The Catbird Seat

Birthday dinner at the hot, new restaurant in town. I found out about The Catbird Seat in a monthly newsletter I get via email, Nashville Bearings. Yea, it says it's for "guys." What can I say? I find a lot of goodies in there--Catbird Seat being one of them. I made reservations for my birthday dinner as soon as I read about it and another one for when my brother Jim comes down for Thanksgiving. Oy. After last night, I think I may just be ready to eat again by then, but not much sooner! Oooof.

The hub and I love to go to The Patterson House for delicious libations. The bartenders are absolutely amazing and know their stuff.  Below is the story on how the name came about and why it feels more like a speakeasy than a bar. Love it!

How delightful that the two-brother owners expanded to the upstairs of the old house and developed the Catbird Seat restaurant.  One brother Ben, greeted us when we arrived. I was sooooo excited to finally be here!

We were first brought small "Oreos." But were they Oreos? Of course not, sillies. They were porcini mushrooms with parmesan cheese/cream. Wow. Just sit back and enjoy the show!

Jane, the "beverage extraordinaire" as they call her, paired this lovely aperitif of sherry and chartreuse (carbonated) and served it in this little vintage-looking glass with the "snacks." Absolutely lovely. And, YUM. I've never had chartreuse before, but it has always been one of my favorite colors. (grin)

A delightful little radish with seaweed butter. 

Chef Josh pouring our chestnut soup over a mix of goodies--chantrelle mushrooms, carrots, granola, hibiscus leaves . . . need I say more?

Jane serving a wonderful champagne, Marc Hebrart MV Brut. Yummy.

A poached egg yolk, caviar (my first ever) with white onion/bacon emulsion, fried chicken shaving, chervil and shallot gels. Mix it all together and wow, you have an explosion of texture and taste.

A scallop on a schmear of avocado puree, with coconut powder, kiwi, and melon for me. (I can't eat fish, only shellfish--go figure.)

And the same only made with cod for the others.

Double-sided-skin duck with an autumn roll consisting of brussel sprouts and spaghetti squash with a dollop of butternut puree. Soooooo good!

Wagu beef from Montana with a sweet potato fingerling, farmers cheese, black truffle, nasturtium leaf and forest mushroom conserva. You can poke me with a fork, I'm done.

Oh dear, Delice de Bourgogne cheese with parsley gel, apricot puree droplets and shitake mushrooms, maybe fried. I could only get a bite in, I was, by then, over riched. Ouchy.

Desert? Oh deary me. But how could I not? Good thing I didn't finish the cheese dish above, although it was oh-so-good.

Your beverage pairing is lifted to find the chocolately desert. (Sorry, I don't remember what the dark beverage was. I don't drink enough beer or wine to know what I'm looking for on the menu!)

Mmmm, all I know is dark chocolate with pistachio crisp. Flavolicious! I had already od'd by now.

The sweets' chef brought out more! My head was spinning by then, and all I can say is burnt oak ice cream? Cherry crisp? Bourbon gel "dots?" Wowie zowie. Oh so good.

More???? Now these were soft, home-made Oreos.

And then to end it all, some peanut butter nougat. Shoot me now. 

Brother Ben soon woke us from our food coma to present menus of the evening's gastric orgy. I count 12 dishes above. Gawd.

I can't even begin to tell you how utterly amazing the evening was. Good friends, good drink, good food? Doesn't get any better. Hats off to the new Catbird Seat! Bravo.

To Connecticut and Back

I don't know if y'all will ever forgive me for being so nonchalant about blogging recently. I have been photographing, I promise. Just seems like a chore to blog with them. Ugh.

There was a recent trip back North for a GGC gathering--you know, with my besties. Pam had moved to Connecticut a couple of years back, built a beautiful home and invited us up, in a nutshell. 

Among other wonderful things that we did, we went to Whiteflower Farm.  How utterly exciting!!

And even though the season was about spent, there were still plenty of beautiful blooms.

And yes, I finally bought some Iris bulbs to plant and YES! they are in the ground. Astounding, indeed.

A Quickie

Ok, ya'll already know I'm a music ho.  It only took me about ten years to finally enjoy the fruit of Nashville's labor--its music and venues! Now, I'm trying to catch up, fast!

B52s, baby.  The kids still have it!

What a great night of fusic (friends, food and music)!

Well, it wasn't a perfect evening. This is how the day began, rooting whole heartedly for our boyz. It wasn't to be this year. That's ok, we share every once in a while.

Oh, and thanks Kel for the concert call that got me rolling on the Bs! Really good shooo.

Be Still My Beating Heart

My boyfriend, Jack White with the Raconteurs. Ryman Auditorium, September 15.

Openers were Pokey LaFarge and the South City Three. The harp player reminded me of Frank Zappa, in the face.

 Intermission I. (You can see some of the old church windows at the top.)

 

Then brothers' Jake and Jamin, aka Jeff the Brotherhood  hit the stage. I think Nancy and I met these two hanging with my new bf, lil' Jack (Lawrence from the Racs). A friend with us spotted the three coming out of a restaurant as we headed to the Ryman. Of course, Nancy and I had to go back and wish 'em good luck for the night. Lil' Jack Lawrence was so adorable in his large-framed glasses. What a cutie. (I'm getting old when I say the boys in the band are adorable. Ha!) Ouch.

 

 They did a great job winding us up for the Raconteurs.

 

 And then . . . my two Jacks. heart

I like his curly do much better than the straight look.

 "I heart you lil' Jack!" Wave!

 

 Scrumptious.

Shades of Autumn

Yesterday was the most gorgeous day. It started out a tad rainy but then the sun came out and it became the loveliest of afternoons. A perfect 70 something degrees. Bring on the fall! Please note the UT orange. The kid is thinking about attending UT next year. One graduating, one applying! What a wonderful time in our lives. Looks like we may be staying in Nashville a couple more years! (But don't tell the mental note in my brain that has me on a mission to get the house in order to sell! Shhhhhhhh.)

We've had this old collapsible top hat in the family for as long as I can remember. Looks like I'll be decorating it for Halloween. Obviously, I've already started.

Here I am chasing shadows again. Love.

Project Work

Here's my latest fiasco. Ugh. The pit, rag, bonus room; call it what you will. It's a mess. Time to get it cleaned up. "Must keep this 'moving soon' mental note in my head." Front and center.

The teenager moved into a new apartment this year at UT. The last three years, his places came furnished. So, I had told him, and his roommates, they could have our old furniture, the grey stuff. Now, mind you, this is my first set of furniture I bought when I moved into my first apartment. So, we're talking, um, 25 year-old furniture. It's still in pretty good shape, considering. A queen sleep sofa (have to ask Raphi how comfortable that is, though), love seat and chair? Free. Ok, so long-story-shorter, they changed their minds after the hub and I had prepared for them to pick it up.

And so started the ball rolling in this room.

The table on the right, I had set up many years ago. I got all the kids' photos out and started their scrapbooks, again. Well, I think I may have done ONE page. One. Period. Time to sort and move all of it again. Like in storage. ha.

The hub (as all men do) wants to buy a pit for in here. I don't know 'bout that. But, I do know that once I start painting, changing the carpet, etc. new furniture will be at the top of the list. Sigh.

A Really Good "Shew"

A really big shout out to Steven for getting the most excellent seats at The Ryman for John Hiatt and Big Head Todd. Front and center, baby.

Todd singing "America, the Beautiful." 

9.10.11

The Monsters.

After the show? Only a block to honky-tonk heaven.