Paul Ryburn’s Journal

I got a couple of unexpected treats yesterday on what I thought would be an uneventful trip to South Main. About 4:30 I walked down to Max’s Sports Bar, and discovered the Cardinals playoff game on!

For those of you who don’t know this about me, I grew up watching the Arkansas Travelers, the Double-A farm team of the Cardinals at that time. I had season tickets and got to see many of the stars of the 1980s before they became stars. Although I’m not huge into baseball these days, I can get into the Cardinals when they make the playoffs.

Unfortunately things did not go my way, and the way of most of the other fans in the bar, yesterday, as the Atlanta Braves won to even the best-of-5 series at 1 apiece. The good news, though, is that the series now moves to St. Louis, and since they stole a game on the road, all they have to do is defend home to move on to the NLCS.

Second unexpected surprise: Look what’s back open!

The repairs are done at Earnestine & Hazel’s, which has operated out of the back room (5 Spot) since July. It looks largely the same, just a little bit cleaner. Interestingly, they moved the pool table to the front of the room. I guess that’s so people will see it as they walk by when the door is open. I can’t think of another place in South Main with a pool table so that’s not a bad idea. On the other hand, putting the table there leaves little room for a band. In any event, it’s good to have the legendary dive bar back open.

Ooh! River Time Market & Deli is open! BRB, going to get breakfast…

… back. This is the Deli Turkey Gobbler.

Turkey, Swiss, and roasted red peppers on a hot buttered biscuit. Delicious and they weren’t shy about loading it up with turkey. I think the next time I get this breakfast sandwich, I may experiment a bit and try pepper jack instead of Swiss. The market & deli is on the south side of Court Square, next to Blue Plate Cafe, and is open 8 AM to 6 PM (breakfast until 10:30 AM).

There will be a Victorian Village Home Tour Sunday, October 20 from 1 to 5 PM. Participants will get to stroll along Adams Avenue and get a look inside the historic mansions of the 1800s. Participants will also get to learn about new projects and renovations in the neighborhood. Tours will be docent-led and will provide a unique insight into Memphis history. Tickets are $20-30 and funds will go to the VIctorian Village Community Development Corporation.

The Grizzlies open the preseason with a game against Maccabi Haifa at FedExForum tomorrow at 2. As of Saturday morning there are still tickets available for as little as $5.

From WREG: Florida man arrested for cutting brake lines on dozens of electric scooters

As your #1 source of news and information about The Edge District, it is my pleasure to tell you about a combination Dia de los Muertos and Halloween party at Venezuelan restaurant Sabor Caribe, 662 Madison, on Saturday, November 2 starting at 9 PM. The Facebook event description is in Spanish. Google Translate to the rescue:

Next Saturday, November 2, we will be celebrating our customary Halloween party in Sabor Caribe!
We wait for you from 9pm to enjoy good music, good food and drinks in the best Venezuelan style.
Do not forget to bring your best costume, as we will be rewarding the best of the night.
Do not let them tell you … We are waiting for you!
-Saturday November 2
-Cover: $ 5
** 662 Madison Ave, Memphis TN 38103 **
DON’T FORGET YOUR COSTUME!

The Memphis International Auto Show is happening at the Cook Convention Center this weekend. Those of you coming here from out of town to see the auto show, let me offer an insider tip: Take a short ride out to The Edge District and visit the Edge Motor Museum at 645 Marshall while you’re in town.

Cinnamon Maple is the house-made ice cream flavor of the month at Peabody Deli & Desserts for October.

People going to Wine on the River tonight are going to have gorgeous weather and perfect temperatures.

There’s a Creepville Market at Midtown Crossing today. Wonder if they sell Android phones so high middle-aged creeps can drunk text angry messages to female bartenders all hours of the night and then invite them to brunch two minutes later.

Let’s see what we’ve got on the slate for college football today… none of the early games really grab my attention, but at 2:30 on CBS we have #7 Florida vs. #10 Auburn in a game that has big time playoff implications. If the Gators lose this game, they’re probably out of the national championship conversation. If Auburn loses, they will have to win the Iron Bowl against Bama to remain relevant. I don’t really have a preference in this game, but I suppose I will be inclined to root for Florida to thank them for the ass whoopin’ they put on Tennessee two weeks ago.

At the same time on ABC, #11 Texas travels to good ole West Virginny in what some are describing as a trap game for the ‘horns. There’s a danger they could be looking ahead to Oklahoma next Saturday and not taking this week’s opponent seriously. I will be rooting for the boys in burnt orange in this one.

However, I will not be rooting for the girls in prison orange at 6 when they play on ESPN. Georgia is going to wipe up the football field with Tennessee. I’m gonna guess 41-10 Dawgs on this one. No, let’s make it 41-9 because the Vols are definitely incompetent enough to miss an extra point.

Dream scenario: Georgia fumbles, a Tennessee player recovers, runs the wrong way and scores an own goal.

It’s going to be a good Saturday. Over and out.

 

Got a newsy post for you this morning, and we’ll start off with a couple of things happening in the Aldo Dean restaurant world. First of all, Memphis 901 FC plays an away game at Indy Eleven tomorrow night at 6, and Aldo’s Pizza Pies Downtown is hosting the official watch party. They’ll have $1 off individual pizza slices and also $1 off any of their 29 draft beers. Each time Memphis scores, they’ll have $3 Fireball and $5 Jameson shots.

Secondly, the new Downtown Slider Inn is close enough to being open that they are hiring. They’re looking for experienced front-of-house and back-of-house professionals who know how to deliver great customer service. Send a resume to sliderinndowntown@gmail.com if interested.

Thank goodness I did not wake up this morning to find that King Willie would once again be mayor of Memphis. Incumbent mayor Jim Strickland beat him by more than a 2-to-1 margin. It’s not surprising that in his concession speech, Herenton lied and said he’d never lost an election before. He’d be a good running mate for Donald Trump if for some reason Trump decides to ditch Pence next year.

As for Tami Sawyer, even though she got less than 10% of the vote, she built name recognition for 2023, when she will still be a young woman. I think a lot of Memphians would be open to her ideas. It’s just that, this is the first time in a while we’ve had an incumbent mayor who’s actually done a good job.

The Stolen Faces will celebrate the music of the Grateful Dead tonight at Loflin Yard from 7 to 10.

I’ve been hearing about some funny business at the parking garage next to the Flying Saucer. There’s a male attendant there (sorry I don’t have a better description than that) who has been saying stuff like

• “See that spot over there? That’s my personal spot. I’ll let you park there for $10.”
• “Parking is $5, but I also accept tips.”

Sounds like this fellow is trying to supplement his hourly wage that he earns from the company that manages the garage. If he tries something like that on you, back out and park elsewhere.

Following the smashing success of the first one Labor Day Weekend, The Ultimate Brunch Set returns to the Blind Bear Saturday, November 16.

There will be an artists’ and craftspeople’s market at the Halloran Centre today and tomorrow 10 to 6. They are in town for a Creative Works Conference and 36 of the attendees will be selling their products.

The ever-popular sushi class returns to Memphis Made Brewing Co. Sunday, October 13 3-5 PM. Sign up in advance if you want to go. These things often sell out.

Improv Underground returns to The Brass Door tonight for its fourth installment.

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

As your #1 source of news and information about The Edge District, I have some huge news to report this morning. Yesterday Memphis Made Brewing Co. made it official: They are opening a second brewery and taproom, and it will be in The Edge, located at the corner of Madison and Lauderdale. The Cooper-Young location will remain open and will shift its focus to brewing specialty beers. The new Memphis Made taproom will be almost 8000 SF and will have a patio overlooking The Ravine, the new park being constructed on the site of an old railroad spur between Union and Madison in The Edge.

Congratulations, Drew and Andy, and you can expect regular appearances from me in your taproom once you get it open. It’s high time I put down some roots in that neighborhood.

The Pinch-Pyramid pedestrian bridge over Front Street is back in the works, now being planned at a new location a half block south of the Bass Pro Shops at the Pyramid. This will allow visitors to access the Pyramid through its front door, rather than its little-known back door which was originally the plan. This could be an incentive for new restaurants and nightlife to open in The Pinch, and a boon for businesses already there such as Comeback Coffee, Westy’s, and Ferraro’s.

Memphis Madness is tonight at FedExForum. Open men’s and women’s basketball team practice with live music, spirit squads, Pouncer, and more. This will most likely sell out.

The Memphis Flyer has news about Momma’s Roadhouse, the new Aldo dive bar in the former Dirty Crow Inn spot at Crump and Kentucky. The bar will have a trucker theme and will be designed for truckers exiting off I-55, as well as industrial workers in the many businesses in the area just south of Downtown. Aldo bought the building back in March and agreed to continue to run it as The Dirty Crow Inn for six more months. Now the conversion is under way and Aldo is moving toward a burger-heavy menu that will probably see some tweaks. They’ll continue to have live music, including bluesman Eric Hughes Friday night and Jerry Patton Duo Saturday night, both starting at 9 PM. “Like” Momma’s Roadhouse on Facebook to keep up with the latest news at the bar.

Many people were disappointed Momma’s did not keep the Crow’s famous wings, considered by many to be the best in Memphis, on its menu. Well, there’s a reason for that. The people from the Dirty Crow made a post to Facebook yesterday with an explanation. When the deal went down, they lost the building, but retained the name The Dirty Crow Inn and all the recipes. They want everyone to know that they are NOT FINISHED and they have a new building in which The Dirty Crow Inn 2.0 will open around the first of the year. Those wings and that 5-star dive bar feel will be back, they want to assure everyone.

U.S. Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer will speak at Rhodes College tonight at 6 PM. The event is open to the public and if you can’t make it, it will be live streamed on Rhodes’ website.

Lazer Lloyd and the Tulsa Youngbloods will play a show at the King’s Palace Cafe Tap Room Saturday at 8 PM. Their sound is described as “Americana Red Dirt.”

America (the band) has announced a March 15 date at the Orpheum. Tickets go on sale tomorrow.

Couple of Election Night watch parties going on Downtown tonight. District 7 candidate Jerred Price will have a watch party at Mollie Fontaine’s, while judicial candidate David Pool will have a watch party at Westy’s.

There will be live music in Court Square at today’s food truck rodeo.

Even more news about The Edge District… shop at BOXLOT today and tag the MMDC, BOXLOT, and the BOXLOT stores on Facebook and Instagram for discounts. It’s Tag Thursday!

Here’s a tip for you: If you don’t want to get banned from happy hour at your local watering hole, don’t drunk-text the bartender at 12:19 AM on her night off and say “Banned from happy hour LOL.” Here’s that link where you can buy a breathalyzer for your phone again. But hey, thanks for giving those of us in the Downtown core something to talk about. Maybe one day your “fam” will see the person behind the facade.

Time to get to work. Back tomorrow with more news.

 

 

Yesterday I did a little checking. I wanted to find out, how many days in September did Memphis have a high of 90 or above? After searching around, I found a calendar view on Weather Underground that had the information I was seeking.

Before I tell you, take a guess.

Go ahead.

Guess.

You ready for the answer?

27.

That’s right, there were only three days in the entire month of September when the high did not reach 90. Only one of those three days was the high below normal – on September 22, it rained, holding the high to 82, 1 degree below the average of 83 for that date for Memphis.

Global warming isn’t real, though. The stable genius in the Oval Office says so.

The MemphisWeather.net forecast shows relief is coming. Today and tomorrow it’ll be hot, but the low falls into the 60s Thursday night and highs after that will be in the 80s, dropping into the upper 70s early next week. We’re finally going to have fall!

Real men wear pink during the month of October. Seamus Loftus of the Brass Door will be wearing pink all month long to show his support for the fight against breast cancer. Visit Seamus’ American Cancer Society donation page and help him get to his fundraising goal for this month.

We’ve got three big names at the Orpheum in three days beginning tomorrow:

• Thursday, October 3: Postmodern Jukebox
• Friday, October 4: Bill Maher
• Saturday, October 5: Lyle Lovett

The Cousins Maine Lobster food truck will be at Cordelia’s Market tonight from 5 to 8.

It’s time for a look at yet another of the pizzas on the Silly Goose’s new wood-fired pizza menu.

This is a slice of Aldo the Apache: cream, oregano, red onion, chicken confit, Alabama white BBQ sauce, and radicchio slaw. There is a reason I have shied away from this pizza and have not ordered it in previous weeks – and I didn’t order it yesterday either. My friend Ron gave me a slice. See, the thing is, when I was little and my mom took me to Shakey’s or the Pizza Planet buffet near Camp Robinson in North Little Rock, pepperoni and sausage were meat toppings on pizza. Hamburger sometimes. If you really wanted to get wild, Canadian bacon. However, I didn’t see chicken on a pizza until I was grown, and for that reason it’s never clicked with me.

Aldo the Apache, however, is not your average pizza with chicken. Because it’s confit, I get the flavor of the chicken in every bite but it’s not so overpowering that I have visions of Colonel Sanders dancing in my head. What is confit, anyway? Wikipedia to the rescue.

Confit as a cooking term describes when food is cooked in grease, oil or sugar water (syrup), at a lower temperature, as opposed to deep frying. While deep frying typically takes place at temperatures of 160–230 °C (325–450 °F), confit preparations are done at a much lower temperature, such as an oil temperature of around 90 °C (200 °F), sometimes even cooler. The term is usually used in modern cuisine to mean long slow cooking in oil or fat at low temperatures, many having no element of preservation such as dishes like confit potatoes.

The flavors of the Alabama white BBQ sauce and the slaw meld perfectly with the chicken and the cheese for a delightful overall taste. This is one I will definitely order in the future, and it may have even displaced The Big Cheese as my favorite pizza on the menu.

I know some of you are wondering, “Paul sure has talked about the food at the Goose a lot, is Daniel paying him?” No. Absolutely not. I do not accept pay for content on this blog. The few times I get something for free, like a ticket to a show or a game, I disclose it on here as I am required to do by federal law. The reasons I have blogged about the new pizza oven so much are: 1) I really like pizza; and 2) I really like the Goose.

That’s it for now. Kind of a slow news day. Back tomorrow with more.

Yesterday at work, I was sitting there indexing documents when a notification came across my phone. It was not good news.

“South Main Association has changed the location of National Night Out.”

National Night Out, set to happen this evening from 6 to 8, is a chance for citizens to come together with police officers, share a meal with them, thank them for their service, and learn about community-police partnerships. It was scheduled to be in the bar & grill area of the new Malco Powerhouse movie theater on G.E. Patterson. However, something that couldn’t be helped came up, I guess, and the event had to be moved to the Memphis Farmers Market pavilion.

Outside.

Today’s forecast, courtesy of MemphisWeather.net: “Mostly sunny with record heat; heat index near 100. High 97.”

97. In OCTOBER. As far as I am aware, the all-time record high in Memphis for the month of October is 95.

Apologies to any police officers reading this, but I won’t be at National Night Out tonight. I just can’t handle two hours of 97, even under a shaded pavilion, even if I get a two-piece of Jack Pirtle’s chicken. See ya next year.

The South Main Association has announced its October meeting, which will be held on Tuesday, October 8 at BarWare, the new bar in the 266 Front building. The bar’s cocktail menu ingredients contain juices from the juice bar next door, and owner Libby Ware Wunderlich will serve as this month’s speaker. Free for members, $10 for non-members. Social at 6 PM, presentation to begin at 6:30.

Pizza party!

I was in there yesterday and tried yet another one of their pizzas, the Capone.

Sausage, bell peppers, garlic, Oregano, chili flakes, ricotta, olives, Parmesan, and marinara top this pizza. I love olives and am glad to see a Silly Goose pizza that uses them as a topping. This pizza is $13 on the regular menu, but because I ordered it during pizza happy hour (2-5 PM; drink happy hour is 2-8 PM) I got it for half off, or $6.50. Better still, I only managed to eat half of it, and boxed up the other half and took it home. So I got two delicious meals for $3.25 apiece. Can’t beat that value!

The Goose now has dipping sauces for that wood-fired crust. For $1 extra you get your choice of marinara, ranch, or sexy butter.

Forbes has a list of great places to eat if you’re visiting Memphis. Puck Food Hall at 409 S. Main got mentioned, particularly restaurants Radical and Pasta 409. Another Downtown venue, Trolley Stop Market, made the list as well with its farm-to-fork concept. Although not Downtown, Global Cafe in Crosstown Concourse is a quick Lyft ride or bike ride away and is worth the trip.

The Daily Memphian’s Wayne Risher has an article about Bluff City Law bringing tourism dollars to Memphis. People will want to come see the city they’ve been seeing on TV.

Monster Market, a pop-up shop featuring weird art, apparel, jewelry, housewares, and novelty items, opens today and will remain open until Halloween. Hours are noon to 8 Tuesday-Saturday, noon to 5 Sunday, and closed Mondays except for the Monday before Halloween. The location is listed as “on South Main between the Arcade and Ghost River.” Well, those two businesses are SIX BLOCKS apart; can you be more specific? Okay, there it is in the listing, 618 S. Main. Earnestine & Hazel’s is 529, so about two blocks south of G.E. Patterson I would guess.

Tacos-N-Tunes is back at Tin Roof tonight, this week featuring Fingertrick Trio. $1 chips and salsa, $1 off tacos, $5 margaritas, $3 Mexi-beer.

Let’s have a look at events happening at FedExForum this month, other than basketball games:

• Heart Love Alive Tour with Joan Jett & The Blackhearts, Friday, October 4
• Chris Stapleton All-American Road Show, Saturday, October 5
• Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band, Saturday, October 12
• Carrie Underwood Cry Pretty Tour, Wednesday, October 23
• Elton John Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour, Wednesday, October 30

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

If you see this motorcycle around town, please call 545-COPS and report its location. It was stolen from a residential area in Midtown over the weekend.

I led off at Bardog yesterday for brunch, and walked right into a birthday party.

Happy birthday Lauren and thank you for making me part of your day. I posted the photo above to Facebook and Instagram, and people started wishing me happy birthday. I had to make it clear it was not MY birthday! “Just go with it, you’ll get free shots,” advised a friend of mine.

Later in the day I walked down to Loflin Yard (damn that’s a long walk from the Downtown core) for Cerrito Bingo, called not by Cerrito but by one of his assistants.

There were 10 rounds of bingo, with various prizes including a beverage, a pint glass, queso, brisket tacos, anything with chicken (I would have got Loflin’s hot chicken sandwich had I won that round), a hat, and $10, $15, and $20 Loflin Yard gift cards.

Why do the gods of bingo hate me so much? I NEVER win!!! At one point I counted 16 people playing, and with 10 rounds that gave me a better-than-even chance of winning something. But, no. I tied for a bingo in the 7th round ($10 gift card) but lost best 2-of-3 rock-paper-scissors in the tiebreaker. The winner of that round had the opportunity to play blackjack against the bingo host for double-or-nothing, a chance to turn his $10 gift card into a $20 gift card. He declined and I would have too.

I also stopped at the Silly Goose where I picked up some inside information for my readers: They were talking about making 20 pizzas “for Tuesday night.” I bet those pizzas are going to National Night Out at Malco Powerhouse. If you haven’t tried the Goose’s wood-fired pizzas yet, here’s your chance to do so for free. One request, though: If there’s one slice left and an MPD officer is behind you in line, let him or her cut ahead of you.

The Monday night 3-course dinner is back at Paulette’s tonight. Here’s this week’s menu.

GREAT post by my friend, career coach Angela Copeland today – Learning is the New Loyalty. If your job doesn’t allow you to keep your skills up to date, you’re likely falling behind.

Time for work. Back tomorrow with more news.

Thanks to those of you who sent suggestions for comedy shows to watch yesterday since I didn’t have the Tennessee Vols on TV to laugh at yesterday. I did get on YouTube, but I ended up finding not a comedy act, but a TV show I have not watched in many, many years.

Petticoat Junction is the story of Kate Bradley, who along with her uncle Joe runs the Shady Rest Hotel, located on a railroad line halfway between the towns of Hooterville (also the setting for the TV show Green Acres) and Pixley. Kate is assisted running the hotel by her three adult daughters: boy-crazy blonde Billie Jo; bookworm brunette Bobbie Jo; and tomboy redhead Betty Jo. The Clampetts (Beverly Hillbillies) are distant cousins of folks in Hooterville and paid them several visits over the course of the series.

All men should watch the episode above and pay close attention to the things Billie Jo does, and which Kate teaches Bobbie Jo to do. It may be 46 years later, but not much has changed. Within minutes of pressing play I decided Betty Jo was the character I identified with the most. She’s a keen observer of people, as am I.

My only complaint with the episode embedded here is that grocer Sam Drucker does not appear. Sam Drucker is awesome.

So anyway, 11:00 came around and I went to Bardog to watch the Texas A&M vs. Arkansas game. It was a good thing I got there right at 11, because by 11:02 the bar had filled up with people celebrating Pride Day. Now, when the bar fills up with one group of people, like frat boys (or worse) Tennessee fans (or worse) pedal party bike riders, I often get annoyed. Not so with the Pride people. They were so cool! One of them reads my blog and included me in their round of breakfast shots. It was a pleasure to share a bar with them, and I hated it that other plans prevented me from coming down to Beale to see their parade.

Early on in the Texas A&M-Arkansas game, the handlers of Tusk IV, the Arkansas mascot, gave a gift bag to the handlers of Reveille, the collie that is the Aggies’ mascot. It contained dog toys, grooming products, and treats. Now that’s my Hogs! They may not win a lot of football games, but they are a total class act.

The Hogs did lose… but just barely. They were a threat right up until the final minute, when they turned the ball over on downs, giving the Aggies a 31-27 win. Arkansas proved it could hold its own with a Top 25 team in the SEC West. There was a guy at Bardog wearing a Tennessee Vols shirt, and as he watched the game he had this look on his face like, “Now there’s absolutely no doubt we’re the worst team in the SEC, and it isn’t even close.”

Let’s take a look at what’s coming up next week for the three teams I root for:

• Memphis: Plays at Louisiana-Monroe at 2:45 Saturday on ESPNU. Go ahead and enjoy, Memphis, it doesn’t hurt for Tigers to be fed a cupcake now and then.
• Arkansas: Bye week
• Whoever plays Tennessee: #3 Georgia plays Tennessee at Neyland Stadum at 6 PM on ESPN. ESPN gives Tennessee an 8.7% chance of winning. Maybe if Georgia’s bus breaks down and they miss the game. Otherwise it’s going to be a bloodbath.

I hung out at Bardog until my friends Randy and Theresa arrived at 3. They did Bloom’s latest creation, the Elvis shot, and I did one too.

The Elvis consists of Skrewball peanut butter whiskey, banana liqueur, and half & half. Very good!

As I posted that photo to Facebook, I realized something. You know how the first Saturday of December is always really busy? There’s the St. Jude marathon in the morning, conference championship football games on TV all day, Stumbling Santa at 7, the Ariana Grande concert at FedExForum at 7:30, Drew & Elie Holcomb’s Neighborly Christmas at the Orpheum at 8, and both the Tigers and Grizzlies play away games that will be televised that evening. However, this year something else falls on the first Saturday of December: THE TROLL’S BIRTHDAY. Oh my God. The first couple of birthdays, you can get by without doing much, but by the time they turn 3 they understand the concept of having a birthday and expect a party and presents and a cake. I know where she’s going to want to have the party too: Max’s Sports Bar, which will be jam-packed due to all the important games on TV that day.

I guess I need to look at the bright side: At least Max’s won’t be full of Vols fans that day. They ain’t going nowhere near the SEC championship game.

The Daily Memphian has a photo gallery of the Memphis Pride parade and celebration yesterday.

This morning, once again I found myself up early with lots of time to kill. I pulled up the WWE Network and found the latest NXT UK Takeover event, where WALTER defended the WWE United Kingdom championship against Tyler Bate, the first man to ever hold that title. If you’re on the network, this match is a must-watch. Absolutely superb. I may have to start watching NXT UK on a weekly basis. Sometime in the next two years, WALTER is going to get called up to the main roster and Brock Lesnar will pass the torch to him as the dominant, nearly unstoppable monster heel.

Let’s see what’s going on around town today… Memphis Japan Festival is out at the Botanic Garden today. Hahahahaha… one of my South Main readers is going to have to choose between that and going to someone’s 42nd birthday party. If he’s smart he’ll pick the Japan festival. Think of all the opportunities to post pics of sushi and Japanese beer in a green koozie to Instagram!

As I previously blogged, Memphis 901 FC Family Day on Beale Street happens from noon to 2. Bring your kids out for activities with the players.

G and the Crew will celebrate one year of playing at Tin Roof with a free show today at 2.

Otherwise it’s the same stuff that goes on every Sunday. The Rusty Pieces at Belle Tavern… Hangover Hangout at Atomic Rose… Sunset Yoga at Memphis Park… good choices, all of them.

My tentative plan for the day is a couple of hours at Bardog, a couple of hours at Silly Goose, and I’m contemplating heading down to Loflin Yard for Cerrito Bingo. That Loflin stop I am not sure is going to happen because it’s so damn hot outside. MemphisWeather.net is predicting 95 for this afternoon. Normal high for today is 80. Geez. Anyway, I’m outta here, back tomorrow or Tuesday with more news.

Stony Blyden, who plays paralegal Emerson on the new NBC series Bluff City Law, will smash a guitar before tonight’s Memphis 901 FC match vs. Bethlehem Steel. Kickoff time is 7 PM, and as always I recommend pre-gaming at the Brass Door Irish pub on Madison and marching over with supporters’ group the Bluff City Mafia.

Actor/comedian Kevin James, who starred in the TV series The King of Queens (1998-2007), will perform a show at the Cannon Center tomorrow night. Tickets are $42.50-$82.50.

Loflin Yard is doing a shrimp boil for the Dallas Cowboys vs. New Orleans Saints Sunday Night Football game tomorrow evening. In addition to the boil, they will have FREE gumbo, as well as frozen hurricanes and $3 Bud Light. Free gumbo? Wonder if the Nuh-Uh Girl will show up. Oh wait she’s in Europe right now. If you’re in Munich for Oktoberfest, guard your bratwurst closely.

Elite Total Health at S. Main and MLK has a new logo. In recent years they have expanded their business, offering services like hydration therapy, medical aesthetics, and women’s care. However, their logo and branding still reflected Elite’s early days as a men’s health care clinic. Downtown agency LAB Digital Creative helped them with a new logo and new branding that reflects the comprehensive set of services they now provide.

I paid my first visit to Max’s Sports Bar in two months last night, and tried one of their newer menu items, their cheese dip. Being a Little Rock native, I have low expectations for cheese dip in Memphis – it tends to be white and bland and boring. Max’s, however, does it well. It is a white cheese dip, but flavored with plenty of pieces of peppers. In addition, it comes with quality chips, from Las Delicias. I would have to say in recent years, it’s the second best cheese dip I have had Downtown, trailing only the chorizo queso at Maciel’s.

I learned a bartender’s trick this week when a friend of mine got acid reflux: Mix bitters and Sprite, chug that, then swallow a teaspoon or two of mustard. It is said to provide nearly instant relief.

Michael Donahue’s We Saw You column this week covers Paula & Raiford’s Disco and the Bluff City Law watch party in Court Square. He’s right, there is no doubt the spirit of Raiford lives on in that club.

Street closure: From October 7 until May 2020, all lanes of Front Street will be closed between Poplar and Jackson. This is necessary for convention center construction.

Attitude MMA Fights XIX comes to FedExForum tonight.

Today is Wiseacre’s annual Oktoberfest celebration.

For those celebrating Memphis Pride on Beale Street and in Robert Church Park, if you need to get out of the heat for a minute step on over to Atomic Rose, where there will be a Pride Party with $3 well drinks from noon to 6 PM. From 4 to 6 PM there will be a drag show with Holly Walnutz, Mary Gagdaline, Brenda Newport, and Hunny Blunt. Dj Cashmere will perform late night tonight.

As your #1 source of news and information about The Edge District, it is my pleasure to inform you that Spectrum (600 Marshall) will host a Pride After-Party tonight 8 PM-3 AM featuring Brooke Lynn Hines. Drag show at 11 PM and an Open Stage all night where all the kings and queens can show what they’ve got.

According to one social media source, nothing notable has happened in The Edge since June 10. This is why I have to do my job, because no one else will.

It’ll be my first time back in Bardog since they re-opened when I go there in a little while. I plan on catching up with my “DAWG” John D, watching the Texas A&M-Arkansas game, sticking around to see my friends Randy and Theresa, and wondering if the Tennessee Vols will manage to figure out  away to lose even though it’s their bye week. Around 5 I’ll head over to Silly Goose for D-RANKS with B-RAD, where I will catch Brad up on the Downtown gossip, and there is some juicy gossip this week (he may have lost a Facebook friend without even knowing it). Back tomorrow with more news. Post may be up late tomorrow because I am considering not going out until the 4 to 6 PM range.

JOBS! If you’re looking for a job in the food service industry in the South Main district, I’ve got news for you. First of all, Rizzo’s by Michael Patrick is looking for a sous chef. This is an opportunity to learn from one of the very best in Memphis. Chef Michael is looking for someone who is comfortable placing orders and giving directions. The sous chef must be creative and have at least 5 years experience. If that sounds like you, inquire at the restaurant (South Main at Butler across from the fire station) between 10 AM and 3 PM.

In addition, the Enjoy|AM restaurant group (Andrew Michael Italian Kitchen, Hog and Hominy, Catherine & Mary’s, Gray Canary) is hiring for its new restaurant, Bishop, to open in Central Station Hotel. They are hiring everything from host/hostess to sous chef to assistant GM, and AM and PM positions are available. If you are interested, bring a resume to Central Station Hotel, 545 S. Main, between 10 AM and 4 PM and they’ll have you fill out an application.

A festival called Audacity Fest is coming to Beale Street Landing today through Sunday. From the festival website:

AUDACITY Fest is the gathering of like minds in travel and culture. This festival is the safe space for black and brown travelers from around the world, to build ideas, meet travel influencers, and experience parts of the world through on site activations. The day includes panels, one-on-one fireside chats, international music & DJs, celebrity appearances, food, vendors, and community love.

The festival has six focus areas: Culinary, Self-Care, Immersive, Adventure, Budget, and Luxury. Together these are called the six verticals of travel.

Nice win for the Memphis Tigers over Navy last night. They proved they won’t give up after being down 20-7 at one point. The Tigers go on the road for two weeks, playing Louisiana-Monroe a week from tomorrow and Temple the Saturday after that.

Revised plans for Union Row have been released. This massive project will bring two hotels, 700+ apartments, retail space, office space and parking to the area bordered by Fourth, Danny Thomas, Union, and Gayoso.

Look for wandering performances by 30 Days of Opera at South Main Trolley Night tonight.

The Electric Watershed electronic dance music event returns to Carolina Watershed this evening. At least 6 DJs will spin.

Southwest Airlines will add daily nonstop flights from Memphis to Atlanta beginning March 7. It will be nice to be able to fly to Atlanta on an airline that doesn’t suck. (Looking at you, Delta.)

The Halloran Centre will host A Magical Life: An Evening with Larry Hass this evening at 7:30. Hass’ show will run the spectrum of magic, with everything from storytelling to mind reading to grand illusion. Hass holds a Ph.D., has been seen on the Discovery Channel, and has given a TEDx talk on “What is the art of magic?”

Tomorrow is Memphis Pride Fest in Robert Church Park, Beale just east of Fourth, 10 AM to 5 PM. At 1 PM there will be a Pride Parade down Beale Street. Learn more at midsouthpride.org.

FreeWorld will perform at Momma’s Roadhouse (formerly the Dirty Crow Inn) tonight 9-12.

Yesterday the manager gave me a sample of the Hot Siedies, one of the non-pizza items coming out of the wood-fired pizza oven at the Silly Goose.

Here’s a list of ingredients: (TL:DR: Cheese wrapped in meat)

Calabrese wrapped mozzarella, balsamic reduction, hot honey and basil. You get 5 of these on a plate for $8.

More Goose news!

With the new pizza oven installed and the menu figured out, they are opening for lunch Wednesdays through Sundays starting next Wednesday. They have two outstanding and creative pizza chefs in the kitchen, and it seems like every time I go in there they are trying out some new idea. (Which is good because I often get samples… too bad the Nuh-Uh Girl is out of town.) I haven’t officially confirmed this, but I’ve heard talk of a possible lunch discount for those with AutoZone uniforms or badges or ServiceMaster badges.

Can someone recommend some good comedians whose shows are on YouTube? Since the Tennessee Vols have a bye week, I’m going to need something to laugh at tomorrow. This week three more players left the hapless Vols, realizing they will never get to a bowl game or learn anything about football at that school.

Beating Tennessee is fun…trust us. 😎#UpseT https://t.co/WYBCPw5Sot

— Georgia State Panthers (@GSUPanthers) September 26, 2019

Well… different Tennessee team, but still damn funny.

Time for work. Back tomorrow with more news.

The Memphis Flyer’s Best of Memphis issue is out. The most reliable of the best-of polls in this city, BOM recognizes businesses that stand out. The issue is on the stands now and the results should be on the Memphis Flyer website later this morning.

Elite Total Health, the health clinic at the corner of Main and MLK, is hiring  (although, they may be hiring for their second location they’re opening out east). Medical background is a plus but is not required. If interested, send a resume to elitetotalhealth@gmail.com. These are great people to work with, and there would be a fun element to the job, like giving team members hydration IVs at BBQ Fest.

It looks like the South Main location for Little Italy may not happen after all. Yesterday my friend Mikey posted a photo of the storefront with a “for lease” sign in the window. Too bad because South Main is absolutely exploding with new businesses right now, and the Italian restaurant would have been a good fit. Trouble is, explosive growth means higher rents, and I suspect that may have been the barrier in this case.

The Majestic Grille is the featured restaurant in Jennifer Biggs’ Bar Talk this week. Master mixologist Lisa Gradinger showed Biggs hot to mix an Apple Old Fashioned, a simple two-ingredient cocktail that is perfect as the temperature begins to cool (if that ever happens). Afterward, Biggs talked with co-owner/chef Patrick Reilly about the duck prosciutto he’s making for the Memphis Food & Wine Festival on the 12th.

Be sure to turn on ESPN tonight at 7 as the Memphis Tigers host the Navy Midshipmen at the Liberty Bowl. This will be a tough test for the Tigers, and will give a good indication whether Memphis really can run the table through its conference schedule and make it to the AAC championship game once again.

The Memphis Songwriters Series, hosted by songwriter Mark Edgar Stuart, kicks off at the Halloran Centre tonight at 7, the first of five dates through April. Tonight’s performers will be Mike Doughty, Grace Askew, and McKenna Bray.

Cordelia’s Market is hosting a Back to School Grill Out tonight from 5:30 to 7:30. $5 burgers, $5 build your own cookie sandwich dessert bar, and for $12 you get a burger with two sides and the dessert bar. There will be live music as well.

Social media tip: If someone goes all batshit on you on a Facebook comment thread, pull up the thread frequently and screen capture everything they posted. These types of people will often come back later and delete most of their comments, because 1) they realized they made themselves look crazy; and 2) by deleting most of their comments and leaving only yours, they make YOU look like the crazy one. By doing the screen captures, you have an electronic record of what really happened.

Some people need breathalyzers on their phones that refuse to let them open Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, etc. until they blow.

On the good side though, happy hour will be a more enjoyable time, at least for me personally.

That’s the news for now. Back tomorrow.