real bloggers wear suits...

had he lived, elvis aaron presley would have been 75 today...

i've spent about an hour searching for pictures from my trip to graceland in 2004...and i just can't place them so i'm guessing i've left them behind me in ireland...

like myself...he's got the moves, he's got the looks and i truly am a fan...

graceland is a colonial revival mansion, built in the 1930's, and it was home to the rock star from 1957 until his death in 1977...

soon after purchasing graceland, elvis began remodeling and redecorating...and the house grew as elvis added more and more rooms...not only did the house grow in size, but it grew more colourful...indeed elvis changed the interior colour schemes many times...

i really enjoyed my tour of graceland...for me the 2rooms that stand out in my mind are the trophy room and the jungle room...they will let you take photographs, but what they wont let you do is visit upstairs...

ah sure, forbidden fruit is the sweetest and i'm sure i'm not the only one to have asked; ''why can't we visit upstairs''...the truth is elvis never brought anyone upstairs, he entertained his guests downstairs in 'the front room'...check out the white marble fireplace, the glittered mirrored walls and that stunningly colourful stained glass...

the jungle room amazed me...is it boutique or is it vogue or is it kitsch or is it tacky...??? who knows what to label it, but one thing is i loved it...the shag carpeting on the floor and ceiling, the mirrors framed in the breast feathers of pheasants, flocked austrian shades, fur lampshades, massive pine chairs and couches carved in what others have labelled polynesian and tahitian, ceramic tigers prowl amongst the artificial greenery and the rocky waterfall...just look at that arm-rest...

the trophy room astounded me...if there was a record, a movie poster, a suit, army clothes, hawaiian shirts, spangled glittery jumpsuits, trophys, awards elvis had...it was in this room...amazing...!!!

elvis presley is interred beneath an angel statue on his memphis estate...the day i was there i met busloads of people who made the 'pilgrimage' to graceland, each and everyone of them able to remember where they were and what they were doing the day elvis died...

i guess for me i can relate that to significant events that i remember, like 9-11 or michael jacksons death...

anywho, regardless of whether your a fan or not...i think anybody will enjoy a visit to graceland - the tack, the splendour, the extravagance and the simplicity...its all there...

http://www.elvis.com/