One final night in Memphis
After three great nights in New Orleans, it was time to leave The Big Easy and head back north. With a 12-hour drive back home, it had been an easy decision to plan one more night in Memphis on the trip back to Illinois. This time, however, I upgraded our Memphis hotel accommodations to the Sheraton Memphis Downtown after getting a pretty good rate on Hotwire.
We got to Memphis in the early evening and, after checking in at the hotel and dumping off our luggage, proceeded to Beale Street. Thank goodness my kids got to experience the real Beale Street this time as it was a Friday night. We ate a the Tin Roof, which apparently was a Hard Rock Café in a previous life. It was kind of fun eating there as the entertainment for the night was a country music singer -- not exactly the Memphis jazz experience one would expect. And ... my family is not exactly a country music family! The food was great, however, and of course, so was the beer.
The atmosphere on Beale Street that night was what I have always experienced in the past. I'm glad my kids got to experience it, as well as some of the fun places on Beale Street like Tater Red's Lucky Mojos -- a cool souvenir and voodoo shop. It was a fun night for the family.
The next morning we checked out of our hotel and headed to one of my favorite barbecue places in town -- Tom's Barbecue and Deli. The food was pretty good, but not the totally excellent experience like I had the last time I was there. And actually, despite have barbecue at many places in Memphis, my all-time barbecue place is actually located in the southwest Chicago suburbs!
We finally got on the road for the last leg of our trip and would up back home in the early evening.
With our kids getting older and knowing that the day will soon be coming when our two oldest likely move out of the area, Mrs. lightning had suggested that we take what might be the last family vacation with all of us going. Whether it is or not, it was a great time for all. The trip, along with the shared experience of having our family dog put to sleep a few days before the trip, seemed to deepen those important family bonds. And really, when you come down to it for most people, shouldn't that be about the most important thing?
We got to Memphis in the early evening and, after checking in at the hotel and dumping off our luggage, proceeded to Beale Street. Thank goodness my kids got to experience the real Beale Street this time as it was a Friday night. We ate a the Tin Roof, which apparently was a Hard Rock Café in a previous life. It was kind of fun eating there as the entertainment for the night was a country music singer -- not exactly the Memphis jazz experience one would expect. And ... my family is not exactly a country music family! The food was great, however, and of course, so was the beer.
The atmosphere on Beale Street that night was what I have always experienced in the past. I'm glad my kids got to experience it, as well as some of the fun places on Beale Street like Tater Red's Lucky Mojos -- a cool souvenir and voodoo shop. It was a fun night for the family.
The next morning we checked out of our hotel and headed to one of my favorite barbecue places in town -- Tom's Barbecue and Deli. The food was pretty good, but not the totally excellent experience like I had the last time I was there. And actually, despite have barbecue at many places in Memphis, my all-time barbecue place is actually located in the southwest Chicago suburbs!
We finally got on the road for the last leg of our trip and would up back home in the early evening.
With our kids getting older and knowing that the day will soon be coming when our two oldest likely move out of the area, Mrs. lightning had suggested that we take what might be the last family vacation with all of us going. Whether it is or not, it was a great time for all. The trip, along with the shared experience of having our family dog put to sleep a few days before the trip, seemed to deepen those important family bonds. And really, when you come down to it for most people, shouldn't that be about the most important thing?
posted by lightning36 at 10:13 AM
5 Comments:
I still can't believe you took a family vacation without Tony. As much as you go out of your way to see him and spend time with him, he's basically like family, no??
I was outvoted 4-1.
Seems like you have a great relationship with your kids. That's awesome. It took me many years after I left home to truly appreciate my parents. Back when I was in high school I did not enjoy spending time with them, or taking family trips. You have something special!
"fun places on Beale Street like Tater Red's Lucky Mojos"
Never been there, but I like the name!
"my all-time barbecue place is actually located in the southwest Chicago suburbs"
Absolute unmitigated heresy!
It's a shame that you were outvoted, since Tony doesn't travel much. Good trip...
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