Paul Ryburn's Journal

Rainy day ahead, but better today than tomorrow so it will be nice outside for the Beale Street St. Patrick’s Day Parade and Paddy’s Day at the Brass Door. I’ve been invited to the King’s Palace Tap Room by two friends to watch the parade, and that sounds like an invitation I will accept! So, if you want to see me at the parade, come to the Tap Room.

I heard about a new St. Patrick’s drink yesterday: the Memphis Drive-By. It’s a car bomb but with Wiseacre Gotta Get Up to Get Down instead of Guinness.

Due to the rain, I will be taking a Lyft/Uber down to Max’s Sports Bar to watch my Arkansas Razorbacks play Butler at 2:10. Not sure what to think about this game… most stats and betting sites have Butler as a slight favorite despite being the lower seed. On the other hand, Charles Barkley showed his bracket yesterday, and he has Arkansas going to the Elite Eight. I hope Sir Charles is right. He has more faith in my team than I do.

Arkansas’ game is focused on guard play with seniors Jaylen Barford, Daryl Macon, and Anton Beard. However, the Hog to watch is number 10, freshman center Daniel Gafford. Analysts are discussing him as a potential future NBA lottery pick. I just hope he doesn’t enter the draft this year. He needs at least one more college season to soak up every lesson Mike Anderson has for him.

Crawfish news: Regina’s Cajun Kitchen at 60 N. Main will have crawfish for $8.99 (I assume that’s a pound) today and tomorrow starting at 2 PM.

My “DAWG” John D is a subscriber to Loot Crate, and every month he gets a goodie box filled with T-shirts, sci-fi stuff, stuff to nerd out on. Well, yesterday I learned there is a similar subscription service called Snackcrate, where every month you get a box full of snacks. Snacks from a different country are featured each month. Hmmm I may have to try this. They have an Ireland Snackcrate on sale for $5 through Monday in celebration of St. Patrick’s Day.

Lansky Lucky Duck at the Peabody is hiring a Gift Shop Manager. Must be comfortable supervising others and be able to work a flexible schedule. High school graduate with supplemental courses in merchandising and business administration. Effective communicator, good at marketing and promotion, familiar with administrative and personnel management techniques. Email a cover letter and resume to sales@lanskybros.com. They will not accept applicants over the phone or by walk-in.

The Memphis Chamber has a great post on Meritan’s move Downtown.

The Grizzlies extended their losing streak to 19 last night at FedExForum.

Good seeing my buddy Josh last night. He was one of the managers at my original Downtown hangout Sleep Out Louie’s. He’s now the Assistant Director of Sports Information at Lane College. Glad to see him doing well.

Time to get to Max’s. I’ve got basketball to watch.

I didn’t repeat as trivia champion at the Blind Bear last night, but I did win Best Team Name for the second week in a row.

A major construction clustermess will happen in South Main today through January 2019. South Main between G.E. Patterson and St. Paul will be closed for Central Station construction. Wasn’t Central Station supposed to be done by now? And how are the trolleys going to turn around on the south end?

The MBJ has a slideshow of the newly renovated, soon to reopen Agave Maria.

FiveThirtyEight did a statistical analysis of the high seeds (in the top 8) most likely to be upset by lower seeds in the first round of the NCAA tournament today and tomorrow. I was sure Arkansas would play a starring role in the analysis, but they are seventh most likely to be upset, the model giving the Hogs a 52.7% chance of losing. Most likely to lose is 5 seed good ole West Virginny, 64.8% to fall to 12 Murray State.

The Redbirds are hosting a Family Fun Day at AutoZone Park Saturday, March 24 at 2 PM, culminating in a candy drop from a helicopter. There will be inflatables and games on the plaza, catch and wiffle ball on the field, kids run the bases, ball park tours, the Cardinals spring training game on the video board, chances to win prizes, and ticket specials.

The Brass Door will host the Fleet Feet Pub Run Tuesday, March 20 at 6:30. Join them for an easy 3-mile run around Downtown followed by a pint or three at the Door.

Memphis in May presents One Night in Prague at the Orpheum May 10, a celebration of the sounds and tastes of the Czech Republic. There will be food prepared by Czech chef Zdenek Pohlreich, traditional folk sounds of the Domazlice Bagpipe Band, and more music by the Epoque Quartet. Tickets are $18.

Felicia Suzanne Restaurant is hiring part-time servers and bartenders to work the patio during the busy warm months. Email theoffice@feliciasuzanne.com.

Affordable housing is being built near FedExForum at Danny Thomas and MLK Avenue.

South Main Sounds is back with a songwriter night this Friday at 7.

The Grizzlies host the Chicago Bulls at FedExForum tonight at 7.

Crosstown Brewing Co. is hosting Crawfish Sunday this Sunday from 1 to 4.

The Metal Museum has a foundry apprenticeship open. This is a two year gig that includes housing, insurance, a living stipend, and unlimited access to studio facilities. Applications are due by May 1.

Max’s Sports Bar will open at 11 today through Sunday for those looking to watch the NCAA tournament.

I got the 2018 team list updated on the BBQ team website. Don’t see your name there? PAY YO DUES!

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

Sometimes things just have a way of working themselves out. I will explain what I mean toward the end of this post.

I have always been curious about Ethiopian food, but trying it has just never worked out. I almost tried Abyssinia near Poplar and Hollywood a couple of times, but I was in that area during peak lunch rush and could never figure out the parking. Then Blue Nile Ethiopian Kitchen opened in Midtown, and my Sunday brunch friends Robyn and Kelly raved about it to me. “You have to try it. It is so good,” they said. When I got this unplanned 9-week vacation, I decided I would have to get out there one of these days. Of course that took the effort of getting dressed and driving the car, so I procrastinated for almost the entire nine weeks.

Monday night I told a lot of people, “Okay, I’m making it out to Blue Nile tomorrow.” I knew I would regret it if my time off ran out and I didn’t make it down there even once. And yet, when Tuesday morning rolled around, I was having one of those not-feeling-it days. I didn’t have the energy for a field trip. Sometimes you just need what’s familiar, and for me that is Bardog.

This morning I thought, “Tomorrow is Thursday food truck rodeo in Court Square and the NCAA tournament. Friday is the tournament again and Arkansas plays. It’s now or never today.” I got out of bed at 7:30, did my blog, did some BBQ team stuff, and was rarin’ to go to Blue Nile. So now it’s time for…

The Perjorie T. Roll Lunch Series

My troll and I hopped in the car about 10:50. I prefer to dine out for lunch either at 11 or at 1, missing the 11:30-12:30 peak hours where there are long lines and long waits for tables. Realizing that Blue Nile shares a parking lot with the super-popular Bar-B-Q Shop – they’re both on the north side of Madison between Auburndale and Idlewild – I thought, I better make it 11, because the parking lot was likely to be packed at 1.

I was the first customer there. Blue Nile Ethiopian Kitchen is a small place but there is ample table seating and seating at the bar. I took a bar stool and was handed an ice water and a menu. I noticed they have PBR in 12 ounce bottles, although I did not partake. On tap they have a selection of local and regional beers, including Wiseacre, Southern Prohibition, and others.

I had scoped out their menu online in advance, as I almost always do when I try a restaurant for the first time. I had been advised to order their combo plate, the Pick Four, where you can order whatever combination of wats (stews) and veggies and salads you desire. I started to order the Pick Four but was told they no longer had the Doro Wat, the savory chicken stew with boiled egg. That left me with only vegetarian wats from which to choose. Although I am not opposed to all-vegetarian meals, I did not want one for my first experience in the restaurant. So I abandoned the Pick Four idea.

Instead I ordered the Lamb Tibs, diced lamb sauteed in a blend of spices, onions, tomatoes and jalapenos. “Do you want that spicy or mild?” the server asked. Okay, I have learned to be careful here. I have ordered dishes spicy at Golden India and Bangkok Alley and have torched my tongue and my throat.

“How spicy is spicy?” I asked.

“Not very,” he said. “It’s got a kick to it, but it’s not too spicy.”

“Let’s do spicy then,” I said. I ordered collard greens and potatoes and carrots as my side.

Here’s a photo of my lunch. You’ll notice that the lamb, greens, and potatoes and carrots lay across a piece of injera, an Ethiopian bread that is porous on one side, good for soaking up the sauces and spices. They gave me a basket containing more injera.

I wasn’t exactly sure what to do. I had been told you eat with your hands at Ethiopian restaurants, using the injera to scoop up the meat and vegetables. However, the injera in the basket was far too soft to use as a scoop. After a couple of tries I gave up and started using the fork they provided.

As I ate, the owner (I believe that’s who it was) was sitting next to me at the bar and the news was on. We discussed the state of world affairs and worries that World War III could erupt, that world leaders are crazy these days and they all seem to be out for themselves and not for the people of their countries. It was a good conversation.

The flavor of the lamb tibs was very good, and the server was right, a little spicy but not overpowering. Different people, different cultures, have different ideas of what is spicy, he explained. The side dishes were very tasty too, and I was pleased with my decision to try Ethiopian cuisine. However, as I got part-ways into the meal, I realized ice water was not going to cut it as a beverage and asked for a Coke. It wasn’t the spiciness but I just needed something sugary to offset the savory flavor of my lunch.

As I got further into my lunch, I discovered the goodness of the injera sitting underneath my lunch. It had soaked up all the juices from my meats and vegetables and was absolutely the best part of my meal. I am so going to be looking forward to that next time I go back. And I am going to be looking for creative ways to use the injera in the basket next time I go back. Maybe next time I really will eat only with my hands.

In addition to lamb, they have beef, chicken, and tofu tibs on the menu, in the $11-13 range. They had a lunch special of salmon tibs today. They have vegetarian wats in the $11 range, and kabob platters for $9-12 and veggies and sides $4 each. This is not a place for vegetarians to worry they won’t be able to find anything to eat – in fact, both my friends Robyn and Kelly who recommended the place are vegetarians.

So you know how I said it’s funny how things work out sometimes? As I was paying my tab, the owner commented, “It may be slow in here today. We were closed the past three days for spring break.” If I hadn’t said, “Ah, screw it” and gone to Bardog yesterday, I would have wasted my time to drive all the way to Midtown to a closed restaurant.

If you’ve never tried Ethiopian, I recommend you give it a try at Blue Nile. By the way if there are people in your dining party who are just totally resistant to the thought of ethnic food, they do have cheeseburgers and lamb burgers. A great lunch experience and I regret having not got out there sooner.

Second post of the day, so if it’s your first visit keep reading…

Let’s start off with several food news items. The DMC tweeted some photos of newly opened Grecian Gourmet at 412 S. Main yesterday, including a photo of the menu.

It’s grand opening day for Grecian Gourmet at 412 South Main! They serve authentic Greek food including signature dips like Hummus, Fiery Feta & Baba Ghanoush with homemade pita chips! Support your new local eatery! #downtownmemphis #choose901 #eatlocal #southmain #bringyoursoul pic.twitter.com/QL7wbjzNTB

— Downtown Memphis (@DowntownMemphis) March 13, 2018

Ignite Memphis is coming back April 12, and this time it’s all about food. Ignite is a format in which speakers give 5-minute talks using 20 PowerPoint slides, which auto-advance every 15 seconds. “Inform us, but make it quick” is the idea. They are currently accepting submissions from those who would like to give a talk.

If you have gotten into the Girl Scout Cookie and beer pairings in recent years, today is your lucky day. Miss Cordelia’s will be doing pairings tonight at Food Truck Wednesday 5-8 PM.

The Dirty Crow Inn’s special this week is a Nathan’s hot dog wrapped in bacon and deep fried, then topped with Pancho’s cheese sauce and more bacon. Yum!

Next up… got a couple of events associated with one of Memphis’ great craft breweries, Memphis Made. On Monday, March 19 from to 6 to 9 PM, Memphis Made’s co-founder Andy will be at the Rec Room at 3000 Broad. He’ll be playing old-school Donkey Kong. Beat the brewer and walk away with Memphis Made prizes.

Enter your motorcycle in the Bike Show at Memphis Made on Saturday, April 14. Prizes will be awarded in all categories of bikes. There will also be a pinball tournament. $10 to enter a bike, free just to come be a spectator.

South of Beale and Shawn Gates of MyBlockMusic are establishing a new concert series called Music on Main. It kicks off March 31.

FiveThirtyEight has posted their NCAA bracket predictions for March Madness 2018. Mouse over any school and see their chances of reaching each stage of the tournament. Probabilities will be updated in real-time as game results come in. Sad to see that my Arkansas Razorbacks, the 7 seed in the South, are a 40% underdog to 10 seed Butler. I think that’s probably accurate, but still not happy. The Hogs may have drawn the worst opponent (worst in terms of likely to beat them) in the tournament relative to their seed.

Then again, it may not be the Hogs but 1 seed Kansas, facing off against 16 Penn. This is the best chance for a 16 to upset a 1 in a long time. Would be really cool to see an Ivy League school send the Big 12’s dominant force packing.

Memphis in May, in conjunction with Indie Memphis, has announced its Cinema of the Czech Republic Series that will be happening around town during the month of May.

Q&A time! I love it when a bar conversation starts up and I get to share knowledge, whether it’s where to go Downtown, web development, or tips on writing a blog! The question that came up this week, though, pertained to social media.

How do I know if a Facebook friend is hiding posts from me?

Been there, done that, got the T-shirt on that one, and the answer is counter-intuitive. Add them to your Close Friends list.

When you post on Facebook, you have options concerning visibility of posts. You can make the post Public, in which case anyone can see it. The other common option is Friends, in which case it will only appear on the news feed of people you’re friends with on Facebook. However, a less-often used option is Friends Except… where you can specify particular friends whom you don’t want to see the post.

When you add someone to your Close Friends list, you get a notification every time they post. Click through the notifications. If you see a “This post is not available, it may have been deleted or you may not have proper permission to view” and it is the first time you have seen that from this particular friend, I wouldn’t worry about it.

If it happens twice, I would start to get a little suspicious.

If it happens on a regular basis, they are hiding posts from you. And that doesn’t mean EVERY post. You may see all their posts for a week and a half before a ghost post appears. Then you see their posts for another week, then another ghost post. Then two weeks before another ghost pops up. This is still sufficient evidence they’re hiding posts from you.

What do you do about it? Well, you have options:

1. Confront them about it
2. Keep silent about it and see how long they’ll continue to hide posts, while pretending like everything is just hunky-dory
3. Move them from your Close Friends list to your Blocked list and don’t give them another thought

And now it’s time for…

The Perjorie T. Roll Lunch Series

For this, my last week Downtown before I begin a new job, my troll and I are hitting some of the best lunch spots in and near the area. Getting my lunch yesterday didn’t take a whole lot of effort.

Quintessential neighborhood bar Bardog Tavern opens at 8 AM on weekdays. During my time job hunting I tried not to go in there during the morning hours, wanting to be productive and available for phone calls and emails with recruiters. Now that I have the offer letter, though, there is absolutely no need for me to be productive! Well, I have been studying the client-side Javascript frameworks I will use in my new job, but I decided to call yesterday a true vacation day. I got to Bardog a few minutes before 10.

Melanie, the bartender, asked me if I wanted to order breakfast. I said no, wanting to see what kind of specials would get written on the board for lunch, which began at 11. So I nursed a PBR for an hour and the wait paid off… they had chicken enchiladas on special!

Now, keep in mind they probably won’t have chicken enchiladas today – the specials rotate daily. However, Bardog’s food is consistently well above average, and you’re always going to find something different on the special board. Could be Mexican, could be Cajun, could be Italian, could be a variation on sliders, could be a turkey sandwich on wheatberry. Follow the restaurant at @bardogtavern where they tweet their specials of the day. Of course, there’s plenty good on the regular menu too. I recommend the burger sliders, meatballs, deluxe grilled cheese with ham and bacon, and the Amazing Island Club sandwich in particular.

One note about Bardog during the cold months… might want to bring an extra layer of clothing. Their ceiling fan system does a great job sucking up cigarette smoke (yes, you can smoke inside there). However, it also creates a wind chill. In combination with the door opening frequently between the busy lunch hours of 11 and 1, it can get cold if you’re sitting near the door. I thought I could get away with just a T-shirt yesterday, given that it’s mid-March. Wrong! I had to keep my leather jacket zipped up.

Bardog is at 73 Monroe between Front and Main, across from the Shrine Building.

The troll and I are taking a road trip to Midtown today for lunch. I haven’t started the car in 6 days so it seems like a good and necessary idea. Unlike the other stops on the lunch series, this is not a favorite restaurant – although I suspect it will be in about three hours’ time. It’s not a favorite yet because I’ve never eaten there. However, it has been highly recommended by friends. Look for a post later today or tomorrow on that experience.

Today could be a big news day for University of Memphis basketball as Tubby Smith is set to meet with administrators following the end of the 2017-18 basketball season.

The 2018 Peabody rooftop party schedule has been announced. For those not familiar, every Thursday evening from April to August the Peabody has a party on its rooftop that is open to the public. There is a different band each week. Some of the bands on this year’s lineup include Star & Micey, Walrus, Party Planet, and Seeing Red. There’s also a DJ who performs between sets. Your admission fee also includes a buffet which has a different theme every week – Cajun, Italian, All-American, BBQ, etc. The rooftop parties are considered among the city’s top singles’ events, although they are not for singles only.

There’s also an option to buy a season-long VIP pass. This gets you in every rooftop party the entire season. There’s a special VIP-only area with a second buffet and VIP drink specials. Your VIP pass also gets you other perks like discounts at the Peabody restaurants and valet parking.

There will be a whiskey tasting at Belle Tavern on March 24 from 1:00 to 3:30. $75 (includes tax but not gratuity gets you

• 1 ounce pour of Exclusive Malts 23yr “Exclusive Blend” Single Malt Scotch
• 1 ounce pour of Exclusive Malts 13yr Single Malt Irish Whiskey
• 1 ounce pour of Ohishi Single Malt Sherry Cask Japanese whiskey (distilled entirely from rice)
• Heavy hors d’oeuvres perfectly paired with the whiskeys

All 3 whiskeys are among the seasonal top 10 picks by Whiskey Advocate.

The March meeting of the Downtown Neighborhood Association has been announced for March 27 at Grecian Gourmet Taverna, 412 S. Main, social at 6, program at 6:30. This month, there will be a “Meat the Eats” panel of local chefs, restaurant owners, and foodies. The panel will include

• Shawn Danko, chef/owner of Kooky Canuck
• Jobeth Graves, chef/owner of Grecian Gourmet
• Jeff Zepatos, owner of Arcade Restaurant
• Daniel Masters, chef/owner of Pontotoc Lounge and SIlly Goose
• Troy Black, BBQ pitmaster and cookbook author

The event is free for DNA members, $10 for non-members. If you want to sign up as a DNA member you can do that at the meeting.

The Moody Ques have received our acceptance packet into BBQ Fest! Our booth number is S-342, a few spots north from where we were last year. I will try to get a map posted this week.

Also, Moody Ques teammates, check your email. I sent out a message this morning about our team Meat & Greet which will happen Saturday, March 24 from 2 to 5 PM. This is a chance to everybody to get to know one another in a relaxed setting before BBQ Fest. Pitmaster Kris will bring a shoulder and there will be beer. You can bring your checkbook that day and pay dues if you want to avoid the online PayPal fee. Anyone potentially thinking about joining or sponsoring is welcome also – email moodyques@gmail.com and we’ll get you the info.

That’s it for now. I was planning a trip to Blue Nile for lunch but I think I will delay that for a day. Bardog seems to be calling my name. Back tomorrow with more news.

I have entered my final week off work! Big thanks to my friend Diamond Dave for emailing me a list of good places to get lunch in the area of Poplar and Kirby where I will be working. One thing I am super excited about: I will be within driving distance of Indian restaurants! I love Indian food but there wasn’t a good option at the last job. Go see Dave Wednesday nights at Belle Tavern to play British Bingo. They have great food, one of the best whiskey selections in town, craft cocktails, and PBR.

Wiseacre is having a Stout Fest to celebrate St. Pat’s this Saturday. They will have four versions of their imperial stout doctored up with special ingredients. At 2 and 3 there will be Cupcake Pairings in conjunction with Bea Sweet Bakery. $10 gets you a cupcake and your choice of stout.

There is now a GoFundMe where you can support Christopher Reyes, Sarah Fleming, and their two children in their fight to remain in their home at 1 S. Main. They have lived there for 25 years and a luxury hotel group is attempting to force them out.

The Uptown Porch Series, featuring live entertainment on the porches of Uptown, will happen this summer. Follow the Uptown Community Association on Facebook for more details to come. The series is funded by a grant from the Memphis Medical District Collaborative.

The 2018 NCAA March Madness bracket is out. As I feared, my Arkansas Razorbacks dropped to a 7 seed as a result of their horrible game vs. Tennessee in the SEC semifinals. They play 10-seed Butler Friday. That is about as bad a matchup as a 7 seed could ask for. In other basketball news, the Memphis Tigers failed to make the NIT bracket.

From WREG: Drunk spending is now a $30 billion industry

Now this sounds really cool: South Main Market at 409 S. Main is hosting the 1st Annual Butcher Board Festival on July 22. Your ticket gets you a butcher board and the opportunity to walk around and load up on local meats, pickled goods, sweets, fruit and cheeses, pairing them with wine, beer and cider.

The grand opening of The Grecian Gourmet is tomorrow 4-8 PM at 412 S. Main.

The Grecian Gourmet will provide appetizers for the monthly South Main Association meeting tomorrow at 456 Tennessee Street. 6 PM social, 6:30 presentation. Terry Woodard will present her new gallery, Calliope. Fred Burton, retired Memphis College of Art professor, will speak about his upcoming exhibit, “Hungry Eyes.” Deborah Edge will talk about her new gallery at 509 S. Main, formerly Red Velvet. Wine will be provided by SMA. Free for members, $10 non-members.

And now it’s time for…

The Perjorie T. Roll Lunch Series

In my last week before I go to work in Germantown, my troll and I are hitting our favorite lunch spots one last time. Yesterday we went to Blues City Cafe. It’s easy to overlook Beale Street, but Blues City has really good food. While known for their ribs, I decided to get two appetizers.

You can’t go wrong with one of Blues City’s signature dishes, tamales with a cup of chili. Another great example of comfort food in Downtown Memphis.

I also got their Seafood Au Gratin. Although not as famous as their ribs and tamales, it is one of my favorite dishes at Blues City. Crab meat, shrimp and crawfish in a cream sauce topped with mozzarella – does it get more indulgent than that? You get buttery garlic croutons for dipping. So good.

Close-up of the troll

Technically, I wasn’t in Blues City, the restaurant itself. I was in George Paul’s Last Call, the bar behind the restaurant with an entrance on Second Street. They have a great beer selection including 16-ounce cans of PBR, one of which I had with my lunch.

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

Going to do another free-form post like the one yesterday, with some more Q&A from discussions I have had recently. I am going to let this one get a bit raunchy; not too much but let’s just say it’s rated PG-13.

For those who want to skip directly to the news section of this post, you can do so here. I have a pretty interesting news story today, so don’t miss it.

First off, I have a question for my female readers, arising from recent discussions I have had about Paula & Raiford’s and other nightclubs: I know many women prefer men to be several inches taller. Does this apply to dancing as well as in general? I’m not talking about dancing with a platonic guy friend just to have a plus-one on the dance floor. I’m talking about a case where there’s mutual attraction and things are starting to heat up.

I’m 5’8″. I prefer dancing with a woman who’s 5’7″ or 5’9″ to one who is 5’0″. The reason is simple – body parts line up and all sorts of interesting things can happen. So yeah, I prefer women around the same height as me. That’s just a preference though. It’s not like I would tell a petite woman she’s too short.

Just curious how women who go out to clubs perceive dancing and height differences.

The subject of dancing brings me to another discussion topic that came up recently.

Old Raiford’s or New Raiford’s?

A little history for those not familiar: The original location at Mulberry and Vance was opened by Hollywood Raiford in 1975. It remained open until 2007. Following that it was opened by other people as Hollywood Disco for a couple of years and is now vacant.

The new location was opened by Raiford and his daughter in 2009 at 14 S. Second. Raiford has passed on but Paula still operates the club, and based on lines to get in I have seen recently, it’s stronger than ever.

The new location has a much bigger dance floor. The capacity is greater. It has a full bar. There are multiple VIP areas. The ceiling is much higher so the smoke from the fog machine is less stifling. In many ways the new location far exceeds the old one.

And yet I will tell you a story that explains why I miss the original Raiford’s. In spring 2010, about six months after the new location opened, I was out there with a female friend. We were out on the dance floor, dancing all sexy especially to the slower stuff by Prince and Al Green and Clarence Carter.

Three days later, I was at Bardog for happy hour. Two women sitting a few seats down commented to me, “We saw you having some fun out on the dance floor Saturday night. You was getting it witcho girl out there. Did you get you some that night?”

(For the record, I didn’t.)

The thing is, that kind of commentary NEVER happened regarding matters at the original location. At the new location, the dance floor is in the center of the room and is visible to nearly the entire club. So, if you’re dancing, dozens of people if not hundreds are looking at you. Whereas, at the old location, the dance floor was small and in the very back, and was obscured by the fog machine as well. The only people who could see you dance were the other people on the floor (who were busy doing their own thing) and maybe the people on the couch to the side. Also, there was an unwritten rule that you just didn’t discuss what you saw there, outside of there.

It didn’t bother me that they asked, but what I worried about is that similar comments could have been made to the woman I was dancing with, making her hesitant to get back out on the dance floor on her next visit. Women tend to think about that stuff more than men do. What if my friends see me? My co-workers? What if people think I’m a slut just because I like to have a little fun when I’m dancing? What if someone takes a photo of me dancing and posts it on Facebook?

I commented to a friend of mine, “Women let men get away with more on the dance floor when they feel like people aren’t watching.”

She replied, “That’s definitely true.”

Any good stories about the old Raiford’s?

Well, let’s see… not going to go into detail here but I will touch on a few stories briefly.

There was the time I met a woman on the dance floor and we started making out. After about 20 minutes of kissing, I discovered she was wearing a wedding ring. I’d been kissing someone’s wife! I got the hell out of there as quick as I could. She invited me to come visit her at work (rather than give me an email address or phone number) but needless to say I never did.

There was a time I was dancing with a woman and she squatted down on her knees and BIT me. Yes, there. Yes, it hurt.

The first two years I went to Raiford’s, I was still teaching at the University of Memphis. I hooked up with a few former students as a result of running into each other at the club. That was fun.

That brings me to another question people ask.

Did you ever have awkward moments with current students at the old Raiford’s or elsewhere?

I first started going to Raiford’s in 1997. I taught at the University of Memphis until 1999. So the two eras did overlap. Yes, twice something like that happened. I was out on the dance floor and women who were currently in classes I was teaching came up and started dancing with me.

In one case I gently placed my hands on the student’s shoulders and pushed back. “We can’t do this. I’m your teacher. I give you a grade.”

She replied, “You’re right. I’m sorry, I’m a little drunk.” She stepped away and the matter was never brought up again.

The second woman was a little more persistent. When I backed away, she stepped forward and closed the gap. She whispered in my ear “no one has to know” and kissed me on the cheek.

True, no one has to know, and as far as I knew the university did not have an official policy about instructors fraternizing with students. Still, common sense dictated that this was a bad, bad, bad, bad, bad idea. The chances that someone in the club would recognize both of us and know that she was my student were low, but they were not zero. I told her, “I’m sorry, but it’s not going to happen.” I was tempted to say, “But come find me after the semester’s over” but decided even that was a bad idea.

The most awkward moment, though, happened on campus. One day in spring 1998 I was taking a walk around campus and one of my Computer Literacy students came bouncing up to me. She was a solid A student and very much a free spirit. She was also blessed by Mother Nature in particular areas… to put it another way, she had big boobs. “Paul, guess what I did this weekend,” she said.

“I don’t know… what?”

“I got my nipples pierced,” she replied. She proceeded to spend the next 5 minutes telling me about the tattoo shop where she had it done, the sensation of getting pierced, the types of piercings she had put in, what she had to do after the procedure to help them heal. It was a  bit awkward but I always encouraged my students to open up to me and let me get to know them on a personal level. It’s just that this particular student’s passion happened to be piercings.

I don’t think she was trying to angle for a higher grade. Like I said, she already had a solid A average, and Computer Literacy is a ridiculously easy class. Nor do I think she was hitting on me. I just got the sense she was a free spirit, open about her sexuality, and she saw me more as a peer than an authority figure, a fellow free spirit she could be herself around.

But then she smiled and said the thing that made it really awkward:

“I’ll show them to you sometime.”

Don’t get me wrong, I really, really, really wanted to see them. But I knew it was a really bad idea. It certainly couldn’t happen while she was still in my class. And even after that, it couldn’t happen on campus. For the remainder of the semester, I avoided situations where she and I were alone in a room. Now, if we ran into each other off-campus after the teacher-student relationship was over, that was a different matter. Unfortunately it never happened.

The luck of the troll runs out

I took my little troll in my pocket on both interviews I had two weeks ago. When I got the call from the recruiter saying I had been offered the job, the troll was standing on the bar in front of me at the Silly Goose. She definitely brought me good luck.

I decided to watch the Memphis-Cincinnati and Arkansas-Tennessee games at the Blind Bear yesterday. I got the troll out and stood her on the bar. For the first half she seemed to bring the same kind of luck she brought to my job hunt. The Tigers were leading 42-29 at halftime, over a top ten team in the country. They were looking like a team who could not only beat Cincy, but prevail in the finals to win a most-unlikely NCAA tournament berth.

Then it all fell apart. In the second half, they mostly looked like the same bumbling team that lost to USF by 24. They looked like a team who didn’t even deserve to be in the NIT. No amount of luck conveyed by the troll could help them.

(I will mention one positive though: Up until two games ago I did not know who any of the Tigers players were. However, I sure do know who Kyvon Davenport is now, though. I hope he doesn’t transfer over the summer. I would enjoy watching him next season.)

At least Memphis looked good for a while. Arkansas looked like an utter disaster at every stage of their game. They were a projected 6 seed as of yesterday but if they got knocked down to 7 I wouldn’t blame the committee.

I considered watching the game at Max’s Sports Bar but was afraid I would lash out at some people I care about deeply and consider part of my extended Downtown family. I have (regrettably) lashed out several times at them the past two years and they don’t understand why. I wish they would ask. That’s a big part of the problem. They have heard lies about me, or at least I have strong reason to believe they have. They need to hear the truth from me.

So today I’m in the unenviable position of having to root for a John Calipari team. Ugh, but under no circumstances will I root for the Vols at this point.

On to the news…

So, about that interesting news item I teased at the beginning of the post. Yesterday a friend told me there’s a new private club at the southeast corner of Second and Vance. I did a little research and found that it is called Century House and it is in the historic 20th Century Fox Pictures Building on Film Row. The building has a 1930s Art Deco theme but modern amenities. There are four opportunities for membership: Creatives, Internationals, House (combination of the former two), and Travelers. Benefits include a speaker series, office space, meeting space, a jazz brunch, a cocktail series, guest passes, a screening room, and more. The club launched on March 1.

I want to check this out and learn more… I was a member of a private club in the Toyota Center 2003-04 and it was a very cool experience. Reading the categories, I thought “I wonder if I would qualify as a Creative” and then I remembered, oh yeah, this blog that I’m typing right here, that I’ve been doing for 14 years and that won the Flyer poll 4 times, would very possibly qualify me. Maybe I will look into it. On the other hand private clubs usually have dress codes and following dress codes is not my strong suit. We shall see.

Selection Sunday, revealing the brackets for the 2018 NCAA men’s basketball tournament, will be on TBS at 5 today. However, the Selection Sunday Memphians might be more interested in is the one at 7:30 on ESPNU, revealing the 32-team bracket for the NIT. With a late-season run, a victory over USF to partly erase memories of the bad loss, an upset of Tulsa, and a solid first half against Cincinnati, the Tigers might be able to grab a 7 or 8 seed in the NIT.

Imagine reading that last sentence five or six years ago.

The Memphis Flyer has an article about Soi Number 9, the Thai street food truck which was the subject of the second installment of the Perjorie T. Roll Lunch Series last week. The article discusses the rice and noodle dishes and the origins of the school bus.

The same article has news on the new food truck New Wing Order will be rolling out later this year. New Wing Order won first at the Southern Hot Wing Fest in 2015 and 2017. Memphis Buffalo sandwich, BBQ nachos with a white Alabama sauce, hot wing nachos… this truck sounds destined for success.

Max’s Sports Bar will host Car Bomb Madness Saturday, March 17. Celebrate St. Pat’s with $3.50 car bombs and $1.50 Jello shots. Of course, the NCAA tournament will be on.

Today from noon to 6 is Soulful Food Truck Sunday at Clayborn Temple. 28 unique vendors on site including a cigar truck and a game truck. Local beer and wine will be for sale too. Live entertainment by Courtney Little 1:00-1:45, Stefanie Bolton 2:45-3:45, and Jerome Chism 4:45-5:30. They will provide the chairs so no need to bring your own. This is a rain or shine event.

Well, isn’t this interesting!

NEW: Trump is reportedly looking to bring an impeachment lawyer onto his legal team https://t.co/0EZGsEdhXx

— Caroline O. (@RVAwonk) March 10, 2018

Now, now, let’s not read too much into this. Who hasn’t thought about getting an impeachment lawyer at some point in their life? I remember that time in 2005 when I considered getting an impeachment lawyer but ended up getting a NERF basketball and hoop instead.

It’s my last Sunday without a Monday workday behind it for quite some time. I stayed out until 3 last Sunday and had a great time – the crowd that comes up to the Blind Bear Sunday late night is so much fun. I plan on doing it again tonight.

I have TV to watch tonight as well (on my phone): The superstars of Smackdown compete in WWE Fastlane. I’ll make one prediction: AJ Styles will retain the WWE World Championship in a defense against 5 challengers. After the match, John Cena will be interviewed about not finding a way onto the WrestleMania card for the first time in over a decade. Then the lights will go out, the gong will go off, and Undertaker will make his way to the ring, look at Cena, and point to the WrestleMania sign.

All right, enough typing. Back tomorrow (probably) with a more traditional news post.

I don’t have a lot of news today so I’m going to do things a little differently. I’m going to hold a Q&A, answering a couple of questions I’ve been asked recently, then I will do the lunch series and share what news I have.

Did you file for unemployment after you were laid off?

 

No. Let me explain my philosophy on that.

I believe in letting the right job come to me. That takes some time. I read a lot of job descriptions and immediately can tell they’re not a good fit. I don’t want to waste time applying for those. But when you’re receiving unemployment benefits, you have to. What if one of those resulted in an offer? I could end up somewhere I didn’t like, and there’s nothing worse than being miserable 40 hours a week.

Also, while I was job hunting there tended to be 1-2 days a week when I just said, “screw this, I don’t feel like dealing with this today” and went to Bardog. I would have felt terrible about doing that if I had been receiving government money.

Not that there’s anything wrong with unemployment benefits. They are a necessary and valuable safety net. It’s just that not tapping into them gave me options.

What’s your take on the possibility of Penny Hardaway replacing Tubby Smith as head coach of Memphis Tigers men’s basketball?

I’ve done a total 180 on this. I used to think this was a really stupid idea. Now I am for it. Let me explain why.

I want to see my friends who bartend on Beale Street make bank before and after Tiger games. I want to see my friends who own Majestic Grille, Kooky Canuck, Silly Goose, Blind Bear, etc. prosper on Tiger game nights. That’s not going to happen if the Tigers are drawing 1500 fans to an 18,000 seat arena.

I want to see Max prosper because his sports bar is packed to the gills with people who wouldn’t dare miss a Tigers away game on TV. That’s not going to happen with Memphis fielding teams for whom “might get invited to the NIT” is considered a happy ending to the season.

Tubby is not going to turn around the attendance problem. Also, I don’t see anyone with head coaching experience at a major basketball program wanting to come here and inherit this attendance mess. Penny, on the other hand, will sell tickets. He will put butts in seats. My friends and their businesses will prosper with Penny in the coaching box. The U of M is not likely to miss out on a payday from the Grizzlies for failure to meet attendance milestones with Penny as HC.

I believe Penny would recruit as well as Josh Pastner did. He has connections to AAU programs all over the country, so he already knows the kids and they know him. They also know they have a better chance of getting to the NBA if they follow the guidance of someone who has been there and was a star there. So yeah, I can see Hardaway reeling in 3-, 4-, and maybe even 5-star recruits, players on the level of Joe Jackson and Shaq Goodwin and Chris Crawford. Based on raw talent alone, even if it turns out Penny can’t coach worth a lick, that should get Memphis in the 21-23 win range.

I also think Penny’s presence might allow Memphis to strengthen its nonconference schedule a bit. Perhaps we could replace Samford with one of the better A-10 schools on the December schedule.

I also think Penny is smart and self-aware enough to realize the aspects of coaching in which he is deficient, where many coaches are not, and he would take steps to cover those deficiencies with strong assistant coaches. If he can get someone like Larry Brown who has won NCAA and NBA titles to be lead assistant and be the X’s and O’s guy, that’s awesome. (I’d want the compliance office to keep Brown on an extremely short leash, though. By the way, that’s another advantage to Penny. You know he would run a clean program. And he knows AAU well so shady AAU figures would not be able to push him around.)

Do I think Penny could coach a team to 27-8, runner-up in the American Conference, and a Sweet 16 appearance in three years’ time? Not sure. But can you name me any other coach who could do it who would reasonably want to come here? And do you seriously think Tubby would do it if given three more years?

I have to say that I do hate this for Tubby. He is a genuinely good man. He just didn’t connect in a deep way with Memphians and Memphis players the way Dana Kirk, Larry Finch, and (I hate to say it) John Calipari did. I think he wanted to, but he just didn’t know how to do that while staying true to his systems and values. I think it’s time to pay him $9 million and let him move on. Tubby has a great legacy and more years at Memphis would just tarnish that legacy.

The Perjorie T. Roll Lunch Series

I didn’t know if I’d have time to fit in an installment of the lunch series yesterday, but then I remembered that Court House Deli, practically downstairs from me, opens at 11, plenty of time to get lunch before my 12:15 haircut appointment.

Court House is a place I never think to blog about, because I eat there so often that I take it for granted. However, this is a farewell tour of my favorite lunch spots, and Court House more than qualifies to be a stop. They have five Cajun soups – crawfish etoufee, gumbo, jambalaya, red beans and rice, and Cajun chili. They also have great burgers, the patties prepared in advance to get you in and out of there quickly. They have sandwiches and salads as well, and chips and brownies. I ordered the red beans and rice to take home. I always get it “fully loaded,” topped with cheese, onions, and jalapenos.

Note: The soup can in the background was not part of the purchase; it’s just the only suitable-height object I could find for the troll to stand on. Thankfully, the background blurred so you can’t tell how bad I need to vacuum.

The fully loaded red beans & rice is comfort food. Not as snazzy as dining across the street at Felicia’s but it isn’t supposed to be. Inexpensive, filling, good, and you can get in and out quickly if you’re on a lunch break.

My troll normally likes foods that are the same color as her hair, but jalapenos are an exception, and therefore she wouldn’t touch with the red beans and rice. However, the red beans and rice come with a side of troll-sized oyster crackers.

If you don’t want your oyster crackers, one thing you can do is to take them over to Court Square and set them free, to be enjoyed by squirrels and pigeons.

“Fully loaded” is good with the Cajun chili too.

It amazes me how many Downtowners have never been to Court House Deli. You’re missing out! It’s on the Main Street Mall between Madison and Monroe, and its hours are 11-3 Monday-Friday.

On to the news…

Let’s go Tigers! #5 Memphis upset #4 Tulsa yesterday to advance to the semifinals of the AAC tournament today. The Tigers play top-seeded Cincinnati. Not only is a trip to the final round on the line, but probably an NIT berth and Tubby’s job are as well. The game will be on CBS as noon.

Over in SEC action, my Arkansas Razorbacks upset higher-seeded Florida to advance to the semis today. They host Tennessee at 2 on ESPN. The Hogs hold a regular-season overtime win against the Vols, and nothing would be sweeter than to send the SEC’s douchiest team packing from the conference tournament while possibly also taking away their 3 seed in the NCAAs. I guess Max’s will have one less customer dressed as an orange Bozo the Clown than most years… oh well at least we can turn on Fox News if we want to see an orange Bozo the Clown.

The Grizzlies lost their 16th straight game last night.

Fleet Foxes play the Cannon Center tonight at 8.

Today is Mario Day and for the next week you can turn Google Maps into Mario Kart.

I got an email yesterday that made me smile. Wouldn’t be prudent to say more, though.

That’s it for now. With my “DAWG” John D enjoying some time in Portland, I am going to skip Bardog today and lead off at D-RANKS with B-RAD at Blind Bear. Back tomorrow with more news.

 

Longtime readers may have caught something in that title.

Many times I have titled previous posts “Important PBR news.” Note the different wording this time. That’s because my news is not about Blue Ribbon. Did you know Pabst makes other beers as well?

The Brass Door will have Pabst American Pale Ale for sale at the pocket park across the street for its St. Patrick’s Day shindig. There will be live music in the park all afternoon as well as stuff for kids. Also, it’s very cool that they’re doing a soccer and rugby skills contest benefiting Inner City Rugby. I’m very happy to see this and other efforts to make sports accessible to all kids of Memphis, regardless of family income.

With another week off and no need to job-hunt anymore, I wandered down to “my home away from home on the south side,” Max’s Sports Bar, yesterday to watch the Memphis Tigers eke out a win over USF in the first round of the AAC tournament. The Tigers play Tulsa today in the quarterfinals at 1. An upset win would put the Tigers at 21-12 and knocking on the door of an NIT bid.

Because the game started late, it was just after 4 when I left Max’s. As I walked up Main heading back to the Downtown core, I realized Civil Pour was open. Civil Pour is the small bar opened by Daniel Masters (Silly Goose/Pontotoc Lounge) in The South Main Market food hall and event space at 409 S. Main. Despite having only been open a few minutes yesterday, three of the seven bar seats were already taken, a good sign. I pulled up a stool and introduced myself to Nick, the bartender. I knew who he was because his reputation preceded him. Everyone I know who has been to Civil Pour has raved about what a great bartender he is and what quality cocktails he pours.

The refrigerator was stocked full of PBR in 16 ounce cans. “Normally I’m a PBR guy,” I told Nick. “Heck, it wouldn’t be a stretch to say I’m THE PBR guy. But that’s not the reason I came here today. I want a cocktail. What do you recommend?”

Nick pointed to a chalkboard hanging in the window. “Well, we’re about to change out our cocktail menu. These are our winter drinks. We’re about to change them out for the spring menu. Do you want something for the current menu, or do you want to preview something I’m working on for the spring?”

Reasoning that I will be back to try the spring menu after it rolls out, I decided to stick with the winter menu, and requested whichever drink was the most popular. “That’s the Wintersprung,” said Nick. “It’s made with rye, pink peppercorn, and cynar.” I had never heard of cynar before.

The drink was delicious and I was delighted I gave the place a try. Nick was a good conversationalist and I also got to meet Justin, who is a partner in the food hall and is involved with Civil Pour as well. The food hall is a friendly, welcoming place. Also, Justin and Nick both liked my troll a lot.

In other news about the food hall at 409, Wok’n in Memphis will have a pop-up lunch buffet there tomorrow.

On the walk back, I saw a late-model Camry with a custom landau roof. Someone spent good money to make their Camry look like a 1978 Ford LTD.

On to other news… Chandler Parsons hat to the first 5000 fans in FedExForum tonight for the Grizz vs. the Jazz. 7 PM tip.

First 5,000 fans to arrive at FedexForum for Grizzlies vs. Jazz tommorrow night will receive this cool but kinda creepy Chandler Parsons hat. pic.twitter.com/At1T7Aw7jK

— Devin Walker (@Devin_Walker5) March 8, 2018

I wonder if “25” is on the hat because that’s the number he wears on the court, or because that’s approximately the number of millions the Grizzlies pay him per year?

Here’s a video of the history of the Cossitt Library. The library is one of the assets of The Fourth Bluff and is being re-done as a community hub.

The Beale Street St. Patrick’s Day Parade has been set for 3 PM on Saturday the 17th. This event is kid-friendly and there will be plenty of opportunities to catch beads and candy. Look alive, though, because you might get hit in the head with a cabbage (I’m really being serious here). As usual, I will be standing outside the King’s Palace Cafe Tap Room (or possibly inside the Tap Room drinking a PBR).

By the way, if you look at the archives, I announced several days in advance that I would be standing outside the King’s Palace Tap Room for the March 2017 parade… it was a decision made well ahead of time… not one made at the spur of the moment, although the flying monkeys tried to spin it that way. Glad there will be one less flying monkey at this year’s parade.

Club 152 will be celebrating St. Patrick’s Day with a number of specials: $5 Jameson Caskmates IPA, $5 Jameson Irish Whiskey, $5 Guinness, $5 green beer, $8 car bombs. Live music all day by Sean “Bad” Apple, Bonfire Orchestra, Bluff City Bandits, DJ Ron, and DJ Dnyce.

News story to keep an eye on: British PM Theresa May is threatening retaliatory action against Russia if it is proved that Vlad Putin was behind a poisoned spy attack on British soil. This could include a NATO build-up in eastern Europe. Yikes, I hope this isn’t a precursor to World War III.

Start Co. is having a happy hour at the Silly Goose beer garden at 5:30 PM on March 22. Anyone interested in the Memphis entrepreneurial, tech, or creative scene is welcome to come out and attend.

Fair warning: Any Downtown business that posts “come celebrate the end of Daylight Saving Time with us Sunday” is gonna get publicly shamed on this blog. Daylight Saving Time BEGINS Sunday and it will be time to spring forward. The sun will be setting a few minutes after 7 after the changeover.

YOGA! Downtown Yoga will host a workshop called How to Change Your Destiny from 1:30 to 5 PM tomorrow. The workshop, led by Sarla Nichols, will explore the relationship between quantum physics, yoga and meditation. They will study the concept that where you place your attention is where you put your energy, and what happens when you focus on one specific part of the body.

You know who else was a big believer on focusing on one part of the body? Arn Anderson.

Question on Facebook this morning: Which four Memphis wrestlers would you take with you to invade the WWE? My answer: Flex Kavana, Eddie Gilbert, Tojo Yamamoto, and of course the King.

Nothing to do this morning until a 12:15 haircut appointment, so I guess I’ll work through an AngularJS tutorial to pass the time. By the way if anyone is looking for a stylist, my neighbor Beckii at Rachel’s Salon at 10 N. Main does excellent work.

After that, I have a decision to make. The Tigers play Tulsa at 1 on ESPN2. Normally I would head to Max’s Sports Bar to watch that game… but, if I get the haircut finished 12:45ish, that won’t leave me time to walk down there before the game starts. Given that the game is on a normal cable channel and doesn’t require some kind of sports package, I could watch it at Bardog which is easily walkable in time for tip-off. Maybe I’ll do that then come down to Max’s this evening to watch my Hogs take on Florida in the SEC tournament.

Can you tell by the tone of these last four posts that I’m in a much better place than in recent weeks? No more recruiters to talk to, no more interviews to go on, no more skills tests to prepare for. I’m free to enjoy the remainder of my time off as I see fit.

That’s it for now. Due to the haircut and the game I may have to take a day off from the lunch series. Back tomorrow with more news.

 

Welcome to the second installment of the Perjorie T. Roll Lunch Series. Having accepted a new job in Germantown that I start a week from Monday, my troll and I are embarking on a farewell tour of our favorite Downtown lunch spots.

Thursdays are special days for lunch Downtown, as 10 to 20 food trucks gather in and around Court Square, selling their food to the public from 11 to 2. I walked over there at 11, determined to try a food truck I had never tried before. Thai street food sounded good, so I walked up to the Soi Number 9 truck. I have followed the truck on Twitter for several months and their food always looks yummy when they post photos.

As you can see, the Soi Number 9 food truck is actually not a truck at all, but a bus converted for cooking purposes.

The truck offers a small menu of authentic Thai street food. I ordered the Basil Chicken, which I took home to share with my troll.

The troll prefers to be standing next to the food in photos, but due to the height and shape of the box it just wasn’t possible this time. By the way, I noticed something… in all the times I have dined out with the troll, she has never once offered to pay. It’s always me that pays. What’s up with that?

The ground chicken dish was very good with just a hint of spice. They gave me a packet of soy sauce but I decided not to use it because it didn’t seem like it would work with the flavor of the food. I’m not normally an egg person but the fried egg on top of this dish was great.

You can read more about Soi Number 9 on a review my friend Michael Butler did for the I Love Memphis Blog back in November. I would definitely recommend this truck if you’re hungry for some authentic Asian food.

This is my second post today, so if it’s your first visit today keep scrolling down for lots of Thursday news.