Recommendation Blog: Kansas City

KC Proper: (These are the restaurants with multiple locations around Kansas City.)

• Fiorella’s Jack Stack: My personal favor BBQ in KC. Get the Jack’s Best with Cheesy Corn & Baked Beans. The Cheesy Potatoes are also a great choice but whatever you do, don’t skip the Smoked Chicken Wings!

• Gate’s: Get a Double-Decker & a Half. Big ass sandwich but it’s probably the best BBQ Sandwich in KC!

• Joe’s KC: KC’s top voted BBQ joint, Joe’s is a good middle ground for all seeking just good all around BBQ. I always get the Sampler with Burnt Ends, Turkey, Brisket, & Pulled Pork but the most popular menu item is definitely the Z Man.

• The Roasterie Café: A KC Coffee staple! The Roasterie itself offers different tours & coffee based classes! Skip the Cold Brew though unless you get the Sporting Blend!

• Sheridan’s Frozen Custard: Get you a Concrete, get it plain, you really can’t go wrong here!

• Spin Pizza: KC’s take on Napoli Pizza! A lot of really interesting pizza options as well as salads! Several locations across KC!

• Winstead’s: Very few Winstead’s left, an old Kansas City fast food staple. Burgers are incredible as are the Onion Rings.

Country Club Plaza:

• The Capital Grille: Upscale Steakhouse. The Porcini Rubbed Ribeye is divine as is their French Onion Soup! Get the Au Gratin Potatoes & The Lobster Mac to share! Ask for Steve, he’s the greatest waiter!

• McCormick & Schmick: A chain, I know, but go for Happy Hour & get the Calamari & a Chocolate Bag!

• Osteria Il Centro: Always have incredible specials in addition to the staples on their menu! Some of the best Italian west of the Mississippi!

Downtown KC:

• Boulevard Brewery: Book a tour in advance! Excellent Beer with a lot of variety!

• Bristol: Get the Soup Sampler! No joke. That with Cheesy Biscuit is all you need!

• Christopher Elbow: Kansas City’s own famous Chocolatier! His Truffles are immaculate!

• The Peanut: Wings. The Peanut is a dive bar with The. Best. Wings! Only come in one style, Buffalo, but they’re incredible!

Martin City:

• Martin City Brewery: Great Hang Spot! Really great food, really great beer!

• Tropical Sno: Only open in the summer, Tro-Sno has a long list of flavors sure to please anyone! My go to is Guave, Pink Lemonade, & Pink Grapefruit!

Olathe:

• Silas & Maddie’s: Incredible, incredible Ice Cream! I recommend the Blueberry!

Overland Park:

• Desta’s: A little Ethiopian gem located in new at the Blue Valley Sports Complex. The food is incredible & extremely authentic! I recommend Chicken & Lamb Tibs!

• Fat Bee: The OG OP Bobba Tea Bar! Tons of different flavors, I recommend the House Special as is!

• Fortune Wok: Pretty standard Chinese fare with a Sushi Bar. I always go for the Sweet & Sour Soup & their Happy Family!

• Hot Basil: One of my favorite Thai restaurants in the country. They have hands down the best Pad See Ew. Be wary of the heat levels, Thai hot means Thai hot! The Tom Kha is incredible too!

• I Am Frozen Dessert Cafe: Thai Dessert Bar! They take block of ice cream & put them in an ice shaver. Totally worth the stop!

• Jalapeños: An Overland Park staple, best Tamales in the area for sure.

• Jersey Boys: Turkey Club, Turkey Club, Turkey Club!

• Jose Peppers: Locals know it for their Espanaca Dip, but their Salsa & regular menu items are bangin too! I recommend the Fish Tacos.

• K-Macho: All around pretty solid Mexican food! A little more on the big portion side, a crowd pleaser for sure!

• Pad-Thai: A relatively new Thai restaurant, get the Crying Tiger Beef & ask the chef to surprise you with the main Entree!

• Plaza III: Another upscale steakhouse on the plaza. Here I recommend the Ribeye & the Mac & Cheese & the Onion Straws

• Robek’s: California smoothie chain, used to carry Guava Juice but have since stopped, but asked them to replicate a “Guava Lava” & they can still get it pretty close.

• Ruchi: Go get their Indian Lunch Buffet, allows you to try all different kinds of Indian dishes without the pressure of being set with just one!

• Sweet Caroline’s: Candy shop that serves Silas & Maddie’s Ice Cream!

Prairie Village:

• Cafe Provence: Consecutively voted one of the top restaurants in the entire United States, French Fare. Don’t miss the Onion Soup or the Amish Chicken.

• Dolce Bakery: Try all the cookies, all of them! Especially the Double Chocolate Espresso & the Oatmeal Cranberry Chocolate Chip!

Leawood:

• Blue Koi: Featured a few times on the food network, Blue Koi is famous for their Chinese Pot Roast Soup & it does not disappoint! Great for a cold day when you need heating up! Don’t miss their assorted Bobba Teas as well, may sound strange but I recommend the Green Bean & Almond!

• Pacuigo Gelato: Always outstanding Gelato, tons of different flavors. Try a few before you decide & be adventurous, it’s worth it!

Westport:

• Room 39: Cute little Contemporary American/French place. Menu is always changing but they do everything very well!

Blog: Global Warming & The One Iota of Truth

So, global warming.

(Yes, we’ll be referring to it as “global warming” instead of “climate change” because the research shows the general public finds that terminology “more pressing,” which it should be.)

As I’m sure many of you have seen, global warming has been making all kinds of headlines this week mostly due to The UN Climate Summit & Greta Thunberg’s incredible speech. If you haven’t given the incredible sixteen year old’s speech a listen, it’s a powerfully moving four and a half minute watch as is her speech during the opening track of The 1975’s forthcoming album “Notes On A Conditional Form.” The escalating visibility of climate activism & mountainous pile of evidence in favor of the fact that we are destroying our planet got me thinking, & really it got me thinking about one tiny little question I want to ask those who don’t seem to believe the truly dire situation we are in. Before I pose my question I guess I should preface by clarifying that this blog post is more targeted towards those who are deniers than believes. My question follows:

What if it’s true? What if only one tiny iota of it is true? Out of all the data & concrete science, what if even one gram of it is truth? Is that not enough to take action?

I know majority of the denier demographic falls in the boomer category & I know, I know this is going to sound like just another millennial whining about the older generation messing things up for us, but we share the fault in this as well. It seems however that the reason Gen X, Millenials, & Gen Z are rapidly joining the fight against global warming is, to put it plainly, that we’ll actually be alive to see it. We’ll be the ones left to “survive” on the earth we killed., forced to live with the horrendous conditions we’ve created. Not only will we have to live with this, but so will our children & our children’s children. Those who are innocent to the cause will suffer the effects of the negligence of the previous generations. My prompt to those who are in the older generations, content to let the world burn, is what about your grandchildren? Hasn’t your goal as a parent, as a grandparent, always been to create a better way of life for those that come after you? If that’s the case I think I would mark this down as a major failure on your part & say in the worlds of Greta “How Dare You!”

If there’s one iota of truth to it all why are you fighting the change required? What do you lose by being just a little more green? What are you really giving up to save the planet? Think of all the things you’ve sacrificed over the years to make a better life, how if this any different? I guess the main difference boils down to selfishness. We don’t want to change because they’re not, we don’t want to change because it doesn’t benefit us or our families immediately, we don’t want to change because it may cost us a few dollars more a month. I would argue “an eye for an eye” leaves the world blind, or in this case, dead. You’re right, the change necessary wouldn't improve the quality of just those around you, it’d improve the quality of life for everyone living on this planet. The money you inevitably save on allergy medication or other medical bills, the money you save because food is becoming increasingly hard to grow or catch due to the death of pollinators or decimated populations, the amount you’ll save not having to deal in home maintenance due to the ever increasing ferocity of weather, heat, & cold, will be more than worth the investment you put in to choosing the greener path.

I guess I’m just frustrated, my generation is frustrated. We’re tired of screaming stop just for the wheel to keep turning without regard for what it’s trampling in the process. We have to make a change, all of us. We have to pressure corporations, that make up 72% of the carbon footprint to change. We have to be better, not only for ourselves but for those who come after. We cannot allow selfishness & laziness to win. None of these changes are things you have to make over night, but little by little we all can help save the world. Start by getting a recycling bin, move to purchasing reusable containers to take with you to the store, cut out single use plastics, buy from sustainably farmed sources, don’t run your heat or air conditioner at full blast all the time. Take baby steps adding more and more as you go along, you’ll be amazed when you look back & see how far you’ve come just how easy the journey actually was.

Blog: Mental Health & The Mental Tolls of Being a Struggling Artist

Incase you didn’t know June is Mental Health Awareness Month.

I wanted to start this blog by saying a few things that I often have to reaffirm in my own life; you are worthy of your dreams, you are talented, you are worthy of love, you are worthy of people’s time, you are important. I know that can be a little hippie-dippie at times but these are the mantras we must keep. Recite them until you believe them in your soul. Make those words imprint upon your brain. You are worthy.

I also want to say that if you are struggling with your mental health & feel like you’re out here drowning on your own, that it’s okay to reach out for help. It’s okay to tell people how you feel. It is not weakness to want to get better. Fighting these fights has made you stronger than you know! If you do need help though there are a lot of great resources out there, I’ll attach a few to the bottom of the blog.

Now, onto my thoughts…

Some of you may have read the precious blog I did on mental health for Suicide Prevention Day, if not feel free to go back & give it a read, although I’ll probably end up touching on a lot of those points in it here as well. I wanted to take the time to write this blog but I didn’t want to do it at a time where I felt right as rain. I’ve been fairly candid in the past about my struggles with depression, a mental illness I struggled with for years. I remember being in high school & having sudden uncontrollable waves of depression hit me & not knowing how to deal with them, often resulting in me breaking down. And that’s how depression goes, like a flash flood. Some days it just consumes you out of nowhere & the fear, doubt, & shame take over. Well, full disclosure, that’s me today. Most of the time my waves of depression come from never feeling like I’m enough, not feeling like I’m good enough, talented enough, that I work hard enough, or that I’m doing enough. That’s the beauty of the music industry I suppose, every day you try your damnedest just to inch your way a little higher on the ladder & feel like all this work you’re doing matters. You work & you work & you get so excited just to be thrown by the wayside by the world & this industry. The projects you poured your heart into don’t connect, the email or phone call you’ve been praying will come never does, the people who claim to support you turn their backs on you. It's tough.

I’m not trying to discredit my fans at all or anyone out there working on my behalf or who believes in me, I am beyond grateful for you all. I wouldn’t be here without you. All I’m saying is this job is taxing & if you don’t take the time to stop & check yourself & your mental health along the way it’ll eat you alive. That being said I want this blog to be as raw & open as I can be.

I’m a bit too much of an envious person at times if I’m being honest. Don’t get me wrong, I am incredibly proud of all that my friends are accomplishing in the music industry, with all my heart I am so beyond proud of you all. But comparison is often the thief of my joy & I so long to join you on your pedestal.

I compare myself to the privileged. To those who have relatives in the industry or come from money. Those that can throw the appropriate marketing dollars are a project to have is launch where they want it to be. I envy them. I envy those whose bank account isn’t constantly on their mind, who don’t live day to day trying to make enough money to even buy the gas required to get to the gig they aren’t getting paid for much less fund their next single. Again comparison always seems to be the thief of my joy.

I look around & I don’t know what I’m doing wrong or even really what I’m doing right. I feel like I’m wondering in the dark praying something connects, that someone will reach out a hand & help pull me through it. I wake up & my brain says do something & I immediately panic because I have no idea what to do. I feel the things I have been doing haven’t been working so I’m forced to rethink it & try a different path.

I know I probably sound like I’m bitching or whining but I truly wanted to share this because I know so many artists that have these days but we never show it. We never break face or break character out of fear of freaking people out but that right there is the problem with our stigma of mental health as a society. Fear & shame. We’re afraid the people we care about won’t accept us or what we’re going through. We’re afraid that we’ll just get another person telling us to “shake it off” or tell us “it gets better.” Your emotions are valid, your feelings are valid, just as you are valid.

SAMHSA- Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration:

1-800-662-4357

National Association of Mental Illness:

www.nami.org

Mental Health Resources, Inc.

www.mhresources.org

National Suicide Prevention Hotline:

1-800-273-8255

Blog: Pride Month, Straight Pride, & Being an LGBTQ+ Ally

First off…

HAPPY PRIDE!!!!!

Whether you’re gay, lesbian, bisexual, transexual, asexual, omnisexual, demisexual, pansexual, queer, non-binary, gender fluid, questioning, a straight ally, or any other identity under the LGBTQ+ mantle; Happy Pride!!!

For those of you that don’t know, June is Pride Month, a month of the year where we shift the lens to focus on those members of our society & our history that are/were LGBTQ+. Pride month exists to draw attention to the marginalized, not to boast one sexuality being greater than another. Pride month exists as a time for celebrating what makes us different, what makes us human, what binds us all; love, or rather love in all of its forms. It also exists as a tool for helping to educate the ignorant & normalize other types of sexualities & genders other than straight or cis. The goal of pride is to show that we don’t live in a world that’s black & white, we live in a world that is a rainbow of millions of different lifestyles & ways to love. Pride month not only is meant as a way to celebrate our differences but is also a way to celebrate the love that we all are capable of sharing & the acceptance we all desire to have.

Now, this year, like most years, there’s a huge push for a “straight pride month” or a “straight pride parade” which I find absolutely ridiculous. For starters, no one is stopping you from attending pride. No where on any LGBTQ+ organization will you find “straights not allowed” (the same can’t be said for the inverse) because again, pride is all about inclusion. The LGBTQ+ community actually encourages straight allies; people within the societal normal that affirm members of the LGBTQ+ community that they are not alone, that they have value to society, that they are deserving of love & acceptance. The main reason that straight pride is insanity is the fact that being straight does not come with the fear of persecution, it does not come with the fear of being beaten on the street for holding your partner’s hand, it does not come with the fear of losing your job when your boss finds out your sexual orientation, it does not come with the fear of being ostracized by your friends & family, it does not come with the fear of “I love you, but,” it does not come with the fear of being kicked out or shut out because you’re different. Being straight is, and has been for thousands of years, the societal norm. That’s changing, slowly, but straight is still, as they say, “the default.” Straight pride is unnecessary, illogical, & if I’m being honest a downright pathetic attempt to reclaim what is believed to be lost ground. Love wins y’all. Love always wins.

To The Allies:

I want to shift my attention back to being an ally for a second because I know there are quite a lot of people out there that identify themselves as straight LGBTQ+ allies but wear that label with conditions, accepting LGBTQ+ friends & family members, but only to a certain extent. Claiming acceptance & showing acceptance & the unconditional love that comes with it are two very different things. You cannot be accepting of someone you love & ask them to hide who they are or deny themselves in public in fear it would reflect badly upon you. You cannot be accepting of someone you love & not use their chosen name or pronouns. You cannot be accepting of someone you love & claim their sexuality is just a phase or that they’re too young to know. You cannot be accepting of someone you love & wish that down the road they would revert to the person you trained yourself to believe they were. You cannot be accepting of someone you love & not stand in solidarity with them when hate comes knocking at their door. You cannot be accepting of someone you love & then actively vote for those that would harm or put into place legislation that would undermine their rights to love whomever they chose or be whoever they want to be. Just because you don’t cut the people off you claim to love does not mean you accept them, it does not mean you are an ally. Just because you don’t kick out your kid or stop talking to your friend or spew hate back at them doesn’t mean you’re accepting of them. Not hating someone or isolating them should not be the standard for acceptance. Acceptance is embracing what makes them different, it’s taking the time to educate yourself on topics you may be completely oblivious to but you do so because you love that person. Acceptance is taking people at their word & trusting that they’re living their true self. Acceptance is asking people about their relationships in an open & interested way, it’s taking an interest in the person they love & putting in effort to form a bond. Acceptance is driving them to their doctors visits, being a pillar of encouragement & strength through their transition, & loving their new identity whole heartedly. It is your job as an LGBTQ+ ally to be a beacon of love in a world that so often hates them not to tell them to act straighter or conform to the societal norm.

To The LGBTQ+ Community:

To those who pray to God every night begging to have your identity taken away, I stand in solidarity with you.

To those that feel like their family’s “dirty little secret,” like your identity or who you love gets swept under the rug, I stand in solidarity with you.

To those living on the street because the people that claimed to love you wouldn’t accept you, I stand in solidarity with you.

To those that feel like they’ll never be able to live their true self, I stand in solidarity with you.

To those who are fighting with feeling like they have to choose their family & friends or themselves, I stand in solidarity with you.

To those who are picked on, bullied, rejected, fired, assaulted, or abused just because you’re different, I stand in solidarity with you.

To those trying desperately to shift self loathing into love, I stand in solidarity with you.

To those hesitant to drape the pride flag around their shoulders in fear of physical or emotional violence, I stand in solidarity with you.

To those that feel the world has turned its back on them, I stand in solidarity with you.

To those that never feel like they’ve been represented properly in media, I stand in solidarity with you.

To those desperately searching for love & acceptance, I stand in solidarity with you.

To the millions of marginalized humans around the globe, I stand in solidarity with you.

To the millions that would rather die than be who they are, I stand in solidarity with you.

To the outcasts, the unwanted, the rebels, the dreamer.

To the different, the beautiful, the unique, the defiant.

To the marchers, the activists, the lovers, the fighters.

I stand in solidarity with you.

Love is love. Love will always win. Keep pushing on, keep being strong, & keep fighting for a better tomorrow.

Recommendation Blog: Los Angeles

Much like my precious recommendation blogs I’ve included only Restaurants, Bars, & Theaters that I’ve been to. I can’t very well recommend something in good conscious that I, myself, haven’t tried.

Also, if you want to skip the area specific sections my “Quick Picks” are at the bottom!

LA PROPER: (Restaurants With Multiple Locations Around LA)

• In-N-Out Burger: The west coast chain everybody raves about! I recommend going in with some knowledge of the secret menu! Double Double served Animal & Protein Style is my go to! Animal Style Fries are also a solid choice!

• Lemonade: One of my favorite west coast chains, Lemonade is the healthy version of cafeteria style dining. Pick any number of options you like, but don’t skip on a Lemonade & a Giant Macaron! They have pretty solid Spicy Tuna Poke as well!

• Salt & Straw: Started in Portland, OR then overtook California! Salt & Straw features its normal handful of Ice Cream but also does a series of “prompt” flavors that change every month!

• Sugarfish: An LA sushi chain, it’s worth a bit of a splurge. Grab the Chef’s “I Trust You” & enjoy the Sushi journey!

• Urth Cafe: Incredible Food, Incredible Coffee! This Persian inspired Coffee Shop is a great place to hang or have a mid day meal! There is one in the Southwest Terminal of LAX as well!

Beverly Hills:

• Catch: Upscale Seafood, overlooks the divid between West Hollywood & Beverly Hills. Get a reservation, walk ins are few & far between.

• Gracias Madre: Vegan Mexican that doesn’t suffer from a lack of meat & cheese. Get the Cauliflower Nachos for sure as well as the Jackfruit Tacos!

• Zinque: Very trendy, the Tuna Tartine is incredible! Great drinks & atmosphere though!

Big Bear:

• Local Tropicali: Excellent Poke Bowls, perfectly brewed Cold Brew, & other incredible Hawaiian inspired Bowls. Not to be missed in Big Bear! Staff is beyond friendly & helpful as well! Try the secret menu item the Krakatoa!

Burbank:

• Bob’s Big Boy: You know it from the GIANT MAN ON THEIR ROOF. A Diner that boasts a pretty solid Burger & the like! The Antique Cars in the lot are a nice touch too!

• Mama Hong’s: My favorite Pho place in America! Just really solid all around & inexpensive! I get the Filet Mignon Pho with Sliced Steak & Brisket added!

• Priscilla’s Coffee: Get the House Specialty Latte. It’s incredible!

Chinatown:

• Chego!: Korean Rice Bowls. Inexpensive but still amazing! Usually enough food to last two meals! I like the Pork Belly & the Fries!

Downtown:

• Pitchoun: Cute little French Bakery tucked right in downtown LA. Their Pastries & Desserts are where they shine but their Sandwiches & Tartines are not to be ignored either!

The Grove:

• Dominique Ansel Bakery: The inventor of the Cronut, Dom Ansel offers a variety of incredible Desserts & a Cronut of the Month! In addition to sugary confections they also have a restaurant!

• Nonna’s Empanadas: Amazing Empanadas of all varieties! Sweet, Savory, you name it! The Guava/Cream Cheese is mind-blowingly good!

Hollywood:

• Beauty & Essex: Contemporary American a little higher up on the price scale. Famous for their Grilled Cheese & Tomato Soup Bites as well as their Croque Madame Mac & Cheese & their Dessert Ferris Wheel. Bring friends & share plates!

• Black Rabbit Rose: A Magic Themed Cocktail Bar with Live Music! Grammy Winning Pianist plays with his band there every Tuesday evening & Thursdays are Jazz nights!

• Dirty Laundry: A dark, dingy bar that’s strangely still upscale! Alcoholic Frozen Drinks abound! Occasionally have Live Music.

• Fat Sal’s: Exactly how it sounds. Massive amounts of food for cheap. Bomb Sandwiches & Milkshakes, just don’t go on a diet.

• Frog Frozen Yogurt Bar: My favorite Frozen Yogurt in LA, always have fun flavors & are open late. They deliver as well!

• Good Times at Davey Wayne’s: One of my favorite bars in LA. Davey Wayne’s is a fun 70s Themed Bar with a lot of charm. Their “Backyard” offers Yard Games, Hammocks, Fresh Grilled Tacos, & Alcoholic Snow Cones!

• Hotel Cafe: Amazing, historic venue. You never know who will pop in here! Often have two shows going at once, so check online before you go!

• Javista: A subsidiary of Urth Cafe. The same high quality Coffee & Food, but I think a little cheaper!

• Jones: An LA staple. Jones is a late night Italian Restaurant that has been around forever. A good place for Celebrity sightings as well.

• Lost Property: Inconspicuous as they come. A little bar tucked under a skyscraper. A great hang spot!

• Mama’s Shelter: Part Boutique Hotel, Part Bar, Part Restaurant! The Shelter is a cool retro Hollywood styled Hang! There’s always something fun going down there! Amazing view of Hollywood from their Rooftop Bar!

• No Vacancy: Another one of my favorite Bars in LA. No Vacancy is a Prohibition Style Speakeasy. Entering the bar is a little like being at Disneyland. I won’t spoil the fun but inside are Prohibition Era Drinks, A Live Jazz Band, & A Burlesque Show!

• Roscoe’s: The O.G. LA Chicken & Waffles place! Open late & they you can also get it delivered!

• Rubies + Diamonds: Salted Coconut Cold Brew, Medium Sweet. That’s all you need to know. You’re Welcome.

• The Rusty Mullet: Beer Pong. Darts. Drinks served in a Sand Pail. What’s not to love? Rednecked Themed, but this bar is a total blast!

• Stout Burger: So Cal Burger Chain. Go during Happy Hour, their burgers are half priced! Stout also boasts an extensive Draft List that’s always rotating!

• The Study: Used to be “Hemingway’s,” The Study’s drinks are all literature themed! Often have Live Music there as well!

• Velvet Margarita: Late Night Mexican Food! Make them bring back the Weekend Fish Stew, it was life changing.

Inglewood

• Kanpai: THE. BEST. SUSHI. Hands down. End of story. Owner goes & picks out fresh fish every morning!

La Brea:

• Bluestone Lane: Aussie Coffee shop! Get you a Milo Mocha & a Square of Poundcake (Frozen) & sit back & enjoy the chill atmosphere!

• Tartine: A West Coast chain but there’s definitely a reason behind their fame! Incredible baked goods, don’t skip the Morning Bun or another form of Croissant, they’re to die for!

• Three Borders Brunch: A must stop & I cannot stress that enough. El Salvidorian meets Mexican meets American food! It’s INCREDIBLE. So good it made me cry & the owners are always there cooking up a storm!

Larchmont Village:

• Cafe Gratitude: A very pleasant Vegan Cafe! Sandwiches, Pasta, Etc, all bangin!

• Go Get Em Tiger: Hella cool Coffee Shop! Awesome Lattes with an awesome crew!

Las Feliz:

• Alcove Cafe & Bakery: A bit pretentious but I’ve never had anything bad there! Very broad menu ranging from Eggs Benedict to Salads to Sandwiches!

• Ample Hills Creamery: This NYC Based Creamery is incredible. Their flavors are inventive while still being within the realm of classic taste!

Malibu:

• Malibu Seafood: Fresh Seafood! Don't know what to get? Get the sampler! The Sandwiches are also pretty great!

• Nobu: Probably one of the most famous LA restaurants, Nobu is High End, & I mean High End Sushi!

Melrose:

• Blu Jam Cafe: One of my go-to stops in LA. Blu Jam is famous for their Crispy French Toast! It’s bangin’! I recommend getting the Tropical Variant of the French Toast with the Vanilla Creme Sauce! The Churro French Toast is incredible too as is their Breakfast Quesadilla!

• Market Provisions: The best Yogurt & Granola I’ve ever had! May seem like a little thing but it’s incredible as is their Dungeness Crab Croque Madame!

• Taste on Melrose: Get the White Truffle Lobster Mac & Cheese. End of story!

• Wolf: An interesting place to Brunch, the Golden Eggs are one of their specialties as are their Crispy Potatoes!

North Hollywood:

• Aroma Cafe: Very large menu with a lot of variety to it. Never had anything bad there! Huge pastry selection as well. Quant & Cute. A fun morning meeting place!

• El Tajano: Tuesday night Two-For-One Margaritas & Tacos! Go with friends & play some Yard Games!

Silverlake:

• DeSano Pizza: The Nashville Pizza Gods go west! Get the Diavola & the San Genarro!

• Las Globos Theater: Awesome Hip Hop Club! Go discover the next big thing in Hip-Hop!

• Silverlake Ramen: A must stop. My favorite Ramen in the States! Get the Blaze (Spicy Tankatsu) with Pork Belly, Extra Egg, & Black Garlic Oil. You’ll thank me later!

• Sqirl: A Fun little Healthy Breakfast/Lunch spot! The Sorrell Bowls are great as is the fresh Brioche with Ricotta Rainbow Style!

• The Thirsty Crow: If Silverlake Ramen has a line, wait it out here! The cocktails are all amazing!

Studio City:

• La Loggia: Upscale Italian. Amazing fresh baked bread & pasta. Get a bottle of Baby Blue while you’re there as well!

• Voodoo Doughnuts: The Portland Doughnut Giant goes south! This one is located at Universal CityWalk & unlike its siblings, isn't open 24/7. They are also lacking the more “risqué” doughnuts i.e. The Cock & Balls & the Blunt. Still worth it for a Portland Cream, Memphis Mafia, & Maple Bacon Bar!

West Hollywood:

• Barnie’s Beanery: A good Celebrity spotting location! Been at the same location forever. I recommend their chili sampler!

• Flaming Saddles: A gay bar with the best dance floor in town, no matter what your sexuality is, they cater to it!

• Motherlode: Cheap, STROOOONG Drinks! Start your night out here to save some cash & get the bang for your buck!

• Night & Market: My favorite Thai spot in LA since Pok Pok pulled out. Very similar to Pok Pok in design & taste! Go potluck with some friends & try a few things!

• Pump: Vanderpump’s WeHo Bar. Drinks are a little pricy but they’re very tasty & very strong!

Quick Picks:

• Bakery: Dominique Ansel

• Breakfast: Blu Jam Cafe

• Brunch: Blu Jam Cafe (Traditional) Wolf (Upscale) Market Provisions OR Sqirl (Interesting)

• Burger: Stout (Specialty) In-N-Out (Normal)

• Coffee: Diamond + Rubies

• Contemporary American: Beauty & Essex

• Donuts: Voodoo Doughnuts

• Empanadas: Nonna’s Empanadas

• Frozen Yogurt: Frog

• Healthy: Lemonade

• Ice Cream: Salt + Straw OR Ample Hills

• Italian Jones (Normal) La Loggia (Upscale)

• Korean: Chego!

• Late Night: Jones

• Mexican: Three Borders Brunch

• Pho: Mama Hong’s

• Pizza: DeSano

• Ramen: Silverlake Ramen

• Special Occasion: Beauty & Essex

• Sushi: Kanpai

• Thai: Night & Market

• Vegan/Vegetarian: Gracias Madre

Blog: Game of Thrones & Toxic Stan Culture

As I’m sure many of you have seen Game of Thrones has been the topic on everyone’s mind this week. With the final episode EVER delivering decidedly mixed reviews across the board I thought I’d take this opportunity to use GoT as a vehicle to convey something I’ve seen all over the place lately; toxic stan culture. For those of you out there that may not be “with it” & don’t know what “stanning” is here’s your urban dictionary definition.

“Stan
A crazed and or obsessed fan. The term comes from the song ‘Stan’ by eminem. The term Stan is used to describe a fan who goes to great lengths to obsess over a celebrity.

Person 1: Dude these kids have been waiting outside the concert since 8 A:M even though no one was lined up...

Person 2: What a bunch of Stans.
”

— Urban Dictionary

People can “stan” a number of things, not just celebrities, Game of Thrones is an excellent example of that. Now I’m not saying stanning is a bad thing, hell, as an artist we strive for stans! Stans buy tickets. Stans buy merch. Stans share your songs with the masses & get other people to listen hopefully creating more stans! But there’s been this emergence within different stan cultures that is toxic. They degrade others for liking different things than them, they bash creatives for not doing exactly what they want them to do, they end up hurting the art & the artist way more than they ever helped. Tying this back to Game of Thrones I am of course referring to the petition. For those that don’t know there’s a petition going around with over 1.25M signatures on it to have HBO redo Season 8 of Game of Thrones with “competent writers.” The petition went up after certain fans became enraged over Daenerys Targaryen’s “seemingly out of nowhere” heel turn. I’ll get back to the “seemingly out of nowhere” part later. Now. I will be one of the first to admit that this season, this FINAL season of Game of Thrones did feel a bit rushed & had some lackluster, if not pretty weak writing at times. However, that shouldn’t be used to discredit the thousands of hours of labor the cast & crew put into this season FOR. YOU! Sure, they do it for the money & the love of the screen craft but they also do it FOR YOU THE FANS! I’m with Sophie Turner (Sansa Stark) on this when I say it’s absolutely disrespectful to those who gave up a year & some change of their lives to create this show for you, especially to those who work behind the scenes & may not get the glory shared by the actors.

The thing that’s really melting my Iron Throne about all this has to be the people saying the show “wasted eight years of their lives.” How? How can something you love, fairly consistently, over that span of time be a waste of time? You still loved it in the moment did you not? If HBO had been shut down before they could do season 7 or 8 you still would have loved the show even without getting “a proper ending.” So how is this different? How does getting the canonical ending you disagree with negate all those years of love?

(SPOILERS)

I mostly see this amongst stans of Dany who seeming saw her turn to the figurative “dark side” as out of the blue. While I agree, in the moment, I would have liked a little more external reasoning for the turn, some flashbacks maybe or narrative moments outspoken in her head. YOU SHOULD HAVE SEEN THIS COMING A MILE AWAY! The clues of Dany’s “inner dragon” are all over the previous seasons & in the books. All. Over. Them. She has always cared less about ruling or “liberation” than she has about conquering. She loves the rush of power & always has, the signs are all there. Look to Tyrion’s talk with Jon while he’s a captive during the final episode, he goes back through every season & gives specific examples of all she did in the name of “breaking the wheel” that are questionable at best. Again, I agree the scene could have been written better, I also think a lot of the established plot threads were left hanging due to lack of oversight or the show runners just really wanting to be done with the show. Bare in mind that they were only given a basic outline of how George R.R. Martin planned to end his saga, they didn’t have the books to fall back on to fill in the gaps, they made that up themselves and filling in a story that only has the bullet points can be difficult.

Regarding Bran, I agree with the decision to make him king however I also don’t agree with the delivery. Bran spent the entire season basically as a set dressing. His role in the Battle of Winterfell was basically to be bait & nothing else. He used his Worging to do exactly nothing to help & the implications for all of this are frightening. He let thousands of people die just so he could sit on the no longer existent Iron Throne. He knew all that would happen & allowed it to happen anyway to achieve his ultimate goal, winning the Game of Thrones. Not all who we perceive as good are so as these two characters demonstrate.

(SPOILERS OVER)

Overall I’ll admit that I’m “just okay” with the ending we got from Game of Thrones. I also understand that ultimately, as a fan, I don’t get a say in how it should end. It’s not my story I’m telling, just as much as it isn’t yours. That doesn’t mean it doesn’t impact our lives & make us feel something. The same can be said for stans who get angry over a new direction for an artist or something they do & claim it as a misfire or non-canonical or pure fiction. At the end of the day it isn’t your art or your life, it’s the person/project in question’s. That being said it also doesn’t mean that criticisms aren’t important for the creation of great art but there are definitely healthy ways of criticizing art or media that for the most part have not been exhibited lately not just with GoT.

I’ve witnessed quite a lot of toxic stanship flowing over from one stanhood onto another where people of one stanhood go after those who like something different. Usually this type of rift pops up when two objects of stanship, be them human or media, are in conflict with one another. It’s even gotten to the point where the subject of a stan will “sick” their stans upon another celebrity or form of media because they feel mistreated or simply just want to be validated. This feeds into a lot of the persisting problems we have as a culture specifically when it comes to communication on the internet. Behind keyboards we can be bold, vicious people because to some degree the internet dehumanizes not only us but also the subjects of our ire. They become images on a screen, just another product to be exploited, instead of human beings. In a world rapidly approaching 8B people we are all struggling to find ways to feel validation on a global scale, that’s where the internet comes in. We all want to have the best commentary on the relevant. We all want to be that trending tweet or that instagram post that gets shared around the globe but we often step on everyone else’s toes trying to do so, not thinking how the things we say effect those who dedicate their lives to their craft.

Again criticism is valid & as an artist it SHOULD be welcomed. It makes us better. However, I’m specifically talking healthy criticism. Criticisms that aren’t just out of spite or disappointment but have an understanding of the art at work. At the end of the day I think we need to come back to the realization that the people on the other end of the web are just that. People. Creators trying to make something they think will make people happy or will tell a story they desperately hope someone out in this wide world will relate to. So next time you decide to react to something with overwhelming negativity maybe digest it a little, understand the motive behind it, & try & experience living as the human behind the product.

Recommendation Blog: Nashville Drink

This segment of my Nashville Recommendation Blog series will not only focus on Beverages, alcoholic or otherwise, but will also feature a few venues. As Nashville likes to marry the two quite often, music goes hand in hand with libations. Much like my other lists I will only be recommending places I have been. If I haven’t been there, I can’t recommend it in good conscience! This list will also evolve over time!

Drink:

8th Ave:

• 8th & Roast: Solid Pourover Coffee! Amazing Chocolate Chip Cookies!

• The Basement: A quant little music venue below the Grimey’s record store! A good place to hear local or emerging talent!

• Santa’s Pub: Hugely famous karaoke bar in Nashville. Hella cheap beer & often a celebrity or two. Wear clothes you don’t mind having smell like cigarettes for the next eternity though…

• Urban Juicer: Get your juice cleanse on. Time for the best hangover cure, The Liver Lover with added Ginger. The Bee Green & The Cold Buster are also great choices!

12th South:

• Frothy Monkey: Monkey Mocha with Extra Banana! If you’re looking for something a little less sugary I recommend a Drip Coffee or Cold Brew with Rosemary Honey!

• Mafiozo’s: Two for one Beer & Cider (Drafts & Bottles) as well as Pizza Slices every Tuesday Evening! Very much a Belmont/College crowd though. Always feel like an ancient going in there.

Bellevue:

• Alley Pub: Writer’s Rounds & Karaoke. People come from all over Nashville to hang with the Bellevue locals here!

Belmont:

• Bongo Java: The sister coffee shop of Fido, great Seasonal Lattes & Food!

Brentwood/Franklin:

• Gray’s On Main: Have won several Craft Cocktail competitions! A great place to hang, grab a bite, & overlook Downtown Franklin!

Charlotte Pike/Silvan Park/The Nations

• Avo: Vegan Cocktails. Famous for their Avocado Margarita!

• Chaatable: Very unique Indian Fused Cocktails! Brunch menu has a few extra not always on the menu & Happy Hour features a "Beer of the Moment,” a “Wine of the Moment,” & a “Cocktail of the Moment!”

Donelson:

• McNamara’s: Best Irish Coffee in town! In addition to that they feature Live Irish Folk music, incredible food, & a wide selection of imported Whiskies & Beers!

Downtown:

• Beer Seller: Dive bar located under 2nd Avenue. A tad smoky but it’s one of the few “local hangs” in downtown Nashville. Huge beer selection as well!

• Black Rabbit: Dark & Brooding, just like you in your early teens. Upscale Craft Cocktails & Shots w/ a menacing atmosphere.

• Broadway Brewhouse: Locations all over Nashville! Hundreds of Beers on tap! I’d recommend one of the locations a bit farther out.

• Crema: Two locations right across the street from each other. One is located in Pinewood Social, the other across the street. I prefer the Pinewood locations because of what they do with Coffee Cocktails! Both locations have a very good Cuban!

• Drugstore Coffee: Located in the Noelle this Coffee Shop is a subsidiary of Barista Parlour! More of a grab & go feel than its parent company but still the same quality!

• Fleet Street: Located in Printer’s Alley, a smoky little English Pub that boasts an extensive Import list from the British Isles as well as pretty solid food!

• Flying Saucer: Hundreds upon hundreds of Draft Beers & Bottles. While a small chain, Flying Saucer prides itself on its variety of beer. Everything from your standards to an “Agua Fresca” infused beer. Food is incredible as well!

• Hidden Bar: Located in the basement of the Noelle Hotel. Looks like you’re walking into a broom closet until it opens up! Really cool vibe! It becomes a Christmas themed bar for the month of December!

• Honky-Tonk Central: Three stories tall, each with a different band! Introduced to Nashville before its explosion in popularity, it still retains some of the old Nashville charm while fusing in nicely with the new & over commercialized.

• House Of Cards: Hidden under the Johnny Cash Museum is an Upscale Magic Bar. Stationed around the room are several types of magicians & illusionists. Fairly high dollar so bring your cash as well as your best duds; they have a dress code.

• L27: Located on the 27th floor of the Weston Hotel! Kind of a Far East mysticism theme inside with a Cabana feel out by the pool.

• Legends Corner: One of three great Honky-Tonks in a row. Legends, Tootsie’s, & Robert’s were all some of the originals. Usually have pretty solid bands as they’re the top notch spots to play on the strip.

• Pinewood Social: A Bar meets a Restaurant meets a Bowling Alley meets a Coffee Shop meets a Pool meets a Karaoke Bar. Yes. All those things! Great food & drinks abound!

• Robert’s Western World: The most Honky-Tonk of the major three, go get your yee-haw on!

• Skull’s Rainbow Room: A Haunted Burlesque Jazz Bar located at the end of Printer’s Alley! Amazing food, especially their Lobster Bisque!

• Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge: The middle of the major three Honky-Tonks, may know it from their Orchid colored stand in the airport (which just happens to have some pretty bomb chicken wings.)

East Nashville:

• Attaboy: Knock to enter. No menu, staff makes you whatever you feel like drinking based on your taste!

• Beyond The Edge: A total Bro-y Sports Bar but a great place to play Pool!

• Camp At 308: Bad Taxidermy Animals set to a Live DJ, what else could you ever want? Really great cocktails, either packed or dead depending on the night. It’s really up the the flip of a coin which it’ll be though.

• Crying Wolf: Sometimes have a Folk/Americana or a Bluegrass Band! An awesome spot to hunker down with friends on the east side. Rustic feel, great drinks!

• The Lipstick Lounge: While it is a Lesbian Bar don’t let it detour you (especially if you identify as Lesbian/Bi/Pan) this place is the jam! My favorite Karaoke Bar in Nashville for multiple reasons; the people are a blast, the atmosphere is fun, & there’s no smoke!

• Red Door East: Way better than its Midtown counterpart. This is where a lot of the locals hang. Nothing frilly about it, just a good bar! Look through the floor.

• Rosemary & Beauty Queen: Stained-Glass abounds! Cool drinks & atmosphere with an awesome outdoor seating area in the back!

• Tree House: Also among one of the top rated restaurants in town the beauty of Tree House is that it’s open late! Think the actually tree house is currently undergoing renovations.

• Urban Cowboy: An old Inn turned Bed & Breakfast that now has a craft cocktail bar where the stables were. Often have fire pits & fireplaces going in the back courtyard to sit around. She cozy.

Edgehill:

• Edgehill Cafe: A great place to hang & get some work done, or have a meeting! Free refills on Drip Coffee but also some exceptional Seasonal Lattes!

• Old Glory: Located in an old boiler room for a steam cleaner, Old Glory is the place I would choose to live when the apocalypse happens & zoning codes don’t matter anymore. Interesting Craft Cocktails & Empanadas are the highlight here aside from the location!

Germantown:

• Tempered/The Green Hour: Coffee/Chocolate Shop by day, Absinthe Bar by night! A great place to try Absinthe if you never have, they do it right. If you’re not a fan of Absinthe they still offer many delicious cocktails Absinthe free! Also their truffles are bangin’!

• The Back Corner: A cool bar/venue. Just wish they’d redo the sound system in there. It’s a bit impossible to hear a good mix from anywhere other than behind the bar. On nights they don’t have events it’s a bit of a dance party!

Green Hills:

• Green House: A Bar set inside a literal green house! Perfect for winter when you want to feel like you’re outside but it’s too cold!

The Gulch:

• Barista Parlour: Locations all over Nashville, not sure if this is the original location, but it is to me! Upscale coffee shop that believes coffee is an art & treat it as such! Also a great place to get some work done!

• Killbrew Coffee: Located in the Thompson Hotel. Used to have a Matcha Piña Colada, not sure if that’s the case anymore. They also just have some pretty great Lattes!

• L.A. Jackson: Located atop the Thompson. One of the most popular Rooftop Bars in Nashville! A little on the pricy side, but a cool place to hang never-the-less. Kinda 70s art deco feel! DJs on weekends.

• The Pub: Wanna try some Scotch? This place has an extensive Scotch & Beer list. It’s where I developed my taste for the drink! Also have an incredible Pot Roast!

• Rudy’s: Jazz Bar! Nightly performances, look at their website before hand to see what kind of Jazz you’re walking into!

• Whiskey Kitchen: A popular local hang, be sure to try their Whiskey Sour!

• Yazoo Brewery: The brewery itself does a Tasting Tour, but they also have an attached Tasting Room that offers limited batches of Nashville’s Favorite Beer!

Hillsboro Village:

• Fido: Parent of Bongo Java, an awesome Coffee Shop to get some work done in or grab some food! Their Seasonal Lattes are always on point as well!

• Revelator: More in line with the Artsy Coffee Shops, Revelator takes their time with your drink & it shows!

Midtown:

• Kung Fu Saloon: Think a grown up Chuck-E-Cheese without the Prizes or Tokens! Popular spot for Celebrity Spotting.

• Losers: The diveier sibling of Winners, never has packed. Always a more local crowd! Get a Bootwacker!

• Patterson House: MY FAVORITE BAR IN NASHVILLE!!! Incredible Craft Cocktails, the menu changes seasonally. If you’re not sure what to order the staff is very helpful & knowledgeable. They also may have one of Nashville’s Best Burgers! Don’t skip it. Come with a small group of friends & honor the house rules!

• Rebar: Construction themed bar with an extensive Outdoor Patio! Has all your standard Bar Games as well!

• Tin Roof: The O.G. One side is a traditional bar with Live Music, the other has a DJ & a Dance Floor!

• Two Bits: Barcade! This one has old consoles though so bring friends & come get your old school N64 Smash & Mario Kart on!

• Winners: Mondays & Thursdays this place is packed for Whiskey Jam so come discover a band you might not know but probably should! Busy on weekends as well, during the day it’s a writer’s hangout!

Wedgewood/Houston:

• Bastion: Best Negroni in town. I like the Donkey Kong Classic. Live Jazz band on the weekend. AMAZING NACHOS!

• Corsair Distillery: Technically Wedgewood-Houston, Corsair is my favorite Distillery in town! Not just a Whiskey Distillery, Corsair also has won America’s Best Gin! Their distillery does tours with a tasting at the end as well as offering some pretty great cocktails at their bar!

West End/Church:

• Canvas: Yes, it’s a Gay Bar but I think it has the best Dance Floor in Nashville! Plus their Jello Shots rock!

• Tarboosh: Why not throw a hookah lounge on here! Takes me back to my college days! A great place to hang with friends & pass around a Hookah! Turkish Coffee is great here as well!

Recommendation Blog: Nashville Food

I’ve gone through & compiled restaurants by area. If you’re looking for a more specific type of cuisine scroll to the “quick picks” at the bottom of the page!

*I’ll only be recommending places I’ve been & can personally recommend. If one of your favorites is missing it may simply be because I haven’t been there!

**This blog will be ever evolving when new things emerge or old things die. I’ll try to keep it as up to date as I can!

***Edited Nov 2021

Food:

8th Ave:

• Athens: Family owned Greek place open late on weekends! The Greek Sampler is best of all worlds, I’d also recommend their Lamb Specials! Avgolemono is the perfect thing for a rainy day & their fries are killer! (UPDATE, Athens is currently in the process of moving to Belmont Boulevard)

• Smiling Elephant: Family owned Thai restaurant set inside an old house. Curry specials change based on the day, be sure to get Coconut Custards at the end of your meal & maybe some Mango Sticky Rice, if it’s in season.

12th South:

• Burger Up: Truffle Fries & Fried Pickles all the way! Their burgers are pretty great too. (Locations in Franklin & East Nashville as well.)

• Las Paletas: Mexican Popsicles. Sounds like something to miss, I promise it’s not!

• Locust: Another former Catbird Seat chef, this time Trevor Moran. His restaurant is a Dumpling/Japanese Shaved Ice spot, I recommend going with a few people & splitting some things!

• SloCo: From scratch Sandwich place. Pops up from time to time, not open all of the time. Owner was one of the winners of Chopped.

• Urban Grub: Hard to find seeing as it doesn’t have a sign. Very good Aged Steaks & sides. Don't skip the Banana Pudding either!

Bellevue:

• 615 ChuTNey: North Indian cuisine, the staff is always incredibly accommodating & lovely! Recommend going with some friends & splitting a bunch of different things!

• Lemongrass: Sushi meets Thai. Really excel at their curries & their broad noodle dishes like Panang & Pad See Ew.

• The Loveless Cafe: A Nashville staple. Biscuits are to die for as are most of the rest of their menu items. Ask for Apple Butter with your Biscuits, I also recommend doing the Southern Sampler with Ham, Fried Chicken, Meatloaf, Fried Okra, & Greens. Their Mac & Cheese is solid too!

• Sam’s Kebab/Gyro: Sam’s is an Egyptian style Shawarma restaurant. I typically get the Combo Plate there but their Gyro sandwich is excellent as well!

Belmont:

• Proper Bagel: The bagel is good, not my favorite. What makes Proper stand out though are their Bagel Sandwiches & Schmeers. Everything from a Reuben Bagel to Birthday Cake Cream Cheese, it’s pretty solid. The Lavender Honey Cream Cheese with a Sunflower Bagel is my go to!

Berry Hill:

• Merangue Cafe: Puerto Rican/Dominican/Cuban Food served cafeteria style or made to order. Their menu changes daily but it’s all incredible!

• Phunky Griddle: Make your own food! Cuz that’s a thing we do….we go to a restaurant & pay to cook our own food on a griddle in the middle of the table.

Brentwood/Franklin:

• Chopt: Creative salad chain out on NYC. Not many locations outside the city though. Haven’t had a bad salad yet.

• Gray’s On Main: Multilevel contemporary Southern restaurant built in an old Pharmacy. Often have live music & really great cocktails.

• Soy Bistro: One of my favorites in town, Soy is a mix between Korean & Japanese. The Shrimp Tacos are the best in town as is the Bimbimbop Burrito! Their Teriyaki dishes & Rices Bowls are great too! They’re always friendly & fairly inexpensive!

• The Poké: Best Poke in all of Nashville, I swear by it! The fish is fresh, the staff is warm & welcoming, & the food all around is delicious.

Charlotte Pike/Silvan Park/Nations:

• 52nd Deli: Turkey Avocado Sub, Cubano, Italian, all of it is good! Part Deli, part market, all amazing!

• Avo: Vegan but doesn’t suffer for it! Kimchi Spring Rolls & Raw Pad Thai! May be one of my favorite takes on Pad Thai!

• Bobby’s Dairy Dip: Tons of different kinds of milkshakes! Dipped cones melt fast, be careful!

• Chaatable: My favorite of Maneet’s restaurants. The Butter Chicken is the best I’ve ever had. I recommend their brunch, it’s unique as all get out! Get the Hash & the “French Toast”!

• Kien Ghang: Pho all the way! I recommend the original. Cash only so be prepared but it’s hella cheap! Hope someday they’ll bring back their jackfruit smoothie…

• Penne Pazze: Hands down the best pasta in Nashville. Two Italian brothers own it & make their pasta fresh every day!

• S.T.A.R. Bagel: Salmon & Lox w/ Garlic Herb Cream Cheese on a Sun-dried Tomato Bagel all the way! My favorite bagel joint in Nashville!

Donelson:

• McNamara’s: Family owned Irish pub with excellent food & quite a lot of charm. Weekend nights they have a live band that plays traditional Irish folk tunes. I recommend the Scotch Eggs, the Fish & Chips, the Black & Tan Onion Rings, the Corned Beef & Cabbage, the Chocolate Cake, & the Bread Pudding! Also one of the best Irish Coffees I’ve had!

Downtown:

• Bakersfield Tacos: Best Margarita in town, fight me! Also their tacos & salads are all pretty bangin! Don’t skip the guac either! I know this is a Cincinnati based chain but there are only a few of them so I don’t count it! Plus it’s one of the top rated restaurants for Cinci on Zagat!

• Crema: Upscale coffee shop. Not as pretentious as Barista Parlour. Get the Cubano.

• Etch: Though I haven’t had anything bad on their menu, I think they really excel at their salads especially the Charcuterie Salad!

• Flying Saucer: A bit of a chain, though a small one. A rather extensive tap menu their food menu is also incredible. Bavarian Style Pretzels, German Potato Salad, etc. I recommend those two as well as the Marsellus Wallace sandwich!

• Husk: Upscale Southern with different twists for each dish! I recommend the Tartare & their Charcuterie board!

• Merchants: Best Fish Tacos in Nashville! Their drinks are pretty solid & each day the table is set with a new “Popcorn of the day!”

• Pinewood Social: Excellent cocktails, ever evolving seasonal menu, coffee shop, bowling alley, pool, karaoke, lawn games, etc. Just a fun place to go hang or sit & get some work done!

• Puckett’s: Get the Meatloaf & the Wings. Don’t ask questions, just do it! (Locations Downtown Nashville & Franklin)

• The Southern: Best Chicken & Waffles in town! Go for brunch!

• The Stillery: Hot Chicken Mac & Cheese or the Prosciutto Pizza

East Nashville:

• Cafe Roze: Go in the morning, get the BLT add Avocado with a Salad. You’re welcome.

• Dino’s: Technically a dive bar but I didn’t know if I wanted to put it here or in the drink section. I ultimately decided on food because when I think of Dino’s I think of a killer greasy spoon burger & some fries!

• East Side Bahn Mi: Best Bahn Mi in town! I crave this place often, don’t be afraid of the Paté.

• Five Points Pizza: Open late, by the slice. Prosciutto/Basil Pizza is the jam! (Also a location off Charlotte Pike, not open late.)

• Greko: Greek Street Food! Fun atmosphere & quick service that’s on the lighter side of Greek.

• Hawker’s: Modern Asian fusion. Get the Roti & the Chicken Skewers, combine.

• Lockeland Table: Contemporary Southern, get the Bone Marrow, trust me, it slaps!

• Mas Tacos Por Favor: Tortilla Soup is a must! The tacos are bomb too!

• Marché/Margot: Get a serving of Croissant French Toast to share in addition to your entree!

• Once Upon A Time In France: Best French food in Nashville. A little french family owned business with ambiance out the wazoo & an authentically delicious menu.

• The Pharmacy: Skip the burger, get the Currywerst!

• Two Ten Jack: Best Ramen in Nashville! I dig the Spicy Tankatsu with an extra Egg! Get an order of the Takoyaki too!

Edgehill

• Barcelona: A small chain but a rather refreshing Tapas place & Wine Bar! Menu is constantly changing but I recommend any Carrot, Brussel Sprout, Octopus, or Chorizo & Fig Dish they do!

• Bella Napoli: Pretty solid Napoli Style Pizza & Pasta. Not as “heavy” as DeSano.

Germantown:

• 5th & Taylor: Contemporary American, I personally think their brunch is the best time to go!

• Cosmic Creamery: Cereal infused ice cream stacked with toppings! Bring your sweet tooth!

• Germantown Cafe: Nightly specials are always bomb as is their French Onion Soup!

• Henrietta Red: Ever changing seasonal menu, be sure to go with a group & share! Don’t skip out on dessert.

• Rolf & Daughters: Get the tartare, the sourdough, the seafood pasta dish, & all the desserts!

Green Hills:

• etc.: The sister restaurant of Etch. I’ve only visited for brunch but what I had was exquisite, especially the Waffles!

• Noshville: Used to have an additional location in Midtown. Get you a Reuben & some Matzo Ball Soup! Don’t skip on the pickles either!

• The Perch: Crepery! Everything from savory to sweet! I love their Prosciutto Balsamic Crepe!

• True Food Kitchen: Healthy & seasonal! The menu shifts every few months to accommodate what’s fresh! Wide variety on the menu as well as some intriguing freshly juiced cocktails!

The Gulch:

• Arnold’s Country Kitchen: The best Soul Food/Meat & Three in Nashville hands down! They have kind of odd hours and are only open in the afternoon so look before you go! Also their line moves fairly quickly. Get the Roast Beef!

• Biscuit Love: First off, go to their Hillsboro Village location, there’s not a line! Second get you some Biscuit Donuts, the Nasty Princess (a secret menu item that combines the East Nasty & the Princess,) & a fresh Mimosa!

• Burger Republic: Won Zagat’s burger competition back in 2016. Won best burger in Tennessee. Go. Now! I love The 96, a lot of people are deterred by the blue cheese in it, it’s not over powering at all! Get you some Truffle Tots, a Boozy Milkshake, & some Fried Pickles & Peppers too!

• Chauhan: Go for Happy Hour! Chauhan is Indian meets Southern food & it’s as good as it sounds! Get the Lamb Nachos, the Chicken Tandoori Poutine, & the Hot Chicken Pakoras! Great cocktails as well, I dig the Raat Rani!

• Mockingbird: New age Southern Cuisine; bangin’ Pot Pie, Burger, etc! Get a Punch Bag as well!

• Tansuo: Monday nights they have a Dim Sum cart! Their take on General Tao’s may be my favorite in town! Great bar, tell them what you like, they’ll make you something special!

• Thai Esane: One of my favorite Thai spots in Nashville, there’s truly nothing bad on the menu!

• Virago: Maki Monday! Get you some cheaper upscale sushi! Also September & October they do “Brunch w/ a View” where they combine traditional American breakfast foods with an Asian influence!

• Whiskey Kitchen: Their Buffalo Chicken Flatbread Pizza is killer as is the Whiskey Sour! Open Late!

Hendersonville:

• Cafe Rakka: Worth the detour to Hendersonville for sure. Incredible Syrian food. The best Hummus I’ve ever had, Homemade Pita, Red Tea, & Baklava. Go for dinner get the Shrimp Jalfrazi, go for lunch get the Tandoori Chicken & Cheese Sandwich or the Lamb Burger!

Hillsboro Village:

• Fido: Been in the same spot forever. Coffee shop with a fairly expansive menu. The Specials are always on point but I usually end up getting the Salmon Scramble.

• Greenery Co.: Kinda “foo foo” salads as my father would call it. Every changing menu but everything I’ve had is great!

• The Pancake Pantry: Go late. Don’t wait in line, it isn’t as good as the line even though it’s still solid. Go for the Georgia Peach Pancakes!

• Pizza Perfect: Amazing basic pizza. The Antipasta salad is great too! Even their gluten free crust doesn’t leave you wanting!

Midtown:

• The Catbird Seat: Book in advance & come baring your wallet. 12-16 course dinner all served within the kitchen with drink pairings available per course! Experimental food that is always changing, book it for a special occasion!

• DeSano: I love the San Genaro & the Diavola! Real Napoli style pizza!

• Gigi’s Cupcakes: If you don’t like icing/frosting steer clear, they inject their cupcakes with it! I know this is also a chain but this is the original!

• Giovanni’s: Excellent Mid to Upscale Italian. There’s never a huge crowd there but their evening Pasta Specials are always killer! (Another location in Bellevue)

• Hattie B’s: There’s no wrong way to do Hattie B’s other than Southern or Mild. Potato Salad, Greens, & Pimento Mac & Cheese are musts on sides. If you’re looking for more of a hand food the sandwich is incredible! (Other locations around town are equally as good as the original but seldom have a line!)

West End:

• BrickTops: I’m a bit at a loss on how to describe this menu. Think J Alexander’s smashed into a sushi bar. I highly recommend the Ahi Burger, may be one of the best I’ve ever had!

• Samurai Sushi: My favorite sushi joint in town! Been there since the 70s, it’s fairly inexpensive but still high quality.

Wedgewood/Houston:

• Bastion: Go during a normal week for the Nachos, go on a special occasion for the Tasting Menu. Owned by the original creator & chef from The Catbird Seat, the menu is ever changing & evolving seasonally & based on inspiration.

• Dozen: A local bakery mostly only open morning to early afternoon. A staple of their menu, in addition to their pastries, other breads, & salads, is a baguette your way. Get it simply buttered or add eggs, avocado, etc. to it.

Unspecified/Multiple Locations/Food Trucks:

• Barista Parlor: Upscale coffee shop. Think pour overs & single origin coffee. Less chocolate/nutty notes, more fruit/floral notes.

• Blu Monkey Shaved Ice: Food truck with traditional shaved ice flavors.

• Calypso Cafe: 1/2 Chicken w/ all three sauces on the side! Callaloo, Black Beans, Muffins, & House Salad are all bangin! They have unique brewed coffee & very refreshing fruit tea! Don’t forget to get a Calypso bar at the end.

• Five Daughters Bakery: All different kind of Cronuts. I personally prefer their Paleo Donuts & have heard good things about their Vegan Donuts. (Locations on the East side & in Franklin as well.)

• Franklin Juice: Solid Acai Bowls as well as Juice.

• Frothy Monkey: My favorite coffee shop/cafe in town. Incredible lattes & incredible food. Julie on an Everything Bagel add Avocado is my go to but their Specials are usually pretty great! They also have several locations around town! (12th South, Downtown, Nations, Franklin, etc.)

• Jeni’s Ice Cream: Another Ohio chain, Jeni’s has become a staple of Nashville! Intriguing twists on traditional ice cream flavors there are a ton of locations across Nashville! (12th South, East, Hillsboro Village, Franklin, etc.)

• Kisser: Japanese style pop-up created by former Catbird Seat sous Leina Horrii & Husk’s Brian Lea. Menu is ever changing but I highly recommend their Onigiri & their Udon!

• Retro Sno: Food truck with interesting takes on Shaved Ice. Blackberry/Pomegranate, Raspberry Wedding Cake, Etc.

• Tailgate Brewery: Very inventive both on the Beer front & on the Pizza front. They have an ever changing pizza of the month that’s always a blast to try! Any pizza topping is also available on French Fries as well. I personally really enjoy the Mexican Pizza or the Bierfest.

• The Grilled Cheesery: different Grilled Cheeses & Melts, etc. Their Soups are also bangin’.

• The Well: Solid Seasonal Beverages & Cold Brews.

• Urban Juicer: Local juice chain. Liver Lover with Ginger added is one of my go to hangover cures. The Bee Green & the Cold Fighter are another few of my favorites! (Locations all over town.)

• Vui’s: A solid Nashville Pho spot. I highly recommend the Coconut Pudding!

Quick Picks:

• Bagels: S.T.A.R. Bagel

• Barbecue: Error 404: Extension Not Found

• Breakfast: Loveless Cafe

• Brunch: Marché/Margot (Traditional) The Southern (Upscale) Chaatable (Interesting)

• Burger: Burger Up (Specialty) Patterson House (Normal)

• Chinese: Tansuo

• Coffee: Frothy Monkey (Traditional) Crema (Upscale)

• Contemporary American: Henrietta Red

• Donuts: Connie & Johnny, if you can find them. Five Daughters, if you can’t.

• Greek: Athens

• Healthy: Calypso Cafe (Normal) TrueFood Kitchen (Upscale)

• Hot Chicken: Hattie B’s

• Ice Cream: Mike’s (Normal) Jeni’s (Specialty)

• Indian: Chaatable

• Irish: McNamara’s

• Italian: Penne Pazze (Normal) Rolf & Daughters (Upscale)

• Japanese: Kisser (If Available) or Two Ten Jack

• Juice: Urban Juicer

• Korean: Soy Bistro (Also a tad Japanese)

• Late Night: Flying Saucer

• Middle Eastern: Cafe Rakka

• Pasta: Penne Pazze

• Pho: Kien Ghang

• Pizza: DeSano (Specialty) 5 Points (Normal/Late)

• Poke: The Poké

• Ramen: Two Ten Jack

• Salad: Chopt (Normal) Etch (Upscale)

• Soul/Meat & Three: Arnold’s Country Kitchen

• Southern: The Loveless Cafe

• Special Occasion: The Catbird Seat or Bastion (Hella Special) Rolf & Daughters or Henrietta Red

• Sushi: Samurai Sushi (Normal) Wild Ginger (Upscale)

• Tacos: Mas Tacos Por Favor

• Thai: Thai Esane

• Vegan/Vegetarian: Avo

Happy Valentine's Day!

Happy Valentine’s Day Y’all! Thanks for “Accidentally” making me “Brave!” Here’s some love songs for your day!

Brave:

Accidentally (Demo):

Blog: To The Fans 2018

To The Fans,

I know it’s incredibly cliché in my line of work to say something along the lines of “I’d be nothing with out you all” or that I’m “overjoyed with appreciation for all the love that you give me” but to be completely honest, all of that is true. I know I’ve just pointed out a common thread & then doubled down on it but the truth is without you all I’m just a hobbiest. Without fans musicians, artists, songwriters, we’re just doing it for the enjoyment of ourselves. That’s not to say that at the end of the day a part of what I do isn’t because I love doing it, but without someone rooting us on we’re just voiceless sirens swimming in a sea of obscurity.

This year I put out a single, Jericho. As well as my first music video, also for Jericho. For both I was met with overwhelming love & support & that means the world. For those of you that don’t know, Jericho is a very dear piece of me, it is a remnant from a part of my life that I would most days rather forget. That being said the song brings me incredible joy because it is a reminder of just how far I’ve come. I wrote Jericho with Evan about five years ago in the middle of heartbreak, I didn’t realize just how much the song was my internal voice screaming out for the rest of me to hear until later, but I’m beyond appreciative of whatever voice in my head took the reigns that day. All of that being said, I put out Jericho, a deeply bedded part of my soul, and you showed it nothing but love. You latched onto it, shared common stories, gave my song meaning in your lives, & that right there is one of my absolute favorite parts of my job. I get to see the bridges of commonality that connect us all & suddenly this massive world seems very small.

In some ways I’m at a bit of a loss in how to express just how beautiful this last year has been for me; it’s been validation that I’ve been seeking for a long time. As people we are often our own worse critics & there have been a lot of days where I’ve feel talentless, like I should give up, find a day job, but I pushed on. I persevere. Maybe it’s because of how stubborn I am, but you have no idea how refreshing it is to have others join my daily mantra of self worth. To hear others tell you that you have talent, that you’re a part of the soundtrack to their lives, that they believe in you is something not everyone gets & I promise you I don’t take it for granted. I’m not seeking words of affirmation when I say these things, just know that I am forever grateful for the love you show me & the songs that are the pieces of my life.

I can’t wait for next year! I can’t wait to see what the bonds I’ve formed this year turn into & I can’t wait to show you all what I’ve been cooking up! I’m beyond blessed to have the support of the team around me; my family, my friends, my manager, my producer, my year would have looked quite different without each of them. But to you, my fans, those who believe simply because of a song or a moment. Thank you! I hope I do you proud & I hope to meet each & every one of you on the road of life someday!

-C

Demo Release: Accidentally

In honor of the CMA Awards I decided to release the demo for a previously unreleased song, Accidentally, written by Kimi Most, Evan Michael, & Me!

Audio Block

Double-click here to upload or link to a .mp3. Learn more

Jericho Video Out Now!

The latest release by Charlie Rogers, Jericho, is out now! Check the links below.

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=URTMQo57iT4[/embed]

Blog: On Suicide Prevention Day

Dear Reader,

You are loved, you are wanted, & you are important.

Today is World Suicide Prevention Day. I’ve got to say, as I type this post I find myself struggling to collect my thoughts & form a coherent jumping off point. Where do I begin? I guess let me begin by reverting to what I’ve already said; you are loved, you are wanted, & you are important. These are easy words to say & easy words to hear but I know, at times, they can be difficult words to accept. We unfortunately live in a society that still treats mental illness like a fantasy; despite the science & the mounting evidence, depression is still seen as an excuse for the unhappy to be lazy. Counseling is seen as weak & confessing that you are not okay makes you come across as needy or over dramatic. Believe me, I know, I’ve been there. I struggled with depression for a lot of years, & while I eventually discovered the root cause of what ailed me, I still live with the constant fear of sliding back into it. You are not alone in your struggle.

I was first confronted with suicide when I was still in high school, a childhood friend of mine’s brother took his own life one November afternoon. I remember it vividly & in incredible detail. More than the news itself though I remember his memorial service. Hundreds of people from all around, all walks of life, & all ages, came to pay their respects to his family. Hundreds. I couldn’t fathom that. How could someone who had hundred of people mourning him feel so alone & low that he had to take his own life?

A few short years later I began my own battle with depression, at first I thought I was going insane. I began to have violent mood swings; I’d be happy one moment, then weeping the next. My family did their best to be supportive, my parents were especially helpful & helped me get in contact with a councilor. However, I remember one Easter lunch I began to have a breakdown & a family member told me to “suck it up” because “this day wasn’t about me.” Sometimes people won’t understand. Sometimes the preconceived ideas of reality get in the way. Know that what you are feeling is valid. No one can discredit the way you feel.

Eventually the therapist I was seeing passed away too, and while I’d made great, unmedicated progress I began to slide back into depression. However, something she’d said to me always stuck in my mind. She told me to find a lyric in a song, or a simple phrase, that I found comforting. When I’d start to have a breakdown I was to repeat the line over & over until it became the entire focal point of my mind. It was a lifeline to grab on to when I was drowning in my own mind. For me, a huge Beatles fan, the line can be found in Revolution. “Don’t you know it’s gonna be alright? Don’t you know it’s gonna be alright? Don’t you know it’s gonna be alright?”

Without my counselor though my depression worsened, I eventually went off to college where my depression went untreated for far too long. It cost me a lot; relationships, time, as well as my basic sanity. It wasn’t until I found myself sitting on my bathroom floor with a knife to my wrist that I decided enough was enough. I wish I could say that happened once, or even twice, in reality I got to the brink of ending it all three times before I picked myself up & began the search for help.

I am not ashamed of that. I am not ashamed to admit that depression almost got the best of me. For so many people it does, but I promise you, life it worth living. Through the sorrow & the moments where you’re staring down the crossroads of life & death; life is worth living. It may not seem like it today or tomorrow but I promise you better days will come. Don’t be afraid to ask for help; if you can’t ask a friend or family member, ask yourself for help. Look up a psychiatrist, send them an email, call their office, book an appointment, but get yourself help.

It’s okay to need help sometimes, we all do. Again, you are loved, you are wanted, & you are important. I pray you find peace & health. Love yourself & love others & know that life is worth living.

With Love,
Charlie

1-800-273-8255

Nash Next!

Hey all, huge favor to ask. I’m entered into the Nash Next completion for 955 Nash Icon! If you all could make an account, scroll through, & vote for Charlie Rogers “Too Many Miles” I would greatly appreciate it! Please feel free to get your friends & family members to do the same! Thank you!

http://www.955nashicon.com/2017/05/31/nash-next-2017/

Blog: On Anxiety

First off, a bit of housekeeping.

So after a vote a few weeks ago, y’all, the fans, voted that you would like for me to do a blog. So here I am. I know technically “On Manchester” was my first official blog post but this will be the first that I’m consciously sitting down to write as a “blog post.” I struggled quite a bit around determining the framework that I want this blog to operate around; how often I want to write it, what I want to write about, etc. Then once I decided I wanted it to be weekly I struggled with the notion of coming up with new material weekly that felt genuine & wasn’t just a status update. So I haven’t written anything. Since “On Manchester” & deciding to do a blog I haven’t written anything. And my reasoning for being MIA is simply because I don’t know what to write about. Until tonight. Now I’m warning you here I want to talk about the anxiety attacks I’ve been having lately. My intention in doing so is not to gossip or seem petty or seem sympathetic. I am simply here to air somethings out & let you all know what is going on in my brain. So, without further ado.

The last few weeks I’ve been laying in one of two beds. The first bed I lay down in & immediately fall asleep only to be awakened several hours later by anxiety overload. The second of my insomnia beds forgoes the early hours of sleep & instead gives me the anxiety attack while I’m peacefully trying to unwind & drift into dream world. What is driving these attacks? Work. Plain & simple.

I don’t mean to undermine the progress that I’ve made in my music career or the people who are actively helping me advance it. To my parents, the fans, Josh (producer), Billie (manager), Johanna (Publicist), & anyone else who has taken the time/the money to advance my career because you believe in me, thank you. Please keep being amazing & believing in the dream. Without you all I’d be nowhere & I’d be nothing.

I guess my problem is that I feel stagnant. I feel stuck in one place without a clue how to get out. I know what I want & where I want to be, I just don’t know how to get there. I go through my weeks not knowing what needs to be done to move forward & therefore not doing them. I’ve begun to fall into this terrible cycle of comparing myself to my peers, something an artist should never do, & at times I’m envious of their progress while at the same time being incredibly proud of each & every one of them. I love the music I create, I love the fans I have, & the people who lift my up within this crazy industry but I don’t know how to make a living at it. I don’t know how to elevate myself from where I am now to where I want to be. It doesn’t help that the music industry can be incredibly discouraging at times. 10,000 no’s with very little yes’s starts to get to you over time, and yet I still love what I do, I still want to be doing what I’m doing. It’s even more frustrating when those you thought would help elevate you turn their backs on you, or treat you like you’re less than them just because they’re farther along. I find myself more & more turning to social media outlets in search of you all, the fans. You’ll never know how much your support means to me & breathes life into what I’m doing. You are the affirmation that what I am doing is good & worthwhile & means something to someone other than myself or those close to me. So I cannot thank you enough on that front.

I guess I just need to come up with a plan of action, something I can do every single day that let’s me know I’m doing something, that I’m making progress, I just don’t know where to start. And that’s what’s causing the anxiety; I am looking up the side of a mountain with no idea where to place my footing. I don’t know which route to climb that’ll lead me to the top & that frustrates me. I think I’m going the right way for so long then I find myself upside down or back exactly where I started but I endure, I forage onward towards the next great obstacle I’m sure to encounter.

I didn’t mean for this to be a bitch-fest, I apologize if it came across as one & I apologize if anyone was offended by what I had to say, it wasn’t my intent. I simply need to air my frustrations & let y’all into my head for a minute as I sit here in the dark full anxiety attack in swing. I know never to act upon emotion but I have been trying to whittle down what I want to write about the last few days & this felt appropriate. I think I’ll let you all decide on future blog posts. Send me to topics you want me to write on & those that strike a chord with me, I’ll write on! Have a great day/night, depending upon when you’re reading this, & know how much I appreciate each & every one of you!

-C

Blog: On Manchester

Where to start? I’ve been mulling over what I wanted to say all night, losing sleep trying to find my way through mental overload while carrying a heavy heart. With the world we live in injustice & hate seem to run so rampant at times it almost becomes deafening; the constant strain of one tragedy after another really wears you thin. But this evenings attack has really had an effect on me.

As an artist it is unfathomable for me to think of someone using music, something that unifies us in experience, in emotion, as a way to spread fear & hate. Music is truly one of the great unifiers. I cannot conceive of having people who love & appreciate the art that you create, come to revel in the connection that has been forged between you & them, just to have someone use it as a way to divide, harm, & spread hate & fear.

To the families & friends of those effected by last night’s tragedy, I am inconceivably sorry for the loss & harm that you find yourselves with today. I pray for each & every one of you.

To Manchester, I see the strength you carry & admire your willingness to put your lives on hold & help your fellow man.

To the emergency personnel on site, thank you for your readiness in service & professionalism in handling the situation.

To Ariana Grande, please don’t let this act deter you, do not let the attacker win. I know it may seem impossible but carry on, become a unifier. Continue the tour, spread joy across the world. Do not let them win.

We cannot let fear dictate our lives. Please continue going to concerts, please continue loving music, and most of all, please continue loving each other.

I love & pray for each & every one of you,
Charlie

The Boot: Charlie Rogers, ‘Too Many Miles’ [Exclusive Premiere]

Nashville pop-country crooner Charlie Rogers is premiering his new song “Too Many Miles” exclusively for readers of The Boot. Press play below to listen.

“Too Many Miles,” Rogers’ latest single, is, quite simply, a song about being a little too far away from the one you’re in love (or lust) with — but it goes a bit deeper than that. For Rogers, the lyric “I won’t care if the lights are on” is especially important.

“I know a lot of people, including myself, struggle with body image, but, to me, that line implies so much more,” says Rogers. “To me, that line says, let me see you as you are, without the weight of your perceived imperfections getting in the way. I want you to know that I want you as you are, without all the things, including darkness, covering you up, because you are beautiful.”

A Kansas-born, Nashville-based singer-songwriter, Rogers has been in Music City since 2010; he graduated from Belmont University with a degree in commercial vocal performance. Rogers has shared the stage with country icons and current superstars such as Ricky Skaggs and the Brothers Osborne.

More information about Rogers is available on CharlieRogersMusic.com.

Read More: Charlie Rogers, ‘Too Many Miles’ [Exclusive Premiere] | http://theboot.com/charlie-rogers-too-many-miles-song/?trackback=tsmclip

http://theboot.com/charlie-rogers-too-many-miles-song/

Too Many Miles Out Now!

Listen to it on Apple Music:

https://geo.itunes.apple.com/us/album/too-many-miles/id1226101690?i=1226102029&mt=1&app=music

 

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/album/58TzfHa3DpldRgJUNDO7At

 

Soundcloud:

https://soundcloud.com/charlierogersmusic/too-many-miles

 

Get it on iTunes:

https://geo.itunes.apple.com/us/album/too-many-miles/id1226101690?i=1226102029&app=itunes

 

Google Play:

https://play.google.com/store/music/album?id=Bdkjtdalb7wgxg5nqmqvkdvmh4m&tid=song-Tz2vtpdcdk3lhbs6jqp477toq2u&hl=en

 

Prime Music:

http://a.co/h0v9CsZ

Too Many Miles Drops May 9th!

New Single “Too Many Miles” will be available across all media platforms on May 9th!

June Night Coming June 3rd!

June Night will be out on all streaming and purchasing sites June 3rd!