Month: March 2025

Yesterday as I was typing my Thursday blog post, someone pointed out that Easter falls on 4/20 this year.

Who’s gonna have a different kind of grass in their Easter basket?

Who’s the bunny gonna bring some of that wacky tobacky?

Who’s more interested in lighting up some doobage than eating Marshmallow Peeps or Cadbury Crème Eggs?

Today is National Crunchy Taco Day.

The Ginger’s Bread & Co. is coming to the Downtown core in a two-story location next to City Market.

Residents of the 99 Front apartment building may have been exposed to lead.

An unnamed upscale Downtown restaurant seeks a sous chef.

Take a walk across the river tonight to support those with Down syndrome.

Read the history of Mud Island

10 Arkansas upset 7 seed and preseason number one Kansas last night. The Hogs next face 2 St. John’s on Saturday.

Break out your orange gingham shirts, Bozo wigs, and clown noses: 2 Tennessee has survived to reach the second round of the NCAA tournament. They’ll face 7 UCLA on Saturday.

GO MEMPHIS TIGERS! Back tomorrow with more news.

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An 1867 townhouse in Victorian Village is for sale. 4 BR, 2.5 BA, could be repurposed as an AirBNB, a restaurant, or offices.

AP looks at Penny Hardaway’s growth as a head coach.

Watch March Madness 11 AM-5 PM Friday at the Sunset Canopy in Tom Lee Park. Memphis tips off at 1.

World Ballet Company: The Great Gatsby comes to the Cannon Center tonight.

Let’s all turn on TNT at 5:50 and root for those Wofford Terriers to pull off a 15 seed-2 seed upset of the Tennessee Vols. Ournaments are so much better once you get rid of the “T”.

Also today: 10 Arkansas vs. 7 Kansas, 6:10 on CBS.

Back tomorrow probably.

This blog is free to read, but I gratefully accept tips: 
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That WIND!!! Good day to fly a kite.

It’s National Poultry Day. I recommend you celebrate with a short drive to Thomas and Chelsea for some Jack Pirtle’s chicken. Get you a two-piece with some of their delicious gravy and a biscuit. Or, if you prefer, get chicken livers.

It’s also the day after Ariel’s birthday.

Did you know Cordelia’s Market is under new ownership? Erica & Robert want to meet you at Toast to New Beginnings Thursday 5-7 PM at the Mud Island grocery store. Drinks and snacks will be served. Champagne toast at 5:30. Take a free commemorative glass home with you.

Old Dominick Distillery will host a Special Event Expo Thursday from 5 to 8. You can talk to more than 20 local vendors you might want to hire for your upcoming event: caterers, florists, photographers, DJs, and more. Cash bar. Free and open to the public.

Memphis Tiger PJ Haggerty is a second-team All-American.

Explore Harriet Tubman’s teenage home

It’s Pinto vs. Vega vs. Gremlin vs. Beetle in this 1971 Car & Driver review

The Grizzlies are in Portland for a 9 PM game. TV: FanDuel Sports

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Looking ahead to Memphis’ chances in the NCAA men’s basketball tournament, is anyone else more concerned about the first-round matchup against 12 Colorado State than potential second- and third-round matchups against 4 Maryland and 1 Florida?

The Tigers tend to play to their opponents’ level – see the close games in the AAC quarters and semis, for example. I can imagine a scenario where the Tigers get behind 25-9 or 31-10 in the first half and almost come all the way back several times in the second half.

If Penny’s team can survive the Rams, though, there’s no limit to how far they can go in March Madness. These Tigers can hang with anyone.

Those of you planning on playing hooky from work Thursday-Friday, I have a recommendation for where to watch the Madness: Max’s Sports Bar at 115 G.E. Patterson. Enough TVs to show all the games, awesome crowd (except for a few Tennessee Vols fans), PBR and other beers on draft, full bar, great food, rocking patio. Max’s is kind of small, so get there early to claim your seat.

The Memphis Hustle, the developmental team affiliated with the Memphis Grizzlies, seeks a mascot.

Cordelia’s Market seeks a full-time cafe team member.

The Sheraton seeks a culinary supervisor.

The Orpheum’s 2025-26 Broadway season has been revealed.

Wednesday from 3 to 4, the Cossitt Library will commemorate the 65th anniversary of sit-ins at the library by LeMoyne-Owen students.

That’s it! Back tomorrow.

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Most bracket projections had Memphis as an 8 seed. It seemed the very best they could hope for was a 7.

Instead, the committee rewarded the Tigers’ fine body of non-conference work with a 5.

Bracket

They play the Colorado State Rams, a 12 seed, in the first round. (West Regional, Seattle, 1 PM Friday, TBS) If they win that game, the likely second-round opponent is 4 Maryland.

29-5, AAC regular-season and tournament champions. I guess the “Penny can’t coach” crowd can STFU now.

Hey Jahvon, Jay’kwon, Jahlon, and the rest of the 2023-24 Tigers: See what can happen when you stop playing me-ball and start listening to coach?

In other college basketball news, congratulations to the SEC tournament winners the Florida Gators. I never tire of watching the Gators beat that Tennessee Vol ass.

On to the news…

Memphis Made Brewing Co. celebrates 10 years of its amber ale Fireside with Fireside Fest this Saturday in the taproom. $5 Fireside pints, live music by Walt Phelan Band, Smoke and Toast food truck, new Fireside merch.

The Grizzlies are on the road at Sacramento tonight. 9:00 tip. TV: FanDuel Sports

The MLB season opens in Tokyo tomorrow. Stream the Dodgers vs. Cubs at 5 AM Central. Yes, I said AM.

Music & dance performance A Taste of Ireland comes to the Cannon Center Wednesday.

South Point Grocery’s patio music series kicks off Saturday with Jesse Wilcox. Noon-2 PM.

Judy Collins comes to the Halloran Centre Tuesday evening.

Not Downtown, but I’ll mention it anyway: There will be a paella pop-up on Broad Avenue Saturday. I know there are some paella fans who read this blog.

Back tomorrow.

This blog is free to read, but I gratefully accept tips: 
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Penny’s Memphis Tigers play the UAB Blazers at 2:00 for the American Athletic Conference Championship. TV: ESPN

The Selection Sunday show for the 2025 NCAA men’s basketball tournament will be at 5 PM on CBS. Find out where the Tigers will play next weekend and their seed and first-round opponent.

Bardog has the following specials through Monday: $3 green PBR and $6 Jameson, Guinness draft, Irish car bombs, and green tea.

Horn Lake restaurant Cheers, featuring Southern-style comfort food, is rumored to be opening a location in Downtown Memphis. It’s said to be near Beale and South Main. Old Blind Bear location maybe?

Tuesday Tunes at the Renasant Convention Center will take on an Irish theme this week. From Facebook:

Hey there lads & lassies!

If you’re looking for an authentic Irish celebration around St. Patty’s Day, join us March 18 @ 4p for all the beer and pub food you can handle!

Don’t forget to wear your favorite GREEN attire so you can dance in style to amazing LIVE MUSIC!

Grab your friends & meet us on the lobby level at 4p!

When cornhole meets speed dating

Back tomorrow, probably.

This blog is free to read, but I gratefully accept tips: 
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Penny’s Memphis Tigers got a tight 83-80 victory over Wichita State in the AAC quarterfinals yesterday. Memphis advances to the semis, meeting Tulane at 2 PM today. TV: ESPN2

Whose Live Anyway? comes to the Orpheum tonight. This is a troupe of people who come up with comedy routines and songs on the spot based on suggestions from the audience. Tickets are $56.90-$72.90.

Then on Monday at 6 PM, the Orpheum will have its 2025-26 Broadway season reveal.

Fun thing to do: Google “elon musk before hair transplants”

StyleBlueprint has an excellent Downtown dining guide divided into family-friendly, date night, gals’ (or guys’) night, and brunch.

It’s National Corn Dog Day. Celebrate with a basket of Mini Corn Pups at Westy’s.

If anyone has interest in reading the daily bulletins from the bridge (card game) tournament ongoing at the Renasant Convention Center. they are here. A new one will be added each day through the 24th.

The St. Patrick’s Day parade on Beale is ON for 2 PM. The bad weather will be outta here by then.

I’d like to remind everyone of my recommendation to avoid pub crawls run by out-of-town organizations with generic-sounding names.  ESPECIALLY on holidays that bring out the amateurs. WHERE TO GO TODAY INSTEAD: Brass Door Irish Pub, the parade, Silky O’Sullivan’s. Local brewery taprooms and the Saucer if you like beer.

Back tomorrow probably.

This blog is free to read, but I gratefully accept tips: 
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YOUR. MEMPHIS. GRRRRRRRRRRIZZLIES are back in action at the Grindhouse tonight, hosting the Cleveland Cavaliers at 7. It’s Women’s Empowerment Night and there will be a Faith and Family post-game conversation. TV: FanDuel Sports Network

Tonight‘s game is the first game of a back-to-back. On Saturday night, the Grizzlies host the Miami Heat at 7. It will be Tony Allen’s jersey retirement ceremony with the first 5000 people getting a free commemorative vinyl record. TV: FanDuel Sports Network and Action News 5

Penny’s Memphis Tigers play Wichita State at noon today in the AAC quarterfinals. TV: ESPN2

The 10th annual Memphis Black Restaurant Week happens Sunday to Saturday, March 16-22. Participating restaurants will offer $15 two-course lunches and $25 three-course dinners. The CA has a complete guide.

You may have caught jam band FreeWorld around town, but did you know that is NOT band leader Richard Cushing’s main job? Richard researches Alzheimer’s as a scientist at UTHSC.

Jeremy Scott, Victoria Dowdy, and Jesse Davis play South Main Sounds tonight 7-9.

The following food trucks will be outside the Renasant Convention Center today:

• Champs BBQ
• Clay’s Smoked Tuna
• Mexico in Memphis
• Mr. Casas
• Nibsay

These and other food trucks will be set up most days this weekend and next week outside the convention center for the bridge tournament that is in town. You do not have to be a bridge player to order food at the trucks. On Thursday of next week the trucks will be in Court Square.

Don’t forget to check the DMC’s list of St. Patrick’s events for holiday stuff to do this weekend and Monday.

Back tomorrow with more news.

This blog is free to read, but I gratefully accept tips: 
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By now, you have probably heard that Ricky Floyd, a well-known Memphis pastor, was shot and killed about 1:15 Wednesday morning outside Momma’s, a bar at the intersection of Crump and Kentucky.

First of all, my prayers for Pastor Floyd’s family and congregation. I am so sorry for your loss.

The question is inevitably going to come up: Is Momma’s a safe place to go?

Over the past 12 months, the nights I decided to stay out late, more often than not I ended up at Momma’s. I tended to come there about 9 to 1 if it was a weekday and 11 to 3 if a weekend.

One reason I always liked Momma’s was the diversity of the crowd. On any given night, you might sit at the bar with a neighborhood factory worker, a medical doctor, a truck driver, a Beale Street bartender, and a writer who went to college with a Supreme Court justice.

Another thing I liked was the food. The burger topped with pimiento cheese. The smok’d wings. The fried cheese curds.

So, you may wonder, will the news about Pastor Floyd keep me away from Momma’s going forward?

NOT A BIT. It won’t deter me from going to Momma’s at all.

The parking lot and surrounding streets Kentucky and Crump are extremely well lit. The employees are awesome and look out for you as you come and go. I’ve never encountered any bad characters in or around that bar.

I truly believe what happened Wednesday morning was an isolated incident that could have happened just as easily at Main and Madison, or at Germantown Parkway and Macon Road.

I’m going to keep going to Momma’s and I hope you will too.

And now, back to your regularly scheduled blog post…

Save the date! The Memphis Redbirds will have their 2025 Fan Fest Saturday, March 29 from noon to 4 at AutoZone Park. Clubhouse tours at 12:30. Watch the Cardinals on the big screen at 1:15. Run the bases at 3:45. Yard games, inflatables, face painting, scavenger hunt. Ballpark food will be available. Season ticket holders have an exclusive food event at the Home Plate Club.

Memphis Made Brewing Co. will celebrate St. Pat’s Saturday. 10-ounce Drew’s Day Off Stout for $2.50, GreenerBrau Pilsner, Always Sunny on the big screen, Irish food by Albee’s food truck.

The Grizzlies beat the Utah Jazz last night 122-115. That win has caused Memphis to regain the second spot in the West, tied with Denver at 42-24.

BRIDGES USA is hiring a Vice President of Development and Communications.

Learn to play Magic: The Gathering at Memphis Filling Station tonight.

Again, my deepest condolences to all who knew Pastor Floyd.

I may have to take tomorrow off due to finances. Back Saturday if not sooner.

This blog is free to read, but I gratefully accept tips: 
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Five men were arrested Sunday night for blocking traffic at Second and Union. Cops said they got out of their car and were twerking in the middle of the street.

The Grizzlies are back in action tonight at 7, facing the Utah Jazz at FedExForum. It will be Divine Nine Night and Sustainability Night with the first 5000 fans getting biodegradable coasters.

Jaren Jackson Jr. will still be out with injury… and that’s a bigger concern than you might realize. If JJJ doesn’t play in 65 regular-season games this season, he’ll be ineligible to be named to an All-NBA or All-Defensive team. Without one of those accolades, the Grizzlies would be unable to offer him a 5-year, $345M supermax extension. Without that leverage, Memphis would have to worry about JJJ hitting free agency and signing with another team.

There will be a Fine Dining for the Homeless event in Morris Park Saturday 3-7 with food prepared by the city’s best chefs. Live music, gift bags, health & wellness resources, free haircuts.

Game to watch Thursday: South Florida vs. Wichita State, 11:30 AM, ESPNU. Winner plays Memphis in the AAC quarterfinals on Friday.

Watch out for strong storms late Friday night.

Back tomorrow.

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