Feet Ten Feet Off of Beale*

Do you ever overlook cool things to see and do in your backyard?

That's kind of the way Memphis is to me. It's just two hours north, straight up the interstate, yet I almost forget about it. I rarely go there, which is a shame. There is all kinds of stuff to do.

This weekend, for instance, I wasn't there a full 24 hours yet managed to have an awful lot of fun.

First up, Saturday afternoon before sundown and a rooftop view. I stepped onto the roof and saw this:

First you may need to know three things. Or possibly only one.

1) The Delta starts in the lobby of The Peabody, so goes popular southern folklore. And I totally believe it. I'll show you a picture in a minute and ask you: WHERE ELSE could the Delta begin?

2) I love The Peabody and always have, not necessary because of #1, although you have to admit - that's pretty cool.

3) Oh. In case, bless your heart, you don't know, The Peabody is a hotel in the heart of downtown Memphis. For a while, its tagline was "Again and Forever, the South's Grand Hotel," which pretty well sums up the place. Also, while flipping through a book in one of the lobby stores Saturday night, I read a quote that went something like: "They say the Peabody Hotel has thirteen stories. Actually, it has thousands." It's famous and storied and fabulous.

We'll talk more about that. Back on the rooftop, the wind was blowing, the sun was shining, it was about 70 degrees, and things were lovely.

Do you hear strains of Proud Mary? Because I totally do.





My mother treated me to the first Broadway musical I saw, Cats, right here, on January 21, 1990.

Dinner was unhurried and so indulgent it was practically hedonistic. I had pasta that was so light and sauce so silken I can't describe it so I won't try. We had wine and my gosh - the dessert. It was quite possibly the best tiramisu I've ever had, coupled with coffee and Bailey's Irish Cream. It was every bit as good as it sounds.


If you like Italian food - even a little bit - and find yourself in Memphis, this is where you need to go.

This weekend in Memphis there was this thing called the Gin Show. Held at the Cook Convention Center each year, the Mid South Farm and Gin Show is a trade show for those in the agricultural industry and it draws lots of people - a few thousand people - from outlying areas. For as long as I can remember, Delta folks have always headed up to Memphis for the gin show. It's a weekend, it's something to do, and the stories that came home from the show always made me wonder about the stories that happened in Memphis and stayed at Memphis. It's a party, in other words.

The gin show ended Saturday afternoon and to cap it off, there was a party. Where, you might ask? At the Peabody. Who was playing, you might also wonder? Only the Krackerjacks, the most Deltaiest band there ever could be. Also known as the Party Band of the South, the Krackerjacks play Big Chill-esque dance music. They are all kinds of awesome. Back in the day, I knew their song lineup very well. Very.

We walked a couple of blocks to the Peabody, cutting through a famed alley on our way.

The Rendezvous? Is a whole other post, trust.


This was the scene at the Peabody:

I'd put money on about 90% of these people being in town for the gin show.

Do you know about the ducks and the fountain and all? It doesn't get much more southern than that.

The lobby is something to see.


You know what else is something to see? Beale Street.









Have you ever heard of this place?
Open since 1876, it's a dry goods store that is the only remaining original business on Beale Street. Their motto is "If you can't find it at A. Schwab's, you don't need it!"

I believe that's an old movie theatre. Neat, huh?





We strolled Beale Street for a while. It was great fun; music coming from every direction, people out walking, everyone having a grand ole time.

Sunday morning, back on the rooftop.

Still there!


Meanwhile, back in the lobby:

This hotel is on Madison, in downtown. It's on the National Register of Historic Places.

On the way out of town:




Good stuff.

Sunday afternoon, we explored a mall that I'm sure has a name in Collierville. Set up like a little village, we ambled and strolled and window shopped and browsed, stopping by this fountain before we headed back south.
In other words, Memphis showed us a wonderful time.

* With apologies for using the most obvious song lyric title evah. It just works, you know?