Memphis, TN

Dear Memphis,

You take good care of me :) You remind me how cheap and delicious food should be. You take me back to my partying roots. You surround me with friends and family I love so dearly. But, mainly, you are and always will be my first home. So Memphis, I will love you forever - even if you sucked the life out of my camera's battery the first day I was there. So even though this post is a compilation of iPhone photos, the pictures are still wonderful since there is some Memphis love in them.

I ended up staying a few days longer than expected and my long weekend trip turned into a week long trip! I spent my time helping my sister move into her new apartment downtown, hanging out with loved ones, and eating all of my favorite Memphis food - including Pho Binh's lunch buffet three times...yes 3/6 days I was there I ate Pho Binh (their lemongrass tofu is addictive). 

This trip made me feel as if I never left Memphis to begin with. It was hard saying goodbye since I don't know the next time I will be back. Safe to say I didn't want to leave my wonderful friends and pretty city :) Yet, as my train pulled away, I was satisfied knowing that the next time I visit I will be greeted by open, loving arms! I can't wait!

^^Annie's new patio with views of the river

^^Best chicken in the world - Gus's

^^Mango lemonade and a nerve racking game of Jenga at lunchbox eats!

 Dog picnic at the river - which included dog selfies and long walks

I'm going to Graceland

Tonight I'm hopping on the late night train and by the time I wake tomorrow I'll be spending the weekend in my favorite city. I can't wait for some good ole Memphis love! Every time I turn on the radio a song about Memphis is playing and every time I watch the food network Memphis restaurants are featured. Needless to say, the thought of being in Memphis has been teasing me all summer and now I finally get to go back to that wonderful city! What are your plans for the last weekend in July?!

Not farewell, but fare forward.

Well, this happened this weekend...

Crazy, huh? I walked across the stage to receive my diploma and was given my hood by my favorite professor who is also my advisor. He told me that he loved my daisy chain and, man, that could not have been a better thing to hear as I became a graduate. After the ceremony, Rhodes served us champagne and hor d'oeuvres and my family took photos and celebrated. After leaving Rhodes, we packed a little, ate some Muddys cupcakes, opened presents, and finally went to restaurant Iris for a celebratory dinner. The chef had made a personalized menu for me congratulating me on my accomplishment and the staff decorated the table with ribbons. My family and I sipped on sangria, ate mouthwatering food (their bone marrow and fried oysters were to die for), and shared our favorite college moments. Finally, most of my graduating class met at a bar on Beale and just enjoyed one another’s company before we all left each other to go to great things.

As cliché as it is, my four years at Rhodes really did fly by. I am beyond happy that I decided not to transfer a few years ago (I blame those feelings on a poor rooming situation) because my life at Rhodes has changed me for the better. My professors and classes taught me how to be more open-minded and care about what is going on in the world. Unintentionally, they taught me how to be organized, hardworking, and timely. But most importantly, my time at Rhodes strengthened my relationship with myself. Rhodes also introduced me to amazing people who I can’t imagine life without. It also introduced me to a southern lifestyle, which I have learned to appreciate and will greatly miss. It is hard to leave this place after such a life altering four years, but I know that great adventures lie ahead. So, in the words of our dearly loved college president, my goodbye to Rhodes is not a farewell, but a fare forward.

For now, I am off the the mountains of Virginia to enjoy some well earned R&R! Cheers!

Beale Street Music Festival

Hey friends! This past weekend I trudged through inches of mud to go to Beale Street Music Festival. As usual, it rained and was freezing, but all of the kick ass music distracted us from the weather. My favorite performances were Phoenix, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, Blind Mississippi Morris, and The Flaming Lips. I have seen many of those bands before, but it was my first time seeing Phoenix (pictured above). Their beats were perfect to noodle around to! Also, they are from Paris so how can you not to fall in love with them!

This weekend was the perfect kick off to a summer full of concerts. It was also a send off of sorts since next weekend I will be leaving Memphis. Eeek! Did I really just type that?! I should end this post before I get too sentimental about leaving Memphis - I still got one week :) What did you all do this weekend?

Well Hello Ice!

Memphis is looking a little something like this today...

So we've had to do a little bit of this...

But, hey! It ain't too bad because class was cancelled today and I ate the best guacamole of my life at Las Delicias. I'd say it was the best ice day ever :)

Memphis Botanic Gardens

I'm going to be honest, most of my time spend at the Memphis Botanic Gardens was in an area called My Big Backyard. Yes, it was created for children and yes, it was AWESOME! Everything is interactive, creative, and marvelous. My dad, sister, and I had a very good time exploring and taking goofy pictures in the areas. Since it was midday the lighting could not have been more violent but I did what I could. After My Big Backyard we stopped by the koi fish pond. While we were there a young boy explained to me that the reason I was too afraid to let the fish suck on my finger was because I'm a girl! Ha! I love grade school kids :)

Lunchbox Eats!

This past weekend my dad came into town to visit my sister and I. It's always nice to have a weekend where you are taken care of and surrounded by people you love. The weekend involved a lot of amazing Memphis food - as if I don't talk about it enough! After a night of beer at the flying saucer we reconvened the next day for a late lunch at Lunchbox Eats. It's got a grade school themed interior complete with rolling chairs and board games on the table. The menus are printed on lined paper and you mark your order on a quiz - getting asked what you want to eat is the easiest quiz ever! They have a new flavor of homemade lemonade everyday, the food gets a definite A+, and we got to eat outside because the weather was 75 and sunny!! Perfect start to the day.

Peach Lemonade and a Meatloaf Sandwich

Chicken n Waffles

Beautiful Sister