Meeting in Memphis

On Thursday, Brad and I drove four hours south to meet Peter and Jessa in Memphis. Above, never underestimate the ability of our kids to find local breweries. We met up at Wiseacre Brewery and had our first sample of their beers to start off our short visit (and get me warmed up for selfies; as you can see, I'm out of practice!).

Peter and Jessa had an ambitious day of museums planned for Friday which was great for us because 1) we love museums and 2) we didn't have to plan the day! Our first stop: Graceland. Or as I now call it: Elvis' Open House. Because that's pretty much what it is. We walked through the house, which was interesting as a time capsule of its era, but what we learned about Elvis was sugar-coated and without much depth. It was light and fun, but as museums go—and in what I'm about to say I mean no disrespect to Graceland fans—this one was (sadly) a disappointment.

Still, it didn't stop us from having a good time with the Elvis kitsch that abounded.

We couldn't stop ourselves. (Photo credit for this one—which also gets the award for best picture of the trip— goes to Jessa.)

The next stop on our museum marathon was Stax Records. For this choice, Brad and I really thank Peter and Jessa. Had we gone to Memphis alone, we never would have gone to Stax. (We would have instead visited Elvis' label, Sun Records, which was also on their list but it ended up getting nixed when we ran out of time.) Stax was a record label that started in the 1950s and lasted for about 20 years. It recorded and helped to develop the genre of Southern Soul music, and on its former location is now a replica of its original building, which houses the Museum of American Soul Music. This was a thorough, informative, and insightful museum. If you're ever in Memphis it's a place I'd recommend visiting—whether or not you're a fan of soul music—because the story of soul music is a chapter in the story of the development of music in this country in general, and it also ties into the story of the social and civil rights struggles of our country at that time. In sum, it was a solid choice.

After two museums, we had to refuel before going to our final museum stop of the day. We'd already had a fantastic dinner the previous night, and a delicious breakfast at Memphis' #1 rated breakfast spot, so we decided it was time for some barbecue. Central BBQ did not disappoint. It was fantastic and we left full and happy!

Our day started on a whimsical note at Graceland, then it got a bit more serious at Stax. Our last stop of the day was definitely the most somber. We visited the National Civil Rights Museum, which is housed in the Lorraine Motel where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated. This museum was a world class exhibition and tutorial on the civil rights struggle, from slavery to present day. The presentation was extremely detailed, the information presented was logical and thorough, and it was an excellent explanation of the civil rights struggle in this country. The fact that it's housed on the site where Dr. King died was significant. Everyone enters just below the balcony where he was shot, and so upon beginning one's visit to the museum you can't help but have a heavy heart and be of a frame of mind to want to learn more about Dr. King and what he fought for. As museums go, this one is first rate and I can't recommend it highly enough.

We left Memphis with an unfinished list, so there's plenty to do on a return trip someday. But the next morning we all got up early for the relatively short drive to St. Louis (and so that Peter and Jessa could be on time for their appointment with John and Troy for an afternoon beer festival). We're excited to have Peter and Jessa with us for the next few days!