Month: December 2010

The big news Downtown is that City Market opens today! Located at the corner of Main and Union, City Market is the Downtown core’s newest grocery and deli. It will be open until 10 Monday-Saturday night which is great news. It’s also great news for people who keep health-conscious diets, as the shelves will contain products you might find at Whole Foods or Fresh Market. It’s owned by Sunny and Hamida Pirani, two super nice people who I’ve had the pleasure of knowing for a couple of years. Please come support them! Here’s a Commercial Appeal article about the new market. I haven’t been by yet but will probably stop in tomorrow.

One thing I forgot to mention when I posted about everything going on Saturday… if you come to South Main for the Rock’n’Romp or the holiday parade, stop by 517 S. Main between 3 and 9 PM for a Christmas bazaar featuring handmade goods by local vendors. It’s presented by Indie Style Market.

I have to laugh at a position @tmj_mem_jobs tweeted yesterday. There’s a Specimen Management Representative job open at Concentra. I recognized that name immediately because it’s where I had to go to take my drug test for my current job. Well, I guess it’s the type of job where no one could blame you if you got really pissy at work.

Don’t forget that it’s open house night at Shelton Clothiers and Christine by Shelton tonight from 5 to 9. Chair massages from Mona Spa, 20% off everything in the store, get a $25 gift card free when you buy a $50 card. Giveaways, food, wine. Free food? Wonder if the Nuh-Uh Girl will show up.

Trying to decide what to do tonight… there’s a WordPress meetup at Republic Coffee at 6 PM. My friend Otto (Otto42 in the WordPress community) is trying to talk me into going. Hmmm… could do that… then again it is poker night at Max’s Sports Bar… or I could always go to the Saucer and do the usual. Lots of options.

Right now it’s lunchtime though. Hungry for Mexican.

There are a lot of events going on Downtown Saturday, December 4. Here’s a quick list.

The Memphis Marathon, half-marathon and St. Jude 5K happen Saturday morning. Runners take off from AutoZone Park at 7:15 (5K) and 8:00 (marathon and half-marathon). All races except the family race are sold out at this point. Funds raised from the events will benefit St. Jude. Visit the Memphis Marathon home page for more info.

Some of the Stumblin’ Santa attendees (see below) plan on meeting outside The Pyramid at 8 AM, in costume, to cheer on the runners. If you’re stumbling Saturday night and want to put on your Santa suit early and join them, they say you’re more than welcome.

At 2 PM there will be a family-friendly event at 409 S. Main – The Rock’n’Romp. This is a rocking concert with music by The Luv Clowns, Cody Dickinson, and Gasoline Grace. Adults must be accompanied by kids to get in. Free for kids, $5 adults.

This isn’t a Downtown event, but one a lot of Downtowners are interested in: The SEC championship game on CBS at 3 PM Central time. Not only are fans of Auburn and South Carolina, the participating teams, going to be watching this one, but Arkansas fans as well. If Auburn wins, they advance to the BCS National Championship, and Arkansas will likely be invited to the Sugar Bowl.

The Memphis Holiday Parade happens at 5 PM on South Main between G.E. Patterson and the Orpheum. Bands, dancers, floats, scooters, and of course a special appearance by Santa Claus. This year Jerry “The King” Lawler, who main evented WWE Monday Night Raw this week, will be the grand marshal.

The Memphis Tigers host Western Kentucky at the FedExForum at 7.

Also at 7, the granddaddy of all Memphis pub crawls, “Bob and Roland’s Stumblin’ Santa,” will begin at the Flying Saucer. There are Elvis crawls, Snuggie crawls, and more, but this is the first and the finest. Today they released their list of bars – after starting at the Saucer, Santas will crawl through Alfred’s, 152, and Coyote Ugly. There are so many Santas expected that they will likely have to break into groups and rotate through the three Beale bars in shifts. If you want to participate, show up at the Saucer at 7 PM in costume – preferably Santa, but there have also been Mrs. Claus, reindeer, elves and Christmas trees in past pub crawls. Be sure to bring a toy for the Ronald McDonald House. Since these toys will be shared among many kids, they’re not accepting stuffed animals due to germ concerns. For latest news on the pub crawl, find the event “BOB AND ROLAND’S 6TH ANNUAL STUMBLIN’ SANTA!!!!!!!!!” on Facebook and click Attending or Maybe Attending.

Not sure if I’ll be stumbling this year… it’s a friend’s birthday and the one weekend this month he’ll be in town, so whatever he wants to do. I have the costume if need be, but I’ve done SS twice before and am comfortable missing it if he’d rather do something else. If I don’t stumble I’ll buy a toy and drop it in the box before 7 Saturday. Others who want to donate a toy but can’t attend the pub crawl can bring it to the Saucer before that date and time.