I start training for the new job this morning. I’m going on a Historic Memphis Walking Tour at 9:30, which I’m told is being led by one of our best and most experienced tour guides. My mission today will not be so much to absorb the tour information – they’ll give me notes for that – but to observe how the tour operates and how the guide interacts with guests.
As part of the tour, I get to observe the 11 AM march of the Peabody ducks. I haven’t seen the ducks do their thing in about 10 years.
I’m training tomorrow as well, when I’ll be boarding a bus for a Memphis Discovery Tour, led by another of the company’s best and most experienced guides. That tour includes a tasting at Downtown Central BBQ. Looking forward to meeting and greeting some Memphis guests and to learning all I can from the tour guides.
I’ll let you know when I get my own tours to lead. Fun facts: You can bring alcohol on tours that run via bus (coolers with permission only though, due to space limitations). You can bring your dog on all the tours. You’re allowed to tip your tour guide if you had a great experience.
There’s a free yoga class, led by Andrea Jay, at the Cossitt Library today from 4:00 to 5:30 PM.
The Sunset Jazz concert with Deborah Swiney, postponed because of rain a couple of weeks ago, has been rescheduled for this Sunday 6-8 PM in Court Square. Lawn chairs and blankets are welcome and food trucks will be present.
It’s South Main Trolley Night with many of the businesses of South Main staying open until 9 or later. Some will offer specials, live music, wine, beer, and/or hors d’oeuvres. It’s a great chance to shop local and mingle with your neighbors.
Kathy Driftwood, Alexis Jade, and Callie Cash will perform at South Main Sounds, 550 S. Main, tonight from 7 to 9 PM.
Raneem and Better in Color play Slider Inn Downtown tonight at 7.
The Westin Hotel will have live jazz tonight from 6 to 9.
STIX will have Drag Queen Bingo hosted by Miss Imagene Azengraber tonight from 6 to 8.
Colorado is leaving the Pac-12 to move to the Big 12, a development that will hurt the Memphis Tigers’ chances of getting into the Big 12. From FanNation: Which schools could move next in realignment? Memphis isn’t even mentioned.
From the DM: The Cycle Shop property gets a $35 million investment. It is considered one of the key properties in The Edge, sitting at the corner of Monroe and Lauderdale.
Today is National Hamburger Day. Allow me to offer some suggestions to celebrate:
- Mr. Good Burger at Roxie’s Grocery – double meat, 4 strips of bacon, pepper jack, hoop cheese, grilled onion, lettuce, pickle, mayo, mustard, and ketchup. Note that Roxie’s is not a restaurant, so be prepared to eat in your car or take your food home.
- One-Eyed Bacon Cheeseburger at Westy’s – with a fried egg
- World Famous Memphis Original Sliders at Bardog Tavern – but don’t get them the way they come, with mayo and ketchup. Ketchup is a child’s condiment. I keep the white American cheese, standard on Bardog’s sliders, but I replace the mayo + ketchup with pickle + mustard. Another good option is to top the sliders with BOLT (bacon, onion, lettuce, tomato).
- Texas Toast Burger at Huey’s – pepper jack cheese, grilled onions, jalapenos on buttered Texas toast
- West Coast Burger at Huey’s – guacamole, Monterey Jack cheese, mayo, lettuce, tomato, onion, on a buttered, toasted whole wheat bun
- Any Huey’s burger with a black bean patty – I am a hard-core meat lover yet I appreciate this vegetarian offering.
- Yonge Street Burger at Kooky Canuck – American cheese, sauteed mushrooms & onions, bacon, burger sauce, lettuce, tomato, pickle. Me personally, I hold the tomato or pick it off and eat it as a side.
- Smashed Bear Burger at Blind Bear – double patties, cheese, sauteed onions, lettuce, tomato, burger sauce, brioche bun. Again, I pick the tomato off before eating. Get a side of Nate’s tots and ask for ranch for dipping – unless you’re under 7, in which case it’s OK to dip tots in ketchup.
- Majestic Burger at Majestic Grille – American or cheddar, lettuce, tomato, onion, pickle, parmesan fries
- The Telluride at Flying Saucer – green chiles (hatch when available), lettuce, beefsteak tomato, red onion, poblano goat cheese, green chili chutney. Comes with fries, chips, or side salad; get the fries, they are awesome.
- Sputnik Monroe at Flying Saucer – bacon and onion marmalade, arugula, spinach, white cheddar, ranch mayo. Comes with fries, chips, or side salad; get the fries, they are awesome.
- Double-Double at Dyer’s – 2 all-beef patties, 2 slices of cheese, mustard, pickle, and onions
- Rotel Burger at Green Beetle – smothered in housemade smoked Rotel queso. Lettuce, onion, pickle, or tomato upon request.
- Mushroom & Swiss Sliders at Slider Inn Downtown – get 3 with fries. This is a sister restaurant to previously-mentioned Bardog Tavern.
- Soul Burger at Earnestine & Hazel’s – mustard, mayo, grilled onions, bag of chips on the side
The Memphis Grizzlies are hiring an operations crew member.
Explore Bike Share is hiring a bike technician.
Clean Memphis is hiring a deputy director.
The Trumpster has been hit with additional felony charges. One charge alleges Trump ordered a Mar-a-Lgo employee to delete security camera footage he knew investigators were looking for.
I think I may head to South Main Trolley Night this evening! I haven’t made it to one this year and I’m in the mood to be social. Back tomorrow with more news.