Perfect Weekend Getaways
Posted on May 17, 2019
Nashville Pedestrian Bridge into the city!
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the perfect place for any country music lover. From the Grand Ole Opry to The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, you’ll be singing country songs all day long.
The above photo I snapped on the street corner, inside are the crowds that waited in line to enjoy the country music atmosphere and hype of Dierks Bentley’s Bar. A lot of country stars have their own bars they’ve opened and are quite popular with the visitors.
For country-music fans, singers and songwriters from all over the world, Nashville is the ultimate destination. But Nashville isn’t just country music, it is a lively city, breaking out with new businesses, a dynamic food and cocktail scene, and bright lights!
Nashville is full of unique boutiques, coffee shops and restaurants, like Bluebird Cafe where you can sit and enjoy live music from rising stars. For a run by heading over to the full-size replica of the Greek Parthenon. You can go jogging on the beautiful paths in this cherry blossom-filled park right across the street from Vanderbilt University. Roam the streets and enjoy the sweet southern hospitality the city has to offer. Everyone is sincerely so kind and helpful! Not one day went by that someone didn’t offer directions when seeing us struggle with our google maps on a street corner. If you’re lucky you might even run into Taylor Swift. Or Reese Witherspoon. Or Luke Bryan. Or Kristen Cavallari. Such a neat town.
The Hermitage Hotel
We stayed at The Hermitage Hotel! Outstanding service, food and accommodations. The Hermitage Hotel is located right in the heart of the Music City, and has been a landmark for more than a century.
Decorated in with a blend of Beaux-Arts and Renaissance features, its phenomenal architecture stands out among the historic buildings on the East Coast. My FAVORITE breakfasts and dinner also came from the restaurant located underneath the lobby of this hotel: Capitol Grille & Oak Bar — This restaurant is a MUST. If you are celebrating anything GO HERE. It’s menu was incredible and our plates were phenomenal. We shared a few bottles of wine (Cakebread Cellars, my favorite) and let me just say, THE GRITS!!!! Never have I ever raved about grits in my life. These were out of this world. I dream about those. Each morning we just walked right downstairs for our exceptional breakfast/brunch- with a side of grits of course.
The Hermitage’s longtime status as a local magnet has even inspired the timeless slogan, “Meet me at the Hermitage.” You honestly won’t regret booking a night or two, or three or four here (We stayed Tuesday through Saturday morning)—each room was designed for maximum luxury and comfort. They were filming a few movie scenes a couple of the days we stayed there. Fun fact: Apparently the 1910 award-winning men’s bathroom off the lobby. Once you enter the Hermitage Hotel, turn to the right and go down the stairs to the ever-so swanky Capital Grill and Oak Bar.
The Men’s Room is right off the hallway. The lush bathroom is walled in gleaming lime-green-and-black leaded glass tiles, has lime-green fixtures, terrazzo flooring, and features a two-seat shoeshine station. If you can’t find it, just ask! They now allow women to see it as well. I found this all to be pretty interesting and humorous.
There is also a JW Marriott and Westin. The Westin boasts the city’s tallest rooftop bar popular L27 rooftop bar with a pool lounge, tasty drinks, and a stunning view of the skyline.
JW Marriott
FORBES: One thing is certain when you make plans to visit the newly opened JW Marriott Nashville you won’t need directions. All 33 floors of this $285 million dollar addition to Music City’s luxury hotel scene rise in glorious, glass-encased curvaceous splendor over the city. The commanding views define this property and its compelling elliptical shape (designed by renowned architecture firm Arquitectonica) has transformed the downtown skyline. Even legendary Chef Michael Mina, whose restaurant Bourbon Steak dominates the hotel’s 33rd floor, is pretty excited about his Nashville debut.
If you’re like me, you love The Marriott International W brand and guess what, W Hotel in the Gulch plans fall 2020 opening! So if you’re planning a Bachelorette Party, Birthday, weekend trip, Etc. Keep this in mind, it’s sure to be amazing. It’s one in a barrage of new hotels in the works in response to booming tourism. About 120 hotels are being built in the greater Nashville Metro area, including the 33-story, 533-room JW Marriott. The W will include two restaurants by Chef Andrew Carmellini of NoHo Hospitality Group: The Dutch Nashville and an Italian chophouse.The lobby will feature the W’s “Living Room” style, with a full bar, DJ booth and local artwork. A 9,700-square-foot “WET Deck” pool area will have luxury cabanas, a yoga area, grill and bar. A rooftop bar with a fireplace will be surrounded by landscaping.
“Based upon our own experience with developing upscale hotels in other US markets, offering hotel guests unique and exciting amenities beyond those typically found in similar hotels greatly enhances their stay and truly sets the brand apart from our competitors,” said David Carlins, president of Magellan Development Group, which will oversee construction. “The amenities and services planned for W Nashville will most certainly accomplish this while setting a new standard of excellence in Nashville’s hospitality market.”
There are about 50 W Hotels around the world, and there will be 75 by 2020, according to Marriott.
To Do:
There are SO many boroughs and neighborhoods you can explore for a different feel and experience. I asked a few close friends who are from Nashville and this is their *must-see* list:
Downtown Nashville
This is a pretty large tourist spot now, but if you go all the way there, you need to go!
The Gulch
The Gulch is quite popular. This area I found to be so cute and trendy! I had to make a few walks from our hotel down there to go see in person Uncommon James (a jewelry boutique owned by Kristen Cavallari, anyone else watch E!’s show Very Cavallari… or more importantly her start on MTV’s Laguna Beach in high school?) I also had to go see Kittenish (the adorable mother of 3 and wife to Eric Decker, Jesse James Decker’s clothing boutique)
We had reservations at Sambuca which is American food, live music, and offers a rooftop bar. We had a bottle of FAB rosé there.. and the live music played all my favorite 90’s songs! Can’t forget to stop at the wall with the “wings” for a quick pic. Milk & Honey also looked amazing- I didn’t have time to stop in but the menu looked pretty cool. Biscuit Love is right around the corner and SAME thing. Looked GREAT.
Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum
No visit to Nashville is complete without a trip to Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. To get the most out of your visit, be sure to book a group tour, which includes a recording session and line dancing at the world-famous Wildhorse Saloon. At Wildhorse Saloon, they have line dancing and there are some great restaurants there, too. The walking bridge downtown is super cute and you can see all of downtown Nashville and the Nissan Stadium from there. Bridgestone Arena is downtown, where the Nashville Predators NHL team plays. It is a super fun atmosphere so if they have a game, you should try and go! ALSO stop for praline samples on Broadway. SO GOOD. We ventured back to the Gulch that night to a sushi restaurant on M Street called Virago! M Street is so cool because it’s one destination and 6 restaurants all owned by the same person! M Street Entertainment offers an eclectic portfolio that includes Virago, Moto Cucina + Enoteca, Kayne Prime, Whiskey Kitchen, Saint Añejo and Tavern. It’s an awesome atmostphere all around with twinkle hanging lights and exposed brick. So whatever you’re in the mood for, chances are- they probably have it. I’d describe it as a chic scene!
Each restaurant is distinct in both its cuisine and atmosphere, with the M Street Signature Style firmly branded in each concept. This signature is synonymous with exceptional quality, consistency, hospitality and innovation.
Arrington Vineyards
Grande Ole Opry
Nashville Tour
Downtown Franklin
12 South
Pinewood Social in downtown Nashville
Arnolds in downtown Nashville
Hair Salons
Leiper’s Fork
Churches
Cauliflower Pizza Crust Recipe (Simply So Good)
Posted on May 16, 2019
K, SO, I’d been hearing people talk about making and buying cauliflower pizza crust for awhile and even ordered it a few times at a local restaurant. I decided it was time for me to just give it a try myself. After all, I had been having some good feedback from my cooking this year and my kitchen confidence had been recovered! (Baking is another story! HA)
I googled a few different recipes to see what everyone had been normally using, and where they’d differentiate. This one I tried was inspired from the basis of http://www.dearcrissy.com but i improvised at the grocery store for all that I put on mine!
This cauliflower pizza crust recipe makes an AMAZING dinner or even just an appetizer, and I didn’t feel so sluggish after having a couple pieces (THE WHOLE THING) as I do after eating traditional pizza! I actually kind of try to avoid pizza for meals because to me it’s hard to eat something without any nutritional value.
I thought it would be much more difficult than it was, and to my surprise, I actually made these little delicious pizzas for the next 4 days until I finally ran out of my topping ingredients! If you haven’t tried a cauliflower pizza crust recipe yet, you must. You will be amazed by the fact that it really tastes NOTHING like cauliflower. It’s like vegetable-magic!
If you’ve been wanting to try a cauliflower pizza crust recipe, now is the time, and THIS is the recipe! I hope you love it as much as we do! Super quick and EASY!
Cauliflower Pizza Crust Recipe
Ingredients:
- 1 cup riced, then cooked cauliflower (you can buy the whole head, OR buy a bag of riced cauliflower to save you the process time of washing, slicing, water removal)
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1 tsp Italian seasonings
- 1/2 tsp crushed garlic
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella (for topping)
- pizza sauce / toppings of your choice (I’ll cover what I chose in the next set of ingredients)
Instructions:
1. To rice the cauliflower, cut florets into chunks and pulse in a food processor until you see rice-like bits. You could also use a cheese grater to produce the tiny pieces. Do not over process, you don’t want mush. I just bought a bag of already riced cauli at store, super easy and I made 4 pizza crusts out of that one bag.
2. Microwave the riced cauliflower in a bowl for 5-8 minutes depending on your microwave. No need to add water. After microwaving, transfer riced cauliflower to a fine mesh strainer and drain completely, gently pressing out excess water. Once drained, transfer riced cauliflower to a clean dish towel and wrap the sides around the cauliflower while gently pressing out excess water. This drying process is important! I didn’t have to really worry about this part at all so again I’d recommend getting it riced.
3. One large head of cauliflower will yield about 3 cups of riced cauliflower. Use it to make more pizzas immediately, or store in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
4. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Spray a cookie sheet with non-stick cooking spray.
In a medium bowl, combine 1 cup riced, cooked cauliflower, 1 egg and your parmesan cheese. Next, add Italian seasonings, crushed garlic and salt. Making sure everything is well mixed, place your “dough” on the cookie sheet and pat out a 9″ round. Be sure not to press it too thin as it’s easy to create holes.
5. Bake your dough at 450 degrees for 15 minutes.
6. Remove from oven. For Traditional: Add sauce, mozzarella cheese, and your favorite pre-cooked toppings to your pizza. Place pizza under broiler just until cheese is melted, be sure to keep an eye on it! For My Toppings List: See below.
I hope you enjoy this wonderful cauliflower pizza crust recipe!
I’m really not a huge traditional pizza person. I love mixing it up, adding meats and veggies, making it more creative and interesting! That’s why I had fun with my toppings list.
My Toppings:
- Shrimp (for the lemon butter shrimp: heat 2 tbsp butter with minced shallots and garlic. place shrimp in pan, season with garlic salt and pepper and cook 3 minutes per side or until pink. Squeeze half a lemon over top!
- Sautéed Portabello Mushrooms (you can use any kind I just love thoseeee) In a pan combine with olive or avocado oil, salt and pepper and a little minced garlic)
- Butternut Squash (cube and bake on 450 for 35 min ahead of time)
- Avocado
- Tomatoes
- Fresh Basil, chopped
- Mozzarella Cheese
- Goat Cheese
- Arugula
- Olive Oil
Instructions:
- Remove your cauliflower pizza crust from oven. Sprinkle the desired amount of fresh basil, mozzarella and goat cheese onto the pizza.
- Add the sautéed mushrooms, squash, sautéed shrimp and any other toppings you’d like that can be broiled.
- Place back onto oven rack and broil until cheese melts. Watch closely, it WILL burn if you forget to take it out right away!
- Once cheese is melted you can add your arugula and avocado slides on top! I love the idea that this is basically like a salad HA. Believe me when I say, it’s one of my favorite things I’ve ever made and my NEW favorite pizza! I encourage you to just try it! It’s easier than you think and you will be amazed at how delicious it turns out!
About
Posted on May 15, 2019
I’m Hanna! I’m a business owner and professionally published model. As a former division I athlete, I continued a career into sports as I worked in Media Relations, Video Production and Game Operations for two NBA Teams: Washington Wizards and Indiana Pacers, and then as a Social Media and Account Manager for a sports branding company involved with artwork and branding for NCAA, NFL, and NBA, and now own my own design business. I met my cuban bf while on a shoot down in Miami at a gym he owned (so funny!) We both have a heart for travel, service, fitness, food, people, faith, new cultures, laughter, wine (more me than him), The Office, and so forth! My other love is my rescue, Simba, a pitbull mix who just happens to be the most loving pup! Most of the time I’m most likely exploring new cities, somewhere outdoors #doingthings, cooking up fun, healthy recipes, and creating media and fitness videos to help inspire others to get up, get out, and simply move! A few of our favorite recent trips consisted of spontaneous birthday weekend trip to Paris, a week roaming around Rome, the crystal blue, dreamy waters of Bimini and recently, Exuma, and a few salsa dances in Havana! I also wrote a fun guide for my time in Nashville.
I’m just here in attempt to spread light from the content I create. Through my blog, my vision was to offer my help with cities I’ve traveled to, lifestyle items and ideas that I have worked with so that I can share my input and personal understanding of them. The platform I’ve created has given me the chance to hopefully only speak life.
I partner with brands that I feel share a similar outlook on life as I do, value integrity, and are overall just clean and healthy.
My worldview came into focus when my focus shifted to Him, Jesus. God changes our point of view when we understand just how blurry our vision really is without Him. “My hope is that my vision would move further away from my own thoughts, opinions and interpretations- and closer to the way God sees things.” I love these words from Elisabeth Hasselback in a book I recently read because it’s always a prayer of surrender that by the power of the Holy Spirit, “I line up my point of view behind the lens of the gospel in order to see myself, others, and all that is happening as God wants me to see it.”
Romans 12:2 | Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is–His good, pleasing and perfect will.
That Sounds Delicious [HelloFresh Recipes We Love]
Posted on May 15, 2019
HEY GUYS! So this last year I’ve really enjoyed trying out tons of new recipes and sharing them on social for anyone who wants to try! I love to encourage my friends to cook! In the past, I would improvise with several healthy ingredients and it would turn out decent sometimes, sometimes not so much. I actually started cooking a lot when I began partnering with HelloFresh. This is a fairly healthy food service that delivers a box of 2-3 meals every week to your door step; all ingredients measured out, recipe card inside, good to go. The more I followed these recipes, the more confident I became, and I began to learn which ingredients worked well with each other and kind of began creating my own spin on things. If you feel like any of the following applies to you: “I’m an awful cook”, “I don’t have time to cook for my family”, “I hate going to the grocery store and planning out ingredients ahead of time”, “I need new ideas for healthy and quick recipes,” THEN a meal delivery service may be the right choice for you! I’ll just say a few additional pieces before I dive right into the real reason you’re here: EASY AND FUN HF FRESH RECIPES!!
Things I love about HelloFresh:
- I select the meals the week before (or figure it out weeks in advance!)
- Weekly box is delivered to my door.
- Recipe cards have 6 photos along with step by step instructions
- Balanced meals all done within 20-45 minutes time
- It’s given me new confidence in the kitchen and fun ideas to build from!
- $80 off code for you: HMGRIFF80 🙂 Just visit HelloFresh and you can visit my IG page @hmgriff11 to see a few HF meals I’ve prepared on my story highlights!
- They also have a wine club that pairs the right wines with your meals. I’M ALL ABOUT THAT.
My Top 5 HF Recipes
(that you can make on your own too!)
1) Rapid Butternut Squash Agnolotti with Kale in a Sage Brown Butter Sauce
2) Argentine Chimichurri Steak with a Sweet Potato, Poblano, and Tomato Jumble
3) Shrimp and Zucchini Ribbons with Basil Oil over Jasmine Rice
4) Korean Beef Bibimbap with Zucchini, Mushrooms, and Carrot
5) Chicken Pineapple Quesadillas with Pico de Gallo and Southwestern Spices
Bahamas Birthday in February [Bimini Style]
Posted on May 14, 2019
Looking into a Bahamas getaway? Have you visited Bimini yet? If you’re traveling from Florida it’s quite the easy-breezy route, a 15 minute sea plane journey to be approximate! What better place for a Bahamian getaway than just around the corner? The Bimini Islands are a quick 50 miles from Miami. Located right in the middle of the Gulf Stream, Bimini attracts hundreds of marine animals and pleasant temperatures year-round- so going in February like us, was a perfect idea, the chillier ocean temps were the only drawback + we realized after the fact that February is the only month that the island offers a dive with great hammerhead shark- WOW! Though relatively overlooked in the Caribbean, the Bimini Islands have always been popular with deep-sea fishermen. It’s a quiet island; gorgeous beaches, no cruise ships and one of the best places for a tropical vacation. Did I mention GORGEOUS beaches!? Absolutely stunning views.
Here’s a few tips to keep in mind when planning:
To Know Before You Go: Arrive in a timely fashion from the air–the best way to enjoy exhilarating views of the emerald waters! Board the Cape Air seaplane, which offers 4 daily flights from Miami in an intimate 8-seater. Or opt for the comfortable Silver Airways plane, (which we did, since the ferry was out of season) direct from Fort Lauderdale to South Bimini. Once landing, you can hop onto a ferry to North Bimini! Some hotels offer direct flights from Miami via seaplane– Resort World offers daily flights direct to the resort in North Bimini, so that is another terrific option!
Here’s a glimpse of what the view is like walking down the pool steps to the ocean.
A breathtaking sunrise taken right from the rooftop of the Hilton Bimini.
A FEW THINGS TO EXPECT WHEN PLANNING A TRIP TO BIMINI:
Bimini is the westernmost chain of islands in the Bahamas, located about 50 miles east of Miami. Bimini is made up of three islands: North Bimini, South Bimini, and East Bimini. The largest islands are North Bimini and South Bimini, so you’ll most likely stay on one of the two!
North Bimini is about seven miles long, and home to Alice Town, a collection of shops, restaurants, and bars on a road known as “The King’s Highway”. Scuba diving and snorkeling are popular activities, because there are many shipwrecks in the area that make for fun diving experiences!
South Bimini is home to the airstrip, South Bimini Airport, and offers a quiet alternative to the lively nature of North Bimini. There is a small community of homes on South Bimini known as Port Royale, and an epic nature trail.
Language: The official language is Bahamian English, so it is quite easy to converse and talk with locals!
Currency: Bahamian dollar– same value as the USD!
Credit Cards and Banks: The majority of retailers and restaurants accept debit card as payment, but it’s always a good idea to carry some cash with you. Some larger resorts may except credit cards. But keep in mind when visiting this small island destination, cash is king!
Climate: Bimini has a warm and tropical climate– averaging 70 degrees in the winter and 80 degrees in the summer months. The rainy season in the Bahamas runs from May to October, and October and June are the wettest two months.
HOW DO WE GET AROUND THE BIMINI ISLANDS?
The greatest way to get around the gorgeous 7-mile North Bimini is with a golf cart or bike! Shuttles are usually a little slower, making them a secondary, not best option for cruising down King’s Highway for some snacks or souvenir-shopping.
Taxi: Bimini is so small that cars are limited. Taxi service is available by telephone, radio (VHF Channel 68), or you can flag one down on the street. We never actually found any use for one so didn’t experience it.
Boat: There is a daily ferry between North and South Bimini. We only used this to and from the airport (which is quite small, but you might want to bring a book for the way home, as we sat inside a very tiny terminal for a few hours before boarding our flight
Golf Cart: The main form of rental transportation available on North Bimini is a golf cart. You can also rent a bicycle to get around. Pedestrians should remember to first look right and then left before crossing streets. For maximum mobility, pick up a golf cart ($75-90 per day) first thing in the morning before they sell out!!
Bicycle: You can find several bike rental spots on the islands.
Check with your hotel to see if they supply any bikes/ golf carts before renting from a vendor. You never know, they could offer them right in front! We actually rented a golf cart this day and took it down to the other side of the island where we stumbled upon a ship wreck!
Location: Alice Town, North Bimini
These are cute, pastel villas available. Seaside, and several pools on the property and gorgeous oceanic views.
HILTON at RESORT WORLDS BIMINI
Location: North Bimini, new as of 2017! This is taken on the rooftop pool deck 🙂
We stayed here and oh, it was absolutely perfect. Breathtaking sunrises and sunsets. Since we went in the off peak month, I think we were one of just a few other couples in the entire hotel! The casino connected had amazing food too.
We absolutely loved the infinite pools that overlooked the clear blue ocean! Who knew?!
This sunset shot was taken from the Hilton’s Fitness room! UH-mazing.
I have a feeling this little location right here would make an awesome wedding or events’ venue! Talk about an incredible view. (It’s elevated on a cliff-like level)
Highlights
- Exciting Caribbean water activities and unique shore excursions plus 2 pools
- On property casino featuring table games, slots and sports book
- Many restaurants and bars with a variety of cuisines
- Beach Bums Kids Activity Center, games and family beach
- Suites and deluxe rooms with marina and resort views
On this night, we drove our little golf cart to dinner at Big Game Resort where we were told they would be feeding the bull sharks! It was a lot of fun and casual atmosphere.
MUST EAT:
STUART’S CONCH STAND
The Conch Salad is Bimini’s main claim to fame–a tasty mixture of tomatoes, green peppers, onions, raw conch, orange and lime juice spiced with Scotch Bonnet peppers. Never have I ever had a conch salad so FRESH! Nobody does it better than Stuart’s, a beachside wooden hut and favorite with the locals. We actually saw it on the following week’s episode of The Bachelor! We enjoyed some Bahamian beer too! I miss that pink!
More Restaurant Recs:
1, 2, 3 FLOOR BAR
EDITH’S PIZZA
SCANTS JERK
SHERRY’S PARADISE BEACH BAR
What To Do:
SNORKEL AT THE SAPONA WRECK
Dive down to the floating Prohibition-era liquor cargoship, which ran aground in a 1926 hurricane. The tip of the boat is visible above water, making it perfect for snorkeling. You’ll find every form of coral, sponges and lobsters here!
DIVE WITH GREAT HAMMERHEADS (SEASONAL)
The best time to visit Bimini is in February, the month when huge hammerheads collect off the coast of Bimini. This is the only time of the year you can swim with these shy animals–so don’t miss your chance to get up close and personal! Join a qualified diver for this fun and unique dive of a lifetime. If you’re lucky, you’ll even catch the shark feed at Triangle Rocks Reef.
SAILING
If you don’t have your own sailboat, you can rent one from the marina and take it out for the afternoon.
SNORKEL WITH SHARKS:
The Bimini underwater is a rich playground for snorkelers and divers. The crystal-clear water makes for unforgettable swims with fish and coral….and SHARKS.
NATURE WALK
On the Bimini Nature Hiking Trail you’ll learn a lot: ecology, wildlife, history. Guided tours are led by professionals. You’ll find birds, iguanas and the endemic Bimini Boa that call the islands home!
BE A BEACH BUM
I mean, what would the Caribbean be without the beach! The islands’ top three are Radio Beach, Blister Beach and Spook Hill Beach, plus a couple of really cool cays more south.
Hanna G 