Community Blog

Hey Country Squire! When was the last time you had a good plate of soul food? How about the last time you tried something cooked a little bit differently? If it was a while, then the Soul Food Festival at Shelby Farms on July 31 at 4 pm is just what you need!

This is an annual event that the park throws. Before last year’s event, festival organizer Patrick Williams stated that “You will experience some of the best ribs, chicken, macaroni and cheese, greens, and turkey legs from all over the country.” I’m thinking that this year really won’t be any different.

What goes better with food than music? Why, food and LIVE MUSIC of course! With performances by wonderful old school R&B and rap artists like Cameo, Troop, MC Lyte, the SOS Band, and others, this is sure to be a festival that you won’t forget!

Tickets are between $20-$55. VIP tickets are selling for $50 and it gets you a seat at a table up front. Get your tickets online now and get ready for some great eats!

Hey Country Squire! Are you looking for something to do this week? Well, if you’re a fan of the blues, then there’s an event coming up that you may be interested in. If I drop certain names like B.B. King, Jeff Beck, John Mayer, Buddy Guy, ZZ Top, and Sheryl Crow, what do you think of? Do you think of ‘Eric Clapton’s Crossroads Guitar Festival 2010′?

Eric Clapton’s Crossroads Guitar Festival 2010 is showing only once at the Malco Paradiso Wednesday, July 28 at 7:30 pm. Tickets are only $12.50.

The film features highlights from the sold-out June 26 Chicago show, along with backstage interviews and behind-the-scenes footage. It’s sure to be a classic!

What’s your favorite genre of music?

Hey Country Squire! Are you ready to party? If not, get ready. WEVL’s 22nd Annual Blues on the Bluff party is this Saturday, July 24th from 6 – 11 pm at National Ornamental Metal Museum Grounds.

Have you ever been to Blues on the Bluff? If not, it’s basically one big blues show. You’re relaxing with your lawn chairs and blankets on the bluffs of the Mississippi River, surrounded by giant oak trees and a cool river breeze, while listening to some great music and the smell of great BBQ permeating the air. What could be better?

Central BBQ is the local food vendor, since outside food and drinks aren’t allowed. Alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks will be served, and there will be silent auctions and Blues on the Bluff posters for sell.  Also, kids are welcome.

So who’s performing? Well, you’ll be sure to catch glimpses of The Bo-Keys, Last
Chance Jug Band, and Eric Deaton Trio with Kent Kimbrough. The Bo-Keys are an R&B band that unites Memphis soul-scene veterans with some ace younger-generation players. The Eric Deaton Trio with Kent Kimbrough are a hill-country blues band with the late Junior Kimbrough’s son on drums.

This is all taking place on the grounds of the National Ornamental Metal Museum, and admission is $15.

Come party on the bluffs!

Hey Country Squire! If you missed your chance to gain your 15 minutes of fame with the Daylight Fades production in Memphis, your second chance is coming up! A new film  titled “Losers Take All” will be starting production on August 16th.

The story is centered around a 1980’s indie punk pop band, and with Memphis‘ rich history in music, it’s no wonder that the filmmakers chose to shoot there rather than the Georgia town they originally thought of.

The film, budgeted at $1.5 million, will feature Kyle Gallner of this year’s “A Nightmare on Elm Street” remake and will be directed by Alex Steyermark of “Prey for Rock & Roll,” and “One Last Thing.”

One of the main reasons that the filmmakers decided to shoot here was the local crew base. They stated that the crew and talent here are just so lively that it’s always a treat shooting in Memphis. Scenes will be shot around town at local bars, restaurants, and clubs, and will use local actors as well. Names of the places have yet to be indentified, but I’ll keep you updated as I find out.

Get ready! You may have your time to shine soon.

Hey Country Squire! Have you ever gotten off of work, or had a rough day in general and  you just needed to relax? If so, you should have a spa day! This is very easy for you Country Squire, since Serenity Day Spa (761 Walnut Knoll Lane) is right down the road! You’re so lucky to be so close to such great businesses!

Just the name is relaxing: Serenity. They offer a wide range of relaxation and stress management techniques for you to enjoy. There’s massage therapy, wet table body treatments, try table body treatments, waxing, facials, hand and foot treatments, and a variety of spa treatments. Serenity also provides a robe, slippers and a locker. Luxury at it’s finest!

There are also gift cards available, so if you know someone who is in need of stress relief, give them the gift of Serenity.

Summer wouldn’t be summer without movies. And the Orpheum Theatre wouldn’t be what it is without showing them. This summer, during the Orpheum Summer Movie Series 2010, they are showing “18 of the greatest movies of all time“. So far, they haven’t dissappointed.

Eight of the movies have already passed, but fear not, because you have 10 more classics coming your way. The first of the last set shows Wednesday, July 14, at 7:15. The feature movie will be one of my all time favorites, ‘Mary Poppins‘. If you haven’t seen it (and there are a number out there who haven’t, apparently), this is the perfect opportunity to you to expand your movie memory repertoire.

If you’re looking for a nice inexpensive date, then the Orpheum (203 South Main Street) is a sure bet at any one of the remaining screenings. Ticket prices are $7 for adults, and $6 for children 12 and under. The matinee (10:30 am) price is only $5. So if you’re up for an early movie, the matinee would be your best bet. But if this is a date night activity, the 7:30 pm showing will be your showing of choice.

Have you ever visited the Orpheum?

Hey Country Squire! Have you found yourself with a good amount of free time lately? If so, if you’re in a relationship of some kind, I’m sure that some of that free time will be spent with your other half. Once you’re with that person, what do you do then? Dinner and movie dates get kind of old after a while, so why not try something different, like a ‘day’ date at Shelby Farms?

I know that it may seem slightly dull to have a date in a park, but I’ve done it myself plenty of times and have had a great time. The upside to going on a date in Shelby Farms is that there is so many things that you can do. You can go bike riding together, roller blading, walk your dogs, horseback riding, or just have a picnic. Of course you have to go when the weather is nice, or it’ll defeat the whole purpose.

Something else that you may want to consider while on your ‘date’ is taking pictures of the scenery together. Taking pictures is very relaxing, and it’s fun to see the various creative pictures that you can take. Though it’s probably not something that you can do for every date, a date in the park is perfect for the warmer months.

What kind of different dates do you like to go on?

Hey Country Squire! Are you looking to donate to a good cause, get some exercise, and make new friends at the same time? If so, participate in the Friends for Life “Walk. Run. Fight AIDS 5k” on July 24, 2010 at Shelby Farms.

Friends for Life is an organization that helps persons affected by HIV/AIDS live well. They provide critical services, basic needs and outreach programs that empower people who are affected by the disease. This includes education, housing, food, transportation, healthcare and healthy life skills training.

The vision of Friends For Life is to be a financially secure provider of hope, help and healing for Mid-Southerners affected by HIV/AIDS until ultimately HIV/AIDS is cured and we can proudly cease to exist.

~Friends For Life

If you’re interested in participating in the 5K that benefits the Friends for Life organization, you can register online. Pre-registration fees (until 7/18) are $20, while registration after 7/18 is $25. There is a group (Team of 5 or more) rate discount at $15 each. The race begins at 8 am on Saturday, July 24. Check the website for a full schedule.

So Country Squire, why don’t we get a team together? We all know that Kirby (from the leasing office) is participating, so why don’t more of us show up, participate, and show our support?

Let’s do it! Support Friends for Life!

Hey Country Squire! How are you celebrating Independence Day? There are so many things going on around town and the Metro Memphis area that you won’t know what to do next.

One such event is the Fireworks Extravaganza at the Bobby K. Municipal Center in Bartlett. The night begins with live entertainment at 6:30 pm provided by the Bartlett Community Concert Band, followed by The Plaintiffs at 8:15. The Fireworks Extravaganza has plenty of activities for the whole family including a car show, games for the children, face painting, concessions and more.

All activities will take place on the lawn of the Bartlett Performing Arts & Conference Center and Appling Middle School. As with many of the other fireworks displays around town, the fireworks will begin at 9:30 pm. Festivities conclude at 10 pm.

Have fun, and stay safe this weekend!

Finally! I can stop feeling like I’m melting when I’m walking down the street! Well, at least for a while.

“A front heading through the area on Monday will bring a bit of relief from the heat after hitting the region with a few showers and thunderstorms“, National Weather Service meteorologist Scott McNeil said.

By tomorrow, daily highs should fall to the low 90s. Trust me, that’s a big improvement. Starting tomorrow, things should get more comfortable. That’s a relief. Have you ever been outside and it’s been so hot that you can SEE the heat? Horrible. So lower temperatures are surely welcome! Here’s hoping that they stay for a while.

What have you been doing to beat the heat?

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