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Amid all that’s going on this weekend, I totally missed the fact that the 2009 Memphis Zombie Massacre happens this weekend. The zombies will meet up at 6:30 on Beale Street. The undead are marching a longer route this year, going up Third to Union, then back down Second to Peabody Place and then over to Main to hit the South Main Trolley Tour, then they’ll walk back north to Beale. You can show up early (they recommend 4:30) to get made up as zombies by professional makeup artists, or wear duct tape in the shape of an X along the route and they’ll zombify you as you march. More info here.

Friday is also the finals of the Hard Rock Battle of the Bands competition. Hear some great music, and the receipts at the door go to charity. They actually asked me to be a judge for this, not that I know a thing about music (of course, I didn’t know a thing about beer pong but was a judge at Pub Olympics last year, so there is a precedent). I didn’t want to miss an April Trolley Tour though, so I declined. Should be a fun night, no matter which event you attend.

Through the end of the month you can purchase a VIP dining card from Texas de Brazil and enjoy a 50% discount on up to 12 full-price dinners (can be used concurrently or over multiple visits) Sundays-Fridays through November 30. A portion of the price of the gift card goes to benefit the Children’s Cancer Fund.

There will be two free screenings of Getwell, the documentary of the Church Health Center, at Studio on the Square on Thursday, May 7. The film will be shown at 7 PM and again at 8:30 PM.

If you missed B.B. King in December, he’s coming back to his club June 2 and June 3. Guess the December concerts were not his last ones after all.

Next Tuesday, historian Jimmy Ogle will take guests on a walking tour of Court Square at lunchtime (I believe it’s an 11:45 start). Come meet all the bums in person!  Get crapped on by the pigeons! It’s part of the Downtown Alive! spring lunchtime series.

Home from work… I got a text from a friend who talked to another friend who talked to the bellman at the Madison Hotel, and he said the Dempseys aren’t playing tonight.  It’s apparently some guy on a piano instead.  It’s third-hand info, so take it with a grain of salt, but it’s enough to firm my decision to go to the Peabody tonight.  (Edit: Just check their website, and their gigs tonight and tomorrow are canceled, so it’s true.  Hope everything’s OK with the band.)  (Edit 5:36 PM:  Now I just got a text that they ARE playing.  Who the hell knows.)  Will probably do Saucer/Goose or Goose/Saucer before the rooftop.  Heading out now…

The great Beale Street Wine Race is this Sunday. It’s one of the most fun events of the year, with servers, bartenders, and hosts and hostesses from 28 area restaurants competing in various events. Here’s the schedule:

1:00 PM – opening parade
1:30 PM – Queen of the Vine competition at Handy Park
2:00 PM – grape stomp
3:00 PM – wine relay

Come out and support your favorite service industry people. Leon Griffin from Fox 13 will be the event’s host, and the judges will be Kevin Kane from the MCVB, Beck from 93X, and Memphis-based entertainer Muck Sticky. There will be cash prizes, trophies, and media recognition for the winners.

With Trolley Tour Friday night and the Wine Race on Sunday, it should be another exciting weekend in Downtown Memphis.

If you’re looking to move Downtown, don’t miss my previous post that I just put up a few minutes ago, containing a coupon for a month’s free rent at Number 10 Main.  Meanwhile, here are a few more news items:

Attn Sleep Out Louie’s alumni: Our buddy/former bartender Josh will do the color commentary for tonight’s Memphis vs. UT Martin baseball game on the UT Martin radio station. Game starts at 5 and you can listen to it here.

Shelton Clothiers has a deal for BBQ Fest teams: Buy 12 or more Pink Pig polos, and get them for $39.50 each (they’re normally $49.50) and they will embroider your team name on the shirts for free. Pink Pig polos are high-quality shirts that look like Izods except with a pig rather than an alligator. These are nice shirts that look good enough to wear to work as well as to BBQ Fest.

If you’re a fan of Circa chef John Bragg, you have an opportunity to take a class from him. (Edit: I’d originally typed “take a learn from him.”  Blue Moon on Fire Sale last night really scrambled my brain.)  From 6:30 to 9 PM on Thursday, May 7 he’ll do a demo at Viking Cooking School at 1215 Ridgeway. It will feature summer cuisine using fresh local fare and items from the Memphis Farmers Market. Space is limited, so call (901)763-3747 to sign up.

More and more I’m thinking I’m going to skip the Dempseys show tomorrow at the Madison.  I’ll have plenty of future opportunities to see them.  Most likely I’ll start at the Goose or Saucer, then head to the Peabody rooftop.

As for tonight, not sure where I’ll go, but it’s far too nice out to stay home.

I’ve made a deal with my apartment building, Number 10 Main (10 S. Main, just south of the intersection of Main and Madison). Readers of this blog can print out the coupon below for a month’s free rent when you sign a year’s lease.

I moved into Number 10 in February 2003, and have been so happy there that I have re-signed my lease six times. Here are some of the reasons it’s one of the best apartment buildings Downtown:

– Large apartments, some with high ceilings and river views

– Washer/dryer and dishwasher in every unit

– Every unit has its own climate control: Turn your A/C on in January if you feel like it

– Very nice gym in the basement with exercise bikes, stairmasters, treadmills, weight machines, free weights, cable TV

– Lounge area in lobby with kitchen, cable TV, fireplace

– Large 17th-story rooftop with a hot tub and two restaurant-quality grills. Great place to watch the sunset overlooking the Mississippi River.

– Courtesy guards on duty every night. Alex and Chris will keep you safe.

However, I think the best reason to live at Number 10 is LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION. Here are a few reasons why:

– Baseball: The Memphis Redbirds’ home Autozone Park is 2 blocks away

– Basketball: The Memphis Tigers’ and Grizzlies’ home FedExForum is 5 blocks away

– Theatre: The Orpheum is 4 blocks away

– Party: Beale Street is 4 blocks away

– Dance: Paula & Raiford’s Disco is 1 block away

– Eat: Here are some of the restaurants within a 4 block radius: Felicia Suzanne’s, Flight, A&R BBQ, McEwen’s, Leonard’s BBQ Buffet, Blue Plate Cafe, Little Tea Shop, On the River Seafood & More, Pa Pa Pia’s Italian, Bangkok Alley Thai (opening soon), Rio Loco Mexican, Huey’s Burgers, Automatic Slim’s, Kooky Canuck, Sauces, Flying Fish, Orleans on Front, Circa, Encore, Bluefin, Majestic Grille

– Hang out: Four of the best Downtown locals’ bars are within a 4 block radius: Bardog Tavern, Voodoo Room, Silly Goose, Flying Saucer

– Shop: Walgreens is just steps away; Jack’s Grocery and Easy Way are two blocks away

– Work out: If the gym in the basement isn’t enough for you, there are two gyms within 3 blocks that offer full workout facilities, classes, etc.

– Trolley stop right outside the front door, making the South Main Arts District with lots of galleries, shops, and restaurants, easily accessible; also, if you work in the Medical Center District, you can ride to and from work on the Madison line.

– If the Thursday night rooftop parties are your thing, you have less than a block walk to the Madison and 2 blocks to the Peabody

– Half a mile walk to Tom Lee Park for Music Fest, BBQ Fest, and Sunset Symphony

If you have any questions about the place, shoot me an e-mail at paul@paulryburn.com and I’ll answer them. It’s the end of school year, so several people have moved out and there are 1 BRs and 2 BRs available. If you’ve been thinking about moving Downtown, this is a great time to do it.

Last night I stopped by Bardog Tavern for to-go food, and noticed a couple of changes since the last time I looked at their menu.

First of all, I noticed that they now have free delivery for a limited area Downtown, between opening time and 10 PM. If you’re between Jefferson on the north, Peabody Place on the south, Riverside on the west, and Third on the east, you can get their food delivered. Call 275-8752 to place an order.

Secondly, I noticed that they’re staying open an hour later on Sundays now… closing time is now 1 AM, rather than midnight.

Their air guitar contest is tonight at 6:30 PM.

It’s Opera Week at the Majestic Grille in honor of Faust at the Orpheum. They’ll have specials all weeks for ticket holders, and they’ll show opera classics on the big screen. In addition, Opera Memphis will hold live performances at the restaurant Wednesday and Friday of this week from noon to 1 PM.

Don’t forget that tonight is the Corey Osborn Let the Music Play fundraiser tonight at BB King’s, to raise money Memphis musicians in need and for the “Queen of Beale Street,” Ruby Wilson. Corey’s note will be unveiled on Beale at 5:30, and at 7:30, the roster of entertainers listed below will take the stage:

Bobby Blue Bland
The Beale Street Flippers
Brian “Breeze” Cayolle
Joyce Cobb
Delta Cappella
The Dempseys
Kallen Esperian
The Kattawar Brothers
Rusty Lemmon
Niko Lyras
Rhoney G.
Preston Shannon
Jason D. Williams

There will also be a raffle for a 65-carat ruby donated by Mednikow.

Ladies, this looks to be a good week to hit the Red Rooster party Thursday night after the rooftop parties let out… this week’s “Chicklette of the Week” will win a Jessica Simpson shoe collection.

Speaking of rooftop parties… the Dempseys play the Madison Thursday night. Is anyone going? Usually the Dempseys are enough to sway me in the direction of the Madison for sure, but with the great weather being predicted I’d kinda rather be at the Peabody, or on the patio at the Silly Goose or at the window of the Saucer. If I know people that are for-sure going to the Dempseys, I may do it… just don’t want to be on that tiny rooftop knowing very few people in the crowd.

Back to work… trivia tonight at 7.

Here are a few pics from this past Sunday’s Rajun Cajun Crawfish Fest.

Some of the gang partied on the rooftop of Barton Flats during the festival.

… and this is an example of why I don’t do Barton Flats at Rajun Cajun and have a “no side parties” policy for this and many other festivals.  This is Carrie, who was my student in Concepts of Numbers and Concepts of Algebra classes at the U of M in the ’90s.  After she graduated she got married and moved to New Zealand.  She’s back in town visiting for a month.  If I’d gone to Barton Flats I would’ve missed seeing her.  I’ll say it again, when there’s a festival going on I want to be at the festival, not somewhere near the festival.

They gave each of Carrie’s kids a live crawfish to take home.  I wish Little Rock had crawfish festivals when I was growing up.  I’d love to see the look on my mother’s face if I’d brought a live crawfish home.  Not that it would’ve survived for very long, since we had a cat.

Here’s a pic of the Nuh-Uh Girl eating.  She had her own bucket of crawfish, but that didn’t stop her from coming over and eating out of other people’s buckets.  As one of our gang likes to say, “she’s a food panhandler.”  At least she had a tube top on.

The Nuh-Uh Girl, Stephanie, and Erin on the grass eating crawfish.

Our makeshift crawfish table behind the Autozone HQ.

Here’s another pic of the Nuh-Uh Girl eating, inside the cooking competition tent.

A great day, and thank goodness the rain held off for the majority of the afternoon.  Festival season is here!

Fifteen different cocktails and pints of PBR are only $1 each at the Silly Goose from 5 to 7 tonight.  That’s a deal you can’t beat!  Here’s a link to a photo of the dollar cocktail menu (from Hot Wing Fest, where the Goose was our team’s sponsor), and here’s a link to a recent Commercial Appeal article on the Goose’s drink specials.  Not only do you get your choice of cocktails for a buck, but you get free tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches.  After the dollar deal ends at 7, they have $2 domestic longnecks for the remainder of the evening.  If you want to do a little bar-hopping, the best Pint Nite in the city is next door at the Flying Saucer – $2.75 for your choice of almost 70 draft beers.  Needless to say, the Goose and then the Saucer are on my agenda for tonight.

In other news:  Yesterday as I was walking to Hot Wing Fest, I noticed police cars blocking off the entire block of Union between Second and Third.  I figured maybe there was a big celebrity in town, but then I noticed there was an ambulance too.  This morning, I found out what was going on… a wall collapsed at the Benchmark Hotel/Denny’s at Union and Third, injuring a woman who’d just eaten there.

Friday night is Trolley Tour night, and LOOK AT  THE WEATHER!!!  As of right now they’re predicting high 83, low 64, with little chance of rain.  Sounds like this is the night we’ve been waiting for.  I bet South Main will be packed.  Galleries and shops will be open from 6 to 9 PM, many of them serving refreshments.  Also, if you’re a South Main Association member, you get free food and Boscos beer in the parking lot next to Bluff City Coffee.  If you’re not a member, you can join just in time for the SMA’s Cinco de Mayo party (which will actually be held on Cuatro de Mayo).

Eating an Italian oven-baked sandwich from Domino’s as I type this… when I picked it up, I noticed they had a “big deal bailout” which I think was 3 pizzas for $5 each.  As I’ve said before, everyone has to call their discount a “bailout” or a “stimulus” these days.

Back to work… wish I had a fast-forward button to move the time up to 5 PM.  Silly Goose, here I come.

Two friends of mine are relocating to Atlanta, and are offering an excellent deal on their condo at the corner of Front and Linden.  It’s a New York-style loft in the Hays Building.  There are only 4 units in the building, and you get 2 gated parking spaces as part of the deal.  It’s an 1875 SF 1 bedroom, 1 bath condo, appraised in February 2009 at $278,500, but they’re asking $254,500.  $24,000 instant equity!

The location is ideal for someone who wants to be a part of the Downtown lifestyle.  Only a block from the Orpheum; a short walk to Beale; great restaurants like Circa, Bluefin, the Majestic Grille, and Pearl’s Oyster house are an easy walk, as are two of Downtown’s best watering holes, the Silly Goose and the Flying Saucer.  The South Main Arts District is about a 5 block walk or trolley ride.  Frank’s grocery and deli is nearby for your shopping needs.

You can see pics of the condo below.  Full appraisal is available upon request.  If you’re interested, shoot me an e-mail at paul@paulryburn.com and I’ll put you in touch with the sellers.

If you’re going to any of the big three Memphis in May events, you’d be well-served to click the link below and place an order:

Emergency Poncho for Weather Protection

These are a good thing to have at Memphis in May when the sky lets loose and there’s nowhere for blocks around to run for cover.  Experienced MiM attendees carry one of these in their pocket or purse at all times.  If you order them now, they’ll arrive in time for Music Fest.

The Ques Brothers competed yesterday at the 2009 Southern Hot Wing Festival in South Main, and I stepped into my role as team photographer and took 150 pics.  Before I start posting pics of us, though, I want to recommend a GREAT band I heard yesterday at the festival:  The Young Guns.

I happened to take a walk early afternoon, and as I approached the stage, I heard the band and thought, “these guys are rocking out.”  Then I looked at them and realized they were kids, probably 13-16 years old, playing some of the best rock covers I ever heard.  They played AC/DC’s “Whole Lotta Rosie,” which was supposed to be their final song, but the crowd went wild and started screaming for an encore.  How often do you hear encore requests at street festivals?  Usually, crowds are like, “ok, band’s over, let’s get another beer.”  But the wing fest crowd couldn’t get enough of this band, and the fest’s organizers told them they could do an encore if they wanted.  “We’re going to play some Led Zeppelin for you,” said the lead singer, and then they proceeded to play the best rendition of “Rock and Roll” I’ve ever heard by a cover band.  These guys love performing and I could tell they would’ve been happy to stay onstage all afternoon.

Check out their website – they have a version of Jimi Hendrix’ “Voodoo Chile” and some other songs.  They play the Daisy again on May 9, the Redbirds game on May 11, and Minglewood Hall on May 31.  A lot of people were saying, “they should book these guys to play the Saucer” but I think the over-21 rule would put a stop to that.  Wonder if there’s an exception for performers… anyway, I’m definitely going to try to go see these guys at either the Daisy or Minglewood next month.

A few festival pics:

Uncle Ray loves having his picture taken.  He’s seen here sampling Pluck U’s wings.

John D and Otto enjoying patio seating underneath our sponsor The Silly Goose’s banner.  John looks annoyed that we had kegs of PBR rather than his favorite, Bud Light.

Bicycle Bobby grills a fresh batch of wings.

No festival photo album is complete without a pic of Mikey hamming it up for the camera…

… or a pic of the Nuh-Uh Girl eating.

In addition to the wings, we served up homemade onion rings (pictured here), fries, and tater tots.

About 5:30 the rain began to threaten, and we hopped into cars and trolleys and headed north to the Saucer, where the festivities continued around the pool table.

The gang’s all here (except Erin, who I accidentally cut out of the picture.  She wasn’t too happy about that).

With Terry, who isn’t in the best of moods after losing 4 games out of 5 to me at pool.

Stephanie gets ready to break.  You can’t really tell in this pic, but Stephanie has a tube top dress on.

Complete photo album (151 pics) here. What a great festival, and we were fortunate that the rain held off for the better part of the day.  Can’t wait for next year.  My only complaint was that they only had four portable restrooms, which was not enough for a crowd that size and the lines got long.

Now we move on to today’s festival – Rajun Cajun Crawfish Fest.  It’s on Wagner Street along the river betwen Union and Beale, and runs from 12 to 6.  Two bands, buckets of crawfish for sale, as well as crawfish races, crawfish eating contests, and bobbing for crawfish.  I’ll be there all day (weather permitting), and I’m enforcing my “no side trips” rule.  No going to the Saucer for “just one beer” and not coming back for three hours, as I’ve done in previous years.  The Saucer will still be there at 6 when the festival ends.  Many of the gang like to hang out on Barton Flats’ rooftop, but I’m not doing that either – when there’s a festival going on, I want to be at the festival, not somewhere nearby looking at the festival.  Not sure where I’m going to sit to eat my crawfish, though, since this morning’s rain has surely made the grass nice and soggy.  I’ll figure it out though.  Hope to see you down on the river this afternoon!