Saturday update

If you are a cat owner on Mud Island, might want to think twice about letting it run around outside for a while. There’s been a Nextdoor thread about a group that is trapping cats on Mud Island, which apparently has a large feral population. They take the cats to the vet and get them spayed or neutered. The vet also clips off the top of one of the cats’ ears to indicate “this cat has been previously trapped.” Cats are then returned to the area they are found, and turned loose. The trouble is, they are not checking as thoroughly as they should as to whether the cat is collared or chipped, and people’s pets are being trapped and fixed.

CONGRATULATIONS to FedEx for doing right by their employees, changing their policy effective June 1 to start new employees with three weeks vacation, rather than starting them with two weeks and making them wait five years for the third week. I hope other companies notice and consider following suit.

Last night someone asked me what an upcoming event is like, and I replied, “When you were little, did you ever watch TV with your grandparents?” They said yes, and I told them that the event “is kinda like The Lawrence Welk Show of drinking games.” This morning I woke up and thought to myself, I wonder if that show is on YouTube?

An’-a-one, an’-a-two, an’-a…

(Fast forward to about 1:58 to skip over the boring part… wait, no, fast forward to 51:18 to skip over the boring part)

Memphis 901 FC’s regular-season home opener against Indy Eleven is tonight. If you don’t pre-game with Bluff City Mafia at the Brass Door, you ain’t doin’ it right. For those of you who can’t make the matches in person, they will be broadcast locally on CW30 this season. In other 901 FC news, here are some photos of the kits they will wear at home matches.

Outer Ring plays The Lounge beneath 3rd and Court diner tonight. Scroll down to yesterday’s post to see photos of The Lounge. Nice place. Free validated parking in the Indigo Hotel garage. This is part of the Yazoo Concert Series and there will be drink specials.

Jack Rowell & Triplthret play Loflin Yard tonight at 9.

The Memphis Flyer has a look at the new Downtown Slider Inn.

Forging on the River, a dinner and auction, happens at the Metal Museum Saturday, April 4. Tickets include a visit with internationally known blacksmith Heiner Zimmermann, as well as an opportunity to connect with visiting artists. You’ll also have the chance to bid on some of the finest metalwork in the country as you enjoy dinner and drinks overlooking the river. Cocktail hour at 6 PM, dinner at 7, and auction starts at 7:30. Tickets are $50 for museum members, $75 for non-members. Buy tickets

In other Metal Museum news, there’s a Cognac, Cars & Cigars event there tonight benefiting Make-A-Wish.

Drew Hill of The Daily Memphian has scenarios in which the Memphis Tigers earn a top-4 seed and therefore a first-round bye in the AAC tournament next week. The most cut-and-dry scenario has Memphis beating #21 Houston on the road tomorrow, but that’s easier said than done.

Not a Downtown event, but how can I not mention that an event called TRAPPIN 4 JESUS Revival happens tonight?

Don’t forget to set your clocks forward an hour tonight. It’ll be that magical hour when 1:59 AM is followed by 3:00 AM, marking the return of Daylight Saving Time.

Hipsters around the world are disappointed to learn that the city of Austin has canceled SXSW due to the threat of coronavirus outbreak.

Moody Ques teammates: Be on the lookout for an email early next week, with opportunities for those of you who are handy. We have an awesome booth idea for 2020 and we are going to start building it – in March. Are we organized this year or what? This may mean that your #1 source of news and information about The Edge District will actually visit The Edge District.

This weekend is going to be “Wunnerful! Wunnerful!” as Lawrence Welk would say. Back tomorrow or Monday with more news.

British Bingo @ The Lounge and Friday news

Yesterday I mentioned that I was thinking about checking out Diamond Dave’s British Bingo at The Lounge in the basement of 3rd and Court Diner. My neighbors Pete and Tracy saw the post and texted me that they’d meet me there, and my plans were set. I took a seat at the bar a few minutes before 6.

I inquired about the taco bar, and the bartender told me it was $5 for bingo players and $10 if I stayed to hear the band. The bartender ran my card and I got a plate. It was all you can eat, for $5. That’s a screaming value!

They had cauliflower tacos for the vegetarians as well as chicken tacos, build-your-own. Quality ingredients, and the tacos were excellent. They had four varieties of Nashville’s own Yazoo beer for $3 a 12 oz. can. I ordered a Yazoo Dos Perros to go with my dinner.

There are six rounds of bingo. For those unfamiliar with British Bingo, you get a card, each round a different color with 15 numbers, numbered 1 through 90. Dave has rhymes or sayings for many of the numbers – “27, duck and a crutch,” “62, tickety-boo,” “89, nearly there,” and the first one to have all 15 numbers on their card called wins. The numbers that have been called are displayed on a screen, for those who fall behind, and that helped me in the later rounds.

Those who are longtime readers of this blog know that I have a terrible record at bingo. The last time I won a prize at a bar bingo night was 5 years ago. Since then I have bingoed a few times but lost the tie-breaker each time. So last night, in the first round I got down to two numbers left. “And here we go,” I thought, “Now he’ll call a bunch of numbers I don’t have, and someone else will win.”

Then Dave called 26. I marked it off.

Then he called 84. BINGO!!!

Amazingly, no one else bingoed on that number, and I went to the front to collect my prize. The six rounds of bingo pay out $10, $10, $10, $10, $20, and $40 respectively. My $10 came in the form of two $5 Diner Dollars gift cards.These can’t be used the night they are won, and can be used upstairs or downstairs. Dave also pulled out a box of swag and had me choose something. I picked out an Espolõn hat.

There are breaks between the second and third round, and between the fourth and fifth round. During the first break I walked around and took some photos of the place. It was very dark but I touched them up the best I could.

I got a photo of their bar menu too (click to view in larger size):

Dave returned to the table and we continued with the third round. I got all but one number but someone beat me. On the fourth round, however, I bingoed again, earning another $10 in Diner Dollars.

No additional wins on the two final big-money rounds, but I quite happy with my prizes. My tab for the taco bar and two Yazoo Dos Perros was $12, and I won $20, so The Lounge basically paid me $8 to come eat their tacos and drink their beer. I can live with that!

I plan on spending my winnings at breakfast or lunch at the diner upstairs. Have a look at their breakfast menu, their lunch specials, and their lunch menu. The diner is open 7 AM to 2 PM every day, and The Lounge opens at night.

No bingo this evening, but you can catch the sounds of John Paul Keith at The Lounge tonight.

Big night for music here in Downtown Memphis tonight. Post Malone headlines a show at FedExForum, a stop on his Runaway Tour. Swae Lee and Tyla Yaweh will open. Tyla Yaweh and Friends will perform at the show’s after-party at Paula & Raiford’s Disco.

Over at the Halloran Centre for the Performing Arts, Robert Moody presents the latest installment of The Orchestra Unplugged – Devil at the Crossroads: Robert Johnson Meets Igor Stravinsky. This work combines A Soldier’s Tale, a piece Stravinsky wrote during World War I, with the music of legendary bluesman Johnson. Tickets are $35. This is a one hour show with no intermission.

There’s been a lot of discussion about the coronavirus and whether it has had an effect locally. Here are some links I found on a message board yesterday.

And here’s a camera that can detect body temperature within 0.3F degrees. I bet those will be in high demand for location where there are large gatherings of people.

The Beale Street St. Patrick’s Day parade has been announced for Saturday, March 14 at 2 PM.

REMINDER: The King’s Palace Cafe Tap Room charged me $11 for a large PBR at the Liberty Bowl parade, and I have heard of them charging as much as $14 for a large PBR at other special events. Other venues on the street (even ones managed by the same company) charge as little as $6 for the same beer.

Heaven Luxury Lounge at 333 Adams is hosting a Purple Prince Party tonight. It will be a celebration of the artistry and creativity of Prince, and if you wear purple you get in free. Doors open at 9.

As your number-one source of news and information about The Edge District, I want to remind you that the first event of the Taste & See chef series at Boxlot, 607 Monroe, is tonight.

There’s a Civic Data Hackathon this weekend, starting tonight at 6, at the Universal Life Insurance building, 480 MLK Ave. Come brainstorm solutions to issues facing the city, including

  • Transportation and mobility
  • Health and safety
  • Neighborhoods and the upcoming census

You do not have to be a techie to participate, although each team will include at least one person who is comfortable with computers and data. $10 registration includes meals, snacks, and a T-shirt.

The Grizzlies play a road game against Dallas tonight at 7:30. You can watch on Fox Sports Southeast. They’ll be back at home tomorrow for a 7 PM game against the Atlanta Hawks, and the first 5000 fans in FedExForum will get a free Grizz pillowcase.

MIFA needs birthday bags. These are special goodie bags that are handed out to their senior/disabled Meals on Wheels clients on their birthdays. Birthday bags can contain

  • Socks
  • Stationery
  • Pens or pencils
  • Winter caps
  • Sweaters
  • Blankets
  • T-shirts
  • Mittens or gloves
  • Games like puzzles, crossword puzzles, playing cards, dominoes
  • Lotion
  • Flashlights
  • Toiletries
  • Tissues

This could be a fun packing project to teach kids the meaning of giving.

Tony Manard and his Big Ol’ Band play Loflin Yard tonight. Special guest Kathy Driftwood.

That’s all for now. Ready for the weekend! Back tomorrow with more news.

Thursday update

Memphis’ USL soccer club Memphis 901 FC had a huge announcement yesterday. Former MSL/USMNT goalkeeper Tim Howard has been a minority owner of the team and was appointed sporting director a couple of months ago – only to find that he still has the itch to play. Pending league and federation approval, Howard will guard the goal for 901 FC in 2020. Very exciting for Memphis, and if you see Tim wish him a happy birthday – he turns 41 tomorrow.

Check out this cool PBR tap handle my friend Russian Aleks brought me from Colorado!

Love it! My apartment has turned into a PBR museum over the years.

Memphis will be on national TV this evening. The Memphis Tigers, having played the last two on the road, return to FedExForum tonight for an 8 PM game against the Wichita State Shockers, broadcast on ESPN. I thought for sure the Tigers were completely out of the NCAA tournament after their loss to SMU, but they are still listed as “second four out” with two remaining opportunities to get quality wins.

In other Tigers news, the James Wiseman recruitment case will be the first one reviewed by the NCAA’s new independent investigative arm. The new investigative body has no ties to any NCAA member school.

Downtown Slider Inn will have a St. Patty’s Day Pre-Party Friday, March 13 10 PM-2 AM with DJ Tree.

Diamond Dave calls British Bingo at The Lounge in the downstairs of 3rd and Court diner, tonight 6-8 PM. $100 in prizes will be given away and there will be some good specials: $5 taco bar, $5 classic cocktails, $4 house wine, $3 Yazoo beers, $2.50 domestic beers. Dave’s bingo is a lot of fun. I am seriously considering walking up there tonight to check this out. I have not been to The Lounge since it opened.

Arts & culture magazine Memphis Current will have the release party for its latest issue at Downtown Slider Inn Sunday, March 22 from 6 to 9 PM. Tickets are $15 and include hors d’oeuvres, live music by indie rock band Daykisser, (weather permitting) a 901 Wrestling match, and art by Noah Miller, Adele Winn, Taylor Loftin, Sara Moseley, Michele Noiset, and Kong Wee Pang.

Drag Bingo comes to the Silly Goose Tuesday night at 8. Host Pattie O’ Furniture does the Sunday bingo at Atomic Rose, and she previously hosted bingo at Oshi. She and her sidekick Pee Wee will host this first-ever bingo night at the Goose. Owner Daniel says if this night proves to be popular, he will bring it back on a regular basis. There will be Jello shots, prizes, and wood-fired pizzas.

New menu item at the Goose:

Pizza balls are sort of a cross between pizza rolls and sausage balls. They make a good snack. You get six of them for $10.

The Moody Ques received word that we’ve been accepted for BBQ Fest 2020. Let the games begin!

I got second place in trivia last night. The Blind Bear usually posts the four trivia topics to its Facebook page a day in advance. I noticed “Marching Music” was one of the topics, not surprising since Patrick’s day job is directing a high school band. The bonus question is usually a “make a list” type of thing, and this week I got in Patrick’s head and figured out what the bonus question would be in advance – name some marches by John Philip Sousa. A little research and memorization paid off on that one.

I completely blanked on team name though. The coronavirus names are overdone at this point, and Trump didn’t say anything stupid this week. Well, I’m sure he said lots of stupid things, but none that got reported by the media.

Mike Bloomberg did the right thing. He recognized that he wasn’t going to be the Democratic nominee and got out of the race. I make the following pledge and invite my readers who are Democrats/progressives to make the same:

  • If Bernie is the nominee, I will vote for him in November;
  • If Biden is the nominee, I will vote for him in November;
  • If there’s a brokered convention that results in another candidate being nominated, I will vote for him or her in November, even if it’s Hillary (please dear God don’t let it be Hillary)

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

Wednesday update

Those of you who spend a lot of time on Twitter have already seen this, but for those who haven’t, this was the Commercial Appeal yesterday:

They broke down Super Tuesday, listing each state voting in the Democratic primary and how many delegates were up for grabs in that state. States are listed in alphabetical order starting with Alabama, then Arkansas, etc. in a column on the right-hand side.

Look at Maine.

I haven’t read the election results in depth yet, but I got a Daily Memphian briefing that Biden won Tennessee, as expected. A quick look at Google News indicates that Biden did better in Super Tuesday than predicted, and this may narrow down to be a two-person race. I’ll have more to say about that at the end of this post. For now, let’s get on to the news.

Soccer supporters’ group Bluff City Mafia released their schedule for Memphis 901 FC’s first home match against Indy Eleven on Saturday.

The DM reports that the One Beale project will disrupt traffic once again. Beale will be blocked between Front and Riverside from 9 AM to 4 PM every day from Monday, March 9 to Friday, March 20 for sewer work. Note that if you have an 8 to 5 commute, you should not be affected.

Cafe Keough at 12 S. Main is now hiring experienced kitchen staff. Apply after 1 PM.

Ketel One and the Memphis Flyer are teaming up for Let’s Brunch Memphis at Beale Street Landing Saturday, March 28 from noon to 3. Tickets include food samplings from about 15 of Memphis’ best places to get brunch, 12 cocktail samplings, and a pampering station. There will be a cash bar for those who want to go beyond the samplings included in the ticket. Proceeds from this event benefit Volunteer Memphis.

The University of Tennessee Health Science Center has launched a coronavirus website.

Indie Memphis hosts the film Zombi Child tonight at 7 at Malco Powerhouse. From the movie’s description: “In 1962 Haiti, a man is brought back from the dead to work on a sugar cane plantation; many years later, a teen tells her friends her family secret, not suspecting that it will push one of them to commit the unthinkable.” Tickets are $8 if you’re an Indie Memphis member and $10 otherwise.

There’s a bike ride departing from Bass Pro at the Pyramid tonight at 7. Lights and helmets are required. (This time next week, you won’t need the lights.)

As your number-one source of news and information about The Edge District, it’s my pleasure to inform you there’s a salsa lesson tonight at Sabor Caribe Venezuelan restaurant, 662 Madison, tonight at 7 PM. This is a free event, but I’m sure they’d appreciate it if you order some of their delicious food.

If you’re into tarot, there’s a free tarot share night tonight at the Broom Closet at 546 S. Main. Bring a drink and snack and learn with others.

All right, back to politics. Those of you just here for the news can leave now and not miss anything.

It takes 1991 delegates to secure the Democratic nomination. I can see a scenario where the primary season wraps up with something like this:

  • Biden + moderates who dropped out 1950
  • Sanders 1800
  • Warren 241

That would create a most interesting scenario: Biden would have a clear plurality, assuming all the moderates who dropped out requested their delegates to vote for Biden on the second ballot. Bernie himself said a couple of weeks ago that the candidate who received the most delegates should be the nominee.

On the other hand, the progressive wing of the party would argue that they won a majority of the delegates. It would put Elizabeth Warren, with not even a tenth of the total delegates, in a position of tremendous power. I think in the end, Biden would still end up being the nominee, but Warren could force the party to tack to the left. That could be in the form of a progressive vice-presidential running mate – though probably not Warren herself, because two 70-somethings on a ticket is not a good look. Or, it could be in the form of the party adopting some of Bernie’s more harmless and less expensive promises – for example, signing an executive order to legalize marijuana nationwide the first day in office.

That’s why I don’t consider my vote for Warren a wasted vote, despite that I knew she had almost a 0% chance of winning the majority of nationwide delegates.

I have to admit, though, had the weather been sunny and 65 degrees the week before the Nevada debate, I probably would have walked up to the election commission and early voted for Bloomberg. I appreciate his, and his supporters’ belief, that Trump is an existential threat to American democracy, and must be stopped at all costs. However, it’s now time for Bloomberg to admit that a Democratic candidate exists who can beat Trump, and it’s not him. For the good of the country, it’s time for Bloomberg to exit the race and endorse Biden.

That’s it. Back tomorrow with more.

 

Tuesday update

The Grizzlies are bringing back Downtown Night Saturday, March 28 for a 7 PM game vs. the Toronto Raptors. Tickets range from $30-100 and the first 100 to participate will receive a Grizzlies 38103 hat.

The monthly South Main Association meeting has been announced for next Tuesday, March 10. It will be held at The Vault at 124 G.E. Patterson with social hour at 6 PM, and presentation starting at 6:30. Kevin Kuhns will speak. Free for members, $10 for non members.

Mark your calendar for Charc Week, coming up next month April 6-11. This is a celebration of charcuterie boards, with participating restaurants serving up a board loaded with locally sourced meats and cheeses as well as other goodies for $12. Participating Downtown restaurants include Grecian Gourmet, Silly Goose, City Block Salumeria in Puck Food Hall, and Pontotoc Lounge. A portion of sales of these plates will benefit Church Health.

Jill Scott brings her “Who Is Jill Scott? Words and Sounds Vol. 1 20th Anniversary Tour” to the Cannon Center tonight. Tickets

As of last night there was still one spot left for a team for the spring cornhole league at Max’s Sports Bar. League play happens six Tuesdays beginning on March 10. Cash and prizes for the league winners, and drink specials every week for players. Signup ends Sunday but since there is only one spot left I would recommend getting down there sooner.

Many of us have walked by the DittyTV studio in South Main, but have you ever attended a recording there? Get your tickets to see SZLACHETKA & Special Guest Hunter Tynan Davis record Wednesday, March 11 6 to 9 PM. The evening will start with cocktails in Vibe & Dime, followed by the recording, then back over to Vibe & Dime for a meet-and-greet with the artists.

You can take an indoor tour of City Hall during your lunch break Wednesday, March 18. Robert Montgomery of Blue Suede Brigade will lead the tour, which will begin at the front door of the building at 125 N. Main at 11:45 AM. Great way to learn about Memphis city government and history.

Sign up for a spot to ride to the airport in a caravan to pick up Irish dignitaries the evening of Thursday, March 12. These dignitaries will be honored at the Beale Street St. Patrick’s Day Parade that Saturday. You can bring your own transportation or ride with them (about 200 spots left currently). Limos and buses depart for the airport at 6:30 PM. Pub crawl stops on the way back include

  • Maggie O’Shea’s Irish pub in the airport
  • Midtown Huey’s
  • Murphy’s
  • Silky O’Sullivan’s

The end time for this event is listed as 1 AM, so if you participate, might want to think about making Friday a vacation day.

A bloodmobile will be parked at 540 S. Main on Saturday, March 14 for those who wish to make donations. Appointments are available from 1:00 to 3:45 PM. Schedule a donation time

If you plan to vote in the Super Tuesday primary today, the DM’s Bill Dries has Ballot Basics that will help you find your precinct and tell you what you need to know about voting.

What a difference a couple of days makes! With Amy Klobuchar and Pete Buttigieg out of the race and both endorsing Biden, stats site FiveThirtyEight makes the following predictions, as of this morning at the time I type this, 7:36 AM:

  • 62% probability of a contested convention
  • 30% probability Biden wins a majority of delegates
  • 8% probability of a Sanders majority
  • Everyone else less than a 1% chance, even Bloomberg

Just a few days ago, Bernie’s probability was at 40%! Keep an eye on that prediction tracker, though. It’s a live model and will update throughout the day.

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

Monday update

Today I want to start off with a story that serves as a reminder about keeping your valuables safe. This story is particularly applicable to ladies who go out to busy dance clubs on the weekends.

Yesterday I got to the Silly Goose right at 11, and I found B-RAD talking to a lady who had been at the Goose during prime time Saturday night. She was out on the dance floor, carrying her purse as she danced. Her purse was open, with her phone lying right on top of the pile of stuff inside. At some point in the evening, however, the phone disappeared.

“I guess maybe it fell out and I didn’t notice,” she commented. “I was hoping somebody found it and turned it in.”

No. It did not just fall out.

There are criminals who frequent noisy, crowded nightclubs, looking for opportunities such as this one. They dress the part, blend in, snatch whatever electronics they can, and gracefully leave without being detected. They’re not even concerned with stealing the most expensive phones – an iPhone 6s is as likely to get grabbed as is the new iPhone 11 Pro. They just want something they can sell on Craigslist. Club 152 used to be their main base of operations, but that is closed now so they’ve branched out to other clubs on and near Beale Street.

Ladies, best bet is to keep your phone on your person. If that’s not possible, keep it in a closed purse that has to be unzipped or unsnapped to access the contents inside. The criminals are looking for easy scores. Make it difficult for them and they’ll prey on someone else.

It’s a shame we have to take precautions like this, but this is Memphis.

Other than that, though, Sunday Fun Day was the funnest Sunday Fun Day I have had in a while. Good people, good conversations, and the weather got nice enough that the patio was busy.

I’ll pass on a local beer recommendation given to me by a friend: Meddlesome Vanilla Porter. He says it is a delicious beer. South of Beale has it and so does the Downtown Slider Inn.

Social media just continues to get creepier. Saturday there was a woman who came in Bardog. I’ve never spoken to her but I know who she is through mutual acquaintances. It’s the first time I’ve seen her at Bardog and only the second time I’ve ever seen her in person, that I am aware of. So yesterday, Facebook suggested her as a friend. Sometimes Facebook feels less like an app and more like a ghost following me around.

Around 3:00 I was getting hungry, and the same friend who suggested the beer had been telling me about the calzones he bought at Little Italy, commenting that they are large and inexpensive. I decided to check that out and wandered down to the new G.E. Patterson location.

They have a build-your-own calzone that starts with mozzarella and ricotta for $5.25, and then you add whatever else you want at an additional charge. I ordered ham, sausage, and black olives on mine, bringing the total to $8.

This was indeed a pretty big calzone, but I was hungry and managed to finish all but a couple of bites. It was cheesy and the flavor was there. I would recommend. I will be back to explore the rest of their menu, particularly their lasagna and their spaghetti and meatballs.

I wasn’t the only one who made the trek down there. After putting in my order, I discovered two of B-RAD’s other regulars sitting at a table, and I joined them for lunch. It was busier than it was for Friday Trolley night, and they had plenty of grab & go slices for those in a hurry.

After that I crossed the street to my “home away from home on the south side,” Max’s Sports Bar, home of the $2.75 PBR. On my second one of those, I was scrolling through Facebook, and discovered that Feeny, who many of you know from Blind Bear or Rum Boogie Cafe, was working the 7 PM-close shift in Bardog’s Underdog Room (the downstairs) for the first time. So, I figured, I have enough time to tab out at Max’s, walk north to Blind Bear and have a PBR and say hello to the fine folks there, then head up to Bardog for the beginning of Feeny’s first shift. I paid my tab at Max’s, walked out, and…

… quickly turned around, walked back into Max’s, and ordered PBR numero tres. It had started raining, which I didn’t expect at all, and I hadn’t prepared and brought an umbrella or hood. By the end of that beer the radar indicated a break in the bands of rain, and I took off. It was already 6:45 so I had to strike Blind Bear from the agenda. No biggie, I’ll see them tonight.

I entered Bardog, dashed to the stairs (the upstairs bartenders usually start pouring a PBR as soon as they see me walking to the door), and sure enough, there was Feeny’s bright, smiling face.

She’s going to build up a regular crowd, I bet. Go see her on Sunday nights in the Underdog.

That Sunday Fun Day just felt different from the previous several. It felt like I went out and did stuff, as opposed to just sitting at a bar drinking PBR all day. Even though I spent most of the day sitting at bars drinking PBR.

Let’s get on to the news. River Time Market & Deli, the little deli on the south side of Court Square, is expanding their offerings for vegans. Every Wednesday they will have a vegan Southwest chili. They also have vegan Italian sausages, mock tuna, deli salads, and soups. They have jackfruit to make faux-pulled pork sandwiches, tacos, and Sloppy Joes.

Loflin Yard will have an Adult Easter Egg Hunt and Dog Costume Contest Saturday, April 11. Crawfish boil 12-2, Easter Bunny dog costume contest 3-6, adult Easter egg hunt 6-8, and live music at 9. The Easter eggs will contain candy and in some cases, free drink cards.

Mayor Pete has exited the Democratic race for the nomination. I’m short on time and haven’t read enough to make comments on this yet, but it sounds like a move for the good of the party.

Off to work. Back tomorrow with more news.

Sunday update: The Book of Lists

Well, not really an entire book, but I have two of them.

I was told that my list of national food holidays last week was well-received, so let’s return to Foodimentary and see what’s coming up this week.

  • Today: National Peanut Butter Lover’s Day
  • Monday: National Banana Cream Pie Day
  • Tuesday: National Cold Cuts Day (Ickey Woods’ favorite holiday!) and National Moscow Mule Day
  • Wednesday: National Pound Cake Day
  • Thursday: National Cheese Doodle Day
  • Friday: National Oreo Day
  • Saturday: National Cereal Day

No offense to Ickey, but I kinda think Monday sounds like the best day of the week, food-wise.

On to the next list. It’s the first of the month, so let’s have a look at what events are coming to FedExForum other than Grizzlies and Tigers games.

Well, hello there, March! High temperatures are expected to be in the 60s most of this week, and one week from today we’ll be looking at a 7 PM sunset. I like it!

Check out my friend Michael Butler Jr.’s chicken guide on Edible Memphis. The guide covers the entire city but Mike thinks (and I would agree) that there’s plenty of good chicken to be had Downtown, including the chicken pot pie at Rizzo’s, the pulled chicken sandwich at Central BBQ, all the chicken dishes at Sage, and Kung Pao Chicken & Waffles at Wok’n in Memphis inside Puck Food Hall. First on the list (and rightfully so) is a menu item you can’t get Downtown, but the owners are Downtowners and you don’t have to travel very far (870 Thomas): Two-piece, gravy and a biscuit at Jack Pirtle’s. Yes sir.

To borrow a term from one of the local TV news programs… does it really work? Because I have long hair that breaks easily, about once a month I have to make the trek to Walgreens to spend $8.49 on Drano Liquid Foamer to unclog the drain in my tub. Last month I thought, “I’m tired of spending that $8.49 a month” (more on why in a moment). I remembered seeing commercials for drain sticks that can be found at Target and Amazon. So I got on Amazon and ordered some for around $10.

By the way, this wasn’t the brand I had seen advertised, but it got better ratings on Amazon. This week I cleared the drain with Drano Foamer one last time to give it a clean start, then stuck one of the sticks down the drain. If I still have a clear drain at the end of the month, then I’ll know it worked. If I don’t, I’ll have wasted $10, but I thought it a gamble worth making. The instructions say to use one stick a month and you get two packs of 12, so if the strips work I’ll have a clear drain through February 2022.

Now… back to why that $8.49 expenditure for Drano Foamer bothered me so much. Six years ago I rocked the world of economics by introducing the Value Drinking Index, a measure of how much bang for the buck you get when you order an alcoholic beverage. To demonstrate how it works, let’s say you order a Bud Light at the Flying Saucer for $5.

Value Drinking Index = 12 (ounces) * 4.2 (percent alcohol by volume) / 5 (price) = 10.08

The Value Drinking Index indicates a beer is a good value if

  • It’s a craft or import beer with a VDI of 15 or higher
  • It’s a non-PBR domestic beer with a VDI or 20 or higher
  • It’s a PBR with a VDI of 25 or higher

Well, now I am ready to introduce a second economic term: the PBR opportunity cost. It’s quite simple, really: When I make an expenditure, how many PBRs could I have had for that price instead? Since PBR prices vary, I decided the measure would be the lowest non-happy hour PBR price at any of the places I frequent Downtown. Currently that would be $2.75, at Max’s Sports Bar. So the PBR opportunity cost of that bottle of Drano would be

8.49 / 2.75 = 3.09

So purchasing that Drano causes me to miss out on slightly more than 3 PBRs. The higher the PBR opportunity cost, the more justifiable the expense has to be. For example, the PBR opportunity cost of the convenience of paying my BBQ team dues online is 8, which is why I’m writing a check this year to avoid the convenience charge.

If any of the local colleges or universities want to offer me a professorship of economics so I can develop more measures, I’m willing to talk. Perhaps one day these measures will lead me all the way to Washington for a Secretary of Commerce appointment.

The Grizzlies handed the L.A. Lakers only their 13th loss of the season last night. That improves Memphis’ record to 29-31, and gives them a 2.5 game lead over the New Orleans Pelicans for 8th place in the West. Next game is at Atlanta, third from the bottom in the East, tomorrow at 6:30. Can you imagine the mood in Memphis if the Grizzlies, a projected 25-win team at the beginning of the season, make the playoffs and extend the Lakers to 6 or 7 games?

It was a good night for Memphis sports in general yesterday. The basketball Tigers and Memphis 901 FC won too.

Looking for a reason for a trip to Midtown this evening? Railgarten hosts Quick Draw 2, a competition to see which bartender can pour drinks the fastest, tonight. The Silly Goose/Pontotoc Lounge/Bar 409 family of bars will send contestants out there.

There’s a run starting at Martyrs Park today at noon where you have to eat 12 Krispy Kreme donuts at the halfway point of the 5 miles.

Like filling out NCAA brackets? Loflin Yard will have a bracket that you can enter for free. First place gets $100, second place gets $40, third gets $15, and they’ll have drink specials just for bracket members.

In other Loflin Yard news, they along with Party Memphis will host a Fortnite Backyard Nerf Battle on Saturday, April 4 from 12 to 2. “Gather up a bunch of friends & neighborhood hooligans” (well we sure have plenty of those down here), the Facebook event suggests, “for a battle royale in the back yard of Loflin Yard.” Cost is $10 and includes safety glasses, Nerf gun, ammo, and flags. Sounds like a top-notch afternoon of fun. Sometimes you see drunk sports competitions that seem to be all about the organizers rather than the competitors. That does not seem to be the case with this one!

Jon Hodge, owner of Front Street Deli, is interviewed in this week’s episode of the Rahul & Tony podcast.

Soccer supporters’ group Bluff City Mafia hosts a Sunday Fun Day at Memphis Made Brewing Co. today at 2 PM.

G and the Crew supply the live music this afternoon at 2 at Tin Roof. This is a free show.

Check out food truck New Wing Order’s March specials:

For those of you who haven’t checked the national news yet this morning, Joe Biden coasted to nearly a 30-point victory in the South Carolina primary, resetting the race for the nomination and ending the notion that Bernie is going to run away with it. The Bern still leads the delegate count, 56 to Biden’s 46, with Mayor Pete at 26, Warren at 8, and Klobuchar with 7. Tom Steyer ended his candidacy last night. Following South Carolina, FiveThirtyEight’s predictions put the likelihood of a contested convention at 60%.

The thing about a contested convention is, once it gets to a second ballot, delegates are released from their commitments and can vote for whoever they want… even a candidate who did not run in the primaries. As of this morning, the betting market has the following probabilities to secure the nomination. The top five are… (hey, another list!)

  • Bernie 52.6%
  • Biden 28.5%
  • Bloomberg 14.7%
  • Mayor Pete 4.6%
  • And coming in fifth place, with 4.5%…

Hillary Fucking Clinton. Yep, there’s a 4.5% chance the delegates will gift-wrap Trump’s second term and put a pretty bow on top, while destroying their own party in the process. I’d say, surely the party wouldn’t be that stupid, but then I think back to 2016.

Dr. Jill Biden will campaign for Joe at Loflin Yard this afternoon 3 to 5.

Time for D-RANKS with B-RAD at Silly Goose. Back tomorrow or Tuesday with more news.