Saturday recap/Sunday update

So this happened yesterday:

It was a surprise party that wasn’t a surprise but turned out to be a surprise anyway for Jasmine, in the back pictured above wearing that pink unicorn thing on her head. It has taken me a while to get to know Jasmine but she is a genuinely good person and I am glad she got to soak up every moment of happiness that came her way yesterday. Also I would like to add that she has an awesome best friend who loves her very much.

There was a unicorn photo booth and unicorn horns, and Jasmine got plenty of unicorn-themed presents. Even I put on a unicorn horn briefly. As for my troll, she got to ride a unicorn.

Beautiful sunny afternoon with friends on the back deck at Max’s Sports Bar. Thanks so much to Jasmine for inviting me.

I’ll make one other comment before I move on: I miss my second BBQ family.

Earlier in the day I ran into my BBQ teammate Drew at the Blind Bear, and he had walked through the Mid-South Farm and Gin Show and got some swag.

Drew got a plastic lid you can use to reseal a canned carbonated beverage (not pictured). To the left of my troll is a chip clip, and behind my troll is what’s known as a Jesus stick. It’s made of medium-weight wood, has a loop at the end with several beads (rosary beads maybe?) and is about four feet long. A lady was handing them out and Drew asked what had to be done to get one. “These are for people who have accepted our Lord Jesus Christ as their savior,” she replied. “Have you already accepted him?” Drew knew the expedient answer was to say yes. “Then you automatically get one,” she said. This isn’t exactly living as Jesus would live, but I sure would like to get one of those Jesus sticks and chase the bums off the corner of Main and Madison.

There was a recent panel discussion about the future direction of Downtown. How do we make rents affordable enough for new college graduates to move down here? How do we convince people not to move away once they get married and have a family? How do we convince people who work Downtown to stay past 5 and spend some time enjoying Downtown’s amenities? How can we make Beale appeal to locals as well as tourists?

Seen on Twitter yesterday:

Ernie: Time to practice my bugle.
Bert: Ernie!!! I am trying to sleep!

Anyone else wonder if the “bugle” is not an actual musical instrument, and if sound is not the sensation keeping Bert awake?

Downtown’s Irish pub The Brass Door has announced its lineup for St. Patrick’s Day weekend festivities. Things kick off Friday night the 16th with The Blessing of the Kegs. Father Auggie of St. Peter’s will bless the kegs and all the revelers, getting them started on a safe St. Patrick’s weekend celebration. There will be live music 6-8 and food specials.

Saturday the 17th is the big day! There will be raffles for a Jameson Coleman grill and a PBR Adirondack chair with cooler. Here’s the full lineup:

The Pub
8AM Open for Kegs & Eggs – Breakfast Menu
8:45 Ireland v. England Six Nations Rugby Final Round – in the bar & on the BIG SCREEN in the Park
Halftime Rugby & Soccer Skills Contest in the Park benefiting Memphis Inner City Rugby
10AM Arsenal v. Leicester & Premiere League Matches

Madison Ave Park
Noon – 6PM Kid’s Art Station, Face Painting & Balloon Animals
12:30 Rice Drewry / 3 Degrees
2:45 Bluff City Backsliders
5PM Drew Erwin

The Pub
Bagpipers & Irish Dancers
Live Music & DJs
7PM Stereo Joe
9PM DJ Mylon

Tsunami will be hosting a beer dinner on March 27 consisting of passed hors d’oeuvres followed by three courses, each expertly paired with beer from their neighbor down the road Memphis Made. $55 per person plus tax and gratuity.

These are a great deal:

Given the price of a dinner at Texas de Brazil, you only have to use 3 of the 12 punches to turn a profit on this purchase. Many friends of mine buy these VIP cards and love them.

Looks like work is being done on the building at 64 S. Main immediately north of City Market. The ground floor has been long vacant despite being in a prime location. That building was going to be the home of Aldo’s Pizza Pies but the Barboro Flats location came along.

Silly Goose has added a turkey burger to its menu. Their beef burger, itself a recent addition, has proved popular. The turkey version will provide an option for people who like burgers but not ones that say moo.

Back tomorrow with more news… and I have a feeling it will be good news.