Lunch at Mrs. Wilkes

Four States One Long Day

We awoke at 4am, ok I didn't exactly jump out of bed but was coaxed out by Keith who was annoyingly Chipper, it is unnatural.When I got in the shower I discovered there was no hot water. At a Westin? Really. Yes really. So I did the french bath thing, got dressed, and by 5am under the cover of the Memphis darkness we are on our way back to Atlanta. We crossed the boarder of Tennessee into Mississippi and stopped for breakfast in Tupelo cause of the Van Morrison song which it turns out was about Tupelo Florida. Oh well. After breakfast we started out again, I took over the driving for most of the remainder of the day, We went through Alabama, then back into Georgia. We finally made it back to our ultra hip Hotel the W in midtown Atlanta where we started almost two weeks ago. We were so tired I took a nice nap. We have traveled over 2700 miles through the South. This does not include our flight from Cali.We have had the time of our lives, but are anxious to get back home. We miss our dogs, our home, friends and family. We had our last dinner at our hotel at their Jean George Asian Fusian Restaurepant Spice Market. We did the tasting menu, the food was good, nothing fried and lots of fish. I had 2 cocktails and am now ready for bed. I can't wait to get home. Tomorrow when I get back I'll do a wrap up entry, I may try to add some pictures too. Thanks for joining us. I love you Mom. Peace out from Atlanta

Rain Storms Ribs and Earnest

Arter cooling off in our air conditioned room for a couple of hours we head out for our last dinner in Memphis. We were all about the BBQ. I had done my research and determined that we were going to Charlie Vergos Rendezvous, a place renowned for their ribs about 12 or so blocks from our hotel. It was hot and muggy as we began our walk to the restaurant. About 3 blocks into it I noticed that it was raining about half a block away...then the skies opened up and the downpour started. It really rained hard, thunder and lightening followed. We ducked under the awning to wait it out. There was a country music concert going on in the park a Ross the street from us. We watched as folks got absolutely soaked. Keith kept saying it was going to pass through, so we waited and waited and the rain kept coming. After about 30 minutes I was finally able to hail a cab, and we were saved by Memphis native Earnest. A big Teddy bear of a guy and taxi driver extrodinair. We joked about all these girls in cotton dresses soaked to the bone and I remarked that I hoped they were wearing underware, from there itwent on to the praises of cialis. He was a fun guy and got us to the restaurant without us looking like drowned rats.
Yes we had ribs again, we had to. The ribs at Rendezvous were dryer and cooked over charcoal. No sauce but a great spice rub. Sauce was on the table if you wanted it. The beans and slaw they were served with were really good too. I can't say which ribs were better; these or the ones last night from Pig On Beale. Different styles both wonderful. We had planned to hit the clubs but were in a pork coma so we decided to make an early night of it. We called Earnest and he picked us up and took us back to our hotel. We have a 9 hour drive tomorrow back to
Atlanta. We did what we came here to do. We enjoyed the music, saw Graceland, learned about soul and the blues, and went to the Civil Rights Museum. Keith even made it on the news with his stint as a fill in demonstrator. It's all good.
Goodnight Mom, we love you. Peace out.

Last day in Memphis

This morning Keith went on his morning run, came back to the hotel and declared "I had a Forest Gump moment". Apparently he came across a group of teachers and folks who work for the school district that were having a small demonstration regarding the budget. They were small in numbers but very spirited. There were news cameras there and they recruited Keith to carry a sign and walk with them so they would look bigger while they were being shot for the local news. I love how he always comes back to me with an adventure to share, you never know with that boy.he then went on tour of the Gibson factory and I went on tour of the Memphis Rock n Soul Museum. I learned a lot about the roots of rock n soul, how it's linked to civil rights ect. It was curated by the Smithsonian and very well done. We then met for lunch. I ordered the grilled grouper sandwich cause it looked like the healthiest option and I haven't had fish in days.The grouper was topped with....BACON. You get pig on Everything here. I gave my bacon to Keith cause I knew I would have pork something tonight. The grouper was really good I took off the bread cause really it's too much already. Plus, you know, there will be dinner tonight.
We walked the 7 blocks to the Civil Rights Museum. It is on the sight of where Dr. Martin Luther King was assassinated. It was excellent, very emotional. I'm not prepared to write about it just yet. I need to process it all. More later. Hi Mom. Peace out.

Pig Heaven Part 2

As I was saying before I pressed the wrong button and posted my last entry before I was ready.. So it's a bit rougher and younger. Beale street where the musicnis happening is only about 2 blocks where Broadway in Nashville was a about 5 blocks. I think Memphis is going through tough times and it shows, still it's got it going on. Tomorrow we are going to the Civil Rights Museum and will do some other stuff too. I am sure there is more pork in our future. Stay tuned. We love you Mom. Peace Out.

Pig Heaven

This afternoon Keith went to the Gibson store in Memphis pulled down a guitar and started playing much to his surprise he soon had a crowd listening to him play, mostly women. This isn't going to head or anything. Actually is pretty good so I'm glad he enjoyed the experience.
Tonight we went to a place called "Pig on Beale" . We both enjoyed the ribs, fall off the bone tender, dry rub with just a little sauce, I really liked them cause they weren't to gloppy. On the table they had two squeeze bottles, one sweet, and the other spicy sauce. Good way to do it.we each had slaw, Keith had fries and I had BBQ beans. But the star was those frigging fantastic pork ribs. Hail to the pig. Amen. After we went to a couple of clubs that were ok but then we went to BB KINGS BLUES CLUB. This is the place to hear the best music in Memphis. It was a lot of fun, and we stayed for a couple of hours. I think my hearing suffered but it was worth it. Wednesday night is Biker Night on Beale street and there were hundreds of Mortorcycles and their riders lining the street. Interesting. Memphis has a very different vibe than Nashville. I think it's younger, a little rough arund the edges

I'm going to Graceland, Graceland, Graceland Tennessee

We sadly say goodbye to Nashville about 9 am and head to Memphis, we drove for about three hours listening to Paul Simon's Fantastic Graceland album and Johnny Cash, it was a fun drive. We got to Memphis about 12:30 and decided to go to Graceland before checking into our hotel. I don't mean to be a whiner, I knowmI am incredibly lucky to be able to take this great vacation ...but folks it is about 100 degrees and very very humid, almost unbearable. When we are inside or driving it is all good, but outside for any period of time and it gets a little tough. We get to Graceland and take the tour, the basic tour. We didn't desire to see the cars or the Lisa Marie Plane.the tour of the house and surrounding buildings. The tour only includes the downstairs public areas, the upstairs bedrooms are off limits. First off the house which they call a mansion is not that big, but it is on 14 acres. Elvis paid about 100,000 for it. The furnishings were pretty gaudy, the jungle room with the furry furnishings were pretty, well, not what I would have gone with. But then again Elvis was Intitled to do whatever he wanted as I am I. There was a trophy room with all his gold records, which was cool. The pool was smaller than any of my friend's pool, in was really surprised. The costumes were nicely displayed and they had some replicas for sale for about $2000. Pricillas's wedding dress and vail were on exhibit as well. Imthought it was ugly but in their wedding pictures she looks great. Throughout the tour there was video of Elvis and we also had at the narrated headphones which I always like. The tour ended with the graves of Elvis, his parents, and grandmother. Kinda sad. When the tour was over we went through the 5 gift shops I bought three postcards and Keith got a tank top. We got to our hotel, a Westin and pretty nice. The location is right where Beale street is, that's where the music is too. The mighty Mississippi is within blocks as well. So here we are in Memphis. I'll keep you posted. Love you Mom. Peace out.