Month: August 2014

Leave a comment Posted on food reviews, Health, reviews, Uncategorized, vegan

Vegan Review Of The Farm House In Downtown Nashville

Even though I live just about 12 miles from the glory and fame of downtown Nashville, I only end up there a couple times each year…

Vegan Review Of The Farm House In Downtown Nashville

But last week while attending the Lexus NX Press Preview at Union Station Hotel, we car reviewers were treated to dinner at a high end restaurant called The Farm House; featuring the music of Jeff Hyde and Jeremy Spillman.

We got to ride a trolley there…

Vegan Review Of The Farm House In Downtown Nashville by Nick Shell

One of the things that tremendously sets The Farm House apart is that the food they offer is local. Their slogan is “local farms create local plates.”

That’s impressive, seriously!

However, The Farm House’s food truly is fresh- because the food didn’t have to travel that far to the plate.

Vegan Review Of The Farm House In Downtown Nashville by Nick Shell

It’s a very relevant idea that I believe will becoming more of a trend. But The Farm House is already doing it.

Perhaps the true test of how good a restaurant really is, is to have a vegan like me to do the review:

When you strip away the rich flavor of meat, eggs, and dairy from a meal, you get to really find out how good the food actually is or isn’t.

I can confirm that I was not disappointed in the least with my meal. As peculiar as it may sound, my meal was a huge bowl full of garden vegetables including potatoes, okra, tomatoes, and eggplant; varying from pickled, seasoned, and fried.

Vegan Review Of The Farm House In Downtown Nashville by Nick Shell

It was a complete delight! And so hearty.

(It reminded me of a month ago when I visited my parents in Alabama. They have an all organic, non-GMO garden. For a few meals during our family’s visit, we simply ate grilled garden veggies.)

For dessert at The Farm House, I had cantaloupe sherbet infused with chili powder. It was a lot of fun.

As you can see from my photo collage above, I am not the only one to say that The Farm House is a truly respectable establishment. (It was the winner of the 2014 OpenTable Diner’s Choice.)

I predict that if you end up at The Farm House, you will be pleased. I definitely was.

Vegan Review Of The Farm House In Downtown Nashville by Nick Shell

 And if you’re curious about other stories I’ve written that feature the Lexus NX…

I now invite you to view the Lexus NX Press Release Flickr page, as well as the completely library of posts I’ve published on the 2015 Lexus RX:

The “True Grit, Pure Grace” Lexus NX Press Preview In Nashville, TN

2015 Lexus NX Review/Preview Across The Natchez Trace Parkway Bridge

Vegan Review Of The Farm House In Downtown Nashville

2015 Lexus NX 200t: 10 Professional Photos

2015 Lexus NX 300h: 11 Professional Photos

2015 Lexus NX 200t F Sport: 13 Professional Photos

Luxury Package of 2015 Lexus NX 200t F Sport: 7 Professional Photos

2015 Lexus NX: A Flickr Link To Professional Photos

Thanks for stopping by. Be on the look-out for more of my reviews on the Lexus/Toyota/Scion family!

1 Comment Posted on parenting, Storytelling, Uncategorized

Dear Jack: I Feel Like I’m Getting My Life Back, Part 2

3 years, 8 months.

Continued from Dear Jack: I Feel Like I’m Getting My Life Back, Part 1.

Dear Jack,

snail shell

I sort of feel like an actor who had a steady gig on a popular sitcom that ended.

This is my time to regroup and figure out who I am apart from the magazine I wrote for the past 3 years.

Keep in mind, you are currently 3 years, 8 months old.

That means for the majority of your life, at least two hours of each day of mine was consumed with me keeping the blog up.

I did 25 posts a month; over 1,000 different posts during those 3 years. That’s a lot of hours!

Now that I’m choosing to only do around 3 posts per week, half of what I’m used to, I find myself with more free time on my hands and less stress.

I really paid my dues as a daddy blogger and now I get to be on cruise control. It’s nice to sort of sit back and just watch you be a kid; not feeling that I have to constantly be writing a story about what I see in front of me.

I no longer am preoccupied when I come home, thinking about needing to check my email to see what my editors had to say or how the blog did that day.

Nor do I have to always be writing; sacrificing sleep and quality time with you and Mommy.

Just now, I finished Rocky on Netflix. I have time to watch movies now! That concept is very awesome to me.

I have more undivided time for both you and Mommy. I am liking life a lot more now.

It sounds weird, but I’m realizing that I am laughing out loud and smiling more now. I’m a happier person.

So much stress is off my shoulders and my brain. I feel like I’m getting my life back. And by “my life,” that always means you and Mommy.

 

Love,

Daddy

1 Comment Posted on parenting, Storytelling, Uncategorized

Dear Jack: I Feel Like I’m Getting My Life Back, Part 1

3 years, 8 months.

snail California

Dear Jack,

It’s been a month now since I revealed to you that for the past 3 years of your life, I had been the daddy blogger of Parents.com, known as The Dadabase. I will always be grateful for those years; for the experience and credibility I received as a writer.

I also can’t deny that the supplemental income that came with the job was quite helpful. It helped get our family out of debt and has helped us start saving our down payment on our next house.

Not to mention, would I be gaining any notoreity in the car review world if it weren’t for the platform that writing for a major magazine gave me? Nope.

Just a few days ago, I was invited as one of America’s car review bloggers to cover the big Lexus NX reveal. And ultimately, I have Parents.com to thank for elevating my career and giving me the kind of visibility and connections that live on even after the contract ended.

I thank God for Parents.com seeking me out. I have always considered that a miracle; especially because it happened at a dark time in my life. I am eternally grateful for my 3 years writing for Parents.com and will always think the world of them. I still can’t believe they picked me and kept me all that time.

They indirectly taught me to write and think more professionally. I totally see that now.

Granted, I was never famous. (I was, however, a candidate for both Katie Couric’s show and Steve Harvey’s show. They had their people calling me, halfway trying to recruit me to come on their shows. Ultimately, I don’t think I was “shticky” enough for the character I needed to play for their segments.)

Now that I no longer have a major publication attached to my name, I’m finding myself as a regular guy now; a normal dad who happens to have his own daddy blog.

To Be Continued… 

Dear Jack: I Feel Like I’m Getting My Life Back, Part 2.

 

Love,

Daddy