West Nashville is a different side of Nashville than I’m used to, not the gritty East Nashville with dimly lit dives, rock venues, and grub pub types places; certainly not the honky tonks and goth/industrial clubs and late night jukebox bars my friends and I have haunted over the years.

My sestra and her hubs recently bought a house in West Nashville, and for fellow Knoxvillians it’s a lot like Sequoyah Hills meets Westland area lakeside neighbourhoods with beautiful intricate homes and green lawns full of plush foliage.

My song for this entry is “Loverman” by Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds. You’ll get it in a moment.

For dinner, my lovely hosts treated me to Hattie B’s Nashville Hot Chicken. I got the hot chicken sandwich with pimiento macaroni and cheese. Delicious.

Nashville Hot is not like the vinegary sting or instant scorch that you get from most hot sauces. Nashville Hot is subtle and smoky. It takes its time, like the man in the suit who sends a drink your way but doesn’t get up and walk over yet.

 

 

On Saturday, we met with other family/friends at Sinema for brunch. In the 40s, the Melrose Theatre was a glamourous twin theatre to the Belle Meade, but for unknown reasons it never seemed to become as popular. It sat unoccupied for many years and in 2014 it reopened as a restaurant. Sinema retains the Art Deco glamour of the Melrose and is the place to go for an elegant brunch experience.

As guests enter the foyer, they are invited to tour the theatre while filling their plates. Climb the shiny gold stairs to the omelette and crepe station. Sit and eat while you watch a movie in the upstairs lounge.

Order a Bloody Mary and sip it as you descend the stairs, and admire both the film projected overhead and your reflection in the mirrored walls looking classy as hell.

Sample the various sausages, ham, bacon, roasted potatoes, eggs, and panini at the main table in the heart of Sinema. Smile at the babe behind you who compliments your dress and says he loves peacock feathers too.

Sinema is the type of place that makes you want to talk to people.

Revisit the foyer for biscuits and gravy, fried chicken and waffles. Satisfy that sweet tooth at the dessert buffet.

One of my favourite things about Sinema is the peacock feather and art deco motifs with black, gold, and green accents. Sinema could easily be an extension of my own home.

And of course, the powder room is glamorous.

As we waited in line, many women took the opportunity to stretch out on the leather loungers and strike their best cheesecake poses.

Food quality was above average, combining standard ‘Merican breakfast buffet faire with decadent surprises. An a la carte menu included unlimited spare ribs, peanut butter pancakes, stuffed peppers, and grits. Bottomless Mimosas are also a plus.

You really can not go wrong here. The price ($28+ each) is well worth the ambiance and selection, without having to commit to one dish or cuisine. I am very pleased to see such a supreme reincarnation of this beautiful theatre.

We took a short walk and visited the Frist Art Museum. My sweet sister also planned this in advance because she knows Nick Cave is one of my favourite musicians, and we had a good laugh when we realized it was a different artist named Nick Cave.

This particular Nick Cave is a Chicago visual artist who incorporates fabric, found objects, dance, sculpture, music, and textiles into his art.

Cave also experiments with illusions and multi-dimensional layering of found objects and every day artifacts of human life. Reflecting on his work provokes awareness of how the items and images in our lives could appear to be art or ancient deities to an objective species.

He is notorious for his “sound suits” which are equal parts artistic expression and social experiment. I was not able to record video of this exhibit, so I will share this one from Youtube instead.

We were lucky to catch the final day of the Frist’s Rome relic exhibit as well. Many pieces were imported while just as many were created in the style of ancient Roman sculpture.

We left the Frist and visited some nearby shops, one of which was 2Danes home furnishings. I absolutely love their modern and retro collections, and especially their inversion recliners. A few minutes upside down in this chair had me feeling like a spring chicken again.

12 South

The most up-and-coming area of Nashville is known as 12 South, and is situated along 12th Avenue South. From what I gather, the neighbourhood is defined by 440 to the south, falling between Belmont and 8th Avenues.

We visited the Five Daughters Bakery and picked up some magical cronuts- giant, heavy doughnuts made of buttery, flaky croissant layers and filled with cream cheese.

Chamomile vanilla, maple bacon, chocolate cream cheese, and rocky road were among our picks. It was painful to place them in the car for later while we set about our day.

While our cronuts waited in the car, we had brunch at Flipside, a retro diner that serves chicken schnitzel with a multitude of toppings.

They do not call it schnitzel on the menu but any meat that is pounded flat, breaded, and fried is a schnitzel in my book. I had mine as poutine- brown gravy and cheese curds over fried potatoes and chicken. There was a slight mix-up and somehow I ended up with tots and fries #aintmad

After brunch we worked our way down the street to a nursery/garden center where I sniffed and felt my way through a jungle of plants I already have at home yet always want more of. The owner had some creative ways of growing and showcasing his.

There were loads of boutiques, taquerias, burger joints, studios, wellness centers, juice/tea rooms, and breweries nearby. Here you can also find the amazing Mafiaoza’s Italian Restaurant. It’s been a few years but I have not forgotten Mafiaoza’s, and back then it was really one of the only places to go in this area.

After it had began raining, we tucked into Frothy Monkey for a latte and chill vibes.

Down the street we found Savant Vintage with a band of taxidermied animals aggressively flying out of the ceilings. This wild boar was my favourite. I know how easily a decaying mandible disarticulates and I am impressed with how solid this one was.

Savant was way more fun than some of the stuffy and hilariously overpriced stores we passed through (Moda asks $10-15 for a single tea light. They’re like 10 for $2 at the Walmart, girl bye).

Embers Ski Lodge appealed to my Alpine longing and odd nostalgia for lodges. It was raining quite hard at this point, the coffee had long worn off, and it was a good time for a St. Germaine’s seltzer. I am not convinced they pulled off the Pacific Northwest theme any better than Twin Peaks restaurant but maybe that is not the point.

We found several more furniture and home decor galleries, and a funky boutique where I picked up some gifts and local goods. I definitely enjoyed becoming acquainted with this newer side of Nashville, and look forward to when we meet again.

 

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