Paul Ryburn's Journal

Back in May, The Majestic Grille celebrated its 10th birthday. Owners Patrick and Deni Reilly threw a huge party to thank the customers who had supported their restaurant the past 10 years.

However, Patrick and Deni recognized that the restaurant would never have stayed open for 10 years if not for the excellent service provided by their employees. They wanted to reward their employees, and not just with a trinket like a gold watch. They wanted to give them something that truly would make a difference.

And they did. 40 hours of paid time off. That is extremely uncommon in a locally owned, mom-and-pop type of restaurant in Memphis. The employees were floored. The time off opened up opportunities they previously hadn’t imagined.

Patrick and Deni treat their employees well, and in turn the employees treat their customers well – in fact, the application process at the Majestic includes a screening process to determine “are you nice?” In turn, the customers treat the employees well, and treat the restaurant well by coming back and telling others. It’s a closed loop where everyone benefits. Well done Patrick and Deni, and thank you for proving that such closed loops are possible. We need more of them.

Best Memphis Burger Fest is a mere three weeks away. Sunday, August 28 at Tiger Lane, teams will compete in categories such as Veggie Burger, Bloody Mary, Anything But Beef, and Best Memphis Burger. Yesterday at Memphis Barbecue Supply there was a class to give cooks some tips on preparing the ultimate burger. The Moody Ques sent our cook team Frank and Erik.

People ask who I got good at writing, and I tell them, “I read a lot.” So, how do you get good at cooking burgers? You eat a lot of burgers.

Erik must have had photography duty because all the pictures were of Frank.

Frank getting cooking tips from Burger Fest organizer Seth Agranov

What did Seth think about the Moody Ques’ performance in the cooking class?

Great #burger class at @mbbqsupply! Looks like the moodyques ain’t playing! #inittowinit… https://t.co/FrVevn2cNF

— Best Memphis Burger (@BestMemBurger) August 6, 2016

There are classes to prepare teams for not only Burger Fest, but the grandaddy of them all, BBQ Fest. My friend Heath Riles will be teaching such a class September 16 and 17, also at Memphis Barbecue Supply. Here’s the flyer. Heath is pitmaster for his team Victory Lane BBQ, with over 40 Grand and Reserve Championships. His team has been a World Food Championship finalist. He has wins in ribs, shoulder, and whole hog. Heath is a certified MBN and KCBS judge, a BBQ restaurant consultant, and the creator and owner of award-winning Victory Lane sauces, rubs, injections and marinades. In addition, Heath is a really nice guy. Last fall, when the regionals the Moody Ques were set to compete in got canceled, Heath reached out to us and offered his services if we needed to get our meat in front of experienced judges for feedback.

What will you learn from Heath? Meat selection, trimming, injections, marinades, rubs, sauces, all four KCBS meats, MBN shoulders, ribs, KCBS and MBN box building, cooking timeline and temps, how to win, and flavor profiles. Have a look at the flyer linked above, which you can fill out and send in to register. $500 per person, and you can bring a spouse for $100 more.

Friday night sign board at the Green Beetle:

Victorian Village is having a home tour today from 10 to 2. For $30 you can get a look at the stately 1800s mansions on the 600 block of Jefferson.

That’s it for now. D-RANKS with B-RAD at the Blind Bear is my brunch plan.

 

The Memphis Farmers Market has announced that due to the excessive heat, they will close their pet-sitting area at 11 AM today. They encourage pet owners to keep your pets inside in the air conditioning.

The Flying Saucer has announced its Elvis pint glass night for next Wednesday, August 10. Elvis glasses are always popular, so my recommendation is to get there a few minutes before they go on sale at 7 PM. Let your bartender or server know in advance that you want to order one as soon as they are officially on sale. The Saucer always sends UFO Club members an email with a link to a video which is a clue to the theme of the glass. This video had Elvis in his Army uniform, in a convertible with a woman in a lei. Blue Hawaii I’m guessing?

The video is always followed by a beer quiz where UFO members can get a certificate for $5 off their bar tab if they pass with at least 7 out of 10 questions. The exact wording from the video:

“Take the Capt. Keith’s beer quiz
Past and get $5 off your tab”

Oh, Saucer. Spell check really isn’t your friend at any level of your corporate operation, is it?

The Grizzlies Caravan is getting ready to go on tour to promote the 2016-17 season. Memphians, the Grizzlies will appear at the Redbirds vs. Nashville game at AutoZone Park on Thursday, August 25. My faves the Grizzlies Grannies and Grandpas will appear, along with guard Wade Baldwin IV, the Grizz Girls, Claw Crew, and the Grizzline drummers.

For my readers in Little Rock, head to the Arkansas Travelers vs. Northwest Arkansas game at Dickey-Stephens park on Saturday, August 27, with gates opening at 6:10 PM. JayMychal Green will appear, as will the Grizz Girls and Claw Crew. Earlier in the day the same entourage will appear at Thrasher Boys & Girls Club on S. State Street from 2-3 PM.

The caravan has stops planned for Nashville, both Jacksons (MS & TN) and St. Louis as well.

Follow @ghostriverbrewing on Instagram for updates on construction of their brewery taproom. This week they installed large windows that will provide brewery visitors with scenic views of beautiful E.H. Crump Boulevard.

In other brewery taproom news, Memphis Made Brewing Co. has announced the latest addition to its taproom: Air conditioning. I’m sure that is much appreciated by patrons of the brewery this time of year!

Big catch for Downtown Memphis’s business scene: A global New York-based advertising agency is opening an office Downtown. Young and Rubicon (often abbreviated Y&R) will bring 50 jobs down here, transferring 25 from other offices and hiring 25 locally. They were able to make the move into Memphis after securing a five-year, $457 million contract with the U.S. Navy. (Wow, the Navy pays even better than the NBA!) Their office will be located at 80 Monroe. If any of those transferring employees are reading this, you have two awesome lunch spots across the street – Bardog Tavern (it’s behind the plow digging the giant hole) and Little Tea Shop (next door to Bardog).

The event listing for Memphis Music & Heritage Festival is now on Facebook. Let your friends know if you’re going to this fantastic festival highlighting regional music, art, and food. It is on the Main Street Mall between Union and Peabody Place Saturday and Sunday of Labor Day weekend.

Great article on The Daily Beast about the masterpiece that re-wrote the rules of rock: The Beatles’ Revolver turns 50

theFunction is an arts series with sublime experiences including the hottest soul musicians, seasonal craft cocktails, local craft beer, and art openings. theFunction will have its Summer Arts Premiere Sunday, August 14 from 7 to 11 PM at Rizzo’s Diner, with a special menu by Chef Michael Patrick.

Last night I led off at my “home away from home on the south side,” Max’s Sports Bar. Max now has the TVs installed on his covered patio, which is cigarette and cigar friendly and will continue to be after the inside goes nonsmoking on August 15. A misting machine will be added next week.

Although I am a nonsmoker, I will probably get a good bit of patio time at Max’s during football season in the fall. I have already spent some time on the patio this summer and I cannot tell you how much I have enjoyed it. All kinds of wonderful things can happen there.

Farmers Market is my first stop this morning. Maybe I’ll have another duffin, although I’m pretty hungry and may go for something more substantial from a food truck. Bardog after that, rest of the day TBD.

 

Plans are being made to activate the parks around the Fourth Chickasaw Bluff, the greenspace around the area behind the University of Memphis Law School, the fourth of four high bluffs of Memphis bordering the Mississippi River. The first event in these plans is a pop-up beer garden called Fourth Bluff Fridays in Memphis Park, the former Confederate Park at Front and Jefferson. Fourth Bluff Fridays will kick off on August 12 from 5:30 to 7:30 PM, with live music from the Mighty Souls Brass Band. The Downtown Memphis Commission’s mobile beer garden The Tapbox will be on hand selling beers from Memphis’ four craft breweries. Food trucks Monkey Train Grazing Co., Stick’em, and Say Cheese will be selling food. Fourth Bluff Fridays will return on September 9 and August 14.

If you had not realized Comcast is Satan by now, here is further proof: Comcast sent a letter to the FCC arguing they should have the right to charge users for privacy. In other words, they want you to pay a fee if you don’t want your Internet browsing history shared with Comcast’s partners. Hey, I wonder if anyone still uses fuckbook.com? If they do I bet they are reaching for their wallets right about now.

From Good Housekeeping: Food and cocktail obsessions every year of the last 46 years. Yep, I sure do remember a few of them. For example: fondue (1973), wine coolers (1986), sushi (1988), Starbucks (1992), Cosmopolitans (1999), Red Bull and vodka (2001), food truck eats (2010), kale (2012). A staple on nearly every bar menu in America, buffalo wings, was 1977’s obsession.

We’ve got two big nights coming up at the Redbirds. Tonight the Redbirds play the Omaha Storm Chasers at 7:05, but if you like cheap beer come early. The gates will open at 6 and there will be a block party with live music and $2 domestic drafts. The Owner’s Seats with in-seat service will once again be discounted to $60 for tonight’s game. Cheer for the ‘birds to score at least 6, because if they do you’ll get a coupon for a 50% discount on a Papa John’s online order on the way out.

The really big night at AutoZone Park, though, is tomorrow night, Saturday, August 6. Once again Memphis plays Omaha, with 6:35 first pitch, 5:00 gates, and another block party with live music and cheap beer. If you’re one of the first 1500 through the turnstile, you will receive a free Redbirds adult pullover with three-quarter zip. There will be fireworks after the game, and as you exit you’ll get a coupon for Papa John’s (no score requirement this time), getting you a free medium one-topping pizza when you order a large.

There is also a special theme ticket tomorrow night. It’s Superhero Night, and fans will be able to mingle with superheroes and comic book characters throughout the game. There’s a special $17 field box/$20 ticket that gets you a superhero cape like the one team mascot Rockey Redbird wears.

The Peabody will host a wine dinner with Brutocao Cellars next Thursday, August 11 at 6:30 PM. The winery combines the Old World heritage of Venice with New World traditions to produce award-winning hand-crafted wines in Mendocino, California. The dinner will be five courses, each paired with Brutocao Cellars wines, hosted by winemaker Hoss Milone. $75 plus tax and gratuity. Here’s the menu. 901-529-4000 to make reservations.

Don’t forget the Choose901 pop-up back-to-school shop today and tomorrow. 477 S. Main, 3-7 today, 10-3 tomorrow. Note that payment will be cash-free, so bring a credit or debit card.

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

Capriccio Grill in the Peabody Hotel will be hosting a 150th anniversary dinner and tasting for Jack Daniel’s Whiskey on Thursday, September 22 at 6 PM. The dinner will be hosted by Lynn Tolley, a Brand Ambassador and Master Taster for Jack Daniel’s, the the great-great-grandniece of Jack Daniel himself. In the spirit of Miss Mary Bobo’s Boarding House in Lynchburg, Tennessee, the dinner will be served family style. $85 plus tax and grat. Call 901-529-4000 to make reservations.

Segway rides are coming to South Main beginning Saturday, August 20. You may have seen Real2Reel Photography owner David Bunk riding around on his Segway, and now you can ride on one too! Two hour rides will be offered Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. If you become a member of the club for $50 a year, rides are only $25 each. If you purchase a year membership no later than today, Thursday, August 4, you will get a 50% discount (901-497-5200 to purchase). Bunk says that a guide will be provided for your safety, but these are not the historical tours being offered elsewhere Downtown.

It’s National Farmers Market Week this Saturday at the Memphis Farmers Market, and they’re participating in the Farmers Market Coalition’s #LoveMyMarket challenge. Pick up a “I FARMERS MARKET” temporary tattoo at the Market on Saturday, and then get creative and take a photo of the tat on yourself or whomever or whatever you want. Post your photo to Instagram with the tag #LoveMyMarket. Contest deadline is August 31, and winning photographers and markets (this is a national contest) will be announced by September 16.

Also at the Farmers Market on Saturday, there will be an All About Farms coloring page from 9-11 AM for kids to color and present to their favorite vendor. The UT Extension Institute of Agriculture will demo how to prepare corn relish at 10, 10:30, and 11. Live music by “MFM Surprise” 8-10:30, and Jaclyn Monroe 11-12:30. The Market happens every Saturday from 7 AM to 1 PM under the pavilion at the corner of Front and G.E. Patterson.

A new craft brewery is getting close to opening in Memphis. Crosstown Brewing will open next door to Crosstown Concourse on N. Cleveland Street. That will make five breweries total in the city, with the others being Ghost River, Wiseacre, High Cotton, and Memphis Made.

A dog owner who is a fan of Pokemon GO dyed her Pomeranian to look like a Pikachu. Can we please stop the madness?

There’s an all-you-can-eat fish fry at AutoZone Park tonight that comes with a special Redbirds ticket ($17 field box, $20 dugout). College students with valid ID can get a $5 bluff seating ticket, with $2 domestic draft available in the left field bar. Opponent is the Omaha Storm Chasers with first pitch at 7:05 and gates open at 6. Want to beat the line and maximize your fish-eating time? Buy your ticket in advance here.

A couple of weeks ago I posted a photo of a menu for a new restaurant going into the ground floor of the Lincoln-American Tower, The Lighthouse. The Daily News has an article about the new restaurant and its owner, Tamra Eddy. The restaurant will open Monday, August 15 and hours will be 10 AM to 9 PM Monday through Saturday.

It’s National IPA Day and if you’re a fan of that style of beer, Flying Saucer will tap some rare IPAs tonight beginning at 6 PM.

In other Saucer news, FreeWorld will perform there next Friday, August 12, from 9:30 PM to 1:30 AM as part of the Dead Covers Project. They will record the music of the Grateful Dead and record it to submit to the Grateful Dead’s website. The Dead is one of FreeWorld’s biggest influences, and it will be a night of improvisation and reinterpretation.

A Nashville-based group wants to build a 155-apartment unit on North Main called Uptown Flats at Main and Looney. Looney is 5 blocks north of A.W. Willis Avenue.

That’s it for now. Back later with more.

The finale of MIFA’s Feed the Soul event happens at The Warehouse (green building at Front and G.E. Patterson) Thursday, October 6. This is a gala event with lots of food, beer and wine, rum and bourbon tastings, a oxygen bar, and a raffle. Live music by Tim “Big Baby” Goodman and The Soul Therapy Band, singer/songwriter Scott Southworth, and DJ Stan “The Bellringer” Bell. It’s a casual gathering of fun, friends and music. This will be the final year of an 8-year run for Feed the Soul. Next year they will take the year off to plan MIFA’s 50-year anniversary. I have been to this party in past years and it is a good time, and a “who’s who” of Memphis among the guests.

Want to really step up your game for the last Feed the Soul? Find out how to become a Feed the Soul host.

Big news about one of Downtown’s most loved bars:

After MUCH thought, deliberation and conversation with our customers we have decided to make the move to go non smoking August 15th.

— Max’s Sports Bar (@MaxsSportsBar) August 3, 2016

Although the majority of Max’s customers (including me) are in favor of the smoking ban, Max realizes that some will not be too keen on the idea. To that end, Max has added a roof to his back patio, which is completely cigarette and cigar friendly. Three permanent TVs have been installed out there for year-round sports watching, and a misting system will be added next week. Max is trying to do everything he can to accommodate ALL of his customers, smoking and non.

The Redbirds are back in town for a 6:35 game tonight vs. the Omaha Storm Chasers. There are two discounted tickets: A $40 club level ticket that includes air conditioning and a buffet, and $60 Owner’s Seats that include in-seat service. The team will be in town through Saturday and there are some good specials this homestand.

It’s Day 12 of Son of Giant Hole outside of Bardog Tavern on Monroe. It is an eyesore and it impedes traffic. One of the bartenders wondered publicly if the hole will be fixed by August 28, when businesses on the block host Monroe Fest to get neighbors together and try to raise $100,000 for St. Jude. The hole would be a safety hazard if it is still there the day of the festival.

The South Side Supper Club plays Earnestine & Hazel’s tomorrow night, Thursday, August 4, starting at 9 PM. These guys are friends of mine and it’s a good show.

Berdock Eats & Sweets is hiring and here is something to take note of – they’re willing to hire people with no kitchen experience, provided they are willing to do anything that needs to be done. Email brandi@bedrockeatsandsweets.com for more information. Bedrock is in the former Frank’s space at Main and Vance, next door to the Green Beetle.

Live music at the Green Beetle: Andrew Cabigao plays 7-10 Saturday.

You can use the promo code FRANKIE through 10 PM Thursday to go to Ticketmaster and pre-order tickets to The Jersey Boys before they go on sale to the public.

Congratulations to First Tennessee on doing the right thing: The company has extended parental benefits, giving new mothers 8 weeks of paid leave and dads/adoptive fathers/domestic partners 4 weeks paid leave.

Downtowners said thank you to our police officers last night at National Night Out. There was food, drink and live music under the Farmers Market pavilion. I stalked the Jack Pirtle’s booth as they got the chicken boxes out, thinking, “I don’t want to be the first person who’s not a police officer to go up and get chicken, but I’ll definitely be the second.” That was the hugest chicken breast I had ever seen in my life! Thanks to Pirtle’s and to everyone else who provided food for this wonderful (although scorching hot) event.

The city of Memphis is having a career fair Friday at the Memphis Botanic Gardens.

If this is your first visit to my blog today, keep scrolling… I did a morning post with info about a trivia fundraiser for the Humane Society and lots more good stuff. After I drive home from Horn Lake this afternoon, I will be out at the Silly Goose for happy hour.

If you’re an animal lover and a trivia lover, High Cotton is hosting an evening of Tails and Trivia Thursday, August 4 from 6 to 9 in their taproom. It will benefit the Humane Society of Memphis and Shelby County, with the help of Hollywood Feed, MEMpops, and Memphis Trivia. Humans can donate $10 to get in, and admission includes a pint glass, a beer token, and an entry for trivia. There will be prizes for the top three finishers at trivia, and a silent auction as well. A food truck (to be announced) will be parked outside. Dogs are welcome provided they can handle social situations and are on a leash. There will be $1 beer grain treats for the dogs, as well as $3 Pooch Hooch, a specially-brewed beer that is safe for dogs to drink. For those who have never been out there, the brewery is at 598 Monroe, just west of the intersection at Marshall (and just east of my BBQ team sponsor Holliday Flowers).

I don’t know if any of my readers go to the Bendy Brewski Yoga classes that normally happen at High Cotton on Thursday evenings, but if they do, the brewery has announced that there will be no yoga this week to make way for trivia players and their pups.

Classic PC game Oregon Trail makes its return this week… as a tabletop card game that will be sold exclusively at Target. Please let this be the hot new craze so people will be talking about something other than Pokemon! It’s time for Pokemon Go to die of dysentery.

Bass Pro has announced the greatest catfish tournament this side of the Mississippi at the Pyramid and Mud Island River Park September 9 and 10. First place will pay out $14,000 cash, with more than $60,000 in cash and prizes being awarded in total. A prize of particular interest is the chance to win a fishing trip with outdoor legend Bill Dance.

Luke White and Logan Hanna kick off the live entertainment at Loflin Yard for the week on Thursday, August 4. Chris Milam plays Friday, the Daddy Mack Blues Band Saturday, and Tennessee Ripple on Sunday.

The Downtown Huey’s will be closed for renovations the week of August 8 through August 14.

Almost Famous headlines the Peabody’s Thursday rooftop party for this week. $10 to get in with the first 200 ladies free. Admission price includes a buffet of items from Capriccio Grill’s dinner menu. Drink specials are a Mystery Margarita and Firefly Cherry Zing. In VIP there is an additional special of Firefly Passion Punch.

I do expect to have a second post sometime later today, so check back. That’ll do it for now.

Tonight is National Night Out at the Farmers Market pavilion on Front from 6 to 8 PM. Come have some food and a drink, thank a police officer, and learn how police-community partnerships can make our neighborhood a safer place.

A very neat concept happens at Loflin Yard Thursday night: The Civil Pour. The idea is that we need to regain the ability to listen to each other, that we need to recover civil discourse. It’s not a debate, and it’s not a fight. The discussion topic this time is “red state”/”blue state.” The idea is that we tend to think in binary terms about politics. Liberal/conservative, black lives/blue lives, pro-life/pro-choice, gun control/2nd Amendment, etc. What if we stopped thinking in binary?

Are you a Disney fan? Come test your knowledge at Disney trivia brunch at Bleu this Sunday, August 7. It’s hosted by Cerrito Trivia.

If you work in the Medical District and have considered moving closer to work, you may be able to get paid to do that.

If you’re a fan of the Sushi Jimmi food truck, good news… he has announced that there will be a Sushi Jimmi restaurant coming this fall.

There will be a Choose901 back-to-school pop-up shop at 477 S. Main Friday from 3 to 7 PM and Saturday from 10 AM to 3 PM. There will be Memphis themed backpacks, T-shirts, hats and more. Donations for Memphis Athletic Ministries will be accepted at the shop.

Hotel Napoleon is now on Facebook. “Like” the hotel for news updates on when the grand opening will happen.

The next edition of MyHQ Sunset Yoga happens tomorrow evening, Wednesday, August 3, Free yoga class, free wine, BYO picnic.

The Jaclyn Monroe Band plays the Dirty Crow Inn Saturday night at 9 PM.

Congratulations to former Memphis Tigers basketball star Elliot Williams, who has signed a one-year contract with the Golden State Warriors.

The RDC is considering closing Riverside on Sundays to thwart cruising, which brings the street almost to a standstill during spring and fall peak times.

That’s it for now. Unless the weather is horrible, I plan on making it to National Night Out to show gratitude for the officers who keep our neighborhood the safest in Memphis.

Yesterday I walked down to the Memphis Farmers Market and went to the food truck area in the back to survey my breakfast options. I wasn’t in the mood for a smoothie from the So Fresh Juice truck, and nothing at the Fuel or Monkey Train Grazing Co. food trucks quite struck a chord with me.

Then I turned around.

Over the years I have gone to the Farmers Market, I have tended to ignore the Bluff City Coffee booth because I am not a coffee drinker. However, I have failed to notice their huge selection of pastries and breads. The pastry case Bluff City brings to the Farmers Market seems as big as the one at the store itself.

“What is that?” I asked, pointing at a cinnamony-looking pastry.

“That’s a duffin,” I was told. “It’s like, half doughnut and half muffin.” It was $3. I bought one and walked back to the Farmers Market concourse. All the tables were taken, so I sat on the wall in front of the Market and ate my duffin. It was good! It was cinnamon sugar flavored. There are other flavor duffins as well, which I will try in future weeks. If you want to read more about duffins, Holly wrote about them in 2014.

By the time I finished my duffin, the clock had ticked past the 10:00 hour. “Earnestine & Hazel’s is open,” I thought. “I’ll walk over and see what Clarence is up to.”

This is what Clarence was up to:

HOLY ONIONS, BATMAN!!!

Earnestine & Hazel’s signature food item is the “Soul Burger,” a burger cooked on this very grill, with mustard, mayonnaise, pickle, the grilled onions you see above, and a bag of chips on the side. Many Memphians claim it is the city’s best burger. I disagree (the Double-Double at Dyer’s on Beale Street gets my vote) but it is definitely in the top ten. There are few experiences more Memphis than dropping a five in the jukebox, playing some tunes, and then ordering a Soul Burger and a beer.

After E&H it was time for my normal Saturday routine, brunch with Bloom at Bardog then over to Blind Bear to see my favorite pair of librarian glasses. We had a special visitor back in town for the weekend, the co-founder of my BBQ team, Moody.

Moody was hitting all the spots and seeing her peeps. She won’t be able to make it for Burger Fest but will be back in town later this year.

Is this not the most awesome shirt ever?

I walked over to the Peabody this morning to use their ATM. It’s across the walkway from Lansky Bros. clothing store, and this shirt was in the window. If you can’t tell (click the image to see it in a larger size), those are cassette tapes on the shirt. It’s a perfect gift for anyone who listened to music in the early Eighties.

Whoever thought to put an ATM next to Lansky was a genius. I bet there’s a lot of money that never even makes it out of the building.

Hotel Napoleon, the boutique hotel soon to open at the southeast corner of Third and Madison, is now hiring. Send a resume to hnhiringyou@gmail.com to be considered.

Quench is having a wine tasting Friday evening, August 5, from 5 to 8. Quench’s wine tastings are always educational, and this one will feature the products of Washington State producer Charles Smith. His wines are a modern style, designed to showcase the grape and the region in which it is grown, while being ready to drink right off the shelf. As always there is no charge for this tasting.

There will be a benefit concert for singer Ruby Wilson this afternoon at 2 at B.B. King’s on Beale Street. Live music, special guests, and a silent auction.

More live music: Melinda Milligan & Friends play the Center for Southern Folklore from 4 to 7 today.

Time for D-RANKS with B-RAD at Hung Over Like a Bear Sunday brunch at the Blind Bear. I just did a count; today will be my 83rd consecutive Sunday at Blind Bear. Later in the day I plan on spreading a little sunshine at my “home away from home on the south side,” Max’s Sports Bar. There’s no Sunday Fun Day like a Sunday Fun Day in Downtown Memphis and it is time to do it up right!

I have figured out one of the secrets of life, how to get myself to go home early on a Friday night. The trick is to buy extra food from Maciel’s Tortas and Tacos and leave it in the refrigerator. As early as 7:30 I was sitting at the Blind Bear, Jeannette asking if I want another beer. I had to stop and think, “DO I want another beer? Or do I want Maciel’s…” By 8:30 I was home eating Mexican food. “I’ll eat, then a quick nap, then back out for late night.” A friend was coming in town for the weekend, but her flight had been delayed so that plan made perfect sense. However, when I opened my eyes, the first thing I saw was “3:47” in red digital letters, so that trip back out never happened.

There’s a cornhole tournament today at Loflin Yard. First Tennessee Bank Interns and the Memphis Young Professionals for the American Cancer Society are teaming up to present the tournament. Registration opens at noon and closes at 12:30. Prizes for best team name, best dressed, and first and second place. There is  no cost to enter but donations will be appreciated. Prizes include gift cards from some of Memphis’ best spots. Proceeds go to American Cancer Society – Memphis.

In addition, Loflin Yard will be rolling out a new seasonal cocktail menu this weekend.

Fun event coming up at Miss Cordelia’s and Cordelia’s Table Wednesday, August 3 from 5 to 8 in the evening. It will be a tap takeover by Memphis Made Brewing Co. Memphis Made co-owner Andy will be there to talk about the beers they brew. Hungry? The DeJaVu and Monkey Train Grazing Co. food trucks will be there, as will frozen pop vendor MEMPOPS.

In other Memphis Made news, their ever-popular beginner sushi class returns to the taproom on South Cooper Sunday, August 28. Birmingham Sushi Class will teach you how to roll sushi. $40 includes all food and supplies, and you get to eat what you roll. This will be the sushi class’s fifth time at the taproom, and the previous four have all been sellouts, so if you want to sign up, don’t delay. Sign up here (I have no idea why it says this is the Little Rock class, but I am pretty sure it is a typo.)

PRO TIP: Memphis Made is not far from Tiger Lane. What you could do is start that Sunday at Best Memphis Burger Fest, where my team The Moody Ques will be competing. For a small donation to animal charities you can sample our burger. Then you have a short drive or walk over to the sushi class. Sounds like a pretty good Sunday!

There is no place I would be but with my team that day, but the 28th will be bittersweet for me for a couple of reasons. First of all, it will be the first time in nine years that I have missed a Bardog alley party. But if YOU go, be sure to drop some money in the bucket to support my neighbor Kitty Wompas who is shaving her head to raise $20,000 for St. Jude. Secondly, it will be the first time since B-RAD took over Sundays 20 months ago that I will miss Hungover Like a Bear brunch at the Blind Bear. The streak comes to an end…

High Cotton is doing a Mango Pineapple Belgian IPA as its beer special in the taproom today.

Daniel is always coming up with new innovations to make the Silly Goose even better, so I have a request. Can you find some kind of white-noise machine that drowns out conversations about Pokemon? I am so tired of hearing about that stupid game. Last night I checked in at the Goose and commented, “This conversation about Pokemon is brought to you by the letters S, T, F, and U.”

There’s blues, swing, rock and funk at King’s Palace Tap Room on Beale tonight as Metropolitan Avenue takes the stage. They’ll be playing from 8 to midnight.

Time to get outside! The Farmers Market is first on my list today, followed by the usual Bardog visit at 11, rest of the day TBD. The rain has swept out of the area and I hope it took all the Pokemon with it.

 

If you don’t have plans for this evening, it would not be a bad night to watch some baseball and get some free stuff. The Redbirds close out a homestand tonight with a game against the Oklahoma City Dodgers, with the first pitch at 7:05 and the gates open at 6. The first 1500 fans in the gate receive a replica of the St. Louis Cardinals’ 1926 World Series ring. Also, there is a special ticket you can buy ($18 field box, $21 dugout) that comes with a camo Redbirds cap. There will be a block party in the plaza before the game, and if the Redbirds score 6 you will get a promo code to use for 50% off a pizza at Papa John’s tomorrow.

Craft beer alert: High Cotton has announced that they are doing a Reese’s meets Scottish Ale chocolate peanut butter beer in their taproom today.

The El Mero Taco food truck tweeted that it will be outside Stock & Belle at 387 S. Main this evening for South Main Trolley Night. They have shrimp tacos on the menu all week.

It’s Tax Free Weekend in Tennessee. Clothing $100 or less, school supplies $100 or less, and computers $1500 or less can be bought sales tax-free through Sunday.

I completely agree with the Commercial Appeal’s endorsement of Rep. Steve Cohen for another term. He has worked well with those across the aisle in an era in which bipartisanship has become less and less common. Furthermore, he has successfully directed funding to his district for projects that have benefited all of his constituents. Given his integrity and experience, I cannot think of a better person to represent the Ninth District.

Baobab Filmhouse opens a week from today at 652 Marshall out in The Edge District. The theater will show films that show the true reality of the black experience.

GLO Airlines will be a Scoops Parlor tonight for South Main Trolley Night. They will give away swag and there will be a raffle for tickets to New Orleans.

That’s it for now. Will look at the weather later today to decide if a South Main Trolley Night trip is in the cards for me.