Music City U.S.A.

From the minute you begin the Ivy League Connection’s journey, it is clear that a major part of the program is about broadening your horizons, not only through the classes we take but from really getting a taste of the cities we visit. The application essays and interviews challenged us to talk about new experiences and learning opportunities that we imagined we would have while across the country and far away from home. Now, as ‘lift-off’ day approaches, I could not be more excited to get to Nashville and start exploring. (Well, explore along the lines of our carefully planned itinerary.) 

Before we move into the air-conditioned dorm rooms of the residential hall on the Vanderbilt campus, we have a few days to get to know the city, through food, sights, and of course music. As soon as Don let us know that we would be choosing where we went during our time touring the city with Ms. Sciacca, our Vanderbilt 18’ cohort group-text was abuzz. Differently colored text bubbles flew across the screens of our phones as we eagerly traded ideas, eliminating those that were out of budget or too time-consuming, so as to see as much as possible. 

Without further ado, the Nashville itinerary for our trip will be… (drumroll please) The Country Music Hall of Fame, Centennial Park and the Parthenon, breakfast at the famous Loveless Café, as well as some additional time for impromptu sightseeing on the day of our official campus tour.  

Since the 1950s Nashville has been called, “Music City, U.S.A” because it serves an epicenter for all things country music. It is home to the Country Music Hall of Fame, which was the first tour stop we all agreed on, with idea credits going to last year’s cohort, and to Don, for letting us know about it early on. The official title reads, The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. It was founded in the early 1960s, and today it represents the highest possible honor for artists, producers, songwriters, and all country music professionals. The Museum features rotating exhibits and is jam-packed with history. Museum mostly provides a window to the past, but this one also speculates about the future of country music, much of which originates right there in Nashville. Unlike a lot of  Bay Area kids, and the rest of our cohort, I grew up listening to country music and still do, so the Country Music Hall of Fame is one attraction that I was immediately drawn to. I predict it will give us clues that will help us understand the musical heart of Nashville. 

Country Music Hall of Fame

Next, a ten-minute drive will take us to Midtown and Centennial Park. Within the park, Nashville has its own full-scale replica of the ancient Greek Parthenon.  Centennial Park, exhibits gorgeous walkways, manicured gardens, and sprawling lawns, and we might even catch some live music.  But without a doubt, its crowning jewel is the Parthenon. Don assures us that Nashville's version is just like the one in Athens, minus the history, and in a lot better shape. The Parthenon’s interior centers around the long-lost statue of Athena Parthenos carefully recreated from scholarly writings describing the one that served as the focal point of its Athenian predecessor. Other similar artifacts are made from direct casts taken of the originals. It's easy to see why Don spoke so highly of it.  

Full-Scale Parthenon and Centennial Park

When we began discussing what to do and see while in Nashville, one of the first things I did was ask my mom what she would recommend. She lived in Nashville for a few years during college and worked as a waitress there, which in Nashville means you probably met someone famous. Her biggest claim to fame is waiting on Tom Petty. I asked her about what her favorite things to do while there and she immediately brought up Loveless Café, a great breakfast spot right off campus. Besides having legendary biscuits, the establishment is infused with history and boasts up to 1,500 guests a day. The classic southern food is made entirely in-house and by hand, just as it was when it opened more than 60 years ago, starting out as a tiny lunch spot on what was at the time, the only road between Nashville and Memphis. I can't wait to have breakfast at this historic establishment and try at least one of the more than 5,000 biscuits they make each day. 

The iconic sign outside of Loveless

Finally, we will have a bit of extra time to explore the city, with our hopefully air-conditioned rental car. One site we will most likely try to visit is Music Row, a neighborhood in  Nashville, bordering the Vanderbilt campus, that is where all the big record deals in country music get made. Music Row is full of recording studios, including the famous RCA Studio B inside of which legends like Elvis Presley and Dolly Parton recorded some of their greatest hits, some of which are even open for tours. Even Taylor Swift got her start in the area, and it symbolizes opportunity to make it big for many emerging artists. Music Row is full of Nashville-centric shops as well, which would be perfect for finding the right souvenirs for family and friends back in California. 

"Real Country Music Lives Here," Music Row

Gearing up for our trip and all the amazing things we will get to do before our time at Vanderbilt even begins has shown me how Nashville is a city steeped in music, history, and good food, that will surely be an incredible experience for us California kids.