Month: October 2024

The big news today is that Mayor Young has replaced MATA’s entire board of directors. WELL DONE, MR. MAYOR. I know of no comparably-sized city with a public transit system as bad as Memphis. MATA tends to trend toward last in results and toward first in spending. A world-class city has world-class public transportation and we are FAR from meeting that standard.

Any of my readers got an upcoming trip to Las Vegas planned? Pro tip: When you get there, ride the bus. Note how clean, efficient, and convenient it is.

Nevada has flipped red on RealClearPolitics’ no toss-up states map. That brings the projected electoral count to 302 for the Trumpster and J.D. to 236 for Harris and Walz.

Beatles tribute band The Mersey Beatles plays the Orpheum Wednesday.

Bardog has parfaits on its brunch menu now:

Apologies for the lack of posts this week. The ailment is back in my legs – especially my left one, which is so swollen that it hurts to walk. Back early next week with more news.

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I want to share an observation I’ve made recently. When I’m out with friends and people need to exchange money with each other – including leaving me a tip for writing this blog – they usually do it using Venmo. Sometimes Apple Pay, sometimes Zelle.

Occasionally there’ll be someone at the front window at the Union Mission who realizes he lacks the six dollars cash to get in. He’ll turn around and ask, “Who has Cash App? Pay my $6 and I’ll transfer it back to you.” ALWAYS Cash App.

In the 8 months I’ve had tipping methods in my blog’s footer, I’ve only received one payment via Cash App. For the longest time I wasn’t even sure I had it set up right.

Is there a reason people of different socioeconomic classes use different payment apps?

Let’s get on to the news… with neon pink and blue accents, the Aloft Hotel at North B.B. King and Jefferson is now open. The hotel has a lounge inside called WXYZ… apparently these lounges are staples at Alofts.

Michigan has flipped red in RealClearPolitics’ no toss-up states electoral projection. That gives Mango Mussolini and his mini-Lini a 296-242 advantage over Harris and Walz.

Two fire engines crashed at Second and Jefferson yesterday evening.

Action News 5 has a look at the production of Girl from the North Country at the Orpheum this week. The musical is set in the Great Depression and features music by Bob Dylan.

South Main Trolley Night will be known as South Main Night Market going forward. This is a good move by the organizers of the gathering, held the last Friday of every month, since we don’t know when or if the trolleys will be back.

The Grizzlies host the Charlotte Hornets in preseason action tonight at 7. Ja Morant is out nursing a sprain. Coach Jenkins believes he will be available for the regular-season opener in two weeks.

FedExForum is now a Coca-Cola arena. Bye, Pepsi! Don’t let the door hit your ass on the way out.

Tuesdays are Twice as Nice Pint & Slice days at Wiseacre Downtown, with $5 specials on select pints and select Little Bettie pizza slices.

That’s it for today. Get outside and enjoy this beautiful weather, because the forecast is cooler next week.

It’s free to read this blog, but I gratefully accept tips! 
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A word of caution to my readers who like to dine out Downtown: Don’t rely on Apple Pay on your iPhone as your only option for payment.

The reason why is a scam run by the crowds of wonderful (dripping with sarcasm) customers that have overtaken Downtown restaurants since COVID. They’ll go out in a big group, consume copious amounts of food and drink, and pay with Apple Pay. Then when they get home, they’ll get on the phone and dispute the charge. It’s harder for a business to prove a transaction took place if there was no physical swipe of a card’s magnetic strip and no read of its chip. The customer almost always gets refunded and the restaurant has to eat the food and drink cost. This is affecting some restaurants to the tune of thousands of dollars a month. So they’re no longer accepting that payment method.

Yesterday I witnessed an awkward moment where a couple found out they couldn’t use Apple Pay until AFTER they’d had a meal and a couple of mimosas each. They had used Apple Pay successfully at the restaurant a month ago, so they had every reason to believe it would work again. They eventually figured it out – I think they Venmo’d the bartender, who then paid the tab with her debit card. You don’t want to have to depend on workarounds like that, though.

They say cash is king, but even that won’t work everywhere, as business like Birdie’s and Zio Matto have put up WE ARE CASHLESS signs. Understandable; in a city like Memphis, you want to disincentivize people from robbing your business.

My point is this – take two methods of payment when you dine out, just to be safe.

How bout them HOGS!!!! I just had a feeling they would be the team to take down the Tennessee Vols.

Let’s look at this Saturday’s games of interest:

• South Carolina at 7 Alabama, 11:00 AM, ABC
• Memphis at South Florida, 2:30 PM, TV: ??? (Rescheduled due to Hurricane Milton)
• 1 Texas at 18 Oklahoma (Red River Rivalry), 2:30 PM, ABC
• Mississippi State at 5 Georgia, 3:15 PM, SEC Network
• Florida at 8 Tennessee, 6:00 PM, ESPN
• Arkansas State at Texas State, 6:00 PM, ESPN+
• 2 Ohio State at 3 Oregon, 6:30 PM, NBC
• 9 Ole Miss at 13 LSU, 6:30 PM, ABC

Keep an eye on Hurricane Milton. It has the potential to do heavy damage to central-west Florida later this week. Mandatory evacuation orders are in place for areas around Tampa Bay.

Girl from the North Country is at the Orpheum this week.

The Cannon Center will throw a party, free to the public, Friday evening from 5:30-7:30 to celebrate 100 years of events and concerts at 255 N. Main.

Momma’s is adding a $5 pint night 7-11 PM to its Tuesday lineup, which already included a chicken fried chicken food special and karaoke on the patio.

Posts may be a bit less frequent than last week. Having foot and leg problems again. I’ll be back when I can.

It’s free to read this blog, but I gratefully accept tips! 
Venmo: @Paul-Ryburn (8113 if it asks for digits)
Cash App: $PaulRyburn1
Zelle: paul@paulryburn.com
Apple Pay: paul.ryburn@gmail.com

Two Edge District breweries, Memphis Made and Flyway/High Cotton, will put on a joint Oktoberfest event next Saturday, October 12. The details:

• $35 Oktoberfest 32 oz. steins
• Food trucks: Smoke & Toast, MemPops, Big River Dogs
• Wyly Bigger at HC 1-3 PM
• Hillbilly Mojo at MM 3-5 PM
• Paint Memphis with DJ at MM 5 PM
• Bluff City Backsliders at HC 7:30-10 PM

In other brewery news, Hampline out on Broad Ave. seeks a pizza chef.

Flying Saucer will have serial killer and true crime trivia Tuesday, October 29 at 7 PM.

To celebrate joining DNA, Gould’s Salon & Spa is offering Downtowners 25% off any one service during October. Simply show your photo ID to claim your discount.

That’s it for today. Time for a PBR.

It’s free to read this blog, but I gratefully accept tips! 
Venmo: @Paul-Ryburn (8113 if it asks for digits)
Cash App: $PaulRyburn1
Zelle: paul@paulryburn.com
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If you want to dine on some fabulous Memphis cuisine while being kind to our planet, check out the 2024 Project Green Fork Dining Guide. All restaurants listed have demonstrated a commitment to reducing food waste and lessening their environmental footprint. Downtown restaurants include

• A. Schwab’s old-fashioned soda fountain
• Biscuits & Jams in Hotel Indigo
• Central BBQ
• The Rendezvous
• Comeback Coffee
• Cordelia’s Market
• Good Fortune Co.
• McEwen’s
• Memphis Made Brewing (the old Cooper-Young location was certified; I’m guessing the new Edge location will be too)

The MBJ has an interview with Brian “Skinny” McCabe of the Hi-Tone.

Momma’s, “the diner and dive off 55” at Crump and Kentucky, will hold open hiring for rock star bartenders and servers next week – specifically, 2-4 PM Monday-Thursday. Must be able to work nights and weekends. Bring your resume or email it to eat@mommasbar.com. Be sure to learn the proper technique for popping open a can of PBR – you’ll probably be serving me a few!

McDonald’s rolls out the Chicken Big Mac next week. Bleh. I’ll stick with the original.

Zinnie’s at Madison and Belvedere is now reopened and their new Philly cheese steak sandwich and Philly cheese steak fries look yummy. They’ve added a baby grand piano once owned by Lex Bonner and subtracted smoking.

The SMA has its monthly South Main Social at Bar Ware (276 S. Front) Tuesday at 6 PM. Check out the fall comfort food menu and seasonal drinks. Free for members, $20 for non-members.

That’s it for now. Maybe I’ll pop up at Zinnie’s tonight to see the place for myself.

It’s free to read this blog, but I gratefully accept tips! 
Venmo: @Paul-Ryburn (8113 if it asks for digits)
Cash App: $PaulRyburn1
Zelle: paul@paulryburn.com
Apple Pay: paul.ryburn@gmail.com

I want to give a shout-out to The Parish, a restaurant in Hernando that brought dinner to the Union Mission on Monday. Chicken & dumplings, cornbread, green beans, field peas, and homemade chocolate chip cookies. Man that was delicious! Check The Parish out the next time you’re in North Mississippi.

RIP John Amos. He played James on one of my favorite sitcoms of all time, Good Times. You can watch episodes on Pluto TV for free. It ran from 1974 to 1979 and was about a family living in a housing project in the south side of Chicago.

Memphis Flyway observation deck Is coming to Tom Lee Park. It’ll let you see waterfowl up close.

Memphis Animal Services is offering free adoptions through the 15th.

Today is National Soft Taco.Day.

The Grizzlies seek a youth basketball camp coach.

Composed on my phone. Apologies for typos or weird formatting.

It’s free to read this blog, but I gratefully accept tips! 
Venmo: @Paul-Ryburn (8113 if it asks for digits)
Cash App: $PaulRyburn1
Zelle: paul@paulryburn.com
Apple Pay: paul.ryburn@gmail.com

Comedian Joe Gatto (who you may remember from the TV show Impractical Jokers) performs at the Orpheum Thursday. Gatto’s show is called “Let’s Get Into It” and features all-new material. Tickets are $39.75-$59.75. Bardog is giving away some tickets to the show; check their social media for info on a chance to win.

Congratulations to Central Station on being named the 2nd best hotel in the South in a Condé Nast Traveler survey. Brooklyn DJ Rivka Ruth will spin house music at the hotel Thursday from 7 to 11 PM.

What was the weather like on the day you were born? Find out here. Me: rainy and 62, which is typical Little Rock in mid-November.

Read a book, get a free personal pan pizza from Pizza Hut. Free food? Wonder if the Nuh-Uh Girl will read.

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

• 9 Missouri at 25 Texas A&M, 11:00 AM, ABC
• Auburn at 5 Georgia, 2:30 PM, ABC
• 12 Ole Miss at South Carolina, 2:30 PM, ESPN
• 1 Alabama at Vanderbilt, 3:15 PM, SEC Network
• South Alabama at Arkansas State, 6:00 PM, ESPN+
• 4 Tennessee at Arkansas, 6:30 PM, ABC

Pretty boring schedule as many teams (including our Memphis Tigers) have a bye week. How sweet it will be if the Arkansas Razorbacks pull off an upset that keeps Tennessee out of the college football playoff. Don’t ever count out the Hogs at home.

City Council approved Mayor Young’s plan for the city to buy the Sheraton Hotel on North Main. The Sheraton is Memphis’ convention center hotel, but the rooms are not being kept up by current ownership. That’s been causing convention planners to look to other cities.

Get your pet blessed this Saturday between 10 and 11 AM in Court Square. Are the squirrels gonna get blessed too?

Heard some interesting Downtown gossip this morning that’s not bloggable yet. Maybe in a week or two. Back Thursday or Friday with more news.

It’s free to read this blog, but I gratefully accept tips! 
Venmo: @Paul-Ryburn (8113 if it asks for digits)
Cash App: $PaulRyburn1
Zelle: paul@paulryburn.com
Apple Pay: paul.ryburn@gmail.com

Happy birthday to the one and only Dani! Also a happy birthday to former president Jimmy Carter, who becomes the first commander in chief to hit 100.

JookinWarz presents Nightmare on Main Street Saturday, October 27 at the Rumba Room. 6-10 PM with prizes for best male and female Halloween costume.

The Flyer’s Michael Donahue has the info on Kellie’s Deli, a new restaurant coming to Tennessee Street.

Take this quiz to find out which country is best for you. I got Switzerland, Australia, and Canada.

The vice-presidential debate, Democrat Tim Walz vs. Republican J.D. Vance, is tonight. 8 PM CDT on CBS and Paramount.

RIP Pete Rose. “Charlie Hustle” was 83. He broke Ty Cobb’s record for most hits in the mid-1980s but later got banned from baseball for betting on games.

Also RIP Dikembe Mutombo. He was the NBA’s first global ambassador and a Hall of Famer.

Lots of light gray dress shirts, black slacks, and black polishable shoes on the Main Street Mall this morning… must be the annual AutoZone sales conference.

ABC 24 has highlights from the Grizzlies’ media day. The Grizzlies will have an open practice Sunday at noon at FedExForum.

Let’s hear it for trash pandas! Today is International Raccoon Appreciation Day.

The Grizzlies seek a coordinator of ticket operations.

Automatic Slim’s seeks daytime servers.

Raffle tickets are now on sale for the chance to win a hearse at Bardog on Halloween. 1 ticket for $2, 3 tickets for $5 – or buy a High Rise cannabis-infused seltzer and get a free ticket.

Memphis 901 FC is back home this Saturday vs. Oakland Roots SC. 7 PM.

Breakfast on Bellevue is a breakfast served at All Saints Presbyterian, 1177 Poplar, the first Saturday of every month- including this Saturday, October 5. It started as a homeless ministry but they now serve anyone who is hungry. 9:45 AM in the Young Life building.

Mahogany opens a location on Mud Island Wednesday.

That’s it for now. Probably back tomorrow with more news.

It’s free to read this blog, but I gratefully accept tips! 
Venmo: @Paul-Ryburn (8113 if it asks for digits)
Cash App: $PaulRyburn1
Zelle: paul@paulryburn.com
Apple Pay: paul.ryburn@gmail.com