Thur update #2: Jerry Lee to play on NYE, Dirty Santa Bingo, ping pong bar and more

Jerry Lee Lewis will play a concert at his club on Beale New Year’s Eve. Jason James will kick things off that night at 8 PM, and then Jerry Lee will take the stage at 10. To purchase tickets, call General Manager JJ Spencer at 901-474-4535. If you want to send Jerry Lee fan mail, send it to

Jerry Lee Lewis Cafe & Honky Tonk
Attn: New Year’s Eve Concert
310 Beale St
Memphis, TN 38103

Dirty Santa Bingo by Cerrito Bingo comes to the Green Beetle next Wednesday, December 14 from 7 to 9 PM. If you get a bingo, you can steal a gift from a previous winner or pick a new gift. Winners are automatically entered into Cerrito Bingo’s contest to win a Nashville trip and a VIP Yazoo brewery tour. $3 Yazoo pints while playing bingo. Bingo is family-friendly and no RSVP is required.

A new ping-pong bar is coming to Midtown. Blazing Paddles will be located at 2166 Central.

Penelope Huston has been named new vice-president of the Downtown Memphis Commission. Most recently, Penelope was Director of Marketing for Memphis in May, and before that, she worked at the Memphis Flyer. I met Penelope the very first time I ever went to Raiford’s, in September 1997 when she threw a Flyer party there. Excellent hire!

I got a chance to talk to the folks at the RAWK’n Grub food truck on the way out of the High Cotton event for Gatlinburg last night. I had been stalking their menu online earlier that day, and I really wanted to try the Blue Suede Shoestring Potatoes, shoestring fries covered with a smoked blue cheese ranch dip, and topped with candied bacon, scallions, and blue cheese crumbles. Unfortunately all the tables inside were taken and it was too cold to eat outside, but I will look for you guys soon!

High Cotton had some people who couldn’t make it to the Gatlinburg supply drive last night, but who still wanted to donate. They will try to take donations through Saturday evening. Contact them at taproom@highcottonbrewing.com and they will make arrangements. (I’d appreciate it if you mentioned in your email that you read about it here.) They are going to try to pack everything into one vehicle (so much has been donated that they may have to rent a semi) to take over on Monday. If you want to donate and like football, perhaps a good time to bring your items would be their Navy vs. Army Watch Party Saturday from 1 to 4.

Saturday is one of this season’s doubleheaders at FedExForum. The Tigers men’s basketball team hosts UAB at noon, and then the Grizzlies play the Golden State Warriors at 7. My friend Nate who works there will be working a double, and on days like these I like to think about what a hard-working guy Nate is as I sit at the bar at the Blind Bear and sip a PBR and watch TV.

Christmas party recipe: Festive Fireball Fudge

I don’t know if I have any vegetarians who read this blog, but on the off-chance that I do, they might be interested in Michael Donahue’s Best Bet for this week. Donahue, a fan of faux food, reviews McEwen’s faux hot wings made of cauliflower.

The Crosstown Concourse job fair is Saturday from 10 to 4 at 438 N. Cleveland. They will be hiring for over 100 jobs with a dozen Concourse tenants. First 100 attendees get pizza.

That’s it for now, time for lunch. Probably a third post after work about the Winter Market at the Memphis Farmers Market Saturday.