Tuesday update

The Battle of the Birds 2019 is in the history books. The St. Louis Cardinals defeated the Memphis Redbirds, their Triple-A affiliate, by a score of 6 to 3, last night at AutoZone Park. The Cards haven’t made the MLB playoffs the past three years and it’s possible Redbirds call-ups will return them to the post-season.

A few blocks away, the Grizzlies upset the visiting Oklahoma City Thunder, 115 to 103. The Commercial Appeal has a look at what the Grizzlies need to do for the remainder of the 2018-19 season if they want to CONVEY THAT PICK to Boston in this year’s draft. The article was written before last night’s game. Following the win over OKC, the Grizzlies are only half a game out of ninth worst, the ideal place to be going into the draft lottery.

Hozier takes the stage at the Orpheum tonight at 8. Tickets are $49.50-$59.50. Special guest Jade Bird will open.

The Grecian Gourmet will celebrate its first birthday Saturday, April 13 with a Greek buffet dinner 6 to 9 PM. There will also be Greek music and Greek dancing. Beer and wine will be available. Tickets are $25 in advance or $35 at the door. Call 901-249-6626 or email greciangourmet@gmail.com for tickets.

Three-year civic engagement process Re-Imagining the Civic Commons, is winding down, having funded changes in the city landscapes of Chicago, Detroit, Philadephia, Akron, and here in Memphis along the riverfront (the Fourth Bluff). Leaders of the project will meet in Memphis March 27-29 to discuss next steps.

The Commercial Appeal has an excellent article about Cristina McCarter’s City Tasting Tours. The tours are a good way to not only sample food from some of Memphis’ best chefs, but also to learn the history of the neighborhoods in which the restaurants are located. The CA is partnering with City Tasting Tours for a special one-time event 4-6 PM Saturday, April 20. McCarter and the CA’s Jennifer Chandler will guide guests through the South Main Arts District, sampling dishes from Pontotoc Lounge, The South Main Market food hall, and Rizzo’s. Visit the City Tasting Tours website to RSVP.

Retired Supreme Court Justice Janice Holder will mediate talks between Memphis River Parks Partnership and Memphis in May on the redesign of Tom Lee Park. Holder is an excellent choice, having mediated talks on parking at the Memphis Zoo a couple years back.

Random thing that popped into my head last night: Thibault, a character who appeared in the Peanuts comic strip for several years. When I was little I collected compilations of Peanuts strips, and had over 20 books by the time I was 5. My mom encouraged this, figuring whatever I was reading at that age couldn’t be bad, as long as I was reading.

Memphis in May tweeted course maps for the upcoming Great American River Run half-marathon and 5K.

Fans of the Blind Bear, get by there in the next day or three, because something really cool is happening. They are re-doing the floor underneath the bar, and have made a temporary bar area where the main poker table had previously been. When Jeannette told me that was going to happen, I thought, “Yeah I can’t see how that will ever work,” but it looks superb! You can still sit at the main bar while renovations are being done, and all three poker tables are intact. There’s poker tonight (free to play) starting at 7:30  (poker operates on Charles Time, so probably more like 7:50). You can get in through an hour and 15 minutes after poker starts.

Spindini is now open for lunch 11-2 Wednesday through Sunday… with the exception of March 30, when they will be hosting a private event. Wednesday through Friday, they will take to-go, Uber Eats, and Door Dash orders, with Saturday and Sunday being full service.

This Friday will be a SoulRight Trolley Night on South Main, with most of the galleries and boutiques in the area staying open until 9 or later. The emerging stars of Consortium MMT will perform on the Loading Dock Stage outside the 409 South Main food hall, with performances beginning at 6. SMA members can enjoy complimentary burgers, dogs, and beverages at 523 S. Main between Primas Bakery and Peddler Bike Shop.

The Paul Boggs Band will bring Seattle-based bluegrass to South Main for Trolley Night on Friday. They will perform at the Century House at 151 Vance.

Wayne Russell, musician/painter, will exhibit “Hypnotic Cotton” at Edge Gallery, 509 S. Main, for Trolley Night. If you can’t make it Friday, the exhibit will be there through the end of March.

Primas Bakery+Boutique will celebrate Trolley Night with special guests Mobius Theory and Wanderlvst901.

Memphis Made Brewing Co. is coming to Loflin Yard for this Saturday afternoon’s crawfish boil.

The Daily Memphian’s Jennifer Biggs picked a great location for her $10 deal this week: RAWK’n Grub. For years, this was a food truck that operated around Memphis, until finding a permanent home last year in the Citgo at Summer and Highland. Chef Steph Cook is a super good guy and the food can’t be beat. Most of the menu has a musical theme, including the Patty LaMelte patty melt, Swiss You Were Here sliders, and Phish tacos. Definitely check it out next time you find yourself in that part of town. The food is so good, you’ll forget you’re in a gas station.

This evening there will be a workout on the rooftop of Old Dominick Distillery. Check in prior to 6 PM. HIIT workout with Keshia Williams of Tabata Tuesdays 6:00-6:45, and yoga by Amy of Sumits Yoga 6:45-7:30. Following yoga, cool down with an Old Dominick cocktail.

The Brass Door will be showing the USMNT vs. Chile soccer match tonight at 7.

Yesterday I was at happy hour at the Silly Goose, and the bartender told me that the new pizza oven would be installed soon. Maybe I should take a poll: Which do you think will get done first?

  • Silly Goose pizza oven
  • Silder Out, the new Slider Inn location at Mulberry and Talbot

Not a Downtown thing but I want to mention it anyway: Pulse, the Pink Floyd tribute band, plays Minglewood Hall this Saturday. A former co-worker of mine is in the band and I’ve been to see them. Really good! If bluesmen Pinkney Anderson and Floyd Council were still alive, I bet they’d be at the show.

Tails & Ales, hosted by Memphis Animal Services, happens at Crosstown Brewing Co. Sunday, April 7 from 1 to 4 PM. Donate a bag of dog treats to MAS and get $2 off your first pour. This event will happen during the weekly Bluegrass Brunch with crawfish by Memphis Mudbugs. Live music by the Late Greats. MAS will have adoptable dogs there, and they will have quite the special going on. Adoption fee of only $20 (cash only please) that day covers spay/neuter, microchip, vaccines, heartworm test (and treatment if needed), collar, leash, and a customized ID tag (available at the shelter).

High Ground News has a good post on how Smart City technology is being used to improve transportation and mobility here in Memphis.

Yesterday I posted that Hungry Hungry Hippos would be the championship round between the top two scoring teams at The Bar Olympics to be held at the Hi-Tone Sunday, June 23. Do you own the game? Might want to post on social media that you do. You might be able to rent it out to teams looking to practice!

Moody Ques teammates: Check your email, please! You’ll have information on a “Meat” & Greet happening at a Downtown venue on Saturday, April 13, a good way to get to know your teammates before the hustle & bustle of BBQ Fest. If you didn’t get the email, send a message to moodyques@gmail.com and we’ll get it to you. Also, if there are any prospective members out there who want to take the Moody Ques for a test drive before joining, the 13th is your chance to do it. Email moodyques@gmail.com and let us know you’d like to come.

Also, we had a few people who can’t return to the team for 2019 due to scheduling conflicts – so we’re going to have a few spots open. I will have a recruitment post on the Moody Ques website (and perhaps a less sanitized version of the post here) later this week.

Yesterday the public relations department was tasked with picking out the colors for our 2019 team rubber wristbands, keeping in mind that the theme this year is Memphis.

No.

The book I’ve been recommending, The Gaslighting Effect by Reva Steenbergen, is once again available for download on Amazon and the Kindle app. It’s $9.99, or free if you sign up for Kindle Unlimited. Learn how to protect yourself from really horrible people putting on an attractive, charming front while projecting their horribleness onto others.

Another long post in the books… and I’m still not done, because I’ve got to get started on that BBQ team recruitment post. Back tomorrow with more news.

Monday update: Battle of the Birds, difference between Adult Sports League and The Bar Olympics, get paid to run a chess club, and much more

Correction to something I wrote in an earlier post: Bridge players in town for the national tournament this week don’t get free trolley rides if they show the driver their convention cards. I saw that there were supposedly free rides on a popular forum where bridge is discussed and assumed the information was reliable. Today’s official tournament publication states that is not the case; trolley rides are $1 cash. I apologize for any confusion over this matter.

One thing I have confirmed from an official source is that they are offering free tours of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital to bridge players. This is an amazing facility and I would encourage anyone who has the free time to take advantage of this opportunity.

I had a question come up this weekend and wanted to address it. “Paul, you blogged about two events coming up: Memphis Adult Sports League and Bar Olympics. They seem to include some of the same bar sports, like beer pong and flip cup. What’s the difference, and how do I figure out which is a better fit for me?” Excellent question. Here’s a summary.

Memphis Adult Sports League, Carolina Watershed/Loflin Yard on the far south end of Downtown, 4 weekends from March 22-24 through April 12-14

  • League play spread over almost a month
  • Events include actual sports (kickball, badminton, bocce, etc.) in addition to more traditional bar sports like cornhole, flip cup, beer pong
  • You don’t need to know ANYONE to join a team. Just sign up and you’ll be placed on a team depending on where in the Memphis metro you live
  • Since the league started this past weekend, it’s probably too late to sign up. Hopefully this’ll be a smashing success and they’ll do a fall league.

Bar Olympics, Hi-Tone Cafe in Crosstown, 412 N. Cleveland, Sunday, June 23.

  • One-day event
  • Events are more geared toward traditional bar games, but the cool thing is, they also have Wii games in the mix! Potential games also include quarters, team beer chug, mini basketball, Connect Four, and more. Finals between the top two teams will be Hungry Hungry Hippo. Complete list at the link below. Point is, they are going above and beyond the same ol’, same ol’ in their selection of games.
  • You have to form your own team and sign up. Registration site is www.thebarolympics.com.
  • The good thing is, there are no restrictions on who can participate/be on what team by ZIP code. You want to enter a team with two from the U of M area, one from Keswick-Stornaway, one from South Memphis, and two from Olive Branch, go for it!
  • Charity event benefiting ALIVE! Rescue Memphis. Just think about it – a dog’s life could be saved because you and your friends like to bounce an engraving of a president into a shot glass.
  • Skinny from Hi-Tone is organizing the games, so you know this will be a quality event worth your while

Both the Adult Sports League and the Bar Olympics are about a $7 Lyft/Uber ride from the Downtown core. In the case of Bar Olympics especially, I definitely recommend the participants not drive!

Although… I bet there will be that one dumbass who hops on a Bird scooter and tries to jet Downtown following the end of Bar Olympics. Yeah we’ll see how well that works out.

Heh… those of you who are fans of Beale Street Wine Race know that the Huey’s team practices the wine relay extensively prior to the event. I wonder if they’ll enter Bar Olympics and go to the toy store and buy Hungry Hungry Hippo so they can practice.

Since I brought up the subject of rescuing dogs in the description of Bar Olympics, here’s a very cool Business Insider link: Seven companies that give you paid time off when you adopt a dog

The Battle of the Birds happens tonight at AutoZone Park! The Memphis Redbirds take on their parent team the St. Louis Cardinals tonight at 7. The gates open early, at 4:15, so you can watch both teams’ batting practice. There’s a very slight chance of rain mid-afternoon but it does not appear to be anything that would affect tonight’s game.

I wasn’t real happy to see this yesterday:

I hope this means the building’s owner is putting it up for sale, and not that Court House Deli might close. Just steps out of my front door, Court House is my go-to more than any other for lunch. Whether it’s a mushroom Swiss burger, the loaded red beans & rice, the voodoo wings, or a Greek chicken salad, it’s all good! Hmmm… I really need to eat a salad… then again, I could just ask them to top my read beans & rice with some jalapenos. That’s a green vegetable, right? Also, I’m drinking a green Mountain Dew as I type this as a green-haired troll watches. Seems like that should kind of count for something too.

UPDATE 1:44 PM Monday: I just walked over to Court House Deli hoping for a bowl of red beans and rice, fully loaded with cheese, onions, and jalapenos – but the lock is still on the door. I hope Brad and everyone there are OK.

Left Field Properties, a rental company in the Downtown core on Madison, has several positions open: accounts manager, property manager, restaurant manager, and (get ready for this) chess operations and events manager. For that last one, you need thorough knowledge of the game of chess and an interest in operating a successful chess club. Well, that’s a job you don’t see posted every day!

Memphis-born Aretha Franklin got her note on Beale Street yesterday. Today would have been Franklin’s 77th birthday.

From time to time I blog about events at breweries or Central BBQ locations that are fundraisers for the Wolf River Conservancy. What is the Conservancy, exactly? Keith Cole of the Memphis Flyer has the details.

Related to the Conservancy, more than 200 volunteers gathered on Mud Island this past weekend to clean trash out of the Wolf River Harbor.

As a computer nerd/web developer, I find this very cool: Pope Francis became the first pope ever to write a line of code

The Memphis Grizzlies’ G-league team (sort of what the Redbirds are to the Cardinals), the Southaven-based Memphis Hustle, have made the G-League Playoffs. They play the Stockton Kings at 9 PM, and the game will be broadcast on Facebook Live.

At Wrestling Night at the Grizzlies this past Saturday, Jerry Lawler teamed with Rikishi to beat Buff Bagwell and “Big Poppa Pump” Scott Steiner in a match. What happened later in the game, though, was a bigger deal. Lawler’s late son, Brian Christopher Lawler, used to be part of a dance team with Rikishi and Brian’s Too Cool tag team partner, Scotty 2 Hotty. Saturday night their signature dance was re-enacted, with Grizz playing the part of Scotty and Jerry Lawler playing the part of his son.

The Grizzlies are back at FedExForum tonight in their quest to CONVEY THAT PICK, hosting the OKC Thunder at 7.

Paulette’s has posted the menu for this week’s Monday night dinner… and next week’s too. Soup or salad, entree, and dessert for $19.99.

Johnny Manziel played his first snap as a Memphis Express member last night, but starting quarterback Brandon Silvers stole the show and got the W for the Express (a meaningless W; the Express aren’t going to the postseason). Just as I was disappointed in Memphians who booed the Cincinnati band at the Beale Street parade, I’m disappointed in Memphians who booed Silvers for not being Manziel. It’s not like Silvers put himself in. That’s coach’s call.

Congratulations to my friends on Sun’s Out, Buns Out and New Wing Order on their respective 1st and 2nd place finishes in Jalapeno Popper in the 901 Popper Throwdown yesterday. Jesse from New Wing Order: “Guess I have to run jalapeno poppers as a special on the truck from time to time now, huh?” Sounds like a plan to me! Sun’s Out, Buns Out is Glaze’s team. Glaze does the outstanding crawfish boils at Railgarten Thursday evenings and Loflin Yard Saturday afternoons. Check them out if you’re into the ‘bugs!

South Main Songwriter Night returns to 550 S. Main as part of South Main Trolley Night this Friday at 7. Lydia Waldrop, Andrew Cabigao, Nick Long, Sandie Lollis, and Joe Austin will perform. More details about Trolley night to come…

My NCAA bracket is in fair but not great shape, with 43 out of a possible 64 points after the first two rounds. The good news is that 7 of my Elite Eight picks are still in it to win it (Villanova being the one I got wrong) and all of my Final Four teams are in play going into the second weekend.

Over the weekend I had someone express interest in purchasing the book I have been mentioning on here lately, The Gaslighting Effect by Reva Steenbergen. It is the definitive manual to understanding and protecting yourself from narcissistic abuse. Steenbergen parted ways with her publisher and the book is temporarily off Amazon, but will soon be back up in paperback and Kindle format. I will post a link when it is back online for purchase.

Who sez Betsy DeVos is a do-nothing Secretary of Education?

Another really long post finally finished, and I already have two items on deck for tomorrow. I’ll see you in about 24 hours with more news.

Sunday update: Tiger Lane food truck rodeo precedes Manziel’s debut

Memphis’ professional USL soccer team takes to the road for the first time, traveling to Chester, PA to take on Bethlehem Steel FC at 5 PM today. The game will be televised on CW30 locally and streamed on ESPN+. There will be a watch party at Silky O’Sullivan’s on Beale.

The Daily Memphian notes that the attendance of 7250 fans at Memphis’ home game last Saturday was the largest of any in the league that week. This town has embraced professional soccer fully.

Tonight is your first night to see Johnny Manziel as part of a Memphis pro team. The Memphis Express play the Birmingham Iron at the Liberty Bowl tonight at 7. For those of you not going to the game, you can watch it on the NFL Network. From 2 to 6 there will be an Express food truck rodeo at Tiger Lane. Trucks will include Mister Softee, Millie’s Garden, Fresh Gulf Shrimp, Marble Slab Creamery, Fantastic Foods, Just Wraps, King of King’s BBQ, Churrasco, Lets Be Frank, Mojo’s Cafe, Gourmet Grillers, Lil Miracles, Pablo’s Grill, Fabulous Flavors, Smurfey’s, Moe’s and Polar Tropical Ice & Sweet Treats. If the rain clears out in time, that would be a delicious way to spend the afternoon! Coach, please put Johnny Football in at least for a couple of series of downs.

One last reminder that it’s bring your dog day to Cerrito Bingo at Loflin Yard 4 to 6 PM. Bring a dog, get an extra bingo card. Waaaaiiiit a minute… are they going to do Sunday night Turtle Races with all the dogs there? That could get ugly.

Flying Sobies Hen House will be at Brunch at Ghost River Brewery all day today. You can get Cornish hens fried or smoked, with your choice of several sauces. My rec: Get the smoked hen with the Memphis Gold BBQ sauce.

It’s your last chance to catch Fiddler on the Roof at the Orpheum before the show leaves town. Shows at 1:00 and 6:30 PM.

The National Coalition of 100 Black Women presents Men Who Cook at the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Labor Center at 485 Beale Street from 3 to 7 today. Sample culinary delights from local chefs. Cash bar. Put tips in a jar to vote for People’s Choice for best food. Proceeds raised will to go the National Coalition of 100 Black Women, Inc. Memphis Patricia Walker Scholarship Fund.

OK Grizzlies. Gotta call you out on something. Last night I was watching the game on TV and there was a note about a Game Day Clinic on March 27. It said to go to grizzlies.com for more information. “That’s blogworthy, something my readers would want to know about,” I thought, and made a note in Evernote to go look for the info for this morning’s post. However, when I went to grizzlies.com, the info was nowhere to be found, even when I typed “clinic” in the search box. If an event of interest is promoted on TV with a URL provided, it needs to be something that website visitors find on that page in no more than 3 seconds, without having to type anything in a search. And why couldn’t you create a short URL like grizzlies.com/clinic and promote it, taking visitors directly to the relevant page?

Mud Islanders: Cordelia’s Market is having a meet your neighbor buffet-style dinner the evening on Thursday, March 28. 6:00-7:30, family-friendly, with wine and beer available for purchase.

On Thursday, April 18 at 6:00, Cordelia’s will have Easter cupcake decorating.

If you want to see what a national bridge tournament is like, check out the daily bulletins for the tournament going on through next Sunday at the Cook Convention Center. There’s a new one each day, up by 5 AM.

That’s the news for now. I guess I’ll lead off at Blind Bear since I’ll get rained on less walking there than I will walking to Pontotoc Lounge. Back tomorrow with more.

 

Saturday update

I guess you could say I “maxed” myself out yesterday! Max’s Sports Bar opened at 10:30 AM for March Madness watching, and when I got there the bar stools were still on the tables. I didn’t leave until after the Memphis-Creighton game which tipped off at 7:30 PM and ended about two hours later. No better place Downtown to watch the NCAA tournament.

A new restaurant, Barbarossa Brothers, is opening next month at 7 N. Main. “But wait,” you say, “7 N. Main is the home of Sam’s for breakfast and lunch. Please tell me Sam’s isn’t going away!” Don’t worry. Sam’s will still be there, but Barbarossa Brothers will be “Sam’s After Dark,” opening at 5:30 PM. They will serve Mediterranean and Greek food with a touch of Cajun, reports Susan Ellis of the Memphis Flyer. Have a peek at the menu.

The Redbirds will hold a fan fest Saturday, March 30 at AutoZone Park from 3 to 6 PM. Activities will include

  • Inflatables and games in the Plaza
  • Activities on the field, weather permitting
  • Chances to win prizes
  • A garage sale
  • Select-a-seat for season tickets and mini-packages
  • Season membership orientation
  • Team autographs 5:30-6:00

The fan fest is family-friendly and it is free.

As your #1 source of news and information about The Edge District, I have two linkety links for you today. The first is to inform you of Soul Sunday Brunch at Arnold’s BBQ a week from tomorrow, Sunday, March 31. Brunch items will include chicken and waffles, salmon croquettes, eggs, bacon, chicken sausage, cheese grits, biscuits, smothered potatoes, and whatever else the chef dreams up. Brunch will include live music by Candy Fox & Co. 12:30-2:30. Tickets are $25 adult, $15 for children 11 and under. If you’re 21+ you can add a bottomless mimosa for $15 more. Park at the lot at Madison and Danny Thomas, the same lot used for Stop 345 and Brinson’s. Take a right onto the lot going eastbound on Madison right before Danny Thomas (exit, don’t go over the bridge) and then Arnold’s will be to your right, entrance in the alley between Madison and Monroe.

In other Edge news, the planned Union Row development will honor the history of buildings that were there before it. Those buildings, in the 300 block of Union, were part of Memphis’ original Auto Row back in the day. Elvis bought numerous Cadillacs at one such building. At another nearby, Johnny Cash was introduced to the two men who would go on to become his backup band.

From Food & Wine: Why brown liquor gives you the worst hangover. There’s science behind it; it doesn’t just feel that way.

Ballet 5:8 brings Compass to the Halloran Centre tonight at 7 PM. This ballet company uses dance to tell the story of pressing issues – not in a political or divisive sense, but with compassion.

This is a touching story: Pro wrestler King Kong Bundy, the 450-pounder who main-evented Wrestlemania 2 and demanded a 5-count on opponents rather than the standard 3-count, had a love for cats. He left 10 of them behind when he died earlier this month at age 61. Those who were close to him are trying to find adoptive homes. Hey Mark, do Alfredo Sauce, Shambles, Hustle, Flow, and Brown Chicken Meow Meow need a new friend?

Ground broke on Grind City Brewery in Uptown/North Memphis yesterday including an appearance from the mayor. Strickland said the brewery would create up to 60 jobs over the next 5 years.

Grizzlies vs. Minnesota Timberwolves tonight at FedExForum at 7. First 5000 get a Grizzlies World Championship wrestling belt.

The River Rat Rounders poker league is having a tag team switch poker event tonight at Sleep Out Louie’s. The way it works is, you have a partner, and each of you plays a table with your own chip stack. When the tournament director yells, SWITCH, you switch seats with your partner, even if in the middle of a hand. The game is free to play and the winning partners win a voucher. There are also double points toward the RRR league’s next final table. If you don’t have a partner, come early and they will find one for you.

The Daily Memphian reports that the first step in renovating Handy Park at Beale and B.B. King will likely be to install an Insomnia Cookies in unused space on the property. The cookie and ice cream shop chain already has a Memphis location at 545 S. Highland.

One of the March Madness channels Max’s had on yesterday was CBS, and they interrupted the coverage with a special report that Special Counsel Mueller’s report has been delivered to Attorney General Barr. Barr is required to prepare a summary of the report to Congress, although many members are demanding the report be released in full to that body, and that portions that can be released without endangering national security be released to the public. Mueller plans to issue no more indictments, but the Southern District of New York, the Manhattan DA, and various other agencies still have open investigations.

That’s it for now. Back out in a little while for more March Madness watching. Back tomorrow with more news.

Friday update: RIP Plush Club

Friends, I have sad news to report. A Memphis landmark is no more.

380 Beale, former home of The Plush Club and Club Crave, is being demolished this week to make room for a five-story hotel to be called The Inn on Beale Street. Although the building may be gone, we can fondly remember every shooting, every stabbing, every disorderly conduct arrest that happened on or near the property. Know how Hotel Indigo has a jukebox in the lobby to stay true to the city’s roots? Perhaps The Inn on Beale can display Glocks and tires with 26 inch spinner rims in its lobby.

Weezer and Pixies come to FedExForum tonight. Special guest Basement will open the show, which begins at 7 PM.

Crosstown Brewing Co. is hosting Shangri-La Saturday with Stephen Chopek tomorrow from 4 to 7. Chopek is a singer-songwriter who relocated to Memphis from his home in New Jersey five years ago, and is noted for his sense of spontaneity.

Interesting Memphis fact I didn’t know:

Yesterday I returned to the Thursday lunch Court Square food truck rodeo. Now that we are into spring, the number of trucks is starting to pick up once again. I had the Meat Lover’s Pizza from the Grisanti 9Dough1 food truck.

I noticed the Grub food truck had Korean BBQ beef burritos and quesadillas, and I made a mental note to put that on my to-do list.

Michael Donahue has a Memphis magazine story about a classic dessert: K-Pie at Paulette’s over on Mud Island. Its full name is Kahlua Mocha Parfait Pie and it has stood the test of time, having appeared on the menu for more than 40 years.

AutoZone Park released a list of improvements that have happened over the winter months. The videoboard is now fully HD, and sound system amplifiers have been upgraded. Netting will protect additional guests from line-drive foul balls this year, and the netting can be lowered for Memphis 901 FC soccer matches. New locker rooms were built for 901 FC and the visiting soccer team, so that they don’t have to share space with the Redbirds. In addition, office space was upgraded to accommodate 25 additional employees.

The new adult sports league kicks off today at Carolina Watershed and Loflin Yard. Bocce, horseshoes, cornhole, flip cup, beer pong, hammerschlagen, dodgeball, badminton, and kickball are among the sports being offered.

Songwriter Night is back at South Main Sounds, 550 S. Main, this evening from 7 to 9. Patrick Seiler, Chris Cockrell, Mike Robertson, and Steve Meyer will perform.

As part of the North American Bridge Championships in town, the popular Learn Bridge in a Day? class will be offered Saturday from 1 to 6 in the Heritage Room at the Sheraton (formerly the Marriott). This class is appropriate for newcomers who know nothing about the game but want to learn, as well as for those who have been away from the game for some time and want to brush up on their play. The instructor, Patty Tucker, is considered one of the very best at introducing new people to the game.

As your #1 source of news and information about The Edge District, it’s my pleasure to tell you about a workshop on ranked voting at Wonder/Cowork/Create at 340 Monroe today at noon. Learn about ranked choice voting in Memphis and get a feel for how the process works. A pizza lunch and drinks will be provided.

Those of you with kids, mark your calendars: The Easter Bunny is coming to Bass Pro at the Pyramid April 13-21.

Memphis Made Brewing Co. is hosting World Water Day in its taproom this evening, with a portion of proceeds going to the Wolf River Conservancy.

Normally I wouldn’t bother blogging this next item, woman arrested for stealing back repossessed car, because it’s not something my readers would care about… except this one detail disturbed me. She was paying over $500 a month for a 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix. WTF? That is an enormous monthly payment on a car that old. “Well-qualified lessees” can drive a Cadillac CTS off a dealership lot for less than a monthly payment than that, if they show up at the right time of the year. To me this story is more about those in the most desperate need of transportation being preyed upon, than it is about a woman committing a crime.

I filled out my bracket yesterday morning on NCAA Bracket Challenge. I picked Michigan State, Michigan, Virginia, and North Carolina to go to the Final Four, with Michigan State beating Virginia 77-76 for the championship. I started off on the wrong foot yesterday, my first two picks to play (Yale and Louisville) falling. I got 10 of yesterday’s 16 games right. The good news is that I only had one of the 6 teams that lost, Belmont, advancing to the Sweet Sixteen, so my bracket isn’t in horrible shape yet.

First Sunday I get when it isn’t a) 50 degrees or less outside or b) raining I want to get down to watch the Turtle Races at Loflin Yard. Looks like it won’t be this Sunday though; the MemphisWeather.net forecast says “good chance of showers and a few t’storms,” putting the rain chance at 60%. Ugh.

Clear skies today, though, and I think a trip to Max’s Sports Bar is in order. The Tigers tip off against Creighton in the NIT second round at 7:30. Back tomorrow with more news.

Welcome, bridge players + a lot of Thursday news

The 2019 Spring North American Bridge Championship (NABC) begins today at the Cook Convention Center and continues through Sunday, March 31. Bridge players from around the continent and in some cases even beyond come here to play in the bridge equivalent of the Super Bowl, the NBA Finals, or the World Series. There are three NABCs each year, rotating among major cities. Memphis last hosted the event in 2012.

Welcome, bridge players! I worked for the company that presents and sanctions the NABC for almost nine years. I live half a mile from the playing site and have written a blog about the neighborhood for 15 years. If you have any questions about Downtown Memphis, email me at paul@paulryburn.com and I will do my best to give you a true local’s perspective. If you ride the trolley during the NABC, it’s free if you show your convention card.

For those here in Memphis interested in bridge but not ready to compete at a national championship level, there are events for you too. Check out the Intermediate/Newcomer schedule.

Aces & Knaves, a documentary on the game of bridge and the characters involved, plays the Halloran Centre Monday for two showings at 10 AM and 7:30 PM.

All right, enough bridge stuff. Let’s get on to the rest of the news…

The date and time has been announced for Memphis’ second-round NIT game. It will be at 7:30 tomorrow, Friday, March 22, 3 Memphis vs. 2 Creighton on ESPNU. Here’s the full second-round schedule.

Taste of Fitness Memphis will happen Sunday, April 14 at Old Dominick Distillery from 8:30 AM to 1 PM. This event will offer 25-minute “tastes” of different workouts you can do around Memphis. On hand will be

  • Spincult
  • Neighborhood Barre Memphis
  • Sumits Yoga Memphis
  • Work & Play Studio
  • Shred415
  • Recess 901

Your ticket includes your choice of workouts, a sampling tour of the distillery including tastes of three Old Dominick favorites, visits to vendor booths, and a goodie bag to take home with you. Early bird ticket sales ($29) end soon.

Incoming Memphis Tiger recruit James Wiseman has been named the Gatorade high school boys’ player of the year. Congratulations James! Tiger Nation can’t wait to see you on the floor this fall.

Max’s Sports Bar will open at 10:30 today and tomorrow for your NCAA tournament viewing needs. Max’s is the best place to watch the opening round of the tournament, with enough TVs to show every game that is on. Max’s is at 115 G.E. Patterson, half a block east of Arcade restaurant.

Memphis 901 FC is on the road this weekend at Bethlehem Steel. The team will host a watch party at Silky O’ Sullivan’s Sunday, March 24 from 5 to 8.

Bailey Bigger will play original music this Sunday at the Ghost River taproom at 6:30.

The Brass Door will have live music this Sunday for brunch 11:30 AM-2 PM with singer-songwriter Freeman Shane Weems and Ron Shuman.

Also this Sunday, Crosstown Brewing Co. will have a crawfish boil, bluegrass by The Late Greats, and of course, beer. 1-4 PM.

With Memphis the honored place for Memphis in May this year, Memphis movies will be shown throughout the month. Eight movies will be shown around town.

Contemporary Media, the parent company of the Memphis Flyer and Memphis Magazine, is hiring a part-time staff graphic designer.

Speaking of Memphis Magazine, Vance Lauderdale has a piece on the bandstand at Court Square.

The Millennium Tour comes to FedExForum on Sunday. B2K, Mario, Pretty Ricky, Lloyd, Ying Yang Twins & Chingy. Doors open at 6:30.

The Downtown Memphis Commission, Memphis River Parks Partnership, Kayak Memphis, and the Downtown Neighborhood Association will present Sunset Happy Hour on the River next Monday, March 25, at Beale Street Landing from 5:30 to 7 PM. Come get a look at the plans for Tom Lee Park, and Kayak Memphis will tell you what you need to know to get on the river. Light snacks and beverages will be served.

But you don’t have to wait until Monday to view Tom Lee Park designs… Memphis River Parks is hosting a Party for the Park tonight at 6 at Loflin Yard. Free stickers for the first 40 people.

The Social Network is having a networking event at Blind Bear 5:30-8:30 tomorrow. Posting this not only to inform people who might be interested in the event, but to inform the Blind Bear regulars that the place will be super busy during those hours.

Those of you wondering, “When will the Cousins Maine Lobster food truck ever make it Downtown?” I now have an answer for you. It will be here for South Main Trolley Night on Friday, March 29. The truck will be parked outside Stock & Belle at 387 S. Main. (The truck will be in Cooper-Young at Memphis Made tonight, by the way.)

J. Edwards plays Earnestine & Hazel’s tonight at 8.

Harbor Town’s Cafe Eclectic has closed but there are signs it may be moving to a bigger location across the street. That would be the former Movie & Pizza Co. location.

Bring your dog to bingo at Loflin Yard on Sunday, March 24 and get an extra bingo card. There are new hours for bingo: 4-6 PM. Bingo is always free to play at Loflin and dogs are always welcome.

Teach your kids about pot! Memphis Made and Erica Bodine Pottery are hosting a Kids’ Pinch Pot class Sunday at 1:00.

The Daily Memphian’s Dan Conaway has recipes for some of the most popular items served at the Calvary Waffle Shop during Lent: tomato aspic, fish pudding, and chicken hash.

Relevant quote I saw online yesterday: “A pretty face can hide an ugly mind.” That was from “Secret Agent Man” by Johnny Rivers. In fact, based on personal experience I’d change it to “A pretty face can hide an ugly soul.”

Whew! I guess that’s enough information for one day. I’ll be back tomorrow with more news.

Wednesday update

The Memphis Tigers play on! Penny’s team defeated San Diego 74-60 last night at FedExForum. The next matchup is against 2-seed Creighton. Because Creighton is the higher seed (Memphis is a 3), it will host the second-round game.

HotNewHipHop.com is reporting that the Foamposite sneakers Nike made for Penny Hardaway will be re-released Friday on Nike’s SNKRS app. The sneakers will cost $230 and will most likely be a limited run.

$2 frozen pops all day Saturday:

If you want to see some great photos of Hotel Indigo, the new boutique hotel at the site of the former Econo Lodge at B.B. King and Court, check out this visitor’s blog post. Actually, the entire post is a great guide to cool things to do in our city. She explored all over Memphis. There are some good photos of dinner at Downtown restaurant The Gray Canary as well.

Membership forms are now available for the May 1 opening of Lucky’s Social Club, the new members-only dog park and bar on South Main. Join by April 17 and your pups will be Founders members. Tours of the site are available if you have yet to make up your mind about joining. You can contact them on Facebook to arrange a tour.

Johnny Manziel’s introductory press conference:

Good Twitter account I found yesterday: @dumbdrunkpeople. The handle is pretty much self-explanatory.

The New Wing Order food truck will be at Cordelia’s Market from 5 to 8 this evening.

Downtown’s new co-working space, The Launch Pad at 175 Toyota Plaza, is having a grand opening tomorrow night, Thursday, March 21 from 5:30 to 9.

The Grizzlies tip off against Houston in their attempt to CONVEY THAT PICK tonight at FedExForum at 7. Both tonight and Saturday are Grind City Wrestling Nights. On Saturday, there’s a promotional giveaway:

The Orpheum will host brunch on stage Saturday, April 27. There will be delicious food, a backstage tour, and Bloody Marys and mimosas. $75 per person, $50 for season ticket holders. $550 for a table of 8.

Guitarist Wayde Peck will perform solo at Regina’s Cajun Kitchen tomorrow from 7 to 9 PM.

Pre-game details have been announced for The Battle of the Birds, the St. Louis Cardinals vs Memphis Redbirds exhibition game to be held at AutoZone Park next Monday. Gates will open at 4:00. The Redbirds will take batting practice 4:15-5:15, then it will be the Cardinals’ turn 5:15-6:00. Pre-game ceremonies will start at 6:35, followed by the first pitch at 7.

WWE Smackdown Live is returning to FedExForum on July 30. The blue brand’s live Tuesday broadcast will come from Memphis that night. Advertised stars include Daniel Bryan, AJ Styles, Becky Lynch, Charlotte Flair, The New Day and Shinsuke Nakamura. The card is subject to change, and remember, there’s usually a Superstar Shake-Up right after Wrestlemania, so some of the names listed could move to the Raw brand.

Then again, the announced stars, in particular what stars were NOT announced, could be an indicator of who might be traded to Raw. The biggest names not listed currently on the blue brand are Randy Orton, Rey Mysterio, and Jeff Hardy.

Two Girls and a Whip at Front and Huling has a peanut butter banana cupcake among this week’s offerings. Yum!

That’s it for now. Back tomorrow.

Tuesday update

Got details on two upcoming beer festivals for you. Memphis Brewfest will happen on the field at the Liberty Bowl on Saturday, May 11. This is Memphis’ biggest beer festival of the year, with a long list of breweries (click the link to see who is coming). There will also be food trucks there: Flying Saucer (they have a food truck?), Central BBQ, New Wing Order, The Fiesta Wagon, Cousins Maine Lobster, and MeMPops. There will be a special Belgian beer area by the Flying Saucer. Tickets are $25 designated driver, $48 general admission, and $100 VIP.

The date has been set for the Cooper-Young Beerfest: October 19. This will be the tenth annual C-Y Beerfest, and they say they’re going big. If you enjoy learning about beers, there is no better place to do it. They have an education booth where the brewers give talks. Also, the breweries that get accepted to the festival are required to send someone who had a hand in actually brewing the beer, so you can talk to them about the process; for other festivals, breweries often send marketing/sales people. In addition, the breweries have to be within a day’s drive of Memphis, so if you like what you drink you can road-trip it easily.

Support the fight against fires, and breast cancer, with this Memphis Firefighters shirt:

The Memphis Tigers vs. San Diego game tonight will be broadcast on ESPN3.

The Peabody has announced its 2019 rooftop party schedule.

Gould’s Span and Salon is opening Big Cypress Spa in Bass Pro at the Pyramid. Unlike the Gould’s at Main and Union that offers haircuts, Big Cypress Spa will offer only luxury spa services like facials, manicures, and pedicures. The spa will be open to the public but will be geared toward serving Big Cypress Lodge hotel guests.

Malco Powerhouse movie theater news:

Comedian Jim Gaffigan brings his Quality Time Tour to FedExForum Saturday, August 17. Tickets go on sale this Friday at 10 AM.

The River Series at Harbor Town Amphitheater has announced its Spring Series. Craig Brown Band, Aquarian Blood, Pat Sansone, Alicja Trout, Obruni Dance Band, and Yazan will be among those performing on three dates in April and May.

Win free wings for a year!

Your reminder for the day that people suck: Saturday night, during Nate’s 27th anniversary party at Earnestine & Hazel’s, someone punched three holes in the upstairs wall of the circa-1906 building. If you witnessed this act of vandalism or have any information as to who did this, the people who run E&H would like to buy you a Soul Burger and a drink and talk to you about what you know.

Cordelia’s Market has released the menu for its Sweet Water beer dinner this Thursday at 6:30 PM:

Manchego stuffed dates wrapped in bacon
Sweet Water 420 Extra Pale Ale

Fresh herb & watermelon panzanella salad
Sweet Water IPA

Crawfish Spaetzle
Sweet Water G-13 IPA

Crisp pork with spiced ginger chutney
Sweet Water Mango Wheat Kush

PB&J beignets
Peach Love & Happiness Berliner Weisse with peaches

Buy tickets to the beer dinner here.

There will be a Sweet Water (is it one word or two? I’ve seen both) beer tasting at the Grizzlies game Friday night. Ticket including beer tasting is $50 Pinnacle level, $40 Terrace level.

Downtown Yoga has a spring deal going on. Use the promo code Spring15 when paying for classes online and get 15% off unlimited classes for a month, or buy 10 classes and get 2 free. YOGA!

Nominations are being sought for the inaugural class of the Memphis Sports Hall of Fame.

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

Monday update: Tigers/NIT, March Madness, cookies, Bar Olympics, job creation and more

Tiger basketball at FedExForum is not done yet. Last night the Memphis Tigers men’s basketball team received a bid to the National Invitation Tournament, claiming a 3 seed. Memphis will play 6 seed San Diego Tuesday at 7 at FedExForum. The way the NIT works is, for the first three rounds the higher seed hosts the game. The semifinals and finals are played at Madison Square Garden. The NCAA likes to experiment with rule changes in the NIT and you can read the list of changes here.

The NIT is never a goal of college basketball teams, but the invitation shows how much Penny’s Tigers have improved over Tubby’s Tigers a year ago. Remember, Calipari started off taking Memphis to the NIT (and those wins didn’t get vacated). This Tiger team was expected to be a bottom-feeder in the AAC – I believe ninth place was the preseason prediction. So the team overperformed with a fifth-place regular season finish and an NIT bid. At least this’ll shut up the boo-birds, the Negative Nancys who say Penny can’t coach. I’m so sick of hearing from them.

If you want to learn about Memphis’ opponent, here’s a link to the Wikipedia entry for the San Diego Toreros men’s basketball program. We don’t hear much about San Diego because they’re in the Gonzaga and Some Other Teams Conference, also known as the WCC.

I got a treat yesterday in the form of the SEC tournament final. Early on, I was watching the game with a Tennessee Vols fan. Auburn had just gone on a run to go up by 7. “Just watch, Tennessee will come back and win,” the Vols fan told me. Didn’t happen. The Vols got blown out by Auburn, losing by 20. In my opinion, Tennessee should have been dropped to a 3 seed for such a bad loss, but the committee probably already had their minds made up before the game started.

Tennessee’s going to run into Cincinnati in the second round of the NCAA, assuming they both take care of business in the first round. I would love to see Cincy send the Vols to an early exit in the second round of the South regional. If they beat Houston, they can definitely beat Tennessee. A second-round loss after being in the top 10 most of the year would certainly fit the Tennessee tradition of always screwing up.

Over in the Midwest region, if I were John Calipari coaching 2 seed Kentucky, I would be real unhappy to see Houston as the 3 seed in my region. Houston is underseeded as the 3.

FiveThirtyEight’s March Madness predictor is online. Mouse over your favorite team to see the probabilities they will make it to each round. The probabilities will be updated as game results come in.

Memphis made the news in FiveThirtyEight’s Signficant Digits e-newsletter this morning. It said that at the Memphis airport, recyclables are simply sent to a landfill. Booooo…….

Insider has made a list of the best chocolate cookie in every state, and a Downtown restaurant made the list for Tennessee. Kooky Canuck’s skillet chocolate chip cookie a la mode was named the best.

The Hi-Tone out on Cleveland has announced The Bar Olympics for Sunday, June 23. Register your team of 6-8 people to compete in bar sports like beer pong, Wii games, flip cup, and more. It will be an afternoon of competition and drinking, and proceeds will benefit ALIVE! Rescue Memphis. ALIVE! is a foster-based rescue program whose goal is to save as many homeless animals as possible from kill shelters. Sounds like a wonderful afternoon of fun with a purpose.

Sammy Hagar’s bar and grill over at the Southland dog track/gaming complex has closed. In its place will rise the Betlucky Sportsbook Bar and Grill. Another sign that Memphis is going to see its dollars float away to Arkansas and Mississippi if the state of Tennessee does not act quickly to legalize sports betting on Beale Street.

Memphis was named the top large metro area for job creation in January, according to a Bloomberg analysis of Statistics of Labor data. The analysis was made by comparing the number of jobs created to the city’s historical 10-year employment rate.

The week-long run of Broadway hit Fiddler on the Roof begins tomorrow at the Orpheum.

The Hi-Que BBQ food truck will be at Cordelia’s Market tonight from 5 to 8.

That’s the news for this Monday! Back tomorrow with more.

Sunday update: Johnny Football to come to Memphis

No, this is not an early April Fool’s Day joke.

Big sports news broke yesterday, and oddly for this time of year, it wasn’t basketball-related. Johnny Manziel was declared clear to sign with the Alliance of American Football, and following being waived by the San Antonio Commanders, he was assigned to Memphis. Manziel tends to bring drama with him everywhere he goes, but really, that will spice things up in a league that has been boring AF since its inception.

Over at the Daily Memphian, Geoff Calkins ponders, what could possibly go wrong?

I started to type, “Hey Johnny, want to be on a Memphis in May BBQ team?”, but I better run that one by my teammates first…

I watched the Beale Street St. Patrick’s parade yesterday from the King’s Palace Tap Room. I have to give them compliments on realizing that one bartender working the day of a parade is not enough! They had two bartenders on duty and at times the manager acting as a third.

Perjorie T. Roll was very excited that the beer was the same color as her hair, but I wasn’t too excited about paying for it. 32 ounces of green PBR was $8.75. That’s pretty damn steep. Let’s calculate the Value Drinking Index on this beer: 32 ounces X 5% ABV / 8.75 = about 18.3. For your average beer at the Flying Saucer that would not be bad, but for a PBR such a low score is terrible.

With the AAC tournament here in town, the school bands were invited to participate in the parade. When the Cincinnati band passed by, people booed. NOT CLASSY, Memphis. That was a dick move. If you want to boo something, boo those Sprock n’ Roll and River City Pedalers party bikes that appeared later in the parade. Those things turn any hour into Amateur Hour On Demand.

Toward the end of the parade I snuck out and went to the Blind Bear to get a good seat for the Tigers vs. Houston game. There I got $2 PBR cans as well as this:

Let’s again compute the Value Drinking Index, this time on the PBR I had at Blind Bear. 16 ounce can X 5% ABV / St. Pat’s discount price of $2 = 40. Much much better. The Bear’s St. Patrick’s celebration, with discount PBR and $5 and $6 specials on whiskey, continues today.

Congratulations to Memphis 901 FC, who got their first goal ever in a draw against Loudoun last night.

John Mellencamp plays the Orpheum tonight at 8. Tickets start at $39.50.

There’s a South Main Bar Crawl beginning at noon at Loflin Yard today to celebrate St. Patrick’s. Other stops include the Ghost River taproom, The Dirty Crow Inn, and Carolina Watershed.

Bardog has green pancakes and green beer today, along with Guinness and Jameson specials.

Tin Roof will have country singer/songwriter Jerry Patton from noon to 4 today.

It’s Selection Sunday. Tune into CBS from 5 to 6 PM tonight to find out which teams made the NCAA tournament and what their seeds are.

The Memphis Tigers played a fine game but ended up losing to Houston yesterday. Damn, Houston is a great team. They are worthy of a 2 seed in the NCAA tournament. Probably won’t get it because non-Power 5 schools don’t get respect. As for the Tigers, I would not be surprised for the NIT to come calling. That’s better than was projected for the team at the beginning of the season.

This is what I’ll be having for brunch:

Pontotoc Lounge is having an Irish breakfast special. I will be there at 11 today. Join me, will you?