Hey, gang-
We had our first snow of the year on January 2nd…along with our first ice! Yeah, it was monkey-hat cold that day. That morning I got a message from my day job saying because of the weather the shop was going to be closed for the day. Since we were both off for the day Nicki and I decided to get outside and play with the cameras a bit.
I used her Nikon D5100 digital SLR and she used her new Sony a7iii mirror-less camera. I also used my iPhone (which is what these shots were taken with). Our new rosebush, Audrey II (we have another we call “Audrey“) is in the front yard and had froze from the overnight freezing rain. While we were outside it was getting some sleet and snow on it, too.
It was a bit tricky to get a shot of this frozen bloom- the wind was kickin’, and the really low temp made it hard to use my hands. So, between the flower racking back and forth and my hands shaking I’m shocked I got any pics that worked at all!
Our little sunflower took a lot of abuse from the cold. It was in the 60s-70s on New Years Day so I wasn’t expecting the snow and ice to be so intense the following day..!
Our little cat sculpture was holding out better than Lex. We let the boy come outside for a bit with us and he almost immediately decided to head back indoors. He’s never been a fan of the snow or cold.
Nicki and I decided to head up the road to the cemetery on our corner.
There’s a flat marker section of the cemetery that’s towards the front, and an older upright gated section in the back corner.
There’s also another section that’s a bit hidden closer to Conger Park. They’ve been leveling off the front “flat” section this last year, and I’m not sure if they’ll be doing any work to this other section behind it. I took some close-up pics of the orange tractor with Nicki’s Nikon and bounced back and forth between it and the iPhone.
The cemetery is one of our favorite spots in town to take pics- no matter what season or weather, but it’s always very picturesque with the snow.
Last winter we had a serious amount of snow and ice for our area, and it hung around for a little over a week. We had several chances to get outdoors to shoot in the snow and the cemetery and Conger Park are both within walking distance of our house. (In fact, we actually got married in the park.)
With the way the roads were in our neighborhood that week, about all we could do is get out on foot- and one morning I had to hoof it down to the corner snow for some coffee, creamer, and breakfast. Thankfully we didn’t have to call for a search party to come rescue us on any of our excursions into the frozen tundra of north Mississippi!
This time around the roads weren’t too bad and we were able to take Nicki’s new car. I’ve recently become a fan of heated seats! I tried wearing gloves while shooting, but mine weren’t very conducive for it- especially the iPhone…even thought that’s exactly what they’re made for.
After the cemetery Nicki wanted to go ahead and fill up her gas tank while we were out. After filling up at Kroger, we took a few shots of the R/R tracks that cross Commerce Street– the main road through or town. On the way home we noticed the old Dodge truck that sits in the local hardware store parking lot and decided to stop and take some pics of it, too.
I love this truck, and am a fan of the era of vehicle design it comes from.
I am not a fan of whenever we get snow here we almost always get a layer of freezing rain/ice first.
There was another green truck similar to this one around the corner from us but haven’t seen it in a while. Not sure if this is the same one, just painted red or a completely different one.
The wind was really blowing hard in that empty parking lot while we were shooting photos of the truck. We got back in the car and drove across the street to the old water-tower near the center of town. It’s next door to our vet’s office. I got out to take a few pics with the Nikon and iPhone, but it was really getting super cold so I got back in the car and shot the tree pic through the passenger side window with my phone.
When we got back to our street we decided to head down to the end of the road where the horse farm is. We saw a few horses outside their barn eating hay. I took a few with the big camera and these with my phone. By this time Nicki and I had both had enough of the cold. Once we got back to the house some hot chocolate was in order!
Hope you are all safe and warm!
Lin
Hey, gang-
Nicki and I have been trying to find new places to explore and take pics of near us- either in Hernando (see Flashback Friday: Being Local Tourists pt1 – Hernando Skates) or Memphis (see Flashback Friday: Being Local Tourists pt2 – Downtown Discoveries). We’ve found a few spots for photography, but haven’t had a chance for decent sunset ones around our house/neighborhood.
Last week Nicki and I went to go get our COVID booster shots in Southaven. When we got back to Hernando we stopped to get some coffee at Coffee Central. As we left we saw saw some color in the sunset and went exploring around Hernando to see if we could find some spots that might work for sunset pics.
Unfortunately since we were on our way back from getting our shots and didn’t have either big camera with us- just an iPhone each. Oh, and there wasn’t many places to pull over as we drove. Apparently our area doesn’t believe in shoulders along the roadside.
I snapped a few pics out the side window and windshield as Nicki piloted her new Hyundai hybrid. Did see a few deer here and there in fields. We were trying to keep an eye out for them- didn’t need a new hood ornament for Nicki’s new car.
Nicki remembered that Hernando Point wasn’t too far away. She punched in the coordinates into her onboard computer and got directions to it. Turns out it’s only a few miles away from us, and we were there in just a couple minutes. I saw a few other spots that we might be able to stop (or at least slow down more) for future trips.
I was shocked at how long the color lasted in the sky. Normally if I see any sunsets from our backyard or when we’re out the color tends to fade rather quickly. Fortunately for us we had good color the whole way there.
When we got to Hernando Point I got out of the car and walked towards Arkabutla Lake for some shots off the boat ramp.
The temp was low, as was the water level in the lake. We saw a person down by the shore who looked to be fishing. We stayed on the boat ramp so we didn’t encroach on their space.
The color was still vibrant and I motioned for Nicki to come down and check it out. We definitely had found a great spot for future sunset pics!
I rolled down my window and took this shot just before we left. There was no real color looking back this way, but I dug the tree, and was shocked the shot turned out exposed correctly and in focus! I’ve got a canvas print of this ordered- hoping it looks as good as I hope.
So, a few days later I noticed some great color on my way back home from dropping off some art in Memphis. I called Nicki up to give her a heads up. Since she had just logged off from work I stopped by the house to pick her up for another shot at some sunsets. We grabbed the camera bags and switched cars before heading out for a second quick trip down to Hernando Point.
While heading to Hernando Point we saw one deer cross the road ahead of us, and another standing not too far away from the side of the road. We needed to get down there in a hurry, but still had to be vigilant!
Again the color stuck around for quite awhile and was seriously intense!
Once we got there I snapped a couple pics at the top of the hill. Since nobody else was around I walked along the shoreline while Nicki shot with her new mirror-less Sony a7iii from the boat ramp. I saw a few deer tracks, driftwood, and sadly a lot of trash that had washed up.
Had seen a crane fly off as we pulled up, and did see/hear a few ducks as I took pics along the shore.
I had to be careful not to step on anything, or get stuck in the wet sand and lose my shoes! It was definitely “quicksandish”, and felt kind of weird to be the only two folks around.
These photos were all shot with my iPhone (I took some with Nicki’s Nikon D5100 digital SLR– Nicki is going to adjust them in Lightroom for me). Still kicking myself for us not taking a tripod! Definitely gonna have to keep the monopod and flexible iPhone tripod in the car. May look at buying a tripod to keep in the car that’ll fit under the seat or in the back hatch.
Also need to remember to keep the batteries charged and to double check that a memory card is in the camera. We had taken a few pics after a snow storm on Sunday (post to come) and lost a few minutes having Nicki find a card because I didn’t check before getting out of the car. Lessons learned…
There was a really bright streetlight that came on behind us on the boat ramp, so that’s my shadow in many of the shots. Since I didn’t have a tripod I tried steadying the iPhone and camera on a log, which worked okay but wasn’t a perfect stand-in for a good tripod. Hey, sometimes you just have to make the best of the situation.
And of course I had the camera shut down just as the moon and Venus started to shine through the clouds. Luckily I did have my iPhone with me to at least get these pics.
Before we left I took a panoramic photo from the bottom of the boat ramp. Heard more ducks off in the distance as I turned from left to right taking the shot. As the sun went down, so did the temperature! The wind kicked up more which made trying to take pics even more difficult, so it was time to head home for some hot chocolate.
I look forward to heading back for a chance to take more pics here- hopefully we can get down and set up a bit earlier, and be better prepared. Also looking forward to exploring the area for more places to shoot from.
I’ll try and do a post later of my favorite edited shots once Nicki’s had time to play with them in Lightroom. Still have some zoo pics I haven’t posted, too.
Lin
Hey, Ghostheads-
I hope you all had a happy Ghostbusters: Afterlife Day and weekend (Nov. 19-21) and got to see “Ghostbusters: Afterlife” on the big screen.
After seeing the movie on Friday and a full day of bustin’ Saturday afternoon fellow Memphis Ghostbuster Kevin L. Williams and I headed to downtown Memphis so we could catch Ray Parker, Jr. performing live at The Halloran Centre for Performing Arts & Education – next door to the haunted Orpheum Theatre on Main Street and Beale.
Yep, there’s a ghost inside the Orpheum..!
The show, Garry Goin Presents: A Tribute to Ray Parker Jr., was hosted by musician (and Memphis Grizzlies House Band musical director) Garry Goin. Garry has backed Sly Stone and been known to be out on the road with folks like Memphis’ own Kirk Whalum, or in the studio with Millington son Justin Timberlake.
Ray was backed by the all-star Ray Parker JR Tribute Band, and had special guests such as the legendary Kirk Whalum.
When Kev and I got downtown and first turned off Beale Street onto Main we immediately spotted the DeSoto County Ghostbusters’ Ecto-17 sitting out front of the venue.
Their version of the Ecto-1 is a 2006 Cadillac hearse that the group has had for a few years now, and have put a lot of work and money into.
It (and the DeSoto County Spider-Man) can be seen driving all over DeSoto county and attending events in Southaven, Horn Lake, Hernando, Olive Branch, and more locations- especially in October-December.
I used to be jealous of having an Ecto-1, but after hearing about the actual maintenance upkeep costs of having one (Ray Stantz wasn’t kidding!), I’ll pass and just enjoy seeing Ectos out in the wild.🚨👻
We posed for pics with the DeSoto franchise before and after the show, including some of the Orpheum ushers, and we even met one of Ray’s sound guys- Chris.
We had a some time before the show so we decided to do some walking in Memphis and look for something to eat on Beale.
Most places had a long outside and at least an hour wait for a table. We didn’t have that long since the show was starting at 7:30pm, but noticed the line wasn’t too bad at “King” Jerry Lawler’s Hall of Fame Bar and Grille (159 Beale Street). While waiting we got to watch the Beale Street Flippers perform. They were featured in the movie “The Firm“, which was shot in/around Memphis (including Blues City Cafe at the end of the street- 138 Beale St.).
Like all the other places on Beale that night the place was packed and jamming. Once inside we had our order taken fairly quickly and enjoyed some iced tea while listening to the house band. We were keeping an eye on the clock and had to chow down once I food arrived.
Burgers were great, but I don’t recommend cramming one down in 10min or less! We paid our tab and headed back up Beale to the Halloran Centre. When we got there we ran into the Desoto County Ghostbusters in the lobby who were waiting in line to be seated.
Once inside the theater we made our way towards the stage and found out we had front row seats!
Any closer and we would’ve been on stage! We had an usher come by a few minutes later and tell us we were in the wrong seats. I thought, “I knew this was too good to be true…”
The seat numbers were on the chair arms and apparently we were off by one when we sat ourselves. We moved sown one which made us even closer to being front row center..! First time at a concert I haven’t had to strain my neck or stand on my tip-toes to see the show. Kev did good!
Garry came out and introduced Ray- “Heeeeres, Ray!”
Ray followed behind and had a drink in one hand and his camera in the other. He took a few pics of the crowd. This is a pic of me taking a pic of Ray taking a pic of me taking a pic of him..!
Ray and Garry sat down on the right side of the stage and discussed Ray’s early childhood and his musical career, which honestly coincided with each other. He started recording and touring very young!
I really enjoyed the format of the show. Garry interviewed Ray, but it was more of a conversation mixed with a music history lesson. Occasionally the band would play one of the songs Ray wrote or performed on like “Jack and Jill”, “A Woman Needs Love”, “The Other Woman”, “You Can’t Change That”, “Want Ads”, and “Mr. Telephone Man” – before or after them Ray would share some background info on the music and what was going on in his life at that time.
He’d even get up and play along with many which was a real treat. You could really see how much Ray loves music and playing the guitar. Which reminds me, I need to pick mine up and actually learn how to play- they’re dying of loneliness and neglect.
A couple times they took questions from the audience. During one of the Q&A times, Garry said audience member David Porter had a question. Wait, THAT David Porter..?!! Yep, legendary Memphian and musician/songwriter/producer David “Soul Man” Porter. Wish Kev and I could have gotten to meet him, but was cool to just be in the same room as him. (That’s a pic of Ray talking to David- who he called “a mentor“- David had been one for Garry and many musicians over the years.)
When the next special guest, Kirk Whalum (and his saxophone) hit the stage he walked up behind Ray and gave him a big hug.
As Kirk played with the band, Ray and Garry got out their camera-phones, which is funny since the whole show was being recorded by the crew from several angles. This just shows how big of fans of Kirk they are.
It was great to see these guys perform together- a first time for me to see either perform. The Whalum family are a huge part of the Memphis music scene, especially gospel, R&B, and jazz.
Kirk has a Masters of Art in Religion, is a Grammy Award winner, has been honored with a Brass Note on the Memphis Walk of Fame and a Star on the Nashville Walk of Fame, toured with Whitney Houston for more than seven years, and soloed in her single “I Will Always Love You”. He’s 63 and shows no sign of slowing!
It was amazing to watch Ray and Kirk play- Detroit meets Memphis! I got chills, man!
Garry got into the act, too.
It was not only awesome to watch Ray and these amazing musicians perform in person, but to learn more about Ray’s songwriting career, what songs he’d produced, and which he played guitar on.
The man has gotten around, between touring with folks like Stevie Wonder and all his session and producer work, to his Raydio band and solo days, and of course his most famous hit- the theme song for “Ghostbusters“!
And yes, he did play that song…and bustin’ made us all feel good! (If you want to learn how to play it, click here and Ray will teach you!)
It was the finale and a definite crowd favorite- especially for the Ghostheads in the crowd! We were all up on our feet.
Garry even came on stage and joined in. The guy’s got some moves. Hey, maybe he picked up some from the Grizz Girls at the basketball games..?
I think Ray would have kept on playing and talking, but they did have to call it a night. Garry announced they’d meet us out in the lobby, and then said, “C’mon, Ray- we gotta go..!”
There were several fans who stuck around to meet Ray and Garry.
One fan had a Raydio band logo tattoo!
Ray was excited to see it and had to get a pic.
I had to as well!
Kevin got his “Ghostbusters” soundtrack CD cover signed by Ray, and I got a Memphis Ghostbusters patch signed. I gave Ray a patch and some MemGB swag. (You can pick up some free swag for yourself at local comic shops around Memphis.)
Ray’s a lot taller than I thought- or I’m a lot shorter than I thought..!
Was pleased to get to meet Garry, and thanked him for putting on such a great show. Hope they release the footage that was shot. I’d definitely buy a copy. Would love to watch the show again, and again. (You can check out some of the shaky footage I shot on my iPhone on the Memphis Ghostbusters’ Facebook page.)
We posed for a few more pics with the DeSoto GB members before calling it a night and headed outside.
We also took a few pics outdoors, watched the Ecto-17 drive off, and then made our way back to Kevin’s van.
Had to listen to the “Ghostbusters” soundtrack on the way home. I never get tired of that theme song. Kev told Ray it’d been his theme song since ’84. Ray replied, “Mine, too!”
Here are a few more memories…
Me and Kevin front row! (Photo by Frank Chin)
Me and Kevin with Ray Parker, Jr.! (Photo by Frank Chin)
Me and Kevin with Garry Goin and the DeSoto County Ghostbusters. (Photo by Frank Chin)
Me and Kevin with Garry Goin and the DeSoto County Ghostbusters. (Photo by Frank Chin)
Oh, and if you’d like to join or follow our local Ghostbusters franchise, just follow the link below…
Memphis Ghostbusters
www.memphisghostbusters.com
“Who y’all gonna call..?”
Memphis Ghostbusters on Instagram: @901ghostbusters
Memphis Ghostbusters on Facebook: MemphisGhostbusters
Memphis Ghostbusters on Twitter: @901Ghostbusters
Other links:
Beale Street – www.bealestreet.com
South Main – www.gosouthmain.com
Downtown Memphis – www.downtownmemphis.com
Memphis Tourism – www.memphistravel.com
Choose 901 – www.choose901.com
“Bustin’ Makes Me Feel Good!” – Pt1: Memphis Ghostbusters
“Bustin’ Makes Me Feel Good!” – Pt2: DeSoto County Ghostbusters
Southern Living – The Orpheum Theatre in Memphis Has a Resident Ghost
The Bitter Southerner – ‘David Porter Takes Us To School’
The Tri-State Defender – ‘Garry Goin Presents’ set to debut with ‘A Tribute to Ray Parker Jr.’
G3 (R&B showband under the direction of Garry Goin)
Follow Garry on Twitter: @GarryGoin
Follow Ray on Twitter: @rayparkerjr
Follow the DeSoto County Ghostbusters:
@ desoto_county_ghostbusters (Instagram)
@ midsouth_maniac (On instagram)
@ desoto county ghostbusters (facebook)
Ecto-17 GoFundMe campaign
Me and Kev online:
www.linworkman.com
www.kevinlwilliams.com
Hey, fellow Ghostheads!
Well, “Ghostbusters: Afterlife” aka “Ghostbusters 3“ was finally released in theaters (PG13 124 min).
Due to the pandemic it had been pushed back, and back, and back some more, and then shown to audiences at a couple conventions before being available to catch on the big screen for the public.
Nicki and I are still not really comfortable about sitting in a movie theater just yet (and I hate being around folks on their phones), so on Friday, Nov. 19 we decided to head across town to the Malco Summer Quartet Drive-In. It’s where we went to go catch “Black Widow” a little while back, which was the first movie we’d gone out to see since “Birds Of Prey/Harley Quinn”. We’ve either caught others like “Suicide Squad” and “Shang-Chi” on HBO Max, Disney+, or just waited for them to stream elsewhere or be released on DVD/BluRay…which doesn’t take that long of a wait these days!
That Friday night we caught a double feature of “Ghostbusters: Afterlife” and “Venom: Let There Be Carnage“. There was a full moon, and a bit chilly out, but perfect weather for a drive-in movie. After seeing Ghostbusters, we had to make a trip up to the concession stand area to use the restroom and stretch our legs. As we left the car the old intermission animation from when we were kids and featured in the movie “Grease” was playing. We couldn’t help doing a duet of song “Sandy“…
What will they say Monday at school?
We made a start, now we’re apart
There’s nothing left for me
Oh why you left me, oh Sandy, oh Sandy…
Enjoyed GB3 (in spite of some plot holes, unanswered questions, and repetitive story beats) and was happy to finally see the movie on a big screen, and not be too spoiled. I knew the original cast would be in it, had seen the car, mini-pufts, Muncher the ghost, and a few other things I’d either seen as toys/products or in the couple trailers I watched online (avoided the final one).
These days it’s so hard to avoid spoilers or accidentally spoil it for others, especially when a movie not only gets pushed back as much as this one, or has been seen as much before release. Some folks want to know everything before they see it, others want to go in blind and be surprised.
I’m more of the latter, and tend to love seeing ‘art of’ books, magazine articles, or behind the scenes bonus features after I watch the movie. Even track names on a soundtrack or toy packaging can give away spoilers, or the worst are headlines on social media posts…ugh.
Kevin L. Williams went to see the movie a couple times over the weekend- that Friday in IMAX at the Malco Paradiso out east, and on Sunday at the new Malco Powerhouse theater downtown.
On Saturday, Nov.20, Nicki and I drove over to the Olive Branch Malco Theatre to meet up with Kev and our fellow Memphis Ghostbusters.
Kevin brought along his Slimer puppet. Kevin’s a lifelong puppeteer.
We were joined by father and son Anakin (L) and Martheus Antone Wade.
Stacy Young (far left) also joined us for his first appearance with the group. I’ve known Stacy for years now, and we both worked together at the art store in the Mall of Memphis back in the late ’80s.
We had great weather for the event. We were there to help promote the new flick by hanging out around the front of the theater from noon-2pm and take pics with movie goers.
There were several that showed up to see Ghostbusters, and some even wore some Ghostbuters tees- but lots of the kids and parents we talked to were there to see “Clifford, The Big Red Dog“.
Many of the kids that showed up at the theater were there for a Ghostbusters themed birthday party and private screening of the new movie. We popped into the party, gave the birthday boy a MemGB patch, and sang happy birthday with his guests. Thankfully nobody was disappointed we weren’t He-Man..!
After the Olive Branch appearance, I caught a ride with Kevin back to his place where we watched the Ghostbusters documentary, “Cleaning Up The Town“.
Later that night we got to see Ray Parker, Jr. perform live at The Halloran Centre downton- but that’s a story for another blog post.
The following day- Saturday, Nov. 21, was the late Harold Ramis‘ birthday.
Harold passed away at age 69 on February 24, 2014. “Egon, but not forgotten.”
I’m still not sure how I feel about the way Egon was handled in the movie, but glad that they dealt with Harold’s death in real life, and that what happens to the character in the movie is on-screen and not off screen and/or just a passing mention. I did like his cameo in the “Ghostbusters: Answer The Call” movie.
Oh, and on Halloween I suited up to go into work for an hour or two at Area 51. Had to cover for a coworker for a bit who was going to be late coming in. My Ghostbusters jumpsuit is one of my few costumes that I could wear while scooping ice cream.
After he got to work I then came home to hand out candy to any trick-or-treaters in our neighborhood. I stayed out front so the knocking and doorbell wouldn’t freak out our cats.
Only had about 20 or so folks stop by our house, and many seemed to not actually be from the neighborhood- which is strange since we have a lot of kids around us. I’m cool with kids driving over- the more the merrier, but many kids walked down the other side of the street and never came back up our side. Did have Nicki take a few pics of me suited up.
I’ve been meaning to do more of a Halloween display in our yard, but always let the time slip up on me. Hopefully next year things will work out better.
While I was out front I played some Ghostbusters soundtracks and had my new Memphis Ghostbusters LED light on display. Kevin had given me one, and it changes colors- pretty cool!
Speaking of Kev- he, DaMarco Randle, and Janet & Antone Wade were out at the Crosstown Concourse for Trick-Or-Treating. We’ve always thought that the old Sears building looked a bit like Dana’s apartment building in the movie.
Hope you all had a safe Halloween and Afterlife Day.
Go see the movie on the big screen so we can all talk about it- and remember, size matters!
Oh, and if you’d like to join or follow our local Ghostbusters franchise, just follow the link below…
“Who y’all gonna call..?”
Memphis Ghostbusters on Instagram: @901ghostbusters
Memphis Ghostbusters on Facebook: MemphisGhostbusters
Memphis Ghostbusters on Twitter: @901Ghostbusters
“Thank yuh, thank yuh very much..!”
Hey, gang-
So, with COVID limiting our travel options and keeping us close close to home Nicki and I have tried to explore our own backyard and be local tourists in the Mid-South area we live in.
This post is about some of our favorite local spots and the discoveries we recently made while in downtown Memphis for my birthday. When we went on our honeymoon in New Orleans, it was kind of a three celebrations in one trip- our honeymoon, Halloween, and my 45th birthday.
Well, on my birthday (also Day of the Dead) we took a cemetery tour while in N’awlins. Since this year we couldn’t head to the Big Easy, we decided to explore the River City and try out Nicki’s new mirror-less camera.
I got to use her older digital SLR (which she bought for our wedding/honeymoon trip) and took some shots with my iPhone to post to social media. I need the practice with both!
We decided to park next to the Orpheum Theatre off Beale Street and Main Street and walk towards the South Main Historic Arts District and the train station.
We noticed a lot of construction going on- not as much as we’d seen on our last trips to Nashville or even Little Rock, but a lot. Plus there was a new hotel or two that were open now- one behind the Orpheum where we used to park! Had to park beside the Orpheum.
We put 2hs worth of money in the parking lot meter and headed south on Main Street. It was a bit windy and chilly, so we were dressed in layers (we love our Geeky Jerseys).
There weren’t many people out and about downtown that Tuesday afternoon, which we were okay with. Here to shoot locations, not people- which I know is ironic to say about Memphis.
We did see a few folks jogging or walking their dogs, and I saw a couple birds hanging out in some bushes just off the sidewalk in an alley.
We watched several trolleys go by- and I was worried about this guy trying to outrun one on his bike..!
One of my favorite things about downtown are the trolleys, and am glad they’re back up and running again after being down for a while.
The last Friday of the month is Trolley Night on South Main, and South Main and is open late with live music, great shopping, restaurant specials, art galleries, and of course trolley rides. It’s a lot of fun, but I haven’t checked out a last Friday or ridden a trolley for several years now. The last one I remember riding was when Kevin and I parked in the Pinch District near the Pyramid and rode one south down Main to Beale for the Memphis In May Beale Street Music Festival. It was storming and lightning blew a fuse on our trolley. After a bit of waiting they got it up and running again and we made it to the Beale Street stop next to the Orpheum. Just then we saw lighting strike Tom Lee Park along the riverfront and heard a loud thunder crack! Someone was wanting to buy tickets, so we sold ours, ate dinner at Blues City Cafe, hopped back on a northbound trolley, got in Kev’s car and headed home for the night.
But, like I said, as much as I love the trolleys I rarely get to ride on any. If I’m downtown I usually just end up taking pics of them rumbling and clanging down the street and honestly end up forgetting to hop on one!
As we walked we saw some fun art murals, some great architecture, and some interesting items in the windows of shops.
It was also fun to just look around off the beaten path, or up above our heads.
It’s amazing how many things around us we just don’t notice most of the time.
Once we got to the train station and Arcade Restaurant end of Main, we turned around and headed back up the other side of the street. BTW- the area of what’s now South Main was once the City of South Memphis, a separate city from Memphis, separated at Union Avenue.
We passed by WEVL (the Mid-South’s only listener-supported, independent, volunteer radio station-“WE VoLunteer” 89.9 FM MHz) and Murray Riss Photography (516 S Main St.- he came to Memphis to establish a photography department at Memphis College of Art, where he taught for almost 20yrs).
As we got to the fire station at the top of the hill we decided to hang a right and head towards the Lorraine Motel/National Civil Rights Museum.
This is the place where on April 4, 1968 the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King was killed while staying in town to support the 1968 Memphis sanitation workers strike.
I’ve been a couple times for Memphis Area Radio Stations (M.A.R.S.) awards presentations at the museum, but have only gotten to take the tour once, and that was years ago (mid ’90s).
Nicki has never been, and we really need to correct that.
There are a few other historic places around Memphis I really want to check out as well, like Stax and the Blues Hall of Fame Museum. Have been by but never ventured inside for a tour.
As we were standing in the parking lot outside the hotel room, we noticed a huge mural behind us and just up the street a bit.
It’s titled “Upstanders In Memphis History” by The Memphis Mural Brigade.
The Memphis Mural Brigade is a collaborative of artists from around the world based in Memphis, Tennessee. The Brigade was formed in 2015 to create a series of murals for the University of Memphis Fogelman College. The Brigade brings together practices in painting, printmaking and conceptual art to create meaningful, visually compelling artworks which help to create community dialogue. The Brigade is comprised of a changing, diverse team of artists and was founded by Nelson Gutierrez and Cedar Nordbye.
Just a little ways up the street we saw a building that reminded me of the Hook & Ladder Co. #8 firehouse we had visited while in NYC back in 2019 (another anniverary/birthday trip), which is one of the two firehouses featured in the Ghostbusters movies (NYC/Tribeca exteriors, L.A. interiors) and recently got a complete renovation.
Not sure who owns this one, or if it is occupied, but I wish I had the money to buy it and many other properties we saw while exploring the downtown area.
I don’t think I’ve ever seen this building before either, or if I did it had been something else. Some things have been the same for years, while other locations around town come and go and get a face-lift, or get torn down and replaced with something else. All too often it’s the latter…but I’m always thankful when I see a building repurposed/renovated than torn down. They just don’t make ’em like they used to!
So many amazing buildings die from neglect or “progress”. Thankfully these two gorgeous ones are still standing and occupied on Main.
We cut back towards Main Street and turned towards the Orpheum and Beale. Earlier we had seen a classic car parked on the side of the street on our way down Main, and as we were walking back up the owner got in it and drove off. Pretty sweet ride! Oh, on the 4th Tuesday of the month from April – September from 6pm till 10pm Beale has hot rod nights, and bike nights every Wednesday night.
Around Main we saw a couple more murals, and a few places that were available for lease. Also since we were starting to get hungry, we spotted several places we hadn’t ate at before- some were just closed for lunch while others were closed due to the pandemic.
Same situation while we were over on Beale Street a few minutes later.
Speaking of closings and Beale Street, I was sad to see Tater Red’s Lucky Mojos closing up shop permanently. Leo Allred, “Tater Red“, was a D.J. on Rock103 (he did the blues show on Sunday mornings) and he and the shop were a long time fixture on Beale.
Tater has said, “I’ve been on Beale Street since 1984 in one way or another. I like the feel, the history, the people.” Tater’s shop opened in 1995 (around the same time I had my t-shirt shop Animated Jack’s which started in ’92), and was not the only casualty of the pandemic. Lew’s Blue Note closed in 2020 after 7 years of serving wings and the blues on Beale. Apparently Lew’s was one of the few African American owned businesses left on the historic street.
Beale Street runs from Riverside Drive (on the west at the Mississippi River) to Myrtle Street (on the east) – a distance that’s just shy of 2mi. It features many restaurants, clubs, shops, museums, events and attractions. Beale St. (originally Beale Ave.) was created in 1841 by entrepreneur/developer Robertson Topp. After the yellow fever epidemics forced the city to forfeit its charter in 1879 and around this time, Robert Church purchased land around Beale which led to him becoming the first black millionaire from the south. 1890, Beale underwent renovation which included the addition of the Grand Opera House (after a fire in 1923 it was later rebuilt on the same spot as the Orpheum Theatre –“Born in 1890. Reborn in 1928. Revitalized in 1977, 1984, and 2015. From vaudeville to Broadway, it is a story of resilience and reinvention that could only happen in Memphis.”).
Beale has had a long history of commerce/trade (including many black owned businesses), live music, being used as movie/TV filming locations, having songs written about it, and as a gathering place. It’s also certainly had a history of crime, drinking, plus its fair share of loan/pawn shops. It’s had ups and downs, and ups and downs, and ups again…and currently a down. The pandemic has many of the businesses up and down Beale struggling these days, but the street has been known to bounce back from worse.
The oldest store in the Mid-South, A. Schwab, is located in the oldest remaining building on Beale Street. The store was founded at another location on Beale Street by Jewish immigrant Abraham Schwab, moved to 163 Beale Street in 1911, and then expanded into 165 in 1922. Both of these buildings were constructed before 1890. Before the expansion, 165 Beale housed a Piggly Wiggly.
I believe there was talk about A. Schwab looking to close its doors sometime just after 2000, but if it did it was only briefly because the Schwab family sold the business at the end of 2011 after 136 years of ownership. It now has a soda fountain, and the store boasts that, “If you can’t find it at Schwab’s, you’re better off without it.”

Shopping at Piggly Wiggly (Photo by Poland, Clifford H./Library of Congress/Corbis/VCG via Getty Images)
Piggly Wiggly started off in Memphis (at 79 Jefferson Avenue) back in September, 1916. It was the first the “self-serving store” to offer self-shopping, checkout stands, shopping carts, use refrigerated case, have employees in uniforms, and price marking for every item in the store- things we kind of take for granted these days while shopping…and it all started here in Memphis.
I miss each item being priced some days, especially with retailers like Walmart removing bar code scanners in their stores. WTF..?!
You can see a replica of the original Piggly Wiggly store at the Pink Palace Museum in Memphis (or check out my HGWT blog post when Nicki and I went).
We passed by “King” Jerry Lawler’s Hall of Fame Bar and Grille (at 159 Beale Street– next door to A. Schwab). It”s Jerry’s bar, burger, and BBQ joint. I’ve ate there before, and talked to the King about my dining experience while interviewing him at the Memphis Comic Expo a few years back. It used to be the police museum and sub-station, which I do miss- but glad Jerry’s restaurant seems to be doing well here.
My buddy Kevin and I recently ate there over the weekend so they are still operational on Beale, although it appears his King Jerry Lawler’s Memphis BBQ Company restaurant out east has closed.
Shame, I really liked the food and dug the wrasslin’ decor and videos at the BBQ location. I really enjoyed the music and burgers at his Beale restaurant, but liked the look of the Germantown Pkwy. location better. Local musician Chris Gales performed the night I dropped in on Beale after dropping off art to the Orpheum up the street. Chris currently has a solo acoustic show at Jerry’s on Beale and other locations around town (click here for show info).
While on Beale we met a few folks from out of town (one guy was celebrating his birthday, too). We saw a few more murals, lots of Beale Street Brass Note Walk of Fame brass notes, and some over-sized painted guitars like we had seen in Nashville a few years back.
These are part of the Gibson GuitarTown Public Art Display which consists of 20 giant guitar replicas of B.B. King’s legendary Lucille.
Each was painted by local Memphis artists and signed by a Memphis celebrity to celebrate the unique art and music contributions in the city. I’ve got a couple small guitars I need to paint for the Massac Theatre charity auction in Metropolis.
If there’s one thing I love about this city (next to the food), it’s the music. I’m a huge Memphis music fan and have always tried to support it and love finding out about it’s history.
Most folks think of Elvis when you mention Memphis music, but as much as I love Elvis’ he’s just a piece of that very large puzzle of performers, songwriters, producers, DJs, and more that came before and after him. The influence of Memphis music is worldwide and strong.
“Signs, signs, everywhere there’s signs…” – yeah, even though I’m not a fan of that song, I do love taking pics of signs and there are plenty downtown!
Our 2hrs of paid parking was about to be up and hunger was hitting us, so that was our sign to head back to the car.
We drove around the corner and up Front Street to have some Gus’s Fried Chicken for lunch. We normally hit the Southaven, MS location on Goodman Rd. which is closer to home, or the Wolfchase/G’town Rd. one which was closer to my old job, but this location is the one my buddy Kevin Williams and I used to always hit when we were downtown. Back then they’d let you draw on the tablecloths…and trust me we did!
I had met my friend Robbi Lepre there for lunch when she was in town for a conference a few years back. She was the Entertainment Director at Busch Gardens Tampa (where I met her in 2001 for Howl-O-Scream), and unfortunately passed away in 2020.
It’s been a while since Nicki and I had both been here together, probably several years. It may have been back when we ate there when some friends and us went downtown for a ghost tour with Gail Simone and her husband Scott after MidSouthCon in 2011. We learned a lot about the yellow fever epidemics in Memphis during the tour, and didn’t actually see any ghosts but we did see a leprechaun..!
Union Station, Memphis | Library of Congress
Sound familiar..? Well, apparently a lot of Memphians didn’t learn about it and we’ve sort of been living it again.
According to the Commercial Appeal, Shelby County, the largest county in Tennessee which includes Memphis and suburbs Germantown, Bartlett, Collierville, Lakeland, Arlington, and Millington, has reported at least 2,009 deaths due to COVID-19 as of September of 2021. I saw another statistic online that we’ve had 149,ooo COVID cases here, and that’s not including DeSoto or other surrounding counties in the Mid-south area. Scary…
Anyway, back to lunch at Gus’s…we each did iced tea and had the 2pc white with mac-n-cheese, I got baked beans and Nicki got coleslaw. It was a good birthday lunch.
It seemed the chicken was a bit spicier than the other locations, but it could be we just haven’t been eating Gus’s chicken as often the last couple years. Honestly, if it wasn’t take out we pretty much cooked/ate at home during the pandemic. Was nice to get back to their downtown location.
After lunch I took a few pics of one of the buildings across the street where we parked.
I’m hoping this one gets renovated and not demolished. It’s a HUGE space and has got a lot of potential. Another one I wish I had the money to buy and save.
Just a hundred yards or so away to the right and across the R/R tracks for the trolleys are some very expensive condos, and in-between them and this building there’s a huge crater where another building once stood- not sure what it was.
Behind me is a another new hotel going up, and a newer distillery is now open directly across the street from Gus’s (Old Dominick Distillery, just out of the photo and to the right- 305 S Front St.).
After lunch we decided to head over to Martyrs Park to take pics of the Mississippi River.
While we were there we got to watch a barge flanked by an escort boat travel up the river.
It’s surprising just how fast those can get upstream..!
On the marker sign as you enter the park:
“In August, 1878, fear of death caused a panic during which 30,000 of 50,000 Memphians fled the bluff city. By October, the epidemic of yellow fever killed 4204 of 6,000 Caucasians and 946 of 14,000 Negroes who stayed. With some outside help, citizens of all races and walks of life, recognizing their common plight in this devastated, bankrupt community, tended 17600 sick and buried the dead. As a result, many of them lost their lives, becoming martyrs in their service to mankind.”
Yep, yellow fever…and if you’ve seen the mosquitoes here it’s a wonder anyone survived it.
Martyrs Park is located south of Big River Crossing and is accessible from Channel 3 Dr. off of Riverside Dr./I-55. I think I was here back in the late ’80s, but I remember it looking a lot different- a lot of new houses there now. Plus, there’s a small public parking lot (which is open 6AM-8PM) and an amazing statue…although a bit creepy.
Oh, and apparently the park is/was a mass grave..?!! Here’s more yellow fever info…
From RoadsideAmerica.com-
5,150 people died in the Memphis Yellow Fever epidemic of 1878, and many of them were formerly healthy people who had stayed to help the sick until succumbing themselves. The city buried 1,500 of its dead in a mass grave on a bluff overlooking the Mississippi — and pretty much forgot about them until January 3, 1971, when the grave site became Martyrs Park and the Yellow Fever Martyrs Memorial became its centerpiece.
A plaque at the memorial’s base extols “the heroes and heroines of Memphis… who gave their lives serving the victims of Yellow Fever” and notes that the epidemic “devastated the city, leaving few survivors.”
The Yellow Fever Martyrs Memorial was designed by Harris Sorrelle, who at the time was the head of the University of Memphis’ sculpture department.
Did I mention that there are houses built nearby..? Yeah, that never goes well for the homeowners in the movies.
I read online that there used to be more trees/bushes along the bluff here, but on March 1oth of this year an unidentified crew with chainsaws clear-cut about 200yrds along this area. The Memphis River Parks Partnership, Corps of Engineers, and City of Memphis all claim no knowledge or responsibility.
Tom Baily with The Daily Memphian reported, “The problem is, we don’t know who they are,” (City of Memphis) administration spokesman Dan Springer said. “We have the pictures, but the pictures are not very clear,” he said. “We can’t do anything because we don’t know who they are.”
Maybe they should use Facebook’s facial recognition software..? I’ve seen worse security footage from a bank or convenience store lead to convictions- just saying…
This line by Tom Baily caught my eye-
Not sure if he was trying to put a positive spin on the story, or if that was pure sarcasm pointed at the Founders Pointe subdivision. I’m guessing sarcasm.
The weather was still chilly and windy, but the park was a great discovery for us. It’s a fantastic place to enjoy the river and the “old“(1949) and “new“(1973) bridges- which were in national news this last year when a crack was spotted on the newer 1-40/Hernando de Soto Bridge one.
The new bridge was closed for months and traffic had to be detoured to the older I-55/Memphis & Arkansas Bridge.
Yeah, as if the transportation problems during a pandemic weren’t bad enough one of the main arteries across our country had to be bypassed. Thankfully the crack was found and repaired before anything catastrophic and tragic happened.
While at the park, we saw a few joggers, cyclists, and dog walkers using the walkway trail in Martyrs Park. We wanted to do the Big River Crossing (just south located on Virginia Ave. W. off Channel 3 Dr.) but it was too cold and windy.
It’s a walkway to the Arkansas side of the river on one of the former roadways on the north side of the Harahan Bridge (1916) next to the (old) Memphis & Arkansas Bridge. It’s the longest pedestrian bridge across the Mississippi River, and the the country’s longest active rail/bicycle/pedestrian bridge. I’m not a fan of heights, but am willing to cross it for the view of the river and downtown Memphis it offers. Big River Crossing is free and open daily from 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. The crossing is family-friendly and pet-friendly. The Memphis Police Department monitors 47 security cameras 24 hours a day on Big River Crossing and have several emergency call boxes on the bridge.
The Riverfront Pedestrian Path extends up/down along side the river and connects Martyrs Park to Tom Lee Park, Vance Park, Beale Street Landing and Mud Island/Harbortown.
Normally you can walk/jog/bike to Beale Street, Beale Street Landing, the Riverboats, the Pyramid/Bass Pro, Greenbelt Park/Harbortown, and the information center.
Currently Tom Lee Park is closed for construction, as is Beale Street Landing, so I don’t know how that effects the path right now. Construction for both projects is scheduled to be completed in 2023. I don’t know how Memphis in May will be able to have future BBQ Cooking Championships or MusicFests there. They’ve been very vocal about not being happy with the designs for the park and have scheduled their events at Liberty Park (the old Memphis Fairgrounds/Liberty Land) in Mid-town Memphis. That location is undergoing construction as well. According to their website MIM plan to be there for 2022, but back down on the river in 2023. We’ll see…
Tom Lee Park was a large open green space with a few sidewalks and an unobstructed view of the Mississippi River (about 30 acres and a little over a mile long), but now will be broken up into sections with shade, hammocks, concessions, misting stations, landscaping, and more- not really conducive for large crowds. I honestly haven’t been blown away by the designs I’ve seen presented by the River Parks Partnership, or what was already done at the landing (they’re already replacing the outer concrete for just over $1mil). Some things sound and look interesting like the steps/ramps on the bluff and a pavilion, others not so much- not sure how Canopy Walk and/or an observation deck that overhangs the river will be sturdy enough to survive the river, since the park was built on a landfill and has flooded and sustained damage from storms like 2003’s Hurricane Elvis. I will say I’ve never been downtown on the river and thought, “Hey, I could really use a hammock.”, not even when I had to watch our booth overnight on Beale.
I’ve I guess we’ll just have to wait and see how it all turns out in a year or two. Hoping it all turns out great, but I just don’t have a lot of faith in the powers that be in Memphis.
Mud Island looked extremely neglected when Nicki and I went to the Joe Walsh concert a few years back. The location has always had potential and a great place to catch a concert, event, or just an awesome view of downtown, but the park desperately needs upgrades and a lot of TLC.
To me, the city truly seems like it hasn’t known what to do with it, or even act like they care about the “attraction” in years.
And don’t get me started on the “pyramid bait shop”…ugh. It was a cluster from the beginning.
I really love going downtown and am glad to see more happening down there- fingers crossed it all adds to the experience of walking in Memphis.
There are a lot of fun things to do in Memphis, and many locals just don’t take advantage of if. I guess that’s true for a lot of towns.
Yeah, Memphis gets a lot of things wrong, has earned it’s reputation for violence and crime, and I felt safer walking around NYC…but the M-town also has a lot of good (and strange) things to offer if your willing to look and do a bit of research.
But like any city, be careful, mind your surroundings, and take somebody along with you- not only for safety, but to share the adventure with.
We plan to do more local tourist outings, as well as enjoy our own actual backyard a bit more before it becomes too cold!
Hope you all had a great Thanksgiving and a safe Black Friday- happy holidays, ya turkeys!
Lin
Memphis River Parks – www.memphisriverparks.org
South Main – www.gosouthmain.com
Beale Street – www.bealestreet.com
Downtown Memphis – www.downtownmemphis.com
Memphis Tourism – www.memphistravel.com
Choose 901 – www.choose901.com
Elvis Presley’s Graceland – www.graceland.com
Liberty Park – www.libertyparkmemphis.com
“Location, location, location!” Touring a cemetery in New Orleans for my birthday.
Flashback Friday: “Hey, Does This Pole Still Work..?- My Trip to Hook & Ladder Co. #8