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Although it feels like we still have a bit of work to do, we are happily feeling more settled into our new home with every day that passes. We’ve traded our old, charming, hardwood-floor house for a newer-built 1-bedroom apartment with carpet. It was definitely an adjustment and I miss the character of our old home in Eastown Grand Rapids, but we are certainly feeling settled here in Nashville.
I thought I’d share a few snapshots of our apartment with you all. I guess this is kind of my way of having my friends and family back home feel like they’re visiting. ;]

This wine rack was made for me by my cousin, Katelyn, of The Suitcase Blonde. It was gifted to me at my bridal shower and it’s one of my favorite things in the apartment.

We have small reminders and sentiments from our friends and family around our home. These stackable blocks were gifted to us for our wedding, and the candle was made by my aunt who used our wedding invitation with mod podge. We love them!

A few of my books. The Southerner’s Handbook was gifted as a going-away present from my good friend, Elizabeth. It’s full of fun little facts about the south.

My instruments now decorate the walls of our living room. The acoustic guitar doesn’t get a whole lot of play time anymore, but the mandolin is my pride and joy.

I’ll probably share a bit more in the near future, so stay tuned!

 

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I had the incredible privilege of visiting the Homestead Manor in Thompson’s Station, Tennessee this past Sunday with a group of local bloggers. I had heard a few things about the history and elegance of the manor, but had no idea what was in store. I traveled down with my friend Ashley of The Nashvillian, and we were immediately in awe of the site when we pulled into the drive. Complete historical beauty.

We arrived a few minutes early to snap a few photos in front of the house.

Romper- Old Navy // Bag- Charee Crossbody f/ Hush Puppies // Wedges- Kohl’s // Earrings- The Limited

It was fun being able to capture some photos of Ashley, because it feels like forever since my co-blogging days with Katelyn. I missed being able to play with my camera and take photos of other people.
When we walked up to the front porch of the house, we were immediately greeted and introduced to other local bloggers. We were served gin cocktails with cucumber and they were delicious and refreshing for such a hot summer day.
It was so great meeting new people and discovering who mutual friends were. There is such a tight community of talented people in the Greater Nashville Area, and I’m so happy I have the opportunity to get out there and meet them.
I met the folks behind Nashville The Beautiful, Like the Locals, Pass the Pretty, Raised by the Fork, Southern Fatty, and more! Check out their blogs, they are all lovely!
After getting acquainted with one another, we began our tour of the property. We got to meet the amazing farmers at the Homestead, Casey and Joni, who wake up before the crack of dawn every day to bring their harvest to the restaurant for the chefs to create delectable meals. They were so sweet and humble, and probably some of the hardest working people I’ve met.
See those woven sticks surrounding the herbs? Those were all handmade by Casey from sticks on the property! Incredible, right?! The farm was huge and the two of them handle everything. There is no
irrigation system, so every plant is manually watered by tanks on their
small tractor. The dual-person manpower behind this garden is so
impressive, I could hardly believe it.
The house itself is home to the restaurant Harvest, where everything served is 100% farm-to-fork. It was built by Mr. & Mrs. Francis Giddens, who
obtained the property through a Revolutionary War Grant. The Giddens used only bricks and woods on
site to build the home. It was completed in 1819.
The Homestead Manor is home to the Battle of Thompson’s Station, which was held on March 5th, 1863 during the Civil War. Earl Van Dorn and Nathan Bedford Forrest were confederate leaders, battling John Coburn’s attempt to bring union influence to the south. With an unlikely participant, 17-year-old Alice Thompson rushed out of the house and into the field to wave the Confederate battle flag to warn the men to protect their land. Coburn and his field officers eventually surrendered and the confederates won the battle. An embroidered cloth with the quote “Boys, a woman has your flag” now decorates the walls inside the Homestead Manor house.
[The Civil War content in this post does not reflect my personal political viewpoints. They are simply facts.]
The other rooms in the house were all decorated with different themes in mind. All rooms in the house were a part of the restaurant, and there were tables and chairs throughout the first and second floors.
After touring the home we made our way through the barn, which was beautifully restored into the most stunning event space I’ve ever seen. The large doors on either side of the building remain open for the natural sunlight to shine through and the ceilings have four gorgeous crystal chandeliers that boast extraordinary charm.
We eventually made our way over to the bar, which was located in a separate, smaller building on the backside of the house. I fell in love with the space as soon as we entered. The menu at Harvest is all Tuscan-inspired. There was a beautiful spread of numerous appetizers. I tried every single one, and they were all equally delightful. And the SANGRIA, oh.. the sangria.

Before leaving, we made sure to mosey on over to the upstairs front porch. What a view!
 The event was beyond amazing and it will not soon be forgotten. I am so fortunate to have found such a sweet community of people in Nashville that enjoy the some hobbies I do. Special thanks to Ashley for helping me get better acquainted with the city and introducing me to new folks.
If you haven’t already had the enchanting privilege to visit Homestead Manor, I recommend doing so. Harvest serves brunch, lunch, and dinner. You can find the menus here, and you won’t be disappointed with their options. I already can’t wait to go back.
I hope you all have a lovely week.

 

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On Tuesday night, I attended the Nashville Chapter Launch for the Unscripted Bartender Series with Afrohead Rums with my friend Ashley of The Nashvillian Blog. The event was held at Amari in Hillsboro Village, a dim-lit speakeasy/cocktail lounge with an extensive liquor selection. It was a warm evening, but was fortunately cooler than the few nights prior after a thunderstorm swept through the city. An all-black jumper seemed appropriate for the night.

Jumper– H&M [on sale!] // Bag- Anne Klein // Wedges- Kohl’s // Watch- Charming Charlie // Necklace- Old Navy

Being the amateur camera operator that I am, I wasn’t able to snap any gorgeous photos at the event with my DSLR, so I only took a few pictures with my iPhone because the room was so dark.

The Afrohead-specific cocktail menu had a variety of delicious drinks. I first tried the McClure’s Ruse and then ordered the C.R.E.A.M., I was delightfully satisfied with both of my choices.

It’s always a pleasure getting to spend time with this girl. I’m so glad she let me accompany her to this great event. Looking forward to more fun Nashville activities in the future!

 

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Monday night we headed out to see James Bay play at Marathon Music Works. I threw on my typical concert-wear, black pants, basic tee, comfortable shoes. Had I known how insanely hot it would have been inside the venue, I probably would have worn shorts. It was a scorcher in Nashville.

Top- She Insider [similar] // Jeans- Super Skinny High Rise f/ Abercrombie & Fitch //  Shoes– H&M // Bag- H&M [similar]
Rings- Charming Charlie & H&M // Necklace- Old Navy

The concert was amazing. It easily placed itself in one of my top 5 favorite concerts of all-time. If you ever get the chance to see James Bay live, I recommend doing so. His vocals were impeccable and his smooth guitar tones were right on the money.

 

[Here’s a little video snippet from the concert. Don’t mind the iPhone quality footage.]

Happy hump day, ya’ll!

 

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Yesterday morning, we finally made it over to Marché Artisan Foods in East Nashville. I’ve been dying to go for brunch for a couple months now, and we had the opportunity this past weekend since Steve and I both had an open weekend in Nashville together. I’d heard only amazing things from friends and coworkers.
When we first walked in, we put our name in [about an hour wait, which is typical for this hot brunch spot], then we headed over to the cafe area in the back where we were able to order an iced latte, Oragnina, and fresh croissant.

We spent about 10 minutes deciding on what we were going to order, because everything listed on their menu sounded perfect. I finally settled on the sweet crepes with blueberries and goat cheese, and Steve ordered the omelet, which contained Mexican chorizo and feta.

Everything was absolutely delicious. The whipped goat cheese was rich, but complimented the tart blueberries and powdered sugar perfectly. I tried a bite of Steve’s omelet and it was bursting with flavor. We were satisfied with our choices, but already can’t wait to go back and try different things on their brunch menu.

 

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