I’m not so much of a go-out-on-the-town sort of person for New Year’s. I tend to like to avoid the craziness out there. So in the past Dora and I usually just do a barbecue and stay pretty close to home.

But this year Hotel Preston is doing a package inviting people to come on down to the hotel for the night to ring in the new year in style – and off the street. It’s the best of being at home, because your room’s right upstairs, and out and about.

The hotel will have Nashville’s own Grammy-nominated Stacy Mitchart performing and there’ll be appetizers, a New Year’s champagne toast and party favors. For the next day, the hotel will also provide welcome hangover relief and a 1 p.m. check-out. Sounds like not a bad way to start ’08.

Actually, Jennifer just mentioned we’re sold out of the New Year’s Eve package already; however, give us a call about concert information at 615.361.5900

Talk to you later,
Dane

I love New Year’s! It’s really one of my favorite nights of the year. I guess it’s just all the anticipation and that people are out and having a good time. Everyone is happy. It’s just a big party!

The hard part for me is deciding where to go. There are so many choices! I’ll probably start at the Tin Roof of course. But then I’m not sure. If I decide I want crazy I’m thinking it might be the Stoli party at Fuel. It has food, live music, a DJ, and I’m sure it’ll be a rocking all night.

But I’ve heard heading out on the General Jackson showboat can be a real blast too. Hmm… You get a four-course dinner, a big Broadway-type show, a live band and dancing. Plus you get the great views of the city as you cruise down the Cumberland. I can’t decide!

Have a great time wherever you go!

Happy New Year’s!
Jennifer

OK, I’ve got the perfect thing for you for the holidays! It’s not really your traditional sort of activity, but it sounds like a lot of fun. A couple of guests saw it and were raving about it. You’ve probably heard of the Rockettes, well, this is their Radio City Christmas Spectacular and it’s running until Dec. 30.

It sounds like a total blast to me. I just love those extravaganzas with music and dancing and everything. I was a cheerleader after all! It includes all of that with about 100 or so people on the stage doing the 12 Days of Christmas, a living nativity, and the one our guests said was their favorite — the Parade of the Wooden Soldiers.

Anyway, I bet it’s great. And what’s wrong with taking a break from A Christmas Carol or the singing Christmas tree every once in awhile?

Happy holidays everyone!
Jennifer

My wife Dora is a huge country music fan. I myself like any kind of music from bluegrass to classic rock, whatever. But Dora she loves country, especially the classic country she grew up with that her parents listened to.

We get to the Opry now and again, but not as often as she’d like. But just the other day I think I found a Christmas gift to make up for it. It’s this Time Life series of 8 DVDs called “Opry Video Classics.” All live performances filmed at Ryman Auditorium, Grand Ole Opry House and WSM-TV here in Nashville.

It’s all stuff from the ’50s, ’60s and ’70s like the Carter Family, Freddy Fender, Dolly Parton, George Jones, etc. She’d go nuts for it. Just an idea if there’s someone you haven’t taken to the Grand Ole Opry lately.

Talk to you later,
Dane

Hi everybody! Hope everything’s going great where you are. I can’t believe I haven’t mentioned this before, but if you’re coming out to Nashville, or even if you live here already, there’s one place you have got to go!

I love going out to the bars and restaurants here in town. There are so many that you could go someplace different every night. But my favorite bar in the whole city is definitely the Tin Roof. It’s right on Music Row. The bartenders make everyone feel like a regular (they have VERY generous pours!). And if you’re hungry, they have better food than most bars, too.

The last part I can’t promise, but I also found my boyfriend there! He’s a bartender. Give it a try. Who knows who you might meet?

Talk to you later!
Jennifer

Hey Dane, I wanted to tell you, just in case you didn’t know, and tell everyone else too, that for those football fans out there there is another option in Nashville than the Titans and the Vols.

I’ll bet you didn’t know there is a pro women’s football team in Nashville! It’s true. They’re called the Nashville Dream. They play in the National Woman’s Football Association along with the East Tennessee Rhythm and the Chattanooga Locomotion. (Unfortunately, our Dream didn’t do so well in 2007)

They play their games out at Glencliff Comprehensive High School starting in April. So put it on the calendar. Finally a woman who doesn’t mind you throwing a pass at her. Ha!

Hut hut!
Jennifer

My wife Dora is getting in on the blog here. She said I need to tell everyone about “A Tuna Christmas,” even though we haven’t even seen it yet. You might’ve heard of the play “Greater Tuna”. If you’re lucky you’ve seen it.

Well, “A Tuna Christmas” is the second part. It’s done by the same two actors. You’ve really got to see these guys. They’re incredible. The two of them play like 20 different characters. Seriously, I don’t know how they do it.

The whole thing takes place in Tuna, the third smallest town in Texas. I’m told this second one uses the same characters, only this time they’re trying to put on a play of “A Christmas Carol”. Ha.

If you’re interested, it’s over at the Tennessee Performing Arts Center and goes from 12/18 to 12/23. Go see it. It will make my wife happy.

See ya in Tuna,
Dane

Hi everybody! Hope everything’s going great where you are. Well, it looks like we’re not the only ones who miss Sabrina. A guest just told me that she actually found out about our blog on www.tennessean.com and so I went there and there we were!

The story talks about Sabrina going on her leave of absence and how good her posts were about Nashville and Hotel Preston. I liked that they mentioned the one about our Ooey Gooey package. (Check it out in the archives if you haven’t read it.)

Anyway, so we thought it would be fun if we could get Sabrina to do a little update to tell us how everything is going. Stay tuned for that hopefully!

Talk to you later!
Jennifer

I haven’t quite rebounded from UT’s big loss, but what are you gonna do? No SEC championship this year. But hey, we got the Outback Bowl. That’s something, right? Right?

To help put it all behind me, the wife and I took some visiting friends out to The Hermitage. Put that one on your list when you’re in town, especially if you’re a history buff. It’s hard not to be Nashville. We’re full of it down here, if you get my meaning.

Picture: The Hermitage

The Hermitage is President Andrew Jackson’s old home, one of the oldest presidential homes open to the public I’m told. You can take a tour of the house, the slave quarters, the outbuildings and the plantation. All very well looked after.

Here’s an idea. All the guides are dressed in clothes from that time. You should dress up, too. That’d raise an eyebrow.

Vols in 2008!
Dane

Hi, everybody! How exciting is this to have a chance to talk to everybody! And to have a chance to say bye to Sabrina. Good luck, S. Come back and see us soon!

My name is Jennifer. I’ve been at Hotel Preston since June 4th and love it! People ask what my favorite part about my job is and it’s definitely the people. I love the people I work with, the people I work for and the guests I get to meet every day. Yesterday I met a couple from South Africa, which was so cool!

I work in guest services at the hotel. It’s a totally fun job that changes all the time. My job is just to make sure that your stay at Hotel Preston is fantastic. It’s pretty easy really…

So I hope you’ll come back a lot and check in with Dane and me. There’s a lot to talk about!

TTFN!
Jennifer