Fri update: Chisca party, scooter rally, Trolley Night, LUVGLO, Green Beetle’s breakfast, Flight late-night menu, the usual crummy weather for Music Fest next week

There’s a launch party for the Chisca Hotel redevelopment outside the hotel today at 4:30. Free to the public. DJ spinning ’50s music and a special appearance by the star of Memphis the musical.

The Memphis Kings scooter club holds its annual rally, Dead Elvis: Six Feet Under, today through Sunday. Two scooters will be given away, and there will be several rides, including a Mississippi River trail, a visit to some of Memphis’ famous landmarks, and in keeping with the Dead Elvis theme a visit to Elvis’ original resting place. Over 90 scooter enthusiasts have registered.

It’s South Main Trolley Tour night with many of the shops and galleries open in the South Main district open late. Many of them will have special performances, discounts, and/or appetizers and beverages. Free food? Wonder if the Nuh-Uh Girl will show up.

The LUVGLO night race is tonight. Even if you aren’t running, you can come watch. There will be music and food trucks. Party kicks off at the old Tennessee Brewery on Tennessee Street at 8 PM, and the first group of runners take off at 9:30. $5 donation requested from those who are not running to enter the warehouse, glow party, and epic finish line. Money raised benefits Habitat for Hope.

Last night I was talking with a friend of mine, who complimented the Green Beetle’s new breakfast and I wanted to pass the compliments on. He’d been frustrated when a place a few blocks down the street took an hour and 20 minutes to serve him breakfast, and he didn’t even get all the items he ordered. So he tried the Beetle. The food was very good, he said, big portions, they get it out to you fast, and it’s reasonably priced. He said they had steak and eggs for $9.95 and it’s a very good steak. The Beetle opens at 9 AM for breakfast.

Flight restaurant will begin offering a late-night menu from 10-11 PM Monday-Wednesday and 10 PM-midnight Thursday-Saturday. The menu is the creation of executive chef Scott Perkins and includes the following:

Blue Cheese-Stuffed Fig and Bruschetta
Baguette with black mission figs and RoquefortCrawfish Dip
Crisp Cajun tortilla chips

Tuna Wonton Tacos
Big eye tuna, cucumbers and red onions in crispy wonton and lemon vinaigrette

Jumbo Lump Crab Gratin
Jumbo lump crab, butter-fried croutons and béchamel

Coconut-Fried Shrimp
Chili-orange glaze

Slider Flight
Pulled duck confit, lamb gyro and Kobe burger

Shells and Cheese
Béchamel, parmesan, gruyere with shell pasta and herb bread crumbs

Pork and Vegetable Dumpling
Sweet chili-lime sauce, fresh cilantro

Hand-Dipped Chocolate
Guanaja, cayenne, cocoa, caramel Valrhona, ganache, salted peanut chocolate brittle

The menu will also feature a selection of imported charcuterie paired with fresh cheeses such as baked brie, apricot Stilton and St. Andre triple cream in addition to Mediterranean-spiced Georgia pecans and an assortment of Rivera mixed olives. Flight is at the corner of Main and Monroe Downtown.

We’re close enough to May now that the Weather Channel has a forecast for the first few days. I took a peek. For Friday, May 3, the first day of Music Fest, the forecast is high 65, low 47. That’s 12-13 degrees below normal. Why can’t we EVER have nice weather for Music Fest?

Plans for tonight: After kicking it off with a few beers in the core, I think I’m going to wander south and check out this LUVGLO thing. I hope the rain holds off until tomorrow.