Paul Ryburn's Journal

Emotional car ride home. Maybe I will say something about it later but not right now. It has nothing to do with my mother’s health, by the way, so don’t worry about that. Let’s just say that I prayed for the first time since probably about age 30.

This is scary: Someone put a voter database online with 191 million records. The records contain details like names, addresses, dates of birth, party affiliation, and phone numbers. Even scarier? As of yet, nobody knows who put it online.

Tomorrow is a rare weekday doubleheader at FedExForum. The Memphis Tigers play Tulane at noon, and then the Grizzlies take on Miami at 7. At the Grizzlies game, you can get a free Ghost River “All Hops, Grit, Grind” pint glass. Simply order a Ghost River beer at either of the two stations selling it, and keep the glass.

MemphisWeather.net seeks a contract programmer for a single project.

Popular singer Charvey Mac plays the Silly Goose tomorrow night, Tuesday, December 29 from 10 to 1. That’s the weekly $2 local craft beer day so I will probably pop in for Charvey’s first hour and a craft beer or two. Or maybe I’ll forget to shop local like the last time Charvey was there and get PBR instead.

There will be a Liberty Bowl team welcome for Arkansas and Kansas State tomorrow at Bass Pro at the Pyramid at 5. Players will eat dinner and get to look around the new store. $25 if you want to attend.

MemphisWeather.net posted the forecast for the Birmingham Bowl in which Memphis plays Wednesday. Rain will be likely, especially in the morning, with 54 degrees at the 11 AM kickoff, up to 57 by 2. The Tigers practiced in the rain today which was good prep for the game.

Off to Melissa Monday at Bardog. A PBR sounds like a gift from heaven right about now (although that’s not what I prayed for either).

Before we get on with the news, I have a Pandora ’80s station rant. The worst song ever, “Tainted Love/Baby Where Did Our Love Go” by Soft Cell, plays way too much. The problem is that “Tainted Love” is considered one song, “Baby Where Did Our Love Go” another song, and “Tainted Love/Baby Where Did Our Love Go” a third song. So that crap is popping up on ’80s Pandora every half hour, it seems like. Ugh.

Matt Barnes has been suspended by the NBA for two games, according to Yahoo! Sports. Shortly after he was traded to the Grizzlies, he got in an altercation with New York Knicks coach Derek Fisher at Fisher’s house. Barnes did not appeal, so the suspension will be for the next two games.

There will be a paranormal investigation class on Saturday, January 9. Learn how to become a ghost hunter and get information about the tools of the trade in this two-hour class. $20, ages 18 and up.

Anyone know what’s going on with Sunday brunch at Texas de Brazil? A couple of people who went yesterday told me they were charging full dinner price and the salad bar did not have some of the usual Sunday brunch items – in particular the au gratin potatoes, which are the best thing about brunch there.

Looking to get some exercise tonight while having fun and hanging out with some cool people at the same time? The Salty Dogs running group depart from Bardog Tavern at 7 tonight. They will run around AutoZone Park and up the Main Street Mall on a 3-mile course. The course ends at Bardog, where they will go downstairs and enjoy food and drink specials post-run. There is no cost and no need to register in advance. All you have to do is show up!

If you want to get some exercise outside of Downtown tonight, check out arcade/video game bar/sports bar the Rec Room out on Broad Avenue tonight at 6:30. It’s the final Bendy Brewski Yoga class of 2015. $15 for an all-levels yoga class followed by some of the best beer in the city. This is a great activity for those who like yoga and tend to play games.

There was a 2.6 magnitude earthquake at Meeman-Shelby Forest State Park this morning. Not enough to do any damage or be felt, but it is a reminder that our city sits on a major fault line and one of these days “the big one” is coming.

The river is rising and will go past flood stage on New Year’s Day. However, that is still 14 feet below the flood of 2011 that moved BBQ Fest to Tiger Lane.

Speaking of BBQ Fest, VIPit tickets are now on sale for $495/$595 with parking. If you’re not on a team, this is a good way to get the full BBQ Fest experience and the cost is about the same as the average team membership. You get admission for Thursday, Friday, and Saturday of BBQ Fest, with guides who know a lot about BBQ to help you get the most out of the festival. You’ll be invited to up to 6 teams for competition BBQ sampling and lots of cooking tips. You’ll also get a goodie bag and tips from an official festival judge, as well as access to light snacks, soft drinks, beer and wine in a VIP area.

From Food and Wine: The Ultimate Guide to Shower Wine

From @RazorbackFB on Twitter: All loaded up and ready to go to Memphis. Welcome, Razorbacks! If Hog fans have any questions about Memphis, shoot me an email at paul@paulryburn.com and I will do my best to answer them. Kansas State fans, your questions are welcome too!

The pajama party at the Blind Bear was a huge success. There’s a photo of me floating around Facebook with two hotties in sexy nightgowns. I’m not sure I have their permission to post it on here though, so for now I will refrain.

I’ll lead off at Bardog for Melissa Monday at happy hour tonight (won’t be running with the Salty Dogs though), then over to the Blind Bear to watch football. Time to eat and get back to my Monday at work.

Every Sunday at the Blind Bear is Hung Over Like a Bear Brunch/D-RANKS with B-RAD from 11 AM to 6 PM. This week, to celebrate the holiday season, we’re doing something extra – we’re throwing a pajama party.

Wear your PJs, wear your onesies, wear your cute bunny slippers… whatever it is you sleep in. Ladies, I realize thick wool onesies might be uncomfortable to wear on a day when the high temperature is pushing the 80 degree mark. Be assured that it is most definitely acceptable to wear lingerie to this party.

NO DRAMA QUEENS ALLOWED (except Rahul) so an enjoyable time will be had by all.

Pajamas are not required, so if you want to pre-game for the Grizzlies-Lakers game at the Bear, bring it on! Although, if you got one of those Tony Allen Jedi robes earlier this month, you should wear it for sure.

Come hang out with the Sunday brunch crew for a fun afternoon!

The Blind Bear is celebrating its fourth birthday today (actual birthday is the 23rd, but this is a better day to have a party. Roman Trio plays at 10. Here’s the list of food and drink specials, as posted by Jeannette on Facebook.

John Daly, Bootlegger’s Mule, MoonBerry Mule, Dark & Stormy, Moscow Mule, The Flapper, Manhattan
Import Beer, House Wine, Well Drinks, Moonshine, Fireball
Jäger BBQ Bologna Sandwich
Bear Balls (think mozzarella sticks, but in ball shape)
Bowl of Pepper Jack Mac & Cheese

I’m sure you have noticed that this blog looks different, especially if you are viewing it on your phone. I have updated the blog to use the TwentySixteen theme that is new in WordPress 4.4. It will allow me to use all the bells and whistles that have been built into WordPress the past two years. It’s also mobile-friendly so I no longer need to use a plugin to make my blog look good on phones. Mobile users, let me know what you think at paul@paulryburn.com. I think it looks better but if a lot of you prefer the old mobile theme, I have the option of bringing it back.

Hard to believe: Lemmy, the frontman of Motörhead, turned 70 yesterday. That makes him older than Gene Simmons, Ozzy Osbourne, Robert Plant, David Bowie, Steven Tyler, and Ron Wood. If John Bonham and Keith Moon were still alive, Lemmy would be older than them too. Wow. I had no idea. I don’t pay a whole lot of attention to Motörhead but I would have guessed Lemmy to be in his mid to late fifties.

My friends Rahul and Tony, the guys who organized the Thanksgiving dinner for the homeless last month, are now collecting winter coats for the homeless. If you have one you would like to donate, hit me up at paul@paulryburn.com and I will put you in touch with them.

AccuWeather has a high of 79 forecast for Memphis tomorrow. MemphisWeather.net has 77. The Weather Channel also has us at 77 for Saturday. Normal high for Memphis on December 26 is 50.

Man, people who dress up for the ugly sweater party tomorrow night at Earnestine & Hazel’s (6-8 PM, $25, benefits the Hospitality HUB) are going to be mighty uncomfortable in their sweaters in 79 degrees.

By the way, the storm that is approaching this weekend has been named “Winter Storm Goliath” by The Weather Channel. Stupid stupid stupid.

Every Friday Felicia Suzanne’s opens for lunch and offers 25 cent martinis with your meal. Obviously since it is Christmas that isn’t happening today, but next Friday Felicia’s will serve lunch on New Year’s Day. If you don’t work Downtown, or if you don’t want to go back to the office smelling like booze, this is your chance to give the martini lunch a try.

For your reading pleasure: A history of fish sticks, the ocean’s hot dog

Shout-out to Jake Schorr, the owner of Westy’s. It’s a tradition for Westy’s to feed anyone who is hungry, for free, on Christmas.

AP Sports offers a look at the best college football bowl swag. A trip to Bass Pro at the Pyramid is recommended for Liberty Bowl attendees.

If you’re looking to get out and about later today, I Love Memphis has a list of what’s open. Of my main hangouts, Bardog, the Blind Bear, and the Flying Saucer open at 5. Silly Goose opens at 7. I forgot to ask what time Max’s opens (or if it is open at all today) when I was in there last weekend, so not sure about that one. Most likely I will lead off at the Bear at 5. Merry Christmas everyone and I hope you like the new theme.

Merry Christmas everyone. I plan on changing my blog’s theme to WordPress’s new Twenty Sixteen theme today, so the blog may look weird for a little while until I get everything sorted out. When done, the blog will be prettier, I will be able to do more with it, and the experience will be improved for mobile users.

Back later today with a news post.

AccuWeather forecasts a high of 76 and a low of 60 for today. Did I move to Miami? Both the high and low are 26 degrees above normal for this date in Memphis. 76 is a normal high for April 28. 15 of the 23 days so far in December have seen high temperatures of 60 or higher.

Going to the Grizzlies vs. LA Lakers game on Sunday? You can take the CA Paperboy Challenge for the chance to win an iPad Mini 2 and a 2-year subscription to the Commercial Appeal.

I’m not by any means saying I think Beale Street is the best option for New Year’s Eve, but if you must do it, there is a $100 Fast Pass that lets you bypass the long line to get on the street and gets you in about a dozen Beale bars and nightclubs without paying cover. There is also a free concert by country act Gloriana in Handy Park.

I’m not a New Year’s Eve fan in general, but here is an option I can strongly recommend: New Year’s Eve dinner at Rizzo’s Diner. The chef, Michael Patrick, has been a friend of mine for over a decade. His food is amazing and his restaurant attracts a crowd that knows how to behave in public, even on NYE. Here’s the menu:

First course:

Smoked Shrimp Picadillo (fried potato cake) or

2 Sweet Potato Edamame Pot Stickers

Second Course:

Quinoa Roasted Vegetable Salad or

Crisp Lamb Belly & Wild Mushroom Bisque

Third Course:

Hemp & Pumpkin Seed Encrusted Andouille-Stuffed Rack of Lamb with garlic mashed potatoes and asparagus or

Pan-Seared Ahi #1 Tuna with pickled butternut squash cucumber slaw and Southern style fried rice or

Crisp Roasted Duck with garlic mashed potatoes and asparagus or

Vegetarian Plate of a spinach zucchini enchilada, Cotija cheese herbed Napoleon, and Asian chili glazed brussels sprouts

Fourth course:

Peanut Butter Mousse Chocolate Cup or

Raspberry Chocolate Bread Pudding

$75 for the dinner, plus $15 more for an optional wine pairing. Call 901-304-6985 for reservations.

Paging my friend group: Anyone have interest in doing this dinner? I plan on going out on New Year’s Eve for the first time in several years. For midnight I’m leaning toward being at the Silly Goose, where my friends have tables reserved; although, I haven’t totally ruled out Max’s Sports Bar, the least likely of my “Big Five” bars to turn into Amateur Night.

Memphis in May is seeking a Director of Programming. This person would coordinate international cultural performances, educational outreach programs, dignitary events, artistic displays, and a variety of festival events. You won’t have much of a life outside of work during April and May holding this job, but it’s such exciting work that you might not care.

I learned something from the GM of the Flying Fish that I was not aware of: The Fish has quite the beer selection, with 85 different beers in their cooler. One of those 85 is the Cadillac of beers, PBR.

Last night I learned why the mac & cheese served as a side with Silly Goose sliders is so good: It’s made with brie as well as cheddar.

Even if you can’t have a dog in your home, even for a short period of time, you can help the Streetdog Foundation: They are looking for volunteers to walk dogs that haven’t found a permanent or foster home yet.

For those of you who think Donald Trump is unelectable, you might want to read this FiveThirtyEight article. Another flamboyant non-politician, former pro wrestler, Navy SEAL and Rolling Stones bodyguard Jesse “The Body” Ventura was once elected Governor of Minnesota.

Time to check the weather and make a decision whether to travel today. Getting over to Little Rock today would not be a problem, but getting back tomorrow looks like it could be. Rain and thunderstorms, some heavy are predicted for Christmas Day, and the hourly forecast indicates it could rain all day. Driving in torrential rain terrifies me – I’ve hit pooling water with an 18-wheeler tailgating me a few times, and it is no fun. All the road construction between Forrest City and here makes it even worse. Gonna give it another hour then make a decision. In any case, I do expect to be back tomorrow with a post.

 

BREAKING NEWS: Tornado watch issued for Shelby County until 8 PM. The Storm Prediction Center classifies this as a “Particularly Dangerous Situation.”

You ever see those mall store Santas and think, “Yeah that guy is probably making minimum wage to hold kids on his lap”? Think again. Atlas Obscura has an article on the business of Santa. An enterprising Santa can make $5000 to $10,000 during the holiday season, and if teamed up with a professional Mrs. Claus the couple can make 20. Some Santas even pull a full-time yearly income by adding commercials, modeling, and other Santa-related jobs.

St. Jude is launching a graduate school of biomedical sciences on its campus in the fall of 2017. That’s pretty cool… who wouldn’t want to be able to say they graduated from St. Jude? In other St. Jude news, the MBJ has a map of all the property St. Jude/ALSAC owns.

Visit the St. Jude gift shop to support a great cause while completing your Christmas gift shopping. There’s also an in-store gift shop that is open today.

Developers have purchased land on Union and Gayoso, south of AutoZone Park, for a 4-story Cambria Hotel.

From Distractify: This swear words coloring book is a fucking brilliant way to start 2016. Shit, yeah, it is.

Value drinking tips for Flying Saucer patrons: Straight to Ale Monkeynaut has a Value Drinking Index of 21. New Belgium Blackberry Barleywine has a Value Drinking Index of 24. For those not familiar, VDI = (percent alcohol by volume * number of ounces) / price. A VDI of 15 or above indicates an excellent value for the dollar in beer.

Bet you didn’t know: There’s a community of 2100 “detanglers” out there who help get knots out of balls of yarn. There’s a forum where knitters and crocheters ask for their help. Detanglers enjoy their work and will often work for the cost of shipping and handling.

Does osteporosis run in your family? It’s been shown that 12 minutes of yoga every day can strengthen your bones and prevent the disease. YOGA!

In related news, an injectable foam has been developed to repair degenerating bones.

Here’s a pic of the Z-bow wrapping kit that was handed out to the first 5000 fans at the Grizzlies game Saturday.

There was a legal dispute between Fireball and Jack Daniel’s over Google AdWords and trademark violation, but it has been called off.

I played poker last night and have a bad beat story to share. After about 30 garbage hands in a row, I looked down and found Ace-Ten offsuit. It was folded to me in late position. The blinds were 400/800 and I had a stack of 7700. With less than ten big blinds and a hand that is vulnerable post-flop, I decided to go all-in and see if anyone else wanted to come along. My BBQ teammate/Silly Goose bartender Dusty called for his stack of 3600. We flipped over:

My hand: A-10 offsuit

Dusty’s hand: K-10 offsuit

This is an excellent situation for me, known as domination. If a 10 hits the board, it will help Dusty, but it will help me more because I have a superior kicker. Only a King or the unlikely Queen-Jack-Nine or four flush cards can save Dusty from elimination.

The flop: Q-J-9

ARGH!!!! Dusty flopped a straight. Now I’m the one hoping for a King, which would give me a higher straight. The turn and river were no help and I lost nearly half my chips. Sucks, but that’s poker. I enjoyed the game and the camaraderie with my table-mates.

The office closes at 3, but with the storms moving in I plan on being outta here earlier than that. Will work from home til 3 then Blind Bear and Silly Goose for happy hour. Everyone be safe and SLOW DOWN on the interstate. Water tends to pool on I-240 at mile 26/6 north of Norris, and about a quarter-mile before the exit onto I-240 to go Downtown. On I-55, water pools under the Third Street and Horn Lake Road bridges. Watch out for those especially. Remember, lights on when it’s raining and don’t tailgate. All right, driving sermon over, back to work.

Very important news in the world of computers today: A database containing account information for 3.3 million Hello Kitty fans has been leaked. If you’re a Hello Kitty fan, your sensitive data may have been compromised.

Amber Rae Dunn Hosts Earnestine & Hazel’s Open Mic Night tomorrow from 8 to 11 PM. For many people (me included) tomorrow is an effective weekend night, and a chance to come hear some live music or perform some of your own.

Take a moment away from your holiday planning to save a date: January 12. That will be the date of the first South Main Association meeting for 2016. It will be at the Halloran Centre for the Performing Arts, with Terence Patterson who runs DMC being the featured guest. There will also be an introduction to the centre by Ron Jewell, VP of Operations. 6 PM is the start time.

MLGW issued a statement regarding last Friday night’s power outage south of Monroe Avenue Downtown: An underground cable fault and an equipment issue at a substation were to blame. Power was out for 53 minutes.

Beer lovers, Miss Cordelia’s has a deal for you on Christmas Eve. Bring your growler in and get a fill for only $9. You can bring as many growlers as you want.

The Tigers men’s basketball team hosts IUPUI tonight at FedExForum at 7.

The DMC has 10 last-minute stocking stuffer suggestions for people who love Memphis.

Foodie Alton Brown named Memphis the best food town in America recently.

From Lifehacker: Track scams in your area with the BBB’s scam-tracking tool.

From Gizmodo: Don’t start playing with this HTML5 drum machine if you have anything to do today

The timetable for the opening of Trader Joe’s in Germantown has been updated. They’re now looking at a third-quarter 2016 opening. For those who have never been in one, Trader Joes is to grocery stores what In-n-Out is to burgers. In particular: Get the giant chocolate bars. Also, the vegetable lasagna in their grab & go case is so good that you won’t care that there’s no meat in it. I’m not a wine person but their Two-Buck Chuck (I think it may be Three-Buck Chuck now) is said to be as good as much more expensive wines.

That’s it for now. Second update after work is not out of the question. I will lead off happy hour at Blind Bear about 5:40 if anyone is in the mood to join.

The doorman from the Flying Saucer came over to the Blind Bear last night after he got off work, and he gave me some information. “We like it when you come in the Saucer and dance,” he told me. “It’s good for business.”

The World Series of Fighting will debut an all-new “Future Champs” series in the lobby of FedExForum on Saturday, January 23 at 9 PM, live on NBCSN. Light heavyweight Teddy Holder and lightweight Mike Ricci will be featured in bouts. More info here. (Really, FedExForum? Almost 2016 and you don’t have a mobile-friendly site?)

Cafe Keough will have a New Year’s Eve party on December 31 from 9:30 to 1 featuring WALRUS and The Dirty Whorns. New Year’s Eve menu, party favors, and a champagne toast at midnight. $25 at the door. More info here.

From Thrillist: Memphis bars open Christmas Day

There will be an ugly sweater party which is a fundraiser for the Hospitality HUB Saturday, December 26 at Earnestine & Hazel’s from 6-8 PM. The Grizzlies game will be on and it will be a good time. A suggested $25 donation is requested. The Hospitality HUB is a nonprofit that provides the homeless with resources they need to get back into the game we call life.

My vegan friend told me yesterday that she uses an app called Vegandrinks to determine which beers are safe for her to drink. Some beers are filtered using animal bladders and are therefore not vegan-friendly. “Thank goodness PBR is safe,” she told me.

South of Beale will be closed today through Friday for kitchen floor repairs and for the holidays.

Visible Music College is looking to hire an Instructor of Modern Music.

Sepp Blatter, godfather of the FIFA crime family, and his underboss Michael Platini have been banned from soccer for 8 years.

YAWN. Very, very tired. Did not get enough sleep. Time to zombie through the afternoon then hit Melissa Monday at Bardog after work. Back this evening or tomorrow with more news.