Tuesday, September 30, 2008

I made it into the Knoxville News Sentinel



Story written by Linda Lange

The green space also functions as a quiet oasis from fast-paced downtown. People spend their lunch hour at picnic tables or admire sculptures sprinkled across the tiered grassy hill. Tourists glimpse into earlier times when they visit Fort Nashborough, a replication of 18th century log cabins. "People really do enjoy the ambience of the river. From the Shelby Street Bridge, they have the best view of the Nashville skyline," says Corey Webb, owner of the Nashville Experience, a company offering walking tours. (615-400-0966, www.webbspunideas.com)

Read the entire article in the Knoxville News Sentinel.

Animal Affair 2008; Swingin at the Nashville Zoo



Saturday, October 4 marks the return of Nashville Zoo’s largest fundraiser, Animal Affair. Enjoy the beauty of the Zoo property at twilight as you stroll winding pathways to discover tasty samplings from area restaurants, caterers and breweries. Live music will fill the air and special animal ambassadors will welcome you to an evening of swinging gibbons, swing dancers and an all-around swinging good time.

Animal Affair 2008 celebrates the grand re-opening of our recently restored Jungle Gym. You’ll feel like a kid again as you check out the playground’s new features and explore the renovations that got this popular Zoo feature back "in the swing" of things.

Get all the details HERE.

Where the locals eat? Maybe a local should be consulted


Interesting information here but I think most of us knew that this were not the most scientific books but yet still a little bit helpful to most. Read the entire article at the link at the bottom of the post.

~Corey

---

Recently I received a copy of the Minneapolis/St. Paul edition of Where the Locals Eat, a Guide to the Best Restaurants in America , a Zagat-size book that promised to tell me the 100 Best Restaurants in the Top 50 Cities. I flipped to the title page, curious to see what familiar names I might find among the contributors, which local foodies--people who dine out regularly and know the Twin Cities food scene like they know the inside of their oven mitts--might have offered up their expertise? Strangely, or, actually, not so strangely, I didn't recognize any of them. A few shallow, one-page-deep Googles of a few of the names brought up no connections to Minnesota, but a whole lot to Nashville, where the book was published. What qualified a bunch of people in Nashville as "local experts" on the Twin Cities?

I wrote the PR person, hoping to gain some insight. "Could you tell me a little bit about your methodology?" I asked. "Who are your writers and how do they make their picks on which restaurants are included?" Regarding the "best" picks in different cuisine categories, I asked, "Did you choose the category winners via survey? How was that conducted?"

Read the entire article HERE.

Monday, September 29, 2008

Noah Liff Opera Center is the new home for the Nashville Opera


Picture is from the Nashville Post

The story in the local papers:

In this case, the figurative fat lady sang not to signify the ending but the beginning.

The Nashville Opera today unveiled the design plans for its new home in Sylvan Park, a year later than initially planned so the organization made sure it had more than enough money to start construction.

D.F. Chase Construction is scheduled to begin work on the $6-million Noah Liff Opera Center, named for the late Nashville businessman, on Monday. The goal is to be in the 26,000-square-foot center new next fall and become a new neighbor to Nashville Ballet and Climb Nashville on Redmon Street

Read this entire story in the Nashville Post.
~~~

The new Noah Liff Opera Center, 26,000 square feet of office, rehearsal and studio space that will serve as the nonprofit's new headquarters. Designed by Earl Swensson Associates of Nashville, the $6 million facility gives Tennessee's largest professional opera company something it has never had: a home of its own. Named for the late Noah Liff, one of the company's most steadfast and generous benefactors, the new center is at the rear of a converted warehouse, adjacent to Nashville Ballet, in a quiet corner of Sylvan Park.

"We needed a permanent headquarters," said Carol Penterman, executive director of Nashville Opera. "Our new space legitimizes us. We were the only arts organization in town that didn't have a permanent place. As long as you're renting, people think you are temporary."

Read the entire story in the Tennessean newspaper.

Got my eye on you

Coffee, tea or water?

A sweeping view inside Freedom Hall in Louisville









Private tour of Freedom Hall in Louisville









Chat's with Dr. Chad McClellan; episode 4


Part One

Part Two

Part Three

Visit the Chiropractic Nashville website for more information about Dr. Chad and chiropractic.

Funky construction scenes









In case of fire



Is that a car grill in the ceiling?

Sunday, September 28, 2008

Change and construction at the Nashville International Airport



• Sub-Phase I (Oct. 2008-May 2009): Entrance to/from I-40 – currently one lane each way separated by a median – will shift to two-way traffic on one side of the median. The cell phone/waiting area will move to the current economy parking lot and will increase in size. Ticket spitters for short- and long-term parking lots will move.
• Sub-Phase II (May-July 2009): Ring Road will be extended and routed through current long-term parking lot.
• Sub-Phase III (July-Sept. 2009): Demolition of current cell phone/waiting area; finish roadway tie-ins.

Why are you overhauling the airport’s roads?
TARI will eliminate the need for vehicles to merge and weave through multiple lanes of traffic on Ring Road, and will improve ingress/egress from both I-40 and Donelson Pike.

For up-to-date information on airport construction, please visit FlyNashville.com and sign up for AIReport, the airport’s e-newsletter. Or, tune in to the airport’s radio station at 1610 AM.

We visited the Avalon restaurant in Louisville, Ky



AVALON is an amazing restaurant in Louisville, Ky that we visited this past Saturday night. I fell in love with the atmosphere, food and the service. Be sure to check it out and tell them that Corey from Webbspun Ideas sent you.

~~~
Executive Chef
Chip Lawrence
~~~

What we ate:
Chicken carnitas-crisp tortilla, pepper jack queso, pico de gallo, avocado

Grilled salmon-stir-fried vegetables, udon noodles, wasabi & ginger vinaigrette

Pan-Seared Chilean Sea Bass-Toasted Curry Risotto with Potatoes & Peas,Sautéed Spinach & Arugula, Roasted Garlic Beurre Blanc (It was HEAVENLY!!)

Toasted Head, Dunnigan Hills ‘05 was the wine that I chose to go with the Sea Bass.

Avalon
1314 Bardstown Rd
Louisville, KY 40204 (in the Highlands)
502-454-5336

I'll take the stairs











We'll save a chair for you



Scenes from the Executive West Hotel





No, we were not there for the paranormal convention!


Carved door in the hotel



Saturday, September 27, 2008

Friday, September 26, 2008

Culinary Club dinners upcoming


We will be having one dinner per month and more info coming on Monday. Are you ready?

Thursday, September 25, 2008

Shannon Bowles named "Hotelier of the Year"



Shannon Bowles, General Manager of the Nashville Airport Marriott was awarded '2008 Hotelier of the Year Award' by Tennessee Hotel & Lodging Association for her outstanding achievements within the hospitality industry.

The "2008 Hotelier of the Year Award" is reserved for those demonstrating outstanding leadership, professionalism, and community service and/or civic affairs. Nominees are submitted and judged by previous award recipients who base their decision on the significant contributions made by the hotelier in the advancement of the hotel lodging industry.

Shannon joined the Marriott Corporation more than 22 years ago as a Front Desk Clerk at the Nashville Airport Marriott. Since then, she has held positions which include Courtyard General Manager, Director of Operations, Hotel General Manager, and Area General Manager for the cities of Nashville and Kingsport, TN.

Read the entire press release at 24-7 Press Release.

Wednesday, September 24, 2008

Nashville Restaurant Health Inspection Scores; Sept. 24-30


HIGH SCORES:

Palermo Pizza
3920 Apache Trail
Date Inspected: 09-15-08
Score: 95

Taco Bell/Pizza Hut
2200 Children’s Way
Date Inspected: 9-17-08
Score: 92

Burger King
331 N. Gallatin Road
Date Inspected: 9-17-08
Score: 92

Pizza Hut
1144 S. Gallatin Road
Date Inspected: 9-12-08
Score: 89

IHOP
2219 N. Gallatin Road
Date Inspected: 9-18-08
Score: 89

McDonald’s
1006 S. Gallatin Road
Date Inspected: 9-16-08
Score: 89

LOW SCORES:

Mason’s Restaurant
901 S. Dickerson Road
Date Inspected: 9-16-08
Score: 54
Major Violations:
• Ham inside refrigerator is out of temperature
• Live roach on floor inside of storage room
• Potato salad is out of temperature

Mrs. Winners
831 N. 1st Street
Date Inspected: 9-15-08
Score: 58
Major Violations:
• Gnats in back storage area and where chemicals are stored
• Mold build-up around the mop sink
• Clean dishes stored with food particles still on them

UPDATES:

Sports Grill – Hilton
121 4th Avenue South
Passed Reinspection

Sonic Drive-In
444 Murfreesboro Road
Passed Reinspec

Golden Corral
315 Old Lebanon Road
Passed Reinspection

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Jazz Cafe at the Standard- September 25



The Standard Restaurant having ended its popular summer long food and wine pairing is pleased to announce the start of a new Thursday night event they are calling The Jazz Café. The Café, to begin on September 25th at 7:00 will feature a live Jazz trio headlining Annie Sellick. The $20 ticket price includes a 2 hour concert and 2 wine and food pairings unique to each week’s event.

For more information or to make reservations please call The Standard at 615-254-1277.

Monday, September 22, 2008

Bourbon and Bacon Dinner - October 1st



The Standard Restaurant in Downtown Nashville is truly excited to bring two of the Southeast’s finest and most recognized artesian specialty food andbeverage producers to town for a great culinary treat. Julian Van Winkle of the award winning Pappy Van Winkle Bourbon line of Louisville, Kentucky willbe at The Standard on October 1st to host a dinner prepared by Chef Joe Shawfeaturing his bourbon’s and the bacon and ham products of Allen Benton of Madison, TN.

There will be a meet and greet hosted by Julian Van Winkle in The Standard Ballroom from 6:30- 7:30. A choice of bourbon toddies will be made available to guests including: Mint Julips, Sazerac, Old Fashioned, Whiskey Sour, Pappy Van Winkle Bourbon poured Neat and On the Rocks. Chef Joe Shaw will provide a variety of Southern hors d’ oeuvres featuring Allen Benton’s Tennessee country bacon to include: Benton’s country ham and local melons,open faced BLT’s and bacon wrapped bacon.Following the meet and greet in the Ballroom a four course dinner preparedby Chef Joe Shaw will be served in the front of the house.

The menu follows.

First Course
Alan Benton’s braised slab bacon on creamy country grits with house pickled okra served with Pappy Van Winkle 15 Year Bourbon

Second Course
Foie Gras wrapped with Benton’s country bacon, bourbon pudding, fig puree, and arugula served with Pappy Van Winkle 20 Year Bourbon

Third Course
Bacon larded buffalo eye of rib with sweet potato Swiss chard and bourbon and berry jam served with Pappy Van Winkle 23 Year Bourbon

Fourth Course
Ginger snap with Pappy Van Winkle bourbon and Allen Benton’s bacon ice creams and Benton’s bacon and pecan brittle

Tennessee Titans Cheerleaders 2009 swimsuit calendar



The calendar is $15 and can be ordered HERE.