Author: paulryburn

I’m in Methodist University Hospital fighting infection and swelling in my left leg. I believe “peripheral edema” is the technical term for it. I knew I was sick Thursday after but I tried to tough it out. Friday morning the 11-block walk to the Downtown core dehydrated me and left me with a high fever. Once there, friends talked me into calling an ambulance.

After a weekend of treatment, my fever is gone, the swelling is down, and the infection is under control. I expect to be outta here by tomorrow.

On to the news…

BB King’s Blues Club is throwing a 100th birthday party for BB on Sunday, September 14. Eric Gales, Corey Lou and the Davillage Band, Rodd Bland and Friends, Mr. Sipp, Beale Street Flippers, Grizzline drum line, Southern Avenue, Stax Music Academy. 2-6 PM, free and family friendly.

You can contribute your thoughts on the riverfront master plan this Thursday at The Kent, 61 Keel, 5:30-7:00 PM.

Mayor Young will speak to the South Main Association Tuesday. 6-8 PM at the Civil Rights Museum.

they just put an iv in my arm – hard to type – catch up tomorrow or wed

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Maybe. If this stupid Wi-Fi doesn’t crap out on me. Check back.

I got 10.5 hours quality sleep last night at the Union Mission, my first real sleep since Saturday morning. Again, thank you to those who donated so I could pay the now-mandatory $6 Mission fee.

A few of my readers donated a little extra and told me to use it to get something good to eat. So I returned to Little Petals, which is quickly becoming my favorite restaurant. I wanted to  try their bento boxes, which I’d read were a great value on Google Reviews.

Tuesday I started with a base of fried rice and chose an entree of spicy cumin beef. I decided to “Peony up” an extra $2.50 for an egg roll and orange Fanta. Oh boy that was a good lunch.

Wednesday I took a Google reviewer’s suggestion, ordering General Peony’s chicken on a lo mein noodle base. Very good!

Hal and Julie Lansky will have a joint book signing in their Peabody lobby clothing shop Friday and Saturday from 10 to 3. Each has a book out about what Elvis means to them personally.

Action News 5 profiles a woman who has dedicated her life to providing hot, fresh meals for those who are hungry.

The Metal Museum seeks an education and outreach manager.

Today is National IPA Day.

The city hopes to be the new owner of Downtown’s main convention hotel the Sheraton soon. There have been a lot of complaints from convention-goers about the upkeep of the hotel under current ownership, costing Memphis future convention business.

Cherisse Scott headlines Soulin on the River Friday night at Fourth Bluff. All ages. Food trucks and vendors will be on site.

Marsha, Marsha, Marsha wants to be Tennessee’s next governor. At least it would get her out of that Senate seat.

I voted for #VoteForAllison for Best Server this morning. You have less than a week left to vote.

Back tomorrow with more news.

I gratefully accept tips:
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Cash App: $PaulRyburn1
Zelle: paul@paulryburn.com
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THANK YOU to folks who stuck money in one of my online tip jars yesterday. You got me out of a place of scarcity and worry and into a place off abundance and reassurance.

Community Alliance for the Homeless is hiring a homeless management information systems director.

The future Uptown Chick-Fil-A is hiring a back-of-house team leader.

New Memphis River Parks Partnership leader Paul Chandler shared his vision for the riverfront.

The Redbirds host Durham tonight at 6:45 in the first game of a 6-game homestand.

The Downtown Neighborhood Association presents the movie E.T. this Wednesday at 7:30 in its summer movie series at Slider Inn.

Protect Our Aquifer will host a happy hour single barrel whiskey release Wednesday at Old Dominick. It’s a chance to mingle with others who care about the environment. Lead distiller David Valentine will speak.

Grind City Brewing will host Uptown’s National Night Out celebration today at 5.

Memphis Filling Station will host MFS Rhythm and Brews 2025 Saturday. featuring singer/songwriters on the back lot. 3-10 PM.

Soul & Spirits will have its third annual book fair Saturday.

Elvis Week begins Friday.

Memphis will be the topic of a special themed trivia night Tuesday, August 26 at 7 PM at the Flying Saucer. Y’all have fun battling it out for second place, because I plan to show up and win.

Back tomorrow with more news.

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

Hey, everyone, if you’ve ever thought about tipping me using one of the methods in the footer, now would be a time when it would especially help me out. I’m down to my last three dollars. I haven’t slept since Friday night. Thanks in advance for any tips you can spare.

It’s National White Wine Day. Celebrate by going to Rootstock Wine Merchants in The Edge. Talk to the staff about what you like and let them pick out some bottles for you.

It’s also the first day of school for MSCS kids. Some schools are requiring clear lunchboxes. I remember how proud I was of my Snoopy lunchbox the first day of kindergarten. Kids today won’t be able to feel that pride.

When I was in 8th grade, there was a blond 7th grader who carried a big black metal lunchbox that looked like it belonged in his father’s tool shed. It only took one day for the name Ben “Lunch Pail” Wilson to stick. I guess the 2025-26 class won’t have a Lunch Pail.

Donk Toss, a sport played on ESPN8: The Ocho this past weekend, is an improvement over traditional cornhole. Instead of bean bags, you toss cute stuffed donkeys, scoring points based on the position in which they land.

This is the last day of the year to catch an 8 PM sunset in Memphis.

A study has found that our fair city has the most dangerous morning commutes in the U.S.

The FedEx-St. Jude Classic golf tournament is at TPC Southwind this weekend. It’s the first round of pro golf’s playoffs, with the top 50 in points for the season after this event advancing to the second round. Here’s a list of who has qualified for the FESJC. The only qualifier who isn’t coming is Rory McIlroy. If you’re not attending the event live, I recommend watching it in the air-conditioned comfort of Downtown golf bar Birdie’s.

Kinda surprised there are only 2 NFL games scheduled for Sunday: Miami at Chicago (noon) and New Orleans at L.A. Chargers (3:00). The rest of the slate is set for earlier in the weekend since there is not yet any college football to take those time slots.

RIP Loni Anderson. She played station receptionist Jennifer on WKRP in Cincinnati, a character considerably smarter than her boss Mr. Carlson. Anderson was 79.

This morning about 7, I was walking down the Main Street Mall when a cop pulled up next to me and rolled down his window. Uh oh. That’s usually not a good position for a homeless person to be in. Was he going to invent some BS reason to take me on my first-ever trip to 201? I braced myself for what he might say.

He said, “Sausage biscuit from McDonald’s?” and held one out to me.

That got the morning off to a great start! Know how some people believe the world is conspiring against them? Encounters like that one lead me to believe the world is conspiring IN MY FAVOR!!!

Back tomorrow. Again, any tips are especially appreciated right now.

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

Not to be confused with “Sun downdate.”

I stayed out all night last night. Brrrrrr! 65F and 10 MPH north wind felt a little chilly in a T-shirt and shorts.

About 3:30 AM the Subway at N. Main and Jefferson got an unplanned new look.

A witness told me a car came barreling down Jefferson at about 60 MPH. The driver lost control at Main and took out 3 of the restaurant’s front window panes. “The car went so far into Subway that I can’t believe the driver backed out and went on his merry way,” the witness said.

Irish Network Memphis is pleased to bring Consul General Frank Groome to the Brass Door Wednesday at 6 PM for an evening of conversation and connection. All are invited and this event is free.

Celebrate the life of FedEx founder Fred Smith through music at the Orpheum Sunday, September 7 at 7 PM.

Memphis Songwriters Series, hosted by Mark Edgar Stuart, returns to the Halloran Centre this Thursday. Jimbo Mathus, Tonya Dyson, and Jeremy Stanfill are set to perform. $10 at the door.

Comedy show Killers of Kill Tony comes to the Orpheum Saturday.

Today is Grab Some Nuts Day.

Back tomorrow with more news.

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

If you’re a fan of Nashville musician Jelly Roll, you might want to tune into the first of two nights of WWE’s Summerslam premium live event tonight. Jelly Roll will team with WWE veteran Randy Orton in a tag team match against Drew McIntyre and social media influencer Logan Paul.

It looks like In-N-Out Burger’s first Memphis location will be at 5341 Poplar.

Two minor earthquakes (2.6 and 3.0) were measured in NE Arkansas yesterday. Foreshocks of The Big One?

The New York Times recently sat down with local advertising legend John Malmo, who discussed what worked and what didn’t redeveloping Downtown in the 1970s and 1980s.

Today is International Blues Music Day. Celebrate on Beale Street.

It’s also National Mustard Day. Celebrate with mustard on a Soul Burger at Earnestine & Hazel’s.

The Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which funds NPR and PBS stations, will shut down thanks to federal budget cuts.

Can you discern AI-generated images from real ones?

Back tomorrow with more news.

I gratefully accept tips:
Venmo: @Paul-Ryburn (8113 if it asks for digits)
Cash App: $PaulRyburn1
Zelle: paul@paulryburn.com
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Folks, when you’re donating clothes to charity, please don’t donate anything that makes a political statement.

I checked into the Union Mission yesterday, having stayed out since Monday to avoid the $6 nightly charges which are now inescapable. I signed up on the list to take a shower and about 2:25 my name was called.

Now, before you go to your assigned shower stall, you stop at the clothes closet so you’ll have something fresh and clean to put on after you dry off. The attendant gives you a washcloth and towel and a shirt and pants in the size you request. As for socks, there’s a big bin full of ’em and you pick out what you want.

So I rummaged through the sock bin. The socks are balled up so they can fit as many as possible in there. I found a pair of white socks that felt fairly loose, necessary to fit over my swollen ankles. They had a red emblem on them but I couldn’t see what it was because they were in a ball.

After the shower I put the socks on and discovered that the red emblem was a Confederate flag.

Only one visit to the clothes closet per day is allowed, so returning the socks and getting another pair was not an option.

So if you see me walking around in socks that scream I AM A RACIST, that’s why.

On to the news…

The Orpheum will have a screening of Grease Saturday at 2 PM. Come sing along to the songs of the 1978 classic starring John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John.

From Popular Science: Read ebooks for free on your Kindle or other reading device

Rolling Stone has coverage of Ozzy Osbourne’s funeral in Birmingham, UK. Rock on, Ozz Man.

Build your own Tom Lee lantern at Beale Street Landing Saturday from 4 to 7. $12. This workshop is for adults only. BYO adult beverages and snacks.

There will be a jazz jam at Center for Southern Folklore Sunday afternoon at 2.

It’s Wizarding Week at Grind City Brewing:

• Tonight: Popcorn and movie night
• Saturday: Diagon Alley Market and limited can release
• Sunday: Hororux Hunt

Ladies are invited to learn to shoot a pistol at Bass Pro at the Pyramid this weekend.

There’s a back-to-school event at the Greenlaw Community Center Saturday from 10 to 2. Score some free school supplies. 190 Mill Avenue.

That’s it for now. Back tomorrow or Sunday with more news.

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

 

The season finale of the Thursday night Peabody rooftop party series is tonight. Country party band The Neon Mooners headline and DJ A.D. and SHAB will also perform. Doors open at 6. $15 to get in, $40 to go VIP. VIPs get a buffet of a Cuban style roasted pig with mojo, fried plantains, yucca mash, and dessert.

Earnestine & Hazel’s is now selling hats for $25.

The NFL is back tonight as Detroit hosts the Los Angeles Chargers in the first game of the preseason.

Boots, the artist who spray-paints life advice on South Main sidewalks, has an online store.

StyleBlueprint had a look at the 13 best sandwiches in Memphis. Hard Times Deli, JEM, Slider Inn, and SOB had creations on the list.

Back tomorrow with more news.

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 learned something kinda interesting about beer yesterday.

Belgian brewer Duvel is very picky about who is allowed to serve its beer on draft. The Duvel folks don’t think American bars do a good job keeping their tap lines clean. So they created disposable lines that you change each time you change the keg.

The Downtown and Cordova Flying Saucers recently were certified as the 43rd and 44th bars in the U.S., and the 2nd and 3rd in Tennessee, permitted to pour Duvel on draft after having had it in bottles for years. The third Tennessee venue, in case you’re wondering, is The Pharmacy Burger Parlor & Beer Garden in East Nashville.

Alley Dayz comes to Uptown 5:30-7:30 tonight. Live music, local vendors and pop-ups and an opportunity to explore businesses on the block. 605 N. Second St.

There will be a dog social at Memphis Made Brewing Friday at 6. Music by the Memphis Snake Doctors.

Slow Poke Rodriguez is the burger of the week at Momma’s: guacamole, bacon, pepper jack, lettuce, tomato, onion, and chipotle mayo on Angus-certified beef.

The third week of January, the Grizzlies will make a trip overseas to play games in Berlin and London. However, this means they won’t be at home to host a 2026 MLK Day game.

The home of the Memphis Redbirds, AutoZone Park, will undergo extensive renovations with a price tag in the mid-eight figures. The renos will bring the park up to MLB standards, ensuring that parent club the St. Louis Cardinals will want to keep their AAA affiliate here.

You can now “favorite” drivers on the Lyft rideshare app.

Back tomorrow with more news.

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