Month: September 2017

Fire in my building Wednesday night: Info and thank-yous

I’ve been talking to my neighbors and messaging my landlord, Henry Grosvenor, and I’ve been getting more details on the fire that broke out on the 15th (top) floor of Number 10 Main Wednesday night about 10 PM. I would like to say thank-you to a few people and organizations:

  • First and foremost, my neighbor on the 15th floor who heard a smoke alarm going off next door and then started smelling smoke. He ran next door and banged on the door until the man in the apartment, who had left food on the stove and then fell asleep, woke up. The neighbor’s actions kept the damage from being much worse than it was and possibly saved a life.
  • Memphis Fire Department. Despite the fire happening on the top floor of a high-rise, they were on it and had it contained in minutes. Six units were damaged, but a lot more would have been had it not been for their quick and professional response.
  • Hotel Napoleon. The boutique hotel at Third and Madison offered a small discount on hotel rooms for residents displaced by the fire.. They are a good neighbor and a good member of the Downtown community. (Hotel rooms were covered by insurance, and no resident had any out-of-pocket expense.)
  • My neighbors who were affected by the fire, who have been very understanding about the situation despite being inconvenienced through no fault of their own.
  • And finally, Henry himself, who was up well past midnight getting ServPro out here to minimize the damage, and arranging the Hotel Napoleon rate.

To make it clear, this fire did not happen because of any structural defect of Number 10 Main.

No one was hurt in the fire.

For my neighbors, Henry is thinking of arranging a Fire Safety meeting in the near future. Watch the announcement boards on the elevators for details.

My unit was not affected by the water damage but I got very lucky. If the water damage had spread to two or three more units it probably would have got me.

Back at lunchtime with a regular post.

Thursday update

Fire alarm in my building last night. When a second and third battalion arrived, I realized it was not a fire drill or a kid who pulled the fire alarm; it was a real fire. Cooking accident on the 15th floor. MFD had it under control quickly and my apartment was not affected. As you can see, I made sure my important belongings got out safely. After I took this photo I decided I was too close to the building and needed to move farther away. Specifically, I moved about three blocks farther away, to the bar at the Blind Bear.

Today through Sunday are Repair Days at the National Ornamental Metal Museum. At this event, metalsmiths from around the country travel to Memphis and volunteer to repair family heirlooms and other metal objects brought in by the community. During Repair Days the museum is open to the public and admission is free.

Don’t have an object to repair? No problem, bring the family out on Saturday the 23rd for a day of fun. There will be blacksmithing demos, a scavenger hunt and I Spy, pewter casting, and jewelry making. At 1:30 PM there will be a Q&A with museum management. From 2 to 3 Opera Memphis will perform two pieces as part of 30 Days of Opera. From 2 to 4 there will be an Iron Pour: Watch as artists cast your scratch block or bowl. Silent auction 4 to 7. Gallery talk and reception with artist David Secrest at 5. At 7 there will be a dinner and live auction.

Do you want to be in a movie?

Thursday, October 5 will be Games on Wheels Night outside the Silly Goose. There will be cargo bike slow races, tiny bike sprints, and the Memphis Roller Derby will be there as well. Grab a drink and hang out on the Great Streets Project and watch the show, or hop on a bike and compete.

City Tasting Tours will present a Chef Collaboration Dinner on Monday, October 30 at 7 PM. Asian and upscale Southern cuisine will come together in a fusion of culinary skills and art, with ingredients hand-picked by chefs Jimmy Sinh (Sushi Jimmi) and Michael Patrick (Rizzo’s). Mixologist Q Shakur will create cocktails that perfectly complement each of the four courses.

Deal Cancer Out V will happen Saturday, November 18 (my birthday!) from 2 to 5 PM at Downtown Central BBQ. This is a poker tournament that is a fundraiser for Memphis Men’s Health Org in support of the fight against prostate cancer. The winner of the tournament will receive a three-day trip to Las Vegas, air fare and hotel included. Second to fifth place will pay out $400 – $300 – $200 – $100 in prize packages from your favorite restaurants and bars. Your $45 buy-in includes a Central BBQ buffet. To ensure the game is run properly, they are bringing in Teresa from River Rat Rounders as tournament director.

The 2017-18 Grizzlies broadcast schedule has been released. There will be four nationally televised games, including a preseason game vs. Houston October 11 and the MLK Day game. This year all 82 regular-season games will be on Fox Sports Southeast, even the four games that also have national TV. So, if you prefer Pete Pranica, Brevin Knight, and Rob Fischer, you can always hear their commentary. Fish Nuggets every game!

Moody Ques teammates: Check your email. We have moved up our third Best Memphis Burger Fest practice cook to this Saturday, September 23. It’s the last available weekend day before Burger Fest on October 7 where all the people who need to be there, can be there. Dammit I was planning to try out for the Memphis Hustle that day!

That’ll do it for now. Hitting Silly Goose happy hour after work. Back tomorrow with more news.

Wednesday update #2

Normally going to Collierville is something I would not recommend in this blog, but you might want to consider it Saturday. The second annual Collierville Brew Fest happens at Carriage Crossing from 4 to 7 PM this Saturday, September 23. Guests can sample craft beer from local and regional breweries as well as homebrew teams. The Carriage Crossing restaurants will have food samples. There will be live music by The Young Petty Thieves, game zone activities, and the Amurica photo booth. Love the FAQ section at the bottom of the event listing – no matter what question you have about the event, the answer is “Your answer goes here.”

YOGA! Ghost River will host Sumits Yoga + Beer Benefit #2 this Thursday in their taproom. $15 includes an all-levels yoga class followed by a 10 oz. Ghost River beer. Sign in 5:30-6:00, yoga class 6:00-7:00, then beer. There is a maximum of 25 so be sure to register ASAP. Bring your own mat, water, and of course your ID since you’re going to be drinking. Proceeds from this event benefit the Grizzlies Prep Academy.

Give it away, give it away, give it away now, YOGA! Tomorrow, Thursday, September 21, Downtown Yoga will have Give it Away Day. Every person who takes a yoga class at the studio tomorrow will get a gift. Giveaways could be a yoga mat, a yoga class pass, a ride on Sprock’n’roll party bike, a visit to Memphis Escape Rooms, or one of various other goodies. Downtown Yoga will have classes throughout the day at a variety of levels. Have a look at the schedule to pick your class.

Some great local beer hits stores this week.

Holly has information on this fall’s River Series at Harbor Town. The series kicks off this Sunday, September 24 with Amy Lavere and Will Sexton with the Moon Glimmers.

Holly also has info on Puppies Now, Babies Later, an event organized by Wolf River Animal Rescue and Loflin Yard, at Loflin Yard 2-5 PM Sunday. Bring your own dog or meet an adoptable rescue dog. There will be giveaways and the event is family-friendly. When did people start using the term “doggo” all the time? I never saw that until this year.

If you listen to a lot of podcasts, Lifehacker has a tip on the best podcast search engine. It has indexed 18,000,000 different episodes of 300,000 different podcasts.

With the Triple-A championship game over, the St. Louis Cardinals have recalled Aledmys Diaz and Josh Lucas from the Redbirds.

From Newsweek: Famous primatologist Jane Goodall says Donald Trump is like an aggressive chimp and may not last long as president.

If you’ve heard the name “Paul Manafort” but you’ve never been exactly sure who he is or why he’s in the news so much, this article does an excellent job laying out his history and his ties to foreign governments.

That’s it for now. I’ll hit the Silly Goose happy hour after work as I usually do on Wednesdays. Back tomorrow with more.

Paella party and more Wednesday news

The Front Porch will host a paella patio party Sunday, October 1 at 3 PM. The event will feature live music by Le Tulmulte Noir. It will start off with Spanish tapas including Iberica Jamon, rosemary marinated Mahon cheese, grilled red pepper crostini, and Spanish olives. The main course will be Chef Patrick Reilly’s famous Valencia Paella Mixta. There will be sangria specials as well. Tickets are $45 and are limited so if you want to attend, call 901-524-0817 to make reservations. No walk-up sales will be allowed. Extra tapas platters will be sold for $18, and the full Front Porch menu will be available. The paella contains chicken, sausage, and seafood including shellfish.

The Redbirds lost the Triple-A championship game 5-3 to the Durham Bulls last night.

The Memphis Farmers Market hosts Farm Fest with Star and Micey at Loflin Yard this Sunday, September 24 from 5 to 8 PM. This is the annual fundraiser for the Market. There will be food from local restaurants and vendors, wine, and Wiseacre beer. Old Dominick will provide two signature cocktails, and Kendra Scott Jewelry will be offering jewelry pulls. I have been to this event the past two years and it is a good time. Believe me, you will not have any shortage of great food to eat.

Ghost River has tweeted that there will be no trivia tonight in the taproom. Geeks Who Drink trivia will return Wednesday, September 27. You can still enjoy Flight Night in the taproom tonight, with 4 flights for the price of 3.

I discovered a new food truck on Facebook yesterday: Quasi halal Asian Street Food. They’ll be at Ghost River noon to 4 Saturday.

Brian and Jenn will be playing acoustics at Belle Tavern tomorrow night, Thursday, September 21, and every Thursday until the end of November.

El Mero Taco and Say Cheese will be the trucks for Food Truck Wednesday at Miss Cordelia’s tonight from 5 to 8 PM. Buti Yoga with Emily Dyson at 6:30 for a $10 class fee. YOGA!

From Deadspin: Oh, hell yeah, it’s time to get on the Memphis bandwagon (meaning Tigers football)

The Rock says this: Fire Butch Now. No, I don’t mean the Great One, the People’s Champ, the Most Electrifying Man in Sports Entertainment, Dwayne Johnson. I mean the Rock. The Rock was unearthed in 1966 when the UT campus street grid was laid out. For 50 years it has been a canvas for amateur artists. One of those artists is leading the charge for UT men’s head football coach Butch Jones’ ouster. If you smelllllll…la-la-la-la…

what the Rock.

is cooking.

(eyebrow)

The president’s chief of staff reacted to his speech at the U.N. yesterday.

Off to work. Possibly a second post at lunchtime.

Tuesday update #2: Triple-A National Championship game, Pints for Pups at Slider Inn and more

Tonight is the Triple-A National Championship game, Pacific Coast League champions Memphis vs. International League champions Durham, to be broadcast on NBC Sports Network. What better place to watch the game than at the home of the Redbirds, AutoZone Park? The gates will open at 5 and the video board and the TVs in the Club Level will be tuned to the game. First pitch will be shortly after 6. Free admission, with food and beverages available for purchase.

Once the game is over, live music is a short walk away. South Side Supper Club plays their twice-monthly gig at Belle Tavern tonight from 7 PM to 10 PM. If you’re coming from the ballpark, walk south down Second Street and turn into the alley next to Las Margaritas. The tavern’s entrance is in the alley halfway to Main Street. Great whiskey and whisky selection. Also, they have PBR.

Help raise money for the Memphis Humane Society at Pints for Pups Saturday noon to 6 at Slider Inn. Come enjoy live music, $6 slushies, a pop-up craft beer tent, and tacos al pastor. The Humane Society will have some adoptable dogs out there, so if you have ever thought about adopting a rescue Saturday is your day! A dollar from every draft beer sale and Tito’s $4 you-call-it drink will be donated to the Humane Society.

ESPN’s Brian Windhorst and Zach Lowe have a good report on how revenue sharing in the NBA costs small-market teams money. The article examines how a large-market team (L.A. Lakers) can do a poor job running their team as a business, yet still make money hand over fist; meanwhile a well-run small-market team (Memphis Grizzlies) is told again and again that they need to run their business better. The Lakers generate $148 million from local media rights, while the Grizzlies generate only $9.4 million.

I learned something Sunday at out burger cooking practice. World traveler/WordCamp speaker Otto told us, “Pickles are purely an American thing when it comes to topping burgers. When I traveled to Australia, the burgers there had a big brown beet on them.”

“So you’re saying Australians like to beet their meat?” I replied. That is definitely a burger idea we won’t be stealing from our friends down under.

President Trump spoke at the United Nations this morning. On the subject of Kim Jong-un, Trump said “Rocket man is on a suicide mission for himself and his regime” and that the U.S. would have no choice to totally destroy North Korea if the U.S. is forced to defend itself or its allies. Shall we set the Doomsday Clock to 11:59:30 now? I sure hope Trump ran those remarks by Defense Secretary Mattis in advance. I have a feeling he didn’t though.

That’s it for today. Back tomorrow with more.

Tuesday morning update

The King and I comes to the stage at the Orpheum this week. This show is set in Bangkok in the 1860s. It’s the story of an unconventional romance between the king of Siam and a British schoolteacher who he brought to the country to teach his many wives and children. It won a Tony in 2015 for “Best Musical Revival.”

Kid’s Books and Brunch, a pop-up bookstore and story time, will be at Trolley Stop Market this Saturday from 11 AM to 2 PM. Rebekah Gienapp will lead a story and craft time, featuring the brand-new sing-along My Friend Robot. The pop-up shop is by Barefoot Books and you will find plenty of imaginative and diverse gifts for kids that aren’t available in stores. Preview their collection here.

901 Drift will be the featured vendor at Small Shop Saturday in the Ghost River taproom this Saturday from noon to 4. Every week, the taproom hosts a different vendor, and this week it is 901 Drift. This is a local jewelry line produced by husband and wife team Phillip and Caroline Smith. The jewelry is made from pieces of driftwood they find walking the banks of the Mississippi, and each piece is unique and crafted with love.

A Healthy Me! 30 day wellness plan kicks off Saturday at Your Inner Yogi, 10 N. Second, from 1 to 2:30 PM. This is 30 days of clean eating, vegan protein shakes, unlimited yoga, and a support group to help you achieve your wellness goals. The package is a $275 value but they’re selling it for $165 plus tax and shipping. They are asking that you RSVP as soon as possible due to limited space. Saturday will be the meet & greet, then the wellness plan kicks off for the first day on Friday, September 29. On Saturday, October 28 plan participants will come together to celebrate.

Is this one of those “cleanse” thingies? I sure as hell won’t be participating but I know for a fact I have readers who are into this kind of stuff, so I figured I should write about it.

The Broom Closet at 546 S. Main is offering an Intro to Spellcasting – Prayers with Props class Saturday from 2 to 4. Learn about the three keys to effective Magick, and what to ask yourself before you cast a spell and boosters to keep it going. There’s also stuff about using your guides and animal totems. There is a $10 energy exchange for this class.

You know, that reminds me – yesterday during my lunch break I had a $1.07 energy exchange with an automated cashier in the self-checkout line at Kroger. I went into a state of bliss as I felt myself absorbing the machine’s energy and becoming one with the machine. Then I went back to the office and heated up my Michelina’s frozen dinner.

This week in SEC Shorts: The janitor at the University of Tennessee football building is a busy man.

Memphis Farmers Market has announced that the MFM Squared day at Court Square this Wednesday has been canceled.

The Memphis in May BBQ Judging Seminar is set for Saturday, November 11. Sign up and learn how to be a BBQ Fest judge.

That’s it for now. Off to work. Possibly a second post at lunchtime.

Monday update

The college football polls are out, and if they went that far down the Memphis Tigers would have been ranked #31 in both polls. That’s slightly lower than I had hoped, but there’s always a bias against schools that are not in the Power 5. Pleased to see Memphis got more votes than Tennessee in both polls. Now the Tigers need to focus on jumping past ranked non-Power 5 schools South Florida and San Diego State.

Congratulations to Pacific Coast League champions the Memphis Redbirds! With the series vs. the El Paso Chihuahuas tied 2-2, the Redbirds scored a 3-1 win in Game 5 last night to take the crown. The Redbirds now advance to the Triple-A Championship game, to be held in Moosic, PA tomorrow night. Their opponents will be the Durham Bulls, the International League champions. The game will be broadcast on the NBC Sports Network. The Cardinals are expected to promote a few Redbirds players following that game.

Sushi Jimmi is hiring for several positions: waitress, dishwasher, kitchen prep, and kitchen chefs. They are looking for someone dedicated and responsible with a customers-first mindset. Call David or Jimmy at 901-729-6985 during restaurant hours to apply. (Note: they are closed on Mondays)

Good music coming your way at South Main Sounds, 550 S. Main, Friday night:

Sad to hear of the passing of Bobby “The Brain” Heenan yesterday. Heenan was the best pro wrestling manager in history and was the perfect foil to Hulk Hogan. Later in his career Heenan found a new role for himself at the broadcasting table.

Memphis is considering a hotel conversion for vacant 100 N. Main.

I could not have been any happier with the Moody Ques’ second practice cook for Best Memphis Burger Fest yesterday. Several different ideas were tried for the Anything Goes and Traditional Cheeseburger category. We voted on what we liked the best in each category and also what kind of cheese to use. It was a fantastic team effort and we are in great shape to score well at Burger Fest. We practiced Bloody Mary too. Our third and final practice cook will be this coming Sunday, September 24, same time, same place.

By the way… Seth messaged me last week and asked if there was any team the Moody Ques wanted to be near at Burger Fest. I said Squeal Street. So our many mutual friends will not have to walk far to say hello to both teams.

The Grizzlies have announced their promotional schedule for 2017-18. Highlights include

  • Grit Grind Forever towel to all fans on Opening Night, October 18 vs. New Orleans (TA’s new team)
  • Grizzlies Lightsaber for first 5000 on December 15 vs. Atlanta
  • Jerry “The King” Lawler crown for first 5000 on January 5 vs. Washington (Wrestling Night)
  • Grit Grind Forever headband for first 10,000 on January 19 vs. Sacramento (Z-bo’s new team)
  • Marc Gasol Billion Dollar Strut figure for first 5000 on January 26 vs. L.A. Clippers
  • 8-bit Mike Conley for first 5000 on March 2 vs. Denver (Video Game Night)

Great piece on Huffington Post about Memphis entrepreneur Darrell Cobbins.

The rescheduled Memphis-UCF game will be on ESPN2 6 PM Central time Saturday, September 30.

That’s the news for now! Back tomorrow with more.

Pho @ Oshi and a glorious College Football Saturday

What a fabulous Saturday yesterday turned out to be! I watched the first half of the UCLA-Memphis game at Bardog Tavern. As I left I noticed their new sandwich board sign outside. Seriously, have you ever seen a more beautiful sign in your life?

I mean, this is a sign that just subtly communicates “Excellent beer sold here.” Well done, Bardog!

My second stop was the Blind Bear for the conclusion of the Tigers game. Betcha some NFL scouts are going to be booking plane tickets to Memphis to have a look at Riley Ferguson and Anthony Miller. The Tigers defense came through with some key interceptions and a stop in the final minutes. After the game, I predicted the Tigers would finish just out of the Top 25 in this week’s AP poll, then after defeating Cream Puff U. (Southern Illinois) next week, will move into the Top 25. Congratulations Coach Norvell and Tigers for raising the profile of the AAC and making a move toward a Big Six bowl.

After that it was lunch time. I headed over to Oshi for the pho. For an appetizer I had the Oshi sambal edamame with sambal and garlic. Definitely worth the extra dollar if you like spicy food. So good!

However, I learned something about spicy food yesterday: It may be a mistake to dump all the jalapeno slices they give you into your pho. The broth soaks up the spiciness from the jalapenos. After about 20 minutes the pho was so spicy that I had to throw in the towel.

After that I went over to the Blind Bear to watch the Florida Gators host the Tennessee Vols. The Vols have a program steeped in tradition, including Smokey the dog, that stupid trash can, and losing to Florida. They proudly upheld that tradition yesterday, losing 26-20 on a Hail Mary pass as time expired. I would encourage Tennessee’s AD to be proactive and go ahead and fire Butch Jones now rather than waiting for the end of the season.

All right, that’s it for now. Time for burger cooking practice with the team. Back tomorrow with more news.

 

Saturday update… but first, a word from my trolls

Poppy says, “Go Gators!”
Perjorie says “CHOMP CHOMP”

You know, it would be nice if they talked about the UCLA-Memphis game, but trolls gonna troll, I suppose. The Tigers take the national stage this morning at 11, with a game televised on ABC vs. #25 UCLA at the Liberty Bowl. A win would be huge for the Tigers and for the American Athletic Conference in general, showing that AAC schools are capable of beating ranked teams in the Power Five, and opening the door for a conversation about whether there should be a Power Six. Go Tigers Go!

NNEDTOBREATHE brings their All The Feels world tour to the Mud Island Amphitheater tonight at 7. $1 of every ticket purchase will go to OneWorld Health.

Hard Rock Cafe will host the Q107.5 Bruno Mars Bash tomorrow from 4 to 6, just prior to the Bruno Mars concert at FedExForum. There will be a live remote and ticket giveaways.

Happy weekend everyone, YOGA! Your Inner Yogi at 10 N. Second will host a Yoga & Visualization class tomorrow from 1:30 to 3:30. You’ll learn how to meditate and create a physical practice to visualize in your mind what you want to manifest in your body in your quest for good health. This workshop is about understanding that good health is the result of not only what you eat, but what you think and say. Bring a yoga mat, a journal, and a water bottle. Your Inner Yogi will provide the additional materials to get started on your quest. The class is $25.

Pop-a-Roos Gourmet Popcorn Shoppe is the featured vendor at today’s Small Shop Saturday at the Ghost River taproom noon to 4. Come explore popcorn flavors including Oreo Cheesecake, Chicago Mix, Spicy Cheddar, and Strawberry Cheesecake. Invent your own popcorn and beer pairings!

THIS:

There will be a two-hour introduction to Wicca today at The Broom Closet, 546 S. Main, this afternoon at 2. There is a $10 charge or as they call it an “energy exchange” for this class.

Eric Hughes will bring the blues to The Dirty Crow Inn tonight at 9.

Got an insider tip from one of my co-workers that I wanted to pass along. He said that if you like to eat, the 2017 Mid-South Great Steak Cook-off at Southland Park on Saturday, October 21 is a good cooking festival to attend. He said that most of the teams usually have samples out most of the day, and that it’s really good steak.

Wiseacre Brewing Co. is having a sale in its taproom and in its online store. Caps, beanies, hoodies, tees, and more.

Miss Cordelia’s is hosting a crafts and drafts class Tuesday night. Come make a fall decoration while you drink a craft beer.

I had some good beers at the Flying Saucer last night. I started it off with a can of Ghost River Grindhouse Cream Ale. Always a treat to have a top quality local craft beer at the Saucer! I followed that up with a Samuel Smith Cherry Stout and a Wells Banana Bread. 155 beers out of 200 toward my 9th plate.

Afterward my troll and I hung out with Stacey and Ashley at the Blind Bear.

Time to get the weekend started! Tomorrow is Burger Fest practice day and I will have to act somewhat like an adult. So today is Saturday Fun Day! Back tomorrow with more news.

Free Redbirds watch party at AutoZone Park and more Friday news

The Redbirds are one game away from winning the Pacific Coast League championship, thanks to a walk-off home run in the bottom of the 11th in yesterday’s daytime playoff game at AutoZone Park. The team is en route to El Paso for an away game tonight… but don’t worry, you can still see it. AutoZone Park is hosting a free PCL Championship Watch Party tonight at 7. The game will be shown on the video board and the club level TVs. Ballpark favorite concessions, including alcoholic beverages, will be on sale.

This month’s South Main Trolley Night on September 29 will have an Oktoberfest theme. It’s nice to attend an Oktoberfest celebration that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg. I plan on being there!!

I don’t know if I have any readers who are big fans of the Memphis Farmers Market, but in case I do, you’ll be excited to hear about a new service called SingBean that will bring the Farmers Market to you. They are partnering with top vendors including Dave’s Bagels, Whitton Farms, and goat cheese seller Bonnie Blue Farms. You make your order and then can pick it up on Tuesdays at Trolley Stop Market between 3 and 8 PM, or you can have it delivered to you by Meals in Motion for $6.99. SingBean is in it soft opening right now but hopes to be fully going by next week.

Speaking of the Memphis Farmers Market, How You Like Them Apples? is the theme for tomorrow. Apples are ready for you to take home from the Market. Project Breathe will be there from 8 to noon, with UTHSC students there to distribute information about asthma and proper inhalation techniques. Live local music all day. The Market runs from 7 AM to 1 PM under the pavilion at Front and G.E. Patterson.

Superlo has a save 20% sale going on at their Downtown pickup location on South Main through the end of September. All you have to do is order online and use the promo code save20 at checkout.

Singer, songwriter, pianist Peter Cincotti will perform live at the Halloran Centre Friday, October 13, the same day his fifth studio album Long Way from Home is released. According to the press release for the event, “If you threw Billy Joel, Oscar Peterson, and One Republic into a blender, something close to this album would come out.” Tickets are $30 and are now on sale.

Job alert: inferno seeks a Director of Project Management.

A new rickshaw company will debut this weekend to shuttle people around Downtown. The business will look to hire 12 to 15 full-time drivers, and will be available 10 AM to 3 AM seven days a week, with limited availability during the cold-weather months of January and February.

The Slice of the Day at Aldo’s Downtown location sounds like a good one.

Aldo’s patio is dog-friendly. Why not enjoy a slice and a glass of wine on Aldo’s patio with your pooch, then meet friends on the patio of the Blind Bear, also dog-friendly?

The Flyer has an article on pairing drinks with Indian food. I love Indian food! For beer, the writer likes a Wiseacre Ananda IPA. Excellent choice!

Game cancellations due to Harvey and Irma are making an excellent case that college football needs a second bye week.

The Mississippi River Monsters catfish tournament is at Bass Pro this weekend.

RIP Cassini: Today the spacecraft Cassini burned up in the atmosphere of Saturn, completing an 11-year mission. Here’s a look at 9 things Cassini taught us about Saturn, its rings, and its moons.

If you get a call from someone at Equifax it’s a scam.

Looking forward to the weekend! The Moody Ques have our second practice cook for Best Memphis Burger Fest on Sunday. The cooks are going to try a lot of different things and see what works best, and I plan on putting my expertise as a former judge to good use. With nothing else distracting the team between now and Burger Fest, we have time to tweak our product and run up our scores.

That’s it for now. Undecided whether to happy hour at Silly Goose or Max’s Sports Bar today, so it’ll be a game-time decision. Back tomorrow with more news.