Peabody Morning: Marching Ducks, High Tea and Memories of Young Elvis

Never turn down an opportunity to spend a morning in Memphis at the venerable Peabody Hotel.

The Good Girls survey the scenery from atop the Peabody Hotel in Memphis. 

Where else can you watch ducks march from the lobby elevator to a fountain, take a tour of the hotel with the elegantly attired Duckmaster, meet the son of Elvis' tailor and enjoy a delicious high tea surrounded by elegance in Chez Philippe, the world's only French Restaurant that has never served duck?

The VIP feeling begins immediately when you walk through the door. Adults take seats at tables in the lobby, while youngsters stay busy talking to the Duckmaster and checking out the “duck pond” where the ducks soon would head.

Dubbed the "South's Grand Hotel," the first Peabody opened in 1869 closing 54 years later. It reopened as a larger, better version in 1925, at its current downtown location.

In the 1930s, the Peabody held one of three locations where CBS radio broadcast live shows, attracting top bands like Tommy Dorsey, Paul Whiteman, Harry James and Les Brown. Between 1945 and 1950, one such program was hosted by young Sam Phillips who later launched Sun Records and the career of Elvis Presley. Elvis connections appear all over Memphis.

The ducks arrived in the 1930s, too. Turtles and young alligators previously had appeared in the fountain, but their tenure was always short. Then, one afternoon in 1933, General Manager Frank Schutt and his pal Chip Barwick returned late from a duck hunting trip in Arkansas. They planned to keep temperatures and spirits high with liberal doses of Tennessee sipping whiskey. In those days, live ducks were used as decoys, so they deposited three small English Call ducks in the lobby fountain.

When morning arrived, the ducks were still happily paddling around, delighting guests and staff. The 85-year tradition of Peabody ducks had begun.

The original Duckmaster Edward Pembroke.

In 1940, Bellman Edward Pembroke, a former circus animal trainer, volunteered to bring the ducks to the fountain each day. He soon had them trained to march in line, enhancing the tradition. Pembroke became the first official Duckmaster and performed the morning and afternoon ritual until his retirement in 1991.

On the morning of our visit,  three female and one male mallard performed perfectly, clearly eager for their daily swim. As the lobby emptied, Duckmaster Kenon, in training to be the seventh to hold that title, began the daily hotel tour.

We learned that the '60s and '70s were not kind to the Peabody and in 1975 it was put up for sale on the courthouse steps. Belz Enterprises stepped in, bought and saved the venerable hostelry, spending $25 million to restore and remodel the Peabody to even greater glory, ducks and all.

After admiring the ceilings and chandeliers, we were led to Lansky Bros, "Clothiers to the King," who moved their famed store into the new Peabody.

Kenon introduced us to Hal, son of Bernard Lansky who befriended young Presley and encouraged him to visit the store any time.

Kenon shows off one of his favorite Elvis jackets, the style he wore for his wedding with a special lining for today's buyers. The checked jacket behind him is like the one Bernard Lansky fitted on Elvis for his appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show.

When Presley was booked onto the Ed Sullivan show in Sept. 9, 1956, he came to Lansky with a problem: he needed something nice to wear but didn't have any money. Bernard fitted him out on credit. Ever loyal, Elvis came to Lansky for clothes from then on, sporting the pink and black outfits Lansky developed for him to his wedding tux.

Hal encouraged us to try on a few things, not that we needed any encouragement.

Debi went for sparkle with the gold sequined jacket while Judy opted for a slightly less flashy model.

Other performers relied on Lansky, too, including B.B. King, Isaac Hayes, Carl Perkins, Johnny Cash and Jerry Lee Lewis.

So can you;  a jacket like the one Elvis wore for his wedding with a special lining will set you back $295, a bottle of his cologne $60.

With Elvis fresh on our mind, we toured upstairs, seeing the photo documenting the signing of Elvis' first recording contract with RCA,



the note ordering no dead ducks at the Peabody

and the square grand piano built expressly for Francis Scott Key.

The Duck Palace

Then it was up to the roof to check out the views and the $200,000 Duck Palace.

By this time, we had worked up an appetite and were ready for a bit of high tea pampering at Chez Philippe. Elegant is the word for this hushed space, a sigh of refinement in an otherwise bustling world beyond the tables set with Petite Fleur china.

We started with Champagne, then selected from among seven teas and savored our environment. In perfectly timed succession we were served our beverages,

a two-tiered arrangement of savories,

a basket of hot blueberry scones

and a a three-tiered array of sweets.

Delicious, but too much to eat. We left with a box of goodies hoping the maid at the hotel would find them as delicious as we did. Most of all, we left feeling like we were somebody at the Peabody.

7 Not to Miss Highlights in Halifax, Nova Scotia

When in Canada, eat Canadian - right? So, we started the morning at Liscombe Lodge with fresh blueberry pancakes topped with real maple syrup. What a wonderful way to start a day. Then, the Good Girls and company returned to Halifax and the Westin Nova Scotian. Along the road, the mystical greenery was breathtaking, and someone shared this factoid: Nova Scotia is the largest exporter of Christmas trees, lobsters and blueberries.  What a lovely trio!


And, in case you're wondering exactly where Nova Scotia sits on the map:it’s a Canadian province on the east side of Maine and the name means New Scotland. Hence, the reason we saw a few hotel workers in kilts.
 

Debi & the Doorman at the Westin

Westin Nova Scotian

We checked into the Westin, which sits a stone's throw from the Halifax train station.  In fact, there is a convenient connecting hallway. The hotel has a long history of hosting Royals like the Queen, Princess Diana and Prince Charles, Prime Ministers as well as other dignitaries and celebrities. Tonight they were hosting us for the hotel's 85th-anniversary celebration.


While the hotel has not always belonged to the Westin group, it does retain much of its historical decor in the lobby. The guestrooms, however, are totally up to date, including the super comfy Heavenly beds. This hotel feels good; we both agree. The lodging meets the needs of any traveler with friendly customer service, clean surrounding and all the amenities you might want like room service, a gym (even workout clothes as part of the Westin Workout) and wifi. We made a point to have a drink at Roy's (Named for longtime-bartender Roy Clorey, who has worked at the hotel for 50 years and counting.) Lovely wine and vibe.

Of course, the Westin, a AAA Four Diamond property, also includes a complete set of banquet rooms and the location is ideal for Halifax meetings. For tourists, it's handy to the Waterfront area, which boasts a number of upscale restaurants, museums, and marina activities.  You can easily walk to Pier 21 Immigration Museum ( discussed in an upcoming post) and the Farmer's Marketplace. Many cruise ships dock at the port directly behind the hotel

 
The Stubborn Goat

Exterior of the Stubborn Goat

The Good Girls are always on the move, and the group was soon off for lunch at the Stubborn Goat, a gastropub on Grafton Street, near the construction site of the new convention center. Their menu states their philosophy," To seek and find the best local products with which to create fulfilling comfort food, pour craft ales and libations made with thought and care, and serve all patrons as if they were guests in our home. It is our duty to have laughter, cheer and conversation thrive by offering a selection of small plates meant for sharing among friends and families who gather here."

The Goat lived up to its promises. The highlight of the meal, at least for me, was something I've never eaten before - fiddleheads (ferns) cooked in a skillet with prosciutto, lemon, Gouda, almonds. The flavors and textures tasted similar to green beans. Cheese held the dish together and the almonds added crunch. Quite delightful, I'd order it again.

Fiddleheads

In a futile attempt to watch our waistlines, Judy and I split a Lamb Sirloin Burger with stewed tomato jam, roasted mushroom, arugula, grainy mustard and skipped dessert. Others raved about their woodstone oven baked pizza or lobster mac and cheese. Alas, we all left over-stuffed again.

The Lamb Sirloin Burger

FYI- The owners of the Stubborn Goat first opened Durty Nelly’s, an authentic Irish Pub, which was designed and built in Ireland and shipped to Canada. The restaurant sports an elongated wooden bar and apparently is ‘ the place’ for listening to the Craic, what the Irish call storytelling and partying.

Alexander Keith's Brewery

Alexander Keith's Brewery in Halifax

I headed off to tour Alexander Keith's Brewery on the Waterfront while Judy hopped on the trolley tour.

Keith's Brewery sits in a massive ironstone and granite building (c 1820). Actors in period costume take tour-goers back to Halifax in 1863. They employ song and story as they lead guests through the brewhouse and taproom. You enter Mr. Keith's original dining room and then follow  into an over-sized production room with gleaming copper tanks.  I have been on many brewery tours, but never encountered such magnificent apparatus. Let's just say I'm glad I don't have to polish all that copper.

The Copper Cookers

The Copper Holding Tanks

The tour doesn't dwell on the brewing process, which I appreciated as I've heard it over and over, and because the technicalities bore many. Instead, this tour heads right to an authentic old taproom where tasting and entertainment become the focus. Each participant of age receives a sample in a mug. I sat and enjoyed my choice, Keith's Red Amber, then joined in clapping to the tunes. A few bar games were introduced before it was time to depart. I learned Halifax history in a most charming way and highly recommend this tour.

A waitress in the Taproom
Photo@Debi Lander

 Halifax Citadel

I did not have time to visit the fort-like Citadel National Historic Site, but on a 2010 visit, I made the effort and hiked to the highest point in the city. The Citadel, like the fort in my hometown St. Augustine, was built as a military fortification to protect the city from enemies and the occasional pirate. In Halifax, you hear the crack of rifle-fire and the haunting tones of bagpipes instead of canon fire. The Changing of the  Guard, dressed in uniforms of the 78th Highlanders, creates a colorful and impressive ceremony. The Royal Artillery fires the Noon Gun every day – a Halifax tradition that is one of the oldest in the world.

Changing of the Guard

A short outing on Theodore Tugboat, stationed on the Waterfront, looked like fun and would likely be a highlight for families visiting Halifax.

Worker handcrafting a vase at Nova Scotia Crystal.

I also stopped in Nova Scotia Crystal where you watch glass objects being mouth blown, hand-cut and etched. Irish artisans hoping to keep their craft alive opened the facility in 1996 and it remains the singular crystal manufacturer in Canada. The showroom is full of gorgeous pieces similar to Waterford crystal. They make lovely gifts and souvenirs.

Like most destinations, it is the people and the history that bring out the true depth and beauty of what you see and experience. Halifax is certainly one of those places.