be avoided then, now pulses with shoppers and visitors due
to the $900 million invested here during the last five years.
Even honky tonks like Tootsies are enjoying a resurgence in popularity
as they host hot bands and encourage fast dancing. The Bell South
skyscraper looms large over the city, and is called the Batman
building because of its resemblance to the caped crusader -- Holy
Architecture Robin!
The new Country Music
Hall of Fame and Museum, designed by Seab Tuck, softly graces
the skyline, and reflects the story of country music. The building
has a large sweeping wall, hung with billboards, like signage
in a country general store, and the long vertical windows look
like black piano keys. The replicated WSM-AM radio tower that
carried the tunes along its airwaves reaches for the sky, while
the bottom half functions as a chandelier inside.
The Gaylord Entertainment
Center is a convenient downtown stop, home to the Visitor’s Center,
where you will find a great display of country memorabilia. It
houses a full concierge service offering excellent discount tickets
for events and destinations, as well as assistance in helping
you choose the best places to visit. Located in this building
is the exciting new Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame and Museum .
An excellent and affordable stop.
Under the “you’re never
too old,” banner, I took a spin on the Tennessee Fox Trot Carousel,
created by Red Grooms. The 36 brightly colored figures all represent
part of Nashville’s history, and include “horses” carved in the
image of Davy Crockett, President Andrew Jackson, Captain Thomas
Ryman, and the one I chose to ride, the Everly Brothers, who sang,
“Wake Up Little Susie.”
Nashville, called the
“Athens of the South,” has many interesting cultural activities.
The Nashville Parthenon is the only full-scale replica of the
Greek Parthenon in existence, and the impressive centerpiece of
Centennial Park. The Elgin Marbles, removed from the Parthenon
in Greece, are housed in the British Museum in London but authentic
plaster casts of these original sculptures can be seen adorning
the pediments on the building here, as they once did in Greece,
in 438 BC. Inside, is a majestic 42-foot statue of Athena, who,
according to Greek mythology, was the goddess of wisdom, prudent
warfare, and the arts. In her outstretched hand stands Nike, the
winged goddess of victory, appearing to be the size of a Barbie
doll, but in reality is six-foot tall. I enjoyed the excellent
permanent art collection on display here, which includes works
by 19th and 20th century American artists.
I caught Hume Cronyn
and Jessica Tandy’s daughter, Tandy Cronyn at the Tennessee Repertory
Theater in Lillian Hellman’s play, “The Little Foxes.” With an
extravagant set to set the tone, this was a wonderful production
of Ms. Hellman’s inside look at the wealthy and dysfunctional
Hubbard and Giddens families.
The newly opened Frist
Center for the Visual Arts, is located in Nashville’s beautifully
renovated Art Deco post office. How fortunate that this building,
built in 1934 was available for purchase, and that architect Steve
Tucker had the vision to keep the feel and tone of the period
intact. The Frist family and the Frist Foundation pledged a minimum
of $25 million to renovate the building to the highest museum
standards.
I met Mrs. Patricia
Frist, an elegant lady walking amid the workmen as they put the
finishing touches on the Center. She said it was an exciting opportunity
for her family to be able to participate in this excellent cultural
center for the city. Curator, Chase W. Rynd worked day and night
to make this dream a reality. Said Rynd, : “Unlike other cities,
we did not have a downtown facility that could accommodate major
exhibits. Now, museums are opening their vaults and lending us
their art.” Two of the highlights here are Tintoretto's "Christ
Washing His Disciples’ Feet," and Rembrandt's "Portrait
of a Lady with a Lap Dog. "
Naturally, it wouldn’t
be the South without several gracious old mansions. One of the
first to explore is President Andrew Jackson’s home, The Hermitage.
He and wife Rachel lived here and are buried in the garden. With
costumed docents to lead the way, this is a lively method to learn
more about Old Hickory and our country’s history.
At Cheekwood Botanical
Garden & Museum of Art be sure to walk the Carell Woodland Sculpture
Trail. Extraordinary exhibits include artist Sophie Ryer’s “Crawling
Lady Hare” sculpture, and stepping stones carved in the Latin
script of Ancient Rome by Ian Hamilton Finlay that spell out “The
order of the present is the disorder of the future,” -- Saint-Just.
My order of the present entailed food, as I had worked up an appetite
on my walk through these wonderful woods. I had a lovely lunch
at the Pineapple Room Restaurant, conveniently located on the
premises. I had known that the Pineapple was the symbol for hospitality,
but I didn’t know that when house guests found the pineapple in
their bedroom either missing or turned up-side-down, it meant
they had worn out their welcome and it was time to leave. Much
nicer than leaving a stitched pillow on the bed that read, “Fish
and houseguest stink after three days!”
Cheekwood was originally
the private residence of Leslie Cheek who married Mable Wood --
hence the name Cheekwood. Leslie invested in his cousin Joel’s
coffee business, which turned out to be Maxwell House, and “Good
to the last drop,” as President Teddy Roosevelt proclaimed. The
Georgian-style mansion has beautiful proportions and houses some
wonderful art exhibits while the Botanical Gardens include seasonal
specialty gardens.
The Greek Revival Mansion
known as Belle Meade, Queen of the Tennessee Plantations, is known
for breeding thoroughbred horses. The home is beautifully furnished
with paintings of notable studs, including Iroquois and Bonnie
Scotland, lining the walls. There was much to see here and I’m
glad I allowed myself sufficient time. Take note of the ruby colored
window above the front door, a result of adding gold to the molten
glass, and a way to convey your riches to the neighbors. At the
end of my tour, I asked about a cane chaise lounge and was told
it was a 'cooling board,' used to hold a dead body, kept cool
by placing ice on the floor underneath. That gave me a chill,
and I knew it was time to leave. Two other interesting homes to
visit in the area are Belmont Mansion and Travelers Rest -- The
Overton Plantation.
Dining in Nashville
is a treat made easy by visiting a select few special restaurants.
Breakfast must be at the Pancake Pantry (615-383-9333), where
the famous and not-so-famous rub elbows and pass syrup. F. Scotts
(615-269-5861) features rubbed pork tenderloin, dishes with an
Asian influence, and an excellent Chilean Sea Bass that I thoroughly
enjoyed. The wonderful paintings on the walls are by local artist
Creason Clayton. At Arthur’s located in the women’s waiting room
at Union Station, an old refurbished train station that is an
architectural jewel in Nashville’s crown, note the stained glass
windows that are original to the building. Owner Jaime Camara
and Executive chef Emile Labrousse certainly add to the continental
flavor found in both their gracious hospitality and on their wonderful
menu.
When it was time to
leave, I boarded my Southwest Airline flight direct to Islip's
MacArthur Airport on Long Island, New York. What a treat to be
landing so close to home and how easy to visit Nashville again.
On Southwest’s website sign up for e-mail notices for excellent
bargain rates across the country. For more information about Nashville,
contact the Convention and Visitor’s Bureau and if you’ve had
the desire to wear a Stetson, buy one here, as this is the place
to do so. Mine was black with a silver band. Reba better watch
her back!
Nashville
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