Month: January 2026

My binge-eating to deal with the weather continues. Yesterday I had the loaded fries at Memphis Chess Club.

The Grizzlies have less than a week to entertain offers for Ja Morant and possibly other players. The NBA trade deadline is Thursday at 2 PM.

Makeda’s Cookies is expanding to Atlanta.

Cordelia’s Market will be open 9-5 today. Sarah will lead a kids’ craft activity 11-1.

South Point Grocery will be open 8-5 today and Sunday.

The Metal Museum seeks a librarian & registrar (one position).

Back tomorrow, I hope.

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Yesterday I was laptopping at the Memphis Chess Club and a man came in wearing a “Memphis/Shelby County Pothole Repair” jacket. I felt like I should go up to him and thank him for his service.

I asked ChatGPT which source had the most accurate Memphis weather forecast, and got a very surprising answer.

Microsoft Weather.

I had never used it or even knew it existed. Wow, it is really good! So much information! A weather nerd’s dream!

Some downtown restaurants are operating on limited menus as they wait for delivery trucks to restock their supplies.

Good news: There’s a 60% chance of rain expected for Tuesday. That should wash away all the ice and snow.

The Grizzlies visit New Orleans tonight for a 6:30 game. TV: FanDuel Sports

It’s National Croissant Day. Celebrate with an egg, bacon, and cheese loaded croissant at Memphis Chess Club. Available all day.

Saturday Sunset (the full band) is back at Earnestine & Hazel’s tonight.

The Orpheum is hiring a director of facilities administration.

The U of M is asking fans to wear black for its 2 PM Sunday home game vs. Tulane. TV: ESPN2

WWE Royal Rumble predictions for tomorrow:

• Men’s winner: Bron Breakker
• Women’s winner: Liv Morgan

Cordelia’s Market is open 9 to 7 today.

Back tomorrow, I hope.

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The American Cornhole League’s Memphis Signature Open happens at the Renasant Convention Center this weekend. Open events for players of all skill levels the entire 3 days.

Today is National Corn Chip Day. I recommend celebrating with the very pinnacle of the chip world – chili cheese Fritos. Maybe make a crockpot of Rotel dip to go with them.

Penny’s 9-10 Tigers host Florida Atlantic at FedExForum tonight at 7. It’s the Coaches vs. Cancer game. TV: ESPN2

Live Rich Die Poor, Zora Awakening is scheduled for the Halloran Centre Friday night.

The Southern Soul Lovers Tour hits the Orpheum Saturday night, celebrating Anthony Q’s birthday.

Saturday at the Cannon Center, Memphis Symphony Orchestra performs Brahms Symphony No. 4 & Trumpet Virtuoso.

Save the date: Downtown Huey’s will host love song bingo the evening of February 10.

Save the date: South Main is organizing a MARDI GRAS KRAWL for Sunday, February 15. A dozen or more businesses will participate. A second line parade will start things, and a band at Slider Inn will finish it off. Get your card punched at each stop, then hand it in at the end for a small South Main prize.

Please BYO bags to Cordelia’s Market this week. Because deliveries can’t get there, they’ve run out of paper bags. They’ll be open 9-6 today.

Back tomorrow, I hope, with a Frupdate.

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Memphis wants to hear what its young people think. There will be a Youth Voice Summit at BRIDGES on Saturday, February 28.

The Downtown Neighborhood Association’s January membership meeting, planned to happen at the Orpheum last night, has been postponed to next Tuesday, February 3.

The Grizzlies host Charlotte tonight at 7. TV: FanDuel Sports

Congratulations to Grizzlies Cam Spencer, Cedric Coward, and Jaylen Wells on being picked for NBA Rising Stars teams. Rising Stars night is February 13, part of NBA All-Star Week. TV: Peacock

The Orpheum seeks an accounting manager.

Clean Memphis seeks a community engagement manager.

Jasper Float Spa seeks a licensed esthetician.

Memphis Medical District Collaborative seeks a data analyst.

The TV meteorologists are saying we could see flurries Friday or Saturday, but it doesn’t sound like much compared to this past weekend. The main concern is that lows will dip back into the teens or even single digits.

Business owners, watch for a guy in a blue jean jacket and red flannel pants, about 25-30. He’s been seen stealing from cashiers’ tip jars.

GO SUN!!! MELTY MELTY MELTY! Back tomorrow, I hope, with more news.

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I’d like to start this post with a concept from one of my favorite spiritual writers on Medium, Anne Bellamy:

Broadcast to the universe thoughts and feelings which say, HERE I AM, instead of anger, fear, and doubt, which broadcast to the universe, WHERE ARE YOU?

That’s what I’m working on behind the scenes this month. I want to be a Mighty Man of the Universe.

Out for the first time since Saturday afternoon. I’ve been cooped up at the Union Mission, surviving, staying alive. I should’ve stayed in today too but I couldn’t take it anymore. I had to get out, if only for a few hours. Allow me to present a sample interaction with one of the young people who don’t normally stay there that the cold has driven in off the streets.

Them: Hey mane, lemme sliiiiiiiide in here witcha.

Translation:

Them: Hey mane, I see that you and the 130 people behind you have been standing in the dinner line for 40 minutes. but I consider myself too important to stand in line. So I’m gonna attempt to cut in front of you.

72 hours of that kinda crap has left me starved for normal adult human interaction. So this morning I nearly froze to death walking to the Memphis Chess Club, which has kept regular hours throughout this weather event. I’ve had 2 Cokes and a chocolate brownie and 2 Hershey’s chocolate bars. I suspect there’s gonna be a third Coke before I leave.

DON’T FORGET, DOWNTOWNERS ENJOYING A SNOW DAY – the chess club has a full bar. It’s one of the few bars open today. Open until 8:30 tonight.

Bardog, according to their social media, is open too. They opened at 10 AM.

Penny’s Tigers are 9-10. Just an average team in an average conference. Reminds me of how from Pluto, the Sun looks like any other star.

Cordelia’s is open 9-6 today.

Birdie’s opens at noon today and has sim-golf availability.

Aldo’s Pizza is open with $5 limoncello and Jameson. Several $3 fire sale beers. Buy an 18″ signature pizza pie, get a two-topping 12″ free.

South Point Grocery is open 9-4 today.

Back tomorrow I hope. I truly love writing for all of you and it makes me sad when I have to miss a day.

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One more snow day special, and many of you knew about this one already: $3 Fireball at Bardog when it’s snowing.

Congrats to Chef Jimmy Gentry of The Lobbyist on being named a James Beard semifinalist.

The Grizzlies host the New Orleans Pelicans at 7. The DM reports that Ja will not play tonight. TV: Action News 5, FanDuel Sports

Heartbreak Hill Trio plays Earnestine & Hazel’s tonight.

Over on the peninsula we call an island, Tug’s Casual Grill is planning an Anti-Valentine’s Day party 4-9 PM February 14.

Other than that, there’s no news but snow news.

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This is not the post I intended to publish today.

But we’re less than 48 hours away now from the predicted arrival of a major winter storm. The chances of this thing being “just a big nothingburger” are rapidly diminishing.

In fact, the forecast looks eerily similar to the forecast a day or two before the famous Memphis ice storm of ’94.

Not yet a Downtowner, I was living in The Gilmore at Madison and McLean. I was a credit hour from wrapping up my master’s degree at the U of M, and I was working there in a full-time computer support role.

I tried to come to work the morning the ’94 ice storm hit. But my ’79 Mustang hatchback wouldn’t move a foot in any direction on the Gilmore’s parking lot. A neighbor gave me kitty litter to put under the tires. It didn’t help.

I went back inside and called into work, then turned on the TV. Trees and power lines were down all over the city. Linden Avenue between Barksdale and Cooper looked like a war zone.

Some neighborhoods went 10 days or longer before the power was restored.

My point in telling you this is, don’t take the threat of an ice storm lightly.

No, I don’t think Downtown ’26 will resemble Linden Avenue ’94. There are not as many trees Downtown, and the power lines are underground. But I’d recommend avoiding driving at all costs. If you walk, wear shoes with good traction and remember, there could be a half-inch of solid ice under those several inches of snow.

Back tomorrow with more news.

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Memphis Chess Club took down its Christmas tree yesterday, for those of you wondering when or if that was going to happen.

Today is Squirrel Appreciation Day. Celebrate in Court Square, or “Squirrel Park” as it’s informally known. Maybe stop by Walgreens and buy them a pack of peanuts or trail mix.

Slider Inn wants you to know that if it does indeed snow this weekend, they’ll be ready for you with the following specials:

• $5 Whiskey Wednesday prices
• 1/2 price chili dogs
• 1/2 price chili bowls
• $3 Fireball if you show up in your PJs

Slider Inn’s sibling restaurant Momma’s will have snow-contingent specials as well:

• $6 Jameson green teas
• $6 Whiskey Wednesday prices
• $10 grilled cheese and chili combo

The city has revealed the snow and ice plan it will implement this weekend if needed. Map of roads that will be treated

Penny’s Memphis Tigers are in Tulsa for a 7 PM game. TV: ESPN+

No soup for you: Recipes for the Seinfeld Soup Nazi’s soups

Back tomorrow with more news.

I gratefully accept tips: 
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Planet Ozz plays the Flying Saucer Friday night at 8. Yes, they are an Ozzy cover band.

Indiana did it. 16-0. Congratulations to them. First national title for the IU football program and the first 16-0 for a major college football team since Yale did it in 1894.

Friends of mine who are Indiana fans traveled to Bloomington to watch the game on TV with their people. They texted me that people were lining up Sunday night to get into bars that opened at noon on Monday.

There’s a proposal that would expand the college football playoff to 24 teams, but it would require the conferences to give up their championship games. The two conferences that matter, the SEC and the Big Ten, are said not to be on the same page on this matter.

Cordelia’s Market now carries Duck Donuts. They are delivered to Cordelia’s fresh three times a week. They have varieties ranging from classic glazed to chocolate-covered.

Cordelia’s hot lunch specials this week:

• Tue: Enchiladas with rice and beans
• Wed: Taco salad
• Thur: Chicken fried chicken, mac & cheese, sweet potato casserole
• Fri: Bang bang shrimp with fried rice and an egg roll

Interesting Wikipedia link I found: The AFL-NFL merger of 1970, which actually began in 1966. it answers a lot of questions I had about the NFL, including why the Dallas Cowgirls are in the NFC East.

Momma’s has cold weather specials this week: tomato bisque, grilled cheese, and a jalapeño popper burger.

The Downtown Neighborhood Association meeting for January will be Wednesday, January 28 at 5:30 at the Orpheum Theatre’s newly-renovated Broadway Club. Members will hear about other planned improvements to the Orpheum/Halloran Centre campus. Plenty of other Downtown news too. Free wine and beer for members.

TV stations are saying it’s looking more and more like Memphis is going to get a winter storm this weekend. Erik from MemphisWeather.net weighs in: Why winter storm forecasts so far out are not reliable

Wednesday is Mentoring Night at the Grizzlies as they host the Atlanta Hawks at 7. Free Mentor Shirts to the first 3000. TV: FanDuel Sports

Broadway musical The Outsiders plays the Orpheum this week.

Once Upon a Midday Dreary, a celebration of Edgar Allen Poe, will happen Saturday 1:00-3:30 on the top floor of A. Schwab on Beale. Two films based on Poe’s works will be shown. Free.

Back tomorrow with more news.

I gratefully accept tips: 
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Penny’s Memphis Tigers host UTSA today at 5 at FedExForun. TV: ESPNU

Back tomorrow with more news.

I gratefully accept tips: 
Venmo: @Paul-Ryburn (8113 if it asks for digits)
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