Graceland | Memphis, Tennessee

Saturday - 8 May 2004 - Memphis, Tennessee: Ladies & Gentlemen... Terry has entered the Building! Today we went to Graceland! It was going to be a very hot and humid day, so we went over early. Actually, Graceland is just across the street from the Graceland RV Park, so it wasn't even much trouble. We walked across a parking lot to the Elvis Presley Pavilion, paid $18 each, had our photo taken, and hopped on a shuttle that takes you all the way across the street! You are given a headset and an audio player thing to wear around your neck. At each room or display on the tour, the machine either tells you which button to push, or a sign tells you which button to push, so you can learn everything you could possibly want to know about The King.

This is our Official Elvis Photo

Here, Dear Readers, is a disclaimer. I am not an Elvis fan. I do not dislike Elvis (I mean, seriously, who could dislike Elvis?), I was just born a little too late or something to get into Elvis-Mania. (I am the Beatle-Mania age, Elvis was born one year after my Dad.) The only Elvis Fan I know is our niece, Delaney. (Delaney is 9 years old.) But, as long as we were driving through Memphis, we wanted to see Graceland and give Lisa Marie more money. So, this said, I must now say that Graceland is a very beautiful home. I was very surprised. All I had heard is how tacky it was decorated - fur chairs, shag carpeting, etc., but it is exactly as he left it when he died in 1977. I am sure if we had to re-live our 1977 decor we would be horrified. OK, you CAN be horrified by the first photo below. No, the photo is NOT upside-down. This is the family room, just off the kitchen. Elvis liked to record in this room, so he carpeted the ceiling and floor - in shag green - for the "acoustics". The stone wall is a water fountain - water trickles over the stones to a small pond below.

Family Room - The Jungle Room

I also must comment on the kitchen. I could not believe the kitchen. It was obviously designed by a cook. The kitchen held a huge stove, several ovens, a warming oven and a broiler! The shelves holding the dishes were on stacked lazy-susans! How cool is that? So maybe the Formica needed a change, but everything else in the kitchen would be fine for today's cook. There was also a lot of refrigeration. I am well-known for my love of refrigeration, so Elvis and I had something in common. His favorite sandwich (Banana and Peanut Butter) recipe is available. It included ONE STICK of butter. This, folks, is why Elvis died young.

Dining Room


Living Rooms


Costumes for The King


Elvis (with his family) is buried at Graceland


Elvis Presley's Graceland Mansion in Memphis, Tennessee

When Elvis bought Graceland (1956 for $100,000), the estate sat on 13 acres outside of Memphis on a quiet two-lane county highway. It now sits on 13 acres in the middle of a busy business neighborhood on a 4-lane county highway renamed Elvis Presley Boulevard. The house does sit far off the road and the property is covered with mature shade trees, and it was remarkably quiet at Graceland. Also, it wasn't very busy. We were some of the earliest visitors today and we were able to take our time touring the mansion, and didn't have to deal with crowds, lines or long waits for a shuttle back to the Pavilion. Of course, when we did arrive back, we bought our lovely Souvenir Photo! For ONLY $20 you get two 5x7 photos, a frame and a photo keychain! Such a deal! Lisa Marie is eating steak tonight! We had a tour through the gift shops, but only found postcards.

We walked back to the camper for breakfast and spent the afternoon visiting The National Civil Rights Museum, The Peabody Hotel ducks, downtown Memphis and the Beale Street area. Here are a few photos of our exploration:

Civil Rights Museum, site of Dr. Martin Luther King's assassination


The Peabody Hotel -
five ducks in the fountain and look at the gorgeous flowers!


They love Pork in Memphis


Drinking is allowed on Beale Street (actually, encouraged)


Beale Street


Beale Street Blues Club sign


Famous Blues Club on Beale Street
 

Statue of "The Father of the Blues", W.C. Handy

We were even treated to a parade! We are not sure what the parade was about, but we enjoyed it. The participants were mostly middle-school bands and drill-teams with a few Shriners thrown-in. Floats came by. Beads and candy was tossed. It was all good, clean, family fun - even though it went right down the middle of Beale Street!

Parade participants


Grown men in small cars


Parade float


Are you a member?

After our long afternoon, we went to an early dinner at Rendezvous Ribs. This is a world-famous rib joint, down an alley and in the basement of an ancient building - though it is wasted on two non-pork eaters! The Rendezvous Ribs menu consists basically of pork ribs, beans and slaw. You can order a half a slab or a full slab. A full slab with the fixins is $15 - such a deal! I had BBQ chicken and slaw and DT had lamb ribs. He couldn't finish his order, so they put the left-over ribs in a box to-go. The lamb ribs lasted only as far as the security guard in the Elvis souvenir shop down the street. She smelled the Rendezvous Ribs box, swooned, and DT gave them to her! I mean, hey, she had a gun! This woman was so excited to smell something that wasn't pork. She is sick of pork. "All they eat in this town is PORK!” she said.

Amen, sister.

What a fabulous (Elvis and Pork-filled) day! Memphis is a fun town - I am so happy we stopped (even if was just for two nights) and so happy we went to Graceland!

RV Park: Graceland RV Park