Today I'm going to share my post about our trip to Memphis to go to Graceland! I surprised my husband for his 70th birthday to venture out on a total surprise for him. He had absolutely no idea where we were going but just a long weekend trip. We left on a Saturday morning in July and started driving toward Birmingham. He guessed several times where we were going, however didn't put it all together until we got on the other side of Birmingham. Then he saw the Memphis signs and guessed our destination.
You see he and I both are huge ELVIS fans! When we were young married and he was in college, our hobby together was to go to ELVIS concerts. Yes, he saw him in concert in person all over the southeast 13 times and I saw ELVIS 9 times. It was a great experience to share together. When ELVIS died I was only 26 years old, and we both were devastated.
I had made our reservations at the new hotel in Memphis, The Inn at Graceland. It was a beautiful hotel and was decorated in true ELVIS style.
When we arrived late Friday afternoon we were hungry and ready to eat, so we decided to check out Marlow's! It seems that you go to the Conciere Desk and ask for a pink cadallac to go to Marlows and they pick you up there at Graceland. We had the best ribs I believe I had ever eaten plus the driver was awesome. It seems that when he was a teenager, he had a girlfriend that lived behind ELVIS and she taught ballet. ELVIS wanted her to teach Lisa Marie how to dance so he put a gate up between her yard and his and she could come and go between the yards to give her lessons. He also said that they used to sneak over to ELVIS' pool and swim at night when they thought no one was watching. They got ran out numerous times, only to return again and again. Funny stories he told.
He also said that when we got to Marlow's that we should ask for CJ (I believe was her name) in the gift shop and that she dated ELVIS. He said we should ask her when we meet her specifically "what ELVIS gave her on their first date". So when we arrived we went to the gift shop and met her we asked the question.... She said that ELVIS rented a movie theatre and they were sitting watching the movie. He asked her what her favorite color was, she said red. He excused himself and she thought he went to the men's room only to return shortly afterwards. When they left the movie, he presented her with a burgundy Pontiac Lemans right outside of the theatre. He said burgundy was the best he could do that late at night.
This was us at the Graceland gates after dinner. Graceland is literally one block down from the Inn.
Close shot of the brick wall at the gate. I thought it was really cool all of the signatures and sentiments to ELVIS written on the wall. It's a great piece of grafheti.
As you know today is the anniversary of his death so I would really love to be there today, but not possible to go back right now. They say that they line up the afternoon of his death anniversary and everyone walks by the memorial garden on the grounds and pays respects until everyone in the line, no matter how long is able to pay respects. Sometimes it's 9:00 or 10:00 a.m. the next morning.
This was a photo of ELVIS in one of his cars at the new ELVIS pavilion across the street from Graceland. It's a beautiful new complex and has all of his cars, outfits, memorabilia, and other star's outfits that had beautiful sentiments said about ELVIS and his music. It was a great place to spend several hours just going through all his stuff! You actually board a bus to go over to Graceland from his site. The airplanes were also here to go through.
In the automobile display room these were signs on the walls and were huge. I thought the one above was great since it told the story of the American Dream and how it spoke of American's freedom.
Its strange ELVIS was a very shy person, but was always self confident in his talent. That's why he was able to sell himself to the world as a great artist.
Once we reached the house, there is a room outside, where ELVIS and Pricilla had their wedding reception, with more memorabilia in it. I caught a glimpse of this baby blanket that was Lisa Marie's. It had this writing on it and thought it was so precious. It says:
To Lisa
Long Beach Arena
I love my Lisa
Daddy
Wednesday August 15, 1972
Then on to the next stop. Near the airplanes you can board a bus to go to Sun Records in downtown Memphis. You will need to ride the Graceland Inn bus back to the hotel. Sun is where he made it big and cut his first records beginning July 1954.
History of Sun Records
ELVIS and Sun Records history
This is my hubby in front of the infamous Sun Studio building.
We had such a fun time on our 3 day weekend. It was a packed, fast, fun weekend trip and my husband loved it all as did I. I hope you enjoyed seeing a little of ELVIS and his world as it was in the 50s, 60s & 70's and what they have done with it today. We still mourn ELVIS but so grateful he left behind a ton of music for us to enjoy. Thanks for viewing my post and hope you return for more fun adventures next time.
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