Travelblogue: Memorial Day in Music City

Life has gotten pretty hectic lately, so I didn't get a chance to post about this earlier. But I'm here now, and would like to say the following:

I spent my Memorial Day Weekend in Nashville, Tennessee.

This statement has led to some interesting reactions from the people I know. A number of people thought it was cool and liked the photos I had to share from my trip. But others were confused and asked why I would go to Nashville, what could have prompted me to go to Nashville, and what exactly is there for one to see in Nashville?

My response? I just wanted to go somewhere I hadn't before, I also wanted to experience more of the south, and I (rightly) figured that you can always find something to do wherever you decide to go on vacation... even when it's not the most glamorous, obvious place to go.

In some ways, Nashville is no different from Any City, USA. It's got some really spiffy looking metropolitan buildings. It's got some rundown, run-of-the-mill looking shops and restaurants. There's that one street that's really lively and happening. Then there's a bunch of random boring streets that might make you wonder what prompted you to visit in the first place. But ultimately there's a lot to experience, and you can find some really neat things along the way. And that's exactly what happened to me. Here's what I enjoyed about my trip:

1. Nashville puts the music in Music City
Country music is not something I listen to everyday — when I do listen to it, it's either of the "alt country" variety, or a song by one of the greats like Johnny Cash or Patsy Cline. But despite the fact that country music isn't exactly a huge part of my life, I'm still a music fan. I enjoy seeing other people immersing themselves in it, and I love learning about music history. This is something I got to do in Nashville. First stop — the Country Music Hall of Fame, where I got to see everything from a three-neck guitar-like instrument that belonged to an early country musician to Elvis' gold Cadillac and Hank Williams' stuffed squirrels. I got a perfect glimpse into the world of country music, with its hard work and themes of heartbreak, alongside some of its tackier gaudy mementos. And I wouldn't have it any other way.

Next up, the Ryman Auditorium, which was home of the Grand Ole Opry for a good thirty years or so. Since we didn't have access to the kind of money needed for a rental or taxi that could get us to the current Opry House, my friend and I decided to check out the Ryman. And it was a spectacular treat. We took a backstage tour, which meant we got to go inside the dressing rooms (which are actually newer additions to this building that first opened in 1892). We were able to learn fun anecdotes about country stars, past and present, and about how performers like Elvis, Hank Williams and Johnny Cash all managed to get banned from the Opry in some way. By the time our tour was done, we got to do a self-tour, which allowed us to take pictures on the stage of the Ryman, sit in the pews, and view some fun memorabilia like a shiny dress that once belonged to Loretta Lynn. It was definitely a worthwhile visit!

2. The history (beyond the Grand Ole Opry)
There's a lot of different historical things you can see in Nashville, and some of these things overlap with music (as evidenced above). But there's a lot more. For one thing, you can visit plantations! We didn't have time to visit the Hermitage, Andrew Jackson's old haunt, but we did get to go to the outskirts of the city and visit the Belle Meade Plantation, where we got a fun history lesson about the grounds' mansion, its relation to horse racing, and stories about the family it once belonged to. Our mansion tour guide told us that about sixty to seventy percent of the house's original belongings had been recovered when the historical society took over, so that made for a really nice authentic experience. And they were also recreating the daughter's wedding, so we got a chance to see wedding decor/food from the old days. The grounds outside the plantation are also beautiful and educational, featuring cabins, a doll house that children once played in, a carriage house with tons of old carriages inside, and more. It was a nice way to step back in time for a little while.

Another cool bit of history we discovered — the remains of James K. Polk and his wife on the grounds of the State Capitol in Nashville. We stumbled across their little memorial by accident while wandering the Capitol's grounds alone on the Saturday that we landed. It was definitely one of the more unexpected items I planned on finding there, but it was also a worthy discovery nonetheless.

3. The food
While we had a tendency to grab breakfast at Panera, since we knew it was affordable and featured comforting breakfast foods we were familiar with, we tried to find ways to enjoy authentic southern food. Our first night there, we stopped at BB King's, a popular blues club that features live music. (And some fun nicely designed t-shirts and whatnot in their "gift shop" area. The items sold are great souvenirs that don't really look like souvenirs). We wound up getting some delicious chicken, garlic mashed potatoes, and white cheddar mac 'n' cheese. Simple, but delightful. Determined to get grits the next night, we asked the waiter at Big River if we could get a side of grits (which otherwise came with shrimp) to accompany our meals. As my friend put it, "We're from the North..." and were clearly in the mood to try this little Southern staple. Turns out, I really liked the grits, even though they're just a very basic comfort food. Ours had some white cheddar in them, so I think that's what ended up making the grits so enjoyable. It was a fun, basic introduction to the region's food.

4. The people's commitment to Southern hospitality
I'm in my early twenties and can sometimes look a bit younger according to people I know. Yet I've never been called ma'am so much in my life! Everyone — including an elderly gentleman working as a tour guide at the Ryman — called me "ma'am," while addressing me. And people took out time to help me and my friend out whenever we seemed to need a little help with our sightseeing. These all sound like very basic things, and it's not like I don't experience politeness up north, but there is something very sweet and sincere about the people of Nashville. Their kindness was a pleasant supplement to our trip.

5. The "odd and end" sights
The AT&T building (or "Batman Building" as pictured at the top of this post), hokey tourist shops, the number of stores selling boots and cowboy hats — all of these were really fun things to see on the side while we were vacationing in Nashville. In fact, I might have gone a little overboard trying on different hats. But I didn't bring any back, so I consider that a rare moment of self restraint.

There is also a replica of the Parthenon in Centennial Park, a beautiful structure featuring an enormous golden-colored statue of Athena.

And another "odd and end," though it doesn't really seem to fit anywhere here: the Cheekwood Botanical Garden, which houses an art museum and tons of gardens including a water garden, herb area, Japanese garden, and more. The grounds are beyond huge, and there's so much to see that one might as well spend an entire day in there. Sadly, rain and a decision to eat something wound up cutting our visit short. But I can totally imagine myself going back to Cheekwood someday just to explore it further.

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All in all, it was a tremendously successful trip. And while I wish I'd had a car of my own to get around in from time to time, there really was plenty for us to see and do in the two-and-a-half days we spent there. Next time I go back, I'll try to venture out further and see what else I can find.

Travelblogue: Bostonian Eats & Treats

I didn't stay in Boston long enough to do a long series of posts like I did while traveling in England, but I did stay long enough to discover some fabulous food and shopping areas. So this post will be dedicated to the spots I went to — some of them are very typically touristy, but they were still very enjoyable and definitely worth stopping by if you're new to Boston.

Newbury Street: This is one of the largest and most picturesque streets in Boston, lined with renovated brownstone buildings that have been converted into shops and restaurants. You'll find major chain stores like Best Buy and Urban Outfitters in the vicinity, along with some designer joints (including the Betsy Johnson store and a couple of high-end consignment shops). While things do get fancy in parts of Newbury Street, there really is something for everyone to enjoy.

Notable Newbury Shopping: One of my favorite places on this well-known street is the appropriately-named Newbury Comics. This is actually a chain that can be found throughout Massachusetts and parts of Connecticut, Rhode Island, Maine, and New Hampshire. But having visited the Cambridge location a few years ago, it's always been a place I associate with Boston and its surrounding areas. Newbury Comics is a fantastic place for music lovers and general pop culture nerds. There are used and new CDs, DVDs, and vinyls throughout the store and of course, there are also comic books for sale. Funky pursues, gag gifts, and posters can also be found in various corners — it's a fantastic experience for those of us who still enjoy browsing in record stores instead of ordering everything online. And the best part is, you might find albums you wouldn't easily find in other record stores for a reasonable price! My $9.99 copy of a Graham Coxon solo album has made me very happy.

Notable Newbury Ice Cream: If you're on Newbury Street, you should stop by J.P. Licks, another Massachusetts-based chain. Even though the store is subject to huge lines, they seem to move relatively quickly, and the ice cream is to die for. I had a chocolate chip milkshake that tasted like liquid cake and my friend had some lactose-free mango ice cream that tasted exactly like the fruit. Word of warning though: servings are pretty huge. Another friend seemed to alternate between joy and despair the whole time because her two-scoop ice cream cone was probably bigger than her head. But at least you get your money's worth!

Sunset Cantina: This Mexican/Southwestern restaurant and sports bar is well known for its margaritas and abundant menu. This is another place that serves extremely large portions, so you should really only go there when you're extremely hungry or in the mood to eat a lot. That being said, I had some of the best nachos of my life (with vegetarian chili for those who aren't into the meaty variety) at this place and I'd love to go back again. Also, it's a pretty large place with plenty of kitsch-inspired decor, providing patrons with a great atmosphere for socializing while indulging in food and drinks.

North End: This is one of Boston's oldest neighborhoods and it's also now the center of the Italian-American community. There are restaurants at every corner and you can help yourself to assorted offerings of pasta, gelato, and other tasty desserts when you're in the neighborhood. I was lucky enough to visit two of the North End's food establishments and as both of them were fantastic, I'll mention them here.

Savory: For dinner, my friends and I took a slight detour into one of the North End's side streets, in order to eat at Al Dente Ristorante, where the menu features a good amount of reasonably-priced items. The restaurant is charmingly cramped and makes you wonder how they manage to cook all the food they do in the little kitchen towards the back. But somehow, the restaurant's staff pulls it off, preparing fresh, flavorful food that will leave you happily stuffed by the end of your meal. My recommendation? The Chicken Cacciatore, which you can order with a pasta of your choice. The peppers and mushrooms accented my chicken and linguine perfectly and I actually found myself very close to finishing up the entire plate because I didn't want to waste the delicious ingredients.

Sweet: It seems that everyone must stop at Mike's Pastry for dessert and I will say that the items there live up to the hype. I had one of the richest chocolate chip cannolis ever and it was absolutely delicious. That being said, you should take note of the fact that Mike's is bound to be very overcrowded if you visit close to meal times. There are some tables for sitting, but the store gets so crowded that there are literally lines out the door while people order their desserts. It's best to do what my friends and I did: go in, order your dessert and take it to go. On the bright side, chances are you'll need some time after lunch or dinner to build up an appetite for dessert, so it's a win-win approach.

Quincy Market: This magnificent food court area, located in downtown Boston's Faneuil Hall Marketplace, is perpetually crowded with people hovering around tables in order to get a seat. But it does offer a wide array of food, including breakfast items, Greek, Indian, and East Asian food. There are also dessert and smoothie places, and of course, you can always get some New England clam chowder. This is a great place to go, especially when people are in the mood to try different things. Case in point: I helped myself to a chicken kebab wrap and a smoothie, while another friend helped herself to some sushi and clam chowder in addition to her own smoothie.

It doesn't really matter where you go and it's not necessary to visit all the locations I've mentioned above. At the end of the day, you're bound to find plenty of places to eat and shop in if you're visiting Boston. As long as you're well prepared to do a good amount of eating, you'll be all set!

Travelblogue: A Bostonian Fourth of July

As I get older, I often find myself thinking that most major holidays never really live up to the hype. Christmas still manages to remain fun because of a yearly tradition that my college friends and I have established. But other holidays like New Year's Eve and the Fourth of July always end up falling flat and are never quite as hopping as I'd like them to be.

This year, a group of friends and I decided that it was time we changed that. And so we decided to go to Boston for the Fourth of July, so that we could witness the annual fireworks show, while also giving ourselves the opportunity to explore a new place. The end result was a great success as we were able to have a good time, while also doing something that felt very traditional.

Boston is famous for its Fourth of July celebration, which features fireworks over the Charles River and a concert performed by the Boston Pops in an area known as the Esplanade. It seems that at least a few hundred thousand people turn up to view the show every year — hotels through Boston and Cambridge are booked by visitors hoping to catch a glimpse. From what I witnessed that day, people seem to get really pumped for the show. Our own hotel, the Boston Marriott Cambridge Hotel, provided all guests with free red and blue glow sticks for the celebration. And of course, there were plenty of people peddling glow sticks and other light-up items when night fell.

Being that there were thousands of people in town to take part in the festivities, and also considering the fact that we wanted to take time to explore the city instead of just camping out for a spot, my friends and I didn't try to stay where the main events were taking place. We actually decided to go back to our hotel in Cambridge, which is a choice I'm glad we made after seeing the crowd trying to get on the T after the show.

This is actually a move that I would advise many people to do, if they're staying in Cambridge over the Fourth or don't want to try fighting for a spot near the Pops' stage. The area along the Charles River is absolutely wonderful, lined with grass and trees, providing people with plenty of space to sit down with picnic blankets and whatnot. As we were walking through the crowd, trying to find a spot, it also appeared as though the city had completely shut down. There were no cars to be seen, just hoards of people walking around with friends, family members and their pets. And while I'm not from Boston, I have to admit that I felt a sense of camaraderie as I realized that we were all there for the same thing.

My friends and I finally made our way over to the Mass Ave. Bridge — also known as the Harvard Bridge or M.I.T. Bridge — just a little while before the fireworks began. It should also be noted that the Mass Ave. Bridge is one of those places lined with extra speakers, so that those who are far away from the Pops can still hear them perform. It was definitely incredible to hear the famous orchestra play on such a momentous occasion and so I would recommend that people interested in hearing the music do some research about areas that might feature these speakers.

By the end of the night, I felt that our efforts to see the show had been well worth the experience. We were lucky enough to get a spot on the bridge that ended up being rather close to the fireworks. And while you could say that fireworks are rampant throughout the U.S. on the Fourth of July, there's something special about seeing them while standing over a river near one of the country's most famous historical cities. As a variety of music — including some well-meaning, yet cheesy inspirational tunes and the much-loved Dropkick Murphys' "I'm Shipping Up to Boston" — blared in accompaniment to the bursting fireworks that night, I realized that when they're done right, the holidays can still be pretty spectacular.