Memphis: A Lil Bit Country, A Lil Bit Rock n Roll

Before making the trip, I’d heard mixed reviews of Memphis. I was told that there was good food, but that it was “dangerous.” It’s larger than Nashville and was the setting of Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination.

But as with everything, I set out to form my own opinion. I liked the downtown area, which had plenty of restaurants and bars, in addition to the famous Beale Street.

The Peabody Hotel, located a few blocks from Beale Street, is famous for more than just its luxurious rooms.

The roof of the hotel is home to a family of ducks that makes their way downstairs in the elevators every day at 11 a.m. to swim in the fountain in the lobby, with much fanfare, escorted by the Duckmaster.

They swim to their hearts contents and then go back to the roof at 5 p.m. The tradition dates back to 1933 when the manager had the drunken idea to put live duck decoys in the fountain.

Beale Street, Memphis’s answer to Bourbon Street, didn’t have much activity while we were there since it was low season, but you could still order a drink and walk down the street with it.

For dinner on our first night in town, Tommy and I went to Flying Fish, known for its catfish and kitschy decor.

Fried catfish and hushpuppies were washed down with locally brewed Ghost River Golden Ale.

The drinks in Memphis are big, cheap and strong, a dangerous combination. I got to keep the glass from my green cocktail at BB King’s Blues Club and this 32 ounce Pabst Blue Ribbon was only $4.

And of course, I couldn’t leave Memphis without trying the Memphis-style dry rub ribs and Corky’s. And yes, I finished them all.

If you’re planning a trip to Memphis, be sure to contact Kerry Crawford, who writes the Memphis CVB’s I Love Memphis Blog.

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