Favorite Travel Memories, Top Five Friday, RebeccaWanderlusting

10 Tips for Hiking The Smoky Mountains National Park

On July 12, 2016 By rebeccawanderlustingIn Tennessee, US Travel2 Comments

Last month, I traveled with my family and Mike to the Smoky Mountains National Park in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. While we happily hiked through the wilderness, to waterfalls and up mountains, we ran into some interesting situations. Some of them we were prepared for, like the bugs and heat, and some were unpleasant surprises, like the hoards of people on each trail. This particular National Park is huge; it has multiple entrances and crosses state lines. There are plenty of hikes to enjoy, but also plenty of research and planning to do beforehand. After spending a few (not nearly enough) days exploring the park, I amassed a few tips to help you lovely readers plan a trip to the beautiful Smoky Mountains:

Obtain a Vehicle: Because the park is so big, it’s pretty necessary to have your own way of getting around. It was extremely helpful to be able to choose our own routes through the park based on what we wanted to see and do. There is a trolley service that runs through Gatlinburg and into Smoky Mountains National Park, but it limits your options as far as hikes go.
Stay in a Cabin: Staying in a beautiful cabin in the mountains really made this trip for me. There are plenty of hotels in downtown Gatlinburg, but none have as much charm as the cabins. If you have the means to do so, there are plenty of options for cabins of all budgets. We found our amazing cabin through Elk Springs Resort.
Wear Proper Shoes: This is key! I can’t tell you how long it took me to learn this lesson: Chuck Taylors are not suitable shoes for hiking. Wear gym shoes or hiking boots, your feet will thank you for the comfort and your hiking buddies will thank you for the lack of moaning.
Grab a Map and Plan Your Hikes: As stated above, Smoky Mountains National Park is big. Look into what hikes are available for the time of year you’re visiting and pick the ones that interest you the most. Maps are available at all of the visitor centers and usually cost just a dollar donation.
Get Going Early: Despite its size, this park can get very crowded. We thought we were the early birds, starting at 9 or 10am, but we were sorely mistaken. Try to get going early to beat the crowds, otherwise you’re apt to be waiting in line just to move down the trails.
Be Patient: Keeping #5 in mind, though it does get crowded, you are in a beautiful place and (mostly) everyone else is there to take in the beauty too. Don’t let this ruin your time, be patient and enjoy the park.
Bring Bug Spray and Hand Sanitizer: Because we were visiting in the middle of summer, the mosquitoes were out in full force. We slathered bug spray on before each hike to keep them at bay. And… if you have ever used a wilderness bathroom, the hand sanitizer is self-explanatory.
Pack a Picnic: If you are planning on hiking all day, there won’t be anywhere for you to purchase a meal. Bring your own picnic lunch and stop at one of the many picnic/scenic areas to enjoy it. Be sure to dispose of all food garbage properly to protect the bears!
Hydrate: This may go without saying, but I’m going to say it anyways. Don’t get too distracted by the gorgeous scenery and make sure you’re taking plenty of water breaks!
Stop at Scenic Overlooks: Most importantly, stop at all of the scenic overlooks you can find. They all have fantastic views and can double as your picnic area! My favorite was New Foundland Gap Lookout: great view, North Carolina – Tennessee State Line and plenty of seating for snacking.

Have you ever hiked in Smoky Mountains National Park? Which hike was your favorite?

Adventures in Gatlinburg, Part 2

On June 28, 2016 By rebeccawanderlustingIn Tennessee, US Travel1 Comment

We started off our last day in Gatlinburg, TN started off at The Pancake Pantry, the oldest pancake house in Gatlinburg. This is an impressive title considering how many breakfast joints there are just in Downtown Gatlinburg alone. Somehow, we beat the breakfast rush and got seated right away, just as the line was starting to form. They had a HUGE selection of crepes and pancakes; I chose the mountain blueberry pancakes. They came with a delightful blueberry syrup and were absolutely delicious.

The coffee here was also very good, and the service was great and fast. We all really enjoyed the family atmosphere of the Pancake Pantry, especially having the baby with us. From breakfast, we headed to a different entrance to the Smoky Mountains National Park than the day before to hike the Grotto Falls trail. Unfortunately, when we got there, the trail was closed for a couple of hours while they did maintenance, so we occupied ourselves at the Ogle Farm Houses until it reopened. The houses have been there since the 1800’s and are empty save for the tourists snapping pictures in their open rooms. The grounds surrounding the houses are gorgeous, with a small stream running behind them and the trees stretching up above.

Once we were able to get to the trail it was already a little crowded, but we’d find out later on that we actually beat most of the crowd. Even so, the parking lot was full, so we were forced to park along the one way street heading out of the lot. The hike was a little less than three miles to Grotto Falls and back. The trail was riddled with rocks and knotty roots, and it crossed small streams that snaked their way down the mountains. There were some steep drop-offs coupled with beautiful views. Clumsy me tripped just about a hundred times because I was so distracted by the gorgeous scenery.

As we got closer to the falls, the path became rocky and tad treacherous and the bugs became a little more prevalent. Grotto Falls itself was absolutely gorgeous. You can walk behind the waterfall, but be prepared to wait in line behind hikers wanting photo ops. The trail was crowded with hikers, with more and more coming up the path. The Falls pooled in a few separate places, which spread the crowd out a bit. We were able to get one to ourselves to stick our sweaty feet into without too much trouble.

The water was very cold and refreshing. On our way back down, we picked up the pace due to some thunder rumbling close by. We ended up being safe from the storm for a while, so we drove the scenic route around the park, driving by more waterfalls, across wooden bridges and alongside beautiful creeks. I won’t lie, I made everyone stop a couple of times so i could get out of the car and take pictures, but the photos are certainly worth it. We had another picnic lunch, which is really the only option if you’re spending the day in the Park.

After lunch, we drove to the Arts and Crafts Community, which is a neighborhood of stores featuring local artisans. There were quilters, weavers, glass blowers, candle makers and more. It was fun to look around, but prepare to spend some time here if you go because you have to drive between small groups of the shops to find the good stuff. It is very possible to find some unique souvenirs and treasures here.

Close to the Arts and Crafts Community is Gray Hawk Enterprises, where you can find hand woven blankets and rugs, handmade dream catchers, and beautiful turquoise jewelry. Mike and I got a rug for home, which we still have yet to put out, but it is very pretty! Our plan for our last night in Tennessee was to make dinner and hang out enjoying the amazing cabin. We were celebrating my parents’ 36^th Anniversary, so us kids were in charge of cooking. While Mike and my brother-in-law, David, went to grab the ingredients, my sister, niece and parents and I made good use of the game room.

We played pool and Centipede and Pacman, and while it would have been silly to sit inside playing games amongst all this natural beauty… it was really fun. Soon after the boys came back, dark clouds started rolling in over the Smoky Mountains. It looked like something out of Lord of the Rings; it was beautiful and a little frightening. We sat out on the porch for a bit to watch, until it started pouring. We were grilling for dinner, so we took turns running out into the rain to check on the steaks. And then the power went out.

Everyone had to scramble around to find our phones and flashlights and attempted to figure out how to continue cooking. Before we could even begin to Macgyver our way to a cooked dinner, the power came back. The storm rumbled on as we sat down at the huge dining room table to enjoy our steaks, baked potatoes, grilled onions, asparagus, and salad. It turned out to be an amazing dinner, which we followed up with some rummy and wine. The next morning we had breakfast at the cabin and finished packing up to go our separate ways. All in all, it was a perfect Smoky Mountain vacation. I wouldn’t change a single thing we did. The scenery was beautiful, the hikes were solid, and my family was amazing as always.

Have you ever been to Smoky Mountains National Park? Which was your favorite hike?

**A special thank you to my very generous Mom and Dad, who gifted us this trip for Christmas. Love you guys!**

Smoky Mountains, Tennessee, RebeccaWanderlusting

Adventures in Gatlinburg, Part 1

On June 24, 2016 By rebeccawanderlustingIn Tennessee, US Travel5 Comments

The day we drove to Gatlinburg from Chattanooga was beautiful and sunny. It was a two and a half hour drive that took us through the mountains and through the technicolor nightmare that is Pigeon Forge. We stopped at the Visitor Center to get some Smoky Mountain maps and check out the gift shop before moving on to get groceries for the cabin.

The closest grocery store was Food City in Gatlinburg, so we loaded up on supplies there. Our cabin was up a winding, one way road into the mountains. The drive was a little bit scary with the hairpin turns and steep drops, but the destination was so worth it. It was absolutely stunning; a log cabin perched on a peak with a perfect view of The Great Smoky Mountains.

The cabin had three levels, three bedrooms, three balconies, four bathrooms, a game room and a huge kitchen. We ate a lunch of grilled bratwurst and chips out on the porch and relaxed, all in awe of the view. Once we felt we had memorized every nuanced ridge and treetop, we drove to downtown Gatlinburg to explore and eventually get some dinner. The drive downtown was about 20 minutes each way from our cabin.

There is a parking garage right on the edge of downtown, on the corner of routes 321 and 441 that only charges a maximum of $6 that we utilized frequently (we usually paid less than the max). It’s an easy walk to the main drag from there. Downtown Gatlinburg is an interesting, kitschy city; the street is lined with places with names like Sweet Fanny Adams Theater, Cooters Dukes of Hazard Museum, Doc Collier’s Moonshine, Beef Jerky Outlet, Donut Friar, All Sauced Up Kitchen Fixins, Earthquake the Ride, and an unprecedented amount of Old Tyme Photos. We navigated the streets among the other tourists, feeling like we had been transported to a different world.

We were planning on checking out the Smoky Mountain Brewery, however as a party of six and a half, the wait was 45+ minutes. We walked next door to Cherokee Grille instead. Luckily, we were able to order some Smoky Mountain draft beers there. We ordered a variety of entrees. I had the barbecue grilled chicken with rice and broccoli. The beer was great, the food was good. The service was friendly but a little frantic. After dinner, we strolled back down the parkway, taking in the street performers and sights. That evening, we sat out on the porch in the rocking chairs with a glass of wine. It was heavenly.

The next morning, we ate breakfast at the cabin and headed straight to Smoky Mountain National Park. The drive there took us right through downtown and then into the wilderness. Each drive we took through the park was prettier than the last. Our first stop was the Laurel Falls trail, which was a paved, two and a half mile hike. It had beautiful views but was very crowded. We walked in a single file line behind other hikers, past other hikers and with other hikers behind us; it felt a little like an assembly line.

Once we reached Laurel Falls, it was easy to see what drew in all these people, and, as such, it was hard to take a photo without anyone else in it. Either way, it was a pretty hike. We drove onward to the Chimney Tops picnic area to have our sandwiches. Right next to the multiple picnic tables are some gorgeous rapids to dip your feet into. The water is chilly and the rocks are prime for climbing across to get a better view of the scenery.

You can walk along the rapids a ways, but we moved on to our next hike, Clingman’s Dome, up the mountains. The drive up is lined with many scenic overlooks, which is good because the view is too pretty to put into words. Clingman’s Dome is the highest point in the park, so you have to drive quite a ways to get to the parking there. From the parking lot, it’s a half mile hike straight uphill to get to the dome. What’s cool about this hike is that it crosses the Appalachian Trail towards the top.

There is a lazy spiral ramp that leads to the dome, where you can see a 360 degree of the mountains. It is absolutely stunning and I took approximately 100 photos. The way down from the dome was a lot easier than the way up as long as you don’t stop to admire the view.

We stopped at a few other spots to take pictures on the way down, including the state line between Tennessee and North Carolina. Because we had all been craving margaritas all day, we met back in Gatlinburg for dinner at No Way Jose’s. The margaritas there did not disappoint and the food was good too, albeit pretty typical Tex-Mex fare.

I will say that their homemade salsa that they plunk down on the table just as soon as you sit down is out-of-this-world good. After dinner we walked down to the Sky Lift, which my mom and I had spotted the night before and vowed to try out. It was $16.50 a person for a round trip ticket to head up the mountain in a ski lift bench to the scenic overlook, cafe, and gift shop at the top and back down.

The ride was pretty slow but provided a spectacular view, and the view from the top, of Gatlinburg and the surrounding mountains, was gorgeous. We gave in and bought the professional photo they took of us on the way up as a souvenir. Our last stop of the evening was Maddog’s Ice Cream and Donuts for a treat before heading back to the cabin. It was a cute, roadside shop with homemade donuts, soft serve, and ice cream. They had some interesting statues outside, along with some picnic tables. We took our ice cream to go and went back to our beautiful view at the cabin, looking forward to another full of hiking.

Trip Planning: Traverse City, MI, RebeccaWanderlusting

Chattanooga, TN Reunion

On June 16, 2016 By rebeccawanderlustingIn Tennessee, US Travel2 Comments

We left Chicago at 6:20am after it took me the usual 20 minutes to leave the house (double checking the doors were locking, unplugging every little thing and grabbing a last minute jacket that I never once needed in the 90 degree heat). The drive took about 10 hours with stopping for gas and lunch and the accidental detour we took through historic Downtown Louisville, KY. I like what I saw there though! I wouldn’t mind returning there to explore for a weekend. Once we got towards the Tennessee border, the GPS took us down a rural highway past sprawling farmlands and green topped mountains. Scenic route, indeed.

We stayed in a Comfort Inn and Suites (remember last time?), in Hixson, TN, which is right near Chattanooga. We dropped off our bags, changed clothes, and headed to dinner at the Lakeshore Grille in Chattanooga. My cousin Leslie and her husband, Mike, met us there, and we all sat out on their porch for a drink and some casual fare. The food took quite a while to come out, but they kept us from getting too hungry with plates of homemade potato chips slathered with chipotle ranch.

It was really nice to be able to catch up with our southern kin. We all ordered burgers, which were really good and worth the wait. After dinner, we went back to the hotel and I passed out almost immediately. The next morning, we grabbed something from the little continental breakfast at the hotel and then headed to Falling Water, the small town where our Tennessee family lives. We spent some time chit chatting before going for a walk through the neighborhood.

The significance of this place is that my mom’s father grew up here, and this is where he and my grandma lived when they were first married. His side of the family is still here and we try and come visit as often as we can. Not only because they are so wonderful, but it’s also nice to be able to remember my grandparents through this place they used to live. We walked past the pretty little church they go to, and to the cemetery at the top of a hill, where relatives I never knew are buried. It may sound a little morbid, but it’s actually a really beautiful sunlit clearing.

From there, we walked down the lane to the end, passing farm houses, chickens, and gardens, all farmed in front of the mountains. The natural beauty of this place is almost surreal. After our walk, we made our way to Leslie’s house for a huge, Southern, barbecue lunch of pulled pork, baked beans, coleslaw, sweet corn casserole, pasta salad, potato casserole and key lime pie.

We ate out on the porch despite the heat, and everyone went back for seconds. The whole meal was just perfect, and put all of our favorite barbecue joints in Chicago to shame. After lunch, we jumped into their pool to cool off and had a couple of pain killer cocktails poolside (pineapple juice, rum, coconut milk and nutmeg). We lounged by the pool for a while, the heat made us a bit lethargic.

Soon enough, we got our act together and Mike and I split off from the group to check out Downtown Chattanooga. Our first stop was Mean Mug Coffeehouse on the south side of Chattanooga. It was a hip spot with local art on the walls and excellent espresso. We also ordered a blackberry scone as a last minute decision and it was such a good one. It was a perfect crumbly yet soft texture and drizzled with icing. I will have dreams about that scone, I know it.

From there, we went to Frazier Street to check out the cute shops and the pedestrian walkway. We liked Luxe Boutique for its cute clothes and accessories and Winder Binder for its amazing collection of books and records for very reasonable prices.

We walked halfway across the pedestrian walkway to the sounds of the River Bend music festival. The walkway offered gorgeous views of the city, Tennessee River and the mountains beyond. To be honest, with what little we saw of it, Chattanooga charmed the pants off of us.

We went back to Falling Water for a solid last visit with my Aunt Sue, Leslie and her husband. We had leftover barbecue for dinner because, yes, it was just that good. We left them with promises to visit again soon, which I fully intend to keep. Mike and I then went back to Chattanooga for a cocktail at Stir, which Leslie had recommended. It was very close to Mean Mug, and we were able to park on the street and walk over. Stir was housed in a beautiful old brick building, with twinkling lights inside and a nice porch outside, which is where we sat.

Stir is known for their “artisanal ice” which means that their drinks all come with interestingly shaped ice. My delicious Elderflower Sour came with a large rectangular cube in it. The drinks were good and the service was wonderful. It definitely ended the Chattanooga leg of our trip on a high note. The next morning we hit the road again on our way to Gatlinburg, TN.

Trip Planning: Tennessee

On May 29, 2016 By rebeccawanderlustingIn Tennessee, Travel Tips, Trip Planning, US TravelLeave a comment

In less than two weeks, I will be heading to Chattanooga, Tennessee for a few days, and then moving on to Gatlinburg, Tennessee. Mike and I will be driving the nine hours to meet up with my parents, sister, brother-in-law and niece there. We are spending two nights in Chattanooga to visit with my mom’s side of the family that lives there. I’ve been to Chattanooga a couple times before, so I’m excited to go back to this beautiful city! From there, our three-car caravan will drive three hours up to Gatlinburg, to a cabin near the Smokey Mountains. The gorgeous log cabin that we’re staying in has three bedrooms, an idyllic porch with a mountain view, a hot tub, and a pool table. I have purposefully not planned anything for while we’re in Tennessee, mostly because I don’t want to drive my family crazy with my overambitious to-do lists. I am so excited to get away from the city for a few days to relax, hike and enjoy the outdoors. This will also be my first trip with this camera, so I’m hoping to get some good photos of the scenery. It’s been a long time since we’ve been on a family vacation, and I couldn’t be happier that we’re finally making up for lost time. Tennessee here we come!

Here is what I’m packing:

Clothing:

(2) pairs of jeans
(1) dress
(2) pairs of shorts
(1) pair of leggings
(2) pajamas
(4) t-shirts
(2) blouses
(1) swim suit
(2) tank tops
(1) sweatshirt
(8) underwear
(3) bras
(7) pairs of socks

Shoes:

(1) pair of gym shoes
(1) pair or flats
(2) pairs of sandals

Toiletries:

Toothbrush/Toothpaste
Make-Up Bag with the essentials
Deodorant
Paul Mitchell Texturing Sea Spray
Make Up Remover Wipes
Allergy medicine
Sunscreen

Everything Else:

My Nikon D3300 with battery charger
iPad
Audiobook TBD
Phone Charger
Pencils and Pencil Sharpener
Notebook
“Slouching Towards Bethlehem” by Joan Didion
Car Snacks

Have you been to either of these two Tennessee cities? Do you have any recommendations?

Top Five Friday #6

On October 23, 2015December 1, 2015 By rebeccawanderlustingIn Tennessee, Top Five Friday, US TravelLeave a comment

Memphis Attractions

As you could probably tell from my previous blog posts, I’ve just returned from Memphis. Though my boyfriend and I only spent four days in this Southern city, we enjoyed our time there immensely. It truly is a magnificently musical city with history to spare. There were many aspects of Memphis that we really loved, but below are our top five favorite attractions:

Beale Street: Beale Street is the epitome of Memphis’s Blues music scene. Every bar down this strip has music pouring out of it. It’s one of the main attractions in Memphis and it certainly lives up to the hype. The street is completely lined with bars, gift shops, restaurants and clubs. We tried to stop into most places, and hit a lot of them. Our favorites were: Club 152 (really good music and cheap drinks), Absinthe Room (great second-story dive bar with billiards), King’s Palace Café Patio (home of the Beale Big Ass Beers and amazing Blues music), Rum Boogie Café (we had an excellent lunch here and the staff were awesome) and A. Schwab (a kitschy gift store with three levels of souvenirs).
Sun Studios: This recording studio/historic music icon was Mike’s favorite place that we visited in Memphis. A lot of amazing artists recorded here and add to its famous history; to name a few: Ike Turner, Elvis Presley, Carl Perkins, Johnny Cash, Howlin Wolf…the list goes on. It’s still currently an active recording studio where many big musicians stop by (U2, Bob Dylan…). The tour is well worth the $13 and includes a history on the studio, information on its big musicians, and a glimpse of the actual recording studio, which still has all its original features. Our tour guide was amazing and full of fun facts about the studio and the musicians. The studio/museum is connected to a café and record/gift shop, which is worth a look around.
National Civil Rights Museum: Set in the Lorraine Motel, where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated, this museum is too poignant to pass up. After you pay the $15 entrance fee, you start the tour with a short video outlining the purpose of the museum before heading through the exhibits. Each exhibit is purposeful and intriguing, and most are interactive as well. The museum is well laid out, taking you through the history of racial tension in America from the beginning. It does take quite a while to make it through the entirety of the museum and the boarding house across the street, which focuses on the life and motives of James Earl Ray. Plan to spend at least two hours here.
Stax Museum of American Soul Music: It is no secret that I’m a big fan of soul music, so it shouldn’t be a surprise that I instantly fell in love with this museum. The history of Stax Records is so rich, and the musicians connected with the company are too many to name (again, to mention a few: Isaac Hayes, Otis Redding, Booker T and The MG’s…). The flow of the museum starts with a short film, and then moves through the exhibits, which range from the influence of Gospel Music in Soul to a video of Chaka Khan singing on Soul Train to Isaac Hayes’s custom gold Cadillac. The old recording studio is still intact, along with the original mixing console, and is preserved for your viewing pleasure. It really is worth it to check Stax out, I promise you’ll be glad that you did. (Entrance fee is $13.)
Mid-Town: I really wish we could have spent more time in this hip slice of Memphis. We had two great meals in this neighborhood: breakfast at Otherlands Coffee Bar, and lunch at The Beauty Shop. Both restaurants were a joy to be at, and both meals were phenomenal. We walked past cute shops and boutiques in this area and I really regret not exploring it more. We also heard from a couple of Memphis locals that this is the place to be for unique bars and restaurants away from downtown. Unfortunately for us, we received this advice too late in our trip. Oh well, all the more reason to go back, right?

If you’ve been to Memphis, what was your favorite place to visit? If you haven’t, what would be on your checklist to see there?

Walkin’ in Memphis: Part 2

On October 18, 2015January 27, 2016 By rebeccawanderlustingIn Tennessee, US Travel2 Comments

Walkin’ in Memphis: Part 2

On our last full day in Memphis, we got an early start due to our lengthy to-do list for the day. We started at Otherlands Coffee Bar, in Midtown. I had a latte and their “Best in the
Cinnamon Toast in the South”. The sun-filled coffee bar was the perfect place to get caffeinated and make a plan for the day. The coffee and toast were great, and the atmosphere was even better. They had unique artwork on the walls, mismatched tables and chairs and board games on the shelves. It was my kind of place.

After breakfast, we drove to Graceland, which we both had mixed feelings about. We paid $10.00 to park and went in to check out the ticket situation. The cheapest tour was $36 a person and the prices went up to $72 a person for the VIP tour. I read somewhere online that you could go up to the gate and peak at the mansion for free, but they shot that idea down real quick. The woman at the guest relations counter told us that we were only allowed to do that from 7:30am to 8:30am. So we didn’t see the house. But! We did look around the overpriced gift shops for a bit. The area was starting to get crowded with tourists, so we bypassed the additional Elvis Museums and themed diners and moved on.Our next stop was The Stax Museum of American Soul Music. Admission was $13 and the tour started with a 20 minute film on the history of the recording studio.
The museum itself was filled with artifacts from soul music superstars like Otis Redding, Isaac Hayes, Aretha Franklin, Booker T and The MGs, Carla Thomas, and many more. The old recording equipment was preserved and in the same studio they used to record the greats. The number of artists and albums associated with Stax Records is staggering, and you can feel the full affect of it as you walk through the hall lined with all such records. You exit through the gift shop, I’m a sucker for a good gift shop, and this one’s filled with unique gifts, records and miscellaneous music memorabilia. The museum is definitely a must-see in Memphis.
We went to back to Midtown to The Beauty Shop for lunch. The hip restaurant used to be a beauty parlor (pretty obvious) and held onto the dryer chairs which they recycled into seats at the dining tables. The food was out-of-control good. We had the lemon zest olives to start and then I had the BLTA and Mike had the Salmon Gravalax sandwich, both of which came with homemade chips. We both completely devoured our lunches. The staff were wonderful, and happy to suggest any of their many delicious offerings if you’re having trouble deciding.

Afterwards, we drove to the National Civil Rights Museum, at the Lorraine Motel. The museum is set at the motel, where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated, and occupies the building across the street as well.
The entry fee is $15.00. It was a very emotional experience, being there, as well as being very educational. It is a lot of information to take in, so be sure to set aside enough time to fully appreciate it. Each exhibit is beautifully made and mostly interactive.
We walked down Main Street afterwards, and stopped into Bluff City Coffee. We took the well-made beverages to go so we could wander around a bit more. We popped into Red Velvet, a great shop filled with vintage and vintage inspired clothing and accessories. The woman manning the store was amazing and gave us a ton of great suggestions on bars and shops to check out. Across the street, we went into a thrift store called The Broken Arrow that was very cool.
It had an eclectic collection of goods ranging from teacups to CCR albums to cowboy boots. We checked into our new hotel, The Sheraton (thank you, Mike!) and decided to go jump into the pool. We had it to ourselves, so we swam around for a while before going back to the room to get ready for our last night out on the town. Our first stop was The Peabody Hotel to have a Jack Daniels cocktail in their Corner Bar.

I had the Presbyterian, which was basically a whiskey ginger, but with delicious single barrel Jack. The Peabody is regal inside and reminded me of The Drake back in Chicago.

When we finished our drinks, we went to Wet Willie’s to sample their boozy slushies. The slushies were just alright, but the two man band that was performing while we drank them was fantastic. We had planned to take our mediocre slushies and walk, but changed our minds when they started playing. From there we went to BB King’s to pay tribute to the blues legend with a beer. They had a soul cover band playing and everybody danced.
From that point on, things became a little hazy. I know we had a few more drinks, and I know we made a stop into a couple of souvenir shops and bought a few things that we didn’t really need (I’m looking at you, Elvis clock!).

And then the inevitable happened. We heard karaoke singing coming out of Flynn’s
Restaurant and wandered in. Somehow I wound up on stage
singing Sam Cooke (“Another Saturday Night
”) and doing the twist. After the song ended, I promptly tripped and fell off the stage and onto the floor. Mike rushed to scoop me up, he’s used to my clumsiness, and we were about to make a quick exit, when his name was called to sing. He did his best Elvis impression as he sang “Hound Dog” and I hid in our booth hoping everyone was too busy ignoring my bad singing to see me fall. We called it a night after that, and stumbled back to the hotel.
Before we left the next day, we stopped at Blues City Café for lunch. I had some scrumptious chicken fingers and Mike had the catfish. It was a good last meal in Memphis where we had so many other great meals, listened to some amazing music and were lucky enough to get a glimpse into the rich history of this musically- inclined city.

Thanks for having us, Memphis!

Walkin’ in Memphis, TN: Part 2

On October 18, 2015 By rebeccawanderlustingIn Tennessee, US Travel5 Comments

On our last full day in Memphis, we got an early start due to our lengthy to-do list for the day. We started at Otherlands Coffee Bar, in Midtown. I had a latte and their “Best Cinnamon Toast in the South”. The sun-filled coffee bar was the perfect place to get caffeinated and make a plan for the day. The coffee and toast were great, and the atmosphere was even better. They had unique artwork on the walls, mismatched tables and chairs and board games on the shelves. It was my kind of place.
After breakfast, we drove to Graceland, which we both had mixed feelings about. We paid $10.00 to park and went in to
check out the ticket situation. The cheapest tour was $36 a person and the prices went up to $72 a person for the VIP tour. I read somewhere online that you could go up to the gate and peak at the mansion for free, but they shot that idea down real quick. The woman at the guest relations counter told us that we were only allowed to do that from 7:30am to 8:30am. So we didn’t see the house. But! We did look around the overpriced gift shops for a bit. The area was starting to get crowded with tourists, so we bypassed the additional Elvis Museums and themed diners and moved on.
Our next stop was The Stax Museum of American Soul Music. Admission was $13 and the tour started with a 20 minute film on the history of the recording studio.
The museum itself was filled with artifacts from soul music superstars like Otis Redding, Isaac Hayes, Aretha Franklin, Booker T and The MGs, Carla Thomas, and many more. The old recording equipment was preserved and in the same studio they used to record the greats. The number of artists and albums associated with Stax Records is staggering, and you can feel the full affect of it as you walk through the hall lined with all such records. You exit through the gift shop, I’m a sucker for a good gift shop, and this one’s filled with unique gifts, records and miscellaneous music memorabilia. The museum is definitely a must-see in Memphis.

We went to back to Midtown to The Beauty Shop for lunch. The hip restaurant used to be a beauty parlor (pretty obvious) and held onto the dryer chairs which they recycled into seats at the dining tables. The food was out-of-control good. We had the lemon zest olives to start and then I had the BLTA and Mike had the Salmon Gravalax sandwich, both of which came with homemade chips. We both completely devoured our lunches. The staff were wonderful, and happy to suggest any of their many delicious offerings if you’re having trouble deciding.

I had the Presbyterian, which was basically a whiskey ginger, but with delicious single barrel Jack. The Peabody is regal inside and reminded me of The Drake back in Chicago.

We went to Charlie Vergos’ Rendezvous for dinner, which was just across the street and down an alley from The Peabody. We got seated right away in their main dining room. We started with the sausage and cheese plate, which seemed to be a staple on menus in Memphis. It was served with a heap of saltine crackers and it was AMAZING.
For our entrees, I had the beef brisket and Mike had the pork ribs, both served with beans and cole slaw. We sat in silence as we ate, attacking everything on our plates and sneaking bites of each other’s food without asking. The meal was so good, we had to sit there for a minute after to get ourselves out of the food coma.
After dinner, we went to the Absinthe Room above King’s Palace Café. While Mike partook in the namesake drink, I ordered a gin and tonic. Just the smell of the absinthe (black licorice) made me feel sick to my stomach. It was more of a dive bar, with three pool tables, each in their own little room. There was a jukebox in the bar that the patrons kept playing The Eagles on, and a couple at the bar that paid for their drinks all in quarters. It was an interesting and lively crowd that we enjoyed being a part of, even if it was only for the one drink.
When we finished our drinks, we went to Wet Willie’s to sample their boozy slushies. The slushies were just alright, but the two man band that was performing while we drank them was fantastic. We had planned to take our mediocre slushies and walk, but changed our minds when they started playing. From there we went to BB King’s to pay tribute to the blues legend with a beer. They had a soul cover band playing and everybody danced.
From that point on, things became a little hazy. I know we had a few more drinks, and I know we made a stop into a couple of souvenir shops and bought a few things that we didn’t really need (I’m looking at you, Elvis clock!).

And then the inevitable happened. We heard karaoke singing coming out of Flynn’s Restaurant and wandered in. Somehow I wound up onstage singing Sam Cooke (“Another Saturday Night ”) and doing the twist. After the song ended, I promptly tripped and fell off the stage and onto the floor. Mike rushed to scoop me up, he’s used to my clumsiness, and we were about to make a quick exit, when his name was called to sing. He did his best Elvis impression as he sang “Hound Dog” and I hid in our booth hoping everyone was too busy ignoring my bad singing to see me fall. We called it a night after that, and stumbled back to the hotel.
Before we left the next day, we stopped at Blues City Café for lunch. I had some scrumptious chicken fingers and Mike had the catfish. It was a good last meal in Memphis where we had so many other great meals, listened to some amazing music and were lucky enough to get a glimpse into the rich history of this musically- inclined city.

Thanks for having us, Memphis!

Walkin’ in Memphis: Part 1

On October 13, 2015January 27, 2016 By rebeccawanderlustingIn Tennessee, US Travel3 Comments

Walkin’ in Memphis: Part 1

We left bright and early last Wednesday, with the car loaded up and plenty of coffee to keep us going. The drive to Memphis took us eight hours. We passed small brush fires as we drove through Southern Illinois. Some were small and would probably put themselves out, but some we passed were scary big and had firetrucks rushing toward them. I had never seen anything like it, the smoke was clouding up both sides of the highway. As we approached Memphis, we passed over the Mississippi River, with the huge glass pyramid Bass Pro Shop looming to our left. When we reached our hotel, we checked into our room, only to discover we were put into a room with double beds. This was one of the few reasons I was a little underwhelmed with the hotel. But, that’s what you get when you book budget I guess! We took solace in the fact that it was simply a place to sleep and we wouldn’t be spending much time there. Mike and I headed out to explore pretty quickly after checking in. We could see the river from right outside our hotel, and we passed some beautiful buildings and parks on our way to Main Street. We had dinner at The Majestic Grille, a restaurant fashioned to look like an outdoor movie theater with palm trees and twinkly lights.
Sabrina (the original with Audrey Hepburn and Humphrey Bogart) played in the background as we waited 20 minutes for our beers to arrive. However, the trouble was soon forgotten when they brought over a basket of delicious,
homemade bread. Our entrees were equally delicious. I had a grilled artichoke flatbread and Mike had a burger. After dinner, it was show time! We walked to the FedEx Forum, just off of Beale Street to enjoy the whole reason we were in Memphis in the first place: The Foo Fighters. Gary Clark Jr. opened and was fantastic. If you’ve never treated your ears to this man, you need to look him up immediately. The main event exceeded expectations.
They played a good mix of old and new tunes, and even did a couple covers. Halfway through, Dave Grohl invited an old Battle of the Bands foe to join him on stage, and they sang “Under Pressure”.

We went to Club 152, enchanted by the music coming from inside and happy about the no cover. After a while, we called it a night and wandered back to the hotel. The next morning, we went down to enjoy our free breakfast only to discover that it had already closed… at 9am. What?? So we walked over to Café Keough on Main Street for some coffee.
While the service wasn’t full of Southern Hospitality, the café was gorgeous, their menu was unique and my latte was superb. We walked through Memphis Park and over to the pedestrian walkway bridge that leads to Mud Island.

To go over to the island by foot is free, but the trolley and the tour are not. The island featured a Mississippi River museum ($10 for entry), a park, paddleboats, cafes, and a topographically accurate replica of the river from start to finish. The views from Mud Island were spectacular.

After we got our fill, we walked back to the mainland and over to Beale Street. We popped into some of the stores and sized up the bars for later. The whole scene was reminiscent of a mini Bourbon Street in NOLA (check out the New Orleans blog here). We went into the Gibson Factory to take a look around. Unfortunately all of the tours were sold out or cancelled, so Mike had to settle for drooling over the guitars in the gift shop. We went to the
Rum Boogie Café for lunch, and it was my first Memphis
barbecue experience. I had BBQ pork with cole slaw and fried okra and Mike had a BLT with fried green tomatoes. Afterwards, we walked through some questionable territory to get to Sun Studios. A cab may have been a better choice, but it was definitely worth it. Sun Studios is a Memphis legend, it was the first studio to record Elvis Presley and was responsible for recording the first rock ‘n’ roll song “Rocket 88”.

Many amazing artists have walked through their doors, including: Howlin Wolf, Carl Perkins, Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Cash, and many more. The tour of the studio was $13, and worth every penny.

Our tour guide was knowledgeable and charismatic and punctuated each music fun fact with a song that was recorded in the studio. In the same building is a café and gift shop which was fun to browse.
Later that evening, we went to Flight Wine Bar for dinner. We each got a wine flight with dinner, I had the Sibling Rivalry, all white wines. For dinner we got a few small plates to share, including: veal scallopini, chicken and waffles, and shrimp and grits. The food was so flavorful and had me wishing we had ordered more than small plates.
After dinner, we walked back to Beale Street and sat down at King’s Palace Café Blues Patio to listen to some good music and enjoy a Beale Big Ass Beer.

Venturing a little further down Beale Street, we ended up at Jerry Lee Lewis’s Café for a night cap. There was an amazing rockabilly band playing when we arrived, called Smooth and the Bully Boys.
We sat by the window and waited for a waitress that never came. When we went to the bar to get a drink, we were told we would just have to keep waiting at the table. We didn’t mind waiting because the music was so good, but it did take an awfully long time for two measly drinks. After the band finished, we ended our night back at the hotel with a game of rummy and a bottle of wine.

To Be Continued…

Walkin’ in Memphis, TN: Part 1

On October 13, 2015 By rebeccawanderlustingIn Tennessee, US Travel10 Comments

We left bright and early last Wednesday, with the car loaded up and plenty of coffee to keep us going. The drive to Memphis, TN took us eight hours. We passed small brush fires as we drove through Southern Illinois. Some were small and would probably put themselves out, but some we passed were scary big and had firetrucks rushing toward them.

I had never seen anything like it, the smoke was clouding up both sides of the highway. As we approached Memphis, we passed over the Mississippi River, with the huge glass pyramid Bass Pro Shop looming to our left. When we reached our hotel, we checked into our room, only to discover we were put into a room with double beds. This was one of the few reasons I was a little underwhelmed with the hotel. But, that’s what you get when you book budget I guess! We took solace in the fact that it was simply a place to sleep and we wouldn’t be spending much time there. Mike and I headed out to explore pretty quickly after checking in. We could see the river from right outside our hotel, and we passed some beautiful buildings and parks on our way to Main Street.

We had dinner at The Majestic Grille, a restaurant fashioned to look like an outdoor movie theater with palm trees and twinkly lights.
Sabrina (the original with Audrey Hepburn and Humphrey Bogart) played in the background as we waited 20 minutes for our beers to arrive. However, the trouble was soon forgotten when they brought over a basket of delicious, homemade bread. Our entrees were equally delicious. I had a grilled artichoke flatbread and Mike had a burger. After dinner, it was show time! We walked to the FedEx Forum, just off of Beale Street to enjoy the whole reason we were in Memphis in the first place: The Foo Fighters. Gary Clark Jr. opened and was fantastic. If you’ve never treated your ears to this man, you need to look him up immediately. The main event exceeded expectations.
They played a good mix of old and new tunes, and even did a couple covers. Halfway through, Dave Grohl invited an old Battle of the Bands foe to join him on stage, and they sang “Under Pressure”.

Earlier in the year, Mr. Grohl broke his leg, but instead of cancelling the tour, he had an amazing Rock ’n’ Roll throne made to play from. It was adorned with guitar necks and strobe lights, and had the Foo Fighter Logo emblazoned on the chair back. After the show, we hopped back over to Beale Street for some cheap drinks and Blues.

We went to Club 152, enchanted by the music coming from inside and happy about the no cover. After a while, we called it a night and wandered back to the hotel. The next morning, we went down to enjoy our free breakfast only to discover that it had already closed… at 9am. What?? So we walked over to Café Keough on Main Street for some coffee.
While the service wasn’t full of Southern Hospitality, the café was gorgeous, their menu was unique and my latte was superb. We walked through Memphis Park and over to the pedestrian walkway bridge that leads to Mud Island.

To go over to the island by foot is free, but the trolley and the tour are not. The island featured a Mississippi River museum ($10 for entry), a park, paddleboats, cafes, and a topographically accurate replica of the river from start to finish. The views from Mud Island were spectacular.
After we got our fill, we walked back to the mainland and over to Beale Street. We popped into some of the stores and sized up the bars for later. The whole scene was reminiscent of a mini Bourbon Street in NOLA (check out the New Orleans blog here). We went into the Gibson Factory to take a look around. Unfortunately all of the tours were sold out or cancelled, so Mike had to settle for drooling over the guitars in the gift shop. We went to the Rum Boogie Café for lunch, and it was my first Memphis barbecue experience.

I had BBQ pork with cole slaw and fried okra and Mike had a BLT with fried green tomatoes. Afterwards, we walked through some questionable territory to get to Sun Studios. A cab may have been a better choice, but it was definitely worth it. Sun Studios is a Memphis legend, it was the first studio to record Elvis Presley and was responsible for recording the first rock ‘n’ roll song “Rocket 88”.
Many amazing artists have walked through their doors, including: Howlin Wolf, Carl Perkins, Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Cash, and many more. The tour of the studio was $13, and worth every penny.

After dinner, we walked back to Beale Street and sat down at King’s Palace Café Blues Patio to listen to some good music and enjoy a Beale Big Ass Beer.

To Be Continued…