Dining Out For Life and Nashville CARES
The 17th annual Dining Out For Life returns to Nashville on Tuesday, April 16. Numerous restaurants will participate in this yearly fundraiser by donating a percentage of Tuesday’s sales from either breakfast, lunch, or dinner (or a combination of more than one) to Nashville CARES, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to end the HIV/AIDS 
epidemic in Middle Tennessee.
Dining Out For Life began in 2002, and Nashville CARES participation in the national event started in 2003. According to Debbie Barnett, director of marketing and communications for Nashville CARES, last year $113,000 was raised in Nashville, with a goal of $120,000 for this year. Since 2003 more than $1.7 million has been raised to fight HIV/AIDS in Middle Tennessee.
On March 25 Mayor Briley signed a proclamation recognizing April 16, 2019, as “Dining Out For Life Day” in the area of Metropolitan Nashville and Davidson County. “I encourage all citizens to take time on this day to patronize those restaurants that participate in Dining Out For Life to support the efforts and commitment of Nashville CARES,” states Mayor Briley in an official press release.
This year, well-known executive chef Margot McCormack (of Margot Café & Bar and Marche Artisan Foods), will serve as the celebrity chair for the event. (Check out our feature on Margot in our 2018 Food & Drink issue.)
“Our team at both Margot Café & Bar and Marche Artisan Foods greatly values the important work, compassion, and education that Nashville CARES provides to our community and the impact it has made on our friends and neighbors,” states Chef McCormack. “That’s why we have supported Dining Out For Life from the very beginning and will for years to come.”
Chef McCormack has supported Dining Out For Life since 2003 and will be donating 50 percent of the sales from both her restaurants on April 16.
“There are a handful of restaurants that have participated in Dining Out For Life since our first year in 2003, including Margot,” says Barnett. “Each year we solicit as many restaurants as we can, both those that have previously participated and new ones. So far this year we have 57 confirmed, and they have committed to donating anywhere from 25 – 100 percent of the sales from either breakfast, lunch, and/or dinner.”
Getting involved in this event is easy; just dine at any local participating restaurant on April 16. “People do not need to sign up anywhere but are encouraged to make reservations, particularly if dining in a group,” says Barnett. “The majority of the participating restaurants have been assigned a ‘host’ – volunteers we recruited and trained – who will work to fill up their restaurants with diners. Many of them will also have an ‘ambassador’ (a CARES staff or board member) who will be available to talk to diners about the work of Nashville CARES,” Barnett explains.
Diners will also be given the opportunity to donate onsite by filling out a donation envelope or by texting ‘DOFL615’ to 44-321. To view a list of participating restaurants, visit DiningOutForLife.com/Nashville.
“This event is so important to CARES, we actually close our facility for the day and deploy our entire staff team of 120 people into the community to help facilitate this endeavor,” says Barnett. “Staff serves as hosts, ambassadors, and a social media team, as well as area leads that check on hosts and restaurants to make sure they have everything they need for a successful day. There are an additional 100 volunteers who are serving as hosts, on phone call banks, helping with supply delivery and processing donations. We are expecting roughly 20,000 diners to participate on Tuesday. We love to tell our clients that the entire city will be spending the day raising money on their behalf because their health is that important to us.”
Today, Nashville CARES serves more than 50,000 Middle Tennesseans at risk of or living with HIV including HIV prevention education to more than 29,000 youth and adults, more than 10,000 free confidential HIV tests, and essential support services to 3,400 men, women and children living with the disease.
Restaurants interested in participating should contact Nashville CARES at dofl@NashvilleCARES.org for more information about the event.
If you’re unable to dine out on Tuesday, but would still like to donate to the cause, you can text “DOFL615” to 44-321 or visit www.givetocares.org.
Record Store Day Celebrations
Music lovers hold onto your Friday fun money, this Saturday, April 13 is Record Store Day (RSD), and there are several local stores hosting celebrations and sales, ready to fulfill your special-edition vinyl dreams. (Check out Chuck Allen’s ode to record stores and RSD in his Editor’s Letter, “For the love of records,” from our current issue, as well as the latest History Channeled piece “The Emperor of Grooves” by Randy Fox, which tells the story of Louis Buckley, the forgotten record store king of Nashville.
According to RecordStoreDay.com, “This is a day for the people who make up the world of the record store — the staff, the customers, and the artists — to come together and celebrate the unique culture of a record store and the special role these independently owned stores play in their communities.”
Here’s a look at what’s happening around the East Nashville community for Record Store Day 2019.
Grimey’s
Grimey’s New and Preloved music, a mecca for record-loving locals and visitors alike, celebrates their first Record Store Day in East Nashville after moving to their new location this past November. (Check out our feature on Grimey’s 
manager Anna Lundy here.)
For their RSD celebration, they’ll have live music beginning at 3 p.m. from Anderson East and Alanna Royale (who both have RSD releases available), as well as indie rock band SUSTO.
The Smoke Et Al gourmet barbecue food truck will be on-site, and there will be free beer for all 21-and-up attendees provided by Living Waters, East Nashville Beer Works, Tennessee Brew Works, Wiseacre Brewing Co., and Dogfish Head.
All of these extras are on top of their usual outdoor sale full of records and CDs for heavily discounted prices. Grimey’s friends and community partners like WXNA, AmericanaFest, Anaconda Vintage, and more will also be in the mix. There will be giveaways including swag, festival passes, music gear, vinyl test pressings, and more. Grimey’s will be opening their doors at 9 a.m. Click here for more info on the event.
The Groove
An East Nashville fixture since 2008, The Groove will be open to all “crate divers” beginning at 9 a.m. this Saturday for RSD.
Partnering with ACME Radio Live, there will be a full day of live music from artists including Future Thieves, Blank Range, Erin Rae, The Gripsweats, Tennessee Muscle Candy, Camm, and other special guests yet to be announced.
There will be drinks, giveaways, and of course RSD-only titles. You can also visit Do615 and RSVP to The Groove’s RSD event for your chance to win a Golden Ticket, a pair of tickets to numerous shows coming to Nashville in 2019. Click here for more info on the event.
Vinyl Tap
Vinyl Tap, home of new and used vinyl, and local and regional craft beer will be open to the public starting at 10 a.m. for RSD. There will be exclusive RSD titles available, 15 percent off all other vinyl in the store, Vinyl Tap and RSD
merch, drink specials on Belle Meade Bourbon and Dogfish Head beer, and treats from Nashville’s Caity Pies.
Live music curated by Cold Lunch Recordings will start at noon with a lineup including Sad Baxter, Quiet Oaks, Whoa Dakota, Snake Cheney, Hari The Band, Only, and Peachy.
Vinyl Tap will also be raffling off a Dogfish Head/Grateful Dead American Beauty record player and giving away black light posters. Click here for more info on the event.
The Great Escape Madison
Since 1977 The Great Escape has served music fans’ vinyl needs and beyond. In honor of all the early-risers, the store will open three hours early at 7 a.m. on Saturday. 
They’ll have a variety of exclusive releases and will be giving away items such as buttons, CD samplers, stickers, and more. The store is offering 20 percent off all used LPs, CDs, and cassettes, and 50 percent off all used 45s and 78s.
The Great Escape Madison will also be playing host to some DJs from WXNA from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Click here for more info on the event.
Corner Music Grand Opening Block Party
Corner Music will be hosting their Grand Opening Block Party from 10 a.m.-7 p.m. on Saturday, April 20 at their new spot located at 3048 Dickerson Pike.
Established in Nashville in 1976, Corner Music is a one-stop-shop for musicians’ session and performance needs, whether they’re professionals or beginners.
Originally located in Berry Hill, Corner Music moved to the 12 South neighborhood in 1984, and as of September 29, 2018, they’ve made East Nashville their home.
“We love the 12 South neighborhood, but it was time for us to move on for a number of reasons,” says Ben Garris, Corner Music co-owner. “Skyrocketing property values, taxes, and rent rates were contributing factors. Lack of parking, as well as the whole ordeal of trying to get in and out 12 South, was keeping some of our customer base away — our regulars had a hard time getting past all the tourists and bachelorettes. We looked to stay close to the same zip code but after searching all over the city, moving north or east made the most sense.”
The move east has proven to be a success with the shop’s clientele. “We have had an overwhelmingly positive response from our returning customers,” says Garris. “While the new spot isn’t quite as lived-in as the old yet, the open layout is a feast for the eyes! The acoustic room — where we display all our acoustic guitars — now has four times the size of the old store and seems to be everyone’s favorite. We hear a lot of comments about the extra space and ample parking, as well.”
To celebrate the move Corner Music is hosting a block party that will include blowouts in every department (some items sold below cost), a rummage sale (cases, cables, abandoned repairs, software, etc.), multiple giveaways including some guitars (must be present to win), free Coursey’s barbecue smoked on site, and Yazoo beer. There will be live music featuring The Midnight Riders, Toddzilla’s Rip-Roarin’ Rock ’n’ Roll Big Top, and Red Wine Hangover.
If you’re feeling adventurous, Yazoo is partnering with the Metropolitan Pogonotrophy Society (Nashville’s beer and mustache club) to throw this year’s Big Wheel Championship as part of the Corner Music celebration. It’s $60 for a 
co-ed team of 4, and it includes your first beer and an event t-shirt. Helmets and big wheels are provided. Registration for the event is at 11 a.m., and the race begins at noon.
Click here for more information on the Grand Opening Celebration.
Click here for more information on the 2019 Big Wheel Championship.
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Rosepepper Launches Mobile Fiesta
Rosepepper Cantina is launching the Mobile Fiesta, a margarita trailer equipped with a full bar for all your event needs.
“People always make jokes about how they want a margarita truck to drive around like an ice cream truck, and I thought, ‘yeah, actually that seems like a good idea,’” says Andrea Chaires, owner of Rosepepper. “We can’t quite do that, but we got as close to it as possible.” (Check out our feature on Chaires in our 2018 Food & Drink issue.)
Chaires says they’re currently putting the finishing touches on the bar trailer they’re planning to use for parties, but the restaurant is “ready and excited” to start booking events.
The focus of the trailer is margaritas and other drinks, but simple food items will also be available. “Right now, due to size constraints, our food options are limited to the basics — salsa, cheese dip, guacamole — that kind of thing,” says Chaires. “However, we can offer any selection of anyone’s favorite Rosepepper drink to have at a party or event. So, for example, if you have an engagement party and the bride’s favorite drink is the Juanita-Rita, and the groom’s favorite is the Casa Margarita, we can provide those both on tap for your party.”
The Mobile Fiesta’s focus is on parties, corporate events, and they hope to get into the festival business. Chaires also says that parking the trailer at specific locations is a possibility, but there’s nothing firm in that direction yet.
Chaires describes the Fiesta on wheels as, “a converted horse trailer that has a couple of taps for kegged margaritas and a fully functioning bar set up. We haven’t finished decorating it yet, so I only have some working pics, but it’s going to be adorable when it’s done. Basically, a mobile version of what it looks like inside the restaurant. There’s bound to be a beaded curtain somewhere in or around it.”
Pricing will depend on how many people there are and how long the party is. Any inquiries can be discussed with Rosepepper off-site event manager, Sarah Murphy. Click here to visit the Mobile Fiesta website.
Chef Zygmont to Depart Treehouse
Executive chef Jason Zygmont of the popular Five Points neighborhood restaurant the Treehouse has announced his final night at Treehouse will be Saturday, May 18, reports Eater Nashville. (Check out our feature on Treehouse in our 2018 Food & Drink issue.)
Chef Zygmont is departing to launch a pop-up series at another East Nashville restaurant that hasn’t been disclosed at this time.
In a statement sent to Eater Nashville, Zygmont states that his new pop-up series will begin in late May or early June and the pop-up dinners will feature a small menu offering around 10 small plates, similar to dishes he offered at Treehouse. He’ll also be curating a specific wine list to pair with the small plates.
Chef Zygmont has spent his time at the Treehouse expanding on the laws of Southern cuisine tradition, with playful, even challenging (but still suitably Southern) food. Eater reports Chef Zygmont is taking the menu in a new direction during his last weeks at the restaurant, so if you’re a fan of a particular dish, plan to stop by soon before it’s unavailable.
“I am incredibly proud of the work that we do at the Treehouse and am in debt to all of our current and previous staff that has made it what it is,” Chef Zygmont tells Eater. “It has been my great joy to work with Nashville’s farm community and serve the hunger for quality food that Nashville’s dining public has shown. Thank you for all of the support over the past few years. Looking forward to serving everyone at my next project.”
Anaconda Vintage Hosts Comedy Night, Poetry Readings, and More
Anaconda Vintage, located on East Trinity Lane behind Grimey’s, is hosting their monthly comedy night at 6 p.m. this Friday, April 12.
Whether you’re in the mood to shop for vintage goods, see a comedy show, experience a poetry reading, or enjoy some live music — Anaconda has you covered.
Tristen Gaspadarek, singer-songwriter and beloved member of the East Nashville community and beyond, opened Anaconda Vintage with her sister Alise Grysen last June. Both ladies come from a background of curating vintage goods. Gaspadarek was a longtime curator at the now-closed Fond Object, and Grysen is the impeccable curator of Lette’s Vintage, a successful Etsy shop that sources retro relics in the San Francisco area.
Although Gaspadarek and Grysen own the boutique, 11 other vendors also sell and help run the shop.
The combination of being an artist and a curator is what encouraged Gaspadarek to create the Anaconda mixed-use space. “I’m a musician, along with quite a few of our vendors, and so I wanted to create a space where I could sell vintage seven days a week and work one day a week — the millennial hustle,” says Gaspadarek. “So as a group, myself and our 11 other vendors, share the responsibility of running the shop. We have a very functional balance of socialism and capitalism. Being in the artist community in East Nashville, using the space for events came about pretty naturally. But we wanted to keep it simple, art that requires no elaborate amplification. So we have a poetry night, a comedy night, and acoustic shows.”
Local musician, Max Putnam curates the boutique’s poetry nights, which occur the first Thursday of every month. Gaspadarek and Grysen also encourage their vendors to use the space for events. “For example, Emma Swift hosted our unofficial Americanafest comedown party, and Mary Jay Berger hosts our second Friday of the month comedy showcase,” says Gaspadarek. “As a shop, we host a clothing swap on the last Saturday of every month.”
Beyond a variety of events, daily, the boutique offers reasonably priced vintage clothing and housewares. “We want our clothing to be accessible to our neighborhood, which is full of working-class people, musicians, and artists,” says Gaspadarek.
“Our vintage clothing was all made before 1998 and handpicked by our vendors. The beauty of vintage clothing is that you know it will last, because it’s still alive after 20 years,” Gaspadarek explains. “You can easily boycott big-box fast-fashion by shopping with us. You can feel good about how you are spending your money because you are supporting local merchants. Because we have so many sellers, we cover all styles and tastes; our items are one of a kind, new to you, and hard to find.
All shows at Anaconda are always free, take place early in the evening around 6 p.m., and complimentary refreshments are offered. Click here for more information on all Anaconda Vintage events and the boutique.
Quick Bits
― Ladies Rock Camp Spring Showcase is at 4:30 p.m. this Sunday, April 14 at Drkmttr Collective. Hosted by the nonprofit Youth Empowerment through Arts and Humanities, Inc. (YEAH!), this condensed rock camp is for all 18-and-up women and non-binary adults who want to “rock-out” together. Participants learn an instrument, form a band, write a song, and then perform at the Spring Showcase. If you’re unable to attend and want to support from afar you can visit yeahrocks.org to make a donation and help YEAH! grow. Click here for more information on the event.
― The Nashville Poetry Festival takes place this Sunday, April 14 from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. in Five Points. This is a free Metro Arts THRIVE grant-funded all-day, all-ages, pet-friendly, outdoor celebration of the independent creative writing communities of Nashville. Click here for more event details.
― RollingStone.com writes about John and Lilly Hiatt covering each other’s songs for Record Store Day, and they give The East Nashvillian a shout-out too for our January/February cover story on the father-daughter rockers. Read more here.
― Metro is seeking a private company to operate and enforce street parking. This could mean no more free street parking in Five Points. Read more at News Channel 5.
― Pet Community Center, a local veterinary nonprofit, was recognized for providing preventative care at a discounted rate. Read more at WKRN.com.
