Fri update #2: India Fest, TechCamp Memphis, chili cook-off and more

Downtowners: There are three events coming up tomorrow, Saturday, November 5, that are definitely worth considering a trip east of Danny Thomas. The first one is India Fest out at the Agricenter in Cordova. The theme this year is the Festivals of India. All day from 10 AM to 8 PM you will be able to take in activities like Bollywood Dancing Shows and Henna Painting. There will be plenty of delicious Indian cuisine, and you can shop from over 50 Indian vendors.

The next event tomorrow that I would recommend is TechCamp Memphis at the FedEx Institute of Technology at the University of Memphis. IT and marketing professionals, web designers, and students are among the target audience for this event. There will be sessions on content creation and design, online marketing, and development. This is a fantastic opportunity to network with your peers as well as to learn.

The third event is a chili cook-off at Overton Square tomorrow beginning at 10 AM benefiting the Exceptional Foundation of West Tennessee. The foundation helps meet the social, educational, and recreational needs of those with disabilities. $10 gets you a tasting wristband so you can sample all the teams’ chili, and there is a beer tasting wristband as well. Downtown friends – come down and support the Blind Bear team or support them online with a donation to the foundation. Judging happens at noon and there will be live entertainment until 4. Come try Colin’s famous chili!

If none of the events I just named float your boat, there’s a sweet potato festival in Vardaman, Mississippi too.

Are you planning on coming to a Grizzlies game sometime this season, and you want to know what all your options are to get something to eat? Alexis All-Access has a look at food favorites at FedExForum.

Claybrook Farms’ November discount bundle is now on sale. You get six 12 oz. ribeyes, four 12 oz. strip steaks, and four 1 1/2 lb. packages of ground beef. This is a $185 retail value but you can get it for $150 with the discount.

That’s it for now. I’ll lead off at Silly Goose happy hour after work then figure out my plans for the evening. Back tomorrow, already got some good stuff for my Saturday post.

Friday morning update

The Art of Science happens at the Hyde Gallery, 477 S. Main, next Friday, November 11, from 6 to 9 PM. This collection saw more than two dozen Le Bonheur researchers paired with local artists. The artists interpreted the significance of the researchers’ work in unique ways, in order to show the beauty of science and power of art at their intersection. The artists and scientists will be present at the November 11 opening to discuss their work. The show runs through December 16.

A new Fairfield Inn and Suites is coming to the northwest corner of Third and Union, across from AutoZone Park and former site of that shitty hotel that housed the Denny’s on the ground floor. Happy to hear about Fairfield and I hope they don’t bring back Denny’s!

Rhapsody in Black, a one-man show that confronts racism in America, will happen at the Halloran Centre on Friday, November 18 (hey, that’s my birthday!) at 6:30 PM. LeLand Garitt uses unflinching honesty to convey his life experiences and how they helped him understand and transcend racism in America. He talks of growing up in an underprivileged neighborhood, to experimenting with crime and drugs, to scholastic achievement, to an acting class where he was just about the only African-American in the room. He talks about being marked “The Other” in moving detail. The show is recommended for ages 15 and up due to adult language and situations.

Holly has a sneak peek of the new Ghost River tap room on the I Love Memphis blog. It opens Saturday at Main and Crump. Looks nice!

The Main Street Busking Challenge is back on the Main Street Mall from 5 to 8. Listen to live music by street musicians and vote for your favorite.

Are you ready for some flopping? The Grizzlies host the L.A. Clippers tonight at FedExForum at 7. The Grizzlies have announced a partnership with Uber to help get fans home from games safe. New Uber riders who are Grizzlies fans can get $15 off their first ride, and there will be perks and promotions for Uber-riding Grizzlies fans throughout the season.

From the CA: Justin Timberlake discusses his dual role as executive music director and voice actor for the newly released movie Trolls. Don’tcha just love those crazy trolls?

Some of you may remember that board game by the “Rich Dad, Poor Dad” author that taught players how to get rich. You’d start off in the “Rat Race” and the goal was to get out of the “Rat Race” and on to the “Fast Track.” Well, now there’s a board game to teach activists how to succeed. In this game, you don’t have opponents, which makes sense. All the players are on the same team to strive for their cause.

Cheap beer alert: This Saturday only, Madison Growler inside the Midtown Cash Saver will give customers $2 off any growler fill that costs $6 or more. An effort to draw people away from the new growler shop at Union Kroger, I would bet?

The giant neon rooster proposed as signage for Old Dominick Distillery got nixed by the Design Review Board. Too bad, it seemed a very appropriate sign for the Front Street Chicken District (credit @Kerry901 for the name).

Time for work… check back, probably another post at lunchtime.

Thursday update

Yesterday was the payoff for “steal a base, steal a taco” at Taco Bell from 2 to 6 PM. I wonder how many people told their bosses they needed to leave work early so they could go early vote, and then went to Taco Bell instead?

Another very-cool sounding job has landed on my radar: There’s an opening for a Marketing Technologist at Oden.

The Dirty Crow Inn has a hamburger special this week that is made with a Gibson’s Maple Bacon Donut bun. In other news, Just Around the River Band featuring Savannah and Kenny Long plays the Crow Friday from 8 to 11. Savannah has been on the Memphis music circuit for several new years, and is now taking it to a whole new level with her dad Kenny on keyboards. The songwriting duo will entertain you with originals and amazing covers.

The Metal Museum will be offering a cast aluminum light plate switch class this Saturday from 1 to 5 PM.

A Paint & Sip Night comes to The 101, the pop-up space at 101 S. Main across from Aldo’s, Saturday November 12 from 7-9 PM. You will be able to paint a festive snowman while sipping on wine (BYOB). Tickets are $35 and the class is limited to 30 spots.

Cupcakes, Cocktails and Cursing makes its comeback at The 101 from 6-8 PM November 30. This is a women-only event. It’s your chance to talk about women’s issues, relationships, or whatever you want. $8 to get in, or $5 if you bring your own wine glass.

Jam Up and Jelly Tight is the theme this Saturday at the Paris Adult Theater… er, I mean the Memphis Farmers Market. The Market invites you to SPREAD the love around this Saturday (I’m not kidding, this was in their weekly email)… spread it on toast, biscuits, English muffins, waffles, and crackers. The Market has all kinds of jams and jellies ranging from sweet to sour to savory, or make your own using fresh ingredients from the Market. Kids can make candy corn turkeys at the crafts table 9-11. The UT Pediatric Obesity Program will be at the Market 8:30-12:30 if you want to get your height, weight, waist circumference, blood pressure, heart rate, and inbody measures checked. They will also be handing out literature about the pediatric obesity program at LeBonheur. Live music by Adam Levine 10-12:30. Pet adoptions by Dogs 2nd Chance 9-noon. The Market runs every Saturday from 7 AM to 1 PM at the pavilion at Front and G.E. Patterson.

The next time you sit down at the bar and think, “What beer do I want?” you might want to rethink that Yuengling. The owners of the brewery have endorsed Donald Trump. You don’t even have to look outside of Memphis to find alternate beers to drink, with great craft brews by Memphis Made, Wiseacre, Ghost River, and High Cotton produced here. But if you do look outside of Memphis, may I recommend the PBR?

Speaking of High Cotton, they are putting their Oktoberfest and Hefeweizen on fire sale this evening from 5 to 8 for the low price of $1 a pint. You can get growler fills of those beers for $5 during that time. They are trying to clear those beers off the taps to make room for new offerings.

Did you miss the biggest event in American history since the May 10, 1869 completion of the first transcontinental railroad in North America? I am talking of course about the opening of the new Kroger on Union Avenue in Midtown. If you weren’t able to be there, the always-excellent @midtownkrogers Twitter account has a recap.

Congratulations to all my friends and readers who are Chicago Cubs fans after the 108-year drought came to an end last night. I didn’t stay up to watch the nearly 5-hour 10-inning game, which is a shame because I have been told I missed the ending to the most exciting game in the history of Major League Baseball. Kevin Cerrito had a comment on the game:

So true, so true.

It’s National Sandwich Day and when you buy a sub and a drink at Subway today, you get a free sub and also one will be donated to the Mid-South Food Bank.

That’s it for now. As usual I will be out at Silly Goose happy hour after work.

The greatest day in the history of Memphis

Today is something of a city holiday here in Memphis. No, it’s not the anniversary of the city’s founding, or the anniversary of the day Memphis got its city charter back following the yellow fever outbreak. This is something far more important. It’s the GRAND OPENING OF THE KROGER ON UNION!!!!! This is the date humans have been anticipating since our lineage broke away from the australopithecenes 2.9 million years ago. The Memphis Flyer has a slideshow. Sushi bar, Corky’s BBQ, cheese shop, sandwich shop, growler station, etc., etc.

Geoff Calkins of the CA reported that the first customer inside the new Kroger bought Meow Mix treats.

If you’re on Twitter, be sure to follow @midtownkrogers. This is a parody account, not the store’s official account, but it’s damn funny. Itwill keep u up to date on all the #dicsounts and #produce at Krogers.

Ghost River’s new taproom opens this Saturday, November 5. Hours will be 4:00-10:30 Wednesday-Friday, noon to 10:30 Saturday, noon to 9 Sunday. The taproom is in their brewery at Main and Crump.

Miss Cordelia’s and Cordelia’s Table are having a party from 5 to 8 this evening to welcome Good People Brewing Co. from Birmingham, Alabama to Memphis. Along with Good People beer, there will be food by El Mero Taco, The Creamery, and Sweet Street Treat. You might be able to score some free swag too! In addition, the Bikesmith mobile bike repair shop will be out there, so if you need to get your bike fixed, bring it!

Bar owners and managers: There’s a program at a bar in Lincolnshire, UK that you might want to consider implementing in your own bar. It’s called Ask Angela. “Hi, I’m Angela,” reads a poster in the women’s restroom. The poster tells the women if they are there with a guy, and the situation has started to feel weird, creepy, unsafe, to come to the bar and ask for “Angela.” The bar staff will understand this means the woman needs help to get out of her situation, and will discreetly call a taxi or do whatever they can to help her, without making a big fuss.

A posterboard, a pen, and ten minutes of staff training could potentially prevent a sexual assault from happening from what started as an encounter at their bar. That sounds like a winner to me. No-brainer.

Shelby County Schools are hiring a Director of Talent Management. The successful candidate will manage evaluation of instructional effectiveness.

Flu season is right around the corner. Do you want to learn more about the influenza virus, and research that is being done here in Memphis to combat it? Come to Cafe Electic (the Midtown location) next Wednesday, November 9 to hear a talk by St. Jude scientist Dr. Erik Karlsson.

INSIDER TIP: Dr. Karlsson knows a thing or two about BBQ as well. :mrgreen:

Only two days left to early vote in Tennessee. Remember, you can early vote at any location, but if you wait until Election Day, you have to go to your assigned polling place. Here’s a list of early voting locations. Remember, after you early vote, it is your duty as an American to post a photo of your “I voted” sticker to Facebook, or at least post a selfie taken outside the polling place. You know, in history class they teach you about the Stamp Act and the Boston Tea Party; that’s all BS. The real reason The 13 Colonies broke away from England is that citizens of the colonies wanted to guarantee their descendants the right to post “I voted” stickers to Facebook.

It’s free taco day! Free Doritos Locos tacos (1 per person) at Taco Bell 2-6 PM today because of a “Steal a Base, Steal a Taco” promotion triggered by a stolen base in game 1 of the World Series.

This makes no sense:

“Grizzlies” has two z’s but they abbreviate it “Griz”. “Fizdale” has one z but they abbreviate the name “Fizz.” WTF? I’m normally not a style Nazi who gets all constipated when I see two spaces after a period or “e-mail” rather than “email,” but the Griz/Fizz thing just bothers me.

Roser with the info about a sweet Grizz giveaway happening Friday night:

For tonight’s Grizz game, FedExForum will keep the Bud Light Bar & Grill open through the 4th quarter and after the game so that fans may watch the conclusion of World Series Game 7.

And finally there’s this from Memphis “Traffic Babe” Wendi Hays:

Yeah, I know I’m going kinda crazy with the Twitter embeds today.

This is my second post today, so keep scrolling to read this morning’s news, which was about Breakfast with Santa, Clark’s Christmas, 50% off gift card sale and other events coming up at the Majestic Grille. Tonight, I will probably hit the Silly Goose for happy hour, although a trip to my “home away from home on the south side,” Max’s Sports Bar, to watch the Grizz and the Cubs is not out of the question. Both have PBR so it’s a can’t-lose proposition!

Holiday special events at the Majestic Grille

One of my very favorite restaurants in all of Downtown, the Majestic Grille, has announced its holiday special events for 2016, and it is quite a lineup. Kicking things off this year is Downtown Dining Week at the Majestic from November 7-13. For that week, many restaurants Downtown offer three-course dinners for the low price of $20.16, and some offer great lunch values for $10.16. View the entire list of restaurants here. Reservations are highly recommended since the Majestic is one of the most popular Dining Week venues. It is requested that when you make your reservations, you tell them that you will be ordering from the Downtown Dining Week menu rather than the regular one.

The next event is Majestic Supper Club on Tuesday, November 15. Owners Patrick and Deni recently took a vacation to Europe, making stops in Patrick’s native country of Ireland as well as Paris, Bordeaux, and London. They will share with you some of their favorite dishes from the trip, wine, and maybe a story or two. This is a six-course dinner, and reservations are required. $75 per person, plus tax and a 20% gratuity, will be required at the time of the booking.

November 30 is the day every year that is anticipated by Downtown diners: The Majestic’s half-off gift card sale. They open the doors at 8 AM and sell $50 gift cards for $25 until they run out. You can buy as many as you want, but you have to purchase them in person; no phone orders or advance orders accepted. The cards do have some restrictions: You can’t use them until January 2, 2017, and they can’t be used for catering, gratuity, take-out, alcohol, or private events. The cards also can’t be used with special promotions such as Downtown Dining Week. Still, they are a great deal! Enjoy one of Patrick’s filets or the roasted half chicken or my “DAWG” John D’s Breakfast for half the price. If you own or manage a business Downtown, gift cards would make great holiday gifts for your employees.

Brunch with Santa is next up on Saturday, December 17. Santa will personally visit every table (please allow an hour and half for the event because this will take time). Bring your camera to get your kids’ photo with Santa! $18 plus tax and gratuity for children ages 2-10. Their brunch includes an entree from their special Santa brunch menu, a cookie, hot chocolate, lollipops, and a parting gift. Older children and adults can order from the Majestic’s regular brunch menu. Reservations are required and there are seatings at 9:30, 10, 11:30, and noon. This is one of the Majestic’s most popular events and will sell out well in advance of the 17th, so if you want to go, I advise you not to delay booking a table.

Tuesday, December 20 is the 9th annual Clark’s Christmas Dinner. This is a LOT of fun and is booked full weeks in advance – I wouldn’t be surprised if there’s a waiting list before Thanksgiving – so once again, if you want to go, do not hesitate to make a reservation. National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation is shown on the big screen, and there are costume contests with prizes for best tacky sweater and best male, female, couple, and group character from the movie. There is a special dinner menu for $26.95 (that strawberry trifle is not to be missed!) and their regular dinner menu will be available too.

Their Their New Year’s Eve dinner will be held on December 31 this year. Regular dinner menu at regular prices (no obnoxious upcharges as some restaurants do that evening) plus a few of Chef Patrick’s entree and appetizer specials. Paul McKinney & the Knights of Jazz bring the live music beginning about 8 PM. Opening at 5 and staying open late, this is a spot where you can come early to get a good meal before your NYE party or come later and ring in the new year at the Majestic. Reservations required.

I want to take a minute to especially endorse New Year’s Eve at the Majestic… as most of you know, I am not a fan of that holiday in general, because it turns into Amateur Night most places. I have done several NYEs at the Majestic and I can tell you there is no Amateur Night there. Great place to go with friends. It’s elegant but not haughty, a place where you can enjoy a laid-back holiday eve while getting some delicious food in you.

The next day, they’ll have New Year’s Day Brunch from 10 to 3 and will not be open for dinner that evening.

Note that online reservations are not accepted for many of these events, so call 901-522-8555 if you want to go.

That’s it for now. I expect to be back at lunchtime with a news post.

Tuesday update

Happy 93rd day of August!

It’s November 1 and the forecast high for Memphis is 87.

Dear Undecided Voter is the topic at The Civil Pour this month at Loflin Yard 7-9 this Thursday, November 3. This is the place to revive the art of civil discourse, of face-to-face discussion. This is where you can respectfully discuss issues with your fellow citizens, without it turning into a debate or an argument. This month’s topic… are you for HER? Are you for HIM? Or neither? Or are you sitting this election out? No matter what your stance, your two cents’ worth is welcome at The Civil Pour.

Memphis Made turns 3 this Saturday, November 5, and they are celebrating with their MALTED festival. There will be limited release beers including Orange Drewlius and Nut ReMix, as well as live music, giveaways, and food trucks. Big Barton, Pezz, and Mark Edgar Stuart. At 5 the brewery’s neighbors New Ballet Ensemble & School will have a special performance. They are set to perform their nationally acclaimed Nut Remix (for which the beer is named) next month at the Cannon Center, and at MALTED they will perform one of the most exciting pieces from that production, the Hip-Hop Battle. It will be ballet like you’ve never seen it before! The RAWK’n Grub food truck and MEMpops will be on site. First 50 people in the door (opens 1 PM) get a special 16-ounce Belgian-style MALTED pint glass, and there will be other giveaways throughout the day.

Next Wednesday, November 9, there will be a student art showcase at the Wiseacre taproom from 4 to 10 PM. Work from students of the University of Memphis, Memphis College of Art, and Rhodes College will be on display and for sale. 20% of beer sales that evening will be donated to a Shelby County school. In addition, there will be Beer Trivia in the taproom that evening.

You just can’t make this stuff up… there’s a hotel in Oklahoma City that is legendary for being haunted. Some teams outright refuse to stay there, while others continue to book the hotel for games against the OKC Thunder. Former NBA player Metta World Peace (Ron Artest) said one of the ghosts inappropriately touched him. World Peace said the ghosts were all over him and he had to just accept it. “They touched me all over the place. I’m taking one of the ghosts to court for touching me in the wrong places.”

Calvary Episcopal Church at 102 N. Second is hosting Lobsterpalooza this Saturday from 6 to 10 PM. Come enjoy a delicious lobster dinner, bid on silent auction items, dance and watch SEC football on TV. All proceeds benefit Calvary’s ministries.

Need to pick up dessert for Thanksgiving? On Wednesday, November 23, Rm Petit Cakes will be selling their goods at the Midweek Market, 101 S. Main, from 10 AM to 2 PM.

National Sandwich Day is this Thursday, November 3, and Lenny’s will be selling their subs for 25% off.

That’s it for now. I may do a second post after work.

Monday update

Most Downtown bars and restaurants throw their Halloween party the Saturday before, but Mollie Fontaine’s does not – they throw it on the actual day. Which is today. Mollie’s Halloween party happens tonight at 679 Adams from 8 PM to 3 AM. $10 cover, 21 and up with ID. DJs A.D. and Jordan Rogers will provide the music.

Also tonight is Rock the Brass Door presented by AIRSIDE. Four artists will bring the live music beginning at 7 PM. $10 cover, or $5 if you’re wearing a costume.

The South Main Association usually has its meeting on the second Tuesday of the month, but this month that’s Election Day. So they have moved the date to Tuesday, November 15 at the Century House at 151 Vance, a beautifully restored event space and home on Film Row. The meeting starts at 6 PM and candidates for the 2017 SMA board will be elected.

“Do Good with Food,” or as many South Mainers refer to it, “The annual Marcy party,” will happen noon to 3 PM Sunday November 13 at Bleu Restaurant in the Westin. Marcy Siebert’s annual event will feature a buffet brunch, music by Pam & Terry, and free valet parking. $30 with the net proceeds being donated to the Mid-South Food Bank. Donations of nonperishable proteins are welcome. This event is sponsored by DNA with the support of SMA.

The opening reception for Memphis Minimalism will take place Saturday, November 12 on the second floor of 600 Monroe. Artists Stephanie Wexler, Jon W Sparks, Joey Miller, Houston Cofield & Tim Barker will have their work on display, photography capturing the iconic and lonesome while grounding itself in Memphis’ urban and rural landscapes. When you visit the exhibitition, be sure to pick up a token for one free pint of beer at High Cotton next door. Free street parking is available on Monroe.

The premiere of Obscura will happen at Mollie Fontaine Lounge on Saturday, November 26 from 9 PM to 3 AM. This will bring a new kind of life to the building’s manor halls: a Gothic kind of life. The evening will delight the senses with a variety of sights, sounds and tastes. There is a $5 cover and the event is 21 and up.

It’s not a Downtown event, but I wanted to mention that Broad Avenue Art Walk happens this Friday evening. My BBQ teammate and very talented artist Sarah Dalesandro will have a booth there selling her oil, acrylic, and watercolor paintings. Sarah was the lead artist behind the Moody Ques’ 2014 booth design honoring Panama that won Best Booth at BBQ Fest.

Happy Halloween! My plans for tonight are yet to be determined. I also have yet to decide whether I will put the jailbird outfit back on. It’s kind of a pain, but on the other hand the costume was very well received when I wore it Saturday. There’s pizza in the break room so I gotta go. Back tomorrow.

And I turned twenty-one in prison doing life without parole. No one could steer me straight but Mama tried, Mama tried

photo-oct-29-4-10-16-pm

Thanks to the organizers of Sinners for Saints Halloween Ball II for another fantastic party last night at Stop 345! I found my old Monopoly set and pulled the Get Out of Jail Free card which allowed me to attend the party. I had forgotten how much energy the Super 5 bring, and of course it was a treat to see Charvey Mac in the back room. By the way, if you missed seeing Charvey at the party, you can catch him every Wednesday at 10 at the Silly Goose.

Unfortunately I did not make it late into the evening. You know what’s a really bad idea? Drinking beer all day long and then switching to liquor at 9:30 PM. There were Jello shots galore and I found the gummy worms and got a cup of them. We all know that’s a mistake. Then I discovered that my friend Mary was working the back bar. “We don’t have PBR,” she told me, so I decided to drink the punch instead. By about the fourth cup of punch I was in la la land! Apparently the punch they served was not Hawaiian punch that you can buy in two-liter bottles at Kroger.

I found myself standing around bored at times. “I’m basically the only one of my friend group here who isn’t an organizer of this party,” I thought. Hey guys, if you need someone to sit around and drink PBR while you work on the details of the party for 2017, let me know. If you need references I’ll give you the BBQ team’s email address.

Got a couple of insider tips for my readers based on things that happened yesterday morning. The Farmers Market invited kids young and old alike to wear their Halloween costumes, and with unseasonably warm weather for late October I decided to take them up on it. I wanted to visit the So Fresh juice truck so I could be the bad, bad man with a Smoothie in his hand, but the truck wasn’t there. So here’s my first insider tip: As you walk into the market from the main entrance, the second booth on the left is an Italian ice and frozen pop vendor. The key lime frozen pops are SO good. I had two of them!

My second insider tip is for my vegetarian friends. After the Farmers Market I was sitting at the bar at Earnestine & Hazel’s sipping a PBR, and a couple down the bar from me ordered their first-ever Soul Burgers. Clarence had the onions on the grill, preparing enough for an entire day’s worth of burgers. He told the couple that he can make a version of the Soul Burger without meat. “I use all the same ingredients, the warmed bun, the mayonnaise, mustard, pickle, cheese,” he told them. “But instead of a meat patty I put extra, extra onions on there.” I will never order a meatless Soul Burger but I have to admit that does not sound bad at all. I sure wouldn’t want to kiss anyone who just got done eating that sandwich though!

If anyone is looking for a job, I saw a sign that said Maggie Moo’s is hiring. My GOP friends may want to forward that information along to party chairman Reince Priebus, who I suspect will be job hunting sometime soon after November 8.

I want to thank Circuitous Succession for their hospitality Friday night. I went there for the PBR Art exhibit and I checked out their regular collection as well. Everyone there was so friendly and down-to-earth. In addition to art shows, the gallery has yoga as well.

Freewheel’s final Slow Ride through the Medical Center District happens this Wednesday, November 2, at 6 PM. It is free to join and the ride is relaxed and a chance to get familiar with the area that would not be possible if you toured it by car. The ride will depart at 600 Monroe, next door to High Cotton, and you can arrive early for a discounted pint at the brewery.

The title of this post is making me think maybe I should create a Merle Haggard Pandora station. That would not be a bad thing at all. I remember when The Dempseys used to do their cities & states medley of songs… the band would always look at me when they got to “Okie from Muskogee” because I always drew a square with my hands in the air to the line “a place where even squares can have a ball.”

Wow. Arkansas, Memphis, and Tennessee all have games in the 2:30-3:00 time frame next Saturday. Max’s Sports Bar is going to be just stupid packed.

Time for my weekly trip to Sunday school! B-RAD’s topic this week is “PBR is proof that Jesus loves us.” Yay Jesus. That’s it for now. I’ll be back tomorrow with more news.

Saturday update

The Beale Street Holiday Parade has been announced for Saturday, December 3 from 4 to 5 PM. For newcomers to Downtown Memphis, the first Saturday in December is always a huge day with many events (some would say too many) happening within a 24 hour span. The day kicks off early in the morning with the St. Jude Marathon. The parade happens in the afternoon. As if the bars weren’t already crowded enough with people post-gaming the marathon and pre-gaming the parade, it’s SEC Championship Game Day which fills ’em up even more. That evening at 7 the Grizzlies host the Lakers. Also at 7 that evening the Stumbling Santa Pub Crawl begins at the Flying Saucer, attracting over 1200 Santas. Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats play the New Daisy at 8. My advice is, figure out in advance what you want to do on December 3. Allow extra, extra travel time if you are driving Downtown, especially in the morning when the marathon is ongoing.

It’s funny… I get questions all the time about, “Paul, when are the trolleys coming back?” I thought I would finally have an answer to pass along when my weekly High Ground News email showed up in my inbox and one of the headlines was “Trolleys on Track for 2017 Comeback.” But when I clicked on the link, I got “Server error in ‘/’ application.” Nothing against the excellent High Ground News, but that was just SO appropriate for a news story from any source discussing the return of the trolleys.

(By the way, as a web developer, I recognized an ASP.NET error when I saw it.)

The Memphis Redbirds have unveiled their season membership packages for 2017. There are full, half, and quarter membership packages available, and all three include the “Battle of the Birds” (March 30 St. Louis Cardinals vs. the Redbirds) game. Season members also receive other perks, such as a St. Louis Cardinals ticket voucher for the 2017 season, guaranteed gate giveaways, priority for playoff and special event tickets, and the opportunity to watch a fireworks show and batting practice from field level.

There are also two mini-memberships available, each consisting of five games plus the Battle of the Birds. Both packages include Opening Day April 11 and multiple fireworks nights. Visit the Redbirds website to learn more about seasonal and mini membership packages. To learn more about the Battle of the Birds, go here.

Here are the dates of the mini memberships:

There’s an Assistant Director position open at the Art Museum at the University of Memphis.

Have trouble remembering your passwords when they have to contain an upper and lower case letter, a number, and a special character? MakeUseOf has a smart trick for coming up with secure passwords that you won’t forget.

America has another pro-wrestler-turned-politican, this one running for the Michigan House of Representatives. However, this is not a retired wrestler as Jesse “The Body” Ventura was when he ran for the governorship of Minnesota. Current WWE Smackdown tag team champion Rhyno is on the campaign trail, having won the Republican primary for the seat by 56 votes.

A new social network has come out of beta. Many people find outlets like Reddit and Twitter too much to handle. There’s a comparison to the Wild West, where fights break out and everyone speaks at the top of their lungs. Imzy is a network for people who want to keep discourse civil, where people can discuss their common interests in a warm and gentle online environment. Kinda sounds like a network those who attend the Civil Pour events at Loflin Yard would enjoy. Trolls are not welcome on Imzy, but when they do show up, those on the network try to kill the trolls with kindness, or at least that’s the hope. Don’tcha just hate those crazy trolls?

Want to win a Madison Hotel getaway? The package includes a King Suite, a dining voucher to eighty3, drinks at eighty3 or Twilight Sky Terrace, and valet parking. All you have to do is stop by Twilight Sky Terrace on the rooftop of the Madison anytime today through Halloween, take a photo on the terrace of yourself in your Halloween costume, and post your pic tagged with the hashtag #TwilightHalloween. There is no cost to enter, and the winner will be determined by the number of likes and shares.

Time to hit Publish and get the scissors out. I need to cut pocket holes in the pants of my Halloween costume so that I will have easy access to my phone, money, ID, etc. in the pockets of the shorts I will be wearing underneath. “That guy who’s constantly reaching inside his pants” is not a good look, even at a Halloween party. I hope I don’t ruin the costume with the scissors. When I bought the entire thing – shirt, pants and an accessory – on Amazon for $19.95 I’m not exactly expecting durable fabric.

I hope to see you tonight! Suggestion for my friends attending Sinners for Saints Halloween Ball II – if you do any grocery shopping today, ask for extra ones back at the cash register so you’ll have tip money for the people handing you beer, wine, specialty drinks, and craft Jello shots at the party. Happy Halloween Eve Eve!

Fri update #2: An evening with Calkins, StreetView to decide where to stay, and more

I’ll start off this post with a couple of weather facts.

Last day of the fall season when the historical normal high for Memphis is at or above 80: October 1

Number of days so far this month when the actual high for Memphis has been at or above 80: 20, counting today, and the final 3 days of the month are expected to see mid-80s for highs. I guess you can say we exceeded expectations here this month.

Sunday is Breast Cancer Awareness Night with the Grizzlies. They play the Washington Wizards at FedExForum at 7 that night. If you buy tickets here part of the proceeds come back to the Susan G. Komen Foundation.

An Evening with Geoff Calkins, in support of the sportswriter’s recently-released book After the Jump, will happen Tuesday, November 1 on the Club Level of AutoZone Park. There will be drinks and hors d’oeuvres at 6:30, with a reading from the book and a talk by Geoff at 7. The event is brought to you by Burke’s Books.

If you’re a Downtowner who uses Nextdoor (Bruce VanWyngarden from the Memphis Flyer’s favorite app), they have created a treat map for Halloween so that you know where your kids will be safe and welcomed for trick-or-treating Monday night.

The organizers of Sinners for Saints Halloween Ball II have released a few of the flavors of Hipner’s craft Jello shots that will be served at the party tomorrow night: Pumpkin Pie, Fireball and Cider, Vodka & Red Bull, and Moscow Mule. They’ll also have specialty drinks and “zombified” gummy worms (oh God, those get me in trouble every year at BBQ Fest). $40 with proceeds going to the Church Health Center. Tickets haven’t sold out yet but today may be the day.

(Full disclosure as required by the FTC: The party organizers contacted me yesterday afternoon and told me I have a free ticket. But keep in mind I have been promoting the event on here for weeks with no expectation of being given one. I’m an independent blogger and I only promote things I believe in.)

Got some advice for you. If you’re planning a trip to a city you have never visited before, use Google StreetView to explore the city in advance, before you make your hotel reservations. Let me share a story with you so you’ll understand why.

In 1999 a few weeks after I got done teaching my spring semester classes, I took a trip west to Phoenix, San Diego, and L.A. In Phoenix I stayed with a friend near Camelback Mountain and I liked the city a lot. In San Diego I stayed in Point Loma and LOVED it, walking across the Ingraham Blvd. bridge to Mission Beach and Pacific Beach.

However, I HATED L.A. The reason why is that when I booked a hotel room, I used streets I had heard of on TV to pick a hotel. “There’s an Econo Lodge at Melrose and Vine,” I thought. Melrose Place at the time was one of the most popular shows on TV. And everyone has heard of Vine from the corner of Hollywood and Vine a few miles to the north. So, I thought, Melrose and Vine must be a nice neighborhood.

Was I ever wrong. Oh my God I thought I was in a third world country. I saw every ethnicity of people except American. I came home at 8:00 the only night I was there (I shortened my stay in L.A. from three days to one) because I was scared to be out after dark.

One of my favorite ways to pass the time lately has been to pick a city, pick a street, and walk it virtually using Google StreetView. My most recent street has been Vermont Avenue in L.A. I plopped my little yellow StreetView guy down at 83rd and Vermont in South Central, and started walking north on Vermont. I saw the hood, the USC area, Koreatown, and the touristy area around Sunset Boulevard with lots of hotels.

Then I got north of Hollywood Blvd. and discovered a super cool neighborhood – Los Feliz. Lots of bookstores, lots of dive bars, lots of character. It reminded me of Midtown Memphis but much more condensed. And walkable. The Missing Persons must not have visited that neighborhood before they claimed that nobody walks in L.A. If I ever go to L.A. again, that is where I want to stay. I never in a million years would have discovered it without StreetView.

If anyone has suggestions for what city and street to drop Streetview Man next, let me know at paul@paulryburn.com or hit me up on Facebook.

That’ll do it for now. Already got news in the pipeline for Saturday. I’ll hit the Silly Goose briefly after work, then south to check out that PBR Art exhibit.