Category: Uncategorized

Wednesday update

Those of you who spend a lot of time on Twitter have already seen this, but for those who haven’t, this was the Commercial Appeal yesterday:

They broke down Super Tuesday, listing each state voting in the Democratic primary and how many delegates were up for grabs in that state. States are listed in alphabetical order starting with Alabama, then Arkansas, etc. in a column on the right-hand side.

Look at Maine.

I haven’t read the election results in depth yet, but I got a Daily Memphian briefing that Biden won Tennessee, as expected. A quick look at Google News indicates that Biden did better in Super Tuesday than predicted, and this may narrow down to be a two-person race. I’ll have more to say about that at the end of this post. For now, let’s get on to the news.

Soccer supporters’ group Bluff City Mafia released their schedule for Memphis 901 FC’s first home match against Indy Eleven on Saturday.

The DM reports that the One Beale project will disrupt traffic once again. Beale will be blocked between Front and Riverside from 9 AM to 4 PM every day from Monday, March 9 to Friday, March 20 for sewer work. Note that if you have an 8 to 5 commute, you should not be affected.

Cafe Keough at 12 S. Main is now hiring experienced kitchen staff. Apply after 1 PM.

Ketel One and the Memphis Flyer are teaming up for Let’s Brunch Memphis at Beale Street Landing Saturday, March 28 from noon to 3. Tickets include food samplings from about 15 of Memphis’ best places to get brunch, 12 cocktail samplings, and a pampering station. There will be a cash bar for those who want to go beyond the samplings included in the ticket. Proceeds from this event benefit Volunteer Memphis.

The University of Tennessee Health Science Center has launched a coronavirus website.

Indie Memphis hosts the film Zombi Child tonight at 7 at Malco Powerhouse. From the movie’s description: “In 1962 Haiti, a man is brought back from the dead to work on a sugar cane plantation; many years later, a teen tells her friends her family secret, not suspecting that it will push one of them to commit the unthinkable.” Tickets are $8 if you’re an Indie Memphis member and $10 otherwise.

There’s a bike ride departing from Bass Pro at the Pyramid tonight at 7. Lights and helmets are required. (This time next week, you won’t need the lights.)

As your number-one source of news and information about The Edge District, it’s my pleasure to inform you there’s a salsa lesson tonight at Sabor Caribe Venezuelan restaurant, 662 Madison, tonight at 7 PM. This is a free event, but I’m sure they’d appreciate it if you order some of their delicious food.

If you’re into tarot, there’s a free tarot share night tonight at the Broom Closet at 546 S. Main. Bring a drink and snack and learn with others.

All right, back to politics. Those of you just here for the news can leave now and not miss anything.

It takes 1991 delegates to secure the Democratic nomination. I can see a scenario where the primary season wraps up with something like this:

  • Biden + moderates who dropped out 1950
  • Sanders 1800
  • Warren 241

That would create a most interesting scenario: Biden would have a clear plurality, assuming all the moderates who dropped out requested their delegates to vote for Biden on the second ballot. Bernie himself said a couple of weeks ago that the candidate who received the most delegates should be the nominee.

On the other hand, the progressive wing of the party would argue that they won a majority of the delegates. It would put Elizabeth Warren, with not even a tenth of the total delegates, in a position of tremendous power. I think in the end, Biden would still end up being the nominee, but Warren could force the party to tack to the left. That could be in the form of a progressive vice-presidential running mate – though probably not Warren herself, because two 70-somethings on a ticket is not a good look. Or, it could be in the form of the party adopting some of Bernie’s more harmless and less expensive promises – for example, signing an executive order to legalize marijuana nationwide the first day in office.

That’s why I don’t consider my vote for Warren a wasted vote, despite that I knew she had almost a 0% chance of winning the majority of nationwide delegates.

I have to admit, though, had the weather been sunny and 65 degrees the week before the Nevada debate, I probably would have walked up to the election commission and early voted for Bloomberg. I appreciate his, and his supporters’ belief, that Trump is an existential threat to American democracy, and must be stopped at all costs. However, it’s now time for Bloomberg to admit that a Democratic candidate exists who can beat Trump, and it’s not him. For the good of the country, it’s time for Bloomberg to exit the race and endorse Biden.

That’s it. Back tomorrow with more.

 

Tuesday update

The Grizzlies are bringing back Downtown Night Saturday, March 28 for a 7 PM game vs. the Toronto Raptors. Tickets range from $30-100 and the first 100 to participate will receive a Grizzlies 38103 hat.

The monthly South Main Association meeting has been announced for next Tuesday, March 10. It will be held at The Vault at 124 G.E. Patterson with social hour at 6 PM, and presentation starting at 6:30. Kevin Kuhns will speak. Free for members, $10 for non members.

Mark your calendar for Charc Week, coming up next month April 6-11. This is a celebration of charcuterie boards, with participating restaurants serving up a board loaded with locally sourced meats and cheeses as well as other goodies for $12. Participating Downtown restaurants include Grecian Gourmet, Silly Goose, City Block Salumeria in Puck Food Hall, and Pontotoc Lounge. A portion of sales of these plates will benefit Church Health.

Jill Scott brings her “Who Is Jill Scott? Words and Sounds Vol. 1 20th Anniversary Tour” to the Cannon Center tonight. Tickets

As of last night there was still one spot left for a team for the spring cornhole league at Max’s Sports Bar. League play happens six Tuesdays beginning on March 10. Cash and prizes for the league winners, and drink specials every week for players. Signup ends Sunday but since there is only one spot left I would recommend getting down there sooner.

Many of us have walked by the DittyTV studio in South Main, but have you ever attended a recording there? Get your tickets to see SZLACHETKA & Special Guest Hunter Tynan Davis record Wednesday, March 11 6 to 9 PM. The evening will start with cocktails in Vibe & Dime, followed by the recording, then back over to Vibe & Dime for a meet-and-greet with the artists.

You can take an indoor tour of City Hall during your lunch break Wednesday, March 18. Robert Montgomery of Blue Suede Brigade will lead the tour, which will begin at the front door of the building at 125 N. Main at 11:45 AM. Great way to learn about Memphis city government and history.

Sign up for a spot to ride to the airport in a caravan to pick up Irish dignitaries the evening of Thursday, March 12. These dignitaries will be honored at the Beale Street St. Patrick’s Day Parade that Saturday. You can bring your own transportation or ride with them (about 200 spots left currently). Limos and buses depart for the airport at 6:30 PM. Pub crawl stops on the way back include

  • Maggie O’Shea’s Irish pub in the airport
  • Midtown Huey’s
  • Murphy’s
  • Silky O’Sullivan’s

The end time for this event is listed as 1 AM, so if you participate, might want to think about making Friday a vacation day.

A bloodmobile will be parked at 540 S. Main on Saturday, March 14 for those who wish to make donations. Appointments are available from 1:00 to 3:45 PM. Schedule a donation time

If you plan to vote in the Super Tuesday primary today, the DM’s Bill Dries has Ballot Basics that will help you find your precinct and tell you what you need to know about voting.

What a difference a couple of days makes! With Amy Klobuchar and Pete Buttigieg out of the race and both endorsing Biden, stats site FiveThirtyEight makes the following predictions, as of this morning at the time I type this, 7:36 AM:

  • 62% probability of a contested convention
  • 30% probability Biden wins a majority of delegates
  • 8% probability of a Sanders majority
  • Everyone else less than a 1% chance, even Bloomberg

Just a few days ago, Bernie’s probability was at 40%! Keep an eye on that prediction tracker, though. It’s a live model and will update throughout the day.

That’s all for now. Back tomorrow with more news.

Monday update

Today I want to start off with a story that serves as a reminder about keeping your valuables safe. This story is particularly applicable to ladies who go out to busy dance clubs on the weekends.

Yesterday I got to the Silly Goose right at 11, and I found B-RAD talking to a lady who had been at the Goose during prime time Saturday night. She was out on the dance floor, carrying her purse as she danced. Her purse was open, with her phone lying right on top of the pile of stuff inside. At some point in the evening, however, the phone disappeared.

“I guess maybe it fell out and I didn’t notice,” she commented. “I was hoping somebody found it and turned it in.”

No. It did not just fall out.

There are criminals who frequent noisy, crowded nightclubs, looking for opportunities such as this one. They dress the part, blend in, snatch whatever electronics they can, and gracefully leave without being detected. They’re not even concerned with stealing the most expensive phones – an iPhone 6s is as likely to get grabbed as is the new iPhone 11 Pro. They just want something they can sell on Craigslist. Club 152 used to be their main base of operations, but that is closed now so they’ve branched out to other clubs on and near Beale Street.

Ladies, best bet is to keep your phone on your person. If that’s not possible, keep it in a closed purse that has to be unzipped or unsnapped to access the contents inside. The criminals are looking for easy scores. Make it difficult for them and they’ll prey on someone else.

It’s a shame we have to take precautions like this, but this is Memphis.

Other than that, though, Sunday Fun Day was the funnest Sunday Fun Day I have had in a while. Good people, good conversations, and the weather got nice enough that the patio was busy.

I’ll pass on a local beer recommendation given to me by a friend: Meddlesome Vanilla Porter. He says it is a delicious beer. South of Beale has it and so does the Downtown Slider Inn.

Social media just continues to get creepier. Saturday there was a woman who came in Bardog. I’ve never spoken to her but I know who she is through mutual acquaintances. It’s the first time I’ve seen her at Bardog and only the second time I’ve ever seen her in person, that I am aware of. So yesterday, Facebook suggested her as a friend. Sometimes Facebook feels less like an app and more like a ghost following me around.

Around 3:00 I was getting hungry, and the same friend who suggested the beer had been telling me about the calzones he bought at Little Italy, commenting that they are large and inexpensive. I decided to check that out and wandered down to the new G.E. Patterson location.

They have a build-your-own calzone that starts with mozzarella and ricotta for $5.25, and then you add whatever else you want at an additional charge. I ordered ham, sausage, and black olives on mine, bringing the total to $8.

This was indeed a pretty big calzone, but I was hungry and managed to finish all but a couple of bites. It was cheesy and the flavor was there. I would recommend. I will be back to explore the rest of their menu, particularly their lasagna and their spaghetti and meatballs.

I wasn’t the only one who made the trek down there. After putting in my order, I discovered two of B-RAD’s other regulars sitting at a table, and I joined them for lunch. It was busier than it was for Friday Trolley night, and they had plenty of grab & go slices for those in a hurry.

After that I crossed the street to my “home away from home on the south side,” Max’s Sports Bar, home of the $2.75 PBR. On my second one of those, I was scrolling through Facebook, and discovered that Feeny, who many of you know from Blind Bear or Rum Boogie Cafe, was working the 7 PM-close shift in Bardog’s Underdog Room (the downstairs) for the first time. So, I figured, I have enough time to tab out at Max’s, walk north to Blind Bear and have a PBR and say hello to the fine folks there, then head up to Bardog for the beginning of Feeny’s first shift. I paid my tab at Max’s, walked out, and…

… quickly turned around, walked back into Max’s, and ordered PBR numero tres. It had started raining, which I didn’t expect at all, and I hadn’t prepared and brought an umbrella or hood. By the end of that beer the radar indicated a break in the bands of rain, and I took off. It was already 6:45 so I had to strike Blind Bear from the agenda. No biggie, I’ll see them tonight.

I entered Bardog, dashed to the stairs (the upstairs bartenders usually start pouring a PBR as soon as they see me walking to the door), and sure enough, there was Feeny’s bright, smiling face.

She’s going to build up a regular crowd, I bet. Go see her on Sunday nights in the Underdog.

That Sunday Fun Day just felt different from the previous several. It felt like I went out and did stuff, as opposed to just sitting at a bar drinking PBR all day. Even though I spent most of the day sitting at bars drinking PBR.

Let’s get on to the news. River Time Market & Deli, the little deli on the south side of Court Square, is expanding their offerings for vegans. Every Wednesday they will have a vegan Southwest chili. They also have vegan Italian sausages, mock tuna, deli salads, and soups. They have jackfruit to make faux-pulled pork sandwiches, tacos, and Sloppy Joes.

Loflin Yard will have an Adult Easter Egg Hunt and Dog Costume Contest Saturday, April 11. Crawfish boil 12-2, Easter Bunny dog costume contest 3-6, adult Easter egg hunt 6-8, and live music at 9. The Easter eggs will contain candy and in some cases, free drink cards.

Mayor Pete has exited the Democratic race for the nomination. I’m short on time and haven’t read enough to make comments on this yet, but it sounds like a move for the good of the party.

Off to work. Back tomorrow with more news.

Sunday update: The Book of Lists

Well, not really an entire book, but I have two of them.

I was told that my list of national food holidays last week was well-received, so let’s return to Foodimentary and see what’s coming up this week.

  • Today: National Peanut Butter Lover’s Day
  • Monday: National Banana Cream Pie Day
  • Tuesday: National Cold Cuts Day (Ickey Woods’ favorite holiday!) and National Moscow Mule Day
  • Wednesday: National Pound Cake Day
  • Thursday: National Cheese Doodle Day
  • Friday: National Oreo Day
  • Saturday: National Cereal Day

No offense to Ickey, but I kinda think Monday sounds like the best day of the week, food-wise.

On to the next list. It’s the first of the month, so let’s have a look at what events are coming to FedExForum other than Grizzlies and Tigers games.

Well, hello there, March! High temperatures are expected to be in the 60s most of this week, and one week from today we’ll be looking at a 7 PM sunset. I like it!

Check out my friend Michael Butler Jr.’s chicken guide on Edible Memphis. The guide covers the entire city but Mike thinks (and I would agree) that there’s plenty of good chicken to be had Downtown, including the chicken pot pie at Rizzo’s, the pulled chicken sandwich at Central BBQ, all the chicken dishes at Sage, and Kung Pao Chicken & Waffles at Wok’n in Memphis inside Puck Food Hall. First on the list (and rightfully so) is a menu item you can’t get Downtown, but the owners are Downtowners and you don’t have to travel very far (870 Thomas): Two-piece, gravy and a biscuit at Jack Pirtle’s. Yes sir.

To borrow a term from one of the local TV news programs… does it really work? Because I have long hair that breaks easily, about once a month I have to make the trek to Walgreens to spend $8.49 on Drano Liquid Foamer to unclog the drain in my tub. Last month I thought, “I’m tired of spending that $8.49 a month” (more on why in a moment). I remembered seeing commercials for drain sticks that can be found at Target and Amazon. So I got on Amazon and ordered some for around $10.

By the way, this wasn’t the brand I had seen advertised, but it got better ratings on Amazon. This week I cleared the drain with Drano Foamer one last time to give it a clean start, then stuck one of the sticks down the drain. If I still have a clear drain at the end of the month, then I’ll know it worked. If I don’t, I’ll have wasted $10, but I thought it a gamble worth making. The instructions say to use one stick a month and you get two packs of 12, so if the strips work I’ll have a clear drain through February 2022.

Now… back to why that $8.49 expenditure for Drano Foamer bothered me so much. Six years ago I rocked the world of economics by introducing the Value Drinking Index, a measure of how much bang for the buck you get when you order an alcoholic beverage. To demonstrate how it works, let’s say you order a Bud Light at the Flying Saucer for $5.

Value Drinking Index = 12 (ounces) * 4.2 (percent alcohol by volume) / 5 (price) = 10.08

The Value Drinking Index indicates a beer is a good value if

  • It’s a craft or import beer with a VDI of 15 or higher
  • It’s a non-PBR domestic beer with a VDI or 20 or higher
  • It’s a PBR with a VDI of 25 or higher

Well, now I am ready to introduce a second economic term: the PBR opportunity cost. It’s quite simple, really: When I make an expenditure, how many PBRs could I have had for that price instead? Since PBR prices vary, I decided the measure would be the lowest non-happy hour PBR price at any of the places I frequent Downtown. Currently that would be $2.75, at Max’s Sports Bar. So the PBR opportunity cost of that bottle of Drano would be

8.49 / 2.75 = 3.09

So purchasing that Drano causes me to miss out on slightly more than 3 PBRs. The higher the PBR opportunity cost, the more justifiable the expense has to be. For example, the PBR opportunity cost of the convenience of paying my BBQ team dues online is 8, which is why I’m writing a check this year to avoid the convenience charge.

If any of the local colleges or universities want to offer me a professorship of economics so I can develop more measures, I’m willing to talk. Perhaps one day these measures will lead me all the way to Washington for a Secretary of Commerce appointment.

The Grizzlies handed the L.A. Lakers only their 13th loss of the season last night. That improves Memphis’ record to 29-31, and gives them a 2.5 game lead over the New Orleans Pelicans for 8th place in the West. Next game is at Atlanta, third from the bottom in the East, tomorrow at 6:30. Can you imagine the mood in Memphis if the Grizzlies, a projected 25-win team at the beginning of the season, make the playoffs and extend the Lakers to 6 or 7 games?

It was a good night for Memphis sports in general yesterday. The basketball Tigers and Memphis 901 FC won too.

Looking for a reason for a trip to Midtown this evening? Railgarten hosts Quick Draw 2, a competition to see which bartender can pour drinks the fastest, tonight. The Silly Goose/Pontotoc Lounge/Bar 409 family of bars will send contestants out there.

There’s a run starting at Martyrs Park today at noon where you have to eat 12 Krispy Kreme donuts at the halfway point of the 5 miles.

Like filling out NCAA brackets? Loflin Yard will have a bracket that you can enter for free. First place gets $100, second place gets $40, third gets $15, and they’ll have drink specials just for bracket members.

In other Loflin Yard news, they along with Party Memphis will host a Fortnite Backyard Nerf Battle on Saturday, April 4 from 12 to 2. “Gather up a bunch of friends & neighborhood hooligans” (well we sure have plenty of those down here), the Facebook event suggests, “for a battle royale in the back yard of Loflin Yard.” Cost is $10 and includes safety glasses, Nerf gun, ammo, and flags. Sounds like a top-notch afternoon of fun. Sometimes you see drunk sports competitions that seem to be all about the organizers rather than the competitors. That does not seem to be the case with this one!

Jon Hodge, owner of Front Street Deli, is interviewed in this week’s episode of the Rahul & Tony podcast.

Soccer supporters’ group Bluff City Mafia hosts a Sunday Fun Day at Memphis Made Brewing Co. today at 2 PM.

G and the Crew supply the live music this afternoon at 2 at Tin Roof. This is a free show.

Check out food truck New Wing Order’s March specials:

For those of you who haven’t checked the national news yet this morning, Joe Biden coasted to nearly a 30-point victory in the South Carolina primary, resetting the race for the nomination and ending the notion that Bernie is going to run away with it. The Bern still leads the delegate count, 56 to Biden’s 46, with Mayor Pete at 26, Warren at 8, and Klobuchar with 7. Tom Steyer ended his candidacy last night. Following South Carolina, FiveThirtyEight’s predictions put the likelihood of a contested convention at 60%.

The thing about a contested convention is, once it gets to a second ballot, delegates are released from their commitments and can vote for whoever they want… even a candidate who did not run in the primaries. As of this morning, the betting market has the following probabilities to secure the nomination. The top five are… (hey, another list!)

  • Bernie 52.6%
  • Biden 28.5%
  • Bloomberg 14.7%
  • Mayor Pete 4.6%
  • And coming in fifth place, with 4.5%…

Hillary Fucking Clinton. Yep, there’s a 4.5% chance the delegates will gift-wrap Trump’s second term and put a pretty bow on top, while destroying their own party in the process. I’d say, surely the party wouldn’t be that stupid, but then I think back to 2016.

Dr. Jill Biden will campaign for Joe at Loflin Yard this afternoon 3 to 5.

Time for D-RANKS with B-RAD at Silly Goose. Back tomorrow or Tuesday with more news.

Leap Day update: A new member of the family, a visit to Little Italy, and more

Folks, I have some exciting news. My troll Perjorie has a new brother!

Everyone, meet Mendatius T. Roll. I was hanging out at the Silly Goose happy hour yesterday afternoon when Gary, aka “G-Rock” who has over 40 plates at the Flying Saucer, asked if I was going to be there for a bit. I said yes. Not only did Gary bring me the troll, but a Tiger blue T-shirt repping the best beer in the world, which of course is Pabst Blue Ribbon.

Markings on Mendatius’ feet indicate that he was made in China in 1991, so I guess that makes him Perjorie’s older brother. Also, that was long enough ago that we shouldn’t have to worry that he brought the coronavirus with him to the United States.

My trolls and I decided to take a trip south for Trolley Night.

We stopped by Max’s Sports Bar for a couple of beers. Mendatius wanted to remind everyone that there’s a crawfish boil there today. Doors open at 11, and the first batch of crawfish will be ready around noon. You can buy 1 pound or 2, and they come with sides of corn, taters, and sausage which are also cooked in the boil.

I told Mendatius there used to be another troll at Max’s, who stood on a shelf behind the bar most of the time. “He got covered with shit though,” I explained. Perjorie and Mendatius are not allowed to play with that troll.

Across the street at Little Italy – more on that in a minute – Mendatius peeked out of my coat pocket as I ate.

This is something I’m going to have to figure out – Mendatius is too big to fit in a pants pocket, so he can only come out in the winter months, when I have a jacket or hoodie with a big pocket. In summer I would have to wear my cargo shorts to bring him out. I only wear those to BBQ Fest, and I need the extra pockets for spare batteries, guest wristbands, and other BBQ Fest needs.

We headed back north to the Blind Bear, where Mary braided Mendatius’ hair. Mary and Feeny molested him, pulling down his pants and determining that he is as poorly endowed as a certain president who has similar-colored hair.

On to the news… Cuban band Sweet Lizzy Project plays the Halloran Centre tonight. They are described as “American pop-rock with an intoxicating Latino flair.”

Outer Ring plays fresh, soulful jazz at Loflin Yard tonight at 9. This is a free show.

The Ultimate Brunch Set, a celebration of music, art, and cigars, returns to the Blind Bear one month from today, Sunday, March 29:

A large sinkhole has opened up on the University of Tennessee campus in Knoxville. No I am not talking about Neyland Stadium.

The Memphis Tigers travel to New Orleans to play Tulane tonight at 7. The game will be broadcast on CBS Sports Network.

Subway has an ongoing promotion where you buy a footlong and get a footlong of equal or lesser value for free when you order online. Apologies to Bill and Pam at River Time Market & Deli but I’m going to cheat on you next week. I can get 3 days’ worth of lunches out of 2 Subway footlongs.

The Grizzlies lost their fifth straight game last night. The standings still show them in 8th place, where they would qualify for the playoffs if the season ended today. However, the New Orleans Pelicans are rapidly catching up, having pulled within two games of the Grizzlies. If the Pels make the playoffs and the Grizzlies don’t, could that influence Rookie of the Year going to Zion rather than Ja? I hope not. The Grizzlies host the L.A. Lakers in the second game of a back-to-back tonight at 7.

So yeah, last night after I left Max’s Sports Bar, I looked across the street and saw Little Italy. I wanted to go in there and try the place out, but I figured on Trolley Night, it would be packed to the gills. Curiosity made me cross the street, though, just to get a look at the place. I peered in the window and…

… there was almost no one in there! So I went in. Clearly they had anticipated a big Trolley Night, because they had about 8 pizzas which could be purchased by the slice, hot and ready, as well as a selection of calzones. Initially I was leaning toward a calzone, but I remembered my friend Mikey posting that the calzones were so big he couldn’t even finish his. I wasn’t all that hungry, so I decided to have a slice of pie. After inspecting their offerings, I ordered a slice of the meatzza.

Large slice loaded with all the good stuff – pepperoni, sausage, ham, and mozzarella. Just what I needed at that point in the evening. Hard to believe that not all that many years ago, Downtown had zero pizza options, other than calling Camy’s or Domino’s for delivery. Now we have Ferraro’s, Aldo’s, Silly Goose, Spindini, and Little Italy.

I felt bad that there were so few people in there. People are just not conditioned to think “there’s food there” when they think of that block of G.E. Patterson (other than the Arcade, obviously). Please everyone, if you’re hungry for pizza or Italian food, keep Little Italy in mind. We need to find someone who will post as many Little Italy pizza photos to social media as I do at the Silly Goose.

Antonio Hobson plays Robusto by Havana Mix tonight.

The CA reports that Raymond James’ lawsuit against its landlord at 50 N. Front is likely to be dismissed. The lawsuit claimed negligence in the operation of elevators within the office tower.

The CA also has a roundup of where to find crawfish in Memphis.

The Daily Memphian reports that the Doubletree hotel at B.B. King and Union will become part of the Marriott’s chain of Autograph boutique hotels.

Interesting statistic I just read through a RealClearPolitics link: Trump won Arizona by 91,000 votes in 2016. Since then 160,000 Latinos have turned 18. Damn. That traditionally red state really is going to be a swing state this year. If the Democratic nominee picks Stacey Abrams as his or her running mate, Georgia would be in play, too. Flip both of those and it would be possible to lose Michigan, Wisconsin, or Pennsylvania and still win the Electoral College.

Bardog is my first stop as usual. Maybe John D and I will get to talk to some of the ginners. Back tomorrow with more news.

 

Friday update

The Calvary Waffle Shop is back open for the Lenten Season. From 11 AM to 1:30 PM Tuesday through Friday through April 3, the church on North Second will open its doors and serve waffles, fish pudding, tomato aspic, corned beef & cabbage, and more tasty dishes. The church’s Lenten Preaching Series will also be ongoing during this time, inviting preachers from a diverse array of backgrounds into their pulpit. For those of you who are not Episcopalians, if you’re wondering if you’d be welcome at these events, the answer is absolutely yes.

It’s South Main Trolley Night, held the last Friday of each month, with the shops of South Main staying open until 9 or later and many offering hors d’oeuvres and/or beverages. Ir’s a fun way to shop and mingle with your neighbors. Let’s have a look at some of the things going on in South Main tonight:

Memphis 901 FC prepares for the season with a friendly vs. the University of Memphis tomorrow night at 6 PM at AutoZone Park. The Daily Memphian has details. Season ticket holders, including partial season tickets holders, get in free.

WMC Action News 5 has a really interesting story about the hidden secrets of the Peabody Hotel.

FINALLY. The Grizzlies. Have Come Back. To Memphis. They host the Sacramento Kings at FedExForum at 7 tonight. It’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities Night at the Grizzlies.

Carlisle, the developer of One Beale, has bought a building at 339 S. Front. That neighborhood, at one point referred to as “The Front Street Chicken District” due to the presence of Gus’s Fried Chicken, is hopping these days, with Old Dominick Distillery, The Gray Canary, Bar Ware and the juice bar next door, and many new apartments nearby.

I wonder if the block of Main between Gayoso and Peabody Place will become known as “The Main Street Chicken District” due to the presence of Chester’s truck stop fried chicken inside Bluefin? Probably not.

Local chefs Andy Ticer and Michael Hudman are once again finalists for the prestigious Beard Award. They operate Downtown restaurants Catherine & Mary’s, The Gray Canary, and Bishop.

Downtown ag-tech company Indigo AG has laid off some of its workers. Yeah I had heard from sources inside the company that layoffs were coming.

3rd & Court diner is hiring a daytime server (6:30 AM start time) and a night-time server (4-10 PM shift). Must be able to handle high-volume, have excellent customer service, blah blah blah. Apply at the restaurant.

As your number-one source of news and information about The Edge District, it is my pleasure to link you to this article about new sculptures being considered for the riverfront. Huh??? The Edge is nowhere near the riverfront. Yeah, but scroll down a bit, and you will see that the Design Review Board is hearing plans for Memphis Made Brewing Co.’s renovation of the Glass Factory building at 435 Madison. They plan on opening a second brewery and taproom there. The east side of the building faces The Ravine, the new urban park that will intersect The Edge from Union to Madison.

Adam McLelland plays Loflin Yard tonight at 9.

The Rusty Pieces play the Blind Bear tonight at 10.

RuPaul’s Drag Race: Dine & Drag Weekly Watch Party comes to Atomic Rose tonight at 7. This looks like a weekly event.

That’s it for now. Work, then a stop to see Mary at Blind Bear, then a stop to see Jessica at Silly Goose, then I will head to South Main. Not only is it Trolley Night but I’m still trying to find out if Squeal Street BBQ is entering BBQ Fest this year. Anecdotal evidence suggests “no” but I don’t have confirmation of that yet. Back tomorrow with more news.

Thursday update

Third place and best team name in trivia last night!

Despite not knowing much about fairy tales, team “Dos Equis keeps it interesante, but Corona takes it viral” made it into the gift card payout.

51 S. Main, most recently the home of the late Chef Gary Williams’ restaurant DeJaVu, will once again be a Cajun restaurant. Tony Westmoreland and his restaurant group will open Ben-Yay’s in the spot in early March, the MBJ reports. They’re planning traditional dishes, a coffee bar, and a “scoop and serve” at lunch. I think the scoop and serve will do really well with former customers of the now-closed Court House Deli a block away. I will be a frequent customer.

The state says 201 Poplar needs to be repaired or replaced. Well that sounds expensive. Many parts of the building are said to be difficult to maintain or replace.

The Broom Closet will have a class on using technology to manifest Saturday from 2 to 4. Rev. Omma will discuss the ways we can use modern technology to further our magick. There is a $10 “energy exchange” for this event, to be held in the downstairs of the store.

The Downtown Memphis Commisson’s monthly Downtown Safety Meeting is tonight at the Moxy Hotel, to the west of Court Square, from 6 to 7 PM. If you have safety concerns, this is your chance to have them heard.

Tonight is the first night of the Memphis Songwriters Series, hosted by Mark Edgar Stuart, at the Halloran Centre. Tonight’s artists include Bailey Bigger, Chris Milam, and Abbye West Pates. Minimum $5 donation to get in. Show starts at 7 PM.

Candacy Taylor, author of Overground Railroad, an exploration of The Green Book that pointed black travelers to safe road stops back in the Jim Crow era, will speak at the National Civil Rights Museum tonight at 6. Read her interview with the Daily Memphian

That’s it for now. Back tomorrow.

Wednesday update

Well, the Tigers punched their ticket for the NIT for sure last night. If they want otherwise, they’re going to have to win the AAC tournament next month. There is no way they are going to be under consideration for an at-large bid.

Disney’s Aladdin starts a 16-show run at the Orpheum today. It will be here through Sunday, March 8.

Grecian Gourmet Taverna on South Main will host a Greek dance class on Sunday, March 22. Cost is $30 per person and it includes a meze buffet and beverage specials as well as the dance lesson. Participants will learn three dances, Syrto, Tsamiko and Hassapiko. Liz Ramage will be the instructor. To sign up, call 901-249-6626 or email greciangourmet@gmail.com.

Graber Gryass will bring the live music to Sunday brunch at Loflin Yard this Sunday, March 1, from 11 AM to 2 PM. I’ve heard the brunch there is excellent. They are advertising spring weather and indeed, it appears the temperature will jump into the 60s.

As your number-one source of news and information about The Edge District, it is my pleasure to inform you of a new series coming to Boxlot, the shipping container-based shopping center on Monroe just east of the old Kudzu’s. Taste & See will introduce chefs to the Memphis community. The first Taste & See event, on Friday, March 6 from 5:30-8:00 PM, will feature samples and recipes from Chef Shanon. RSVP here.

ArchInc has moved into its new home in the Claridge House, the Daily Memphian reports. The principals did much of the renovation themselves, uncovering some hidden architectural features.

South Main Hemp is giving away a dinner for 6 at Pete & Sam’s. Purchase $30 or more at the CBD store to secure your entry. Winner will be drawn this Friday at Trolley Night.

Still on the road but making their way back to Memphis, the Grizzlies stop in Houston this evening for a game against the Rockets. Tip is 7 PM and you can catch it on Fox Sports Southeast.

Puck Food Hall will host a Passport to Oregon wine tasting tomorrow night with over 20 different Oregon wineries represented. Each winery will have representatives on hand to discuss their products and answer questions.

Here’s a link to  a transcript of last night’s Democratic debate from South Carolina. I have not had a chance to read it myself yet.

One of the presidential candidates is coming to Memphis. Mike Bloomberg will be at Minglewood Hall 8:15-9:50 AM Friday. (This is not an endorsement by the way. Just sharing information.)

That’s it for today. Back tomorrow with more news.

Tuesday update

Dear readers, I owe you an apology. I have been derelict reporting important Downtown news and events. Last night I got to the Blind Bear about 7, and learned there had been a book signing there in the afternoon. It was a signing by Howard Hines III, author of

If you enjoy books that frequently employ the word “nut” as both a verb and a noun, you will like these literary delights. Mr. Hines was kind enough to leave samples of his work behind (to be clear, by samples I mean his writing, not his “nut”), much to the enjoyment of the Blind Bear’s staff and customers.

The Daily Memphian reports that the building at S. Front and MLK Ave., formerly cast as the law offices of Strait & Associates on NBC’s Bluff City Law, will see new life as a restaurant, sandwich shop, and speakeasy. The restaurant will be called The Paramount and Derk Meitzler, chef at The Vault, will be CEO and executive chef. The speakeasy will be small, seating only about 20, and it will only be open at night.

The winners of Soup Sunday have been announced. Holly Springs, MS-based Marshall Steakhouse brought their crawfish and crab bisque to score a win in Best Soup. Nothing Bundt Cakes took Best Dessert, and Ciao Bella took the Best Overall award.

Vendors and live music will be the highlight of 420 Reggae Fest at Loflin Yard Saturday, April 18. Chinese Connection Dub Embassy will headline. There will be CBD vendors on site, and for those who get the munchies, food and drink specials.

The Frito Pie which has been a weekend special at Longshot the past several weekends has been so well received that it is now on the regular menu. It comes with Berber chili, Fritos, Greek yogurt, chili oil, mint oil, and micro celery.

South Main Sounds Songwriter Night Season 6, Episode 3 will happen this Friday from 7 to 9 at 550 S. Main. There will be live music by Ellisa Sun, Ken Michienzi, Rose Ragsdale, Will Hilliard and Jon Dillard. Join them, won’t you?

Downtown Neighborhood Association members, here’s a reminder that tonight is the monthly DNA meeting, at which you’ll vote on a slate of proposed 2020 board members. The meeting will be at Comeback Coffee at 358 N. Main. The owners will speak on their journey to Memphis, and City Councilwoman Michalyn Easter-Thomas will speak as well. Meeting time is 6:00-7:30 PM.

If you don’t follow Edible Memphis on Facebook, you are missing a lot of valuable pointers on food you can get here in Memphis. Recently they talked to Chef Cole Jeanes of Comeback Coffee about his latest breakfast bowl, the Yogurt + Granola, with poached pear, maple, butternut caramel, cherry, streusel, sage, and chocolate bark.

The Memphis Tigers travel to Dallas tonight to play SMU in a game with an 8 PM tip. Broadcast will be on CBS Sports Network. A first-round bye in the AAC tournament could be on the line in tonight’s game.

I finally got around to early voting yesterday. About 2:30 I walked up to the Shelby County Election Commission. There was no line. They scanned my driver’s license, and then I asked for a Democratic ballot, signed the sign-in sheet, voted at the machine, in and out in 2 minutes. It could not have been easier. Today is the last day to early vote, and you can vote at any early voting location. If you wait until Super Tuesday, March 3, you have to vote at your assigned polling place.

And yes, I stuck with my choice of Elizabeth Warren. It’s true she is unlikely to win a majority or even a plurality of delegates, but in this year it’s still not a wasted vote. If there’s a contested convention, the more delegates she has, the more leverage she will have there.

Off to work. Back tomorrow with more news.

Sunday update

About 5:30 this morning I noticed the sound of tires squealing over and over again. I heard it over and over again for about ten minutes. I live near Madison and Main, and the sounds seemed to be coming from the south and possibly southeast, maybe 4 to 5 blocks away. Were people racing on Downtown’s streets in the early morning hours? I know that has happened on Riverside before, but the tire sounds didn’t seem to be coming from that direction.

I wondered if the squealing sounds would be followed by the sound of a crash or a police siren, but no. I wonder if they were racing on B.B. King Blvd. It would be a really bad move for them to cross the intersection of B.B. King and Beale, where there is often a police presence.

So here’s the deal. I couldn’t get back to sleep after that. As I type this it’s 6:42 and I don’t have much to do for the next four hours. Nor do I have enough news to occupy four hours worth of a post. So I will mix what news I do have with plenty of rambling about whatever I want to talk about.

What a joy to watch the Tigers pick up a Quadrant 1 win against a Top 25 opponent yesterday. The Tigers finally did the things Penny has been preaching all season. They were tenacious on defense. They fought for every rebound. They remembered that the shot clock has 30 seconds rather than 10 and didn’t jack up an attempted three as soon as they got down court (sometimes). They earned and deserved that win.

Does that win get the Tigers back in the NCAA conversation? Well, probably not yet, and probably they will need some help. If Memphis wins on the road at Houston on March 8, and then makes it to the AAC tournament final, and either wins the final or loses to one of the top two seeds, they’d probably be back on the bubble. Here’s what you can do to help Memphis, other than rooting for Memphis in its remaining games:

  • Root for Houston in any game not against Memphis, and root for them to not fall out of the Top 25 this week.
  • Root for NC State and (I can’t believe I’m saying this) Tennessee, in hopes that Memphis’ victories over them move up a quadrant.
  • Keep an eye on Joe Lunardi’s Bracketology and root for the teams in Last Four Byes, Last Four In, Last Four Out, and Next Four Out to lose. Sadly, this means I have to root against Arkansas.
  • If you see me watching the Tigers at one of my favorite spots, check to see if the troll is out and remind me to get her out if not. She was standing on the bar the entire time the game was on yesterday. I’m convinced that her WART (Wins Above Replacement Troll) is pretty high.

Speaking of the troll, yesterday was National Margarita Day, and she celebrated with a margarita at Bardog Tavern.

I read her post yesterday, and I have to say, she’s as opinionated as she is self-absorbed. I think one post from her a year is about enough, although since the Trolls 2 movie comes out in late 2020 I’ll probably relent and let her do one for that, too.

I woke up to a Facebook notification that an event had been added that I may be interested in. The Facebook event page said it would happen at location (A) at date (X), said that a couple of tweaks would be added this year, then directed me to a signup page which said the event would happen at locations (B) and (C) at date (Y). I hope fixing their signup page is among the tweaks. PRO TIP I’ve learned from being on a BBQ team: It’s fine to have planning meetings while you’re drinking, but hold off on the action items until the next day when you’re sober.

Another PRO TIP: If one of the organizers of said event tells you, “Best bet is to go ahead and get your entry fee in now, the spots are filling up quick,” ask them exactly how many spots are available, and how many of those spots have been filled (as in, actually paid, not just said they will pay) so far. Keep asking until you get an answer that’s not vague.

Since this is a rambling post I’m not going to do politics last today. If you don’t want to read it, scroll down to (end political stuff).

I still haven’t early voted yet. Part of the reason why is that a whole bunch of random stuff came up this week, and the days it didn’t come up, the weather wasn’t suitable for a walk over to 157 Poplar. However, part of the reason was that I hadn’t made up my mind. I went from supporting Biden to Bloomberg back to Biden to Klobuchar in the space of six days. But now, I’ve come to the conclusion that “electability” should not be my top criterion. Who knows which of these candidates is most likely to beat Mr. Tangerine Man come November?

So, after thinking about which candidate’s positions most closely align with my own, which candidate has the ability to work with Congress to get stuff done, which candidate is strong enough to stand up to Putin, and having read the transcript of last week’s debate, I have come to a conclusion.

Elizabeth Warren.

Think how intellectually outmatched Trump would be in a debate with Elizabeth Warren. She would pick him apart. And then the next day all the media would say Trump lost to a woman in the debate (except Fox News, whose top headline will be about a pig that can roller skate). Think how much that would eat at our narcissist, sexist president.

By the way, if you are like me and have no idea who the General Sessions Court Clerk are, I got a recommendation from a friend who worked extensively with people in city government in his former job. He said there are more than one good choice, but he recommended Reginald Milton.

I knew it. I just knew it. Someone re-worded the popular Bob Dylan song into Hey! Mr. Tangerine Man. It needed to happen and it did.

(end political stuff)

This Wednesday, 117 Prime and Joe’s Liquors will team up to host a wine dinner featuring the wines of Oregon’s Illahe Vineyards. Diners will enjoy five courses by Chef Alex Switzer, each inspired by a wine from the vineyards. The dinner is Wednesday, February 26 at 117 Prime, 6:30 PM, and the price of $95.65 includes tax, tip, and online fees. There will be curbside valet service. Seating is limited.

Tickets are now on sale for individual 2020 Memphis Redbirds games. In addition, the team has announced promotions that will be ongoing throughout the season. These include

  • Nacho Average Tuesday: Free nachos with ticket purchase
  • Woof Wednesday: Bring your dog to the ball game
  • Throwback Thursday: $2 beers, $2 sodas, $1 Polk’s hot dogs
  • All-you-can-eat Friday: Specialty ticket to a different buffet each week
  • Fireworks Saturday: Fireworks after the game
  • Ice Cream Sunday: Free Prairie Farms ice cream to kids 12 and under, and kids run the bases after the game

There will be bonus fireworks shows on Independence Day and Labor Day, and special brunch tickets for Easter (April 12) and Mother’s Day (May 10).

I’d like to ask everyone to extend a warm welcome to our visitors who will be in town for the Mid-South Farm and Gin Show this week. They are super nice people and I hear they are generous tippers as well.

Primas Bakery + Boutique has a Willy Wonka Party today at 12:30, 523 S. Main. $25 ticket admits 2. You get to watch the movie, enjoy Wonka-inspired treats, decorate cupcakes, and color.

As your number-one source of news and information about The Edge District, it’s my pleasure to inform you there’s a Mardi Gras Comes to Memphis party at Nine01IIFive04 at 676 Marshall Tuesday at 6 PM. Being from New Orleans, the owners know a little something about Mardi Gras. They’ll have king cake as well as flash sales for men and women. Can’t be there on Tuesday? They’ll take their flash sales online on their website.

National Margarita Day made me wonder if there’s a list of national food and beverage holidays. Found one. Coming up, we have

  • Today: National Banana Bread Day
  • Tomorrow: National Tortilla Chip Day
  • Tuesday: National Chocolate-Covered Peanuts Day (get them at The Peanut Shoppe) and National Clam Chowder Day
  • Wednesday: National Pistachio Day (The Peanut Shoppe can help you with those too)
  • Thursday: National Strawberry Day and National Kahlua Day
  • Friday: National Chocolate Souffle Day
  • Saturday: National Frog Legs Day (Flying Fish has them)

Has anyone ever learned a new skill while they dream? I’ve been able to float in my dreams, about six inches off the ground and I can even float down stairs, for about four months now. When I first had those dreams I could float for about 5 feet before touching the ground and going back up. A couple of months ago I could float for 10 feet. Now I can pretty much float as long as I want, although I still bump into objects from time to time and am still working on turning.

Organizers of Music Fest say that Young Dolph has pulled out of the festival. He had a schedule conflict. A replacement will be announced soon. I bet somewhere in Memphis this week, a trivia team names itself “Young Dolph pulls out, but I don’t,” a play on the common “My couch pulls out, but I don’t” team name.

Water Your Dreams has a launch party Saturday, February 29 at the Silly Goose from 2-4 PM.

Moody Ques 2019 members: You should have received an email where you can pay your dues online or by check for 2020 team membership. If you didn’t get it, let us know. We are giving 2019 members until the end of March to re-claim their spots, then open it up to new members in April. If anyone out there wants to be on Downtown’s best shoulder team, let me (or whichever Moody Que you know best) know and we’ll be sure to keep you in mind when spots open up.

To celebrate Soup Sunday, here’s a pic of the Nuh-Uh Girl eating soup from 2014.

I guess that’s enough random ramblings mixed with news for now. Time for D-RANKS with B-RAD at the Goose. Back tomorrow or Tuesday with more news.