Month: June 2011

EXCELLENT deal on LivingSocial today. $10 for $20 worth of food and drink at Max’s Sports Bar. If you’ve never tried Max’s, now is the time. Sports on 10 TVs, Buzztime trivia and poker, large outdoor deck, friendly regulars. It’s in the Arcade building on G.E. Patterson, next to the Cheesecake Corner. I bet Mikey is mortgaging everything he owns today, to raise funds to purchase as many of these deals as possible.

It’s Wet Your Whistle Wednesday at AutoZone Park tonight. $10 gets you an outfield box ticket to see the Redbirds, a 16 oz. PBR, and a PBR koozie. Game starts at 7:05. Why not wear a red tube top in support of the Redbirds?

From the CA: The French Fort neighborhood (near the Metal Museum) will be a lab in urban design. There will be a workshop for young professionals under 35 Thursday night. Cool deal. For years I’ve thought this neighborhood, just south of Crump, had a lot of potential and would be the next logical extension of Downtown.

From the Huffington Post: A study proved that students with later classes sleep more, but also get drunk more and get lower grades. Really? It was necessary to do a study to prove that? When I was at Rhodes I avoided 8 AM classes like the plague.

Eventful night last night. Met up with Hurricane Zane at the Saucer, then went next door to the Silly Goose for their trivia night. We had entertainment – a guy was passed out on the grass next to the parking garage next to the Goose. While I was on the patio watching his friends trying to get him up, I caught a bum parking cars on the Tri-State Bank lot at Main and Beale. Knowing that this particular bum had been criminally trespassed from the lot, I called the Downtown safety patrol (281-9146). A few minutes later, a police car rolled onto the lot. Busted! If you park on that lot, only give money to someone in an attendant’s uniform or who has an official Premier Parking employment ID.

We merged two teams to become the Deep-Fried Rapscallions, and won the first-place prize of $50. We’re also now among the leaders for the $300 3-month prize that will be awarded at the end of August. After trivia, we walked up the Main Street Mall to Bardog (something interesting happened along the way, but I’m not allowed to blog it). A few more beers at Bardog brought an end to a most enjoyable night.

Plans for tonight: “Buy the Beer, Keep the Glass” night at the Flying Saucer. It’s the Father’s Day glass, featuring “Father of the Year” Charlie Sheen. DUH, WHINING. Glasses go on sale at 7 PM, unless you have an M.O.U. card and can purchase them early. Bardog Tavern posted to Facebook “Be here at 8:30 to get a free Budweiser,” so my nightly Bardog stop will happen around 8. Not playing poker this week, will be upstairs. I LUV me some free beer!

At lunch I posted about the Thursday night Main/Peabody Place block party. Now getting more details about specials particular businesses plan on running. The Majestic Grille sent out an email blast, saying they will have fish tacos and sangria on the patio. Fish tacos! 11 years ago I was eating them on the patio at Pacific Beach Bar & Grill… that was the bar where the cast of Real World San Diego got in a fight. Well, it was one of the bars where they got into a fight. Damn Robin from the San Diego cast looked amazing in a tube top.

Sorry to brag, but I’m really proud of my ability to slip a tube top reference into just about any topic in the world.

Down the Main Street Mall a few doors, Bar None will be grilling chicken and steak skewers. There will also be a small bar serving Bar None Punch, made with Malibu Cherry/Cranberry Rum.

Tomorrow (Wednesday) is the beginning of Guess Your Weight Wednesday at Dream Berry Yogurt. Grab your yogurt and your toppings, and then before putting it on the scale, guess its weight (for example, 5.4 oz., or if you’re the Nuh-Uh Girl, 36.9 oz.). If you’re correct within one ounce, you get 50% off.

Our idiotic state legislature and Gov. Haslam have finally done something right! Haslam signed a bill making it legal for liquor stores to hand out samples. Good way to let people try new things and broaden their appreciation for fine liquors! Wonder if CeCe’s on Madison will start handing out samples of Dark Eyes Vodka to the bums.

Christine by Shelton Clothiers has put together a group discount for Memphis the Musical. The seats are in the Orchestra area for the Friday, October 21 show. Bring $79 cash or a check payable to Christine by Shelton Clothiers to the store on or before June 30. Tickets sell for $96 individually. Not only will you get the deal, but an invitation to a “Commit to the Tix” open house on Thursday, June 30 from 5 to 9 PM with wine and hors d’oeuvres.

Melissa Moon from Channel 3 (@melissamoon3) sent out an interesting tweet today: Best Companies for Veterans. The article profiles the 10 companies best known for hiring those with military experience, and this being Flag Day I thought I’d share. The bad news is that none of the companies is in Memphis, but sometimes when opportunity doesn’t find you, you have to go to opportunity.

Plans are still up in the air for tonight… time to shoot out a few texts and figure out where everyone is going. Silly Goose, Ferraro’s and Bardog are the likely candidates.

Actually, it’s not just June any more, but “Memorial Day weekend through July 4 weekend is Tube Top Month” won’t fit on a plate.

Thursday is the third Thursday of the month, which means it will be time for another block party in the Main and Peabody Place area. There will be music by Star & Micey, Blind Mississippi Morris, and the Johnny Yancey trio. Shops and restaurants will have specials and discounts. This is a great way to pre-game before heading to Lucero on the Peabody rooftop, or to another party in the area if you have one to attend. Free to the public, and music starts at 5:30.

Of particular interest at the Third Thursday party: My friends Shelton Clothiers will celebrate their 6th anniversary Downtown. They’re throwing a party to help the recent flood and tornado victims. A minimum $5 donation to the Red Cross gets you award-winning Squeal Street BBQ and Ghost River beer. Squeal Street BBQ? I’ll be there! Not only is their food delicious, but I deeply admire how organized their team was at BBQ Fest. Not everyone can pull that off. There’s a 20% off special at Shelton, and at the women’s store Christine by Shelton Clothiers down the street, for the entire month of June.

More clothing store news: Kerry from the I Love Memphis Blog is teaming up with Lansky at the Peabody to give away a pair of Tom’s shoes to a lucky guy and lucky lady. All you have to do is send a photo of your grossest, grubbiest, worn-out shoes. Details here. Wish I hadn’t thrown away an old pair of sandals earlier this week. They might have won.

The Memphis Flyer has a good article about Johnny G’s Creole Kitchen, the new restaurant on Beale. I want to eat there soon. Friends of mine have been and told me the food is very good (the shrimp po-boy in particular was raved about) and the prices very reasonable. Why do I keep overlooking Beale Street when deciding where to have dinner? Several of its restaurants are not bad at all.

There’s a Wootoff today.

Seen on Twitter this morning: Top Ten Most Annoyingly Misused Homonyms and Non-Words. Yep. Agree with all of those and would add “specific/pacific” to the list. I once was asked to join a professional organization, and was told to “be very pacific” when describing what I do for my job. I didn’t join.

Majestic Grille co-owner Deni Reilly will be on Local Color on WKNO this week, along with event producer Kim Hill and Chris Davis from the Flyer. They will discuss local cocktails and music, and list their favorite signature drinks around town. It will air at 6:30 PM Thursday and 1:30 PM Saturday on WKNO, and 11 PM Thursday on WKNO2. Set your DVRs!

What to do tonight, where to go? It used to be so easy… we’d all meet at the Saucer for trivia. The gang seems to be pretty much done with Saucer trivia, although one of our group has been doing “Saucer trivia” on Twitter the past couple of weeks and it’s been pretty hilarious. Ferraro’s has upped the stakes on their trivia night (starts 8 PM). They’re offering a trial run of their $15 all-you-can-eat pizza and all-you-can-drink PBR deal. $50 to the winning team and a pitcher of PBR to the team with the best name. If there is a 3-way tie for best team name, there will be a dance-off. I’m surprised Saucer management didn’t think of including a dance-off when they revised their trivia night a few months ago.

Then on the other hand, some of my group have been going to trivia at the Silly Goose (also 8 PM). Very much like the old Flying Saucer format (not the current format), and good questions. I wish members of the group would more careful checking into Foursquare though; it attracted unwanted attention last week.

Meanwhile, there are other, non-trivia options as well, including Pint Night at Bardog (all drafts $3, including the most premium draft of all, PBR). Bar None has a tremendous deal, $5 half-yard drafts, tonight. All of these things are good options. Then again, I could stop by the Saucer, and exercise my Master of the Universe powers to get the “DUH, WHINING” glass early. Which option to choose for tonight? We’ll see…

(Edited to add: I knew I forgot to mention something. Tuesday night is steak night at the Downtown Monkey. I won’t be there myself, but friends who went last week praised it. If you like to eat, and you like steak, you should check it out.)

Whaddaya think?

Better?

A good friend and BBQ teammate of mine is moving back to Memphis this week and is looking for a place to live. Anyone know of anything? Communications are sparse with him because of his job, but I believe he’s looking for a 1 BR or studio apartment Downtown, and might also be open to a roommate situation. Not sure of price range – he works on the barges on the Mississippi, no idea what they make. He’d likely prefer an apartment with a lot of tube top hotties in it, but would be interested in hearing about anything. Would like to have him Downtown so he can hang with his friends. Email me at paul@paulryburn.com if you know of anything.

Dammit. We’re nearing the halfway point of Tube Top Month and this blog has positively SUCKED in terms of photo quality. Determined to do something about that tonight. Just walked home from the Saucer in the rain and got soaked, but I’m going back out. My readers deserve tube tops and they’re going to get them.

Velvet Sky

She’s in town for TNA BaseBrawl at AutoZone Park tonight. Unfortunately none of the photos on her profile page are of her in a tube top, because she looks damn good in one.

The Orpheum Summer Movie Series continues tonight, with “The Big Lebowski” showing at 7:15. In honor of The Dude’s favorite drink they will have a White Russian drink special. In addition, you can wear a bowling shirt or bathrobe to be entered to play in “Walter’s Over the Line Bowling Tournament.”

Bar None will be getting in on the fun too. They’ll have $4 White Russians and $3 “The Dude” flavored Three Olives vodka all night. That vodka is awesome. Tastes just like Mountain Dew. $25 gift card to be awarded to the best character costume after the movie.

Hard Rock Cafe will celebrate the 40th anniversary of the company’s founding Tuesday, June 14, and there will be a special for our men and women in uniform. Police officers, firefighters, EMTs and active military members can get a burger for 71 cents, in honor of Hard Rock’s 1971 founding.

Good news for poker players: A key conservative has joined forces with Harry Reid in the movement to legalize online poker. Let’s get this done soon!

I’ve been checking into Facebook Places more, and am starting to see the value in it. Last night I checked in at Bardog, and a Facebook friend who lives nearby came up to hang out. I still think Foursquare is the premier check-in service, but I have four times as many friends on Facebook as I do on Foursquare. Not that I’m going to quit Foursquare – I want to maintain my Flying Saucer, Bardog and Number 10 mayorships for as long as possible!

The one network I’ve been ignoring lately is Twitter. Between Facebook and Foursquare (and texting), I just don’t have enough phone battery left to do much tweeting. Thankfully, though, some of my friends have done a more than adequate job stirring up drama on Twitter during my relative silence. Apologies, though, to people who got used to a large number of tube top tweets last June and are disappointed this year.

Speaking of tube tops: I really need to step it up on the photos! I’ll have the camera out this weekend and hope to take and post some quality tube top shots.

The morons in the Tennessee State Legislature are at it again. The buzz on the Internet yesterday was about a law they passed this session, making it a crime for someone to publish images on the Internet that “another person could reasonably find offensive.” The law is clearly unconstitutional, but while it’s on the books, do bloggers have something to worry about? For example, suppose I embedded the video Propecia the Crack Whore Goes on a Blind Date in a blog post. Could real-life crack whores find it offensive and press charges against me? (WARNING: If you click through to watch that video at work, use headphones.)

I sure hope the state legislature has nothing against tube tops, or I may have to move to another state.

Lots going on to blog about, so let’s get started…

Garry Goin and G3 will play the Peabody rooftop party tonight. They’re the group that used to be the house band at EP’s. Food theme will be German/Austrian this week, with buffet (included in price of admission) of bratwurst, rolls, German mustard, sauerkraut, German potato salad and dill pickles. The buffet in VIP will have knockwurst with rolls and German mustard, sliced sausage and cheese, and deviled eggs. $10 to get in, ladies free before 7.

VIP pass holders get admission to a pre-party from 5 to 6 in the Corner Bar. Yuengling and a food buffet of chili glazed chicken wings, calamari fritti, and an antipasto platter. Free food? Wonder if the Nuh-Uh Girl will show up.

There’s also an after-party in the Corner Bar from 10 to 12 that is free for everyone. Josh Crosby and Nick Redmond from Star and Micey will play. Drink sales will benefit the Memphis Music Foundation.

Over at the Madison, Joyce Cobb will be the featured entertainer this week for “Sunset Atop the Madison.” Doors open at 5:30, sunset at 8:13. $7 cover, cash bar and tapas available. At 10:30 a DJ takes over for “Moonlight Atop the Madison,” free for Sunset attendees, $5 otherwise.

Meanwhile, over in Handy Park, David Allan Coe and Brad Kessler will play tonight. Free with $10 food/drink purchase.

And across the street at Alfred’s will be the “Play for Jay” event, with casino games, cash bar, live music and food. Proceeds will benefit the Jay Uiberall Legacy Fund scholarship. More details here.

A group of my friends ate, or I should say attempted to eat, at Happy Mexican last night. The waiter told them that an ID and credit card were required before they could even order. Manager said this is a requirement for parties of six or more. They got up and left and ate at Spaghetti Warehouse instead. What the hell? It’s been discussed on Twitter this morning and a Commercial Appeal columnist has been notified about the experience. I hope she does a column on it. That rule is ridiculous.

Ferraro’s is doing the $15 all-you-can-eat pizza and all-you-can-drink PBR night for Thursday karaoke night. I’ve heard a rumor – and this is as of yet an UNCONFIRMED rumor – that the $15 deal may be coming to Tuesday trivia night soon. The Nuh-Uh Girl will never miss another Tuesday there again if that turns out to be true!

Next Tuesday is the monthly South Main Association meeting. It will be at Earnestine & Hazel’s and the speaker will be Veronica Sally-Garner. She is the coordinator of the South Main Precinct neighborhood watch program. 6 to 9 PM, happy hour prices on beer, free soul burgers for members. Free food? Wonder if the Nuh-Uh Girl will show up.

On Saturday, you can meet TNA wrestlers and get free tickets to TNA BaseBrawl that night at AutoZone Park. Go to Direct Auto Insurance from 2:00-2:45 PM to meet “The King of the Mountain” Jeff Jarrett. Get an insurance quote, and you’ll get a free autograph and a ticket to BaseBrawl. Watch out if he picks up his guitar!

From 11 AM to 1 PM, “The Blueprint” Matt Morgan and Velvet Sky will be at Direct Auto Insurance at 2552 Covington Pike. Same deal – get a quote, receive an autograph and ticket. Velvet Sky is HOTTTTTTTTTT. She looks amazing in a tube top. I would marry her!

There’s a Memphis Blogging Boot Camp to be held on Saturday, June 25 from 10 AM to 2 PM. It’s for new and intermediate bloggers. Learn about topics like how to set up a blog, integrating social media, themes, moderating comments, finding your niche, blogging for money, keywords, and understanding SEO (search engine optimization). I haven’t heard of the company presenting the seminar before, but they’re using WordPress, which is far and away the best blogging platform, so I’m going to recommend this. Seminar will be at Jason’s Deli conference room. Register here.

Plans for tonight: I was leaning toward going to the rooftop, but photos I’ve seen on Facebook are now swaying me in the direction of Bardog. What the hell did I miss there last night? Shouldn’t have left right after poker. Maybe I’ll get more texts from someone telling me how “gangsta” she is. Geez. Right now, though, it’s time to make a quick run to Target, then back to an afternoon of website updates in my air-conditioned office. Later!

Last night I had a few warm-up beers at the Saucer, then headed to Bardog for the Wednesday night poker tournament in the Underdog. The potential opponent I tried to invite decided to be antisocial, but that was fine, I ended up having someone to pick on. Look who made a surprise guest appearance:

Yep it’s the one and only BRICK!!!!! As far as I know this was her first appearance at Bardog. Here she is modeling the PBR suspenders Poker Jon brought me.

Brick brought her BFF Kalista, who ended up winning.

I made an early exit from the tournament, after shoving my 1600 chips in under the gun with 10-8 unsuited, with the blinds 200/400 and about to go up. What can I say, I’m a maniac who will play any two cards!

Afterward, I hung out with Uncle Ray upstairs.

Bardog was once again tube top deficient, which was kind of surprising considering Suzy was there.

It’s Thursday… I need to do a Peabody rooftop post at lunchtime… plus whatever other news comes along. Once again I’m in decision mode between rooftop and poker at Max’s Sports Bar. Right now though, it’s time to get dressed and go to work in my air-conditioned office!