Category: Uncategorized

The Majestic Grille is gearing up for the next edition of its Supper Club next Tuesday, February 18 at 16 PM, and this time they are doing it Brexit style. The dinner will feature Memphis game cooked in aristocratic British flair, with dishes like Wild Bird Roast, Yorkshire Hotpot, and Sloe Gin Smoked Pheasant. The meal comes with Stiff Upper Lip British cocktails and Old World wines. $75 per person. This will sell out, so if you want to go call 901-522-8555 and make reservations immediately.

I’ve been told that the reason Bluefin moved its Chester’s truck stop fried chicken operation to its main bar is that the smoke was bothering people who live above the side bar. The latest plan is to turn the side bar into a coffee shop. Personally, I think they should keep going with the truck stop theme and put a Stuckey’s in there.

The Daily Memphian reports that the Masonic temple at 272 Court is for sale. $2.5 million is the asking price for over 56,000 square feet. Because the Masons have been the sole owner for over 100 years, many of the original fixtures remain. With Downtown growth booming and spreading outward, there is a lot of interest in that property.

The Shrine Building condos at Main and Monroe recently had the elevator brought up to modern technology and it is now the fastest elevator Downtown at 600 ft/second. Thanks to Joey for the information.

Local Memphis has a story on whether you really have to pay red light camera tickets in Memphis. TL;DR: You don’t.

Blink 182 cover band (yup that exists) The Dude Ranch plays Tin Roof March 19.

Green Horns will play The Lounge in the basement of 3rd and Court diner 7 to 10 PM Saturday for their Mardi Gras party. Gumbo, etoufee, and red beans and rice will be on the food menu, with hurricanes and Sazeracs on the drink menu. Of course, there will be king cake too.

Hooters is bring back its Valentine’s Day special this year. Order 10 boneless wings and hand them a photo of your ex to go through the paper shredder, and get 10 additional boneless wings free.

Chicago DJ Jake Shore Drive will supply the music at the Silly Goose Valentine’s Day party on Friday.

The New Hampshire primary is today, and early voting in Tennessee’s primary is tomorrow. I’m starting to come around to Mike Bloomberg as the candidate with the best chance to take down Trump. When asked what he thought about a November presidential election featuring two billionaire candidates, he replied, “Who’s the other billionaire?”

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

The Silly Goose rolled out the latest wood-fired oven creation this weekend: lasagna.

Also while I was at the Goose, I learned that their sibling location Pontotoc Lounge has Pappy Van Winkle for $20 a shot. B-RAD said that’s a whiskey that can be hard to find around Memphis.

The River Rat Rounders poker league will have a Shootout tournament at Loflin Yard on Saturday, February 29. The way this works is, each table of 8 is a mini-tournament to itself, with the table winners then moving on to a final table. It’s free to play, open to everyone, and it will start at 5 PM with late entries only accepted for the first two blind levels. If they have interest, they will have a turbo with regular structure at 7 PM that evening.

Opinion piece in The Daily Memphian: Shelby County needs cheap, secure, hand-marked paper ballots. Yes yes yes. Russia can’t hack paper, and there would be no app that could fail as happened in the Iowa caucus debacle.

PETA wants you to stop using the word “pet” because it’s derogatory. Oh my f***ing God. PETA. Just. Shut. Up.

Jennifer Biggs of The Daily Memphian has a couple of pieces of Downtown lunch news that are worth noting. First of all, Bishop, the French brasserie in Central Station, launches its lunch menu today.

Secondly, Biggs’ next lunch gathering will happen Friday, February 21 at The Vault on G.E. Patterson. Chef Derk Meitzler used to be the chef at the former Harry’s on Teur and owns the rights to the recipes. At the lunch he will bring back favorites like Chicken Newport, Chicken Kingfield, spanakopita, and Steak Henri. Purchase tickets – $25.85 for Daily Memphian subscribers and $34.85 for everyone else.

Biggs also named the squash salad at Catherine & Mary’s as the best thing she ate last week.

The Grizzlies notched a win last night to get above .500 once again (.509 to be exact). They have one game left before the All-Star break, and it is a big one. Wednesday night the 8th-place Grizzlies host the 9th-place Portland Trail Blazers, who are two and a half games back. A win would put some distance between the Grizzlies and the Blazers. The team will have their throwbacks on and first 5000 fans get a Grizzlies Valentine’s card.

That’s it. Time to get this week started. Back tomorrow with more news.

As your number-one source of news and information about The Edge District, it is my pleasure to link you to this Memphis Business Journal article about axe throwing coming to The Edge. Craft Axe Throwing is based in South Carolina and has six locations. Their new location in The Edge will be their largest yet, and the first to have a retail store in the front. They’ll also have a craft beer bar. Follow Craft Axe Throwing on Facebook

Well the Tigers’ basketball season officially went down the crapper with a home loss to USF yesterday. They’re probably not totally out of the conversation for an at-large spot in the NCAA tournament yet, but they’re on the wrong side of the bubble, probably in “second four out” range. Let’s have a look at games left against teams that were listed as “Should be in” or “Work to do” in the last ESPN Bubble Watch, updated after Friday’s games:

• Road game at Cincinnati (work to do) February 13
• Home game at Houston (should be in) February 22
• Home game vs. Wichita State (should be in) March 5
• Road game at Houston March 8

If the Tigers go 3-1 in the games listed above and avoid any bad losses, that would probably get them back on the right side of the bubble. But, let’s face it, the Tigers are unlikely to do that and are probably playing for a top 4 NIT seed at this point.

How will this affect recruiting? My guess is potential recruits will look to see where Precious Achiuwa goes in the 2020 NBA draft. He was projected as a late lottery pick, probably around number 14, at the beginning of the season. If he falls out of the first round, there could be a perception that players come out of a year with Penny less NBA-ready at the end than they were at the beginning, and that could hurt the ability to get the elite one-and-dones in future classes. Then again, the days of one-and-dones are probably coming to an end for college basketball as a whole.

If you were a fan of “Soul Man” Rocky Johnson during his days in the Memphis territory, have a look at the eulogy delivered by his son, The Rock. In attendance at the service were his uncles Afa and Sika, The Wild Samoans, and his cousin Roman Reigns, as well as Hulk Hogan, Ric Flair, Jimmy Hart, Vince McMahon, Shane McMahon, and Triple H.

The Beach Boys come to the Orpheum Tuesday. Tickets are $49.50-$125. Only one member of the original Beach Boys, Mike Love, still performs on stage with the band.

The Grizzlies travel to D.C. to play the Washington Wizards. The game will be on Fox Sports Southeast at 5. Perhaps we will get to see some of our new players in action. Justise Winslow, however, is not expected to be healed from injury until the end of the month at the earliest.

Celine Dion plays FedExForum tonight.

For those who have asked, YES there will absolutely, positively be a Moody Ques team competing at BBQ Fest in 2020. Disbanding the team has never, at least to my knowledge, been discussed. We have not yet sent out a notice about dues because we are still figuring out what dues should be this year. Expect to hear from us soon, though.

Early voting starts Wednesday, and at this point I have no idea who I am going to vote for.

• Joe Biden – far and away the most qualified candidate, but his support seems to be dwindling. Candidates who get selected because “it’s their turn” often lose (Hillary, Gore, Bob Dole, Mondale). His campaign is running short on funds, too.
• Pute Buttegieg – the more I read about him the more I like him, and I can see him becoming the newcomer, relatively unknown at the beginning of the year, who sweeps the imagination of the Democratic party the way Obama, Clinton, and Carter did. However, he is not nearly as strong among African-American voters as Biden.
• Michael Bloomberg – not afraid to match Trump in verbal sparring, and we know he’s not going to run out of money. If Biden slips much more, Bloomberg may emerge as the candidate most likely to beat Trump in November, which is the number-one thing I care about in this election. I wonder if he’ll also provide the number-two thing I care about, having coattails long enough for the Democrats to take control of the Senate.
• Elizabeth Warren – I like the idea of a woman president, and her agenda most closely matches what I would like to see. However, I realize that I am more liberal than the average American, and I worry about her electability.
• Amy Kloubchar – I would be happy with her as president, but does she have the name recognition and the funding to win the nomination?
• Bernie Sanders – this is who Russia wants to see run against Trump. There is no way I am voting for him in the primary.

In the political quiz I took yesterday, I scored as a liberal libertarian. People ask, “Has there every been such a thing as a liberal authoritarian who was successful in American politics?” Yes. Huey Long. And I see Bernie turning in that direction if he becomes president. I’ll vote for him over Trump if I have to, but I won’t like it.

All right. Time to head to D-RANKS with B-RAD at the Silly Goose. We have a visitor from out of town who I am happy to get to see. Back tomorrow with more news.

Looking for a superb Valentine’s Day date night? Look no further than Rizzo’s by Michael Patrick. Chef has put together a special Valentine’s Day menu with a cost of $65 per person.

After you’re done with Valentine’s Day dinner, head on over to Longshot for some disco-style Friday Night Fever on the 14rh. There will be ’70s music, food specials, drink specials, a $50 bar tab for the best-dressed group, and a free night’s stay at the Arrive Hotel for the best-dressed guy or gal. Longshot is the shuffleboard bar in the Arrive, entrance just off Main on Butler Ave.

If your Valentine is the four-legged kind, bring him/her to Fido Friday at Loflin Yard on V-Day. This is a happy hour where dogs are invited, so bring your pup and enjoy 2 for 1 prices and swag for the dogs. Can’t make it on Valentine’s? No problem. This will be a weekly Friday event.

The Rusty Pieces play the Blind Bear tonight. This is the first time Jessi will perform following her hiatus, and she and her husband Weston have a whole new sound that they’re ready to share with their fans. Should be a great show.

Lil’ Jon was seen in town this week, shooting a video at various locations including the Arcade restaurant. Facebook and Twitter were full of photos. The Daily Memphian has a report.

As your number-one source of news and information about The Edge District, it’s my pleasure to tell you about an event happening at Wonder / Cowork / Create at 340B Monroe 2 to 4 tomorrow afternoon, Sunday, February 9. It will be the first in a Women Who Rock series, a conversation with Memphis musician Grace Askew. If you’re not familiar with her work, you can read all about her in this High Ground News interview.

Hair extensions have been around for a while, but now there’s a related beauty trend: nose hair extensions. Oh my God. Just don’t do it.

Wilons Woodwork Creations will be the featured vendor at Small Shop Saturday at the Ghost River taproom today from 1:30 to 6 PM. They have some cool Valentine’s Day gifts, including 6-pack holders, wine racks, cigar holders, cutting boards, and a variety of other handcrafted goods.

Saxophonist Antonio Hobson plays cigar bar Robusto by Havana’s Mix tonight.

There’s a gala at the Puck Food Hall tonight at 6:30, put on by Merge Memphis, that benefits Clares House. Clares House is a homeless women’s facility that assists its clients with safety and stability issues, getting employment, and more. Get tickets here

River Time Market & Deli on Court Square has created another new sandwich that sounds really good, but it doesn’t have a name yet.

Name this Sandwich! We have Pastrami, Salami and Pepperoni- between the Pastrami and Salami we have Provolone and between the Salami and Pepperoni we have Cheddar – topped with Italian Peppers and Green Olives, Lettuce, Mayo and Italian Dressing.

Yesterday I had people tell me, “Paul, I thought you Photoshopped that photo of Bluefin until I walked by and actually saw a Chester’s Fried Chicken serving station, just like the ones you see at gas stations, sitting on the main bar, first thing you see when you look in the window.” Yep. They really did that. However, I will point out that I have a BBQ teammate who drives trucks for a living and he says it’s really good truck stop chicken. He rates it above Popeye’s.

There will be an exhibition opening party at Art Village Gallery, S. Main at Huling, tonight from 5 to 8 PM for Out of Africa. This is the seventh year for this theme, bringing contemporary art from Africa and its Diaspora to Memphis for Black History Month. This year the exhibit features the work of Gerald Chukwuma. His creations depict scenes from Igbo Landing in St. Simons Island, Georgia, in the year 1803. The landing was the scene of a mass suicide of Igbo people who took control of their slave ship from their captors, refusing to submit to slavery in the United States.

Union Row developers have purchased the Hunt-Phelan Estate at 533 Beale. Built before the Civil War, the mansion served as General Ulysses S. Grant’s headquarters for a while. Later, Andrew Johnson, one of three presidents to be impeached, stayed there several times.

Another legendary Memphis building has a new owner: former sex store The Paris Theater on Summer Avenue. The building, closed since 2017, “has potential,” it is said, but it remains unclear if customers will still be able to purchase The Anal Intruder once it re-opens.

The Memphis Tigers host the University of South Florida Bulls today at 3 at FedExForum. The game will be broadcast on CBS Sports Network.

I’ve been hearing of a string of restaurant robberies in the Downtown/Midtown area (2 Downtown, 2 or possibly 3 Midtown) since the first of the year that may be related. Here’s what I’ve been told these robberies have in common:

• The robberies tend to happen 30 minutes to an hour after closing time – so the customers are gone but the staff is still there cleaning, prepping for the next day, and counting down the drawer
• In each case, the robbers take the entire safe
• None of the restaurants are chains; in fact, all of them are well-known local restaurants
• However, none of the 4 restaurants is the only restaurant owned by its owner or ownership group. In one ownership group’s case, 2 of its restaurants are among the 4 or possibly 5 that have been hit.

The NBA All-Star Game will be next Sunday, February 16 on TNT at 7 PM. This year the format of the game will be quite different. Each of the first three quarters will be a mini-game unto itself, with the score reset for each quarter. The winner of each of the first three quarters will have $100,000 donated to the charity of the team captain’s choice, with LeBron supporting Chicago Scholars, and Giannis supporting After School Matters.

At the start of the fourth quarter, the scores will be reset to the combined totals of the teams’ scores for the first three quarters. The teams will then play without a game clock (but with a shot clock) until one team reaches the score of the leading team at the end of three quarters plus 24. This is a version of the Elam Ending, designed so that the teams play real basketball right up to the end, rather than spending the final minutes fouling and shooting free throws. The number 24 was chosen in memory of Kobe Bryant, who wore number 24 for the Lakers. Winning team gets $200,000 donated to their captain’s charity. In the event that one team runs the table and scoops the entire $500,000 in donations, the losing team will still get $100,000 to its captain’s charity.

The main post office for Memphis, at 555 South B.B. King, is one of the select post offices the U.S. Postal Service will keep open on Presidents Day, Monday, February 17. Hours will be 10 AM to 5 PM. Regular mail will not be delivered that day but Priority Mail will.

The XFL season starts this weekend. 411Mania has information on where and when to watch the games.

I’ll end this post with links to two interesting psychological studies. The first is a look at why people don’t return shopping carts to the proper receptacles after loading their groceries into the trunk. Turns out there are five categories defining what people do with the carts. Also, people are less likely to return the carts if there is evidence in the surroundings that people can get away with violating social norms.

The Political Compass is one of the best tests I have encountered to measure a person’s true political leaning. It is not just a liberal vs. conservative spectrum. Rather, it is a two dimensional graph, measuring liberal/conservative on one axis and libertarian/authoritarian on the other.  I took the test and was scored as a liberal libertarian:

Take the test for yourself and see where you score. Then read this article that explains why those with authoritarian tendencies, represented in the upper half of the graph above, have gravitated toward the Republican party in recent years and have seen their influence as a bloc in the Republican party grow.

This post went a little long today. Time to eat some lunch then head to Bardog. Request for my Bardog friends who read my blog: I need to take it pretty easy on shots today. I have a friend’s going-away party at 5 that I absolutely cannot miss. Back tomorrow with more news.

Memphis 901 FC has announced its preseason home schedule, the biggest game of which is an exhibition game against the Memphis Tigers men’s soccer team on Saturday, February 29 at 6 PM at AutoZone Park. Those with full or partial season tickets will have this match added to their account for free, with tickets accessible in their My Tickets account starting February 20. The team store will be open during this match and discounted concessions will be available.

Dr. Miriam DeCosta-Willis’ exhibit Notable Black Memphians opens at the Woodruff-Fontaine House tonight 5-8 PM. Based on 10 years of research, Notable Black Memphians is the biography of 200 Memphians born between 1795 and 1972. If you can’t make it tonight, Dr. DeCosta-Willis’ work will be on display at the museum through March 15.

The CA’s Jennifer Chandler has a look at the new Dinstuhl’s chocolate shop at 147 S. Main, between Lenny’s and the Majestic Grille.

Some lawmakers want to pass a resolution requiring the Memphis Tigers and Tennessee Vols football and basketball teams to play each other at least once during the regular season.

Crappie Madness returns to Bass Pro at the Pyramid today through Sunday. Ronnie Capps and Steve Coleman will give fishing seminars today at 7 PM, tomorrow at 11 AM and 2 PM, and Sunday at 2 PM. There will be free fried fish samples tomorrow from 1 to 4. Enter Bass Pro’s Fishing Madness Sweepstakes for the chance to win a 2020 Tracker Panfish 16, including a Mercury 40HP 4-Stroke and custom trailer.

WMC Action News 5 has a good story on the Bartosch brothers, founders of Wiseacre Brewing Co. If you’re looking for a reason to get out to the brewery on Broad, next Thursday they will have a Xanadu Hazy IPA release and a paper airplane battle. There will be awards for both performance and aesthetics.

The Cadre Building will host A Night at the Pawscars tonight at 7 PM. Tickets are $20 (dogs), $45 (humans), and $75 (VIP). Your ticket gets you The event benefits Alive! Rescue Memphis and there will be a vegetarian buffet, a silent auction, booze, and live entertainment. Note: The flyer for this event lists the Cadre’s address at 409 Monroe. That is incorrect. The Cadre is at the southeast corner of Second and Monroe, at 149 Monroe.

AutoZone has started construction work to add more office space, expanding across Front Street from the building that serves as their headquarters store support center.

The Memphis Chamber has two positions open: Senior Vice President, Economic Development and Membership Account Executive.

South Main Sounds is back with another Songwriter Night tonight at 550 S. Main. Performers include Jeremy Stanfill, Stephen Michael, Kyle Bailey, Mersaidee Soules, and Luke Fisher.

That’s it for this post. Back tomorrow with more.

Huge news for South Main: The Downtown Little Italy location is now open. It’s on G.E. Patterson in the building across from Cheesecake Corner that used to be Scoops gelato parlor, and that was the original location of Rizzo’s years ago. The neighborhood will welcome their outstanding Italian menu, I am sure.

When you get done dining, cross the street and try a limited edition chocolate-covered strawberry slush at Max’s Sports Bar.

Come in and try one of our limited edition “chocolate covered strawberry” slushes. You don’t want to miss this one! pic.twitter.com/OvWvhRa7aq

— Max’s Sports Bar (@MaxsSportsBar) February 5, 2020

The Grizzlies made some major moves yesterday. In case you missed it:

• They shipped off Andre Iguodala to the Miami Heat, getting back Justise Winslow, a promising talent who can play either small forward or point guard.
• They extended Dillon Brooks for another three years, on a contract that will work out to just under $12 million a year. That’s a cost that is very reasonable given the numbers that Dillon has put up this season.
• They won a game they were not expected to win, beating Dallas on the road 121-107. That improves the team’s record to 26-25. The Grizzlies are still in 8th place in the Western Conference and would qualify for the playoffs if they started today, 3 games ahead of 9th place Portland and 6 games ahead of New Orleans, expected to surge now that Zion Williamson is back.

Bluefin has moved their truck stop chicken operation from their side bar to their main bar.

So yeah, when you walk into this swanky Asian fusion restaurant, you’ll be tempted to ask, “Can I get a two-piece dark meat with mashed potatoes and $25 regular on pump number 3?” I notice they’ve re-branded as Bluefin Express, so perhaps they are turning their focus to to-go food. If they stay open late night, like 1 AM or later on weekdays and 3 AM on weekends, this could conceivably work.

Pat Harrington and Aubrey McCrady play The Lounge in the downstairs of 3rd & Court Diner Saturday night as part of the Yazoo concert series. They’ll have a 2 for $6 Yazoo beer special and cocktail specials too.

As your #1 source of news and information about The Edge District, it’s my pleasure to report that Mo’s Bows, the bowtie business owned by young entrepreneur Moziah Bridges, has a pop-up location at BOXLOT, the shopping center made of shipping containers, at 607 Monroe through mid-month.

The MemphisWeather.net forecast has a chance of light rain or snow this afternoon, converting over to snow this evening. Minor accumulation is possible. Reminder: $2 Fireball shots at Bardog Tavern when it is snowing.

Early voting in the Tennessee presidential primary starts February 12. Here are a list of locations. The Downtown location is the Shelby County Election Commission at 157 Poplar. Note that the Election Commission is open 9-5 weekdays, whereas most other locations are open 11 to 7. You can early vote at any location, whereas if you vote on Super Tuesday you must do it at your assigned precinct.

Dylan Seo of the Sixth will team up with Bar Hustle’s lead bartender, Pablo Mata, and beverage director, Erik Hmiel, Saturday evening to offer 8 retro cocktails from the ’70s, ’80s, and ’90s in an event called Retro Drinks Reimagined at Bar Hustle in the first floor of the new Arrive Hotel.

The annual TEP Gumbo Contest happens at the Pipkin Building at the Fairgrounds Sunday from 4:30 to 7 PM. Come taste some of the best gumbo in Memphis while supporting equality for all.

Kemmons Wilson Companies has bought the old Spaghetti Warehouse building and is rumored to put its offices there, the Daily Memphian reports. Nothing wrong with offices but that would have been a great space for a grocery store.

It’s Take Your Dog to Trivia Night at Memphis Made Brewing Co. In addition to the usual prizes, Hollywood Feed will have prizes for the top teams that include a dog.

It makes me sick that Rush Limbaugh got awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom Tuesday night. Here’s a look at the 10 most racist things Rush has said on his radio show. Rush was the beginning of the mindset that it’s okay to be openly racist, as well as misogynistic and homophobic.

It’s one of those days when I have more news than I have time. The rest is not particularly time-sensitive, so I will roll it over to tomorrow. See you then.

So, the past few weeks I’ve been receiving spam texts like these:

“I want to have a crazy night with you. What’s your plan for tonight? (website short URL)”

“You are a living, breathing sexual fantasy. (website short URL)”

Obviously I didn’t respond or click on the URLs. However, I did notice that the sender appeared to be texting everyone with a 901-581-xxxx phone number, unaware whether any particular permutation of that number was connected to a phone.

Yesterday I learned what’s probably going on there. There’s a new scam going around called SIM swapping, where the scammer is able to get access to your email, your social media accounts, your bank account login, etc. They’re also able to change your passwords, get two-factor authentication codes and the like. The reason this particular scam is so hard to prevent is that it relies on your phone number, which is not a private piece of information. All they have to do is convince a representative of your phone provider (AT&T, Verizon, or whoever) that they’re you and that they lost their phone and need to get their number – meaning, your number – switched over to the SIM card in the phone they brought with them.

The FTC has information about protecting yourself from SIM swap scams. Obviously, don’t click URLs contained in text messages from unknown senders. Furthermore, I would not even reply “stop” to be taken off their group list, because it gives the scammers the information that your phone number is live.

Knotfest Roadshow will make its way to FedExForum Friday, June 12, with performances by Slipknot, A Day to Remember, Underoath, and Code Orange.

The Memphis Flyer has posted job requirements for its Editor position now that current editor Bruce VanWyngarden plans on stepping down. They are accepting submissions through March 15.

Congratulations are in order for two members of the Grizzlies:

• Ja Morant has been named Western Conference Rookie of the Month for January. This is his third such award this season.
• Taylor Jenkins has been named Western Conference Coach of the Month for January.

Show your love this month by giving back! During February, @StJude will receive a donation from every purchase of our hand-dipped strawberries. Purchase a box of 6 🍓 in Peabody Deli & Desserts ($3 goes to St. Jude) or purchase a single 🍓 in the Lobby Bar ($1 goes to St. Jude). pic.twitter.com/QT6H5ctalT

— The Peabody Memphis (@PeabodyMemphis) February 4, 2020

Penny’s Memphis Tigers host Temple tonight at FedExForum. Tip-off is 7 PM. The game will be broadcast on CBS Sports Network.

Job news: Innovate Memphis seeks a Community Data Lead.

MIFA put the spotlight on a few upcoming volunteer opportunities in their recent e-newsletter and I wanted to mention them here. First of all, they have a Family Service Day on Presidents Day, Monday, February 17, from 9 am to noon at their headquarters at 910 Vance. Families will learn about MIFA’s programs, have a quick breakfast, and then deliver Meals on Wheels to seniors. Space is limited. Email civy@mifa.org or call 901-529-4586 to sign up.

MIFA will help serve guests on Tuesdays at the Calvary Lenten Waffle Shop beginning March 3. For more information email lmarks@mifa.org or call 901-529-4560.

There will be a MIFA Serves day on Saturday, April 4. Volunteers will gather at the headquarters at 910 Vance then spread out to clean up the surrounding neighborhood. If interested in helping email civy@mifa.org or call 901-529-4586.

The list of restaurants participating in Black Restaurant Week is out. Expect multi-course meals and great values the week of March 8-14. Downtown participants include Sage, The Office @ Uptown, Chef Tam’s Underground Cafe, Robusto by Havana Mix, Flava House, and Curry N Jerk. View the menus

You’ve heard of beer bars and wine bars, but in Colorado there’s a butter bar. You can order a flight of four different butters, which comes with a warm baguette.

Edible Memphis posted that Wrapsody, the popular lunch spot at 99 N. Main, now has a food truck that can be found in the South Main district most days. For now the food truck is cash only, although they do accept CashApp.

Coors Light will cover adoption fees for up to 1000 dogs around the country through February 21.

We proudly present the 2020 Fine Arts Poster honoring Ghana 🇬🇭
The work is acrylic on canvas & was completed by Memphis artist Carl Moore. Full of bright colors & detailed composition to express a vibrant mood, Moore chose elements that highlight Ghana’s history & beauty. pic.twitter.com/dkYCNqVsfU

— Memphis in May (@memphisinmay) February 5, 2020

Further proof that Downtown’s Cossitt Library is not your grandfather’s library: They had some Nintendo 64 action going on at their pop-up library inside Puck Food Hall for January Trolley Night. They say they may bring the game console back for future events.

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

The Daily Memphian reports that Front Street Deli is for sale. The little deli has been a staple at the corner of Front and Union for 44 years. The current owner really hopes whoever buys it keeps it a deli and keeps the name.

Mardi Gras is February 25, and the Commercial Appeal has a list of places where you can buy a king cake. Downtown, the place to go is Primas Bakery + Boutique (which the CA misspelled Prima’s). They have king cakes which they make for special orders. They also have Mardi Gras macarons.

The February South Main Association meeting has been announced for next Tuesday, February 11, at Longshot, the bar in the downstairs of the Arrive Hotel at Main and Butler (entrance on Butler). 6 PM social, 6:30 presentation (I’ll post the speaker(s) when announced). Free for SMA members, $10 for guests.

The developers of One Beale’s boutique hotel want to add an extra story, bringing the total from nine to ten.

The Grizzlies got a W last night, again hitting .500 at 25-25. They are safely in eighth place in the West for now, two games ahead of ninth-place Portland and five games ahead of the New Orleans Pelicans, a team to watch now that Zion Williamson is back. Next up for the Grizzlies: at Dallas (31-19) tomorrow at 7:30. That is going to be a tough game to win.

Chris Herrington makes a good point in his trade tracker column today: If the Grizzlies can’t find a trade that brings back an asset for Andre Iguodala by the trade deadline Thursday at 2, perhaps the team should continue to sit him for the rest of the season. He doesn’t want to play here, and the team as it stands now is doing well without him. Worst-case scenario seems to be, Memphis fails to find a suitable trade, buys out Iggy after the deadline, makes the playoffs, and finds Iggy wearing a purple-and-gold jersey for their first round opponent the Lakers. Why would we buy someone out to make an opponent better?

There will be a performance of Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood at the Cannon Center this evening. Note that ages 1 and up must have a ticket.

Programming note: Due to a shift in my work hours tomorrow only, tomorrow’s daily update post will probably be late getting up. Usually I have the post up by 9; tomorrow it will be sometime around noon.

As of the time of this writing, nobody knows who won the Iowa Democratic caucus because an app didn’t work and votes are being tallied by hand.

Every. Single. Fucking. Election.

1. Hand counted
2. Paper ballots
3. Records preserved
4. Absolutely nothing posted until a second count is complete.

Do I have to do ALL of this for you?

— Rick Wilson (@TheRickWilson) February 4, 2020

The orange shitgibbon delivers the 2020 State of the Union address tonight at 8 PM Central. Here’s the link to the 2020 SOTU drinking game.

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

Election alert: If you want to vote in the March 3 Super Tuesday primary, the deadline to register to vote is today!

The Grizzlies host the Detroit Pistons in a Hardwood Classics (throwback uniforms and court design) game tonight at 7. The NBA trade deadline is Thursday at 2. The Daily Memphian’s Chris Herrington has a look at moves that could be made.

You can’t fix stupid: A disturbing number of people think coronavirus is related to Corona beer

Thanks to my neighbors Pete and Tracy for inviting me and my troll to their Super Bowl party last night! It was a fun time.

For wrestling fans: Today would have been the 60th birthday of “The Modern-Day Warrior,” Kerry Von Erich.

Loflin Yard has booked Moses Crouch and Memphissippi Medicine in what is being advertised as a “must see” show on February 21.

Happy Valentine’s Day, YOGA! Downtown Yoga will celebrate Valentine’s Day the day after, Saturday, February 15 from 1 to 2 PM, with a yoga flow and cacao ceremony designed to open the heart chakra.

Edible Memphis has published a breakfast bowl guide, with plenty of the bowls being from Downtown restaurants. That brisket macro bowl at Bedrock Market looks especially delicious.

The Play that Goes Wrong has a seven-show run at the Orpheum this week from Wednesday through Sunday.

The Iowa caucus is today. A representative from Pennsylvania begs Iowa to send a Democrat who can win her state. I hope Iowa listens. She is exactly right.

Back tomorrow with more news.

Very cool event happening tonight… L.A.-based DJ Cut Chemist will be in Memphis tonight to play a set in Central Station’s Eight and Sand bar. He has agreed to abide by the rules of the house, meaning Memphis music only. He’ll be joined by other DJs including Red Eye, Capital A, Scott Bomar, Bizzle Bluebland, Otis Shredding, and Memphis Jones. This is my #1 recommendation if you’re looking for something to do tonight, and I bet even those not normally into DJs would like it.

It’s the first of the month, and that means it’s time for a look at non-basketball events happening at FedExForum in February.

• Today: World-famous basketball touring team the Harlem Globetrotters will bring their new show, “Pushing the Limits,” to Memphis. 7 PM show time.
• Friday, February 7: Tyler Perry brings the third leg of the Madea’s Farewell Play Tour to FedExForum.
• Sunday, February 9: Celine Dion‘s Courage World Tour, her first tour in over ten years, makes a Memphis stop.
• Saturday, February 15: Professional Bull Riders bring their Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour to Memphis. These guys don’t make it to Memphis every year, so if you’re into bull riding, better seize this chance to see it live. It’s a shame folks will be drinking Bud Light at a PBR event.
• Sunday, February 23: Soup Sunday, a fundraiser for Youth Villages, happens from 11 AM to 2 PM. Over 50 of Memphis’ finest restaurants set up tables in the Forum concourse so attendees can sample all the soups, breads, and desserts they want. You get a holder that will let you carry around 4 soups at the time, although some people (the Nuh-Uh Girl) have been creative enough to fit 9 soups in the holder at once.

Geez… that’s the fifth year in a row I have told that Nuh-Uh Girl story when mentioning Soup Sunday. I need to watch it repeating the same stale jokes year after year… if I keep it up with the recycled bad jokes, I might be put under consideration to emcee DTO. I don’t own a bad tux though.

It’s always good to see the locals make the big time: A former West Memphis Shelter puppy will be in the Puppy Bowl this year

It’s also always good to see people doing good for others: MLGW employees have been spending their lunch break feeding the homeless

For those of you in town one more night following the IBC finals, and for those who are always up for some good live music, may I recommend the Brass Door tonight. It’s an Irish pub on Madison between Second and Third and they have a cozy and intimate performance space downstairs. (It’s called The Cavern, named after the place the Beatles performed 1961-63, and their 1960-62 drummer Pete Best has played there.) Tonight they will host a Memphis Songwriter Showcase presented by Missihippie Music. Eric Lewis, Mallory Everett, Devan Yanik, and Stephen Michael are the lineup.

Happy weekend, YOGA! There will be a Yoga and Mimosas class tomorrow from 2:30 to 4:30 PM at Art Village Gallery at the corner of Main and Huling. This is an all-levels class. There will be a guided meditation and a vinyasa flow accompanied by a soulful playlist, followed by mimosas. Participants are asked to bring a yoga mat, towel, water, and good vibes.

Beer koozie mittens: The winter attire item you didn’t realize you needed.

Jalapeno poppers crossed my mind twice yesterday. I thought to myself, “I haven’t heard anything about the annual jalapeno popper throwdown that normally happens in late March.” I pulled up the website and there’s a “That’s all, folks!” sign on the homepage, so I guess that event’s run has come to an end.

Fear not, though, for there are still jalapeno poppers to be had Downtown. I went to the Blind Bear for lunch yesterday, and Mary told me jalapeno poppers were recently added to the menu, and that means one more menu item she can order, having recently gone vegetarian. So if you miss popper fest, come down to the Bear, and give theirs a try!

The Bush League & Friends come to Earnestine & Hazel’s tonight at 9.

Eric Hughes Band plays Loflin Yard tonight at 9.

Memphis in May will have a volunteer expo on February 20. This is the chance to learn how you can get involved in this month-long festival. Great way to meet people, form lasting friendships, and get an inside look at how this event comes together.

Nerd time: I discovered a very cool techie tool yesterday. It’s called CSVkit. It’s a command-line tool that lets you do all kinds of cool things with CSV (comma separated value) files. Among its command-line capabilities: convert Excel to CSV, convert JSON to CSV (and vice versa), perform searches, and even query the data using SQL. Since it converts Excel to CSV, that makes it possible to run SQL queries against an Excel file without ever exporting the data and importing it into a database. It’s one of those tools for which, I don’t know why I need it yet, but I know at some point in the future it’s going to come in really handy.

Crappie Madness – Kids’ Weekend happens today and tomorrow 1:00 to 3:30 PM at Bass Pro at the Pyramid. First 50 kids each day receive free gifts, including head lamps and tackle boxes. All kids can attend a Crappie 101 workshop and get casting tips.

Primas Bakery + Boutique is offering an Intro to Watercolor workshop on Saturday, March 7. Artist Jesi Lee will lead this two-hour class. $50 fee includes all supplies and a watercolor pad and brush to take home.

Wiseacre Brewing Co. out on Broad Avenue will host a Flower and Chocolate beer event on Saturday, February 15. If beer is more your idea of a Valentine’s Day gift than traditional choices, come to this event for a tour of the brewery and beer and chocolate pairings. The chocolate will come from local maker Dinstuhl’s, soon to have a Downtown location. There are three time slots, 2, 4, and 6 PM, and all three will sell out quickly. If you want to make reservations, do not delay.

This is an interesting read: The concept of a U.S. dollar collapse goes mainstream. Currencies usually collapse when the country that issues them takes on more debt than it can possibly support, and the U.S. has been piling up debt at record speed. Other countries are buying up gold at an alarming rate, sensing a dollar collapse could happen. Although, I wonder if the world standard currency of the future is blockchain rather than gold.

Most of my fellow Democrats are disappointed that TN senator Lamar Alexander announced he would not vote to call witnesses in the Trump impeachment trial. I’m not disappointed at all, for several reasons:

First of all, evidence could prove that Trump is an alien who is out to snuff out humankind with a giant laser, and yet 20 Republican senators would not vote to remove him. Trump would have been acquitted, whether sooner or later.

Second, look at what Alexander said. The Democrats proved their case. He saw no reason to hear even more evidence that Trump is a corrupt president who is willing to put foreign interests ahead of the Constitution if that’s what is necessary to keep him in office. Alexander feels, however, that it is the job of the American people to decide if that warrants removing Trump, not the Senate. Okay, let’s take him up on that. There’s an election in 9 months. Let’s decide for ourselves if we want 4 more years of authoritarianism and corruption.

Third, the Senate doesn’t want to subpoena John Bolton, and hear whether he has first-hand knowledge of a Trump quid pro quo with Ukraine. Well, fine. Let’s get this impeachment hearing wrapped up, get the State of the Union behind us, and then there’s nothing stopping the House Oversight Committee from subpoenaing John Bolton to testify before them (and TV cameras) about what he knew. That could be very damaging to Trump as election season heats up, especially if additional witnesses are uncovered.

2020 may be the American people’s last chance to get it right. There’s nothing wrong with having a Republican in office – just not this fake Republican who serves his own interest above all others. There may not be after a 2024 election if we send him back to the White House.

Okay. Rant over. Bardog time. Back tomorrow with more news.