Tucked far away from the neon lights of Broadway where the Woo-est of Woo Girls strut their stuff from one honky-tonk to another in their never original matching shirts sits a 55-acre oasis of bliss. I am one that clamors for a fence to be built around Broadway and 2nd Ave. to keep all the tourists and bachelor and bachelorette parties locked away from the rest of us jaded locals but there is one place in Nashville that I want to share with everyone because of just how special it is to this city.
Tussled 8 ½ miles away from downtown in the Belle Meade neighborhood is the award-winning botanical garden and art museum Cheekwood. Originally built as the home of Leslie and Mabel Cheek in 1929, Cheekwood is one of the finest examples of an American Country Place Era estate. Cheekwood isn’t exactly a hidden gem as over 300,000 people a year visit it, which includes its over 19,000 members (of which I am proudly one).
Throughout my years of living in Nashville, I have been a yearly member of Cheekwood, Belcourt, Nashville Zoo, Tennessee Performing Arts Center, and many more, but Cheekwood is the one that I have been a member of the longest. From the 150,000 blooming bulbs in the spring to over a mile of holiday lights in the winter, Cheekwood has something for everyone.
In the past, Cheekwood has been home to some of the world’s greatest traveling exhibits. Favorites include the Chihuly exhibit, Andy Warhol’s Flowers, and Norman Rockwell’s Home for the Holidays. On my most recent visit, I walked the grounds of the botanical garden and found myself amongst some of the most colorful animals in the world. Now through September 5th, works from Sean Kenney’s Nature POP! Made with LEGO Bricks are on display throughout the garden. On your journey you will see highly stylized, colorful displays that leap out from their surroundings.
As a big fan of the reality competition show LEGO Masters, I was really excited to hear about the exhibit coming to Cheekwood and it does not disappoint. LEGO says that anyone from the age of 4-99 can enjoy playing with the colorful blocks, but I say everyone regardless of age will love these builds.
The LEGO exhibit is not all that Cheekwood has to offer this summer. The mansion on the property that operates as the art museum is home to the Cheekwood Collections, which is the personal collection of the Cheek family. In addition to the family’s art, there is In A New Light: American Impressionism 1870-1940. This collection provides a thought-provoking look at American Impressionism and is there until July 4th.
Cheekwood always has special events going on throughout the week, and on the third Thursday of each month, they host Thirsty Third Thursdays where crafted cocktail crawls take place throughout the gardens.
As you are planning your Nashville getaway itinerary, I implore you to seriously think about visiting Cheekwood as a much needed palate cleanser from all the debauchery you witnessed or more than likely took part in on Broadway. Visit cheekwood.org for more details.
Steven McCash is the Music Columnist for SoBros Network, and host of the ‘Drinking With…’ podcast. He is the pioneer of New Music Friday, highlighting each week’s new releases in the world of music, in addition to the occasional live show review. Follow on Twitter: @MC_Cash75
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