Month: October 2009

Update 2:14 PM: I just received an e-mail from someone who parks in this garage.  The attendant told him Central Parking will be closing it tonight after it clears out.  There’s no word yet on alternate locations for the garage’s monthly customers.

… and this time it’s not because of bums pretending to be parking attendants.  This Action News 5 story says that the ceiling of the 62-year-old structure is starting to fall.  Several people had their vehicles damaged, and they could have been injured if they’d been there at the wrong time.  If you’re coming Downtown to the Rendezvous, Cadre Building, Paula & Raiford’s, or other area attractions, you may want to look elsewhere for parking until the garage management gets this fixed.

Update on my Big Mac combo meal lunch:  My health guru AL has already seen my post about it and has texted to voice her disapproval.

If you’re into cigars, fine food, and wine, you may want to make reservations for the Smoking Up High Cigar Dinner, to be held Thursday, October 15 on the rooftop of the Madison Hotel. $75 per person (plus tax and gratuity) includes the food and beverage parirings listed below, and one cigar from Havana Mix. Mike Candebat from Vignoble Wine Distributor will be on hand to discuss pairings. Here’s the event schedule:

6:15-7 PM – Passed hors d’oeuvres, mojitos, and cigars. Bring your own cigar or purchase on-site.

7:05 PM – dinner service begins.

First Course
Arkansas Rainbow Smoke Trout with Applewood Bacon Vinaigrette and Smoked Caviar
Prinsi Chardonnay

Second Course
New Orleans Seafood Gumbo
Le Rive, Nebbielo

Third Course
Veal Osso Bucco
Prinsi, Calvario

Dessert
Key Lime Shooters
Assorted House Made Truffles
Dark Roast Coffee with Domanier Cognac L’Orange

Call 901-333-1224 to make reservations.

Update on my lunch from McDonald’s:  Because I upgraded to the large combo meal, I got four Monopoly game pieces.  I was hoping for a $1,000,000 instant winner, but instead I got North Carolina Avenue, Indiana Avenue, States Avenue, and Pennsylvania Railroad.  Wonder if any of those are the “scarce” pieces.

I have two more posts already typed up.  When I feel like I need a minute or two’s break this afternoon, I’ll log in and post them.  Check back.

Eating lunch as I post this… today’s lunch is a Big Mac combo meal.  Just had to mention that in case my health guru AL is reading.  “Do you want to upsize it to large?” they asked.  Does a fish like water?

If you have metalwork you need repaired, this weekend is your chance… Repair Days will be this weekend, October 9-11 at the Metal Museum. Metalsmiths from around the country will be on hand to solder, sharpen, fix dings, remove dents, re-tin cookware, and repair garden furniture. Estimates for repair work are free, and all proceeds benefit the Metal Museum. Visitors with repair receipts receive free admission to the museum during the event.

In addition to repairs, there will be other fun stuff going on at the museum all weekend. Friday at 7, there will be a Master Metalsmith Demonstration. Saturday will be Family Fun Day, with casting, jewelry making, and blacksmithing demos. In the evening, there will be a gallery talk with Master Metalsmith Elizabeth Brim, a live auction, and music by DJ Witnesse. Elizabeth Brim will be back Sunday morning for a tech talk.

Plans for tonight:  Trivia at the Saucer at 7.  The team has been smaller lately but I kinda like it that way… seems like 8-10 people is ideal.   Got several more posts in the queue, so check back.

Rio Loco has Pollo Loco Tapatio on special for under $10 all day Sunday.  That’s a huge portion of chicken breasts topped with cheese, bacon, and mushrooms, along with beans with cheese, rice, sour cream, guacamole, pico, and lettuce.  Plus chips and salsa.

If you’re single it’s enough to have leftovers for Monday.

If you’re a couple it will easily feed you both.

I made the mistake of thinking it wasn’t enough and getting the beef nachos with it.  Was that ever unnecessary.

Sitting here at Pint Nite at the Saucer… Just checked Facebook and saw that South of Beale just had a tasting for their new menu items. Free food? Wonder if the Nuh-Uh Girl showed up. Parmesan encrusted mozzarella, poached pear salad, and shrimp & grits were mentioned among the new choices. Menu launches Wednesday.

I saw on Twitter that the Memphis Redbirds will have a party in their clubhouse from 6 to 8 Thursday evening to celebrate their PCL championship.  “Free food and drink + catch on the field,” read the tweet.  Sounds like a good event to bring the kids.  Plus, free food?  Wonder if the Nuh-Uh Girl will show up.

Midtown Yoga will open a Downtown location at 91 S. Front next Monday, October 12.  For more info check out this Memphis Business Journal article, and check out the new location’s schedule here.

Part of my responsibility as a Downtown blogger is to post pigeon pics now and then, even if I have to go outside of Downtown to get them.  Yesterday afternoon I went with two friends to Central BBQ in Midtown.  As we dined on the outside patio, we noticed a number of pigeons hanging out under the roof.

The food is so good at Central BBQ that the line often stretches out the door.  Be careful when you get within about 3 feet of the door, though, and be sure to look up, or you might have a very crappy experience.

You’ll notice that there is a statue of an owl, put there to keep the pigeons away.  It did absolutely no good.  At one point there was even a pigeon sitting on top of the owl.

Food was great.  I had a full order of the spicy dry rub wings that I tried at the BOM party Thursday night – absolutely delicious.  My friends loved the BBQ beef and the sausage.  We had a pitcher of New Belgium Hoptoberfest with our food.  A fun afternoon… definitely worth the car trip to Midtown.

Still in the poker tournament.  A total of 2140 people bought in for $11, with the game beginning at 11 and late registration ending at 12.  There are 1202 players left as of 12:55 PM.  The last 306 standing are in the money, with payouts starting at $16.05 for 306th place and going all the way up to $3,424 for first place.  Not sure I’ll make it to the money though.  I’ve been getting crummy cards and am down to half my original stack.  I’m gonna have to make some big moves to have a fighting chance.

One of the other players at my table had Colonel Reb as his player icon.  I quickly decided I hated him.  He made a stupid all-in call and got eliminated.  Donkey.  Sorry that I couldn’t have been the one to take him out.

Wishing I was at Sunday Fun Day though.  If my luck doesn’t turn around I may be up there sooner rather than later.

Part of the new DowntownMemphis.com social media strategy is to have multiple people tweeting from the @DowntownMemphis Twitter account, talking about what they’re doing as they’re out and about Downtown having fun.

I’ve noticed that the @DowntownMemphis Twitterers always sign their tweets with their initials.  I have strong reason to suspect that tweets signed with “/rs” are coming from Downtown’s one and only Nuh-Uh Girl (pictured above, eating).

If that’s true, expect lots of tweets about food on the @DowntownMemphis account.

Skipping brunch today… I just registered for a large Texas Hold’em tournament with $8,000 guaranteed for an $11 buy-in, deep stacks, blinds go up every 30 minutes.  So far there are 704 people signed up with about 4 minutes to go.  That should keep me busy for most of the afternoon.  When I do finally get out, it looks like a good day to wear the PBR hoodie.

Congratulations to the Arkansas Razorbacks on their victory over Texas A&M last night at the Dallas Cowboys’ new stadium.  The Hogs were favored to win by 2, but they blew expectations away, clobbering the Aggies 47-19.  More on the Razorback victory here.

Shout-outs to my friends Max, Monte, Shawn, Joe, and Big Dave, all of whom have excellent taste in college football teams.