June 2nd Memphis, Tennessee - Hunka Hunka Burnin’ Love

Today I visited Graceland, the mansion that belonged to Elvis Presley. The colonial mansion was built in 1939. Elvis purchased it for his parents in 1957.

I have to say Elvis had a tacky sense of taste. That’s exactly what’s kept me from visiting Graceland all these years; I knew about the shag carpeting and the bizarre animal prints all over the house.

But, thanks to my mother’s influence, I’ve been a fan of Elvis’ music since childhood. So I visited Graceland just to be able to say I’d done it. For all his tacky taste, Elvis was the first true rock star and his extravagant lifestyle mirrored that.

It is outrageously expensive to visit Graceland. They force you to pay to park in a lot across the street from Graceland then take a special Graceland shuttle from the ticket area. Then you go in and have to pay a minimum of $27 just to see the mansion. It costs more if you want to see Elvis’ planes, cars, and whatever special exhibits they have. THEN once you’re inside the mansion, you don’t get to see the upstairs. WHY DID I JUST PAY ALL THAT MONEY???? Boooooooo! They said they don’t show the upstairs area out of respect for Elvis’ memory. Okay, fair enough, but charge less &%*$@ money!!

Despite my bitterness over the pricing and the tackiness of his home, I did enjoy seeing Graceland, over all. The horse pastures and the rest of the grounds were really pretty. I’m sure it was an oasis of peace for Elvis when he wasn’t touring or making crappy films.

I had lunch on Beale Street in Memphis, birthplace of the blues. I ate at the Rum Boogie Café where Stevie Ray Vaughn would hang out while recording albums. This place has a cool vintage-y we’ve-been-here-forever feel. There are autographed guitars hanging ALL over the restaurant belonging to musicians such as Elvis, Bo Diddley, Joe Walsh, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Billy Joel, and JJ Cale, to mention just a few. Laughably, there was a guitar that belonged to Nicholas Cage. Ha! I hope he’s a better musician than he is an actor! I haven’t seen any of the National Treasure films he’s done, but I groan inwardly every time that freaky-lookin’ so-and-so has another film out. Just STOP already!