… so with our SWA tickets in hand we were off to Memphis to attend the premier of the independent film who’s Production Designer was none other than our own C. Michael Andrews.
We were able to convince Lincoln and Lola that this would be an even better vacation than staying at their usual spot, the luxurious Rover Oaks Dog Hotel & Spa even though they would be missing out on the latest Lassie reruns, afternoon ice cream bars and bedtime stories.
It’s only an hour and twenty minute flight to Memphis but since the nonstop flight doesn’t even leave Houston until 10PM we always worry that we are going to be too late to pick up our rent car before midnight. The last time we flew into Memphis our flight was 30 minutes late and we had to sprint like OJ through the airport to get to the car rental place before they closed. This time our flight landed ten minutes early so we were relieved that we would make it down to the “Choose any car on the lot” area before it closed. We hurried down only to find a dozen folks standing around looking out on a completely empty car lot. Really, not one car in the whole place! It took an hour and a lot of hustling but the car rental folks got us all settled into vehicles.
Dogs on a plane
PlanBy the time we finally got our car it was too late take the puppies to CB’s house so we drove straight to our favorite Memphis hotel where blinky Linky did his sleepy eyes routine and Lola practiced her too pretty to resist pose – before you know it the nice man at the front desk took us all in. It is now our favorite Memphis hotel forever.
Since we didn’t get in until after two in the morning we slept late and then took the puppies for their morning constitutional along the banks of the Mississippi so we didn’t get to Mr. and Mrs. CB’s until after noon. By that time we were all starving so we grabbed a very late breakfast at Uncle Junipers. 
This was a busy week in Memphis with the Memphis Indie Film Festival on Thursday and the Fall Art Walk on Broad Avenue on Friday so we tried to make ourselves useful to Mr. and Mrs. CB who had their 
hands full getting ready for the Art Walk and moving into their new tiny house that CB built. While TWWNCBUIP and CB tended to setting up the new bedroom and scrubbing the paint and mortar out of the new bathtub, I tried to make myself useful to Mrs. CB. so we spent the day tinkering in the shop getting set up for the Art Walk.
After our last trip to Memphis, I had been hankering to have another helping of fried chicken skins so I was pretty pleased when I found out that Mrs. CB had made a reservation at the Kitchen for Wednesday night. If you are visiting Memphis in 
the future be sure to put this restaurant on your to-d0 list along with my other favorite – the venerable Gus’s Fried Chicken.
The food at the Kitchen is fantastic and the view is even better. Both times we have been there we’ve dined on the deck looking out over the man made lake. This time we visited with the bartenders and asked them how they made their drinks so full of flavor. 
Seems like infusion and fresh squeezing are the key. After a few more lessons from these Memphis boys who knows, maybe I can share some of their secrets with you. 
Thursday, the big day, arrives. After breakfast I joined Mrs CB at FiveinOne, she working and me supervising until it was time to set out for our pre-premier dinner at Mary and Catherine, another new Memphis hot spot. We enjoyed a fine meal and then we set off to the Memphis Independent Film Festival premier of Free in Deed.
This was one intense film. A tragic true story about about a troubled faith healer played by David Harewood. I recognized him from “Homeland.” My favorite scene came at the very end of the film when the credits rolled. Production Designer, C. Michael Andrews. Pretty darn cool. We are proud parents in case you can’t tell.
We got to join everyone at the cast party at yet another new hot spot in Memphis, The Laughlin Yard. It has a waterfall from a creek, fire pits and the fixin’s to to ma
ke your own s’mores, two patios and a stage where we listened to Marcella and her Lovers.
Friday evening and it was finally time for the Fall Art Walk on Broad. The art lovers descended on Broad Avenue where they wandered from store to store, some shopping some gawking. There was lots of eating from taco trucks and lots of drinking local beers. Food trucks lined the block. My favorite, Say Cheese, had PB&B with cheese, Pizza and Cheese, Pimento and Cheese and lots of other kinds of cheese. There was art made from car parts. There were ballet dancers. “Made in Memphis” tee shirts.
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Handcrafted furniture. Paintings. Pottery. Hollywood dog treats. And lots and lots of people watching.
After the crowds went home we adjourned to the Pirate Bar at the end of the street to compare notes of the day and by the end of the night we were arrghuing the virtues of rye versus bourbon.
We had a great day. A long night. A short sleep. Before we knew it we had to be up and out of our favorite Memphis hotel. We loaded up the puppies and headed over to the tiny house inside the big warehouse. Mr. and Mrs. CB were up and waiting for breakfast at Second Line. We had one of every appetizer and then pancakes. And coffee. Lots of coffee.
A trip to the Hollywood Feed store followed our slow and coffee filled breakfast. The feed store has a place where you can give your dogs a bubble bath, a blow dry and pigs ears as treats. After all the puppies were bathed we walked back to the new digs to get our car and luggage. The puppies said goodbye to their new friend “I am Frank” CB’s 60 pound brick of a pit bull and we were off to the Memphis International Airport.
We are always sad to leave Memphis. This time there was a bit of Memphis waiting for us when we got home. The Dead Soldiers had just driven in from Memphis and were setting up to play the Duck when we arrived. We liked them. Think you will too.
