memphis | september 2016
Imagine the husband of one of your best friends contacting you in the middle of a work day. What would you do? I immediately panicked, thinking something might be wrong with her or the twins.
Turns out Steph's husband just had some unused airline vouchers that were about to expire and he wanted to send her on a surprise girls' trip. Was I interested? Ummmm, yes! Have you met me?
(I will also clarify that I have a bit of an overactive, slightly anxious imagination)
He actually ended up telling her about the trip, so we were able to decide on a destination together. Our mutual requirements were simple: easily walkable and/or cheap Uber rides and great food and booze. As it turns out, Memphis fit the bill perfectly.
where to stay in memphis
I'm a HUGE fan of AirBnB and other "home hosting" options. I feel like more often than not, you get a more authentic experience when you step outside of the chain hotel option. I found this adorable apartment located in Midtown. The neighborhood, near Overton Park, is well-developed with some fantastic old houses and and is centrally located to all of the fun neighborhoods. There was lots of space for our belongings and we had plenty of privacy. If you're in town, you should check out Leanna & Graham's place. We had a blast there.
Other neighborhoods worth considering: Cooper-Young and Downtown.
where to eat and drink in memphis
Memphis is known of being one of the four barbecue hubs in the United States (the other three being Texas, Kansas City, and the Carolinas). While I can say that I love me some barbecue, I wasn't sure what else Memphis would have to offer. Needless to say, I was pleasantly surprised.
rum boogie | 182 beale street
After checking out our options along Beale Street our first night in town, we settled on Rum Boogie. I was a little irked at a cover charge (we were eating in!), but they had two live bands going so I wasn't going to complain. We split an amazing (and massive) plate of barbecue and got to watch a really fun band named FreeWorld. They indulged my request for a little Texas blues with some Stevie Ray Vaughan, even surprising me that they knew "Life By The Drop." I took lots of photos and videos to send home to a (semi) jealous Man Friend. Because that's the kind of wife I am...he loves me anyway.
beauty shop | 966 cooper street
Nestled in the heart of the Cooper-Young neighborhood, Beauty Shop is an absolutely perfect local brunch spot. Steph and I split the "double dutch" bread, which was topped with ricotta, honey, nectarines, and (surprisingly) mint. Don't miss the Beneduck, a southern take on eggs benedict. Two poached eggs, arugula, jalapeño jam, hollandaise, and (yep) fried duck. The shrimp & grits were pretty tasty, too.
robata ramen and yakatori bar | 2116 madison avenue
While I think Steph was a little put off that we weren't eating barbecue for every meal (ha!), we both really liked this place. The "cafeteria" style ramen options allow you to choose you own adventure with your soup. We both ordered the miso tonkotsu, but chose different add-in's (steer clear of the tofu...it was cold, straight out of the fridge). While the service wasn't the best, we were there late for a Sunday evening. I would have wanted to head home, too.
memphis made brewing company | 768 s. cooper street
While only open Friday-Sunday, Memphis Made was a perfect post-brunch pit-stop. Gotta keep the party going. There were about 10 beers on tap and the flights weren't horribly priced (four 4-ounce beers for $8). Steph and I each ordered a glass each and split a flight. We much preferred our full-sized glasses (check out the Fireside Amber) to anything that we tried in the flight, but it's definitely worth a stop. The crew was friendly and interesting to chat with about life around Memphis.
cafe eclectic | 603 n. mclean blvd
Steph and I went here for a quick mini-breakfast on our last day. We had a pretty full schedule: breakfast, eat barbecue again, Graceland, eat, drink, early bedtime. Cafe Eclectic was recommended by our airplane seat mate, who lives in the area. We each had delicious chai lattes and split a sinfully gooey cinnamon roll (in addition to each ordering another small pastry). The staff was friendly and there were plenty of options.
what to do in memphis
If you can't find something to do in Memphis, then you're boring AF. Sorry, but it's true. There are all sorts of great places to check out, some of which are going on my list for my next trip (the Civil Rights Museum and an actual tour of Sun Records).
beale street
Steph and I made our way to Beale Street on our first night in town. I wasn't quite sure what to expect. It ended up being a much more tamed down version of Austin's 6th Street and New Orlean's Bourbon Street. However, it had plenty of food, bars, and shops to choose from. Definitely check out old fashioned soda fountain/drug store/gift shop A. Schwab's, too. It's a blast from the past.
burke's book store | 936 s. cooper street
Always a bookworm at heart, I wasn't about to pass up a trip into an independent bookstore. Burke's is filled with new and old, rare and random. Steph and I both ended up buying books for the kiddos in our lives, but I'm sure we could have paid the mortgage on that place for a month if we'd spent more time browsing.
levitt shell | 1928 poplar avenue
When our hostess, Leanna, mentioned that there are free (HELLO!) lawn concerts on Saturdays and Sundays at "The Shell," we couldn't resist! We saw Delta Rae, a southern rock-folk band reminiscent of Fleetwood Mac. I remember their song "Bottom Of The River," but was kind of disappointed in their more recent stuff. However, we had a good time and I love a great local music scene.
graceland | elvis presley blvd.
As you know, I don't do touristy stuff. However, you can't miss an opportunity to see an American landmark. While the tour itself was self-paced and fairly pricy, it was interesting to see all of the records and costumes and to learn a little history about The King of Rock & Roll. The place is a well-oiled machine, so plan to spend 3-5 hours there if you want to see it all or just be more leisurely.
Steph and I both purchased the book 10 Little Elvi, because who doesn't want their kid learning how to count with Elvis?
Where to next time, Steph? Thanks for such a fun trip, gal!
best friends + food + booze = memories
