Soak in the blues at the Shack Up Inn, Clarksdale, Miss.

I’ve experienced my fair share of unusual accommodations in my travels as a commoner.  From a concrete teepee in Cave City, Ky., to a night in a yurt in Colorado, to an Econo Lodge in Carbondale, Ill., on the verge of being condemned (it eventually was), sometimes where you stay is the most memorable part of the journey.  So, when it comes to kicking back in the birthplace of the blues, I don’t think there’s a better way to get in the blues spirit than to book your stay at the Shack Up Inn. 

An unbeatable breakfast at Jimmy J’s Cafe, New Orleans

Foodies and travel enthusiasts like me have likely heard of the television show, “The Best Thing I Ever Ate,” which features various celebrity chefs and other famous personalities discussing their all-time favorite dishes from restaurants all over the world according to each episode’s theme.  If they ever ran a version of this show featuring commoners like me and my wife Punky, I’m fairly certain she’d want to be on the breakfast episode talking about this …

… the cochon du lait eggs benedict at Jimmy J’s Cafe, a small but crazy popular breakfast and lunch spot in New Orleans’ French Quarter. 

Get the buzz about the Green Beetle, Memphis, Tenn.

Imagine you’re hanging out in the heart of Memphis in want of an adult beverage and maybe a bite to eat, but you’re burnt out on Beale Street and barbecue.  Where do you go? 

For my money – and thirst – I’m walking a few blocks south on Main Street until I reach the Green Beetle. 

First established in 1939, the Green Beetle claims to be the oldest tavern in Memphis, and it certainly looks the part.  (I say that endearingly, of course.)  Before long, everyone who was anybody was going there to hang out.  But as the decades dragged on, like so many similar taverns, the Green Beetle apparently slowly transitioned from trendy hangout to classic dive bar.  Since 2011, the Green Beetle has been back in the hands of the original family who owned it, and from my brief experience there I think it’s safe to say the place has its groove back.     

A commoner dines at Paul Bunyan’s Cook Shanty, Wisconsin Dells, Wis.

Allow me to take you back in time for a tall tale of one unforgettable family road trip deep in America’s northwoods and a legendary meal with a legendary lumberjack. 

In other words, let me tell you about the time Punky, the Kiddo and I went to Wisconsin Dells and ate at one of the town’s best-known tourist trap restaurants – Paul Bunyan’s Cook Shanty.