Editor’s note:  This is an article I recently wrote for CheapOAir at Cheap Tickets, and a companion article to an Interview with Erin Lee.

Clarksdale, MS Crossroads

Visiting Clarksdale, MS for the first time, you get the feeling there is a story residing.  Blues is the main attraction.  Enthusiasts flock to Clarksdale to celebrate, honor and experience the blues.  To sing the Blues, the legend has it that Robert Johnson sold his soul to the devil at the Crossroads of 61 & 49.  Decades later a growing number of people find themselves at a crossroad in life and are choosing to contribute to the story.

The Shacksdale Motel is a story in the making.

Erin Lee from Memphis first visited Clarksdale on New Years Eve 2004, celebrating at Ground Zero Blues Club and staying at the Shackup Inn. Since then, she has made New Year’s Eve in Clarksdale an annual event.  Erin soon began to envision building her own “shack-o-miniums”, complete with dogtrots (sleeping porch).   In 2009 had a random discussion with Barry Thornhill.  Barry and his wife Sally wanted to organize a Blues Festival.  Erin’s friend Jim Field had just purchased six acres across from the Shackup Inn.  Erin knew Jim and Barry needed to connect.  Within two weeks of the introductions, the shareshack concept was given birth, which became the Shacksdale Motel.  Erin likes to say that Barry is the gasoline to a project.  By September 2009 construction was underway.

Erin's Shack

Reminiscing over the past year, Erin gets choked up.  Her shack is perfectly decked out with treasures from a lifetime of collecting.  Always the gracious hostess, Erin enjoys telling the story of each detail in her shack.  “Barry Thornhill, Roy Thornhill and Jim Field have my upmost respect and made my shack happen,” Erin says.  She also credits her son Josh and the kindness of family and friends.  Now open for business, reservations can be made at the Shackup Inn.  The partners regularly pinch themselves over the story they find themselves in. 

The Characters of Clarksdale

The fascinating part of travel for me is not necessarily the destination, but the people you meet.  Staying at the Shacksdale Motel, the people will welcome and entertain you.  Bill Talbot, one of the owners of the Shackup Inn, is hilarious with a constant flow of original content.  Another owner, Guy Malvesi has a legendary attitude.   Erin fondly says, ” He is a kermudgeon that doles out the charm and abuse equally.” The locals who were born and raised in the Delta are as sweet as pie and will serve up a healthy portion of their famous southern hospitality. 

Many of the new characters of Clarksdale have chunked corporate America and international careers.  Mainly associated with the Blues and art, they originate from all over the world.  A couple from Florida owns the Hambone Art Gallery.  Another couple, one from Holland and the other from New York, created the Rock-n-Roll & Blues Herritage Museum.  Randall Andrews, the chef at Rust, was born in the Delta, moved to Las Vegas to pursue a career as a chef to LA celebrities and returned to give back to his community.  John Henshall from Australia passed through on a whim and now comes back regularly.  Although not a permanent resident, John was given the key to the city for his work on an economic report he completed to help in the revitalization of Clarksdale. 

Whether it’s the Blues at the juke joints or the art that brings you to Clarkdale, once you uncover the stories you will fall in love with the culture and the people.  Be sure to cop a squat at The Shacksdale Motel!  And while you kick back on the porch listening to the Blues, dream up your own place in the Clarksdale lure.

Promoting My favorite places, Travel Blues, Blues Festival, Clarksdale, crossroads, Erin Lee, Ground Zero, Mississippi, Rust, Shackdale Motel, southern hospitality, The Shackup Inn, Tiffany Eckhardt

Road Trip…Memphis & New Orleans

Finally back to normal (what ever that is) from my trip to Memphis and New Orleans.  My husband, Jeff, and our good friend Suz took a road trip this month. By now you probably got it…I love to travel.  Although the fourteen hour drive back from New Orleans wiped me out, I would not have changed a single thing…it is all apart of the journey.

Our journey first took us to Memphis, TN.  We stayed with a dear, long time friend, Erin.  Erin lives in a downtown neighborhood of Memphis in an incredible three story condo with a balcony that overlooks the Mississippi River.  I love hanging out on her balcony watching the sun rise and set.  It is the kind of place I dream of living in.  Another Memphis friend, Willfredo, lives next door to Erin and just opened Revolution Salon.  Willfredo took one look at my hair and insisted on working his magic.  A great start to an evening of dancing at the Rum Boogie (where you eat.drink.boogie.repeat) and then off to Silky’s to hear dueling pianos.  I have great memories of that evening.  I love experiencing the culture of other cities.  But what I love most is people….I love my friends in Memphis and getting a chance to spend time with them!  After eating breakfast at the BluePlate Cafe, the biggest and best breakfast in Memphis, we had to say our good byes.  Bitter sweet, as we are on our way to New Orleans, another favorite city.

New Orleans has a culture all it’s own.  I love Jackson Square, music in the air, the street performers, the European architecture, cajun food, seafood, beignets, Zydeco music, dancing until wee hours of the night, being called “darling” and “honey”, the sweet sound of a southern accent, the garden district, the wharehouse district, the balconies that are draped with beautiful flowers and ivy, southern hospitality and most of all…the people!  

We met up with Jeff’s parents Ginger and Paul, and their friend Dave from Houston.  This has become a tradition since the weekend Katrina hit.  Families and friends met to surprise Paul on his 60th birthday.  We began our stay in New Orleans right by having dinner at Desire an Oyster bar in the Royal Sonesta Hotel.  The food is great!  However, our waitress Joann, who hugs us all like old lost friends every time we eat there, is definitely greater.  She is a survivor of Katrina…I love her.  And to top it off…Suz displayed bravery by trying an Oyster. 

Truth Be Told….I wouldn’t even try an Oyster!

Some of our favorite restaraunts… Franksmakes a great Muffaletta and has the best balcony view where you can soak in the music from two different patio restaurants.  A strong tradition is eating Barbecue Shrimp at Pascal Manales.  Located in the heart of a Garden District neighborhood.  This classy restaraunt brings out huge white bibs to tie on before they serve the shrimp that floats in a bowl of butter.  Their bread pudding is also the best in New Orleans. 

Although Bourbon St. is lined with great bars, our favorite is at Tropical Isle.  Our favorite Zydeco band plays at 5pm. Waylon starts the evening off right and is hilarious!  Timmy gets all the gals to play the washboard with him.  We didn’t get to see Timmy this trip.  But spent a whole evening dancing and trying out the washboard with Waylon’s Dad and celebrated my birthday in style.  We met a fun loving couple who has an apartment on Royal.  I told them of my love of New Orleans and how I dream of living there someday.  They promised to help me find an apartment when I am ready to make the move.  Another local couple that regularly shows up at the Tropical Isles with their pet monkey…that monkey is so cute.  Suz had fun singing with the band and decides that a birthday spanking was in order for me….eeks.  Yes, Suz broke the paddle on the final 39th whack.  Definitely left a mark.  I left with a cool paddle signed by everyone in the bar though.  Once again, it is the people that made it special.  I love the band, my new friends and my special souvenir. 

Various experiences:  We met a Harley Dude who lives in New Orleans.  He parked his Harley on Bourbon St. near the Harely Bar.  He said at least three times, “Thank you for coming”.  Again, it’s the people.  Suz was choosen to participate in a street magic show.  She did a great job!  There are numerous street performers who fill the streets of the French Corner with music and atmosphere.  This is how they make a living.  I enjoyed the artistic buses found throughout New Orleans. On the River Walk I found one that spoke to me and depics my life quest….A journey of Change.  “Things turn out best for those who make the best of the way things turn out.”  A Ride of A Lifetime!

I found myself savoring each moment of the trip.  I walked the streets wanting to ech the memory of the architecture and music in the air in my mind.  Most of all, I want to cheerish my memories of spending time with friends both new and familair. 

We said good bye to New Orleans around 8am.  We had a long drive ahead of us.  I took advantage of the time to read The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho.  A quote jumped off the paige at me…”they were seeking the treasure of their destiny, without wanting actually to live out their destiny.”  Wow!  Now that I am home, I wonder how often I will savor each moment of my life journey?  Will I remember to actually live it out?  Hopefully I will live out this leg of my journey as much as I do when I journey to awe-inspiring cities and make life long friends.

Travel beignets, Bourbon St, cajun food, Desire, Frank's, journey, Katrina, Memphis, New Orleans, Pascal Manales, people, Revolution Salon, Rum Boogie, Silky's, southern hospitality, Tiffany Eckhadt, Tropical Isle, Zydeco