This post continues the discussion that began with our last one.

To recap, following a recent post about thoughts for the new year, someone challenged Charlie Santo to name 10 things he liked about Memphis. He replied with more than three times that many, and he said he was just getting started. We said that we’d post our 10 things today, but we’d rather post yours. They’re a lot better.

Thanks, and we hope you’ll keep them coming in.

Here they are:

From antisocialist:

  • Payne’s BBQ
  • Pink Palace
  • MEM Terminal exterior
  • FedEx planes flying overhead at night
  • Tom Lee Park
  • Playhouse on the Square
  • Young Avenue Deli’s Fries
  • Cooper-Young Development Corporation
  • Silky’s goats (are they still there?)
  • Pirtle’s
  • Top’s BBQ sauce

From Michael Hughes

  • The culture of food in this city. From the wealth of independent restaurants to the hordes of individuals who enjoy dining out, cooking at home or simply just discussing food. This is a great city for those who like to eat.
  • Many factors contribute to the ability to “find” oneself or at least a good career path. I moved here almost 9 years ago & held a number of jobs in different industries until I found what I was truly passionate about. The cost of living & connectedness of the city (everyone knows everyone else) allowed me to afford to find what I was not only good at but loved doing. If I would have stayed in San Francisco I don’t think that would have been possible or affordable.
  • People love to give back here. We’ve held two benefit parties at our house alone in the past 9 months that were very well attended & everyone opened their checkbooks.
  • The arts community is so vibrant & varied. It’s amazing to me that we have such an incredible talent pool of creative, artistic individuals here.
  • Most people that I have come across here are eco-conscious in some way. There seems to be an overall desire to “green” this city.
  • Project Greenfork. With the abundance of restaurants comes an abundance of waste. PG is helping restaurants do something about that.
  • The enormous immigrant population. There is nothing more fantastic than walking into the Vietnamese market on Cleveland. It’s as if I’ve gone to a foreign country.
  • Everyone has a story. People come here from all over & bring with them many stories to tell. All you have to do is listen, most of the time its pretty interesting.
  • This is a city for independent businesses. We love to support the small guy, the start-up, the passionate believer. Our small businesses are our soul & personality. They speak volumes about us.
  • Filmmakers. According to MovieMaker magazine, we are the #8 best city for filmmaking. That’s something to be proud of.

From Jenny Sharpe:

1. The countless opportunities to do something meaningful in a big way that impacts the entire community.
2. We’re not too small for a project to be insignificant and not too large to have too many barriers or red tape to get it done.
3. The ability to feel a great sense of community due to having so many groups with every interest possible.
4. We’re real. We’re honest. We’re authentic. We got soul.
5. We know how to have a good time!! We’re not as stodgy or snooty as other cities.
6. There’s a major upsurge of organizations starting to work on elevating and cultivating Memphis’ amazing cultural assets.
7. We’re gritty and resilient. We’ve been through hell and back numerous times – from the Yellow Fever Epidemic to the MLK assassination – and we rise up to fight our way back up every time.
8. You can get around the greater Memphis area so easily! People who complain about the distance from “out east” to “all the way downtown” are so spoiled.
9. Our many talented entrepreneurs, as we have always had.
10. Being a part of the community during its upswing is a thrill.

From Louise:

  • Overton Park West Redevelopment Corridor
  • Broad Avenue Arts District
  • Wolf River Trail System
  • Memphis Heritage
  • Stewart Brothers and Gate City Hardware Stores
  • South Main
  • Shelby Forest
  • Shelby Farms before being discovered
  • The Parkway System and Overton Park
  • Memphis Botanic Gardens
  • Snowden Elementary School
  • Belvedere Boulevard
  • Highpoint Grocery
  • The Urban Arts Commission
  • Methodist/Le Bonheur Medical Center-Memphis Bio-works Redevelopment including St. Jude and Uptown
  • Collierville Town Square
  • Humphreys Boulevard
  • Neon

From Courtney:

A few things that weren’t on Charlie’s list …

  • New Ballet Ensemble
  • The dental school and eye school that bring hundreds of students into the area … now only if we could convince more of them to stay.
  • Lots of places for a lazy runner to stretch her legs … especially if you start at my front door.
  • Downtown Elementary
  • The community of writers living here and Memphis Magazine for running an annual fiction contest
  • Stacey Greenberg–basically everything she does, but most especially dining with monkeys.
  • Autozone
  • Shelby Forest
  • The Mississippi River
  • University of Memphis–for employing my husband and letting me go back to school.
    I know sort of a personal list, but it’s mine. (Note: That’s o.k., Courtney. That’s what Memphis is – personal.)

From Zippy:

1. Central BBQ when they cut the meat right.
2. Peabody Hotel
3. The People
4. Shelby Buffaloes
5. The Zoo
6. Sun Studio Shakes (and tour)
7. HiTone
8. Music Foundation
9. Common Ground Memphis
10. The new effort to curb crime, Blue Crush and all it’s ancillaries, Cyberwatch
11. Town Hall Meetings
12. MidTown North Community Assoc.
13. Tomeka Hart
14. Dr. Kriner Cash
15. Bridges and Tarrin McGhee
16. Pink Palace
17. Independent Filmmakers and Theaters
18. Staxx/Soulsville and the school
19. Police and Fire Department
20. Sanitation workers do a great job
21. The Landscaping, Stringer’s
22. Mud Island Park
23. The Flea Markets and antique shops
24. Summer Ave from Knox East
25. Cooper Young Burke’s Books
26. Golden Palace Indian Food
27. Memphis Drum Shop
28. Church Health Cntr
29. Bangkok Alley
30. Coach Cal and the boys!
31. Smart City blog!
32. City Champs Band
33. Opera Memphis,
34. Symphony
I could go on all day!

From Michelle Shafer:

  • The Memphis Zoo
  • Beautiful Rhodes College Campus
  • Downtown YMCA – diverse and full of people how are trying to live healthy lives
  • Ms. Cordelia’s Deli
  • Harbor Town green belt
  • Snowden school
  • Central BBQ on Central
  • Trolley rides
  • Not having to wait in line to ride the trolleys!
  • Our beautiful antique midtown bungalow
  • All the antique and beautiful buildings in Memphis
  • The Orpheum
  • Being able to actually drive my car down town
  • Walking to Cafe Eclectic
  • Memphis Tigers
  • Springtime in Memphis