BLOG-MAS Day 8// From Here to There - Nashville
EXACTLY ONE YEAR AGO TODAY -
I flew out to Nashville, it was my 'I just got out the military' present to myself. This trip was one focused around reflection, 2016 had been a roller coaster and I had somewhat lost myself and I needed to refocus on who I was and what I wanted out of life, what I wanted to accomplish and the type of love I deserved to receive + give. We are always in a constant state of GO GO GO, and pouring ourselves into others - this is why it is so important to take a step back and reflect.
There was something different about this city...
Something that put my soul at peace and opened up my heart. It was the first time I traveled somewhere and didn't feel the need to over saturate my newsfeed with plates of food, random touristy sites and everything else that comes with travel blogging. And if ya'll know me, you know that when I travel I post like 6x a day with every new place I go to - honestly I wanted to lay low this time... be present in the moment + soak up the atmosphere.
12 SOUTH//
My first stop of course was Crema coffee because - #TheCoffeeShopConnoisseur obviously... I had the cuban latte + let me tell you I had no idea what I was ordering or what I was doing. I went up to the barista and was like "umm, do you guys do the latte art thing here" mind you I was very VERY new to the who coffee scene + in the beginning of my coffee shop adventures. He handed me what was probably the strongest most potent cup of coffee I have ever had to date. I also went to a coffee shop called Ugly Mugs - now this coffee was AMAZING!!! If you ever end up in Nashville you NEED to go there and order The Hoodie, it taste like a cinnamon teddy graham. I wish I had one right now.
I also went to Five Daughter's bakery through a recommendation from one of my favorite YouTubers Amanda Ensing. One of my favorite parts about the little shop was that it was a converted house; which gave it a homie feeling.
Broadway Street + The Gultch//
It was electrifying & the amount of music that filled the city was radiant, the line dancing at the bars, the cowboy boots that created the path and rhythm down the streets, everything was absorbed in its entirety. The wings of the Gulch from artist Kelsey Montague (@kelseymontagueart) was truly a breath taking site, and I have added her street art to my travel bucket list - maybe Australia in the near future...
Places to Visit while in Nashville//
• Hattie B's Hot Chicken
• Ugly Mugs Coffee and order 'The Hoodie'
• Crema Coffee
• White's Gas Station Gift Shop
• The Groove
• Five Daughters Bakery on 12 South
• Goorin Bro's Hat Shop on Broadway
• Broadway Street...
Things I learned while in Nashville//
1. Country music will absorb your soul
2. Franklin, TN will always have a special place in my heart and the Aloft Hotels are amazing.
3. When my heart leads me in a certain direction in need to follow what lifts me, intuition is a powerful thing.
4. Fall in love with what completes your soul.
5. Coyote Ugly is NOT like the movie in real life.
6. Starbucks is NOT real coffee.
What are some of your places to go away and restart - let me know in the comments below + don't forget to subscribe :)