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Your New Home Awaits at 3608 Bellwood Avenue!

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NEW LISTING AT 3608 Bellwood Avenue! This unique Mediterranean-style home, known as Villa Bellwood, is located in a storybook neighborhood convenient to Green Hills, West End/Vandy, Belle Meade, and Downtown. Recently fully renovated and featuring a true stucco exterior and clay tile roof, 3608 Bellwood offers a practical, stylish, and easy (therapeutic even!) lifestyle. Elementary: Eakin Middle: West End High: Hillsboro Comp. This property is listed at $950,000. Consult your local real estate agent to see.

Heading South For Fun In Atlanta This Year? Support Local Restaurants in Atlanta. #NashvilleBuyLocalTravels

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Part of Nashville Buy Local is to promote our local businesses. It’s also to bring some entertaining interviews and cultural discussions. Another element we’ve added in the past two years is travel tips for different cities. We believe visiting the local businesses and experiences a city offers is the only way to experience them.

We have taken many trips to the Capitol of the South, “The A,” The Empire City of the South, or more appropriate Atlanta. Right off the bat, we stayed out by the Perimeter but most of the tourism was downtown. Getting a room for a big event may even push you north to the Georgia/Tennessee line. Here are our MUST HITS of local stuff we tried (We know there is more to explore in Atlanta and will do other posts in the future):

Heirloom Market– We found this on a prior trip while seeing a concert at the nearby Cobb Energy Center. This place is not where you would expect. A Korean BBQ that is at a convenience storefront located at 2243 Akers Mill Rd SE. We went there for the Spicy Korean BBQ sandwich. OH MY:

This thing is amazing and constructed with pork chopped into cubes, piled onto a potato bun, adding with a good amount of kimchi coleslaw, and lastly a sprinkling of black sesame seeds and sliced scallion. This is basically what they are known for but their Brisket we had is equal in awesomeness! Atlanta Magazine described these local owners backstory perfectly:

Chef-owners Jiyeon Lee and Cody Taylor met while working at defunct Repast, itself a showplace of next-gen East-meets-West cuisine. Taylor grew up in Texas and Tennessee. Lee recorded hit pop songs in late-
eighties Korea, then moved to Georgia in 1999 to attend Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Tucker. Several years ago, while the two were visiting Korea, they began to experiment with tenderizing brisket in soup made with miso. They wondered how the beef might taste smoked—exceptional, they discovered—and their ideas for cross-cultural barbecue began percolating.

We added a new feature while there (along with the brisket) the Tempura Sweet Potatoes. They are up to par with everything else we have had but, if you love sweet and fried this is your side dish. Fried with a tempura batter and served with their tempura sauce on the side, perfect for dipping. Really, this is north of town. Hit this place first as you move toward the city. Skip The Varsity, go to Heirloom.

Buford Highway Farmers Market– As you know, we’ve mentioned before, we are members of the Southern Foodways Alliance and they have discussed the culinary significance of these immigrant-owned restaurants in the Buford Highway area. The Must Do for the food lover is a trip to Buford Highway Farmers Market. There were things we’ve never seen in our lives fruit, vegetable, meat, and even processed food-wise. This is the most amazing local market under what could have been an old box store roof. You move all throughout the world in one visit:

El Rey Del Taco– Since you’ll be at Buford Highway Farmers Market give El Rey Del Taco a shot. Probably one of the best places I’ve had tacos in Atlanta but I’ve been proven wrong. If you have another spot let us know. This place is surrounded by Korean joints offering Bubble Tea. Really, Buford Highway is everything that is great about America attracting cultures all over the world to live together.

Home grown GA- We’ve got consistent must hit in Atlanta. This place is that place. We’ve bought art, crafts, and other weird things in their flea market in the back of the store with an older gentleman jamming on the xylophone and a keyboard. It really is an artsy, big city vibe with Southern offerings in food and a sticker over the register that reads “Love the South Hate The Racists.” It’s true to the Southern Heritage when it comes to from-scratch goodness but it also is a mix of every imaginable person. Some people call it “Hipster.” I’d call it what the south is becoming, “welcoming.” Tip for fellow Vegans, grab the Vegan Sloppy Joe and a Vegan omelette.

The Slutty Vegan– If you got time and don’t mind a line you must try this place. It’s always a hit when they do pop-ups and it’s one of those Vegan restaurants that is a reason to go Atlanta all by itself. Located at 680 Murphy Ave SW this is a 100% plant-based burger joint!

There is so much to do in the city to our south. So many historical places, new places, and just crazy places. We just want you to try to hit the local and the culture of Atlanta when you visit. That’s while we will continue to promote the cities we visit on our site because no matter where you are, Buy Local!

Getting Ready To Hit The Road Again? Hit Black Shag Vintage Before the Trip/Tour!

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Get the greatest looks for this upcoming Spring/Summer/Fall season of Tours and Trips at Black Shag Vintage ⚡️ It’s officially time to prepare for a Post Pandemic World and Black Shag has tons of vests, jackets, shirts, jeans, dresses, leather, jean jackets, coats, and general badassery to help you. Now is the time, shop in-store or online, blackshagvintage.com

Click Here To Shop Online

You’re Almost to Your New Home! New Listing at 642 Brook Hollow Road!

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You’re Almost to Your New Home! New Listing at 642 Brook Hollow Road! Charming all brick, ranch home in West Meade. 4 bed/3bath, over 1-acre lot. Renovated throughout with details such as gleaming hardwoods, tiled bathrooms, quartz and butcher block countertops, backsplashes, & SS appliances including wine cooler. Owners Suite on main, dining room w/ wood-burning brick fireplace & custom mantle. Spacious full finished basement w/ bedroom, full bath, extra storage, kitchenette w/ wood burning fireplace, entertainment/office/craft room with private entry.

Elementary: Gower Middle: H.G. Hill High: Hillwood Comp. This property is listed at $820,000. Consult your local real estate agent to see.

The 5 Places in Southern California YOU Should Eat to Help Save Local Restaurants (Local Spots) #NashvilleBuyLocalTravels

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Of course, every definitive restaurant list about Southern California has In-N-Out Burger. Hard pass. Not saying we don’t grab a Double-Double burger and a Strawberry Shake when visiting but it’s not even in our “You need to visit” list. These are going to be the places some may know but for some reason don’t visit. They are also not in any particular order:

The Hat (multiple locations)– The Hat has 11 locations all over Southern California but it all started in the San Gabriel Valley. I remember eating here as a kid and nothing has changed in what they serve and it’s quality for fast food. I’ve heard they have a Steak Sandwich that is really good but I have zero time or calories to spend on a steak sandwich when at The Hat. For me, it’s all about the Pastrami dip that has perfectly sliced Pastrami and a perfect bun. Pickles and Mustard round out what in my opinion is Southern California’s perfect fast food offering. I always split the sandwich (since I am not trying to bulk up) because there is an equation that makes this place soar way past In-N-Out on any list in my opinion. If you like the hot dog bun chili that we have around here, then you are going to love the Chili cheese fries. Don’t be a rookie though. Don’t just stop there. Get the Pastrami on them. The chili cheese fries with pastrami is a serving bigger than a Los Angeles Yellow Pages. Eat here and only here in a day and you’ll be good most of the day with only a need for a snack later. Menu Here


Tam O’Shanter (Los Feliz, Los Angeles)- Full disclosure. I’ve only been here during the Christmas time dinner service before this trip. We usually eat here for a pre-Christmas dinner and not for lunch. We tried the lunch service this time to give a full report. We are also HUGE Walt Disney fans and love Disney History. The fact you can sit at the table where Walt Disney and his Imagineers sat (and allegedly the markings on the table are from them) is pretty cool. It’s also where Don Draper from Mad Men and the boys from The Office had Dwight’s Bachelor party in the Series finale. So, this place is packed with Hollywood History, and visually from the logo to the decor is a classic restaurant to visit. Then you add the food. So first, during Dinner (menu here) we have tried the Prime Rib (which they are famous for), Fish and Chips, Tam Burger and their sides. I am not a big fan of Prime Rib in general so I prefer the Tam Burger and load up on the sides. Their French Onion Soup, Sweet Corn Fritters, and Creamed Spinach Yorkshire Pudding is a must. Obviously, we had the Sticky Toffee Pudding for dessert and it’s fine. I probably would pass on dinner any other time of the year but Christmas because of how well they do lunch. During Christmas they have Strolling Victorian Carolers who come by your table (Mash here to see) and sing Christmas songs both classic and pop, we opted for Wham! These are the Carolers that have been featured on Modern Family. Every other time of the year Lunch can’t be beaten and is preferred over dinner service simply because of the Ale & Sandwich Bar (menu here). It may look basic, pictures below, but the roasted pork with mash potatoes & gravy with sweet corn is spot on. Not to mention the daughter loved the classic fudge sundae offered. So, you want to dine here if you can. If it’s Christmas, book during dinner. If not, swing by for lunch if you are visiting one of the nearby studio tours or Universal. We actually ate here after visiting the Rose Parade decorations so it was a day of old Southern California classics. Click here for the menu.

il Pastaio (Beverly Hills)- Gotta give a shout out on how we decided on this place. The Travel Muse Youtube Channel talked about il Pastaio as one of her favorite Italian places during her birthday video “Perfect Sunday” so we had to try. We put it to the test and it came through with flying colors (Italian flag colors of course). This was our Christmas Eve Lunch! First off, the service here is top-notch and boy are those waiters Italian. Each waiter appears to be Italian (accent) and their service is reason enough to dine here and book a trip to the home country. We started with the charcuterie plate (Parma Prosciutto Served with Gorgonzola Cheese, Walnuts, Crouton, and Fresh Pears Add Burrata). The Burrata was well worth the upgrade. The daughter got meatballs and spaghetti and they were like no other she has had in her short life. We didn’t mention it earlier, but il Pastaio means “Pasta Maker” it’s evident by the quality they deserve the name. The Fettuccine Bolognese in meat sauce may have been the meal winner and it was ordered by my wife. Mine was a holiday offering (Sorry misplaced the name) with peppers and seafood. It was wonderful but I am not a huge seafood fan. I decided to get it because we were so close to the coast and Tennessee is so landlocked. So, if you love seafood and a kick of spice you’ll love this. I really did like it though and I usually am not a big seafood eater. The Tiramisu, oh man, is the show stopper. I don’t care if another dessert is calling you. Order a cup of coffee and get this tiramisu. It’s by far the best I ever had. Our meal was not very expensive (compared to other places we ate in the area). It was affordable considering we didn’t have wine/alcohol nor did we get the white truffles on anything. Many people were raving about the truffles but they just aren’t my thing. If they are your thing, prepare to pay for the experience going in and enjoy them. This is a place that should be on your list and be warned a reservation is probably necessary. It gets packed. Side Note: Yes, celebrities eat here if that is your thing. It wasn’t ours. We loved how many people brought their tiny dogs though. Click Here for Menu

Cielito Lindo (Olvera Street)– OK, not everything has to be Beverly Hills or Burbank to be great. In fact, most places in LA are lowkey, simple, inexpensive, and wonderful. The quicker the food, usually the better the spot. Los Angeles’ oldest neighborhood is Olvera Street and it’s a real joy to visit. Nearby is China town (not as good as SF’s) but really the Olvera Street area is unique because it is the Mexican roots of the City of Angels that make this city great. Lots of vendors that the kids will love and you’re going to love the street vendor shopping as well as the shops. It’s sorta like going to a flea market here but with a Chicano tint to it. Most people enter from the parking lot across the street near the statue. If you do enter there on the very opposite end of that entrance point sits the great Cielito Lindo (There is paid parking right behind Cielito Lindo if you are in hurry). Known for the Taquitos in Avocado Sauce this place has operated here since 1934. The menu is here and there is a small area to sit and eat. Cielito Lindo was featured recently as Gustavo Arellano (Writer of Taco USA) & Anthony Bourdain dined on the tasty taquitos in Bourdain’s Parts Unknown Ode to LA’s Hispanic community. Olvera street is very familiar to me so I feel safe but be warned that the LA homeless people are in this area and most will leave you alone. We suggest going around 11 am that way you feel safe your first time visiting.

Monsieur Marcel (LA Farmers Market)- LA Farmers Market for Brunch is a no Brainer because of all the options. For us it’s where we opt for Monsieur Marcel  (Menu). We eat here usually twice at this location during the Christmas season (Santa Monica and LAX now have them but we can’t really speak on those spots). In fact it is the first place we visit when we land at LAX. Yes, they have wine but what makes this place great is if you love CHEESE! Their Cheese and Meat plate is a fantastic offering. The amount of cheeses available are staggering and the quality is the only thing that is more impressive than the different options available. Even the regular butter was spectacular for the Tartine (with the jam it makes a great dessert). I had the French Croque Monsieur (sourdough bread, jambon de Paris, french emmenthal, mornay sauce) and it was divine. My wife had the Quiche Lorraine with spinach and it was equally as tasty as my Croque Monsieur. The daughter went with Tartine and bacon (this is legit thick cut hickory smoked bacon). We’ve also had their wonderful French onion soup here as well. Well worth the trip but give yourself time to walk around the Farmers Market and the adjacent shopping area known as The Grove. Non-local but daughter friendly “American Girl” is located in The Grove. If staying in the area at a VRBO or rental house shop here for groceries after dining. Another place to eat nearby that we love is Du-par’s. The perfect diner fare.

#NashvilleBuyLocalTravels to Answer the Question, “Which is Better New Haven, New York, St. Louis, Chicago, or Detroit Style Pizza.”

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First things first, Chicago Pizza is not Pizza it’s Lasagna. Sorry Windy City you are the best at Hot Dogs and anything that deals with encased meats. St. Louis, we don’t even know what Provel Cheese actually is but it’s something we like and hate at the same time. I can’t seriously consider your pizza though. I wasn’t drunk so it probably wasn’t the proper way to consume it. On it’s own, it’s a solid option but not when you have St. Louis ribs all around you. So, that should give you a clue on our taste in Pizza. Also, this is our opinion and we welcome your opinions below. To be fair we are basing this off three places so we very much could be wrong. So let’s give you the rundown and below we will rank them. Let’s start in the Midwest.

Detroit’s #1 Square Pizza Since 1946

I have to say this is the most shocking of all the places we went to of the three. We never thought of Michigan as a contender for the best pizza. Chicago gets most of the midwest love and it’s completely unjustified. If you want a thick pizza Detroit style is the only style worth it’s weight in dough. Buddy’s on Conant Street got off to a good start. Anytime I see off-duty cops hanging out at a place you have to assume they know the spots to eat. Then followed by some Union guys getting off their shift and of course local families rushing in.

This place is the birthplace of Detroit style pizza. It opened in the 1930s more as an after-hours drinking spot with a little gambling. It has that feel in a good way still today. Right away, the staff was on point. very attentive and helpful. In 1946 they put Pizza on the menu.

What Makes It Great:

We ordered The Detroiter: Cheese, pepperoni on top, tomato basil sauce, topped with shaved parmesan cheese, and Buddy’s Sicilian spice blend. It’s all about the crust and the caramelized cheese on the corner and edge of the pan slices. Somehow this pizza is best when on the corner of the pan. The middle is OK but the corner slices are amazing. The thing that is also great is this pizza (unlike the Lasagna Chicago Style) is it won’t make you feel like you gained 15 pounds eating it. It’s very light. This is good because they offer something I had never had before, Vernor’s Ginger Ale Float! It blew my mind.

Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana: Coal Fired Pizza in New Haven

When I had this story in mind it was going to be two cities. New York vs New Haven. Detroit made it tough. That said, Apizza (as they say in New Haven) was one till about two years ago I had never heard about. My Southern U.S. and Los Angeles upbringing never exposed me to the city. Then while working on our family genealogy I found out our ancestors of ours were one of the founding families in New Haven, Ct. and I wanted to know more about the city than it being the home of Yale University.  So, I googled New Haven. Our first surprise is they call it Apizza. Then, they have six nationally ranked Pizza restaurants in a five square mile radius. A town of 130,000 people with six great pizza places is a dream. After doing my research I heard we had to try Frank Pepe’s if I was going to try one. Spoiler Alert, before I left for Boston (past stories on that) I grabbed one more pie from Frank’s to go. The line here can be out the door and take a while to get a table. We were lucky that it was a short 15-minute wait when we arrived. 

What Makes It Great:

It’s the total opposite of the midwest counterparts and actually has more in common with NYC and Italian pizza. It’s flat and thin. New Haven does cook theirs a little more to give it a slightly burnt taste (which was great). They don’t do a ton of cheese. In fact, one of our pizzas had a light taste of cheese and it was my favorite of Frank’s. It’s very simple. The dough is very crispy from the overnight fermenting. The coal ovens in this place are beautiful and they have been working in Frank’s longer than most customers in the place have been alive.

My favorite was obviously The Original Tomato Pie w/ Mozzarella. Hands down the best at Frank Pepe’s. We also got one with Fresh Tomato on top and it was good but it made it a little soggy, for me. All this said the thing that made Frank’s great in my book was the White Clam Pizza. Made with Fresh Clams w/ Grated Cheese, Olive Oil, Fresh Garlic & Oregano. Not because it was great, it was, but because I hate clams. I don’t like clams. Yet, I loved them on this pizza. They took an ingredient I despised and made me love it. Our daughter loved her pizza which was bacon (mind-blowing bacon) and cheese pizza. Below is a little sample of what we had.

Joe’s Pizza | The Greenwich Village Institution

I can already hear people saying we went to the wrong NYC Pizza spot. You’re wrong. We went where Spiderman was a delivery guy! Joe’s is right around the corner from Stonewall and is in one of the best neighborhoods to visit in New York City. Located on Carmine Street. It sits across from Father Demo Square this is what I have pictured when thinking of a New York Pizza shop. A place you can grab by the slice. A little greasy so there is a way to hold it. That nice crack when you fold the crust. A way to eat it and hope not to spill any on your shirt (we were heading to see Harry Potter and the Cursed Child after). The smells of the neighborhood mixed with the smell of cheese and dough. It even had the stereotypical celebrities on the wall photos.  The staff here didn’t have time for pleasant gab. This is New York. Know your order, have your money ready, and move along. 

What Makes It Great:

The Ambiance is key here. I got caught in it and declared it the best after we ate here. There is something about the neighborhood. It’s a by the slice shop and it’s all to-go. Even though we sat in the window. It’s not sit down as we did on the other two. The dough and cheese with the tomato are so simple here. The Pepperoni was good but Detroit style was the only one with Meat that I loved. That said, this will not be my favorite below taste-wise. Although, those photos show why the ambiance is so cool at Joe’s.

A BALANCED NYC PIZZA BREAKFAST

Rankings

If you ask me on the street, I may have a new top three. These are all 1a, 1b and 1c. You need to visit all three locations.

  1. Buddy’s Pizza– I loved the corner slice. The corner slice of a Detroiter is worth the visit to Detroit. Plus, you get that Vernor’s Float. Also, New Haven and New York City slices are very similar and this was a unique contender. A contender that I didn’t think I would love. Much like Detroit it doesn’t get the respect it deserves. The city has had rough times but we loved our time there and we loved the Pizza.
  2. Frank Pepe’s- New York has the ambiance and the Instagrammable locations. Frank Pepe’s and New Haven have the better pizza. If I am in the mood for a thinner pizza it’s going to be New Haven and it’s going to be the Tomato one with the paste. I appreciate fresh tomato but the paste was just so good and so classic. I probably wouldn’t order the clam again but my Coast Guard buddy calls it his favorite. If you love Clams, you will love that White Clam Pizza.
  3. Joe’s Pizza– It was a perfect visit. Love the pizza but comparing it to Frank Pepe dollar for dollar it didn’t hold up. That said, I would drive through NYC traffic again and fight for a parking spot for another slice.

Soon we’ll need to do our favorite slice of Pizza in Nashville. Who wants to help us eat some pizza?

There is a reason the Biscuit War of Nashville is filled with Love. Biscuit Love that is.

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There are a plethora of great biscuit places in Nashville but, everyone agrees one of the best is Biscuit Love. During Covid waiting in lines for brunch has gone away and we now just grab take away. Either way, it’s delicious and worth the visit. No matter if you are local or visitor reading this, grab some biscuits and feel the Love in each bite from Biscuit Love. Menu Below:

Locations & Hours

COVID-19 SERVICE UPDATE: CLICK HERE FOR IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT BISCUIT LOVE’S VISIT.

They have three locations in Nashville and Franklin, Tennessee. Their dining rooms and patios are OPEN DAILY from 7:00 AM – 3:00 PM.

BISCUIT LOVE in the GULCH

Happy, Healthy and Whole. Experience a Class with Hot Yoga of East Nashville.

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Hot yoga is a vigorous form of yoga performed in a very warm and humid studio. It’s a great way to achieve better health. You tend to burn more calories due to an increased heart rate and metabolism. The blood flow to your arms and legs is increased, delivering more oxygenated blood to the muscles. Muscle tone and flexibility are improved. Experience it for yourself this week at one of these Hot Yoga of East Nashville Classes:

Click Here to Sign Up

Descriptions From Hot Yoga of East Nashville

HOT 26

Hot-26 (Bikram Method Yoga) a series of 26 postures completed in a room heated to 100 to 105 degrees at approximately 40% humidity. The heat is helpful in allowing the body to go deeper into the postures safely by increasing the elasticity of the muscles, ligaments, tendons, allowing greater flexibility with a lower risk of injury. The heat also facilitates sweating and detoxification through the pores and skin – the body’s largest eliminating organ. The heat also greatly increases the challenge to the cardiovascular system, allowing for a challenging workout and greater fitness levels to be achieved. Finally, the intensity of the heat deepens the need for concentration and focus, strengthening the student’s willpower and self-control both in the classroom and beyond.

The Hot-26 discipline is an excellent way to develop and maintain a healthy body – it works as a preventative medicine by improving the immune system; detoxifying the muscles, lungs and organs; and preventing arthritis, back pain, and injuries to muscles, ligaments and tendons.

In addition, Hot-26 classes will help regulate weight and/or bring bodies to a healthy weight – each 90-minute class burning between 500 to 1100 calories. The self-control and focus developed in the class will be transferred to all areas of one’s life to improve overall mental and physical health.

POWER YOGA – FLOW

Power Yoga (Vinyasa Flow) yoga is offered for a variety in one’s workout routine. Power Flow classes are taught in a slightly heated room (85 to 90 degrees). The classes and postures are unique and new every day. In this style of yoga, the students flow dynamically between postures, gaining a fun/spontaneous yoga experience.

Power Yoga classes combine standing postures, sun salutations, and floor postures for an energizing, cardiovascular, full-body workout. Power Flow classes combine breath control with postures designed to strengthen the body, develop flexibility and improve stamina. Students note improved core and upper body strength and toning.

Power Yoga classes are fitness-driven and excellent for regulating weight and/or bring bodies to a healthy weight – each 60-minute class burning between 450 to 600 calories.

BUTI YOGA

Buti Yoga is a dynamic practice of vinyasa and hatha yoga sequences with added movement + Cardio-intensive bursts of Tribal Dance and primal movement. Prepare to loose your inhibitions and have a crazy amount of fun!  Buti Yoga utilizes the Spiral Structure Technique to sculpt + tone the deep abdominal muscles that stabilize and strengthen the body. Instead of linear movements, the spiral structure technique and other Buti yoga movements challenge the body along all planes of motion.

  • 6 am — Power Flow
  • 7:30 am — Hot 26 – 60 min
  • 10 am — Hot 26 – 75 min
  • Noon — Power Flow
  • 4:30 pm — Buti Flow
  • 4:30 pm — Power Flow
  • 6 pm — Flow Foundations
  • 6 pm — Hot 26 – 90 min
  • 8 pm — Power Flow

You’re Almost to Your New Home! New Listing at 820 Restover Court!

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You’re Almost to Your New Home! New Listing at 820 Restover Court! WELCOME HOME!! Beautiful 3bd/3bth Home Located in Villages of Larchwood. Minutes from the Nashville Airport, Percy Priest Lake, and Downtown. Formal Living & Dining Rooms, Large Deck and Patio, Beautiful Private Fenced Back Yard on a Cul-de-sac. New siding, Fence, and Deck as of 2018, Double Storm Windows throughout the House, New Paint Inside and Out. Roof and HVAC less than 5 years old.
Elementary: Ruby Major Middle: Donelson High: Mcgavock Comp. This property is listed at $354,900. Consult your local real estate agent to see.