Best Return to Nashtown

I don't know why I keep moping about the Alinea post I'm having such a hard time writing, I've got other tales I need to tell.  Like how I went to Nashville at the end of February to hang out with Jeff and it was good.



I saved about $300 by flying down there Saturday morning instead of late Friday night.  Basically the first thing Jeff and I did of any importance was take Steve to Prince's Hot Chicken.

On my first trip to Prince's I had the Extra Hot, which is too hot for any human being to be serious about. On my second trip I tried the Medium, which was too mild for me.  On this trip I had the Hot, hoping it'd be just right, and it was.

Steve, however, was feeling bold and foolish and ordered the Extra Hot.  I got video of some of that nonsense.

Finally we started forcing the Extra Hot on Tim.  Because we're mean, I guess.

A face of joyful suffering.

If you don't bring chocolate milk with you to Prince's you might not live.

Always trust a place that won a Hoodie Award, no matter how many food tourists it might attract.

Back in your seat, Steve!  Time to go home!

That night I got brought along to a fancy Nashville wedding reception.

I thought it was great.

Then went back to Jeff's to kick it with him and Nathalie.  I guess she sang us a song?

Later on we took this suspicious automobile to Sonic,

Jeff told me to order a Route 44 Cherry Limeaide.  I didn't know that "Route 44" meant "44 oz.", I don't think I've ever drank 44 ounces of anything before.

But also had chili cheese tater tots.

And a corndog!

This is just a wall.

Monday morning we wandered beautiful downtown Nashville.  I ran into an old friend.

And made Jeff pose for this photo:

In tribute to this photo from 2009.

We went on the pedestrian bridge.

Looked over at the stadium.

And back at the city.  Jeff's house is over on the far right, across the street from the log cabin.

Then we met up with Kat.

And traveled to Franklin* to eat at Merridee's.
*Franklin is the first place I ever went to in Tennessee, about 10 years ago, to visit my Aunt Afton and Katharine and Stuart and Scotty.  

Merridee's has an excellent French dip sandwich that Jeff was very keen on me trying.  And I'm awful glad I tried it.

We brought Steve with us, too.

There was a dog hungry for sandwiches right outside the window from us.

After lunch we walked the street of downtown Franklin, admiring it's classy stores and fine monuments.  

Most of the stores there just sell fancy soaps and candles, but there is one toy store.

Then we did some other stuff, like watch Kat buy a guinea pig at a Petsmart right by this shiny movie theater.  

After everything was set with that guinea pig it seemed like there wasn't much else to do but take me over to the airport to head back to New York.  I was real early for my flight.  No problem.  Had leftover Prince's to finish.  Can't beat that for airport food.  I ate it right in front of a Popeye's and everyone seemed to wonder what I had ordered.