This weekend I went to Nashville for the first time. One of my friends from grad school, Julia, moved there after we graduated. Another friend from school, Katherine, and I jumped in the car and went for a fun-filled visit.
We arrived late Friday night and STARVING. Julia had pizza ready to go on the grill. It was my first time eating homemade grilled pizza and I loved every bite!
Grilled pizza with zucchini, squash, and mushrooms
Saturday morning we had a special treat – Julia took us to her local CSA for the weekly pick up.
Madison Creek Farms was a neat little farm filled with some of the most scrumptious-looking produce I’ve ever seen. The owner, Peggy Lynn Marchetti, was one cool lady – she is obviously passionate about the clean food she grows AND she farms in dangly earrings. Rock on.
Peggy also writes a blog! Check her out @ The Female Farmer.
I'd never seen peas on the plant before!
Lettuce so beautiful I wanted to roll in it. And eat it. In that order.
I'm ruined - I'll never be satisfied with Publix berries again.
My awesome friends - Katherine and Julia
Gorgeous flowers - does anyone know what kind it is?
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Local Mexican place, Baja Burrito, came highly recommended. It was just as good as advertised. If you go, don’t skip the pineapple salsa!
Chipolte chicken burrito in a bowl
We also did some very successful shopping. I found TWO new dresses!
All that hard work shopping deserved ice cream from a shop called Hot & Cold in Hillsboro Village. They sell Jeni’s Ice Cream, which is hands down the best ice cream I’ve ever had.
After the saint behind the counter patiently allowed me to sample every flavor, I settled on scoops of Bangkok Peanut (peanut butter and toasted coconut with cayenne pepper heat at the end – YUM) and Riesling Poached Pear (literally tasted and had the texture of a pear).
Note: Jeni’s can be found at various places around the U.S. In Atlanta, you can pick up a pint at Star Provisions.
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All that deliciousness didn’t ruin our appetite for dinner. Julia took us to one of her favorite places, Margot Cafe & Bar.
The menu changes daily based on what’s fresh, but it is always a French-Italian-style cuisine. I’m assuming it is always good… ’cause this was incredible.
The host seated us at a table right by the open kitchen. I was unnaturally excited.
That's Margot!
We split appetizers:
- Warm olives with roasted fennel and oranges – the fact that the olives were served warm really set this off
- Sugar snap peas with mint and ricotta salata – mint sauce with this was genius
- Crunchy sourdough bread
The main was so incredible that I forgot to take a picture of my gorgeously prepared entree – a grilled artichoke stuffed with spinach and parmesan and served over basmati rice.
Dessert barely lived long enough to be pictured – a cheesecake with polenta crust and strawberries.
We finished up a little after 11p and hit the honky tonks.
Beer flight at Flying Saucer
Rockabilly band at Robert's
Keeping it classy, livin' the High Life
I may be little too old to close down a bar… but damn if it isn’t still fun every once in a while. 😉
The Sunday drive home went pretty quickly. Katherine and I drove together and I had fun quizzing her about her 5 marathons. She’s almost convinced me to try it.
At the very least she inspired me to come home and bust out this killer run:
- Distance: 8 miles
- Time: 1:07:20
- Pace: 8:40
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Thanks for a stellar weekend, Julia and Katherine!
How was your weekend? Did anyone else get shut down a bar? 🙂
Sounds like fun. I’ve only been outside of Nashville for a business trip. I think the city looks really cool though.
I wrote this on facebook but yes, there is a Savannah full marathon. I think that Meghann from Meals and Miles is doing it.
Let’s move out to the country and start a farm?!
Great idea… except for the living in the country part. 😉
Aww fun times! Looks like y’all had a blast! As I read through your post, I kept thinking, “Could the food look or sound any more delicious?!” Love weekends filled with great friends and yummy food!
Ahh sounds like you had so much fun in Nashville! And you had tons of great food from the looks of it.
As you know I was in Nashville this weekend too, but it was a much calmer weekend without any attempts to shut down a bar. Instead I was asleep on the couch by 10pm. 🙂
You worked a little harder though. 🙂 Congrats again on the half – sounds like it was a challenging one.
Great recap of our weekend!! The food was amazing but the company was even better! You forgot to mention how you were the breakfast chef whipping up fancy scrambled eggs while we watched the royal wedding and then a hangover cure of amazing oatmeal with bananas, toasted pecans, berries, raisins, and brown sugar (sooo good)!
Awwww… thanks! Glad I could help with the breakfast. We have to invite ourselves back soon! 🙂
I’d be all over that grilled pizza with the zucchini. Glad you had a great weekend!!
Love all those fresh fruits and veggies.. not to mention the pizza is making my mouth water!!!