1. Jam Out at a Full Moon Pickin’ Party
As a naturalized Nashvillian, I take extreme musical pride in a handful of things: the Ryman, the Station Inn, Robert’s Western World, the fact that Musician’s Corner is still free. But the one I’m always shocked to hear many people have never experienced is a Full Moon Pickin’ Party.
The bluegrass concerts are held one Friday a month (on the full moon, duh) from May through September at Percy Warner Park. Each features three acts over four hours; dogs and kids are welcome; and you can bring your own food and drink or buy it there. Tickets cost roughly $28 per adult and $12 per child (ages 7-17), so it’s a clear value — especially when you factor in the three beers that come with every adult ticket. Plus, all the proceeds go to Friends of Warner Parks, the nonprofit that keeps Percy and Edwin Warner Parks beautiful and hosting fun events (as well as insane ones like a Cicada Celebration that is a real thing they are doing today while I am actively having to stop myself from blanketing my whole yard in mace as I run to my car).
But the real magic of these nights are the pickin’ parties. Wander away from the lights and food trucks and follow the sound of softer music. Around a corner, you could stumble upon a fiddle player finding a melody in the corner of a field, or a small group of musicians in a full-tilt jam session behind the barn. These impromptu concerts, created completely spur-of-the-moment by strangers, come together before your eyes, seemingly straight out of a simpler time. If you’ve ever been jealous of musicians like Jason Isbell who sing about growing up with relatives pickin’ songs on the porch, this is your chance to live that dream. And if you bring a bluegrass instrument of your own to pick, your ticket price drops to just $10.
Gimlet at Roze Pony
2. Grab a Gimlet at Roze Pony
When it starts to get sticky outside, nothing hits like a cold, citrusy sip. A margarita, a gin-and-tonic, a turbo-chilled martini with a twist — all of these will revive your spirit. But I think people are missing a key cooler, and that’s a gimlet. The ingredients are simple: gin and either lime cordial or fresh lime juice and simple syrup, shaken like crazy over ice, and served straight up. If you like margaritas or traditional daiquiris and you like gin, you’ll like this, especially if you have Ian at Roze Pony make your first one. Pull up a seat at the color-blocked bar, order some oysters or salmon tartare, and let the bright, tangy, herbaceous booziness bring you back to life.
Now, why is it called a gimlet? There are two popular theories:
- A gimlet is a tool for drilling small holes in wood. It’s thought that this strong drink may have been named for that because of the cocktail’s piercing effects on the drinker.
- A surgeon in the British Navy, Rear-Admiral Sir Thomas Gimlette, allegedly created the drink as a way to get his messmates to ingest lime to prevent scurvy.
Both theories are contested, as all the best theories are.
3. Blast YoCo 96.7 FM and Y’all 106.7 FM
Remember those cicadas I mentioned? Well, apparently the little swooping, squealing wretches will be with us in Tennessee until late June, which means your noise-canceling headphones are crucial. To blast in them, I offer two local country-ish stations that could not be more different.
Austin Peay State University's Don Sudbrink shares some insight on these loud little insects
The first is YoCo 96.7, which producer and rapper Jamal Jones, also known as Polow da Don, locked down in 2019. While the station is called “YoCo” for “Young Country,” its format is formally “eclectic,” meaning they play country and hip-hop, with a splash of urban music, songs in Spanish and other random beats mixed in. To explain the concept, Jones cites the power of Lil Nas X's country rap megahit "Old Town Road," and he should know of what he speaks — he's produced bangers like Usher’s “Love in This Club,” Fergie’s “London Bridge,” Nicki Minaj’s “Anaconda,” and Lil Wayne’s “John.”
However, I think those songs are glossier and more mainstream than everything you’ll hear on YoCo, which really does take wild, interesting swings. One minute you’re hearing 21 Savage or Hozier or Taylor Swift. Next you’ve got The Shindellas followed by Megan Moroney. And that track list is an actual sample of what I heard while writing this article, which is awesome because:
- I’d never heard Megan Moroney, and the song "Indifferent" slaps.
- I’d never heard The Shindellas, and their "Good as Gold" is far superior to Scheana Shay’s; and
- This station clearly doesn’t mind playing women back-to-back, which is something country radio still does only 0.5 percent of the time on average. (Seriously? For shame, country radio!)
Now, as you’ve probably surmised, I am middle-aged (see: my use of the word “slaps” above), and that means I do need an escape button when I’ve had my fill of vocoder, or when the Dipshit Chair Thrower comes on.
For that, there’s Y’all 106.7. The station’s format is ’90s and classic country — “If ’90s country lasted until about 2004,” as their commercials say. And, hoo boy, their website is straight out of 1996. There’s a pretty gal holding a “Y’all 106.7” sign in front of a pickup truck, and so many links I thought for sure I’d stumbled onto a phishing site. And I love it. The only way this website could be more ’90s would be if I’d had to install it with a CD-ROM.
A screen capture of the Y'all 106.7 website
But the music restores my soul. Here’s a recent sample:
- Diamond Rio, "Love a Little Stronger"
- Ronnie Milsap, "Back on My Mind Again"
- Tracy Byrd, "Drinkin' Bone"
- Garth Brooks, "The Beaches of Cheyenne"
- Patty Loveless, "Lonely Too Long"
- Collin Raye, "That’s My Story"
- Tim McGraw, "Refried Dreams"
Now, I know I love a lot of these songs because of neural nostalgia, the scientific phenomenon whereby we are programmed to love the songs of our adolescence, whether or not they suck. “That’s My Story?” Not a great song (though I am thrilled to see Collin Raye somewhere other than those chiropractor commercials Channel 2 runs constantly). “Refried Dreams”? Empirically idiotic. However, the serotonin my body releases when I pet my dog and when I hear this song are the same.
Now, “The Beaches of Cheyenne”? I will ride for that: "He was up in Wyoming and drew a bull no man could ride / He promised her he'd turn out, well it turned out that he lied ... When he told her he was ridin' she said, 'Then I don't give a damn / If you never come back from Cheyenne.'"
He dies and then she dies, babe. Walks out into the ocean. The drama! The anguish! To a melodramatic 13-year-old in 1995, that is gold.
Side note: I’m not sure 106.7 is passing the playing-women-back-to-back test as flawlessly as YoCo. Step it up, Y’all.
Chili Monkey King's chili oil
4. Dip Into Chili Monkey King’s Chili Oil at VN Pho
If you aren’t a fan of chili oil, it’s only because you’ve yet to try it. The condiment — made (again, duh) of oil infused with chiles — is a powerful flavor enhancer in Southeast Asia, though versions exist from Italy and Portugal to Turkey and Mexico.
Chili oil comes in as many varieties as there are makers. Most recently, it was in the news when celebrity chef Dave Chang came under fire for attempting to trademark his version as Chili Crunch (though he quickly walked that back). But real talk? Though I am Momofuku stan (their dried noodles are better than many restaurants’ fresh), I like one local chili oil better.
At VN Pho, you’ll find Chili Monkey King’s homemade oil, which I can’t sell any better than the Luu family does on the packaging. It truly is “a flavor enhancer that combines homemade excellence with a perfect balance of heat and aroma, offering a taste of heaven.” Yes! It is all those things. The ingredients are straightforward — red pepper, cayenne, lemongrass, Thai chile, sugar, salt, the all-important MSG. But it is also subtle. Most chili oils are too hot or oily or salty or funky (cough, Momofuku), so a dash overtakes whatever you’re eating. But Chili Monkey King is confident enough to elevate without overwhelming. And at less than $10 a jar — cash or Venmo only — it’s well worth a trip down Charlotte Pike.
The Sun Room at Drift Nashville
5. Float On With a Drift Nashville Pool Pass
As a person who spent a decent amount of her 30s sneaking into the Hilton Garden Inn pool, the idea of a day pass is pure luxury. You’re telling me I can give you $50 and you’ll let me lounge around here all day like I belong? No changing clothes in the lobby bathroom or pretending I’m staying with the Underhills if someone asks? Sign me up.
Drift Nashville is making this lone day of leisure a reality. If you’re 21, go to Resort Pass and purchase a single pass for $50 or a cabana for $300. (Some random weekdays you can score a single pass for $40, but it’s mostly $50.) The fee covers Wi-Fi, changing rooms with showers, towels and water with ice by the pool. You will never convince me that is not a necessary luxury, especially when 97-degree days become the norm, which will happen before you know it.
At Drift Nashville
You’ll have to shell out for food and drink, of course, but that’s OK because you’ll want to. These folks know what’s up, starting with the frozen Cha Cha Margarita, made with tequila, watermelon, green chile and lime. For food, Dawn Cafe serves solid grab-and-go foods (including a stellar, decadent quiche), while the Sun Room specializes more in Spanish picnic fare (charcuterie, tinned fish, pan con tomate). Ironically, the Sun Room can be so dark I had to pull out my phone flashlight to read the menu, but the decor that I could see was breathtaking with its sumptuous, desert-chic aesthetic.
Alebrije is on deck to become the main food vendor at the pool, but until then, they’re pretty cool about letting you order food for delivery up until 4 p.m. since they don’t start food service at the pool until then. Bonus: If you’re in the food and beverage industry, you can snag a pool pass on Mondays for just $25.
