Bardog Tavern posted the following yesterday afternoon:
Pssst… we’ve missed you guys! The Bardog crew has been hard at work giving some well-deserved TLC and renovations to your favorite @downtownmemphis neighborhood bar. We’ll be re-opening (very) soon, so keep following along to be the first to know when! 🖤🐶 @ Bardog Tavern
I got addicted to a new TV show yesterday: BBQ Pitmasters. It’s like BBQ Fest as a TV show. Three teams compete in two categories, with 10 hours to cook, and both categories must be turned in at the same time. Teams don’t know in advance what the categories are. Sometimes it’s something fairly common, like pork shoulder or beef brisket. Other times it’ll be more exotic. On one show, teams found a salmon in their cooler; on another episode, it was venison brisket. On yet another, teams found two cuts of beef and a cut of pork along with a grinder to make BBQ meatloaf.
I have to admit, watching the show made me feel better about the years my team had bad results at BBQ Fest. The teams that competed had multiple BBQ festival championships and in many cases, ran restaurants, yet they screwed up frequently. Mistakes were made like not monitoring the cooker’s temperature, failure to get good color, and sloppy presentation in the blind box. The judges are BBQ celebrities Myron Mixon, Tuffy Stone, and a third guest judge. For some of the episodes, the guest judge was Melissa Cookston of Memphis Barbecue Co.
There are full episodes on Destination America’s website that you can watch for free. Check it out if you’re looking for something to pass the time this weekend. Perhaps the BBQ Fest shoulder trophy-winning Moody Ques will be invited to compete on the show in 2021 or 2022. It’ll give the folks at the corner table at Max’s Sports Bar something to watch on TV while they trade Bananas Foster recipes.
Live music returns to Slider Inn Downtown this weekend. This afternoon from 2 to 5, Chris Hill, Chris Johnson, and Adam Quinn will play. Tomorrow from 4:30 to 6:30, DJ Alpha Whiskey will supply the tunes.
The Daily Memphian has news on plans to restore the cobblestones on the river to their original glory, and make that part of the riverside more walkable, connecting Fourth Bluff and the other north Downtown parks to Tom Lee Park. Plans include overlooks and a wheelchair-accessible walkway.
Favor to ask my readers: Please be understanding this weekend if you go out to your favorite restaurants/bars and they are enforcing additional rules that seem stupid. I’m talking about rules like, you can’t be served while standing at the bar, you must physically be in a seat. Employees are not trying to be the Rules Nazis and believe me, they hate it as much as you do. They’re just trying to comply with Phase 2 Back to Business rules. Word on the street is that Code Enforcement may have some surprise visits planned for this weekend.
Loflin Yard will resume its Bluegrass Brunch tomorrow noon to 3 with live music. I assume the brunch won’t be a buffet anymore.
Slave Haven Underground Railroad Museum on North Second St. has a Juneteenth celebration today from 11 to 3. This will be a celebration of liberation with music and vendors.
“Never be afraid to cut someone off” -MLGW
Time to get those utility bills current, because MLGW will resume cutoffs August 3.
There are four blood types: A, B, AB, and O. A new study shows that blood types have an effect on your experience with the coronavirus. People with type A blood have a 45% increased chance of getting the virus and developing respiratory distress compared to people of the other blood types. People with type O blood are 35% less likely to develop a severe case of COVID-19.
Most people don’t like anchovies on pizza, but if you’re the exception, come on down to the Silly Goose sometime soon.
Dylan brought out a plate for those of us sitting at the bar to try yesterday. “These are white anchovies,” Dylan said. “Mostly you see brown ones.” The others at the bar wouldn’t touch the anchovies, nor would the bartender, but Socially Distant Perjorie and I gobbled them right up.
The Cossitt Library will present the first two River Garden Storytimes of 2020, Thursday, June 25 at 7 PM and Friday, June 26 at 10 AM. They will read children’s book Rainbow Fish, by local author Marcus Pfister. They are aware that Phase 2 is still in place, and therefore will have extra guidelines to keep everyone safe. These include
- Seating will be minimum six feet apart and will be delineated by twine and stakes
- Bring towels to sit on grass
- The story will be read on the park’s PA system
- Each participant will have his/her own bag filled with crafting materials
- Masks and hand sanitizer will be available for participants, guardians/chaperones, and staff
- Guardians/chaperones are asked to remain on site for the duration of the event
The city permit office has approved a Spontaneous Event Exception for a Comrades & Community Inc. Women of Stamina George Floyd Protest Parade, involving 50 cars, next Saturday, June 27 from 4 to 6 PM. The location is listed as “Vance Avenue” so keep that in mind if you have plans to drive on a street that intersects Vance during those times.
Today the incompetent, pussy-grabbing orange shitgibbon is holding a rally in Tulsa’s BOK Arena. It is expected to be packed to its 19,000 capacity, with shouting throughout the event, no social distancing, and many people coming from out of town. Masks will be provided but their wearing will not be required. Tulsa is a city that has seen coronavirus cases on the rise in recent weeks. In other words, this has all the makings of a COVID-19 superspreader event. Trump doesn’t care if people die as long as he is re-elected. Trump’s photo should be in the dictionary next to “narcissistic psychopath.”
Probably the final Saturday that I won’t be brunching at Bardog. If I can’t be there, I’ll do the next best thing. Internet has been crapping out again, so I’ll hit Publish and see if this goes through. Back tomorrow… maybe.