Drunk post: bar rankings, Memphis Farmers Market dinner, bum patrol, free Ben & Jerry’s ice cream, iPod, more

Set a record for my stay at Itta Bena tonight… got there at 5:15 and left at 9:00. Usually I’m out of there by 7 to head to the Saucer, but tonight I didn’t want to leave. That place is really coming together – they have a new slate of specialty nights coming out (details to come – Itta Bena staff e-mail me, I was too lazy to take notes), and they’re hiring people (Sam) who can draw and hold a regular crowd. The place has the potential to become my new Sleep Out’s, which is scary considering Itta Bena’s food has a much higher price point than Sleep Out’s. Was thinking about it tonight, if I had to rank my top 10 current favorite bars they’d be

  1. Flying Saucer
  2. Red Rooster
  3. Itta Bena
  4. Calhoun’s
  5. Big Foot Lodge
  6. Hoop’s Bar/EP’s
  7. McGuinness
  8. Earnestine & Hazel’s
  9. Circa by John Bragg
  10. Downtown Huey’s

I never thought Itta Bena would get anywhere near #3 on my list, but they have. It’s a really fun, relaxed place to hang out.

I kind of like doing that, ranking bars. I may do that once every few months or so, to see how the order changes. One note: Raiford’s is ranked as an honorary #1. It’s such a different animal from the other bars on the list that I didn’t know how to compare it.

When the Downtown Monkey opens, I see it entering the rankings somewhere between #4 and #6, with the potential to go higher if they do it well and I like the crowd.

Speaking of Itta Bena… attention former employee Lizzie… keep in touch… you can reach me at my e-mail (paul@paulryburn.com) or through MySpace or Facebook. I know her cousin reads this daily, please forward to her if she doesn’t see it. Miss you when I head up there.

The Majestic Grille is doing a wine dinner the last day of this month. Details:

Link to the Eyewitness News 24/30 story on the new Downtown safety patrol (“bum patrol”) that was on the news tonight: click here. Handling-Panhandling co-founder Mike King is interviewed about the success of the patrol.

Ben & Jerry’s is doing free scoop day (Edit: Had the date wrong, correct day is Tuesday, April 29). Just show up and ask for your free scoop. The Downtown Ben & Jerry’s is at Third and Peabody Place, on Third just south of the Hampton Inn entrance. I remember Scoop Day 2007 well. The reason I remember it so well is that the Nuh-Uh Sister had a tube top on.

Thanks to the people who e-mailed with suggestions about my iPod, which I thought had died an early death. It has since come back to life.

Off to sleep.