Category: Uncategorized

*** $2 Fireball at Bardog when it’s snowing ***

Up to an inch of snow is expected to accumulate in Memphis this afternoon through tonight. Be careful on the roadways. Especially be careful if you’re out around midnight, when freezing rain may be mixed in with the snow. If we get an inch, this will tie the record for the earliest 1″ snow accumulation here in Memphis.

I thought the Memphis Tigers did well against #22 LSU last night, despite losing 85-76. The talent level appeared to be close to that of LSU, which had one of the deepest recruiting classes in the country. Yes, Memphis blew some easy shots and some defensive spots, but that’ll happen when a first-year coach in his second game is trying to figure out how to have 3 point guards on the floor at the same time. Can you imagine if Tubby (and Tubby’s recruits) had played this game? It would have been 62-32 LSU at halftime. LSU would have played their second string/walk-ons the entire second half and won 104-66.

Today is Prince Charles’ 70th birthday. I have read recently that when the Queen turns 95 in about two and a half years, she will give up her monarchical duties and name Charles to be Prince Regent.

World-renowned blues-rock guitarist Joe Bonamassa plays the Orpheum tonight. The theater is touting this as “the guitar event of the year” and Bonamassa is said to be the foremost blues-rock guitarist of this generation. He’s had 20 albums go to #1 on Billboard’s blues charts, and his new album Redemption was released in September.

In other Orpheum news, the theater has announced this year’s holiday movie. It will be on Wednesday, December 19 and the movie will be Elf. Starting on November 26, there will be three ways to get tickets to see this movie:

• Bring a Mid-South Food Bank donation (3 non-perishable items per ticket suggested) to the Orpheum box office between 9 AM and 5 PM Monday-Friday, or the night of the movie
• Bring your donation to the Orpheum or Halloran Centre the night of any performance
• Purchase a $5 cash-only ticket 9 AM-5 PM at the box office or on the night of the performance

Lots of Elf-themed holiday activities popping up around Downtown. Which is fine, as long as it’s not Elf on a Shelf. I hate that stupid thing.

If you want to be part of the St. Jude Marathon on December 1st but you’re not a runner, the race needs volunteers. There are many different assignments from which to choose.

Poker players, this Saturday you can Deal Cancer Out at Central BBQ Downtown. This Texas Hold’em tournament, sponsored by the River Rat Rounders and Call-to-Duty.org, gives you the chance to win some fabulous prizes while helping to stomp out men’s prostate cancer. Your $45 buy-in includes a Central BBQ buffet. Teresa from River Rat Rounders will be directing the game. Top 5 places pay out, with first place getting a 3-day trip to Las Vegas, with airfare and hotel included. Second to fifth will win $400 to $100 in gift cards and prizes from local shops and restaurants.

For my fellow regulars of the original Sleep Out Louie’s who remember the late Bobby Durango: A new album by his band, Rock City Angels, on which Bobby performed, has been released. Southern Vision features demos recorded between 1989 and 1992 which were intended to become the Angels’ second Geffen album.

I remember reading years ago on The Motley Fool website the secret to McDonald’s success: Don’t think of it as a fast-food burger restaurant. Think of it as a real estate company with some burgers out front. Well, ESPN reports that NBA franchises are getting into the real-estate game. Owning some of the best real estate in town allows franchises to supplement their basketball-related income. Also, unlike basketball-related income, rent money earned as a landlord does not have to be shared with the other 29 franchises.

The Daily Memphian has reactions to the Union Row development set to rise on Union between Fourth and Danny Thomas. The article also has a gallery of plans for Union Row.

Blind Bear has $5 fried pickles all day today in celebration of National Pickle Day.

In the news: Company offers nonsmokers up to 6 extra days off a year to compensate for the time they don’t spend outside on smoke breaks. Sounds good to me. More companies need to do this.

Memphis wrestling luminary Randy Hales has a new podcast.

My podcast, Memphis Memories debuts this Thursday on pod avenue. For the first time ever doing a podcast, Eddie Marlin will be my guest.
Watch this match of Eddie in action in the early seventies… https://t.co/9c0NQRJi0r

— Randy Hales (@Rbhales) November 13, 2018

I’m sure you have heard by now that PBR and other Pabst beers could go out of existence after 2020 if Pabst loses a lawsuit to Miller-Coors. People are asking, “Which cheap domestic beer tastes most like PBR if I have to switch?” I have done extensive research on the matter, and the beer that tastes most like PBR is Harp. I guess if Pabst loses the lawsuit, I will be spending more time in Irish pubs beginning in 2021.

Taking the day off from going out today. Still dealing with leg problems, I don’t need to be slipping and falling all over the Main Street Mall. I’ll be back out tomorrow, and I’ll be back on the blog with more news.

Well, I missed a major news story yesterday while I was busy having computer problems. Union Avenue, often considered the gateway into Downtown, may see some major new development in the years to come. The proposed Union Row, covering most of the area between Union and Beale, Fourth and Danny Thomas, would be a $950 million mixed-use project with over 2000 apartments, 380 hotel rooms, over 2500 parking spaces, and office and retail space.

The huge yellow Sterick Building at B.B. King and Madison is once again about to be on the market for sale and development. Previously this building was thought of as just too much of a behemoth for any developer to tackle, but with the success of Crosstown Concourse, Memphis is now ready to undertake a project of the Sterick’s size.

COGIC has voted to return its annual convention to Memphis in 2021. Held in early November, the COGIC convention was Memphis’ largest until 2010, when the “Saints” voted to move to St. Louis in the hopes of better deals on lodging. The construction of additional hotel rooms and Cook Convention Center renovations convinced the congregation to return to Memphis.

Elvis Costello and the Imposters come to the Orpheum next Monday, November 19, one of 20 stops on the “Look Now and Then” tour.

Costello isn’t the only big name coming to the Orpheum. “Weird Al” Yankovic brings his Strings Attached tour to the theater on June 20, 2019. This will be a high-energy rock and comedy tour with props, a video wall, background singers, and a full symphony orchestra.

One more Orpheum announcement: The Price is Right Live comes to the theater March 1. Come on down! Play the classic games you see on the show every day, including spinning the Big Wheel for a chance to compete in the Showcase. You could win A NEW CAR!

Teachers: Put in your requests now for World Cargo Crates. These crates, provided by Memphis in May, are sent one a month from January through May, and are described as a “children’s museum in a box.” Normally Memphis in May honors a different country every year, but this year the crates will educate children about Memphis in May’s 2019 honored city… which is none other than Memphis itself.

The Daily Memphian has a great article on why my friend Rocky Goodwin, concierge at Hotel Napoleon, was recently recognized as one of the best in Memphis’ hospitality industry. “I get paid to do what I would do for anybody,” Rocky commented on his efforts to make each guest feel a personal touch.

The injury bug has hit the Grizzlies again. Dillon Brooks will miss 6-8 weeks with a sprained knee following last Saturday night’s game with Philadelphia.

Volunteer Odyssey will host a Pop-Up Volunteer Party Friday, November 30 at its office at 60 S. Main. Stop by in your lunch hour and participate in one of three volunteer projects that will take you as little as 60 seconds. There will also be fortune-tellers who can look in their crystal ball and tell you where you will volunteer next. The event is free but they ask that you RSVP.

Primas Bakery and Boutique has announced its December tea party. It will happen on Sunday, December 9 and the theme will be “Elf.” Your ticket, which admits two, includes a platter of Elf-themed pastries, along with a selection of coffee, tea, and hot chocolate. Holiday attire is encouraged.

Despite being 3-3 in conference play, the Memphis Tigers football team still has a shot at the AAC West title. Evan Barnes of the CA lays out how it could happen.

Pontotoc Lounge had so much success with its Downtown Dining Week menu that they are going to keep it going for another week. Here’s the menu.

Check out the second chapter of the book columnist Geoff Calkins is writing about Penny Hardaway. Read about the parallels between the chance the school took on Hardaway as a student in 1990 and the chance they took on him as a head coach 28 years later.

The Daily Memphian has a good article on how ALSAC, the fundraising arm of St. Jude, is adjusting to the challenges of the digital age.

The Dirty Crow Inn has announced that it will be showing The Match between Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson the day after Thanksgiving. This is an 18-hole, $9 million winner-take-all, heads-up match between the two golfers available only on pay-per-view.

Cordelia’s Market is the latest Downtown spot to announce they will cook for you for Thanksgiving. Items and prices are on their website (scroll down on the main page) and prices are pretty reasonable compared to other places cooking Thanksgiving dinners. They’ll have full dinners for 6-8 for $99, many sides for $12 and they have desserts too.

Breakfast with Santa and Mrs. Claus comes to Trolley Stop Market Saturday, December 1. Ticket price includes breakfast for kids 10 and under, as well as crafts, cookie decorating, and a holiday movie. Parents are invited to take their own photos. There will be breakfast and lunch specials.

You know, spending more time at home for my health has re-introduced me to classic TV. The following exchange was on Archie Bunker’s Place last night.

Archie’s niece Billie: “Philosophy is what moves the world.”

Archie: “No, no, no, laxatives is what moves the world.”

So, like I say, I’ve been staying at home more than lately than usual… but this weekend is my birthday weekend. I don’t want a party, I don’t want presents, I don’t want shots – in fact, I won’t be drinking much at all. All I want is to see as many of my friends as possible. Friday afternoon, November 16, I’ll be at the Silly Goose for happy hour. Saturday, November 17, I’ll be at brunch at Bardog from 11 AM until about the time the 11:00 college football games end. Then November 18 will be Sunday Birthday Fun Day and I will be leading off at Pontotoc Lounge for D-RANKS with B-RAD. Plans mid- to late Sunday afternoon to be determined and I will end up at Blind Bear that evening. Come join me!

I hope this super-long news post made up for the lack of news here yesterday. I typed this on my tiny 9-year-old netbook which wasn’t much fun. About to walk over to Walgreens and buy a USB drive. I found a Windows 10 recovery image that I will copy onto the USB to see if I can revive my full-size laptop. Back tomorrow with more news.

Argh. I hate Windows.

May be a day or two before I get this all straightened out and make a news post.

I learned something last night that those of you who use rabbit ears on your TV may find useful. Earlier this year I discovered ION TV on Channel 50.1 and was very excited, because they have marathons of Criminal Minds, one of my favorite shows. However, recently when I tried to tune into 50.1, I got No Signal, despite not having moved my rabbit ears since I could receive the channel.

A little bit of Google work revealed that the FCC is re-assigning ION to channel 33 in Memphis. If you pull up channel 33 on your remote, it will wait a few seconds then say No Signal… but then after another second or two, it will forward you to 50.1 which works just fine. Just thought I’d pass that on for other fans of Criminal Minds (or any of the other shows ION shows in binges).

Does anyone else Downtown have trouble receiving WMC channel 5 (and 5.2 and 5.3) with rabbit ears? Better question… did anyone have trouble receiving those channels and then figure out how to receive them? Shoot me a line at paul@paulryburn.com if you have advice. I have the antenna aimed 60 degrees east of magnetic north, which is supposed to be the direction of the transmitter from the 38103 zip code.

Despite being out in Cordova, Meddlesome Brewing Co. may be my favorite local craft brewery, based on the names they give their beers. Recently they gave their chai tea brown ale with clove, nutmeg, and cinnamon a great name: Yoga Pants. I feel as though I see eye-to-eye with the brewers at Meddlesome.

Big Bad Voodoo Daddy has been announced for the New Daisy Theater Sunday, December 9 for a Wild & Savage Holiday Party. Doors at 7, show at 8. Tickets are $36-49.

I know we have some Downtowners who are big fans of Dodson Farms jams and jellies and miss them from November-March when the Memphis Farmers Market is out of season. Well, head out to Tsunami this coming Saturday to stock up… there will be a Thanksgiving farmers market there from 9 AM to 1 PM.

Miss Polly’s Soul City Cafe on Beale Street will be open 10:30 AM to 6 PM on Thanksgiving Day.

Memphis isn’t the only city to re-imagine long-neglected alleys. Check out what Chattanooga is doing.

MemphisWeather.net is now getting in on the speculation that we might get a few flakes of snow Monday night. Check out the latest blog post. Remember, folks… $2 Fireball at Bardog when it’s snowing outside! I won’t be partaking with you anymore, but for those of you who shoot Fireball, keep an eye on the window and watch for the white stuff.

There was some debate on Twitter last night on whether Wrestling Night at the Grizzlies has worn out its welcome. I love wrestling but I do think having several Wrestling Nights during the season rather than just one is overkill, especially since the Redbirds also do a Wrestling Night now.

Anyone who lives/works/plays near me (Main and Madison) have a Windows 10 Recovery DVD or USB I can borrow for a while? The laptop I inherited from my mom is acting up again and I’m typing this on my 9-year-old, 10-inch screen netbook. Apparently you’re supposed to make a recovery drive as soon as you fire up your computer for a first time, but because I was not the original owner of this computer and I’m traditionally a Mac guy, I didn’t know.

A late election result but a very, very important one: Dana Rohrabacher has been ousted from his long-held House seat by Democrat Harley Rouda. Rohrabacher, who represented parts of Orange County, California, was considered Russia’s staunchest ally in the House of Representatives to the point of being considered a puppet for Vladimir Putin. Good riddance and happy retirement, Dana. Perhaps he’ll get to spend more time with his grandchildren… or more likely, he’ll fall into a $1.6 million a year gig as a lobbyist. Because, isn’t that how it works?

That’s it for now. Deepest apologies for missing Friendsgiving with some wonderful friends last night. I really did want to be there. Heading out to the Blind Bear in a bit. Back tomorrow with more news.

If you’re looking for great live local music to benefit a worthy cause, look no farther than Rum Boogie Cafe and Blues Hall on Beale Street this afternoon and evening. Nearly 30 bands will come together this afternoon and evening to perform in a benefit for legendary saxophonist Dr. Herman Green. Dr. Green has had some health challenges lately and his many friends in the music community are here to help him out. His own band FreeWorld closes out Rum Boogie from 9:40 to 1:00, including a set featuring Dr. Green himself from 11:15 to 1:00.

Another ’90s band is coming to Memphis on a comeback tour. The Backstreet Boys, on their biggest tour in 18 years, will come to FedExForum on August 27, 2019. They will release a new album, DNA, in February.

Ready for some Christmas music? I was in Bardog Tavern for lunch yesterday, and while I was there, for the first time ever, they installed a Christmas CD in their jukebox. It is CD number 74 and it has 19 tracks for your holiday listening pleasure.

Progress is being made on the new Grind City Brewing Co. in Uptown near the Wolf River Harbor. They filed a permit for $11.3 million in construction this week. This is excellent news. Hopefully Grind City will become an attraction that will draw people to Uptown, much in the way that Ghost River has drawn people to Downtown’s far south end.

In other local beer news, Symphonic 2018 happens at Wiseacre Brewing Co. next Saturday, November 17. This is a celebration of fermentation as Wiseacre releases the 2018 version of its Symphonic beer. The celebration is free to the public and will happen from 1 to 10 PM, with a concert by the Memphis Symphony Orchestra from 2 to 4 in the afternoon. Fermented foods from local food trucks will be available for purchase, and other specialty vendors will be on site as well.

PRIMAS Bakery and Boutique on South Main has a couple of events coming up this weekend. Today from 11 AM to 3 PM they will have a Sip and Shop featuring the art of Karyn Klinger. Every Saturday Sip and Shop features a different local creative entrepreneur.

On Sunday at 1:30, PRIMAS hosts the next in its tea party series, A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving. Each ticket ($25, good for two people) includes a platter for two filled with Charlie Brown-themed treats, along with a selection of coffee, tea, and cider.

Keep an eye on the weather… some TV forecasts are calling for a dusting of snow or possibly a brief wintry mix Monday night around 10:30. Notably, though, the forecast I trust the most, MemphisWeather.net, is not yet calling for snow. Tuesday’s high is predicted to be 40 so anything that falls won’t stick around long.

This is not Downtown news, but nevertheless is great for the city of Memphis: The three-mile stretch of Summer between Highland and White Station is rebranding as the city’s first international district. On that stretch of street you will find business owners who hail from over 30 countries. You will also find The Gold Club. As the High Ground News article points out, take a stroll down Summer and you can find food from Colombia, Jerusalem, Japan, and many more cultures.

Local 24 News anchor Katina Rankin has written a book called Kendall’s Kitchen, a combination activity book and cookbook for children, teaching kids about eating healthy choices. Yesterday on Local Memphis Live, she and my friend Chef Steph Cook (RAWK’n Grub) talked about the book and did a cooking demo. Traditionally, people have used corn flakes to coat their chicken tenders, but that’s kind of boring; Steph demo’s how to make tutti-fruity Pebbles chicken tenders.

Over at We Are Memphis, New Wing Order chef Jesse McDonald shared his story of the inspiration to start a food truck based on the award-winning wing team. If you want to try New Wing Order’s wings, they’ll be at Wiseacre from 1 to 9 today.

Jerry Lee Lewis will play a concert at his club on Beale Street on New Year’s Eve. Tickets will be $150-300.

The Memphis Tigers host Tulsa at the Liberty Bowl at 11 today. A win would make the Tigers bowl-eligible. To put things into perspective, even Arkansas beat Tulsa. ESPN’s FPI gives the Tigers an 86.2% probability of winning today.

From Uproxx: How Dave Grohl’s pulled pork obsession led to him becoming a BBQ pitmaster. The Foo Fighters leader competed on a team at BBQ Fest ’18 here in Memphis.

This sounds good:

You could use a Hot Damn on this freezing 🥶 cold, #Memphis morning! #Repost @hi_geneva ☕️
・・・
HOT DAMN! That’s the name of this Cocoa Puff-topped breakfast cocktail that combines coffee, rum cream & chili liqueur. Who else could use one of these this morning? 🙋🏻☕️ pic.twitter.com/oTLsL69A84

— Sunrise Memphis (@sunrise_memphis) November 10, 2018

Speakers at the noon rally on the Civic Center Plaza to protect the Muller investigation include Rep. Steve Cohen, Tami Sawyer, and Steve Mulroy.

Flight restaurant at Main and Monroe has an opportunity for an executive chef/sous chef.

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

This Saturday is the Grizzlies’ first Grind City Wrestling Night of several this season. The first 5000 fans will receive a Memphis Grizzlies wrestling T-shirt. There will also be a special Wingsday ticket where you get a Terrace IV ticket and an order of five-piece boneless wings from Wing Guru.

Did you know that Explore Bike Share will help you get to your Downtown Dining Week restaurants? Through Sunday, use the code “DMC Dining” and enjoy free Explore Bike Share rides.

Help the Mid-South Food Bank feed families in need on Thanksgiving. Go to their Donate page and select “Local Cares Thanksgiving” from the “My donation is for:” drop-down box. $15 buys a family a turkey, while $25 provides them a full Thanksgiving dinner.

The annual Veterans Day parade happens Monday.

The Veterans Day parade is scheduled to take place from 9 a.m.-12 pm on Monday on Second St. between Exchange & Monroe. It will cause the following @RideMATA bus routes to be detoured: 2,19, 34, 50 & 56. For more info, visit https://t.co/ZvOqEH3Ni2 & click on Service Alerts.

— Memphis Area Transit (@RideMATA) November 7, 2018

The grand opening of South Main Artspace Lofts at 138 St. Paul is this afternoon. From 4 to 5 there will be a speaker program and a fashion show on the plaza featuring the work of Paul Thomas. From 5 to 7 there will be open artist studios and live music performances on the plaza. RSVP here.

The Thanksgiving edition of Drink-N-Draw comes to the Ghost River taproom Friday from 7 to 9. This event is part game show, part art contest, and is all fun. It’s hosted by Eric C and Gil Worth, 2013 Memphis Pun Champion. Prizes for Best and Worst Drawings. $5 includes all supplies.

MIFA Holiday Cards featuring art by Leslie Barron are now available for order. This is a way to honor your loved ones while helping Memphians in need.

Now this is cool – not only will high school kids learn to code, but they’ll be working on a real-world project to help St. Jude understand their donors.

Big New Alert:

We have partnered with @StJudeResearch to work with students to co-create prototypes to impact donor engagement. We are very excited and thrilled to be part of such a wonderful legacy.#gritgrindcode
Thanks @jayjump pic.twitter.com/wJrCiytFWT

— CodeCrew (@_CodeCrew) November 7, 2018

More apartments are coming to Downtown’s south end, at 27 W. Carolina.

Wok’n in Memphis is having its 1 year anniversary party at the 409 S. Main food hall this Sunday from 5 to 9.

Jennifer Biggs of the Daily Memphian now has a cocktail named after her Bar Talk column. Chris Ferri of Belle Tavern invented it and you can find the recipe here.

The 1880s Marine Hospital, next to the Metal Museum in the French Fort neighborhood just south of Downtown, is set to be renovated into 71 apartments. The buildings were last used as a National Guard HQ during Desert Storm. The new apartments will have common amenities like a pool and covered parking, but there will also be a special amenity… a fallout shelter. Probably not a bad thing to have as long as Trump has the nuclear codes.

The Andrew Michael family of restaurants, including Downtown restaurants Catherine & Mary’s and The Gray Canary, is holding a job fair.

JOB FAIR // next Wednesday, November 14th, we will be having a company-wide job fair at Andrew Michael Italian Kitchen (712 W. Brookhaven Cir) from 9-5! We are looking to fill all positions, FOH and BOH, part-time and full-time, A.M./ P.M. Stop by, we would love to meet you! pic.twitter.com/2sPoDOsbm0

— Catherine & Mary’s (@catherine_marys) November 7, 2018

In other job news, the City of Memphis is hiring a Process Improvement Coordinator.

Geoff Calkins is writing a book about Penny Hardaway. He posted Chapter One this morning.

Yesterday was a fantastic day! After a five-day hiatus from bars more than a block away from my apartment to address health problems, I caught a Lyft to the Blind Bear about 3 PM. It was great catching up with friends, playing trivia, watching the Grizzlies get a high-quality win, and generally being entertained by what I’ll call the human condition (i.e. a drunk person making a complete jackass of himself). I stayed past midnight and then I actually walked home! I know that doesn’t sound like much, given that the Bear is a three-block walk from my front door. If you know the shape my legs have been in lately, though, that is a big deal! I will be getting out again today. Also, a Friendsgiving dinner this Saturday I thought I would have to skip is now back on my agenda.

Watching WREG Live at 9 as I type this. The new trend in bars, a reporter claims, is large drinks that are shared between several people. In that respect Memphis is a pioneer. Silky’s has had the Diver for years!

That’ll do it for now. Going to get out to the Silly Goose this afternoon. Back tomorrow with more news.

The past few days I’ve been resting up at home, and yesterday I noticed something kind of interesting. I was watching The Price Is Right, which was my mom’s favorite game show when I was little. As they rolled the closing credits, they got to “Directed By…” and the name underneath kind of surprised me. Adam Sandler! Maybe the comedy movie gigs have dried up for him. Then again, directing The Price Is Right wouldn’t be a bad job to have in any case. I’d take it!

The Memphis Flyer has an article about Erica Bone, new executive chef at The Pocket, the exclusive new restaurant/club at 115 Union. Once upon a time, Bone made a mistake (as we all do). It was a mistake that could have sent her career in a different direction, but she recovered nicely. With culinary school and kitchen stints at Spindini, The Farmer, and Rizzo’s under her belt, Bone brings a lot to the kitchen at The Pocket. Her menu will debut next month.

For my readers with kids, get to Bass Pro at the Pyramid this Saturday to get in the Christmas spirit. Santa arrives at 5 PM, and they will be throwing out Santa stress toys to kids awaiting the jolly old elf’s arrival. There will be a tree lighting, the unveiling of Santa’s Wonderland, and free cookies and hot chocolate. From 6 to 8 you can get free photos with Santa and decorate your own Santa stocking. Each half hour from 5:30 to 7, a $25 gift card to Bass Pro will be given away.

In other Bass Pro news, if you have relatives coming in town for the holiday season, here’s a code to get them a discount at Big Cypress Lodge, the hotel inside Bass Pro at the Pyramid:

Receive 10% off your next stay* @BigCypressLodge when you mention the code 18LB! Call (888) 512-2003 to book your stay right now.

*Sunday-Thursday only, November-February 28,2019. Not valid on current reservations or holidays. Not available for online booking. pic.twitter.com/UpvomjaaGQ

— AutoZone Liberty Bowl (@AZOLibertyBowl) November 6, 2018

The national press has coverage about two legends who have returned to Memphis. First of all, SoccerBible has an article about Tim Howard’s co-ownership of Memphis 901 FC, how the team will fit into the working-class vibe of this city, and Howard’s plans to move into an ownership/management role as his professional career winds down.

Meanwhile, Bleacher Report has a great read on Penny Hardaway’s return to Memphis and what the city means to him. Penny is now 1-0 in NCAA play, his Tigers having defeated Tennessee Tech 76-61. The seniors were the big contributors last night with Kyvon Davenport dropping 30. Memphis’ next game is against #23 LSU in Baton Rouge 6 PM next Tuesday.

November is as far as it gets from May on the calendar. Nevertheless, Memphis in May has a lot going on this month.

November is a BIG month! @BealeStMusicFes passes go on sale (11/19), @GARiverRun registration opens up (11/30) and #WCBCC19 team applications are available (11/16). Who are you bringing to our events in May? 😁

ℹ️: https://t.co/MwXwMuUTBP pic.twitter.com/wffXhfoTEV

— Memphis in May (@memphisinmay) November 6, 2018

WWE Monday Night Raw returns to FedExForum on Monday, January 14. It’s too early to speculate what the main event might be. However, that show should be a big one, because it is the second to last Raw before the second-most important WWE pay-per-view of the year, the Royal Rumble. Brock Lesnar has once again become the WWE Universal champion on Monday Night Raw, and after he fights Daniel Cormier next year it is possible he may hold that title and the UFC heavyweight title simultaneously.

Historian Jimmy Ogle comes to The Edge District on Tuesday, November 13. At 6 PM that evening, Ogle will speak on this history of The Edge at Wonder Co-Work Create at 340 Monroe. I couldn’t tell for sure the way this was worded, but I think this may be a monthly Edge District Association meeting. Look for updates on the official Edge District Facebook page.

Well, the election turned out much as I thought it would, with Democrats taking a majority in the House but Republicans keeping the Senate majority and even picking up a couple of seats. Here in Tennessee, Marsha Blackburn (ugh) is our new Senator. Going to try to look at the bright side here:

• Democrats will take over House committee chairmanships, meaning corrupt Devin Nunes will no longer run the House Intelligence Committee.
• Bills involving spending have to originate in the House. That’s going to make it harder for Trump to get funding for the wackier of his ideas (the wall). It also means Trump, the self-proclaimed master of the art of the deal, could partner with the Democrats in the House for a bipartisan win on infrastructure spending.
• The House could demand Trump’s tax returns or subpoena Cabinet members to find out what he knew about Russia, although they should probably wait until Special Counsel Mueller releases his findings.
• Beto lost to Ted Cruz but is now well positioned for a Presidential run in 2020.
• Locally, all three referendums were defeated.

All right, I’ve been cooped up in this apartment too long, having not been out (I don’t count runs to Walgreens as going out) since Saturday. I plan on getting out about 3 this afternoon. Back tomorrow with more news.

Rolls and bowls. Bowls and rolls.

The Memphis Flyer reports that the Downtown core is getting a new Asian restaurant. Fam will open at 149 Madison. Serving rolls and bowls – specifically, sushi rolls, spring bowls, rice bowls, and rice noodle bowls – the restaurant will deliver and will be open Monday-Saturday for lunch and dinner. In a smart move, the sushi will be half rolls so customers can sample around more. This will be a “fast casual” concept with orders taking 10-15 minutes at most.

So excited that after today, I will be able to watch TV without having to hear a bunch of political ads. Well, unless there are runoffs. Please sweet baby Jesus don’t let there be runoffs! If you have trouble voting today call 855-844-VOTE for help. I’m staying home for one more night tonight to watch election results. I plan on having CBS streaming on my TV, CNN streaming on my iPad, and MSNBC streaming on my iPhone, while on my laptop I will be refreshing FiveThirtyEight live election coverage. No I will not have FOX News streaming. I got my fill of people who lie all the time back in the summer of 2015.

As those of you who have seen me around town know, I wear a Pabst Blue Ribbon hoodie, gifted to me at Bardog’s first anniversary party, around Downtown 5 to 6 days a week this time of year. Yesterday I was watching the news and learned that I could be asked to leave the Wolfchase Galleria if I wore my favorite hoodie in there. Not that I shop at Wolfchase that often, but I guarantee you I won’t be going out there at all from now on. What a stupid, obviously racist policy. Now, if people put the hoods up inside, that’s understandable for kicking them out; that’s an attempt to conceal identities. But banning hoodies altogether, that just screams “We don’t want black kids hanging out in our mall.”

I wonder if Wolfchase still has that weave vending machine?

Happy Election Day, YOGA! Downtown Yoga will be offering a 4-week series next month on the use of props in yoga.  Instructor Rebecca will lead this series and show students how to incorporate blocks, straps, blankets, and walls to strengthen and deepen your yoga practice. There will be time for hands-on instruction with each participant to address questions and concerns.

Memphis Made Brewing Co. celebrates its fifth birthday this Saturday, November 10, with Malted V, a celebration of malted beers. Doors open at 1 with first 100 customers getting a free Malted glass. Live music all afternoon with Crystal Shrine, Yesse Yavis, and John Paul Keith. In the evening there will be a comedy show by Comma Comedians. The El Mero Taco food truck will be on hand all day. The brewery is at 768 S. Cooper by the railroad trestle bridge.

The Memphis Tigers men’s basketball team has its regular-season opener vs. Tennessee Tech tonight at FedExForum at 7 PM.

In other Tigers athletics use, congratulations to the women’s soccer team on their return to the NCAA tournament.

The annual Stumbling Santa pub crawl has been announced for Saturday, December 1. Dress up and join well over a thousand other Santas at Flying Saucer Draught Emporium at 7 PM that evening. Bring a toy for Porter-Leath’s toy drive for underprivileged children (toy ideas here). In an event that has gotten so big that the Saucer has to block off streets, Santas will stumble from bar to bar throughout the evening. When selecting your toys to donate, Porter-Leath reminds everyone that the greatest need is for toys for children 5 and under.

You have another option if you don’t want to do the cooking for Thanksgiving. Felicia Suzanne’s Operation Turkey Day will do everything for you. Order by the 16th, pick up the Tuesday or Wednesday of Thanksgiving week. They have sides and desserts; they don’t provide turkeys but if you drop off your bird, they will do turkey prep for $25.

Hmmm… telling customers to email a completed form with credit card information isn’t the best idea, though. Faxing it, having them take the info over the phone, or bringing it to the restaurant in person would be considerably more secure. Emails hop from one server to the next on their way from source to destination and can be read at any hop along the way.

A building permit has been filed for Museum Lofts, a new 68-unit loft apartment complex at 138 Huling next to the Civil Rights Museum.

In my first post yesterday, I mentioned that during my extended time at home I am looking for a new book to read. Found one! One of my favorite authors, Robert Greene, who co-authored 48 Laws of Power, released a new book just two weeks ago on October 23. I bought and downloaded The Laws of Human Nature yesterday. I’m only 8% into the book so I will hold up on a review for now, but so far I am enjoying it.

I am feeling better and I do plan to get out for a while tomorrow. I feel well enough to go out today, but I can’t deal with going to a bar and having some dumbass go, “DUH… me want to watch SportsCenter” when coverage of the most important midterm election of our lifetime is on. Back tomorrow with more news, and I am sure I will have thoughts on the election results as well.

The Downtown Neighborhood Association is seeking volunteers for 2019. Volunteers are key to helping the DNA put on high-quality community events. There are opportunities in communications, advocacy, membership services, and social services. If you’re passionate about your community and motivated to help with provide services for our neighborhood, fill out the form at this link to volunteer.

The Daily Memphian has news about two teams headed to Orange Beach, Alabama to compete in the World Food Championships. One of the teams, headed by Tommy Shive of LBOE, won Best Memphis Burger Fest last year to qualify, then took first place in Burgers in the food championships with a Benedict Burger. The first-place win guarantees Shive five years of eligibility, and he is headed back this year.

Beginning today, Amazon is waiving the minimum purchase amount for packages to qualify for free shipping, good on all packages that will ship in time for Christmas. Prime members will get an additional bonus: 3 million items will be eligible for same-day shipping.

The legend returns to Memphis early next year:

NOW ANNOUNCING: Country and western icon Willie Nelson presents An Evening with Willie Nelson & Family at the Orpheum Theatre on January 5, 2019. Tickets go on sale Friday, Nov. 9 at 10am: https://t.co/rtYjC10JJW pic.twitter.com/X1dMADbI2h

— Orpheum Theatre (@TheOrpheumTN) November 5, 2018

Volunteers needed for Hour of Code. Kids in grades 5-10 will spend an hour learning how to code, and then will be treated to lunch and a featured speaker. Both technical and non-technical volunteers are needed.

We need more volunteers, especially technical volunteers. (we need both)
For the @hourofcode event on December 1st from 9am to 2pm.
Please sign up at https://t.co/gLEYWJcm3J pic.twitter.com/fsJRdk8t5Z

— CodeCrew (@_CodeCrew) November 5, 2018

After hearing friends rave about Marco’s Pizza, I decided to give it a try this morning. Their website did not show my address within delivery distance, but friends who live a few blocks away have gotten delivery. I called their 15 S. Belvedere location and confirmed, they do deliver to me.

The first time I order a pizza from a new place, I always do a build-your-own rather than get one of their specialty pizzas. I built a 14″ large with Old World pepperoni, sausage, black olives, and extra cheese.

Perjorie T. Roll, who likes foods that are the same color as her hair, hoped I would get bell peppers on the pizza, but I didn’t. I can see why my friends told me to get the Old World pepperoni instead of the regular kind. It’s thicker and it made this pizza stand out.

Next time I want to order their meatball bake, meatballs and sausage over pasta. Sounds yummy and I could probably get three meals off it.

This will probably be my last post before the polls open tomorrow morning for Election Day. Not sure where your polling place is? Google can help.

I am begging, pleading with all my readers to please vote. LocalMemphis.com has information on how to get free or discounted rides to the polls.

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