When the moon is in the seventh house… and Jupiter aligns with Mars… then peace will guide our planet… and Brick will steer the stars

I know that many of you have been waiting a long time for today.  No, not because of some stupid football game, but because it’s time for a new “Brick” Quote of the Week.

The Earth revolves around the sun, the moon revolves around the Earth, and many of Brick’s best quotes revolve around the moon.  This week’s quote is no exception.

The path to this week’s quote began when my friend Bicycle Bobby posted to his Facebook page, “How do we know that the moon is a moon?  Could the moon be a planet, and the Earth a moon for that planet?”  A lively discussion broke out, and many comments were made.  I replied that we’d probably have different definitions of “moon” and “planet” if we all lived on a celestial body which is what we currently consider a moon.  Otto told everyone they’re full of shit and went into a long-winded scientific explanation.

“You know whose opinion needs to be sought on this matter?” I thought.  “World-famous astronomer/waitress Brick.”  That night I asked her, and she didn’t disappoint.

“The moon is the moon because the sun is behind it, and the sun lights up the moon,” Brick explained.

Brick saw me typing that quote into my phone and decided to explain further, which in most cases means digging an even deeper hole for herself.  “I mean, if you’re on the moon and you look at the earth, it doesn’t look like the moon.  That’s why the moon is the moon.”  OK.  Thanks Brick.  Why hasn’t this girl written an astronomy textbook?  It would be the best selling textbook in that category of all time, although it would probably be placed in the “humor” section of the bookstore rather than “science.”

Whew… dragging this morning… I was about to go home last night when I checked Foursquare and saw that my friends Shawn and Joe had just returned from their ski trip and were at Kooky Canuck.  Hung out with them and Shawn and Lana until almost 3.  I think I did shots.  Ouch.  Terry and Nice Magan were at the bar… now that’s an all-star bartending combo.

I had a wonderful sushi dinner at Bangkok Alley last night.  They have a salmon roll on sushi special for $7.50.  If you go to Bangkok Alley you must get it… one of the best sushi rolls I’ve ever had.

Time to load the PBR into the cooler and head out… after a brief stop at the Second Street Branch Office, it will be time to head to the Super Bowl party… I’ve heard that there may be a poker game, giving me the chance to not only enjoy the party but turn a profit on it as well.  Lots of news to report, but it will probably have to wait until tomorrow.  Or maybe even Tuesday, because tomorrow will probably be party pic upload day.

More SB party info – Flying Saucer

I’ve now got updated info on what the Flying Saucer will be doing for the game tomorrow.  It will be a Home Team Huddle fundraiser for Habitat for Humanity.  There will be beer specials and $1 hot dogs at the Downtown location; at the Cordova location, there will be beer specials and a $9.99 All-U-Can-Eat taco bar.  Halftime trivia with giveaways from the Saucer and Memphis Habitat.  The Saucer will be collecting donations for Memphis Habitat, so you can support a good cause and enjoy the game at the same time.

Probably a smart move not doing an all-you-can-eat promotion at the Downtown Saucer, since the Nuh-Uh Girl lives down here.

Where to watch the game tomorrow

Here’s a list of suggested places Downtown to watch the Super Bowl.  Note that this isn’t a complete list by any means; these are just a few places I’ve heard about.

Couple of notes before I get started:  First of all, I won’t be at any of these.  I’ll be at the BEST SUPER BOWL PARTY EVER at two friends’ condos in the Downtown core.  If you know about this party and are undecided between it and any of the options below, choose the party.  You won’t regret it.

Secondly, if you’re attending a Super Bowl party and need to bring beer, don’t forget about Memphis Cash & Carry at Second and Carolina.  Better hurry down there though – they’re only open until 2:45.  And since it’s a Cash & Carry, bring cash.

Rehab Disco will be open, with $4.50 vodka Red Bulls, $1 jello shots, and $1.50 beer.

Bardog will have 25 cent wings from 3-10 PM, $2 Fireball shots all day, and T-shirt giveaways.

B.B. King’s:  $2.50 domestic bottles, $3 domestic pints, $3 Alabama Slammers, 3 domestic bottled beers and 3 hot dogs for $10 (add chili $1 per dog), $3 bowls of chili, 35 cent wings, $5 cheese nachos (add chili for $2), $2 hot dogs, $3 chili dogs.  $15 super combo with 3 domestic bottled beers, popcorn chicken, catbites, mini corndogs.

Primetime has party packages with reserved tables, appetizers, buckets of beer for $35.  $2 PBR all night long.  Contest for the best fan.

South of Beale will have $3 drafts, $4 wells, and 20% off the entire menu all day.

Majestic Grille will have a shrimp po’boy created by New Orleans’ own James Moore, sous chef.  They will also have a pork tenderloin sammie created by Indianapolis’ own Rickie Jones, grill chef.  They’ll also have a buffalo chicken flatbread (“just because”), and happy hour all night with $2 domestics, $3 wells, $3 imports, and $4 selected wines.

Republic Nightclub:  100 inch projection TV, $2 drafts, $10 buckets, half-time giveaway, Grizzly Girls will be there.

I’ve heard Calhoun’s is doing something involving a radio simulcast but don’t have full details.

Flying Saucer:   I’m in there every day, there are signs hanging all over the place about Sunday, and you’d think I’d have actually read them.  But, no.  I think it said something about some beer being $2.75 (which means, they’re doing a Fire Sale just like every day) and hot dogs.  I’m sure I’ll be up there in a few hours and will get more info.

It’s 9:40 and I’m drinking Mountain Dew Throwback, which means the day is off to a very good start.  I’m charging all three camera batteries, because there will be food galore at tomorrow’s Super Bowl party, which means lots and lots of pics of the Nuh-Uh Girl eating.  Tigers host Gonzaga at 3 PM today… game will be on ESPN2.

Hey, hey Ms. Tambourine Girl, play a song for me

Early night last night (was only out until about 11) but fun times.  I was hanging out with friends by the pool table at the Saucer, while Kings of the Delta played on stage.  All of the sudden we looked up and our friend Lauren was on stage, dancing around and playing tambourine.

When the band went on break, Greg who is the leader of the band came over to me.  “Hey, was that girl a friend of yours?  Sorry for kicking her off the stage.  She was up there for three songs.”

Here’s a pic of Lauren after getting kicked off the stage:

Attn Saucer girls: Brick had gummi worms last night and didn’t share them with any of you.  She kept the bag in her apron and popped them in her mouth when no one was looking.

Lots more to post this morning.  The Super Bowl post is on the way.

Fri update: Peabody, Ronald McDonald House benefit, food articles, pancakes, and more

First of all, a request. I’ve had several Saucer regulars tell me, “I love the Brick quotes! Keep ’em coming! If you ever need more, I have a ton of them!” Well, I’m two days away from the beginning of the new week, and I don’t have a quote yet. The only day she worked this week when I was there was yesterday, and they got slammed with a huge crowd, so she didn’t really have time to talk much. If anyone has a good one, send it to me at paul@paulryburn.com.

The Peabody has announced that its first rooftop party of the year will be April 15. Doesn’t seem possible that rooftop season is only two months away, but it is.

The Hard Rock Cafe on Beale is hosting the Ronald McDonald House Band-a-thon tomorrow night, Saturday, February 6. For $10, you can hear some great local music, and the cover goes to Ronald McDonald House Charities of Memphis. Ric and Bad Dog from Rock 103 will be the emcees, and there will be music by New Era, Tim Plunk, Roses Unread and Roxanne Lemmon.

Couple of Downtown food-related articles in the CA. First of all Felicia Willett from Felicia Suzanne’s is featured in this week’s Meet the Chef.

Also, Patrick Neely of Neely’s BBQ is the newest inductee into Memphis’ Society of Entrepeneurs.

If you like pancakes, mark your calendar for February 23. From 7 AM to 10 PM, IHOP will give away short stacks of their buttermilk pancakes. All they ask in return is that you consider making a donation to local children’s hospitals. Free food? Wonder if the Nuh-Uh Girl will show up.

Inside joke dept: Geez. Next December I’m not only going to get a pic of a cat in a Christmas sweater, but now a dog too.

Still working on the Super Bowl list… should have it up tomorrow.

Thur update: Service industry V-Day at Circa, new Kooky lunch menu, Peabody ducks, Lansky mark-downs, RiverArtsFest and ARTitude, more

If you’re in the restaurant industry and will be working Sunday, February 14 and won’t get to enjoy Valentine’s Day with your loved one, John Bragg is thinking of you. Circa will do a special Service Industry Valentine’s Day Monday, February 15. Call 522-1488 to make reservations, and mention the restaurant you work in. They won’t be taking online reservations for this night, because they want to be sure that all their friends in the service industry get a chance to celebrate.

Kooky Canuck has added a lunch menu. Reduced portions at reduced prices… view it here (it’s in Word format). Menu is available 11 to 2 Monday-Friday.

The Peabody Ducks are at Winchester Elementary this morning. Let the Peabody know if you’d like for the ducks to visit your school.

Speaking of the Peabody, Lansky at the Peabody has marked some items down in their men’s store. 40-75% off on select sweaters, sport coats, jackets, Robert Graham items, Cole Haan shoes. Attn Lee: Robert Graham shirts marked down? We may have to do some shopping this weekend.

RiverArtsFest 2010 is almost nine months away, but you can already get a start supporting it. On Friday, February 12, there will be a party at The Cove on Broad Avenue from 5:30-8:30 PM. They’re trying to spread the word about the Historic Broad Avenue Arts District, while at the same time getting people in tune with RiverArtsFest and what it does for the arts communities in Memphis. All the galleries on Broad will be open.

RiverArtsFest has started a group called ARTitude, for young people who want to have fun, meet new people, and support the arts and RiverArtsFest. Membership is $50 and it gets you access to 5 parties, a festival T-Shirt, and signed and numbered festival poster, VIP access at the festival, and more. You can join ARTitude at the party at the Cove on the 12th.

For more info on RiverArtsFest and ARTitude, check out their website.

Mindless evening at home last night… I noticed that MTV had the first five full episodes of Jersey Shore online and I watched them. WTF is wrong with these people? While I watched the episodes on my laptop, I played poker on my netbook. I entered another H.O.R.S.E. tournament and finished 43rd out of 188 players, just 11 spots short of cashing. Good news is, the entry fee was only $1.10, so I didn’t lose much money. I felt a lot more comfortable at Stud and Stud/8, which were my weak games in the tournament I played Saturday. There seem to be a lot of players in these tournaments who don’t know how to play Omaha/8 or Razz at all. Those games are probably why I’ve nearly reached the money in my first two tourneys. I need to check and see if PokerStars has H.O.R.S.E. Sit’n’Gos so I don’t have to sit around waiting for a scheduled tournament to begin.

Trying to figure out what kind of beer to bring to a Super Bowl party I’m attending Sunday. Tempted to bring some Dos Equis Lager, but the problem with bringing premium/import beer is that you have people who show up with the cheap stuff (or empty handed) and then proceed to drink everyone else’s good beer. Maybe I’ll just bring good ole PBR.

I’ll be out after work tonight, rain or no… probably the usual place.

Brick rumored to be front-runner for 2010 Nobel Prize in Physics

Brick, who is quoted on this blog every week, is rumored to be a front-runner for the 2010 Nobel Prize in Physics, based on words of advice she gave that may have saved our planet and its moon.

Weeks ago, she said, “Obama’s going to bomb the moon to see if there’s water.  But that could mess up gravity.”  Some people, who lacked the necessary background in physics to appreciate the intellectual depth of her quote, required further clarification, and she gave it.  “I mean, if the moon got thrown off course, it would screw shit up!”

Last week, these words apparently made it to President Obama.  While he may have never met Brick personally, he instantly recognized sage advice from a learned citizen, and removed the moon mission from the NASA budget.

If Brick does indeed win the Physics prize, it is believed that she will be the first Nobel laureate in history to have once been a waitress at Hooters.

CA Grizzlies watch party next Tuesday at Calhoun’s: Meet sports writers, win tickets

Next Tuesday, February 9, Commercial Appeal sports writers Dan Wolkien and Scott Cacciola will be at Calhoun’s Sports Bar on GE Patterson for a Grizzly (Edit: Grizzlies, not Tigers, that’s what I get for trying to blog and play poker at the same time) watch party.  They’ll watch the game and stick around as long as there are people to talk to.

If you RSVP for the watch party (it’s under “CA Grizzlies Watch Party” in the Facebook events section) and then show up, you’ll have a chance to win several prizes.  These include 4 tickets to Grizzlies vs. Heat, 4 tickets to Tigers vs. SMU, and 2 tickets to the Cellular South Cup tennis tournament.

Plus they have PBR for the everyday low price of $2.