Month: August 2010

This beer was on the “Just Landed” board at the Flying Saucer last night.  I didn’t try it after finding out it was 22 ounces, 9% alcohol, and $14, but it certainly has an interesting name.  It’s a double IPA.

I just got back from the Corkscrew, the liquor store on S. Front next to the Blue Monkey.  I told the guy working there that I was looking for some “nice white wines to drink on my building’s rooftop.  They’ll probably be consumed along with other alcohol, so I’m not looking for pricey wines.”  With assistance, I ended up with four bottles – a pinot grigio, a sauvignon blanc, and two chardonnays – for $23.  Not bad at all.  I especially appreciated that he told me that he’d had both the $3.99 wine and the $11.99 wine I was considering, and he liked the cheaper one better.

They had a good selection of beers above 6% alcohol too.  Looking at the prices makes me realize how much the Saucer marks beer up.  Speaking of which, I’ve got a post coming later today about a new beer at the Saucer, and the Corkscrew carries it if you want to try it.

Before going to the ‘screw, I voted – my polling place moved to a new location, but other than that, no problems, in and out in 5 minutes.  I also stopped by the MIFA Store, and will do a separate post about it later.

If you’re not sure where to vote today, this site will tell you.

Steve Cohen is having a free election celebration at Minglewood Hall tonight at 7:30.

If I were a little more sure Cohen had this election sewn up, I would have crossed over and voted Haslam for governor, because the other two Republican candidates are just complete nutbags.  With all the news about polling irregularities, though, I decided Steve needed my vote.

Not even 1 PM on my vacation day and I’m probably about to head to the bar… I don’t really want to start drinking this early in the day, but one of my buddies is hoping I’ll be his excuse to start drinking early.  You can’t let a friend down, I suppose.

I have posts in Drafts, so I’ll probably log in through my iPhone and post more later today.

Steve Cohen just posted this to Facebook:

“There are reports that people are being told in error that they have already voted when they show up at the polling stations today. If this happens DO NOT LEAVE. Ask for a provisional ballot. You will be asked to fill out an affidavit that says you haven’t voted yet. The poll worker will check the voter rolls to make sure you are registered and have not yet voted, and you will be given a card to vote on the machine.”

Yesterday there was a meet-and-greet for the MPD officers who will be patrolling Downtown on foot and on bike, working with the CCC’s Downtown safety patrol.  They will be cleaning up the few people down here who give Downtown a bad name:  Aggressive panhandlers, parking scammers, drunk and disorderly street people who are out every day causing trouble.

Initially we were told that four officers would be assigned to the task, backed up by one more officer in a patrol car, working from Tuesday to Saturday.  However, those who attended the meet-and-greet yesterday learned that MPD had stepped it up.  They now plan to assign EIGHT officers to the detail, and officers will be on duty seven days a week.

Aggressive Downtown panhandlers, these officers are ready to get to know you up close and personal.  Get ready to make some new friends.

Today is a very important day in the history of Memphis.  For those voting in the Democratic primary, it is a chance to send one of the best Congressmen we have ever had back to Washington for another two years.  Steve Cohen has proved he can navigate the halls of Congress successfully while representing ALL the people in his district.

As for his opponent, Willie Herenton must be given credit for being a self-made man, rising from teacher to principal to school superintendent to mayor.  I also have to give him credit for accomplishing a lot in his first three terms as mayor, redeveloping Downtown and reinventing the city’s public housing.  However, in his last six years as mayor something seemed to change in the man.  He seemed interested only in serving himself and his cronies, and making a public spectacle at every opportunity.  Although he’s had success in the executive branch, there’s absolutely no evidence he would do well in the legislative branch, where he’d not be the center of attention, but merely one voice in 435.  He’s run a race-based campaign in an era when we are beginning to put race behind us.  It’s time to send Willie into permanent retirement.*

If you’re a Republican, you have an important primary too – the one for governor.  Zach Wamp’s statements about unemployment benefits lead me to believe he sees the worst in people.  Ron Ramsey’s statements about Islam make me wonder if he should be in a padded room rather than the lieutenant governor’s office.  I may not agree with Bill Haslam on all the issues, but I have yet to see evidence that he is anything other than a man of public service.  If I were voting in that primary I’d be voting for Haslam.

I’m off work today, so my agenda will be to hit the polls first and foremost.  After that, I plan to visit the MIFA Store at 910 Vance – I never have gotten to see it because its hours conflict with my work hours.  Then I’ll make a stop at the Corkscrew to buy some wine.  After all the errands have been run, you can probably guess what my next stop will be.

* Or, more likely, temporary retirement, until he decides to run against Mayor Wharton for his old job, and makes a fool of himself once again.

(Note: It’s 11:47 PM Wednesday and I’m drunk, so although I’m calling Thursday “tomorrow” you might want to think “today.” Also, whoever it was who told me about the Bluez 57 Burger at Huey’s, thank you.)

The Peabody’s final rooftop party of the season is tomorrow night, with Cowboy Mouth providing the entertainment. Gringo Star will open, and DJ Mark Anderson will keep the party going during the breaks.

The best advice I can give you for this one is GO EARLY. When Cowboy Mouth has been here in past years, I’ve seen long lines waiting for the elevators as early as 7:15 PM.

Since Cowboy Mouth is the essence of New Orleans rock, the hotel has decided to go with a New Orleans food theme. On the buffet there will be Andouille sausage, red beans and rice, mini muffalettas, and jalapeno hush puppies. Those in VIP will find seafood gumbo, shrimp remoulade shooters, crawfish beignets, and chicken and onion beignets.

Popular New Orleans drinks, hurricanes and hand grenades, will be available at all bars. Having just had a hand grenade myself last month, I think that will definitely be on my drinking agenda if I hit the Peabody roof. Especially since I have Friday off… extra recovery time.

The Peabody’s beverage partner MillerCoors will donate 50% of proceeds from every Miller Lite sold to Ducks Unlimited, to support effords to clean up the mess BP made in the Gulf. Ducks Unlimited representatives will be at the party to share news about cleanup efforts, and to accept additional donations.

Because this is a big name band, cover will be a little bit higher for the season finale – $15 at the door. That still includes first drink. Ladies and hotel guests get in free before 7.

Big business news to start the lunchtime blog post. The Memphis Business Journal reports that a group of local businessmen have the winning bid to buy One Commerce Square, the 30-story building at Main and Monroe. Their top priority will be to sign Pinnacle Airlines to a long-term lease.

South of Beale will have its first birthday party this Saturday. There will be $1 Ghost River beer from 4 to 6 PM, and there will also be complimentary appetizers. Free food? Wonder if the Nuh-Uh Girl will show up.

Number 10 Main Apartments is taking steps to make things more convenient for the many law students who are moving in. They’ve installed wireless Internet in the lobby, and students can go to their website to arrange study groups.

The Majestic Grille will present Arts Night at AutoZone Park Monday, August 16. Dugout seats will be available for $13 (reduced from $16 regular price) and proceeds will benefit the Majestic’s arts partners: ArtsMemphis, Ballet Memphis, the Blues Foundation, Opera Memphis, Memphis Music Foundation, the Orpheum, and the School of Music at the University of Memphis. Please note that you must purchase tickets through Redbirds Group Sales to qualify for donated proceeds. Call Jason Mott at 901-722-0251 or e-mail jason.mott@memphisredbirds.com to purchase your tickets.

I heard that City Market signed a construction contract this week to get things started on the ground floor of Radio Center Flats, northeast corner of Main and Union. Soon we’ll have a neighborhood market at that very prominent corner of Downtown. Also, Iberiabank is looking to install an ATM on the Union-facing side of that building.

A How-to of the Day of interest to Downtown Memphians: How to get rid of pigeons.

Grill 83 is hosting a wine dinner next Tuesday, August 10. It will be a 3-course prix fixe dinner created by executive chef Chris Windsor, featuring wines from Spain. Courses include a Frisse salad with chorizo sausage, Manchego cheese, chickpea croutons, poached egg and sherry dressing; Serrano-wrapped ahi tuna with grilled leaks, white beans and Romesco sauce; and an apple and rosemary tart with local honey ice cream. $59 per person, excluding tax and gratuity. Call 901-333-1224 or visit their website to make reservations.

Something interesting I saw this morning: OpenAppMkt, which bypasses the Apple Store to install web-based apps directly on your iPhone.

Memphis in May has announced that Belgium will be the 2011 honored country. I would’ve prefered Romania, but, okay. Will be fun to see what Belgium-themed design the BBQ team comes up with for the booth next year.

The trivia team added another $25 to our stash with a second-place finish last night. Man, was it uncomfortable… the Saucer was unusually crowded for a Tuesday night, and the A/C was not designed to keep up with heat indicies in the 110s. My eyes were watering badly from the cigarette smoke, and we had people bumping and getting in the way. Nevertheless, that won’t stop me from going back to the Saucer tonight…

… which is the beginning of my vacation! Off Thursday and Friday. There will be plenty of posts, but I’ll be back on my irregular posting schedule for the next 4 days. Time to count down the minutes until 5:00!

You know what I find interesting? Yesterday, after I posted that I was taking vacation days Thursday and Friday, I had several people ask me, “So, why are you taking vacation?” Why not? Isn’t “don’t feel like getting up and going to work five days in a row” good enough? Not every vacation has to be built around an out-of-town trip, or an event like BBQ Fest. I happen to live in one of the most fun and interesting neighborhoods of the South, and there’s nothing wrong with a 4-day staycation in Downtown Memphis.

There’s a beer festival coming up this weekend, and even though it’s not Downtown I’ll mention just about anything involving beer. The Snowden beer fest will be this Saturday at the Snowden Grove Ampitheatre in Southaven. More details here. Mississippi’s Lazy Magnolia will be the featured brewery, but other regional breweries will be involved as well.

Heat index will be pushing 120 in parts of Memphis today. Downtown, the CCC’s Blue Suede Brigade will be on the lookout for people who need help out of the heat. Call 575-0540 if you see someone needing help.

As part of National Night Out, there will be a potluck thank-you dinner to support our local police tonight at Central Station from 6 to 8. Bring a dish and come meet the officers that protect you. Soft drinks provided, beer and wine available for purchase. This is the first year they’ve incorporated beer and wine into the Night Out celebration, and my prediction is that attendance will at least double as a result.

Trivia tonight at the Saucer at 7.  Pint Nite tonight at Bardog, all draft beers $3 7 PM to 3 AM.

Ferraro’s Pizza and Pub at 111 Jackson will have UFC 117 Saturday, with no cover.  Of course, I’m sure they’d love it if you order a pizza and some beer while you watch.  Or a stromboli and beer.  Or a sandwich and beer. With $2.50 PBR, you really can’t go wrong.

A lot of people are complaining that their air conditioner was only built to keep the indoor temp 20 degrees cooler than the outdoor temp.  With highs headed toward 105 this week, that’s not good.  I don’t know about you but 85 is not my idea of comfort.

I came home tonight to my apartment in Number 10 Main to find the thermostat set in the mid-60s where I’ve left it for the past month or so.  As you can see on the temp gauge at the bottom, the A/C has just about got it there, despite the fact that the heat index outside (at 10 PM) is still hovering around 100.