Parthenon & Centennial Park | Nashville, Tennessee

When planning any sort of trip nowadays I rely almost solely on Instagram. Whether it be finding a good place to eat or the most pretty places to visit, Instagram has become my go to tool for pretty much everything. During my trip to Nashville in May, Leah and I did pretty well on hitting the major touristy spots. However, as I scrolled through the numerous Nashville hashtags later on I realized we had missed out on one major attraction. Enter the Parthenon.

I know what you're thinking. Why is there a full scale replica of Athen's famous Parthenon sitting in the middle of Nashville? We were pretty confused to. Built in 1897 as part of the Tennessee Centennial Exposition, Nashville's Parthenon was never meant to be a permanent structure. However due to its popularity after the fair was over the building stayed. Having to go through a complete rebuilding in the early 20th century, the Parthenon became a permanent fixture in 1931. 

Today the Parthenon is a art museum, however we picked a Sunday morning to visit meaning the museum was unfortunately closed. Instead, we chose to eat our breakfast on the steps before roaming the vast park surrounding the Parthenon. 

Breakfast at the Parthenon 🍩 #Nashville

A photo posted by S a r a D a v i s (@sararosedavis) on Sep 6, 2015 at 8:04am PDT

Happy Monday!

xoxo 

Randor Lake State Park | Nashville, Tennessee

Recently I found myself in Nashville, Tennessee once more. During my last visit I had absolutely fallen head first in love with this city. From music to coffee, to city and country, Nashville is the perfect melting pot of culture and beauty. I was immediately taken aback by its surrounding natural beauty and knew this trip I would have to explore even further.

With the guidance of my best friend Leah we made the 15 minute drive out to Randor Lake State Park on an early Saturday morning. The park is easy enough to find if you know where it is. After a few minutes of circling the tiny parking lot until there was a spot available, Leah and I set out to follow one of the park's many trails. 

Sprawling over 1,300 acres, Randor Lake State Park was officially founded in 1923 as a natural preserve. However, it became the state of Tennessee's first all natural area in 1973. It can only be accessed during the day meaning camping is strictly forbidden. However, you can find this park bustling with people on any given morning as it is one of Nashville's most popular places to hike, bike, and walk your dog. 

Easily accessible from the main city, Randor Lake is the perfect place to get a little morning exercise while simultaneously exploring Tennessee's stunning wildlife. Bring a camera, some water, and your phone for directions. With over 12 miles of trails it's easy to get caught up in the beauty and forget where you parked your car!

Happy Monday!
xoxo

Hillsboro Village In Pictures | Nashville, Tennessee

Last week I booked a flight to visit my best friend in Nashville over Labor Day weekend. My last trip to Nashville was a whirlwind of sights and food. While I'm looking forward to doing those things again, I am also excited to get to know Nashville a little better. 

Sometimes I find myself snapping away for no particular reason. I have thousands (yes, thousands) of photos I never share because I have nothing to say. But a picture is worth a thousand words, or so they say, so here are a few of the "lost Nashville photos" from my last visit to Music City.

Happy Friday!

xoxo 

Good Eats | Nashville

I'm a firm believer in the Anti-Diet. 80% of the time I try to eat healthy, while the other 20% is spent eating anything I want with no regrets. It's a lifestyle I began putting more of an effort into when I moved back to America. With oversized portions and everything lathered in an extra layer of fat, I have  to be extra careful when it comes to eating out stateside. That doesn't mean I deprive myself from good food. On the contrary, I enjoy whatever I want within reason. Swapping soda for water, not finishing the entire plate, etc. Small things like that matter. So when I visited Nashville for the weekend I didn't feel guilty about eating out at some of Nashville's best restaurants. Here are a few of my favorites eateries I visited in Nashville! 

FIDO | A cafe, coffee house, restaurant, and all around cool place to hang out, Fido is located Hillsboro Village. You might have to wait in a bit of a line but don't worry. There are plenty of seats and the service is fast fast fast. The overall dog theme of this cafe was quirky, giving it a unique atmosphere. Whether you are there for a coffee, a muffin, or a burger, Fido's will have you covered.

What I Ordered : Huevos Rancheros and the House Latte 

LOCAL TACO | I'm not fussy when it comes to queso. I AM fussy when it comes to salsa however. I like it to be just the right amount of spicy, and the creamer the better. If you give me a good cup of salsa I will be your best friend forever. On my second day in Nashville, Leah and I got a craving for some chips, queso, and salsa (aka a Texan girl's lunch). Leah drove us out to Local Taco where, on the cool covered patio, we had the perfect two hour lunch. I always laugh at myself when I travel somewhere new and end up eating at a TexMex restaurant. More importantly, the salsa was just right. 

What we ordered: Guacamole, queso, and the red salsa.

FROTHY MONKEY | Oh man, this place was a coffee lovers dream. This quirky cafe offers fantastic coffee in a relaxed atmosphere. It reminded me so much of all my favorite little cafes in England. The perfect spot to bring your laptop or a good book, Frothy Monkey was the perfect last meal in Nashville, Tennessee.     

What I ordered: The Frothy Monkey and the House Latte

Looking to indulge yourself in more foodie blog posts? Here are some of my favorite eateries around the world!

Happy Thursday!
xoxo

"The Tulips Are Dead" | Cheekwood Botanical Gardens

Out in west Nashville, in one of the prettiest neighborhoods I have ever seen, is a garden that boasts worldly nature with a hint of southern charm. 

After coffee and brunch, Leah and I headed to Cheekwood Botanical Gardens early Saturday morning. It was a beautiful day, and the transition between spring and summer is becoming more and more apparent. The weather was beautiful and we were determined to see some tulips. Having just spent my last spring and summer in England where tulips blossom throughout spring and summer, I forgot that tulips have a short season in America. We had both heard amazing things about the Cheekwood tulips and knew we only had a short amount of time before they would be gone.

Our quest for the Cheekwood tulips took us through a variety of different gardens and habitats. Cheekwood Botanical Gardens is home to an herb garden, a Japanese garden, a perennial garden, and even a swan lake. In the middle of this vast land sits a beautiful Georgian-styled mansion which has been turned into an art museum. As beautiful as everything was, our quest for the tulips was obviously unsuccessful. There was not one in sight.

After spending a couple of hours wandering our beautiful surroundings, we gave of hope on seeing any tulips. Maybe they didn't plant any this year. Maybe we had missed the season. As we slowly walked back to the car we finally stumbled across the tulip garden. As we had suspected, the tulips were dead.

Despite the fact the tulips were dead, Cheekwood Botanical Gardens was a beautiful lesser known spot in Nashville. Amongst the rolling hills the it's hard to believe so many different habitats can be found tucked away on 100 acres. 

Happy Monday!

xoxo