My Weekend With Elvis ;)
- Nachelle Leslie Marshall
- Mar 9, 2018
- 4 min read
"Whatever I will become will be what God has chosen for me." Elvis Presley
For Spring Break this year most of my friends decided to go somewhere warm and get a tan. However, I decided to spend a weekend with my grandparents in Memphis, Tennessee with an itinerary filled with Elvis Presley. I became a huge Elvis fan in 2011 when I watched a documentary about him called "Summer of 56'" . It focused on an up and coming Elvis and his girlfriend June Juanico and for some reason, I fell in love with their love story... June Juanico's book "Elvis: In the Twilight of Memory" (a beautiful story about her relationship with Elvis) put me over the edge and thrust me into a full-blown Elvis obsession. Ever since then, it has been my dream to go visit Graceland. Whenever anyone in my family would ask me where I wanted to travel to, I would always say "Memphis so I can visit Graceland," years later my Grandma finally caved!!! My Grandma Sandy let me plan the WHOLE trip so naturally, I booked a room for at The Guest House of Graceland, tickets to The Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Showcase at Graceland, and VIP passes to visit Graceland. We also go to tour Sun Studios, and we eat at The Arcade Restaurant and many more for things...
THE GUEST HOUSE AT GRACELAND
pictured above: me in the foyer of the hotel on a velvet purple couch.
If you're ever planning on staying in Memphis, I 100% recommend The Guest House at Graceland. Not only is it pretty much in the backyard of Graceland, the interior design is intended to match Elvis' taste that he would have now if he were still alive. It's also brand new so it has that nice clean feel to it. There are also restaurants inside the hotel; Delta's Kitchen and EP's Bar & Grill. I absolutely loved staying there!!!
pictured above: our guest room 420.
pictured above: outside The Guest House of Graceland enjoying Starbuck from the "Shake, Rattle, and Roll" cafe.
pictured below: the replica staircase at Graceland inside the hotel.
ULTIMATE ELVIS TRIBUTE ARTIST SHOWCASE
On Saturday night we all went to Elvis: The Concert Years starring Elvis tribute artists David Lee, Jay Dupuis and Shawn Klush. It was a really awesome experience and the first-ever Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Weekend Celebration at the Guest House of Graceland.
pictured above: the SOLD-OUT sign for the concert.
pictured below: Faith and I dressed in our best "70's" apparel for the concert.
SUN STUDIO
The Birthplace of Rock N' Roll and home to the 'Million Dollar Quartet' - Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Carl Perkins.
pictured below: a picture of Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins and Johnny Cash a.k.a the "Million Dollar Quartet" singing at a piano singing at Sun Studio.
pictured below: me looking through the records.
THE ARCADE RESTURAUNT
Memphis' Oldest Cafe, Since 1919
pictured below: outside The Arcade Restaurant
pictured above: me and the menu
pictured below: me sitting at the "Elvis Booth" Elvis was a regular visitor in the 50s, often accompanied by the Memphis disc jockey Dewey Phillips. The duo would sit at a booth at the back of the restaurant, conveniently located next to the back door in case Elvis had to make a dash from his enthusiastic fans.
GRACELAND
This was an absolute dream come true!! I have wanted to go to Graceland for as long as I can remember!!!! Faith and I walked up to it the night before and looked at it through the gates. I was not expecting to get emotional but for some reason, I cried haha. I literally think I was supposed to be alive in the 50's/60's haha!!
pictured above: Elvis' living room!! This was where he loved to entertain his guests when they arrived to Graceland.
pictured below: a pic of Elvis' dad, Vernon in the living room with me and my tour iPad and headphones.
pictured above: the only picture with Elvis with his natural hair color, a dusty blonde and the stairs to his bedroom and his daughter's Lisa Marie's bedroom.
pictured below: me walking the grounds of Graceland. We were walking back to the VIP bus to be shuttled across the street to “Elvis Presley's Graceland” a huge exhibit complex that includes a new automobile museum, Presley Motors, and Elvis: The Entertainer Career Museum, the world’s largest and most comprehensive Elvis museum in the world, as well as many more exhibits, restaurants and shops.)
pictured above: Elvis' resting place at the Meditation Garden in the backyard of Graceland. He is buried next to his Dad, Mom, twin brother who died at birth and Minnie Mae Presley.
pictured below: a sign on Vernon Presley's office door in the backyard of Graceland.
pictured below: me walking down the stairs of Graceland.
FUN FACT: did you know that Graceland is the second most visited house in the world with the first being The White House.. How awesome is it that I got to visit both this year??!!!
ELVIS PRESLEY'S MEMPHIS
pictured above: our check in for our VIP ENTOURAGE TOUR of GRACELAND
pictured below: a green screen picture they take before getting on the shuttle that takes you to Graceland.
pictured above: Elvis' black and white stage shoes.
pictured below: publicity photos by William Speer.
pictured above: Elvis' gold suit
pictured below: Elvis' “Elvis Presley” guitar
pictured above: me and a huge Elvis mural inside Elvis Presley's Memphis ticketing office.
pictured below: The Lisa Marie, Elvis's private boeing 707.
EXTRAS:
pictured below: walking in memphis.
pictured above: Elvis' TCB necklace.
pictured below: my TCB necklace. Females were supposed to have TLC, but they didn't sell it at the gift shop..
pictured above: my first time EVER seeing Graceland. I cried haha..
pictured below: Elvis Presley BLVD. cuz duh!
pictured below:
seeing Graceland one last time.. at 7:26 a.m. actually haha
pictured below: My grandma bought faith and me these matching E.P varsity jackets. We're obsessed with them.
pictured below: a picture I took for a "spring break contest" at my school of me outside the gates of Graceland.
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