Last Thursday, Puckett’s 5th and Church competed  in the first annual People’s Choice BBQ Competition at the SEC Football Kickoff Block Party presented by Nashville Sports League and the Southeastern Young Alumni Charitable Foundation (SEYA).  Several hundreds of people joined the party at Nashville’s trendy Gulch community, close to the downtown area. Puckett’s squared off against some of Middle Tennessee’s best BBQ eateries in town, and won! We were voted The People’s Choice!

Our team did a fabulous job during the entire event, and had a great time. It was also so much fun to introduce our restaurant to several in the community who had yet to hear of Puckett’s. What a great way to meet an entire community, by winning a major competition! We are so proud of all of our staff at Puckett’s.

The block party is being held in part to raise funds for pediatric cancer research at
Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt. “Since 2009, the SEC
Football Kickoff Block Party has proven to be a tremendously successful event and
this year with the help of local businesses like Puckett’s, we hope to raise $40,000
for adolescent oncology.

Puckett’s in Franklin is so proud to help sponsor Studio Tenn’s production of “Guys and Dolls” at the Franklin Theatre going on now.  We celebrated their opening night last Thursday with a reception for the cast, crew and sponsors  at Puckett’s.  Everyone was in great spirits.  It was a packed house was lively as all were enjoying the evening with food, beverage, and singing from the cast.

Studio Tenn’s Theatre Company is stacked with wonderful talent straight from Broadway itself.  We all know Nashville is loaded with great musical talent.  However, it doesn’t stop there.  Studio Tenn’s founders, directors and actors have had major roles on Broadway such as “Jersey Boys,” “Kiss Me Kate,” and in movies such as “Country Strong.”

Several of the cast members, including the two directors were raised in this area before they took their talents across the nation. They are proud to come back home and be a vital part of this community through theatre and the arts.

Andy and I enjoyed the “Guys and Dolls” production every bit as much as what we’ve seen in New York.  The lovely and intimate seating in the Franklin Theatre is like having a private showing of a major production.

“Guys and Dolls” plays a few more days and is almost completely sold out, however, I would recommend trying to get a ticket online at franklintheatre.com.

This Christmas, the company is performing “A Christmas Carol,”December 8-18.  They will perform “The Miracle Worker, February 23-March 4.  I would highly suggest that you get a ticket to all of these.  It is something to be proud of for Franklin and the Nashville community.

It’s August, and we’re all living the dog days of summer in a big way around here.  As much as I love warm weather, and I do, August makes me day dream about crisp fall days and watching some grid iron action.  You can’t really be a girl from the South, and not love some football.  It’s one of the things that carries us all through the end of summer; seeing football camps going on at school yards, college campuses, and pro football practice fields.

Though I was concerned about the budget crises, and our politicians getting it together, I was really checking out my sports channels to see if the strike would ever end; and thank goodness, it did!  Seriously, what would we all do on a Sunday afternoon without football?

That’s why I was so proud to have Puckett’s cater our local sports radio stations as they broadcasted the first day of Titans training camp here in Nashville today.  We had a great time, and look forward to being there more this week as we all watch the promise of a new season and relish is one of our favorite pass times.  After all, it was one of Nashville’s native sons-Hank Jr. that says “Are You Ready for Some Football!”