After an excellent night's sleep we enjoyed a wonderful buffet breakfast right here at the hotel (included in our package). Allow me to say... some of the best bacon I've ever had; kick-ass sausages as well; perhaps the best cheesy grits I've ever had... and eggs made to order - in my case with a side of hollandaise sauce!
Next stop... Sun Studio!
Folks... I can't recommend the Sun Studio tour highly enough! Simply amazing! (Amazing in a PURE way... not "flash"... not. glitz... just old-fashioned respect and enthusiasm for the history and reverence for the music and its pioneers.
(*NOD*)
PLUS... FREE PARKING...! And beyond the free parking, a REASONABLY PRICED admission and INEXPENSIVE beverages including fresh made (and delicious!) malteds! (One of which - a chocolate - I enjoyed myself!)
Seriously... I simply can't say enough good stuff about the Studio and the tour! Our guide Rae was simply wonderful! (Tall and pretty as well as enthusiastic, knowledgeable, and friendly!)
(Hmm... don't know if Mary's gonna be thrilled by that last remark... but... what the hell...)
(*HUGE FRIGGIN' GRIN*)
To those of you who make it to Memphis in the future... DON'T MISS the Sun Studio Tour!
Oh... AND AS A BONUS... as already noted there's free parking... but there's also free shuttle service between Sun Studio and Graceland! (Yep... park the car for free... utilize the free shuttle!) (Just don't neglect to tip the shuttle driver! Everyone's gotta make a living!)
Next stop... GRACELAND!
So... we took the free shuttle to Graceland - a good 15 minute ride - singing (well, me, anyway) as we traveled (since the "van" had a monitor playing Elvis concert footage). The shuttle drops you off at the main tourism center - which is actually across the street from Graceland itself.
I won't go in-depth; suffice it to say that while expensive ($40.50 p.p. AAA rate) and commercial (the literally have four or five SEPARATE souvenir shops), the house... the property and outbuildings... the cars... the artifacts... the PLANES (two of them!)...
(*EXHALING*)
...and of course being able to visit the grave site and serenity garden...
(*BOWING MY HEAD*)
...made the "pilgrimage" well worth taking.
(*NOD*)
All told... after leaving our hotel this morning at 10:30 a.m. we didn't get back to The Peabody till 5:30 p.m.!
Anyway... in dire need of adult hydration we self-parked and headed straight to the local beer bar - The Flying Saucer... impressive tap selection and doubly impressive bottle selection.
(*NOD*)
A few beers there and then back "home" to our room to shower, shave, and dress.
Next stop... Paulette's.
(Well... let me rephrase that. How'bout... "Not Paulette's?")
O.K. Here's what happened: Beautiful restaurant. Wonderful menu. REASONABLE prices (from our New York perspective). Here's the thing, though; in the same building... on the forth floor... there's a really cool cocktail bar/tapas joint. And... the piano player at Paulette's advised us (when asked) that if we could only fit in EITHER Paulette's OR "Terrace (at the River Inn"), then his advice was to forgo "yet another fine dining establishment" and instead opt for tapas and drinks overlooking the river and the lighted bridge.
AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE DID...!!!
(*NOD*)
And, folks... let me tell you... yet ANOTHER fine decision!
The view... setting... atmosphere... service... food & drinks... EXACTLY what we'd been looking for!
(*BURP*)
Who the heck needs Beale street when places like Terrace exist...?!?!
Anyway... things generally close up early in Memphis so by 10:30 p.m. we were sated and heading home.
It's now a bit past 11:30 p.m. and we're "home"... Mary's in bed... and I'm ready to join her the moment I post this.
Goodnight!
TO BE CONTINUED...
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