Alert for those of you who like French fries: I had some of the best fries of my life yesterday at Oshi Burger. On previous visits to the burger bar I had loaded my fries up with toppings like kimchi and chili, and had never tried them the simple way. Yesterday I got them with truffle oil and black sea salt. Really good.
I got them as a side with the El Guapo Patty Melt. As you all know, I take notes in Evernote to prepare for future blog posts. My phone corrected it to El Guano Patty Melt. I promise this burger did not taste like bird droppings.
Earlier in the day, I was at Bardog Tavern, where they have started the Baller Board for 2016. Donate $100 toward the cause of shaving burlesque dancer Kitty Wompas’s head for the kids of St. Jude, and get your name on the board.
Of course my name had to be up there. I was the second one on the board, and by the time I had left two more names had been added. $400 down, $19,600 to go.
While at Bardog, I chatted with two of my neighbors from Number 10 Main, catching up on news about people who used to live in the building. They have a friend from Morgantown, West Virginia who is moving to Memphis and looking for places to live in the Downtown core. I recommended our building, of course, the Washburn, the various Flats apartments, the Pembroke, and the Chisca. Did I leave out any other good apartments? Let me know if you know a unit for lease and I will pass it on.
My friend Bicycle Bobby and I have long complained that there are so many sports bars in Memphis, and yet no weather bars. I mean, seriously, why can’t you go to a bar where the TVs are tuned in to the Weather Channel? Bob wasn’t there to see it, but yesterday my favorite pair of librarian glasses made it happen at the Blind Bear.
Memphis Made Brewing Co. has started a new tradition: Bingo in the taproom every Friday. Play Cerrito Bingo at Memphis Made every Friday while drinking great craft beer and enjoying fare from some of Memphis’ finest food trucks. If you need an additional reason to go, the aforementioned favorite pair of librarian glasses bartends there on Fridays.
The Orpheum Summer Movie Series hosts its first ever Spanish language film at the Halloran Centre this Friday, July 8. Pan’s Labyrinth is set in World War II-era Spain and has English subtitles. Movie is at 7, but come early (doors open at 6) for trivia with La Prensa Latina and sweets from Memphis’ new Mexican bakery, The Sweet Cake Shoppe. There will be drink specials and a selfie station pre-movie as well.
On the Players’ Tribune, Mike Conley explains his decision to stay in Memphis. My favorite quote from the article: “In Memphis we don’t talk. We ball.”
Yonder Mountain String Band plays the New Daisy tonight at 8. This bluegrass band has redefined the genre, pushing the boundaries into rock & roll and improvisation.
I had a rare night on Beale Street last night, dancing at Mr. Handy’s Blues Hall. My friend C was in town for a night, and she hit me up on Facebook Messenger. C is one of those people who sees deeper than a person’s words, deeper than a person’s actions; she sees their inner light. The fact that she was in town for one night and of all the people she knows in Memphis, she chose to hang out with me, is a huge compliment.
D-RANKS with B-RAD at Blind Bear at 11 is first on my agenda today. I have several juicy tidbits of information to pass along to B-RAD. Later in the day I will try to stop by Cody’s house music dance party at Silly Goose. I have also heard that a wild Sunday Fun Day at the Beale Street Tap Room could develop, and I would definitely be inclined to partake in that experience if it does happen. A trip to the south side is possible as well. A Sunday Fun Day without a Cubicle Monday behind it has unlimited possibilities. Time to get things started!