Why I Choose Memphis

My good friend Leigh Johnson (aka Dr J) asked me to contribute to her blog on the topic of Why I Chose Memphis. My beloved city has come under fire & the source of this artillery are those damn top 10 bottom 10 lists with such titles as "Ugliest City" "Unhappiest City" etc... What a bunch of fools. If these morons had set one foot in this city before compiling their lists they would have seen the city that I continue to love. So I thought instead of discussing why I chose Memphis I thought I'd blog about why I CHOOSE Memphis & continue to choose it.

Food

Memphis is a delicious city that one outsider remarked "smells like bacon". How can you not love a city that smells like bacon??? We have brilliantly talented chefs in this city that run some absolutely taste bud electrifying restaurants. Majestic Grille's smoked salmon or array of flatbreads, Restaurant Iris' bone marrow or scallops, Tsunami's tuna "nachos" or pot stickers, South of Beale's tuna with sushi rice balls, Cafe 1912's burger...I could go on & on but I only have so much time in a day. I like to eat & so do most of the people I know in this city. We like to eat well, drink well & talk about a varied array of topics.

People

In the decade that I have spent here I have met some of the most interesting & fantastic people I've ever encountered. Some of these people have become very close friends of mine. Lawyers, professors, artists, photographers, teachers, chefs, writers etc. This city will support your passion & so will its people. We love to talk loudly, hug tightly & share our passions. We love to give back to our community....& did I mention we like to eat?

Potential

Memphis can get better. We all just have to help it along. While we do have a world class food scene, art scene, etc we can make it so much better. In the past few years I have seen changes for the better. Project Green Fork was founded a couple of years ago by Margot McNeeley to "contribute to a sustainable Mid-South by helping reduce environmental impacts, with a focus on strengthening homegrown restaurants." The list of PGF certified restaurants has grown exponentially & it is wonderful to support restaurants who want to be more ecologically conscious. Mayor Wharton has created a Brand Manager for the city to showcase the benefits of the city. Playhouse on the Square has opened a gorgeous new facility. These are just a few examples of what has happened recently & therefore what we can continue to work towards. Hopefully City-County consolidation is one of those things we accomplish.