MEMPHIS UKULELE FLASH MOB HOSTS MEMPHIS UKE-N-ROLL FESTIVAL

UPDATE: UKE FESTIVAL POSTPONED DUE TO CORONAVIRUS-THE FESTIVAL WILL BE RESCHEDULED FOR A LATER DATE. STAY TUNED….RETURNING IN 2021

Pete McCarty invites everyone to the Memphis Uke N Roll Festival in April of 2020. Come join the Memphis Ukulele Flash Mob as we have a four day party in Memphis that celebrates everything wonderful about the ukulele. For tickets go to www.memphisukenroll.com

What started out as a small group of friends getting together to jam has grown into a wonderful ukulele community in Memphis. The Memphis Ukulele Flash mob meets each week at Central BBQ on Summer Avenue in Memphis on Tuesday evenings from 6-8pm for a standing room only sing-a-long led Pete McCarty.

Memphis Magazine recently did a story on Pete and the Flash Mob calling them the Pied Piers of Happiness who “bring joy to the world.”

https://memphismagazine.com/culture/the-pied-pipers-of-happiness/

The all volunteer group also spend their time and talent spreading love around the community, playing for nursing homes, children’s hospitals, farmers markets and even holiday parades.

The festival will showcase talent from around the country, there will be workshops, open mic opportunities, sing-a-longs, fun and fellowship in the south main neighborhood in downtown Memphis.

Enjoy this photo gallery which will get you a sense of our city, Memphis, the city we love so much. You can also see some of the Memphis Ukulele Flash Mob members spreading some love. (Photos by Karen Pulfer Focht ©)

To see other videos and photos of the Memphis Ukulele Flash Mob look under “Ukulele Fun” Category on my blog.

Now, ya’ll come!

The Bald Eagle is Back!

A recent report on CBS Sunday Morning about “The Return of the bald eagle” highlights the success of the Endangered Species Act and the benefits to the bald eagle.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/nature-up-close-the-return-of-the-bald-eagle-carl-mrozek/

I photographed this Eagle on Whidbey Island in Washington State, earlier in the week that this story ran. It was perched on top of a piece of driftwood alongside the water at dawn, waiting for its prey.

Memphis Summer

High waters on the Mississippi River roll past downtown Memphis on a hot summer night in Memphis, Tennessee.

https://memphismagazine.com/topics/memphis-magazine-august-2019/

See Memphis Magazine City Guide link above for a guide to all things great in Memphis!

Hollywood Beach Private Pullman Car

Keith White purchased and restored the Hollywood Beach Private Pullman rail car, which is one of only three that existed. He houses the train car in St. Louis and offers a few short affordable trips per year for rail fans to enjoy.

 The Seaboard Air Line Railroad, which styled itself "The Route of Courteous Service," was an American railroad that existed from April 14, 1900, until July 1, 1967

 All Photos © Karen Pulfer Focht

Below is an original advertising picture of the Hollywood Beach put out by the Seaboard Air Line Railroad.

Nostalgia Rides the Rails-

Written by John L. Focht ©

FUNK'S GROVE, Ill.--As Amtrak's "Lincoln Service" train speeds along the Illinois prarie at 67 mph, it shows off a special car coupled to the rear---the Hollywood Beach, a restored private railcar, which is taking a group of 15 guests southbound to St. Louis.

It is a restored classic railcar originally used by the Seaboard Air Line Railroad to carry passengers on their "Silver Meteor" New York-to-Florida trains in the 1950s and 1960s.  It's an  unusual combination of half lounge and half Pullman sleeping car, one of only three such cars, built in 1957. 

The car is a labor of love for its owner, Keith White, 68,  of Naperville. Ill.  White is a retired Illinois Central/Canadian National rail traffic controller who started his career in Memphis, Tenn., then went on to Chicago. 

"I really need to have this," White said the first time he saw the car.  "So, it took a little bit of foolishness," he laughs. 

It takes a lot of time and money to restore such a car, White says.  He bought the car in 2016 for an amount he doesn't specify.  He has spent about $500,000 to upgrade and renovate it.  And now there are storage fees, insurance costs, annual inspections, Amtrak's charges to pull the car. ($3.67 per mile).  

"It's definitely not for the faint of pocket book!" White says.

White has completely refurbished the Hollywood Beach, essentially bringing it back to its original look and feel.  The large solarium lounge, with its large windows all around and on top, gives riders a full panaoramic view as we cross the Mississippi River on the MacArthur Bridge.

The car has five complete private bedrooms, with individual bathrooms, for overnight guests. It sleeps 10.  The Pullman-style rooms provide a comfortable couch during the day and have beds that pull down from the wall for sleeping. Everything has been immaculately and expensively restored--- even the little "boxes" where first-class bedroom guests in the 50s could put their shoes before going to bed, to have them returned and shined by morning.

White has added a full kitchen and even a shower to the Hollywood Beach.

He runs trips on the car about four times a year, making arrangements to hook onto Amtrak on their routes.  The Hollywood Beach just completed roundtrips from Chicago to St. Louis and Chicago to Carbondale.  White and  several couples spent the night in the bedrooms while the car was parked at Chicago Union Station.

Guest fares pay the expenses and make White a little money, but the Hollywood Beach isn't about making money.  It's more about White sharing the experience. Likewise,  it's not all about getting to a destination--it's about enjoying the journey.

The affable White and his wife Maggie serve as the crew.  It has a homespun flavor. "It's like visiting Keith's cottage," said one of the guests, while sipping a beer.  Keith cooks bacon and eggs for breakfast and serves all the meals.  They put out bowls of Goldfish crackers and Tootsie Rolls.  He is a conductor, cook, waiter, maid and attendant all in one.

At the end of this trip, the car returns to St. Louis and is switched into its home,  the tracks next to St. Louis Union Station.

White, sweating, wearing an Illinois Central hardhat and yellow vest, says, "It's a lot of work. It's taxing. But I love it."

Written by John L. Focht ©

Owner of Railcom, Germantown, Tennessee

https://dailymemphian.com/article/index/5601/Rail-car-restoration-project-is-labor-of-love-for-former-Memphian

For more Information about future trips contact Keith White at

Keith’s Rail Way LLC

OneCNICcat@prodigy.net

www.privatecarhollywoodbeach.com

Central Station Rehab, Memphis, Tennessee

We recently got a sneak peek at the inside of Central Station in downtown Memphis. The historic building was once a very rugged and unwelcoming station. It still serves Amtrak but it is now being converted into a Curio hotel, due to open at the end of the summer.

“Curio – A Collection by Hilton is Hilton’s latest brand and will be a carefully selected, global collection of distinctive four and five star hotels that offer travelers local discovery and authentic experiences in key markets. Just as the word “curio” can refer to something of interest, unique or even rare, each Curio hotel will be different from the next, with individuality being a common thread.” Hilton https://hiltonhonors3.hilton.com/en/about/curio.html

Memphis civic treasure and developer Henry Turley, has had a heart and vision for the revitalized South Main area for many years. When the time was right, he called up his buddies and asked them to pitch in.

With the help of Malco President and COO David Tashie, the Malco Powerhouse Cinema Bar and Grill opened in the old powerhouse recently. It is also home to a large-format MXT "Extreme" Theater.

The hotel is inside the historic Central Station and is on Amtrak's City of New Orleans route, which runs from Chicago to New Orleans. Construction is supposed to be completed by August. Henry wants for people who come to town to have a nice place to stay.

The development group includes Henry Turley, Archie Willis and McLean Wilson.

Henry came from very humble beginnings. He is a kind and gentle soul who lavishes his southern hospitality on most everyone he comes into contact with. He has a beautiful, yet simple home, that sits high on the Chickasaw bluffs that over looks the Mississippi River. He loves purple martins and has placed several bird houses around the south main area. A box of soap chips sits in his living room. His family used to save up the used soap chips so that they could make a new bar of soap. He likes to remember from where he came.

“We look for projects that will make Memphis a more livable city” said Henry this week while showing off Central Station and the Powerhouse. Can one man’s vision really make that big of a difference? The Henry Turley Company has heavily contributed to the transformation and livability of downtown Memphis with the development of South Bluffs, Harbor Town, South Main and Uptown.

The renovated Memphis home of the teenage Elvis Presley (which was public housing at the time) has also opened in Uptown. Fans can sleep where Elvis laid his head as a teenager. http://www.karenpulferfocht.com/blog/elvisweek2018

It was hard to get people downtown after Martin Luther King was shot in the nearby Lorraine Motel. http://www.karenpulferfocht.com/blog/civilrightsmuseum But that is not the case anymore.

In spite of all of the construction going on, condo’s downtown Memphis are in short supply. https://dailymemphian.com/article/4572/Downtown-condos-in-short-supply

http://www.henryturley.com/about/

http://www.henryturley.com/new-projects/

https://insidememphisbusiness.com/features/development-henry-turley/

https://dailymemphian.com/article/3595/Powerhouse-Cinema-debuts-with-full-service-restaurant

Beale Street Music Festival, Memphis, Tennessee 2019 (Sunday Only)

The Beale Street Music Festival was sold out on Sunday. Miley Cyrus made a surprise visit on Saturday. Read more in the Daily Memphian (links below)

https://dailymemphian.com/article/index/4871/Miley-Cyrus-added-to-Saturdays-Beale-Street-Music-Fest-lineup

https://dailymemphian.com/article/index/4876/Miley-Cyrus-thrills-during-muddy-second-day-of-Beale-Street-Music-Fest

Memphis Zoo Welcomes Second New Baby Giraffe in Less Than One Week!

Memphis Zoo Welcomes Second New Baby Giraffe in Less Than One Week~ Wendy, a Memphis Zoo giraffe gave birth recently to a boy calf and his is name is Kiburi, which means precocious in Swahili. Within the same week, the zoo’s 12-year-old giraffe Angela Kate gave birth her baby giraffe on April 9, 2019. These births bring the Memphis Zoo’s reticulated giraffe herd to 11. Reticulated giraffes are considered endangered, with only 11,000 remaining in the wild and a population that is declining. Memphis Zoo, located in Memphis, Tennessee, is home to more than 4,500 animals representing more than 500 different species.

Here you can see as the newest baby was introduced to his daddy Nikalaus gets to meet his babies.

I also happened to catch Giraffe vocalizations from the baby. It was the first time I had heard that. You can hear it too in this video.

~~~~~~~~~~VIDEO BELOW~~

Below you will find shorter video of just the baby giraffe vocalizations.

UPDATE FROM THE ZOO APRIL 25th, 2019-

“We’ve had a lot of questions about our most recent baby giraffe Ali, born just days after our boy Kiburi joined the herd earlier this month. Ali’s had quite the journey over the last few weeks, but we are happy to say she is back at Memphis Zoo on stall rest.” ~The Memphis Zoo

https://www.memphiszoo.org/blog/posts/alis-journey