The late Jim Dickinson, second from left, sits with (left to right) son Luther, wife Mary Lindsay, and son Cody. Jim’s good buddy Lightin’ the basset hound is seated center. For more on the piano* that served as the centerpiece for this photograph, see below. Photo by Art Meripol.

Memphis and the greater world of music lost one of its most knowledgeable, talented, and entertaining denizens last week. James Luther Dickinson died Saturday, August 15, at his home outside of Coldwater, MS.

Jim leaves his wife Mary Lindsay and their two sons, Luther and Cody, who many music fans know as the guitarist and drummer, respectively, for the North Mississippi Allstars. He also leaves us all with music he’s written, performed, recorded, and produced, having played with such icons as Bob Dylan and The Rolling Stones, and worked with bands, such as The Replacements and Memphis’ own Big Star.

Photo: Robbie Caponneto

A 450th birthday calls for some serious celebrating and Pensacola plans to commemorate its founding all year long. The Florida Panhandle city, home to a festive lot of residents well rehearsed in the art of merriment, has planned a slew of events throughout 2009 and in the process remind St. Augustine which city was actually settled first. (See below for the answer.)

(Photo: Ken Walker)

I’m like a moth to a bug light when I see a front porch like the one in the painting above. It’s like a mood ring. In a cheery state of mind, I see the light emanating from inside and immediately hear music and voices, expecting the door to swing open and the party to spill outside. In more introspective moments, I focus on the emptiness, the tidiness, the skull, as metaphors for the spent spirit after a long day…and wonder how long before that party spills outside.

You have to pay for your room and breakfast at the Grady House in High Springs, FL, but entertainment from the resident be-spotted “Grady Bunch” comes from for free.

Jackson's, just across from the Plaza Ferdinand

A few months back there was a lot of buzz about the merger of Jackson’s – one of Pensacola’s venerable steakhouses – with the Great Southern Restaurant Group, which owns and operates the Fish House and the Atlas Oyster House. I finally got the chance to eat at Jackson’s post merger and, not that I expected anything less, but I’m happy to report that the food was terrific.

Join the editors of our travel blog this month as they share their best tips for staying green on the road.

#23 Impact-Less: Whether traveling for pleasure or business, there’s plenty more to learn about how we can impact the planet less.

Join the editors of our travel blog this month as they share their best tips for staying green on the road.

#21 Water Wise: Just like at home, keep your showers short and don’t waste water while brushing your teeth.

Join the editors of our travel blog this month as they share their best tips for staying green on the road.

#20 Capture the Moment: Considering the amount of energy and materials used in making and processing film, digital cameras are relatively better for the environment.

Join the editors of our travel blog this month as they share their best tips for staying green on the road.

#19 Pack It Out: Especially when touring heavily visited sites, pick up at least one piece of litter each day.

Join the editors of our travel blog this month as they share their best tips for staying green on the road.

#18 Foam No More: When on the road, disposable cups and plates are almost an inevitability.

Join the editors of our travel blog this month as they share their best tips for staying green on the road.

#17 Time Out: Turn off exercise equipment, lights, and the exercise-room TV when you’re finished working out.

Join the editors of our travel blog this month as they share their best tips for staying green on the road.

#16 Hotel Linens:Let the hotel in which you’re staying know it’s not necessary to wash linens daily.

Join the editors of our travel blog this month as they share their best tips for staying green on the road.

#15 Java Junk: Avoid those in-room coffee makers with all the disposable pieces and parts.

Join the editors of our travel blog this month as they share their best tips for staying green on the road.

#14 Drink Local: While the water may taste different from what you drink at home, municipal water systems in this country are some of the safest in the world.

Join the editors of our travel blog this month as they share their best tips for staying green on the road.

#13 Volunteer Vacation: Consider volunteering while on vacation.

Join the editors of our travel blog this month as they share their best tips for staying green on the road.

#12 Savvy Souvenirs: When picking up knick-knacks, beware of products made from endangered plants or animals.

Join the editors of our travel blog this month as they share their best tips for staying green on the road.

#11 Let Somebody Else Drive: Save on the hassle of parking as well as the expense of a rental car by taking advantage of public transportation.

Join the editors of our travel blog this month as they share their best tips for staying green on the road.

#10 Muscle-powered vacations: There are few better ways to truly experience a town or city by walking or biking when visiting.

Join the editors of our travel blog this month as they share their best tips for staying green on the road.

#9 Sweet Dreams: Need extra incentive to get the necessary shut eye? Consider that you can reduce your carbon footprint by simply sleeping.

Join the editors of our travel blog this month as they share their best tips for staying green on the road.

#8 Camp Out: Low-impact traveling is all the more important when staying at designated campsites or in the backcountry.

Join the editors of our travel blog this month as they share their best tips for staying green on the road.

#7 Stay Long: You know someone would have to come up with a name for this style of travel that involves longer, yet fewer vacations.

Join the editors of our travel blog this month as they share their best tips for staying green on the road.

#6 Go Long: As if we needed another incentive to fly non-stop, it’s more fuel efficient to do so.

Join the editors of our travel blog this month as they share their best tips for staying green on the road.

#5: Slow down.

On average, it’s estimated that cars and trucks lose some 5 percent fuel efficiency for every 5 MPH driven faster than 60 MPH.

Join the editors of our travel blog this month as they share their best tips for staying green on the road.

#4 Pack Light: Whether you’re doing the driving or flying, carefully consider how much you’re packing for the trip.

Join the editors of our travel blog this month as they share their best tips for staying green on the road.

#3 Car Care: If you’re driving across town or cross-country, be sure to keep your automobile properly maintained.

Join the editors of our travel blog this month as they share their best tips for staying green on the road.

#2 Watering: If you have an irrigation system on a timer, ask a friend to monitor the weather and turn the system on only when needed.

Join the editors of our travel blog this month as they share their best tips for staying green on the road.

#1 Power-down before you leave: There are a number of things we can do to lessen the power drain before hitting the road.

(Bluff-top art, the mighty Mississippi, and the green expanse beyond. Photo by Richard Banks)

I lived 33 of my 44 years in Memphis. Now after eight years away, the city’s culture is still under my finger nails like ribs and sauce, and its music reverberates in my head. When I get back to town, it’s like I can breathe again and I hyperventilate as I can’t stop paying visits to old haunts. Back home after a long weekend, I’m usually spent after days of reconnection and no sleep.

I’m happy to report – in between naps in my office, of course – that a recent trip was no different. The city is as entertaining as ever and the local populace as hospitable as any in the South – both perfect ingredients for a quick weekend escape.

Over the past few weeks, I’ve been on the hunt for unusual signs. Below are photos of a few of the standouts – some clever, one brazen, some just whacky. Take a gander at what follows and if you have any you’d like to share, feel free to email them to me @ richarda_banks@timeinc.com.

Running Wild (above)

Is your carpet stain free? Perhaps your child sleeps through the night without a fuss. Your home, it seems, is just too peaceful. Well, Palmana’s Café in lovely downtown Winter Park, FL, offers a simple solution.

Normally, manatees are long gone from Blue Spring this time of year, as they’ve made their way back to the waters closer to the Gulf of Mexico or Atlantic Ocean. I, however, got lucky on my visit to the state park (on the western edge of Orange City, Florida) in late-April, as two calves were being reintroduced into the wild. The story was they had been injured and taken to Sea World. The staff there had nursed them back to health and placed them at Blue Spring. Having been acclimated to people, they chose to hang out at the dock with their radio transmitters bobbing on the surface just above them as they lounged on the spring’s bottom.

Is this a face only a mother could love? Apparently not, as sailfin suckermouth catfish (Pterygoplicthys disjunctivus), like the one pictured, are breeding in such numbers they threaten the health of the rivers in which they live. Native to the Amazon basin, these catfish are exotic to waters in the South, such as the Blue Spring basin in north central Florida where this specimen was captured in late April.

(Photos by Richard Banks)

Wakeboarding combines the gravity defying, aerial marvels of gymnastics with the ramps, speed, and whacky jargon of skateboarding. While working on a story on an Orlando-based wakeboarder, I visited the Air Nautique Wake Games at the Orlando Watersports Complex and saw first-hand just how incredible the sport is. While being pulled by a boat like a water skier, wakeboarders flipped backwards and forwards, twisted, whirled, jumped ramps, rode rails, and seemingly flew just yards off shore. It was jaw-dropping, crazy wild, baby.

Dance

(Photos by Richard Banks)

No, it’s not a pile up, it’s art, my friend. Titled Dance, the 12-car choreographic sculpture is one of 20-plus works that together comprise Season Four of Sarasota Season of Sculpture. Mostly located in or adjacent to the city’s Bayfront Park, the works grace the waterfront until May 26, 2008.

And in This Corner…

Up the road a piece in St. Petersburg, the Ringside Café serves delicious burgers, cold beer, and frequent live music. During the recent Tampa Bay Blues Festival, the Ringside hosted Texan Lucky Peterson and the place was packed with music fans from as far away New Jersey and Texas. It was so crowded that the club was at capacity when my buddy and I arrived. As a result, we spent the first 30 minutes of Peterson’s show watching from the club’s windows (see photo).

Even as busy as they were, the staff remained exceptionally accommodating and efficient throughout Peterson’s two-set show. And even with the out-of-towner infusion, the Ringside still had an air of neighborhood hangout, with locals happy to offer inside tips on other area must-see restaurants, clubs, and attractions.

2742 Fourth St.
St Petersburg, FL 33704
Google Map

(727) 894-8465

Currently, Ringside Café doesn’t have a web site.

When You Hear the Bell Ring…

If you’re in Sarasota and in need of live music, try the 5 O’Clock Club. Located on Hillview, on the southern edge of downtown, the club offers classic rock and rockabilly to dance and reggae. The night I visited, Tampa-based Democracy cranked up the Rastafarian groove with covers of reggae icons Bob Marley and Peter Tosh, and a few of their originals.

Sporting the slogan “the neighborhood club with a national sound,” the 53-year-old 5 O’Clock advertises live music seven nights a week and is managed by – check out this name – Sally Majestic. No, she doesn’t leap buildings in a single bound, but she does run a sizeable nightclub – which could certainly be considered a superhuman effort – and answers the same question night after night, as patrons query if hers is the name her parents gave her.

1930 Hillview St.
Sarasota, FL 34239
941-366-5555
http://www.5oclockclub.net

(For more of Urevbu's work, click here).

If you’re in the Memphis International Airport and need a change of scenery or perhaps some artistic inspiration, check out Ephraim Urevbu’s paintings in the connectors between concourses A and B, as well as B and C. The Nigerian born artist who now calls Memphis home portrays such subjects as drummers from his homeland to bluesmen of his new hometown with an intensity of color and a style that borders on the Modern with hints of Impressionism and Cubism.