Sunday update

Oh, man. Yesterday opened my eyes to something.

The Safer at Home order, or the house arrest as I called it, lasted over 40 days. During that time, basically the only face-to-face human interaction I had was with cashiers. It was not fun, especially the first two weeks, but I got through it.

But… what about the people who life revolves around who’s having the pool party this weekend… when is the next trip to Vegas… which club we’re all going to on Saturday and what outfit I’m wearing and how it’s $20 to get in the VIP area but so-and-so knows the DJ so he’s going to get us on the list… and how such-and-such person and I have a BFFs appointment Friday afternoon to sip champagne and get our nails done… and when are we going back to the beach… and how we all want to try that new sushi place in Germantown… et cetera, et cetera, et cetera.

THOSE people had to spend 40-plus days with nothing to do.

I can’t imagine what they did to fill the time. Flipping through the pages of a celebrity gossip magazine is as close as that crowd comes to reading a book. As for watching movies, what’s the point if you can’t tell people who you went to go see the movie with, and what you wore to the theater, and who you met up with after the movie, and where you went after the movie, and what you had to drink?

All right. I’m tired of thinking about it. Let’s get on to the news.

For those of you who are still bored at home and looking for things to do, you can now tour the entire Salvador Dali museum online.

Service industry jobs are hard to come by during a pandemic, but Westy’s announced recently that they are looking to add staff to their team.

The drag racers  treat Downtown as their own personal NASCAR track on Sunday afternoons from about 5 to 7. Perhaps we should all get a to-go drink from one of the nearby restaurants (maintaining proper social distancing while placing our order, of course) and then walk over to Front Street to watch.

Some restaurants are implementing a COVID-19 surcharge to pay for additional costs related to the pandemic. Right now, restaurants have to place every order in a to-go box, and they have to provide plasticware with every order. If you order a drink, they have to pour it in a disposable cup or pouch. All those things are not free for the restaurant to provide. A surcharge of a buck or two is entirely reasonable.

More employees working from home are being asked to install spyware on their laptops and phones. This software can track your keystrokes to prove you’re really in front of the computer. It can record what websites you visit during work hours. It can turn on your webcam and send alerts if you’re away from your computer too long. A phone app can track your location to prove you are really at home. It is perfectly legal for them to do all this, by the way.

What I’m reading this morning: The Confessions of Marcus Hutchins, the hacker who saved the Internet. This is a story of a hacker with a criminal past who turned good (to use the lingo, he put on the white hat) to save the public from the WannaCry attack. WannaCry cost the public millions of dollars, and even threatened lives since some computers infected were in hospitals.

Did you know that Lansky Bros., Clothier to the King, has a YouTube channel? Of course they promote the goods in their store on there, but recently they have added videos of local musicians who would appreciate your watching their performances and tipping them while the pandemic has put them out of work.

Sunrise Memphis with a little brunch action:

That’s it for this post. Back later today or tomorrow with more.

Thoughts on Phase 2 and Gov. Lee announcement and Saturday news

Most likely we will have a decision on whether to enter Phase 2 of the city’s Back to Business Framework on Monday. Dr. Alisa Haushalter, Shelby County Health Department director, said in Friday’s daily COVID-19 press conference that Monday would likely be the day, and Mayor Strickland echoed that notion in his weekly e-newsletter.

What’s different about Phase 2?

  • Close-contact businesses like nail salons and tattoo shops are allowed to re-open, with restrictions of course.
  • Facilities for contact sports can re-open, with restrictions (just assume “with restrictions” here on out)
  • Purposeful groups less than 50 are allowed (it was less than 10 in Phase 1)
  • Gyms and libraries move up to 50% capacity
  • Attractions can open at 50% capacity; some attractions, for instance the zoo, were allowed to open sooner following submission and approval of a plan

Hair salons and barber shops were in the “close-contact businesses” list allowed to open in Phase 2 originally. However, as hair salons and nail salons opened earlier in surrounding counties, pressure from owners forced Shelby County’s COVID-19 task force to move them into Phase 1.

What needs to happen to allow the move into Phase 2?

Dr. Haushalter has stressed all week long in her press conference that there are four main factors:

  • Number of new cases – this number varies with the number of tests, so it’s helpful to look at the percentage of positive tests. This number has been just under 8% for Shelby County, but this week was seen in the 4 to 6.5% range and yesterday was below 3%. This data is considered over a rolling 14-day average, rather than on a per-day basis.
  • Testing capacity – Number of tests has been between 1200 and 1800 many days, and Dr. Haushalter and other health officials say they have the capacity to test even more (their target is 2400 per day). They encourage those even with mild symptoms to get tested. So, things seem to be good regarding this criterion.
  • Hospital capacity – As of yesterday, 79% of ICU beds were in use in the county, which is a bit high. However, Dr. Haushalter said they want to look at the data and determine if the use rate is due to clustered cases, as opposed to community transmission. Also note that hospital capacity increases as of today with the opening of the overflow facility at 495 Union.
  • Public health system capacity – This involves things like ability to get test results quickly, to do contact tracing, and to conduct isolation. These are all getting green lights as of Saturday morning.

A favor to ask of my readers…

… particularly my readers who like to, for lack of a better term, “hang out.”

Mayor Strickland mentioned earlier this week, and city COO Doug McGowen touched on this point again Friday, that citizen complaints regarding Back-to-Business violations would be taken into account when they consider when to move to Phase 2 and what adjustments (any additional tightening or loosening) would need to be done.

Remember grade school, when the teacher stepped out of the classroom for a few minutes, and when she returned, there was that one kid who handed her a list of who had been talking?

Ever wonder what that kid is up to these days?

That kid, now grown up, thinks we entered Phase 1 WAY TOO EARLY and that we should have been quarantined for at least an additional month. That kid is horrified that not only are we re-opening, but we’re already about to enter the second phase.

That kid is going to be out this weekend, taking photos of people congregating together in groups, not observing social distancing, not wearing masks, not taking Back-to-Business seriously, and will then email the photos to the city’s complaint email address.

Let’s ruin that kid’s weekend.

If you hang out with friends this weekend, can you congregate in small groups, rather than large ones?

Can you try the best you can to stay 6 feet away from people who aren’t in your household, and avoid hugs and handshakes for now?

If you go to a restaurant, can you avoid lingering at the bar area – especially if the bar area is visible from the outside?

And I know I’m beating a dead horse with many of you – but would you consider wearing a mask or face covering if you have one? County health officials really, really like to see them. If you won’t do it to help prevent people from getting sick, will you at least do it so they’ll put the basketball hoops back up at city parks?

Gov. Lee’s announcement about restaurants

Around 3 yesterday afternoon, Governor Bill Lee announced his intention to lift all restaurant capacity restrictions in 89 of Tennessee’s 95 counties. Beginning May 22, restaurants in those counties will be able to operate at 100% capacity. Also on that date, large attractions in those counties will be allowed to open.

The news caused me to utter the name of a Chinese man.

Ho Lee Fuk.

That is absolutely, completely irresponsible. Most of you have figured out that I lean a little bit more in the direction of re-opening than the average Memphian, but you just can’t take all the controls off. Way too much, way too soon.

I get that Republicans hate government restrictions. Lee and his advisors probably have the mindset that it should be the individual restaurants’ and attractions’ responsibilities to come up with their own policies to prevent the spread of COVID-19, rather than the government’s.

The problem is that this sends the public the message, “things are back to normal now.” That will cause a massive surge in coronavirus cases beginning around the fifth of June. Hospitals will be overwhelmed. People will die because they couldn’t get an ICU bed or ventilator.

The good news for us here in Memphis is, Shelby County is not included in the governor’s order. Since we have our own health department, Gov. Lee has given the county autonomy to re-open at its own pace. Hopefully the local COVID-19 task force will hold its ground and adhere to the Back-to-Business Framework.

But look how the task force was pressured to move hair salons into Phase 1. Not only were they being pressured by salon owners, but they were probably pressured by the state not to deviate too much from its directives. Will Strickland, Harris, and Haushalter find themselves under the same pressure again?

On to the news…

I ran into a friend yesterday and he gave me a couple of pieces of Downtown restaurant good news. First of all, the spot at 51 S. Main, most recently DejaVu, will be a New Orleans-style eatery called Beignet. Significant money has been pumped into remodeling that place and they will be open for lunch and dinner.

His restaurant group is also taking over Carolina Watershed, and it’s possible both places will open the same day. It’s hard to estimate an opening date when a pandemic is going on, but he seemed to think around four weeks.

Online ordering is now available at all Huey’s locations. I am so happy they did this. A few days ago I called and tried to place a to-go order, but I was in such a noisy environment that I couldn’t hear my phone. I so much prefer to do my food ordering online. Thanks Huey’s and you’ll see an order for a Texas Toast Burger, medium, fries, ranch instead of ketchup on the Downtown location’s screen soon!

The Flying Saucer has a deal going on right now: Buy a $125 e-gift card for $100. That’ll get you started toward your next plate on the ceiling! Allow an hour or two after purchase for your e-card to be emailed to you.

COVID-19 news you can use: A professor explains how a fart can get through jeans and underwear but a mask can stop the coronavirus

Mike Ceide from WREG reports that the Grizzlies re-opened their practice facilities for voluntary player workouts… wait for it… with restrictions.

Memorial Day weekend is coming up next weekend. Local catering company A Moveable Feast is offering a complete Memorial Day cookout that feeds 4, delivered to your door next Saturday. The meal includes

  • Roasted corn and lima bean salad
  • Hog Wild potato chips
  • BBQ baked beans
  • Prime rib burger
  • All beef hot dog
  • Peach & strawberry crumble over ice cream

Here is a photo of the man suspected to have taken the bike belonging to Bill, co-owner of River Time Market and Deli, about 1:10 PM Thursday. The bike was locked up near Court Square.

The Daily Memphian has a look at what to expect at the Memphis Farmers Market today. Quick summary: Don’t go if you feel sick, bring both cash and credit cards, leave your pet at home, and be prepared to stand outside in rain waiting to get in the Market, which is under a pavilion. The Market is open until 1 PM today.

Memphis Songwriters Series: Virtual Voices returns to the Orpheum’s Facebook page tonight at 7:30. View previous Virtual Voices concerts

There’s a Goth Happy Hour on Twitch tonight from 7 to 9. DJ Alpha Heather will play the tunes.

Time to stand on X’s taped six feet apart on a floor to start off a day that’s all that and a bag of chips. Back tomorrow with more news.

Friday update

Everyone please be on the lookout for this bike! It was locked up outside River Time Market & Deli on Court Square and belongs to Bill, the deli’s 71-year-old co-owner, yesterday afternoon. If you see the bike please call 545-COPS.

My Grizzlies face mask arrived Wednesday!

You can get yours in the Grizzlies Store. I ordered the mask Friday, May 8, and when I placed the order it was set to arrive by May 20. However, the confirmation email said it would arrive today, Friday, May 15, and then Wednesday, May 13 I got a “your order is out for delivery” email.

Choose901 has a list of spots that are open that you can visit this weekend. That’s right, these places are OPEN. They are not Zoom conferences. They are not Facebook Live concerts. They are not activities you can record yourself doing, then post to Instagram to #ShowYouStayedHome. Three of the recommended happenings are located Downtown: Loflin Yard, the Ghost River taproom, and the Memphis Farmers Market.

Did you know 117 Prime has a food truck? It was at Memphis Made Brewing Co. yesterday. I’ll try to keep you informed of future outings for the truck.

Max’s Sports Bar has the info on Saturday’s shrimp and crawfish boil:

Although we will still be closed for sit down this weekend, @glazescrawfish will be cooking up crawfish/shrimp and we’ll be slinging it togo this Saturday. Mudbugs are $10/lb and shrimp for $15 (prices include sides). And dont forget to order your favorite drink(s) from the giant crawfish out front when you get here! Thanks again for your patronage and we hope to see you this weekend!
As always, we are trying to be as efficient as possible in order to get you guys on your way quickly. So please take note of the following –
1. Please comment on our Facebook post to preorder. Cutoff for preorders is 4:00 on Friday. Walk up orders cannot be guaranteed.
2. Preorders will be served from 11:30-1:30. If you are not here by 1:30 your order will not be guaranteed.
3. Normal menu will not be available until 2:00.
4. We will also offer curbside pickup in the alley.

I’m going to go ahead and publish this since I want to get the image of Bill’s bike out. Thanks to those of you who have re-shared the photo on Facebook. Back later today or tomorrow with more.

Thursday update

I’m going to lead off this post with a couple of good reasons to head to South Main this weekend. Bring cash and cards to do a little shopping, because the Memphis Farmers Market is back! Their announcement:

We are excited to announce that we are opening the Memphis Farmers Market. 2020 Season will kick off on Saturday, May 16th, rain or shine! Thank you for your continued support and patience during this challenging time. Everyone on the MFM Team has worked diligently behind the scenes to provide our customers, vendors, volunteers and staff with a safe shopping environment. Please read through the market rules and guidelines.
While a lot has changed over the last few months, our mission to the Memphis community has not changed: to offer healthy and fresh food options while supporting small businesses.

And of course, anytime a public place re-opens, there have to be eleventy million billion restrictions. Here are the Market’s:

After you’re done shopping at MFM, walk a couple of blocks down the street to The Vault. Memphis in May canceled its BBQ festival, but The Vault didn’t cancel theirs:

So #memphisinmay BBQ may be postponed until the fall, but ours isn’t! We are making the best out of this situation by creating our own BBQ Fest. All the pork you can stand: sliders, tacos and more. Come feast on whole hog and satisfy your BBQ craving. And don’t worry, we will have scattered seating both in and outside to ensure there is proper social distancing. Extra sanitation stations will be on hand, too, where we can enjoy but remain safe. Come early because once it’s gone, it’s gone! 🐷

Saturday, May 16 ONLY
11 am – 8 pm (while it lasts, so come early)
Wristbands- 1 for $15, 2 for $25
*Alcohol is NOT included in wristband price.

This is one of these events where I would advise getting there early. The people who get there first will get the tastiest parts of the hog.

Many people have reported vivid and disturbing dreams during the pandemic. I am most definitely among them. I like to journal my dreams and analyze their meaning, and try to figure out what their components represent in real life. So, just for fun, let’s analyze a dream I had last night.

I was driving down the streets of Little Rock, on the way to see my mom. I decided to stop at the convenience store nearest her house (at the corner of Pine Valley and McKinley, for those familiar with my hometown). A store that size would normally have one or two handicapped parking spaces, but at this store, all the spaces in front – five or six – were handicapped only. I had to park way in the back of the lot and walk a long way to the store. When I made my purchase and came back out, I discovered that the car had been stolen.

Questions:

  • I couldn’t park in front of the store. What does this represent in real life?
  • What did the car represent?
  • (Super bonus question) What is the occupation of the person who stole the car?

The Daily Memphian is back with another outstanding and thorough analysis of whether we are close to Memphis/Shelby County moving into Phase 2 of the Back to Business plan, and the various factors that play into that decision. Since the virus has a 14-day incubation period and we’re only in day 11 of Phase 1, it is still too early to draw conclusions about the effect re-opening had.

Bear Balls, the breaded mozzarella balls that are a popular appetizer at the Blind Bear, have returned to the menu.

Legendary Club Paradise, which in the 1960s hosted some of the all-time blues and soul greats, is getting a makeover. Also, a body shop on the southern part of B.B. King Blvd. is looking for exterior improvements to more closely match recent development that has sprung up nearby.

The Rusty Pieces are back online tonight at 7 with their fourth Thursday night live stream. Jessi announced that they’ll do Prince songs and she’ll sing “Lost on You” for the first time publicly. Their Venmo is @therustypieces, Cashapp is $therustypieces, and PayPal is therustypieces@gmail.com if you want to show them a little love.

If you can’t make it to the Memphis Farmers Market, Other Foods Kitchen is offering a Memphis Pantry Box offering a number of the locally sourced foods found there. It contains

  • J. Brooks Premium Roasters coffee
  • Tea by My Cup of Tea
  • Jar of honey by Wolf River Honey
  • Tennessee whiskey mini Bundt cake by Mama Pug’s Cakes
  • Country sourdough mini loaf by Lulu’s Bakery (a new Downtown tenant, at Puck Food Hall)
  • Caramel gourmet popcorn by Wolf River Popcorn
  • Bagels by Dave’s Bagels
  • Handmade granola by Amanda Krog
  • Strawberry jam by Comeback Coffee
  • Candied walnuts by Sue’s Walnuts
  • Protein bar squares by Boxer Chef Snacks

This is a question I have been asked from time to time, where to get a gift box that is a taste of Memphis but isn’t BBQ. The box has a list price of $72 but currently it is discounted to $49. Delivery is free and it arrives 3-6 days after purchase.

As your number-one source of news and information about The Edge District, I have yummy news from one of the district’s restaurants, Sabor Caribe:

⚠️Are you planning a special celebration?🥳 We are here to help, from the most casual event at home, to a wonderful office party, or corporate event. Our catering services is now offering  a new and delicious option “The Cuban Sandwich Party”, perfect to share with everyone, (tray size 18ct.) at one affordable price. Contact 901.425.5889 and our team will be glad to take your order now!🤩Don’t forget we’re offering FREE delivery! 🛵.
.
. ⏰ We are open from Monday to Saturday from 11:30AM to 9PM😉

Former governor Bill Haslam and his wife want to hire 1000 college students to tutor children, hoping to fight the learning loss they endured during the pandemic. I tutored math during the summers as a college student. It allowed me to set my own schedule rather than have a corporation set it for me, and it was the first clue I had that I would be successful as a teacher. Definitely a path I would suggest following for any college student who has an interest.

I watch the city county government/health department officials’ press conference at noon every day to keep up  with where we are in the fight against COVID-19. Yesterday the presenters were Dr. Bruce Randolph, Shelby County Health Official, and Lee Harris, Shelby County Mayor. They reported the latest statistics, took questions from the media, and then were offered the chance to make a closing statement.

Mayor Harris declined, but Dr. Randolph came back up to the podium. He told the public that if there was one thing they could do to make a difference in the fight against COVID-19, it would be to wear a face mask any time you go out among others.

So there we have it. A real medical expert advising to wear a mask.

Not a Twitter “medical expert” ranting, “It AMAZES me that some people are so SELFISH that they won’t even put a PIECE OF CLOTH over their face to avoid KILLING someone!”

Not a Facebook “medical expert” ranting, “People who don’t wear masks obviously DON’T CARE about their own lives OR the lives of others!!!”

I would encourage my readers to follow the advice of the real expert.

I would also encourage the fake experts to shut up.

Back tomorrow.

Wednesday update

Having been out a few times this past week, I’ve learned a few things that restaurants and other businesses are required to do to ensure their compliance with COVID-19 protocols. I wanted to pass these things on for the information of those in that industry. Note: This is not legal advice. I am not a lawyer, and I speak only for myself. Just trying to help as a concerned citizen.

First of all, a copy of what the business is doing to be COVID-19 protocol compliant is supposed to be posted on every public entrance of a business. That means, on the front door. I believe the form they’re talking about is this one. This is the first thing inspectors look for when they’re visiting a business. Some restaurant owners have been so busy with re-hiring employees, PPP loans, inventory, etc. that this requirement has been overlooked.

The second big thing that inspectors will look for is whether restaurant employees are wearing face masks at all times. The masks can’t be pulled down so that nose and/or mouth are uncovered, and they can’t be hanging from one ear. Some people find the masks uncomfortable to breathe in, but for now, that’s the requirement.

HOWEVER… this week a friend of mine, who was a customer in a restaurant, was told by an inspector that he should have had a mask on too, that customers are required to wear masks as well as employees. I believe the inspector is wrong in this case. There is a proposed ordinance in City Council, to have its second reading May 19, to require citizens to wear masks whenever out in public. However, that proposal has not yet passed.

Part of the confusion is a result of the Code Enforcement office being assigned to investigate complaints. These types of investigations are new to them, and they might have inspected a gym, a retail store and a hair salon the same day as a restaurant. It’s understandably hard to keep guidelines they learned less than 2 weeks ago straight for so many different types of businesses.

The guidance for Phase 1 has been updated for restaurants to say that bar areas should remain closed. That was not in the original guidelines that were posted on April 30 when Back-to-Business was announced, and I wish more attention had been drawn to the guidelines at the time they were revised. Anyway, if you own or manage a restaurant, it would be advisable to pull seating away from your bar.

Also, it has been said in the daily noon press conferences that Code Enforcement has people working multiple shifts. Do not assume it’s a five o’clock world when the whistle blows and drop the face masks and pull out the bar chairs.

‘Nother thing I learned… phase 1 allows restaurants and many other businesses to re-open at up to 50% capacity… the key words being up to. Your business may have a capacity of 250, but you can still get in trouble for having 125 in there if your business is laid out in such a matter that 125 people could not be six feet apart.

I’ll make one final general piece of advice, and this applies to all businesses, not just restaurants. The more visible the inside of your business is from the outside, the more you need to make sure you are in compliance with COVID-19 protocol for your industry. I am fairly well convinced there are people with nothing better to do than drive around town who look for violations to report.

There are a lot of local restaurants out there who have yet to re-open, and I hope these tips help when they do. Again, do not take this as the Law and Prophets. If anything I said above was factually incorrect, email me at paul@paulryburn.com, point me to the official source, and I will issue a correction.

Let’s move on to the news, which starts off with a couple of re-openings in the near future. First of all, Ghost River:

For those of you who are reading this with Twitter embeds blocked, they will have “socially distant outdoor taproom seating” Wednesday-Saturday 4-9 PM. Only one customer will be allowed inside at a time to order, and that customer must have a face covering. There will not be any indoor seating at the current time.

From The Arcade Restaurant:

The Arcade Restaurant is excited to announce our (limited) re-opening, beginning Monday, May 18 at 7:00 am! We will be performing take out, delivery via our restaurant partners, curbside pickup, as well as limited in room dining!
Our management has been Serve Safe certified and staff have been trained in COVID-19 safety protocols! All staff members will be temperature tested daily and will wear masks and gloves. Tables and patrons will be kept at socially distance safe levels and community items have been removed from all table tops. Seating will be limited to 50% Capacity and no more than six guests will be allowed per table.
We look forward to serving you again starting Monday, May 18 in any capacity! (Take Out, Curbside, Delivery, or Limited In Seat Dining!)
Thank you Memphis for 100 Years!

I also read on Facebook that Max’s may reopen next week. That was an offhand comment made by a bartender and not an official announcement.

MK who does the home delivery lunch and dinner business has posted this week’s offerings:

This week our menu features
‼️LOCKDOWN LUNCH‼️
Philly cheesesteak with peppers and onions. Tortilla chips and rotel dip.
$12
‼️QUARANTINE CUISINE‼️
Bacon chicken ranch pasta!!!
Say. It. Again!
Garlic bread
Side salad
Tiramisu cake ☕️
$15
Lunch is delivered on Thursday and Friday!
Dinner is delivered on Friday!
Text: 9015023072 to place your orders!

At least 3 friends of mine on Facebook are building chicken coops. What’s up with everyone’s sudden interest in chickens? Not that there’s anything wrong with that… I mean, I’ve posted links about going for a chicken walk in the past.

City deputy COO Kyle Veazey tweeted a photo of the demolition of the Civic Center Plaza clock tower and some information about the history of the plaza.

Kyle also shared a link to a Creme de Memph post about the history of the Civic Center. Creme de Memph is a blog about the city’s design and history. Thanks to Kyle for tweeting; somehow this blog flew under my radar. I’ll have something to read after I get done with this post.

There’s a Change.org petition to keep drinks to-go forever in Tennessee. I bet the liquor store lobby is not going to be on board with this.

Lightclub Livestream returns to Twitch this Friday 8-11 PM. This week’s DJs will be Crawley, Maverick, and Drew Ray.

Edible Memphis has a round-up of Community-Supported Agriculture (CSA) subscriptions you can sign up for. With the Memphis Farmers Market closed for a little while longer, this is a way to support your local farmers during the pandemic. In addition to meats and vegetables, floral and meat subscriptions are available.

Planning to Pivot, a discussion among event professionals on how to move forward with their businesses in light of COVID-19, is being virtually hosted by the Downtown Memphis Commission at noon today. Register here.

August 29 is the new date for the World Championship Hot Wing Contest.

That’ll do it for this morning’s post. Back later today or tomorrow.

Tuesday update

Got a meal deal for you to start off this Tuesday post. Flying Fish posted a new event to Facebook called #TakeoutTuesdays, where you can buy one entree and get a second for free, up to a $14.99 value, when you do call-in and curbside pick-up orders between 11 AM and 8 PM. There are just a few menu items that do not apply. When you’re ready to order, visit their website for details. Ignore what it says about “Texas Fish Locations Open” at the top of the page. Memphis Flying Fish info is in the list if you scroll down.

One other meal deal you can get Downtown: When you use the app to order, you can buy one footlong at Subway and get one of equal or lesser value free if you use contactless payment. There are Subways at Main and A.W. Willis, Main and Jefferson, and Second and Union.

Mississippi Terrace, a large outdoor lounge, will come to Bass Pro later this month. There will be plenty of room for social distancing, and once allowed by the Back-to-Business Framework, there will be live music and DJs.

Local businesses: The Health Department is conducting surprise visits to see if Back-to-Business Framework standards are being followed. Do not think you’re safe from these visits outside the normal 8-5 Monday-Friday business week.

Local restaurants: Menus4All is offering a free trial through September 1 where customers can scan a QR code on their phones to view your menu.

The Daily Memphian has a good piece this morning on what is happening with R, the virus’ reproduction rate, in Shelby County. For those of you who hate math, I’ll try to describe it in easy-to-understand terms:

  • An R of 2 means if 1 person has the virus, they infect 2 more people, who infect 4 more people, who infect 8 people, who infect 16 people, and so on. Therefore, by the fifth generation, 31 people total (16 + 8 + 4 + 2 + 1) have had the virus.
  • An R of 1 means if 1 person has the virus, they infect 1 more person, who infects 1 more person, who infects 1 more person, who infects 1 more person. By the fifth generation, 5 people total have had the virus. Even though each person only infects one other, over 80% fewer people catch the virus with an R of 2.
  • An R below 1 means that the virus cannot always find another person to infect while its current host has it; at that point the virus begins to die out.

Shelby County’s R sits at 1.14 today, a number with which health officials seem happy. It dipped below 1 in late April (why wasn’t that widely reported?) The DM article is rich with information for those who want to know about how the scientists’ models predict cases and deaths.

Late this week, medical officials will begin to have data to inform them whether Shelby County will be ready to move into Phase 2 of the re-opening plan next week.

Tin Roof will have a ’90s Day this Saturday from 11 AM to 10 PM. $5 frozen drinks, ’90s music, tables spread out among their 4 rooms so you can stay safely distanced.

The Green Beetle has announced their curbside and to-go menu for this week:

For my fellow customers at Rachel’s Salon in the Porter Building, it looks like they are choosing to play it safe and stay closed until at least Monday, May 18. When they open back up they will contact customers affected by their March 19 closing to see if they want to reschedule appointments.

Stock&Belle has a new website including a Made in Memphis section. They have locally-made face masks among their goods.

Face masks will be made available at all Memphis libraries beginning today. You don’t have to wear a mask while using the library, but the practice is encouraged.

Feast & Graze, the service that delivers hand-crafted charcuterie boards to your front door, is back in business.

There was a guy threatening people in the Downtown core yesterday. He was approximately 18, light skin, shoulder length dreads, glasses, about 5’8″, with another teenager, a few inches taller. He was driving a red mid-sized truck, possibly a Toyota Tacoma. He was screaming from his truck window and making a gun-like gesture, threatening to kill a homeless man. Later he was seen walking up the Main Street Mall with his friend, screaming that people were going to die. The Blue Suede Brigade got him outside of Aldo’s and he was later seen being loaded into about one of six police cars parked near Main and Gayoso. So he’s probably in 201 now, but he has been seen in the area before so I want to make sure my readers are aware of him.

The Flyer has results of a Greater Memphis Chamber survey of the effects of COVID-19 on local businesses.

The Little Tea Shop has a GoFundMe to help its employees with expenses during the pandemic.

The Daily Memphian reports (subscriber only link) that Grind City Brewing’s first beers will start hitting store shelves this week. The new brewery lies on the north edge of Uptown near the river.

It’s never the wrong time of year for a little truth about Tennessee Vol fans.

That’s it for now! Back later today or tomorrow.

Monday update

I found an article related to a study Chris Herrington of The Daily Memphian mentioned last week: A study shows that if 80% of Americans wore a mask or face (nose/mouth) covering then they went out in public, COVID-19 infections could fall to one twelfth – 8.25% – of what their number would be in a society in which no one wears a mask.

Therefore, I have made the decision that I am going to wear a face mask every time I go out in public from now on. This includes restaurants and bars which I have been visiting since we entered Phase 1 of Back-to-Business, places I hadn’t previously been wearing a mask. Yes, it’ll be a minor inconvenience to pull the mask down and then back up every time I take a bite or a sip, but I’ll get used to it.

I also have decided to email the City Council this week and express my support for the proposed ordinance to require face coverings in public, to have its second reading next Tuesday, the 19th. I do agree there are issues with availability, and obtaining a mask/enforcement needs to be done in such a way that avoids creating undue individual financial hardship. I will mention these concerns in my email.

To summarize, I have decided to wear a mask for the foreseeable future, for three reasons:

  1. If at some point I come down with COVID-19 and symptoms don’t develop for a week or longer, I want to minimize the chance that I make a friend sick. Or a neighbor. Or the cashier ringing up my food.
  2. I’ll be a setting a good example – if the people around me see me with a mask on, they’re slightly more likely to be influenced to put one on themselves.
  3. As City Council member Dr. Jeff Warren, author of the ordinance points out, wearing face coverings could well be our best move if we don’t want to fall backward under the Back-to-Business plan, going into a second house arrest.

What I’m not going to do is get preachy and attack people on social media who come to a different conclusion than I do. It accomplishes nothing to turn on the CAPS LOCK key and @ someone on Twitter to tell them they’re selfish for going to lunch at Olive Garden with an uncovered face. If you like the reasoning I’ve laid out here, I invite you do join me in my decision to wear a mask. If you disagree, you do you and it’s all good.

Let’s get on to the news. From Tamp & Tap:

Open 5/11 from 8am to 2pm.
Online/phone/walk-in (to-go) only. No table seating for a bit. If you’ve ordered online, you can call us at (901) 207-1053 and we will bring your order out to you.
We should have most menu items available but bear with us if your favorite sandwich/salad/GnG item has yet to recover from COVID-19. Downtown is still pretty quiet and we’re re-opening softly to gauge demand. Regarding drinks – i can’t think of any of our menu items that we won’t be able to prepare – Fire away!
We appreciate your patience and look forward to seeing you all again!

There’s also news from Cordelia’s Market. Beginning today they will offer breakfast from 8:00 to 10:30 AM and lunches from their hot bar and sandwich menu 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM. All cafe orders will be to-go and they will be serving Monday-Friday. The store also has new hours:

  • Monday* 7 AM-9 PM
  • Tuesday 11 AM-9 PM
  • Wednesday* 7 AM-9 PM
  • Thursday* 7 AM-9 PM
  • Friday 11 AM-9 PM
  • Saturday 9 AM-9 PM
  • Sunday 9 AM-9 PM

Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday the 7 AM-8 AM hour is limited to shopping by at-risk individuals, including seniors, expecting mothers, and those with health conditions that make them at risk for COVID-19.

Why didn’t I know that a Cinnamon Toast Crunch version of Rice Krispies marshmallow treats exists while we were all under house arrest for a month and a half? I almost always keep a box of the stuff at home.

The noon press conferences by city/county leaders and the health department should be must-see TV this week, as COVID-19 case numbers begin to reflect those contracted after Phase 1 of the Back-to-Business Framework went into effect. WMC Action News 5 and WREG both carry live streams on their websites, as does The Daily Memphian on its coronavirus live blog.

The Daily Memphian has an article about the street racing that has increased in Downtown and other neighborhoods during the pandemic.

The National Guard will salute medical professionals with a flyover tomorrow afternoon. Look to the skies at approximately 2:13 PM.

ESPN’s Woj reported that the most likely option for the NBA is to finish out the rest of the season and hold the playoffs in one or two locations, possibly Las Vegas and Orlando, without fans. That would mean no more home games. Grizzly Bear Blues takes a look at the implications on the loss of revenue on the salary cap next season and beyond, and how it could affect Memphis offseason moves.

That’s it for now. Back later today or tomorrow with more.

Saturday update

Loflin Yard has re-opened. Here is the post they made to Facebook yesterday.

Good morning friends and family! After CAREFUL consideration, we’ve decided to open up the doors of Loflin Yard to the general public. Rest assured: your safety is our top priority. We’ve spent days putting together a careful plan to do just that.
We will have signs posted throughout the Yard reminding everyone of the Social Distancing Guidelines, in addition to Loflin Yard specific safety guidelines encouraging distance and healthy practices.
If you’re uncomfortable coming in, we get it! We will continue to offer safe, contactless curbside pickup and delivery options if you’re craving brisket or a frozen drink from home.
Thanks from the bottom of our hearts for sticking with us though these unprecedented times. We will continue to monitor the situation and adjust accordingly as we go. We’ve thought long and hard about this and think that we can offer a safe enough space in the wide expanse of our Yard, and we hope you will find our efforts satisfying.

There are reports of teenagers causing trouble in the southwest part of Downtown. They were seen crossing the train tracks near Carolina and Kansas Streets, where they vandalized property nearby. They (or possibly a different group of teenagers) vandalized cars near Tennessee and Nettleton. They may have a black SUV.

I ordered a Grizzlies face mask yesterday. Face masks are more to protect others than protect yourself; they don’t necessary prevent you from breathing other people’s germs, but they prevent most of your own germs from escaping. As the Daily Memphian’s Chris Herrington wrote, if we could get 80% of the people to wear masks that are 60% effective, we’d go a long way to pushing the re-infection rate of COVID-19 below 1, which will be the point when the virus begins to die out. Put another way, the more people who wear masks, the less likely you are to see any more posts on this blog whose titles start with “house arrest.”

Why a Grizzlies mask, other than the obvious reason of supporting our local team?

  • NBA proceeds from the sale of the masks will be donated to Feeding America, the largest hunger-relief organization in the United States, and Second Harvest, the largest food-rescue organization in Canada.
  • For every mask sold, Fanatics will donate a mask.

This is a good point:

Perhaps “nonessential” retail stores should consider adding hand sanitizer and toilet paper to their inventory.

Let’s hear it for the good guys! Bardog Tavern may not be open for dine-in right now, but they are cranking out the food for a good cause.

We just sent off 100 meals (Original Memphis sliders, monster veggie burritos, salads and brownies) to the medical teams at Church Health! 😋
Thanks to Feed the Front Lines, Memphis for this opportunity to feed our fellow front line workers who are operating COVID-19 testing sites around town – enjoy lunch and stay safe! ❤️

The Lobster Pronto Pups have returned to the menu at Rizzo’s, said Chef Michael Patrick yesterday.

We set a record low of 43 at the Memphis Airport this morning. Things could have been worse though… former Memphian Carbunkle Trumpet reported that it snowed in New York City this morning.

The zoo will reopen Wednesday. There will be a cap of 2500 guests allowed at all times, and there will be a number of other restrictions. Payment must be made with cards, no cash accepted. Guests will be required to wear face masks. Indoor exhibits, rides, and interactive exhibits will remain closed.

News from River Time Market and Deli:

Watch for new changes! We opened in November 2018 as a Market and Deli. With fresh Fruits, Vegetables and Meat it was a little too soon for the Core area so we moved towards the Fresh Deli with our Signature Cornbread Sandwiches. We are slowly moving back to our mini Fresh Market still with Fresh Meat, Deli Meat, Vegan Options, Fresh Sandwiches, Salads Deli Salads and lots of our Cornbread Sandwiches! Watch our Facebook for new items, snacks, sweets and specialty items.

That’s it for this post. Back later today or tomorrow with more news.

Friday update #2: Local re-opens

From Local Gastropub on Facebook:

Local is OPEN! With 50% less people and 100% more rules, but open nonetheless 🙌

Our staff is eager to be back to work, and for the last week we have been scrubbing the place from top to bottom and going over the new procedures in an effort to be as safe for our customers and employees alike. Our staff is completely supportive of this and the decision was made with careful consideration.

We also understand that not everyone is ready to be back on the dining/social scene. We respect that and support your decision to stay home until the time is right for you. We look forward to seeing you soon!

We will also be adding breakfast to the menu full time and are now open daily at 7 am! Delivery is always free and we will still be offering curbside pickup. Please call 901-725-1845 (midtown) or 901-473-9573 (downtown) with any questions. Cheers!!⁠

Friday update

Local TV station Fox 13 obtained a memo sent to Beale Street tenants regarding the re-opening of Beale Street, and it sounds like the place will be No-Fun Street for a while. Although the restaurants, bars, and stores will be allowed to open, the entertainment district itself will remain closed. That means that drinks must be consumed on the premises where they were purchased, and cannot be carried out onto the street. Although the street will be closed to vehicles after 5 Monday-Thursday and after 2 Friday-Sunday, pedestrians will be directed to remain on the sidewalks. To-go windows and beer carts will not be permitted.

Other no-fun restrictions: Live music will be prohibited; DJs will be prohibited; outdoor speakers will be prohibited; gatherings of more than 10 people will be prohibited. Businesses must close at 10 PM, which is seven hours earlier than the normal closing time for some venues in the entertainment district.

I bet the Beale Street Flipppers took a huge financial hit during the house arrest, and will continue to under the new restrictions. Anyone know if they have a Venmo or Cashapp account?

LuLu’s, a women-owned co-op that has had a presence at the Memphis Farmers Market and the Cooper-Young Farmers Market, has found a space in Puck Food Hall at 409 S. Main. They plan to start off serving during the breakfast hours of 7 to 11 AM, and they will expand to lunch within 3 months. Check out LuLu’s online store to see what they offer.

Free masks:

Congratulations to Desiree Robinson, owner of legendary Downtown BBQ joint Cozy Corner. She has been named a semifinalist for the 2020 class of the National Barbecue Hall of Fame.

There’s been talk of a meat shortage due to COVID-19. Cordelia’s Market wants everyone to know that their meat department is fully stocked and full service. So slide that meat in your mouth like a hooker working the 3800 block of Lamar! (That last sentence was my own, not Cordelia’s.)

117 Prime is back open with a limited menu for curbside pickup and delivery to Downtown and Midtown. Check their Facebook page for the menu, which includes their Prime Burger, a couple of salads, and beef, chicken, and veggie Phillys. They open at noon and accept delivery orders until 8 PM and curbside orders until 10 PM.

Dine with ducks on Mother’s Day:

Edible Communities is selling a digital cookbook that contains more than 80 recipes, along with podcasts, video, and useful illustrations. One of the recipes is Chef Michael Patrick’s shrimp and grits.

The Flyer has an article on Lightclub Memphis’ weekly Twitch streams. DJ Scotty B and his guest DJs have created a bit of normalcy for us all to enjoy.

Margie’s 901 put its list of flavors in the window, hoping to attract business. In my opinion that list needs to stay in the window permanently. Margie’s is the former Maggie Moo’s ice cream shop on the Main Street Mall.

The Memphis Medical Center District Collaborative is back with another Virtual Friday concert today at noon. The concert will originate from Health Sciences Park and will feature DJ Chandler Blingg.

Hospitality HUB has continued to serve its clients on their path to get out of homelessness during the quarantine. Since March 17, the HUB has accomplished the following:

  • 8500 nights of Safer At Home shelter for clients experiencing homelessness
  • 31,000 individual meals served
  • More than 100 stimulus checks applied for, 45 received so far
  • 12 individuals permanently housed
  • And the best statistic of all… of the COVID-19 tests with which they assisted, there were ZERO positives.

Lyft will soon join its competitor Uber in requiring drivers and riders to use face coverings.

Some members of Congress want to fight unemployment by declining to renew H-1B work visas, giving Americans less competition for jobs. In theory this makes sense, but in practice this will MURDER the economy. Have you bought anything online during the lockdown? The website on which you placed the order was likely designed and maintained by people with H-1B visas. Thinking about local Downtown companies, AutoZone could be heavily hit by this decision. I hope someone smartens Congress up on this matter, but I realize I might as well hope pigs grow wings and fly.

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