Paul Ryburn's Journal

Flight restaurant at Main and Monroe was closed for dinner last night following multiple allegations of racism on social media. Protesters stopped there, then moved to Flight’s sibling restaurant Porch & Parlor. I have heard Flight may be closed for brunch today too; best advice if you plan on going is to call the restaurant first and confirm they are open.

The Daily Memphis covered the protest, and told the story of a man who applied for a server job at Flight. Based on the fact that he had a certification from the Kemmons Wilson School of Hospitality, and he thinks possibly because his name was Grant (as opposed to, say, Antwann or Quintavius), he was invited in for an interview. However, once he arrived for the interview, the open position mysteriously vanished. Then his roommate, who was white and had no prior experience as a server, applied and was offered a job.

I have read that employees at Flight were required to sign non-disclosure agreements. I have never heard of a restaurant requiring NDAs, but then I’ve never worked in the service industry, so what do I know. I have some unsolicited advice for Flight co-owner and my former neighbor Russ Graham: If you want to make a bold first move in protecting your reputation, release your current and former employees from their NDAs. That would be a boss daddy move that shows you have nothing to hide.

Oh, Russ, one other thing – I don’t date much, but the next time I ask a black woman out, I’m bringing her to dinner at your restaurant, and we’re going to want a patio table facing Main Street where everyone can see us. Make it happen, captain.

Looks like the charity poker tournament for Alive! Rescue Memphis, hosted by the River Rat Rounders poker league, is back on today for 3 PM at the Green Beetle. They are playing 5-to-7 handed tables for a total of about 40 seats, when means two things:

• You will want to get there early to ensure you get a seat
• You will be able to play a lot more hands than you would at a full 9- or 10-handed table. First to act, I’d probably fold 9♥7♠ at a 9-handed table; at a 5-handed table, I’d consider raising with it.

$300 will be guaranteed to first place, along with double league points. 2000 chip bonus for dealers (2 per table) and 1000 chip bonus for featured food, beers, and liquors. The focus will be on donations to the pet rescue during the tournament, and there will be dogs onsite for you to meet.

Adam McClelland brings southern rock to Sunday brunch at Slider Inn Downtown today from noon to 3. The brand new stage is ready for his performance.

Paulette’s restaurant will have Father’s Day dine-in and to-go specials on the 21st, including 3-course dinners family meals that feed 2 to 4. To-go family meal orders need to be placed by 7 PM this Friday.

The Downtown Neighborhood Association is pushing for Riverside Drive to be completely reopened. Starting tomorrow it is scheduled to be open, but only on weekdays. DNA members point out that it’s the only street where you can drive alongside scenic river views and see pretty decorative objects like sculptures and “SPEED LIMIT 35” signs.

A Downtown resident reported on Nextdoor that cars were doing donuts at Front and Beale last night. MPD finally cleared the scene around 1:45 AM but the lot next to AutoZone immediately filled up with partiers after the cops left. To the developers of One Beale: This is what your tenants will have to deal with every weekend.

ShitFest, a double feature of the worst movies ever shown, will happen at Black Lodge tonight. First movie at 10, second at midnight.

Drag brunch returns to Atomic Rose today. Brunch starts at 11, drag show with Holly Walnutz at 12. At 2 PM there will be drag bingo hosted by Pattie O’ Furniture and co-hosted by Imagene Azengraber. $4 Bloody Marys, $4 mimosas. Ms. Rona is not invited so they’re doing social distancing and all that other stuff that makes health department officials happy.

Trump canceled the campaign rally scheduled for Tulsa on the Juneteenth holiday because his advisers told him to out of respect.

That’s it for now. Back tomorrow with more news.

Social media has been abuzz the past couple of days with allegations of racism at the family of restaurants that includes Flight, Porch & Parlor, and Southern Social. A former barback at Flight posted to Facebook that when he worked there briefly, he was told to try and sell black people on the seating upstairs, telling them it was more appealing and classy. The real reason, the former barback alleged, is that the owner didn’t want people on the street walking by and seeing black people dining. He also said there was a code in the computer to indicate that a person who made a reservation was black.

Also, yesterday someone I follow on Twitter tweeted a screenshot of a text conversation with someone who had worked at Porch & Parlor. That person alleged that if someone asked how come there were no black servers at the restaurant, they were to respond, “They have the day off.”

Russ Graham, co-owner of Flight, issued a statement to the media saying the ownership group does not condone racism, and calling for an investigation of alleged racism and discrimination at his businesses. Commercial Appeal coverage Daily Memphian coverage I look forward to Mr. Graham issuing a future statement to the media reporting the findings of the investigation in a completely open and transparent manner.

I have no first-hand knowledge of whether the allegations are true, but to be fair I will make this observation: I can see the entrance to Flight from my living room window, and multiple times since the Safer at Home house arrest was lifted I have seen black people on their patio.

Sadly racism at restaurants is more common than a lot of people realize… there’s another restaurant Downtown at which I stopped dining 9 or 10 years ago, after hearing from multiple friends that they required a credit card upon seating for black dine-in customers, but not from whites. They have since changed their policy, I have been told. They now take a card from everyone. If you order an appetizer and drink to get started while you look at the menu to decide your main course, they tab you out once when you order the appetizer and drink, and again when you order your entree. That’s just fucking ridiculous.

All right, let’s get on to some brighter, cheerier news. Yesterday I wrote that there would be a musical protest on King’s Palace Cafe today at 1, demanding that live music be allowed to return. Good news: That protest is CANCELED because the city has agreed to allow live music, effective immediately.

Edible Memphis reported on Facebook that beginning next week (so not this weekend) once we’re in Phase 3, Silly Goose will extend its operating hours and be open 12 PM to 3 AM daily. No word on if they’ll be allowed to bring the DJ back. In the name of research for my blog, I will stop by the Goose sometime soon and find out.

So good to see things getting back to normal… I mean, catching a disease from someone you met in a bar at 2:30 AM was a thing long before 2020.

Tweet from Belle Tavern yesterday:

The window is open, the door is open, we have seating inside. Come by and enjoy a sip or two!

They have seating inside! Another Downtown hotspot is back! Man, the “only in America do we decide a pandemic is over because people want to go out to bars” people are having a bad day, aren’t they?

Looks like Blues City Cafe reopened last night.

Tug’s Casual Grill adds a pizza menu created by Chef Judd Grisanti starting Monday. They have 8 specialty pizzas or you can build your own. The pizzas are an addition to the regular menu, not a replacement.

Yesterday I wondered whether smokers could potentially spread COVID-19 when they exhale. CBS Boston had viewers send in questions for Dr. Malika Marshall, and that was among them. Her response was that the virus doesn’t necessarily hitch a ride on smoke, but when people exhale, they are releasing droplets into the air. Therefore, if you’re close enough to smell someone’s cigarette smoke and that person is sick with COVID-19, there is a risk you will be infected. Dr. Marshall goes on to say that smokers and those frequently around secondhand smoke may have damaged lungs, putting them at increased risk for complications should they catch COVID-19.

The Giving Grill raising money for 275 Food Project happens today at Cordelia’s Market 11 AM-1 PM.

Is it just me or are the fruit flies out of control this year? Seems like as soon as I zap one with Febreze, grounding it so I can catch it with a tissue, another one pops up.

Two hairstylists in Springfield, Missouri came down with COVID-19 and before they realized they had it, they cut 140 clients’ hair. How many of those clients were infected? Zero, because both they and their clients were wearing face masks. If at some future point there’s a surge here in Memphis – and I mean a REAL surge, not “look the rolling 14-day average went up from 6.8% to 7.2%” – I would prefer a mandatory mask order to another Safer at Home house arrest. I enjoy being back at work and back at bars named after animals.

The Atomic Angels Drag Show with Holly Walnutz and Bella DuBalle returns to Atomic Rose tonight. There are two shows, at 8 and 11 PM. Buy two entrees, get a free appetizer 6-9 PM. $10 cover after 9. They’ll have limited capacity, hand sanitizer, and socially distanced seating, because Ms. Rona is NOT invited to the party.

LOL my friend who bartends at Atomic Rose tells me it’s hard to make any money there because all the boys want to order from Joe…

I read something this week that really brought me inner peace. It’s the idea that your soul draws to you exactly the people and events that allow you to have the experience it wants you to have, at every point in time. So, for example, if the music’s turned up too loud, you don’t have to be annoyed, because there’s a reason it is supposed to be that way. If the guy in the seat next to you is actin’ a fool, rather than finding it irritating, see it as an opportunity to decide who you want to be in relation to that behavior.

That’s the news for today. Back tomorrow with more.

Happy Friday everyone! Got quite a bit of news today, so let’s rock the casbah!

We’ll start off with some re-opening news…Tuesday, June 16 marks the next chapter of Longshot, the bar with five shuffleboard tables in the basement of ARRIVE Hotel at Main and Butler (entrance around the corner on Butler). Fun, fun place and may I recommend the brisket queso if you’re looking for something on the menu.

In other re-opening news, Aldo’s Pizza Pies Downtown has opened its patio for dine-in. Lots of people were out enjoying some pizza and great June weather yesterday.

Also re-opening is the Memphis Made Brewing Co. taproom. After doing a deep cleaning yesterday, they will be open 4-10 today and 1-10 Saturday. Here’s a list of restrictions they will have in place to keep everyone safe.

The episode of the TODAY show with Hoda and Jenna featuring B.J. Chester-Tamayo of Alcenia’s is now online. She demonstrates to the host how to make a perfect pie crust. If you want to try one of her pies, check out Alcenia’s menu.

If you go to the Memphis Farmers Market tomorrow and you have kids, be sure to stop by the Kids’ Curbside Craft table to pick up everything your children need to grow a magnolia.

Reminder: Today noon-1:15 is the first Zoom meeting where you can give feedback on the BuildDowntown master plan for the next 20 years.

There will be a Musicians for Beale Musical Protest on the patio of King’s Palace Cafe tomorrow, Saturday, June 13 at 1 PM. This will be a chance for musicians to raise their voices (and songs) and tell the city that it is time to let live music back on Beale Street so these fine folks can once again earn a living.

A lot of people have been asking when Riverside Drive is going to re-open. City COO Doug McGowen gave us an answer in yesterday’s COVID-19 task force update. Riverside will open when we move into Phase 3 on weekdays only. It will open Monday-Friday, providing people another thoroughfare so people can get to and from work, and will close on the weekends to allow people to be able to enjoy Tom Lee Park while social distancing.

Health Department director Dr. Haushalter sees little reason why we would not be able to move into Phase 3 on Monday, and sure enough, here came the complainers on social media: “HOW DARE THEY move to Phase 3 when more than 100 cases are reported on many days??? We should stay in Phase 2! Hell, we shouldn’t have even come out of quarantine yet!!!” Okay, people, couple of things.

• The number of new cases means nothing without also reporting the number of tests. Were there 100 new cases out of 800 tested? That would be a cause for concern. 100 cases out of 3000 tests would be an indication we’re flattening the curve.
• Was there any surge testing in correctional facilities or nursing homes during the reporting period? If they account for many of the new cases, then it’s safer to re-open businesses than it is if all them were due to community spread.

What I’m saying is, the number of new cases can’t be taken out of context. Like Dr. Haushalter has said, you have to consider the entire galaxy of available data as a whole.

For those of you who have gone back to work and therefore are unable to stream the noon press conferences, WMC’s @kendall_downing does excellent coverage live-tweeting. On the days of the conferences (Tuesday and Thursday) I load his feed at noon and refresh every few minutes.

It’s the Summer of the Kayak on the Mississippi. Thursday through Sunday, 11-7 PM, you can rent a kayak at Fourth Cup in River Garden. Walk-up one-hour rentals are $20. Kayaks are sanitized between rentals for your safety.

Take a guided tour of the Mississippi, on the Mississippi, in a kayak… Kayak Memphis offers tours that start at Greenbelt Park, take you under the I-40 bridge, and end at River Garden. Call 901-482-2942 to book your tour.

Or, bring your own boat. The cobblestone landing is available for you to launch your own kayak, canoe, or paddleboat.

Got a question for my readers in health care… obviously, you want to cover coughs and sneezes to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. When a smoker exhales, could that spread the virus as well? The reason I ask is that a popular Memphis bar quite unexpectedly went nonsmoking when it re-opened last month, and I hear that the same is being considered for another bar.

If your Windows 10 computer didn’t automatically update this week, you should consider doing a manual update immediately. There’s a nasty Internet worm called SMBGhost that is going around. This vulnerability can give a hacker unrestricted access to run any program they want on your computer.

By the way, some free advice from a guy with an IT background: Leave your computer on at night so Windows can update itself automatically. If someone gaining unauthorized access while you’re away is a concern, log out but don’t shut down. Some people think computers shouldn’t be left on overnight but that mindset is a relic of the 1990s.

I’m on the mailing list to get copies of city-granted permits to assemble, and for the first time in three months I got one. It’s a Spontaneous Event Exception Notice allowing MICAH to gather people outside City Hall, 125 N. Main, on Tuesday, June 16 at 8:45 AM. The purpose will be to demand systemic racial justice and equity.

CNN has released its first map of Electoral College projections for the 2020 presidential race. With 270 needed to win, it has 232 votes solid, likely or leaning Biden, and 205 solid, likely, or leaning Trump. The remaining 101 votes will come from the states of Florida, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Arizona, which are toss-ups.

President Trump is planning a campaign rally in Tulsa on June 19. Why is that significant? June 19 is Juneteenth, a holiday recognized in 47 states symbolizing the end of slavery in 1865. Tulsa was the site of a race riot 99 years ago that resulted in the destruction of what was known as “The Black Wall Street” and many deaths. For Trump to campaign there, on that day, in the midst of George Floyd protests nationwide, is insensitive and is a nod to the “very fine people” (white supremacists and such) that make up his base.

That’s it for now. I will try to do a post tomorrow but I may have something going on that keeps me away from the computer. Back no later than Sunday in any case.

 

The Memphis Flyer has a long and thorough article on what to expect at Wiseacre 2, set to open this month. The new brewery and taproom will be located at B.B. King and Butler. The difference between this building and the original Wiseacre is that this building was built to be a brewery, rather than adapted to be one. The owners described the space as their “second album,” different in direction from the first.

There will be a free outing to Chickasaw State Park this Saturday to gather Chanterelle mushrooms.

Hospitality Hub news: For 85 days straight, the Hub staff has worked 24/7 to house homeless women in a local hotel during the pandemic. In many cases, they have seen a transformation in the women, simply because they have had access to shelter and food, and this has enabled them to face other challenges in their lives.

Yesterday the Hub announced the opening of the Hub Hotel at 28 N. Claybrook, where these women will continue to have access to food and shelter. It will welcome all homeless women until the construction of the permanent facility on Washington Ave. is completed next year.

If you want to help make the new hotel a home, you can gift an item from one of these registries:

• IKEA
• Home Depot
• Amazon
• Wayfiar
• … or you can donate

The Flyer talked to Miss Suhair of The Little Tea Shop and she says she will re-open sooner or later but does not yet have a date in mind.

ESPN has dropped Tennessee college football to a Tier 3 coaching job. Weak recent history, infrastructure that needs improving, and the fact that UT sucks were cited as reasons.

River Time Market & Deli has added dips that you can buy by the pound, as much or as little as you want, to their deli case. Currently they have Buffalo dip, spinach dip, and French onion.

The Daily Memphian had an excellent profile of city activists yesterday. It goes beyond just DeVante Hill and Frank Gottie who have captured the most news attention the past two weeks.

For the math nerds: Have you ever asked, should I get out to the grocery store, where I might not be able to socially distance from large crowds of people, or should I stay home? Use game theory to find the answer.

The Downtown Neighborhood Association will hold its monthly meeting at the Rendezvous on June 23. Due to COVID-19 restrictions the meeting will be limited to 50 people. Tables in the party room will be spaced with hand sanitizer provided. City Councilman J.B. Smiley, Jr. will be there, and DNA president Jerred Price will give an update on Downtown projects. There will be a limited amount of complimentary food and drink, and the full menu will be available.

Superb article from the New Yorker: How Do We Change America?

Businesses may soon be graded on how well they comply with requiring face masks. The City Council could vote tomorrow on whether to require citizens to wear face masks in public. There will be no financial penalty to those found violating the ordinance. The first offense will result in a warning, and the second will result in community service.

That’s the news for now. Back tomorrow.

Yesterday I read the Downtown Memphis Commission’s 74-page BuildDowntown proposal to plan out Downtown development for the next 20 years. I am going to list my reactions below. Note that this is not a complete summary of the proposal by any means – these are simply the reactions of someone who has lived Downtown for 18 years and in the Downtown core for 17 of those 18.

A major point made is that while significant growth has been made in some Downtown neighborhoods, the growth has been spaced out so that the public spaces in between have not been activated. Some examples are listed below.

Right now the Downtown core seems somewhat disconnected from perhaps Downtown’s most up-and-coming neighborhood, The Edge, because you have to get across Danny Thomas Blvd. The plan proposes getting rid of the bridges and having at-grade intersections at Madison, Monroe, and Union. Great idea… I am so looking forward to having beers at the taproom at Memphis Made 2 near Madison and Lauderdale, when it opens. What I’m not looking forward to is the steep climb up Madison on foot or bike to get there.

There is something of a disconnect between the Downtown core north of Beale and South Main. The proposal suggests relocating MLGW and activating the parcel of land on which it sits, the entire block bordering Main, Beale, Second, and MLK. The MLGW headquarters feels out of place in that location. If feels like a Summer Avenue business is sitting on a key parcel of land on one of Memphis’ most important streets.

A drawing in the proposal seems to indicate the pedestrian part of Beale Street be extended all the way to Front. Excellent idea although I bet that will get push-back from the Orpheum if that huge parking lot to its north is eliminated. More on parking later in this post.

The proposal suggests eliminating the disconnect between two shared public spaces, Court Square and the riverfront, by making Court Avenue a “shared street” (between pedestrians and traffic) west of Court Square.

There’s also a disconnect between the riverfront north of Court (Fourth Bluff and the other parks) and the riverfront south of Beale (Beale Street Landing and Tom Lee Park). The proposal would fill it in.

Civic Center Plaza is an uninteresting piece of land that disconnects the core from the Pinch, The proposal suggests re-imagining those blocks to make them more inviting.

Pedestrian/bike connections connecting Downtown to French Fort – absolutely! The Metal Museum and the parks south of Crump are not currently easily accessible except by car. Would be great for residents of the former Marine hospital that is being converted into apartments. Also I bet it would raise occupancy rates at the Super 8 motel in that area, especially if bike shares and scooters were made readily available.

Better connect South Main and South City by redeveloping Second between Beale and Talbot, which is currently parking lot city, and redeveloping Film Row to attract makers and those in the arts. The proposal suggests making Second and B.B. King two-way roads as far north as either MLK or Vance.

Extend the Chelsea Ave. Greenline to run from Washington Park on the far north part of Second to N. McLean Avenue. That would benefit North Memphis as well as Downtown.

Other thoughts:

Ensure that Downtown becomes more inclusive as it becomes more successful – yes yes. I have said for almost the entire time I have written this blog that Downtown will lose a lot of its character if rents exclude people like artists, musicians, and teachers from moving down here. We need more people of color living Downtown also.

Develop a public art program in South City that tells the story of the neighborhood. A-plus idea. Memphis is a great city because it has soul. Let’s emphasize that.

Implement the vision for The Ravine as a central public space in The Edge. What’s going on with that project? It seemed like it was in the news constantly through the first half of June 2019, but since then we’ve heard little about it.

In the upgrade of Second and B.B. King, emphasize transit on Second and pedestrian amenities on B.B. King. Hey, B.B. King already has a Hooters, what more could you ask for? Just kidding. Having two walkable parallel streets with lots to do (Main and B.B. King) would be excellent. Right now there isn’t a lot to do on B.B. King north of AutoZone Park, although the new Indigo Hotel, 3rd & Court Diner, and The Lounge provide a glimmer of hope.

The study suggests there will be a reduced need for parking Downtown over the next two decades as people shift to ride share, bike share, scooters, and other new and innovative forms of transportation. That will provide opportunities to eliminate parking lots that currently separate Downtown’s neighborhoods. As I said, that’s going to produce some resistance from businesses adjacent to those lots.

Those are my thoughts. I will again stress that this is not a thorough summary of the document. Overall it sounds like a plan for a promising future for our neighborhood.

In yesterday’s city/county COVID-19 task force press conference, Health Department director Dr. Haushalter said that COVID-19 testing capacity is at a good level, but tests are being under-utilized. She encouraged anyone showing symptoms, no matter how mild, to get tested, as well as anyone who has come in contact with a person who has the virus. However, Haushalter added a third group: protesters. She recommends that anyone who has participated in a protest come in for a test 5 to 7 days after the date of participation.

Haushalter also confirmed what county mayor Harris announced yesterday: Barring the unforeseen, we will move to Phase 3 of the Back-to-Business plan next Monday, June 15. However, she advised that if businesses can show the health department that they have a sound social distancing and masking plan, they will allow those businesses into Phase 3 early.

192 new cases were reported yesterday, but a lot of that is due to surge testing at correctional facilities and nursing homes. The positive rate was only 6.6%.

The City Council may hold a special meeting as early as Friday to vote on an ordinance requiring Memphians to wear masks when out in public. Council attorney Allan Wade says the city’s charter is worded in such a way that the city has a duty to prevent public nuisances, and that an infectious disease qualifies as such a nuisance (remember, the city’s charter was rewritten post-yellow fever). Wade is willing to take the fight to court if he has to.

The Fourth Cup is back for the season (and we hear they have snow cones 😱!) New hours are 11 AM – 7 PM Thursday through Sunday.

Located in River Garden at the corner of Riverside and Jefferson for all your park visit snacks, drinks, and sweets. pic.twitter.com/3Lkhlv63HE

— Memphis River Parks Partnership (@MemRiverParks) June 9, 2020

A new company called 901 Smugglers is partnering with local liquor stores to bring home liquor delivery to Downtown Memphis. Their app is coming to iOS on July 1. They will be able to deliver liquor to your Downtown address (of course, you must be 21 or older) within a 2-hour window or you can order in advance.

City Tasting Tours announced in its recent newsletter that Patio Tasting Tours will begin July 1. Obviously the rules will be somewhat different since COVID-19 has stuck around.

If you’re laid off due to COVID-19, you can get affordable health care at Church Health Center. Normally the requirement is that you must be working at least 20 hours a week in a business that does not provide health insurance, but the Center recognizes that many people are not working right now through no fault of their own.

CNN has a look at a city that disbanded its police department, Camden, NJ, seven years ago, and what has happened since. This is especially cool: On an officer’s first day on the new, re-thought police force, he or she is required to knock on residents’ doors, introduce themselves, and ask what needs improving.

Another story from CNN: The data showing that American police shoot, kill, and imprison more people than other Western countries

The owner of McEwen’s has filed a permit to renovate the buildings immediately to the restaurant’s west at 118-124 Monroe, formerly known as 124 Newsroom the last time it was open to the public years ago. Another restaurant and apartments are planned for the space.

That’s it for now. Check back mid-afternoon for my thoughts on the BuildDowntown proposal that will shape Downtown over the next two decades.

The Downtown Memphis Commission has released the latest version of the  BuildDowntown master plan. You can read the plan and then attend one of two webinars on Zoom and offer your feedback. I will give the plan a read today and share my thoughts on here tomorrow.

The Flying Saucer will have its Father’s Day glass with a Grateful Dad theme on sale tomorrow.

International Business Times says oddsmakers have the Grizzlies at -155 to make the playoffs. That means that the Grizzlies are favored to make it and you’d have to bet $155 on them making the playoffs to win $100.

Mayor Lee Harris told the County Commission yesterday that unless something really unexpected comes up, the city and county will move to Phase 3 of re-opening Monday, June 15. Let me caution my readers that “something unexpected” may well come up; people have been protesting for 12 days (except yesterday, when rain canceled the protest) and since the coronavirus has a 14-day incubation period, we are just starting to find out to what degree the lack of social distancing in the protests has contributed to the spread.

The reproduction rate of the virus in Shelby County is up to 1.2. That means on average, each person who has the virus (including asymptomatic carriers who never know they had it) will give it to 1.2 additional people. When the reproduction rate is below 1, the virus starts to die out as it can’t find enough hosts to sustain itself.

My new face mask!

Thanks to Bill and Pam from River Time Market & Deli for getting it for me! (Hair by Tropical Depression Cristobal)

Hearing through the grapevine that South of Beale may re-open Monday the 15th.

Big River Crossing will be closed this Wednesday, June 10, for “spider maintenance.” Perhaps the folks at Memphis Tourism should add well-maintained spiders to the list of reasons to visit our city.

ARRIVE Hotel re-opens Monday the 15th.

If public transit in Memphis is an issue that matters to you, Memphis Innovation Corridor invites you to join in for a series of virtual public meetings that will happen June 15-30.

The DM’s Chris Herrington has a look at Preston Lauterbach’s 2015 book Beale Street Dynasty, which Herrington labels an essential Memphis read.

Local breweries Beale Street Brewing Co. and Crosstown Brewing Co. are teaming up to join the Black is Beautiful brewers’ movement in response to the murder of George Floyd. Participating breweries brew a stout and then donate all proceeds of the beer’s sales to a local foundation of the brewery’s choice. The two Memphis breweries will donate proceeds from the sale of their stout to MICAH.

Amazon will make a feature film about Memphis 901 FC’s Tim Howard.

Bella DuBalle will host Fridays at Atomic Rose starting this Friday. $10 cover after 9 PM. There will be two shows:

• “War of the Roses” at 8 PM. This is Memphis’ own “RuPaul’s Drag Race” style drag competition.
• “The Rose Review Drag Show” at 11 PM

Subway’s “buy a footlong, get one free” deal is back when you order online or through the app.

Donald Trump picked up a cherished endorsement over the weekend: the Ku Klux Klan.

Apologies for no post yesterday. I had the “first day of work” jitters, although I don’t know why. Back tomorrow with more news.

For quite some time now, friends have been telling me that I must try the spicy chicken soup at Maciel’s Tortas and Tacos. I have to admit I didn’t make it a priority, thinking, “It’s just soup, how good could it be?”

I should have made it a priority. I thought of it yesterday and called in a to-go order for lunch.

That container was HUGE – if you want a reference point, Mendatius T. Roll standing to the right of the soup is about 7 inches tall counting his hair. There was easily enough for two good meals, even if I hadn’t also ordered Maciel’s chorizo cheese dip and house-made chips.

The soup was loaded with chicken and the flavor was outstanding. It’s got quite a bit of spice so you’ll want a cold drink handy. I enjoyed it and I’m looking forward to lunch today when I’ll have leftovers.

When we hear the name “Maciel’s,” most of us tend to think of the tacos, the burritos, or the sandwiches. Don’t sleep on the soup though. It’s every bit as good as the rest of the menu.

 

Mike Pence will be the 2020 Republican nominee for president.

As if it weren’t enough that we have a pandemic and a curfew going on, a tropical storm is heading our way. T.S. Cristobal, the third named storm of the 2020 season, is currently in the Gulf of Mexico. It is expected to make landfall on the Louisiana coast Sunday morning, passing over Baton Rouge as a tropical storm and Monroe, Louisiana and Little Rock as a tropical depression. That will put Memphis on the east side, typically the hardest-hit.

I’ve been asked multiple times when the curfew will end. Even cops I have talked to have no idea. Mayor Strickland renews the curfew on a daily basis, and news didn’t come that it had been renewed yesterday until about 2 PM. That has made it hard on my friends in the service industry, who don’t know if they’re closing at 9 PM or 1 AM until they get to work. You can’t file for unemployment for four hours.

I’m receiving tips that Downtown parking officials are cracking down hard writing tickets for metered spaces. They had somewhat loosened up during the house arrest and the early phases of reopening.

Geoff Calkins’ columns alone are worth the cost of a $7/month subscription to The Daily Memphian. Yesterday he explained why the restructured NBA season is good for the Grizzlies. The 8 worst teams, the ones with no chance of making the playoffs, aren’t invited to Orlando. The Grizzlies only had one game against the bad teams on their remaining schedule. The teams trying to catch up to Memphis and take the 8 seed, had considerably more.

From Memphis River Parks Partnership:

Trails come to Greenbelt Park.

A new way for you to enjoy the yellowcress fields in our most natural spot on the riverfront. Find driftwood to climb on or take your pup on a walk on the trails. Happy exploring!#cometotheriver pic.twitter.com/7LkmhlIAnD

— Memphis River Parks Partnership (@MemRiverParks) June 5, 2020

Yup that exists: a socialist version of Monopoly.

I’ve been active on the Pabst Blue Ribbon group on Facebook this week. I asked if anyone else stands up and applauds when the delivery man wheels the PBR in. Several people responded that they did, and I also heard from delivery people who said they appreciated it. Thank you for your service.

I also answered a question asking, what is your second choice when PBR is not available? As a certified expert on beer, with 8 plates on the Flying Saucer’s ceiling to prove it, I can tell you that no beer tastes as much like PBR as the Irish lager Harp. If I have to pick a domestic beer, Miller High Life would be my runner-up.

Motown & Margaritas returns to Tin Roof tomorrow and every Sunday 6 to 9 PM. Wind down the weekend with some good music and $5 margarita specials.

Dylan whipped up a new dish at Silly Goose yesterday that may make it on to the menu: red bean hummus.

This was yummy and the color made me feel like I was eating meat when I actually wasn’t – wait, I was, those dark pieces are bacon. I’m sure you can ask for that to be left off if you’re a vegetarian though.

If you missed out on Memphis Chamber’s COVID-19 webinars, you can watch them here.

Former White House chief of staff Gen John Kelly says he agrees with former Defense Secretary Gen. Jim Mattis’ warning that Trump is “the first president in my lifetime who does not try to unite the American people” https://t.co/f5t74ZI0RY

— CNN Breaking News (@cnnbrk) June 5, 2020

I’m going back to work on Monday! After two and a half months off I am ready to be productive. The blog may be hit-or-miss the first part of next week as I adjust to having a schedule again. Probably back tomorrow with more news.