Second Friday update: Job news, beer news, and more

If you’re looking for a job, you may want to get your resume and business clothes ready for an event at the Memphis Botanic Garden next Tuesday, 10 AM to 3 PM. Who’s Hiring Memphis is having their quarterly career fair. I found out about this thanks to a tweet from the Peabody, which is one of the participating hiring companies, with over 40 positions open.

In other job news, Leadership Memphis is hiring a Program Coordinator for the Memphis Talent Dividend program.

The Harlem Globetrotters perform at the FedExForum tomorrow at 3.

If you like local craft beer, tune into WREC AM 600 Saturdays at noon. Memphis Craft Beer has a new radio show on the station beginning tomorrow.

Wow this is really stupid… an Oklahoma legislator wants to introduce a bill banning hoodies. As someone who wears my PBR hoodie at least a couple of times a week to stay warm in the winter, I find this very offensive.

That’s all. Short update but the beer/radio news was time sensitive so I didn’t want to wait to post.

Tigers thoughts and Friday news

What a poor showing the Memphis Tigers had against the SMU Mustangs last night. I recently read a Bleacher Report post that Kobe Bryant is glad he grew up playing basketball in Europe because his game wasn’t tainted by the style of AAU ball in America. Last night’s game made me think Kobe has a point. It looked like Austin Nichols and a bunch of AAU players out there for Memphis.

What has happened to Shaq? It seems like he has regressed since last year.

Trahson Burrell, who had started the past 6 games, was a Did Not Play – Coach’s Decision last night due to “unacceptable behavior.” Burrell is said to be close to suspended player Kuran Iverson who caused a controversy on Twitter earlier this week.

The Tigers’ next game is Sunday at Houston. The Tigers beat the Cougars by a comfortable margin at FedExForum New Year’s Eve, but a road game may be a different story. Maybe I should get a guest blogger to post on what it’s like to step into a Cougar den. (Katie?)

In observation of Elvis’s 80th birthday, the Orpheum is showing an Elvis double feature tonight at 7. Jailhouse Rock and Viva Las Vegas will be shown back-to-back with an intermission in between. $22.50 ticket for both movies.

From the MBJ: The Redbirds’ GM is excited about changes being made to the ballpark but he also understands that it is important to retain the team’s identity.

The comet Lovejoy is now visible in cities. Follow the link for info on how to see it. Its closest approach to Earth will be Wednesday. The last time the comet passed by, woolly mammoths still roamed the Earth.

Here’s some fashion news for 2015… You can now own a poop emoji shirt.

That’s it for now. Maybe a second update post tonight if there’s more news.

Cozy Corner fire and more news (Thursday update #2)

There was a fire at Cozy Corner BBQ on North Parkway this afternoon. Fortunately, it did not burn the legendary restaurant to the ground. It was caused by electrical issues and the restaurant should only be closed a few days.

Congratulations to Miles McMath, chef at St. Jude, named by Southern Living magazine as one of 50 people changing the South. McMath uses local heritage farmers and an organic garden to provide patients with something far better than the average bland hospital meal. He commented that food is one of the few ways the hospital can offer patients a way to indulge themselves.

A MEMfix event will be coming to The Pinchon April 11. You may remember a successful MEMfix event in the Edge last October, with live music, performances, food trucks, and pop-up shops. The April 11 event will be a chance to re-imagine the Pinch and prepare it for the influx of visitors that May 1’s Bass Pro opening will bring. Community input will be key to the project’s success. The first of several public meetings in preparation for MEMfix will be held Friday, January 16 at Ferraro’s, Jackson at Main, at 3:30 PM, and feedback is sought from Pinch business owners, stakeholders, residents, and others who see potential in the neighborhood.

Texas de Brazil is selling a $21 gift card that entitles the holder to free dessert and coffee with the purchase of a meal up to 12 times this year.

From WREG Live at 9: Chef Terrrance Killon prepares Bon Ton Cafe’s blackened catfish

Choose901 has more on Dr. Bean’s Coffee and Tea Emporium, coming to 72 Madison.

Tweet “#NBABallot Marc Gasol” to vote for Marc Gasol to be selected as an All-Star. As of this morning Gasol was in third place among big men (forwards and centers). Of course, you can tweet other Grizzlies names too if you desire. Gasol is nearly to the point of overtaking the Clippers’ Blake Griffin for second place.

Tomorrow (Friday, January 9; this is an evening update) is your last day to sign up for the Grizzlies’ next Beer Tasting Night at the game against Portland on Saturday the 17th. The featured brewer that night will be Goose Island. Tickets are $105 for a Club seat and admission to the tasting, or $41 for a Terrace IV seat and admission to the tasting. Everyone at the tasting gets a free Grizzlies pint beer glass. Order tickets here.

That’ll do it for now. Home from work and ready for beer.

Basketball, jobs, and more Thursday news

The Memphis Tigers have a nationally televised road game tonight at SMU. ESPN2 will carry the game and tip-off is 8 PM. Do any Downtown bars plan on showing this game with sound? With the Kuran Iverson/Twitter controversy that happened yesterday, the commentary could be quite interesting.

If you’re into cars, the Memphis International Autoshow happens Friday through Sunday at the Cannon Center.

If you’re into science, technology, sci-fi, and superheroes, you might be able to win a prize tonight at Green Beetle trivia starting at 8 PM. Those topics and more will make up the questions in a special Geek Night.

I’ve learned of a couple of top-drawer job openings in Memphis. Copeland Coaching has reported that there is a Director of Guest Relations position open with the Grizzlies. The person hired will be responsible for providing a championship guest experience to the Grizzlies’ customers. If you are job hunting, the Copeland Coaching site is one to bookmark, listing some of the best open positions in the city.

The Memphis Daily News is looking to hire a Managing Editor.

In RSVP Magazine’s Vox Popular, Center for Southern Folklore director Judy Peiser talks about the Center, its creation in 1972, upcoming plans for the Center, the Center’s media archive, and plans for the 2015 Memphis Music & Heritage Festival.

There’s a Groupon for upcoming Grizzlies games. You get $24 for a Terrace II seat plus XL Grizzlies T-shirt, or $69 for a Club level seat plus Grizzlies scarf. Game options are Wed 1/21 vs. Toronto, Mon 1/26 vs. Orlando, Thur 1/29 vs. Denver, or Brooklyn Tue 2/10. When you purchase the deal, you get something called a G-Pass emailed to you 48 hours after the deal ends. You print out your G-Pass and take it to the door, with no need to go to Will Call. Due to security restrictions, you can’t use Groupon Mobile to display your G-Pass.

The Grizzlies had an away game at Atlanta last night, and there was a big promotion for dating app Tinder called “Swipe Right Night”. The Sporting News reports that Swipe Right Night was a success and matches were made during the game.

Too much news to fit into a quick lunchtime post, so there may be a follow-up after work. Check back.

Chili cheese tamales (drunk post, Wed update #3)

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I had chili cheese tamales with pepperoncini and sour cream from Huey’s as my to-go snack tonight. Not many people know this but I do own a Crockpot. Is there a simple Crockpot recipe for tamale pie? That’s one of my favorite dishes ever. The only thing is, I don’t like to do much. If I ranked the top things I like to do, “much” would not be in the top 3. Let’s face it, “much” would not be in the top 1,256. But I would still like some tamale pie.

Downtown bistro Belle Diner will be closed for lunch beginning Monday, January 12. It will still be open for dinner Tue-Sat and Sat-Sun brunch.

The Blind Bear will begin a 6-week trivia tournament beginning next Wednesday. You have to come for all 6 weeks (unless you build up an insurmountable lead) but you can win significant prizes. Maybe not as big as their 16-week poker league which is 2 1/2 times long, but still significant. Charles calls trivia every Wednesday night at 8. Between rounds he announces how to beat the cover charge on Friday and Saturday nights.

Random TV thing I noticed tonight. On the American Home Shield commercial there is a redheaded woman probably in her mid 40s whose TV works but her heat doesn’t. She can’t change the channel because she has mittens on. Question: You remember the winter commercial from Wendy’s, about 10 years ago when Dave Thomas was still alive? People would be too cold to speak and Dave would interpret. Is that the woman who ordered a baked potato?

If you like the taste of Cheerios I have a beer recommendation for you.

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I don’t do enough drunk posts. I need to do more. Off to bed.

Kuran Iverson on Twitter and other news in this second Wednesday update

Memphis Tigers guard Kuran Iverson was suspended yesterday by Coach Pastner for undisclosed violations of team rules. He will not be able to travel to Texas with the team to play the SMU Mustangs tomorrow and the Houston Cougars on Saturday.

If that were the end of the story, it probably wouldn’t even be blogworthy. But then former Tiger Wesley Witherspoon jumped in on Twitter with a comment:

Then radio host John Martin tweeted a look at Iverson’s favorited tweets. Look at the second one in particular.

Then it came out that he was not only favoriting comments criticizing his coach, but replying to them and retweeting them too.

My guess is this will end up in NCAA orientation “what not to do on Twitter” for incoming athletes in future years. Hey Air Traffic Mike, you may want to check your 1-800-BAD-IDEA hotline’s call log for calls from the University of Memphis today. Radio host Gary Parrish speculated that Iverson is likely done with the team, noting that Pastner once kicked a McDonald’s All-American off the team before he ever played a game.

In better news, former Tiger Elliot Williams signed a 10-day contract with the Utah Jazz.

The World Series of Poker circuit event is coming to Tunica at the Horseshoe January 22-February 2. Most of the events are No Limit Hold’em, but there are Pot Limit Omaha and H.O.R.S.E. (combination of Limit Hold’em, Omaha Hi/Lo, Razz, Stud, and Stud/8) events as well. There are rebuy events, events for seniors, events for ladies, satellites, turbos, and six-max events during the twelve days. Here’s a schedule and here’s more information.

They invited me to a special invitation-only WSOP Media Tournament on Sunday the 18th. I’m trying to decide if I’m going to go. Winner gets $1000 to donate to their favorite charity and the top 10 places pay out (probably all charity donations). I have until the 15th to RSVP so I have a little time to think about it. It’s nice to be considered a member of the media for things like this.

Interesting fact: Only five people who were born in the 1800s are still living and all of them are women.

On my way out for a cold, cold evening… once again, everyone please be careful tonight.

Ballpark renovations, Google Trekker, and more Wednesday news

Yesterday afternoon, the Redbirds hosted a media tour this afternoon discussing the renovations to happen at AutoZone Park. I didn’t go but there’s a #RedbirdsRenovate hashtag on Twitter you can look up and also @ilovememphis had some really good tweets. Some of the tour’s highlights:

  • Reducing seating capacity by 3000 to improve fan experience
  • Club level will be opened up with a full view of games; on non-gamedays it will be used as an event space
  • The left field fence will be replaced by a video board
  • New left and right field bluff seating for 1500
  • New bar overlooking left field
  • Affordable berm seating will be relocated closer to the field for better views
  • All suites will be upgraded
  • New “Four Top Tables” premium seating area
  • With only a few exceptions, prices will remain unchanged
  • Inspiration for the renovations came from talking to fans and learning what they wanted

Renovations will be complete in time for the Redbirds’ April 3 exhibition game against the St. Louis Cardinals.

Very cool news: Google StreetView has been expanded in Memphis so you can take virtual walking tours of Memphis landmarks. The new technology is called Google Trekker. You can trek through the zoo, a couple of parks, Graceland, the riverfront, and my alma mater Rhodes College.

New details of the Tennessee Brewery redevelopment have emerged: The building will be renovated into residential, with a new residential building to be constructed next door and a parking garage across the street. There will also be 8000 square feet of commercial space. How cool would it be to live in the brewery?

Channel 5 has information on how you can help Coach Josh Pastner win $100,000 for LeBonheur.

The cold won’t stop me from getting out tonight. I’ll lead off at the Silly Goose around 5:30… no make that 5:40, because it will take 10 additional minutes to put on all the layers I will need to survive. Not used to dressing like I live in Chicago. Lows in the single digits and wind chills in the minus single digits. Be careful out there.

Tuesday news

I want to thank a couple of my readers who sent very well thought-out responses to my question about Riverside Drive. One reader mentioned that Memphis and Louisville have similar waterfronts and the city should look to Louisville for examples of what can be done. Specifically, he said that more pedestrian bridges across Riverside are needed. Another asked motorists to get on a bike and ride a few miles to understand the problems people have riding a bike in Memphis – cars parked in no parking zones, motorists running stop signs and disregarding red lights, motorists not paying attention to those on bikes because they’re on their phones talking or texting. Thanks for the feedback.

Paul Morris who runs DMC will give his annual State of Downtown address next Tuesday, January 13, at the South Main Association meeting at Bleu restaurant. This speech is always a great chance to learn about projects happening Downtown, accomplishments of the previous year, and challenges that lie ahead. There will be a social at 6 and the program will begin at 6:30. The event is free for SMA members and $10 for non-members. Bleu will provide complimentary appetizers and free valet parking for 3 hours, as well as happy hour drink prices on featured brands.

Elvis would have turned 80 this week. Holly has a list of birthday week events for those who want to celebrate the life of the King. In other news, the Madison Hotel has an Eat, Drink and Sleep Like the King package going on January 8 through the end of the month.

From the L.A. Times: Elvis’ private planes are up for auction

Mud Island has been plagued by a rash of car break-ins recently. Police caught the robber red-handed but he’s back out on the streets now. He admitted to other car burglaries in the month of December.

Foodie alert: A new book highlights 18 Memphis restaurants and part of the proceeds from each sale of the book benefits the Mid-South Food Bank.

The Daily News has an article about renovations that are underway at AutoZone Park.

I realized this morning that it’s been a long time since I’ve been down to the South Main area. I need to look at the Grizzlies and Tigers upcoming schedules and find an excuse to wander down to Max’s Sports Bar. It won’t happen until this polar vortex that is arriving tomorrow gets out of here though.

That’s it for now. I need to catch up on sleep so I am going to take the night off from Blind Bear poker, although I will probably stop by for a PBR or two. That’s it for now. Time to hit Publish and get back to it at the office.

Saturday news plus a bonus: The Value Drinking Index

It’s Saturday morning and rain is battering my living room windows as I type this. It’s a wet, wet day and the MemphisWeather.net radar indicates that we are going to get rained on for a while. The weather is going to positively suck for the next week. The polar vortex is making a comeback and MWN forecasts lows in the mid-teens for Wednesday.

There’s a Groupon going on that gamers might want to check out: $10 for a one-month subscription to Loot Crate. I mention this because my “DAWG” John D subscribes to a service like Loot Crate (can’t remember if it’s that one or a similar one) and has been talking in recent weeks about how much he loves it. Every month you get what John D describes as “a gift box for nerds,” filled with video games, T-shirts, and gamer-inspired toys and gear. It’s like getting a birthday present in the mail every month. They won’t tell you in advance what will be in the box, but they will give you hints, often a theme like “Villains” or “Galactic.”

What an exciting fourth quarter in the Alamo Bowl yesterday. With just over 6 minutes left, Pitt was leading Houston 34-13, and I made a comment on Facebook that maybe the Cougars should just give up sports altogether, citing the bowl game and the basketball team’s bad loss to Memphis earlier in the week. Then the Cougars scored a touchdown, made a beautiful onside kick and got the ball back, another touchdown, another onside kick, another touchdown and a two-point conversion to take a 35-34 lead with just under a minute left. They kicked it off again, this time not an onside kick, and Pitt couldn’t do anything with it in the time remaining. The last five minutes of the game will likely go into every coach’s video library to teach how to do onside kicks, and also as a lesson to never give up.

The Tigers take on Tulane at 3 this afternoon in FedExForum. Avery Woodson has really been finding his groove as a 3-point specialist lately and I hope the trend continues today.

A buddy of mine was asking earlier this week about strategy for drinking 200 beers at the Flying Saucer to get his plate. It may be of interest to others, so I’ll share it on the blog: The Value Drinking Index which I invented and named for my friend Gary “Mr. Value Drinking” Smith who has 24 plates at the Saucer. If you look at the beer menu, or on the chalkboard for just-landed beers, you’ll see three facts about each beer: alcohol content, number of ounces, and price. Here’s the formula:

VDI = alcohol content * number of ounces / price

To get the most bang for your buck, drink beers that have a VDI of 15 or higher. There’s a just-landed beer that is 8.9% alcohol, comes in a 15-ounce glass, and costs $6. That’s a VDI of 22.25, indicating that this beer is an excellent value. Unfortunately most of the time, I don’t practice what I preach. My beer of choice at the Saucer is Modelo Especial, at 4.4% alcohol in a 16-ounce glass for $5.50. That’s a VDI of only 12.8, indicating that I am not value drinking when I drink my Mexibeer, I do better when I drink PBR at Bardog, Silly Goose, and Blind Bear, getting 16 ounces of 4.74% beer for $3, for a VDI of just over 25.

The VDI can help you discover value beers that don’t look like value beers. Let’s say there’s an $18 beer at the Saucer, one you would normally dismiss as too damn expensive. But let’s say it’s a 15% ABV beer in a 22-ounce bottle. Its VDI is 18.33, indicating that despite the price it is indeed a value-drinking beer.

One more tip that is specific to the Saucer: Save draft beers for Mondays. Most of them are $3 specials for Pint Nite, causing their VDIs to soar that day of the week. For example, my Modelo Especial becomes a value beer on Monday, its VDI raised to nearly 23 1/2. The other days of the week, work on bottled beers unless there’s  just nothing left you like with a 15+ VDI.

Oh, there is one more rule: Drink what you like. That supersedes VDI at the end of the day. I mean, if you buy a $3 bottle of Mad Dog 20/20 at CeCe’s Liquors around the corner from where I live, you’re getting a VDI of 145, but would you really want to drink it? Save that stuff for the bums.

Time to hit Publish and walk in the rain to Panda’s bar at Bardog. At least it’s warm enough to wear shorts. Hopefully a great weekend lies ahead.

Day-after-New-Year’s news

On the morning of New Year’s Day, there was a wreck on Riverside Drive involving an 18-wheeler. The truck driver was reportedly drunk, and as he traveled north on Riverside, he hit a car and went 50 feet off the road into Tom Lee Park, knocking down posts and trees. According to the Shelby County Jail website, he is charged with DUI, failure to exercise due care, possession of an open container, public intoxication, reckless driving, and two counts of refusal to submit to a blood alcohol test. Mayor Wharton says that it may be time to revisit the issue of Riverside Drive, which has been reduced to two lanes since late spring, with the other two lanes for bikes and runners. I agree, it is time to revisit it, and admit that maybe this was a mistake and Riverside needs to be restored to four lanes.

By the way, I take Riverside to work every morning so I am well familiar with the road. Now and then I see oncoming cars lurch across the center line due to drivers being half awake, talking on their phones, whatever the reason. I’ve never been hit but there have been times when it has been a bit scary.

I’d be interested in hearing the other side from people who bike and run on Riverside. Are there things you do on Riverside that you wouldn’t be able to do elsewhere if the street reverted to four lanes? Shoot me your thoughts at paul@paulryburn.com.

Nikki of Nikki’s Hot Ass Seasoning was on WREG Live at 9 yesterday with a demo of how to cook ribs using only two ingredients. Nikki noted that a lot of people add liquid to pork. “Don’t do that,” she said, noting that pork produces plenty of moisture on its own as she cooks. The only two ingredients you need, she said, are the ribs themselves and a seasoning such as Nikki’s Hot Ass Seasoning. She also discussed Nikki’s Hot Ass Bloody Mary Mix.

On a side note, I love being an independent blogger. I don’t have to type “Nikki’s Hot A**” out of fear that I might offend someone.

I wonder if Nikki would change her mind about liquid if she tasted the mustard sauce Squeal Street BBQ puts on their grilled ribs?

As planned, I slept through New Year’s Eve and got up and made it to Bardog yesterday for its 8 AM opening time on New Year’s Day. It wasn’t as wild as I thought it might be. I wondered if people would stumble over from Purple Haze, usually the last bar Downtown to close. However, no one did. I guess it was too far a walk. People showed up but no one was acting crazy.

One of the other regulars gave me a gift of 1988 baseball cards. It’s hard to believe those cards are 27 years old. “Go ahead, open them up, see what you got. Maybe you have some Hall of Famers in there. Just don’t chew the gum.” I found a Paul Molitor card, and there was a card featuring the three shortstops of the 1987 All-Star Game, one of which was Cal Ripken Jr. There was also an insert about the midget who played one game for the St. Louis Browns in 1951 and wore the number 1/8.

The same regular explained to me why he sets goals for himself but does not make New Year’s resolutions. “I’m not that guy. That guy fails. I’m this guy. This guy wins,” he explained.

It was too early for any sports to be on, and they had one TV tuned to the Spanish-language channel. I guess the cooks were watching TV before the place opened. Random thing I learned: There’s a Hispanic version of “Lily” from the AT&T commercials. The Hispanic version is not nearly as hot as Lily.

Local brewery Wiseacre has a beer at Bardog called Gotta Getup to Get Down. That’s one of the best beer names I have ever heard. It’s a coffee stout.

Speaking of coffee: If you haven’t been to the Silly Goose in a few months, there’s a new shot there called “Joe” that has surpassed even Fireball in popularity. It’s a homemade shot with coffee and vodka. I am not a coffee drinker so I have not tried it, but my friends love it, so if you are into coffee you might want to give it a try.

Photographer Frank Chin and the Flyer have a slideshow of New Year’s Eve on Beale. Also, the Peabody has posted Peabody NYE pics.

Today Show’s Money has an article about outrageous Uber charges on New Year’s Eve. Yet another reason to stay home on Amateur Night. I’ve heard a few NYE stories from my friends who did go out, but they probably shouldn’t go on the blog.

The actress who played Elly May on the Beverly Hillbillies has passed away. In other hillbilly news, the Tennessee Vols play in the TaxSlayer Bowl today at 2:20.

Time to go out and watch the second half of the Alamo Bowl. Currently it is the third quarter and the Houston Cougars are losing to Pittsburgh. My planned running order is Blind Bear first stop, Flying Saucer about 3, Silly Goose around 4 is anyone else if off today and wants to meet up. Back tomorrow with more news.