Month: December 2015

We’re less than 12 hours away from 2015 being outta here and I can’t wait. The past several years, I have taken the night off on New Year’s Eve because the bars tend to turn into Amateur Night. This year, however, I’m gonna celebrate! Most likely I will meet up with friends at the Silly Goose tonight. If you haven’t decided what to do tonight, Choose901 has a list.

Why do I always think of good ideas too late? This morning I thought, I want to get a T-shirt printed saying “I GOT ALL DRESSED UP FOR NEW YEAR’S EVE” and wear it out on New Year’s Eve. With jeans, of course. Maybe next year… I do have a guy who custom prints shirts, so I can make this happen.

I played trivia at the Blind Bear last night. My team’s name was “The chimney wasn’t the only thing Santa came down.” I can’t take credit for the name but thought it was pretty damn clever. Jeannette asked me to let everyone know that the Bear will open at 3 PM New Year’s Day and they will have bowls of blackeyed peas and collards. For those not familiar with that tradition, Southerners eat blackeyed peas and collard greens for good luck in the year to come.

Also, the Flying Fish will be open regular hours tomorrow and will serve blackeyed peas with every order.

This makes me sad: Former Arkansas basketball player Michael Qualls has been arrested on drug charges. Qualls was the shooting guard who had the put-back dunk with less than a second on the clock in 2013 in a memorable victory over Kentucky. He left the Hogs after his junior season to enter the NBA draft, but was not selected. I always felt he would have been NBA material if he’d stayed for his senior year at Arkansas.

In case anyone is traveling north this weekend, be advised that Missouri has shut down I-55 outside of St. Louis due to flooding. Also, the U.S. 51 bridge in Kentucky over the Ohio River has been closed.

From Thrillist: Memphis’ best new bars and restaurants for 2015. Not at all surprised to see Maciel’s for Best Mexican. I cannot tell you enough how good this place is.

For those of you new to Memphis, there’s a game called “fireworks or gunshots?” that we play tonight and also on July 4. If you aren’t sure what I mean, just go outside around midnight and you will soon understand.

There’s a Digital Communications Coordinator position open at Youth Villages.

The CA’s Michael Donahue recommends the BBQ Benedict at Silky O’ Sullivan’s

Good seeing B-RAD and meeting his nephew at the Silly Goose last night. It is always a treat to be on the same side of the bar as Brad.

My WordPress dashboard tells me that “tube top pull down” is a top search term that leads people to this blog. Heh.

Work lets us out at 3 today, so I’ll do happy hour at the Goose at 4 (or the Bear if the Goose is not open). See you in 2016. Be safe tonight everybody and don’t drive drunk!

The Liberty Bowl parade happens on New Year’s Day on Beale Street. If you haven’t seen this parade, I recommend going. It is a bit different from the St. Pat’s and Christmas parades in that it isn’t organized by the locals; it’s organized by the Liberty Bowl and AutoZone. It lasts longer than the other parades, there are more marching bands, and of course the participating schools, this year Arkansas and Kansas State, are represented. There will be plenty of Hogs and K-State fans around and it will be a festive time. The parade starts at 3, starting at Fourth Street and rolling down Beale to Second, but I recommend you get there around 2:40 to stake out your spot.

If you’re not driving and you can handle a cold drink on a cold day, go to Wet Willie’s and get a Call-a-Cab. It’s a punch-flavored daiquiri that is very high in alcohol content. Don’t get more than one unless you want to be in bed by 7 PM.

Good news: Effective Friday, Tennessee driver licenses will be good for 8 years instead of 5 as was the case previously. Fewer trips to the DMV = happier Tennesseans.

Bill Cosby faces his first criminal charges over his conduct with women. The charge is 3 counts of aggravated indecent assault. I hope Cos lives to be 110 so he can enjoy a full 30 years in jail, and even that isn’t enough to pay for the emotional turmoil so many women have experienced thanks to his actions. They got the charge in two days before the statute of limitations would have expired.

Arkansas and Kansas State fans, if you’re already in town and want to catch some good live music, I recommend checking out my friend Brad Birkedahl and his band at Blues City Cafe’s Band Box. Rockabilly and lots of Elvis. Good stuff. Show time is 9:30.

Cricket protein bars could save the planet. Yuck. Remember when they sold cricket snacks by the register at the Flying Fish? I swear I am not making this up. Somebody I know (Bones I think?) bought a package and offered me a cricket. I turned down the offer.

Geoff Calkins reports that the following team sent scouts for Paxton Lynch’s final game as a Tiger: Jets, Rams, Texans (two), Giants, Bears, Cardinals, and the Cowboys.

This map shows the drunkest states during the December holidays. Tennessee did well! My home state of Arkansas did well too.

There will probably be a second post before I go after work, so check back. Happy hour plan for me tonight is to lead off at Silly Goose, then over to the Flying Saucer for a friend’s final shift. Time to run errands then back to work.

It’s 10:30 PM Tuesday December 29 as I type this, so realize when I say tomorrow I mean Wednesday the 30th. Sorry for any misunderstanding but I’m home from the bars and there’s so much news that I have to do a post before bed. Also sorry for any typos. Eating the black bean chili from City Market’s grab & go. After I get this up I may go to Silly Goose where Charvey is playing right now.

Local will open at 10:00 tomorrow for the Memphis-Auburn game and will have $1 beer, including the good stuff (local and premium) until the first team scores. Root for a low scoring game if you plan on attending!

Come see Big Red, the Arkansas Razorbacks mascot, tomorrow at Kooky Canuck from 12 to 1 in the afternoon. Big Red is doing the 25lb Humonga Kookamonga Challenge and needs help.

Trolley Stop Market is having its first ever New Year’s Eve Kids Party on Dec. 31 from 7 to 9. Complimentary cookies, popcorn, and cupcakes for the kiddos (no Nuh-Uh Girl this does not mean you) and the movie Minions will be showing. Pizza specials for the movie. 901-526-1361 to reserve your table today.

Miss Cordelia’s is ringing in the new year with $9 growler fills at the growler station through the 1st. Also $5 off your purchase at the station if you purchase 3 or more growlers will fill-ups.

James Rogers, outgoing head of Memphis Animal Services, offered this quote about his legacy: “I leave a legacy that’s really great, I think.” Hey James, here’s a quote from me about your legacy: FUCK YOU. I would not even hire you to water plants on the Main Street Mall. You’d probably put Ortho in the tanks.

This Mississippi River is expected to crest at 43.5 feet January 9. Not quite enough to flood Riverside Drive as happened in 2011.

For my fellow Led Zeppelin fans: List of 20 sessions Jimmy Page played, not as part of a band. Notable and surprising: Petula Clark’s 1964 hit “Downtown”

Wisconsin Man throws beer bottle at bartender who changes radio station from Black Sabbath to Christmas music. Seems reasonable.

Cafe Pontotoc has announced it will be closed Dec. 31 to Jan. 7 and to expect “big things” when it re-opens on the 8th.

Off to bed. Or the Goose. Damn this chili sure is good.

Just a few days ago I was commenting on my surprise that Motorhead frontman Lemmy had turned 70. Unfortunately Lemmy barely got past 70. A form of very aggressive cancer was discovered in him December 26, and he passed away yesterday. RIP and rock on, Lemmy.

The second annual Russell George memorial benefit for the Church Health Center is this Saturday at 6:00 at Earnestine & Hazel’s. Russell was the man who, in the early 1990s, bought E&H and transformed it into the dive bar known for Soul Burgers and a great jukebox that we know and love today. The E&H house band will perform and the Grizzlies game will be on. Suggested donation $10 at the door.

There will be a really neat event called Chef + Farmer + Maker Friday, February 5 at 6:30 PM at 387 Pantry. This is a tough event to describe in a sentence or two, so I will just paste in the first paragraph from Facebook.

Friday, February 5th, 2016 at 6:30 PM, The 387 Pantry will host a roundtable discussion on the current state and the role of our local food culture in building Memphis as a capital of culinary innovation and exploration. If cities are judged by their food, how is our gritty little city by the river being represented? The conversation will feature the voices of a selection of local culinary figures spanning several roles in the food world. We have invited two chefs, two farmers, and two culinary craftspeople to participate. These players, the farmers who grow and tend to the ingredients, the makers who preserve and believe in a unique application of an ingredient, and the chefs, who present creative, beautiful, and thoughtful culminations of all three, will discuss the dishes that best represent our city, the missing pieces to our food culture, the changes that we have seen over the past half decade, and, Memphis’ role in the broader context of the southern food renaissance, and so on.

Only 60 tickets are available. Get them here.

Max’s Sports Bar opened at 11:30 today for Tigers basketball. They will open at 10:30 tomorrow for the Tigers in the Birmingham Bowl, 2:00 Thursday for playoff semifinals, and 11:00 Friday through Sunday.

Note for Memphians reading this blog from Birmingham: Uber starts there today at 4.

Memphis Animal Services Director James Rogers is the latest Wharton appointee to be shown the door by incoming Memphis mayor Jim Strickland. HALLELUJAH! Good riddance, dog killer!

So last night, I was at the Blind Bear watching football, when the Nuh-Uh Girl showed up! And there wasn’t even any free food!

Me, the Nuh-Uh Girl, Jeannette, Misty, and Jeremy. The Nuh-Uh Girl will be in town until Monday and is ready for people to order some food so she can eat.

Before Monday Night Football, they showed photos of cryotherapy machines twelve of the Broncos use. They get in for three minutes – their full body in the machine, standing up, only their head sticking out. They said that it can reduce recovery time from 72 hours to 24, but it involves standing in a machine at temperatures up to MINUS TWO SIXTY (at least that’s what was claimed last night). I would say I would never do that, but I guess if I were being paid five million a year I would get in that damn machine too.

Also before the game, there was an emotional interview with Peyton Manning in response to claims that he took Human Growth Hormone. The employee who had made the accusation had already recanted, but Al Jazeera reported it anyway. In the interview I recognized immediately the look of exasperation and disappointment and hurt in Peyton’s eyes, that someone had made shit up about him and others believed it without question, without even bothering to hear his side of the story.

Shout-out to all the FedExForum employees working extra hard and extra long to provide fans a great experience at today’s doubleheader. My friend who manages concessions there told me his day will start at 7:30 AM and end at 2 AM.

I’ll probably lead off at Blind Bear for happy hour. Uncertain whether I will play poker later in the evening.

Emotional car ride home. Maybe I will say something about it later but not right now. It has nothing to do with my mother’s health, by the way, so don’t worry about that. Let’s just say that I prayed for the first time since probably about age 30.

This is scary: Someone put a voter database online with 191 million records. The records contain details like names, addresses, dates of birth, party affiliation, and phone numbers. Even scarier? As of yet, nobody knows who put it online.

Tomorrow is a rare weekday doubleheader at FedExForum. The Memphis Tigers play Tulane at noon, and then the Grizzlies take on Miami at 7. At the Grizzlies game, you can get a free Ghost River “All Hops, Grit, Grind” pint glass. Simply order a Ghost River beer at either of the two stations selling it, and keep the glass.

MemphisWeather.net seeks a contract programmer for a single project.

Popular singer Charvey Mac plays the Silly Goose tomorrow night, Tuesday, December 29 from 10 to 1. That’s the weekly $2 local craft beer day so I will probably pop in for Charvey’s first hour and a craft beer or two. Or maybe I’ll forget to shop local like the last time Charvey was there and get PBR instead.

There will be a Liberty Bowl team welcome for Arkansas and Kansas State tomorrow at Bass Pro at the Pyramid at 5. Players will eat dinner and get to look around the new store. $25 if you want to attend.

MemphisWeather.net posted the forecast for the Birmingham Bowl in which Memphis plays Wednesday. Rain will be likely, especially in the morning, with 54 degrees at the 11 AM kickoff, up to 57 by 2. The Tigers practiced in the rain today which was good prep for the game.

Off to Melissa Monday at Bardog. A PBR sounds like a gift from heaven right about now (although that’s not what I prayed for either).

Before we get on with the news, I have a Pandora ’80s station rant. The worst song ever, “Tainted Love/Baby Where Did Our Love Go” by Soft Cell, plays way too much. The problem is that “Tainted Love” is considered one song, “Baby Where Did Our Love Go” another song, and “Tainted Love/Baby Where Did Our Love Go” a third song. So that crap is popping up on ’80s Pandora every half hour, it seems like. Ugh.

Matt Barnes has been suspended by the NBA for two games, according to Yahoo! Sports. Shortly after he was traded to the Grizzlies, he got in an altercation with New York Knicks coach Derek Fisher at Fisher’s house. Barnes did not appeal, so the suspension will be for the next two games.

There will be a paranormal investigation class on Saturday, January 9. Learn how to become a ghost hunter and get information about the tools of the trade in this two-hour class. $20, ages 18 and up.

Anyone know what’s going on with Sunday brunch at Texas de Brazil? A couple of people who went yesterday told me they were charging full dinner price and the salad bar did not have some of the usual Sunday brunch items – in particular the au gratin potatoes, which are the best thing about brunch there.

Looking to get some exercise tonight while having fun and hanging out with some cool people at the same time? The Salty Dogs running group depart from Bardog Tavern at 7 tonight. They will run around AutoZone Park and up the Main Street Mall on a 3-mile course. The course ends at Bardog, where they will go downstairs and enjoy food and drink specials post-run. There is no cost and no need to register in advance. All you have to do is show up!

If you want to get some exercise outside of Downtown tonight, check out arcade/video game bar/sports bar the Rec Room out on Broad Avenue tonight at 6:30. It’s the final Bendy Brewski Yoga class of 2015. $15 for an all-levels yoga class followed by some of the best beer in the city. This is a great activity for those who like yoga and tend to play games.

There was a 2.6 magnitude earthquake at Meeman-Shelby Forest State Park this morning. Not enough to do any damage or be felt, but it is a reminder that our city sits on a major fault line and one of these days “the big one” is coming.

The river is rising and will go past flood stage on New Year’s Day. However, that is still 14 feet below the flood of 2011 that moved BBQ Fest to Tiger Lane.

Speaking of BBQ Fest, VIPit tickets are now on sale for $495/$595 with parking. If you’re not on a team, this is a good way to get the full BBQ Fest experience and the cost is about the same as the average team membership. You get admission for Thursday, Friday, and Saturday of BBQ Fest, with guides who know a lot about BBQ to help you get the most out of the festival. You’ll be invited to up to 6 teams for competition BBQ sampling and lots of cooking tips. You’ll also get a goodie bag and tips from an official festival judge, as well as access to light snacks, soft drinks, beer and wine in a VIP area.

From Food and Wine: The Ultimate Guide to Shower Wine

From @RazorbackFB on Twitter: All loaded up and ready to go to Memphis. Welcome, Razorbacks! If Hog fans have any questions about Memphis, shoot me an email at paul@paulryburn.com and I will do my best to answer them. Kansas State fans, your questions are welcome too!

The pajama party at the Blind Bear was a huge success. There’s a photo of me floating around Facebook with two hotties in sexy nightgowns. I’m not sure I have their permission to post it on here though, so for now I will refrain.

I’ll lead off at Bardog for Melissa Monday at happy hour tonight (won’t be running with the Salty Dogs though), then over to the Blind Bear to watch football. Time to eat and get back to my Monday at work.

Every Sunday at the Blind Bear is Hung Over Like a Bear Brunch/D-RANKS with B-RAD from 11 AM to 6 PM. This week, to celebrate the holiday season, we’re doing something extra – we’re throwing a pajama party.

Wear your PJs, wear your onesies, wear your cute bunny slippers… whatever it is you sleep in. Ladies, I realize thick wool onesies might be uncomfortable to wear on a day when the high temperature is pushing the 80 degree mark. Be assured that it is most definitely acceptable to wear lingerie to this party.

NO DRAMA QUEENS ALLOWED (except Rahul) so an enjoyable time will be had by all.

Pajamas are not required, so if you want to pre-game for the Grizzlies-Lakers game at the Bear, bring it on! Although, if you got one of those Tony Allen Jedi robes earlier this month, you should wear it for sure.

Come hang out with the Sunday brunch crew for a fun afternoon!

The Blind Bear is celebrating its fourth birthday today (actual birthday is the 23rd, but this is a better day to have a party. Roman Trio plays at 10. Here’s the list of food and drink specials, as posted by Jeannette on Facebook.

John Daly, Bootlegger’s Mule, MoonBerry Mule, Dark & Stormy, Moscow Mule, The Flapper, Manhattan
Import Beer, House Wine, Well Drinks, Moonshine, Fireball
Jäger BBQ Bologna Sandwich
Bear Balls (think mozzarella sticks, but in ball shape)
Bowl of Pepper Jack Mac & Cheese

I’m sure you have noticed that this blog looks different, especially if you are viewing it on your phone. I have updated the blog to use the TwentySixteen theme that is new in WordPress 4.4. It will allow me to use all the bells and whistles that have been built into WordPress the past two years. It’s also mobile-friendly so I no longer need to use a plugin to make my blog look good on phones. Mobile users, let me know what you think at paul@paulryburn.com. I think it looks better but if a lot of you prefer the old mobile theme, I have the option of bringing it back.

Hard to believe: Lemmy, the frontman of Motörhead, turned 70 yesterday. That makes him older than Gene Simmons, Ozzy Osbourne, Robert Plant, David Bowie, Steven Tyler, and Ron Wood. If John Bonham and Keith Moon were still alive, Lemmy would be older than them too. Wow. I had no idea. I don’t pay a whole lot of attention to Motörhead but I would have guessed Lemmy to be in his mid to late fifties.

My friends Rahul and Tony, the guys who organized the Thanksgiving dinner for the homeless last month, are now collecting winter coats for the homeless. If you have one you would like to donate, hit me up at paul@paulryburn.com and I will put you in touch with them.

AccuWeather has a high of 79 forecast for Memphis tomorrow. MemphisWeather.net has 77. The Weather Channel also has us at 77 for Saturday. Normal high for Memphis on December 26 is 50.

Man, people who dress up for the ugly sweater party tomorrow night at Earnestine & Hazel’s (6-8 PM, $25, benefits the Hospitality HUB) are going to be mighty uncomfortable in their sweaters in 79 degrees.

By the way, the storm that is approaching this weekend has been named “Winter Storm Goliath” by The Weather Channel. Stupid stupid stupid.

Every Friday Felicia Suzanne’s opens for lunch and offers 25 cent martinis with your meal. Obviously since it is Christmas that isn’t happening today, but next Friday Felicia’s will serve lunch on New Year’s Day. If you don’t work Downtown, or if you don’t want to go back to the office smelling like booze, this is your chance to give the martini lunch a try.

For your reading pleasure: A history of fish sticks, the ocean’s hot dog

Shout-out to Jake Schorr, the owner of Westy’s. It’s a tradition for Westy’s to feed anyone who is hungry, for free, on Christmas.

AP Sports offers a look at the best college football bowl swag. A trip to Bass Pro at the Pyramid is recommended for Liberty Bowl attendees.

If you’re looking to get out and about later today, I Love Memphis has a list of what’s open. Of my main hangouts, Bardog, the Blind Bear, and the Flying Saucer open at 5. Silly Goose opens at 7. I forgot to ask what time Max’s opens (or if it is open at all today) when I was in there last weekend, so not sure about that one. Most likely I will lead off at the Bear at 5. Merry Christmas everyone and I hope you like the new theme.

Merry Christmas everyone. I plan on changing my blog’s theme to WordPress’s new Twenty Sixteen theme today, so the blog may look weird for a little while until I get everything sorted out. When done, the blog will be prettier, I will be able to do more with it, and the experience will be improved for mobile users.

Back later today with a news post.