Monthly Archives: December, 2011
Today Is The Local Taco Day In Sylvan Park [Comings & Goings]
The Local Taco. No, it’s not a type of taco indigenous to Nashville (but that would definitely be interesting). It’s a new taco hut in Sylvan Park in the former home of the neighborhood’s beloved Goldie’s Deli. Think SATCO’s a la carte order-at-the-front style, but with way less frat parties and way more neighborhood get-togethers. The Local Taco specializes in an interesting fusion of old southern and simple traditional Mexican fare, and that means if you were wondering where to get barbeque in your taco (or fried chicken, shrimp, tilapia, smoked beef brisket and jalenpeno cole slaw, for that matter), The Local Taco is the place to be. In addition to tacos, there will be enchiladas, salads, sides, cheese dip and other staples.
Owner John Ko has us just about giddy with glee over his concept. He plans to use local ingredients when possible, and is committed to becoming part of the Sylvan Park neighborhood community. And when we went to try out The Local Taco this past weekend, let’s just say that something else had us giddy with glee. Here’s a hint: It starts with “frozen” and ends with “margaritas.” Though the space inside is limited, the freshly-remodeled building is home to an absolutely fabulous porch, and we envision many margaritas tacos & enchiladas enjoyed there in our future.
The Local Taco throws open their doors today at 4501 Murphy Road, and will be open Monday-Saturday from 10am-11pm.
Photo by Nashvillest.
The Local Taco. No, it’s not a type of taco indigenous to Nashville (but that would definitely be interesting). It’s a new taco hut in Sylvan Park in the former home of the neighborhood’s beloved Goldie’s Deli. Think SATCO’s a la carte order-at-the-front style, but with way less frat parties and way more neighborhood get-togethers. [...]
Cheap Meals In May At The Pfunky Griddle & TGI Friday’s
What do The Pfunky Griddle and TGI Friday’s have in common? Not much of anything, unless you count the discounted food they’re peddling during the month of May! TGI Friday’s is pricing full portions of their sandwiches and salads at just $5 this month, with 16 menu items to choose from in the promotion – Any day, any time.
The Pfunky Griddle’s promotion is a little more limited, but if you’ve ever been to The Pfunky Griddle, you know it’s worth rearranging your schedule. Every Wednesday in May (from 4pm-7pm only), all-you-can-eat pancakes will be just $3 per person, a steep discount on the usual $6.99 price. We’re actually drooling at the thought of The Pfunky Griddle as we write this, and even though pancakes at 4pm aren’t usually our thing, you’ll know where to find us this Wednesday. [via Ms. Cheap]
Photo by bob the lomond.
What do The Pfunky Griddle and TGI Friday’s have in common? Not much of anything, unless you count the discounted food they’re peddling during the month of May! TGI Friday’s is pricing full portions of their sandwiches and salads at just $5 this month, with 16 menu items to choose from in the promotion – [...]
Elena’s Cafe: Bubble Tea In Brentwood, Hooray!
We checked out Elena’s Cafe in Brentwood this past weekend after noticing a sign for bubble tea in front during a recent trip to the neighboring Chile Burrito. Immediately, we were disappointed that we didn’t arrive hungry for lunch, because their menu looked incredible – A broad selection of sandwiches, wraps, salads and lunch or dinner plates with a Russian and slightly Mediterranean flair was the theme, and a fresh plate of baklava sat on the counter, distracting us as we tried ordering bubble tea. It goes without saying that we’ll be back as soon as possible to try the food.
Elena’s carries a wide assortment of flavors for bubble tea & smoothies. Some of the more unusual options are red bean, bubblegum, avocado and Thai cream soda. After at least ten minutes of indecisiveness, we decided on Thai milk bubble tea and a more adventurous avocado bubble smoothie. Both were delicious, but the Thai tea was the clear winner. The avocado smoothie (along with many of the other flavors) is made from a powdered flavoring, leaving a slight chalky feeling in the mouth, but the Thai tea was made from a delicious concentrate.
Elena’s Cafe immediately one-ups a certain other bubble tea place in town in two big ways: Price & convenience. They accept credit cards! Each size of bubble tea is $0.50 cheaper than the corresponding sizes at Fat Straw, at $2.99 for 16oz and $3.50 for 24oz. We still love Fat Straw, but we’ve certainly found a second home for our bubble tea fix at Elena’s.
Photo by bro0ke. Editor’s note: Photo not of Elena’s Cafe bubble tea.
We checked out Elena’s Cafe in Brentwood this past weekend after noticing a sign for bubble tea in front during a recent trip to the neighboring Chile Burrito. Immediately, we were disappointed that we didn’t arrive hungry for lunch, because their menu looked incredible – A broad selection of sandwiches, wraps, salads and lunch or [...]
Bright & Early: Two By Two Edition
Good morning, Nashville. We trust that none of you guys floated away this weekend, seeing as our rainfall totals for Middle Tennessee were somewhere in the ballpark of 3-7 inches by Saturday and we’re guessing we racked up at least few more from a very soggy Sunday. And also, there was a tornado. Things should look a little drier by this afternoon and into tomorrow before we get drenched again on Wednesday. What ever happened to “April showers bring May flowers,” right?
- Meth production on the rise. The TBI says that meth-makers are getting creative and hiring people to run around to other states to pick up the supplies, and consequently we’re seeing meth production at its highest since 2004.
- Pig flu inspires internet scams. Folks have also been busy buying up swine flu-related domains and websites, which the Better Business Bureau predicts will be used to try to scam us all while we’re freaking out about this latest pandemic. Speaking of, the CDC has confirmed that the Harding Academy suspected swine flu case is the real deal.
- Bits & pieces. The latest estimate for the cost of the TVA’s Kingston cleanup is close to $1 billion … Several schools in the Metro school system have decided to opt of the Standard School Attire for next year … Still trying to figure out why the Murfreesboro VA hospital accidentally infecting 18 people with Hepatitis and one person with HIV isn’t bigger news … The State of Tennessee is suing several midstate companies for running misleading ads that target Hispanic immigrants.
Photo by VictorJames615.
Good morning, Nashville. We trust that none of you guys floated away this weekend, seeing as our rainfall totals for Middle Tennessee were somewhere in the ballpark of 3-7 inches by Saturday and we’re guessing we racked up at least few more from a very soggy Sunday. And also, there was a tornado. Things should [...]
Happy Hour: What’s The Opposite Of Feel Good Friday?
- We were still trying to ignore swine flu headlines but it’s not working. So we have paired this post with a picture of some cute meerkats at the Nashville Zoo to cheer ourselves up. [Flickr]
- The nasty swine flu may have spread to a second kid at Harding Academy. [WTVF]
- Meanwhile, the Montgomery Bell kid with swine flu’s mom wants us to know that we’re not all going to die (maybe just some of us). [Tennessean]
- And while we’re at it, St. Vincent de Paul School is closing for a week because lots of kids are feeling flu-y. [WKRN]
- But if you hurry, through the rain, you can catch the Epic Swine Flu Forum at the Adventure Science Center tonight at 6:30pm. [WTVF]
- Speaking of contagious diseases, a fifth person has tested positive for HIV after being exposed to some contaminated medical equipment at a VA hospital that may or may not be based here in Tennessee. [WTVF]
- The Metro budget has been released and a lot of folks are getting laid off, but our taxes won’t be going up. And hey, everyone at Metro who still has a job still gets to ride the bus for free. [WKRN]
- And some economy experts have referred to our state’s financial quandary as “grim.” [WSMV]
- Adding insult to injury today, it’s raining. Relay For Life is still on, but it’s moving inside. [Tennessean]
Photo by Paul Nicholson.
We were still trying to ignore swine flu headlines but it’s not working. So we have paired this post with a picture of some cute meerkats at the Nashville Zoo to cheer ourselves up. [Flickr] The nasty swine flu may have spread to a second kid at Harding Academy. [WTVF] Meanwhile, the Montgomery Bell kid [...]
The Weekendist: Get Out Your Rainboots Edition
Rain rain, go away. It’s shaping up to be a dreary weekend, but we’re really hoping that the sun peeks through for a few hours here and there. There’s so much going on, and only so much of it can be brought inside!
FRIDAY
- Two Elle Prom. Two Elle Boutique, 2309 12th Ave S. 7pm-10pm. Two Elle is having a prom tonight, which could either be disastrous, or really cool. A portion of the proceeds from the night will be donated to Invisible Children, which is at least one good reason to go. There will be a DJ, dancing, food and many other typical tacky prom-y things. So get out your rainboots and head to prom!
- Shiny Toy Guns, AutoVaughn and Mike’s Pawn Shop. Exit/In, 8pm, $15.
- 38th TACA Tennessee Crafts Fair. Centennial Park, 10am-6pm Friday & Saturday, 10am-5pm Sunday. We hope that the Tennessee Crafts Fair sees some better weather before the weekend’s up. In the event that it stops raining, the Crafts Fair is a fun weekend of browsing local handmade arts & crafts from 180 artists.
SATURDAY
- Nashville Farmer’s Market House Celebration. Nashville Farmer’s Market, 11am-2pm. The Farmer’s Market is kicking off the year with a Spring celebration, and there will be lots of cooking demos and fun events for families.
- Free Comic Book Day. Several of our Twitter friends have given us the heads up that The Great Escape will be participating in Free Comic Book Day. We’re sure there are other places participating, but we don’t know about them! So leave us a comment if you’ve got a tip.
- Nashville Clean Water Project. Nashville Shores Water Park, 8am-5pm. Help clean up Percy Priest Lake! They’ll send you out on a boat, provide all the supplies, t-shirts and a few snacks, and you’ll come back worn out but feelin’ good for helping out. Win-win!
- Tennessee Renaissance Festival. 10am-6pm. Join the Ren Fest for opening weekend. And bring the whole family, because it’s the Opening Weekend Family Celebration!
- Dell Computer Recycling. 10am-4pm. Consumers can drop off computer hardware, old gaming consoles and even printer cartridges to be recycled at the Dell campus out by the Nashville Airport on Saturday.
- First Saturday Art Crawl. 6pm-9pm. You know the drill by now. The first Saturday of every month, a bunch of downtown art galleries open their doors to the public for free, and shuttle service is even provided between galleries.
- Paper Route with Mikky Ekko and Brian Lee & His Orchestra. Exit/In, 9pm, $12.
- Cinco de Mayo in The Gulch. 5pm-9pm, The Gulch. Thought Cinco de Mayo was Tuesday? Think again! Cinco de Mayo in The Gulch’s Fun Run/Walk and Block Party will kick off the weekend with a quick 5k, to be finished off with some Corona and tequila. Sounds like the kind of workout we could get on board with!
- Nashville Sounds Doubleheader vs. Omaha Royals. 5pm at Greer Stadium. It’s a doubleheader, and hopefully it won’t get rained out like Friday’s game. Double the baseball, double the Yazoo, the same ol’ $6 price.
SUNDAY
- Slow Food Dog Days. I Dream Of Weenie, 11am-3pm. Enjoy a homemade hot dog at I Dream Of Weenie, topped with locally-grown or produced toppings. Veggie “not-dogs” will be available too!
- Grand Opening of the Noah Liff Opera Center. 3622 Redmon Street, 3pm-5pm. The beautiful new home of the Nashville Opera will be open to the public on Sunday with plenty of festivities to go around. There will be a free performance of The Magic Flute, tours, raffles, free food, facepainting, photography stations, opera karaoke (yes, you heard that right) and more.
- Meiko, Cory Chisel and Trey Lockerbie. 3rd & Lindsley, 6pm, $12.
Photo by Pieter Musterd.
Rain rain, go away. It’s shaping up to be a dreary weekend, but we’re really hoping that the sun peeks through for a few hours here and there. There’s so much going on, and only so much of it can be brought inside! FRIDAY Two Elle Prom. Two Elle Boutique, 2309 12th Ave S. 7pm-10pm. Two [...]
Beyond Elmington Park: The Tennessee Renaissance Festival
Editor’s Note: Bonus points to any reader who gets the joke in the post title!
Tennessee’s annual Renaissance Festival returns this weekend for its month-long stay, and we’re planning on making this the first year that we attend. The Tennessee Renaissance Festival marks the beginning of summer, festival season, and all things good & right in the world (at least for some folks), and we’ve heard so much hype that we can’t believe we’ve never made it out to Arrington for the festivities. Each weekend in May boasts a theme; this weekend is Opening Weekend Family Celebration, while weekends to come include Romance Weekend, Pirate Invasion and International Jousting Tourney. Between the shows and the swordfights and the jesting and the juggling, the Ren Fest has enough to keep anyone occupied.
Travel back to 16th Century England! Enjoy the colorful pageantry of costumed villagers, artisan and musicians, laugh with merry entertainers, and cheer for your favorite knight in a full armoured joust. Castle Gwynn, a full size replica of a twelfth century border castle, welcomes festival-goers to tour the 1st floor and castle grounds. The Rose-Dan Freeman Weaponery Collection will be on display at the castle along with a portrait of Queen Elizabeth I. Come share the music, thrill at exciting stage presentations and jousting events, watch the Birds of the Gauntlet, amd much more at festive Covington Glen… great entertainment for all ages and a must-see for the entire family.
Seriously, we can’t pass this up. Plus, we hear they have awesome food. The Tennessee Renaissance Festival takes place from 10am-6pm every Saturday and Sunday in May, and tickets are $16 regular price for adults.
Photo by johnlamb.
Editor’s Note: Bonus points to any reader who gets the joke in the post title! Tennessee’s annual Renaissance Festival returns this weekend for its month-long stay, and we’re planning on making this the first year that we attend. The Tennessee Renaissance Festival marks the beginning of summer, festival season, and all things good & right [...]
Soundtrack For Your Weekend: Shiny Toy Guns, Paper Route and Meiko
If you’re looking for a little groove for your weekend (forgive us for the use of the term “groove”), it’s a good weekend to be in Nashville. Not that three days of music is necessarily unusual here in the Music City, but three days of music that we actually want to hear? A rare occurrence indeed!
Tonight, check out Shiny Toy Guns at the Exit/In. We’ve heard that Shiny Toy Guns shows turn into pretty epic dance parties, and what better way is there to spend your Friday night? Opening for Shiny Toy Guns are local bands Autovaughn and Mike’s Pawn Shop. The show starts at 9pm (doors at 8pm) and it’s $15 at the door.
Saturday night, get to the Exit/In early for the Paper Route CD release show with Mikky Ekko and Brian Lee & His Orchestra. The internet has been buzzing with cries of “ZOMG PAPER ROUTE IS AWESOME!!1″ since their new CD, “Absence,” released on Tuesday, and this could be one of your last chances to catch these hometown heroes before they blow up. The last Paper Route show at the Exit/In was ridiculously packed, so stake out a spot early if you plan on maintaining a shred of comfort. Show starts at 9pm, and it’s only $12 at the door.
Sunday night, if you’re not worn out from Friday and Saturday’s shows, come hang at 3rd & Lindsley to see one of our absolute favorite artists, Meiko. Meiko keeps coming through Nashville, and we keep missing her, but we’ve vowed that this will be the day. She’ll be playing with Cory Chisel and Trey Lockerbie, and the show is only $12 in advance (but with service fees, ends up around $15). Doors are at 6pm and the show starts at 7pm.
Photo by openDemocracy.
If you’re looking for a little groove for your weekend (forgive us for the use of the term “groove”), it’s a good weekend to be in Nashville. Not that three days of music is necessarily unusual here in the Music City, but three days of music that we actually want to hear? A rare occurrence [...]
Bright & Early: Something Other Than The Pig Flu Edition
Good morning, Nashville. We’re probably almost as sick of reading/hearing about the swine flu as you are, so as our gift to you on this Friday, we mined and dug until we found a small handful of stories that actually don’t mention it:
- Don’t ever let us go, Sully. We’re mighty proud of Steve Sullivan, who’s in the running for the NHL’s Masterton trophy–an award given to the player showing the most perseverance in hockey. Sully’s back injury kept him out of commission for nearly two years before he returned to the ice this past February.
- Sign us up. The other day, we learned that the TVA was thinking about scraping up all the toxic sludge in Kingston and dumping it in some other part of Roane County. They’re now also considering spreading it over to Cumberland County.
- District 18 election results. The District 18 Showdown of Doom for Keith Durbin’s old Metro Council seat is finally over, and Kristine LaLonde won by a landslide (or actually just 672 – 476).
- Childcare help on the way. The State of Tennessee has about $42 million set aside to help out working families who are having a tough time affording childcare. Recipient families will be nominated by their childcare provider and each licensed provider gets a certain number of scholarships to dole out depending on the size of the center.
- Because it’s Friday. And finally, an unrelated adorable video of a weird animal getting tickled.
Photo by neuski.
Good morning, Nashville. We’re probably almost as sick of reading/hearing about the swine flu as you are, so as our gift to you on this Friday, we mined and dug until we found a small handful of stories that actually don’t mention it: Don’t ever let us go, Sully. We’re mighty proud of Steve Sullivan, [...]
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