Pictures of the filming of Nashville Aficionado-episode 4 on Lower Broadway in Nshville

These are photos taken by Teri Playford while I was filming on Broadway in downtown Nashville recently.



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Teri also took this shot inside Robert's Western World.

Def Leprechaun will perform for the Boston Irish tonight

Mulligan's Irish Pub
117 2nd Avenue North
242-8010
8 pm
Def Leprechaun will perform Irish tunes for all of the Boston College fans in town for the Music City Bowl.
No cover

Visit Mulligan's Pub for more info

Cell Phone/Waiting Area to Temporarily Close During Roadway Project at BNA aka Nashville Airport

Beginning Monday, Jan. 5, the cell phone/waiting area at Nashville International Airport (BNA) will close temporarily due to the ongoing Terminal Access Roadway Improvements Project.
Alternate options for customers who are meeting and waiting for arriving passengers include the short-term parking garage and the 10-minute waiting area on the baggage claim level.

During road construction, BNA encourages travelers and guests to allow extra travel time. All short-term, long-term, and economy parking lots will remain open during the TARI Project. The overflow lot will be open only as needed.

Visit the airport website for more info.

Now offering video for your "electronic press kit"

Are you in need of some video for your electronic press kit? We are now offering video services that can be used for EPK's, such as an interview, footage from around the city, in the country and various locations.

More information coming Wednesday, December 31 so stay tuned to Webbspun Ideas!

3rd & Lindsley calendar; December 29-31

MondayDecember 29
3rd and Lindsley's Bad Santa Party – 6:00 pm

Bad gift exchange, re-gift, buffet and bevs for all our friends @ 3rd

Erin Manning, Sam Williams, Jesse Lasfer, Denita Odigie – 9:00 pm

TuesdayDecember 30
The Marcus Finnie Band – 7:00 pm

The Wooten Brothers Reunion Show – 9:00 pm

This Special Event features a reunion of the Wooten Brothers and many of the artists who have played with them, every Wednesday night at 3rd and Lindsley for 17 years

WednesdayDecember 31

New Years Eve Celebration Raul Malo

9:00 pm
Packages are on sale now, include dinner,champagne, party favors, and the show

$69-$89 per reserved seat

Purchase your seat now to get the best seats

Dinner served anytime after 6pm, your reserved seat will be waiting anytime you would like to arrive, music will start @ 9pm, Raul Malo takes the stage @ 10pm.
This will be a great event and a perfect way to welcome the New Year.

Seating sold directly through the venue only.

Phone 259-9891 / 259-1597

M-Fr 10am - 5pm

cash or credit card.

DaVido, the Java Jitter, and his Starbucks Rejection Tour

DaVido used to sing at Mere Bulles in downtown Nashville but now has moved on to bigger things. He now sings the "Java Jitter" and is currently on the Starbucks Rejection Tour. This is funny and good stuff. I knew he had a unique way to get himself "out there."

Here is the video


NEW YORK, Sept. 19 /PRNewswire/ -- DaVido, the outrageous crooner, has been thrown out of over 200 Starbucks and it's all captured on video on YouTube.com. Because of his courage and tenacity, DaVido's Starbucks Rejection Tour Video is rapidly getting worldwide attention.After Starbucks Corporation rejected his song "Java Jitter," DaVido decided to take matters into his own hands, and performed his song in as many stores as humanly possible hoping that corporate headquarters would take notice and embrace him and his quest.

Unfortunately, every time DaVido tried to sing "Java Jitter" in the stores, he was consistently kicked out. DaVido's relentless goal: have his CD on the Starbucks music racks next to superstars such as Paul McCartney, Johnny Cash, and Ray Charles.

Viking Culinary School calendar; January 5-10

Jan. 5
6:00 pm - 9:00 pm Teens Italian Cuisine

Jan. 6
6:00 pm - 9:00 pm Homemade Sauces Workshop
6:30 pm - 8:30 pm ECS 1: Stocks

Jan. 7
6:00 pm - 9:00 pm Fish Cookery
6:00 pm - 9:00 pm The Chef's Table: Girls' Night Out: In Rome

Jan. 8
10:00 am - 12:30 pm Basic Knife Skills
6:00 pm - 9:00 pm Stop the Clock Cuisine Almost Sold Out
6:00 pm - 9:00 pm The Chef's Table: Date Night: In Sicily

Jan. 9
6:00 pm - 9:00 pm Casual Cocktail Party
6:00 pm - 9:00 pm The Chef's Table: Classic Tuscan Dinner Party

Jan 10
10:00 am - 1:00 pm Teens Chocolate Workshop Almost Sold Out
5:00 pm - 8:00 pm Steakhouse Workshop ** Sold Out **
6:00 pm - 9:00 pm The Chef's Table: Girls' Night Out: In Vegas

What are the 5 best architectural treasures in Nashville?

This photo comes from Kittywinks Peeks'

1. Parthenon
2. Scarritt-Bennett
3. Christ Church Cathedral
4. Frist Center for the Visual Arts
5. Union Station Hotel

That would be my list, off the top of my head. So what would you all pick to be the best architecture in Nashville?

Nashville Restaurant Health Inspection Scores (December 26)

High Scores:

Allium Restaurant
501 Main Street
Date Inspected: 12/16/2008
Score: 93

McDonalds
Vanderbilt Medical Center
Date Inspected: 12/15/2008
Score: 95

Subway
1414 Charlotte Avenue
Date Inspected: 12/19/2008
Score: 96

Sunset Grill
2001 Belcourt
Date Inspected: 12/17/2008
Score: 93

Low Scores:

McDonalds
3300 Dickerson Road
Date Inspected: 12/16/2008
Score: 58
Major Violations:
* CHICKEN STRIPS ARE OUT OF TEMPERATURE IN THE WARMER
* HOT WATER AT THE HANDSINK IN THE MENS RESTROOM IS ONLY READING 55 DEGREES*

Updates:

There are no updates available.

Nashville Aficionado; episode 4

Printers Alley

BiCentennial Park

A night on Lower Broadway in Nashville

Thanks to Charles Cross for assistance on the Printers Alley and BiCentennial Park segments.

Advertising with Webbspun Ideas and Nashville Aficionado

Contact information

Cell phone: 615-400-0966

email address: corey@webbspunideas.com

Corey reaches out to the hospitality, tour and travel industry in Nashville

If any of these qualities would help your business contact me and I will get you a copy of my resume. ~Corey Webb

Cell phone: 615-400-0966

Email: corey@webbspunideas.com (put Nashville in the subject line)

Could a U.S. law drive local businesses out of business?

From the looks of it, yes it could. MSNBC talked to local toy maker Brian Pharoah of RealWoodToys.com and he explains how it would hurt him and others here in the U.S. as much or more than the Chinese companies. Read below for a portion of the story and click the link to read the entire story.

Support local business and get your kids some "Real Wooden Toys."
~Corey

Handmade Tennessee toys could be facing their last Christmas. A new law intended to stop China from making dangerous lead-based toys has also endangered the mom-and-pop toymakers.

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The law was aimed at China for the lead-tainted toys produced there in 2007 but instead hits mom-and-pop American and European toymakers.

Brian Pharaoh's grandfather made wooden toys. When Pharaoh, a former tank commander, was stationed in Germany, it was natural that he would look for the same kind of toys he grew up with. His hobby became a business: Nashville's RealWoodenToys.com.
"(It) could be devastating to the consumers and, of course, the people that are making these toys," Pharoah said.

Read the entire MSNBC story
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RealWoodenToys.com

Nashville Restaurant Health Inspection Scores (December 18)

High Scores:

Hermitage Steakhouse
4342 Lebanon Road
Date Inspected: 12/12/2008
Score: 92

Low Scores:

Beijing Chinese Restaurant
4685 TROUSDALE Trousdale
Date Inspected: 12/11/2008
Score: 55
Major Violations:
* THE OWNER AND THE INSPECTOR PLACED A TRASH CAN FULL OF FRIED WON TONS IN THE DUMPSTER TO BE DISPOSED OF. THE INSPECTOR WENT NEXT DOOR TO ANOTHER LOCATION AND NOTICED BEIJINGS DUMPSTER WAS OPENED. SHE LOOKED IN THE DUMPSTER AND NOTICE THE TRASH CAN, THAT WAS PREVIOUSLY PUT
* PUT IN THE TRASH CAN WITH THE WON TONS IN IT WAS NOT IN THE DUMPSTER, UPON GOING BACK INTO THE LOCATION THE INSPECTOR NOTICE THE SAME TRASH CAN WITH THE SAME WON TONS INSIDE THE ESTABLISHMENT AND THEY WERE BEING USED.
* EMPLOYEE WAS ALSO HANDLING TRASH AND THEN FOOD WITHOUT WASHING HIS OR HER HANDS
* RAW SHRIMP, COOKED CHICKEN AND TOFU INSIDE THE WALK-IN COOLER ARE OUT OF TEMPERATURE
* STORING PAN OF RAW CHICKEN AND PORK ON TOP OF UNCOVERED CHICKEN.

Updates:

There are no updates available.

Keith Urban at the Grand Ole Opry on December 27

Also appearing will beChuck Wicks, Julianne Hough, Jamey Johnson, Cherryholmes, Jean Shepard, Jack Greene and many more. Get your tickets for the show at Opry tickets.

Another sign of changes in the music industry

Due to a slow economy and a recording industry that seems to be trying to figure out how to sell albums right now, Equity Music Group in Nashville is suspending operations. People don't seem to be spending money on albums right now and something else that seems to be changing the industry is the ability to get the music without having to buy a full album.

I hate to see this happen but hopefully the business will go on and we'll see growth in Nashville and the music industry again. Read more below and the complete story in the Tennessean newspaper.
~Corey


Little Big Town and the folks from Equity Music Group

Nashville-based independent music label Equity Music Group said Tuesday that it was suspending its operations immediately, blaming a challenging economic climate.

"Our investors tried to a find a way to keep the doors open at Equity, but with a struggling industry, an overall decline in discretionary spending by consumers and a total freeze on the capital markets" the board made this decision, said Tim Wipperman, the label's president.

Equity Music Group began in 2003, co-founded by country artist Clint Black and Mike Kraski, a former Sony/Nashville executive. The label was best known for once representing the country music group Little Big Town.

Read the entire story in the Tennessean newspaper.

Agritourism Conference in Tennessee

The 2009 Tennessee Agritourism Conference is set for Jan. 26-27 at the Chattanooga Marriott and Convention Center.

“This conference has become a ‘must attend’ event for many of the state’s most serious agritourism farmers, who continually upgrade their professional skills and their farms’ attractions,” says Pamela Bartholomew, agritourism coordinator for the Tennessee Department of Agriculture.

“For aspiring agritourism farmers, the conference is a way to begin to assess whether they and their farm operations are well suited to this new farm business. New or prospective farmers get the chance to spend lots of time with experienced operators who can share plenty of useful stories and ideas. That makes getting started less costly in terms of time, dollars and anxiety.”

The term agritourism refers to the increasingly popular part of the agriculture industry that involves inviting the public directly onto the farm for activities or farm products.

Read the entire story in the Southeast Farm Press.

Local Aficionado- Nashville; episode 3

Interview with Sam Davidson from Cool People Care
part 1
part 2
part 3
Visit the Cool People Care website
Check out New Day Revolution a book written by Sam and Stephen Moseley
Read Sam's blog
~~~

Interview with Chef Joe Shaw
part 1
part 2
part 3
The Standard at the Smith House

167 Rosa L. Parks Blvd (8th Ave.)

phone 615-254-1277

Nashville Restaurant Health Inspection Scores

High Scores:

China Spring
3608 Anderson Road
Date Inspected: 12/2/2008
Score: 95

Jack in the Box
1504 Hampton Street
Date Inspected: 12/4/2008
Score: 94

Jetts Pizza
5205 Old Hickory Blvd
Date Inspected: 12/3/2008
Score: 96

Jimmy Kelly's Restaurant
217 Louise Avenue
Date Inspected: 12/4/2008
Score: 91

Taco Bell
1410 Brick Church Pike
Date Inspected: 12/4/2008
Score: 95

University Club
2402 Garland Avenue
Date Inspected: 12/3/2008
Score: 91

Low Scores:

August Moon Express
1000 Rivergate Pkwy
Date Inspected: 12/5/2008
Score: 54
Major Violations:
* COOKED CHICKEN ON TABLE IN CONTAINER WITH LID IS OUT OF TEMPERATURE - EMBARGOED 20LBS.
* RICE IN CONTAINER ON TABLE IS OUT OF TEMPERATURE.
* MICE DROPPING IN CABINET NEAR THE ICE BIN.

Updates:

There are no updates available for the date range you selected.

3rd & Lindsley calendar- December 12-20

FridayDecember 12
Dave Pahanish – 7:00 pm
Bekka Bramlett w/Jon Coleman and Special Guest Lee Roy Parnell – 10:00 pm
SaturdayDecember 13
Soul Cages "The Music of Sting and The Police" – 7:30 pm
Jimmy Hall and The Prisoners of Love w/ Jack Pearson – 10:00 pm
SundayDecember 14
Randall Goodgame – 7:00 pm
Sam and Ruby w/ Courtney Jaye – 8:00 pm
MondayDecember 15
Scott Getlin – 7:00 pm
Gabriel Kelly and The Rains, Keegan DeWitt, Jesse Terry, and TJ Osbourne – 8:00 pm
TuesdayDecember 16
WRLT Acoustic Christmas
Free Event
Benefits Toys For Tots
21+
Please bring a NEW TOY
Jay DeMarcus, Tim Nichols, John Kennedy, Chris Wallen – 7:00 pm
Brett Dennen w/ Meiko – 9:00 pm
WednesdayDecember 17
Music City Blues Christmas Show
Debbie Ritter and Friends – 6:00 pm
The Wooten Brothers – 9:30 pm
ThursdayDecember 18
Buzz Cason and The Love Notes – 7:00 pm
Charlie Louvin CD release – 9:30 pm
FridayDecember 19
12 Against Nature "A Steely Dan Experience" w/ Special Guests Michael Omartain and Jason Scheff – 7:00 pm
SaturdayDecember 20
Jonell Mosser – 7:00 pm
Grooveyard Featuring John Cowan, Reese Wynans, Mike Brignardello, Greg Morrow, Pat Buchanan and The Gooveyard Horns – 10:00 pm
SundayDecember 21
Gretchen Peters Holiday Show w/ The Wrights – 8:00 pm

3rd & Lindsley
818 3rd Avenue South
Nashville, Tn
615-259-9891

Viking Cooking School in Franklin- Schedule for December 12-20

December 12
12:30 pm - 4:00 pmPrivate Event (Workshop)
6:00 pm - 9:00 pmThe Chef's Table: Champagne Brunch
6:00 pm - 9:00 pmDate Night: In Sicily
December 13
10:00 am - 12:00 pmGingerbread House Workshop** Sold Out **
10:00 am - 12:30 pmPrivate Event (Workshop)
2:00 pm - 5:00 pmThe Chef's Table: Réveillon: A French Creole TraditionAlmost Sold Out
December 14
11:00 am - 1:30 pmEdible Ornaments Workshop** Sold Out **
12:00 pm - 2:00 pmPrivate Event (Workshop)
4:00 pm - 6:00 pmPrivate Event (Demo)
December 15
6:00 pm - 9:00 pmCookie Workshop
6:00 pm - 9:00 pmPasta Workshop (Fall/Winter)Almost Sold Out
December 16
4:00 pm - 7:00 pmPrivate Event (Workshop)
6:30 pm - 8:30 pmECS12: Cakes
December 17
10:00 am - 1:00 pmHoliday Sweets Workshop
6:00 pm - 9:00 pmJewish Cooking: Treasures from Around the World
6:00 pm - 9:00 pmPrivate Event (Demo)
December 18
4:00 pm - 7:00 pmPrivate Event (Workshop)
6:00 pm - 9:00 pmCajun Christmas
December 19
6:00 pm - 9:00 pmPrivate Event (Workshop)
6:30 pm - 9:00 pmDecorating Designer Cookies with Cathy Webb** Sold Out **
December 20
10:00 am - 12:00 pmGingerbread House Workshop
10:00 am - 12:30 pmDecorating Designer Cookies with Cathy Webb** Sold Out **
2:00 pm - 4:30 pmDecorating Designer Cookies with Cathy Webb** Sold Out **

Gaylord needs property to be blighted to build in Arizona

Gaylord Palms Hotel in Orlando

The Mesa City Council approved Monday the designation of redevelopment area for the 3,200-acre Mesa Proving Grounds.

That means the developers of two major resorts and a convention center will get an additional $7 million in property tax breaks, for a total of $85.5 million. The property is owned by DMB Associates of Scottsdale.

The resolution, which accepts existence of ‘slum and blight’ conditions on the property, needed six out of seven votes, per state statute, to pass. It was on the consent agenda, which is often approved without discussion, and the vote was unanimous.

In September, Mesa announced the $136.5 million tax-incentive agreement, which includes a bed tax incentive that’s up for a public vote in March. Nashville’s Gaylord Entertainment Co. plans to build a minimum 1,200-room hotel and convention center, similar to the company’s high-profile properties in Texas, Florida and Washington, D.C.

Read the entire story in the East Valley Tribune newspaper.

Can coffee grounds be used for biodiesel?

This might be useful for all the great coffee shops in Nashville to use their used coffee grounds this way as opposed to having to throw them out or use them for compost. The University of Nevada had three chemical engineers who believed they could extract oil from the used beans and convert them to a biodiesel fuel.

As it turns out, 15% of used coffee beans are oil and that could be very valuable to anyone using oil because the world produces and consumes over 16 billion pounds of coffee per year.

Read more of this interesting story at ARS Technica.

Pay it Forward in Nashville

Hutton Hotel, in Nashville, honored as member of "The Leading Hotels in the World"

Hutton Hotel, a new four-star independent luxury hotel set to open on West End in January 2009, has been honored as a member of the world's most prestigious collection of luxury hotels: The Leading Hotels of the World, Ltd.

"Achieving this status of The Leading Hotels of the World is a great honor, establishing Hutton Hotel as one of the finest hotels in the world," said Steven Andre, General Manager of Hutton Hotel. "We are delighted to be among a superior class of hotels and resorts that share our distinction and level of service."

Providing a fresh new alternative to downtown, Hutton Hotel is situated on West End, boasting an ideal balance of elegance and comfort. This independent luxury hotel houses innovative technology and sustainability features throughout paired with custom-designed finishes and amenities keeping business and weekend guests in mind.

~~~

Click HERE to read the entire story.

Montgomery Gentry will headline Sound & Speed in Nashville

Montgomery Gentry will headline the kickoff concert of the Sprint Sound & Speed Presented by SunTrust at 8:00 p.m. on Jan. 9 at the Sommet Center.

The festival begins the next day at Municipal Auditorium, where racing and country music fans can interact with drivers, team owners and entertainers through autograph and story-telling sessions. NASCAR stars confirmed to attend are Dale Earnhardt Jr., Michael Waltrip, Reed Sorensen and David Stremme. Others confirmed for the sessions are Josh Turner, Jason Michael Carroll, members of Diamond Rio and Rick Huckaby.

Concert tickets are $17.50-$35 and will go on sale Dec. 12 through Ticketmaster and http://www.soundandspeed.org/. Festival tickets, which are $20 for adults and $15 for children, are on sale now. A combo ticket for both events will range from $40 to $50.

The fourth annual event benefits the Victory Junction camp and the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum.

O’Charley’s Donates More Than a Quarter Million Chicken Servings to Food Bank

I just want to take a moment and say thank you to O'Charley's for giving to a local charity and trying to make a difference and caring about people in these tough times. Many of us are not big fans of "chain" restaurants but when they still do things to help their hometowns and they still work to make a difference I think we should give them recognition for that and tell them thanks for caring.
~Corey

Read the news article below:


Officials at O’Charley’s restaurants, a leading casual-dining restaurant concept, donated 101,000 pounds of chicken to Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee, one of the largest and most comprehensive of over 200 food banks and food distribution centers nationwide and also a member of Feeding America – The Nation’s Food Bank Network.

“This is the largest single donation of chicken we have ever received,” said Jaynee Day, president and CEO, Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee. “Protein items are very rarely donated to Second Harvest, so this type of donation is truly significant. O’Charley’s has been one of our largest supporters, and we are grateful for their generous gift.”

The equivalent of three truckloads of the chicken is enough to feed over a quarter of a million people. It will be distributed throughout Second Harvest’s network of approximately 400 not for profit partner agencies in 46 counties in Middle and West Tennessee. Partners include food pantries, soup kitchens, shelters, foster care facilities, senior centers, group homes, and youth enrichment programs. For more information on Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee and its programs, please visit www.secondharvestmidtn.org.

Read the rest of the article at Business Wire.

Tangredi's is being sued by American Express

This is a sad story of betrayal and criminal activity from a local restaurant owner and his son. You would like to think that this can't be true but we can only sit back and see what unfolds.
~Corey

Read about it below:

A national credit card company said a Nashville restaurant owner racked up over a million dollars in charges after opening a credit card in one of their employee's names. The suit accuses the Tangredis of opening one of several fraudulent American Express charge card accounts in the name of employee Laura Lightfoot. The employee was "duped by the Tangredis into having her name and credit information used so that a credit card could be issued to perpetrate their fraud," according to the suit.

American Express has filed a complaint against Michael Tangredi and his 18-year-old son, saying the two obtained fraudulent American Express accounts. The suit accuses Tangredi of failing to pay more than a million dollars in those fraudulent credit card charges.

Read the rest of the story in the Tennessean newspaper.

Bad news for drivers...Saudi king wants higher prices on oil

Saudi Arabia's king says the price of oil should be $75 a barrel, much higher than it is now, but his oil minister indicated Saturday that no measures will likely be taken until OPEC meets again next month.

Saudi Oil Minister Ali Naimi said that the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries will "do what needs to be done" to shore up falling oil prices when the group meets Dec. 17 in Algeria, but for now it was "too early."
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Read the entire story at Yahoo News.

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Visit Opryland USA again on NPT's "Memories"

The show will spotlight much-loved rides, performances and attractions, as well as popular entertainers (including singer-songwriter Chely Wright) who launched their careers playing at Opryland, USA.

The program’s writer and producer, Justin Harvey, reached out to the community in search of personal memories, photos and videos of time spent at the park. He said the response was overwhelming.

“So many people called me or wrote to me to share their fond memories of summers spent at the park,” Harvey told Nashville Public Television. “For many, Opryland was their childhood. For many of the performers, it was their first big gig and entrance into the entertainment industry. Everybody, it seems, loved Opryland.”

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Read the entire article in the Tennessean.
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"Local Aficionado- Nashville " episode 1

If you want the best pralines in the world, whether for yourself or to give as a Christmas present, visit Pralines by Leon now to find out how to place your order for them or just stop in and by them in person.

Please visit our friends over at Corrieri's Formaggeria for great cheeses, sandwiches and many more delightful foods. Here is Brandon Fuson to introduce himself.

Nashville Restaurant Health Scores- November 28

High Scores:

AIRPORT DELI
1321 MURFREESBORO
Date Inspected: 11/20/2008
Score: 93

SUBWAY
6688 NOLENSVILLE ROAD
Date Inspected: 11/19/2008
Score: 99

SUBWAY
857 BRILEY PKWY
Date Inspected: 11/20/2008
Score: 92

YAMAMOTO JAPANESE RESTAURANT
2695 MURFREESBORO ROAD
Date Inspected: 11/18/2008
Score: 92

Low Scores:

There are no low scores available for the date range you selected.

Updates:

There are no updates available for the date range you selected.

Amtrak's best and worst on-time train routes

TOP FIVE ON-TIME ROUTES
**As of July 2008

Hiawatha
Milwaukee - Chicago
Year-To-Date (YTD): 87.7 percent July: 88.5 percent
Amtrak’s most on-time route is, probably unsurprisingly, also one of its shortest.

BOTTOM FIVE ON-TIME ROUTES:

Texas Eagle
Chicago - St. Louis - Dallas - San Antonio - Los Angeles
YTD: 14.3 percent, July performance: 0.0 percent

Visit the Webbspun Ideas website to see the rest of the list.

This list comes from Peter Greenberg. Visit his website for more great info about traveling.

Tenn. officials say 2008 harvest deemed a good one

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Despite lingering drought conditions in some parts of the state, Tennessee agricultural officials say 2008 is a good year for the harvest.

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Tennessee Agriculture Commissioner Ken Givens said the rain that fell during the growing season was timely, if not abundant, and the weather wasn't overly hot when corn was pollinating.

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Read more in Forbes. Article written by Randall Dickerson

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Great quote by Rick Steves

If your life is a canvas, travels bring new color. And journaling is like being a painter who stands back every once in a while to understand and enjoy the art as it unfolds.
~Rick Steves

The Art and Value of Journaling as You Travel

By Rick Steves

Travel can make you a poet. Travel can be spiritual. You meet people on the road you'd never meet otherwise. Traveling rearranges your cultural furniture, challenging truths you assumed were self-evident and God-given. By traveling, you learn not only about the people and places you visit — you learn about yourself.

But without capturing your thoughts on paper, the lessons of travel are like shooting stars you just missed...and butterflies you thought you saw. Collecting intimate details on the road and then distilling them into your journal sharpens your ability to observe and creates a souvenir you'll always cherish.

Choose your travel journal carefully. I prefer a minimalist journal, light yet stiff enough to protect the pages and to give me something solid to write on (since I often write on the fly without a convenient table). I like invitingly empty pages — not pages decorated with extra literary frills and verbose doodads. It's my journal, not someone else's chance to decorate my observations with cute quotes, clever tips, and handy reminders. I use black ink or a mechanical pencil. Nothing should compete with the simple words. Avoid spiral notebooks — they fall apart quickly. A bound book will become a classic on your bookshelf.

Read the entire article on Rick Steve's website.

Small-Mart Revolution by Michael Shuman

In Michael Shuman's new book, "Small-Mart Revolution," he explains why local businesses create a vibrant local economy with more local jobs and wealth. This is true and should be something practiced by us all.

See more of Michael and his thoughts on YouTube.

Plumgood Food is going out of business

Plumgood is closing its doors on Friday, December 5th.

A portion of a message on their website to customers from Eric Satz, cofounder and ceo is below:
We believe our service was not only good for our customers, but good for Nashville, which continues to diversify its economy by attracting large corporations from major cities and supporting local ventures with assistance from the Nashville Capital Network and the Nashville Chamber of Commerce. Similar businesses to ours exist in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Portland, Seattle, Salt Lake City, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Chicago, Boston, Washington D.C., Virginia and New York City. We expect to see another grocery home delivery service plant itself here in the future.

Today’s economy has taken its toll on our business the same way it has on many other businesses our size. The primary driver for our customer was always convenience. This consumer value proposition becomes far less compelling in an environment where the perceived value of one’s time declines as significantly and rapidly as it has over the past few months. We’ve seen our weekly deliveries decline from more than 800 to less than 700. We simply do not have the scale and purchasing power required to compete on price with the country’s largest grocers and outlast the current economic crisis.

Please visit the Plumgood website to read the entire goodbye letter.

A brief look around the Loveless Cafe

Delicious experience and had the pleasure of talking about good, local food with "the Biscuit Lady" Carol Fay. They will be open for Thanksgiving but stop out there anytime for a great experience.

A new form of heating?

Lard in the fireplace...Hmm, maybe it would be cheaper then gas.

American Heritage with Charles Kuralt

U.S. rail network facing congestion ‘calamity’

“For those of you who’ve ever seen a good rail meltdown, this is what it looks like,” Rose, CEO of Burlington Northern Santa Fe Corp., said as the crowded hall shifted uncomfortably in their chairs. “It’s literally chaos in the supply chain.”

While the nation’s attention is focused on air travel congestion and the high cost of fuel for highway driving, a crisis is developing under the radar for another form of transportation — the freight trains used to deliver many of the goods that keep the U.S. economy humming.

The nation’s 140,000-mile network of rails devoted to carrying everything from cars to grain by freight is already groaning under the strain of congestion, with trains forced to stand aside for hours because of one-track rail lines.

Read the entire article in Better Roads.

Pfunky Griddle

Location: 2800 Bransford Ave., Nashville, TN

Smokin' Turkey BLT $8.00
Smoked Turkey and crispy Bacon served with Chipotle Aioli, crisp lettuce and tomatoes.

Loaded Baked Potato Soup Bowl $4.50

Unforgettable People

Wheels by Dan Tyminski

Great video for someone, like me, who loves train travel. I would have loved to have been on this train for the shoot.

Tn. Dept of Agriculture recommends a real tree this year for Christmas

The Tennessee Department of Agriculture is asking residents to use real Christmas trees this holiday season instead of artificial types.

Fake trees are made of plastic and take years to biodegrade once they are discarded.

On the other hand, experts said farm-grown trees help the environment while they are growing and can be recycled once the holidays are over.

The auto world may shift into the South and away from Detroit

Southern politicians have spent years luring foreign automakers to build cars in their states, with huge success. Most recently, Tennessee attracted a $1 billion Volkswagen assembly plant to Chattanooga. South Carolina has BMW. Mississippi landed a major plant for Toyota Motor Corp. Alabama boasts plants run by Mercedes-Benz, Hyundai Motor Co. and Honda Motor Co.

It's not that Southerners are secretly wishing for the Big Three to collapse. But if those automakers were to falter, the new players are poised to ramp up production and possibly turn the South into the next Detroit.

"In the long run, having fewer competitors or weaker competitors is generally a good thing," said Efraim Levy, a senior auto industry analyst with Standard & Poor's. "It would contribute to a greater relative strength in the South."

Read the entire story in the Tennessean newspaper.

Seasons of America by a legendary traveler and journalist

Judge Bean says he is coming back

12th Avenute location

Fans of the Texas-style barbecue stylings of Aubrey Bean will be glad to know that, even though both locations of Judge Bean's BBQ shut down recently, Bean plans to be back on the food scene in January.

Bean, 55, was sidelined by a heart attack in September, and complications followed. "After I got out of the hospital, I just needed to take some time off," says Bean, who says he's been exercising during his recovery and lost 70 pounds.
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Read the rest of this story in the Tennessean newspaper.
The original location

Great quote by John Wooden, legendary UCLA coach

“Don't measure yourself by what you have accomplished, but what you should have accomplished with your ability.”
~John Wooden