About My Drawings Primarily self-taught as an artist, my drawings reflect my evolving interests and ideas – from the influence of broad disciplines like architecture and design, to specific historical periods like the Bauhaus and Art Deco movements. I also find inspiration in the everyday […]
An Art Deco Masterpiece We visited the Frist Art Museum in Nashville in February of 2019. Van Gogh, Monet, Degas, and Their Times: The Mellon Collection of French Art from the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts was a featured exhibition at that time. Therefore, we knew we’d […]
Heading out of Nashville on Sunday morning, our last stop was for breakfast. After researching dozens of breakfast websites, there was only one place that stood out: Milk & Honey Nashville. One glance at the menu, and all other options were off the table.
A Breakfast Bowl with avocado, almonds and feta, Sourdough French Toast, Bruléed Grapefruit, Shakshuka, Felafil, and Sea Salted Fries. So many fresh and interesting options, not to mention the chic cocktails!
Milk & Honey Nashville is located in the Gulch, a mixed-use LEED certified community with a focus on connectivity, walkability and public transportation. And, unlike much of the rest of the city, there was plenty of off-street parking.
We didn’t have reservations and the restaurant was packed. The hostess told us that we’d have to wait–unless we wanted to grab a stool at the bar. So we did.
Upon entering, to the left is a counter for placing to-go orders. In addition to the regular menu items, assorted groceries, house-made gelato, and plenty of Milk & Honey merch are available. Turn right, walk past the hostess, and you’re in the main dining area.
The large and cozy dining room was filled with a variety of tables, chairs and bench seats that could be easily moved and reassembled for any size party. At the far end of the room, an open kitchen. The bar sat to the right of that. Best of all, we didn’t see or hear a single TV.
There was an upbeat vibe and the patrons seemed to be enjoying themselves. Even the bartender who took our order was friendly, without being intrusive.
As we waited for our food to arrive, we watched as others’ orders came out, one thing looking better than the next. Fresh baked pastries, bowls of fresh fruit, pancakes, eggs, and perfectly fried potatoes whizzed by. We asked about the firewood stacked on the floor and learned it was for wood-fired pizza oven. (Can we stay for lunch?)
We ordered the Breakfast Bowl and the Big Kid Breakfast. Both were tasty and satisfying. As we packed up to leave, we noticed for the first time something called “Milk & Honey Latte” on the menu. We should’ve ordered that. :-(
A few days later, we visited Milk & Honey’s Chattanooga location and tried the Milk & Honey Latte. (There are only two Milk & Honey restaurants. Chattanooga is the original.) It was sweet and creamy with a kick of espresso. Next time we’re in the area, we will revisit Milk & Honey. There are so many dishes we have yet to try!
The Deconstructed Tuna Roll Prep work for this Ahi Tuna Poke Bowl recipe can be done ahead. When you’re ready to serve, simply let the ingredients come to room temperature (takes about 30 minutes). The final step is plating. This recipe was adapted from the […]
Flaky crust, ripe pears and sweet almonds. This recipe is based on the one on David Lebovitz’s blog. I have also included a link to his article about poaching pears. Ingredients 6 oz (170g) almond paste2 tsp sugar2 tsp flour3 oz (85g) butter, salted or unsalted, cubed, at room temperature1 large egg, plus one egg white, […]
I’m a sucker for live music. But finding live music venues in foreign countries, particularly when I don’t speak the language, can be tricky. How exciting it was to find that Hot Club De Lyon was literally next door to the apartment building where we were staying.
The club isn’t much from the outside. One could easily walk by the single-width store front and not even notice it. And from the street there is no way to tell what it’s like inside. Was it a concert setting with stadium seating or more of bar scene? Would it be awkward if we arrived partway through the first set?
Although we walked by the club several times a day, we couldn’t check it out or even ask any questions. It’s only open in the evening. After some deliberation, we decided to have dinner out, take our chances, and risk arriving a bit late.
We arrived at Hot Club de Lyon about 30 minutes after the publicized start time. We entered the building through the thickly painted red doors and were perplexed. This isn’t a club, and we don’t hear any music. In fact, it was nearly silent. Do we have the wrong date? Are we at the right place?
We continued to walk to the back of the building and off to the right saw a door. A dark and narrow stairwell lead to the basement. We descended and, eventually, heard soft, muffled music.
At the bottom of the stairs, another door. This one sound-proofed. It opened onto a long hall lined with framed headshots, like the walls of Sardi’s. But instead of famous actors, the photos were of Jazz greats: Duke Ellington, Miles Davis, Louis Armstrong, Dizzi Gillespie, Chet Baker, and others.
The hallway lead to a small bar area, which was empty save for the bartender. We ordered two tickets, a couple beers, and peeked through the narrow doorway to see the Red Hill Quintet, a five-piece group playing jazz of the ’50s and ’60s.
The stage was raised and framed by a great stone arch. The entire room, the stage, the seating area, and even the bar, are inside a very old wine cellar. The arched ceiling and low walls all made with the same ancient brick-shaped stones.
I estimate that the venue holds 120 people max. Tonight there were three long rows of bleacher seats and about five rows of ten chairs, but browsing Google images I can see that the set up changes frequently. While the room for this show was only half full, the crowd was enthusiastic, clearly enjoying themselves. Everyone staying until the very end.
Memories are the souvenirs of traveling, and this is the kind of place one dreams about finding. My favorite quote from TripAdvisor says, “Great musicians have made the reputation of this club… and many others rocked the roof of this magnificent vault.”
A single butternut squash yields about two tablespoons of seeds. Just as with pumpkins, these roasted butternut squash seeds make a tasty treat. Set aside the seeds next time you prepare butternut squash and have yourself a small and nutritious snack. Ingredients 2 Tbl Butternut […]
