"The new Nashville offers two things worth traveling for: a hot, trendy new food scene and its famous, funky music scene. The "haute southern" cuisine is flourishing in Nashville at restaurants like The Patterson House and The Catbird Seat. Not to mention some of the tastiest and most creative cocktails we've ever tried. At night, you can't walk two blocks without coming across some incredible live music, from bluegrass to brass bands, zydeco to country."
Where to stay: Try the Hutton Hotel [I fixed one of the managers' computers there!] for a sophisticated yet modern atmosphere, with rooms starting at $197.