Paul Ryburn's Journal

Today is National Candy Day. And former vice-president Dick Cheney died. Eat a candy dick to commemorate both events at the same time.

There’s a Johnny Cash tribute show at the Halloran Centre Friday.

The Dirty Dozen Brass Band plays the Halloran Centre Saturday.

Too busy to send out cards for the holidays? Give MIFA your list and they’ll do it for you. Minimum $10 donation per card. Their programs are more vital than ever in these times.

Cordelia’s Market hot lunch specials this week

• Today: Enchiladas with rice and beans
• Wednesday: Sloppy Joes with fries
• Thursday: Turkey tetrazzini
• Friday: Shrimp basket with slaw and fries

There will be a Veuve wine dinner at Itta Bena on December 11 pairing multiple courses with champagne. $150+ per person. ittabenadining.com to reserve your spot.

There’s a whiskey wine & dine benefiting Special Olympics Greater Memphis this Saturday at The Kent.

Ja Morant got a double-double in his return to the Grizzlies last night, but told the media post-game he’s not playing with the same joy he used to. CBS Sports looks at possible trade landing spots for Morant.

I had some delicious homemade fried chicken last night that New Salem Missionary Baptist Church brought to the Union Mission, along with sides of dressing and gravy, mac & cheese, corn, and green beans. Rounding out the meal were a dinner roll and cake. Thank you New Salem MB for coming out! The sermon by Rev. Dr. Love about dealing with issues was on point!

Back tomorrow with more news and a look at this week’s college football games of interest to readers of this blog.

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Downtown Dining Week begins today and runs through Sunday.

The Memphis Tigers have moved up to 22 in the latest AP poll… one spot ahead of the Tennessee Vols, who bid adieu to the CFP conversation with their loss to Oklahoma on Saturday.

I’ve been doing college football game listings on Tuesdays, but effective this  week I’m going to start waiting until after the weekly CFP committee rankings come out.

Memphis Chess Club is now offering an egg nog latte for a limited time.

Featured shot at Bardog:

COGIC General Assembly members are said to be fed up with the hotel “hustle” here in Memphis, and that’s why after this year, their Holy Convocation won’t be back until at least 2029.

There’s always a diverse array of food trucks parked on Exchange Ave. during COGIC week, especially soul food trucks. You do not have to be a member of that congregation to buy from the trucks.

Today is National Sandwich Day. Front Street Deli and Hard Times Deli would be my recs.

The Majestic Grille now has free parking for lunch guests 11 AM-3 PM in the 100 Peabody Place tower garage. Ask your server for details.

That cool-looking building on Jackson next to Westy’s is for sale. It looks like a duplex/quadruplex but is zoned for retail.

What Now Memphis has details on the new pizza concept planned by the owners of Good Fortune Co.

The Grizzlies will have Ja back tonight as they host the Detroit Pistons at 7. TV: FanDuel Sports

There’s an international food tasting benefiting the Montessori school on Mud Island 6-10 Saturday.

Streetdog Foundation’s annual Howl at the Moon fundraiser is Saturday at The Warehouse on the northeast corner of Front and G.E. Patterson.

Get familiar with this new term: the K-shaped economy

Back tomorrow with more news.

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Please forgive me if this post sucks. I’m on day 4 of a back-to-back-to-back staying up all night & out of the Union Mission. I’m about to collapse, but it’s Halloween weekend and it had to be done.

As I walked through South Main around 5 this morning, I snapped this pic.

Festive for the holiday season! I like it.

Ja Morant has been suspended by the Grizzlies for 1 game for conduct detrimental to the team. He appeared to be of little help to his teammates – on purpose – for Friday’s game vs. the Lakers. Then in a post-game media appearance, Ja seemed to blame the coaching staff for his actions. The suspension will cost him about $270,000.

The Grizzlies play Toronto in Canada today at 5 PM. TV: FanDuel Sports

The first official CFP committee ranking show for 2025 will be Tuesday at 7 CST on ESPN. Good news: Navy lost this past weekend. But that was their only loss so far; will Memphis’ loss to UAB be viewed as a worse loss by the committee?

Back tomorrow with more news.

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Congratulations to my friends Ariel and Kenny, who won a hearse in Bardog’s Halloween giveaway last night.

The last regular-season Memphis Farmers Market of 2025 runs til 1 today under the pavilion at Front and G.E. Patterson.

The Memphis Samhain Irish Festival is today 1-7 at the Brass Door and the pocket park across Madison. Celebrate the original Hallowe’en with Irish music, dancing, food, and drink.

It’s 50% markdown day on Halloween candy at drugstores and grocery stores.

901 Hot Wing Fest is today at Grind City Brewing. Taste 20 teams’ wings (donation to the Memphis Child Advocacy Center required to taste) and vote for People’s Choice.

Today is National Cinnamon Day.

The 8-day-long COGIC Holy Convocation begins today.

Back tomorrow with more news.

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Well, that menu I linked to yesterday for the Moxy Hotel bar may be out of date. My buddy Shrek is staying there this week and he tells me the flatbread section of the linked menu doesn’t match up with what he saw onsite.

He did give me his recommendation, though – the naan with three dipping sauces – hummus, tzatziki, and romanseco.

Shrek and our friend Allison and I met for lunch at the Majestic Grille yesterday and I got that mushroom flatbread I’d been craving.

A marvelous confluence of flavors. If you like shrooms but have never had this Majestic creation, go there and treat yo self.

Shrek used to be a producer for Grizzlies broadcasts. Allison asked, “How come you never hooked me up with Steven Adams when he was on the team?” Geez.

Undecided how to celebrate the holiday tonight? Consult the DMC’s list of Downtown holiday happenings.

Good news! Tulane lost to UTSA last night. That means one less team to vie for that CFP Group of 5 berth that will hopefully be filled by the Memphis Tigers.

The Grizzlies host the Los Angeles Lakers tonight at 8:30. TV: Amazon Prime

The Flyer has the story of the new Downtown Tonica location. Go see the #baldbeardedbartender there.

The DMC has deemed Saturday, November 8 to be Family Day downtown including Downtown Dining Week. From the email they sent:

National Civil Rights Museum
Memphis & Shelby County residents receive $2 off admission with a valid ID. Each adult ID allows discounts for up to 5 children.

Sun Studio
Half-off tour admission for all Memphis & Shelby County residents.

Edge Motor Museum
Half-off admission for Memphis & Shelby County residents.

Stax Museum of American Soul Music
Free admission all day.

Memphis Rock ’n’ Soul Museum
Half-off admission for Memphis & Shelby County residents.

Explore Bike Share
Use promo code DDW25 for a free 3-day pass during Downtown Dining Week.

Backbeat Tours
Buy One, Get One Free admission for Memphis & Shelby County residents.

Blues Hall of Fame
$5 off adult and student admission; children 12 and under are free. For Memphis & Shelby County residents.

Fire Museum of Memphis
50% off admission.

A Tour of Possibilities
$22 off each ticket for the Essence of Memphis Tour. Use promo code ATOP50.

Back tomorrow with more news.

Trick or treat! I gratefully accept tips: 
Venmo: @Paul-Ryburn (8113 if it asks for digits)
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Longtime readers of this blog know I’m a big fan of Indian food, including their bread, naan. If you are also a fan, you might want to visit the bar in the Moxy Hotel on Court Square. Their menu contains a selection of flatbreads made on naan, including

• tandoori chicken
• red hot chicken + pickles
• eggplant + peppers
• BBQ pork + peppers
• cheese + fruit + nuts
• a breakfast flatbread
• a S’mores dessert flatbread

Memphis Art Museum now has  a month set for its opening: December 2026. They say it will share a plaza with the Cossitt Library. I wonder if that means the Front-Riverside block of Monroe will close permanently?

Cordelia’s Market has $6 specials on select sushi rolls every Tuesday.

Brief post today because I have lunch plans with friends. Back tomorrow with a Frupdate.

I gratefully accept tips: 
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This week The Majestic Grille announced the launch of Majestic Catering. On 24 hours notice they can deliver hot and cold boxed lunches, sandwich and salad platters, and hot entree platters to your office or house. Their service is drop & go and makes the process seamless. Check them out!

Speaking of the Majestic, guess who’s going there for lunch tomorrow? It’s been more than a year and I’m super excited. I’ve got my eye on that mushroom flatbread with tomato onion jam, garlic olive oil, and goat cheese.

Memphis Chess Club now has Pub Quiz trivia at 6:30 and 7:30 PM Thursdays. The games are part of Sporcle’s Globe League.

Joe is back at Bardog after a couple months off to heal his back. If the schedule remains the same – and I think it will – he’ll be behind the bar Thursday-Friday morning and lunch.

Choose901 has a look at JEM Fine Dining’s creative new cocktail list.

Flying Fish head honcho Shannon Wynne said he misspoke when he blamed his recently-closed restaurant’s decline in sales on civil unrest. Shannon. You need to put a PR firm on retainer.

Today is National Cat Day.

The Grizzlies are on the road vs. the Phoenix Suns tonight. 9 PM tip. TV: FanDuel Sports

WalletHub named the best U.S. cities for Halloween. Topping the list were New York, Jersey City, and L.A. Memphis came in 100th.

From the Memphis Flyer: The Grizzlies found a breakout rookie in Cedric Coward

Back tomorrow with more news.

I gratefully accept tips: 
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RIP Flying Fish. I walked by there yesterday and they were taking all the Big Mouth Billy Bass off the walls. The Downtown seafood restaurant lasted 18 years.

The Fish’s sibling restaurant Flying Saucer is still open.

Today is billionaire/Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates’ 70th birthday. billg was a mere 19 when he and Paul Allen founded what was then spelled Micro-Soft. INSIDER TIP: Learn to play bridge (the card game) and one day you might find yourself sitting at a table with Bill.

Let’s have a look at college football games this weekend of interest to Memphians. Remember, we want other Group of 5 teams contending for a CFP spot to lose.

Tuesday

• James Madison at Texas State, 7:00 PM, ESPN2

Thursday

• Tulane at UTSA, 6:30 PM, ESPN

Friday

• 25 Memphis at Rice, 6:00 PM, ESPN2

Saturday

• 9 Vanderbilt at 20 Texas, 11:00 AM, ABC
• Navy at North Texas, 11:00 AM, ESPN2
• 5 Georgia at Florida, 2:30 PM, ABC
• Mississippi State at Arkansas, 3:00 PM, SEC Network
• South Carolina at 7 Ole Miss, 6:00 PM, ESPN
• 18 Oklahoma at 14 Tennessee, 6:30 PM, ABC
• Kentucky at Auburn, 6:30 PM, SEC Network
• Arkansas State at Troy, 7:00 PM, ESPNU
• 17 Cincinnati at 24 Utah, 9:15 PM, ESPN

Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium is hiring an event manager.

Penny Hardaway’s Memphis Tigers lost 99-75 to Arkansas yesterday, but there’s good news. It was an exhibition game… so it won’t count! Coach Penny got many teachable moments on film. Plus, money was raised for St. Jude. That loss was in many ways a win for Memphis.

Back tomorrow with more news.

I gratefully accept tips: 
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Memphis stormed its way back into the AP Top 25 with its win over South Florida Saturday. At 25, Memphis is the highest-ranked Group of 5 team. Also receiving votes were Navy (would-be 26), Tulane (27), South Florida (29), San Diego State (30), James Madison (32), and North Texas (33). Those are the teams we should want to LOSE this weekend (along with Tennessee, of course).

Millington-based Jay’s Coffee and Cuisine will take over the former Tamp & Tap location on Gayoso, the CA reports.

The weekly burger special at Momma’s is The Paul Revere, with sautéed mushrooms and onions, cheddar cheese and horseradish aïoli.

Did you know that “The Queen of Gospel,” Mahalia Jackson, once had a chain of chicken joints and the first location was in Memphis? Action News 5 enlightens us.

Clocks fall back an hour Sunday. Hello, 5 PM sunsets.

It’s American Beer Day, and no beer says “America” like PBR.

I had the sourest candy I’ve ever had in my life yesterday. It came from a WARHEADS Specialty Sour Box.

Back tomorrow with more news and a college football preview.

I gratefully accept tips: 
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OUR MEMPHIS TIGERS inserted themselves back into the CFP conversation yesterday with a 34-31 win over the South Florida Bulls. Memphis is back in ESPN’s projections for the playoffs, seeded 12th and playing 5 Georgia in the first round.

All four of Memphis’ remaining games are must-win, of course, but the biggest game is Friday, November 7 vs. Tulane, a school that is also in the CFP conversation.

Next up for Memphis: at Rice, 6 PM Halloween night (ESPN2).

How cool is it to see Vandy in the CFP projections!!!

Friday night is the final South Main Trolley Night of the year. Come mingle and meet your neighbors. Costumes encouraged.

Flyway Brewing will have a Freaky Friday rave Halloween night. Sets by Andy Chance, Dale, Delyrius, FERB, Obiscuithead, and Raxx.

It’s Chicken Fried Steak Day.

Broadway musical The Notebook comes to the Orpheum this week.

The Hoops for St. Jude Tip-Off Classic happens Monday at FedExForum.

• Memphis vs. Vanderbilt women 5:30
• Memphis vs. Arkansas men 8:00

Both games will be on ESPNU.

TOAST, a tribute to the band Bread, is at the Cannon Center Thursday.

My Cash App debit card is no longer having problems. I suspect the canceled pending charges were caused by the AWS outage last week.

That’s it for now.

I gratefully accept tips: 
Venmo: @Paul-Ryburn (8113 if it asks for digits)
Cash App: $PaulRyburn1
Zelle: paul@paulryburn.com
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