Memphis Traveler

Follow aMemphisTraveler Blog at the New Address

2011-03-08T14:00:00.000-06:00

Remember, if you haven't already, be sure to follow aMemphisTraveler at it's new address: www.amemphistraveler.blogspot.com so you won't miss any of the travel tips and ideas as well as any other ramblings I come up with along the way. Such as this one passing along some survival tips and inspirational thoughts from Bear Grylls.

Thanks,
aMemphisTraveler

New Year - New Web Address

2011-01-01T00:01:00.003-06:00

This will actually be my last post. I just wanted to post one more reminder that the blog is moving.

Thank you so much for visiting.

I have created a new address on which all future posts will be published.

Please visit www.amemphistraveler.blogspot.com to continue to be informed about all things travel, outdoors, books, food, style, southern culture and Memphis.

Please check it out and let me know what you think.

Thanks again and happy travels and Happy New Year!

I will see you at:

http://amemphistraveler.blogspot.com/

--

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

2010-12-29T17:35:00.010-06:00

Merry Christmas Travelers!

I hope everyone had a good one. I got to see a very rare White Christmas, which was exciting. I'm just glad it didn't cause me the headaches it is causing other travelers this week.

I just got a chance to look through my newest National Geographic magazine (always a good source of new 'life-list" destinations) and found this great photo of people dressed up as St. Nicholas leading Krampus, a "mythical Alpine mischief maker" in Bavaria (Germany).

And Happy New Year!

One of my favorite travel related resolutions is to go somewhere new this year that you have never gone to before and I have a few ideas brewing.

If you have some good travel plans this year, let me know, I would love to hear about them!

Happy Travels!

P.S. This will most likely be my last post on this Web Address.
After the new year, I am moving the blog to:

http://amemphistraveler.blogspot.com/

See you there!

--

Sports Analogy - Man Up!

2010-12-27T22:20:00.013-06:00

Many sources have been discussing the recent "wussification" of America. In the arenas of movies; the male lead recently has become the meek indecisive lead; and there is a recent trend of always blaming problems on someone else instead of taking responsibility and fixing them.

This is directly applicable here related to traveling are; manners, responsibility and men's protection roles (I do realize that women can take care of themselves in most situations, this is not meant to spark a sexism debate), because traveling is most likely done as a group, either family or friends, the man must be at least aware of what is going on around him and the people he is with.

Blogs such as The Art of Manliness discuss the issue every day on their Website and with their book, and Big Hollywood hits on it every now and then. Now a sports blog devoted to The University of Memphis athletics has brought up the issue in a recent column in which they advise athletes, fans, media and all others reading it to "Man Up".

As they discuss, it seems that he role of the man in society might be changing, but something that does not change is the fact that we need to stop this blaming others that everyone seems to be doing lately and take responsibility for their own actions.

While the article is based on sports, the advice can be applied to situations in everyone's life on a daily basis.

Back From New York and Christmas Party Time

2010-12-15T17:41:00.003-06:00

First - The Parties:

Its Christmas party season and if you haven't been to one already, you most likely have one coming.

If you are throwing a party and want to avoid the slightly played out "tacky sweater" theme, just go the traditional route and stay classy with this quick party plan.

Read more »

Christmas Gifts For The Adventurous Gent - 2010

2010-11-14T19:18:00.023-06:00

Ok, Christmas is coming and the inevitable what should I get my Dad, Uncle, Brother, Nephew, Son, Grandfather, Husband, Boyfriend, etc. Well don't worry, I have done the work for you. I am willing to bet that there is at least one thing here that any guy on your list would love to have for Christmas. Many of the following items I personally own or have used, but many also are from my own wish list.

Watching Christmas Vacation has become one of my personal traditions. Classic.

Click below for the list, good luck and happy hunting.
Merry Christmas!

Read more »

Movies For Guys - Christmas 2010

2010-11-11T23:15:00.020-06:00

Photo by Igor Maloratsky via nycinsiderguide.com

Yes, it is time to start shopping for Christmas. This is a public service announcement to help all you last minute people get a jump on it this year. I'm starting with movies because they are just generic enough to be a good gift for almost anyone and I'm listing movies guys like because I know what I like/what is good.

With Netflix and the Internet, getting movies to watch is becoming easier to do, so I tried to select movies that are good enough to be watched over and over.

Please add your own in the comments if your favorite is not here.

Also, if you're a lady or buying for a lady, Amazon has all the movies you could imagine, although I heard something about the twilight saga :eclipse being popular...I don't know.

Guys movie list:

Casino Royale (2-Disc Widescreen Edition) - Had to start off with some Bond. For the super fan there is also the super James Bond Ultimate Collector's Set.

The Pacific (HBO Miniseries) - I wasn't able to see the entire season when it was on TV because we were changing cable providers and missed the last half, but the episodes I saw were extremely well done. If you or your gift recipient like historically accurate dramas along the lines of Band of Brothers, Saving Private Ryan , The Longest Day (Two-Disc Collector's Edition), or documentaries like WWII in HD, then The Pacific would be great for their stocking.

Read more »

Six Flags New Orleans, Still Abandoned

2010-11-09T19:38:00.000-06:00

And still standing, but not for much longer.

First off, New Orleans is always a good time, and tourism is a great way we can help them since it is one of the main aspects of their economy. We rode the train down from Memphis last year after Christmas, something I always wanted to do, and the views and people on the train were very interesting. It took a little longer than driving, 8 hours, but it is well worth it because you can relax, listen to music, read or have some wine instead of worrying about driving the car. My pictures can be seen here.

Apparently New Orleans had a Six Flags, I had no idea, and it has been closed since Katrina came through. Some enterprising person has recently filmed some very creepy but well done footage inside the park. My favorite part is the empty swings blowing in the breeze. I have seen videos of this type involving clandestine missions in abandoned buildings under the cover of darkness, but according to the video, this one received the blessing of the City of New Orleans. I like the fact that the city allowed this to happen before the park is gone. Too many things have been destroyed without so much as a picture.

It made me think of the Discovery Channel show "The Colony". The recent season was filmed in New Orleans in an abandoned few blocks of city. See video below:

Read more »

Halloween Week Roundup

2010-10-27T18:21:00.006-05:00

I've wanted to experiment with my own burning pumpkins since I discovered these pictures a couple years ago. Maybe I will get a chance this weekend. The above picture if from the collection of the best burning pumpkin pics on the Web.

Author Andrew Klavan lists 10 Spooky Short Stories he enjoys along with 10 favorite ghost movies for those not as interested in reading.

North America is currently experiencing the largest storm in recorded history.

Traveling to Hong Kong? Check out this Wall Street Journal story about the burgeoning cigar culture in Hong Kong.

When you go to Hong Kong, you will need a durable and inexpensive Dopp Kit for your essentials. Valet describes an easy to access, space saving version with a nice military vibe, via Flight 001, which is a great place to get lots of unique travel gear. I like their vintage styled luggage tags to help find your bag in a rush.

Chilean Miners Could Be Coming To Memphis

2010-10-14T19:07:00.003-05:00

Chili

One of the countries in the world that is at the top of my personal life list to visit is Chili, and it was recently the setting to the big mine worker rescue. If you haven't heard about it, you must have been very unplugged for the past few weeks. The country has a wide variety of climates and landforms, which are all displayed beautifully in the southern region of Patagonia.

In case you don't know where it is; it's the long skinny country on the Western coast of South America.

The map above is from the CIA's World Factbook. Follow the link for more information on the country.

Read more »

a Dapper Gent's Travel Tips

2010-10-13T13:15:00.002-05:00

I have noticed this the past few times I have been at the airport or the train station. People dress to "be comfortable", in their "juicy" sweatpants, but they end up looking like the just rolled out of bed. A rule I like to follow is to dress like you want to be treated and the author of the article below seems to agree and says that dressing up a few notches will get you better attention from flight attendants and security personnel on your travels.

Article below the break:
Read more »

End of Summer 2010

2010-10-11T18:31:00.000-05:00

I have to continue a personal tradition that I just realized I started two years ago with the first post on this blog.

Even though it is still not feeling like it outside; the tradition that I have come to adopt is to recognize the last day of Summer 2010 with a drink and remember all the great things that happened. Even though it was a couple weeks ago; I'm going to once again have a Dark 'n Stormy to toast the Summer that was and look forward to more great travels near and far in the upcoming seasons.

Thanks for reading.

---

Shelby Farms Greenline Opening Celebration

2010-10-07T10:42:00.001-05:00

It's officially open!

And there will be a celebration Saturday with block parties, a fun run, and concerts at Shelby Farms that night.

Here is the schedule:

Schedule of Events:

October 9, 2010

10AM: Greenline Fun Run–Tillman Trailhead

12NOON: Dedication Ceremony–Tillman Trailhead

12:30PM-4PM: Block Parties–Tillman, High Point Terrace, Waring, Podesta

6PM-10PM: Park After Dark featuring Firetribe, Bluff City Backsliders, and Star & Micey–Shelby Farms Park, Farm Rd. @ Mullins Station

If you haven't checked it out yet, this would be a great time to do so. There are lots of people riding, running and walking the trail already. There are even plans to expand the trail too!

A map and more information can be found here.

--

Travel Inspirations

2010-09-20T21:08:00.002-05:00

Quick roundup of some pictures and videos to trigger your travel imagination:

First, an incredible time lapse video taken in Tokyo, Japan.
The newest one can be found here. The rest of the artists videos are found here.

Read more »

A Republic, If You Can Keep It

2010-09-16T10:07:00.005-05:00

Benjamin Franklin spoke the above words when asked what kind of government they had created for America. Truer words have not been spoken. We are still fighting to keep our constitutional republic today, and I am sure it will be a fight that is never ending.

Constitution Day, September 17th, 2010

Constitution Day, the anniversary of the signing of our Constitution of the United States of America and was the first document to spell out that all men are created equal and granted unalienable rights by our Creator. As fragile as our free society is, it is still the greatest form of government ever conceived.

South Front Antiques - Memphis, TN

2010-09-07T10:28:00.005-05:00

For many of us its pretty hard to get away and do any traveling even if just around your own city. But it is good to at least get out of your normal home-to-work routine and check out something new, even if it is in your own city.

I got a chance to visit some of our local spots one Saturday morning this spring and finally was able to get the pictures up.

It is one of the places I've been wanting to check out in Memphis since hearing about it in a newspaper article last year. South Front Antiques in Downtown Memphis, on Front Street conveniently, became the main goal on this day.

Hurricane Earl From Space 9/1/10

2010-09-01T09:48:00.000-05:00

As much as we hear about Hurricanes; it is not often that we actually realize how big they are. Hurricanes are the largest storms on the planet and an astronaut recenlty took this incredible picture of Earl that reminds us what kind of power we are dealing with.

The photo by Mr. Wheelock and story can be seen here, which also links to the astronaut's twitter feed where the picture was originally published.

--

What book to read next?

2010-07-30T15:15:00.003-05:00

I'm trying to decide which book to get to read next.

I just finished Pursuit of Honor(Mitch Rapp, No. 10) by Vince Flynn, which I really enjoyed. Vince Flynn, Brad Thor, Daniel Silva, and Andrew Klavan are prolific authors who are writing modern, relevant and very engrossing spy and political thrillers that are far beyond anything in the Bourne series and it amazes me that none of them are movies yet.

I also am just finishing up Pirate Latitudes by Michael Crichton, which was also great if you like his other works.

So, along with starting another Vince Flynn or Brad Thor book, I would like to start a new non-fiction book as well since I usually like to have two books going most of the time. One being fiction and the other non-fiction.

Click below for the list:

Read more »

YouTube - Guy Walks Across America

2010-07-26T15:05:00.003-05:00

This is a cool stop motion video appropriately named "Guy walks across america"

YouTube - Guy Walks Across America

I love maps, so I was glad to see they included the google map of their route across America.

It is also a lot like a post I made last year of a time lapse video of a guy driving across America.

Both videos are very cool and on the list of Things I would love to be able to do.

---

The Border: A Dirty War (Part 1)

2010-07-26T14:33:00.001-05:00

As is my current personal policy toward Aruba, I will not be spending any of my hard-earned tourism dollars in Mexico until they at least start to act like they care what is coming across our border. Their president recently said that it is our (US) fault that drugs and guns are crossing the border into his country. The curious part is that he didn't seem to be doing anything to stop it if that is the case.

The below article is a very descriptive and thought provoking first-hand narrative about the war that is currently going on at our border that our government continually covers up. Be sure to click through to read all four parts.

The Border: A Dirty War (Part 1)

--

Kindle and ebook readers, good investment or not?

2010-07-21T15:12:00.000-05:00

I keep seeing the Kindle and ipad and products like it everywhere. Is that just marketing, or do people really like using these to read instead of books?

Looks like Amazon just lowered the price on the Kindle:

Is that because they are not selling or becasue they are selling well?

As far as I'm concerned, I still like to hold a book and be able to keep the real book on my shelf to look at later without having to worry about turning something on. That might just be me though.

Thoughts?

Man Drinks

2010-06-18T15:27:00.001-05:00

Some man drinks for Father's Day or any day:

3 Father's Day Cocktails: BA Daily: Blog : bonappetit.com

If I'm not drinking Scotch, a Manhattan is one of my favorites.

A lot more drink recipes can be found here.

---

Rudyard Kipling

2010-06-11T10:34:00.000-05:00

Rudyard Kipling wrote a very strong and stirring poem that is the basis of a new book The Overton Window.

The Overton Window is a public policy theory that describes all the possible policies that could be enacted, and how only a certian few can actually be accepted at any one time by the electorate. Politicians don't have the power to move the window, only citizens can move the window. However, by suggesting policies that are far outside the current window and creating backlash, the public moves the window a small amount and then politicians are able to pass a policy that was previously unacceptable.

More background before reading:
A Copybook is the book children use to learn writing and cursive. With a heading sentence and blank dotted lines following it where they copy the heading over and over. So the "Gods of the Copybook Headings" are the people who decide what the headings will say.

Also, while reading think about what the state of the geopolitical world, and specifically Europe, in 1919.

The Gods of the Copybook Headings
by: Rudyard Kipling - 1919

AS I PASS through my incarnations in every age and race,
I make my proper prostrations to the Gods of the Market Place.
Peering through reverent fingers I watch them flourish and fall,
And the Gods of the Copybook Headings, I notice, outlast them all.

We were living in trees when they met us. They showed us each in turn
That Water would certainly wet us, as Fire would certainly burn:
But we found them lacking in Uplift, Vision and Breadth of Mind,
So we left them to teach the Gorillas while we followed the March of Mankind.

We moved as the Spirit listed. They never altered their pace,
Being neither cloud nor wind-borne like the Gods of the Market Place,
But they always caught up with our progress, and presently word would come
That a tribe had been wiped off its icefield, or the lights had gone out in Rome.

With the Hopes that our World is built on they were utterly out of touch,
They denied that the Moon was Stilton; they denied she was even Dutch;
They denied that Wishes were Horses; they denied that a Pig had Wings;
So we worshipped the Gods of the Market Who promised these beautiful things.

When the Cambrian measures were forming, They promised perpetual peace.
They swore, if we gave them our weapons, that the wars of the tribes would cease.
But when we disarmed They sold us and delivered us bound to our foe,
And the Gods of the Copybook Headings said: "Stick to the Devil you know."

On the first Feminian Sandstones we were promised the Fuller Life
(Which started by loving our neighbour and ended by loving his wife)
Till our women had no more children and the men lost reason and faith,
And the Gods of the Copybook Headings said: "The Wages of Sin is Death."

In the Carboniferous Epoch we were promised abundance for all,
By robbing selected Peter to pay for collective Paul;
But, though we had plenty of money, there was nothing our money could buy,
And the Gods of the Copybook Headings said: "If you don't work you die."

Then the Gods of the Market tumbled, and their smooth-tongued wizards withdrew
And the hearts of the meanest were humbled and began to believe it was true
That All is not Gold that Glitters, and Two and Two make Four
And the Gods of the Copybook Headings limped up to explain it once more.

As it will be in the future, it was at the birth of Man
There are only four things certain since Social Progress began.
That the Dog returns to his Vomit and the Sow returns to her Mire,
And the burnt Fool's bandaged finger goes wabbling back to the Fire;

And that after this is accomplished, and the brave new world begins
When all men are paid for existing and no man must pay for his sins,
As surely as Water will wet us, as surely as Fire will burn,
The Gods of the Copybook Headings with terror and slaughter return!

----

The poem and the theory are the basis for Glenn Beck's new Book The Overton Window. Which I have already pre-ordered Here.

They also made a very powerful trailer for the book that can be found Here.

Whatever you think of Glenn Beck, this book looks like it is going to be good. And by the way, he had a ghost writer.

Again, pre-order now, it comes out June 15th:

--

Southern Legends

2010-06-10T15:15:00.001-05:00

Found great article in Garden&Gun about a Legendary Southern Shotgun with roots in Memphis.

It is called The Legend of Bo Whoop.

"More than sixty years ago, the South's most famous shotgun went missing. Here's the story of how it was found"

The A-Team

2010-06-04T09:19:00.003-05:00

This was probably my favorite TV show as a kid. That and Dukes of Hazard are in a close race for the top spot. But since the Dukes have already been ruined with a terrible movie; I'm hoping The A-Team doesn't suffer the same fate. The reincarnation of the show also features Memphis' own Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson.

I'm going to reserve judgment for now, but I really hope they don't ruin it.

Here is the new trailer:

And for comparison, the original series intro:

The original A-Team series DVD's can be purchased below:

--