Local Traveler

Tuscaloosa Roadtrip

2011-04-03T23:13:00.002-05:00

So we traveled to Tuscaloosa, Ala., over the weekend for the first time to see Band of Horses and The Avett Brothers. Not only was it a fabulous concert but also a very impressive overnight trip to T-Town, otherwise known as the home of the University of Alabama. We decided to buy tickets for this concert, the first in the history of the beautiful, new Tuscaloosa Amphitheater, because my wife and I both are really into Band of Horses and had been growing into fans of The Avett Brothers. We made it to town two hours before the show, just enough time to quickly check into our motel purchased pretty cheaply off Priceline followed by a quick visit to Hooligan's, a little Greek restaurant in Downtown, about six blocks from the venue. I had found it through my usual pre-trip research and when I discovered it had been recommended to my wife by a colleague familiar with Tuscaloosa, I decided it was definitely worth considering. Ideally, we would have arrived to town much earlier with plenty of time for a meal and pre-show drinks. But because we were so pushed for time we opted for Hooligan's because reviews on Yelp mentioned how quick it was. Of course arriving after 6:30 p.m. found us waiting in a decently long line (akin to Central Barbecue in Memphis before a U of M football game). Let me just say if you ever make it to Tuscaloosa and are looking for a quick meal, a cheap meal or a Greek meal, head over to Hooligan's on University Avenue. It is fabulous. We shared the Falafel wrap and Gyro plate. Was it as good as the Greek food I had a couple of years ago at this all-night diner in Brooklyn? No, don't be stupid, but man this was good. Especially considering it came at a college dive of a restaurant. So after a very quick dinner we walked quickly to the amphitheater where, as we stood waiting in line at security to enter, Band of Horses started their set, five minutes early. But hey, at least we could hear them while quickly moving inside. I won't bore you with reviews of the shows other than to say that truly, this was the best concert I can remember. Band of Horses didn't waste any time, getting through a very solid, loud and entertaining set before moving aside for The Avett Brothers, an energetic and fun show. Let me just give a few thoughts on the facility. You would think that sometimes the first event at a facility would provide some hiccups but I didn't see any. One of my favorite parts about this facility is that no matter where you are there is a huge video screen showing the stage. Want to go get in line for a beer or something from the impressive concession stand? There is a screen just behind you while you wait in line. All in all, it was an awesome experience for a live show. Afterwards we walked back to the car, strolling by several lively bars that all seemed to have live bands, cover charges and crowds of college kids. Not really our scene. But I had high hopes for what I had found to be billed as a solid beer bar for the town, Alcove. We pulled up and found a crowd outside, but it was a low-key gathering of non-students sitting on the bar's front patio. We went inside the narrow bar where there was no cover. It was full of beer drinkers and, probably more importantly, no smokers. It was smoke-free on the inside. And, as a visitor to a major SEC college town it was very refreshing to find that at 34, I was definitely not the oldest patron there. Sure, there were college students there. But plenty of people in their 20s, 30s and beyond. You know you've found a beer bar when you look at the chalkboard listing what's currently on tap and it's nothing but regional, obscure and fantastic beers. It's not a wall of taps, but six or seven rotating taps with beers that all sounded intriguing. Better yet, the bartender answered questions about the beers, providing samples of all of them. And, the guy sitting next to us knew his beer as he gave a fabulous recommendation of a Canadian beer with a hint of apple in it for my non-drinking beer wife. She loved it. All in all it was a great 15-hour visit to Tuscaloosa, Ala. Great concert venue, solid affordable meal and fabulous beer bar.

An ode to Elvis

2010-08-15T11:14:00.004-05:00

People trivialize you, worship you, make fun of you, impersonate you, loathe you, listen to you, laugh at you, watch you, roll their eyes at you, squeal in delight at you, censor you, call you the king, call you a has been, march by the thousands in a solemn candlelit procession to your grave, laugh at those doing so, call you a pop culture icon, a Hollywood joke, a comeback specialist, a bloated druggy, an icon worshipped in death whose music, movies, image and reach seem to live on into eternity.

You are the original pop culture icon, a position many have tried to follow but few have succeeded in fulfilling.

Elvis, where would Memphis be without you?

It's easy to trivialize Graceland and the three quarters of a million visitors it attracts annually. But where would the Bluff City as a tourist draw be without Elvis? Would music lovers flock to Sun Studio to see where other music greats once recorded? Maybe so, but it's hard to argue that Sam Phillips' discovery of Elvis there is the main drawing point.

Beale Street was a hotbed for black culture. A young Elvis sometimes could be found roaming the street listening to the magnificent music echoing off the brick buildings. But the street eventually became a shell of its former self. Would there have been a movement in the 1980s to restore it to its former luster and ultimately make it the No. 1 tourist attraction in the state of Tennessee without the impact and attention Elvis had brought the city?

It's hard to argue the influence on the world's music Memphis has had. Elvis wasn't the reason for the success that came out of Stax. Sun produced a number of hits before the King. A number of studios are recording music today.

But without the Graceland visitors who flock to the city every year would there be a place for the Rock 'n' Soul Museum, Sun Studio tours, the much newer Stax Museum of American Soul Music? Who knows, but it's safe to say Elvis' reach on the Memphis tourism industry is huge.

Looking back at summer

2010-08-14T07:54:00.005-05:00

Have you traveled much this summer? Us, not really. Funds are low right now so we've had to keep the travels basic right now. Spent a week at the beach and lots of staycations here in Memphis.

In late July we enjoyed one of the little gems found in Manchester, Tennnessee: Beans Creek Winery's music on the lawn. For such a small town (home of the Bonnaroo music festival) Manchester has some interesting culture.

I could mostly drone on about the fabulous evenings out in Memphis, mostly related to the arts. But that I will save for a future post. One thing my wife has brought to my life in our 11 years of marriage (11 years today, actually. Happy anniversary!) is a great appreciation for the arts. I, like many kids, was an artist of sorts as a kid. I've been a writer my whole life.

And one thing I don't brag about but I was an award-winning trombone player growing up. Now, well, I can't even read music. But I love to listen to it, love to stare at art and learning to enjoy theater.

Spent a weekend in St. Louis with some friends. It was a guy trip to watch a baseball game. A funny thing I learned on this trip: I think my wife is easier to please on a trip. Find a few art galleries, plenty of shopping, some good local restaurants and throw in a museum and we have a great trip.

The guys, on the other hand -- well -- I'll just say it's a good thing the World Cup was going on because we were able to watch games while waiting on the Cardinals game to begin. There just wasn't as much to do during the day for five guys.

Of course this same group of guys spent several days in New York and only had one baseball game to attend. There were multiple museum trips and things not related to sports. Of course it is New York.

Our only other travels this summer have been to Panama City Beach, Fla., in late June. The beach was great, and there was no oil. Of course the oil spill, while we never saw oil and definitely didn't smell anything related to it, hovered over the week.

The hotel had oil -washing stations on the deck. Every morning we observed men and women wearing fatigues and work boots slowly walking the beach staring at what the surf had washed up during the night. Thankfully, it seemed, they never found any oil, although oil did wash up the week before we arrived.

And we only experienced two waits at restaurants. We were there the week before July Fourth when waits can be an hour or more. Not complaining but I'm sure the Gulf Coast economy is.

Which is why I was especiall happy to hear on NPR yesterday that a group from St. Louis recently raised $15,000 with the sole purpose being they would spend it along the coast. They began in Mississippi and traveled east drinking coffee at a local coffee shop, eating breakfast at a local restaurant, buying knicknacks at a local knicknack store and on and on and on.

$15,000 isn't going to go far along the coast where the local economy reportedly is being devestated as bad -- and in some cases worse -- as the damage wrought by Hurricane Katrina. But it's a start. It encourages me even more so now to make the trip to New Orleans this fall we've been casually talking about.

What else have I done this summer? Well, As you've unfortunately seen I've taken a major step back from the blog. I hope to reverse that now. I hope those of you who have followed me along the way will be patient. I want to write about things that inspire me to write in addition to things you will find useful and I hope entertaining. I have several ideas. I promise.

Travel Dilemas: When to Open the Guidebook

2010-06-09T10:30:00.000-05:00

A friend and reader of this blog raised an interesting point recently when discussing how to carry a guidebook when visiting a city.

Do you definitely draw attention to yourself as a tourist and peruse the book while standing on the street corner? Or do you sit in the hotel room and memorize every detail of the selected pages so you won't need to refresh with a peek at the book? Maybe you just take your chances without the book and if you get lost, well, you get lost.

He also mentioned ripping a few pages out of the book and carrying them along. While I haven't done that, I will admit to at times pulling the book out of my backpack while on the subway or bus or sitting at a park bench. Yes, it screams lost tourist, but sometimes when you're, you know -- lost! -- you sometimes have no choice, at least if you want to get unlost.

But I also try to have my own mini-travel guides that are easy to fold up and stuff in my pocket. One of the more common things I do is before leaving for a trip I will pinpoint on Mapquest the city, neighborhood or area that I will be traveling to and print it. Then, on the blank corner or back of that sheet of paper I will write out a guide of restaurants, shops, sites, subway stops and any other points of interest and number them. I will then put the corresponding numbers on their respective spots on the map.

So I have a small sheet of paper that I either fold or roll up and slip into my pocket. Yes, I might be standing on the street corner studying a map, but to you I could be poring over a take-out menu.

I'd love to know what you do.

Southerners Beware: Oil Spill Ads Coming

2010-05-13T12:25:00.003-05:00

If you live in the South you should prepare yourself for a deluge of TV ads featuring the Mississippi Gulf Coast. The AP is reporting today that tourism officials along the coast are asking BP PLC to pay $7.5 million a month for a national ad campaign targeted at overcoming the negative coverage of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.

The report said the focus will be on casinos, entertainment and family attractions -- not the beaches.

The targeted markets are Atlanta, Birmingham, Tampa-St. Petersburg, Jackson, Miss., Charlotte, Memphis, Nashville and Dallas.

I've never been to the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Spent plenty of time in the coastal communities of Alabama and Florida, though, and from a lot of reports from those communities that I've been reading they are having to battle the negative news.

I've seen Facebook postings from Florida resorts showing pictures taken today showing the beautiful beaches and clear water. The state is in full spin mode trying to get the message out that things are all clear there.

I wonder as the weeks go on and we enter the busy summer season if travelers will trust the messages or if they'll just vacation elsewhere. I also wonder if Florida and Alabama will follow suit on the TV ad campaign.

The next few weeks should be interesting to follow.

How to Pack Light: The Rolling Method

2010-05-12T12:37:00.003-05:00

I came across great advice today in a New York Times article on how to pack efficiently. While it's a good article, what I really enjoyed was the slideshow that shows how a flight attendant packs for a 10-day trip all in a carry-on.

That's right, no checked luggage. And in these days of paying baggage fees with airlines, this is great advice. But women, don't fret. As you see in the pictures, she has a full wardrobe laid out, not just one outfit that has to be washed over and over.

Her tip os to roll everything. Pack shoes and heaviest items on bottom and move up with the lightest items rolled and placed on top.

She also suggests that if you have really nice clothing that needs to be laid out as flat as possible start with those items across the bottom and then leave them hanging out of the suitcase until you get to the top.

So if you have a nice pair of slacks lay them across the bottom and then place all your rolled clothing items on top. Then when you've finished, take the pants that are dangling out of the suitcase and drape them over the top. It appears that this will keep all folds out of the pants.

And thanks to the NYT article, I discovered a cool travel blog I recommend: Heather Poole, the flight attendant whose rolling I recommend above.

Smell the roses instead of the oil

2010-05-11T12:17:00.006-05:00

Crews work to collect oil over the weekend near and around the location where the Deepwater Horizon oil platform caught fire and sank. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Casey J. Ranel (photo courtesy of U.S. Coast Guard)

If you have a trip planned to the Gulf Coast this summer have you considered rescheduling or attempting to cancel yet? I don't have a choice since our condo is a timeshare. We'll be there, even if the oil is washing ashore at our condo. Well, I guess unless we're not allowed to visit.

I read an AP story this morning saying there have been a number of cancellations along the Gulf. Business is looking up for East Coast beach communities as beaches like Hilton Head Island, S.C., and Tybee Island near Savannah look to capitalize on the Gulf's misfortune.

I'm not sure how many people will have a choice, though, at least those who have already made reservations. Travel insurance won't even cover these reservations as the oil spill is considered an act of man, not God. That's usually the only hope as I understand it for policy holders to get out of reservations.

Some people save for a year to make these one-week treks to the beach. Sometimes the anticipation of these trips is what gets them through the cold winters and rainy springs at home.

I feel for those people. On a truly selfish level thinking as a traveler instead of a local in these communities along the Gulf of Mexico where their livelihoods could be devastated by the oil spill, it's hard to save up for a trip only to have to cancel it.

But where I really feel for those travelers is when it's people who put all their energy and focus into this one annual vacation. They don't sit back long enough to enjoy life, to experience the joys of life around them. As a Memphis resident, I look forward to barbecue fest this weekend. I look forward to a Saturday morning at the zoo, A Friday night at an art opening, a Sunday brunch -- on my backporch.

I hope these beach vacationers take a moment to sit back and look around at the people and places around them. They might find they have things to look forward to seeing right in front of them.

Planning trips in wake of disasters

2010-05-06T13:16:00.003-05:00

This time last week I found myself closely monitoring news of the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico as we plan a trip to the Florida Panhandle for late June. Now, after spending a weekend in rain-drenched and flooded Middle Tennessee, my travel thoughts also include Nashville.

I don't think I can compare these disasters to the tragedies brought by the terrorism acts of Sept. 11 and the devastation along the Gulf Coast brought by Hurricane Katrina. But in a purely travel sense -- the reason for this blog -- there are similarities.

New York recovered, but it wasn't immediate. Same for New Orleans, although many would argue that city will never be the same.

Considering the Gaylord Opryland Resort is the largest hotel and convention center in Nashville, I think it's safe to assume convention business is questionable for the time being there. The Opryland hotel could be closed for several months. Where will those already scheduled conventions go? If Nashville loses even some of its convention business that will be a major hit to the local economy there.

I read earlier that some of Nashville's attractions could begin reopening this weekend. And with the country music fan festival still scheduled to take place in June, there is hope that a drop in tourism in Nashville will be just a blip.

The Gulf of Mexico is a trickier situation. The oil spill hasn't reached land yet other than some scattered reports in Louisiana. But if or when it does, what will it mean for that area? Some reports have total devastation because of what it could mean for the seafood and travel industries among others.

The sands along the Gulf are still white. But will that change? How long will it take to clean up if the oil does wash ashore?

But maybe it doesn't wash ashore. Maybe as it drifts toward the beaches the booms they've put in place keep the slick back. I've read reports of the oil's putrid smell. When I'm sitting beachside in a couple of months will I still smell the beautiful saltiness blowing in on the breeze or will it be the rank smell of oil? Will I be able to step foot in the waters? Will there be any fresh seafood at all the seafood restaurants? Or will I find myself ordering the chicken nuggets off the kid's menu?

And I can't even begin to wrap my mind around the environmental damage to the marshes along the coast.

Too many questions abound and I don't even know where to begin to look for the answers.

I do recommend, though, if you have planned a trip to the coast for this summer or are thinking about it, don't be too quick to cancel your plans. Be smart and don't join the rush to judgement. Those coastal communities need our tourism dollars.

There are some informative websites out there and I recommend you peruse them. The first stop should be Deepwater Horizon Response. This is a great site with everything related to the cleanup efforts. It has daily updates, pictures and links to state information.

You should follow me on twitter here

Nashville: A city in need

2010-05-05T12:25:00.006-05:00

Nashville's Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum (Photo courtesy of Tennessean.com)

As a resident of Memphis and someone who was trapped in Middle Tennessee during the weekend's floods (more on that later) the flooding in Nashville is big news for me right now. We've had our own storm damage in Memphis, especially severe flooding in the northern part of the county in Millington.

Downtown Nashville (Photo courtesy of Tennessean.com)

But since this is a travel blog my mind is on Nashville. Maybe you've seen pictures of the damage caused by the high-rising waters in and around the city from last weekend's deluge. A number of that city's attractions have been touched by the waters -- literally. The beautiful grand lobbies of the Opryland Hotel are under water. Some 1,500 visitors were evacuated Sunday night.

Opry Mills Mall with Opryland Hotel in background. Cumberland River in foreground (Photo courtesy of Tennessean.com)

Just imagine for a moment being on a vacation, a business trip or just in the hotel having dinner and suddenly being told you had to leave because of rising waters.

The nearby Opry Mills Mall reportedly has been flooded, as has downtown Nashville, including the famed Second Avenue and all its clubs, bars and restaurants. Who knows what it will look like when the waters recede. Music Row and the historic Ryan Auditorium, original home of the Grand Ole Opry, are safe. But the current Grand Ole Opry building at Opryland is under water. So is the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum.

(Photo courtesy of tennessean.com)

Imagine the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum in Cleveland, any of the Smithsonian museums in Washington or even smaller venues like Memphis' Stax, the Rock and Soul Museum or Sun Studio being under water.

The Tennessee Titans' stadium was flooded and the downtown arena where the NHL's Predators play saw rising waters.

How to bring this closer to home? Well, it depends on where home is for you. In Memphis, imagine Beale Street being under water. FedExForum's plush lockerrooms gutted. I don't know if Graceland and the Grand Ole Opry building are on the same level, but both are important music treasures to their respective cities. So imagine the first level of Graceland being under water.

New Orleans' French Quarter was also flooded from Hurricane Katrina, although nowhere near the degree to that in Nashville. A visit I made there two years after the fact showed how nicely that area had recovered. Downtown Nashville and the Opryland area will recover as well.

But what will help the recovery happen quicker is if we spend our tourist dollars there. When the mall reopens, shop there. When the hotel opens, visit its spectacular lobbies and buy dessert or dinner at one of its many restaurants. Book a night there. When Second Avenue reopens, have a dance at the Wildhorse Saloon.

In the meantime, if you'd like to help the people of Nashville here are a few resources courtesy of my friend I Love Memphis.

The first place is nashvillest, which lists a lot of great information.

If you're on Twitter, check out @ericshuff. He's the the social media director for the Tennessean newspaper.

Hands on Nashville and The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee lists valuable ways we can all do our part to help the Nashville community recover.

You should follow me on twitter here

2010-05-04T13:26:00.002-05:00

I have a couple of travel tips that posted last week to travel site gadling.com. I thought I'd share the links below. Gadling has a lot of fabulous travel stories, tips and nuggets, and these two items appear in its Travel Tips in 100 Words or Less.

Ricky Martin t-shirt on all seven continents

Documenting Meals Via Beer Coasters, Cocktail Napkins

I'm Back!

2010-05-04T13:11:00.002-05:00

After a two-week absence from the blog in order to work on a very time-consuming project (still ongoing) I'm back to the blog. I will try to get back on track beginning today.

Reinventing Beale Street

2010-04-19T14:28:00.002-05:00

I will be interested to see what becomes of the east end of Memphis' Beale Street.

That section of the district has struggled for years. It seemed the additions of Hard Rock Cafe and Pat O'Brien's on that end would really liven things up. I'm not sure how Hard Rock is doing but unfortunately Pat O's closed down a year or two ago.

Now that end will get some new businesses: Red Rooster (340 Beale), Lil' Anthony's Cafe (341 Beale) and Ground Zero Blues Club (310 Beale). Only Lil' Anthony's Cafe is new; Red Rooster and Ground Zero previously were located on Lt. George W. Lee Avenue in a hidden-away spot across from Gibson Guitar.

Here's hoping the bars find new life on Beale. And here's hoping that end of Beale really starts jumping now.

There will be a celebration on Thursday from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. with $5 wristbands that will provide admission to all Beale Street clubs.

There also will be tours of the historic Daisy Theater.

A couple of other additions to the street could help lure more daytime visitors. There has been some sprucing up taking place at the W.C. Handy House and the Ernest Withers Museum Collection & Gallery will open at 333 Beale.

Withers was a Memphis photographer who died a few years ago. His subjects ranged from Elvis to the civil rights movement.

The first phase of the ultimately 7,000-square-foot museum will encompass 3,000 square feet and include a set of Withers images curated and installed by Tony Decaneas of Panopticon Gallery of Boston. There also will be 40 pieces of art hanging in the space.

An opening is planned for the end of May.

Baby's First Travels

2010-04-14T12:24:00.006-05:00

In honor of one of our readers giving birth to twins today, I thought I'd share in pictures a few of our son's first travel moments.

Above is our first trip to the beach. This was our first day in Gulf Shores, Ala., for our then 10-month-old.

This is his first tourist attraction, a Frank Lloyd Wright-designed home in Springfield, Ill. This came over a Thanksgiving visit when he was 13 months old. Shockingly, he was completely still and quiet as I held him during the hour-long walking tour of the house. There is no way this child could do that now. I'm thankful now that he was a little late to the idea of walking. Otherwise, this tour would not have happened.

This wasn't his first trip to a baseball game (that came when he was 7 months old). But this was his first time to attend a baseball game as a mobile toddler, which meant I did not watch a second of baseball. This is AutoZone Park in Memphis when he was 20 months old. I'm still surprised he stopped long enough to pose for this photo.

This is more a monumental occasion for me, a sports fan. It's the first time I attended a sporting event and did not watch a second of the action.

His first trip to a state park. This was July Fourth weekend at Petit Jean State Park in Central Arkansas. We were on a trail to see a cave with Native American drawings on the wall. He was impossible to keep at a walking pace. This came at about 21 months.

Photo Friday: Streets of Siena

2010-04-09T11:25:00.000-05:00

I have a ton of pictures from our trip to Siena, Italy, and I hope to over time post some of the best here. This photo shows, like many instances throughout the beautiful villages of Tuscany, a street filled with Vespas and beautiful buildings.

We were walking along a random street when my wife just happened to look off to the left from this bridge and saw this peaceful street.

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame travel regret

2010-04-07T23:13:00.004-05:00

I've been thinking a lot today about one of my biggest travel regrets. It came five years ago while on a baseball trip to Cleveland and Pittsburgh.

As a fan of all things music I've wanted to tour the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum in Cleveland since I knew it existed. But it wasn't meant to be on this trip, as I was the only one of six people on this trip who wanted to tour the hall.

I don't have many regrets in life but I certainly regret not touring the hall of fame. That's one of the advantages to solo travel: It's on your terms; no one to please but yourself.

Will I ever make it back to Cleveland? Who knows, but if I do I certainly will attend the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum. I guess the lesson is if you're in a city and you see something you want to tour or experience, do it then. You never know when you might be back.

Off the beaten path in West Tennessee

2010-04-06T13:44:00.004-05:00

From Elvis and country music to Jack Daniels whiskey and the Great Smoky Mountains, Tennessee is full of major attractions. But here's a list of five off-the-beaten path spots, specifically in West Tennessee, worth considering.

The Bird Dog Foundation Inc.

The Bird Dog Foundation Inc. in Grand Junction, about an hour east of Memphis, is home to the National Bird Dog Museum, National Retriever Museum and the Field Trial Hall of Fame. Visitors to the center can learn about more than 40 breeds of bird dogs, the area’s annual Field Trial’s champions and enjoy exhibits on some of the sport’s most famous dogs.

The center is open every day but Monday. There is no admission charge but donations are accepted.

Buford Pusser Home and Museum

McNairy County Sheriff Buford Pusser’s exploits in cleaning up crime with his “big stick” have been lifted to legendary heights, thanks to a series of “Walking Tall” movies.

The museum in Adamsville, about an hour south of Jackson, is open daily. Admission is $5 for adults and $2 for students. A tour includes a short video and guided tour of the museum.

Alex Haley House Museum

Were you one of the millions of TV viewers in 1977 who made “Roots” the most watched event in TV history? The miniseries was an adaptation of the Pulitzer Prize winning novel by the same name, written by Alex Haley. You can learn about Haley and his books at the Alex Haley House Museum.

The house, about an hour north of Memphis, was home to Haley’s grandparents, where he lived for eight years. The property is also Haley’s final resting place.

The museum is open daily except Mondays. Admission is $5 for adults and $3 for students and children.

National Ornamental Museum

Memphis is home to the nation’s only center devoted to the preservation of metalwork. The museum, overlooking the Mississippi River, displays exhibits and a working blacksmith on the grounds.

The museum is open daily except Mondays. Admission is $5 for adults, $4 for seniors and $3 for students and children ages 5 and up.

Ghost River Brewing

Memphis’ lone brewery is also a charitable organization that donates a percentage of all sales to the Wolf River Conservancy, a group dedicated to protecting the river that flows through southern Tennessee and the Memphis area’s famous drinking water.

Learn about the brewing techniques and taste a few beers at this relatively new operation at 827 S. Main St. Free tours are offered every Saturday at 1 p.m. Reservations are required.

Memphis Zoo revises attendance policy

2010-04-02T14:24:00.001-05:00

The Memphis Zoo today announced revised admission policies that are aimed at the Zoo's ever growing attendance.

"Our top priority is the safety of our guests, Zoo staff and animals," said Dr. Chuck Brady, Zoo president and CEO. "We are committed to providing Zoo visitors with an educational, fun and safe experience."

The Zoo will continue to allow free general admission on Tuesday afternoons after 2 p.m., commonly known as Free Tuesday. Many revisions to the Zoo's policy affect the Free Tuesday program. Those changes include discontinuing the Free Tuesday program during the month of March and managing the admittance of minors into the Zoo.

Effective April 6, 2010, people planning to visit the Zoo during Free Tuesday hours will be required to adhere to the following policies:

*The Memphis Zoo allows free general admission to Tennessee residents on Tuesday afternoons from 2 p.m. to close.

*Persons ages 16 and under must be accompanied by an adult age 21 or older.

*Adults age 21 and older may accompany up to five children ages 16 and under.

*Photo ID with proof of age and TN residency are required for free admittance. Current college or military photo ID will be accepted.

*Free Tuesdays will not be held during the month of March.

"The Zoo is committed to the Free Tuesday program as a way to provide access to all segments of our community," said Dr. Brady. "This program and its participants will benefit from the new guidelines put in place. A visit during Free Tuesday should be just as enriching and enjoyable as a visit on any other day."

A new policy in effect every day is an overall cap on the number of visitors inside the Zoo. Revised general admission policies will apply every day of Zoo operation:

*The Zoo's capacity is 10,000 people inside the park at any one time. Once capacity is reached, admission to the Zoo will not be permitted.

*The Memphis Zoo reserves the right to refuse or permit admission at its discretion.

Previewing Memphis in April

2010-04-02T11:19:00.005-05:00

One would think that Memphis’ favorite month is May, what with a whole month-long festival and all. But Memphis in April can hold its own.

From the tulips in bloom at the Dixon Gallery and Gardens to baseball at AutoZone Park, April is a great time for locals and visitors alike to get out and experience what Memphis has to offer.

The great thing about April in Memphis is we haven’t yet reached the busyness of the summer travel season and we’re still weeks away from May, when Memphis shines with an abundance of events. Sure, the weather still has potential to turn cool in the evenings and drop some rain showers from time to time, but spring in Memphis is here and that means more times than not, the weather is beautiful.

And what better way to celebrate the season than a trip to AutoZone Park where you can usher in the 2010 baseball season by cheering on the 2009 Pacific Coast League champion Memphis Redbirds. The Red Carpet Home Opener will be April 16 and will be the first fireworks night of the season.

Baseball and beer tend to go together and debuting at AutoZone Park this year is Memphis’ own Ghost River Brewing with a beer made just for the park, Home Run Red.

And speaking of beer, the Memphis Brewfest will be held April 24 from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. at AutoZone Park. It’s an opportunity to sample a number of beers from around the world.

On the art front, if you haven’t had the chance to make it to the Dixon for its exhibition titled “Monet to Matisse” it’s not too late, although you better hurry. The show will end on April 4. The exhibition features more than 40 paintings and works on paper by the most influential artists of the Impressionist and Post-Impressionist movements from the Dixon’s permanent collection of late 19th and early 20th century art.

Image courtesy of Dixon Gallery & Gardens (until I can get over there and snap my own)

But if you’re too late for the art, it’s a perfect time for the tulips. Beginning in mid-March and expected to be in bloom until at least the middle of April, the Dixon has an amazing display of some 20,000 tulips. For this beautiful exhibition, Dixon floriculturist Greg Francis and greenhouse manager Manjula Carter designed the planting with 35 varieties of hybrid tulips and 16 species tulips, along with hundreds of camassia and allium bulbs. All 14 types of tulips are represented.

But if you’re hunkering for some art, the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art exhibition “Venice in the Age of Canaletto” is on display through May 9. The exhibition is inspired by Giovanni Antonio Canaletto’s painting The Grand Canal from Campo di San Viola. The exhibition focuses on a period – spanning the 18th century – that saw Venice transformed into a destination for wealthy European tourists. The exhibition features paintings, prints, furniture and textiles.

And not to be outdone by Memphis in May, this month will feature the annual Africa in April Cultural Awareness Festival April 15-18 in Robert F. Church Park along Beale Street. This year’s event will honor the Republic of Nigeria and will feature a diverse cultural marketplace, food and entertainment.

And finally, not to forget the opportunity to sit outside and enjoy the great weather with good friends, April in Memphis means prime patio season and the Bluff City has plenty of offerings, particularly in Midtown and Downtown. Whether you want to simply take a glass of wine from the hotel bar at The River Inn of Harbor Town up to the rooftop to enjoy a spectacular sunset or enjoy a beverage along Beale Street, there are a multitude of offerings.

Some favorites include Celtic Crossing (903 S. Cooper St.), which is aided by a great Monday pint night special of $2.50 per beer. Other standouts include Boscos Squared (2120 Madison Ave.), Young Avenue Deli (2119 Young Ave.), Calhoun’s Sports Bar (115 E. GE Patterson Ave.) and, if you can get a spot by the windows, the Flying Saucer (130 Peabody Place).

Here’s to a fabulous April in Memphis.

Stevie Ray Vaughn, cold beer and a Memphis Negative Nancy

2010-04-01T13:42:00.004-05:00

The Syracuse-Butler Sweet 16 tournament game has just started and I have just enough time for a pint. It's a Thursday, just after 6, and the Huey's in East Memphis is filling up. But there are a couple spots open at the bar.

Two guys sit at the corner playing dominoes; a man in slacks and Oxford shirt sips a Coors Light bottle next to me. Two seats down, a woman in her 50s eats dinner while sipping scotch (burger, greasy fries and scotch?).

I am perched in the middle of the bar where I can watch a few minutes of the game before I have to head out to an event. There's a low buzz from the growing dining crowd and the sweet, relaxing guitar of Stevie Ray Vaughn. Those sounds, along with a pint of Ghost River Golden, are easing my tension.

The bartender is efficient and friendly. Well, he's friendly to his customers, but no so much to his physical position in life.

As I'm enjoying my surroundings Trey, our friendly bartender, suddenly irks me. A female University of Memphis grad student, formerly of Syracuse, N.Y., sits down at the bar.

Instead of making conversation with her as to what she's doing in Memphis, he instead quizzes her as to "Why the hell are you in Memphis?" It's good-natured banter, but it still irritates me just the same. I guess it's just today's Memphis Negative Nancy.

But another Stevie Ray Vaughn song just came on and the beer is still cold.

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Are you up for a staycation?

2010-03-31T12:37:00.002-05:00

Gas prices are up some 60 cents compared to this time last year and I've read that the average price per gallon is supposed to move back above $3 this summer, even in affordable markets like my hometown of Memphis, where I'm paying $2.60 per gallon now.

Plenty of airfare deals abound, but when low-cost carrier Southwest Airlines advertises "amazing" roundtrip deals in the $250 per person range, you know things are changing when it wasn't that long ago that we expected $99, $150 tops to fly roundtrip with them.

On top of rising gas prices and an uncertain airline industry is the still slow-to-recover economy. While we technically moved out of being in a recession during the last three months of 2009, things are still tight for many.

So for travel lovers who aren't finding the money to book that international flight or even an extended weekend getaway to a major American city, your choices seem limited. You can be satisfied with a weekend trip to grandma's house, or you could sit at home and dreadfully look at pictures online of the places you wish you could be. Sure, you could do that, or you can plan multiple staycations to get you through that travel funk.

It's funny, but you can ask most Memphians if they've ever been to Graceland and the answer would be no. On the other hand, people travel from around the world to Memphis to learn about the city's rich musical heritage and pony up $30 for a tour of Elvis' mansion and grounds.

The same could be said for most American cities. I wonder how many Atlanta residents have ever stepped foot in the highly regarded High Museum of Art. What about the Arch in St. Louis? And do you think many Dallas residents drive across the Metroplex to tour Fort Worth's amazing zoo?

And it's not just the typical tourist attractions that fill most cities. Here in Memphis, for example, we have the Friday Night Art Trolley Tour the last Friday of every month in the South Main Historic Arts District, one of the best minor league ballparks in AutoZone Park, sunsets on the Mississippi River, concerts at the Levitt Shell, great theater, museums, a great zoo and the nation's largest urban park in Shelby Farms.

Those types of local treasures are always on our list of places to find when we travel. Funny thing is, they're right here in our backyard.

Sure, you know these places exist. You see that cool art exhibit scheduled and think you'll make it there before it closes, only to realize two weeks after it's left town that you never made your way over.

I encourage you as we enter the heart of spring to consider local attractions in your own place, whether you're able to make that big trip this year or not.

Little Rock: Worth a look for presidential history, culture

2010-03-30T00:54:00.010-05:00

Before Bill Clinton was elected president in 1992, Little Rock, Ark., wasn't known for much to travelers.

Sure, it's the big city (along with Memphis and Dallas) to Arkansans (I should know, I lived about 30 minutes north of Little Rock until age 14). We shopped there, went to the hospital there, attended minor league baseball games there and even took school field trips to the zoo and museum there.

Unless you're a regional traveler who lives no more than a couple hours from Arkansas' state capital, though, there really wasn't much reason to visit.

But things began to change, particularly in Little Rock's Downtown, in the early 1990s when work began to create River Market, which opened in 1996. Revitalization efforts have continued with a 2.5-mile trolley (pictured above passing the River Market) that began operation in 2004, the opening of Verizon Arena in 1999 just across the river in Downtown North Little Rock and, the biggest of all, the opening of the William J. Clinton Presidential Library & Museum in 2004.

Clinton Library

The five-story main building, which as you can see resembles a mobile home, houses the museum. The center features a number of exhibits on Clinton's time as president and serves as a good overview of world and domestic history from the 1990s.

Today, the heart of Downtown Little Rock along the southern banks of the Arkansas River is centered on Markham Street/President Clinton Avenue and its art galleries, a number of restaurants and the Clinton-related sites. The River Rail connects all the major sites in Little Rock and, via the Main Street Bridge, loops Downtown North Little Rock.

Anchoring Markham Street is the River Market, which features two open-air pavilions, a 10,000-seat amphitheatre, an indoor bazaar, shops and a farmers market.

Little Rock's Rosemont Inn

Little Rock is worth a look, particularly for a weekend getaway. Lodging options abound from upscale hotels to quaint bed-and-breakfast inns. We've stayed in the Rosemont Inn & Cottages, a bed-and-breakfast inn just a couple miles south of the river.

Arkansas tends to be the punchline of jokes, but is, in fact, a state filled with beauty and a number of great outdoors activities, several of which can be found just outside Little Rock.

Memphis Mondays: A taste of Napa, New York and Europe in the Bluff City

2010-03-29T10:00:00.001-05:00

We happened upon a gem of a restaurant in Memphis Saturday night, Flight Restaurant & Wine Bar. Well, we didn't exactly happen upon it. I had a reservation.

But this was our first time at this restaurant, and I must say it's one of the best dining experiences I've had in Memphis. And that's nothing against the dining scene in the Bluff City. Memphis is a foodie city; of course most consider it as such because of the barbecue and traditional Southern fare.

But there are plenty of fine-dining options, and Flight is one of the latest to join the fray.

I don't know that I would call Flight the best food in Memphis, the best wine in Memphis or the best atmosphere in Memphis. But it does a tremendous job of combining the three, in addition to offering a unique option for dining in Memphis: the concept of flight dining.

Let me explain. Food items are listed on the menu in threes. Feathered, seafood and fresh fish, for example, are presented as flight trios. The feathered flight features small plates of chicken, quail and duck. Of course you can order individual small plates, mix and match from different flights or just order a larger entree of one item.

Wines are also served in flights of three: Chardonnays, zins and sparklers, for example. The wine flights reminded me of the great eateries in Napa and the numerous wineries there with tastings available. At Flight, the wine flights come out with tasting cards describing the wines one has ordered.

The setting inside the restaurant, in addition to the superb food, reminded me of great eateries in New York and Europe we've dined in. We sat upstairs where we could look out through the large windows in this corner spot, with Monroe Avenue to the left and the trolleys speeding by on Main Street.

Details: Flight is at the corner of Main and Monroe. I never find parking to be a problem Downtown, but for those who do, Flight offers complimentary valet service.

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Web Weekend: Thoughts on Travelocity's new 'name your price' service

2010-03-28T13:45:00.003-05:00

I was intrigued by the news this past week that Travelocity is now offering a “name your price” concept for hotels like the service found on Priceline.

In case you’re not familiar with the concept, it’s pretty simple. Staying in Atlanta for two nights and want to book a 3 Star hotel, but don’t want to pay the full price of $150 a night? On Priceline.com you pick your neighborhood, star rating and then name your own price. If they don’t accept it you can change one or more of your criteria or wait 24 hours and try again with a higher bid.

I use Atlanta as an example because I’ve had success using Priceline in Atlanta multiple times. I’ve had success finding 3 and 4 star properties, usually for around $50 or $60 a night.

The difference, it appears, between Priceline and Travelocity’s new service is that Travelocity eliminates bidding. You simply plug in the city, date and how many people are staying in the room and it returns a list of hotels by star rating, price and general location, such as downtown. The catch is that you don’t know the name or exact location of the hotel until you book – and make a nonrefundable reservation.

One drawback I’m finding so far with Travelocity is its location listing is not as complete as Priceline. You can find all the major cities on Travelocity, but the second- and third-tier locales are not there. I’ve used Priceline for smaller cities such as Springfield, Ill., and Birmingham, Ala. But those cities are nowhere to be found on Travelocity.

I will consider Travelocity in the future, maybe for one of our many trips to Atlanta. I'll report back then. In the meantime, Gadling.com has a good review of the service. Read it here.

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Friday Photo: A crooked, beautiful village in England

2010-03-26T10:00:00.002-05:00

Today's Friday Photo is more of a Friday Photos. It's the Suffolk village of Lavenham, a couple hours northeast of London in East Anglia.

We visited Lavenham nearly five years ago while on an extended stay in Norwich, a city about an hour and a half northeast of Lavenham. We only spent a couple hours there, but it was one of our more memorable experiences in England on that trip.

While there, we stumbled upon a showing at an art gallery, had a leisurely stroll along the beautiful streets and enjoyed a couple of pints at a local pub.

Travel & Leisure listed Lavenham as its fourth of 25 undiscovered villages in Europe. The funny thing about the listing is it doesn't mention a single word about what struck me as the best thing about the village, the half-timbered cottages, many of which have a crooked slant.

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Bookstore Travel List Take 2

2010-03-25T15:00:00.004-05:00

I realized last night there were a couple of stores I left off my original list that there is no way I would want to omit. Sure, there are several stores at outlet malls and random little storefronts that I'm not even sure they still exist or not. I won't bore you with those.

But these two should be on any bookstore lover's list.

I discovered The Elliot Bay Book Company in Seattle nearly seven years ago. Located in the heart of the historic Pioneer Square District, I hear the store is about to close and relocate to a new location at 1521 10th Ave. sometime between March 31 and April 14. I'm not sure the exact reason Elliot Bay is moving, but I hope it can continue its status as an independent bookstore gem.

I won't pretend to have many fresh ideas on Elliot Bay considering my only visit came in July 2003. And who knows what will change at the new location. But when I did visit, I recall loving the wealth of books on the Pacific Northwest I found. As a history buff, I love finding local history subjects in these stores. I recall finding a good book on the exploration of Oregon there. I also bought my copy of the Lewis and Clark journals at Elliot Bay.

One of our new favorites was discovered last summer in New York's West Village. Unoppressive Non-Imperialist Bargain Books is not only the winner for coolest and strangest name, but it also just might be the winner for smallest store that produced the most purchases we've found on our travels. My backpack was jam-packed with books from this place.

This store is on Carmine Street near Bleecker. In addition to some really cool children's and art books, we also left with Jack Kerouac's "On the Road" and some random selections on the music industry. And books are cheap here.

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Some independent bookstore faves for the literary traveler

2010-03-24T11:38:00.009-05:00

I was reading a story in the April issue of Travel & Leisure last night that looks at bookstores in London. I'm pretty sure that on past visits to London I have not visited the stores that were featured, or at least I don't recall them.

That story had me thinking this morning while driving into the office about some of my favorite bookstores from my travels. I always try to find at least one bookstore while traveling, partially because I'm a reader and partially because when shopping with my wife I need somewhere to spend some time.

I don't just go into any bookstore. Sure, I might occasionally find myself in one of the mega-chains, but for the most part I seek out local gems, particularly ones that have a good selection of used or marked-down books.

One of my favorites is The Book Loft of German Village in the -- you guessed it -- German Village of Columbus, Ohio. This place is huge; it claims to be a city-block long store and I believe it. I like this store because it's jam-packed with books. It's almost like an old house with tiny hallways that lead into random rooms filled to the brim with books. Plus, the prices are fair, with many bargain-priced selections.

New York City's Strand, which claims to have 18 miles of books, is another fave. This place can be a bit overwhelming with its choices. The store is at the corner of 12th Street and Broadway, just down from Union Square. I recommend picking up a book, followed by a visit to the Union Square Greenmarket for some grub to enjoy in the park while reading a few pages.

Staying in New York, our next bookstore is Housing Works Bookstore Cafe, a smaller used bookstore at 126 Crosby St. on the Lower East Side. This is one of those smaller stores I love for its randomness; you're not going to visit with a specific title in mind because chances are they won't have it. But they might have a Frank Lloyd Wright biography, fantastic book on football hooliganism you didn't know existed and a random Winnie the Pooh book, all of which I bought on my first visit there a couple of years ago.

This store is also a nonprofit organization; Housing Works is devoted to ending AIDS and homelessness. The organization since 1990 has been devoted to providing services for homeless men, women and children living with HIV and AIDS in New York City. Housing Works also has some great thrift shops throughout the city. My wife and I can attest to the great selection at two of the shops we found last summer.

Finally we have Square Books, the Oxford, Miss., institution that is the epicenter of books in this Southern literary center. Square Books and its sister stores Off Square Books and Square Books, Jr. are all found on the Courthouse Square. If you ever find yourself in Oxford I highly recommend stopping in one of these stores.

Square Books is a typical independent bookstore with a lot of general titles. But it also stays true to its location with a heavy dose of William Faulkner, Southern studies and regional artists. Off Square Books is probably my favorite, though, because of its bounty of random titles found at a cheap price. We've bought our share of Dr. Seuss books at Square Books, Jr. too.

This is such a small list, I know, but these are some of my favorites.

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Reinventing Panama City Beach's tackiness

2010-03-23T13:47:00.010-05:00

Setting up for the day in Panama City Beach

With the warming temperatures thoughts are beginning to turn toward outdoor activities and maybe even summer travel plans. For many, that includes a trip of some sort to the beach. And here in the South, that means the Gulf Coast, particularly the stretch from Gulf Shores, Ala., eastward through the Florida beach communities of Pensacola, Ft. Walton Beach, Destin, Seaside and Panama City Beach.

That last one can be a tricky beach destination for some to consider. Many think of Panama City Beach as the epicenter of college spring break and the epitome of tackiness. But while it remains a spring break destination, Panama City Beach has been reinventing itself over the past 10 years.

It started with a complete beach restoration after hurricanes in the 1990s eroded the beach. Then, many of the small mom-and-pop motels began coming down, replaced by towering condominium towers. (I'm not going to argue for the existence of condo high-rise towers, by the way, but I will say they look better than the truly seedy motels that dotted PCB before.)

In the past couple of years, PCB has joined the national retail craze with the establishment of an outdoor mall -- the industry calls them lifestyle centers. For the most part, Pier Park offers retail options that can be found at home in every suburb, which goes against my philosophy of local travel. But in the context of reinventing PCB, I won't argue with its existence.

The latest reinvention of PCB is the opening this May of a new airport that will feature a runway capable of landing transatlantic flights. Southwest Airlines will offer direct flights from four cities: Nashville, Tenn., Orlando, Fla., Baltimore and Houston. That will really open up not only PCB, but the Florida Gulf Coast in general to the U.S.

I will say there are two beach communities in Florida I prefer over Panama City Beach: Apalachicola Bay and St. George's Island to the east and Seaside to the west. But that's one of several reasons Panama City Beach is the perfect spot for us.

Random street view in Apalachicola near the river

We can be to Apalachicola Bay within a couple of hours along a scenic beachfront highway, where we can sample the world's greatest oysters and spend a day of walking the very quiet and quaint streets, as seen above.

Sunset in Seaside

We can drive 20 minutes west and enjoy the entertainment, atmosphere and shopping of Seaside without paying the high prices of staying there. And another 20 minutes west is Destin and its Silver Sands Factory Stores.

This is not my most ideal trip, although I believe everyone needs a trip to a beach, a mountain, a lakeside cabin; somewhere quiet to unwind and enjoy life instead of discovering new cultures and cities.

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Memphis Mondays: South Main Historic Arts District Friday Night Art Trolley Tour

2010-03-22T11:01:00.005-05:00

I can’t think of a better time to write about an outdoor event in Memphis than on this cold and rainy Monday. It’s hard to say what the weather will be like this Friday in Memphis, but here’s hoping it cooperates for the first Friday Night Art Trolley Tour of the spring.

In case you’re not familiar with it, the Friday Night Art Trolley Tour is a monthly event on the last Friday of every month in Downtown’s South Main Historic Arts District. Technically, the event encompasses all of the district – Main Street south from the Beale Street area to just south of Central Station at the intersection with G.E. Patterson Avenue. But the heart of the shops, galleries and boutiques begins at Huling and heads south to Central Station (and including the galleries along Huling).

The district itself seems to constantly be changing. Seven years ago when I began attending the Art Trolley Tour, the businesses in the district were pretty much all art galleries and a couple of restaurants. Today, it’s a mix of galleries, designer boutiques, shops and eateries. And what was once what I would describe as a hole in the area between Huling and Beale Street, has been filling in with several restaurants and a smattering of galleries.

So why go? Well, if you like art, particularly local and regional art, the galleries usually debut new works at these events. It's a great time to expose yourself to the local arts scene in Memphis.

Maybe you like the Downtown designer boutique feel found in New York’s SoHo. It’s not SoHo, but there is a nice mix.

And when the weather is good, the sidewalks are actually pretty full of Downtown residents, visitors, tourists, the after-work crowd, the Friday pregamers, the wine-and-cheese crowd and more walking from gallery to boutique with a glass of wine in hand.

The details: The night begins at 6 p.m. and while many shops close around 9, the bars and restaurants stay open later. The Main Street trolley from Beale Street south is free.

Also, the South Main Association will be grilling hamburgers and hot dogs and offering complimentary Boscos beer to its members ($5 for nonmembers) in the lot next to Bluff City Coffee beginning at 6 p.m.

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Wineries in Florida

2010-03-21T13:37:00.001-05:00

This information comes from @roritravel, otherwise known as Rori Paul, a travel writer based in Orlando who writes about all things Florida.

She tweeted a link of Florida wineries earlier this week. This map features 13 wineries, one of which -- San Sebastian Winery in St. Augustine -- I've been to. It's been five years since I've been there and I've learned a lot about wine since then. So I won't even pretend to judge its wine at this point.

But I do recall enjoying a tasting with about 20 others around a U-shaped bar. We enjoyed several of their local bottles, even bringing home a few.

Every state in the U.S. has a winery. The French might argue no one other than their country makes wine. And while you might prefer your vino from Bordeaux, Piedmont, Tuscany, Napa or even New York, there is plenty of good wine out there not from these wine capitals.

And the best thing about these 13 wineries listed on the Florida Grape Growers Association's Web site is that they all are local products. And enjoying local experiences and products is at the heart of Local Traveler.

So if you find yourself in Florida this summer, if at all possible plan a stop at one of these wineries to pick up a local bottle to enjoy with those oysters.

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Photo Friday: A curious New York pigeon high in the sky

2010-03-19T10:30:00.002-05:00

Seeing pigeons in New York City is a common occurrence, but it's still a little odd when you find one staring you in the eyes up close 86 stories above the street. But that's what I found when on the observation deck at the Empire State Building in Midtown Manhattan. There were pigeons everywhere, but this guy allowed me to get extra close. Central Park and the Upper East Side are in the background.

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Enjoying March Madness with the locals

2010-03-18T13:39:00.004-05:00

If you're reading this right now, chances are you're sitting at your computer acting like you're working while secretly watching NCAA Tournament games online. Well, at least that's what I'm doing.

The first Thursday of March Madness is one of my favorite days of the year. Four tournament games going at once, upsets, last-second shots; it's a beautiful day. It really should be a holiday in the United States.

I don't have any statistics to back this up, but I am confident to say that you could go by any bar or restaurant with TVs in this country that happens to be open right now and there would be crowds gathered.

The only trips I've been on during the tournament (other than to actually attend tournament games) was college spring breaks. So I haven't been faced with the decision of whether to find a place to watch games or go about the business of the reason for my trip.

But I'd like to think that if I were traveling for vacation/leisure purposes, I'd have to cut away from a day of museums and sightseeing to spend a few hours at a local bar, especially if I happened to be in a city that has a local rooting interest in the tournament.

For example, I imagine it would be a fun experience to be in a bar in Philadelphia's City Center with TVs tuned to the Villanova/Robert Morris game, which as I type this, is tied 58-58 at the end of regulation. To experience the joy, pain and nervousness of these fans while not having a rooting interest would be great.

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Memphis' Beale Street gets name change

2010-03-17T16:10:00.004-05:00

It appears since our beloved Memphis Tigers are not in the NCAA Tournament this year, Beale Street is converting itself to Beal Street in honor of Vanderbilt's Jermaine Beal.

Performa (manager of the Beale Street Entertainment District) CEO and Vanderbilt grad John Elkington will post symbolic sign alterations Thursday at 10 a.m. at the corner of Rufus Thomas Boulevard and Beale.

They're encouraging Vanderbilt fans who live in town to watch the Commodores' tourney games in the clubs along Beale.

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Walking the Brooklyn Bridge: A true New York experience

2010-03-17T11:04:00.001-05:00

Obvious statement of the day: New York is a walking city. Even when taking the subway, a bus or hailing a cab, you will find yourself walking. And we're not talking a block or two. Many times, it's blocks upon blocks.

So when visiting, why would you go out of your way to experience an attraction that requires walking an easy mile? And this is a mile that once you start, there's no turning back.

But for me, one of my favorite experiences in New York City is walking the Brooklyn Bridge, particularly if you can do it on a beautiful, sunny day.

You can drive across the bridge and see the architectural gem that it is. But if you want to really experience the beauty of the bridge, it's got to be on a walk.

And don't worry about safety. The bridge has a wide walking/biking path elevated above the roadway. Just make sure you stay in the walking lane and don't get in the way of bikers.

I would like to suggest David McCullough's fabulous book "The Great Bridge: The Epic Story of the Building of the Brooklyn Bridge" written about the construction of the bridge. I read the book after walking the bridge, so it's certainly no prerequisite to walk the bridge.

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Blogging Take 2

2010-03-16T19:56:00.007-05:00

I've gotten a little hit or miss over the past week or so with my blog, and I think it's partially because I've lost a little of the focus of what I originally had in mind.

On one hand, I find myself wanting to write about Memphis, the place I live, work, play and socialize. While I call myself a traveler, I'm not like many of the travelers I follow in cyberspace who are constantly traveling, whether in a permanent sense, or just find themselves on the road three weeks out of every four.

Unfortunately because of finances, I can't up and take a three-day trip or one-week getaway on a whim. Memphis, on the other hand, is my hometown, an American city that people from around the world travel to for our food, music and culture.

But not everyone out there lives in Memphis, travels to Memphis or even cares about Memphis.

I also want to write about all the great places I've traveled to, discuss the latest travel trends and the places I hope to one day experience.

So with this wide variety of travel topics I find myself wanting to write about, I figure a little organization is in order. So starting today, I'm going to start a weekly rotation of topics.

Memphis Mondays: This is where I will write about the latest goings on in my hometown.

Travel Tuesdays: This is an opportunity to write about other cities, countries and locales I have been to or hope to one day see.

Wild Card Wednesdays: This gives me the opportunity to write about a variety of topics. Could be a continuation of a Travel Tuesdays topic, or some other travel topic such as the latest in the airline industry, for example.

Thursday Thoughts on Travel: This is where I will write about a range of topics, mostly items that I've been labeling as Travel Essays.

Photo Fridays: A weekly photo or photos from my travels and the latest hot spots.

Week in Review/Web Weekends: Weekend posts will cover the gamut of the latest in online travel and social media, as well as a review of travel topics from the week and a preview of things to come in travel.

This isn't really anything crazy, it's just a way for my OCD self to be more organized with the blog in an effort to make it more useful for my readers.

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Reliving past March travels

2010-03-13T00:42:00.004-06:00

Unless you're a spring break traveler, March doesn't tend to be one of the busiest times of the year for travel. I've been on a few trips in March, none of which were the most memorable I've ever experienced, but they were all enjoyable in their own right.

I've spent a few days as a child in a cabin in the Ozark Mountains of Arkansas; an extended weekend in Cincinnati, Ohio, for a college basketball tournament; a week in icy cold Boston, the Massachusetts seaside and Kennebunkport, Maine; a few college spring breaks in Panama City Beach, Fla.; an overnight stay in Little Rock, Ark., for more college basketball; and a weekend in Springfield, Ill., for a family gathering.

I think that just about covers it.

So why do I bother writing about these random trips? Well, as schools are heading out for spring break and the weather turns warmer, at least here in Memphis, it makes me think of travels. The past week has seen amazing temps here in Memphis, and I've had the opportunity to get out and experience our world-class zoo and enjoy some dining out more than usual.

March is a unique time of year to travel. The weather is warming, but in some regions it's still quite cold, possibly even snowy/icy. Of course if you have children in school, March provides an easy way to get away in the offseason without feeling guilty for taking the kids out of school.

My child is only 3, so I haven't experienced the need for spring break yet.

Like many college students, I spent a few spring breaks at the beach. For me, it was Panama City Beach, Fla. These trips actually helped cement my love for the beach, despite the fact that the water was too cold to enjoy. But the smell and sounds of the ocean, it doesn't matter if it's raining, snowing, cold or hot, a beach is a beautiful thing.

So what are my favorites from these March trips?

Legal Seafood; Harpoon Brewery; seeing a random lighthouse on the snowy, rocky Maine shore; eating lobster soup in Kennebunkport; experiencing the quaint and quiet fishing community of Marblehead, Mass.; walking out on a frozen Walden's Pond; seeing the House of Seven Gables (no, I've never read the book and don't know who wrote it, now that I think about it); walking the battlefield where the American Revolution began; eating a cannoli in Boston's North End; walking the campus of Harvard; and ice skating outdoors at Boston Common.

And that's just the Boston trip. One of the great things about this blog is that it helps me relive many of my favorite trips. That's also why I keep a journal while traveling, not to mention an abundance of photos.

Anyone up for a weekend in Tulsa?

2010-03-10T14:09:00.006-06:00

In honor of today's start of the Conference USA men's basketball tournament in Tulsa, Okla., I thought I'd post a few thoughts I have of that city.

I've been to Tulsa a few times, starting some 22 years ago when my family almost moved there. What I remember of that trip is looking at houses and schools. And I know I attended the zoo, although I don't remember much about it. And a mall. It seems like we went to a shopping mall. But come on, I was in the fifth grade and not looking forward to moving there. You can't expect me to base intelligent thoughts about Tulsa on that trip.

My most recent visit provides some better perspective, even if it did occur four years ago. I spent a couple of nights in Tulsa to attend the University of Memphis football game at Tulsa University. The game was a loss for the Tigers, so not much to talk about there.

But back to my thoughts on Tulsa. My impression then was that it's a clean city and easy to navigate thanks to the grid system for its roads. I didn't think there was a lot to do in its downtown, although there is a really cool park that stretches alongside the Arkansas River that was filled with joggers.

Tulsa has its share of Native American-owned casinos, even a couple in or near Downtown, which I really thought was odd.

So what did we do while in Tulsa? Well, considering it was a guys trip to see a football game, there were a few bars with football watching on TV. One establishment that really stood out is Kilkenny's Irish Pub. Cool local place, classy feel and quiet atmosphere.

Lunch at Hideway Pizza, a local business of sorts (it has locations in Oklahoma City and a couple of other communities and college towns in Oklahoma). We spent a couple hours at the Oklahoma Aquarium in nearby Jenks.

On the way home we did do something that has some meaning for me. I'm part Cherokee and we drove through Cherokee Nation, making a stop at the Cherokee Heritage Center near Tahlequah. Of course if you're interested in Native American history, Oklahoma is full of it.

Would I recommend a weekend in Tulsa? I think so, but for me it would be more than a visit to Tulsa. I'm sure the city has much more to offer than what I've mentioned. But I would like to make an extended visit to the Cherokee Nation.

And less than an hour north of Tulsa is the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Price Tower in Bartlesville. The tower, considered to be Wright's only skyscraper, has an inn with 19 guest rooms. It's one of three structures in Oklahoma designed by Wright.

I've toured one Wright-designed home in Springfield, Ill., and saw an interior he designed on display in New York's Met Museum. I'm not an architecture buff by any means, but I must say seeing Wright's designs is a really cool experience.

I don't know if I've really done Tulsa justice, but I can only write about my experiences. Like I've written before, you could put me anywhere on this earth and I believe I could find wonderful things to see and experience. I'm sure Tulsa is no different.

Photo credit: Tulsa Convention & Visitors Bureau

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Sleep deprived on travels

2010-03-08T16:13:00.006-06:00

Amy Chen wrote a post on gadling.com on Monday giving sleeping tips from a sleep concierge at a New York hotel, the Benjamin in Midtown.

At this hotel, Anya Orlanska, the sleep concierge, recommends using the appropriate pillow, getting a massage before going to bed if fighting jet lag and avoiding too much alcohol or caffeine before bedtime.

The Benjamin also offers "The Art of Sleep" package, Chen writes, starting at $578 for two nights. It includes a consultation with the sleep concierge, a nightly snack of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, spa treatment, a sleep kit that includes an eye mask and a CD and even a late checkout.

But what about those of us who want to stay in lodging that doesn't offer a special "sleep" package?

I don't have problems sleeping. It amazes me to know that so many people do. The only time I can ever recall struggling to sleep on a trip was the first night of a nearly three-week trip to England and Italy five years ago.

After a sleepless night flying to London, we then had to hit the sack early that night in anticipation of an early wake up the next morning for a flight to Rome. So we found ourselves trying to go to sleep at 10 p.m., just as the England sun was setting. Problem was, my American body thought it was just 4 p.m.

OK, so how can I, as someone who doesn't struggle to sleep, even pretend to offer advice to those who struggle with sleeping on the road? Well, I don't guess I can.

I can only say to do what I've read many marathoners do the night before a race when struggling to fall asleep. Lie still in a dark and quiet room and just relax as best as possible. No, the rest you'll get won't be the same as if you had slept seven hours. But the relaxation will be better than sitting up reading or watching TV.

My wife sometimes struggles to get to sleep. She now uses a white-noise machine we bought in Carmel, Calif., on a trip in 2008 after she struggled to sleep the night before in an eerily quiet bed and breakfast. Sometimes Advil helps, although I'm not a proponent of heavily medicating just to fall asleep.

If you don't have a sound sleeping aid, I have come across a Web site that plays background sounds. So if you have a laptop with you and feel like running it overnight, go to www.soundsleeping.com.

Keeping track of e-mail travel offers

2010-03-08T12:52:00.006-06:00

My personal e-mail inbox is full of e-mails from inns, convention and visitors bureaus, newspaper travel sections, attractions and the like. Many of these messages remain unread for weeks, if not months, at a time.

Why do I have all these, you might wonder. I sometimes wonder the same thing. I was just looking at a message that's only a week old from a bed-and-breakfast in Eureka Springs, Ark., that I've never stayed at. I'm on its mailing list because I bought gift certificates from this inn a couple years ago to give as a Christmas present.

I could get rid of messages like this by clicking "unsubscribe." I choose to continue receiving these, however, on the off chance I might one day revisit these places.

Through e-mails, Twitter, Facebook, blogs and newsletters many hotels and attractions offer promotions to subscribers. They also announce unique events and opportunities that I would never know about otherwise if I just kept a list of inns to consider for future visits.

Is this efficient? I doubt it, really, especially considering I receive so many of these newsletters and the items they're writing about are never applicable to me at the moment. But, if one of these days I decide to plan a trip to Eureka Springs, I will at least know what this one inn has going on.

Maybe you have a better idea of how to keep track of e-mail offers. I'd love to hear them.

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Random musings on festivals in Memphis

2010-03-05T12:12:00.003-06:00

Just read a story in my paper (The Memphis Daily News) discussing the economic impact of the Indie Memphis film festival.

I don't know if this is good to admit as I write about the positives of this film festival. But I've never attended Indie Memphis. I don't really consider myself a film buff. Actually, I have not been to a movie in a theater in two years (the last was "Juno").

Having a toddler son tends to keep me from attending events such as this. I end up being very selective with what local arts events I support because of my time.

But I don't need to attend the festival, or read a story telling me that it attracted 7,000 attendees last year to know it's a good thing for Memphis. Utah's Sundance draws six times the amount of visitors as does Indie Memphis. But one of the beauties of the Memphis arts scene is the variety.

You want a music festival? We have several, from the large Beale Street Music Festival, to the smaller benefit concerts such as the two-day Rock for Love held in August. We have great visual arts shows, pottery events, theaters; Memphis is a great arts city.

Back to the economic impact from these festivals. The Daily News story cites a study by Utah’s Bureau of Economic and Business Research that showed "the 2008 Sundance Film Festival injected $92 million into the local economy. That figure was based on attendance of more than 40,000 people.

"The festival created nearly 2,000 jobs and netted nearly $4 million in state tax revenues. For the year ending February 2009, Sundance generated media attention valued at more than $8 million."

Indie Memphis is no Sundance, but garnering just a fraction of that economic impact isn't a bad thing. There are so many jobs that exist in Memphis, and many cities for that matter, that are thanks to the dollars generated from visitors and locals alike enjoying events such as music and film festivals.

That brings me to my next thought. Memphis long has been regarded as a festival town, largely centered on Memphis in May. Many people, including myself, were not impressed when the lineup for the Memphis in May Beale Street Music Festival was announced Thursday. Bonnaroo it is not.

But the attendance numbers usually don't argue with the festival's success. Even in down years, it usually draws 80,000 or so attendees over the three days. I haven't decided if the acts I do enjoy who have been announced for the festival are worth purchasing a ticket to see. But I know many Memphians and visitors enjoy those bands. And I'm very happy we have events such as Beale Street Music Fest to enjoy.

Anywhere is worth traveling to

2010-03-03T14:13:00.003-06:00

"You can get as much out of a trip to Western Kansas as Laos. If you try."

This statement came from a list of "44 little things about travel" from Robert Reid, the New York-based U.S. travel editor of Lonely Planet. (It's posted on his blog reidontravel.blogspot.com.)

I did not expect to come across this when I was just now perusing this post, but I am glad I did. I had a lot of topics in mind that I wanted to write about today, but when I read this statement, I immediately knew this was for me.

This statement defines my travels probably more than any I've seen. I've never been to Western Kansas or Laos. But I'd like to think that if/when I visit either place that I could get a great deal of enjoyment out of the two locales. The research that can be done online before and during a trip certainly makes traveling to obscure locales more enjoyable. But just stumbling upon something can be just as fun.

I sometimes hear friends who travel for work complain about having to travel to a city not as glamorous as Los Angeles or New York. But I can think of many worse things in this world than to have to travel to Tampa, Fla., or even Murfreesboro, Tenn.

Small towns have unique restaurants, shops and their own history to view. I recall an overnight visit a few years back to Corinth, Miss., about an hour and a half southeast of Memphis. Corinth isn't known for much other than its Civil War-related sites.

But my wife and I had a great time walking the quaint downtown with its local shops and eateries. The next morning as we checked out of our bed and breakfast, it was snowing. We enjoyed a driving tour of Corinth's many historic homes as they were covered in white.

I certainly understand the trepidation in driving through a town and not wanting to stop in at just any random spot for lunch. But that can be one of the true great joys of travel. I can count many more great random dining experiences on travels than I can bad ones.

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DRAFT 150 Best Bars: Mississippi

2010-03-02T13:01:00.002-06:00

DRAFT 150 Best Bars: Mississippi

The Keg and Barrel in Hattiesburg is the only bar listed and I wholeheartedly agree. I've only been there once, but it is one of my favorite beer bars in the world. The cozy, old house charm of the bar is great, especially on a cold winter evening.

I sat at the S-shaped bar in a room that seems like it once was a dining room or living room in this old house. A fireplace is in the corner, and across the hallway is an open room filled with tables. A couple of TVs are discreetly mounted.

The winner here, though, is the beer. Mississippi's own Lazy Magnolia Brewing from nearby Kiln is plentiful here. There are also plenty of other choices, including other regional selections, including some brews I had never heard of from Covington, La.

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Tips on Tipping in Europe

2010-03-02T12:48:00.001-06:00

Tips on Tipping in Europe

I've been to Europe a couple of times and always find myself confused about tipping. This blog post from cheapoair.com is great.

Andy Warhol travel regret

2010-03-02T00:16:00.005-06:00

I try not to have regrets for past actions or remorse for lost opportunities, especially when it comes to my travels.

There is one minor regret I have, though, and it could have been avoided if I would have just had $5 on me.

See, I have this thing about not carrying enough cash with me. I like to use a rewards credit card for every purchase. I don't carry much cash and it usually isn't a problem.

But on a baseball trip through Cleveland and Pittsburgh a few years back, my wife and I decided to make a side trip to the Andy Warhol Museum while everyone else had breakfast. I thought it would be a perfect opportunity to let my artist wife enjoy her passion while on this trip to make another step in fulfilling a goal of mine to visit every major league ballpark (I've hit 10 teams, 12 parks).

The museum is in a bustling riverfront neighborhood adjacent to PNC Park, home of the Pirates. So I dropped her off to get a head start while I searched for either free street parking or a garage that would take my credit card. That's because by this point, the last day of our two-day trip from our base of Columbus, Ohio, I was broke. But after circling both sides of the river and getting an actually great tour of a very beautiful downtown, I had no luck.

So while she enjoyed Warhol, I saw Pittsburgh through a windshield. I crossed a couple of bridges. I drove through the empty streets of a Sunday morning. Even found the original Primanti Brothers, where we would later have a postgame meal. But I did not see the works of America's modern art genius.

The game was good, the ballpark was beautiful and the weather was perfect. It made for a nice Sunday afternoon in May. But it certainly would have been nice to enjoy Warhol.

Lesson: It's OK to be cheap (that's who I am), but have enough cash to enjoy the trip. And maybe more importantly, parking garages charge when you exit, not upon entrance. I could have borrowed cash from my other travel companions to pay for parking, which is what I ended up doing.

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Memphis mayor squashes 'miserable city' reputation

2010-03-01T13:27:00.001-06:00

Forbes recently named Memphis one of the most miserable cities in the U.S. Some might agree while I think many others, especially Memphians who enjoy this great city, would disagree. It was very nice to see the letter Mayor A C Wharton Jr. sent to Forbes. Here's the link.

Consider this St. Jude story, donation

2010-03-01T11:05:00.002-06:00

This is not my usual travel-related post, but it is related to Memphis' own St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. I came in contact with the Atwell family about a year ago through a potential freelance story I was considering that ultimately fell through. I recently received an e-mail from them and thought I would share it here in its entirety.

You can read Katelyn's story at this link, but a quick summary is that in 1999, after being diagnosed with cancer at age 12, she developed an infection in her brain that no one had ever survived for more than 48 hours. She would ultimately spend a year and a half in a coma before recovering.

Dear Family and Friends,

I have some great news to share with you. This April 19 will be the 10th Anniversary of the Katelyn Atwell/ St. Jude Golf Classic. The big news is that I will be playing for the very first time in my own tournament. This is a goal that I set 5 years ago and now it will become a reality.

This year we really wanted to make it a big year being the 10th and we had passed

around some ideas. Since the passing of my Uncle Duane I have really made it a mission to honor his memory and try to make this the biggest and best year yet. I have some surprises up my sleeve but there is one that is just too big not to share, check out the web page listed

http://www.prweb.com/releases/warrior-custom-golf/st-jude/prweb3615154.htm

I also had another idea. I was looking at our local Kroger ad and they have this big 10 for 10 sale going on. I wondered if maybe some of my family and friends would be willing to donate $10 for 10 years. The kids at St. Jude depend on every dollar and I know that it would be the best $10 you may spend all year.

So with that in mind if anyone reading this would like to help me please make a check out to St. Jude Children's Hospital and send it to Katelyn Atwell/St Jude Golf Classic 923 Arkenstone Drive, Jacksonville, FL 32225.

Please feel free to send this out to everyone you know. Can you imagine how much we could raise if everyone just sent in $10. I know money is tight and that makes it even harder to raise money, but the kids are still being diagnosed and still need to be cured.

I was reminded yesterday that God spared my life and told me that it would not be easy. I have to put in the hard work in order to continue to heal and get stronger. I have to keep up the fight for the other kids that are in the

middle of their battle. You can make such a huge difference.

If anyone knows of a company that might be willing to donate please let me know. I have set a goal to get 10 $1,000 donors. So far I have two with a possible 2 more. I will be willing to contact and send a letter.

Also if there are any of you who would like to golf just let me know I can send a

registration form to you. I would love to have the golf course full. We are already getting some great door prizes. You have been so faithful in supporting all of my efforts to raise money and following me on this journey. I hope you will consider doing it again.

Thank you and God Bless

Katelyn

London 2012: Here I Come

2010-02-28T23:36:00.003-06:00

Just finished watching the Closing Ceremonies of the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympic Games. A little sad, as I have loved the Olympics equally as long as I've loved to travel. The big two-week family trip to Florida when I was 7 that hooked me on the love of travel came just weeks before I would find myself glued to the TV nightly watching the 1984 Los Angeles Summer Games.

Watching Carl Lewis win Gold also established my love of running. So it seems the summer of 1984 clinched two of my biggest lifelong passions (travel and running) and one of my joys that I get to experience every two years (the Olympics).

It's also a bit sad that out of the three Games held in North America since I entered college and thus an age that I could make a decision to travel to the Olympics, that I've only been to one: Atlanta. No Salt Lake City and no Vancouver.

But I'm determined to change that in 2012 when the Summer Games are in London, the only city to ever be host to three Games. I'm sure a ticket to tennis at Wimbledon will be impossible, as will football in one of England's glorious grounds. But the thought of the opportunity to spend even a couple of nights in one of the world's greatest cities in the Olympic atmosphere is priceless.

Reuse those water bottles on your next trip

2010-02-25T12:44:00.004-06:00

What’s the most important thing for a trip, especially one that requires lots of walking in warmer temperatures? The obvious – and correct – answer is water. You don’t have to be a marathon runner to know the proper consumption of water is vital to making it through a trip. Eight ounces of water per hour – basically a full water bottle every two hours or so – would be ideal when hiking the streets of New York or the trails of Colorado.

And it's not just when on a trip that requires a lot of walking. Making a nine-hour car ride to the beach? Throw in a case of water bottles.

But if you’re a frugal traveler like myself, you don’t want to buy water bottles every two hours when walking the streets of Rome. My philosophy that has worked quite well is to buy one bottle at the beginning of a trip and fill it when and where I can: water fountains in a museum or even a bathroom sink. In Rome, there are fountains everywhere for this exact purpose. I always start out the day with a fill from the bathroom or kitchen sink wherever I’m staying. Throw it in my backpack and I'm ready to go.

Of course with all the chatter about the reuse of water bottles being dangerous, some will frown upon this.

These rumors – I call them rumors because apparently some of the “water bottles cause cancer” claims were actually based off a student’s thesis – claim reusing water bottles is dangerous because they contain DEHA, which some consider to be a potential carcinogen. But the American Cancer Society debunks that.

The American Cancer Society on its Web site states: “ … DEHA is not inherent in the plastic used to make these bottles, and even if it was the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) says DEHA ‘cannot reasonably be anticipated to cause cancer, teratogenic effects, immunotoxicity, neurotoxicity, gene mutations, liver, kidney, reproductive, or developmental toxicity or other serious or irreversible chronic health effects.’ Meanwhile, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), says diethylhexyl adipate ‘is not classifiable as to its carcinogenicity to humans.’”

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has said these packages are safe for reuse. That’s all the reassurance I need.

Of course one interesting fact about reusing plastic water bottles has been mentioned: They can be a health risk in that improper cleaning – or lack thereof – could lead to the ingestion of harmful bacteria. And I guess if you fill from a water fountain that has had a 7-year-old’s mouth all over it that could be a bit gross.

But I’m willing to chance it.

And one more positive to reusing those plastic water bottles instead of buying a new one every couple hours: the U.S. consumes water from some 1,500 plastic bottles every second. That's insane. Why do you want to fill the landfills with those bottles?

Don't judge a hotel review by its cover

2010-02-23T23:42:00.004-06:00

I had a friend e-mail asking about the best source for hotel reviews. My personal favorite is Trip Advisor, but that’s not really the reason to write. I highly recommend using sites such as Trip Advisor and Yelp for great user reviews from travelers and locals alike on the best in hotels, restaurants, shopping and sites.

But please don’t base your final decision off one review. I find that especially true when researching hotels. I used the following example in explaining to my friend that concept.

In researching hotels for San Francisco a couple of years ago, one of the most recent hotel reviews was a complaint about the hotel based on the soap products. Yes, that’s right, soap products.

I am not a luxury traveler so maybe I don’t understand how the proper free soap products at a hotel can make any difference. But this woman went on and on about how pathetic this hotel’s service was simply based off the wrong soap brand.

Needless to say I quickly skipped to the next review that gave me more important information: how clean the room was, the friendliness of the staff, which rooms to avoid because of street noise during the night. That’s the kind of information that really helps me make a decision.

Now, for those of you who don’t frequent travel forums, you might be wondering what to look for. Well, the most important thing to me is consistency. If one person says the check-in counter staff was rude but the next 20 reviewers rave about the exceptional service they received upon arrival, I’m going to chalk that up as either an isolated negative experience or a reviewer who is just a bit too sensitive.

Pay attention to trends. If five out of 10 reviewers say the room had a musty smell to it, I’m going to assume this property is questionable at best, and probably has inconsistent cleaning staff, is possibly under renovation or some of the rooms are better than others. I would then weigh the positives of this place against this uncertain negative. If I decide to stay there, I make sure I inspect the room and ask for another one if I don't like it.

When we traveled to Rome nearly five years ago, I did a very exhaustive search on Trip Advisor for a hotel that offered the following: Good location, clean room and a decent price. I found all those at a property located three Metro stops from the Spanish Steps. The location wasn’t the best; the train shut down for construction each night at 10 and there weren’t an abundance of restaurants in the area. But for a quick three-day trip to Rome that saw us rising early every day, it was perfect.

The hotel, in fact, was perfect to me despite the majority of reviewers saying the staff was rude and even tried to rip them off with false charges from the room’s mini bar. We actually did encounter false charges for using our mini bar. But they were more than happy to wipe the charge from the bill following my explanation of using the refrigerator to store leftovers.

My point in all this? Don’t judge a hotel off one review, or even three. There are still rare properties out there that don’t have too many reviews to use to form an opinion, but I usually find those to be in smaller towns I might only be staying a night in while passing through town on a car trip. Let the masses form an opinion for you.

Ernest Withers exhibit at Memphis Pink Palace

2010-02-22T14:32:00.002-06:00

Just came across an interesting event listing in my newspaper, The Daily News. I've slacked off a bit on Black History Month Travel Tips lately. And since a lot of my followers are in Memphis, here's a local exhibition you could consider.

The Pink Palace Family of Museums will present “I Am A Man” through Oct. 24 at the Pink Palace, 3050 Central Ave. The exhibit will show the Ernest Withers portfolio, which documents prominent civil rights leaders in the 1950s and 1960s. For more information, call 320-6362 or visit www.memphismuseums.org.

New credit card law's effect on travel

2010-02-22T13:32:00.004-06:00

So new credit card rules have gone into effect today. I don't know much about them, honestly. But I did come across an interesting article on Consumer Traveler that lists five ways the new law will affect travelers. It basically boils down to hidden fees, foreign transactions, elimination of rewards, etc.

Here's the link:

http://www.consumertraveler.com/today/5-ways-the-new-credit-card-law-will-affect-travelers/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+tripso+%28Consumertraveler.com%29

Delta adds Memphis-Toronto service

2010-02-19T12:15:00.004-06:00

So Delta Airlines has announced it is adding daily service from its Memphis hub to Amarillo, Texas, Indianapolis and Toronto. I’m a bit indifferent about the flights to Amarillo and Indianapolis. As a Memphis resident, I believe it’s always good news when the airline that dominates Memphis International Airport adds more service here. But because of a recent announcement from Air Canada, I’m more interested in the Toronto service.

It wasn’t that long ago that Delta stopped its nonstop service between Memphis and Toronto. Possibly seeing the void, Air Canada a few weeks ago announced it would add nonstop service between Toronto and Memphis, beginning May 17. I wondered – and hoped – when that announcement was made that it would be good news for Memphis, possibly creating a competing option in Memphis.

And it seems that time has come with Delta’s announcement. A month ago, there were zero options to fly nonstop from Memphis to Toronto. Today, there are four daily flight options. The flights aren’t exactly cheap: Roundtrip on Delta is $498.30 and Air Canada is $498.07. I used May 18 as a departure date with a return on May 21 (The Air Canada service begins May 17 but May 18 is the first day that two flight options are offered).

Hopefully these two carriers will, at least on occasion, have sales on the flight thanks to the minor competition. We’ll see.

Booking cheap airfare

2010-02-17T15:07:00.000-06:00

TRAVEL

Frugal Traveler: Booking a Flight the Frugal Way

By By MATT GROSS

Published: February 16, 2010

The Frugal Traveler sifts through the many booking sites out there, and outlines the steps he takes when booking a flight for himself.

http://frugaltraveler.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/02/16/click-it-and-ticket-booking-a-flight-the-frugal-way/

Five Must Have Slices of Pizza

2010-02-17T12:45:00.001-06:00

Five Must Have Slices of Pizza

I've only been to one of these places, Grimaldi's in Brooklyn, but thought I'd share this blog. I eventually would like to write about my fave pizza places, but I don't think I've sampled much to be any kind of authority.

I do love Grimaldi's, but of course it's a place you can't get a slice so I'm not sure why it's on a list of "must have slices." My favorite slice place is Joe's in the Village in New York. Anyway, here's some food for thought (pun intended).

Black History Month Travel Tip of the Day: Finding Soul in Memphis

2010-02-16T11:51:00.006-06:00

Editor's Note: I had something else in mind for today's Black History Month Travel Tip of the Day, but thanks to the power of Twitter, I've adjusted. This message from @StaxMemphis sealed the deal: "This week in 1966, Otis Redding releases his reworking of the Stones classic "Satisfaction."

Did you know the great Otis Redding recorded in Memphis?

I often wonder how much music listeners really appreciate the city of Memphis for its place in music history. Sure, the city has Elvis and Beale Street. Hundreds upon hundreds of musical legends have made stops along the way to stardom in Memphis. I could write a number of entries on the Bluff City's role in shaping music, but I think today's focus will center on the soul of Memphis, the Stax Museum of American Soul Music.

Considering the role Stax Records played in combining black and white talents on its recordings, it seems like a perfect entry for today's Black History Month Travel Tip of the Day.

The museum is located at the site of the original Stax Records, the recording home to many American legends during the 1960s and '70s: Isaac Hayes, Otis Redding, The Staple Singers, Booker T & the MG's, Wilson Pickett. The museum honors all of the Stax artists, as well as the influence of many other soul musicians on other labels from Marvin Gaye and Stevie Wonder to Aretha Franklin (Memphis born) and Al Green (recorded at Memphis' Hi Records and still resides in the city).

The museum has some 2,000 interactive exhibits, films, artifacts, items of memorabilia and galleries. In addition to hearing all the truly great music that was made at Stax, the highlight of the museum to me is Isaac Hayes' gold-plated Cadillac.

Images courtesy of www.soulsvilleusa.com

To me, the Stax Museum is one of the gems in Memphis. If you live in the area but have never visited, I highly suggest it. If you are out of town and planning a visit to Memphis, by all means put this museum on your to-do list.

Through April 30, the museum's featured exhibit is "STILL LIFE IN SOUL: Contemporary Music Photography by Jacob Blickenstaff." It explores the resurgence in popularity of soul music through photography made since 2005 by Blickenstaff.

For more information about the Stax Museum of American Soul Music, go to http://www.soulsvilleusa.com/. Stax is at 926 E. McLemore Ave. just a few minutes southeast of the Downtown core.

Black History Month Travel Tip of the Day No. 7: Memphis Cotton Museum

2010-02-15T15:49:00.003-06:00

The Cotton Museum at the Memphis Cotton Exchange tells the story of King Cotton in an appropriate setting: Memphis' historic Cotton Row along Front Street, what was once the center of the worldwide cotton trade. The museum opened in 2005.

The main exhibit hall at the museum is a 3,000-square-foot space where the story of cotton is told through documentary films, oral histories and interpretative exhibits. The museum will expand Feb. 26 when it opens the east wing called Exploration Hall. It will debut with "The Changing World of Cotton," an exhibit that allows visitors to explore the history of cotton farming over the past 70 years.

This museum is not focused on the black experience in America, per se, but without the backbreaking work performed by slaves, cotton might not have ever become the king it once was in the South. There are thousands of sites, museums and attractions in the United States that tell the story of Black America. But a museum focused on cotton seems like a pretty important place to get another perspective on African-American history.

For more information, go to http://www.memphiscottonmuseum.org/index.asp.

Black History Month Travel Tip of the Day No. 5, 6

2010-02-15T12:43:00.003-06:00

I guess I'm being a bit lazy today, but I just devoted a lot of effort to the Lincoln in Springfield President's Day post, so I'm going to cheat a bit. Because Lincoln played such an important role in the eventual freedom for the slaves in the U.S., I figure a couple of sites in his hometown of Springfield, Ill., will serve as Black History Month Travel Tips of the Day.

I say two because these are the ones out of the several Lincoln-related sites in Springfield that played a role in Black History.

The Lincoln presidential museum has several exhibits related to the Civil War and the Emancipation Proclamation. And at the nearby site of the former state capitol building, Lincoln gave his "House Divided" speech, one of several turning points that would play a role in the eventual freedom for America's slaves.

Experience Lincoln in Springfield

2010-02-15T12:13:00.003-06:00

For those people who have never visited Downtown Springfield, Ill., you might be surprised to learn of its historic significance and beauty. Everything is pretty much centered on things related to Abraham Lincoln, from the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum, to the site of one of his law offices and a restored neighborhood that features the president’s home.

There are other fun things to see: art galleries and quaint shops, the Illinois state capitol building and even a home designed by Frank Lloyd Wright.

But with today being President’s Day, we’ll take a closer look at Springfield’s Lincoln sites. The presidential library and museum is located at 212 N. Sixth St. All the other sites are within a few blocks of the museum, excluding Lincoln’s tomb, which is a mile and a half north.

The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library & Museum: The museum takes an inside look at Lincoln the man, the Springfield resident, lawyer, legislator, masterful speech giver and U.S. president. There are a number of exhibits highlighted by movies, re-enactments and artifacts that tell the life and struggles of Lincoln. http://www.alplm.org/home.html

The Lincoln Home National Historic Site: This four-block neighborhood features a number of homes restored to their 1860 appearance, including the structure the Lincolns called home for 17 years. It was the only home Lincoln ever owned. The neighborhood contains 12 structures. Go to http://www.nps.gov/liho/lincoln-neighborhood.htm to learn more about the history of these buildings.

Old State Capitol State Historic Site: This is an exact reproduction of the original that was built in the 1960s after what was remaining of the old site was razed. The original building was where Lincoln practiced law before the state’s Supreme Court, served as a state legislator, gave his 1858 speech titled “House Divided” and where his body lay in state before his burial nearby.

Lincoln Herndon Law Office State Historic Site: Abraham Lincoln practiced law in Springfield from a number of offices. This building is the only office space that is still standing. Lincoln practiced law from this office from 1843 until 1852. It's within sight of the Old State Capitol building and is adjacent to a number of quaint shops and eateries.

Lincoln Depot (Great Western Depot): This is the train depot where Lincoln departed Springfield to head to Washington to take the oath of office as president. Lincoln gave an impromptu farewell speech regarding his affection for his hometown when he saw the turnout of people there to see him off.

Lincoln Tomb State Historic Site: Oak Ridge Cemetery is the final burial place for Lincoln, his wife, Mary, and the entire family except son Robert, who is buried at Arlington National Cemetery. http://www.state.il.us/hpa/hs/lincoln_tomb.htm

For more Springfield Lincoln information, go to http://www.lincoln200.net/, which was designed for last year’s 200th birthday celebration of Lincoln, or http://www.lookingforlincoln.com/.

Image courtesy of Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library & Museum

Black History Month Travel Tip of the Day No. 4

2010-02-14T22:29:00.002-06:00

This is certainly a subjective statement, but I would say one of the biggest contributions made by African-Americans is in music. And blues music has certainly made one of the biggest impacts on all other forms of music.

Today’s latest Black History Month Tip of the Day is the Delta Blues Museum in Clarksdale, Miss., about 90 miles south of Memphis.

The Delta Blues Museum was established in 1979 by the Carnegie Public Library Board of Trustees and reorganized as a standalone museum in 1999. The museum has been housed in the historic Clarksdale freight depot since 1999. The former freight area – about 5,000 square feet of ground-floor space – is devoted to permanent and traveling exhibits.

The museum’s collection includes musical instruments, recordings, sheet music, posters, photographs, costumes, folk art, paintings and other memorabilia. Some of the exhibits focus on Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker, B.B. King, Big Joe Williams, big Mama Thornton, Charlie Musselwhite and Jimmy Burns.

The Delta Blues Museum Stage hosts a year-round music education program and also serves as the main venue for local festivals including the Sunflower River Blues and Gospel Festival in August and the Juke Joint Festival in April.

For more information, go to http://www.deltabluesmuseum.org/.

Black History Month Travel Tip of the Day No. 3

2010-02-14T21:18:00.004-06:00

If you find yourself in Louisville, Ky., the first place that comes to mind might be Churchill Downs, home of the Kentucky Derby. And there are plenty of other sites worth seeing in Louisville, but since this is a Black History Month travel tip, today’s focus is on the Muhammad Ali Center.

The Muhammad Ali Center was incorporated as a nonprofit corporation in 1997 and opened in Downtown Louisville, the boxing icon’s hometown, in November 2005.

The Ali Center has two-and-a-half levels of exhibits and galleries that explore the boxer’s life. A series of interactive pavilions tell his story through six core values of his life: respect, confidence, conviction, dedication, spirituality and giving. There is also a chronological timeline of Ali’s boxing career, highlighted by several items of boxing memorabilia.

The current special exhibit at the center is “Muhammad Ali by Simon Bull,” which showcases 16 paintings of Ali in oil on canvas and five color photographs done by the British-born artist. There are a couple of Black History Month programs: An inspirational music program titled “Rejoice” on Feb. 21 and a poetry slam on Feb. 25.

For more information on the center, visit http://www.alicenter.org/Pages/default.aspx.

Black History Month Travel Tip of the Day No. 2

2010-02-13T14:50:00.004-06:00

The International Civil Rights Center & Museum is possibly the newest exhibit that has opened to the public to tell the story of the civil rights movement in the U.S. Located in the former Woolworth’s that was the site of the 1960 lunch counter sit-in, the museum opened Feb. 1 in Greensboro, N.C.

The 50th Anniversary Gala & Banquet “Standing For a World of Change” will really kick things off tonight. The program – originally scheduled for Jan. 30 but postponed to Feb. 13 because of inclement weather in the Greensboro area – is a benefit for the museum recognizing international civil and human rights achievements worldwide.

But considering the event is sold out, you probably won’t be attending. But in honor of the recently opened museum, it’s today’s location to recognize Black History Month.

The purpose of the International Civil Rights Center & Museum is to memorialize the stand of the Greensboro Four as they launched the sit-in movement on Feb. 1, 1960. The focus is on the sit-in activities at the F.W. Woolworth lunch counter in Greensboro.

The sit-in was led by four North Carolina A&T State College students on Feb. 1, 1960. In the days and weeks that followed, hundreds, if not thousands, of youths around the country joined in the sit-in movement that led to the desegregation of the Woolworth lunch counter.

The museum itself features a number of exhibits centered on the F.W. Woolworth lunch counter. Other exhibits, including a re-enactment of the discussion that led to the sit-in and a broad look at the six-month sit-in struggle, take a look at the civil rights movement as a whole.

The museum is open Tuesdays through Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sundays from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, go to http://www.sitinmovement.org/

Travel movies with a romantic twist

2010-02-12T12:19:00.005-06:00

In honor of Valentine's Day, I present a few travel-related movies with a romantic twist (or romantic movies with a travel twist, depending on your perspective). Keep in mind that these are from a guy's point of view.

"When Harry Met Sally"

I don’t know if I’ve seen this movie all the way through, but I’ve seen the “I’ll have what she’s having” scene many times. I’ve also been to Katz’s Deli where that scene takes place. And yes, they have a sign that makes note of the scene.

"Under the Tuscan Sun"

We watched this movie just before traveling to Tuscany. Did it prepare me for what I would see? Yes and no. I mean, it is a great representation of the warmth of the people of the area and the beauty of the region. But it’s impossible to be prepared for what you see in Tuscany.

"Dirty Dancing"

I haven’t been anywhere in New York other than New York City. So I have no clue if this really is a good representation of upstate New York. I can’t imagine families still vacation like this, though.

"Notting Hill"

I’ve visited London’s Notting Hill neighborhood during the Portobello Market. The movie did not prepare me for the insanity of the crowds there. We actually didn’t stay long because it was so crowded.

"Breakfast at Tiffany’s"

I’ve been to Tiffany’s; I’ve been to New York. This movie is just one of many set in New York that gives a pretty good feel of being there.

"Serendipity"

This movie is a great advertisement for traveling to New York City. On our most recent visit to the city, we visited Serendipity III, the restaurant that lends its name to the movie. A bit overpriced, but I could see where it could be a good mood setter while sharing a huge frozen hot chocolate.

"Groundhog Day"

We all know about Punxatawny Phil, but this movie really brought the groundhog to the forefront in my opinion. A friend of mine who used to live in Philadelphia spent a weekend in the town (not on Groundhog’s Day) and said it’s a lovely town. I’ll take his word for it.

"Roman Holiday"

Watched this movie before going to Rome. I can’t say the black and white flick gave me a true representation of what the city would look like, but Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck hit all the major sites. Definitely recommend this before visiting Rome.

"Twilight"

I recently read a blog that said Forks, Wash., and the Olympic Peninsula have seen an uptick in tourism because of the Twilight movies. As far as I know there is nothing spectacular about Forks, but I do understand the books are very accurate when it comes to descriptions of the story’s location. I don’t know if the movies are accurate (I don't even know where they were filmed), but I do know the Pacific Northwest is a beautiful spot and "Twilight" shows some of that.

Others of note (or so I've been told):

"The Holiday"

"French Kiss"

"Sleepless in Seattle"

"A Room With A View"

Black History Month Travel Tip of the Day No. 1

2010-02-12T11:30:00.004-06:00

Editor's Note: I realize Black History Month is reaching its midway point but that doesn't mean it's too late to start a Black History Month Travel Tip of the Day. I will even try to double up some days to catch up.

1. Memphis’ Hattiloo Theatre

Hattiloo Theatre started in March 2006 at 656 Marshall Ave. in the Edge neighborhood of Downtown Memphis near the famous Sun Studio. The black repertory on an annual basis presents seven major productions and six special performances that highlight the diversity of black artistic expression, all in a cozy 66-seat theater.

Currently, the theater is showing “The Piano Lesson,” written by August Wilson, through Feb. 28. For more information, call 901-525-0009 or go to http://hattilootheatre.org.

Image courtesy of http://hattilootheatre.org

Vacations With a Heart: Voluntourism Opportunities Around the World - SmarterTravel.com

2010-02-12T11:17:00.001-06:00

This is a topic, especially in light of the devastation in Haiti, that I've wanted to blog about. But I figure if I come across someone else who has done a superb job on the topic, I'll let them tell it in their own words.

Vacations With a Heart: Voluntourism Opportunities Around the World - SmarterTravel.com

Travel Safety: Wear Your Luggage, Don't Tote It on Behind the Guides

2010-02-11T16:06:00.001-06:00

Travel Safety: Wear Your Luggage, Don't Tote It on Behind the Guides

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Postcards, shot glasses and magnets: The knick-knack memories of travel

2010-02-11T13:30:00.002-06:00

Are you a traveler who needs a souvenir from every little aspect of your trip, or are you OK with just the memories and a few photographs?

I know both kinds and see nothing wrong with either type. I’m both, depending on the nature of the trip. I’ve noticed a lot of Twitter chatter lately on the topic of knick-knack souvenirs from trips, specifically shot glasses. It got me to thinking about the souvenirs we’ve brought home through the years.

I have pretty much run the gamut, starting with my first travels as a child when I felt it necessary to pick up every brochure I came in contact with. They were stored in a large box in my closet for many years. It would be interesting to look at those today, particularly the 1970s and ’80s attire that would have been worn by those happy visitors at Disney World or Chattanooga’s Rock City.

As a child, I also felt a need to buy postcards on every trip. This is actually something I continue to this day. I have a desk drawer and two shoeboxes full of postcards from trips. Unfortunately, I went through a phase of buying 50 from one trip when one would have sufficed. I mean, what’s the need to have 20 varieties of virtually the same view of the city pier in Panama City Beach? Old, previously used postcards, by the way, can make a really cool souvenir. I’ve come across a number of postcards at flea markets, car boots in England and antique shops. My designer wife tells me they can make for really great decorating ideas.

But back to the shot glass discussion. I’ve gone through that phase, too. For a while in college and briefly afterwards, I purchased shot glasses from unique and not-so-unique places. I’ve since weeded out the collection, but did keep a handful. The tall, skinny one with AC on it from Atlantic City? That one went away. But the wine glass-shaped one from Paris with the Eiffel Tower drawn on, the cowboy boot from Fort Worth, Texas, and the tiny one picturing the red-clothed Buckingham Palace guards bought at a car boot held in a random field in a tiny English hamlet during a May shower? Yes, those are all keepers and on a shelf to this day.

Key chains? Bought a few as a child. As I look in front of me on my desk, I have a magnetic monkey bought at Microsoft corporate headquarters and a $1 Statue of Liberty statue bought in a tourist shop in Times Square. I also have a framed picture of Haystack Rock in Oregon and one of my wife and I in Rome.

Magnets? Yes, we have a few of those on the fridge, but not like so many friends who seem to have a magnet from every trip they’ve been on (I can think of three right now whose fridges are literally covered in trip magnets).

I have a few pint glasses and mugs, T-shirts (but only the cool ones from places like the Elliot Bay book store in Seattle) and even ink pens (but mostly the ones taken from hotel rooms). I also keep museum and attraction tickets stuffed neatly in a box next to some of those postcards. And somehow, the striped candy dish bought at the Fort Worth Zoo 10 years ago still remains above the TV.

I still buy some of these random items. It seems now, though, our focus has shifted more toward the artsy: a watercolor bought from the artist in Venice, a pottery item bought from the potter in Indiana, Murano glass plates bought in Venice, a painting of a coastal scene bought on the Jersey Shore.

Whether it's passport stamp collections or bumper stickers and buttons, souvenirs can be part of the fun of traveling.

Don't be afraid to travel

2010-02-10T11:54:00.002-06:00

Aren’t You Scared to Go There?

No, actually. As the former expert on the Memphis forum on Trip Advisor, questions related to that topic were posed at least once a day. Memphis, you see, has a violent reputation. And it’s certainly with cause; the city is near the top nationally in a number of crime statistics. It’s a problem that, unfortunately, is not going away anytime soon.

But so many cities in the world have these “dangerous” reputations. Yes, in Memphis, certain crime statistics are high. But the Downtown Zip code where many attractions are located is one of the safest in the city.

Elvis Presley’s Graceland is in an area that some people consider questionable at best. But I worked as a tour guide there in the late 1990s and never felt unsafe there. I mean, it’s one of the most visited houses in the country – and arguably second-most popular behind the White House. Do you really think criminals are standing around waiting to mug you with all those people as witnesses? And things are only going to get better there, as Elvis Presley Enterprises Inc. has been working to transform the area into a tourist zone.

Still, travelers are worried about safety when visiting a new city, some to such a degree that it leads them to only stick to the most touristy of tourist sites a city has to offer. But with proper preparation and research about a city – and use of common sense – many of the world’s cities can be enjoyed worry-free.

When preparing for a trip to Italy, I read about the pickpockets on the Rome Metro. So I kept an eye on my surroundings, always kept my hand on my wallet that was in my FRONT pocket and didn’t stand around reading a guidebook with a fanny pack strapped around my waist screaming, “I’m a tourist. Rob me, please!”

It’s not always that simple, of course. You can’t always be prepared. I mean, how could Clark Griswold know that when he took that wrong turn into East St. Louis in “National Lampoon’s Vacation” that he would find his car’s rims being stolen out from under him? But he probably shouldn’t have fallen for that gag in “National Lampoon’s European Vacation” that saw his video camera get stolen while he stood in the water fountain so the “nice” stranger could take his picture.

There are so many online sources these days that there really isn’t an excuse to not know where the safe places in town are. It’s safe to assume that heavily visited tourist spots are in safe areas, or at least well-policed ones. That doesn’t mean to let your guard down, though.

Downtown Memphis might be one of the safest areas of town, but I’m not going to leave my car doors unlocked. And I’m certainly not going to leave a bag out in sight. That’s just waiting to be stolen. I’m also not going to walk down a dark alley two blocks off the main drag. It just makes no sense.

I’m going to be extra sure of my surroundings when in an unfamiliar city, and especially sure in a different country.

Here are a few safety tips when traveling. Some might seem like common sense. Some, not so much.

Don’t walk down dark alleys at night
Do stick to busier areas at night, especially when alone
Don’t leave belongings in view in a parked automobile
Do lock the car doors
Don’t walk around looking like a lost tourist
Do have a confident air about you
Don’t wear a fanny pack
Do carry your wallet and/or money in a front pocket
Don’t carry more bags than you can easily handle
Do strap your purse securely over your shoulder and neck
Don’t hand your camera over to a stranger
Do be as discreet as possible about the fact you have a camera in your possession (not always possible with large equipment, but at least carry it in a secure manner)
Do have a cell phone
Don’t go to an ATM in a dark or secluded place
Do put money away in a secure place as quickly as possible after taking it out of an ATM
Don’t carry too much cash
Do use credit cards and traveler’s checks when possible
Don’t go out in an unknown city without a map or directions
Do have the name and address of your hotel written down; also, in case your credit cards are stolen, do carry phone numbers of credit cards in a separate place so they can be reported lost or stolen

There are others. But the most important thing to remember is use common sense and don’t be afraid to travel and experience a local community for what it is.

Bonnaroo Lineup Announcement

2010-02-09T11:13:00.003-06:00

The Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival is announcing its lineup all day today. It started at 11 a.m. central and will continue through 9 p.m. Instead of just posting a list on their Web site, they are announcing bands every five minutes at www.bonnaroo.com and www.myspace.com/bonnaroo. (You can also follow them on Twitter @bonnaroo.)

In case you don't know what Bonnaroo is, it is one of the country's biggest music festivals that takes place in sleepy little Manchester, Tenn., an hour south of Nashville. It was voted the best by Rolling Stone in 2008. It takes place this year June 10-13. There isn't a musical theme, per se, as pretty much every genre is there, from indie faves such as Bon Iver and The Avett Brothers to past big dogs like Radiohead, The Police and Snoop Dogg. Country, gospel, all forms of rock, even comedy acts are there.

The festival was first held in 2002 on a large farm next to Interstate 24. The roughly 700-acre farm overflows with thousands of festival-goers and campers there to see a wide range of music on several stages and tents.

The uniqueness at Bonnaroo doesn't end with the name (popularized by Dr. John with his 1974 album "Desitively Bonnaroo," meaning "a really good time.") The stages and tents are named What Stage, Which Stage, This Tent, That Tent and The Other Tent.

I'm not going to bore you with my thoughts on the festival or my wife's constant dismay at Manchester (her hometown) hosting such a mega event. If you're interested, take a peek at the lineups today.

Enjoying local arts scene along beaches of Northwest Florida

2010-02-08T11:31:00.003-06:00

I used to think I wanted to focus my travels on sports events and the beach. I’ve been to the Summer Olympics, old and new Yankee Stadium and I’m well on my way to seeing every Major League ballpark. But I’ve definitely had to reassess those sports goals. And while I enjoy relaxing at the beach, I much prefer spending my travel time exploring new cities and other cultures.

My priorities in travel have changed a great deal. My wife is an artist and has helped me gain an appreciation of art. Many of our trips, whether a weeklong stay in New York or a weekend in Louisville, Ky., – even a relaxing week at the beach – are at least somewhat centered on art. We don’t necessarily attend every art museum, but if it’s one that has important pieces or a special exhibit, we’re there. I also in my trip planning make sure I find a destination’s art communities to at least get in an hour or two of checking out local art.

On this cold and snowy February day, it is not hard to look forward to our week this summer along the Florida Gulf Coast. But just because we will find ourselves in a condo-infested ocean playland, it doesn’t mean we have to leave our cultural side at home.

In fact, the stretch between Destin and Panama City Beach in Florida has a number of art communities, random galleries and musical/theater experiences. We will be staying in a condo on the relatively quiet west end of Panama City Beach, a good location to make quick jaunts to the quaint communities of the Beaches of South Walton – Santa Rosa Beach, Grayton Beach, Blue Mountain Beach, Seagrove Beach and the granddaddy of them all, Seaside.

These communities, especially Seaside, are great examples of New Urbanist design. In fact, Seaside is often cited as the first New Urbanist development in the United States. I’m not an urban planning expert, so I will just direct you to watch the 1998 movie “The Truman Show,” starring Jim Carrey and largely set in Seaside, to get a feel for the beauty of that community.

Seaside has quaint shops, several galleries and just beautiful buildings that make for pleasant and relaxing strolls. Like many gallery neighborhoods in cities around the world, Seaside has its version of an art walk. The First Friday ArtWalk is held the first Friday of every month. The galleries and shops of Ruskin Place and select businesses in Central Square are open from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. It’s the usual wine-and-cheese, art opening/demonstration evening. I have read of some “purist” artists deriding these events, but I think anything that opens art up to new people is a good thing. And especially art walk events as they typically feature galleries that show local and regional artists.

In addition to Seaside, though, there are a couple of favorites we have discovered from past trips: Artists at Gulf Place in Santa Rosa Beach and Big Mama’s Hula Girl Gallery in Grayton Beach. Artists at Gulf Place is an artists’ co-op of sorts and Big Mama’s Hula Girl, as you can imagine by the funky name, is filled with eclectic and fun items.

If you find yourself in Northwest Florida for your family vacation, take some time away from baking on the beach, eating seafood at tourist trap beachside restaurants and shopping at the outlet mall, and support the local arts scene.

A couple of sites to check out: http://www.beachesofsouthwalton.com/arts_galleries.asp, http://www.seasidefl.com/.

Photo courtesy of www.beachesofsouthwalton.com

Finding a friendly neighborhood bar

2010-02-06T23:14:00.002-06:00

What defines a local bar? For some, it’s the neighborhood bar, a watering hole one can walk a block from their house or apartment and be there. For others, it might be a place near the office where a drink can be had before heading home for the evening.

For me, someone who works in the downtown core of Memphis but lives in the epitome of suburbia 40 minutes away, I find my neighborhood bar is a mix of after-work watering holes and pregame pubs. A relatively new bar in Downtown Memphis, South of Beale, has become my go-to spot for after-work drinks, pre-event cocktails, pregame drinks and postgame nightcaps.

As a season ticket holder to University of Memphis basketball games and the Broadway season at The Orpheum Theatre, not to mention a Downtown worker, I have more than enough reasons to have a neighborhood bar there. My neighborhood bar doesn’t need to be near my house. My friends and I frequent South of Beale before Tigers games, sometimes afterwards and I expect my wife and I will stop in before we head to shows at The Orpheum this spring.

South of Beale bills itself as a gastropub, a bar that serves good drinks AND good food, not just drinks and a smattering of pub food. The concept of the gastropub can be the topic of another post, but trust me, the food is great.

I ended up at South of Beale after today’s Tigers game against Gonzaga, but we decided to try another neighborhood bar for pregame activities. Bardog Tavern is also a relatively new establishment. It has the look, feel and character of a hole-in-the-wall neighborhood drinking establishment. It is, in fact, a neighborhood bar of sorts. It seems the bar is always packed when I visit, no matter the time of day. We were lucky enough to have owner, Aldo DeMartino, stop by and have a drink with us before my friend Dave and I walked over to FedExForum for the game.

Aldo, a New Jersey native who lived in New York for 15 years before coming to Memphis, has built a gem of a place in a residential and business district of Downtown. He confirmed our suspicions that many of the people at the crowded bar today were indeed locals. Last week, in fact, when Memphis was slammed with an ice storm, he said it was one of the bar’s busiest nights on record, and it was nothing but locals. To me, that’s the epitome of a local bar.

When I travel, even if it’s just for a day, I like to find what I consider a local bar. When in New York City last summer, it was Blind Tiger on Bleecker Street in the West Village. This place, while it had some tourists and a bit of the college crowd nestled up to the bar, to me it was local to the core. It was a smaller place, where the bartenders seemed to know the patrons. I stumbled upon the place on a Friday afternoon. After 30 minutes there, the bartender/owner enthusiastically greeted my wife when she soon joined me. The guy next to me was buying us drinks. And by the next day, not only did the bartender remember me, his coworkers who had not met me before were greeting me like an old friend.

There are plenty of other examples of bars from my travels that I feel – if I lived there – could become a neighborhood bar for me: Brooklyn’s Bar Great Harry, Keg & Barrel in Hattiesburg, Miss., Kilkenny’s Irish Pub in Tulsa, Okla., Elevator Brewery in Columbus, Ohio, The Ginger Man in Dallas and The Fat Cat in Norwich, England. There are several I can’t even remember and can’t possibly Google because they were so small: the tiny bar in the first floor of an apartment building near the Philadelphia Art Museum, the bar with 10 taps of beers I had never heard of near Harvard in Cambridge, Mass., and the little place with pool tables, a couple of dart boards and too much University of Alabama stuff in Atlanta.

I might not live near a neighborhood bar “where everyone knows your name,” but if I can stumble upon one on my travels, it’s just the icing on the cake.

Sleeping Arrangements With Kids on Trips Never Easy

2010-02-05T11:24:00.003-06:00

As I continued hitting the snooze button on the alarm clock this morning I began hearing my 3-year-old son calling for me to come get him out of bed (amazingly, he won’t get out of bed until I come get him). During those few minutes of reintroducing myself to the world, my mind wandered to our planned family trip to the beach this summer.

We haven’t figured out the details yet, but my mind has already been wandering to the sleeping arrangements for mom, dad and son, especially if he ends up having to stay in the same room as us. I guess I'm still getting used to traveling with a child.

We have traveled a number of times with our son, beginning with a four-hour drive to grandma’s house when he was 6 weeks old. He handled that drive miraculously well, so I guess he has the travel bug in him too. He tends to do well on the drives. It’s the hotel stays that stress me out. This kid can be a beast to get to sleep in an unfamiliar place.

We have stayed in houses, hotels and condos with our son, all leading to different sleeping arrangements. When he was a baby, it was actually a bit easier. We just sat up his Pack n Play, laid him on his back and went about our business.

His first beach trip to Gulf Shores, Ala., came when he was 10 months old, and we shared a three-bedroom condo with two other couples and their boys, both roughly seven to nine months older than ours. We were lucky that trip in that we won the coin toss and got the master bedroom. So we sat up the Pack n Play in the walk-in closet, giving us a bit of privacy. The other two couples were not as fortunate, having normal bedrooms: one bed, one Pack n Play and no privacy.

We haven’t been as fortunate other times. Last year, for example, we stayed in a condo in Destin, Fla., with some friends. The three of us had to stay in the same room. It had two beds, so he slept in his own twin bed. No problems really as he slept well and we could somewhat come and go quietly after we got him to sleep. The comical thing was when I would wake up each morning, the second my eyes opened he would scream out, “Hey Daddy! It’s time to get up.” He was waiting for me. No sleeping in on that trip.

Other trips to hotel rooms have provided various experiences. When he was younger and still sleeping in the Pack n Play I would get a room with two beds so it would usually have space between one of the beds and the wall so we could put him there. Not to create privacy for ourselves, as much as to keep the lights from reaching him. I’ve rearranged bedroom furniture, creating barriers between him and us. It usually works except one night in Mobile, Ala., when I think he woke up during the night freaked out not knowing where he was or where we were.

As our son has graduated to a bigger bed things have gotten trickier. We’ve gotten rooms with a king-size bed so we could just all get in together. I’ve gotten rooms with two beds. But not one for him alone. No, this boy has to have me there.

It can be quite miserable on a trip to put a child to bed only to realize you still have two or three hours before you would like to do the same. The choices are simple: get creative with finding privacy – and a way to minimize the lights reaching him – or get 12 hours of sleep.

I know there are a lot of parents out there who face similar issues when traveling with babies and toddlers. I’m curious how others handle this situation. I guess I could always spring for a suite, although those rooms aren’t the ones I tend to find on Priceline.com.

Walking in Memphis: Beale Street's Brass Note Walk of Fame

2010-02-04T15:55:00.002-06:00

Ever find yourself walking Beale Street and wonder about all the names engraved in brass music notes along the sidewalks? Wonder no more, as a free tour will be offered Feb. 13 by Jimmy Ogle, billed as Memphis’ mobile historian.

The Beale Street Brass Note Walk of Fame guided tour will begin at 1 p.m. inside the Historic Daisy Theater (across from the theater where many live acts continue to perform) at 329 Beale St.

There are plenty of obvious names: Elvis Presley, Sam Phillips, Jerry Lee Lewis, Isaac Hayes, Johnny Cash, Al Green, Otis Redding; the list of recognized names that influenced American music goes on and on.

There are – at least to some people – what would be called lesser names that have played important roles in their own right on the Memphis music scene: Jerry Wexler, Justin Timberlake, Little Milton, Memphis Slim, The Blues Brothers, Sam & Dave, Willie Mitchell, Three 6 Mafia, and, well, this list goes on and on as well.

Ken Hall, Beale Street marketing director for Performa Entertainment Real Estate (the firm that manages the Beale Street Entertainment District), provided some history of the brass note walk.

“The brass note walk was begun in 1986 by John Elkington of Performa Entertainment Real Estate as a means of tying the rich musical history of Beale Street together with its future as an entertainment district. Since 1986, over 90 honorees has been selected of which 82 currently have note display in the sidewalks between Second and Fourth. Three more are in various stages of completion and the remaining six still await financial sponsorship for creation.

“The notes combine two arts: the musical legacy of the honoree with the metallurgy of the Lugar Foundry in Eads, Tenn., which casts the brass notes. The notes are then engraved and laid in concrete on the north side and south sidewalks along Beale Street. Rising metal costs over the past couple of years have pushed the costs up to $1,700 per note form casting to concrete.”

If you find yourself in Memphis Feb. 13 take some time out to enjoy this tour. It is expected to last about an hour.

For more information, call 901-526-0115. For a full list of brass note honorees, go to http://www.bealestreet.com/wordpress/?page_id=298.

New Orleans Ex-Pats Get Pull From Home for Super Bowl Sunday

2010-02-03T13:35:00.004-06:00

Certain cities and sites have a mysterious lure about them during particular events and times of the year: New York for the holidays, the Vatican City at Easter, Stonehenge for the Summer Solstice, Washington for the Fourth of July, Las Vegas for March Madness, New Orleans for Mardi Gras. There are many others, of course.

The Crescent City this time of year typically is gearing up for the parades and spectacles of its unique Mardi Gras celebration. Mardi Gras, French for Fat Tuesday, falls on Feb. 16 this year. New Orleans will be packed in the days leading up to that date.

But this Sunday, Feb. 7 – Super Bowl Sunday – there will be an excitement in New Orleans never felt before. See, that city’s NFL team, the Saints, is making its first appearance in the Super Bowl, played this year in another American Party city: Miami.

Long-suffering Saints fans won’t be making the usual trip to the city of the Super Bowl this year, though. They are making pilgrimages to New Orleans. The Associated Press today in a feature story on the topic of ex-pat New Orleanians making trips home reports the city is already filling up. Some are taking the week off work to make the trip. I have a co-worker here in Memphis, a New Orleans native, who will be taking off work Friday to head down. She felt the pull from home to be there.

I can relate somewhat. When my Memphis Tigers played in the 2008 Final Four national championship game, I was going to spend the night somewhere – anywhere – in Midtown and Downtown Memphis celebrating with other Tigers fans. It wasn’t meant to be as Kansas pulled off the late comeback, but the pull to be around other Memphians during that time of potential ecstasy was real.

And that will be the scene this weekend in New Orleans. The following from that AP report sums it up best. A New Orleans transplant living in Atlanta had vowed she would travel to Miami if the Saints made the Super Bowl.

"But seeing the fever pitch in New Orleans and knowing how we party, I changed my mind," Belinda Hernandez told the AP. "Who wants to be on Miami Beach when they can be in the French Quarter with the Who Dats for the game?"

The AP reported hotels in New Orleans have been experiencing large jumps in occupancies. Not the case in Indianapolis, home of the Colts and the Saints favored opponents this weekend, where the story quotes a spokeswoman for that city’s convention and visitors association saying there has been no noticeable jump in hotel occupancy for the weekend.

Why is that? Maybe their fans are heading to Miami. Maybe it’s the fact the Colts were in the game just a few seasons ago and their fans have come to expect these big things. Or maybe it’s just that New Orleans is one of those cities that has a peculiar draw to residents, former residents and visitors alike.

I'm not sure if I would be in New Orleans if I were a Saints fan. I know I'd want to be, though.

Photo credit: Michael DeMocker/The Times-Picayune

Restaurant Weeks Show Off a City's Options

2010-02-01T17:09:00.006-06:00

Restaurant Week is a beautiful thing. If you’re fortunate enough to live in or visit a city during Restaurant Week, you are in luck. New York’s Winter Restaurant Week is in full swing. It will run through Feb. 7 (some restaurants will extend the offer through Feb. 28.) Participating restaurants – and there’s a lot of them (go to www.nycgo.com/restaurantweek for a listing) – offer prix-fixe, three-course menus for $24.07 and $35.

I love the concept of Restaurant Week, even though it’s something I have only participated in twice (New York’s summer event last year and the debut event in Memphis in the fall). I’m not sure how many cities have restaurant weeks, but the idea of finer restaurants presenting a sampling of their respective menus at more affordable prices is a great idea. It’s a win-win: Diners experience restaurants their budget might not typically allow and restaurants gain new customers.

Washington, Philadelphia and San Diego all wrapped up Restaurant Week last month. Baltimore’s runs Jan. 22 through Feb. 7, offering three-course menus for $35.10 at nearly 100 restaurants (http://www.baltimorerestaurantweek.com/). Los Angeles is offering its Restaurant Week through Feb. 5 (http://discoverlosangeles.com/play/dining/restaurantweek/aapart2010.jsp). There are three price plans for lunch and dinner ranging from $16 to $44. Restaurant Week Boston runs March 14-19 and 21-26 (http://www.bostonusa.com/visit/restaurantweek).

And the restaurants of Downtown Memphis participated in the city’s first restaurant week in early November. Not sure how much more business the restaurants generated, but I discovered new restaurants because of the promotion. That’s the whole point really; that and an opportunity to get an exceptional meal at a decent price.

In Memphis, the price was $20.09 for three courses. No, the entrees weren’t always the same size of the normal portions served. But I did not leave hungry and the many reviews I read on other blogs and on Twitter all agreed on that fact.

NYC Restaurant Week was the country’s first such celebration, debuting in 1992 to coincide with the Democratic National Convention held there. The cost for three courses was $19.92 then. It’s gone up slightly to $24.07 and been extended to two weeks.

Great food at good prices. Sounds like a good concept to me.

Cold Souls: Iced In in Memphis

2010-01-30T17:49:00.003-06:00

This isn't the greatest weekend to visit Memphis. Most flights in and out of Memphis International Airport were canceled Friday, the Memphis Zoo was closed Friday and today, The Orpheum Theatre's performance of "Jersey Boys" was canceled Friday, Graceland – Graceland! – closed Friday, and galleries and museums ranging from Memphis Brooks Museum of Art to National Civil Rights Museum closed their doors for part or all of the weekend. At least the Grizzlies NBA game versus New Orleans is still on for tonight, although it will be interesting to see how light the crowd will be to see one of the league’s hottest teams (Memphis, not the Hornets).

I’m not going to get into the whole “why the South shuts down for snow argument” other than to say we don’t get snow. We get ice, the kind that weighs down tree limbs and drops them on power lines during the night.

I am curious what travelers in Memphis – and any other locale hammered to various degrees by this winter storm – are doing to make the best of their trips. I don’t have much advice to offer in these types of situations; I’ve never traveled somewhere only to see many of the sights I had hoped to see shut down because of weather. (A tornado warning while on a trip to Springfield, Ill., last March did force us into our Downtown hotel’s basement as we were checking out instead of making a quick visit to some of the shops and galleries near the new Lincoln Presidential Library before heading home.)

At least things seem to be thawing out pretty well here. Hopefully those who were able to get a flight into the city have been able to make the best of their time in Memphis.

Not that anyone should plan lodging around the what if’s of being stranded, but to me it’s one more reason to pick a hotel in the heart of the action. And in the case of Memphis, that’s Downtown, where I know several bars, clubs and restaurants remained open Friday night, some even offering specials. This also can be a good time to get to know the people in a city, namely those servers and bartenders. Those conversations, experiences and new relationships built among other “iced-in” patrons and workers can make a forgettable trip a memorable one.

Running in Memphis: Remembering Jeff Buckley

2010-01-28T12:18:00.003-06:00

As I sit at my desk in Downtown Memphis, I can't ignore the excruciating pain pulsating through my left leg, the leftover effects of two hard runs this week, one of which was speed repeats over the very steep Auction Avenue Bridge to Mud Island. The bridge is short; it connects Downtown to Mud Island over the Wolf River Harbor. But it is fairly steep as it has to allow for barge and boat traffic to clear.

Anyway, I was doing this run a few days ago at sunset. I love sunsets – beaches, rivers, flat farmland – anywhere that shows the sun dipping below the horizon without obstructions. Memphis has great sunsets, just not a lot of vantage points to enjoy them. The peak of the Auction Avenue Bridge, however, certainly is one of them.

The reason I bring up Jeff Buckley is as I sit at my desk, Buckley’s music just randomly came up on my iPod, giving me my second reminder of that run. See, that harbor has much to do with the singer/songwriter who had only months before his death in 1997 moved to Memphis.

It was on this run a few days ago that I was reminded of Buckley while looking down at the water below. It was in those waters that Buckley, who was fully dressed and swimming in the harbor, disappeared. His body was found several days later. His drowning brought to an end the career of a brilliant musician.

I know you might be wondering how these random thoughts on running, the brilliant sunset over the Mississippi River and the greatness of Jeff Buckley have anything to do with local travel. I guess to me being a local traveler also means traveling within one’s city. I’m unable to travel nearly as much as I would like, but I’m blessed to live in a city that draws – I venture to guess – millions of visitors a year. It’s moments like this week’s when I could step out of my Downtown office, run a few blocks away and experience a brilliant sunset over the Mighty Mississippi that makes me glad I can be a local traveler in my hometown.

I encourage you to find those local experiences wherever you call home.

New Beer Fests in Memphis

2010-01-27T12:01:00.004-06:00

Just wanted to pass along a great story written by Eric Smith, senior reporter at The Daily News in Memphis (where I'm an editor). Two cool beer festivals are coming to the market in the spring, both of which will support important charities.

http://www.memphisdailynews.com/editorial/Article.aspx?id=47479

New Air Service: Memphis to Toronto

2010-01-27T10:20:00.002-06:00

If you don't live in Memphis or visit Memphis, the news today that Air Canada is adding two daily nonstop flights between Memphis and Toronto probably doesn't register.

But as a traveler living in Memphis, I think this is great news. Beginning May 17, Air Canada will launch direct service between the two cities. It's not cheap; If I did the flight selector correctly just now it's roughly $550 roundtrip. Delta Airlines, which has a domestic hub at Memphis International Airport, offers a couple of flight options for around $500 roundtrip. (I typed in the same May dates to get similar flight options.)

What was not similar was the fact the Delta flight has layover options in Atlanta and Detroit, adding a couple hours and the hassle of changing planes to the experience.

So for now, cost-wise this new addition to the Memphis market doesn't mean much. But down the road, the competition will hopefully have an impact on prices. And Memphians can't complain about having another airline attempting to make inroads at Memphis International, where the scene has been dominated by Northwest and now it's parent company Delta for years.

Who knows, maybe having another airline in Memphis, especially if it sees success, might help lure the ultimate to Memphis: Southwest Airlines. As Elvis once sang, "If I Could Dream."

Sweet Sweetwater

2010-01-26T21:47:00.004-06:00

It could be called a meat market; a gathering of Atlanta’s who’s who; a neighborhood bar – the one where everyone knows your name; a place to pregame; a perfect place for a blind date, first date or any date; guys’ night out; girls’ night out; an educational experience; somewhere to drown out your latest sorrows or wash away a tough week at work; laugh; cry; or just have a damn good time with friends.

Atlanta’s Sweetwater Brewing Co., www.sweetwaterbrew.com, is all those things and more on Friday evenings when the working brewery opens its doors to the public from 5:30 to 7:30 and, for a measly 8 bucks, patrons can sample six half pints, all in a keepsake pint glass, while listening to live music in a crowd of a couple hundred of your closest friends and strangers.

Sweetwater is located in an industrial neighborhood on the north side of Downtown off Interstate 85. It’s a good spot for the 9 to 5 crowd heading home or preparing for a night out on the town. Want to learn how the place brews its 49,000 barrels a year? Tours are offered throughout the week and during happy hour. About the only downside to the location is it’s not near a MARTA line so if you plan to get tipsy you better call a cab. Otherwise, it’s a quick drive to anywhere in Downtown, Midtown and even Buckhead.

I love the idea of tasting fresh, local beer among a local crowd. I love the idea of hearing a local band playing outside where I can choose to hang out on the patio. The patio, by the way, is very dog-friendly with water bowls scattered around to help man’s best friend out during the hot Atlanta evenings.

Speaking of the heat, if you visit during the summer months – or winter for that matter – and want to head inside, there is a large room with an L-shaped bar and spacious – and clean – restrooms. There’s also an outdoor bar.

The negatives to this place? Well, I can only think of one, and that’s if you’re bothered by crowds. When I went on a pleasant fall evening it took about 20 minutes to move through the line to enter. The lines can build at the bars, but it never takes more than a minute or two to get a refill.

If you find yourself in Atlanta on a Friday evening, I can think of nothing better to do than support a local brewery.

One Morning in the Village

2010-01-25T14:48:00.004-06:00

It’s 9 a.m. on a sunny but unseasonably cool August morning in the West Village. Not really early, but not exactly late in this New York neighborhood that seems to never really sleep. It’s definitely the right time for a cup of coffee and a bagel. But honestly, it seems there’s never a bad time for that combination in this city.

I like to schedule my days on a trip – that’s what OCD Type A personalities like myself do. If there’s not a scrap of paper, Post-It note or some other piece of paper with a to-do list or schedule scribbled on it, then let’s just say I’m not a happy person.

But on this, the third day of a seven-day trip last August in New York, it’s a casual day that “only” has stops scheduled for the Metropolitan Museum of Art, followed by lunch reservations at Union Square Café, an afternoon of shopping and an after-hours event at MoMA. Like I said, a casual day.

But at this moment it’s New York sensory overload. I’ve just stepped out the front door of the old walk-up apartment building we’re lucky enough to call home for a week in the city. The first seconds after the large door slams loudly behind me I smell the cigarette smoke wafting only feet to my right from the mouth of a worker at the tiny dry cleaners nearby. To my left, at the busy intersection with Sixth Avenue, I feel the water hose mist from the guy spraying down the flowers at his corner shop. I’m standing in a daze of New Yorker delight in front of the neatly piled trash already waiting for that night’s pickup when the blare of horn beeping of what has to be 20 or 30 yellow cabs flying through the intersection brings me back to life.

But then I’m quickly reminded of the reason I’ve stepped out for a few minutes: a cup of coffee and a bagel, but not any bagel. We’re talking Bagels on the Square near Father Demo Square at Bleecker and Sixth. Look, I’m no expert on New York bagels. I mean, I don’t live there. I’ve only been to the city a few times. But when I bite into something that’s good, I know it. And the bagels at Bagels on the Square fit the bill, specifically the whole wheat bagel with strawberry cream cheese.

And today won’t be like my previous trip to Bagels on the Square when I learned the New York counter rule: Know what you’re ordering, or step the hell back; at least that’s the drill for this timid Southerner who doesn’t want to look like a tourist. On this morning, I’m a local in the Village.

But despite the fact I’m confident with the knowledge learned the day before, I’m thankful on this morning when I walk in and see there are a few customers at the counter ahead of me. We have a young professional-type wearing a sleek suit and stylish tie, hair jelled perfectly, shoulder bag flung perfectly over his chest and wearing a pair of Converse Chuck Taylor shoes. I mean, it sounds so stockbroker until you get to the shoes.

Then there’s a construction worker (there’s always a construction worker with hard hat in hand, right?), followed by some guy reading his New York Times and wearing the skinniest of skinny jeans and a tight knit shirt.

Then there’s me, the guy from Memphis who was fortunate enough to get a fifth-floor walkup in the Village for a week instead of one of those closet-sized expensive hotel rooms near Times Square wearing his, well, I’ll just say I did not have on the typical American tourist white tennis shoes.

After getting my bagel and coffee, I head to the nearby Father Demo Square where I find a random park bench, take a seat and watch this city of cities pass me by.

It’s a 10-minute snapshot of a random morning in New York. But that’s what traveling, specifically local traveling, is all about. Experiencing those everyday moments just like a local does.

Learning Everyday: An Intro to Fire Museums

2010-01-24T11:26:00.003-06:00

Visiting a fire museum is not high on the list of sites to see for my art-loving wife or my history-buff self. So maybe it was good our introduction to the concept came while attending a birthday party at the Fire Museum of Memphis this weekend.

The museum has its share of historic trucks and equipment, which was pretty cool to check out. But the highlight of this museum – and I’m sure many worldwide like it – is the educational aspect. That’s where this museum has found its mission.

From the room simulator that shows an innocent fire starting and spreading quickly through a house while the room’s heat begins to get very unbearable to the maze teaching children how to escape a burning house, the museum does a great job. And when not learning about fire safety or the history of firefighting in Memphis, the museum offers plenty of play opportunities.

There are nearly 300 museums in North America devoted to firefighting, according to the Fire Museum Network. The network’s Web site, www.firemuseumnetwork.org, lists museums in all 50 states, throughout Canada and in a number of other countries.

Some are basic rooms in working firehouses. Others are more elaborate, such as those that can be found in major cities that are housed in former firehouses.

I’ve been to a grand total of one. So I can’t speak as an expert on the subject. But I can say I was pleasantly surprised in the detail of the interactive exhibits and the number of historic trucks and other items.

The most important visitor on this trip, my 3-year-old son, gave the museum his approval. Two fire trucks and one ambulance with flashing lights and working steering wheels and switches was a perfect experience for a boy infatuated with all things cars and trucks.

If I’m on a weekend trip to New York am I going to visit the New York City Fire Museum? Probably not, but an extended stay, particularly if a certain toddler is in tow, and I can’t think of anything better.

Got Reservations? Avoid Lines to See Renaissance Masterpieces

2010-01-23T00:58:00.006-06:00

Just because the Renaissance was some 500 years ago, it doesn't mean you have to wait for hours to see many of its masterpieces. But don't ever try getting into Florence, Italy’s Uffizi Gallery during peak tourist season without a reservation.

A few years back in planning a trip to Italy, I knew I needed to reserve a spot to get in to this museum featuring many of the Renaissance period’s great masterpieces. But when I called six weeks in advance there were no tour times available until two and a half hours before our train was set to depart for Venice.

I had a choice and I had to make it quick. We could skip the museum, which wasn’t much of an option with my art-obsessed wife, or we could make do with a quick hour and a half of seeing the highlights in the Uffizi before heading off to catch the train. For me, it was a no-brainer.

I mean, yes, I hope to make it back to Florence one day. But just in case one day becomes never or many years from now, I had to make that reservation. Looking back, I’m glad we did, but I do wish we would have had more time to see this wonderful museum.

But I certainly am very glad we were not among the visitors who we saw standing in line for 10-plus hours trying to get squeezed into the museum. Our reservation was exactly that, a reserved spot for two that meant we did not have to spend hours waiting to get in.

So what can you do to avoid this at the Uffizi or other popular attractions? Well, if you’re planning a trip to a foreign country chances are you are doing it a few months in advance. So pencil in a few hours for those “must see” attractions, go to a travel forum such as Trip Advisor and find out from that forum’s experts if reservations are a must for that attraction.

Take it from me, it is well worth the extra time and effort to research the sites you want to see, particularly if your time is limited. Other than that, well, you can plan a trip next time for the off-season.

Honest NYC panhandler

2010-01-22T14:57:00.004-06:00

OK, I call this guy a panhandler, but he might just be someone who thought it would be funny to create this sign and have a seat. But I like his honesty, his humor and what appears to be an attempt for some beer.

And maybe he really was into the whole "Peace and Love and Lots of Hugs" plea. He was sitting at the John Lennon "Imagine" memorial in Central Park.

Not sure if he ever got that beer. But he sure looks happy.

2010-01-22T13:32:00.005-06:00

Huey Lewis knows the heart of rock 'n' roll is still beating in Memphis (Yes, that's pretty lame). Huey has been in Memphis recording an album at Ardent Studios. check out www.facebook.com/ardentstudios for more. For those who don't know, Memphis music is still alive and well. While tourists flock to Sun Studio and Graceland, not to mention Stax Museum of American Soul Music, Rock 'n' Soul Museum and many other music-related spots, there are plenty of spots worth checking out in Memphis.

Who and What is the Local Traveler?

2010-01-22T00:33:00.003-06:00

For those who don’t know me I’m Lance. I’m 33, married since the weekend of my college graduation and a father of a 3-year-old son. We live in Memphis (well, technically the suburb of Collierville, but I call myself a Memphian).
I love Memphis. I love everything about the city, even its flaws that have most people complaining about the city. Memphis is dirty, but in a good way. It has soul. It’s a soul that is not polished. It says, “Here I am. If you don’t like me then you can just bugger off because this is me.” If more Memphians would take on that attitude I think our inferiority complex would disappear.
But this blog does not exist to discuss the dirty soul of Memphis. I am a Memphian who loves to travel. Traveling is my dirty soul. I love traveling, I love dreaming of my future travels, I love planning my future travels. I even love planning other people’s travels.
I lived in Central Arkansas until moving to Memphis just before high school. Growing up, most of my travels consisted of basic trips to the Ozark Mountains.
But the summer following the first grade came The Trip: Two weeks in Florida, the first in Miami and Key West and the second in Orlando’s Mouseland. Despite spending two days straight in a car to get to Miami that trip transformed me. I remember picking up every brochure I came across. I had a very large box full of Florida brochures stuffed in my closet. For years after that trip, I spent hours at a time in my bedroom planning and dreaming of the next trip.
I love to travel and feel I’ve seen my fair share of places. I’ve been to many of this country’s major cities, roughly half the states and a handful of countries. I know people who have traveled much more than me and others who have barely traveled at all.
I don’t get jealous of other people – I’m pleased with my life. But to a degree I do envy those people who have had the opportunities to travel more frequently.
But I’m happy with the travels I have made. I feel sorry for those who have not left their homes to see what is out there.
You’d think I would have ended up as a travel agent or somehow work in the tourism industry, maybe even have a job that would have me traveling. But unfortunately I do not. I’m an editor at a business newspaper in Memphis. I’m a freelance writer, but I’ve never written articles related to my travels (I hope this changes that). I spent some time during college working at Graceland (yes, I was a tour guide at the second-most visited house in the U.S. behind the White House). But that time has been the closest I’ve come to collecting a paycheck from anything related to my love of travels.
With that in mind, this blog is a way for me to connect to that love.
What will I write about? Well, everything related to traveling. One day it might be my top 10 pizza places in New York followed by an essay on why people travel. I sometimes will give advice on Memphis tourism. Other times it will be about other places I’ve visited in the U.S. and in Europe. Maybe I’ll consider the pros and cons to staying at an all-inclusive resort.
Still other writings will be about places I hope to one day visit but haven’t yet stepped foot in. Just because I’ve never been to a locale doesn’t mean I haven’t already researched it to death. I haven't been to Miami in 25 years but I feel my knowledge of the best Cuban restaurants in the area, for example, can match the advice most South Floridians would give. When I or someone I know travels to a locale, I dive in and learn everything I can about that city. That was the case when my wife took a recent trip to South Beach.
You might ask what makes me an expert. Well, nothing, except for the fact that I have a passion for traveling. And, I was the Memphis Expert on Trip Advisor for a couple of years. I found myself way too busy then and had to relinquish that role.
But no, I certainly have not been certified by anyone to speak my mind about travels. You can choose to ignore everything I say. But whether you agree with my recommendations or not, I am just happy you have taken a minute to check in to see what the Local Traveler is about.
Anyway, that’s the Local Traveler in a nutshell: A person who would be happy if he could spend nearly every day of his life in a new place. I hope you are able to learn something about traveling by reading my thoughts.

Lance
The Local Traveler