Month: October 2022

I’ve got things to do this morning, so only one news item in today’s post. However, it’s a good one.

901 Speaks is a new podcast that will be starting up next month. It will be hosted by two good friends of mine, Austin “Coyote” Wiley and Andrew “Big Andrew” Usher. The purpose of the podcast, as I understand it, is to tell the stories of real people in Downtown Memphis.

They come from diverse backgrounds. Coyote is a bartender/server/barback at one of Downtown’s favorite watering holes. Big Andrew comes from corporate IT. Both of them frequent the same Downtown spots I do.

Very excited to hear what they create. I’ll let you know when the first episode drops.

Yesterday at Bardog, I was talking to a Grizzlies employee and learned an interesting fact: Cars driven into indoor arenas are not allowed to have their gas tanks more than one-third full. If they come in fuller than that, the excess gasoline has to be siphoned off. I guess the purpose is to limit the fire hazard risk should the vehicle somehow go up in flames.

WREG reports that the Indigo Riverview high-rise apartment building, formerly Renew Riverview and before that 99 Tower, has had no heat or hot water for almost a week. Management is giving residents tickets to use the shower a couple of blocks away at the YMCA. Jeez. They need to take care of residents properly and put them up in a hotel.

The Church of the River on Virginia Ave. will have a Diwali celebration (Hindu festival of lights) Sunday from 11 to noon,

Hide your food alert – The Nuh-Uh Girl will be in town Saturday through Halloween.

For those of you not familiar, the Nuh-Uh Girl was my neighbor from 2006-2014. She’s currently a sommelier in Park City, Utah. If you order food at a restaurant, she’ll magically appear at your table right as it comes out (I swear, she must have a food radar), and she’ll ask, “Can I have a biiiiiiite? ” Then she’ll eat three-fourths of your dinner.

She’s a perfectly nice person other than her tendency to eat people’s food. Well, she does have one other serious flaw: She’s a Tennessee Vols fan.

The Memphis Flyer is throwing a holiday spirits cocktail festival on Friday, December 9 from 6 to 9 PM. It’ll be at The Kent, the new event space at the corner of Front and Keel in Uptown. The event benefits Volunteer Memphis and attendees get 12 sample-sized holiday cocktails.

The Vous, an indie film documentary about legendary Downtown BBQ restaurant The Rendezvous, has premiered after five years in the making.

I hear lasagna with a side salad and garlic bread is going to be the $10 lunch special at Local on Main today.

Max’s Sports Bar’s winter merchandise has arrived and is now for sale. They have heavy pullover hoodies, lightweight hoodies, and beanies.

The KenPom ratings, which rate college basketball teams based on analytics, are out. The Memphis Tigers are ranked 34th and 2nd in the AAC.

The Grizzlies won their season opener, beating the New York Knicks 115-112 in overtime. The betting line on the number of points Ja would score was 29.5 and I foolishly told someone to take the under. “I bet he’ll start off the season slow,” I commented. WRONG!  Ja dropped 34 on the Knicks. Nice to see Santi Aldama drop 18 after getting little playing time last year.

Happy International Day of the Air Traffic Controller to my friend, retired controller Air Traffic Mike.

Need a pet chicken? Memphis Animal Services has more than 200.

A meteor shower is expected to hit its peak tonight.

All right. It’s coming up on 10 AM and I’m just not in the mood to do a lot of adulting today. I think I’ll walk over to Bardog and see if there are any free plays on the jukebox (they often seed it with 10 dollars in the mornings) and see if Number One stopped by for breakfast on her way to work (the “pools are fun, summer is fun” girl – feel free to ask her what “Number One” means). Back tomorrow with more news.

The Grizzlies host the NY Knicks in their regular-season home opener tonight at 6:30. The game will be nationally televised on ESPN.

River Arts Fest is this weekend. Over 100 art vendors, live music, live street performances, a kids’ area, and carnival food. Tickets for adults are $10 one day or $15 both days.

Downtown Dining Week is November 7-13. Downtown restaurants give diners an incredible meal and an incredible deal for the low price of $20.22. About half the restaurants have uploaded their DDW special menus at this point. I’ll say what I say every year: If you see a place you’d like to try, DO NOT DELAY making reservations. Slots for dining at the most popular times will fill up FAST.

Memphis Made Brewing Co. presents The Fish Bowl Big Bowling Championship at Bass Pro at the Pyramid Wednesday, October 26. 28 spots are available for sign-up and the top 3 will receive trophies and prizes.

Bobbie Stacks and Kevin Kilgore will play Slider Inn Downtown Friday from 7 to 10 PM.

Alice Hasen and Walt Busby will perform Thursday evening at Eight & Sand Lounge in Central Station for this week’s edition of Live at the Tracks.

Ashton Riker and Andrew Saino play the Silly Goose tonight at 8.

Edible Memphis reports that Edge Alley is extending its lunch and brunch hours. They’ll now be open 10:30-3:00 Wednesday-Friday and 9:30-3:00 Saturday and Sunday.

Mayor Jimbo from Mempho proposed a soccer stadium for Memphis 901 FC as part of a $684M sports package. It would replace the Mid-South Coliseum. The package also contains money to upgrade AutoZone Park, the Liberty Bowl, and FedExForum.

Early voting for the November 8 general election begins today. Here’s a list of polling locations. You can early vote at any location. The Downtown location is the Shelby County office building at Second and Poplar.

Today is International Gin and Tonic Day. My recommendation would be to go see Jessica at Local on Main for one between noon and 7:30. Ask her, “Did Paul really make you eat a cricket?” Also, Jess loves it when you burp in front of her.

Seven people were arrested for a brawl on Beale that included guns.

From Rolling Stone: The generous life and tragic death of Young Dolph

Let’s have a look at college football games of interest to Memphians this Saturday:

• UT Martin vs. 3 (ugh) Tennessee, 11:00 AM, SEC Network
• 14 Syracuse at 5 Clemson, 11:00 AM, ABC
• 7 Ole Miss at LSU, 2:30 PM, CBS
• 9 UCLA at 10 Oregon, 2:30 PM, FOX
• 20 Texas at 11 Oklahoma State, 2:30 PM, ABC
• Memphis at 25 Tulane, 2:30 PM, ESPN2
• Arkansas State at Louisiana, 4:00 PM, ESPN+
• 24 Mississippi State at 6 Alabama, 6:00 PM, ESPN
• 17 Kansas State at 8 TCU, 7:00 PM, FS1

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

Red rova, red rova, who’s coming ova? Not just everyone. Happy birthday to NEAL aka HOLLYWOOD!

I’d like to start off this post with a word for people who come Downtown, especially from Germantown, to attend matinee Orpheum shows. It is NOT REASONABLE to walk into a crowded nearby restaurant 40 minutes before curtain time and think you’re going to have time to be seated and order and be served and eat and tab out and walk to the theater. I saw so much food being returned to the kitchen yesterday because customers didn’t have time to eat it. And some of the guests were blaming the servers when it wasn’t the servers’ fault at all. Nor was it the kitchen’s.

My advice would be, if the show is set to begin at 1:00, you need to be walking into the restaurant no later than 11:55. Worst case scenario, you make it to the Orpheum 20 minutes early and have time to enjoy a nice glass of wine before you take your seats.

MemphisWeather.net has a blog post about the cold spell that will hit Memphis this week. It’s possible we could see freezing temperatures, which would be one of the earliest freezes ever recorded in Memphis.

Memphis 901 FC defeated FC Tulsa Saturday to clinch the 2 seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs. They’ll host the opening round Saturday at a time to be determined. The 2 seed guarantees they’ll have the home-field advantage in at least the first two rounds.

The Grizzlies have signed Brandon Clarke to a 4-year, $52 million extension. The deadline to extend players is today at 6 PM. The big question is, will they extend Dillon Brooks? I sure hope so.

Today is National Pasta Day. Spaghetti with Grandma’s New Jersey meatballs at Bardog would be my suggestion to celebrate.

On a personal note, I’m kinda worried about the weather this week. In October 2018, the temps dropped from 87 to the low 50s like a rock, and the change in the weather caused my legs to get really bad. I fell trying to get on my bike and I fell trying to get up the entry steps to the Blind Bear. I hope that doesn’t happen again.

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

Well. Even I have to admit that was an exciting football game. It just didn’t produce the result I wanted.

In case you’re wondering what I’m talking about, the Tennessee Vols ended their 15-year losing streak to Alabama yesterday, kicking a field goal to win 52-49.

I didn’t watch the game at Max’s Sports Bar, but I hear the people at the Old Coots Corner Table were so excited that they played some Lawrence Welk on the jukebox to celebrate.

Meanwhile, over in K-ville, Vols fans tore down a goalpost and threw it in the river. That is such a Tennessee thing to do.

UGH… now we’re gonna have a week of Vols fans going “I REALLY THINK THIS YEAAAARRRRR…. THIS COULD BE ARRRRRRR YEARRRRRRRR.” Let’s have a look at their remaining schedule and see who might be able to shut the Vols’ horrible fans up: (rankings are last week’s, writing this before today’s AP poll has dropped)

• October 22: vs. UT-Martin. Well, I think it’s safe to say the Vols have this one. Although, it would be SO VERY TENNESSEE for them to lose this game a week after beating Bama.
• October 29 vs. 22 Kentucky. I’d give Kentucky a chance if this was a road game for the Vols. ESPN FPI has Tennessee as an 82.5% favorite.
• November 5 at 1 Georgia. The Vols are a 21.8% underdog. Trouble is, if they lose to Georgia but otherwise run the table, they’d still have a good chance of making the CFP.
• After that it’s three of the SEC bottom-dwellers: Missouri, South Carolina, Vanderbilt. It’d sure be funny if Tennessee wins against Kentucky, Missouri, and South Carolina, and the playoff seems within reach… and then the team pulls a typical Vol move and loses to Vandy.

All right. I don’t have ANY Sunday news in the Evernote app I keep on my phone and MacBook… usually I come home with 8-10 news items to write about the next day. I have almost two hours before the Blind Bear opens, though, so let me dig around the Internet a bit and see what I can find…

Today is National Liqueur Day.

Today is also Global Cat Day.

And since I own a MacBook, iPhone, Apple Watch, and HomePod Mini, I guess I should celebrate Steve Jobs Day.

One more… it’s National Sunday School Teacher Appreciation Day. I don’t have a Sunday school teacher, but I do have a bartender. When I get to the Blind Bear, I’ll tell Kelly I appreciate him.

Oh! That reminds me… I hear a new trainee will be working the brunch shift today. If you meet the trainee, here are some questions you can ask her:

1. Can you recommend a moonshine shot? Maybe a mixture of two types of moonshine?
2. Can you name an outdoor activity that’s fun?
3. Can you name a season of the year that’s fun?
4. How many times have you been mentioned in Paul’s blog?
5. Has Randy texted you today to tell you that you were mentioned again?

There was a shooting in The Edge, near 630 Madison, around 4:00 this morning. One person was transported to the hospital in non-critical condition. A black Infiniti was seen leaving the scene, going down Union. It figures a Fin Fin would be involved. With drive-out tags, I’m guessing.

There’s a mimosa festival this morning in Court Square. I wonder if the rain will be enough to push it back to next Sunday, which is the rain date.

Cordelia’s Market will have a Fall Fest and Trunk or Treat next Sunday, October 23, from noon to 4. Live music, food trucks, photo booth. Costume contest at 2 PM. Trunk-or-treating in the Montessori School parking lot.

Dallas vs. Philadelphia is the Sunday Night Football game tonight. Dallas is a team it seems like I should root for – they’re geographically proximate, and the owner of the team played for the undeclared 1964 national champion Arkansas Razorbacks. But for some reason I can’t bring myself to get behind “DEM BOYZ.” I don’t hate them the way I do the Tennessee Vols, but I’ll probably be cheering for the Eagles tonight.

All right. That’s all I can think of for now. Still got about 30 minutes until it’s time to get ready for the Bear so I guess I’ll play Wordle and Globle and Factle. Back tomorrow with more news.

Big game day! Alabama takes on Tennessee at Tennessee’s home field, Neyland Stadium, this afternoon.

Worst fan base in college football, for sure.

Wow… ESPN FPI has Memphis as a 44.1% underdog against East Carolina, traditionally one of the worst football teams in the AAC.

Jennifer Biggs of the DM has a recipe for the Rendezvous’ famous BBQ shrimp. If you order this dish at the restaurant, it’s enough to feed up to 8 people and they ask that you call a day in advance.

Comma Comedians present Comedy Underground at Memphis Clover Club tonight at 7. Renard Hirsch is the featured act and the night will be hosted by Hayden McOlgan.

Have you seen the weather forecast? Upper 30s Tuesday morning with the high only rising to the low 50s. Mid 30s Wednesday morning, high rising to the upper 50s. One TV station had the Wednesday morning low at 31.

Kroger is about to buy Albertson’s.

From TimeOut: The 51 coolest neighborhoods in the world. Might be a good list to bookmark for the next time you plan a vacation. U.S. neighborhoods on the list:

• Ridgewood, Queens
• Barrio Logan, San Diego
• Avondale, Chicago
• Silver Lake, Los Angeles
• Coconut Grove, Miami
• Dogpatch, San Francisco

Might want to bring a raincoat if you go out tonight. Strong to severe storms are possible.

Nuvo Dance Convention is happening at the Cannon Center this weekend.

Loflin Yard, in conjunction with Mid-South Pug Rescue, is holding a National Pug Day celebration tonight at 7.

Mary J. Blige comes to FedExForum Sunday at 7.

The people I normally meet up with at Bardog on Saturday can’t make it today, so I’m going to lead off at Blind Bear at 11. I may have to be kind of subdued in my hatred of the Vols there because the owner is a Tennessee fan. Back tomorrow with more news.

Good news for those of you who hit the Starbucks at Main and Monroe for your morning caffeine: You’ll soon be able to earn Delta frequent flyer miles for your purchase.

Birdies, the virtual golf bar opening in South Main around late November or early December, is on Instagram as @birdies901.

Yesterday I was hanging out with a few people at Bardog when Allie Cat the bartender came up with a great idea: What if bars had T-shirt printing machines? We could make our clever drunk utterances wearable in just minutes.

One thought that came to my mind while I was sitting at the bar yesterday: How come no restaurants do breakfast quesadillas? Seems like it’d be easy to do bacon or sausage or ham in a quesadilla. Plus, restaurants need more breakfast/brunch items that don’t have eggs in them. Not everybody likes eggs.

The Grizzlies have announced plans for their regular-season home opener next Wednesday at 6:30 vs. the New York Knicks.

• All fans get a “Big Memphis” T-shirt
• Garry Goin and the Grizzlies house band will perform pre-game on the Slim & Husky’s stage
• Plaza party begins at 5
• Kirk Whalum sings the national anthem
• Rapper NLE Choppa will perform during player introductions
• Project Pat and Big Boogie at halftime

Yesterday a friend of mine who works in a liquor store tagged me in a photo. Ole Smoky has a new flavor of moonshine!

Photo credit: Allison. Pools are fun.

White chocolate strawberry moonshine!!! I immediately tagged Jeannette and Michael from Blind Bear in a comment and said “we need this at the Bear.” Jeannette then tagged her liquor rep in a comment. So, hopefully it’ll be in soon. I think Friday is their liquor delivery day, so maybe as soon as today.

Felony charges are being dismissed against Eastern Michigan basketball player and former Memphis Tiger Emoni Bates. Last month Bates was pulled over in a borrowed car and police found a gun.

Yesterday I was at Local on Main and a guy told the bartender, “Make me a drink that reps the Tennessee Vols.” I thought, equal parts raw sewage and Malort, with a splash of Sunny Delight for color?

Speaking of Local, I hear that chicken & dumplings is going to be the $10 lunch special with two sides today.

Former Memphis Tiger Lester Quinones has been waived by Golden State.

Yesterday some of us were discussing the possibility that Memphis in May might not ever return to Downtown again, making the fairgrounds its permanent home. I tried to come up with an analogy for what that would be like. I thought of two:

• The two albums the surviving members of The Doors released after Jim Morrison died
• That last season of Bonanza when the producers decided to carry on after Dan Blocker (Hoss) died

Trouble is, no one under 50 is going to understand those. Anyone got a more relevant analogy?

A new wine bar called Three Cups of Wine will open in The Edge at 644 Madison. The bar is seeking a grant for improvements, the DM reports.

Former Downtown Neighborhood Association and “Almost Elton John” Jerred Price plans to run for one of the three City Council Super District 8 seats.

There’s a tribute to Bob Dylan tonight at 7 at Wiseacre Downtown.

Support Memphis Black-owned businesses at Shop Black Fest this Saturday at the corner of Riverside Drive and Bass Pro Drive.

Lady Gaga’s costume designer will dress Ballet Memphis as the crew performs “Dracula” at the Orpheum October 28-30.

From WREG: Downtown businesses around Main and Monroe are frustrated with costly water main breaks. Olymbec Plaza (formerly Brinkley Plaza), home to 25 businesses and an immigration court, has been shut down for 2 weeks.

That’s it. Back tomorrow.

Interesting map: Last call in every state. At 3 AM we Tennesseans have it later than most, although a couple of states, Nevada and Louisiana, have no last call at all. Illinois, Georgia, and New Jersey don’t either but last call seems to be dictated at the county level in those states.

If you’re looking for a place to watch Thursday Night Football and you’re starting to realize you can’t do that just anywhere now that TNF is exclusively on Amazon Prime, I have news for you. Blind Bear was showing TNF last Thursday via their smart TV’s Prime Video app. So that’s an option for you.

Hmmm… not only is that exclusive deal between Amazon and the NFL going to sell a lot of Prime memberships… it’s also going to sell a lot of smart TVs.

The University of Memphis has extended Penny Hardaway’s contract. He’ll be the men’s head basketball coach through at least the 2027-2028 season.

Tennessee Vols football player Jaylen McCollough was arrested for aggravated assault this week. McCollough leads the Vols in snaps played on defense. The Vols host Bama this weekend.

Inkwell, the new cocktail bar out in The Edge, has started doing happy hour every Wednesday and Thursday from 5 to 7. $10 well drinks, $10 wine (on Thursdays), and half off grilled cheese. They’ve also started Wine Down Wednesday, with $8 wine pours all day every Wednesday.

Man… you know inflation has gotten bad when a $10 well drink is a “special.”

Elmwood Cemetery is hosting From the Beyond: Ghosts, Spiritualism, and Cemeteries on Sunday, October 30. $20 per person. Beverages and snacks will be provided.

I had the lunch special at Local on Main yesterday:

A large chicken breast, a cornbread pancake, turnip greens, and mac & cheese all for $10. They have a new cook in the kitchen (Miss Helen) and her food is outstanding.

Elijah Craig Kentucky bourbon is having an Old Fashioned Week charity fundraiser tomorrow through October 23. Here’s how it works:

1. Drink an Elijah Craig Old Fashioned
2. Share it on Instagram
3. Tag @elijahcraig and #oldfashionedweek

Every time someone does this between the 14th and 23rd, the distillery will make a donation to the Southern Smoke Foundation, an organization that puts dollars into the pockets of food and beverage workers when those dollars are needed the most.

Downtown company Terminix has been acquired by Rentokil.

Today is National M&M Day.

Wyly Bigger performs at the Memphis Farmers Market this Saturday.

South Main Sounds will host a Sunday Funday with Kelly Hunt and The Country Duo at 5:30 PM Sunday.

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

The Commercial Appeal reports that we are less than 7 months away from Music Fest 2023 and Memphis in May has not secured a contract with Memphis River Parks Partnership to use Tom Lee Park. The issue is the security deposit for damage. Without a contract in place, Memphis in May cannot begin booking bands for the festival. Memphis in May has lost $4 million since 2020, the CA reports, due to the pandemic and moving the 2022 Music and BBQ Fests to the fairgrounds.

Bronny James, the son of LeBron James, is coming to Collierville to play in a game on October 22. Bronny is a 4-star recruit in next year’s college freshman class. Coach Penny has already offered Bronny a scholarship to play for the Memphis Tigers.

Taco Bell announced that the best menu item it has ever offered, the Enchirito, will return on November 17.

Downtown Neighborhood Association and South Main Association will team up to put on National Night Out on Tuesday, October 25. It’ll happen from 5:30 to 7:30 PM in the Malco Powerhouse parking lot. Come meet and thank your local law enforcement officers while enjoying burgers, hot dogs, and beverages.

Alcenia’s is throwing a block party with food and vendors Friday, October 21 from 11 AM to 3 PM.

The annual NBA general manager survey is out with predictions for the upcoming season.

Today is National Gumbo Day. Ben-Yay’s can help you celebrate.

It’s also Pulled Pork Day. Central BBQ would be my recommendation.

Thunderstorms and gusty winds are a threat this afternoon.

That’s it for now. Back tomorrow.

Today is National Kimberly Day, a day to celebrate our Kimberlys, Kimmy Kims, and Kimsters. HOWEVER… mamas, might want to think twice about naming your babies Kimberly, because there is evidence that it stunts their growth. I know two Kimberlys who are only 4-foot-11.

Yesterday several of us were playing Wordle as a group effort at Bardog, and after we solved that puzzle, we tried a game I had never seen before: Factle. You’re given a statistic, and you have to rank the top 5 for that statistic in order out of a list of 23. Yesterday’s statistic was “The 5 countries with the highest marriage rates.”

The Grizzlies are on the road tonight, playing the Orlando Magic in a preseason game. It’ll be on NBAtv tonight at 6. Good, a night when there’s no football to compete with on the bar TVs.

I’ve received word that Blind Bear trivia will have a special guest host tonight: The one and only CHARLES, who hosted trivia there years ago, and who hosted trivia at the Saucer and the Goose before that. The fun kicks off at 7:30.

The best show I’ve ever seen at the Orpheum is coming back – Blue Man Group, November 1 and 2. Their show is a celebration of percussion and color.

Feast & Graze put out an announcement yesterday: Due to supply issues the packaging of their products has temporarily changed. They do want everybody to know that the quality of the products inside the packaging has not changed at all – it is still as high as ever. While they are working through this, they invite customers to bring their own boards for $10 off.

The Brass Door will be closed today, Wednesday, and Thursday, giving their staff a fall break to recharge.

Every woman who is brought into the Hospitality Hub’s new Hub Hotel shelter for women is given a throw blanket. The blankets provide warmth and comfort. There’s an opportunity for your organization to donate blankets and get recognized on the Hub’s social media, as Fish and Associates Financial Services did this week. Email info@hospitalityhub.org to talk to them about donating.

Let’s have a look at college football games of interest to Memphians this Saturday:

• 10 Penn State at 5 Michigan, 11:00 AM, FOX
• Auburn at 9 Ole Miss, 11:00 AM, ESPN
• Vanderbilt at 1 Georgia, 2:30 PM, SEC Network
• 3 Alabama at 6 Tennessee, 2:30 PM, CBS
• 8 Oklahoma State at 13 TCU, 2:30 PM, ABC
• 15 NC State at 18 Syracuse, 2:30 PM, ACC Network
• Arkansas at BYU, 2:30 PM, ESPN
• LSU at Florida, 6:00 PM, ESPN
• Arkansas State at Southern Miss, 6:00 PM, ESPN+
• 16 Mississippi State at 22 Kentucky, 6:30 PM, SEC Network
• Memphis at East Carolina, 6:30 PM, ESPNU
• 7 USC at 20 Utah, 7:00 PM, FOX

Real Time Crime cameras helped MPD catch a man who broke into a car at Danny Thomas and Gayoso.

Today is National Sausage Pizza Day. Grab a slice at Aldo’s Pizza Pies.

I wondered if anyone would blast me for pointing out that yesterday was Columbus Day, saying, “IT’S NOT COLUMBUS DAY!!! IT’S INDIGENOUS PEOPLES DAY!” Sure enough, someone did.

And that’ll wrap it up. Back tomorrow.