Casey Gower - CaseysPhotography.co
Pamper in the Grass
Looking for a fabulous nail treatment and a little extra Vitamin D this summer? Combine the two at Poppy and Monroe’s Outdoor Oasis. The Germantown salon and spa expanded their nail services into their outdoor courtyard in the midst of COVID to give guests a safe and ultimately distanced experience. Now, for a second summer, they’re inviting guests out to the tranquil Oasis where each of the four garden stations (two manicure, two pedicure), have been set six feet apart to maintain social distancing protocols. In addition to providing services, the garden may also be used as a waiting area prior to appointments, a quiet retreat for staff to reboot during their workday, or for visitors to recharge when they are in the neighborhood.
Make a Splash
A summertime must, Gaylord Opryland’s four-acre indoor/outdoor aquatic adventure, SoundWaves, fuses music and water to create a modern-day oasis. Whether you’re looking for a relaxing trip down a lazy river or hoping to kick it up a notch on their five thrilling tube and body slides, four-lane mat racers, or the wave pool with giant LED entertainment screen, there’s something for everyone. There’s even a spot for toddlers to safely get in on the action! Dry off and hit up an arcade with virtual reality games, a rock-climbing wall, game tables, and more. And adults, take a break from the real world with adults-only pools and bars. The only guaranteed way to visit SoundWaves is by booking an exclusive summer packages including wristbands or the SoundWaves Experience Package. Seasonal specials and Tennessee resident package rates are available. For the ultimate experience, guests with wristbands may also upgrade their visit to include a cabana to provide extra shade, comfortable lounge seating, refrigerators, televisions, and a designated food and beverage attendant. A tropical-feeling vacay in the comfort of our own town? Yes, please! (soundwavesgo.com)
Music History
The National Museum of African American Music is a perfect way to spend an afternoon in Music City. The 56,000 square-foot space is chock-full of instruments, memorabilia, costumes, and sheet music. It is designed in a circle, so you’ll flow in an intentional way. You’ll start in the physical center in the 190-seat Roots Theater, where you watch a film about the origins of Black music. The film touches on Jim Crow, the Harlem Renaissance, and other periods in history and the music related to them. The Rivers Rhythm Path will lead you through a multisensory chronological experience around the circle. The first gallery, Wade in the Water, focuses on spiritual and religious music. Yes, gospel is part of that, but not exclusively, and the gallery looks at how gospel influenced R and B, soul, doo-wop, and more. From there, move to the Crossroads, which explores the Great Migration, the blues, and the influence of the Mississippi Delta. The Love Supreme gallery takes visitors to New Orleans, where you’ll learn about Congo Square and the hybrid of sounds that came together to make jazz. Motown, R&B, and post-World War II music is covered in the One Nation Under a Groove gallery. This is where you’ll boogie to “Soul Train” and MTV. Finally, The Message gallery highlights hip-hop and genres that have helped disenfranchised youth speak their truths. Each space offers interactive experiences, like the chance to sing with a gospel choir or to get into the studio to lay down a rap beat (and take home a recording of both). (nmaam.org)
Write On
Sip and Script will be hosting a series of fun nights out, filled with cocktails and pretty lettering. Whether you’re a stationery nerd, DIY Bride-to-be or just a crafty individual, in these workshops you’ll learn the basics of modern calligraphy with a pointed dip pen and ink. Each hour-and-a-half-long class will cover all the basics and get you ready to add those special lettered details to your snail mail, wedding paper goods, home decor, and more. Included are instruction and demonstration, a beginner’s calligraphy kit (two nibs, black ink pot, two letter guides, tracing paper, and straight pen holder), and all materials to write on. Everything is yours to keep at the end of the night. Food and drinks will be available to order throughout the night, so grab your craftiest pals and make an evening of it! Various locations and dates. (sipandscript.com/event)
I Want Candy
A beloved downtown favorite is closing its doors for the summer. The Goo Goo Shop and Dessert Bar is currently undergoing a massive $2 million transformation with plans to reopen Labor Day weekend as Goo Goo Chocolate Co., an experiential destination for Music City locals and visitors of all ages offering interactive classes, a design-your-own- confection station, a full-service Chocolate Bar and retail shop. The Chocolate Bar within Goo Goo Chocolate Co. will serve premium chocolates, wine and whiskey pairings, boozy milkshakes, and a rotating selection of seasonal treats. And while we can’t wait for the new space to open, we need to satisfy our ongoing Goo Goo craving all summer long. Fortunately, Nashville’s favorite candymaker has got us all covered. Goo Goo Cluster will be taking its beloved candy on the road, bringing interactive classes, pop-up events and a traveling Candy Van to chocolate lovers around Middle Tennessee all summer long. More information about the summer pop-up events and Candy Van locations can be found online, so log in, sign up and satisfy your sweet tooth! (googoo.com/news)
Dive In
Take a dip in high style at The Governor’s Pool atop Graduate Nashville. Enjoy skyline views and plenty of Vitamin D as you lounge under a bright pink umbrella with a tropical drink in hand. (May we recommend the Queen of the Rodeo: vodka, grapefruit, pomegranate, lime and cowboy dust?) Snack on chic eats including fresh oysters, poached shrimp, and caviar. Just remember to reserve your spot: these cool, poolside seats are the hottest ticket in town, so reservations are required. (resy.com/cities/bna/the-pool-at-white-limozeen)
Sail Away
Freedom Boat Club is the world’s largest and oldest boat club with over 20,000 members and 275 locations—including Nashville. Select a membership option and join up—a one-time entry fee and monthly dues cover your unlimited access to a nationwide fleet of more than 3,000 boats, from pontoons to tritoons and everything in between. Enjoy all the benefits of boat ownership without any of the hassle (they handle the cleaning, fueling, maintenance and more). Get ready to hit the open water and prepare for a summer at sea! (freedomboatclub.com)
Wellness in the Wild
With fifty-five acres of breathing room, Cheekwood serves as a refuge to rejuvenate the mind, body and spirit in one of the greenest spaces in Nashville. Their newest initiative, Wellness 360, does just that via outdoor classes led by local instructors, new menu offerings at the onsite Café 29, and an extra morning hour on Wednesdays for members to enjoy self-guided mindfulness walks on the Ann and Monroe Carell Jr. Family Sculpture Trail. Programs ranging from yoga classes to sound bath meditation experiences will be held through October. You can find the full range of wellness-related events plus schedules and availability online. (cheekwood.org)
Dance
Riveting dancer and performer Becca Hoback commands the stage at OZ Arts Nashville with a trio of new solo dances that explore the relationship between the body, womanhood, and a rapidly changing society in Enactor. These fresh works have the ability to look both outward and inward, to be deeply personal and broadly accessible. Together, they establish Hoback as a virtuosic performer and an inventive independent artist in her own right. Whether you’re a longtime fan of dance or new to the art, these performances will capture your soul and make you think. (ozartsnashville.org)
Music by Candlelight
Enjoy a series of concerts illuminated by candlelight this summer. The wildly popular Fever Originals Candlelight series is heading to open-air spaces. Whether you’re looking for a beautifully unique classical music performance or a romantic candlelit experience, Candlelight Open Air: Featuring Vivaldi’s Four Seasons and More is for you. Or check out Candlelight Open Air: Songs from Magical Movie Soundtracks for an evening filled with recognizable songs and scores from beloved films. (feverup.com)
Tour Nashville
Whether you’re a visiting tourist or looking to play tourist in your own town, Mint Julep Tours take guests through all of Music City’s cultural and culinary hotspots. Whether you choose a pre-made package including Barbecue, Beer and Bourbon or Sweet Start: Nashville Mural Tour or let the Mint Julep team custom curate a tour designed to your taste, they’ve got your sightseeing needs covered. From booking tickets, to providing transportation, to facilitating meals and shows, Mint Julep takes the hassle of coordination and planning out of the equation. And each tour is hosted in the comfort of a fourteen-passenger van or a twenty-three-passenger bus, so you won’t spend your day sweating your way through Music City. Find your perfect package (or create your own) online. (mintjuleptours.com/nashville)
Be a Good Sport
Whether you’re looking to get in on the action of Music City’s newest obsession— Nashville Soccer Club (nashvillesc.com)—or looking to take your friends and family out to the ballpark for a Nashville Sounds game (milb.com/nashville), Nashville’s sports scene continues to be one of the city’s most exciting (and expansive) summer activities.
Go Country
If you’re living with the next big country star, this online family program is a must. The Country Music Hall of Fame will host Explore the Electric Guitar and Johnny Cash on June 16 from 10:30 until 11:30 a.m. Learn about the electric guitar through the music of Johnny Cash. In this program led by museum educator Adam Ollendorff (who has toured and recorded with Kacey Musgraves and John Oates), participants will learn “Folsom Prison Blues,” including the famed guitar solo and “boom-chicka-boom” rhythm guitar style. The event is recommended for ages five and up, but all are welcome. A guardian or adult is required to be present for children under thirteen. The virtual event is free and requires only a singing voice and an optional guitar (or any musical instrument) for playing along. Space is limited, so be sure to register online. (countrymusichalloffame.org/events)
Hang Out
Nashville School for the Aerial Arts offers members the chance to fly—if they dare. As the city’s only comprehensive aerial arts center, NSAA provides a safe and inclusive environment for all to access the transformative powers of circus arts. Whether you’ve always dreamed of flying through the air with the greatest of ease (on a trapeze) or you’re interested in learning the art of aerial silks, there’s something for everyone (and every skill level). Take an individual class, book a pack of four, or sign up for membership for a fully immersive experience. (nashvilleaerialarts.com)
Sip and See
Learn the secrets of some of your favorite spirits at a Pennington Distilling Co. Distillery Tour. The folks behind Pickers Vodka, Whisper Creek, Davidson Reserve and more open their doors to daily tour groups. Hit the tasting bar for a three-product sampling (if you’re twenty-one or older) and stop by the Gift and Bottle Shop for souvenirs from t-shirts to barware and of course, spirits for purchase. Tours must be booked in advance, so make your reservations online for the ultimate experience. (penningtondistillingco.com)
Word Association
The Frist Art Museum presents Bethany Collins: Evensong, an exhibition of multimedia works including paintings, drawings, prints, an artist’s book and wallpaper that explore the historic intersection of language and race. In her conceptually driven practice, Chicago-based artist Collins mines official publications (from dictionaries to newspapers to government reports) to find words or phrases that reflect a cultural ethos, particularly those related to racial and national identities. A focal point of one gallery at the Frist will be a newly produced artist’s book containing 100 iterations of “The Star Spangled Banner,” originally written by Francis Scott Key in 1814. Different versions have been written over time to support various political or social causes. The lyrics of each remain visible, but the artist used a laser to cut out the musical notes—the unifying melody across all versions of the song. The many reinterpretations of the national anthem suggest that there are multiple and dissenting ways to express patriotism, as well as dissatisfaction with the status quo. Organized by the Frist Art Museum, the exhibition will be on view in the Frist’s Gordon Contemporary Artists Project Gallery from June 11 through Sept. 12. (fristartmuseum.org)
Tea Time
This summer, head to The Hermitage Hotel for “Talk of the Town Royal Tea.” Inspired by Netflix’s hit series Bridgerton, this sweet tea service takes place every Friday through Sunday at 2 p.m. Guests enter the upper echelons of London’s high society for the afternoon, with a commemorative keepsake menu brimming with gossip from “Lady Hermitage.” Enjoy themed items like You Choose to Love Me As Much As I Love You... Sweets and Confectionary and Why Settle For a Tear When You Can Have Champagne. (Think tea sandwiches, scones, biscuits, and more.) Reservations are available by emailing events@thehermitagehotel.com through Open Table Experiences. (opentable.com/capitol-grille-hermitage-hotel)
Rolling on a River
River Queen Voyages has been offering Nashvillians (and our visitors) the chance to kayak through some of the city’s most beautiful spots (including downtown) since 2015. Now they’re giving folks a new way to see the city (and stay a little dryer) with Nashville’s only Pedal Pontoon. (Think Pedal Tavern but on the water). This two-hour cruise guided by a USGC certified Master Captain allows up to sixteen guests (on ten cycle stations) the chance to eat, drink, and socialize while taking in the breathtaking views of the famous Nashville skyline. Book the whole boat or reserve a few seats and make some new friends on the open seas. (rqvoyages.com)