I Believe in Nashville.

I've recently been 'enlightened' on what Kickstarter is and I'm a HUGE fan of paying it forward for small businesses to grow and reach their full potential. I recently came across the company DCXV Clothing last year during the East Nashville Tomato Festival. They've even got an actual store over in the Porter Road area next to Pomodoro East.

They started off wanting to unite Nashville under one 'shield' as they put it and now are wanting to bring together other communities. On the list for this go around -- Austin, Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Detroit, Denver, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, New York, New Orleans, Portland, Philadelphia, Seattle and San Francisco. 

This is a direct grab from their campaign: "WHY CREATE 'I BELIEVE IN US'? The funny thing about this Kickstarter is that it almost didn't happen. For us, I BELIEVE IN NASHVILLE came from a deeply personal place, to try and better Nashville by seeing if we could unite and inspire people over their shared belief in the city itself. And because of that origin, we didn't feel we could do it for other cities. However, as it spread and we had people from all over the country ordering anything I BELIEVE IN NASHVILLE we made, or visiting our shop from as far away as Australia, we kept hearing the same question: Have you thought about doing this in other cities? Specifically, "have you thought about doing this for my city". As it was explained to us by a Canadian fan of ours, I BELIEVE resonates with her because it makes her feel positive about her community and what she can offer to better it. And that was it for us. I BELIEVE IN US is an idea, and ideas are universal. Regardless of the pronoun, it can apply to anyone, to anywhere. So, if people from other cities feel there is a place for I BELIEVE IN US in their communities, then we are proud to be a part of that."

They have a whole slew of things gifts and incentives for those that decide to be backers for their cause. As of writing this, they're currently at 38 backers, $1509 of $10k raised and have another 16 days to go. For those of you that don't know how Kickstarter works, if the project doesn't raise the full amount, then they don't get funded. It's an all or nothing gig! So don't miss out. It's truly a rewarding feeling. Trust me!

Seen this mural around Nashville? This is their doing! Show some love!

So what do you believe in Nashville?

Edley's BBQ.

My weekend food saga continues -- last week I remember driving down Gallatin/Main St, which is quite rare, and getting an eye full of what looked like a nice new BBQ joint. I mentioned it to my husband later that night and he too had driven passed it. To think that there might be a great BBQ restaurant within 2 blocks of our house made both of us super excited, so we planned to go this weekend. What we didn't plan on though was it being sooo good -- we ended up having lunch here yesterday and today. I didn't realize it till half way thru the meal, but apparently there's another location of Edley's BBQ over by Lipscomb University. It's amazing to me just how many restaurants are in the area and how many go unknown! I'm constantly driving around and finding new places popping up everywhere. I think I'm going to have to make a checklist and start knocking them off one by one :) But back to Edley's for now....

The inside of this place is HUGE! And super family friendly. I loved all the old weathered barn wood and the  giant garage doors around the place that literally turn it into 'outdoor' seating. It's a fun concept food wise too. They've taken and eliminated the number one complaint that most people have about restaurants -- the service. Or sometimes, lack there of. When you walk in, you head towards the back to order your food and pay for it, they give you a number and then find a table and wait for it to come out. Want a beer? Saunter up to the bar and order one of over 11 unique brews on tap. AND it comes in a mason jar. They really do live up to their slogan -- "a tribute to all things Southern". When you're done -- sit and chat a while, listen to some live music, watch the game on TV and then bus your table and scoot. What's not to love?! 

Huge outdoor seating area is one of two places to grab some sun
while drinking a brew. 

My shot of the menu was absolutely awful, but you can
check out their website and see it. PLUS they do take
out and catering. These were the sides/specials
of the day. 

The Pork Tacos with fried jalapenos.

Chicken Platter with two sides -- half a chicken option.

Chicken Platter with sides -- pulled style. This was much more enjoyable
for me and had quite a bit more flavor then the half a chicken way.

Pulled Pork Sandwich. Sides don't come with it, but you can add on.

Everything was really good and I liked the fact that they had plenty of seating and over a dozen high chairs. All of that combined should make this the best go-to dinner place for families in the neighborhood :)

UPDATE: I went back a couple weekends later and they do in fact have a great selection of liquor now. So you can get more than just beer -- not sure on wine though?

Be Local.

For those of you that don't know me personally, I grew up in Florida for almost my whole life. I spent a little time in Michigan when I was younger and about a year in Cali when I was 21/22 -- but I never really knew what it was like to be part of a community until I moved to East Nashville at the end of 2009. And I feel like I'm just now starting to really scratch the surface on this one. I feel like there's quite a few things I want to knock off my EN bucket list in the next few years -- I want to join a cause and have a voice in the community. I want to own a house and have a garden in my backyard. I want my child to go to a local charter school. And I want to buy a bicycle :) Some of these seem silly and no, this isn't an all inclusive list. My number #1 this year alone is to be local. Eat Local. Shop Local. Just Be Local. 

Ok, I'm getting off my soap box before I launch into a huge rant about the topic. But it's something that has just recently become a huge area of my life and something that I want to teach my daughter to make a huge part of hers as she's growing up.

So yesterday I was driving around aimlessly thru the neighborhood and had a couple of hours to kill before picking the kiddo up from her little school down the road. I came to the intersection of S10th and Fatherland and found a parking spot. The Shoppes on Fatherland have been open now since fall of last year and I always find myself driving past them when I'm in a hurry and can't stop. I couldn't think of a better way to kill some time. I walked into Thrive. which I'd heard so much about -- it's actually owned by one of my friend's father. Great little shop with lots to looks at. Soap, candles, glass stuff, baskets, purses/accessories, you name it. They even have yummy coffees, teas and chocolates for you to fall in love with!

The second store that really caught my attention -- there weren't very many open on Thursday afternoon to be honest -- was 1907 Apparel. And that's where I met Dawn, the owner, and fell in love with her vision and her spirit. She is truly an amazing, inspiring women with such a contagious vibe about her. We must've talked for almost an hour before I even picked up my first t-shirt off the wall. Please take the time to check out their website and read her story. It truly is motivating and powerful. More importantly though, it's not about her story, but about learning what your story is -- pinpointing when change really took place for you. Discovering your own defining moment. A fun side note: 7% of their profits go towards organizations that impact poverty, education and sustainable agriculture.

Lastly, I wanted to share with you a picture of the East-Centric Pavilion and give you a link to their website. I was so excited to see that there was a huge new outdoor music venue, which means that there will be some great summer nights here having a cold beer and listening to some tunes. In fact, this weekend they are hosting the 1st Annual East Nashville Honey Bee Festival on Saturday from 10am - 4pm. Check it out!

What are some of your favorite ways to "Be Local"?

Hungry.

I'm crossing the finish line a few hours early. Sorry I couldn't bring myself to blog much over the last few days. I'd say that this 3-day cleanse went a lot smoother than the first one I did back in November. Maybe I knew what to expect or maybe I was just in better spirits and had other people doing it with me -- who knows. I do know though that my husband was not prepared for the experience -- and several times tried to get me to 'cheat' so that he could as well :) Luckily we both are pretty strong willed and stuck to our guns. I did have to chuckle to myself though when he came home early from the office and had no juice with him, just an almond milk left. When I asked if he'd left his at work, he smiled widely and said that he'd drank all his juice for the day, so the cleanse was officially over for him. And then we caved and went to Rosepepper for a late dinner! Boys. Lucky for me, Rosepepper has some great vegan/vegetarian options, so I went with something lighter on my stomach. It was so nice to finally chew again and we left satisfied but not stuffed.

When I asked what the sauteed veggies were, they basically just use the onions
and peppers from the fajitas -- so I opted for avocado as a substitute instead.

For those of you that are new to the idea of juicing or even doing a 3-7-10+ day juice fast, there are some things that you can expect. (1) It took a while for your body to gain the weight that you have -- over time -- so it's not just instantly going to melt off overnight. But if you stick with it, drink lots of water and eat healthier with the juicing/fast then it will -- over time -- shed off. I've been able to keep the 20+lbs off that I initially lost when I first started juicing. You can't be healthy for a short amount of time and then abandon it and go back to eating awful again. If you take care of your body, it'll take care of you. (2) You MUST drink lots of water when you're doing a juice fast. A lot of our weight issues come from not getting enough in our day to day life. Water helps you feel full. It helps you in the bathroom, ie constipation. Did you know that when you're body doesn't get enough water, it actually stores what little bit it gets and that's where water weight comes into play? The more you drink, the less you're body will hold onto it. (3) The first few days of a juice fast suck. I'm just being completely honest. Even if you're a regular juicer, it isn't easy giving up solids and only drinking your meals. You're body starts detoxing and all the bad stuff in your body starts getting pushed out -- you can get some light diarrhea (or constipation if you're not drinking enough fluids), you're skin breaks out, you get headaches, body aches, fatigue, you're grumpy. DON'T GIVE UP. For most people, day 3 is a new awakening. But if you're body is really toxic -- heavy smoker, drinker, sickness, chronic conditions, obesity, medications, etc -- it could take much longer before you see the upswing! HANG IN THERE. I promise, it'll get better. When all is said and done, you're body will thank you.

I will tell you this, I'm thinking that a juice fast/cleanse is in order every 3-4 months for myself. I plan on doing a full 10 days on my next go around, but think that I'm going to tweak it a little. I've been reading some of the reboot strategies on Joe Cross's website and think I'm going to juice all day and then eat a raw/vegan meal at night for dinner and then a juice before bed. I think that the extra fiber and roughage will help me get the results that I'm looking for + it'll help me go for a longer period of time since I'm not sacrificing chewing :)

How'd your last 'reboot' go?

Chinese Pop Up!

I just got back from eating some of the most AMAZING Chinese food -- seriously. And it was healthy to boot. I feel fortunate to have several good Thai restaurants in the area and even a good Vietnamese place so I hear, but finding Chinese in Nashville is next to impossible -- let alone gluten free/MSG free stuff! And then the most epic thing happened. The owner of Eat Well Market was approached by one of her customers that was interested in doing a Chinese food pop up every other week for her. Apparently she was already making Chinese for herself in her own kitchen on a weekly basis and wanted to share it with the rest of us.

All in all, it was EPIC. And I hope that it's a long standing relationship for month's to come. 

More Local Eats.

Ok, so more yummy eats. Again, I'm not only trying to eat healthier but I want to be able to describe myself as a locavore one day. More on this one later though. I've had the great pleasure of eating at Eat Well Market several times and each time just keeps getting better and better. If you've never heard of them, their over in East Nashville off Riverside Drive. It's a little out of the way, but the food is definitely worth it if you're looking for healthy and/or gluten free options. She's recently all but perfected GF Hot Chicken which is almost always on the menu and she had a two potato gratin (sweet potato + regular potato) with cheese and spices that was out of this world. I also decided to get a little side salad -- she uses fresh mixed greens, not the kind you buy in a bag! She doesn't have a website, I linked her Facebook page as the go to for menu/specials and hours/location. Certain days their closed and they shut down between lunch and dinner. So definitely 'like' them on FB because every day the menu is different based on the fresh ingredients!

I also went to Bar Louie's in the Gulch over the weekend and enjoyed a little Girl's Night Out time over appetizers and wine. If you ever get the chance to check out their happy hour, it's really the best time to go. They do half price drinks and apps and you can literally stuff your face for cheap. We opted for their Hummus Plate that include tzatziki and cucumbers, Spinach Artichoke dip with chips, Adobo Shrimp Skewers over spinach with  some yummy additions and one of their Roasted Vegetable Flatbreads. I was so full when we left, I almost had to be rolled out. I don't even want to show you a picture of the monster chocolate cake we got after eating all this!

Calypso Cafe is another Nashville gem that I often forget about even though I drive passed it almost every day -- they have 5 different locations scattered about. Their menu is very vegetarian/vegan friendly and you get a TON of food for a good price. I opted for the Black Bean Salad (with no meat) and it was seriously the heaviest to go box I've ever gotten. It was just mixed greens, tortilla chips, rice, black beans and cheese with some sour cream. It was kind of weird eating this as a salad though and I might opt for the nachos in the future -- the lettuce just didn't really do it for me once I got down to the bottom!

Last but certainly never least in my book -- we had some friends over Sunday night and got Wild Cow to go. Everyone else's meals were so colorful, but I was really just craving their Lentil Stew with Garlic Aioli and a side of Black Beans with vegan sour cream. Couldn't tell you which picture is which, but I know a Far Eastland Bowl was ordered and a Taco Salad. Don't remember the other one. All in all though, we haven't gotten anything we don't absolutely love.

 What are some of your favorite places to eat in the Nashville area?
I'm always looking to try something new.

Local Eats III.

Slowly starting to get back into the swing of things now that the holidays are ALMOST over. Weekday holidays are the bane of my existence -- they really mess everything up! The week before Christmas, I got the chance to check out Cafe Fundamental over in the Porter Crossing neighborhood for a friend's baby shower brunch. OMGosh, I had no clue what a little gem this place was. The menu was amazing for breakfast/brunch -- I'm definitely going to have to check it out for lunch or dinner sometime and see what else they have. Just a heads up, the house cured bacon at the bottom of the menu is intense. It's the thickest slab of pork you'll ever see and it comes out pretty crispy, so don't make the mistake of getting it 'extra crispy' as one of us learned the hard way.

House Omelette + Mushrooms -- Mixed Greens + Pommes Frites

The largest order of Coke I've ever had -- came out in a full liter, definitely recommend sharing this one with those around you. Wasn't able to finish it! Also, it wasn't on the menu, but we asked for several pitchers of mimosas and they were happy to accommodate.

Fundamental Burger + Manchego Cheese. Seriously one of the best burgers
I've ever had. It was steaming hot from first bite to last. Steaming!

Pain au Chocolat - pretty tasty.

Duck Confit Hash - wasn't my style, but several people got it and said
it was super tasty. 

Anyone found any new restaurants locally for me to try?

Local Treats and Eats.

So I've been out and about quite a bit over the last week -- who am I kidding? -- I'm always out and about. But lately I've been paying more attention while I'm out, looking for new things to try and share with you guys. I'm most excited about the new bike share program that I've seen popping up all over the city. It's from a company called B-Cycle and there are over 18+ locations all thru out downtown, the Gulch, East Nasty and Germantown -- and it looks like one over in Centennial Park and another by Belmont. They have all different rates depending on how you want to use the bike -- ranging from hourly to monthly and even a yearly rate -- which is only $50! I'm going to wait for it to warm up a little before I give this one a test run, but it seems like it's a great addition to help our city become more and more green! And they aren't just limited to Nashville either -- they have cities all over the US, but I'm pretty sure you can't take the bikes with you while you travel :)

This is the downtown Farmer's Market location.  Bikes come with locks and baskets.

Another great find last week was at Sam's Club. I bought several great books by Reader's Digest that focus primarily on the body being able to heal itself if given the right resources. A wealth of knowledge on different conditions/illnesses/diseases and what causes them as well as what foods to eat to help eliminate signs and symptoms. I can't wait to really dive into these. I also stumbled upon pomegranate seeds in the produce section that made me super excited. Pomegranates are an amazing source of all things good, but if you've ever bought one and tried to de-seed it in a hurry, you'd probably join me in saying it's not worth all the trouble sometimes. These are great and I definitely plan on picking some up on my next trip -- it was a two pack of seeds only, each one having the equivalent of 4 poms in them and they were under $8 bucks!

Lastly, I'm excited about a great new brewery/restaurant that has opened literally 2 blocks away from me over on Main St/Gallatin called Fat Bottom Brewery. I've been talking about going for a few weeks now and the hubby got an opportunity to meet some people over there the other night. He was gracious enough to bring me one of their amazing veggie burgers and a growler of their Ruby brew. Definitely worth checking out if you're in the area -- hit up their FB page for updates.

Fat Bottom Brewery -- Veggie Burger. Housemade chick pea patty, yogurt,
feta cheese, spinach and tomato with potato wedges.

Local finds are always great -- find anything new lately?

Good Local Eats.

So even though I try to eat healthy -- especially now with the limitations that I've set on myself -- I find that I still struggle to cook at home on the regular. It's a combination of procrastinating, being too busy and being unimaginative, with a twist of laziness. We're forever buying food at the grocery store and then letting it go bad in the fridge for all of the above reasons. So we've recently decided that we'd rather just eat out for most of our meals and support local businesses. The beau could eat fast food or Thai every night if I'd let him, but neither of those really meet up to my standards at the moment -- so we've had to branch out a bit. Here's a few of my great lunch finds this week.

Herbed Couscous.

Silly Goose -- in East Nashville on Eastland Avenue. I'd gone in here once before back when I was eating meat and had a fantastic sandwich from what I can remember. Unfortunately the beau and I had the kiddo and it was lunch time, so everything seems a blur during that meal. So I decided to pop in there on Tuesday by myself and enjoy something yummy in peace and quiet. The atmosphere of this place is great and I was lucky to find myself a seat at the bar where I had a good view of the hustle and bustle from the kitchen. The menu is so creative and they're very laid back when it comes to substitutions for vegans/vegetarians. I decided to grab a Albert Prince salad and a side of herbed couscous.

Organic Quinoa, Sweet Potatoes, Black Beans, Spice Pepitas, Tomatillos,
Manchego, Caramelized Orange Vinaigrette

Was certainly a great combination of flavors -- served cold with greens on the side. The orange vinaigrette was surprisingly very strong, but was complimented by the rest of the mixture. Oh, and there was some sort of white cheese on top that was really good with the avocado and the pepitas (pumpkin seeds). The whole thing was just delightful! I love that Silly Goose also tries to use as many local ingredients and businesses as they can too.

Pita Pit -- located Downtown across from Wild Horse Saloon, open till 3am most nights. This has long been one of my favorite places to hit up after a long night on the town and occasionally to have a quick lunch if I can find metered parking. I drove by this week and sure enough, there was a spot, so I stopped. My go to pita has always been the gyro, but since I'm not doing any meat at the moment, I opted for a Spicy Black Bean Patty on a whole wheat pita. My favorite part of the whole experience is the topping choices -- think Subway but with way more selection! They make a 'pocket' with the pita, stuff all your toppings inside and then close it and wrap it up like a burrito. I went with some hummus, black olives, corn, lettuce, feta cheese, mushrooms and a combination of spicy sauces. It was fabulous, picture doesn't do it justice!

What are some of your favorite healthy eats around town?

Mas Tacos!

So today was the kiddo's first day back at 'school' and the beau and I decided to grab a quick bite to eat before I had to pick her up. I'd never eaten at Mas Tacos Por Favor and was super stoked when he suggested grabbing some for lunch! I figured it'd probably be a 'splurge' meal for me, but I was pleasantly surprised to see several vegetarian things on the menu. And only $3 bucks a pop, tax included. And $2 Mexican Cokes! I love East Nashville!

I got the Sweet Potato Quinoa with red cabbage, tomatillo sauce, fresh cilantro and crema. And the Fried Avocado with spicy yogurt sauce, red cabbage, red onions and tomatillo sauce. Both were amazing. Got them on corn tortillas too, so they were gluten free.

Definitely a great stop for lunch or an early dinner. Small spot, but great vibe, kinda funky. Cash only. Like them on Facebook to find out when their Food Truck is out on the town. For those of you that don't know, it's in an 'up and coming' area so make sure you lock your doors and think twice about going after dark :)

What's your favorite thing on their menu?