Washington DC Part II – Baseball, Nationals Park

On December 14, 2015December 14, 2015 By oceangirl63In Uncategorized4 Comments

Well, this is it, we have finally come full circle and arrived back in Washington DC. I previously posted: Super ‘running’ Man on the streets of Washington DC (May 7th), Washington Part I (May 10th) and the Washington Ball not long after that and now we have Washington Part II which will be closely followed by Washington Part III. Getting these next two posts out will be a bit of a marathon so I have decided to go with the good old standby of ‘tart it up and bash it out’.

So, on a beautiful Washington evening we headed to Nationals Park to see a baseball game. Now baseball in America is what the State of Origin is to Queenslanders and New South Welshman and what AFL is to Victorians! Jacques Barzun once said ‘whoever wants to know the heart and mind of America had better learn baseball’ and I think he may have been right. It is a religion, a belief and a way of life but given that, do not watch baseball on TV. You really have to be at the ground and at a live game.

Baseball has the longest history of any sport in this country. I do love this game and there is so much to love from the crazy mascots (and every team has one) to the animated and spirited team supporters to the pre-game ceremonies. At all ball parks before the game you will be required to stand up, remove your hat and sing the nations National Anthem, ‘The Star-Spangled Banner’. If this does not bring a tear to your eye then there is something seriously wrong with your emotional wiring.

To me, baseball is romance and passion. It is a national pastime and I have to say that most females look damn good in a team shirt and baseball cap. Baseball is also a game of statistics however you don’t have to like maths in order to appreciate or follow it. There are lots of rules but really, just sit back and enjoy.

Now the casual observer may think baseball is a boring game but that is definitely not the case and there is no better sound than that of a well hit ball coming off the bat. And generally, every single person in that stadium knows what that sound means. Its a dinger! A home run! And a home run is what everyone is there to see.

We have been so fortunate to have been able to see a couple of major league games and we have been in some of the most beautiful old stadiums in America which are now historic landmarks. Nationals Park in Washington is a very sleek and modern stadium. Lots of glass and stainless steel which makes it quite beautiful in a contemporary way. The tickets were also very cheap and there was a mid-fourth-innings foot race called the ‘Presidents Race’. This is an oddly strange yet surprisingly fun foot race between giant headed caricatures of past presidents including Thomas Jefferson, Teddy Roosevelt, Abraham Lincoln, George Washington and William Taft…..my money was on one of my favorite presidents, Teddy Roosevelt however William Taft was the winner on the night.

So what do you need for a perfect night of baseball in DC? Well I’ll tell you:

A beautiful Washington evening
Great seats in the stands
Cold beer in plastic cups
A darn good hotdog (that’s a must, especially the foot-long) and don’t be shy. You have to load that baby up with ketchup, mustard, onions, sauerkraut and cheese!
A presidential foot race
Crackerjacks – the original (and don’t be fooled by imitators) caramel coated popcorn. It has been around for almost 120 years.
And the best part…. a communal sing-a-long to ‘Take me out to the ball game’ with the words up on the big screen and a bouncing baseball pointing them all out.

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The sing-a-long up on the big screen complete with words and bouncing baseball………just priceless (and so much fun). I think it maybe the most sung song during summer in America.

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Fan of the game that night and you had to give it to him. Fans dress up or do something attention grabbing for the cameras in a bid to gain the illustrious honor of being named ‘fan of the game’….its a big deal too!

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‘The Presidents Race’

There are just some things in life you have to experience and baseball for me is one of them. Babe Ruth once famously said ‘baseball was, is and always will be to me the best game in the world’ and I have to agree so……

Take me out to the ball game
Take me out with the crowd
Buy me some peanuts and crackerjacks
I don’t care if I never get back
Let me root, root, root
For the home team
If they don’t win it’s a shame
Aahh.
For it’s one,
Two,
Three strikes you’re out
At the old ball game……. xx

Chicken Soup…..

On December 6, 2015December 8, 2015 By oceangirl63In Uncategorized22 Comments

Friendships cannot be hastily built for they are something to be nurtured and encouraged. These sorts of relationships develop slowly and should, when the foundations of trust, love and mutual respect are cemented, be something that will last us a life time if we are one of the lucky few. Friendships are to be enjoyed but just like every relationship, they are hard work. They can be as complicated as they are rewarding and you need to take great care with them as bonds like these can become your home-made chicken soup.

Friendships allow you the comfort of a warm place to lay your heart, your soul and your head and when there, this should be a place to feel safe, appreciated and loved. When life and all that goes along with it leaves you a little battered and wind swept, you know this is the one place you can hunker down at for a while until the storm passes.

You will learn to understand that your true friends will be those who you know will stand up for you no matter what the cost. They do not hold you back and they do not tear you down. Loyal friends do not ostricise or ignore you and they certainly do not shun you because they feel they have to fit in with others for their own self preservation. Friends should have the mindfulness not listen to others but instead listen to their own hearts and live by their own ideals and convictions. Along with this you should find that true friends support you and when you tell them something in the strictest of confidence, that is exactly how it remains.

Very sadly however, friendships can have a much darker side. I don’t think there is anyone who has not suffered the effects of losing what you thought was a friend especially when that friend betrays you in the worst possible way. With the gentlest of hands you give them something. You have offered something so valuable that you believe you can entrust this one and only person with it. But in return for your trust, they betray you. And know this – the worst betrayal you will suffer will never come from your enemies.

I am doing much soul searching at the moment about friendships and their cost. These are very difficult and distressing times at present too so overall things are quite hellish. I guess sometimes life brings you to a seemingly impassable wall which you do not believe you can ever overcome. It will seem an almost insurmountable task to get over this hurdle but you know you must either navigate around it, go over it or you have to go through it because you cannot just stand there and stare at it for it will not go away.

I love this incredible image. It is the acclaimed Southern chef Edna Lewis and cookbook author Marion Cunningham (not the Happy Days Mrs C. either) and it depicts what I consider to be the essence and beauty of a true friendship. There is laughter, love, ease, comfort of conversation and true joy between these two women……

It is the ultimate Holy Grail because if you find that, you find everything!

Now I am NO expert on friends and friendships because I will very honestly state that I am not a good friend! In fact, I’m a pretty rotten friend to have and I know and acknowledge that. I don’t stay in touch with people, it is rare that I contact people and I don’t look for friends. I am also very solitary in that I love my own company and I never get lonely. I am fiercely independent and I protect my privacy and myself. I never get bored therefore I never have the inclination or desire to constantly seek people out. I’m low maintenance, I don’t need to be entertained and nor do I like entertaining others! Writing, as you can probably imagine, is one of the most solitary of crafts and happily, it appears to be the perfect fit for me.

Frankly, given all that I have put out there about myself, I would not want to be friends with me either. One thing I do know however is that if you value someone as your friend or a friendship, you should fight for it when things go pear shaped….and sometimes they do. Perhaps someone will come along and they will see that you have something they desperately crave. You have something precious which they have never had and they will do anything to take it from you. Fueled by their own insecurities and jealousies, they will begin a campaign to do all that they can to discredit you and exclude you. Finding yourself in that situation is difficult and devastating because the interloper is manipulative and sly and they are working very hard to destroy not only the relationships you have built with others but also you! and all whilst scurrying about on thick, water retentive bandy legs.

And sadly, you may have allowed this to happen. Okay, I allowed it to happen because foolishly I always see the good in a person even when that person shows me exactly who they truly are! I ignored the very clear warning signals and I now know that instead of letting someone destroy things, I should maybe have fought a little harder.

Sometimes too, when the bottom falls out of a friendship you just have to be the one who swallows their pride, steps up and says ‘I know we are no longer friends but I wish one of us was brave enough and not so bloody pig headed to do something about it’. If you believe some friendships are worth it, then fight for them because when they are gone, they are gone forever! They can never be restored or replaced and nothing in that relationship will be the same again – just as the betrayal of trust can never ever be salvaged.

Life has a funny way of working itself out though and although it is difficult to keep your faith in humanity at times, know that all will be okay. It really is going to be okay. Very luckily I have some amazing and wonderful people in my life who are true, beautiful and good and for that, I am truly grateful. Those numbers are small but significant because they represent love and care (which is mutual) and that in itself is huge. These small few are the only people I would ever want as my chicken soup.

I long ago discovered that it is always best to be very grateful for what you have and for what you have lost for that matter. When you are thankful for what you have you will always see that you have so much more. When you are constantly chasing something or someone you will never be content because you will always be needing to fill a gaping hole in your life.

And I have also very happily discovered maple and ginger biscuits (cookies to non Australians) and this I believe, will be the start of very long and beautiful friendship… xx

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We have just about come full circle….

On December 6, 2015December 6, 2015 By oceangirl63In Uncategorized1 Comment

It seems we have almost come full circle in catching this part of the blog up – which will lead us back to Washington DC. The last blog post for Washington was seven months ago! It is almost incomprehensible that seven months have passed. The next few posts will bring everything together and it will tie up all lose ends.

Once we are all up to speed I will then work on catching up the blog to bring it to the present (December 2015). The name of my blog is also going to change during this time……just a little anyway xx

Beaufort Air Show

On December 2, 2015December 2, 2015 By oceangirl63In Uncategorized2 Comments

This was an incredible day out. A spectacular Air Show held at the Marine Corps Air Station, Beaufort and trust me on this, no one does an air show quite like the yanks.

With over 100,000 people to entertain they pulled out all the stops. Vintage war planes, flybys, aerobatic displays by some of the best pilots around, the roar and smell of jet engines, smoke, The Blue Angels – the Navy’s flight demonstration team consisting of 6 F/A-18 hornets, parachutes, joy flights, demonstrations, air aces, aerial formations, thundering high speed low pass overs, rolls, classic cars, guns, war machines, food and beer – yes!! you can purchase beer at these amazing displays of might and power. As you can imagine, all this made for a very impressive day out. Entry was also free however for this experience, I would have very happily paid ten fold.

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Only in the US can you drink beer in front of a war machine…..God Bless America

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My survival tips for a day at an American Air Show:

EAR PROTECTION!!
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Wear sunscreen, have a hat, wear comfortable shoes and clothing because you will be doing a lot of walking, climbing stairs and also standing with your neck craned skyward
Keep well hydrated and eat often
Be patient (the lines can be long)
Work out where your toilets (restrooms) are….you will thank me for this tip
Have an open mind – you really are at one of the greatest shows on earth
And the most important tip…..have fun because you will never see anything like this again in your lifetime 🙂

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And the best part for me was that you could not wipe the smile of this face for the entire day (and long after). And when you think about it, there really is so much in life to smile about…. xx

Footnote: It’s that time of the year in America therefore ‘snow’ is falling on my blog x

Folly Island, Folly Beach and Bowens Island – South Carolina

On November 29, 2015November 30, 2015 By oceangirl63In Uncategorized12 Comments

It has taken a bit of work but I am happy to say I am catching the blog up at a rate of knots. Or, as they say here in the South – ‘I have been as busy as a one-legged cat in a sandbox’ . And trust me, said with a Southern accent, it is a wonderful expression to use.

Okay, onward and upward and on to Folly……

Located between the Atlantic Ocean and the Folly River is Folly Island. This lovely 12 square mile barrier island is also known as the ‘Edge of America’. It is a laid-back and very friendly beach community which normally has a population of around 2,260 however that number swells considerably during the steamy southern summer months. This wonderful island has civil war, pirate and shipwreck history and it also has a 6 mile strip of sand on the Atlantic Ocean side of the island called Folly Beach.

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The 1,000 foot fishing pier on Folly Beach….

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There are some great bars and even better places to eat at on Folly Island and one we tried was the Folly Beach Shrimp Company. Fresh local caught shrimp done ‘101’ ways was low-country fare at its best. Teamed with local beer, sitting out in the patio area (beer-garden to Aussies) and listening to music made for an enjoyable lunch.

Bowens Island isn’t actually an island but just simply the end of a peninsular in low country ringed by marshes, creeks and wetlands. It is a beautiful but often overlooked area with abundant bird life, spertina grass species and these wonderful areas support the marine estuarine ecosystems…..and what could be better than that.

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The Bowens Island Restaurant is an icon of South Carolina. This cinderblock outpost serves up the best of local seafood in a dive atmosphere of graffiti covered walls, rickety old communal tables and chairs resemblant of Amish birthing stools! Passionately popular with locals and a favorite spot for oyster lovers.

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These oyster shell mounds, of which there are several, are as high and as wide as a bus…..

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Did I mention rustic chic…..

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And what better way to end the days in this little part of the world than seeing some of the most breathtaking of painted skies around. And I have never seen a sunset I didn’t like…… xx

Charleston – South Carolina

On November 26, 2015 By oceangirl63In Uncategorized8 Comments

Whimsical and beautiful Charleston. Impactful history, stunning architecture, beautiful mansions, City markets, the French Quarter and its Battery promenade, historic churches, its restaurants and its uber cool bars are just some of the things which attract tourists to this 1670 settled city. It is one of the most perfect places to explore on foot and there is nothing better than strolling its alluring and historic streets with the sound of the carriage horse hooves on cobblestone. Hearing that melodic sound makes for a pretty perfect day in the South.

The historic district has over 2,000 preserved and restored buildings with more than 70 of those from the pre-Revolutionary war era.

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Now interestingly, the pineapple is an historic symbol of Southern hospitality and you will see it almost everywhere in Charleston. You will discover pineapples as door knockers, jewelry, as a spectacular fountain, as finials on roof tops, as outdoor ornaments, trinkets, adornments and as wallpaper. I thought the poodle wallpaper at Graceland was wonderful until I saw the vintage baroque pineapple version.

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The stunning ‘Pineapple Fountain’ located at the Waterfront Park on Vendue Range Charleston…..

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I really am a girly girl as I do love pink. Especially on a building….

And how is this for a slightly ‘odd’ law in Charleston – when approaching an intersection in an automated vehicle the driver must stop 100 feet from the intersection and fire a gun or rifle to warn horse traffic!

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The timeless charm of a Charleston horse drawn carriage….

There are a lot of very cool bars including sophisticated roof-top bars in Charleston serving up a selection of great local craft beers and cocktails. We dropped in to a few places, one being Big Johns which is one of the oldest bars still standing in Charleston. It has everything you need for an evening of shenanigans – cheap local beer, atmosphere, pool tables, the odd Citadel cadet and bra’s (??) hanging randomly from the ceiling.

On Cumberland Street you will find Craftsman Kitchen and Tap house. Two very handsome bars filled with an array of craft beers.

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Another great place that I will very happily recommend is Holy City Brewing located 4155 Dorchester Road North Charleston. This great craft beer company brews what has now become my favorite beer ever! Bowens Island Oyster Stout – and, as the name suggests, it is actually brewed with oysters! Amazing stuff!!

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Holy City Brews and their chocolate dipped bacon which is to die for (literally), but don’t let your cardiologist know……

In South Carolina you will also find some of the oldest historic Plantations of the pre-Civil War era. One I visited was Boone Hall, founded in 1681, and it is still operating today. Boone Hall is set on 783 acres with original historic buildings including slave quarters which are still in tact. This is a fascinating place, where crops have been continually gown for well over 300 years, to spend a day.

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The beautiful entrance leading up to Boone Hall is 3/4 of a mile long and is constructed of two rows of evenly spaced live Oaks. It has taken almost two centuries for the moss draped branch’s to meet overhead to form this amazing natural corridor….

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It is so easy to fall in love with Charleston. It is colorful, vibrant and charming and there is beauty almost everywhere you look. And I don’t care if it takes me a life time but I am going everywhere…… xx

St Augustine Florida

On November 19, 2015 By oceangirl63In Uncategorized8 Comments

St Augustine, also known as the ‘ancient City’, is the nations oldest continually occupied settlement. Located in north-east Florida this city, with its stunning Spanish influenced architecture, brick-lined laneways and streets and its abundant history is the perfect place to explore on foot.

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History and architecture not your thing! Then do not fear because this town is host to some pretty impressive brew-masters, distillers and vintners who are equally matched by the fab restaurants which highlight the multitude of cultural influences from the area. And I do love that St Augustine is the patron Saint of brewers!

And just a small tip – the caffeine faithful will not be disappointed here either. There are some great indie coffee houses brewing some of the best ground beans around. You see, something for everyone.

This romantic and very pretty town is a popular tourist destination and we were very fortunate to have been able to spend two nights-three days there. There is an abundance of accommodation in St Augustine and while there, we stayed at the stunning 1888 built Moroccan inspired Casa Marco Hotel. Located in the historic district and with its fountains, ornate and elegant décor this hotel really was a stand out. Not to put too fine a point on it but I have stayed in an awful lot of places and I would have to say this is one of my favorites…..big call I know!

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St Augustine, founded in 1565, with its Spanish colonial-era buildings and its beautiful historic churches, its forts and the fact the city was also a key location for the civil rights movement will hold your interest long after you have departed.

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St Augustine, as well as being the oldest town, also has one of the narrowest streets in all of the US. At just 7 feet wide, Treasury Street, which connected the Royal Spanish Treasury to the ship docking area, was deliberately made narrow so that any would-be-thieves would find it near impossible to steal the chests of gold held there. Chests of gold! There is that romanticism and charm yet again of this amazing city…… although I did not see a pirate or any pieces of eight!

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Another feather in the cap of the town is that the oldest masonry fort in America is still there. Castillo De Sans Marco or Fort Marion as it is also known, was built in 1672. Very interestingly but sadly too, the fort was also used as a prison for captured American Indians. The mighty Indian nations such as the Comanche, Cheyenne, Apache and including Geronimo’s wives and children were held as prisoners of war here and the fort is also rumored to be one of the most haunted places in St Augustine.

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For all that we did and experienced on this journey one of my favorite memories was to watch a homeless man wash his socks, then his feet, then some small articles of clothing in the beautiful fountain outside of the very grand Ponce de Leon Hotel. After that, he seemed content to just sit for a while and enjoy. Sometimes it is the simplest of pleasure that bring the most joy to ones soul……xx

A different side to Savannah…..

On November 16, 2015November 16, 2015 By oceangirl63In Uncategorized9 Comments

Ethereal Savannah with its stunning Antebellum architecture and cobblestone laneways, magnolia blossom and live oaks all make for an unforgettable city. When FB and I first visited Savannah, it was in the very cold and wintery month of February 2014. The second time I saw Savannah was on a road trip with my mum and Rob who were visiting from Australia. That was in September 2014 and on both visits we stayed in the enchanting pedestrian friendly town center.

And my third sighting of Savannah. Well that was on a whim when we decided to hit the road once more. This time however, there would be no sweet tea, stately mansions or Spanish moss for us. This time we were in search of a different side to Savannah. We were looking for estuaries, tidal marshes and the beautiful wetland prairies. We were heading to an island or two just off the coast of Georgia and we were on the lookout for a fort.

Estuaries, marshes and wetlands are rich wildlife reserves and the most valuable of ecological landscapes. These around the outskirts of Savannah happen to be inhabited by fish, crustaceans, dolphins, otters, alligators and an abundance of bird life. I love these sorts of areas which are often called ‘the nurseries of the sea’. They are wonderfully serene places to find yourself in.

After a day of exploring and bird watching we headed for dinner at a great little place called Marker 107. This restaurant is located on Kilkenny Creek with views of St Catherine’s and Ossabaw Islands. This charming little place is way off the beaten track but it is definitely worth the trip and it is open Wednesday and Thursday night 5 – 9 and Friday and Saturday night 5 – 10. And do try the blackened scallops!!

The freshest and sweetest shrimp (prawns) all come courtesy of a working shrimp boat named the ‘Grey Ghost’ which is docked at the wharf, just a stones throw from the back door of the restaurant.

After a good nights sleep it was off to Fort Pulaski. This five-sided masonry fortification was built in the 19th century and it is a National Monument located on Cockspur Island. Originally built to defend Savannah against foreign attack, construction of the fort began in 1829 and it took almost 16 years to complete. The history of this fort is long, detailed and fascinating. It has been a confederate post, it has witnessed monumental battles including civil war bombardment and it has been a prisoner of war camp.

Set aside a good day to do this tour and the park is open daily from 9 – 5.

Tybee Island is also known as Savannah Beach and is located about 18 miles from Savannah. Believe it or not……and you have to believe this because it is true, Tybee Island is one of the few locations in the world where the U.S. Air Force accidently dropped an atomic bomb in a botched military exercise in 1958. Although the bomb did not detonate, the lost bomb has never been found. Interesting and down right bloody scary!

Tybee Island is a very, very popular spot with locals, tourists and holiday makers and in the holiday season the population of the island swells considerably. I do love my oceans passionately and I will pretty much take a dip wherever and whenever I can however FB thought my judgment clearly circumspect when I mentioned (very casually as I was stripping off to my underwear) that I was going in for a swim. He alluded to the fact that:

I did not have my togs with me (clearly not an issue though)
I would be wet and somewhat sandy for the long drive home, and
The clincher….he just pointed to the sign!

Now, I can honestly state that I am a very strong and experienced ocean swimmer however as I scanned the length of the beach as far as the eye could see (which was probably around 5 miles), I noted there were no another surfers or swimmers in sight. In fact, apart from the odd seabird, we were the only two people on the beach. Point taken!

No swim but a late lunch in a local Tybee café before heading home. This was not the Bundy Bear, but he was pretty familiar and it was nice to see.

Wanderlust is in my blood and that will never change. You can always travel the well worn path or search for something new but either way, the best part will be that you will return home to find yourself a little better a person just for having been there. Swim or no swim….. xx

‘The Rajun Cajun Crawfish Festival’ in Memphis

On November 9, 2015 By oceangirl63In Uncategorized2 Comments

The South is a place where legendary story tellers have created folktales which weave a beautiful and rich history and the Cajun story of how the crawfish came to be is no different. This account by the way is gospel, as indeed are most of the stories told in the South……….

‘The crawfish originally began life as lobsters but travelled on a very long journey south with the exiled people of French Acadia, an area known as Maritimes in Canada today. It was such a lengthy, arduous and treacherous journey that by the time the lobsters reached their final destination they were mere shadows of their former selves. They had lost so much weight and condition they transformed into crawfish’.

A beautiful warm sunny day in Memphis and the smell of steaming spiced crawfish lured us to the ‘Rajun Cajun Crawfish Festival’. A one-day-only celebration of the humble crawfish held near the banks of the mighty Mississippi River.

It is mesmerizing to watch the efficient brutality in which these little crustaceans are prepared and dispatched.

Now twenty bucks at this festival will buy you a three pound bucket of brick red, steaming crawfish. And the bonus, you don’t get potatoes or corn with that either. Just beautiful sweet crawfish. Don’t like crawfish! Then ten dollars will buy you a 1/4 bucket of shrimp. Don’t like shellfish of any kind!! That’s okay too because there are plenty of vendors who will happily serve up all kinds of Southern and Cajun classics.

So with a cold beer in hand, bums firmly planted on a curb, the heady waft of cooked shellfish in the air and a bucket or three of crawfish we settled in for some messy good fun. And the verdict on the crawfish……..just excellent!!

My two best tips for this festival:

Definitely go!
Definitely take cash!!

As it seems with all things cooked in the South, the Cajun food is no different. It is plentiful, well seasoned, rustic and cooked with much love. We were absolutely and very happily stuffed full so barely able to move, we slowly headed back toward Beale Street…….but that’s another story waiting to be told xx

Graceland, Memphis Tennessee

On November 5, 2015November 5, 2015 By oceangirl63In UncategorizedLeave a comment

Sometimes, you need to give yourself a gift and when you do, you need to take that gift without guilt or obligation……..

Which is exactly what I did when I purchased two ‘Graceland Elvis Entourage VIP Tour and Airplanes Tour’ tickets. Wohoo! I know, pinch me please and pinch me hard. I was headed to the home of THE KING and I was dragging the big guy along with me!!

This was amazing. It was a long held dream of mine to go to Graceland so as you can imagine, I was up at a sparrows on this particular morning.

Just after 9.00 am we pulled up in the car park and I leapt from my seat with an athleticism I surely do not possess, and we left…….okay, we were ushered out, at closing time which was 5.00 pm. Apparently it usually takes visitors about three to four hours to complete their tours however by my guesstimate, we took a little longer than that.

Graceland is set on a 13.8 acre estate and is located at 3764 Elvis Presley Boulevard. It is a charmingly pretty home which receives just over 620,000 visitors per year. It is a time capsule of sorts and a museum and it is exactly how Elvis left it on the day he died, August 16 1977. Graceland has also been placed on the ‘National Register of Historic Places’ and has been declared a ‘National Historic Landmark’.

Graceland has 23 rooms. Once through the front doors you step into the foyer and into another world. From here you can see Elvis’s living room, the music room complete with Baby Grand, Elvis’s mothers’ bedroom decorated with the sweetest of poodle wallpaper, the dining room and the stair case leading upstairs. The second floor is completely private and off limits to all and no one other than immediate family are permitted up there. This is where Elvis’s bedroom, dressing room and bathroom are located and although sealed, they are keep exactly as they were on the day he died.

From there, it was along the hallway to Elvis’s kitchen. A rather dark, wood paneled room where I think an awful lot of bacon and fried chicken was cooked.

After the kitchen tour, we followed the staircase down to the basement and arrived at the pool room. The pool room is completely encased in pleated printed fabric which covers all four walls and the ceiling plus the same fabric was used to cover the couches and the ‘scatter’ pillows on the couches. Quirky and interestingly intricate to say the least. It took three men ten days to complete the room and they used 400 yards of fabric to do so.

From there it is along to the TV room which holds three TV’s all of which Elvis apparently liked to watch simultaneously. He also loved to watch the telecasts of the NFL every Sunday. There is also a pull down movie screen, a jukebox, Elvis’s record collection and a personal collection of shells and nick knacks above the wet bar in this very cool room. My favorite touch was the lightening bolt with the letters TCB which means ‘taking care of business’ (in a flash). TCB was Elvis’s personal credo and words he lived by.

And now for one of my favorite rooms. The Jungle Room. The notoriety of the Jungle Room is not undeserved. And I don’t care what anyone says. That man had taste and it is no more prevalent than in the décor of this amazing space. The Jungle Room was designed by Elvis with Hawaii (his favorite vacation spot) in mind. Not to put a too fine a point on it but this super retro room has avocado green shag pile carpet from floor to ceiling and it is chock full of faux fur animal print, plants, a waterfall, intricately carved dark wood furnishings and tiki’s.

On the tour of Graceland you also have access to the grounds, the trophy room, the Meditation Garden which is Elvis’s final resting place along with other Presley family members and the racquetball building which now houses some of the iconic jumpsuits Elvis wore. And this was jumpsuit heaven!

My favorite Elvis impersonator looking cute with the iPad available for your use during your tour. It is narrated by John Stamos who walks you through the life and the home of Elvis room by room……

After the tour of Graceland we headed back across the road. As we had the VIP tickets we also had access to Elvis’s private car collection, tours of both of his private jets plus unlimited access to view private exhibits, archives and memorabilia.

And did I indulge in the favorite food of the King while on my pilgrimage to Graceland. Of course! The quintessential ‘Fried Peanut Butter, Bacon and Banana Sandwich’. And dang, it was good! Actually, it was better than good, it was GREAT! So great in fact that it has become a breakfast staple of mine. If I had a conscience I would probably feel guilty about eating this sandwich on a weekly basis but luckily for me I don’t….have a conscience that is!

This really was a great day. It was fun, it was history, happiness and nostalgia soaked and it was a place that I had dreamed of visiting since I was a young girl. And I guess that’s just the way of dreams because if you dream a beautiful dream, sometimes you actually get to do it.

Elvis has left the building…..xx

oceangirl – these are my stories

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