The Nashville Parthenon--a taste of Athens in Tenn

Calypso Cafe is a tiny restaurant that is a little hard to find, but definitely worth it. It is nestled in a strip mall near a smoothie shop on Elliston Place, near Centennial Park. Once you get inside, you'll see droves of college kids and local hipsters, and one taste of the food will tell you why.

Perhaps Carribean food is unexpected in Nashville, but I have yet to meet the person who does not like this restaurant. The barbeque chicken is delish, and goes down well with the fruit tea. My choice, however, is the Lucayan salad ($5.54), which is a light yet flavorful confection of chicken so tender it melts in your mouth, Mandarin oranges, almonds, and a zippy house vinaigrette. They serve it with Boija muffins (which taste like hearty coconut cupcakes), but you can also substitute the excellent chips.

My friend, who hates anything that a remote semblence of spice, was hesitant, but even she loved the delicate taste of their tuna salad sandwich, declaring it the best tuna she'd ever eaten.

Calypso Cafe also has several vegetarian options, such as black beans, veggie pita sandwiches, and calaloo.

Other than the food, the one thing I noticed most about this restaurant was the staff. They all seem so happy to be working there, and as a result they are friendly and effecient, making the meal that much tastier. A rare treat indeed, these days.

I highly recommend Calypso Cafe to anyone traveling in Nashville. But be prepared to wait if you come during lunch hour.

The Parthenon in Centennial Park is a landmark of Nashville, and one of the only, if not the only, full-scale replica of the Athenian Parthenon in the country. It sits in the middle of Centennial Park, a park which serves as a study ground for nearby Vanderbilt University students, as well as containing an ampitheatre and hosting events such as the Tennessee Arts and Crafts festival.

In 2001, the Parthenon finished a restoration project that apparently created quite a divide between local classicists; it has been restored to a sand color, with full color on all of the pediments, as it would have looked during Classical times. The giant statue of Athena was also restored, with paint and gilding added.

For $5 you can enter the museum, with exhibits about the history of the Parthenon, as well as galleries for both local artists and more famous works. Although you can see the Athena without entering the museum, the entry fee allows you to get close to the statue (close enough to see the Nike in her hand clearly), as well as getting close views of the pediment sculptures, reproductions of which ring the large room. I recommend paying the money--it's as close to ancient Greece as you are likely to get in Tennessee, and some of the artworks are quite breathtaking.

Even if you don't pay to get inside, a walk or picnic amongst the columns is well worth the visit. You feel so small, and yet such a part of history. And there is a wonderful barbeque joint nearby for some good, quick southern food.