Spring Break: History, Food, and Shopping (and Me Trying Not to Panic in the Passenger Seat)
It started normal—flight to Greenville.
And then somehow turned into Lily driving us to Nashville.
The whole way.
Which sounds great in theory until you are sitting in the passenger seat while your 16-year-old is going 87 mph with music blasting.
Some of it good.
Some of it… not my first choice.
And I’m trying very hard to be the cool calm parent while also clocking every semi-truck within eyesight and quietly monitoring the GPS like it’s my full-time job.
“Okay this exit… wait… no… THIS one…”
Meanwhile she’s like totally fine. And yes, she did yell at me on more than one occasion as I put my foot to the break that doesn’t exist on the passenger side.
Also the trucks.
Why are they so close. Why are they everywhere.
And then when we got home I saw that story about truck drivers not reading signs and thought—great, glad I didn’t know that at the time or I would have absolutely ruined the vibe.
Anyway. We made it.
We stopped in Louisville to break up the drive and did an overnighter.
Louisville (Where I Won Something Small but Important)
BBQ first. Obviously.
We ended up at Doc Crow's because we physically could not walk farther than like 500 feet.
No regrets.
Lily ordered chicken and waffles because that’s apparently her thing now—she tries it everywhere like she’s judging it.
Next morning we went to Butcher & Grocer.
I got the biscuits with apple butter. Thought they were solid.
She tries them… pauses… and goes:
“Mom, I think yours are better.”
I’m not exaggerating when I say this felt like a major life win.
Not even what she said—just the way she said it.
Like when she gets a grade back she’s proud of.
I will be holding onto that moment for a while.
Nashville (Food Karma Is Real)
We got into Nashville and did the usual—12 South, walking around, eating again. Amazing fries at Edley’s BBQ. After those, we definitely needed to walk it off and we did. Up and down both sides of the street hitting every shop we could.
Etch (And Why Food People Are Different)
Later I managed to get two seats at the counter at Etch.
Which already felt like a win.
Open kitchen. Everything moving fast.
And the founding chef is there—working. Like actually working. During a big event.
The food was incredible—layered, not expected, not just “Southern” in the way people say that.
But honestly what stuck with me was watching the chef.
You build something for years… and you’re still in it like that?
On your feet. In the middle of it. Not removed.
There’s something about food people.
They don’t phone it in.
What I’ll Remember
Yes—food, shopping, all of it.
But really:
Lily driving. Loud music. Me pretending I’m not stressed.
That random biscuit win.
Getting lucky at Hattie B’s.
And watching someone still care deeply about what they’ve built.
That’s the stuff.
We felt all of it.
Every mile. Every bite.
