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The big thing going on Downtown tonight is the Rent Party fundraiser for the Blues Foundation, at The Warehouse at Front and G.E. Patterson.  $10 cover gets you food from the Majestic Grille, Ghost River beer, and Jay and Joe spinning blues tunes.  There will also be a silent auction and Blues Foundation merchandise for sale.  It starts at 8 PM.

Also in the South Main district tonight, it’s Trolley Tour.  Many of the galleries and shops of South Main will be open from 6 to 9 PM tonight.  Who cares about Black Friday at the mall?  Come support some local businesses and shop at a decent hour.  Many of the galleries put out wine, beer, and appetizers to encourage patrons to stay a while and look around.  Free food?  Wonder if the Nuh-Uh Girl will show up.

In other news, I see that Republic Nightclub is making a special one-week-only change to their Friday entertainment lineup.  Usually they feature Jello wrestling on Fridays, but tonight they’re going to have Thanksgiving pie wrestling instead… come watch hot girls wrestle in turkey day leftovers.  Nice.

As planned, I spent most of the daylight hours on PokerStars yesterday.  I decided to play $6.50 buy-in turbo tournaments, which have 5 minute blinds each… I figured they’d more closely approximate the number of hands per blind level that I’d find at live games, like the Monday night ones at the Goose.  I entered 5 tournaments.  In one I busted out because I never got good cards.  In another I busted out because I made a stupid decision to call an all-in early in the tournament.  However, in the other three I won first place, putting me up more than $52 for the day and reversing the disastrous Sunday a couple of weeks ago when I took the netbook to Calhoun’s and basically served as an ATM for other poker players.

While I was at the Saucer last night, I saw them put next week’s “buy the beer, keep the glass” glass on the chalkboard… it will be a Ghost River glass next Wednesday.  I stopped buying beer glasses some time ago, but I guess I’ll have to get one Wednesday since Ghost River is the home team.

More PokerStars today… will probably hit happy hour at the Saucer around 4, then Trolley Tour, then the Warehouse party.

Tonight I plan on spending a fine Thanksgiving evening at home with family.  And by “home” I mean the kind of home that has 70 beer taps on the wall.  And by “family” I mean, waitresses in short skirts.

Have you ever been to A. Schwab and looked at their “magic” section?  They have all these oils and potions that are supposed to be used in spells to manifest whatever it is you want in life.  I’ve seen oils that bring wealth, attraction, love, power, happiness, all that stuff.

Well, I have a suggestion for Schwab for a new potion that I think would sell really well Downtown:

Yes, what I’d like to see is an oil that manifests good beers on $2.75 Fire Sale special at the Flying Saucer.  Schwab’s sells most of their oils in 3-ounce bottles, but they could make a 3-liter bottle of Good Fire Sale oil and it would get bought and used.

So, anyway, the Saucer opens at 5 this afternoon, and I will be there.  But first, I will cast a spell using Good Fire Sale oil, to send positive energy toward the Saucer, plant good Fire Sale thoughts in the managers’ minds, and drive away negative influences.

And by “negative influences” I mean, Abita Turbo Dog.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!  It figures that a food-related holiday would be the Nuh-Uh Girl’s favorite day of the year.  I wonder how many plates she’ll go through at her family’s Thanksgiving dinner tonight.

About.com has a new writer who is a Downtowner.  Check out her first two articles here, on Beale Street music venues and late-night dining.

* Grumble * Walgreens is closed today, so I had to walk all the way to Jack’s for my wake-up Mountain Dew… passed some people on their way to the convention center to volunteer for the Thanksgiving dinner for the homeless.  Free food?  Wonder if the Nuh-Uh Girl will show up.

After I posted my list of Thanksgiving openings and closings yesterday, Lansky at the Peabody e-mailed to let me know that their stores will be open. Lansky at the Peabody and Lansky 126 will be open 9 AM to 2 PM Thanksgiving Day, and Lansky Lucky Duck Gifts and Lansky Essentials (books, sundries, drinks, magazines, etc.) will be open 9 to 6.

Also, Lansky 126 is doing a special event Friday from 3 to 7 in conjunction with the tree lighting and Santa at the Peabody. Rebecca Belz, a former Memphian who is a jewelry designer, will be at the store to show off her latest collection, Becca Belz Jewelry. Her signature pieces include chains, stones and clustered perals, and are designed to be versatile enough to be worn with everything from jeans to a cocktail dress.

Also today, Circa by John Bragg sent out their holiday e-mail. I already mentioned their updated website where you can buy 50% off gift certificates. Order them by 12/19 to have them delivered by Christmas Eve. Certificates can be used anytime from January 1 to June 30, 2010 except Valentine’s Day. Certificates exclude tax, tips, and alcohol.

I wasn’t aware that Circa does a “Sunday Night Tasting” menu, 3 courses for $35. Here’s the lineup:

Choice of

• Mesclun Salad or Soup du Jour

Choice of Main Dish:

• Beef Tenderloin Medallions – Certified Angus Beef, with mashed potatoes and demi-glace
• Trout “Grenobloise” with fingerling potatoes, capers, lemon, and brown butter
• Roast Ashley Farms Chicken – lemon and garlic, with roasted fingerling potatoes, mushroom cream sauce

Choice of Dessert:

• Crème Brulee with fresh berries
• Chocolate Tart with Raspberry sauce

Two things going on tonight. First of all, it’s the Turkey Tip-Off Party at Kooky Canuck, with 99 cent super cold Bud Light draft. That’s actually going on all day and all night til close, so if you’re off today, what are you waiting for? Get up there.

Secondly, it’s the annual “Turkey of the Year” glass at the Flying Saucer. I’ve heard that this year’s turkey is Bernie Madoff, although I think it should be whichever Saucer manager it is who keeps putting Turbo Dog on Fire Sale. Glasses go on sale at 7 PM.

I’ve heard that this is the second busiest bar night of the year… oh goodness… gonna have to make this a late one. I’ll be bouncing back and forth between Saucer and Kooky, probably, with at least one stop at the Silly Goose as well so I can retain my mayorship of the Goose on Foursquare. The Nuh-Uh Girl has been on Twitter complaining that she doesn’t want to join Foursquare because she doesn’t want everyone seeing where she is at every moment. I think this is because she doesn’t want people to see how many times she checks in at venues that have free food.

Office closes at 3 today, so I’ll be out at the bars early.

I’m asking on behalf of a blog reader… I know McGuinness used to but they’re closed. His team is Real Madrid if that makes a difference.

Silly Goose is seeing increased business due to the Foursquare iPhone app… I’m the mayor of the place according to Foursquare… how could I not go in there tonight? Sausage & melted cheese plate was good. So was the PBR.

Many thanks to my friend Joan who is a concierge at the Westin Hotel, who called around to a lot of the restaurants and bars Downtown to confirm whether they would be open or closed, and if open what hours, on Thanksgiving. She was kind enough to share the list with me.

This, by the way, is indicative of the wonderful service at the Westin Hotel Beale Street, and how far out of their way they will go to make sure guests have the best possible stay.  If you’re visiting Memphis or have guests coming to town, please consider a stay there.

All right, on to the listings.

Plain text – closed Thanksgiving Day
Bold text – open Thanksgiving Day
*** Starred bold text – open and I will be there

Restaurants

Automatic Slims – Closed Thanksgiving, Friday dinner only
Bangkok Alley – Closed Thanksgiving
Blue Fin – Closed Thanksgiving
Circa – Closed Thanksgiving
Currents at the River Inn – Open on Thanksgiving
Felicia Suzanne’s – Closed Thanksgiving
Flight – Closed Thanksgiving
Grill 83 at the Madison – Open on Thanksgiving
Ground Zero – Open 5pm Thanksgiving
Gus’s Fried Chicken – Closed Wednesday @5, Closed Thanksgiving
Huey’s – Closed Thanksgiving
Inn at Hunt Phelan – Open but booked, 4-7
Itta Bena – Closed Thanksgiving
Kooky Canuck – Closed Thanksgiving
Majestic Grille – Closed Wednesday – Friday
McEwen’s – Closed Thanksgiving, Friday dinner only
Mesquite Chop House – Closed Thanksgiving
Pearl’s Oyster House – Closed Thanksgiving
Peabody – Chez Philippe and Capriccio’s open on Thanksgiving
Rendezvous – Closed Thanksgiving
Sauces – Closed Thanksgiving
Sole Restaurant and Oyster Bar – Open until 4
South of Beale – Closed Thanksgiving
Spindini – Closed Thanksgiving
Texas de Brazil – Open on Thanksgiving
Wang’s – Open on Thanksgiving

Bars

Bardog Tavern – Open 5pm Thanksgiving
Calhoun’s – Open 5pm Thanksgiving
*** Earnestine and Hazel’s – Thanksgiving party, 8pm
*** Flying Saucer – Open 5pm Thanksgiving
Silly Goose – Open 5pm Thanksgiving

Beale Street

Alfred’s On Beale – 197 Beale – Closed Thanksgiving
BB King’s Blues Club – 143 Beale – Nightlife, 7-8:30/Corey Osborn Tribute, 9-1am
Blues City Café – 138 Beale – Closed Thanksgiving
Blues Hall – 182 Beale – Chris McDaniel’s Band, 8-midnight
Kings Palace Café – 162 Beale – Closed Thanksgiving
King’s Palace Patio – 162 Beale – Closed Thanksgiving
Rum Boogie – 182 Beale – James Govan and the Boogie Blues Band, 8-midnight
Silky O’Sullivan’s –183 Beale – Closed Thanksgiving

Museums

All Closed

Very short post today due to a Thanksgiving potluck at work… Circa just started selling 50% off gift certificates on their website, so check them out if you’re a fan of John Bragg’s excellent food.

Will post more after work… updated list of stuff going on this Thanksgiving weekend.

Details here on the American Blues Blog.  Congratulations to Dr. Green!

The Majestic Grille is gearing up for its one-day-only half-off gift card sale. On Wednesday, December 2, the Majestic will begin selling $50 gift cards for only $25 beginning at 9 AM until they run out. If you’re a big fan of the Majestic’s food, this is the way to get to eat a lot of good food for cheap. Note that it’s “9 AM until they run out,” so if you work outside of Downtown, I’d recommend taking as early a lunch as possible (or come in late and get there at 9). You have to purchase them in person – no phone orders.

Note that the gift cards cannot be used until 1/4/10. They also cannot be used for alcohol, tax, gratuity, to-go orders, or for special events.

Suggestion: If you haven’t tried one of Patrick’s filets, it alone is worth splurging on a card. The whole rotisserie chicken is a good one too.

The restaurant is also bringing back Sunday Supper and a Movie starting this Sunday. A special menu will be available, in addition to the regular menu, beginning at 6:30 PM, with movie starting at 7, except as noted below. Here’s the line-up:

November 29: We’re No Angels
December 6: Holiday Inn (dinner at 7, movie at 7:30)
December 13: Christmas in Connecticut
December 20: It’s a Wonderful Life

Reservations for these are highly recommended, as these Sunday movie nights were quite popular last year.

There’s one more too. It’s becoming an annual tradition at the Majestic – the showing of National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, with costume contests for tackiest sweater and for best Christmas Vacation Character Costume. That will happen on Tuesday, December 8, 7:30 PM special menu, 8 PM movie. I was one of the judges for this last year and it was a whole lot of fun. Note that this event SOLD OUT, so if you want to come you better make reservations well in advance.

I’ve had a couple of people ask me if the Foursquare application is available for the Crapberry… there’s not an app for it, but it looks like you can hit Foursquare’s mobile page through any phone that has a mobile web browser. I’ve become the Mayor of a third location on FourSquare – Number 10 Main, my apartment building.

Also had an e-mail asking what is going on New Year’s Eve other than the parties at the Peabody and Beale… don’t know. Best bet is to go to the DowntownMemphis.com home page and check their calendar of events.

Also check out the Downtown Download blog while you’re on the site, for a post about how the Calhoun’s regulars turned the bar into a gingerbread house for the storefront competition.

All right, enough typing for now. For some reason I thought I could make it without my morning Mountain Dew on the way to work today… that was a stupid move. Gonna run to Exxon and buy one before lunch break ends. I’ll be at Pint Nite at the Saucer about 5:30, then poker night at the Silly Goose at 7:30.

I’ve blogged this weekend about a new social networking app called Foursquare.  It’s one of those apps where you “check in” at your current location.  Unlike other apps, though, it awards you points for checking in, which makes it very addictive.  You can win honors for checking  in at the same place multiple times a week, or for checking in multiple places per night.  It’s an app for drunks.  I expect to do very well on Foursquare.

If you check in at a place  more than anyone else, you become “mayor” of the place.  I became mayor of the Saucer and Silly Goose today.  Goose I will lose within the week, I would think, although maybe not since I will be there for poker tomorrow.  Saucer I may lose and regain a couple of times, but long-term I’m thinking it will probably be me.  Remember, last time I counted my monthly bar appearances, the Saucer count for a 30-day month was 42.

But, I’ve got a question.

Who’s going to emerge as mayor of Calhoun’s?

It’s a tiny bar but the regulars are absolutely rabid about that place.  They love it.  But they’re also a competitive bunch (see Buzztime Trivia and poker).  And most of them have access to an iPhone or similar device.  So, which one of the regulars there will emerge as the long-term mayor?  I can see people making extra trips there just to try to wrest the title away.

Otto is the most tech-savvy, so he would not be a bad bet.  I wouldn’t be surprised if Mikey (who has a trophy there for consecutive days visited) finally breaks down and gets an iPhone to get in the race.

Home from a long, rough day of drinking beer, early enough to get a full night’s sleep.  Finished beer #200 today, due to a new stout going on Fire Sale.