Thursday update

The DM is reporting that the I-55 exit to Metal Museum Drive, the first exit as traffic arrives from Arkansas, will soon close. Volume at that interchange and the nearby Crunp interchange is too heavy to be handled by the traditional cloverleaf that is there now. A roundabout will be built to take their place.

The construction will bring with it the closure of E.H. Crump Blvd. from Metal Museum Drive to Kentucky Street. I wonder if that will make it harder for people to find Momma’s, “the diner & dive off 55” which is part of the Aldo family of restaurants. Momma’s has spent substantial time closed the past few years due to COVID, business improvements, and road closures. They don’t need any more setbacks.

I’ve been seeing a commercial on TV lately, and although the company is not local, I want to mention them and give them a strong recommendation: Goldbelly.

You’ve heard of a turducken, which is a duck inside of a chicken inside of a turkey. Goldbelly has those, but that’s not what I’m here to tell you about. What you want is a piecaken.

I discovered piecaken when I went over to my friends Randy & Theresa’s place for Christmas dinner 2022 along with the butt sluts and our friend Mark. As you might guess, a piecaken is several pies and cakes combined into one. From my December 27, 2022 blog post:

“Chocolate pecan pie is the bottom layer, eggnog cheesecake is in the middle, red velvet cake on the top layer, topped with cherry pie filling (which made me think of Warrant).” I failed to mention there’s a slice of pumpkin pie in there as well.

Absolutely, positively worth an order if you want a holiday dessert that is both memorable and delicious.

I stopped by Bardog yesterday morning for a stack of pancakes and several glasses of Coke. (No I did not order alcohol there, keeping a promise I made Monday night.) While there, someone asked about the T embedded in the floor near the entrance.

I had never noticed the T before. Maybe it’s been covered up with floor mats??? Questions came up as to the meaning of the T. Here’s where we are on this mystery:

  • There’s no “T” in “Bardog,” and even Aldo doesn’t know what it stands for, so the T preceded the current business at 73 Monroe.
  • Before Bardog, the place was Mike’s, a breakfast joint I enjoyed many of my early Sundays Downtown. No “T” in “Mike’s” either.
  • Some people believe there may have been a jewelry store with a T in the name at some point in the past. No one could come up with the full name.
  • Bardog regular/blog reader/Grizzlies lawdog Davis guessed that it was an early logo for the Tennessee Vols. Davis wins the Mendatius T. Roll Award for most unhelpful response.

Mendatius T. Roll

We may have the best of the best sleuthing this case in the near future. I’ve been told the T photo is going to be shown to Vance Lauderdale of Memphis magazine. I bet he can get to the bottom of this.

Miami 108, Grizzlies 102. Memphis falls to 1-7 but remains one of the top 15 teams in the NBA’s Western Conference. Next up: Memphis hosts Utah in an in-season tournament Group A game on Friday at 7 PM. The first 5000 fans receive a Grizzlies camo bucket hat in recognition of Military Appreciation Night. TV: Bally Sports

The Blind Bear got Xfinity back so we can watch the Bally Sports channel in peace – just tune the TV to 831 and watch the Grizz in HD. No janky “smart TV” apps, no throwing the signal from a personal iPhone to a TV, no instances of one bar TV being 6 seconds behind the other one. Normally the only X I want to see involved in a Grizzlies broadcast is Tillman Sr., but for now we’ll have to deal with the Sith Lords at Xfinity.

Save the date: There will be an official Grizzlies watch party at Slider Inn Downtown Saturday, November 18 at 7 PM. The Grizz travel to San Antonio to play the Spurs that night.

Many of you drive past the Memphis branch of the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis on N. Second Street on your way to work or home. Check out a podcast: Cotton, Cash, and The King – 100 Years of the Memphis branch

2023 MIFA holiday cards are here. When you buy these cards, you’re supporting MIFA programs like Meals on Wheels and utility assistance for families in need. Send MIFA your mailing list and at least a $10 donation per card, and their volunteers will take care of your holiday cards for you.

Today is National Fried Chicken Sandwich Day. One way to celebrate would be the Downtown Dining Week special at Momma’s.

Another option would be the chicken sandwich at Local on Main:

 

From Action News 5: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers officials discuss a second year of record-low Mississippi River levels

We’re done with the 80s today as cooler temps and rain arrive. MemphisWeather.net Twitter/X is a good way to stay informed.

I’m not a big movie person normally, but there are two movies coming out this holiday season I’d like to see:

  • Napoleon – Not so much because of The Little General, but because his foreign minister the Prince-Duc de Talleyrand was one of the most interesting historical figures of all time.
  • The Iron Claw – The rise and fall of Dallas-baed pro wrestling clan the Von Erichs. They included acrobatic Kevin; lanky, intelligent David; good-looking but dim-witted Kerry; Mike who didn’t want to wrestle at all; and Chris who wanted desperately to be like his brothers but was only 5’5″. Only Kevin lived to see his 35th birthday.

There will be Grizzlies Bingo at the Memphis Made taproom in Cooper-Young tomorrow evening. Free to play, family-friendly, Grizzlies on TV during the game.

There’s a hot wing festival at Grind City Brewing Saturday afternoon.

The Memphis Veterans Day Parade will roll down Second (originating at Market) Friday morning.

That’s it for this morning’s post. Back tomorrow.