The most progressive city in the so-called Bible Belt, Nashville has developed into one of the South’s gay-friendliest destinations over the past decade. The country music industry, with which the city is famously identified, does have a fairly conservative reputation, but in fact the city’s legendary music business and fast-growing theater and visual-arts scenes have compelled quite a few gays and lesbians to move here. Nashville now buzzes with offbeat retail and entertainment districts, several energetic gay nightspots, and a wealth of attractions related to music and the arts.
Downtown Nashville is set around the courtly Greek Revival-style Capitol, which is perched atop the highest hill in the city. Behind it, the dignified Bicentennial Mall State Park contains elegant fountains and a 200-foot granite map of the state. You can learn a thing or two about the state’s history at the nearby Tennessee State Museum. History buffs should also note the Beaux Arts-style Hermitage Hotel, where, in 1920, suffragists from around the country and their opponents encamped while debating the ratification of the 19th Amendment (which granted women the right to vote).
A block over, 5th Avenue was the site throughout the ‘60s of Civil Rights demonstrations, the success of which inspired similar protests throughout the South. These days, 5th Avenue has become rather artsy - it’s the site of several excellent galleries and the nearby Frist Center for the Visual Arts, which occupies a handsomely restored, art deco post office building and hosts world-class art exhibitions and traveling shows.
A few blocks east, toward the Cumberland River, you’ll come to Nashville’s old Market Street, now 2nd Avenue, where a long row of redbrick Victorian warehouses was rescued from neglect in the 1980s and converted into restaurants, music clubs, brew pubs, and specialty shops. First Avenue runs along Riverfront Park, a long brick promenade with views across the river. Here you can tour a reproduction of the settlement’s first outpost, Fort Nashborough.
Downtown’s most impressive attraction is the Country Music Hall of Fame, a handsome and huge modern structure whose exhibits not only honor dozens of legendary musicians (Patsy Cline, Johnny Cash, and Dolly Parton among them) but also give an impressive overview of folk, bluegrass, rockabilly, and many other genres with close ties to Nashville. The nearby Ryman Auditorium is one of the grand music icons of downtown, often hosting Grand Ole Opry shows. Seating is in old wooden pews, and behind-the-scenes tours are given during the day.
It’s a short drive from downtown to reach the hub of the city’s recording industry, Music Row. You can tour Studio B, where everyone from Elvis to Dolly Parton has recorded, as well as a few other music-related museums. Follow Broadway beyond Music Row to reach Midtown and its main drag, West End Avenue - you’ll pass several of the city’s schools and medical facilities, including Vanderbilt University, as well as an art-filled, full-scale replica of the Parthenon.
West End Avenue eventually leads into ritzy Belle Meade, where many music celebrities and politicians reside. There are a couple of notable museums in this area, including the Greek Revival Belle Meade Plantation, once the site of a 5,300-acre Thoroughbred breeding farm, and Cheekwood, a 1925 Georgian-style house on whose grounds you’ll find the Tennessee Botanical Gardens & Museum.
Dining in Nashville has become increasingly sophisticated of late. In a railway and warehouse neighborhood on the edge of downtown, you can dine at one of the city’s current stars, Radius10, a snazzy, white-on-white restaurant with exposed air vents and an unfinished cement floor. Top dishes here include Kobe beef short ribs with black-truffle grits, and halibut with andouille sausage, dirty rice, and crawfish. A more traditional option is long-running Merchants, which is set inside a masterfully restored 1892 brick building downtown and serves tasty American fare.
Two neighborhoods that have developed increasingly gay followings in Nashville in recent years are East Nashville and 12th Avenue South, and both have a slew of great restaurants, too. Along 12th Avenue South, sexy and sophisticated Mirror restaurant serves Mediterranean-inspired tapas, such as smoked-lamb gyros with cumin sauce, and saffron ravioli stuffed with shrimp, mushrooms, and brie. Nearby Rumours Wine and Art Bar is fun for dinner or just to snack and sip wine - there’s a popular branch of Rumours in East Nashville, too. For an unusual and refreshing dessert, pick up one of the oddly flavored popsicles (chai tea, cucumber-pepper, chocolate-wasabi) sold at Las Paletas.
East Nashville eateries with superb food include lesbian-owned Margot, which turns out delicious French bistro fare. This is the place in town for Sunday brunch (reservations are a good idea). The same owners run the nearby coffeehouse and bakery, Marche, which serves up all sorts of tasty snacks. For sweets, check out Pied Piper Creamery, whose playfully named and concocted ice cream flavors are a big hit - order a scoop of “Trailer Trash” (packed with assorted candy parts), or tuck into a dish of “The Professor” (toasted coconut, almonds, pecans, and cashews).
Additional worthwhile dining and shopping opportunities await in funky Hillsboro Village, near Vanderbilt University, which offers an intriguing selection of stylish boutiques and distinctive restaurants. Here you’ll find Cabana, which serves crispy and delectable fried chicken, along with several inventive takes on down-home Southern food. Caffeine addicts get their fix at Bongo Java, in a turn-of-the-century house filled with local art. Bongo Java earned international infamy as the home of the “nun bun,” a cinnamon roll that bears an amazing likeness to Mother Teresa. The same owners also operate a cool coffeehouse and restaurant in Hillsboro called Fido.
For gay nightlife, head to Church Street in the West End. Arguably the neighborhood’s hottest gay bar, Tribe is a hip spot with a cute and diverse crowd and a full restaurant, an open-air deck, a decent-size dance floor, and a lounge area with plenty of comfy chairs. If you’re seeking a more high-energy experience, venture next door to Play, a sprawling dance club that packs in huge crowds on weekends. Although it’s a GLBT establishment, plenty of straights party here, too. Other gay hangouts in the same area include Blue Gene’s, a relaxed neighborhood joint, and Blu Bar and Nightclub, which is especially popular with Nashville’s African-American gay community. Nearby you can shop for books and Pride items at OutLoud, which also has a pleasant little cafe open for breakfast and lunch.
Over in East Nashville you’ll find one of the liveliest lesbian bars in the South, Lipstick Lounge, set inside a brightly colored and attractively furnished old house. On the main level there’s a small dance bar, and live music is often featured. Upstairs there’s a lounge with darts, video games, and the like. One neighborhood hangout worth going out of your way for - if you’re up for a quirky scene and hanging out with a completely unpretentious crowd - is Trax, a hard-to-find little dive bar in a somewhat industrial neighborhood south of downtown. Amid the linoleum floors and a fun juke box playing everything from country tunes to The Cure, you’ll find a pool table, darts, and an all-ages, mostly male (but all-welcome) crowd sucking down cheap drinks.
Although not a gay establishment, the famed Bluebird Cafe does have something of a community following. This intimate spot serves passable comfort food, but you really come here to listen to outstanding live music in an intimate setting. There are two shows each night, the first more amateurish, the second generally featuring quite seasoned professionals.
Nashville’s once staid hotel selection got a nice boost with the fall 2007 opening of the Hotel Indigo, a gay-friendly, moderately priced, and sleekly designed mid-rise in the city’s West End - it’s a short walk from gay nightlife. Also near West End gay bars, the posh and refined Loews Vanderbilt Plaza Hotel has dark cherry furniture, a slick white lobby, and first-rate service. This is the top business hotel in the city, and also a favorite of music celebs.
Occupying a turn-of-the-century railroad terminal on the edge of downtown, the Union Station Hotel has a gorgeous lobby and warmly furnished rooms. Light sleepers should keep in mind that freight trains rumble softly by some rooms, so request a unit away from the tracks if this concerns you. Run by the same team behind Portland, Oregon’s swanky Lucia and deLuxe hotels, the Hotel Preston offers the hippest accommodations in Nashville. Alas, the location leaves a bit to be desired - it’s 10 miles southeast of downtown, by the airport.
About a 20-minute drive east of downtown, the giant Opryland Resort comprises a huge hotel, spa, golf course, and the Grand Ole Opry performance center. If you’re hungry, keep in mind that the open-air buffet at the Water’s Edge Marketplace offers terrific food, at least as buffets go, and at fair prices. Although it’s largely the domain of conventioneers and tourists, Opryland is at least worth a quick visit to admire the acres of indoor gardens and courtyards, and partake of some of the most colorful people-watching in Nashville.
Andrew Collins is the author of Fodor’s Gay Guide to the USA and eight additional travel guides. He can be reached at OutofTown@qsyndicate.com.
The Little Black Book
Blu Bar & Nightclub 615-329-3838
Bluebird Cafe 615-383-1461 www.bluebirdcafe.com
Blue Gene’s 615-329-3508 www.bluegenes37203.com
Bongo Java 615-385-5282 www.bongojava.com
Cabana 615-577-2262 www.cabananashville.com
Fido 615-777-FIDO www.bongojava.com/fido.html
Hotel Indigo 615-329-4200 www.hotelindigo.com
Hotel Preston 615-361-5900 www.hotelpreston.com
Las Paletas 615-386-2101
Lipstick Lounge 615-226-6343 www.thelipsticklounge.com
Loews Vanderbilt Plaza Hotel 615-320-1700 www.loewshotels.com
Marche 615-262-1111 www.marcheartisanfoods.com
Margot 615-227-4668 www.margotcafe.com
Merchants 615-254-1892 www.merchantsrestaurant.com
Mirror 615-383-8330 www.eatdrinkreflect.com
Nashville Convention & Visitors Bureau 800-657-6910 www.visitmusiccity.com
Opryland Resort 615-889-1000 www.gaylordhotels.com
OutLoud! 615-340-0034 www.outloudonline.com
Pied Piper Creamery 615-227-4114
Play 615-322-9627 www.playdancebar.com
Radius10 615-259-5105 www.radius10.com
Rumours Wine & Art Bar 615-292-9400 www.rumourswinebar
Trax 615-742-8856 www.traxnashville.com
Tribe 615-329-2912 www.tribenashville.com
Union Station Hotel 615-726-1001 www.unionstationnashville.com
WhistlePig and Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake Wind Tunnel-Trialed Whiskey Is a Ryed You Don’t Want to Miss
SHOREHAM, VT (September 13, 2023) — WhistlePig Whiskey, the leaders in independent craft whiskey, and Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake are waving the checkered flag on a legend-worthy release that’s taking whiskey to G-Force levels. The Limited Edition PiggyBack Legends Series: Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake Barrel is a high Rye Whiskey selected by the Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake drivers, with barrels trialed in their wind tunnel to ensure a thrilling taste in every sip.
The third iteration in WhistlePig’s Single Barrel PiggyBack Legends Series, the Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake Barrel is bottled at 96.77 proof, a nod to Valtteri Bottas’ racing number, 77, and the precision of racing. Inspired by Zhou Guanyu, the first Chinese F1 driver, this Rye Whiskey is finished with lychee and oolong tea. Herbal and floral notes of the oolong tea complement the herbaceous notes of WhistlePig’s signature PiggyBack 100% Rye, rounded out with a juicy tropical fruit finish and a touch of spice.
Like Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake’s signature C43 racing vehicles, trial barrels were tested in the team’s wind tunnel in Switzerland before hitting the track. Select barrels then endured varying levels of G-Forces at the WhistlePig farm and distillery for the finishing touch, accelerating the interaction between the whiskey and the wood, staying true to the physical nature of Formula 1.
“Partnering with WhistlePig has been a very exciting experience. Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake is dedicated to being the best on the track, and the crew at WhistlePig is fearless in their pursuit to create the best whiskey out there,” said Valtteri Bottas, Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake’s driver. “We’re really looking forward to fans tasting our custom Rye Whiskey and raising a glass to the rookies, veterans, legends and the exhilarating sport of F1.”
"Joining forces with WhistlePig to release a Single Barrel Rye Whiskey that represents my culture and team has been an honor,” said Zhou Guanyu, Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake’s driver. “Formula 1 brings together fearless, thrill-seeking motorsports professionals, and WhistlePig has a shared passion for boundary-pushing innovation. Together, we’ve selected something alarmingly good for fans to enjoy this season when the cars are not on track.”
The Limited Edition Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake Barrel will be available for purchase online starting around September 13 for $49.99 MSRP per 750ml bottle and sold in select stores across the U.S. Consumers can win VIP merchandise by scanning the QR code on the back of each bottle.
"We're taking our third Legends Series release on a ryed like never before,” said Meghan Ireland, WhistlePig Head Blender. "Our experiments with dynamic aging went full throttle during finishing trials at the Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake wind tunnel, in turn inspiring new ways to expose barrels to G-forces back at the WhistlePig Farm. The herbal and floral notes of the lychee and tea barrel selected with the team create a new, podium-topping experience for PiggyBack Rye."
Fans and collectors have followed WhistlePig PiggyBack Legends Series, celebrating those who give 100% in the name of greatness, since its launch in March 2022 with Major League Baseball Hall of Famer, David Ortiz (“Big Papi”), followed by Country Music Duo Brothers Osborne in November 2022.
To learn more about WhistlePig Whiskey, visit whistlepigwhiskey.com. You can also check out WhistlePig Whiskey on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
About WhistlePig Whiskey
Located off the grid on a 500-acre Vermont farm, WhistlePig Whiskey is crafted by a new generation of whiskey distillers and blenders driven to reinvent and unlock the flavor of Rye whiskey. Through their rebellious pursuit of experimenting and pushing boundaries in the industry, WhistlePig has become the leading independent craft whiskey brand for innovation. WhistlePig is committed to becoming the best whiskey on and for the planet, starting with its locally sourced ingredients and sustainable supply chain and distilling process. For more information, head to whistlepigwhiskey.com.
Nurse Practitioner Ari Kravitz
When I started medical transition at 20 years old, it was very difficult to get the care I needed for hormone replacement therapy because there are very few providers trained in starting hormones for trans people, even though it’s very similar to the hormones that we prescribe to women in menopause or cisgender men with low testosterone.
I hope more providers get trained in LGBTQ+ healthcare, so they can support patients along their individual gender journey, and provide the info needed to make informed decisions about their body. I’ve personally seen my trans patients find hope and experience a better quality of life through hormone replacement therapy.
If you don’t have a primary care physician who specializes in LGBTQ+ care in your community, you may need to educate yourself (and your provider). But, before you seek such therapy, here are five things you should know!
- Monitor closely. At Spectrum Medical Care Center, we screen patients for certain risks before starting anyone on hormones. We frequently monitor patients in the first year to ensure there are no adverse reactions and lab results are within safe ranges. Follow-up care is also important to assess your comfort with the transition as well as the social impact and social support you’re experiencing.
- Some changes are permanent, some temporary. For transmasculine individuals going on testosterone, they’ll experience these permanent changes: deepened voice, clitoral enlargement (also known as bottom growth), more body, facial hair, and male pattern baldness. Reversible changes include cessation of menses, increased muscle mass and strength, body fat redistribution, and skin oiliness or acne. For those going on estrogen therapy, the most permanent change is breast growth. Feminizing hormone therapy can also cause atrophy (shrinkage) of the genitals and loss of erectile function that may not be reversible. Estrogen will thin body hair, soften the skin, can increase scalp hair, and decrease muscle mass and strength, all of which are reversible.
- You can’t pick and choose results. Unfortunately, you can’t pick and choose the physical changes you want, which may feel challenging. Some of my patients will say, ‘Okay, ‘I’ve seen the permanent changes I want, and I don’t want it to go any further,’ and so at that point, we stop therapy. Low-dose hormone therapy can slow down the rate of changes, allowing for a more gradual physical transition. We counsel patients in advance about the common changes, and it’s up to the individual as to when they’d like to scale back and determine whether some benefits are worth the potential risks.
- Be aware of risks. Like any medical treatment, there are potential risks involved. Some risks with testosterone therapy include increased red blood cell mass, acne, hypertension, sleep apnea, weight gain, and dyslipidemia (increases the chance of clogged arteries). Cardiovascular disease is likely increased with additional risk factors for testosterone and estrogen therapy. Transfeminine patients going on estrogen therapy may experience weight gain, thromboembolic disease (when a blood clot breaks off and blocks another blood vessel), and a high level of triglycerides in the blood.
Descanso Resort swimming pool and lounge area
Descanso Resort, Palm Springs' premier destination for gay men, just received Tripadvisor's highest honor, a Travelers' Choice "Best of the Best" award for 2023. Based on guests' reviews and ratings, fewer than 1% of Tripadvisor's 8 million listings around the world receive the coveted "Best of the Best" designation. Descanso ranked 12th in the top 25 small inns and hotels category in the United States. Quite an accomplishment!
Open less than two years, Descanso Resort offers gay men a relaxing and luxurious boutique hotel experience just minutes away from Palm Springs' buzziest restaurants, nightclubs, and shopping. Descanso has quickly established itself as a top destination for sophisticated gay travelers, earning hundreds of 5-star guest reviews and consistently ranking in Trapadvisor's top positions alongside brother properties Santiago Resort and Twin Palms Resort.
"Our entire team is honored to be named Best of the Best. To be the only gay men's resort recognized in the Top 1% is incredibly humbling," said Kent Taylor, General Manager at Descanso. "We appreciate Tripadvisor and we're grateful to all our guests who gave us such high marks and reviews to help us reach this achievement."
“Ranking among the Best of the Best demonstrates that you have provided exemplary experiences to those who maZer most: your guests,” said John Boris, Chief Growth Officer at Tripadvisor. “With changing expectations, continued labor shortages, and rising costs, this is no easy feat, and I am con6nually impressed with the hospitality industry’s resilience and ability to adapt.”
Santiago Resort was once again honored by Tripadvisor with a 2023 Travelers’ Choice award, placing it among the top 10% of travelers’ top reviewed des6na6ons. Twin Palms will become eligible for ranking in 2024.
Check out all the reviews, and discover more about Descanso Resort on Tripadvisor here. We have an excellent library of resort imagery available to accompany editorial and additional resources on our press page. Please contact Descanso Resort’s General Manager, Kent Taylor, at kent@descansoresort.com for further information.
About Descanso Resort
Inspired by Palm Springs’ history as a des6na6on for Hollywood stars to unwind in privacy, Descanso offers guests a casual yet modern take on the legendary style of that 6me. Created by the same hospitality team that revitalized Palm Springs’ much-loved San6ago Resort and recently launched the all-new Twin Palms Resort, the Descanso property opened in 2022 featuring 15 spacious guest rooms with custom-designed furniture, dreamy King-size beds, and luxe details. Ameni6es include continental breakfast, poolside lunch, welcome snack basket, and lots of special touches. For guests who need to stay connected, the entire property is equipped with blazing-fast Wi-Fi. Mul6-speed bikes are available for exploring the surrounding midcentury neighborhoods and public art installations. Like the Hollywood stars before them, guests at Descanso are encouraged to unwind, relax, and rest in style.
About Tripadvisor
Travelers across the globe use the Tripadvisor site and app to discover where to stay, what to do and where to eat based on guidance from those who have been there before. With more than 1 billion reviews and opinions of nearly 8 million businesses, travelers turn to Tripadvisor to find deals on accommodations, book experiences, reserve tables at delicious restaurants and discover great places nearby.