Since I last checked in from Nashville, Tenn., there's been more this, that and the other.

And by "other," I mean food. Man, do they feed you on these press travel junkets. And, hey, I wasn't really looking for a reminder that I tend to lack self-discipline when it comes to restaurants at which I've never had the pleasure of eating.

A quick rundown of much, but not all of, what I've seen and done the last couple of days:

- Toured the gorgeous Frist Center for the Visual Arts, a huge one-time post office.

- Dined at the upscale Boundr'y, where my duck breast was delayed but well worth the wait.

- Caught a bit of rising musical act Foster the People ("Pumped Up Kicks") at a SoundLand show.

- Toured the incredibly historic Ryman Auditorium -- a must for country music fans, not that I'm telling them anything they don't already know.

- Explored artsy neighborhoods Marathon Village and Germantown, the highlight of the latter being The Cupcake Connection.

-- Headed out for a tour of Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center, a Disney World-meets-Las Vegas Casino (no, there are no rides or gambling, but this place is a big world of its own). After dinner at the resort's Jack Daniel's restaurant, it was time for the famed "Grand Ole Opry" radio show. Not exactly my bag but a cool experience worth having nonetheless. On our tour of the "Opry" studio after the show, country star Mark Wills, who was one of the performers, made friends with out tour group:



If I tell you I passed on a tour of the Jack Daniel's Distillery this morning, you'll know it was for a good reason. I'd hoped spending time picking the brains of veteran Nashville songwriter Billy Montana would be the highlight of the trip, and, if you'll excuse the place-appropriate pun, it was by a country mile. I'm going to save those details for a future story in the Sidetracks section, folks.

After lunch at new seafood restaurant Fish & Co. -- where the grilled maji maji was the healthiest eating choice I've made all trip -- I got to check out the neighborhood where the business sits, 12th South, followed by a quick exploration of East Nashville.

Well, that's about it for me. Tonight brings a tour of Schermerhorn Symphony Center, dinner at Arpeggio and a performance by the Nashville Symphony and then a bit more of SoundLand or a final trip to the honky-tonks. (We'll see. My flight in the morning comes pretty early.)

I hope reading about my speed-of-light Nashville adventure has made you jealous. That said, I'm looking forward to crashing on my couch in Willoughby and, with any luck, starting a diet.

Mark Meszoros | Entertainment@News-Herald.com | Twitter.com/NHFeatures