Tag: Stax Museum

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Stay and Play

There’s plenty of summer and animal fun to be had at the Memphis Zoo. (Photo: Courtesy Memphis Zoo)

It sure feels like summer! The hot, humid days have moved in with full force, but that doesn’t scare us. Yet as we all sit inside next to our struggling AC units, it’s easy to forget all the cool things going on in Memphis. The city attracted more than 11 million visitors last year, and for good reason: Memphis is a place people want to see. So get outside and re-familiarize yourself with all the great places and people that make Bluff City unique. Whether it’s restaurants, museums, or a night out on the town, there are plenty of reasons why here at home remains a great option for remaining summer plans.

Free Art and Museums

A staycation saves money, right? Save even more with these free attractions.

• The Dixon Gallery & Gardens is free through the end of 2024 with 2,000 objects in its collection and a glorious spread of botanic brilliance.

• The Memphis Brooks Museum of Art is free Saturdays from 10 a.m. to noon, and also for family-oriented Community Day events.

• The National Civil Rights Museum is free for Tennessee residents with state-issued ID Mondays from 3 p.m. until closing.

• The Stax Museum of American Soul Music is free for kids 6 and under. Shelby County residents with ID get in free on Tuesdays from 1 to 5 p.m. And it’s free for everyone from 1 to 5 p.m. on Family Day, the second Saturday of each month.

The Memphis Zoo (Photo: Courtesy Memphis Zoo)

• The Memphis Zoo is free for wee ones under 2 years old. Tennessee residents get in free on Tuesdays from 2 p.m. to close.

• The Art Museum of the University of Memphis is always free.

• Access to the Metal Museum grounds, including its sculpture garden and gift shop, is always free.

• Walking and driving tours of Elmwood Cemetery are free, and it’s pretty quiet as well.

As always, you should check with the venues first before you go. And as you visit these places, you might be tempted to buy a membership. Go ahead. Find the level that works for you and enjoy it year-round.
— Jon W. Sparks

Hit the Town

A night at home curled up under a blanket to watch a movie or read a book is probably my ideal night. In fact, I’d say it’s so ideal that I do that practically every night, but, apparently, it’s good to shake things up a little every now and then. So this homebody did just that and dragged herself out of bed for a night out on the town. Sure, it was for a writing assignment, but I got out of the bed and that’s a start.

With a friend in tow, the night started at Bardog Tavern for dinner and drinks. I ordered something with rum that our server recommended — couldn’t really tell you what else was in it because I heard the word “rum” and that was enough for me. Turns out the name of the drink is James’ Cock, and I sucked it down like a Coca-Cola, so do with that what you will.

After that we headed to Blind Bear, a speakeasy I’d never heard about before, mostly because I rarely leave the house after 7 p.m. Then it was time for the Flying Saucer and, like, Beale and stuff. (I had a bit to drink at this point.) I think we headed to Paula & Raiford’s Disco after, waited in line for about 10 minutes, and then gave up and ordered a Lyft. But, yeah, it was nice to shake things up a bit for a bit of a “staycation,” but the best part was being able to fall asleep in my own bed. — Abigail Morici

Be a Tourist For a Day

More than 11 million people came to Memphis on vacation — on vacation! — last year. That’s roughly the population of Belgium. Why?! The crime! The heat! The potholes!

Daily Memphians might miss the mystique of the city’s cultural treasure trove that draws all those tourists each year. The Pyramid’s funny. Barbecue is routine. Beale is for tourists. Don’t get us started on Graceland.

But if you’re staycating this year, try (at least) vacating your house or your neighborhood. Go find out what makes Memphis a destination. Go reconnect with that everyday magic. Do it all while staying within your staycation budget, too.

Here’s a brief list of classic (and free!) tourist spots to hit for your Memphis staycation:

• Graceland — Brag that you’ve never been? Go. See what you think. Free walk-up admission to the Meditation Garden daily.

• Beale Street — Go for the people-watching. Stay for the music and a Big Ass Beer. Are your feet 10 feet off?

• Big River Crossing — A one-of-a-kind walk with Insta-worthy views of the river and the city. Free daily.

• Bass Pro Shops at the Pyramid — Fish pond, gator pit, and massive aquarium? Check. The place is a tourist magnet for a reason. Free daily. — Toby Sells

Be a Homebody

Staycate means staycate. No need to go figuring out car trips to some semi-distant place or to rush out to some favorite or fetchingly rumored juke joint in the evenings just because you’ve got some spare time.

Stay home. Sleep late. Alternatively, get up early in the morning when it’s still cool enough and take long walks on your property or in your neighborhood.

Give yourself at least one good substantial grocery visit. Then put it to use. Cook something new, for yourself or guests. And back in that fridge somewhere is an item you bought backaways with some purpose in mind you haven’t got to yet. Do it now before the food goes bad.

Fix up that spare room you’ve been using as a warehouse space. Change those worn-out bulbs. Take care of those overlooked potted plants. They’re thirstier than you are!

Homebody starter kit (Photo: Jackson Baker)

You bought those books. Now read them. Ditto with those magazines that are lying around. Forget about social media for a while. If you’ve got to turn on the computer, then use it to catch up on news you missed.

Look at yourself in the mirror and take inventory. I don’t need to tell you that you’ll see something that needs changing. Change it. Or at least start the process.

For a little while, everything is in your hands. Enjoy the fact. — Jackson Baker

The Memphis International Restaurant Tour

Eating out at a great restaurant is my favorite thing to do on a vacation.

Eating out at a great restaurant is also my favorite thing to do on a staycation.

You can experience other countries by staying home and visiting Memphis restaurants that specialize in various types of food from across the globe. Sort of “Around the World in 901 Days.” Maybe choose cuisine from a particular country each day of your staycation. Some places serve lunch, which usually is cheaper. And if you don’t know what to order at these places, ask your servers what they’d recommend. Here are some restaurant ideas:

• Tamboli’s Pasta & Pizza (Italian), 1761 Madison Avenue

• Pantà Memphis (Catalan), 2146 Monroe Avenue

• Mosa Asian Bistro (Asian fusion), 850 South White Station Road

• Las Tortugas (Mexican), 1215 South Germantown Road, and
Las Tortugas Deli Mexicana, 6300 Poplar Avenue No. 115

• El Sabor Latino (Colombian), 665 Avon Road

• India Palace (Indian), 1720 Poplar Avenue

Bala Tounkara at Bala’s Bistro (Photo: Michael Donahue)

• Bala’s Bistro (African), 4571 Elvis Presley Boulevard

• Casablanca Restaurant (Moroccan), 5030 Poplar Avenue No. 7 and
1707 Madison Avenue No. 103

• Sabor Caribe (Venezuelan), 662 Madison Avenue

• Tuyen’s Asian Bistro (Vietnamese), 288 North Cleveland Street

• Sakura Japanese Restaurant (Japanese), 4840 Poplar Avenue and 2060 West Street in Germantown

• Wang’s Mandarin House (Chinese), 6065 Park Avenue

Taking a trip around town to try exotic food is less expensive than airfare to exotic places. Not to mention lodging. You can go home to your own bed. And you don’t have to worry about passports.
— Michael Donahue

A Night at the Shell

There are a lot of places to see live music in Memphis: the Beale Street club packed with tourists, the Orpheum Theatre’s Gilded Age grandeur, the Green Room’s intimate sounds. But the best place in Memphis for a night of music is the Overton Park Shell.

Built in 1936 as a Works Progress Administration project designed to help workers during the Great Depression, it is one of a handful of band shells from that era still standing.

PreauXX at the Shell (Photo: Chris McCoy)

I was recently reminded of how lucky we are to have a place like the Shell when I saw PreauXX play there on July 1st. It was one of the super hot days we’ve been having this year, so I was expecting to be uncomfortable, at least until well after the sun had set. But the towering trees of Overton Park provided enough shade that a steady breeze made it quite pleasant, especially after a couple of days spent indoors hiding from the heat. We found a spot near the front of the stage and set up our camp chairs next to a young mom corralling her toddler.

My wife LJ stayed with the chairs as I checked out the food trucks, which were parked next to the new, greatly improved bar facilities.

We were chowing down on some barbecue tacos when PreauXX hit the stage, backed by his friends from the Unapologetic crew. The young mother was joined by her partner, and, after ignoring the music in favor of rolling on the lawn, the toddler threw his energy into dancing. (Really, it was more of a body-wide twitch, but he was trying his best.) When AWFM joined in for “Slide,” folks were streaming down the hill to do the title dance. This stage has hosted everyone from Elvis to Seun Kuti and Egypt 80, but for this night, PreauXX was the king. — Chris McCoy

Drag Shows at the Atomic Rose

Thanks to the phenomenon known as RuPaul’s Drag Race, we’re able to appreciate the art of drag without leaving our homes. And while watching hours of Snatch Game makes for the perfect staycation activity, so does supporting your local drag performers and artists.

Voted as the number-one best drag bar in the South by Time Out, Atomic Rose is the top destination for your staycation entertainment fix. The club recently went viral, at the height of Tennessee’s anti-drag controversy, when local drag queen and activist Bella DuBalle informed the audience of the severity of the bill and what it meant for the drag community. But the clip that circulated around TikTok only gave viewers a tidbit of the magic the nightclub possesses.

Drag at the Atomic Rose (Photo: Drew Parker)

DuBalle is known as Slade Kyle outside of drag and says one of the things that makes the club so special is that it is a true melting pot, inclusive in multiple ways encompassing all genders, races, and sexuality. This diversity is showcased in one of their most iconic events known as the “War Of The Roses,” which Kyle describes as an eight-week drag competition, featuring a large and diverse pool of performers.

And if you happen to swing by after War season, the club also offers Friday and Saturday shows, as well as a drag brunch on Sunday. Friday and Saturday shows start at 10:30 p.m., and Sunday brunch service starts at 11 a.m., with the show starting at 12:30 p.m. — Kailynn Johnson

SPORTS!

We can never get enough Grizz action at the FedExForum. But they’re out of season (unless you’ve made the pilgrimage to the Las Vegas Summer League to watch Kenny Lofton Jr. hoop). Luckily, there’s another pleasant Downtown destination to get your fix of ’ball. AutoZone Park is home to the Redbirds and 901 FC, but it’s sometimes apparent that Memphians take the stadium for granted, evidenced by the quite noticeable number of empty seats during baseball and soccer games. It’s still hot outside, but an afternoon or night out at the ballpark is an excellent way to shake up a routine and try out a new experience in town.

Even if you’re not into sports all that much, there are plenty of additional perks that come tacked on to a game. A personal favorite of mine is an all-you-can-eat series at Redbirds games, which, for just a few extra bucks, gets you a pass into a roped-off section that provides drinks, snacks, hot dogs, and an endless supply of the featured entrée (anything from brisket, to nachos, to my personal favorite: hot wings).

901 FC’s Bluff City Mafia (Photo: Memphis 901 FC)

Other enticements include specialty nights for $1 hot dogs or $2 beers. And when those nights line up, oh man. Kicking back with a few brews in what can either be a pleasant or a raucous atmosphere, depending on the matchup, is a reliable recipe for a fun night out. And if there’s a fireworks show afterward, well, all the better. Don’t sleep on it, Memphians! — Samuel X. Cicci

Tend Your Garden

If you time your work hours right and stay hydrated, summer gardening can be a breeze — and yield delicious rewards. Why else would the University of Tennessee’s Institute of Agriculture host its Summer Celebration of ag workshops and activities in Jackson only last week? The summer means heat to some, but for others it’s known as peak growing season. While that might sound dangerously like work, once your garden is up and running, tending it can be the perfect break from both screen time and chair time.

Early mornings can be sublime even in July, especially with an eyeful of blooms and fruits of the vine. It’s also a good time to water those roots before the blazing sun can bake the water droplets off the leaves. And yet, assuming you’ve done your homework and have a little mulched, irrigated, squirrel-protected paradise outside your door, there’s still more awaiting the horticultural staycationer: a world of garden clubs and nonprofits to liven up the typically solitary pursuit of the perfect bloom.

Take a break from the screen and tend your garden. (Photo: Alex Greene)

You don’t have to be a master of the pursuit to join the Memphis Area Master Gardeners, and it can be a great way to learn from expert volunteers who offer classes, working closely with the local UT extension service. There are also long-established neighborhood garden clubs, like the Cooper-Young Garden Club with their annual garden walk, and even community gardens if you prefer your plant-tending to be more sociable. Check out memphiscitybeautiful.org for a registry of every community garden in the city. — Alex Greene

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News News Blog

Memphis Tourism Unveils Public Art Project for Black History Month

CREDIT: Memphis Tourism

Local artists Mia Saine and Toonky Berry have given the area outside FedExForum a major glow up in celebration of Black History Month.

Memphis Tourism

Earlier today, Memphis Tourism unveiled the “Roots of Memphis Music” public art project in a press release. Twenty-four of the round concrete bollards surrounding the Forum’s entry plaza (at the intersection of B.B. King Boulevard and Beale Street) are now emblazoned with the likenesses of both the past and present Memphis music royalty. Think major players like W.C. Handy, David Porter, and Three 6 Mafia, as well as historic locations like Stax Records and Royal Studios.

Saine is a Memphis-native illustrator and designer, whose images consist of “simplified shapes, fun colors, and chalky textures.” Quantavious Berry, known as “Tooky Berry,” developed a style he dubs Toonkifcation while a student at the Memphis College of Art, which is an amalgam of “surrealism, caricatures, and graffiti.”

Each piece of artwork includes a QR Code that will provide interested patrons with the backgrounds and context of the images depicted on the bollards. Hosted on the Memphis Tourism website, these stories are curated by the Memphis Rock ’n’ Soul Museum, Memphis Slim Collaboratory executive director Tonya Dyson, and WYXR 91.7 program director Jared “Jay B” Boyd.

Memphis Tourism

Artists Mia Saine and Toonky Berry incorporated both the past and present of Memphis musical culture into the ‘Roots of Memphis Music’ project.

“The goal of this activation launching during Black History Month was to tell a visual story of prominent figures and landmarks that are connected to the Memphis music legacy, along with the music that is coming out of our city today,” said Regena Bearden, chief marketing officer for Memphis Tourism, in the release. “Our I Love Memphis murals across the city have become a destination for visitors and locals alike. For this project, we not only wanted to create a public art space to honor people and places at the heart of the Memphis sound but also educate and inform those who engage with the art through scannable QR codes on the bollards provide a wealth of information.”

“We are excited to celebrate the history of Black music here in Memphis with our partners at Memphis Tourism,” added Anthony Macri, vice president of partnership marketing for the Memphis Grizzlies. “The outdoor plaza in front of FedExForum is a front porch for the city, and featuring these great musicians, moments and locations will add richness to the experience of millions of tourists and visitors all year long.”

The artwork will remain in the FedExForum plaza through June 2021. To learn more about the project, visit MemphisTravel.com. For more ways to celebrate Black History Month in Memphis year-round, read this itinerary.

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News News Blog

Museums’ COVID Closings Extend Into January

CREDIT: Jon W. Sparks

Jon W. Sparks

Spring, Summer, Fall at the Brooks Museum by Wheeler Williams

Most museums are temporarily closing their doors due to recent COVID restrictions. This list will be updated as needed.

  • Memphis Brooks Museum of Art will remain closed until Wednesday, January 6th. This includes all public programming.
  • The National Civil Rights Museum is temporarily closed until further notice.
  • The Pink Palace Museum closes December 24th at 2 p.m. through January 23rd.
  • The Metal Museum buildings and grounds will remain closed through the New Year and will reopen to the public on Friday, January 8th.
  • Stax Museum will be closed from December 24th through January 4th.
  • The Dixon Gallery and Gardens will continue to be open except for Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day. It has a strict capacity limit and requires guests to wear masks and social distance during their visit.
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We Recommend We Recommend

“The Women of Stax” at the Stax Museum

The Stax Museum’s executive director Jeff Kollath thinks a lot of stories get lost in the shuffle.

“Like how incredibly important women are in music history, from basically the start all the way up to the present,” he says. “It’s especially true at Stax, with Mrs. [Estelle] Axton, whose name’s on the label. And Carla Thomas was the first big star, and Deanie Parker played an incredibly important role behind the scenes.”

Kollath and the Stax Academy have teamed up to create a living history project called “Women of Stax,” with six local actresses — Kim Baker, Brandi Nycole, D’Monet, Tena Wheat Crump, Mimmye Goode, and Jackie Murray — playing six women who made a difference in Memphis music. What began as a summer research and performance project at Stax Academy has grown into something Kollath calls “a living museum.”

“Women of Stax”

“That term was coined by Justin Merrick who worked at the music academy,” Kollath says, giving credit where it’s due. “It’s a compelling way for people — especially young people — to learn about this history. It sounds trite, but this really comes to life in an engaging, fun, and exciting way.”

Using monologues and song “The Women of Stax” introduces audiences to the life and work of Axton, who put the “Ax” in Stax, and recording artists Alberta Hunter, Thomas, Mavis Staples, Parker, and Linda Lyndell.

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Opinion The Last Word

The Rant (January 8, 2015)

CREDIT: Courtesy of Stax Museum

Sigh, sigh, SIGH. I remember writing on this page not so long ago that I usually handle another person’s death pretty stoically, knowing that it’s just a natural part of life and that it’s going to happen to us all eventually. I was having a tough time reconciling the passing of Memphis singer and my much-loved friend Di Anne Price, because I knew the world would never be the same without her. It was really an odd and painful feeling.

And now, a few weeks after the passing of Ardent Studios founder John Fry, it’s a testament to him that so many others around the world still can’t seem to accept the loss. So much has been written about John in the past few weeks and shared on social media, and so many beautiful memories and thoughts about him have been included in donations made to organizations in his memory. The themes are universal: John was kind, talented, humble, the voice of reason, and, more than anything, someone who was always giving to others, sharing his knowledge and time, and always giving others credit and encouragement. All of that couldn’t be truer. 

Courtesy of Stax Museum

Huey Lewis with John Fry of Ardent Studios

I don’t know that I can add much more than what has already been expressed, except that John was a dear friend and a massive supporter of the Soulsville Foundation (where I work) and a member of our board of directors. For those who don’t know, the Soulsville Foundation is the nonprofit organization that operates the Stax Museum of American Soul Music, Stax Music Academy, and the Soulsville Charter School. His past relationship with Stax Records is well documented, and John’s Ardent Studios was a sister studio of sorts to Stax back in its heyday, with many of the Stax artists recording at Ardent when the Stax studios were booked up, and for other reasons. And John loved the Stax Museum and loved bringing musicians, and producers, and others there to give them his unique tour.

Soulsville Foundation CEO Calvin Stovall said, “John served on our board of directors for many years and played an integral role in the Soulsville Foundation. He was emphatically committed to everything Stax — the music, the kids, and the Memphis community. His presence and contributions to our organization will be sorely missed. A couple of weeks ago, I had the fortunate opportunity to have John himself give me a tour of Ardent Studios. It was truly one of the most memorable learning experiences I’ve ever had. I’ll never forget it.”

Stax Museum Director Lisa Allen added: “I can’t imagine that anyone else has given a personal tour of the museum more times than John Fry. He was passionate about sharing the history of our music and making sure that current musicians from around the world experienced Soulsville. John became more than a music icon and board member to me; he transformed into a friend. He understood both my professional and personal struggles. Often he would email me with simple words of encouragement that meant more to me than I could ever express.”

But as much as he loved the museum, John probably loved our young people more than anything. It didn’t matter if it was Huey Lewis, or other high-profile artists recording at Ardent, or an up-and-coming young band from Belgium he brought for a tour, he didn’t bring anyone into the museum until he explained what goes on with the young people at the Stax Music Academy and the Soulsville Charter School. He would proudly reel off details about the students’ rate of improvement in mathematics and explain how studying music helped them achieve that. And this started long before he joined our board of directors. 

Another thing I loved about John was his very dry sense of humor and how hilariously cantankerous he could be at times. One of his pet peeves was getting caught up in an email thread about something usually pretty mundane, like a meeting date and time, and everyone chiming in by replying to all in the thread, thereby leaving dozens of messages in his email inbox. Drove him nuts. I laughed out loud at my desk so many times when he finally couldn’t take it anymore and relayed his feeling about that to everyone. In one of the last such threads, which involved lots of people congratulating each other on something that had gone really well, he finally conceded and wrote, “Okay, if everyone is going to keep ‘replying all’ in this, then Bravo Zulu! If you know what that means you’re way cool. If not, search it on Google.”

Bravo Zulu is, of course, an old navy signal for “job well done.” Bravo Zulu, John. You’ll be missed.

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Opinion The Last Word

The Rant (October 23, 2014)

CREDIT: Justin Fox Burks

I knew it. I knew it as well as I knew there was something fishy about Joan Rivers’ death. I knew that President Obama was responsible for the Ebola “epidemic” in the United States. Don’t believe me? Think I’m stupid (don’t answer that)? Well, maybe you would have more trust in The New York Times, which printed this the other day:

“The virus has also threatened to raise questions about the Obama administration’s competence, fueled in recent days by reports that two health care workers were infected while caring for an Ebola-afflicted patient at a Dallas hospital, and one subsequently flew on an airplane with a fever.”

Now do you get it? Two — make it three — people in the United States have contracted the disease, and now it is a nationwide epidemic, and Obama has not done his part to contain it. I knew this was some kind of Democratic, liberal plot from a man who might or might not have even been born in the United States.

I feel sincerely badly for the people in West Africa, who are really being ravaged by this disease, and I wish the U.S. was supplying them the same kind of resources as we are here at home, but come on. Maybe I am crass, but an Ebola czar already?

Justin Fox Burks

Gus’s Fried Chicken

And the media. The media are without scruples in the U.S. when it comes to this kind of thing. I wouldn’t be at all surprised to turn on Fox News (well, it would actually surprise the hell out of me if I turned on Fox News — the national channel, not our local peeps, who are awesome) — and saw all of the anchors at their desks in hazmat suits reporting the news through tubes coming out of the head gear. It reminds me of the Egyptian spring uprising, when even Anderson Cooper hunkered down in a fake cave pretending to be seconds from an untimely death. No shame.

And speaking of the media and no shame, I read a piece in last week’s Fly on the Wall in this paper. And then reread it, and reread it, and reread it, trying to figure out what it meant. In case you missed it, Chris Davis reported this:

“Four food writers for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette came to town for a conference and were freaked out by scenic South Front: ‘Gus’s World Famous Fried Chicken in downtown Memphis isn’t much to look at … on a street flush with boarded-up windows, it’s the kind of place ‘fraidy-cat tourists would steer clear of for fear of getting mugged. I’ll admit my first thought was, ‘This is it? The place so many people are talking about?'”

That is just wrong. What exactly were they expecting from a fried-chicken restaurant, and where did they get the idea that Front Street is “flush with boarded up windows?” There’s something like $16 trillion of new development there with a lot more on the way. I can tell you this without even looking up who the writers were: They have never set foot in an interesting place in their lives, they have never had an original thought, and they probably live in the suburbs and think they know a lot about wine.

So to prove myself right, I went to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette website and this was the lead headline: “South Hills Village Mall races to get ready for holiday season.” See? I bet the same writer who thought “‘fraidy-cat tourists would steer clear” of our Gus’s World Famous Fried Chicken for “fear of getting mugged” wrote this riveting piece on their mall getting ready for the holidays.

Okay, okay, so I read the entire article (the one about Memphis food, not the one about their mall and the holidays because I would rather have an image of a naked Dick Cheney tattooed on my face than visit a mall during the holidays), and it wasn’t all bad. In fact, one dude wrote about visiting the Stax Museum (where I work by day) so they at least got some culture. They also visited the National Civil Rights Museum and the same guy wrote this:

“I was so impressed and moved by our group tour of the newly renovated National Civil Rights Museum, which is located at the Lorraine Motel where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was killed, that I went through a second time with my family. Afterwards, I felt like I could use a drink.”

Atta boy! So you did visit interesting places, and you do have original thoughts, and you might not live in the suburbs and think you know a lot about wine. You have my humblest apologies. Anyone who needs a drink after visiting a place as emotionally gripping as the National Civil Rights Museum is A-okay in my book.

So now I am not mad at those writers anymore. I’m going to be a much nicer person from now on. I might even forgive Obama for singlehandedly causing every American in the land to potentially come down with Ebola.

Categories
Opinion The Last Word

The Rant

Okay, all you Memphis haters who — inexplicably — still live here and do nothing but talk about what an armpit Memphis is, I want you to ask yourself this: Am I smarter than the editors and publishers of National Geographic? Yes, you may be, or at least you think you may be, although I have a feeling that if you were, you’d have the wherewithal to move away to another place that has all of the things that you like and doesn’t have the things that you don’t like.

I ask you to ask yourself this because, unless you’ve been living under a suburban tract house (I can say that; I grew up in them), you might have noticed that the magazine, one of the most highly regarded in the world, just placed Memphis on its Best in the World 2013 list of top 10 places in the world to visit next year. Yes, in the world.

I know this has already been all over the news and I have sent it to everyone I have ever known including all of my former psychiatrists and cat sitters, but really. Think about this: The other destinations on their list were places like the Black Sea coast of the Crimean Peninsula, the Great Bear Rain Forest along British Columbia’s 250-mile coast, Raja Ampat off the coast of Indonesia, and Ravenna, the former capital of the Western Roman Empire. The only other U.S. places on this list are the Hudson Valley, the Missouri River Breaks along the Missouri River in Montana, and the oldest city in the country, St. Augustine, Florida. And then there is Memphis, Tennessee. Again, think about this.

I’m sure lots of you are either raising or furrowing your eyebrows at this notion, thinking about the crime and blight and poverty Memphis deals with on a daily basis, but this just further proves my theory that, even including all of that, there is something magical and mystical about Memphis. It’s almost intangible, like some invisible electricity in the air that’s here for the taking if you get it and settle in with it. I’m not even talking about tripadvisor.com rating our zoo at the top of its list, even though it’s a fabulous zoo and very much deserving of the accolades. I’m not talking about Shelby Farms, even though Shelby Farms is something most other cities really envy. I’m not even bragging about how the article mentioned the Stax Museum, Stax Music Academy, and the Soulsville Charter School (where I work) being at the forefront of the cultural renaissance taking place in Memphis right now, even though my chest did puff up about 10 times its normal size when I read that.

And speaking of which, I took a break from writing after that last paragraph, and I think I may have figured something out. Booker T. & the MGs guitarist Steve Cropper just held a jam session with the Stax Music Academy Rhythm Section and a few of the singers. Just now. I literally came straight back to my computer. When he and the students played “Green Onions,” it was like you could cut something in the air. Yes, the students were good and yes, Cropper was great, and yes, the song still has the same unforgettable groove it did 50 years ago, but it was more than that. It was something you wouldn’t ever encounter in any other city. You have the young students jamming out with one of the most legendary guitarists in the world on one of the most legendary songs in the world and it ALL came from Memphis. The full-circle good vibe that it created was like something unearthly, and totally Memphis. The way people starting moving and the naturalness of it and the way it just happened without a lot of effort or red tape or machines — that, to me, is what makes Memphis what it was and is: a century-long jam session that’s still going. People with heart and swagger and confidence, without attitude or arrogance or gimmickry doing something honest and great.

Yowza, am I ever full of it?

So to those of you who sit at your computers thinking up ways to write bad things about Memphis using your internet aliases and who ramble on and on about why you hate living here, move to some exotic location where everything is pristine and leave Memphis for those of us who get it.