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The Nashville Mom

/ Indoor Fun, Nashville Eats, Nashville Shops, Nashville Tornado Relief

Shop + Eat + Play Local

Image by: Love and Lion

Between the tornadoes and COVID-19, Nashville small businesses and local restaurants are taking a huge hit. Let’s try to support them as much as we can by purchasing takeout, gift cards, ordering online and supporting them however we can. Here are some local businesses that are offering deliveries, online shopping and other convenient ways to shop safely.

Nashville Shops

Experiences

Nashville Eats

  • 404 Kitchen Offering dinner for 4 delivered by Postmates for $42 including a simple greens salad, whole fried chicken, button mushrooms and fingerling potatoes)
  • Adeles Offering dinner for 4 delivered by Postmates for $38 including their kale salad, a whole JW chicken, JW potatoes and vegan cauliflower.
  • Anzie Blue will deliver lunch orders, pastries and CBD within 5 miles
  • Bang Candy Co
  • Butchertown Hall Order on ChowNow
  • Cheddars: Pick up your meal curbside
  • Christie Cookie Co.
  • Clean Juice Brentwood Curbside pickup as well as delivery via Clean Juice app, Postmates, Uber Eats, Door Dash and Grub Hub.
  • Emmy Squared is offering 15% off curbside to-go orders.
  • Gray and Dudley is offering picnic pick ups with a half fried chicken, pint of potato salad, a soak salad and two biscuits for $17. Call to order.
  • Hogwood BBQ Available on Uber Eats, Door Dash, Grub Hub and Delivery Dudes
  • Liberty Common Order on Door Dash and Grub Hub
  • Merengue Cafe Carry out, catering and curbside pick up
  • Merridees Family meals available for curbside pick up
  • Nicky’s Coal Fired Order on Grub Hub, Uber Eats or Postmates
  • Josephine Order on Grub Hub or Postmates
  • Peg Leg Porker to-go orders and get a free roll of toilet paper when you purchase a $100 gift card
  • Red Thread Farm Pick up fresh vegetables, microgreens and local honey via their farm cart
  • Smoke House on Sixth: Online ordering available
  • Tazikis Delivery available
  • Tiny Little Donuts Still serving fresh, warm donuts at both airstream locations as well as Delivery Dudes
  • Tupelo Honey Offering FREE Doordash delivery on your first order of $15 or more. All other orders will just be a delivery fee of .99

*Please leave a comment below if you are a business that would like to be added to the list.

/ The Nash Chat

The Nash Chat-Katie Bodenhamer

I’m so excited to share my second The Nash Chat Video with one of my best friends and partners in crime, Katie Bodenhamer.

Over the past few years, not only have we hosted all kinds of events (including a recent Tornado Disaster Relief donation drive) together at Draper James but we have shared in the journey of motherhood and friendship.

Katie is sharing with us how she landed the Draper James Store Director position, her take on leading a strong female team and the time that Priscilla Presley called her when she was at Sonic.

/ Nashville Tornado Relief

Kids Care Tornado Relief

On the morning of Tuesday, March 3rd, I awoke to a text from my mom, “Are you all okay?” I had no idea that an F3 tornado had ripped through Nashville and surrounding counties causing loss of lives, destroyed homes, businesses and unfathomable destruction. Seeing the images first hand and reading the stories from survivors has been heartbreaking. All of Nashville has locked arms and rallied to help their neighbors by volunteering, collecting donations, offering shelter and helping others pick up the pieces.

My friend, Jessi Van Zant from Let It B Love Events, wanted to create kid care packages for children who were impacted by the storms. She kindly let a few others join her in this cause. Items were shipped from all over the country via Amazon, local friends hosted donation parties and filled the storage unit at Draper James.

So many families showed up to Draper James to help sort donations and to fill these kid-friendly activity bags with play-doh, crayons, coloring books, squishies and snacks.

Creative Crayons Workshop set up a coloring station for children to make handmade cards and Essentially Bee had an essential oil play-doh station.

Every single person (including the kids) worked incredibly hard sorting, refilling bins, taking out trash and assisting each other.

Southern Squares Petit Fours surprised the crowd with these sweet treats.

Local cookeries Summer’s Sweet Shoppe and The Sugary Cookie joined forces with other bakers in the area to sell cookies for the Tornado Disaster Relief Fund.

In less than 2 hours, 2,415 bags were filled with love. Volunteers have been delivering these bags to Cookeville, North Nashville, East Nashville and bringing cheer to children and families.

A Uhaul and four car loads of diapers and wipes were filled and delivered to Mother to Mother to benefit local moms and babies in need.

When we come together, powerful things can happen. So thankful for this sisterhood of women in my community. Nashville will rebuild and I can guarantee we will all do our best to help in any way we can.

Continue to follow along with the following organizations for additional ways to volunteer and for donation needs.

*Pictures courtesy of Harp + Olive Photography.

/ Nashville Tornado Relief, Things to do, Weekend Happenings

Nashville Happenings: March 12-15

*Tornado Relief Efforts*

Continue to follow along with the following organizations for additional ways to volunteer and for donation needs.

And while Nashville rebuilds, it is so important for us all to continue to invest in our community by attending local events and supporting all of our wonderful businesses all while taking precautions on COVID-19. Stay up to date on the latest news here.

The Nashville Guide’s Ways to support local Nashville businesses online

Here are some family friendly events happening in the next few days.

Bracken Foundation Children’s Garden Opening

  • Ongoing
  • Cheekwood
  • Explore the newest feature at Cheekwood-The Bracken Foundation Children’s Garden! The garden opening coincides with the start of our annual Cheekwood in Bloom spring festival featuring over 150,000 blooms spreading color throughout the estate. Tots! Now Tuesday through Saturday. Come out for family art and garden activities, storytime, and more from 10 AM – 2 PM. The new two-acre Bracken Foundation Children’s Garden brings a one-of-a-kind outdoor experience to Cheekwood. Blending art with nature, the Children’s Garden will be an interactive and educational outdoor experience that celebrates Cheekwood’s legacy and identity through play and discovery. Designed with families in mind, visitors can explore private garden rooms, secret nooks, hidden spaces and water features, including a Turtle Pond, Wishing Well, Art Studio, Labyrinth, and Adventure Walk designed especially for toddlers with a Tea House, Story Tree, Fairy Garden and more! Read about our experience here.

Kid’s Saturday at Plaza Mariachi

  • Every Saturday
  • Plaza Mariachi
  • Art, story time, music, dancing and kid friendly activities. 

Teddy Bear’s Picnic

  • Through May 24th
  • Nashville Children’s Theater
  • Mama and Buddy Bear invite you and your “youngin” to a unique theatrical experience which places parents and their little ones in an intimate and magical playground where they are a part of the action, The Teddy Bears’ Picnic. When complications arise with Mama’s Special Surprise, the Bear Family sets off on a plan, with the audience’s assistance, to make all that is wrong right again. Join them in the festivities as they prepare to dine, dance The Teddy Bear, and deliver an unforgettable day!

Spring Break at The Country Music Hall of Fame

  • March 6th through April 5th
  • Country Music Hall of Fame
  • Students are invited to explore the Museum during Spring Break through fun activities exploring the theme “collaboration.” All K–12 students receive a spring break activity pack full of cool keepsakes to use in the galleries with friends or family, free with museum admission. Request a pack at the museum box office, then use the activities to check out the exhibitions.

*Spring Break Camp Opportunities*

Nashville Children’s Theater Spring Break Camp

  • Monday, March 16th through Friday, March 20th
  • Nashville Children’s Theater
  • Week-long Camps encourage students to exercise their natural creativity through foundational acting work of body, voice, and imagination. Class content is created with age development in mind and all classes share their work on Friday afternoon. Drama Makers share at 2:30 pm all other classes at 3 pm. Drama Makers (ages 4-5), Broadway Buddies (ages 6-7), Fairy Tale Frenzy (ages 6-7), Myths and Legends (ages 8-10) and Acting (ages 11-16) Register for Spring Break Camp here.

*Upcoming Events*

Nashville Summer Camp Guide

Well Dressed Nashville

  • VIP Sale-Tuesday, March 31st, Public Sale-April 1st, Half Price-April 2nd
  • The Bedford
  • Well-Dressed Nashville is an elevated closet sale where you can score great staples and beautiful statement pieces twice a year! We have a wide variety of clothing, shoes, and purses. This truly is the ultimate style event. We are raiding the closets of some of the most fashionable Nashvillians for you to shop. But, this isn’t just a clothing sale. It’s an experience. And MOST IMPORTANTLY, it’s an opportunity to build community and connect with other amazing women in our extraordinary city! A portion of the proceeds from each sale will benefit Tennessee Kids Belong, a foster care initiative

Join my team “The Nashville Mom”

Stories from the Heart will be held at the Loveless Barn on April 26th at 6:00 pm. The event will help Faithfully Restored gain the support necessary to further our mission while also promoting organ donation. Jamie Heard serves as the Executive Director of Faithfully Restored. When her son, William, passed away in December 2015, the family was presented with the option of organ donation. William’s heart was matched to an eighteen-month-old girl from Chicago named Ava. At the event, Amie, Ava’s mom, and Jamie will sit down with Elisabeth Hasselbeck to share the donor and recipient sides of organ donation.

In addition, guests will be treated to three of Nashville’s most talented and accomplished songwriters. Luke Laird, Lee Thomas Miller and Jordan Reynolds will be performing a few of their hit songs and sharing the stories behind them.

Loveless’s famous biscuit bar and dessert will be provided. Beer and wine will be available for purchase. It will be a night full of inspirational stories and incredible entertainment. We hope to see you there! 

Grab your ticket here!

/ Outdoor Fun, Things to do

Cheekwood’s Bracken Foundation Children’s Garden

Just when we thought we couldn’t love Cheekwood any more, they add a new beautiful children’s garden. Cheekwood is donating a portion of proceeds on opening weekend to the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee as well as encouraging guests to bring nonperishable items for families in need.

The Bracken Foundation’s Children’s Garden opened this weekend and gives families a dedicated area for imaginative play. This is the first weekend of Cheekwood in Bloom, as well, with over 150,000 blooms and five weekends of family activities and entertainment.

The Children’s Garden’s features a wishing well, “The Little Woods” with digging opportunities, a tree house with books to borrow, secret nooks, outdoor stages, a tea house, water painting and splash fountains just to name a few.

LC enjoyed the water painting area and I imagine it will be an even bigger hit in warmer days this spring and summer! *Note: Have children wear clothes that you do not mind getting wet.

Tots, Cheekwood’s primary preschool program, will now be offering activities like hands-on art and garden projects, Tuesday through Saturday.

This 2-acre space blends nature and art in a way that everyone will enjoy exploring.

The Turtle Pond will be welcoming new visitors this May with turtles who are being rehabilitated. We are so excited to utilize this amazing new addition to Cheekwood.

If you’re not a member of Cheekwood, we highly recommend. Cheekwood has year-round experiences and events for the whole family.

/ Local, Nashville Tornado Relief

Nashville Kids Give Back

Mamas, if you’re looking for a way for the entire family to give back to those impacted by the tornado, consider donating items to our Kid’s Care Packages. These packages will be delivered throughout Nashville, Lebanon, Cookeville and Mt. Juliet. Feel free to bring items to Draper James anytime between Friday, March 6th and Monday, March 9th.

You can shop our Amazon list here. I know some moms are also putting care packages together and joining forces with friends and neighbors.

We will be assembling the bags on Monday, March 9th at Draper James at 6 p.m. A card making station will also be set up for children to make handmade cards to add to the bags.

*Other Kid-Friendly Volunteer Opportunities*

EastWood Mom’s Club are also organizing free childcare. You can take your kids with you to this serving opportunity also. Sign up for a shift here.