The talk all around Cool Springs a few weeks ago was that the Krispy Kreme was closed for remodeling.

How dare they close the doors to their loyal customers?! (I seriously had this talk with 3 people at work one day.)

Well, have you been to check out the Krispy Kreme now that it is re-opened?...

I knew when it was being built that the Brentwood Waffle House was going to be a little different from the other local Waffle House restaurants.

The building is typical "Brentwood" red brick and quite attractive. The customers are a lot less, um, colorful than other Waffle Houses that I frequented in the past.

Of course, I haven't visited this one at midnight either. Things may change depending on the time of day. But all in all, the Brentwood Waffle House really is a nice, family-friendly place to eat.

Spring has sprung in Brentwood and allergy season is upon us.

As much as I love springtime, with all of the beautiful green grass and budding flowers, I have terrible allergies that start with the palms of my hands itching even before any of the normal signs of spring can be seen.

A friend once told me that I was to allergy season what the groundhog is to spring. Funny, but pretty true.

I'm not a doctor, so take this list with a grain of salt, but I thought I'd pass along some of the home remedies that seem to help me in the peak of allergy season...

Pocketbooks are getting tighter as entertainment costs are going up.

This is leaving families extra creative as they try to find ways to have affordable fun.

As a relative newcomer to the Brentwood area, I've been thrilled with all the coupon books and half-off dining options that I have found.

There are lots of great discounts around that have allowed me to try some pretty great places in Brentwood.

Just a few short minutes from Brentwood is the sweet little town, Nolensville, which offers a fun afternoon of shopping and treasure hunting.

I've driven past the Nolensville Feed Mill several times and wanted to go in. Recently, my daughter and I decided to make an afternoon of browsing the Feed Mill and other Nolensville shops.

Nolensville is a small town in the middle of some beautiful farm land. In the last several years subdivisions have moved in and Nolensville has grown quickly. Nevertheless, driving down Nolensville Road through the old part of Nolensville feels like a step back in time.

Rain, rain, go away!

While I'm sure the rain is much needed, all of the wet, cold, rainy days we've had lately are not my idea of the beginning of a happy new year.

Luckily, older kids are back in school now but if you are at home with a preschooler, you might be looking for some dry things to do to pass the time.

We like to explore new places to find the little gems hidden within. It seems that if you keep your eyes open, even the strangest places can be a diamond in the rough for entertaining a child on a rainy day.

Tennessee is full of local farms, and Brentwood families can pick from the very best of them!

We're close to 3 great farmer's markets in the Nashville area.

Here are tips for shopping:

• the Franklin Farmer's Market
• the Nashville Farmer's Market downtown
• and the up-and-coming East Nashville Farmer's Market.

I subscribe to the Fresh Market's Fresh Express newsletter by email.

When I saw blueberries advertised at 98-cents a pint, I knew I'd have to make a fun run to Fresh Market.

Keep reading for...

• my favorite blueberry muffin recipe


• where to buy the best blueberry muffins in Brentwood


• and a pick your own blueberry farm just outside Brentwood

Y'all already know how much I love giving Tennessee products and local foods.

I think I've found the motherlode! Check out these cool Tennessee gifts, cards, and books from the Tennessee State Museum's gift shop.

We've written before about what a great resource the Pick TN Products website can be.

But when I started to count how many times I've used it over the last year, even I was surprised.

Find out why I'm such a loyal fan of the Pick Tennessee Products website for everything from groceries to gift baskets!

Have you fought the Green Hills traffic to Nashville's new Whole Foods yet?

I took the "sneak peek" tour benefiting Second Harvest Food Bank last week.
All I can say is...WOW!

Here are my first impressions of Whole Foods, highlights of the guided tour, and what Williamson Co. foodies want to know:

What will happen to Wild Oats in Franklin?

When I saw the empty produce stand atop the side of Franklin Road, I thought that Brentwood Produce must have gone out of business.

But I was wrong! You can find this family-owned produce stand in the Shell gas station parking lot instead.

Here are a few of the beautiful fruits, vegetables, and plants you can buy at the Brentwood Produce Stand.

I stopped by the grand opening of GFS Marketplace in Cool Springs. One of two restaurant-supply stores in the Nashville area, GFS Marketplace is located across from Costco on Seaboard Lane.

A restaurant supply store near Brentwood that doesn't require membership?

Hurray!

On a scenic drive through Brentwood, I discovered a quaint little gas station in the area between Brentwood and Franklin.

The Jamison Market and Deli is located on Wilson Pike between Moores Lane East and Clovercroft.

After reading the 100 Mile Diet, I've been paying more attention to local Tennessee products. A friend and Nashville foodie mentioned the Hatcher Family Dairy in Williamson County.

I took a winding drive from Brentwood to the Hatcher Family Dairy in College Grove, just to check it out. Here's more about the charming shop and local milk products I discovered...

After reading The 100 Mile Diet, I've been watching for "local food" resources near Brentwood.

This weekend I heard a commercial on NPR which advertised a restaurant menu with all local produce, meats, and even local wines.

It was Saffire, the fine dining restaurant at the Factory at Franklin.

The first time I heard someone use the term "Meat & Three", it was a co-worker who was referring to Toby's Chicken Kitchen at 1346 W. Main Street in Franklin.

I must admit that the food at Toby's was great, but I still can't get past that term....