Light: Bruce Munro exhibit at Cheekwood

Last night we got the opportunity to step onto the Cheekwood property for the lighting of their new exhibit, Light: Bruce Munro at Cheekwood.

This is the British artist’s second-ever North American exhibition of Light and he was on hand to give us a personal guided tour through his stunning outdoor and indoor art installations.

We were floored by just how down-to-earth Munro is—incredibly humble, chit chatting with everyone in attendance, cracking jokes about himself, and encouraging everyone not to over-complicate his work but instead just enjoy its beauty.

Bell Chandelier
One of my favorites! It is a stunning chandelier of cascading optical fibers in the center of the mansion’s rotunda staircase which makes it accessible from all angles.

Light Shower
A site specific installation of 1,400 teardrop-shaped diffusers in the Mansion Loggia.

Fagin’s Urchins
Created especially for Cheekwood’s reflecting pool, this one is beautiful at twilight.

Field of Light
The star of the show—comprised of 20,000 lighted glass spheres and gracing the grounds in front of Cheekwood’s mansion—this installation must be seen in person.

Water-Towers
Comprised of 40 structures built out of one-liter recyclable plastic bottles filled with water and optical fibers connected to an LED projector and audio system.

While the images here are beautiful, you really MUST go and see it for yourself. It is indescribable in person and something I can guarantee you’ve never seen.

— Katie Jacobs, Creative Director

Find out what else is happening in our What to Do This Weekend review — and enter our contest for a 2014 commemorate Light calendar with some of the featured light sculptures.

Light: Bruce Munro at Cheekwood
May 24 – November 10
Wednesday, Thursday and Friday’s until 11 p.m.
Adults: $15

A sneak peek at the awe-inspiring new Music City Center

There are plenty of reasons to get excited about Nashville’s new Music City Center (MCC), which opens to the public this Sunday, May 19. There is the intricate architecture and design (spearheaded by Nashville-based firms Tuck Hinton Architects, Moody-Nolan Architects and Atlanta-based TVS Design), the four-acre green roof, the massive eight-acre exhibition hall floor, and 57,000-square-foot Grand Ballroom which mimics the interior of a guitar. The chef is sourcing from a number of Tennessee farms and can produce up to 20,000 meals per day; the building’s entire energy consumption is offset by 845 solar panels; and there are 32 loading docks hidden away off Korean Veterans Boulevard.

What we were most inspired by, though, was the generous display of local art used throughout the entire building. Senior Art Consultant Rich Boyd, who previously worked with the Tennessee Arts Commission, helped secure the 101 pieces that now hang in the MCC and explained that 50 of the 59 artists on display are from Tennessee. The Center’s $2 million budget paid for 8 site-specific art installations, including “Composition” (below) by Aaron Stephan, which takes inspiration from small model-making kits and “Euphony,” an arrangement of 25 miles of stainless steel chain cascading down from a 1,400-pound ring, which was created by L.A.-based Ball-Nogues Studio.

“Composition” by Aaron Stephan

“Euphony” by Ball-Nogues Studio

Photographs by local designer Bob Delevante

The Center’s Public Art Committee also sifted through 2,500 submissions, eventually acquiring artwork for 62 different spaces throughout the building. Local artists represented include Fisk University professor Alicia Henry,  photographer and Watkins faculty Caroline Allison (below), Brentwood-native Jamaal Sheats, and mixed media artist Carrie McGee. Next to each piece of art, you’ll find plaques describing the art, along with a QR code that will eventually lead you to more information about the artist (those details are still being put into place, says Boyd.)

Art tours will be available starting June 1, allowing the public to access this massive collection, as well as the interior of the stunning structure itself.

“Ivy Green. Tuscumbia, Alabama” by Caroline Allison

“Intimacy and Peace” by Alicia Henry

Find out what else is happening this weekend (May 17-19) in Nashville!

The Grand Opening of Music City Center kicks off this Sunday, May 19 at 1:30 p.m. with a Community Open House and live entertainment lasting through Monday night. For details, go to nashvillemusiccitycenter.com.

MCC By The Numbers:
7,300+ people worked on the construction of the building
1.2 million square feet of public space
11,000 tons of steel; 12,000 tons of rebar
150 feet high at its tallest point
18,000 stackable chairs
20,000 meals-per-day kitchen capability
35,000 pieces of china
$130 million spent with minority, small, and women-owned businesses

Announcing Music City Eats, coming this September

Yesterday afternoon, we dropped by City House to hear about the forthcoming Music City Eats festival scheduled for September 21 & 22, 2013. Clearly, this event has the full support of the city behind it as the announcement was hosted by the NCVB president and CEO Butch Spyridon, Mayor Karl Dean, and the Kings of Leon drummer and lead singer Nathan and Caleb Followill, the latter of which is the brainchild of this exciting new food and music event. The two-day fest will feature a who’s who of  powerhouse culinary talent, including Tom Colicchio, Giada De Laurentiis, Michael Symon, Trisha Yearwood, and Jonathan Waxman, as well as about 20 local luminaries, including Tandy Wilson (City House), Deb Paquette (Etch), and Otaku South’s Sarah Gavigan.

“When I first dreamed up this event, I thought, how do we get more chefs to come to town and understand the beauty of Nashville’s food scene,” said Caleb. “Food is becoming as big a part of this city as music,” he added.

“We’re all in. Financially, as a marketing partner. We’ve committed this date to the future,” said Spyridon. Mayor Karl Dean echoed the sentiment, saying he was on board in supporting the event, adding that  “Nashville is going through a renaissance.”

The event, which is produced by C3 Presents (the Austin Food & Wine Festival; Austin City Limits) will be anchored at Public Square Park and feature a Harvest Night event, showcasing national chef talent, Petty Fest, an all-star musical review, and the two-day Flavors of Nashville featuring food from local chefs plus wine, beer, and spirits. We’ll keep you posted as more details emerge.

Tickets go on sale this Friday, May 17 at 10 a.m. with packages starting at $275.

— Erin B. Murray

Tasting A Finer Tequila

While many consider Mexico’s independence an excuse to sling back cheap margaritas, we think a better use of your time (and liver) is to discover a higher-end brand of tequila. A recent tasting of Herradura’s line of blanco, silver, reposado and añejo had us reconsidering what we’re putting on the rocks with a rim of salt. ¡Salud!

— El Jimador – Spanish for “agave farmer,” this everyday drinking tequila is 100 percent blue agave that goes down easy but still has that rich, tequila bite. If margaritas are on the menu, reach for this Mexican best seller.

— Herradura Silver – Tequila classifications say “silver” designations don’t need to be aged but Herradura lets theirs rest for about 45 days in American white oak barrels, giving it a hint of smoothness. Try this in a Paloma, mixed with a grapefruit soda like Fresca.

— Herradura Reposado – Sitting in oak barrels for 11 months gives this tequila (the first Reposado that appeared in the U.S.) its lovely amber hue but also imparts a soft, round finish.

— Herradura Añejo – This velvety juice is aged for more than two years (twice as long as the industry standard) giving it notes of smoke and caramel. Serve this chilled at the end of the meal to savor until it warms up in the glass.

— Herradura Selección Suprema – With a pour from this elegantly cut glass bottle, you’ve moved beyond tequila and into the realm of rare, special occasion liquor—especially since bottles of this extra añejo can fetch upwards of $350 (Cantina Laredo has it for a steal at $48 a glass). Aged for four years, it rolls around the mouth like caramel and should only be enjoyed at room temperature.

We’ve already got a recipe ready for you to try out your tequila new-found knowledge. Mix up a Herradura Brisa on NashvilleLifestyles.com!

Available at most liquor retailers and Cantina Laredo, 592 12th Ave. S. (615) 259-9282; cantinalaredo.com

Surviving Steeplechase

It’s time for Steeplechase! One of Nashville’s most iconic spring events, it’s also one of the city’s fastest sporting events. But that doesn’t stop folks from celebrating all day and into the night. We’ve gathered a few of our favorite “Steeplechase Survival Moments” from our own staff and readers. Here are a few of the best:

“One of my first years attending Steeplechase as an ‘adult’ (seated in the prestigious box section instead of the infield), there was a well-known woman in the next box over with the most gorgeous hat she had carefully created using fresh flowers from her garden. It was covered with large, vibrant blossoms and  absolutely stunning. Turns out we weren’t the only ones ‘buzzing’ about it. Between the hat and all of the mint juleps in our box, we were completely swarmed by bees the entire day. I spent the afternoon dealing with a big, swollen sting on my leg.”
— Stacie Standifer

“We always take a party bus to ensure everyone has a safe ride home. One year our party bus had a DJ booth, complete with disco balls and everything. On the ride home, one of the young ladies dressed in her fancy Steeplechase dress and hat stole the microphone from the “official DJ” and busted out a full rap to Eminem! Proof that in Nashville everyone really does think they can sing, or in this case, rap.”
— Amanda Kinzer

“To start the day we had to go door-to-door to find our ‘crew’ before we could even depart for Steeplechase. Then Kaitlin had to sacrifice her underwear for the betterment of society (due to a friend forgetting hers and making the rookie mistake of wearing an extremely short dress). At the end of the day, we lost our crew again, but then found them as we were pulling out of the gates. Moments later the owner of our car and her friend hiked 3 miles back to center field from Highway 100 to find their phones…which they lost because they decided to jump over a fence. Four hours later a Metro Officer knocks on the car window to ask us if we’re missing something. Very concerned that we didn’t know the correct answer, we respond “2 girls”. His answer “are you sure not 3?” and he opens up the back if his squad car and out came our missing friends plus one more. I was told “don’t let me find them again”. In order to survive Steeplechase, one must leash their crew like toddlers in Disney World.”
— Kaitlin Grigsby & Elisabeth Oliphint

“My brother was a record producer back in the  80′s when someone talked him into attending the Iroquois. He was not amused with the hats and the khakis and the pink shirts on men, but he was talked into to placing a bet on a horse. He looked over the field and made his selection as his friends encouraged him on. “It will be fun”, they told my brother “if you place a large amount of money on a race!?

They went on and on about how much fun the race would be with a friendly wager riding on it… he bet,  the horse ran, then the horse got to the first hedge, stopped, looked over at the crowd—no kidding—walked around the hedge and continued the race. My brother was not amused and has not returned. He really should try again!”
— LaRawn Scaife Rhea

Behind the Scenes with American Picker, Mike Wolfe

Our good buddy Mike Wolfe catches up on past issues of Nashville Lifestyles (who knew this local celeb was an avid NL reader?)

Mike’s motorcycles are spread throughout the house, including one in the dining room, one in the bedroom, and several in the basement.

Get the rest of our in-home tour with Mike on NashvilleLifestyles.com!

Spring Fashion tips from Stylist Tina Adams

Keeping up to date on fashion trends, especially those that can be translated into an office wardrobe, is a seemingly endless pursuit. And while the staff of Nashville Lifestyles is lucky enough to be in direct communication regularly with some of the city’s top style experts, we rarely take the time to get one-on-one consultation. But last week, we changed that and took the time to visit with Tina Adams, a wardrobe consultant who has her own Nashville-based firm.

You might be thinking: She probably works with stars—is she accessible? In fact, Adams works with everyday people. “Our clients are budget conscious, just like you,” she told our team. She stressed that wardrobe consulting should not be reserved as a luxury service but rather an investment that will help save time and money for everyday women.

Adams’ services range from a starter package (a Style Session, closet evaluation and eventually a virtual lookbook tailored to your own closet) to a full wardrobe makeover for couples. To us, the virtual lookbook alone is worth the price (the consultation rates range from $850 to $2500), since it includes for up to 80 images of put together “outfits” from your own closet.

For our team, Adams offered up a number of essential items for spring 2013 as well as a few rules to live by. As for the rules: She is a big fan of neutrals as they give more mix-and-match options; she recommends not overspending on trends; and she suggests always being prepared with strappy heels and jewelry to transition from day to night.

And here are Tina Adams’ new business casual must-haves for spring…

1. White Jeans
2. Ankle Pant
3. Sheath
4. White T-Shirt
5. Chambray Top
6. Menswear-inspired Blazer
7. Wedge or Dress Flat
8. Statement Necklace
+ An oversized watch and a structured tote.

Her delivery was both helpful and firm, meaning we knew exactly which wardrobe items we should keep and which we should try to replace. Plus, she not only provided us with a solid sense of what works and what doesn’t when it comes to office attire… but also a cheat sheet on where to find the best deals (hint: UAL, TJ Maxx Home Goods in Brentwood, and the Savvy department at Nordstrom).

For more information or to book a consultation, go to tinaadamsconsulting.com.

And don’t miss our Style Spotlight on local leathergoods maker, Emil Erwin.

—Nashville Lifestyles