Coffee, Coconuts, Burritos, Burgers and More!

I'm feeling good about Memphis these days on the restaurant and shopping scene--excited about so many new places that have opened that make us (Jan) feel better about being around our big sister Marsha (Nashville.) Because it's always, Marsha! Marsha! Marsha! (or Nashville! Nashville! Nashville!)

First, there was Dunkin Donuts. Now, in the Northeast the saying goes that you "can't swing a dead cat without hitting a Dunkin Donuts." (Not my saying, people, it's just a saying and no, I don't know why cats are universally picked on.) So now we have a few around and the coffee there is really the best. And the people are nice too. Imagine?!

Then, Chipotle. Now, I haven't been there yet...because they don't have cheese dip. So it's hard for me to be in the mood for "Mexican" without cheese dip. I've observed that the line has been out the door a few times (I hope they have a sign that says: No Cheese Dip as I know the expectations of the fellow Memphian; Mexican food = cheese dip). The joke goes that when I do go, I'll bring a own crock pot of Rotel dip, plug it in, and share with the other patrons.

Speaking of Mexican, we also just got one of those Mexican popsicle places (coconut pistachio above)...hundreds of flavors and super cheap.

And speaking of coconuts, we have a new locally owned juice & smoothie bar called the Cosmic Coconut. Yummy, and the shirts are hilarious. I wish I had the personality to wear shirts like this, but alas, I do not. I look stupid in t-shirts with sayings on them.

Then the opposite of a vegan juice bar would have to be Five Guys that just opened their first location. Now this place is so busy, they literally need a crossing guard in the parking lot. It's as if we'd never had a hamburger around here. Geez. I mean it's good and all but calm down people.

So what's next? I'm hoping for a Trader Joe's. Of course Marsha has one.

Peter Parker's Little Bro

My four year old son is fearless. He most certainly will be my amusement park thrill ride seeker and I love that! As I have a little bit of that gene too. That is, unless it's a Ferris Wheel, and those things freak me out.

On a recent trip to New Orleans, we went to City Park for Story Land. There is one part of Story Land that is a picturesque little park for little kids with fairy tale characters re-created as jungle gym things...for example, you can slide down a Dragon's tongue, or you can get in the Pinocchio whale's mouth, or climb on Cinderella's stage coach pumpkin. All very cute and all very photo worthy. Lots of shade too. But the best is the other part. The rides! And for a $20 wrist band, you can ride all you want. I thought this was a fantastic deal and we so got our money's worth. We loved it so much, we're going back in the Fall.

It was the best amusement park because it's big enough to have all the basics like like rock and roller, tilt a whirl, carousel, roller coaster, and all that without having to walk yourself to death or wait in line for hours. It was the perfect size too for a four year old, as he could ride most of the things and even better, many things both of us could ride so it was fun for the whole family.

This bubble thing would have made me a claustrophobic mess, but the kid loved it (oh, by the way, this costs extra and was not part of the wrist band, but it's the only thing we saw that was non-inclusive.) That's him on the far right. I was exhausted just watching.

And then, we came upon the Ferris Wheel. Now, I hated these as a child but figured, hey, I'm 40 now, surely I can take it. No. I can't take it. I was terrified out of my mind and just couldn't wait for it to be over. There is something about dangling in the air and not really all that strapped in, that is just a fear fest for me. My son was all, hey mommy this is so fun! Aren't you having fun? I was all white knuckled, barely able to breathe and trying to fake glee...yeah, this is great, but I bet it's over soon. yes, over real soon, wow, is that the Super Dome. Oh my. Passing the attendant guy, "hey, you can get us down ANY time NOW."

But alas, in Memphis, our amusement park has been long closed so we have the Spider Bounce at the mall...he loves it and the higher the better! Ahh, to be a kid again.

I stand there falsely accused at Macy's

This post is about honing in on listening skills and basic polite communication principles. We could all benefit from such a refresher and I will parallel this with a funny retail experience.

Last week or so, I purchased a navy and white polka dot blouse at Macy's that had piping along the neckline (make a mental note of this piping, as it will come up later as a key component.)
I returned the blouse a few days later as it wasn't the right shade of navy and herein lies my example.
Me: I'd like to return this blouse. There are no stickers on it, but I do have the receipt.
Sales Person: Scans receipt. I'm sorry but this receipt says you bought a tube top and this is not a tube top so I can't return it.
Me: Laughing at first and then Doctor voice: Most assuredly, I did not buy a tube top. This is the receipt that accompanies the blouse I bought.
Sales Person: Calls manager on phone. No, I'm sorry we can't take it back. This receipt says this is for a tube top and this blouse is not a tube top.
Me: Seething. Not sure if I'm more mad that I'm potentially out $43 OR even more mad that I'm being wrongly accused of buying a tube top or I'm mad at being called a liar. I'm shaped like a grape. This is a purchase I would never make in a thousand years. Frankly, nor should anyone else. Then, using my Doctor voice: Ma'am. You have to believe me when I say that I did not buy, nor have I ever, bought a tube top. Who can we call that can address this? As I'm at a loss given I have the receipt with me that says INC sportwear and here's the label that says INC sportwear.
Sales Person: Calls manager. Blah, blah, blah. No tags, blah, blah.
Me: Wait! It does have tags on it. See, here are the tags.
Sales Person: I thought you said it had no tags.
Me: No, I said it had no stickers.
Sales Person: Oh, that doesn't matter. Makes the return. And then says snidely: But this is not the receipt that goes with the blouse.

Now, at this point, I was about to suggest that they go ahead and call Security because I was about to go into absolute orbit 1) Being falsely accused of a ridiculous garment like a tube top or 2) Being accused of being a liar over a receipt I knew accompanied the blouse given my lifelong patronage to said store. But I decided to get all Dali Lama and just let it go. I got my money back, that's what I wanted and so be it. Rise above it is what I always say.

Upon leaving, it dawned on me. I bet that "piping" on the shirt gave someone the clever idea to name the garment a "tube top" as a figure of speech, not a literal one and that simple little thing caused this hullabaloo.