Getting the Mind Around Memphis

Upon arrival in Memphis, your brain must do a little stretching and straining as you realize that you are in a town that, among other things: gave birth to the blues, sits on the border of three states, witnessed the assasination of Dr. Martin Luther King, nurtured Elvis, and spawned the Piggly Wiggly grocery chain. Memphis is woven so tightly into the fabric of American culture and history that it would take far longer than the one day I had to even begin to unravel it. I went in for a curious dip and came out thirsty for more. Memphis is, of course, a musical archaeologist's dream. But it's also one of those mysterious borderlands...here the south leans west, black meets white...ads for casino gambling and gospel revivals hang uneasily side by side. You may wonder whether it would be more fitting to put on the white gloves for tea at the Peobody Hotel or slide on some leopard skin pants for a boogie-night on Beale Street...

Quick Tips:

For a short trip, I'd recommend Beale Street for blues, street life and hearty southern grub. Memphis is rightly proud of its barbecue, though as a North Carolinian I prefer my own region's peppery vinegar sauce to their more tomatoey stuff. Graceland is also a must--I don't need to explain this to Babyboomers, but to anyone younger, you might as well check your cynicism at the door--you will leave a minion of the King. If I had more time I would have taken in the Center for Southern Folklore and the Civil Rights Museum, as well as a walk along the Mississippi.

Best Way To Get Around:

My friend and I drove to Beale Street on a Saturday night--we got lucky and found a parking spot, though you may have to wait. A veteran of Bourbon Street and Myrtle Beach, I really didn't find navigating the gaggles of drunken bachelor parties particularly indimidating, but some might feel more comfortable in a group.

Not the place to go if you're looking for a salad. A down-home kind of joint, the Blues City Cafe caters to the hungry carnivore who doesn't mind cholesterol. My friend got the ribs, which were moist and meaty--the best she'd ever had in a restaurant. I ordered the Crab Au Gratin, a thick custard-like dish of crab and loads of bubbling cheese served in a skillet. I'd recommend you get that as an appetizer--even my own iron-clad stomach could barely take the richness. The service was a little slow, but it was Saturday night on Beale Street; the place was packed. You can eat in the spacious dining room or the narrow adjacent bar where you'll be treated to live blues--great unless you want to have a conversation. It's LOUD.

A must. To those who feel touring Graceland is a sacriledge, I'll note that I don't think the spirit of a man who felt Las Vegas was a second home is going to mind as much as you think. Personally, I expected Graceland to be much more the ostentatious lair of a paranoid mega-star than it actually is. The house is rather modest in size. The interior pretty much reflects the imagination of a Mississippi boy from the wrong side of the tracks trying to figure out how rich people live. The innocent side of these fantasies produced the famous Jungle Room (where you can see the chair where Lisa Marie liked to curl up for a nap), the funky billiard room with its pleated wall coverings, and the all white furniture and carpet in the living room (only the rich could afford white). There are sad notes, too, and traces of madness. There is also much to admire on the tour, including a fabulous museum on the grounds full of gold records, photos, and paintings and sketches of the King sent to him by his fans. In the meditation garden, where Elvis and close relatives are buried, it's weirdly touching to see the blue-haired ladies wiping away a tear over the grave of their girlhood idol. Note: I'm not a fan of audio tours--I just feel gratuitously cut off from my surroundings wearing a headset. I would suggest reading up on the place before you get there so you won't have to be bothered. If not, you might want the headset for the house, but you can enjoy the museum without it--there's plenty of info available in the exhibits themselves. No flash photos on the tour.

This Is It! is an inviting little place to hear funked-up blues if you're in a dancing mood and don't feel like having beer spilled on you by a frat boy. The band plays to a shimmying crowd that's more laid back (and more coordinated)than the on-the-verge-of-vomiting revelers in some of the disco-havens on down the road. The crowd is a good mix--tourists and locals on friendly terms as long as everyone understands the goal--to get down!