Category: Uncategorized

They said yesterday they’d be set up today by noon.

It was 3 before we even saw a truck.

It was after 4:30 before they were selling.

I got in line at one truck at 7:15.

Good thing, because at 7:30, the host told them they could only sell vegetarian to keep it fair among the teams. So the team’s truck I was at was selling French fries for $15 with a side of uncooked meat for free.

FAIL.

This contest is bullshit. Get the fuck out of Memphis. I hope this does not turn out to be a reflection on the local food trucks.

If you want a classic example how to overpromise and underdeliver, look no farther than this weekend.

(Edit: Just to make it clear, I blame the show’s producers, not any individual team.)

Yesterday as I was walking down the Main Street Mall I saw this sign in the window of 51 S. Main:

Krispy Krunchy Chicken is coming to Downtown. I looked up the website and this is a chain, with over 600 locations. A number of restaurants, including Renee’s Sandwich Shop and Hari’s, have been unable to make this location work. A chain might be able to. For one thing, a chain can absorb the losses a new restaurant in this location will incur, as it will take a while to get “discovered.” Also, a chain is likely to have more marketing knowledge than owners of independent restaurants. Every restaurant that has previously been in that space was, in my opinion, poorly marketed.

Between Monroe and Union on the Main Street Mall, this location is far enough away from Gus’s to suffer from competition with them. Best of luck to the people opening the restaurant, and I’ll be by for some chicken soon.

Buck, the singing deer at Kooky Canuck, did so much partying on Cinco de Mayo that he lost an antler. Good thing he managed to hold on to his sombrero.

(Edited to add: I’d much rather hear Buck sing than the people who sing Saturday night karaoke at the Downtown Monkey.)

Everyone is saying that tomorrow will be The Rapture. Fine with me. In the religion I subscribe to, there’s only one sin, and that’s karaoke, so I’m good to go! Bring it!

Four food trucks are in town for the Food Network’s show The Great Food Truck Race. One of the trucks, the Hodge Podge Truck, was smart enough to establish connections with local bloggers. They’ll be selling prime rib tacos Saturday at Main and Peabody Place from 12 to 9. Let’s come out and support them and carry them to victory!

(By the way… after you eat your prime rib tacos, how about stopping at the bar at Majestic Grille for a drink. They’ve been one of the biggest supporters of food trucks in Memphis.)

Huge congratulations to Judy Peiser from the Center for Southern Folklore. She was honored by the Tennessee State Legislature on Wednesday. Resolution 243 honored her commitment to preserving the social history and music of the South, while striving to educate and inform the general public of its importance. It’s about time Judy got recognized for all she does. A very much deserved resolution!

Fellow Saturn owners: I learned some interesting information today. Right before GM shut it down, Saturn had a new model all ready to roll out. It didn’t make sense to just scrap the new car, so GM gave it to Buick and it became the Regal.

The Memphis Flyer is looking for a permanent part-time copy editor. 20 hours a week, Friday, Monday and Tuesday. Only experienced/qualified people need apply. Email brucev@memphisflyer.com.

If you’re into rock climbing, BRIDGES is having one of its ClimBRIDGES events tonight where you can climb their rock wall. Details here.

How embarrassed I am to be a citizen of a state whose legislature enacts the “Don’t Say Gay” bill. Seriously, why is time being wasted on this crap? We need to quit judging and quit sticking our nose in other people’s business. A Gallup poll that was just released shows that for the first time, a majority of Americans favor gay marriage. As America moves forward, Tennessee moves backward. Maybe Memphis, Chattanooga and Nashville should secede and form a new state. The rest of the state can then change its name to “Redneckville.” What’s next, a bill to re-introduce slavery?

Plans for tonight: Hell if I know. I’ll probably go out and drink a beer or something.

Tonight’s Peabody rooftop party will feature a “Big Easy” menu. (I was tempted to come up with a creative title connecting the word “easy” to some of the party’s attendees, but I guess I’ll behave.) Buffet (included in the price of admission) will include red beans and rice, mini mufalettas with olive tapenade, and jalapeno hushpuppies. Menu in VIP will include jambalaya, shrimp remoulade shooters, and mini fried oyster po’boys.

Entertainment will be provided by Party Planet. Three reasons to show up early: 1) The Memphis Flyer will hold a casting call for its Fall Fashion issue; 2) Budweiser will throw a Redbirds party; 3) if you don’t get there early, the Nuh-Uh Girl will eat all the food. $10 cover includes first drink, ladies free until 7, season VIP passes available for $75.

Meanwhile, over at the Madison, Don “The Boogie Man” McMinn will entertain at their “Sunset at the Madison” rooftop party. $7 to get in, with special tapas menu and cash bar available.

Don’t forget that it’s the Third Thursday party at Main and Peabody Place too. Restaurants will be grilling out, showing off their goods. Here are a couple of insider tips: 1) If Blue Fin is grilling out beef on a stick, just trust me, GET IT; and 2) Majestic Grille will have dollar tacos.

In other news: Interesting Mashable infographic about transparency vs. anonymity when interacting on the web. With a blog named “Paul Ryburn’s Journal” and a Twitter handle named @paulryburn, I’m sure it’s no surprise that I’m firmly on the side of transparency.

Excellent editorial by Memphis Flyer editor Bruce VanWyngarden: The Dark Ages have returned in Tennessee.

Shout-out to my buddy Zane whose boat will be the first to leave Cairo, IL tomorrow, after the Mississippi is re-opened.

Debating on plans for tonight: Third Thursday party, Buzztime poker tournament at Max’s Sports Bar, or something else? I’ll figure it out after work I guess.

Memphis in May has announced that Sunset Symphony will remain Downtown, according to the Memphis Business Journal. It will happen Saturday, May 28. Crews will start setting up the stage on May 25, after work is done to clear the park from flood water and damage.

Compared to the madness of Music Fest and the debauchery of BBQ Fest, Sunset Symphony is a very chill event. Guests are allowed to bring in their own blankets and coolers (including alcohol), and Tom Lee Park becomes a gigantic picnic. The Bar-Kays and the Memphis Symphony Orchestra will entertain, and there will be fireworks after sunset. If you don’t feel like bringing your own food and beverages, you can purchase them at the park.

I want to remind everyone that by the time the first note is played at Sunset Symphony, Tube Top Month will have arrived. It begins at 5 PM Friday, May 27. So, let’s see those tube tops on the 28th!

If you’ve read the local news lately, you’ve likely heard that the City of Memphis is having some serious budget problems. Severe cuts have to be made, and one proposed cut is Rec Athletics. That would mean that the Memphis kickball leagues would be eliminated.

I’ve never played, but a lot of my friends are on teams. They love it and look forward to the weekly games. Plus, it’s good exercise, and isn’t Mayor Wharton all about a healthy Memphis? People who play have created a Save Memphis Kickball page. Click through to find out what you can do to support local kickball.

I finally got to try trivia at Ferraro’s with Kevin Cerrito last night. Will have to wait until later to post a full report, because I took photos and didn’t bring my camera with me to work for this lunchtime post. Short story, I really enjoyed it and the pizza was excellent. Ended up at Bardog afterward, where I’ll just say the people-watching was interesting and leave it at that.

Mayor Wharton is working on a plan to get overnight river cruises back to Memphis, and the proceeds will finance Beale Street Landing. Details in this Daily News article. I think this is a fantastic idea and so does Air Traffic Mike. Overnight riverboat cruises are part of the soul of this city and it’s a shame we’ve been without them the past few years. The cruises are estimated to bring over 20,000 visitors to Memphis each year.

Smart City Memphis reports that Memphis ranks in the bottom third of the 100 largest U.S. metro areas for public transportation. Honestly, I’m surprised we didn’t land in the bottom tenth. The only reason MATA escapes a reputation as the most unreliable company in the city is because Comcast/Xfinity is here.

There’s a free Third Thursday party tomorrow on the block of the Main Street Mall north of Peabody Place. It starts at 5:30 and there will be music outside by the Blue Infernos and Devil Train. There will be discounts and specials at area shops and restaurants. If you’re heading to the Peabody rooftop party tomorrow, this is a good place to pre-game. (Reminds me, I need to get a post up about the rooftop party.)

Tonight is going to be a very fun night, although technically I will be working. The people running the Memphis Clandestino Dining dinner tonight were looking for a photographer, and I volunteered. This is the first time “underground dining” has come to Memphis, and will be a unique experience for all who have registered to attend. My assignment is to document “food porn.”

Exciting afternoon ahead exporting Google Analytics stats. Woohoo. Outta here for now.

So, today it was revealed that Arnold Schwarzenegger is a baby daddy. Maria Shriver left him because he fathered a child with his housekeeper. Attn Arnold: If you need any advice on being a baby daddy, we have a former mayor who is an expert. I don’t have his number, but just show up at Piccadilly Cafeteria in Whitehaven around lunchtime and you’re likely to find him.

The Food Network’s The Great Food Truck Race will be in Memphis tomorrow. Prediction: Tomorrow is about to become a vacation day for the Nuh-Uh Girl.

Cooper-Young Beerfest has a new website. I’ve been to several beer festivals in Memphis that were quite good, but Cooper-Young is the best one. The date is October 15, from 1 to 5 PM in the Lifelink parking lot.

Ques Brothers team sponsor WordPress announced a big score today: Major League Baseball is moving to WordPress. Now that’s what I call WINNING.

(By the way, I absolutely HATED the whole “WINNING” thing until last Friday night. Now I’ve used it in two consecutive posts)

My attorney friends might enjoy reading today’s featured Wikipedia article on the CSI effect.

Stuff going on tonight: Trivia nights at Ferraro’s Pizzeria & Pub (8 PM) and Flying Saucer (7 PM); half yards of beer for $5 at Bar None; pint night at Bardog from 7 PM to 3 AM, all pint drafts $3. Also, Bardog will be drawing for two tickets to Bon Jovi tonight at 10; get an entry into the drawing each time you buy a Miller Lite bottle.

It’s 1:14 AM and I’m still up but for good reason. I went to poker at the Silly Goose tonight and the final 3 ended up being Brick, Michael Bean and me. I was so ready for the classic heads-up Paul vs. Brick showdown that I’ve blogged and Facebooked about for many weeks. Alas, it was not to be. Brick went all-in on a hand and, well, hit a brick on the flop, turn and river. Then next hand, Bean went all-in blind. I called with 10-9 suited. He flipped over Q-9 but I hit a 10 on the flop to take him out.

First prize was a $50 tab and I had run up a grand total of $6, leaving me a $44 tab to cash in at a later date.