After months of anticipation, Justin Timberlake’s Twelve Thirty Club is finally open for business in downtown Nashville. But does it live up to the hype?  I really struggle when out-of-towners ask me for restaurant recommendations in Nashville. Most of them are staying downtown and don’t want to have to drive or Uber somewhere — but […]

My husband and I have been hiking Middle Tennessee’s many trails for the last two decades and we’re finally coming to the end of the line. There are very few trails within a two-hour drive from Nashville that we haven’t tried at least once, which is kind of a downer, but I suppose it had […]

Old Nashville meets New Nashville at Mother’s Ruin, an NYC-based Germantown hotspot that combines speedy free pour cocktails with next-level bar food.   “I keep hearing about Mother’s Ruin,” I told my husband a few weeks ago. “I think we should go there.” “What makes it so great?” he asked. “Well, here’s what I know,” […]

Hidden deep in the forests surrounding Chattanooga are blue holes — crystal clear blue pools of water fed by underground rivers. Want to see and even swim in one yourself? Read on! We hiked a mile and a half through a forest just outside Chattanooga before arriving at one of Tennessee’s elusive blue holes, a […]

Fruity, rum-filled drinks, a retro Polynesian vibe… and robots. This East Nashville tiki bar has more than a few fun surprises. A few years ago, a man had a dream. “The dream I had last night was so weird,” he told a friend the next day over coffee. “The only thing I really remember now […]

Looking for the best Nashville hikes out there? You’ve come to the right place! I’ve made it my mission over the years to hike all of the Nashville area’s trails and I’m happy to report there are some fantastic ones to choose from. On the trails I’ve listed below, you’ll find amazing scenic views, old […]

“I can’t believe we’re finally doing this,” I told my husband as we sat in an Inglewood parking lot. In my hands was a plain brown paper bag. We both gazed at it in silence for a few seconds before I took a deep breath and opened it. Two objects rested inside, both wrapped in […]

After what had to be the longest school year of all time, summer is finally here! Now that everything’s opening up again, it just might be the best summer ever — There’s nothing like spending a year at home to appreciate normal, everyday life and all the activities that come with it, right? I’ve spent […]

I’ve learned over time that what often makes a shop or a tour or even a restaurant really, really special is the owner or guide or chef you interact with while you’re there. When I’m researching a city or town, I sort through hundreds of user reviews, seeking out the bookstore with the charismatic and […]

I’m a sucker for a great French brasserie and over the years, we’ve been lucky to dine at some of the best. 39 Rue de Jean in Charleston, Echaude in Quebec City, and the now sadly closed Brasserie Les Halles in Manhattan all left me with delicious memories of crispy pommes frites, mussels steamed in […]