WMC-TV reports that casting is underway for a BBQ reality show that will be filmed in Memphis. They’re looking for candidates between 25 and 45 with big personalities who love their neighborhood. Winner of the show gets $10,000.
Earlier this week I mentioned that Smokin’ Aces, the BBQ festival that has taken place in Tunica the third weekend of September the past several years, will not happen this year. A lot of local BBQ teams are understandably disappointed. If they’re looking for something else to do now that they have the weekend free, I have a suggestion: Enter Best Memphis Burger Fest. A few of my friends were asking about this last night. You can enter the burger competition whether you’re a guy with a backyard grill or a corporate chain with 5000 restaurants. They take all comers, so if you think you cook a mean burger, bring it. My recap of last year will give you an idea of what the judges are told to look for.
Speaking of Best Memphis Burger, the blog that led to the festival: Seth recently gave a restaurant in Hernando five stars for their burger. As many of you know, I work in Horn Lake. My lunchtime choices are mostly suburban hell filled with Chili’s, Applebee’s, O’Charley’s and every fast food restaurant that exists. Not much opportunity to get real food, good food. But now that I think about it, Hernando is within driving distance on lunch break, and Seth is not the first person to highly recommend a restaurant there. One day at the Saucer my friend Steve O told me about a number of good restaurants, but I’d been drinking since 11 AM that day and forgot to take notes. My friend MILF2B hangs out in Hernando a lot, but she has the most boring Foursquare timeline on Earth so I never took her recommendations seriously. But now the evidence is starting to build up. Maybe I need to give Hernando a chance.
Lansky at the Peabody, along with its sibling stores Lansky Accessories and Lucky Duck Gifts, is looking to fill open full-time sales positions. They need someone who is energetic, loves to meet new people, and can work nights and weekends. Resumes can be emailed to sales@lanskybros.com. Refer a friend and get a $250 gift card. Refer a friend and have them mention my blog, and both you and I get a $250 gift card. 
South of Beale is now serving wine ice cream. Last night they had Chocolate Cabernet and Cherry Merlot.
Foursquare provided unexpected entertainment last night when several of my friends checked in at Southland Greyhound Park. I knew why they were there and commented “Poker?” and got a reply of “Yeh.” As far as I know, none of them have much experience with poker beyond the bar games at Silly Goose and Blind Bear. Based on comments later in the evening, I got the feeling that they didn’t have a good time. In cash games you can’t play hands like Q-5 and J-7 where 50% of your hand is garbage. And if you’re the first to enter the pot pre-flop and you call rather than raise, you’re advertising that you’re a bad player. And if you bust out and rebuy, guess what, you’re rebuying with real money. Also, if you’re playing for cash, it’s advisable to stay sober, something my friends are not known for doing on the weekend. Southland has video screens rather than real cards and I bet my friends hated them. I can’t wait to hear the stories.
I’ll be at Panda’s bar at Bardog as usual at 11. It’s been a long week at work and I’m glad I’ll get to stare at tube tops rather than PHP code today.