Month: October 2021

Go Tigers! Tonight is Memphis Madness at FedExForum, an open scrimmage that serves as the public’s introduction to the season’s Memphis Tigers men’s and women’s basketball teams. Although no special guests have been officially announced, it’s common for some very prominent musicians to show up and perform – Yo Gotti and Rick Ross are two who have appeared in past years.

The Tigers will have an open scrimmage, an NBA-style skills challenge, a 3-point contest, and a dunk contest. Doors to FedExForum open at 6 and the program begins at 7. Prior to the doors opening, there will be a Blue Carpet Experience on the plaza with dance performances and games.

The DM has some bad news to report this morning: Shooting guard/small forward Dillon Brooks, who has emerged as the “glue guy” of the Memphis Grizzlies in recent seasons, will be out for the first 2-3 weeks of the NBA regular season with a hand injury.

Memphis 901 FC hosts Louisville City FC in a home match at AutoZone Park tonight at 7:00. This is going to be a tough game: Louisville sits atop the USL’s Central Division standings. Memphis 901 FC is in fourth place in the division, the lowest place to make the playoffs, with 38 points and OKC hot on its tail with 36. Memphis really needs at least a draw this evening.

If you chat with any of our homeless friends Downtown, please let them know that Brian Harris will serve a Sunday lunch for the homeless and hungry at the Hospitality HUB, 590 Washington, this Sunday, October 17 from noon to 2 PM.

Astrologer P.S. Went is now doing natal chart readings every Wednesday at the Broom Closet. These charts map out the astrological position of the Sun, Moon, and all the planets at the time you were born and can reveal a lot of hidden aspects of your personality. You can book a reading (24 hours or more in advance) on the Broom Closet’s website. Readings are $75 and you will need to provide

• Your date of birth
• Your time of birth
• The city in which you were born

I did my own natal chart many years ago. I have the Sun, the Moon, Mercury, Venus, and Pluto all in Scorpio, which apparently makes me a pretty scary person.

It’s kinda scary to think there are adults walking around who are too young to remember when Pluto was a planet.

Cordelia’s Market will host a Trunk-or-Treat Saturday, October 30 from 3 to 6 PM. Candy and treats will be handed out to trick-or-treaters from cars and golf carts. Trick-or-treaters can also look for other Harbor Town businesses with a pumpkin outside – that’s a sign treats are waiting for them when they go in. There will be hot dogs with chili provided by Cordelia’s, and there will be a meet and greet with Memphis Police Chief C.J. Davis.

I wonder if the Chargers, Challengers, and Fin Fins who come Downtown to do stupid stunt tricks ever venture over to the Island? If so, Chief Davis might get a first-hand look at what we have to deal with Downtown every weekend.

Did you know that one of Her Royal Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s palaces has an underground tunnel to a nearby bar? The martinis are 17 British pounds apiece, but I reckon the Queen can afford it. If I had Meghan Markle as an in-law, I’d drink too.

Attention teachers: Mickey D’s is giving away free “Thank You” breakfast meals through Friday.

I noticed something interesting on ESPN yesterday. On the air, the reporters will talk about the chances of the Cowboys or the Chargers or the Raiders to get to the Super Bowl. However, when they display the odds for each team on the ticker at the bottom of the screen, they word it “Odds of winning pro football championship” and list each team only by its city’s name. When listing a city that has multiple teams, it does something like “Los Angeles (A),” leaving the viewer to figure out they’re talking about the Los Angeles team that plays in the AFC, which would be the Chargers.

I’m guessing that’s a trademark issue. The odds are probably determined by some bookmaking company and provided to ESPN for promotional considerations. Betting is a way to profit off football without the NFL getting a slice of the action, so they need to be careful and use generic terms rather than trademarked ones.

Room in the Inn is a group of Memphis congregations who come together to make sure that the homeless have a warm place to sleep during the cold months of November, December, January, February, and March. Every year, they host a benefit called Breakfast for Dinner. This year, to keep everyone safe from the spread of COVID, Breakfast for Dinner is virtual. Buy a ticket to make a donation to Room in the Inn, then on Tuesday, October 19, throw on your PJs and make your own breakfast for dinner at home. Post photos/videos of your celebration to social media using the hashtag #BFDforRITI.

Memphian Jerry “The King” Lawler was removed from the WWE Monday Night RAW commentary team after he called a move by Japanese wrestler Akira Tozawa a “ramen noodle moonsault.”

Got a couple of pieces of beer news. First of all, Memphis Made Brewing Co. has announced the return of The Judge and Plaid Attack. As we move into the winter months, we turn to darker beers and The Judge is a delicious chocolate vanilla porter that comes in at 6% ABV. Plaid Attack uses UK classic hops for a Scottish Ale at 6.2% ABV.

Wiseacre is offering a Women & Witches in Beer Tour at its Broad Avenue location Saturday, October 23. You probably didn’t know that women were the original brewers and they dominated the brewing process for the majority of beer’s history. Enjoy beer paired with Halloween candy while learning about the contributions women and witches have made to beer. 1 PM, 3 PM, and 5 PM times are available. Book your tour

The DM has a look at the logistics robots on display this week at the Renasant Convention Center.

The Downtown Neighborhood Association has announced its October monthly meeting on the rooftop of The Landing Residences. Members will be about to check out their infinity pool with river views while hearing from City Council Chairman Frank Colvett and city CFO Shirley Ford. Tuesday, October 26 is the date, social hour 5-6 PM, meeting 6-7 PM.

The Labor Department reports that 892,000 restaurant, bar, and hotel workers left their jobs in August. (Source: Morning Brew)

MySidewalk.com has lots of interesting demographic data on Downtown Memphis and its peer neighborhoods in other cities.

Today is National No Bra Day.

It seems like these posts just keep getting longer and longer. I’m relieved to be done. Back tomorrow with more news.

Are you ready for another beer festival?

Memphis Brewfest returns to the Liberty Bowl, and I mean actually on the field at the Liberty Bowl, this coming Saturday 3-7 PM. There are two tickets available.

The general admission Memphis Brewfest ticket gets you

• As many samples as you want from more than 50 breweries and cideries around the world (list of participants here)
• Food from local restaurants
• Craft vendors
• Live music
• Games

The VIP ticket gets you

• Everything listed above
• Access to the Memphis Tigers’ new locker room
• All-you-can-eat buffet
• VIP special beers
• Private restrooms
• Dedicated Fast Pass entry

But that’s not all! The organizers of Brewfest will be back on the field Sunday noon-3:30 with another event, Memphis Brunchfest. (Separate ticket required for each event.) Your Brunchfest ticket gets you

• Bottomless mimosas
• An Old Dominick Bloody Mary bar
• Unlimited samples of beer, cider, seltzer, and hard tea
• Brunch bites from Aldo’s Pizza Pies, Bardog, Arcade, Flying Saucer, Hattie B’s, and Slider Inn

Get tickets to the events here. Note that since the events are being held at the Liberty Bowl, attendees must comply with the stadium’s COVID-19 protocols.

ProPublica recently published an article on juvenile justice in Tennessee. It’s specifically about Rutherford County and Murfreesboro, but it’s worth a read for Memphians because it illustrates how the state does not adequately audit what is happening in county juvenile justice systems. Abuses can continue undetected for years.

Food & Wine says the best hot wings are made in Memphis. Covered in the article are Central BBQ, Wing Guru, Wing Factory, and Crumpy’s.

Does anyone know if Wayne’s Candy on Carolina Ave. fire-sales its Halloween candy on November 1 the way Walgreens does? If so, some of us from the Downtown core are going to make a field trip down there.

City Councilman Worth Morgan has announced his candidacy for Shelby County Mayor. Meh. I’d like to see a different occupant of that office but Morgan isn’t exactly who I had in mind. I’ll give a word of advice to Mr. Morgan, though: My problem with the current county mayor is that he often comes off as a PR flack more than he does an effective leader. Differentiate yourself from that and I’ll consider giving you my vote.

Local viral disease expert Dr. Manoj Jain told the CA, “We’re in the best place we’ve ever been” with regards to COVID in Shelby County. Between those vaccinated and those who’ve had the virus, he estimates us at about 80% immunity. There’s ample testing, no variants that appear poised to be the next threat after Delta, and we’re close to having vaccines authorized for children 5 to 11.

In national COVID news: Dr. Fauci says Halloween is a “go” this year. Trick-or-treating is safe, especially if you (the adults handing out candy) sit outside and offer pre-packaged candy on a table.

Shall we have a look at the games on this weekend’s college football slate of interest to Memphians? Games are Saturday, October 16 unless otherwise noted.

• Navy at Memphis, 6:30 PM Thursday, October 14, ESPN
• UCF at 3 Cincinnati, 11 AM, ESPN
• 12 Oklahoma State at 25 Texas, 11 AM, FOX
• Auburn at 17 Arkansas, 11 AM, CBS
• 20 Florida at LSU, 11 AM, ESPN
• 11 Kentucky at 1 Georgia, 2:30 PM, CBS
• 5 Alabama at Mississippi State, 6 PM, ESPN
• 13 Ole Miss at Tennessee, 6:30 PM, SEC Network

Ole Miss players: I will take back everything bad I’ve ever said about your school if one of you scores a touchdown at Neyland Stadium, runs out to midfield, and takes a “P” on the “T.”

It’s National Gumbo Day, a good day to have lunch or dinner at Ben-Yay’s next to the old Family Dollar location on Main.

It’s also Pulled Pork Day. My recommendation to celebrate would be to go to Central BBQ. Get you a half-order of BBQ pulled pork nachos and 3 of those smoked whole wings Food & Wine raved about.

Reckless driving is not just a problem Downtown. Those who live in the Parkway Village and Fox Meadows neighborhoods are fed up with it too.

I’ve noticed a blue Dodge Charger with a loud revving engine and drive-out tags several times Downtown these past two weeks. I will be curious to see how much longer that car is on the road before the owner puts official state tags on it.

A support dog has been added to the staff at St. Jude. The dog will work in the Staff Resilience Center.

ABC 24 got a rare look inside the COVID ICU unit at Methodist.

Uptown’s Soul & Spirits Brewery has its grand opening Friday and Saturday from noon to 10. 845 N. Main. Note that the brewery is within Groove On Demand’s ride-sharing service range (but also note that Groove On Demand doesn’t operate on Saturday or Sunday).

That’s the news for now. My plans for today are to watch a video seminar by a top professional writer, take notes from another top writer on how to write eye-catching headlines, and make a supply run to DGX. Once I get all of that done, I’ll have earned a trip out. I like Mondays and Tuesdays the best because those are the days when it’s mostly just locals. Back tomorrow with more news.

One thing I noticed about the Memphis Farmers Market is that quite a few Chinese people shop there. For example, last Saturday I was only there about 10 minutes, and I saw 4 Chinese people out of the 70 or so shoppers there. That’s not a huge amount, but that’s more than 5% of the crowd, way disproportionate to the number of Chinese in Memphis as a whole. I’ve wanted to go up and ask them, “Why do y’all like farmers markets so much?” but I was worried the question might sound culturally insensitive.

This weekend I found my answer on Google. “Wet” markets are common in China. Much like our Memphis Farmers Market, vegetables, fruits, meat, and seafood are sold in the open air. These “wet” markets are said to be a big part of Chinese culture and therefore farmers markets are a comforting environment to Chinese-Americans. They’re called “wet” because of the water used to water down the produce, the ice used to keep meat from spoiling, and in contrast to “dry” products like ramen.

I heard about 8 loud gunshots that sounded like they came from the Main-Monroe intersection about 12:15 AM. I’ll say it once again: That is more gunshots than I heard Downtown between 2003 and 2019. I have probably heard 100 gunshots from my apartment since the start of the pandemic. Downtown is getting real ghetto and I think it may be past the point of the cops having any ability to clean it up. I’m not considering leaving but my recommendation to move down here isn’t as strong as it would have been 5 or 10 years ago.

Felicia sent out a hint yesterday as to where Felicia Suzanne Restaurant will be relocating. She said she wasn’t ready to reveal the new location yet, but she said it is exactly 1392 steps from the old location. It could be to the north, east, or south (west would put the new location under water).

Let’s do a little math. I walked a total of 8 blocks yesterday, and my iPhone’s Health app said I walked 2068 steps. So 1392 steps would be about 5 blocks. Hmmm. Let’s do a little thinking:

• South – The restaurant could be the anchor tenant in one of the new One Beale buildings. It could also go into the old Swanky’s location in the Chisca apartments.
• East – Felicia is a forward thinker, and there is no up-and-coming neighborhood in Memphis as hot as The Edge District right now. The restaurant could be an anchor tenant in mixed-use construction happening there. It would have to be more toward the western side of The Edge (Fourth/Danny Thomas) than the eastern (Sun Studio) to fit 1392 steps.
• North – Nope. 1392 steps would put you right in the middle of the Civic Center Plaza. I know the city has plans to re-think that area but we’re years out from it happening.

This weekend I found myself seated next to 3 people from out of town who said they were tourists – a man and woman in their 30s, and a man a few years older than me, who was the main one I talked to. He introduced himself, got on a first-name basis with me, asked for my recommendations for stuff to do, bought me a shot.

Then he leaned toward me and asked, “Paul, I hope that isn’t awkward. What we’re really looking for down here is some cocaine. Do you know where I can get some?”

“Man, I’m sorry, but I don’t know,” I replied. “I’ve never done coke in my life. I hear it’s not hard to find down here, but I’m not your guy.”

He thanked me for my honesty and didn’t attempt to bring up the subject any further. I put the conversation out of my mind, but the next morning my intuition caused me to sit up in bed, wide awake. The way that guy befriended me, gained my trust, used the reciprocity principle by buying me a shot… I think that was a cop.

College football AP poll is out… let’s see what we’ve got. Georgia rises to 1 following Alabama’s upset by Texas A&M. Memphis’ AAC rival Cincinnati rises to 3. Bama drops to 5. Ole Miss and Arkansas trade the 13 and 17 spots following Ole Miss’s win in Oxford. A&M re-enters the rankings at 21. Memphis’ conference rival SMU comes in at 23. Arkansas’ next opponent Auburn is the first school out of the top 25.

You just can’t make this stuff up:

“That’s two in a row, we call that a winning streak. We’re playing lights-out football against some tough teams. Nobody, and I mean nobody, wants to play Tennessee right now.” – Josh Heupel, Tennessee head football coach

• The “tough teams” his Vols played “lights-out football” against were Missouri and South Carolina, which along with Vanderbilt comprise the worst teams in the SEC.
• The next four teams on the schedule: 13 Ole Miss, 5 Alabama, 11 Kentucky, and 1 Georgia. I bet you those teams are delighted to see a Tennessee game on the horizon. If the Vols go 1-3 in that stretch it will be a miracle.

I gotta ask – Is there lead paint on the walls of the Tennessee head football coach’s office? Is there asbestos in the ceiling? There’s something about that space that makes its occupant extra stupid. That quote sounds like something Butch Jones would have said.

Dinosaurs are invading Memphis next month! 50 animatronic dinosaurs are coming to the Renasant Convention Center Saturday and Sunday, October 23 and 24. They move and growl. Also part of the fun:

• Guided audio tour
• Dinosaur trivia
• 6 dinosaur-themed bounce houses
• Dinosaur rides

General admission tickets (whether you’re an adult or a kid) are $19. An unlimited ride pass (which does not include a general admission ticket) is $33.

I had a dream last night where I went to a toy store and bought an IT Department Action Figure 4-pack. The first action figure was a white guy with 5 days’ beard growth and a sci-fi T-shirt. The second was an Indian man in a sweater vest. The third was an Indian woman. The slot for the 4th action figure was empty except for a note: “This position is open. If interested, kindly contact staffing agency Robert Half.”

From Lifehacker: How to sneak food into the movies like a criminal

Across the Board Restaurant Group is holding a job fair next Monday, October 18, from 1 to 4 PM at 117 Prime (117 Union Ave.) They’ll take applications not only for that restaurant, but Sweet Grass and Sunrise as well.

The Boston Marathon is today. It’s also Columbus Day so I hope you don’t have urgent business with the government or a bank today. It’s National Kimberly Day, so cheers to any Kimberlys, Kims, or Kimsters I have reading this post. Finally, it’s National Sausage Pizza Day. I’m one of those people who think sausage is a superior pizza topping to pepperoni, although I’ll take either as long as you don’t throw any pineapple on there.

Weather: There’s a possibility of high winds, hail, heavy rain, or a tornado today.

The updated bowl projections have Tennessee in the Liberty Bowl. Please don’t send in the clowns! On the other hand, the projections have the Tigers taking a nice little trip to Hawaii. Alabama-Texas in the Sugar, Nebraska-Arkansas in the Outback, Minnesota-Ole Miss in Music City.

That’s it for now. I’ll be back tomorrow with info on 2 festivals, college football times and channels, and whatever other news comes my way.

Wow. What a College Football Saturday that was.

The biggest news is that 1 Alabama got knocked off its perch by unranked Texas A&M in a 41-38 upset. Jimbo Fisher became the first former assistant to beat Nick Saban. Bama’s loss, combined with 4 Penn State’s loss to 3 Iowa, blows the doors wide open for Cincinnati to step into a playoff spot.

I would have preferred Arkansas to beat Ole Miss, but you can’t argue with 60 minutes of exciting football. I watched the game with friends at Max’s Sports Bar and as early as the first quarter we were saying, “This could go down to the very last minute, the very last play,” and that’s exactly what happened. Arkansas coach Sam Pittman opted to go for 2 following a touchdown with no time left on the clock. Ole Miss’ defense shut the play down to win 52-51.

Then there was the Red River Rivalry, in which Oklahoma looked dead on arrival by the end of the first quarter. Their backup quarterback rallied late in the game to pull out the 55-48 win over Texas. Let me tell you, between that game and Arkansas-Ole Miss, I bet the crowd at Max’s Sports Bar could be heard a few blocks away.

One college football game that was NOT a highlight was the Memphis Tigers’ third straight loss in a row, to Tulsa 35-29. Even worse, this time the Tigers don’t have a full week to identify what went wrong and fix it. The Tigers host Navy in a Thursday night game at 6:30 on ESPN. I’m sure decision-makers in the Big 12 will be watching that game, Tigers, so get it together.

The DM has a preview of the autonomous robots and logistics conference coming to the convention center Tuesday-Thursday of this week. Here’s the official conference website.

The 7-day rolling average of new COVID cases per day in Shelby County continues to fall. Yesterday it was down to 211 and I wouldn’t be surprised to see us drop into the 100s this week. Here’s a link to James Aycock’s always-excellent COVID Week-in-Review.

Memphis 901 FC has an away match against San Antonio FC today. Every point in the standings counts as the club pushes toward the playoffs with 6 matches left in the regular season.

I visited the Farmers Market for the first time since June yesterday. I started to put my mask on, but then saw a “Masks required for the unvaccinated” sign so I took it back off and put it in my pocket. A completely reasonable policy for an outdoor market. I am so happy to see live music back at the Market. There are only 3 Saturdays left in the Market’s regular season.

If you want to drink some beer outside, today’s is the Memphis Zoo’s Zootoberfest. I’ll have news on another beer festival in the coming days as well.

You never know where I might pop up today. Back tomorrow with more news.

Saturday is not normally a day when most people think about jobs, yet it’s the day I find myself with a lot of jobs news to pass on. All of the below were posted to social media yesterday.

From The Gray Canary, the Hudman/Ticer restaurant in Old Dominick:

Are you looking for the next step in your hospitality career? The Gray Canary is looking for an Assistant General Manager. This full time, salaried position is offered a competitive salary, PTO and an opportunity for upward mobility. Join us in serving the downtown community! Email nick@enjoyam.com to apply.

From the Peabody Hotel:

The Peabody Memphis is hiring for all positions, including in Guest Services, Housekeeping, Front Desk, Reservations, Restaurants and Bars. Full-Time, Part-Time and On-Call positions available. Upward mobility to Leadership roles. Excellent benefits, including medical, dental, vision, short/long term disability, life insurance, and 401(k). Apply online at PeabodyMemphis.com.

From the City of Memphis:

Here’s a behind-the-scenes look at our latest series, Hot Jobs Roll Call featuring Stan Bell! Every week, we are highlighting a job with the City of Memphis. Check out our latest episode and subscribe to our YouTube channel.

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLF6FYZfIQdLStVbL8jN8R-CYO8T89w1b0

From New Memphis:

Don’t forget! #NewMemphis is hiring! Apply to be the Leadership Programs Specialist today to be a part of something bigger than yourself while working to activate, develop and retain the talent of our city! NewMemphis.org/Careers

It’s International Beer and Pizza Day. Best places to celebrate are Slim & Husky’s, Silly Goose, Aldo’s Pizza Pies, and Wiseacre Downtown/Little Bettie.

It’s also Submarine/Hoagie/Grinder Day. River Time Market & Deli in Court Square would be my pick to celebrate that holiday.

And it’s National Chess Day and the Memphis Chess Club on Madison will have an all-day-long celebration.

Learn nightclub two-step tonight in Fourth Bluff Park with a free lesson presented by Cat’s Ballroom. Dance to the music of Al Green, The Drifters, and Smokey Robinson. This is part of a Fall Back dance series, with rumba lessons coming to the park in November and push-pull swing in December.

For those of you who love South Main, here’s your chance to get a South Main address for only $355 a month.

A.W. Willis Ave. is back open following a long period of construction.

Paint Memphis hosts a mural festival today, turning an empty building at B.B. King Blvd. and Georgia Ave. into a work of art. An after-party nearby at Carolina Watershed kicks off at 7 PM.

As I’ve said this week, aluminum prices have been affecting the availability of PBR in Downtown Memphis lately. Local 24 reports that your Thanksgiving dinner could be affected too. If canned goods are part of your Turkey Day plan, you better start looking for them now.

On Saturday, the Orpheum will offer a tour in Spanish of the historic theater as well as games and activities with local Teaching Artists. Sign up for the tour here

Man, I’d like to be a fly on the wall tomorrow evening at Silly Goose when the bartender announces last call at 6:30 PM. That crowd is going to be PISSED.

There are three football games I want to watch at the 11:00 hour: Arkansas-Ole Miss, Oklahoma-Texas, and South Carolina-Tennessee. That rules out Bardog because there aren’t enough TVs. It looks like I’ll be pulling up a barstool at Max’s Sports Bar this morning, and if I leave early enough I can squeeze in a stop at the Farmers Market beforehand. Go Hogs, Boomer Sooner, and Go Gamecocks. Back tomorrow.

Well, I tried to upload a photo of my lunch yesterday, but I keep getting an HTTP error. I returned to the Thursday food truck rodeo in Court Square yesterday, my first visit since the pandemic shutdown. Longtime favorites like Smurfey’s Smokehouse, Mr. Frazier’s Fish Fry, and Rice Burner were there. All good options, but I decided to try a truck I had never ordered from before.

The Fry Guy caught my attention. They serve plates of loaded fries, with toppings like buffalo chicken, chili cheese, pulled pork BBQ, and fajita chicken or steak. The one that caught my attention, though, was the South Philly loaded fry plate. It’s Philly chicken or steak topped with mozzarella cheese, bell peppers, mushrooms, onions, and queso. That’s what I got, selecting steak as my protein choice.

It was very good, although I couldn’t help but think that a dash of A-1 sauce on top would really have set the flavor off. I’ll definitely be back to try some of The Fry Guy’s other offerings. You can choose hand-cut, seasoned, or sweet potato fries as the base of your meal. They do have a vegetarian offering for folks who don’t eat meat. Follow The Fry Guy on Facebook – Instagram

The big news yesterday was that 18 former NBA players have been charged with insurance fraud for chiropractic and dental work that never happened. Caught in the probe were former Grizzly “The Grindfather” Tony Allen and former Tiger Chris Douglas-Roberts. Allen was set to have his jersey retired by the Grizzlies in January. Another former Grizzly, Tony Wroten, was charged too. Remember Wroten? He’s the guy we drafted when Draymond Green was still on the board.

Bardog Tavern has announced they’re now fully back open. They open at 8 AM all five weekdays and 11 AM Saturday and Sunday. They stay open until 3 AM all seven days of the week.

Carolina Watershed will host Suck It Cancer Sunday this Sunday, October 10 starting at 6 PM. dudecalledtob, DJ Kaz, Half Def Tha Chef, and a special surprise guest will provide the entertainment. All donations collected will go toward breast cancer awareness.

A mixed-use development – apartments, retail, and parking – has been approved for the corner of Front and Vance. Apartment residents would be steps away from Gus’s.

Do you keep your bananas in the refrigerator? Stop that.

Random thing I learned on Facebook yesterday: There’s a hot sauce called Shit the Bed.

The DM has video of an unauthorized crew cutting down trees on public land in Martyrs Park on March 10.

Today is World Octopus Day. You can celebrate by getting the octopus at Curfew, the restaurant inside the Canopy Hotel at B.B. King Blvd. and Union. It’s Spanish octopus with celery slaw, crisp potatoes, and n’duja vinaigrette.

Kyrie Irving, one of the Brooklyn Nets’ star players along with Kevin Durant and James Harden, reportedly is refusing to get vaccinated. If he doesn’t, New York regulations state that he will not be able to play home games, nor will he be able to practice with the team at their home facility. The Nets would be heavy favorites to win the 2021-22 NBA title if Durant, Harden, and Irving were all on the floor for every game. Irving appears willing to endanger all of that because of his (to borrow a word from a local activist) “free-dumb.” What a jackass.

The Memphis Greek Festival returns today and tomorrow. It’s at Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church at 573 N. Highland. Opa!

Hmmm… you know what? Normally I go to Bardog early in the morning on Labor Day, but this year I couldn’t, because they were closed. So it seems as though I owe myself a Bardog day… now that they’re fully back on a regular schedule, why not today? Back tomorrow with more news.

Happy anniversary to Feelin’ Memphis! The gift shop at 509 S. Main opened October 7, 2020. If you’re looking to pick up some Memphis mementos curated by locals who love our city, there is no better place to shop. They’re open daily 9 AM to 6 PM.

In other anniversary news, Carolina Watershed will celebrate 1 year under current ownership Friday, October 15. DJ MO will be on the deck, Jack Trillmore will perform live with a single release, and Trevor Berryhill will kick off the pre-show at 7:30. Main show opens at 9, and you can get in for a $5 cover before 10. There will be drink deals to celebrate the anniversary. This is a 21 and up show.

Road trip: The World Cheese Dip Championship happens at the River Market Pavilion in Little Rock this Sunday.

Best of Arkansas Sports has an interesting article on what Arkansas coach Sam Pittman and Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin need to do to get their teams on par with Georgia and Alabama.

Bardog is once again opening at 8 AM Wednesday through Friday. Not sure if not being open at 8 Monday and Tuesday is temporary or permanent. I’ll try to find out, although it may take a week because I don’t plan on being there Saturday.

The South Main Association has announced its South Main Social for October on the 12th at 6 PM. It’ll be at Longshot, the shuffleboard bar in the basement of the Arrive Hotel at South Main and Butler (entrance is around the corner on Butler). SMA members will enjoy complimentary beer from Wiseacre, and signature cocktails and bites will be available. A representative of the hotel will speak, as will folks from Clean Memphis, Vice & Virtue, and the Downtown Memphis Commission.

Thanks to my friend Jason who shared two extremely yummy varieties of buffalo chicken dip yesterday:

Jennifer Westwood and Dylan Dunbar will be the featured entertainment tonight at Live at the Tracks at the Central Station Hotel.

Premier Rugby Sevens comes to AutoZone Park this Saturday, and they have announced an exciting partnership with Ghost River Brewing Company. Ghost River will host the athletes and fans at their Beale Street taproom Friday 6 to 10. They’ll stream Saturday’s tournament in their taproom and host the official after-party.

There will be a new one-night festival called Memphis Music on Main which will coincide with South Main Trolley Night Friday, October 29. It will happen on two stages, the south stage by the Arcade restaurant and the north stage by the Orpheum. Featured performers will include

• Sourhern Avenue
• North Mississippi Allstars
• Al Kapone
• The Prvlg
• Dottie

This is a free event and Halloween costumes are welcome. The event is part of Memphis Music Month.

The Design Review Board approved the Downtown Mobility Center yesterday. The facility will be immediately north of the Orpheum, bordered by Front, Peabody Place, Main, and Beale, and it is expected to solve a lot of Downtown’s parking problems.

From Lifehacker: How to get free food from Wendy’s every day in October. Wendy’s wants people to try their new hot & crispy fries, and they’re pushing the combo of the fries and a Frosty to dip them in. So, for October, anytime you buy fries, you get a small Frosty for free. You have to use the Wendy’s app to secure the deal. Free food? Wonder if the Nuh-Uh Girl will show up. I bet she has a map on her wall with the location of every Wendy’s in her area pinpointed.

Memphis 901 FC plans to Pink Out the Pitch in support of breast cancer awareness for their 6 PM home match against Atlanta United FC on Saturday, October 16. A portion of all ticket sales will be donated to The Cancer Patient Fund at Baptist Memorial Health Care Foundation. ​

Memphis’ soccer club continues on a roll, defeating Sporting Kansas City II yesterday 3-1. 901 FC remains in 4th place in the Central Divison in the USL standings, now a full 3 points ahead of Oklahoma City. Memphis is now only one point away from catching Tulsa for 3rd place. Top 4 teams in the division advance to the playoffs when the regular season ends.

Bass Pro will have a national hiring event for seasonal/holiday positions October 13 and 14 from 11 AM to 7 PM.

If you go to the food truck rodeo in Court Square today, you’re in for a treat of the musical variety. As You Were, a rock band with the U.S. Army Recruiting Command, travels the country showing potential soldiers that there’s more to the Army than you might imagine. They’ll perform noon to 1. They will also have a gaming trailer set up in the gazebo. At least 10 food trucks are expected to be in the park. The weather will be beautiful, so come on out!

75 representatives from all 30 teams were in town to check out Penny Hardaway’s Memphis Tigers for pro day yesterday.

Artist Theaster Gates has been commissioned to create a major installation for the renovated Tom Lee Park. The artwork will challenge viewers to put others ahead of themselves, as Tom Lee did in his Mississippi River rescue.

There will be an Autonomous Robots & Logistics Conference happening at the Sheraton Tuesday through Thursday of next week.

I found out this week why there’s a shortage of PBR in cans: There’s a nationwide aluminum shortage, and canners are prioritizing the high-dolla craft beers and seltzers. Going to a bar and being told there’s no PBR is like coming downstairs on Christmas morning to find that Santa had visited but didn’t leave any presents under the tree.

Bring your dog to music bingo at Grind City Brewery tonight 7-9 PM and get an extra bingo card. Hollywood Feed will be there with prizes and treats.

It’s ’90s trivia night at Cordelia’s Market tonight 6:30-8:30.

It’s Memphis House Mafia Weekend with events at Carolina Watershed and Canvas.

The Gene & Gary Duo will play Downtown Huey’s Sunday at 3 PM.

Thinking about getting involved in a neighborhood association again. I was a member of the DNA from the time I moved down here through 2007 and the SMA through 2010. I guess it makes more sense to re-join the DNA since I don’t live in the South Main Arts District (although my address is on South Main).

I’m going to hit the food truck rodeo at 11 and take food home to eat, then come back at 12 to catch a little of the As You Were Band. Following that I’ll go someplace that has 16-ounce PBR. I plan to watch the first half of Thursday Night Football (Seahawks vs. Rams) at Blind Bear and the second half at home. Back tomorrow with more news.

The Memphis Grizzlies-Milwaukee Bucks pre-season game last night was called off by the NBA after three quarters due to a fire alarm that went off at FedExForum. The Grizzlies were declared the winners, 87-77.

The NBA released the results of its annual general manager survey yesterday. When asked which player was most likely to have a breakout season in 2021-22, the most popular GMs’ answer was Jaren Jackson Jr. of the Grizzlies.

Did you know that Downtown is getting another brewery? Soul & Spirits is opening at 845 N. Main, about a half-mile north of A.W. Willis Ave. near the intersection of Main and Henry. Their first two beers are Bring it On Home, a lager, and Hoochie Coochie, an IPA. Their website says that they are hiring. They plan to have a taproom. They will make an appearance at the Cooper-Young Beerfest this Saturday.

Multiple people who work at the Silly Goose have told me the wood-fired pizza and cocktail lounge will start closing at 7 on Sunday evenings. It will still be open until 3 AM the other six nights of the week.

The award-winning New Wing Order food truck will come to the Gayoso House apartments this Thursday from 4:30-7:30.

Central Station Hotel will hold an on-site job fair next Wednesday, October 13, to hire for the following positions:

• Guest Services Agent
• Night Auditor
• Room Attendants
• Public Space Attendants
• Bartenders
• Restaurant Servers
• Cooks
• Host/Hostess
• Banquet Servers
• Banquet Manager

Be prepared to be interviewed on the spot at the job fair.

Dancing with the Stars Live comes to the Orpheum on March 1.

Tickets go on pre-sale tomorrow and on sale to the general public Friday for the December 6 live broadcast of WWE Monday Night Raw at FedExForum. The arena might want to update its banner image for that event – two of the stars featured prominently, Charlotte Flair and Drew McIntyre, got traded to Smackdown this week.

Check out Tennessee’s new license plate design.

Android users: Watch out for apps that send notifications saying you’ve won a gift. These apps are Trojan horses, programs that appear to do something desirable, but actually do malicious things behind the scenes. In particular, these apps ask you for your phone number, and when you give it, they subscribe you to a premium SMS service charging $40 a month.

Twitter is rolling out Twitter for Professionals, for anyone who uses Twitter to do business.

Fine-dining restaurant Flight is hiring a server assistant.

Today is National Noodle Day. My recommendation would be to celebrate it at Good Fortune Co. on South Main, where they cook Asian dishes with handmade noodles.

For the first time in 25 years, the Trumpster fell off the Forbes 400 list of the richest people in the U.S. That’s gotta be quite a blow to his ego.

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

Lots of news about The Edge District to lead off this morning’s post.

This Friday, October 8, there will be a free concert at Edge Plaza (Monroe & Marshall) from noon to 1 PM featuring Iris Orchestra. Food trucks Mr. Frazier’s Fish Fry and Stick’em will be on hand, so come hungry. Also, if you want to take a tour of the Edge Motor Museum down the street, tickets will be discounted to $5.

This year’s Edge Motorfest will be this Saturday, October 9 from 9 AM to 3 PM. The festival is free to attend, but if you want to enter a car in the car show it’s $20. Awards will be handed out in over 20 categories including street rods, motorcycles, muscle cars, tuners, and modifieds. There will be goodie bags for those who enter as well as door prizes.

Next Tuesday, October 12 from 5:30 to 6:30 PM, the Edge Neighborhood Association will partner with Streetdog Foundation for Yappy Hour at the Edge Triangle dog park at the corner of Orleans and Monroe Extended. Bring your dogs for a costume contest, refreshment, and giveaways. See you next Tuesday on The Edge!

Details are yet to come, but Tuesday, November 9 will be the Memphis Medical Center District’s annual Taste of the District.

The Medical Center District recently interviewed Sean Robinson of Cozy Corner BBQ. Sean is the grandson of the original owners who opened the business in 1977.

NOTE: All of the information above came from the latest issue of The Vitals, the Memphis Medical District Collaborative’s monthly email. Sign up to receive The Vitals on the MMDC website.

British Invasion cover band Jeffrey and the Pacemakers will play Ghost River’s Beale Street location Sunday, October 17 from 4 to 7 PM. If you’ve near heard these guys, they are excellent and you should check them out. They play the hits of the Kinks, the Animals, Herman’s Hermits, and other British Invasion bands including the two most well-known of all of them, the Beatles and the Rolling Stones.

When I went to Rhodes College, my parking decal was a point of pride – it let everyone know I was associated with that fine institution. But now, according to this DM article, Rhodes students are being advised to remove their parking decals from their cars. It seems that the decals are sending the message to criminals that there is nice stuff in the house the car is parked at. Prayers for all who knew Drew Rainier, the Rhodes student killed in a home invasion over the weekend.

Michael Donahue reports for the Memphis Flyer that The Rambler, a boutique apartment hotel at the corner of Main and Huling, is now open for business. An “apartment hotel” is a hotel whose rooms are designed like apartments, which makes them good for longer stays – for example, for someone who’s in town on business for six weeks.

Facebook and Instagram were down for more than 6 hours yesterday. The outage is said to have happened during a routine update to Facebook’s Border Gateway Protocol records. Glad to hear it wasn’t a hack or a denial of service attack.

Windows 11 launches today.

Today is National Get Funky Day.

Tonight is opening night for Come From Away, the first Broadway show at the Orpheum in more than a year and a half.

Memphis Health Center at 277 S. Fourth is holding a job fair today.

That’s the news for this morning. Disappointed that WWE didn’t use the storyline idea I pitched in yesterday’s post. Back tomorrow with more news.

I’m looking at the Memphis 10-day forecast on Weatherbug. Every high is between 75 and 82. Every low is between 64 and 68. PERFECT. We get to have a fall this year. It seems like, in recent years, the highs have stayed around 88 until the middle of October, then dropped like a rock into the 50s.

Cordelia’s Market has announced that beginning today, they will no longer offer their made-to-order sandwich and pizza menus after 4 PM. The reason why is that they’re expanding their line of ready-to-eat dinners, desserts, and sandwiches in their hot box, as well as grab & go offerings in their cooler.

The Daily Memphian has a recap of the Grizzlies’ open practice yesterday, including videos from the rookie dance contest. The first pre-season game is Tuesday at 7 PM, when the Grizzlies will host the 2021 NBA champions, the Milwaukee Bucks, at FedExForum. You can catch the game on TNT.

If you agree with me that the Grizzlies Grannies & Grandpas dance team performances are the best part of attending a game, you’ll want to mark Saturday, October 9 on your calendar. The Grannies and Grandpas will have their first show of the year as the Grizzlies host Atlanta. Come cheer my sweet friend Luanne who is new to the dance team this season!

CBS Sports has updated its bowl projections following week 4 of college football. With Alabama and Georgia both projected for the college football playoff, that clears the way for the number-three team in the SEC, currently Arkansas, to take the spot in the Sugar Bowl. CBS projects a rematch with Texas for the Hogs.

Memphis’ projection is a December 29 appearance at the Fenway Bowl in Boston, playing Louisville. Current projection for Memphis’ Liberty Bowl is Iowa State vs. Mississippi State. Of course, there’s still a lot of football to be played.

Oh, one more… Clemson, a fixture in the playoff since its inception, is now projected to play in the Cheez-it Bowl. Oh how the mighty have fallen. If anyone cares, Kansas State is their projected opponent.

From the CA: City leaders hoped a $30M grant would transform Foote Park at South City. Why it hasn’t worked.

If you’re still on the fence about getting vaccinated, here’s a piece of info that may sway you: If you are identified by the health department as a close contact of someone who has COVID-19, you are required to quarantine – UNLESS you’re fully vaccinated or have had the virus yourself in the last 3 months. Getting those shots is insurance against an unwanted interruption to your routine.

Redbirds fans: Your parent team the St. Louis Cardinals have made it to the National League Wild Card Game. The Cards play the Los Angeles Dodgers at 7:10 PM Wednesday. The game will be televised on TNT, and Wainwright vs. Scherzer is the starting pitcher matchup.

Fun link I found in today’s Morning Brew newsletter: The most counterintuitive facts in all of math, computer science, and physics. Here’s one customers of Aldo’s Pizza Pies should keep in mind: If you order two 12-inch pizzas, you get less pizza than if you order one 18-inch pizza.

It’s National Taco Day, so of course Maciel’s is my lunch recommendation Downtown.

All the times and TV channels have been announced for next Saturday’s college football games, so let’s go ahead and look at games of interest to Memphians:

• 15 Coastal Carolina at Arkansas State, Thursday, October 7, 6:30 PM, ESPNU
• Temple at 5 Cincinnati, Friday, October 8, 6:00 PM, ESPN
• 6 Oklahoma at 21 Texas, 11:00 AM, ABC
• 13 Arkansas at 17 Ole Miss, 11:00 AM, ESPN
• South Carolina at Tennessee, 11:00 AM, ESPN2
• 2 Georgia at 18 Auburn, 2:30 PM, CBS
• 4 Penn State at 3 Iowa, 3:00 PM, FOX
• LSU at 16 Kentucky, 6:30 PM, SEC Network
• 1 Alabama at Texas A&M, 7:00 PM, CBS
• Memphis at Tulsa, 8:00 PM, ESPN2

With that 11 AM lineup, I’m going to have to give some consideration to Max’s Sports Bar as a potential lead-off spot Saturday. Also, the PBR draft at Max’s is $1.25 cheaper than the place I usually go on Saturday.

A 4th-ranked vs. 3rd-ranked showdown? Sounds like that could be Cincy’s ticket into a playoff slot.

The Texas-Oklahoma game might very well determine who takes the Big 12’s spot in the Sugar Bowl.

All right, if you’re not a WWE fan, you’re dismissed. See you tomorrow.

Fantasy booking the second night of the WWE draft: The Usos get drafted to Monday Night Raw, which makes Paul Heyman blow a gasket because Jey and Jimmy have orders to beat the life out of Paul if he can’t get the Usos drafted to Smackdown.

So Paul Heyman proposes a match: The Usos vs. Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods. Winner gets to pick their brand; loser has to accept their draft assignment.

Kingston and Woods win the match and choose to stay on Raw with their New Day stablemate, WWE Champion Big E. The Usos put a beatdown on Paul Heyman as directed by their Tribal Chief, Universal Champion Roman Reigns. Brock Lesnar comes out to save his former adviser from the Usos, and the two reunite against the Bloodline in advance of the Reigns-Lesnar match in Saudi Arabia later this month.

Just an idea. Back tomorrow with more news, if there’s enough news to report.