Month: June 2023

Tonight is the last Friday of the month, so it’s once again time for South Main Trolley Night. The shops, galleries, and restaurants of the South Main Arts District will stay open until 9 or later. Some will offer free appetizers, free booze, discounts, and/or specials. It’s a wonderful way to mingle with your neighbors and support local businesses.

Tonight there will be live music on the trolleys themselves:

• 6:00-6:45: Sky King
• 7:00-7:45: Natalie Hall
• 8;00-9:00: Alice Hasen

Birdie’s virtual golf studio will celebrate the season with a special patriotic-themed cap you can buy at Trolley Night: white fabric with red and blue lettering.

Following Trolley Night, Zernell a.k.a. Grimy, a Chicago DJ who syncs beats to disco or to his city’s house music, will perform at the Central Station Hotel’s Eight & Sand Lounge from 9 to 1.

As I mentioned previously, Raneem + Living in Color will perform in Slider Inn Downtown’s backyard for Trolley Night.

Bourbon fans heading to Trolley Night, you’ll want to stop by Max’s Sports Bar for some of their new Maker’s Mark Private Selection “South Main Whi-SKI.”

---

Got lots more Blind Bear news today. In case you missed it, I posted their new dinner menu in yesterday’s post.

First up – Blind Bear is doing something fun each night for happy hour, which runs from 3-7 PM Monday-Friday:

• Moonshine & Martini Mondays – $5 moonshine / $8 Tito’s martinis
• Tacos & Tequila Tuesdays – $5 tacos / $5 margaritas
• Wine Down Wednesdays – $15 half-bottles / $15 charcuterie boards
• Throwdown Thursdays – “The silly little games we play. $25 gift card to the winner.”
• Freeballin’ Friday – ½ off Bear Balls app with a $10 purchase

I’m unclear what is meant by Thursday’s promotion. They’ve been doing Texas Hold’em at 7:30 on Thursdays. I don’t think they’d insult the poker players by calling their activity a “silly little game.”

Are new games to be added to the mix? I’ll find out more and let you know.

Pin-the-tail-on-the-donkey? Musical chairs? Dodgeball? Ooooh yeah, dodgeball, that could be a ton of fun.

---

I tried the current special at the Bear, fried catfish with a Cajun cream sauce over mashed potatoes and mixed greens.

OMG so very, very good. The catfish was crispy and the sauce delicious, but the greens were the clear standout on this plate.

Availability was said to be through today or “while supplies last.” The Bear has not been terribly busy for dinner the past two nights, so I suspect you’ll still be able to get this special today.

---

Now let’s have a look at Blind Bear’s new Bearly Awake Brunch menu, which debuts tomorrow. It will be available from 11 AM to 3 PM Saturdays and Sundays.

Brunch Drink Specials

Bloody Mary – 5

Mimosa – 5

Ole Smoky moonshine shot – 4

Bottle mimosa – 20

Brunch Starters

Wings – 8
Three seasoned, jumbo whole wings, roasted and fried with ranch or blue cheese
Tossed in Jack Daniel’s Glaze or Buffalo

Mama Bear cinnamon roll – 10
Cream cheese icing, diced bacon

Featured soup – 6 / 8

Brunch Mains

Breakfast tacos or burrito – 14
Soft tortillas, scrambled eggs, cheese, sauteed onions and peppers, sriracha aioli, bacon or sausage, breakfast potatoes

Breakfast sandwich – 12
Fried eggs, bacon, cheddar, sriracha aioli on Texas toast with breakfast potatoes

Early Rise Hibernation Fries – 14
Seasoned fries, spiced ground beef, bacon, pepper jack, jalapenos, tomatoes, ranch, sunny-side-up egg

Mac’s Big Vol’s Breakfast – 16
Scrambled eggs with cheese, bacon, sausage, toast, breakfast potatoes

Salmon hash – 24
Blackened salmon on a bed of breakfast potatoes topped with a sunny-side-up egg and balsamic reduction

Chicken & French toast – 16
Two jumbo whole wings over apple pie moonshine French toast

Hashbrown Bowl – 15
(Build your own)
Includes 4 toppings
$0.75 each additional topping

• Bacon
• Sausage
• Turkey sausage
• Shredded chicken
• Ground beef
• Salsa
• Tomato
• Onion
• Bell pepper
• Jalapeno
• Mushroom
• Ranch
• Cheddar
• Pepper jack
• Parmesan
• Cheese sauce
• Mozzarella
• Sour cream

As with the dinner menu, the farther away you get from the date of this post (June 30, 2023), the more likely menu items and prices are to change.

---

On to general news…

Today is National Food Truck Day.

Terrible news! Beer makes humans more attractive to mosquitoes.

Sunset Jazz returns to Court Square this Sunday from 6 to 8 PM, this time featuring Gary Topper.

The Supreme Court struck down affirmative action in college admissions this week.

That’s all the news I have the time and energy to report this morning.  Back tomorrow.

The Blind Bear did indeed update its dinner menu yesterday. Rather than posting a pic of the menu that would require you to do a lot of pinch-zooming with your fingers to be able to read it, I decided to type it for you. Here ya go:

Apps

Blind Bear Balls – 12
Fried panko breaded pepper jack cheese, marinara

Hibernation Fries – 14
Seasoned fries, ground beef, cheese sauce, bacon, jalapenos, tomatoes, and ranch. Try it with Nate’s tots

Spinach Artichoke Dip – 14
House-made salsa, sour cream, tortilla chips

Hibernation Dip – 12
Ground beef, bacon, jalapeno, tomatoes, queso, tortilla chips

Tacos – 15
(choose 3)
Bang Bang Chicken – Asian cucumber
Ground Beef – Cheddar, lettuce, tomato, sour cream
Tequila Chicken – Don Julio sauce, pepper jack, lettuce, tomato

BBQ Chicken Egg Rolls – 12
Cabbage, pepper jack, Jack Daniel’s sauce, Chinese hot mustard

Wings – 8
Three jumbo whole wings
Seasoned, Jack Daniel’s glaze, or buffalo

Mains

All sandwiches served with seasoned fries or Nate’s tots

Smashed Bear Burger – 18
Double patties, cheese, sauteed onions, lettuce, tomato, smashed Bear sauce, brioche bun

Bang Bang Chicken Sandwich – 17
Crispy chicken, Bang Bang sauce, Asian pickled cucumber, brioche bun

Chicken Vodka Parmesan – 17
Breaded chicken, Tito’s tomato cream sauce, mozzarella, spinach

Steak Sandwich – 20
Ribeye, crispy shallots, rosemary mash, Meukow cognac peppercorn cream sauce, garlic parmesan bread

Gangster Philly – 17
Steak or chicken, peppers, onions, mushrooms, provolone cheese, hoagie bun

Quesadillas – 15
Peppers, onions, cheddar & pepper jack cheese
Chicken bacon ranch
or
Seasoned ground beef

Salmon Caesar – 18
Pan-seared salmon, romaine, croutons, parmesan cheese, Caesar dressing

Spinach & Artichoke Grilled Cheese – 12
Spinach-artichoke dip, mozzarella, tomato
Add bacon – 1

NOTE: Menu items and prices are accurate as of June 28, 2023. They tend to change up the menu about once a year, so if you’re viewing this in the distant future, I can’t promise you they will have these exact items or that the prices won’t have gone up.

Also, the Bear has a special this week until Friday or they run out: Fried catfish filet served on a bed of mashed potatoes and mixed greens with a Cajun cream sauce. I saw a couple of the specials come out yesterday and they are BIG pieces of catfish.

I think, while they have them through Friday, you can get Tony’s mixed greens subbed as a side. The greens I saw yesterday had big yummy chunks of pork in them. Sorry, vegetarians.

There’s also a new brunch menu at the Bear and I will try to get it typed up before it takes effect Saturday. By the way, if you go for brunch that day, I hear there’s gonna be a rare Cinnamon appearance behind the bar on a weekend.

If you’re a fan of Local on Main but haven’t been there in a couple of weeks, I think you’re going to like what you find. They’ve installed a bar rail across the patio that allows customers to sit on a high bar stool, rest their drink on the rail, and look out over the Main Street Mall.

Live music coming up at Slider Inn Downtown:
Tonight: 30 Minute Ego
Tomorrow, for South Main Trolley Night: Raneem + Better in Color

Robert Dozier, a member of the 2008 Memphis Tigers basketball team that nearly won the NCAA title in 2008, will return to Memphis July 15 to play in the Big3 tournament, the DM reports. Dozier, now 37, will play for the 3 Headed Monsters.

Ena Esco, the Innovator in Residence at the Cossitt Library, is starting a live podcast series. Her guest this month will be actor and social entrepreneur Bertram Williams Jr. Catch her live at the podcast studio on the second floor of the library today at 5.

Today is National Waffle Iron Day. My suggestion to celebrate would be a  Boston Cream Pie Waffle, a Fluffernutter Waffle, or a Cinnamon Sugar Donut Waffle from Bedrock Eats & Sweets at Main and Vance.

Tonight is Whet Thursday at the Metal Museum. Food trucks, games on the lawn, metalsmithing demos.

Catherine & Mary’s is hiring a bartender and a back server.

There’s a rooftop workout on the top of Old Dominick this evening. $23. The class includes a workout by Basecamp Fitness, yoga by SANA Yoga Studio, and an Old Dominick cocktail to cool down. With a predicted high of 101, would the yoga class qualify as Hot Yoga?

Not Downtown but worth a Lyft or Uber: Simpsons Brunch at Black Lodge, 405 N. Cleveland, this Sunday from 11 to 3.

Catch the original play Save Our Music at the Halloran Centre this Saturday.

The Hospitality HUB is open as a cooling center today from 9 AM to 10 PM. It’s on Washington Ave. a couple of blocks east of Danny Thomas. MATA is providing free transportation there. 901-297-1680 for assistance with transportation.

Damn, someone in the Oakleigh subdivision of Germantown is throwing such legendary pool parties that they made both the Daily Memphian and the Commercial Appeal, and not in a good way. The neighbors are pissed off.

———–

I applied for a remote job Monday that I would really like – one that would draw upon both my teaching and technical abilities. It’s with a company I won’t name but whose mission is similar to that of LinkedIn Learning.

Upon submission of my application, they sent back an acknowledgment email along with a PowerPoint presentation about the company’s “culture code.” They described the presentation as partly a summary of shared values among staff and partly an employee manual.

Uh-oh, I thought. In my experience, when a company spends a lot of time promoting its “culture” to prospective employees, that tends to be a BAD BAD BAD sign.

Not so with this company.

I’ll give an example. They basically have one rule: Use good judgment.

Debating whether to take a sick day? Use good judgment.

Feel the need to jump on personal social media on company time? Use good judgment.

When I got to the end of the culture code PPT, I emailed the company and told them it was the best corporate orientation document I had ever read. And I wasn’t kissing ass. I was being honest.

I’ve applied to about 10 remote jobs and 2 local (almost 3, but one job closed by the time I revised my resume). Again, if you hear of anything I might be interested in, feel free to send it my way. My background is in computer science but I would MOST DEFINITELY be interested in hearing about jobs outside that realm. Especially ones that draw on my abilities to write, teach (adults), connect people, and inspire people.

My A/C won’t cool below 74 this morning, so I’m going to take the MacBook on the road while I get someone in here to look at it. Back tomorrow with more news.

Check out this SWEET new library card and keychain card I got yesterday!

Super Grizz! LOVE IT!!! I applied online for an electronic library card last month, which gave me access to some awesome resources, including 50,000+ ebooks and LinkedIn Learning. Yesterday I went to the Cossitt and upgraded it to a physical card. All I had to do was show a valid ID with a Memphis address on it. Now I can check out books from any Memphis Public Libraries branch.

After getting the cards, I took the MacBook upstairs to take advantage of the library’s Wi-Fi (and air conditioning). There was a kids’ camp up there and they were watching a presentation on the Air Force. Then they built an augmented reality module on iPads using Reality Composer. It was pretty interesting!

The CA asks, what is coffee soda? Hayes McPherson, owner of Comeback Coffee, explains.

Get ready for extremely hot and muggy weather for the rest of the week. WREG’s weather team predicts 94/78 for today, 101/81 for Thursday, and 102/79 for Friday. Those are actual temperatures, not heat indices.

The Downtown Crowne Plaza is looking for a sales coordinator.

WREG reports that there are fewer drag-racing and reckless driving incidents in Memphis this year than there were last year. Sure doesn’t seem to be the case Downtown! On Saturdays in particular I hear engines revving and tires squealing all hours of the night.

A citizen recently recorded video of a Dodge Charger doing donuts in the intersection of Ida B. Wells (formerly Fourth) and Gayoso while cops sat by in an MPD cruiser and did nothing. The video was recorded around 11 PM Sunday. Occupants of the Charger were seen hanging out of the windows.

Food & Wine named the best BBQ in every state. Downtown’s Cozy Corner represented Tennessee well, along with Midtown’s Payne’s.  Less than an hour drive are Helen’s BBQ in Brownsville, TN and Jones BBQ in Marianna, AR.

The Downtown Memphis Commission is hiring an economic development coordinator.

From a site called PlayEasy that connects people with sports event organizers: How the revitalization of Memphis has transformed the city into a national sports destination

MPD is investigating a rash of car burglaries at the Chisca Apartments.

The Bike Hub at Downtown’s new Mobility Center at Front and Beale is anticipated to open August 5. Membership will be open to those who commute to their Downtown job via bike and who need additional space to store their bike. Members will have 24/7 access to the hub via a secure access card, and only members will be allowed to enter. Membership will start at $20 per calendar year and will allow members to park up to 2 bikes.

Terrible news: Former Arkansas Razorback QB Ryan Mallett has died of drowning while on vacation in Florida. Mallett was the nephew of one of my BBQ teammates on The Ques Brothers.

Members of the Sweet Cheeks BBQ team, winner of the Shoulder division at BBQ Fest this year, spoke to the CA’s Jennifer Chandler and offered some tips for grilling out with pork this July 4 weekend.

Ryan Seacrest will take over as host of Wheel of Fortune as Pat Sajak retires. Vanna will stay on the show turning the letters.

Pepsi Colachup, a ketchup flavored with Pepsi, is a thing now.

Remember, today is greens day at Blind Bear. I heard Tony say something about a special of fried catfish with cream sauce with greens for today. I also heard him say they’re rolling out a new food menu this week.

I’m about 60% through Team of Rivals, a biography of Abraham Lincoln and his closest advisors, people who were once his rivals for the 1860 presidential nomination. It is a GREAT BOOK and I have learned a lot about managing people. A couple of takeaways I’ve picked up so far:

• Lincoln was the master of “praise lavishly in public, criticize in private.” When Honest Abe did criticize his subordinates, he always left them a way out of the situation that allowed them to save face.
• Lincoln was an astute observer of people and often noticed others’ negative traits before anyone else did. However, he did not pounce at the first opportunity to address those traits. Rather, he gave public opinion time to catch up.

Monday I applied online for four remote positions. One was teaching English to foreigners. After I filled out the application, the website asked me to take a quiz to assess how well I would deal with behavior problems in a classroom full of 1st- through 4th-graders. I didn’t realize I’d be teaching kids, and no longer wanted the job. Kids are not my cup of tea.

But, just for fun, I decided to take the quiz anyway.

I’m pretty sure I aced it! And the Lincoln bio was in large part the reason I did.

I was given 14 multiple-choice questions, each involving a case of a child in my classroom exhibiting undesirable behavior. I was asked to pick from multiple options to address that behavior.

Each time, I knew to pick the option that addressed the child privately, and which have him/her a chance to correct the behavior without embarrassing the child in front of his/her classmates.

If I have any CEOs reading this, I would recommend buying a copy of Team of Rivals for every person in your company who manages people. And give them time on the clock to read the book.

That’s it. Back tomorrow with more news.

Beale Street Bears has an article on 3 ways Marcus Smart will help the Memphis Grizzlies. It sounds like he will fill needs as a backup point guard (replacing what Tyus Jones brought to the table) while also adding a strong defensive presence when playing on the wing (making up for what the Grizzlies lost in Dillon Brooks).

The more I read, the more I’m liking the trade. Looks like we could be looking at a Smart-Bane-Kennard-Jackson Jr.-Adams lineup to start the season and then a Morant-Smart-Bane-Jackson Jr.-Adams lineup once Ja is back from suspension.

Speaking of the Grizzlies, they’re hiring an IT security analyst.

Also, the Grizzlies picked up their team option on Xavier Tillman Sr. yesterday, a good move. X will make $1.93M this coming season.

Today from 11 to 1 at the Renasant Convention Center, EDGE will host a Loan Expo and will share plans for neighborhood business district revitalization. More than 20 local business owners will share how forgivable Inner City Economic Development (ICED) loans helped them. This event is free for the public.

Got a couple of pieces of Blind Bear news to pass along this morning. First of all, I hinted to you that greens would be coming this week as a special. I talked to Tony last night and he said Wednesday would be the day. He’s planning a mix of multiple kinds of greens, including collards. Also, he has a dish in mind with other food items that will complement the flavor of the greens.

Secondly, Memphis band The Pinch will play the Bear for the first time this Friday, June 30 at 8 PM. ’90s rock is their thing.

Today is National Ice Cream Cake Day. Get one at Margie’s 901 ice cream shop (formerly Maggie Moo’s) at 125 S. Main. Gallery

MATA will cut bus and trolley fares to 25 cents today due to a Code Orange alert for poor air quality.

FOX 13 weather is predicting highs of 100, 101, and 99 for Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Heat indices of 110-115 are possible.

There’s a College World Series of Jello shots.

The next item is for my fellow pro wrestling fans who love Memphis.

PHOTOS: Eric Bischoff Has His Head Shaved to Raise Money for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital #WWE https://t.co/s7As0wnWW8 pic.twitter.com/6P74BOY8p1

— Wrestling News (@WrestlingNewsCo) June 26, 2023

Former WCW head honcho Eric Bischoff is one of those people we all love to hate, but cheers to him for getting his head shaved for the kids of St. Jude.

The A/C in my building has yet to be restored, so the MacBook and I are headed to the Cossitt Library at 10 to cool off. Back tomorrow with more news.

The Memphis Redbirds are back in town after a half-month’s absence. Their opponent this week will be the Nashville Sounds. However, this homestand won’t be the typical Tuesday-Sunday. It will be Wednesday-Monday so fans can spend as much time as possible at the ballpark on the long Independence Day weekend.

Here’s a look at what’s going on at AutoZone Park in the days to come:

Wednesday, June 28: No special promotions. First pitch 7:05.

Thursday, June 29: Throwback Thursday. Enjoy the greatest beer in the world, Pabst Blue Ribbon, at throwback prices of $2 a draft. Hot dogs are a $1 throwback on Thursdays. The Redbirds will wear their throwback Memphis Chicks jerseys. First pitch 7:05.

Friday, June 30: The first of a 4-day “Red, White, & BOOM” celebration. First pitch is 7:05 with the following promotions:

• A bobblehead of Gold Glove-winning St. Louis Cardinals infielder Tommy Edman will be given away to the first 1500 fans
• The Redbirds are smoking a whole hog and an all-you-can-eat specialty ticket gets you in on it! The ticket includes smoked pork, potatoes, corn, rolls, hot dogs, chips, soft drinks, and water.

Saturday, July 1: First pitch is 6:35 with the following promotions:

• Free powder blue Redbirds jersey to the first 1500 fans.
• Stick around for fireworks after the game ends.

Sunday, July 2: First pitch is 6:35 with the following promotions:

• The first 1500 fans get a Memphis Redbirds Hawaiian shirt featuring logo elements from the team’s first 25 years.
• Kids 12 and under get a free ice cream treat from Prairie Farms.
• Kids get to run the bases after the game!

Monday, July 3: First pitch is 6:35 with the following promotions:

• An all-you-can-eat specialty ticket includes the ballpark’s famous BBQ nachos with chicken or pulled pork, hot dogs, coleslaw, chips, soft drinks, and water.
• ABC’s Gong Show winner Jessica Haas will perform a speed painting demo during the National Anthem. The painting will be auctioned online.
• The Redbirds will be wearing special Independence Day jerseys and hats.
• Stick around after the game for the largest fireworks display in park history. With the City of Memphis fireworks display moved to Liberty Park for the second year in a row, this is your best chance to catch a major fireworks show Downtown.

River Garden will host a Sunset Skate this Thursday from 6 to 9 PM. There will be free skate lessons (6 PM) and a limited supply of free skate rentals. DJ Brother John supplies the music beginning at 7.

There will be a free yoga class taught by Andrea Jay in the upstairs performance area of the Cossitt Library this Friday at 4 PM.

Formerly Known As headlines this Thursday’s Peabody rooftop party. 6-10 PM, $15 general admission, $30 to go VIP.

The Frontmen with Tigirlilly Gold are the featured entertainment at the free, all-ages KIX on Beale concert this Thursday. It happens at Handy Park at 7:30 PM.

Elevation Memphis performs at Live at the Tracks at Central Station Hotel this Thursday from 6:30-10:30 PM.

That same night, it will be Ladies’ Night in the hotel’s Eight & Sand Lounge with DJ Alpha whiskey.

From the CA: Desmond Bane could earn an even bigger contract extension than Ja Morant. That’s because max deals are based on a percentage of the NBA salary cap, which goes up every year.

From Storyboard Memphis: An intro to the (almost) forgotten history of The Orpheum. The grande dame of the Memphis theater scene was lucky to survive the 1970s.

UrbanArt Commission will host an artists’ happy hour at 6 PM this Thursday at Inkwell, 631 Madison. These happy hours are a chance to learn about ongoing projects and artist opportunities and network with other artists and UAC staff.

Brian Blake and Alice Hasen will perform at South Main Sounds, 550 S. Main, Friday night at 7.

For my Little Rock readers, sad news: Activist Robert ‘Say’ McIntosh has died at 79. Say played Black Santa, handing out toys to underprivileged kids. He owned a restaurant known for burgers the size of manhole covers and sweet potato pie.

The Memphis Flyer had a talk with the creator of Reevo’s Hot Sauce. He was inspired by watching a team compete in the wing competition at BBQ Fest. Downtowners, get the sauce at Cordelia’s Market, Ben Yay’s, and King & Union Bar/Grocery.

Today is Tropical Cocktails Day.

That’s it for this morning. A/C is out in my building for a few hours due to renovations, so I’m camping out around the corner at Bardog. Back tomorrow with more news.

 

Bold Journey recently sat down for a chat with Tim Vimonnimit, the chef behind the Soi Number 9 food truck. The truck sells authentic Thai street food. In addition to the truck, they have an on-campus dining location at UT Health Sciences Center.

Atomic Rose, the LGBTQ-friendly lounge and restaurant on Second one block south of Beale, is putting out a casting call. They seek burlesque and go-go dancers for a recurring event. Any dancer, regardless of gender or sexual orientation, is invited to apply. atomicrosememphis@gmail.com or 901-922-5645

WREG has a look at 901 KidsFest which happened at the Cossitt Library yesterday.

FedExForum has rescheduled Drake’s concert, originally scheduled for this Thursday, to Sunday, August 6. That messes up the plans of fans who took off work and booked flights and hotels.

Today is National Catfish Day, a good excuse to stop by Flying Fish for lunch. Kooky Canuck and Ben Yay’s are two other Downtown locations where you can get “the salmon of the South.”

⚠️ A hot, humid day ahead with a strong potential for an evening line of storms capable of high wind and hail. Afternoon heat indices will approach 110° ahead of the line, which should move through between 6-8pm. Stay weather aware today! (HRRR simulated radar from 5-10pm shown) pic.twitter.com/wUGrYGpjal

— MemphisWeather.net (@memphisweather1) June 25, 2023

ABC 24 discussed today’s Craft Food and Wine Festival with founder Cristina McCarter.

Want some cheap entertainment? Drop peanuts in a glass of beer. I’d like to remind everyone that The Peanut Shoppe and the Blind Bear are just steps away from each other.

If you’re a fan of ESPN’s 30 for 30 documentary TV show, did you know there’s also a 30 for 30 podcast?

An attempted revolt in Russia revealed that Vladimir Putin is not as strong as people think.

If you saw men in dresses Downtown yesterday, they were doing an “Always a Bridesmaid, Never a Bride” pub crawl. They came in Bardog for about 30 minutes. Super cool group of people.

Also at Bardog yesterday, I got to listen to Butt Slut #1 argue with her friends over whether she was going to wear a T-shirt and shorts to a “prom for adults” event. I swear, if not for the 24-year age difference, I’d wonder if we were twins separated at birth.

Staying home today… job hunting… reading my Abraham Lincoln biography… maybe taking a LinkedIn Learning course on data analysis. I will be out at Bardog early tomorrow morning (8:00) and will do my Monday blog post from there.

The Ghost River taproom on Beale Street is celebrating its second anniversary on the super-long weekend of June 30-July 4 with a music festival called Made to Wander:

• $18 pitchers
• Food by New Wing Order
• Friday, June 30: Taproom open noon to midnight | Kitchen open noon to 10 | Live music begins at 3 | Travis Paul | Traveller the Band | Maestro 3000
• Saturday, July 1: Taproom open noon to midnight | Kitchen open noon to 10 | Live music begins at noon | Stereo Blue | Three World | Pam & Terry | Al Kapone
• Sunday, July 2: Taproom open 11:30 AM to 11:30 PM | Kitchen open 11:30 to 8 | Live music begins at 11:30 | Bri Marie | The Bugaloos | Aubrey McCrady
• Monday, July 3: Taproom open 4 to 10 | Kitchen open 4 to 8 | Live music begins at 6:30 | Shotgun Billys
• Tuesday, July 4: Taproom open 2 to 10 | Kitchen open 4 to 8 | Live music begins at 5:30 | Pam & Terry

Broadway World has a review of Frozen at the Orpheum. The production will be in town through July 2. More info/tickets

Forward Chandler Lawson may no longer be one of Penny’s Memphis Tigers, but he found an excellent landing spot: Arkansas.

The Grizzlies will play Summer League games in Salt Lake City and Las Vegas between July 3 and July 14. The games will be televised on NBAtv and ESPNews. David Roddy, Jake LaRavia, Vince Williams Jr., Kenneth Lofton Jr., Jacob Gilyard, and 2023 draft pick GG Jackson are expected to be on the roster.

Entertainment at the Blind Bear this weekend:

• Tonight: Yubu 10-2
• Sunday night: DJ Mylon 7-midnight

Today is Bartender & Mixologist Day.

The heat index in Memphis is expected to hit 97 today and 103 tomorrow.

Join us in welcoming #LAVISH to the Edge District! 🎉🛍️✨ Enjoy a fashion preview, food, and more at their Grand Opening this Sunday, June 25 from 3-7pm at 676 Marshall Ave!#downtownmemphis pic.twitter.com/p9TQe2DiU0

— Downtown Memphis (@DowntownMemphis) June 23, 2023

In other news from The Edge, the former warehouse of the Commercial Appeal at 498 Union is for sale.

Billionaires Elon Musk (Tesla/SpaceX/Twitter) and Mark Zuckerberg (Facebook) have agreed to hold a cage fight. No I’m not kidding.

The Arcade has been named the weirdest roadside diner in Tennessee by LoveFood. Reasons why: the decor has barely been touched since a 1954 renovation, and Elvis himself ate there.

It’s an all-SEC College World Series finals in Omaha this weekend. The schedule:

• 6 PM Saturday: 5 LSU vs. 2 Florida
• 2 PM Sunday: 2 Florida vs. 5 LSU
• 6 PM Monday, if necessary: 5 LSU vs. 2 Florida

All games will be televised on ESPN.

Doug MacLeod plays The Central BBQ Sessions at Downtown Central BBQ today from 6 to 9 PM.

Good Vibes on Tap, a Memphis fitness celebration, happens today at Grind City Brewing Co. Show the bartender proof of your walking, riding, or running 3 miles (or longer) on your favorite fitness app and get $5 drafts and get entered for a chance to win a $250 taproom gift card. Whether you take the fitness challenge or not, there will be raffles, yard games, and pizza.

Programming note: Monday’s blog post may be late, short, or nonexistent. Due to renovations, my building won’t have A/C that day, so I will have to find an alternate place to take my laptop to work.

That’s it for now, back tomorrow.

 

The Grizzlies made two second-round picks in last night’s NBA draft:

• 45: GG Jackson, power forward/center, South Carolina, 6’9″, 215
• 56: Tarik Biberovic, small forward, Europe, 6’7″, 218

Biberovic will probably be stashed, meaning he’ll continue to play overseas while the Grizzlies will control his rights should he come to the NBA.

Chef Tam’s peach cobbler nachos have been voted the most over-the-top treat in Tennessee by Food Network Magazine. Get them at her restaurant at 668 Union in The Edge.

A Sunset R&B Festival is coming to Riverside Drive Monday, July 3 from 7 to 11 PM. Tickets are $45 + a convenience fee.

Yubu plays South Main Sounds, 550 S. Main, tonight from 7 to 9.

B. Riley Wealth in One Commerce Square, the high-rise office tower at Main and Monroe, seeks an Anti-Money Laundering Officer to work full-time.

The ARRIVE Hotel at S. Main and Butler has received a 2023 TripAdivsor Traveler’s Choice “Best of the Best” Award. Congratulations to all the hotel’s staff.

I went to the Blind Bear yesterday and had that chicken salad sandwich I wrote about yesterday:

Now I have another news tidbit to pass along from the Bear’s kitchen. Next week they’re going to have greens.

The Hilton Garden Inn across from the ballpark seeks a room service server.

The first and second rounds of 2024’s NCAA March Madness are headed to FedExForum March 22 and 24. Sign up for ticket presale notifications

Grizzlies GM Zach Kleiman says there’s been enough talking – it’s time for Ja Morant to change his behavior. There’s no more room for error, Kleiman says.

That’s it for now. Back tomorrow.

Got an insider tip for you if you’re in the mood for some yummy food today. Last night I got word from the Blind Bear’s kitchen that chicken salad will be today’s special.

Later last night I shared the news with fellow Bear regular Butt Slut #1, but she told me, “Oh, I already know. I saw a picture of the chicken salad. It looks awesome.”

The Bear opens at 3 this afternoon with Cinnamon slinging happy hour specials – $3 domestics, $5 wells, $5 house wines – until 7 PM. After that, they’ll be open until 3 AM and will have the chicken salad special until they run out. I’m sure they’ll have the NBA draft on at 7. At 7:30 they have their weekly Texas Hold’em poker tournament, which is free to play.

Speaking of poker… I’ve discovered a new poker game online, Badugi. It’s 4-card draw, with betting after the initial deal and each of three rounds of draws. You try to make a Badugi, which is one card from each suit. If multiple players make Badugis, the lowest hand wins. So A♦-2♠-3♥-4♣ is as good a hand as it gets.

Since it’s a game that is not well-known, most people don’t know how to play properly and chase after bad hands. I played only my second Badugi tournament yesterday and cashed (although it was play money), finishing 17th out of 159 by playing tight and being aggressive with the hands I did play.

Back to the NBA draft… as I said, it starts at 7 PM. The first round will be on both ABC and ESPN. The second round will be on ESPN and the ESPN app.

Ahead of the draft, the Grizzlies are reported to have traded backup point guard Tyus Jones, the 25th pick tonight, and a 2024 1st-rounder in a 3-team deal involving the Boston Celtics and the Washington Wizards. The Grizzlies will receive Marcus Smart, a 6’4″ combo guard.

Smart will keep the team in contention while Ja Morant is out suspended for 25 games, but the trade doesn’t address the Grizzlies’ starting small forward need. There may be another trade to come.

Smart is 29 and has 9 seasons of NBA experience, so we’re getting him right in his prime. My question is, though, what happens when Morant’s suspension runs out?  Can’t start Smart over Ja at the 1. Can’t start Smart over Des at the 2. Smart’s salary of $17,207,141 is a huge amount to pay a backup guard and even more than Tyus Jones was making.

Could it be that the front office agrees with analyst Kendrick Perkins that Ja needs a change of scenery (particularly, to get away from his friend Davonte Pack) and plans to deal him at the trade deadline?

Today is National Onion Rings Day. The Majestic Grille and Huey’s would be my top recommendations for places to celebrate.

I remember when a neighborhood restaurant had ghost onion rings on its POS system. Pat yourself on the back if you know what I’m talking about…

The Memphis Flyer has photos from the recent Loving Local fundraiser at The Ravine.

Memphis 901 FC got a nice 4-0 win over Tulsa at home last night, earning 3 points in the USL East standings.

A man is accused of stalking and exposing himself in Downtown’s South End District, near the intersection of Florida St. and Carolina Ave.

The NCAA announced that Penny Hardaway will be suspended for the first 3 games of the 2023-24 regular season. The NCAA claims that Penny failed to maintain control over an unnamed assistant coach, no longer with the University of Memphis, who committed recruiting violations during the 2021-22 season. Larry Brown?

The three games missed will be

• Nov. 6 vs. Jackson State
• Nov. 10 at Missouri
• Nov. 17 vs. Alabama State

Join us this Friday for a Community & Resource Fair hosted by Guaranty Bank! Learn about all of the banking resources and employment opportunities offered at the Uptown Branch. The DMC & @MMDC901 will also be sharing opportunities!#downtownmemphis pic.twitter.com/CvcLCXTafn

— Downtown Memphis (@DowntownMemphis) June 20, 2023

Useful info from Fox 13: What attracts and repels mosquitoes

HOTWORX is having a summer social in The Edge District today from 3 to 7 PM.

The Secret Smash Society food truck will sell burgers at Grind City Brewing Co. Sunday starting at 2 PM. Live music by Devil Train.

There’s a Badugi tournament coming up at 7:49 AM, so I’m gonna hop in. Back tomorrow with more news.

Today and tomorrow are good days to keep a browser tab open to Bleacher Report NBA and hit Reload frequently. The reason why is that the NBA draft is tomorrow night and there will be all kinds of trading going on. Also, NBA free agency starts a week from tomorrow, so things will be heating up on that front as well.

The mosquitoes are back and they’re the worst I have seen in a long, long time. Monday I came home from one of my favorite hangouts and it took me an hour to fall asleep because my arms and legs were itching so bad. A can of Off or Cutter is a must.

Today is the first day of summer and the longest day of the year.

A woman was carjacked Saturday morning while sitting in her parked Toyota Camry near Riverside and Court.

There will be a silent auction Saturday at Jerry Lee Lewis’ Cafe where you can acquire some of the late Killer’s most prized possessions. The auction is being hosted by his widow. The money raised will go toward a monument for Lewis’ grave.

From the Memphis Flyer: Memphis had its post-pandemic “Roaring 20s” for drinks last year

French bistro Bishop is hiring an executive chef.

Memphis 901 FC hosts FC Tulsa tonight at AutoZone Park at 7.

Caption by Hyatt kicks off its Summer Acoustic Series this Thursday from 6 to 8:30 PM. Songwriter Graham Winchester will perform in the courtyard, and you can grab bites and drinks in the hotel’s Talk Shop restaurant.

Crafts on Crafts happens every Thursday from 5 to 9 at the Ghost River taproom at Main and Crump. Relax with some coloring or borrow the taproom’s crafts supplies while enjoying a craft beer.

That’s it for today. See you tomorrow.