Ashley Houston tells us why she loves her state so much. Here are her favorite places to eat, play, and live in Nashville.
Written By: Ashley Houston
Hey guys! Today I’m working with LivingTN to show my love for my home state of over 30 years. I was born and raised in Kingsport, TN. My dad, step-mom, nana and two brothers still live there. I have lived in Nashville for nearly 7 years now. I wanted out of a small town and moved here for a fresh start. Honestly, I had never ventured outside of the Tri-Cities area but I knew in my heart I was destined for Nashville. I have never looked back.
I lived in the Sylvan Park area near Local Taco when I first moved here. I used to walk over to drink their delicious margaritas at night and had Star Bagel for breakfast most mornings. My favorite places for dinner were Virago and Whiskey Kitchen and Lime (where Tavern is now). My friends and I loved to do Hip Hop Tuesdays at Mai. (which is now closed) If you lived here then, you already know about how fun Hip Hop Tuesday was!
I started dating my husband Matt Houston, a Vanderbilt graduate, and we had a beautiful baby girl 4 years ago. We lived downtown at Werthan Lofts, which by the way is one of the coolest condo units ever. If you are looking for a unique place to live, check it out. I love the industrial vibe and practically every neighbor is jamming out every week. Our favorite places to go out are usually bigger events or parties since we do have a little one at home. We love Motif’s annual Mardi Gras Party and Steeplechase (they literally have the best tailgate spot there).
Another place we frequent is The Standard at the Smith House in downtown Nashville. It is one of the oldest buildings in Nashville, it was built in the 1840’s, and is the only grand townhouse remaining in downtown Nashville. Matt and I grab dinner and drinks there often and an occasional cigar but our favorite event is their black tie event, Fight Night. Who doesn’t love an excuse to get all dolled up? It has such a classic & old school feel, makes me feel like Grace Kelly.
Another thing that makes me eternally grateful to live in Nashville is the FOOD! Holy moly my taste buds have never exploded like since I’ve lived in Nashville. Best food ever from the restaurants to the bars to the food trucks. I live to eat each meal so this heavily excites me. I keep a list in my phone of places to try and I have conquered most of Nashville’s eateries with pride haha. Some of my favorite places to eat are…get ready for a long list…
Brunch: Tavern (cheddar biscuits, white trash hash, scores) Silo (deviled eggs, hot chicken sliders) Urban Grub (The bar, always the bar) The Southern (hot chicken salad) and Marche (crepes).
Lunch: Tazikis, Food Company, The Pharmacy, Fido, Cochon Butcher, Frothy Monkey, Smiling Elephant (Pad Kro Pao) and Bar Taco.
Dinner: Jeff Ruby (get the donuts!!!!), Kayne Prime (clearly I like steak), Virago, Chauhan Ale & Masala House, Sinema (take a selfie in the bathroom) and 5th & Taylor.
Drinks/Going Out: The Valentine, Bastion, Patterson House, Citizen and The Standard.
Last but not least (since I am mostly a fashion and beauty blogger) one of my favorite things to do in Nashville is shop. Some of my favorite boutiques are Lizard Thicket, Blush Boutique, and H Audrey. Check out my blog on Nashville’s top boutiques from earlier this year. Nashville has some bomb style going on and we love to support local boutiques and designers. We definitely aren’t what people expect us to be in Music City.
There is truly so much to do here, you could honestly never get bored. Music festivals everywhere you turn, NHL hockey, The Titans, Nashville Sounds, museums, live music at the Amphitheater, Bridgestone, LP Field and Ryman. Nashville is home to me now and I love that my daughters get to grow up in such a super rad town. If you guys have any questions about any of the stuff going on in Nashville or wanna know more of my favorites, please do not hesitate to ask. Email me, reach out to me on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram 🙂 Come see us!
