Year: 2011

Tomorrow the Memphis Flyer’s “Best Of” issue hits the stands. I didn’t receive tickets to their annual “Best Of” party two weeks prior, which means for the first time since 2005 I didn’t place in the Best Blog category. I’m actually OK with it. I’m not going to lie, winning is fun (TM Josh Pastner), but I’ve been there, done that enough times.

Tell ya a quick story. A few weeks ago, I was standing at my usual spot at the bar at the Saucer, and a guy came up and introduced himself. He had just moved from a new city (Miami I think?) because he had a job offer here. “I really wasn’t sure whether I wanted to take the job and move to Memphis,” he told me, “but then I found your blog and started reading it, and I realized there’s a lot going on here.” That’s really cool, to know that the good things I’ve written about Downtown Memphis made a big difference in someone’s life. At this stage in my blog’s life, that means more to me than winning the award. Thanks to all who read my blog, and those who did vote for me. As for my prediction who will win, I would be shocked if it’s not Kerry. Her blog has opened people’s eyes to a ton of cool things happening in Memphis.

I do think she’ll be knocked out of the top spot as best Twitterer, though. Grizzlies guard Tony Allen’s tweets are absolute works of art.

After voting closed, I meant to do a “who I voted for” post but never got around to it. Let me see what I can remember… I know I voted for the Majestic Grille in about umpteen categories (best restaurant, patio, martini and a few others I can’t think of right now). For Best Service, I had to go with Bardog, since it’s rare that I get more than a few steps in the door before the bartender is holding up a beer for me. Jean from Bardog was my pick for Best Server.

Saucer was my vote for Best Beer Selection and Best Bar.

For Best Lunch and Best New Restaurant, I went with LUNCHBOXeats.

I really hope that Michele Fields of Max’s Sports Bar gets the recognition she deserves as Best Bartender this year. She was my vote. Max’s was my vote for best place to watch sports.

For Best Memphis Success, the choice was clear – the Grizzlies. I didn’t vote for Best Memphis Failure, but I look forward to voting for R.C. Johnson next year if he’s still around.

It will be funny if the Blue Monkey wins Best Karaoke Bar two days after announcing they’re doing away with karaoke. If they do win, I hope they don’t take it as a sign that they should bring it back.

Can’t wait to grab a Flyer after work tomorrow and see who are the winners. Congratulations in advance to all who placed.

Apologies for the lack of a lunchtime blog post. Our fiber optic cable got severed at work, and we didn’t have Internet access until the cable was replaced around 4:15. I had Internet through my phone, but trying to do a long post via the WordPress iPhone app was more work than I wanted to attempt.

The Memphis Tigers Facebook fan page is censoring negative comments about their players, coaches, and administration. My prediction is that the page will have a starring role in “What Not To Do In Social Media” presentations over the next 12 months. I guess the U of M’s marketing department is as incompetent as their athletic department.

Time to go get a beer. If anyone wants to play trivia tonight, shoot me a text. If I don’t hear from anyone I’m probably not going over there.

It’s 12:50, one of the earliest Tuesday updates I’ve ever done. However, there’s a reason I’m up this late: I won poker at the Silly Goose! $50 bar tab. I bought my runner-up Michael Bean a drink and have $35 left. That’s $79 total poker winnings and I’ll spend it one of these days when in the mood.

Trivia master Kevin Cerrito has announced something new for Tuesday trivia at Ferraro’s Pizzeria and Pub. During trivia, which starts at 8 PM, there will be $1 PBR. Hard to find a better deal on PBR than that! Otherwise, same format, prize for best team name and if there’s a three-way tie for best team name, there will be a dance-off.

This is pretty cool… replicas of The Nina and the Pinta, two of the three ships Columbus took on his first voyage to the New World, will be parked in the Memphis Riverboat Harbor October 14-23. These are said to be the most accurate replicas ever built. Admission will be $8 for adults, $7 for seniors, $60 age 5-16, and school tours are available. More info here. Thanks to Jake for the tip.

There will be a DVD release party for Memphis Heat: The True Story of Memphis Wrasslin’ at Central BBQ on Central, 4-7 PM, Friday, September 30. The event is free and open to the public. You’ll be able to enjoy the best of Memphis wrestling from the ’50s to the ’70s while enjoying sausage and cheese plates. Free food? Wonder if the Nuh-Uh Girl will show up.

Flying Saucer turned on the sound for the Monday Night Football game tonight. Glad they finally got a clue. Football draws customers, not a roast of Charlie Sheen.

Going to bed. 0 dark 30 comes awful early in the morning.

Right as I was leaving for lunch today, I got a text from a friend of mine. This particular friend is the Foursquare “mayor” of the Downtown Blue Monkey, and he probably spends as much time there as I do at the Flying Saucer. He was having lunch, talking to one of the owners, and he shared some interesting news with me.

The people at the Monkey have decided that their Saturday karaoke night, which has been going for about the past year, has run its course. For now they’re just going to focus on being a great little neighborhood bar with good food, good service and good regulars. Eventually their plan is to have live music on Saturdays.

I think this is an EXCELLENT move by the Monkey. Although some people like karaoke, it doesn’t appeal to everyone, and former regulars who gave up Saturday nights there may well come back. And what a great space to have live music! Kudos, kudos, kudos on a top-drawer idea. Best decision any Downtown Memphis bar has made since the Saucer went nonsmoking.

I just realized, it’s been nearly six months since I last stopped in. Maybe this Saturday I need to go in and hang out at Leigh-Ann’s bar, chat with my buddies Clay and Robo, and take a pic of their hot wing egg rolls or their Cuban sandwich for my “Paul’s Food Find” blog feature.

Their decision is music to my ears! Great job!

Friday is September 30, the last Friday of the month, and that means it will be South Main Trolley Night time! September often has the best weather of any Trolley Night of the year, and organizers are planning a big night, with a lot going on. Here are some of the activities that will happen from 6 to 9:

– Amy LaVere and John Paul Keith and the 145s will play at Earnestine & Hazel’s, for a fundraiser for Mayor Wharton

– A tentative appearance by Al Kapone has been scheduled; a rare chance to hear the creator of Hustle & Flow’s hit songs

– Rizzo’s Diner, Chef Michael Patrick’s new restaurant, will open. Call 523-2227 for reservations. Seating will be limited.

– Keith Sykes’ CD release party will happen at The Warehouse ($5 cover)

– Kyle Garriga will play on the deck of Max’s Sports Bar

– Mid-South Fashion Week kickoff at Sache

– Many shops and galleries will be open, some with complimentary wine, beer and appetizers (free food? Wonder if the Nuh-Uh Girl will show up.)

– The South Main Association will sell all-you-can-drink Ghost River beer for $5. They’ll also be selling wine and champagne ($4 and $5 respectively; unfortunately not all-you-can-drink like the beer).

– If all-you-can-drink is more than you need, Whitney and Brittney will be selling individual Ghost River beers at their stands for $3 a cup.

The trolley night is a celebration of Memphis music, kicking off the Memphis Music Foundation’s “Memphis Means Music” month. I’ll be down there and hope to see you there as well!

Relaxing Sunday Fun Day yesterday. Started the day with a few beers at the Saucer. Then I headed south to Max’s Sports Bar, where I was treated to a second BBQ discussion with members of Squeal Street. The rain started and I went inside and pretended to care about NFL football. Once the storm passed, I headed back north for a few more beers at the Saucer. I finished the night with Paul’s Drunkass Food at Wang’s, where I ended up watching “Hilbilly Handfishin'” with the owner and the bartender. As a friend of mine likes to say, don’t judge.

Plans for tonight: Well, it’s Monday, so Pint Nite at the Saucer of course. I’ll play it by ear whether I feel like going next door to the Goose for poker at 9.

WOOOHOOO! Just got some fantastic news! Details in this evening’s blog post.

… who is sick and tired of the embarrassment that is the Tigers football team.

Read Air Traffic Mike’s rant here.

FIRE R.C.!

The Memphis Tigers absolutely proved yesterday why they should drop to FCS/Division I-AA in football. They were shut out by SMU 42-0. The only time they ever got near scoring, they managed to find a way to turn it over on downs on 4th and goal.

I got to the Saucer to watch the game about midway through the first quarter, and was just stunned by how bad the Tigers were. The game was nearly unwatchable. To take my mind off it, I ordered food. I went with one of the new menu items I had not yet tried, the hummus.

Let me see if I can describe the hummus in only one sentence.

The wings at the Saucer was very flavorable, and the hummus was decent, meaning it was average in taste, as compared to other restaurants where I get this dish, like the Amoco Food Mart on Poplar (although, my personal preference is dishes with meat in them, so people who eat a lot of hummus may feel differently).

Yes, I know “flavorable” is not a word, unlike some bloggers.

Seriously, though, the hummus was OK. If you’re at the Saucer already, and you’re in the mood for hummus, it’s perfectly acceptable. If I were going somewhere Downtown specifically to get hummus, though, I’d probably hit South of Beale instead.

My Arkansas Razorbacks shirt was not too popular with the day staff at the Saucer. Christina in particular was not pleased when she asked what other teams I pull for, and I replied “whoever’s playing Tennessee.”

About 1:30 I headed south to Max’s Sports Bar. I grabbed a seat at one of the tables and watched the rest of the horrendous Memphis game. I’ve absolutely had it. If one or both of R.C. Johnson/Larry Porter is not fired this week, I’m going to consider rooting against the Tigers for the rest of the season. Sports writer Dan Wolken tweeted that Larry Porter may be the worst head coach in the entire history of Division I-A, and I can’t see a reason to disagree.

With that fiasco over, it was time to turn attention to the Arkansas-Alabama game, and a bet my friends made last year. My friends Stevie G and Zane bet on the Arkansas-LSU game last November. The Hogs won, which meant that at some point this year, Zane had to put on Stevie G’s classic 1978-model Hog Hat for a quarter of a Razorbacks game. Yesterday, Zane fulfilled his agreement.

The Hog Hat didn’t do much good, though, as Arkansas fell to Bama 38-14. It was hard to tell, but I hope the game was a sign that Bama is that damn good, not that Arkansas is that damn bad. We’ll find out next week when the Hogs play Texas A&M in Dallas. There were a lot of disappointed Razorback fans at the bar, but Bama fan Moody was quite happy.

Major props to bartender Lauren. The place was packed all afternoon and she was both bartender and server, yet rarely did anyone have an empty glass.

About 7:00 I rode the trolley north, changed, and went to the Brass Door’s alley party. There was a $5 cover to get in, which I was happy to pay. The Brass Door did a couple of things at their alley party that I thought were particularly good moves. One was reasonably priced food. They were grilling out, and were selling $3 burgers and $4 Irish bangers. Some outdoor festivals jack their food prices up so high that you feel like you’re eating at the Memphis airport. This one didn’t. I had an Irish banger with grilled caramelized onions on a bun, and it was delicious.

The other really good move they made was booking WALRUS as the 9 PM band. WALRUS has a dedicated following around town, and with them on the bill a lot of people were guaranteed to show up, even if some of them previously had no idea what the Brass Door was. Booking them at the time when the most people would be out basically guaranteed the alley party would be a success. The Candy Company, who played before WALRUS, was quite good too. I hate it that I didn’t make it to see Irish band Big Betsy who closed the party, especially since some of my college classmates play in the band. I hope I get to catch them at a show in The Cavern sometime soon.

Now we move on to the second half of the weekend, Sunday Fun Day. Normally I start at the Majestic, but I drink mimosas there. After the long day yesterday, I can’t see myself starting with anything stronger than beer. So I think I’m going to take the week off from the Majestic. Probably my running order will be Saucer, then (weather permitting) head south to Max’s Sports Bar about 3 to see Whitney at her new job. That’ll be four days in a row at Max’s for me, for the first time in a while.

Since the Saucer doesn’t open until 12, I have nowhere to be for the next two hours and thirty minutes. Think I’ll treat myself to a nap. Happy Sunday Fun Day and try to stay dry!

FIRE R.C.!

Chef Michael Patrick, who has previously cooked up delicious food at McEwen’s, EP Delta Kitchen, Mesquite Chop House and Itta Bena, has announced the opening of his own restaurant. Rizzo’s Diner will open on Friday, September 30 (September Trolley Night) in the space formerly occupied by Harry’s Detour on G.E. Patterson.

The cuisine will be Southern inspired dining fare, with the Chef’s fine dining twists and interpretations. Lunch will be $6-11 with meat and three options, sandwiches, and healthy salads. Dinner will be elegant diner style cuisine with a $16-22 price point. The restaurant will have homemade desserts, and hopes to have wine and beer permits within the month to come.

Chef Patrick has moved around from restaurant to restaurant quite a bit over the past six years, but he wants to stress that this is different. He is not only the chef, but the OWNER, and he doesn’t plan on going anywhere else for quite some time. He thinks that the combination of the vibrant South Main neighborhood, his reputation, and his excellent food will make this a viable business for years to come.

The Chef noticed that many restaurants in South Main are not open on Mondays, and he often saw people pulling on doors, peering in windows. He wants to stress that Rizzo’s will be open Monday nights. Hours will be lunch 11 to 2:30, dinner 5-10 weeknights and 5-11 Friday-Saturday. The restaurant will be closed Sunday and Monday day.

As for the big hole in the ground next door to Rizzo’s, in the near future it will be filled in. The plan is to eventually offer outdoor dining and live music in this space.

We miss Harry’s but this should be a fantastic addition to South Main! Looking forward to eating many delicious meals there.

BarCamp Jonesboro is happening today. Keep an eye on the #BCJonesboro hashtag from lots of good stuff from experts who live not far from here. I’m not going because I have stuff to do (football, beer) but am definitely going to keep an eye on that hashtag and hope I score some new tips for work, and for my own sites.

In general, I’ve found that watching the designated hashtag anytime there’s a social media event is a great way to pick up information.

As usual, I started my Friday night at the Flying Saucer. I found many of the members of the Squeal Street BBQ team sitting in the window, and decided to join them from a few beers. They told me all about the Smokin’ Aces BBQ contest in Tunica last weekend, where they brought home several awards. I just couldn’t be more impressed with that team. Well organized, strong leadership, and any time they get a chance to attend a BBQ cooking or judging class, they do. They have a lot of fun but are in it to win.

They told me the next BBQ festival they’re preparing for is a new one, to be held December 30-31 in conjunction with the Liberty Bowl. More info on the Liberty Bowl website.

About 8:00 I headed south to Max’s Sports Bar, where Windell the Miller High Life guy made an appearance. Here are a few pics:

Busy day coming up today. The Arkansas-Alabama game is on CBS at 2:30, and I’ll most likely head south to Max’s to watch it. After the game I’ll come back to the core for the Brass Door’s alley party. Five bands. The Chef will be in the alley grilling Irish bangers and American burgers. There’s a $5 cover, but some events are worth paying a cover on Saturday night.

Before I run down to Max’s, though, I have to 1) put up more blog posts, possibly as many as three of them, so check back; 2) eat somewhere; and 3) defend my Saucer mayorship. Foursquare has been awarding me bonus points for consecutive days there (56 consecutive days as of yesterday) and I wouldn’t want to mess that up.

They call Alabama the Crimson Tide, but after today they’ll be calling them 3-1! It’s time to CALL THOSE HOGS!!!

The Trans-Siberian Orchestra will perform at the FedExForum Thursday, December 8. As of today, tickets are now on sale.

The Trans-Siberian Orchestra combines a wide range of influences – classical, orchestral, progressive, rock and heavy metal to produce a one-of-a-kind show. They have released several Christmas-themed rock operas, including The Last Christmas Eve, as well as non-Christmas, historical-themed rock operas (Beethoven’s Last Night and Night Castle). Friends of mine who work at the FedExForum tell me it takes more than half a day to set up for this show, because their performances rely heavily on lights, lasers, and pyrotechnics synchronized with the music.

Their show appeals to all ages. The light show keeps the kids entertained; young adults get into the rock element; and older people appreciate the symphonic elements of TSO’s performances. This is an extremely popular act, and I’ve heard other cities tried to bid them out of the December 8 date. However, FedExForum management believed in the show so much that they successfully fought to keep it.

One of the things I try to do on this blog is celebrate the hidden gems of Downtown and of Memphis. If you’ve never been to a Trans-Siberian Orchestra show, you’re missing out on one of the gems. Great show to attend with friends, to take a date, or go to for family night out. You can buy tickets here.