Month: July 2019

I learned of one more bar that is opening early for the Women’s World Cup final tomorrow. Max’s Sports Bar will open at 9:30 AM. So, Downtown, Max’s, Brass Door, Flying Saucer, Silly Goose, and Majestic will be open by the 10 AM kickoff; in Midtown, Railgarten and Celtic Crossing will be.

The monthly Downtown Neighborhood Association meeting has been set for Tuesday, July 16 at the Bradford-Maywell Home at 648 Poplar, home of DNA board member Jerred Price. This is an 1859 home on the edge of Victorian Village. Mayor Strickland will be the guest speaker and there will be beer wine, and live music.

There is also updated information about this month’s South Main Association meeting, happening Tuesday, July 9 at River Garden, 51 Riverside. The event will start at 6 with free yoga from Our Yoga Memphis. Just bring a mat or towel to the grassy area. Light refreshments will be provided by 4th Cup. After yoga the presentation will begin at 7. Free for members, $10 for guests.

Also, all day long Tuesday, Kayak Memphis will be offering kayak rentals for half-price when you mention “South Main Association” at checkout.

Memphis 901 FC hosts Hartford Athletic tonight at AutoZone Park at 7:30.

Memphis River Parks Partnership has plans to improve Memphis Park on Front Street to make it a more inviting space.

The Memphis Grizzlies acquired center Dwight Howard yesterday, trading him for CJ Miles in a move that will free up salary space. The Daily Memphian’s Jonah Jordan reports that he will likely never play a minute in a Grizzlies uniform, and I certainly hope that is the case. Remember early this decade when the Bleacher Report was writing about “Who will win the D12 sweepstakes?” in free agency? No one but D12’s bank account won. He turned out to be one of the most overhyped players in recent memory and an attitude problem as well. I hope his presence on the roster doesn’t cause Ja Morant to have to wear a different number.

I got a new patriotic koozie at the July 4 rooftop party!

I’ll be carrying it around through the weekend to show support for the US Women’s National Team. My troll thinks I should get a Chinese flag koozie because China is where she was made. No, I am not walking around with a Communist koozie.

Memphis needs more superheroes, so Neighborhood Heroes of Memphis and Fourth Bluff are teaming up to offer superhero training to kids. The training will happen at Mud Island River Park near the new Memphis sign on Saturday, July 14 from 1 to 4 PM. There will be free costumes and comic books. Kids of all ages are welcome but the target age is about 7 to 15.

Terrace, the bar atop River Inn on Mud Island, is the featured bar in Jennifer Biggs’ Bar Talk this week. Learn how to make a Juniper Fusion.

They are re-launching the songwriter night at Tin Roof on Tuesdays. Contact Mark Parsell at markmusic@att.net if you are interested in playing. Mark is a good person to know if you are a musician in this town.

Denver plans to round up its Canada geese and turn them into food for the needy. Hmmm. Not sure whether to be happy they’re feeding the hungry, or sad for the geese.

From Food and Wine: 13 craziest things people have seen customers do at nice restaurants

The Amber McCain Duo will play Tacos-N-Tunes at Tin Roof Tuesday at 7. $1 off tacos, $1 chips, $5 margaritas, $3 Mexi-beers.

WHOA… I just pulled up Bleacher Report and saw that Kawhi has agreed to sign with the Clippers, and OKC is trading Paul George to the Clippers for a couple of players and a massive number of draft picks. Well, that likely puts an end to the possibility of a second ring for Marc Gasol.

If you plan to buy a new Windows computer any time in the near future, print this article out and save it for future reference. It’s 9 things to do before you start to use a new computer and it is absolutely spot on. I cannot stress enough how important number 4, “Create a recovery drive” is.

Congress is cracking down on Facebook’s plans to launch its own cryptocurrency. Good.

Convenient: You can now return products you ordered from Amazon at any Kohl’s location.

That’s it for now. Off to Bardog for Saturday brunch. Back tomorrow with more news.

 

I know I’m late to the party talking about this since I took the day off yesterday, but I gotta say it…

WE GOT RID OF CHANDLER PARSONS!!!!!!

For those who haven’t heard, the Grizzlies traded his bad contract and his bad attitude to the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday. Memphis took back Solomon Hill and Miles Plumlee. Geoff Calkins called it Independence Day for the Grizzlies. In his article he quoted then-head of the front office Chris Wallace from 2016: “We don’t see it as taking any risk at all.”

If Chris Wallace had to name an all-time Grizzlies team, he’d probably put Allen Iverson at the 1, Jeff Green at the 3, Parsons at the 4, and Hasheem Thabeet at the 5. I can’t figure out who the shooting guard would be.

What a great Fourth! My apartment building threw a rooftop fireworks watch party. We had DJ Tree, hot dogs, pulled pork, and wings. It got packed up there! People love a good rooftop.

A new bar and a new juice bar are soon to open Downtown, the Flyer’s Hungry Memphis blog reports. Bar Ware and Juice Brothers will open in the 266 Lofts space at 276 S. Front.

I have updated information on two bars opening for the Women’s World Cup final Sunday. The Silly Goose will open early at 9:30 AM and will have specials on mimosas, Bloody Marys, sangria, and local draft. The Flying Saucer will open at 10 AM with $4 local drafts and brunch until 2.

Got things to do so I’m going to cut this one short. Back tomorrow with more news.

 

Happy Independence Day Eve! Y’all are sitting there waiting for the “office is closing early” email, aren’t ya?

The US Women’s National Team beat England 2-1 yesterday in the semifinals of the World Cup. They will advance to the finals, where they will play the winner of the Netherlands-Sweden match which happens today. The finals are set for 10 AM Central Time Sunday, which is kind of a problem because most restaurants and bars are not open at that hour. I took a poll on Facebook and here is what I found:

• Majestic Grille opens at 10 on Sundays anyway. They have 2 really nice flat-screen TVs at the bar.
• Silly Goose will be open (I have that confirmed from the owner)
• Flying Saucer will be open (confirmed from an assistant manager/bartender)
• I don’t have it confirmed but I feel it’s pretty safe to say Brass Door will be open
• Out in Midrown, Railgarten will be open (confirmed from the GM)
• Safe to say Celtic Crossing will be open as well

South End continues to grow. 13 single-family homes and one apartment building are being proposed for 27 West Carolina, currently a vacant lot that sits next to Loflin Yard.

Tonight at the Halloran Centre, the New Olivet Worship Center presents America Bless God: Independence Day, a Memphis Music Tribute to the USA with Dr. Kenneth T. Whalum. Jr.

A website called Smart Meetings has an article on how Leo Events, headquartered out in The Edge, creates magical, immersive moments for its clients and their guests.

The Bluff City Bandits, a six-piece country cover band, headline the Peabody rooftop party tomorrow night. $15 cover/$30 VIP gets you live music and a DJ between sets, a great view of the fireworks, and a buffet of pigs in a blanket and mini corn cobettes on skewers. If you’re in VIP you get a second buffet of potato salad, chicken kabobs, Italian sausage with peppers and onions, charred corn salad, and mini blueberry pies.

The largest post-game fireworks show in the history of AutoZone Park will follow the Redbirds game tonight as they wrap up a long homestand. Gates open at 5:00, and first pitch is 6:35. The first 1000 fans in the gate will get a sunscreen packet from the American Cancer Society, as part of Major League Baseball’s “Cover Your Bases” initiative. The Redbirds will wear Independence Day themed jerseys. After the game the jerseys will be auctioned off and the winner of each jersey will get to meet the player who wore it and get an autograph. There will be a specialty ticket that includes a buffet of hamburgers, hot dogs, fixings and sides, and Coca-Cola products (2 drinks per person).

You can kayak under the fireworks tomorrow night for the city’s fireworks show. Rentals will take place at the cobblestones.

Riverfront Storytime returns Friday, July 5. It will happen behind the Cossitt Library and stories will be read to kids at 10 AM and again at 6 PM.

Sage will be closed all day tomorrow and for lunch Friday to give their employees time to enjoy the holiday.

The Eat to Live Vegan Festival will take place Saturday, July 13 at the MLK Center, 485 Beale. There will be a holistic health speaker, live entertainment by Official Grey, cooking demos, and free food samples. Free food? Wonder if the Nuh-Uh Girl will show up.

A Memphis man broke his neck and is now paralyzed from the waist down following a Bird scooter crash.

New diner 3rd & Court is looking to hire some solid line cooks. They’re also looking to hire a baker who can do biscuits, buns and pies. Mornings and nights available. Apply in person at 24 N. B.B. King.

The Memphis Flyer’s Meghan Stuthard visited Kooky Canuck recently and wrote about it.

Save Tom Lee Park & the Festivals is organizing a Human “M” event to make their voice heard loud and clear. Participants are asked to wear blue shirts (Memphis Tigers shirt if you have one) and will form a giant “M” in Tom Lee Park which will be photographed by drone.

I didn’t have to wait until July 4 to enjoy the fruits of the grill. Yesterday my buddy Ron brought me a slab of ribs.

Thanks Ron for feeding me and also for the reminder that I have some really great friends.

Unless there’s something really big or timely that comes up, I’m going to take tomorrow off from blogging. Back Friday with more news.

I’m going to start off this post with an update on how my new mattress is doing.

For those who don’t know the back-story, I had been badly in need of a new mattress for a couple of years. I assumed that a quality mattress would set me back $700 or more, so I put off the purchase longer than I should have. Then one Sunday at the Blind Bear, a friend told me she ordered a memory foam mattress from Amazon. She said it was only about $150 and was very comfortable.

I was skeptical that a good mattress could be had for that price, so for a long time I did not get on Amazon. However, in March of this year, “Springy,” my old mattress, became so uncomfortable that I had to do something. I got on Amazon and found the AmazonBasics Memory Foam Mattress. It was $169. I added it to my cart and with shipping and tax it was $215. For that small amount of money I figured I’d take a chance. It was shipped to me in a large box which I was able to haul from my apartment’s leasing office to my apartment by myself. Nice, no waiting on a delivery truck! I cut open the cardboard and over the next 15 minutes the mattress filled out to its full size. I let it rest 72 hours before sleeping on it, as the instructions recommended.

Three months later, I LOVE my mattress. It is so soft and comfortable, and yet there is plenty of support as well. I probably even go to bed earlier than I used to because I am so excited to sleep in my bed. I haven’t reviewed it on Amazon, but if I do I will give the mattress five stars. If I slept on it not knowing the price, and somebody told me it cost $800, I’d have no problem believing them.

However, two minor things:

• This mattress is very soft… which I love, but if you’re the type of person who requires a very firm mattress, this will not be the right fit for you.
• Because the mattress is memory foam and has no springs, you can’t easily bounce out of bed in the mornings. You have to make an effort to pull yourself up.

The Peanut Shoppe on Main between Madison and Monroe will be open for the first time ever on July 4 this year. Go see them between 10 and 5. I’d like to make a personal plea for my readers to shop with them. Due to construction down the street, visibility to their entrance is partly blocked and I think that has caused a lot of people to pass them by without realizing there is a nut and candy store there. Also, the closure of Court House Deli next door has led some people to assume the Peanut Shoppe closed too – no, they are open. These are wonderful, local people and they deserve your support.

There will be a total solar eclipse in parts of Chile and Argentina today. Here’s how to watch it from anywhere in the world. Coverage will begin at 12:23 PM PDT, which would be 2:23 our time.

One of my readers had an idea how to satisfy everyone at Tom Lee Park. He said, if AutoZone Park can be converted from a baseball stadium to a soccer stadium and back, could something similar not be done for Tom Lee? That’s an idea that’s ambitious, to say the least, given that the purpose of Tom Lee Park is to shore up the bluff as much as it is to give people a place to go.

Man, the Bird scooters are getting no love at all. A scooter graveyard was recently cleaned up in South Memphis, where about 25 Birds were found dumped at the end of a road.

I’ve never been a coffee drinker but I may have to become one. PBR Hard Coffee is a thing now. Produced by Pabst, the coffee is 5% alcohol by volume and is said to taste like Yoo-Hoo or frappucino.

Programming note: I may take July 4 off from blogging, unless something big or time-sensitive comes my way.

USWNT vs. England is on at 2. Silly Goose is my probable watch destination. Back tomorrow with more news.

The Flyer’s Hungry Memphis blog reported some unexpected news last week: A Jimmy John’s is going into the former Agave Maria location. Since Cafe Samovar closed about 15 years ago, no restaurant in that location has managed to become a long-term success. Some Downtowners are against any chain restaurants in the neighborhood, but I think this is a good move. Jimmy John’s should do well there, even without a parking lot, given the number of corporate offices and residents within a few blocks’ radius. I wonder what their hours will be; will they close at 8 like Lenny’s or stay open later?

Volunteer Memphis posted a very interesting volunteer opportunity recently. ITN Memphis, a nonprofit that provides transportation for seniors and the visually impaired, is looking for a volunteer social media coordinator. This volunteer will engage the community on Facebook and Twitter, posting text, images, and videos. They will also provide reports on engagement, page views, clicks, and other analytics.

Quiche is one of those foods I avoided as a child. Asparagus and mac & cheese were too, but as an adult I have grown to appreciate all of them.

Yesterday I felt compelled to go back to Pontotoc Lounge for brunch, because of the amazing open-faced bacon biscuit (on the menu as Mister Crunch) that I had the Sunday before. That day it was a tough choice between the bacon biscuit and the chef’s choice quiche of the day, a steak and jalapeno quiche. When Brad told me the steak and jalapeno quiche was back for a second Sunday, I had to order it.

The food at Pontotoc has always been good, but it seems like the kitchen has taken their brunch game to a whole new level recently. The quiche was fantastic – meaty, cheesy, eggy goodness with the jalapeno giving it just a little kick without the heat being overpowering. The side salad was a nice counterpoint.

I didn’t have one, but they also has a brunch drink special yesterday: watermelon jalapeno mimosas.

While at Pontotoc, I looked out the window and saw a guy riding a Bird down the sidewalk, texting, not paying a bit of attention to what was in front of him. Someone could have walked out of any one of those storefronts at any moment and he would have plowed right into them.

We got Iggy! The Grizzlies acquired Andre Iguodala from the Golden State Warriors last night. The Warriors needed to rid themselves of his salary and were willing to throw in a 2024 first-round draft pick to make the deal. The Grizzlies were able to do the trade because of the $25 million trade exception that was created when Mike Conley went to Utah. I’m curious how the Grizzlies are going to pay him and remain below the luxury tax line. It’s possible he may be bought out, but I hope not. I hope to see him on the court in Beale Street Blue this fall. He’s one of the best sixth men around.

The Grizzlies also signed center Jonas Valanciunas to a new contract last night as well, at 3 years and $45 million. This is a great move as well. Valanciunas had a fantastic 27 games with Memphis last season. Jaren Jackson Jr. will eventually be the Grizzlies’ starting center, but he’s not ready yet and it’s better to play him at power forward right now and see a little time as backup center.

The July South Main Association meeting will offer river views. It will be Tuesday, July 9 at River Garden, with social at 6:00, and presentation at 6:30. More details to come.

It’s been reported on Nextdoor that there is a flasher who hangs out in Court Square. He is said to be out there showing people his junk in the early morning, around 5:30 to 7:30 AM. He was in jail for a month but now he’s out and right back at it.

The Daily Memphian had a talk with the first general manager of Central Station Hotel, Jeremy Sadler.

An important voice, Henry Turley, weighed in on the future of Tom Lee Park. There’s some interesting history of Tom Lee Park and Riverside Drive in there too.

Don’t forget that the new hands-free law becomes effective in Tennessee today. It is now illegal to hold an electronic device with any part of your body as you drive.

The Memphis Flyer had a talk with a representative of Atomic Rose, the new LGBTQ-friendly restaurant and nightclub soon to open Downtown.

For those of you who are eager to try the food from the Cousins Maine Lobster food truck, which I have heard absolutely lives up to the hype, come to the Memphis Farmers Market Saturday. The truck will be in the Market’s food truck area.

There’s a new fellowship program for chefs of color. High Ground News has the details.

Style Blueprint has a list of Memphis’ 12 most romantic restaurants, and several of them are Downtown: McEwen’s, Felicia Suzanne’s, Itta Bena, Chex Philippe, and Flight.

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