Memphis is a good 8 hours away (9 hours if you drive back during a tornado watch), so we divided up the first stretch of our trip. We stopped in Chattanooga on Friday, and Jonathan’s mom made us a delicious dinner of steak, okra, corn and biscuits. We ate outside under an awning of twinkle lights, and I was overjoyed to be back. (The last time I ate there Jonathan was about to leave for Italy, and I was in a far less happy mood)
On Saturday the 4 of us piled in the Subaru and road tripped across Tennessee. Memphis is an hour earlier, so we had time for a drink on Beale Street before going out to dinner with Bo, Rachel and her parents at Spindini . I ordered a goat cheese, pesto, sundried tomato and chicken pizza that was so good, but I was so stuffed with bread and olive oil that I took most of it home.
The next morning Jonathan, Bob, Lisa and I walked along the Mississippi River bank and met Bo at Bluff City Coffee . Memphis gets a rap for being a bit seedy and rough around the edges, but the new river walk is beautiful and backs up to refurbished lofts that I would definitely live in without fear of being mugged.
We spent the afternoon exploring Memphis (i.e. watching Pirates of the Caribbean at the hotel.... shh don't tell anyone) and snacking at Bo and Rachel's cute little house. Then we went to a speakeasy and blue's bar on Beale Street (by day and night above). The blues bar was really fun, but I loved the speakeasy. I would tell you the name, but it didn't even have a sign, so all I can say is try to know the right people next time you go to Memphis ;)
Jonathan and I ended our night with gin and tonics and a bowl full of fortune cookies in the company of a nice chinese family who were closing up their restaurant - we know how to do romantic outings.
On Sunday we ate breakfast with everyone at Cockadoo's . It's no Mama's Boy, but I did love their mugs and mason jars.
Our trip was short and sweet, but completely worth the long drive. It was great to see Bo and Rachel even briefly, and I LOVED road tripping Bob and Lisa.
Jonathan and I ate a late dinner with my family (who I miss and want to go home and see for more than an hour soon!) and made our way back to Athens with chocolate cake and left-overs in hand.
