Paul Ryburn's Journal

I met a member of a traveling circus this morning at Bardog. He was on vacation (and in town to get a tattoo) before the next gig in Henderson (not -ville), Tennessee.

The show there will be free, with only a charge for concessions. The circus owner’s philosophy is that small-town kids deserve the big show too.

We were all making recommendations for things in Memphis for our new friend to check out. I recommended Saturday Sunset 7 at Earnestine & Hazel’s tonight.

A new vintage clothing store called Tako’s Secondhand has opened in the Commonwealth Building on Madison near Fourth. I have not been in but it looks like they have some groovy threads.

LeBron James thinks Memphis is trash and says the Grizzlies should move to Nashville.

Pooh Shiesty and several other rappers have been indicted for kidnapping and robbing Gucci Mane and others in Dallas in January. I stayed at the Union Mission last night and I’ve never seen the people there take such an interest in a news story.

Penny said he needed help. Now he’s got it. Gabriel Harris is the new general manager of Memphis Tigers men’s basketball. According to Action News 5, “Harris will be oversee roster management, recruiting operations, revenue share strategy and player personnel evaluation.”

The Grizzlies host the Toronto Raptors tonight at 7. Get there early for a free City Edition T-shirt. TV: FanDuel Sports

The Memphis Redbirds host Norfolk at 1:05 PM today. It will be the Infinity and the Ballpark game and there will be a special ticket for a Good Friday fish fry.

There will be a riverfront Easter festival on Mud Island Saturday 11-4.

The Memphis Farmers Market has its opening day Saturday. 8 AM-1 PM under the pavilion at Front and G.E. Patterson.

The Orpheum is hiring a presentations and engagement manager.

Playa Bowls seeks a GM.

Back tomorrow with more news.

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There’s a Heavenly Hot Dog Buffet tonight at the Redbirds home game vs. the Norfolk Tides. 21 different toppings. Also $2 PBR. First pitch at 6:45.

The Grizzlies’ Brandon Clarke was pulled over and arrested yesterday in Cross County, AR on speeding and drug charges.

There’s a bill in the Tennessee legislature proposing to make it a felony to spike someone’s drink.

Astronauts are headed to the moon. They won’t set foot on it, though.

Today is National Burrito Day.

What to do if you find a baby squirrel

Easter candy favorites by state:

• AR: Robin Eggs
• MS: Kinder Eggs
• TN: Easter M&Ms

Back tomorrow with a Frupdate.

I gratefully accept tips: 
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Jimmy “Sushi Jimmi” Sinh has operated food trucks Downtown, and he has had brick-and-mortar restaurants in other parts of the city. Now he’s opening something permanent in our neck of the woods, at 496 Tennessee St. It sounds like May’s Sushi & Catering (named for his wife) will be upscale, with reservations required for dinner and lunches more casual.

It’s Sustainability Night at the Grizzlies. They tip off vs. the NY Knicks at 7, but you’ll want to get there early to receive a free EcoGrizz drawstring bag. TV: FanDuel Sports

Friday will be a big night at the Grizzlies too: Memphis Music Night with a halftime show by Project Pat. A specialty ticket starting at $69 gets you access to a meet & greet with Pat and also a T-shirt.

Entertainment and band lineups have been announced for this season’s Thursday night Peabody rooftop parties. Things will kick off with Almost Famous on April 16.

Don’t Tell Comedy returns to Bardog Saturday with 6 and 8 PM shows.

Dead tired. I’ve stayed out of the Mission 8 nights in a row but that streak has to end tonight. Back tomorrow with more news.

I gratefully accept tips: 
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That’s what the Grizzlies have next to their name in the Western Conference standings, indicating that they have been mathematically eliminated from playoff contention. TANK TANK TANK

The Flying Saucer will give away a combination foosball table and beer cooler on July 19. Starting tomorrow, April 1, you will be able to buy tickets to enter the sweepstakes to win the cooler.

Except, you won’t win.

Gary Smith will win.

Gary wins every contest at the Saucer.

At least you’ll get a cool looking yellow ticket out of it.

Grind City Brewing will have an Easter egg hunt Saturday, April 4 at 2 PM for ages 12 and under. 1000 eggs for kids, plus special golden eggs for adults. New sodas on draft.

Check out The PRVLG perform on the Beale Street Live YouTube channel – Video drops Friday at noon.

Silky’s will be closed on Easter so that staff may spend time with their family and friends.

I asked AI agent Google Gemini to compare and contrast county commission district 8 candidates Will Richardson and Jerred Price:
https://g.co/gemini/share/1c9f81a7b303

Wiseacre Brewing Co. seeks a social media manager.

Momma’s Burger of the Week is The Charleston – a half-pound of Angus beef topped with pulled pork, Applewood-smoked bacon, smoked Gouda, house-made slaw, pickles and honey mustard on a Kaiser roll.

There will be a block party celebrating 10 years of Loflin Yard Saturday.

Anyone plan on passing out meals/supplies to the homeless on Easter Sunday? Email me at paul.ryburn@gmail.com or hit me up on Facebook and let me know where to find you. I plan on staying at the Union Mission a couple of nights between now and then and will pass the info along.

Today is National Tater Day.

My money situation is getting tight again but I have enough to go to true/false trivia at the Saucer tonight. Back tomorrow with more news.

I gratefully accept tips: 
Venmo: @Paul-Ryburn (8113 if it asks for digits)
Cash App: $PaulRyburn1
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Thank you, Room in the Inn Memphis.

Tuesday is the last day of RITI‘s winter season, although yesterday was the last day men could reasonably expect to get a bed.

RITI will take a hiatus for the month of April, then will return May through September for women and families only. It will take another hiatus in October, and return for women, children and men in November.

I hoped to get picked Sunday night so I could go to West Union Cumberland Presbyterian and say goodbye to the wonderful folks there. But I didn’t get picked. I did get picked to go to Emmanuel Methodist Saturday night. We had catfish and new potatoes and some awesome sides. They loaded me up with so many snacks that I could barely zip my backpack.

Friday night I got to go to Peace Lutheran on Jackson where I had some delicious smothered chicken and rice. We were hosted at that church by a recovery ministry called At the Top.

Thank you to the venues I just mentioned as well as The Cottage, Calvary Episcopal, and Mississippi Boulevard for having me as a guest one or more nights the past five months. Thank you for the quality sleep and the great meals as well as the fellowship. Thank you to all the volunteers who made RITI possible, especially Miss Lisa and Callen.

If any churches are considering becoming host venues for RITI, feel free to contact me and I’ll tell you everything I can about the experience from a client’s point of view.

Did the Tennessee Vols look like a bunch of bozos against Michigan yesterday, or what? 95– 62. I wonder if you can transfer credit earned at the University of Tennessee to clown college. It’s certainly relevant material.

Yesterday I had Claude teach me meteorology 101. Here’s an inside tip the AI agent gave me:

“The National Weather Service forecast discussion — publicly available online — is one of the most underappreciated documents in science. It’s a forecaster writing in plain language exactly why they expect what they expect. Reading it teaches you to think like a meteorologist.”

The Grizzlies host the Phoenix Suns tonight at 7. TV: FanDuel Sports

Cordelia’s hot lunch specials this week:

• Mon: Salmon nicoise salad, brown butter vinaigrette
• Tue: Tacos, rice and beans
• Wed: Mexican stuffed shells
• Thur: Hot pastrami sandwich, chips
• Fri: Blackened tilapia with broccoli cheese rice

The Saucer will have true/false trivia this Tuesday.

So even if you have the intellect of a chimpanzee or a Tennessee Vols fan, theoretically you should be able to score 50%.

Dancing with the Stars LIVE comes to the Orpheum Wednesday.

K-Pop Warriors are at the Renasant Convention Center today and tomorrow.

Peach Cobbler Factory plans to open in the Medical District next month.

Back tomorrow with more news.

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

If you’re a copious note-taker like I am, you need to give Google’s Notebook LM a try. It differs from most other AI agents in that it only uses YOUR sources of information. It has a way of synthesizing information and presenting it in a graphical format that leads to new insights and deep understandings.

Last week I input notes I’ve taken from the spiritual writings I’ve read on Medium in the past year. Notebook LM presented an output document that seems like it was written just for me.

Illinois and Arizona punched their tickets to the NCAA men’s Final Four yesterday. Joining them today will be the winners of

• 6 Tennessee vs. 1 Michigan, 1:15 PM, CBS
• 2 UConn vs. 1 Duke, 4:05 PM, CBS

A person was pepper sprayed and arrested for disrupting traffic at yesterday’s No Kings rally Downtown.

A fire in the Peabody Hotel’s laundry room led to an evacuation of guests yesterday morning.

Back tomorrow with more news.

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

The Grizz host the Bulls tonight at 7. Get there early to get a free Classic Edition viewfinder. TV: FanDuel Sports

Catch live R&B by The TL Experience tonight at 7 at the Halloran Centre.

Today is Weed Appreciation Day.

Starting Monday, April 13, Tug’s Casual Grill will get a new grab & go experience featuring Lavazza Coffee and local pastries.

Visible Music College is leaving Downtown, the MBJ reports.

More than 11,000 people are predicted to attend a No Kings rally this afternoon in Church Park.

Encore is hiring an audio/visual event tech for the Peabody.

AI is causing professors to turn to oral exams.

Back tomorrow with more news.

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

Yesterday, I finally got a chance to visit Kuya, the new Filipino snack bar at S. Main and Vance. I had been unable to find a copy of the menu anywhere online, so the first thing I did was take a photo.

The bartender explained to me that it’s mostly tapas, small plates. He also told me that they have not yet received their beer license, but they hope to have it in the next week or two.

After a couple of minutes, looking over the menu, I chose the adobo rice bowl.

This traditional Filipino dish consists of chicken legs cooked in soy sauce and black peppercorn, with garlic rice to mix in with the broth. Since beer was not an option, I washed down my food with a Coke.

A tasty first experience. I will be back after they get beer, and I want to try the Filipino eggrolls, known as lumpia.

As for the service, the staff couldn’t have been nicer. They did add a 20%. auto-grat to my tab. I have no problem with them doing that; I just want you to be aware that it’s there

Taste of the City with Chef Lenard Chambers happens Monday evening at The Dame in Hotel Pontotoc.

6 Tennessee and 2 Iowa State tip off at 9:10 PM in the Sweet Sixteen. TV: TBS, truTV

I had no idea comedian Nate Bargatze was so popular. The Saucer was absolutely slammed last night prior to his show around the corner.

There’s a good giveaway at the Grizzlies tonight – a Classic Edition full-size basketball – so get there early to snag one. Tip vs. Houston is at 7. TV: FanDuel Sports

Jason Isbell plays the Orpheum tonight.

Back tomorrow with more news.

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

Karaoke at Earnestine & Hazel’s last night was a blast. GM Keith and the most talented regular female singer did a duet of “Paradise by the Dashboard Light.”

4 Arkansas vs. 1 Arizona, 8:45 tonight, CBS. I’ll watch the game at the Flying Saucer since E&H closes at 8 tonight for a private event.

New way to get around Downtown: Rock’n Rickshaws

Peter Blunt System plays Slider Inn Downtown this Friday 7-11 for Trolley Night.

There will be a BBQ on Beale community dinner Thursday, April 23. It will be hosted by the Downtown Neighborhood Association. The dinner will be the successor to last fall’s highly regarded Meal on Main.

Seattle and Las Vegas are very likely to get NBA expansion teams. That means there’s a good chance the Grizzlies will get moved to the Eastern Conference, generally considered easier than the loaded West.

A judge dismissed a lawsuit by some old fuddy duddies attempting to halt construction on the Brooks Museum’s new Downtown location.

Back tomorrow with a Frupdate.

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

Cordelia’s has announced Music Mondays on its patio 5-7 PM. Grab a snack and a beverage, then come on outside for live music provided by South Main Sounds.

Earnestine & Hazel’s will be closed tomorrow night, Thursday, March 26, after 8 PM for a private party. They’re moving this week’s karaoke night with DJ Superbrad to TONIGHT. It’ll kick off around 9.

Ja Morant is out the rest of the season. So is Brandon Clarke. TANK TANK TANK and pick Darius Acuff Jr., the perfect replacement for Ja!

The DMC will host a ribbon cutting for Playa Bowls, 732 Madison, Friday at 4:15. Free samples!

Silky’s is hiring a line cook. Stop by to fill out an application.

Marion, Arkansas’ own Sid Eudy – known in the ring as Sid Vicious, Sid Justice, and Sycho Sid – is going in the WWE Hall of Fame. Sid passed away a couple of years ago. Now and then I’d see him at the Flying Saucer.

The Grizzlies host the San Antonio Spurs tonight at 7. TV: Action News 5

Nate Bargatze brings his Big Dumb Eyes world tour to FedExForum Thursday night.

From Action News 5: Social workers are St. Jude’s unsung heroes

Memphis pastors want to invest $20M into Robert Church Park, adding an auditorium, a museum, and other amenities in hopes of keeping activity in the park year ’round.

The Internet’s database of snacks

Movie Wednesdays are starting back up again at Slider Inn Downtown. They’ll show Back to the Future tonight at 7.

Friday is the first South Main Trolley Night of 2026. Shop, dine, meet your neighbors.

My request of the day to AI: “Act as Charles Maurice Talleyrand de Perigord. Explain the French Revolution to me.”

Alternately, could act as

• Robespierre
• Fouche
• a clergyman
• Louis XVI
• Marie Antoinette
• Louis XVIII
• Napoleon
• Alexander I of Russia
• Thomas Jefferson

One thing AI will do is make history more exciting than ever to study.

Back tomorrow with more news.

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