Yesterday after I made my blog post, I wanted to do something different from my normal routine. “I know what I’ll do,” I thought. “I’ll go to the new Slider Inn.” I’ve never been there during the lunch hour before.
I got there a few minutes after 11 and got a seat at the bar. The first time I was there, I wanted to try their Exhaust Pipe Chili, but it proved so popular that they had run out. By getting there a few minutes after Slider Inn opened, I made sure that would not be a problem yesterday.
It came with a spoon but the bag was so full that there was no point in trying to mix it up inside the bag. Realizing that was why they brought me a bowl, I dumped the contents out into the bowl.
I have three words to describe this: SO MUCH CHEESE. I think there was more cheese than there were Fritos. This is one of the best meals Downtown you will find at this price point ($3.99 for a bowl of Exhaust Pipe Chili / $6.99 to have it made as Frito chili pie).
I finished my chili and PBR and thought to myself, do I stay here until the Silly Goose opens at 2, or do I go visit the Blind Bear? I decided to stick around and take in the Slider Inn vibe a bit. I had only been there twice before, and both visits were unusual – one was opening day, and the other was to visit my former Bardog bartender Panda, who was picking up shifts there during her week-long visit to Memphis. As a result, I had not got a sense of what the regular crowd was like.
Was I ever glad I stayed! Longtime readers know there’s a woman who lies about me all over Downtown. This is the woman who stood me up on Valentine’s Day several years ago. As I started my third PBR, in she walked, with a friend of hers who is a longtime reader of my blog as well. I had no idea she was even in town; I thought she usually went to the beach during the Christmas holiday season. She took one look at me and ushered her friend to the chairs by the door. After a minute or two of frantic texting, they left. Buh-BYE! Smell ya later! She probably came there with her heart set on the panko-crusted, seasoned tofu and cauliflower “wings” and she didn’t get them!
I’m sure she’s reading this blog today, so here’s a short message to her… you do know that I know the REAL reason you stood me up on V-Day ’15, right? The thing that happened?
I polished off a fourth PBR at Slider Inn then headed north on Main around 2… noticed some people sitting at the bar at South of Beale staring at me as I walked past. Wonder why? Perhaps it was the Christmas socks I had on (love wearing shorts on Christmas Eve). On to the Silly Goose, where I had a chill afternoon with friends. Hung out with my buddy Clay for a while, then my friends Otto and Misty came in. About 6:30 my friends Randy and Theresa texted me that they were at Bardog, so I went over there.
They came bearing gifts!
Randy had been on a trip to Malaysia recently. He brought me an assortment of Malaysian chocolates, and Theresa baked cookies.
I will have no shortage of sugar for the remainder of my time off. Thank you Randy and Theresa for the gifts and for being such wonderful friends.
All right.. now that I’ve made you sit through a bunch of troll photos, let’s move on to the real reason most of you visited this blog today. Who is open Downtown on Christmas, and what are the hours? The following have been confirmed either through sign on the door, social media or by speaking to an owner or employee:
- Westy’s: open regular hours (11 AM-3 AM)
- Max’s Sports Bar: open regular hours (4:30 PM-midnight)
- Starbucks (Main/Monroe): open 8 AM-2 PM
- Bardog: open 5 PM
- Flying Saucer: open 5 PM
- Blue Monkey: open 5 PM
- Blind Bear: open 6 PM
- Silly Goose: (Edit: Just heard from Daniel that the Goose’s opening time has been changed to 5 PM)
- Slider Inn: closed
- Pontotoc Lounge: closed
- Longshot: closed
- Local: closed (Midtown open 5 PM)
- Kooky Canuck: closed
- Family Dollar: closed
- City Market: closed
- Automatic Slim’s: closed
- Sage: closed
- Majestic: closed
That’s it for now. Back tomorrow or Friday with more news.