We had some good ol' southern fun in Nashville and Memphis this past week. Really friendly people, yummy food, and just a ton of music everywhere. Having two kids and two teetotaler grandparents along limited the music joints we went to, but we still got plenty of country and blues and rock music in, and of course lots of food. Because that's how we roll (literally, after all that rich southern food).
We started our trip in Nashville. Our first morning, we went to the Nashville Farmers Market, where we got a few souvenirs and talked to a local artist. The food looked yummy, but since we had a food tour coming up, we stuck to the arts and crafts.
We then visited the replica of the Parthenon. Even though the kids have actually been to the REAL Parthenon, they were actually more excited about this one, since it was featured in a Percy Jackson movie.
This is also where our "wait while Ellie takes endless selfies" extravaganza began. I'll spare you the photos of her doing gymnastics in front of the Athena statue.
We then headed over to "SoBro," or South of Broadway, for our first food tour. The tour featured a lot of 'farm to table' cuisine, including this yummy taco.
Although the food tour included some trendy cuisine, it also included plenty of good ol' southern food, like these ribs and brisket.
You don't want to get between Ellie and some barbecue. It wouldn't be pretty.
Our tour included another farm-to-table restaurant called Harvest, where we got some chicken wings, deviled eggs, and a mocktail.
And don't forget these yummy tacos - and no complaints about the margaritas that came with them!
Our tour ended at Goo Goo's - and oh, my, I'm not sure how I've lived so long without goo goo clusters. I could have eaten my weight in goo goo clusters (and am sporting a few extra lbs thanks to them).
We brought some goo goos home for our friends - but, well, not ALL of them made it home. I'm only human, people!
After our food tour, we needed to walk off a bit of that food, so we strolled across the pedestrian bridge.
There's my handsome boy!
And my handsome man!
After we crossed back over the bridge, we decided to stroll down Broadway. And what did we encounter but a big ol' boot store - Jared's dad picked up some new boots, and I got my very first pair (ankle boots, granted, but hey, they still look kinda country!).
Most of the bars and restaurants were "adult"ish by this point of the evening, so we just strolled up and down Broadway. They all keep their doors open so you can hear the live music (and there was live music EVERYWHERE), so that was a lot of fun.
We even stopped by the famous Tootsies.
The next morning, we headed out to Hermitage, the home of Andrew Jackson.
This is Ellie giving her best 'musty crusty' look. Yeah, she's a bit too practiced in that look.
After Hermitage, we headed off on our second food tour - this in the Eastern part of Nashville. We started out with some freshly made soup and salad.
Then had some surprisingly good pizza.
These empanadas were also delicious - we even bought a couple of jars of the chef's chimichurri sauce.
And look at this cute little place - it's a hot dog stand.
I'm not a huge fan of hot dogs, but that mac and cheese one was yummy.
Finally, you guessed it, dessert - specifically, waffle "mondaes" - this was a maple one -a bit sweet, but still yummy.
Jack loved the free arcade games they had there.
We don't have photos of our evening activity, but it was lovely - a concert by Vince Gill and Amy Grant. It was a wonderful concert.
The next morning, it was time to head over to Memphis. But before doing so, we decided to check off another southern state, by driving into Mississippi. We stopped for lunch at a "meat and three" restaurant - that's meat and three veggies, although their use of the term veggie is a bit broad, and included mac and cheese, and every vegetable either fried or cooked in bacon fat. But don't think that's me complaining. They were delicious, even if I could feel my arteries clogging as we ate.
Then, my friends, it was time for The King's residence, Graceland.
Although the entrance fee was ridiculously expensive, the experience didn't disappoint - after all, we got to see the Jungle Room! Who doesn't want their own jungle room, complete with green shag carpeting ... on the ceiling?
The kids weren't quite sure what to make of this room - me, I took notes. Jungle Room, people! We must all have a Jungle Room!
We also got to tour Elvis's two planes, including the Lisa Marie.
After Graceland, we figured we could check off yet another southern state, and drove into Arkansas for some ice cream. Then, it was off to our hotel in Memphis.
The next morning, we started our day with a tour of Sun Studio.
That's right, THE Sun Studio, where music legends like Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Johnny Cash got their starts.
There's our guitar player with a bunch of guitars that I did NOT steal, although I was tempted.
We even got a chance to use a microphone that had been used by all of those famous musicians - have you figured out that I was a bit starstruck?
Jack discovered that these musicians were clearly over 5 ft tall.
Grandma even got in on the act.
As did Grandpa.
Then it was off to the famous Arcade restaurant (featured in a bunch of movies) for some lunch.
I got the yummy sweet potato pancakes, but of course we had to try a bit of fried peanut butter and banana sandwich.
Our day in Memphis also included a trip to the National Civil Rights Museum, which is located in the motel where Martin Luther King was murdered.
This exhibit talks about the Montgomery bus boycott.
On our way back through town, we strolled down Beale Street.
Then it was on to the Peabody Hotel to watch the famous duck march, where the hotel's ducks march from their habitat up in the Penthouse down to the lobby fountain (in the morning), then back up to their habitat (in the evening).
After some burgers and games in the hotel room, it was off to bed, so we could head out of town the next morning. A short trip, but full of good food, good music, and plenty of friendly people.
