Travels in the South

Some of you may have caught our posts about being in Nashville in April.  We started the week by attending the inaugural Knowledge Sharing Summit and Marketplace presented by our professional association (Association of Independent Hospitality Professionals),  We adjourned to a lovely house we rented for four nights and conducted some business, which is necessary, but we also scheduled fun times to explore Nashville’s trove of restaurants and sights.

Danielle and I drove to the neighboring town of Franklin.  My hat is off to the people who have obviously made a strong commitment to preserving the architectural and cultural heritage of this community.  There was plenty of (free!) parking and clear signage on how to find the garage or lots. We strolled Main Street and right away found our first stop – Savory Spice Shop!  The selection of herbs and spices is creative and the staff is informed and helpful.  We both left with a bag of goodies to try.  Mine included a Caolina High Country BBQ Rub that has become a favorite already, and three sugars…vanilla bean, peppermint, and a bourbon barrel smoked.





We managed to enjoy lunch and meander for another hour or two.  Franklin offers a great variety of shops and restaurants, plus an occasional antique store, too.  Most are housed in historic structures, which is wonderful to see how people adapt old buildings rather than tear down.  Of course one of my personal favorites is the shop pictured below…

After the splendid afternoon in Franklin, Danielle and I began the drive back north and east.  We broke the drive by spending the night in Lexington, Virginia, another wonderful town that I have wanted to visit for years.  Red brick sidewalks lead one from eateries to inviting boutiques and galleries in this town with two noted schools, Washington and Lee University and Virginia Military Institute.  We happened onto Haywood’s for dinner, which was excellent pan-seared scallops and grits.  The added bonus was a jazz quartet offering up really fine melodies. We really didn’t want to leave, but another day of driving was ahead us so sleep was a good thing.



There seems never to be enough time to travel and visit all the places on my list.  It’s good to get out there, explore and experience the back roads.  One never knows what is around the bend, but it sure is good to get out and find the answer.

Eight Broads in the Kitchen
http://www.eightbroads.com 
Kathryn White
All About Opera Broad

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