Hayden and Claire met working in the Operating Room at St. Francis in Memphis TN. At the time, Claire was an onsite specialist for Stryker and Hayden was a Neuromonitoring Tech. Our friends in the XRay department helped set us up. We exchanged numbers on a Monday, had a first date that Thursday, made it official the following Monday and as they say, the rest is history!

Also here’s a list of my recommendations if you need them! Places to see: -Bass Pro Pyramid. take the elevator to the top to the lookout over Memphis. There is also a restaurant/Bar at the top that’s pretty good! -Shelby Farms. This is a nature/rec kind of area if you’re looking for some good walking trails/small hikes! There is a big lake in the center that has a walking trail around it. It has some gorgeous views. Also has a pen full of buffalo to see! -Beale street. I would avoid this area at night but it’s nice to see the popular street during the day! Plenty of bars and touristy shops on the strip. -Saddle creek has lots of shopping or there is an outlet mall in Southaven -FedEx forum: hosts basketball games and concerts downtown -Graceland/sun studio/MLK national rights civil museums: all historic landmarks here that I’ve honestly haven’t been to! Heard great things. Just be careful of surrounds. Graceland is in “the hood” -Memphis zoo Restaurants: For Fancy/Fine Dining ($$$) we love: -southern social (southern cuisine) -bog and barley (Irish pub style) -folks folly (steak house) -seasons 52 (new American cuisine) -Firebirds (American cuisine) -Hen house (quaint little wine bar with American food) -Hog and hominy (wood fire pizza and shareable dishes) -Coastal Fish (seafood; this is on the lake at Shelby Farms) For more causal dining ($$) we love: -Brendalay (American cuisine with sports bar) - Jim & Nicks Bar BQ (BBQ) -flying saucer (beer bar with American food; two locations) -city silo (healthy breakfast/brunch) ***my favorite place in Memphis! Coffee and Acai bowls and salads are very good -local lime (upscale Mexican) -rock n dough (pizza) -Nashoba (sports bar) - Lafayettes (Cajun style; often times has live music! Will say on their website) For more on the go fast food style ($): -Central BBQ (BBQ) - Tops BBQ (BBQ) **haydens favorite -chicken salad chick (chicken salad and sandwiches) -Waffle House (breakfast; classic here in the South) -Cookout (typical American fast food; love their milkshakes) Bars/Live Music: -Brookhaven (sports bar) -Lafayettes (Cajun restaurant with a music stage) -Nashoba (restaurant with music stage;this is where our unofficial welcome party will be Friday night) -TJ mulligans (this is a chain and there’s about 4 of them around Memphis. It’s your classic smoky bar. Often times they’ll have karaoke) - loflin yard (brewery style bar; has outdoor fire pits) -young Ave deli (college feel bar often times with live music) -beck & call (cocktail bar; located at the top of the Hyatt centric downtown. Gorgeous views) -Bass pro pyramid. Bar located at the top lookout -Brendalay (I listed above for a restaurant but the 2nd story is a bar and then have a downstairs sports bar area too) -all the the bars on Beale street have live music if you’re willing to go there at night. Gets rowdy. Tin roof is my favorite if we do ever brave going down there.