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Yesterday I took a break from Sunday Fun Day beers in the mid-afternoon to get something to eat. Having not been to the Flying Fish in several months, I went there.

As I walked in, I scanned the Fish’s rather extensive menu. I realized that, although the Fish has been open for more than four years, I have not tried the majority of the menu items. I made up my mind to try at least one new thing. Scanning the “Starters” list, the fried jalapeno chips sounded good, since I love spicy food. I ordered them, and having satisfied my requirement to try something new, I ordered a 3-piece catfish filet basket as well.

Ten minutes later, my buzzer went off – they give you buzzers to let you know when you can pick up your food, similar to the chain Italian restaurant Fazoli’s. I walked up to the counter and found a huge basket of fried jalapenos, with a cup of ranch for dipping.

There were enough that I could have satisfied my appetite just with the jalapeno chips alone. I suppose that would not have been a nutritionally balanced meal, though, so I’m glad I got the catfish too. It seems like frying the jalapenos took out some of the heat. They had a spicy zing but didn’t set my mouth on fire. The ranch dressing took some of the edge off as well. I also dipped some of the jalapeno chips in the tartar sauce that came with my catfish, and that was a good combination too.

At $2.99, the jalapeno chips were an excellent value. I will keep them in mind next time I need an inexpensive snack.

I noticed a couple of changes since my last visit to the Fish. For one, the fried chicken livers are gone from the menu. I guess they weren’t popular. I’m sorry to see them go, though, because my grandmother got me hooked on chicken livers when I was a little kid (back then KFC sold them). They still have the coolers from which you can grab a beer as you wait in line to order, but they now carry PBR in bottles rather than cans. I have a slight preference for the cans, but either will work. I’m just happy to see they carry PBR in any form.

The Fish is on Second across from the Peabody. Great place to bring kids, great people watching at the garage-window seats facing the sidewalk.

Quick post about a couple of things happening this afternoon…

At 2 PM, historian Jimmy Ogle will lead a free tour of the Memphis-Arkansas (I-55) bridge. As you walk halfway across the bridge, you’ll learn about the river, the other bridges, the railroads, Crump Park, and more. Bringing a camera is recommended. If you want to take the tour, meet at Crump Park on Metal Museum Drive.

At 4, Jeremy Shrader’s Quinessentials play a free concert in Court Square. Blankets, coolers, and lawn chairs are welcome. Pets too, if you clean up after them. This is the first in a 4-week Court Square concert series presented by the DMC.

Fun night last night. I met up with the Fireball people and discovered/re-discovered a couple of cool places Downtown.

Our first stop was Peoples, the pool hall on the less-traveled block of Beale between Third and Fourth. It’s funny, when we think of places to play pool Downtown, we often think of the lone bar table at the Flying Saucer or the Blind Bear. Peoples has about a dozen full-sized tables that you pay for by the hour. Very nice tables, good equipment. The bartender just couldn’t have been nicer, and they have PBR on draft. It’s the first time I’ve been there since 2003, and I don’t know why it’s taken me 9 years to get back. Definitely enjoyed Peoples last night.

Also, Peoples is the only place Downtown where you can get tampons out of a vending machine.

The next stop was Dancin’ Jimmy’s, a bar I have never been to. It’s in the old Pat O’Brien’s location. The corner bar and the courtyard/fountain area are Dancin’ Jimmy’s itself, and then upstairs are several rooms where private events can be held. We got to go upstairs (it helps to have a liquor rep with the group) and the rooms are absolutely beautiful. I took about a dozen pics and will post them when I get more time.

About to head out to brunch at the Majestic. Normally I skip the Majestic on weeks when there’s an Orpheum show, but I won’t get to go next week because I’ll be at the burger festival in Midtown. After brunch I’ll probably bounce back and forth between the Flying Saucer and Blind Bear, with a trip south to Max’s Sports Bar a possibility as well.

If you’re a Tennessee Titans fan, bad news for you: Tomorrow’s game will not be shown on local TV. The local FOX affiliate has chosen to show the Dallas-Tampa Bay game rather than Detroit vs. Titans. That means you’ll need to find a TV hooked up to NFL Sunday Ticket to watch. If you’re Downtown, the Beale Street Tap Room is the place to go in the core, and Max’s Sports Bar has it in the South Main district. Game starts at 12 noon Central time.

The coolest blight in the city is headed to court. If you’ve walked down South Main, you may have noticed a mural next to 481 S. Main, near the Butler Station trolley stop. Behind the mural is an overgrown garden. The garden is a very neat place, and I see kids crawling in there all the time to have their picture taken. However, the owner has failed to take care of the garden, which presents problems. There could be rodents, snakes, as well as homeless who sleep in there. The owner is being taken to court, to try to convince him to take care of the garden while still preserving as much of its character as possible.

Aldo’s Pizza Pies is starting a Trivia Challenge on Twitter. Every Monday-Friday at 4 PM they will post a trivia question about pizza to their @AldosPizzaPie account. The first three guests to show the bartender that you follow the pizzeria on Twitter, and respond with the correct answer, will receive a free slice.

Best Memphis Burger Fest news: Ciao Bella has signed up to be a participating team. Also, the festival is now kid-friendly. They’ve added a sidewalk chalk contest for the kids. Best chalk art drawings of burgers will win prizes.

The Fireball folks are going to be out Downtown tonight. Request to join the group “FIREBALL WHISKY Memphis” on Facebook to find out where they’ll be. You have to be approved by an administrator because the group is 21 and up only, but the approval process is quick. I hear they got a lot of Fireball-branded goodies in the mail this week and will be handing them out.

I’ve already mentioned these, but just a quick reminder: Dragon Boat Races on the river today, 10 to 3; Ryne Hancock autographing his book Say Goodnight, Cassie about the 2011 LSU football season at Center for Southern Folklore, 3:30 to 5:30 PM.

There are really no college games I’m interested in today, so I’m going to take a day off from Saturday college football watching at Max’s Sports Bar. Instead, I’ll revert to my old schedule and hit Panda Manda’s bar at Bardog Tavern at noon. If I go to Max’s it will probably be at 6 to watch the Rutgers-Arkansas game.

I have more info about the beer bust that will happen at the Brass Door today. It will start at 4 PM and it costs $10 to take part in the beer bust. Beers will be Killian’s, Heineken, Bud Light, and yummy, delicious PBR!!!!! There will also be $3 shots of Spice Box, $4 shots of Fireball, $4 Georgia Whiskey (bourbon, peach, ginger ale), and $4 nutty espresso (hazelnut, triple shot vodka, soda).

Cool event at the New Daisy tomorrow night – a one-man band festival. Memphis legend Johnny Lowebow will be among the performers. Kerry’s blog has details on the festival and other things happening in Memphis this weekend.

AutoZone Park will have a watch party for Game 2 of the World Series on Thursday, August 25. Admission will be free to the public, and you can watch indoors on the club level or outdoors on the park’s new HD video screen. There will be an all-you-can-eat buffet ($7 if purchased in advance, $10 at the door) with Rendezvous BBQ, King Cotton hot dogs, Turner Dairy ice cream, and Coca-Cola soft drinks. All you can eat? Wonder if the Nuh-Uh Girl will show up. Cash bar selling Budweiser and Barefoot Wine. Season ticket holders who renew their seats for 2013 will receive one buffet wristband and drink ticket per season ticket renewed. Self-guided tours of the dugout and clubhouse, silent auction, kids’ activities. Buffet tickets can be purchased over the phone at (901)722-0295.

Riverside Drive will be closed tonight from Jefferson to Georgia for the St. Jude 24-hour bike ride. If you’re coming Downtown for the Orpheum show or any other event, plan an alternate route.

Fun time at the Double J loft bar last night… I pushed the sleep schedule a little and stayed out until 1. No definite plans tonight, but I’m sure spontaneous fun will pop up somewhere. It always does Downtown.

(Edit: just realized I had a second Thursday update and forgot to publish it yesterday evening. Scroll down and you’ll see it.)

(Edit Friday morning: Argh, forgot to hit Publish)

If you’re a wine lover, Aldo’s Pizza Pies has a new happy hour special you’ll enjoy. Wines by the glass are $4 at 4:00, going up to $5 at 5:00, and $6 at 6:00. Even Meomi Pinot Noir is included in the special (I guess that’s an expensive wine?) If you prefer beers, drafts are $1 off during happy hour.

Twelve electric car charging stations have been installed in six parking garages Downtown. Here are the locations:

The Justice Center Garage (245 Washington Avenue)
Front Street Garage (85 North Front, between Adams and Jefferson)
Riverfront Garage (Front Street at Monroe)
Peabody Place Office Tower Garage (110 Peabody Place between Main and Second)
Gayoso Parking Garage (Gayoso between Main and Second ).
250 Peabody Place Garage (250 Peabody Place between Third and Fourth)

You pay $2 an hour for the charging, unless you’re a Blink member in which case you pay $1 to $1.50 an hour. You also have to pay the fees for the garage you park in. Good to see this has arrived in Downtown Memphis. Kermit says it’s not easy being green, but with these stations it will get a bit easier.

Congrats to Ben Weiss, the GM of the Redbirds. The other GMs voted him the Pacific Coast League Executive of the Year. With Weiss at the helm, ticket sales have increased two years in a row. The stadium has also seen more premium events and giveaways, including two visits by the Cardinals’ World Series trophy as well as a giveaway of Elvis bobbleheads. Weiss oversaw the installation of the largest video board in the minors, and season ticket holders have been treated like royalty since he started here. Congrats to him on a well-deserved award.

Don’t forget that tomorrow is Park(ing) Day. Go down to the Main/Peabody Place area and enjoy 16 miniature urban parks. 11 AM-6 PM.

The Flying Saucer’s Oktoberfest celebration starts today and continues through October 5. All Oktoberfest beers, drafts and bottles, will be only $3. If you’re working on a plate this is a good chance to knock a lot of beers out for cheap. The Saucer will also have Bavarian appetizer specials. What specials exactly? Don’t know, but I’m heading down there to find out, because there’s no sacrifice I won’t make for my readers. Happy Thursday evening and I’ll be back with more news tomorrow.

RiverArtsFest, Memphis’ premier arts festival, will be held on South Main October 26-28. The festival needs volunteers to assist with a number of duties, including artists’ market ambassadors, logistical support, artist hospitality, beer and wine sales, merchandise sales and cashiering, set up/teardown, assistance with entertainment, and traffic control. If you’re interested in help making this arts festival a success, go here to sign up as a volunteer.

Urban Workspace, the new co-working space at 6 West G.E. Patterson, plans to offer cooking classes to the public this fall. Among the teachers will be well-known Downtown chefs such as Michael Patrick (Rizzo’s Diner) and Ryan Spruhan (Chez Philippe). Classes will be a maximum of 8 students, to allow for a lot of personal interaction with the chefs, and will be held on the evenings or weekends. Fee will be $49 per class. On October 4 there will be a reception to introduce the classes. At the reception you will be able to meet the chefs and sample food. Free food? Wonder if the Nuh-Uh Girl will show up. I suspect she will, because I learned about the classes from this Memphis Flyer article that she posted to Facebook.

Aldo’s Pizza Pies is on Twitter now. Follow them at @AldosPizzaPie to keep informed of daily pizza specials and other happenings at the pizzeria.

Congratulations to Frank Eudy, son of local pro wrestler Sid Vicious/Sycho Sid. Last night was the finale of Big Brother. Frank didn’t win the grand prize, but he won the $25,000 America’s Choice prize when fans voted him “favorite houseguest.” Frank’s parents have been regular guests on MemphiSport Live on AM 560/FM 87.7 11 AM-1PM Saturdays this summer. Wonder if they’ll get Frank on the show for an interview now that the season has concluded?

By the way, MemphiSport co-host Kevin Cerrito hosts sports trivia tonight at the Green Beetle. 8 PM start time.

Normally I don’t recommend that my readers head to the ‘burbs to eat at chain restaurants, but Monday is the exception. On Monday, September 24, Chili’s will donate 100% of the day’s profits to St. Jude.

All right, off for a quick lunch. Will probably take a week off from poker at Max’s Sports Bar tonight and hang out closer to home.

Aldo’s Pizza Pies is starting a new Pint Nite. Starting next Monday, all the drafts on their 30-tap wall will be only $3. Hmmm interesting. I knew if they did a pint night they wouldn’t do it on Tuesday where they’d be competing with Bardog. They’ll be in direct competition with that place around the corner though. I like it – nice to have two options nearby for $3 beer on Mondays.

Also, if you’re a football fan, Aldo’s will have NFL Redzone on all its Comcast TVs. I watched Redzone for the first time last Sunday, and what they say is true. You don’t miss anything.

Local sports writer Ryne Hancock will have his first book signing for his new book, Say Goodnight, Cassie: The Story of the 2011 LSU Tigers Downtown this Saturday. The signing will be at 3:30 PM at the Center for Southern Folklore. The book covers the 2011 LSU season through the eyes of the fans and people who covered the team, beginning with the season opener in Arlington through the rematch with Alabama in the BCS national title game. For more details about the book and how it got its name, visit this page. Signing will be at the Folklore Store, with an entrance on Main by the trolley stop.

MemphiSport.com has the full list of 2012-13 Grizzlies giveaways at the games at FedExForum. Highlights include a SuperGrizz cape, Grizzlies Christmas wrapping paper, backpacks, and several T-shirts.

All right… time to go drink some beer and inform the managers at my favorite bar that they have competition on Mondays. I’ll be at Blind Bear at 8 for trivia.

Bardog Tavern celebrated its 4th birthday last month with an alley party. Today, however, is the bar’s actual birthday, and they’re celebrating with $2 drafts all day. They’ve also got the roasted poblano chicken chowder back as a special, and let me tell you, that is one delicious soup.

Bon Ton Cafe is now open for business. They posted their menus to Facebook.

Sunday I was eating brunch with friends at Texas de Brazil, and we were discussing events that are upcoming Downtown. Our friend Moody said she was looking for someone to go with her to a gymnastics tour at the FedExForum on October 20.

“Gymnastics?” I replied. “ANY ROMANIANS????????”

Nope, no Romanians. It’s the Kellogg’s Tour of Gymnastics Champions, which will feature medalists from the men’s and women’s U.S. 2012 Olympic teams as well as champions from earlier events. Since there are no Romanians, I won’t be going, but if you’re into gymnastics, this is a chance to see some of the best in the world in person.

If Catalina Ponor from the Romanian team goes on tour, then I will buy a ticket. If she’s not enough of a draw to fill the FedExForum, I suggest my bedroom as an alternate venue.

In other FedExForum news, Disney on Ice is this weekend – a Friday night show, then two shows Saturday and Sunday. UGH Downtown is going to be crawling with kids. I will probably spend more time than usual at 21-and-up bars this weekend. Parents, if you’re looking for a restaurant to take your kids before or after the show, Huey’s, Flying Fish, and Kooky Canuck are good kid-friendly places.

20 artists will be chosen to display their work in 20 South Main venues November 30-December 19 for the Unveil South Main event. Artists will be able to exhibit 8-10 pieces of their work. They will be required to donate one piece to be used in marketing the event. On November 30 judges will visit the exhibits and will award prizes of $1000, $750, and $500. Visit the website if you are interested in entering your work.

Bingo at Brass Door is canceled tonight because Diamond Dave will be out of town.

DJ Superman will perform at Bleu tonight at 7 PM, no cover.

Don’t forget that the new poker night at Double J starts tonight at 8:30. Muruako will be your host and tournament director. He’s done a really good job at the Silly Goose the past two Mondays. Check it out if you’re in the South Main area and feel like playing a little Texas hold’em. His games usually last around two hours, although it varies depending on the number of people who show up. Game is played tournament style just like the WSOP Main Event, with blinds going up every 15 minutes.

I’ll have to miss Muruako’s debut at the Double J, though, because I’m pretty much committed to my trivia team at the Blind Bear. Trivia starts at 8 and is called by Charles. I’ll pre-game at the Saucer as usual and knock out a few more beers toward my plate. Up to 113 and counting toward plate 7. The beer boot glass goes on sale at 7, so it should be a busy night there.

The Daily News has reported that the Bon Ton Cafe will re-open tomorrow at 7 AM. It will serve breakfast and lunch, with dinner to be added later. The cafe on Monroe between Second and Third has been closed since mid-2008 when its owner unexpectedly passed away.

The Memphis Grizzlies are doing a series of neighborhood block parties prior to the start of the 2012-13 season. Downtown’s block party is tonight. It will be at Central Station (S. Main at G.E. Patterson) from 5 to 7. You’ll get to meet shooting guard Quincy Pondexter, and mascot Grizz and the Grizz Girls will be there as well. There will be Kids Zone activities, merchandise giveaways, and free pizza and Pepsi. Free food? Wonder if the Nuh-Uh Girl will show up.

In other Grizzlies news, the team has announced that there will be an open practice Saturday, October 13 at 1 PM in the FedExForum.

The annual Oktoberfest celebration begins in Munich, Germany this Saturday. To commemorate the occasion, the Flying Saucer is selling a special Oktoberfest glass boot beer stein tomorrow night.

The boots go on sale at 7 PM for their weekly “buy the beer, keep the glass” night.

Toby Sells, organizer of the Cooper-Young Regional Beer Festival, has a guest post on the I Love Memphis blog about the fest. If you only go to one beer festival a year, make it this one. Festival is the afternoon of Saturday, October 13.

It’s National Cheeseburger Day! If you want to know where to get a good cheeseburger, the Best Memphis Burger blog can help you out.

If you use Internet Explorer on Windows XP, Vista, or 7, your computer could be vulnerable to attacks. Microsoft recommends Internet Explorer users deploy a toolkit that could help protect against such attacks. I recommend you stop using Internet Explorer and switch to a different browser. Firefox and Chrome are good alternatives.

That’ll do it for now… if more news comes in I’ll post an update this evening.