Catfish & Grits — Vol 48
Catfish & Grits — Vol 48
Visit Nashville with us + a dating food nightmare!
Hey there!
I feel like it’s been months since we had lunch together, but it’s only been two weeks. A lot has happened in those two weeks, which is probably why I feel this way.
One major thing that happened was we traded Kate (my Kia Soul) in for a 2022 Kia Telluride Nightfall Edition. I had a lot of attachment to Kate. I purchased her after I totaled a car going somewhere to do something I had no business doing; remember that story from volume 37?
I purchased Kate when she had 13 miles. When we picked up Winter (new car’s name), she too only had 13 miles. That small coincidence gave me comfort. While driving to drop Kate at the dealership, we had a nice long talk. I told her to protect her new owner(s) and keep them from harm as she has done me since 2014.
But baaabbbyyy, Winter is COLD AF! Yes, I named her after my favorite book!
Today’s topics:
Nashville
Meet the Girlfriends
Bad food etiquette
Nashville
This year I was the host for my annual @thesevengirlfriends trip. I picked Nashville for us to visit. Folks, Black folks, coined Nashville as the yt people’s Atlanta, and they are not lying about that at all.
I picked Nashville because our 7GFs trips are about trying new things and not necessarily sticking to what we know.
I feel like most folks always give recommendations of things they enjoyed but don’t highlight some of the bad. Not me! If you are visiting Nashville in the future, here are some things you should and should not do while there.
Sleep
It’s seven of us.
Trying to find a home that accommodates seven grown-ass women comfortably is usually THEE biggest challenge of the entire trip. We stayed a little further out on our last two trips, but in bomb AF homes. I wanted to switch it up and stay close to the city.
We stayed in a row of townhomes off Delaware Ave. While this was the best location we’ve stayed at, there were a few things about this home that I would warn people before booking it.
There are a TON of stairs; this is a true townhome. If you travel heavily, be prepared to lug your stuff up several flights of stairs.
One room has bunk beds with springy mattresses that are not the best for extended sleep. If your Nashville trip entails spending most of the days outside of the house and only sleeping after drunken nights, this will probably be okay for you. But that is not our group of girls.
It’s hard to find the front door. Our townhome was in the second row of homes off an unmarked street, which confused rideshare drivers. There is a breezeway you can walk up and down to get to the main road, but with heels or luggage, you don’t want to make that trek.
Be ready to have fellow renters who party all day and night. There are quiet hours, but our neighbors did not follow the rules. These fools were outside partying in the rainstorm at 3a.
The pros
We were 2-5 miles from everything, making it inexpensive to catch cars all weekend.
The kitchen is beautiful. The island provided plenty of space to cook and hang out during the day. We are a make food at home type of group a few nights during our trips, so a kitchen is essential for us.
The rooftop gave us picturesque views of Nashville and had a fire pit we used the last night.
Overall it wasn’t a horrible stay, but it could have been a tad better. Consider the above when traveling with a large group and want to stay near the city center.
Eat + Drink
Milk & Honey - this brunch cafe was my first stop when I landed in Nashville at 5:30a! They open at 6a, and you can tell they get a lot of airport traffic because many parties were there before 7a with suitcases. So if you arrive early and need a spot to eat, go here. But if you are looking to grab brunch during your visit, make sure you get here early or be prepared to wait up to an hour. When I left, the line was out the door for seating.
Taco Chela - inside L&L Marketplace (a food hall) less than 2 miles from our Airbnb. Get the nachos, Mexican corn, chicken taquitos, and order a skinny marg!
Five Points Pizza - less than a mile from our Airbnb and some of the best pizza I have had in a while. Delivery is only via UberEats, which is good because their delivery radius is further than if the establishment would deliver. If you like ranch on your pizza, get tons of it (it’s not free) because it’s homemade and fucking delicious. We ordered this pizza twice during our stay. The girls loved the Veggie pizza the best.
Assembly Food Hall - Right off Broadway, this place has something for every foodie. Visit the Mimosa bar to choose one of their signature mimosas or create your own. If you love lobster rolls, visit Dock Local and get a side of mac with it.
Moto Cucina + Enoteca - If you love Italian and wine, visit here. They are a part of a restaurant group that has six restaurants. Check out the others here.
pH Cocktails - I was somewhat disappointed at this spot. It was recommended by a friend who visits here a lot. The place was empty for a Friday night at 10:30p, and it took almost 20 minutes for us to get drinks. They also advertised live music, and there was not. The inside was cute, and my bourbon lemon drop drink was perfect, but that was it.
Attractions
White Limozeen - a cute and quaint rooftop pool on top of the Graduate Hotel with city views. Visiting this rooftop pool is on every “what to do in Nashville” list, and it is HARD to getting reservations. The pool area only accommodates 20 guests at a time, so rolling up with seven girls was a challenge, but I got us in.
The place was packed when we arrived, and I probably counted 10 Black folks, including us and the DJ, during our entire stay. If you are looking for a turn-up pool party in Nashville, this is NOT your place. But I knew that. It’s more cute + chill vibes with boozy drinks. Get the champagne jello shots!
Because the pool is so tiny, it was somewhat oily, which was not great. We had the last time slot of the day, 4-7p, and I am sure they don’t refresh the pool after every 3-hour time block. So that was 🫤
National Museum of African American Music - one of the BEST things we did our entire stay in Nashville. And secretly, one of the main reasons I wanted to visit Nashville. I love museums and music, so this was right up my alley.
Let loose and try the interactive exhibits. We sang gospel music, had rap battles, and danced through the decades! Be prepared to stay here for hours and get tickets as early as possible to avoid the later crowds.
Minerva Avenue - Welcome to Black Nashville! Open Wed-Sun every week, you will thoroughly enjoy yourself here. We ended our weekend here for Sunday brunch and a two-step. Their brunch menu is mouthwatering. I ordered the catfish & grits, and baaabbbbyyyyyyyy I ate that entire thang UP! That’s probably why I laid back for a little nap in our section shortly afterward. Make reservations if you want a section; your table fee goes towards your food.
Tip: If you have a large party for brunch, don’t get the bottomless mimosas, order bottles instead; it ends up being cheaper to do it that way.
Well, that’s our Nashville trip! Let me know if you visit and try any of these spots out!
P.S. If you need a photographer while in Nashville, check out Portraits by Mills. She was amazing!
Meet the Girlfriends
Eight years ago, the seven of us took a trip to Miami together for a bachelorette party. Not everyone knew each other, but we knew this was it once we got together.
Over the years, we have celebrated marriages, cried through divorces, welcomed babies, prayed through health complications, cheers’d on birthdays, and so much more.
Most of us started off as strangers and now are The Girlfriends. Seven very different women who I couldn’t imagine not having in my life. Just when you think your cup is full, you get topped off with exactly what you need. For me, it’s these women.
Meet the girlfriends, with a little Sadé, but no Sadé 🙃
Candyce aka Candy Rain - While we call her Candy, this girlfriend is not the sweetest. Candy is the girlfriend I will laugh and argue with at the same damn time. Small but mighty sis don’t play. Carefree Candy is a great way to describe her. She goes with the wind and doesn’t care too much about what folks think. I love that about her. One day I’ll get her to paint her entire toes versus getting French tip.
Erica - E is the wild card, the secret sauce. This girlfriend is the COLDEST of us all. She doesn’t flinch at anything, and she never misses. Erica is the group mom, but she would argue this and say that I am. But it’s her. When we bicker, she sees both sides of the story when we don’t. If we ever tried to break up, E would be the one organizing to get us back together.
Jalyn - Ms. Parks, Ms. Parks! Jalyn is the group’s sweetheart. She sees the glass half full when we might see it half empty. But don’t be fooled; if you hit that one nerve, Jalyn will COME for you and come for you good. The sweet can turn spicy in a blink of an eye. This girlfriend also has bars. She is rapping to one of her favorite songs on almost every girl's trip.
Chaz - Our group influencer and sis that knows how to cut the right corners to get us there. Chaz is the friend who will always want us to do a Reel when we are together and we never do it. She came up with the idea for our @thesevengirlfriends IG page. The house chef that complains about cooking each trip but will have that ass in the kitchen every time, with love, making us full and happy. I love arguing with Chaz because we can go there one minute and be good the next.
Cat - my little big sister bestie. She will always remind you that she is the one that brought us together *eye roll*. This girlfriend must be fed at all times and have at least one nap per day. Cat will have you up at 7a for prayer and a run at 7:30a. One would call her the high-maintenance girlfriend, but I would say she just likes sprinkles on everything. Coach Cat will speak life into you when you feel drained and empty, whether you like it or not.
Bee - The baby of the group, but there is nothing baby about this girlfriend. Bee will disappear on us but pop back up like she has been here the entire time. She’s called low-key Bee for a reason. Bee is the friend that will always show up for you, she may only be there for a few minutes, but she showed up! Out of all the girlfriends, I think Bee and I are the most alike. We both have a deep passion for music, books, treats, and a chill vibe.
Those are my girlfriends!
While I enjoyed planning this year’s trip, I am glad I passed the torch to Cat. She talked a BIG game all weekend, and then that ass got her name pulled! Can’t wait to see what you plan for us next year bestie!
Bad food etiquette
While writing this dating story, I felt kind of bad, but you know what, it’s me. There are certain things that I can’t look past. Having bad food etiquette is one of them.
You can say I ditched this guy for all the wrong reasons, but when we met, I was at the point in my life where I wasn’t cutting corners for anyone. Either you show up how I want, or you out the door.
Read to see if his food behavior and manners would annoy the F out of you as it did me.
We met at a barbecue restaurant near his house a few days later. He raved about how this was one of the best spots in Maryland, so I had to try it out.
The conversation and energy are good; he apologized again for his behavior last weekend. Once again, I appreciated the acknowledgment.
It’s time to order our food, and Derrick asks if the corn is on the cob because he cannot eat it on the cob because of his braces.
I tell him he can easily just cut the corn off the cob if he wants it that bad. He says cool and orders the corn.
Our food arrives, and what happens next is hilarious.
“So I just cut the corn off the cob,” Derrick says.
With a very perplexed look, I respond with “yea.”
You know this fool takes the corn and tries to cut it straight down the middle, like trying to cut it in half versus just shaving the kernels off.
“What are you doing,” I ask him.
“You said cut the cob,” he responds.
“I did not. I said cut the corn off the cob.”
“How do you do that?” 🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩
All I could do was laugh. “You don’t know how to cut corn off the cob?”
“Nah”
So guess who ended up cutting a grown-ass man’s corn off his cob at the table? ME!
How was lunch today? I hope you enjoyed yourself. Reply, like, or comment. I love when you interact with me during lunch.
See you next month!
xo, Jemia