Tag Archives: Memphis

Scary Places: The Orpheum Theater in Memphis, Tennessee

Since I am doing the “Scary Places” series, I figured I would toot my own hometown’s horn and talk about one of its scariest places, the Orpheum Theater in downtown Memphis, Tennessee. Most Memphians are aware of the story of Mary. It is even said that she has a favorite seat – C-5. The Orpheum was built in 1890. However, that original building burnt to the ground in 1923. It was rebuilt and the “new” Orpheum was completed in 1928. It was after the rebuild that reports of a ghost named Mary started to surface. Mary is a little girl … Continue reading →

B.B. King Gains a Museum while Elvis Loses One

Legendary bluesman B.B. King has gotten his own museum in Indianola, Mississippi, his home town. You may not have heard of Indianola, it is a tiny town of just over 12,000. But they rolled out the carpet for their favorite son with a $15 million dollar B.B. King and Delta Interpretative Center. B.B. said that he hopes the museum will be used to education the young and old about the origins of the blues. The 20,000 square foot museum is a mixture of the new (with touch screen interactivity) and the old (vinyl records and yellowed, faded recording contracts from … Continue reading →

Finger Lickin’ Good Times on the Road

May is National BBQ Month and to celebrate I would love nothing more than to make a lifelong dream of mine come true. Regular readers of this blog know that I have fantasized of crisscrossing the country in search of the nation’s best ribs. But with gas prices nearing record highs it looks like my dream trip will be put on the back burner for at least another year. However, if you have the time, money and appetite there’s no stopping you from heading out to some of the country’s biggest cookouts. I’m not just talking about any ol’ barbeque; … Continue reading →

The Death of Dr. Martin Luther King

Today is the forty anniversary of the assassination of civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King. I remember the date primarily from the U2 song “Pride (In the Name of Love):” Early morning, April 4 Shot rings out in the Memphis sky Free at last, they took your life They could not take your pride Today in Memphis (my hometown) presidential candidates (Hilary Clinton and John McCain), civil rights leaders, labor activists, and citizens are meeting in Memphis to march in honor of Dr. King and his accomplishments. For those that don’t remember (I was only 5 in 1968, so … Continue reading →

Where to Spend Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Other Vacation Options

In three days the United States will honor Martin Luther King Jr. on what would have been the civil rights leader’s 79th birthday. Festivities marking the occasion are planned throughout the country with larger celebrations taking place at major civil rights landmarks. Organizers of this weekend’s Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebrations expect an attendance boost because of the presidential primaries and the way his legacy has played a role in the campaign. In addition, this year marks the 40th anniversary of King’s death. “Remember! Celebrate! Act! A Day On, Not a Day Off,” is this year’s theme for various … Continue reading →

It’s Elvis Week!

Okay, if you are not an Elvis fan, you may not be aware of the fact that it is Elvis Week! Yes, only the King of Rock-n-Roll would be allowed not just a day, but a whole week for fans to celebrate his greatness. Being a native Memphian, I have to admit that I have been to several Elvis Week events in the past. If you have never been to Graceland during Elvis Week, it is certainly an experience. First off, there are many people from around the world that converge on Memphis during this time. If you are wondering … Continue reading →

Elvis Week In Memphis

My dad has always made a big deal of the fact that I was born on August 16th—the same day (though different year) that Elvis Presley died. (For the record the legendary singer died on August 16, 1977—-I was born a few years prior.) While my dad has made the trip to Graceland, I have never toured the mansion myself. If you too have never been to Elvis’ home, you may want to make plans to go this year. Memphis is planning to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the icon’s death with an entire week of Elvis related festivities from … Continue reading →

Big Changes In The Works At Graceland

Memphis, Tennessee is gearing up to host an onslaught of visitors in the next couple of weeks. Thousands of Elvis Presley fans who have saved up vacation time in order to take their annual trips to Graceland will want to take lots of pictures of their visit. Those shots may be worth a lot of money in the near future. Visitors can offer them as “before” pictures to collectors who are documenting the major overhaul planned for Presley’s famous home. Managers of the late legend’s estate want to add a new visitors center (roughly the size of a football field), … Continue reading →

Memphis for a Day

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Memphis is a pretty cool town. While you may not find it ideal for an extended stay, a day or two. or a long weekend could be perfect. The city of Memphis can provide your family with a steamboat full of fun activities. The city is steeped in history, be it the civil right movement, the site of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination or the musical styling of B.B. King, Johnny Cash and some dude named Elvis (among many other legendary performers), and should provide an exciting weekend for families interested in music, American history and amazing food. The … Continue reading →

The Best Japanese Restaurants in Memphis – Nagasaki Inn

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Even though Memphis is in the heart of the South, it has many great ethnic restaurants. Maybe it is because there is such a blend of people that call Memphis home. There are many great Japanese restaurants in Memphis, but my personal favorite is the Nagasaki Inn at 3951 Summer Avenue. It is located in an older part of Memphis, so many people forget about it, but it has a great, relaxed atmosphere, great service and prices, and best of all, great food! Nagasaki Inn specializes in teppanyaki cooking. Teppanyaki cooking is the art of cooking foods on a large … Continue reading →