Memphis

Ben and I try to take a little getaway each year around our anniversary.  This year we chose Memphis.  We had never been, so why not?  We has some really good food, checked out Graceland, Sun Studio, Beale Street, Mud River Island, and just had some fun together.  I always love our time away to just be us.  So thankful that after 15 years together, 9 of those being married, we can still enjoy that time and laugh.  He's quite the man!

First stop, Sun Studio.  This is where many big names got their start.  Elvis, Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins, Jerry Lee Lewis, Roy Orbison, B B King, the list goes on...

In the actual studio.  They actually still record at nights in here.  Still the original wall panels, floor etc.  The famous "Million Dollar Quartet" picture on the far wall was taken in this room.

One of my favorite stories involved this window.  We got to hear actual audio of a studio session with Elvis recording.  In that recording he bursts into laughter mid-song because Carl Perkins was making faces at him through this window.  It was just really neat, and funny, to hear him just as a "normal" person.

A mic that Elvis used, not "like" a mic that Elvis used, but "a" mic that Elvis (supposedly) used.  And an "x" where Elvis (supposedly) stood to record a song (I can't remember which one.)  Pretty cool stuff!

Next stop...Graceland!  We aren't avid Elvis fans, but Graceland just seems like one of those places you should visit in your lifetime, so we did.  I'm super glad we did.  I really didn't know a lot about him and learned a lot.  What a sad story.  Such a shame.  My conclusion is that I liked his music more in the 50's and early 60's, his "Hound Dog" sounding days.  He definitely had a different sound and demeanor later on in his career.

Heading in for the audio tour

In the basement, Ben's favorite room, the TV room.  It's hard to tell but everything had mirrors, even the ceiling.

Apparently, the lighting bolt and the letters, TBC (taking care of business) were his trademark.

My favorite room, the billiard room, complete and total fabric.  I need to find a place to do this in our new house.

The infamous, jungle room.  I guess he never named it that, it was named after Graceland opened for tourists and they nicknamed it.

Super yummy BBQ at Neely's (they have a show on Food Network.)  We also had BBQ at another famous spot, old famous, called Rendezvous.  It was good too, and had a great atmosphere, but just a drier BBQ.  I think we decided we like our BBQ sweet and saucy!

Ben on Beale St.  It was bike night!

Driving across the Mississippi River.  First time, I think, that I've driven over it.  And first time for us both to be in Arkansas, even if it was just for a minute or two.  Man, this river is enormous.  Crazy big!  It's really low right now, really low.

Our last morning we visited Mud River Island.  It was raining.  A lot.  Here they have a scaled down version of the Mississippi River, the River Walk, from where it starts in Minnesota all the way down to the Gulf.  Here it was showing where the Ohio River flows down into the Mississippi in Illinois.  That, basically vertical river, is the Scioto River, which flows into the Ohio.  One of the smaller lines, we think the bottom one, is Deer Creek, which feeds into the Scioto, which feeds into the Ohio, which feeds into the Mississippi.  Deer Creek is in our neck of the woods, more specifically on farms that Ben's dad farms.  Ok, lesson over.

Best meal of the trip.  On our way out of town.  Gus's Fried Chicken.  Go there.  Now.  Really.  It's that good.  I'm really sad that I'll probably never eat there again in my life.  It was so good.  Oh, and if you do go, don't be intimidated by the bars on the windows or the barbed wire fence surrounding it.  It's misleading.  Just go.