Unlike a lot of the GT team, my trip to Nashville to celebrate the 10th annual The Trazees was more business than pleasure, but that doesn’t mean I didn’t find ways to enjoy my short time in Music City.

I arrived at BNA on a Sunday afternoon, just one day before our Monday event, so it was a quick turnaround. I had enough time to check into my room at The Joseph, shower and decompress for a bit before I had to head out the door for our hosted company drinks and dinner.

The Joseph is a gorgeous hotel, and I was so impressed with my room and the amenities included. My name was on the TV screen when I entered my room, which was a cool touch, and the bathroom was sleek and modern with glass doors sectioning off both the toilet and the shower, which felt quite luxurious. There was also a couch in my room with a couch-height table, which was nice to work from Monday morning.

The Thompson Hotel hosted drinks and dinner for our company, and we enjoyed a happy hour with rooftop views of Nashville at L.A. Jackson before heading back downstairs for our dinner at Marsh House.

The whole team really enjoyed our dinner, with the braver among us (read: not me) trying bumps of caviar followed by shooters of Champagne as an appetizer. I am not so much a seafood person, so I was satisfied with the fried chicken, a Nashville staple that I was happy to partake in. Our table ordered and shared all four desserts, my favorite being the chocolate miso tart.

The next day was our event, and it was a whirlwind of activity. The event space was amazing, and all the staff members at The Joseph were so accommodating and helpful, so the setup went smoothly; and before we knew it, guests were arriving for The Trazees. We had amazing décor and flowers from T Villager Designs, who went above and beyond in creating absolutely stunning floral arrangements for us. Anthony Pantalena was our saxophone player for the cocktail hour, and he did a wonderful job adding ambience and a classy vibe as guests networked and mingled. After the awards presentation, we had a special treat as rising country singer/songwriter Brooke Lee performed a set for us.

Brooke was full of energy and talent, and her set was undoubtedly my favorite part of the night. We were lucky to be able to get her to perform for us and round out a successful awards ceremony.

Now there’s not a moment to rest before it’s on to planning the Wherever Awards next month!

— Hannah Gruen, advertising & events coordinator