Year: 2011

The best winter seasonal beer I’ve ever tried has returned to Memphis. Harpoon Winter Warmer is a spiced ale. The overall character, according to Harpoon’s website, is “a smooth, medium bodied ale spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg.” If you like pumpkin pie, you’ll probably love this beer. As you can tell by the background, I drank this one at the Saucer, but if you don’t like to drink your beer in bars, you might want to call a store like Raffe’s or Whole Foods to ask if they carry it. This is the second time I’ve seen Winter Warmer at the Saucer. The last time they had it, they only ordered one case, so if you want to try it you better hurry and get down there.

I had a great Thanksgiving yesterday. In the early afternoon, I rode my bike over to my friend Bob’s house on Mud Island, where we had turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes, gravy, green beans, dirty rice, salad and bread. This is the friend I sometimes refer to as “Bicycle Bobby.” This photo of his garage explains his nickname:

Bob thumped my bike’s tires and asked how the ride over was. “Pretty rough,” I told him. “I didn’t think it’d be that bad a ride.”

“Well, that’s because your tires are inflated to about one-third of their proper pressure!” he said. I need to invest in a tire pump with a gauge on it.

I rode back Downtown with newly-inflated tires, and sure enough, the ride was much smoother. As always on Thanksgiving Day, I arrived at the Saucer right at opening time at 5 PM. I got fussed at by the girls for not bringing them a plate from my Thanksgiving dinner. What was I going to do, balance it for two and a half miles on a bike? Very interesting night up there, as is usually the case on Thanksgiving. Some of the conversations I had (and a photo I took) have been deemed inappropriate for the blog, but will be shared with select friends.

Maybe I’ll do another post listing events going on around Downtown today, but let’s face it, there’s only one event that matters: The Arkansas-LSU game at 1:30 PM today. If you’re not a fan of either school, here’s why you should root for the Hogs: If the Razorbacks win, then LSU, Bama and Arkansas will remain 1-2-3 in the BCS standings (although probably not in that order). Due to the incredibly stupid BCS rules, only two teams from a conference can play in BCS bowls (national championship, Rose, Orange, Sugar, Fiesta). So the #3 team in the nation will play in the Cotton Bowl, while a crummy Big East team that is not within miles of the top 25 will play in a BCS bowl. That’s so ridiculously stupid that it will force the BCS rules to be rewritten for sure. So, if you hate the BCS concept, root for Arkansas!

Just a few hours until it’s time to CALL THOSE HOGS!!! Currently trying to decide whether Max’s or Saucer will be my watch location. Either way, I’ll have a beer in my hand and will be loudly cheering the Razorbacks. Wouldn’t mind seeing Auburn knock off Alabama today too. WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO PIG SOOOOOIEEEEEEE!

If you’re looking for something family-friendly to do today, the Peabody has its annual Christmas tree lighting in the lobby. It will start at 11 AM when the ducks march from their rooftop home to the lobby fountain. Local choirs will perform all day. Immediately after the ducks march back upstairs at 5 PM, Santa and his elves will appear. Good place to take the kids to get them in the holiday spirit.

If you want a non-family-friendly recommendation, I’ve got one of those too, just waiting for iPhoto to finish upgrading. Back soon with another post.

It’s Thanksgiving morning, and I’m up early listening to Kerry Crawford‘s show Mystery Train on WEVL 89.9. It’s the first time I’ve ever listened to it, and it is fantastic! I can’t describe the type of music, because she’ll play just about anything – just tune in and see if you like it. I think you will! She’s on every Thursday morning from 8 to 10 AM.

The Red Hot Chili Peppers are coming to the FedExForum early next year. The “I’m with You” tour stops here Friday, February 3. Tickets go on sale a week from Saturday, which would be December 3.

Speaking of December 3, that will be a big day at the Center for Southern Folklore. From 10 to 4 they’ll have a Holiday Bazaar. “Shop the Lore”: Items discovered deep in the Center’s storage area, plus artists and craftspeople selling gifts in the Heritage Hallway next door to the Center at 119 S. Main. Looking for a gift for someone who appreciates regional music and culture? This sounds like the place to shop, and it’s not in a mall! The Center’s Folklore Store will also be open for shopping from noon to 6.

From 3 to 5 in the Center, author Robert Hastings will autograph copies of his book “Back When Mary Alice Was Still a Blonde,” a tongue-in-cheek tale about two bickering southern sisters trying to overcome their differences long enough to plan their mother’s funeral.

Then from 8 to 11 that night, the Daddy Mack Blues Band will perform in the Folklore Hall. It will be a big day for the Center!

The Flying Saucer has had a run of successful beer dinners over the past several years. On Thursday, December 8, they’re going to try something different: A dessert and beer pairing with beers by Lazy Magnolia brewery. There will be 5 desserts, each expertly paired with a beer. Manager Mike was telling me about it last night – he says he’s going to make the desserts himself. Tickets can be bought at the Saucer and are $20 for UFO members, $25 for nonmembers.

Sorry for yet another day without a lunchtime post yesterday. I actually had one, but couldn’t get it done and also eat at the office potluck within one hour. I was working on a rather long post about a tour I took Tuesday night. I got an inside look at how some of the organizations that support entrepreneurship in Memphis – EmergeMemphis, Launch Memphis, the LaunchPad, Seed Hatchery – all fit together. I’ll have it up soon. Could finish it today, but I don’t know if Thanksgiving (when my blog readership is about 40% of normal) is the best day to put it up.

Wow I’m noticing how good the speaker on the Kindle Fire is as I listen to Kerry’s show. I don’t even have it hooked up to external stereo speakers or anything, and yet it sounds great.

I’ll be riding my bike for the first time in a while today. Going to ride over to Mud Island this afternoon, where my friend Bob is having some people over for Thanksgiving dinner. “I like to serve dinner in the early afternoon,” Bob told me. “That way we’re all done eating and ready to go out when the bars open.” I like the way he thinks. The Saucer opens at 5, and Thanksgiving tends to be one of the most fun and laid-back days of the year there, so that’s where I’ll be. If it’s like last year I’ll have my nose pressed against the glass at 4:57.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Every Thanksgiving I get emails of the form, “Is such-and-such bar/restaurant open on Thanksgiving, and if so, what time?” I haven’t had time to compile a complete list this year, and probably won’t have time today or tomorrow, but I can give you a general rule of thumb:

If a place is more bar than restaurant (examples: Goose, Max’s, Bardog, Saucer, etc.), they will likely open at 5 PM on Thanksgiving. If a place is more restaurant than bar, they will likely be closed all day, unless they are open specifically to serve Thanksgiving dinner. Two exceptions: Wang’s and Westy’s can almost always be counted on to stay open regular hours, serving their regular menu on Thanksgiving.

There are now 4 trivia nights, and 5 trivia games, that you can play Downtown on Tuesdays. The newest is the Green Beetle, which starts at 7 PM. Mike who runs the game emailed me. He said it’s more oriented toward group fun than brain-burning questions. He also said that his company, Nite Out Trivia, has done trivia nights around Memphis for a while, but this is their first foray into Downtown.

Other trivia games tonight include Flying Saucer (7:30 and 10:00 games), Silly Goose (8:00), Ferraro’s Pizzeria and Pub (8:00, with $1 PBR).

The Brass Door has announced some post-shopping Black Friday entertainment. WALRUS will play their underground music venue, the Cavern, this Friday night the 25th.

Couple of pieces of Redbirds news. First of all, Ron “Pop” Warner has been named the team’s new manager. He was previously the skipper of the Springfield team, the Cardinals’ double-A affiliate. Also, the ‘birds announced that the merchandise in Backstop Baseball Emporium, the team shop next to AutoZone Park, can now be purchased on the Redbirds’ website. Now you can buy Christmas gifts for Redbirds fans without even leaving your computer.

I tried Poker Jon’s 7:30 poker game last night at the Silly Goose. He’s doing two games every Monday, with the 7:30 game added to the previously existing 10:00 game. I like the early game, because I have a chance to win points in the league without having to stay up past midnight. And on the nights when I do feel like staying up, I have two chances to win.

The Goose’s sliders, by the way, were my to-go food order and they seriously might be the most underrated sliders in all of Memphis. Thick, juicy patties topped with a pepper salsa, with tomato, pickle and mustard on the side for those who choose to add them, with a side of chips and salsa for $9.

Plans for tonight: Getting a tour of EmergeMemphis. When I was on the board of MPACT Memphis, I was in there numerous times. However, I never really got to see it from the viewpoint of a typical startup business (if there is such a thing) located there, so maybe I’ll come out of this with something cool to blog about. After that it’ll be bar time – my streak at the Saucer stands at 115 days, and I’m sure I’ll extend it to 116 tonight. Might sneak in a Bardog visit too (it’s their $3 pint night) to attempt to regain the mayorship there.

If you’re looking for a place to watch the Memphis-Michigan basketball game, Max’s Sports Bar is open. They opened at 1 today in anticipation of the 2 PM tipoff. Let’s Go Tigers!

In addition, they will be open at 11 AM Friday to show all the football and basketball games that will be happening that day, including the huge Arkansas-LSU game at 1:30 PM.

It’s been a slow weekend for blog posts. The reason was that Friday was my birthday! I took the day off and got started early. Then there were no blog posts Saturday because I was recovering from Friday, watching the Hogs beat Mississippi State, and attending a friend’s going-away party in South Main. There was one other thing that kept me away from the blog Saturday – my new Kindle Fire.

The Fire is Amazon’s high-end Kindle. Unlike the other Kindles, it is not merely a reading device; rather, it is a tablet computing device. It runs a version of Android (2.3 Gingerbread) with Amazon’s user interface laid on top of it. To get apps for the Fire, you visit the Amazon Appstore rather than the Android Market. Apps in the Amazon Appstore have been tested and optimized for the Fire.

Setup was quick and painless, under a minute. Basically all I had to do was give it my Amazon account ID and password, and I was off and running. It immediately pulled in every Kindle book I’d ever bought, and put them on the home screen, as shown above. (That front book, by the way, Pepper Jack, is a murder mystery based in Memphis, with events happening at the Blue Monkey and other well-known locations around town.) I opened a book, and text and images were crisp and clear, and turning the page was easy. I bought a new book last night and read it in bed for a while before I went to sleep.

You get a month of Amazon Prime free with your kindle, giving you access to movies and TV shows. A few movies I could watch for free through Prime included Speed, Babe, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, The Last of the Mohicans, and You’ve Got Mail. TV shows on prime included Arrested Development, Lost, 24, and The Wonder Years. You can also purchase additional movies beginning at $2.99, and TV shows beginning at $1.99. You’re not tied to Amazon’s platform for delivering video; there are Netflix and Hulu Plus apps available if you subscribe to one of those services.

Lots of apps available too. The newest one I’ve been hooked on, which I mentioned a few days ago, is TuneIn Radio. Gives you most radio stations in town, NOAA weather radio, and police and fire scanners for free, and you can access 50,000 radio stations around the world. I got this app for my iPhone on Thursday and got it for my Kindle Fire Friday. Over the past 3 days I’ve come to realize what a great station WEVL is, which is weird because it’s not like I didn’t own a radio before I started my collection of mobile devices. My only regret is that I discovered the app at 10:45 on Thursday, missing a chance to hear Kerry’s “Mystery Train” show by 45 minutes. Other popular apps are in the Appstore too, including Facebook and Twitter (but use Tweetcaster, it’s better than the Twitter mobile app), Angry Birds, Words with Friends, etc.

There’s also a Newsstand where you can subscribe to popular books and magazines to be read on the Kindle. I haven’t purchased any subscriptions yet, but I have a feeling it’s coming, which is exactly what Amazon wants me to do.

What’s missing on the device that you’d find on an iPad? Well, it doesn’t have a camera, but if I need a camera I have my iPhone, or for that matter, my camera. It doesn’t have 3G/4G, so I have to be able to hit a wireless network. That will limit my choices if I want to take the Fire out to lunch with me. It also lacks a GPS, so no checkins on Foursquare or cool mapping programs.

One thing I really, really like about the Fire is its size. Where the iPad has a 10″ screen, the Fire’s is smaller, at 7″. That’s small enough to fit in the inner pocket of my leather jacket; to fit in the pocket of my PBR hoodie; to fit in the pockets of a pair of cargo shorts. It will not be hard to carry this device with me.

The Fire is $199, whereas the cheapest iPad 2 is $499. So, which would I recommend? Well…

1) If cost is a huge factor, get the Kindle Fire. For $199 I promise you won’t be disappointed. Budget a little more than $199, as you likely will find yourself purchasing movies, books, and magazine subscriptions.

2) If cost is not a huge factor and you already own an iPhone or iPod Touch, get the Kindle Fire. It’s different than iOS and worth experiencing.

3) If cost is not a huge factor, and you don’t have an iPhone or iPod Touch, get the iPad. There’s nothing as elegant as iOS. Everyone should know what it’s like to use an iOS device.

Buy it here: Kindle Fire

By the way: The links to Amazon products in this post are affiliate links, so click on through and make me some money 

Last night Blue Fin tweeted that they will start offering specials on Sunday and Monday nights from 5 to 10 PM. Specials include

• Happy hour sushi starting at $2
• 2 for 1 hot sake
• 20% off cold sake
• $1 off domestic beer

Today the Peabody announced that Chez Philippe is extending their Downtown Dining Week menu into next week, offering it Tuesday and Wednesday 5-10 PM. Call Philippe Brainos, restaurant manager, 901-529-4188 for reservations. Getting to eat a three-course meal at Chez for $20.11 is quite a deal indeed, so take advantage of it! DDW menu for Chez Philippe (and all the restaurants) can be found here.

The CA has a good article today about the Grawemeyers who are opening four new businesses in South Main. They’ve already partnered with Chef Michael Patrick to open Rizzo’s, they’re about to open Grawemeyer’s restaurant around the corner, and they also will open two new clothing stores. Mark Grawemeyer was one of the first people to revitalize South Main, buying the old Pullman Hotel in 1986.

The Redbirds will hold a Twitter interview with St. Louis Cardinals infielder Daniel Descalso tomorrow, Friday, November 18, at 2 PM. You’ll need to follow @memphisredbirds and @DanielDescalso to view the interview as it happens. If there are questions you want to ask, tweet them to @memphisredbirds with the hashtag #twinterview.

The Brass Door will have another band in The Cavern, their underground performance space, Saturday night, November 19 at 9 PM. Island 45 will perform. They describe themselves as “a rocking dance band for people with record collections.” Sounds cool. I have a party to attend on South Main early that evening, but perhaps I’ll stop by the Cavern afterward. I lost my Foursquare mayorship of the Brass Door this week, so I’m looking for excuses to go there and get it back.

My new Kindle Fire arrived this morning! I haven’t had a chance to play with it much, but registering it took less than a minute, and then all the Kindle books I’ve ever bought appeared on my bookshelf. It came pre-loaded with a bunch of apps including Facebook, ESPN, Words with Friends, Weather Channel, and Pandora. It’s on the charger now.

Been listening to a police scanner this morning while doing work… I discovered the TuneIn Radio iPhone app, which gives you free access to 50,000 radio stations worldwide. The GPS detected my location, and it pulled up the local list, which contained most of the radio stations in town, NOAA weather radio, and scanner frequencies for local police and fire departments. I heard about the $9,000 robbery out in Collierville this morning before anyone! Even before it was on Twitter!

Plans for tonight: Go to bars and drink beer. Yeah I know that’s the plan most nights, but tonight is an extended version of that. I’ll start at the Saucer at 6, then evaluate whether to stay there for the evening or migrate.