Friday, March 7, 2008
A Day and a Night in Boston.
Monday, March 3, 2008
Spray Paint Edifice in a Cow Pasture.
If the term “Mother Road” means anything to you other than the route to your parental unit’s home, you probably know about the Cadillac Ranch.
This uniquely American edifice stands proudly outside of Amarillo, Texas off of the south I-40 frontage road. Ten aching, tired, hollow Cadillac hulls stand morosely protruding from the ground in the middle of a cow field.
This particular frosty February Monday we were headed home from a drawn out trip to Las Vegas. The weather had been unpredictable and worrisome -- in the upper 60s when we left Las Vegas, the mid 60s when we hit Needles, the low 50s at London Bridge, and the mid 40s when we stopped for gas somewhere short of the Arizona-New Mexico border.
Right after the border crossing, flurries appeared, and we ended up staying overnight in Gallup, NM at a rather large and clean Best Western.
Up bright and early the next morning, we captured glimpses of the weather on the Internet (I suspect that the
weather prevented us from properly receiving a signal -- there was snow and ice out there, and chances are it had accumulated on some tower or another). We tried to decifer the Weather Channel and queried folks coming in through the lobby. But something was telling us it was time to go.
We hit the road around 10:30am, and attempted to make good time.
There is no quick way to travel to Little Rock from Gallup, New Mexico. It is a long journey, whether you’re headed east or west, and we found ourselves frequenting Dairy Queens along the way for the appropriate knoshes for the trip -
jalitos (jalapeno
strips
deep fried like onion rings), burgers, and ice cream creations we normally would not have considered.
As the hours and the miles slipped past, we crossed the Continental Divide, marveled at the beauty of Albuquerque’s interstate art, ogled the distant buttes and mountains sprinkled with snow, and found a few souvenirs to take home.
There was a point around I-40 mile marker 367 in New Mexico that both of us could have sworn the Texas border was moved just to irritate us.
As we crossed over, we kept track of the mile markers. We knew at sixty miles in, it was time to revisit old Route 66.
Turning off the pavement, sunlight escaped our path, and we peered distantly into the horizon to see if we could see the ten monoliths out in the cow pasture.
We weren’t disappointed.
About halfway between Exit 60 and 62 on the south side of the south frontage road, there’s a gateway that’s been graffitied up with all sorts of colors. Beyond it, lies a well traveled footpath, where tennis shoe treads and cow hoof prints intermingle on their way to Americana statuary.
We were here.
I jumped out of the car, leaving behind cell phone and computer, armed only with my hat, my scarf, and my trusty Nikon Coolpix. Time was short, the distance was far (about the length of a football field) and the sun was gone. I started snapping away as quickly as I could.
My traveling companion (my mom this time) had watched as I entered the field. She also noticed the same thing that I did -- that there was no fence to keep cows from people. And she noticed the lone cow that started to follow me.
So here we were, me walking fast and catching
distant pictures as I walked up to the attraction; a cow following me, what nefarious thoughts it must have had to remain concealed from my knowledge; and my mom, running after the cow. The cow veered off and left me alone.
I finally reached the ten
standing cars, and noticed right away something that shouldn’t have been right. Each of these desolate, abused vehicles has little left to show that they were cars, much less Cadillacs. But with the application of layers and layers of graffiti by folks
who have come by to make their own mark on history, they’ve gained a halo of color that rivals my own tie dyed path.
I tried several different exposures and settings with my camera, hoping to capture the best essence of the place without losing focus -- literally. I used the waning evening as a backdrop, letting the sun’s last rays filter through wheel hubs and window frames for the most appropriate shots.
As I snapped away, capturing as many shots as I could in my limited time, my hands started to tingle from the cold.
When we left out from Little Rock the Wednesday before, it was too
warm for my light jacket. Here I was in two jackets, two shirts, and two pairs of socks (yes, I was wearing jeans, too!) and my hands were left to handle the cold as I flicked around, moving and freezing, capturing more than 60 shots in about five minutes time.
I was thinking about my gloves, which I had left sitting on the back of the recliner when I left the house. Ah well.
In case you don’t know the history of the Cadillac Ranch, let me enlighten you a bit. It was originally erected way back in 1974 (in my first year of life!) by Stanley Marsh 3, who created this bit of
art along the road with the help of the San Francisco based Ant Farm, a collective of folks who wanted to represent the Golden Age of automobiles. In 1997, with Amarillo rapidly expanding westward, it was moved to a cow pasture further out. Every couple of years, all the cars are painted one single color (white, pink, or whatever suits someone’s fancy) to give artists a new, fresh canvas. They’re all standing at the same angle as the Great Pyramid of Giza in Egypt. Talk about your arty ideas.
There weren’t any signs to the site,
at least none that we could see. Just a brightly colored gate to a cow pasture.
As I headed out of the pasture, I looked up and noticed that someone had taken the back of the gate and written a salutation up there. It seemed like an appropriate end to the journey…
Except, I noticed this sign a few feet away from the gate and a similarly painted dumpster. I thought it might be interesting to show.
The sign reads:
State of Texas Property
Graffiti
Painting of anything on this side of the fence is illegal
You can find the Cadillac Ranch just to the west of Amarillo, Texas off the south frontage road of Interstate 40, halfway between exits 60 and 62. And if you bring spray paint, take your cans home with you. Along with your beer cans.
This uniquely American edifice stands proudly outside of Amarillo, Texas off of the south I-40 frontage road. Ten aching, tired, hollow Cadillac hulls stand morosely protruding from the ground in the middle of a cow field.This particular frosty February Monday we were headed home from a drawn out trip to Las Vegas. The weather had been unpredictable and worrisome -- in the upper 60s when we left Las Vegas, the mid 60s when we hit Needles, the low 50s at London Bridge, and the mid 40s when we stopped for gas somewhere short of the Arizona-New Mexico border.
Right after the border crossing, flurries appeared, and we ended up staying overnight in Gallup, NM at a rather large and clean Best Western.Up bright and early the next morning, we captured glimpses of the weather on the Internet (I suspect that the
weather prevented us from properly receiving a signal -- there was snow and ice out there, and chances are it had accumulated on some tower or another). We tried to decifer the Weather Channel and queried folks coming in through the lobby. But something was telling us it was time to go.
We hit the road around 10:30am, and attempted to make good time.There is no quick way to travel to Little Rock from Gallup, New Mexico. It is a long journey, whether you’re headed east or west, and we found ourselves frequenting Dairy Queens along the way for the appropriate knoshes for the trip -
jalitos (jalapeno
stripsdeep fried like onion rings), burgers, and ice cream creations we normally would not have considered.
As the hours and the miles slipped past, we crossed the Continental Divide, marveled at the beauty of Albuquerque’s interstate art, ogled the distant buttes and mountains sprinkled with snow, and found a few souvenirs to take home.
There was a point around I-40 mile marker 367 in New Mexico that both of us could have sworn the Texas border was moved just to irritate us.As we crossed over, we kept track of the mile markers. We knew at sixty miles in, it was time to revisit old Route 66.
Turning off the pavement, sunlight escaped our path, and we peered distantly into the horizon to see if we could see the ten monoliths out in the cow pasture.We weren’t disappointed.
About halfway between Exit 60 and 62 on the south side of the south frontage road, there’s a gateway that’s been graffitied up with all sorts of colors. Beyond it, lies a well traveled footpath, where tennis shoe treads and cow hoof prints intermingle on their way to Americana statuary.We were here.
I jumped out of the car, leaving behind cell phone and computer, armed only with my hat, my scarf, and my trusty Nikon Coolpix. Time was short, the distance was far (about the length of a football field) and the sun was gone. I started snapping away as quickly as I could.
My traveling companion (my mom this time) had watched as I entered the field. She also noticed the same thing that I did -- that there was no fence to keep cows from people. And she noticed the lone cow that started to follow me.So here we were, me walking fast and catching
distant pictures as I walked up to the attraction; a cow following me, what nefarious thoughts it must have had to remain concealed from my knowledge; and my mom, running after the cow. The cow veered off and left me alone.I finally reached the ten
standing cars, and noticed right away something that shouldn’t have been right. Each of these desolate, abused vehicles has little left to show that they were cars, much less Cadillacs. But with the application of layers and layers of graffiti by folks
who have come by to make their own mark on history, they’ve gained a halo of color that rivals my own tie dyed path.I tried several different exposures and settings with my camera, hoping to capture the best essence of the place without losing focus -- literally. I used the waning evening as a backdrop, letting the sun’s last rays filter through wheel hubs and window frames for the most appropriate shots.
As I snapped away, capturing as many shots as I could in my limited time, my hands started to tingle from the cold.
When we left out from Little Rock the Wednesday before, it was too
warm for my light jacket. Here I was in two jackets, two shirts, and two pairs of socks (yes, I was wearing jeans, too!) and my hands were left to handle the cold as I flicked around, moving and freezing, capturing more than 60 shots in about five minutes time.
I was thinking about my gloves, which I had left sitting on the back of the recliner when I left the house. Ah well.In case you don’t know the history of the Cadillac Ranch, let me enlighten you a bit. It was originally erected way back in 1974 (in my first year of life!) by Stanley Marsh 3, who created this bit of
art along the road with the help of the San Francisco based Ant Farm, a collective of folks who wanted to represent the Golden Age of automobiles. In 1997, with Amarillo rapidly expanding westward, it was moved to a cow pasture further out. Every couple of years, all the cars are painted one single color (white, pink, or whatever suits someone’s fancy) to give artists a new, fresh canvas. They’re all standing at the same angle as the Great Pyramid of Giza in Egypt. Talk about your arty ideas.There weren’t any signs to the site,
at least none that we could see. Just a brightly colored gate to a cow pasture.As I headed out of the pasture, I looked up and noticed that someone had taken the back of the gate and written a salutation up there. It seemed like an appropriate end to the journey…
Except, I noticed this sign a few feet away from the gate and a similarly painted dumpster. I thought it might be interesting to show.
The sign reads:State of Texas Property
Graffiti
Painting of anything on this side of the fence is illegal
You can find the Cadillac Ranch just to the west of Amarillo, Texas off the south frontage road of Interstate 40, halfway between exits 60 and 62. And if you bring spray paint, take your cans home with you. Along with your beer cans.
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Blowin' in the wind.
My travelin' companion (my mom) and I headed out to Las Vegas on Interstate 40 on a Wednesday morning in February. We planned to go as far as Flagstaff, AZ the first night, and made it in around midnight.We saw a lot of interesting things along the side of the road
-- a Horse Hotel, a Bug Yard (five hulking remains of Volkswagen Beetles on end), and remnants of Route 66. But one sight kept appearing all along our journey.
We saw the first one not far across the Oklahoma border. A few more here and there -- and then in a little town called Weatherford we were surrounded.By what, you may wonder?
By wind turbines.
The silent three-armed white giants dot the roadsides all along the I-40 corridor west of the Arkansas state line. They range in size from 30 feet tall to virtual giants, most of them white, all of them gracefully pawing at the air in slow, graceful arcs against the sky.
Weatherford seems to have more than its share of the giants.As we drove along I-40 into town, we noticed a series of wind turbines off in the distance. I was hoping for a closer look, and fortunately, I had my shot.
Each of the 98 wind turbines is 262 feet tall. The blades on each one are more than 122 feet long. The bases are 14 feet in diameter -- and each of these beauties can generate up to 147 megawatts of power. A computerized generator at the top of each one is set to angle the blades so they take the best of the wind each day.
FPL Energy and the Public Service Corporation of Oklahoma got together on the Weatherford Wind Center Project in 2005. Now it’s the eighth largest such operation in the nation, and it provides electricity to more than 44,000 homes.Weatherford didn’t appear to be that big of a town, and these silent giants seem a bit large. But they are graceful and beautiful -- and they’re not putting smoke into the air or using up coal or even nuclear power.
After a while, we passed into Texas, where even more wind turbines graced the fields on either side of the road. They provided a nice counterpoint to dull tan and green fields and a brilliant deep blue sky with its jet trails.As we passed into New Mexico and saw yet more of the silent giants, I started wondering…
Wind turbines aren’t just something that big cities and big corporations can afford. With a little help, the rest of us can, too. A residential wind turbine system costs an average of $6000 to $22,000 per home. That may seem like a lot right now, but think about your electric bill…
Seeing all those wind turbines spinning in the breeze like so many pinwheels in the sky, just made me wonder one thing.Why aren’t there any along Arkansas’ roadways?
Seems to me there’s plenty of wind available along I-40 and I-30 and Hgihway 65. I could envision the gentle giants peacefully spinning atop Crowley’s Ridge or out in the fields near Eudora, no sweat.
And there’s always a lot of wind at the Legislature to think about, too.
Just a thought to share from the road.
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Monday, February 25, 2008
A Day and a Night in Memphis
As seen in Today's Man magazine
Our new monthly travel column takes us to the Birthplace of the Blues, to share great ideas for your next trip across the Mississippi. Here are some of the great places to eat, stay, and be entertained during your downtown visit.
The Blue Plate Café on Poplar is a long-time Memphis staple. Now another location has been opened downtown at 113 South Court, just off the Main Street Trolley Line. You’ll still enjoy oversized portions of omelets, pancakes, flat waffles, biscuits, and more for undersized prices. 
Try the Huervos Rancheros ($7.59) for a new take on the classic -- eggs, cheese, and salsa on a crispy tortilla with black beans and cheese on the side. Comes with biscuits and your choice of pancakes, grits, or hash browns. Opens at 8am every day. Call (901) 523-2050.
Alcenia’s is home to incredible Southern home cooking, with hand-battered fried chicken, excellent pork chops, and tasty fried or baked catfish ($7.25-8.50). The side items are full of spices and flavor -- and you get two with your order. Be sure to get the cornbread rolls -- they’re sweet and hearty. 
This home cookin’ shop with soul also shares some of the richest desserts you’ll find downtown -- and everything‘s served on colorful plastic ware that matches the bright kitchy décor. Find it at the north end of the Trolley line, at 317 North Main (just north of I-40). Open 11am-5pm Tuesday-Friday and 8am-5pm Saturday. Try the Saturday brunch, with excellent salmon croquettes! (901) 523-0200.
Big Foot Lodge is a new entry to the Memphis eatery scene… but it’s sure to become a big hit. The restaurant’s unusual Canada-meets-Memphis fare is full of savory goodness. Hits include deep fried Cornish game hen, BBQ Egg Rolls, and Corn Brats (a different take on corndogs) -- but it’s best known for the Sasquatch Burger, a mammoth four pounds of 
meat and three and a half pounds of bread and veggies that you get for free if you eat it in under an hour. Only one person has succeeded… so far. Open 11am to 2:30am, seven days a week. It’s across the block from the Peabody Place Retain and Entertainment Complex at 97 South 2nd Street. (901) 578-9808.
And if you’re searching out martinis and sushi late night, try Swig’sThe eclectic modern addition at 100 Peabody Place boasts of a martini list more than 70 martinis strong, as well as an additional mixed drink and cognac list. The sushi bar’s menu is also extensive, with over 40 offerings. 
Try the Surf and Turf roll for a delicious late night repast. Live music offered most nights. Open 3pm to late, (901) 522-8515.
Lodging - The Secret
One of the best kept secrets in Memphis, the Talbot Heirs Guesthouse is literally in the middle of everything. This eight suite boutique hotel is across the street from the Peabody, on the same block as the Big Foot Lodge, and two blocks to Beale Street.
Rooms are large and spacious, with living areas and full kitchens and baths. One suite features a grand piano once owned by Bobby Whitlock of Derek and the Dominoes. Gracious hosts Tom and Sandy Franck greet guests at the door and help with luggage.
Kitchens are stocked with water, juice, and breakfast items like yogurt and biscotti. With advance notice, your kitchen can be stocked the way you like (for an additional charge). There’s a loaning library of DVDs and CDs, with stereos and DVD players in each suite.
You can even request a piece of exercise equipment. Free local calls and internet access (both Ethernet and WiFi available). Rooms run $130 to 275 a night. 99 South Second Street, (800) 955-3956.
Lodging - The Traditional
You can still watch the ducks at the Peabody Hotel. The Memphis landmark still offers comfortable accommodations for those traveling through -- along with a selection of fine dining opportunities. Originally opened in 1925, Belz Enterprises renovated the hotel in 1981 and reopened it.
Today, the hotel boasts of 468 guest rooms, lots of places to shop, and two restaurants -- Capriccio’s Grill and the world class Chez Philipe. Rates start at $200 a night. 149 Union Avenue, (901) 529-4000.
Lodging - The Bargain
If you’re more concerned with location than frills, check out the Sleep Inn at Court Square. This budget minded option is located right on the Main Street Trolley Line, just six blocks from the Beale Street Entertainment District, four blocks from Autozone Park, and steps away from the Blue Plate Café. Though the rooms are small, they come well equipped for business travelers, and the staff is courteous and generous. Rates run around $110 a night, but are sometimes cheaper during low-traffic days. 40 North Front Street, (901) 522-9700 or www.sleepinn.com.
Entertainment:
There’s no such thing as being too old to have fun. Jillian’s at Peabody Place caters to those folks who don’t want to grow up. Three stories are packed with every sort of game you might want to play -- whether it’s Skee-Ball and video games, pool, virtual
racing, basketball, or bowling.
The ultra-hip bowling alley in the basement features oodles of video screens, a rainbow-hued martini bar, and neon colored bowling balls -- a cool scene for hep cats any night of the week. You'll find this playground for
adults inside the Peabody Place Retail and Entertainment Complex.
Speaking of the Peabody Place Retail and Entertainment Complex, it’s also home to lots of shops, Dan McGuinness Pub (which was built in Ireland and shipped over to be reassembled in Memphis), and the Muvico Theater, a 14 theater complex that features a 550 seat, 60 foot tall large-screen theater. 150 Peabody Place.
The Memphis Rock ‘n’ Soul Museum celebrates the music born in Memphis and the South, tracing its roots from cotton fields and rural farmhouses into the city and through the years. Here you will find costumes, musical instruments, and personal effects of such stars as Minnie Pearl, Carl Perkins, and Isaac Hayes. Be sure to check out the large selection of jukeboxes through the years. The address for the museum is 191 Beale Street -- but the facility is actually located right by the FedEx Forum, about a half block off. $12 admission. (901) 205-2533 or www.memphisrocknsoul.org.
The best souvenirs:
Need something? Whether it’s soap or underwear, unusual souvenirs or incense, washtubs or flip-flops, you’ll find it at A. Schwab’s Dry Goods Store on Beale Street. This throwback has been in business since 1876. The family has been running it all this time. In the back, on the landing
between the first and
second floors, you’ll find a virtual museum of antique cash registers, clothing, and newspaper articles from more than 130 years of business. Whether it’s a hat for Sunday meetin’, an Elvis necktie or a novelty hat, you’ll find that perfect gift for the one you love here. 163 Beale Street. (901) 523-9782.
Looking for something a little more unique? You can’t go wrong at the Center for Southern Folklore. The gift shop on the Main Street Mall features works from local and regional artists in all sorts of fashion, from hand-thrown pottery to original paintings to quilts and pillows made from Crown Royal
bottles. Local musicians often come play on the small stage in the shop. Further back in the building, there’s a separate café and performance stage, colorful and bright and rentable for your next business conference or gathering. And it’s the one place in Memphis where you can enjoy
great music, a cyber café, and a Moon Pie Sundae, all in the same place. (901)525-3655.
Things you should know
Trolley fare is $1 a trip, but you can purchase an all-day pass for $3.50. The Main Street Trolley runs within three blocks of most of the major hotels in downtown Memphis. Trolleys run every 11 minutes between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. and every 25 minutes between 6 p.m. and 11:45 p.m.
There is an active campaign underway to curtail panhandling downtown. Old parking meters have been set up in various locations for change donation that is distributed to area charities.
There are few places to park for free downtown. However, the restaurants and attractions mentioned in A Day And A Night In Memphis are all located within easy walking distance of most hotels. Parking ranges from 20 cents for 25 minutes to $10 for some parking decks.
Signs that read “Be Nice Or Leave” can be found all over downtown Memphis. They are the brainchild of New Orleans resident Dr. Bob, who was relocated to Memphis after Hurricane Katrina. His artwork and signs are available for sale at the Center for Southern Folklore.
For downtown visitors who need quick groceries or toiletry items, a Walgreens store is located on the Main Street Trolley Line at #2 North Main Street.
Our new monthly travel column takes us to the Birthplace of the Blues, to share great ideas for your next trip across the Mississippi. Here are some of the great places to eat, stay, and be entertained during your downtown visit.
The Blue Plate Café on Poplar is a long-time Memphis staple. Now another location has been opened downtown at 113 South Court, just off the Main Street Trolley Line. You’ll still enjoy oversized portions of omelets, pancakes, flat waffles, biscuits, and more for undersized prices. 
Try the Huervos Rancheros ($7.59) for a new take on the classic -- eggs, cheese, and salsa on a crispy tortilla with black beans and cheese on the side. Comes with biscuits and your choice of pancakes, grits, or hash browns. Opens at 8am every day. Call (901) 523-2050.
Alcenia’s is home to incredible Southern home cooking, with hand-battered fried chicken, excellent pork chops, and tasty fried or baked catfish ($7.25-8.50). The side items are full of spices and flavor -- and you get two with your order. Be sure to get the cornbread rolls -- they’re sweet and hearty. 
This home cookin’ shop with soul also shares some of the richest desserts you’ll find downtown -- and everything‘s served on colorful plastic ware that matches the bright kitchy décor. Find it at the north end of the Trolley line, at 317 North Main (just north of I-40). Open 11am-5pm Tuesday-Friday and 8am-5pm Saturday. Try the Saturday brunch, with excellent salmon croquettes! (901) 523-0200.
Big Foot Lodge is a new entry to the Memphis eatery scene… but it’s sure to become a big hit. The restaurant’s unusual Canada-meets-Memphis fare is full of savory goodness. Hits include deep fried Cornish game hen, BBQ Egg Rolls, and Corn Brats (a different take on corndogs) -- but it’s best known for the Sasquatch Burger, a mammoth four pounds of 
meat and three and a half pounds of bread and veggies that you get for free if you eat it in under an hour. Only one person has succeeded… so far. Open 11am to 2:30am, seven days a week. It’s across the block from the Peabody Place Retain and Entertainment Complex at 97 South 2nd Street. (901) 578-9808.
And if you’re searching out martinis and sushi late night, try Swig’sThe eclectic modern addition at 100 Peabody Place boasts of a martini list more than 70 martinis strong, as well as an additional mixed drink and cognac list. The sushi bar’s menu is also extensive, with over 40 offerings. 
Try the Surf and Turf roll for a delicious late night repast. Live music offered most nights. Open 3pm to late, (901) 522-8515.
Lodging - The Secret One of the best kept secrets in Memphis, the Talbot Heirs Guesthouse is literally in the middle of everything. This eight suite boutique hotel is across the street from the Peabody, on the same block as the Big Foot Lodge, and two blocks to Beale Street.
Rooms are large and spacious, with living areas and full kitchens and baths. One suite features a grand piano once owned by Bobby Whitlock of Derek and the Dominoes. Gracious hosts Tom and Sandy Franck greet guests at the door and help with luggage.
Kitchens are stocked with water, juice, and breakfast items like yogurt and biscotti. With advance notice, your kitchen can be stocked the way you like (for an additional charge). There’s a loaning library of DVDs and CDs, with stereos and DVD players in each suite.
You can even request a piece of exercise equipment. Free local calls and internet access (both Ethernet and WiFi available). Rooms run $130 to 275 a night. 99 South Second Street, (800) 955-3956.
Lodging - The Traditional You can still watch the ducks at the Peabody Hotel. The Memphis landmark still offers comfortable accommodations for those traveling through -- along with a selection of fine dining opportunities. Originally opened in 1925, Belz Enterprises renovated the hotel in 1981 and reopened it.
Today, the hotel boasts of 468 guest rooms, lots of places to shop, and two restaurants -- Capriccio’s Grill and the world class Chez Philipe. Rates start at $200 a night. 149 Union Avenue, (901) 529-4000.
Lodging - The Bargain If you’re more concerned with location than frills, check out the Sleep Inn at Court Square. This budget minded option is located right on the Main Street Trolley Line, just six blocks from the Beale Street Entertainment District, four blocks from Autozone Park, and steps away from the Blue Plate Café. Though the rooms are small, they come well equipped for business travelers, and the staff is courteous and generous. Rates run around $110 a night, but are sometimes cheaper during low-traffic days. 40 North Front Street, (901) 522-9700 or www.sleepinn.com.
Entertainment:There’s no such thing as being too old to have fun. Jillian’s at Peabody Place caters to those folks who don’t want to grow up. Three stories are packed with every sort of game you might want to play -- whether it’s Skee-Ball and video games, pool, virtual
racing, basketball, or bowling.The ultra-hip bowling alley in the basement features oodles of video screens, a rainbow-hued martini bar, and neon colored bowling balls -- a cool scene for hep cats any night of the week. You'll find this playground for
adults inside the Peabody Place Retail and Entertainment Complex.
Speaking of the Peabody Place Retail and Entertainment Complex, it’s also home to lots of shops, Dan McGuinness Pub (which was built in Ireland and shipped over to be reassembled in Memphis), and the Muvico Theater, a 14 theater complex that features a 550 seat, 60 foot tall large-screen theater. 150 Peabody Place.
The Memphis Rock ‘n’ Soul Museum celebrates the music born in Memphis and the South, tracing its roots from cotton fields and rural farmhouses into the city and through the years. Here you will find costumes, musical instruments, and personal effects of such stars as Minnie Pearl, Carl Perkins, and Isaac Hayes. Be sure to check out the large selection of jukeboxes through the years. The address for the museum is 191 Beale Street -- but the facility is actually located right by the FedEx Forum, about a half block off. $12 admission. (901) 205-2533 or www.memphisrocknsoul.org.The best souvenirs:
Need something? Whether it’s soap or underwear, unusual souvenirs or incense, washtubs or flip-flops, you’ll find it at A. Schwab’s Dry Goods Store on Beale Street. This throwback has been in business since 1876. The family has been running it all this time. In the back, on the landing
between the first andsecond floors, you’ll find a virtual museum of antique cash registers, clothing, and newspaper articles from more than 130 years of business. Whether it’s a hat for Sunday meetin’, an Elvis necktie or a novelty hat, you’ll find that perfect gift for the one you love here. 163 Beale Street. (901) 523-9782.
Looking for something a little more unique? You can’t go wrong at the Center for Southern Folklore. The gift shop on the Main Street Mall features works from local and regional artists in all sorts of fashion, from hand-thrown pottery to original paintings to quilts and pillows made from Crown Royal
bottles. Local musicians often come play on the small stage in the shop. Further back in the building, there’s a separate café and performance stage, colorful and bright and rentable for your next business conference or gathering. And it’s the one place in Memphis where you can enjoy
great music, a cyber café, and a Moon Pie Sundae, all in the same place. (901)525-3655.
Things you should knowTrolley fare is $1 a trip, but you can purchase an all-day pass for $3.50. The Main Street Trolley runs within three blocks of most of the major hotels in downtown Memphis. Trolleys run every 11 minutes between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. and every 25 minutes between 6 p.m. and 11:45 p.m.
There is an active campaign underway to curtail panhandling downtown. Old parking meters have been set up in various locations for change donation that is distributed to area charities.
There are few places to park for free downtown. However, the restaurants and attractions mentioned in A Day And A Night In Memphis are all located within easy walking distance of most hotels. Parking ranges from 20 cents for 25 minutes to $10 for some parking decks.
Signs that read “Be Nice Or Leave” can be found all over downtown Memphis. They are the brainchild of New Orleans resident Dr. Bob, who was relocated to Memphis after Hurricane Katrina. His artwork and signs are available for sale at the Center for Southern Folklore.
For downtown visitors who need quick groceries or toiletry items, a Walgreens store is located on the Main Street Trolley Line at #2 North Main Street.
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