Today was the type of day no one looks forward to as we broke two heat records! The first was a daily record high of 102, which smashed the previous record of 98. Secondly, we set the record for the all-time latest 100° day. The last time we had temps this warm was July 8. /OB pic.twitter.com/kzheVZktSL
The Brass Door will be closed today for a private event,
Local on Main now has a shot called the Local Stimulus. It’s an espresso shot similar to one offered at a bar around the corner. I’m not a big coffee drinker myself but my friend Joe really likes them.
Katherine and Marc Bryan will supply the live music at Memphis Farmers Market this Saturday.
Every year in April, usually the last Sunday in April, the annual Beale Street Wine Race happens. This competition is a day of debauchery that gives people in the service industry a chance to blow off steam before the hectic Memphis in May season begins.
Except this year, it didn’t happen in April. There was an announcement that Wine Race would be moved to September. I don’t know if there were COVID concerns, a scheduling conflict, or what.
You may notice that this coming Sunday is the last one in September.
And we found out yesterday that yep, that’s Wine Race.
Beale Street management did a HORRIBLE job promoting this event. They should’ve started getting the word out in August. Teams won’t have time to order matching shirts. People who normally work on Sundays and would like to come to the event won’t have time to ask off work.
But anyway, it’s happening. For those new to Memphis, let me explain what happens at Wine Race. People gather on the block of Beale between B.B. King Blvd. and Fourth around 1:00 in the afternoon to watch area restaurant teams compete in four events:
An opening parade, where teams conduct floats down Beale Street and into Handy Park
A Queen of the Vine beauty pageant
A grape stomp competition – who can use their feet to get the most juice out of a tub of grapes
A 4-person team wine relay. Each team member has to uncork a bottle of wine, put it on their team’s tray, and carry it down Beale
There are sometimes wardrobe malfunctions in Queen of the Vine. A lot of wine gets spilled in the relay.
Let’s check the forecast for Sunday: Mostly cloudy; scattered showers and a chance of thunderstorms. The morning starts off near 70 and the temperature will rise to the upper 80s by afternoon. Rain chance 40%.
Eight & Sand has released their DJ lineup for Friday and Saturday of this week:
Edan from New York City
Cavey Cave from L.A. (I think??? Hard to tell from the promotional flyer)
Guest DJs from Memphis: DJ Charlie Fuggit, Cadillac Zac, and Memphis Jones
The architect of shock rock, Alice Cooper, brings his paranormal show to the Orpheum next Tuesday.
Patti LeBelle has been announced for the Orpheum on Saturday, March 18.
Catherine & Mary’s will be closed this Friday for a private event.
The Memphis Wing & Turkey Leg Classic will happen Saturday, November 12 from 11 AM to 4 PM at the Ghost River brewery at Main and Crump. Here’s what you will find there:
Come vote on Memphis’ best wing and turkey leg
Celebrity appearances by Al Kapone, Gina Neely, and Sheriff Floyd Bonner
Live radio remote 104.1 FM
Vendors
Games
Live performances
Beer specials
Hookah specials
$2 wine samples 12-2
$2 tequila shots 12-2
MemphisWeather.net is now on Patreon. Sign up for a monthly subscription to get benefits like members-only posts and weather Q&As.
Kids eat free at Memphis Chess Club on Tuesday nights. Purchase of one entree is required. Tuesday is also Open Play night where kids can receive personal chess instruction as they play.
This next item isn’t Downtown news, but it seems worth a mention. The Memphis metro has been lacking Chicago-style deep dish pizza since Wiseguys in Horn Lake closed several years ago. Well, that’s about to change with the opening of a new restaurant, Izzy & Adam’s, at 6343 Summer. They’ll have Chicago-style pizza as well as wings and sandwiches.
From YouTube: The Rock gives a special toast to Memphis.
DJ Tree will play the Blind Bear this Saturday from 10 PM to 2 AM.
Annual LGBTQ celebration the TEP Gumbo Contest returns this Sunday. It will be at the Museum of Science & History.
Amazon broke the record for Prime sign-ups over a three-hour period last Thursday evening. Looks like acquiring exclusive rights to Thursday Night Football was a good move by Amazon.
The Downtown Neighborhood Association’s Year-End Event is set for the Halloran Center on Tuesday, November 15 at 6 PM. DNA president Elijah Townsend will give a “State of Downtown” address and there will be guest speakers including mayors, state representatives, and city council members. A number of sponsorships are available that allow you to advertise your business to active Downtown residents.
American Airlines will begin offering direct flights to Austin beginning in January 2023.
Former Memphis Tigers basketball star Emoni Bates has been arrested on gun charges. Bates was set to play as a sophomore for Eastern Michigan this coming season. Bates’ attorney said he was not aware there was a gun in the borrowed vehicle he had been driving.
Pools are fun. Summer is fun. But summer’s almost over. The 2022 fall equinox happens Thursday at 8:03 PM.
Yesterday was the last day of the year when the sunset was 7:00 or later.
Cordelia’s Market now carries Amylu Foods chicken sausages, burgers, and bacon.
FedExForum is receiving a number of service upgrades prior to the start of the Grizzlies’ season. The biggest changes are a new bar on the terrace level and more standing-room-only tickets.
Levy, the company that handles concessions at FedExForum, is holding its second and final seasonal job fair at the arena this Tuesday from 9 AM to 6 PM. Jobs there make great second jobs to supplement an income. Many of my bartender friends applied at the first job fair, but there are still positions open, so come on down!
Elmwood Cemetery presents Soul of the City October 6-8, recognizing the vast amount of musical talent buried there. There will be walking tours every half hour. The tours last about an hour.
This week’s AP Top 25 is out. I’m really kind of surprised Arkansas remained number 10. They won Saturday but struggled against FCS school Missouri State.
The County Clerk’s office, or “Wanda World” as Bruce V from the Memphis Flyer calls it, is closed this week.
New Wing Order has some new specials they will run on NFL Sundays. They are
Loaded Pizza Fries tossed in Italian seasoning, drizzled in marinara, topped with mozzarella and pepperoni
Beer Brats simmered in Ghost River Gold for hours and then seared and topped with an Oktoberfest beer cheese, stone-ground mustard, onions, and peppers
Oktoberfest Wings which start with sauteed onion, garlic, ginger, and Ghost River Oktoberfest beer, cooked down with fresh lemon juice, honey, red wine vinegar, and plenty of spices
Get these specials 12:00-8:00 PM Sundays at the Ghost River taproom, where they will have wall-to-wall NFL coverage.
Saturday Night Live alumni Steve Martin & Martin Short come to the Orpheum Saturday. Be prepared to shell out some coin if you want to see them, though…. tickets start at $95 and go up to $350.
The Cannon Center hosts the Cancer Blows Benefit Concert featuring Robert Moody and the Memphis Symphony Orchestra. Twenty trumpet legends will blow cancer away.
There will be a free Cha Cha class this Saturday 6-7 PM at Fourth Bluff. You don’t need a partner or experience to participate.
Watching the Queen’s funeral procession as I type this. Back tomorrow with more news.
Today is Cooper-Young Fest out in Midtown. Expect extremely heavy traffic in that area. That festival can draw more than 100,000 visitors. Plus, that area will be congested for the U of M game at the Liberty Bowl at 6.
The Blind Bear is starting a new 2 for $20 brunch special Saturday and Sunday from 11 to 3. You can pick two of
Biscuits and gravy – two fresh-baked biscuits topped with their scratch Bear sausage gravy
Breakfast bowl – cheesy hash browns topped with 3 eggs, peppers, and your choice of bacon or sausage
Sausage or bacon biscuits – two biscuits with a side of cheesy hash browns
Chicken and waffle – Crispy fried chicken breast with an apple pie moonshine waffle (NOTE: This item is marked “Limited Stock” on the menu)
Curfew will have a Chef’s Distiller Dinner with Old Dominick spirits Thursday, October 27. A mix & mingle will kick off the evening at 6:30 when you will be able to chat with chef Fabio Viviani and distiller Alex Castle. The three-course dinner begins at 7:15. Purchase tickets
WWE Smackdown returns to FedExForum Friday, January 6. WWE Superstars planned to be there include Drew McIntyre, Smackdown Women’s Champion Liv Morgan, unified tag champions the Usos and “the honorary Uce” Sami Zayn, The New Day, Natalya, Ricochet, Sheamus, Shinske Nakamura, and many more.
Expect to see lots of red and gray polos Downtown next week. The AutoZone national sales meeting comes to the Renasant Convention Center September 18-24.
The Memphis Flyer has a look at the new cutbank bluff that will provide an ADA-accessible walkway to Tom Lee Park.
Soul & Spirits, the brewery on the far north end of Main in Uptown, is hiring front-of-house staff. Service industry experience is encouraged, but not required. Apply online
Hotel Pontotoc, the 1906 building at 69 East Ponroroc, has new owners. They have 10 apartments and a restaurant planned for the space.
Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral will be Monday morning at 11 London time, which is 5 AM U.S. Central time. USA TODAY has all the details of what will happen at the funeral and how to watch it. Multiple channels will cover the funeral but PBS sounds like the place to go. Their coverage begins at 3 AM Central and they’ll have a direct feed from the BBC.
Longshot has rolled out a new menu that includes Pollo Asado Nachos, a Smoked Mushroom & Shishito Philly, Crispy Duck, and a big Diner Burger. I’m glad to see they kept the lamb chili Frito pie.
Blind Bear is having an apparel sale today through Sunday. With purchase of food or a beverage, you can get the following discounts:
10 year anniversary shirts $5 (regular $10)
Classic Bear shirts $15 (regular $25)
Grizz shirts $15 (regular $20)
“Universal” tanks $15 (regular $25)
Sweatshirts $25 (regular $40)
Zip-ups $25 (regular $35)
The DM has coverage and a photo gallery of the Memphis Music Hall of Fame inductions last night. Led Zeppelin frontman Robert Plant made a trip across the pond to induct Priscilla Presley. I wonder if he’ll stop by Winfield’s Clothing Store at Madison and Main to do some shopping today. I’ve been told Plant is one of many legendary rock stars who love that store.
Meghan Triplett, who had been the co-host of the Grizzlies’ “Rise and Grind” videocast, has joined the YES Network as the Brooklyn Nets reporter.
If you went to a bar or restaurant to watch Thursday Night Football last night, and it had Xfinity cable, you were out of luck. Amazon has acquired the rights to TNF games and will be streaming them on Prime. TNF will be available to watch in restaurants and bars across the U.S. – but only if they have DirecTV. Here’s an explainer.
FOX 13, I feel the need to say this again: Your pop-up ad that appears after a website visitor has spent about 10 seconds on your home page is annoying AF. Please get rid of it.
September is Hispanic Heritage Month and tomorrow night, September 16, Mighty Lights on the Mississippi River will turn the colors of the flags of these countries:
7:40-8:00: Mexico
8:10-8:30: Nicaragua
8:40-9:00: Chile
9:10-9:30: Guatemala
9:40-10:00: El Salvador
10:10-10:30: Costa Rica
10:40-11:00: Honduras
The Peanut Shoppe posted a pic of an order of super, super, extra flaming hot spicy peanuts they made for a customer recently. They can make some for you too if you order a day or two in advance.
Bardog bartender Colin Wilson was recently profiled in Memphis Current. Check it out.
Need to host a lunch meeting for your work team? Feast & Graze now offers Lunch Bundles to take care of that need. They include half of an artisanal salad, a whole artisanal wrap, Zapp’s chips, and a cold beverage. The minimum order for Lunch Bundles is 10.
Congrats to Tamra Patterson, AKA “Chef Tam,” on her new role as the Wesson Oil cooking lady, a role that was formerly held by Florence Henderson (“Mom” from The Brady Bunch). Chef Tam is offering a new restaurant in Whitehaven this month featuring an affordable and healthy menu.
Also notable: Next week Chef Tam launches Inflation Vacation at her Underground Cafe in The Edge, where the first 75 people get a $10 meal deal.
The Red Feather plays the Blind Bear 8-midnight Saturday. That band features Jessi who you may know from when she was half of the Rusty Pieces.
New Memphis is moving. After 10 years in the Falls Building at Front and Court, they are relocating to what has been known as The Emerge Building on Tennessee Street. The building will be renamed The New Memphis Building.
The Downtown Neighborhood Association has announced the date and location for its September meeting. It will be at the Caption by Hyatt on Beale Street, Thursday, September 27 at 5:30 PM. Free for members, $10 for non-members. There will be free food and drinks and a guest speaker to be announced.
Save the date: The DNA will host a Downtown Business Expo Thursday, October 13 from 5:30-7:30 PM at the Downtown YMCA.
A registered sex offender allegedly attempted to rape a woman on Tennessee Street in the South Main district Saturday morning.
The Memphis Music Hall of Fame inducts new members tonight at the Cannon Center.
Memphis 901 FC hosts Charleston Battery tonight at 7.
President Biden has announced that a possible railroad strike, set to start this week, has been averted. Thank goodness. That could have been an economic disaster.
Hot Wheels on Beale will happen this Saturday, September 17, with hundreds of Corvettes up and down Beale Street.
117 Prime has a new menu:
I realized I missed an important game yesterday when I listed Saturday’s college football games of interest to Memphians: 13 Miami vs. 24 Texas A&M. It’s on ESPN at 8:00 PM. I edited the post and added it to the list.
The New Wing Order food truck will be at Cordelia’s Market tonight from 5 to 8.
The DM’s Chris Herrington has a look at Krissy’s Soul Food, which opened recently at Poplar and Manassas.
The pool table at the Blind Bear did indeed make its return yesterday. I’ve heard a rumor that another piece of entertainment equipment will return to a Downtown bar this week after a long absence, but I’m taking that with a grain of salt.
The CA reports that a new apartment complex will be developed on the area bordered by E.H. Crump Blvd., Virginia Avenue, Kentucky Street, and Florida Street. Wow… apartment development has made it all the way to Crump. Better hurry up and get Momma’s back open, Aldo, you’re about to have some hungry and thirsty new neighbors across the street.
YOGA! There’s a free yoga class at 5:30 this afternoon in Health Sciences Park.
The annual Mississippi River Monsters fishing tournament happens at Bass Pro at the Pyramid this weekend. Friday afternoon there will be seminars and then Saturday it’ll be time to get fishing.
Congratulations to Memphis 901 FC, who have clinched a spot in the playoffs this season. Memphis sits in second place in the USL Eastern Conference, having accumulated 55 points. The squad has a home match vs. Charleston Battery this Friday.
If you’ve been to Max’s Sports Bar, you may have noticed the 2012 and 2017 group photos hanging by the corner table. Well, get ready and save the date… Real 2 Reel Photography will take a 2022 group photo on Monday, October 17 at 5:30 PM.
The Gray Canary is updating its hours effective next week:
Tuesday-Thursday: 4:30 PM-10:00 PM
Friday-Saturday: 4:30 PM-10:30 PM
For those of you who have missed the pool table at the Blind Bear, it will be back today.
My friend Dorchelle Spence will have a book signing for her book Into the Gathering Clouds tonight at Novel Memphis at 6 PM.
The Silly Goose is having a grand opening this Thursday starting at 7 PM.
The Green Beetle posted “Just a little while longer” before they complete their renovations and reopen.
Let’s have a look at college football games of interest to Memphians coming up this Saturday:
1 Georgia at South Carolina, 11:00 AM, ESPN
12 BYU at 25 Oregon, 2:30 PM, FOX
20 Ole Miss at Georgia Tech, 2:30 PM, ABC
22 Penn State at Auburn, 2:30 PM, CBS
UL Monroe at 2 Alabama, 2:30 PM, SEC Network
Mississippi State at LSU, 5:00 PM, ESPN
Missouri State at 10 Arkansas, 6:00 PM, SEC Network
Akron at 15 Tennessee, 6:00 PM, SEC Network
Arkansas State at Memphis, 6:00 PM, ESPN+
South Florida at 18 Florida, 6:30 PM, SEC Network
13 Miami at 24 Texas A&M, 8:00 PM, ESPN
Lots and lots of Power Five schools playing cream puffs this week. I wonder who’ll pull off the upset? I’m hoping for Akron.
A group of teens were arrested near Beale Street for auto burglary and possession of stolen property. They were seen breaking into cars in the alley. One of the group had a stolen gun. The teens ranged in age from 15 to 18. This has led City Council to vote on whether to enforce a curfew ordinance for teens already on the books.
The MBJ reports that Esco Restaurant & Tapas is coming to Downtown Memphis. The location will be on Lt. George Lee Avenue just south of Beale.
Downtown is getting a new restaurant! The MBJ reports that the former Blue Plate Cafe space on the south side of Court Square will become Bell’s Catfish & Soul Food. As the name suggests, the restaurant will serve traditional Southern fare including oxtails, collard greens, turkey necks, and oxtails. Bell’s has a Facebook page you can “Like” if you want to stay up to date on the restaurant’s progress in opening the new location.
Keep Belle Tavern in mind for your upcoming NFL Sundays. They have some specials going on:
Buckets of beer (6 domestics) $15
Pitchers of Miller High Life $12
1½ ounce pour of Isaac Bowman Port Finish $12
Pint of Miller High Life and a shot of Jager $9
Popcorn & pork rinds $3
Boiled peanuts $5
Hummus platter with carrots, cucumbers, lettuce, and pita $9
Beer brats with mustard and sauerkraut with a side of chips $12
Chili topped with cheddar cheese, sour cream, and scallions $6
Bag of Zapp’s potato chips $1.50
The specials run from 11 AM to 7 PM.
How ’bout them Hogs! The Arkansas Razorbacks are back in the top 10 of the AP college football poll, having jumped 6 spots following a victory over South Carolina.
Sure enough, the AP voters punished Bama for that close call vs. Texas. The Crimson Tide fell to number 2, while their likely opponent in the SEC championship game, Georgia, rose to number 1.
South Main Sounds Songwriter Night returns to 550 S. Main this Friday at 7 PM. Abby Frances, Kina del Mar, Katherine McCaa Bryan, and Marc Bryan will perform. Join them, won’t you?
This is wonderful news!
Tonight temperatures will drop to near 60, and those of you outside the city might even see lows in the 50s! Tomorrow will be gorgeous with plenty of sunshine, a high in the low 80s, and low humidity. The forecasted dewpoint is 48 (much lower than today’s dewpoint of 70!) /CS pic.twitter.com/q2Fek9nJd5
It’s possible that the first national rail strike in 30 years could happen this week, disrupting shipping and possibly driving prices even higher. The Association of American Railroads estimates the U.S. economy will lose $2 billion each day the trains aren’t running.
Envision Memphis hosts a Body Burn & Brews event at Beale Street Landing this Thursday at 5:45. Get a good workout in, then enjoy $2 off beers at Riverside Tap, the pop-up beer garden. The cost for the class is $15 and is free for Envision members.
Today is going to be a beautiful day! Back tomorrow with more news.