The Shop at the W Nashville Hotel presented a fashion show for Swim Week on Thursday, May 4, 2023 from 6:30 p.m. to 12 a.m.
The show celebrated swim suit designs featured in the hotel shop. Many of the attractive pieces used sustainable materials and some local sourcing. Here are some highlights from the program:
“Fair Harbor beachwear was born out of deep care for our waterways and a desire to preserve the magic of the shoreline for future generations. That’s why we made all of our signature beachwear from recycled plastic bottles, for versatile comfort that considers the ocean.”
“Melissa Odabash – Each collection illustrates signature Odabash style and quality. From the finest quality Italian swimwear fabrics to reworked archived and vintage prints that are ethically sourced and manufactured.”
“Peixoto – Creating high-quality clothing that makes the wearer feel beautiful while doing our part to make the world a better place. At the core of our mission is a commitment to foster economic empowerment, health, safety and equality in all we do.”
Designers included LSPACE, SOLID&STRIPED, VIX PAULAHERMANNY, BEACHRIOT, FAHERTY, MELISSA ODABASH, PEIXOTO and FAIR HARBOR.
The event tickets were sold as general admission and VIP, with the key difference being VIP was about $20 more and came with a gift bag featuring some of the designers. Solid & Striped included towels and sunscreen in the VIP bag. L Space included some spa creams.
Models included Charika White, Christen McAllister, Shelby Hunstad, Morgan Watkins, Hannah Roberson, Lauren Kentfield, Alyssa Mocci, Tallulah Kokoski, Alyssa Schoener, Malik Perry, Bea Guti, Aidan Daniel, Mercedes Northup and Ronzell Williams.
Hair and makeup was done by One10 Beauty House.
Gallery Images provided by Sarah Hughes. Photos of Swim Week fashion show models walking and posing. All rights reserved.
Gallery Images provided by Sarah Hughes. Photos of Swim Week fashion show models walking and posing. All rights reserved.
Swim Week presented by The Shop was part of Nashville’s fashion events, with Nashville’s fashion week taking place officially in April. The show was held at the pool of the Gulch neighborhood W Nashville Hotel at 300 12th Ave S, Nashville, TN 37203.
Gallery Videos provided by Sarah Hughes. Videos of Swim Week fashion show models walking. All rights reserved. Gallery Videos provided by Sarah Hughes. Videos of Swim Week fashion show models walking. All rights reserved. Gallery Videos provided by Sarah Hughes. Videos of Swim Week fashion show models walking. All rights reserved. Gallery Videos provided by Sarah Hughes. Videos of Swim Week fashion show models walking. All rights reserved. Gallery Videos provided by Sarah Hughes. Videos of Swim Week fashion show models walking. All rights reserved. Gallery Videos provided by Sarah Hughes. Videos of Swim Week fashion show models walking. All rights reserved. Gallery Videos provided by Sarah Hughes. Videos of Swim Week fashion show models walking. All rights reserved. Gallery Videos provided by Sarah Hughes. Videos of Swim Week fashion show models walking. All rights reserved.
In late Sept. or early Oct., the TN Honey Festival draws honey enthusiasts and festival goers in Nashville. Apiaries in Tenn. submit honey for competition and purchase.
Here are reviews of one local Springfield honey and one award winner from the TN Honey Festival.
According to https://www.benefits-of-honey.com/good-quality-honey/, a good quality honey has low water content, low HMF (Hydroxymethylfurfural), low adulteration with Inverted Sugars or additives, no visible pollen, and a pleasing color. While graded into light, amber and dark colors, these categories are thought to have little bearing on quality.
“Honey color is measured on the Pfund Scale in millimeters.” says Benefits of Honey, “While it is not an indicator of honey quality and there are exceptions to the rule, generally speaking, the darker color the honey, the higher its mineral contents, the pH readings, and the aroma/flavor levels. Minerals such as potassium, chlorine, sulfur, iron, manganese, magnesium, and sodium have been found to be much higher in darker honeys.”
Typically color and taste are affected by what pollen bees pick up and digest. So no two honeys are exactly alike, though the process can be pretty similar.
Image provided by Sarah Hughes. Honey Bee Apiary at TN Honey Festival 2021. All rights reserved.
“Raw honey comes straight from a beehive,” says WebMD, “Some honey producers pass the substance through a coarse filter to remove foreign matter, but it remains unprocessed food. Most of the honey sold in stores goes through a heating process to make it less sticky and easier to filter.”
“High temperatures pasteurize honey and destroy yeast cells in it that can cause unwanted fermentation,” Says WebMD, “Honey is basically sugar. It is actually higher in calories than the typical white sugar used for cooking or baking. Because it is sweeter, you may need less if you’re using it as a substitute. Also, honey adds flavor that white sugar does not have.”
Image provided by Sarah Hughes. Mumms at TN Honey Festival 2021. All rights reserved.
Richard’s Pure Raw Honey hails from a Springfield apiary established in 1903. Owned by Wayne D. Richard, this honey comes in an affordable plastic squeeze bottle filled with a generous amount for $12. It’s dark golden-brown and barely transparent. It has a rich flavor, sweet with faint toffee flavors in the mid to after taste. It smells like dandelion and honeysuckle.
Tyler Pippen, who enjoys going to farmers markets and tasting honey, says of Richard’s Pure Raw Honey, “the flavor is sweet but subdued due to its probable age. It smells of raw honey. There’s a separation of sugar and nectar.”
Just B’s Pure Raw Honey was the festival winner of 2021. It is a clear warm amber color and comes in a cute glass hexagon jar. Just B’s lists which queen made each honey and “Queen Cora” made this one. It has a watery thin consistency. It tastes like it would go well with green teas, herbals and juices.
Pippen says of Just B’s Pure Raw Honey, “Is sweet and smells a little of pollen, which makes me feel like it was bottled in their own backyard or farm. Smells like raw honey in its most potent, purest form. The consistency is like water. There’s subdued hints of something other than honey…jasmine? Lavender? I like it.”
That viscous little golden substance may be good for most people’s well being when consumed appropriately.
The Mayo Clinic lists the following health benefits, “Research on honey for specific conditions includes:
Cardiovascular disease. Antioxidants in honey might be associated with reduced risk of heart disease.
Cough. Studies suggest that eucalyptus honey, citrus honey and labiatae honey can act as a reliable cough suppressant for some people with upper respiratory infections and acute nighttime cough.
Gastrointestinal disease. Evidence suggests honey might help relieve gastrointestinal tract conditions such as diarrhea associated with gastroenteritis. Honey might also be effective as part of oral rehydration therapy.
Neurological disease. Studies suggest that honey might offer antidepressant, anticonvulsant and anti-anxiety benefits. In some studies, honey has been shown to help prevent memory disorders.
Wound care. Topical use of medical-grade honey has been shown to promote wound healing, particularly in burns.”
However, honey’s benefits aren’t for everyone, such as those with allergies and young babies.
Mayo Clinic cautions, “Avoid giving honey — even a tiny taste — to babies under the age of 1 year. Honey can cause a rare but serious gastrointestinal condition (infant botulism) caused by exposure to Clostridium botulinum spores. Bacteria from the spores can grow and multiply in a baby’s intestines, producing a dangerous toxin.”
‘Some people are sensitive or allergic to specific components in honey, particularly bee pollen.” Says Mayo Clinic, “Although rare, bee pollen allergies can cause serious, and sometimes fatal, adverse reactions.”
Honey can be purchased from health food stores or farmers markets, but WebMD points out that processing doesn’t affect the health advantages honey may provide.
“Raw honey is not superior to processed honey in nutrition or health benefits,” says WebMD, “Researchers found that processing does not affect honey’s nutritional value or antioxidant levels.”
“Honey contains antioxidants, which can protect the body from inflammation. Inflammation can lead to a variety of health issues, including heart disease, cancer, and autoimmune disorders. One study discovered that antioxidants in buckwheat honey were detectable in blood plasma, showing that eating honey could enhance antioxidant activity in the body.”
Supporting local apiaries by buying honey at festivals or farmers markets helps the environment by promoting green practices.
“The food is typically grown near where you live, not thousands of miles away or another country,” says the USDA at https://www.usda.gov/media/blog/2012/07/02/top-reasons-shop-farmers-market, “Shopping at farmers markets also supports your local farmers and keeps the money you spend on food closer to your neighborhood.”
Check out your local farmers market or the next TN Honey Festival to try your own honey. Tickets can be purchased at https://tennesseehoneyfestival.com.
Activities: “The temperate climate here allows for a lengthy recreation season, including boating, canoeing, and fishing. There is a large playground for the children and horseshoe pits for the adults. A large pavilion will be great for big family get-togethers.”
Amenities: Water Hookup, Accessibility, Picnic Table, BBQ, Fire Pit, Lantern Pole, Full Hookup, Electricity Hookup, Grills/Fire Ring, etc.
Reservation only
Distance from Clarksville: 38 min
Notes: 30 min drive to Nashville, if arriving late it’s highly recommended to call the campground to notify the Park Attendant.
Image by Sarah Hughes. Trees and table at Piney Campground. All rights reserved.
“Nestled in the woods of Pembroke Kentucky, we are a family owned and operated farm, campsite and RV Park. Come and enjoy the outdoors and get away from your fast paced life.”
Amenities: Laundry
Reservation only with application process
Distance from Clarksville: 39 min
Notes: “We are a family owned and operated campsite and farm nestled in the woods of Pembroke Kentucky.” “Dogs must be pre-approved”
Image by Sarah Hughes. Trees and lake at Piney Campground. All rights reserved.
Activities: “swimming beach area, archery range, ball field, bike trails, a campfire theater, hiking trails, two boat ramps, and a fishing pier”
Amenities: “The newly renovated Piney Outpost provides campers a place to purchase food and drinks, ice, firewood, tick repellent, limited camping supplies, and other perishable goods. Soft drink machines are located behind the gatehouse and some shower buildings. Washers and dryers are available at Areas B, C, and D shower buildings.”
Walk in and Reservations accepted
Distance from Clarksville: 54 min
Notes: “Piney Campground is now open year-round and offers 384 well-defined lakefront and wooded sites with 283 electrical hookups, 44 sites with electric, water, and sewer, and 57 primitive sites. Most sites are capable of handling large motorhomes and campers. Campers have access to modern facilities, including a swimming beach area, archery range, ball field, bike trails, a campfire theater, hiking trails, two boat ramps, and a fishing pier. Piney also has 19 primitive cabins available for nightly rental. In addition, the summer season offers weekend recreation programs for all ages. Since 1973, in mid-September Piney holds its popular Camper’s Fair with a variety of activities including a campers’ flea market and dealer showcase of new RVs, fifth wheels, and motorhomes. It is open to the public during the weekend.”
Image by Sarah Hughes. Bug friend at Piney Campground. All rights reserved.
Activities: Pool and pool lift, Cable tv, mini golf, bike rentals, WiFi, playground gym, climate-controlled bathhouse, giant connect four game, Lego wall,Disc golf, kids arts and crafts table, ping pong
Amenities: Snack bar, firewood, laundry, wheelchair accessible, store
Reservations accepted
Distance from Clarksville: 56 min
Notes: KOA, Open March 1 to November 30
Image by Sarah Hughes. Trees and lake at Piney Campground. All rights reserved.
The pastime of camping is a good way to get to know the landscape and reconnect to nature. Camping is something to do and provides its own entertainment such as hiking, swimming and barbecuing. It’s a great activity for friends and family. Philosophically, it can be used to reconnect to the simple life and find inner peace. It can help revive circadian rhythms by putting you out under the stars and sunrises, according to intuition and a study done in Feb. 2017 and published in Current Biology.
“These studies suggest that our internal clock responds strongly and quite rapidly to the natural light-dark cycle,” said lead author and CU Boulder integrative physiology professor Kenneth Wright. “Living in our modern environments can significantly delay our circadian timing, and late circadian timing is associated with many health consequences. But as little as a weekend camping trip can reset it.”
“Weekend exposure to natural light was sufficient to achieve 69 percent of the shift in circadian timing we previously reported after a week’s exposure to natural light,” Wright said.
Image by Sarah Hughes. Trees at Piney Campground. All rights reserved.
Most people go camping when the weather is nice. It’s important to pack gear to shelter and protect from weather, as bad weather can be fatal. Many campgrounds are only open seasonally, with open months listed online or by phone. In general, camping season tends to be Apr. or May to Sept. or Oct. Many campers wait for weather patterns to solidify.
“If you’re planning a camping trip, a good rule is to wait until May for the weather to work itself out” says Bottles and Banter’s section on Family RVing and Travel (see more at https://www.bottlesandbanter.com/2021/02/13/when-does-camping-season-start-best-month-camping/).
Image by Sarah Hughes. Rained out tent at Piney Campground. All rights reserved.
Since quarantine has limited travel and entertainment options this year, understandably camping in the USA has increased as an activity. A study by Kampgrounds of America predicts camping interest will remain high in 2021.
According to PR Newswire’s article on the study, Fresh Data Indicates Camping Interest To Remain High In 2021, “More than 60% of these first-time campers plan to camp the same or more in the coming year; across all campers, families are the group most likely to spend more nights camping in 2021.”
“Camping had been steadily growing in popularity prior to the pandemic, but experienced aggressive growth across the U.S. last year,” said PR Newswire, “The 2021 North American Camping Report, which surveyed U.S. and Canadian campers’ sentiments and behaviors on the outdoor recreation in January 2021, shows that more than 86 million U.S. households consider themselves campers and 48 million of those households took at least one camping trip in 2020 – up more than 6 million over 2019.” (see more at https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/fresh-data-indicates-camping-interest-to-remain-high-in-2021-301273611.html).
Be aware of fees and facilities offered at your campsite of choice. Some locations are illegal to camp in or have specific regulations. Most require reservations, and some permits for specific activities. Some have websites or a phone number for reservations. Be sure to get the proper equipment. Leave no trace.
Image by Sarah Hughes. Outside The Looking Glass Café. All rights reserved.
Clarksville’s The Looking Glass is a collection of restaurant, bakery and event space with an Alice in Wonderland charm. Locals and travelers alike should check out this cafe’s unique and whimsical heart.
Image by Sarah Hughes. Café table next to a fountain. All rights reserved.
In addition to candy bar flavored coffees and large beautiful slices of cake, the Looking Glass offers breakfast, brunch, lunch and dinner options throughout the day. They are an excellent spot to meet someone for brunch or to sit with a coffee.
Image by Sarah Hughes. Lily pads in a koi pond. All rights reserved.
“I suppose I ought to eat or drink something or other; but the great question is ‘What?’”
—Lewis Carrol, Alice in Wonderland, Chapter 4, The Rabbit Sends in a Little Bill
Image by Sarah Hughes. Giant lily pads in a garden pond. All rights reserved.
The decor is sweet and colorful, with homages to Through the Looking-Glass by Lewis Carrol. Along with meeting a variety of meal or caffeine related needs, the multipurpose layout offers a wide open feeling, providing intimacy for each table’s conversations. Whether you are there for coffee, a meal or just cake, there’s plenty of space to stretch out. Once full, there is a sweet garden out back to admire.
Image by Sarah Hughes. Crab Cake Eggs Benedict with Home fries. All rights reserved.
I found the spot while trying to find a unique eggs benedict that reminded me of granola-cafes back home in San Diego, CA. I enjoyed my crab cake benedict, and my fiance enjoyed a breakfast burrito. We got chunky monkey and oreo mochas in giant teacups. Looking around on my visit, there were many ladies luncheoning. It reminded me of the now sold Claire De Lune Coffee Lounge in Northpark, and an old Hemingway story. Spots like these are a passion of mine and worth our patronage. You can feel the love and history poured into them.
“It is the light of course but it is necessary that the place be clean and pleasant”
― Ernest Hemingway, A Clean Well Lighted Place
Please consider checking this great spot out and supporting a great local small business. I’d rate them four out of five stars.
Image by Sarah Hughes. Whimsical table in a garden. All rights reserved.
Their hours are as follows:
Mon 9:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Tue 9:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Wed 8:00 AM – 9:00 PM
Thu 8:00 AM – 9:00 PM
Fri 8:00 AM – 9:00 PM
Sat 8:00 AM – 9:00 PM
Sun Closed
Image by Sarah Hughes. Koi pond in a garden. All rights reserved.
The restaurant is located at 329 Warfield Blvd Ste H Clarksville, TN 37043.
Looking for a way to support Clarksville culture and have a great Valentine’s day? Reserve your own themed date night in a box from the Custom House Museum and Cultural Center.
Photo provided by https://customshousemuseum.org/. All rights reserved.
As of 6:30 PM, Tuesday, Jan. 19, 2021, The Custom House Museum and Cultural Center is taking orders for special Valentine’s treat boxes. The boxes will be available for pick up and delivery in February.
This offering is presented by the Museum Guild as a part of an event called Valentines Delivered: Date Night in a Box. The event replaces an annual winter fundraiser, Champagne & Chocolate.
Funds raised go towards artifact conservation, collections, exhibits and educational programming. It’s a gift that helps the community, and allows for easy social distancing.
Exterior shot of the Custom House Museum and Cultural Center. Photo by Sarah Hughes. All rights reserved.
The boxes contain assorted goodies, including a few locally manufactured items. They are perfect for sharing with a date or group of four. However, sharing is not required.
Delivery and Pickup will be Feb. 8 through 12. Orders can be placed through the museum’s website. Limited quantities are available. https://customshousemuseum.org/valentines-delivered/
The original spire from the top of the museum on display. It was removed from the landmark building in a tornado Jan. 22, 1999. Photo by Sarah Hughes. All rights reserved.
Honey it’s Thursday
…because honey’s sweet and we put out on Thursdays…
