Nashville (con't)
We didn’t have time to see a show so we opted for a tour. Three options exist –a daytime, post show or VIP tour, which includes backstage access during a performance. Tickets for adult daytime tours are $18.50 and can be purchased in advance at Grand Ole Opry or by calling 1-800-733-6779. Adult tickets for the post show cost $21 while the VIP option is the most expensive at $99. Less expensive tickets for all but the VIP are available for children under 12.
Touring made us hungry so we tried Pucketts. Like many of the local restaurants, live music was part of the ambience. Always looking for a good excuse to indulge, we tried the fried green tomatoes with chipotle bacon ranch dipping sauce as a starter and the pork barbeque sandwiches as entrées. The barbeque was good, but the fried green tomatoes were the standout dish. Warm cherry cobbler with vanilla ice cream did not disappoint for dessert, but the Andy’s Triple Treat Cookie complete with chocolate, peanut butter, butterscotch chips and pecans prepared in a cast iron skillet is a must try for our next visit.
A drive-by of the Blue Bird Cafe was not sufficient. Our regret worsened when we realized we could have seen performers like Wyonna Judd, LeAnn Rimes, Garth Brooks and others for no cover or as little as $20. The Blue Bird is a restaurant/performance space where any artist can perform on open mic night and is where many famous country music singers have been discovered. Refreshingly, many continue to return long after becoming famous. Located in a small strip mall outside of Nashville, reservations are a must as the venue only has 100 seats.
Our tour guide at the Opry said country music gets in your blood and there’s only one way to quiet the desire, keep coming back. He obviously knows what he’s talking about – I’ve got the tour schedule bookmarked and have gotten into a habit of checking it every few days. At The Bluebird, performers include up-and-coming songwriters along with those whose music is regularly on the charts, with country music as well as pop, rock and Contemporary Christian hits.
Touring made us hungry so we tried Pucketts. Like many of the local restaurants, live music was part of the ambience. Always looking for a good excuse to indulge, we tried the fried green tomatoes with chipotle bacon ranch dipping sauce as a starter and the pork barbeque sandwiches as entrées. The barbeque was good, but the fried green tomatoes were the standout dish. Warm cherry cobbler with vanilla ice cream did not disappoint for dessert, but the Andy’s Triple Treat Cookie complete with chocolate, peanut butter, butterscotch chips and pecans prepared in a cast iron skillet is a must try for our next visit.
A drive-by of the Blue Bird Cafe was not sufficient. Our regret worsened when we realized we could have seen performers like Wyonna Judd, LeAnn Rimes, Garth Brooks and others for no cover or as little as $20. The Blue Bird is a restaurant/performance space where any artist can perform on open mic night and is where many famous country music singers have been discovered. Refreshingly, many continue to return long after becoming famous. Located in a small strip mall outside of Nashville, reservations are a must as the venue only has 100 seats.
Our tour guide at the Opry said country music gets in your blood and there’s only one way to quiet the desire, keep coming back. He obviously knows what he’s talking about – I’ve got the tour schedule bookmarked and have gotten into a habit of checking it every few days. At The Bluebird, performers include up-and-coming songwriters along with those whose music is regularly on the charts, with country music as well as pop, rock and Contemporary Christian hits.