Memphis Belle Part One

I heart Memphis, I heart it real good.

I grew up a few hours from Memphis. My family would travel there at least once a year to ride the trolleys, watch the ducks waddle around at the famous Peabody, and visit my mom's favorite haunt: BB King's.

I loved how gritty the city was, and still is.

The city by night is fantastic! Beale Street is vibrant and full of life, the atmosphere intoxicating. Memphis is home to many buroughs, or districts, as they refer to them locally, housing a growing community of musicians, artisans, and designers. Entertainment districts like Overton Square and the Broad Avenue Arts District are in the middle of a resurgence. They’re joining the ranks of offbeat neighborhoods like Cooper-Young and South Main as destinations with a flavor for everyone’s tasting.

But what I REALLY love is the BBQ. Memphis pulled pork makes my mouth happy. But for those not so into the Que, as I call it, Memphis dining has much more to offer. Memphis may be known nationally for its barbecue, but the city has become a destination for foodies of all sorts. The Memphis culinary scene has exploded over the past two years. Great food, quality ingredients and exceptional value. Memphis was named by Travel + Leisure as one of the best cities for barbecue (of course) as well as burgers, pizza and dive bars.

In addition to amazing food, music, and culture, Memphis is home to a couple of music Icons. This Guy:

And this guy:

As you may or may not know, Justin Timberlake is currently touring, and will be in the midwest this November. While I could just see him here in Saint Louis, I would sooo much rather make a trip of it and see him in his home town of Memphis, Tennessee. Why not spend the day eating delicious food, and visiting Graceland, and the night jamming to JT . Um, yeah. I want this. You want this. You can have this! Alive Magazine is hosting a giveaway for Tickets to Justin's Memphis show! Click HERE to enter. One lucky winner will receive: -A two day stay at the famous Peabody Hotel (Nov 17-18) -Two tickets to the Justin Timberlake show on Monday, Nov. 18 at FedEx Forum -A round of golf at Justin Timberlake’s Mirimichi Golf Course (If your golf game is a little rusty, no biggie, enjoy a complimentary lunch and tour the club instead! We heard JT often makes an appearance while he’s in town.) -Tickets to your choice of local music attractions like the Rock ‘n’ Soul Museum, Graceland, Sun Studio or the Stax Museum. So sign up! And stay tuned for Part Two of Memphis Belle, where we dig deeper into the flourishing districts of Memphis and talk about what to wear while dining out, visiting Graceland, and DUH, going to a Justin Timberlake show!