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Wed update: Bar Rescue scouting Memphis, Grizzlies and Hustle news and more

I heard some interesting scuttlebutt last night at one of my favorite bar’s happy hours. Bar Rescue called the bar’s owner and inquired if he would like his bar to be “rescued.” Bar Rescue is a show on Spike TV starring industry expert Jon Taffer. Taffer and his team travel the country, finding bars that were once the place to go but which have since fallen on hard times. Taffer’s team comes in, tackles the core problems, often re-brands the bar, gives it a grand re-opening, and reports on how the bar is doing weeks later.

The show works because of Taf’s brutal honesty. If the owner is too drunk to know what is going on in his own bar, Taffer will call him out on it. He’ll call out staff that are comping so many drinks that they drive the bar into the red. He’ll call out kitchens that have food costs of 60%, or worse, don’t know what their food costs are. He’ll call out cooks, bartenders, and servers who claim to be big shots but who clearly are full of BS. However, Taffer also recognizes raw talent. There have been shows where he will look at a line cook making $7.25 an hour and maybe six months out of jail, and see someone who works hard and takes pride in what he does. Taffer will reward that effort with a chef’s jacket and hat and tell him, “You’re the new kitchen manager.” I am not a TV person but I will binge watch Bar Rescue.

So anyway, I started a thread on Facebook, and found out from another bar’s GM that the Bar Rescue people have cold-called over 100 bars in Memphis. That makes sense because the bar I was in when I found this out is in no way failing (nor is the bar where that GM works). I’d like to see a Memphis episode but I can’t think of anywhere Downtown that needs that kind of help.

D’oh! Likely starting Grizzlies point guard Ben McLemore is out 12 weeks with an injury from a pickup game. The Grizz traded for McLemore in the off-season. We’ll have him back by November, but still, we are one injury away from the draft lottery. Some analysts already have Memphis projected as a lottery team.

In better news, the Grizzlies have announced their pre-season schedule. They will start off at home vs. Orlando on October 2, and will have home games vs. Houston October 11 and New Orleans October 13. They’ll have road games at Philadelphia October 4 and Atlanta October 9. The season will start mid-October, a little earlier than past years. I wonder if they’re doing that to eliminate some back-to-backs, particularly ones where a coach might sit a star player to rest him.

News about former Tiger Austin Nichols:

That would be good, for the Hustle to have a known name. Maybe Nichols can regain his passion for basketball.

The Memphis Flyer’s Best of Memphis voting is now open.

Last night I stopped by Bardog Tavern, curious to see who got Melissa’s Tuesday happy hour shift. While there, I noticed a new promotion they have going on: Buy a shot of Breckenridge bourbon and be entered in a drawing to win this snowboard.

As for who got the Tuesday happy hour shift, it was Taylor. Taylor is a relatively new bartender but she is jumping into the Bardog family with both feet… she has volunteered to have her head shaved at Monroe Avenue Fest on Sunday, August 20, with all donations going to the kids of St. Jude! There will be donation buckets at the festival, but you can also donate online or bring money by Bardog and tell them it’s toward Taylor’s head shaving. Any amount is appreciated but if you donate $100 or more, you get your name on the Big Baller Board.

By the way, I am going to be talking about Breakaway-Bardog 5K and Monroe Fest a lot the next two weeks… it’s a cause I believe in, an event put on by good people who have always been good to me. It is my pleasure to give this event my support.

The I Love Memphis Blog has great suggestions on where to get oysters in Memphis, including several places Downtown.

The Peabody will hold an eclipse viewing party on the rooftop 11 AM-2 PM Monday, August 21. A minimum donation of $5 to St. Jude gets you a pair of eclipse viewing glasses. Also available for purchase: boxed lunch, eclipse cookies, moon pies, novelty ice cream bars, assorted beverages, and a full bar.

The Redbirds play Omaha tonight at 6:35. There’s a $15 off special on the all-inclusive Owner’s Seats next to the dugout.

Book swap party today at Cossitt Library, 5-6:30 PM. It’s in celebration of National Book Lovers Day.

A little Twitter humor to close out this post:

That’s it for now. Hitting the Silly Goose happy hour after work. Back tomorrow with more news.

Tuesday update #2

A team has been selected to create the I Am A Man plaza to be constructed next to Clayborn Temple. The plaza will commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Memphis Sanitation Workers strike and the death of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and will be complete by April 2018.

Memphis Pets Alive! is out of cat supplies. Can you help? Here’s their Amazon wish list.

Minibar Delivery, delivering wine, liquor and spirits to your home, launches in Memphis tomorrow.

The Downtown Memphis Commission’s CCRFC granted a tax break today who wants to redevelop The Edge District, including a $70 million project bringing apartments to 400 Monroe on the site of the Wonder Bread Bakery, as well as a $6 million parking garage. The proposal will now go to the City Council for approval.

You can help beautify Downtown later this month with a Paint the Block Party August 23-25. Artist Siphne Aaye will lead the effort to paint a mural on the wall securing the 100 N. Main building. 4-6 PM and 6-8 PM shifts are available Wednesday, August 23, Thursday, August 24, and Friday, August 25. On the 25th there will be a party to celebrate the mural’s completion.

There’s a big songwriter night at South Main Sounds this Friday, August 11 from 7 ti 9 PM. Ben Rocky Tallent who ran sound in South Main Sounds’ early shows will play, with newcomer Manzy Lowry from Texas. Australian Katrina Burgoyne, currently residing in Nashville, will perform too, as will regular Evan Farris. It will be a great night of original music.

FreeWorld will have its 30th anniversary CD release weekend October 13-15. On Friday October 13 they’ll perform at the Levitt Shell 7-8:30 PM. Saturday the 14th they’ll be at The Bluff on the Highland Strip 10 PM-2 AM with special guests Chinese Connection Dub Embassy. Sunday night they’ll be Downtown for their usual Blues City Cafe gig 9:30 PM-1:30 AM. Make sure to purchase a copy of the CD at one of these shows. The CD has a download card so you can download the music to your electronig devices.

Bleu has announced Chef Ana’s August wine dinner hosted by Bobby Maupin of West Tennessee Crown Distributors. It will be Thursday, August 24 6-9 PM. $60 plus tax and gratuity with free 3 hour valet parking. Ingredients from four of the five courses will be sourced from local producers in Tennessee and Arkansas.

Here’s the official Facebook event listing for the Breakaway-Bardog 5K and Monroe Avenue Fest. Let your friends know you are going.

Newsy day. Happy hour location for after work to be determined but I’ll be out somewhere. Back tomorrow with more.

Tuesday update

Last night I led off at Bardog Tavern. The past five years or so, I have referred to Monday happy hours as “Melissa Monday” because Melissa, one of the Bardog originals, had that shift. However, as of this week Melissa moved on to new adventures, opening up my Monday night to go wherever I want. However, I was curious who would get the shift, so I stopped by Bardog anyway.

“I want a trolly picture!”

It was Teryn! Teryn is one of my Bardog favorites, but up until now I have rarely got to see her. She worked day shifts on the weekdays, so I’d only get to sit at her bar on holidays and vacation days. With her smile and her infectious happy demeanor, she will be a great addition to Monday nights.

Looking for a place to have your fantasy football draft? Give Max’s Sports Bar a call. Bjarni posted last night that they’ve got you covered.

All-You-Can-Eat Thursday returns to AutoZone Park Thursday night. A specialty ticket gets you all you can eat burgers with all the trimmings and sides, along with hot dogs and one bottled water or Coke per person. The buffet starts at 6 PM and ends at 8 PM. Already got a ticket to the game? Upgrade to a wristband to get you into the buffet for $10 more.

As for tonight, it’s a doubleheader as the ‘birds play Omaha at AutoZone Park. First pitch of the first game is at 5:35. It’s dollar King Cotton hot dog night.

Wiseacre Brewing Co. is having a special for the solar eclipse on the 21st. The taproom will open at noon, with viewing on their deck. They’ll have a special solar eclipse happy meal that day for $12, consisting of a wrap or sandwich from Gourmade, Sun Chips, and a Moon Pie, as well as an Astronaut Status logo snifter and solar eclipse viewing glasses. Get tickets to the viewing party here. For groups (special rate of $10 per person for groups 10 more more), email crebs@wiseacrebrew.com. Friday, August 18 is the last day to reserve your spot if you want lunch.

High-tech updates including a new scoreboard are coming to FedExForum. The changes will be in place by the time the Grizzlies start their preseason.

And the hits just keep coming for the Trump administration… Secretary of State Rex Tillerson is under criminal investigation in the state of New York for financial fraud for manipulating Exxon Mobil’s stock price when T-Rex was CEO there. The case involves some emails Tillerson sent under a fake name, Wayne Tracker, to argue with climate change experts, then later deleted. USA TODAY has a report as well. Damn this one hit the mainstream media quick. Here’s a statement from the New York Attorney General himself:

Off to work. There may be a second post at lunchtime.

Monday update

Want a free preview of the August 20 Breakaway-Bardog 5K course? Join The Salty Dogs for a run this evening, departing from Bardog at 7 PM. There is no charge to participate and you get specials in The Underdog following the run.

Get ready for an influx of tourists to Memphis late this week as Elvis Week begins. The official dates are August 11-19 and here is the calendar. This should be a big year, marking the 40th anniversary of the death of The King.

A Flying Saucer manager told me that Stumblin’ Elvis is coming back Saturday, August 19. People dress up as Elvis and stumble from bar to bar. I will get more details on the list of bars and what charity they are supporting this year. I know the Tin Roof and Blind Bear are usually on the list of stops.

Loflin Yard will pay homage to the Blue Hawaii days of Elvis with the second annual Loflin Luau August 18-20. There will be a pig roast, live music, and tiki drink specials.

Sounds like a good idea. As many Redbirds have been called up to the majors this season, some of these cards may be worth some good money in 10 or 15 years’ time.

If you’ve thought about adopting a dog or cat, this is the month to do it. Memphis Animal Services is doing $20 adoptions during the month of August. Adoptions include spay/neuter, vaccines, microchip, a heartworm test for dogs, FIV/FeLV test for cats, a collar, a leash for dogs and a customized ID tag, so that is a heck of a deal.

The Redbirds are back in town for a short homestand, tonight through Thursday. They will play Omaha tonight with first pitch at 6:35.

Got word that an extremely bad-ass team is “about 95% sure” they will be entering Best Memphis Burger Fest this year. Going to hold off on naming the team until they confirm, but it’s a group that would immediately would be in contention for trophies.

In another “can’t yet disclose what I know” type of thing, I have reason to believe Cafe Pontotoc will not close in a few weeks after all.

Ten kegs were stolen from Silky’s Friday morning.

Memphis wrestling may be coming back to TV. Hear the details on this week’s Cerrito Live podcast.

More bad news for Comrade Trump:

A few things to note here: Schneiderman is the New York attorney general. State cases are not pardonable by the president. RICO is the law that brought down John Gotti and other high-ranking members of the Gambino crime family.

Probably going to hit Bardog for happy hour tonight. Melissa Monday is no more, but I want to see who takes over the bar shift. I also want to see if I hear any more news about Monroe Avenue Fest coming up on the 20th. Back tomorrow with more news.

HELLYEAH to play New Daisy tonight and more Sunday news

This is the most un-newsy weekend I have been through this year. At least today’s post isn’t about a Muppet but I don’t have much.

HELLYEAH plays the New Daisy tonight along with Kyng and Cane Hill. Tickets are $20-25 with the doors opening at 7 and show at 8.

The Memphis Gift & Jewelry Show is going on this weekend at the Cook Convention Center. From the event listing: “This event showcases products like metal jewelery, Crystal, cubic zirconia, rhinestone jewelery, Enamel, bead, shell and pewter jewelery, Semi-precious gemstone jewelery, Fashion Jewelery Materials, Loose polished semi-precious stones etc. in the Gems & Jewelry, Gifts industries.”

Miss Cordelia’s will have a back-to-school ice cream social from noon to 3 on Friday. $5 to build your own sundae. Tomorrow they will have Sushi Jimmi and MEMPops on site 5 to 8.

Article about my #1 celebrity sexual fantasy: Who is Lily from AT&T?

From The Daily Kos: The untold story of Trump Model Management

That’s it for now. Off to Hung Over Like a Bear brunch at the Blind Bear. Back tomorrow with more news.

Friday update: Vegetarian nachos, Pickin’ Party and more

Vegetarians have a new dish to eat Downtown. The Rendezvous teamed up with The Chubby Vegetarian to create a new menu item, vegetarian BBQ nachos. They top Brim’s corn chips with red beans and rice, then smother it in cheese sauce and pickled jalapenos. It’s a complete protein. They went through several iterations in the kitchen before coming up with the perfect recipe.

Nancy Apple’s Pickin’ Party, a staple at Kudzu’s for many years, has returned on Thursday nights at a new location, The Dirty Crow Inn, 8-11 PM. It’s musicians playing all original music. Just bring your guitar and join the circle on the patio, and wait your turn to play a song or jam along with others.

James Taylor and Bonnie Raitt perform live tomorrow night at FedExForum.

Celebrate National Farmers Market Week this Saturday at the Memphis Farmers Market. Great chance to thank a farmer for bringing their locally grown food to us. Live music by Steve Smith 8:30-10 and Megan Carolan 11-12:30. The Farmers Market happens under the pavilion at Front and G.E. Patterson every Saturday from 7 AM to 1 PM.

There will be a block party at Memphis Farmers Market Squared this coming Wednesday, August 9, 4-7 PM in Court Square. There will be a live performance by Charles Streeter and The People. There will also be live painting by Siphne Sylve, MEMpops, free photos at the Amurica photo booth, a beer garden, fun games, and of course sales by Memphis Farmers Market vendors.

Congressman Steve Cohen will host a Town Hall meeting 10 AM tomorrow, Saturday, August 5, at the Callicott Auditorium at Memphis College of Art. Steve will discuss health care and other issues that matter to Ninth District residents.

Thrilled to receive the receipt of payment for entry email for the Moody Ques into Best Memphis Burger Fest. We are discussing having two or three practice cooks between now and October. We tend to do well at Burger Fest, especially in the Bloody Mary and Veggie Burger categories. I’m not a cook but as a former judge at the festival, I will assist any way I can.

As has been the case with almost every week of the presidency, Trump has had his worst week ever. Forced to sign a veto-proof Russia sanctions bill. The Russian prime minister called him weak and incompetent. News that Trump wrote Don Jr.’s statement about meeting with the Russians. Approval ratings hit an all-time low. Announcement came out that a grand jury was impaneled several weeks ago to look into Russian interference in the 2016 election. And those are just the highlights. Trump supporters said the de-wussification of America would begin once Trump took office. Hey, how’s that going?

Week’s almost over. This could be an interesting weekend. Back tomorrow with more news.

Thursday update

Yesterday I posted an Action News 5 article that said an arrest had been made in the Downtown Creeper case, but a South Main resident commented that it is not the same man as the one who has been lurking in that neighborhood. Their creeper is said to be a white male in his mid to late 40s.

The extremely popular beginner sushi class returns to Memphis Made this Sunday from 2 to 4. This is a hands-on class. You’ll learn how to make the perfect sushi rice. They’ll teach you to make popular sauces, including eel sauce, Bang Bang sauce, and more. You’ll get two rolls to eat, one made by the teachers and the other made by you. You’ll learn where to shop, what to buy, and how to serve raw fish and seafood at home according to health department standards. You’ll get a cheat sheet to take home that is filled with tips, tricks, and recipes. Register for the class here.

There are plans to redevelop a ravine in The Edge, once a rail line, to be a community space and amphitheater.

WALRUS is the featured entertainment tonight at the Peabody rooftop party. $10 to get in, ladies and hotel guests free before 7. Admission includes a buffet of items from the Capriccio Grill menu. Drink specials will be Mystery Margaritas and Firefly cherry zing moonshine.

Side Street Steppers will perform tonight at Tacos & Tunes on the patio at Felicia Suzanne Restaurant. $2 tacos, $5 drinks.

Ghost River at Main and Crump will have a first-time food truck tonight parked outside their taproom: Lynnie’s Links and Drinks. Geeks who Drink trivia at 7 tonight.

It’s the final weekend for RiverPlay, the pop-up park on Riverside. You have until Sunday to come out and play.

DeNeuville Learning Center is hosting Brains, Brews & BBQ at their center at 190 S. Cooper Saturday, August 19 from 6 to 9 PM. This will be a trivia night (max 6 people per team) and participants get BBQ and beer from local home brewers and Memphis Made as well. Buy tickets here ($30 per person). DeNeuville is a non-profit learning center providing education and support to women with limited financial resources.

Dmitry Medvedev, prime minister of Russia and number 2 behind Putin, called President Trump an “incompetent player” who will be “liquidated” by the U.S. establishment. Medvedev pretty much called Trump a bitch and he isn’t wrong. As the Washington Examiner points out, this is more or less a traditional Russian threat and it came from Putin. The sanctions vote in Congress proves that Putin’s useful idiot in the White House is no longer useful.

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

Wed update: Slider and beer deal, big news for The Edge, Grit Grind Night, arrest made in Downtown Creeper case and more

A new Wednesday night beer and burger promotion begins at the Flying Saucer tonight. On Flight Night 2.0 you can get 3 beers and 3 sliders for $16.

Looks like a pretty good deal! Speaking of the Saucer, you can catch the Eric Hughes Band there at 9:30 Saturday.

Ghost River Brewing Co. at Main and Crump is doing a Flight Night of their own on Wednesdays, when you get 4 flights for the price of 3 4-7 PM. Hot’N’Heavy Dogs will be on site at the Ghost River taproom this evening.

Huge. huge, huge news for The Edge District this week. The developer who re-made the Chisca Hotel into apartments and retail space plans to remodel the old Wonder Bread bakery at 400 Monroe into 286 apartments and a 480-space parking garage, along with 150,000 square feet of apartments and retail. The developer, who sees The Edge as “the hole in the donut” between Downtown and the Medical Center, owns several other parcels in the area.

Pam & Terry make their debut at The View rooftop bar atop the Residence Inn by Marriott at the corner of Main and Monroe Saturday 6-9 PM. They’ll have Shuffle Grit Thursday and Friday.

Grit Grind Night returns to AutoZone Park on Saturday, August 30. The Redbirds will celebrate the Memphis Grizzlies that evening. Mario Chalmers and Tyreke Evans will be out at the ball park to sign autographs and throw out ceremonial first pitches. Grizz, the Claw Crew, the Grizzline, the Grizz Girls, and Grizzlies Grannies & Grandpas will be there too. The Redbirds will be wearing special Grizzlies-themed jerseys which will be auctioned off after the game, the proceeds benefiting the Redbirds Community Fund. Gates will open at 5 with first pitch at 6:30.

Work Local, the partnership between the city and Hospitality HUB to connect the homeless with opportunities to work to clean up litter and blight, is expanding. Previously the program operated on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Now they are adding Mondays. 217 people have participated in the program so far, with 12 going into job training programs and 5 being placed in permanent jobs.

An arrest has been made in the Downtown Creeper case. The Creeper had a history of driving a white truck around South Main, parking it when he saw a woman, following her, saying inappropriate things, touching himself. This is believed to have happened to at least three different victims.

An exterior renovation is planned for 47/49/51 S. Main, which houses Family Dollar and DeJaVu.

In Good Company, a monthly event where you can meet up with other creative types, happens tomorrow night 5:30-7:30 at Cafe Keough.

The Sandlot will be shown for free at the Orpheum tomorrow afternoon at 3:30.

Defense Secretary and former Marine General Jim “Mad Dog” Mattis was recently interviewed by a high school newspaper. The young journalist did a killer job asking questions and Mattis offered so much wisdom. Whether you are liberal or conservative or somewhere in between, this is a fascinating read.

There is a movement on Twitter to draft Mattis to run for president in the next election cycle. Not only would he be a great choice, but there’s also this:

That’s it for now. Few more hours of work then Silly Goose happy hour. Back tomorrow with more news.

Tuesday update

Clayborn Temple has announced more films in its schedule for the 15 Film Series. Thursday’s Film is Entre Nos, exploring a Colombian mother’s journey with her two children to Queens, New York, to be with her husband. However, her husband abandons her, leaving her and the kids to fend for themselves. Eventually she finds an unusual way to make money via the city’s recycling. The film is hosted by Midsouth Immigrant Advocacy, and was chosen to highlight the many struggles and obstacles immigrants face in the U.S. There will be a block party at 6 Thursday prior to the showing of the film.

The South Main Association has announced its August meeting on Tuesday, August 8 at The Front Porch, 251 Riverside Drive. Dorchelle Spence, vice-president of the Riverfront Development Corporation, will speak on topics including the natural beauty and resources of our riverfront. She will take questions as well. Light snack buffet from 6 to 7 PM, and a cash bar will be available. Free for SMA members, $10 for non-members.

Downtown Yoga posted that a new six-week introductory Ashtanga class begins Saturday, August 6 at 3 PM at a cost of $60. Only problem is, August 6 is not Saturday. If interested, call the studio and ask if the class is Saturday or Sunday. YOGA!

South Side Supper Club (the band, not a supper club) is back at Belle Tavern tonight from 7 to 10, as they are the first and third Tuesday of every month.

Saw this on Facebook: Best boyfriends according to zodiac signs. Ranked number one of the twelve signs: Scorpio! Yep we are awesome! Line forms to the left, ladies!

Neat thing I discovered recently: You can use Google StreetView to explore the Shelby Farms Greenline. This is excellent! Now I can travel the Greenline while sitting at the Blind Bear sipping on a PBR, without having to do all that running or biking!

Don’t forget that National Night Out is tonight at Front and G.E. Patterson. Free food and beverages, with donations to the MPD North Main Precinct appreciated. I may have to miss it due to a friend in town. I guess standing outside in near-90 degree temperatures and Pirtle’s Chicken would be as good as a “remember what you missed about Memphis” as anything, but she’d probably prefer something indoors. Outta here for now, back tomorrow with more news.