philanthropy

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While in Nashville last week, I visited a rather remarkable shop.
Philanthropy, located in downtown Franklin, is a store with a serious social conscience. Decorated with nothing short of absolute creativity, thought, and attention to detail, it's enchanting and inviting- so much so that I wanted to ask to move in. Even more, the shop hopes to serve as a platform for their customers to make a difference. By pledging at least 10% of their sales to designated causes, the store has raised over $120,000 in three years.

Next time you're in Nashville, Philanthropy is definitely worth the visit. However, if you can't wait that long, check it out here.

directions to follow

All signs point to Franklin, TN being the sweet little sister to Nashville...and they would all be correct.

letter to nashville

Dear Nashville,
Thanks for being a place that David could love, so in effect, a place we would love visiting. Also, thanks for being a kicked-back yet trendy place full of dreamers who have passion and talent they're eager to share...I've wondered lately where all the cool, yet down to earth young people are...and now I know.

Dear Nashville guys,

Thanks for having the coolest haircuts ever and for rolling your jeans up. I love it. really.

Dear Bluebird Cafe,
Thanks for one of my favorite Nashville experiences and for introducing me to This & That.

Dear This & That,

You rock. Now really, how did you know just the song to sing? Y'all are officially my favorite duo and I am hoping extra hard that you have all the success in the world.

Dear Summer Nights,
Thanks for providing the perfect excuse to hang out until wee hours with a few favorite people I haven't had the pleasuring of seeing for quite some time.

Dear Centennial Park,
Thanks for being a beautiful green space smack dab in the middle of the city. It doesn't hurt that you have a life size replica of the Parthenon either. Also, much appreciation for providing the perfect backdrop for a self-timer photo shoot.


Dear Nashville restaurants in general,
You have some of the most delectable, taste bud satisfying, homecookin' food that I've tasted in quite a while. Loveless Cafe, Gigi's, Pancake Pantry, Merridee's Breadbasket...sheesh.



Dear David,
Thanks for being the best tour guide ever. We loved every minute of you showing off your summer/possible future city.

Dear 10+ hour drive home,
Thanks for allowing hours of "hot topic" conversation. And thanks for being a perfectly good excuse to hang out 10+ extra hours with Mark and Alexis.

Dear Nashville (yes, one more time),

Thanks for being the backdrop for our friend reunion. You may have only held our attention for a long weekend, but you now permantely hold several of our long-term memories.

Keep in touch,

Caitlin

tattered cover

The Tattered Cover Bookstore is one the largest independently owned bookstore in the country and is a dream to wander around in for an hour or two. Housed in what was originally a town store from the 1800s, Tattered Cover stretches three floors up with wood floors and large built-in bookshelves. Armchairs, benches, and couches sit here and there, simply waiting for you to join them with a pleasurable book. There's a special charm to independently owned bookstores- they're a little warmer, a little quirkier, and a lot more convincing to spend not only your money, but also your day.

i've died and gone to library heaven

The Canadian Parliamentary Library quite literally took my breath away. It is the only part of the original parliament to have survived the 1916 fire. Because it is a working library, no pictures were allowed. Because I wouldn't risk being thrown out of one of the hands down, most enchanting and mesmerizing rooms I've ever been in, I found these photos via dear Google.

What you first notice when you walk through the door is the warm wood and intricate carvings. As you walk a little further, you're hit by the rotunda of bookshelves. Books everywhere, spines of every color- all of which are guarded by a statue of Queen Victoria. If you know the movie and scene, it reminded me of when in Beauty and the Beast (the Disney version) the Beast presents Belle with his library. As a little girl, it was the most incredible thing to me: shelves upon shelves of adventures, mysteries, friends, and foes. Thousands of books. all waiting to be discovered. Then you peer up into the dome and realize that you could stay here forever. What more could you ask for? I contemplated for a moment what my chances were of being noticed if I stealthy escaped from the tour group and found a deserted place on the second or third level...how long would it be before they found me and what kind of trouble would I be in? I've never considered a livelihood has a librarian, but if it meant working here, I'd be game.

Byward Market

Le Moulin de Provence, Obama cookies, eating bowlfuls of fresh fruit while perusing flower stands and watching Ottawa locals ease into their Sunday mornings- the Byward Market is a great mishmash of the city's young and old. Spending a few hours there made me want to live somewhere where this kind of thing is an every week habit and not just a tourist outing.

pat: baylor dreams come true

I've basically had a love affair with the Pat Neff building on Baylor's campus since I moved into my freshman year dormitory. The big white columns, the bells that not only chime the time but songs as well, and the fact that the tower is lit green at night- Pat, in a word (or two) is so Baylor. Last week I had the priviledge to go up in the bell tower and even play the bells! So cool! Seriously, it was a Baylor dream come true.

DreamTime

A trumpet, old chandeliers, a bicycle, scraps of metal, a rusted fan, neon letters, an old doll house- alone, each piece is..well, junk. Together, they form DreamTime, an art installation by Warren Muller, suspended from the ceiling inside the newly renovated Fort Worth Museum of Science and History. Standing under the neon glow of light, I was amazed..."It's all junk," I thought, "so why do I find it so all-together marvelous and captivating?" To me, DreamTime represents the beauty of possibility and hidden potential. Any dream- no matter how ridiculous, can be realized. You just have to dream it first.

For more information about DreamTime, check out this video.