Saturday update

Belle Tavern is opening early for soccer this morning. They’ll have Huddersfield vs. Spurs at 9 and Chelsea vs. Liverpool at 11:30.

Steve Martin and Martin Short play the Orpheum tonight at 8.

A lot of people were sad to see Sam’s restaurant forced to close when construction began on the Hu complex at Main and Madison. Well, good news… on Monday, Sam’s Main Street Eatery will open at 7 N. Main, just north of Well Worx and just steps away from the old location.

If you’ve walked around town much, you’ve undoubtedly seen gtizzlies, tigers, and redbirds painted on restaurant windows. The Memphis Flyer has an article about Calvin Farrar, the man behind the artwork.

Dennis Quaid and the Sharks play the Halloran Centre tonight at 7:30. Bailey Bigger will open the show.

The Memphis Tigers looked really bad last night, losing to Tulane 40-24. I was watching at Blind Bear but I tabbed out and went home at the beginning of the fourth quarter. They clearly weren’t going to turn it around. The Tigers will probably achieve bowl eligibility this season, but the Top 25 seems like a distant wish at this point.

A moment of silence was held for Phil Trenary at South Main Trolley Night last night. After the moment of silence, celebration of Trolley Night’s 18th anniversary began, because that’s the way Trenary would have wanted it.

I want to go ahead and get this posted since I led off with a time-sensitive item. If necessary I will do a second update later this morning before getting out.

Friday update

I was going to start off today’s post with a rant about the Senate hearings yesterday, but there’s a superseding news story.

About 8:00 last night it was reported that there was a shooting in the 500 block of South Front Street, near the Memphis Farmers Market, and that the victim was well-known in Memphis circles. A little while later it was reported that Phil Trenary, president of the Greater Memphis Chamber, had been shot and killed. I read on social media that there had been a Chamber event at Loflin Yard and he was possibly walking back from the event. A man with dreadlocks was seen speeding away from the scene in a white pickup truck, possibly a Ford F-150.

I did not know Phil well, although I’m sure I met him a time or two. However, from the outpouring on social media, it’s clear that Phil was loved by many, and was a man of service who did a lot to better the city of Memphis. My prayers and condolences to his family, co-workers, and all who knew and loved him.

The Uptown Porch Series returns tomorrow, 5-8 PM, at Treedom at N. Second and A.W. Willis. Soul singer Gerald Richardson will perform. It will be a picnic-style setting and you can be a part of Cat Pena’s interactive art installation.

The Grizzlies are hosting an open practice, free for the public to attend, tomorrow at noon at FedExForum. Doors open at 11:30. Free parking in the FedExForum garage.

Jam Up and Jelly Tight is the theme at this Saturday’s Memphis Farmers Market. The Market’s vendors have all kinds of jellies and jams, including favorites like strawberry as well as some flavors you have probably never heard of before. UT College of Pharmacy students will be there with information about diabetes and healthy living. Live local music all day. The Market happens every Saturday through the end of October, 8 AM-1 PM, under the pavilion at Front and G.E. Patterson.

Hmmm… Earnestine & Hazel’s has been closed lately, but they have a Facebook event for Trolley Night tonight. I would think it’s a remnant from the days before they decided to close the place, but it can’t be… the event was added September 24, this past Monday. Weather today should be perfect, so I may have to mosey on down there and see if I can find out what’s going on.

Amazon will hire more than 1500 in Memphis for their distribution and sortation center. Hiring for more than 800 of the jobs will begin Tuesday and you can fill out an online application today.

Very happy to hear this: The FCC has fined a robocaller who spoofs real numbers $37.5 million. I get 5 to 10 robocalls a day and I hate them. It’s to the point that I keep my phone’s ringer off all the time, but sometimes that causes me to miss texts from friends.

It’s Disco Night at Sunset Skate Night tonight at Beale Street Landing, 6-8 PM.

Skylar Gregg, Kelly Hunt, Bob Ray and Tori Tollison will perform at Songwriter Night #97 at South Main Sounds tonight, 550 S. Main, 7-9 PM.

Wiseacre has announced they will have 20% discounts for their Oktoberfest celebration tomorrow for anyone wearing lederhosen, dirndls, or anyone who brings in their own stein. Brewery tours at 12 and 1, live music and three food trucks 2-6.

Here’s a link to register to vote in Tennessee. If you are reading this from out of state, Lifehacker has info on how to register in every state. I confirmed my voter registration this morning. After yesterday’s Senate Judiciary Committee’s hearings yesterday, I HAVE HAD IT.

I won’t be voting on Democrat vs. Republican lines.

I won’t be voting on liberal vs. conservative lines.

I will be voting on Party of Reagan vs. Party of Trump lines.

The party that once stood for fiscal responsibility and family values is now the party of trillion dollar deficits and trade wars. It’s the party that rubber-stamps the actions of a president who endorses pedophiles, who brags about grabbing women by the pussy, who refers to white supremacists as “some really fine people.” The Republican party has become the party of fear and hate. It’s become the party of angry old white men.

Don’t get me wrong, there are many good people in the Republican party at the state and local levels. Many of them are my friends, and I respect them even if their views on the issues are not the same as mine. But the national GOP is a corrupt organization, plain and simple. It’s got to be burned to the ground, the way Sherman burned Atlanta in 1864, to be saved from itself.

That’s why I will be casting my vote for Phil Bredesen this fall. I invite any of my Republican friends who are disgusted with what their national party has become to join me.

I can’t wait for early voting to begin.

Back tomorrow with more news.

Thursday update

Elton John kicked off his farewell tour, Farewell Yellow Brick Road, this month. Due to overwhelming demand, the tour is adding a FedExForum date of October 30, 2019.

I heard a rumor yesterday that the Downtown core is getting a complete men’s grooming salon, one that will offer pedicures, manicures, and facials for men as well as haircuts and shaves. I have the name and location of the place, but I want to check with the people opening it first and make sure they are OK with me revealing those details. November is the opening date I am hearing.

More good news for men: Shelton Clothiers is back. Tom Shelton has a collection of suits, sport coats, dress shirts and pants, and casual shirts and pants. He can work with you to develop a personal style that looks great on you, and he offers items that are ready-made, made-to-measure, or fully custom. Tom will gladly meet you at your home or office, or at his studio if that is your preference. Tom has helped me pick out clothes before and he is THE BEST.

Jennifer Biggs of The Daily Memphian has a good Bar Talk piece on the 185 whiskeys at McEwen’s.

The 2018-19 Grizzlies promotional schedule is out. Find out which days you need to be at FedExForum to get the best free swag! Highlights include a Marc Gasol grilling apron, a Mike Conley Elf on a Shelf (UGGHH – no disrespect to Conley, just not a big fan of Elf on a Shelf), and a Jaren Jackson Jr. “Shoot” dance figure.

In other FedExForum news, the Harlem Globetrotters will be back January 18.

The 2018 St. Jude Holiday Gift Book is out. This holiday season, you can give gifts that give back to the children’s hospital that never sends families a bill for cancer treatment.

From the Daily Memphian: 25 urban-style apartments have been proposed for Uptown, bordering Main, Saffrans, and Second.

Tomorrow is South Main Trolley Night, and the unveiling of the 2018 RiverArtsFest Fine Arts poster, by artist Maysey Craddock, will be at 409 S. Main from 6:30 to 9 PM, with the actual unveiling at 7.

The Memphis Flyer’s Best of Memphis 2018 results are now online.

The Flyer has more about the bus rapid transit route between Downtown and the University of Memphis area that would dedicate one lane on Second and B.B. King to public transit only.

I’m really saddened by some of the comments I have seen from men about the Kavanaugh hearings, and about the sexual assault allegations brought forth by Dr. Christine Blasey Ford and now others.

“Well, if it really happened, Ford would have reported it to the police at the time.”

“How are we possibly supposed to believe someone who waited 36 years to come forward?”

“There was alcohol. She shouldn’t have been drinking if she didn’t want to be assaulted.”

No no no no no. That is not how it works. Most sexual assaults and rapes don’t get reported to the police, for a variety of reasons. Many victims can’t bear to re-live the experience telling the police and then telling it again in court. Victims fear that they won’t be believed. Victims fear that their attacker will come after them and do it again, or worse, try to kill them.

It’s also common for victims to wait many years before telling anyone, even their spouses or their family. Many victims live out their entire life without ever telling anyone. Seeing their attacker rise to a position of power and prominence is often what it takes for victims to tell their story.

As for attempts to marginalize the attack with statements like “she was drunk,” that is just absurd. It is not the responsibility of women to avoid situations where they might be assaulted. It is the responsibility of men to respect women and not assault them.

If you’re wondering why this is such a hot-button issue for me, I am going to share something I’ve never told my readers before: Two times in my life, I have been a secondary survivor of a sexual assault. A secondary survivor is someone who has not been assaulted themselves, but whose life was affected by the assault of another person. I don’t want to go into a lot of detail, but the assaults were on two different women, 12 years apart. I was well into adulthood when the first occurred, and neither victim was a family member of mine.

So anyway, because of being a secondary survivor, I have spent extensive time reading what it’s like to survive an assault – the after-effects in the first few weeks, and then ones that can linger for years or even decades. Many victims develop a form of PTSD. I would strongly encourage all my readers to do some research and better understand what it is like for victims. RAINN is an excellent resource.

As for Kavanaugh himself, I have to ask, why is it so important that the seat go to him? Trump has that short list of highly qualified jurists, vetted by conservative think tanks, and I would bet that many if not most of the judges on that list do not have the black marks on their name that Brett Kavanaugh does. Why not take the easy route and withdraw the nomination? With the help of Mitch McConnell and Chuck Grassley, there is still time to confirm another nominee before midterm elections.

Here’s what I think – I believe Trump has kompromat on Kavanaugh. Trump likely knows highly compromising details about Kavanaugh’s past, details that would ruin his career if revealed. Remember how Trump met with former FBI director James Comey and asked him to pledge a personal oath of loyalty? I bet Trump had the same meeting with Kavanaugh, and unlike Comey, Kavanaugh swore that oath. I think Trump’s trying to get a Supreme Court justice in his back pocket, saying to Kavanaugh “you will vote the way I tell you to vote, and (when applicable) the way Putin tells you to vote.”

All right. Rant over. Back tomorrow with more news.

Wed update

I’m short on time today so this is going to be a quick one.

If you need a reason to check out the Crosstown Brewing taproom, Shanghai-La presents Jana Jana there Saturday 4-7.

There will be a concert in the pocket park across from Brass Door Sunday from 2-4. Iron Mike Norton will launch his Arc Angel Tour.

Music Export Memphis will present three of their AmericanaFest artists at Memphis Made Saturday, October 6. Faith Evans Ruch, Josh Waddell and Marcella Simien will perform, and you can enjoy Junt Cream Ale in a commemorative can during the show. Suggested $5 donation goes to support Music Export Memphis.

Kirk Whalum will kick off a “Kafe Kirk” series at the Halloran Centre on Sunday, October 7, bringing jazzy, groovy, uplifting music to Downtown Memphis. The first installment of Kafe Kirk will feature Lindsey Webster.

Very happy to see that justice has finally been served to Bill Cosby. The convicted perpetrator of sexual assault was given 3 to 10 years in prison. He was also denied bail during his appeals process, so he woke up this morning in a cell. I hope he dies in prison.

That’s it for now. I’ll try to get a longer post up tomorrow.

Tuesday update

We may be looking at permanent lane closures on Second and B.B. King between Poplar and Union in the near future. The city council votes today on whether to dedicate one lane on Second and B.B. King as transit-only, as part of the city’s first bus rapid transit system that would connect Downtown to the University of Memphis.

The public is invited to BuildDowntown: Downtown’s Master Plan Launch Party at Loflin Yard the evening of October 4. Come share your thoughts on what you love about Downtown and what needs improvement.

The Creative Works Market returns to the Halloran Centre October 5 and 6. Shop goods from over 30 designers, makers, local vendors, and manufacturers. Everything from apparel to prints to pins will be for sale.

Memphis Pride is this weekend (28th-30th) and it’s moving to a new location – Tom Lee Park. Come celebrate Memphis LGBTQ+ community with live music, food, and vendors. There will be a Pride Parade down Beale from 1 to 2 Saturday afternoon. For those of you who have yet to try the New Wing Order food truck, it will be at Tom Lee Park Saturday from 10 to 5.

Speaking of New Wing Order, they have a line cook position available.

The Memphis Farmers Market‘s annual Farm Fest is this Sunday, September 30 from 5 to 8 PM at the 409 S. Main food hall. This is the Market’s largest annual fundraiser, and everyone who shares the Market’s values of sourcing and shopping locally is invited to attend. Tickets are $50 and include two drink tickets. There will be live music by the Three Kings, craft cocktails by Old Dominick Distillery, and food from some of the best restaurants in town, restaurants that support the Market’s mission.

Holly reports on the I Love Memphis Blog that new Downtown private club The Pocket will remain open to the public on the first floor. That makes me suspect that memberships aren’t selling at anywhere near the rate they had anticipated.

Harry Connick, Jr. comes to the Orpheum on Wednesday, December 12. It will be a celebration of New Orleans’ 300th birthday and he will also perform some holiday favorites.

Good news for Mud Island residents: Explore Bike Share is coming your way.

Knob Creek Cask Strength Rye is the half-off whiskey special at Belle Tavern this week. Barreled in 2009, it’s a 2018 special release.

That’s it for this post. Back tomorrow with more.

Sunday update

Well-deserved accolades were bestowed on one of our Downtown favorites this week. Shawn Danko, co-owner of Kooky Canuck, has been named Tennessee Restaurateur of the Year by the Tennessee Hospitality and Tourism Association. He was recognized not only for his passion for food, but his passion for public policy as it relates to food. Congratulations, Shawn!

Carolina Watershed is hiring bartenders and servers with experience and full availability. If interested, come fill out an application Wednesday between 3 and 5 PM.

My friend Mary Ann who I had lunch with Friday gave me the details on private club Tailors’ Union/The Pocket at 115 Union. It’s $500 a year to be a member. Shorts and flip-flops are not allowed, and they almost didn’t let her in with dress tennis shoes. Members can bring in up to 3 guests. Yeah this doesn’t sound like a place I have any interest in joining.

Also at lunch Friday, the subject came up of getting a group together to do the chef’s table at Felicia Suzanne Restaurant next spring. Have any of my readers ever done that? I hear it is a lot of fun and you get plenty to eat, at your own private table in the kitchen.

The City of West Memphis is having a party at their side of Big River Crossing Saturday, October 6 at 4 PM. There will be a catfish cooking contest, music, fun, crafts and food. The event will raise money for ASU Mid-South Greyhound student-athletes.

Got a tip from one of my readers yesterday: Mesquite Chop House has 2 for 1 steaks on Tuesday.

There will be a party at Old Dominick on October 22 celebrating the 10th anniversary of the beginning of the Andy Ticer/Michael Hudman restaurant empire. Tickets are not cheap – $250 general admission/$350 VIP – but many of the city’s best chefs and mixologists will have food and drink stations there.

Trolley Stop Market posted an open line cook position.

Yesterday I watched the Florida-Tennessee game, and Tennessee made the most Tennessee play ever. They ran the ball toward the end zone for what was going to be a big touchdown that would get the Vols back in the game – and then they fumbled at Florida’s 1-yard line. The ball bounced out the back of the end zone, giving Tennessee no points, and the play was ruled a touchback giving Florida possession of the ball at their own 25. The Vols went on to lose to Florida 47-21. As they replayed the fumble, I thought, “Is Butch Jones still coaching this team?”

Then I made a note in my phone to write about the fumble in the blog today, and my phone tried to autocorrect “fumble” to “dumb.” Even my phone knows how to describe the Vols football program.

That’s it for now. Time for D-RANKS with B-RAD at Pontotoc Lounge. Brad was out last week and we have much catching up to do. Back tomorrow with more news.

Lunch @ Felicia Suzanne Restaurant and Saturday news

Yesterday I returned to Felicia Suzanne Restaurant’s 25 cent martini lunch with my friends Stacey, Nate, and Mary Ann. I made the reservation earlier in the week for 1 PM. After I called in the reservation, I told Stacey “NO NAPS,” reminding her that she overslept the last time we went to Felicia’s and was 50 minutes late.

So, yesterday morning I led off at Bardog, figuring I’d get a few PBRs in me to pre-game. Around 11 I texted Stacey, “Felicia Suzanne’s 1 PM. Be there or be square. NO NAPS.” She texted back about 11:50 and said she would be there.

At 12:56 I tabbed out at Bardog and walked over to Felicia’s. Nate and Mary Ann were there. No Stacey. At 1:08 she texted me, “On my way.” We went ahead and got seated and got our first drink. At 1:30 Stacey walked in.

“You took a nap, didn’t you?” I asked her.

She stared at me and smiled for about 10 seconds and then nodded yes.

I took a look at the menu. I couldn’t believe I was doing this on a rare visit to the restaurant, but my eyes were set on a vegetarian entree, the mac & cheese. “If Felicia’s putting that on here as an entree rather than a side, it’s got to be good,” I reasoned. It turns out I wasn’t the only one thinking that way – Stacey and Nate ordered mac & cheese too. Of course we all got the 25 cent martinis, of which you can purchase up to three with the order of an entree. Nate and I got dirty martinis, Mary Ann got “just barely dirty,” and Stacey got a gin martini with orange juice. All came out perfect.

The mac & cheese did not disappoint.

So cheesy and chewy rich and good! I finished every last bite.

The mac & cheese came with a side of sweet greens with big pieces of bacon, satisfying my need for meat as part of my lunch. The cornbread stick was delicious too.

Mary Ann got the crab crepes. “They are loaded with crab,” she said.

What an elegant lunch table! You know, I did not grow up a fan of mac & cheese. My attitude toward it was, “What’s the point?” I saw eating mac & cheese in the same light as I saw ordering a steak well done and then dipping it in Hunt’s ketchup. It wasn’t until I moved Downtown and had chefs tell me, “Yeah I know you think you don’t like mac & cheese, but let me cook it for you and change your mind” that I started to open my mind to it. Felicia’s mac & cheese was among the top two or three I have ever had.

Back in 2014 I had  a groupie. She’d come to the Blind Bear many Saturdays, asking Brad about me, asking my relationship status, asking if he thought I would be coming in that day, asking to be introduced to me. This went on for months before I found out. She was such a huge mac & cheese fan that one of the local teams cooked smok’d mac & cheese at BBQ Fest for her. If she’s reading this (and I know she is), she should try Felicia’s mac & cheese sometime. She’ll have to find someone else to go with, though. These days I would sooner ask Rahul & Tony out on a date than I would her.

Those martinis are little but they’re potent. Man… I was pretty well sloshed the rest of the day, and it didn’t help that Jessica talked me into doing a shot at the Silly Goose. And OF COURSE after I finished the martinis I discovered a voice mail from a recruiter with a great lead about a job. I decided it was wise to wait until Monday to call her back.

On to the news, and I don’t have much since I spent most of Friday recovering from those martinis… Nine Inch Nails plays the Orpheum this Monday, along with Jesus and Mary Chain and Tobacco.

Flight restaurant at Main and Monroe is hiring bartenders.

Lisa’s Lunchbox is looking to hire someone for line prep. The hours are 9 to 2, so this would be perfect if you have kids in school.

You can get free admission to museums today by downloading a ticket.

Comedian and actor Nick Cannon brings his Wild ‘N Out Live Tour to FedExForum tonight.

That’s it for now. Time to go spread a little sunshine. Back tomorrow with more news.

Friday update

Got some interesting beer news to lead off this post. City Market posted a photo of tap handles yesterday and said they now have a selection of local beers on draft for $4. I commented, “Is that the Downtown location?” and they replied, “Yes sir!” So now you can get a pint with your sandwich or salad or hot lunch from their deli. Pretty cool!

LYFE Kitchen posted that they have permanently shut down their operation in the Chisca as of yesterday. I have heard for a while they have been looking to get out of their lease. I wonder if this means a new tenant for the space has been found.

Pontotoc Lounge is discontinuing lunch as of next week. However, they will have brunch Friday-Sunday.

On the other hand, Blind Bear is seriously considering bringing back weekday lunch in October. Jeannette was polling the regulars about it last night.

RedRover Sales & Marketing posted several open positions yesterday – marketing analyst, senior account manager (marketing), and business development coordinator/proposal writer (part-time). Insider tip: If you own a dog, it is entirely appropriate to include a photo with your application.

In other job news, Libertas is hiring an after-school program assistant.

YOGA! The Memphis Yoga Festival is tomorrow, all day long at Rhodes College. Partake in your choice of over 30 yoga classes, plus there are kids’ activities, food trucks, a tea garden, vendors, walking meditation, and more. Hmmm… it’s possible one of my favorite bartenders will meet the woman who stood me up on Valentine’s Day 2015 at this event.

@JasonSmith929 tweeted yesterday that a source confirmed that it is 100% that Justin Timberlake will be at Memphis Madness on October 4. Held at FedExForum, Madness is an open practice and pep rally for the Tigers basketball teams. It was revived by men’s coach Penny Hardaway this year and is expected to be a major recruiting tool.

Flocktoberfest returns to Bass Pro at the Pyramid October 5-14. Chris Janson concert, Super Retriever series, World Championship Moon Pie Eating Contest, Shoot Like a Girl demo, kids’ activities, duck calling contests, free pro seminars, Duck Commander, 10-day sale. It’s The Ten Days of Christmas for rednecks!

For those of you who love the Majestic Grille:

The Majestic recently took all of its employees on a fun Memphis orientation excursion. What they learned there will allow them to do more than just serve food and drinks – they can be ambassadors for the city and tell guests about all that Memphis has to offer. Typical of Majestic to go the extra mile for a great customer experience.

Want to give feedback on the parking situation Downtown? There’s a survey where you can do that.

Roadie, a new on-the-way delivery service, is coming to Memphis. Need something delivered to another part of town, anything from furniture to food? Use the app to find a driver headed in that direction.

The Daily Memphian has an article about Spincult, the new cycling studio in The Edge.

Hear Sande Lollis, Kris Acklen, Stephen Chopek, Shannon LaBrie, and Emily Otteson tonight at Songwriter Night at South Main Sounds at 7 PM.

The Soul Concert Series returns to the National Civil Rights Museum tonight at 6.

The Memphis Auto Show is at the Cook Convention Center this weekend.

Fall into Fall is the theme at the Memphis Farmers Market this Saturday. Autumnal vegetables are in stock, although I don’t know if you can get a nice autumnal mead there (Dilly Dilly). Opera Memphis will be there with 30 Days of Opera. There will be live local music and a kids’ crafts corral. The Market runs every Saturday through the end of October under the pavilion at Front and G.E. Patterson from 8 AM to 1 PM.

Cheers to two good friends for asking the right questions and listening and understanding at the Silly Goose bar yesterday. You sought the understanding of me that no one in South Main has bothered to do in the past 3 years. It really does mean a lot to me.

It’s about time to head to 25 cent martini lunch at Felicia’s with my friends Stacey and the recently-returned Nappin’ Ass Nate. Back tomorrow with more news.

Thursday update

Yesterday I mentioned that a walk in the hot sun to Max’s Sports Bar was unavoidable yesterday. It was the photo shoot for the 2018 group photo. These days Max has so many regulars that they can’t all fit in the main bar area at once, so we did it outside in the courtyard. The photo was shot by Real 2 Reel. If you have professional photography needs and want to support a great Downtown business, check them out.

I had to head back north immediately after the photo to make it to Blind Bear trivia at 7:30. We didn’t win, but I learned something interesting: From 1912 to 1948, there were Olympic competitions in the arts. Specifically, medals were handed out for painting, sculpture, music, and architecture.

As I walked back north, I noticed that Earnestine & Hazel’s was closed once again. Such a shame to let that legendary dive bar die. I sure hope the closure is temporary.

The Downtown Getdown happens tonight in Barboro Alley 5 to 9 PM. DJ Superman and DJ Capital will perform and there will be free Amurica photos. Bring money for food and drinks from MemPops, Belle Tavern, Aldo’s Pizza Pies, and Local Gastropub.

In honor of National Pepperoni Pizza Day, Aldo’s has $2 pepperoni slices today. They also have 25% off pepperoni pies today for dine-in, take-out, and delivery.

The Memphis Flyer has details on Sage, the new restaurant soon to open in the former Oshi space. It will be a soul food fusion restaurant. The chef plans on changing up the menu, starting with Asian soul food, and then venturing into Sudanese- and Syrian-Soul fusion.

Ghost River is having its Oktoberfest celebration this Saturday, all day long (noon to 11 PM). Oktoberfest will be on tap, of course, and making its return will be P.S. I Love U, an Imperial Brown Ale at 9.8% ABV. There will be live music and games, the Gourmade food truck will be on site, and they’ll have Small Shop featuring Mama Jody’s famous Bloody Mary Mix noon to 4.

There will be a Putt-Putt Pub Crawl presented by Young Professionals for the American Cancer Society next Saturday, September 29, from 1 to 5 PM.. The crawl will start at the Flying Saucer, with stops at Kooky Canuck, Local Gastropub, Huey’s, and more. There will be prized for best dressed, best scores, etc.

Very, very, very disappointed in my senator for this quote:

The horror of being accused of something like this? What about the horror of being a victim of a sexual assault? I saw this on a FiveThirtyEight analysis of how the Kavanaugh investigation will affect the midterms, and one of the analysts made a very good point. Republican senators are mostly male and run in very male circles. Therefore, they are more likely to see being accused of an assault as an immediate problem than they are to see being the victim of an assault. If Kavanaugh and his accuser testify Monday, you can bet that some of the senators will treat Kavanaugh as though he is the victim. The attitudes these clowns have are just sickening.

All right, that’s it for now. I will try to post tomorrow but can’t promise one. I am meeting friends at Felicia Suzanne’s for Friday lunch so I will not have as much free time at home as usual.

Wednesday update #2

About 5:15 yesterday afternoon, I was at the Silly Goose’s happy hour. The Triple-A National Championship Game, Memphis Redbirds vs. Durham Bulls, was 45 minutes away. Knowing the game was on NBC Sports Network and the Goose has Xfinity, I pulled out my phone to search whether Xfinity carried NBCSN, and if so what channel was it on. “I sure hope they have it,” I thought. “It’s 96 degrees out and I really don’t feel like walking all the way to Max’s Sports Bar to watch the game.” A little work with Google revealed they did carry it.

“Hey Brittini, can you put one of the TVs on 852?” I asked.

“What’s on there?” some of the other people in the bar asked.

“Redbirds,” I said. “They play for the national championship at 6.”

“They already won it,” one of the other people in the bar replied.

“They won their league,” I explained. “The Pacific Coast League. Tonight they play the winner of the other league, the International League, for the national Triple-A championship. It’s not a series, just one game, winner take all.”

So we got the game on – well, it was not actually game time yet, and NBCSN had equestrian on. So we had to look at 45 minutes of men in white spandex balancing upside down on horses. “My friends Rahul and Tony would love this,” I thought.

Finally the game started, and before long the Redbirds were clubberin’ the Bulls. By the 4th inning, and near the end of happy hour, the ‘Birds already had 8 runs. I decided to relocate to the Blind Bear.

I got over there and the place was average-busy for a Tuesday, about 8 people playing poker and another 15-20 at the bar and in seats. The Redbirds game wasn’t on; they had Cardinals-Braves on both TVs. I told the bartender and she changed the channel on one of them, but still I couldn’t help but thinking, “A room full of people and not one of them knew the Memphis Redbirds were playing on national TV.”

Other than the watch party they had at Aldo’s, the Redbirds really didn’t do a whole lot to get a buzz going about the game. I wonder why? I guess maybe because it wasn’t in town and they wouldn’t get any ticket sales off promoting it. Still, though, the Redbirds playing for a national title… that’s kind of a big deal! They need to generate as much talk about that as they can.

Also, the Redbirds didn’t just play for a national title… they won it! Their domination of Durham continued and they beat the Bulls 14-4. Congratulations to everyone involved in the Memphis Redbirds organization. You made Memphis proud last night, and the entire season.

Eyes of Major League Baseball GMs are going to be on Stubby Clapp more than ever now. There are going to be underperforming MLB teams who, after this season, decide it’s time for a change at the helm, and Stubby will be seriously considered, no doubt. I wish he could stay in Memphis forever but he has more than earned the right to be the skipper of a major league team. If we’re lucky maybe we’ll get to keep him one more year.

The game was a reminder that money and corporate sponsorships are what drive sports these days, as even the most routine things had a sponsorship. There was the Mount Carmel Health Pitching Change (actually, a lot of them as the Bulls went through nearly their entire pitching roster trying to contain the Redbirds). There was the Orange Crush Home Run. Maybe I need to get in on this. Does someone want to sponsor the “(your company name here) Afternoon Walk to the Bar” in exchange for picking up my bar tab?

While I was at the Silly Goose, my friend Clay came in. After ordering, he asked me, “Do you know why so many people are talking about Mario Kart today?”

“Are you really sure you want to know?” I replied. He said he did.

Stormy Daniels’ book came out,” I explained. “She described the sex she had with Donald Trump. She said his penis was small, although not freakishly small, and it had an unusually large head. She said it reminded her of Toad the Mushroom from Mario Kart.”

Clay was sorry he asked.

In the other big news of the day, a Sesame Street writer confirmed what we have all suspected for years – Bert and Ernie are a gay couple. However, later in the day Sesame Street issued a denial that Bert and Ernie are gay.

The Onesie Bar Crawl returns to Memphis December 1. The most comfortable bar crawl of the year will begin at Blind Bear at 4 PM and will proceed through Downtown through 10 PM.

CitizenFest is coming October 13. This is an festival learning summit, organized by Citizen University and Fourth Bluff, on how to exercise civic power. You’ll learn how to make your voice heard, how to fix a rigged system, how to dispel apathy in others… plus, there will be free food and drink.

Catherine & Mary’s is hiring servers, back servers, bartenders, bar backs, hosts, and cooks. They say to check their online bio for an application to fill out, and I would link to it in this post but I can’t find the application anywhere (they posted the job openings to Facebook, so I assume they meant on there).

The Downtown Neighborhood Association monthly gathering will happen at the Halloran Centre for the Performing Arts next Tuesday, September 25. Jason Wexler, president of business operations of the Memphis Grizzlies, will discuss the 2018-19 season. Social time at 6:00, presentation at 6:30. There will be light snacks and a cash bar. Free for DNA members, $10 for non-members.

113 Madison, vacant for 20 years, has been purchased by a California developer who already has a footprint in Memphis. He plans on doing renovations and sees the building as a blank canvas. Great to hear about further revitalization of the block of Madison right around the corner from me.

Singer/songwriter Ben Rector, with special guest Cody Fry, plays the Orpheum tonight.

In case you missed my earlier post, 2 PBRs + 2 sliders for $10 at Bardog until 7 today. Also 2 Jameson shots for $10.

Well, I avoided the walk in the heat to Max’s Sports Bar yesterday, but today I gotta do it. I have an appointment there at 6:00. Back tomorrow with more news.