🏛️ Who has it out for Cheekwood now?

🐦 Let’s Give It Up for the Birds

The hottest hobby for this summer might be birding, whether you’re watching, listening to, drawing, or simply appreciating our feathered friends. On today’s podcast, the team behind Nashville’s new Feminist Bird Club chapter shares their favorite birding spots and why we should all put our phones down and look up. [🎧 City Cast Nashville]

• And while we’re talking birds, purple martins are expected to roost downtown soon. The Nashville Urban Bird City organization is asking for your help to find their roost. You can report any purple martin sightings here. [Nashville Urban Bird City]

🏛️ Group Seeks To Stop Cheekwood’s New Garage

Neighbors for Safety BMH (Belle Meade Highlands) is appealing a Metro permit allowing Cheekwood to build a parking garage, arguing the estate is violating a 1996 special exception permit that prohibits large spectator gatherings. Cheekwood says the garage isn’t meant to help increase attendance, but to move parking on site rather than use Metro Parks for overflow parking. [Nashville Scene via Nashville Post]

• The neighborhood group opposing the garage is led by investor Jackson Moore, who bought his adjacent property from Cheekwood in 2012. [Davidson Portal]
• Cheekwood has started a petition protesting the appeal, saying that if it’s successful, it could lead to its closure. [Change.org]

🚌 Volunteer-Built Benches Removed … Again

The Nashville Department of Transportation is once again removing volunteer-built wooden benches at bus stops. The bench-building coalition, To Nashville With Love, says it’s been trying to work “in good faith” with NDOT through its tactical urbanism program. NDOT says the wooden benches are allowed, but must be removed within 24 hours if complaints are filed and an inspector finds them valid. [🔐 The Tennessean]

• NDOT has been confiscating the volunteer-built benches since last fall. [🎧 City Cast Nashville]

🏫 Racial Segregation in Schools Is Rising

According to a new report, Tennessee public schools are some of the most racially segregated, coming in sixth in the nation. While Davidson County public schools ranked better than Tennessee as a whole, racial segregation among Black and white students still increased between 1991 and 2023. [Nashville Banner]

• You can read the full report here. [Brown’s Promise]

Hungry? Nashville has so many excellent new restaurants and bars opening every month. Here are our favorites from June! And feel free to share this newsletter with your foodie friends and encourage them to subscribe.

Momotaro, Alla Vita, & Middleman

Restaurateur Kevin Boehm has opened three Nashville restaurants this month right next to each other in Wedgewood-Houston. Momotaro serves elegant Japanese fare, Alla Vita focuses on wood-fired pizza and handmade pasta, with Middleman, a cocktail and spirits lounge, between them.

Sally’s Stay Awhile

Wedgewood-Houston is truly hopping, and this new neighborhood spot has a diner feel. They serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner, with brunch on the weekends. Check out their happy hour deals and patio.

Sweetgreen

This national chain opens on June 30 in The Gulch, and is partnering with Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee to donate one meal for every purchase at its grand opening. Sweetgreen serves salads, wraps, and protein bowls.

Vannie’s Table

Located in North Nashville, Vannie’s Table is open every day and offers coffee, beer, snacks, and a market full of groceries and other local goodies.

Christie Cookie Co.

This popular cookie brand got its start in Nashville, and has once again opened a physical store in Nashville Yards. Now you can find their freshly baked cookies straight out of the oven every day of the week.

The Hangout Café

Parents rejoice: East Nashville’s newest coffee shop has a giant playground and outdoor area that’s both kid and dog-friendly. Grab a chai and a pastry and come hang out.

Flynn's Neighborhood Bar

This new Madison dive bar is open until 3 a.m. every day. Pick a tune on the jukebox, play darts or pool, enjoy the patio with your fur children, and don’t forget the corndogs and draft beers.

Giannini's Wood-Fired Pizza & Pasta

Giannini’s is a new family-owned restaurant in Hermitage, with a menu of classic Italian favorites like lasagna, fettuccine alfredo, tiramisu, and wood-fired pizza. They’re open Tuesday through Saturday from 4-9 p.m.

Cherokee Steakhouse

This beloved restaurant right on Old Hickory Lake in Lebanon first opened in 1958, and while it closed a few years ago, its new owners have officially reopened it. Rent a boat at the Cherokee Marina, then get a bite to eat and listen to live music at the steakhouse.