Author: paulryburn

While surfing Wikipedia the other day to study for Tuesday night trivia with Chip… er, um, I mean Pete, I discovered that Joe Kennedy, patriarch of the Kennedy clan and father of JFK, Robert, and Teddy, died on the day I was born. Hmmm… for those who believe in reincarnation, I wonder if I’m the reborn spirit of Joe Kennedy?

I have no interest in creating a political dynasty like Camelot, but I am pretty proud of the social dynasty I’ve helped to create in Downtown Memphis over the past several years. Best group of friends EVER. I remember at the beginning of 2007, I thought to myself, I wonder how many awesome people we’ll add to the group this year? And there have been several. And there will be even more in 2008. Maybe if I am Joe Kennedy in a new life, I was born with a different purpose to carry out this time.

More evidence to support the reincarnation theory… my political views are pretty much in line with the Kennedy clan. And I admire JFK for hooking up with Marilyn Monroe when he was president. And I think I could’ve held my own in a drinking contest with Teddy when he was in his prime.

Just a little hung-over speculation. Someday I’m going to have to do a serious post on my views on reincarnation.

Off to the mall.

Went to Hoop’s Bar with a group of friends last night about 8:30, and for the second night in a row it felt like home. With the crowd that was in there, it actually felt about as close as a bar can get to the resurrection of Sleep Out’s.

The one thing they have to address, though, is the opening time. Up until now “whenever we feel like it” has been a pretty accurate description of that. They were polling us last night about what time the place should open. I told them either 6 or 7. If they open later than 7 then they’re going to lose a lot of the gang on weeknights, as many of the people don’t like to stay out later than 9 so they can get a full night’s rest for work the next day. If they open at 7 we can hang out at the Saucer for happy hour, then head over to Hoop’s. If they open at 6 that might spell the end of the Saucer as our #1 hangout.

Some people are concerned that there is the door to EP’s, and that the nightclub crowd will come over to Hoop’s and spoil the mood. I don’t think that’s an issue at all and in fact think it’s a good thing. The last 6 months Sleep Out’s was open, I got really bored with the place because it was the same people every day. That’s why I demoted it to #2 and started spending the majority of the time at the Saucer. But with that door there between Hoop’s and EP’s, new people will circulate in and out and the crowd will never get stale. Some people will discover that they really get into the vibe at Hoop’s and we’ll have new regulars/friends. Others will discover that the elevated status they enjoy in a nightclub atmosphere doesn’t carry over to a locals’ bar like Hoop’s, and they’ll get bored and head back through the door to all that glitters. People will sort themselves out and that’s a good thing.

It’ll be interesting to see how it plays out… the gang is ready for a new home and the Monkey isn’t open yet. I can just hear the managers’ meeting at the Saucer in a couple of months: “Paul only comes in here on Sunday afternoons and Tuesdays for trivia now. I guess we better hire some Romanians so he’ll come back.”

I accidentally hit Delete rather than Save when entering a number into my phone last night… I know the person the number belongs to reads this blog, and if they want to e-mail me their number so I have it again, that’d be cool.

Plans for the day (these are tentative and may be changed if more interesting stuff to do comes along):

Early afternoon: Trip to East Memphis to do some shopping
Late afternoon: Watch football somewhere
7:00-10:00: The Lantana Projects art show at 574 S. Main
10:00-12:00: E&H. I hope Nate has his bar open.
After that: Go home and change into my Disco Paul persona, then it’s on to Raiford’s.

Got two more posts on deck, one concerning reincarnation and the other about happenings at the Majestic Grille.

– Quote on the office refrigerator: “Pigs love mud. It reminds them of their natural habitat – barbecue sauce.” Heh. I may have to print that and frame it and bring it to the BBQ booth next May.

– This morning I learned of a benefit concert in Midtown, to happen tomorrow night to benefit Christopher Reyes, the founder of LiveFromMemphis.com. Christopher is recovering from back surgery and proceeds will go toward his medical bills and recovery, as well as the LiveFromMemphis site, one of the most important sites about the local music scene.

Concert will be at the Hi-Tone Saturday, November 17, starting at 9 PM (doors open at 8) and will feature The Subteens, Giant Bear, the Harmony Brothers, The Perfect Fits, Billie Worley & the Candy Company. There will also be an art show and live auction. $7 cover. Thanks to the Memphis Flyer’s weekend update (you can sign up for these on their site) for the info.

If you can’t make it to the show, you can drop off a donation online at LiveFromMemphis.com/donate.

– There’s another new Downtown blogger! Main Street Dental has started a blog to let their customers and prospective customers know what’s happening. Check it out.

– Crime is still running rampant in Memphis. County Commissioner Henri Brooks had her purse snatched as she pumped gas at Union and Pauline just east of Downtown. You’ve gotta be careful with your personal belongings and watch ’em every second.

– I’ve learned that my post yesterday about the Great American Smokeout caused at least one person to take action. Otto: “As soon as I read your post I went out and bought a pack of cigs and lit up.” Ironically, Otto was wearing a T-shirt wearing “Death: Our nation’s number one killer” yesterday.

– Congratulations to one member of our gang on being elected to his condo association board of directors! I’m sure he’s looking forward to the additional unpaid responsibility for possibly up to the next 5 years. And it should be an easy gig, as condo associations never bicker or disagree or anything like that. (evil laugh)

– Plans for tonight: Saucer after work, then Hoop’s Bar. After that, who knows. Raiford’s is still a possibility, but if not tonight, I will get there tomorrow.

After a couple of Happy Hour beers at the Saucer last night, I moved over to Hoop’s Bar about 8 PM and discovered that two-thirds of it was taken up by Sleep Out Louie’s refugees. Awesome! More of the old gang was in one place than I’ve seen in months.

My friend Kennedy was also there. Hang on, let’s post a pic of Kennedy.

There ya go. That’s Kennedy. And me, obviously. I found out that a number of people at the bar were drinking for free, thanks to Kennedy. I mentioned this the previous week but had forgot about it… if you listen to Q107.5 on Thursdays you can get on a “VEP” list that gets you in EP’s for free and free drinks from 8 to 9. Kennedy: “I DON’T CARE WHAT YOU DRINK, BUT TIP YOUR BARTENDERS!!!” There’s also a food buffet of meatballs, wings and egg rolls.

This is going to alter my Thursday plans in the future… EP’s on Thursday is part of my normal routine, but in the past I’ve considered 8 a little early to get there. But if I can drink free for an hour and get some food in my stomach, and have my old Sleep Out’s friends (and Hooper and Tony) to chill with after the free-stuff hour ends, hell, I’m in! Besides, what would I be doing instead… sitting at the Saucer, same damn thing I do every night. As I said yesterday, I intend to start circulating more.

Since next Thursday is Thanksgiving, I need to e-mail Kennedy and confirm whether or not this deal will be going on. I’ll let you know what I hear.

Left at 9:30 to go see the Dempseys at the Saucer, but I hit the point of exhaustion less than halfway through their first set. I realized that if I stayed out and drank more, it would mess up my weekend. So I gave it up, came home, and managed to get a full 8 hours. Nice.

Other news: Reading the Downtowner magazine this morning, and I see that there’s a great article on Memphis Shopping Bag, the service that will get a list from you and shop at your favorite stores so you don’t have to. Great service for those who like the selection in the East Memphis groceries but never have time to drive out there. I’ve communicated a little with the owners and they seem to be real good people who know what they’re doing.

Also in the Downtowner: You can score free tanning time at the Tan-n-Go in Harbor Town or the one in Midtown by bringing in canned goods for the Memphis Food Bank. Call 272-3348 for more details.

Plans for this weekend:

Tonight: No idea.
Tomorrow day: Shopping in East Memphis: Target, Oak Court Mall, Bookstar, Davis Kidd, etc.
Tomorrow night: The Lantana Projects art show at 574 S. Main. Once again, let me stress that this sounds like a big, fun party that’s worth rearranging plans for. 7 to 10 PM.

At some point Friday or Saturday night I plan on having a beer at Nate’s bar. At some point Friday or Saturday night I plan on making it to Raiford’s. It’s been an entire month since I’ve been. I’m well rested this time around and have plenty of energy to do a late night.

Sunday: Brunch at McGuinness (week 2 of 2), then business as usual at the Saucer, which means kicking Pete’s ass at pool and generally acting stupid. Oh and it’s my birthday! Buy me a beer! Buy me a shot! Buuuuyyyyy meeeeeeee a drrrrriiiinnnnkkkkkkk!!!!!

Back later today with a link to a new Downtown blog. Right now it’s time for the morning run to Jack’s for Mountain Dew.

People have been suggesting I do this one for a while. This is my list of recommended places to get a good steak in Downtown Memphis. This is not an all-inclusive list; I’m only including restaurants where I’ve personally eaten, or have an overwhelming number of good recommendations from others. Yes, I’m biased, but I do know Downtown.

If you’re really hungry and have money to spend, my top recommendation would be Texas de Brazil. It’s all-you-can-eat, priced in the mid-$40s. Servers bring about a dozen different meats to your table, and if you request they slice you off a piece. My favorites are the filets and the Brazilian picanha. They also have one of the best salad bars in the city. If you have vegetarians in your group, they can easily make a meal off the salad bar alone (which they can purchase without the meat at a reduced price).

I’ve been told that The Grill Room, the fine-dining wing of The Daily Grill in the Westin Hotel, has some of the best steaks in town. That’d probably be my top recommendation if you want more of a traditional sit-down dinner rather than what Texas de Brazil offers. This would be a great choice for corporate dinners too.

Capriccio in the ground floor of the Peabody is an Italian steakhouse that has an excellent reputation.

Now, there are also a number of restaurants Downtown that aren’t steakhouses per se, but do cook a mean steak.

I had a filet from The Majestic Grille earlier this year and it was absolutely outstanding. Definitely worth going back for. I need to try their ribeye at some point; the chef, Patrick, tells me it’ll wipe away memories of eating bad ribeyes at Bonanza when I was a kid.

Blues City Cafe has some huge steaks that can be split among several people. They have a Porterhouse (2 1/2 or 3 lb.), a T-bone (2, 2 1/2, or 3 lb.), and massive sirloin (4, 5, or 6 lb.), as well as normal-sized Memphis Strip and low-carb Strip Steak options. Blues City is especially recommended between the months of July and October, as they tend to hire Romanians who come here on their summer break. A little eye candy with your steak is always a bonus.

I had a filet at EP Delta Kitchen not long after it opened last year and can definitely recommend it. If you’re not a person who enjoys the nightclub scene I recommend you make your reservation for no later than 8 PM at EP’s.

I have not personally tried either of these, but I have heard “best steak in Memphis” from numerous people about two Downtown restaurants: Stella and Grill 83. Stella is at the corner of Main and Monroe; Grill 83 is inside the Madison Hotel. They’re both great places but have very different atmospheres: Grill 83 is more cosmopolitan and trendy, while Stella is more comfortable and inviting.

That’s my list as it stands as of today. I may update this post and bump it from time to time. If there are places I left off that you think I should try, let me know.

Every year, the third Thursday of November is the Great American Smokeout. For one day, smokers all over the world give up their filthy, nasty, disgusting habit, and suffer through the day with millions of their other fellow smokers.

The goal of the day is to give smokers a taste of what it’s like to live without cigarettes, in hopes that they’ll think, “I can do this another day,” and then another, and eventually quit permanently. For some it works. For many it doesn’t.

But it’s worth a try. The goal is to quit for a whole day, from the time you get out of bed to the time you fall asleep. If you are just reading about it now, you could always make Friday, November 16 your smokeout day instead – believe me, us nonsmokers won’t mind.

One more post to come, but right now, I’m hungry, so I’m going to walk to Blue Plate for meat and three.

Last night I received info that another homeless person has been found dead in Downtown Memphis – that makes two within 24 hours, and this one appears to be a murder. Police were called to the south end of Tom Lee Park about 5:15 PM yesterday, where they found a homeless man dead on arrival. He had been stabbed by another homeless man, after they argued about being in each other’s “space.” Suspect is in custody.

At least two more posts to come today, including the steakhouse recommendations I’ve been promising. Check back.

It’s looking like I’ll have to remain in Memphis for Thanksgiving this year, rather than going home to Little Rock to see my mother as usual. I’ve done Christmas in Memphis before (got snowed in one year) but never Thanksgiving. I’m actually looking forward to it.

I need to post the snowed-in Christmas story sometime, but I have to leave for work soon. That was one of the most fun weekends I’ve had Downtown.

Time for the long commute to work.

At Hoop’s Bar, they had South Park on the TV, with sound. Cool. I haven’t had a bartender to watch cartoons with since Maurice from the Tap Room left. That makes me want to spend more time at Hoop’s.

Does anyone else remember that Snoopy’s Snow-Cone machine commercial? I’m pretty sure it was ’70s. God. I’m old.

Welcome to my blog mofos! I just got home and am lit the f up. Therefore this is a DRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRUNK POST!!!

We’ll start with a little reader feedback:

Don’t you think that if you’re going to be the “Downtown blogger” that you ought to give all Downtown businesses equal time? I mean look, you cover some Downtown bars and restaurants way more than others. How about a little fairness?

Aight. Point taken. Therefore, here’s a recap of tonight:

I started the evening at the Peabody lobby for one of their very reasonably priced drinks. Then I moved on to the Mesquite Chop House for some fine dining. That reminded me that my next stop needed to be Swig, because bars and restaurants with “Gentlemen, please remove your hats” on the door are just completely awesome. They really are. Then it was on to Spindini to rub elbows with the beautiful people. On the way back to Beale, I stopped to hand a homeless looking man a dollar when he tried to aks me a question, then I hit the street to end the night with dancing at Alfred’s, and then (of course) Plush Club. Would’ve hit Club 152 but Rhoney G wasn’t performing tonight. Started to head over to King’s Court to crash then remembered, I live down here.

Most of you probably figured out real quick that everything in the paragraph above is a total lie. But lying is okay if it serves your purposes. Right?

Now let’s get on to the REAL recap. Walked down Second toward the Westin. Noticed that Second Street Shoppers convenience store is applying for a beer license and they have their hearing November 21. Mixed feelings about that. On one hand, they’re really nice people, have greatly expanded their inventory, and I want to see them succeed. On the other, beer sales will draw some very entertaining people to the area. Entertaining if you enjoy watching episodes of COPS.

So my plan for the evening was not to go to the Saucer. After hanging out there for close to 8 hours yesterday and having a FORTY dollar tab, I thought, this is ridiculous. If I’m going to spend that kind of money a night I need to circulate. So I went to the Daily Grill for apps and who was the bartender… a former Saucer Girl, in training. I can’t get away from that place, even when I try. I had the Side Kicks (mini-burgers) and popcorn shrimp with Cajun tartar sauce, for a total $5.90 food expense. Not bad. My bartender told me that she had to sample the entire menu as part of training, and tonight was steak night. Can I get a job there? John D: “Do you get to sample the Bud Light?”

While there I watched out the window I watched three bums walk south on Third. I guarantee you they live on Abel, St.Paul or one of the other streets in the SoFo district southeast of Main and Vance. They’re not homeless.

Oh! Quick story before I continue the recap. I have cousins. Cousins I didn’t know I had. They found me on MySpace and messaged me. So now we’re MySpace friends. I’m far and away the youngest member of my generation in the family, but these are second cousins once removed and fairly close to my age (32 and 22). They plan on traveling to Memphis soon and we’re going to hang out. I’ve never really hung out with family before at like, a bar or anything, so this should be interesting.

So anyway, then I headed on to Blues City for the Dempseys. We’ve reached the point in the year where they throw a few Christmas songs in – nice. They also threw in some Vanilla Ice and MC Hammer in the middle of one of their rockabilly songs and Bradley D danced. I stayed for the first two sets and ended up hanging out with Scooter Billy and Warehouse Kris.

Then I crossed Second and hit Hoop’s Bar, and I also wandered into EP’s and listened to Computer do his Wednesday night thing for a few minutes. And then I was done. I headed home up Main Street, and in the window of Jolly Royal I saw a new bedding/mattress set with a stuffed sheep lying on top. If I could’ve figured out how to crack Royal’s alarm, I would’ve gone inside and given Mr. Sheep some butt lovin’. But I guess that’s why they have security measures. I’m sure I’m not the first to think about that (a few readers are bowing their heads in shame).

And that’s Wednesday evening. Coming up Thursday: More Dempseys, this time at the Saucer. I’ll probably make it through the first two sets, then head over to Hoop’s Bar for a nightcap.

Know what’s awesome? Due to the lack of commute I’m STILL going to get 7 1/2 hours sleep and make it to work on time.