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If you walked the streets of Downtown Memphis last year, you may have seen Paul Morris who ran DMC riding around on his infamous Segway. Now that he is no longer running DMC and is focusing on his family’s auto glass business, he no longer needs the Segway and is putting it up for sale. Hit him up at @memphismorris on Twitter. No reasonable offer refused.

There will be a Cinema of Canada film fest next month to showcase the movies of Memphis in May’s honored country for this year.

If you own a Windows computer with the QuickTime video player on it, you need to uninstall it immediately. Two new vulnerabilities have been discovered and Apple no longer supports QuickTime for Windows, so don’t expect a fix.

The Redbirds begin a road series for the next 8 days. Want to see Redbirds road games? You can, here.

901 Fest has announced its list of musicians, artists, and vendors. The festival will be May 28 at Tom Lee Park, replacing Sunset Symphony. Some of Memphis’ best food trucks are on this list. I’m rather surprised that only one local craft brewery, Ghost River, is a beer vendor.

The DMC is still searching for a qualified firm to manage Beale Street. Read the RFP. Submit applications to Jeff Sanford, Beale Street RFP, c/o DMC, 114 N. Main Street, Memphis TN 38103 no later than 4 PM June 24.

Underground Kitchen is coming to Memphis. The Flyer link has details. In 2011 when I was still part of the Ques Brothers, one of our cooks from Chicago ran a similar underground dining experience, and after BBQ Fest that year he brought the concept to Memphis for one night only. This was a fantastic experience. If you love food I would check the new underground kitchen out.

Can’t make it to the Farmers Market but love Claybrook Farms meat? You can order their April bundle.

Totally agree with this:

Tubby Smith, welcome. Hire Antonio Anderson for your staff. He already has familiarity with the program & has a rapport w/the community.

— The Supreme (@RockstarCDR) April 14, 2016

Here’s a look at what Josh Pastner will get paid at Georgia Tech as well as buyout structure. He’s taking a pay cut, but the pay is still in line with what typical ACC coaches make. Want to be one of Pastner’s assistants? I hope you don’t play golf.

That’s all for now. There may be a second post after work, but probably not one tomorrow morning. I have to get to South Main super early to hit the Farmers Market before Downtown Olympics begins. I plan on being there all day taking photos. I hope you see you at the Double J parking lot tomorrow!

Bring It Food Hub out in The Edge announced that they have volunteer opportunities available. The food hub delivers fresh produce to subscribers locally at designated pickup points.

Speaking of fresh produce, Saturday is Let’s Dig In! at the Memphis Farmers Market. April is National Garden and Lawn Month, and you can spruce up your lawn and front porch with flowers and plants from the Farmers Market. Kids can get in on the fun as well, in the second installment of the Life on the Farm education series. They get to plant seeds in a pocket greenhouse to watch them grow. There will be live music from Toni Norton 8:30 to 10 and Tiffany Harmon 11 to 12:30. The Market happens every Saturday from 7 AM to 1 PM at the corner of Front and G.E. Patterson.

I know many people will be in the area Saturday for Downtown Olympics. If you’re coming to DTO but have never been to the Farmers Market, do yourself a favor and plan your arrival time 20-30 minutes early and stop by. This is an awesome resource for Downtown and as I have stressed, much more than just produce. I will be at DTO all day but I will take my own advice and arrive at the Farmers Market a half hour before DTO starts for my weekly smoothie and maybe some food truck fare.

This week the Market has a vendor chitchat with Teresa White of Studio 1688, a blown glass vendor.

Random thing I learned from MemphisWeather.net today: Showers and storms that move east to west, opposite the normal direction, are called Crazy Ivan.

The broadcast schedule for Memphis Grizzlies playoff games has been announced. Game 4 (Sunday, April 24 at noon) will be televised nationally on ABC. Before or after commercial breaks, broadcasters often cut to live shots of Beale Street. The beginning of the second half will coincide with the starting time for Beale Street Wine Race’s Queen of the Vine competition. Oh my. ABC may be getting more than it bargained for with that view.

Work on the mural decorating 107 S. Main is underway. Have a look.

Bendy Brewski Yoga, the company that hosts brewery yoga at the High Cotton taproom Thursday evenings, is adding a monthly event at the Rec Room out on Broad Avenue. The third Sunday of every month will be Bendy Boozy Yoga at 11 AM. This is a one-hour, instructor-led private yoga class followed by the brunch cocktail of your choice for $20. Weather permitting (and it looks like it will be beautiful Sunday, April 17 for the first class) the practice will be held on Rec Room’s outdoor patio. Mats will be available and there will be additional drink specials too. I would TOTALLY be attending this, because you know how much I like exercise and drives past the Parkways, but Sunday is Rajun Cajun Crawfish Fest Downtown and I can’t miss that. I won’t make the May edition either, because that’s BBQ Fest load-out day and I will be at the Load-out Command Center at 115 South Main.

Register here for a chance to be drawn to take a half-court shot at a Grizzlies game. Win a Toyota RAV4 if you are chosen and make the shot.

Home from work, time for beer, see you tomorrow.

So, Tubby Smith is the new Memphis head coach. My first reaction was “Eh.” Having grown up on Nolan Richardson’s fast-paced 40 Minutes of Hell at Arkansas, the Tubbyball style which is slower, more defensive-minded, stressing fundamentals, seemed boring to me.

However, I have come around to like the hire. Kids who come play here have all had enablers in their ear, telling them they are on the fast track to the NBA, and that they are too good to listen to their coaches. As a result, recent Tigers teams have tended to play AAU style ball at the college level, and of course that has not worked out well. Fundamentals and team ball concepts are exactly what our young players need to learn. This Sporting News article says it well.

Rumor has it Tubby will name Penny Hardaway as lead assistant. Although Tubby is not a strong recruiter and doesn’t know about recruiting in the Memphis area, I think recruiting will be just fine if we have Penny on board and retain Keelon Lawson as an assistant. Dedric Lawson has already said he will be back next season, which is a promising sign.

Welcome to Memphis, Coach.

If you didn’t make it to the Silly Goose last night to hear Charvey Mac, you have an additional chance to catch him Downtown this week. He will play the Harbor Town Crawfish Festival from 1 to 4 Saturday.

Historian Jimmy Ogle is hosting a free Memphis Music Tour this afternoon at 5:30. Meet at the Beale Street Caravan office at 49 Union. Free to attend.

There’s a Lip Sync Battle tonight at the Hard Rock Cafe tonight at 7. People who garnered the most online votes in a lip sync battle will compete, but there will be celebrities competing as well, including Al Kapone, Mayor Strickland, Gina Neely (Food Network star), Bev Johnson, and Bar-Kays vocalist Larry Dodson. $30 individual ticket or $50 for two, with proceeds benefiting Plus-1, the MLGW program that provides money to pay the utility bills for those in need.

Saturday is National Eggs Benedict Day. My recommendation would be to go to brunch at Rizzo’s Diner and have the Catfish Benedict. I had it back in January and it is the best Benedict I have ever had.

The River Rat Rounders poker league now has an app where players can access all their information in one place. Available for iPhone and Android.

Last month, a Los Angeles woman claimed abuse by Memphis Grizzlies forward Zach Randolph. She claimed he hit her in the neck and back, and showed bruises. Now she has admitted she was lying, and that a friend helped her make the bruises. I hope she faces punishment for filing a false police report, and if she put those accusations on an official court document and signed her name, I hope she gets charged with perjury too. I’m reminded of the saying, “When you tell the truth, it becomes part of your past; but when you lie, it becomes part of your future.” Congrats to Z-bo on having his good name cleared. I’m sure this was an unwelcome nuisance during crunch time at the end of the regular season.

Here’s a link to game times for the #2 Spurs vs. #7 Grizzlies playoff opening round. Note that all times are Eastern, so subtract an hour from what is listed. FiveThirtyEight gives the Grizz a 2% chance of advancing to the conference semis. Like I said yesterday, if you want a 2016 Growl Towel, better attend the April 22 or April 24 game at FedExForum.

I want to apologize to the Brass Door for having twice said I was coming up there after work and making it there neither time. The reality is, when you are on a BBQ team, all plans are tentative in the 5-6 weeks preceding BBQ Fest. This week I have had to remain in the Main/Gayoso/Peabody place area with my Director of PR hat on, to give my perspective on a few team matters. I hope to be back at the Brass Door soon and the absence will be temporary.

As if we needed one more thing going on Saturday, rapper Andy Mineo will play the New Daisy at 7 that night with Propaganda as part of his Uncomfortable tour. Tickets $22 in advance/$27 day of show or $45/50 for VIP tickets.

That’s it for now. A second post after work with Farmers Market info and more is a strong possibility.

Round 1 playoff tickets are on sale at the FedExForum box office. There is a Plaza Party where you can grab your playoff swag. If you want to score a Growl Towel for 2016 you should probably buy a ticket to game 3 or 4 or both; I hate to be negative but let’s face it, the Grizzlies might not be around for game 6 or the second round.

Last week I announced that there would be a Downtown Public Safety Meeting Thursday at 5:30 at the Central Station board room. The meeting will still be held and the time is still the same, but the location has changed to the 5 Spot.

College students: You can intern with the Memphis City government this summer. Find out how.

Former Downtown resident, celebrity mainly because “he’s famous,” and reality show star David Gest has died in London at age 62.

The Memphis Daily News has a great profile of Paul Young, who became Director of Housing and Community Development for Memphis in January. He has a vision for South City, the mixed-income neighborhood that will rise in the place of Foote Homes. Foote Homes, the city’s last housing project, is on track to be demolished this summer.

A day before tribute band Zoso plays their material at the New Daisy, Led Zeppelin is headed to court to answer a claim that they plagiarized “Stairway to Heaven.”

British Bingo at the Brass Door will become Irish Bingo a special guest announcing the numbers tonight: Seamus. Free to play, starts around 7:30. $100 in prizes awarded over six games, $4 Fireball.

Trolley Stop Market has unveiled the fruits of a project they have been working on for some time: an all-natural sorghum syrup that is locally grown and chemical-free. It’s being sold at the market now and is said to be great on biscuits.

Great news for Memphis Tigers basketball. Dedric Lawson has withdrawn his name for the NBA draft and will return for his sophomore year.

Loflin Yard opens at 4 this afternoon and they posted that there will be live bluegrass music.

I’ve had a couple of team members compliment me on the member list on the sidebar of the Moody Ques website. Tip of the hat to Porkosaurus, from whom I stole the idea. I wanted to show on our website that every member is an important part of the team. I was also adamant that it be one list, and not board members listed separately from team members. I also like the member list because it gives us transparency: If you are thinking about joining or sponsoring the Moody Ques, you know exactly who we are. No surprises.

If you were expecting to see your name on the team member list and you don’t: PAY YO DUES

Streetdog Foundation will have adoptable dogs at Memphis Made Brewing Co. Saturday from 1 to 4.

Tubbyball coming to Memphis? I’m seeing several respected sports sources reporting that Texas Tech head coach Tubby Smith is on the short list of candidates the Tigers are considering for their head coaching position.

That’s it for now. Second post is a possibility after work. I will lead off at Silly Goose then probably over to Brass Door to play Seamus’ bingo.

Yesterday I left the Blind Bear about 11, walking north on Main then turning right onto Union to get to-go food from Huey’s. MPD drove by and slowed down and looked me over good. I guess because of the long hair they think I’m a drug dealer? Pretty sure most drug dealers don’t wear shorts when it’s 55 degrees out.

There’s a new Memphis Music app available for iPhones and Android phones. It’s a product of the Rock N’ Soul Museum and the Memphis Music Hall of Fame. It has plenty of information about Memphis music attractions, new Memphis music, the city’s many live music venues, Memphis music events, and much more. Kris from The Warehouse recommended it, and given his ties to the local music scene that’s a pretty strong endorsement.

Moody Ques members: We need your T-shirt sizes. 1 shirt is included with individual membership, 2 if you joined as a couple.

Million Dollar Quartet, the TV show set in the 1950s currently being filmed here, has put out a call for paid extras.

The 2016 Peabody Rooftop Party opener is this Thursday, April 14, headlined by The Molly Ringwalds and American Idol winner David Cook. These parties are hosted by The Q 107.5/96.1 with DJ Mark Anderson spinning. $15 admission, first 200 ladies free with doors opening at 6 and entertainment beginning at 7. Admission includes a buffet of chicken drummies, chips and veggies (available 7-8 PM). There is a VIP season pass you can purchase for $150. It gets you into a private VIP area where there is a second buffet of carved prime rib, lobster mach & cheese, and cupcakes (7-9:30 PM).

The My HQ Alley Party is coming the evening of Wednesday, April 20 in Barboro Alley next to Downtown Local. There will be Local’s craft beer, music by DJ Witnesse, art by Tom Domek, and ping-pong tables. Come check out the new lighting and compete in an office stock photo contest.

Need to get a workout in fast on your lunch break? The Church Health Center at 1115 Union is hosting a Pilates Express class from noon to 12:30 on Wednesday, April 27.

Keep an eye on North Korea. There have been some serious defections there, including a colonel and a diplomat. Also, 13 restaurant workers defected and North Korea’s only ally China could have stopped them and chose not to. North Korean leaders are planning a congress of the Korean Workers’ Party next month, the first since 1980, to demonstrate Kim Jong Un’s strength, but in preparation they are working their people nonstop.

It’s Equal Pay Day. If you are a woman who has been working since January 1, 2015, as of today on average you have earned as much as a man working the same job earned in calendar 2015.

The Fly on the Wall blog has a vintage commercial for the Green Beetle. By-the-drink liquor sales weren’t legal at the time, so the commercial advised to go to Frank’s next door and get a fifth of Old Crow and take it over to the Beetle.

Africa in April is at Robert Church Park at Fourth and Beale this coming weekend, Friday through Sunday. The honored country this year is Tanzania. Holly has details here. NOTE: I have not confirmed for 2016 but Uncle Lou’s has been known to be a vendor at this festival in the past. You may be able to get some Sweet Spicy Love without leaving Downtown.

Note about this weekend: If you see me at Downtown Olympics Saturday (I will be there all day), I would love to hang out and talk, but I’m asking that people not offer to buy me beer and shots. The reason why is that I have a VERY long day Saturday, extending well past the end time for DTO, and if I do shots all afternoon I will not make it to the second half of my plans. Thanks to all for understanding. I hope to take a lot of photos and tell the story on my blog of DTO and of the Urban Bicycle Food Ministry. If you volunteer for UBFM (or if you get fed by UBFM) I would love to get a quote from you on what the organization means to you.

That’s all for now. Maybe a second post after work, so check back.

I made my first trip to Bass Pro yesterday! It was the annual cooks’ meeting that Memphis in May holds every year. It’s not really a cooks’ meeting at all, explained my BBQ team president and treasurer. “You stand in line in a number of different booths and pay for everything. You get your 24-hour and park hours wristbands, and also Wednesday Friends and Family Night tickets. You also pay for electrical and porta-potties and all the other things you need for your booth.”

“It’s at Bass Pro this year,” they told me. “It’s a much bigger space than previous cooks’ meetings, and for the first time ever they’re going to have a cash bar. You want to go?” Given that it’s my first year on the team’s board of directors, I decided it was an experience I should have, and rode over with them.

The cooks’ meeting was on the upper level overlooking the main store. This level also is where the hotel, Big Cypress Lodge, is located.

Team vice-president Erik, pitmaster Frank, and president Clay made sure that all of the team’s paperwork was in order.

The view from Big Cypress Lodge’s hotel bar, overlooking the store. This was a really neat place and I will have to visit again soon.

Although I thought I would be completely useless at a “cooks’ meeting,” I actually served a purpose there. The team ordered 10 Friends & Family Night tickets, which along with the 17 24-hour wristbands would give us 27 admissions on Wednesday. I pulled up the Moody Ques website on my phone, and did a quick count of the member list on the sidebar. “That’s not enough,” I told the team treasurer. “We have 33 members at this point.”

“Should I get 10 more, so we have 37?” she asked.

“Still not enough,” I replied. “The member list doesn’t include sponsors, who will want to come, and we have a few people we know are joining but who haven’t paid yet. And we still want to add a few more team members.” (By the way, if you’re interested in joining the team or sponsoring us, email moodyques@gmail.com.) So we ordered 20 additional tickets, giving us 47 admissions. The thing about Friends & Family Night tickets is that they are a scarce commodity. If we have more tickets than we can use, there will certainly be other BBQ teams willing to buy them.

We did a little shopping after the meeting. To my younger, male readers interested in meeting older, mature, experienced women, Bass Pro has the attire you desire:

We saw our friends on Porkosaurus and Squeal Street BBQ getting their registration done too. Congratulations to Squeal Street, by the way, on what I hear was a very successful event Saturday. Good to see them getting some practice in, as they prepare to compete in the Shoulder division for the first time. With them right down the sidewalk from the Moody Ques, I look forward to spending a considerable amount of time hanging out in their booth in 2016.

There was no actual “meeting” part of the cooks’ meeting. The people at Memphis in May know we are veterans of BBQ Fest (hard to believe this will be my 10th year on a team) and know the ropes.

On to the news… if you have heard of career coaches and have wondered, “Why would people hire a career coach? What do they do that can help you?”, my friend Angela who coaches has an excellent answer here.

Riverside Drive is down to one lane each direction. Not sure if this is early prep for Memphis in May, or cleanup for the mudslide that happened back in March.

Following my visit to Loflin Yard last week, I had a few friends ask if the outdoors area is pet-friendly. Indeed it is. They have a section covered with mulch, specifically to accommodate customers who want to bring their dogs. There are ordering windows for food and for beer, so you can do everything without ever actually going inside.

From The Student Section: Why the Memphis Tigers job is a great one that head coaches should covet

We have several Yankee members of the BBQ team who travel to Memphis every year, and they are considered the hardest workers on the team (now that I am no longer in my “Mr. Load-in” role). They are a big fan of a BBQ sauce that they bring with them called Southern Yankee Sauce. Check it out here.

The Salty Dogs running club’s 6th anniversary run is tonight at Bardog. The rain will hopefully be gone by then, leaving a nice evening for the runners. Free to participate.

Historian Jimmy Ogle will lead a free tour of Memphis’ historic Cotton Row tomorrow at 11:45 AM. Meet at the Cotton Museum at Front and Union.

Here’s an example of what the front page might look like reporting on the activities of President Trump. While the front page example was made up, you just can’t make stuff like this up: Trump’s daughter Ivanka, leading the get-out-the-vote effort for her dad in New York, forgot to register to vote.

Memphis Animal Services is hosting a advisory board meeting Wednesday at the main library that is open for the public to attend. Come to the meeting if you thought the way Animal Services operated under former mayor Wharton was unacceptable. Make your voice heard and demand transparency.

Probable, but not definite plans for the evening will be to lead off at Bardog for Melissa Monday. I won’t be running with the Salty Dogs but will congratulate them on six great years. Second stop after that TBD. Everyone be safe driving home. It looks like it’s going to be a wet one.

This is the last “normal” weekend Downtown before we go festival crazy. There wasn’t much happening Downtown this weekend, and a lot of folks Lyfted/Ubered out to the Overton Square crawfish fest. Next weekend, however, there will be plenty to choose from. Here’s a look:

Downtown Olympics: This is a fundraiser for the Urban Bicycle Food Ministry, a wonderful organization that helps feed the hungry. They make delicious burritos and other nutritious foods, then ride around Downtown and Midtown handing them out. They don’t judge the people they come in contact with, they don’t ask “how did you end up on the street?”… their only question is “Are you hungry?”

This is not your typical fundraiser, though. If you are thinking a black-tie event at the Cadre building with coverage in the society pages, you don’t understand Downtowners. Downtown Olympics (often abbreviated DTO), happening Saturday, April 16 from 10 AM to 5 PM in Double J’s parking lot, has teams of four, dressed in self-designed uniforms, competing in five events. The day kicks off with a beer relay, followed by cornhole, beer pong, tricycle races (wheels can be no bigger than 16″), and the penultimate event, synchronized drinking. There is beer, beer, beer, Fireball, beer, more beer, and more Fireball consumed throughout the day. The later events in the day are the most fun to watch because team members can barely stand up straight by that point, much less ride a tricycle or drink in unison with teammates. This is a must-watch and I will be there all day taking photos. Only Wine Race and BBQ Fest later in the spring calendar bring the shitshow more than DTO does.

Memphis Brewfest: This is a beer festival at AutoZone Park from 4:00 to 7:30 on Saturday, April 16. Buy tickets here ($47 general admission or $100 VIP). This is a fundraiser for Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy. It will be in the courtyard of AutoZone Park, or moved to the concourse underneath the seats in the case of rain. You get a souvenir sampling glass and can take it to numerous tasting stations to sample different beers. Although some of the beers are commonly sold in Memphis, many are not. This is a great opportunity to get educated about different types of beer. It’s also a great opportunity to get hammered! Food will be available for purchase if you get hungry, and there will be live entertainment by Red Letter Day.

Memphis Flyer Bacon & Bourbon Festival: If you haven’t bought tickets to this yet, you’re out of luck: They sold out last week. This will be held in The Memphis Farmers Market pavilion from 6 to 9 PM Saturday, April 16. There will be bacon-inspired dishes by Memphis chefs, as well as plenty of spirits to sample. There will be music from Papa Top’s West Coast Turnaround, as well as cigar rolling from BeLeaf Cigar Company.

I’ve been looking at the Facebook event listing for Downtown Olympics and this festival, and there are plenty of people listed as attending both. Even for experienced Downtowners who know how to hold their alcohol, these two events back-to-back are going to be quite a challenge. I’m guessing Uber will be jacking their prices to premium rates Saturday night, because all these events will keep them busy for sure. If you attend both DTO and the bacon/bourbon fest, better take Monday as a vacation day because the two-day hangover will probably happen.

Harbor Town Crawfish Fest: Yes, ANOTHER festival happening Saturday. This one is on Mud Island, on the parking lot of Movie and Pizza Company. This is by far the tamest of the Saturday festivals. If Overton Square Crawfish Fest and Rajun Cajun get too crowded for your taste, this might be more your speed. It happens from noon to 7 Saturday, and benefits the Mid-South Food Bank. $5 or two canned goods to get in. Live music by Gerry Finney.

Rajun Cajun Crawfish Fest: This event happens Sunday, April 17, noon to 6, on the river between Union and Beale. Of all of Memphis’ spring crawfish festivals, this is the largest and the best one. They sell buckets of crawfish – price uncertain but last year they were $20. There are plenty of other dining options too, including boiled shrimp, classic carnival fare (“It looks like fries! But it’s CHICKEN!”), as well as some of Memphis’ best food trucks. There will be live zydeco music, crawfish races for the children, and the always entertaining crawfish bobbing. No kidding, contestants put their hands behind their back, stick their face in a tub full of live crawfish, and pull out as many as they can with their teeth before time expires. Although the bobbing is a much-loved event to most, there is one group who don’t care for it: the crawfish. They fight back with their pincers and you could end up seeing more blood at this event than at Wrestlemania. Well, it’s not that bad, but the mudbugs do get their shots in. This is one of my favorite festivals and the tube top watching is excellent when the weather is warm. I definitely plan on being there, after an hour of pre-gaming at D-RANKS with B-RAD at the Blind Bear at 11.

My 2016 perfect attendance streak at the Memphis Farmers Market has been broken in only the second week. We installed a new server at work Friday night and we had to test all our code Saturday morning. Unfortunately applying the security settings took longer than expected and I wasn’t able to get out until about 2:30. I will be back at MFM next Saturday for a very brief visit, picking up some food from Rock’n Dough or the tandoori truck to eat as I walk over to DTO.

It’s kinda funny… when I posted that I was late getting out because I was testing a new server, I failed to take into account that I have far more friends in the service industry than in IT. “What is he doing?” the folks at the Blind Bear speculated in my absence. “Did they hire Paul to train new Saucer girls?”

The Redbirds play an early game today at 2:05 (gates 1:00) vs. the Colorado Sky Sox. It’s a good day to bring the kids – the first 2500 fans 12 and under get a free ice cream treat, and kids can run the bases after the game. PRO TIP: If your kid is 13 or 14 and has not had his or her growth spurt yet, they can probably lie about their age and still get the ice cream. Who cards kids, after all?

Geez… I’m encouraging lying… fostering the next generation of Trumps/Hillarys on my blog today.

Historian Jimmy Ogle leads a free walking tour of the riverside today at 2. Meet at Chickasaw Heritage Park next to the Metal Museum (take exit 12C off I-55… or miss the exit and get a self-conducted tour of Arkansas, whatever you choose). On the tour, Jimmy will lead guests to Crump Park, with lots of river history along the way.

The 901 Heavy Hitters play Alfred’s tonight at 8.

Sunday Fun Day time. I’m leading off at D-RANKS with B-RAD as usual at 11, but you never ever know where else I might pop up. Back tomorrow with more news.

I took a trip south to the newly opened Loflin Yard with the BBQ team president last night.

Loflin Yard is a new Downtown destination I don’t even know how to describe. It’s a 1500 foot interior where you can order a bottle of wine, a soft drink, or craft beer. You take it out on a 10,000sf space to sip wherever you like and they will bring you your food order.

We had the beef brisket and sweet corn. Worth coming back for. PRO TIP: Get food entrees to share. Also the beer is considerably a better value per pitcher than by the pint. Sharing is caring. And it saves money.

The restroom situation needs work. They had a one-holer for a crowd of about 175 (men’s room; I have no idea what the women’s was). They need to fix that. Otherwise, perfect execution of a concept not seen before in Memphis.

On to the news. The first fireworks night of the year happens following the Redbirds-Colorado Springs game at AutoZone Park tonight. Get there early, because the first 1500 fans in the turnstile get a free Redbirds seat cushion. The dueling pianos will be back in the right-field seating area. Prior to the 6:05 first pitch, Tara Oaks Elementary School will sing the national anthem.

If you eat Cracker Jack at ball games, or if you grew up loving the popcorn and peanut treat as a kid, you might want to check out the Cracker Jack Collectors Association convention happening Saturday, May 14 out east at the Embassy Suites. Prizes and memorabilia from the 1890s to the present will be on display.

There’s a Memphis Walkabilty Toolkit you can download (PDF format) if you are part of a neighborhood association or CDC or if you are a community volunteer who wants to improve the sidewalks in your neighborhood.

Black Violin plays tonight at the Orpheum. Wil B and Kev Marcus are two classically-trained violinists who spent some time in hip-hop before returning to their roots. They have performed all over the world, including the president’s Inaugural Ball and for the troops in Iraq. Tickets are $20 to $28.

The Grizzlies host Golden State tonight at 7 at FedExForum. This could be seen as a game that doesn’t matter now that the Grizzlies are safely in the playoffs, but that is not the case at all. The Grizzlies are playing for the chance to keep their #5 playoff seed, as well as to spoil Golden State’s quest to finish the year 73-9.

Plans for today: Lead off at Farmers Market as usual, home to test a new server for work, then Bardog after that. Nighttime plans to be determined.

 

Josh Pastner is to be named the new head coach at Georgia Tech today, taking the University of Memphis off the hook for $10 million remaining on his contract. It’s a win for Josh because he will get to continue as a head coach and keep living his childhood dream, and because Georgia Tech is a better fit for him. It’s a win for the University not only financially, but because the basketball program can move on.

That said, I am not going to celebrate by bashing our outgoing head coach, as many have done online today. Thank you Josh. Our players were never involved in embarrassing off-court incidents under your watch, and we had a stellar record of players graduating on time. Yes you have some things to learn about coaching, but I still believe you have the potential to get there. Best of luck.

The Brass Door will have a special guest chef this evening from 6 to 8 PM. Demitrie Phillips, who you may remember in the past from Cafe Keough and Bardog, will be in the kitchen of the Brass Door for one night only. He will be cooking some classics: Mussels Provençal, Piri Piri Shrimp Polenta with mushrooms, Grilled Tasmanian Salmon citrus buerre blanc, and more. If you don’t have dinner plans, let Demitrie cook you dinner.

Joyce Cobb will perform at the Center for Southern Folklore along with Hank Sable tomorrow night, Saturday, April 9, from 8 to 10 PM.

Want to sell or buy on Craigslist, but are afraid to because of horror stories about buyers being robbed, kidnapped, etc. The Memphis police department welcomes use of their precinct parking lots for Craigslist exchanges.

The Redbirds host the Colorado Springs Sky Sox tonight at 7:05 (gates open at 6). Prior to the game, dueling pianos will perform in the right field stands.

I didn’t make it to Loflin Yard last night, but I have seen pictures from people who did go. I’m not the first person to say this but “rustic” is the first word that comes to mind (in a good way). It feels… I don’t know… Appalachian. Like, if someone showed me photos of the place and told me it was somewhere in the U.S., then asked me to guess where, I would say, “I can’t name the city but I bet it’s within 50 miles of where the Hatfields and McCoys lived.” Most likely a friend and I are going to check the place out tonight after work.

Loflin Yard is making the surrounding area prime real estate. A plan has been submitted for a 10-lot subdivision at 27 W. Carolina next door to Loflin Yard.

Memphis Fashion Week is having a Featured Designers Show tonight at the Cadre Building at Second and Monroe (tickets $50). J Brand presented by Indigo, Hayley Page presented by Maggie Louise Bridal, Abbey Glass presented by Joseph, Faherty Brand presented by Oak Hall, Sachi Memphis, Eclectic Eye, and Spruce presenting Brave Design will be there. 8 PM showtime.

Star-Lite Revue presented by Beale Street Caravan happens tonight at the Halloran Centre. It’s a one-night only gospel, blues and soul extravaganza emceed by WDIA’s James Chambers and Ford Nelson. Rev. John Wilkins will headline, along with gospel acts The Southern Sons, The Masonic Travelers, and The Bell Singers. Jimbo Mathus, Sons of Mudboy, and The Holy Ghost Town Band will bring contemporary Memphis roots and blues. Tickets $23.

From the Daily Beast: Things you can do with your beer other than drink it. You can eat it, you can wash with it.

That’s it for now. Possibly back with some Loflin photos tomorrow.

It’s Opening Night for the Redbirds tonight. They play the Colorado Springs Sky Sox, and before the game there will be team introductions. First pitch will be thrown by new owner Peter B. Freund and Pacific Coast League president Branch Rickey. First 4000 fans get a game schedule magnet. College students with valid ID get $5 admission and $2 beer.

It was announced yesterday that the St. Louis Cardinals have extended their affiliation with the Redbirds through 2020.

If you want to get better at cooking healthy dishes, you should check out Stalking Celery, the Church Health Center’s cooking blog. This week they posted a recipe for a springtime classic, pasta primavera.

Now, where to get those vegetables for the pasta recipe? The Memphis Farmers Market, of course! Kale, Yes! is the theme at the Market this week. It’s a celebration of kale! To participate in the celebration, I would like to share my own personal recipe for kale:

1) Go to the Farmers Market and buy kale from a vendor.

2) Walk across G.E. Patterson.

3) Locate garbage can outside of Earnestine & Hazel’s. Throw kale in can.

4) Go inside E&H and order a Soul Burger.

NOTE: If short on time or money, steps 1-3 can be skipped.

NOTE 2: Walking to Beale and get a Double-Double from Dyer’s is an acceptable substitute for step 4. It’s an option that encourages healthy living since Beale is a much farther walk than E&H.

The Farmers Market is located under the pavilion at Front and G.E. Patterson, and runs every Saturday from 7 AM to 1 PM. There will be live music by Shawn Hickman 8:30 to 10 and The Po’ Boys 11 to 12:30. Check out this vendor chitchat with Covington, TN-based premium meat vendor Claybrook Farms.

There will be a Downtown public safety meeting Thursday, April 14 at 6 PM in the boardroom of Central Station. Representatives from MPD, the Downtown Memphis Commission, the City Council, and Neighborhood Watch will be there.

If you’re signed up for the Pyramid Vodka 1K, they have changed the starting location. They will now start off at the Silly Goose at 4:30, crawling to Alfred’s and then the Tin Roof to watch the Grizzlies.

Miss Cordelia’s is hiring a wine and beer manager. Applicants should have retail experience as well as a strong knowledge of both wine and beer. Email jobs@misscordelias.com to apply.

For those of you who remember the Moody Ques’ 2014 Panama “Red Devil” bus first-place booth design, the head artist of the design team is now selling a line of capris for women. Visit Sarah’s page to see what she has to offer.

A new study has found that alligators are still dangerous no matter how drunk you are. They don’t take into consideration “oh, he’s just kidding around” before making their decision to attack.

I hear that DraftKings users living in Tennessee are being mailed letters asking them to contact their state legislator, to express support of a bill that would keep fantasy sports of all types legal in the state. This comes a few days after the attorney general issued an opinion that fantasy sports sites for real money were illegal.

Let’s all cheer for the Phoenix Suns tonight. If they beat the Houston Rockets, the Grizzlies will clinch a playoff berth in the West. If Houston wins, then the Grizzlies’ game at Dallas tomorrow takes on extreme importance.

Plans for tonight: I am probably going to lead off at the Blind Bear. If I can find anyone interested in a trip to the South End for Loflin Yard’s opening night, I might be up for that.