Monday, February 20, 2012
Phillips South Inglewood Park: A Review
Posted by Betsy Phillips on Mon, Feb 20, 2012 at 5:02 AM
Size of Park: Large
Crowds: One other person
Approximate Age of Patrons: Adults
Topics of Conversation: "Could you leash your dog?"
Stray Dogs Seen: None
Types of Vehicles in Parking Lots: Just mine
Perceived Safety: Medium
Number of Gunshots Heard: None
Dog Friendliness: Should be fine
Number of pitbulls sighted: Unfortunately, just mine
Accessibility: Pretty good, considering how hilly it is
Incorporation of Local History: None
Recommended Patrons: People who like pleasant places
South Inglewood Park is another one of Nashville's nicely done parks. It's large, has a beautiful community center, two sets of great playground equipment, and a great view of the neighborhood. There's a nice paved path around the park with charming lighting and nice benches. There are big grassy areas to play in and plenty of trees. At the top of the hill, there are a few ball fields, which were a little muddy when we were there — but it seems unfair to judge any field by what it looks like in mid-February.
And so here we were at the park just enjoying its awesomeness — my dog, on a leash like she is supposed to be, and another dog, which looked like a golden retriever, in the park with her owner. As they get closer, I say, "Could you put your dog on its leash until you get by us?"
But the chick doesn't even have a leash! So her dog comes bounding over, ignoring the gal shouting its name, and the dog is not reading any of the body language from my dog that says, "What the fuck? Why are you so near me and my person?" Chick is still standing 100 feet away just shouting her dog's name. And I have to squat down and shield my dog from her dog.
And what does she say after her dog finally gives up and runs off? "Good dog." Good at what? Ignoring her?
People, I am going to be honest. There have been a lot of things that have bothered me about individual parks along the way. I have had some weird experiences. I have seen a couple of things that seemed like safety hazards.
Far and away, the biggest dangers/annoyances at our parks are unleashed dogs and the nincompoops who own them. You may never get poison ivy walking in grass that reaches your knee in Douglas Park. You may never lose your child into one of the sewage pits in Providence Park. But by god, if you spend any time in our parks, you are going to encounter some asshole and his or her unleashed dog.
I guess it says something good about the quality of our parks that the biggest downside to them is us.
Comments (24)
Showing 1-24 of 24
Thank you, Betsy! As a non-dog owner, I can safely say, it's not dogs I dislike, it's roughly half of their owners. Seriously, though, I have a number of neighbors (guess where?) who let their dogs run loose in the neighborhood. Once I returned a roving Rover to its owner. Their response: Oh, he's fine; he's not hurting anybody! Dog owners who don't see a problem in letting their dogs run loose IN A CITY are not qualified to own pets. Period.
The park is nice, but possibly a misnomer: there's no North Inglewood Park.
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With these fascinating park "reviews" sadly coming to an end soon, so will the tales of Betsy's Bitchy Encounters With Other Dog Owners, which are often the bulk of the park "review." I urge Pith Readers to treasure the few remaining ones. They're pretty much always the same, but somehow always enthralling.
And don't forget her golden advice from last week: if you wonder what you might enjoy about a particular park, you should visit that park.
I like her reviews and look forward to them every Monday. I'll likely never visit every metro park but I don't have to, I can visit there through Betsy's reviews. And it's great to know that Nashville is such a park rich city.
"And don't forget her golden advice from last week: if you wonder what you might enjoy about a particular park, you should visit that park."
If you're going to criticize someone for stale material, it's best not to do it by recycling your own half-assed post from last week. We'll miss you when these posts are over, Frank, and can't wait to hear how you'll spend your free time. Do you and the other Muppet judge plan to travel?
At the end of last month, there was a post-basketball game shooting of three people at the community center there. Apparently these folks took their game a little too seriously, were asked to leave, and instead decided to turn the parking lot into the OK Corral.
http://www.tennessean.com/article/20120131…
It is a very well-appointed park, though. Quite pretty in the springtime.
My favorite thing about Frank is that he somehow thinks that, if he doesn't remind me all the time, I'll forget that he hates me. So, even though he so clearly dislikes me, he still has to read my posts, find something to complain about, and then share it with everyone.
Poor Frank, stuck reading crap he hates just so he can make sure I know he hates it.
I appreciate your sacrifice, Frank. I truly do. Having such a devoted anti-fan is almost as good as having a devoted regular fan.
Along with the fact that (like Pink said) he posted a comment regarding a different post to one where it has no relevance (successful troll is successful?). I personally found your park reviews novel, and informative. I hope that you will continue to encourage me to explore Nashville in the future.
I post comments merely to give Pink an opportunity to do his crowd-pleasing knight-on-a-white-horse routine, riding (or something) in to defend Betsy's honor, such as it may be. Gets me every time. It's practically Matthew and Lady Mary.
I don't know Betsy, but I do know Mr. Pink.
I can say without reservation that he does not have a horse, but is as chivalrous as they come.
And traditionally knights do a bang-up job dispatching trolls.
Well, you play the horse's part so well. You know which part.
Hey, I like the park reports, and I'm about as far from a knight in shining armor as they come.
And don't get me started on dog owners who don't take responsibility for their pets. I nearly lost a good friend over a rant (mine) about people who don't clean up after their dogs. I mean, really. I don't dump my toilet in your front yard. Don't leave your dog's crap in mine.
Anyone else find it amusing that Frank has clearly "liked" his own post?
I hope you'll compile the park reviews into a guidebook, Betsy. It may not exactly fly off the shelves, but I bet it would generate a fair number of word-of-mouth sales among parents of wee ones. In the first years of parenthood, we spent a huge amount of time at park playgrounds.
Ha! Just now saw this. Frank, I totally get it. Anyway, chivalry here is selective, ha!
I would be interested in reviews of hiking trails. And I always care about the decibel factor in parks. (And in restaurants -- in Atlanta, restaurant reviews carried a noise rating; very useful.)
Here is my unsolicited review of once-beautiful Maury County Park: The park was better before they built the horse and Mule Day arena and other event-related stuff, installed the loudspeakers, and almost totally destroyed the peace of the park and the attempts to have family reunions in the picnic shelters where people used to be able to have conversations they could hear and where children could play, think, and dream in the quiet magic of nature. The birds and other wildlife suffer from the loud racket, too. Don't let this happen to your park.
Leave room for nature. And protect what you have in nature preserves.
Donna, there are several books on hiking, such as Johnny Malloy's 60 Hikes within 60 Miles of Nashville
As for dogs: "there are no bad dogs, only bad owners" Barbara Woodhouse
I really enjoy these reviews
"I would be interested in reviews of hiking trails."
Come on now, would that be as interesting and pertinent to a park review (one with trails) as the reviewer's numerous accounts of conflicts with other park-goers (which she attracts like a magnet)?
Don't Ask, sorry to burst your bubble about what you must believe are your supernatural abilities, but I actually didn't "like" my own comment, even if I did actually like it. Though I did, for whatever it's worth, just now "dislike" yours. No failed supernatural attempts on your part required. :)
My only supernatural ability appears to be troll detection. I only wish it came with a matching repel troll ability. A shame, really.
You really think this "troll" business is quite the argument, don't you? What it is is lazy. A shame, really.
But I think I'll try it. Here goes: Hey, Don't Ask, you're just a troll. Yeah, that's it, a troll is all you are. Just a little ol' troll. Troll troll troll.
I don't know. Doesn't do much for me, really. I guess I'll leave the troll-labeling to you, since you love it so and apparently think it should shut down any further discussion.
Hey, does anyone else find it amusing that Don't Ask has clearly "liked" his own post?
Frank is obviously lonely, bored and is desperate for attention. He was probably hard to potty train, got mommy's attention by shitting himself. Definitely a pants shitter. Being a troll is the least of Frank's problems. He has doody issues.
I'm truly puzzled now. What discussion am I shutting down?
You dislike Betsy. We get it. I think that was the sole purpose of your posts, so if you were trying to prompt a discussion we all missed your attempt.
Not surprising that you're puzzled.
Actually, I don't dislike Betsy because I've never met her. But you dislike me. We get it. That's been the sole purpose of your posts.
BattleCat, your genius psychological analysis seems awfully focused on shit, which you mentioned three times in your short post. Probably because that's what you have for brains. So when you push out your brains into the litter box, just make sure to cover it up.
You're a peach, Frank. Don't ever change. That way we know where the floor is.
