Happy Friday! The big news, of course, is that Shane Battier is once again a Memphis Grizzly. People have been debating the pros and cons of the trade, but I for one am very happy to have him back. Welcome home, Shane. I hope you soon get that Soul Burger you’ve been craving.
There’s a press conference at the FedExForum at 3 today to welcome Battier and fellow new Grizzly Ish Smith to the team. All are invited.
Potentially sad news: A. Schwab is for sale. This could mean the end of the 135-year-old “dry goods” store on Beale Street. If you have never visited this store, GO IMMEDIATELY. There is no other store like this in the world. Authentically Memphis and a true throwback to the dry goods stores in which our great-great-grandparents shopped.
Congratulations to Bardog Tavern, whose chili was selected as best chili in Memphis by a panel of chefs. Congratulations to Chef Demitrie and everyone at the friendly neighborhood bar.
Rhodes professor Jennifer Dabbs Sciubba has started a blog, The Future Faces of War, to promote her new book. If you want some insight on how demographics have contributed to the uprisings in the Middle East, check it out.
Lanksy 126, the contemporary denim boutique in the Peabody, is hiring for retail positions, full and part time. The Lansky family would be fantastic people to learn from, in terms of both sales and customer service skills. They’d prefer candidates with previous retail experience. Hit them up at sales@lanskybros.com if you’d like to apply.
Wendy of Wendy Eats has started a restaurant roll call on the right sidebar of her blog. Good resource to have to quickly access Memphis restaurant web sites.
Last night, instead of going out right after work, I stayed at home, raised the blinds, and watched the storm blow through. I watched the first sheets of rain come over the river, smash into the Residence Inn down the street, and then blow sideways into the rest of Downtown. I wish I’d had the camera in video mode. Would’ve been neat to capture. Never lost power, but the cable modem went out a little after 7. I’d been thinking about entering a 6:45 tournament on PokerStars. It was a good thing I didn’t.
Hung out at the Saucer later in the evening. Apologies to a couple of my friends for hovering right behind you the entire time, instead of taking a seat at the bar like a normal person would. But, if I hadn’t done it, someone else would have.
Plans for tonight: Not sure. It’s Trolley Night on South Main. May do that, may just hang out at the bars in the core. Beer will be involved at some point; that much I know.