Dec 2

Dec 2 THANKSGIVING IN NASHVILLE

You know you are in Nashville when cowboy hats and western boots get mixed with trendy beards and flannel shirts. When everybody knows how to sing and you keep meeting more and more genuine people along the way.

I decided to visit Nashville during Thanksgiving and as I expected, country music and western looks were everywhere. What I wasn't expecting is for it to be an up and coming hipster hot spot where I would meet lots of interesting people and were I would see really trendy and industrial bars.

I do have to admit that the highlight of my trip wasn't the city. It was the hotel I stayed in. Urban Cowboy BnB is located in a Victorian Mansion at East Nashville, the trendiest neighborhood in town.

You know you are the right place when you get welcomed by a guy named Jet Ski whose title is "Director of Vibe". Seriously, the second we got in, we wanted to move into the hotel. Every single room was carefully decorated by the owner, Lyon Porter. Eclectic patterns mixed with instruments, vintage furniture and western decor.

If you decide to stay at Urban Cowboy get ready to meet really interesting new people. Artists, musicians and highly creative people are the main crowd. The first night, we were invited to their Thanksgiving diner amongst their friends and I met one of my fav IG photographers, @ThisWildIdea the guy that takes pics of his dog Maddie!!!!! The vibe is so friendly that you'll feel as if you went on a trip with friends and rented a big house.

They have an indoor bar where everybody hangs out together at night or at breakfast time.

My favorite room by far was the music room. A space full of instruments to play!

You'll also have a hard time deciding among the 8 suites they have. And if, like me, you are bath tub lover you are going to love this place because every single room has one! We stayed in the Pent House Suite, the Lions Den. It has one king size bed and two queen beds in a nook. If you appreciate good taste and carefully decorated places, you'll be glad to stay at this bnb. I hate staying at places with no personality and The Urban Cowboy is nothing but personality.

If you love the inside of Urban Cowboy, wait until you see the outside area and bar! Even though it was freezing, there were always people sipping on awesome cocktails around the fire. I couldn't try the food but I heard it was amazing so I bet you it is! The inside part of the bar was really cozy and even the bartenders aprons were cool.

It will be hard to leave the bnb but hey, you have to visit the town! Plus, the surrounding areas are nice for walking. Being from Barcelona and living in Miami, I really miss fall and leaves on the floor. So I really enjoyed walking around the neighborhood.

If you want to have breakfast nearby, go check Marché Artisan Foods and try the grits! Or if you want to try really good coffee head towards Barista Parlor, once a car repair shop and now a hipster spot.

If you want to have diner at a Biergarten, go to The Pharmacy. To tell you the truth I wasn't super amazed by the food but the place was cool and it was definitely packed! The tater tots made the wait worthy though.

What I liked the most about strolling around East Nashville were the old book stores and the vintage stores. I found a bull bolo tie!

If you like vintage findings you'll have a blast at their flea market. Open the last weekend of every month, you'll be able to buy furniture, clothes, crafts, etc.. My favorite part was talking to the vendors! I found an amazing furry coat from the 30's and I was in love with it until they told me it was real mink fur! So I left it right away. No fur people! I did find other stuff such as military or aviator jackets.

At night, you'll realize that the best crowd will be right at Urban Cowboy but if you still want to get out and check other places we were told to go to Santa's. A Karaoke bar run by a guy who guess what, looks like Santa. Do not attempt to sing, in Nashville everybody knows how to sing even when drunk. Another place, really close to Urban Cowboy, is Lipstick lounge. Another karaoke bar run by two lesbians.

If you want to listen to some country bands head downtown to Broadway street. There you'll find a strip of bars where musicians play for tips.

If you are on the hunt for western boots and hats, you'll find lots of stores on Broadway.

While we were there we felt like going on a road trip. Tennessee has a lot of outdoor possibilities but we didn't want to go to far so we chose Ruby Falls as our destination. Ruby Falls is a 145 foot high underground waterfall. The drive there was nice and the waterfall was impressive although it was something super touristy! After walking for over a mile inside a cavern you'll reach the waterfall. The experience could have been different if they would allow you to walk on your own but once you get there you'll get assigned to a guide and joined by a group of people so the magic will be lost. But the waterfall is still impressive!