Memphis September 2025 by Contemporary Media

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For

Film

Amber

The

Memphis Magazine (ISSN 1622-820x) is published monthly for $18 per year by Contemporary Media, Inc., P.O. Box 1738, Memphis, TN 38101 © 2025. Telephone: 901-521-9000. For subscription info, call 901-575-9470.

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september 2025

The Time the Puppy Locked Me Out of the House

BY ANNA TRAVERSE

It’s funny how quickly a day can descend from perfectly normal to utter chaos. You make the smallest, subtlest choice — taking the recycling out now instead of later, just for instance — and all your plans come fluttering to the ground. Then what?

I was having a routine Thursday: deadlines loomed, meetings approached, emails gathered like storm clouds, but I felt relatively in command of what I needed to do. Around lunchtime, because I have a strong distaste for clutter (clutter in the house feels like clutter in my mind), I walked out to our carport with an armload of newspaper sections and empty cans. I should mention several things, in case you don’t read this column each and every month. The first is that we have a puppy: Dido, a rescue mix, who is about 9 months old as I write this. Now, Dido is a generally good-natured puppy, and she’s learning to be a well-behaved dog. But she’s got an energetic spirit, and she does not care for being left alone. The second is that my husband’s job is in a different state, and he was several hours away from home that day. The third is that we don’t lock the thumbturns on our doorknobs, not ever — the deadbolts provide more security, and less opportunity for inadvertent lockouts. The fourth is that my phone battery happened to be low.

I deposited my armload in the recycling bin and walked back to the side door of our house. Placed my right hand on the knob and turned. Except — the knob didn’t turn. Somehow, the door I had only just walked through was locked from the inside. I heard Dido, the puppy, jumping at the door, and real-

ized in a thud what had happened: the dog had locked me out of the house . Pressed the thumbturn on the knob with her paw.

I tried jimmying it open with a credit card, but the door swells in hot weather, and the temperature that afternoon was 99 degrees (heat index: 110): The wood had swelled too much for the card to nudge the lock mechanism open. We had once stored a spare key outside, but at some point plucked it from its hidden nook to give to a pet-sitter. I thought a family member in the area might have a key, but she did not. I was well and truly locked out. And the puppy was staring at me through the window, like, “Hey Mom, where’d you go?” Oh, Dido.

The neighbors are having their house painted, and one of the workmen, observing my plight, came over and tried to help. He couldn’t jimmy the lock either, and quickly transitioned to taking apart the doorframe. When he was about to remove pieces of painted wood, I asked him to please stop (thank you for all your help! But: please stop!).

So I called a locksmith. (Remember, my phone was dying.) 15 minutes or so later, the locksmith arrived, and I sighed with relief. The locksmith, an amiable guy who seemed to know what he was doing, got to work on the door with his compressed-air bags and picking tools. And then

he just kept working. The door didn’t seem to be budging. He started to look nervous, and I started to feel faintly ill. (That heat index.) Looking more distressed, he asked if there were any other doors we could try. Or any windows? Well, yes, there are other doors — all deadbolted. Yes, there are windows — but downstairs, none are made to open. A colleague suggested over text that I could try jumping down the chimney, Santa-style. He tried drilling through the deadbolt of a different door, to no avail. I was stealing glances at my own home, through the windows, thinking how inviting it looked, and how sad that I would never again get to be inside. The puppy was looking very concerned — barking, whining, running loops — while I tried to reason with her through the windows. Meanwhile, my phone went black. Rats. But my kind nextdoor neighbor appeared, took stock of the situation, and offered to help. He invited me inside to charge the phone, and pressed a cold can of sparkling water in my hand. We chatted a while — he and his wife are

the best neighbors you could hope to have — and I left the phone there to charge.

Eventually, after an hour and a half or so, the locksmith called in reinforcements: two more locksmiths. The three of them, equipped with even more tools, did manage to drill through the deadbolt of door no. 2. And so it was that on a perfectly normal Thursday in August, a miracle transpired: I walked into the house . (Dido’s response: “Oh. You’re here! Yay!” I cannot be mad at this dog.)

The rest is mundane: Locksmiths nos. 2 and 3 departed; locksmith no. 1 left to acquire a new deadbolt and returned to install it; I paid a couple hundred dollars for the pleasure of being inside my house. We had a good story to tell at the dog park later.

But here’s the thing: Other than the oppressive heat, and the moments of wondering if I would simply have to live in my carport from now on, it wasn’t the worst afternoon. Separated from my laptop (and then my phone, too), I couldn’t work. I could only talk and laugh with people—helpful contractors working next-door, no fewer than three locksmiths, my neighbor. The world got smaller (and hotter), and more boring. But boredom’s a dying art. And a smaller world can feel more like home. Plus, apparently the house would be difficult to burgle.

We’ll be taking steps to ensure the dog can’t lock us out of the house again. In the meantime, I recommend finding the humor in bizarro circumstances. But dogs, if you’re reading this: Please don’t lock your humans out of the house.

SOUTHERN HERITAGE CLASSIC

DIXON’S ART ON THE ROCKS

LIVE AT THE GARDEN: THE ISLEY BROTHERS

SEPTEMBER 2025

COMPILED BY ABIGAIL MORICI

901 DAY ON BEALE Celebrate Memphis culture at a block party on Beale Street on September 1 — otherwise known as 901 Day. Music, art, dance, family fun, and more are planned for this free celebration. SEPTEMBER 1, 11 A.M.-7 P.M.

30 DAYS OF OPERA - FAMILY DAY! Enjoy live performances of The Playground King, opera costumes up close, a photo booth, arts and crafts, and other family-friendly offerings to kick off Opera Memphis’ 30 Days of Opera. SEPTEMBER 1, 1-4 P.M.

TOM LEE’S MISSISSIPPI RIVER GUMPTION REVIVAL LANTERN PARADE Honor Tom Lee’s bravery at the ﬁrst-ever Tom Lee’s Mississippi River Gumption Revival Lantern Parade. TOM LEE PARK, SEPTEMBER 1, 7 P.M.

ART ON THE ROCKS: A GARDEN COCKTAIL FESTIVAL (21+) The Dixon’s garden cocktail and beer tasting returns for a stylish evening of ﬂavor and fun. DIXON GALLERY & GARDENS, SEPTEMBER 5, 6 P.M.

ZOO RENDEZVOUS With a Wizard of Oz theme, the zoo’s annual fundraiser will have you savoring endless bites and cocktails from Memphis’s top restaurants, trendy food trucks and chic bars. MEMPHIS ZOO, SEPTEMBER 5, 7 P.M.

GERMANTOWN FESTIVAL Enjoy arts and crafts, rides and games, and the Running of the Weenies. GERMANTOWN CIVIC CLUB COMPLEX, SEPTEMBER 6-7

LIVE AT THE GARDEN: ZZ TOP See Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees and Southern rockers ZZ Top in concert. RADIANS AMPHITHEATER AT MEMPHIS BOTANIC GARDEN, SEPTEMBER 6, 8 P.M.

CENTRAL GARDENS 49TH ANNUAL HOME & GARDEN TOUR Tour the grand historic homes and some of the newer residences along Central Avenue. CENTRAL AVENUE, SEPTEMBER 7, 1-5 P.M.

TOM LEE’S MISSISSIPPI RIVER GUMPTION REVIVAL LANTERN PARADE

AUSTEN’S PRIDE AT THE ORPHEUM

REDBIRDS BASEBALL SEPT. 2-7 vs. Rochester Red Wings, SEPT. 16-21 vs. St. Paul Saints, AUTOZONE PARK SIP AND STROLL (21+) Enjoy an after-hours, walking tour of a highlighted specialty garden featuring themed cocktails. MEMPHIS BOTANIC GARDEN, SEPTEMBER 4, 6 P.M.

THE ORCHESTRA UNPLUGGED: BRAHMS SYMPHONY NO. 1 Music director Robert Moody explores how Brahms wrestled with Beethoven’s legacy to create a bold, heartfelt masterpiece. HALLORAN CENTRE, SEPTEMBER 4, 7:30 P.M.

ART & APERITIFS: CALIDA RAWLES IN CONVERSATION WITH C. ROSE SMITH Curator Rose Smith sits down for an in-depth conversation with celebrated painter Calida Rawles on the topic of her current exhibition, “Away with the Tides.” MEMPHIS BROOKS MUSEUM OF ART, SEPTEMBER 5, 6 P.M.

6TH ANNUAL CRAFT FOOD AND WINE FESTIVAL This tasting event returns this year to celebrate local “foodpreneurs,” chefs, and artisan makers alongside carefully curated wine and cocktail pairings. MEMPHIS BROOKS MUSEUM OF ART, SEPTEMBER 7, 6 P.M.

AUSTEN’S PRIDE Blending wit and wisdom with a gorgeous original score, Austen’s Pride presents Pride and Prejudice as never before. ORPHEUM THEATRE, SEPTEMBER 9-10

AGATHA CHRISTIE’S MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS Playhouse on the Square presents this adaptation of the fan-favorite novel by Agatha Christie. CIRCUIT PLAYHOUSE, SEPTEMBER 12-OCTOBER 5

JAJA’S AFRICAN HAIR BRAIDING Hattiloo welcomes you into Jaja’s bustling hair braiding shop in Harlem. HATTILOO THEATRE, SEPTEMBER 12-OCTOBER 12 BLUFF CITY TO BROADWAY AND BEYOND: CELEBRATING 10 YEARS AT THE HALLORAN CENTRE This cabaret-style musical revue features performances from Orpheum program alumni that have gone from the Bluff City to Broadway and beyond. HALLORAN CENTRE, SEPTEMBER 13, 7:30 P.M. COOPER-YOUNG FESTIVAL A true celebration of the arts, people, culture and Memphis heritage, this festival is one of Memphis’ most highly attended festivals every year. COOPER-YOUNG HISTORIC DISTRICT, SEPTEMBER 13, 9 A.M.-7 P.M.

MEMPHIS PRIDE FESTIVAL Rescheduled from the summer due to rain, the Mid-South Pride Festival has vendors and exhibitors, entertainment, local musicians, education sessions, interactive activities, and a kids area. OVERTON PARK, SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 14

B.B. KING 100TH BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION Celebrate the 100th birthday of the king of blues, B.B. King, with a free, all-ages music festival. B.B. KING’S BLUES CLUB, SEPTEMBER 14, 2-6 P.M.

VOICES OF YELLOW FEVER This theatrical experience brings to life the true stories of Memphis’ yellow fever heroes. ELMWOOD CEMETERY, SEPTEMBER 14, 5 P.M.

PERFECT PAIRINGS: A WELL DESIGNED EVENING Artistry meets ambiance at this fundraiser for the Brooks. MEMPHIS BROOKS MUSEUM OF ART, SEPTEMBER 17, 6 P.M.

HAMLET Theatre Memphis puts on one of the Bard’s most inﬂuential and acclaimed tragedies. THEATRE MEMPHIS, SEPTEMBER 19-OCTOBER 5

LIVE AT THE GARDEN: THE ISLEY BROTHERS See Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees and legendary R&B icons The Isley Brothers in concert. RADIANS AMPHITHEATER AT MEMPHIS BOTANIC GARDEN, SEPTEMBER 19, 8 P.M.

MID-SOUTH BALLOON FESTIVAL Enjoy more than 20 stunning hot air balloons, live entertainment, food, arts and crafts vendors, and more. TN-57 AND FRAZIER ROAD, ROSSVILLE, SEPTEMBER 20-21

MEMPHIS TIGERS FOOTBALL SEPT. 20 vs. Arkansas Razorbacks SIMMONS BANK LIBERTY STADIUM THE QUEENS! 4 LEGENDS, 1 STAGE Four Grammywinning and nominated icons Chaka Khan, Patti LaBelle, Gladys Knight, and Stephanie Mills bring their unforgettable tour to Memphis. FEDEXFORUM, SEPTEMBER 21, 7 P.M.

SOUTHERN HERITAGE CLASSIC Back for its 36th year, the biggest HBCU (Historically Black Colleges and Universities) rivalry game of the year is right around the corner with a weekend full of celebratory events. SIMMONS BANK LIBERTY STADIUM SEPTEMBER 25-27

TABLAO FLAMENCO See a fresh approach to this dynamic artform through improvisation, passionate music, and the most sought-after, award-winning artists. HALLORAN CENTRE, SEPTEMBER 25, 7:30 P.M.

CAMPFIRES & COCKTAILS PARTY (21+) Roast hot dogs and build the ultimate s’mores while kicking back with drinks, live music, and hands-on activities. MEMPHIS BOTANIC GARDEN, SEPTEMBER 26, 6:30 P.M.

COME AS THOU ART: SHAKESPEAREAN

MASQUERADE Featuring a masquerade ball and runway show, the second-annual Come As Thou Art is your chance to step into a magical world where Shakespearean spirits come to life. MEMPHIS BROOKS MUSEUM OF ART, SEPTEMBER 26, 7 P.M. LATIN FEST Join Cazateatro Bilingual Theatre Group in celebrating the Latin culture and heritage with music, dance, and food. OVERTON SQUARE, SEPTEMBER 27, NOON-6 P.M.

PAW PRINTS PARTY Humane Society of Memphis & Shelby County’s largest fundraiser of the year will help more than 800 animals. HUMANE SOCIETY OF MEMPHIS & SHELBY COUNTY, SEPTEMBER 27, 5-10 P.M. AN EVENING WITH SUTTON FOSTER See Sutton Foster, American actress, singer, and dancer, take over GPAC’s stage. GERMANTOWN PERFORMING ARTS CENTER, SEPTEMBER 27, 8 P.M.

To suggest an event for future editions of Out and About, email abigail@memphismagazine.com.

FALL IN LOVE WITH

CLASSIC DINING

Valle’s

This lunch-only establishment has served nostalgic Italian-American classics since 1977.

BY MICHAEL DONAHUE

Valle’s is synonymous with tantalizing lasagna, pizzas, and sandwiches. But the Whitehaven restaurant is also synonymous with regular customers. Some people eat at Valle’s four or ﬁve days a week, says owner Louie Valle. On a recent Monday, Bryant and Jessica Tucker were dining on Rotel chicken spaghetti in the spacious dining room. Bryant, 45, has been eating at Valle’s since he was a teenager, and was introducing his wife to the restaurant. Now, Jessica is a Valle’s fan, too.

Louie Valle’s parents, the late Pat and Ray Valle, and his sister and brother-in-law, Doris and Bill Fragale, opened what was then known as Valle’s Italian Rebel in 1977 in a converted ﬁrehouse at the same location. “My dad moved from Ohio,” Louie says. “He had some restaurant experience, but worked in construction at the time. He converted this old ﬁre station into a restaurant.”

Brandon Valle, Louie’s son, found a photo of the old Whitehaven ﬁre station, which appears to have been Engine Company No. 42, Louie says. “ at’s when Whitehaven was annexed by Memphis. ey built a big station up the street and shut this one down.”

Louie has worked at Valle’s since it opened when he was 16; he says, “I just cooked and cleaned.” eir recipes come from his grandmother, Louie says.

Valle’s has exclusively served lunch for about 28 years. ey used to serve dinner, but Louie says, “It got to where we just didn’t do a whole lot of dinner business.”

Back in the day, when “We had a diﬀerent crowd,” they served beer, had a shuﬄeboard table, and customers could play music on a jukebox as well as eat dinner. Dinner eventually went by the wayside — but they still have the jukebox. “It doesn’t work. It’s like a time capsule sitting here.”

e menu was smaller back in the day, only featuring spaghetti, lasagna, pizza, salads, and four sandwiches. e menu still includes all their original items, but it “has tripled since then.”

e original sandwiches are the meatball, the hero, roast beef, and the “Spicy Italian Sandwich,” which is made of salami, capicola, lettuce, and Italian dressing, all mingling on a hoagie roll

— and not just any roll, either. eir homemade white bread “has always been the heart of our business,” says Louie. “No one else has our bread.”

Louie, who majored in restaurant management at Northwest Mississippi Community College, took over Valle’s seven years ago. His parents only worked at the restaurant for a while to help out his sister and her husband. “My dad didn’t stick with it long at all. He had his construction business.”

As time passed, Louie’s sister and brother-in-law “didn’t really want to do it anymore. ey oﬀered it to me, and I jumped on it. I liked what I did. I liked the idea of being able to take it over.”

He basically stayed at the restaurant nonstop. “I just pretty much lived here. From open to close, eight in the morning until ten and eleven at night. I think that was what kind of grew it. Just being here, being hands-on, meeting the customers.”

Louie began some innovations, including running daily specials — which helped business to pick up. Over the years, he added new menu items, including the spicy Italian sandwich as well as their muﬀuletta, which “really took oﬀ.”

Louie also changed Valle’s name and signage. His dad originally wanted to call the restaurant Fonzie’s. “Back then,

Happy Days was popular.”

But his dad settled on “Valle’s Italian Rebel.” eir sign depicted a mustachioed man wearing a Civil War Confederate uniform.

Louie wasn’t comfortable with the word “Rebel” or the man in the uniform. “I had a couple of customers say something to me. ey told me how it oﬀended them. I started thinking about it — I never really had before.”

He removed “Italian Rebel” from their name, and the uniform from the little man, who now wears a chef’s hat and jacket. But people still refer to the restaurant as “Italian Rebel” or just “ e Rebel,” Louie says. “Because that’s what everybody knows us by.”

In 2000, Louie opened a Valle’s in Olive Branch, Mississippi. It lasted seven years. “It didn’t make it down there.”

Asked what sets Valle’s apart from other restaurants, Louie says it’s simply their “homemade food.” ere aren’t as many “family-type restaurants” around as there used to be, he says. “When we ﬁrst opened, this was like a restaurant strip all the way to Airways. Nothing but restaurants. ey’ve all been gone for a while. What keeps us going is [customers] can tell it’s homemade. ey smell it when they walk in. ey smell the bread. e great sauce cooking. ey know it’s authentic.”

And then there are those regular customers. Like Mike Burkett and the employees from his heating and air conditioning business, Major League Mechanical. A group of eight of them gathered at lunch recently. ey were honoring the late Steve Neal, a colleague of theirs who regularly ate at Valle’s, Burkett says. Neal introduced all of them to Valle’s, he says.

And, adds Benjamin Bowen, who was at the table, “ e tradition will live on with us.”

Valle’s is located at 1636 Winchester Road.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY MICHAEL DONAHUE

from left: Olivia Alberson, Elizabeth Hankins, Tammy Valle, Louie Valle, Vincent Valle.

The author enjoys an enormous helping of lasagna.

T. GRAHAM BROWN

OCT. 17 / 7:30P.M.

13 albums, 300 Grand Ole Opry shows, CMA Award –T. Graham Brown the real deal! T’s played with The Oak Ridge Boys, Tanya Tucker, George Jones, & more. He’ll perform hits like “Don’t Need Your Rockin’ Chair,” plus music from his newest album From Memphis to Muscle Shoals.

BOOKER T. JONES

NOV. 8 / 7:30P.M.

Leader of Booker T. & the M.G.’s, Memphis native Booker T. Jones is a living legend with Grammy Awards - the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame – pioneering career at STAX Records – Hammond B-3 hits like the iconic “Green Onions”. As a multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, & producer he’s collaborated with the artists Questlove, Lou Reed, Otis Redding & Elton John. Welcome Booker T. back to his hometown…get your tickets now!

DARCI LYNNE & FRIENDS

OCT. 24 / 7:30P.M.

From her America’s Got Talent win, Darci Lynne has captivated audiences of adults & children across the Globe as a ventriloquist –comedian - singer. She’s collaborated with artists like Toby Keith, Kristin Chenoweth, & Pentatonix. Watch Darci Lynne bring her puppets to life for in hilarious evening. Get your tickets soon!

ELISABETH VON TRAPP / HOME FOR CHRISTMAS

NOV. 22 / 7:30P.M.

Celebrate the holidays, & the 60th anniversary of The Sound of Music, with Elisabeth von Trapp! The granddaughter of Maria von Trapp, Elisabeth continues the musical tradition of the famous Trapp Family Singers. With her clear vocals & classical guitar, Elisabeth performs classic Christmas music alongside enchanting folk songs. You’ll leave BPACC with a smile in your heart!

LINDA RONSTADT EXPERIENCE

JAN. 16 & 17 / 7:30P.M.

Making her return to BPACC, The Linda Ronstadt Experience is a show you won’t want to miss! Vocal powerhouse Tristan McIntosh, gives a stunning portrayal of Linda Ronstadt in the prime of her career. We’ll take you to where Ronstadt ruled the airwaves. Performing songs like “Blue Bayou,” “When Will I Be Loved,” & “You’re No Good.” This American Idol alumna and her talented band will blow you away.

ARTRAGEOUS

NOV. 1 / 2:00P.M.

An unforgettable show combining live music - dynamic choreography – beautiful singing - remarkable painting. Artrageous creates masterpieces live on stage in this “family-friendly” performance with tons of audience participation. This inspiring, high-energy show will leaves you on the edge of your seat!

THE WEDDING SINGER

DEC. 5, 6 / 7:30P.M.

DEC. 7 / 2:00P.M.

Hopeless romantic Robbie Hart dreamed of being a rock star but finds fulfillment in his career as a wedding singer. Heartbroken & lost after his fiancée leaves him, Robbie finds himself accidentally falling in love with Julia, who’s set to marry a guy who doesn’t treat her right. Based on the hit comedy film starring Adam Sandler & Drew Barrymore, this musical is full of laughs & lots of Hart.

Sweet Dreams MANDY BARNETT SINGS PATSY CLINE

FEB. 14 / 7:30P.M.

Mandy Barnett has sung Patsy Cline’s songs 500 times in Always… Patsy Cline at the Ryman Auditorium. She’s a member of The Grand Ole Opry. Mandy pays tribute to the legacy of Patsy Cline with classics like “Crazy,” “I Fall to Pieces,” & “Leaving’ on Your Mind.” Don’t miss a performance that will stick with you “Today, Tomorrow and Forever.”

OTHER OUTSTANDING SHOWS

PHIL COLLINS EXPERIENCE

APR. 25 / 2:00 & 7:30P.M.

Englishman Terry Adams, Jr. captures the look, sound, & presence of Phil Collins. Experience music from Phil Collins’s solo career as well as with Genesis. Savor “In the Air Tonight,” “Sussudio,” “Land of Confusion,” “You’ll Be In My Heart” & more. With a 12-piece band, you must make this concert!

Howe Athletic Apparel

Our history expert solves local mysteries: who, what, when, where, why, and why not. Well, sometimes.

BY VANCE LAUDERDALE

DEAR VANCE: Back in the 1960s, the coach surprised our Little League team by providing us with brand-new uniforms. He bought them at a store in Memphis, but I can’t remember where. Can you help? — G.H., MEMPHIS.

DEAR G.H.: I confess that I put this query on hold for a while, because I didn’t have enough information to answer it. Our city has been home to a number of sporting goods stores that stayed in business for decades. Places like Dowdle, York Arms, and Tommy Bronson come to mind.

But a few weeks ago, I came across a rare item online that I thought would be a nice addition to the Lauderdale Library. I paid $4,527.99 for it, and now that it’s mentioned in a work-related capacity, I can write it off — just as I have done with my DaimlerBenz repair bills, all of my meals, and the salary of my butler/ chauffeur, Basil. [Vance, we need to talk. — Ed.]

What I purchased was a catalog for Howe Athletic Apparel, and after a few minutes of perusing their selection of baseball uniforms, I decided this was where your coach bought your uniforms — from a company that not only sold them, but manufactured and distributed them nationwide. In fact, not only did

just say that the daughters were never involved with the sporting goods company.

this Memphis-based firm provide most of the baseball and softball uniforms for teams in our area, but those cool letter jackets worn by the football, basketball, track, and other stars in high school? They probably came from Howe as well.

What’s interesting about this establishment — among many things, if you’ll give me time to share them — is that Howe wasn’t the last name of the family who founded the business. Instead, it’s the first name of the company founders. Let’s jump into the history.

Everything began with Howe K. Sipes, born in Selmer, Tennessee, in 1896. He married Jewell Hagy from that town, and they had a son, Howe K. Sipes Jr., and two daughters, Verda and Marie. Sometime in the early 1930s, while Verda moved to Jackson, Tennessee, with her husband, and Marie moved to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, with hers, the rest of the family moved to Memphis. To make this complicated story easier to follow (and write), let me

The Sipes first rented an apartment in Central Gardens at 1572 Eastmoreland, where the father started working as a sales agent for a firm with the unusual name of S-WC Co. I struggled for as long as a half-hour to find more about this company, and then decided to move on with my life (and theirs). Within a year or so, Howe Sr. began working for Wurzburg Bros., which manufactured shipping and packaging supplies, and Howe Jr. became a sales clerk at the Black and White Store, a department store downtown.

Meanwhile, the younger Sipes took technical training and became certified as an aircraft mechanic. When World War II started, he joined the Army Air Corps as a flight engineer, training B-29 bomber crews.

I wish I could tell you what major life event prompted the Sipes to jump into the athletic apparel business, but that’s another gap in their history that I can’t fill. It doesn’t matter, I guess. What counts here is that in 1946, both father and son purchased property at 249 East Mallory and opened Howe Athletic Apparel.

I wouldn’t mind sharing the entire contents of their baseball catalog with you, but we don’t have the space. You’ll have to buy your own. It offers a variety of uniforms — and only uniforms — for baseball and softball teams of all ages and experience levels. If you needed bats, balls, gloves, spikes, batting helmets, and other gear, you had to purchase those from a regular sporting goods store.

The Howe catalog organized their uniforms in this order: Major League Model, Professional League Model, Semi-Professional Model, Varsity Model, Standard Model, Little League (in “Standard” and “Economy” versions), and even something called the Pony League. Their uniforms were “wash and wear, 100% manmade items, drip-dry flannel, with no ironing required.” The standard colors available were “Pearl Gray, Pearl Gray with Navy Pin Stripe, White, White with Navy Pin Stripe, or White with Scarlet Pin Stripe.”

In other words, the grownups basically had their choice of gray or white — none of the flashy colors you’d find on team uniforms today. At least the kids in Little League and Pony League had

more choices for the trim colors — “Scarlet, Royal, Navy, Black, and Kelly” — and the ordering instructions reminded customers: “Specify uniform and braid color when ordering,” which seems rather obvious, no?

This catalog dates from the 1950s, and the prices seem reasonable for that time. A Major League outfit (pants and shirt) cost only $27.25. Something called a “Cincinnati-style vest-type shirt” was available for an extra cost, as well as “tapered pants.” Other options included pocket flaps, reinforced knee pads, zippers instead of buttons, and “belt loops in contrasting colors.”

Obviously, no baseball player would take the field without a cap, but this catalog listed only one version. “Style 3000B” (did they really have 2,999 other varieties?) was described as a “felt baseball cap, reinforced crown, Brooklyn-style, all sizes, 70% wool, 30% cotton.” A bargain, it seems, at $1.60. In case you don’t know (because I certainly didn’t), but until 1860, players wore all sorts of headgear. That year, the Brooklyn Excelsiors came up with a soft, rounded cap with a wide brim, “widely considered the precursor to the modern-

style baseball cap.” (Thanks, UrbanDaddy.com!)

Quite frankly, the softball uniforms looked a lot more interesting (and comfortable). The selections included “Sloppy Joe Knickers,” featuring “patch pockets, vat-dyed Gabertwill, and ¾-inch braid down the side seams.”

Howe Athletic Apparel didn’t bother advertising in the local newspapers (believe me, I looked), but they still became so successful that they opened regional sales offices in Minneapolis, Dallas, Atlanta, and even Pinckney, Michigan (it’s outside Ann Arbor). The family was apparently doing well. By 1951, the Sipes had moved to a nice Midcentury Modern home at 3722 Mimosa, and the following year Howe Jr. married Wanda Bingham in her hometown of San Angelo, Texas. Afterwards, the bride and groom returned here and bought a nice home at 441 East Erwin, in the Perkins/ Walnut Grove area. Based on The Commercial Appeal’s society columns, their residence became quite a social hub, with Wanda hosting garden club parties, church groups like the Harmony Circle, and other events. They

certainly stayed busy. Howe Sipes Sr. passed away in 1955 and was buried in Memorial Park; his wife would join him there in 1971. By this time, Howe Jr. and Wanda had several children, and when he became old enough, a son, Howe Sipes III, joined the firm as a salesman, making three generations in the family business.

A lengthy search through The Commercial Appeal archives turns up very few helpful news items about the company, generally describing it as simply “athletic apparel sales.” Even so, after taking over the company after his father’s death, Howe Jr. had quietly established a national reputation. In 1987, during the World Sport Expo in Chicago, he was inducted into the National Sporting Goods Association Hall of Fame. Over the years, his fellow inductees had included Adi Dassler, founder of the Adidas shoe company; “Ole” Evinrude, founder of the Evinrude outboard motor company; and Col. Samuel Colt, president of Colt Arms. Even the Lauderdales would be humbled by that crowd.

Sipes passed away in 1991 and was laid to rest with his parents in Memorial Park; his wife had

died six years earlier and was buried there as well. Perhaps his absence doomed the company; after being in business for 57 years Howe Athletic Apparel shut down in 2003. An old sign painted on their factory on East Mallory suggests it was used by ServiceMaster for a while, but it stands empty now.

You know, I need to find my old letter jacket and see if it came from Howe. Wouldn’t that be something? I received it, along with many trophies, for my impressive performance in the Lauderdale school band, where I was Third Oboe and Second Triangle. Any time I performed, I remember the stunned audiences saying they had never heard anything quite like it, especially the solos.

Got a question for Vance?

EMAIL: askvance@memphismagazine.com

MAIL: Vance Lauderdale, Memphis Magazine, P.O. Box 1738, Memphis, TN 38101

ONLINE: memphismagazine.com/ask-vance Or visit him on Facebook from time to time.

Phyllis R. Dixon’s Literary Life

The Memphis-based author confronts an environmental crisis in Something in the Water.

BY JESSE DAVIS

“ Even all of this that we’re hearing about pollution and the legacy of environmental neglect, particularly in South Memphis — it can be reversed. It can be done.”

— PHYLLIS R. DIXON

SOMETHING IN THE WATER (Dafina | Penguin Random House), the ﬁfth novel by Memphis-based writer and entrepreneur Phyllis R. Dixon, is making waves. At a recent launch event, held at Novel bookstore, Dixon discussed her new novel with LaTricea Adams, the president of environmental-justice organization Young, Gifted & Green. Environmental defender, social justice advocate, and Tennessee State Representative Justin J. Pearson called the book “a powerful and timely novel — one that beautifully weaves storytelling with truth-telling about the urgent environmental justice issues facing our communities.”

Dixon’s other published works include Forty Acres, A Taste for More , Down Home Blues, and Intermission, a novel about a singing group in Memphis.

“I took a roundabout way to becoming an author,” Dixon says. ough she always loved to read, she didn’t consider writing as a possible career. So, with a degree in business, she went to work for a bank. e job paid the bills, but Dixon still felt a literary impulse that she had yet to explore.

While living in Houston, Dixon resolved to ﬁnd a way to make books a part of her livelihood. So, drawing on her business acumen and having seen a need in the community — she sometimes had trouble ﬁnding books by her favorite authors — Dixon opened a bookstore specializing in works by Black authors.

rough her work, she had the opportunity to meet a variety

of beginning and established authors. “Quite a few of them still had their day jobs and were selling books out of their car trunks,” she remembers. In a media landscape dominated by big-name authors and prepublication marketing blitzes, the “one step at a time” ethos embodied by the authors Dixon met through her store made the work feel more attainable.

At one of the events her bookstore hosted, Dixon met the novelist Walter Mosely, best known for his series of hardboiled crime novels, and told him she had dreamed of writing ﬁction. “One of the things he said was, ‘Well, what’s stopping you?’”

rough her work, excuses at best.

She mentioned her job, her children, her responsibilities, but even then, Dixon could tell those were ﬂimsy excuses at best.

“What was stopping me was .”

“What was stopping me was me

Phyllis R. Dixon

BANKING ON BOOKS

As part of her work for the bank, she reviewed loan documents for many different businesses. From roller-skating rinks to grocery stores and beyond, Dixon had a bird’s-eye view of their finances and basic business practices. “That gives me a wide context to pull from,” she says. I always tell people that if you’re on the road, some people drink, some people shop, and some people fool around. What I did was stay in my room and read and write.”

At the time, the “You Know You’re a Redneck If” — or “You Know You’re Ghetto If” — style novelty books were popular. Sensing opportunity, Dixon pitched a similar book — Let the Brother Go If, a humorous book about dating red-flags, and the publisher loved the idea. “We put it together and it came out and sold out, and everything was hunky-dory. I thought, ‘Wow, that was really easy. Forty Acres should be easy to sell because it’s an actual story,’” Dixon remembers thinking at the time.

“It was not.”

Dixon recalls receiving a confidence-shaking number of rejection letters, but she was undeterred. Eventually, with her first novel, Forty Acres, written, she decided to go the self-publishing route.

“I think it gave me more background than most people have. I had my background as a bookseller. I had the background as a self-published author,” she says. Dixon published her first two novels independently before she eventually made the step to the next level. “It wasn’t easy, but I did get a book deal. It’s been a long journey, and every step has

taught me something. I don’t think I would have been ready for where I am now, ten or fifteen years ago.”

A STORY OF OUR TIME

Something in the Water is the story of a couple, Billie and Cole Jordan, who are experiencing family issues. After Billie’s radio station is sold and she finds herself out of a job, her husband gets an offer to be a professor at an HBCU in his hometown. “When they go there, instead of finding relief, they run into corruption, a water crisis, and life-and-death choices,” Dixon explains.

In the novel, in addition to the major plot points of the water contamination issue, her college-age son’s opioid addiction, and her husband’s possible infidelity, Billie also juggles a car crash and the resulting Workers’ Compensation claim, the political and career implications of her research into the contaminated water, and even the flare-up of an old injury aggravated by the aforementioned automobile accident. Dixon beautifully illustrates the porous “barriers” between the parts of life we think we have neatly compartmentalized. Family, health, work, neighborhood, and environmental issues all bleed together, threatening to overwhelm our senses. If nothing else, Billie’s valiant but imperfect attempts to navigate the interconnected complexities of contemporary life feel real, lived, and all-too familiar.

It’s a reminder that life cannot be put on hold, even for the most righteous of causes. There is beauty to be found in the unrelenting and kaleidoscopic swirl of life’s multihued highs and lows, alongside reminders

that progress requires diligent work.

“For my job, I traveled a lot, and there were certain places we knew not to drink the water,” Dixon recalls. “They always had a boil water notice.” In 2022, when news of a water crisis in Jackson, Mississippi, hit the national headlines, Dixon was unsurprised. The failure of the O.B. Water Treatment Plant seemed to result from years of neglect, debt and poor staffing on the part of the city’s water utility, a large leak in 2016, a severe winter storm in 2021, and the flooding of the Pearl River in 2022, among still more contributing factors. Not without reason, much of the media narrative centered around institutional racism and infrastructure neglect, as well as state and city budgetary policies being at odds with each other. Memphians, no doubt, will notice some similarities with local debates around the Bluff City’s response after our own severe winter storms.

For Dixon, the crisis called to mind memories of her childhood in Wisconsin, even as it resonated with her experiences as a Memphian and as a traveling businessperson at the mercy of the relative health (or lack thereof) of the local water utility. An author’s note in Something in the Water attests to the importance of water security as a cause dear to Dixon’s heart, both on a personal and a political level. She was inspired by the organization Memphis Community Against the Pipeline (now the Memphis Community Against Pollution) and their successful fight against the Byhalia Pipeline. On a less hopeful note, Dixon’s experiences after the ice storm of 2022, which left her without

access to water for nine days, were another ingredient in the stew that became Something in the Water

“Water and environmental justice are top of mind now in Memphis,” Dixon says, but the current zeitgeist reminds her of environmental issues she saw as a child. “Growing up in Milwaukee in the ’70s, there was this big joke about Lake Erie catching on fire, and the lakes were very polluted. I remember the Milwaukee River was very polluted. You would never think of doing anything recreational down there. Sometimes, that whole side of the city would smell because of the pollution. Since that time, they’ve cleaned it up drastically. They’ve got restaurants and shops, and it’s a very desirable area now.

“What that tells me is that it can be done. Even all of this that we’re hearing about pollution and the legacy of environmental neglect, particularly in South Memphis, it can be reversed.”

Phyllis R. Dixon will sign and discuss Something in the Water on Friday, September 12, noon-3 p.m., at Barnes & Noble, 2130 Exeter Rd., Germantown.

Dixon’s book launch at Novel

CITY JOURNAL

Green and Grand

Smart resistance has kept Memphis distinctly beautiful.

BY TOM JONES

Grit and grind” began as a slogan that aptly defined the Memphis Grizzlies’ identity during the 2010-2017 era. In time, the phrase seeped into general usage as a popular way to deﬁne Memphis’s resilience and toughness.

Some sports commentators suggested that the concept was a deterrent to the Griz attracting some of the top-tier players it wanted most. And if grit and grind applied to the city more broadly, what of the businesses Memphis was recruiting, and the gold standard of the digital age that the city was hoping to attract and retain: college-educated young professionals?

As grit and grind made its way onto T-shirts, posters, bumper stickers, and even into the names of companies and chamber of commerce news releases, branding research never indicated it was a smart catch-phrase for Memphis. Meanwhile, research showed these coveted young professionals were drawn to cities with great parks, hiking trails, and outdoor recreation. In that context, it’s possible that a diﬀerent tagline for Memphis — green and grand — could have been better.

After all, green and grand not only refers to Memphis’s most prized public spaces — Shelby Farms Park, Overton Park, and the riverfront — but also recalls the proudest chapters of Memphis history when business and political interests stood down in the face of citizen resistance and deﬁance to protect those very public spaces.

Few people today remember how close Memphis came to losing the thousands of acres at Shelby Farms Park to a 12,000-house “model community,” to Overton Park being cut in half by a six-lane interstate, and to an elevated 16-lane expressway destroying the riverfront. It was in 1960 when Shelby County Government declared the 4,500-acre Penal Farm, a work-

ing farm for county inmates, as “surplus property” and called for its sale. Its desperation ran so deep that it oﬀered the acreage to the Atomic Energy Commission for an “atomic smasher.” By 1966, the big idea was to use the land for a “planned community” development for 65,000 people.

“Green and Grand” not only refers to Memphis’s most prized public spaces — Shelby Farms Park, Overton Park, and the riverfront — but also recalls the proudest chapters of Memphis history when business and political interests stood down in the face of citizen resistance and defiance to protect those very public spaces.

e opposition was immediate and intense. By 1975, the battle was over. e Penal Farm, which became Shelby Farms, was preserved for public use, marking a rare time in Memphis that developers did not get their way.

About the same time, in the early 1960s, to the west of Shelby Farms, the federal government planned to destroy 26 acres of parkland to cut Interstate 40 through Overton Park. In 1970, Citizens to Protect Overton Park (CPOP) was formed and ﬁled a lawsuit to save the “queen” of Memphis parks.

e group was described by news media as “a bunch of little old ladies in tennis shoes.”

Essentially, the entire power structure of Memphis — the chamber of commerce, Future Memphis, the daily newspapers, politicians, and more — lined up to support the highway project, denigrating environmentalists and park lovers who complained right-

ly that no alternative alignments had been adequately explored. CPOP lost the ﬁrst round in federal district court but eventually the U.S. Supreme Court agreed with it in 1971 and sent the case back to Memphis. e ruling became landmark administrative law that protected public land across the U.S., although some legal observers question if it could survive a test before the current Supreme Court.

State traﬃc engineers were so willful that even as the federal district court hearings were underway, construction crews continued to build the highway straight toward the park. Finally, the Memphis federal court put a stop to the project — but not before a revelation that trafﬁc engineers actually planned highways through parks because they were considered “free land.” at wasn’t the only controversial expressway project on the books. ere was another one planned downtown to link I-40 and I-55. It would run the length of the riverfront, decimating the cobblestones along with 225 acres of public space while creating a barrier to the riverfront from downtown. It was suggested the connector might have 16 lanes, rivaling the expressway entering Chicago.

When internationally known Philadelphia architect Denise Scott Brown and Memphis architect James F. Williamson were hired to write a comprehensive strategic plan for downtown, they emphasized the damage that the expressway would cause. e public took notice, and so did Mayor Dick Hackett, elected in 1982, who said he was shocked to learn about it.

Scott Brown said her role in Memphis was to be an “urban detective,” and standing on the “desolate cobblestones” soaking up the history of the riverfront, she concluded the route of the FAP-3

interstate connector had to be canceled to protect the city’s authenticity. With the stroke of a pen, Hackett scrapped the expressway plans.

Looking back, what lessons about what was called “growth” and public spaces, particularly related to highways, did Memphis learn?

First, highways inspire emotional reactions, and putting people and parks over pavement is the smart decision — and smart politics. Second, highways through parks do in fact damage them, reducing their sense of wholeness and connectedness, disrupting parkgoers’ experiences. ird, Memphis’s decision about a riverfront expressway was ahead of its time. In recent years, there has been a movement to remove waterfront expressways in cities including St. Louis, Seattle, Milwaukee, Boston, and San Francisco.

Most of all, the protection of Shelby Farms Park, Overton Park, and the riverfront parks serves as convincing rejection of the “it’s good enough for Memphis” attitude that often defines decisions in the city. As urban planner and author Jeff Speck warned, after evaluating the riverfront in 2013: “Don’t let traffic engineers determine your quality of life.”

Since these historic decisions, Memphis has added a menu of unique green spaces — Shelby Farms Greenline, Wolf River Greenway, nine riverfront parks including award-winning Tom Lee, Big River Crossing, and Memphis Botanic Garden’s expansion. Memphis: Green and Grand.

Tom Jones is the principal of Smart City Consulting, which specializes in strategic communications, public policy development, and strategic planning. He tends the 20-year-old Smart City Memphis blog and is an author with experience in local government. He can be reached at tjones@ smartcityconsulting.com

FRIDAY OCT 10

FedEx Event Center at Shelby Farms

Join us for a fantastic evening of great tastes and great fun, bringing together bourbon and whiskey distillers from around the region PLUS great bites from some of your favorite local restaurants! VIP Admission starts at 5pm, GA at 6pm.

TICKETS AND MORE

GOOD DAY, SUNSHINE

WAYS TO BRIGHTEN AND RESTORE SUN-DAMAGED SKIN

BY JANE SCHNEIDER

Ahh, the dog days of summer. When lounging outdoors in the season’s fading light can feel oh, so restorative — at least for the soul. But while the body is busy producing melanin to give skin that healthy glow, there’s more at work than meets the eye. As time slips by, daily sun exposure to ultraviolet (UV) rays can gradually lead to skin damage and its tell-tale signs: ﬁne lines, uneven pigmentation, even crepey, leathery skin. Mon dieu!

However, there is hope — and help. We spoke with several Memphis medical aestheticians and business owners about how to treat your skin to reduce the eﬀects of sun damage and protect it going forward. Find a licensed, experienced provider when seeking skin care treatment.

WHERE TO BEGIN

Y our consultation will begin with a discussion with your aesthetician about what you hope to achieve with your treatments. Pointing out problem areas like ﬁ ne lines, wrinkles or uneven skin tones will lead to a skin analysis and review of

treatments best suited for your skin type. Procedures range from hydrating and anti-aging facials to lasers, peels, or micro-needling, depending upon the level of assistance you seek. Options may include: Hydrating and reparative facials. ese procedures oﬀer a gentle way to brighten your skin while giving it a boost of hydration. Reparative facials often include ingredients like hyaluronic acid (to lighten) or collagen (to plump skin) and toning devices. Botox is another go-to.

e injection of Botox temporarily freezes muscles at the site, be it in the forehead or between the brows, where unwelcome worry lines emerge. is brings relief by stopping lines from deepening, says Brandi Fly with Smiley Aesthetics Medical Spa in Collierville. Fillers such as Juvederm are another way of temporarily reducing wrinkles.

Chemical peels. Fly also recommends trying a chemical peel, which rubs away the top layer of sun-damaged skin. is dermabrasion stimulates collagen production, which helps to regenerate new skin.

Laser resurfacing and micro-needling. Treatments such as laser resurfacing and micro-needling, which punctures the skin to facilitate the production of collagen, address sun damage. A further step is regenerative micro-needling, explains nurse practitioner

Renee Pinlac, owner of De La Belle Wellness and Spa: “Regenerative micro-needling is good for breaking up sun damage that’s created red or brown patches. Your platelet rich plasma is full of exosomes and antioxidants,” which are infused into the face.

Exosomes are tiny messenger molecules that carry genetic material, lipids, and proteins through the body. Antioxidants protect the skin and exosomes help to speed up healing time.

“Micro-needling with heatbased radio frequency can see deeper wrinkle results,” she says. Such procedures are typically done in three sessions over several months. Non-ablative laser rejuvenation. Dark spots and redness can be lightened with non-ablative lasers. e heat generated by the laser promotes collagen production. is also

Radiance Starts Beneath the Surface

Hydrate, repair, and protect with our Skin Care Consultation + Hydrating Facial + IV only $210 — the ultimate defense against sun damage, from the inside out.

works well for targeting wrinkles. Intense pulse light (IPL) laser treatments can be effective as well, though may not be safe for all skin types, says Lisa Street, owner of Glo Medical Aesthetics. Ask your aesthetician about the best treatment for your skin tone and texture. “Darker skin types, as well as tanned/post sun exposure skin, are more susceptible to burns if proper techniques and protocols are not followed,” says Street.

THE EFFECTS OF AGING

Did you know our skin gradually changes as we age? The body’s production of estrogen slowly begins to decline in midlife, and continues declining as we move towards menopause. That change may be reflected in the skin, says Pinlac, making it drier, thinner, and for some, hyper-pigmented over time. Hydration, good nutrition and exercise are among the key ingredients to

GO-TO PRODUCTS

Our aestheticians give a thumbs-up to these medical-grade skincare products:

de laBelle BODY & WELLNESS

Renee Pinlac, MSN, FNP, is the visionary founder of De La Belle Body & Wellness, nestled in the charming Shops of Chickasaw Oaks Village. With over 25 years of expertise, Renee has dedicated her career to comprehensive weight management, regenerative medicine, and advanced facial aesthetic rejuvenation. A Master Cosmetic Injector, Renee is certified in Botox, dermal fillers, laser facial aesthetics, and noninvasive body contouring. She is passionate about cutting-edge regenerative therapies, offering pan-facial rejuvenation, Derma PRP (‘liquid gold’), plant-based exosomes for hair restoration, PDO thread lifts for non-surgical face and body contouring, bioidentical hormone therapy for men and women, and IV vitamin hydration.

ALPHARET OVERNIGHT CREAM BY SKINBETTER SCIENCE

Retinoid + glycolic acid and tretinoin

PROS: Improves fine lines, brightens skin, activates collagen stimulation

CONS: May take 6 weeks before improvements become noticeable

SUNBETTER TONE SMART SPF 68 SUNSCREEN COMPACT - UVA/UVB

PROS: Can be used in place of light coverage foundation, crucial for preventing new damage

CONS: May not match every skin tone, heavy consistency

keeping skin healthy.

“It can be a journey to find an aesthetician who knows what your skin needs,” says Pinlac. “It’s not just about using sunscreen but what you do on a daily basis that matters.”

PROTECT YOUR SKIN

How do you cleanse off your makeup? Are you still using that moisturizer you loved in college? Time for a refresh. Several products can help keep your skin appear more vibrant and retinol is one.

Plastic Surgery

Face • Breast • Body

The Langsdon Clinic specializes in facial and body plastic surgery, including facelifts, rhinoplasty, tummy tucks, and breast enhancement procedures, among others. We also provide Botox, fillers, chemical peels, and laser treatments to help you achieve a refreshed and youthful look. Call 901-755-6465 to schedule your consultation today!

Mended Therapy

Combining mental health with a love of fashion, creativity, and sustainability, Mended Therapy was born. Ashley wants to show that although things may seem like they cannot get better, there is hope. Just like a mended piece of clothing is brought new life, the same can be said of us. She is here to walk with you through this journey with laughter, creativity, and challenging your beliefs about yourself. She is MENDED (and constantly mending). She hopes you will let her join you as you MEND.

Ashley specializes in working with LGBTQ+ populations and mood disorders.

For more information or to book an appointment, visit mendedtherapypllc.com.

She

Board Certified Facial Plastic Surgeon

Board Certified Plastic Surgeon CAROL H. LANGSDON, RNP

“Retinoids speed up cell turnover,” says Fly. Retinol, combined with vitamin C, unites two strong antioxidants that give a one-two punch to free radicals, those pesky molecules your body produces that, when exposed to UV light, can cause skin damage.

Try applying a vitamin C serum in the morning and a hydrating, retinol-based cream at night, suggests Fly. By using these two products every day, you can improve the overall appearance of your skin and ward off visible signs of aging.

Sunscreen, of course, is always a must. Apply it daily. Whether sunny or overcast, you want your skin protected from UV rays.

“We need sunshine and vitamin D,” notes Street. “But we also need to protect our skin from burning.”

Street’s go-to is medical grade sunscreen with zinc oxide and a blend of ingredients that “provide added skin care benefits, like antioxidants or anti-aging compounds.” Why a medical-grade sunblock? “Because these penetrate the skin, which makes the product stronger and more effective,” says Street, What’s more, medical-grade products are approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), meaning they go through rigorous testing and have a higher concentration of active ingredients than similar items bought over the counter. Be advised that these products must be prescribed by a physician. However, medical spas do have physicians who sign off on patient charts. The costs of medical-grade products are comparable to those purchased at your local pharmacy. Speak to your aesthetician to learn more. Don’t forget that sunscreen can expire. The FDA’s website advises against using sunscreen that is old and past its expiration date. If you don’t remember which summer you purchased that lotion, toss it and buy fresh. Most sunscreens remain effective for up to three years, but consult the label.

HIGHER ELEVATIONS, MORE UV RAYS

When traveling to the mountain states, be aware that the sun’s intensity is greater when you reach elevations of 5,000 feet and above. If you’re going skiing, snowboarding, or hanging lakeside, you’ll get a bigger dose of UV rays due to the thinner air and reflective nature of snow and water. When active, it’s best to use a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher, reapplying every two hours throughout the day. Don’t forget to lather up ears, beneath the chin and the nape of the neck, too. Sunscreen with lanolin or glycerin will ease skin dryness. And a brimmed hat, along with long sleeves, gives an additional layer of protection. It’s never too late to keep sun damage at bay — start today with sunscreen.

IN THE LAND OF SINNES

A Journey Through the Heart of the Delta Blues

BY ALEX GREENE

As the sun set on Good Friday this year, a film conjuring visions of the Mississippi Delta went into wide release, destined to gross over $365 million worldwide by July. And pulsing at the heart of Ryan Coogler’s Sinners was the sound of the blues, presented not merely as the ﬁlm’s soundtrack but as a potent supernatural force, one with the power to attract vampires and ancestors — not to mention inﬂaming passions in the earthly realm.

Part of the film’s power lay in its sensitivity to a Delta blues tradition that’s still very much alive. In fact, the music heard in the fi lm was inspired by an epic ramble through the Delta that Coogler and composer Ludwig Göransson made with Grammy-winning Memphis producer Boo Mitchell during the film’s pre-production last year. e group’s itinerary even serves as a kind of roadmap for any prospective blues voyagers ready to make their own discoveries this fall, staying a while here and there in the Mississippi Delta as the sun sinks a little earlier each day, and summer’s heat fades away.

Perhaps there were supernatural forces at work: ey immediately came upon James “Super Chikan” Johnson, one of the Delta’s most original blues artists, playing his local hits like “Tin Top Shak,” as perfect a solo, raw, contemporary blues hybrid as you could hope to hear. Just hearing him sing — “I’m only nine years old, dragging me a nine-foot sack” — could spark epiphanies. And, as ﬁlmmaker Mark Rankin (who just released the documentary, James ‘Super Chikan’ Johnson: A Life in Blues) told the Magnolia Tribune , when he ﬁ rst heard the bluesman, “He didn’t sound like anybody else. ere was this mix of country with Delta and Chicago blues, and it came out as something totally his own.”

eir ﬁrst stop was Clarksdale, where Sinners is set. Mitchell recounts the cast of characters: He and Hi Rhythm guitarist Lina Beach collected Coogler, Göransson, and Göransson’s father, Tomas, and drove south. “As soon as we got to Clarksdale, right where you go past that grove of beautiful pecan trees, Ryan was like, ‘Pull over, man!’” says Mitchell. “He started taking pictures and video. I thought, ‘Maybe they’re scouting a movie or something?’ And then we got into Clarksdale, and there was a festival — Super Chikan was playing!”

It was made to order for Mitchell’s guests, avowed fans of all those styles. “Ludwig’s father has had a blues band for 35 years in Sweden, and they play all this Albert King stuﬀ,” recalls Mitchell. “So they got to see Super Chikan up there playing the diddley bow, and that was mind blowing.” e diddley bow, if you were wondering, is a kind of one-string zither made with a length of bailing wire strung over a glass bottle, more common as a child’s instrument in years past, but still employed by players going for that eerie, freshout-of-the-ﬁeld sound. It’s a do-it-yourself tradition — which some argue shares lineage with similar instruments of the Sahel desert — that speaks to humanity’s need for music, no matter the materials to make it. e persistence of the diddley bow

“grandmother” of Mississippi festivals. “Now we have, like, 20 festival-type events per year,” he says, “but in the beginning there was just Sunﬂower. All of our festivals are like this, but Sunﬂower is a good example: ey’re very approachable, they’re very intimate. ey’re very personal.”

resonates mythically with what’s depicted in one of Sinners ’ pivotal magical-realist scenes, when a grooving blues duo playing in the ﬁ lm’s makeshift juke joint, Club Duke, conjures up the whirling spirits of diverse ancestors, from African griots to Funkadelic guitar heroes to today’s turntablists.

It’s easy to imagine them convening in Clarksdale. e fact that Super Chikan just happened to be in town when Mitchell and the Sinners team were passing through is telling: With a dozen or more festivals and multiple clubs oﬀering live bands every night of the year, there are plenty of opportunities to see the bluesman and others like him in the town of fewer than 15,000, which has arguably embraced its blues heritage more than any other Mississippi community. Indeed, an exhibit at the town’s Delta Blues Museum is dedicated to one of Mississippi’s oldest music fests, Clarksdale’s Sunﬂower River Blues and Gospel Festival, presented every August for the past 37 years.

Now, with summer fading, there are still more Clarksdale events on the horizon, all of them intended to be very intimate, very personal — very welcoming. A certain regional inclusiveness permeates these festivals. While the Delta blues is a distinct ﬂavor of the genre, Clarksdale and other fests also support the more drone-heavy Hill Country blues to the northeast, centered more on Holly Springs and Senatobia. at’s most apparent in the upcoming Jesse Mae Hemphill Hill Country Blues Festival on September 27th, centered on artists inspired by the late Hemphill’s pioneering spirit. ere’s an even broader range of styles to be experienced at the Mighty Roots Festival at Stovall Plantation, a stone’s throw from Clarksdale, on October 3rd and 4th. Far more eclectic and perhaps more commercial, Mighty Roots will be headlined this year by country stars American Blonde and will include Memphis country stalwarts Papa Top’s West Coast Turnaround in the lineup.

With its wealth of lodging choices, Clarksdale is also a hub for blues pilgrims exploring festivals in other towns nearby, and that’s especially true of the King Biscuit Blues Festival in nearby West Helena, Arkansas, happening this October 10th and 11th. “It’s the second biggest blues business week of the year,” says Stolle. “I would say Juke Joint Fest (every April in downtown Clarksdale) is the biggest. We’ve always been big on promoting King Biscuit. Because it beneﬁts Clarksdale, we can connect from this side of the river to promote it, even through our tourism oﬃce. Particularly with international visitors, they’re not going to visit Clarksdale for just two days. ere’s got to be more for them to justify an airline ticket and all these things.”

 chill may go throug you when Cato wails the ﬁ rst lines of the song with abandon: “ ravelin’! / / I don’t know why in the world I’m here.” From that moment on, you know that the blues can touch the sou….

Roger Stolle, owner of Clarksdale’s Cat Head Delta Blues & Folk Arts shop and president of the Clarksdale/ Coahoma County Tourism Commission, calls it the

Already presented in tandem is the Cat Head Mini Blues/Super Blues Sunday, usually appended with “After the Biscuit,” as the West Helena gathering is known. And that in turn highlights the role of private clubs and eateries in all of Clarksdale’s festiveness, as with the breakfast at the Bluesberry Café, the Pinetop Perkins Celebration at the ever-popular Shack Up Inn, and the blues brunch at Ground Zero Blues Club. e town’s many clubs anchor its larger events, and, in the case of Ground Zero, co-owned by Morgan Freeman, help to promote Clarksdale on a global stage. at’s certainly happening with Morgan Freeman’s Symphonic Blues Experience, which pairs local blues artists with Vienna-based composer and conductor Martin Gellner and performs with orchestras internationally. at was also the case when Ground Zero happened to attract Mitchell and his ﬁlmmaking cohort during their epic blues ramble. “After Super Chikan, we went to

top: When the sun sets on the Mississippi Delta, Sammie Moore’s guitar summons spirits and ignites passions in Sinners, with Miles Caton. previous page: Super Chikan lays down a distinctive blues groove whether playing solo or with a band.

top: The Grammy-winning Christone “Kingﬁsh” Ingram grew up learning blues guitar at the Delta Blues Museum. Now he headlines at Morgan Freeman’s Ground Zero Blues Club when not busy touring the world.

bottom: At Clarksdale’s Shack Up Inn, structures on the virtually unchanged Hopson Plantation are outﬁtted with all modern cons conveniences, yet preserve their rustic charm.

teeth as a performer? Hell yeah, we want to go see it!” explains Mitchell. “ en Robert was like, ‘I’m gonna grab one of B.B.’s guitars.’ And the guitar that he just happened to grab was Lucille 01!” at would be the tribute guitar Gibson ﬁrst released in 1980, using the name King had given his original trusty axe.

Mitchell added, “So we hung out at empty Club Ebony, and it’s just a really cool place, because it looks almost exactly like it was back in the day. en Robert said, ‘Somebody want to play it?’ And Lina was immediately, like, ‘Hell yeah!’ en Ludwig’s father was playing it.”

Ground Zero and saw Anthony ‘Big A’ Sherrod & the All Stars,” says Mitchell. “ ey’re kind of the staple Friday and Saturday night band at Ground Zero. It was cool, man!”

From there, they went even further south, to tiny Indianola. And this September, precisely a century since the birth of blues giant B.B. King, so should you. But it won’t be quite like Mitchell, Coogler, and company’s experience.

Visitors not accompanied by the writer/director of a major studio ﬁ lm may not get to play one of King’s guitars, but there will be plenty going on this fall that even Ryan Coogler couldn’t have seen a year ago.

e celebration of 100 Years of B.B. King is reverberating far and wide this year. e countdown began in Memphis this June with the 100 Days of Blues Gospel Brunch at B.B. King’s Blues Club on Beale Street, and will culminate with a massive celebration there on September 16th, which would have been King’s birthday. (He died at 89, in 2015.)

“ll of our festivals are very approacable, they’re very intimate. They’re very personal.”

“We got up and drove to Indianola, and there was just a whole lot of cool topography,” says Mitchell. “Ryan had us pulling over where there was some kind of river or stream or something, and he’d start taking pictures.”

— oger Stolle

But it was Indianola’s B.B. King Museum and Delta Interpretive Center that was the real draw, where museum director Robert Terrell ﬁ rst gave them a personal tour, then asked, “Y’all want to go see Club Ebony? We just redid it.” at drew an immediate yes. “We were like, Club Ebony, where B.B. King cut his

Meanwhile, activities leading up to September 16th will also be cooking in Indianola. As Robert Terrell explains, it begins right after Labor Day. “We’re holding the 11th annual B.B. King Day on September 4th, at Mississippi Valley State University [in nearby Itta Bena]. e university is all about B.B.’s legacy and his influence. I’m also going to screen some film footage that I’m putting together showing B.B. early on, showing his connection to the workshops at Mississippi Valley. e only B.B. King recording studio in the world is at that particular university.” e day will also include panel discussions comprised of musicians who played with and were influenced by King. e fun will ramp up after sunset. “ at will roll into a jam session at Club Ebony that night, just to honor B.B.,” Terrell says. “And then, the next day, September 5th, we’ll get a Mississippi Blues Trail marker unveiled 

at the museum,” while a band plays inside the museum.

e next day, September 6th, will feature a B.B. King Centennial celebration. Terrell plans to erect a stage in the middle of the street in front of the museum for live performances; meanwhile, high school marching bands will march from B.B. King Road to the front of the museum — while playing B.B. King songs, of course.

As King’s birthday approaches, Indianola will boast the B.B. King Hologram Experience at Historic Club Ebony on September 13th. ere will be two evening shows at the celebrated club, signiﬁcant because “when he would visit back home, after he become famous, he would play a homecoming show at Club Ebony every year,” says Terrell. Now, for the ﬁrst time since King’s passing in 2015, audiences can see and hear a hologram of the man himself, accompanied by a live band of blues virtuosos. Just as in Sinners, an ancestor shall appear.

Finally, only a few days later, “we’ll celebrate his birthday on the 16th at the museum,” says Folks in Indianola are used to living with monuments to their hometown hero; on September 5th, the B.B. King Museum and Delta Interpretive Center will unveil its new Mississippi Blues Trail marker.

Terrell. “ e community can come in and take photos with the exhibits that we have here, and we’ll do the balloons and the cake and all of that.”

Happily for any blues pilgrims seeking more festival and nightclub experiences, the music will keep rolling through the Delta after that. More festivals will be in swing this fall near Indianola, like the Mississippi Delta Blues and Heritage Festival in Greenville on September 20th, headlined by the legendary Bobby Rush. As the nation’s oldest continuously running blues festival, it’s a must-see.

But in the case of Boo Mitchell and the

visionaries behind Sinners, their travelogue ended with Coogler and Göransson more committed than ever to having contemporary Mississippi blues players featured in their soundtrack. And that task fell to Mitchell. He already knew plenty of those players, having made such Hill Country and Delta rambles many times over, and having produced the Grammy-winning album, I Be Trying, by Cedric Burnside, grandson of the great R.L. Burnside. Mitchell has said that the greatest production tool his father Willie Mitchell had at his disposal was his Rolodex, allowing him to call just the right musicians for every job — and that principle also holds for Boo, although the Rolodex has gone digital.

While Göransson worked on much of his score in Los Angeles or New Orleans, the composer booked time at Royal for the bluesiest musical segments. “ ey wanted me to assemble the team,” says Mitchell. “I called Bobby Rush, Charles Hodges [of Hi Rhythm], Cedric Burnside, Tierinii Jackson [of Southern Avenue],” and others. “ ey were interested in writing new songs. People were pairing

At 91, Bobby Rush’s command of the blues is only growing. Three of his albums, starting with 2017’s Porcupine Meat, have won Grammys.

oﬀ: Cedric and Tierinii wrote a song; Reverend Hodges and Super Chikan wrote together. We did all these crazy pairings and people would go home, write some more, and come back. And out of that big writing session, Alvin Youngblood Hart wrote ‘Travelin’.’”

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e song is pivotal in the ﬁ lm, seeming at once ancient, timeless, and immediate, and establishing the character Sammie Moore’s command of the blues. As it turned out, the actor playing Sammie,

Both Highway 61 and Highway 49 appear in classic songs of Mississippi; their intersection on the edge of Clarksdale is said to be the Crossroads of blues legends.

Miles Caton, internalized Hart’s composition with all his soul, and the stripped-down Delta guitar and keening vocals of the track are a highlight of the hit album that followed. More importantly, they make the supernatural reach of the blues palpable. A chill may go through you when Caton wails the ﬁ rst lines of the song with abandon: “Travelin’!/I don’t know why in the world I’m here.” From that moment on, you know that the blues can touch the soul — because they’ve touched yours — and perhaps even reach the dead. Luckily for music fans, none of Mississippi’s blues fests have attracted any vampires as of this writing. at we know of.

A G A T H E R I N G S P A C E

BY ABIGAIL MORICI ■ PHOTOGRAPHS BY CHRISTINA IOVINELLI

For one Memphis family, a home renovation added magic to the flow of life.

A ndrea and Kyle Morgan knew they had found their new home when they reached the backyard. The previous owners had redone the space recently, adding a pool and a patio with an outdoor living area. It was beautiful and functional, great for entertaining.

The house, too, had more space than the one where they were living at the time, just about five blocks away. The extra space was a must: Their fifth baby was on the way.

to bring the outdoor living space in — the function of it, the beauty. The two spaces had to coexist and have “a good flow,” Catherine says.

let’s leave our mark on this house.”

OPPOSITE PAGE: Catherine and Ian Hyde, a couple in business and life, transitioned from commercial work to residential renovation.

AbOvE: For the Morgan home, a kitchen that made smart use of space and left room for family time was a must.

“But, really,” Amanda says,” to have a space where people could gather — a lot of people, whether that’s our family coming in from out of town or just our community and friends — this backyard checked a lot of those boxes.”

So, knowing the outdoor area’s importance, when Catherine and Ian Hyde of Hyde Design Build, were tasked to renovate the Morgans’ kitchen and living room, they looked first to the yard, aiming

While the backyard was “impeccable,” the kitchen and living room did not fit the Morgans when they closed on the home last July. A bit dated, with stucco walls and drenched in dark tones, rather than the light neutrals they’d grown accustomed to, it wasn’t a space they could really see as theirs

“That’s where I spend a lot of my time,” Andrea says, “feeding my family, hosting people, all of that. … And Kyle looked at me and said, ‘What if we just made it our own? What if we did it?’”

Before the Morgans, the East Memphis home had four or five owners, and each seemed to renovate or extend the house in some way. “Kyle had been saying, ‘Let’s make this kitchen our kitchen —

The dream scenario, they knew, was to tear out the walls, the cabinetry, the tile floors, everything — and they knew they wanted to do it with the help of the Hydes. They had worked together before, enlisting the couple to design a homeschool classroom for their previous house when their oldest daughter, now 13, was about to start kindergarten.

“We loved the idea of helping support people in the neighborhood,” says Kyle. “They had this vision of design [that we liked] and it was kind of fun, all those years ago with the other house.”

T hat homeschool classroom was early on in Hyde Design Build’s portfolio of projects, Catherine and Ian say. “It was when we first started our business [in 2017],” Catherine says. “It was probably, like, our sixth project.”

Both had experience working commercial projects, Catherine in interior architecture, and Ian in contracting. Their turn to the residential came when they started renovating their own East Memphis home, a project that captivated their neighbors’ curiosity. “They were like, ‘We, I need help on my house,’” Ian says.

At first, the Hydes were resistant — both held full-time commercial jobs — but at their neighbors’ persistence and encouragement, they began taking on jobs here and there. It helped that Catherine had been looking for something more in her career. She had designed spaces for the Orpheum Theatre, for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, for hotels, and for schools, but they weren’t fulfilling her. These side home projects they had been taking on for others, though, reminded her why she started her career. After all, it’s where she found her niche, in college and even as a child.

As she explains, with a rough childhood, “My house became my friend. I was always moving stuff around. … I made floor-toceiling murals in my room.” Once she began designing residential spaces, “I went back to being a kid seeing a house as my friend. It brought all that back. It was so natural. I was able to crank out stuff really fast. I was able to really connect and just felt like where I needed to be. I just really kind of fell back in love with design.”

As the number of projects accrued for the couple, and grew in scale, the two were able to focus on their business full-time, and Ian found himself falling harder for residential work, just as his wife had.

“I got to work on some really cool historic projects and buildings that affected our skyline in Memphis and the community, and it was great,” he says. “But it just wasn’t personal enough. I kind of got to a point where I was feeling I wasn’t

really making a difference.”

But with someone’s home, the couple could help clients reimagine their most intimate spaces. “Catherine and I both believe your home is your sanctuary and your second skin,” Ian says. “It’s where you can be yourself and you can take off all the things you have to put on to go out into the world.”

“We’re very thoughtful with it,” Catherine adds. “We have a questionnaire depending on the type of project. We ask about their lifestyle habits, what they like to do, what times of day they use their spaces, and if there’s anything they want to change with their habits — that kind of thing.”

For them, design isn’t just about making a space beautiful; it’s about making a space functional according to a family’s needs and wants. “In your home, you can be you, and it’s for you,” Ian says. “It’s not just about having a 48-inch range or a big island with pretty countertops. It’s about what you want to get out of that.”

OPPOSITE PAGE: Arched pocket doors to the walk-in pantry echo archways throughout the home’s living space..

AbOvE: The living room welcomes guests for parties and get-togethers, but also serves as a family spot for cozy movie nights.

above left: The walk-in pantry allows the Morgans room for appliance storage and a beverage station.

above right: The guest bathroom was enlarged and updated as a side project during the renovation

For Andrea and Kyle’s renovation, Catherine came up with the walk-in pantry first. Tucked behind a custom-made arched pocket door, the pantry is lined with neutral green cabinets with brass finishes, complete with a sink, an appliance garage, and a beverage center. “It’s like a mini kitchen in and of itself,” Kyle says. “Before, we had a pantry, and now it’s a pantry-plus — that’s not in the high area of traffic in the kitchen.”

“I saw function could improve from our previous kitchen to what we were dreaming,” Andrea says.

“Our old refrigerator, where [the kids] fill up their water bottles, inevitably ice or water would shoot out of there, as soon as I was trying to make lunch. Or I’d walk by and the toaster would be out and crumbs would be all over, and we’d stash it away in a cabinet but crumbs would fall out.

walk down into the space from the dining room, I really wanted that beautiful custom vent hood that we designed and that beautiful 48inch range that could really provoke people to come into this space.”

The space itself presented its own structural challenges in the beginning. Like the rest of the

Or Kyle would make his coffee, and that was in the upper cabinet, but it was kind of all in the same kind of main area, spots where we would all just prepare food.”

This new pantry, though, alleviates those problems, with an ice machine and water filter for the kids to self-serve their own beverages and the appliance garage to tuck away the unattractive appliances like the blender, toaster, and coffee maker. “And then obviously having that space helped me lay out the rest of the kitchen,” Catherine says, “which then when you

house, with its numerous additions and renovations, the kitchen, Catherine says, “had been added onto probably three different times, so it was hard to really understand how the house was put together and how the different spaces were combined. We had to go back and do some forensic framing work to tie things together a little bit better and marry all three of those different additions so that the space flowed better.” Take, for instance, the beams that line the ceilings in the kitchen and living spaces; some of them

hide necessary rafters while the rest carry through to keep the visual cohesion. Another effort of visual cohesion: the arched shelves in the living room to match the arched pocket door in the pantry.

That pocket door, which could close easily during parties or any get-together the family hosts,

mindset of: Anything’s possible.”

That mindset also led to the Hydes renovating the guest bathroom, a side project during the kitchen and living room renovations. Once the Morgans had lived in their house for a bit, and during the other ongoing renovations, they realized the bathroom, too, could

living room are complete, Andrea and Kyle are using their home to its full entertaining potential, though they were hosting in it all along, through construction and everything. “We turn on music and have dance parties in the kitchen,” Andrea says. “[In the living room,] we snuggle on the couch

(The couple’s 1-year-old has yet to join in on the fun.) They’ll soon be entering baked goods into the Delta Fair’s kids’ cooking contests. In the meantime, the family will keep hosting, from their weekly church small group to kids’ birthday parties — and they’ll continue to make their mark on their home.

was a sticking point for Andrea and Kyle. “We’re pretty easy-going, but we were like, ‘It’s got to be those wood pocket doors on the pantry.’ We’re like, ‘They definitely have to be arched.’”

And Catherine and Ian agreed, even knowing how much work would go into constructing them. “It’s not like your pocket door at your grandma’s house that never works and everybody hates,” Ian says. “It soft-closes. It soft-opens.”

“We never just accept things at their face value,” Kyle adds. “We always go into it with that

use some updating. “There was kind of a funky closet, but we’re like, ‘We kind of want to tear down the wall in between and make it a big bathroom,’” Andrea says. “And what we appreciate about Catherine and Ian is they have the imagination to see it. They’re not just going to go for the most simple, easy fix. They’re going to really imagine a space and be excited about it.”

Of this work, Catherine says, “It’s really magic when you can really change somebody’s life, and I feel like we did that.”

Now that their kitchen and

and do Friday night movies.”

Their oldest daughter, Ellery, 13, has also been making use of the kitchen, using her sourdough starter whose home is on the floating shelves. “She’ll make desserts and stuff all the time. But it’s sweet that she has like her little corner, she can kind of bake and do prepping and then I’ll be at the island right behind her making food.”

The Morgans’ younger children, ages 6, 9, 11, also join in the cooking, pulling up the barstools to the counter and reaching into the cabinets at their heights.

above: The Morgan family pose outside their High Point Terrace home: (l-r) Kyle, Evelyn (11), Abel (9), Ellery (13), Alden (6), Andrea, and Boaz (1), plus Bishop the pup.

LET’S MAKE SOME

MVIES

FILM COMMISSIONER LINN SITLER HAS WORKED BEHIND THE SCENES FOR DECADES

TO EXPAND FILM PRODUCTION IN MEMPHIS.

BY JON W. SPARKS

Lloyd Binford would not have approved of Linn Sitler. He’s long gone now, but for 27 years — ending in 1956 — he ran the Memphis Censor Board and prevented scads of ﬁlms from being shown in the city, mainly because they oﬀended his segregationist sensibilities.

How times have changed. To paraphrase the legendary ﬁlm producer Samuel Goldwyn, “If Lloyd Binford were alive today, he’d be spinning in his grave” — and not just spinning because of motion pictures screened in Memphis, but because of many that have been ﬁlmed here. (Imagine poor Lloyd experiencing, say, Hustle & Flow.)

For that, we can thank the efforts of Sitler, Commissioner of the Memphis and Shelby County Film and Television Commission for nearly 40 years. Before she started to recruit projects to Memphis and Shelby County, only a tiny handful of movie and television projects were made here. During her tenure, she’s been at the forefront of the effort to attract productions including feature films, documentaries, commercials, music videos, television shows, online content, and photo shoots.

In its 2024 ﬁscal year, the Commission’s 44 productions brought in $1,297,507 in direct spending with 386 jobs created. e industry swings wildly in impact for a variety of reasons; the 2023 ﬁscal year saw a direct-spend total of $15,562,096 with 2,180 jobs created. at bump was largely thanks to NBC-Universal’s Young Rock series. Film and movie projects come and go, but for Sitler and her team, it’s about maintaining a steady presence and respected reputation. And it’s important to note that the Commission is neither an arts organization nor a trade association. It’s all about economic development, whether through local hires and vendors, boosting tourism, or developing training opportunities.

e Commission has managed to maintain momentum for four decades by staying attuned to client needs, even as the industry evolves rapidly. When she started recruiting projects, she was able to convince major clients to come to Memphis by oﬀering diverse locations, convenience, and eﬀective support. Producers and directors liked the

Linn Sitler with her award in the Duck Walk Hall of Fame in 2010 at The Peabody.

experience, especially the availability of locations, and they talked up Memphis as a good place to bring projects. But then the industry started changing. In the 1990s, Canada was offering financial incentives to film and TV projects. e trend was observed with interest by state governments that wanted a piece of the pie. Louisiana and Georgia put together robust incentive programs that have, over time, lured away Tennessee residents who have skills as crew members, since Tennessee doesn’t compete dollar-for-dollar in film incentives.

What worked in the past was now subject to what the accountants were calculating in profits for the studios. But even if Tennessee doesn’t have blockbuster incentives, it still has some lures and the city and county have been able to make those work. Since 2011, Memphis has hosted productions including Sun Records, the critically acclaimed Free in Deed, the independent feature Brian Banks (directed by Tom Shadyac), the Oscar-winning documentary Undefeated, the Netfl ix film Uncorked, and Hallmark’s Christmas at Graceland. Also based here were Bluff City Law (for its one season) and Young Rock, which shot its third season here.

Big projects always get the spotlight, but from the beginning, the Commission has assisted endeavors on many scales. And as the big projects started to recede, independent ﬁlmmaking gained ground here, so there has been a steady stream of work for the Commission team to make happen.

BACKSTORY

Sitler came to Memphis when her father, U.S. Air Force Colonel Fred Harry Sitler, was assigned as commander of the Memphis Defense Industrial Plant Equipment Center in 1965. He retired here and the family — Linn’s mother, Edna Beck Sitler, and Linn’s two siblings — settled in. Linn attended Central High School and went on to the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and then got her MA at the University

of Memphis with a concentration in TV and film, presaging her long career in the industry.

She couldn’t have imagined that today, she would be the longest consecutively serving ﬁ lm commissioner in the world. But her path started with picking up local and international broadcasting credits as a producer, writer, and on-camera personality. She was a co-host on WHBQ-TV’s PM Magazine , which she says was “the best TV job in Memphis.”

But in 1984, she left for even bigger possibilities. A California-based production company that made syndicated travel segments hired Sitler to do on-site reporting, traveling first-class to such locales as Israel, Chile, Fiji Islands, and China. The company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy just months after she was hired, however, and she was one of the first to be let go. She was tempted to stay out West and give Hollywood a try, but it was a tough town and all she really got was an oﬀer to interview for the Playboy Channel as a feature reporter. And she was homesick, so she drove back to Memphis — but found nothing of great interest. She did revive her association with PM Magazine in the Carolinas, but it wasn’t the right ﬁt. So Sitler moved on, and wrote features for the Nashville Scene and Nashville Magazine

Her father wasn’t impressed by her take of $75 per article. “He said if I wrote 10 a day, I might be able to support myself,” Sitler says. A regular paycheck and beneﬁts were going to have to be part of her plan. She joined the Tennessee Film, Tape and Music Commission, but ﬁ nding it too political, decided to move along. Still, her time there opened the door to what was then called the Memphis & Shelby County Film, Tape, and Music Commission. e then-director was the redoubtable Martha Ellen Maxwell — who was leaving and wanted Sitler to take her place.

“I thought, well, I’ll come back to Memphis for a year,” Sitler says. That was 1987. She miscalculated just a bit.

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP :

LINN SITLER with CYBILL SHEPHERD , KNOX PHILLIPS & MORGAN FREEMAN , SHARON FOX O‘GUIN , and her MOTHER , EDNA BECK SITLER

PORRETTA

Since 1988, the Porretta Soul Festival has brought the Memphis sensibility to Italy with a popular music attraction. Founded by Graziano Uliani, a lifelong soul music enthusiast, the festival and the town have honored Memphis music, and now that appreciation has expanded to include ﬁlm.

Porretta Terme and Memphis entered an official sister-city relationship in February of this year. That came about not only because of the music connection, but also thanks to the efforts of Sitler to get several short films from Memphis and Shelby County in last year’s Porretta Film Festival. The plan is to have a feature film from Memphis in the festival in December. And a film from the Porretta festival will screen in Memphis.

Because of Sitler’s leadership in bringing about the sister city status and the ﬁlm aspect between the two cities, she was given the Sweet Soul Music Award in July at the Porretta Soul Festival.

er the case may be. I can give them options of people that they can communicate with to make sure it’s a fit for what they’re looking for. It’s important to let them know that the Commission offers a lot of the things that they only thought went to big films. e Commission offers those same services to them as well — and it’s free.”

Since the beginning, Sitler has worked with the members of the Commission Board, a who’s-who of influential people that included Richard Ranta, Jimmy Tashie, Herbie O’Mell, Knox Phillips, David Porter, Estelle Axton, Tajuan Stout Mitchell, Art Gilliam, Susan Murrmann, Fabian Matthews, Gale Jones Carson, and O’Farrell Shoemaker. And then there’s the succession of city and county mayors as well as council members and commissioners who have been willing to make crucial phone calls when needed. roughout it all, Sitler has been at the forefront, adapting to industry changes and tending to details. “Every year we change,” she says. “We have [adapted to the change] in focus from studio pictures to independent filmmaking. We have changed within the office, so that I’m working more on special projects and sales. Sharon [Fox O’Guin] is more hands-on, and Al [Kapone] brings a lot to the table, not just in music, but he knows locations that we don’t know. e longer he’s here, the more he’s going to be doing.”

Another way the Commission has cultivated the city’s role in the industry is with apprenticeships and workshops. “We started an apprenticeship program when Mark Luttrell was county mayor,” she says. “ e idea was to place trainees on a big-budget movie and have them learn the big budget ways. And then even if they never worked on another big budget movie, they could take that experience, those procedures, and use them on an independent ﬁlm.”

THE CAST AND CREW

Sitler is quick to point out that the projects that come to town are a result of a spectrum of people who pitch in. For most of her tenure, the Deputy Film Commissioner has been Sharon Fox O’Guin, who handles the day-to-day business.

O’Guin says, “People think that the Commission is some big, huge conglomerate thing, but it’s really Linn. I work behind the scenes, but Linn is the one out there asking the tough questions and talking with the mayors and doing all of that. And the fact that she’s made it through all of these administrations — when they could have replaced her — says a whole lot.”

New to the organization is Alphonzo “Al Kapone” Bailey, an award-winning rapper, songwriter, and producer who is a music consultant with the Commission.

“I’m always an advocate for Memphis in general and anything that relates to music,” he says. He’s there for any Commission client that needs a music angle, “based on what they’re looking for when it comes to ﬁlms, what kind of music they need in particular scenes, or whatev-

One of the current apprenticeships is at WKNO-TV Channel 10. “ ree high school graduates are researching and interviewing local historians in preparation for the airing of the Ken Burns series on the American Revolution,” she says.

HITS (AND A FEW MISSES)

While Sitler started as Commissioner in 1987, it took a few attempts before she found success. She says, “If we had not had Mystery Train, we probably would have gone out of business because although in the beginning we had a lot of huge near hits, they turned into even bigger, very public misses.”

Notable was Taylor Hackford’s film Everybody’s All-American (released in 1988), which was practically a lock for Memphis. It was a $60 million ﬁ lm starring Jessica Lange and Dennis Quaid. But Lange would not be available to shoot until winter and it had to look like fall and it was decided that Memphis wouldn’t be convincing in that role. So it went to Louisiana.

Sitler said, “I really felt like I was going to be ﬁ red because I’d spent the whole summer working on one project, even though I wasn’t. en we took another blow, which was Elvis and Me , a mini-series based on the book by Priscilla Presley.” But they weren’t going to be able to close Graceland during the shoot, so they found a substitute house in California.

And then came Mystery Train , possibly saving Sitler’s job and launching an era of filmmaking in the Mid-South. It was shaky at first. Someone from Mayor Dick Hackett’s office called her and asked why they were fi lming on unsightly South Main and not a nicer part of town.

from left: Al Kapone, Linn Sitler holding the 2025 Sweet Soul Music Award from Porretta, Sharon Fox O’Guin.

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e director was Jim Jarmusch, with only a handful of titles to his name and some locals were nervous. ey went to Blockbuster to check out what he’d done, hoping it wasn’t porn.

But Jarmusch was already a celebrated indie ﬁlmmaker, and his style was to shoot in less pristine parts of a city. And he was drawn to South Main. It was quite the experience for the locals as it was the middle of summer and everyone on the crew dressed all in black.

e ﬁrst ﬁlm of the new era was a success, but as an indie project, it wasn’t considered a major motion picture. at came next with the Jerry Lee Lewis biopic Great Balls of Fire , starring Dennis Quaid and Winona Ryder. It was neither a commercial nor critical success, but for Memphis, the ball was rolling. Sitler says, “Great Balls of Fire established that

Memphis could support a studio picture. I’ll never forget my happiness at recruiting it, because the Hollywood Reporter magazine had already run a story saying it was going to be shot in Louisiana because they had more period buildings there.”

Other projects were being ﬁlmed in Memphis as well, including the ABC series Elvis: Good Rockin’ Tonight and the action-thriller ﬁlm Trespass with Ice Cube and Ice-T.

Memphis hit the big time with 1994’s e Firm, the first John Grisham film to be made in the city. e director was Sydney Pollack, who had already done Absence of Malice , Out of Africa (for which he won the Best Director Oscar), and Tootsie . At fi rst, he was not terribly sold on Memphis. Sitler says, “I remember he kept looking for what he called the ‘visual,’ the image of the city. We explained it was spread out.”

To the rescue came Michael Hausman,

Linn Sitler and Herbie O’Mell

one of the main producers and a production manager. He, Sitler, and others went scouting, taking photos and videos. Sitler says, “He photographed all of the biggest buildings and in such a way, looking up at them and everything, that showed we could make Memphis look like he wanted it to look.” at went a long way to sealing the deal that brought Tom Cruise, Gene Hackman, and Hal Holbrook to town and earned two Oscar nominations (one for Holly Hunter, and one for sound).

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Wednesday, September 24th, 2025 5:30pm - 8:30pm

Another key to making it happen was Mayor Willie Herenton’s oﬀer of free city services. Sitler said, “But he did it after he walked into where they were building the sets and, walking through, asked workers, ‘Are you local?’ e crew member said, ‘Yes,’ and he went to the next one. ‘Local? Local? Local?’ ‘Yes, yes, yes.’” e production company ended up spending $6.5 million in the city.

“Great Balls of Fire established that Memphis could support a studio picture. I’ll never forget my happiness at recruiting it, because the Hollywood Reporter magazine had already run a story saying it was going to be shot in Louisiana because they had more period buildings there.” —Linn Sitler

is was all before cash or tax credit incentives had entered the picture. But Memphis had been preparing, with the city, county, and ﬁlm commission working together to provide a ﬁ lm-friendly environment. ey knew they had a leg up and could respond well when someone came by to scout the area, but there were never any guarantees — not even for John Grisham movies. Sitler said that back in the ’90s many people thought that the Grisham projects shooting here were “gimmes” and came here automatically. Not so.

When Joel Schumacher was hired to direct Grisham’s e Client, he thought that he might not want to shoot in Memphis because e Firm had shot here the year before. But e Firm was about a wealthy, privileged slice of society, while e Client was rougher and scrappier. That film earned a Best Actress Oscar nomination for Susan Sarandon.

A key strategy of the Film Commission was to present Memphis as someplace that could ﬁt any director’s vision. Milos Forman shot Memphis as Ohio. Memphis’ varied looks helped convince Francis Ford Coppola to shoot e Rainmaker here. Memphis was glad to cooperate by oﬀering courtrooms and courthouses.

Not all the Grisham movies were ﬁlmed in Memphis. Sitler says The Pelican Brief

scouted here but producers had already made up their minds to go to Louisiana. e Gingerbread Man, based on a Grisham story, was shot in Savannah, Georgia, because that’s where Robert Altman wanted it to be — and he rewrote the script to make it so. e state of Mississippi snatched the filming of A Time to Kill, Grisham’s first novel. It had already been announced that it would fi lm in Memphis and partly in Oxford, Mississippi, but the then-Mississippi Film Commissioner Ward Emling crafted a deal to build a sound stage in the state for the project.

Coming between e Client and e Rainmaker was e People vs. Larry Flynt, released in 1996. Famed director Milos Forman was at the helm of the shoot that generated much local excitement and earned Oscar nominations for Forman’s direction and Woody Harrelson’s performance. It also spent $7.6 million in Memphis and Shelby County.

to Excellence.

Memphis

Films that would follow included Finding Graceland , Cast Away (two Oscar nominations — one for Tom Hanks and one for Best Sound), A Painted House , and 21 Grams, which earned Oscar nominations for Naomi Watts and Benicio del Toro.

Four fi lms released in 2005 were fi lmed in Memphis. Craig Brewer’s Hustle & Flow, the Johnny Cash/June Carter Cash biopic Walk the Line , Ira Sachs’ Forty Shades of Blue , and Cameron Crowe’s Elizabethtown. Brewer’s project cemented his reputation as an upand-coming director and made it possible for him to film Black Snake Moan, which was released in 2006. Forty Shades won the 2005 Sundance Dramatic Grand Jury Prize, and the fi lmmaker has gone on to make several more acclaimed fi lms. Walk the Line starred Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon, who won a Best Actress Oscar for her portrayal of Carter Cash.

One of the world’s most renowned ﬁlmmakers, Wong Kar-Wai, came to Memphis to make My Blueberry Nights, shooting several scenes at the Arcade Restaurant, which has appeared in numerous ﬁlm productions.

In 2007, the production of Nothing But the Truth filmed here with Memphis playing the role of suburban Washington, D.C. Directed by Rod Lurie and starring Kate Beckinsale, Alan Alda, Matt Dillon, Angela Bassett, and Vera Farmiga, the political thriller was the first film to take advantage of the state’s tax incentives that came out of the 2006 Tennessee Visual Content Act.

As for the future, there are always projects and proposals in the works, big and small. But for Sitler, it’s about keeping Memphis and Shelby County relevant to the industry. “I’m always reaching for the top, always reaching ahead.”

And Lloyd Binford is still spinning in his grave.

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2025MEMPHISAREA INDEPENDENTSCHOOLSGUIDE

President’s Letter

September 2025

The Memphis Association of Independent Schools (MAIS) is proud to represent 33 of the region’s most distinguished independent schools. Each institution brings its own distinct identity and educational philosophy, yet all are united by a shared commitment to fostering academic excellence, supporting the individual needs of each student, and cultivating a vibrant, inclusive school community.

In the greater Memphis area, families are fortunate to have a wide array of educational options, including public, charter, and independent schools. Within this landscape, independent schools stand out for their personalized learning environments, strong community values, and forward-thinking approaches designed to prepare students not just for college, but for life.

Each member school of MAIS is fully autonomous, with its own mission, governing board of directors, and unique educational approach. Independent schools chart their own curricular paths, build programs

around their specific values, and tailor learning experiences to meet the needs of their unique student populations. Among MAIS member schools, you’ll find schools that serve particular age groups, offer single-gender education, uphold specific faith traditions, or specialize in addressing unique learning needs. Despite their differences, all MAIS schools are deeply committed to developing intellectual curiosity, critical thinking, and personal growth in every student.

The freedom that independent schools enjoy allows them to design and implement innovative, student-centered curricula. With smaller class sizes, teachers can offer

meaningful individual attention, identify each student’s strengths and learning styles, and support their academic and personal development. These close student-teacher relationships are foundational to an independent school experience, creating an environment where students feel seen, supported, and empowered to thrive.

MAIS schools are committed to developing well-rounded individuals. Students have access to a wide range of extracurricular opportunities from athletics and the arts to leadership programs and club activities. They also engage deeply with their communities through service work. Whether required as part of a school’s mission or

embraced as a personal commitment, community service is a hallmark of MAIS schools, helping students become thoughtful, active citizens. Independent schools serve students from a wide range of socioeconomic backgrounds. At many MAIS schools, tuition support is available through scholarships, financial aid, and flexible payment options. A number of MAIS schools also participate in state programs such as the Education Savings Account (ESA) and the Education Freedom Scholarship (EFS), helping to make private education accessible to more families. When considering a school, families are encouraged to reflect on more than just

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

academics. The best school ﬁt comes down to alignment between a family’s values and a school’s mission, approach, and culture. It’s important to ask: Does this school offer the kind of community, learning environment, and opportunities that will help my child thrive?

As you explore this publication, we invite you to learn more about the exceptional schools that make up the Memphis Association of Independent Schools. We are proud to partner with Memphis Magazine to provide a list of available MAIS options.

The Memphis Association of Independent Schools is honored to serve the families of the Mid-South and to support the families who choose the dynamic, values-driven education our schools provide. We welcome you to schedule a visit, tour our campuses, and experience ﬁrsthand what makes our schools truly special. We look forward to meeting you!

McKenzie B. Cohen President, Memphis Association of Independent Schools

McKenzie Cohen MAIS President

Daniel Weiss MAIS Vice President

Andy Surber MAIS Secretary

Brad Sewell MAIS Treasurer

John Murphy MAIS Past President

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A lifetime of potential awaits your family at the Mid-South’s only Christian K2-12 private school located all on one convenient campus.

Experience The Briarcrest Advantage for yourself at an upcoming Open House, or schedule your personal tour today. We look forward to meeting you!

Q&A with MAIS President McKenzie Cohen

Edited by Mary Swanson

What are independent schools and what sets them apart from the offerings of public schools? Independent schools are private school organizations typically governed by an individual Board of Trustees. Each independent school has a unique mission and autonomy over their own curriculum and educational experiences. Independent schools offer a wide variety of extracurricular activities, sports, and leadership development opportunities which vary per school. Additionally, independent schools typically have smaller student-teacher ratios yielding smaller class sizes and the opportunity for an individualized approach to meeting academic and developmental needs both in and out of the classroom.

What are the beneﬁts of independent schools for students and parents?

There are many beneﬁts of independent schools for students and parents including a family’s ability to choose a school that most closely aligns to the needs of their child based on an alignment with the school values and educational offerings. No two independent schools are exactly the same and families can pick an independent school that aligns with their

own priorities whether this is a faith afﬁliation, a speciﬁc academic need, or an extracurricular program.

What are some other factors parents should consider when choosing an independent school?

When choosing an independent school, in addition to the mission, foundation, and core values, parents should research the daily schedule and location of each school they are considering. Families should also understand the tuition and fee structure and ﬁnancial aid process at each school. In most cases, infor-

mation about tuition is available on each school’s website. The admission teams at each independent school are eager to provide families with tours of their facilities and answer any questions parents may have about the daily schedule in addition to the academic and extracurricular offerings.

What is the goal of MAIS?

The goal of the MAIS is to advance the mission of each member school in partnership with each other.

How should parents research ﬁnancial aid and when should they start the paperwork?

Many independent schools offer limited need-based financial aid and scholarships to students whose families qualify based on the eligibility requirements communicated by each individual school. When available, financial aid allows a parent to pay a modified tuition based on a demonstrated economic need. Different schools have different financial aid eligibility requirements and timelines. The question of financial aid should be a part of your school tour or inquiry with the admissions department. Schools may use third-party vendors to determine what level of aid is right for each child, which would require an online application and fee to apply for financial aid.

Many independent schools are participating in the Educational Savings Account (ESA) and the Education Freedom Scholarship (EFS), which are state programs that offer tuition assistance for eligible students who are enrolled at participating schools. M.O.S.T. (Memphis Opportunity Scholarship Trust) is also a popular need-based program that gives hundreds of thousands of dollars in scholarships each year.

Do you have any advice for prospective students and parents?

◗ Bodine School

◗ Bornblum Jewish Community School

◗ Briarcrest Christian Schools

◗ Christ Methodist Day School

◗ Christ the King Lutheran School

◗ Christian Brothers High School

◗ Collegiate School of Memphis

◗ Concord Academy

◗ Evangelical Christian School

◗ Fayette Academy

◗ First Assembly Christian School

◗ Grace-St. Luke’s Episcopal School

◗ Harding Academy

◗ Hutchison School

◗ Lamplighter Montessori School

◗ Lausanne Collegiate School

◗ Madonna Learning Center

◗ Margolin Hebrew Academy

— Feinstone Yeshiva of the South

◗ Memphis University School

◗ New Hope Christian Academy

◗ Northpoint Christian School

◗ Our Lady of Perpetual Help School

◗ Presbyterian Day School

◗ Rossville Christian Academy

◗ St. Agnes Academy for Girls

◗ St. Benedict at Auburndale High School

◗ St. Dominic School for Boys

◗ St. Francis of Assisi Catholic School

◗ St. George’s Independent School

◗ St. Mary’s Episcopal School

◗ Tipton-Rosemark Academy

◗ Trinity Christian Academy

◗ Westminster Academy

◗ Woodland Presbyterian School

My advice for prospective students and parents is to engage in the process of looking for an independent school early and work directly with the admissions department to ensure that your questions are answered and you feel comfortable with your choice of school for your child. There are 33 MAIS school options in 19 different ZIP codes across the Mid-South for families to consider and each school is unique. I believe there is an independent school that is the right ﬁt for every interested family.

Lausanne develops the individual talents, intellects, creativity and character of boys and girls through innovative teaching strategies and passionate and engaged learning within our diverse PK2 through 12th grade International Baccalaureate setting. Rigorous academics for the individual student help us build conﬁ dent leaders ready to make the world a better place. Learn more at lausanneschool.com .

Concord Academy

4942 Walnut Grove Road, Memphis, TN 38117

901.682.3115 • concord-academy.org • info@concord-academy.org

Where students with learning differences belong and succeed

At Concord Academy, we recognize that every student is unique, with di erent strengths, challenges, and needs.

Our students come to us with a range of learning and behavioral di erences; including intellectual disabilities, language processing disorders, ADHD, Autism Spectrum Disorder, and other neurodiverse needs. These students are often presenting with multiple conditions at once.

Concord is a pioneer in creating inclusive, evidence-based, and holistic educational practices and learning environments with an intentional culture of kindness and respect.

We believe in focusing on what makes each student exceptional. By recognizing and nurturing individual strengths, we help students build conﬁdence, develop skills, and unlock their full potentials. Instead of relying on a traditional “one-size-ﬁts-all” approach that tends to leave neurodiverse students out of the equation, we use individualized, evidence-based teaching models that are carefully tailored to each student’s learning style.

This holistic approach equips students with the tools and life skills they need for success both in the classroom and, eventually, the real world. We focus on academic achievement, emotional well-being, and social growth, all of which prepare our students to thrive in the Concord halls and beyond.

Concord Academy was founded 42 years ago on the belief that learning environments should be as unique as the children within them. Today, our classrooms remain places of possibility, where students can feel safe, supported, and empowered to learn in ways that work best for them.

Concord Community Day –October 3

Join us for Concord’s Community Day and experience The Concord Di erence. Meet our sta and students, and learn more about what makes Concord Academy so special.

St. Mary’s Episcopal School

60 Perkins Extended, Memphis, TN 38117

901.537.1405 • admissions@stmarysschool.org • stmarysschool.org

For girls. For life.

St. Mary’s Episcopal School, the #1 girls school in Tennessee, has helped girls unlock their full potential and enter the world conﬁdent, capable, and ready for any challenge. Every teacher, every lesson, every resource is dedicated to girls and how they learn best.

A girls-centered education reaps beneﬁts because girls learn di erently. Through this approach St. Mary’s girls build conﬁdence, take on challenges, and gain leadership skills. We also champion the educational needs of girls in STEM majors and careers, because research shows that girls’ school graduates are six times more likely to consider majoring in math, science, and technology compared to girls who attend coed schools.

Early Childhood

St. Mary’s starts girls’ education with an emphasis on wonder and discovery, empowering young, eager learners with love and encouragement.

Lower School

Hands-on curriculum teaches St. Mary’s girls to be tenacious and creative problem solvers in dynamic learning environments.

Middle School

St. Mary’s challenges girls to develop public speaking, writing, and problem-solving skills with higher education and future careers in mind.

Upper School

College preparatory curriculum at St. Mary’s helps girls ﬁnd community, realize their potential, and achieve their goals.

Westminster Academy

2520 Ridgeway Road, Memphis, 38119

901.380.9192 • info@wamemphis.com • wamemphis.com

What is the purpose of education? Admission to college? High test scores? Or something greater?

At Westminster Academy, we equip students to pursue God’s truth, goodness, and beauty in the world around them — all while preparing them for any path they choose upon graduation. The purpose of a classical Christian education is to train the soul to love that which is worth loving.

We aim to instill this love of learning through hands-on experience, classroom discussions, joyful play, and involvement in the community. Our students experience God’s beauty and goodness through rich literature selections and in service of others. They delve into His truths through deep discussions in the classroom, and make connections to the wider world while traveling both domestically and abroad during the Upper School years. Through programs like our House system, athletics, and the Protocol course, we strive to cultivate healthy competition, wisdom, and virtue in our students, further equipping them to love and honor their neighbors and fellow students.

Bodine School

As a result, Westminster faculty and parents create a unique community with one goal: to graduate well-prepared students who have a love for learning and for the Lord.

We invite you to reconsider the purpose of education, and discover the beauty of a classical Christian education!

2432 Yester Oaks Dr., Germantown, TN 38139 901.754.1800 • bodineschool.org communications@bodineschool.org

Bodine School serves students in grades 1-5 who have been diagnosed with dyslexia. The core curriculum at all grade levels focuses on fundamental skills in language arts and mathematics, while the cornerstone of Bodine’s language arts instruction is the daily Orton-Gillingham (O-G) lesson. O-G instruction is delivered in class sizes of ten students or fewer, and all classroom teachers participate in intensive, ongoing O-G training.

St. Francis of Assisi School

2100 Germantown Pkwy • Cordova, TN 38016 901.388.73218 • sfawolves.org

St. Francis of Assisi Catholic School educates students, grades 2K through 8, and has built a reputation of producing academic leaders and preparing students for the top high schools in Memphis. Since founded in 2004, SFA has produced 18 Valedictorians, 15 Salutatorians, 20 National Merit Finalists and 32 National Merit Commended Scholars from a variety of elite Memphis area high schools. SFA has been on the leading edge of integrating technology into the classroom to promote interaction, collaboration, and engagement. We provide all students with 1:1 Apple devices and all classrooms are equipped with Promethean Boards or Apple TVs. With Project Lead the Way STEM Courses, students become problem solvers and effective communicators for a complex and challenging world. Why join SFA School? High standards, a moral foundation and compassion that our children and society need right now. We have a place for your child to grow in mind and spirit.

Open House: October 14, 5-7 PM • January 27, 9-11 AM

• Christ-Centered Discipleship & Biblical Worldview

• College-Preparatory Academics

Taught by Excellent, Caring Teachers

• Small Class Sizes = Students are Known & Are Involved in Multiple Activities

• Championship Athletics and Award-Winning Fine Arts

• Nurturing Atmosphere

OPEN HOUSE DATES

October 16

October 21

Lower School Open House (Age 2 - Grade 3)

Shelby Farms Campus Open House (Grades 4-12) Register today

•September 17 | 5 PM – Grades 6–12

•October 1 | 8:30 AM – Grades PK–5

•October 29 | 5 PM – Grades 6–12

SGIS.org Come explore how your child can thrive at St. George’s. Scan to RSVP and see our full event schedule.

2025 Guide to Memphis Area Independent Schools

Compiled by Mary Swanson

Bodine School

2432 Yester Oaks Dr., Germantown, 38119 • 7541800 • bodineschool.org • Grades: 1-6. Tuition: $25,500 • Enrollment 100 • Student-faculty ratio: 10:1 • Serves students with dyslexia and dyslexiarelated reading differences.

Bornblum Jewish Community School 6641 Humphreys Blvd., 38120 • 747-2665 • bornblum.org • Student body: co-ed • Grades: K-8 • Tuition: Kindergarten - $13,000; 1-8$14,500 • Enrollment/student-faculty ratio: 110; 3:1 • Religious afﬁliation: Jewish • Before- and after-school care: yes

Briarcrest Christian Schools 76 S. Houston Levee, Eads, 38028 • 765-4605 • briarcrest.com • Student body: co-ed • Grades: Age 2 yrs.-12 • Tuition: $6,130-$19,585 • Enrollment: 1,700+; Student/teacher ratio: 11:1 • Religious afﬁliation: nondenominational Christian • Before- and afterschool care: yes

Christ Methodist Day School 411 S. Grove Park, 38117 • 683-6873 • choosecmds.org • Student body: co-ed • Grades: 2K-6 • Tuition: $6,000$16,345 • Enrollment/student-faculty ratio: 550 (2024); 9:1 • Religious afﬁliation: Christian • Before- and after-school care: yes

Christ the King Lutheran School 5296 Park, 38119 • 682-8405 • ctkschool.com • Student body: co-ed • Grades: Age 18 mos.-8 • Tuition: $9,800$10,100 • Enrollment/student-faculty ratio: 98; 11:1 • Religious afﬁliation: Christian • Special Ed classes: PLUS, Discoveries, Horizons, Honors • Before- and after-school care: yes

Christian Brothers High School 5900 Walnut Grove, 38120 • 261-4900 • admissions@cbhs. org • cbhs.org/discover • Student body: male • Grades: 9-12 • Tuition: $18,320 • Enrollment/ student-faculty ratio: 735; 11:1 • Religious afﬁliation: Lasallian Catholic • Before- and afterschool care: yes

Collegiate School of Memphis 3353 Faxon Ave., 38122 • 591-8200 • collegiatememphis.org • Student body: co-ed • Grades: 6-12 • Tuition: 6-8 - $14,500; 9-12 - $14,650 • Enrollment/studentfaculty ratio: 349; 10:1 • Religious afﬁliation: nondenominational Christian • Before- and afterschool care: after only

Concord Academy 4942 Walnut Grove, 38117 • 682-3115 • concord-academy.com • Grades: 6-12. Tuition: $15,611-$16,590 • Enrollment/studentfaculty ratio: 60; 8:1 • Serves students with learning and social disabilities.

Evangelical Christian School – Main Campus 7600 Macon Rd., 38018 • 754-7217 • ecseagles.com • Student body: co-ed • Grades: 4-12 • Tuition: $6,200-$16,800 • Enrollment/ student-faculty ratio: 941; 7:1 • Religious afﬁliation: nondenominational Christian. Additional Location: 1920 Forest Hill-Irene • 7544420 • Grades: Little Eagles (age 2)-3rd) • Beforeand after-school care: yes

Fayette Academy 15090 Hwy. 64, Somerville, 38068 • 465-3241 • fayetteacademy.org • Student body: co-ed • Grades: PK3-12 • Tuition: $5,625$10,425 • Enrollment/student-faculty ratio: 600; 15:1 • Religious afﬁliation: nondenominational Christian • Before- and after-school care: yes

First Assembly Christian School 8650 Walnut Grove, Cordova, 38018 • 458-5543 • facsmemphis. org • Student body: co-ed • Grades: PK-12 • Tuition: $7,033-$13,792 (student services additional fee) • Enrollment/student-faculty ratio: 540; 11:1 • Religious afﬁliation: multi-denominational, evangelical Christian • Before- and after-school care: yes (elementary)

Grace-St. Luke’s Episcopal School 246 S. Belvedere, 38104 • 278-0200 • gslschool.org • Student body: co-ed • Grades: 18 months to 8th grade • Tuition: $8,975-$22,935 • Enrollment/ student-faculty ratio: 480; 8:1 • Religious afﬁliation: Episcopal • Before- and after-school care: yes

Harding Academy 1100 Cherry Rd., 38117 • 767-4494 • hardinglions.org • Student body: co-ed • Grades: K-12 • Tuition: $5,550-$19,155 • Enrollment/student-faculty ratio: 699; 7:1 • Religious afﬁliation: Christian • Before- and after-school care: yes. Additional Locations: Little Harding, 1106 Colonial, 38117 • 767-2093 • Grades: Age 6 weeks -Jr.K

Hutchison School 1740 Ridgeway, 38119 • 761-2220 • hutchisonschool.org • Student body: female • Grades: PK2-12 • Tuition: $6,690-$28,100 • Enrollment: 790; Student-faculty ratio: 7:1 • Religious afﬁliation: nonsectarian • Before- and after-school care: yes

Lamplighter Montessori School 8563 Fay Rd., 38018 • 901-751-2000 • lamplighterschool.org • Student body: co-ed • Grades: Age 18 mos.-8 • Tuition: $9,460-$17,995 • Enrollment/studentfaculty ratio: 170; 5:1 • Religious affiliation: nonsecular • Before- and after-school care: yes

Lausanne Collegiate School 1381 W. Massey, 38120 • 474-1000 • lausanneschool.com • Student body: co-ed • Grades: PK2-12 • Tuition: $14,550$29,313 • Enrollment/student-faculty ratio: 900; 7:1 • Religious affiliation: nonsectarian • Beforeand after-school care: yes

Madonna Learning Center 7007 Poplar, Germantown, 38138 • 752-5767 • madonnalearning.org • Ages: 4-40+ • Tuition: $16,150 • Enrollment: 100 • Provides individualized support for special-needs children and adults • Religious affiliation: Christian • Before-school care: yes

Margolin Hebrew Academy- Feinstone Yeshiva of the South 390 S. White Station, 38117 • 682-2400 • mhafyos.org • Grades: PreK-12/co-ed (PK3-8), female (9-12), male (9-12) • Tuition:$8,750-$20,950 • Enrollment: 186 • Religious affiliation: Jewish • Before- and afterschool care: after only

Memphis University School 6191 Park, 38119 • 260-1300 • musowls.org • Student body: male • Grades: 7-12 • Tuition: $25,400 • Student-faculty ratio: 7:1 • Religious affiliation: nondenominational • Before- and after-school care: after only

New Hope Christian Academy 3000 University St., 38127 • 358-3183 • newhopememphis. org • Student body: co-ed • Grades: PK3-6 • Tuition: $12,750 (financial aid available, needbased on a sliding scale) • Enrollment/studentfaculty ratio: 400+; 16:1 • Religious affiliation: nondenominational Christian • Before- and after-school care: after only, K-6

Northpoint Christian School 7400 Getwell Rd., Southaven, MS, 38672 • 662-349-3096 • ncstrojans.com • Student body: co-ed • Grades: PreK3-12 • Tuition: $7,850-$13,150 • Enrollment/ student-faculty ratio: 1,098; 15:1 • Religious affiliation: Christian • Before- and after-school care: yes

Our Lady of Perpetual Help School 8151 Poplar, Germantown, 38138 • 753-1181 • olphowls.org/ • Student body: co-ed • Grades: PK-8 • Tuition: $3,539-$9,078 • Enrollment/student-faculty ratio: 215, 8:1 • Religious affiliation: Catholic • Beforeand after-school care: yes

Presbyterian Day School 4025 Poplar, 38111 • 842-4600 • pdsmemphis.org • Student body: male • Grades: Age 2 years-6 • Tuition: Young Knights: $6,850-$13,220; Pre-K: $11,160 - $17,140; Junior K: $17,290-$20,760; Grades 1-3: $24,790; Grades 4-6: $25,560 • Enrollment/student-faculty ratio: 485; 9:1 • Religious affiliation: Presbyterian • Before- and after-school care: yes

Rossville Christian Academy 280 High St., Rossville, 38066 • 853-0200 • rossvillechristian. com • Student body: co-ed • Grades: PK-12 • Tuition: $8,577-$11,808 (financial aid available) • Enrollment/student-faculty ratio: 450; 12:1 • Religious affiliation: Interdenominational Christian • Before- and after-school care: Yes

St. Agnes Academy for Girls 4830 Walnut Grove Road, 38117 • 767-1356 • saa-sds.org • Student body: female • Grades: 2K-12 • Tuition: $6,700-$22,800 • Enrollment/student-faculty ratio: 795 (with St. Dominic School for Boys); 7:1 • Religious Affiliation: Catholic • Before-and afterschool care: Yes

St. Benedict at Auburndale High School 8250 Varnavas at Germantown Pkwy., Cordova, 38016 • 260-2840 • sbaeagles.org • Student body: co-ed • Grades: 9-12 • Tuition: $16,630-$17,775 • Enrollment/student-faculty ratio: 450; 10:1 (Fall 2024) • Religious affiliation: Catholic • Before- and after-school care: no

St. Dominic School for Boys 4830 Walnut Grove Road, 38117 • 767-1356 • saa-sds.org • Student body: male • Grades: 2K-8 • Tuition: $6,700-$22,800 • Enrollment/student-faculty ratio: 795 (with St. Agnes Academy); 7:1 • Religious Affiliation: Catholic • Before-and after-school care: Yes

St. Francis of Assisi Catholic School 2100 N. Germantown Pkwy., Cordova, TN 38016 • 901-388-7321 • sfawolves.org/ • Student body: co-ed • Grades: 2K-8 • Tuition: $9,250-$11,475 • Enrollment/student-faculty ratio: 415; 14:1 • Before and after school care: yes

St. George’s Independent School 1880 Wolf River Blvd., Collierville 38017 • 457-2000 • sgis. org • Student body: co-ed • Grades: PK-5 Germantown & Memphis locations • Grades: 6-12 at Collierville • Tuition: $14,900-$25,900 • Enrollment/student-faculty ratio: 986 (all locations); 9:1 • Religious affiliation: Episcopal • Before- and after-school care: yes (PK-8th). Additional Locations: Germantown Campus, 8250 Poplar, 38138 • 261-2300 • Grades: PK-5; Memphis Campus, 3749 Kimball Avenue, 38111 • 261-3920 • Grades: PK-5

St. Mary’s Episcopal School 60 Perkins Extd., 38117 • 537-1472 • stmarysschool.org • Student body: female • Grades: Age 2 yrs.-12 • Tuition: $5,200-$27,800 • Enrollment/student-faculty ratio: 800+; 8:1 • Religious affiliation: Episcopal • Before- and after-school care: after only

Tipton-Rosemark Academy 8696 Rosemark, Millington, 38053 • 829-6500 • tiptonrosemarkacademy.net • Student body: co-ed • Grades: K2-12 • Tuition: $6,223-$11,122

• Enrollment/student-faculty ratio: 700; 18:1 • Religious affiliation: nondenominational Christian • Before- and after-school care: yes

Trinity Christian Academy 10 Windy City Rd., Jackson, TN, 38305 • 731-668-8500 • tcalions. com • Student body: co-ed • Grades: PK–12 • Tuition: $7,491-$12,947 • Little Lions: Infantsage 3 • Tuition: $531-$1,087 monthly. Little Lion students can enroll in a 10- or 12-month pay plan. Enrollment/student-faculty ratio: 650 (Fall 2024); 9:1 • Religious affiliation: Christian, Interdenominational • Before- and after-school care: yes

Westminster Academy 2520 Ridgeway Rd., 38119 • 380-9192 • wamemphis.com • Student body: co-ed • Grades: JK-12 • Tuition: JK-K: $7,963; Grades 1-5: $17,588; Grades 6-12: $16,257

• Enrollment/student-faculty ratio: 461; 8:1 • Religious affiliation: Classical Christian • Beforeand after-school care: yes

Woodland Presbyterian School 5217 Park, 38119 • 685-0976 • woodlandschool.org • Student body: co-ed • Grades: Age 2 years-8 • Tuition: $5,785-$18,285 (tuition assistance available) • Enrollment/student- faculty ratio: 330; 7:1 • Religious affiliation: Presbyterian • Before- and after-school care: yes

DISCO DIVAS GO RED FOR WOMEN

Stayin’ alive never looked so good.

This September, the Mid-South Go Red for Women Luncheon brings heart, soul, and a little sparkle to the Hilton Memphis. With a vibrant Disco Divas theme, the event celebrates the lifesaving work of the American Heart Association and reminds us that protecting our hearts never goes out of style.

While heart disease continues to be the leading cause of death in women, Go Red for Women is changing the narrative. e movement empowers women to take control of their health, know their risk factors, and inspire others to do the same.

WHERE STYLE MEETS SURVIVAL

The day kicks off with the Health & Wellness Expo, where guests explore heart-smart resources, connect with local wellness vendors, and take part in screenings and interactive stations focused on whole-body health. It’s the perfect way to warm up for an afternoon full of inspiration and impact.

e program is led by Gina Neely, Memphis media favorite and passionate wellness advocate. Her energy and authenticity guide guests through a celebration of survivorship, sisterhood, and community.

A highlight of the event is the Survivor Fashion Show, presented by Dillard’s Wolfchase. Survivors, caregivers, and advocates take the runway to honor the lives touched by heart disease and stroke. Both women and men model looks that reﬂect conﬁdence, strength, and solidarity. It’s a vibrant celebration of life and a visual reminder of the importance of awareness and early action.

Following the show, guests hear from Charmaine Buchanan, a local mother and stroke survivor whose powerful story emphasizes the urgency of knowing the warning signs and advocating for your own health. Her experience is a call to action for everyone in the room.

e program also includes recognition of this year’s Women of Impact, honoring ten standout leaders who have driven awareness and fundraising eﬀorts in the Mid-South. eir commitment continues to elevate the movement and support its lifesaving work.

A MISSION THAT MOVES

Go Red for Women is national sponsored by CVS Health, and locally presented by Regional One Health as the Signature Healthcare Sponsor and Ring Container Technologies as the Signature Heart for Schools Sponsor.

ese partners, along with many others, help make the movement possible by funding lifesaving education, research, and outreach across the Mid-South. To learn more or get involved, visit www.heart.org/ memgored

Winner, Winner!

Amber Carey brings top-ranked bartending skills to Brookhaven Pub & Grill.

BY BRUCE VANWYNGARDEN

Igraduated from Bartlett High School in 2004, and now the 21-year-olds I’m carding were born in 2004, so that’s fun,” Amber Carey says, with a wry but disarming smile.

After working for 11 years at T.J. Mulligan’s, Carey has been a bartender at the booming Brookhaven Pub & Grill in East Memphis for eight years. She’s very good at her job and has the awards to prove it. In fact, if the Memphis Flyer ’s Best of Memphis’ “Best Bartender” poll was the Olympics, Carey would have been on the podium three times.

“I won third in 2021, ﬁrst in 2022, and second in 2023,” she says. “And my daughter was born in 2022, so that was a really good year for me.” at’s an impressive run, but it’s easy to see how Carey won over so many voters. She’s direct, friendly, looks you

in the eye — and she knows what her customers like.

“We keep things simple around here,” she says. “A lot of our regulars are beer drinkers, beer-and-shot kind of guys. We have a huge happy-hour crowd, and a huge Trivia Night with 25 to 30 teams. Lots of

people get oﬀ work and stop in on their way home.”

On this summer Tuesday, the sprawling patio is packed. A Jimmy Buﬀett tune wafts over the chattering crowd as waitresses hustle to and fro. In the late afternoon light, it has kind of a Florida vibe, which, I learn, is no accident.

“ is place is owned by Rick and Sandy Spell, who also own Babalu in Midtown,” Carey says, “and they own several Florida restaurants that are run by their daughter, Christy Spell Terry. A lot of Florida restaurants have this kind of furniture and this kind of feel.”

“So, what would you like to drink?” she says.

“You decide,” I say. “Something summer-ish.”

“How about a ‘Mexican Mule’?” she says. “It’s like a Moscow Mule, only with tequila instead of vodka. It’s blended with non-alcoholic ginger beer, Rose’s Sweetened Lime Juice, and lemonade.”

“A Mexican Mule is like a Moscow Mule, only with tequila instead of vodka. It’s blended with non-alcoholic ginger beer, Rose’s Sweetened Lime Juice, and lemonade.”

— Amber Carey

Carey has nothing but good things to say about her bosses. “ ey are such great people,” she says, “and they’ve let me keep my two-nights-aweek shifts for years, which is important, because I’m a single mom and need my days free. I was even able to pay my way through college by bartending. I had no school loans and I got two associate business degrees from Southwest Tennessee Community College.”

Carey was born in Oklahoma, but her father died when she was ﬁve and her mother moved back to Memphis to be closer to her family. “I’m a big Oklahoma Sooners fan,” she says, “in honor of my dad. And my daughter carries his name, Sean, as her middle name. You never realize how much your life changes when you have a child. I was 35 and alone, and now I have this wonderful little human in my life.”

As I gaze around the bustling patio, Carey’s professionalism kicks in and she notices my near-empty water glass.

“Sounds perfect.”

And it is — limey, ﬁzzy, with a touch of lemonade’s sweetness, while the tequila lingers underneath, awaiting its turn on the palate. It’s a straightforward and simple drink, like something you might get in Grayton Beach, sans seagulls.

“What’s your secret for doing this job so well, year after year?” I ask.

“I think just working two shifts a week is good for my mental health,” she says, “and because I don’t have to do this ﬁve nights a week, it’s fun for me to come to work. I go two or three days without seeing these people, and I like them, even outside of work, so it’s fun for me to come here and do my job.

“We have such great regulars. And with us staying open until 1 a.m., all the restaurants around here — Hog & Hominy, Amerigo, and others — when their employees get oﬀ work, they come here. So it makes for a great night, because at the very end of the shift, you get great tips from the service industry people. And that’s one of the ways you build your regulars.”

Spoken like a winner.

Brookhaven Pub & Grille, 695 W. Brookhaven Circle

Amber Carey serves a Mexican Mule.

A Curated Guide to Eating Out

Memphis Magazine offers this curated restaurant listing as a service to our readers. Broken down alphabetically by neighborhoods, this directory does not list every restaurant in town. It does, however, include the magazine’s “Top 50” choices of must-try restaurants in Memphis, a group that is updated every August. Establishments open less than a year are not eligible for “Top 50” but are noted as “New.” is guide also includes a representative sampling of other Bluﬀ City eating establishments. No fast-food facilities or cafeterias are listed. Restaurants are included regardless of whether they advertise in Memphis Magazine; those that operate in multiple locations are listed under the neighborhood of their original location. is guide is updated regularly, but we recommend that you call ahead to check on hours, prices, or other details. Suggestions from readers are welcome: dining@memphismagazine.com.

DOWNTOWN

ALDO’S PIZZA PIES—Serving gourmet pizzas — including Mr. T Rex — salads, and more. Also 30 beers, bottled or on tap. 100 S. Main. 577-7743; 752 S. Cooper. 725-7437. L, D, $-$$

AMELIA GENE’S—Globally inspired ﬁne-dining cuisine at the One Beale project, including Rohan duck, Wagyu ﬁlet, and an extensive cheese cart. 255 S. Front. 730-7650. D, $$-$$$ THE ARCADE—Memphis’ oldest cafe. Specialties include sweet potato pancakes, a fried peanut butter and banana sandwich, and breakfast served all day. 540 S. Main. 526-5757. B, L, MRA, $ ARNOLD’S SMOKEHOUSE—A classic smokehouse with vegan and nonvegan options seasoned to perfection. Closed Mon. 2019 E. Person Ave. 922-5950. L, D, SB, $-$$$

AUTOMATIC SLIM’S—Longtime downtown favorite specializes in contemporary American cuisine emphasizing local ingredients; also extensive martini list. 83 S. Second. 525-7948. L, D, WB, MRA, $-$$$ BARDOG TAVERN—Classic American grill with Italian inﬂuence, Bardog offers pasta specialties such as Grandma’s NJ Meatballs, as well as salads, sliders, sandwiches, and daily specials. 73 Monroe. 275-8752. B (Mon.-Fri.), L, D, WB, MRA, $-$$

BELLE TAVERN—Serving elevated bar food, including a butcher board with a variety of meats and cheeses, as well as daily specials. 117 Barboro Alley. 249-6580. L (Sun.), D, MRA, $ BEN YAY’S GUMBO SHOP—Spiritual successor to DejaVu, offering fresh and authentic Creole staples. 150 Peabody Place, Suite 111. 779-4125. L, D, $-$$

BISCUITS & JAMS—Offering sweet and savory brunch with a Cajun ﬂare. Specialties include smoked sausage or spicy fried chicken on biscuits, lemon blueberry wafﬂes, and rum custard French toast. No walk-ins on weekends. 24 N. B.B. King Blvd. 672-7905. B, L, WB, $-$$

BRASS DOOR IRISH PUB—Irish and New-American cuisine includes such entrees as ﬁsh and chips, burgers, shepherd’s pie, all-day Irish breakfast, and more. 152 Madison. 572-1813. L, D, SB, $-$$ BY THE BREWERY—Breakfast and lunch café, with a focus on Southern-style biscuits, salads, and soups. 496 Tennessee St. 310-4341. B, L, $

CAPRICCIO GRILL ITALIAN STEAKHOUSE

Offers prime steaks, fresh seafood (lobster tails, grouper, mahi mahi), pasta, and several Northern Italian specialties. 149 Union, The Peabody. 529-4199. B, L, D, SB, MRA, $-$$$$

CAROLINA WATERSHED—This indoor/outdoor eatery, set around silos, features reimagined down-home classics, including fried green tomatoes with smoked catﬁsh, a buttermilk fried chicken sandwich, burgers, and more. Closed Mon.-Thurs. 141 E. Carolina. 321-5553. L, D, WB, $-$$

CATHERINE & MARY’S—A variety of pastas, grilled quail, pâté, razor clams, and monkﬁsh are among the dishes served at this Italian restaurant in the Chisca. 272 S. Main. 254-8600. D, SB, MRA, $-$$$

COCOZZA AMERICAN ITALIAN—”The red sauce joint of your dreams” serves up classic Italian-American fare from the owners of Majestic Grille. Closed Sun. 110 Harbor Town Sq. 609-1111. D, $-$$

COZY CORNER—Serving up ribs, pork sandwiches, chicken, spaghetti, and more; also homemade banana pudding. Closed Mon. 735 N. Parkway. 527-9158. L, D, $

CURFEW—An elevated sports bar/American tavern concept by Top Chef contestant Fabio Viviani at the Canopy Memphis Downtown hotel. 164 Union Ave. B, L, D, $-$$

ESCO RESTAURANT AND TAPAS—Shareable dishes, turkey ribs, and seafood mac’n’cheese at this 2 Chainz franchise. 156 Lt. George W. Lee Ave. 808-3726. L, D, $$-$$$

FELICIA SUZANNE’S—Elevated down-home farmhouse food, using locally sourced ingredients, served in an atmoshere of classic Southern charm. 383 S. Main. 623-7883. L, D, $$$-$$$$.

FERRARO’S CHEESY CORNER & PIZZERIA—Plenty of pizzas, along with a whole new cheese-inspired menu (fancy grilled cheeses and build-your-own mac and cheese bowls). 111 Jackson. 522-2033. L, D, $

FISHBOWL AT THE PYRAMID—Burgers, ﬁsh dishes, sandwiches, and more served in a unique “underwater” setting. Bass Pro, 1 Bass Pro Drive, 291-8000. B, L, D, $-$$

FLAME RAMEN—Traditional Japanese ramen restaurant serving up bowls of noodles. 61 S. Second St. 441-6686. L, D, wheelchair accessible, $-$$

FLIGHT RESTAURANT & WINE BAR—Steaks and seafood, with such specialties as bison ribeye and Muscovy duck, all matched with appropriate wines. 39 S. Main. 521-8005. D, SB, MRA, $-$$$

FLYING FISH—Serves up fried and grilled versions of shrimp, crab, oysters, ﬁsh tacos, and catﬁsh; also chicken and burgers. 105 S. Second. 522-8228. L, D, $-$$

GARDEN BRUNCH CAFÉ—Fish and grits, steak and eggs, and other upscale takes on Southern brunch classics. 492 S. Main St. 249-7450. B, L, $$

THE GENRE—Burgers, tenders, catﬁsh, and plenty of vegan options made to order at this music-themed restaurant/lounge. 200 Poplar, Suite 105. 410-8169. B, L, D, $-$$

GOOD FORTUNE CO.—Authentic handcrafted noodles, ramen, and dumplings. 361 S. Main. 561-306-4711. L, D, $-$$

THE GOURMET GALLERY—A variety of elevated comfort dishes, like fried ribs and wafﬂes, shrimp and grits, grilled salmon, and more. Closed Mon. 412 S. Main St. 848-4691. L, D, $-$$$

GROOVY GRATITUDE—Offers a vibrant selection of cold-pressed juices, handcrafted smoothies, and healthy eats like paninis and acai bowls. Closed Sun. 605 N. Second St. 417-8007. B, L, WB, $

GUS’S WORLD FAMOUS FRIED CHICKEN—Serves chicken with signature spicy batter, along with homemade beans, slaw, and pies. 310 S. Front. 527-4877; 3100 Forest Hill Irene (Germantown). 853-6005; 2965 N. Germantown Pkwy. (Cordova). 373-9111; 730 S. Mendenhall. 767-2323; 505 Highway 70 W., Mason, TN. 901-294-2028. L, D, MRA, $

DINING SYMBOLS

B — breakfast

L — lunch

D — dinner

SB — Sunday brunch

WB — weekend brunch

MRA — member, Memphis Restaurant Association

$ — under $15 per person without drinks or desserts

$$ — under $25

$$$ — $26-$50

CHEZ PHILIPPE—Classical/contemporary French cuisine with Asian and Nordic inﬂuences, presented in a luxurious atmosphere with seasonal tasting menus from chef Keith Clinton. Afternoon tea served Thu.-Sun., noon-3:30 p.m. (reservations required). Closed Sun.-Tues. The Peabody, 149 Union. 529-4188. D, MRA, $$$$

$$$$ — over $50

CIMAS—It’s breakfast tacos, shrimp and grits, chilaquiles verdes, and plenty of other Southern and Latin-American twists at the Hyatt Centric. 33 Beale St. 444-3232. B, L, D, $-$$$

HIVE BAGEL & DELI Bagels, bagels, and more bagels at this new downtown deli offering baked goods, sandwiches, and salads. Closed Mon./Tue. 276 S. Front St. 509-2946. B, L, $

HU. ROOF—Rooftop cocktail bar serves toasts with a variety of toppings including beef tartare with cured egg, cognac, and capers or riced cauliﬂower with yellow curry, currants, and almonds. Also salads, ﬁsh tacos, and boiled peanut hummus. 79 Madison. 333-1229. D, $

HUSTLE & DOUGH BAKERY & CAFE Flaky, baked breakfast goodness every day with fresh pastries, sandwiches, and more at Arrive Hotel. 477 S. Main St., 701-7577. B, L, $

ITTA BENA—Southern and Cajun-American cuisine served here, located above B.B. King’s Blues Club on Beale St.; specialties are duck and wafﬂes and shrimp and grits, along with steaks, chops, seafood, and pasta. 145 Beale St. 578-3031. D, MRA, $$-$$$

JEM DINING—Chef Josh Mutchnick offers a dining experience that’s memorable, reﬁned, unpretentious, and welcoming with dishes from around the world. Closed Sun./Mon./Tue. 644 Madison Ave. 286-1635. D, $$-$$$

KINFOLK—Breakfast with a side of nostalgia in Harbor Town. Specialties include biscuit sandwiches, steak and omelet plate, and brown butter mushrooms with jammy egg over grits. 111 Harbor Town Square location temporarily closed for repairs; offering Sunday pop-ups at HARD TIMES DELI. 457-5463. B, L, SB, WB, $-$$

KING & UNION BAR GROCERY—Classic Southern favorites including catfish plate, pimento cheese, po-boys, chicken & waffles. Open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner with cocktails served with flair and favorite Memphis beers. Locally made confections available in the grocery. 185 Union Ave. 523-8500. B, L, D, $-$$

KOOKY CANUCK—Home of the four-pound Kookamonga Burger (no charge to anyone who can eat it in less than 60 minutes), plus other (smaller) burgers, sandwiches, wings, soups, and salads. 57 S. Second, 901-578-9800. L,D, MRA, $-$$

LITTLE BETTIE—New Haven-style pizzas and snacks from the Andrew-Michael team at Wiseacre’s Downtown location. 398 S. B.B. King Blvd. 334-9411. L, D, $-$$

THE LOBBYIST AT THE CHISCA—Chef Jimmy Gentry brings his farm-to-table ideas downtown, with seasonal, and sometimes weekly, new menus, and an emphasis on creative vegetable dishes. Closed Sun. 272 S. Main St., Suite 101. 249-2170. D, $$-$$$$

LOFLIN YARD—Beer garden and restaurant serves vegetarian fare and smoked-meat dishes, including beef brisket and pork tenderloin, cooked on a custom-made grill. Closed Mon.-Tues. 7 W. Carolina. 249-3046. L (Sat. and Sun.), D, MRA, $-$$

THE LOOKOUT AT THE PYRAMID—Serves seafood and Southern fare, including cornmeal-fried oysters, sweet tea brined chicken, and elk chops. 1 Bass Pro Dr. 620-4600/291-8200. L, D, $-$$$

LUNA RESTAURANT & LOUNGE—Serving a limited menu of breakfast and lunch items. Dinner entrees include citrus glaze salmon and Cajun stuffed chicken. 179 Madison (Hotel Napoleon). 526-0002. B, D (Mon.-Sat.), $-$$$

MACIEL’S—Entrees include tortas, fried taco plates, quesadillas, chorizo and pastor soft tacos, salads, and more. Closed Sun. 45 S. Main. 526-0037, MRA, $

MAHOGANY RIVER TERRACE—Upscale Southern restaurant offers such dishes as coffee-rubbed lamb chops and baked Cajun Cornish hen. Closed for dinner Sun. and all day Mon.-Tues. 280 Island Drive, 901-249-9774. L, D, SB, $-$$$

THE MAJESTIC GRILLE—Features aged steaks, fresh seafood, and such specialties as roasted chicken and grilled pork tenderloin; offers a pre-theater menu and classic cocktails. Well-stocked bar. 145 S. Main. 522-8555. L, D, WB, MRA, $-$$$

McEWEN’S—Southern/American cuisine with international flavors; specialties include steak and seafood, sweet potato-crusted catfish with macaroni and cheese, and more. Closed Sun., Monroe location. 120 Monroe. 527-7085; 1110 Van Buren (Oxford). 662-234-7003. L, D, SB (Oxford only), MRA, $$-$$$ MESQUITE CHOP HOUSE—The focus here is on steaks, including prime fillet, rib-eyes, and prime-aged New York strip; also, some seafood options. 5960 Getwell (Southaven). 662-890-2467; 88 Union. 5275337. 249-5661. D, SB, $$-$$$

MOLLIE FONTAINE LOUNGE—Specializes in tapas (small plates) featuring global cuisine. Closed Sun.-Tues. 679 Adams Ave. 524-1886. D, MRA, $

MOMMA’S ROADHOUSE—This diner and dive at Highway 55 serves up smoked wings, burgers, and beer, among other solid bar-food options. 855 Kentucky. 207-5111. L, D, MRA, $

PAULETTE’S—Presents fine dining with a Continental flair, including such entrees as filet Paulette with butter cream sauce and crabmeat and spinach crepes; also changing daily specials and great views. River Inn. 50 Harbor Town Square. 260-3300. B, L, D, WB, MRA, $-$$$

RENDEZVOUS, CHARLES VERGOS’—Menu items include barbecued ribs, cheese plates, skillet shrimp, red beans and rice, and Greek salads. Closed Sun.-Mon. 52 S. Second. 523-2746. L (Fri.Sat.), D, $-$$

ROCK’N DOUGH—A blend of Italian and American foods like artisan pizza, salads, pasta, burgers, and house-brewed beers. 704 Madison Ave. 587-6256. L, D, $-$$

SABOR CARIBE—Serving up “Caribbean flavors” with dishes from Colombia, Venezuela, Puerto Rico, and Cuba. Closed Sunday. 662 Madison. 949-8100. L, D, $

SAGE—Restaurant and lounge features daily lunch specials and tapas with such dishes as braised short ribs, teriyaki pulled pork, and the Sage burger made with Angus beef, avocado mash, fried egg, and flash-fried sage. 94 S. Main. 672-7902. L, D, WB, $-$$

SILLY GOOSE LOUNGE—Gourmet, wood-fired pizzas and handcrafted cocktails at this downtown restaurant and lounge. 150 Peabody Place, Suite 111. 435-6915. L, D, $

SOUTH MAIN SUSHI & GRILL—Serving sushi, nigiri, and more. 520 S. Main. 249-2194. L, D, $

SOB—Elevated gastropub that serves favorites like general Tso’s cauliflower or duck fried rice. 345 S. Main. 526-0388; 5040 Sanderlin (East Memphis). 818-0821; 1329 W. Poplar Ave. 286-1360. L, D, WB, $-$$

SOUTH POINT GROCERY—Fresh and delicious sandwiches made to order at Downtown’s new grocery market. 136 Webster Ave. B, L, D, $ SUGAR GRITS—Who said breakfast has to be in the morning? The Westmorelands offer grits and other breakfast goodness all day long, in addition to other Southern-style lunch and dinner options. 150 Peabody Pl., Suite 111. 249-5206. B, L, D, $-$$

SUNRISE MEMPHIS—Serves breakfast all day, including house-made biscuits, frittatas, kielbasa or boudin plates, and breakfast platters. 670 Jefferson. 552-3144; 5469 Poplar Ave. (East Memphis). 844-6117. B, L, MRA, $

TERRACE—Creative American and Continental cuisine includes such dishes as filet mignon, beef or lamb sliders, chicken satay, and mushroom pizzetta. Rooftop, River Inn of Harbor Town, 50 Harbor Town Square. 260-3366. D, MRA, $$

TEXAS DE BRAZIL—Serves beef, pork, lamb, and chicken dishes, and Brazilian sausage; also a salad bar with extensive toppings. 150 Peabody Place, Suite 103. 526-7600. L (Wed.-Fri.), D, WB, $$-$$$

TUG’S—Famous for New Orleans gumbo, fabulous burgers, fried thin catfish, and specialty pancakes. Now serving Grisanti Crafted Pizza. 51 Harbor Town Square. 260-3344. B, L, D, WB, $$-$$$

WAHLBURGERS WILD—Wahlburgers brings its classic menu, but with a few gamey twists at the Bass Pro Pyramid. 1 Bass Pro Drive. B, L, D, $-$$

WESTY’S—Extensive menu includes a variety of wild rice dishes, sandwiches, plate lunches, and hot fudge pie. 346 N. Main. 543-3278. L, D, $

WINGMAN—Downtown lounge and hookah bar offering wings galore with ten signature sauces, and plenty of other goodies. 143 Madison Ave. L, D, WB, $-$$

MIDTOWN (INCLUDES THE MEDICAL CENTER)

ABNER’S FAMOUS CHICKEN—Fried chicken tenders and dipping sauces galore at this Mid-South staple. 1350 Concourse Ave, Suite 137. 425-2597; (East Memphis) 1591 Poplar Ave. 509-3351; (Cordova) 1100 N. Germantown Pkwy. 754-5355. L, D, $-$$

ABYSSINIA RESTAURANT—Ethiopian/Mediterranean menu includes beef, chicken, lamb, fish entrees, and vegetarian dishes; also a lunch buffet. 2600 Poplar. 321-0082. L, D, $-$$

ALCHEMY / SALT|SOY—Handcrafted cocktails and local craft beers with the Asian fusion dining concept from Salt|Soy. 940 S. Cooper. 726-4444. D, SB, $-$$

ART BAR—Inventive cocktails feature locally foraged ingredients; snacks include house-cured salt & vinegar potato chips and herb-roasted olives. Closed Mon. 1350 Concourse Avenue #280. 507-8030. D, $ ASHTAR GARDEN—Southern twists on classic brunch dishes, and plenty of cocktails. Closed Mon.-Wed. 898 Cooper St. 4431514. L, D, $-$$

BABALU TACOS & TAPAS—Spanish-style tapas with Southern flair; also taco and enchilada of the day; specials change daily. 2115 Madison. 274-0100; 6450 Poplar, 410-8909. L, D, SB, MRA, $-$$

BAIN BARBECUE & BAKERY—Brian Bain’s popular Texas-style barbecue is back, alongside an assortment of baked goods. 993 S. Cooper. 310-4141. B, L, $-$$

BAR DKDC—Features an ever-changing menu of international “street food,” from Thai to Mexican, Israeli to Indian, along with specialty cocktails. 964 S. Cooper. 272-0830. D, MRA, $

BAR KEOUGH—It’s old-school eats and cocktails at the new CooperYoung neighborhood corner bar by Kevin Keough. 247 Cooper St. D, $ BAR-B-Q SHOP—Dishes up barbecued ribs, spaghetti, bologna, other classics. Closed Sun. 1782 Madison. 272-1277. L, D, MRA, $-$$

BARI RISTORANTE ENOTECA—Authentic Southeastern Italian cuisine (Puglia) emphasizes lighter entrees. Serves fresh fish and beef dishes and a homemade soup of the day. 524 S. Cooper. 722-2244. D, SB, MRA, $-$$$

BARKSDALE RESTAURANT—Old-school diner serving breakfast and Southern plate lunches. 237 S. Cooper. 722-2193. B, L, D, $

BAYOU BAR & GRILL—New Orleans fare at this Overton Square eatery includes jambalaya, gumbo, catfish Acadian, shrimp dishes,

red beans and rice, and muffalettas. 2094 Madison. 278-8626. L, D, WB, MRA, $-$$

BEAUTY SHOP—Modern American cuisine with international flair served in a former beauty shop. Serves steaks, salads, pasta, and seafood, including pecan-crusted golden sea bass. Perennial “Best Brunch” winner. Closed for dinner Sunday. 966 S. Cooper. 272-7111. L, D, SB, MRA, $-$$$

BOSCOS—Tennessee’s first craft brewery serves a variety of freshly brewed beers as well as wood-fired oven pizzas, pasta, seafood, steaks, and sandwiches. 2120 Madison. 432-2222. L, D, SB (with live jazz), MRA, $-$$

BROADWAY PIZZA—Serving a variety of pizzas, including the Broadway Special, as well as sandwiches, salads, wings, and soul-food specials. 2581 Broad. 454-7930; 627 S. Mendenhall. 207-1546. L, D, $-$$

CAFE 1912—French/American bistro owned by culinary pioneer Glenn Hays serving such seafood entrees as seared sea scallops with charred cauliflower purée and chorizo cumin sauce; also crepes, salads, and onion soup gratinée. 243 S. Cooper. 722-2700. D, SB, MRA, $-$$$

CAFE ECLECTIC—Omelets and chicken and waffles are among menu items, along with quesadillas, sandwiches, wraps, and burgers. Menu varies by location. 603 N. McLean. 725-1718; 111 Harbor Town Square. 590-4645. B, L, D, SB, MRA, $

CAFE PALLADIO—Serves gourmet salads, soups, sandwiches, and desserts in a tea room inside the antiques shop. Closed Sun. 2169 Central. 278-0129. L, $

CAMEO—Three longtime Memphis bartenders join forces for creative cocktails, cheese boards, snacks, and Sunday brunch. 1835 Union Ave., Suite 3. 305-6511. D, SB, $-$$

CELTIC CROSSING—Specializes in Irish and American pub fare. Entrees include shepherd’s pie, shrimp and sausage coddle, and fish and chips. 903 S. Cooper. 274-5151. L, D, WB, MRA, $-$$

CENTRAL BBQ—Serves ribs, smoked hot wings, pulled pork sandwiches, chicken, turkey, nachos, and portobello sandwiches. Offers both pork and beef barbecue. 2249 Central Ave. 272-9377; 4375 Summer Ave. 767-4672; 147 E. Butler. 672-7760 ; 6201 Poplar. 4177962. L, D, MRA, $-$$

COMPLICATED PILGRIM—Quick-serve coffee shop, bar, and restaurant all in one at The Memphian hotel. 21 S. Cooper St. 538-7309. B, L, D, $-$$

THE COVE—Nautical-themed restaurant and bar serving oysters, pizzas, and more. The Stoner Pie, with tamales and fritos, is a popular dish. 2559 Broad. 730-0719. L, D, $

THE CRAZY NOODLE—Korean noodle dishes range from bibam beef noodle with cabbage, carrots, and other vegetables, to curry chicken noodle; also rice cakes served in a flavorful sauce. Closed for lunch Sat.-Sun. 2015 Madison. 272-0928. L, D, $

ECCO—Mediterranean-inspired specialties range from rib-eye steak to seared scallops to housemade pastas and a grilled vegetable plate; also a Saturday brunch. Closed Sun.-Mon. 1585 Overton Park. 410-8200. B, L, D, $-$$

EVERGREEN GRILL—Serving classic American cuisine like patty melts, burgers, phillies, and more to bring you the comforting taste of home. Closed Mon./Tue. 212 N. Evergreen St. 779-7065. L, D, X,$$-$$$

FARM BURGER—Serves grass-fed, freshly ground, locally sourced burgers; also available with chicken, pork, or veggie quinoa patties, with such toppings as aged white cheddar, kale coleslaw, and roasted beets. 1350 Concourse Avenue, Suite 175. 800-1851. L, D, $ FAWN—Seasonal, tapas-style dishes (don’t miss the sourdough bread and butter) in a chic setting. Closed Mon. 937 Cooper St. 310-4890. D, SB, $$

FEAST & GRAZE—Whipped goat toast, open-faced grilled cheese, and other local pantry snacks and charcuterie boards. Closed Sun./Mon. Inside Brooks Museum, 1934 Poplar. 654-5926. L, $

FINO’S FROM THE HILL—Italian deli offers old favorites such as the Acquisto as well as a new breakfast menu. Germantown location paired with Happy Glaze Donuts. 1853 Madison. 272-FINO; 7781 Farmington Blvd. (Germantown). B, L, D, $

FLAME RAMEN—Traditional Japanese ramen restaurant serving up bowls of noodles in Midtown. 1838 Union Ave. 779-8666; 61 S. Second St., Suite 160 (downtown). D, $-$$

FLIP SIDE—Pinball meets pub in the Crosstown neighborhood, with plenty of games alongside a Caribbean- and Latin-inspired menu. Closed Mon. 1349 Autumn Ave. 207-6193. L, D, $-$$

FRIDA’S—Mexican cuisine and Tex-Mex standards, including chimichangas, enchiladas, and fajitas; seafood includes shrimp and tilapia. 1718 Madison. 244-6196. L, D, $-$$

GLOBAL CAFÉ—This international food hall hosts three immigrant/refugee food entrepreneurs serving Venezuelan, Sudanese, and Syrian cuisines. Samosas, shawarma, and kabobs are among the menu items. Closed Mon. 1350 Concourse Avenue, Suite 157. L, D, MRA, $

GOLDEN INDIA—Northern Indian specialties include tandoori chicken as well as lamb, beef, shrimp, and vegetarian dishes. 2097 Madison. 728-5111. L, D, $-$$

GOOD GROCERIES MARKET & CAFÉ—Providing fresh, healthy, cruelty-free meals, Good Groceries offers a classic American menu with a twist: instead of pork, they use duck for their BBQ. They also sell quesadillas, mac-and-cheese, sandwiches, and more. Closed Sun. 585 S. Cooper St. 325-1269. B, L, D, $

GROWLERS—Sports bar and eatery serves standard bar fare in addition to pasta, tacos, chicken and waffles, and light options. 1911 Poplar. 244-7904. L, D, $-$$

GUAC FRESH MEX—Authentic Mexican cuisine and four types of guacamole. Closed Sun. 782 Washington Ave. 587-4100. L, D, $

HATTIE B’S—Fried chicken spot features “hot chicken” with a variety of heat levels; from no heat to “shut the cluck up” sauce. Sides include greens, pimento mac-and-cheese, and black-eyed pea salad. 596 S. Cooper. 424-5900. L, D, $

HUEY’S—This family-friendly restaurant offers 13 different burgers, a variety of sandwiches, and delicious soups and salads. 1927 Madison. 726-4372; 1771 N. Germantown Pkwy. (Cordova). 7543885; 77 S. Second (downtown). 527-2700; 2130 W. Poplar (Collierville). 854-4455; 7090 Malco Blvd. (Southaven). 662-349-7097; 7825 Winchester. 624-8911; 4872 Poplar. 682-7729; 7677 Farmington Blvd. (Germantown). 318-3030; 8570 Highway 51 N. (Millington). 873-5025. L, D, MRA, $

IMAGINE VEGAN CAFE—Dishes at this fully vegan restaurant range from salads and sandwiches to full dinners, including eggplant parmesan and “beef” tips and rice; breakfast all day Sat. and Sun. 2158 Young. 654-3455. L, D, WB, $

INDIA PALACE—Tandoori chicken, lamb shish kabobs, and chicken tikka masala are among the entrees; also, vegetarian options and a daily all-you-can-eat lunch buffet. 1720 Poplar. 278-1199. L, D, $-$$

INSPIRE COMMUNITY CAFE—Serving breakfast all day, in addition to quesadillas, rice bowls, and more for lunch and dinner. 510 Tillman, Suite 110. 509-8640. B, L, D, $

JACK BROWN’S BEER AND BURGER JOINT—Another spot to satisfy your burger craving, this time with 100% American Wagyu beef. 2197 Central Ave. 512-6957. L, D, $-$$$

THE JUICE JOINT—Locally owned purveyor of cold-pressed juices, smoothies, açai bowls, and snacks. 1350 Concourse Ave. 572-1127; 3139 Poplar Ave. (East Memphis). 207-2535. B, L, $-$$

LAFAYETTE’S MUSIC ROOM—Serves such Southern cuisine as po’boys, shrimp and grits, and wood-fired pizzas. 2119 Madison. 2075097. L, D, WB, MRA, $-$$

LOS COMALES—Authentic Mexican cuisine, daily specials, and strong margaritas. 1322 Madison. 440-8393; 345 Madison Ave. (downtown). 590-4524; 2860 S. Perkins (East Memphis). 369-0528. L, D, $-$$

THE LIQUOR STORE—Renovated liquor store turned diner serves all-day breakfast, sandwiches, and entrees such as Salisbury steak and smothered pork chops. 2655 Broad. 405-5477; 669 S. Mendenhall Rd. (East Memphis). B, L, D, $-$$

LOUIS CONNELLY’S BAR FOR FUN TIMES & FRIENDSHIP—An upgraded dive bar with a neighborhood feel and a rockin’ SMASH burger. Closed Sun. and Mon. 322 S. Cleveland St. 433-9582. L, D, $-$$

MADISON TAVERN—Indoor and outdoor seating available, plus a full menu with a range of comfort foods and drinks on tap. 2126 Madison Ave. 417-8029. L, D, $-$$$

MARY’S B.O.T.E.—This bar of tropical escapism offers over 30 specialty drinks, pizzas, bar snacks, and a cozy interior that transports customers to the beach. 21+ only. Closed Mon. 588 S. Cooper St. No phone number. D, wheelchair accessible, $

MEMPHIS JAMAICAN KITCHEN—Authentic Jamaican specialties, including jerk chicken and oxtails. 1354 Madison Ave. L, D, $$

MEMPHIS PIZZA CAFE—Homemade pizzas are specialties; also serves sandwiches, calzones, and salads. 2087 Madison. 726-5343; 5061 Park Ave. 684-1306; 7604 W. Farmington (Germantown).

753-2218; 797 W. Poplar (Collierville). 861-7800; 5627 Getwell (Southaven). 662-536-1364. L, D, $-$$

MEMPHIS TOAST—Provides authentic Memphian breakfast cuisine and features themed rooms to honor iconic Memphis figures. Specialties include French toast, shrimp and grits, and their little Lucille breakfast burrito. 954 Jackson Ave. 417-7817. B, L, WB, $-$$

MEMPHIS WHISTLE—Cocktails, cocktails, and even more delicious cocktails alongside burgers, sandwiches, and other tasty snacks. 2299 Young Ave. Closed Mon.-Tue. 236-7136. D, $-$$

MOLLY’S LA CASITA—Homemade tamales, fish tacos, a vegetarian combo, and bacon-wrapped shrimp are a few of the specialties. 2006 Madison. 726-1873. L, D, MRA, $-$$

PAYNE’S BAR-B-QUE—Opened in 1972, this family-owned barbecue joint serves ribs, smoked sausage, and chopped pork sandwiches with a standout mustard slaw and homemade sauce. About as down-to-earth as it gets. 1762 Lamar. 272-1523. L, D, $-$$

PETALS OF A PEONY—Authentic Chinese restaurant serving chicken, fish, tofu, and more, smothered in spicy sauces. 2110 Madison Ave. 207-6680. L, D, $-$$$

SALTWATER CRAB—Offers an array of seafood dishes including boils with blue crab, crab legs, lobster tails, and more, and specialty sushi like the Dynamite or Royal King rolls, in addition to signature sangrias and cocktails. 2059 Madison Ave. 922-5202. L, D, $$

THE SECOND LINE—Kelly English brings “relaxed Creole cuisine” to his newest eatery; serves a variety of po’boys and such specialties as barbecue shrimp, andouille shrimp, and pimento cheese fries. 2144 Monroe. 590-2829. L, D, WB, $-$$

SEKISUI—Japanese fusion cuisine, fresh sushi bar, grilled meats and seafood, California rolls, and vegetarian entrees. Poplar/ Perkins location’s emphasis is on Pacific Rim cuisine. Menu and hours vary at each location. 25 Belvedere. 725-0005; 1884 N. Germantown Pkwy. (Cordova). 309-8800; 4724 Poplar. 767-7770; 2130 W. Poplar (Collierville). 854-0622; 2990 Kirby-Whitten (Bartlett). 377-2727; 6696 Poplar. 747-0001. L, D, $-$$$

SEN TRANG—Serving a wide variety of Chinese and Vietnamese soups, stir-fries, and noodles. 1615 Madison Ave. 276-0006. L, D, wheelchair accessible, $-$$

SLICE MIDTOWN—Serving New York-style pizza as well as subs and pasta dishes (formerly known as Little Italy). 1495 Union. 725-0280; L, D, $-$$

SMOKY CITY BBQ—Serving authentic Memphis barbeque, including burgers, ribs, wings, and daily specials. Closed Sun. 1023 Jackson Ave. 425-3115. L, D, $-$$$

SOUL FISH CAFE—Serving Southern-style soul food, tacos, and po’boys, including catfish, crawfish, oyster, shrimp, chicken, and smoked pork tenderloin. 862 S. Cooper. 725-0722; 3160 Village Shops Dr. (Germantown). 755-6988; 4720 Poplar. 590-0323. L, D, MRA, $-$$

STICKEM—Brick-and-mortar location for the popular food truck, which offers grilled meat on a stick. 1788 Madison. Closed Sunday. 474-7214. L, D, $

TEKILA MEXICAN CUISINE—Mexican cuisine with a modern twist. Specialties include chicken mole, enchiladas verde, and the trio special. 1433 Union Ave. 510-5734. L, D, WB, wheelchair accessible, $-$$$

TAMBOLI’S PASTA & PIZZA—Pasta-maker Miles Tamboli whips up Italian soul food with seasonal menus featuring dishes like crispy fried chicken or creamy bucatini with pecorino cheese. Serves dinner Tues.-Sat. 1761 Madison. 410-8866. D, $-$$

TAKASHI BISTRO—Fusion restaurant with an open kitchen that lets customers watch chefs prepare a variety of Japanese and Thai cuisine. 1680 Union Ave., Suite 109. 800-2936. L, D, $-$$.

TJ MULLIGAN’S—Cold drinks, comfort food, and plenty of live entertainment. 2021 Madison. 725-0770; 1817 Kirby Pkwy. (East Memphis). 755-2481; 8070 Trinity Rd. Suite 1 (Cordova). 756-4480; 2821 N. Houston Levee Rd. (Lakeland). 377-9997. L, D, $-$$

TONICA—Paella and other Spanish-inspired dishes with an Italian touch, alongside an extensive list of gin and tonics. 1545 Overton Park. Closed Mon.-Wed. D, $-$$

TSUNAMI—Features Pacific Rim cuisine (Asia, Australia, South Pacific, etc.); also a changing “small plate” menu. Chef Ben Smith is a Cooper-Young pioneer. Specialties include Asian nachos and roasted sea bass. Closed Sunday. 928 S. Cooper. 274-2556. D, MRA, $$-$$$

TUYEN’S ASIAN BISTRO—A variety of Asian dishes from the minds and chefs behind Saigon Le. Closed Sun. 288 N. Cleveland. L, D, $-$$

ZINNIE’S—Dive bar classic reopens with a makeover and signature Zinnaloni sandwich. 1688 Madison. 726-5004. L, D, $

SOUTH MEMPHIS (INCLUDES PARKWAY VILLAGE, FOX MEADOWS, SOUTH MEMPHIS, WINCHESTER, AND WHITEHAVEN)

BALA’S BISTRO—Authentic West African cuisine available to order or by the pound, alongside traditional American dishes and an extensive vegan menu. 4571 Elvis Presley Blvd. 509-3024. L, D, $-$$

CACHE 42 KITCHEN & COCKTAILS—Elevated fine dining (think golden rack of lamb or lobster queso) and cocktail lounge at MoneyBagg Yo’s restaurant; menu by chef Daris Leatherwood. Brunch and lunch options coming soon. 4202 Hacks Cross Rd., Suite 121. 494-5458. D, $-$$

COLETTA’S—Longtime eatery serves such specialties as homemade ravioli, lasagna, and pizza with barbecue or traditional toppings. 1063 S. Parkway E. 948-7652; 2850 Appling Rd. (Bartlett). 383-1122. L, D, $-$$

CURRY BOWL—Specializes in Southern Indian cuisine, serving Tandoori chicken, biryani, tikka masala, and more. Weekend buffet. 4141 Hacks Cross Rd. 207-6051. L, D, $

DELTA’S KITCHEN—The premier restaurant at The Guest House at Graceland serves Elvis-inspired dishes — like Nutella and Peanut Butter Crepes for breakfast — and upscale Southern cuisine — including lamb chops and shrimp and grits — for dinner. 3600 Elvis Presley Blvd. 443-3000. B, D, $-$$$

DWJ KOREAN BARBECUE—This authentic Korean eatery serves kimbap, barbecued beef short ribs, rice and noodles dishes, and hot pots and stews. 3750 Hacks Cross Rd., Suite 101. 746-8057; 2156 Young. 207-6204. L, D, $-$$

FABULOUS FLAVORS & FRIENDS ”The Candy Lady” Precious Thompson Jones comes up with a little bit of everything: omelettes, quesadillas, t-bones and waffles, and plenty of soul food. 2063 E. Brooks Rd. 314-0735. L, D, $

THE FOUR WAY—Legendary soul-food establishment dishing up such entrees as fried and baked catfish, chicken, and turkey and dressing, along with a host of vegetables and desserts. Around the corner from the legendary Stax Studio. Closed Mon. 998 Mississippi Blvd. 507-1519. L, D, $

HERNANDO’S HIDEAWAY No one cares how late it gets; not at Hernando’s Hideaway. Live music, killer happy hour, and plenty of bar fare at this South Memphis hang. 3210 Old Hernando Rd. 917-982-1829. L, D, $

INTERSTATE BAR-B-Q—Specialties include chopped pork-shoulder sandwiches, ribs, hot wings, spaghetti, chicken, and turkey. 2265 S. Third. 775-2304; 150 W. Stateline Rd. (Southaven). 662-393-5699. L, D, $-$$

JIM & SAMELLA’S—It’s a revolving menu of soul food delight from Chef Talbert Fleming, with anything from Southern ribs to fried tamales. 841 Bullington Ave. 265-8761. L, D, $

LEONARD’S—Serves wet and dry ribs, barbecue sandwiches, spaghetti, catfish, homemade onion rings, and lemon icebox pie; also a lunch buffet. 5465 Fox Plaza. 360-1963. L, $-$$

MARLOWE’S—In addition to its signature barbecue and ribs, Marlowe’s serves Southern-style steaks, chops, lasagna, and more. 4381 Elvis Presley Blvd. 332-4159. D, MRA, $-$$

UNCLE LOU’S FRIED CHICKEN—Featured on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives for good reason: fried chicken (mild, hot, or home-style); jumbo burgers four patties high; strawberry shortcake, and assorted fruit pies. 3633 Millbranch. 332-2367. L, D, MRA, $ SUMMER / BERCLAIR / RALEIGH / BARTLETT

BISCUITS & JAMS—Biscuits, waffles, French toast, and plenty of sharables at this Bartlett breakfast spot. Closed Mon./Tue. 5806 Stage Rd. 672-7905. B, L, $

BRYANT’S BREAKFAST—Three-egg omelets, pancakes, and The Sampler Platter are among the popular entrees here. Possibly the best biscuits in town. Closed Mon. and Tues. 3965 Summer. 324-7494. B, L, $ CEVICHERIA AND GRILL CHILEMON—Ceviche, of course, but also plenty of other postres, aperitivos, and mixed grilled meat and seafood feasts. Closed Sun. 4509 Summer Ave. 672-7905. L, D, $

CHEF FLAVAS AND BARTLETT BREAKFAST FACTORY ”Flavaful” sandwiches, soups, pastas, and more from the makers of the popular local spinach artichoke dip. Traditional breakfast options served by Bartlett Breakfast Factory. Closed Sun./Mon. 6301 Stage Rd. 779-2200. B, L, D, $-$$

DIM SUM KING—All the best from a selection of authentic Chinese dishes: roasted duck, sizzling hot plate, Cantonese BBQ, and plenty more. 5266 Summer Ave. Suite 65. 766-0831. L, D, $-$$

ELWOOD’S SHACK—Casual comfort food includes tacos, pizza, and sandwiches. Specialties include meats smoked in-house (chicken, turkey, brisket, pork), barbecue pizza, and steelhead trout tacos. 4523 Summer. 761-9898. B, L, D, $

EXLINES’ BEST PIZZA—Serves pizza, Italian dinners, sandwiches, and salads. 6250 Stage Rd. 382-3433; 2935

Austin Peay. 388-4711; 2801 Kirby Parkway. 754-0202; 7730 Wolf River Blvd. (Germantown). 753-4545; 531 W. Stateline Rd. 662-342-4544. L, D, MRA, $

HABANA CLUB RESTAURANT, BAR & GRILLE

Offering authentic Cuban fare. 6110 Macon Rd. 480-8173. L, D, $-$$

LA TAQUERIA GUADALUPANA—Fajitas and quesadillas are just a few of the authentic Mexican entrees offered here. A bona-fide Memphis institution. 4818 Summer. 685-6857; 5848 Winchester. 365-4992. L, D, $

LOTUS—Authentic Vietnamese-Asian fare, including lemon-grass chicken and shrimp, egg rolls, Pho soup, and spicy Vietnamese vermicelli. 4970 Summer. 682-1151. D, $

MORTIMER’S—Contemporary American entrees include trout almondine, chicken dishes, and hand-cut steaks; also sandwiches, salads, and daily/nightly specials. A Memphis landmark since the Knickerbocker closed. Closed for lunch Sat.-Sun. 590 N. Perkins. 761-9321. L, D, $-$$

NAGASAKI INN—Chicken, steak, and lobster are among the main courses; meal is cooked at your table. 3951 Summer. 454-0320. D, $$

NAM KING—General Tso’s chicken, hot and sour soup, and homemade chicken wings are back at the longtime Raleigh Chinese eatery. 3624 Austin Peay Highway, Suite 3. 373-4411. L, D, $-$$

PANCAKE SHOP—Classic breakfast items plus meat-and-three lunches, sandwiches, soups, salads. Open 6 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. every day except Wednesday. 4838 Summer. 767-0206. B, L, $

ÓRALE TACOS & BAKERY—Tacos, enchiladas, and other traditional Southern Mexican dishes alongside baked pan dulces. 2204 Whitten Rd. 571-1786. B, L, D, $-$$

PANDA GARDEN—Sesame chicken and broccoli beef are among the Mandarin and Cantonese entrees; also seafood specials and fried rice. Closed for lunch Saturday. 3735 Summer. 323-4819. L, D, $-$$

QUEEN OF SHEBA—Featuring Middle Eastern favorites and Yemeni dishes such as lamb haneeth and saltah. 4792 Summer. 207-4174. L, D, $

SIDE PORCH STEAK HOUSE—In addition to steak, the menu includes chicken, pork chops, and fish entrees; homemade rolls are a specialty. Closed Sun./Mon. 5689 Stage Rd. 377-2484. D, $-$$

TORTILLERIA LA UNICA—Individual helping of Mexican street food, including hefty tamales, burritos, tortas, and sopes. 5015 Summer Ave. 685-0097. B, L, D, $

UNIVERSITY NEIGHBORHOOD DISTRICT (INCLUDES CHICKASAW GARDENS AND HIGHLAND STRIP)

A-TAN—Serves Chinese and Japanese hibachi cuisine, complete with sushi bar. A specialty is Four Treasures with garlic sauce. 3445 Poplar, Suite 17, University Center. 452-4477. L, D, $-$$$ BROTHER JUNIPER’S—This little cottage is a breakfast mecca, offering specialty omelets, including the open-faced San Diegan omelet; also daily specials, and homemade breads and pastries. Closed Mon. 3519 Walker. 324-0144. B, $

CHAR RESTAURANT—Specializing in modern Southern cuisine, this eatery offers homestyle sides, charbroiled steaks, and fresh seafood. 431 S. Highland, Suite 120. 249-3533. L, D, WB, MRA, $-$$$ EL PORTON—Fajitas, quesadillas, and steak ranchero are just a few of the menu items. 2095 Merchants Row (Germantown). 754-4268; 8361 Highway 64. 380-7877; 3448 Poplar (Poplar Plaza). 452-7330; 1805 N. Germantown Parkway (Cordova). 624-9358; 1016 W. Poplar (Collierville). 854-5770. L, D, MRA, $-$$

PLANT BASED HEAT All of your favorite Southern-style recipes, but deliciously transformed into a vegan format. Specialties include the spicy fye junt burger, or the chopped ‘n’ smoked BBQ jackfruit sandwich. Closed Sun. 669 S. Highland St.; 363 S. Front St. (downtown). L, D, $

EAST MEMPHIS (INCLUDES POPLAR / I-240)

ACRE—Features seasonal modern American cuisine in an avante-garde setting using locally sourced products; also small plates and enclosed garden patio. Closed for lunch Sat. and all day Sun. 690 S. Perkins. 818-2273. L, D, $$-$$$

AGAVOS COCINA & TEQUILA—Camaron de Tequila, tamales, kabobs, and burgers made with a blend of beef and chorizo are among the offerings at this tequila-centric restaurant and bar. 2924 Walnut Grove. 433-9345. L, D, $-$$

AMERIGO—Traditional and contemporary Italian cuisine includes pasta, wood-fired pizza, steaks, and cedarwood-roasted fish. 1239 Ridgeway, Park Place Mall. 761-4000. L, D, SB, MRA, $-$$$

ANDALUSIA— Authentic Moroccan cuisine, including tagines, brochettes, and briouates. 5101 Sanderlin Ave., Suite 103. 236-7784. L, D, $-$$

ANDREW MICHAEL ITALIAN KITCHEN—Traditional Italian cuisine with a menu from two of the city’s top chefs that changes seasonally with such entrees as Maw Maw’s ravioli. Closed Sun.-Mon. 712 W. Brookhaven Circle. 347-3569. D, MRA, $$-$$$

ANOTHER BROKEN EGG CAFE—Offering several varieties of eggs Benedict, waffles, omelets, pancakes, beignets, and other breakfast fare; also burgers, sandwiches, and salads. 6063 Park Ave. 729-7020; 65 S. Highland. 623-7122. B, L, WB, $

BANGKOK ALLEY—Thai fusion cuisine includes noodle and curry dishes, chef-specialty sushi rolls, coconut soup, and duck and seafood entrees. Closed for lunch Sat. and all day Sun. at Brookhaven location; call for hours. 715 W. Brookhaven Circle. 590-2585; 2150 W. Poplar at Houston Levee (Collierville). 854-8748. L, D, $-$$

BELLE MEADE SOCIAL—Upscale Americana cuisine including lamb lollipops, spicy tuna stack, and steak & noodle salad. 518 Perkins Extd. 480-7054. L, D, $-$$$

BELMONT GRILL—Burgers, steak sandwiches, and other classic American fare at one of Memphis’ longstanding bars. 4970 Poplar. 767-0305. L, D, $-$$

BENIHANA—This Japanese steakhouse serves beef, chicken, and seafood grilled at the table; some menu items change monthly; sushi bar also featured. 912 Ridge Lake Blvd. 767-8980. L, D, $$-$$$

BIG BAD BREAKFAST—Fresh biscuits, house-made cured meats, jams, jellies, and more for the most important meal of the day. 6450 Poplar. 881-3346. B, L, $-$$

BOG & BARLEY—An all-Irish fine dining experience by the owners of Celtic Crossing, and a full bar with plenty of beer and 25-year-old Macallan. 6150 Poplar, Suite 124. 805-2262. L, D, WB, $-$$

BROOKLYN BRIDGE ITALIAN RESTAURANT—Specializing in such homemade entrees as spinach lasagna and lobster ravioli; a seafood specialty is horseradish-crusted salmon. Closed Sun. 1779 Kirby Pkwy. 755-7413. D, $-$$$

CAPITAL GRILLE—Known for its dry-aged, hand-carved steaks; among the specialties are bone-in sirloin, and porcini-rubbed Delmonico; also seafood entrees and seasonal lunch plates. Closed for lunch Sat.Sun. Crescent Center, 6065 Poplar. 683-9291. L, D, $$$-$$$$

CASABLANCA—Lamb shawarma is one of the fresh, homemade specialties served at this Mediterranean/Moroccan restaurant; fish entrees and vegetarian options also available. 5030 Poplar. 725-8557; 1707 Madison. 421-6949. L, D, $-$$

CHUKIS TACOS 2—Traditional homestyle Mexican recipes. 3445 Poplar Ave., Suite 1. 888-4139. B, L, D, $-$$ CIAO BELLA—Among the Italian and Greek specialties are lasagna, seafood pasta, gourmet pizzas, and vegetarian options. 5101 Sanderlin Ave. 205-2500. D, MRA, $-$$$ CITY SILO TABLE + PANTRY—With a focus on clean eating, this establishment offers fresh juices, as well as comfort foods re-imagined with wholesome ingredients. 5101 Sanderlin. 729-7687. Germantown: 7605 W. Farmington Blvd., Suite 2. 236-7223. B, L, D, $ COASTAL FISH COMPANY—Upscale offerings of international fish varieties utilizing styles ranging from the Carribbean, East Coast, West Coast, China, Philippines, and more. 415 Great View Dr. E., Suite 101. 266-9000. D, $$-$$$

CORKY’S—Popular barbecue emporium offers both wet and dry ribs, plus a full menu of other barbecue entrees. Wed. lunch buffets, Cordova and Collierville. 5259 Poplar. 685-9744; 1740 N. Germantown Pkwy. (Cordova). 737-1911; 743 W. Poplar (Collierville). 405-4999; 6434 Goodman Rd., Olive Branch. 662-893-3663. L, D, MRA, $-$$

DAN MCGUINNESS PUB—Serves fish and chips, shepherd’s pie, burgers, and other Irish and American fare; also lunch and dinner specials. 4694 Spottswood. 761-3711; 3964 Goodman Rd. 662-8907611. L, D, $

ERLING JENSEN—For decades, Chef Erling has presented “globally inspired” cuisine to die for. Specialties are rack of lamb, big-game entrees, and fresh fish dishes. 1044 S. Yates. 763-3700. D, MRA, $$-$$$

ERLING JENSEN SMALL BITES—Enjoy Erling Jensen’s specialty dishes in a sharable, small-plate format alongside TopGolf Swing suites. 5069 Sanderlin Ave. 587-9464. L, D, $-$$$

FLEMING’S PRIME STEAKHOUSE—Serves wet-aged and dry-aged steaks, prime beef, chops, and seafood, including salmon, Australian

lobster tails, and a catch of the day. 6245 Poplar. 761-6200. D, MRA, $$$-$$$$

FOLK’S FOLLY ORIGINAL PRIME STEAK HOUSE

Specializes in prime steaks, as well as lobster, grilled Scottish salmon, Alaskan king crab legs, rack of lamb, and weekly specials. 551 S. Mendenhall. 762-8200. D, MRA, $$$-$$$$

FORMOSA—Offers Mandarin cuisine, including broccoli beef, hotand-sour soup, and spring rolls. Closed Mon. 6685 Quince. 753-9898. L, D, $-$$

FOX RIDGE PIZZA & GRILL—Pizzas, calzones, sub sandwiches, burgers, and meat-and-two plate lunches are among the dishes served at this eatery, which opened in 1979. 711 W. Brookhaven Circle. 758-6500. L, D, $

FRATELLI’S—Serves hot and cold sandwiches, salads, soups, and desserts, all with an Italian/Mediterranean flair. Closed Sun. 750 Cherry Rd., Memphis Botanic Garden. 766-9900. L, $

HALF SHELL—Specializes in seafood, such as king crab legs; also serves steaks, chicken, pastas, salads, sandwiches, and a ”voodoo menu.” 688 S. Mendenhall. 682-3966; 9091 Poplar, Germantown. 590-4304. L, D, WB, MRA, $-$$$

HEN HOUSE—Hybrid wine/cocktail bar and tasting room with plenty of cosmopolitan eats. Closed Sun. 679 S. Mendenhall. 499-5436. D, $-$$$

HIGH POINT PIZZA—Serves a variety of pizzas, subs, salads, and sides. Closed Mon. A neighborhood fixture. 477 High Point Terrace. 452-3339. L, D, $-$$

HOG & HOMINY—The casual sister to Andrew Michael Italian Kitchen serves brick-oven-baked pizzas, including the Red-Eye with pork belly, and small plates with everything from meatballs to beef and cheddar hot dogs; and local veggies. Closed for lunch Mon. 707 W. Brookhaven Cir. 207-7396. L, D, SB, MRA. $-$$$

LA BAGUETTE—An almond croissant and chicken salad are among specialties at this French-style bistro. Closed for dinner Sun. 3088 Poplar. 458-0900. B, L, D (closes at 7), MRA, $

LAS DELICIAS—Popular for its guacamole, house-made tortilla chips, and margaritas, this restaurant draws diners with its chicken enchiladas, meat-stuffed flautas, and Cuban torta with spicy pork. Closed Sun. 4002 Park Ave. 458-9264; 5689 Quince. 800-2873. L, D, $ LIBRO AT LAURELWOOD—Bookstore eatery features a variety of sandwiches, salads, and homemade pasta dishes, with Italian-inspired options such as carbonara and potato gnocchi. Closed for dinner Sun. 387 Perkins Ext. (inside Novel). 800-2656. B, L, D, SB, $-$$

LITTLE ITALY EAST—New York-style pizzas galore and homemade pasta. Closed Sun. 6300 Poplar Ave., Ste. 113. 729-7432. L, $-$$

MAGNOLIA & MAY—Southern-inspired, family-owned, casual dining restaurant serving up a variety of sandwiches, chef-inspired dishes, and craft cocktails. Popular items include shrimp and grits and the double cheeseburger. Closed Mon. 718 Mt. Moriah Rd. 676-8100. L, D, WB, MRA. $$-$$$

MANDE DIBI WEST AFRICAN BBQ GRILL—Pairs traditional West African BBQ with Memphis BBQ for a menu that offers a wide variety of flavors, including daily specials and vegan-friendly options. 6825 Winchester Rd. 672-8995. L, D, $-$$$

MARCIANO MEDITERRANEAN AND ITALIAN CUISINE—Veal Saltimbocca with angel-hair pasta and white wine sauce is among the entrees; also steaks, seafood, and gourmet pizza. 780 E. Brookhaven Cir. 682-1660. D, $-$$

MAYURI INDIAN CUISINE—Serves tandoori chicken, masala dosa, tikka masala, as well as lamb and shrimp entrees; also a daily lunch buffet, and dinner buffet on Fri.-Sat. 6524 Quince Rd. 753-8755. L, D, $-$$

MOSA ASIAN BISTRO—Specialties include sesame chicken, Thai calamari, rainbow panang curry with grouper fish, and other Pan Asian/ fusion entrees. Closed Mon. 850 S. White Station Rd. 683-8889. L, D, MRA, $

NAM KING—Offers luncheon and dinner buffets, dim sum, and such specialties as fried dumplings, pepper steak, and orange chicken. 4594 Yale. 373-4411. L, D, $

NAPA CAFE—Among the specialties are miso-marinated salmon over black rice with garlic spinach and shiitake mushrooms. Closed Sun. 5101 Sanderlin, Suite 122. 683-0441. L, D, MRA, $$-$$$

ONE & ONLY BBQ—On the menu are pork barbecue sandwiches, platters, wet and dry ribs, smoked chicken and turkey platters, a smoked meat salad, barbecue quesadillas, Brunswick Stew, and Millie’s homemade desserts. 1779 Kirby Pkwy. 751-3615; 567 Perkins Extd. 249-4227. L, D, $

ONO POKÉ—This eatery specializes in poké — a Hawaiian dish of fresh fish salad served over rice. Menu includes a variety of poké bowls, like the Kimchi Tuna bowl, or customers can build their own by choosing a base, protein, veggies, and toppings. 3145 Poplar. 618-2955. L, D, $

OWEN BRENNAN’S—New Orleans-style menu of beef, chicken, pasta, and seafood; jambalaya, shrimp and grits, and crawfish etouffee are specialties. Closed for dinner Sun. The Regalia, 6150 Poplar. 761-0990. L, D, SB, MRA, $-$$$

PARK + CHERRY—The Dixon offers casual dining within the museum. Seasonal menu features sandwiches, like rustic chicken salad on croissant, as well as salads, snacks, and sweets. Closed for breakfast Sun. and all day Mon. 4339 Park (Dixon Gallery and Gardens). 761-5250. L, $

PATRICK’S—Serves barbecue nachos, burgers, and entrees such as fish and chips; also plate lunches and daily specials. 4972 Park. 682-2852. L, D, MRA, $

PETE & SAM’S—Serving Memphis for 60-plus years; offers steaks, seafood, and traditional Italian dishes, including homemade ravioli, lasagna, and chicken marsala. 3886 Park. 458-0694. D, $-$$$

PF CHANG’S CHINA BISTRO—Specialties are orange peel shrimp, Mongolian beef, and chicken in lettuce wraps; also vegetarian dishes, including spicy eggplant. 1181 Ridgeway Rd., Park Place Centre. 818-3889. L, D, $-$$

PHO SAIGON—Vietnamese fare includes beef teriyaki, roasted quail, curry ginger chicken, vegetarian options, and a variety of soups. 2946 Poplar. 458-1644. L, D, $

PYRO’S FIRE-FRESH PIZZA—Serving gourmet pizzas cooked in an open-fire oven, wide choice of toppings, and large local and craft beer selection. 1199 Ridgeway. 379-8294; 2035 Union Ave. 208-8857; 2286 N. Germantown Pkwy. (Cordova). 207-1198; 3592 S. Houston Levee (Collierville). 221-8109. L, D, MRA, $

RED HOOK CAJUN SEAFOOD & BAR—Cajun-style array of seafood including shrimp, mussels, clams, crawfish, and oysters. 3295 Poplar. 207-1960. L, D, $-$$

RED KOI—Classic Japanese cuisine offered at this family-run restaurant; hibachi steaks, sushi, seafood, chicken, and vegetables. 5847 Poplar. 767-3456. L, D, $-$$

RED PIER CAJUN SEAFOOD & BAR—Owners of Red Hook bring more Cajun-style seafood dishes. 5901 Poplar Ave. 512-5923. L, D, $-$$$

RESTAURANT IRIS—French Creole-inspired classics, such as Gulf shrimp and rice grits congee served with lap chong sausage and boiled peanuts, are served at this newly remodeled restaurant owned by Chef Kelly English, a Food and Wine “Top Ten.” 4550 Poplar. 590-2828. L, D, $$-$$$

RIVER OAKS—Chef Jose Gutierrez’s French-style bistro serves seafood and steaks, with an emphasis on fresh local ingredients. Closed for lunch Sat. and all day Sun. 5871 Poplar Ave. 683-9305. L, D, $$$

RONNIE GRISANTI’S ITALIAN RESTAURANT— This Memphis institution serves some family classics such as Elfo’s Special and handmade ravioli, along with house-made pizza and fresh oysters. Closed Sun. 6150 Poplar, Suite 122. 850-0191. D, $-$$$

ROTOLO’S CRAFT & CRUST—Louisiana-based pizza company’s first Memphis location, whipping up pizza pies with homemade sauces and fresh ingredients, pasta, wings, and other shareables. 681 S. White Station. 454-3352. L, D, $-$$

RUTH’S CHRIS STEAK HOUSE—Offers prime steaks cut and aged in-house, as well as lamb, chicken, and fresh seafood, including lobster. 6120 Poplar. 761-0055. D, $$$-$$$$

SALSA COCINA MEXICANA—Mexican-Southern California specialties include carnitas, enchiladas verde, and fajitas; also Southwestern seafood dishes such as snapper verde. Closed Sun. Regalia Shopping Center, 6150 Poplar, Suite 129. 683-6325. L, D, $-$$

SEASONS 52—This elegant fresh grill and wine bar offers a seasonally changing menu using fresh ingredients, wood-fire grilling, and brick-oven cooking; also a large international wine list and nightly piano bar. Crescent Center, 6085 Poplar. 682-9952. L, D, $$-$$$

STAKS—Offering pancakes, including birthday cake and lemon ricotta. Menu includes other breakfast items such as beignets and French toast, as well as soups and sandwiches for lunch. 4615 Poplar. 509-2367; 3660 S. Houston Levee Road, Suite 104 (Collierville). 286-4335; 7704 Poplar (Germantown). 800-1951; 2902 May Blvd. (Southaven). B, L, WB, $

NEWS ARTS MUSIC

SWANKY’S TACO SHOP—Taco-centric eatery offers tortas, flatbreads, quesadillas, chimichangas, burgers, and more. 4770 Poplar. 730-0763; 6641 Poplar (Germantown). 737-2088; 272 S. Main. 779-3499. L, D, $

THREE LITTLE PIGS—Pork-shoulder-style barbecue with tangy mild or hot sauce, freshly made coleslaw, and baked beans. 5145 Quince Rd. 685-7094. B, L, D, $

TOPS BAR-B-Q—Specializes in pork barbecue sandwiches and sandwich plates with beans and slaw; also serves ribs, beef brisket, and burgers. 1286 Union. 725-7527; 4183 Summer. 324-4325; 5391 Winchester. 794-7936; 3970 Rhodes. 323-9865; 6130 Macon. 371-0580. For more locations, go online. L, D, $

TORCHY’S TACOS—Plenty of Tex-Mex variety, with creative monthly special tacos. 719 S. Mendenhall. 343-8880. B, L, D, $ VENICE KITCHEN—Specializes in “eclectic Italian” and Southern Creole, from pastas, including the “Godfather,” to hand-tossed pizzas, including the “John Wayne”; choose from 50 toppings. 368 Perkins Ext. 767-6872. L, D, SB, $-$$

WANG’S MANDARIN HOUSE—Offers Mandarin, Cantonese, Szechuan, and spicy Hunan entrees, including the golden-sesame chicken; next door is East Tapas, serving small plates with an Asian twist. 6065 Park Ave., Park Place Mall. 763-0676. L, D, $-$$

WASABI—Serving traditional Japanese offerings, hibachi, sashimi, and sushi. The Sweet Heart roll, wrapped — in the shape of a heart — with tuna and filled with spicy salmon, yellowtail, and avocado, is a specialty. 5101 Sanderlin Rd., Suite 105. 421-6399. L, D, $-$$

THE WING GURU—A staple of the Memphis wing scene, featuring everything from classic buffalo to exquisite lemon pepper. 5699 Mt. Moriah Rd. 509-2405; 875 W. Poplar Ave., Suite 6 (Collierville). 221-7488; 8253 Highway 51 North, Suite 103 (Millington). 8720849; 4130 Elvis Presley Blvd (Whitehaven) 791-4726; 5224 Airline Rd., Suite 107 (Arlington). 209-0349. L, D, $-$$

Weekdays 4 a.m. — 9 a.m.

WOMAN’S EXCHANGE TEA ROOM—Chicken-salad plate, beef tenderloin, soups-and-sandwiches, vegetable plates, and homemade desserts are specialties. Closed Sat.-Sun. 88 Racine. 327-5681. L, $

CORDOVA

THE BLUE ROOM RESTAURANT—An elevated take on traditional Southern recipes, located in the U of M Kemmons Wilson Culinary Institute. Closed Mon. 1245 N. Germantown Pkwy., Suite 101. 249-7512. D, SB, $$-$$$

BOMBAY HOUSE—Indian fare includes lamb korma and chicken tikka; also, a daily luncheon buffet. 1727 N. Germantown Pkwy. 755-4114. L, D, $-$$

THE BUTCHER SHOP—Serves steaks ranging from 8-oz. filets to a 20-oz. porterhouse; also chicken, pork chops, fresh seafood. 107 S. Germantown Rd. 757-4244. L (Fri. and Sun.), D, $$-$$$ GREEN BAMBOO—Pineapple tilapia, pork vermicelli, and the soft egg noodle combo are Vietnamese specialties here. 990 N. Germantown Parkway, Suite 104. 753-5488. L, D, $-$$

JIM ’N NICK’S BAR-B-Q—Serves barbecued pork, ribs, chicken, brisket, and fish, along with other homemade Southern specialties. 2359 N. Germantown Pkwy. 388-0998. L, D, $-$$

EL MERO TACO—This food truck turned restaurant serves up Mexican and Southern-style fusion dishes, including fried chicken tacos, chorizo con papas tacos, and brisket quesadillas. 8100 Macon Station, Suite 102. 308-1661. Closed Sun.-Mon. L, D, WB, $ POKÉ WORLD—Serves up Hawaiian poké bowls filled with rice and diced, raw fish. Also offers Taiwanese bubble tea and rolled ice cream for dessert. 1605 N. Germantown Pkwy., Suite 111. 6237986. East Memphis: 575 Erin Dr. 779-4971. L, D, $

PETALS OF A PEONY—Authentic Sichuan cuisine, from crispy duck to peony fried chicken. Be prepared for spice! 1250 N. Germantown Pkwy. 787-8886. L, D, $-$$

SHOGUN JAPANESE RESTAURANT—Entrees include tempura, teriyaki, and sushi, as well as grilled fish and chicken entrees. 2324 N. Germantown Pkwy. 384-4122. L, D, $-$$

TANNOOR GRILL—Brazilian-style steakhouse with skewers served tableside, along with Middle Eastern specialties; vegetarian options also available. 830 N. Germantown Pkwy. 443-5222. L, D, $-$$$

VILLA CASTRIOTI—From traditional pasta dishes and family concoctions to hand-tossed brick oven NY pizza. 714 N. Germantown Pkwy #15 in Cordova. L, D, $$$

GERMANTOWN

901 HOT POT & KOREAN BBQ—All-you-can-eat hot pot and Korean BBQ, from short ribs to garlic shrimp. 2965 N. Germantown Pkwy. 512-4963. L, D, $$-$$$

BLUE HONEY BISTRO—Entrees at this upscale eatery include brown butter scallops served with Mississippi blue rice and herbcrusted beef tenderloin with vegetables and truffle butter. Closed Sun. 9155 Poplar, Suite 17. 552-3041. D, $-$$$

THE CRAZY COOP—Plenty of hot wings and sauces, plus sandwiches and other dinner plates. 1315 Ridgeway Rd. 748-5325; 7199 Stage Rd. (Bartlett). 433-9212. L, D, $-$$

GERMANTOWN COMMISSARY—Serves barbecue sandwiches, sliders, ribs, shrimp, and nachos, as well as smoked barbecued bologna sandwiches; Mon.-night all-you-can-eat ribs. 2290 S. Germantown Rd. S. 754-5540. L, D, MRA, $-$$

LAS TORTUGAS DELI MEXICANA—Authentic Mexican food prepared from local food sources; specializes in tortugas — grilled bread scooped out to hold such powerfully popular fillings as brisket, pork, and shrimp; also tingas, tostados. Closed Sun. 1215 S. Germantown Rd. 751-1200; 6300 Poplar. 623-3882. L, D, $-$$

LIMELIGHT—Wolf River Hospitality Group brings Wagyu beef, duck gnocchi, and other fine dining dishes on a rotating seasonal menu. Closed Mon./Tue. 7724 Poplar Pike. 791-2328. D, $-$$$

LOCAL LIME—Tacos and margaritas in a casual environment, plus other goodies like the Mexican caramel apple crisp skillet. Closed Mon. 7605 W. Farmington Blvd., Suite 1. 224-2204. L, D, $-$$$

MELLOW MUSHROOM—Large menu includes assortment of pizzas, salads, calzones, hoagies, vegetarian options, and 50 beers on tap. 9155 Poplar, Shops of Forest Hill (Germantown). 907-0243. L, D, $-$$

MOONDANCE GRILL—From the owners of Itta Bena and Lafayette’s. Serves steak cooked sous vide and seafood dishes including Abita-barbecued shrimp and pan-seared sand dab, in addition to an extensive wine and cocktail list. 1730 S. Germantown Road, Suite 117. 755-1471. L, D, $$-$$$

NOODLES ASIAN BISTRO—Serves a variety of traditional Asian cuisine, with emphasis on noodle dishes, such as Singapore Street Noodles and Hong Kong Chow Fun. 7850 Poplar, Suite 12. 755-1117. L, D, $

PETRA CAFÉ—Serves Greek, Italian, and Middle Eastern sandwiches, gyros, and entrees. Hours vary; call. 6641 Poplar. 754-4440; 547 S. Highland. 323-3050. L, D, $-$$

ROCK’N DOUGH PIZZA CO.—Specialty and custom pizzas made from fresh ingredients; wide variety of toppings. 7850 Poplar, Suite 6. 779-2008. L, D, SB, MRA, $$

ROYAL PANDA—Hunan fish, Peking duck, Royal Panda chicken and shrimp, and a seafood combo are among the specialties. 3120 Village Shops Dr. 756-9697. L, D, $-$$

SAKURA—Sushi, tempura, and teriyaki are Japanese specialties here. 2060 West St. 758-8181; 4840 Poplar. 572-1002; 255 New Byhalia Rd. 316-5638. L, D, $-$$

SOUTHERN SOCIAL—Shrimp and grits, stuffed quail, and Aunt Thelma’s Fried Chicken are among the dishes served at this upscale Southern establishment. 2285 S. Germantown Rd. 754-5555. D, SB, MRA, $-$$$

STONEY RIVER STEAKHOUSE AND GRILL—Specializes in hand-cut steaks, a fresh seafood selection, and plenty of house specials. 7515 Poplar Ave., Suite 101. 207-1100. L, D, $$-$$$$

SUFI’S MEDITERRANEAN GRILL & BAR—Offers authentic Mediterranean and Persian cuisine, from hummus shawarma to traditional moussaka. Closed Mon. 7609 Poplar Pike. 779-2200. L, D, $-$$$

TAZIKI’S—Mediterranean-inspired dishes all made from scratch. 7850 Poplar Ave., Suite 26. 612-2713. East Memphis: 540 S. Mendenhall Rd. 290-1091. Bartlett: 7974 US-64. 203-0083. L, D, $

THE TOASTED YOLK CAFE—Churro donuts, signature Eggs Benedict, and plenty other boozy brunch options at this franchise’s first Tennessee location. 9087 Poplar Ave., Ste. 11. B, L, $-$$

UNCLE GOYO’S—More than 30 dishes with a focus on authentic Mexican cuisine, from the brains behind TacoNganas. 1730 S. Germantown Rd. L, D, $-$$

WEST STREET DINER—This home-style eatery offers breakfast, burgers, po’boys, and more. 2076 West St. 757-2191. B, L, D (Mon.-Fri.), $

ZEN JAPANESE FINE CUISINE—A full sushi bar and plenty of authentic Japanese dishes, like Hibachi or Wagyu beef. 1730 S. Germantown Rd. 779-2796. L, D, X, $-$$$

COLLIERVILLE

CAFE PIAZZA BY PAT LUCCHESI—Specializes in gourmet pizzas (including create-your-own), panini sandwiches, and pasta. Closed Sun. 139 S. Rowlett St. 861-1999. L, D, $-$$

CIAO BABY—Specializing in Neapolitan-style pizza made in a woodfired oven. Also serves house-made mozzarella, pasta, appetizers, and salads. 890 W. Poplar, Suite 1. 457-7457. L, D, $

COLLIERVILLE COMMISSARY—Serves barbecue sandwiches, sliders, ribs, shrimp, and nachos, as well as smoked barbecued bologna sandwiches. 3573 S. Houston Levee Rd. 979-5540. L, D, MRA, $-$$ DAVID GRISANTI’S ON MAIN—Serving Northern Italian cuisine and traditional Grisanti family recipes. Closed Sun./Mon. 148 N. Main. 861-1777. L, D, $-$$$

DYER’S CAFE—Juicy hamburgers, split dogs, and milkshakes at the historic Collierville restaurant. 101 N. Center St. 850-7750. L, D, $-$$ EL MEZCAL—Serves burritos, chimichangas, fajitas, and other Mexican cuisine, as well as shrimp dinners and steak. 9947 Wolf River, 853-7922; 402 Perkins Extd. 761-7710; 694 N. Germantown Pkwy. (Cordova). 755-1447; 1492 Union. 274-4264; 11615 Airline Rd. (Arlington). 8671883; 9045 Highway 64 (Lakeland). 383-4219; 7164 Hacks Cross Rd. (Olive Branch). 662-890-3337; 8834 Hwy. 51 N. (Millington). 872-3220; 7424 Highway 64 (Bartlett). 417-6026. L, D, $

EMERALD THAI RESTAURANT—Spicy shrimp, pad khing, lemongrass chicken, and several noodle, rice, and vegetarian dishes are offered at this family restaurant. Closed Sunday. 8950 Highway 64 (Lakeland, TN). 384-0540. L, D, $-$$

FIREBIRDS—Specialties are hand-cut steaks, slow-roasted prime rib, and wood-grilled salmon and other seafood, as well as seasonal entrees. 4600 Merchants Circle, Carriage Crossing. 850-1637; 8470 Highway 64 (Bartlett). 379-1300. L, D, $-$$$

JIM’S PLACE GRILLE—Features American, Greek, and Continental cuisine. Closed for lunch Sat. and all day Sun. 3660 Houston Levee. 861-5000. L, D, MRA, $-$$$

CHICAGO STEAKHOUSE AT THE GOLDSTRIKE—1010 Casino Center Dr., Robinsonville, MS, 1-888-24KSTAY / 662-357-1225

FAIRBANKS AT THE HOLLYWOOD—1150 Casino Strip Blvd., Robinsonville, MS, 1-800-871-0711

IGNITE STEAKHOUSE AT SOUTHLAND CASINO HOTEL—1550 N. Ingram Blvd., West Memphis, AR, 1-800-467-6182

JACK BINION’S STEAK HOUSE AT HORSESHOE—1021 Casino Center Drive, Robinsonville, MS, 1-800-303-SHOE

LUCKY 8 ASIAN BISTRO AT HORSESHOE—1021 Casino Center Drive, Robinsonville, MS, 1-800-303-SHOE

SOUTHLAND CASINO HOTEL’S THE KITCHENS—1550 N. Ingram Blvd., West Memphis, AR, 1-800-467-6182

THE STEAKHOUSE AT THE FITZ—711 Lucky Ln., Robinsonville, MS, 1-888-766-LUCK, Ext. 8213

TWAIN’S STEAKHOUSE AT SAM’S TOWN TUNICA—1477 Casino Strip Resorts Boulevard, Robinsonville, MS, 1-800-456-0711

MAROON BREW CO.—Family-friendly restaurant serving up gourmet hot dogs, smash burgers, chicken, and shareables, all made to pair with beers brewed on-site. Closed Mon. 642 W. Poplar Ave., Collierville. 799-0354. L, D, $-$$

MULAN ASIAN BISTRO—Hunan Chicken, tofu dishes, and orange beef served here; sushi and Thai food, too. 2059 Houston Levee. 8505288; 2149 Young. 347-3965; 4698 Spottswood. 609-8680. L, D, $-$$ NASHOBA—Offers live music, sports games, and pub classics. Specialties are hot honey flatbread pizza, brisket fried rice, and the Nashoba burger. 4600 Merchants Park Circle, Suite 111, Collierville. 630-4683. L, D, wheelchair accessible, $-$$ OSAKA JAPANESE CUISINE—Featuring an extensive sushi menu as well as traditional Japanese and hibachi dining. Hours vary for lunch; call. 3670 Houston Levee. 861-4309; 3402 Poplar. 249-4690; 7164 Hacks Cross (Olive Branch). 662-890-9312; 2200 N. Germantown Pkwy. (Cordova). 425-4901. L, D, $-$$$

RAVEN & LILY—Eatery offers innovative Southern-inspired cuisine with such dishes as crispy shrimp and cauliflower salad, spiced lamb sausage and parmesan risotto, and bananas foster pain perdu. Closed Mon. 120 E. Mulberry. 286-4575. L, D, SB, $-$$

STIX—Hibachi steakhouse with Asian cuisine features steak, chicken, and a fillet and lobster combination, also sushi. A specialty is Dynamite Chicken with fried rice. 4680 Merchants Park Circle, Avenue Carriage Crossing. 854-3399. 150 Peabody Place, Suite 115 (Downtown). 207-7638 L, D, $-$$

WOLF RIVER BRISKET CO.—From the owners of Pyro’s Fire Fresh Pizza, highlights include house-smoked meats: prime beef brisket, chicken, and salmon. Closed Sun. 9947 Wolf River Boulevard, Suite 101. 316-5590; 1350 Concourse Ave., Suite 165. 791-4389 L, D, $-$$

ZOPITA’S ON THE SQUARE—Cafe offers sandwiches, including smoked salmon and pork tenderloin, as well as salads and desserts. Closed Sun. 114 N. Main. 457-7526. L, D, $

ARLINGTON / LAKELAND

BRENDALAY GRILLE—Wide variety of steaks, flatbreads, pasta, soups, sandwiches. Favorites: Brendalay BBQ Shrimp and Cajun Rosemary Shrimp. 6259 Quintard St., Arlington. 317-6998. L, D, SB, $$$$

KITCHEN TABLE—“Crafted comfort food that makes you feel right at home.” Steaks, seafood, catfish, chicken, chops, soups, salad, even hand-spun cotton candy. 12062 Forrest St., Arlington. 317-6402. L,D, SB. $-$$

VILLA CASTRIOTI—From traditional family dishes and pasta concoctions to hand-tossed brick-oven NY pizza. 9861 Lake District Dr., Lakeland. 466-8288. W., L,D, MRA, $$$

OUT-OF-TOWN

BOZO’S HOT PIT BAR-B-Q—Barbecue, burgers, sandwiches, and subs. 342 Highway 70 (Mason, TN). 901-294-3400. L, D, $-$$

CITY GROCERY—Southern eclectic cuisine; shrimp and grits is a specialty. Closed for dinner Sun. 152 Courthouse Square (Oxford, MS). 662-232-8080. L, D, SB, $$-$$$

COMO STEAKHOUSE—Steaks cooked on a hickory charcoal grill are a specialty here. Upstairs is an oyster bar. Closed Sun. 203 Main St. (Como, MS). 662-526-9529. D, $-$$$

ELFO GRISANTI’S NORTHERN ITALIAN CUISINE—Grisanti family classics like lasagna, homemade ravioli, garlic bread, and Northern Italian pizza. Closed Sun. 5627 Getwell Rd. (Southaven, MS). 662-4704497. L, D, $-$$

HARRY’S ITALIAN—Authentic Italian dishes using traditional recipes made from scratch, plus steaks and other entrees. 8472 U.S. Highway 51, Millington, TN. 872-0056. L, D, $-$$$

MANILA FILIPINO RESTAURANT—Entrees include pork belly cutlet with lechon sauce, and shrimp and vegetables in tamarind broth; also daily combos, rice dishes, and chef specials. Closed Sun.-Mon. 7849 Rockford (Millington, TN). 209-8525. L, D, $

MARSHALL STEAKHOUSE—Rustic steakhouse serves premium Angus beef steaks, seafood dishes, rack of lamb, and more. 2379 Highway 178 (Holly Springs, MS). 628-3556. B, L, D, $-$$$

MEMPHIS BARBECUE COMPANY—Offers spare ribs, baby backs, and pulled pork and brisket. 709 Desoto Cove (Horn Lake, MS). 662-536-3762. L, D, $-$$

PIG-N-WHISTLE—Offers pork shoulder sandwiches, wet and dry ribs, catfish, nachos, and stuffed barbecue potatoes. 6084 Kerr-Rosemark Rd. (Millington, TN). 872-2455. L, D, $

SAINT LEO—Offering sophisticated pizzas, pastas, sandwiches, and salads. A James Beard nominee for Best New Restaurant in 2017. 1101 Jackson (Oxford, MS). 662-234-4555. D, L, WB, $-$$

SIMON’S—A unique dining experience situated on Court Square in a charming small town, offering Angus steaks, catfish, BBQ brisket. Closed Mon./Tue. 201 N. Main St. (Bolivar, TN). 731-403-3474. L, D, $$-$$$

SNACKBAR—An intriguing mix of “French Bistro with North Mississippi Cafe.” Serving a confit duck Croque Monsieur, watermelon-cucumber chaat, pan-fried quail, plus a daily plate special and a raw bar. 721 N. Lamar (Oxford, MS). 662-236-6363. D, $-$$$

TEKILA MODERN MEXICAN—Modern interpretations of classic dishes from all over Mexico. 6343 Getwell Rd. (Southaven, MS). 662-510-5734. B, L, D, $-$$

WALK-ON’S SPORTS BISTREAUX. Cajun classics: fried alligator, pepperjack boudin, shrimp, gumbo, along with unique specialties. 2715 Snowden Lane, Southaven. 662-870-8379. L, D, $$

WILSON CAFE—An impressive culinary destination in the heart of the Arkansas Delta. Serving jambalaya, Waygu flatiron, butternut ravioli, swordfish & shrimp kabobs, burgers. 2 N. Jefferson (Wilson, AR). 870655-0222. L, D, WB, $-$$$

CASINO TABLES

A Centennial Fit for a King

Gone but never forgotten: the “Beale Street Blues Boy.”

BY FRANK MURTAUGH

Anniversaries are in the air. September 16th will be celebrated in Memphis — and anywhere in the world where listening to the blues brings the opposite — as the centennial of B.B. King’s birth. Lest we forget just how grand this King’s inﬂuence was, recall that he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987 (the institution’s second class) while still very much in his prime and at the tender age of 62. He inﬂuenced this city’s “other” King (his given name: Elvis Presley), not the other way around. Fittingly, B.B. King’s statue stands proudly a few feet from Presley’s in Downtown’s Tennessee Welcome Center.

What is a century of impact? And why do the nice, round numbers (especially when there are two zeroes) matter? My wife and I saw King perform precisely once, on March 20, 2003, in the Beale Street club that carries his name. It was a profound experience, to say the least, one of the very few times I’ve actually felt goose bumps form when a legend takes his stage. (Others: Mikhail Baryshnikov at the Germantown Performing Arts Center in 1997 and Michael Jordan at e Pyramid in 2001.) e intimacy of a club setting magniﬁes the look and sound of a music titan, and I’m grateful, here 22 years later, for my one night with “Blues Boy.” So yes, the 100th-anniversary reminder of his lifetime also lifts my spirits, and surely those of countless others who had an unforgettable “one night.”

On the subject of Rock and Roll Hall of Famers,

September 29th will mark 90 years since Jerry Lee Lewis arrived on the planet, surely shaking his delivery room by one measure or another. You’ll recall Elvis hitting 90 years in spirit last January. (Sadly, we’ll mark 50 years since Presley’s passing in less than two years.) is very magazine is approaching a signiﬁcant birthday, our 50th, next April. B.B. King has been on our cover. So have Elvis (posthumously) and the Killer. When you devote a magazine to celebrating a city’s best and brightest for 600 consecutive months, the births, anniversaries, and yes, passings start to add up. A half-century brings two doses of reﬂection for every ounce of celebration.

Back to B.B. King and my current reflection. I happened to be in Las Vegas on May 14, 2015, when King died in that very city. A pair of dear friends were renewing their wedding vows after twenty years . . . and with a faux Michael Jackson(!) as their oﬃciant. Among the few American music stars as famous as B.B. King, Jackson had already been gone six years, having died at, yep, age 50 in 2009. I recall wondering at the time if a B.B. King impersonator might marry a future couple or two, knowing fully that “ e rill Is Gone” will appear on playlists just as long as riller survives. at would be forever.

I returned to Memphis in time to attend King’s funeral procession down Beale Street, at the time a short walk from the Contemporary Media oﬃce building. And again, my thought at the time was about impact, how the right kind outlives the second date in our obituary. Will B.B. King be celebrated on the bicentennial of his birth, in 2125? Let’s hope so, and here’s to the human race getting there with perhaps less acrimony than we feel globally today. (Has there ever been a better time to sing the blues?) What goes without saying: B.B. King’s tunes will hit the right notes as long as there are anniversaries to count.

In 2020, shortly after the death of Eddie Van Halen, Rolling Stone published its ranking of the 100 greatest guitarists of all time. B.B. King landed at number six, behind only Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page, Keith Richards, and Jeff Beck. (Ahead of Chuck Berry and two slots ahead of Van Halen.) “He plays in shortened bursts,” wrote ZZ Top’s Billy Gibbons, choosing the present tense for his profile, “with a richness and robust delivery. . . . It’s so identifiable, so clear, it could be written out.” How fortunate we all are that King’s life was more than a shortened burst, and that he spent so much of that life in Memphis, Tennessee.

We are more than the anniversaries we celebrate, be they 100 or 50, or somewhere in between. But what a nice reminder those round numbers provide. Relish those who bring you pleasure, especially while the thrill is here.