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Movie Set Travel / Literary Travel / Mississippi Travel / Deep South Travel / → All Tags

Tour the Real Life Neighborhood That Inspired 'The Help' in Jackson, Mississippi

Fans of The Help, the bestselling novel by Kathyrn Stockett, aren't just heading to theaters to see the big screen version; they're also using the book for travel inspiration. The novel is about a group of black housekeepers and the white women who employ them in 1960s Jackson, Mississippi, and with the movie opening this weekend Jackson is catering to those who want to immerse themselves into the world of The Help.

The Fairview Inn, mentioned in the book, is offering a new package called "The Help Experience" including overnight accommodations, an authentic southern dinner for 2 at Sophia's Restaurant, Mint Juleps upon arrival, and a Help welcome basket. They will even throw in a deck of cards and instructions for playing Bridge, a favorite pastime of the women in The Help.

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Music / Blues Travel / Mississippi Delta / → All Tags

Blues Travel: B.B. King Museum Opens in Indianola, Mississippi

Blues fans from across the country found themselves deep in the Mississippi Delta this weekend to celebrate the opening of the B.B. King Museum and Delta Interpretive Center. The humble guitar legend was on hand to christen the $15 million facility dedicated to preserving not only King's legacy, but the story of the Delta Blues itself. King turns 83 on Tuesday, and was moved to see his name on the front of the museum. As he told the Clarion-Ledger:

"I didn't go to school long enough to be able to tell you how I feel. But I have heard that heaven is beautiful. If heaven is more beautiful than the way I feel today, I'm ready to go tomorrow."

B.B. King is one of the good ones in our book (listen to this NPR interview and tell me you don't agree), and though 83 is a ripe old age, here's hoping he and Lucille (his guitar) hang around a few years longer. Sure, he's enjoyed tremendous success, but anybody who has picked and chopped as much cotton as this man did as a youth deserves some measure of comfort and joy in his golden years.

[Photo: B.B. King Museum]

Related Stories:
· B.B. King Museum [Official Site]
· Blues' King Likes Castle [Clarion-Ledger]
· Music Travel Coverage [Jaunted]