Author: paulryburn

The Memphis Juneteenth Festival is today and tomorrow in Medical District Park. Live music, dance, speeches from local elders. Food trucks serving all kinds of food. Political roundtable. Run/walk promoting health and unity. Family-friendly and free.

Tonight is Margaritaville Night at the Redbirds. Come munch on a Cheeseburger in Paradise and sip on a margarita as your ‘birds take on the Indianapolis Indians. The first 1500 fans get a hooded Dri-Fit T-shirt presented by Southern College of Optometry.

Today is National Donut Day. It’s also National Churro Day. Does the Subway at Main and Jefferson still have footlong churros?

Gould’s Salon seeks a massage therapist.

ALDI is reducing prices on more than 400 products for the summer. Shop the new downtown ALDI at Union and Manassas.

Teach901 seeks a registrar and enrollment coordinator for Grizzlies Prep School.

Gainesville, FL high school punk rock band The Limewires perform from 7 to 8 tonight at Off the Walls Arts at 360 Walnut. The show is free and all ages.

Later in the evening at Off the Walls, there will be a dance party featuring DJ Witnesse. $10 cover with Venmo, Cash App, and cash accepted. 18 and up.

Sarah hosts a Father’s Day crafts session Saturday from 11 AM to 1 PM at Cordelia’s Market. All kids are welcome and advance registration is not needed.

There will be a Sundresses & Sangrias party Saturday from 4 to 10 at the Aloft Hotel. Live entertainment by Jerome Chism.

The Trumpster and Elon Musk are publicly feuding. LOVE IT.

That’s all I’ve got.

I gratefully accept tips:
Venmo: @Paul-Ryburn (8113 if it asks for digits)
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From Chowhound: Elvis loved the ribs from the Rendezvous, but he was not allowed to rent the entire restaurant out as he often did when dining out. Management felt it would make regular customers unhappy, and did not want to lose their business.

Watch wild cockatoos drink from a public water fountain in Australia

Hooters has closed its Downtown Memphis location.

MATA plans to roll out rubber-wheeled trolleys to get the Main Street line rolling again soon.

Choose901 has a look at The Playground, a new lounge in the Claridge House on N. Main.

Lucky 7 headlines tonight’s Peabody rooftop party. $15 to get in, $40 VIP. Those in VIP get a buffet of catfish po’boys, chicken and sausage, jambalaya, and beignets.

Don’t Tell Comedy comes to Bardog Saturday night. 7 PM and 9 PM shows. Limited seating. Tickets

StyleBlueprint has a first look inside renovated 1906 hotel in the South Main district, Hotel Ponotoc. The hotel has an upscale wine and cocktail bar on the ground floor called The Dame.

Anime Blues Con comes to the Renasant Convention Center this weekend.

Today is National Veggie Burger Day. Celebrate with the black bean burger at Huey‘s.

If you plan on coming to Bardog Saturday for brunch and/or to pre-game for the Beale Street parade, here’s a recommendation for a shooter:

The rarely-seen duo of Michael and Dani will be bartending. Pro tip: Get them to make you not only a Beaver Eater, but also another shooter known as the Peruvian Pussy Popper.

That’s all I’ve got.

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

Read the Wikipedia entry for the Stonewall Riots in June 1969 at a gay bar in Greenwich Village in New York City. The patrons got fed up with having to hide who they were and rose up in protest. The events that followed led to the establishment of Pride Month in the Junes that followed.

How is it that at the age I am, I’m just now hearing about the Stonewall Riots? It’s an egregious deletion from our history books as the Tulsa Race Riots. Makes me wonder what other events in America’s past The Man doesn’t want us to read about.

For those of you who plan on attending the Pride parade on Beale Street Saturday, might want to bring an umbrella. FOX 13 gives us a 70% chance of rain that day and predicts 2.1 inches by Monday morning.

There was a robbery/shooting on Mud Island Monday afternoon. Police are searching for a red truck that may have been involved.

The health department is giving away free fish – not for eating, but to fight mosquitoes.

Today is a holiday we can’t afford to celebrate. It’s National Egg Day.

Map: where in the US are air traffic control shortages the most serious? Guess what city made the list.

A $50,000 bond has been set for a man charged with doing donuts in a stolen car at Union and Fourth.

I Want My Daddy is at the Halloran Centre Saturday.

The Screwtape Letters is at the Orpheum Saturday.

Read the story of Huey’s onion ring queen.

BOOOOOOOOO to World Wrestling Entertainment for releasing R-Truth

That’s all I’ve got.

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

People have been asking what I think of the new barstools at Bardog. I’ll give you my honest review, now that I’ve had the weekend to try them out.

First of all, I like the tricolor red, tan, and black scheme. It adds personality to the place. Aldo has said that Bardog is not a dive bar, and the new seats reinforce that.

They have more padding than the old seats, which is good for sitting. They sit about an inch higher than the old stools, making it easier to reach your food on that high bar.

My one criticism of the new stools is that there’s too many of them. They are so close to each other, wedged in so tight that I can’t easily swivel out to make a run to the bathroom or to stand up to grab my wallet out of my back pocket. Removing a stool or two to give the remainder of the stools “room to breathe,” so to speak, would help.

May I make a suggestion for a day for you to come try the new stools for yourself? Saturday, June 7 is the pride parade on Beale Street. Bardog is always a huge spot for pre-gaming that day. It’s always one of the most fun days of the year up there. Come support your LGBTQ friends and try the new red, black, and tan stools.

I met some people from the Veterans’ Golden Age Games this weekend. We are fortunate to have such a wonderful event in town.

I have some things to do today so I’m gonna cut this one short.

I gratefully accept tips:
Venmo: @Paul-Ryburn (8113 if it asks for digits)
Cash App: $PaulRyburn1
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I bet this boarded-up building at 5 North B.B. King would have the potential to become an awesome two-story nightclub.

The NBA Finals are set. Indiana Pacers vs. the Oklahoma City Thunder. Two of the smallest markets in the league. The NBA’s gotta be hatin’ it. No one in Manhattan is gonna care. No one in Beverly Hills is gonna care.

The Wiggles Bouncing Ball Tour comes to the Orpheum June 14.

Map: America’s favorite gas station snacks

New Memphis seeks a director of development.

That’s all for 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

Erin McLendon and Laila Dirisco play South Main Sounds tonight at 7. From the event listing on Facebook:

“We first saw the talented Erin McLendon at a writers round at The Virgin Hotel in Nashville and it’s great to have her. Laila is one of our go-to artists at The Graduate music series in Oxford and thrilled to have her join us! Both will be playing the Memphis Farmers Market on Saturday so let’s keep the party going!”

Tonight is Trolley Night on South Main. Many of the galleries and shops will be open until nine or later, and some offer discounts or beer or wine.

Good blog I discovered yesterday: Walking in Memphis in High Heels

Slider Inn Downtown is doing a crawfish boil Saturday. Live music by Terry Greene at noon and Deep Roots at 7.

Momma’s is hosting a Streetdog adoption party Saturday at noon.

Gallery Albertine has its grand opening at 55 S. Main Saturday 6-9 PM.

New bar stools at Bardog!

Sad to hear that the Trumpster is moving aggressively to cancel Chinese college student visas. When I was in grad school in computer science, some of my favorite classmates were Chinese. It’s too bad their education has to be affected by his whims.

That’s all I’ve got for today.

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

There will be a celebration for the award-winning Central High jazz band this evening at the New Daisy on Beale Street at 6:00. It’s free to attend. The band recently won an Essentially Ellington contest in New York.

Today is National Biscuit Day. Kinfolk, Biscuits & Jams, and Sunrise are good places to celebrate.

The inaugural Downtown Memphis Brew Hop celebrating our neighborhood’s craft breweries will happen June 9-15. There will be live music, special craft beer releases, Father’s Day celebrations, trivia, food, trucks, brewery tours, and more. 9 locations will participate. The Memphis Brew Bus will provide transportation among the breweries June 13 from 5 to 9 PM and June 14 from noon to 6 PM.

Thumpdaddy headlines tonight’s Peabody rooftop party. $15 to get in, $40 VIP. Those in VIP get a buffet of chicken and beef sliders, potato skins, and grilled vegetables.

A $1.5 million donation has been given to rebuild Clayborn Temple.

Next month, ARDOT will close lanes on the I-40 bridge for routine inspections.

There’s a very aggressive mockingbird near Fourth and Jefferson. Most of them won’t go after humans. This one will.

Elon Musk is leaving the Trump administration.

Does anyone downtown have an extra USB-C or standard USB charging block that I could have? I have the cords for those already. I just need the block. Email me at paul.ryburn@gmail.com or hit me up on Facebook if you can help. Thanks.

Pray for me everyone. I have life challenges hitting me from so many directions right now. I’ll try to be 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

Nine years ago today, Harambe the gorilla was shot and killed after a little boy entered his enclosure at the Cincinnati Zoo. RIP Harambe.

On Saturday, June 14 from 5 to 8 PM there will be a 80’s Street Beats block party at the Renasant Convention Center. Free entry, live music, drink specials.

There is no timeline to repair potholes on the I-40 bridge.

There will be a public meeting on the grounds of Clayborn Temple this evening in support of rebuilding the church.

It’s International Hamburger Day. So many places to celebrate. Majestic Grille, Kooky Canuck, Dyer’s, Huey’s, Earnestine & Hazel’s to name a few.

HOPPED 2025 is this Saturday at the Memphis Made taproom. It’ll be a day of limited release hoppy beers, glassware, live music, secret merchandise, food trucks, and more. 

Bags no longer fly free on Southwest Airlines.

WikiWho? Guess the famous person from their Wikipedia page.

That’s all I’ve got.

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 to play cribbage over the weekend. If anyone wants a game, let me know. Just don’t get me assigned to the 4077th if I beat you. (Give yourself a pat on the back if you got that cultural reference.)

A new hub is being planned Downtown for paralyzed veterans. It will offer office and event spaces, basketball and pickleball courts and pool tables. It will also have a pavilion and gazebo.

Former Memphis Tiger PJ Haggerty is headed to Kansas State.

From StyleBlueprint: Why the Belz Museum may be Memphis‘s best kept secret

TV cameras are set up outside Brinkley Plaza as 8 people were arrested in immigration court recently.

It looks like I’m going to keep that TextNow phone number I got a couple of months ago, but thought wouldn’t work out. If you want the number, email me at paul.ryburn@gmail.com. I do not have cellular service, so I will only be able to receive calls and texts when on Wi-Fi.

That’s all I’ve got.

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

Overheard at Bardog yesterday:

“Are you ready for another shot?”

“Is the pope from Chicago?”

Special thanks to my friend J.T. for screen-capping this image off the TV. It’s everything there is to say about Tennessee Vols fans in one convenient image.

Tennessee was playing Vanderbilt in the SEC baseball playoff. The Vols lost 10-0 in 7 innings.

A new spot to drink on Beale Street is now open. Hippie Pants is connected to Walking Pants and serves Dirty Hippie sodas made however you like.

Last week there was a push in city Council for more public bathrooms Downtown. I want to add my two cents worth, although it’s kind of disgusting. Do you know why the Jefferson Plaza building at 1:47 Jefferson has murals on the first floor? Last summer, when the building was boarded up with white boards on the first floor, there were brown splotches along those boards: People were using the side of the building as a bathroom. It looked like some of them had diarrhea apparently.

That’s all I’ve got.

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