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newlenoxpatriot.com life & Arts
the new lenox patriot | April 25, 2019 | 21
get out of town!
Nashville a lot of live country, a little bit rock ’n’ bowl
Catch some tunes,
make sure to visit
the bathroom in
the Music City
Bill Jones, Managing Editor
You’ve been on the road
nearly seven hours by the
time you reach Nashville,
unless you took a (recommended)
break in Louisville.
And the first thing
you need to do is visit the
bathroom.
Whether you need to
use the facilities or not is
beside the point. The Hermitage
Hotel has a men’s
bathroom that was remodeled
and reconfigured in
the 1930s, restored to its
original Art Deco scheme
at the request of both men
and women, according to
a plaque outside of it. It
has been featured in music
videos and purportedly has
hosted legislative deals.
There is a shoe shine station
and an old phone, and
the sinks, toilet bowls and
urinals are all mint green,
popping against the otherwise
black walls. The sign
says that color scheme has
encouraged as many women
as men to take a peek
inside, but it is an active
bathroom, so peek at your
own risk.
While you’re at the hotel,
the Oak Bar is worth
a visit. It features an extensive
(in the realm of a 130
bottles) Bourbon list that
goes well with its Prohibition-era
vibe. With that
pit stop out of the way, it’s
time to start truly exploring
the Music City.
Exploring Music City
Nashville is known for
its country music, and there
are, of course, the big tourist
attractions such as the
Grand Ole Opry, Ryman
Auditorium and, yes, a
replica of the Parthenon to
see. If you made the trip and
have the time, by all means
check them out. But if your
time is limited, it’s better
spent hopping bars at night
to catch live musicians.
Before we do, let’s get
one thing out of the way:
You don’t need to be a huge
country music fan to enjoy
Nashville. I’m not, but I
married one, and we both
had a lot of fun there. As
long as you appreciate live
music, the city offers it in a
volume and with an ease of
access I’ve seen nowhere
else.
Broadway serves as the
main strip just southwest of
the Cumberland River, but
that area can feel like the
main strips in the Wisconsin
Dells or Gatlinburg —
worth seeing but definitely
a tourist trap. There are
plenty of spots on offshoots
and even in other neighborhoods
that offer great music
minus the foot traffic.
No matter where you decide
to start, free music will
not be in short supply. My
recommendation: Don’t
plan. Stop in a joint that has
the outdoor seating you’re
craving or beckons with the
Siren sounds you can’t resist.
Buy a drink and take in
a few songs. If you love it,
you found your spot for the
night. If you don’t? Start
walking until something
else catches your eyes and
ears. That’s the beauty of
Nashville in a bandshell.
When you’re done seeing
main drag, though, make
sure to check out the nearby
Rocket Fizz soda shop
for the wall of bottles and
an eclectic selection of candy.
And while the Johnny
Cash Museum looks small
The restored Art Deco of the men’s bathroom at the
Hermitage Hotel in Nashville makes it a must-visit pit
stop. Bill Jones/22nd Century Media
More music, more fun
Two things that thrill in
Louisville
The Workhouse
Ballroom: Otherwise
known as “The Cave”
or “Secret Cave,” it’s
literally a music hall
in a cave in the side
of a hill that looks like
something out of The
Shire from the outside
and brick barrel cellar
from the inside. I’ve
heard better sound,
from the outside, plenty of
cool memorabilia lines the
inside of the space, highlighted
by a wall of records,
a theater space and history
lessons focused on one of
the greats.
but the ambiance here
makes it worth seeing
just about anything
once in this space.
Holy Grale: This
Unitarian Church
was built in the
Original Highlands
neighborhood in 1905.
Now, it features an
extensive beer list
with a solid focus on
Belgians, good food
and a nice outdoor
space when the
weather’s right.
Sleep, drink, eat, repeat
When I visited a few
years back, I made the
Hutton Hotel my base
of operations. Though it
is a good couple of miles
from the riverfront, it sits
near Music Row and the
Vanderbilt campus, which
is a beautiful sight on the
way to the Pancake Pantry,
one of those unique
spots that makes standing
in a line feel almost fun,
and the reward is breakfast.
The hotel houses some musical
artifacts, such as the
handwritten Charlie Daniels
lyrics to “The Devil
Went Down to Georgia”
framed with a frayed bow
in the room where I stayed.
If you’re a food fanatic,
it also is close to The Catbird
Seat. While Nashville
is predominantly known
for its hot fried chicken and
other Southern favorites,
this upscale spot is perfect
for adventurous types.
The U-shaped layout gives
Another Perspective
We asked readers on social media to share their favorite
spring break spots. They said…
“Anywhere I can go fishing. Lake
Michigan for salmon/trout; Atlantic
Ocean out of New York for striper,
shark or tuna; Lake Fork, Texas, and
upper Mississippi River for bass.”
—Jeff Wolfe, in reply to The Mokena Messenger
on Facebook
“Hawaii! Perfect weather all yearround.
Beautiful beaches. Whales
during spring break. Really is
paradise.”
—Lisa Witkowski, in response to The Orland
Park Prairie on Facebook
“Six Flags Hurricane Harbor for
the sunburnt suburban dads. Chasing
around a bunch of kids named
Cody.”
—James Hancock, in response to @TinleyJunc
tion
everyone a view of the
kitchen action. And before
or after dinner, a drink at
the neighboring Patterson
House is highly recommended.
It offers a dimly
lit, pre-Prohibition craft
cocktail vibe — and has
house rules to help keep it
that way. Few nail the feel
like this place does.
But you promised rock
Before you leave town,
make sure to check out the
Third Man Records storefront.
Owned by The White
Stripes’ Jack White, it’s a
record store but also a bit of
a museum, complete with a
wax collectible machine. It
also has a live music space,
because this is Nashville.
Get out of Town! is a monthly
travel column focusing on
relatively local destinations
and activities, with helpful tips,
readers’ stories and more.