Month: February 2009

The South Main Association will have its monthly meeting next Tuesday, February 10 at Earnestine & Hazel’s.  Social at 6:30 PM, meeting at 7.  There are two important reasons why you should attend this meeting if you’re an SMA member or are thinking about becoming one:

1) The theme is “Security in South Main.”  Major Sheffield of the South Main Substation will speak.

2) COMPLIMENTARY SOUL BURGERS!!!!!

There will be a cash bar for wine and beer.

(Edited to add:  Free Soul Burgers?  Wonder if the Nuh-Uh Girl will show up.)

If you’re looking for a place to live Downtown, I’d like to draw your attention to this listing on Craigslist.

It’s a 2 BR/2 BA condo, 1400+ sq.ft., $1400/month, 1 block south of Main and G.E. Patterson, convenient to the trolley line and South Main Arts District.  Unlike most buildings in the area, this is a new construction, not a renovation, and is less than 5 years old.  The owners, a couple with a 1 year old baby, have been personal friends of mine for several years and would be great landlords.  They loved it when they lived there, and told me it’s a very friendly atmosphere where you get to meet your neighbors.  The only reason they moved was because they wanted a house for the baby.

If interested, click the link above and you’ll see their contact info in the listing.

Greetings from Franklin, TN just south of Nashville… I’m working on the personal finance software project tonight and staying at the home of the inventor.  It’s in a posh suburb of Franklin.  One of the Backstreet Boys (not sure which one) is the neighbor across the street, I’ve been told.

News from the Peabody tonight.  The Corner Bar has its own menu now.  Before, it was sharing a menu with Capriccio.  The Peabody has also recognized that if they want the Corner Bar to become a locals’ hangout, they can’t get away with charging the same astronomical beer prices they charge at the hotel’s restaurants and lobby bar.

New drink prices at the Corner Bar:

• $2.50 domestic beers
• $3.50 import beers
• $4-6 wines by the glass
• $4-6 mixed drinks

Menu includes appetizers such as pretzels, bruschetta, french fries, fish ‘n’ chips, chicken wings, chicken fingers, and BBQ stuffed potato skins for $4-9; salads for $3-7; sliders (BBQ or KOBE beef) for $10-12; 12″ pizzas for $10-12; sandwiches for $10-12.

Good menu and the drink prices sound like a BIG improvement.  Kudos to the Corner Bar for doing what it takes to draw locals.

I plan to be back in Memphis tomorrow in plenty of time to join the Rapscallions for another trivia victory.  See you when I get back!

Much thanks to my friend Billy for inviting me to use an extra ticket he had to the Memphis Tigers game yesterday.  It was easily the best seat I’ve ever had at the FedExForum… it read, “section CB2,” and I had no idea where that was.  I asked and was told to go to the club level.  Nice!  Then I discovered my seat wasn’t even a regular seat, but a seat at a desk, with an executive chair on rollers to sit in, and a waitress to serve food and drinks.  Here’s a look to the right of where I was sitting, at the other club box seats:

I remember touring the Forum prior to its first event, and I assumed those seats were where the press would sit.  Guess I was wrong.  There were even monitors at the end of each desk (you can see one in the pic above), with cable TV.  Here’s a look at the view of the floor from my seat:

Face value of the ticket was $44, and I thought to myself, that’s a bargain for the quality of experience I had sitting in that seat.  I knew quite a few people sitting in the club level too – I hadn’t realized it, but the games are social events for a lot of Downtowners.

As for the Tigers, they went on a 15-0 run to open the game, struggled a little just before and just after halftime, with Houston actually taking the lead 44-43 at one point.  Coach Cal was livid and I could hear him yelling from a basketball court’s length away.  Eventually the Tigers got it together and won 83-68.  Doneal Mack had a great game and seemed to be able to hit threes at will.  Robert Dozier had a strong game inside.

Skipping brunch today, because I need to get some things done before my out-of-town trip tomorrow morning.  Heading over to a friend’s condo at 3 for our annual Super Bowl party.  I’ll take pics as usual, but it will be at least Wednesday before I get a photo album online, due to the trip.