The top ten names in 2011 (click here to search a name and see the full list of 1,000 on the Social Security Administration website):

BOYS

1. Jacob
2. Mason
3. William
4. Jayden
5. Noah
6. Michael
7. Ethan
8. Alexander
9. Aiden
10. Daniel

GIRLS

1. Sophia
2. Isabella
3. Emma
4. Olivia
5. Ava
6. Emily
7. Abigail
8. Madison
9. Mia
10. Chloe

This is the thirteenth year in a row that Jacob has topped the boy's list. Sophia swapped places with Isabella this year to take the No. 1 spot.

Greetings friends and neighbors!
Wow! It's hard to believe May is already halfway gone. I've decided that in these weeks leading up to the summer solstice, I'd spend some time cruising around the city looking for places where one can wind down, slow down, and experience a bit of what life was like in simpler times. With this in mind I'd like to introduce you to a little place I found in Midtown that time and fast-paced modern progress has seemingly forgotten. A place where as soon as you walk through the door you are transported to a whole different space in time. That place is Wiles-Smith Drugs at 1635 Union Avenue. Memphis' oldest independent drug store. And if you're looking for a truly authentic piece of the past, it's the real deal.

When Mr. Wiles first opened his drug store back in 1944, there were 156 independent drug stores throughout the city. Unlike today, when most modern pharmacies are pre-fabricated homogenized parts of huge national companies that more closely resemble miniature department stores that sell everything from hardware to software to lawn and garden equipment, patio furniture and groceries, in those days only a small handful were owned by big chains with names like Rexall, Plough, and Walgreens. The rest were small efficient places owned and operated by individuals like Mr. Wiles and were as individual as their owners and their neighborhoods. Pharmacists were known then as druggists, and that's what they did. The neighborhood druggist was not only one of the most important people in the community, dispensing medicine and advice to folks, he was a trusted friend as well. Most folks knew their druggist on a first name basis, and his home number was more than likely close to the telephone in the kitchen. It wasn't uncommon for him to get a call in the middle of the night and drive out to the store in his PJ's to meet an anxious neighbor with an emergency. This bond between the people and their local drug store made it a common social gathering place as well, and most drug stores in those by-gone days offered their customers a soda fountain and diner where they could enjoy a milkshake, soda, or an ice cold coke with a sandwich or breakfast and catch up on gossip with their friends while waiting for the druggist to fill their prescriptions.

The guy behind the counter was known as a "soda jerk" because he was the one who jerked back the handle on the fountain infusing your choice of flavored beverage with that refreshing bite of carbonation that made it all that much more good. Dr. Charles Smith first came to Memphis as a pharmacy student, and later taught pharmacy at U.T here in midtown. His life-long dream of owning his own drug store became a reality in 1967 when he purchased the Wiles Drug Store on Union Avenue. At a time when things everywhere were changing, from the War in Vietnam to the struggle for civil rights, most of the independent drug stores in town, along with their soda fountains were slowly but surely becoming a thing of the past. A lot of the owners sold out to the big national chains, and some simply closed up shop. Dr. Smith, however decided he would keep his store, now named Wiles-Smith Drugs true to old time tradition and keep doing business as usual complete with what now remains the only truly authentic drug store soda-fountain and diner left in the city. Today, you can still bring your prescriptions to Dr. Smith and sit down at the counter where resident soda-jerk and diner manager Linda Spencer will serve you up a delicious cold chocolate malted, or a "Cherry Joe" with one of the most delicious home-made BLT's in the city. Other fresh delights on the Wiles-Smith menu include Home-made beef stew, Corned beef with swiss on rye, Tuna salad with tomato and a grilled cheese with bacon that will knock your socks off! On our visit we had the classic BLT and the Wiles-Smith Club sandwich with the bean and bacon soup, and a cold chocolate malt. I won't lie to you friends, it was one of the best lunches of my life! They offer six wonderful salads, Ice cream sundaes to die for, and full breakfasts served till 11am. Sometimes on a hot Memphis summer day nothing satisfies like an ice-cold beer, and Wiles-Smith Drugs is the only drugstore in the state of Tennessee that holds an on-premises beer license! Wiles-Smith Drugs is one of the last remaining places in America where you can experience a REAL old fashioned drug store exactly the way it was back in 1944. It's been featured on the Food Network, and written about in Alton Brown's "Feasting on Asphalt". Cybil Shepard still drops in from time to time, as do players from the Memphis Grizzlies and the Redbirds. It's one of our city's real treasures, and a hit with mid-towners in the know. Wiles-Smith Drugs is a full service pharmacy that still offers charge accounts and delivery service. Try finding THAT anywhere else these days! Wiles-Smith Drugs.
Wiles-Smith Drugs is located at 1635 Union Avenue in midtown Memphis. They're open Monday-Friday 9am-5pm. Saturday 10am-3pm. Kitchen hours are 9am-4pm Monday thru Friday. Saturday 10am-3pm. They're closed Sundays. It's cash and check only. No debit or credit cards accepted.

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• Read more: http://tinyurl.com/cc5dogk

　　　　　　　　　 I simply love Memphis this time of year! The whole world seems to come alive with a hundred shades of green. Cool nights and warm afternoons that stretch into the evening with breezes that carry the fragrance of Magnolia blossoms and honeysuckles and fresh cut lawns and the intoxicating aroma of charcoal grills burning into the dusk. It's the kind of season that makes you glad to be living in a city so wonderfully lush with flora. But with the Middle of April approaching, every Memphian knows that it won't be long till the idyllic days of spring give way to the long hot humid Memphis summer. It's not just uncomfortably warm. It's squint your eyes ,wipe off the sweat, hard to breathe, burn the flesh off your hand on the car door HOT. And when it gets here it stays for a while. Memphis summers can be absolutely brutal, and sometimes it seems like there's just no relief. It's with that relief in mind that I began my search for a cool local oasis. That search led me to one of my favorite neighborhoods in the city. It's not fancy or pretentious, and you won't find a Starbucks or see many $80.000.00 cars parked along it's shady tree-lined streets. It's the kind of neighborhood I grew up in, and I think that's what makes me love it so much. It's an honest, hard-working older neighborhood that has been home to generations of honest hard working people and even though the shine has long faded, the charm has only grown sweeter over the years. You might say it's haunted by the ghosts of happy memories, and to me it just feels like coming home. Tucked away on a sleepy little corner in Berclair at 1657 Wells Station Road is a long-time Memphis family institution called Jerry's Sno Cones. Can you remember your first Sno Cone on a hot summer afternoon? I sure do. My favorite flavor was Bubblegum, and as barefoot kids we used to line up in breathless anticipation of that first cold crunchy bite of sweet flavored ice in a paper cup, wondering who would be first to eat too fast and get a brain-freeze. Jerry's offers 75 basic flavors of Sno Cones, but with your own personal custom mix, the flavor combinations are as endless as your imagination. It doesn't end with just Sno Cones either. Jerry's is home to the best soft-serve ice cream in the city and a whole delicious menu of hot fresh food.

　　　　　　　　　 That menu includes the original Jerry's Burger, a 1/3 pound delight served up with fresh lettuce, tomato, pickles, onion and gently melted cheddar hoop cheese on a buttered grilled bun. The Willy Burger, which came all the way from the Delta, covered in chili, slaw, and cheddar hoop cheese. The Senor Jerry's burger with jalapenos cheddar and ranch dressing. Try a delicious Philly cheese steak sandwich or a fried bologna sandwich with BBQ sauce. There's Hot Tamales and corn dogs and a smoked sausage sandwich that is literally heaven on a bun. The meat for Jerry's original and delicious signature sandwiches comes exclusively from Charlies, one of Memphis'oldest and most respected meat markets. Get your sandwich with an order of Jerry's signature fries, which in my opinion are the best in the world! (Try 'em with chili and jalapenos!) , or some cheddar peppers or maybe a Frito Pie! Friends, this food is not just good. It's almost blessed! Hey and when you're done, why not try one of Jerry's trademark Sno Cones for dessert? There's the John Deere Super (John Deere green). The Hurricane Elvis, named after our own 2003 summer storm and just as unforgettable. Or maybe the Dream Supreme! On my visit, I just stuck with my childhood fave, Bubble gum and it was truly good. So good I got one of the worst brain freezes of my life! (Take your time). By the way, every Jerry's Sno Cone can be made into a delicious shake at your request. Not in the mood for a Sno Cone? How about a delicious soft-serve ice cream cone, or a strawberry, pineapple, cherry, hot fudge or butterscotch sundae? A hot fudge cake or maybe even a pineapple strawberry and chocolate parfait? And the best part of bringing the family to Jerry's is that you can let 'em go wild and not have to worry about breaking the budget! Jerry's Sno Cones offers the freshest and best food in Memphis for not a lot of dough. Plus the kids get to experience something that most kids couldn't even dream of in this world of fast food franchises. Jerry's Sno Cones is the real deal!

　　　　　　　　　 Jerry's Sno Cones was opened 35 years ago by Mr. L.B. "Jerry" Clifton and became an instant neighborhood hit. Many Sno Cones, sundaes, burgers and years later it was purchased from Jerry and Mrs. Clifton by David Acklin. David was one of the thousands of kids who used to line up at the window of Jerry's and his mission is truly a labor of love. That mission is to bring back a bit of the good old days to Memphis, and as someone who can remember them, I can tell you with authority he has hit an out of the park home run! I recently sat down with David to get a feel for what makes Jerry's so popular that people will drive in with their families from as far away as a hundred miles to have the Jerry's Sno Cones experience. One of those is the one thing I absolutely live for, and that my friends is AUTHENTICITY. In today's world we seem to be surrounded by homogenized mass produced, mass marketed sameness. You have to look long and hard to find something real and unique, and Jerry's is truly one of a kind. A place where you can take your kids to let them experience another place and time. Film-makers have sought out Jerry's as an authentic piece of a simpler time too. Jerry's Sno Cones was featured in the 1985 Dennis Quaid movie "Great Balls of Fire" The story of Jerry Lee " The Killer" Lewis. Recently Jerry's Sno Cones was rented for 2 days by Haymaker Films for a Procter and Gamble feature called "Men with cramps.com" . You won't find Jerry's Sno Cones in any tourist book. It's a real and true Memphis treasure, and I highly recommend a visit as soon as you can. David Acklin and his family are keeping something truly wonderful alive in the heart of Berclair. Something you'll want to re-live over and over again with your family. Be sure to tell David I sent you by, and don't leave without one of the coolest things in the world (besides a Jerry's Sno Cone that is) A Jerry's Sno Cones T-shirt. Jerry's Sno Cones is located at 1657 Wells Station Road, and they're open year-round Monday thru Saturday 11am-9pm. Jerry's even has a drive-thru for rainy weather. They're closed Sundays. If you'd like to phone in an order for one of the best lunches in the city the number is (901) 767-2659.

Nameberry has just released their list of the top 16 trending names for the year. The data was collected based on the number of page views that each individual name page has received in the first quarter of the year on Nameberry and is not actually a reflection of the names legally given to children in the first quarter of 2012.

• Rue
• Emmett, Everett, and Beckett
• Ivy
• Weston, Wesley, and West
• Adele
• Grayson and Gray
• Aria
• Cyrus
• Estelle]
• Cato
• Blythe

Greetings my Fellow Memphians!

I recently found myself downtown watching the big tugs and barges navigate theMississippi River, whose mighty currents have literally shaped American history. Winding 2,320 miles from Lake Itasca in the Minnesota northwoods, to the Gulf of Mexico, the Mississippi is the second longest river in the United States. The tenth largest in the world. In 1542 it carried Spanish Conquistador Hernando DeSoto to his death in what is now Louisiana. Pirates, river roustabouts, Voodoo priestesses, riverboat gamblers and even cartoon characters gained legendary stature because of their association with this vital artery named by the Ojibwa and Chippewa the "Father of Waters" that divides East from West. Incredible fortunes have been made along the banks of the Mississippi. In Memphis those fortunes were fueled by Cotton, also known as "White Gold". Cotton was bought and sold along the ancient cobblestones of Memphis along with many other valuable commodities, one of which happened to be the Human Beings upon whose backs the wealth of the old south was built. Enslaved Africans within the United States became an interstate export commodity when the United States Constitution outlawed the international slave trade in 1808. Newly formed states such as Mississippi, Arkansas, and Tennessee became involved in the slave trade, with Memphis having the distinction of being Tennessee's largest and most lucrative slave trading center. Due to the high demand for free plantation labor, more than a dozen slave trading markets were established in Memphis. After a horrific journey across the Atlantic Ocean's "Middle Passage" Africans were auctioned off to the highest bidder and doomed to a life of slavery, stripping them of their dignity, their pride, and most of all their freedom. Whenever possible, individuals attempted to liberate themselves by running away. This was particularly dangerous, often leading to torture and quite often death for those unfortunate enough to be caught. Many runaways were aided by abolitionists who gave them safe passage to the free states of the north on the underground railroad. These people literally took their lives in their hands by participating in this endeavor, since the penalties of helping liberate slaves were extremely harsh. One of these brave souls was a German immigrant named Jacob Burkle.

Jacob was a wealthy livestock trader and owner of the Memphis Stockyard near which he built his home, The Burkle Estate in 1849. To most people Jacob Burkle was a shrewd businessman and an important part of the local economy ( He was also the owner of the fist bakery in Memphis), but to his family and fellow conspirators, he was known to be one of the conductors on the Underground Railroad. Jacob held a deep personal conviction that no human being should be subject to forced bondage, led in chains to the auction block, bought and sold like chattel, to do the backbreaking work that made so many fabulously wealthy along Cotton Row. So when he built his family home, he specially designed it to be a haven for those escaping the terrible fate of lifelong slavery. The old Burkle mansion is now known as Slavehaven and contains a cellar and a series of tunnels where slaves would crowd together and often wait in the dark for days, weeks and sometimes even months to make their great freedom escape to the north. The cellar leads to a tunnel which goes to the Mississippi River where slaves would get on waiting boats that would take them up the river to the Ohio River and then into the free state of Cairo, Illinois. I recently visited the old Antebellum home of Jacob Burkle at 826 North Second Street I arrived early for my 10 O'clock meeting with Burkle Estate Curator Elaine Turner, and walking up the sidewalk toward the front porch, and around the back where the ruins of Jacob's old stockyard once bustled with important Cotton traders buying and selling horses, mules, and other livestock, I was surrounded by an almost tangible sense of the human drama that played out on the very ground we walked on some 150 years ago. Once my host arrived, she welcomed me inside and began to tell the story of Jacob Burkle and the lives he saved while putting his own on the line in the name of Human decency and the American concept that all men are created equal. The Burkle home has been decorated with artifacts and memorabilia designed to give you a real sense of the average day in the life of a slave. In the house I was shown an actual blood-stained whip used to punish disobedient slaves, actual shackles that were used to restrain men, women and even children as they were presented on the auction block for sale, or chained to some dank stable in preparation for market. As I stared down at this terrible hardware, I was chilled as Elaine pointed to one of the shackles and commented that "This particular shackle would fit around the leg of a grown person, or perhaps the neck of a child". Many other photographs and paintings on display inside the house bring the slavery period right to the doorstep of your heart. As we descended the secret staircase which led underground we could imagine those who walked those steps to Jacob's cellar of hope, where specially designed vents were built into the walls for air and light as these brave people awaited the signal that all was clear for the 2 block trip to the waiting boat on the river. That 2 blocks must have seemed like 2 miles. One can only imagine the fear and excitement that must have filled the hearts of those who were tasting sweet freedom for the first time. It was truly powerful and inspiring.

A walk through The Burkle Estate is a journey through history. I strongly suggest that you take time to visit this authentic piece of American history very soon. And take the kids too. Tour hours are 10am-4pm. Monday through Saturday in summer. Wednesday through Saturday in winter. Special arrangements can be made for group tours and performances. Admission is just $6 for adults, Students 5-17 just $4. Call Elaine Turner at (901) 527-8784 for more information.