Sunday update

Bartender: “You can’t be in here if you’re not 21 or up”

Woman, walking into bar, carrying baby: “I’m 23”

Sunrise, the breakfast restaurant over on Jefferson, is now offering mimosa flights. The flavors appear to be strawberry, pineapple, cranberry, and orange.

Silly Goose is hiring two barbacks. They are willing to train. Apply in person.

The Grizzlies tied their record for most wins in a season yesterday, beating the New Orleans Pelicans 141-114. The Grizzlies scored 55 points in the third quarter. Memphis wraps up the regular season tonight hosting the Boston Celtics at 6 PM in a game broadcast on TNT.

I got crawfish at Glaze’s weekly Saturday crawfish boil at Max’s Sports Bar yesterday. They were the size of small dogs!

If you’re a Daily Memphian subscriber, don’t miss this article about The Edge District. One important fact I gleaned: “A fitness and wellness space will reoccupy the lot where Kudzu’s is located.” Well darn! I had hoped that building would remain a neighborhood bar.

Today is National Farm Animals Day.

Three people were shot on the 300 block of Beale around 2 this morning. One died and the other two were transported to the hospital.

ABC 24 has a look at the vegan block party that happened yesterday at Mud Island Grove.

There’s a new party vehicle on the streets of Memphis: The BUS

It’s going to be warmer today – MWN predicts a high of 79 – but it’s going to be windy, with south winds of 25 gusting to 35.

Maybe the high winds will prevent today from turning into another Shitshow Sunday as happened on bar patios in the Downtown core last week. People were sneaking their own alcohol onto patios, setting up multiple outside speakers despite “no outside speakers” signs, bringing hookahs onto patios.

Time for me to go get a good seat for the shitshow. Back tomorrow.

Saturday update

Yesterday for lunch I got a Memphis in May Roll from STIX: Snow crab and tempura crunch in a sushi roll topped with tuna, salmon, sweet soy, and spicy aioli. Delicious!

The bubble tea shop next to Bluefin is now open. That’s the space that was a Chester’s Fried Chicken franchise for a while.

The Redbirds posted that the $2 draft they sell on Thursdays is PBR. Only fitting that the best minor league ballpark in the world sells the best beer in the world.

Sammy Hagar has joined the Memphis in May lineup for Friday, April 29, filling the spot vacated when the Foo Fighters canceled.

Memphis Made Brewing Co. teams up with Clean Memphis, Project Green Fork, Memphis Tilth, and Bring It Food Hub to present Bread to Tap this afternoon. Leftover baguettes donated by @lucyj_bakes will be used to brew Baguette About It, a bready-tasting beer with a light body and a slight hop aroma. Come try this new beer and learn about food waste issues.

The Falls Building at Front and Court is kicking out its office tenants so that it can be renovated into condos and residential use. That will cause the Greater Memphis Chamber to move to The Tower at Peabody Place.

Sugar Ghost products are coming to Cordelia’s Market, including a Mud Island flavor: caramel, chocolate pretzels, peanut butter cups, and pecans.

Ja Morant has been upgraded to questionable for tonight’s Grizzlies home game vs. New Orleans.

Loflin Yard is looking for a sound engineer to mix its live shows. They’re looking for someone with experience audio mixing, particularly the X AIR app. The engineer would need to be available on weekends, especially Sunday afternoons for live shows. Send your resume to colin@loflinyard.com if interested.

Streaming site Magellan TV will pay someone $2400 to watch 24 hours of true crime documentaries. I’d do that!

Those of you observing Lent, are you getting tired of eating fish? Capybara, beaver, and other aquatic mammals are considered “fish” for Lent purposes. Clergy in Venezuela wrote to the Vatican several centuries ago asking for an exception for the capybara, given that it has webbed feet and spends most of its time in the water. The exception was granted.

Bob Dylan plays the Orpheum tonight. Tickets start at $59.50, which is actually quite reasonable to see a legend like Dylan.

Over at the Halloran Centre, New Ballet presents Springloaded today and tomorrow.

Pink Floyd recorded its first new music in 28 years in support of Ukraine.

New Science System plays Memphis Clover Club tonight at 9.

Taking a victory lap (IYKYK!) today: Leading off at Memphis Farmers Market, then over to Max’s Sports Bar for Glaze’s weekly crawfish boil. Later I might play a song on the jukebox at Earnestine & Hazel’s. Back tomorrow with more news.

Friday update

Great news for restaurants whose business was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic: This week the House passed $42 billion in additional restaurant relief. The bill moves on to the Senate and is likely to pass there too.

Action News 5 reports on the rundown conditions at Mud Island Park. There are broken windows, broken lights, and the Mississippi River model is filled with dirt and weeds.

Want to work for a great local coffee shop in the heart of Downtown? Cafe Keough is hiring a barista.

The Brass Door is also hiring – bartenders, servers, kitchen staff. Must have day and night availability.

The Spring issue of Edible Memphis comes out today, and they’ll host a Pick-up Party at 409 S. Main this evening at the Chicken Champagne & Caviar pop-up restaurant from 5-7. Specials:

  • Two specialty cocktails $8
  • Domestic beer cans $3
  • Godhopper cans $5
  • Poppy’s Pils cans $5

The Denver Nuggets beat the Memphis Grizzlies last night to secure the 6 seed in the Western Conference. The Grizzlies come home for two games that mean diddly-squat for the standings: Saturday at 5:00 vs. New Orleans (NBAtv) and Sunday at 6:00 vs. Boston (TNT). The Grizzlies have locked in the 2 seed and will play the winner of the Minnesota Timberwolves-L.A. Clippers play-in game in the first round of the playoffs.

The Secret World of Jack Robinson: A Contemporary Dance Concert happens tonight at 6 at Jack Robinson Gallery on Huling. Tennessee Ballet will explore the work of the photographer and stained-glass designer.

The CA reports that a vacant building in The Edge at 633 Monroe could become a restaurant and apartments. The restaurant could include rooftop dining.

ABC 24 has a look at Shroomilicious, a pop-up kitchen that will be serving at the Vegan Block Party on Mud Island tomorrow. A scientist recently found that mushrooms communicate with each other using up to 50 “words.”

Mass Transit has an article on the Groove on Demand shuttle service. Groove recently expanded its coverage and hours.

Stop by Earnestine & Hazel’s tonight for National Dive Bar Day.

Getwell 9 plays Carolina Watershed tonight at 9.

The Nhsay food truck (Cajun/Creole, Asian fusion) will be in Health Sciences Park today 11-1 for Food Truck Friday.

Get free photos with the Easter Bunny this weekend at Bass Pro at the Pyramid. This time of year, I have a lot of trouble telling the difference between the PBR delivery man and the Easter Bunny.

Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson was confirmed as a Supreme Court justice by the Senate yesterday in a 53-47 vote. Jackson received the vote of all 50 Democrats plus Republican Senators Collins, Murkowski, and Romney.

MemphisWeather.net predicts a high of only 53 today with winds 17 MPH gusting to 25. Tonight frost is possible with a low of 36.

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

Thursday update

Today’s a day when there are sure to be arguments as to what to put on TVs at bars. It’s Major League Baseball’s Opening Day, and it’s the first day of the Masters golf tournament.

One solution would be to watch sports at Max’s Sports Bar, which has a dozen TVs. A few pieces of news about Max’s:

  1. They will be cooking crawfish and boiled shrimp this Saturday. Doors open at 11 and the first batch will come off at 12. I heard last week’s boil was not real busy so I may show up this Saturday.
  2. Malort is back at Max’s.
  3. They’re temporarily putting their signature cocktail Purple Drank on hold to make room for springtime concoctions.

Action News 5 toured The Peanut Shoppe’s new location for its latest 5 Star Story.

Cerrito Entertainment will host music trivia on Old Dominick’s rooftop tonight from 7 to 9.

ALERT for bar owners and managers: I’m hearing of a new trend, particularly during Sunday brunch hours. Large groups will come to the restaurant and order a round of drinks. But then they’ll move out onto the patio, where they pull out and start consuming alcohol they brought in with them. That behavior is illegal, extremely disrespectful to the business, and trashy… so I guess I’m not at all surprised to hear it’s happening in Memphis. If you run a bar, you might want to make sure you avoid the following situations, especially on Sunday afternoons:

  1. A situation in which people can sit on the patio, but they have to come inside and order from a lone bartender; i.e. no one is ever keeping an eye on the patio
  2. A situation where an employee is assigned to the patio, but they’re too intimidated by the large groups to say anything about the outside alcohol

The DM’x Jennifer Biggs has a sneak preview of Fancy’s Fish House, opening tomorrow on MLK Avenue.

The Memphis Redbirds take the field at 6:45 tonight in their throwback Memphis Chicks uniforms for a game vs. Gwinnett. There will be $2 draft beers and $1 hot dogs.

Yesterday I heard about a business called Bluff City Garden Parties that will plan a luxury picnic for you. The picnic includes blankets, cushions, real flatware, a Bluetooth speaker, cloth napkins, everything you need. If you want something more basic, they have picnic basket drop-offs. They also have a picnic & paint experience.

Paulette’s and Tug’s are throwing a party in the courtyard every Thursday from 6 to 9 PM. Today they have ACME Memphis Party Band bringing rock, R&B, and a splash of country to Mud Island.

The summer menu has landed at Dr. Bean’s Coffee and Tea Emporium inside Stock & Belle at 387 S. Main. They have a raspberry lime cold brew soda, a root beer latte, and an Imperial Stout latte that is a collaboration with Soul & Spirits Brewing.

Speaking of Soul & Spirits, the DM reports that they have a new Manes on Main festival scheduled for May 14. There will be a hair & beard competition, food trucks, local vendors, outdoor entertainment, and limited-edition beers.

FedEx Logistics moved into its new corporate headquarters on Second just south of Beale this week.

This is the last week for the Calvary Waffle Shop and Lenten Preaching Series. Get your corned beef & cabbage today and your fish pudding tomorrow.

A 2008 Mercedes-Beenx C300 was reported taken in an armed robbery last night about 10:20 near the hotels across Main Street from Court Square.

I tried Crosstown Brewing Co.’s Arnold Palmer (lemonade and tea flavors) and Vision Board (fruity influences) yesterday. Both were very tasty!

Memphis Farmers Market welcomed a new vendor this season: Cherie Canela, owner of Artesenal de Tela. Her booth will offer traditional Honduran baked goods including pan de coco, tortas de queso, baguettes, and ciabattas.

Alvie Givhan Quartet will provide an evening of jazz Thursday, April 21 from 8:00 to 9:30 PM in the downstairs of the Brass Door. Seating is limited, so they suggest you get your tickets early.

Cashapp announced a data breach by a former employee. It applies to U.S. users. Full names and brokerage account info were taken, but not bank account info or Social Security numbers.

The Grizzlies travel to Denver for a game against the Nuggets tonight at 8. Locally it will be on Bally Sports Southeast. This game has no importance standings-wise for Memphis, but it does for Denver. If the Nuggets win tonight, they clinch the 6 seed in the West and avoid the play-in series.

The second phase of the Snuff District in Uptown has been approved by the Design Review Board. That’ll bring 294 more multi-family residences to the area, as well as retail and restaurant space.

YOGA! Downtown Yoga will hold a 45-minute outdoor Vinyasa class in Martyrs Park Sunday, April 17 at 2 PM. Cost is $16 or you can use your Downtown Yoga class package.

The Downtown Memphis Commission is seeking proposals to redevelop the former Tater Red’s space on Beale Street.

Today is National Beer Day and I plan to celebrate with the nation’s best beer, which is of course PBR. Today is also National Burrito Day. You can find a truck or two serving burritos today at the food truck rodeo in Court Square.

Smokey Robinson plays the Orpheum tonight.

Over at the Halloran Centre tonight and tomorrow, Robert Moody presents The Orchestra Unplugged: The Secrets of Strings.

There’s a voter ready open house at all Shelby County polling locations 4-7 this evening to prepare citizens for upcoming early voting.

Yubu, a Memphis musician originally from Nairobi, Kenya, will play Loflin Yard Sunday from noon to 3. He’ll blend reggae, funk, afrobeat, and blues-rock influences.

But, wait, you don’t have to wait until Sunday to catch Yubu… he’ll perform with The Ancient Youth tonight at Live at the Tracks at Central Station Hotel from 6:30 to 9:30.

STIX Downtown has announced its STIX Picks Combo for April. $20 gets you

  • A ginger salad
  • Teriyaki shrimp with fried rice
  • A South Main roll

That’ll do it for today. Back tomorrow with more.

Wednesday update

A new champion was crowned in Memphis last night. The episode of Chopped that Tamra Patterson, AKA Chef Tam, competed in last year, aired on TV and Chef Tam was the winner. She competed in a BLT-themed competition, making mac & cheese balls, cheddar kale grits, and stuffed French toast with candied bacon. Try Chef Tam’s food for yourself at her Underground Cafe at 668 Union.

Trivia returned to the Blind Bear last night for the first time since the stupid pandemic restrictions were lifted, and it was way more fun than I expected it to be. Billed as “pop culture trivia,” there were 10 rounds of 10 questions each – that’s right, ONE HUNDRED questions!!! Many of the questions were about movies, music, actors, and actresses, but by no means all of them. Two examples: “What does GMT stand for?” (Greenwich Mean Time) and “Who was the teacher in The Legend of Sleepy Hollow?” (Ichabod Crane) There was a Name That Tune question for each round, the first of which was “Light My Fire” by The Doors.

There was a prize per round, and the winning team got their choice of an assortment of knick-knacks and bar-themed apparel. A $20 Blind Bear gift card was on the line in the final round. There were also opportunities to play bonus games like cornhole and Plinko. Tons of fun and an event that brought the locals together.

A new shop called Grind City Grocer has opened on the ground floor of The Washburn, on the Main Street Mall a half block north of Union. The store sells the products of local makers, including coffee, condiments, mixers, pantry items, preserves, seasoning, snacks, sweets, novelty items, and pet items. They support a variety of diets including gluten-free, dairy-free, vegetarian, and vegan.

The Majestic Grille is now open Tuesday-Friday all day with no break in between lunch and dinner. 11-9 Tuesday-Friday, 11-2 and 4-9 Saturday, 10-2 Sunday.

Also, the Majestic is hiring full-time and part-time hosts and servers, and they say that no experience is necessary, just a willingness to learn. This is a place where the owners treat employees like family and offer opportunities for them to develop professionally. Perks of working there include

  • flexible hours
  • health benefits
  • paid time off
  • vaccination bonus
  • paid training

Email reservations@majesticgrille.com to set up a time to apply and interview.

I don’t know if any Billy Joel fans read this blog, but in case they do, I’ll mention there’s a Billy Joel tribute called “The Stranger” featuring Mike Santoro tonight at 7 at Lafayette’s Music Room.

Itta Bena is hiring line cooks. They offer competitive pay based on experience.

Mighty Souls Brass Band plays a free show at Wiseacre Downtown this Saturday 2:30-4:30.

Major League Baseball is going to allow anti-sign-stealing technology for the 2022 season. Catchers will be able to communicate signs to pitchers and up to three other players via a listening device. It’s widely believed the Houston Astros stole signs to win the 2017 World Series.

The Grizzlies will have to wait for their record-tying 56th win. They lost to Utah in overtime last night. Elsewhere in the Western Conference, the Clippers, New Orleans, and San Antonio have clinched play-in berths, meaning no Lakers, no LeBron in the playoffs this year.

Out of time… back tomorrow with more news.

Tuesday update

Pop culture trivia with Velvetina debuts at the Blind Bear tonight at 7:30. It’s free to play and you can win Blind Bear gift card prizes.

I’m usually a highly-sought-after trivia team member, but not so when pop culture is the theme. I remember when Charles was calling trivia and the first question of the night was, “What performer’s alter-ego is named Sasha Fierce?” He came around to look at everyone’s answers.

Me: (shrugs shoulders)

Charles liked everyone to get question 1 right, so he whispered a few hints.

Charles: She married Jay-Z.

Me: (shrugs shoulders)

Charles: She was a member of Destiny’s Child.

Me: (shrugs shoulders)

Charles: Not Beyon-listen, but Beyon-……..

Me: (shrugs shoulders)

Charles: I’ll just give you the point.

Looking forward to what Velvetina has in store for tonight. Maybe there’ll be a prize for the team that finishes last so I can win something.

The Grizzlies play a road game at Utah tonight. If the Grizzlies win, they’ll tie their franchise record of 56 wins in a season. However, with the 2 seed in the West locked in, expect coach Taylor Jenkins to rest multiple players. Utah, considered a top-two team in the West just a few months ago, is fighting to stay out of play-in games.

One more note: It is now impossible for any team in the Eastern Conference to catch up to the Grizzlies’ regular-season record. So if Memphis reaches the NBA Finals, they’ll have home-court advantage.

Bardog posted the following job opening to Facebook yesterday:

Bardog Tavern, a popular and high-volume bar in Downtown Memphis, is seeking an experienced Nighttime Bar Manager with exceptional people skills and the ability to perform under pressure in a fun, fast-paced, and late-night environment. Normal schedule is 7pm-3am, Wednesday-Sunday.
Benefits include:
– Health, Vision, and Dental plan after 60 days
– 2 weeks paid vacation after 6 months
– Bonuses & employee discounts

It’s Opening Day and Nacho Average Tuesday at the Memphis Redbirds. All fans will receive a complimentary order of Ballpark Nachos. Their opponent is the Gwinnett Stripers and first pitch is 7:05. First 1000 fans get a Redbirds magnet 2022 schedule.

Tomorrow the Redbirds will have their first matinee of the season, facing Gwinnett at 12:05 PM. All Field Box and Dugout tickets will be $10 for Wednesday’s game.

COVID cases in Shelby County have been near record lows since the start of the pandemic, but one statistic has turned bad this week: COVID Act Now reports that the reinfection rate in the county stands at 1.07. A rate greater than 1 indicates that the virus is spreading exponentially. If you haven’t got vacc’d or boosted, you might want to beat COVID to the punch and get that done this week.

There will be a Vegan Block Party at Mud Island Grove, 1300 Island Drive, Saturday from 11 AM to 5 PM. 12 vegan food vendors, 7 vegan food trucks, and 10 shopping vendors. This event is family-friendly and you’re welcome to bring blankets or lawn chairs, although no pets, outside food, or coolers are allowed.

Feathers Spa in the Peabody is now open 7 days a week, 10 AM to 6 PM.

The Renasant Convention Center will host the U.S. National High School (K-12) Chess Championships this weekend.

Catherine & Mary’s is looking to hire a sous chef.

New Wing Order got me with an April Fool’s joke! I thought they were serious about their Coney Island wings with mustard, ketchup, and relish. I admit I thought, “Ketchup on wings sounds a little disgusting,” but I never thought about the date of the post. Their real April special is Huli Huli. That’s a pineapple-based wing sauce that starts off with garlic, ginger, and scallions, finished with soy sauce, honey, rice vinegar, chiles, and cayenne. Catch the food truck Downtown Saturday at Soul & Spirits.

Not cool: Tennessee lawmakers are considering banning most Delta-8 THC products

That’s the news to start off this drizzly morning. Back tomorrow with more.

Quick Monday update

8 North Carolina vs. 1 Kansas for the NCAA men’s championship, 8:20 tonight on TBS. I don’t care who wins, but I want them to win by 12 so America gets free Krispy Kreme donuts tomorrow. The closest KK to the 38103 zip code is 7.74 miles away at 4244 Elvis Presley Blvd.

The Redbirds are offering a specialty ticket that comes with all-you-can-eat crawfish this Friday and Saturday. Friday’s game is at 7:05 PM and Saturday’s at 3:05 PM. Saturday’s game also offers a specialty Bark in the Park ticket that gets both you and your dog in the park.

Crowne Plaza Downtown is seeking a shuttle driver.

“A large franchise firm in Downtown Memphis” (AutoZone?) seeks a payroll coordinator and a payroll assistant. The positions are being advertised via recruiting firm Robert Half.

Today is World Rat Day. My recommendation to celebrate is a visit to the Family Dollar warehouse in West Memphis.

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

Sunday update

A new scam was reported on Downtown Nextdoor yesterday. Thieves pose as window washers to have a reason to be in the area. Then, when they think no one is looking, they break into cars. They were run off from Gayoso near Second yesterday.

Wiseacre Downtown and Little Bettie pizza kitchen will be closed all day today for an employee event.

If either the NCAA men’s or women’s championship game is decided by exactly 12 points, every person in the U.S. will qualify for a dozen free Krispy Kreme glazed donuts April 5. The men’s championship, North Carolina vs. Kansas, will be on TBS at 8:20 Monday. The women’s championship, UConn vs. South Carolina, will be on ESPN at 7:00 tonight.

The Redbirds are having a flash sale for tickets to games for their opening 2022 homestand, April 5-10. Use code CONCESSIONS to get a $15 field box ticket that comes with a $10 voucher for the concession stand.

Gerald Richardson, T.O. Crivens, and J.Buck perform acoustic music tonight at S.O.S. (Served on Sunday) tonight at Robusto by Havana Mix. It kicks off at 6 PM and there’s a $10 cover.

One of the strongest performers of the 2021-2022 Memphis Tigers men’s basketball team appears to be gone. Landers Nolley II has entered the transfer portal.

Police are searching for a homeless man, 51-year-old Gregory Neal Jenkins, who sometimes frequents Downtown shelters.

Kountry Wayne performs at the Cannon Center tonight.

The Cafeteria has its grand opening today at 850 S. Third from 11 AM to 7 PM. Note that they’re temporarily having problems with their Internet so today is cash only.

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

April 2 update

I don’t think too many people were fooled by my April Fool’s post. Y’all don’t really think I’d drop my troll without noticing, do you?

The Grizzlies beat the league-best Phoenix Suns 122-114 in a game that didn’t matter to the standings and in which 4 of Memphis’ 5 usual starters sat (Dillon Brooks started and scored 30).

Although Memphis’ remaining games don’t matter – they’ve got the 2-seed locked – the standings still are worth watching. Let’s review the play-in tournament structure to see why:

  • 7th place plays 8th place – winner advances to the playoffs as the 7 seed
  • 9th place plays 10th place – loser is eliminated and goes to the lottery
  • 7-8 loser plays 9- 10 winner – winner advances to the playoffs as the 8 seed; loser is eliminated and goes to the lottery
  • First round of the playoffs – 2 seed (Grizzlies) plays 7 seed

So Memphis will wind up playing the 7th- or 8th-place team in the West in the opening round. Currently that would be the Minnesota Timberwolves (44-34) or the L.A. Clippers (38-40).

Grizzlies first-round playoff tickets go on sale Wednesday. MVP season ticket holders can buy them on Tuesday. Maximum 4 tickets per sale and they must be purchased by someone in Tennessee or in the greater Mid-South area.

ESPN Insider reports that Robert Pera has done well for himself since buying the Grizzlies, and is now the 3rd-richest owner in the NBA with a net worth of about $15 billion. This is important because Pera’s wealth means he is unlikely to flinch at paying luxury tax to keep the Ja & Jaren & Dillon & Desmond Show together when contract renewal time comes.

In Tigers basketball news, Lester Quinones has declared for the NBA draft.

Bad night for vehicles Downtown last night… vehicles were reported stolen from Monroe & Fourth and from 40 N. Front.

The New Wing Order food truck has announced their April special. To celebrate the return of baseball, they’ll serve Coney Island wings, topped with mustard, ketchup, and sweet relish. You can get them as traditional wings, boneless wings, or their new dinosaur nuggies.

STIX has started selling bottles of its Yum Yum sauce for $7. The sauce is great for dipping meats and veggies and it can also be used as a marinade.

Feast & Graze at 55 S. Main has a new app – Soppressata Cones. They are made with goat cheese, pepperoncinis, and a toasted baguette.

Cordelia’s Market has giant Mandarin oranges. They appear to have a little knot on their heads, but they taste great. They are sweeter and taste more of citrus than regular oranges.

We now know Chef Michael Patrick’s next move after closing Rizzo’s. The CA’s Jennifer Chandler reports that he’s taking an executive chef position at Capital Grille. Chef will fly to Boston for a 6-week training session with Capital Grille’s parent company, Darden Restaurants, before taking over at Capital.

WREG Live at 9 looks at the Jurassic Quest dinosaur exhibit at the convention center this weekend.

The Redbirds have announced their promotions for 2022. Opening Day is April 5.

Final Four today:

  • 2 Villanova vs. 1 Kansas, 5:09 PM, TBS
  • 8 North Carolina vs. 2 Duke, 7:49 PM, TBS

I’m rooting for Coach K to win one more title before he retires. He’ll be remembered along all-time great basketball coaches like Phog Allen, Henry Iba, and John Wooden.

That’s the news for now. Trying to decide on a plan for today. Option A is to enjoy a psycho-free Farmers Market followed by Max’s and Earnestine & Hazel’s. Option B is to observe the human condition at Blind Bear. In any case, I’m putting my external charger in my pocket because the first of a 2-night Wrestlemania is tonight. Ready to see if the mystery opponent is indeed Cody Rhodes and if Bianca will cut off more of Becky’s hair. Back tomorrow with more news.

Friday update :(

Today is off to a very bad start.

This morning I rolled out of bed and walked to the refrigerator to get some water. As I walked past the kitchen counter I surveyed the contents of my pockets last night. Phone, wallet. comb, pen, keys. But no troll.

“I probably forgot to pull her out of my pocket last night,” I thought. “I do that sometimes.” I walked over to the couch where I had thrown the pair of shorts I wore last night. I reached into the left front pocket. The troll wasn’t there.

I thought back to last night. As I walked home from the Blind Bear, I heard the notification ding go off on my phone. I pulled it out of my pocket, as I was standing approximately in front of the record store, and saw that someone had mentioned me on Instagram. I put the phone back in my pocket and walked the rest of the way home.

When I pulled out the phone, I must have grabbed the troll’s hair, pulled her out too, and dropped her without realizing it.

This morning I threw my clothes on and rushed down to that block of Main, hoping maybe the troll would still be there, lying on the ground. But she was nowhere to be seen.

So I guess I don’t have a troll anymore. :( She was with me 5 years and almost 4 months.

:(

Anyway, let’s get on with the news…

The Peabody rooftop parties return Thursday nights starting April 28. This year, they will be hosted by DJ Epic, featuring Epic solely every other week and hosting regional touring bands every other week. The first party will feature Almost Famous with a guest performance by Jena Rose. Weekly admission is $15. Rooftop party season will run through August 4.

Disney Princess: The Concert Tour, presented by Pandora, comes to the Orpheum tonight. Songs will celebrate all the Disney princesses throughout the years. Attendees are invited to wear royal attire. This concert is recommended for ages 6 and up.

Wendy Moten plays a 7:30 show Saturday and a 2:30 show Sunday at the Halloran Centre for the Performing Arts. Tickets are $37.50.

The 3rd annual River City Jazz and Music Festival, presented by Fresh Ideas Entertainment, will happen at the Cannon Center this Saturday beginning at 6:30 PM. This is a rescheduled date and tickets previously purchased will be honored. Performers include

  • Eric Benet
  • After 7
  • Kenny Latimore
  • Gerald Albright
  • Julian Vaughn
  • Joe Johnson

Jennifer Biggs of the DM has a look at the fish sandwich from Bishop as part of her article on dishes for Lent.

Thanks to the Shelby County Health Department, you can get a ticket to visit the National Civil Rights Museum for free on Monday, the 54th anniversary of Dr. King’s death. You have to register online and pick up your ticket by the end of the day today.

That’ll do it. Back tomorrow with more news.