There’s a storybook quality to the Farmhouse in the Fork, the very cozy property of Tennessee's family-owned Shelter & Roost. While you and your closest can live, laugh, and love within the farmhouse’s realm, it doesn’t seem as though time can even make it’s way onto the sprawling front lawn. It’s Americana without the city promise, a place where the road winds so subtle you’d think it rolled in with the breeze.
Franklin, TN. - The Perfect Friendsgiving Getaway
Surrounded by what seems to be pre-Industrial Revolution shades of green, the farmhouse takes long, deep breaths out in the rural countryside of Leiper’s Fork. Four miles shy of the historic Leiper’s Fork Village, the land is just a 12-mile cruise to Franklin and a 30-mile barrel to Nashville, in case you’re in search of a nightlife that doesn’t include lightning bugs and s’mores.
This was the perfect place to spend a Fall Friendsgiving, and that's just what this crew did. Get Lost With Us is a group of artists who are first and foremost tight-knit friends. They embarked on a trip from San Diego to the South, and were so inspired by the red tones of freshly fallen leaves that they jumped, leapt and twirled through the terracotta landscape.
With 41 secluded acres, there’s no shortage of land to explore or places to frolic. You’re in nature’s playground, so there’s more than enough terrain for hiking, biking, and horseback riding. But in case the slow spin of the day starts to be too much, the Natchez Trace Parkway is just a little over a mile away, waiting for you to take it for a long scenic drive. Don’t worry, the river otters and pond frogs will be there upon your return.
While this wild band (with the steady hand) of photographers, musicians, and designers, roamed the ins and outskirts of Nashville, they wound up settling into the warm embrace of Shelter & Roost’s notable retreat each night after a long day of exploring.
TVR: What were the highlights of your experience staying at Shelter & Roost?
Get Lost With Us: The town is adorable. The yard is huge. The house is so charming and the perfect farmhouse experience. Loved the front porch.
TVR: What types of events do you think it's ideal for?
Get Lost With Us: Brunch, rehearsal dinner, group getaway for sure, shower, dinner parties, all of those things. You can sleep 10 people.
TVR: What was your favorite element of the venue stay?
Get Lost With Us: I loved the charming farm feel of it. Felt rustic, quiet, and relaxing.
Shelter and Roost is actually a collective of six separate properties that are scattered about the area. Seriously perfect for group getaways and intimate gatherings. Each is as charming as the next and each one has a different story and different vibe. You could settle into one for a few days and head to the next one for a really fun and unique progressive group gathering.
The mantra of the family who owns Shelter and Roost couldn't be more perfect for a fabulous Fall feast getaway with friends:
"We believe in make believe. We love to live. We live to create. We believe family are the friends you choose. We like to think the more you push the elevator button the faster it comes. We love small towns. We still believe a handshake and a smile mean something. We prefer taking the scenic route. We laugh. We hug. We dream. We find inspiration everywhere. We collect moments. We under promise. We over deliver."
Bathtub envy? Yes, you will find this perfect clawfoot tub at Shelter and Roost.
Around Town - Franklin + Nashville
Shelter and Roost is a fantastic launching pad to explore both Franklin and the neighboring Nashville. There is an abundance of shops, stores, restaurants and cafes that you MUST stop at on your trip here. The crew shared a few of their faves starting with Imogene + Willie, a carefully curated shop owned by two local friends. Here you will find fantastic denim pieces along with hats and home good for men and women alike.
Next up on the 'Must do' in Nashville is this hotspot with bowling, bars, food and photo-op galore. There aren’t a lot places likePinewood Social, but there are a lot of places withinPinewood Social. It’d be quite the testament to a search party if they were able to find another spot in America that featured a lounge, a dining room, a coffee shop, an outdoor pool, bowling lanes, and an Airstream bar in the same grand establishment. Oh, and there’s bocce ball and a private karaoke room, because...well, why not?
The Nashville hot spot takes its structural philosophy from the idea of crafting an experience that’s poised to welcome guests anytime. Locals and tourists can show up morning, noon, or night, and there’s food, fun, and fusion to be had. No afternoon lulls, no “wait until dark.” This is a social gathering place that can always be tossed out in the seemingly endless dialogue of, “Where do you want to go?”
Truly, it’s the perfect morning/afternoon/evening out, because it’s one of the only places that actually has “something for everyone.”
The menu’s been developed by Chef Josh Habiger, who hails from his past lives at The Fat Duck, Alinea, and The Catbird Seat. The Pinewood Social kitchen also features Julia Sullivan, recently named one of Forbes Travel Guide’s “five U.S. sous chefs to watch.”
Find yourself at the bar, a most likely and rewarding venture, and you can browse a complete bar program run by Matt Tocco, formerly of The Patterson House and Rolf & Daughters. His “Bitter Wife” cocktail, a lemony gin outing, has been celebrated by Cosmopolitan as one of their favorite springtime cocktails. They weren’t the only ones who have noticed Tocco, however. Wine Enthusiastlisted his "War On The Pacific" cocktail, a pounding fruity love affair, as one of their cocktails of the month, specifically calling it a drink for—you guessed it—springtime.
So when the merry photographer, musician, and designer crew of Get Lost With Us rolled into “The Athens of the South” and came upon Pinewood Social, they flipped. They loved it. For GLWU, the popular bar-lounge-restaurant-bowling-alley-pool-party became one of the brightest stars in the twinkling skyline along the Cumberland River.
TVR: What were some of the highlights of your experience at Pinewood Social?
GLWU:The vibe of the whole place was great. There are so many options there—whether you want to have a nice dinner, go bowling with friends, have a business meeting, meet someone for coffee, even study.
TVR: What makes it a great gathering space?
GLWU: The food, the design, the feel of the place; the bowling is a blast and the cocktails are killer.
TVR: What was your favorite design elements of the venue?
GLWU: I loved the design of the entire place. It's a lot of different things, but it all fits together nicely, which I think is hard to achieve from a design sense. You don't feel out of place when bowling or when eating a nice dinner. It all flows together nicely.
TVR: What types of events do you think it's ideal for? Rehearsal dinner, wedding, brunch, shower, workshop, etc?
GLWU: All of the those things if you can rent the whole space out. Would be great for a wedding reception or rehearsal dinner. Just not sure they let you rent the whole place out. Otherwise, it'd be great to do a group of friends, like a bachelor or bachelorette party there, and rent several lanes.
TVR: Any inside tips?
GLWU: Yes! The fried broccoli was stupid good. Like I dream about it often, so good.
Every fabulous Friendsgiving getaway HAS to end with a dinner party full of turkey, freshly fallen leaves, flickering candles and wine around the dinner table. That is just how this fantastic trip came to an end. Perhaps with one more soak in that clawfoot tub and one more jump into a leaf pile :)
Photos by Studio Castillero | Get Lost With Us
