In a Nashville Minute

Hello from Chelsea Gossett. So, I went to Nashville this past Thursday with my friend and workmate, Terrah. She’s a Nashville native so we hit some really cool, local places. We had a meeting with Universal Music Group, checked up on a couple of boutiques and apothecaries that sell Count Me Healthy and then I met up with my best friend, Marisa, who was in town from London visiting her sister at Vanderbilt. I had an amazing time and just in case you want to take a trip to the “LA of the South,” here are some cool things to do and see.

STAY
We stayed at Nashville’s trendy Hutton–a hotel with lots of eco-sustainability initiatives including “card disabled guest room lighting.” I found this so cool. It’s a card-holder to the right of the door when you walk into your room. To turn on the lights, stick the card in the holder. Voila! Then, when you are leaving, pull the card out of the slot and the lights shut off within 30 seconds. Sweet. I believe the Europeans have done this for a while, but this is the first time I’ve seen it in the states. Other eco-friendly touches include bamboo flooring and a recycling program.

Their lobby also rocked, even offering an organic wine mixer everyday from 5-6:30. Plus I saw Jillian Michaels from “The Biggest Loser.” I wish I could say Hutton’s service was up to par with their green goals. Rooms are so-so and service was sub par. The three friends who stayed in other rooms at the same time had similar scenarios. I’m all for being eco-conscious, but service is still critical in the hospitality biz. (http://www.huttonhotel.com)

EAT
Province Breads & Cafe in Hillsboro Village for breakfast with our friend and internet guru, Greg Hallmark. Amazing coffee along with a sampling of their organic multi-grain crusty bread. Yum. What a way to start the day. (http://www.provencebreads.com)

Viragos. If you want to get your sushi on, this place is for you. Awesome ambiance and a great place to hang with your girls. They actually made me a steamed shrimp roll with just shrimp and seaweed–no rice. That scored huge bonus points from me. (http://www.viragosushi.com)

Tasti-D-Lite. Frozen Yogurt is my all-time favorite treat, especially Tasti-D. Up until last year, I would have had to visit NYC or South Beach to quell my crave, but they recently opened one right in the heart of Nashville. Their yogurt is low-cal (70-90 calories per half cup), but doesn’t taste like it. This time round, I had a cup of butter crunch and dutch chocolate swirl. For Memphians reading this, I heard we may get a franchise soon. Cross your fingers! (http://www.tastidlite.com)

Grill 1808. Voted the top new restaurant in Nashville for 2009, Grill 1808 delivers both ambiance, fabulous wine, and beyond good food. It also helped that we dined with really intriguing girls, including one of Miley Cyrus’s stylists. The conversation was never dull. Some of the plates we sampled and loved were: Saganaki, Roasted Eggplant Hummus with Goat Cheese crumbles, Mojo Tuna Taco with Ancho sauce (I ordered this as my meal and it was fabulous), Crispy Miso Trout, Mac & Cheese with Maytag Blue Cheese, and 1808’s specialty fish dish—Mahi Mahi. Service was top notch. For wine, we had an Argentinian Malbec at an unheard of price—$45 a bottle.

SHOP!!!
H. Audrey
Okay, I put this on my facebook profile page as well because I’ve never been so taken with a store. Voted the number 1 boutique IN AMERICA by Elle Magazine, H. Audrey is heaven with clothing racks. If you go, look for Rick Owens leather waterfall jackets that fit like gloves, Yigal Azrouel tanks and dresses, and Helmut Lang draping. All brilliant. Not to mention the boutique is owned by Hank Williams granddaughter. (http://www.haudrey.com)

POSH (Hillsboro Village Location)
There are two Posh boutiques in Nashville. Both cool. This location is a little darker, a little edgier. I lean more towards the dark and neutral so this store is right up my alley. With brands like Daftbird, G-Star, and Linq, you are sure to find a punch piece for your wardrobe. Ask for Maisha. She manages and has an amazing style.

Cool places to visit are The Parthenon, Music Row and the Grand Ole Opry. Do you have any Nashville Hotspots you want to share? Do tell. An as always, keep counting.