Author: paulryburn

Last night I stopped by Bardog to have dinner. The guy sitting next to me ordered the wings. “I’ve never had them here, but I’ve had them at Slider Inn,” he asked Panda, who was bartending. “Are they the same wings? The ones at Slider aren’t very hot.” Well, the cook was a friend of his, and decided to play a little prank. The wings came out in Ghost Pepper sauce, and were a dark shade of mahogany that looked terrifying. He muddled his way through them, but I couldn’t help but think, “He’s going to need an ice pack for his butt when he takes a squat on the pot in the morning.”

One of the most common questions I get is, “Have you heard anything more about the distillery?”, referring to the Old Dominick Distillery that is going to open in the South Front Chicken District (credit to @Kerry901 for the name) near Gus’s. Memphis Daily News has an update.

Vote for Trolley Stop Market in Mission Main Street Grants. They would like to expand their kitchen. Thanks to Whitton Farms for posting this info.

Not a Downtown event but worth a mention anyway: The Hi-Tone is having a pillow fight to benefit the Union Mission tonight. Ping-pong tournament too. Heh. I can think of a few girls with whom I would love to have a pillow fight. I doubt any of them are going though.

One clown isn’t much of a circus: Republican Presidential candidate Rick Santorum made a campaign stop in Iowa Monday, and a grand total of ONE person showed up to hear what he had to say. (credit FiveThirtyEight’s Significant Digits newsletter for this info)

Four pieces of employment news this morning. The new Whole Foods in Germantown is hiring. There will be 100 to 120 positions, and pay will start at $11 an hour.

The Downtown Flying Saucer is looking to hire a full-time manager. The person hired must have a love of craft beer, and experience. Shoot a resume to memgm@beerknurd.com if interested.

The Downtown Memphis Commission has released an opportunity profile for the position of President and CEO. The job will come open at the end of this year when Paul Morris steps down.

The Greater Memphis Chamber is seeking a Member Services Coordinator.

From Iowa State Daily: 7 tops that will keep you in style for summer. Tube tops are mentioned.

Gotta go get lunch now. Easily enough news for a second post. Check back after 5:30.

Central BBQ and Memphis Made Brewing are hosting “Ale to Tail,” a family-style whole hog roast with five courses of food and beer pairings, on Thursday, June 25. The event will be at Memphis Made on South Cooper Street and limited-release beers will be featured. $50 to attend. Snacks at 6, dinner at 6:30. Call 901-662-7760 to make reservations.

On a somewhat BBQ-related note, 2200 piglets were recently released onto a highway when a truck overturned. Hey BBQ team, if we can get up there and catch a few of them, we can reduce our food costs for 2016.

Speaking of the BBQ team: Team vice-president Clay showed me a photo of the smoker we’re getting for next year and it is a nice one. Double-insulated, so it should have no problem holding temperature even in the worst of conditions.

Phil Trenary, president and CEO of the Greater Memphis Chamber, speaks at the South Main Association meeting this evening. It will be at Spindini, free for members, $10 non-members. Complimentary appetizers, happy hour prices, social at 6, meeting at 6:30.

Off-menu item I learned about last night: Blind Bear has pulled pork nachos, but you can get them topped with ground beef instead of pork now, if you prefer. Apparently a customer requested them so many times that they’re known as “Eddie’s Nachos.” The Bear has discontinued lunch and is opening for happy hour at 3 now (except on weekends, when they open for brunch at 11). A few of the most popular lunch items are going to be brought over to the regular menu.

From Action News 5: Man arrested for selling fake cocaine near Beale Street

Whew. Been a weird morning around here. I will be out somewhere tonight, although I haven’t decided where yet or if there will be a need for a second post before I go out.

There’s going to be an art show this Friday at Earnestine & Hazel’s that sounds REALLY cool: Tutelary Genius: Deities, Demons, Protectors & Personal Mythology (Immersive Art Show) in the upstairs from 6 PM to 2 AM. The art will be for sale, there will be live music, and you can buy drinks at Nate’s bar. Hmmm. I may have to check this out. It astounds me to realize, I haven’t been in E&H in over a year! That used to be one of my go-to spots in my early days as a Downtowner. I’d sit at Nate’s bar for hours, chatting with him and whoever else came in and watching the world go by out the window.

Nate’s bar is where I met my friend Bones, who went on to found Squeal Street BBQ a few years later, back in 2007. Bones invited me over to his condo to see his rooftop garden, and accidentally locked me on the roof! Whew, good thing I had my phone on me, and had already exchanged numbers with him. Good times.

Another great E&H memory was dancing my ass off downstairs Thanksgiving night 2007. There was a big fundraiser party. I think I grinded several Saucer girls that night. I was a regular at E&H back in the days before I went on my PBR kick, so Miss Karen still associates Budweiser with me.

From Thrillist: Best happy hour specials in Memphis. I must say, I have to agree with the Downtown bars they picked, although I would add Silly Goose to this list. Happy hour from 4 to 7:30, great specials on craft cocktails, cheap cheap cheap PBR, Shorty’s pasta bar.

The NCAA has made it official: The 30-second shot clock comes to college basketball. Good. Low-scoring games the past few seasons have been really boring to watch.

If you’re a runner and you want to support the Farmers Market, check out the Crop Hop 5K. It’s Friday, June 19 at 6:30.

OmaHogs tees have arrived at the Arkansas Razorbacks official online store.

Time to hit Bardog for Melissa Monday. Pint Nite at the Saucer and a possible Blind Bear stop afterward.

If I have any groupies/fangirls out there (no not you Rahul) who have always wanted to meet me but have been a bit intimidated by the “minor local celebrity blogger” thing, now would be an ideal time for you to introduce yourself. This has been the absolute weirdest year of my life regarding meeting and getting to know women, and I could use the company.

OMAHOGS!!! Yesterday afternoon I ventured down to Max’s Sports Bar to watch Game 3 of the NCAA Super Regional pitting Arkansas vs. #8 Missouri State. The Hogs jumped out to a 3-0 lead. Missouri State started chipping away and got it to 3-2 but failed to catch up, leaving a total of 10 runners on base. The win sends Arkansas to Omaha for the College World Series. Three of the five teams that have qualified so far are SEC teams, and Vanderbilt and Texas A&M could get in too.

You know, something I am really proud of is that I am in the 2012 group photo that hangs on the wall at Max’s. I wasn’t hanging out in South Main a whole lot at the time, but I was there that day. What a great group of people.

One Beale is expected to be approved this week, despite concerns about exceeding height limits in the area and blocking pedestrian traffic. The project would include a 30-story apartment building and 22-story hotel at the corner of Beale and Riverside.

The Downtown Memphis Commission has a job opening for a CFO.

OneJet will begin regular nonstop flights to Indianapolis from Memphis beginning June 22.

The Hot Rod Power Tour will stop on Beale tomorrow. Holly has the details. About 100 vintage and muscle cars will be on display.

The Flyer has more on the upcoming I-55 bridge closure.

Weird Sunday Fun Day as far as interaction with bartenders goes… Hanin at Blind Bear told me I was “being a vag” and Bloom at Bardog stole my phone and posted “I’m a little birdy” to my Facebook timeline.

I’ll be back at Bardog this evening for Melissa Monday. Ugh it is hot outside but I’m going to walk a few laps around the building anyway before I get back to work.

Here’s a site I found recently: Damn Interesting, and it IS damn interesting. Random articles about history, science, etc. Check it out and see if you like it.

Toby Sells from the Flyer has more information on our upcoming Downtown traffic nightmare when construction on the I-55/Riverside/Crump interchange begins next spring. At one point I-55 will be closed at McLemore and traffic re-routed onto ONE LANE EACH WAY Florida Street. Let me tell you, I have taken that route a couple of times when there have been wrecks farther north on 55 and it is not fun at all. Oh my God this is the stupidest idea ever. Bruce V from the Flyer – I know you read my blog. If it can be of any help fighting this plan, just ask. (By the way, Bruce V will be on Cerrito Live on 56 AM/ 87.7 FM today 11-1 and I have a feeling he will be ranting about this)

Oh also Riverside between Crump and Carolina will be closed for months. Wonder what that’ll do for the Horizon, the apartment building currently under construction, which I think was supposed to be completed and leasing by 2017.

I wonder what Bass Pro thinks of all this? People coming from the south hoping to visit the new flagship store are going to get to see a lot more of Memphis than they realized on the way there. Good thing they’ll be re-routed through the most beautiful parts of Memphis including McLemore Avenue and Florida Street.

On a better note, if you want to learn all about the upcoming changes to Central Station – changes for the better, including a movie theater and a grocery store – save the date June 23. Henry Turley will speak at the Downtown Neighborhood Association meeting about the project.

Here’s a recipe for a hollowed out pineapple stuffed with ribs and wrapped in bacon. Moody Ques cookteam: If one of these showed up on our serving table next May, I wouldn’t mind it. Normally I’m not a fan of dishes that combine meat and pineapple, but this is a case where I think I could learn to love.

The Bill O’Reilly and Dennis Miller Don’t Be a Pinhead Tour comes to the Orpheum tonight. Tickets start at $77.50.

For years the Silly Goose Lounge’s most loyal patron was Woody A. Long, who died in the winter of 2012-13 in a tragic sledding accident. A touching memorial service was held for him inside the lounge. Meet Woody Jr., who arrived at the Goose yesterday:

As you can see, Woody Jr. is quite the fashion icon. He just arrived here after a tour in China that was so exhausting that he was seemingly left in pieces.

My presence has been requested at the Farmers Market by one of the vendors, and it will happen eventually, but for now I am going to have to extend my hiatus one more week. My apartment is so dirty that I’m either going to have to spend the morning cleaning it or make a sign that says LET’S JUST BE FRIENDS so that any woman I bring over here has a script to read from. Hopefully next week I will make it down there and hit the tandoori truck for some more of their delicious naan or maybe the beef curry.

 

Panda Time at 11, then I will figure out the rest of the day.

Tweet from Bruce V from the Flyer: “Just learning that TDOT’s plan for I-55 bridge construction involves closing I-55 from McLemore north for 22 months. No Riverside access.” That sucks. It means that if there’s a wreck on 240 North, I’m left without an alternate route home from Horn Lake where I work. And with the increased traffic load on 240, I bet there will be LOTS of wrecks. And, TWENTY-TWO months??? I had previously heard nine months. This sounds like just a terrible idea. Follow Bruce at @sylamore1 to read more of his thoughts on the issue.

It’s National Donut Day. Donut shops across the country are giving away free donuts today. Free donuts? Wonder if the Nuh-Uh Girl will show up. Here in Memphis, Gibson’s is inviting people to come in for a free donut.

The theme at Memphis Farmers Market tomorrow is Get Fresh with Us. It’s National Fruit and Vegetable Month and MFM is the perfect place to celebrate. Lulemon Athletica will be conducting the next in their free yoga series (they were the ones who did the brewery last Saturday) at 10. It will be in the north end by the pet-sitting area, and if you don’t have a yoga mat they can provide one. Music by Sing for Glenn 8:30-10, Bruce Barham 11-12:30.

How weird is it that in the past two weeks I’ve mentioned yoga more times than I’ve mentioned the BBQ device I’m no longer allowed to mention?

(I mentioned the BBQ device I’m no longer allowed to mention )

South Main Sounds at 550 S. Main is having another songwriter night tonight with Jaclyn Monroe and James Weston from Nashville, returning favorite Phillip Beasley, and debut appearances by JoJo Jeffries, Ronnie Caldwell, and Rebecca Almond. This event starts at 7.

South Side Supper Club takes the stage at Double J tonight at 8:30.

Back to the Future is tonight’s Summer Movie Series film at the Orpheum. 7 PM.

The Redbirds wrap up their homestand with a game against the Las Vegas 51s at 7:05. Gates open at 5 and there will be a block party in the plaza before the game, with $2 select domestic drafts.

In this video author Steve Stern talks about his book The Pinch, which is about the Downtown Memphis neighborhood. There will be a book signing at Burke’s Books tonight at 5:30.

USA Today called Memphis “a booming city” in this article.

Spam email message subject of the day: “You Have 8 Bangbuddy Requests.”

The Harbortown 5K is tonight on Mud Island. The Gibson Guitar 5K is tomorrow night in the South Main area. Busy weekend for runners.

That’ll do it for now. Possible second post this evening, so check back.

Local author Austin McLellan will be reading from and signing his book Twenty Grand this Saturday at 1 PM at the South Main Book Juggler. The Book Juggler is in the Arcade Building just south of the famous restaurant. If you’re a late shopper at Memphis Farmers Market tomorrow, why not stop by?

Plans for an extended-stay hotel across the street from the Pyramid have been submitted.

Choose901 has an interview with Zac Woolfolk, owner of a new men’s clothing and lifestyle store on South Main. Blast, I walked right by that place during Trolley Night a week ago Friday.

Food porn: Chocolate brownie with Andes mint ice cream at South of Beale. Yummmmm. Chocolate mint is my favorite ice cream flavor. Next time I stop by the bar to harass Kaylea I will have to order this.

Local singer Charvey Mac posted a snippet of his upcoming album Weekend Lights that you can listen to. Charvey is one of the best singers I have heard, but he rarely plays Downtown. My friends Katie Mac (who shares a last name with him, though not related) and the Nuh-Uh Girl talked for years about how awesome he was, and finally a couple of years ago I caught a rare Green Beetle performance of his and completely understood what all the fuss was about. When the Saucer experimented with bringing back live music a couple of years ago, I urged the managers to book him, and they tried but he was in such demand that they couldn’t do it.

The Peabody will have a TV in the skyway broadcasting the NBA Finals for tonight’s rooftop party.

From The Onion: New Claritin flamethrower incinerates whatever is causing allergies

(I mentioned a flamethrower )

From Lifehacker: How to make a watermelon vodka slushy with a drill and a wire hanger. This has “BBQ Fest 2016” written all over it.

This is cool: Play magnetic Tetris on your refrigerator door while deciding what to eat. I don’t have any food in my fridge currently so it would be quick game for me. I use my refrigerator for other things, like storing my vintage 2012 Aldo’s Pizza Pies to-go box collection. Someday in the future that is going to be worth a lot of money on eBay.

Arkansas basketball fans: This projected NBA draft has Bobby Portis going at 15 and Michael Qualls going at 49. I like it.

Home from work, PBR time.

Bruce V of the Memphis Flyer has a very interesting editorial about the planned closing of the I-55 bridge for nine months in 2017 by the Tennessee Department of Transportation. He points out that the closing affects commerce and transportation in three states, and will leave only one way to get across the Mississippi, the I-40 bridge. That’s practically an invitation to terrorists to try and disrupt interstate commerce across the region, and besides that there are other possibilities, such as a barge accident, that could close the only remaining bridge.

By the way, there’s a public meeting to discuss the I-55/Crump/Riverside interchange that is planned to be built and is the reason for closing the bridge.

Did you know that Thursdays are College Nights at the Redbirds? Show a college ID and you can get a ticket for the left field bluff for only $5. In addition, the left field bar has $2 domestic drafts throughout the game.

Summer Movie Series: Top Gun plays at the Orpheum tonight at 7. If you’re in the military, show your ID for a discounted $5 ticket.

Frankie Hollie & the Noise headlines tonight’s Peabody rooftop party. Doors open at 6, ladies free until 7, $10 admission. Admission includes a buffet of beef tacos and chips & salsa (7-8 PM). If you’re in VIP you get an additional buffet of cheese quesadillas, chicken quesadillas, taquitos, corn salsa and chips. Traditional margaritas are on special, and there will be a Malibu promo of rum sparklers. Memphis Flyer Fall Fashion casting call 6-8 on the rooftop.

I’ve mentioned several times how my “DAWG” John D has a subscription to Loot Crate, where once a month he gets a box filled with geek-themed items. Well, the Grizzlies have taken that idea and run with it. You can get a monthly or annual subscription to Grizz-entials, and get a box once a month filled with Grizzlies merchandise and goodies. Check this week’s Memphis Flyer for more details.

Shelby County Schools officials are exploring moving their headquarters Downtown. More jobs Downtown = more revenue for area businesses and restaurants = a good thing.

Hungry Memphis tried Burrito Blues recently. I will look for that Beale Street Bad Blues City hot sauce next time I go in.

Senses is going to reopen in August. The nightclub just east of Midtown has been closed for several years.

Amazon will now ship items weighing 8 ounces or less for free. You have to accept a 4-8 day wait though.

My spam folder continues to entertain me. “Share some little drops of cum with Seka Crickmore” was the subject of one of this morning’s emails. Again, are there really men who are stupid and desperate enough to think that’s legit? If you are, here, have some malware!

Pretty sure there will be a second post going up around 5:30, so check back this evening.

Brides Against Breast Cancer is an organization that contributes to programs for cancer patients, their families and caregivers. Part of their outreach is a Nationwide Tour of Gowns bridal show. On Wednesday, June 17, this charity bridal event comes to Memphis, at the Cadre Building at Second and Monroe. There will be a VIP event – with first pick of the gowns – from 5 to 7 which is $10, and from 7 to 10 there will be general admission, free to the public.

Note to people who friend-request me on Facebook: I am totally happy to become friends with my blog readers who I have not met in person, but do me a favor. If we have less than 10 friends in common (unless they’re my close friends) and I don’t recognize the name I tend to be a bit skeptical. So, if we don’t have many friends in common, Facebook message me first (you don’t have to be friends with someone to send them a message) and tell me “hey I read your blog” and if you have met me previously, tell me how you met me.

People whose requests I have left in limbo are welcome to message me and say “hey I read your blog/hey I know you/or whatever” and I will go find you and add you. Just trying to protect my account from potential scammers.

Midtown: You’re getting a party bike similar to Downtown’s River City Pedalers. It’s called Sprock n’ Roll.

Are you hungry for some crawfish? The Green Beetle will hold a crawfish boil this Sunday from 2 until 6 in the afternoon.

Brothers Pau and Marc Gasol have received the Princess Asturias Award. This is the highest civil honor in Spain.

St. Jude is launching a national walk/run to end childhood cancer. Needless to say, Memphis will be one of the participating cities.

Deering and Down performs tomorrow on Felicia Suzanne’s patio as this week’s installment of their Tacos and Tunes event.

PBR time. I’ll lead off at Silly Goose then figure out stops after that.

General registration is now open for the St. Jude Marathon that is held the first Saturday in December. When I checked yesterday, they were already at 85% for the half marathon, so if you want to run the half you better sign up soon.

The Bus Riders Union is asking for improvements for the MATA terminal on North Main. The conditions are said to be “third world” and the bathrooms are said to be in particularly bad shape.

Random discovery I made yesterday: There’s a Facebook fan page for pudding shots. I’m sure my friends on Squeal Street BBQ will want to “Like” that page since they were doing so much bragging about having pudding shots in their booth. My team the Moody Ques didn’t have pudding shots in our booth; however, we did have Saucer girls and a trophy.

Makeda’s Cookies is now open at 488 S. Second. They make homemade butter cookies.

John Oros, COO of the Memphis Convention & Visitors Bureau who has been with the bureau for 22 years, is leaving to take a job as CEO of the Birmingham CVB.

Holy utility bill, Batman: The owner of 100 N. Main missed payment by the cutoff date for their MLGW bill. The amount owed is SEVENTY-NINE THOUSAND dollars.

Heh. The Redbirds have me on their media list, so I get emails listing all the things going on for each homestand. Each day has several Bullet Points: in bold listing promotions. Well, each day except for today. For today there’s no bold and just “The Redbirds and 51s continue their series on Wednesday evening at AutoZone Park.” In other words, there ain’t shit happening there tonight except for a baseball game. Still a good time though, first pitch 7:05 if you feel like going. The 51s are Las Vegas’ AAA team.

YMCA of Memphis has bought the building that houses its Downtown location.

Take a look at these actual complaints received from dissatisfied customers of a travel agency. Example: We didn’t expect all that sand at the beach and it got in our clothes. Damn, people are stupid.

Fact from FiveThirtyEight’s Significant Digits newsletter: Median monthly rent in San Francisco is $4225. How does anyone afford to live there?

From my hometown of Little Rock: Insurance agency has two dogs and two cats as vice-presidents

Time for a quick errand run then back to work. I’ll be out at the usual places a little after 5:45.