Paul Ryburn’s Journal

The Grizzlies have their work cut out for them following yesterday’s loss to Golden State, finishing the season 9th in the Western Conference. They’ll host the San Antonio Spurs Wednesday at 6:30 and

• The loser of that game goes into the NBA draft lottery
• The winner of that game plays the loser of the 7/8 game (L.A. Lakers vs. Golden State)
  • The loser of that game goes into the NBA draft lottery
  • The winner of that game becomes the 8 seed in the Western Conference playoffs

This ESPN piece has the Grizzlies at +30000 (300-to-1) to win the NBA title. However, they do have Memphis as a 59% favorite over the Spurs Wednesday.

Hundreds of people marched Downtown yesterday in support of Palestinians under Israeli oppression. More coverage

From WREG: Can I still spread COVID if I’m fully vaccinated? A UCSF doctor who is an expert on infectious diseases says it’s “very unlikely.” Recent studies show the vaccines are about 94% effective in preventing the spread of asymptomatic COVID.

So, is there any legit purpose in forcing vaccinated people to still wear masks, other than providing leverage to force unvaccinated people to also wear masks?

It’s Tax Day. If you haven’t filed yet, you better get on that. Afterward, stop by the Peanut Shoppe on Main to celebrate National Walnut Day.

A professor of supply chain management at the U of M says the shutdown of the I-40 bridge for months will lead to higher costs for consumers. I sure hope this doesn’t result in higher PBR prices at bars.

I’m considering a southward journey next Sunday… Earnestine & Hazel’s, Loflin Yard, Ghost River taproom, Wiseacre 2 taproom, maybe Max’s Sports Bar if I’m still in the area when they open at 4:30. The core has become a bore for Sunday Fun Day so I may have to put my walking shoes on.

Anyone else’s allergies going bonkers this week? I’ve been having sneezing fits (thank goodness I can have those now without people asking if I have COVID) and my ears itch like crazy. Weatherbug says the dominant pollens right now are hickory/pecan, maple, and mulberry. Trying to remember if I sneezed a lot when I went to visit my grandparents in Trimble, Tennessee. They had pecan trees in their yard.

Time for work here in a bit – I wonder if the building I work in will still require masks – and then I’ll figure out the rest of the day. The angel on my shoulder is saying “you need to research articles to write this week” while the devil on the other shoulder tells me “Bardog, Silly Goose, and Blind Bear.” I kinda think the devil’s gonna win this one. Back tomorrow with more news.

Last night I was listening to the police scanner. Around 2:00, the supervisor asked what Downtown calls had been holding for a while. There were calls at 310 S. Main, the 200 block of Wagner, and Main and Huling. I hope none of those were important! There was also a report on Nextdoor of gunshots at Front and Nettleton about 12:50. We simply do not have enough police resources down here, and the criminals know it and realize they have run of the neighborhood.

There is a lot going on today, yet only one item that is a must-do: Watch the Grizzlies take on Golden State at 2:30 on ESPN. The winner of today’s game will finish the regular season 8th in the west, and will only have to win one game in the play-in tournament. The loser will finish 9th and will have to win two play-in games.

Look at this beautiful picture I snapped at Max’s Sports Bar yesterday!

What’s beautiful about this picture, you ask?

• The barstools are not socially distanced – you can sit 6 inches away from a person who’s not part of your family or “close contact group”
• No blue tape indicating “you can sit here, but you can’t sit there”
• No X’s in blue tape on the floor indicating “stand here if you’re waiting to order to-go food”
• No seat? No problem! You can drink while standing. You can stand at the bar and order. You can walk around with your drink.

Some kind folks at Economy Boat Store brought Rendezvous BBQ to the barges that were stranded along the Mississippi for several days.

Jobs are open at a legendary Memphis restaurant. Gus’s Downtown is looking to add to its back-of-house crew.

Yoga with a familiar name: Instructor Kelcie Zepatos will teach a Kundalini Yoga class at The Broom Closet, 552 S. Main, on Monday, June 14 from 4:00 to 5:15 PM. The class is said to focus on breath work and being present in the moment, and Kelcie integrates a variety of approaches into what she teaches. YOGA!

Interesting link I found yesterday: A rap topics generator. You can request a topic on any or all of the following categories: love, life, money, food, school, depression, heartbreak, frustration, racism, or fake friends.

It’s National Mimosa Day. Y’all better get out to Sunday brunch and celebrate that one!

Attention military service members and veterans: There will be an appreciation night for you at Grind City Brewing Wednesday 5:30-9:00 PM. Service members, spouses, and veterans get 2 free beers or a free flight.

That’s it for now. I will be out somewhere cheering on the Grizzlies this afternoon, then tonight I will tune in to WWE’s Backlash pay-per-view. Back tomorrow with more news.

Health Directive No. 21 was quickly rewritten last night based on guidance given by the CDC and President Biden.

Now, don’t worry. The important part is that the ridiculously stupid social distancing requirements have been reduced to recommendations. That hasn’t changed.

However, if you are fully vaccinated, you don’t have to wear a mask, indoors or outdoors, unless you are on public transportation, in a governmental building, or entering a business with clearly posted “must wear mask” signs.

I’M FULLY VACCINATED BITCHES!!! For me, the Roaring 2020s start today.

The I-40 bridge was deemed safe for commercial barge traffic yesterday morning, although it will still be closed to cars and trucks for months, most likely. Bad news in this morning’s DM: Speed limits on both river bridges may be reduced to minimize vibrations and damage.

Random related trivia I learned this week reading the excellent Creme de Memph blog, which focuses on pictorial Memphis history: Before it became the connector to the Memphis-Arkansas (I-55) bridge in 1949, E.H. Crump Blvd. was named Iowa Avenue and it came to an end at Mississippi Blvd. When it became the connector, Crump was extended diagonally northeastward, eventually leveling out at what had been Carr Avenue a block south of Peabody Avenue, and connecting with Pigeon Roost Road/Lamar.

Also, before the leg of I-55 connecting the Memphis-Arkansas Bridge to I-240 (you know, the part of I-55 that floods and where trucks get stuck under bridges), Riverside Drive connected to Arkansas Street, with a cloverleaf connector at Iowa/Crump. The thoroughfare was sometimes called Arkansas Riverside.

Memphis Made Brewing Co. responds to the warmer weather this weekend with some lighter beers. HUG, a smooth wheat with late-added hops, checks in a 5.4% and reminds us that it’s OK to hug once again. Soulful Ginger, a saison brewed with ginger and peppercorns, pairs well with Asian food and measures in at 6.2%.

After three months of upgrades, the Memphis Fire Museum has reopened. If you have kids, this is a fun place to take them.

Did you know that Local 24 meteorologist Chelsea Chandler is a certified BBQ Fest judge? Here’s a walk-through of the judging process by Chelsea.

It’s National Chocolate Chip Day and therefore a good day to get some warm cookies delivered to your door from Insomnia Cookies on Beale Street.

WREG interviewed South Main business owners in the masks or no masks debate.

Local 24 notes that some national chains have announced they will continue to require customers to wear masks, including two chains with Downtown locations: Walgreens and DGX. Since I make frequent stops at DGX on the way home from bars, I will stuff a mask in my pocket when I go out.

Steve Schad plays Carolina Watershed. The listing says both noon to 3 PM and 2-6 PM, so if you get there between 2 and 3 you’ll get to hear him no matter which is correct. Grateful Dead tribute band The Schwag takes the stage at Watershed tonight at 9.

Social distanced hippies dancing!

Eric Hughes plays Momma’s tonight 7-10.

Tune into channel 30.1 on Memphis rabbit-ears antennas to catch Memphis 901 FC playing an away match at Birmingham at 3:30 this afternoon.

We Are Memphis had a conversation with Will Davenport, manager of the Eight & Sand bar inside Central Station Hotel.

I’ll lead off with a stop at the Memphis Farmers Market this morning, followed by a visit to a South Main bar (which one TBD), then back north to the Silly Goose and the Blind Bear. Come on out if you’ve been vaccinated! If you haven’t been vaccinated, go get vaccinated… or come out anyway, just don’t expect much sympathy if you get sick. Back tomorrow with more news.

Time and TV have been set for Sunday’s schedule for the final day of the NBA regular season. Golden State will host the Memphis Grizzlies at 2:30 that afternoon on ESPN. That game looks more and more likely to be a shootout for the 8th seed in the Western Conference.

First, though, the teams have to get through tonight.

• Memphis hosts Sacramento (who they beat 116-110 last night) at 8 PM
• Golden State hosts New Orleans at 8:30, ESPN. Go Zion!

Max’s Sports Bar will open at 2 Sunday for those who want to watch the Grizzlies.

A new concert series was announced yesterday. Memphis Tourism is teaming up with several partners to present Get Loud, a series of 14 concerts in Handy Park (Beale at B.B. King Blvd.) in June, July, and August. First up: P.J. Morton with Marcella & Her Lovers on Saturday, June 5. All shows start at 6 PM and are free to attend.

President Biden appeared at a press conference yesterday. He said that if you’re fully vaccinated against COVID-19, it’s time to show your smile again, to hug, to shake hands. The CDC says we can do that. New guidance indicates fully vaccinated people can shed their masks in most indoor and outdoor situations.

Today is Dance Like a Chicken Day.

An expert says it could take up to a year to repair the I-40 bridge if more cracks are found via X-ray inspection. By the way, the same barge I wrote about yesterday is still sitting on the river, same spot. Too bad its crew can’t come ashore for a Backlot biscuit sandwich or some Maciel’s tacos while they wait. Local 24 interviewed shipping experts, who said the barges can’t make a U-turn.

I hope the disruption in shipping doesn’t affect PBR prices.

Good read: The women who enabled Jeffrey Epstein

Broke Tall Folk play The Vault tonight at 8:30.

That’s it for this post. Let’s get through today then gear up for a maskless weekend with no social distancing. Back tomorrow with more news.

Health Directive No. 21 dropped yesterday afternoon, to go into effect Saturday at 12:01 AM. It is indeed the good news Shelby County residents have been waiting for. Almost all of the stupid restrictions we’ve had to live with for the past 14 months are gone.

On page 11, section D, the document lists the remaining requirements for businesses with frequent interaction with the public, or who regularly welcome non-employees into their place of business (for example, restaurants and bars). There are only two:

• Hand sanitizing stations must be available
• Restroom areas must be kept clean

All other requirements from previous directives are now recommendations. So

• You can consume alcohol while standing at the bar
• You can sit or stand within 6 feet of people not in your family or “close contact group”
• You don’t have to order food to consume alcohol
• There’s no limit on the size of parties that can sit together
• Restaurants and bars can stay open until 5 AM (Beale Street)/3 AM (everywhere else)

As for masking, it is highly recommended – but not required – that indoor businesses ask their patrons to do so. What is required, should they choose to make that request, is clear signage near the entrance.

I celebrated the announcement with a snack at Longshot last night, my first visit there since the shuffleboard lounge reopened. I got the lamb chili Frito pie, with Berbere sauce, Greek yogurt, mint oil, and scallions:

It’s been 11 hours and a full night’s sleep since I had this to eat, and I still feel full. The seasonings beautifully bring out the flavor of the lamb and the yogurt provides a cool touch. I would get this again, for sure.

On to the other big news story of the day: When the I-40 bridge story was first reported, it sounded like the bridge was shut down because inspectors had found a weedle beety cwack in the bridge, and closing it was just a token safety precaution. Photos released yesterday show that is not the case.

There are literally two pieces of bridge where there should be one piece. Inspectors were so alarmed that they called 911 to get I-40 shut down immediately.

It could be closed for months. Man that is going to disrupt interstate commerce all kinds of ways.

I read a report Tuesday saying barge traffic could be disrupted, but I just looked out my living room window and there’s a barge on the river right now.

Big River Crossing announced that due to the I-40 bridge’s closing, its gates are locked for the time being. Ar first glance, that doesn’t make a lot of sense, but I bet it’s a homeland security thing, given that bridge’s proximity to I-55. If that bridge were taken out, there’d be no crossing point over the river for vehicular traffic between Dyersburg and Helena.

Hmmm… just looked out my window again. That barge doesn’t seem to be moving, and it seems to be “parked” against the Arkansas side of the river just south of the I-40 bridge. I wonder if it will have to turn around? Can barges do such a thing?

Congratulations to Jesse Davis, who has been named the new editor of the Memphis Flyer, replacing the retiring Bruce VanWyngarden. Davis is a homegrown talent, having served as copy editor, calendar editor, staff writer, and book critic. Bruce will continue writing a regular column for the Flyer and pursue other writing interests as he steps away from the daily grind.

Let’s Brunch Memphis and the Memphis Flyer are holding a brunch festival at Beale Street Landing Saturday, June 26. The ticket includes samplings of brunch dishes and 12 cocktail samples (Bloody Marys, mimosas, Bellinis). Tickets are $37 early bird/$43 general admission.

From Strike 7 Sports: It’s time for Penny Hardaway to deliver. Yup. No excuses this year. NCAA tournament or bust.

From Fox 13: Mother looks for answers after son shot and killed in Downtown Memphis. This was the carjacking of a late ’80s Monte Carlo that happened around 9:30 on a Saturday night last month.

Prediction: Memphis Fire Department will be busy between midnight and 1 Saturday morning as people burn their face masks.

Yubu & The Ancient Youth provide the live music at Central Station Hotel: Live at the Tracks today 6:30-9:30.

It’s an hour later and that barge still hasn’t moved.

Off to work. I’ll probably stay home and write this afternoon. Might stay home tomorrow, too, and save my energy and money for days when the stupid restrictions are no longer in force. Back tomorrow with more news.

I had hoped yesterday’s COVID task force press conference would give a preview of some of the restrictions to fall away in Health Directive 21. However, Mayor Harris dodged the question and instead blabbered on about how he has a 12-year-old and a 15-year-old and they’ll be eligible for shots this week. A typical Lee Harris answer and another illustration why I probably won’t vote for him again. I used to be a fan of his, but since COVID hit, the more he opens his mouth, the less I trust him.

So I guess we’ll find out today, when the directive drops, what restrictions are being phased out. It could be the news we’ve been waiting 14 long months to hear.

Need to go to Arkansas today? Hop on I=55. Arkansas Department of Transportation inspectors found a crack in the I-40 bridge yesterday and it’s closed indefinitely. Man, that is going to bungle up interstate transportation, especially with Riverside Drive being closed right now for BBQ Fest.

Cafe Keough is back open! When I walked home from work yesterday, there were people enjoying sandwiches and beverages out on the patio. That is a wonderful sight to see.

From the Fort Worth Star-Telegram: Although he was barely recruited at TCU, Memphis Grizzly Desmond Bane looks like the value pick of the 2020 rookie class

Muzique Magazine interviewed Richard Cushing of FreeWorld recently.

It’s National Nutty Fudge Day and the folks at Bass Pro at the Pyramid should be able to help you with that one.

The DM talks about restaurant response to the rumor that the mask mandate will be lifted today. The Reillys who own the Majestic Grille brought in a nurse to address vaccine hesitancy and awarded a $250 bonus to fully vaccinated employees. Ryan Trimm (Sunrise, 117 Prime) wants to know if he’ll get his bar seating completely back (AGREE, Ryan! I would rather get bar seating fully back than lose the masks). Kelly English would also prefer to see 100% seating without distancing.

Merengue in May comes to Fourth Bluff Park Saturday, May 22 from 7-8 PM. It’s the first of a 3-week Latin dance series in the park.

The Grizz picked up a big win last night, beating the Dallas Mavericks 133-104. The Grizzlies remain in 9th by half a game in the Western Conference, trying to catch Golden State for 8th. SI: Doncic & Mavs mauled by Grizzlies

My weird pandemic-era dreams continue… this week I dreamed I was in the navy and my superior officer and I had a meeting with key government officials. I had the dress uniform and white cap and gold leaf insignia… in the army the gold leaf would indicate a major… what’s the equivalent rank in the navy? Lieutenant commander? My superior was a spit-and-polish kind of guy but he didn’t say anything about my hair violating regulation, which I appreciated.

Back later today with a report on which stupid pandemic restrictions will be lifted in the next health directive.

Downtowners who still need to be vaccinated, I have great news. One of my regular readers stopped by the Walgreens pharmacy at the corner of Madison and Main yesterday. The pharmacists told him that starting today, they would offer the COVID-19 vaccine at that location, and you can make your appointment through the Walgreens website.

Folks, I got my two Pfizer doses at a Walgreens (the one in the Med Center), and it just couldn’t be more convenient. I strongly recommend going the Walgreens route. The vaccine is paid for by your health insurance, and is free to those without insurance.

Insider tip: Stop by the freezer section on your way out and pick up a pint of Blue Bell Bride’s Cake ice cream. It’s in an all-white container and they only have it in the pint size. Just trust me on this one. Treat yo’ self.

The Blind Bear is starting a Wednesday karaoke night hosted by DJ Superbrad. Now, for years, it was not safe to hold a karaoke night Downtown, because this guy named Robo would show up and his singing resembled the noises a cat makes when you step on its tail. However, Robo has moved on to karaoke nights in NYC, so that’s one less violation of the city noise ordinance to worry about.

The action starts at 9 PM tomorrow. Who knows, if I get my writing work for the week done by tomorrow evening, I might even go up there and judge support the people who choose to sing.

From the CA: Raw Girls brings its popular juices and plant-based fare to Downtown Memphis. They’re in the former Peabody Place Mall, entrance facing Second near Sugar Grits and STIX.

If you know any ordained Episcopal priests looking for work, Calvary over on N. Second St. is hiring an Associate Rector for Christian formation.

From AARP: Inside an international tech-support scam. Fascinating read. Send this to your grandparents. Send this to your elderly parents.

It’s two national holidays today that are quite complementary: Eat What You Want Day and Hostess Cupcake Day. Think I’ll walk over to Walgreens and get a two-pack of the iced orange-flavored Hostess cupcakes for breakfast, and of course a big ol’ Mountain Dew to wash them down.

Downtown YMCA has a hiring event from 3 to 6 today. They’re looking for lifeguards and summer camp leaders.

The DM has an article by guest columnist Charles Layne on complete neighborhoods. In his attached map of Memphis, you can see that Downtown scores either a 7/8 or 8/8 for completeness. A complete neighborhood has all the essential services and amenities you need to survive and thrive. Learn more about complete neighborhoods

I’ve had several people ask if I’m going to go to BBQ Fest. With my team not competing, they ask, am I at least going to go down there and walk around? … No! What’s the point? I’m grateful we’re taking a year off and avoiding the COVID rules, because that’s never the way I want to experience BBQ Fest. By 2022 I expect to be fired up about competing again.

The Grizzlies clinched their spot in the NBA play-in tournament, meaning even if they lose all their remaining games, they can finish no worse than 10th in the Western Conference. Golden State won last night too, so the Grizz remain in 9th place for now by half a game.

That’s the news for this morning. Back tomorrow with more.

Couple of important pieces of information in this article I found on Google News. First of all, Dr. Fauci went on ABC’s “This Week” yesterday and said that as more people get vaccinated, it’s time to start relaxing indoor masking requirements.

Also, former US Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Dr. Scott Gottleib believes we are now in a position to start lifting masking restrictions, including indoors, “on a broad basis.”

Shelby County Health Officer Dr. Bruce Randolph: Are you listening?

In other COVID news, the Pfizer vaccine could be approved for kids 12-15 this week.

Deals for grads! From Insomnia Cookies on Beale Street:

FREE cookies for the Class of 2021!

in-store through 5/16: all Grads (high school, college, grad school, etc.) wearing their cap & gown get 1 FREE 6-pack of Classic cookies w/ANY in-store purchase OR 1 FREE Classic cookie (no purchase required)!

no cap & gown? show any proof you’re graduating & you’re good to go. can’t make it to a store? we ship our cookies nationwide! get a 12 Cookie Gift Box (found on our Ship Cookies page) for $15 (+ shipping) w/code WEGOTYOU

*both deals valid through 5/16

NBA Western Conference standings: With a week to go in the regular season, the Grizzlies are in 9th place, half a game back of the Golden State Warriors in 8th place. That matters a lot because, in the upcoming play-in tournament (May 18-21), the 8th place team needs to win only once. The 9th place team needs to win twice. Remaining schedule for both teams:

Memphis

• Monday: vs. New Orleans (31=37, 11th in the West)
• Tuesday: vs. Dallas (40-28, 5th in the West)
• Thursday: vs. Sacramento (30-38, 12th in the West)
• Friday: vs. Sacramento (30-38, 12th in the West)
• Sunday: at Golden State (35-33, 8th in the West)

Golden State

• Monday: vs. Utah (50-18, 1st in the West)
• Tuesday: vs. Phoenix (48-20, 2nd in the West)
• Friday: vs. New Orleans (31=37, 11th in the West)
• Sunday: vs. Memphis (34-33, 9th in the West)

Thoughts: It’s probably going to come down to that final game Sunday, and Memphis will have to play that one on the road. However, Memphis has a MUCH easier schedule in the days leading up to Sunday. Winning the 3 games against lottery teams the Pelicans and the Kings are key to rolling into Sunday with an advantage.

Time for the Grizzlies-Golden State game on Sunday is currently listed as “TBD,” which means it is probably going to get picked up by a national TV network.

Utah vs. Golden State is on NBATV tonight at 9. We need to watch that one and root for our friend Mr. Conley and the Jazz.

Weather today through Wednesday: Mid-60s highs, low 50s lows. That is very much “San Diego in January” type weather. I guess that’ll make it comfortable for the folks down at BBQ Fest loading in and building out their booths.

It’s National Shrimp Day. My suggestion for how to celebrate: Go get you a fried shrimp po-boy from Ben-Yay’s.

The Downtown Neighborhood Association will have a Spring Movie Series every Thursday at 7:30 PM. First up: A League of Their Own this Thursday. The series will continue for 8 weeks. Food trucks will be on-site, or you can pre-game at Harbor Town’s great restaurants nearby.

Here’s a link to James Aycock’s COVID-19 Week in Review for last week. Of note: COVID hospitalizations increased by 50% this week. Most of the hospitalizations are young people.

That’s a wrap for today. Back tomorrow with more news.

If any of my readers know city COO Chief McGowen who is in charge of the vaccination campaign, might want to show him this.

Yesterday I was talking to a friend of mine, who like me, is a Downtowner who does not rely on a car to get around. He has not gone to get vaccinated yet. It’s not that he’s anti-vacc at all. It’s just that the city has made getting vaccinated inconvenient for him. When we get to a point where he can walk or trolley to a vaccine site, he’ll do it.

I want to re-emphasize that it is preposterous that we do not have a public vaccine site (other than pop-up sites to vaccinate the homeless) in the 38103 zip code. I bet there is no other similar-sized U.S. metro that does not have an accessible vaccination site in its center city.

Now: I want to stay on my soapbox for a minute and take aim at Dan Conaway, who writes opinion pieces for The Daily Memphian. Yesterday Dan wrote Not vaccinated? There are plenty of shady trees at Elmwood, meaning you could be on your way to an early grave if you don’t do your part in starving COVID-19 of human hosts. This line, in particular, rankles me:

“Not getting a vaccine is all about you, a selfish and self-indulgent exercise.”

Dan, I agree with the sentiment of your overall story. However, the way you communicated your point was absolutely HORRIBLE.

I remember last June, when we were in Phase 2 of re-opening. I went out to neighborhood restaurants, which happened to be small businesses owned by my friends, and dined in. According to the health directive at the time, I was perfectly within my rights to do so. Yet the preachy-preachies, the Facebook and Twitter “health experts,” told me I was being selfish by dining in at local restaurants.

Did being called selfish make me change my mind, and either change my restaurant orders to take-out or stay home entirely? Hell no. Their preachiness galvanized me. It made me go out even more. I don’t like being told what to do, especially by people completely lacking in qualifications to tell me.

You want to convince people to get the COVID vacc? Take all judgment out of your message.

Even if someone tells me he’s not getting vaccinated because Donald Trump is the closest thing the world has had to Jesus in the past 2000 years, I’m not going to respond with judgment or criticism. I would probably fake a couple of sneezes to cover up my laughter, then remind him that Trump himself has been vaccinated.

From Marker: Why everyplace looks the same. If you don’t understand what I’m talking about, take a walk through Downtown’s South End neighborhood, or look at the rejected building plans for 7 Vance.

Cafe Keough is hiring baristas. Nice to know that my block of Main will have a coffee option other than Starbucks again soon.

A friend told me that a shot of Jameson at Beck & Call, the rooftop bar atop Hyatt Centric, is $17. A bottled domestic beer is $7.50. For those who don’t buy a lot of drinks and need a comparison point, neighborhood bars generally price Jameson shots in the $7-9 range and domestic bottled beers in the $3.50-$4.00 range.

Legendary Thai restaurant Bhan Thai is closing after almost 20 years.

The Flyer has a look at Red Bones Turkey Legs, a “constant pop-up” housed inside Carolina Watershed. I love turkey legs! They dress them up too. You can get them stuffed, topped with Cajun Alfredo sauce, topped with Alabama white BBQ sauce, or a variety of other ways. Sounds delicious! Who’s up for a trip south to Watershed soon?

In other Watershed news, Andy Hall plays at 2 today.

I spent some time at the Silly Goose yesterday, and later at Max’s Sports Bar. When I go to a bar, I just open the door and walk in. I don’t send my minions in first to give me a report of who’s in there.

Don’t forget, there’s a River Market today 1-6. It will be at River Garden, 51 N. Riverside Drive. 30+ vendors and a DJ.

Elon Musk hosts Saturday Night Live tonight. I don’t watch a whole lot of TV but I may have to tune in for that one.

It’s National Give Someone a Cupcake Day. It’s also National Coconut Cream Pie Day.

If you’re looking for a field trip outside of Downtown tonight, I recommend going to see ’80s hair band cover band Aquanet at Lafayette’s tonight. Julien, Roscoe, and Cindy no longer have to be the Dance Floor Police because that ridiculously stupid restriction went away in the current health directive.

If you’d prefer to stay Downtown for your Saturday night entertainment, The Michael Brothers take the stage at Blind Bear at 9.

Well crap. There’s rain on the radar in Central Arkansas, and Weatherbug’s hourly forecast thinks it’ll be here in the 10-11 AM hour. That blows a huge hole in my Farmers Market/South Main plans. Now I’ve gotta figure the day out. All my Saturday options will become much more favorable in a week, when (hopefully) all the stupid restrictions will be gone and we’ll be back at the bar without any limits on how many people can sit together there.

Still, I’m going to find some way to achieve the “play hard” of the work hard/play hard yin and yang, because I’ve got some adulting to do the early part of next week. Back tomorrow with more news.

Let’s start with a “just because” picture. I found this yesterday as I was researching an online article I’m writing:

Image by Jerzy Górecki from Pixabay

It has nothing to do with the content of this post, but it makes me happy.

Happy No Pants Day!

It’s the first Freebie Friday of the year at the Redbirds. The first 1500 through the gate get a free Redbirds free tote bag courtesy of Southern College of Optometry. Game time is 7:10 and the Durham Bulls are once again the opponent. Triple-A Baseball is doing 6-game homestands vs. the same team this year to minimize travel.

From Eater: The Lie of “No One Wants to Work”: Amid reports of a restaurant industry “labor shortage,” employees say all they really want are wages that make the risk worth it.

A Ja Morant docuseries will debut June 3.

Tonight is Music Knight at the Memphis Chess Club with musical guests Julia Goff & Lauren Thomas from Visible Music College.

Sigh… the Grizzlies lost to a crappy 20-47 Detroit team last night, and as a result return to 9th place in the West, a half game behind Golden State.

The yellow-and-black We Have Soul sign may have been rejected by the Design Review Board, but Memphis River Parks Partnership has plenty of other improvements to Mud Island River Park that will go forward.

Been a good week… earlier in the year, I told several good friends that I had a goal for myself. Intuition told me I was likely to hit my goal in the month of June, although it could be sooner. Yesterday I learned I hit my goal in April. So I’ll go out to celebrate after work, and one day next week I’ll probably treat myself to a nice meal out. Back tomorrow with more news.