Monday, February 23, 2009

Nashville Weekend Recap (LOTS of pictures!)

Oh my goodness I have MISSED you guys sooo much! I felt so out of the loop when I got home last night and tried to "quickly" scan through some of the updates. It just didnt work out because I was sooo behind! I even found out that I had won Angela's contest for an "oh she glows" fit gear hoodie! My first winning!! So that was a nice surprise to come home to :)

Anyway, on to the weekend. We took a TON of pictures, I'm not gonna put them all up here, because I think it might be overkill. But I definitely want to show you girls some highlights.

As I said in an earlier post we were going to Nashville for a going away party for my cousin Matt, who is leaving for Korea this morning to start teaching English over there for a year. I know he is super nervous about so everyone keep him in your thoughts and prayers (especially for his 14 hour flight!!) This is an awesome opportunity for him and I know he will do amazing things over there.

We started out the Nashville weekend on Friday afternoon. I picked up my friend Brittani and we hit the road! We stopped through Knoxville to pick up my cousin's girlfriend who goes to college at the University of Tennessee (that is also where my cousin graduated from). After we picked her up it was full speed ahead to NashVegas baby! My cousin had gotten a hotel right in the middle of downtown so that we could be within walking distance of all the bars and restaurants and it was so nice! We got there, got ready, and went out to eat. First things first, right?!

This is where it gets interesting. The guy at the front desk of the hotel suggested that we try a nice sushi restaurant that was on one of the main streets of downtown Nashville. We decided to give a shot. So we walk in and sit down. The waiter brings us out some water and we ask to see the menu. Well, he goes back to the KITCHEN to grab our menus. I take the menu, open it up....and THERE IS A LIVE ROACH CRAWLING INSIDE!!!! We were all up and out of that place in record time. I mean, I'm sorry, but that is just a deal breaker right there. We ran into the closest restaurant we could find and that was the Hard Rock Cafe. It wasnt bad, this place is of course more atmosphere than anything.

Ok, after we ate we hit the town. We went to one bar called Cadillac ranch. It had a real Cadillac hanging from beams in the ceiling and a mechanical bull to ride.

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This was the view from the upstairs, looking down onto the bar. It was sooo cool looking.

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In typical Nashville form, my friend Brandon decided to ride the bull. I think he lasted about .2 seconds. haha.

After we left there we walked up the street to a place called Paradise Park. This place was sooo cool, because it was a bar inside, but it was decorated to look like you were outside in a trailer park. I wish we had fun places like that were I live!

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Britt and my cousin Matt

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Matt and his friend Alex

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Britt, Keely (Matt's Girlfriend), and I

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Keely, Brandon, and I

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Matt's friend Brandon apparently feel in love with me at first site and kept trying to tell me how pretty I was all night. Matt captured one of these moments on film. haha

The next day, the girls got up and went shopping (of course) While the fellas slept the whole day! When we got back we all got ready for Round #2.

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My cousin and I. I am wearing a KILLER leather jacket that I bought at Forever 21 on our shopping trip earlier that day. I think I'm in love with it.

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All of Matt's friends at his going away dinner.

Sunday morning we had a more formal get together after church where friends and family came to Matt's house to wish him well and say goodbye.

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Matt and his girlfriend Keely. I felt so bad for her, having to say goodbye to her boyfriend for a whole year!

My aunt served some traditional Korean snack food at the get together. All of it was kinda strange! Even the "dessert" type things were hot and spicy! I did enjoy these "seaweed chips" that were just dried seaweed and tasted similar to crunchy sushi. haha.

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The dessert spread. Ginger cookies (these tasted just like the ginger that you get with sushi, with a hint of sweetness. Kinda strange.), Rice cookies, and some other type of cookie that was almost the consistency of wax.

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Alex chowing down on some edamame and Britt getting it with some rice cakes. haha

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Matt and Alex.

After the get together we hit the road to go back home. It was really sad saying goodbye to my cousin, but he will be able to keep in touch through e-mail and such, so that goods. I look forward to hearing all the stories and seeing all the pictures. It was a fun and exhausting weekend. And I'm pretty sure that I fell in love with Nashville, it is just an amazing city with so much to see and do!

Well, I am glad to be back to my lovely blogger ladies. Like I said, I missed you guys tons and I am going to try to get caught up on everyones lives again! Please get me back into the loop!!

Hope everyone is having a wonderful Monday. Lots of Love <3 Ems.

11 comments:

Jenny said...

haha Em can i just tell you as soon as i saw you updated your blog i had the BIGGEST smile on my face! I was so excited your home - haha.. i think i'm in love with you or something :)

first of all.. ew to the cockroach - definite dealbreaker.. second of all, i can totally understand why that boy fell in love with you - you're adorable! third, that jacket is just fabulous..and 4.. your eats sound awesome!

glad you had such a great trip babe but i'm even MORE glad your home :) Talk to you soon <3 loveloveloveyou!

The Purple Carrot said...

I missed you, too!! I wasn't around much this weekend myself, and felt a bit out of the loop myself.

Loved your pictures, it looks like you had tons of fun!!

Congrats on your first win, woo hoo!!!!

And, yep, the roach would DEFINITELY have been a deal breaker for me, too, lol!

Glad you're back and hope your Monday is going fabulously!

Mica said...

Great post! I missed you!

I *love* the picture of the guy whispering sweet nothings in your ear at a bar. HAHAHAHA. I laughed a lot and almost spit out my oatmeal.

Bec said...

Sounds like an awesome weekend, looks like you had a blast. That photo of you and your admirer is hilarious :)

Anonymous said...

OH MY GOSH that looks like a fun trip! I've always wanted to to to Nashville (other than the overnight at a Country Suites on the way back from Bonnaroo, but all I saw was Ruby Tuesday's!). Those bars look so fun! Did you ride the bronco?

I missed you! I'm having a ball catching up on your week :-)

Anonymous said...

Hi welcome back, I'm glad you had a great trip.
I love the jacket too.

aussirish said...

heya hun
welcome home :) Im so glad you had such a great trip!!
the pics are great! you look beautiful and very happy in them :)
eeew cockroach...definetly a deal breaker! glad you got outta there fast!
have a nice night girlie
xxxx

Marian's eats said...

Looks like you had a lot of fun. I'm so glad you had a great time! The food looks great and you look awesome as usual! Glad your back though, and congratulations on your win! Woohoo!

Anonymous said...

I am so glad you had a great weekend! Welcome back!

Anonymous said...

wow your whole weekend looks like so much fun!!! That guy has stalker tendencies huh? Better be careful! Some boys are trouble *wink* as we know it!

I'm loving all the pictures...it's so nice to get to know you through your pictures! I loved how the fam threw a going away party with korean treats. That is SUCH a good idea! I actually LOVe those korean rice cakes. :P hahah. WELCOME BACK!!!

Anonymous said...

what an awesome trip!! I've always wanted to go there. love the pics :-)