A Quick. Quick. Slow. Slow. Long Weekend in Nashville
Quick. Quick. Slow. Slow. That’s the counting pattern for the country 2-step dance. And also the pace of our Nashville long weekend this past April.
A 5:45 pm day of arrival dinner reservation was the only time slot available at The Catbird Seat (no relation, I don’t think, to the BlueBird Café,) the Achazt-inspired (you’re a foodie if that means something to you) counter-seating hot restaurant. So we moved quickly from the airport to the hotel and on to the restaurant.
The next morning was Slow Slow as we set no alarm for sightseeing, yet managed a full Hop on Hop Off Trolley route around the city before our 8:30 pm dinner reservation at Husk, the James Beard award-winning restaurant a short cab ride from our base of operations, the Hotel Indigo, in downtown. Then it was off to live music and dancing. This trip we did the two-step at the Wildhorse Saloon, West Coast swing dance at BB King’s and Bourbon Street Blues and Boogie bar and lindy-hop to the music of Bryan Wain & Hush Puppy’s Daddy at the Whisky Bent Saloon on their Sunday swing dance night.
Swing dancing and molecular gastronomy? Yes, Music City had these to offer for our gourmet-food fueled danceathon in Nashville.
Here’s our full itinerary, if you’d like to follow my lead:
Wednesday
12:01 pm American Air from La Guardia to Nashville
Checked in Hotel Indigo
Walked along river from hotel to Riverfront Station
Rooftop drinks at Acme Feed & Seed- live music, view of the river
Catbird Seat Restaurant for dinner
Downstairs for after-dinner drinks at the Patterson House (tried the Bacon Old fashioned!)
Union Station Hotel for lobby drinks – a restored 19th century rail road station with a stained glass ceiling
Live country music – one set at Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge
Robert’s Western World for country music
One set of the Stacy Mitchhart Band at Bourbon Street Blues and Boogie bar in Printer’s Alley
Thursday
Breakfast at 417 Union Street Restaurant – serves breakfast all day!
Hop on Hop off trolley around the city
Stops at Marathon Village for museum visit and Antique Archaeology shop
Green Brier Distillery tour
Johnny Cash Museum
Rock Bottom Restaurant & Brewery for drinks and appetizers
HUSK restaurant for dinner
The Big Bang–a dueling pianos lounge and dance floor
Bourbon Street Blues and Boogie bar
Friday
Breakfast at 417 Union Street Restaurant
Country Music Museum and Hall of Fame
Margot Cafe in East Nashville for dinner
The 5 Spot bar for drinks and live music
Nashville Swing Dance Foundation’s Friday night JUMP SESSION
Wildhorse Saloon for two-step dancing
Saturday
The Southern Restaurant for brunch
Afternoon antiquing at 8th Ave Antique Mall, Pre to Post Modern, Tennessee Antique Mall
The Bridge RLife Bar at Renaissance Hotel
German Town Cafe for dinner
Rolf & Daughters for drinks
Swinging Doors for country music
BB King’s for Blues
Sunday
Easter Brunch at the Hermitage Hotel – best peppered bacon ever
Sambuca for dinner and live music
Whisky Bent Saloon for swing dancing
Whisky Bent Saloon Swing Dance night
Minnie Murphy & Crew At Sambuca Nashville
Robert’s Western World
Robert’s Western World
Sambuca restaurant
Brunch at The Southern
Easter Brunch at the Hermitage Hotel
Easter Brunch at the Hermitage Hotel
Easter Brunch at the Hermitage Hotel
Easter Brunch at the Hermitage Hotel
Easter Brunch at the Hermitage Hotel
Easter Brunch at the Hermitage Hotel
Cocktail menu at Rolf & Daughters
Union Station Hotel lobby ceiling
Drinks Menu at the Patterson House
13 courses at The Catbird Seat
By Lisa Skriloff, editor, Dance Travel News dancetravelnews.com