A new day, and with it, new possibilities.
I was especially excited to see the full-scale replica of the goddess Athena statue housed in the Parthenon at Centennial Park. As had become our routine, we started the day with a light breakfast and drove the short 2.5 miles to the park.
At first, we were puzzled—there didn’t seem to be a clear entrance to the Parthenon. We almost gave up, thinking it might be closed, but decided to walk the grounds anyway. And wouldn’t you know it— lo and behold, we found the entrance tucked away below the main structure.
Figure 1: Athena in all her glory, Parthenon
Elated, we purchased our tickets and stepped into the cool, air-conditioned museum. Originally constructed in the late 1800s for an exposition, Nashville’s Parthenon now houses donated paintings and sculptures, with Athena’s golden statue as the star attraction. Towering and majestic, she left us in awe. We wandered through the galleries, admiring the artwork and marveling at how—even today—restoration and reconstruction efforts face unexpected challenges despite modern tools.
Figure 2: Beautiful Armenian woman portrait, Parthenon, Nashville
We took our time, soaking in the art and architecture, and of course, snapping plenty of photos. Afterward, we strolled through Centennial Park’s neatly manicured grounds, capturing some more moments beneath the overcast sky.
Figure 3: “Hot” spicy level, Hattie-B’s, Nashville
Next stop: Hattie B’s, for their famous hot chicken sandwich —with spice levels ranging from “Southern” to “Shut the Cluck Up.” We took on the heat with brave hearts and sweating brows, washing it all down with their cool, creamy banana pudding. Pro tip: don’t underestimate the spice scale.
Fully satisfied, it was time to pay a visit to one of Nashville’s most iconic landmarks: the Country Music Hall of Fame. As if on cue, the weather turned stormy just as we arrived—perfect timing to be indoors.
Figure 4: Taylor Swift’s ERAs tour guitar with lucky “13”, Country Music Hall of Fame, Nashville
Some highlights from our visit:
- Dolly Parton’s section, complete with her dazzling dresses and charm.
- Taylor Swift’s Swarovski-studded guitar with her lucky number “13.”
- Elvis Presley’s solid gold Cadillac, equipped with a TV and an ice maker, naturally.
- Webb Pierce’s outlandishly customized Pontiac Bonneville, adorned with silver dollars, six-shooters, and a pair of steer horns.
- And walls upon walls of gold and platinum records from legends like Elvis, Patsy, and Johnny.
Figure 5: Webb Pierce’s Pontiac Bonneville with six shooters, Nashville
Figure 6: Wall covered with silver, golden, and platinum records, Nashville
The museum offered a fascinating look into the larger-than-life personas of country stars—and the lifestyles to match. By the time we stepped outside, it was pouring, and the ponchos came out in full force.
Figure 7: Broadway Couple, Nashville
We made our way to Broadway, braving the drizzle for a round of spirited moonshine and bourbon tasting at Nashville Barrel.
Figure 8: You become a dancer, Nashville Barrel Company
Mitu tried “Wooshine”, a sweet, flavored moonshine, while Abhai went straight for the bold stuff: barrel-aged bourbons. Nidhi and I passed this round, having already enjoyed plenty of wine throughout the trip.
With the rain settling in, we headed back to the hotel for a restful afternoon siesta.
Figure 9: Enjoying diversity, Assembly Food Hall, Nashville
Evening brought us to the lively Assembly Food Hall, a culinary playground with dishes from around the world: Vietnamese, Mediterranean, Italian, Japanese, Indian, Mexican—you name it. Nidhi and I gravitated toward the familiar and flavorful, ordering samosa chaat and chicken tikka masala from Saffron Kitchen. We finished on a sweet note with a couple of macarons.
Figure 10: Broadway lit up, Nashville
After dinner, we returned to Broadway for another dose of people-watching and picked up a few more souvenirs.
Figure 11: Parthenon in the night, Nashville
Since we loved seeing the Parthenon earlier, we were curious to catch it lit up at night, so we took another quick drive back to Centennial Park—this time just to click some cool nighttime photos. The structure, glowing softly under the night sky, looked even more majestic, like a scene straight out of mythology.
Then, back at the Margaritaville resort, Nidhi and I slipped away to the Fins rooftop pool, where we enjoyed (overly sweet) margaritas from the hotel bar under the evening sky.
We capped off the night in Abhai’s room, sipping wine, swapping stories, and sharing laughter—the perfect gupshup to end a full, satisfying day in Music City.