Gonzaga Men’s Basketball has been my #1 team since 1995, the first year that they appeared in an NCAA Regional Basketball Game. I jumped on the Gonzaga Bandwagon at that time and have been a dedicated fan ever since, a fact that tends to confuse people since I live in the mountains of Southwest Virginia and Gonzaga is a small Jesuit Catholic University in the Pacific Northwest. Nonetheless, I am devoted and whenever the team plays on the East Coast, we travel to see the game. We’ve now seen the team play in North Carolina (a loss), Lexington, KY and Nashville, TN (both wins).

Travel, even if for a weekend, offers the opportunity to explore a new place, or to see something new in a place we’ve visited before. Most folks think of Nashville as a Country Music mecca, or more recently, as Bridal Party Central. In the three times that I have visited, I’ve always been impressed by the food, the architecture, and the history, and I found this to be true this time as well.

But first – basketball! We drove the 6 hours from our home and after checking into the hotel, immediately drove to the Bridgestone Arena, a massive venue (to me) that seats 19,000 for basketball games.

The Zags won the game (to be honest, they destroyed Kentucky, winning 95 – 59) and afterwards, we walked the busy streets in order to find a place to celebrate. Go Zags!

We started Saturday by visiting Parnassus Books, an independent bookstore owned by author Ann Patchett. Per the website, “in Greek mythology, Mount Parnassus was the home of literature, learning, and music. We are Nashville’s Parnassus, providing a refuge for Nashvillians of all ages who share in our love of the written word. We provide a venue for writers to connect with readers, and for readers to connect with books. We strive to complement and contribute to the rich cultural character of Nashville, the Athens of the South”.

The owners describe the bookshop as “smelling like new books and old wood. Perfect.” Plus, they have shop dogs! What a great vibe! Despite our commitment to abstain from the purchase of more books until we have read the ones we already have, we did not leave empty handed.

After shopping, but before lunch, we walked around the campus of Vanderbilt University, a private research institution with an enrollment of over 13,000 students. We were struck by the classic campus feel, with it’s Collegiate Gothic Revival style buildings inspired by Oxford / Cambridge, as well as the many campus sculptures.

I was particularly drawn to the original boiler smokestack, one of the campus’s first structures, which powered early campus heating. The brick and architectural embellishments added much to this formerly functional structure.

Our lunch spot for the day was one we learned about on Somebody Feel Phil, a TV show which is a “goodwill eating tour of the world”. If you haven’t watched this series, I highly recommend! Phil Rosenthal, the creator of Everybody Loves Raymond, shares his love for food, friends, and travel, and he does it without being critical or judgemental. He’s all about joy!

When we watched the Nashville episode, we learned about Maiz de la Vida, and immediately made a reservation. When we arrived and told our server that we heard about the restaurant from the show, he said “we love Phil!”. Phil had in fact, revisited the restaurant just 2 weeks before. We were welcomed enthusiastically and the menu options were described in detail. The restaurant serves “vibrant, authentic Mexican food centered around heirloom corn featuring homemade tortillas and rich birria (a traditional mexican stew), alongside Mexican street food favorites”. The cocktails were creative and delicious, too. I don’t claim to be a food photographer and besides, I was too busy enjoying my meal to spend time on photography.

After a thoroughly satisfying meal, we drove downtown to walk through The Union Station Nashville. “The former train station, established in 1900, was a bustling terminal on the L&N Railroad. The imposing Gothic design – complete with turrets and towers – made The Union Station an architectural marvel in its day”.

Now a luxury hotel, the public is invited to enjoy one on the bars and / or restaurants, or even just to be wowed by the “designs that marry the art-deco style of the station’s heyday with the Romanesque Revival architecture in which the station was originally constructed”.

Architecture, Food, Books, and a Basketball WIN! What an incredibly satisfying 36 hours in Nashville, Tennessee!