This coming Wednesday is my week to provide pie for Pie Wednesday at work, and since my pie partner will be on vacation I have to bring two pies. So yesterday on my lunch break I drove out to Miss Muff’n bakery in Germantown to order the pies, and while out there I decided, might as well eat lunch at the pizza buffet next door at Garibaldi’s. There I encountered one of the worst sinking feelings of life: Seeing a big family with a bunch of kids walk in 10 seconds before you do, and realizing you probably ain’t gettin’ pizza.
They made a tactical error though. They stopped to fill up on soft drinks before they went to the buffet. I quickly paid, threw my drink cup in a booth unfilled, and hit the pizza line while they were still filling their cups. Success! By the way, for my co-workers who read this blog, we’re getting a banana cream pie and a fudge pie on Wednesday.
Come support an institution that takes care of hundreds of Memphians at Bluegrass in the Beer Garden at St. Mary’s Soup Kitchen at 155 Market today from 5:30 to 9:30. They serve meals to the homeless about 6 days a week, averaging 1200 meals a week. This is their only fundraiser of the year. Come enjoy drinks, delicious food, live music and tours of the historic church. $50 a ticket. If you’re wondering “Market? Where’s that?”, it’s the street immediately after you get off the Second Street/Third Street exit on I-40.
Wiseacre hosts Anything But Common Fest today from 10 AM to 10 PM. The Artist Commons presents an immersive arts day with artist booths, live music, food trucks, and of course, beer. This event is free and open to all ages.
Midtowners, if you’ve never tried gourmet sweet and savory cupcakes from Downtown cakery Two Girls and a Whip, Wednesday night, June 13 is your chance at a Cupcakes & Cocktails dinner at Zebra Lounge. Each of four cupcake courses will be expertly paired with cocktails by Zebra Lounge’s bartenders, and local pianist Steven Rhodes will provide background music. Here’s the menu:
- Mango salsa chicken on a cornbread lime cake topped with a mango, cilantro and lime salsa
- Pepper steak skewered with onions, peppers and mushrooms on top of a bacon potato cake
- Pork tenderloin on a cornbread cake, topped with whipped rosemary potatoes and drizzled with a rosemary garlic sauce
- Banana pudding cake topped with banana mousse and vanilla wafers
Space at the dinner is limited, so if you want to go call 901-472-CAKE to make reservations. Cost is $40.
Memphis Made Brewing Co. is teaming up with Clean Memphis and Project Green Fork for Loving Local, a fundraiser to be held at Ballet Memphis Thursday, June 14 from 6 to 9 PM. Head brewer Drew Barton designed a beer, a Pineapple Wheat, specifically for this event. Barton made the beer with locally sourced wheat and says of it, “It’s light and refreshing with a slight tart finish, I’m looking forward to enjoying some in the backyard this summer.” After the fundraiser, the beer will be available on draft and in six-packs to go in the Memphis Made taproom. Get tickets to Loving Local here.
Tonight’s Redbirds game (6:35 first pitch, gates at 5:00) features live entertainment and $2 beers in the Plaza prior to the game and fireworks after the game. The opponent is the Reno Aces, which I had to go look up because the Redbirds’ PR department doesn’t put the opponents in the Homestand Highlights press releases they send out. ‘Sup with that?
Belle Tavern is opening early today, at 1:30, for those looking for a place to watch World Cup soccer.
There will be an NBA Draft watch party at FedExForum on Thursday, June 21. As was pointed out on social media last night, this is a likely sign the Grizzlies are not trading down in the draft.
Congratulations to University of Memphis athletic director Tom Bowen, who has been appointed to the NCAA Division I Football Oversight Committee. Bowen is on the committee effective immediately and will serve a four-year term expiring June 30, 2022.
New podcast alert: Booking Memphis Wrestling with Jerry Jarrett has dropped its first episode. Jarrett was the co-owner of the Continental Wrestling Association along with Jerry Lawler during the boom period of the late 1970s through the mid 1980s. He is also the co-founder of TNA and the father of Jeff Jarrett. The first episode talks about booking Lawler’s famous match with comedian Andy Kaufman.
Congratulations to Downtown bartender Cady on her People’s Choice win at Literatini last night. You can get a drink mixed by Cady at Pontotoc Lounge at 314 S. Main.
Farmers Market is first up today. Depending on how early I get in and out of the Market I might visit Clarence at Earnestine & Hazel’s this morning too. Later in the day I’ll watch Arkansas in the Super Regional. Back tomorrow with more news.