Month: January 2009

Several people have brought to my attention that some of the “Downtown Memphis information” pages on my right sidebar are getting a little out of date.  This morning I refreshed the late night dining page, deleting Hoop’s Bar and adding Bardog, the Silly Goose, Automatic Slim’s, and Voodoo Room @ Orleans on Front.  Wow… late night dining has sure changed for the better.  Three years ago, late-night dining options in the Downtown core were pretty much limited to Huey’s, Denny’s, and the Black Diamond.

I’m up early this morning, excited about scoring a free ticket to noon’s Memphis Tigers vs. Houston Cougars game at the FedExForum.  It’s on CBS College Sports, which is carried on digital cable (Comcast channel 222) but not regular cable.  Silly Goose will open early for those who want to watch the game there.  I haven’t heard from Calhoun’s but they usually open early for Tiger games.

Frequency of posting will slow down for the next three days.  Tomorrow is the gang’s big Super Bowl party, and Monday morning I’m driving to Nashville for a business meeting.  Unless there are traffic complications I’ll be back Tuesday night for trivia.

Go Tigers!

They’re on Peabody Place between Main and Second in the old Swig location.  I got a last-minute ticket to the game, but if you’re not going to the game itself come to the Goose and watch on TV.

This was suggested to me as something our BBQ team could cook this year: Bacon Explosion

Calling it an early night due to Air Traffic Mike.  “Hey, Pauly, let me buy you a shot.”  I hope you’re happy.  To-go burgers with parmesan fries from Majestic Grille are the bomb.

I want to start this post with a note to Downtown bar and restaurant owners.  When you have special events, make sure that they get listed in the Center City Commission’s “Livin’ It Up” newsletter.  This newsletter is e-mailed to hundreds of subscribers every Thursday afternoon and is available on the CCC’s website.  There’s no reason not to do this – it’s free advertising, as the CCC wants to show what a vibrant Downtown we have with lots going on, and you can help them by listing your events.  I was kind of surprised when I got this week’s newsletter and only one Super Bowl party (the Majestic Grille) was mentioned.  I know there are four or five others going on.

Anyway, you can check the newsletter for details of the Majestic’s party, and I’ve covered BB King’s in a recent post.  Here’s one more:

Bardog Tavern is adding an extra 50″ TV, so there will be three TVs total, 2 upstairs (smoking) and one downstairs (non-smoking).  During the game there will be 25 cent wings, drink specials, and lots of booze-related merchandise giveaways.  Their regular menu, including the best spaghetti and meatballs in town and their awesome Rambo steak sandwich, will be available.  Sound will be on for the pregame and the game itself.  I had the pleasure of drinking some chartreuse with Aldo the owner last night and discussing life Downtown… nice to be in such a friendly neighborhood bar.

Speaking of the Super Bowl, in the “lawyers gone crazy” department:  This Washington Post article explains why you’ve seen so many ads for bars showing “The Big Game” this week.  Apparently it’s a trademark violation to mention the Super Bowl in an ad you run, and the NFL’s lawyers are going after violators, even little fish.  You can call it the “big game” and talk about how “super” your event will be.  You can mention the date, and you can say “the Pittsburgh vs. Arizona game.”  You can’t say “Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Arizona Cardinals” though.  How incredibly stupid.  If the bar around the corner advertises that they’ll have the Super Bowl on with 25 cent wings and drink specials, no one in their right mind would think it’s the NFL’s officially chosen spot to watch the game.  I think the NFL is making itself look really bad on this one.  I understand the need to protect trademarks, but the Super Bowl is a piece of Americana and is a special case.

By the way, as far as I can read into it, I can call it the Super Bowl on here because this is a blog and a news source of sorts.  However, if Bardog, for example, ran a banner ad about their party on my blog’s sidebar, I’d probably have to call it “the big game” or some other ridiculous workaround there, because then I’d be getting paid to talk about it.

Back to last night… early in the evening, I attended Mpact Memphis’ “Mpact Outlet” at the Red Rooster.  While there, I talked to Christopher Reyes, who runs the Live from Memphis site.  He just remodeled the site and it has a new look and a lot more information.  If you’re into local music, you need to put this one at the top of your bookmarks.  In particular they’ve added several bloggers to the site who write about Memphis and music.

I also went to the Silly Goose’s grand opening party.  One of the people sitting at the bar came up with the best description I’ve heard yet of the place:  “It’s like the Flying Saucer for adults.”  That makes sense to me.  It’s not at all a pretentious status game like Swig could be at times.  It’s comfortable like the Saucer is, but it tends to draw a more grown-up crowd.  Several of the Saucer’s 2006-07 waitresses (a classic period there) now work at the Goose.  It’s also for people who have graduated from beer to liquor, or to beer that the Saucer doesn’t carry (PBR).  I like them both though.  Those two and Bardog are definitely my top three right now.  I still need to do the long version of my “why Downtowners hang out where we do” post.

Circa has some new happy hour deals.  Happy hour runs from 5-7 daily, and after 10 Friday-Saturday.  Specials include

• $5 “small plates” cravings menu at the bar.  Also available in the dining room 5-6:30
• $3 beers – all of them, drafts, bottles, whatever
• $4 wells
• $5 wine specials
• $5 sangria

Unlike many other bars Downtown, Circa’s bar is non-smoking.  So, if you want to have a place to chat with friends over good food and drink, without coming out of there with your clothes and hair smelling like smoke, Circa would be a good choice.

President Obama is asking concerned citizens to hold economic recovery house meetings on Friday, February 6.  The intent of these meetings is to help people learn how his stimulus package will affect their everyday lives.  Click here to learn more, or to get set up to host one of these house meetings.

Outta here for now.  South Main Trolley Tour is tonight.  Haven’t decided if I’m going yet.

The Phoenix Club e-mailed to say that they’re moving their annual Mardi Gras party Downtown.  In past years, it’s been at the University Club, but they wanted a bigger space and more of an opportunity to get down and dirty, so it will be at the Cadre Building this year, on Saturday, February 21.

From 8 to 11, you’ll be able to purchase funny money to bet on a variety of casino games.  You’ll then be able to redeem your winnings for a variety of prizes, including gift certificates and spa and golf weekend packages.  At 11 it’ll be time for some Aristocrunk as Lord T and Eloise take the stage.  There will be several specialty drinks provided by local restaurants, in addition to complimentary beer and wine all night.  Tickets are $40 each and the money goes to the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Memphis.  You can purchase tickets on their website or you can e-mail Gaines Conaway at gconaway@elvis.com.  It’s great to have the Phoenix Club throwing events downtown – they have a decades-long track record of serving the community.

Two days before that, on Thursday, February 19, the American Heart Association will have their second annual Rock & Roll Red Ball at the Red Rooster.  $10 cover, event starts at 7 and ends at midnight.  Wear red to receive your Red Dress Pin upon arrival.  All proceeds benefit the Memphis chapter of the AHA.

Did you know that there’s an NTN/Buzztime Trivia blog?  I didn’t either but found out yesterday, when the Empoprise-NTN blog addressed my issue of transferring my points from a location that closed (Sleep Out Louie’s) to a new location (Calhoun’s).  The blog is a good one to bookmark if you’re a fan of the little blue crack boxes.

Updated info on the offerings at B.B. King’s for their Super Bowl party:

• $5 domestic pitchers
• $1.50 shooters
• $1.50 PBR
• $2 bourbon shots
• The Dirty-Dirty – 4 PBRs, 15 wings, and fried pickles for $10
• The Super-Super – 4 PBRs, popcorn chicken, catfish bites, mini corn dogs, and fries for $15
• You can add a full rack of ribs (normally $22) for only $10 more
• 10×10 foot projection screen, two 78 in. flat panels, and other TVs throughout the club
• Rock 103 will be broadcasting

I know there will be other Super Bowl parties going on Downtown as well.  Last night the bartenders at the Flying Saucer told me they’re going to have free food at the Saucer for the Super Bowl.  That will be a rare occasion when a bar puts out free food without drawing the Nuh-Uh Girl in to have a plate or six… I think she’s attending a private Super Bowl party elsewhere Downtown (the same one I’m attending).

I need to stop by Bardog Tavern tonight and get the details of their Super Bowl party to post here.  My friend Air Traffic Mike was in there a couple of nights ago, and he told me that Aldo is now putting his Grandmom’s meatballs on a sandwich.  Mmmm… I love meatball sandwiches, and as I’ve said before, I’d put those meatballs up against any Italian restaurant in town.  Gonna have to give that a try soon.

Mpact Memphis members, don’t forget… Mpact Outlet meeting tonight at 6 at the Red Rooster.  As I understand it this is a general meeting where you can learn about all of Mpact’s programs and opportunities to get involved.

Time to get stuff done… I have a business meeting at 3, at the Second Street branch office, of course.

The Silly Goose just e-mailed me back… here’s the updated info on their grand opening party, to be held Thursday, January 29 (that’s tomorrow):

• Doors open at 5
• Hors d’ouevres start at 7  (Free food?  Wonder if the Nuh-Uh Girl will show up)
• $2 domestics and wells until 10
• Abe dancing on the bar

Abe dancing on the bar?  Who wouldn’t want to see that?  As I said in the earlier post, I plan to lead a group over after the Mpact Memphis meeting at the Red Rooster finishes tomorrow.  Hope to see you there!

I just re-read my “types of assets” post explaining some of the theory behind the soon-to-be-released personal finance program I’m working on.  I found a typo in there.  Blast it all, I need to carefully proofread anything I post before I’ve had my first Mountain Dew in the morning.

I wrote that a house purchased for $150,000 and now appraised at $170,000 should be recorded as a $150,000 income-producing (IP) asset and a $20,000 income-consuming (IC) asset.  That’s incorrect.

The house itself is a $150,000 income-consuming (IC) asset:  Income-consuming because you still have to pay property taxes, maintenance, and insurance after purchasing the house.  The $20,000 capital gain is a non-performing (NP) asset:  Non-performing because it’s illiquid.  You don’t gain access to the $20,000 until you sell the house.

Sorry for any confusion.  Again, if you want to be informed when the program goes to market, e-mail me at paul@paulryburn.com and I’ll add you to the mailing list.

I knew I had forgotten some stuff when I hit Publish on the last post…

The Memphis Tigers have a road game tonight against the ECU Pirates at 6 PM Central Time.  It’s going to be on CSS, so any place that has Comcast cable will carry it.  Not sure where I’ll watch it, but Dos Equis Lager as the Fire Sale means I’m leaning Saucer for the watch location a lot harder than normal.  I might be talked into walking down the street to the Silly Goose, but I’m definitely not straying any farther from home than that.  Go Tigers!  We’re back up to #18/#19 in the national polls.

Speaking of the Silly Goose… they’re having a grand opening party tomorrow night, Thursday 1/29, from 7 to 11.  One of the owners gave me complete details last night, and I somehow managed to lose the piece of paper on which I took notes between there and home.  I have an e-mail in to them asking for details and will post an update when I get a response.  There’s an Mpact Memphis meeting tomorrow night at the Red Rooster from 6 to 8, and I’m going to attempt to round up people to make the short walk to the Goose afterward.

Congrats to the Rapscallions, who rolled to our 4th first-place trivia victory in 5 weeks last night.  We now have a $300 cash stash to spend at our next party, and still some more opportunities to add to it.

That’s all for now… time to get back to work.

The South Main Association has a new website, after having domain issues with their old one.  You can go to southmainmemphis.net to get the latest news from the SMA.  You can e-mail them at info@southmainmemphis.net or call the president, Brandon Herrington, at 901-340-8882 if you have questions.  You don’t have to live in South Main to join SMA; you just have to love the neighborhood.  I live in the core, yet am a member.  Since joining 8 months ago I’ve been completely impressed with the group.  It’s a member-driven organization that gets things done.  Any one member can choose to step up and make a big difference, as happened in December when a member’s idea led to over $2,000 being raised for the Food Bank.

Rachel and the City asked me to mention that there’s a speed dating event tonight at T.J. Mulligan’s at 7 PM.  It’s for professional men and women 25-35 years old.  Each will have 10 to 12 five-minute “dates” at the event.  There’s a $14 cover charge.

Bravo Memphis, the arts group for young professionals, will host an event at the Center for Southern Folklore on Tuesday, February 3.  It will be a chance to hear real blues, with Blind Mississippi Morris and Brad Webb performing.  It’s free for members, $10 for non-members, and that cover charge includes beer, wine, and hors d’ouevres.  Bravo is a great way to network, and to get exposure to the arts in Memphis; I was a member for five years before I got too busy to make it to the events, but I still recommend it highly.  Glad to see them adding the Center, one of the true gems of Memphis, to their calendar.

As I was walking down Second last night, I noticed an “EVERYTHING 50% off” sign in Coco & Lilly’s window.  I hope that doesn’t mean they’re the latest business to leave downtown.  Perhaps they are just clearing out their winter inventory to make room for spring.  Anyway, ladies, this is a good chance for you to save some money on the latest fashions.

Earlier in the week, one of the managers at the Saucer told me he had some good news for me.  “Maybe they’ve finally fired Brittney,” I thought, pleased with the idea of life at the Saucer without my least favorite bartender.

But no, the good news had to do with beer.  “Dos Equis Lager will be the Fire Sale Wednesday,” he told me.  $2.75 pints of Dos Equis Lager all day?  I guess I’ll be working from the Second Street Branch Office today then.  I’ll be up there with my laptop shortly after it opens at 11.

Chef Michael Patrick of Automatic Slim’s appeared on WREG’s “Live at 9” TV show this morning to do a cooking segment.  You can see the video here (find Tuesday, January 27 in the list).  Fast-forward through to about 44:00 to see Michael’s segment.  He explains how to cook Slim’s jerk omelet, available on the brunch menu Saturday and Sunday 10 AM to 4 PM.

In the segment he announced that Slim’s now has a new website:  automaticslimsmemphis.com