Mannheim Steamroller Christmas by Grammy award winner Chip Davis returns to the Orpheum on Sunday, December 16. This show will combine Christmas classics with selections from Davis’ Fresh Aire series. The band is celebrating the 30-year anniversary of the release of their first Christmas album. Tickets go on sale Friday, July 27.
In more current Orpheum news, 1989 movie Honey, I Shrunk the Kids plays on the big screen tonight at 7. This is the story of a scientist father who accidentally shrinks his two kids and two other neighborhood teens. Come early for movie-related events and photo booth.
Want a job in soccer? USL Memphis is currently seeking an Account Executive, Ticket Sales to help fill AutoZone Park when Memphis’ new USL socccer team takes the pitch next year.
Heh. I actually used the term “pitch.” When I watch soccer with friends who are big-time into it, I call it a “field” just to annoy them.
Speaking of soccer, the Memphis Flyer’s Meghan Stuthard checked out the World Cup craze at The Brass Door and had some conversations with owner Seamus. The Door is a regular meeting spot of both the Memphis Gooners and American Outlaws Memphis. Seamus sponsors a recreational soccer team and the podcast Roundtable of Hooligans, recorded live from the Irish pub. Seamus also is the soccer analyst you hear when you listen to the Chris Vernon Show.
On the Jason & John Show yesterday, former Memphis Tiger Antonio Anderson, part of the 2008 team that went to the final game in the NCAA men’s basketball tournament, says that there will be a lawsuit against the NCAA to restore vacated wins. The wins were vacated when a member of the team, Derrick Rose, was found to have competed when ineligible despite being told by a compliance office that he was good to go. D-Rose himself is expected to join the lawsuit once they find some lawyers who will fight for them.
The Memphis Farmers Market offers you the berry best this Saturday under the pavilion at Front and G.E. Patterson from 8 AM to 1 PM. Dixon Gardens & Gallery will be onsite from 10 to 12:30 to help kids make pop-up strawberry greeting cards. The Grizzlies Team Mentor Program will be at the Market all day. You can learn how to become a mentor, enter a raffle, pick up some giveaways, and speak with current mentors about the joy of “paying it forward.” There will be reading led by Shamichael Hallman, branch manager of the Downtown Cossitt Library, at 10 AM, and this week’s book will be The Berry Book by Gail Gibbons. Live music all day long.
Also, save the date: The Memphis Farmers Market’s annual Farm Fest is coming up on Sunday, September 30 at the South Main Market at 409 S. Main. After the past couple of years when Farm Fest was held outdoors with temperatures soaring into the upper 90s, I’m pleased to see it move into an air-conditioned venue. I plan on being there!
High Ground News has a photo essay about the historic homes of Uptown that stand alongside new development. The area now known as Uptown was Memphis’ first subdivision and building began there in 1849.
A New Orleans-based co-work center is coming to Downtown Memphis. It will be located in the Toyota Center next to AutoZone Park. Individuals and small companies will be able to lease space, and amenities will include locally roasted coffee, local artwork, and educational programming.
If you’re a fan of the tubs of garlic sauce that come with Papa John’s pizza, check out this garlic sauce recipe.
The past couple of weeks when I’ve been out, people have asked how the new job is going and where I’ve been eating lunch lately. “Have you been to Red Koi yet?” several of them asked, and I told them I had not. “Oh, man, you have got to go, their sushi is so fresh and so good,” they told me. So yesterday I decided to check it out. I prefer to go to lunch at 11 AM, but I had some things to work out with another developer at that time, so I delayed going until 1. I hate going to lunch right at noon when the crowds are the biggest.
Unfortunately going at 1 didn’t help at all! The place was packed and I was told I could either go on a waiting list or sit at the bar. Sitting at bars is something I have a little experience with, so I was fine with that option. They brought me out a complimentary spring roll and then I ordered Sushi Lunch Combo #1, which comes with your choice of two rolls from the regular sushi menu and 3 pieces of chef’s choice nigiri, as well as either a bowl of clear soup or a house salad as a starter.
As you can see, even though from the regular menu rather than a specialty menu, these rolls were quite substantial! On the left is the Memphis Roll, a fried roll with eel, crab stick, cream cheese and smelt roe, topped with Red Koi sauce. On the right is the Florida Roll, with spicy crab, avocado, cream cheese, shrimp tempura, spicy mayo, and seaweed paper on the outside. This was a lot of food! Next time I will not get so much, but after all the good things I had heard I wanted to sample around a bit. Actually, the next time I go back I want to try the Bento Box that has shrimp and vegetable tempura, steamed rice, four pieces of California roll, and two gyoza.
I wish my troll had been at lunch with me. She likes sushi because all the rolls have the same last name as she does.
Breaking news: 12 Russians have been indicted on charges of hacking Democrats and Hillary Clinton’s campaign in 2016. The Russians are all members of the GRU, a Russian intelligence agency. Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein informed President Trump of the indictments earlier this week. Nevertheless, Trump has continued to refer to Special Counsel Mueller’s investigation as “a witch hunt.”
That’s it for now. Back tomorrow with more news.