48 Hours in Memphis

It may be the historic birthplace of blues, barbecue, and rock 'n’ roll, but Memphis feels anything but antiquated. Nestled next to the mighty Mississippi River, this mid-Southern city is a hotbed of culture that seamlessly blends history with what’s hot in the culinary, art, and music scenes. Here’s how to jam-pack two perfect days with all that the "Blues City" has to offer.
DAY ONE



Get in a Southern state of mind with a hearty, soulful breakfast at The Arcade, Memphis’s oldest restaurant, founded in 1919. With its diner façade, lunch counter, and shrine to Elvis, it’s the perfect spot for digging into filling favorites like sweet-potato pancakes, country-fried steak, and sausage.

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Check into the city’s most iconic hotel, The Peabody Memphis, boasting some 464 rooms just steps from Beale Street. In addition to superb service and a luxurious feel, visitors can catch a free show: the quirky March of the Peabody Ducks, an 80-year-old tradition (at 11 am and 5 pm) in which the hotel’s birds march from their rooftop penthouse to the marble fountain in the ornate lobby (or vice versa).

In the afternoon, head to Sun Studio, where music lovers will get the chills—and a few laughs—touring the original recording space of rock icons including Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, and Jerry Lee Lewis. Take as many photos as you like but don’t kiss the old microphones that touched these legends’ lips. Energetic tours are given every hour from 10:30 am through 5:30 pm.

Spend a few hours wandering the halls of the innovative Brooks Museum of Art, displaying treasures from early American Modernism and the Italian Renaissance, along with works from regional artists. Two major, must-see exhibitions include Cats and Quotes and The Art of Video Games. Have lunch at the museum’s Brushmark Restaurant, featuring a variety of flatbreads, salads, and sandwiches; the space also serves up stunning views of Overton Park.

In the afternoon, head to the South Main Arts District for a taste of what’s truly up-and-coming in Memphis. You’ll find vintage clothes and accessories at charming boutiques like Hoot + Louise and a supposedly haunted juke box at Earnestine & Hazel’s, but don’t leave without taking a tour of theNational Civil Rights Museum at the Lorraine Motel, the site of Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination. As part of a $27.5 million renovation that was completed in 2014, the museum added more than forty interactive-media and educational components, making for a truly unforgettable experience.jav toys



Restaurant Iris should be on your short list for dinner. Located in a charming Victorian house, the restaurant is overseen by acclaimed chef Kelly English, who shows off his Louisiana roots with heaping portions of roasted marrow bones and his take on surf and turf, a giant New York strip steak stuffed with fried oysters and blue cheese. After dinner, wander down iconic Beale Street, a National Historic Landmark dotted with incredible venues for live blues, jazz, and rock 'n’ roll.
DAY TWOJav Censored

Head to Brother Juniper's and fuel up with a country-style breakfast of supersized omelets, tender biscuits, and creamy cheese grits at this family-owned café, located near University of Memphis.



Of course, no trip to "Blues City" is complete without a visit to Graceland Mansion. Spend an hour or three, depending on your dedication to the King. Audio tours are self-guided and near-reverential—practically no one speaks as you move from room to room of Elvis Presley’s wonderfully kitschy estate, which is chock-full of music and movie memorabilia. One new feature is the addition of multimedia iPad tours of Graceland, narrated by actor John Stamos, that allow for a richer, more interactive experience. (Reservations are recommended, especially for visits during Elvis Week.)

Have a late lunch at Hog & Hominy, where childhood friends Andrew Ticer and Michael Hudman serve a tasty mashup of Italian-meets-Southern-style cooking. The 50s-era ranch house has a sleek modern interior with an open kitchen that dishes out buzzed-about favorites including a fried-egg-topped "red eye" pizza and a beef-and-cheddar hot dog served on a toothsome pretzel bun. Afterward, ambitious diners can try to work off the calories at the restaurant’s own bocce ball court.

Soul-music lovers shouldn’t resist a visit to the Stax Museum of American Soul Music later in the day. The innovative complex, which includes an on-site charter school, tells the story of the pioneers of American soul, with high-tech listening stations, an in-house dance floor, and plenty of memorabilia from the likes of Ike & Tina Turner, Carla Thomas, and Isaac Hayes (his gold-plated Cadillac is a show stopper).

Brooklyn for Art Lovers

Manhattan has world-famous museums and international art galleries, but Brooklyn has an exciting arts scene all its own, fueled by the many creative people who live there. If you want to see eye-popping street art, check out cutting-edge galleries, and spend a few hours at top-notch museums, read our handy guide to the borough's best art spaces.Jav Uncensored

GALLERY COLLECTIVES



Today the largest and most active arts community can be found in Bushwick, primarily in the blocks between the L train’s Morgan Avenue and Jefferson Street stops. As soon as you emerge from the subway, you’ll see vivid street art and the BogArt, a former industrial warehouse converted to galleries and studios. Over in DUMBO, a number of the galleries from 111 Front Street Galleries are relocating to the old Galapagos Arts space, now called the Stable Building. The Pioneer Works, in Red Hook, is a restored machine factory that now houses exhibition spaces as well as studios for artists in residence.jav public
STANDOUT GALLERIES



Gallery hopping in Brooklyn can be a fun way to spend an afternoon, but it takes a bit of planning and really depends on what's showing (some are generally great, some just have the occasional great show). Most galleries in Williamsburg, Greenpoint, DUMBO, and Bushwick are open to the public on weekends; some are open by appointment on weekdays.jav xxx-av

In Williamsburg, Pierogi and its affiliated space, the Boiler, have long anchored the art scene here, while Sideshow and Front Room host fun rotating exhibits and openings. In Bushwick, Luhring Augustine is consistently worth visiting. To find out what's on in the moment, grab a free copy ofWagmag, Brooklyn’s art guide, at select galleries, or checkhttp://www.bushwickgalleries.com/spaces for up-to-date information.
STREET ART



There's street art all over Brooklyn, from slapdash illegal tagging to masterful aerosol paintings. Standouts include the Swoon mural in Red Hook at Conover and Pioneer Street, Brazilian street artist Eduardo Kobra’s technicolor portrait of Andy Warhol and Jean-Michel Basquiat on the corner of North 9th Street and Bedford Avenue, Iranian brothers Icy & Sot’s massive stencil in the shadow of the Williamsburg Bridge, Barry McGee’s collage on the side of the Mark Morris Dance Company near BAM, and Stephen "ESPO" Powers’ “Love Letter to Brooklyn” on the side of the Macy's building in Downtown Brooklyn.