Well, ya’ll, I have a sad announcement to make. This will be my final post. Or least for awhile. I’m taking a leave of absence from Hotel Preston to study for this huge exam I have coming up. The hugest really. It deals with statistics and probability and is so hard only about 40% pass it.

So I need to get serious. The test is for people becoming actuaries. When I’m done I’ll field data probably for insurance companies. In my case, I’m learning to calculate the cost of certain procedures based on data. Some people say it’s boring, but I love it.

So I’m handing over my keyboard to two of my Hotel Preston coworkers, Dane and Jennifer. I’ll let them introduce themselves. But let me just say you’re in good hands. Thanks a lot for reading these last few weeks. It’s been fun. Keep reading. And have a great holiday season!

Till later,
Sabrina

Nashville is quirky. It’s a Southern thing I think. But what other city do you know that has a full-scale replica of the Parthenon? Other than Athens. Why the Parthenon? I don’t know, but it’s just unusual enough to really warrant a visit. Especially as it also houses the Nashville Art Museum.

And when I say full-scale I mean full-scale, including the 42-foot statue of Athena just like in ancient Greece. Parts are actually direct casts of the original.

The whole thing was dreamed up for Tennessee’s 1897 Centennial Exposition. As a museum it has a collection of paintings by 19th and 20th century American artists, as well as gallery spaces for a changing list of shows and exhibits.

And you can’t miss it. Just go to Centennial Park. It sort of stands out.

σας δείτε αργότερα,
Sabrina

P.S. It means “See you later” in Greek.

Here’s a Thanksgiving idea for you. Give thanks for your spouse by getting in on Hotel Preston’s “Ooey Gooey Night Out Package.”

The package includes a bottle of wine (or sparkling cider), a pillow menu, death-by-chocolate room service, an in-room movie, romantic toys and a late checkout of 1 p.m. Whipped cream can be included upon request, though I think that could count as a romantic toy. Who needs a Thanksgiving dinner anyway?

You can eat too much turkey and fall asleep in front of the TV anytime. Why not give thanks to yourself and your sweetheart this year? Did I mention death by chocolate?

Cheerio,
Sabrina

Yes, we’re Music City USA, but Nashville is also starting to get its film industry going these days. More and more movies are being filmed here. It’s not like New York or L.A., or, well, even Memphis probably, but we’re getting there.

So if you’re from Nashville but live elsewhere now and miss home, or have never been, here are a few movies that feature us. Get a couple from the video store, cook up some sour soup and succotash, and enjoy.

Two Weeks (2005) — Sally Field is in this one about siblings.
Head of State (2003) — Chris Rock becomes president. Really.
Changing Hearts (2002) — Quirky characters in what they call a dramedy.
The Last Castle (2001) — Inmate Robert Redford organizes a prison take-over.
The Green Mile (1999) — Another prison story, but this one has faith healing.

Have fun!
Sabrina

Get ’em while the getting’s good. If you’re a Nashville Predators hockey fan your days are numbered. Looks like the team has been sold, and is bound for Canada.

But, we’ve got them for the rest of this season at least. So if you’re a fan, or have never been, head on over to Sommet Center while you can. My husband and I have never been, hockey not exactly being a native southern thing, but I’m thinking it’s time.

And I just ran across this little tidbit. Did you know that the mascot, Predators, was chosen because a fossil skull of a saber-toothed cat was found in 1971 during the excavation for the AmSouth Center in downtown Nashville? Yup.

Oh, and the other reason to go is a colleague here at Hotel Preston just told me that Predator fans like to, get this, show their support by throwing catfish on the ice. Seriously. Time to head to the market…

See you there,
Sabrina

You gotta love the gibbons. They are a crazy bunch. My husband and I finally made it to the Nashville Zoo after having it on our list for more than a year. And I just loved Gibbon Island. I mean, who doesn’t love monkeys? Swinging around like some kind of drunken Cirque du Soleil.

But there are, well, a zoo’s worth of animals to ooh and ahh over. There were the stately giraffes, the playful pachyderms (love them), the meerkats, which stand around like a bunch of old men, and my husband’s favorite, the alligators in Alligator Cove.

If you head up in the next few days, take an unwrapped toy with you for their annual toy drive. The official drop-off days are Nov. 17 and 18, but I bet they won’t turn you down if you bring something with you. If only we give some to the gibbons. I wonder if they could do a hula hoop. …

Till later,
Sabrina

It’s not built yet, but Nashville is supposed to eventually be home to what will be the third tallest building in the U.S. We’re going big city, ya’ll! It’s called The Signature Tower, and it’s going to be so tall that the FAA says it will have to change flight patterns.

Whenever it’s done (they say 2009), it’s supposed to be 1,057 feet high and some 70 stories, beating out the Bank of America building in Atlanta by 33 feet. It will have condos, a hotel, shopping, offices and who knows what all else. (If you’re looking to relocate, the one bedrooms are apparently starting at $400K.)

If you want to see where’s it’s going to go, and where your plane is not going to go anymore, walk down to the southwest corner of Church and Fifth Avenue North (behind the AT&T (or “Batman”) building), and look straight up.

Till later,
Sabrina

While we’re on the subject of music, which is a popular one in Nashville, I get asked a lot by guests here at Hotel Preston about certain clubs in the area. If you’re heading our way, here’s the “Top 3 Bars Hotel Preston Guests Ask About”:

1. The Stage on Broadway
This place is a well-known spot that has live music, dancing and that gritty down-home honky-tonk vibe.

2. Legends Corner
Another landmark, this club has got music, dancing and old country records decorating the walls for that unmistakable honky-tonk ambiance.

3. Tootsie’s
Tootsie bought this place in the 1960s and named it after herself. Over the years, it’s become a famous spot for country stars to start their careers.

They all claim to be world famous, so you can’t really go wrong. Plus, they’re so close to each other on Broadway, you can try them all…

Have fun!
Sabrina

So I said we were out singing the other night. No, it wasn’t early Christmas caroling or cocktail-fueled karaoke. It was at a newish place over near Ryman Auditorium called The Big Bang. It’s a dueling piano sing-along bar.

Maybe you’ve been to a dueling pianos place before (I’ve been to one in Austin), but Eddie and Geoff, the guys at Big Bang, were pretty incredible. Go to the show and tell me that if these guys were anywhere other than Nashville they wouldn’t be famous! Great songs (that you know!), great entertainers and their show was hilarious.

And they got the crowd into it. Yes, including yours truly. Hey, I do a pretty passable version of “King of the Road”. But whether you sing or not, it’s just a fun night. And when you’re done, mark my words, you’re going to have a hankering for some chicken and waffles.

Rock on,
Sabrina

There are some foods that just don’t sound like they should go together. Bananas and peanut butter (see Elvis). Chocolate and bacon (seriously, try it…). Chicken and waffles. The last example is actually the calling card of Muddea’s Famous, you got it, Chicken & Waffles.

Friends had been out there after its opening in October and told us we had to go.

“What came first the chicken or the waffle?” my friend asked.
“The chicken or the what?” I asked.
“The answer is they came at the same time,” she said. “And both were delicious!”

So, we went a couple of nights ago after having been out singing (you heard me right — more about that in another post…). And I’m here to tell you it was worth every calorie. There are other things on the menu, but the fried chicken is not to be missed.

So now you’ve got dinner planned. How easy was that?

Ta ta,
Sabrina