Nashville
Colorful Characters
2008 10Best Bet - Award Winners
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A fixture on the downtown scene, one particularly recognizable man has been playing acoustic guitar for tips every weekend for at least a decade. Second Avenue and Broadway, while famous for honky-tonks and the Wild Horse Saloon, is also a well-known spot for street musicians, who ply their trade with as much passion and sincerity as any country music hopeful inside the bars.
FRANKLIN. The historic Leiper's Fork neighborhood in Franklin, a community that's home to many country music icons, is worth a short drive south of town. At famous Puckett's Grocery, stars like Ashley Judd, Tim McGraw, and Faith Hill pop in for barbecued pork from time to time, and Alan Jackson, who lives nearby, is owner of the "General Lee" (of The Dukes of Hazzard fame) parked out front.
SYLVAN PARK. This cozy, independently owned restaurant serves creative American dishes and is a great place to take a date. Edgar Meyer – Nashville native, renowned bass player, composer, and virtuoso instrumentalist – is a regular at the bar when he's not on tour with the likes of Bela Fleck, Yo-Yo Ma, and Joshua Bell.
8TH AVENUE SOUTH. Not just a country music town, Nashville also has a strong rock scene, as a trip to Grimey's will attest. One of the country's finest independent record stores, it stocks an impressive collection of "new & preloved" music and hosts in-store sessions with many local and national indie rock bands. Jack White of The White Stripes and Chris Robinson of The Black Crowes are regulars.
MUSIC ROW. Featuring open-air dining and barbecue, this little shack is reportedly one of the Australian couple's favorite hangouts. While Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban have been spotted around town at various locations, by now they can almost be called regulars at this Music Row eatery. If you don't spot the couple, you can at least try the egg white omelet named after Nicole.
EAST NASHVILLE. One of the most famous men behind the music scene, Phil Kaufman, road manager and confidante, has worked for The Rolling Stones, Emmylou Harris, Frank Zappa, Vince Gill, Gram Parsons, and more. Also known in music circles as the man who stole Parson's corpse and burned it in the desert, Kaufman is a local celebrity at several bars in the Five Points area in East Nashville, including Crow Bar, The 5 Spot, Alley Cat, and The Red Door.
MIDTOWN. Reverend Lawson, the 78-year-old civil rights leader and pastor, was expelled from Vanderbilt University in 1960 for his involvement in Nashville's civil rights movement. Last year, he was invited back as Distinguished University Professor. He can be found today on the VU campus teaching a popular class on non-violent struggles and social movements.
BELLEVUE. The city's most famous football player (even after leaving the Titans), Steve McNair is spotted regularly at the mega home improvement store. Employees say he lives nearby, and word is that he enjoys working on his home when he's not playing football. If spotting an NFL player in civilian clothes is your thing, the Home Depot garden center in Bellevue is the place to be.
HILLSBORO VILLAGE. Strangely enough, this local coffee shop drew legal opposition from Mother Teresa in 1996, when it began to display a cinnamon roll that, by happenstance, resembled her image. Bongo eventually adopted the name "NunBun" as a promotional gimmick for the pastry and reached a settlement with Mother Teresa. However, in 2005, a thief broke into the shop on Christmas Day and stole the preserved "NunBun" and nothing else. Although the original was never found, a replica of the famous sweet is now displayed in the shop.
12TH AVENUE SOUTH. Voted best salon in 2006 and 2007 by the Nashville Scene readers poll, this retro-themed salon offers cuts, color, and styling for men and women. The full-service salon features dark paneled walls, porcelain sinks, and original 1940s barber chairs. Fresh-brewed coffee and complimentary shoeshines are welcome perks. Famously coiffed music icons like Faith Hill, Ashley Judd, and Bonnie Raitt are all customers. We all love to people-watch, to catch glimpses of celebs, and to brag that we saw so-and-so. This category showcases citizens who've made their mark on a town. Here, you'll uncover coffee shops where local politicians gather, corners where quirky street performers show off, and places that have lively shop keepers or dynamic chefs on staff. Discover where these famous folks hang out, where they work, what they eat, and even more that you didn't even know you'd want to know!
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We all love to people-watch, to catch glimpses of celebs, and to brag that we saw so-and-so. This category showcases citizens who've made their mark on a town. Here, you'll uncover coffee shops where local politicians gather, corners where quirky street performers show off, and places that have lively shop keepers or dynamic chefs on staff. Discover where these famous folks hang out, where they work, what they eat, and even more that you didn't even know you'd want to know!
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