MCL Top Five

Hey did you know your VU Meal Plan provides you with a Meal Money Account (MMA) that can be used to purchase food at participating off-campus restaurants through the Taste of Nashville program? Well if you didn’t know that, now you do. There are several options which are all within walking distance of campus, and all of those Taste of Nashville participants can be found here. But to save you time, we at MCL have compiled our Top 5 favorites in no order whatsoever. These dining options will satisfy both your appetite and your desire to soak in the ambience of more than just the Commons or Rand. If you take our advice and visit these or other options in the Taste of Nashville program, just use your Commodore Card as you would a debit card at the restaurant. The money will be debited from your Meal Money Account (which includes rollover money unused from your weekly Meal Plan).

Okay, here we go…..

5. Cabana, 1910 Belcourt Avenue

This is one of those places that just has a super chill vibe, and you feel it the moment you enter. Cabana bills its menu options as “casual Southern comfort cuisine,” and that is evident in offerings such as Kentucky Bison sliders, Spicy Shrimp and Cheddar Grits, and Chicken Pot Pie. If you’re really digging that Southern comfort food action make sure you save room for a piece of Peanut Butter Pie or a serving of Banana Puddin’, which tastes just like the kind your Grandma would make if your Grandma’s from South of the Mason Dixon line.

4. Soulshine Pizza, 1907 Division Street

Oh sure, you can get a pretty good brick oven pizza in the Commons or at Pi in Rand, but this place offers much more than pie with a cool factor of 10. Appetizers include standard fare like chicken wings or nachos, but if you’re really daring you’ll order up the Handmade Hot Tamales and thank us later.
Of course the main attractions here are the stone baked pizzas and calzones, and boy howdy do they know what they’re doing in this area. Of course you can build your own, but if you’re feeling adventurous we recommend the Boss Hawg or The Mississippian specialty pizzas. Or if you’re in the mood to go full cajun for your entree, they also serve up a pretty mean order of Red Beans & Rice. All of this awesome food is great, but the decor adds a funky feel that will satisfy music and pop culture lovers, too.

3. Qdoba, 2019 West End Avenue

Yes, okay, so Qdoba is a chain and not uniquely Nashville, we know. But if you’re looking to get some tasty Mexican food in your belly, this place gets the job done. Serving up tacos, taco salads, nachos, bowls, and burritos the size of tactical nukes (and perhaps just as potent), there’s a lot to like and a lot to choose from as you watch them build your personal food masterpiece. And here’s a huge plus … you work up an appetite walking from Commons to the corner of West End and 21st, and you walk off some of those calories you inhaled on the walk back home.

2. Smoothie King, 2422 Elliston Place OR hey there’s one in the Rec Center!

So not sure if you knew about this one or not, but that’s right, you can get a Smoothie after your workout at the Rec Center and USE YOUR CARD to pay for it. Nice! Okay, maybe we’re the only ones excited about this, but hey we’ve been eating Bison sliders, pizza named after a Dukes of Hazzard character and handfuls of nachos, so working out and getting something healthy inside of us feels pretty good. Order from their extensive menu or add your own special blend with a myriad of “enhancers,” including Acai (whatever that is).

1. Cafe Coco, 210 Louise Avenue

Looking for a place that screams NASHVILLE, well you’ve found it at Cafe Coco. A mixture of coffee house, music venue, and restaurant, this joint has tons of character and the best reason to get out of bed for breakfast on the weekends. Soup, hot or cold sandwiches, 7″ pizzas, pastas that you can customize, or a really awesome burger, the lunch and dinner menu has something for everyone. But again, breakfast! Do you love your coffee? Well check this place out as an alternative to Starbucks, grab a bagel or an Eggwich or French toast or all three and get motivated to hunker down on a Sunday and finish those papers you have due this week!

1. An Anime

Netflix offers a slew of Japanese animated shows. I know, I KNOW. It’s anime, something that most of us at one point would turn our noses down at if suggested. But this is college, a time of learning, exploration and experimentation. In that vain, I have become quite the avid anime fan. Unlike many of my compatriots, I don’t necessarily go for the savage gore-filled titles of Death Note and Tokyo Ghoul, nor do I prefer the “bubblegum” feel-goodness of shows like You Cry in April. What really scratches my Flix-itch are the animes that fall in between. J’adore Seven Deadly Sins, Magi, and Sword Art Online. There’s action, romance, and enough twists to keep you guessing. But, and this is the thing I love the most, the good guys always seem to pull through. If that’s not your thing, or you aren’t really sure what anime to start with, an easy go to is the ever popular Attack On Titan beloved by die-hard anime devotees and the average person alike.

       2. A Crime Drama 

The great thing about Netflixing crime dramas, is that unlike regular television, you don’t have to wait every week, or if they’re reruns every weekend, to continue the story. You can binge your way all the way through in one shot, if you’ve got that kind of time (and dedication). Americans are fascinated with crime, both the commission and their solution. For better or worse, entire networks have been funded by the unquenchable thirst to learn about murder and revenge. I highly recommend Law and Order: Special Victims Unit (I cannot emphasize enough the great divide that exists between SVU and all other Law and Order spin offs), iZombie (it’s a cute crime series with enough heart for anyone. The main character is a female zombie who gets premonitions of the victims’ lives after eating their brains), and Bones (I am currently watching this show and I absolutely adore it. The writing can sometimes be repetitive, but with 12 seasons, it’s awesome to watch all the characters grow).

          3. Something Old 

From Murder, She Wrote to Friends, shows that have reached their end offer some of the best entertainment available. There’s not much more to say other than that. True, the graphics might be outdated, and you might not get some of the “pop-culture” references, but still there is something about observing the visual arts of an era gone by that brings a sense of much needed nostalgia.

          4. Something New 

THIS IS A PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT: If you haven’t watched a Netflix Original you are missing out on what could be some of the most joyful experiences of your young life. From Orange is the New Black, to House of Cards,to the lesser known Hemlock Grove, Netflix is a powerhouse at producing riveting, critically acclaimed and genre-forwarding series worthy of television’s “Golden Age”. A few more suggestions include Marco Polo and Narcos. If you’re into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, you may want to explore the multi-verse of Marvel’s small-screen features. Daredevil and Jessica Jones are some of the best superhero productions ever created and take a look at the dark side of New York City.

           5. Something Funny To You 

After a test, or before hitting up the frats “pregaming” to a comedy special or watching raunchy episodes of Archer and Family Guy are a great (and legal) way to alleviate stress and escape from your troubles. Some suggestions include the insightful eye of Bo Burnham’s what. and the hilarious rantings of a pregnant Ali Wong in Baby Cobra. If that’s not your style, you can always try a Dramedy. A mixture of heart-wrenching drama, and a lot of laughs, shows like Grace and Frankie are unique and encapsulating. Grace, and your husband’s best friend’s wife, Frankie are forced to adapt to modern life in their seventies after their husbands reveal that they’re more friends. The show takes an honest look at infidelity but doses it with all the charm of its leading actresses.

So, if you just finished Grey’s Anatomy, Game of Thrones, or Supernatural and are fiending for another Flix-fix, try check out one or two of the shows compiled above, they’re sure to not disappoint.

First semester is almost over, but you still have time to do some holiday activities before you leave for break. Lucky for you, there is a lot happening in Nashville at this time of year! Here are the top 5 things to do before you head out for winter break:

5. Nashville Holiday Parade

The annual Piedmont Holiday Parade is from 9 a.m. on Dec. 3 to 11:30 a.m. throughout downtown Nashville. The Grammy Award winning artist Kelly Clarkson is this year’s Grand Marshall. The parade begins at 7th Avenue and Broadway, heading downtown. It turns on 2nd Avenue and ends at the base of Woodland Street Bridge.The theme for this year is “Musical Mile” so be sure to check it out!

4. Nashville’s Nutcracker

The Nashville Ballet will be performing Nutcracker for the ninth consecutive year from Dec. 3 to Dec. 23 at TPAC’s Jackson Hall. If you like ballet or want to get in the holiday spirit, be sure to get tickets!

3. Tennessee’s Home for the Holidays

For the 6th year in a row, Governor and First Lady Haslam will have a holiday open house at the Tennessee Residence. From 10 a.m. between Dec. 2 and Dec. 16 to 2 p.m. tours will be offered to view the house and its land decorated for the holidays. The tours are free, but you must make an online reservation.

2. The Pred’s Ice Skating Rink

The Smashville Outdoor Rink at the Walk of Fame Park will be open to the public between Nov. 18 and Feb. 20 from 4 p.m. on Mon. to Fri. until 10 p.m. and 12 p.m. on Sat. and Sun. until 10 p.m. Head over to skate for $15 per person.

1. Holiday Lights at Cheekwood

Head over to Cheekwood Botanical Garden sometime between Nov. 25 to Jan. 1 from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m (other than Mondays) to see its second year of holiday lights. There are also s’mores pits, holiday carolers, live reindeer, and photos along the trail of lights. Admission ranges from $15 to $20 and it is just over 5 miles from campus. Be sure to check it out!

Are you looking to be active this week? Do you want to see a good concert or attend a fun event? There is so much happening on campus before Thanksgiving break that you do not even need to leave campus! Here are the Top 5 Events at Vanderbilt This Week:

5. Panhellenic Preview Day

If you are you a female considering joining a sorority, be sure to attend Panhellenic Preview Day from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 12. It is a great way to visit the different houses and see which organizations you are interested in.

4. The Hank Library Opening

The residents of Hank House have been working hard to get their library open, and it is finally happening! At 9:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 9, head over to Hank for books, free mugs, and apple cider.

3. “All Time Low” Swingin’ Dores Fall Concert

Do not miss this great opportunity to hear one of Vanderbilt’s a cappella groups 8-9 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 14, at Sarratt Cinema.

2. Puppy Play Day

Do you miss your dog and do not think you can go another two weeks until Thanksgiving to play with your furry friend? Well from 12-2 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 9, there will Puppy Play Day on Stevenson Lawn. It is a perfect way to de-stress.

1. Anchor Down South

Anchor Down South is a Commons event that is put on by all of the House Vice Presidents. From 6:30-9 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 11, on The Commons Patio. There will be Chick-Fil-A, s’mores, country music, square dancing, and more. Be sure to check it out!

Yeah, yeah, we know … right now you are swamped with work, trying to knock out three papers and study for a couple of exams that your loving profs dumped on you between Fall Break and the Thanksgiving Break. But hey, everybody needs a stress reliever from time to time, and, you know, all work and no play, right? So here at MCL we’ve compiled the Top 5 things you should do in Nashville before it gets too late and you’re packing up to head home for the semester break. Here goes …

5. Eat some hot chicken

If you haven’t already tackled this uniquely Nashville culinary experience (and we don’t mean that KFC hot chicken mess), now is the time. Yes, it’s hot, says so right there in the name. But what better time to eat some hot food than when the weather is turning colder. I mean it will be turning colder at some point, right? Anybody have Al Gore’s cell number? Anyway, visit one of the many local restaurants specializing in hot chicken. MCL recommends Party Fowl in The Gulch or Hattie B’s in Midtown, just a short walk from The Commons. And yes, you can get the mild, but you’ve gotta give hot chicken a try just so you can tell everyone at Thanksgiving dinner that “this is good, but it’s not Nashville-hot-chicken good.”

4. Check out the Opryland Hotel

Yeah, we know, this seems like a total touristy Mom & Dad thing to do. But honestly, this hotel is pretty amazing any time of year. Then add two million holiday lights and you’ll think you’ve fallen asleep on your Chem text and woken up at the North Pole. While you’re there for a few extra bucks you can take a carriage ride, ice skate in an outdoor rink, or even go snow tubing. The holiday festivities are available from Nov. 11 – Jan. 1, and the lights get cranked on at 4 p.m. every day.

3. See a movie at The Belcourt

So sure, you can go see the latest huge box office superhero/alien/fast car/Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson movie at the megaplex if you want, that’s cool. But if you want a slice of Nashville history along with your choice of the best independent, documentary, world, and classic cinema, then The Belcourt Theatre is where you want to be. It’s walkable from The Commons, and they offer a student discount with your ID. Just a glance at future film offerings includes Noctural Animals with Jake Gyllenhaal and Amy Adams, The Last Waltz, the classic Scorsese documentary about The Band, and Good Burger (yes Good Burger) for everyone who grew up watching “All That” on Nick.

2. Go Country

Now you know when you go home for break that everyone is going to ask you about living in Nashville and country music. You know that, right? So even if you think Carrie Underwood is how you properly transport logs (see what we did there?), you should make the effort to get your country on. And lucky you, there are SEVERAL options. If you want to broaden your overall country music horizons and understand the history of the music, you can’t beat a visit to the County Music Hall of Fame and Museum. If live music is more your speed, but you still want a little history lesson, we recommend checking out The Grand Ole Opry. Or if you want to understand what makes Nashville tick, get at the heart of the songs with the songwriters themselves at The Bluebird Cafe. Then when Uncle Bob asks if you’ve met any country stars you can say “yep, saw Jason Aldean at the Opry,” like a boss.

1. Get some Nashville merch

By now you’ve likely embraced that Nashville is your home for the next four years. But are you really invested in Music City? At MCL we’re encouraging you to live like a local, and that means supporting all things Nashville. Sure, you love your home town teams, I mean who doesn’t? But while it’s cool to rock your Chicago Cubs jersey around campus, it’s every bit as cool to rep your new temporary home with some Titans or Predators gear. And it may not just be an ironically cool purchase, these days the Nashville sports teams are pretty decent. So jump on that bandwagon now, add powder blue and gold to your color wheel, and tell everyone in your home area code that the 6-1-5 rocks.

Are you looking to get out there and involved this week on campus? If so, there are plenty of opportunities to do so. Be sure to check out these Top 5 Events on The Commons this week … you especially will not want to miss No. 1!

5. The Dean’s Book Club

Make an appearance at the Dean’s Residence at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 26, to reflect on your transition to Vanderbilt and how it relates to The Commons Reading this year, “Strong Inside.” It is a great opportunity to discuss the book with your peers and faculty, and cookies will also be served!

4. Stambaugh Soiree

All students are invited to join this event featuring a talk from Congressman Jim Cooper. He is known in Congress for his work on a bipartisan budget plan. Stop by Stambaugh at 9 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 26, to hear about his life and work in Congress.

3. North House Scary Halloween Movie Night

From 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 30, North House is hosting a scary movie night in its Seminar Room. Use the entrance on the Peabody Lawn side, and go own the stairs. Grab a blanket and a friend and head over.

2. Baila con Sabor

It is time for another Commons Mix-Up Event! If you enjoyed the “North House Wedding,” be sure to check out Sutherland House’s “Baila con Sabor.” This event will be held at The Commons Center from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 27. There will be food, Latin dance lessons, and lots of fun.

1. The Upper Quad Block Party

From 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 28, the Upper Quad is hosting its annual Halloween event. Sutherland House will have cookies and candy, Murray will have a photo booth, Stambaugh will be serving “mocktails,” and Crawford will have their annual haunted house. Make sure to stop by to get in the Halloween mood!

Just like any other group of diverse people, Vanderbilt first-year students have odd experiences, which in turn lead to odd conversations. Here is a small sampling of the weirdness that takes place on the Vanderbilt campus. Note: You MAY find yourself somewhere in here. If you do, consider yourself honored!

1. The Stevenson Thing
Guy 1: Y’know, I know this dude who spent three days trying to find a classroom to meet a sophomore friend in one of the Stevensons.
Guy 2: No kidding! Why didn’t he just ask somebody?
Guy 1: Yeah, well he tried, but nobody he talked to had ever heard of this particular classroom either.
Guy 2: That is so weird. A classroom that is said to exist, but does actually not exist. Something very New Agey about that.
Guy 1: Ah, but here is the kicker: This sophomore guy evidently has a screwed-up sense of humor. He basically led my friend on a wild goose chase in search of classroom that does not exist. He made the entire classroom up! My friend only found out when the sophomore guy decided to have mercy on him.
Guy 2: Those [CENSORED] sophomores.
Note: Do not trust sophomores! Ever! They are only in it for the lulz!

2. They Came for Him
Individual 1: Have you seen Tony around anytime recently? I have not laid eyes on him for about two weeks. Strange, considering he lives down the hall from me.
Individual 2: All I know is what I have heard and what my dreams tell me.
Individual 1: Uh, and what may that be?
Individual 2: They came and took him away.
Individual 1: Who? His parents?
Individual 2: No. The Uranians did.
Individual 1: Wait, what, the Iranians kidnapped him?
Individual 2: No, you stupid person you! The beings from Uranus took him on a journey…
Individual 1: Ah, okay. (Shuffles uneasily away, while staring at Individual 2).
Note: Oh dear. I do hope Tony is alright, wherever he is.

3. The Graduate Bunch
Girl 1: Grad Students annoy me.
Girl 2: Why is that?
Girl 1: They act like they know so much more than me.
Girl 2: Well it kind of makes sense, considering they already have their Bachelor’s degree in whatever, and we’re just starting to travel that road.
Girl 1: They still annoy me though. Especially my TA. I want to smack her in the face.
Note: Huh? I thought everyone LOVED their TAs!

4. The Courageous Amongst Us
This Dude to Nobody in Particular: Last night at a party I was dared to eat a can of Purina dog food. And guess what? I did it! Now all my friends think I am both gnarly and awesome!
Note: Be afraid. Be very afraid.

5. Squirrels … The Bane of Mankind
This Girl: So I was just chillin’ on the lawn in front of the Wyatt Center with some snacks, and I decided to go really quickly to go grab something from my room. It didn’t even take five minutes, but when I got back to my spot, this squirrel was sitting on my blanket, eating my bag of Doritos! And, when I went over to shoo it away, it absconded with the bag of Doritos in its mouth! I tried chasing it, but it disappeared somewhere behind West. I feel really bummed about it.
Note: Evidently squirrels like Doritos. Who knew?

And that brings us to the end of this Top 5. How much of this is actually true? If only we knew … Anyhow, if you saw yourself somewhere amongst this chaos, congratulations! With such experiences as these under your belt, you are sure to have some sort of rare and legendary future in store. Questions, comments, threats? Stick ’em there below!

Although you will be enjoying the next few days of fall break, when you get back, Homecoming week at Vanderbilt will be in full swing! With Homecoming comes a ton of fun and exciting things to do on campus. Here are the Top 5:

5. Blood Drive

Be generous this Homecoming season and donate blood in the Sarratt Student Center between Monday, Oct. 17, and Wednesday, Oct. 19, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. It is a great opportunity to give back to the community!

4. Experience Vanderbilt Homecoming Lunch

Join students, faculty, staff, and alumni on Central Library Lawn from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 21, for lunch. At this fundraiser, all people involved with Vanderbilt will be gathered to foster school spirit and celebrate Vanderbilt experiences.

3. VBP Homecoming Block Party

Check out the free food and entertainment put on by the Vanderbilt Programming Board at the Block Party. Grab some friends and head over to Kensington on Thursday, Oct. 20, from 7 to 10 p.m.

2. Commodore Quake

The annual Homecoming concert features Big Sean and A$AP Ferg on Friday, Oct. 21, at 8 p.m. in Memorial Gymnasium. The Music Group of Vanderbilt’s Programming Board wants to do it BIG this year, so be sure to check it out.

1. The Homecoming Football Game

All of the Homecoming week events lead up to the football game. We play the Tennessee State Tigers on Saturday, Oct. 22, at 6:30 p.m., so throw on your cowboy boots and make your way to the stadium!

Alright, so the race for the presidency has been going on for a while, and whether you love one and hate the other, or hate both them, both Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump and Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton have their names constantly plastered all over the news, and it seems, for all intents and purposes, that one or the other will one day soon be hunkering down in the Oval Office. On a lesser-known level are Gary Johnson of the Libertarian Party and Jill Stein of the Green Party, both of whom do not have much of a chance of becoming president. Let’s dig deeper, though, because the list of presidential candidates is longer still. Be prepared, for we are about to go totally underground politically and get a glimpse of the political fringe in 2016!

 

 

1. Rocky de la Fuente: Reform Party USA
Let us start this journey with the least far-out candidate, and party, of our quintet. Reform Party USA is the one political party here with a big success: Jesse Ventura’s election as Minnesota Governor in 1998. This populist and centrist-flavored party, with a strong dash of fiscal conservatism thrown in for good measure, has been mainly eluded by success, with the likes of Ross Perot, Pat Buchanan, and Ralph Nader all running for president, and all of them failing. In 2016, Rocky de la Fuente, a Mexican-American businessman, is going up to bat for the party, but it’s all too likely that he will become a presidential strikeout like others before him.

2. Dan Vacek: Legal Marijuana Now Party
The name of this party is VERY self-explanatory. Although Dan Vacek has something of a one-plank platform to stand on, this obscure party, which is a sort of cousin of the Green Party, just with a greater love of weed, at least has a semi-popular cause as its one plank. Dan Vacek also makes, or at least valiantly tries to make, connections between the legal status of marijuana and civil unrest, and gives some convincing arguments as to the benefits of stopping the War on Drugs. The question is, and one that, depending on your point of view, probably has an obvious answer: Can this single issue send Dan Vacek to the White House?

3. James Hedges: Prohibition Party
So, you may have been under the reasonable impression that Prohibition officially died in 1933, but it is true that certain things really do die hard. Although the Prohibition virtually ceased to play anything close to an important role in politics after WWII, it has stubbornly clung to existence and an ideology of temperance and social conservatism, fielding a presidential candidate at election time since 1872, thus making it the third most long-lived party, behind the Republicans and Democrats. As for James Hedges in particular, he has under his belt the remarkable accomplishment of being the only Prohibition Party candidate, so far, to be elected to public office (as a Tax Assessor) in the 21st Century. No matter if you believe alcohol is a great evil or a harmless diversion, you’ve got to give this party credit for continuing to survive despite the odds, and for continuing on that ever-difficult White House hunt.

4. Frank Atwood: Approval Voting Party
Now this is party that exists not so much for political achievement, as to make a point. I want to give this particular party a bit more space than the others, not because it is necessarily my favorite, but because it actually has an interesting idea. The point of this very much single-issue party is that age-old deliberation: should I vote for the lesser of the two evils, or should I vote for that one candidate whose platform and ideologies I love, but who a snowball’s chance in Hades of winning anything? The pragmatic answer is that it is better to hop aboard the bandwagon for a semi-evil that can actually win, rather than voting with the heart for a candidate that can go nowhere, and which might in turn cause the semi-evil to lose to the complete-evil.

Still though, there are rather strong feelings of regret present after doing one’s pragmatic duty. The Approval Voting Party plans to cure this by being a living example of the “wasted votes,” and thus try to create a push for the ability to vote for more than one candidate, known as approval voting. Hey! Now you can vote with both your head and your heart! No need to gamble, just vote for whomever you want to, or think you need to! And, as for that candidate that you absolutely despise, the Approval Voting Party points out that under approval voting, you would be able to vote for everyone EXCEPT that one odious candidate, meaning that you can do your absolute best, one way or the other, of denying the hate one their dreams of glorious elected officialdom!

5. Rod Silva: Nutrition Party
The Nutrition Party boils down the plethora of America’s complex problem to one point: America does not eat healthily! While Rod Silva’s commitment to better nutrition is commendable, single-issue parties are fringe enough, but to base one’s campaign on an issue that is to most people at this point a relatively minor one seems a bit strange and silly to say the least. Silva, who founded Muscle Maker Grill and turned it into a franchise, has a philosophy concerning all those other issues that he does not really address: “Focusing on issues like the economy, foreign affairs and tax reform are important, but if we don’t live long enough to enjoy the benefits of living in the free world, then what is the point?” An interesting guy with an interesting party, to say the least.

Annnnd, that is it for our Top 5 political parties playing at being Don Quixote! Also, here are some parting words of advice: Vote for any one of them (you cannot yet mark down five or six names on the ballot, unless Frank Atwood has his way of course) or don’t vote at all, but remember, if you identify with the fringe, there just might be a party out there to answer your call! Questions, comments, complaints, calls for a varsity windmill-jousting team here at Vandy? Put ’em below!

As we all know by now, food is a big deal in Nashville. There are so many delicious places to eat near campus, and in the city as a whole. Going to brunch seems to be a particular trend right now for many young adults. So this upcoming weekend, check out these Top 5 brunch spots within walking distance of campus:

5. Frothy Monkey

Although the furthest option, Frothy Monkey serves brunch until 5 p.m. It is located on 12th South Avenue and is a great place to go on a Sunday to get some work done and grab a cup of coffee.

4. Proper Bagel

Proper Bagel sells kettle-cooked bagels with a ton of homemade cream cheese options. If you are craving savory, they have a roasted garlic and rosemary cream cheese; on the other hand, if you have a sweet tooth, they make their own cookie dough cream cheese. Proper Bagel is a must-try!

3. Fido

For all of you Taylor Swift lovers, this is said to be one of her favorite spots in Nashville. This converted pet shop features delicious food and gourmet expresso drinks. It is located just around the corner from campus on 21st Avenue South.

2. Bread & Co.

Not only is the food at Bread & Co. delicious, but something all Vanderbilt students love to hear: it is on the card! Bread & Co. accepts meal money, so if you are feeling a little low on cash but you still want a delicious omelet or avocado toast, go check out Bread & Co.

1. Pancake Pantry

Nashville’s famous Pancake Pantry is one of the most popular brunch spots in the area. Since it is so popular, you may want to try and go early to avoid the long lines. However, word on the street is that the delicious pancakes of all kinds are well worth the wait!