To my sheer and utter delight, Olivia Dycus just happened to be “in the neighborhood” and came to pay us a little visit. In actuality, over the years, her friends have scattered hither and yon and this weekend was about meeting up in Nashville for a friends get-together. I can’t believe she took time out of her fun-filled weekend to visit her decrepit 2nd cousin and hubby.
Olivia arrived around 1pm and we were simply giddy. We piled into our SUV and headed to The Factory to have lunch at the cajun inspired restaurant, White Alligator. Here’s a little background history on The Factory:
Located two blocks from Franklin’s picturesque Main Street is a sprawling compound of historic buildings called The Factory at Franklin. The enormous brick series of structures was built in 1929 and originally served as the home of Dortch Stove Works, Magic Chef and later The Jamison Bedding Company.
Recognized by the National Register of Historic Places, the campus was rescued from demolition and renovated by local developer Calvin Lehew in 1996, preserving many of The Factory’s original features and architectural details in a new mixed-use design.- Southern Exposure Magazine
(Today), the historic Factory is a complex of 11 depression-era factory buildings that have been renovated into one of Tennessee’s most unique shopping, dining, and entertainment venues. Restaurants, antique shops, art galleries, one-of-a-kind retail stores, theatre, working artisans, farmers market, and much more. – Visit Franklin
The Factory was buzzing and the White Alligator was absolutely packed. In fact, after ordering our lunch we grabbed the last four top table available. Terry chose a bowl of jambalaya, while Olivia landed on the gumbo while I settled on the fried green tomatoes with an order fries and hush puppies for all of us to share. We spent our time together catching up on everything Dycus. Everybody is busy and happy. She and Jonah and their dog Flamingo are doing great and are enjoying their new home in Cleveland, Tennessee.
After lunch, we strolled around the Factory, popping into an art gallery to browse. We discussed styles of art and influences and she shared that she was inspired by landscapes that are bright and vibrant with lots of energy.
Before leaving, we grabbed artisan doughnuts at Five Daughters Bakery, strawberry jam for Olivia and a petite glazed for me. We held court at a big table near the Skylight Bar smack dab in the middle of the atrium. All to soon, she had to head back to her friends at their Airbnb. She said she had paid her dues out on the town last night and she was going to kick back and relax for the rest of the afternoon.
Olivia is an absolute delight and I just love our time together. Can’t wait to see her again!
