Tab Takes On... Graceland

     Despite the prices of the entrance fee and the parking fee, going to Graceland is definitely worth it! There is lots to see and a selection of tours to choose from. Give yourself at least 4-5 hours to see everything and give yourself a break from the crowds.

     We took the Platinum tour and it was great. We received I-Pads that helped the Mansion tour along. We felt rushed at times because our group was so large, but that is to be expected in locations like this. Be sure to keep up with the I-Pad to get more information about the mansion and its historical significance. (My hubby's messed up halfway or so through the tour.) You have to listen to John Stamos' voice the whole mansion tour but it is worth it. The mansion is across the street from everything else.

(My hubby happened to somehow get me in this picture as well)

     From the mansion, everything else is do at your own pace. There is a lot to take in and lots to learn. I appreciated the fact that one of the buildings has a sensory room for kids and adults with sensory needs of replica fabrics that Elvis wore and had in his mansion and such. His records were on display as is many of his personal belongings and many family mementos. As a newlywed, I also liked seeing Priscilla's wedding dress. The car museum is also a must see.

Their wedding attire

     Even though repairs were being made and additions were being added to the Graceland experience while we were there, we weren't really inconvenienced and felt it was truly a once in a lifetime trip that was worth taking. We did not do the airplane tour but the planes can be seen from the road. We took plenty of pictures and will have plenty of memories. Now if we could just get those Elvis hits out of our heads!

Tab Takes On.... Woodlawn Cemetery

     We visited this cemetery because of the many celebrities buried here. Most were easy to find, but a few we wanted to see we did not find. There were a few that we found out were buried here after our arrival as well.
     Visit the office when you first arrive in order to get a map. It makes finding some of the graves easier to find as most are not labelled as celebrities that are easy to pinpoint from the road. George Jones' is the only one that is super easy to find for the way it is designed. Don't forget to sign his guest book in the office as well (and look to see who signed it above you because people from Ireland and Northern Ireland had signed above us).
     There is also a replica of Jesus' empty tomb there as well but we were actually disappointed by it. It seemed to modernized and not very surreal. There was no emotional connection to it for us.
     Overall, if you want to pay respects to some legends, and their families, this is a must-see stop. There are a few grave markers that seem to be missing, but it is well kept for its large size.

(more pictures will be later posted on the Facebook page)

Tab Takes On... Hotel Stay #3

Rodeway Inn
     We stayed here for a few reasons. After our experience in Jackson, we were expecting a similar time. We also had another coupon to use. We also wanted to stay there because it was in the center of Nashville.
     Boy were we in for an eyeopener!
     This location has got to be the worst (or one of the worst) hotels we have ever been in. Not only did it look sketchy on the outside, it was just as sketchy looking on the inside. The walls were heavily cracked, there was an older bulky television, and the toilet rocked when you sat on it. The only newer addition ti the room was the stand in shower. To top it off, the area of Nashville thus hotel was in, wasn't exactly the safest. We heard sirens all night. We saw hookers and even a drug deal went down. I stayed in the room with the doors locked, refusing to leave the room until we were checking out in the morning.
     If you want to stay in a safe and clean hotel, don't go here! It isn't worth it and it is worth worth spending $10 or more dollars to go to another neighborhood. Just because it is in Nashville, doesn't make it safe. If you are travelling in Nashville, do your research on the neighborhood and read reviews on the hotels!

Tab Takes on... Hotel Stay #2

Rodeway Inn
     We stayed here for the second night of our honeymoon. We called ahead and reserved our room (with our coupon from the travel book). Ms. Liz upgraded our room for us on the phone since it was our honeymoon. We were surprised and couldn't wait until we got there ti see what that meant.
     After our arrival, she (Ms. Liz) proceeded to upgrade our room again. We got a king size bed in one of the better rooms we have ever stayed in. She also told us to come to breakfast in the morning as well.
     The breakfast was great. There were plenty of options including cereals, waffles, biscuits, gravy, oatmeal, and even fresh danishes. It was plentiful and delicious.
     Before we left, she gave us her business card and told us to call her if we were in the area again so she could give us  a better deal again.
     We definitely plan on taking her up on her offer and recommend her and this location of Rodeway Inn to anyone in the area.

Tab Takes On... Hotel Stay #1

Deerfield Inn and Suites
     We stayed here the first night on our honeymoon. We had found a coupon for this location in a Tennessee travel book. We weren't expecting much but were relatively surprised.
     The room was especially nice. We got a king size bed, a couch, plenty of towels and washcloths, a nice television, and a rather small bathroom. But hey, beggars can't be choosers.
     For a small town, we were located near shopping and food options. We didn't have to travel far at all. We were also close to the exits we needed to continue our travels as well.
     The area was very quiet at night. We were surprised but glad. We expected some noise since we were near a truck stop was across the street. We were well rested and are likely to stay there again, if we are ever in the area.

Tab Takes On... Walmart Tire and Lube

     We needed an oil change before we left for the honeymoon, so to prevent backtracking we went to our local Wal-Mart. It was $19.88 for the oil change before tax, which is a very good price here.
     Despite the price, some hiccups did occur. We expected some wait time, as there were other cars already there. However, our hour and a half wait was ridiculous! An oil change done at home only takes 30-45 minutes tops (without the fancy tools) so an oil change done by a shop of any sort should not take any longer than 30 minutes. They were very understaffed (3 total people) some of which weren't even fully trained and were being trained on the spot.
     Overall, it wasn't the worst experience I have seen but it does need improvements before we go there again, no matter what deals or specials on oil changes they may have. It was obvious that they will hire almost anyone to work back in the Tire and Lube department. I know they aren't mechanics, but to work in the Tire and Lube you should have at least some sort of experience working on cars, even if it is just simple maintenance on your own personal vehicle. At least one of the workers didn't even know where simple under the hood parts were located or looked like to make sure they were sealed and/or full on our vehicle and the other one they were working on at the same time.
    Fair warning to people who want to try to save money on car maintenance by going to Wal-Mart, proceed with plenty of caution, and make sure you know plenty about what you are going for so they don't try to get you to get more work done than what your vehicle needs done, as they will try. Also, don't be afraid to shop around if there are other places in your area to take your vehicle for maintenance.

Tab Takes On.... A New To Her Mexican Restaurant
This past Wednesday, my soon-to-be husband and I tried La Parrilla Mexican Grill in West Knoxville,Tennessee as a date night. It was great and we can't wait to eat there again! Considering most of the Mexican restaurants we try are usually labelled as small-town restaurants or dives, we weren't sure what to expect. But we were in the area and we had a coupon (we are on the honeymoon planning budget people!) we thought, we'll just try it and see. We were both well fed with great portions (and take home leftovers) and we paid less than we would elsewhere. The meat options were well cooked and the rice was the best I had ever had! I even had to look over the menu for quite a while because I couldn't decide. (The waiter had to come by twice before I was ready to order. We asked to talk to a manager after we ate, to give them compliments and they seemed surprised! Definitely recommend this place!

So today I decided to finally say yes to starting a blog. I had previously been hesitant as I felt like I had little to nothing to say. So after finally say yes to the dress, finishing the wedding plans, and starting another job hunt in the past five weeks, I figured now is as good as ever! So comment all the advice and similar stories that you can! How much is too much for a person to take on? Who do you trust when you can't do it all? More to come from Tab Takes On.... as I become a newlywed!