Hey look, it's time for the latest edition of "James Visits Another City and Wishes He Could Stay"

Yeah, you know it, you love it. Guess where this time? You'll never guess:

Nashville!

Prediction: I'm going to catch hell for this. But it's true; once again I blunder into all sorts of cool stuff. (And I feel like I can at least tell you guys about my vacationw without wanting to stab myself to death.)

1. On Lower Broadway, there were a bunch of bars where country musicians play for tips, and even on a rainy Sunday evening there was a scene going on. I watched a band play a speedy bluegrass version of the Wallflowers' "Sixth Avenue Heartache". Where else does that happen? I don't even usually listen to country, but I had a great time. (LiAps: sorry about excitedly calling you while tipsy.)

2. There's an uncharted demarcation line, probably somewhere in Virginia, that modern mapmakers haven't been able to exactly pin down. North of this line, it is scientifically impossible to find decent barbeque. Fortunately, we found some pretty good stuff downtown as we watched the basketball go into double overtime. The food was no Fat Matt's, but then what is?

3. Two words: Pancake Pantry. This is apparently a Nashville breakfast institution; they have delicious sweet potato pancakes drenched in warm maple syrup. That's right: sweet potato pancakes. Clever, creative, unique. I'd never had them before, and they were delicious.

And I wasn't even there 24 hours. But that's what's supposed to happen when you're in a city: you find stuff you've never tried before and didn't know you loved. You find personality. You find uniqueness. You find crazy foods: sweet potato pancakes and fruit sushi and seitan skewers.

What do we have? Oh, right, the half-smoke. I'm going to say something now that I should have said long ago: What the fuck is a half-smoke? What's that you say? It's a sausage that's half beef and half pork? Oh, well, silly me. That's obviously brilliant. Dear lord... MUST EVEN OUR FOOD BE CREATED BY COMMITTEE?

(Oh, and Bill Cosby loves it, you say. You know what else he loves? Jell-O Pudding Pops.)

Anyway. Oh, and also, Nashville radio kicks D.C. radio's ass. Not just country, but all formats; they're on top of everything. I appreciate that, since I'm too cheap to buy an iPod or XM or whatever. I need people to tell me what's good without me having to pay them. Honestly, my music library these days basically consists of whatever Information Leafblower just posted.

So. Um... suck on that, Washington!