Category: Uncategorized

The only vice-presidential candidate debate of the 2016 election season happens tonight. Democrat Tim Kaine and Republican Mike Pence will square off tonight at 8:00. The debate will be carried on most major networks and streamed on the New York Times website. Elaine Quijano of CBS News will moderate. This most likely won’t be the trainwreck that the first Clinton-Trump event became, but you never know…

If you weren’t at last night’s Grizzlies preseason game, you need to read this recap. In the third quarter, out of the blue, head coach David Fizdale handed Mike Conley the clipboard and told him to start coaching! Fizdale, recognizing that Conley has one of the highest basketball IQs in the league, wants the Grizzlies’ starting PG to be vocal with his teammates this season. In other news, rookie Wade Baldwin looked like a star last night, despite a few too many turnovers. If he has learned one thing in training camp, it’s “When you can get the ball to Z-bo, get the ball to Z-bo.” Not a bad thing to learn.

I posted this once before, but apparently this is a big deal, and some of my friends are really behind this event: Jennifer Westwood and the Handsome Devils play The Dirty Crow Inn tomorrow night, Wednesday, October 5, from 8 to 11 PM. I’m just going to paste the description below, borrowed from Facebook:

Jennifer Westwood cut her teeth on Detroit Gospel before hitting the gritty Detroit bars that set her career in motion. She has been a Detroit Music Award winner and nominee in several categories, and has contributed music to multiple Emmy Award winning commercials and documentaries, as well as film.

She first found confidence to consider music as a career by the encouragement of a church acquaintance, a professor of music who had previously served as ensemble choir director for the late Bishop C.L. Franklin, father of Aretha. Performing in church lead to her first work in the outside world, singing backup locally for Motown artist Carl Carlton (Bad Mama Jama). Studio work for various local artists followed, first in R & B and soul genres, followed by roots and blues. Those experiences gave her insight on the direction she wanted to embark on for her own music before leaping out on her own. It also opened doors for commercial work due to her vocal flexibility and enthusiasm.

The same enthusiasm has driven each performance — whether it has been 7 ppl, on up to 70,000. Sharing the bill with rock icon Patti Smith at the world’s largest Masonic Temple have marked a highlight of her performance career.
Jennifer has fully embraced the character and spirit of Detroit; and considers her greatest accomplishment to be creating a career in music during some of the most troubling economic times for her hometown.

There are no musical limitations with Jennifer Westwood and the Handsome Devils. The skill set and accomplishments that each member has earned helps them create a format where no style is out of bounds. Somehow, it all sounds familiar, but unique all the same. Truly a melting pot of musical ability and knowledge, the band makes a statement with each note and the sky is the limit.

Want to help be part of the solution to make Memphis Animal Services better? Plan on attending this meeting organized by TargetZero next Monday at the Central Library. It’s open to everyone interested in reducing shelter intake and increasing the number of animals saved in Memphis.

Spam email subjects get ever funnier and more creative… a pharmaceutical company informed me that I can “knock on her wet cave door ten times a night” with their bogus sexual enhancement supplement. I would like to meet the morons who fall for this marketing.

Site a co-worker showed me today: DownDetector, which lets you monitor network traffic over time for many big Internet providers and public businesses. They monitor traffic from companies like AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, Comcast, Time Warner, Vonage, Google, Cox… and also Pokemon Go. Too funny.

Keep an eye on the track for Hurricane Matthew if you have friends on the East Coast. Looks like Wilmington and Greenville, North Carolina and Norfolk, Virginia could take direct hits if the storm remains on its current track.

It’s National Taco Day, so I will say it one more time… if you have not been to Maciel’s Tortas and Tacos yet, you are missing out! Authentic Mexican food at a very good price point, and the owner and staff just couldn’t be nicer. If the unassuming storefront on Main between Monroe and Union has kept you from checking this place out, take my word for it – Maciel’s is the real deal!

I wish the tandoori truck that comes to Memphis Farmers Market would pull up in my company’s lot in Horn Lake right about now… for some reason I have a hankering for lamb kabobs over rice. Alas, but it is not to be… I am probably looking at a crappy microwave dinner from Kroger for my lunchtime nutrition. The kabobs will have to wait until Saturday. That’s all for now. I will be out at happy hour at (most likely) Blind Bear after work.

The Experience Hendrix Tour will be coming to the Orpheum Thursday, March 17, 2017. A diverse array of talented musicians will come together to celebrate the music of Jimi Hendrix. Expect renditions of Hendrix favorites including “Purple Hzae” and “Little Wing.” Tickets go on sale Friday, October 7. Visit the tour website to learn more.

Scandals and Scoundrels, a notorious tour of Elmwood Cemetery, will happen Saturday from 2 to 3:30 PM. Among the cemetery’s 75,000 residents are madams, corrupt politicians, all kinds of sinners… and not all the stories have happy endings. Learn about some of the people who brought notoriety to the Bluff City. Tickets are $15 and this is an all-walking tour. They are requesting that the tour be grown-ups only.

Saturday after the Razorbacks game in Little Rock, head coach Bret Bielema and his wife Jen flew home with offensive lineman Frank Ragnow. Ragnow’s father died shortly after the game. Bielema is a class act through and through. “I tell [parents] all the time that I will look after your son, and I mean it.” Well done, Coach B, Hog Nation is proud of you. The Razorbacks host #1 Alabama Saturday at 6 PM, with a nationally televised game on ESPN. You know Max’s Sports Bar will be packed for that one!

This isn’t Downtown news, but it’s about someone many Downtowners know so I’m including it in the blog today. The Broad Avenue Arts District made an excellent hire for the new executive director, talented artist Katie McWeeney Powell. When Katie bartended in the early days of Brass Door, I spent quite a bit of time talking to her about her art. Congratulations, Katie.

J.R. Willett’s Banjos & Bonfires returns to Felicia Suzanne’s on Thursday, November 3. There will be beer, bourbon and bites, with the beer coming from Wiseacre and the bourbon from Willett Distillery. $50 to attend.

The Daily News has an article on Artspace Lofts for which construction is now under way. The lofts will provide affordable living space for working artists, with prices ranging from $550 to $850 a month, well below the South Main market average rent.

I know I have a few readers up in Chicago, and this one’s for you: Wiseacre beer, brewed right here in Memphis, is coming to the Windy City. To celebrate, there will be a West Loop pub crawl next Monday, October 10. Tickets are $20.

Catherine and Mary’s has announced a happy hour of 4-6 PM on weekdays with drink specials and snacks. In addition, when it is a Memphis Grizzlies or Memphis Tigers game day, Wiseacre beers will be on special for $4 during happy hour.

Beer coaster etiquette

In Sunday’s post, I took a step back in time to the era of our grandmothers, when nothing was more important than good manners. For those who own PBR koozies, I demonstrated correct and incorrect use. Today I am back to address a similar issue of etiquette.

Yesterday at Bardog, Melissa brought me my mug of PBR and placed this coaster in front of me. Is it appropriate to put a delicious PBR on a coaster advertising such a terrible beer?

The answer is YES. It is appropriate.

By covering up the Coors Light logo with a considerably better beer – the best beer of all, in fact – you make the place classier. Bartenders and bar owners will appreciate you projecting their establishment in such a positive light. Putting a PBR on a Coors Light coaster (or Bud Light, Miller Lite, Michelob, etc.) is good manners.

That’s it for now, time to head in to work. Possibly another post at lunchtime.

Basketball makes a much-awaited return to FedExForum tonight! The Memphis Grizzlies will host the Orlando Magic in a pre-season game.

The last Wednesday of every month, Mayor Strickland holds a staff meeting to get an update on the city’s key initiatives. In the interest of transparency, the mayor has published the presentation from the September meeting so citizens can see the data for themselves. I like the way Strickland runs things. No secrets.

There will be a presentation called How to Leave Your Car at Home tomorrow at the High Cotton taproom from 6:30 to 8. Transportation experts will lead a discussion on how we can change our behavior to become less reliant on cars. Best practices will be shared to become more multi-modal in our lives. Speakers will be available to mingle and share ideas following the presentation. You do need to register to attend this event but it is free. Light refreshments will be served and High Cotton beer will be available for purchase. There will be a special incentive for people who walk, bike, take public transportation, or carpool to this event.

Happy Hour Rocks! happens at Loflin Yard Wednesday, October 19 from 5 to 8 PM. You can paint 901Rocks to hide around town. Not an artist? Doesn’t matter, the only goal of the event is to have fun. $5 to join in (cash preferred) which will benefit SchoolSeeds, a program devoted to raising funds for Shelby County Schools.

The South Main Association will do something different this month at its October meeting. After a 6 PM social, at 6:30 the meeting will break into focus groups to discuss whether SMA is meeting its mission and what can be done to make 2017 its best year yet. The meeting will be Tuesday, October 12 at the Halloran Centre. Appetizers donated by RiverArtsFest, beverages by SMA. Free for members, $10 non-members.

Former Memphis Tigers quarterback Paxton Lynch threw his first touchdown and led the Denver Broncos to a win yesterday.

The Brass Door is hiring part-time positions for bartender, dishwasher/barback, and server.

That’s it for now. I’ll be out for Melissa Monday at Bardog after work as usual.

Got a question for my readers. The past couple of weeks I have been walking around the Memphis Farmers Market, I have noticed that there seem to be a disproportionate number of Chinese people who shop there. Are farmers markets a big thing in China? Do I have any Chinese readers who can shed some light on this? Just wondering.

I stuck to my plan of getting pakoras from the tandoori truck yesterday.

Pakoras are spinach and onion dipped in batter. If you haven’t tried these at the Market, you are missing out!

Right as I picked up my order, a lady asked me what they were and I showed them to her. She ordered pakoras as well, and later we crossed paths again and she told me I have been missing out by not putting any of the sauces they have next to the napkins and forks. There is a chimichurri sauce, a chutney, and a pickle sauce I believe. I will try at least one of those next time I get the pakoras.

By the way, the food truck is run by David’s Catering. Here’s their Yelp page. From the page I learned that they are a Pakistani business, rather than Indian as I had thought. They are at St. Jude on Mondays and the Memphis Botanic Garden on Wednesdays.

PBR koozie etiquette

Too often in this digital age, good manners are all but forgotten. Sometimes I think it is nice to step back in time to the era of our grandmothers and study proper manners. Consider the following two photos:

As my readers know, back in August my friend Zack gave me a PBR logo koozie that looks like a brown paper bag. In the top photo I illustrate proper use of the koozie, using it to keep a bottle of PBR nice and cool.

In the bottom photo, however, the koozie is folded and lying flat on the bar. It would be disrespectful to the bar, the PBR brand, and the universe in general to put an inferior quality beer in a PBR koozie.

If you’re ever lucky enough to receive the gift of a PBR koozie, I will hope you will have good manners and keep what I wrote here in mind. Your grandmother would be proud.

(By the way, if you’re wondering what in the world I was doing ordering a Bud, Earnestine & Hazel’s ran out of PBR after my second one.)

When I got the koozie, which is very thin, I predicted it would last about a month. However, today is day 50 with the koozie and it will be in use at D-RANKS with B-RAD here in a bit.

Mr. Mister

About 12:30 I left E&H and walked over to my “home away from home on the south side,” Max’s Sports Bar, to watch football. The Arkansas game started at 11, but the Hogs had their final cupcake opponent of the year in Alcorn State. As a result, I didn’t feel the need to be there right at the beginning of the game, and in fact by the time I sat down at Earnestine & Hazel’s a few minutes after 11 the Hogs were already up 10-0.

While the game was on halftime break, I went out to the back deck and checked out the new misting system they have installed to keep customers cool.

It works great. Max has really gone above and beyond to make all his customers, smokers and nonsmokers, happy. By the way the inside bar area is a thousand percent better without all that nasty cigarette smoke. If you tried Max’s in years past, and liked it but couldn’t stand the smoke, give it another chance. I think you will like it.

I was going to stay at Max’s all afternoon, but around 2 the bar started to fill up with horrendous UT orange. After Arkansas won 52-10, I decided it was time to make my exit.

Two of Max’s regulars were notably absent – my favorite West Virginia fans, Emmy and Kenneth. They traveled to Morgantown to watch their Mountaineers pull off a 17-16 win over Kansas State. West Virginia is going to be knocking on the door of the Top 25 this week, I bet!

I walked to the Blind Bear, where they had the Tennessee-Georgia game on. My favorite pair of librarian glasses, a Georgia fan, was bartending, and my buddy Chad, a Tennessee fan, was sitting at the bar. Most everybody but Chad was pulling for Georgia – not because they’re Georgia fans, but because they hate Tennessee. You know, I saw a meme on Facebook yesterday – “Some people hate Hillary, some people hate Donald… but everyone hates Tennessee.”

Dinner gets an upgrade

Late in the afternoon I walked back to Max’s, but after one beer I started to get hungry. I decided to walk over to Spaghetti Warehouse and get dinner. I walked up Main, thinking “Hmmm, hardly anyone is in Rizzo’s today” as I passed Butler. I turned left on Huling, crossed Front, and this is what I saw:

The parking lot was absolutely packed. Spaghetti Warehouse is one of those restaurants I have never quite figured out. Usually if restaurants are not on the well-traveled paths like Main, Second, Monroe, Union, Beale, or G.E. Patterson, they have a lot of trouble attracting customers. That is not the case for Spaghetti Warehouse, tucked away at Huling and Wagner. They have been doing gangbusters ever since I was in college. “Why is this place so busy, and Rizzo’s not, when the food at Rizzo’s is so much better?” I wondered.

Then I thought, “Wait a minute, why am I not at Rizzo’s?” So I walked back.

I got a seat at the bar. The restaurant, in fact, filled up within 20 minutes of my arrival. It’s just that I got there before 5:30. People who want a McDinner are ready to eat at that hour, but most people who want a nice dinner tend to eat it a bit later.

The bartender, Phillip (not sure if one “l” or two, sorry if I misspelled the name there) poured me a Wiseacre beer and handed me a menu. “You also have the the option of just requesting Chef to do whatever he wants for your dinner,” Phillip told me. “For 40 or 50 bucks he can whip you up something nice that is four courses.” That was awfully tempting, and sometime I am definitely going to go that direction. However, I’d already had the pakoras, and I’d been drinking PBR all day. A dinner that memorable should not be done until I’m fully able to appreciate it. So I ordered off the menu. I chose the seafood pasta.

This was a meaty bowl of pasta, with plenty of big chunks of tuna, salmon and other seafood along with tomatoes and mushroom in linguini topped with parmesan. Phillip made an excellent point: The sauce on the dish is light, complementing it without overpowering the taste of the seafood. Very true. My dinner was delicious, as I would expect with Michael Patrick in the kitchen.

As an added bonus, when I checked in on Foursquare/Swarm, I became “mayor” of Rizzo’s! This prompted my friend Katie (not Mac) to comment, “How are you the mayor when I am there more than you?”

Absolutely fabulous day yesterday. I had to grade it, it would get an A+. Perfect weather, perfect neighborhood, perfect entertainment.

Actually, no I will downgrade it to a regular A. Tennessee would have to lose for it to be an A+ day. By the way the owner of the FireButch.com domain was at the Bear at the same time I was. Well, at least there’s one Tennessee fan I respect.

News and random stuff

This morning I was thinking about how WWE sometimes has Fatal Four-Way matches. Maybe soccer should try that. You know, instead of a rectangular field (or pitch or whatever they want to call it), have a square field, with a goal on each side and four teams playing at the same time.

Paul Taylor plays Loflin Yard tonight at 7.

There really isn’t a lot of “special” stuff going on today, but for people who want to get out tonight, I will make three recommendations for events that happen weekly.

The Memphis Jazz Orchestra has its weekly rehearsal at Alfred’s at 6 PM on Sundays. This is a relaxing way to wind down a weekend. People get out on the dance floor and swing dance to the music. My neighbor Kitty Wompas who did the head-shaving at St. Jude is a big fan of this event.

Over at the Hard Rock Cafe, Sundays are Blues Jam nights with the Memphis Blues Society. That starts at 7.

There is no better place to catch FreeWorld than the Band Box at Blues City Cafe. That is the place where they feel the most freedom to be themselves and just totally jam out. Dr. Herman Green is a living legend and the band can play most any tune you can name. They take the stage at 9:30.

All right. Long post is over, my I ♥ Sunday School shirt is fresh out of the dryer, and it’s time for D-RANKS with B-RAD, also known as the Sunday edition of Hung Over Like a Bear brunch at the Blind Bear. Brunch runs from 11 AM all the way to 6 PM, so if you get up late today, you still have time. Now that I think about it, D-RANKS with B-RAD is to me what Sunday night at Blues City is to FreeWorld – the place where I have the most freedom to be myself and I know no one can mess with it. Time to put that PBR koozie to work!

Wine on the River benefiting Youth Villages will happen tonight at Mud Island River Park from 5 to 9 PM. You will be able to sample over 90 wines from national and international vineyards. $59 general admission ticket gets you a souvenir glass and all beverage samples. Live music by Young Petty Thieves, Chinese Connection Dub Embassy, and J.R. Moore. Food by The HoneyBaked Ham Compay, Newby’s, Runway Grille, City East Bagel and Grille, Cordova Catfish, Pronto Pups, Central BBQ, Cafe Society, and SideStreet Burgers will be available for purchase. Needless to say, you must be 21 or over to get in.

A Halloween Cocktail Tour of Downtown Memphis will happen Saturday, October 29 from 4:30 to 7 PM. Stops include Belle Tavern, Cafe Pontotoc, and Rizzo’s Diner. In addition to cocktails, plenty of food will be served. Be prepared to walk about 1.5 miles. You’ll get to go behind the scenes with chefs and bartenders. Tickets are $55.

387 Pantry and City & State will be transformed into Luke’s Diner for a day to celebrate the anniversary of the premiere of The Gilmore Girls on October 5.

The AutoZone National Sales Meeting this week is said to be pushing the renovations to Cook Convention Center. With AutoZone adding 150 stores a year, the meetings get bigger and bigger. On Tuesday they rented out FedExForum for a PBR event for their sales staff (Professional Bull Riders, not my kind of PBR).

Tonight is Blues Night at Loflin Yard with the Daddy Mack Blues Band playing from 7 to 10.

Real2Reel, the photography studio on South Main, is being kicked out of its home at the end of October. They are not sure where they will relocate. I will miss seeing David and Moo Moo on Saturdays as I walk to the Farmers Market.

PANTYRAID comes to the New Daisy tonight at 10.

Paulette’s has published the menu for its October wine dinner with executive chef Jeremy Jaggers Tuesday, October 4.

Last night as I walked to Trolley Tour, I thought about how excited I am going to be having Slider Inn occupying the space that is currently the bocce ball court and the building behind it on Mulberry. With Slider Inn having such a huge outdoor component, that will be a lot more eyes on South Main into the wee hours… which will make that block of main considerably safer. With Slider Inn on that block and the Chisca occupied a couple blocks to the north, there really won’t be an easy point of entry from the east for the bad guys anymore.

Downtown Memphis is losing two good people this week. Longtime Downtown Memphis Commission marketing and communications director Leslie Gower is off to Chattanooga to accept a position there. Also, Mandy Marie, bartender/server at Blind Bear and Agave Maria and instructor at Painting with a Twist, is off to St. Louis today. I wish both of you luck in whatever the future brings.

It’s time for me to go shopping for fresh produce at the Memphis Farmers Market on a beautiful Saturday morning! Plans for the rest of the day TBD. Back tomorrow with more news.

Treat Your Beast is the theme at tomorrow’s Memphis Farmers Market. There’s a lot for your dogs at the Market. Farm House Barkery has dog treats and Heart of Eden has dog care products. You can also shop any of the Market’s several meat vendors and get a bone to give your dog. Dogs’ 2nd Chance will be on hand from 9 to noon for adoptions.

In other Farmers Market news, kids can make farm animal masks in the crafts area from 9 to 11. They can make animal noises while making their masks. The National Kidney Foundation of West Tennessee will be on hand from 8:30 to 12:30 passing out information. Market sponsor Subaru will bring a demo model. Live music by Angela Sue Cheslock from 8:30 to 10 and Seth Austin 11 to 12:30. The Market happens every Saturday from 7 AM to 1 PM under the pavilion at Front and G.E. Patterson.

I PLAN ON BEING THERE tomorrow and I hope the tandoori truck is back! I am in the mood for vegetable pakoras. They give you so many though… I need someone to share my pakoras.

The Grizzlies have an open house tomorrow from 2 to 5 at FedExForum where those considering buying season tickets can test-drive their seats. From 6 to 8 there will be a Blue-White Scrimmage.

A new store called Southern Creed will be coming to South Main soon, selling Southern-inspired fashion of owner Rebecca Thomason’s own design. The store will be the product of the MEMshop program, helping connect business owners and underused or vacant storefronts so the owners can build their businesses.

Susan from the Hungry Memphis blog and former Memphis Flyer writer Bianca checked out Zaka Bowl, the new vegan-bowl restaurant in East Memphis which is the brainchild of Ed from South of Beale.

James Taylor from TV’s The Bachelorette will perform live at Tin Roof today at 8:30 PM. $5 admission.

Interesting: Large chocolate company hires meteorologists to analyze the impact of the weather on the chocolate business. This can include tasks like predicting the supply and size of almonds to go in Almond Joy candy bars. It can also mean looking out for storms and other weather events that might disrupt the supply chain. Thanks to MemphisWeather.net for tweeting this link.

BRIDGES is hiring for four full-time staff positions.

If you’re near a radio this afternoon, turn on WKNO FM 91.1 this afternoon at 3:45. Center for Southern Folklore director Judy Peiser will be on Checking on the Arts to talk about upcoming shows at the Center, as well as the Memphis Music and Heritage Festival that happened September 3-4.

USA TODAY, in its 34 years of operation, has never made a recommendation in a presidential race. However, this week they declared Donald Trump unfit to be president.

South Main Trolley Night should be beautiful this evening! I will be there. Come on out and enjoy South Main!

If you want to do something truly spooky and haunted for Halloween weekend, Elmwood Cemetery is hosting Spirits with the Spirits Friday, October 28 at 7 PM. There will be spirits by Joe’s Wines & Liquors, food by the Juice Plus+ Boys & Girls Club Technical Training Center, and sweets by Frost, Cafe Eclectic, Dinstuhl’s, and Jason’s Deli. There will be live music by Earnestine & Hazel’s house band, as well as fortune telling, palm reading, crystal ball gazing, mule-draw buckboard rides, a silent art auction, outdoor movies, and more. Recommended dress is black & white casual, but of course costumes and characters are welcome. Tickets are $70 per body or $125 couple, and are non-refundable. The event will happen rain or shine.

I wonder what fortune tellers do when they look in the crystal ball and see a bad fortune? I mean, I don’t know if I could tell someone “A crazy person is going to point a gun at you and shoot you at point-blank range” if that’s what I saw in the ball.

There’s an app for everything these days. One problem with buffets is that they throw a tremendous amount of food away at closing time every day. The BuffetGo app aims to change that. App users get a window, usually of 15 to 30 minutes, when they can come to the restaurant and grab leftover food, sometimes for as little as $2. I posted the app to Facebook last night and tagged the Nuh-Uh Girl. If BuffetGo comes to San Francisco she will be all over it.

Groundbreaking is finally going to happen on the ArtSpace Lofts on St. Paul. This has been 6 years in the making, and there will be a celebration today from 4:30-6:30. Ceremonial groundbreaking, “art shovels,” food trucks, and live music.

There will be a Purchased Lives Exhibit Talk with Joshua Rothman. He will talk on a topic related to the exhibit, a look at the economics of the American slave trade.

The Memphis Grizzlies 2016-17 home game promotional schedule has been released. On October 26, the first 10,000 fans will receive a “Grind City” T-shirt. New for this year are “Fizz Glasses” in honor of Coach Fizdale, to be given away November 25 when the Miami Heat play in Memphis. I don’t know if any of my readers do yoga, but if they do, later in the season there will be a Chandler Parsons yoga mat given away at the Houston game on January 21.

Speaking of yoga: Instructor Beth Cosi will be in town Saturday for a special class, The Yin Experience, Saturday from 1 to 4 PM at Downtown Yoga. Beth will guide the class through a Body Scan and Senses Experience, and will explain the three tenets of a Yin Yoga practice. $35. More information and sign-up here.

A fair that was scheduled for the weekend of October 7-8 in Tom Lee Park has been canceled because of a dispute over costs for security.

Michael Hicks Thompson will sign copies of his Christian murder mystery The Rector Friday night from 6 to 9 PM at South Main Book Juggler. The book is already a winner of several literary awards.

Rep. Steve Cohen will be joining President Obama’s delegation to Israel to attend the funeral of Shimon Peres.

That’s the news for now. I will be out at a Downtown location after work.

About 5:30 in the morning of October 2, 2006, my phone rang, waking me up. “Paul, come up to the roof,” my neighbor Carmel said as I answered. “Downtown is on fire!”

A third-year resident of Number 10 Main at the time, I rode the elevator up to the rooftop, where I found about 15 of my neighbors in the enclosed area. We definitely didn’t want to be outside because embers were blowing around everywhere on that gusty morning. Court Square Annex was engulfed in flames, and the building completely collapsed not long after I got up there. A minor fire had started on one of the rooftops of the Lincoln-American Tower. I was told that the Court Square fires had started from embers that had blown south from a fire at First United Methodist Church at Second and Poplar. We couldn’t see that building from our roof, but I found out later that, like Court Square Annex, it had burned to the ground. The whole of Downtown might have burned that night if not for a superb effort on the part of the Memphis Fire Department.

Sunday is the 10-year anniversary of the fire, and First United Methodist will host Fired Up for the Future, a special service to celebrate how far the church has come in that period of time.

The Memphis Flyer’s Best Of issue hit the stands today, so be sure to pick one up.

Today is National Drink Beer Day. I will be delighted to do my patriotic duty this evening and show my support for this holiday.

The Tin Roof is holding a Samuel Adams Beer Stein Hoisting Championship this Saturday, October 1 at 2 PM. The winner will move on to the district finals in Nashville.

This Sunday at the Green Beetle, you have a chance to win tickets for the October 16 Cleveland Browns vs. Tennessee Titans game. Every Miller Lite you buy gets you an entry to the raffle for the tickets, to be held after this Sunday’s Titans game.

Since it began publication in 1890, the Arizona Republic has never endorsed a Democrat over a Republican for president. This endorsement history is said to be the “deep philosophical appreciation for conservative ideals and Republican principles.” However, the streak has come to an end in 2016. “The 2016 Republican candidate is not conservative and he is not qualified.” Very well said.

Next Wednesday, October 5, Jennifer Westwood and the Handsome Devils play The Dirty Crow Inn from 8 to 11 PM.

A Tale of Two Plans: The idea for the $5 million grant used to develop Fourth Bluff looks an awful lot like an idea Jonathan Kirkscey had nine years ago for Memphis Art Park.

Deering & Down play Tacos and Tunes tomorrow night on Felicia Suzanne’s patio. $2 tacos, $5 drinks.

That’s it for now. Possibly a third post before I hit the Silly Goose for happy hour after work.

I came home to find my Gmail inbox filled with blessings from the planet Zambodia. Prince Mongo wrote to compliment me on a recent Facebook post I made about forgiveness. He also asked me to put the word out that he has an apartment coming up for rent at the Mongominiums near Main and Butler. It’s a one bedroom, one bath, fully furnished, all utilities included, for $950 a month. Email me at paul@paulryburn.com if interested and I will give you Mongo’s number.

The Hungry Memphis blog posted a copy of Catherine & Mary’s menu. I agree with what Hungry Memphis posted, it’s pretty fancy. Lots of words I am not sure I know how to pronounce.

Bike Walk Memphis has started an ioby campaign to raise funds for public bicycle repair stands for Cooper-Young. These are stands on which you hang your bike to make it easy to work on. The stands will have an air pump and tools that will allow you to fix most minor problems, along with step-by-step instructions. The plan is to install two such stands, one near Memphis Made Brewing Co. and one near First Congregational Church.

To help raise money for the project, Memphis Made is hosting Get Your Fix in C-Y Saturday night at 6:00 on its patio. Nick Oyler, the city’s new bike and pedestrian program manager, will be on hand, as will Bike Walk Memphis. A portion of beer sales that evening will go toward purchase of the racks.

Just over a year ago I posted how a woman had fallen on the Main Street Mall and it took a ridiculously long time to get 911 on the line. I’m pleased to hear that Mayor Strickland is working hard on that issue. From July 2015 to 2016 the average wait time for 911 dropped from a hideously bad 98.5 seconds to 39.9 seconds, the mayor reported. That’s better but he realizes it is still not good – 20 seconds or less is the number to shoot for. The city is paying MFD and Shelby County dispatchers overtime to assist, is streamlining the hiring and training process, and is focusing on retaining seasoned staff. Kudos Mr. Mayor for addressing this very important matter!

Mayor Strickland also reported that city pavers are finishing up a project this week and will next turn their attention to The Edge. He said in particular Monroe Avenue can expect some improvements in paving. Good news for my readers who live on that street.

Thought on The Giant Hole MLGW has been digging on a different part of Monroe, outside of Bardog: Wait a minute, where is Aldo going to park the hearse? Every year, Bardog raffles off a hearse, with the drawing happening at 11:59 PM on October 31. Aldo always buys a hearse around the first of October and pays the parking meter for the month so it can sit outside his bar. Trouble is, The Giant Hole is blocking the hearse’s traditional parking spot.

Yesterday I was telling the day bartender, who is relatively new, that I remember the hole being there as far back as December 4 of last year. It’s getting close to turning one year old. Shall we throw it a birthday party?

The season finale of MyHQ Sunset Yoga is today at 6:30 in Memphis Park at Front and Jefferson. This free all-levels yoga class is followed by free wine provided by The Corkscrew, and you are welcome to bring a picnic basket. They have extra yoga mats but if you own one they ask that you bring it. Follow @DowntownMemphis to stay aware of weather cancellation, although I don’t think that will be a problem today. This may be the first Sunset Yoga class all year when they have had really nice weather.

The weather has been so miserably hot most of this month that Loflin Yard has created a Facebook event for First Friday that Feels Like Fall Lunch. 2-for-1 po-boy specials and acoustic music on the deck.

MATA is hiring 40 new bus operators and 6 new diesel mechanics.

Now that he no longer has to face the voters in a presidential election, Barack Obama has a little more freedom to speak his mind on the important issues. This weekend he sat down with Anthony Bourdain and tackled one of the most important issues of all: hot dog condiments. According to the president, ketchup isn’t an acceptable hot dog condiment past the age of 8. I could not agree more. Thanks, Obama!

Off to work. Possibly another post later today.

Exciting news for South Main, as a rumor I have been hearing for over a month has now been confirmed: The second Slider Inn location is coming to the area. Aldo, owner of the original Slider Inn as well as Bardog Tavern and Aldo’s Pizza Pies, is finalizing the purchase of the building at 363 Mulberry. The parcel of land will include the lot behind the building, currently a bocce ball court. Aldo hopes to have the new restaurant open by spring.

South Main Trolley Night turns sweet sixteen this Friday night. For the past 16 years, on the last Friday of every month the shops and galleries have stayed open late, with some of them providing appetizers, beverages, discounts, and/or live music. If you’re a South Main Association member, there will be a member area for you next to Bluff City Coffee, with burgers, dogs, beverages, and cake ($10 non-members). South Main Sounds Songwriter Night #38 will happen at 550 S. Main that night. The weather looks like it will be beautiful and I plan to hit the streets of South Main!

Memphis is getting another craft brewery. Meddlesome Brewing Co. has announced it will open in a location near Shelby Farms. There will be a taproom to go along with the brewery.

Jay Whitecotton (Funny or Die) will give a free comedy performance at High Cotton Brewing Co. tonight at 8. His recent album hit number one on iTunes Comedy and he will be recording for FOX and Hulu later this year. The event is free to attend and is 21 and up.

Tory Lanez with special guest Veecee performs at the New Daisy tonight. Tickets are $25-30. Doors open at 7, show at 8.

Streetdog Foundation’s annual fundraiser Howl at the Moon will happen on Saturday, November 12 at The Warehouse at Front and G.E. Patterson from 6 to 11 PM. Streetdog is a wonderful organization that rescues dogs, fosters them, and gets them adopted. There will be several bars throughout The Warehouse serving specialty cocktails, including the popular Howler. There will be live music by Shufflegrit, James and the Ultrasounds, South Side Supper Club, Kim Garmon, Allessandra Daniele, and dance music by DJ Tree.

The CA has a really good article on Nick Scott’s rise through the ranks of Memphis kitchens to eventually become co-owner of Alchemy. Nick worked in several kitchens Downtown on his way up, including many years at Bluefin.

A summit is being held next week to address the issues of parking, walkability, and public transit in the Downtown core and in the Medical Center District.

Memphis Flyer article on Memphis Made Brewing Co.: How a beer becomes a can

I watched the debate with a couple of friends in the back room of the Blind Bear yesterday evening. For the first 20 minutes or so, I actually thought Trump was winning, and thinking to myself, “the national nightmare is going to come true. We’re going to elect President Trump.” However, Hillary soon got him to take her bait. When Hillary said it’s possible he doesn’t pay any taxes and he replied “That’s smart,” I thought, that’s it, Hillary won the debate. The “400 pound person sitting on a bed” quote made Trump look pretty idiotic too.

Jerry Springer agreed.

Hillary Clinton belongs in the White House. Donald Trump belongs on my show.

— Jerry Springer (@jerryspringer) September 27, 2016

That’s it for now. Back to work after a four-day weekend that was absolutely outstanding. I’ll be out at happy hour at one of the usual spots this evening.