Thursday update

We’ve been fairly lucky weather-wise this June, up until yesterday when the summer Memphis feel returned. I’m talking about that feeling when you walk outdoors and are immediately hit in the face with that muggy, disgusting, swampy, oppressive combination of heat and humidity. It probably won’t go away until September either. To top it all off, it’s about time for the mosquitoes to come back.

Just looked at the Weather Channel site… forecast high for Saturday is 94. Heat index will probably be triple digits. Yuck! Staying indoors sounds like a very good idea for this weekend.

The big news today is that Grizzlies point guard Mike Conley is being traded to the Utah Jazz. In return Memphis will get Jae Crowder, a small forward about to turn 29; Kyle Korver, a 38-year-old wing; Grayson Allen, a 23-year-old shooting guard; Utah’s 2019 #23 pick in tonight’s draft; and an additional first-rounder. The additional pick, according to the Daily Memphian’s Chris Herrington, is protected top 7 and 15-30 (so it conveys to Memphis if in the 8-14 range) in 2020 and 2021. It then becomes top 6 protected in 2022, top 3 protected in 2023, and top 1 protected in 2024. If the pick hasn’t conveyed by 2025 it will turn into two second-round picks.

Geoff Calkins points out that the most likely scenario is that Utah will make the playoffs each of the next two years, and then the pick will convey to Memphis in 2022. It’s believed that will be the year the NBA draft will re-open to high schoolers, so that draft will be unusually deep with talent.

With the Grizzlies giving up their starting point guard, there is a very good reason to believe the front office will select Ja Morant in tonight’s draft. Alternatives had been discussed, including selecting forward R.J. Barrett or moving down in the draft, most likely to the #4 pick. Those seem less likely now.

THANK YOU MIKE for your years of building Grizzlies basketball into what it is today. I hope you can now become the next ex-Grizzly to get you one of those championship rings.

On to other news… as your #1 source of news and information about The Edge District, it’s my pleasure to link you to this Daily Memphian article about Edge Triangle.  Work was completed on the off-leash dog park this week, installing synthetic turf that will make it possible for dogs and their owners to enjoy green grass all year long. $30,000 was invested in the space, at the corner of Madison Avenue and Monroe Avenue Extended, to improve it for visitors. An Explore bike rental station was also added.

In other Edge news, the Memphis Business Journal has a photo gallery and information about Slim & Husky’s, the Nashville-based pizza chain opening a location at 634 Union across from the former Commercial Appeal building. Check out their website to learn more what the pizza chain is all about.

Krystal is going to experiment with a $6 all-you-can-eat burgers and fries option. Well that sounds like a stomachache!

Ghost River is looking for a taproom manager with beer and event experience. Send resumes to Suzanne@ghostriverbrewing.com.

There are bosses and there are leaders, and the Memphis Solid Waste director is a leader. Wanting to understand what his employees go through on a typical workday, he has spent multiple days riding the trucks and pickup trash alongside them. Well done, sir. Respect.

DJ Epic brings his hip-hop/dubstep/mashup style to the Peabody rooftop this evening for their weekly party. $10 general admission, $20 VIP. Your admission includes a buffet of mini spring rolls and pot stickers. If you’re in VIP you get a second buffet of lobster spring rolls, chicken satay with peanut sauce, assorted sushi, and fortune cookies.

The Jerry and Jerry Show (Lawler and Calhoun) comes to Jerry Lawler’s Bar and Grill on July 21.

The Daily Memphian has the story of Robert Church, who opened Solvent Savings Bank on Beale Street in the late 1800s and who became Memphis’ first African-American millionaire.

This is downright scary: Facebook is launching its own cryptocurrency in 2020. Check out this sentence, quoted from the article:

Facebook is already working on creating its own private supreme court, after all; why wouldn’t it want its own private, independent central bank as well?

WTF???? I’m not comfortable at all with a company, particularly one by Mark Zuckerberg, and particularly one that has been so manipulated by foreign entities, having this kind of power. This kind of thing makes me want to leave Facebook, except that it’s so valuable as a source of news items for this blog that I can’t.

All right, that’s it for now. Fun day ahead! I’m counting down the minutes to 11 when I can walk over to Court Square to buy from the New Wing Order food truck. At 1:30 I’m meeting my neighbor at the Brass Door to watch the USWNT vs. Sweden Women’s World Cup match. Then tonight I’ll be at the Blind Bear (probably) to watch the NBA draft. Back tomorrow with more news.

Tue update: 3rd & Court, New Wing Order, Sage, Rawk’n Grub and more news

Yesterday I met my friend Joe for lunch at 3rd & Court, the new diner at the corner of B.B. King (formerly Third) and Court, in the ground floor of Hotel Indigo. It’s owned by the same people who run two highly successful Downtown restaurants, Sunrise Memphis and 117 Prime, so my expectations for the food quality were high.

The first thing I noticed when I looked at the menu was the hours of operation. I had heard 3rd & Court would be open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, but there are restaurants Downtown who claim to be open for dinner but only half mean it, closing at 7 or 8. Not so in this case. 3rd & Court is open 6:30 AM-11:00 PM Sunday-Thursday and 6:30 AM-midnight Friday and Saturday. That’s ambitious for a restaurant that is a couple of blocks off the beaten path as far as foot traffic is concerned. With all the law offices nearby they’ll do fine for breakfast and lunch, but I’m curious to see what they will do to build a dinner crowd.

They have burgers, dunked sandwiches (dunked in tomato soup or pork and beans), regular sandwiches, and salads for lunch, and they serve breakfast all day. However, the lunch specials caught my eye. $11 gets you the special of the day and two sides. The specials are

Monday – Beast Loaf
Tuesday – Smothered Pork Chop
Wednesday – Fried Chicken
Thursday – Mac Bowl (various toppings)
Friday – Catfish (Cajun broiled or fried)

The sides, also available a la carte for $3, are

Seasoned fries
Tater tots
Collard greens
Mac & cheese
Green beans
Mashed potatoes
Roasted tomato slaw
Farm peas

Joe and I both ordered the Beast Loaf and in about 15 minutes it came out.

The Beast Loaf is a loaf of cow, lamb and bison, wrapped in bacon. Mmmm mmmm this was yummy! Usually I get mashed potatoes as a side with a meat-and-two, but I just couldn’t resist tater tots, which complemented the Beast Loaf well. As for the collard greens, look at all that meat in them! Joe commented, “The greens definitely aren’t vegetarian.” No they’re not and that is A-OK in my book. When I come back for other lunch specials I will sample around the different sides, but the greens will be a constant on my plate.

Joe had the roasted tomato slaw as one of his sides and was complimentary of it. “Most places make their slaw too sweet, dumping 10 teaspoons of sugar in there,” he said. “You don’t need that. This is how it should be.”

I was quite impressed with my lunch. The $11 price point is slightly higher than many restaurants charge for meat-and-two, but it is not unreasonable. Besides, the quality of the food is so far above average that the $11 price point is justifiable.

A manager came over and asked how our lunch was, and told us he was very interested in any constructive criticism we had of the place, that he was serious about wanting to know what he could do to improve. Joe had one criticism, and now that I’ve investigated, I agree. By the time they opened their restaurant, they should have had their full menu on their website. As of this morning, their second day of operation, they only have a form to fill out to receive news about 3rd & Court. That can discourage people like me who want to check out a restaurant’s menu online before going in for the first time.

(You actually can see their menu online. Go to their Facebook page, scroll down until you see a photo post by Edible Memphis, and look for the “+7” in the lower right corner. Click on that and you’ll see photos of both the breakfast and lunch/dinner menus.

Overall, though, I enjoyed my lunch and was impressed with the place. I see potential in 3rd & Court to expand perceptions that there is no place to eat north of Monroe or east of Second. If that is the case, it may go a long way to making that area of Downtown more walkable.

Oh, by the way, fun fact… you know those Tiger statues all over town? If you sit in the back part of the diner (the end closer to Court Avenue), look closely and you’ll see one on top of a building on Court.

Whew! 30 minutes into typing this post and I’m still on my first news item… of many. You might want to grab a cup of coffee and a snack before you continue reading. Yesterday’s post was short but this one will not be.

My second item of business is more good news for people who eat lunch Downtown. The New Wing Order food truck has finally been approved to join the Thursday food truck rodeos in Court Square, and it will be there from 11:00 to 1:30 this Thursday. For those unfamiliar with the truck, these are good folks who became obsessed with wings, cooking, and entrepreneurship, competed in Southern Hot Wing Fest and won the grand championship twice, and then started a food truck. I’ve said it many times before, the best businesses are extensions of the owners’ personalities, and that is the case here.

Check out a preview post I did on New Wing Order last year to get a look at some of their offerings. Their full menu is on their website. If you don’t know what to get, I recommend starting with the Memphis Buffalo wings that got them their two grand championships. I’m surfing their menu myself trying to figure out what I’m going to have Thursday myself (see, 3rd & Court, this is why you put your menu online). It’s either going to be their hot wing nachos or their wings served in Nikki’s Hot Seasoning. For vegetarians and vegans there is an avocado taco (choice of fried or raw avocado) that is quite tasty.

Speaking of vegetarians and vegans – and while I don’t know for sure if I have any vegetarians who read this blog, I’m pretty sure I have one – I mentioned that Sage, the new soul food/fusion restaurant in the former Oshi space, would be doing vegetarian lunch specials every day this week. Here they are:

Today – Cucumber and watermelon salad with crispy jalapeno Tajin dressing
Soup: Broccoli and cheese

Wednesday – Impossible meatloaf with cauliflower mash and Brussels sprouts
Soup: Watermelon gazpacho

Thursday – Vegetarian lasagna with side salad
Soup: Chicken fiesta

Friday – Vegan or vegetarian pizza
Soup: Chicken, sausage, and shrimp gumbo (wait, that’s not vegetarian???)

I love a good vegetarian lasagna and would go in there Thursday, but that’s a conflict with the New Wing Order truck’s first Court Square food rodeo. By the way, Thursday is going to be a big day, with the US Women’s National Team playing Sweden in the 2019 World Cup at 2, and then the NBA draft at 6 (please don’t screw this up guys… pick Ja Morant).

One more thing about Sage: By popular demand, they’re bringing back the vegetarian version of their Soul Rolls egg rolls this week.

Got one more lunch recommendation for you to check out: Tre, one of the bartenders at the Blind Bear, has been getting really creative collaborating with the cooks on some lunch specials. He usually works the Tuesday and Wednesday lunch shifts, so check the Bear out to see what he’s dreamed up. The Bear is now open 11 AM-3 AM every day. One thing I really like: They keep it nonsmoking during lunch hours, although smokers can go into the back room.

Now that I’ve given you a few lunch options to check out this week, let me double back to New Wing Order for a minute. This Saturday at 2:30, they will team up with Crosstown Brewing Co. for a beer and wing pairing. $15 gets you sample sized  portions of 4 beers and wings, expertly paired, including

  • Terraplane Planer and award-winning Memphis Buffalo
  • Chowdah New England IPA and Grind City Gold
  • Boll Weevil Saison and Midtown Masala
  • Traffic IPA and Mud Island Jerk

The taproom will have its full offering of brews and the New Wing Order truck will be on site with its full menu. I’ve done a little research and there really doesn’t seem to be much of importance to do Downtown Saturday afternoon, so it might be a good day to hop into a Lyft or an Uber or onto an Explore bike and head out to the brewery.

I’ll even give you a bonus reason to head out to Crosstown on Saturday: Global Cafe in Crosstown Concourse has added a new chef who specializes in Venezuelan fare. He will be serving up tequeños, empenadas, arepas, pabellón and asado negro.

Edible Memphis went on a search for shrimp and grits and two of my very talented chef friends made it into the article. Rizzo’s by Michael Patrick, who I have known nearly the entire time I have been a Downtowner, was the first stop. For the article’s author it was a throwback to days at McEwen’s where she first tried the recipe. Since the recipe has changed and the one on Rizzo’s menu is different now, Chef agreed to share the recipe for the original in a bonus video.

Then Chef Michael made a surprising recommendation: For really good shrimp and grits, go to a gas station. I met Chef Steph Cook a few years ago when his RAWK’n Grub food truck was parked outside one of the local breweries where I was attending an event. (Now that I think about it, I met him the same day I met my troll for the first time.) Chef Steph moved into a permanent space in the Citgo at Summer and Highland a couple of years ago. Steph serves up bourbon sticky spiced shrimp over Gouda grits, scallions, and smoked blue cheese. Check it out, and if shrimp and grits aren’t your thing, check out the burgers and sandwiches. Best gas station food you’ll ever have!

But, good news: Soon, if you want RAWK’n Grub food, you won’t have to drive all the way out to Highland to get it. The Daily Memphian reports that Chef Steph is opening a second RAWK’n Grub location at Growlers, the music hall at 1911 Poplar. The Citgo location will remain open and Steph will split his time between them. The full menu will be offered at Growlers and there will be a late night bar menu as well. Growlers owner Tony Westmoreland has promised to do everything he can to make RAWK’n Grub successful there, including possibly opening for lunch there at some point in the future.

Yesterday was the Toronto Raptors’ championship parade. It’s good to see Marc Gasol so happy.

If you’re looking for a reasonably-priced apartment in South Main, one that is a block away from the new Malco Powerhouse and one which has a 333-year old landlord from the planet Zambodia, have I got news for you. Prince Mongo has a one-bedroom, 1100 SF apartment for rent at 481 S. Main. It’s a very secure building, all appliances included, and $950 a month rent includes utilities. Very secure building, great neighborhood, friendly neighbors. If interested email me at paul@paulryburn.com and I will put you in touch.

Looking to break into the hospitality industry? River Inn of Harbor Town has summer internships in guest services, accounting, and marketing. The positions are part-time and pay $11 an hour.

The CA has more info on the dog park that could be coming to the corner of South Front and G.E. Patterson. If a CCDC grant is approved, the dog park will be finished in about three months.

The MBJ has an exclusive: The first renderings of the proposed Snuff District along Wolf River Harbor in Uptown.

For my readers who are Scotch fans: Relaxed rules may soon allow Scotch to be aged in tequila barrels

Jennifer Biggs of the Daily Memphian talks with Cristina McCarter about Sunday’s Craft Food and Wine Festival in this week’s Destination: Delicious Podcast.

That’s it for this long post. I hope I’ve made you hungry! Back tomorrow with more news.

Monday update

Third and Court, the new Ryan Trimm diner in Hotel Indigo on the ground floor of the building at North B.B. King Blvd. and Court Ave., is now open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I don’t see a website with menu online yet, but if you go to the diner’s Facebook page, Edible Memphis posted some photos including the breakfast and lunch/dinner menus. Breakfast is served all day, and every weekday for lunch they have a daily special which comes with two sides for $11.

Today’s special is Beast Loaf, made with cow, lamb, and bison. Those are some of my favorite beasts, so I posted to Facebook asking if anyone wanted to meet me for lunch there about 1:30 today. I got two takers, so it looks like I will be visiting the diner on its opening day. I will try to get some photos.

In other foodie news, all-you-can-eat snow crab returns to Regina’s Cajun Kitchen the afternoon of Saturday, June 29.

Mallory Everett will play Sunday brunch at Sunrise Memphis this coming Sunday, June 23.

Congratulations to Pontotoc Lounge bartender Cady Smith, who got the Judges’ Choice award at the Literatini mixology competition Saturday night. This is the second consecutive year she has come out of that an event with an award.

Khi Mathieu, the cousin of Tyrann Mathieu, has committed to Memphis football.

That’s it. Short post today. Back tomorrow with more news.

Sunday update

Cheers to all the fathers out there! River Rat Rounders poker club is giving extra chips to all the dads out there, even dads of fur babies. Is being the Trollfather good enough to qualify?

Also, dads get an extra bingo card at Cerrito Bingo this afternoon, Loflin Yard, 4-6 PM.

There’s a special Father’s Day ticket to the Redbirds this afternoon that includes a buffet of hamburgers, hot dogs, potato chips, cookies, bottled water, and Coca-Cola products (two drinks per person). $21 field box/$24 dugout. Gates open at 1:00 and buffet is 1:00-3:00 with a 2:05 first pitch. If you’ve spent your whole life wishing you had a prostate cancer awareness bracelet, be one of the first 1000 in the park and you’ll get one, courtesy of Derrick Hall’s Pro-State Foundation. Kids 12 and under get an ice cream treat upon entering, and dads and kids can run the bases after the game. Pre-game autographs in the concourse 1:15-1:35.

If you like margaritas and you live Downtown, your Tuesdays just got a bit sweeter. Swanky’s has announced that their Downtown location will do 2-for-1 margaritas on Tuesdays.

Bob Seger and The Silver Bullet Band have announced an October 12 date for their Roll Me Away Tour to roll through FedExForum.

I don’t know if I have any vegetarians who read this blog… well, I’m pretty sure I have one… but on the off-chance that I do, I want to tell you that Sage is planning all vegetarian and vegan lunch specials this coming week. The team is working on some quality, flavorful specials.

From Distractify: Nearly 40 percent of vegetarians eat meat when they’re drunk. The article starts off, “Vegetarians of the world: You lie!” Yep, some of them sure as hell do. Not just about whether they eat meat, either.

The Memphis Restaurant Association is having a soccer outing on Wednesday, July 17 to see Memphis 901 FC play Nashville SC. There are $20 Sideline Fundraiser tickets with $3 kicked back to MRA, and also a $49 Club End ticket that includes a club level buffet, soda, water, and access to a cash bar.

Tonya Dyson performs on Mud Island tonight in a Soulin’ on the River Concert Series event. Gates open at 6, with music starting at 7. Lawn chairs, picnic baskets, blankets and coolers are welcome.

“Weird Al” Yankovic plays the Orpheum this Thursday. The composer of “Eat It,” “Like a Surgeon,” and “Amish Paradise” will take the stage at 8 PM. Tickets start at $39.50.

The CA has an article letting you know what to expect at the Craft Food & Wine Festival next Sunday.

I saw something pretty cool on TV a couple of days ago: A game that combines golf and cornhole. It’s called BattleChip.

Pop-up restaurants and pop-up retail are all the rage these days; now there is a new pop-up concept that gives away free clothing to the homeless that is catching on in cities around the world. It’s called The Street Store and anyone can grab onto the concept and easily create a pop-up location in their city. Perhaps someone needs to do this in Memphis!

Computer problem update: Pretty sure it’s a hard drive failure. Reinstalling the operating system didn’t help. For now, I’m keeping the laptop alive by booting it off a USB drive. Good news, however. Yesterday I was at Bardog and a friend said, “I have an extra laptop I’m not using. I’ll warn you, though, it’s a MacBook.” Warn me? I love Macs more than anything! I’ll get the computer when I see him next Saturday. In the meantime, I expect to keep up a fairly steady posting schedule.

That’s it for now. Back tomorrow (probably) with more news.

A visit to Pasta 901 in Puck Food Hall

Okay, I’m going to attempt to blog from my phone while I get my computer problems sorted out. Apologies for typos and possibly photos that spill outside their containers.

My friend Nappin Ass Nate and I decided to pay a visit to Puck Food Hall at 409 S. Main for lunch yesterday. Recently re-branded, this market has a variety of vendors, including Mexican food, gelato, coffee, pasta, a butcher/deli, Chinese, pizza, a bakery and more. They also have a bar, a pop-up library, and (soon) a chef-in-residence.

The great thing about a food hall is you can go there with other people and you don’t all have to order the same thing. Nate went to the Mexican vendor, Venga, and ordered a tamale. Since I went to Venga already (it was excellent by the way) I wanted to try a different vendor. I had seen some yummy looking photos of Pasta 409’s offerings on Facebook and checked out their menu

The Capelli D’Angelo Con Gaberi sounded tasty, and was one of the dishes I’d seen in Facebook photos. It was angel hair pasta with baby shrimp, garlic, lemon, butter, and parsley – a nice, simple dish. I ordered it and the man behind the counter made it while I watched.

About 8 minutes after I ordered, my lunch was ready.

The shrimp pasta was outstanding. The ingredients all came together to make a most flavorful dish. The piece of garlic bread was perfect for sopping up the extra garlic butter sauce.

However, the portion size left a bit to be desired. My lunch was $13, $14.20 after tax. I paid with a debit card, and although I wasn’t served at a table, we Downtowners just don’t believe in zeroing out tip lines – we take care of the people who take care of us. So I tipped $2, totaling out at $16.20.

That was not anywhere near $16.20 worth of food! You know the kid sized microwaveable Chef Boy-Ar-Dee cups you can buy 10 for $10 with your Kroger Plus card? It was maybe that much food. MAYBE. (Comparing only quantity here, not quality.) I was hungry again two hours later, and I’m not a big eater. I pulled a total Nuh-Uh Girl move and ate a friend’s leftover beef jerky to make it through the rest of my Thursday. The portion of shrimp was decent, but I sure would have liked a couple of additional ounces of pasta.

My buddy Nate got gnocchi from Pasta 901 to go along with his tamale from Venga. He agreed that the pasta was delicious, but that the portion size was rather small. (He praised the tamale as a good value.)

On the way down there, I got a photo of the best Bird scooter photo ever.

This is where they all belong! I’m not anti-scooter; I just hate the reckless, inconsiderate riders. So many people on the Birds think they have the right to mow over pedestrians, disobey traffic laws and the rules you agree to when you sign up, and park them thoughtlessly. Much like the pedal party bikes, they aren’t inherently bad but have a way of turning people into douchebags.

Enough about scooters though. Puck Food Hall is a fantastic concept and the quality of the food has been consistently excellent when I have dined there. It’s like having 10 new restaurants in South Main. Can’t beat that!

Since my computer is down, I’m typing this on my phone at Bardog. Sitting next to an investor in Slider Out, soon to open a block north of Puck Food Hall. He says they’re shooting for July 15.

Back sometime soon, but maybe not tomorrow, with more news.

Computer problems

Probably going to be Monday before I get back to a regular blogging schedule. Rebooted this morning and got “file system failure.” ARRRRGH!

I had a really yummy food pic to show you, too.

Back as soon as I can.

Thursday update

It’s a sunny, beautiful Thursday, and that means it’s time for the weekly food truck rodeo in Court Square. More than a dozen food trucks show up to sell their fare to those who work and live Downtown. Jennifer Chandler of the CA has her picks for the best meals down there. I’m tellin’ ya, that soft shell crab sandwich at Stanley’s!

In other food news, one of my BBQ teammates posted a photo of a Popsicle he made out of a can of New England Clam Chowder Chunky Soup. I can’t even imagine. No we won’t be entering that in the Seafood ancillary competition next year.

Another band that performed at the hotel’s New Year’s Eve party, Seeing Red, will return to headline the weekly rooftop party at the Peabody tonight. They will bring special guest Judah & The Lion with them. $15 to get in, $30 VIP. Admission includes a buffet of blue cheese and bacon wrapped meatballs and chips and salsa. If you’re in VIP, you get a second buffet of carved Jack Daniels’ glazed tenderloin with au jus, rolls, sweet corn nuggets, watermelon wedges, and tater tots.

A dog park may be coming to the South Main Arts District. A three-year temporary activation has been proposed for a lot at G.E. Patterson and South Front.

Seen on Facebook yesterday: “Your apology needs to be as loud as your disrespect was.” Yep. And it needs to be a sincere apology, not a performance put on for a third party.

Literatini happens this Saturday at Novel Memphis. Although not a Downtown event, I wanted to mention it because it has Downtown connections. This is a fundraiser for Literacy Mid-South with a mixology competition featuring some of the city’s best bars. Cady Smith of Pontotoc Lounge was last year’s winner. Other participating Downtown bars and restaurants include Automatic Slim’s, Loflin Yard, and new gin bar Greyhound.

Every day I walk past Bluff City Soap on the Main Street Mall. It seems like such a modest, unassuming storefront, a place that sells my friends bath bombs that make them smell like strippers. Bur did you know that Bluff City Soap is on track to bring in one billion in revenue by 2025? Wow.

Loflin Yard is having a watch party for Game 6 of the NBA Finals tonight at 8. Go Marc!

There’s a new YouTube video featuring the story of one of the most iconic discoes in North America, Paula & Raiford’s.

The Memphis Flyer has an article on the hot dog stand that sets up shop at Main and Union on Wednesdays and Fridays. They are back following an absence of several weeks.

That’s it for now. Heading to lunch at the new Puck Food Hall with my friend Nappin Ass Nate. Back tomorrow with more news.

 

Wednesday update

Wow. That USA vs. Thailand match in the Women’s World Cup was the biggest smackdown in a sporting event I have seen in my entire life, and that includes multiple Alabama-Tennessee football games that I have watched. Soccer is a sport where 4 goals by one team is considered a high score, and the USWNT dropped 13 on Thailand. It was raining goals. As for the USA’s goalkeeper, she should have brought a book to read. The ball was almost never on her side of the pitch!

There’s a Washington Post op-ed about the team that is worth a read. The USWNT is the heart and soul of national soccer; it sure isn’t the mediocre men’s team. Yet, the women make 38 cents for every dollar the men make. Inexcusable and “that’s just the way it is” is not an acceptable explanation.

The next game is vs. Chile on Sunday morning. At first the announced time was 10:30, so I did a “What bars are opening early?” thread on Facebook, but it now looks like the starting time will be 11 AM.

The Redbirds return to AutoZone Park tonight for a 6:35 game. It’s Woof Wednesday, where a special ticket gets both you and your dog admission to the game.

Also, Redbirds fans, mark June 29 on your calendar. That Saturday night, a fan who correctly guesses the exact time the game will end will win a Rolex watch valued at $5400, courtesy of the Redbirds and Sissy’s Log Cabin.

Primas Bakery + Boutique is having a Little Mermaid Tea Party Sunday from 1:30 to 3:00. Each ticket includes Under the Sea Treats such as “Mermaid” macarons, “Seashell” shortbread, “Flounder” Frangipane Petit Fours, and “Tropical Coconut” cupcakes. Tea, coffee, and punch will be served. Each ticket admits 2, and tickets must be purchased in advance.

If you feel like a road trip this weekend, there’s going to be a taco festival at Ball Park Village in St. Louis.

Trolley Stop Market out in The Edge will host a brunch on Sunday, July 28 to benefit Hands of Mothers. There will be a full brunch, cold Bloody Marys, and live music by singer-songwriter Mark Edgar Stuart and saxophonist Art Edmaiston. Money raised will go to educate and empower mothers and their daughters living with HIV in Rwanda.

Memphis Grizzlies center Jonas Valanciunas has only until tomorrow to decide whether to pick up his player option on his contract with the Grizzlies. If he doesn’t, it doesn’t necessarily mean he won’t be back; he could negotiate a longer contract with the team. Jonas was said to be waiting to learn who the new head coach would be. Now that it is been announced that Milwaukee assistant Taylor Jenkins will fill that role, Jonas has the information he needs to make a decision.

A proposed new fire station, to replace the one on Front that will be torn down to make way for the Brooks Museum, would create a superblock bordered by Danny Thomas, Washington, Orleans, and Adams. Critics of the proposal say the long block would reduce connectivity and discourage pedestrian traffic.

Sunday, June 23 from 3 to 6 PM, the Green Beetle will host The Dog Days of Summer, a benefit for ALIVE Rescue Memphis. There will be drink specials and a raffle to jumpstart the monetary donations, which will go to purchase food for the rescue’s fosters.

On Saturday, June 22, the Flying Saucer will have its 22nd anniversary party. There will be live music by Chris Johnson, as well as a cake, special beer tappings, and bar games.

I watched the Women’s World Cup match at the Silly Goose, where the restrooms are labeled Sausage (men) and Eggs (women). Another customer commented, “It should’ve been Cock and Tails.” Ha!

That’s it for now. Back tomorrow.

Monday update

Yesterday I reported that the People’s Convention endorsed mayoral candidate Tami Sawyer and some other candidates. Candidates had to agree that they would support a People’s Agenda created by the convention. The CA’s Ryan Poe has a copy of that agenda.

The Daily Memphian has an article on the Central Station Hotel, set to open around September. Some of the same people who worked on Crosstown Concourse are working on this project. The challenge the designers faced was, when you step into this hotel, how do you immediately know you are in Memphis and the South Main Arts District? Music led them to the answer. The hotel will have a deejay and the playlist will be placed outside guests’ doors in the morning, along with a list of live music venues.

Loflin Yard will host Naughty Charades on Thursday, February 20 at 7 PM. There will be three rounds: easy, medium, and expert.

Game 3 of Arkansas vs. Ole Miss baseball will be today at 3 on ESPN2. Winner advances to the College World Series. Mississippi State and Vanderbilt already punched tickets to the CWS, and Auburn plays North Carolina at noon on ESPN2. The SEC is well represented!

The opening date for Ryan Trimm’s diner 3rd & Court isn’t known yet, but The Daily Memphian has a peek at the menu. Notable: They will be serving breakfast all day.

The Daily Memphian also announced their next Destination:Delicious venue, where Jennifer Biggs come together and dine. It will be another Downtown venue and it will be a good one! It will be a paella party on the patio of the Majestic Grille on Tuesday, June 18 at 6:30 PM. Patrick has a 4-foot paella pan and diners will be able to watch and smell their dinner cook while enjoying wine and Spanish tapas. I’ve had Patrick’s paella before and it is outstanding. $35 for DM subscribers and $42 for everyone else.

Likely #2 pick Ja Morant was in town for a visit with the Grizzlies over the weekend. That is obviously a good sign. The NBA draft is Thursday, June 20 and unless the front office completely loses their minds, Morant will be the pick.

Save the date: July 7 is National Dive Bar day. Good day to visit Earnestine & Hazel’s or The Dirty Crow Inn.

Stats site FiveThirtyEight has Women’s World Cup predictions. Team USA is second most likely to win the cup, with a probability of 17%. They are 99% to advance out of their group into the knockout stage.

That’s it for now. Back tomorrow.

 

Sunday update

The 2019 People’s Convention happened yesterday at the Paradise Entertainment Center. The idea behind this convention was to come up with an agenda, and then endorse candidates who the convention believed would best implement that agenda if elected to office; in that way, it’s more about the agenda than any individual candidate. The platform they came up with includes funding for county schools, a living wage requirement for government contracts, criminal justice reform, and affordable housing. The convention then selected Tami Sawyer as their choice for mayor, and endorsed seven other candidates as well.

The Daily Memphian has a good article this morning about development in The Edge District. We now have a name for the building that will house 199 apartments just east of Orion Federal Credit Union/the old Wonder Bread Bakery – it will be known as The Rise, a nod to bread rising when it is baked. Those apartments are 10-11 month away from completion.

There’s also information about The Ravine, the linear park being built on an old rail spur between Union and Madison. The south (Union) side will have a pop-up retail and food truck area. The north (Madison) size will have an event space. When the bar formerly known at Kudzu’s eventually reopens, the lower level of its back porch will spill out into the park.

The Downtown Neighborhood Association will have a party for its members celebrating Memphis’ 200th birthday on Tuesday, June 18 from 6 to 8 PM at Sage. Food and drink, DJ, games, and city officials will be there.

From Bluff News: Memphian having good day decides to use turn signal on Union Avenue

Great opinion piece: Living, loving and mourning in Downtown Memphis

Reminder: Today is the shrimp and crawfish boil at Tin Roof. $27 for 5 pounds, with DJs playing all day.

Tonight’s the night: An evening with Dutch Mantel at the Hi-Tone. I bet the Dirty Dutchman will have some fascinating stories. He was a wrestler and sometimes booker in Memphis wrestling in the 1970s and 1980s, and is credited with giving a start to young wrestlers who would go on to become famous, including Sting, the Ultimate Warrior, and The Undertaker. In more recent years he was manager Zeb Colter in WWE.

Pink Floyd tribute band Brit Floyd plays The Orpheum Tuesday night. This performance will be a celebration of the 40th anniversary of rock opera The Wall, and they will play songs from Pink Floyd’s other albums as well.

That’ll do it for now. Back tomorrow with more news.