Tuesday update #2

Truck yeah! My Memphis Farmers Market commemorative T-shirt and koozies have arrived. I got these for becoming a Friend of the Market last fall.
Truck yeah! My Memphis Farmers Market commemorative T-shirt and koozies have arrived. I got these for becoming a Friend of the Market last fall.

This is my second post of the day, and there was a lot of good stuff in the morning post, so make sure you keep scrolling at the end of this post and check out the earlier one.

A new study has found that being a regular at a small, local bar is good for you. Bar regulars are found on average to be significantly happier, to have more friends, and to have better life satisfaction than most people.

You remember my post from last September, when an intoxicated homeless woman fell and hit her head on a trash can, and 911 had to be called? It took 9 minutes on hold before a dispatcher picked up. I commented at the time, if the call had been about a heart attack or a gunshot wound, the person would have been dead. Mayor Strickland and his team have deemed this unacceptable and are hiring 30 new part-time dispatchers to handle the phones. Thank you, Mr. Mayor.

Next Tuesday, February 9 at 5:30 PM there will be a Fat Tuesday celebration at St. Mary’s Cathedral benefiting the Hospitality HUB. There will be a red beans and rice cookoff and also fresh beignets. There will be live jazz. The event will be family-friendly and vegetarian-friendly. $7 admission, $4 for kids, $22 for a family of four or more.

A biotech startup in the San Francisco Bay area is promising lab-grown pork within five years. Interestingly, the company is named Memphis Meats. Perhaps at BBQ Fest 2023, the Moody Ques will become the first team to win Grand Champion cooking animal-free pork.

If you need to bring a food item to your Super Bowl party, Local can help. They have party platters with Spin Dip, wings, Local burger sliders, and Nashville hot chicken sliders that can feed 10-12 people. Call for pricing.

There will be an Artspace Lofts Town Hall Meeting tomorrow at Stock & Belle at 387 S. Main at 6 PM. Come hear about the transformation of United Warehouse into living space for artists.

Out of time. I still have more news so there may be a third post after work. There is already pooling water on the roads and storms are expected this afternoon, so be careful driving home and take it slow.

Tuesday morning update

Coffee lovers: The Qahwa location at 100 N. Main has a new nitrogen bar. This bar offers nitrogen-infused drinks, not only coffee drinks but grapefruit hop soda, horchata, and red and green tea.

Another tribute band is coming to Memphis: Zoso, the Led Zeppelin tribute band that has toured for more than 20 years, will play the New Daisy Thursday, April 14 at 8 PM.

Madison Line Records is having a music showcase called The Living Room Sessions next Tuesday, February 9 at 7:30 PM. Many genres will be represented, including punk, soul, blues, and gospel and worship. The event will be at the Visible Music College at 200 Madison.

Martin Lawrence brings his “Doin’ Time” Uncut Live Tour to the Orpheum Saturday, April 2. Tickets go on sale this Friday.

The High Cotton taproom is hosting an event Thursday February 25 from 6 to 8 PM called Drink and Draw. The concept is simple: You bring your favorite drawing tool and whatever you want to draw on, and enjoy camaraderie and creativity. Free to participate, and you pay for your own beer,

The High Cotton taproom will host Cookies on Tap Thursday, March 24 from 4 to 7 PM. Four High Cotton beer samples will be served, each perfectly paired with a Girl Scout cookie. Tickets are $20 and proceeds will benefit the Troop 901 endowment. The tasting is go at your own pace, so if you can’t make it by 5 it’s not a problem.

I notice both of these events are on Thursday evenings… wonder what they’re going to do about Bendy Brewski Yoga those nights?

For my blue-eyed readers: We may all be descendants of one 10,000-year-old ancestor.

This is interesting: What fruits and vegetables looked like before we domesticated them

Trying to decide where to watch the Super Bowl this Sunday. It occurs to me that I have never watched a Super Bowl at Max’s Sports Bar and that seems like kind of a shame. Perhaps it’s time to correct that error.

Off to work. Possibly back at lunch or in the evening with more news.

Monday update

LYFE Kitchen is officially open. I am excited it is there, not only because of the diversity it brings to Downtown dining, but because of its location. There is no more “dead block” of South Main between MLK Ave. and Pontotoc. That block will now be bustling with activity, making South Main safer and more connected to the core.

I’ll probably go in there for dinner one day this week. Looking at the menu… hmmm what to get? There’s a kale Caesar salad to which I could get garlic lime tofu as an add-on. I think I would rather eat a bug, but maybe I will order it just to challenge myself. It’s nice to know I can get my salad gluten-free or vegan upon request.

Here’s a map of the Salty Dogs run for tonight. It’s a 4.58 mile figure-eight departing from Bardog at 7 PM. There is no cost to participate and new people are always welcome.

Tickets are on sale for Mix-Odyssey 2016, a mixology competition benefiting Volunteer Odyssey. It will be Saturday, February 27 from 7 ti 10 PM. Sample 7 cocktails (or 10 if you go VIP) from bartenders across the city. Among the participants are Downtown bartenders Daniel Lynn (South of Beale) and Cady Smith and Stephanie Waugh (Cafe Pontotoc). Also hobbyist Grant Whittle (I went to college with him). There will be music and fortune tellers who will predict where you will volunteer next.

Pink Diva Cupcakery is holding a women’s only event called Cupcakes, Cursing and Cocktails next Wednesday, February 10. It’s an informal cocktail to discuss women’s issues, relationships, or anything you just want to get off your chest. Admission is $8, or $5 when you bring your own wine glass. Pink Diva is at 936 Florida just south of Downtown. The cupcakes at Pink Diva are vegan-friendly.

Vegan cupcakes and kale salad… this is almost becoming, like, “the health blog” or something. I need to go order the nachos from Huey’s and throw a photo of ’em on here to undo the damage to this blog’s reputation.

The Metal Museum is having Champagne Sunday next Sunday, February 7 from noon to 2, a free event with champagne, chocolate, cupcakes and wine from The Stemmed Glass. The gift shop will be open for your Valentine’s Day shopping.

Going to WWE Smackdown (tomorrow, FedExForum) or NXT (Thursday, Minglewood Hall) this week? The Cerrito Live podcast has a preview.

A Talent Development Agency has opened on the Main Street Mall next door to the Blind Bear.

2016-01-31 15.39.13

No idea what kind of talent they develop.

Did you know that Tennessee is home to the National Cornbread Championship? It’s in South Pittsburg near Chattanooga. April 23 and 24 are the big days. Hmmm I hovered over the Events menu and one of the events is “Church Service.” I’m thinking this might not be the spring break for adults that BBQ Fest is.

Just in case I have any readers who like mac & cheese, here’s a recipe for mac & cheese waffles.

All right, time for me to run down the street and get my eyes checked out. Tonight I will be checking the TV and social media for Iowa caucus results. I’m hoping Iowa feels the Bern and that a completely unelectable Republican wins their caucus (Ted Cruz would be good). Back tomorrow with more news.