There’s a new restaurant on Beale called Burrito Blues Mexican Grill. It is in the old Johnny G’s Creole Kitchen location near Club 152. I will try to find a menu and post a pic or a link soon.
Festival season continues and I have three to tell you about, two huge ones and a smaller one, happening Downtown this coming weekend.
On Saturday, the 13th annual Southern Hot Wing Festival happens at Jefferson Davis Park, just south of the Tennessee Visitors Center on N. Riverside Drive. Many cook teams will compete to see who has the best wings, and if you drop a dollar or two in the can for Ronald McDonald House, many of the teams will give you a sample. There will also be a wing eating contest, silent auction, kids’ corner, food for sale and more. $12 tickets, or $10 if purchased in advance at Mapco or Ronald McDonald House. Kids under 12 get in free. Outside coolers and pets are not permitted at the festival.
Wing Fest is a good festival but I am undecided whether I will go… by the time I pay to get in and donate to sample wings, I’m out about 20 bucks and I haven’t even bought a beer yet. Then again, I get to see people at these festivals who I rarely see other times during the year. Don’t know. If I don’t do the festival, my usual lineup of Panda Time and librarian glasses will be in effect. No Farmers Market trip Saturday no matter which plan I go with.
Sunday is the Beale Street Wine Race. Teams from bars and restaurants all over the city (but many Downtown) compete in four events. There is an opening parade where teams attempt to win Best Float. Then there’s Queen of the Vine in Handy Park, where women shake their stuff in bikinis and answer pageant questions. Next up is the grape stomp, where the team that stomps the highest volume of grapes wins. The final event is the wine relay itself, where teams of four see who can run the fastest down Beale with a tray full of wine bottles and glasses.
Wine Race is debauchery at its very finest, and if you have never gone you should see it. In my opinion the first two events, the opening parade and Queen of the Vine, are the best, so try to get there right at 1. There is rule against nudity at Queen of the Vine, but sometimes when all that dancing happens on stage, a nip or a vag pops out, and well, accidents will happen. I do not recommend bringing your kids to this, unless they grew up around the bar scene. I have seen people bring dogs. Needless to say I will not be missing this one, although I may not take photos as I have in years past. The Blind Bear is participating and they have already ordered a team shirt for me.
The 8th annual Dead Elvis Scooter Rally happens this weekend. Here is a note they sent me about the event:
“The Memphis Kings Scooter Club, established in 2003, is Memphis’ largest and oldest scooter club. We welcome all sizes, shapes, and makes of scooters. Throughout the year we have group rides and socials, attend out of town rallies, participate in parades and other local events such as Bike Night on Beale Street, and host an annual rally. This year we are hosting our 8th Dead Elvis Scooter Rally, Friday– Sunday, April 24 – 26. Come join us for scooter socials, short rides around the city, and long rides through the winding country roads of West Tennessee. We are also having our scooter games and scooter judging at the Mud Island River Park. Sunday morning the rally will conclude with an Awards Brunch and Scooter Raffle. For more information please visit www.MemphisKings.net.”
Bleh. Back to work after a 3-day weekend and the week is not off to a good start. I lost my parking pass to my Downtown garage and had to go get a new one. Two bugs flew up my nose. And I am finally starting to accept a situation I desperately tried not to accept for over a month, up to and including this past weekend. I still have the best group of friends I could ask for, though, and I hope to hang out with some of them tonight. Home from work, now it’s time to begin my quest for PBR.