Paul Ryburn's Journal

My adventures in dining continued yesterday on my lunch hour, and this one was so good I’m not going to wait until the end of my post like I usually do. (Skip past it to On to the news… if you don’t care what I had for lunch – got news on a Downtown grocery store!)

When I taught at the University of Memphis, I was not yet a Downtowner. Heck, I couldn’t afford to live Downtown on the paltry salary they paid. I lived in a high-rise not far from the intersection of Madison and McLean. The bar around the corner was Neil’s, where my friends and I often went to hear live music and play pool. I also discovered that they had an unusually good food menu.

Eventually I moved away from Midtown, and Neil’s burned down and its successor, Neil’s Music Room, opened out east at Quince and 240. I was looking at Google Maps to find new lunch places within a short drive from work… and yesterday, everything old was new again. I made a nice, easy drive to Neil’s and grabbed a seat at the bar. The menu was much as I remembered, and I ordered my favorite from the old days – Neil’s World Famous Chili Burger.

You can get any of the usual burger toppings, and I ordered it the way I usually order a burger – everything but ketchup and tomato. The bartender asked if I wanted cheese, and of course I did. I got a side of tots. As you can see, they simply make the burger, then put it in a bowl and cover it in chili. When my burger appeared on the kitchen window, the bartender sent it back and it came out again about 2 minutes later. “They didn’t put enough chili on there for my taste,” the bartender commented. This definitely isn’t a burger you eat with your hands! Knife and fork are a must.

I’ll give you a little bonus tidbit of information. Neil’s has meat and two/meat and three/veggie plate offerings weekdays for lunch. The meat and two is only $6.95, two to four dollars cheaper than the meat-and-two places I’ve been frequenting in hoity-toity Germantown. Plus, you get a bigger plate of food, based on what I saw coming out for a couple of bar customers sitting nearby. On Wednesdays they have chicken fried steak!!! Can’t wait to try that, although it won’t be today because of an important errand I have to run (you’ll find out in tomorrow’s post what that errand is).

On to the news…

Tom Archer, owner of Archer Custom Builders, plans to open a grocery store in a building he owns at 136 Webster, a block off South Main. He will try to get one of the chains to come in but if not, he will open a grocery himself.

Downtown Memphis Commission’s Open on Main project has announced the opening of its first pop-up shop. They have 12 different local vendors selling artwork, pottery, pillows, apparel, soaps, and furniture. The shop is located at 147 S. Main. A second pop-up shop, Edge on Main coffee bar, is coming soon.

Congratulations to J.B. Bickerstaff on having “interim” removed from his title as Grizzlies head coach. We’ll see what he can do next season with a healthy roster and a top-five draft pick.

It’s All-Inclusive Night at the Redbirds. All Club Level, Dugout, and Field Box tickets purchased through this link are $20 and include free hot dogs, hamburgers, fries, chips and cheese, popcorn, and small fountain sodas. First pitch is 6:35.

The Memphis Flyer has lots of photos from Beale Street Wine Race last Sunday.

Wine-0-1 is the theme at the Master Taster’s Club at the Peabody Corner Bar tonight from 5:30 to 7. The tasting will feature sommeliers from the 901. The event is $25 to attend. If you want to stick around after the event, from 7 to 9 they’ll have $5 specials on this month’s Master Taster’s Club wines and half-off appetizers.

YOGA! For the month of May, bring a friend to Downtown Yoga and get a credit for $10 off your next purchase. You can earn up to $50 in credits bringing friends.

Pro wrestling news: Glenn Jacobs, known as Kane in WWE, won the Republican primary for the mayorship of Knox County, Tennessee yesterday. His storyline brother The Undertaker made appearances on his behalf leading up to the election.

FedExForum will have the Toyota Garage open for Music Fest parking. The cost is $10 per car and the hours are 3:30 PM-12:30 AM Friday, 7:00 PM-12 AM Saturday (opening late due to University of Memphis graduation), 11:00 AM-11:00 PM Sunday.

That’s it for now. Back tomorrow with more news and probably a photo or two.

Relatively quiet news day, but here’s what I got…

Mud Island is going to the dogs. Thanks to a sponsorship by Hollywood Feed, A $475,000 dog park is being constructed at the corner of Island Drive and A.W. Willis.

Chef Gary Williams of DeJaVu is back cooking at his original location at 936 Florida just south of Downtown. The new restaurant is called Krewe of DeJaVu, and while Williams is not the owner, his signature touch will be all over the restaurant and its food.

The new owners of the Gibson Guitar building will be partnering with the Orgel family to revitalize the building.

The CA has 5 things you need to know for Music Fest this coming weekend. I’ll add another: Buy a disposable poncho. Most of the gift shops on Beale sell these.

The Redbirds host Oklahoma City tonight at 6:35. It’s Dollar Dog Night with $1 hot dogs courtesy of Polk’s Meat Products.

Prior to their May 15 concert at the Orpheum, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame member Chicago will get its star on the Walk of Fame in front of the Orpheum. The ceremony will start at 5 PM and is free for the public to attend. Memphis Convention & Visitors Bureau CEO Kevin Kane will be among the speakers.

Explore Bike Share has announced a system launch date of Wednesday, May 23. There will be a celebration at 9:30 that morning in Court Square.

And that’s a wrap. Back tomorrow with more.

I gave in to temptation. I just couldn’t be at Beale Street Wine Race and not have a Call-a-Cab. For those not familiar with this drink, it is a daiquiri sold at Wet Willie’s made with 4 ingredients: Ice, strawberry Kool-Aid, cherry Kool-Aid, and 190-proof PGA. The effects of these things are devastating, the Large size having nearly the alcohol content of nearly a six-pack of beer. This is definitely not a drink to mess around with when you are driving.

Before the Queen of the Vine pageant, I commented, “The Tin Roof’s entrant is going to win. She’s got classy and sexy going on at the same time. That’s what the judges look for.” Sure enough, she won.

Tin Roof also took first in the Grape Stomp, with Zebra Lounge coming in second.

For the wine relay, Huey’s took first, followed by Lafayette’s Music Room, The Blue Monkey, and Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse. Congratulations to all the winners!

Thanks to the Call-a-Cab, the same thing happened that happens every year… not long after the wine relay started, I was so tired and hungry that I wanted to leave. My troll and I went to George Paul’s Last Call, the back bar of Blues City Cafe on Second Street. We ordered the skillet shrimp and a big bowl of turnip greens.

The shrimp can be made Cajun garlic broiled, BBQ style, or golden fried. I got them Cajun style. Just what I need to get my second wind. Excellent as always. Of course, a 16 ounce PBR rounded out my meal.

Speaking of PBR… I got some BBQ team business done at Wine Race. Saturday when I was down in Southaven, our team treasurer mentioned that she had looked at team koozies but hadn’t ordered them. Yesterday morning I realized, those would be really good to have. I drink PBR in cans or bottles at Blind Bear, Silly Goose, Belle Tavern, Majestic Grille, Pontotoc Lounge, and Earnestine & Hazel’s. Wrapping those cans or bottles in a Moody Ques koozie would be great advertising for the team and would very likely lead to me recruiting members and maybe even sponsors. So I talked to our team vice-president at Wine Race and he said he’d look into it. He found a site that had a 20% discount for the month of April and put in an order. We’re gonna have koozies!

I’d like to give a Corporate Downtown Beautification Award to Old Navy. A friend of mine had yoga pants with pockets on at Wine Race yesterday. “They were only a few dollars at Old Navy,” she told me. “Since they have pockets, I don’t have to carry a purse, and since they’re yoga pants, guys can ogle my ass.” Old Navy needs to be a vendor at the Memphis Farmers Market. I know they’re stuff isn’t locally sourced, but for yoga pants I would think an exception could be made.

The trolleys are back! The Main Street route is operational and accepting passengers as of 11 AM today. Ride them free for the first two weeks.

Carol Coletta, president and CEO of the Memphis Riverfront Parks Partnership (formerly the Riverfront Development Corporation), will be the featured speaker at the May meeting of the South Main Association. The meeting will be at Beale Street Landing Tuesday, May 8. Coletta will talk about the future of your riverfront; her company manages six miles of riverfront including five public parks. 6 PM social, 6:30 presentation. Free for SMA members, $10 non-members.

Important note for those attending Beale Street Music Fest this coming weekend: Do not buy tickets from third parties including scalpers. Oftentimes those tickets will be copies, and once the bar code on the ticket has been scanned that ticket cannot be used again. Buy tickets directly at the gate, or from a person you know and trust.

Time to slog through the rest of a “what was I thinking getting that Call-a-Cab” Monday. Back tomorrow with more news.

Farmers Market, how I have missed you! On my way to Southaven Springfest, I stopped at the Memphis Farmers Market for the first time this year. It was the one and only time I will ever drive there. I much prefer walking! Once I was there, though, the food, the music, the yoga pants made me want to hang out there all day! Unfortunately I couldn’t.

I did, however, make a stop by my “home away from home on the south side,” Max’s Sports Bar, where I ordered a Coke. I’m sure I would have been fine with one beer but I just don’t like drinking at all when I have the car with me. I have missed that place too. Now that the weather is nice, I plan on spending more time there, once I get through BBQ Fest. Wish I could’ve stayed for crawfish yesterday!

I didn’t take a whole lot of pictures at Southaven Springfest, because regionals tend to be a whole lot less elaborate and glamorous compared to BBQ Fest. Our booth:

Although we didn’t get on stage for any trophies, it was a great day of food and camaraderie. We also picked up Tidwell Farms as a sponsor to cover an expense, though while minor, was a massive source of consternation for the team in 2017. Congratulations to our friends Heath Riles, Porkosaurus, and Pig Diamonds who took home trophies yesterday.

On to the news… it’s time to start keeping an eye on the forecast for the coming Music Fest weekend. OF COURSE there’s a 50% chance of rain on Friday. Just watch… that will increase to an 80% chance as time gets closer, and Saturday and Sunday will increase from a 10% chance to a 50% chance. At least it is not expected to be freezing cold.

Oshi Asian Kitchen is hiring a server. You must be friendly, deliver great customer service, and all that jazz. Apply in person 2-4 Monday-Friday.

I keep forgetting to mention it, but Max’s Sports Bar is not the only Downtown bar that does crawfish boils. Oshi has the mudbugs every Saturday when in season, $12 for 2 pounds.

The Peabody is hosting Mother’s Day Tea at Chez Philippe Sunday, May 13. Impress Mom with savory tea sandwiches, warm scones, pastries from the Peabody Pastry Shop, and a glass of champagne. $48 for those 21+, $38 for those under 21. So that glass of champagne is worth $10 I guess? 901-529-4000 to make reservations.

Time for Sunday Fun Day! I am skipping D-RANKS with B-RAD this week due to B-RAD’s regular Tony’s excessive use of the phrases “cum in my pants” and “I’m living my best life” last Sunday. It’s too bad Tony and Rahul were not at Southaven Springfest yesterday. In addition to the BBQ competition there was a carnival with games and rides. There was one ride in particular that Tony and Rahul would have been on all day long.

So, anyway, I am sticking with tradition and leading off at Blind Bear even though they are not competing this year. Over to Beale Street for the Wine Race kickoff parade at 1. Should be a sunny and debaucherous day. Back tomorrow with more news.

 

It’s Fireworks Night at the Redbirds, with the gates opening at 5, first pitch at 6:35, and fireworks after the end of the game. First 1500 through the gates get a statue of Patrick Wisdom’s championship-winning home run swing from Game 5 of the PCL playoffs. The Major League Baseball Players Alumni Association will be back at the park selling memorabilia to raise money for their organization and for the Redbirds Community Fund.

Tomorrow will be the annual Bark in the Park at the Redbirds. A special ticket gets your dog into the ball game with you, you’ll have a special section reserved for you, and the ticket includes a rope frisbee to take home with you. Kids under 12 get a free ice cream treat and get to run the bases after the game. 2:05 first pitch.

It kinda sucks that Bark in the Park and Beale Street Wine Race always fall on the same day. If I were a dog owner I’d have a difficult decision to make.

The Brass Door will have a Seafood Boil today starting at 4 PM. Mussels, clams, shrimp, smoked sausage and more.

Ireland’s finest singing talents take the stage at the Orpheum tonight as Celtic Woman makes a stop on tour.

Next door at the Halloran Centre for the Performing Arts, SugaShack Presents performs a tribute to soul icons Maze and Frankie Beverly and to Earth, Wind & Fire at 8 tonight.

Los Cantadores along with with Mark Edgar Stuart perform at the amphitheater of Maria Montessori School on Mud Island 3-6 tomorrow. It’s one of the River Series concerts being held there this spring.

Da Bearsssss! In the NFL draft, the Chicago Bears traded up in the second round and selected Memphis WR Anthony Miller with the number 51 pick. Miller says he’s going to bring the Memphis Grind to Chicago. Here’s what the experts are saying about the pick.

Artists, architects, woodworkers, creative types: Come to Heritage Supply at 405 Monroe in The Edge next Saturday, May 5 from 10 AM to 12:30 PM for Door Dash. Except, this year, the 10th annual Door Dash, they are expanding beyond doors and windows to salvaged architecture of any kind. Pick your piece to repurpose, with the objects to be auctioned off in November. There will be music from the Second Line Jazz Band, coffee, Gibson’s donuts, and mimosas.

I returned to Exlines’ in the Kirby Gate shopping center yesterday to try their lasagna dinner.

 

Yummy, and as with all their pasta dishes it came with a garlic loaf and side salad. Six weeks into my new job I’m still finding new lunch discoveries.

It’s a gorgeous day and I’m going to spend nearly all of it outside! I’m starting off with a Yoga Pants Watch Party at the Memphis Farmers Market, then heading to Southaven to help the Moody Ques compete in the Springfest regional BBQ event. Back tomorrow with more news and I hope some photos of trophies as well.

 

I’m sorry for the language I am about to use in this post, but there are certain times when it’s necessary.

“America’s Dad,” former host of the Fat Albert cartoon show, former Jell-O Pudding spokesman and all around piece of shit Bill Cosby has finally been held accountable. A jury found Cosby guilty on 3 charges related to drugging and sexually assaulting a woman. He will face 5 to 30 years in prison depending on leniency and whether sentences run concurrently. He remains free on bond, although the prosecutor asked for it to be revoked causing Cosby to scream and curse. I hope this vile man rots in prison, and is followed to prison by other men who have abused their positions of power in similar ways.

Many victims of sexual assault/rape develop a form of PTSD that manifests itself in many ways: night terrors, insomnia, emotions associated with the assault rushing back years later, inability to maintain relationships with the opposite sex, withdrawal from former social activities, startle response/feelings of always having to be on alert, trigger responses by sights or sounds or smells associated with the assault, and more. No woman – no victim, because men can be victims too – should ever have to go through that. May there be a special circle of burning hell for attackers who inflict that kind of emotional torture.

Sorry for starting off the post in such an uncomfortable way, but as I said, I felt it necessary. On to the news.

Jerry Seinfeld will perform his signature stand-up routine at the Orpheum Friday, June 29 at 7 PM. Tickets will go on sale next Friday, May 4 at 10 AM and will start at $67.50.

This is the dawning of the age of asparagus is the theme of the Memphis Farmers Market this Saturday. Let the sunshine in at the Market and pick up lots of fresh vegetables, including (according to the weekly MFM newsletter) turnips with an attitude. The UT Health Science Center will be there 8 to noon with information about donating blood. There will be a kids’ craft table where they can build their own farm. Live local music throughout the day. The Market runs every Saturday under the pavilion at Front and GE Patterson from 8 AM from 1 PM.

For the first time this season, I WILL BE THERE at the Farmers Market! Normally I would hit the Market then wander down the street to Earnestine & Hazel’s or Max’s Sports Bar where I can get a beer, but not tomorrow. I will have the car with me! No beer for me when driving. No beer for me until after I get back from the Southaven Springfest BBQ awards ceremony, actually.

How can I have been a Downtowner for 16 years and not known about this? Everyone knows about the Peabody duck marches, from their rooftop home to the lobby fountain at 11 AM daily, and their march back home at 5 PM. But did you know that every day at 11:30 AM, following the morning march, there’s a 1-hour Peabody tour led by the Duckmaster? You’ll hear stories of the 150-year history of the South’s grand hotel, and you’ll also learn about the life of the Peabody ducks. The tour is $10 per person.

Sad to hear of the death of Lewis Bobo, who opened Downtown soul food restaurant The Gay Hawk in 1963. The restaurant, on Danny Thomas Blvd. just south of Georgia Avenue, remains open to this day and is currently operated by Bobo’s daughter.

Me and Leah will provide the music at Games on Front, a weekly event with free live music and yard games, this afternoon at the Cossitt Library courtyard from 4:30 to 7 PM. The library is at the corner of Front and Monroe.

Black Violin will showcase their multi-genre sound tonight at the Orpheum. Blending classical violin training with hip-hop, they have shared the stage with big-name acts, including Kanye West, although it is not clear if they share that Dragon Energy with Kanye and El Presidente Trumpo.

It’s Silky O’ Sullivan’s Irish Appreciation Night at the Redbirds this evening. Gates open at 6 with a 7:05 first pitch. First 2000 fans will receive a Silky O’ Sullivan’s green Irish cap, and Silky’s dueling pianos will play before the game with $2 beers in the Plaza. The Major League Baseball Players Alumni Association will have memorabilia to purchase, with proceeds benefiting the MLBPAA and the Redbirds Community Fund.

Nine Redbirds games this season will be televised in the local Memphis market on CW30. Here are the games and dates:

Sunday, April 29 vs. Round Rock – 2:05 p.m.
Sunday, May 13 vs. Nashville – 2:05 p.m.
Sunday, June 10 vs. Reno – 2:05 p.m.
Sunday, June 24 vs. New Orleans – 2:05 p.m.
Sunday, July 8 vs. Omaha – 2:05 p.m.
Sunday, July 22 vs. Colorado Springs – 2:05 p.m.
Sunday, Aug. 5 vs. Fresno – 2:05 p.m.
Sunday, Aug. 19 vs. Round Rock – 2:05 p.m.
Sunday, Aug. 26 vs. Nashville – 2:05 p.m.

Pontotoc Lounge will welcome the passionately antique sound of Lexi Weege this Saturday at 7 PM. Her voice is called a bookmark for the next generation’s raw talent.

The Flyer’s Hungry Memphis blog introduced readers to Bluefin chef Ja Min Lee this week.

Wiseacre will offer a Hot Yoga Plus class, suitable for all levels, at their taproom this Saturday from noon to 1 PM. Donations will be accepted for the Dorothy Day House. The taproom opens to the public at 1, so yogis will have the place all to themselves. Reserve your place here.

The 3rd Annual Pink Wig Music Festival will happen noon to 6 Saturday, May 12 on Monroe Avenue out in The Edge. Lucky 7 Brass Band, Marcella and Her Lovers, Cassette Set, and Island 45 will perform, and there will be food trucks. $15 adults, $10 ages 11-20, $5 kids under 10. Families of 4 can buy a $40 ticket through April 30.

Time to answer the trivia question I asked yesterday: What job title is most common among sociopaths?

… Chief Executive Officer.

Careful here. I’m not insulting CEOs saying they’re all sociopaths. The vast majority are not. It’s just that there are many high-functioning sociopaths who have learned to play society’s game to the point that they enjoy great success, whether success to them means financial success, power, sex or all three. See the book The Sociopath Next Door for more on this topic.

Ready for the weekend! I’ll try to get a post up tomorrow before I leave for Southaven Springfest.

Random thing I learned at trivia last night… a baby porcupine is called a porcupette. That was a true or false question, and I was sure a baby porcupine was called a cub or kit or pup or one of the other common baby mammal names. I was wrong. I got a lot of trivia questions wrong last night.

I took a break from PBR at Blind Bear to have a couple of glasses of refreshing Leinenkugel Summer Shandy, which got put on tap last night. That is a beer I remember from the Flying Saucer several years ago. Easy to drink and plenty of flavor.

Has the troll been hanging out at a tanning salon?

‘Nother interesting trivia question from last night: How many Americans still believe the Sun revolves around the Earth? Multiple choice options were 1 in 4, 1 in 10, 1 in 25, or 1 in 50. We talked ourselves out of 1 in 4, believing there is no way that many people could be that stupid. We shouldn’t have. 1 in 4 was correct.

Okay, I’ve got a trivia question for my readers, and this is not one from last night. Many of you know I’ve done quite a bit of reading about the characteristics of sociopaths the past couple of years. Here’s one for you: What is the most common job title held by sociopaths?

I’ll publish the answer in my next post. For now let’s get on to the news.

South Main welcomes ServiceMaster to their monthly Trolley Night party this Friday from 6 to 9 PM and the public is invited. There will be live music at South Main Sounds, 550 S. Main, by Erin O’Dowd, Alexis Taylor, Jessie Jordan, and Bailey Bigger. Up the street at the Halloran Centre at 225 S. Main, The Wolf 94.1 Songwriter Fest will be going on. Hear the stories behind the songs along with intimate acoustic performances by Trent Tomlinson, Marshall Altman, and Matt Warren. The South Main Association will have a member area next to the new Edge Gallery at 509 S. Main with adult beverages, bites, and fellowship.

There’s a way you can help the kids of St. Jude this week without making a monetary donation. There is a huge need for platelets right now. The process of donating platelets is no different from that of donating blood. Call 901-595-2024 to schedule a time to donate.

DJ Epic headlines the Peabody rooftop party tonight. $10 to get in, $20 VIP or buy an entire season VIP pass for $150. Admission includes a buffet of assorted sausages, cheese tray, and crackers. If you’re in VIP you get a second buffet of French onion quiche, mini lobster mac & cheese, and Maryland lump crab cakes.

Tonight’s Redbirds game is now a doubleheader, thanks to last night’s rain-out. First of two seven-inning games starts at 5:05 with gates opening at 4:30. Tickets for last night’s game will get you into both games tonight. If you have a ticket for the all-you-can-eat mac & cheese, the buffet will run an hour longer due to the doubleheader.

Mix Master Mike, best known for his work with the Beastie Boys, will perform on the Cattleman’s Stage Friday, May 18 at BBQ Fest.

Mississippi River Park, the park near the entrance to Bass Pro, will be the first riverfront park to be re-imagined by the city and the Memphis River Parks Partnership. Giant treehouse-like nests are in the plans for the park.

New construction has been proposed for a multi-family space at 138 Huling across from the National Civil Rights Museum. The structure would stand 4 stories and would house 72 lofts and 72 parking spaces.

Mike Conley is again a finalist for the NBA Community Assist award. Tweet #MikeConley #NBACommunityAssist to show your support for The Conductor.

Yesterday I was listening to the Gary Parrish Show with Geoff Calkins on 92.9 on the drive home, and Gary and Geoff were discussing what is a really good burger in Memphis. Gary brought up one of the hidden gems in this city: The Mr. Good Burger at Roxie’s Grocery. The Mr. Good Burger has double meat, four strips of bacon, pepper jack cheese, hoop cheese, grilled onions, lettuce, pickle, mayo, mustard and ketchup. Not many people know about this burger because it’s sold in the deli of a small grocery store at Third and Mill in Uptown (Third is B.B. King Blvd. north of A.W. Willis Ave.) A Google Images search for Roxie’s says more about their burgers than I can say here.

As the radio hosts talked, people started to give their opinions on Twitter. Green Beetle received quite a bit of praise, Gary said, for their burger.

Chris Tomlin’s Worship Night in America Tour stops at FedExForum tonight at 7.

The MBJ has a recap of the Memphis Medical District Collaborative’s annual meeting last night. Did you know that $3 billion in capital investments are planned for the district?

Yesterday for lunch I went back to Noodles Asian Bistro, but this time I didn’t order noodles. I got the Basil Combination Fried Rice: beef, chicken, shrimp in wok-fried rice with egg, green peas, onions, green and red peppers, and basil in Thai chili soy sauce.

I was asked if I wanted it mild, medium or hot. Believe me, you’re going to be just fine with hot. Slightly spicy but in no way overpowering. The fried rice came with a spring roll.

So Donald Trump previously said he didn’t spend a night in Russia in 2013 for the Miss Universe pageant. Now he’s saying, “Of course I spent the night.” Trump previously said he didn’t know his lawyer Michael Cohen paid Stormy Daniels to keep quiet. Now he’s acknowledging that Cohen did represent him in that transaction. This is the problem with liars – they have to manage their lies. Trump is his own worst enemy.

That’ll do it for this post. Back tomorrow.

The Redbirds are back in town today, playing Round Rock at 6:35. This is a huge homestand and I will have more to say about individual promotions as the days go on, but here are a few of the highlights:

• Two All-You-Can-Eat Thursdays where a specialty ticket includes a buffet 6-8 PM. Mac & cheese bar April 26, and a soft taco bar May 3.
• Silky O’ Sullivan’s Irish Heritage Night Friday, April 27
• Patrick Wisdom Home Run Statue giveaway and post-game fireworks Saturday, April 28
• Bark in the Park for Sunday, April 29 day game where you can bring your dog. The specialty ticket includes a rope frisbee.
• All-Inclusive Night Tuesday, May 2. All club level, dugout, and field box seats are $20 that night and include free hot dogs, hamburgers and fries, chips and cheese, popcorn, and small fountain sodas.

The Brass Door has a new website with an interactive event calendar. Note that weeks on the calendar are Monday-Sunday rather than the more widely seen (in the U.S.) Sunday-Saturday.

Max’s Sports Bar has announced that Crawfish Saturday will be back this Saturday, April 28. $9 for 1 pound or $12 for 2 pounds of crawfish,. The crawfish comes with sides of corn, taters, sausage and mushrooms. The bar opens at 11, with the first crawfish coming off a little after noon. I have had these and they are far better than what is served at most of the crawfish festivals around town.

Felicia Suzanne Restaurant will be closed Friday dinner for a public event. They will, however, be open for their 25 cent Friday martini lunch.

Pro wrestling fans: You can dress like the Nature Boy. There’s now a Ric Flair signature suit collection.

Beale Street Wine Race is this Sunday. Teams from local bars and restaurants will compete in an opening parade, a beauty pageant called Queen of the Vine, a grape stomp, and a relay carrying trays of wine bottles. This is a day of debauchery and a lot of fun to watch. The first event, the parade, starts at 1 PM. Needless to say, I will be there. It will be a bit weird though because none of my favorite hangouts are competing this year. Who am I going to root for? One thing’s for sure – I am staying away from the Call-a-Cabs at Wet Willie’s.

I’ll pre-game for Wine Race at Blind Bear. Taking a week off from B-RAD’s bar at Pontotoc after Terrible Tony refused to maintain even a minimum level of decent human behavior last Sunday.

As for Saturday, that will be an unusual day for me as well. The Moody Ques are competing at Southaven Springfest, and while I don’t have to be there, I kind of want to. So I’m going to drive on a Saturday! I’ll probably hit the Memphis Farmers Market for the first time this year, then head down to Southaven before noon when they start charging to get in the festival. I will stay out of our booth until 2:30 though, because our cooks have turn-in and hopefully MBN Finals and I don’t want to get in their way. I’ll check out the carnival during that time. After 2:30 I’ll grab some BBQ in our booth (hope there’s some more of that white Alabama BBQ sauce) and stick around for the awards ceremony at 5:15 in case I need to take photos of our cooks on stage receiving trophies.

Breakfast for lunch!

Yesterday, I walked across Kirby Parkway to give City East Bagel and Grille a try. They serve breakfast and lunch from 7 AM to 2 PM, and I decided to have one of their breakfast skillets. I got the Farmer’s Skillet – Sausage, potatoes, mushrooms, onions, and green peppers topped with two eggs prepared your way and cheese. It comes with a choice of bagel or toast on the side.

I got my eggs scrambled and ordered a bagel. I assumed it would be a plain bagel, but they had over a dozen different varieties – Banana Nut – Blueberry – Chocolate Swirl – Cinnamon Raisin – Cinnamon Sugar – Cranberry – Everything – Garlic – Jalapeno Cheddar – Onion – Plain – Poppy – Salt – Sesame – Sun Dried Tomato – Top Seeded – Wheat – and told me I could choose whichever one I wanted. I got an Everything bagel. It came with butter and cream cheese, and there was strawberry and grape jelly on every table as well.

All in all, a good, filling meal when I’m in the mood for breakfast at lunch. They have other meat scrambles as well, including corned beef, ham, New York pastrami, Santa Fe diced chicken, and bacon. I will be trying some of those for sure in the future.

However, I failed to read the menu all the way through, and therefore did not notice they have daily lunch specials. A man at a table near me got a chicken pot pie, and if I had known that was a special, I might have got that instead of my Farmer’s Scramble. Neat thing about the lunch specials and also the veggie plates: They come with the Dessert of the Day.

Service was friendly and good and I liked the upscale diner vibe. I will return to City East sometime soon.

On the way back I passed First Tennessee, and stopped at their drive-up ATM even though I was on foot. Is that weird? I probably wouldn’t have waited in line if there were one or more cars waiting to use the ATM. They’d probably assume I was waiting to rob them! Nobody walks in Germantown.

That’ll do it for now. Back tomorrow.

Did you know there are Tuesday night patio parties at Courtyard Memphis Downtown, at the corner of Main and Jefferson, every week? This week’s party will have the Mystic Krewe of Pegasus attending. Interesting music: DJ John E will be spinning British Invasion tunes. There will be $3 craft draft and $5 wine specials, and other specials as well.

I Love Memphis is partnering with Freewheel and Explore Bike Share for a slow ride through Downtown on Wednesday, May 9 to celebrate National Travel & Tourism Week. You and your bike can meet up with them at Handy Park at B.B. King and Beale at 6 PM. The slow ride will hit several stops and at each stop, you’ll hear from a host who has a unique take on tourism and travel. If you don’t have a bike, come early and Explore Bike Share will get you on one of their fleet of 25 bikes.

The Riverfront Development Corp. has re-branded as Memphis River Parks Partnership. That is an excellent name, emphasizing one connected riverfront and the fact that it is a partnership with the public. Getting rid of the old RDC name was also a good move because it brings back memories of the organization going millions of dollars over budget on Beale Street Landing.

Downtown agency inferno is looking for a copywriting intern for the summer, someone working toward a bachelor’s degree in English, marketing, communication, or a related field.

John Paul Keith will play the PureMemphis Music Series at Old Dominick Distillery this Thursday, April 26 at 6:30 PM. He’ll be playing songs from his new album, Heart-Shaped Shadow, as well as fresh takes on some of his older tunes backed by a 6-piece band.

Hot Rods on Beale returns to Beale Street tonight 6-10. Come check out cars from the American Muscle Car Club and the Perfect Nemesis Car Club.

Dancing with the Stars pros Maks, Val and Peta bring their new dance performance Confidential to the Orpheum tonight at 8:00. Tickets are $34.50-$99.50.

Memphis youth leaders organization BRIDGES has been challenged to an $18,000 fundraising match by its Board of Trustees, and they are 75% of the way there. Can you help them raise the other 25%? Donate here.

As a result of guest feedback, Beale Street Music Fest is adding water stations throughout Tom Lee Park this year, so you can fill up your water bottle and stay hydrated.

Pontotoc Lounge has announced lunch service will start next Wednesday.

Donald Trump referred to North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un as “very honorable” this morning. Didn’t realize people who had their political opponents (and their half-brother) murdered qualified as “honorable.” But then again, it’s just another day in the news for the embarrassing orange shitgibbon. Remember when he called Klansmen “some very fine men”? 2020 election, hurry up and get here.

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