all the marvelous survivors

6/3
Memphis, Tennessee
Beal Street, A. Schwab, the Arcade, and to top it all off, Tops Barbecue

Sorry to back track a bit but there were so many things in Memphis that we never managed to write about, so let me take you back a week or so in our trip. The old city center of Memphis has managed, hook or by crook, to save some of its venerable old buildings even if it’s just the original brick fronts supported by girders angled up from the sidewalk.
Several of the businesses along Beal Street, the original live music center of Memphis, occupy these old brick fronts even if many of the upstairs windows open on a view of the sky. Surrounded by the music, A. Schwab, still has its doors open after more than one hundred years and offers a wild mix of new kitsch and lots of old department store stock.
From Elvis’ TCB lightning bolt logo patches to random vintage button cards, from local handmade soap to the last of the cotton slips from 1960, A. Schwab has it all.
On the mezzanine, A. Schwab adds to the charm with a Beal Street Museum collection of old bottles, ancient vending machines, lost yearbooks, and rusted toys.

Away from Beal Street but still in the old center we sampled the fare at the Arcade Restaurant.

The old city center has seen its share of troubles but the Arcade, the oldest continuously open restaurant in Memphis, has survived with its neon sign and classic diner design. mrs. a-go-go tried the sweet potato pancakes, extra tasty with lightly crisped edges and fluffy center, I had the “Memphis” roasted peppers, turkey, and cheese on a crispy roll; a crispy succulent delight. Later that day it was time for some Memphis barbecue at Tops, Sarah’s favorite sandwich chain.
While the fare at the Arcade was creative twists on classic diner plates, Tops is all about making fast food sandwiches with some local pizazz. My quick and sloppy shredded pork barbecue sandwich hit the spot like no tired old cheeseburger ever could.

Oh, and one last thing, we delighted in our visit to the Rock & Soul Museum too.
Best part... the tour is guided by a little electronic device with headphones. These guided tour things have become common at lots of museums but at the Rock and Soul Museum the potential of the little keypad was really fulfilled. Most of the galleries of the museum contained a menu of rare or unusual music tracks pertaining to that room’s display. The visitor is invited to punch the number corresponding to these songs at any time. These music tracks were the highlight of the tour, it was a real treat to hear these songs in the context of the displays.

In our short visit the city by the big river surprised me with its many facets and I know there is so much more that we missed. I hope we'll have a chance to come back someday to see, hear, and taste all of what's on the plate in Memphis.

two sara(h)s in tennessee

we had two internet friends to visit in tennessee... sarah in memphis and sara in nashville...memphis was put first stop and i wish we had had more time to stay.

i met both sara(h)s about seven or eight years ago when i stumbled across an awesome website called nervousness. it's not an easy thing describing nervousness to a non-nervous person but let me just say it brought artists together and was a pre-cursor to the sites we know as social networking sites. in fact, a half dozen of our visits on this trip will be too people i met through nervousness. though the site as we know has been gone for quite a few years, our friendships have lasted and i am so excited to meet my friends face to face!hanging out with sarah in memphis was like visiting an old friend. both visits were like that. she cooked up a most delicious dinner and then took us out for cupcakes, amazing cupcakes in the cutest little shop ever. i need to go back and bring my camera next time. drats!the next day we hit Graceland and the Rock and Soul Museum. we lunched at The Arcade which was fantastic and for dinner we had Memphis BBQ. just before we drove off (with classic southern snacks, thank you Sarah & Larry!) for Jackson, we jumped!after an overnight in Jackson, we hit Nashville for a shortened visit with Sara. we lunched on super yummy indian food and then hit The Parthenon for more jump shots and sno-kones. after hugs and squeezes we were off for a glamorous hour or two hanging out at the laundromat and then a swanky visit to I Dream of Weenie, more about that later. we love our Sara(h)s and were so happy hanging out in Tennessee.

not a fried peanut butter sandwich in sight

yup folks, we went to Graceland!what can i say about Graceland? it isn't cheap but it's a hoot. from the moment you put the headphones on until you pull them off it's a hoot.Graceland proper isn't overly large. you only get to tour the first floor and basement of the house but believe me when i say it's enough. from stained glass windows to poodle wallpaper to white monkeys, Elvis' home is a fine example of early seventies decor. you walk through the home at your own pace. pressing the green forward button on my headset control i couldn't help but be amused by the songs chosen as background for each section of the tour. it was very well thought out and delightful for those of us who do love us the king's music.
the jungle room is awesome. all the rooms are. i even thoroughly enjoyed touring the back of the house and office space. especially the swingset. it reminded me of my childhood.after that you get a peek at all the gold records Elvis was awarded. there is an entire hall full of them. it felt a bit willy wonka to me.the final room you enter has a cathedral ceiling that appears to stretch on and on. there is a trio of Las Vegas costumes set in glass and you feel a sense of finality. i got a little weepy. just a little. after all, i'm here mostly as a tribute to my mamos who loved Elvis Presley not unlike how some folk love The Beatles or Oingo Boingo (ahem). i grew up watching Elvis movies. i learned to dance from watching Clambake over and over again and was sorely sad when i found that no one dances like that anymore...well, save for me, even at my old goth club hangouts. Elvis even taught me to swim...sort of. it was his serenade to the young girl who was afraid to slide down the slide in Clambake that convinced me i could do it. no foolin'. i was watching the flick one weekend on Family Film Festival and decided it was time for me to have some CONFIDENCE myself. so, into my bedroom i marched to wrestle myself into my brown and orange swimsuit. after flying down the stairs and down the path to the pool i jumped in without hesitation. i was eight and i owe it all to Elvis.the tour ends with a solemn walk through the meditation garden where Elvis is buried along with other family members. he truly is and was a legend, a true American legend. in celebration of our love of Elvis and to think of him with a smile on our faces, we made a quick pit stop to the front of Graceland where we of course...jumped!