Author: paulryburn

Wed update: Easter flowers, The Edge, cool job perk, Dirty Movies and more

Want a beautiful and locally-sourced centerpiece on the table for Easter Sunday dinner? Tyronza, Arkansas-based Whitton Farms is taking orders for $20, $30, $40, and $50 centerpieces all week. You can call 870-819-5929 or send an email to whittonfarms@live.com to place an order, and you can pick it up at Trolley Stop Market out in The Edge District. They’re also doing pin-on corsages for Easter Sunday. Look extra snazzy for church! Or, if you’re like me, look extra snazzy for brunch at a bar.

Speaking of The Edge District… as the #1 online source of news and information about that neighborhood, I want to blog a link to an article, From Tactical to Permanent, shared on Facebook yesterday by one of my college classmates at Rhodes. She said that when she and her husband went to a dance club in that neighborhood in the 1990s (Six-1-Six, and I was often with them when they went) it was not a pretty area at all. Now, every time she drives through, she is impressed by the beauty. I would agree! The article appeared on a site called Strong Towns.

Big River Crossing has won the 2017 American Architecture Award. This is considered the nation’s highest public award for new architecture.

inferno, a Downtown PR agency, has a PR account coordinator position open. They’re looking for someone with a relevant degree and 1-2 years experience. They have a very cool perk on their list of benefits: “An additional week of paid leave to support a cause you are passionate about through our Fuelanthropic initiative.” That’s really awesome that they encourage their employees to give back to the community,

Of course, if I worked there, I would probably tell them the cause I’m passionate about is “Bardog” and spend the week off work there…

:mrgreen:

In other hiring news, there’s this:

Dirty Movies is a Mystery Science Theater 3000-type show in which local comics roast terrible movies. The next in this series is He-Man Masters of the Universe at the New Daisy Saturday, April 29, from 7:00 to 9:30 in the evening.

Doug Carpenter, founder and principal of DCA, has a look at how times have changed for Downtown in a guest column for the Memphis Business Journal. Not only is the area attracting residents, but also businesses who understand that employees will appreciate a walkable neighborhood with so many nearby amenities.

The Hard Rock will have some new items on its lunch menu soon.

The Grizzlies play their final home game of the regular season tonight at 7 vs. Dallas. All fans in attendance get a free Grizzlies poster.

The Downtown Neighborhood Association is having their monthly happy hour at one of my favorites, Max’s Sports Bar, this Thursday, April 13 from 6 to 8 PM. There is no agenda, just socializing with your neighbors, and guests are welcome. $4 Espolon tequila and $1 off draft beers (except PBR).

Lots more news coming today, so check back this afternoon. I’ll have a lunchtime post up around 1.

Tue update #2: Pop-up park on the river, DNA meeting, hot dog special at the Redbirds and more

A new pop-up park called RiverPlay is coming to Memphis Park at Front and Jefferson. The new park will have basketball courts, playing fields, a skating rink, and an area for food trucks. Construction will begin on the park April 22 and it will open in early May, remaining open until August 1. The court is made possible by a Civic Commons grant and funding from the Grizzlies.

This month’s Downtown Neighborhood Association meeting will be a Food Fight! Well, not really, but there will be a panel of local chefs and restaurant owners. These will include Patrick Reilly of the Majestic Grille, Michael Patrick of Rizzo’s, Milton Lamb of Cafe Pontotoc, and B.J. Tamayo of Alcenia’s. The meeting will be Tuesday, April 25 at the Majestic Grille, with social at 6:00 and program at 6:30. There will be light appetizers and a cash bar. Free for members, $10 for visitors.

Freewheel, the slow-ride bicycle group that explored The Edge and the Medical District, is coming back for 2017. This spring, however, they are branching out and taking the show on the road, exploring a different neighborhood each ride. The April 19 ride will explore the riverfront and Martyr’s Park. It will depart at 6 PM that day from 603 Monroe in The Edge, the former Kudzu’s. Freewheel’s rides operate at a leisurely pace, so you won’t have to worry about catching up and there will be plenty of time to talk to your fellow riders. If you don’t have a bike, you can reserve one of theirs, and if you show up early you can enjoy discount pints at High Cotton across the street. Freewheel will return for the five Wednesdays after the 19th, exploring a different neighborhood each week.

Bike Night returns to The Dirty Crow Inn tomorrow, Wednesday, April 12, from 7 to 10 PM. Live music by Bobbie and Tasha.

American Commercial Barge Line is stirring up controversy with a plan to build two large silos facing the river in the French Fort neighborhood. Residents feel the silos would ruin the view of the river from the Chickasaw Indian mounds and from the Metal Museum.

From The Daily Beast: Reverse engineering Fireball whisky, how to make your own Fireball at home. Or, if you don’t feel like doing the work, the Silly Goose has done it already. They have a House cinnamon-flavored whiskey that is better than Fireball itself.

Keep this in mind for dinner if you go watch the Redbirds this week:

There will be a special tribute to Memphis wrestling hosts Lance Russell and Dave Brown at Jerry Lawler’s Bar and Grill on Beale Street on Saturday, April 22. At 5 there will be a Q&A with Lance and Dave ($10 to attend) and dinner with Lance and Dave at 6 (also $10). At 7:15 they will be inducted into the Memphis Wrestling Hall of Fame with a special tribute from The King. Bill Dundee, Koko B. Ware, and Randy Hales will be among the special guests.

That’ll do it for this update. Have a fantastic day!!!

Tuesday update #1: Jackie Robinson Day, Crop Hop 5K and more

This Saturday marks the 70th anniversary of Jackie Robinson integrating professional baseball. The Redbirds will celebrate not only Robinson that night, but The Memphis 13 as well. The Memphis 13 are a group of schoolchildren who integrated Memphis public schools in 1961. There will be a forum at 4 PM, open to all ticketholders of that night’s game (although registration for the forum is requested). All the Redbirds will be wearing number 42 for Saturday’s game in memory of Jackie Robinson, with the jerseys being auctioned after the game to benefit the Redbirds Community Fund and the Jackie Robinson Foundation.

It’s the season opener! The Memphis Redbirds take the field against Colorado Springs tonight at 7:05. First 5000 fans get a free magnet schedule, and it’s dollar King Cotton hot dog night.

Save the date: Crop Hop 5K is coming Friday, June 16. This is a 5K race benefiting the Memphis Farmers Market. It’s $25 to register as a runner, getting you a race T-shirt and admission to their excellent after-party under the pavilion. Not a runner? No problem. They always have a “skip the race and just party” ticket too.

The Tennessee Highway Patrol is cracking down on distracted driving. Good! I’ve seen way too many people on Memphis highways texting while they drive recently.

Well, this is pretty cool… if you attend an Atlanta Braves home game this year, you can order a beer aged on baseball bats.

Got several more news items that I don’t have time to blog right now. Check back this afternoon for more.

Monday update and cooks’ meeting photos

Saturday as I was hanging out at Clarence’s bar at Earnestine & Hazel’s, I saw people working on the former American Apparel space across the street. “I wonder what’s going in there?” I thought. Well, now I know, and it’s great news for Downtown.

You may remember that Memphis Escape Rooms sponsored Friday night’s Grizzlies game, and they said they had a big announcement. They did not disappoint. They are opening a second location at South Main and G.E. Patterson, with two rooms. One of the rooms will be called “Grizzlies” and will be the first ever NBA-licensed escape room. Players in that room have one hour to save a Grizzlies game and avoid the wrath of 18,000 angry fans.

The other room will be called Lost Pyramid, and players will have one hour to unravel an ancient feud to avoid the fate of a powerful Pharoah. The rooms are $25 per person, and up to 8 people can play together in a room. Fun to do with friends, and also many companies book the escape rooms as team-building exercises. The rooms open May 5 and you can book them at memphisescaperooms.com.

On Friday, April 21 there will be a daylong celebration for the opening of Madison Avenue Park at 151 Madison, where a blighted Burger King stood vacant for many years. From 9 AM to 9 PM there will be music, arts, partying and playing.

Metal Night will return to High Cotton Brewing Co. at 598 Monroe this Saturday, April 15, from 8 to 11 PM. Epoch of Unlight will make its return, and Death Crown (from Richmond, Virginia) and Dawn Patrol will perform too. This is a free show but I am sure they wouldn’t mind if you purchased some of their craft beer to enjoy as you listen to the music.

If anyone wants a sneak preview of the Breakaway-Bardog 5K course, The Salty Dogs will run it at 7 tonight. They meet at Bardog and it’s free to participate. There are specials in the Underdog Room for the runners afterward.

Pick one of these up at the new Tart location in One Commerce Square:

LUNCHBOXeats has released its Easter Sunday menu.

Yesterday was the BBQ Fest cooks’ meeting at Bass Pro. The cooks’ meeting concept is a bit misunderstood by those who don’t compete in the festival – it’s not actually a bunch of people sitting around swapping recipes. Rather, it’s “pay everyone for the stuff you’re going to need in your booth” day. Team president Clay, treasurer Misty, booth designer Travis, team member Buddha, and vice president John D attended the meeting, as did I in my Director of Public Relations role. Deputy Director of Public Relations Perjorie T. Roll attended as well.

Clay, Travis and Buddha discussing booth ideas

Clay and Misty writing checks

Bass Pro can be a dangerous place

Perjorie gets an up-close look at the team packet. Thanks Travis for the ride back.

That’s it for this post. I’ll most likely hit Bardog for Melissa Monday happy hour after work. Back tomorrow with more news.

Sunday update: Pakoras, a painting class, and the best Easter ever

The lines for the food trucks at the Memphis Farmers Market were considerably less long than they were on opening day. I went to the tandoori truck and got the spinach and onion pakoras.

This is an appropriate dish to eat at a farmers market, I suppose. Spinach with onion fried in batter, with a side of cucumber tomato salad and a cup of yogurt. I found a table in the main aisle, and as I ate no less than ten people came up and asked “Where did you get that?” Look for the white truck with “Tandoori Cuisine” on it.

After an hour-long stay at the Farmers Market I went over to Earnestine & Hazel’s to hang out at Clarence’s bar. A woman who told me “Hey, Paul, I moved here from out of state because of what you wrote on your blog” at B-RAD’s bar at Blind Bear in August 2014 was there and we had a brief conversation. I played Patsy Cline on the jukebox.

After that I went over to Max’s Sports Bar, realizing my mistake having eaten at the Farmers Market when there was a crawfish boil down the street. My troll got excited. “Is that Seth from Best Memphis Burger Fest?” she asked.

“Yes, that’s Seth,” I replied.

“Can I get a picture with him?” my troll asked. So we went out on the patio and Seth graciously agreed to pose for a photo.

My troll’s hair is starting to look kinda ratchet. I need to find a woman who knows a lot about volumizing hair products to advise her.

Cocktails & Conversation, an event benefiting the Tennessee Parks and Greenways Foundation, will happen at Old Dominick Distillery in the Front Street Chicken District from 6 to 9 PM Friday, April 21. There will be cocktails, heavy hors d’oeurves, a silent auction, and live music. Plus it’s a chance to check out the distillery!

Danny Broadway, a fellow native of Little Rock, Arkansas, will host a painting class at the Ghost River taproom Wednesday, April 12 from 6 to 9 PM. $30, all materials provided. From the event listing on Facebook: “Danny Broadway was born in Little Rock, Arkansas and received his BFA from The University of Memphis in 2001. As a young boy Danny was very quiet yet creative. He would always enjoy drawing and loved coloring. Encouraged by his Junior High and High School art teachers to take his artwork seriously, he developed a passion to learn more about what was artistically possible. While growing up, Broadway still continued to keep his quiet demeanor while learning to combine drawing with painting in college. He used painting to develop a stronger voice to support his quiet nature. The paintings created by Broadway consist of an extensive understanding of color relationships, composition, layered textures and balanced compositions. His work draws inspiration from his spirituality, southern roots, historical themes, family stories, current issues, people, music, sounds, moods, and inspirational readings.”

In other Ghost River news, they are planning the best Easter ever of all time next Sunday, April 16. Flying Sobies will be there from noon to 4 with their Cornish game hens and waffles, and MEMpops will also be on site during those hours. Then they have Yippie Trippie & the PorkStars coming, with a special Easter menu of pork tenderloin sliders, sausage & cheese platters, grilled Riverbank Red chipotle corn, crawfish & alligator cheesy rasta pasta, shrimp & smoked Gouda grits, smoked pineapple bourbon glazed ham, ham grilled cheese, and jalapeno ranch deviled eggs. Live music with host Crocket Hall and guest Grace Askew 5:00-7:30.

Don’t forget that if you’re one of the first 4000 in the arena for the Grizzlies vs. Detroit Pistons tonight at 5, you get a Tony Allen pepper grinder. That is sure to become a collectors’ item.

Time to head to the Blind Bear and tell B-RAD about my day at E&H yesterday. Back tomorrow with more news.

Saturday update

For those of you who are fans of dance, it’s a loaded weekend for you Downtown. At the Orpheum for three performances today and tomorrow is Ballet Memphis’ The Wizard of Oz. Great excuse to come Downtown with the kids!

Next door at The Halloran Centre, there will be performances by Collage Dance Collective featuring the work of choreographers from Boston, New York, and Pennsylvania. 7:30 show this evening, 2:30 tomorrow afternoon.

Panic! at the Disco will perform at 8 tonight at FedExForum in support of their gold-certified fifth studio album, Death of a Bachelor. Openers will be MisterWives and Saint Motel.

Got a cell phone you no longer use? Memphis Says No More, an organization determined to bring an end to rape, sexual assault, and domestic violence in our city, will put it to good use.

Citizen Cope: A Benefit Concert for Memphis Tilth happens tonight at Clayborn Temple from 6 to 11. The Mighty Souls Brass Band will kick things off at 6 outside, with food available by Lucky Cat Ramen. After that singer, songwriter, and producer Citizen Cope takes the stage inside at 8. Memphis Tilth is a nonprofit that pushes for an economically sustainable, socially equitable, and environmentally sound local food system. Programs include GrowMemphis, Bring It Food Hub, Community Kitchen, Food Policy, Food and Faith Initiative, Food Access and Affordability, and Urban Farms. Tickets available online for $45. At the door they will be $60.

The Healthy Memphis Festival is at Wiseacre today. I think it’s pretty safe to say I will not be attending. I would ask why there’s not an Unhealthy Memphis festival, but then I remember the Mid-South Fair.

Those of you who want to keep going after Wine Race concludes on Sunday, April 30 should check out Tin Roof:

It’s the day we’ve all been waiting for: the season opening of the restaurant in Beale Street Landing!

(I’ll pause for a moment to let everyone finish yawning)

The restaurant will be open 11-6 Tuesday-Thursday and 11-8 Friday-Saturday. Mud Island River Park opens for the season today too.

A group of investors from Louisville plans to close on Downtown’s convention hotel, currently the Sheraton and recently the Marriott. The hotel has 600 rooms and a skyway to the Cook Convention Center.

In other hotel news, a new hotel has been proposed for Downtown Memphis. It would be a 101-room Vib by Best Western, across the street from Church Park on Beale east of Fourth Street. Vib is a relatively new boutique brand in the Best Western chain.

The City Council will review plans for a Mud Island dog park on Tuesday.

Bernie Sanders has a podcast now.

New Flyer reporter Maya Smith writes about potential plans to re-pave Riverside to bring back bike lanes. This is a much better plan than the original bike lane configuration, and one I can get behind. The redesign would protect cars from other cars, and bikes from cars. It is absolutely correct that no one drives the posted speed limit of 35 on that stretch of Riverside. I take it to work every morning and would estimate the average speed to be about 48.

If you’re trying to think totally outside the box for what to do with your Saturday, don’t forget that there are drone races at High Cotton tonight. This is a family friendly event.

The Grizzlies clinched the 7 seed in the Western Conference with a victory over the New York Knicks last night. Memphis’ first-round opponent will be the San Antonio Spurs.

Off to the Farmers Market! Hopefully there won’t be a line for the tandoori truck when I get there. Over to Clarence’s bar at Earnestine & Hazel’s after that, then over to Max’s Sports Bar for their crawfish boil (first batch comes out at 12:30). It’s a beautiful day to be outside!

Redbirds announce all-you-can-eat nights and more Friday news

All You Can Eat Thursdays return to AutoZone Park this season. First up is crawfish on Thursday, April 13. Wings, burgers, tacos, pasta and breakfast are on the menu on Thursdays to come.

The 2017 GrizzFit 5K happens tomorrow at FedExForum at 9 AM. Packages include a ticket to an upcoming Grizzlies game, a T-shirt, and a post-race beer tasting. Registration closes at 5 PM today.

Kale, Yeah! is the theme at the Memphis Farmers Market this Saturday. To which I reply: Kale, no! There are many reasons I go to the Market but kale is not one of them. This week there will be live music by Zoo Girls 8:30-10 and Maria Spence 11-12:30. Kids will be able to decorate their own planting pot, so they can learn the importance of gardening, feel the magic of watching something grow, and feel the pain of watching something die when they forget to water their plant. The Farmers Market happens every Saturday 7 AM-1 PM under the pavilion at Front and G.E. Patterson.

After disappointing my troll Wednesday by telling her she couldn’t keep the Triceratops she was given, I told her she could plan our Saturday morning. I thought, there is no idea what she is going to ask to do. But she pleasantly surprised me by telling me she wants to go to the Farmers Market, then over to Clarence’s bar at Earnestine & Hazel’s, then to Max’s Sports Bar for their crawfish boil. I asked her how she became such a wise little troll, so smart in her choice of how to spend a sunny weekend day. This was her explanation:

Okay then.

Want to work for a great company located at the corner of Main and Union in the heart of Downtown? RocketFuel has three positions open. They seek a full stack JS developer, a front end developer, and an account executive.

Our local newspaper has gotten so bad following all the layoffs that they don’t even know which Gasol plays for Memphis.

Good news for the South of Forum neighborhood: Marketing firm Oden & Associates is looking to renovate a building at 158 Vance to be its new headquarters.

Libby from Your Inner Yogi emailed me to let me know that the yoga studio is moving into new digs. They’re no longer at 500 S. Second and have set up shop at 10 N. Second, across from Court Square. They believe the move will allow them to offer more support and resources to bring about inner healing, better health, and overall wellness. As a resident of the Downtown core, I’m pleased that my immediate neighborhood now has walking-distance access to yoga. YOGA!

Libby is offering a 5 week beginner yoga series at Your Inner Yogi Sundays, May 7-June 4. Early bird price is $55 for the series, going up to $65 after May 3.

Although I am not a tennis fan personally, I am sad to hear that the tournament that has been known as the Memphis Open is leaving Memphis. After two consecutive years of losses, the new owners of the tournament are moving it to New York.

The slow rides are coming back to The Edge and the Memphis Medical District starting Wednesday, April 19. These are group bicycle rides through the neighborhood to discover things you would have missed traveling by car, and to get to know your neighbors. The rides are not a competition and go at a leisurely pace. Riders won’t have any trouble keeping up. They take off from 600 Monroe next to High Cotton.

The Grizzlies host the New York Knicks at 7 at FedExForum tonight. A Memphis Escape Rooms Mystery Game will be the promotion for this evening. Memphis Escape Rooms tweeted that they have BIG news to share tonight at the game.

It’s official: Wichita State moves to the American Athletic Conference July 1.

Wow, really surprised that no one ever thought to buy the www.isdonricklesdead.com domain. That website would be getting a lot of traffic yesterday and today. Guess Rickles wasn’t an Internet darling the way Abe Vigoda was.

Weekend! I’ll do happy hour at Silly Goose tonight, followed by a possible trip south to Max’s Sports Bar. Back north to Blind Bear at 10 for Eric Hughes. Have a fantastic weekend!!!

Free monthly event on Metal Museum grounds and more news (Thur update #2)

Tonight the Metal Museum launches Whet Thursday, a free event on the Metal Museum grounds the first Thursday of every month through October. There will be blacksmithing demos, food trucks, gallery talks, live music, and yard games on the grounds. This month the Gourmade food truck will be on site. To kick off the event, Ghost River Brewing will be there handing out FREE BEER. 5-8 PM. This event is friendly to all ages. Free parking is available on Metal Museum Drive.

Creative Works hosts In Good Company: Connections for Creatives tonight from 5:30 to 7:30 at South of Beale. This is a monthly chance to meet up with fellow creatives. Catch up with old friends, find a freelance gig, whatever you want to do.

Celebrate the release of Chris Milam’s new record, Kids These Days, at Loflin Yard this evening. Jana Misener starts off the live music at 8 PM. $5 cover.

The Downtown Tart location in One Commerce Square got some praise from a source that knows a thing or two about food:

Tennessee Equality Project is throwing a Disco Extravaganza Saturday, April 22 from 8 to 11 PM at the High Cotton taproom. Put on your polyester pants and your platform shoes and come boogie down. TEP works for equality for our LGBTQ brothers and sisters, but you definitely don’t have to be LGBTQ to come down and partake in the fun. In fact, it is more important than ever for us straight people to support organizations like this one. $10 suggested donation at the door goes to TEP.

In other High Cotton news, they are having their monthly book club meeting on Sunday, April 30 at 2 PM. Not saying this isn’t a fine way to spend a Sunday afternoon, because it is, but two caveats: 1) That’s the same day as Beale Street Wine Race, one of the most fun and outlandish spectacles of the spring. 2) Might want to read the reviews of this month’s book on Amazon before you buy.

That’s it for now. Got an informal meeting with some of the BBQ teammates tonight at the Silly Goose. The discussion topic is how we are going to steal the baby hippo from the zoo and enter it into the Anything But category at BBQ Fest. I have been saying for years we should enter a hippopotamus, and this is a golden opportunity: We can impress the judges by telling them we locally sourced our entry. This is the second post today, so keep scrolling for this morning’s post. Back tomorrow with more.

“Can we keep him, Paul?” + Thursday news

For my readers who are going to the FedExFamilyHouse Gala, or who wanted to but tickets were sold out: Tickets to the gala’s Late-Night Lounge are still on sale. Dance the night away in the Peabody Hotel’s Continental Ballroom with a DJ, incredible lights, food and beverages. Attendees have the chance to win prizes including Grizzlies tickets, Apple iMac computers and more. The event starts at 9:30 PM Saturday and dress code is cocktail attire (suit, no tie). General admission tickets are $60 and include two drink tickets and light hors d’oeuvres. Honorary Chairs Tony Allen and his wife Desiree will personally give away their gift, and Eli Manning will give away a signed football.

This sounds like fun: Tasting Game Tuesdays comes to the Wiseacre taproom Tuesday, April 18 from 7 to 9 PM. It’s a chance for you to learn all about the different styles of beer as you play a beer tasting game. $20 ticket includes lots of beer samples and snacks.

In other Wiseacre news, their spring seasonal, Boomslang Belgian IPA, will be released next week. To celebrate, they will have a tour and pairing bringing together the Boomslang with the fanciest of all sandwiches, the Bahn Mi. Get tickets here.

The Edge Gets Lit, the alley party celebrating the lighting of Floyd Alley on Saturday, April 29, is seeking artisan vendors interested in having a booth on Vendors’ Row. Download a vendor application here. Festival times are noon to 11 PM with booth setup 7 AM to 11 AM. Booths are only $50, but if you’re an artisan in the Edge District, they’ll take care of you for only $25. They are also looking for artisans to do demonstrations in the alley and side lots.

This Saturday’s Small Shop Saturday (noon-4) in the Ghost River taproom will feature Erica McCarrens Art. Every week you can see and purchase the work of a local artist and maker while enjoying Ghost River craft beer.

Shufflegrit plays The Dirty Crow Inn Saturday at 9.

Nice to see a vacant office building in the Downtown core occupied and improved. Fast-growing Allworld Project Management will be moving into a two-story building at 60 North BB King.

So, Tuesday night I was hanging out at the Silly Goose, with my little green haired troll Perjorie standing on the bar next to my beer. Shorty the cook came up and put this down next to Perjorie.

“Can we keep him, Paul?”

Oh, my… Shorty meant well, but the last thing I need is for that troll to have a pet. She has no idea how to care for a Triceratops, and I’d end up having to feed it. Plus I would have to worry about running into a troll with a Tyrannosaurus Rex as a pet. That could get ugly. Sorry, Perjorie, but no.

Off to work. Possibly a second post later today.

Wednesday update

Yesterday I blogged that the Redbirds will have a big Easter celebration with a candy hunt on the field after the April 16 game. The candy will be dropped from a helicopter. Thanks to Air Traffic Mike for emailing this link about the original candy bomber, Gail Halvorsen. He dropped candy for children during the Berlin airlift of 1948-49. Halvorsen is still alive and kicking at age 96.

Home game 1 and 2 tickets for the Grizzlies in the opening round of the NBA playoffs go on sale Saturday, April 8 at 10 AM. We don’t yet know the seed, the opponents, or the dates or times… but we do know there is nothing like the atmosphere at Grizzlies home games in the playoffs. It’s almost Growl Towel time!

Ghost River is having a pre-game Grizzlies giveaway tonight at their taproom from 5 to 7:30. Lucky fans will win tickets to go to the Grizzlies game vs. Oklahoma City Thunder at FedExForum tonight at 7. For those who don’t win tickets, you can watch the game at the taproom. Yippie Trippie & The Porkstars will have their food truck on site.

There’s a future Grizzlies game you might want to start planning for, the one on Sunday, April 9 at 5 PM vs. the Detroit Pistons. If you’re one of the first 4000 in the gate, you get a Tony Allen pepper grinder.

Four-piece, high energy blues and roots band Sister Lucille comes to Memphis from Southwest Missouri to play The Dirty Crow Inn Friday night from 9 to midnight. Their inspiration comes from Beale Street and they are versed in blues and entertainment.

The taproom manager at High Cotton (who is welcome to come say hello the next time she sees me at Clarence’s bar) feels so strongly that you should come have a beer when they open at 4, that she’s willing to use a double negative to do it.

Also, if you buy a 6 pack of beer in the taproom tonight, you’ll get a free sample of beer as thanks for stopping by.

The Church Health Center has a software support specialist position open.

Daaaaamn. The Memphis Tigers basketball team was expecting to lose Dedric Lawson, but this morning it was announced that his brother K.J. is transferring as well. Not good for Tubby Smith.

Very, very good news for Memphis: The Calvary Rescue Mission is breaking ground on a new homeless shelter. The shelter will be built next to an adjacent building at 960 South Third and will house 112 homeless men a night.

Eric Hughes Trio returns to the Blind Bear this Friday from 9 PM to 1 AM.

The Grand Majestic Riverboat Co. will begin offering one-to-three week riverboat cruises on the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers this fall. Memphis will be one of the port cities.

Russell Westbrook comes to town as the Grizzlies play the Oklahoma City Thunder tonight at 7 at FedExForum.

That’s all for now. Out at the usual place tonight. Back tomorrow.