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It’s winter weather time.

As of 9 AM Sunday, the WeatherBug icon in my system tray reads 17 degrees. It’s possible that the temperature may climb all the way to the mid-twenties this afternoon before the precipitation arrives.

Light snow is expected to fall starting around 4 PM this afternoon, gradually getting heavier into the night and converting over into bands of snow showers. The snow is expected to continue to fall for 18-24 hours after it first begins, and in fact there is a Winter Storm Warning all the way through 6 AM Tuesday.

Temperatures are unlikely to get out of the teens Monday afternoon, and Memphis probably won’t get above freezing until Thursday – when another winter weather event may occur.

The Hospitality Hub at 590 Washington, which normally opens to all as a warming center when it’s below 32 outside, is in such high demand that they’re only accepting women, children, and families. Single men are being sent to a shelter at 915 Chelsea. If you encounter a person needing to get to one of the warming centers, you can call MATA and they will arrange a pickup.

I am safely sheltered from the cold. As I mentioned previously, a generous friend has me in a motel at Union and 240 until Wednesday. Then another generous friend is putting me up in a hotel in the Downtown core until next Monday.

I have pocket money to be able to eat. Right now I’m a short walk from a McDonald’s, Burger King, and Arby’s, as well as an Exxon Food Mart and Walgreens. After I change hotels Wednesday I’ll have access to numerous food resources, most notably DGX.

Jacob Gilyard, Luke Kennard, David Roddy, Vince Williams Jr., and Xavier Tillman Sr. started for the Memphis Grizzlies in a 106-94 loss to the New York Knicks yesterday. The standout player was GG Jackson, who came off the bench to contribute 20.

Let’s have a look at Memphis basketball games coming up in the next week:

• Sunday, January 14: Memphis Tigers away at Wichita State, noon. TV: ESPN2
• Monday, January 15, Memphis Grizzlies at home vs. Golden State Warriors, 5:00 PM. MLK Day game. TV: TNT and Bally Sports. Valerie June and Carla Thomas perform at halftime. 3:30-4:30 on Bally Sports: Earl Lloyd Sports Legacy Symposium.
• Thursday, January 18: Memphis Tigers at home vs. South Florida, 6:00 PM. TV: ESPN or ESPN2
• Thursday, January 18: Memphis Grizzlies away at Minnesota Timberwolves, 9:00 PM. TV: TNT
• Saturday, January 20: Memphis Grizzlies away at Chicago Bulls, 7:00 PM. TV: Bally Sports
• Sunday, January 21: Memphis Tigers away at Tulane, noon. TV: ESPN

The DM’s Eric Barnes has a podcast remembering Edge Alley.

Max’s Sports Bar now has a QR code on display where you can sign up to receive the bar’s emails and get a free beer in return.

Yesterday I wondered what former Memphis Tigers head coach Josh Pastner was up to these days. I had a look at his Wikipedia page. He’s providing commentary for Big Ten games.

Here’s that Facebook page I told you about yesterday: White People Making White People Food

Bardog’s new gift cards have QR codes that let you check your balance with your phone. A very nice feature!

Today is Feast of the Ass.

All right, I guess that’s enough for now. Maybe back later today with a second post. Because what else do I have to do?

I’m late to the party reporting this, but Justin Timberlake is putting on a free show for his Memphis fans on Friday, January 19. The I Love Memphis blog has the details on how to score free tickets to this very exclusive show.

Saturday starts cold and it’ll end cold, but a decent middle of the day is on tap! Enjoy the 40s this afternoon. We won’t see them again for several days! An Arctic front arrives around sunset, setting up a winter event that starts Sunday evening.

— MemphisWeather.net (@memphisweather1) January 13, 2024

Bleacher Report proposes a 3-way Grizzlies/Lakers/Nets trade that would get Memphis below the luxury tax threshold – after all, we have almost no hope of making the playoffs with Ja out, so why would we pay the tax? The trade ships Smart, Kennard, Konchar, and X to L.A.

Momma’s will have the following cold weather specials while it’s snowing this weekend:

• $5 Jameson
• $5 Green Tea shots
• $3 Fireball

Madaline Collins has a matinee performance at Momma’s today from 11 AM to 2 PM.

I found a good Facebook page yesterday, although (thanks, shitty hotel Wi-Fi) I can’t get it to come up this morning so I can get y’all a link: “White people making white people food”

The Grizzlies lost 128-119 to the L.A. Clippers last night. Desmond Bane left the game with an ankle injury. JJj gonna have to be a one-man show, it looks like. The Grizz are at home vs. the NY Knicks tonight at 7. Free Marcus Smart phone stand to the first 5000.

Former Tigers signee Mikey Williams has transferred to UCF. He never played a game for Penny due to out-of-state criminal charges. Good riddance. Memphis is better off without him.

It’s National Rubber Ducky Day. Pick one up at the Peabody’s gift shop.

There’s a Winter Storm Warning for Memphis from noon Sunday through 6 AM Tuesday. 3-5 inches of snow is likely for the area.

I have a Bardog gift card burning a hole in my pocket, so I’m gonna walk Downtown and get some breakfast sliders. One sausage, one ham, one bacon, each with cheese, fried egg, and spicy mayo. Back tomorrow with more news.

“Whoa,” my buddy Jason exclaimed as he scrolled through his phone. “This is great news for Downtown!”

Downtown could use some good news right now.

It was an announcement by Mexican restaurant TACOnganas that they are opening a location down here. It’ll be at 119 North Danny Thomas Blvd., at the intersection of Adams, near the Wendy’s on the corner of Washington. This’ll be a fantastic addition to our neighborhood, and a great lunch option for our friends who work at St. Jude.

But that’s not all the fast-food news I have for you this morning! According to a permit filed in November, Chick-fil-A may be opening a location at Thomas and A.W. Willis. Again, great for St. Jude employees.

Itta Bena, the restaurant atop B.B. King’s club at Second and Beale, will be closed most of January for renovations. Heard that from an employee yesterday.

The parking situation for Cossitt Library has improved. You can now park for 2 hours in the Premium Parking garage at 60 Madison for $2. Only available during library hours and this is the ONLY Premium location offering this deal. Use promo code READ at checkout.

I hear there’s a new policy at Max’s Sports Bar: If you spill a drink there, you have to drink out of a sippy cup for the remainder of your stay.

It’s International French Onion Soup Day.

What’s up with people ordering food to go at restaurants, then sitting at the bar for the next 45 minutes opening and closing the to-go container, eating a bite at a time until all the food is gone, then throwing the container away? If you order to-go, when your food arrives, pay your bill and FUCKIN’ LEAVE!!! For years I’ve seen “Food ordered to go must be consumed off site” signs at Beale Street restaurants like Blues City Cafe and Alfred’s and wondered what that was all about. Now I totally get it!

The new BBQ festival to be held in Tom Lee Park the third weekend of May, the one that will be the rival to Memphis in May BBQ Fest and will be held the same weekend, now has a name: SmokeSlam: The World’s Ultimate BBQ Showdown.

The Grizzlies host the L.A. Clippers tonight at 7. You can watch on Bally Sports. First 5000 fans in attendance get a Jaren Jackson Jr. growth chart.

Race for Reconciliation, originally scheduled for MLK Day this Monday, has been postponed until September due to the forecast for snow and extreme cold next week.

High Noon’s hard seltzer is now the #1 spirit in the U.S.

Fruit Stripe gum has been discontinued.

Memphis 901 FC seeks a social media and content coordinator.

Auto-Chlor seeks a multimedia & social media specialist.

Comedian Jo Koy comes to the Orpheum Saturday at 8.

I think the hotel I’m staying in must have reset the Wi-Fi router after I complained this morning. Yesterday the signal was anywhere from “barely creeping along” to “nonexistent.” Today it’s “not fast by any means but workable.” Thank goodness for small favors. I can’t live without Internet, especially during a winter storm.

That’s all. If I have Wi-Fi I’ll probably be back tomorrow with more news.

It took overtime for the Memphis Tigers to defeat UT-San Antonio 107-101 last night at FedExForum. Next up: On the road at Wichita State at noon Sunday.

The Grizzlies have waived C Bismack Biyombo in order to open up a roster spot to sign former two-way player Vince Williams Jr. to a 3-year deal. This means heavy minutes at center for Xavier Tillman Sr. in the future.

In other Grizz news, G Marcus Smart will be out for 6 weeks.

Today is National Hot Toddy Day.

From 60 to sub-freezing: That’s our next 2 days.

Y’all, I don’t know if my posts are going to be very long or frequent through Wednesday. The hotel I’m in has Wi-Fi but the connection speed is reminiscent of a 2400 baud modem connection from 1994.

The good news is, I now have a second hotel reservation next Wednesday (the 17th) through the following Monday. Thanks to the people who set that up.

That’s all for now. This Wi-Fi is killing me.

A very generous friend, concerned about my safety in the upcoming bitterly cold temperatures, has put me up in a motel room until next Wednesday, at which point he’ll evaluate the forecast and determine whether I need to stay longer.

The motel is on the outskirts of Downtown. I evaluate the distance of everything by how long it would take to walk to Bardog and this is about a 25-minute walk. There are several fast-food restaurants and a Walgreens within a short distance.

The motel room is very basic but it does have a refrigerator and microwave. Most importantly, it is warm and the bed is soft and comfortable.

So I am safe for the short term and from the impending bad weather. My friends Allie Cat, Butt Slut #1, and obviously the person who got me the room know the exact location where I’m staying.

It’s 9:45 AM and I’m about to attempt to figure out this shower, which is unlike anything I have seen before. About 1:30 or 2:00 I plan to head down to Bardog and then later I will pop over to Local. I know, some of you are thinking, “Paul, with your problems, the LAST place you need to be is a bar…” I won’t be going there to drink. I want to see my friends.

Those of you who have read some of my stuff on Medium know I have a gratitude practice. I still maintain it daily. I am so incredibly LUCKY to have a large group of wonderful people in my life. As I’ve said many times on here, I am wealthy in friends.

That’s all for now. Maybe I’ll get back on here and do a Thursday Update news post after I shower.

As you are aware if you’ve been outside, it got very cold last night! It’s 8:40 AM as I type this and Weatherbug has the temperature is 25 / feels like 12.

And unfortunately, this is just the beginning.  MemphisWeather.net says temps will be somewhat close to normal today (47/36), although with 13 MPH winds from the southwest. Thursday it’ll actually get above normal (56/51), although very windy and with a chance of storms at night.

Friday is when the shitshow begins. The high will be 56 early in the day and then the temp will begin to fall. After that we’re talkin’ 20s or worse at night for the foreseeable future. Tuesday MWN calls for us to start the day in the “upper 0s” and some sources think a low of -1 is possible that day.

I had to walk to the Health Department at 814 Jefferson yesterday afternoon to get a copy of my COVID vaccination card. That is a requirement to get into most shelters and congregate sleeping locations here in town. Oh my God that walk in the cold wind was no fun.

From there I went on to Room in the Inn, a wonderful church-based organization that provides places to sleep during the cold months. Their number of beds is limited and changes night to night, though, and women and children have precedence. I didn’t get a bed.

By that point it was about 5 PM. The Hospitality Hub would open its warming center, but not until 9, and it was a mile walk away. I gathered my two jackets and my backpack. By that point I was hunched over and wheezing from my day’s adventures. I could only make it about 100 feet without stopping to lean against a lamp post or bike rack.

I decided to give up on my walk to the Hospitality Hub and instead head to Local on Main. “This probably means I’ll be on the streets late tonight,” I reasoned. “But at least until 1 or 2 I can be warm and among friends.” Friends are everything to me. They make my world go ’round.

It turned out to be a good call. I did have friends there and they bought me some Meaty Mac with short rib for dinner.

By 11:30 or so I had landed an offer of a warm place to crash for the night. I got a full 8 hours’ sleep, which is about 7 hours and 45 minutes more sleep than I got the previous 3 nights combined. I am so very grateful to the people who helped me last night.

And now, on to the news…

The Grizzlies beat Dallas 120-103 last night with no Ja and no JJJ. Desmond Bane led the team with 32.

The Tigers are at home tonight vs. UTSA at 7:30.. You’ll need an ESPN subscription to watch this one on TV.

From the DM: Meet the 2014 Blues Hall of Fame class

Today is Houseplant Appreciation Day.

Charcuterie company Feast & Graze is moving to Poplar Plaza.

Police commissioner CJ Davis failed to win approval for reappointment in a City Council committee vote last night. The vote was 6-7 against and is non-binding.

There’s free admission at the National Civil Rights Museum Monday for MLK Day. List of Monday’s activities

There will be a wine dinner at Bishop on Wednesday, January 24.

Little Bettie pizza kitchen inside Wiseacre Downtown will host a watch party for its episode of Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives this Friday at 8 PM.

That’s all for this morning. Back sometime soon with more news.

Max’s Sports Bar is fire-saling select bourbons, scotches, and a rum to make way for the new.

Bass Pro Shops seeks a Live Exhibits Supervisor.

LEO Events seeks a vice president of finance.

Penny’s Memphis Tigers have moved up 2 spots to number 13 in the latest AP poll.

Blind Bear will open at 11 Monday for a special MLK Day brunch. Like MLK, I too have a dream. Mine’s about PBR.

Ja Morant will be out for the rest of the season with a labrum tear. Hello 2024 draft lottery!

Stylist cuts off customer’s braids over payment. You just keep on being your ghettofabulous self, Memphis.

Winter weather may be coming next week. Bread and milk and milk and bread and…

My friends are nagging me to get a to-do done, so I guess I’ll hit Publish now. Back tomorrow probably.

I saw a four-leaf clover today.
I thought about picking it and taking it with me.
But I left the little clover where it was
So that others might enjoy seeing it as much as I did.

I hope it brings me as much luck from afar
As it would if I were carrying it with me right now.

One person – or creature, rather – who may not have such good luck today is Steve the Squirrel who hangs out in front of Local on Main. This morning I walked through the parking lot at Second and Gayoso, a short distance from Local – and there was a hawk perched atop the lamp post.

Lenny’s at Main and Peabody Place will begin closing at 6 for the foreseeable future.

Let’s have a look at Memphis basketball this week:

• Sunday, January 7: Memphis Tigers at home vs. SMU, 4:00 PM. TV: ESPN
• Sunday, January 7: Memphis Grizzlies away at Phoenix Suns, 7:00 PM. TV: Bally Sports
• Tuesday, January 9: Memphis Grizzlies away at Dallas Mavericks, 7:30 PM. TV: Bally Sports
• Wednesday, January 10: Memphis Tigers at home vs. UTSA, 7:30 PM. TV: ESPN+
• Friday, January 12: Memphis Grizzlies at home vs. Los Angeles Clippers, 7:00 PM. Free Jaren Jackson Jr. growth chart to the first 5000 fans. TV: Bally Sports
• Saturday, January 13: Memphis Grizzlies at home vs. New York Knicks, 7:00 PM. Free Marcus Smart phone (get it? smartphone) stand to the first 5000 fans. TV: Bally Sports
• Sunday, January 14: Memphis Tigers away at Wichita State, 12:00 PM. TV: ESPN2

Today is National I’m Not Going to Take it Anymore Day.

Today is also National Pass Gas Day. To celebrate, I recommend a 10-pack of bean burritos from the Taco Bell at Third and Crump. Sorry, I don’t always shop local.

The Shelby County public defender’s office seeks a legal secretary.

Did you know teachers get 20% off food and drink at Aldo’s Pizza Pies all day, every day? Must show valid ID.

TV game show host Wink Martindale got his star on the Beale Street Walk of Fame recently.

If you haven’t been to the Flying Fish lately, you’re missing out on some tasty additions to the menu:

• Gator nuggets (starter)
• Gator poor boy (regular or spicy)
• Fried catfish, grilled tilapia, salmon, or shrimp tacos
• Shrimp jambalaya
• Fried catfish jambalaya
• Crawfish jambalaya
• Gator platter – rice, fried gator, crawfish jambalaya, and 2 pair frog legs
• Andouille sausage link (add-on)

Houston, we have a problem.

No no no, that’s not quite it.

DALLAS, we have a problem.

You see, I’m at Bardog right now. There are not a lot of bar TVs in here. The best of those TVS should be tuned to ESPN at 4:00 for SMU vs. 15 Memphis basketball.

The problem with that? Butt Slut #1 is going to trot her happy ass in here at 3:25 and ask for the Cowboys to be put on TV.

Now, I did agree to cheer for her Cowboys after she named her stuffed hippo after me. But that meant AGAINST OTHER NFL TEAMS. Not for the Cowboys to be turned on when OUR MEMPHIS TIGERS are playing.

We’ll see how this plays out. Tired of typing. Back tomorrow with more news.

Bedrock Eats & Sweets posted the following this morning:

Bedrock’s downtown storefront is starting the process of closing down!! Don’t be sad! We’re still gonna be around! Meal prep, personal cheffing and food trucking will be the order of the day moving forward. We’ll be open until 1 today, closed tomorrow and then will release an abbreviated schedule. We love you guys. It’s been an incredible 10 years.

**please be patient if you stop by and be kind to our sweet staff

Congrats to the Grizzlies, who got a very nice 127-113 win over the Los Angeles Lakers last night! Jaren dropped in 31 and Marcus Smart had 29.

A new Tennessee bill would ban emotional support dogs from restaurants and grocery stores.

Today is Cuddle Up Day.

Bardog will host a comedy show on Saturday, January 27.

At Local on Main Thursday-Saturday 12 AM-3 AM: Beer Bust with $20 bottomless drafts and $15 flatbreads.

• Thursday: Wiseacre Tiny Bomb
• Friday: Grind City Godhopper
• Saturday: Shiner Bock

Lunch yesterday!

This is the duck popper flatbread from Local on Main. Bacon, gouda, jalapeno, cream cheese, BBQ. Not even the Peabody’s duckmaster could fit another piece of duck on there!

New soul food place Downtown – well, at least it’s new to me:

Straight Out the Pot is at 260 Poplar. I couldn’t find a menu online.

Hotel Indigo seeks a GM.

Good Fortune Co. dazzled TV food host Guy Fieri.  Fieri tried the crawfish dumplings and the Big City Ramen.

That’s it for today’s post.

SAVE THE DATE: Those of you who frequent the same Downtown hotspots I do know a high school teacher named Jenn. She’s not only a talented educator, but a talented singer as well – as you know if you’ve ever heard her at Blind Bear’s karaoke night. Jenn fronts a band called Island 45, but up to this point, you had to travel to the other side of town to hear them.

That changes Saturday, January 27. That night Island 45 plays live at the Blind Bear. Come show them much love and support! I hear it will be a BIG 30th birthday celebration (a few days early) for a beloved member of our group as well.

In more immediate news, Terry Greene Trio plays Blind Bear tonight.

Penny’s Tigers squeaked by Tulsa 78-75 last night. Caleb Mills went out with a knee injury. The Tigers are back at home Sunday, hosting SMU at 4 on ESPN.

Grizzlies on TV this weekend:

• Friday, January 5: away at Los Angeles Lakers, 9:00 PM. TV: Bally Sports
• Sunday, January 7: away at Phoenix Suns, 7:00 PM. TV: Bally Sports

Today is National Whipped Cream Day.

Former St. Louis Cardinal All-Star Ozzie Smith will be in town on MLK Day to receive a Grizzlies MLK Sports Legacy Award. Wonder if The Wizard of Oz will turn backflips across the stage?

Just in time for winter, Bardog has bar-themed sweaters. They’re $40.

Room in the Inn, a wonderful organization that helps connect people with a meal and a place to sleep for the night during the cold months (November to March), seeks a Family Advocate.

The Orpheum seeks an education & engagement coordinator.

The Metal Museum seeks a marketing coordinator and a museum store assistant.

From FOX 13: Edge District business owner expresses frustration at recent car breaking at her business

The musical Company is at the Orpheum through Sunday.

The Memphis Barbecue Network has been announced as the sanctioning body for the new BBQ festival to be held the third weekend in May to be held at Tom Lee Park.

I wonder if there’s ever been a BBQ team named Tom Lee “Pork”?

Sana Yoga is coming Downtown January 20. It will be in The Edge at 696 Madison. Follow the yoga studio on Facebook for the latest news.

Lesson I’ve learned this week: Hold your COVID vaccine card in the same reverence you do as your driver’s license and Social Security card. It seems preposterous in 2024, but a lot of nonprofit and quasi-governmental agencies still require proof you’re vacc’d before they can provide services. The Health Department on Jefferson can get you a copy of your card if you were vacc’d in Tennessee.

Tetris has been defeated.

Useful: There’s an app that scans your Lego blocks and tells you what you can make

Hotel Indigo seeks a front desk agent.

Specials today at Bardog:

• Carne asada tacos – topped with onions, cilantro, and salsa – 17
• Eggplant parmesan hoagie – 17
• Soup: Chicken & vegetable
• Dog: 2 eggs, bacon, sauteed onions, spicy mayo
• Mussels: Garlic, tomato, white wine
• Brownie
• Coconut cake

That’s all for now. Back maybe tomorrow.