Good Music, Good Eats, And A Couple Of Babes

Monday morning I toured The Ryman Auditorium. The Ryman is truly a cathedral of country music. Thomas Ryman built it in 1892 to serve as a church for an influential evangelist. It was the home of The Grand Ole Opry radio program from 1943 to 1974. Incidently, The Grand Ole Opry continues to be the longest continuously running radio program in history... eighty-five years and counting. Artists like Hank Williams, Johnny Cash, Patsy Cline, Tammy Wynette, Ernest Tubb, Dolly Parton, just to name a very few have performed on it's hallowed stage. It remained vacant for nearly twenty years and fell into disrepair. At the last moment it was saved from the wrecking ball and is now a registered historical landmark.



After leaving the museum I was feeling a bit hungry. I didn't really want to return to the haven for tourists on Broadway but didn't know where else to go. The solution? Talk to a local! I spoke to a woman in one of the local shops. She sent me to an upscale burger restaurant a couple of miles from downtown. Burger Up was a bit trendy but the food was delicious.

On the way to Burger Up I spotted an intriguing sign... Katy K's Ranch Dressing. After eating I decided to check it out. It turns out "Ranch dressing" meant not a fattening salad topping but western wear for men and women. I arrived nine minutes before closing. The vivacious Katy and her lovely store manager Kara allowed me to browse the shop even after closing time. They were both warm and welcoming to a fault. I bought a Katy K t-shirt and a really cool rockabilly shirt with embroidered roses. It kicks ass! As I was paying for the items I talked about my trip. Katy gave me a superb recommendation for a fried chicken place just outside Memphis (my next stop). She even wrote down all the info for me. Katy's boyfriend (I think his name was Rick... though I'm not a hundred percent sure) gave me good advice about Texas... a future stop. All three made me feel like an old friend. Check out the web site: http://www.katyk.com



When traveling it's wise to occasionally veer from the beaten path. The simple act of asking a question sent me on a course I would have otherwise missed. Get out there and allow good things to happen.