One year ago today: August 29, 2019, okay in concept . . .
Five years ago today: August 29, 2015, does get repetitious.
Nine years ago today: August 29, 2011, another guitar hopeful.
Random years ago today: August 29, 2012, the Da Vinci show.
It was a late getaway but we made it to Memphis. Knowing the place had partially re-opened, we spent the evening clubbing on Beale Street. It has been what, seven years this November? You can look it up, I was there a couple of days and did much the same thing, except I was alone. It’s a little over three hours from Nashville on I-40, more if you stop to water the doggies. Yep, they came along and you bet they got spoiled. We checked in and headed right for Beale, which is still under the carona virus edict that few want or asked for.
I remembered the Catfish at the Blues City Cafe, that was the first real stop on our agenda. My next surprise was that the Reb has never eaten real Cajun shrimp. If you insist, I’ll find a picture of that, but the blogworthy part is the shrimp was so good, it became the biggest meal I have ever seen the Reb eat. Alas, the wait to get a table was so long, we did not finish in time to grab a drink. The 10:00 curfew is enforced by half the Memphis police force.
It was some kind of heat wave and the crowds were sparse. Memory may fail me but it seems there are fewer bars and more souvenir shops. I got me a Memphis ball cap and the Reb stocked up on slogan tee shirts. Parking was the usual nightmare, the bar bands were top tier, and we got around to window shopping. The rip-off this time was the BB King Blues Club. All the doors are locked except one, and there was a doorman telling everybody to use the entrance around the corner
You climb this flight of stairs in that heat and find yourself in a restaurant type lounge on the second floor. There are far fewer beggars in the streets but they an be persistent. Walking a 52-lb cross seems to keep them away. TMOR if you evr visit a place like Beale Street or the French Quarter in New Orleans, keep advised these are not located in the best part of town This can get rough and tumble so stay just a wee bit on the alert.
Toy, 1909.
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Renting a room near downtown also let us walk around the area, although it was a ten minute hike to Main Street. The area is mostly the same as last time, Memphis seems to be a city that progress has not been kind to. They have a lot of great memorablia ranging from buildings to even the usual 1960s “clutter” look which they could probably preserve. They seem intent on bullcozing it all and throwing up condos, which are an architectural curse, both an eyesore and by attracting the bane of Americanism, the HOA. The past two generations further saw the rise of an increasingly definable “condo mentality”.
Here’s the intial view as we approached the west end of your famous Beale street. This is the BB King Club aforementioned. Yes, that is the Moon up above, we got there late as parking too time. And money. It’s not a full Moon yet, but a highly waxing gibbous. Quite the romantic setting for the one of the most unforgettablem what would you call it, a date? This was a trip that’s become an indelible part of our lives anyway
We got there late and some of my favorites were already shut, such as the Schwab soda fountain and specialty shopping. Fewer clubs had live bands, probably a virus thing, but the quality was the expected top-notch in what might be considered and “off-Nashville” location. I was unaware it could get that hot in Memphis, then again, I’ve never been there in the summer. The crowd had a local atmosphere.
The mandated early closing time meant we missed stopping for a nightcap. Other than downtown, the best area to drive past is Union Avenue, heading east from the Mississippi. It will be even better when they eventually ever finish paving it. The Sun recording studio whwere Beale and Union meet a half mile from Main is till there with the neon signs, but with the ack of parking we could not tell if it was open even as a museum.
Riverside Drive was closed to traffic. I guess the city was busy and forgot to mention that in their tourist guides, advertising, and newspapers. That’s the best way to see the Mississippi and also a pleasant walk. There were was a small parking lot just past Main but we opted for the drive past due to the heat. Also, Memphis seems to have an aversion to shade trees. If you just want to see the big river as it passes Memphis, your choices are limited
We decided to ride the trolley on Sunday. I took the dogs for an extra long walk, you might say they did their business on some choice real estate. As for the usually big Saturday night crowds, Beale was rather tame, but I hear there are more riots which to me represent the death throes of the political left. Hopefully, anyway.
