I mentioned yesterday that I downloaded the ChatGPT artificial intelligence app onto my iPhone. Once I did, I decided to ask it a couple of questions in my area of expertise.
Q: Can you recommend a drink at the Blind Bear in Memphis?
ChatGPT answer: As an AI language model, I do not have personal preferences, but I can suggest a popular drink at the Blind Bear in Memphis: the “Moonshine Martini.” It is made with catdaddy moonshine, triple sec, fresh sour mix, and a splash of soda. Another popular drink at the Blind Bear is the Bloody Mary, made with the house-infused pepper vodka and homemade Bloody Mary mix.
Moonshine is what the Bear is known for, but I don’t see a moonshine martini on its drink menu. As for the Bloody Mary, that’s a pretty generic recommendation. Any bar should be able to make that.
Q: Can you recommend something to eat at Bardog Tavern in Memphis?
ChatGPT answer: As an AI language model, I don’t have personal preferences or tastes, but according to Bardog Tavern’s menu, they have various delicious options. Some popular dishes are the Bardog Burger, the Pimento Cheese Fries, the Buffalo Chicken Grilled Cheese, and the Memphis Style BBQ Nachos. They also have a wide selection of local and regional beers, as well as cocktails. I suggest checking out their menu and choosing an option that appeals to your taste buds.
Don’t bother trying to order any of those items. They’re not on Bardog’s menu and never have been.
Conclusion: ChatGPT might be good for some things, but not hyper-local recommendations. No AI bot will be writing a Downtown blog better than mine anytime soon.
It’s BBQ Fest Saturday, the last day. Tom Lee Park is open to the public 10 AM to 10 PM today. You can view the full schedule. Here are a few of Paul’s Picks for the day.
- Don’t forget that today is the Patio Porkers competition in Handy Park at Beale and B.B. King Blvd. This event is FREE to attend (you don’t need a BBQ Fest ticket).
- Judging Day. If you’ve been invited to a team’s booth, please understand that you may not be allowed in immediately if you go in the morning or early afternoon. Teams generally don’t allow anyone in their booths except presenters and judges when judging is going on. Even the other team members generally wait outside. Presentation is a huge part of a BBQ team’s score.
- The Grill Mates demos, because they conclude with samples for the audience. They’ll make sweet jalapeno grilled chicken breasts at 1:00 and Montreal steak tri-tip flatbreads at 4:00.
- Awards ceremony: Ribs, Shoulder, Whole Hog, Grand Champion 6:30
- Nolan Tayloe 8:00
- Dale Watson 9:15
The Preakness Stakes, the second leg of horse racing’s Triple Crown, happens today. It will be broadcast on NBC and Peacock from 3:30 to 6:30 Central Time.
Today is World Whiskey Day.
From Tiger Blueprint: Kendric Davis excels at NBA Combine
It’s the 3rd Saturday in May at the Rumba Room. Well, now that I think about it, it’s the 3rd Saturday in May everywhere. But at the Rumba Room specifically, that means it’s time for swing dancing. $5 cover, no partner necessary. The fun starts at 7 PM.
The Redbirds host the Gwinnett Stripers tonight at AutoZone Park at 6:35. The first 1500 fans through the gate get a replica of the original 1998 Memphis Redbirds jersey. Stick around after the game for fireworks.
From the Memphis Flyer: Memphis Beer Blog shines a light on the Memphis craft beer scene
Also in the Flyer: Celebrating Shawn Cripps’ legacy at the River Series. A tribute to his band The Limes happens this afternoon at the Harbor Town Amphitheater.
From Men’s Journal: Book a trip and enjoy the blues in the Hyatt Centric Beale Street Memphis
BBQ legend Melissa Cookston is calling it quits as far as competition goes after this year’s BBQ Fest. Cookston will remain busy with her restaurant, Memphis Barbecue Co., in Horn Lake, and her store The BBQ Allstars in Southaven. She will also continue to be involved with the World Junior BBQ League which she founded four years ago.
From the DM: The best-kept secret of BBQ Fest may be the VIPit Pass. The pass costs around $500. Pass holders get their own hospitality area, a tour of select rib, shoulder, and hog teams, and they get to eat BBQ by some of the top teams in the park. There’s also a meet & greet with BBQ royalty like Melissa Cookston and Tuffy Stone.
WREG has a list of the most and least stolen cars in Memphis. As you might guess, Hyundais, Kias, and Infinitis made the “most” list, with Nissans rounding out the top four. I was pleased to see the last two makes of cars I owned, Volkswagen and Saturn, on the “least” list.
Tater Red’s gift shop on Beale has reopened, and it’s under awesome new operators: Ashley Parham and Daryl Andrews, who also run Walking Pants Curiosities on G.E. Patterson. The name will change to Dreamers’ Revival – Walking Pants on Beale, but they plan to still honor the Tater Red’s name in some way.
Central Station Hotel seeks a bell person.
Tug’s Casual Grill is back open. The Harbor Town restaurant closed temporarily following a shooting there last weekend.
Okay. I’m gonna give my ChatGPT iPhone app the chance to redeem itself. This time I won’t ask a local question; I’ll ask it to list some reasons the Beatles broke up. Before consulting the app, my answer would be
- The 1967 death of the Beatles’ manager Brian Epstein left them rudderless
- Their label Apple Records was a money drain and stressor for the band
- Yoko Ono’s constant presence in the studio punctured the tight brotherhood that the Beatles had become
- The emergence of George as a songwriter on par with Paul and John created too much competition for space on each album
So, let’s see what the ChatGPT app thinks.
There were several reasons that contributed to the Beatles breaking up:
1. Creative Differences: The band members had different visions for the direction of the music they wanted to create. This led to conflicts and disagreements during recording sessions.
2. Personal Issues: The members of the band were going through personal issues, such as divorces, drug addiction, and financial problems.
3. Yoko Ono: John Lennon’s relationship with Yoko Ono created tension within the band and caused friction between the members.
4. Managerial Disputes: The Beatles’ manager, Allen Klein, was seen as divisive and the other members, particularly Paul McCartney, did not trust him.
5. Burnout and Exhaustion: After years of non-stop touring and recording, the members of the band were burnt out and wanted to pursue their own projects.
These factors cumulatively led to the decision to dissolve the Beatles in 1970.
Not a bad answer at all! Note that this could have easily been a term paper question in a “History of Rock Music” college course. I wonder if professors will have to start consulting ChatGPT to make sure their students didn’t use it.
That’s it for now. Back tomorrow (probably) with more news.