I take it for granted sometimes the sort of unique things we offer at Hotel Preston. Stuff you’re not going to get everywhere you stay. So if you happen to come on by, here’s my recommendation for your own “look good, feel good” package:

Step 1: Hit Café Isabella for one of their delicious breakfasts.
Step 2: Head to the fitness center work up a sweat and get your heart going.
Step 3: Return to your room and try out some of the Aveda bath products.
Step 4: Take yourself outside and find a comfortable spot poolside.
Step 4a: If you need a book to keep you company, just ask at the front desk.

I mean, we’re not trying to keep you from getting out and seeing Nashville. That’s not our intention. We just want to give guests everything they need to have a good, comfortable stay. But if you never leave the grounds, well, that’s OK, too.

Dane

A week ago, the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum held Nashville on the Rocks, a special night where all kinds of fantastic drinks made with specialty vodkas, rums, whiskeys, tequilas and gins were served. Don’t worry, it wasn’t just drinking.  There was also plenty of great food and a lot of displays to check out, as well.  If you haven’t been to the museum, I’d highly recommend it, of course you’ll have to wait until next year’s Nashville on the Rocks before you can drink there, too.

Here are some photos of the event to hold you over until next year:

Thanks for looking,

Dane

The news is enough to really make a guy depressed these days. All the gloom and doom. I’ve had to just stop reading the paper. At least for awhile. I personally think part of it has to be winter, too. It’s been a long, cold one it seems like.

Anyway, with all that extra time you have from not reading the newspaper or watching TV, I recommend the Improv Nashville show called ChickIN Wangs. Actually, any Improv Nashville show is a good antidote for the blues.

But we saw ChickIN Wangs last week and I’m still laughing about it. Basically it’s a guys against girls improv show that they do every Friday night at 10 p.m. At least through March it looks like. I mean even the name gets me — ChickIN Wangs? Ha!

Dane

(photo courtesy of FuseBoxTheatre from Flickr)

OK, you know I’m a sports fan, but I’ll bet you never thought I’d be plugging this: You’ve got to get yourselves to the Nashville roller derby. No kidding.

The season opener double-header is this Saturday, February 7, at the Tennessee State Fairgrounds. The Brawl Stars, Nashville Rollergirls’ newest team, are up first, battling the Jacksonville Rollergirls. Next, our own Nashville Rollergirl All Stars battle the Texas Hotrod Honeys. That’s right, people. The Hotrod Honeys. Come on, need I say more?

With names like Jersey Jackhammer, Comanche Red and Olive Turmoyl, I’m betting on some fast, stiff-arm action. Might be good to get tickets online in advance. It is the season opener after all.

Dane

You see the name of this special Preston package and it definitely grabs your attention. It’s called Let’s Get It On…And Make a Baby! Seriously. How are you going to ignore something like that? You can’t.

So what does it mean? Well, if you have to ask then you’ve got bigger issues than we can help you with. Ha. But if you mean the package it’s a special get away deal we offer that includes:

•    Bottle of wine with a fruit and cheese plate
•    Bubble bath and candles
•    A tranquility CD
•    In-room movie
•    The book “What to Expect, When You’re Expecting”

And of course the normal stuff like our pillow menu, linens and 24-hour room service. So, I don’t know, if you’re trying for a fall baby why not get pampered for a bit? Check with reservations for details.

Dane

Hmm, I’m going to have to check that out. Flying Saucer? Sounds like its right up my alley. We certainly do live at a good time if you’re a beer sort of person. When I was in my 20s it was the red-and-white can or the silver can.

Now there are places like the Broadway Brewhouse in Midtown. This is where I send people who are looking for a good brewpub. They have more than 70 beers on tap and another 100 more in the bottle. And the folks are great there and will usually give you a taste if you’re curious.

And while they don’t have brats, they do have the Mojo Grill right next door which has great spicy Cajun-style food that goes perfect with the beer. And the price is right there too.

Dane

I wouldn’t have guessed it but we took Dora’s nephew to a haunted house last night and it actually made me jump a couple of times. I didn’t even want to go. Last year we took him and he started crying before we even got the tickets. So I figured I’d wait in the car and listen to the radio.

But they both worked on me. And Dora gave me that look. So I went. And I’ll be darned if they didn’t do a good job with the whole thing. Pretty creepy actually. I’m not sure Alex will want to go again though. Ha.

If you’re curious, it’s called Demon’s Den House of Horrors and it’s across the street from the Hickory Hollow Mall. But get moving because for some reason their last night is the night before Halloween.

Dane

Stop eating now. You want to save room. Because the 20th annual Jack Daniel’s world BBQ championship is around the corner. You have to swing over to Lynchburg, but it’s BBQ. At Jack Daniel’s. What more do you need to know?

This year it looks like more than 60 teams will be competing for the title of Grand Champion on Oct. 24-25. If you love a plate of smoky ribs or a tasty brisket sandwich you owe it to yourself to get over there.

There will also be two stages of music and crazy games. There’s the Country Dog Contest and something called Butt Bowling that I’m not sure I want to know about. You can also take a free tour of the Jack Daniel Distillery. Between plates.

Dane

Don’t think that everyone that lives in Nashville or comes here only loves country music. OK, I do love it, but I also like rock too! They call us the Music City, not the Country Music City! Right?

So over at Elliston Place you can rock out as loud as you want. It’s just west of downtown near Vanderbilt. I guess you could call it one of the younger, trendier areas, but it’s got lots of food places and nighttime stuff to do.

And right in the middle is what we call the Elliston Place Rock Block. This a block-long area that has like five or six rock clubs. Probably the most well known is Exit/In. It’s been around since the ’70s. But my favorite is The End across the street. Told you we’re not only country!

Rock on!
Sabrina

We had a bachelorette party come into the The Pink Slip last night and everyone is still talking about it. Those were some crazy girls. They were actually pretty well behaved, but they did end up forgetting one girl and had to come back!

They did it in a smart way, though. They rented a limo and they were all wearing the same yellow shirt. I wish I could remember what it said! It got a lot of laughs.

But they had a good time and their limo driver even had a quick dinner in the restaurant. I thought that was cute. Like a chaperone. He was an older guy named Mort. I asked him what he thought about the whole thing and he said he thought his wife was loud. Ha!

See ya,
Sabrina