By: Gabriela Yareliz
I felt like I had wandered a desert on an empty stomach.
I am being dramatic, but the heat was intense (like where the air looks squiggly). I felt alone on the street aside from the occasional screaming bachelorette party on the bike bus contraptions. I knew that a few miles from there, Tracy Anderson was sweating in a barn for hours with her Vitality Week attendees. (This knowledge gave me courage).
Everything I had passed was closed or had a menu of pulled pork and beer. Tough luck for someone who doesn’t drink or eat meat.
That evening, I found a diner. I figured they would have an expansive menu with all-day breakfast. I was wrong. Everything was like a bar menu. Meat everywhere. I found a salad I could eat. Arugula with watermelon. I told them to hold the feta.
When it arrived, it was a literal bowl of arugula with four small chunks of watermelon. I cut the four small pieces into smaller pieces; trying to make confetti out of stinginess. Fifteen dollars for a literal plain bowl of arugula was insane. I looked around the empty diner in suspicion. I will say that when I brought that iced water cup to my lips, water had never tasted so good. I downed it and finished a second cup. I took a third cup with me, to-go, for my wander back.
I wanted to make it to a nearby neighborhood that seemed to have more food options, but there were two obstacles in my way— a literal obstacle— railroad that looked impossible to cross on foot, and a timing obstacle— everything on the other side of those tracks was closed around 2:30-3pm.
The Starbucks in the Margaritaville hotel had nothing but coffee and no mobile ordering. No food or seasonal items. They had the standard Starbucks menu with “X’s” drawn over most of the items and a notice that said “currently unavailable.”
I remember being at an event with a law firm associate who mumbled, “I am always hungry at this conference. They never had food.” She said what we were all thinking. As she spoke, our stomachs grumbled. I started to get that numb feeling you get when you are fasting.
To not fast the entire conference, I learned to be strategic and not depend on my expensive room snacks that were NOT complimentary. I learned to run to the Starbucks on 10th Avenue. This Starbucks had mobile ordering and non-caffeine and food options. So I would get the spinach wraps when they were open. (Stock up for the apocalypse that is closing time in downtown Nashville).
I did wander Broadway, which is a 24/7 party. It feels like every A-list country star has a honky tonk. Jelly Roll, Miranda Lambert, Blake Shelton, Kid Rock, Bon Jovi, Jason Aldean— the bars are dark, loud, hot and gritty. Some have rooftops. The windows are often open, so most are not air conditioned and typically, there is a performer standing in front of the open windows with their backs to the sidewalk. Music spills out onto the streets from every corner. (Even the corners of the streets are cool because you can cross certain streets diagonally).
On my second day in Nashville, I decided to pay a visit to the great John Rich’s place— the Redneck Riviera. The walls are covered in neat patches of first responders and military from around the country. The music is loud. I grabbed a menu and went back to the bar counter (always order at the bar) and me and the bar tender were hollering at each other over the music until she got my order right. I found something I could eat— nachos and a grilled cheese. Bless.
I sat down and downed a glass of water like whiskey (I fell in love with water again, on this trip). Rachel Hall and her band were serenading us. Raw talent. She would go around the room and ask people where they were from and what country artist they liked. She never asked me, but I was ready. Ha. I munched quietly as my Apple Watch had a heart attack due to the “loud noise decibels” each time a song would start.
If you go to Nashville, go to the Redneck Riviera. It’s such a vibe and John Rich is just a stand-up guy. Who doesn’t want to support that man?
Another place that was great was Yee-haw Brewing Co. A group of us went to watch the U.S. v Bosnia game and find food. This was probably the most proper and decent meal I ate in Nashville— fish tacos. The place is patriotic, fun and vibrant due to the sports watch parties and great Americana music blasting. This was a great find. The food tasted like heaven. And you guess it, it was chased down with an ice cold cup of water.
A girl in our conference said she went to a reception and told them she was gluten-free. They assured her there would be options for her, but there was nothing she could eat. You could just hear the anguish in the voices of everyone who was fasting by force.
Despite the uninteresting food selection, Nashville proved to be a fascinating place. Food and party are not the most interesting things in Nashville. Obviously, its main attraction is music, but more than that, it’s the artists, historical figures and resilient characters who built their name there that make it feel like magic.
Resilience and generosity seem to be the general vibe. (Stay tuned).
GABRIELA YARELIZ 