Time for my weekly look through the Memphis Flyer, for stuff relevant to Downtowners. Because it’s the Best of Memphis issue, this one’s going to be long.
p.6: State Place at South End ad: “Down here we don’t measure convenience in Applebee’s drive times.” Heh. That’s a shot at East Bumblefuck if I ever heard one. I like these people.
p.9: Good article about the push for Downtown to become dumpster-free. They’re right, the dumpsters attract vagrants and homeless who dig through them, and then leave garbage strewn about everywhere, which in turn attracts rats and pigeons. The article notes that vagrants also tend to go behind dumpsters to do their ‘business,’ making conditions even more unsanitary.
All right, on to the Best of Memphis awards.
Best Burger: Note that all three winners are Downtown restaurants (although #1 Huey’s is all over the city).
Best Brunch: I knew the bigger, more well-known brunches would win, but only the Majestic Grille has the “John D Breakfast” on the menu, so it got my vote.
Best Service: Chick-Fil-A? Really? This was another Majestic vote for me. Second-place Texas de Brazil certainly deserved to be in the top three.
Best Waiter/Waitress: Michelle from Calhoun’s won!!! Cool! Although, I must admit, I never thought of voting for her in this category, because I always sit at the bar when she serves me. But she works the tables too. Glad to see Calhoun’s in the awards. My vote went to Melissa from the Flying Saucer, although she’s been promoted to bartender since voting ended.
Best place for people-watching: The Flying Saucer. The Flyer lists the hot waitresses in miniskirts, and the tourists passing by the window, as reasons why. But they forgot one more reason – the BUMS!!! No place better for watching bums do their “tour guide” and “flower man” gimmicks than the Saucer’s garage windows. Even more fun now that I can call the Downtown safety patrol on them.
Best restaurant: This was a hard call for me to vote on. There are four or five I could have gone with. Circa and the Majestic were certainly on that list. I don’t really hang out at McEwen’s much, but I have no doubt it deserves its spot too. Great choices, although I’m sad to see Big Foot didn’t get a share of the Reader’s Choice award this year.
Best local band: Congrats to the Dempseys for sharing in the award again this year. They were my vote.
Best bartender: Michelle from Calhoun’s wins again!!! Nice! I left this category blank because I couldn’t decide. In my mind, it was a many-way tie between Max, Michelle, and Lauren from Calhoun’s; Karen and Nate from E&H; Melissa from Itta Bena; the entire Saucer; Troy from Big Foot; Hoop from Hoop’s Bar; and I know I’m leaving a couple more out. No way I could’ve picked one out of all those. We have some great bartenders Downtown.
Best after-hours club: Hollywood Disco! Damn right!
Best “cougar” bar: I never thought I’d use the words “best” and “Spindini” in the same breath, but the Flyer found a way for me to do it. Spindini got “BOM” status, meaning they won by a margin of more than three to one.
Best beer selection: Flying Saucer! Damn right!
Best happy hour: I love the Saucer but wouldn’t have voted for it here. 7 extra ounces of beer is nice but not enough to be called “best in town.” Right now I’d go with Circa as the best happy hour Downtown. As much as I hate East Bumblefuck chain restaurants, I can’t deny the appeal of “2-for-1 all day” at Chili’s.
Best dance club: SO glad to see Hollywood Disco/Raiford’s beat Senses this year. Memphians are starting to appreciate quality. If Atlas had won I would’ve started looking for another city to move to, but they weren’t in the top three.
Best jukebox: E&H! Damn right!
Best new bar: Even though it’s not Downtown, I have absolutely no problem with The Cove winning – with great ambience and hand-crafted drinks, it’s outstanding. Glad Calhoun’s made #2, although technically I wasn’t sure it was eligible, since it opened December 31, 2007. My vote, the Red Rooster, tied with the Downtown Monkey for third.
Best sports team: Memphis Tigers basketball! Damn right! Go Tigers!
Best local athlete: Joey Dorsey! Damn right!
Best local radio talk show: I voted for Thaddeus since I couldn’t vote for him for Best Blogger. He didn’t win though.
Best local blogger: Pleased to be sharing the top three with Thaddeus and MPD Enforcer 2.0. Again, genuine thanks to everyone who voted for me.
Best local place for men’s clothing: Glad to see my choice, Shelton Clothiers, made it to the top 3. I have several nice shirts and a great new wallet from Shelton.
Best local health club: Glad to see Downtown YMCA won, although, how would I know who the best is? I’m too busy drinking at bars to have time to work out.
Best Memphis failure: KING WILLIE!!!!!!!!!!!! DAMN RIGHT!
Best Memphis success: I voted for the new Downtown safety patrol, although I agree Steve Cohen’s defeat of Nikki Tinker deserves the award too.
Best Memphian: I voted for Sam from the Red Rooster using “why the hell not” as my reasoning. I’m quite happy with the actual winner, Steve Cohen, though.
All right, back to the rest of the Flyer.
p. 67: Blues Ball is this Saturday. I never go to the ball itself but it’s fun to hang out at Earnestine & Hazel’s afterward and watch the party-goers come in. I’ll probably catch the first hour of Funk de Ville at the Saucer Saturday, then head to E&H.
Back page: Not only is Mpact Memphis having a debate watch party at the Red Rooster Friday night, but afterward Aquanet plays! I have a party to go to that night elsewhere, but this is where I would otherwise be.
Off to the BOM party… see you later.