Monday update

If you see this motorcycle around town, please call 545-COPS and report its location. It was stolen from a residential area in Midtown over the weekend.

I led off at Bardog yesterday for brunch, and walked right into a birthday party.

Happy birthday Lauren and thank you for making me part of your day. I posted the photo above to Facebook and Instagram, and people started wishing me happy birthday. I had to make it clear it was not MY birthday! “Just go with it, you’ll get free shots,” advised a friend of mine.

Later in the day I walked down to Loflin Yard (damn that’s a long walk from the Downtown core) for Cerrito Bingo, called not by Cerrito but by one of his assistants.

There were 10 rounds of bingo, with various prizes including a beverage, a pint glass, queso, brisket tacos, anything with chicken (I would have got Loflin’s hot chicken sandwich had I won that round), a hat, and $10, $15, and $20 Loflin Yard gift cards.

Why do the gods of bingo hate me so much? I NEVER win!!! At one point I counted 16 people playing, and with 10 rounds that gave me a better-than-even chance of winning something. But, no. I tied for a bingo in the 7th round ($10 gift card) but lost best 2-of-3 rock-paper-scissors in the tiebreaker. The winner of that round had the opportunity to play blackjack against the bingo host for double-or-nothing, a chance to turn his $10 gift card into a $20 gift card. He declined and I would have too.

I also stopped at the Silly Goose where I picked up some inside information for my readers: They were talking about making 20 pizzas “for Tuesday night.” I bet those pizzas are going to National Night Out at Malco Powerhouse. If you haven’t tried the Goose’s wood-fired pizzas yet, here’s your chance to do so for free. One request, though: If there’s one slice left and an MPD officer is behind you in line, let him or her cut ahead of you.

The Monday night 3-course dinner is back at Paulette’s tonight. Here’s this week’s menu.

GREAT post by my friend, career coach Angela Copeland today – Learning is the New Loyalty. If your job doesn’t allow you to keep your skills up to date, you’re likely falling behind.

Time for work. Back tomorrow with more news.

Sunday update

Thanks to those of you who sent suggestions for comedy shows to watch yesterday since I didn’t have the Tennessee Vols on TV to laugh at yesterday. I did get on YouTube, but I ended up finding not a comedy act, but a TV show I have not watched in many, many years.

Petticoat Junction is the story of Kate Bradley, who along with her uncle Joe runs the Shady Rest Hotel, located on a railroad line halfway between the towns of Hooterville (also the setting for the TV show Green Acres) and Pixley. Kate is assisted running the hotel by her three adult daughters: boy-crazy blonde Billie Jo; bookworm brunette Bobbie Jo; and tomboy redhead Betty Jo. The Clampetts (Beverly Hillbillies) are distant cousins of folks in Hooterville and paid them several visits over the course of the series.

All men should watch the episode above and pay close attention to the things Billie Jo does, and which Kate teaches Bobbie Jo to do. It may be 46 years later, but not much has changed. Within minutes of pressing play I decided Betty Jo was the character I identified with the most. She’s a keen observer of people, as am I.

My only complaint with the episode embedded here is that grocer Sam Drucker does not appear. Sam Drucker is awesome.

So anyway, 11:00 came around and I went to Bardog to watch the Texas A&M vs. Arkansas game. It was a good thing I got there right at 11, because by 11:02 the bar had filled up with people celebrating Pride Day. Now, when the bar fills up with one group of people, like frat boys (or worse) Tennessee fans (or worse) pedal party bike riders, I often get annoyed. Not so with the Pride people. They were so cool! One of them reads my blog and included me in their round of breakfast shots. It was a pleasure to share a bar with them, and I hated it that other plans prevented me from coming down to Beale to see their parade.

Early on in the Texas A&M-Arkansas game, the handlers of Tusk IV, the Arkansas mascot, gave a gift bag to the handlers of Reveille, the collie that is the Aggies’ mascot. It contained dog toys, grooming products, and treats. Now that’s my Hogs! They may not win a lot of football games, but they are a total class act.

The Hogs did lose… but just barely. They were a threat right up until the final minute, when they turned the ball over on downs, giving the Aggies a 31-27 win. Arkansas proved it could hold its own with a Top 25 team in the SEC West. There was a guy at Bardog wearing a Tennessee Vols shirt, and as he watched the game he had this look on his face like, “Now there’s absolutely no doubt we’re the worst team in the SEC, and it isn’t even close.”

Let’s take a look at what’s coming up next week for the three teams I root for:

  • Memphis: Plays at Louisiana-Monroe at 2:45 Saturday on ESPNU. Go ahead and enjoy, Memphis, it doesn’t hurt for Tigers to be fed a cupcake now and then.
  • Arkansas: Bye week
  • Whoever plays Tennessee: #3 Georgia plays Tennessee at Neyland Stadum at 6 PM on ESPN. ESPN gives Tennessee an 8.7% chance of winning. Maybe if Georgia’s bus breaks down and they miss the game. Otherwise it’s going to be a bloodbath.

I hung out at Bardog until my friends Randy and Theresa arrived at 3. They did Bloom’s latest creation, the Elvis shot, and I did one too.

The Elvis consists of Skrewball peanut butter whiskey, banana liqueur, and half & half. Very good!

As I posted that photo to Facebook, I realized something. You know how the first Saturday of December is always really busy? There’s the St. Jude marathon in the morning, conference championship football games on TV all day, Stumbling Santa at 7, the Ariana Grande concert at FedExForum at 7:30, Drew & Elie Holcomb’s Neighborly Christmas at the Orpheum at 8, and both the Tigers and Grizzlies play away games that will be televised that evening. However, this year something else falls on the first Saturday of December: THE TROLL’S BIRTHDAY. Oh my God. The first couple of birthdays, you can get by without doing much, but by the time they turn 3 they understand the concept of having a birthday and expect a party and presents and a cake. I know where she’s going to want to have the party too: Max’s Sports Bar, which will be jam-packed due to all the important games on TV that day.

I guess I need to look at the bright side: At least Max’s won’t be full of Vols fans that day. They ain’t going nowhere near the SEC championship game.

The Daily Memphian has a photo gallery of the Memphis Pride parade and celebration yesterday.

This morning, once again I found myself up early with lots of time to kill. I pulled up the WWE Network and found the latest NXT UK Takeover event, where WALTER defended the WWE United Kingdom championship against Tyler Bate, the first man to ever hold that title. If you’re on the network, this match is a must-watch. Absolutely superb. I may have to start watching NXT UK on a weekly basis. Sometime in the next two years, WALTER is going to get called up to the main roster and Brock Lesnar will pass the torch to him as the dominant, nearly unstoppable monster heel.

Let’s see what’s going on around town today… Memphis Japan Festival is out at the Botanic Garden today. Hahahahaha… one of my South Main readers is going to have to choose between that and going to someone’s 42nd birthday party. If he’s smart he’ll pick the Japan festival. Think of all the opportunities to post pics of sushi and Japanese beer in a green koozie to Instagram!

As I previously blogged, Memphis 901 FC Family Day on Beale Street happens from noon to 2. Bring your kids out for activities with the players.

G and the Crew will celebrate one year of playing at Tin Roof with a free show today at 2.

Otherwise it’s the same stuff that goes on every Sunday. The Rusty Pieces at Belle TavernHangover Hangout at Atomic Rose… Sunset Yoga at Memphis Park… good choices, all of them.

My tentative plan for the day is a couple of hours at Bardog, a couple of hours at Silly Goose, and I’m contemplating heading down to Loflin Yard for Cerrito Bingo. That Loflin stop I am not sure is going to happen because it’s so damn hot outside. MemphisWeather.net is predicting 95 for this afternoon. Normal high for today is 80. Geez. Anyway, I’m outta here, back tomorrow or Tuesday with more news.

Saturday update

Stony Blyden, who plays paralegal Emerson on the new NBC series Bluff City Law, will smash a guitar before tonight’s Memphis 901 FC match vs. Bethlehem Steel. Kickoff time is 7 PM, and as always I recommend pre-gaming at the Brass Door Irish pub on Madison and marching over with supporters’ group the Bluff City Mafia.

Actor/comedian Kevin James, who starred in the TV series The King of Queens (1998-2007), will perform a show at the Cannon Center tomorrow night. Tickets are $42.50-$82.50.

Loflin Yard is doing a shrimp boil for the Dallas Cowboys vs. New Orleans Saints Sunday Night Football game tomorrow evening. In addition to the boil, they will have FREE gumbo, as well as frozen hurricanes and $3 Bud Light. Free gumbo? Wonder if the Nuh-Uh Girl will show up. Oh wait she’s in Europe right now. If you’re in Munich for Oktoberfest, guard your bratwurst closely.

Elite Total Health at S. Main and MLK has a new logo. In recent years they have expanded their business, offering services like hydration therapy, medical aesthetics, and women’s care. However, their logo and branding still reflected Elite’s early days as a men’s health care clinic. Downtown agency LAB Digital Creative helped them with a new logo and new branding that reflects the comprehensive set of services they now provide.

I paid my first visit to Max’s Sports Bar in two months last night, and tried one of their newer menu items, their cheese dip. Being a Little Rock native, I have low expectations for cheese dip in Memphis – it tends to be white and bland and boring. Max’s, however, does it well. It is a white cheese dip, but flavored with plenty of pieces of peppers. In addition, it comes with quality chips, from Las Delicias. I would have to say in recent years, it’s the second best cheese dip I have had Downtown, trailing only the chorizo queso at Maciel’s.

I learned a bartender’s trick this week when a friend of mine got acid reflux: Mix bitters and Sprite, chug that, then swallow a teaspoon or two of mustard. It is said to provide nearly instant relief.

Michael Donahue’s We Saw You column this week covers Paula & Raiford’s Disco and the Bluff City Law watch party in Court Square. He’s right, there is no doubt the spirit of Raiford lives on in that club.

Street closure: From October 7 until May 2020, all lanes of Front Street will be closed between Poplar and Jackson. This is necessary for convention center construction.

Attitude MMA Fights XIX comes to FedExForum tonight.

Today is Wiseacre’s annual Oktoberfest celebration.

For those celebrating Memphis Pride on Beale Street and in Robert Church Park, if you need to get out of the heat for a minute step on over to Atomic Rose, where there will be a Pride Party with $3 well drinks from noon to 6 PM. From 4 to 6 PM there will be a drag show with Holly Walnutz, Mary Gagdaline, Brenda Newport, and Hunny Blunt. Dj Cashmere will perform late night tonight.

As your #1 source of news and information about The Edge District, it is my pleasure to inform you that Spectrum (600 Marshall) will host a Pride After-Party tonight 8 PM-3 AM featuring Brooke Lynn Hines. Drag show at 11 PM and an Open Stage all night where all the kings and queens can show what they’ve got.

According to one social media source, nothing notable has happened in The Edge since June 10. This is why I have to do my job, because no one else will.

It’ll be my first time back in Bardog since they re-opened when I go there in a little while. I plan on catching up with my “DAWG” John D, watching the Texas A&M-Arkansas game, sticking around to see my friends Randy and Theresa, and wondering if the Tennessee Vols will manage to figure out  away to lose even though it’s their bye week. Around 5 I’ll head over to Silly Goose for D-RANKS with B-RAD, where I will catch Brad up on the Downtown gossip, and there is some juicy gossip this week (he may have lost a Facebook friend without even knowing it). Back tomorrow with more news. Post may be up late tomorrow because I am considering not going out until the 4 to 6 PM range.

Friday update

JOBS! If you’re looking for a job in the food service industry in the South Main district, I’ve got news for you. First of all, Rizzo’s by Michael Patrick is looking for a sous chef. This is an opportunity to learn from one of the very best in Memphis. Chef Michael is looking for someone who is comfortable placing orders and giving directions. The sous chef must be creative and have at least 5 years experience. If that sounds like you, inquire at the restaurant (South Main at Butler across from the fire station) between 10 AM and 3 PM.

In addition, the Enjoy|AM restaurant group (Andrew Michael Italian Kitchen, Hog and Hominy, Catherine & Mary’s, Gray Canary) is hiring for its new restaurant, Bishop, to open in Central Station Hotel. They are hiring everything from host/hostess to sous chef to assistant GM, and AM and PM positions are available. If you are interested, bring a resume to Central Station Hotel, 545 S. Main, between 10 AM and 4 PM and they’ll have you fill out an application.

A festival called Audacity Fest is coming to Beale Street Landing today through Sunday. From the festival website:

AUDACITY Fest is the gathering of like minds in travel and culture. This festival is the safe space for black and brown travelers from around the world, to build ideas, meet travel influencers, and experience parts of the world through on site activations. The day includes panels, one-on-one fireside chats, international music & DJs, celebrity appearances, food, vendors, and community love.

The festival has six focus areas: Culinary, Self-Care, Immersive, Adventure, Budget, and Luxury. Together these are called the six verticals of travel.

Nice win for the Memphis Tigers over Navy last night. They proved they won’t give up after being down 20-7 at one point. The Tigers go on the road for two weeks, playing Louisiana-Monroe a week from tomorrow and Temple the Saturday after that.

Revised plans for Union Row have been released. This massive project will bring two hotels, 700+ apartments, retail space, office space and parking to the area bordered by Fourth, Danny Thomas, Union, and Gayoso.

Look for wandering performances by 30 Days of Opera at South Main Trolley Night tonight.

The Electric Watershed electronic dance music event returns to Carolina Watershed this evening. At least 6 DJs will spin.

Southwest Airlines will add daily nonstop flights from Memphis to Atlanta beginning March 7. It will be nice to be able to fly to Atlanta on an airline that doesn’t suck. (Looking at you, Delta.)

The Halloran Centre will host A Magical Life: An Evening with Larry Hass this evening at 7:30. Hass’ show will run the spectrum of magic, with everything from storytelling to mind reading to grand illusion. Hass holds a Ph.D., has been seen on the Discovery Channel, and has given a TEDx talk on “What is the art of magic?”

Tomorrow is Memphis Pride Fest in Robert Church Park, Beale just east of Fourth, 10 AM to 5 PM. At 1 PM there will be a Pride Parade down Beale Street. Learn more at midsouthpride.org.

FreeWorld will perform at Momma’s Roadhouse (formerly the Dirty Crow Inn) tonight 9-12.

Yesterday the manager gave me a sample of the Hot Siedies, one of the non-pizza items coming out of the wood-fired pizza oven at the Silly Goose.

Here’s a list of ingredients: (TL:DR: Cheese wrapped in meat)

Calabrese wrapped mozzarella, balsamic reduction, hot honey and basil. You get 5 of these on a plate for $8.

More Goose news!

With the new pizza oven installed and the menu figured out, they are opening for lunch Wednesdays through Sundays starting next Wednesday. They have two outstanding and creative pizza chefs in the kitchen, and it seems like every time I go in there they are trying out some new idea. (Which is good because I often get samples… too bad the Nuh-Uh Girl is out of town.) I haven’t officially confirmed this, but I’ve heard talk of a possible lunch discount for those with AutoZone uniforms or badges or ServiceMaster badges.

Can someone recommend some good comedians whose shows are on YouTube? Since the Tennessee Vols have a bye week, I’m going to need something to laugh at tomorrow. This week three more players left the hapless Vols, realizing they will never get to a bowl game or learn anything about football at that school.

Well… different Tennessee team, but still damn funny.

Time for work. Back tomorrow with more news.

Thursday update

The Memphis Flyer’s Best of Memphis issue is out. The most reliable of the best-of polls in this city, BOM recognizes businesses that stand out. The issue is on the stands now and the results should be on the Memphis Flyer website later this morning.

Elite Total Health, the health clinic at the corner of Main and MLK, is hiring  (although, they may be hiring for their second location they’re opening out east). Medical background is a plus but is not required. If interested, send a resume to elitetotalhealth@gmail.com. These are great people to work with, and there would be a fun element to the job, like giving team members hydration IVs at BBQ Fest.

It looks like the South Main location for Little Italy may not happen after all. Yesterday my friend Mikey posted a photo of the storefront with a “for lease” sign in the window. Too bad because South Main is absolutely exploding with new businesses right now, and the Italian restaurant would have been a good fit. Trouble is, explosive growth means higher rents, and I suspect that may have been the barrier in this case.

The Majestic Grille is the featured restaurant in Jennifer Biggs’ Bar Talk this week. Master mixologist Lisa Gradinger showed Biggs hot to mix an Apple Old Fashioned, a simple two-ingredient cocktail that is perfect as the temperature begins to cool (if that ever happens). Afterward, Biggs talked with co-owner/chef Patrick Reilly about the duck prosciutto he’s making for the Memphis Food & Wine Festival on the 12th.

Be sure to turn on ESPN tonight at 7 as the Memphis Tigers host the Navy Midshipmen at the Liberty Bowl. This will be a tough test for the Tigers, and will give a good indication whether Memphis really can run the table through its conference schedule and make it to the AAC championship game once again.

The Memphis Songwriters Series, hosted by songwriter Mark Edgar Stuart, kicks off at the Halloran Centre tonight at 7, the first of five dates through April. Tonight’s performers will be Mike Doughty, Grace Askew, and McKenna Bray.

Cordelia’s Market is hosting a Back to School Grill Out tonight from 5:30 to 7:30. $5 burgers, $5 build your own cookie sandwich dessert bar, and for $12 you get a burger with two sides and the dessert bar. There will be live music as well.

Social media tip: If someone goes all batshit on you on a Facebook comment thread, pull up the thread frequently and screen capture everything they posted. These types of people will often come back later and delete most of their comments, because 1) they realized they made themselves look crazy; and 2) by deleting most of their comments and leaving only yours, they make YOU look like the crazy one. By doing the screen captures, you have an electronic record of what really happened.

Some people need breathalyzers on their phones that refuse to let them open Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, etc. until they blow.

On the good side though, happy hour will be a more enjoyable time, at least for me personally.

That’s the news for now. Back tomorrow.

 

Wednesday update: New bar coming to South Main

Yesterday afternoon word broke on Ye Olde Facebook of a new neighborhood bar and lounge coming to South Main in late October. It will be called Longshots, and their focus will be serving house-made sausages served on freshly baked breads from Hustle & Dough, but of course they will have many other exciting food options as well as libations. And get this – shuffleboard will be coming to South Main! You won’t have to take a Lyft out to Alex’s to play anymore. Included in the post was an “Arrive” logo, suggesting this bar will be inside the new Arrive hotel at 477 S. Main (whose sign went up last week).

Now, I know what some of you are thinking. “Come on, Paul, Downtowners aren’t going to hang out in a hotel bar.” History supports that assumption. The Holiday Inn bar on Union tried to capture the Downtowners’ business in 2007 after Sleep Out Louie’s closed. It worked for a couple of months, but then we all started to dissipate to other locations.

Longshots, however, has an advantage. It’s being opened by Dax Nichols, most recently the GM of the Poplar Huey’s, and formerly a GM or manager at several other locations, including the Downtown one. He is a longtime South Mainer and knows what residents of that area look for in a watering hole. Lots of people are going to come in to see him, and I expect they will be won over by the vibe of that place. Congratulations on your new gig, Dax! Can’t wait to have a cocktail there.

Dax is looking for an assistant manager and some servers, by the way.

This is great for South Main. With Longshots and Slider Inn both soon to open, the area will become even more of a walkable destination. It will have nearly as many bars as the area between Madison and Peabody Place in the Downtown core.

Bloom, the Wednesday-Friday morning bartender at Bardog, posted that she’s been having fun picking up shifts at Momma’s Roadhouse, but today she will be back at Bardog, the sewer problems finally over. As far as I know she will open at 8 AM as usual.

South Main Trolley Night is back this Friday from 6 PM until 9 PM or later, with many of the shops and galleries staying open late for your shopping and mingling pleasure.

Trolley Night will be the opening of artist Jorge Yances‘ second solo exhibition at Art Village Gallery, Main at Huling. The Colombian artist’s work will be based around the Amazon rainforest. Can’t make it on Trolley Night? The exhibition will run through October 26.

The gallery will have a Colombian Exhibition Dinner and Dialogue Saturday, October 5, 6:45 PM-9 PM. Food by Chef Ana Gonzalez will be served, Yances’ work will be on display, and dialogue with a social and cultural context will be led by diversity leader Ericka DeBruce. Tickets

Songwriter Night will be back at South Main Sounds Friday night for Trolley Night. Performing at 550 S. Main from 7 to 9 PM will be Steven Pittman, Wyly Bigger, Tristan Barton, and Vanessa Winter.

National Night Out will happen Tuesday, October 1, and once again it will be in an air-conditioned location – Malco Powerhouse. (Probably a good thing. The predicted high for October 1 is 96 degrees.) It’s 6-8 PM and is an opportunity to learn about community-police partnerships and thank an officer for their service. I know I do this every year, but here I go again. INSIDER TIP: If you want a box of Jack Pirtle’s chicken, plan on being there right at 6. It will run out by 6:15. There will be food from other neighborhood restaurants as well.

Central Bark, the new dog park at Front and G.E. Patterson, is opening Saturday, October 5. Festivities that day will include adoptions from MAS, hot dogs for people, treats for your dogs, and dog games and a costume contest.

I Love Memphis Blog had a post celebrating Belle Tavern’s third anniversary. Great little lounge hidden away in an alley. If you are a whiskey drinker, you simply must try this place. Look for the alley between Sage and Aldo’s Pizza Pies, and walk halfway to Second Street and you will see Belle’s entrance. They’re having British Bingo tonight at 7:30, giving you six chances to win a bar tab.

Stanley’s Sweet Street Treats will be the food truck at Cordelia’s Market tonight 5 to 8. Soft shell crab po’boys! I hear their desserts are delicious too.

That’s the news for now. Back tomorrow.

 

Tuesday update – Bardog STILL closed due to MLGW repairs

Bardog Tavern is still closed due to sewer repairs. An estimated date for the repairs to be completed and the bar to re-open is not even known at this point. Probably several more days at least, from what I’ve been hearing. The problem is so serious that it made the local news last night.

Owner Aldo was so upset he didn’t want to appear on camera, so GM Rico did the interview. Rico explained that the city’s sewer line, which MLGW was repairing in the alley next to Bardog, broke into Bardog’s sewer line and Bardog can’t open until the problem is fixed.

Aldo takes good care of his employees, and fortunately he owns four other businesses: Slider Inn, Aldo’s Pizza Pies Downtown, Aldo’s Pizza Pies Midtown, and Momma’s Roadhouse (former Dirty Crow Inn). He’s trying to find his Bardog employees shifts to pick up at those locations so they at least will make some money during the closure.

The problem is due to aging infrastructure. The owner of another business on Monroe was interviewed and is exactly right – the city just puts one Band-Aid on the problem after another. I would say more often than not, when I have gone in there during the daytime on weekdays since about 2015, MLGW crews have been outside either digging a hole or filling a hole in. The number of metal plates covering holes in the street the past few years has been ridiculous.

Chris Herrington has a recap of the Bluff City Law pilot that aired last night. He raises an objection to the lawyers celebrating with beers on Beale Street after winning a big case. Herrington polled the locals and they mostly said “Yeah that doesn’t happen.” Y’know which bar Downtown probably has the highest percentage of lawyers as customers? The one I’ve been writing about in this post. I think it would be very cool if a scene from a future BCL episode was filmed at Bardog.

I do think it’s awesome that the law firm’s office is located at Front and MLK.

Kitty Cat Yoga out at the Humane Society was a big hit this weekend, and now something similar is coming Downtown, to the Tennessee Brewery to be exact. Better practice your down dog, because Puppy Yoga is coming to the Tennessee Brewery on Saturday, October 5. This will be an all-levels class, and they suggest that you bring an old mat in case the puppies have accidents. Tickets are $27 and all funds raised will be donated to local animal rescues. YOGA!

Wear attire representing your favorite football team and get an extra bingo card at Cerrito Bingo this coming Sunday at Loflin Yard. Stick around to watch the Saints and the Cowboys on Sunday Night Football at 7 (and be sure to cheer when the Cris Collinsworth Sunday Night Slide-in happens).

Jennifer Biggs has a $10 Deal this week that is worth a look: The Rotel spaghetti at Valle’s Italian Rebel on Winchester. I ate there all the time when I worked by the airport, and believe me, if you have never been, it is well worth a drive out to Whitehaven. They’re only open for lunch, Monday-Friday 11-2. The Rebel is one of those modest, unassuming places that puts out incredible food and constantly stays busy.

Edible Memphis has unsolicited advice for restaurateurs. I especially agree with two of the items: “Set regular hours and keep them” and “let a copy editor read your menu before you print it or publish it online.”

An iconic part of riding a train is going away: Amtrak is discontinuing its dining cars. They’re going to replace the cars with “more contemporary dining options.”

From The Hard Times: Party bike rigged to explode if riders stop being annoying as hell

Good news and an interesting opportunity in my world this week. My VALIC retirement early withdrawal finally went through! I cannot tell you how stressed and frustrated I have been the past two months, trying to get my rep to call me back, having claims rejected because I didn’t have the right supporting paperwork, waiting on the University of Memphis to pull microfiche to verify that I once worked there. It was such a relief to go to First Tennessee and check my balance yesterday, and see the money in there. I’m now current on my rent and I have enough breathing room that I’m not in crisis mode from one day to the next. What I’m going to do is sit back for a few days, enjoy the anxiety being gone, and when I’m ready my intuition will tell me the right next move to make. If there’s one thing I have learned in my life, it’s to always listen to my intuition.

As for that opportunity: My alma mater, Rhodes College, has invited me to speak on a panel of computer science graduates. I am considering accepting. Having become disillusioned with the world of enterprise IT, I think I would offer a unique perspective. I wish someone had been there to tell 19-year-old me what computer science jobs would be like in 20 or 25 years. I’ll take a day or two to think about it. I posted about this on Facebook and the general consensus was, I should do it.

Back tomorrow with more news.

 

Monday update

Today’s the big day: The series premiere of Bluff City Law, the law drama starring Jimmy Smits on NBC at 9 tonight. Over the weekend I’ve been asked, “Are there any bars Downtown that are going to show the premiere?” Normally I would say yes…

… But here’s the thing. The show is premiering on Monday night, which means it’s up against Monday Night Football. A lot of people are going to want to watch that too, and it’s traditional for bars to show sports on TV even if they aren’t sports bars. Let’s see who’s playing… the Chicago Bears and the Washington Redskins. Da Bearsss have fans nationwide. Also, MNF will have been on for an hour and 45 minutes by the time Bluff City Law comes on, giving bar patrons plenty of time to get emotionally invested in the game and want to see the end of it. In addition to that, there are going to be people who aren’t necessarily Bears or Redskins fans but who have some of their players on their fantasy football team.

My advice? The more TVs a bar has, the more likely you are to get them to tune one of them to Bluff City Law. Of course, there’s always the watch party in Court Square if you don’t mind being outdoors.

Iconic late-night bar Printer’s Alley in Midtown has been temporarily shut down as a public nuisance. Undercover officers bought both drugs and illegal liquor there over a four-year period. The owners have to appear in Environmental Court this week, at which time it will be determined whether the bar will be allowed to reopen, and if so what steps the owners must take. Printer’s Alley was one of only a few remaining Memphis bars that was grandfathered in to the current liquor laws and could therefore stay open past 3 AM.

I found out something interesting about one of the Memphis Farmers Market vendors, Thistle and Bee, this weekend. They are a nonprofit that provides jobs for victims of human trafficking and prostitution. So when you shop with them, you are helping young ladies get to a better place in life. I’m told they are known for their homemade granola, their honey, and mint & lemon balm tea. I forgot to take a note on which of my Facebook friends posted about that, but whoever it was, thank you for sharing.

Puck Food Hall at 409 S. Main is having a tasting party Wednesday from 5:30-8:30 to welcome Dr. Bean’s Coffee as its newest vendor. This is a good chance to sample all of the vendors at one time. There are 5:30 and 6:30 tasting rounds and tickets are $50 for adults, $25 for kids.

The Memphis Symphony Orchestra and Opera Memphis are teaming up for Opening Weekend with Opera Classics at the Cannon Center this Saturday.

UGGGHHH I just checked the MemphisWeather.net forecast and it is mostly not good. Tonight and tomorrow, lows are expected to be in the 60s. However, “humidity returns” is in the Wednesday forecast, with a high near 90. Highs creep up into the low 90s later in the week and will be back in the mid 90s on Sunday. Extended forecast for September 30-October 6 shows a very high probability of above-normal temperatures. Remember last fall, when the temperatures stayed in the upper 80s past the middle of October, then fell like a rock into the 40s and 50s? I have a feeling that’s coming.

No idea if Bardog is back open today. If I find out I’ll post.

Off to work then the bank. The University of Memphis FINALLY approved my VALIC withdrawal last Tuesday, so I want to see if the money has hit my account yet. Back tomorrow with more news.

 

Sunday update

Y’ALL! My yoga teacher friend Mary Patrick taught her Kitten Yoga class at the Humane Society yesterday, and it made channel 13 news! Looks like they had a full house. The camera primarily focused on the kittens, and the interview was with a Humane Society employee, but Mary can be seen walking among the students in a gray top and red leggings.

Take a class from Mary! She teaches

Mind/Body HAUS is in Cooper-Young and DwiPada is in the Poplar/Perkins area. In particular I hear that the Sunday Hot HAUS class is extremely popular.

I am now an Apple Watch owner. My friend Randy got a new Apple Watch and gave me his old one yesterday. We were sitting at the Silly Goose and my iPhone detected there was an Apple Watch nearby and asked me if I wanted to scan the watch’s face to set it up. Only thing was, it told me I needed to upgrade my phone to the latest version of iOS, and I have been told not to do that until iOS 13.1 comes out. So, it’ll be a few days. I never knew I needed an Apple Watch, but then I never knew I needed an iPad until I won one.

After picking up the watch, my friends Randy and Theresa and I caught an Uber south to Momma’s Roadhouse, the former Dirty Crow Inn on Crump now owned by Aldo. Here’s a look at the new menu (click to view in a larger size):

They have PBR in 16 ounce cans, and I think I saw 24 ounce cans (a holdover from the Crow) in the cooler as well.

Well, yesterday took a weird turn on social media. A friend of mine, who is a manager at a local bar, made a funny Facebook post about how most schools wouldn’t start a quarterback who was blind, but Tennessee did. That led to a Vols fan responding that he was going to go public that the bar manager’s place of business discriminates against handicapped people. The Vols fan ranted on and on, threatening my friend’s livelihood, drawing “Is he (the Vol fan) crazy?” reactions from people who live and work in the Downtown core. I have had FIVE different women complain about this person even prior to yesterday’s comments. May be time to seek some professional help, dude. Here’s some inspiration for you:

Oh, but, hey. That wasn’t you posting to Facebook yesterday. That was the alcohol posting. You never do anything wrong.

Chocolate salty ball shots should come with a warning label…

I do want to apologize to my friend Will for not letting him change the channel off the Florida game so he could watch his LSU Tigers. I felt bad about that because I know how passionate he is about his team. It’s just that watching Tennessee get stomped is one of my true joys in life. Nowhere else in this state (not even The Pumping Station) will you see grown men in orange and white checkered overall rompers. All they need is an orange clown nose to complete the outfit.

Tennessee has beaten the Gators a grand total of once since 2005. At this point I don’t even know if I’d call it a rivalry anymore.

Next Friday, September 27, on South Main Trolley Night, Stock & Belle at 387 S. Main will have an opening reception for local artist Zac Roach’s “Cosmiks” exhibition. His works have been exhibited in New York, L.A., and even Tehran, Iran.

The annual Walk a Mile in Her Shoes march happens this Wednesday, September 25. This year it starts and ends at the University of Memphis campus, rather than being Downtown. At this event, men and boys put on women’s high heels and march in support of putting an end to domestic violence against women, rape, and sexual assault.

That’s the news for now. Back tomorrow or Tuesday with more.