Merry Christmas from OBX

Wishing you a Merry Christmas from the Outer Banks of North Carolina!

xoxo,
Jeff, Jennifer and Plinko

Aruba, Thanksgiving and a Visit from the Schoenys

December 6-10 – Aruba
With the help of an incredible Travelocity silent auction prize from my days in the NYC office and a pair of free round-trip tickets on JetBlue, we celebrated Jenn’s 31st birthday (December 10th) in Aruba. We had a fabulous four-night stay at the Radisson Aruba Resort and Casino – unquestionably one of the most relaxing trips we have taken. We didn’t do much in the way of sightseeing or excursions, but we did plenty of lounging around at our oceanfront (beach hut), enjoying Balashi beer and sampling some of the freshest fish in the Caribbean. We met some great people down there and really enjoyed ourselves. We highly recommend this fabulous island and the Radisson for anyone in need of a relaxing escape from reality. Although it certainly wasn’t the most direct route, we flew through New York and were able to also enjoy a birthday dinner on Long Island with Joanne and Len. Happy Hanukkah y’all!
Photos >

November 21-26 – Thanksgiving in New York
Despite all of the hype about traveling on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, we expected the worst and were pleasantly surprised to have absolutely no problems at all getting to New York for Thanksgiving on one of the busiest travel days of the year. A great Turkey Day dinner with Joanne, Len, Jonathan, Audrey and Michael was followed on Friday by a fun visit with Grandma Ruth, Mark, Dee, Cindy, Heath, Hannah, Spencer and Brett. On Saturday night we had a great time catching up with some friends in NYC at Divine Bar. Kim, Leigh, Doug, Pat and Flo (we still can’t get over that awesome surprise!) represented. On Sunday, we met little William Jackson (it was great to see you too, Bill and Christine!), Jenn scored her bridal party dress for Heather and Dave’s wedding and we chowed down with the Schoenys, Melissa and Mike at Michael’s new restaurant in Long Beach. We also snuck in quick visits with Nick, Leslie and Sam and Cappy and Chis before our long weekend came to an end and we were on our way back to Music City. It was definitely great to see everyone and hope to see many more of you the next time we're in town!

November 9-11 – A Visit From the Schoenys
For the second time in a month, we pulled off a Nashville sports hat trick – a Vandy football game, Predators hockey game and Titans football game. Not bad for a 24-hour stretch! We had a great time with Joanne and Len (hope we didn’t wear you out!) and look forward to their next trip to Music City. Maybe we can plan a Vandy baseball/basketball weekend in the spring?!

Recent birthday shout outs … Damion G., Angie S., Pat S., Sara A., Victor S., Jack M., Kayla M., Michael P., Jeff V., Scott L., Rebecca T., Sam L., Shana D., Jen F., and last but certainly not least … Plinko the Cat!

Until next time …

The Schwartzys Visit Nashville

On the day that Jeff celebrated the 10-month anniversary of his move to Nashville, Mark and Dee landed in Music City for a three-day visit. We had an absolute blast, with great music (Legends Corner, Second Fiddle and the incredible Bluebird Cafe -- what a show!), great food (Demo's, 417 Union, Loveless Cafe and Big River Grille) and great sightseeing (Vanderbilt campus and Country Music Hall of Fame - above photo). We hope you come back again soon -- maybe for the 'Sound and Speed' event in January or the Country Music 1/2 Marathon in April? Next up ... a Nashville sports weekend with the Schoenys this upcoming weekend!
Weekend photo gallery >

Happy Halloween, Y'all!

Happy Halloween from Music City!

xoxo
Jeff, Jenn and Plinko

New York to Nashville... a visit from the boys

Moving away from family and friends was the toughest part about our relocation to Nashville. But, as many people often say when a friend moves to a new city, “Well, it just gives me a new place to visit.” This past weekend, some of Jeff’s New York buddies made the trip down to Nashville for a weekend of catching up and throwing a few back.

Ira, Ken, Mike, Nick and Vinny arrived on Friday afternoon and we spent most of the night downtown at the honky tonks on Lower Broadway (with a stop at Jack’s BBQ, of course). Saturday started with a brunch at our condo (great work, Jenn!), before heading to The Flying Saucer for an afternoon of brewskis and college football. Thanks to the Red Door on Division St. for the 2-for-1 Stoli-o shots en route to the Vandy-Georgia game. The Commodores lead 17-7 at halftime and almost pulled off the upset before fumbling late in the game and losing by a field goal (20-17). While it was easy to blame the loss on the fumble and lack of offense in the 2nd half, one should not overlook the “Nocerino Shirt Factor.” Before buying (and wearing) his Vandy t-shirt…17 points and a ton of momentum. After putting the shirt on…nothing but donuts. Hmmmmmm…

After the game, we hit the Tin Roof on Demonbreun St., before making the unwise call to visit White Castle at 2am. All we can say is, next time, go with the Golden Arches (am I right Mike, Nick and Vin?). Thanks for a great weekend, boys! It was great to show you around Nashville a bit (there actually is a LOT more to see) and hope to see you back down here soon for Round 2 next year! Titans game? Preds game? BlackBerry Google searches at Tin Roof?

Weekend photo album >

Putting the Music in Music City

We moved to Music City for many reasons, but the opportunity to attend concerts and musical events featuring some of the best singers, musicians and songwriters in the world has only enhanced our incredible nine months down here. Over the past few weeks, we attended two incredible shows that any country music fan would want to be a part of.

The first show was a Carriage House Music Series show at historic Belle Meade Plantation (a former thoroughbred nursery famous for breeding and training championship race horses ... recent Kentucky derby winners like Funny Cide and Barbarro, even racing legends like Secretariat and Seabiscuit can trace their bloodlines back to the breeding stock at Belle Meade). The two-hour session showcased hit songwriters Rivers Rutherford, Carolyn Dawn Johnson, Brett James and Tim Nichols (R to L, above photo). The show, which was taped for future airing on XM Satellite Radio’s Music City Connection: Heroes Behind the Hits, was truly awesome. It’s impressive to hear a hit song on the radio recorded by a major country artist, but in our opinion, it’s even more impressive to listen to that song performed live by the actual songwriter immediately after hearing the story behind the song from the writer who penned it!

The second show was also taped by XM for the Music City Connection: Heroes Behind the Hits series and featured Nashville’s “Piano Man,” Phil Vassar, along with Tim Ryan and Tom Douglas. The event, held at the Musicians Hall of Fame in downtown Nashville, was another impressive blend of musical talent and songwriting creativity. We had never seen Vasser and he didn’t disappoint. Wow, can that guy play the piano like very few people can! Thanks to the Nashville Convention & Visitors Bureau for putting on an incredible show!

Two Sides of a Cypress Wall

Congrats to our buddy Joel Frey on publishing Two Sides of a Cypress Wall, a true story about a reluctant college graduate trying to land that first job out of college. Joel, a former co-worker at Travelocity (in Dallas) and an all-around incredible guy, spent his college days at Middle Tennessee State University about 30 miles south of Nashville. Here’s a quick breakdown of the book, which I encourage all of you to buy!

Despite a solid GPA, several glowing letters of recommendation, and being named “Outstanding News-Editorial Graduate” by his journalism professors, no one seemed to care about Joel Frey after he completed his undergraduate studies. With no employer seeking his “semi-professional” services, he left school behind and crashed with his mom and dad. He worked a couple of jobs that did not require a degree. He drank too much and escaped to the comfort of old friends whenever the opportunity arose. Most of all, he wondered what it was going to take to shake off the desire to be nothing more than a carefree college kid. Two Sides of a Cypress Wall is a bittersweet story of coping with the discovery that life in your early twenties is more than just finding a real job.

Good luck with the book, Joel! And definitely let us know when you and Heather will be back in Music City!

Our 'Unofficial' End to Summer

What a way to 'unofficially' bid farewell to summer! Typically Labor Day weekends of years past usually involved squeezing in some final beach time in Long Beach, NY. But since we’re now land-locked in Music City, we were forced to find some alternatives to our usual adventures in the sand.

On Friday, we ushered in the weekend with a night at the Frist Center for the Visual Arts. On the last Friday of each month in the summer, a musical guest performs under the stars in the courtyard. This was our first ‘Frist Friday’ and we had the chance to hear Lee Roy Parnell perform. Parnell, a Texas-born and bred country rocker, has written songs for some top notch artists such as Willie Nelson and George Strait, and was awesome!

Saturday was all about one thing … college football! After watching Virginia Tech roll past Eastern Carolina, we followed the Appalachian State-Michigan upset as it unfolded (go ASU!) and the Penn State thrashing of Florida International. We then got a taste of our first Vanderbilt football game, a really fun experience. Despite Vandy’s recent struggles, it was quite evident that SEC football dominates in the south. The fans down here follow each SEC game like it was their last – it’s pretty crazy! The Commodores blasted past the Richmond Spiders and now await Nick Saban and the Alabama Crimson Tide next week at Vandy.

On Sunday, we made the quick drive out to The Hermitage, the home of our 7th President, Andrew Jackson. This property, about 15 miles east of downtown Nashville, has such history and is an incredible 1,000 acres in size. It was really interesting to step back in time and learn about the history of this property and the Jackson family – definitely a quality afternoon. Sunday night brought more music back into our weekend, as we spent a few hours at the Music City J.A.M. (Jazz and More) in Riverfront Park downtown. Following Brian McKnight’s headlining performance, an incredible fireworks show lit up the downtown sky (kind of like the Mets lit up the Braves in their 3-game series!).

Mondays typically mean a 6:30am wake up call, but not today. This Labor Day we slept till 9am and then went for a 4-mile run downtown (wow, was it hot!). After spending some QT with Mr. Plinko in the condo we went over to Centennial Park (across from the Vandy campus) and enjoyed an afternoon of free country music. ‘Country Music in the Park,’ an event put on by the Nashville CVB and Metro Parks, featured performances by the Dirt Drifters, Luke Bryan, Pam Tillis and Diamond Rio. Another great time.

What a weekend! With the help of NowPlayingNashville.com, this was definitely a busy and eventful 'unofficial' end to summer! Until next time …

Blog Slackers

OK, OK, it's been a month since we last updated the blog. Can you say 'slackers'?! But, hey ... it's been a busy four weeks! What have we been so wrapped up with? Take a read and find out ...

Our trip to North Cackalacky (Jul. 28-Aug. 5)
We had an INCREDIBLE week in the Outer Banks of North Carolina, a special place for both of us. Jenn and her family have been making the annual summer trek down to this incredible barrier island region since the early 1990s and Jeff made his first trip to OBX with Jenn in September 2000 (our first trip together as a couple). The house that we rented (with Joanne and Len, Jonathan and Audrey, Roger and Pam Dallek, and Katie and Kayla Moore) was a 1/2 block from the beach and had an awesome in-ground pool in the back yard. To say that the weather was perfect is definitely an understatement. We had a blast being beach and pool bums, but also kept busy with some golf, kayaking, hiking at Jockey's Ridge, eating at some incredible seafood spots and house hunting. No, we're not looking to leave Nashville -- we love it here. But we helped Joanne and Len find their dream OBX home that they'll likely retire to in the coming years. It's located between the ocean and the sound behind Jockey's Ridge (the largest natural sand dunes on the east coast) and will feature an in-ground pool. Can't wait till it's ready in a few months!
Photos: Our week in OBX New house

First pitch at the Nashville Sounds game (Aug. 14)
Jenn took to the mound at Greer Stadium prior to the Nashville Sounds (AAA for the Milwaukee Brewers)/New Orleans Zephyrs (AAA for the New York Mets) game and threw out the first pitch. As part of a NowPlayingNashville.com promo with the Sounds, Jenn was handed the ball and threw a strike (OK, she bounced the ball just in front of home plate but she was throwing from the mound in heels!). Not too shabby for this one-time Big 10 scholar athlete at Penn State! :)

A visit from the Schoenfelds (Aug. 17-20)
Joanne and Len made it down to Music City for a quick weekend visit and we had a great time. We hit the usual breakfast spots (Pancake Pantry and Loveless Cafe) and also hit Boundry and the Melting Pot for dinner. We also introduced them to Arrington Vineyards and the honky tonks of Lower Broadway (including one of our faves, Clay Canfield, at The Stage).

NowPlayingNashville.com Launch Party (Aug. 22)
Jenn and her co-workers at The Community Foundation really busted their butts getting the website in tip-top shape in time for their NowPlayingNashville.com launch party at City Hall in the Gulch area of Nashville. The event was a huge success, with over 350 people in attendance, including many city and company leaders, who also happen to be strategic partners of the site. Jenn is really enjoying her gig and the way that it has immersed her into the Nashville and Middle Tennessee scene.

Capitol Records Pub Crawl on Demonbreun (Aug. 23)
One of the reasons we moved to Nashville was to take advantage of some of the best music/entertainment events in the world. The Capitol Records Pub Crawl on Demonbreun was one of those events that we loved being a part of. In a creative way to showcase some of its artists, Capitol closed down Demonbreun Street for a big block party. Lady Antebellum, Luke Bryan, Eric Church and multi-platinum artist Dierks Bentley performed in popular hotspots and on a stage set up at one end of the street (with an incredible skyline backdrop). We had a blast and the music was awesome!

The Listening Room - Franklin, TN (Aug. 25)
After a fabulous dinner at Saffire at The Factory in Franklin, TN, we hit Main Street and enjoyed some live music at The Listening Room with Renee and Damion. Performing was our Team Rio (our Country Music 1/2 Marathon team) friend Tonya Lynette Stout, a super-talented singer/songwriter, as well as tunesmiths Lisa Hentrich (has written tunes for Lonestar's Richie McDonald, Chris Cagle and many others) and Jane Bach (with hits recorded by Rebe McEntire, Jo Dee Messina and Collin Raye). The artists performed "in the round," a circular set-up where each performer takes turns singing and strumming ... a very cool way to hear the stories behind the songs.

A few July/August birthday shout-outs ... Jonathan, Len, Mark, Uncle Mike, Jen F., Jeremy F., the Soutars (Keith, Ann and Abbey), Jen G., Nicole G., Rob D., Ben B. (happy 30th!), Christina G., Janice C.

Whew ... what a month! Until next time ...

NowPlayingNashville.com Launches!

Hi all … it’s Jenn. So, you have read all about our new adventures in Nashville, the exciting programs that Jeff has been a part of at Vanderbilt over the past 6 months, and the ups and downs of a suburban cat getting used to city living. But what about me? I am sure you have been pondering day and night what I have been doing with my time since moving to Music City in late March? With the threat of being a walking advertisement ... www.nowplayingnashville.com is what I’ve been up to!

While it was my original intent to move to Nashville, take a much-needed break from the working world and become a woman of leisure, that plan went astray in mid-April when I was presented with an interesting opportunity that I just couldn’t pass up!

It was then that I joined The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee, a non-profit organization whose mission is to connect generosity with need, to become the Project Director for a new initiative called NowPlayingNashville.com. The website is an all-inclusive arts, entertainment, and events calendar for Nashville and Middle Tennessee. The objective of this project is to be a one-stop shop for locals and visitors to help raise awareness about all that there is to do in this region at a given time.

The past few months have been a huge undertaking for me as I have never been involved in the launch of a brand new website. Not only have I learned a ton about the latest web technology (you’d be impressed!), but this has truly been a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for me personally. How often do you get to move to a brand new city and jump into a job that forces you to learn all about the fun and exciting things to do in and around that city? It’s pretty amazing! NowPlayingNashville.com launched this past Monday and with each day that passes, the site is becoming a useful tool for Nashvillians and visitors alike. I encourage you to check it out, however, my colleague Denise would want me to warn you that we’re still working out some of the bugs!

Well, that’s all for now. I am off to the latest concert, festival, sporting event, art exhibit, etc.! Hope to see y’all in Nashville soon for a fun-filled weekend!

Tennessee Tasting

Anyone that know us for more than 20 minutes knows that wine and vineyards are two things near and dear to our hearts. From our wedding at Vineyard Caterers and regular trips to the North Fork of Long Island to the beginning of our honeymoon in Sonoma and a return visit two years later, we simply enjoy the fruits of the vine.

So, when we heard a few months ago that Kix Brooks (of the legendary country music duo Brooks & Dunn) and a few partners were opening up a vineyard and tasting room 30 minutes south of Nashville, it was music to our ears (no pun intended).

Yesterday, we made the trip down to Arrington Vineyards, which opened just a few days earlier on July 1, and were pleasantly surprised. We were joined by our friends Renee and Damion and came fully prepared to celebrate our new favorite local discovery with picnic basket in tow.

The vineyard, as expected, is still in its infancy, but more than eight wines have been produced with grapes from other local vineyards as well as some from the west coast. We were very impressed with the overall selection of wines available for tasting, with our favorites including: Riesling 2005, Desert Rose, Merlot 2005, Red Fox Red and Syrah. The tasting room is cozy and the wrap-around deck provides breathtaking views of Williamson County. We cannot wait to take our guests to this Tennessee treat when you come to visit!

Until next time ...

Baseball, GAC and Riverfront Fireworks

We hope everyone had a great 4th of July! While we certainly missed making it three straight years of watching the Jones Beach fireworks show from the channel/inlet (the show was ultimately postponed due to bad weather), we certainly didn't sit around down here and fret about the rain in New York.

Tuesday night, we took in a slice of Americana at Greer Stadium as we caught a minor league baseball game (Nashville Sounds vs. Round Rock Express ... Nashville is the AAA team for the Milwaukee Brewers). There's nothing like minor league baseball -- $20 for two tickets that were 20 rows from the Sounds' dugout, hokey on-field contests and some solid people watching! The fireworks show after the game was also top notch!

On Independence Day, we exercised our independence by working out, getting some sun in a nearby park and throwing back some margaritas in the condo before making a break for the downtown riverfront country concert and fireworks festivities.

We were hooked-up with 3rd row VIP seats from a new friend that Jenn made at work and for two hours, we were a few feet away from country studs Taylor Swift, Rodney Atkins, Van Zant and the incredible Nashville Symphony. GAC (Great American Country) broadcast the event live and I'd say that there's a 124% chance that we were on TV. Following the concert, more than 100,000 of us watched some of the best fireworks we've ever seen (sorry Macy's!), with the Symphony working overtime and playing live in sync as the sky over the Cumberland River became illuminated for 30 minutes -- truly an awesome night!

Thursday meant back to work for us, but we received some great news. Plinko's lab results came back and the growth that the vet removed from his back last week was deemed benign! His back is healing nicely and he continues to be a little warrior!

Until next time ...

P.S. - A sad end to an otherwise upbeat blog entry. I was told tonight that Finn McCool's Public House in White Plains, NY recently shut its doors after many a good time. I join the Robs (Douglass and Foley), Nick, Fitz, Flo and our many other regulars who made this fine place a weekend 'home away from home' for many years. I can still hear the STOLI-O chants, Irish tunes and hours of laughter filling the Westchester Avenue night, even after the sun has finally set. Truly a sad day in the history of WP.
~ Jeff

Plinko and Messier ... The 11 Connection

On the day that #11 Mark Messier was elected into the Hockey Hall of Fame, Plinko the Cat went under the knife and received 11 stiches, the result of removing of a lump on his back. The big question, now, is who cried more as a result. Our guess -- The Captain.

Messier, one of the toughest and grittiest players to ever lace up the skates, surely experienced his share of stitches during a career that yielded six Stanley Cups. For Plinko, the only cups to his name are the ones he eats out of (they're actually bowls that look like the top layer of the Cup, but...).

And speaking of food, our vet (who was fabulous, by the way) told us as we left that he wouldn't have much of an appetite for the next day or so, but sure enough, his appetite returned the minute he got back into the condo. He certainly didn't miss a beat on the food front!

Please keep your fingers crossed for our little guy that the lab tests come back OK in 7-10 days. We'll keep you posted. Congrats, Mess! Until next time ...

Accelerator 2007

For the past several months since joining the Vanderbilt Owen Graduate School of Management, one of Jeff's responsibilities has been the marketing and communications efforts surrounding the school's 30-day Accelerator Summer Business Institute. Accelerator, in its third year, is an intense business boot camp for a group of highly selective undergraduates and recent grads from some of the top colleges and universities in the country. For a month, students work 12-15+ hour days in a competitive team setting where they not only get an introduction to MBA coursework and concepts, but serve as consultants on real business issues facing such organizations as American Airlines, Lexus, FedEx, Whirlpool, HCA, National Civil Rights Museum, Tennessee Performing Arts Center and others. On Saturday (the final full day), the program culminated with the students providing their ideas and recommendations on how the program can generate more marketing buzz and brand awareness in the future - a very impressive and quite helpful project (for Jeff and the Owen Marketing crew) that will undoubtedly help elevate the program in 2008. The day ended with a classy dinner at the Country Music Hall of Fame to celebrate the accomplishments of the past 30 days.

It's been a pretty busy week for both of us at work, so nothing else too earth-shattering to report. It's FINALLY raining right now, which despite putting a damper on some of our Sunday plans outside, is a good thing. It has rained maybe twice in the last month here, so bring it on!

Some birthday shout-outs to mention. Happy belated to Foley, Mark Faraci, and Cal ... Happy upcoming b-days this week to Jane, Jen Kelly and Meggan!

Until next time ...

RC Cola and Moon Pies!

It doesn't get much more Southern than RC Cola and Moon Pies! On Saturday, June 16 we hopped in the car and headed down to Bell Buckle, TN (population 405 and proudly self-touted as "100 years behind the times and proud of it") for the 13th Annual RC-Moon Pie Festival.

The idea for the Festival first began as a way to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Moon Pie and to bring new visitors to this small Tennessee town known far and wide for antiques, quilts, handmade crafts, home-cooking and Southern hospitality.

While many have probably heard of RC Cola, many are probably wondering what the hell a Moon Pie is? Essentially, it's a marshmellow wrapped in graham cracker and covered in chocolate (and shaped like a hockey puck). Believe us ... they're GOOD!

Bell Buckle is about an hour southeast of Nashville and is one of those "don't blink or you'll miss it" towns, but not on this day. The event attracts close to 15,000 people for a day of games, contests, parades, arts and crafts booths, live entertainment (country and bluegrass -- we really liked Carrie Hassler & Hard Rain) and 25 food booths featuring such grub as smoked barbecue, hand squeezed lemonade and deep fried Moon Pies! The day concludes with the cutting and serving of the World’s Largest Moon Pie (literally 3 feet in diameter)! The day begins with a 10-mile race that we might consider running in next year.

3 RC's and 2 Moon Pies later, we headed back to Nashville -- not bad for a hot Saturday in Middle Tennessee! Until next time ...

Welcome y'all!

Welcome! The idea of keeping a blog about our transition to a new life in Music City was something that we have discussed for weeks, so we're excited to finally be able to cross this off our 'to-do' list and share our experiences with all of you!

After spending 30+ years of our lives in the New York metro area, we decided that it was time for a change... of scenery, lifestyle, cost of living, and, of course, daily adventures. So we packed our bags, sold our house, scooped up Plinko the Cat and bid a bittersweet farewell to life as we knew it on Long Island. Next stop on our adventure... Nashville, Tennessee! As everyone knew, Music City had become a place near and dear to our hearts (and wallets) over the past few years after investing in a fabulous condo in a historic downtown building in March 2006. With our furnished digs at the Bennie Dillon anxiously awaiting our full-time arrival (after many quick weekend visits in 2006) and a great marketing opportunity at Vanderbilt ready for Jeff, the relocation decision became a much easier one for us to consider and follow through on.

The mere thought of such a drastic life change struck many people by surprise (how many "Nashville? Why Nashville?" reactions do you think we got?), but the support of our family and friends was incredible and made us realize how lucky we are to have so many special people in our lives! Alright, enough of the intro -- most of you know why we moved and what we hope to get out of this relocation decision. Now it's time to share our Nashville experiences with you and hopefully create a fun platform to stay better connected with y'all! :)

Until next time ...