Month: January 2010

Sauces restaurant on the Main Street Mall has closed down, but a new restaurant will soon rise in its place.  Local Gastropub will have its grand opening Friday night.  I don’t have a whole lot of info on this place yet, but there will be a new interior, a new menu, an enclosed patio and HDTVs.  They have a website but not much is there yet.

Hmmm… a restaurant grand opening… that means the Nuh-Uh Girl will probably be bouncing from table to table going, “That looks good, can I try a bite?”

If anyone took pics at the DNA/SMA holiday party, could you please contact me at paul@paulryburn.com.  I have someone who is looking for a few pics to post to Facebook.

If you’re a pro wrestling fan, tonight is a big night, so you may want to set the DVR if you won’t be home.  On Spike TV there will be a special 3-hour TNA Impact, with Hulk Hogan’s first appearance in the promotion.  In addition to Hogan, I’ve read that Scott Hall and Sean “X-Pac/Syxx-Pac” Waltman are likely to be there, and Angelina Love of the Beautiful People will make her return.  Other names that are rumored but not as likely are Sid Vicious, Rob Van Dam, and “Nature Boy” Ric Flair (whooooo!).  Over on USA, there will be a 3-hour Monday Night Raw where Bret “The Hitman” Hart will confront WWE chairman Mr. McMahon, who screwed him out of the then-WWF title in Montreal 12 years ago.  There’s also a chance Bret will confront his long-time enemy Shawn Michaels.

I guess I’ll have to set my DVR, because I’m not missing Pint Nite at the Saucer.  Nearly all their 75 draft beers only $2.75.  I hope Brick is working tonight – I’m starting to run low on quotes.

I’m sure this device has a name but I can’t remember it.  It allows the dim sum to continue to steam after it has been brought to your table.  Henceforth I will refer to it as the “dim sum thingy.”

Shrimp and leek dim sum in the dim sum thingy

Pork and black mushroom dim sum in the dim sum thingy

Crabmeat fried rice

If dim sum sounds like nirvana to you (and if you look closely you actually can see an image of Kurt Cobain in the pork and mushroom dim sum), they have it every Sunday at Bangkok Alley on Union from noon to 3.

Rotated 90 degrees for maximum effect.

by guest bloggers Glo and Flo

Dear Pot:
(Paul)

There was a definite reason that Glo N Flow appeared drunkety drunk last night. Their alleged BF’s stranded them on NYE and that made Glo N Flo very angry. So angry, in fact, that they just had to go on a weekend bender and explain what happened to every man in site. Who breaks up with their significant other on such a significant holiday, right ladies?!

After explaining the situation to a few fine fellows, they proceeded to by us drinks to console us. This technique was skillfully honed by Flo who mastered the art then shared with Glo. It worked better for Flo than for Glo. But sadly this did really happen to both of us.

And we are not finished. 2010 may be our retaliation year. If you want to be our next victim, please send requests to paul@paulryburn.com. He will have to vouch for us that we are not trolls because we want to remain anonymous. And PAUL YOU BETTER NOT EVER PUBLISH PICS OF US IN OUR DELICATE STATE!

Too bad that our first guest blog post was to defend of our honor. But here is your first dose of female perspective.

Love,
Kettle
(Glo)

After watching the Arkansas Razorbacks eke out a win over ECU at the Liberty Bowl, I stayed at the bar to watch the Grizzlies play the Phoenix Suns.  Those were two very enjoyable hours, as the Grizzlies proceeded to annihilate one of the best teams in the NBA on their home court.  Zach Randolph seemed to have some kind of GPS for finding the basket when he took shots, and Marc Gasol has turned into one of the best centers in the NBA in only his second season.  By the end of the third quarter, the Grizz already had 100 points.  Early in the fourth they put the second team in, and Hasheem Thabeet more than held his own against the Suns.

That victory gets the Grizzlies to .500 for the first time in several years.  It’s now within the realm of possibility that we’ll make the playoffs at the end of the year.  GO GRIZZ!  The Grizzlies finally found a marketing strategy that attracts fans to games – “winning.”  What a great idea.  Here’s a link to ESPN’s recap of the game.

Congrats to Arkansas on their win as well.  Thank goodness Tejada has learned how to kick a field goal.  I’ll say it once again, ECU may have been the opponents but it was a pleasure to have them in town.  They sure conduct themselves with more class than Tennessee fans or Ole Miss fans.  I hope they win Conference USA this coming year so they can make another trip to Memphis.  I might even cheer for them to win, as long as they aren’t facing Arkansas.

I have one recommendation for today, and this time it’s not a Downtown recommendation:  If you live out east, check out Jeffrey and the Pacemakers at Huey’s Poplar tonight.  Great covers of 1960s British rock bands.

Kind of in the mood for something different today… thinking about checking out Dim Sum Sunday at Bangkok Alley.  They don’t open for another hour, so I have a little while to decide.  Usually I head straight to the Saucer at noon, but it will still be there if I get there at 1 or 1:30.  Brick has the day off, so there won’t be any entertainment.  I want to try the Sunday brunch buffet at Silly Goose one of these weeks too, but not today because I’m not hungry for breakfast food.

Memphis vs. Houston Baptist at the FedExForum at 2.  GO TIGERS!

It’s time for another Brick Quote of the Week, nursery rhyme edition.  PROFANITY ALERT:  If you can’t handle profanity, skip this post.  Come to think of it, just assume “profanity alert” for every Brick quote from now on.

This week my friend Clay decided to see how much Brick knew about children’s nursery rhymes.

“See if you can finish this one,” he challenged Brick.  “Jack and Jill went up the hill, to…”

Brick thought about it for a minute.  If you listened closely you could hear the rocks rolling around in her head as she thought.  Then she gave her answer.

“… To fuck?” she said, in all seriousness.

I don’t know about you, but if Brick were to re-write the book of nursery rhymes and children’s stories, it’d be fine with me.  I wonder what she’d do with Jack and the Beanstalk.

I recently have had a request for more “Glo and Flo” coverage in this blog.  Glo and Flo are two female Downtown residents who were supposed to guest-write articles for this blog to give the female perspective on things Downtown.  In almost two years they have written a grand total of nothing.  Nevertheless, they stopped me at an event at the Warehouse at the end of last year and requested “more Glo and Flo.”

Tonight they get their wish.  After a 9 hour stint at the Saucer, I decided to have a couple of take-it-home beers at Bardog.  And there Glo and Flo were, in the corner, drunk.  Glo seemed to be particularly wasted.  I thought about taking a photo of them, but I know how they like to hide behind their pseudonyms.  Of course, you have to be a writer to have a pseudonym.  Which Glo and Flo are not, since they have never submitted the long-promised guest blog entries.

Four UT basketball players have been suspended by coach Bruce Pearl, following their New Year’s Eve arrest on drug and weapons charges.  Details here on the KnoxNews site.  In addition, they were in a borrowed rental vehicle that may lead to an NCAA rule violation.  Sounds like the Bruchebag is not off to a good start in the New Year!

A new beer festival is coming to Downtown Memphis on Saturday, April 24.  It is called Memphis BrewFest 2010 and it will be held in the courtyard of Autozone Park from 5 to 9 PM.  $30 for an advance ticket until April 15, $35 afterward, $40 at the door if they do not sell out in advance.  They are expecting to sell out in advance – they’re limiting the tickets to 1500 – so it’s a good idea to buy early.  Fest will be held rain or shine and will be moved under a roof if it rains.  Proceeds will benefit Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy.

To learn more about the festival or to buy tickets, go to the festival’s website.

Hmmm the last Saturday in April… I was thinking that might conflict with the hot wing fest in South Main… but thinking about it further, the hot wing fest was the third Saturday in April in ’09, not the last.  So maybe it won’t be a conflict.  Even if they are the same day, they’ll only overlap by a couple of hours.  It’d make for a heck of a long drinking day though.

Enjoyed the parade yesterday… ya know, I gotta say, ECU may be the opponents, but they conduct themselves with a lot of class.  They “travel well,” as Air Traffic Mike would say.  Good to have them in town.  There were lots of Hog fans Downtown yesterday, although I was kind of surprised to be the only one in an authentic Hog Hat.  I watched the first 50 minutes of the parade while drinking a 32 oz. BAB (Big Ass Beer), then walked up the street for a 34 oz. BKB (Big Kooky Beer).  I think my Hog Hat scared a baby.

Before the parade, I stopped by Main Street Hound Dogs, where they were serving blackeyed peas for the new year.  I also tried a Christo, a bag of Fritos with a scoop of chili, cheese, and onions added.  Very good.  I hope the blackeyed peas bring me luck in 2010.  I’m on a 1/2 limit hold’em poker table as I type this, and so far I’m up $8.75, so maybe they’re working.  Don’t forget that you can follow the hot dog cart at @mainsthounddogs on Twitter.

It’s 24 outside as I type this.  I had an opportunity to go to the Liberty Bowl today, and I’m glad I turned it down.  I’ll be watching the game inside a nice, warm bar.  Most likely I’ll be at the Saucer, unless they put something really nasty on Fire Sale.

Tomorrow’s the start of a new week, and I have a quote from Brick ready to post, so check back.

The Liberty Bowl parade is at 3 PM today on Beale Street, and I most definitely will be there.  Look for me – I’ll have this on:

GO HOGS!!!  Now, here’s the dilemma.  Parades last about an hour, so the Liberty Bowl parade will be over about 4.  The Saucer doesn’t open until 5.  What are we supposed to do between 4 and 5?  Even if they had Turbo Dog as the Fire Sale and Brittney behind the bar, that’d be an improvement over not being open at all.

Hmmm there’s the Tap Room, with 20 beers on tap and a full liquor bar.  Plus, I could visit my mug.  Superior Bar usually has good happy hour specials on domestics, although I’m not 100% positive whether those apply on holidays.

Or we could do what we do last year, and go stand outside the Saucer’s door, and act like such obnoxious pains in the ass that the manager lets us in early.

Happy new year everyone.  I ended up doing the ultimate New Year’s Eve plan last night… nothing.  I sat around and played on PokerStars until about 9 last night.  Considered going out, but my body was telling me “time to hit the reset button” and get a full night’s sleep without any alcohol in my system that needed to be processed.  So I went to bed early, although the party nearby at the Cadre Building kept me drifting in and out of sleep until 1:30 or so.

I’m totally fine missing New Year’s Eve… the real party Downtown starts today, and keeps going until about December 30.  I hate it that I missed Dynaflow at Calhoun’s last night though… wish they’d book them on just a regular Friday or Saturday night sometime, when it’s not NYE, DTO or some other event.  I’d definitely like to hear them.

Less than a month and a half until the Winter Olympics
2 1/2 months until March Madness
3 1/2 months until Crawfish Fest
3 1/2 months until Hot Wing Fest
3 1/2 months until Wine Race
3 1/2 months until another event I haven’t told you about yet
4 1/2 months until BBQ Fest
5 months until Tube Top Month

Welcome to 2010!