Thursday update

I hope you like Twitter embeds because there are going to be plenty of them today.

Street closing news for College GameDay:

Or if you prefer maps:

Beale Street merchant specials Saturday for ESPN College GameDay:

Ribs at 7 AM! Also those $3.75 domestic drafts at the King’s Palace Tap Room sound like Plan A for Saturday morning. Plan B to follow soon though…

FedExForum news for College GameDay: The Gossett Motors Garage will be open with $10 parking (cash only) from 5 AM to 3 PM. The FedEcForum lobby will be open with alcoholic and nonalcoholic drinks as well as breakfast from 6:30 to 10:30 AM. Come get drunk at the Forum before the sun comes up! Nothing like listening to the rooster crow while drinking a $9 Bud Light.

Ticket demand for the Memphis-SMU game is so heavy that they’re going to have to remove the end zone tarps at the Liberty Bowl.

Bardog posted that they are opening at 8 AM Saturday to accommodate GameDay fans. They’ll have breakfast food, good company, and of course all the breakfast shots waiting for you. Suddenly the probability that I’ll make it to Beale Street has dropped to around 50%, especially since I hate crowds and the CA is predicting Memphis in May-sized crowds on Beale Saturday.

In non-football news, if hockey is your sport, here’s where you need to go Downtown:

Plenty of TVs above the bar to show whatever game you want to see. May I recommend the Yonge Street Burger?

Job news: Cafe Keough at 12 S. Main is hiring servers and kitchen staff.

Attention Nappin’ Ass Nate: Loflin Yard will have $2 White Claw for its Halloween party tonight. Other specials include $2 Fireball and $2 Bud Light.

New Ballet’s Nut Remix will have performances at the Cannon Center the weekend of November 15-17. 90% of the performers of the modern take of The Nutcracker are students.

There definitely won’t be a post Saturday since so many good places are opening early. Back tomorrow with more news.

 

Wednesday update

The event formerly known as the Southern Hot Wing Festival will have a new name and an expanded vision for 2020. They are re-branding the festival as the World Championship Hot Wing Contest & Festival, to be held at Tiger Lane Saturday, April 25. They justify the upgrade to world championship level by noting that Memphis has more hot wing restaurants per capita than any city in the U.S.. Also, they feel it will be good to have a second world championship cooking contest here in Memphis, mirroring BBQ Fest. The competition will expand to more than 100 teams and over $10,000 in cash prizes.

I had the pleasure of meeting Paul Gagliano, the festival’s chairman and founder, at the New Wing Order tasting last year, and he couldn’t have been a nicer guy and he strives to bring a quality competition to his city. Memphians, please come out and support the newly named festival.

(NOTE to the festival webmaster: The name needs to be changed in the title tag)

So, we can add Wing Fest to the list of outdoor events getting a new name in 2020. Let’s see what else is going on…

Well, for one thing, a change in the weather will be going on today. If you’re not the type who keeps regular tabs on the forecast, a jacket would be a good idea for today and possibly an umbrella as well. A cold front will move through, dropping rain on Memphis today and tomorrow, and this morning will be our last taste of the 60s for at least a week.

Statistical analysis site FiveThirtyEight has launched its 2019-20 NBA predictions, which are updated after each game. As of this morning, they project the Houston Rockets the most likely to win the 2020 NBA title, with a 28% probability. The L.A. Clippers are next at 20%, followed by the Philadelphia 76ers at 15%. The L.A. Lakers, the most-bet team in Vegas to win the championship, are only 7th most likely to become champions, with a 4% probability. If that percentage is accurate, you’d need odds of 24-1 to get a fair bet on the Lakers’ title hopes (4% translates to a 1-in-25 shot of winning the title). I just about guarantee you no one who bet on the Lakers got 24-1 or higher.

The Grizzlies, third from the bottom of the list, came in at 3% to make the playoffs (they were 4% before last night’s loss to the Lakers). Needless to say, they’re < 1% to win the title.

The CA has a comparison of Ja Morant’s first three NBA games to the first three games of the rookie seasons of point-guards who have gone on to enjoy success in the league. Some of the comparisons include Trae Young, Damian Lilliard, Steph Curry, Russell Westbrook… and yes, Mike Conley.

Another apartment has opened up in the Mongominiums, the units owned by Prince Mongo on the west side of South Main near the Butler Ave. trolley stop. This one is 3 BR/3BA, all utilities included, remodeled kitchen with two stove/ovens, Jacuzzi in each bathroom with oversized showers. $1950 a month. The number to call if interested is 901-550-4555. Be sure to tell Mongo I sent you. The price, especially considering utilities and appliances are included, is nearly impossible to beat in South Main.

MATA has announced that trolley service will begin one hour than usual this Saturday, at 7 AM, in order to get people to Beale Street on time for the beginning of College GameDay.

In addition, the Green Beetle has announced they will open early, at 9 AM, for those who want a spot to go before or after they make the trek over to GameDay.

Loflin Yard is having a GameDay after-party from 9:01 AM to 2 PM Saturday with specials on Fireball and Bud Light.

Any other bars or restaurants opening early/doing something special for GameDay? Let a brotha know and I’ll include it in a future post! paul@paulryburn.com or tag me on Facebook.

However, one programming note: There may not be a blog post this Saturday, or if there is one it will be abbreviated to only time-sensitive information with everything else held up until Sunday. For those not familiar with ESPN College GameDay, it’s a show that runs 8 to 11 on Saturday mornings, getting football fans fired up about the day’s games to follow. This is an experience I may never get to have again and I want to be a part of it. I’m not promising I’ll be there right at 8 when the cameras start rolling but I’d like to be there at least by 9:30. I plan to wear my Tiger blue and hang out until 10:50 or so then make the walk over to Bardog for business as usual.

I wonder if bars will sell Big Ass Beers that early? Then again, I don’t know if I want one. Last time I was in the King’s Palace Tap Room, they had jacked the price of a big PBR all the way to $8.75. That’s a Value Drinking Index (number of ounces * percent ABV / price) of about 18, which is good compared to most craft beer prices but downright lousy compared to the price points you find for PBR off Beale.

Hell must have frozen over, because for once I agree with something state legislators are proposing. Representatives want to eliminate the fall back from Daylight Saving Time to Standard Time, making Daylight Time the standard all year around. If that bill passes, the absolute earliest a sunset will occur in Memphis would be 5:47 PM, in mid-December. It won’t happen in time for this year’s fall back at 3 AM Sunday, but this could be Tennessee’s last time to see Standard Time. If it happens, good riddance.

Felicia Suzanne’s will have a special Halloween Tacos & Tunes on the patio tomorrow night, Thursday, October 31 starting at 7 PM. $2 Lake’s Catfish tacos and Claybrook farms beef tacos, drink specials, and live music. There will be a costume contest with Best Costume and Best Dog Costume winning gift cards to the restaurant.

Downtown should be hopping tonight for the Elton John concert. Allow a little extra time for traffic and parking.

As your #1 source of news and information about The Edge District, it is my pleasure to inform you there will be music trivia tonight at KickSpins, one of the stores in the BOXLOT retail space next to the former Kudzu’s. You’ll be guessing music samples played by emcee Mighty Quinn. Start time is 6 PM and this will be a weekly Wednesday event.

The National Civil Rights Museum Freedom Awards for 2019 will be presented today at the Orpheum in a ceremony starting at 7:30 PM. This year’s recipients are John Legend, Hafsat Abiola, and Gloria Steinem. This year’s ceremony will honor The Green Book, the 1930s-50s guide for African-Americans letting them know where they would be welcome to stop as they traveled.

By the way, tomorrow night’s Orpheum conversation between Gloria Steinem and Tami Sawyer has been canceled. However, Steinem will appear tomorrow at noon at the Orpheum to sign copies of her new book, and ticket holders will get priority in line.

Off to work. I’m still really enjoying the job and am getting to work on some very interesting systems. Although the position is at a law firm, I am putting a good bit of my IT knowledge to use as well. Back tomorrow with more news.

Tuesday update

It’s true, it’s true. College GameDay is coming to Memphis for Saturday’s #14 SMU vs. #23 Memphis game. GameDay will be broadcast from Beale Street. I’ve heard complaints that “no one will be out on Beale early in the morning and Memphis will look like a ghost town” but I don’t believe that will be the case. I predict Memphians will show up and represent their town! What excellent free advertising for Memphis tourism.

Memphis is running a $9.01 flash sale for tickets to the SMU game through tomorrow. GoTigersGo has the details.

If you love the Memphis Farmers Market, you will have a chance to support it while getting hammered on Friday, November 22. The Memphis Flyer is throwing a cocktail fest benefitting the Market. You get 12 sipping-sized cocktails, photos with Santa, Christmas music and activities, and the Flyer’s holiday market. It’s in Overton Square, though, so Lyfting or Ubering or appointing a DD is the smart move. Early Bird tickets

Downtown Yoga will offer a Pilates for Runners & Cyclists class this Saturday at 12:30. Cost is $35 and you get a Pilates ring to take home. Max class size is 10. If you’re an Envision Memphis gym member, ask about your discount.

The Big River Crossing Half Marathon and 5K is Saturday morning. How many half marathons cross the mighty Mississippi? Proceeds benefit the Peer Power Foundation, an organization that teaches high school and college students to tutor their peers.

Got several pieces of job news to share this morning. First of all, New Memphis is hiring a program administrator. If you believe in attracting and retaining talent to our city, this could be a great fit for you.

Porter-Leath is hiring a Residential Monitor – PRN to join their Connections team.

Finally, the Silly Goose is hiring. I’ll just copy and paste the job description for this one.

Silly Goose Downtown Memphis is now hiring cocktail waitresses! We are an upscale, high volume nightclub and are looking for individuals that thrive in this kind of environment and are driven by giving guests great experiences. If you are great at this, you can do very well for yourself here. Dependability, Attention to Detail, Teamwork Oriented, Coach-ability, and a Positive Attitude is all it takes to be successful here! Experience not required but preferred.

If you don’t already know the hiring manager, Halsey, email me at paul@paulryburn.com or hit me up on Facebook and I’ll put you in touch.

Speaking of the Goose, I stole (with permission) a photo of the large charcuterie plate from Nikki, one of the bartenders there.

I have not ordered this one myself, because 1) it’s way more food than I could eat, and 2) I don’t need to spend $20 on dinner when I’m only working part-time. I have seen this plate brought out to others, though. It is all gourmet meats and cheeses. You might get meats like duck pastrami and Pontotoc Lounge’s house-made Tasso ham. Plus, the chef comes out and tells you about everything on the tray, so you learn about what you’re eating. It would be perfect for two people to share.

Geez… I know lately I’ve been talking about the Goose’s food almost as regularly as George Lapides used to talk about Mister B’s when he was alive. I promise you, it’s not because they ask me to do so or pay me to do so. I just like the place a lot, I like what they’ve done with their menu lately, and want people to know about it.

Bar Ware will have a benefit for UNICEF Halloween night. 5% of all sales will be donated to relief for those affected by Hurricane Dorian. DJ Eggroll will spin from 9 PM to midnight. Costume contest with the following prizes:

  • $200 for best costume
  • $100 for best homemade/most creative costume
  • Brunch or dinner for two for best couples’ costume
  • Skrewball shot for worst costume

Costume contest results announced at 11. Hmmm. My idea for a Halloween costume might win that Skrewball shot.

Yesterday I saw a meme on Facebook that resonated with me:

“Not everyone gets the same version of me. One person might tell you I have an amazing soul. Another might tell you I’m a cold hearted asshole. Believe them both. I don’t treat people badly. I treat them accordingly.”

This past weekend, Donald Trump was introduced at the World Series, where he was booed and there were chants of “lock him up.” Love it! Nothing wears on a narcissistic psychopath worse than being publicly denigrated and humiliated.

Off to work. Back tomorrow with more news.

Morning after a big Grizzlies win update

GRRRRRRRRIZZLIES! Ja Morant as a drive-to-the-basket point guard, scoring 30 in only his third regular season game as a pro, and assisting on the game-winning overtime basket. Plus, he more than held his own against Kyrie Irving. I like it. I like it a lot!

In other local basketball news, I’m pleased to hear that former Memphis Tiger Raynere Thornton earned a spot at G-League team the Memphis Hustle’s training camp.

More sports news: The SMU Mustangs vs. Memphis Tigers Saturday, November 2 football game has been picked for a prime-time slot on ABC. Kickoff at the Liberty Bowl will be 6:30 PM.

The next South Main Association has been announced for Tuesday, November 12 at the Arcade restaurant at Main and G.E. Patterson. Jeffrey Zepatos, Arcade owner, will speak, and the restaurant will supply the food and beverages. Also, it will be time to vote for the slate of 2020 board members. Social at 6 PM with presentation starting at 6:30. The meeting is free for SMA members and $10 for non-members.

Downtown Dining Week, where you can get three-course dinners at many Downtown restaurants for $20.19, will be back November 11-17. Oddly, DDW does not have its own domain and custom website this year; it’s being operated off the Downtown Memphis Commission website, with the DMC’s look and feel rather than its own. I wonder what the reason is – not gonna lie, it feels a bit low-budget. Nevertheless, DDW is an incredible opportunity to try some amazing food at a quite affordable price, and I encourage my readers to get out and explore. If there’s a restaurant you know you want to try, make reservations NOW, even if they haven’t published their menu yet. The most popular restaurants will fill up with reservations quick.

I’ll give you one piece of advice for Downtown Dining Week: RIZZO’S RIZZO’S RIZZO’S RIZZO’S RIZZO’S. A number of restaurants are known for going above and beyond for Downtown Dining Week, but none so much as the restaurant run by Michael Patrick.

Sage is now hiring experienced bartenders, servers, and dishwashers. Apply in person between 3 and 5 in the afternoon, weekdays at 94 S. Main.

I think I may have mentioned this once before, but if I have it’s worth repeating: There’s now a company called Fix that will deliver locally-sourced meal preparation kits to your door. In addition to traditional dinners, they have game day meals including dips and wings.

I tried one of the few remaining pizzas on the Silly Goose menu that I had not yet had yesterday: The Veggie.

Koozie of BBQ team with top-50% 2019 finish in shoulder and Perjorie T. Roll “for attention,” as they say on the Memphis Sandwich Clique. I know this is a weird thing for me to order, but I wanted to compare it with Aldo’s around the corner, where I’ll stop by now and then and get a slice of sausage and a slice of veggie to go. The Goose take on the veggie pizza is quite good and I was able to finish more of it (7 of the 8 slices) than I can finish of one of their meat pizzas. I like both Goose and Aldo’s veggie and can’t pick a winner. If you’re in a hurry and/or you prefer New York style pizza, Aldo’s is the place to go. If you like wood-fired, come to the Goose.

Congratulations to my friends on the New Wing Order food truck, who added to their trophy case this past Saturday. They competed in the Bluff City Hotwing Fest and took the grand championship.

Love it: A company has applied to trademark “fake news,” and if they get it Donald Trump won’t be able to use that term anymore. When he rants about “the failing New York Times” he’ll have to call what they publish something else. Perhaps he can refer to them as the gold medalists of the Made-Up News Olym… oops, no, can’t use that either.

The Memphis Tigers men’s basketball team hosts LeMoyne-Owen in an exhibition game tonight at FedExForum at 7.

Time to get to work, which should be quite interesting today. Back tomorrow with more news.

Sunday update

Atomic Rose, the nightclub in the former Purple Haze spot on Second, will host the official after-party October 30 following the Elton John concert at FedExForum. Bring your Elton John ticket stub for free admission, and bring your parking garage stub for a free well drink. (What about us Downtowners who walk to FedExForum? We like free drinks too!) They’ll have a 70s dance party, and a happy hour from 6 to 9 PM with beers half price and $2 off any drink.

There will be a 1st birthday party for River Garden Park at the park on Saturday, November 9 from 3:30-7:30 PM. They are celebrating “A Year in a Day,” bringing back some of the best events held there during the past year. The schedule will be

  • 3:30 PM: YOGA! Charlie Baxter Hayden will lead a class. Also at this time there will be flag-painting in the pavilion.
  • 4:30 PM: Firepits and s’mores
  • 5:00 PM: Toast, birthday cake, and remarks
  • 5:30 PM: Seda Latin Dance salsa
  • 7:00 PM: Mighty Lights viewing
  • All day: Kayaking in the harbor with free kayak rentals, as well as free rides from Explore Bike Share stations

The park is located at Riverside and Jefferson, just south of the entrance to Bass Pro. Given that there will be firepits and s’mores, and given the way Memphis weather rarely cooperates with outdoor festivals, I bet the high that day will be 84.

The annual trashion show by Memphis City Beautiful is this afternoon 5:30-8:30 at 670 S. Fourth. For the low price of only $45 you can look at people dressed up in garbage. Or you can pay $65 VIP for champagne and premium seating so you can get an even better look at the people dressed in garbage. I Google Mapped the location and it is the southeast corner of Fourth and Georgia. If you ride there in a vehicle, make sure the doors are locked. If you walk, bike, or scooter there, carrying a gun would not be a bad idea.

The Daily Memphian has a photo gallery of Race for the Cure Downtown yesterday. The runners didn’t let a little rain (or a lot of rain) stop them.

I have a request for anyone going to the WWE Friday Night Smackdown show at FedExForum on January 3. Any time a heel gets in the ring and starts to cut a promo on the microphone, say, “WHAT????” as often and as loudly as possible. The audience “WHAT????” response started nearly 20 years ago when “Stone Cold” Steve Austin turned heel, and has continued to this day. As you know, Smackdown recently moved to the Fox network. Fox executives have asked that fans stop with “WHAT????” because the execs find it disrespectful. So, say it loud and say it proud as a big f-you to corporate America.

(NOTE: If you’re reading this from a phone, might want to wait until you get to a computer to follow that link at the end of the last paragraph. Ringside News posts some great stuff, but that site will eat your phone battery life like you wouldn’t believe.)

Lyft has launched a very cool program, the Job Access Program, in 35 cities across the United States. It offers free or discounted rides to and from

  • Job interviews
  • Job training programs
  • Work, for the first 3 weeks until the first paycheck comes in and the employees have money to begin arranging their own transportation

The only thing is, I can’t find the list of cities! If Memphis is not one of the 35 cities, I would encourage Mayor Strickland’s office to get in touch with Lyft as soon as possible about bringing the program here. This would be a game-changer for many in our community.

City Market now has a Bitcoin ATM, although it’s currently out of order.

Speaking of City Market… WTF did I eat last night?

I was looking in the market’s grab & go, and I saw two fried patties and a cup of dipping sauce in one of the plastic cases. “Shami Kabob,” the label read. I didn’t know what that was, but I love Indian food, so I decided to take chance.

The two patties resembled salmon croquettes, so I was expecting something similar. I was wrong! The patties (well, the one I ate most of before throwing it away) had the taste and consistency of liver pate. I’ve never tasted any kind of Indian food like that before. Kinda wish I was still working in IT so I could show my co-workers this photo and ask them what that was.

The official Facebook listing is up for the Stumbling Santa Pub Crawl Saturday, December 7. There are now a couple of different Christmas-themed pub crawls but Stumbling Santa is the Downtown original and the real deal. Everyone meets up at the Flying Saucer at 7 and then they stumble to various bars in the Downtown core and on Beale Street. There ate two key things to know: First of all, you need to dress up as Santa, or alternately you can be Mrs. Claus, a reindeer, an elf, a Christmas tree, Frosty the Snowman… you get the idea. Second and most important, bring a toy for Porter-Leath to give a child for Christmas. They need donations of over 5000 toys to make sure every child gets one. Here’s a list of toy suggestions.  There’s nothing quite like seeing 1200-1500 Santas march around Downtown. If you have other plans that night, I’m sure you could make arrangements to drop a toy off at the Saucer a day or two in advance.

Speaking of dressing up for Christmas… I usually don’t do the “ugly sweater” attire thing (maybe because I’m not a big fan of sweaters in general) but I would wear this sweatshirt.

The night after they throw their big Elton John after-party, Atomic Rose will throw an ’80s Horror Night party on Halloween. Be prepared to be scared and dress as a villain or victim to enter their costume contest. Crowd response determines the winner and first place gets $500, second place gets $100, and third gets a $50 bar tab. Happy hour will be back 6-9 with half-price beer and $2 off drinks.

I need to ask my friend who works there if that 6-9 happy hour is an every Wednesday and Thursday thing… if it is I may have to pay that place a visit.

The Nuh-Uh Girl’s tour of Europe continues. After doing Oktoberfest in Munich, she has moved on to points south and west. Let’s check in and see how she’s doing.

So in Italy, they charge me at least 3€ to even sit down at a restaurant (“service and bread”). In France, I order wine, and they bring me free snacks. #jaimelefrance

Even when traveling overseas, she never changes. La nourriture gratuite? Je me demande si la Nuh-Uh Fille  va arriver.

The Daily Memphian has a look at public relations icon Harold Burson‘s recent appearance at the Halloran Centre. Burson went over some PR nightmare situations he saw throughout his career, including one of his own making at Ole Miss in the 1930s as well as the New Coke fiasco of 1985.

Regina’s Cajun Kitchen at 60 N. Main has their Holiday Cooking Guide on sale online for $18.99. It contains their family recipes that have been passed down for generations, and of course it includes the recipe for their famous gumbo.

Job news: Automatic Slim’s is hiring all positions. Apply between 2 and 5 PM Monday-Friday.

RAWK’n Grub inside Growlers on Poplar in Midtown is announcing new hours: They will now open for lunch at 11 AM and serve food into the late night until 2 AM. Their food is raved about on Memphis Sandwich Clique and there is a reason why. If you can’t make it to Growlers, they’re on Uber Eats and DoorDash.

Yup that exists: Finger covers that keep your fingers clean while eating messy foods

It’s Pie-Tober at the Downtown Makeda’s Cookies location (488 S. Second) today. You can take home a pie made with Makeda’s cookie crusts.

The Grizzlies host the Brooklyn Nets this afternoon at 5 at FedExForum. All fans in attendance get a 2019-20 Grizzlies schedule magnet.

By the way… if you are a Grizzlies fan and are not reading Grizzly Bear Blues regularly, you are missing out on some quality journalism.

Time to head out for D-RANKS and maybe a pizza with B-RAD at the Silly Goose. Back tomorrow with more news, although it may be a short post because I have to go in to work a little early.

Saturday update

Chris Herrington of The Daily Memphian got a chance to check out the new House of Hops inside FedExForum last night during the Grizzlies’ home opener. He describes it as a brewery taproom-style atmosphere, with Wiseacre on tap and other beers to come. There are free-play video games, a Pop-a-Shot, and the food they sell resembles what you might find on food trucks. Sounds like a nice place to go in the fourth quarter, a nice alternative to staying in your seat and watching the Grizzlies throw the game away.

Jared Boyd of the DM has a look at the other new features at FedExForum this year: A grab & go, theater box seating with food and drink included, a value menu, a lounge by vodka company Lit, a carvery cart, a smoked brisket and mac & cheese cart, a lactation station, a sensory room, and more.

Tonight is the biggest Halloween party night of the year. Check out I Love Memphis’ list of Halloween events to find what you want to do.

DJ Spanish Fly will play a set at Eight & Sand, the cocktail bar inside Central Station Hotel, this evening along with several other DJs. Things will get started around 6.

There’s an event called Bullies on Beale, but it’s not on Beale. Trust the Process Kennels will have approximately 50 dogs in Court Square today from 4 to 9 PM for a showcase.

The CA has five things to know before you go to the Elton John show at FedExForum Wednesday night. The show is sold out, but there are verified ticket resales on Ticketmaster.

The Orpheum is showing The Rocky Horror Picture Show on the big screen tonight. Bring your own props or buy a prop bag at the theater for $5.

I may check out RiverArtsFest later today – they have unusually good festival food, as I recall – but for the time being I’m going to wait out the rain at Bardog. Back tomorrow with more news.

Friday update

If you’re going to the Grizzlies’ regular season home opener at FedExForum tonight, Geoff Calkins has a photo of the growl towel you will get for free:

There will be festivities tonight to celebrate the return of the Grizz. DJ Paul of Three Six Mafia, Gangsta Boo, DJ Wyte, and Seed of 6 will perform pre-game. The national anthem will be sung by blues & rock guitarist Eric Gales. Garry Goin and the Grizzlies House Band will perform outside on the plaza at 5:30 and the Grizzline drum line will march down Beale Street at 6. The Delta Cats Blues Band and Keelyn Ellis will perform on the Plaza concourse pre-game and DJ Mack will be at the top of the north escalator near section 228. Tip-off is just after 7 and the opponents will be the Chicago Bulls.

Jared Boyd of the Daily Memphian has a new look at the yet-to-be-named lounge in the bottom floor of Hotel Indigo.

Edible Memphis is back with the latest installment of Familiar Faces, people you might have seen at your favorite places to eat, but you never knew their story. This week Edible sat down with Gerald Darling of Wok’n in Memphis. You can find Gerald at the Asian-American restaurant inside the Puck Food Hall at 409 S. Main. His dream is a career where he can pursue justice for humanity.

As your #1 source of news and information about The Edge District, it is my pleasure to inform you that the Edge District Fall Festival is coming up Saturday, November 2. From 4 to 7 that afternoon there will be live music, s’mores, fire pits, axe throwing, pumpkin carving, turkey legs, and more. Clean Memphis will be on hand to discuss its initiatives, and The Compost Fairy will be there as well.  The festival is free to attend with food and beverages sold separately. Mmmm I haven’t had a turkey leg since Music Fest weekend… may have to stop by.

Jon McEuen and the String Wizards play the Halloran Centre tonight. McEuen plays the guitar, banjo, fiddle, and mandolin, and the band will be playing early Nitty Gritty Dirt Band music and bluegrass music in a multimedia performance.

SMU defeated Houston 34-31 last night in an AAC clash, and that is a good thing. Why? By remaining undefeated, SMU has increased the chance that ESPN College GameDay will come to Memphis on November 2, when the Tigers host SMU at the Liberty Bowl in a matchup of the two best Group of 4 schools. Now Memphis has to hold up its part of the bargain and beat Tulsa tomorrow.

The Green Beetle is looking to hire a part-time server, someone who can work 2-4 days a week with weekend day availability. Best time to apply is after 4 PM Wednesday-Sunday when their front-of-house manager will be there.

Weather is not looking so hot for Halloween in Memphis… literally. Temperatures will dip down into the 30s that night. Ladies, don’t let that stop you from wearing those slutty costumes!

Cordelia’s Market wants everyone to know that their annual Fall Festival will still happen tomorrow despite the threat of rain. Parts of the festival may be moved inside, but the show will go on. They’ll have a $3.99 fire sale on pumpkins during the festival.

There will be a Fire & Flow Freak Show at the Brass Door Halloween night. The Goddesses of Fire will heat things up at the Irish pub that evening. Tickets are $20 and first beer is included with ticket.

The Memphis Flyer has video of the new Ojo seated scooters that can now be rented at Explore Memphis bike hubs.

Award-winning restaurant Flight is hiring a sous chef and line cooks.

Potential bad news for Downtown and for Memphis: A study conducted on behalf of MLGW recommends cutting several hundred jobs.

Toronto Raptors news: Marc Gasol got Grit & Grind engraved on his NBA championship ring.

Yesterday we were playing the “Fuck, Marry, Kill” game at the Silly Goose where you’re given a list of three people and you have to murder one, marry one, and have sex with one. The game devolved into lists of cartoon characters, and in one iteration of the game Eeyore, Piglet, and Winnie-the-Pooh were the choices. If you’re on a BBQ team you pretty much have to kill Piglet.

A very happy birthday to Mama Bear AKA Jeannette, owner of the Blind Bear.

Time to run to work. Back tomorrow with more news.

 

 

Thursday update

RiverArtsFest happens this weekend, Saturday 10-9 and Sunday 10-5, on Riverside Drive between Jefferson and Beale. This is the Memphis metro’s largest arts festival of the year. It features a juried artists’ market with nearly 200 vendors; the market is a great place to buy Christmas presents or pieces to spruce up your home. There will be live music on two stages throughout the day. Of course, there will be plenty of festival food and beer and wine as well. $5 gets you a wristband that gets you in-and-out privileges all day for the day you go. Admission is free for

  • Kids 10 and under
  • Those with a Race for the Cure bib
  • Everyone after 5 PM on Saturday

The Jimmy John’s on Union next to Parking Can Be Fun is now open. I’ll probably give it a try once or twice but I don’t see it displacing River Time Market & Deli on Court Square as my go-to sandwich location.

The Memphis Tigers men’s basketball team takes the floor at FedExForum tonight for the first time this season. They will host Christian Brothers in an exhibition game. The game will not be broadcast on TV, so you’ll have to buy a ticket to get a look at James Wiseman tonight. The Daily Memphian has a look at the bonuses Penny Hardaway could receive. There are not only bonuses for progress into the postseason, but for home game attendance and ticket sales as well.

Hernando Road, just east of B.B. King Blvd. between Union and Gayoso, will be blocked between 8 and 10 AM tomorrow (Friday) while a contractor uses a crane to remove signs from the Doubletree Hotel.

Ghost River Brewing Co. will host a Birthday Bash with Jack Oblivian Saturday, November 9 in its taproom 7:30 to 10 PM. No cover for the show to celebrate the taproom turning 3. Plus, there will be giveaways in the taproom all day leading up to the show.

Memphis Made Brewing Co. will host Bigfoot Fest this Saturday. A celebration of our friend in the woods will unfold that day with films, evidence, witness accounts, giveaways, and trivia.

The Memphis airport will hold a job fair next Wednesday, October 30, with a wide variety of positions to be filled.

I played trivia at the Blind Bear last night. I heard a member of one of the other teams, who couldn’t be there, told his teammates, “Don’t let Paul’s team win again.”

Guess what? Paul’s team won again :mrgreen:

For one week only, Charles will be back calling trivia next Wednesday. Join him at 7:30 for an attempt to win a $40, $20, or $10 Blind Bear gift card for top three team finishes and a $10 gift card for best team name. Beer and shot specials for trivia players.

Off to work I go… back tomorrow with more news.

Wednesday update

Central Station Hotel opened yesterday, and with it, cocktail bar Eight & Sand. French brasserie Bishop inside the hotel will open next month. Book your stay at Central Station

The Grizzlies open the regular season on the road tonight, visiting the Miami Heat. Tip-off time is 6:30 and as always, the game will be broadcast on Fox Sports Southeast (831 on Comcast).

Carrie Underwood brings her Cry Pretty Tour to FedExForum this evening.

The Flying Saucer will have an ’80s Halloween Slash Back Saturday beginning at 9 PM. Costume contest with prizes for the best, drink specials, music by DJ Superman.

Memphis Tigers center James Wiseman has been named to the AP Pre-season All-American first team.

The Brass Door will open at 7 AM Saturday for the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure runners and supporters. They’ll have an Irish breakfast, and those not running are welcome to hang out and enjoy hot chocolate, coffee, and Irish coffee. You can also leave your bag at the Door if you don’t want to run with the extra weight.

The Silly Goose is having their Halloween costume party Thursday, October 31 beginning at 9 PM. Every hour on the hour from 10 until 1 there will be a costume contest with prizes.

Little River Band has announced a July 11, 2020 Orpheum date. I had no idea they were still around.

Public relations pioneer Harold Burson will be at the Halloran Centre tonight. The show is presented by Burson, Cohn and Wolfe and American Advertising Federation Memphis. Hmmm… someone from the BBQ team’s public relations department should go to this, and it’s my trivia night. Perhaps I will send the troll over there.

The Memphis Chess Festival happens on the lawn of Cossitt Library Saturday from 1 to 3. This family-friendly event is an afternoon of chess education and fun. You can be a human chess piece or help move giant chess pieces around a giant board. DJ KOJACK will be spinning the tunes. There will be face painting and free superhero costumes. They are also looking for volunteers, who would need to be there at noon.

It’s hard to believe that this coming Friday is the last Friday of the month. October flew by, didn’t it? Friday it will once again be time for South Main Trolley Night. The SMA will have a free show, SoulRight Trolley Night in Slider Inn’s back yard (Main and Talbot) with live music by Kady Roxz, Jordan Occasionally, and Tailored Makers. Over at South Main Sounds that evening at 7 there will be a Raelyn Nelson Band House Concert with $20 admission getting you a bandana, poster, and collector wristband as well as the show.

The annual State of Downtown and the Downtown Vision Awards will happen in the Central Station Hotel from 4 to 7 PM Friday. RSVP to Christine Taylor at taylor@downtownmemphis.com if you plan to attend.

Also for Trolley Night, Doc and Byron will perform at the Arcade restaurant at 7 PM, Chris Johnson will play The Vault at 8, and there will be a live DJ in front of Downtown Candle Co.

There will be a Soulful Murder Mystery dinner theater experience at the Century House, 153 Vance Saturday (show times 1 PM, 4 PM, 8 PM) and Sunday (2:30 PM, 7:30 PM). Ticket package includes not only dinner and a murder mystery, but poetry, comedy, and live music. Purchase tickets

Congratulations to Flight Restaurant and Wine Bar, recently named one of the top 25 fine dining restaurants in America by TripAdvisor for the third year in a row.

PBR is coming to FedExForum, but I don’t mean the beer. Professional Bull Riders will bring their Memphis Invitational to the Forum on Saturday, February 15.

Congratulations to my friend Michael Butler of the One901 blog. He was recently named one of the top 8 food photographers in Memphis by Peerspace.

That’s it for now, and I’m not going to forget to publish my post like I did yesterday. Back tomorrow with more.

 

Tuesday update

(Wed 6:30 AM: I forgot to hit Publish before leaving the apartment Tuesday! Sorry about that.)

I got to sleep late today! Work asked me to shift my hours to 1 to 5 for one day only for a special project. It was nice to be able to stay out past midnight without worry of not getting enough sleep.

The AP preseason basketball poll is out, and Memphis came in at number 14. That’s slightly disappointing given that the Tigers have the nation’s top recruiting class, but it just means Penny and the team will have to go out and work their way into the Top 10. The blue-blood programs (Michigan State, Kentucky, Kansas, and Duke) occupy the top four spots.

Leave it to the Tennessee state legislature to screw up sports betting. Betting on sports in Tennessee will be online only. People won’t be able to experience the fun of stopping in a sports book on Beale Street to place a bet on the Grizzlies game, then walking over to FedExForum to watch they game they bet on.

I’ve heard a couple of creative uses for Skrewball, the new peanut butter-flavored liquor that is becoming a craze Downtown:

  • Go to the Green Beetle and add a shot of Skrewball to the Bushwacker, the Beetle’s chocolate-flavored slushie
  • Go to the Silly Goose and add a shot of Skrewball to a Joe, the Goose’s house-made coffee-flavored shot

On Thursday, November 7, the Gray Canary will host a cocktail party for Last Call by Brad Thomas Parsons. Parsons’ latest book explores the rituals of closing time.

Edible Memphis released a Classic Cocktail Guide this week. Among the Downtown cocktails: Bee’s Knees at Belle Tavern; Boulevardier at 3rd and Court; French 75 at McEwen’s; Martinez at Catherine & Mary’s.

The Peabody Hotel will host a Jack Daniel’s tasting & dinner celebrating 150 years of the hotel and the whiskey on Thursday, November 7. This will be a progressive dinner in the Peabody’s ballrooms, starting off with a cocktail reception, followed by a whiskey tasting, and then a 3-course Southern banquet served family style. Have a look at the menu. Whiskeys to be tasted include

  • Jack Daniel’s No. 7
  • Jack Daniel’s No. 27 Gold
  • Jack Daniel’s 150th Anniversary Whiskey
  • Jack Daniel’s “Peabody Select” Single Barrel

Tickets are $150 and include valet parking. Reservations

Bardog Tavern is expanding its staff and is hiring a night time chef/kitchen manager. Apply within between 2 and 4 PM.

Peppa Pig is live at the Orpheum this evening.

The downstairs lounge is now open at 3rd and Court Diner. The lounge has a retro 1970s feel. There will be live music Fridays and Saturdays and a DJ Thursdays and Sundays. There will be plenty of Memphis music and a concentration of blues, funk, and soul from the 1960s and 1970s. The 3rd and Court menu will be available downstairs during the hours the diner is open, with burgers after-hours. The diner now serves breakfast all day long.

Back soon with a Wednesday post.