Paul Ryburn's Journal

The Memphis Flyer is now accepting nominations for its over 100 categories in its 2019 Best of Memphis poll. The Flyer is not the only publication that does these types of awards, but their poll is generally considered the most reliable, the real deal. The Flyer’s poll is run by their editorial department, not their marketing department, and you can only vote once, rather than once per day or once per hour. They are really about finding out who’s best, rather than getting as many eyeballs on their website’s ads as possible. If you have a favorite ethnic restaurant, or record store, or bartender, or whatever, nominate them and make sure they get on the list. You have until June 27 to nominate, and voting begins August 1.

Jennifer Biggs of the Daily Memphian hosts Destination:Delicious lunches around town where she can break bread with her readers and get to know them. She’s bringing Destination:Delicious Downtown on Friday, June 14, and the venue will be Pontotoc Lounge, noon to 2 PM. The lounge normally isn’t open for lunch, but owner Daniel Masters is making a special exception for this event. Lunch will be served family style. Dishes will come from Pontotoc’s menu and the Mississippi Pot Roast has been promised to be one of them. Meal, tax and tip will be $25.85 for Daily Memphian subscribers and $32.85 for non-subscribers (the difference, $7, being exactly the cost of subscribing for a month). Wine specials and a signature cocktail will be available at an additional cost.

I have to admit I’m considering it. Conversation with Jennifer and other Memphis foodies would be fun, and that Mississippi pot roast is out of this world good.

Fino’s, the legendary Midtown deli that will reopen this Thursday, now has its menu posted online. Can’t go wrong with anything on there, but if you haven’t made up your mind I would point you in the direction of the hot, open-faced Italian roast beef.

Cow worried it will never live up to its father’s USDA rating. Psychiatrists for cows: the growing job market for the 2020s.

The Master Taster’s Club returns to the Chez Philippe at the Peabody tonight at 5:30. $25 gets you an expert sampling of American wines. If you choose to stay after the event, from 7 to 9 there will be half-off appetizers and wines explored by the club that evening.

Avocado toast is popular these days, and I know I have at least one reader who eats it frequently for breakfast. Well, the price is about to go up. Avocados are one of the exports from Mexico that will get more expensive if Trump puts tariffs in place to penalize our southern nation for not stopping immigration at their border. Lifehacker has a list. Thanks Trump!

The People’s Convention will happen this weekend at Paradise Entertainment Center this Saturday. Broad political issues will be discussed, which will lead to a slate of candidates for the fall election to be endorsed by the convention. 18 Memphis mayoral candidates have said they will attend, although current mayor Strickland and former mayor King Willie do not plan to be there.

The Memphis Tigers football team is set to play a three-game series with Arkansas in the years to come. The game will be in the Liberty Bowl in 2025, and then in Fayetteville in 2026 and 2028. Although a straight home-and-home would obviously be preferable, this two-and-one is worth it. Memphis adds an SEC school to its nonconference schedule, and if the two football teams remain at the level they are, Memphis will win easily. Also, Memphis will be paid very well for the series.

Courtyard by Marriott will hold its last patio party of the season tonight. DJ John E will play island favorites. The hotel is at the corner of Main and Jefferson.

Richmond, Virginia based band The Bush League will play Earnestine & Hazel’s Saturday, June 22 from 9 PM to 1 AM. This will be a stop on the band’s “3000 Mile Start to Summer 2019” tour.

There will be a run across Big River Crossing to celebrate Global Running Day tomorrow evening. Following the run, Loflin Yard will offer drink specials. Coach Kevin of Can’t Stop Training will be there to answer your running-related questions.

There’s talk that the Houston Rockets will trade Chris Paul this offseason. I guess he’ll have to get a new State Farm agent if he does.

Slideshow by the MBJ: Six Downtown and Midtown developments set to move forward. These include ARRIVE Hotel, The Ravine, FedEx Logistics, and more.

That’s it for now. My hair stylist Beckii had a noon cancellation and I grabbed it, so I’m about to head over there. I’ll be out later this afternoon. Back tomorrow with more news.

Usually my posts get shorter as we enter the dog days of summer. Spring festival season has ended and people mostly want to be indoors where there’s air conditioning. However, lots of interesting events happening this month, many of them on Saturdays, came to my attention yesterday. Let’s have a look.

There will be an Island Block Party on Saturday, June 22 from 11 AM to 3 PM on Harbor Town Square. Food trucks, games, live music, and booths with information about businesses and organizations on Mud Island. Cordelia’s Market is the main host, but the way they see it, the more businesses on the Island that participate, the more this festival will unite the Island as a community. Participating businesses include

Nail Bar
Cafe Eclectic
Joy’s Harbor Town Pharmacy
Wolf River Conservatory
Memphis River Parks Partnership
Higginbotham Family Dental – Harbor Town
Harbor Town Day Spa and Wellness Center
Estates at River Pointe
Island Park and Harbor Town Square Apartments
Belle Harbour Apartments
Arbors Harbor Town

YOGA! Friday, June 21 is International Yoga Day, and the following day, Saturday, June 22, there will be an all-day yoga fundraiser for St. Jude. It will be at Wellhouse Fitness at 1029 Cherry out in East Memphis. Seven yoga mini-classes will be taught throughout the day, each with the theme of the St. Jude mission and “warrior” intentions woven in. Greg Graber, author of Slow Your Roll, will kick things off with an intro to meditation and mindfulness. Yoga sessions of 30-45 minutes will follow and lunch will be provided.

The day of yoga costs $50 and helps ensure that families of children treated at St. Jude never receive a bill for the treatment. In addition to the yoga classes, your registration fee gets you a chance at door prizes and a St. Jude thank you gift. If you wish to make an additional donation, you may get a tank top or yoga gear from Athleta.

If you’re looking for something athletic to do that involves drinking, check out the Memphis Margarita Madness 5K Run out at Shelby Farms on Saturday, June 22. This is an event less focused on speed and more focused on margaritas and good times! Avid runners and park walkers alike welcome at this race. Needless to say, you must be at least 21 to participate.

Also on Saturday the 22nd, Elite Total Health at Main and MLK will be closed for the day. If you go by there regularly for B-12 shots, sinus cocktails, or hydration therapy, make sure to schedule around that date.

Primas Bakery + Boutique at 523 S. Main will host a donut tasting this Saturday, June 8 from noon to 2 PM. Participants will enjoy a flight of four donuts along with complimentary brunch beverages. Donut flavors include funfetti, lemon blueberry, Almond Joy, and carrot cake.

The large portrait of Kramer from the TV series Seinfeld was recently taken from The Dirty Crow Inn. This portrait has sentimental value to Paul who runs the place. If returned, no questions will be asked.

Important read for dog owners: How to tell if the pavement is too hot for your dog’s feet. Short version: If you can’t keep the back of your hand on the pavement for 5 seconds, your dog’s paws don’t belong on it either.

Seems like there’s a subscription service for everything these days. You can now get the world’s hottest peppers mailed to you every month.

Congratulations to friends out in Las Vegas playing in World Series of Poker events this week, some of whom cashed in their events over the weekend.

The Arkansas Razorbacks men’s baseball team closed out the Fayetteville Regional without a loss, beating TCU 6-0 last night. They will advance to the best-2-of-3 Super Regional, playing SEC rival Ole Miss. Arkansas is the higher national seed, so the Super Regional will be hosted in Fayetteville. Game times will be released tomorrow.

You probably already suspected this, but it’s been confirmed: Alligators are in Tennessee. They are able to survive the cold winters due to a bodily function called brumation, similar to hibernation. A park ranger pointed out that gators are generally not a threat to humans if you leave them alone, and that the gators that are the biggest threat to Tennesseans are the Florida Gators football team. LOLOLOLOL!!!

Thanks to my friend Ariel, who brought me the newest item in my PBR collection yesterday:

Some of the Moody Ques were at brunch yesterday, and we discussed something that happened at BBQ Fest. Someone carefully laid a dollar in the business area of one of our porta-potties, wanting to see if anyone would be willing to put their hands in human waste to retrieve it. As far as we know, no one did.

“A dollar is not worth it,” said team president John D. “Now, if it were a 100, then I might have to go after it. After all, we have all kinds of hand sanitizer and cleaning agents in the booth.”

That got our most analytical team member, Otto, to pose a question. Assuming you can get just one bill for any amount, at what point would it become worth it to retrieve the bill from the waste? General consensus was somewhere around 40. If I ever teach again, this will be a problem I present to my calculus students.

That’s it for today! Back tomorrow with more news.

Marc Gasol is back on TV tonight as he and the Toronto Raptors take on the Golden State Warriors at 7 on ABC. Toronto holds a 1-0 lead in the 7-game series.

Gasol isn’t the only former Grizzly on the Raptors, however. ESPN has an article on how Kyle Lowry, drafted by Grizzlies in 2006, became the last man standing for Toronto. Gasol, Kawhi Leonard, and rising star Pascal Siakam may garner more attention, but Lowry is the glue that holds the team together.

For those of you who are fellow Razorback fans, Arkansas’ baseball team plays the winner of Central Connecticut vs. TCU tonight at 8 PM. It’s double-elimination and Arkansas is the only team in the Fayetteville Regional not to have lost yet. If Arkansas wins tonight, they advance to the Super Regionals. If Arkansas loses tonight, they play tonight’s opponent again tomorrow, with the winner of that game going to the Super Regionals.

Here’s an interactive bracket. Hmmm interesting… if the Hogs make the Super Regionals, their most likely opponent will be Ole Miss, although it could be Clemson or Jacksonville State.

The Flying Saucer had this to say about their newest burger experiment:

Meet the Gunslinger, our newest burger battle feature! Smoked cream cheese, mango pico, fried avocado, and a tequila lime aioli sit on top of this delicious chorizo patty! It won’t last long, so get in here and try it with your favorite draft today!

That sounds amazing. I may have to get by there and try a Gunslinger today.

Memphis 901 FC’s game at Saint Louis FC last night had to be postponed as storms and lightning moved through.

The folks at Wiseacre had some words about the groundbreaking of Wiseacre 2, their new Downtown brewery and taproom.

The Orpheum has revealed the lineup for its Halloran Centre On Stage series. There will be a 12-part Music Series, a 3-part Theatre Series, a 5-part Songwriter Series, and an Orchestra Unplugged symphony series.

For those looking to eat healthy, here’s an interesting idea: meatball subs with bell peppers in the place of bread

Springboard Memphis is having a Band & Brew Bar Crawl today. Come hear emerging artists at four Beale Street venues: B.B. King’s, Rum Boogie, Blues Hall, and Blues City Cafe. These artists have been through a Band Bootcamp this weekend, with industry leaders giving them the tools they need to navigate the path to success.

The musical Anastasia will play the Orpheum this coming week, June 4-9.

Downtown Memphis ranked #22 in MSN Money’s list of affordable downtowns to live in. They got our zip code wrong though. Little Rock made it into the top ten, with a median rent of only $836. Number one? Billings, Montana. Billings is beautiful, no doubt, but a bit small and cold for my taste.

The Accessories play a 5 PM show at The Dirty Crow Inn today.

The Barkers Brunch Artist Market will be at Wiseacre (the original location on Broad) from noon to 6. 10% of the proceeds from all works sold at the market will benefit Streetdog Foundation, an organization that finds homes for dogs who would likely otherwise die on the streets or in the shelter. Participating vendors include

The Button Brigade
babycreep
Funlola Coker
Paper & Clay
Question the Answer
Heart Over Hand
Pretty Useful
Lindsey Glenn Design
Latha Bar
Crybaby Club
Denim by LLA
Colbymade
MRussell Art

Andrew Cabigao provides the tunes at brunch at Sunrise this morning from 10 to 1.

Cadie Calhoun will have an album release party at Silky’s on Beale this afternoon. She and John Stone will perform 3-7.

Likely Grizzlies draftee Ja Morant is undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery and will take 3-4 weeks to recover. This has opened the door to speculation that the Grizzlies might take R.J. Barrett and let Morant slide to the Knicks at number 3. Pera, Levien, Tayshaun, Grizzlies front office… please don’t screw this up! And for heaven’s sake, no one say, “Hey Chris, what do you think?”

That’ll do it for now… it’s brunch time. Back tomorrow with more news.

 

 

The 38th annual Outdoors Inc. Canoe and Kayak Race is today from 10 AM to 3 PM, happening on Mud Island. Well, technically the race happens in the water around Mud Island. You get what I mean.

Makeda’s Cookies at 488 S. Second is hosting A Taste of Makeda’s this afternoon from 1 to 4. They’re debuting a new menu and they want you to stop by and taste what they’ve got.

Tonight is Margaritaville Night at the Redbirds. First 1000 people in the gate receive leis. There will be live Jimmy Buffett cover music, and Hawaiian shirts are encouraged. First pitch 6:35. Following the game there will be fireworks set to Buffett’s music.

YouTube sensations The Hodgetwins come to the Halloran Centre tonight. The comedy duo takes the stage at 8 PM. Tickets are $25-50 and the $50 VIP ticket includes a meet and greet.

Amber King and Leroy Clay’s All-Stars perform classic and modern rock tonight at 8 at the Center for Southern Folklore. This is an all-ages show. $7 cover.

The Cousins Maine Lobster truck will be Downtown today. It will be parked outside the Cannon Center from noon to 7.

The Rusty Pieces play the Blind Bear tonight at 10.

What I learned watching TV yesterday: Toe wrestling is a thing. We’re running out of ideas here, people. If Rahul is wearing a championship belt when he works the door at Blind Bear tonight, now you know why.

Useful: Which condiments need to be refrigerated

K.E.L.L.Y. Boutique invites you to check out their men’s collection in their June Pop-Up Shop at Puck Food Hall at 409 South Main.

Pig steals 18 beers from campers, gets drunk and picks fight with cow. This pig needs to be the Moody Ques mascot. No we would not put him on the smoker.

If you want to support local farms while eating well this month, check out Claybrook Farms’ June bundle. For $150 you get four 12 ounce ribeyes, two 8 ounce filets, four flat-iron steaks, one 16 ounce flank steak, one 9 ounce skirt steak, and four 1.5 pound packs of ground beef. Perfect for grilling and over a $30 savings.

The date for National Night Out, the night when neighbors come together with the police who keep them safe, has  changed. Formerly the first Tuesday in August, this year the event will happen on October 1. This is a good move since many NNO events are outdoors, and the weather is much more cooperative at the new, later date.

Memphis Gospel Fest will happen tomorrow afternoon in Robert Church Park on Beale east of Fourth.

Spray cheese, maraschino cherries, and pimiento-stuffed olives are some foods that could qualify stores to accept food stamps under relaxed regulations. But wait, before you start cussing those darn socialists like Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren, they didn’t do it. The relaxed regulations came from the Trump administration. Thanks Trump!

That’ll do it for this post. Off to Bardog to start my Saturday. Back tomorrow with more news.

 

Tonight is Star Wars Night at the Redbirds. Characters from the movie series will be available for photos throughout the game. There will be a costume contest for fans who dress as their favorite character, and those who dress up can participate in a special on-field parade at 6:30. There will be Light Sword classes the first two innings on the Terminix Terrace. (I guess “lightsaber” is a trademarked term they can’t use?) After the game there will be a drone race. A specialty ticket ($18 field box/$21 dugout/$25 club) includes a Light Sword that expands to 36 inches and features LED lights that rotate through 7 different settings of 4 colors.

I want a purple lightsaber like the one Mace Windu had. Samuel L. Jackson had it written into his contract that his character would have a purple lightsaber.

The Daily Memphian’s Jennifer Biggs has a recap of her visit to the grand opening of Puck Food Hall at 409 S. Main. Sounds like they have some delicious food there, as well as a re-thought business model that will keep their vendors around for a while.

The Memphis Business Journal has a look at 3rd and Court, the new diner going into the Hotel Indigo space at B.B. King and Court. Ryan Trimm is partnering up with Central BBQ’s Craig Blondis and Ryan Sapp to open the restaurant, which will seat 60 and employ 25 people. Trimm had always wanted to open a 1950s-style diner. He says the menu will be accessible to Downtowners and the restaurant will be open for breakfast, lunch and dinner seven days a week. “Comfort food” is how he describes it.

I hope the new diner is a success. It will have to get past the (quite incorrect) perception that Monroe, home to the Little Tea Shop, Bardog, Flight, and McEwen’s, is the far northern edge of the food scene in the Downtown core. There are a number of places to eat beyond that, including Fam, Havana’s Pilon, Brass Door, Regina’s Cajun Kitchen, 901 Wings, and Willie Moore’s. All are north of Monroe but are sometimes forgotten.

I hope they keep the price points reasonable too. If they charge $22 for fried chicken, it’s not a diner, even if Jerry, George, Elaine and Kramer have their own booth there.

Memphis Tigers football on national TV: On Saturday, August 31, the Tigers and Ole Miss will kick off on ABC at 11 AM. What a difference the past decade has made in Tigers football! They’re actually a ratings draw now, and that’ll be one of the best games during the normally slow first week. You know what would be really cool? If, during the broadcast, the camera cut to shots of James Wiseman and Ja Morant watching the game.

A Major League Soccer team is coming to Memphis. Memphis 901 FC advanced to the fourth round of the U.S. Open Cup this week and will host Orlando City SC at the Mike Rose Soccer Complex on June 12.

The Brass Door will close at 3 PM today for a private event. They will reopen at 8 AM tomorrow and will have the Champions League final on tomorrow at 2, and of course there will be a watch party for the Memphis 901 FC vs. St. Louis FC at 7:30 PM.

Memphis in May has 2014-2017 Beale Street Music Fest shirts on sale for only $5 in its online store today.

Penny Hardaway’s new shoe drops at Nike retailers tomorrow.

From Distractify: Restaurant server tricks to get you to spend more money

The Harbortown 3 Mile happens tonight on Mud Island at 7:30. Proceeds benefit the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Memphis.

New shop Vibe & Dime opens tonight at 510 S. Main as part of the monthly South Main Trolley Night.

Bloom into flower power is the theme at tomorrow’s Memphis Farmers Market. Beautify your home with flowers grown locally this weekend. Flower Power music will be supplied by South Main Sounds all day long. The Cossitt Library will be there 9 to noon with some summer reading and info about its Explore Memphis programs. YOGA! At 9:45 there will be a yoga class taught by Amy of Downtown Yoga. Free pet sitting while you shop, to the left of the restroom/food truck area. The Market runs every Saturday at the pavilion at Front and G.E. Patterson, behind Malco Powerhouse, from 8 AM to 1 PM.

That’s it for now. Back tomorrow.

Jennifer Biggs of The Daily Memphian has the info on the grand opening of Puck Food Hall at 409 S. Main, which happens tonight at 5:30. The food hall has expanded to 10 businesses with a few more to come. These include a bar, a butcher and deli, a dessert shop, a pizzeria, a coffee and tea shop, a pasta shop, an organic salad shop, a gelato shop, a Mexican restaurant and an American-Chinese restaurant. Space for a chef-in-residence will be added soon.

The Cossitt Library will have a presence at 409 S. Main tonight and tomorrow. They will have their Pop-Up Library from which you can purchase books. They will also be talking about the Memphis Public Libraries’ Explore Memphis summer program, and they will be signing people up to become a Friend of Cossitt and to join their email list.

The Cossitt folks will also be at the Memphis Farmers Market this Saturday. They will have flowers to give away, spring-themed books to read, and coloring activities for the kids. Follow Cossitt Library on Facebook to keep up with all the latest news.

The NBA Finals tip off tonight at 8 on ABC, and I betcha there is going to be a lot of interest from Memphis. Marc Gasol and the Toronto Raptors face off against the Golden State Warriors, and it would be so good to see Big Spain get a ring. The Raptors finished the season with the better record, and therefore will host games 1 and 2 and (if necessary) 5 and 7. Grind City Media has an article about Marc Gasol feeling the support of Memphis and his Core Four brothers as he competes in his first Finals.

On Friday, June 14, River Garden will have a Night Market from 4:30 to 7:30 PM. TapBox will be on site pouring cold beer, and food vendors 4th Cup and Soi Number 9 food truck. There will be hula hoops, yard games, music, and the following vendors:

Bluff City Turning
Estes Designs
IV by David
LATHA
Primas Bakery and Boutique
MEK Design
Mbabazi House of Style Memphis
Mili’s Flowers And Gifts
Paper&Clay
Pretty Useful Co
Question the Answer
Terri Scott Illustration

The Memphis Farmers Market’s annual 5K, Crop Hop, is getting even better this year. Due to popular demand, the race will move from Friday night to Saturday morning, with June 15 being the date this year. The race will start and end at the Market, and there will be a new course this year with scenic views and no hills. Race participants get an after-party with Bloody Marys, beer, breakfast sandwiches, fresh fruit, and more. Also, the great thing about having the race on Saturday morning is that when you finish your run, you’re right there at the Market. Participants will get a reusable tote and a $5 coupon to spend with Market vendors that day. If you want to enjoy the after-party but you don’t want to run, sign up to be a Spirit Runner. Register for the race here.

Memphis magazine has a look at summer on the river, and there’s a lot going on. There will be two Mud Island free concert series. The first, Soulin’ on the River, will be five shows featuring the sound of new Memphis Soul, curated by local artist Tonya Dyson. The second series will be called Vibe on the Island and will feature original Memphis music in a variety of genres, curated by actor/vocalist Bertram Williams. There are daily kayak and paddleboat rentals, and there will be a free kayaking orientation this Saturday at 2 at River Garden. There’s free yoga at River Garden every Tuesday at 6, and there is a new Yoga on the Gulf class combining paddleboarding and yoga in Mud Island River Park’s Gulf of Mexico pool Sundays in June. YOGA! Kids will have arts and crafts activities the first Sunday of every month in River Garden. This Sunday, June 2, kids will be able to craft and paint flags.

Studies show that crime goes up on Beale Street when the Beale Street Bucks cover charge is not in effect. The cover works, plain and simple.

Drunk Uncle, the self-proclaimed “Memphis’ Most Funniest Band,” headlines the Peabody rooftop party tonight. Known to play any song from any genre, the Peabody writes, “You may hear Aerosmith and you may hear Michael Jackson, or you may hear Shania Twain, Big & Rich, Van Halen, The Offspring or the Red Hot Chili Peppers.” $10 to get in, $20 VIP. Admission includes a buffet of mini meatloaves and tater tots. If you’re in VIP you get a second buffet of chicken and biscuits, beef brisket sliders, and mini cheesecakes.

Richard Carrier will be at the Silly Goose tonight 7-10. Carrier is a world-renowned author and speaker. Read about him here.

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

 

If any of you have thought about getting into bartending, but have never pursued it, I learned of an outstanding opportunity over the weekend. I can’t remember if it was Facebook or Twitter where I saw it – I just copied/pasted into Evernote. The Gray Canary posted the following:

“Interested in learning how to bartend? We’re hiring! Send all front of house inquiries and resumes to nick@enjoyam.com.”

The Gray Canary is the Andrew Ticer/Michael Hudman restaurant in Old Dominick Distillery. I am stunned that they are willing to train. Usually bartenders applying to restaurants of this quality are expected to have several years experience. This is a chance to learn from the best. Get hired there, get trained there, work there for 2 years (and pick up shifts at any of the other Ticer/Hudman restaurants if offered) and you will be able to get a job behind any bar in this city. Seems like there would be some other perks too, like no ultra-late hours and some delicious shift meals.

Jennifer Biggs has a must-read article in The Daily Memphian about the history of the food scene in Memphis.

If you’re looking for something to do tonight, as of yesterday there were still spots open for the Coppola Wine Dinner tonight at Rizzo’s at 6:30. Treat yo self!

For those who live on the island: Cordelia’s Market will have another meet your neighbor dinner tomorrow night, Thursday, May 30, from 5 to 7 PM. This dinner will have some special guests: Memphis 901 FC will be there.

As for tonight, Stanley’s Sweet Street Treat will be the truck for Food Truck Wednesday at Cordelia’s 5-8. Try the crab po’boy!

Magician Hayden will come to the Halloran Centre on August 3. Based out of Charlotte, NC, he has been gaining popularity for his fast-paced magic show. He will perform tricks with audience members’ borrowed smartphones, perform in sleight-of-hand card tricks, and engage in mentalism with members of the audience. Visit Hayden’s website to learn more.

Here’s a list of black owned businesses to support in Memphis. The Four Way and Payne’s? I need to get out there and do some supporting!

Sorry for the lack of posts the past two days. Monday I had a good reason for taking a day off… I just didn’t have much news to post! Sometimes that happens, especially now that we’re in the dog days of summer where there’s not much interesting to do outside for two and a half months. Tuesday I had a different good reason… my friend Spiros came to town. Spiros is one of the most interesting people I know, and he has a job traveling around work sites across the U.S. This week his job brought him close enough to Memphis that he was able to stop for a visit.

About 8:30 yesterday morning, Spiros messaged me and asked if I knew of a place Downtown to get breakfast. I replied, “There’s a place right around the corner from me that has great breakfast. Bardog Tavern,” and Spiros said he’d meet me there.

While there, I got a new tambourine!

Someone left it in lost & found and Teryn told me they were going to throw it out. It was battery powered and lit up in four different patterns.

Unfortunately I didn’t have a tambourine for long. When I ate lunch at Lenny’s I forgot to take it with me when I left. Someone’s kid got a new toy yesterday, probably.

Don’t worry, I didn’t lose the troll.

For my new readers, I’ll tell you about the big thing going on this weekend. It’s not a Downtown thing – it’s out east at Park and Mt. Moriah at Marquette Park. Italian Fest is a three-day cooking competition. In some ways it is like BBQ Fest – teams build elaborate booths, and to get in a booth you have to be on a team or know someone on it. The teams tend to have names that reference Italy, as opposed to BBQ Fest where the team names reference pigs. For example, one of the Italian Fest teams I know is called The Made Men. Prize categories include Spaghetti Gravy, Anything Italian, People’s Choice, and Best Booth.

If you don’t know anyone on a team, is it worth going? Yes. There will be live music all three days, including Trouble No More and Hope Clayburn’s Soul Scrimmage on Friday and Ingram Hill on Saturday. Luigi’s Cafe will offer Italian dinners in air-conditioned comfort for only $15. There will be Italian food vendors such as Garibaldi’s and Coletta’s in the park too. Luigi Land will offer carnival games and mini carnival rides, and there will be arts & crafts too.

One caveat – if there is heavy rain at any point between now and Saturday, my take on Italian Fest changes from “worth going” to “not worth going.” Rain turns Marquette Park into a mud pit the likes of which Tom Lee Park during Music Fest cannot even compare (except for the year the river flooded maybe).

Activists are removing the middle bar on some of the benches Downtown, saying that the middle bar makes it uncomfortable for the homeless to rest.

Whoa! I turned on The Price Is Right and got Robert Mueller instead. I’ll leave it to the news sources to summarize.

(Edit: Changed my mind. Here’s a summary of what Muller more or less said.)

Shorter Mueller:

1. I wasn't allowed to charge the President with a crime.

2. I believe he committed crimes, or I would say otherwise.

3. Congress does have the authority to charge him with a crime.

— David Jolly (@DavidJollyFL) May 29, 2019

Damn they just gave away a Tesla! It’s Dream Car Week.

All right, that’s it for now. Back tomorrow with more.

Eight years ago, a fellow BeerKnurd of mine traveled to North Carolina and posted a photo of a Pabst Blue Ribbon at the Flying Saucer there. “The Saucer allows their locations to carry PBR?” I messaged him.

“Yes,” he said. “Six of the 16 locations have it.”

Shortly after that, my friend Bob and I had a conversation with Kirk, the Saucer’s GM at the time. Bob and I are both Masters of the Universe, people with 5 or more plates on the wall at the Downtown Saucer, so we hoped our opinion would carry some weight. We said we heard 6 of the Saucers carried PBR, and we hoped that our Saucer would become number 7.

Kirk wasn’t having it though. “I don’t want that kind of clientele in here.” That was a bit insulting. Kirk knew good and well that both Bob and I were PBR drinkers at all our other hangouts.

In 2015, a friend traveled to Nashville and posted a photo of a PBR at their Saucer. It was getting closer! Still, Kirk wasn’t interested in hearing about it.

In 2017, I traveled to Little Rock for my mom’s funeral. I stayed Downtown and walked over to the Saucer on President Clinton Ave. after getting done with my son/heir duties for the day. I swiped my card in the computer and pulled up “Beers Not Yet Tasted.” As I scrolled through the list, my eyes lit up as I got to the Ps. Little Rock now had PBR too! By that point, the Memphis Saucer was no longer one of my regular spots, but with Kirk no longer there, I was encouraged that PBR would make it to Memphis soon. If it does, I thought, I’ll have to put the Saucer back on the agenda.

It didn’t happen though.

Yesterday I was surfing Facebook on my phone. I’m a member of the Saucer’s Masters of the Universe group, and this post came across my News Feed.

WHAAAAAAT? The Cordova Saucer has PBR now, and the Downtown Saucer does not? What a terrible injustice!

It would be so easy for the Downtown Saucer to put PBR on the menu and make a generous profit on each 16 ounce can sold. There are four bars within a block walk that sell it for $3 a 16 ounce can, but the Saucer could probably get away with as high as $3.75.

As recently as Friday night, I would have been in there. I went to happy hour at Silly Goose, and tabbed out around 7. Normally the Blind Bear would be my next stop, but they were having a networking event and I knew the place would be super packed and not a lot of fun. So I had no place to go, and went home. If the Saucer had PBR, I would have gladly gone over there and had a few. I would love to spend more time there and get to know the 2019 staff. I have a feeling others would come back as well. I hope the Downtown Saucer will correct its status as a PBR desert in the near future.

Okay, rant over. On to the news (there’ll be another rant BTW…)

The City of Memphis has achieved a record. Yesterday at the Celebrate Memphis Festival, a record was set for the world’s longest picnic table at 1336 feet.

The Accessories take the stage this afternoon at 5 at The Dirty Crow Inn.

Yoga and paddleboarding come together this morning at Memphis River Park for a 10 AM class followed by mimosas. YOGA!

Yesterday I was shopping at City Market and I saw something in the cooler called Bitchin Sauce. I almost bought it but didn’t. I Googled it after I got home and it’s almond-based, vegan, gluten-free, and uses neither beans or tahini. Well that sounds like something I will never buy! I’m blogging it nonetheless for the interest of my readers who may enjoy something like this.

It’s Yazoo Glass Night at Cerrito Bingo at Loflin Yard this afternoon 4 to 6. Winner of each round gets a Yazoo pint glass in addition to the other usual prizes. If it’s your birthday week, you get an extra bingo card. Stick around after bingo for turtle races.

The Memphis Outlaws will have a watch party for the U.S. Women’s National Team vs. Mexico soccer match at Brass Door today at 11 AM.

There will be a gin tasting at The Greyhound, the bar inside the new hotel across Union from AutoZone Park, on Tuesday, June 4 6-8 PM. Four gins will be paired with small plates and a talk will be given by an industry expert. Unlike vodkas, gins have a wide variety in their tastes.

Don’t forget that FreeWorld is throwing Dr. Herman Green a birthday party tonight at the Blues City Band Box, 9:30 PM.

Today is the 13th anniversary of the infamous Memorial Day Eve at Sleep Out Louie’s. We all gathered there for Sunday brunch at 10:30 AM when it opened and were still there at 10:30 PM. There were many games of Buzztime trivia and then a whipped cream fight broke out. At one point I licked whipped cream off the boobs of one of my blog’s readers (I’ll decline to say who; she’s happily married now). Spontaneous fun kept breaking out over and over again.

Brunches aren’t like that anymore. It seems like Sunday brunch is so… I don’t know, sterile… lately. I guess it’s because we’re all 13 years older. I miss the old days sometimes.

Yet, I’m going to get out and make the most of the day. I feel like I’m finally cured from my allergy-caused upper respiratory infection that I had all last week. Coughing has subsided, eyes are no longer red, temperature is back to normal. Back tomorrow with more news.

The Blind Bear has a new garnish for cocktails: moonshine chocolate cherries. My troll tried one yesterday and thought it was tasty.

Tonight is Firefighter and EMS Appreciation Night at the Redbirds. Memphis Fire Department vehicles will be set up on site. Germantown firefighter and #3 ranked long drive golfer Will Hogue will be at the game and will do a meet & greet 6:30-7:30. There will also be pregame fire safety education, and firefighters will do a “fill the boot” campaign for the Muscular Dystrophy Association. $2 beer specials in left field prior to the 6:35 first pitch. Fireworks after the game. Tonight’s fire-related activities are part of Mid-South Heroes Weekend presented by Ford.

WREG has a report about MPD patrol cars left idling, unattended, putting the public at risk. One person interviewed said she saw a patrol car parked near the Orpheum, window down, laptop in the car. I am pretty sure I have see this near the Orpheum/MLGW HQ as well. If someone stole that laptop would they be able to run background checks?

If you’re trying to figure out what to do with your Memorial Day, and want to stay inside away from the pollen and the heat, let me remind you of one thing: There are only two weekdays a year when Bardog Tavern does not open at 8 AM, and those are Thanksgiving and Christmas. If you’ve never been in there that early, it’s a lot of fun to chill out and play the jukebox. They have all kind of random morning stuff on TV. You might get the Today Show or maybe one of the sci-fi shows on TNT. Good breakfast menu too. It differs from the weekend brunch menu, but they have breakfast sliders to which you can add your choice of meats, breakfast burritos, omelets, and I believe the steak & eggs is on the daily menu as well. You don’t have to imbibe in the early morning hours, but if you want to, you can.

(Bardog opens at 11 Saturday and Sunday by the way)

Carolina Watershed is back open to the public on Thursdays now, and they have some sweet deals: All the domestic beer you can drink for $15, and half-priced bottles of wine. Heck, I might go check that out next Thursday!

What the world was waiting for: Taco Bell is opening a resort in Palm Springs with poolside tacos and Baja Blast. There are people who will save for years to be able to afford their vacation of a lifetime to this place.

Salute to the Stars comes to the Halloran Centre tonight. Four tribute artists will honor Elvis, George Strait, and Adele.

Velvetina’s Blue Moon Revue, a burlesque show set to the sounds of Memphis, happens at Mollie Fontaine Lounge tonight at 7.

The Cousins Main Lobster truck will be back out at the Ghost River taproom today at 1. Good place to go get lunch and a cold one while waiting for Tom Lee Park to open. Got the family with you? No problem, the taproom is family-friendly. They sell non-alcoholic beverages, and there are plenty of board games you and the kids can play to pass the time. The outside is dog-friendly as well (although Celebrate Memphis at Tom Lee Park is not).

Sips and Spins, an end-of-the month DJ night curated by Goner Records, returns to Memphis Made  tonight at 6. DJ Alec and Meredith (Nots/Ex-Cult/Hash Redactor) spin the hits this month. The Memphis Made taproom is family-friendly as well, and this event is totally free of charge.

I watched an episode of Jerry Springer for the first time in 20 years yesterday. There was a man who cheated on his daughter mama – but what he didn’t know was, the woman he had cheated with had been born a man. The man and the woman who had been born a man got into a slap fight once he found out and had to be separated. Then the man told his girlfriend he’d do whatever it takes to change and be a father to their daughter, blah blah blah, and she of course believed him and took him back. The show ended with a twerking contest between the woman who was born a man and a woman from the audience who was born a woman.

Ah, 2019… when “have you always been a woman?” is a legit question to ask on a first date. Also, the next time I turn on the WWE Network I’m going to feel like I’m watching a screen adaptation of the Canterbury Tales after what I saw on TV yesterday.

That’s it for now. I’m going to lead Bardog at 11. I would really like to walk down to Celebrate Memphis, but I’m finally starting to recover from the upper respiratory tract infection caused by allergies at Tom Lee Park last week and don’t know if I want to aggravate it. Still, I haven’t made up my mind for sure and am open to invitations. Back tomorrow with more news.

If you’re a fan of Memphis history, Backbeat Tours is offering two 2-hour tours this Sunday (1 PM and 3 PM): Memphis Bicentennial Tour: Memphis 200. Take a Memphis history bus tour and see the Mississippi River, Beale Street, Victorian Village, Court Square, Lorraine Motel, and Church Park, among other historical venues. Learn about Boss Crump, yellow fever, Memphis in the Civil War, an African-American businessman on Beale, politicians, civil rights crusaders, bluesman W.C. Handy, and more. $25 adults, $15 children.

I wonder if they gave it the slightly redundant name “Memphis Bicentennial Tour: Memphis 200” because a lot of Memphians don’t know that “bicentennial” means “200”?

Also on Sunday, you can join visual creatives for a walk around Downtown Memphis from 3-6 PM called Grind City Meet. The event will start at Madison Avenue Park (across from Brass Door) and end at Mud Island River Park. You’ll meet other creatives and will have the chance to win some great prizes. You don’t need to be a professional to participate. Just bring your phone or camera.

You can pack a patriotic picnic at the Memphis Farmers Market this weekend. They’ll have locally sourced meats and veggies, and if you don’t feel like cooking they’ll have pre-prepared foods as well. Doodlebugs, the Children’s Museum of Memphis arts and crafts studio, will be on hand with a fun fruit and veggie painting activity. Live local music all day long. The Master Gardeners will be there to answer any questions you may have. The Market runs every Saturday under the pavilion behind Malco Powerhouse at Front and G.E. Patterson, 8 AM to 1 PM.

Chris D’Elia comes to the Orpheum June 27.  One of the most in-demand performers in comedy today, I became aware of this show when several of my service industry friends said they were taking the night off work to go see it. Tickets are $28-58.

There will be a dance party all day tomorrow (11 AM-11 PM) on the lawn at 31 N. Front Street. The event is presented by a group named “Memphis Loves Chicago House Music” and DJs will include TJ Carter, Kelly Whigham, Rawhouse, Dantz King and Brandon. They will play Afro, Soulful Disco, and House music.

Nick Black will play the Soulin’ on the River concert series at Mud Island River Park on Friday, June 21. Free for all to attend and gates open at 6 PM. Music at 7. Lawn chairs, picnic baskets, blankets, and coolers are welcome.

Rizzo’s is having a Coppola Wine Dinner next Wednesday, May 29. Menu has not been released yet but any Michael Patrick dinner is bound to be a good dinner.

A dedication of the first historical market in Memphis recognizing Chinese immigrants’ contributions to Downtown Memphis will happen at the FedExForum plaza at noon on Saturday. Specifically the marker will commemorate the Lung Kong Tin Yee Association founded in the 1920s in Downtown Memphis. Following the dedication there will be a reception at Center for Southern Folklore. Parking at 110 Peabody Place, with a $2 discount if you have the Center for Southern Folklore stamp.

There’s a young professionals’ happy hour at Blind Bear tonight 5:30-8:30. This is a chance to socialize, make connections, build your professional network. The past several events have filled the entire bar with young professionals.

Some of these posts on the Save Tom Lee Park & The Festivals Facebook page are getting a bit ridiculous. “I traced the lineage back 33 generations to 698 A.D. and discovered that Carol Coletta is a distant cousin of Al Capone! Clearly her plan is to funnel Tom Lee Park construction money through The Outfit, the Chicago crime syndicate.” I’m exaggerating here but not by very much. Come on people, be better than that. You have a strong argument for leaving the park as it is. Resorting to personal attacks and loony accusations weakens your credibility.

Scroll down to read about Wiseacre’s groundbreaking on their Downtown facility this afternoon. Back tomorrow with more news.