The Memphis Tigers men’s basketball team hosts the Georgia Bulldogs at FedExForum at noon Saturday. This is a chance to get a win over an SEC opponent and over a projected top-3 NBA 2020 draft pick in Anthony Edwards. There’s incentive to get there early – first 7500 in the gate get a Memphis Tigers stone car coaster from CoasterStone. For those wanting to watch from home, the game will be broadcast on CBS.
There will be a celebration of life for Ray Werfelmann, known to many as Uncle Ray, Wednesday, January 8 at Local at 6 PM. This is not a somber memorial service; this is a chance to laugh and have a good time swapping Ray stories. All who knew Uncle Ray are welcome to attend. The venue is quite appropriate; the bar at the Downtown Local was one of Ray’s favorite places to be. Ray passed away in early December after an October stroke left him paralyzed from the neck down.
I saw a meme a couple of times on Facebook yesterday that actually is a quite valid piece of advice: When signing legal documents, checks, or anything official that requires being signed and dated, don’t use the two-year abbreviation for the date this year. For example, when I wrote my rent check this morning I dated it 1/3/2020 rather than 1/3/20. Why is this a good practice? Because if you use “20” as the year, someone could come along behind you and add two more digits, turning your intended date of 1/3/20 to 1/3/2017, for example.
As your number-one source of news and information about The Edge District, it is my duty to link you to this Memphis Flyer story about Trolley Stop Market, whose owner Jill Forrester has announced the restaurant will close January 10, with hours of 10:30 AM-3:00 PM here on out. From The Daily Memphian: Trolley stop was at the vanguard of a new era in Mermphis. Very true. It was one of the first restaurants to get patrons in the mindset of consuming locally sourced meats and produce. It was also one of the cornerstone businesses that led to the rise of The Edge as a residential, walkable neighborhood. Forrester and her husband also own Whitton Farms in Arkansas, and operating both businesses simultaneously had become too much to handle.
In other news from The Edge, Venezuelan restaurant Sabor Caribe announced they will be closed this weekend, reopening on Tuesday, January 7.
One of my South Main friends reports that the Little Italy signage is back up in the window in the former Scoops location, across the street from Cheesecake Corner on G.E. Patterson. So hopefully that’s a go again after a couple of false starts.
WWE Friday Night Smackdown broadcasts live from FedExForum tonight at 7 PM on Fox. The Cerrito Live podcast recently previewed the event, including an interview with former WWE World Heavyweight champion Daniel Bryan. Bryan is expected to get a shot against current WWE Universal champion The Fiend.
There are two other non-basketball FedExForum events coming up this month:
- Grizz Bash will happen Thursday, January 9. This is a Grizzlies themed game night where you can reserve your spot to play Jaren Jackson Jr. in ping-pong or take on Ja Morant in a game of putt-putt while enjoying food and cocktails. Tickets start at $75. Proceeds will benefit St. Jude.
- Tool will appear live in concert Friday, January 31.
It’s Firepit Friday at River Garden this afternoon starting at 4:30. Free S’mores with all the fixings.
The “Letters to Santa” mailbox will stay up at the corner of Main and Peabody Place through early January for kids who want to send Santa a thank-you letter.
John Paul Keith will play the downstairs lounge of 3rd and Court diner Saturday, January 4.
A looming 100% tariff on European wines could drastically raise their prices here in America, or knock them out of stores/restaurants altogether. Thanks Trump! Prosecco will be affected? Oh my. I’m going to have some very unhappy BBQ teammates if this tariff goes into effect.
Pizza happy hour, when $11-16 pizzas are discounted to $10, and the fact that I had some money on a gift card left over from my birthday, led me to try another of the Silly Goose’s recent additions to the pizza menu yesterday.
Introducing the Greece Lightnin’: Shrimp, basil pesto, feta, mozzarella, Greek olives, red onion, tomato. They were generous with the shrimp and the combination of the Greek ingredients gave this one a taste quite different than any other pizza on the menu. This is now my second favorite behind the Louisiana Saturday Night Cajun pizza, and will be my go-to when I don’t want to eat something spicy.
Time to head to work. Back tomorrow with more news.