Parks and Dancing and BBQ, Oh My!

Did you know? ...That the ONLY life-size replica of the Parthenon in Athens, Greece is right in our backyard? Literally.

One of the best parts about our location in downtown Nashville is that we have a beautiful park beside us. There are many places to relax, study, and play in Centennial Park but the attraction that's hard to miss is the Parthenon.

 

The Parthenon serves as a museum featuring art pieces from 19th and 20th century American artists. Check the Parthenon's website for what exhibits are happening now, along with hours/ticket prices/FAQ: http://www.nashville.gov/Parks-and-Recreation/Parthenon.aspx

(The Music City Trolley runs through the park, so if you're a tourist for a day, enjoy the hop-on and hop-off service through the park!)

Centennial Park has become home to locals, tourists, explorers, fitness junkies, dog walkers, food trucks and musicians. Every weekend in the summer, local bands, vendors, food trucks, and artists gather together to celebrate the best of Nashville at Musician's Corner. For the calendar of events, check out their site for more information: http://musicianscornernashville.com/

Beginning in June on Saturday evenings, Centennial Park Big Band Dance showcases FREE (yup, you heard me, free) swing, tango, foxtrot, rumba, waltz and cha-cha dancing lessons along with live swing music playing from 7:30-10:00 p.m. It's encouraged to bring a lawn chair, get snacks at the Centennial Café, and dance till you can't no mo'.
For a full list of the dates and music playing: https://www.facebook.com/Centennial-Park-Big-Band-Dance-144538312282591/timeline

To begin or end your day in the park, you'll need some good Nashville grub to get you through. Luckily, we have a little piece of heaven to fill you up. Hog Heaven, that is. We may have plunged our tristar flag into the title of Best Hot Chicken, but it's no question we've got bbq on lock as well. Conveniently located next door to us and Centennial, it's a perfect quick pit stop into a world of savory sauces on hard-to-forget meat. For menu & hours, check out their site: http://www.hogheavenbbq.com/

                                                                                

Here's our prints for the Parthenon, Centennial Park, & Hog Heaven!

  

                               Purchase here!                 Here too!                  Yup here I am!

  

                      You got it, right here!  Here, you know you want to!  Here, piggy piggy!

Go Nuts for our Donuts.

What does Krispy Kreme, Shipley's, and Dunkin' Donuts all have in common? They ain't got nothin' on Fox's Donut Den.

When it comes to food in Nashville, we value authenticity and strive to give experiences you won't forget. Located in Green Hills, you can find the best donuts in Nashville. Don't be alarmed if there's a line going out the door- that's normal and it moves quickly! But due to the popularity (and fresh baked goodness), we highly suggest going in the middle of the day.

  

 
 

Alongside their cake donuts with rich and creamy icing, classic glazed, and fresh donut holes, we also suggest the apple fritters and our personal favorite, the cranberry nut bran muffin. These sugary rings of delight will leave you raving.

Donut Den started in 1973. The owner, Norman Fox, got his secret donut recipe from good friend Oliver Harlow and has been making the best donuts in town ever since! Locals don't really know why there's a Dutch Boy on the sign, but he's always been a beacon of hope for anyone who is craving good coffee and great baked delights!

You can purchase this print here.

We Love You a Latte, Nashville

Music City is famous for a lot of things, but one thing it does really well is: coffee.

One of our favorite places to go is Bongo Java which has two locations. We stopped by the one closer to downtown, which is across the street from Belmont University. On top of Bongo Java being the oldest coffeehouse in Nashville, this place truly celebrates the musical and artistic talents of Nashvillians. On the second floor, there is a space called the Bongo After Hours Theatre, set aside specifically for music and/or theatre.

If you’re looking for something hot, especially in the winter, we highly suggest the grilled cheese (served with your choice of cheese and fresh sides). Breakfast is served all day and the coffee is served with most dishes.

Whether you want something strong and dark, or light and sweet, the coffee you’ll receive here is of the highest quality with the hometown neighborhood diner vibe that you love.

We wanted to design art for Bongo Java because it is a piece of Nashville that celebrates music, art, and a cup of coffee that will soothe your soul.

Fido, located in Hillsboro Village across the street from the historic Belcourt Theatre is also part of the Bongo family of flavor and fun. Why call it Fido? Because it is located in an old building that was once a pet shop. While Fido will make your tail wag with its great coffee, it will also make you salivate Pavlovian-style when you browse the amazing menu and wide selection of tasty beers. It is truly a local favorite for breakfast, lunch and dinner! If you like the prints (above & below), you can buy them on our site.

Hot & Cold is right next door to Fido, and it's also part of the Bongo family of awesomeness. It is the perfect place for a quick dessert and/or cup of coffee (which happens to be Bongo!). Serving their popsicles from Las Paletas, this place is busy even in the bitter cold of winter. Upon eating these cold and delicious paletas, we suggest one that is fruity and sweet. Shown here is the raspberry chocolate chip. Their flavors change quite frequently and the list becomes much longer when it’s hotter outside!

Hot & Cold is also in a conveniently located in Hillsboro Village. If you're not feeling a cup of coffee or tea, they serve many sweet desserts including chocolate dipped bananas, cookies, muffins, scones and locally made chocolate and candy from the best sweet spots in Nashville!

   

A Day in Franklin...

There is so much to do and see in the Nashville area. Just to the south lies one of Middle Tennessee’s most charming gems. Franklin Tennessee is where small-town charm and big-city sophistication meet. Since we now have new poster designs featuring Franklin, the designers decided to show you around town.

Downtown Franklin . . .

Visit downtown Franklin for great shopping and dining in a relaxing small-town atmosphere. During your visit you can also see many Civil War historical markers and related landmarks. Franklin has a wide variety of shops to choose from, including trendy boutiques and locally owned shops with hand-made products.

Also . . .

While your downtown be sure to check out Landmark Booksellers – it's located on Main Street and the building actually dates back to the 1820's. It's a fantastic place to browse vintage magazines and books.

The Factory . . .

The Factory at Franklin has an interesting atmosphere for shopping and dining. Built in 1929 this renovated factory building is a great place to shop, dine, or just relax with the family. With everything from a wedding shop to kids pottery classes, there is something for everyone!

Hungry? 

Before leaving The Factory be sure to go eat at the Boxwood Bistro. Housed in the old payroll office of The Factory, this American bistro puts a local spin on its delicious dishes. 

As you can tell it's really good! 

The Franklin Theatre . . . 
The Historic Franklin Theater is the heart of Main Street, and was established in 1937 – admission was 25 cents! Located in downtown Franklin, the newly renovated theatre now has movies, plays and live music, making it a great place to end your day or cool off. (It was the communities first air-conditioned building in 1938.)

10th Anniversary Spirit of Nashville Coffee Table Book

It’s hard to believe that we have been creating Music City poster art for over 10 years now! It all started out as a way for us to showcase our hometown to our clients and friends from other places. Back then, folks from New York and L.A. didn’t know how cool Nashville really was—so we started creating a virtual tour of our city as seen through original illustrated posters. Every year since 2005, we've added between 6 and 16 new designs, each celebrating history and landmarks, music and melody, fabulous foods and flavors, and a wide array of subjects that depicted our rich and diverse culture. Once we had a large collection of poster art, we went to the Metro Archives to dig for historic photos. Then we show our own color photography, gathered stories and quotes from lots of interesting people, and we put together a one-of-a-kind book—a visual love letter to our city.

The book was a smashing success when it was published, and it continues to be a favorite gift for all occasions—it’s the perfect present for a client, or someone who has just moved to town. It is often used by brides as a guest signature book for weddings with a Music City theme. It is the first thing you’ll see on the coffee table in waiting rooms and lobbies all over town. And of course, it is a very popular gift for birthdays, Father’s Day, graduation, and anniversaries.

If you don’t have a copy of this beautiful hardcover book, you shouldn’t wait too much longer to get a copy. This special 10th Anniversary Edition is in limited supply. You can purchase it on our site while supplies last!







People often ask us if we plan to keep creating new Spirit of Nashville poster art. The answer is YES! Each time we experience a Music City Moment, we want to immortalize in art. There are so many themes we still have not covered. Our ready-to-frame prints come in 2 standard frame sizes: 11x14 and 18x24, and they are printed with pride in Nashville on gallery-grade paper. If you haven’t browsed the entire print collection lately, you'll be pleased to see some new designs. See them all in our print gallery.

Local Flavor: Bobbie's Dairy Dip

Ever since 2004, ADG has been creating vintage prints for many of Music City's most iconic sights, sounds, & flavors. After creating all of these prints, we have decided to revisit the establishments featured in our art so we can share a personal blog post about each one. We hope our little shout-out for these Nashville hot spots will inspire you to check them out for yourself… Our first stop: Bobbie's Dairy Dip (5301 Charlotte Ave Nashville 37209)

Established in 1951, Bobbie's is famed around town just as much for its lines (making waiting in line trendy 60 years before the Grilled Cheeserie…) as for its delightfully American malt shop fare. Burgers, hot dogs, chili, & a plethora of desserty goodness is what you'll find at the Dairy Dip. And with plenty (and only) outdoor seating, Bobbie's is a picturesque Nashville summer spot.

I ordered the Guacamole Burger, a notable contender for a city filled with impressive burgers. Smothered in creamy guac & jalapeno peppers, this tasty burger has some kick. Bobbie's' rich, high-quality milkshakes accompany the food perfectly & you will find a wide range of 'specialty' shakes that would send the Sonic Drive-In skating away in milkshake shame.

Try: the 'Spicy' burger with sweet potato fries & a 'James Brown' milkshake