Paul Ryburn's Journal

July 4 is a day to ponder the freedoms and liberties our forefathers guaranteed us 241 years ago. However, since many of us are off work, might as well do that pondering at a bar! For those who plan to spend Independence Day doing a little day drinking, here are a list of opening times for Downtown bars that may come in handy.

Bardog – 8 AM
Flying Saucer – 11 AM
Aldo’s Pizza – 11 AM
Kooky Canuck – 11 AM
Local – 11 AM
Westy’s – 11 AM
Dirty Crow Inn – 11 AM
Green Beetle – 11 AM
Blue Monkey Downtown – 11 AM
Silly Goose – 2 PM
Blind Bear – 3 PM
Max’s Sports Bar – 4:30 PM
Earnestine & Hazel’s – 5 PM

I am only listing bars where I am just about positive their opening time remains consistent on July 4. Pontotoc Lounge and South of Beale normally open at 11 for lunch on Wednesdays but am not sure they will today. Brass Door and Carolina Watershed have posted that they will be closed.

Also, don’t forget, the Flying Saucer’s patriotic $15 seafood boil will be today at 4. That’s really not a bad deal at all. Just wish I could get a PBR to drink with my seafood…

Riverside Drive between Beale and Georgia will close at 6 tonight for the fireworks festivities. There will be no parking in the river parks, but you can walk, bike, or scooter your way there.

Beale Street Bears has a spot-on post of the handling by the Memphis Grizzlies front office of the Tyreke Evans situation. There is no better word to describe it than incompetence.

The Memphis Flyer’s Hungry Memphis blog has information about the first annual Memphis Chicken & Beer Fest happening at the Liberty Bowl Saturday, August 11. (Side note: I know First Annual is grammatically incorrect but I like to throw it in there in case Seth looks at my blog). There will be all kinds of chicken dishes from various restaurants, with offerings including Messy Crow wings from the Dirty Crow Inn, chicken sushi from Oshi, and even a chicken cupcake. The event is run by iHeartMedia and is envisioned as recess for adults. There will be hula hoops, inflatables, jousting, and a photo booth. This event benefits the Dorothy Day House and tickets are $40.

A design, planning, and engineering firm named Stantec has been selected to build Downtown Memphis’ most comprehensive master plan in over 30 years. Stantec’s portfolio includes the recent $500 million overhaul of Chicago’s Wrigley Field. Stantec was selected out of 21 firms that submitted RFPs. The budget set for the plan is $447,000 with a portion designated to go to businesses owned by minorities and women.

The new Starbucks at Main and Monroe is now open.

People riding these Bird scooters need to understand they’re on a vehicle and they have to obey traffic regulations. I have seen several people on them run red lights without even looking, as well as go the wrong way down one-way streets.

For lunch out in Germantown yesterday, I returned to the Exlines’ Pizza on Wolf River Boulevard for three of their tamales. They are $2.50 a piece, but for 50 cents more each you can make them ultimate tamales, loaded with cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream and peppers.

They really are not shy with the cheese at all. The tamales are locally made. A fine lunch indeed.

B-RAD, I have a great story to tell you about our girl when I see you on Sunday.

Time to take advantage of my own list! Back tomorrow with more news.

The Redbirds will be back in town tomorrow for the first game of a 5-day homestand, and you know they’re pulling out all the stops for a July 4 celebration. Before the game, there will be a T-1 flyover from Columbus Air Force Base. Frank Anderson, a 104-year-old World War II veteran, will throw out the first pitch. There will be $2 beers in the Plaza before the game. The Redbirds will be wearing special Fourth of July-themed jerseys which will be auctioned off during the game. High bidder for each jersey gets to go on the field and meet the player or coach who wore the jersey and get an autograph. After the game there will be fireworks, all up close and personal from center field.

For tomorrow night’s game, there will be a special ticket that you can purchase that gets you access to a two-and-a-half hour, all-you can-eat buffet of all-American food: hamburgers, hot dogs, potato chips, cookies, bottled water, and Coca-Cola products.

Memphis is getting a new newspaper called Storyboard. This newspaper will be free and monthly, and the intention is not to compete with the Memphis Flyer, Memphis Business Journal, or Memphis Daily News. It will feature great local coverage by community advocates, the kind of coverage that has been missing since the Commercial Appeal was reduced to practically nothing.

Free concert at Wiseacre tonight. At 8:30, the Dixie Dicks will pull up their pickup into the outdoor pavilion and perform a live concert. This show is intended for mature audiences only (21+). This sounds like the kind of performance my friends Rahul and Tony would enjoy.

I watched the Grizzlies vs. Atlanta Hawks Summer League game last night at the Silly Goose, and #4 pick Jaren Jackson Jr. looked fantastic, scoring 29 points in 23 minutes and draining threes left and right. His totals for rebounding and shots attempted in the paint were a bit low, but I have a feeling the coaching staff told Jackson to make the three ball his main contribution for the opening game. Perhaps in future Summer League games JJJ will be told to focus on other aspects.

Guy sitting next to me at the Goose bet $100 on the game. That’s ballsy, betting on Summer League.

Memphis Escape Rooms are holding a city escape game, departing from their location at South Main and G.E. Patterson, on Saturday, July 21 from 2 to 5. The yellow fever panic of the late 1870s forced 62% of Memphians out of their homes, leaving behind their homes, belongings, and livelihoods. In hopes of restoring the city, one family left behind clues hid all over the city, clues which have gone undiscovered for 140 years. See if you can find them and solve the mystery on the 21st.

The Memphis Flyer and the Tennessee Beef Council are having a Rescue My Grill contest. Send in photos of your oldest, ugliest, dirtiest, most hopeless grill, captioned with what you would like to cook on your grill if you had it rescued. The winner will get a prize pack that includes a 22″ Weber grill, spatula/tongs, spice pack, Guide to Summer grilling recipe brochure, charcoal, and a $50 Beef Gift Card. Enter your photo before 8 PM on July 4, and voting will begin on July 6.

The Dirty Crow Inn is altering their Wednesday music schedule tomorrow, moving Bobbie & Keith to 4-7 PM so those who want to watch fireworks will have time.

Local BBQ team Squeal Street BBQ got their logo (which was printed on a hat) on the Today Show this morning.

I stopped by Bardog Tavern for a Deluxe Grilled Cheese last night, and they have their chalkboard sign up for the Breakaway-Bardog 5K and Monroe Avenue Fest to be held on Sunday, August 19.

That link is runpartyeat.com. This is one of Downtown’s greatest street parties of the late summer, with a beer garden, food, a dunk tank, a raffle for fabulous prizes by great Memphis businesses, a meatball eating contest, and a head shaving. All of these things are to raise money for the kids of St. Jude, and in the years Bardog has been throwing these parties a total of over $200,000 has been raised. This should be an especially big party because Bardog will be celebrating its 10th anniversary.

Looking for a place to watch the Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest tomorrow at 11 AM? I would suggest Kooky Canuck, where many of the competitive eaters have stopped by to take on the giant Kookamonga burger.

Carolina Watershed tweeted that they will be closed on the Fourth.

That’s the news for now. Effective weekend night for me with work closed tomorrow! I haven’t yet decided if the core or South Main will be in my plans tonight. Back tomorrow with more news.

NBA Summer League begins today, and the Grizzlies will have a team out there including draftees Jaren Jackson Jr. and Jevon Carter. Grizzly Bear Blues has all the info you need to know about Summer League, including the roster, how to watch, and storylines to follow.

The Orpheum Summer Movie Series kicks off tomorrow, Tuesday, July 3 at 7 PM with a showing of Independence Day. Doors open at 6 for fun activities in the lobby, including a photo booth and movie-themed drink specials.

The Mud Island River Park Independence Day celebration happens from 4 to 11 PM Wednesday, July 4. Lawn chairs and picnic baskets welcome. Live music by 5th Kind-Memphis, free rides for the kids, food and drink concessions, splash pad, and of course fireworks. This year they are offering something new, the chance to watch fireworks from the water. Launching from the cobblestone landing, you can rent a canoe or kayak for $20 an hour. You can bring your own for a $10 launch fee. Fireworks will start at 9:15.

What we learned this weekend: If you want to land a job, blow in a man’s ear. Lance Stephenson, who once blew in the ear of his new teammate LeBron James, has signed a 1-year deal with the Los Angeles Lakers.

The Orpheum is hiring a vice-president of development.

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

Yesterday I got to enjoy one of the great smells of Memphis.

I was on my way to the Farmers Market when I noticed the door to Earnestine & Hazel’s was ajar and onions were on the grill. Clarence was preparing onions for the day’s Soul Burgers. I decided to move the Farmers Market back on the agenda and lead off at E&H. Once I had a PBR in my hand, I turned my attention to the bar’s legendary jukebox.

You know, the jukebox has 100 CDs which means there are about 1200-1300 songs to choose from, but it seems that the same tired old songs get played over and over again. I was determined to pick something different. The first CD I saw was Donna Summer’s Endless Summer, and I decided it was time for a disco party!

From the Summer album I played “Last Dance,” “Hot Stuff” (RIP Eddie Gilbert), and “Bad Girls.” I played “Upside Down” by Diana Ross, “Dancing Machine” by Michael Jackson, and “I Want You Back” by the Jackson 5. From the Kool & the Gang CD I played “Fresh” and “It’s Too Hot” (a very appropriate song given yesterday’s blazing heat). I played some Aretha too although that technically doesn’t count as disco. A great Saturday morning! I still plan on Bardog being my main spot on Saturdays, but maybe once a month I’ll do the south loop and hit Earnestine and Hazel’s. Maybe the last Saturday of every month while the Farmers Market is in season.

Stop number two was Max’s Sports Bar, but I could only stay for a couple of PBRs. The Farmers Market was set to close at 1 and I had to get by there and check in on Swarm to defend my mayorship.

With an hour to kill before the BBQ meeting, I decided it was time to get something to eat. I walked south to Loflin Yard, where this happened.

“Can I go stand under the bridge, Paul?”

I should have known better than to take a troll to Loflin Yard. It’s her instinct to want to go do that. I wouldn’t let her though.

Her day improved when the salmon croquettes I ordered came out.

The troll likes foods that are the same color as her hair, so she was really excited about the greens. The salmon croquettes, available on Loflin’s brunch menu 10 to 3 and Saturday and Sunday, were excellent. They had my food out fast. I ordered a PBR and handed the bartender a 5 and he gave me three quarters back. $4.25 for a PBR?

After Loflin I walked over to South End for our BBQ debriefing meeting.

This was a wrap-up session, going over what worked and what did not. Of course, when you win 7th in Shoulder, you’re mostly going over what worked! We changed a board member’s title from Bar Manager to Quartermaster, but other than that there was no major news to report.

In the news: RAWK’n Grub has a new burger for the Memphis Flyer. RAWK’n Grub has moved their operation inside the Citgo at 630 N. Highland, but don’t let the location stop you from trying their outstanding food.

Time for D-RANKS with B-RAD at Pontotoc Lounge. Back tomorrow with more news.

Jazz singer Diana Krall will perform at the Orpheum tonight, a stop on her “Turn Up The Quiet” world tour in support of her new album. Krall is the only jazz singer to have eight albums debut at the top of the Billboard Jazz Albums chart. Tickets are $62.50-$118.

If you love the Memphis Grizzlies and are a good writer, there might be a gig for you. SbNation’s Memphis media outlet, Grizzly Bear Blues, is hiring. They are hiring for two paid positions, an Associate Editor and a Senior Staff Writer. They are also looking for one or two unpaid writers who will hold the title of Staff Writer, and who contribute as their schedule permits and as inspiration gets a hold of them. This is an organization that believes in development. For example, Kevin Lipe who writes about the Grizzlies for the Memphis Flyer was once a GBB writer.

The Center for Southern Folklore will have live music tonight 8-11. They’ll have Brazilian tunes as well as American jazz and rock from Claudia Valentin and Leroy Clark.

Good news for three Memphis Hustle players: They’ve been invited to NBA Summer League. Marquis Teague will play for the Toronto Raptors, Omari Johnson will play for the Golden State Warriors, and Chance Comanche will play for the Orlando Magic.

For those of you going to tonight’s Widespread Panic show on Mud Island, there will be an after-party at the New Daisy at 11.  Zoogma and Agori Tribe will play.

Lyrics at the Lorraine: The Power of Words happens tonight at 6 at the National Civil Rights Museum. All are welcome but this event is recommended for a mature audience. Tickets must be purchased in advance.

World Cup time!!! You know what that means! …It means absolutely nothing, because I don’t care about the World Cup. I’ll be doing south loop today: Farmers Market, Earnestine & Hazel’s, an undetermined next spot, and then a 2018 debriefing with the other leaders of the BBQ team. Tonight could get interesting. Back tomorrow or Monday with more news.

Got a couple of big events happening Downtown tonight. Legendary comedian and TV star Jerry Seinfeld brings his stand-up routine to the Orpheum at 7 PM.

Over at the Mud Island Amphitheater, Widespread Panic has 7:30 shows tonight and tomorrow. Due to the extreme heat, the promoters are allowing concert attendees to bring in up to 2 water bottles, as long as they are clear, sealed and not more than 20 ounces each.

The Flyer has an article about Anime Blues Con that happens at the Cook Convention Center this weekend. Over 4000 visitors and cosplayers are expected to show up.

Red, White and YOU! is the theme at the Memphis Farmers Market this Saturday. Come buy fresh meats and veggies for your holiday celebrations next week. There will be Star-Spangled crafts kids can make in the Craft Corral. Live music all day long. The Market runs every Saturday from 8 AM to 1 PM under the pavilion at Front and G.E. Patterson.

Bardog Tavern is doing the Summer of Brunch. From Monday, July 2 through Monday, September 3, Monday-Friday from 8 to 11 AM they will have brunch-priced drinks. That means Bloody Marys, mimosas, and screwdrivers will be only $4 each. It’s been my experience that Bardog opens at its usual 8 AM time on all holidays except Thanksgiving and Christmas. So you know where I’ll be on the Fourth! Let’s see… the Fourth is on a Wednesday this year, so Bloom should be behind the bar.

Speaking of the Fourth, the Peabody rooftop will be open the night of July 4 for fireworks watching, and sips and snacks will be available. There is no cover, but donations will be accepted for St. Jude.

The Redbirds have announced that former WWE wrestler Kevin Thorn will be at Wrestling Night at AutoZone Park next Friday, July 6. Thorn competed as Mordecai in the early ’00s. Wow, Redbirds, way to tap that D-list talent for an appearance. Geez, even Virgil would be a bigger name.

I like my wings like I like my women… super hot (and not with a side of super crazy)

My quest for extra hot wings has finally led to success. Last Friday when I tried Portales Mexican Restaurant at 420 S. Germantown Parkway, next door to Lowe’s, I noticed there was a wing place called Wing King in the same strip mall. When I got back to the office I looked them up. They have whatever kind of wings you want – whole wings, party wings (flats & drummies), or boneless wings. In addition to their Regular Hot sauce, they have a Super Hot sauce. Yesterday at lunch I decided to go give that a try. Normally I prefer party wings, but not being familiar with the exact heat level of the Super Hot sauce, I decided to get boneless wings so I could eat them with a fork and handle them as little as possible. There’s nothing quite like inadvertently getting extra-hot sauce in your eye.

The restaurant was clean, the people who worked there were friendly, and my order came out pretty fast.

All Wing King wing orders come with a generous portion of celery and carrots, and you can make it a combo with fries (regular or seasoned) and a drink for $2.50 more. The heat level was exactly what I wanted from an extra-hot style wing. By the second wing my nose was running, and I had to make three trips to the drink machine for refills. I like how they put the celery and carrots in with the wings so the wing sauce gets on them. They have a napkin dispenser on each table, which is a good thing because you will need them. Even eating boneless wings with a fork I managed to go through seven napkins.

Well done, Wing King. I will be back. I think next time I may get the party wings combo but step it down to regular hot. Or, I may go for the garlic parmesan sauce to be different. If you live out in that part of town keep them in mind for your next party. The whole wings and party wings can be ordered in sizes up to 100 pieces. If you’re not into wings they have fried catfish, hamburgers, and a variety of “Wing King Things” including fried green tomatoes, mozzarella sticks, and fried chicken livers.

That’ll do it for this post! Heading to Max’s Sports Bar after work this afternoon. Back tomorrow with more news.

Great news for those who love the riverfront: There’s finally funding to complete the riverwalk so that Martyrs Park and Big River Crossing will be connected to the rest of the Downtown riverfront. The funding came as part of the $5 million “Reimagining the Civic Commons” grant.

Thumpdaddy, an interactive band that plays dance hits from the ’60s to today, headlines the Peabody rooftop tonight. $10 cover, $20 VIP, ladies and hotel guests free before 7. Admission includes a buffet of smoked chicken legs and jalapeno dip with Ritz crackers. If you’re in VIP you get a second buffet of BBQ smoked sausage on a stick, bacon beef sliders, and Peabody fried chips.

Craig Campbell and Danielle Bradbery play KIX on Beale tonight at 7:30. This is a free concert, sponsored by KIX 106, at Handy Park on Beale Street. It is free to the public and is open to all ages. Listen to the radio station today for the chance to win VIP passes.

If you feel like doing some jewelry shopping tonight, there will be a “Kendra Gives Back” party benefiting the Memphis Farmers Market tonight at Kendra Scott, 7515 Poplar in Saddle Creek, 5-8 PM. There will be refreshments and sweets, and 20% of any purchase made between 5 and 8 goes to the Market.

Anime Blues Con comes to the Cook Convention Center tomorrow through Sunday.

Random thing I learned from a National Weather Service tweet yesterday: You shouldn’t take a shower or do the dishes while it’s storming outside. Lightning can travel through the pipes and electrocute you.

You know, it’s weird… I’ve driven out to the Germantown Parkway/Exeter area to eat at Asian restaurants numerous times, and yet up until yesterday I had never been to the Asian restaurant right across the street from where I work, Sekisui East. So yesterday at 11 I crossed Kirby Parkway and went over there, and…

…found myself crossing back only a few minutes later. You see, Sekisui East doesn’t open for lunch until 11:30. I went back to work and tried again a half hour later.

I got the Nabeyaki Soda (Udon also available), a soup with fish cake, egg, shrimp tempura, and vegetables.

The shrimp tempura came on a separate plate, although in photos of this dish I have often seen it in the bowl with everything else so I posed it that way for the photo. It came with a shaker of chili pepper if I wanted to spice up my soup, but I didn’t use it. The white thing with the pink edges is the fish cake, and the round brown thing that looks like it has a flower on it is a very pretty mushroom. The flavor of the noodles was good and this was an interesting dish overall. As with most noodle soups, I had to let it cool down for a few minutes because it was too hot to eat.

I will be back at Sekisui East soon. I want to try their lunch box of chicken teriyaki, shrimp and vegetable tempura, and seaweed. It comes with miso or clear soup and a house salad (oh by the way the Nabeyaki Soba came with a house salad as well). You know, up until recently I’ve always ordered miso soup when given the choice because “clear” soup sounded so boring. However, I’ve since learned that clear soup is made with chicken broth, whereas miso has tofu in it (yuck). Clear soup it is from now on.

That’ll do it. Back tomorrow with more news.

South Main Book Juggler will host a book signing in conjunction with South Main Trolley Night this Friday from 6 to 9 PM. Author Earnest E. Lacey will sign his third book regarding the journey of his family, Hilton Street: From Memphis to Chicago. This book describes the family’s life as African-Americans during the 1950s Jim Crow era in Memphis and their transition to Chicago during the Great Migration.

WMC Action News reports that a suspected robber jumped in the Mississippi River to elude arrest. Monday night about 2 AM, he approached two women in a Downtown bar and asked them for money. After they left the bar, he followed them and snatched one of their purses. The next morning an MPD officer recognized that he fit the description and attempted to detain him. The suspected robber ran away and when he got to Beale Street Landing, he jumped in the river. He was soon hauled out and arrested.

Yo Gotti & Friends Birthday Bash happens tomorrow night, Thursday June 28, at FedExForum starting at 7 PM.

The Grizzlies have announced their Summer League roster. Of course, rookies Jaren Jackson Jr. and Jevon Carter are going. Other notables include former Tiger Markel Crawford, as well as both two-way players Kobi Simmons and Myke Henry, Deyonta Davis, and Wayne Selden. Davis is going to be under the gun to impress given the number of bigs on the current Grizzlies roster.

I Love Memphis Blog profiled Alex Castle, the distiller at Old Dominick Distillery. She took over the @memphistravel Instagram for a day, giving an in-depth look at the distilling process.

The annual Withers Creatives Festival happens tomorrow through Saturday at the Withers Collection Museum & Gallery at 333 Beale. This festival is about developing creative talent in Memphis and this year the featured categories are photography, film, and music.

No lunch photo from yesterday but I want to compliment the Exlines’ on Wolf River Boulevard just west of Germantown Parkway. It was my first visit to that Exlines’ location. Service was great – I was in and out in under 45 minutes. The garlic loaf that came with my spaghetti with Aunt Vi’s meat sauce rocked my world.

If you’ve wondered what afternoon tea at Chez Philippe in the Peabody is like, check out this blog post.

Eric Mathews from Start Co. is looking for recent or future college engineering graduates looking for meaningful full- or part-time work in a growing medical device manufacturing company here in Memphis. Eric said the work is well-compensated. If you would be interested, hit him up at eric@neverstop.co.

The Arkansas Razorbacks pounded that Beaver last night, beating Oregon State to go up 1-0 in the best-of-three College World Series finals. They could take the championship in tonight’s game at 6 on ESPN. Much as I love watching Arkansas at Max’s Sports Bar, I’ve had it walking down there in the heat for now, especially since I have at least two more such walks this week: Friday (South Main Trolley Night) and Saturday (Farmers Market/Earnestine & Hazel’s/Max’s/BBQ meeting). I’m going to keep it close to home tonight and watch the game at the Blind Bear. Back tomorrow with more news.

South Main is planning a big Red, White & Blue Trolley Night for this Friday, June 29. The South Main Stage will be set up at Main and Talbot, future home of Slider Inn, with DJ Nugget Johnson of The Q 107.5 headlining. The DMC will provide games like cornhole and volleyball pong. There will be an area set up for South Main Association members with food and beverages, and if you aren’t an SMA member yet they’ll be happy to sign you up. Most of the stores in the South Main area will stay open until 9 or later so you can come shop and mingle with your neighbors.

Freewheel slow rides are coming to The Fourth Bluff six Thursdays this summer. These are bike rides at a leisurely pace along the riverfront and through Downtown Memphis, and when the ride is over they stop by a nearby watering hole. Explore Bike Share and Revolutions will lead these rides. If you don’t have your own bike, you can ride one of Explore’s for free on an as-available basis. Register to reserve your spot. The dates and places for the slow rides are

July 5: EBS Station at Second & Beale
July 19: EBS Station at Second & Beale
August 2: EBS Station at Court Square
August 16: EBS Station at Beale Street Landing
August 30: EBS Station at Court Square
Sept 6: Beale Street Landing

Pop-up Jazz comes to Court Square Sunday, July 8 from 6 to 8 PM. Hosted by by Deborah Swiney and Downtown Memphis, this event will highlight jazz in Memphis. Free, family friendly, and bring money for food trucks.

MIFA has a five-day challenge going on where a donor has offered to match your donation not once but twice. Give $25 and MIFA gets $75, give $100 and they get $300, you get the idea. This is ongoing through June 30.

DMC is reviewing eight proposed designs to revamp Handy Park and make it a modern park with amenities that will see more use. View the proposals here.

The Tennessee Brewery is adding apartments due to high demand. The 148 units originally planned are already 100% booked up, so they are going to convert a retail space into 3 more apartments. The one retail tenant will be a new So Fresh juice bar location. I wonder if that’s why we haven’t seen the So Fresh truck at the Farmers Market this year, because they’re planning a brick-and-mortar location nearby.

For those of you with kids 2-5 looking for things to do with them in the summer, the National Civil Rights Museum is hosting Small But Mighty Storytime Wednesdays at 10:30 AM. Each week they will read a book and do an activity together.

Action News 5 reports that the Tom Lee memorial could be removed from Tom Lee Park. The obelisk had not been replaced since it was toppled by wind last year, and insurance concerns are cited. However, the main reason a removal has been proposed is a line on the memorial that is inappropriate by modern standards.

For lunch yesterday I decided to make a return to Cafe Med, the Mediterranean restaurant on Kirby near Poplar. Previously I’ve sampled around their list of 18 different types of gyros, but yesterday I wasn’t hungry enough for a gyro so I turned to the Appetizers section of their menu. The apps you find on every Mediterranean menu were there, of course – hummus, tabouleh, babaghanoush. However, I wanted to try something different, and turned my attention to the Yassou dip, made with Kalamata olives, feta cheese, and garlic.

The dip comes with pita chips. It’s a good lunch for someone without a big appetite, or two people could split it as an appetizer. They are so nice there and I am lucky to have Cafe Med so close to work that I don’t even have to get in the car.

Sometimes the best plans don’t work out… last night I walked south to Max’s Sports Bar for Game 1 of the College World Series championship.I got there a few minutes after 6 with the Hogs and Beavers in a rain delay, and the Omaha radar did not look good. After 90 minutes they called it. I wandered over to Earnestine & Hazel’s for a $1.50 PBR before happy hour ended at 8. I didn’t play any songs but I went through the jukebox and composed a playlist in my head for Saturday. I have a BBQ team meeting that day not far from the Farmers Market so for one week only I’m going to skip Bardog and just hang out on the south side after I hit the Market.

Tonight I will return to Max’s Sports Bar after work as Omaha tries again to host Game 1 of the CWS finals. I will also make Earnestine & Hazel’s my second stop once again, as they have a jazz night beginning at 8 in memory of the late, great Keenan. Back tomorrow with more news.

When I was in high school, there was this park called Reservoir Park in west Little Rock where we would all gather. There was a fireplace and during the cold months they’d let us build a fire as long as we put it out before we left. I have never smelled anything quite like the smell of that smoke.

… Until yesterday. There was a celebration of a 30-year FedEx anniversary at Pontotoc Lounge brunch yesterday and B-RAD made Smoky Manhattans. He had special pieces of wood he burned over the cocktails to give them that smoky flavor, and it smelled so good.

If that sounds appealing, give one a try next time you’re in Pontotoc. Brad is there from 11 to 4 every Sunday.

She thinks she found another troll.

Let’s see what Brad’s regular customer Rahul has been up to lately.

If you’re not friends with Rahul on Facebook and Instagram, you’re missing out on this and the other 106 memes he posts daily.

I found Zambodian greetings in my email today. Prince Mongo has an apartment for rent near the trolley stop at Main and Butler. It’s a 1 bedroom for $950 a month, all utilities included, all appliances furnished. It’s a quiet and secure location and the neighbors are good people. Shoot me an email at paul@paulryburn.com if interested and I will put you in touch.

The Flying Saucer is having a seafood boil On Wednesday, July 4 from 4 to 7 PM. For $15 you can have crab legs, shrimp, clams, and crawfish. There will be canned beer specials and $4 drafts as well. If you’re coming, they ask that you get on the Facebook event listing and mark yourself as “Going,” so they can get an idea of how much seafood to prepare.

State Senator Lee Harris will be the featured speaker at the monthly Downtown Neighborhood Association meeting. It will be held at Sleep Out Louie’s tomorrow, Tuesday, June 26 at Sleep Out Louie’s. 6 PM social, program at 6:30. Sleep Out’s will provide light appetizers, and they will have happy hour prices on drinks.

We’ve made it to the finals of the College World Series. #5 Arkansas plays #3 Oregon State at 6 PM tonight, tomorrow night, and if necessary, Wednesday night. After work I will make the journey south to Max’s Sports Bar to watch my Hogs. Back tomorrow with more news.