My brother says he tried to vote after work but that the polling place had everyone bunkered down and he couldn’t vote. If this thing passes, he might get to go later, but we’re coming up on an hour before polls are supposed to close. I haven’t heard if they’re going to remain open longer. They probably should, because many of them have been busy all day. It’s getting really loud out there…

I didn’t know until reading this that Cafe Francisco, the coffee shop pictured in my blog header, closed in September.

But at least Willie, Herman, Carol and John aren’t out panhandling. Good grief.

The Memphis Advertising Federation’s Pyramid Awards are this weekend, but was the artist who created this image going for something disgusting like this (sneaking it past the committee a la TIME magazine), or something more innocent?

This was the view outside our door this morning. Er, not. But that’s what the news told us to expect. No snow yet. Not even ice.

UPDATE: Ok, so they were off by one day. I can’t believe they close all the schools for this.

The latest Flyer has a nice article on elephants, and it mentions the two at the Memphis Zoo, pictured above. I love watching the animals, but it upsets me that many of the large mammals are confined in small or dull habitats. I’m glad the Memphis Zoo is continuing to plan bigger and better spaces for them; I wish it could happen faster, and that other zoos would do the same.

We recently enjoyed a tour of Sun Studio, “birthplace of rock n’ roll,” and home to such legendary artists as Johnny Cash, Elvis Presley, Roy Orbison, Jerry Lee Lewis and B.B. King.

It’s a fairly small place, and the tour only lasts about 45 minutes, so it’s a perfect afternoon activity for the whole family.

You see how the company started, hear some of the early recordings, and learn about the personalities behind the music. It was interesting to find out how Elvis got his start, and see how Johnny Cash achieved his unique sound, while standing in the very same spot where they recorded the music, with all the original tile and furnishings still in place.

The whole experience is pretty amazing, and since it turns out Sun is the only recording studio designated as a federal historical site, you don’t have to worry about the place shutting down before you get a chance to visit.

And for $75/hour, you can still record your own music there.

More photos below the fold: (more…)

Cafe Francisco is a nice place to get coffee in downtown Memphis (400 N. Main St). For just a couple bucks, you can get a beautiful cappuccino covered by a nice thick blanket of froth, served in a real cup, on a dish, with a stick of rock candy on the side. And you can sit in a comfy chair of your choice, spread out, and enjoy free wireless internet. From the couch where I took this photo, you can see the wooden tables near the bar and the red booth by the window. Behind are more couches in a library area, then a long row of wooden booths up a couple stairs where people can eat, visit or study. (more…)