I will never forget the sweltering July afternoon when I arrived in Memphis, Tennessee. I was only here on a two-year assignment, I didn’t know a soul, and I never imagined this New York native would end up calling Memphis home 14 years later.
Memphis is, unequivocally, the best thing that ever happened to me. The people, the culture, my experiences and the history of this soulful river town helped to shape me into the woman I am today. There is no place I would rather be.
So, Memphis turns 200 this year! How do I love thee? Let me count the ways:
I LOVE…
- Looking over my shoulder to see living civil rights legends
- Walking across the Harahan Bridge
- Driving in Memphis “traffic”
- The Memphis 101 crash course that taught me the beauty of the Bluff City
- Walking into B.B. King’s any day of the week and hearing the best band ever
- The emotionally interactive exhibits at the National Civil Rights Museum
- Vanilla shakes at A. Schwab’s
- Paulette’s poppers with strawberry butter
- Looking out at the mighty Mississippi River morning, noon and night
- The fact that history can be found on almost any and every corner
- The mom and pop shops
- Walking into a restaurant or store and knowing people’s names
- The haunted juke box at Earnestine & Hazel’s
- Soul burgers at Earnestine & Hazel’s
- The burgers and fries at Alex’s Tavern
- The Peabody ducks make appearances two times a day, 365 days a year
- The duck master and his duck cane
- How the Stax Music Academy shares Memphis music all over the world
- The TV lounge at Graceland with the little monkey on the coffee table
- Cazateatro Bilingual Theatre Group nights at Evergreen Theatre
- Watching local actors shine at Hattiloo Theatre
- Broadway shows at the Orpheum Theatre
- The renovation of Playhouse on the Square
- The Ballet Memphis relocation to Overton Square
- Tea parties at the Woodruff-Fontaine House
- Live music sets at Mollie Fontaine’s
- The ever-changing menu at Bar DKDC (Don’t Know Don’t Care)
- Sitting under a hair dryer and eating dessert at the Beauty Shop Restaurant
- Casting iron on the riverfront at the Metal Museum
- Sitting on the bench in the park near the Metal Museum and watching the river
- The lawn ornaments in Voodoo Village
- How Choose 901 and ILoveMemphisBlog showcase what’s great about Memphis
- Cocktails in the Peabody Lobby
- Tea time at Chez Phillipe
- The reasonable cost of living
- The Rouhlac Mansion Bed & Breakfast in South Memphis
- Baked chicken at Four-Way Grill in South Memphis
- South Main Street Trolley Nights
- Brick oven pizza at Boscos
- Seeing musicians congregate in Soulsville’s Memphis Slim House
- Tailgating and/or suite hopping at the Southern Heritage Classic
- Tent hopping at Memphis in May
- The Soulsville USA Festival’s amazing music lineups
- Eating a roast beef + gravy + swiss po boy on the patio at Second Line
- That the winters are not long and harsh
- The seafood flight at Flight restaurant
- Power walking along the Mud Island riverside
- The no-leash dog park at Shelby Farms Park
- Any and every activity at Shelby Farms Park
- The gold-plated Cadillac at Stax Museum of American Soul Music
- Taking the elevator to the top of the Pyramid
- Hearing the Memphis Symphony play at the Botanic Garden
- Riding the Grand Carousel at the Children’s Museum
- Planetarium shows at the Pink Palace Museum
- Picnics during the Levitt Shell summer concert series
- Eating avocado toast with egg and cheese at Edge Alley
- Dodging Sun Studio tourists as I drive down Union Avenue
- Watching people sign the wall outside Graceland
- Carrot souffle at the Piccadilly on Elvis Presley Boulevard
- Gus’ fried chicken. Did I mention Gus’ fried chicken?
- Sitting on a bench at Martyrs Park looking out on the river
- Playing the drums at Paula & Raiford’s Disco
- Never knowing who I will see in the basement of the Pocket
- People watching and seeing the who’s who at Houston’s
- Watching Penny Hardaway coach the Memphis Tigers
- That professional soccer has arrived in Memphis
- Soup at Caritas Village in Binghampton
- The amazing people who visit and work at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
- That FedEx is cheaper here because it’s the company’s headquarters
- When I print something, it’s likely Memphis’ International Paper made the paper
- Eating Phillip Ashley chocolates
- Buying a bow tie from Mo himself
- Taking a selfie shooting up into the lights at Crosstown Concourse
- Dressing up for Memphis Fashion Week
- Binge watching the short films session of Indie Memphis Film Festival
- Everything Young Arts Patrons hosts in the city
- Broad Avenue restaurant hopping
- Roxie’s Grocery Store burgers in Uptown
- Holding a meeting at the Office at Uptown and using their office services
- Learning history at the Slave Haven and going where the enslaved hid out
- Watching the sun set from a Beale Street Landing rocking chair
- Catching an unexpected concert in Handy Park
- The “She Crab Soup” at Itta Bena Restaurant
- Lunch in Court Square on a sunny spring day
- Buying shea butter at Africa in April
- Taking photos in front of the “I Am a Man” mural on South Main Street
- The Chicken BBQ Nachos at Central Barbecue
- The Salmon Goulash at Abyssinia Ethiopian Restaurant
- Having lunch on Food Truck Fridays at Dixon Gallery & Gardens
- The dueling pianos at Silky O’Sullivan’s
- Eating good barbecue at the World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest
- Surfing the crowd at the Beale Street Music Festival
- Weddings at Lichterman Nature Center
- Climbing the wall at Bridges
- Memphis’ craft beer explosion
- The real history behind the C.H. Nash Museum at Chucalissa site
- The ribs at Blues City Café (wet)
- The 1969 flooring inside Royal Studios
- The old pipe organ inside Clayborn Temple
- Sunday service at Reverend Al Green’s church in Whitehaven
- Huey’s veggie burger (yum)
- Walking the stairs on the bluff
- Drinking delicious Memphis Aquifer tap water
- Muddy’s Prozac cupcake
- The Orange Mound Parade
- The Whitehaven Christmas Parade
- Dyer’s burgers
- Catching a blues band at Wild Bills in North Memphis
- The Salt Caves at Better Bodies Yoga
- The turnaround of Memphis Animal Services
- Makeda’s butter cookies
- Karaoke at Alfred’s
- Karaoke at the Cove
- Karaoke at Rock House Live
- That Beale Street welcomes bikers every Wednesday night
- Muddy Water Mac and Cheese at Chef Tam’s Underground Café
- Losing time playing games at the Rec Room
- Growl towels
- People’s love of “wrasslin”
- Reading a book while sitting on the Treedom sculpture
- Skating during the winter at the Memphis Zoo
- Park After Dark movie nights
- Taking a photo in the Amurica trailer
- The black and white photos at the Withers Collection Museum & Gallery
- The pulpit at St. Mary’s Catholic Church
- Historic downtown buildings architecture
- The ducks at Audubon Park
- The Mud Island River Park replica of the Mississippi River
- Turtlette chocolates at Dinstuhl’s
- Monday poems shared by Burke’s Books
- Handmade barrettes at Five in One Social Club
- Jars of jam from the Memphis Farmers Market
- Free birthday high-speed indoor go-karting at Autobahn
- Vintage shopping at Flashback
- The Summer Avenue Drive-in Theater
- The Eucalyptus Mint Bath Soak at Maggie’s Pharm
- Catching a Red Birds game and a hot dog with mustard at Auto Zone Park
- Taking a photo in front of the “I Am a Man” sculpture at Clayborn Temple
- Watching the cats in the window at House of Mews
- Watching the night lights on the Memphis bridges
- Buying pieces of art at the River Arts Festival
- Taking a photo in front of the Guest House at Graceland Christmas tree
- Taking a photo in front of the Main Street Christmas tree
- Tackling the Children’s Museum of Memphis Skyscraper
- Eating a San Diegan Open Face Omelet at Brother Juniper’s
- The Rachel’s Breakfast Wrap at Café Eclectic (naked)
- Fries at Young Avenue Deli
- Fresh fries at Fuel Cafe
- The splash park at Peabody Park
- Riding the Main Street trolley
- The creepy Crystal Shrine Grotto at Memorial Park Cemetery
- Dinner at the Tower Room atop the Clark Tower
- Bourbon tasting on the rooftop of Old Dominick Distillery
- Attending a house party on the greens at the FedEx St. Jude Classic
- Eating a cup of potato soup at Huey’s
- The chicken avocado soup at Las Delicias
- The onion soup at Café Keough
- Listening to a music set at the Madison Avenue pocket park
- Signing the wall at Atomic Tiki
- Grabbing some friends to eat a whole Kooky Canuk Kookamonga Burger
- Braving the Agri-Center’s Mid-South Maze
- Taking photos of the sunflowers at the Agri-Center
- Taking photos with the tulips at the Dixon Gallery & Gardens
- Haggling at furniture stores on Summer Avenue
- Memphis Black Restaurant Week
- Watching the Beale Street Tumblers
- Live music at Hard Rock Café
- Visiting the CMPLX in Orange Mound
- Eating spanakopita at the Memphis Greek Festival
- Eating delicious Italian at the Italian Festival
- Packing picnics for the Live at the Garden Concert Series
- Eating pronto pups at the Delta Fair
- Store and restaurant hopping during the Cooper-Young Festival
- Anticipating the next lineup for Mempho Music Fest
- Catching a glimpse of the stumbling Santas
- Seeing the Carnival Memphis Boll Weevils spread cheer
- Sitting in the VIP area of the WKND
- Drinking a healthy shake at Downtown Nutrition
- Watching episodes of Junt Land
- Sniffing soap at Bubble Bistro
- Sniffing candles at the Downtown Candle Company
- Tracking just how many music legends got their start in Memphis
- Breakfast at the General Store near Shelby Forest Park
- Boat rentals at Shelby Forest Park or kayaking on the Mississippi River
- Making reservations for Downtown Dining Week
- Hobnobbing with hipsters at the Crosstown Art Bar
- Ordering a Tiger’s Blood Supreme at Jerry’s Sno Cone
- Brunch at Jim and Samella’s in South Memphis
- Attending a reception at the Rock & Soul Museum
- The Pilates room at Ballet Memphis
- Celebrating 901 Day at AutoZone Park
- Getting dressed up for the annual Night at the Lorraine Gala
- Trying on and buying Cheryl Pesce Jewelry creations
- Ching’s lemon pepper wings
- Visiting the Angels & Tomboys shop in Orange Mound
- Buying prints in the Center for Southern Folklore
- Taking the Memphis Greenline
- Going Ape at Shelby Farms Park
- Sunrise yoga classes at The Dixon’s Hughes Pavilion Wednesdays
- Living in the most giving city in America
Find more love letters, stories and photos at wmcactionnews5.com/memphis200.
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