Memphis, TN. Birth place of the Blues, the home of Elvis, Graceland and my home the last few days. I am staying and speaking at the Peabody Hotel in downtown Memphis. It was my last Memphis trip that inspired my blog post entitled rendezvous which was also inspired in part by the great dry ribs restaurant of  the same name across the street. I walked into rendezvous tonight (after waiting in a long line) just to take in the aroma and experience the nostalgia. I also wanted to call my friend Charles for whom I had FEDEX-ed some of rendezvous ribs last year (Charles and his wedding party and friends ate there for his batchelor party). I am sure it would have been a spiritual experience for both of us but alas, I wrote down his number incorrectly and some poor person back home got me launching into a “I wish you were here” song made up spontaneously just for “Charles”. I opted to send him a telepathic messge instead (which I haven’t received confirmation that he received yet).

So for my progressive dinner which started with a whiff of rendezvous, then a main course at a new restaurant named Mesquite Chop House, and finally desert with some friends I met visiting from Tel Aviv, it was a RICH evening and a perfect end to a great day. I am now in a great frame of mind for my keynote speech tomorrow to managers for Fogelman Properties, a Memphis apartment management company.

Mesquite has it right - from the back of their menu:

Always at it’s prime is not just our brand, it’s how we try to live our lives as restaurateurs. We have built a concept in which high standards permeate all aspects of our restaurant. We are passionate about great tasting food and the pleasure of sharing it with others.

Our search for quality not only encompasses our food but our passion for over the top customer service as well. Outstanding customer service is a result of both our team member’s skill and enthusiasm in serving our guests, and their in-depth knowledge and excitement about the food and beverages we sell.

Prime, to us, means being able to meet or exceed your expectations at every visit.

Breaking bread with others and eating well - these are some of the great joys of our lives.

I couldn’t agree more.  I am already prepared for Rendezvous III.

This post is dedicated to my friend Charles Brinkley, whose great humor, passion for good food and service to others is an inspiration. 

Tim Richardson is an inspirational speaker who speaks about how giving increases employee morale, lowers employee turnover, increases customer loyalty and creates higher profits for Fortune 500 companies, associations, and national conventions. He is the founder of the The Worlds Biggest Blog Party an event which will connect bloggers from all over the world to raise money for charity. He is also founder and president of the Bill Walter Melanoma Research Fund and co-founder of the Jeffrey Roth Cycling Foundation. Click here for more information on professional speaker Tim Richardson.