Author: paulryburn

After a couple of happy hour PBRs at Bardog with Mikey and John D, I headed to the Saucer at 7 for their Oktoberfest celebration.  Ghost River Brewing was there with their specially-brewed keg of Black Magic, a black beer.  I tried a couple of glasses and it was really good.  Black beers are not like porters and stouts in that they’re not heavy; they’re easily drinkable.  Sam Adams Black and Xingu are other well-known black beers.

While I was there, I learned that Ghost River donates a portion of the proceeds from every keg they sell to the Wolf River Conservancy.  Memphis’ exceptionally clean drinking water is a key ingredient in their beers, so they have every reason to want to preserve its quality.

Then I moved on to Orleans on Front at 8, where they were giving away free food in their “voodoo room” downstairs.  The chef had e-mailed me and described the room as “the speakeasy Downtown Memphis has always needed.”  It has lattice-covered low ceilings and a stage for bands, with plenty of table seating and a bar in the back.  It has a New Orleans theme, of course, but friends who were there with me commented that it reminded them of downstairs/basement bars they had been to in New York.

They put out red beans and rice, shrimp, chicken fingers, and fried green tomatoes for their guests.  Here’s a pic of the Nuh-Uh Girl loading up her plate:

After that I headed back to the Saucer for a little while.  I would have liked to go to the Orpheum party at the Warehouse (and was actually offered a free ticket, twice) but was just too tired to make the trip down there.  Was home in bed by 11.

Nothing definite on the agenda for the rest of the weekend, except for The Dempseys at Huey’s tomorrow night.  Guess I’ll be in front of the laptop today, possibly writing WordPress plugins, and maybe some new articles for my consumer review site.

Finally being productive today… got another Saving Consumers Time article written, although this one probably won’t be of much use to Memphians because it’s about snow throwers.

The Majestic Grille is having a “Unique Spanish Wines & Dinner with guest chef Reinaldo Alfonso” next Wednesday, October 29.  Here are the details:

Join Chef Patrick Reilly as he creates a meal to remember
with friend & guest Chef Reinaldo ‘ Reny’ Alfonso of Chez Philippe. RESERVATIONS REQUIRED.

Tapas
Manzanilla Olives
Patatas con alioli. Potatoes with alioli
Roasted Clams with chorizo and sherry
A selection of home cured meats and sausage by Chef Reinaldo Alfonso

Second Course
Fall Greens with roasted Beets, walnuts, Bonnie Blue goatcheese & tangerine dressing

Third Course
Braised pork Shank with tomatillos, fall vegetables, guajillo peppers

Desert
Crema catalana. Caramelized vanilla cream with almond cookies.

Wines
Casa de la Ermita, Rosado, Jumilla, Spain 2007
Casa de la Ermita – Jumilla Spain Crianza 2006
Mas Igneus Priorat FA 206, Priorat, Spain 2006
Albet I Noya Cava Reserva Brut, Penedes, Spain NV
$55 per person plus tx & grat.

Call 522-8555 or go to majesticgrille.com to make reservations.  Also, I learned yesterday that the Majestic Grille is no longer part of the Restaurant.com discount gift certificate program. That’s okay, there are still over a dozen other restaurants Downtown that participate. The 60% off sale is still going on – through Sunday, you can enter coupon code SAVOR at checkout and save 60%. The Majestic Grille will run its own, independent 50% off gift card sale on Wednesday, December 3. I bought $250 worth of Majestic meals for $125 when they did this last year, and it was one of the best investments I ever made.

Did you know that singer Barbara Blue, who performs at Silky’s several nights a week, can cook?  She’s the guest chef Sunday night for a wine dinner at Encore at 6:30 PM.  527-3621 to make reservations.

Last night was trivia night at Jillian’s with Mikey and Pete the Trivia Guy, and the contest was won by… you guessed it… the Rapscallions.  Jillian’s went out of their way to show their appreciation for people who supported the trivia night in only its second week, upping the prizes to $80/$40/$20 for one week only, and putting out free munchies for trivia players.  Trivia team The Sissy Bitches, who stopped playing Saucer trivia after repeated losses to the Rapscallions a couple of years ago, showed up at Jillian’s and lost to us again.

Heading to Oktoberfest at the Saucer in a little while.  I found out that they will have a special beer, Boscos Black Magic, a stout of which only two kegs were brewed, one for the Downtown Saucer and one for the East Bumblefuck Saucer.  Not a big stout drinker but I’ll give anything Boscos brews a try.  Don’t forget about the free food and beer at Orleans on Front from 8 to 9!

Just getting up… was out at Bardog until the wee hours.

Quick update to remind everyone of today’s events.  It’s Oktoberfest at the Flying Saucer tonight, with a blessing of the kegs, a $10 beer tasting, and a bratwurst eating competition.  Orleans on Front will give away free food and *drinks from 8 to 9 tonight as part of their grand opening.  At the Warehouse on GE Patterson, there will be a “rock & roll, brews and Q” fundraiser for the Orpheum – $25 gets you Corky’s BBQ til 9 and free beer all night.

Polls now show Obama in the lead in Indiana and Montana.  It’s starting to look like a landslide.

I’ll be back later today with a longer post.  In the meantime, if you want to read more of my stuff, I added two new articles to Saving Consumers Time yesterday:  One on portable breathalyzers, and one on computer privacy screen filters.

Chefs Clint Boutwell and Michael Patrick are throwing a chefs’ tasting fundraiser to benefit the Downtown safety patrol on Wednesday, November 5 at Orleans on Front.  The patrol, which has been on the streets since April 1, consists of bicycle safety officers who ride around Downtown and protect people from aggressive panhandling, parking scams and other threats to their safety.  They patrol from 8 AM to 9 PM Sunday-Wednesday and 8 PM to 11 PM Thursday-Saturday.  You can call them at 281-9146 if you need them, and they can be anywhere in the area bounded by Front, Second, Adams, and Linden within minutes.  Their presence has made a big difference – based on my observations walking around Downtown, I’d say panhandling is down 80% compared to what it was a year ago.  No tax money is used to fund the patrol, so it’s important for businesses and individuals who benefit from their presence to contribute to keep them out on the streets.

The menu for the fundraiser will consist of panko encrusted grouper cheeks, fig stuffed pork loin, and praline creme brulee.  If you want to attend the event, you’ll need to call 522-1475 and make reservations.

I talked to Michael Patrick a couple of weeks ago, and I knew this was in the works… I’m glad to see it’s now officially on the calendar.  Glad to see these two chefs supporting the effort to keep our Downtown community safe.

I took an hour off from website work this morning to catch up on blogs, and while doing so I discovered a great post on how to become a VIP at hot restaurants.  Several points are ones I definitely agree with – start at the bar, tip 25%, be forgiving of occasional inattentive service when it’s busy, let them know you’ll refer a lot of business their way if you’re treated well.  There are also some ideas I hadn’t considered before, such as asking the chef what he/she thinks everyone should order but hardly anyone does.  I definitely learned a few things from this post.

If you eat out a lot, this one’s worth a bookmark.

Blake Billings, a writer and photographer from Memphis, has produced a coffee table book for Memphians who love the blues.  It’s full of high-quality photos taken with his Leica cameras.  Check out book.memphisbluessociety.com to learn how the book was composed.  If you live in the Memphis area and order this book, Blake will personally deliver a signed copy to you.  How often do you find a book that is hand-delivered by the author?

BRIDGES at Fourth and Auction will have a rock-climbing wall from 6 to 9 PM Thursday, October 30.  It will feature 1400 square feet of climbing on a 35-foot wall.  The wall was designed by experts and there will be a variety of routes.  Cost is $15 for adults, and $10 for those under 18.  Under 18 must have a waiver signed by a parent or guardian before they will be allowed to climb.  Not many opportunities to rock-climb in Memphis, so if you’re a fan of the sport, come on out.

Dr. Booze has been asked to do an interview for an Internet radio show… more details to come.  He took a few days off this week, but he told me that new posts will start appearing today.

Divine Rags at Main and Pontotoc has added men’s clothing to their store.  So guys now have an additional place Downtown to shop.

On RealClearPolitics’ electoral map, Ohio has now moved to the “leaning Obama” column.  He now has 306 electoral votes in his column according to the polls (259 solid + 47 leaning), with 270 needed to win.  Things continue to get worse for John McCain.

Trivia tonight at Jillian’s at 7 PM with Mikey and Pete the Trivia Guy.  There was a conflict on Wednesdays, so they’re doing Thursdays from now on.  $2 Bud and Bud Light, $3 Jager bombs, cherry bombs, and grape bombs.  This won’t become an every-week thing for me like Tuesday at the Saucer is, but I’ll be there tonight.

The Court Square laptopping experiment didn’t work out.  Not because of the bums, because it was so bright outside.  I couldn’t see my computer screen, although I could see the dust on my computer screen quite well.  After only a few minutes I gave up and walked home.

I may not be a big fan of Sarah Palin, but I do admire her great fashion sense.  Check out the awesome scarf she’s wearing in this picture.

Let’s see what’s going on in the Flyer this week:

p. 22:  Good article on what will become of the old Marine Hospital next to the National Ornamental Metal Museum.  They plan on turning it into some really unique condos, and reconnecting it to the rest of Downtown, so that there’s an easier way to get there than getting on I-55 and taking the Metal Museum exit.  I toured these buildings at the Memphis Flyer’s Best Of party, and they are very, very cool.  If you’re thinking of buying a condo (and you can still find someone who’ll give you a mortgage in this economy) you need to check this place out.

p. 26:  There will be a walking tour of Cotton Row this Saturday from 1 to 3 PM, given by eight former Cotton Row workers.  More info on the Cotton Museum’s website.  Great chance to learn some Memphis history.

There’s also a Southeastern Indian Heritage Festival at Chucalissa Saturday and Sunday.

p. 30:  THE DEMPSEYS AT HUEY’S THIS SUNDAY!!!!!!!  (Hey, don’t forget, it’s Caps Lock Day, I’m entitled to do that.)  No place is better for catching the Dempseys up close and personal.  Show starts at 8:30.

p. 46:  Info on the grand opening party at Orleans on Front (formerly Cayenne Moon) Thursday and Friday nights.  Both nights there will be free food and *drinks (heck if I know what the asterisk means) from 8 to 9 PM both nights.  I wonder if the Nuh-Uh Girl will show up?

Also on p. 46, a great article on Bardog Tavern, with an interview with Aldo Demartino, its owner.  You’ve got to check out Bardog if you haven’t already… it’s exactly what a neighborhood bar should be.  I’m in there most every night.

p. 55:  There’s a unit on the 9th floor of the Claridge being rented out for $825/month.  It’s unusual to see a condo unit rented out for under a grand.  I hear this building was refurbished when it went condo and the units are super nice.  Someone needs to jump on this.

p. 57:  Another rental bargain, a loft on the first floor of the Paperworks for $950 a month.  It’s a 1050 SF unit.  I think I may have been in this one before.  It’s super, super nice and I can’t believe it’s renting for less than a thousand bucks.  Again, someone needs to jump on this.

Hey, where did Free Will Astrology go?  That’s the one astrology column I actually read.  Here’s the link to their website.

All right, I’m getting back to work now.  Doing some stuff with the Zend Framework for PHP, in order to prepare for incoming freelance work, and to prepare myself for possible future projects.

Last night, the St. Jude scientists and their friends played trivia under the name “Paul Ryburn’s BFFs.”  A couple of people on my team suggested that I should get royalties for the use of my name… maybe 10% of that team’s earned points should be counted toward the Rapscallions’ total.  Sounds about right to me… I’ll talk to Pete the Trivia Guy about it next week.

TODAY’S REASON TO DRINK: IT’S CAPS LOCK DAY.

Great website someone forwarded me yesterday:  www.palinaspresident.us

Restaurant.com is running a new promotion for 60% off their gift certificates. Normally their $25 face-value gift certificates are $10, but through October 26 you can enter SAVOR as the promo code at checkout and get them for $4. Downtown restaurants that are part of this program include Big Foot Lodge, Blue Fin, Blue Plate Cafe, Cafe 61, Circa, Green Beetle, Ground Zero, LoLo’s Table, McEwen’s on Monroe, Onix, PaPa Pia’s, the Pier, Safari, Sauces, Silky O’ Sullivan’s, Stella, Superior Bar, and TGI Friday’s.  A few of the many other Memphis restaurants that participate are Bari, Brookhaven Pub, Cafe Ole, Cozymel’s, Dish, Equestria, Fox and Hound Sanderlin, Grove Grill, Harry’s Detour Midtown, Jim’s Place East, Mantia’s, Napa Cafe, Patrick’s, Petra, River Oaks, Robilio Sidecar Cafe, Ronnie Grisanti’s, Roustica, and Tucker’s.  You can click the link and search for even more of your favorite restaurants.

Mpact Memphis and Memphis College of Art will host Creative Conversations, bringing together local arts leaders to discuss working creatively in all industries, and to stress the need for entrepreneurship to advance creativity.  Smart City Consulting’s Tom Jones will lead the discussion, and panelists include Gary Backaus (archer>malmo), Karen Blockman Carrier (Automatic Slim’s, Molly Fontaine’s, Do, Beauty Shop), Eric Mathews (Mercury Technology Labs), Pat Mitchell Worley (Memphis Music Foundation), Chris Reyes (Ninjacat), and Joann Self Selvidge (True Story Pictures).

All right, time to get some work done.  I think I’ll take my laptop up to Court Square at lunchtime and use the free Wi-Fi to work.  We’ll see if I can run down my entire battery (about 2 hours) before I get tired of all the bums and pigeons.

Home from trivia.  The team finished out of the money this week.

There’s a sign outside Orleans on Front, formerly Cayenne Moon, saying this Thursday-Friday is their grand opening and to come on by for free food ‘n’ stuff.  I’ll try to make it by.  Thursday is also trivia night with Mikey and Pete the Trivia Guy at Jillian’s (the night got switched from Wed.)

The Saucer is doing Oktoberfest Friday, kicking off with the blessing of the kegs at 7.  There will be a brat eating contest and a beer tasting.

Ballet Memphis will have an open rehearsal this Thursday the 23rd at the corner of Union and Main in the Radio Center Flats, 66 S. Main, at lunchtime from 11:30 to 1.

Join the Memphis Grizzlies next Monday, October 27, at the Fox & Hound Sanderlin to watch the undefeated Tennessee Titans vs. Peyton “washed-up has-been” Manning and the Indianapolis Colts.  There will be wings, ribs, and the chance to learn about participating in the Grizzlies’ mentoring program.  It starts at 6:30.  More details here.

I have more stuff to report but I’m drunk and eating spaghetti and meatballs from Bardog Tavern.  Check back for the rest tomorrow.

Free food at Orleans on Front… I wonder if the Nuh-Uh Girl will show up?

I set a new record yesterday – FIFTEEN beers at the Flying Saucer for Pint Nite.  On top of that, it was actually a very productive day.  I got there right after it opened at 11 AM, and worked on my laptop for about five hours, putting together a new website which I hope to launch soon.

I also arranged a business meeting at the Saucer, which took place about 4 PM.  To briefly summarize, in 2002-03 I programmed a new concept in personal finance software, invented by a guy who audited one of my Computer Literacy classes at the U of M in the late 1990s.  We never could figure out how to market the thing, though, and so mentally I had written it off as time wasted.  However, the program came back from the dead last month, when we were informed that we had received the patent we applied for years ago.  So the inventor drove in from Nashville, and we spent two hours discussing what to do with the program.  It looks like I may end up writing an e-book about it, explaining how it works and why it’s a breakthrough in personal finance.  People who like what they read in the book can then buy the program.

The meeting ended at 6, and I thought to myself, “Wow.  I just worked 7 hours without a break.  I deserve a beer.”  Then I realized I was already holding a beer.  And it was my 9th beer.  That meant that my record of 14 beers at Pint Nite was definitely within reach.  So I went into the other room, sat on the benches with my BFFs Jenny and Michelle, and downed a few more.  I ended up hanging out at the bar with my vote for Best Memphian of 2008, Sam from the Red Rooster.  By 9:30 I had polished off beer #14, and ordered beer #15 to break the record.

Needless to say, this morning was a rather fuzzy morning.  The combination of Mountain Dew and Claritin-D is waking me up though.  49 e-mails in the Inbox.  Got several freelance work inquiries I’ve got to answer today.  I’ll be working from home, as opposed to going to one of the branch offices.  About 6 I’ll head to the Saucer for the usual Rapscallion domination and first-place win at trivia.