Spring Break Day In Nashville Part 2

Continuing with the report on my solo trip to Nashville on Thursday. I just left the Opry Mills mall with a Styro-foam container full of Panda Express food and a pair of bags from the Lego Store and the Disney Store Outlet.  

Now I'm on Briley parkway heading for the reason I made this trip in the first place. 

One of the things I like about Nashville is that even after 15 years of going there on a regular basis I still continue to find places and things of interest. It has all the benefits of a major city without some of the negative aspects that come with a New York or Chicago. 

Performance Studios is one of those discoveries. Located on West Thompson Lane this business is a costume store that's open all year long. 

The front of this 15,000 square foot store is a supermarket for anyone looking to buy just about any kind costume or accessory. 

In the back is a warehouse filled with racks and racks of costumes for rentals. According to their website there's over 25,000 costume and props available for rental. Here's a picture of just one section.

You can look around the whole store by clicking on this link.
Performance Studios Virtual Tour

I saw so much potential in this place. I've been wanting to find a place to get costumes for my ventriloquist act any time I needed them for a long time. But I was there for one specific reason. I needed an outfit for an very special occasion coming up in a couple of weeks. 

I knew from browsing their website that Performance Studios had the type of costume I was looking for but wasn't sure they had one in my size. Luckily they did.  

I've only shared what the costume is and what it looks like with two people, for now. But it's going to be an important element in looking the part I'll be playing. I promise you'll be seeing pictures and reading the whole story later this month. 

My last stop before heading home was to the Green Hills Mall, home of the Nashville location of the Cheesecake Factory. 

I promised Paula that I'd bring her a piece of cheesecake for dessert. I like this mall. It's has high end clothing and department stores, specialty shops, and jewelry  stores. None of those interest me very much. The only place I've ever had need to go into is the Apple store. Still I like the atmosphere of the place and the way it looks. 

I walked through the lower level of the mall to get to the restrooms and noticed a new store. It was call "Absolution." I went in to look around. 

It was a combination book store, candle shop, and novelty accessories shop. I didn't find anything I'd buy but the next time I take Paula to Green Hills I have to take her there. I'm sure there's something that will catch her eye. 

On my way back through the mall I took the escalator back up to the top floor. I stopped in at the Pandora store. This is a store that specializes in Pandora bracelets, beads, and charms. 

I normally don't go into jewelry stores unless there's some kind of special occasion coming up soon. 

With Mother's Day being next month I thought I'd look and see if I could find a nice present for my wife. I found a few things but didn't buy any them. I plan on being in Nashville at least two more times before the 2nd week in May. I can go back if I decide I want something from that store. But don't tell Paula. I want to surprise her. 

Finally, I found myself back at the Cheesecake factory to get what I had promised my wife. I waited about 15 minutes to order and another 10 to get it. 

So about 4 o'clock I took the Cheesecake Factory bag with containers with a slice of raspberry chocolate truffle cheesecake and one of 5-layer chocolate cake (mine) in hand I headed to my car. 

While walking past an outdoor cafe I saw a pair of young college age girls sitting at a wrought iron table doing something I'd never actually seen in public before. 

They had each had a spoon and on the table between them was an open 1/2 gallon of chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream. You could tell it was right out of a grocery store freezer. They were hovered over it each taking their turn eating their way to the middle. 

My first instinct was to stop and ask who had the broken heart and who was the supportive friend. But I knew how strange that would have seemed to them.  

So as I passed I simply said, "Now that's the way to eat ice cream." They smiled, looked slightly embarrassed and kept eating. I kept walking. 

Back in my car I hit the "home" button on the GPS put one of my favorite podcasts on my Ipod and headed back toward Kentucky. It was a nice relaxing day of shopping in Nashville.  

It was only a few hours in a city I visit at least half a dozen times a year but it was the type of break I needed. Hope you didn't mind my sharing it with you.