A taste of today.

[Lexy]

Here ya are folks. As always, enjoy.

Kress is coming along nicely btw.

The Arcade was full of life today!

WAYYYYYYYY up there.

Hey guys, shouldn't you be building a skyscraper???

Window treatments I see.

Eye candy.

The future look of Church Street.

From a longgggggggggggggggggg way away.

A bit more detail though.

Gracious!

[it's just dave]

Wow, is that the kind of day I missed today? Rats.

Good pics, Lex.

[Lexy]

Wow, is that the kind of day I missed today? Rats.

Good pics, Lex.

I even went to East Nashville for some pics. I haven't decided which ones to post though.

[NCB]

Very Nice Pictures. Thanks for posting them!

[tnwalker]

Nice pics, even though I'm still mad at you for what you said about the Titans. I won't hold it against you because you're a die hard hockey fan like myself.

[it's just dave]

Dinner at Tazza tonight on Church St. Comment heard from resident of Cumberland.

"They widened the sidewalks, then put this crap on them," referring to the nifty new planters, "so now they're not any wider than they were."

Dave's comment (meant to be muttered under his breath, but obviously noted by the woman registering her complaint, "Well, I can see the point, but with a butt that wide, she may as well walk down the middle of the street."

I didn't make a friend. Don't mess with my new planters, now.

[ZachariahDaMan]

Awesome pictures Lexy, thanks for posting them.

[Rural King]

Awesome pics. I know that skyline view, dave showed me it earlier this year !! Locals know all the cool stuff. LOL

Really great as always, I really like the looking up shot between the old Suntrust Towers (I guess 5th/3rd now).

[memphian]

Dinner at Tazza tonight on Church St. Comment heard from resident of Cumberland.

"They widened the sidewalks, then put this crap on them," referring to the nifty new planters, "so now they're not any wider than they were."

Dave's comment (meant to be muttered under his breath, but obviously noted by the woman registering her complaint, "Well, I can see the point, but with a butt that wide, she may as well walk down the middle of the street."

I didn't make a friend. Don't mess with my new planters, now.

HA HA HA HA!

[rosen108]

I even went to East Nashville for some pics. I haven't decided which ones to post though.

Hey if you get a chance, post those east nashville pics! Since I live in the belmont area, i never have a reason to go out to east nashville. I'd love to see what it looks like out there these days...

Thanks alot for posting all those pictures lexy! Your pictures are always great!

[linclink]

Dave!!

I love you!!! ... that was too funny...

I too LOVE LOVE LOVE the planters.... now if only they could hang some flower pots with bouganvillas (the bright purple, or red ones)... from the light posts... They did that in downtown St. Louis and it looked SPECTACULAR.... adds such an infusion of color into downtown... which is usually muted with lots of grays and browns... but other than that... LOVE LOVE LOVE that they are landscaping downtown Nashville... Hope it extends to all the streets soon, though... I was in Chicago this summer as well.. and they too have added planters and FLOWER BOXES (can you believe that!?!?!?!?!? In DOWNTOWN Chicago!!!!!!!)... and also the hanging pots from the lightposts... and it looks AWESOME!!!!

The first time I was in Nashville, I felt like it had great bones... but it looked like a city that had been forgotten... like the people (government) didn't care enough for it, to invest in it, and care for it... but that is really changing... Nashville is starting to look like a city that is lovingly cared for... and once they are all done, its going to look AMAZING!!!!

Just a question... what are the upper floors on those buildings on Broadway? The last time I was there alot of them had boards where the windows should have been, and looked kind of abandoned... That street was my favorite (in terms of having good bones)... If they added some planters and trees, some pretty awnings over doors and windows... heck they could even get away with some flower boxes on the windows (ala Chicago!!).... and then convert those upper floors into Lofts... That could be an AWESOME street... I would love to live there... it's close to the river.. it'll be close to the symphony hall AND the baseball stadium... you could walk to the gaylord center, AND to the preds games... I think that would be an AWESOME place to live, PLAY, and eat (they should get more fancy/hip restaurants and even a small, but super hip grocery store there). I would SOOOOO LOVE to buy a loft there!!!

I'm not too crazy about all the touristy stores on that street... but it adds to charm... but it would be nice to have some boutiques, and art galleries, etc... there as well as the other stores (hehehe.. I took a picture with Elvis at that store that has the purple boot over it!! hehehhe) But I think that street could be spectacular, if it became just a little more mature.. but not to much, it has a great personality...

Well, thats all for now... Can't wait till the spring.... I've got a feeling that when we move to NAshville, its going to be a totally different city!!! Can't wait to see it!!!

[TennBear]

Dave!!

I love you!!! ... that was too funny...

I too LOVE LOVE LOVE the planters.... now if only they could hang some flower pots with bouganvillas (the bright purple, or red ones)... from the light posts... They did that in downtown St. Louis and it looked SPECTACULAR.... adds such an infusion of color into downtown... which is usually muted with lots of grays and browns... but other than that... LOVE LOVE LOVE that they are landscaping downtown Nashville... Hope it extends to all the streets soon, though... I was in Chicago this summer as well.. and they too have added planters and FLOWER BOXES (can you believe that!?!?!?!?!? In DOWNTOWN Chicago!!!!!!!)... and also the hanging pots from the lightposts... and it looks AWESOME!!!!

Bouganvilla? They would die wouldn't they? Besides that the thorns would stab someone. Me, I like the Peach colored Bouganvilla. If you ever make it to the Keeger Museum, they have a Peach colored Bouganvilla in the atrium. It is neat in winter, you look out on the windows to the outside and see the snow and like the other way into the atrium and see this bouganvilla blooming like mad.

[linclink]

Wow... thats pretty cool... (about the bouganvillas in the atrium...)

As for dying... I guess they die in winter... but if they are in hanging pots like they were in St. Louis, I guess you could bring them in during the winter... Since St. Louis has a climate similar to Nashville, and they live there, I don't see why they wouldn't do well in the spring and summer...

As for their size... when they are planted in pots they stay relatively small... only enough to cascade a bit over the sides... and since it's high up on the lamp posts they wouldn't stab anyone... hehehehehehee

Downtown St. Louis has done a GREAT job of adding alot of landscaping, and they are getting TONS of lofts, and stuff up there... they have amazing old buildings and architecture too... their Convention Center is one of the best looking I've seen so far (among the non-modern ones, that is)...

I can't wait till Nashville invests more in their landscaping... it really adds to the look of downtown... I love buildings and plan on going back to school to study architecture and interior design... but as much as I love the man made enviornment, you do need some plants and trees and flowers to give it some life...

[Lexy]

Hey if you get a chance, post those east nashville pics! Since I live in the belmont area, i never have a reason to go out to east nashville. I'd love to see what it looks like out there these days...

Thanks alot for posting all those pictures lexy! Your pictures are always great!

Will do. Just give me a little bit to finish some touch up work on them.

[linclink]

Hey Lexy,

Thanks for all the pics!!! I always look forward to them!!

Paula

[Lexy]

Thanks Paula. I appreciate all of the gracious comments by everyone.

[it's just dave]

Everything is still a work in progress. The remaing planters, the benches, the banners, the new Music City insignia...none of that is done yet, but you'll be pleased.

I have to disagree with changing Lower Broadway too much, though. Making that area too trendy would destroy a true piece of Americana, and a gold mine at that. There's still lots of trendy intermingled there, but the grit and soul that remains on Broadway represent the essence of why this city is unique and brings millions of visitors from all over the world. A good mixture I can agree with, but the soul of that little piece of downtown is a fragile environment, and world famous at that. Let's keep some decadence around there. Paula, next time you get a chance to visit, use your waxing romantic eyes to see over the past 75 years on that street, the days of the Grand Ol' Opry, Tootsie's when it was a real honky tonk, the Merchants when it was still a hotel, the old drug store and diner (Lineberry's or something like that), Willie Nelson and Kris Kristofferson and Waylon Jennings walking the street in beer-soaked rowdiness. There's a depth to downtown Nashville that is hard to pin a label on, but hundreds of books are written on it (the same goes for our sister, Memphis). I've said it before, I love what's going on around here, but please, let's not pave all of paradise and put up "parking lots" ... a.k.a. condos and trendy restaurants. I want to continue to know this city as my hometown, not one I have to be re-introduced to each time I go out. Besides, it's only a few little blocks.

Paula, are you still moving? Get on up here!

[Nashvillain]

And besides, that would be an awfully noisy place to live.

[linclink]

Hey Dave,

Thanks for the reply... I agree with you.. When I spoke about lofts on broadway... I meant on the upper floors of those brick buildings.. most of them seemed to be abandoned (the upper floors, not the lower ones)... I was just wondering if they would be converted to lofts... I too would hate for those buildings to be demolished to make way for new lofts... that's precisely why I liked that street.. because of those old brick buildings... I would just like to see more landscaping... and maybe some awnings on the buildings.. a grocer with a fruit stand outside would be nice to... heheheh... yeah, like you said, my "waxing romantic eyes" (heheheh.. I loved that... why can't my husband talk to me like that... hahahahahah)... anyways... I'm sure I'll be blown away when I get there!!

As for a moving date.. at the present time it is set for Spring 2006!!!!

Can't wait to go to one of the forum get togethers!!!!

Paula

[Lexy]

Hey Dave,

Thanks for the reply... I agree with you.. When I spoke about lofts on broadway... I meant on the upper floors of those brick buildings.. most of them seemed to be abandoned (the upper floors, not the lower ones)... I was just wondering if they would be converted to lofts... I too would hate for those buildings to be demolished to make way for new lofts... that's precisely why I liked that street.. because of those old brick buildings... I would just like to see more landscaping... and maybe some awnings on the buildings.. a grocer with a fruit stand outside would be nice to... heheheh... yeah, like you said, my "waxing romantic eyes" (heheheh.. I loved that... why can't my husband talk to me like that... hahahahahah)... anyways... I'm sure I'll be blown away when I get there!!

As for a moving date.. at the present time it is set for Spring 2006!!!!

Can't wait to go to one of the forum get togethers!!!!

Paula

I'm digging your idea about the grocer Paula. I wish that the farmers market could have been integrated more into the fabic of downtown. I guess people need to live downtown before they can shop there eh?

[it's just dave]

I guess it won't be too long until we at least have the grocery inside the Viridian. Bet the fruits inside.

My last experience with an outdoor fruit stand was when I moved to New York City years ago, got drunk on wine with a buddy, ate a forbidden apple from a stand owned by a ranting Turk who couldn't catch me, but threw an apple at me nonetheless as I did my best Ernest T. Bass impersonation while running and jumping down the street. I still had some apple with me when we dropped in to see Sandy Duncan as Peter Pan. When she flew across the audience, the wine kicked in again, and I kept screamin' "There she goes!" while being escorted out by man who had NO better personality than that Turk. NY just wasn't ready for me.

But you're right Paula, fruit and flower stands would be so picturesque. Just don't give me wine.

[linclink]

You are just too funny!!!

[smeagolsfree]

Hee Hee Hee ITS ME, ITS ME, ITS Earnest TEEEEE!!!!!!!