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[notaprof]

I was in Nashville for a conference last November and the autumn leaves were still lovely while I was there.  I enjoyed walks along the river and over the bridge.  The area has its own natural beauty and things of interest if you have an open mind.  Closed minds will always find the limited interests they expect.  

[barred_owl]

I still recommend the Jack Daniels distillery.  Maybe that'll loosen you up a little?

[voxprincipalis]

I find it kind of funny that someone thinks that posting here (under the name of "hulkhogan," no less) is a clear indication that he does not like country music.

I don't like wrestling, myself, but then you probably already knew that, because I post here.

Anyway, I went to a *really* lovely spa in Nashville, but that's probably not your cup of tea either. I would imagine there are probably some non-country music and theatre performances going on at Vanderbilt that you could see.

VP

[sacroiliac]

Thank you all for your suggestions. With all due respect to the ones who grew up in and around Music City,
what we have now is the downtown drag with the music stuff, the home of the guy responsible for the Trail of Tears, and a tacky simulacrum of Greek architecture. Wow. Pardon me while I grab my Umberto Eco to keep my utter bafflement fresh. I will check out that bookstore, though.

Something akin to visiting Cape Canaveral, but you have no interest in all the "Space" s***e?

[whiteknight]

Thank you all for your suggestions. With all due respect to the ones who grew up in and around Music City,
what we have now is the downtown drag with the music stuff, the home of the guy responsible for the Trail of Tears, and a tacky simulacrum of Greek architecture. Wow. Pardon me while I grab my Umberto Eco to keep my utter bafflement fresh. I will check out that bookstore, though.

I withdraw my bookstore suggestion. They don't like children in the store.

[puppet_of_many_socks]

Thank you all for your suggestions. With all due respect to the ones who grew up in and around Music City,
what we have now is the downtown drag with the music stuff, the home of the guy responsible for the Trail of Tears, and a tacky simulacrum of Greek architecture. Wow. Pardon me while I grab my Umberto Eco to keep my utter bafflement fresh. I will check out that bookstore, though.

I personally was not raised in Nashville, but rather in Europe. However, I am certain that your statement is offensive, insofar as you are posting on an academic forum to boast of your ignorance.

That said, it's also somewhat puzzling that you seem to have a chip on your shoulder about attending a conference. (*Dons academic regalia, clears throat in anticipation of speech to clueless grad students.) In academia, conferences are typically seen as a opportunity to travel to new places while doing some legitimate work. The aforementioned travel is often at least partially subsidized by one's department/institution, which is also considered a good thing. Moreover, conferences are typically a good time to meet and perhaps even charm (well, let's not be too ambitious here) one's colleagues. They are not usually considered a form of torture banned under the Geneva Convention, even if one is obliged to go to the most provincial places.

(*Takes off regalia, gets off soapbox, prays that talking-to had some sort of effect.)

Nashville also has several Indian restaurants, of which one is surpassingly good. I am not sure if I'd be interested in passing its address onto you, however.

[systeme_d]

Last time I was at a conference in Nashville, I went to a really dive-y dyke bar and saw a hilarious drag show.

<checking my post count to see whether I am actually a forumite after all>

[undisciplined]

Heads up: The Jack Daniels Distillery is not in Nashville. Not even close.

[giant_hogweed]

Correct, it is in Lynchburg, about an hour and a half away.

[oseph]

I am assuming if you were looking for a good Indian restaurant in Nashville, you probably did not also stop by Bar-B-Cutie, which has some damn fine barbecue and banana pudding.

I have a great Nashville story - Mr. Oseph and I were there several years back, and went out to a bar/music hall to hear some local talent.  Waitress asked what we wanted, and Mr. Oseph asked what was on draft.  In a horrified voice she replied, "This is a HONKY TONK, sir.  We drink our beer out of bottles."

Nashville is on my list of places to which I'd happily move.

[london1]

I had my first taste of chess pie in Nashville.  It was delicious.  I also had my first genuine delicious glass of sweet tea in Nashville. (McDonald's sweet gunk tea does not count.)

Unfortunately, I enjoyed the chess pie and sweet tea together.  That's a whooooole lot of sugar.

[whiteknight]

I had my first taste of chess pie in Nashville.  It was delicious.  I also had my first genuine delicious glass of sweet tea in Nashville. (McDonald's sweet gunk tea does not count.)

Unfortunately, I enjoyed the chess pie and sweet tea together.  That's a whooooole lot of sugar.

Yep, the sugar in each negated the other, so you didn't enjoy maximum sweetness. :)

[ucprof]

Nothing.  If you don't like country music, there is not much to do in Nashville.  See the others' posts - decide if you want to waste an afternoon seeing those things or just get more work done.  But then again I spent a week in London and only took off one evening to see a play, so maybe I'm not the best person to ask about doing touristy things outside of a conference.

[leontrout]

At this point, I'll assume that the people reading this thread are actually interested in Nashville, not the OP, who is an a$$hat.

The Parthenon is more or less across the street from Vandy. If you don't know it's there, you get blindsided into a completely cool "Whoa, dude" moment.

Last time my spouse and I went to Centennial Park, there was a Nickelodeon TV festival in the park We got to see Menudo! (Not the originals--with the exception of Ricky Martin, they euthanize the originals as soon as they become pubescent.)

The Ryman is the Mother Church of Country Music. Even if you don't like country, you still go and pay your respects. And you might see a hipster-approved band like Wilco there.

The Ryman is right off Broadway, which is where you go to watch country music in bars (and the Frist is up Broadway from the clubs). You should also go to Ernest Tubb's Record Store and get weak-kneed over who has performed on its stage.

I think it would be just great if the OP went to Broadway on Friday night and tried out some of that superior-to-you-rubes crapola on the barflies.

 

[mystictechgal]

At this point, I'll assume that the people reading this thread are actually interested in Nashville, not the OP, who is an a$$hat.

The Parthenon is more or less across the street from Vandy. If you don't know it's there, you get blindsided into a completely cool "Whoa, dude" moment.

Last time my spouse and I went to Centennial Park, there was a Nickelodeon TV festival in the park We got to see Menudo! (Not the originals--with the exception of Ricky Martin, they euthanize the originals as soon as they become pubescent.)

The Ryman is the Mother Church of Country Music. Even if you don't like country, you still go and pay your respects. And you might see a hipster-approved band like Wilco there.

The Ryman is right off Broadway, which is where you go to watch country music in bars (and the Frist is up Broadway from the clubs). You should also go to Ernest Tubb's Record Store and get weak-kneed over who has performed on its stage.

I think it would be just great if the OP went to Broadway on Friday night and tried out some of that superior-to-you-rubes crapola on the barflies.

 

I have a nephew living in Nashville and I'd go down and stay with him if I could be guaranteed a seat at that bar when that happened.  I'll even pay a cover charge to watch.  (I'm not a major fan of most country music, but Nashville is a beautiful, vibrant, city.  Great place to visit.  You don't have to like country to like Nashville.)