Friday, May 27, 2011

Favorite Eats: Provence Breads and Cafe

Last week I made my annual jaunt to Nashville which is always a fun trip. My favorite part of visiting Nashville is that it's like visiting New York except on a much smaller (and more manageable scale). Nashville has so many things to offer including an abundance of great places to eat.

One of those places is Provence Breads and Cafe which is one of the best bakeries I've ever visited. I have a great weakness for breads and pastries. This place is a must visit when in the Music City. There are six locations throughout the city (including one at the airport for those passing through). The location I've visited is downtown at the Nashville Public Library at 601 Church Street. It's not everyday that you find a bakery at a library but it's a really cool spot to stop in.

My mission was to go and get a variety of their pastries for breakfast on our day of departure. However, I didn't arrive until around 10:00 and was reminded that it pays to come early (they open at 7:00 a.m. Tuesday through Friday) as the selection was pretty limited by the time I got there. Still, I was able to find plenty of goodies to take with me and we all had a wonderful breakfast before heading home.

The breads are also absolutely fabulous and they have a terrific selection of sandwiches they put together with their artisan breads. Imagine the bread at Panera Bread (one of the few chain restaurants I visit when I travel) only a little better. They also do fresh salads and have plenty of both available for those that need a quick lunch to go.

If you ever get the chance to visit Nashville, make a point to stop by a Provence Breads and Cafe. You won't be disappointed.

Sunday, May 08, 2011

Moms and Politics

One of the more interesting trends of late has been the increase in the number of mothers who are involved in politics. Dana Loesch has an excellent post on what motivates mothers to jump into the political fray. It's well worth the time to read.

This post also brought to mind Jamie Radtke who is running for the U. S. Senate here in Virginia. Jamie is a friend of mine and, more importantly, mother of three. I also think she would make a great senator. She told me not long ago that her kids were a big motivator in running for Senate.

Moms have a lot of important things to say. We would be wise to listen to them.

Happy Mother's Day to moms everywhere.