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Free Christmas Trees in East Nashville

Dec 22nd, 2010
by Jason Kirk.
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Imagine one of these Fraser firs in your home this Christmas!

If you’re a late starter, Christmas can be a pretty disappointing season. But late starters have themselves a golden opportunity for a change right now in East Nashville: there’s a bundle of free Christmas trees available to whoever wants to come and get them. The trees are in a lot at Five Points on 11th Street located behind Margot Cafe and across the street from the BP gas station. These Fraser firs were originally being sold by a tree farmer from North Carolina who has already headed back home for the holiday and decided to lighten his load on the way back east. Obviously this is a first-come-first-served kind of deal, so go grab your tree while the supplies last and brighten your Christmas season. Just remember: all those lights you see on your neighbors’ homes were not left behind. You’ll have to buy those for yourself.

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Mayor Karl Dean to Dedicate Martha O’Bryan Center Program at Stratford High School Today

Nov 1st, 2010
by Jason Kirk.
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Nashville Mayor Karl Dean will help dedicate the Martha O’Bryan Center’’s new OST (Out of School Time) program site at Stratford High School – right down the street from EastNashvilleBlog.com HQ – during a grand opening celebration today from 4pm-6pm.

The Martha O’Bryan Center has moved its support program for high school students into a renovated space at Stratford High through a partnership with Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools and a generous gift from Stratford alumnus Milton Johnson, Chief Financial Officer at HCA Healthcare. Students call the space “The “Top Floor.”” The Top Floor is available immediately after school until 6 p.m., with a late bus available to take students home.

There's more for students to do after school at Stratford these days. (Photo: MNPS)

Services the Top Floor will provide include drop-in homework help; specialized tutoring in math, science and reading; assistance with college search, application and financial aid; ACT prep; job training and job placement; a computer lab; an art gallery; and a recording studio.

More than 5,000 square feet, including four idle classrooms, were transformed because of the collaborative mindset of new Principal Michael Steele and the hard work of volunteers from Project Redesign, HCA and Stratford High School students. The site has been operating on a limited basis since Oct. 1st. Martha O’Bryan Center tutors have been assisting students after school in the core subjects of math, English language arts, science and foreign language (Spanish).

“The new space at Stratford will quadruple the number of students who can receive immediate after-school access to academic services, including science and integrated arts,” said Kent Miller, Martha O’Bryan’’s High School and College Director. “”It is more than an after-school program. It is an academic muse mixing culturally relevant programming with hope, enrichment and opportunities for success.””

At the same time, the Martha O’Bryan Center space, formerly occupied by the high school students, has been dedicated to serving more middle school students.

Martha O’’Bryan Center’’s acclaimed youth program, called THRIVE, blends academic study with active learning outside the classroom. THRIVE students have a 100% on-time graduation rate, low suspension records and leave high school with a life plan for college, the military or a career.

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Haunted Historic Edgefield Home Tour This Weekend

Oct 23rd, 2010
by Jason Kirk.
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Historic Edgefield hosts its haunted home tour this weekend

There once was a time when this side of the river was a separate entity from the rest of Nashville. Known back then as Edgefield, the east side of the river stayed independent until it was incorporated into Nashville in 1880. These days Edgefield is a more sharply defined neighborhood occupying the space between 10th and 5th Streets and Shelby and Woodland Avenues. Zoned as a historic district since 1978, it is composed of homes built both before and after the East Nashville Fire of 1916. In recent years the neighborhood has been spotlighted on a number of television programs, including HGTV’s Restore America with Bob Vila.

This weekend the residents of Edgefield are inviting friends from near and far to come out for the Haunted Historic Edgefield Home Tour, featuring five neighborhood homes and a neighborhood church. This year’s tour is sponsored by a raft of East Nashville businesses, including local mainstays Village Real Estate and Bongo Java Roasting Company and friends of the blog East Side Smiles (Dr. Thomas Hadley) and Red Rover Pet Services. If all the history and the chance to maybe spot an East Nashville ghost or two in time for Halloween isn’t enough to convince you to come on down, come for the goodies – Halloween treat bags with coupons and other items from local businesses will be given out to the first 250 attendees.

You can check out the spooky tour this Saturday from 5pm-9pm by candlelight, or by the light of day on Sunday from 1pm-5pm. The folks in Historic Edgefield have been doing historic home tours longer than anybody else in our fair city, so you can be sure this is a tour worth checking out. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased at Edgefield Baptist Church, 700 Russell Street. If you have questions you can contact either of the tour’s co-chairs, Angela McCorkle Wilson (almccorkle@gmail.com) or Leslie Key (leslie.key@hotmail.com).

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Data Modern Furnishings Brings Style, Tradition to East Nashville

Oct 13th, 2010
by Jason Kirk.
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High-quality, modern furniture for business and home environments is just around the corner for East Nashvillians these days thanks to Data Modern Furnishings. Data combines classic style with modern sensibility in its furniture. Its experienced craftsmen employ traditional techniques, but steel and wooden components used in Data furniture are cut quickly and precisely with computerized equipment before those craftsmen ever get their hands on them.

Data's Kubbi bookshelf - click image for high-res version

“It may seem contradictory to blend these two seemingly opposing styles into the production of Data products,” says Ryan Richardson, Data’s owner and lead furniture designer. “The reason that I’ve taken this approach is to keep each design as affordable as possible, allowing as many people as possible to enjoy quality modern furniture in their homes. Data products are not inexpensive, but they are available at prices comparable to high-volume manufacturers through the use of these techniques.”

Data products are made to order based on the options selected by its customers, so you can get exactly what you want. Once you’ve made your choices, ordering from the website is a breeze; you can even check out with Paypal. And since Data is based in a studio and production facility here on our side of the river, turnaround time is very short. “Due to their expertise and their experience with these designs, our production team ensures that our customers won’t wait long for furniture ordered,” says Richardson.

Data's Folio magazine rack - click image for high-res version

You can get a look at some Data products in the wild at Portland Brew East on Eastland Avenue, and also at Casablanca Coffee over in the Gulch. And when you’re ready to order a piece of your own, check out the online store at the Data Modern Furnishings website.

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Eastside Bicycle Club To Hear From Bike Advocates

Sep 15th, 2010
by Jason Kirk.
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Your input is needed to make East Nashville more bike-friendly

East Nashville cyclists of all levels will want to make room on their calendars later this month to hear from Toks Omishakin, Mayor Karl Dean‘s Director of Healthy Living, about the city’s plans to make our area more bike-friendly.

Omishakin, a former bicycle planner for Metro Public Works and the mayor’s liaison with the Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee, will speak to the Eastside Bicycle Club at Eastside Cycles on September 28 at 7 p.m. Topics for discussion include the current status of the Strategic Plan for Sidewalks and Bikeways, utilization of Greenways and bicycle lanes, the city’s proposed bike share program and current efforts to fund and expand infrastructure for biking and walking.

Joining Omishakin at the meeting will be Thomas F. “Freddie” O’Connell, Chairman of the Board of the Metropolitan Transit Authority; Pat Clements, President of Bike Walk Tennessee; and Leslie Meehan, Senior Planner with the Metropolitan Planning Organization. All four will take questions from attendees.

The Eastside Bicycle Club is a new organization dedicated to improving cycling opportunities in the East Nashville community. For more information contact Dorothy Stannard by phone (615-364-5117) or email (dorothy1705@comcast.net), or Francie Hunt by phone (615-469-1079) or email (bikeeastside@gmail.com).

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Go Gaga For Rayfo at Mad Donna’s This Saturday

Sep 10th, 2010
by Jason Kirk.
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Everyone's going Gaga tomorrow night at Mad Donna's

If you can’t get enough Lady Gaga, you’ll want to drop by Mad Donna’s tomorrow night for the “Go Gaga For Rayfo” party. “Rayfo” is Rachel Fontenot, owner of East Nashville bar and restaurant Mad Donna’s, and the party is a celebration of Fontenot’s birthday. To keep with the theme, the party will be a costume ball with everyone encouraged to channel their inner Gaga.

It won’t be hard to get in the spirit, since the room will be filled with Gaga go-go dancers outfitted by Hue, Adam Biga and Blu Zombie Designs. Plus there will be Gagacentric drink specials – the Disco Stick (vanilla vodka with grape & raspberry liqueur, garnished with a Pixie stick), Poison Apple (whiskey and apple liqueur, garnished with a Jolly Rancher) and Poker Face (tequila, triple sec and pineapple juice) are all $4, and there will be free Jello shots for everyone.

The party gets started at 8:00 p.m. tomorrow night, September 11. Mad Donna’s is located at 1313 Woodland Street here in East Nashville.

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Holly Street Rocks! Benefit Featuring Roman Candle

Aug 25th, 2010
by Jason Kirk.
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Holly Street Daycare is hosting its 7th Annual Holly Street Rocks! fundraiser in October. All proceeds from the benefit go directly to the Holly Street Tuition Subsidy Program, which helps families in need afford quality child care for their children.  The fundraiser will include 50 fabulous wines to taste, provided by Midtown Wine & Spirits; entertainment from popular indie rock band Roman Candle; and hundreds of silent auction items up for bid, from great artwork to weekend getaways.

Holly Street Daycare is a non-profit that provides affordable, quality childcare for parents.  The Tuition Subsidy Program bridges the gap between assistance a family might be receiving and the rising cost of quality childcare. At Holly Street, children experience personalized attention and progressive learning in an intimate, low teacher/child ratio environment.  Additionally, the center offers specialized programs such as dance, music and educational field trips.  Holly Street strives to create an overall setting to further develop each child’s values, attitudes, and social skills.

Musical guest Roman Candle owes its edgy rock sound to years of focusing on the craft of songwriting and melody.  In 2006 Pitchfork’s Grayson Currin said, “Roman Candle is one of the best, most complete American rock bands to surface in a decade.”  PASTE magazine called their current album, Oh Tall Tree in the Ear, a “Modern Rock Masterpiece” and the band has toured with artists such as Rufus Wainwright, Aimee Mann, and the Indigo Girls. Roman Candle at the Limelight is a show not to be missed!

Holly Street Rocks!

7th Annual Silent Auction/Wine Tasting

Featuring musical guest Roman Candle

A benefit for Holly Street Daycare’s tuition subsidy program

Sponsored by Midtown Wine & Spirits

When: Saturday, October 2, 2010, 6PM-10PM

Where: Limelight, 201 Woodland St

Admission: $50 advance/$60 door

Purchase tickets at www.hollystreetrocks.org or 615-227-8252

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Have You Lost Your Dog in East Nashville?

Aug 13th, 2010
by Jason Kirk.
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Has anyone recently lost a dog near the Maxwell Heights/Greenwood Neighbors area? Last night in that area an East Nashville neighbor came across a little guy who wants to go home, and she is trying to make that happen. He’s a small, black-and-white, shorthaired dog and we’d like to help him to get back where he belongs. If you think this might be your dog, send a description or picture to us at comments@eastnashvilleblog.com or message us on Twitter.

On a related note, we highly recommend that anyone who has lost or found a pet check out the East C.A.N. website for more information on what to do in such a situation. There are a lot of common-sense tips there that can save you a lot of time and hassle and give you the best chance of helping your animal get back home safely. You can read more about East C.A.N., an organization started and run by concerned East Nashville neighbors, in the August/September issue of The East Nashvillian magazine.

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