Month: April 2009

Drinking the new Mountain Dew Thowback, sweetened with sugar the way it was done in the ’50s, instead of the high fructose corn syrup found in modern Mountain Dew.

Minglewood Hall in Midtown has a couple of events this week that I wanted to mention. First of all, tomorrow night, Thursday, April 16, they’ll have the return of Memphis Wrestling with Jerry “The King” Lawler. This is the perfect-sized venue for a regional promotion like Memphis Wrestling. Should be a good show.

Then on Saturday they’ll host the Big Wig Ball, a fundraiser for LeBonheur. This is a big party where everyone wears their wig of choice. I haven’t been to one of these, but friends of mine have and say it’s a lot of fun. Entertainment will be ’80s band Ronny Raygun, and there will be beer and wine, and food from area restaurants. Call 901-287-6308 for tickets, which are $50 in advance, $60 at the door. Attire is “cocktail cool or whatever fits your wig.”

I haven’t made it to Minglewood yet but have heard it’s an outstanding mid-sized concert venue that will draw a lot of bands to Memphis that we would have otherwise missed. Met the owner a couple of weeks ago at Paula & Raiford’s and he seems like a super nice guy. Glad to see that Minglewood is off to a good start.

I’ve been asked to remind everyone that there’s currently a push in the Tennessee legislature to loosen up the liquor laws. Grocery stores such as Miss Cordelia’s would be allowed to sell wine if the bill passes. This would increase competition for liquor stores like the Corkscrew, but it’s been suggested that their expertise in choosing wines would be an asset in retaining loyal customers, and that the law’s loosening would allow them to carry corkscews, glasses, and other items related to the consumption of alcohol (like the ones sold on Mid-South Alcoholic Supply). Check out the Red, White and Food site and make your own judgment as to whether we should retain or change the current laws.

Beer recommendation – Abita Strawberry. The Saucer now carries this beer in bottles and I had one last night. Best strawberry-flavored beer I’ve had.

It’s official: The COGIC convention is outta here in 2010. Interesting that the CA is not allowing comments on this article, and that they removed the link to yesterday’s article after many “good riddance, don’t let the door hit your ass on the way out” type comments were left.  Having seen the way the “saints” have treated my friends in the hotel and service industries all these years I’ve lived Downtown, I can’t say I’m sorry to see the convocation go.

Plans for tonight: I’ll be at the Saucer at 7 to buy the Michael Phelps 4:20 glass, which is an absolute must-have.

Just bought a pair of sandals at Winfield’s at Madison and Main… they wanted me to remind everyone that they do shirt printing orders for BBQ Fest, Italian Fest, and any other events for which you need shirts.

Correction: I’d previously posted that admission to Saturday’s Hot Wing Fest is free. However, today I got an e-mail from one of the Ambassadors of the fest, and she told me they’re charging $3 admission this year, with the proceeds going to Ronald McDonald House.

The prizes for the wing fest are $500 for the best hot wing, $200 for second place, $100 for third place, and $100 for best team spirit.

In other news… I’ve been forgetting to mention that the Dempseys play the Saucer Thursday night (9:30, $3 cover unless you’re a UFO member). Wow. Quite a night. The Main/Peabody Place block party from 5:30 to 7:30, the Peabody rooftop with DJ Mark Anderson’s Party Train from 6 to 10 ($5 cover, ladies free until 8), and the best band in town at the best bar in town from 9:30 ’til.

Appearing later in the month at the Saucer: 3 Foot Catheter on the 24th and the Sausage Assassins on the 30th. Who names these bands?

There will be a benefit for Ruby Wilson at B.B. King’s on Tuesday, April 21. Ms. Wilson, the “Queen of Beale Street,” suffered a stroke on New Year’s Day. She’s recovering well and hopes to sing again in a few months, but the illness has left her in a state of financial hardship. Tickets will be $20 at the door, and proceeds will go toward Ms. Wilson’s medical bills and also to the Corey Osborn Let the Music Play Fund, a fund set up by the late Corey Osborn’s parents to help musicians in need.

Among those appearing: Bobby “Blue” Bland, the Beale Street Flippers, Brian “Breeze” Cayolle, Joyce Cobb, DeltaCapella, The Dempseys, Kallen Esperian, Billy Gibson, the Kattawar Brothers, Rusty Lemmon, Niko Lyras, Preston Shannon, Rhoney G, Jason D. Williams, and more. There will be a raffle for a 65-carat ruby donated by Mednikow Jewelers, and attendees will be able to buy a limited-edition “Best of Ruby Wilson” CD and have her autograph it. Advance tickets can be purchased here or you can pay $20 at the door. If you can’t make it, you can send donations to Ms. Ruby Wilson, c/o Resource Entertainment Group, 153 Monroe Ave., Memphis, TN 38103.

In the news: COGIC officials are discussing moving their convention to another city. The comments readers have left in response to this article are most interesting. The convocation may have generated $35 million in revenue for the area, but how much of that translated into profit, after hotels and retailers gave the deep discounts that the “saints” demanded? After all, isn’t the goal of business to produce profit, rather than revenue?

Off to trivia…

Back with more information on the Main & Peabody Place block party to be held this Thursday, April 16, from 5:30 to 7:30 PM. Bands to perform will be local gypsy jazz group Devil Train and North Mississippi bluesman Mark “Muleman” Massey.

If you’re interested in attending the upcoming performance of Fiddler on the Roof at The Orpheum, they will have staff on hand offering special ticket deals.

Here are the specials that restaurants and shops on the block will run during the party:

THE MAJESTIC GRILLE
2 Flatbreads for $9
$4 Strawberry Basil Martinis
$4 Mojitos on the patio
Fiddler on the Roof on the BIG screen!

CIRCA
$5 appetizers & $19 ‘steak frites’
$5 Feature Wines by the Glass / $20 Bottles

BLUEFIN
Krono Grilled Beef, Chicken or Shrimp w/ teriyaki sauce $2
$5 Bluefin Cosmo
$2 Domestic Beer
$2 Fireball Shots

CENTER FOR SOUTHERN FOLKLORE
Southern Sampler $10
Lemon baked chicken, greens, hot water cornbread, macaroni & cheese, coleslaw
$4 Peach Cobbler & Ice Cream
$16 Ghost River Growlers (64 oz)

SHELTON CLOTHIERS
20% OFF ENTIRE STORE!
(excludes sale items)

BELZ MUSUEM OF ASIAN & JUDAIC ART
$2 off Museum Admission
15% OFF any one item in the museum store

THE SILLY GOOSE
$3 Wells

Parking is available and validated at the 100 Peabody Place garage.

If you’re looking for something to do after the event, it’s only a short walk away from the Peabody, where the weekly rooftop party will be going on, and Beale Street is a short walk away as well.

Lots of news today, so let’s get rolling.

The block of Main between Gayoso and Peabody Place will have three block parties this Spring, and the first one is this Thursday, April 16, from 5:30 to 7:30 PM.  Here’s a flyer:

There will be live music, and discounts from the retailers whose logos are shown above.  Should be a fun way to celebrate the end of tax season, and a good pre-rooftop party for people heading to the Peabody or Madison.  Check back – I’ll try to post more complete info on specials between now and Thursday.

Charles Barkley was in town yesterday.  He was in the Downtown Walgreens, and I heard he shared his impression of Downtown Memphis with those in the store.  So, what did Sir Charles have to say?  He said that the city has really aggressive panhandlers.

Here’s a link to a CA article about Gestures flower shop moving from South Main to Laurelwood in East Memphis.

I just found out about Kooky Canuck’s Cinco de Mayo party, to be held all day Tuesday, May 5.  Specials will include TWO DOLLAR 34 OZ. MARGARITAS(!!!!!), $3 Corona, and $4 1800 shots.  “The Canadians taught the Mexicans how to party,” wrote Shawn and Lana.  Two bucks for one of those big margaritas… Wednesday May 6 is going to be a big day for hangovers.

Last night at the Saucer, I saw their yearly 4:20 glass that they sell for “Buy the Beer, Keep the Glass” night.  Normally I’m not into collecting their glasses, but this is the best one they’ve done in years.  It involves a photo of Olympic athlete Michael Phelps.  Glasses go on sale at 7 PM tomorrow night, Wednesday, April 15.  It’s hilarious and a true collectors’ item.

If you’re wondering what Bardog Tavern’s new brunch is like, here are the details:

I believe their brunch is from noon to 3 on Saturdays and Sundays.  Haven’t tried it yet, but I’m sure it’s good… with Hot Wing Fest and Rajun Cajun this weekend, I won’t be able to try it this week either.  If you go, let me know what you think.

Time for work… outta here.  SMA meeting at Beignet Cafe tonight, although I may skip it and go to trivia.  Mpact Memphis is having a happy hour at Tug’s tonight as well.

I’m looking for a freelance graphic artist/web designer to create two page templates for a youth-oriented website. Looking for someone who is strong in XHTML, CSS, and graphic design. If interested shoot me an e-mail at paul@paulryburn.com. If possible, please include links to pages/sites you’ve built in the past.

The South Main Association is gearing up for their annual Cinco de Mayo party – but, it’s actually a Cuatro de Mayo party, because it’s on Monday, May 4. The fiesta will be held at the Arcade and will begin at 5:30.

Also don’t forget about the monthly SMA meeting tomorrow night, April 14, at Beignet Cafe. William Evans, CEO of St. Jude, will speak. If you have old cell phones or printer cartridges, you can bring them to the meeting to recycle.

This weekend I heard high compliments for the Red Rooster’s weekly crawfish boil, which happens on Friday nights from 6 to 9. Someone who went there last Friday said the crawfish were the spiciest they’d ever eaten, and the spice soaked into the taters, corn, and sausages as well. I had a great time there the first week they did the boil… I need to go back now that the crawfish have gotten bigger.

I’ve been asked to blog about the two festivals coming up this weekend, so here’s the info:

On Saturday, April 18 we have the Southern Hot Wing Festival, which will be held on South Main south of G.E. Patterson. There will be 9 bands, with the first kicking off at 10 AM and the last taking the stage at 6 PM. Admission is free to the public. Last year was the first time it was held Downtown, and it was an immediate hit, one of the best festivals of the year.

The festival is a hot wing cooking competition. I’ve been e-mailed and asked, “Are attendees allowed to walk from booth to booth and sample each team’s wings?” Unfortunately the answer is no… it’s like BBQ Fest and Italian Fest, where you have to be a member of a team or an invited guest to enter their booth and partake of their food and beverages. This is a city health regulation, not a decision made by the festival organizers or the teams. There will be food and beverage vendors selling to the public, though.

My BBQ team The Ques Brothers will be competing in this year’s hot wing fest, with the support of our sponsor The Silly Goose. We’ll have booths adjacent to two South Main teams, so it should be a nice little Downtown party. No, I’m not involved in the preparation of the wings in any way… I just show up and eat and drink.

Then there’s the 17th annual Rajun Cajun Crawfish Fest in support of Porter-Leath on Sunday, April 19. This event is held along the river, on Wagner Street between Union and Beale. It starts at noon with a giveaway of 500 pounds of free crawfish, and then they will sell buckets of crawfish until 6 PM. If I remember correctly, the buckets were $15 and were quite large. Last year I was hungry when I got there and couldn’t make it all the way through one bucket. (The Nuh-Uh Girl was very mad at me for not finding her and offering her my leftovers.) The event lasts until 6 PM.

There will be two bands from Louisiana, the Bayou Boys from Lafayette and Roy Carrier and the Night Rockers from New Orleans. There will also be games, including a crawfish-eating contest and a crawfish bob. The crawfish bob is not to be missed, as participants tie their hands behind their back, stick their heads in a tub of water, and bob for LIVE crawfish with their teeth. The crawfish, of course, tend to be none too pleased about this, and express their dissatisfaction with their pinchers (although they’re certainly making out better than their brethren in the boiler). Contestants often end up with their faces bloodied.

All proceeds from sales benefit Porter-Leath. I’m not sure what beer prices will be, but if they charge $4 for a Bud Light like the Midtown crawfish fest did last weekend, I’ll have less of a problem paying it, knowing that the money will be used to help kids.

The lines tend to get quite long, so your best bet is to get there right at noon and go immediately to the crawfish line. By 1 PM the lines will reach 75-100 people, although they move pretty fast. Later in the afternoon the lines shorten again, although if you wait you risk them running out of crawfish. However, this event is better organized than the Midtown festival, and the past few years they’ve done a good job ordering enough.

Weather is not looking great right now… current forecast is for 40% chance of rain both days, 66/58 for Saturday and 70/55 for Sunday. Normal high/low for the 18th-19th are 73/53.

Skipping the Silly Goose’s dollar cocktail night (5 to 7 PM) tonight because I have to stay home and do my taxes. If I get done quickly, I may stop by the Saucer for a few Pint Nite beers later in the evening.

All right, so when I complained about today’s crappy weather in the last post, I was looking at a temperature of 54 with a predicted high of 62 and cloudy.  Clearly that didn’t happen.  It was beautiful outside!

About 11:10 AM my friend Mikey texted me the Fire Sale.  “Have they posted the sixth clue yet?” I texted back.  The Flying Saucer hid an Easter Keg somewhere in Memphis this morning.  From March through yesterday, they posted five clues, and from those I knew the keg was in Cooper-Young (three of the clues were Oliver, Nelson, and New York, all streets in that neighborhood).  The last clue was a four-parter, and Mikey called me and read it to me over the phone.  You had to piece together four sub-clues to come up with a word.  Tenth letter of Thomas Hardy’s beer was a D for the first clue.  First letter of the 36th tap at the Saucer was the third clue – Mikey counted them down and told me it was Sam Adams, and therefore S.  So I had D_S_.

Second clue was ___ of the Hawk.  I went through the letters and when I got to “I,” I realized that it spelled I of the Hawk – Eye of the Hawk – the name of a beer.  So I was the second letter.  Already knowing to look in Cooper-Young, that was enough.  I called my friends Frank and Stephanie – “the keg’s at Dish!”

We knocked on the door.  No answer, and the door was locked.  Dish doesn’t open until 5.  Then we spent the next 20 minutes going through the bushes, the garbage, everything in the area.  “Maybe it’s a mini-keg the size of an Easter egg,” I told them.  No luck.  We were about ready to give up, but decided to knock on the door one more time.  We saw someone moving around inside.  Frank called Dish, and found that David Nestler who runs the place was inside.  We finally got him to the door, and he handed us the keg pictured below:

We threw it in the trunk and hauled it back to the Saucer.  Our prize:  A party for 50 (it was a party for 100 but we downsized so people would get more beer).

I drank a few celebration beers, then hopped a cab to Midtown for the crawfish fest and immediately wished I hadn’t.  They moved it to the parking lot on the north side of Madison.  The lot was packed to the point of being cramped, and by the time I got there (3:05 PM) they were out of crawfish.  Plus Bud and Bud Light were $4.  WTF?  I’ll pay $4 for a beer if it’s a great festival otherwise, but this one was a disappointment.  I stayed 10 minutes then decided to head back Downtown.  I walked to Dragon China and ate, then walked toward Downtown, figuring someone who knew me would see me and offer me a ride.  That happened – thanks Rachel and Beth.

Changing clothes and heading back out… tentative plans are back to the Saucer, then Bardog, then Paula & Raiford’s.  Plans can change though.  Glad I don’t have to go to church tomorrow so I can make it a late night.  If I get up in time I’ll be at brunch at Majestic in the morning.

There’s a new bill in the Tennesse legislature that needs to be stopped.  It deals with the collection of sales tax from Internet sales.  Right now, companies are not required to collect sales tax when they do not have a physical presence in the state where the purchaser is located.  That’s why you can order from Amazon and not pay sales tax:  They don’t have facilities here.

However, a new bill in the legislature states that if a company has affiliate marketing partners within a state, that’s enough to qualify as a physical presence.  That presents a huge problem:  My sites, such as Tube Top Boutique and Mid-South Alcoholic Supply (and nearly 100 others), are Amazon affiliate sites.  Therefore, under the new law, TN could claim that Amazon has a physical presence here, so all TN residents now have to pay sales tax on Amazon orders.  (By the way, I’m one of thousands of Amazon affiliates in TN, so shutting down all my sites wouldn’t be enough to protect TN residents from the tax.)  It’s a completely stupid law.  Here’s a link to a video by marketing guru Shawn Collins discussing the proposed law in more detail.

This really, really sucks… if the law passes, Amazon could kick all of its TN affiliates, including me, out of the Amazon Associates program.  Sales from my online stores were a big reason I survived 5 months between jobs this winter, and they provide additional money to supplement my paycheck.  It would be a shame to lose that additional income stream after working so many hours for the past year to build all those storefronts.

In other news… I’ve been posting a lot about the new Paula & Raiford’s Disco on Second, but the disco in the old building (Hollywood Disco, on Vance, no longer affiliated with Raiford) is still alive and kicking.  They’re doing some cool new stuff, including live music on some nights from 8 to 10, a new deck out back, free access to the VIP room on Fridays, and a free (tips only) limo service.  I tend to spend more time at Paula & Raiford’s because it’s so much closer to where I live, but I like the folks at Hollywood Disco too and hope both places succeed in the long run.

Hmmm the Disco sent me an e-mail telling me about the new promotions, and bragging on their ’08 “Best of” awards, including Third Place for Best Cougar Bar… I don’t know if I’d brag on that one, but hey, their call.  With first-place Spindini a short walk away, maybe those blocks of Main/Mulberry between Vance and Huling will get a reputation as “Cougarville.”

Don’t forget about Circa’s late-night reverse happy hour tonight.  Good place to chill with a good cocktail.  On Fridays and Saturdays from 10 PM to 12:30 AM, they have $3 beer, $4 wells, and $5 wines and specialty cocktails.

Today’s the Midtown crawfish fest in Overton Square, and for the umpteenth consecutive year the weather is crappy.  Predicted high is only 62 today.  I’m debating on whether or not to go.  It’s odd how some festivals have consistently bad weather from year to year (Midtown crawfish fest, Music Fest) and some always have great weather (Rajun Cajun, Wine Race, RiverArtsFest).  May have to get in the car and drive anyway, for another reason… will tell you more about that one if it pans out.  Other stuff going on today:  Brunch and beauty bar at the Rumba Room ’til 2, opening day at Mud Island, Death Cab for Cutie at the Orpheum, fireworks after the 6:05 PM Redbirds game tonight.

The Peabody rooftop party that wasn’t on the rooftop was a blast last night. Lord T and Eloise were excellent, and they had Al Kapone up there with them as a bonus. Free Sol were great too… didn’t get there in time to catch Shinedown. They made the right call moving it to the ballroom. The place was jam-packed and there’s no way all those people would have fit on the roof.

They gotta work on those drink lines though. I waited in line 15-20 minutes for drinks… twice… and I was in the VIP section, supposedly the short line. I talked to quite a few people who would’ve had more to drink but they didn’t want to deal with the wait.

Snapped a few pics which I’ll post later, including a couple of pics of the Nuh-Uh Girl eating. 

Wild night at the Silly Goose and Bardog afterward… I’ll refrain from going into details, but when my former BFF of the Month Stephanie is the most normal-acting person at the table, you know things are getting pretty wacky.  Was there a full moon last night or something?

Had an Autozone employee explain why she’s a believer in Uniform Monday, when the corporate employees all wear the same uniforms as the people in the stores… and I gotta admit, she made a lot of sense.  For the first time I understand it.  Wow I just realized I had a meaningful conversation at a Peabody party.  That doesn’t happen often.  Now that she defended Uniform Monday so well, I don’t have anything to make fun of her about… oh, wait, she’s a member of Ptolemy, so yes I do.

I’ve had people ask me for Easter brunch recommendations. Here are my top picks:

– I’ll say it again – the Majestic Grille is the absolute gold standard for brunch. In addition to their regular menu, they’ll have lobster and shrimp bisque, surf and turf Benedict, and roasted leg of lamb. They open at 11. Drink specials include a $3 mimosa, $3 Bloody Mary, and a $12 Majestic Mimosa (bottle of champagne + orange juice).

– Circa serves up some amazing food in good-sized portions. In addition to their regular brunch menu, they’ll have roast leg of lamb and roast beef tenderloin. They open at 11 and serve brunch until 4. Chef John Bragg was voted “Best Chef” in last year’s Memphis Flyer poll.

– Automatic Slim’s has a great brunch as well. They open at 10 and have brunch until 4. Not sure if they’re doing any special items for Easter. Michael Patrick’s food is outstanding – I recommend the crawfish eggs benedict and the jerk omelet in particular. They have $2.50 mimosas and Bloody Marys.

– I haven’t been to Sauces’ brunch yet, but I have heard lots of praise from people who have been there. It runs from 12 to 5.

– Bardog Tavern starts their brunch this week. Since it’s their first week I can’t tell you what they’ll have, but their regular menu has been consistently good, so I expect good things from Bardog. They open at 12.

– If you’re a Bloody Mary fan, Silly Goose has a $3 mix-your-own Bloody Mary bar that is a lot of fun. They also have $3 mimosas. They have a $6 hangover breakfast which is not bad but I can’t claim it’s on par with the other places listed here. They open at 12.

– Then there are the Peabody and the Madison, both of which are doing brunch buffets.

The Flying Saucer has a sign up saying that they will open at 5 for Easter. That sux… what are we supposed to do all afternoon? Last year I ended up at Big Foot (now Kooky Canuck) drinking their $9.99 mixed drinks, which led to disastrous results later in the evening. Hopefully this year will be better… not sure what I’ll do but the Bloody Mary bar at the Goose looks like a good possibility.

Plans for tonight: No idea. After staying out past midnight last night, I’m not sure there’s enough gas in the tank for a return to Paula & Raiford’s Disco tonight, but you never know.

Back in December, I decided to keep count how often I visited Downtown Memphis bars and restaurants during the month, keeping score on a note board on the refrigerator.  The results for the month of December were

• Flying Saucer – 37 visits
• Bardog Tavern – 12 visits
• Voodoo Room – 7 visits
• Majestic Grille – 4 visits
• Calhoun’s – 2 visits
• Automatic Slim’s – 2 visits
• Lots of other places – 1 visit each

I never published those results because I was job hunting at the time, and I thought to myself, hmmm, that might not look too good to a potential employer.  Although, quite a few of those Saucer visits (I’d say 6 to 10) were work visits – I either had the laptop there and was using their Wi-Fi to work on Web projects, or I was holding business meetings.  The Silly Goose hadn’t opened yet, which is why it’s not on the list.

I’m keeping score again for the month of April.  Here’s my number of visits for the first 8 days (haven’t been out yet today, the 9th):

• Flying Saucer – 10 visits
• Silly Goose – 3 visits
• Bardog Tavern – 2 visits
• Paula & Raiford’s Disco – 2 visits
• Voodoo Room – 2 visits

The Saucer is about to pick up visit 11, as I’ll drink a couple of Happy Hour Dos Equis Lagers there before I continue on to the Peabody party.  Rain or not, it should be a fun night… I hope the rain stays away, though, for the benefit of those going to the Redbirds opener.

I just got an e-mail saying that the Sunset atop the Madison rooftop party will be canceled tonight, due to the threat of inclement weather.  They’ll kick off the party season next week with Joyce Cobb.  Chef Windsor will still be in Grill 83 for the release of this month’s $35 three-course menu.

The Peabody had already made the decision to move their party indoors to the Grand Ballroom, and will not be affected by the weather.