Thur update #2: Seafood trio from Mr. Frazier’s Fish Fry food truck

I’ve followed the Mr. Frazier’s Fish Fry food truck on Facebook for a while, and when Mr. Frazier posted that he was back Downtown on Thursdays for the Court Square food truck rodeo on Thursdays, I decided it was time to give the Fish Fry a try.

Their main menu, full of USDA farm-raised catfish, shrimp, and dirty wings, looked good, but I didn’t see the thing I’ve been told you HAVE to try there was not on that menu. Then I saw the board with today’s specials.

The Crabby Fries are the thing I’ve heard is the must-get. These are waffle fries covered in a creamy Imperial lump crab sauce. However, I also wanted to try the fish and shrimp, so the Seafood Trio was an ideal choice. I walked it home and, after Perjorie T. Roll jumped in the box, I snapped a photo.

The crabby fries are at the top of the photo and lived up to all the praise I had heard. Catfish and shrimp were good too. This was a lot of food, so I have half of it left in the refrigerator for a meal when I get home tonight.

Mr. Frazier’s Fish Fry is a great locally-owned and African-American-owned business. Check them out on Thursdays in Court Square. If you can’t make it on Thursdays, follow them on Facebook or at @MrFraziersFishfry to see where they will be the rest of the week.

Thursday update

The Memphis Flyer and the Commercial Appeal have more information about Lucky’s Social Club, the new combination dog park and bar at 730 South Main. It’s at Main and Carolina, and it is being opened by Mac Hopper who developed Carolina Watershed and Loflin Yard, along with Chelsea Glass and Brian Ellsworth. The half-acre space will have amenities for dogs including a water station, tether ball, and an obstacle course, and they plan to eventually have a Paws of Fame wall. Dog owners will enjoy local beers, gourmet hot dogs, and live music. They plan to have food trucks on site as well. Also, the developers hope to have a beer for dogs on tap.

This will be a members-only park, with memberships costing $10 per day, $25 per month, or $275 per year. Owners must present paperwork that their dogs are spayed or neutered and have all their vaccinations, and they must sign a letter affirming that their dog is not aggressive. For the March 16-17 soft opening owners are asked to keep their dogs on leashes, but once the park is fully open, dogs will be allowed to run free inside the entirely fenced area. Yesterday I was talking to a dog-owner friend of mine who lives Downtown about Lucky’s Social Club, and if she planned to join. “Oh, hell yeah,” she said. “$25 a month? If I go there 5 times a month, it’s worth it.”

Okay. Before we move on to other news, I want to link to the Commercial Appeal article one more time. There’s a photo of a German shepherd with a ball in his mouth, and the caption underneath begins with “This is a dog…”. Well, NO SHIT. I thought I was looking at a brontosaurus. We’re so lucky to have the CA to clarify stuff like this.

Interesting breaking news this morning: Commissioner Tami Sawyer is announcing a run for Memphis mayor. That’s going to put me to a tough decision on Election Day. I am a big fan of the commissioner, but I also think Mayor Strickland has done a (mostly) good job serving the entire city (rather than just his cronies) and being transparent. The nightmare scenario is Sawyer and Strickland split the vote, resulting in King Willie back in office. I’ll be exploring apartment rentals in Downtown Little Rock if that happens.

Earnestine & Hazel’s posted yesterday welcoming Malco Theaters to the neighborhood. E&H said that on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, they are going to open at noon from now on, so that movie-goers can enjoy a Soul Burger and a drink before or after the show.

Noon on Saturdays, huh… I’m going to have to figure out how to make that work with my trips to the Farmers Market when they begin about four weeks from now.

Michael Donahue stopped by Earnestine & Hazel’s recently for an update on what’s going on there. The jukebox is staying, the records aren’t coming off the wall, and Nate is still there. The place is much the same, with improvements that won’t mess with the character of the place.

This Sunday, March 10, the Grizzlies are having another Kids Free Ticket Game. Buy a Terrace I, II, III, or IV ticket to the game vs. Orlando at FedExForum at 5 PM that day, and receive a complimentary ticket for a child 12 or under. This is a great way to introduce kids to the joy of live basketball without breaking the bank. Get your tickets online or at the FedExForum box office.

Memphis 901 FC revealed its inaugural home jersey design yesterday. I love it that there’s a Silky O’ Sullivan’s patch on the sleeve. I bet Silky will be looking down upon the game from afar and smiling Saturday.

The Memphis City Moms Blog has a post about what you can expect to find at the Calvary Lenten Waffle Shop that starts today and is open Tuesday-Friday 11 AM-1:30 PM through Lent. Good photos of the food, and confirmation that the fish pudding and tomato aspic are worth a try even though they sound gross.

That’s it for now. Back to my battles trying to get a flavor of Portable Linux set up on a laptop. Trying Mint Linux after several others failed to meet my needs. Back tomorrow with more news.

 

Wednesday update: Memphis Adult Sports League launched

Something very cool was announced yesterday: There is going to be a 4-weekend long Memphis Adult Sports League with play kicking off the weekend of March 22-24 and extending the following three weekends. The venues will be Carolina Watershed and Loflin Yard.

There will be over 20 sports total, and you can pick and choose the ones you like. Traditional bar games like beer pong and cornhole will be covered, of course, but there will also be sports like the ones you played in gym class in high school – volleyball, badminton, kickball, and the like. There will even be a sport you probably didn’t have in high school – competitive axe throwing. Plus many more!

The very interesting thing about this league is that you don’t have to find a team to be on. You’re already on a team based on where you live. The 7 teams will be

  • Nomads – People who live inside the northern half of the 240 loop and who are not in East Memphis (so north Downtown, north Midtown, North Memphis)
  • Somads – People who live inside the southern half of the 240 loop and who are not in East Memphis (so south Downtown, south Midtown, South Memphis)
  • Beasts of the East – People who live in East Memphis
  • Bougie Bourbonites – People in Cordova, Collierville, and points to the east
  • Put Some South in Your Mouth – People in Whitehaven, Horn Lake, Southaven, Olive Branch, Hernando
  • West Memphis Wackos – People in West Memphis, Marion, Jericho, Forrest City, or elsewhere in East Arkansas
  • Go Forth from the North – People in Frayser, Raleigh, Bartlett, Covington and points to the north of the 240 loop

So, based on my address, I believe I would be a Somad. That assumes they use Madison/Walnut Grove as the north/south dividing line the way the city does. I like it that if I played as a Somad, I might have teammates from South Memphis as well as my own neighborhood. Very inclusive. It’s not just limited to certain zip codes.

The reason I really like this is because you don’t have to be part of a little clique to enter a team as you do in some other bar sports competitions. Heck, you could move to Memphis on Wednesday, March 20 and be out there playing by the end of the week! This is a great way to meet people and make new friends, while being active outside during some of the nicest weekends of the year. Whoever thought this league up, well done!

Rabid soccer supporters Bluff City Mafia have announced their plans for this weekend and the first-ever Memphis 901 FC match at AutoZone Park.

The popular Drink-N-Draw drawing game returns to the Ghost River taproom this Friday at 7 PM.

People are raving about the Cousins Maine Lobster food truck. Here are some places you can catch the truck this week and weekend.

The inaugural Spirits & Soul Fest will bring the Tennessee Whiskey Trail to Downtown Memphis April 26-27. Distillers from around the state will join artists, tastemakers and local businesses of South Main Historic Arts District for a weekend of good music, good food, and the finest Tennessee spirits.

Friday, April 26 will be Spirits & Soul Trolley Night. The Trolley Night, as always, is free to attend, and with your 1 or 2 day pass you will be invited to sample Tennessee spirits at participating locations. Saturday, April 27 there will be a Distillers Block Party at Old Dominick. There will also be two other ticketed events, a cocktail class and a series of Tennessee Whiskey Trail stories.

Lansky at the Peabody is hiring. They’re looking for people to work 4:30-9:00 weekday shifts and Saturday and Sunday shifts, who are outgoing, energetic, and who have a passion for people. If that sounds like you, email them at sales@lanskybros.com.

Check out this cool gift a liquor rep gave me Monday.

She was in Blind Bear dropping off some branded swag to owner Jeannette, but she saw me, recognized me as a regular there, and said, “I have something for you too.” It’s a Grand Marnier-themed journal with about 100 blank pages. I will use that for sure.

St. Pawtrick’s Day will happen at Lucky’s Social Club at 730 S. Main, Saturday and Sunday of St. Patrick’s Day weekend. Meet the staff and let them know what you want to see in a dog park. Live music, food trucks, local beer. Noon to 6 PM both days.

Mariposas Collective, an organization that supplies help and relief to refugees around the country, is in desperate need of winter gear, since the cold is sticking around longer than usual. Winter coats of any size, from baby to adult, would be appreciated. Three ways you can help them:

Pro wrestling is returning to Memphis TV. Dustin and Maria Starr will co-host Championship Wrestling presented by Pro Shingle, on CW30 (Jackson, TN CW39) every Saturday at noon beginning April 6.

In other wrestling news: Damn “The Man,” Screw “The Woo.” Ronda Rousey’s heel turn on Monday night was one of the best I have ever seen.

The best Mardi Gras beads ever are the ones with a Popeye’s chicken box hanging off the ends.

Lent has begun, and the Waffle Shop at Calvary Episcopal opens for lunch Tuesday-Friday 11 AM-1:30 PM beginning tomorrow. Here’s the menu. I want to stop in and give this a try a few times in the next 6 weeks. Corned beef and cabbage is what sounds good to me, but it’s on the same day as Court Square food truck Thursday. I’m a bit hesitant to try dishes like tomato aspic and fish pudding that I have never had before, but perhaps I will broaden my horizons.

There will be a performance for children of The Rainbow Fish at the Orpheum this Saturday, March 9 at 10 AM. Based on the books of children’s author Marcus Pfister, this is the story of a beautiful rainbow fish who learns to share his prized possession. There will be two other stories as well, “Rainbow Fish Discovers the Deep Sea” and “Opposites.” Run time of the show is about 50 minutes.

Diamond Dave is calling British Bingo tonight at Belle Tavern at 7, and this bingo night is a particularly special occasion. It’s his birthday!

Thai food truck Soi #9 will be the featured truck at Food Truck Wednesday tonight at Cordelia’s Market.

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

Tuesday update

If you’ve walked down the Main Street Mall the past year, you may have noticed a business called Talent Development Complex that has moved in to a storefront in Pembroke Square. If you’re like me, you wondered what it was, what goes on in there.

If you want to find out, come to the monthly South Main Association meeting there on Tuesday, March 12 (6:00 social/6:30 presentation). The business seeks to develop a viable Memphis music industry by by providing resources and education for aspiring musicians and industry professionals. The space includes recording booths, music studios, practice rooms, and stages with all the latest technology.

(But no stripper pole… ?)

Due to the size of the group, the meeting will happen in the adjoining lobby of the Belz Museum. One of the artists working with the complex will give a performance, and before and after the presentation there will be tours of the complex. Bites by Grecian Gourmet and adult beverages donated by Kirby Wines & Liquors. This event is free for SMA members, $10 for non-members.

The Fourth Bluff is looking for Memphians to Fuel the Fourth Bluff. You can propose fresh ideas to invigorate our shared assets, and receive a grant of $1000, $5000, $10,000, or $20,000 to execute your vision. There will be an informational session next Tuesday, March 12, at 409 S. Main from 6 to 9 PM.

I want to say a word to people who post information to social media and then say “Link in bio” to view the informational link. Don’t do that. Include the link directly in your post or tweet. Don’t make your readers jump through an additional hoop to view your information. Use bit.ly to generate a short URL if you need something that fits in a 280-character tweet.

Crawford & Power, a band with its roots in classic country, Americana, and Southern rock, plays the Tin Roof tonight in a free show.

@PAPA_FLOCKA of SBNation’s Grizzly Bear Blues thinks the team should bring back Joakim Noah next season. I would agree! The intangibles he brings, like firing the crowd up and being a locker room leader, make Noah worth it, if he can be re-signed to a veteran’s minimum contract.

The Grizzlies host the Portland Trail Blazers tonight at 7. Tonight will be the Hoops for St. Jude kickoff.

The 7th annual Good People Good Beer gala happens at Memphis Grand Carousel, 2525 Central, at 7 PM on Saturday, March 23. Hosted by Operation Broken Silence, this event raises money for children’s education in war-torn Sudan. The theme of the party, which changes every year, is Masquerade.

Love, Sex and Marriage comes to the Halloran Centre April 6. This is the story of a superstar, Darrin, who is popular with the ladies and admired by the men. However, Darrin is a closeted gay man who is signed to a homophobic record label.

Cordelia’s Market will host a Sweet Water beer dinner Thursday, March 21 at 6:30 PM. This will be a five-course meal with beer pairings from Sweet Water.

What happened to the pigeons? They used to be all over the Main Street Mall and Court Square. Now I almost ever see them. I saw a dove, practically the same thing, yesterday and that’s what made me think about the pigeons. I remember at one point the city bought a falcon to try and control the pigeon population. The falcon flew away though.

Downtown Yoga is presenting a Nutritional Hacks Workshop Sunday, March 17 from 2:15 to 3:45. The workshop will be led by Gene Williams, an ISSA Certified Personal Trainer/Yoga-Pilates Instructor/Nutritional Counselor. The workshop will start off with an hour of yoga, followed by Q&A about nutrition. If your fitness program has hit a plateau, Gene will give you some hacks to jump-start your metabolism. He’ll discuss simple vs. complex carbs and the role of each in a healthy diet. YOGA!

Skillet, the food portion of the Lifehacker website, recommends adding pickles to your breakfast sandwiches.

The Commercial Appeal posted the obituary for my BBQ teammate Danny. Whoever wrote this did an outstanding job capturing the essence of Danny’s spirit.

Sad to hear of the passing of King Kong Bundy. I enjoyed watching Bundy on Mid-South Wrestling and World Championship Wrestling as a kid. Bundy was 450 pounds and demanded a five-count rather than the traditional three-count to win a match. In this video Bundy turns on his manager Paul Ellering in World Championship Wrestling in 1984 (fast-forward to 1:16:30).

Sorry for no post yesterday. I just didn’t have enough to warrant doing one. Back tomorrow with more news.

Sunday update

Sweet Magnolia Gelato, a small-batch artisan gelato company based out of Clarksdale, Mississippi, is opening a brick-and-mortar location inside the 409 South Main food hall. They posted that they are looking for a Manager of Operations for the new location.

If you want to come cheer for the Grizzlies to CONVEY THAT PICK, they have a deal for you:

BBQ teammates: I sent out an email just now about an open house celebrating the life of our teammate Danny C. If you didn’t get the email (or if you’re not on the team but knew Danny) email me at paul@paulryburn.com and I will forward you the information.

There will be a big ceremony at Memphis Made Brewing Co. today from 3 to 5. The Camp Fire in California was one of the worst wildfires in modern history. To help with recovery, Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. organized the Sierra Nevada Camp Fire Relief Fund. Breweries across the country brewed their own version of Resilience IPA and served it in their taprooms. Memphis Made did a 10 barrel batch which is just about gone. Today they will pour the last few pints of Resilience and present a check to Sierra Nevada rep Derek Petrella for more than $7000. Come raise a pint with them and toast this collaborative effort.

PBR news: There’s going to be a Pabst Blue Ribbon whiskey sometime this year.

Speaking of PBR, those who drink the beer are seeing some unusual cans Downtown.

When I first saw this, I thought it was a throwback design. However, on further inspection it appears that the printer messed up.

From April through June, you will be able to enjoy live, local music, food by chef Karen Blockman Carrier, and classic burlesque as Velvetina’s Blue Moon Revue comes to Mollie Fontaine Lounge.

I love a good muffuletta and Bluff City Coffee has one this month.

The Daily Beast has a good article on the time Donald Trump tried to buy NFL team the Buffalo Bills.

The temperatures are going to suck the next three days, but still, this is March and festival season is fast approaching! I look forward to informing my readers of many fun things to do the next couple of months.

Going to stay close to home today due to the cold and the wind. Back tomorrow with more news.

Saturday update

There’s been some confusion about the date of Beale Street Wine Race, with a couple of different dates having been mentioned. The organizers of the race cleared it up yesterday on Facebook. The Sunday festival schedule in April goes like this:

For those new to Memphis, Wine Race is a competition among Memphis-area restaurants and bars. There are four events:

  • Opening parade
  • Queen of the Vine beauty pageant
  • Grape stomp
  • Four-person wine relay

Although some restaurant teams take the competition very seriously, in general this is considered the most debaucherous day on the spring calendar outside of BBQ Fest. It’s an event where servers can have fun one last time before the ultra-busy month of May begins. Normally Wine Race is the last Sunday in April, but the late occurrence of Easter this year messed up the festival calendar.

Cordelia’s Market on Mud Island posted a very valid reason to do your grocery shopping there: You can walk around with a beer in hand as you shop. Just stop by their taps and grab one.

Rizzo’s by Michael Patrick is celebrating the opening of the Power House movie theater this Friday, March 8, inviting patrons to stop in before or after the movie for 10% off appetizers and specialty cocktails. From 5-7 PM, show your ticket stub dated March 8, 2019, and they’ll bump the discount to 25%.

Tin Roof is having an all-day patio party the day of the Beale Street St. Patrick’s Day parade, March 16. Full band lineup inside, and four house DJs out on the patio. Tin Roof is a great place to watch a parade, as a group of people I know discovered back in December.

Max’s Sports Bar has announced they will have $5 Mardi Gras (half orange dreamsicle/half purple drank) slushies all day today.

Legendary restaurant Fino’s (the Midtown location) has been purchased by Chef Kelly English and will re-open next month. Other than adding some breakfast sandwiches, he does not plan on messing with an already successful and beloved concept. He is currently searching for former employees in hope that he can bring them back.

The Daily Memphian has a look at the agricultural startups making a splash at the Mid-South Farm & Gin Show this weekend.

Eight.0 plays the Center for Southern Folklore tonight at 7.

Attitude MMA Fights come to FedExForum this evening.

It’s not quite popsicle weather yet, but it soon will be. Here’s a recipe for Jack & Coke popsicles.

The House Ways & Means Committee is preparing a request for Donald Trump’s tax returns, and they are willing to go to litigation if necessary. They say they need the returns to investigate possible influence peddling, conflicts of interest, and Constitutional violations. 2019 is shaping up to be a bad year for Trump.

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

 

 

 

Friday update: Come on down!

Come on down to the Orpheum tonight and you could be the next contestant on The Price Is Right. The Price Is Right Live brings audience members up on stage to play the classic games seen on TV, where they can win appliances, vacations, or even a new car. There will be a chance to spin The Big Wheel to win thousands of dollars, and two lucky contestants advance to the Showcase.

Exciting news: Memphis’ soccer team Memphis 901 FC is going to have one of their home games broadcast on national TV. The Thursday, April 10 match vs. ATL UTD FC will be broadcast on ESPNews as part of that channel’s USL Championship Game of the Week. In addition, a road game at Lousiville on April 30 will be carried on ESPN3.

More exciting AutoZone Park news: With a sponsorship from Budweiser, the park has upgraded its Redbirds Club – now known as Budweiser Club – for 2019. Members enjoy a private air-conditioned area, with TVs, pool tables, and couches and high-top seating. Members also get free Anheuser-Busch beer, house wines, Coca-Cola products, tea, and water, and there is an all-you-can-eat buffet for every game.

Memphis 901 FC fans will especially be in for a treat in the Budweiser Club. For one thing, the club is located exactly at midfield. There will be a full bar for Memphis 901 FC matches. Prior to the matches, head coach Tim Mulqueen will come to the club and deliver a 15-minute “chalk talk.”

Call 901-721-6000 for more information about the Budweiser Club. Single-game and group memberships will be available for both Memphis Redbirds and Memphis 901 FC games, and season memberships for Memphis 901 FC will be available as well.

Americana, soul and roots band Dustbowl Revival plays the Halloran Centre tomorrow night at 7:30.

Memphis Black Restaurant Week begins Sunday, with black-owned restaurants across the city offering two-course lunches for $15 and three-course dinners for $25. Participating Downtown restaurants include Sage, The Office at Uptown, Robusto by Havana Mix, and Downtown Nutrition.

Quench, the liquor store on Second across from the Peabody, will host a tasting of locally made liquors tonight from 5 to 7. Blue Note Bourbon and Riverset Rye will be sampled.

Half Pints for Half Pints, the annual fundraiser held at Memphis Made Brewing Co. in support of its neighbor Peabody Elementary’s PTA, is tomorrow evening. Your ticket ($30-85) gets you Memphis Made beers and food from Central BBQ, Sweetgrass Next Door, Aldo’s Pizza Pies, Mulan Bistro (including a vegetarian option), and Celtic Crossing. For those who are not beer drinkers, Joe’s Wines and Liquors has donated several magnums of wine. DJ Zac Ives of Goner Records will provide the music, and there will be a silent auction where you can bid on items donated by neighborhood businesses.

In other brewery news, Meddlesome Brewing Co. out in Cordova is toying with the idea of opening their tap room 7 days a week. They are going to test being open Mondays and Tuesdays the next few weeks and see how it goes. On Mondays they will tap a cask of one of their offerings (if you’ve never had cask beer, you must try it – totally different mouthfeel than draft beer). On Tuesdays all the beers on their tap wall will be $3. For this coming week they’ve got some special events lined up: an Aldo’s pizza party on Monday the 4th, and a Mardi Gras party on Tuesday the 5th. They appreciate any feedback and if it works out, the 7 day schedule will become permanent.

There’s a ’90s Bar Crawl on Beale tomorrow afternoon and evening. Participating stops include Jerry Lee’s (where you register), Wet Willie’s, Peoples, Lew’s Blue Note Bar and Grill, and Tin Roof.

The landlord of Raymond James Tower on North Front says a plan is in place to modernize the building’s elevators, and the landlord hopes the tower’s namesake tenant will reconsider a decision to move. Last week several Raymond James employees leaked an internal memo to The Daily Memphian informing them of a possible move to East Memphis.

Yesterday I skipped the Thursday food truck rodeo in Court Square in favor of a different Thursday lunch tradition.

Every Thursday, all five Lisa’s Lunchbox locations have taco salad as their lunch special. I went over there late in the day (1:25; they close at 2) and they were out of tortilla chips, but had everything else. I assured the man at the counter that I was fine with no chips. As you can see, lettuce is topped with cheese, black olives, onions, jalapenos (upon request only) and generous portions of salsa and sour cream. You can get it with traditional chili, which is what I did, or beef chorizo. I got a can of Coke and sat in the window and watched traffic on Front Street as I ate. A very hearty and satisfying lunch!

Later in the day, I was telling people about my lunch, and it amazed me how many people live or work Downtown yet have never heard of Lisa’s Lunchbox. There are two locations down here and three more out east. The one I went to was at 116 S. Front, cat-a-corner from AutoZone’s headquarters store support center. The other location is in the Raymond James building, 50 N. Front St. Suite 200. I recommend you take the stairs to get to the second floor. Lisa’s serves breakfast, lunch, and smoothies, and they can cater office breakfasts and lunches.

Primas Bakery and Boutique at 523 S. Main will host a mixer for International Women’s Day next Friday, March 8, from 5 to 7 PM. Wanderlvst901 will be on site selling merchandise.

The 2019 Blues Hall of Fame inductees have been announced: Aretha Franklin, Booker T and the MGs, Count Basie, Pee Wee Crayton, Moe Asch, and Ida Cox.

Former ESPN anchor Jemele Hill will come to the University of Memphis to give a lecture on the First Amendment on Tuesday, March 12. Hill was criticized (criticism I don’t agree with) for supporting Colin Kaepernick on Twitter and also for tweeting negatively about Donald Trump.

The New York Times has an opinion piece about the Eagles of Reelfoot Lake, located in West Tennessee about an hour and a half north of Memphis. My grandparents lived not far away, in Trimble, and took me there when I was a teenager. For those of you who have never been to the lake, it’s worth a trip. It’s peaceful place to get away from the hustle and bustle for a little while.

If you’re feeling nostalgic, you can get school lunch pizza at Max’s Sports Bar on G.E. Patterson.

If you’ve ever thought about driving for MIFA’s Meals on Wheels, the program that delivers nutritious meals to home-bound seniors, but you’re not quite convinced it’s something you want to do, there’s a new option. The ride-along program will pair you with one of the organization’s top volunteer drivers for a morning of deliveries. It’ll give you a first-hand look at how much the seniors appreciate the food and also the conversation.

Memphis in May and Memphis River Parks Partnership officials met on Tuesday to try to come to an accord on how the redesigned Tom Lee Park will accommodate Music Fest and BBQ Fest. Few details were released, but those from Memphis in May called the meeting “productive,” indicating that the two sides might be getting closer to that win-win we all want.

Scheduled Music Fest performer BlocBoy JB has turned himself in on charges of possession of drugs and drug paraphernalia and being a felon in possession of a handgun. A Memphis in May performer who will be out on bail when he gives his performance… it doesn’t get much more Memphis than that.

Oh hell yeah… Donald Trump’s business associate Felix Sater will be PUBLICLY questioned by the House Intelligence Committee on March 14. Trump is believed to have participated in shady deals with Sater, including involvement in the Trump Moscow project that never happened. Committee chair Adam Schiff announced the plan to question Sater after a day of private testimony by Trump’s former lawyer Michael Cohen to the committee yesterday. I better pop some popcorn that morning and make sure the TV is in good working condition. Sater will likely be faced with the choice of committing perjury before Congress (and getting hit with a criminal charge by Special Counsel Mueller) or telling the truth and implicating Don Jr. and Ivanka in crimes. Donald Trump will lose it if his precious princess faces prison time.

A source I follow on Twitter, John Schindler (@20committee) tweeted that the March 14 date was “such interesting timing… #HINT.” Hmmmm…..

All right, that’s all the news I can find for today. Back tomorrow with more.

Thursday update

Reports are starting to come out about what’s being discussed in the BuildDowntown Design Studio planning sessions, tasked with creating a master plan for Downtown through 2030. There was a session on parking.

There’s plenty of parking Downtown, the survey found, but it’s not necessarily concentrated in the right places. There are 70,000 spaces in the Central Business District, which includes the core, the Pinch and Uptown, South Main and South End, The Edge and the Medical District. However, it was noted that people aren’t going to park at Jefferson and Manassas to come see a Redbirds game. They’re not going to park on a surface lot at N. Second and Overton and walk to a Grizzlies game. While parking is not scarce in the core, when big events are happening it’s scarce enough to produce significant upcharges and long lines getting out of parking garages. A good point was made that people often sneak out of Grizzlies games and other FedExForum events early to beat the long line getting out of the garage and out of Downtown. If they didn’t have to deal with that hassle they might stay Downtown longer and spend money on a post-game drink or a late dinner.

The loss of the garage at 66 S. Front, to make room for the Brooks Museum relocation, was also discussed. While a museum is certainly a higher use for that real estate than a parking garage, the loss of those spaces is going to hurt. A local business I frequent regularly, Bardog Tavern, is steps away from that garage, and I know for a fact that some of its patrons park there. I hope the loss of the garage doesn’t cost them business.

Another interesting fact that came out of the planning session is what Downtowners see as top priorities for their neighborhood to grow and evolve. By a 2-to-1 margin attracting a grocery store was the top desire, but that will require a lot of people living in a concentrated area. Downtown is on the way to getting there but not quite at a tipping point yet. Number 6 on their top 10 list, build more workforce and affordable housing, would be number 1 on my list. I am excited about the Brooks moving down here, improvements to the riverfront, and the new soccer team, but I also worry that increasing amenities Downtown will lead to apartment rents that approach those of Downtown Nashville. I want people from all walks of life – teachers, artists, musicians – to be able to afford to live here.

The Daily Memphian has a report on the restaurant and bar that is planned to go into the corner space at Central Station at South Main and G.E Patterson. The project will also contain 200 apartments, 124 hotel rooms, and a renovated Amtrak train station. As of yet the new restaurant and bar does not have a name. The main entrance will be from the Main Street sidewalk.

Yet another microbrewery is on the way to Memphis. Belz has filed a permit to convert a building it owns at 845 N. Main, in Uptown, to a microbrewery called Soul & Spirits Brewery, according to submitted renderings. According to Google Maps, that would be almost all the way to the end of North Main Street at Henry Avenue. Chelsea ends at Second but if it extended to Main, the new brewery would be north of Chelsea. This could be promising – I’ve seen in my hometown of Little Rock how breweries can thrive and be catalysts for change in neighborhoods a mile or so away from a city’s downtown. The new brewery would be a half mile away from one being constructed even farther north, Grind City Brewery at 83 Waterworks near Second Street.

Rizzo’s by Michael Patrick is back in its original location and will be open to the public Monday, March 4.

Tonight at 6 PM is the presentation of the VanWyngarden Cup to the brewery that won the 2019 Memphis Flyer Beer Bracket. Actually, we already know the brewery – Meddlesome. It’s just a matter of finding out whether 201 Hoplar became a repeat champion, or whether Broad Hammer claimed the trophy this year. They’ll be live on Memphis Flyer Facebook to announce the winner.

Tonight is DNA Night at the Earnest Withers Collection & Gallery at 333 Beale at 5:45 PM. Tour the museum and learn about history through the photos of Dr. Withers. Free for DNA members, $10 for guests. Food and libations will be provided.

Tonight at 7:30 at River Inn of Harbor Town, there will be a Music Is in the Air concert featuring soprano Marie-Stephane Bernard and pianist Angelo Rapan.

Don’t forget that the South Main Mardi Gras Bar Crawl happens this Saturday from 2 to 11 PM. Memphis Orleans Street Symphony 2-4, live DJ at Carolina Watershed all day, South Main Bar Olympics at Carolina Watershed as well. Mighty Souls Brass Band at Loflin Yard at 8 PM with a second line parade to Carolina Watershed. Dirty Crow Inn will have food & drink specials all day.

That’s all for now. Debating whether Court Square’s Thursday food truck rodeo or Bardog should be my plan for lunch. Back tomorrow with more news.

Wednesday update

Yesterday I reported that Peter Frampton would be performing at the Orpheum on June 26. However, news has since come up who will be drumming for Frampton that night: Jason Bonham. He is the son of the late Led Zeppelin drummer John “Bonzo” Bonham. On Zeppelin’s 1980 concert tour, at times 12-year-old Jason took over the drumming, giving Bonzo a break. No one even realized the drummer was not Bonzo. Jason also drummed on several of Led Zeppelin reunions after Bonzo passed away.

I also linked to the saveMIM.org site yesterday. As I said, I am neutral in this debate, and to be fair to the other side I want to link to their point of view: Tom Lee Park redesign defended as successful festival grounds

This is not a Downtown event, but it’s one a friend of mine holds dear so I want to tell my readers about it.

Jubilee’s Mardi Gras in Memphis features a crawfish boil, a gumbo cook-off, and a 5K. It will be 11 AM to 5 PM on Saturday, March 23, at Memphis Catholic High School, currently a Jubilee school at 61 N. McLean in Midtown. Admission is $5 with kids 5 and under free. Crawfish will be $10 a box and there will be other food and beverages available as well. The gumbo cook-off is free to enter; just register on the website. They have 10×15 spaces available for $150, including 10 boxes of crawfish, if you want your krewe to have your own place to hang out. They’ll have March Madness on in the VIP tent. Register for the 5K here. If you are interested in volunteering, becoming a craft vendor or sponsoring the event call Angela Fox at 901-373-1211 or angela.fox@jso.cdom.org.

Bass Pro Shops at the Pyramid has several jobs available. These include part-time food service jobs including cook, busser, steward, host, food runner, and server. There are also full-time service jobs in Big Cypress Lodge, the hotel inside the Pyramid. These include house person and house keeper positions.

This is very cool:

Local Gastropub is having a Fat Tuesday celebration Tuesday, March 5 starting at 5 PM. There will be crawfish po-boys, crawfish pies, muffuletta pizza, king cake, live music, and drink specials.

The Orpheum has revealed its 2019-2020 Broadway season. Shows include Dear Evan Hansen, The Book of Mormon, Hello, Dolly!, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, The Play that Goes Wrong, Disney’s Aladdin, A Bronx Tale, and Come from Away.

Today there is plenty of conversation about reimagining the riverfront, Downtown, and all of Memphis. However, it was not the first time such conversations have been made. Memphis Magazine has a look at attempts to reimagine Memphis in the 1920s and the 1950s.

High Ground News has an interesting history of the train line running through the Normal Station neighborhood near the University of Memphis.

That book I’ve been talking about, The Gaslighting Effect by Reva Steenbergen, is available for a limited time directly through the author for only $3.

People have asked me to say a little more about the book, so I will. Chapter 1 explains who a narcissist is – they’re a lot more than just someone who takes selfies and makes things all about them. Other personality traits have to be present. Also, what makes a narcissist happy differs from what makes a normal person happy.

Chapter 2 describes the personality type of the victim the narcissist picks out to be the target of their abuse. The chapter describes what draws the narcissist to the victim, and what emotions and motivations are present in the narcissist.

Much of the rest of the book describes the tactics the narcissist uses to systematically abuse their victim. These include

  • Observing the victim from afar for a period of months or even years before revealing themselves; getting to know the victim’s habits, routines, likes, dislikes, who their friends are, where their favorite places to go are
  • Extremely excessive lying
  • Projection
  • Playing the victim themselves
  • Gaslighting – attempting to upend the victim’s world to the point that the victim doesn’t even know what reality is anymore
  • Denial of things the narcissist previously said or did, even in the face of hard evidence
  • In cases where the victim has children, turning their own children against them
  • Engineering situations in which the victim is likely to be caught off-guard and respond emotionally; then using those responses to show others that the victim is “crazy”
  • Flying monkeys – turning the victim’s friends against them and having them participate in the abuse
  • A few other tactics intended to rip the victim apart from the people., places, and things that make them happy, leaving the victim with nothing

If you want to understand what a victim of narcissistic abuse has been through, or if you want to understand narcissistic abuse so you can protect yourself and those you love from it, get this book. Three bucks, you can’t beat that price. Drink one less Miller Lite while you’re watching the Tigers play Cincinnati at the bar Saturday evening and you’ve saved enough money to pay for it.

Two items are dominating the news today: Trump’s meeting with Kim Jong-un in Vietnam, and Michael Cohen’s public testimony to the House Oversight Committee. However, these stories are causing a third story to fly under the radar, one which is a big deal. India and Pakistan have launched airstrikes against each other. That situation could get ugly real fast. Both of those countries have nuclear weapons, and are traditional enemies. Together they comprised British India, and when they declared independence in the late 1940s they broke apart into the Muslim portion (Pakistan) and the Hindu portion (India).

Watching the Michael Cohen public testimony to the House Oversight Committee on the New York Times website. They have some great commentary going on in a side panel as it happens.

That’s it for now. I may be late getting out this afternoon because I want to see all of the Cohen hearing. Back tomorrow with more news.

Tuesday update

What a win by the Memphis Grizzlies over the L.A. Lakers last night! LeBron tried to rally his team but it wasn’t enough. Joakim Noah did great coming off the bench (14 points, 12 rebounds) and he looked like he was having the time of his life. He takes a lighthearted approach to the game, as opposed to his former teammate Marc Gasol who was overly serious. He’s a locker room leader who inspires the young players. I’ve read that Noah probably won’t be back next season. Can we please find a way to keep him?

It can be argued that with Jaren Jackson Jr. out for a while, there’s no way the Grizzlies are going to catch up with teams ahead of them to finish ninth worst and CONVEY THAT PICK, and therefore it would have been better if Memphis had lost. But, come on. Beating LeBron always feels good.

Yesterday I posted that the Majestic Grille’s Patrick Reilly was named Restaurateur of the Year by the Memphis Restaurant Association at their awards ceremony on Sunday. However, I neglected to mention that Reilly was not the only one in the restaurant business Downtown to receive an honor. Andreas Kisler, the executive chef of Chez Philippe at the Peabody and overseer of the menus at all the Peabody restaurants, was named 2019 Chef of the Year by the MRA. Congratulations!

Crosstown Brewing Co. is holding a beer and cheese pairing class on Thursday, March 14. Learn how to pair cheeses with a flight of five styles of beer.

Wiseacre has announced its annual Kaleidoscope Food Festival for Saturday, April 13 from 1 to 5 PM. This will be a celebration of cultures of the world, with food from a diverse array of Binghampton vendors. World culture will be celebrated with performances and storytelling as well. Kids and dogs are welcome.

This tweet by Joyce Peterson is really interesting. I never knew there was a physical gauge.

From The Daily Memphian: Memphis 901 FC is serious about playing hard for the city. Minority owner Tim Howard and coach Tim Mulqueen have embraced the city’s work ethic. Memphis 901 FC hosts the University of Memphis in a pre-season match closed to the public at AutoZone Park Friday. If you know anyone who has an apartment balcony overlooking the park, Friday would be a good day to buddy up to them.

The Daily Memphian has an article about the BuildDowntown Design Studio, for which public input is sought, happening this week. From these sessions will emerge a master plan for Downtown to grow and evolve through 2030.

There’s a Save Memphis in May website where people can voice their concerns about the effect the proposed changes to Tom Lee Park will have on Memphis in May events like Music Fest and BBQ Fest, and how those changes would affect the local economy and tourism. Note: I am not endorsing this movement by publishing the link. I am neutral in this whole debate and want to find a win for both sides. Long-term, I believe the park needs to be made into something for all Memphians to enjoy, not just those with a Music Fest ticket or a BBQ Fest team. I am simply putting the information out there.

The Queen of Beale Street, Ruby Wilson, would have turned 71 this Thursday, and to celebrate, B.B. King’s Blues Club will unveil a portrait of Ms. Wilson at 6:30 PM that day. There will be a toast and cake, and donations will be taken for the Ruby Wilson Scholarship at the Stax Music Academy.

Peter Frampton released Frampton Comes Alive! in 1976, but let’s face it, this is 2019 and Frampton probably won’t be alive too many more years. Memphians will have one more chance to hear him perform June 26 when he comes to the Orpheum.

Edible Memphis reports that the chef-in-residency space at the 409 South Main food hall is expected to be ready next month. It will be occupied by Chef Nick Scott, who will open his Salt+Soy sushi restaurant there and remain until the brick and mortar location on South Cooper Street is ready.

Over the years I’ve failed to appreciate what great values Family Dollar on Main Street (between Monroe and Union) has to offer. Last week I ran out of toothpaste. I went to Family Dollar and got a full-sized tube of Crest for $1. Yesterday I was in Walgreens, and saw that a travel-sized tube of Crest, less than half the size of the one I bought down the street, was $1.49.

No longer the only incubator in town for startup businesses, Emerge Memphis has sold its building at 516 Tennessee Street for $3.55 million and will use the money to fund startups. Over the years, Emerge incubated 242 companies, creating 3200 jobs.

The Belz Museum in Pembroke Square has a special exhibit this spring: Tomb Pottery Mysteries of China

The CA has a fascinating story: A Sun Studio record, lost for 62 years, uncovers a Memphis love story. Four days after Elvis, Jerry Lee, Carl Perkins and Johnny Cash recorded in the legendary studio, five East High teens called The Heathens were in there recording two takes of a love song.

Max’s Sports Bar is now selling Mardi Gras slushies.

The slushies are a combination of Orange Dreamsicle and Purple Drank. (Photo credit Bjarni)

Reva Steenbergen, author of the book The Gaslighting Effect, tweeted the following yesterday:

Yes. Precisely. This is what happened to me several years ago. I’ll say it again, if you want to understand what I’ve been through, read this book. It is an easy read and just over 100 pages long. Until I found out about this book, I thought I was the only one in the world to go through this. Now I realize I am not alone.

Tomorrow, Wednesday, February 27 at 8 AM CST, Donald Trump’s former lawyer/fixer Michael Cohen is scheduled to testify publicly before the House Oversight Committee. The Democrat-controlled committee will be free to ask Cohen any question they want, and it is believed he will testify that Trump committed crimes regarding Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election, and that Trump committed campaign election finance crimes related to paying hush money to former mistresses. Cohen may also testify about racist remarks he has heard Trump make, and lies Trump has told about his wealth. Tomorrow will be the second of three days of Cohen’s Congressional testimony; he has a closed-door interview with the Senate Intelligence Committee today and another one with the House Intelligence Committee on Thursday. Leaks are starting to come out about what will happen in these hearings. Oh boy I better pop some popcorn for tomorrow.

I would imagine the public hearing tomorrow will be broadcast by the major networks, but if it’s not, here’s a link where you can live stream the hearing. Parents, if your kids have ever expressed any interest in how the United States government works, you might want to keep them home from school tomorrow and let them watch the hearing. This could be the biggest Congressional hearing since the summer of ’74. If so, this will be better education than kids will ever get in a ninth-grade Civics or U.S. Government class.

Whew. Long post. Back tomorrow with more news probably, although I may be distracted by the hearings.