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Sunday update: Quarantine Cuisine II, John Paul Keith, South Main Grocery @ Spindini, Downtown Liquors and Spirits and more

MK who makes those awesome delivery dinners, such as the cannelloni I had yesterday (scroll back to yesterday’s posts for pics), has announced her specials for this coming week, and she’s adding lunch.

Next week our

‼️LOCKDOWN LUNCH ‼️

features:

White Bean Chicken Chili 🌶
Jalapeño cornbread 🌽🍞
Turkey Club 🧀🥓🥐🥬🍅

$12/lunchbox

‼️QUARANTINE CUISINE ‼️

Turkey and dressing 🍗
Mashed potatoes and gravy 🥔
Country Greens 🥬
Dinner roll 🥐
Strawberry cake 🍰

$15/plate

We need some fucking comfort right now ya’ll! 💖💖💖

Lunches will be delivered Thursday AND Friday!

Dinners will be delivered Friday!

Text: 9015023072 to place your orders! Orders will be taken thru Wednesday @noon!

🔥🔥🔥DELIVERY IS FREE🔥🔥🔥

Incredibly talented Memphis musician John Paul Keith plays a live show Monday night.

JPK is what Memphis music is all about. Tune in for a good show!

Yesterday I decided to walk down to South Main Grocery, the new locals’ market inside Spindini, 385 S. Main. Having anticipated the closure of restaurant dining rooms, about a week ago they converted part of their space into a grocery, selling fresh produce, cooking supplies, beer, wine, and prepared foods. I think the original idea was to sell down their stock in the kitchen and behind the bar. However, the concept proved so popular that they decided to keep it going, at least until such time as the pandemic passes and they can get back to being a restaurant.

As soon as you walk in, you’ll see three refrigerators to your right – one with glass doors, two with stainless steel doors. This is the grab & go and it is perfect for people who don’t cook at home.

This sausage & cheese tray comes with smoked sausage, ham, four kinds of cheeses, and pepperoncinis for $10. This is an excellent quarantine snack because you don’t have to eat it all at once. You can take it out of the fridge and munch on it as little or as much as you like, multiple times throughout the day. Look how excited Perjorie T. Roll is about those peppers!

Lasagna – this was marked by a piece of tape on the outside of the fridge as being $5. Based on the total, I think it might actually rung up at $6, but I’m not going to argue with a huge hunk of Spindini’s lasagna for either price! Can’t wait to heat this up. I just have to figure out how to get it out of the plastic container while keeping all the layers intact.

Their grab & go is loaded with other items as well. I noticed rigatoni, potato salad, gumbo, and I think tomato soup among others. They have sliced deli turkey $4 a pound. Their import six-packs are $10 and their domestic six-packs $8 (I didn’t see PBR).

Cheers to the folks at Spindini for this fine innovation. This makes Downtown under quarantine more diverse grocery-wise, so thank you!

On the way back up Main I noticed that Bedrock Eats & Sweets has a nice-sized grab & go as well, and I made a mental note to check that out this coming week.

Downtown Wines & Spirits is now on Facebook; please give the page a Like. This is the spirits shop run by Carl Winfield, a great Downtown businessman who has run Winfield’s clothing and shoe store at Madison and Main for a decade and a half. Inventory was updated when Carl took the liquor store next door over. He is now carrying upscale liquors that will appeal to residents of apartments and condos in the area, as well as hotel guests. Please support this store; it is bringing needed change to the neighborhood.

I’m noticing that people are changing their screen names on Twitter to names like Bob “Wash Your Hands” Smith and Amy “Stay at Home” Williams. I think I’ll change my screen name to Paul “Clean Your Dryer’s Lint Trap” Ryburn. Yeah not COVID-19 related, but solid advice in any case.

As your number-one source of news and information about The Edge District, it is my pleasure to inform you that Venezuelan restaurant Sabor Caribe is now offering family dinners delivered to your door. For $40 you get 5 arepas + 5 empandas + 5 tequenos. Your choices are:

  • 5 arepas: pick from blonde/catira, domino, pork, palua, queen/la reina, sifrina, parrot/perico, veggie
  • 5 empanadas: pick from chicken, cheese, beef, black beans
  • tequenos: these are Venezuelan cheese fingers

Call 901-425-5889 to order. Free delivery. Sabor Caribe is open Tuesday-Saturday 11:30 AM-9 PM.

The Blind Bear’s plans for today:

Opening at 11am with Jeannette & Tre!!
TO GO ONLY!!

TWO FOR $20 BRUNCHES

CHICKEN AND WAFFLES
SAUSAGE EGG AND CHEESE SLIDERS
BOLOGNA EGG AND CHEESE SLIDERS
(Sliders served with home fries)
BEEF NACHOS

Bear Rub Crispy wings $14
Catfish Poboy +side $12
Jager BBQ Bologna sandwich $12
Pepper Jack Cheese Burger $14

Meat & 2 Sides $10
2 Meat & 6 Sides $20

Meat Choice:
Smoked Beef Brisket
Smoked Pulled Pork
Smoked Pork Ribs
Kielbasa sausage (beef)
3 Fried Chicken Tenders
Fried Chicken breast

Side Choices:
Baked beans
Green beans
Cheddar Mac & cheese
Potato salad
Cole slaw
Fries
Fried Okra
Grilled Asparagus

SPIKED LEMONADE to go $5
Mimosas $3 to go

$25 growlers
Guinness
Traffic IPA

As well as to go cans & bottles

For all call in orders and questions call
901-417-8435,
901-500-0327, 901-828-1080

That’s it for this post. Back later today or tomorrow with more news.

Blind Bear open for Saturday brunch to-go

From Tre @ the Blind Bear:

It’s SATURDAY!!!!
We’re open today at 11am with yours truly!!
TO GO ONLY!!
Best brunch in the city
TWO FOR $20 BRUNCHES

CHICKEN AND WAFFLES
SAUSAGE EGG AND CHEESE SLIDERS
BOLOGNA EGG AND CHEESE SLIDERS
(Sliders served with home fries)
BEEF NACHOS

Bear Rub Crispy wings $14
Catfish Poboy +side $12
Jager bbq bologna sandwich $12
Jager bbq burger $14

SPIKED LEMONADE to go $5
Mimosas $3 to go

$25 growlers
Guinness
Traffic IPA
Fireside
Tiny Bomb

As well as to go bottles

For all call in orders and questions call
901-417-8435,
901-500-0327

Sunrise Memphis news

All of the below is to-go, obviously.

Saturday update: BBQ Fest and Music Fest rescheduled

Check out what I had to eat yesterday!

If this food looks somewhat familiar, it’s because it’s already been on the blog this week. MK, who makes homemade food weekly and brings it to the door of delivery customers, brought me baked cannelloni, Italian spinach, a garlic roll, and her sister’s chocolate chip pie. Yum! I am stuffed right now.

If she does a delivery special next week, I will have the details up on this blog in plenty of time for you to order. It tends to be around Tuesday morning when she makes the announcement.

BBQ teams got an email yesterday afternoon announcing that BBQ Fest is moving to September 30-October 3 for 2020. BBQ teams who can make the new dates have nothing to worry about for fees they have already paid. Teams who can’t make it those dates have three options:

  1. Roll their dues over to 2021 BBQ Fest, to be held May 12-15, 2021
  2. Make the money already paid a donation to Memphis in May, a 501(c)(3) profit (this is the option Memphis in May really, really, really hopes you choose)
  3. Request a refund between April 1 and May 13, 2020

Music Fest has been rescheduled for October 16-18. 42 of the 65 artists committed for May will still perform, and Memphis in May is working to fill out the rest of the schedule. If you have tickets and can’t make the new dates, you have essentially the three options laid out above for BBQ Fest teams. More info on the new event dates

Lanksy Bros. is doing a special $50 off orders of $150 or more when you use the promotional code SPRING2020. Their store is closed right now but you can order by phone at 901-529-9070 or you can order on their website. Some restrictions apply to this promotion, which is valid through April 25.

From the Downtown Memphis Commission:

Mayor Strickland has closed dog parks, so you won’t be able to take your dog to the South Main park at Front and G.E. Patterson, the one at Main and Jefferson, the one on Mud Island, or the Edge Triangle. Skateboard parks, athletic fields, and basketball courts have also been closed. As for now city parks remain open, although monitoring is being done to ensure that people keep proper social distance.

Attn: Memphis city government, just wanted to plant this idea in your head:

The economic stimulus package was passed by Congress and signed into law by Trump yesterday. News analysts are saying if you didn’t file 2018 taxes, and haven’t filed for 2019 yet, might want to get one of those years done ASAP to ensure your piece of the stimulus pie arrives promptly.

Virtual Cerrito Trivia must have gone well this week, because it’s going to become an every Thursday thing starting at 7 PM. The trivia will continue to be “a hodgepodge of questions about science, history, geography, current events, sports, food, TV, movies, music & more” and you can use whatever conferencing method works to discuss the answers with your team. More info on how to play virtual trivia

Let’s hear it one more time for the good guys:

Not Downtown, but a damn fine deal nonetheless:

If you’ve never had the Duck Fried Rice at South of Beale, you need to make it one of your to-dos during this quarantine. I’m a fried rice fan in general, but duck takes it to a whole ‘nother level.

I’ve been trying to come up with the words for my own personal reaction to the coronavirus pandemic but just haven’t been able to. Eric Barnes of the Daily Memphian nailed it this week. I’ve been scared for myself before, but this is new; I’m scared for all of us.

Also in the DM: Info for small business owners about loans that can help you survive during the pandemic, and what you can do to have the principal of those loans forgiven.

Currently reading King, Kaiser, Tsar. This is the story of three cousins: Willy, who grew up to become Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany; Georgie, who grew up to become King George V of England; and Nicky, who grew up to become Tsar Nicholas II of Russia. Georgie and Willy had a common grandmother, Queen Victoria of England. The Queen of Denmark was the grandmother of both Georgie and Nicky. Understanding the relationship between the cousins is key to understanding Europe in the 50 years leading up to World War I.

Time for the morning “is toilet paper in stock” run to Walgreens. Even if it’s not, today is the last day Cinnamon Toast Crunch is on sale so I’ll pick up a box. Back later today or tomorrow with more news.

Friday update #1

Thanks to technology provided by Ghost River Brewing Co., the Flying Saucer can now can any of its draft beers. 25 oz. cans are $7.50 take-out, and they still have their full food menu take-out or on Door Dash or Uber Eats delivery.

The Peabody has some low rates going on for Downtowners right now.

Join Rumba Room Memphis for a salsa lesson live on Facebook Monday at 6.

Mark Cuban: How companies treat their employees during the pandemic could define their brand for decades

From The Peanut Shoppe:

We will remain open for as long as possible. We are here to serve you all. For curbside pickup, call us at 901.525.1115 or e-mail sales@memphispeanutshoppe.com

www.memphispeanutshoppe.com Thank you all. Please stay safe.
(Hours are still the same, but we will keep you all informed if ANYTHING changes) ❤️❤️❤️ #shoplocal #downtownmemphis #ilovememphis #choose901 #midtownmemphis #bealestreet #memphistn

The REAL ID enforcement date has been moved back a year to October 21, 2012.

Regardless of your politics, this Politico article embedding the National Security Council pandemic playbook given to Trump in 2016 is quite interesting.

Cool mural I saw in an alley next to the Hu. Hotel on Main Street:

You don’t actually need the 12-letter Census ID that was mailed to you to fill out the 2020 Census. You can manually enter your home address. This is important since postal workers put mail in the wrong boxes all the time.

I’ll pass along a tip I saw on Twitter, and not everything on social media is true, but I think this is worth a try at the very least: If you have to negotiate with a mortgage lender, creditor, etc. over the phone, the key word is “coronavirus.” As in, “I lost income due to the coronavirus,” and that lets them open up all kinds of programs that can help you that wouldn’t be available if you just said “I lost my job” or “I lost my income.” But they can’t coach you. You have to say the magic word.

Kooky Canuck take-out and curbside delivery starts today at both locations.(The tweet below says tomorrow, but was tweeted yesterday)

Nextdoor has a new Help Map feature where you can pinpoint your location on a map and let neighbors know you’re available to help the elderly, those with special needs, etc. You just need to update the app to use it.

MATA is cutting back its routes in response to the COVID-19 outbreak. Here are a list of bus routes that will still run. Routes not on this list will be postponed indefinitely. As for the trolleys:

  • Main Street Line: 6:45 AM-8:30 PM Mon-Sat and 10:00 AM-6:10 PM Sundays with 20-minute headways
  • Riverfront Line: 10:30 AM-6:00 PM daily with 40-minute headways
  • Madison Line: 6:45 AM-6:00 PM Mon-Sat with 30-minute headways

Yesterday somone asked a question on Twitter, “If I am employed in an industry that is considered essential, do I need a note from my employer to be carried at all times verifying that I am allowed to be out?” No. This is not a police state.

Italian Fest is the latest Memphis festival to fall victim to the coronavirus outbreak. It had been scheduled for May 28-30.

Y’know one of the biggest pains in the ass about this quarantine for me personally? The trash chute is closed and we have to take our garbage down to the alley and throw it in one of the dumpsters. It’s not the ride down the elevator or the walk outside that bothers me; it’s knowing that Downtown’s street people could be going through my trash. I think for the time being, I’ll divide what I throw away into “later trash,” which is trash that contains personally identifying information, and “now trash.”

I worry about the week of April 12-18. I don’t think coronavirus cases will have slowed enough (or even come close to leveling off) where it’s time to lift restrictions on people going where they please and doing what they please. However, that is the week I fear the majority of the public will turn against the restrictions. I suspect this will be especially true in the South, where Trump (who wants big crowds in churches on Easter) is popular, and whether the weather tends to be gorgeous with temperatures in the 70s around that time. Not saying I agree with it; saying that’s what I think could happen.

Time for the daily Walgreens run to see if they have toilet paper. Back tomorrow with more news.

Thur update #2: Justise Winslow NBA Q&A on Twitter at 3 CT

From stats site FiveThirtyEight: Coronavirus will change how we vote in 2020 and beyond

From Forbes: Everything you need to know, but were afraid to ask, about those stimulus checks

Songwriters, along with others in the music gig economy (road crew, technicians, etc.), are eligible for grants and loans as part of the government’s $2 trillion coronavirus relief package.

The state of Tennessee has financial aid available for certain families who lost employment or at least 50% of earned income due to COVID-19. Income restrictions apply and you must have been employed as of March 11. This aid is supplemental to any unemployment benefits you receive.

Mempho Music Fest, which normally happens out at Shelby Farms in October, is postponing to 2021, not wanting to compete with Beale Street Music Fest which should be scheduled for around the same time frame.

Interesting: Why you can smell rain

Careful: Remote work apps like Slack, Google Hangouts, and Zoom may be spying on you

By the way, I hear that some companies are requiring remote employees’ webcams to be turned on the entire workday. That is so fucking stupid, such an unnecessary invasion of privacy. If any of you find yourselves in that boat, I’d advise you to make a note to find another job as soon as the economy improves. When a manager does not trust the very employees he/she hired, that says a lot more about the manager than it does the employees.

That Justise Winslow link is time-sensitive, so I’m going to go ahead and hit Publish and start a new post. Back later with more news.

Thur update #1

The Daily Memphian coronavirus blog reports that the Memphis Farmers Market is going to delay its season opening. The Market was scheduled to open April 4, but due to the Safer at Home order Mayor Strickland issued, they want to help flatten the curve. They do not have a new opening day selected yet, although May 9 is a possibility.

Play Downtown restaurant bingo! Order to-go or delivery from 5 restaurants on your card between now and April 7 and send photos of receipts to enter to win a $50 gift card. There will be multiple winners.

Raw Girls juice bar is coming Downtown. The Daily Memphian reports (subscribers-only link) that Amy and Hannah Pickle have signed a lease for a narrow location at 150 Peabody Place, the fourth Raw Girls location and the first with a long-term lease. They will carry plant-based entrees as well as juices and smoothies. The DMC has been very supportive of the Pickles, meeting via teleconference during the pandemic to approve a grant for the business.

The Downtown Memphis Commission has a complete list of restaurants open for pick-up and delivery and their hours of operation. I see the “Load More Locations” button, last seen during Downtown Dining Week, is back… can we PLEASE have a “Show All Locations” button? Or just show all locations as the default and have no button at all?

Loflin Yard posted their pick-up and delivery menu for both food and beverages (click images for a larger size):

From The Daily Memphian: The renovation of the buildings at 99 S. Front and 105 S. Front moves forward. These buildings will be turned into 112 apartments, ground-floor retail, and underground parking. The Butcher Shop used to be in the front of these buildings with The Pier in the back.

There will be a special virtual edition of Cerrito Trivia tonight at 7 on Facebook Live. Kevin says, “This inaugural virtual event will feature a hodgepodge of questions about science, history, geography, current events, sports, food, TV, movies, music & more.” Assemble your team however you want: Skype, Google Hangouts, Facetime, conference call, or even in person if you can pull that off while maintaining social distancing standards.

Pam and Terry plan on going live on Facebook Live from their front porch Friday at 7. It’s unclear whether they’re going to do it from Pam’s page or the band page, so if you go to one page and don’t see the performance, try the other.

Guitar maker Fender is offering three months of free online guitar lessons to help people get through the boredom of coronavirus isolation.

Glad to see this: Bill Frist, that is Dr. Bill Frist, the former Republican senator from Tennessee, thinks state health officials are handling the coronavirus outbreak “perfectly.” He believes the nation should not try to rush through a quarantine and hurry to re-open the economy, and that if we do, we will end up overwhelming the hospitals.

I wonder if there will be civic unrest if the quarantine lasts longer than expected… could happen the week of Easter when Trump’s promise of reopening the economy turns out to be uninformed and impractical.

That’s it for now. I’ll post more news throughout the day as it comes in.

Wed. update #3 – Flight offering family dinners to-go, more Downtown news

Flight restaurant at Main and Monroe now has its entire menu (including wine) available for curbside pick-up or free delivery. Check out the last page of the menu, on which they offer nightly family dinners.

Pricing listed below is per person. Orders must be placed by 9 PM the previous evening. To place your order call 901-521-8005

  • Thursday 3/26 – Mixed greens salad, fresh blueberries, goat cheese, lemon thyme dressing; Blackened Louisiana Redfish, seafood jambalaya, fried okra; warm chocolate cake and Chantilly dressing $26
  • Friday 3/27 – Caesar salad with parmesan reggiano and herb croutons; Surf & Turf, roasted asparagus, mashed potatoes, chive butter sauce; toffee bread pudding with pecan caramel sauce $40
  • Saturday 3/28 – Chopped salad, blackeyed peas, bell pepper, grape tomatoes, green peppercorn buttermilk dressing; Braised Wagyu Short Ribs, wild mushroom risotto, roasted Brussels sprouts; pecan cheesecake and caramel sauce $28
  • Sunday 3/29 – Fried greens salad, orange sections, black pepper candied walnuts, orange balsamic vinaigrette; Meatloaf, Cipolinni onions, maple glazed carrots, loaded mashed potatoes; Guinness dark chocolate brownie $29

MATA has announced free fares on all its modes of transportation effective March 25 through April 30. Social distancing rules will be in effect on MATA vehicles through at least April 7.

Build-your-own cupcake shop Cupcake Cutie is moving from Court Square to a much more visible location at the corner of South Main and Pontotoc. They want to do 7 cake flavors, 6 icings, and 30 toppings a day. They will also have other treats like cupcake milkshakes, pies, and cheesecakes.

The Mid-South Food Bank has suspended volunteer operations at its headquarters to protect volunteers from COVID-19. Instead, it is relying on its partner agencies to deliver food, with 1.2 million pounds distributed in the last two weeks. You can make a financial donation to the food bank here.

From the Humane Society.Questions can be directed to amoore@memphishumane.org. Monetary donations are also appreciated during this critical time and can be made at memphishumane.org.

The Office of the District Attorney General has a letter explaining how 201 Poplar will operate in the coming weeks (click to view in a larger size):

From stats site FiveThirtyEight: What actually happens when you get a COVID-19 test?

The CA has a photo gallery: Construction continues on the One Beale project

The Daily Memphian’s coronavirus blog reports that two Downtown hotels, the Hu. (formerly the Madison) and the Doubletree have temporarily suspended operations.

That’s it for right now. Back later today or tomorrow with more.

Wednesday update #1

Here we go again. You know, when the city started closing down toward the end of last week, I worried, “What will I write about?” That hasn’t been a problem. There’s been plenty.

Explore Bike Share is offering free bike rentals for the next four weeks, so that we can ride out the coronavirus outbreak.

PBR Hard Coffee was spotted at 40 West Liquor in West Memphis.

From Memphis magazine’s Ask Vance: A rare view of Chickasaw Park in Downtown Memphis. Most modern Memphians have never heard of this park.

Loflin Yard’s cocktails are now available by the gallon for pick-up or delivery. Order here

All Huey’s locations are now offering curbside pickup for orders of food, beer, wine, and liquor (liquor not available at the Southaven location).

MLGW community offices, including the ones Downtown, are closed to the public. Use the drive-thru or drop box to pay in person.

For those of you working from home, and not driving your vehicles regularly, I’ll pass along some advice for a friend: About once a week, take your car out on the interstate for a few miles. It’ll keep gunk from building up in your fuel system that could lead to expensive repairs.

Here’s a link to the 2020 Census online form for those who haven’t filled that out yet.

Yesterday felt like the first “normal” day for me since the bars closed. It seemed like for the first time, I had subconsciously accepted the fact that I had nothing but my laptop and my TV to keep me occupied all day long… but you know what, I never got bored. I cranked out 6 blog posts. I watched 12 episodes of Criminal Minds. I joined that all-you-can-read book service Scribd – there’s still a 30-day trial but I didn’t see a way to sign up without providing a credit card number or PayPal payment, but that’s okay – and I got through 29% of Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuvah Noel Harari.

Today I will get through the rest of the book and see what else I can find to read on Scribd, go to Walgreens and see if they have toilet paper in stock, and maybe start figuring out ways to earn an income online. And, of course, I will update this blog throughout the day, so there may well be another 6 posts. Check back throughout the day for lunch specials and immediate news that can’t wait for the next “daily update” post.