I went to Little Tea Shop on Monroe yesterday with Ryan and Ramona (my internet cohorts here at the CVB). When we walked in, at least three of the women working there immediately came over to greet us.

They called Ryan and Ramona by name, hugged them and there was plenty of talk about families and work. Before Ryan had a chance to introduce me to the waitresses, they were standing by my chair, ready to give me the same big hugs.

That’s not uncommon here – you go somewhere, you run into someone, there’s lots of hugging. And if you meet someone, chances are that by the time you’re ready to part ways, a hug will be in order.

Ever been to Alcenia’s at lunch time? Miss B.J. passes out hugs like they’re going out of style.

What I love about all of the hugging is that it’s indicative of Memphis’ personality. We might not know you, but you’ll be welcomed with open arms.

It’s been at least 10 years since I visited the Memphis Zoo.

The last time I was there, Cat Country had been open for a little while, and the gorillas had just been moved outside. It was alright, but it wasn’t my favorite place in town.

I spent all of yesterday afternoon wandering around the zoo, and holy crap, things have changed. Gone are the cages and dull animal living spaces and exhibits. Instead, the zoo is full of lush landscaping, natural habitats and great exhibits.

One of my first stops was the Once Upon a Farm exhibit. It’s made to replicate a fully functional farm at two-thirds the size. In that spirit, many of the animals are also slightly smaller than the versions one would find on a real farm. Check out these adorable mini cows – they look like regular cows, but they’re shorter and a little smaller and cuter. Also, you can pet all of the animals in Once Upon a Farm, including the chickens that wander around freely.

I had to stop and check out the meerkats. They’re still completely cute and captivatingly high strung. I tried to get a picture of one doing the classic meerkat squat, but they were all running around.

Because I hadn’t visited the zoo in so long, I hadn’t seen the two pandas that are on loan from China. Their habitat is very cool – they share an exhibit with monkeys, otters and pheasants.

The two pandas spend most of their day snacking on bamboo, pooping and sleeping. They’re not lazy – it’s a nutrition thing. I ran into a docent named Van who told me a little bit about the pandas’ nutrition:

I also highly recommend the Northwest Passage exhibit – the polar bears seem content in their chilled water, and the sea lions are fun to watch.

Later this year, the zoo’s newest exhibit, Teton Trek, is opening. It’s going to be a home for bears, timberwolves and elk and feature an awesome replica of the lodge at Yellowstone. After that’s completed, the hippos are getting a brand new living space (should open in 2011).

So, lesson learned. If you went to  the zoo once when you were a kid and haven’t been back since, go. Take a walk through this awesome urban park with all of the great animals. And if you wear a dark polo shirt and khaki shorts, the animals may mistake you for a keeper and be super active. Or, you could just get a seed stick and feed the birds.

Feeding the birds at the Memphis Zoo

This is the one and only Church of Elvis shrine. It’s lived all over Memphis, but it currently resides at Goner Records in Cooper Young.

Drop a quarter in the slot and listen to Elvis tunes and behold the majesty. The shrine is made of all kinds of things – beads, glitter, picture frames, action figures and a single blue suede shoe.

In a city full of quirky Elvis stuff, the shrine is definitely a must see. And while you’re at Goner, check out their awesome collection of Memphis music and pick up one of their great free stickers.

The first people I ran into were the super friendly Alison and Lisa from Nebraska. They were planning to go to the tribute artist finals to support Joseph Hall.

I wandered down to Beale Street thinking that for sure I could spot the King. As I turned the corner, there he was standing next to Silky O’ Sullivan and a police officer, chatting on a cell phone. While we waited for him to finish his call, Silky showed me a replica of Elvis’s diploma from Humes High.

Elvis wrapped up his call and was kind enough to pose for a picture with me.

Notice the priestly collar and cross necklace – this charming British Elvis is the Bishop of Beale Street.

I’m hoping to head out today to meet more Elvis fans – if you’re in town for Elvis week and planning to be downtown this afternoon, leave a comment for me and I’ll try to find you.

*In Memphis, one Elvis week isn’t good enough. We have two – one celebrating the anniversary of the king’s birth and one on the anniversary of his death.

A quick Wikipedia search reveals the following about Tunisia:

- It’s located in North Africa and bordered by Libya and Algeria.

- The main languages spoken are Arabic and French

- In the Star Wars movies, all of the scenes on Tatooine were filmed in Tunisia.

- The national dish of Tunisia is couscous.

I’m looking forward to Memphis in May next year (especially having eaten Mediterranean food for lunch).