Sharing the cooking, sharing the shopping (Photo: Patricia Lockhart)
We are a family that absolutely loves Memphis! But sometimes, it’s best to enjoy our mortgage. I know that might sound a bit unusual, but it’s really quite straightforward. “Enjoying your mortgage” is just a Gen Alpha way of saying “appreciate your space” and embrace the joys of home.
This particular weekend, I woke up early, lit some soothing incense, opened the blinds, and poured myself a steaming cup of black coffee with a touch of honey. I cherished the peaceful moments before the kids woke up and my husband returned from his 16-mile run. But with kids aged 11, 12, 12, and 16, that quiet wouldn’t last long!
Photo: Patricia Lockhart
Laundry Day
Like most families, Saturdays are often reserved for chores (thankfully, now without the scent of bleach and old-school music blaring from ancient speakers). Each tween and teenager is responsible for tidying their own space, catching up on chores, and tackling laundry. And oh, laundry— what a beast it can be! Our kids have been doing their own laundry for the past three years, but we’re still very much in the learning phase.
As adults, we might think laundry is simple, but just ask a tween or teenager, and you’ll hear a different story. “How many clothes make a full load?” “Do I really have to separate my whites from my colors?” “What temperature should the water be?” “Do detergent sheets work better than liquid?”
Honestly, those questions are valid! I stick to the basics: fill the machine two-thirds full and don’t forget the detergent. While washing and drying are straightforward, the real challenge is folding and hanging everything up. My husband enjoys putting on a good show and folding clothes until his heart’s content. Me? I’m more of a laundry mole, diving into the basket each morning to iron what’s needed. But with my husband’s high standards, the kids and I engage in a productive struggle every Saturday.
Grocery Shopping
Once the laundry is in a steady rhythm — wash, dry, fold/hang, and repeat six times — it’s time to tackle grocery shopping. In our family of six, everyone gets a night to cook dinner each week. On Fridays, we either cook together or indulge in oven pizza. To kick things off, we project our computer screen onto the TV so everyone can see the plan. With a grocery budget of $200 a week, we aim to make the most of it, enjoying a little bit of everything. We start by sharing our dinner ideas, keeping everyone’s preferences in mind. My 16-year-old has been a vegetarian since he was 6, while the younger twin prefers meat in every meal. Our 11-year-old isn’t fond of cheesy dishes, and I’m lactose intolerant. Thankfully, my husband and the oldest twin are pretty flexible with their choices. Next, we take turns adding ingredients to the Kroger Pickup list, ensuring we check what we already have on hand. At least once a month, we do a grocery inventory, which usually uncovers forgotten treasures like dried beans and random cans of tomato sauce. After finalizing our dinner items, we move on to breakfast and then lunch. If there’s any budget left, we treat ourselves to snacks, though that’s usually a rare delight!
Chilling Together
As adults, it’s easy for weekends to morph into extended workdays filled with tasks we didn’t have time for during our regular work hours. I want to teach my kids the importance of finding a healthy balance — not just by telling them, but by showing them. Chores can demonstrate appreciation for our space and future selves, but they aren’t the only way we enjoy our mortgage. Here are some fun activities we love to do together while “enjoying our mortgage”:
• Napping
• Playing video games
• Watching TV
• Baking delicious treats
• Playing library with my books (just me)
• Gardening and reviving my plants
• Building forts in the living room
• Movie marathon nights
• Doing absolutely nothing together
One twin typically engages in a social-battery recharge. Being at school all week takes a lot out of him, so he’ll often keep to himself most of the weekend. My daughter, on the other hand, is a social butterfly. She wants someone to enjoy all of her “chilling activities” with. My oldest bounces between baking and getting ahead of his studies. The other twin plays hard all day. As for me, I sit quietly with one child, do an activity with another, bounce ideas with the eldest, and play with the other twin. Sometimes I do none of the above and don’t feel guilty about it.
So enjoy your mortgage or rent, Memphis! Seek out activities with your tweens and teens that bring you closer together, foster relaxation, and spark creativity. Or recharge your own battery.
Patricia Lockhart is a native Memphian who loves to read, write, cook, and eat. By day, she’s an assistant principal and writer, but by night … she’s asleep. @memphisismyboyfriend
Are you one of those Memphians who proudly says, “I’ve lived in Memphis my whole life and I’ve never been to Graceland”? Hmmm? Or, maybe, you’re more of the “been there, done that” type — the type who says, “MoSH? No, I haven’t been there since it was the Pink Palace.” But why? Why be so pessimistic when your city has so much to offer and there’s so much to do? No matter how long you’ve lived in Memphis, you haven’t seen everything; you haven’t been everywhere.
So, this summer, we encourage you to throw away your curmudgeonly attitudes, and discover or rediscover those spots that have put Memphis on the map. Sure, sometimes, they’re a bit touristy, but, hey, be a tourist. Lace up your brightest white sneakers and fasten your fanny pack around your hips. Affix your visor on your head and lather on that SPF. It’s time to staycation, baby.
Photo: Toby Sells
Go Back to Beale Street
Beale Street’s magic lies in mystery and discovery.
This mystique has drawn millions to its sidewalk shores for decades. Visitors know it’s a party place with music, probably. Curiosity magnetizes desire. Before they know it, they’re walking with their feet 10 feet off of Beale. (I said what I said.)
Maybe the mystique is gone for locals. Maybe that’s why they proudly shun Beale, on par with cocktail-party protestations about never going to Graceland.
But Beale Street deserves another look, locals. Here are a couple of assignments to help you get back to Beale.
1. Shop local — No, you don’t need another “Memphis” shot glass. But you need local beer (and music).
Assign yourself to go drink one beer at the Ghost River Brewing Co. taproom on Beale’s east end. The beer is fresh, local, and the taps are always changing. If nothing else, go for the beer garden. It’s beautiful, spacious, and one-of-a-kind. It’s a local’s oasis on Beale with a big stage for live music and a second-story patio built for great people-watching.
Stroll to Beale’s west end for a look inside Walking Pants Curiosities. Housed in the former Tater Red’s space, the shop offers elevated tourist fare, some of it appropriate for a Midtown cookout. (Consider the “South Mane” T-shirt.) Much of it is made by local makers like apparel from God Forbid & Co. and Cosgrove & Lewis Handmade Luxury Soaps.
2. Just go — Throw pride (and maybe prejudice?) to the wind. Consider all of Beale local. It is. Eat a bowl of gumbo at King’s Palace Cafe. Play pool at People’s. Catch a live band in one of those open-air bars. Take your kids for ice cream at A. Schwab. It’s all in the 38103. That means it’s Memphis. Just go. Let Beale’s mystery fuel your local discovery. — Toby Sells
Ching’s Hot Wings (Photo: Kailynn Johnson)
Indulge in Ching’s Hot Wings
A staycation is the perfect opportunity to knock something off of your food bucket list. As I scrolled through my cluttered saved posts on Instagram and TikTok of places that had been stowed away as the result of “camera eats first” posts and stories, I decided to knock something off my list that had sat there since my college days. As a Mississippi girl I thought the best wings that the South had to offer came from the Dixie Queen locations in DeSoto County. However, when I was a student at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, I would always hear my Memphis friends longing for the taste of honey hot wings from Ching’s Hot Wings located at 1264 Getwell Road. My friend Jessica Davis let me know, after months of settling for franchises like Zaxby’s and Buffalo Wild Wings, that Ching’s was the spot to truly get a taste of what differentiates Memphis wing culture from others.
I decided to reward myself with a well-deserved cheat meal of honey hot chicken tenders, honey hot drizzled fries, ranch on the side, and an Orange Mound punch. As I went to pick up my order, it felt like walking into Memphis’ own Sardi’s as pictures of famous celebrities, both locally and nationally known, filled the walls, adding to the cozy vibe accompanied by the mouth-watering smell of wing sauce. As I took my first bite into my chicken tender, I realized Jessica was right: This wasn’t the same as the dipped tenders we’d eat during late-night outings in Knoxville. I can see why she’d be in such a hurry to get back home. — Kailynn Johnson
Bass Pro Pyramid (Photo: Bass Pro Pyramid | Facebook)
Journey to the Pyramid
The Great American Pyramid opened in Downtown Memphis in 1991. Originally envisioned as a 20,000-seat arena for sporting events and concerts, the Pyramid was home court for the University of Memphis basketball team for several years and hosted performances by the Grateful Dead, Bruce Springsteen, Prince, R.E.M., Fleetwood Mac, and other major artists.
In 2001, the Pyramid became the home of the newly transplanted (from Vancouver) Memphis Grizzlies. In 2004, when the FedExForum was completed, the Pyramid was closed and sat empty until 2015, when it reopened as the Bass Pro Shops at the Pyramid. And if you haven’t experienced the current incarnation of the building, you need to head Downtown and take it in, at least once.
It’s an immersive experience. You walk into a life-size cypress swamp filled with fish of many varieties, live ducks, and even a couple of alligators. In the center of it all, there’s a 300-foot freestanding elevator that takes you to a restaurant at the top of the building with a breathtaking balcony view of the Mississippi River and Downtown.
There’s an archery range, a pistol range, a Wahlburgers restaurant, and even a river-themed bowling alley, where “alligator eyes” and other creature features decorate the bowling balls and shimmering lights make you feel like you’re under the river’s surface. There are boats and ATVs and all manner of fishing and hunting equipment for sale, plus clothes, boots, ammo, outdoor grills, a fudge shop, and so much more. And, here’s the best part: If you decide you can’t just leave until you see it all … you don’t have to! You can just book a room at the in-house wilderness-themed Big Cypress Lodge and spend the night enjoying the comforts of the “big pointy bait shop,” as Memphians lovingly call it. It’s a one-of-a-kind experience. — Bruce VanWyngarden
Return to Chucalissa
The bluffs overlooking the Mississippi River where Memphis now stands have been inhabited by humans on and off for thousands of years. When Hernando de Soto’s expedition reached the river in 1541, they found a group of abandoned mounds in the area. The Chickasaw called the place “Chucalissa,” which means “abandoned house.” In the 1930s, Civilian Conservation Corps workers who were building T.O. Fuller State park rediscovered the mound complex. Archeological excavations revealed that the site had been occupied for at least 500 years. It is now a National Historic Landmark, and the site of the C.H. Nash Museum at Chucalissa.
Most native Memphians know Chucalissa from elementary school field trips. But it’s definitely worth a visit with fresh eyes. The museum itself is built in the shape of a mound. It has an extensive collection of Native American artifacts recovered over 40 years of excavations. The “abandoned houses” belonged to a community associated with the Mississippian culture. From approximately 800 to 1600 C.E., the Mississippians spread from their capital in Cahokia, near what is now East St. Louis, Illinois, north to the Great Lakes, south to the Gulf Coast, and as far east as Charleston, South Carolina. Little is known about the Mississippians, who had no written language, except for what was written down by de Soto’s scribes and a handful of other sources from early European colonizers. But the pottery and other artifacts they left behind speak to a highly sophisticated culture.
Behind the museum is the mound where the village chief had his home, and the plaza where the Chucalissians gathered for communal events, including games of stickball. There’s even a replica Mississippian house, based on archeological studies of the community which once stood here. It all makes for a fascinating afternoon learning how the first Memphians lived. — Chris McCoy
Michael Donahue at the Peabody (Photo: Jon Sparks)
Stay at the Peabody
Part of a great trip for me is to stay at a grand old hotel. Something outstanding and beautiful that’s stood the test of time. A place with great restaurants. A hotel that reeks of elegance and stature.
You know. Like the Peabody Hotel.
People take staycations at the Peabody, says Kelly Brock, the hotel’s director of marketing and communications. “We promote ourselves locally, too,” she says.
In March, the hotel finished “a complete renovation of the lobby and the lobby bar.”
Brock suggests arriving at 4 p.m. Check in, and then hang out and have a cocktail at the lobby bar. Watch the live duck march at 5 p.m. Or take your drink upstairs and watch the sunset from the Peabody roof.
Have dinner at Chez Philippe, the hotel’s fine dining restaurant with a French presentation, or Capriccio Grill, the Italian steak house.
Start the next day with coffee or a Bloody Mary or mimosa when the bar opens at 10 a.m. Watch the duck march at 11 a.m. Then have brunch between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. in Capriccio Grill. Pick out something like Elvis or Priscilla would wear at one of the Lansky shops and get a massage or facial at Feathers Spa.
Pretend you’re in London with “Afternoon Tea,” which begins at 3:30 p.m. Wednesdays through Sundays in Chez Philippe. Indulge yourself with tea sandwiches, warm scones with clotted cream and raspberry jam, petit fours, and cakes.
Guests who check in Thursday get free admission until 7 p.m. to the Peabody Rooftop Party, which features live music on Thursdays through August 15th.
Note: No duck is served on any menu. But toy ducks are for sale at the South’s Grand Hotel. — Michael Donahue
Deanie Parker’s Grammy (Photo: Courtesy Stax Museum of American Soul Music)
Choose Your Own Adventure at Stax
The beauty of the Stax Museum of American Soul Music is that the relatively modest building on McLemore, built to the specs of the original theater’s blueprints, is a bit of a labyrinth. Not only can you wind through the pleasingly meandering exhibit space, music echoing around you, but you can imagine the demo studios and offices in the back, a hive of activity in its heyday. That’s where a lot of the action documented in last year’s CD set, Written in Their Soul: The Stax Songwriter Demos, went down. Now you can see Deanie Parker’s Grammy for it on display.
Similarly, you can imagine the sparkling, thumping sound of the label’s classic records as you look over the reconstructed control room, with its one huge, mono playback speaker, or pace the gently sloping floor of the space where the instruments of Booker T. and the M.G.’s sit out, ready to resume their labors. It’s a vintage recording studio geek’s dream.
There are many paths to choose, all ripe for rediscovery. Another favorite is the Isaac Hayes express, hopscotching between all exhibits pertinent to Black Moses, including his eye-popping desk and office décor, his growing activism with The Invaders empowerment group, and, of course, that Cadillac, still gleaming like a starship.
On some days, I can barely get past the opening exhibit, so powerful and rich are its details. Welcoming visitors is a small country church from Duncan, Mississippi (home of Deanie Parker’s people), exuding history’s vibes like some lost Rosetta Stone. You can imagine hands passing over its wooden pews in the soft light of a thousand Sundays. As outgoing executive director Jeff Kollath said of the museum, “This is a people-driven endeavor, and this is a Memphis-people-driven endeavor.” — Alex Greene
Woodruff-Fontaine House Museum (Photo: Abigail Morici)
Meet the Woodruffs and Fontaines
I had only ever stood outside the Woodruff-Fontaine House Museum on a ghost tour with Historical Haunts (a bonus staycation suggestion for you). So on a Wednesday, and on assignment for this staycation issue, I took myself there. Did I go in the hopes of seeing the spirit of Mollie Woodruff myself? Maybe. Did I succeed in that endeavor? No. Did I enjoy myself? Very much.
Built in 1871, the house was home to two prominent families in Memphis history: first the Woodruffs and later the Fontaines. The building withstood yellow fever, had a stint as an art school, and outlasted other Victorian houses in the area which were knocked down in favor of urban renewal. Only a handful remain in the city.
The Woodruff-Fontaine opened as a museum in the 1960s, thanks to the work of the Memphis Chapter of the Association for the Preservation of Tennessee Antiquities, and today it is furnished with period-appropriate artifacts and heirlooms that have been donated by Memphis and Mid-South families. (Don’t touch any of the antiques, though, because, as the signs will warn you, anyone who has ever touched them is now dead. Yikes.)
Photo: Abigail Morici
Notably, the organization has also amassed an impressive collection of textiles, which they display on rotation. Currently, there’s the “Southern Summers” exhibition, where you can learn how early Memphians kept their cool during those hot, hot days of summer, including how they dressed. (Ooh la la!)
Tours are self-guided, but the ever-knowledgeable staff are always around to answer any questions you may have. Seriously, the Woodruff-Fontaine has some delightful people (and an outdoor cat)! (Don’t know about the ghosts, though. They’re a little standoffish.) You’ll be able to see all three floors, and if you aren’t afraid of heights, head up to the tower and get a view of the Memphis skyline. It’s worth it.
Tours are available Wednesday to Sunday, noon to 4 p.m., with the last admission at 3:30 p.m. Oh, and the museum is often putting on events like Twilight Tours and magic shows, so check out their website at woodruff-fontaine.org for more information. — Abigail Morici
Welcome to our annual Staycation issue! This year our team chose to revisit (or visit for the first time) some Memphis mainstays — the Peabody, Stax, Beale, and more — places that consistently draw tourists, and, to some degree, mark (to outsiders, at least) the major beats of our city’s pulse. In years past, we’ve highlighted lesser-known locales to encourage deeper exploration of what makes the Bluff City tick. This edition, though, serves as a reminder of just a few of the landmarks that can’t be missed — even if you drive by them every day on your work commute without a second thought — if for no other reason than to knock them off your Memphis bucket list. Maybe this is the summer to leave the “I’ve never been to Graceland” choir and join the “I’ve been there — I loved it!” crew. (I have been to Graceland once, thank you very much.)
Although my healing bones aren’t quite ready to go on any museum tours or Downtown jaunts, I’ve had a lot of daydreams about future excursions. After three months of limited mobility — wheelchairs and walkers and orthopedic boots — I’ve never looked more forward to venturing out beyond the doctor’s office or grocery store. Scanning the Flyer’s weekly calendar of upcoming events, there’s always a handful of things that catch my eye. Speaking of which, while some weeks — such as this one — our calendar is cut short due to available print space, there is always an extensive list of local happenings on our website. Check our calendar page or bookmark events.memphisflyer.com and plan your next adventure!
Halladay visits. (Photo: Shara Clark)
The first thing on my “once I can walk again” to-do list is just that — walking. I so miss my beloved neighborhood walks, even this time of year. Hot or not, I love admiring the saturated summer colors, the well-kept flower beds, the squirrels busy doing squirrel things. The sun beating down, forcing sweat from my brow and body. It just feels good (but damn the humidity!) — alive with heat and light and movement. Bonus points if I’m able to cool off in a neighbors’ sprinkler on my path. In the meantime, I’m staycationing, literally, at home. But I’ve made some new backyard friends to keep me company. Thanks to my boyfriend Chris, who picked up a giant bag of birdseed a few weeks back on a whim, I now have daily visitors: blue jays, cardinals, robins, finches, doves, the occasional hummingbird, and a curious crow we’re trying to attract that hasn’t done more than circle overhead thus far. The birds are familiar with his morning routine now — first a scoop of seed, then a fist full of peanuts in the shell. The blue jays come out en masse to beat the squirrels to the nuts. The smaller birds swoop in throughout the day to peck at the feed or soak under the spinning sprinkler (cut on just for the wildlife), sometimes offering a low flyover or a long, cocked-head look and a song from the power line above, what we take as a “thank you.” I watch from my little side-yard stoop as (the regulars have been given names) Roberto, Gibson, Rudy, Halladay, and friends make their rounds, cawing and flapping at one another or patiently taking turns at the food pile.
Oh, and my lilies have bloomed! They shot up, thick-stalked and tall, within the last few days. The lush pink blossoms are always a welcomed return. Originally uprooted from my previous home and replanted here, they come back every year, somehow each time more beautiful, hardy and requiring no work on my part. Like those lilies in the offseason, I lie dormant for now, but will burst forth soon, stronger and more resilient. Bending toward the light and looking forward to experiencing all the city has to offer once more.
There’s plenty of summer and animal fun to be had at the Memphis Zoo. (Photo: Courtesy Memphis Zoo)
It sure feels like summer! The hot, humid days have moved in with full force, but that doesn’t scare us. Yet as we all sit inside next to our struggling AC units, it’s easy to forget all the cool things going on in Memphis. The city attracted more than 11 million visitors last year, and for good reason: Memphis is a place people want to see. So get outside and re-familiarize yourself with all the great places and people that make Bluff City unique. Whether it’s restaurants, museums, or a night out on the town, there are plenty of reasons why here at home remains a great option for remaining summer plans.
Free Art and Museums
A staycation saves money, right? Save even more with these free attractions.
• The Dixon Gallery & Gardens is free through the end of 2024 with 2,000 objects in its collection and a glorious spread of botanic brilliance.
• The Memphis Brooks Museum of Art is free Saturdays from 10 a.m. to noon, and also for family-oriented Community Day events.
• The National Civil Rights Museum is free for Tennessee residents with state-issued ID Mondays from 3 p.m. until closing.
• The Stax Museum of American Soul Music is free for kids 6 and under. Shelby County residents with ID get in free on Tuesdays from 1 to 5 p.m. And it’s free for everyone from 1 to 5 p.m. on Family Day, the second Saturday of each month.
The Memphis Zoo (Photo: Courtesy Memphis Zoo)
• The Memphis Zoo is free for wee ones under 2 years old. Tennessee residents get in free on Tuesdays from 2 p.m. to close.
• Access to the Metal Museum grounds, including its sculpture garden and gift shop, is always free.
• Walking and driving tours of Elmwood Cemetery are free, and it’s pretty quiet as well.
As always, you should check with the venues first before you go. And as you visit these places, you might be tempted to buy a membership. Go ahead. Find the level that works for you and enjoy it year-round. — Jon W. Sparks
Hit the Town
A night at home curled up under a blanket to watch a movie or read a book is probably my ideal night. In fact, I’d say it’s so ideal that I do that practically every night, but, apparently, it’s good to shake things up a little every now and then. So this homebody did just that and dragged herself out of bed for a night out on the town. Sure, it was for a writing assignment, but I got out of the bed and that’s a start.
With a friend in tow, the night started at Bardog Tavern for dinner and drinks. I ordered something with rum that our server recommended — couldn’t really tell you what else was in it because I heard the word “rum” and that was enough for me. Turns out the name of the drink is James’ Cock, and I sucked it down like a Coca-Cola, so do with that what you will.
After that we headed to Blind Bear, a speakeasy I’d never heard about before, mostly because I rarely leave the house after 7 p.m. Then it was time for the Flying Saucer and, like, Beale and stuff. (I had a bit to drink at this point.) I think we headed to Paula & Raiford’s Disco after, waited in line for about 10 minutes, and then gave up and ordered a Lyft. But, yeah, it was nice to shake things up a bit for a bit of a “staycation,” but the best part was being able to fall asleep in my own bed. — Abigail Morici
Be a Tourist For a Day
More than 11 million people came to Memphis on vacation — on vacation! — last year. That’s roughly the population of Belgium. Why?! The crime! The heat! The potholes!
Daily Memphians might miss the mystique of the city’s cultural treasure trove that draws all those tourists each year. The Pyramid’s funny. Barbecue is routine. Beale is for tourists. Don’t get us started on Graceland.
But if you’re staycating this year, try (at least) vacating your house or your neighborhood. Go find out what makes Memphis a destination. Go reconnect with that everyday magic. Do it all while staying within your staycation budget, too.
Here’s a brief list of classic (and free!) tourist spots to hit for your Memphis staycation:
• Graceland — Brag that you’ve never been? Go. See what you think. Free walk-up admission to the Meditation Garden daily.
• Beale Street — Go for the people-watching. Stay for the music and a Big Ass Beer. Are your feet 10 feet off?
• Big River Crossing — A one-of-a-kind walk with Insta-worthy views of the river and the city. Free daily.
• Bass Pro Shops at the Pyramid — Fish pond, gator pit, and massive aquarium? Check. The place is a tourist magnet for a reason. Free daily. — Toby Sells
Be a Homebody
Staycate means staycate. No need to go figuring out car trips to some semi-distant place or to rush out to some favorite or fetchingly rumored juke joint in the evenings just because you’ve got some spare time.
Stay home. Sleep late. Alternatively, get up early in the morning when it’s still cool enough and take long walks on your property or in your neighborhood.
Give yourself at least one good substantial grocery visit. Then put it to use. Cook something new, for yourself or guests. And back in that fridge somewhere is an item you bought backaways with some purpose in mind you haven’t got to yet. Do it now before the food goes bad.
Fix up that spare room you’ve been using as a warehouse space. Change those worn-out bulbs. Take care of those overlooked potted plants. They’re thirstier than you are!
Homebody starter kit (Photo: Jackson Baker)
You bought those books. Now read them. Ditto with those magazines that are lying around. Forget about social media for a while. If you’ve got to turn on the computer, then use it to catch up on news you missed.
Look at yourself in the mirror and take inventory. I don’t need to tell you that you’ll see something that needs changing. Change it. Or at least start the process.
For a little while, everything is in your hands. Enjoy the fact. — Jackson Baker
The Memphis International Restaurant Tour
Eating out at a great restaurant is my favorite thing to do on a vacation.
Eating out at a great restaurant is also my favorite thing to do on a staycation.
You can experience other countries by staying home and visiting Memphis restaurants that specialize in various types of food from across the globe. Sort of “Around the World in 901 Days.” Maybe choose cuisine from a particular country each day of your staycation. Some places serve lunch, which usually is cheaper. And if you don’t know what to order at these places, ask your servers what they’d recommend. Here are some restaurant ideas:
Taking a trip around town to try exotic food is less expensive than airfare to exotic places. Not to mention lodging. You can go home to your own bed. And you don’t have to worry about passports. — Michael Donahue
A Night at the Shell
There are a lot of places to see live music in Memphis: the Beale Street club packed with tourists, the Orpheum Theatre’s Gilded Age grandeur, the Green Room’s intimate sounds. But the best place in Memphis for a night of music is the Overton Park Shell.
Built in 1936 as a Works Progress Administration project designed to help workers during the Great Depression, it is one of a handful of band shells from that era still standing.
PreauXX at the Shell (Photo: Chris McCoy)
I was recently reminded of how lucky we are to have a place like the Shell when I saw PreauXX play there on July 1st. It was one of the super hot days we’ve been having this year, so I was expecting to be uncomfortable, at least until well after the sun had set. But the towering trees of Overton Park provided enough shade that a steady breeze made it quite pleasant, especially after a couple of days spent indoors hiding from the heat. We found a spot near the front of the stage and set up our camp chairs next to a young mom corralling her toddler.
My wife LJ stayed with the chairs as I checked out the food trucks, which were parked next to the new, greatly improved bar facilities.
We were chowing down on some barbecue tacos when PreauXX hit the stage, backed by his friends from the Unapologetic crew. The young mother was joined by her partner, and, after ignoring the music in favor of rolling on the lawn, the toddler threw his energy into dancing. (Really, it was more of a body-wide twitch, but he was trying his best.) When AWFM joined in for “Slide,” folks were streaming down the hill to do the title dance. This stage has hosted everyone from Elvis to Seun Kuti and Egypt 80, but for this night, PreauXX was the king. — Chris McCoy
Drag Shows at the Atomic Rose
Thanks to the phenomenon known as RuPaul’s Drag Race, we’re able to appreciate the art of drag without leaving our homes. And while watching hours of Snatch Game makes for the perfect staycation activity, so does supporting your local drag performers and artists.
Voted as the number-one best drag bar in the South by Time Out, Atomic Rose is the top destination for your staycation entertainment fix. The club recently went viral, at the height of Tennessee’s anti-drag controversy, when local drag queen and activist Bella DuBalle informed the audience of the severity of the bill and what it meant for the drag community. But the clip that circulated around TikTok only gave viewers a tidbit of the magic the nightclub possesses.
Drag at the Atomic Rose (Photo: Drew Parker)
DuBalle is known as Slade Kyle outside of drag and says one of the things that makes the club so special is that it is a true melting pot, inclusive in multiple ways encompassing all genders, races, and sexuality. This diversity is showcased in one of their most iconic events known as the “War Of The Roses,” which Kyle describes as an eight-week drag competition, featuring a large and diverse pool of performers.
And if you happen to swing by after War season, the club also offers Friday and Saturday shows, as well as a drag brunch on Sunday. Friday and Saturday shows start at 10:30 p.m., and Sunday brunch service starts at 11 a.m., with the show starting at 12:30 p.m. — Kailynn Johnson
SPORTS!
We can never get enough Grizz action at the FedExForum. But they’re out of season (unless you’ve made the pilgrimage to the Las Vegas Summer League to watch Kenny Lofton Jr. hoop). Luckily, there’s another pleasant Downtown destination to get your fix of ’ball. AutoZone Park is home to the Redbirds and 901 FC, but it’s sometimes apparent that Memphians take the stadium for granted, evidenced by the quite noticeable number of empty seats during baseball and soccer games. It’s still hot outside, but an afternoon or night out at the ballpark is an excellent way to shake up a routine and try out a new experience in town.
Even if you’re not into sports all that much, there are plenty of additional perks that come tacked on to a game. A personal favorite of mine is an all-you-can-eat series at Redbirds games, which, for just a few extra bucks, gets you a pass into a roped-off section that provides drinks, snacks, hot dogs, and an endless supply of the featured entrée (anything from brisket, to nachos, to my personal favorite: hot wings).
901 FC’s Bluff City Mafia (Photo: Memphis 901 FC)
Other enticements include specialty nights for $1 hot dogs or $2 beers. And when those nights line up, oh man. Kicking back with a few brews in what can either be a pleasant or a raucous atmosphere, depending on the matchup, is a reliable recipe for a fun night out. And if there’s a fireworks show afterward, well, all the better. Don’t sleep on it, Memphians! — Samuel X. Cicci
Tend Your Garden
If you time your work hours right and stay hydrated, summer gardening can be a breeze — and yield delicious rewards. Why else would the University of Tennessee’s Institute of Agriculture host its Summer Celebration of ag workshops and activities in Jackson only last week? The summer means heat to some, but for others it’s known as peak growing season. While that might sound dangerously like work, once your garden is up and running, tending it can be the perfect break from both screen time and chair time.
Early mornings can be sublime even in July, especially with an eyeful of blooms and fruits of the vine. It’s also a good time to water those roots before the blazing sun can bake the water droplets off the leaves. And yet, assuming you’ve done your homework and have a little mulched, irrigated, squirrel-protected paradise outside your door, there’s still more awaiting the horticultural staycationer: a world of garden clubs and nonprofits to liven up the typically solitary pursuit of the perfect bloom.
Take a break from the screen and tend your garden. (Photo: Alex Greene)
You don’t have to be a master of the pursuit to join the Memphis Area Master Gardeners, and it can be a great way to learn from expert volunteers who offer classes, working closely with the local UT extension service. There are also long-established neighborhood garden clubs, like the Cooper-Young Garden Club with their annual garden walk, and even community gardens if you prefer your plant-tending to be more sociable. Check out memphiscitybeautiful.org for a registry of every community garden in the city. — Alex Greene
“Open the clucking window right now.” (Photo: Shara Clark)
If you follow this column, you might recall that in early June I embarked on a month-long Midtown staycation/house-sitting adventure. As of this writing, I’ve been back at my own home for 11 days, but — this being the staycation issue and all — I figured I’d offer a brief and final follow-up of my time away. You may remember me writing in this space about how I first had to work up the courage to pick up a chicken from her nesting box, or how the following week, one of the hens decided to show me she was boss by literally pecking me into my place in the pecking order.
I had no prior knowledge of tending to chickens (but plenty of knowledge of chicken tenders, heh) and was in for a learning experience. By the last day, though, I considered myself a bit of an expert hen handler. My at-first broody friend Pancake and I wound up becoming best buds. Some evenings, instead of going to the coop at dusk with the rest of the flock, she’d pace around the window sill, eyeballing me as if to ask, “Can I come inside with you instead?” She couldn’t, of course, so I’d go out and pluck her gently from the sill and lead her to her friends, where they’d be locked in safe and sound for the night. As part of our last goodbye, I picked her up, for no particular reason other than I could, and held her against my hip, lovingly stroking her peachy blonde feathers as she cooed in contented response. The “mean” one, Geli, and I became friends, too — as long as I came out with cold cucumber or grapes every once in a while, she was cool — and there were no further pecking incidents.
I took several videos of our morning ritual, wherein I’d come around the corner from the back porch, the hens gathered impatiently at the coop door awaiting release (and breakfast). I propped the phone up on a ledge to capture footage of my first reluctant attempts at picking up a chicken (it’s embarrassing, really, so those are reserved for my viewing only). And I have an absurd number of pictures of hens grazing, chilling in my lap, dust bathing, or window sitting. With the surplus of eggs I found myself with, I baked my first quiche — with broccoli and cheese and the freshest eggs imaginable. I really miss the girls (and I even joined a Facebook group called Midtown Chicken People and have pondered adopting a flock of my own; more on that later, maybe). In that month, I learned a lot about chickens, and myself — just me and five hens (and two skittish cats) in a big ol‘ empty house not five miles from my own.
I’m accustomed to my neighborhood walks near U of M, but the Midtown strolls were lovely in a different way. Busier streets, lively local venues and restaurants — the whole area teeming with energy. I popped over to trivia night at Slider Inn one evening; another, I walked to dinner at Hattie B’s. One late afternoon, I followed the sound of live music to a gathering in a church parking lot nearby. Some days, I’d venture out aimlessly, just soaking it all in. Ultimately, I spent that time in a Memphis I wasn’t so familiar with — not from that vantage point, at least. An enjoyable staycation all around.
Of course, you all likely won’t have an opportunity to house-sit and care for hens as I did. But I think our “Stay & Play” cover feature may give you some inspiration to enjoy our city in ways you might not have before — from free art and tourist attractions, to an international food tour, to live music, to sports events, to a night on the town, to tending your own garden with an assist from local horticultural experts. Even if you’re a lifelong Memphian, there’s a lot to discover beyond your own four walls, if you’re willing to get out and give it a try.
While I’ve bid adieu to the chicken at the window, more facets of Memphis await on the other side of that particular summer staycation. I hope you’ll join me in exploring those parts that draw people here, year after year.
It’s summertime, and the living is easy. Everyone loves to plan a getaway — maybe a vacation at the beach or in the mountains, or maybe a long-awaited trip to Europe. But vacations pass quickly, and soon, here you are, back in Memphis, Tennessee. But happily for us, that doesn’t mean our vacation has to end. These fine Flyer advertisers have got some great ideas to spice up your summer without ever having to leave the Mid-South. Relax at a local resort or hotel, ride a bike, enjoy a casino outing, take in a museum. The options are endless, and so is your vacation, if you do it right.
Calvin L. Leake | Dreamstime.com
Bonne Terre Country Inn
Now is the perfect time to find your “Good Earth” at Bonne Terre.
Book a stay at the bed and breakfast to relax, remember, and renew. The pool is open, and the fish are biting in the lake! Celebrate with us seven days a week. Breakfast served for inn guests.
Beautiful Mississippi event resort, hosting beautiful weddings, private meeting retreats, and family reunions. Located just outside Memphis on the quiet country roads of Nesbit, Mississippi.
Peddler is your one-stop shop for all your biking needs. If you aren’t leaving town this summer, plan your staycation with Peddler. Join us for our group rides on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays as we tour Downtown and Midtown. Call or stop by any of our three locations: Downtown, Midtown, and Germantown.
The Pink Palace Family of Museums opens the door to a world of exploration, discovery, and fun for all. Marvel at ancient history at our exhibits, experience science and technology at the CTI Giant Screen Theater, visit outer space at the AutoZone Dome Sharpe Planetarium, explore nature at the Lichterman Nature Center, or tour one of our historic homes. There’s so much to explore right here in Memphis at the Pink Palace Family of Museums.
Get an authentic taste of Memphis while staying at The Guest House at Graceland. Packages include historic sites and landmarks. Mix Elvis’ world of glamour with a healthy dose of Southern hospitality, and you get an experience unlike any other at The Guest House.
Events are happening throughout the week of July 22nd in the Memphis Medical District. On Thursday, July 25th, from 5 to 7 p.m., you’re invited to a Medical District Happy Hour at High Cotton Brewing Co. Then on Friday, July 26th, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., stop by the Health Sciences Park at the corner of Madison and S. Dunlap for a performance by J. Buck Band, food trucks, MemPops, ping pong, games, and more. Go to mdcollaborative.org for a complete list.
National Civil Rights Museum
Highlighting how everyday people did extraordinary things that changed our nation, the National Civil Rights Museum is a great excursion for vacations, youth groups, summer camps, or family reunions to learn the story of the American Civil Rights Movement. Visit this immersive experience and be transformed.
Rooftop Party season is in full swing at the Peabody Hotel. This Thursday, July 18th, from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m., City Mix, one of Memphis’ newest party bands will be playing all your favorite party songs along with hip-hop and rap. Tickets are $10-$15 at the door. Ladies and hotel guests free until 7 p.m.
Regina’s is your go-to place for a fun time. Saturday, July 20th, Regina’s is hosting a murder mystery dinner with no cover charge! If you’re looking for more fun, come to the ’80s vs. ’90s Party on Saturday, July 27th. If you bring in the ad from this week’s Memphis Flyer, you can get in for free!
River City Limousineis owned and operated by River City Pedalers, Inc., which has been in the Memphis tourist and entertainment industry for more than four years. Active members of the Memphis Convention and Visitors Bureau, Germantown Area Chamber of Commerce, and TripAdvisor Business Advantage Members, River City Pedalers, Inc. is no stranger to Downtown Memphis or the Mid-South metropolitan region. With growth upon the horizon, the push to offer a luxurious limousine service led to the development of Memphis’ newest limousine service and party bus, River City Limousine Memphis!
River City Pedalers’ attraction-touring party bike is a motorized, pedal-powered vehicle with seating for 16 passengers. Appealing to travel enthusiasts, professional corporations, students, adventurers, or anyone looking to just have a good time, the party bike is nonstop fun for all. The party bike tour is ideal for imaginative participants from all walks of life and is booked for everything from parties to group tours.
Voted Best Casino and located only seven minutes from Downtown Memphis. The most slots on the biggest casino floor in the Mid-South. All your favorite live table games. World-class steakhouse and all-you-can-eat casual buffet. Free live entertainment. Live racing and off-track betting. Special promotions and offers for Lucky North Club members. Must be 21+ to enter.
Calvin L. Leake | Dreamstime.com