Long-distance information get me Memphis Tennessee…….

On November 2, 2015November 5, 2015 By oceangirl63In Uncategorized10 Comments

I know, you are going to have that great Chuck Berry song running through your head now……..and by the way, you are most welcome.

I am feeling extraordinarily nostalgic in this post because joy of joy, we’ve hit Memphis. Now, I planned to do an awful lot on this trip so I have broken it down into a couple of sections and I will endeavor to post it all over a couple of blogs.

Memphis is amazing. It is all that I hoped for and so much more. It is home of the blues, the birthplace of rock and roll, it has GRACELAND!!, civil rights history, bars, Beale Street, Sun Studio and barbeque. Now eating in Memphis is not for the faint of heart……just ask Elvis! In this gut-busting town ‘barbeque’ reigns supreme. There is meat, meat and more meat. Eating here requires the stamina, the endurance and the will of a long distance runner. You will never go hungry as there is something for everyone……okay, not including vegetarians!

As this was another of Steve’s work trips that I very happily got to tag along on, I made the most of it. I walked for miles, explored this amazing city and its backstreets, marveled at the history, the beauty, the architecture and the life blood of this town. It was a wonderful experience.

Beale Street – this is the history and heart and soul of Memphis and it really comes into its own after dark. If you want to hear great music, see amazing bands, hang out in some fab old bars with the locals and soak up the atmosphere then this is the place to be. Beale Street runs from the Mississippi River to East Street and is just over 1.8 miles long. It can get a little over-crowded and noisy, especially at night, but my guess would be that it may just be a once in a lifetime experience so enjoy it for all that it is. We were so lucky to experience Beale Street with great friends and it doesn’t get better than that.

Sun Studio – located in downtown Memphis, Sun Studio helped launch the careers of Elvis, Johnny Cash, Roy Orbison and B. B. King to name a small few and the studio is still in use today. A fascinating place for any music lover.

The National Civil Rights Museum at the Lorraine Hotel – this was a true highlight for me. This is where Martin Luther King Jnr was assassinated on April 4th 1968. He was 39 years old. The exhibits trace the history of the civil rights movement in America from the 17th century until now and the museum is built around the hotel. This museum should be top on anyone’s list when in Memphis. It is heartbreakingly thought provoking, yet inspiring. It is located at 450 Mulberry Street Memphis and is open everyday except Tuesday.

After haunting the backstreets of Memphis I thought this city held no more secrets from me, then I discovered….. ‘Earnestine and Hazel’s’! This is a legendary, greasy juke joint and a former brothel. It has a haunted bar, hipsters, low life’s and now moi sitting at the bar. Now I don’t usually hang out in bars during daylight hours (oh, who am I kidding) but if I did, I would certainly be spending my days here. This wonderful place is as famous as hell to the locals and I loved it. When here, definitely have the famous ‘soul burger’ – a greasy little burger patty smashed flat on a hot grill. What can I say. It was delicious burger simplicity and a perfect partner to a cold PBR especially after a long day of exploring. Earnestine & Hazel’s is located at 531 South Main Street Memphis and bring cash!!

The famous Peabody Ducks – I love ducks. I actually love ducks almost as much as I love cats so the Peabody was a perfect haunt for me. The Peabody Hotel was constructed in 1869 and was reputed to be one of the finest hotels in the South….and I can’t argue with that! It is stunning. At 11am each day the resident ducks make their way down from their rooftop suite, along the red carpet and off to the Peabody Fountain located in the middle of the hotel. They spend their day splashing about, eating and being photogenic. At 5pm the ‘King Cotton March’ is played and the ducks hop out of the fountain and make their way back along the red carpet to the elevator where they are returned to their rooftop suite for the night. The duck parade has been going on since 1930 and its pretty wonderful. The Peabody is also the perfect place for a ‘ducking good’ cocktail so sit back and enjoy but do get there early to grab a comfy seat. What could be better.

The Gibson Guitar Factory – located on 145 Little George W Lee Avenue (and just around the corner from Beale Street) is where you will see true luthiers making these one of a kind guitars. Amazing skill and workmanship at its finest.

I managed to catch up with Steve one day when he finished work a little early and we grabbed a bite to eat at ‘Miss Polly’s Soul City Café’. This place is all about peace, love and fried chicken so as you can imagine I was feeling a little sancti-‘fried’. One great place to eat if you are ever in Memphis

Some other great places to see, do, go and eat at in Memphis are:

The Memphis Farmers Markets Saturday 7am till 1pm
The Historic South Main Street
The Memphis Botanic Gardens
Charles Vergos Rendezvous – great ribs grilled over charcoal (situated between Monroe and Union Avenues) where we once again enjoyed the company of great friends.

Gus’s World of Fried Chicken – just off Beale Street where every piece of chicken is freshly coated in buttermilk, cayenne pepper and paprika then fried in a vat of boiling peanut oil. Bloody beautiful!
The Cozy Corner – this place opened the day after Elvis died in 1977. Everything is cooked to order and damn near perfect. Their Cornish Game Hens are smoked whole. 745 N Parkway Street
Huey’s – head here for burgers. Also feel free to write on the walls and take your cellophane frilled toothpick and put it into your straw. You now have a blow dart!…..which you can shoot into the low slung ceiling tiles. How cool is that! Danger and meal all in one.

And of course my favorite vintage stores:

Flashback – 2304 Central Avenue
Red Velvet Lounge – 509 South Main Street
Garbo’s – (as in Greta not rubbish) 28s Idelwild ST
Hoot and Louise – 109 East GE Patterson Ave

What an experience but stay tuned, there is so much more to come. Again, we are so fortunate to be on this journey and one should never forget how blessed we, all of us, truly are xx

Some navigate by the stars……..

On October 28, 2015October 28, 2015 By oceangirl63In Uncategorized5 Comments

As I wrote in the blog I recently posted, I am going to try to catch my blog up after a hiatus of almost 4 months. If you read the previous blog it will give you an idea of how the blog will eventually run full circle and it will also help you understand why. So fasten your seat belts and acquaint yourselves with the exits because we are in for a bumpy ride……….

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Once again we have indulged in the great American pastime of road tripping. And this time I was on a road trip to true happiness. I was headed to Graceland in Memphis Tennessee! And a note of interest with regards to the state of Tennessee – a whale (apparently) is the only animal you are allowed to hunt from a moving vehicle!

I do love the Southern states of America. They have an indomitable and wonderful charm about them and the heat of a Southern afternoon is like wading through tissue paper. It is a place where the people are friendly because they have been raised to be polite, gracious and kind. The food is great (really great) and be assured you will get the best fried chicken and waffles around. Southerners love their confederate flag and their guns almost as much as they love the bible and they have a perversely wonderful vocabulary which is perfect for any linguiphile. The ‘expressions’ they use are at times mystifying yet rich and vivid. You cannot mistake the meaning of declarations from those in the South especially when little gems such as this are uttered ‘oh she’s busier than a cat buryin’ shit on a marble floor’. Sadly though, their ways, passion and spirit are often misunderstood and some label those from the South as ill-educated, red-necked and dumb which could not be further from the truth! I guess there will always be those in the world who live their lives in narrow mindedness and ignorance because finding fault in others no doubt makes their own shallow lives appear more interesting.

I do believe the plate is 100% fat free…….

Anyway, first stop along the way in this military precision planned trip was Tupelo. Birthplace of Elvis. The King!! Not only does Tupelo offer you The King and the home in which he was born (January 8th 1935…..I’m handy to have on your table at a trivia night), but also his childhood church, civil war history and a battlefield, an automobile museum, a buffalo park, handmade chocolates and the famous Tupelo honey.

Believe it or not, there are 150 restaurants in Tupelo for a population of just over 35,000. Who would have thought! Although we (okay, I was) on the hunt for one place and one place only. Johnnies Drive In. Apparently it was one of the places Elvis liked to hang out at and it is reputed to be the oldest restaurant in Tupelo. It was great fun and a bit of nostalgia never hurt any one. We also, very luckily, got to sit in the same booth that Elvis liked to occupy. After realizing we were Australians, the couple who were sitting in the booth when we arrived, gave it up for us to sit in. See, there’s that beautiful Southern hospitality once again.

Gene Simmons without ‘make-up’….apparently!!

I love that wherever I seem to go I always find a little bit of John Wayne and there he was on the wall of ‘Johnnies’…..and a Queensland number plate! What tha!

Steven’s face after my suggestion of perhaps a little fried chicken and waffles on the side to finish with…..after we had eaten cheeseburgers and fried onions! I reasoned, and I believed I had a very strong case, that we were after all in Tupelo and we may not pass this way again.

Fuelled with a rather full belly it was off to see the home where Elvis was born, the church he sang in, the family car and lots of Elvis history.

The ‘Elvis Presley Birthplace’ is a museum, an historic site and a memorial all rolled into one. It is a fascinating place to visit and it highlights the humble beginnings of one of the greatest cultural icons the world has ever seen. The grounds are beautifully tranquil and you can take as much time as you like just wandering about.

This small, neat little framed home in which Elvis was born, was built by his father Vernon Presley. It is the type of dwelling often referred to as ‘a shotgun house’ because it is a narrow rectangular residence where you can (if you feel the need) fire a shot from the front door to the back door.

Tupelo really was a highlight and although some navigate by the stars, our wanderlust is navigated via the odd, quirky or strange attractions and very often the numerous off beat food joints…..and there is nothing wrong with that xx

As one story ends, another story begins………

On October 21, 2015October 27, 2015 By oceangirl63In Uncategorized10 Comments

Hello……remember me? Yes, I know. I said I would write. Actually, I do believe I promised I would write at least once a week. My intentions were good and I must say, very honorable in the beginning. I really didn’t miss a week….then, I fell off the planet! I could use the old line ‘its not me, its you’ but that’s not entirely true. I do however, in my defence, have a very reasonable excuse for the errant neglect of my blog.

Where do I being. Well, I will start with the fact that an awful lot has happened and a lot of awful has happened too over the past few months. There is so much to tell you so I am going to give it a red hot go to catch the blog up. I thought I would write the past events as though in the present and eventually the blog will run full circle.

Firstly though, I will give you an update of recent events. Gus, our beautiful and gentle companion of just over 12 years has passed away unexpectedly. It has been one of the most heartbreaking of events and we are saddened beyond measure and to be very honest, we cried our eyes out over his loss. Now, it would be safe to say that not all people are ‘cat people’. Why! I have no idea because I love cats (oh….and ducks). I always have. In fact, I love cats (and ducks) as much as it is sanely possible to do so. My first cat was a big fat old tomcat with one eye, part of a tail (I have no idea what happened to the rest of it) and he had a good chunk of one of his ears missing. Stumpy was my grandparents cat but I loved his big mug (that’s Australian slang for face). The thing was, I saw Stumpy as a beautiful cat (even though others didn’t) because to me, that’s what he was. Sure, he wasn’t the cutest of cats but he had a big heart and he was lovely and when you have that, you pretty much have everything. Having affection for a cat (or any animal really) is a huge thing in the world of a child and sometimes, that can be their absolute everything. Children always seem to see the world and those in it more innocently. They don’t look for fault in others or condemnation. Adults are far more critical and will always look to see failings and imperfections. Maybe its time to all be a little kinder to ourselves…….. and to one another!

I don’t understand how others don’t feel the same way about cats and I am always wary of those who do not like cats. I also believe the poor old cat gets quite a bad rap. People label cats as aloof which couldn’t be farther from the truth. If a cat doesn’t like you then it really says more about you than it does the cat! They are very good judges of character. They are often demonized too with regards to environmental issues. Again, certainly not the fault of the cat. Golden rules for caring for a cat: 1) Keep your cat indoors! and 2) Have your cat desexed! Simple….. one would think! I have however, heard all of the excuses for why your cat can’t possibly stay inside and frankly your excuses are just horse shit! I think we cat lovers have all had to listen to a mouth – usually resemblant of a cat’s arse, which is ironic to say the least – complain (or stupidly boast in some cases) how ‘it’s impossible to keep ……..(insert cats name) inside’. Its not impossible. Your just being a very irresponsible and reckless ‘guardian’! And of course lets not forget how the poor cat is much maligned as being manipulative and cunning. ‘Don’t meddle in the affairs of cats’ said Bruce Graham ‘they will piss on your computer’. They won’t pee on your computer Bruce. Cats are far too intelligent to let you know how they have exacted their revenge on you. And having said that, I think I could safely state that I have known and unfortunately have had the ‘pleasure’ (not!!) of dealing with more devious, conniving and nasty people. Never have I found that trait in the caution of a beautiful cat.

Anyway back to dear Gus who had a thick double coat that continually shed so wherever I have been in the world, a little piece of him has always been with me. He could be a bit of a dag (and that’s not the dried piece of faeces hanging from the rear end of sheep either) yet handsomely regal in his own British Shorthair way. He loved a rub under the chin, chicken breast – fresh not cooked, he was particularly fond of the lap area and especially so if you were wearing a dark color and he loved sleeping. Gus loved a game and even though he was large and slightly un-coordination he was quite spry. He could purr like a ‘Massey Ferguson’ when content (which was most of time) and I remember his lovely face by heart. He was social and friendly and without sounding too eccentric, Gus and I would sit and hold conversations…both knowing exactly what each other was saying. I have always loved the quote by Mark Twain when he said ‘If animals could speak the dog would be a blundering outspoken fellow, but the cat would have the rare grace of never saying a word too much’ which is very true. Gus not only spoke with his lovely voice but with his big beautiful luminous eyes that always reminded me of polished amber. He was gentle and affectionate, he was there for some of the worst of times and some of the best and he could, to his credit, do the biggest cat poo in history, usually just as someone was arriving at our home. Timing they say, is everything.

But most importantly, Gus gave from the absolute moment of meeting him until our very sad goodbye, unwavering and unconditional love, joy and companionship. And you see, that’s the thing. Neither Gus nor our other little cat Zoe are pets. They are so much more. They are our beautiful and very dear companions and saying goodbye to him has been one of the hardest things in world to do……..

So, stay with me as we travel this new adventure together and I promise I will never be more than a week of writing away xxx

“Until one has loved an animal, part of one’s soul remains unawakened”…….Anatole France (and Kym Milne)

‘The Australian Embassy Ball’ – Washington DC

On June 10, 2015October 26, 2015 By oceangirl63In UncategorizedLeave a comment

Just a few photos from ‘The Embassy Ball’……

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Dressed and ready to go……..

The end of the night and a great time was had by all……

For Lincoln, who likes fast yellow sports cars…..

On May 23, 2015 By oceangirl63In Uncategorized2 Comments

Just slipping this blog post in amongst the posts I am preparing about our recent trip to Washington DC. Its Mavis, my new (old) fab little 1977 MGB. And sure, its odd that an Australian is driving a British car while living in America but stranger things have happened….lets not forget Roswell, being able to buy everything you will ever need in Walmart (guns included), frying pretty much everything edible and the election of George W. Bush!

I have had Mavis (yes, I actually named her….its the first time I have named a car) for about two months now. Anyway, purchasing Mavis had me thinking about my time in the lovely South Australian town of Gawler. I was so very fortunate, while living there, to have been able to volunteer with FOGL (Friends of Gawler Library) and during my time with this group I not only met some amazing people, but I also had the opportunity to volunteer to read to a group of guys and gals on a Tuesday morning. One of those in the Tuesday morning reading group was Lincoln. An aficionado, an appreciator and an avid admirer of fast yellow sports cars.

Mavis needed quite a bit of work once purchased as she had been sitting for almost four years in a yard uncovered. First stop was a week at the mechanics where she arrived with a box of new parts then once home I gave her a makeover. Her spa treatment included one whole day of cleaning, washing, polishing and vacuuming. She had two bottles of Armorall rubbed into her top alone and another entire bottle was used on her interior. Slowly she looked to be coming back to her former glory……well as close to her former glory as need be as nobody is perfect!

You can see I had a little help from two of my favorites……

My number plate…..

And topless……..

Mavis, not me! This is how she will look with the top down….

Mavis can be a little, lets just say for the want of a better word….temperamental, and she needs to be handled in a particular way when behind the wheel. She has some little quirks which only she and I seem to appreciate and driving a four speed manual – yes, believe it or not I am driving a stick shift on the opposite side of the car on the opposite side of the road has been great fun. Steve has a little difficulty in driving her and her size and his size are currently not compatible. And again, its all about how you drive her and how well you adjust to her little eccentricities.

Hearts were originally set on a Mustang and we are still on the look out for one. Actually we are looking at one this weekend so I am hoping we don’t appear as capitalists as we ‘collect cars’ while here in the states. My understanding is that two cars is perfectly reasonable but three or more is possibly on the cusp of hoarding! Anyway, we still have 18 months left in the states so who knows what we will arrive back in Australia with.

Here in Georgia we seem to have almost missed the mild season of spring and we have launched into another blistering summer. That said however, there is no reason not to go topless and take a lovely early morning (around 4:30am) Sunday drive down the peach and pecan lined back roads of this beautiful American state. So with my massive Jackie O sunnies and sun hat on, and as I drive through the flat lands of orchards and just sown cotton fields (dodging the massive rednecks and their massive trucks and the slow moving armadillos), I will fondly think of Lincoln and his passion for fast yellow sports cars xx

Washington DC….. (part I)

On May 10, 2015 By oceangirl63In UncategorizedLeave a comment

One year later and we are back in beautiful Washington DC. Home of the White House and expensive lunches. I always feel an incredible glow of pride when in DC. Maybe that’s because I know and truly appreciate how very fortunate I am to be living here in the United States.

Last year while in Washington I did an awful lot of sight-seeing (see previous blog from May 2014) and of course this time was no different. Once again I enlisted the help of the ‘foot falcon’ (my preferred mode of transport) and walked just over 52 miles in six day. Pedometers, it would seem, are very handy for walkers 😉

Last year it was all about the museums, the monuments, the memorials, the history, the National Mall and the city so this time I decided to do things a little differently. Here’s a snapshot…………

Two of my favorite foods in one shop. How lucky can a girl get……

And just a few more pics for good measure……..

Praying you don’t run out of petrol…….

Part II to come xx

Super ‘running’ Man on the streets of Washington DC….

On May 7, 2015 By oceangirl63In UncategorizedLeave a comment

What a great way to start a day.

Just up in DC (more to come on that) and during an early morning stroll I happened upon this man, Michael Wheeler, running for ykw and spreading a little joy and happiness along the streets of the America. And we all know that can never be a bad thing……

He lives in Kansas but hits the streets (you never know where he will pop up next) in his fashionable homemade Superman outfit every day come rain, hail or shine. Apart from this he also competes in marathons and has run seven laps around each of the Capital Buildings in the 50 states – 7 laps being a nod to the number of times the Israelites marched around Jericho.

He is an amazing man who I met not long after he had arrived in DC after running the streets during the recent Baltimore riots and prior to that he was running in Ferguson. He said his main goal was to inspire young black men.

An infectious spirit and genuine mindfulness will never goes out of fashion xx

ANZAC DAY 25th April 2015……..

On April 25, 2015October 26, 2015 By oceangirl63In UncategorizedLeave a comment

ANZAC DAY 25th April 2015…….

ANZAC Day is one of Australia’s most important national commemorative occasions. It is a national day of remembrance in Australia and New Zealand that broadly commemorates all Australians and New Zealanders ‘who served and died in all wars, conflicts and peacekeeping operations’. Observed on the 25th April each year, Anzac Day was originally to honor the members of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) who fought at Gallipoli against the Ottoman Empire during World War I.

This year marks the 100th anniversary of the Gallipoli landings and the birth of the ANZAC legacy.

Once again here in the US, we celebrated ANZAC Day with the traditional dawn service. Members of the Canadian, British, American and Australian services turned out on a beautiful but stormy Georgia dawn to commemorate this very special occasion.

The Happiest 5k on the Planet…….

On April 17, 2015October 26, 2015 By oceangirl63In UncategorizedLeave a comment

The ‘Color Run’, also known as the ‘Happiest 5km Run on the Planet’ is a wonderful and unique paint run which celebrates and promotes happiness, joy and individuality. It is really less about the run but more about having the absolute time of your life……and I certainly did that in the company of five of the best (and most fun) people I know (two Canadians and three Brits).

The run rules are very simple:

Begin the race wearing white
End the race splattered in every color of the rainbow

The color run was brilliant and just so much fun. Everyone you saw pounding the course looked happy and cheerful plus there are the very happy and enthusiastic color throwers along the way who are only to eager to douse you from head to toe in color. By the end of the race you look and feel as though you have run through an extraordinary rainbow.

The beautiful Maggie organized t-shirts for us both. Mine a kangaroo and hers a maple leaf.

Let the fun begin…..

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Before – clean and shiny

We are already planning our next color run which is due to be held in six months time. We will all be wearing white tutu’s and white tee’s and just quietly, I think Jon is the one most pleased about our up and coming race outfits xx

If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need (Cicero)……

On April 10, 2015October 26, 2015 By oceangirl63In Uncategorized1 Comment

I first read the book To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee almost 32 years ago and have re-read it several times since. Recently I thought about the time I learnt to read as a very, very young girl and this gift is one of the things I am most grateful for in my life. I now cannot imagine a time when I will not read and of course I still love the warm feeling of a book in my hand rather than the coldness of a device. Please give me a book anytime!

I wrote a blog post last year about the book group I joined here in the US so naturally it soon came time for me to host………and I knew the perfect book! I chose To Kill A Mockingbird.

I really do love this beautifully written novel and as we all spoke during the evening about the book, I was surprised to learn that some people had never read it. Happily now though, they also love it so I guess it really is one of those alluring classics.

The novel, first published in 1960 and set in the early 1930’s, is a book that I think almost everyone has or will read at some stage in their lifetime. It is the sort of book which leaves a profound and lasting impact on its reader. I also chose the book (not only because is it a favorite of mine – right up there alongside The Magic Pudding by Norman Lindsay) but because is was also set in the South (which is where I live) and it tackled the important issues of its time. Issues which in fact are still just as relevant today.

Host duties for book club are quite painless and undemanding. You simply open the front door to your home and you welcome people in.

I made a wreath for the front door but please don’t be alarmed book purists. I recycled a book which was about to be ‘binned’ because it had no front cover and there were some pages missing…..

It turned out to be a great night of good food, good company, robust discussion and lively fun…..which could well have been fueled by the ‘Tequila Mockingbird Cocktails’ I served.

I really do enjoy being a member of this book group. Each month we read a different book, head to a different hosts’ home, enjoy different food and discuss a book. For my ‘hosting night’ I also compiled a quiz (which was very well received) of twenty questions. The questions ranged from Where did the title of the book come from (which line by Atticus) to Who was Rose Aylmer? and I also made book marks for each person in the group with memorable lines from the book printed on them.

Book marks and ‘mockingbird eggs’…..

Talking about books with like minded people will always lift ones spirits and when I do eventually return to Australia I will certainly be seeking out a book group to join.

And onto my garden. It is the season of spring currently here in Georgia and it really is a wonderful season. Everything is coming into bloom and my resident Mockingbird is nesting. My little world of my garden, its inhabitants and my books are bliss xx

Oh, and for those tortured by the question Who was Rose Aylmer?……..she was Uncle Jack’s Cat.

oceangirl – these are my stories

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