A Love Letter to Memphis: Kontji Anthony

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…

1. Looking over my shoulder to see living civil rights legends
2. Walking across the Harahan Bridge
3. Driving in Memphis “traffic”
4. The Memphis 101 crash course that taught me the beauty of the Bluff City
5. Walking into B.B. King’s any day of the week and hearing the best band ever
6. The emotionally interactive exhibits at the National Civil Rights Museum
7. Vanilla shakes at A. Schwab’s
8. Paulette’s poppers with strawberry butter
9. Looking out at the mighty Mississippi River morning, noon and night
10. The fact that history can be found on almost any and every corner
11. The mom and pop shops
12. Walking into a restaurant or store and knowing people’s names
13. The haunted juke box at Earnestine & Hazel’s
14. Soul burgers at Earnestine & Hazel’s
15. The burgers and fries at Alex’s Tavern
16. The Peabody ducks make appearances two times a day, 365 days a year
17. The duck master and his duck cane
18. How the Stax Music Academy shares Memphis music all over the world
19. The TV lounge at Graceland with the little monkey on the coffee table
20. Cazateatro Bilingual Theatre Group nights at Evergreen Theatre
21. Watching local actors shine at Hattiloo Theatre
22. Broadway shows at the Orpheum Theatre
23. The renovation of Playhouse on the Square
24. The Ballet Memphis relocation to Overton Square
25. Tea parties at the Woodruff-Fontaine House
26. Live music sets at Mollie Fontaine’s
27. The ever-changing menu at Bar DKDC (Don’t Know Don’t Care)
28. Sitting under a hair dryer and eating dessert at the Beauty Shop Restaurant
29. Casting iron on the riverfront at the Metal Museum
30. Sitting on the bench in the park near the Metal Museum and watching the river
31. The lawn ornaments in Voodoo Village
32. How Choose 901 and ILoveMemphisBlog showcase what’s great about Memphis
33. Cocktails in the Peabody Lobby
34. Tea time at Chez Phillipe
35. The reasonable cost of living
36. The Rouhlac Mansion Bed & Breakfast in South Memphis
37. Baked chicken at Four-Way Grill in South Memphis
38. South Main Street Trolley Nights
39. Brick oven pizza at Boscos
40. Seeing musicians congregate in Soulsville’s Memphis Slim House
41. Tailgating and/or suite hopping at the Southern Heritage Classic
42. Tent hopping at Memphis in May
43. The Soulsville USA Festival’s amazing music lineups
44. Eating a roast beef + gravy + swiss po boy on the patio at Second Line
45. That the winters are not long and harsh
46. The seafood flight at Flight restaurant
47. Power walking along the Mud Island riverside
48. The no-leash dog park at Shelby Farms Park
49. Any and every activity at Shelby Farms Park
50. The gold-plated Cadillac at Stax Museum of American Soul Music
51. Taking the elevator to the top of the Pyramid
52. Hearing the Memphis Symphony play at the Botanic Garden
53. Riding the Grand Carousel at the Children’s Museum
54. Planetarium shows at the Pink Palace Museum
55. Picnics during the Levitt Shell summer concert series
56. Eating avocado toast with egg and cheese at Edge Alley
57. Dodging Sun Studio tourists as I drive down Union Avenue
58. Watching people sign the wall outside Graceland
59. Carrot souffle at the Piccadilly on Elvis Presley Boulevard
60. Gus’ fried chicken. Did I mention Gus’ fried chicken?
61. Sitting on a bench at Martyrs Park looking out on the river
62. Playing the drums at Paula & Raiford’s Disco
63. Never knowing who I will see in the basement of the Pocket
64. People watching and seeing the who’s who at Houston’s
65. Watching Penny Hardaway coach the Memphis Tigers
66. That professional soccer has arrived in Memphis
67. Soup at Caritas Village in Binghampton
68. The amazing people who visit and work at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
69. That FedEx is cheaper here because it’s the company’s headquarters
70. When I print something, it’s likely Memphis’ International Paper made the paper
71. Eating Phillip Ashley chocolates
72. Buying a bow tie from Mo himself
73. Taking a selfie shooting up into the lights at Crosstown Concourse
74. Dressing up for Memphis Fashion Week
75. Binge watching the short films session of Indie Memphis Film Festival
76. Everything Young Arts Patrons hosts in the city
77. Broad Avenue restaurant hopping
78. Roxie’s Grocery Store burgers in Uptown
79. Holding a meeting at the Office at Uptown and using their office services
80. Learning history at the Slave Haven and going where the enslaved hid out
81. Watching the sun set from a Beale Street Landing rocking chair
82. Catching an unexpected concert in Handy Park
83. The “She Crab Soup” at Itta Bena Restaurant
84. Lunch in Court Square on a sunny spring day
85. Buying shea butter at Africa in April
86. Taking photos in front of the “I Am a Man” mural on South Main Street
87. The Chicken BBQ Nachos at Central Barbecue
88. The Salmon Goulash at Abyssinia Ethiopian Restaurant
89. Having lunch on Food Truck Fridays at Dixon Gallery & Gardens
90. The dueling pianos at Silky O’Sullivan’s
91. Eating good barbecue at the World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest
92. Surfing the crowd at the Beale Street Music Festival
93. Weddings at Lichterman Nature Center
94. Climbing the wall at Bridges
95. Memphis’ craft beer explosion
96. The real history behind the C.H. Nash Museum at Chucalissa site
97. The ribs at Blues City Café (wet)
98. The 1969 flooring inside Royal Studios
99. The old pipe organ inside Clayborn Temple
100. Sunday service at Reverend Al Green’s church in Whitehaven
101. Huey’s veggie burger (yum)
102. Walking the stairs on the bluff
103. Drinking delicious Memphis Aquifer tap water
104. Muddy’s Prozac cupcake
105. The Orange Mound Parade
106. The Whitehaven Christmas Parade
107. Dyer’s burgers
108. Catching a blues band at Wild Bills in North Memphis
109. The Salt Caves at Better Bodies Yoga
110. The turnaround of Memphis Animal Services
111. Makeda’s butter cookies
112. Karaoke at Alfred’s
113. Karaoke at the Cove
114. Karaoke at Rock House Live
115. That Beale Street welcomes bikers every Wednesday night
116. Muddy Water Mac and Cheese at Chef Tam’s Underground Café
117. Losing time playing games at the Rec Room
118. Growl towels
119. People’s love of “wrasslin”
120. Reading a book while sitting on the Treedom sculpture
121. Skating during the winter at the Memphis Zoo
122. Park After Dark movie nights
123. Taking a photo in the Amurica trailer
124. The black and white photos at the Withers Collection Museum & Gallery
125. The pulpit at St. Mary’s Catholic Church
126. Historic downtown buildings architecture
127. The ducks at Audubon Park
128. The Mud Island River Park replica of the Mississippi River
129. Turtlette chocolates at Dinstuhl’s
130. Monday poems shared by Burke’s Books
131. Handmade barrettes at Five in One Social Club
132. Jars of jam from the Memphis Farmers Market
133. Free birthday high-speed indoor go-karting at Autobahn
134. Vintage shopping at Flashback
135. The Summer Avenue Drive-in Theater
136. The Eucalyptus Mint Bath Soak at Maggie’s Pharm
137. Catching a Red Birds game and a hot dog with mustard at Auto Zone Park
138. Taking a photo in front of the “I Am a Man” sculpture at Clayborn Temple
139. Watching the cats in the window at House of Mews
140. Watching the night lights on the Memphis bridges
141. Buying pieces of art at the River Arts Festival
142. Taking a photo in front of the Guest House at Graceland Christmas tree
143. Taking a photo in front of the Main Street Christmas tree
144. Tackling the Children’s Museum of Memphis Skyscraper
145. Eating a San Diegan Open Face Omelet at Brother Juniper’s
146. The Rachel’s Breakfast Wrap at Café Eclectic (naked)
147. Fries at Young Avenue Deli
148. Fresh fries at Fuel Cafe
149. The splash park at Peabody Park
150. Riding the Main Street trolley
151. The creepy Crystal Shrine Grotto at Memorial Park Cemetery
152. Dinner at the Tower Room atop the Clark Tower
153. Bourbon tasting on the rooftop of Old Dominick Distillery
154. Attending a house party on the greens at the FedEx St. Jude Classic
155. Eating a cup of potato soup at Huey’s
156. The chicken avocado soup at Las Delicias
157. The onion soup at Café Keough
158. Listening to a music set at the Madison Avenue pocket park
159. Signing the wall at Atomic Tiki
160. Grabbing some friends to eat a whole Kooky Canuk Kookamonga Burger
161. Braving the Agri-Center’s Mid-South Maze
162. Taking photos of the sunflowers at the Agri-Center
163. Taking photos with the tulips at the Dixon Gallery & Gardens
164. Haggling at furniture stores on Summer Avenue
165. Memphis Black Restaurant Week
166. Watching the Beale Street Tumblers
167. Live music at Hard Rock Café
168. Visiting the CMPLX in Orange Mound
169. Eating spanakopita at the Memphis Greek Festival
170. Eating delicious Italian at the Italian Festival
171. Packing picnics for the Live at the Garden Concert Series
172. Eating pronto pups at the Delta Fair
173. Store and restaurant hopping during the Cooper-Young Festival
174. Anticipating the next lineup for Mempho Music Fest
175. Catching a glimpse of the stumbling Santas
176. Seeing the Carnival Memphis Boll Weevils spread cheer
177. Sitting in the VIP area of the WKND
178. Drinking a healthy shake at Downtown Nutrition
179. Watching episodes of Junt Land
180. Sniffing soap at Bubble Bistro
181. Sniffing candles at the Downtown Candle Company
182. Tracking just how many music legends got their start in Memphis
183. Breakfast at the General Store near Shelby Forest Park
184. Boat rentals at Shelby Forest Park or kayaking on the Mississippi River
185. Making reservations for Downtown Dining Week
186. Hobnobbing with hipsters at the Crosstown Art Bar
187. Ordering a Tiger’s Blood Supreme at Jerry’s Sno Cone
188. Brunch at Jim and Samella’s in South Memphis
189. Attending a reception at the Rock & Soul Museum
190. The Pilates room at Ballet Memphis
191. Celebrating 901 Day at AutoZone Park
192. Getting dressed up for the annual Night at the Lorraine Gala
193. Trying on and buying Cheryl Pesce Jewelry creations
194. Ching’s lemon pepper wings
195. Visiting the Angels & Tomboys shop in Orange Mound
196. Buying prints in the Center for Southern Folklore
197. Taking the Memphis Greenline
198. Going Ape at Shelby Farms Park
199. Sunrise yoga classes at The Dixon’s Hughes Pavilion Wednesdays
200. Living in the most giving city in America

Find more love letters, stories and photos at wmcactionnews5.com/memphis200.