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Yesterday I decided to eat lunch at Calvary Episcopal Church’s Lenten Waffle Shop. I’d always heard good things about it,, and I mentioned it on this blog in the past, but prior to yesterday I had not been in for lunch myself.

The Waffle Shop’s hours are 11:00 am to 1:30 pm Wednesday through Friday. I exited the Cossitt Library, where I’d been using the Wi-Fi, about 10:55 to walk to Calvary’s back entrance at BB King and Adams. “I’ll be among the first ones there,” I thought.

As I walked over, I tried to make up my mind what to order. One option was everyday favorite spaghetti & meat sauce; another was Thursday special corned beef and cabbage.

I got to the door and the security guard pointed out the direction to the Waffle Shop seating. WOW I was wrong about being one of the first there! The large dining room, set up with communal tables, was already about two-thirds full, less than 10 minutes after opening. It was mostly an older crowd. Plenty of silver and white hair.

I was seated next to 2 very nice ladies. They were from the eastern ‘burbs and were first-timers like me. They told me they were not Episcopalians but rather Baptists who’d heard good things about the lunch. “If you’ve heard anything about us Baptists, you know we love to eat,” they said.

You fill out a paper menu to order.

They bring your food in just a few minutes. You eat and then when you’re done, you take your filled-out menu to the cash register on your way out.

The spaghetti was as good as it looked and the side of rye bread was delicious as well. There is butter on the tables for the bread.

The seats at the dining tables are really close together! You’re going to make new friends.

More and more people poured in after I did, but the volunteers kept the place humming along. Lines moved fast.

The cost for my meal including sweet tea was $12, sales tax included. Try finding a comparable lunch Downtown at that price.

I will be back… maybe today for fish pudding Friday? For those not in the know, fish pudding is a casserole. It does not have the texture of pudding as Americans think of the dish.

On to the news…

Thr DMC has put Food Truck Thursdays in Court Square on hiatus until April 5. Remember, Smurfey’s Smokehouse, an alumnus of the food truck gatherings, now has a permanent location nearby at 149 Madison.

Catch Harriet Tubman: One Woman’s Journey, a one-woman performance, tonight at the Withers Gallery on Beaje at 6:30.

Shorty and the Grooves with the Grandpa Sorority Club play South Main Sounds tonight at 7:30.

Tonight is Gospel Night at the Grizzlies. They host the Los Angeles Clippers at 7. TV: Bally Sports

Front Street Deli will have its soft reopening on Wednesday.

Golf simulation bar Birdie’s has added two New York City courses, Central Park South and Central Park North. The courses were designed by Birdie’s partner GS Pro.

The Phil Wickham I Believe Tour comes to the Orpheum tonight at 7.

Shout-out to the folks at.Fellowship Memphis who came out to the Union Mission and fed us dinner last night. Those mini Oreos hit the spot!

New business alert: Jasper Float Spa & Wellness at 60 S. Main in the Washburn.

The DM reports that cruise line American Queen, which docks at Beale Street Landing, has shut down

The U of M could lose athletic director/John Cena lookalike Laird Veatch to Missouri.

WREG reports that Alcenia’s is losing a lot of business due to roadblocks

Want a stronger Wi-Fi signal? Buy potatoes

That’s all. I may or may not post an update tomorrow depending on Wi-Fi availability.

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Apologies for typos, doing this from my phone.

Apologies for no post yesterday. I had some errands to get done Tuesday evening and didn’t spend the night at the Mission. I walked the streets of Downtown all night and was therefore dead tired Wednesday.

The DM broke some big news yesterday. Little Rock’s Flyway Brewing Co. will take over the High Cotton/Edge Alley space at 598 and 600 Monroe. Flyway will continue to brew a few of High Cotton’s most popular beers, including Mexican Lager and Scottish Ale, alongside its own beers.

Now,, we all knew Edge Alley was no more, and the reason why. Post-pandemic rising costs made it impossible for chef/owner Tim Barker to put out the food he wanted to offer at price points he could live with.

But, the end of High Cotton as a stand-alone local beer brand? That’s news to me. Anyone got the details? This is something I’d like to know both for the blog and for personal reasons. if you have the scoop but don’t want it to appear in a public blog, just tell me that.

Primus comes to Grind City Brewing Company Tuesday, August 20 at 7 pm. Tickets go on sale to the general public this Friday at 10.

Orchestra Unplugged: The Crazt Journey of Mozart’s Magic Flute comes to the Halloran Centre tonight.

Penny’s NIT-bound tigers got a 76-52 win over Charlotte last night.

There will soon be a Tom Lee Museum in the Klondike neighborhood. In the same article: A memorial to 3800 Black slaves sold in Memphis is planned.

If you have AT&T, you’re probably not reading this on your phone right now. There’s a widespread outrage affecting many networks this morning, and in Memphis it’s hitting AT&T the hardest.

Ironically there’s a communications tower conference in Memphis right now

The conference is called NATE Unite. Someone shotgun a White Claw in their honor.

It’s National Margarita Day.

Rant of the day:

About 10 years ago, the DMC put free Wi-Fi in Court Square. They made a big deal publicizing it. Today, the “Court Square Wi-Fi” network still appears on the list of nearby networks when you’re in the area. It even tries to connect, but – it sits there and spins its wheels and never does.

I wish DMC (or whoever is responsible) would fix this. It would be a nice resource for those passing through without cellular service to check their email and social networks. It would be especially valuable on early mornings and Sundays when the nearby public library is not open.

Once again,, I continue to be impressed with the Memphis Union Mission. All my life I had heard that chapel services in free shelters tend to tear audience members down, making them feel worthless. This perception was one of the reasons I avoided the Mission for several weeks longer than I should have, choosing to wander Downtown’s streets instead.

Last night’s sermon, delivered by a guest preacher (I wish I’d caught his name), had the message “God has conveyed the exact same blessings on every person in this room that he conveyed upon Jesus.” Ephesians 3-14 was the reference in the Bible. It was totally uplifting. That’s how chapel at the Mission tends to go. There’s no reason to be afraid of being verbally torn down in church. To the contrary, if anything you’ll leave feeling built up.m

That’ll do it for now. Back tomorrow probably.

Readers’ generosity helps keep this blog afloat. Donations:
Venmo: @Paul-Ryburn
Apple Pay: paul.ryburn@gmail.com

Apologies for typos, doing this from my phone.

Yesterday I walked over to the Cossitt Library to get a few hours of Wi-Fi in before returning to the Internet desert that is the Union Mission. But I was in for a surprise: The library was closed for the Presidents’ Day holiday.

So I turned to an old friend…

The Flying Saucer!!!! Not only was it Pint Nite, with any beer on the wall – even high-gravity – only $5. They were also having some giveaways.

The prizes pictured above will be given away the first Wednesday in March. Ask your server how to enter the drawing.

Gary “G-Rock” Smith still leads the way with 59 plates on the wall. I am 34 beers away from being 50 plates behind him. Think I can catch up?

My left-hand sear neighbor ordered a burger which came out with a red bun. I asked what it was, and he told e it was one of the weekly specials.

A Flaming Hot Cheetos bun! Thanks to Brandey for the pic below:

The Union Mission continues to impress me and I’m still working on the FAQ about what it’s like to be a nightly guest there. Yesterday in chapel, Pastor Jeff described the Mission’s alcohol/drug recovery program that men can choose to enroll in. The program is not AA-based and does not subscribe to the belief “once an alcoholic, always an alcoholic.” Rather, it focuses on building each man a spiritual toolkit so he can make better decisions in the future. Now that’s a program I can respect.

211-186? The NBA All-Star Game is a joke.

Drake has canceled his already-rescheduled FedExForum concert date.

Martial artists will gather in Memphis this weekend for the Memphis Open at the Renasant Convention Center.

The Grizzlies seek a motion graphics designer and a ticket sales rep.

The Church of the River seeks an early elementary lead teacher and a Youth coordinator.

That’s it for now. That FAQ may go up tomorrow. Should be interesting to all my readers, a glimpse into how a well-run homeless shelter operates.

Readers’ generosity helps keep this blog afloat. Donations:
Venmo: @Paul-Ryburn
Apple Pay: paul.ryburn@gmail.com

Apologies for typos, doing this from my phone.

February, the month that overstays its welcome like the creepy druncle in the guest room – despite being the shortest month of the year. Once Groundhog Day and Valentine’s have passed, most of us are ready to move on – to March, to the return of temps in the 60s, to the return of 7:00 sunsets.

Yet February lingers on.

So why not make the best of it?

The day after New Year’s through the week before St. Pat’s are the slowest days of the year for Downtown restaurants – especially mom-and-pop restaurants that are part of the fabric of this community.

Why not eat out Downtown an extra time or two or three these last days of February?

You may help a restaurant owner stay current on their bills.

You may help a server to pay their March 1 rent on time.

May I recommend a few of my personal favorite Downtown restaurants?

– Bardog

– Local on Main

– Blind Bear

– Birdie’s

– Momma’s

Speaking of Momma’s, I finally got to try the cheese curds there.

They were yummy and a lot of food. That’s marinara (and Perjorie T. Roll) on the side

Walking around yesterday, I got a look at the soon-to-open pedestrian bridge between the Downtown Mobility Center and AutoZone’s parking garage.

Grind City Brewing Co. is having a spring cleaning sale Saturday, February 24. They will have archival glassware for sale at deep discounts.

A boy died after falling off a railing in the 200 block of S. Danny Thomas this weekend.

I truly love typing this blog for all of you. It’s one of the few times during the day I’m not bored and depressed. I have a $100+ annual hosting bill coming up March 2. Circumstances took my apartment and my lifestyle but NOTHING is gonna take my blog. I’ll figure it out.

The DM has a Soup Sunday photo gallery ,

Yummmm! Today is National Chocolate Miint Day

SMU 108, Members 79. That’ll probably drop Memphis to a 3 seed in the NIT.

I’m working on a FAQ about being a client/guest at the Union Mission. I waited at least a month longer than I should’ve to avail myself of their services. Maybe such a document will help other men get there quicker.

The Grizzlies are hiring a part-time youth basketball camp coach.

That’s it for now. Back tomorrow.

Readers’ generosity helps keep this blog afloat. Donations:
Venmo: @Paul-Ryburn
Apple Pay: paul.ryburn@gmail.com

Apologies for typos, doing this on my phone.

Yep, today’s the day.

A new business called Davinchi XCIX is going into the old Pearl’s OysterHouse location

Anyone got more info on Davinchy?

MPD seeks a Crime Analyst to work in the Real Time Crime Center at 600 Jefferson. I’ve been in the Center and it’s a neat place. Plus you could walk over to Sunrise for breakfast.

Attending Soup Sunday, the annual Youth Villages fundraiser, this Sunday at The Kent from 11 am to 2 pm? THIS IS NOT A DAY TO BE FASHIONABLY LATE. The most popular restaurants will run out of soup, pack up, and leave before twelve. You want to be in line to get in no later than 10:55.

I wonder if Butt Slut #1 is going to Soup Sunday… the girl is crazy about soup.

Just learned that Jake from Westy’s had a great-uncle who was a master brewer of PBR.

Why South of Beale had to cancel all of its Valentine’s reservations

That’s it. Back tomorrow probably.

Readers’ generosity helps keep this blog afloat. Donations:
Venmo: @Paul-Ryburn
Apple Pay: paul.ryburn@gmail.com

Apologies for typos, doing this on my phone.

PBR – Professional Bull Riders – comes to FedExForum this Saturday. In PBR, not only are the riders rated, but the bulls are too.

Today is National Hippo Day. Do you have a stuffed hippo named after you? I do.

StyleBlueprint has a list of 10 soul-soothing soups to try in Memphis. Downtown restaurants Bishop, Good Fortune Co., Slider Inn, Ben Yay’s, RawGirls, Flame Ramen, and The Nine Thai Sushi (closed until March) each had a soup on the list.

The Grizzlies host the Milwaukee Bucks tonight at 7:30. The first 5900 fans get a 2024 Player Pet Calendar. Tv: TNT

Last night the Grizzlies defeated Dillon Brooks and the Houston Rockets, improving Memphis’ playoff chance to 0.002.

There’s a part-time nanny job open Downtown.

Memphis Songwriters Series returns to the Halloran Centre tonight. $10.

Momma’s has live music by Hillbilly Mojo tonight. No cover. Ladies get 20 percent off 7-10 pm. $8 Dive Tais, Highway Haulers, and Express-O Martinis.

The inventor of Pop-Tarts has died

Slider Inn Downtown has team trivia tonight at 7.

The CA has guesses who will play the new music festival on the river in May.

Students and teachers get 20% off at both Aldo’s Pizza Pies locations with valid ID on Thursdays.

That’s it. Back tomorrow.

Readers’ generosity helps keep this blog afloat. Donations:
Venmo: @Paul-Ryburn
Apple Pay: paul.ryburn@gmail.com

Apologies for typos, doing this on my phone.

Westy’s now has a second Goldcrest product originally brewed in Memphis, Bock, in addition to the original 51:

Photos have been posted from the Blind Bear’s February 10 St. Valentine’s Day Massacre party.

The Grizzlies host the Houston Rockets at 7. TV: Bally Sports

The Flying Saucer introduces 3 Floyd’s beers to Memphis Wednesday, February 28.

Early voting has started in the Tennessee presidential primary.

The Sheraton seeks a chef de cuisine .

Uber and Lyft drivers are planning a Valentine’s Day strike for better wages today.

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

Readers’ generosity helps keep this blog afloat. Donations:
Venmo: @Paul-Ryburn
Apple Pay: paul.ryburn@gmail.com

Apologies for typos, doing this on my phone.

It’s Fat Tuesday, but at Bardog the celebration lasts beyond today- it’s all week long. Specials you’ll find at the Dog this week:

– Boudin egg rolls

– Jambalaya

– King Cake martini

– Sazerac rye

– Anita Strawberry beer

I was in Bardog last week and the bartender Emily was telling the lunch server, “‘Mr. Do’ is supposed to stop by at some point today.” Meaning Aldo, the bar’s owner/operator, not Mr . Do, the 1982 arcade video game.

I wonder if “Mr. Do” ever played Mr. Do when he was a child? He’d be about the right age.

Also, I wonder if that video game console on the second floor of the Cossitt Library has Mr. Do among its selections.

Fat Tuesday at 8 S. Main has a full program of activities for its namesake holiday all day and evening.

I had another awesome pizza at Memphis Chess Club yesterday for lunch:

This is the Anand, the veggie version of the club’s white pizza. It has a white base but does not have a thick top layer of mozzarella on top as its meaty white brother the Carlsen does, allowing the veggies to be the stars of the show. I recommend dripping a little Louisiana hot sauce onto your slice of the Anand.

Just in time for Valentine’s Day, the CA has the story of 3 couples who run successful restaurants/food-producing businesses Downtown: Majestic Grille/Cocozza, Makeda’s Cookies, Raw Girls.

Currently re-reading Skip the Line by entrepreneur James Altucher. M

Grizzlies sophomore Vince Williams Jr. Is going to the NBA Rising Stars game after all. He’s been named an injury replacement.

Today is National Crab Rangoon Day.

There’s a Galentine’s Day celebration tonight 4-10 at hotel bar Talk Shop, 245 S. Front.

My replacement MacBook has arrived in Memphis. Just gotta make arrangements to get my backpack (see yesterday’s post) and pick it up.

Readers’ generosity helps keep this blog afloat. Donations:
Venmo: @Paul-Ryburn
Apple Pay: paul.ryburn@gmail.com

Apologies for typos, doing this on my phone.

A week ago last night I spent my 4th night in a row wandering the streets without sleep. Friends told me I looked terrible. They said I needed to change. But I was determined to do homelessness MY way.

Since I wouldn’t listen to my friends, my body spoke up.

I sleepwalked around the streets of Downtown, leaving my backpack behind. When I came back to where I left it,, it was gone. I lost my MacBook Air and my iPhone and Apple Watch chargers.

I am not in a great place right now., this morning. I am bored and lonely. But compared to where I was a week ago, I guess I really have made substantial progress.

– I’ve checked into the Union Mission at 383 Poplar for the past 7 nights, getting no less than 8 hours sleep a night. No more falling asleep at bars or other locations not meant for sleep.

– By the end of this week I will have a replacement MacBook, thanks to a high school friend,, and debit cards connected to Venmo and Ally Bank accounts. I also got Apple Pay set up on my phone and it was usable immediately, no waiting on a debit card, which has been a lifesaver.

– I’ve eaten at least one meal, often two, every day of the past seven.

– I’ve gotten a haircut and bought some razors so I don’t have to look homeless.

– Friends gave me a new backpack, iPhone charger, and Apple Watch charger.

Okay. Let me describe a typical day in my life as of last week, in order to help you understand a challenge I will face this week Imagine it’s the middle of the week, like a Wednesday or a Thursday:

– 6 am: The lights come on at the Union Mission men’s dorm and we’re told it’s time to get up. By 6:15 I’ve deposited last night’s sheets in the laundry basket and brushed my teeth.

– Breakfast is included in the price of admission but it’s usually a bowl of corn flakes in milk. Yuck. I hate milk. I usually skip breakfast unless I hear we’re having something particularly good, like donuts. By 6:45 I’m usually out on the street, unless it’s raining hard.

– The Mission does not offer Wi-Fi to its guests, which makes my time away from the Mission extremely valuable. From 7 to 8 am I generally walk Main Street, connecting to known Wi-Fi networks when I can, answering texts and PMs, checking email, Facebook notifications, and balances on my Ally Bank account, Venmo, and a Apple Pay.

– Bardog opens at 8 and I’ll use their Wi-Fi over breakfast or a drink.

– The Cossitt Library opens at 10 and I go over there and use their Wi-Fi. Some days I stay there until 1 pm; other days I’ll move on at 11 to Westy’s or Memphis Chess Club or some other restaurant with Wi-Fi.

– About 1 pm I head back to the Mission, and that’s the END of my Wi-Fi access for the day. Why 1 pm? Because a night at the Mission is FREE if you get checked in before 2 pm. I ain’t paying no six dolla for something I can get for free! It’s about a 20 minutes to walk from the Downtown core to the Mission and the wait in line takes up to 20 minutes.

– Until 5 pm: Watch TV, sign up to take a shower. By the way, we have private shower stalls It’s not like prison. I don’t have to worry about dropping the soap.

– 5 pm: Dinner. It’s often 5:20 before I get through the line and get my food and a seat.

– 6 pm: Chapel. Most days it lasts a full hour.

– 7 pm:: More Tv watching, another opportunity for the shower line.

– 8 pm: We’re given the chance to go to the dorm and get in bed. Alternatively, we can stay up until 10, but I always choose the 2 hours’ extra sleep.

So there you have it. As I stressed, the schedule makes every moment I have on Wi-Fi precious.

On a side note, I did ask the supervisors at the Mission why they don’t provide Wi-Fi for guests. They said it was partly a bandwidth issue – with up to 300 men on the same line, the connection would be horribly slow. Then there was also a concern that some of the men would use the connection to watch some not-so-wholesome content, if you know what I mean!

So here I am, proud owner of a new backpack. But, I can’t bring it inside the main Mission building. I have to put the items I need in a clear plastic bag and leave the backpack in bag check. The supervisors have a very good reason for that rule, too. It prevents people from sneaking weapons and bottles of liquor in. Totally understandable.

But here’s the thing

I’ve been told that the bag check opens at 9 am.

If that’s true, by the time I stand in line, get my bag, and walk to the Downtown core, it’ll be about 9:45. 40% of my Wi-Fi time for the day and 87.5% of my Bardog time for the day will be gone.

This will take some figuring out.

I admit it’s a smaller problem than not knowing where I’m gonna eat tonight, or where I’m gonna sleep tonight, both problems soled by the Mission.

But I don’t see how I’m supposed to expedite my way to a better place in life when I have to spend 20-21 hours a day at the shelter or in transit to/from there.

On to the news…

Good news: Penny’s Memphis Tigers looked like a cohesive team yesterday. They whooped up on Tulane 90-78 and improved to 18-6.

Bad news: As of yesterday the Tigers were in Next Four Out land in Joe Lunardi’s Bracketology. They have work to do. Those two upcoming dates with ranked FAU are gonna be critical.

The NBA All-Star dunk and three-point contests are Saturday and the game is Sunday

Calvary Episcopal Church’s outstanding Waffle Shop opens for the season this Thursday, February 15 and will be open for lunch 11:00-1:30 WThF during Lent. Check out the Lenten Preaching Series too.

Today is National Poop Day.

Springhill Suites seeks a bartender .

The Grizzlies host New Orleans tonight at 7 at FedExForum. First 5000 fans get a Derrick Rose travel chess set. TV: Bally Sports

It may snow this evening but temperatures are expected to remain slightly above freezing.

That’s all I have time to write. Back tomorrow.

Readers’ generosity helps keep this blog afloat. Donations:
Venmo: @Paul-Ryburn
Apple Pay: paul.ryburn@gmail.com

Apologies for typos, doing this on my phone.

Wings return to Bardog for a limited time today for the tavern’s game-watching party. Things kick off at 5 pm and they’ll have the sound on. Other game day specials will be sheet pan nachos and $20 domestic buckets.

The Cossitt Library will host the Sankofa African Diaspora Festival Saturday, February 24 from 11 am to 5 pm. Performances, dance, art, vendors, readings, and much more.

One of the cottages at Mulberry and Talbot is for sale . It’s 1 br/1 ba and was built in 1890.

Justin Timberlake is rumored to be coming to FedExForum Saturday, November 23.

Sundays I have limited access to Wi-Fi, so my post will be short today. Back tomorrow probably.

Readers’ generosity helps keep this blog afloat. Donations:
Venmo: @Paul-Ryburn
Apple Pay: paul.ryburn@gmail.com

Apologies for typos, doing this on my phone.