I have lived in Nashville for about a year and a half and let me tell you it is quite the happening place. Ever since moving here I haven't once thought about leaving even when things weren't going the way I had planned. It is literally one of the perfect cities to be in when you are young. You are surrounded by great food, amazing live music, kind people and good shopping.
If you are reading this then you are either a big supporter of me (hell yeah!) or you are planning to take a trip to Nashville when all of this craziness is over, even better. I am here to give you a list of must-sees for your weekend here in Nashville all from an insiders perspective. This is pretty lengthy but here we go! Breakfast: Wakey Wakey...time to get the weekend started! First let's throw on a cute outfit because you know you want to get a cute Instagram picture. Be sure to check the weather as the humidity can be brutal and the rain can sneak up on ya. Let's just pretend its sunny lol Grab a cute dress, some strappy sandals, a cute crossbody handbag and your favorite pair of sunglasses and let's head on out. Milk & Honey in The Gulch. This place is adorable and the food is amazing! You may want to call ahead and put your name in for a reservation so you don't have to wait long for a table but trust me the food is worth the wait. No matter what type of palate or preferences you have I guarantee you they have something on the menu for everyone. Personally for me I love their Big Kid Breakfast and their Iced Chai Latte is refreshing and to die for! Liberty Common This restaurant transports you to Paris as soon as you walk in the doors. It's so aesthetically pleasing and it is the perfect place to brunch with your girls! I love their buttermilk pancakes and their coffee comes in huge white mugs. Also, if you can try the Pommes Frites, they are absolutely delicious. The Diner The perfect place to go when you are looking to keep it casual. The Diner is a 5 floor diner right in the heart of downtown Nashville. If it is a beautiful day & you get the chance to eat on the top floor they open all of the garage door windows and you can look right out to the city while you eat. Great coffee complete with a great view! Lunch Jonathan's Grille Right in Historic Germantown, a great casual sports bar to grab a tasty lunch with your crew. The Fiesta Wrap is 10/10. Butchertown Hall Another great place located in the Germantown area. The perfect place for Texas style BBQ and amazing craft tacos. Let's not forget Margaritas!! Hattie B's A classic that needs to be added to any Nashville trip. Nashville Hot Chicken is a staple and is amazing. Now, if you have a baby mouth like me make sure you get the most mild option for sauce. I love getting their chicken tender plate, mac and cheese and creamy coleslaw for sides! Dinner Cocos Italian Restaurant/Market Literally the best Italian food. When you first walk in you enter an Italian Market full of great foods with an espresso and gelato bar then the restaurant is off to the left. It just feels so warm and at home. I love their chicken marsala, the fried raviolis and the tiramisu. Ugh it just brings back serious feels of my great grandmas house! One of my top recommendations for a nice dinner. Pucketts Mine and Tom's favorite casual place in downtown Nashville. They have live music playing and its atmosphere is very laid back and southern. If you go there try their PIGGY MAC or their Brisket Taco Salad! Merchants Right on Broadway and the perfect place to grab dinner before a concert! They serve this delicious popcorn that is seasoned in I don't know what but it is the most amazing popcorn ever. I always get their Moscow Mule with the Linguine Pomodoro. San Anejo Such a great Mexican restaurant in The Gulch! Definitely a good place to go with friends to grab drinks and some amazing tacos. Drinks Luke Bryan's Bar Lukes is right on the corner of 3rd and Broadway, this bar has 4 floors, 4 stages and is connected to Jason Aldean's bar through the rooftop. If you step in here you are going to have a good time and will be able to find a spot to enjoy yourself. They have a SUSHI bar guys and when standing on the rooftop you can see all down broadway. FGL House A little off the beaten path of Broadway sits FGL House. This is Florida Georgia Line's restaurant/bar, it is the perfect place to grab something to eat and then head up stairs to have a great time and grab some drinks. They have a rooftop with such comfortable sofas that you can just chill on and be removed from Broadway a little bit. Bobby Hotel Roof The Bobby's Rooftop bar is located on the top of The Bobby Hotel so you just have to walk in and make sure that you take the right elevator to the rooftop but it is such a cute rooftop to see. They have cabanas and an old bus that is hollowed out that you can sit in and you can also play a game of cornhole. The views are amazing too! You can look right out and see Titans Stadium, the Cumberland River and the Pedestrian Bridge. In the winter, they have heated igloos that you can sit inside off and drink with your loved ones as well. Pins Mechanical One of the coolest places to go hang out and grab drinks with your friends that is not on Broadway. It is full of "old school fun" You can play pinball, fooseball, Duckpin, ping pong, bocce, Giant Connect 4, Giant Jenga, all while getting drunk with your friends off of their craft beers and spirits. Experiences Predators Game You are guaranteed to have a good time at a Preds game even if you aren't a hockey fan. Concert at Bridgestone There is seriously not a bad seat in the house. If you are able to grab tickets to a concert while you are here, I highly recommend. Centennial Park A great place in the city of Nashville to go for walks or even a picnic. A beautiful park located in West End that is the home of the Parthenon! Tennessee State Museum If you are a history buff this place is amazing and its free! It is full of information about Tennessee from the creation of the world to the current day with amazing interactive video and tons and tons of cool artifacts. It will easily eat up a good chunk of your day. Marathon Motorworks An old car factory that has been transformed by shops, places to eat and even a distillery where you can do tastings. Grab a coffee at Barista Parlor and shop for some truly unique Nashville finds that you won't find anywhere on Broadway. Shopping Two Old Hippies (Gulch) A true gem hidden in The Gulch. The place to go for some great Nashville fashion, jewelry, and little knick knacks. Also they shot an episode of the show Nashville in the back on the stage they have in the store. Crue (12th South) Such a cute shop full of athleisure! It tends to be on the pricer end but it is all stuff you dream about having in your wardrobe. Hillsboro Village (Tons of cute shops) Too many to list lol! A great place to do some shopping and you can easily kill some time because there are so many stores. Alexis & Bolt This one is still on my own list to physically go too since the pandemic kinda wrecked those plans but I do follow them on Instagram and their clothes are amazing!! A great place for some denim or to build a chic kinda edgy look. L&L Market Known as Nashville's Delightful Destination, this building has such a rich history of being a mill and then a restaurant company. Now, it has become a one stop shop for all of the things. Pick up some flowers from Amelias, take a class at Cyclebar, get your eyelashes done at City Lash or do some shopping at Happily Grey, No matter who you are you are bound to find something to enjoy here. And finally, grabbing a quick coffee? Skip the coffee chains and stop at a local coffee shop like the ones listed below: Barista Parlor Crema Steadfast Frothy Monkey Again, these are all suggestions! If you have anything not on this list please go do it this is just the perfect thing to look at if you run out of ideas. Nashville is great place to be and it is so easy to have a good time here! If you ever get the chance to visit, I promise you won't be let down. Be Kind & Spread Love, xoxo Alyssa
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Ameriwood Home Haven Retro Desk with Riser, White : Currently Unavailable Green Mountain Decaf Coffee K-Cups: Pack of 72 for $34.25 Women's Cross Band Slippers Soft Plush Furry Cozy House Shoes Rabbit Fur Open Toe Indoor Outdoor Warm Comfy Slip On Breathable for Winter Spring White/Camel 7-8 : Currently Unavailable, $15.99 Where the Crawdads Sing : $9.59 SKINEAT Premium Leather Valet Keychain, Handmade Leather Car Key Chain Key Ring for Men Women in Gift (Matte black): $6.99 Superga Women's 2790 Platform Sneaker,White,38 EU/ 7.5 US : $48.71 FEISEDY Vintage Square Cat Eye Sunglasses Women Fashion Small Cateye Sunglasses B2473: $12.98 The Last Mrs. Parrish: A Novel : $9.31 There is a lot of hurt, sadness and chaos happening in the world and while we all need to be aware of it and do our parts to help, it's just as important to keep yourself in check. I think now more than ever it is important to remind yourself and to be reminded of the little things around you and in your life that you are happy about it. I live by the quote "enjoy the little things" and it is something that I remind myself of daily. I am sure that I can list more than what I have here but here are just a couple things that make me really happy.
1. Working from home. It's new with my job and honestly I freakin love it. I won't go into great detail but I just feel like this was the universes way of showing me more about myself and how I want to live my life. (will expand on maybe in a later blog post?) 2. Spending time with Cooper and Tom. My dog and my amazing boyfriend. Tom and I have dated for 5 years and it has been absolutely amazing every bit of the way. We are blessed with the cutest and most loving goldendoodle, Cooper. I wouldn't change a thing about this. With all of the time we are spending around each other, some would be worried that they'd get annoyed with one another but we haven't. We have become gradually more and more goofy than we were before which is shocking that that is even possible . The atmosphere is so fun, loving and peaceful. 3. Cooking from home. We love ourselves some chipotle and maybe a little too much. Cooking from home more with new recipes fills me with so much warmth and joy. I love cooking and I love having the time to create new things. 4. Seeing us all come together right now and supporting everyone on the front lines of this pandemic. Need I say more. I am forever grateful to healthcare workers and everything they are doing. They are the only reason we have a fighting chance against this. Thank you everyone who is social distancing and doing their part. Also, everyone in essential positions that are still working to make life seem even just an ounce closer to normal. 5. Iced Chai Lattes. THE BEST. 6. Making Tom laugh constantly. No better sound in the world. 7. A warm cup of coffee in the morning or 2 because I drink decaf lol. Gosh, the best thing after I wash my face and get ready for the day. It feels like a warm hug lol you guys know what I mean. 8. Practicing Gratitude Even if I don't have the chance to write it down, every day I list at least three things mentally that I am grateful for before I go to bed. No matter what type of day I had, I always make it known to myself that I am completely blessed for everything and everyone in my life. 9. Apples with peanut butter. The best "healthy" snack but I believe everything is good in moderation so I will have the occasional Little Debbie snack (zebra cakes, nutty bars, etc) and no I don't care what you think about it! 10. 2 words. Spanx Leggings. 11. Amazon Prime. I have found some great products on Amazon lately, let me know if y'all want a blog post about that :) Try to make yourself aware of all of the little things in your life that make you happy especially in a time where it is so easy to be negative or focus on all the bad. Don't be naive, be knowledgable of what's going on but don't neglect your own well-being. I challenge you to focus on little things that make you feel whole for a single day and write them all down as a good reminder for those days where it seems happiness is hard to find. Be Kind & Spread Love xoxo Alyssa Often times when we are talking to others about all of the things we would love to do, our biggest excuse is that we don't have the time. With many of us forced to stay home now is the time to look inward and focus on growing as a person. It is also just as important to use this time to recharge. Trust me, you do not need to come out of this with a grand plan of how you are going to make 6 figures on your own. Just use all of this time to take care of yourself and evaluate your happiness.
1. Create a Spa. It's time to relax and recharge! So grab a magazine, a glass of wine and draw yourself a bath. Turn on some soft music or even a motivational podcast. 2. Connect with loved ones. Use this free time to call and connect with your family and friends. Organize happy hours via zoom or Group FaceTime or stream Netflix watch parties. Even just pick up the phone and calling your grandparents to see how they are doing. This is also a great time to bring back the written word. Send your loved ones a little letter, thank you card or care package in the mail to let them know that you are thinking of them. 3. Read books. It's easy to get sucked into Netflix and Hulu streaming all of the shows but my brain was starting to feel a little mushy. So. I went a bit crazy on Amazon and bought 3 books at once lol now they are all here. Is it just me who gets super excited when they get new books?! If you are struggling with ideas of what new books to read I highly suggest checking out Reese Witherspoon's Book Club. It never steers me wrong and I get lost in all of the books that she recommends. 4. Stream some shows. I was so behind on Grey's Anatomy and Good Girls so I had to catch up on those. Now, Tom and I have started How to Get Away With Murder. Which can I just say I am addicted to this show!! If you are in need of good shows other than the ones I listed prior I suggest, Mad Men, Workin' Moms, The Office, How I Met Your Mother and Criminal Minds. As much as I am enjoying the new books, ya girl loves some Netflix. It is all about balance guys! Spend your morning reading and then catch up on your shows at night. Again, feed yourself the things that bring you the most joy. 5. Spring Cleaning. No excuses now guys. Time to clean out your closet and start organizing your apartment. Open up the windows and let some fresh air in. Go through that junk drawer or better yet that cubby/bin you keep all of your sentimental stuff in. Amazon is a great place to look for pieces to upgrade your house and get them delivered right to your door. Look on Pinterest for ideas or watch Youtube apartment tours. There are a lot of hacks out there to make your home look really nice while not spending that much money at all. 6. Cooking or Baking. Try out some new recipes! Cooking can be very therapeutic so find something that you have always wanted to cook or bake now that you have the time. Turn on some Frank Sinatra while you cook and just embrace the little moments that you are creating with yourself and anyone you are staying home with during this time. 7. Learn a new skill. If you have something you have always wanted to learn but were too afraid or didn't have the time guess what NOW is the time. If you want to learn more about Google Ad Words, Facebook Analytics & Ads, Blogging, Photoshop, Photography, etc. there are multiple companies offering discounted or even free courses to learn any new skill you can think of. You can also learn a lot from Youtube, just sit down and devote a little time to your goal throughout the week. 8. Take naps. The best part about having free time. If you wanna nap, take a nap. It's refreshing and you know what, in America about 70% of people obtain less sleep than they need. So time to catch up people. 9. Get some fresh air loves!! Going for little walks around your neighborhood while following CDC guidelines of remaining distant from others and now, wearing a mask is okay just do not get carried away with it. We have to do our part during this time but it is important to know that it is okay to go outside. If you have a yard or front porch, sit outside and read your book. Do yard work. For those in apartments, sit out on your balcony if you have one and open your windows. 10. Exercise. Cater to your own mental and physical health during this time. There are tons of fitness bloggers, companies and professional trainers that are offering free at home workouts. A couple good ones to try are:
Be kind & Spread Love! -Alyssa Rose I have been using this face wash and product line for about a year now and have yet to be disappointed. I used Clinique products for religiously prior to using this line and I was finding that my skin was still dry and prone to breakouts. Honestly, spending that much on products for them not to work is frustrating and financially draining. That's why I found myself going back to the drawing board and simplifying my skincare routine. I stubbled upon Honest Beauty in Target one day and after reading how gentle and clean the product was, I figured it was worth the try. I haven't turned back since. These cleanser leaves your face feeling so clean and refreshed without leaving your skin overly dry or stripped of it's necessary oils. I follow it with the Thayers Facial Toner and the Honest Beauty Hydrogel Moisturizer. In my morning routine, I'll add a Vitamin C facial spray in between my toner and moisturizer for extra hydration. Ladies, if you love body scrubs I highly suggest trying this one out. You apply it in the shower and let it sit for a couple minutes before washing it off. Not only does it smell like a freaking caffeinated dream but it also makes your skin feel like a dream. This is a great addition especially for the warmer months of the year. I recommend using it at most 3 times a week for the best results. Okay so I am extremely new to the self-tanner game but because sundress season is among us, it desperately needed to be added to my routine. I bought this self tanner on Amazon which I know can be a tricky game to play with a totally new product but hey what else can you do in quarantine lol. I bought this with the application mitt to make sure that the product will go on evenly and it works great. It's recommended that you apply this to clean, dry skin and wear baggy clothes afterwards. I would recommend modifying the application frequency based off of how your body responds to the first application. I already have a natural olive complexion and this product states to apply it once a day for 3 days but I would look terrible if I applied it that frequently and it would not look as natural. Also, be sure that you wait as long as possible to shower after applying because the longer it stays on, the tanner you get. A saving grace!! I love this dang toner!! Toner is an important step in every skincare routine because it helps remove excess oil, makeup and dirt on the skin. This toner specifically helps balance the natural pH levels in your skin and is very gentle on the skin. It uses witch hazel and aloe vera to help naturally heal the skin. I highly recommend trying this out! There is nothing that I hate more than chalky tasting protein and this one is not like that at all. I was originally introduced to this protein powder by a fitness and lifestyle blogger named Kiley Miller. I mix it with Silk Unsweetened Almond Milk and guys it is so so so good! It tastes like a big ole' pile of flapjacks. I am not personally vegan but that is the only type of protein that this flavor of comes in. I am no fitness guru but I usually have a shake after my workouts to help my muscles recover and grow. If you are looking for a good protein powder with a wide selection of flavors, I highly suggest ordering from GHOST and if you are looking for killer workouts I suggest following Kiley on Instagram!
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