THE CULTURAL SIDE OF MEMPHIS

Nowhere is this more apparent than at the Peabody Hotel, a dignified Memphis landmark that refuses to take itself seriously. Twice daily a quartet of pampered mallard ducks carry on a

This formidable group of Peabody duck enthusiasts gather to welcome the ducks at 11 o’clock every morning as they waddle down the red carpet led by a duck master majestically dressed like a marching band leader from “Duck Palace” to the tune of a John Philip Sousa marching song. These ducks get to splash, play and eat their gourmet goodies all day in the beautiful lobby fountain.

Then at 5:00 pm, the handsome ducks take their afternoon walk on the red carpet to board the elevator for their “Duck Palace”. Being the honorary duck master carries a distinction for the lucky person. Summer Wilson, an adorable blonde from St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, did the honors for the second time in her young life. Spontaneously, Maureen Gonzales, the corporate PR, was so moved that she ran over to the little girl with tears in her eyes and pinned her gold Peabody Duck pin on Summer’s dress.

Belz Enterprises purchased and restored the legendary Peabody Hotel to its original state and reopened it in 1981. The return of the Peabody created a new focal point for the renaissance of downtown Memphis. It is the most identifiable landmark and was in the movie “The Firm”. It is the social and business hub of Memphis and the centerpiece of downtown.

A reception and tour of Peabody Place Museum was the first item on my agenda that ended up as the highlight of my trip. Jack Belz with his wife, Marilyn, accumulated the exquisite collection of Chinese antiquities and Judaica. Jack gave the tour and inserted all the personal touches to make the experience memorable. I was able to experience the richness of a faraway, long-ago culture. I was transported through tome to the magnificent Manchu Dynasty admiring the exquisite gems of imperial China. The visit revealed artworks crafted from rare and precious materials utilizing enormous patience and painstaking execution. 901-523-ARTS www.belz.com

A visit to the National Civil Rights Museum shows why it made the list of USA Weekend’s “Ten American Treasures.” This museum exists to assist the public to understand the lessons of the Civil Rights movement and its impact and influence on human rights movements worldwide, through its collections, exhibitions, research and educational programs.

The museum at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis is the first of its kind in this country and through interpretive exhibits and audiovisual displays. The museum traces the history of civil rights activity and leaders including Rosa Parks and Dr. Martin Luther king Jr. The sights, sounds and tensions of the Civil Rights movement are most compelling.

One of the most memorable of all the exhibits is entitled Montgomery Bus Boycott. Visitors actually walk into a Montgomery city bus where they can imagine it’s 1955 and Rosa Parks has just sat where “where she didn’t belong.” A lifelike statue of Rosa Parks in the front of the bus stares out the bus. Sitting in a front seat was an illegal act for a black person in 1955. The historical climax is the exhibit in the upper balcony of the Lorraine Motel, where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated. 901-521-9699 www.civilrightsmuseum.org

The Rock ‘n’ Soul Museum is located on Beale Street Entertainment District in the Gibson Guitar Building. This museum features the Smithsonian Institution’s dazzling exhibits that tell of the rebellious hearts and echoes the times that shaped “the Memphis Sound.” The artifacts, pictures, words and music highlight slices of our cultural and musical past.

It’s a great place to enjoy an incredible chronology of “The Memphis Sound.” .from the Delta roots in the 1930’s. You will see B.B. King’s first “Lucille” guitar and many costumes from performers including Johnny Cash and Elvis. There are vintage films and musician interviews.

You are familiar with the legends, Elvis Presley, Otis Redding, B.B. King, Jerry Lee Lewis. Memphis produced more than 120 Top 20 hits-songs born in a city some musicologists call “the holy ground of American music.” 901-543-0800 www.memphisrocknsoul.org

If time permits, try to tour the Gibson Guitar factory. It’s very interesting to see the talented craftsmen putting the guitars together!

Chucalissa Museum, a National Historic Landmark, is an archaeological park with a museum. It is a re-created pre-Columbian village (an abandoned Choctaw village where Native Americans lived long ago), nature trails and picnic areas. The museum features prehistoric artifacts and dioramas. Sadly, it’s in quite a shabby state and in much need of some funding. 901-785-3160 www.www.chucalissa.org

Memphis Pink Palace Museum and IMAX displays explore the region’s natural and cultural history. It is Tennessee’s most visited museum. The museum’s unique name came from the pink marble used in its construction. The 1920s house was the home of Clarence Saunders, whose Piggly Wiggly self-service grocery store was the forerunner of today’s supermarkets. The mansion now contains exhibits about life in Memphis during the 20th century.

We watched Lewis and Clark Imax and enjoyed the miniature circus with tiny hand-carved, motorized figures performing. 901-320-6320 www.memphismuseums.org

The Children’s Museum is considered by the kids of Memphis as the most fun place of all the attractions to visit. It is indeed child-friendly because you can touch everything. The kids can participate in the dental exhibit, work on a real van, shop for groceries, climb a skyscraper or cash a check at a bank. Then there is the Art Smart exhibit that focuses on creating and studying art. 901-458-2678

Art lovers will enjoy the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art, which offers one of the most comprehensive surveys of Western art in the mid-South. They have a permanent collection of 7,000 works of art spans antiquity to the present. We viewed Italian Renaissance, Northern Renaissance and baroque paintings, as well as 18th and 19th century English and American portraits; works by French impressionists and American paintings and sculptures dating from1900 t the present. 901-544-6200

The National Ornamental and Metal Museum is devoted solely to the preservation of fine metalwork. Historic and contemporary metal objects are exhibited here. The museum’s three-acre grounds have an outdoor sculpture garden, a picnic area and a river-bluff pavilion built from a salvaged 19th-century Beal Street building. We watched some amazing metal-working demonstrations, 901-774-6380.

During our stay in Memphis we had the pleasure of attending the Memphis Symphony Orchestra celebration of the opening of their new Cannon Center with a superb performance of Mahler’s Fifth Symphony. The program opened with a very talented violinist, Jennifer Koh.

One night we attended Ballet Memphis Dress rehearsal at the Orpheum and we all became part of folk singer Kate Campbell’s Fan Club. Her songs lifted the dancers to magnificent heights. Just as enjoyable was the musical at Playhouse on the Square, “A Closer Walk with Patsy Cline” – a tribute to the singer.

An opening reception Memphis Vocal Arts Ensemble was our entertainment and they were wonderful under the direction of Thomas Machen. (901-458-9766) We even visited B.B. King’s establishment on Beale Street, home of the blues.

Memphis is the “Barbecue Capital of the World” This is where they hold the World Champion Barbecue Cooking Contest annually in May. We ate our barbecue at Rendezvous and it was fantastic.

Most of our meals were at the Peabody Hotel. Capriccio has a great chef Elise who serves her food to perfection. The crème de la crème for French cuisine is Chez Philippe where we had our farewell dinner, enhanced by exotic sauces, aromatic spices and exquisite presentation. We enjoyed the creations of Master Chef Jose Gutierrez. Chez Philippe is the only Mobil Four-Star restaurant in the Mid-south and the most honored gourmet establishment in the city.