Month: September 2005

Nashville’s Loveless Cafe… Franklin’s Best-Kept Secret?

by

It is widely known that the Loveless Cafe is one of Nashville’s hottest attractions. What is NOT so widely known is the fact that the Loveless Cafe is actually in Bellevue, Tennessee. The Loveless Cafe is best known for their made-from-scratch biscuits and down-home country charm.

Thank You, Mr. Giant Foam Finger Maker!

by

It’s hockey time in Nashville!…Here’s a bit about our fun times watching the Nashville Predators while sitting in the nosebleed section — called Cell Block 303… or Section 303.

Fainting Goats At The Lewisburg Fainting Goat Festival

by

A big fainting goat in the 'petting zoo' at the 2003 Lewisburg Goat Festival. We went to the Fainting Goat Festival in Lewisburg, Tennessee a couple years ago. Surprisingly, we didn’t see many goats actually fainting there though.

The reason?…

Do not stress out the goats... they'll faint! It was set up more like a petting zoo, and there were signs posted everywhere like: “Shhh…do not startle the goats!”

With the 3nd Annual Fainting Goat Festival approaching (October 7th & 8th), I took some time to learn more about the unique qualities of Fainting Goats.

Read more

I-Nine Music Video & Band Photos

by

Carmen Keigans and Cameron Crowe at the premiere of 'Elizabethtown' in Franklin, Tennessee. Thanks Cameron Crowe… for introducing me to the band I Nine!

Were it not for seeing them perform in Franklin, Tennessee during the red carpet premiere of the movie “Elizabethtown”, I probably would have never found this band.

As far as indie music goes… this stuff ROCKS!

I-Nine's guitars propped and waiting at the premiere of the 'Elizabethtown' movie in Tennessee.

Following are a TON of photos we took “front & center” when I-Nine kicked off the movie premiere at Franklin Cinema the other night…

 

Read more

‘Elizabethtown’ Movie Premiere In Franklin, Tennessee

by

***Check out our fun photos and video footage from the movie premiere below ***

 

The Franklin Cinema marquee announcing the premiere of 'Elizabethtown' in Franklin, Cinema.

Just one of the many Orlando Bloom fans in attendance at the red carpet movie premiere of the movie 'Elizabethtown'.

The premiere of the movie “Elizabethtown” took place last night here in Franklin, Tennessee. Surprisingly, there was very little pre-show publicity around here about the movie premiere taking place at Franklin Cinema.

The tiny town of Franklin has been the site of numerous TV commercials and music videos. This was only the 2nd Hollywood movie premiere to take place at Franklin Cinema.

Franklin Cinema has only hosted 2 Hollywood movie premieres in its day: “Friday Night Lights” on October 4, 2004 starring Tim McGraw and Billy Bob Thornton and “Elizabethtown” on September 18, 2005 starring Orlando Bloom and Kirsten Dunst. We were front and center for both!

 

UPDATE: The Franklin Cinema is closed for renovation.

ANOTHER UPDATE: Franklin Cinema reopened 4-1/2 years later as Franklin Theatre.

 

About The Elizabethtown Movie Premiere

Mostly in attendance — lining the red carpet leading up to Franklin Cinema — were diehard Orlando Bloom fans, as well as followers of the musicians that performed:

  • I Nine (a hot new band from Columbia, South Carolina); and
  • Patty Griffin (a classic singer/songwriter from Austin, Texas).

Each group performed one song that was also featured on the “Elizabethtown” soundtrack.

The red carpet premiere of 'Elizabethtown' at Franklin Cinema in Franklin, Tennessee.

Everything was slated to begin at 4pm, so Jim and I made the decision to get there a little after 2pm. Thankfully, we scored the last good spot that was available.

 

Pre-show preparations for the 'Elizabethtown' movie premiere at Franklin Cinema in Franklin, Tennessee. Red carpet spectators... check out how close we were standing!

Here’s a tip: If you attend a movie premiere at Franklin Cinema in the future, take along a stepstool! We did, and we got some incredible views of the stars… It put us just high enough above the crowd, eliminating a lot of extraneous heads, waving hands, and elbows.

Read more

Tennessee Drive-In Movie Theaters

by

tennessee-drive-ins-by-phil-schatz.jpg For those who live in Tennessee (like us), here are all the currently open drive-in movie theaters I could find in the state of Tennessee.
 

We live near Nashville. Check out our reviews of the Pink Cadillac Drive-in, Centerville, TN (west of Franklin)… the Hiway 50 Drive-in, Lewisburg, TN (southeast of Columbia)… and the Moonlite Drive-in, Woodbury, TN (east of Murfreesboro).

 

List of Open Tennessee Drive-Ins
 

Broadway Drive-In
3020 Highway 70 East
Dickson, TN 37055
(615) 446-2786

  • Photos of this drive-in

  • What makes this drive-in unique:
    One of the oldest… opened in 1949. It was where they filmed the video for Vince Gill’s "Liza Jane."

Dunlap Drive-In
Highway 127
Dunlap, TN 37327
(423) 949-3759

Hiway 50 Drive-In
1584 Fayetteville Highway
Lewisburg, TN 37091
(931) 270-6266

 

Read more

Cosby Creek Cabins – See Why We Think These Are The Best Cabin Rentals In The Smoky Mountains

by

Enjoying our Jeep and Cabin rentals near Gatlinburg, Tennessee.We rented a cabin in the Great Smoky Mountains for the first time last June.

After researching several different cabins online, we opted to rent through Cosby Creek Cabins in Cosby, Tennessee.

They offered the best view, the most amenities, and the lowest price — and they were just a hop, skip & a jump from Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge.

Lynnette enjoying the jacuzzi!Our primary goal was to rent a Jeep Wrangler for the weekend, come and go as we liked, explore the long & winding back roads in and around Gatlinburg, and always have a refreshing jacuzzi and a room-with-a-view to return to.

We stayed at the Sparrow’s Nest Cabin in Cosby, TN. It’s our favorite at Cosby Creek Cabins.

Here are the details of our Gatlinburg cabin rental experience…

 

Read more

Getting A Drivers License In Tennessee… Williamson County

by

The following summarizes my experience the other day when I went to the Williamson County driver license branch to renew my Tennessee driver’s license. (IMPORTANT: See the updates at the very end of this article!)

drivers-license-branch

You’ve probably heard the horror stories. I’ve always wondered if they’re true:

  • how time-wastingly awful the entire experience is
  • the lines
  • the moody state employees who aren’t happy in their jobs
  • the cramped quarters where you sit & wait forever
  • and so on

Those are some of the stereotypes I’ve heard through the years.

So I thought I’d share my experience of what it’s really like to get a drivers license here in Tennessee. Perhaps some will find this information helpful (or at least comical).

Hint: It’s a lot easier (and quicker) than you’d think!

 

Read more

Nashville Helps Hurricane Victims: BCC & Other Churches Get Involved

by

There’s no doubt about it, the entire Nashville community is pulling together to help the victims of Hurricane Katrina.

Two guys from Nashville (from The Southern Pride Band) wrote about Hurricane Katrina called “Eye of the Hurricane”.

Everywhere you go, there are signs posted regarding some form of relief for the people of Mississippi and Louisiana:

This sign appears on I-65 North indicating there's a Red Cross Shelter set up at Exit 78 in Nashville, Tennessee. This sign appears on I-65 North indicating there's a Red Cross Shelter set up at Exit 78 in Nashville, Tennessee.

  • Families are opening their homes to those displaced by Hurricane Katrina.
  • There are over 10,000 people from the Hurricane who’ve found refuge in Nashville and other parts of Middle Tennessee… and another 18,000 on the way!
  • Empty tractor trailers lined up to accept donations that will be hauled to area affected by Hurricane Katrina. Businesses, large and small, are becoming drop-off locations for the basic necessities — including canned food items, bottled water, diapers, paper products, etc.
  • Clearview Baptist Church in Brentwood, Tennessee is serving as a Red Cross Shelter for those displaced by Hurricane Katrina. Churches and schools are serving as shelters and Red Cross blood donation stations.
  • Local (and national) celebrities are appearing on TV and radio stations encouraging the people of Middle Tennessee to get involved.
  • Nashville is also one of four U.S. cities hosting a national Katrina Relief Concert on Sept. 10th (in addition to Los Angeles, Atlanta, and New York).—> Here are some FREE things for Katrina evacuees to do while in Nashville!—> There’s a Hurricane Relief Telethon TONIGHT featuring Tim McGraw, Harry Connick Jr., Wynton Marsalis, Leonardo DiCaprio, Faith Hill, Claire Danes, Aaron Neville, Mike Myers, Lindsay Lohan, Hilary Swank, Eli Manning, John Goodman, Eric LaSalle, and others with ties to the Gulf Coast region. (NBC 8pm Eastern — you can even watch it LIVE online!)

    Read more