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Saw something very cool in the Downtown Livin’ It Up bulletin today: The organization that puts on RiverArtsFest is starting a group called ARTitude for younger art lovers who love to attend parties. $50 membership gets you entry to at least 5 parties between now and RiverArtsFest, a poster, and a T-shirt. This sounds like a great idea! More info about ARTitude here.

Preservation Magazine, published by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, has an article on their site about the Lowenstein Building at Main and Jefferson.

WKNO is working on a new “Memphis Memoirs” show focusing on Downtown Memphis. They’re looking for memorabilia from Downtown from the 1900s through the 1970s to feature on the show. If you have something they might be interested in, give them a call at (901) 325-6525 or e-mail them at wknopi@wkno.org.

Home from work.  Hopefully I’ll make it to the bar before the rain starts…

For those expecting an April Fool’s Day spoof, sorry, couldn’t think of anything worth posting this year.  I wasn’t feeling well and took the night off from trivia and from the Silly Goose’s $2 drink night.  I’ve been told the team got third place.

A Little Rock radio station broadcast a rumor this morning that Nolan Richardson may come out of retirement to coach Memphis Tigers basketball.  That would be a great move.  Richardson took Arkansas to the national title in 1994, and is the kind of high-profile coach who could operate at the level Cal did.  He’s also an excellent recruiter and might be able to keep most of the 2009-10 recruiting class intact.  The downside is that Nolan is already in his 60s, so it’s not like he’d stick around for 15-20 years and build a dynasty.  If not Nolan, I agree, his protege Mike Anderson at Missouri is the man to get.

If we hire Bruce Pearl I may have to move to another city.

Got an update from the Madison Hotel… they’ll kick off their summer rooftop party series Thursday, April 9, same night the Peabody kicks off.  Elmo & the Shades will be the first week’s entertainment.

They’re also starting a “Madison 400” club.  Membership gets you and a guest entrance to all rooftop parties, access to the roof on Fridays and Saturdays, privileges to run a monthly tab at Grill 83 and the Madison (upon credit approval), 15% off published room rates, 10% off food at Grill 83, 10% off on-site catering, 24 valet parking passes, and one night in a Deluxe room at the Madison.  Entry fee is $400 per year.

One of my recruiter contacts is looking for a UI developer working with Silverlight and VB.NET.  If you’re interested e-mail me at paul@paulryburn.com and I’ll put you in touch with her.

That’ll do it for now… off to work.

I must have been asked “How’s the new job?” 30 times last night. It got to the point where I was thinking, “Oh no, not the same conversation again.” So I guess I’ll answer it on here.

– As I mentioned earlier, the new job is at a nonprofit near the airport. Now I’ll say a little more… it’s an organization that organizes and promotes the card game bridge. As a webmaster in the Marketing department, it’s my role to help promote bridge via the web. I had never played a real bridge game at the time I was hired (and still haven’t), but have already become familiar enough with the terminology to be able to write articles about the game.

– I’ll probably learn to play bridge at some point, but I don’t see myself becoming seriously addicted.

– The job has been good so far. I’m doing more writing than I am programming. In fact, I’ve been told that I was hired mainly to be an idea person, and the heavy lifting related to web programming will be handled by someone else. I like that.

– When I do write code it’s generally PHP. I like that too. I was sure I was going to get stuck in another .NET environment. I like PHP better.

– Getting to work with Photoshop, Dreamweaver, and Flash, technologies I haven’t really used in a professional setting before.

– Commute is not too bad, about 15 minutes unless there are traffic snarls. I take the 240 loop to Airways. Going to work I’ll sometimes get off at Mill Branch and take Nonconnah Blvd. for the final mile to avoid traffic jams on the 240.

– Thanks to those who have e-mailed me with lunch suggestions. I’ve learned about the Italian Rebel, Uncle Lou’s Fried Chicken, and the soul food place on Brooks (can’t think of its name right now but it contains the word “bistro”). Someone also recommended a Mexican restaurant on Lamar, not only for the food but because I can watch the hookers while I eat.

– I arranged for them to give me Thursday and Friday of BBQ Fest off, so I won’t miss any time with the team due to the new job.

– Schedule is 8:00 to 4:45. I’ll probably never get completely used to having to be at a job at 8 but I’m dealing with it. At least when I get to work, there’s usually a fun, creative challenge awaiting me, rather than a screen full of C# or VB.NET code.

So there ya go… now you have your answer. I’m still undecided whether I’ll do trivia tonight, or hit the first week of “Two-Buck Tuesdays” at the Silly Goose (see previous post for details).

As if dollar depression-era cocktails on Mondays 5-7 weren’t bad enough, now they had to go and do this.  Menu above is in effect 5-10 PM Tuesdays at the Goose.  I don’t know how I’m going to convince my trivia team to show up at the Saucer at 7 with this menu down the street.  Hell I’m not even sure I’ll show up.

Did you know that Downtown homeless icon Scratchy is part owner of the Silly Goose?  Abe told me so tonight.  Apparently Scratchy is not as hard up as we thought.

After Depression cocktails ended, I went over to the Saucer for a few Pint Nite Dos Equis Lagers.  Bartenders Marci, Jim, Brittany, Sarah, and Brittney were working, and I’d like to particularly single out Marci, Jim, Brittany, and Sarah for their excellent customer service.  Marci, Jim, Brittany, and Sarah truly went above and beyond the call of duty and I appreciate it and that’s why I’m a loyal Pint Nite customer.

Oh by the way Sarah is a very talented artist.  Check out MySpace page displaying her work here.

Paul’s Drunkass Food = Bardog chicken tenders tonight.  Home early, actually going to get 8 hours sleep.

I can see that, starting this weekend, there are going to be problems figuring out what people mean when they say they are going to Raiford’s.

“I’m going to Raiford’s this weekend, want to go?”

Such a question, up until now, would have referred to Hollywood Disco, the club in the same building at Mulberry and Vance where Robert Raiford ran his club from the 1970s until 2007. Even though Hollywood Disco has new owners and Raiford is no longer affiliated with the place, nearly everyone still calls it “Raiford’s,” as it’s very much a tribute to the club we remember.

However, Paula & Raiford’s Disco opens this weekend at 14 S. Second (just south of Madison). It’s being opened by Paula Raiford, Robert Raiford’s daughter, and Raiford himself will be the DJ.

So if someone tells you they’re going to Raiford’s, you’d just about have to ask for clarification… otherwise you’d risk meeting them at the wrong place.

“We’re meeting at the original Raiford’s” is vague too… would that mean the original building, which would be Hollywood Disco, or the club where you can find “the original” himself, which would be Paula & Raiford’s Disco?

“We’re going to the Disco” is also vague, because both clubs contain “Disco” in the name.

“We’re going to Hollywood’s”… nope, still vague. Hollywood Disco has that word in its name, but “Hollywood” has been Robert Raiford’s nickname for years. Still confusing.

I think we’re actually going to have to say the entire name of the club we’re going to, or at least the location – “Hollywood Disco, on Vance” or “Paula & Raiford’s, on Second.”

Funny how people tend to call a business by the first name by which they remember it. Most of my friends still call Kooky Canuck “Big Foot,” although the name changed 3 months ago. I even have friends who call the Second Street Shoppers convenience store “Carabella,” even though the two businesses shared absolutely nothing in common except location.

In other news… I continue to keep hearing how great the brunch is at Sauces. If I make it to brunch anywhere next Sunday, that’s where I’m going to be. The chorizo patty melt was especially recommended by those who went there. It doesn’t open until 12, an hour later than the time I usually head to brunch, but hey… extra hour sleep, not a bad thing.

Ate crawfish yesterday as I expected I would… but not at Orleans where I thought I would. I rode with some of the gang down to Calhoun’s, where I ate Benjie’s spicy crawfish while playing Buzztime Poker. Sunday afternoon is not a bad time to hang out there… ended up staying almost 6 hours.

Plans for tonight: Dollar depression-era cocktails at Silly Goose from 5 to 7. Pint Nite at the Saucer after that.

Several good newsbites in the Memphis Business Journal yesterday.  A “gastropub” called South of Beale is going to open at 361 S. Main.  According to the article, they’re going to take the concept of a neighborhood bar and make it more upscale, using local food products as much as possible, including products from the Memphis Farmers Market.

Also in the MBJ, flower shop Gestures has announced that it’s closing its South Main location and moving to Laurelwood in East Memphis.  I’ve heard rumors (but haven’t confirmed anything yet) that an Irish pub may be going into that location.

Speaking of businesses opening in South Main… last night at Trolley Tour I stopped in Beignet Cafe, on GE Patterson in the old Tri-State Defender Building, approximately across from Calhoun’s.  It’s not open for business yet – they were just giving Trolley Tour guests a sneak preview.  That is going to be a neat little spot – it feels like a French cafe inside.  I hear it’s going to be a coffee bar during the day and a wine bar at night.  The owner told me he’d let me come in and take some pics prior to opening.

The fabulous Hope Clayburn will take the stage at the Center for Southern Folklore next Saturday, April 4, with her band Soul Scrimmage.  Cover is $5 and the show starts at 9 PM.  It will be an evening of soul and funk with Hope on sax, flute, and vocals.

Story in the CA today:  Downtown stakeholders are using social media to drive visitors to the area.  The CCC, Southern Growth Studio, and Live from Memphis will partner on this, to use Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, and other social media as well as more conventional media to get a buzz going about Downtown.

The Zodiac Ball raising funds for the American Cancer Society is tonight at the Peabody.

Orleans on Front will have another crawfish boil tomorrow, Sunday, March 29.  This one will start at 2 PM and they will have crawfish and shrimp, the Budweiser truck, and DJ Tree in the parking lot next to the restaurant.

Early night for me last night. I started at the Saucer for happy hour, then did South Main Trolley Tour, enjoying some delicious hot dogs, chicken wings, and Boscos beer compliments of the SMA.  By 9 I was starting to feel the sleep deprivation effects of my first full-time work week in 5 months… headed north to Bardog for a couple of beers, then home.  Will stay out later tonight.  Not sure of plans yet though.

Lots of stuff to cover today, folks, let’s get to it.

First of all, if you monitor any earthquake watch sites, keep an eye on the Salton Sea in Southern California (it’s southeast of Palm Springs).  This below-sea-level, salt water sea has experienced dozens of small earthquakes in the 2.5 to 4 range over the past few days.  This is rather unusual, and so I researched it online… it appears that this could be (note: not is, but could be) a warning sign that the next Big One is going to strike along the southern part of the San Andreas Fault.  Some researchers believe that the faults under the Salton Sea could trigger movement along the San Andreas.  A big quake in that area could severely damage Palm Springs, Indio, and other towns in the Coachella Valley, as well as Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico.  The quake would be felt in San Diego and L.A.  Keep your eye on this if you know people who live in the area.  Here’s a link to an L.A. Times article about the quakes.

I’ve received several links to a CNN article about the website PimpThisBum.com.  A father-and-son web development team, wanting to get their name out there and wanting to practice driving traffic to a website, set up a donation website for a homeless man who panhandled in Houston.  All money collected went to the homeless man; the only stipulation was that he had to add “www.pimpthisbum.com” to signs he held up asking for money.  The ethics of this have been hotly debated.  I’m making no judgment either way, but here are the pros and cons:

• PRO:  $50,000 was raised for the homeless man.  He also received a donation of a free week of alcohol treatment in Seattle, which he has accepted.  He realizes this is an opportunity to conquer his demons once and for all, and it looks like he’s serious about it. The 50 grand will finance a place to live and training he needs to find steady work.  He has developed real friendships with the site’s developers and many of the people he’s met in the site’s chat room.
• CON:  People claim this is little more than exploitation, that the site’s developers are using the homeless man to make a name for themselves.  The site does not do anything, they claim, to cure the homeless problem in Houston and in other cities around the U.S.

Read the article, check out the site, make your own judgment.  That’s all I have to say about this one.

Look forward to spring block parties on three Thursdays:  April 16, May 21, and June 18.  These will be on the block of Main between Gayoso and Peabody Place, a block that features more Memphis Flyer “Best Of” winners than any other block in the city.  There will be food and drink specials, live music, retail discounts, and more.  Among the participants are the Majestic Grille, Circa, Center for Southern Folklore, Shelton Clothiers, Silly Goose, and Bluefin.

Due to popular demand, the Majestic Grille is bringing back its Sunday Suppers and a Movie.  This Sunday they’ll show It Happened One Night (1934), the Academy Award winner featuring Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert.  A special menu will be available at 6:30 (movie starts at 7) including an iceberg wedge, beef pot roast, baked potato, and one of the Majestic’s signature desserts-in-a-glass for $22.

Our Tigers got eliminated last night… still, congratulations to them on a fantastic season.  They fought until the very end, pulling within six in the final minutes after being down 64-40.

Speaking of teams that have been eliminated, here’s a great article from the Onion about the Tennessee Men’s Lady Vols being eliminated from the NCAA tournament.  It contains quotes from Bruce Pearl, head coach of the Men’s Lady Vols.

Sole restaurant in the Westin was reviewed in the CA this morning.

If the severe weather stays clear of Memphis this evening, I’ll be at Trolley Tour.  Otherwise, not sure, probably somewhere watching the tournament.

Over the past year, I’ve blogged about discount offers from Restaurant.com numerous times. Lots of restaurants Downtown and elsewhere in Memphis are part of their program, offering gift certificates at discount prices. Knowing that a lot of my blog’s audience likes to eat out, I figured this was a good offer to write about. Many of my readers have bought these certificates and successfully redeemed them, so I had every reason to believe the company was completely on the up-and-up.

However, today I learned something about Restaurant.com that concerns me. One of my readers bought a certificate on a recent 70% off promo. She didn’t have any problems redeeming it, but when she checked her bank statement she found a $14.95 debit from a site called shoppingessentialsplus.com. She researched the charge, and found out that as part of the Restaurant.com purchase agreement, she had agreed to share information – including her credit card information! – with ShoppingEssentialsPlus.com.

I Googled the two sites’ names and found numerous complaints about this practice. Needless to say, it goes unnoticed by a lot of people because 1) many people don’t read the fine print of offers they agree to, and 2) many people don’t go over their bank statement line by line every month.

I extend my sincere apologies to anyone who has bought a Restaurant.com certificate through links on my blog over the past year. I had no idea this “partnership” with the other site was going on. Had I known, there is no way I ever would have promoted Restaurant.com. I definitely will NOT be linking to their site in future posts, and over the next week I’ll take down links to them on other sites I own.

If you’ve bought one of their certificates, you may want to examine your bank statements to see if ShoppingEssentialsPlus.com has been charging you. From the research I did, it seems most likely to happen when you agree to a $10 (or some amount) free bonus certificate from ShoppingEssentialsPlus.com when you make your Restaurant.com purchase.

Furthermore, I know that several Memphis restaurant owners who are part of the Restaurant.com program read my blog. I encourage you to Google the two sites on your own, and draw your own conclusions about whether your customers are being treated fairly.

Again, my deepest apologies. Back to your regularly scheduled blog in the morning (unless I wake up too late to post).

The NCAA South Regional teams will have open practice today at the FedExForum. These are free and open to the public. Syracuse will practice first from noon to 12:50, then Gonzaga from 1 to 1:50, followed by Oklahoma 2:10 to 3, then North Carolina from 3:10 to 4.

Another parking scammer has been busted posing as a fake parking lot attendant, according to this CA article. The MPD’s Real Time Crime Unit saw Johnnie Upchurch, 53, taking money from people to park on a lot at Rufus Thomas and Beale. The lot was clearly marked “no attendant, pay box.” Officers were dispatched and Mr. Upchurch got a trip to jail. According to the arrest record, he lives at 692 Alabama, just east of Downtown. He told officers he was scamming people to get beer money. Kudos to MPD, and proof that their Real Time Crime unit is working. I’ve noticed an increase in arrests of parking scammers near Beale since the unit went into operation.

The Memphis Hard Rock Cafe is one of 24 Hard Rocks around the world chosen to host their upcoming Battle of the Bands competition. Beginning April 10, bands in each of the 24 cities will compete for a panel of artists and music industry professionals. Each city’s winner will advance to the finals, where they will compete for a panel of noted musicians, including Little Steven Van Zant of the E Street Band and Darrell “DMC” McDaniels of RUN-DMC. The final stage of the competition will be left to the fans, who will vote on Hard Rock’s website between May 25 and June 6.

The overall winner of the competition will receive a spot at Hard Rock Calling, a three-day festival in London from June 26-28. Headliners will be Neil Young and Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band. Dave Matthews Band, Ben Harper & Relentless 7, Pretenders, and Fleet Foxes will be among the other acts on the bill. Rounds 1, 2, and 3 at the Memphis Hard Rock will take place April 10, 17, and 24, each starting at 9:30 PM.

Memphis Tigers vs. the other Tigers tonight at 8:37 PM. I’ll be at the Saucer to watch the game. People from North Carolina, Oklahoma, Syracuse, and Gonzaga will be arriving and looking for get their party on before their games tomorrow. Should be a fun night. The Saucer has a patio area that seats over 100, with a large projection TV and two other TVs, as well as an interior area with a projection TV and three more HDTVs. Great place to watch the game while drinking one of their 200 beers.

One of my blog’s readers is looking for a home for the puppy pictured below.  A homeless man was trying to sell the puppy on the street, but she convinced him to give her the puppy for free because she could take better care of it.  She can’t keep the puppy, though, and needs to find it a home.  It’s a female terrier mix, about 10 months old, very sweet, playful, and affectionate.  If you’re interested in adopting this puppy hit me up at paul@paulryburn.com.

On SeriousEats.com recently:  Easter eggs made out of bacon. Nice.  My health guru would probably not approve.  Nor would she likely approve of the Big Mac combo meal I had for lunch today.

WikiHow article of the day:  How to make your butt bigger.  Who says you can’t find useful, valuable information on the Internet?

Friday is Trolley Tour night, and the South Main Association is firing up the grill for the first time this year.  Free burgers, hot dogs, and Boscos beer for SMA members from 6 to 8 PM (actually probably more like 6:45 to 8; last year they weren’t real punctual about firing up the grill).  Non-members can donate $2 for a beer.  You can also sign up for an SMA membership at the event.  It’ll be next door to Bluff City Coffee on South Main.

Cock-a-doodle-doo and go Tigers!  The Red Rooster wants everyone to know that, due to the late start time (8:37 PM) of Thursday’s Tiger game, they will not have a live band as usual.  Instead, the Tiger game will be on all of their TVs, with sound!  A DJ will spin after it’s over.  There will be Madness specials, with $10 pizzas and $2 drafts.  There will be a lot of pre- and post-game activities and prizes to be won.

The Rooster’s crawfish boils continue on Friday nights from 6 to 9.  This Friday they’ll put a Sweet Sixteen spin on it, and extend their basketball specials to Friday as well.

Outta here… on my way to the Saucer for happy hour, then a private party down the street with free booze.  My favorite.