(needing to be) all shook up!

i needed a jolt to get me out of my miserable state of being back in australia. this was the first time  i really didn't want to return home to melbourne. just feeling out of sorts all round and not in control, so i needed to get it all back again.

so when i saw the promo for this fabulous show i knew i had to buy myself a ticket. as part of the darebin music feast for two nights only, these 6 wonderful chicks with an amazing 5 piece backing band, each sang their own interpretation of a few elvis songs each. it was AWESOME...

photo sourced from musicfeast.com.au

from back left: abbie cardwell, nancy dancer, stella angelico, kira puru. front left: mojo juju and simone page jones.

the band included felix from the rechords, who is originally from perth and played in the salt flat trio i used to see playing around freo. i got to sit with his parents for the evening and had a lovely chat with the proud suzie and lee.

sad face!

my time in the u.s.a is over, again. and i'm being sent home. boo!

a trip back in time with the girls

friday night was treat night. julie, angela and myself headed downtown to the edison.

and i succumbed to the absinthe fairy who sold little bottles of the potion. wasn't unpleasant but not my favourite taste, aniseed, so my mum would be a player.

a fun evening with two great gals.

no place like l.a.

you know i still didn't take any/ many photos of my time in l.a. i realise it's probably because i feel so at home here.

but just to make sure you know that i was actually there i took a star pic from hollywood boulevard.

a visit to dupars at the farmers market on third and fairfax for the most delicious brownies in the world, vince and i are addicted.

the markets are also where i dutifully buy my mum some english toffee. she only gets it every few years so i'll have to pick up my game.

the day before i left vince took me down to redondo beach for breakfast at polly's. a great cafe, ocean views on either side of the tiny venue. i'd not been to redondo before, surprised me as well.

ran a few errands... things i wanted to buy to take back to australia. i'm a big fan of the brightly coloured fiesta ware so have been buying a few pieces each time i visit the u.s. this time i was after a pitcher. it's red.

getting my soul on

the next day was a visit to the stax museum which is a little off the beaten track and should definitely be visited. i love soul music, all sorts but this memphis soul has it's own kind of rhythm which just grooves.

i was moving all over the place. honestly couldn't keep still the music was so fine.

soul train was playing on the big screen and you could hit the dance floor if so inclined, i just kept to the edges this time.

rock and roll memphis

the day started at sun studios. sam phillips called it simply memphis recording service for the first couple of years, then realised it would be worth his while to set up a label, hence sun studio. this was a great visit - only a couple of rooms to go through but the guide was so full of stories and verve it's worth a visit. during the day it's a tourist attraction and by night still a working studio.

this photo of a photo is of the "million dollar quartet" - on december 4, 1956 happenstance brought the four musos, carl perkins, johnny cash, elvis presley and jerry lee lewis, into the sun studio where they shared an impromptu jam session. phillips recorded parts of it.

i'm going to graceland, graceland, graceland tennessee. apologies to paul simon for that bad rendition o a 1986 track. the first pic is one from a book because the gates never close during opening hours and people have signed their names all over the brick walls near the gates.

the house is smaller than i expected and focussed on family and small gatherings. for all it's decorating strangeness i really liked the building.

this was presley's parents room downstairs.

no one is allowed upstairs - so this is the closest we got. something to do with respecting privacy, though since he's not alive and no one lives there i'm not sure what the deal is.

the kitchen was renovated not long before elvis died in '77 - he decorated the house himself, the kitchen was not pretty. ha!

downstairs entertaining area, great stereo and lounge and plenty of tvs, taking care of business that one.

loved the billiard room. the walls and ceiling is pleated fabric. amazing and just a little claustrophobic.

apologies for the poor photos of the jungle room. this was so heavily tiki it was awesome. not my taste but i'd throw on my 60s cocktail dress and attend a party here any day.

out to the back to the house.

through the racquet ball court that was set up to house his awards and jumpsuits. that 70s elvis liked a jumpsuit or two.

then just behind the house and pool, elvis and his family are buried.

across the road from the house is the more tacky side of graceland. like i said, i liked the house, the other side, not so much. a bit gawdy and cheap and the food was bad.

elvis' cars on the other hand were awesome.

more jumpsuits. of course.

and you could own a replica of your very own if you want to shell out a few thousand. 

to quote joan jett, i love rock and roll.