larry kubin

Memphis wasn’t originally part of the trip, but after hearing some good things about the city when we talked to Sara’s brother in Nashville, we decided to make Memphis our last stop. This meant we would need to drive from Memphis to Austin in one day, but we would worry about that later. We quickly made reservations to stay at the Hampton Inn on Beale Street, which is where all of the blues clubs are.

Upon arriving, we went over to a barbecue joint that was recommended to us — Rendezvous. The place was hidden in a back alley basement. Winner of many awards, it is one of Esquire’s “Top 5 Best BBQ Joints in America” (not that I read Esquire). We had the “World-Famous Rendezvous Charcoal-Broiled Pork Ribs” and the lamb. Five stars.

Afterwards we went over the the South Main Art District, where we walked around and checked out the various shops and picked up some caffeine at Bluff City Coffee. The baristas there were cool and gave us some advice on a few places we should visit. They suggested we head over to Cooper-Young, which is described as “an electic neighborhood and historic district in the Midtown section of Memphis”. So, it’s sort of like Hyde Park here in Austin.

We caught a cab over to Cooper-Young. The taxi driver told the craziest stories we’ve ever heard and shared many “taxicab confessions” within minutes of meeting us. We doubted the truthfulness of most of what he said and figured he was just trying to make his life seem more exciting. The awkward yet hilarious ride ended when we arrived at Celtic Crossing, an Irish pub on Cooper St.

At Celtic Crossing, we had a few beers and watched a band play a few covers, including a performance of “Where Did You Sleep Last Night”. We explored other parts of the neighborhood and walked by the many restaurants and shops, including a shop called the House of Mews, which had dozens of cats sleeping inside. Afterwards, we headed back downtown.

We concluded the night on Beale Street, which is probably the cleanest entertainment street I’ve ever seen. We bounced around from place to place, listening to music until late in the night. Our trip would soon be over, and the next morning we would begin our long drive back to Austin.