Obsession of the Moment: Baggu Bags

Y'all--I'm obsessed with Baggu bags. Perfect for groceries, wet swimsuits or a picnic lunch, these brightly colored, eco-friendly totes cost a mere $8. Not to mention they were featured in this month's Matchbook Magazine. 

If you're a Nashville reader, head over to The Cosmetic Market in the Hill Center. They have the great selection of Baggus pictured above!

Readers what's your obsession of the moment? 

Taste Test Tuesday: The Grilled Cheeserie

Last Saturday, the Grilled Cheeserie sat in Centennial Park amid guitar-strumming hipsters and deafening cicadas in equal-sized crowds. A staple of Musicians Corner, the large black food truck parked mere feet away from a Ben and Jerry's cart. It was enough to inspire fear in sufferers of lactose intolerance.

But my parents and I weren't there for the music, we weren't there for the ice cream, and we most certainly weren't there for the cicada serenade. We were there to try the cheesey food truck taking Nashville by storm.

Started in November of 2010 by Crystal De Luna-Bogan and her husband Joseph Bogan, the Grilled Cheeserie is a mobile restaurant bringing its customers the best of hand-held comfort food. "I knew I had to do something I loved to make or I'd get sick of it," said chef Luna-Bogan in an interview with The Nashville Scene  last fall. "It's really good bread and really good cheese."

She's not just tooting her own horn. These sandwiches are tasty and decadent with a hint of homemade flavor. While there are several "Specialty Melts" ($7), including a clever tuna casserole melt and a traditional Croque Madame, my party and I opted to make our own. I started with a base of sourdough bread and cheddar cheese for $4. Extras like tomatoes and local Benton's bacon brought the total up to $5.50. Add a side of homemade tater tots with a smokey tomato ketchup and a cool IBC root beer, and my meal totaled just over $10.

The sandwich was gooey and rich, a grown-up version of my childhood favorite, but the real stars of the show were the tots. Crispy on the outside, hot and mushy on the inside, these fried potatoes were perfectly seasoned and paired well with the truck's homemade "Tot Sauce."

My parents ordered soup as their side ($2 for a small cup), a tomato bisque infused with smokey-bacon flavor that was perfect for dipping. I might go so far as to say I liked the sides more than the sandwich!

With active Facebook and Twitter followings, the Grilled Cheeserie uses social media as its main form of communication with fans. Daily updates inform where the truck will park for lunch and dinner, and specials are always posted as well.

Readers, has the food truck trend taken over your city? What do you think of a mobile meal?

Nashville Fashion Week

I cannot believe I'm missing my hometown's inaugural fashion week. With Christian Siriano, Akiko, Betsey Johnson,  Leona Collections and Cooper by Courtney Warren all showing and speakers like Style Blogger Zarna Surti and PR maven Kelly Cutrone on the schedule, Nashville Fashion Week is proving itself a legitimate event even in its first year.

If you're in Music City and attending shows, parties or speakers this week, please leave a comment and let me know all the details. I'm dying for information!

Arnold Myint to Compete on Bravo's Top Chef

Nashville readers-- one of our local restaurateurs is competing on season 7 of Bravo's Top Chef. Arnold Myint, the chef/owner of PM, Cha Chah and Suzy Wong's House of Yum is one of 17 contestants on this year's televised cooking competition. The newest season of Top Chef starts tonight at 9/8 central, so throw together a viewing party, whip up a feast suitable for Padma, and give Arnold some well-deserved hometown support!

Fashion for a Cause

In case you missed the snippets of media coverage Nashville received, my hometown suffered severe damage from flash flooding on May 2 and 3. Lives were lost, property was destroyed, and homes were devastated, but Music City is rising to the occasion. Volunteers have been working hard to help victims, but monetary donations are essential to the rebuild process. Damages are estimated at over 1 billion dollars, so every donation helps. Donate here and here or just go shopping! There are quite a few sites offering to donate a portion of sales to victims of the flood.

Nashville native Caldwell Tanner designed this poster and is offering to donate 100% of the proceeds to flood relief.

Spirit of Nashville has come out with two prints benefiting victims of the flooding.

This would be a perfect bumper sticker.

And how cute are these shirts?

(Image Credit: Nashville Flood Tees)