The Northern Southern Belle: Summer style suggestions

The Northern Southern Belle: Summer style suggestions

Hey friends! It’s been a while, but I hope you’re all having a great summer! Things are finally getting back to normal, and it is wonderful to celebrate the summer with friends! We all have a great reason to celebrate this week, as the 4th is Sunday! With things opening back up and gatherings beginning to occur again, the 4th is a great way to show off your style and your American pride. When I think of patriotic clothing, I think of red, white, and blue, of course! When I was little, my go to Independence day outfit was a Faded Glory flag tee and a pair of jean shorts. While still patriotic, I’ve realized that there are plenty of other ways to express yourself and your love for the US through what you wear on America’s birthday. Red white and blue are still my go-to colors for the day, but a way to modernize it is to mix and match the colors with prints. Try a solid navy top with red and white shorts for a flag look, or blue and white stripes or gingham with a red hair accessory or lipstick.  Plenty of stores offer 4th of July themed attire. Target currently has a whole section in the women’s/juniors department of America-themed tees. If you’re going for a cute and casual look, pair one of these with a pair of shorts or a colored athletic skirt. If you’re looking for something to wear more than just on the 4th, Loft is a great option! Their new arrivals feature plenty of red, white, and blue that can fit...

Downtown 4th of July celebrations plan to involve families of all ages

The longest fireworks display in the city’s history will be the climax of a day of family friendly fun on the Nashville riverfront on July 4. The “Let Freedom Sing” celebration will begin at noon and culminate with the 9:45 p.m. fireworks spectacular that annually is rated one of the best in the country. The kids will be the focus of the first part of the day’s schedule. The McDonald’s free Family Fun Zone – on the Bridgestone Arena Plaza – will be open from noon until 5 p.m. and will offer inflatables, games and a variety of food. And, since this is Nashville, there will be live music from 1-4 p.m., featuring Jason Eskridge and The Farewell Drifters. Beginning at 1:50 p.m. Dippin’ Dots also plans to try and break the Guinness World Record for most ice cream cups prepared by a team of five in a span of three minutes. Record or not, the ice cream will be given out free of charge to spectators. In the early evening, the action goes down to the river, where Billy Currington will be headlining the Jack Daniels concert this year, along with Ashley Monroe, Striking Matches and the Nashville Symphony Orchestra. The concert can be found at the main stage at 1st and Broadway and will begin at approximately 6:30 p.m. The fireworks show will begin after the concert, with explosions set to ignite at approximately 9:45 p.m. According to the Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp (NCVC), despite the construction on west Riverfront Park, the area will be open for fireworks viewing. The NCVC has implemented safety rules for...

The Rockets’ Red Glare O’er Music City

We all take our own approach to individual liberty. Myself, I enjoy taking full advantage of our Constitution’s First Amendment which prohibits any law from, among other things, “infringing on the freedom of speech.” Last Sunday night, on our nation’s 234th birthday, I demonstrated this liberty by screaming “AMERICA” at the top of my lung from the Shelby Street Bridge in downtown Nashville.Everyone commemorates individual liberty in their own way, but I assure you, on July 4, 2010, there was no better way to celebrate than taking in the South’s greatest firework show over Music City, Tennessee. After finding free parking at the Tennessee State Capitol Building, my party meandered through the masses downtown to get a bird’s-eye view of the firework extravaganza. We settled centrally on the Shelby Street Bridge, which resides just above the might Cumberland. With the symphony playing in the warm summer air, the stage was set for the show of the year. The first streaming flare took to the sky as the clock struck 9:30pm. For the next half hour, the rockets’ red glare lit up Music City like, well, to quote country music artist Toby Keith, the 4th of July. It was truly a sight to behold as the incandescent lights and vibrant colors reflected on the towering duo of the Batman Building & the Pinnacle. The drumfire thundered beneath the bridge and echoed all the way down the Cumberland. Truly remarkable… To view a highlight video of the evening, click here! The South’s greatest firework show came to a triumphant close with a finale worthy of the founding fathers. (Well, maybe not Alexander Hamilton, but the...