Paul Ryburn's Journal

Happy Memorial Day! If you’re looking for something to do this afternoon, the Redbirds have a 1:05 matinee game. If you show a Chick-Fil-A value meal receipt, you can receive $6 off the ticket price today. There are also specials for the joint purchase of a ticket and a Malibu can cocktail. Opponent is the Round Rock Express and gates open at 12.

Another option is the grill-out on Twilight Sky Terrace, the lounge atop the Madison Hotel. From 11 to 4 they’ll be grilling burgers and dogs. The regular menu will be available too.

The big event of the day, of course, happens at the FedExForum tonight at 8. Western Conference Finals Game 4, Grizzlies vs. Spurs. No team has ever come back from down 3 in a conference final series. Therefore, the beginning of history being made starts tonight. As usual, I will be at the Blind Bear watching the game. Go Grizzlies!

The Paul McCartney concert is this evening at the FedExForum. It’s a stop on his “Out There” tour. Even if you don’t have tickets to see Sir Paul, you should come to the FedExForum plaza around 5. British Invasion band Jeffrey and the Pacemakers will be playing Beatles songs and hits from other popular 1960s British bands. These guys are accomplished musicians and have played with some of the industry’s biggest names. The show is free to the public.

Add one to the “weird things you see Downtown” file. Yesterday I saw multiple reports that Friday night, a man had been walking around Main Street carrying a live duck in a Home Depot bucket. Then Patrick from the Majestic Grille posted a video and yep, it was absolutely true. There was a mallard hen inside a painted bucket. You just don’t get this kind of entertainment in Collierville, folks.

One of my neighbors tried Havana Pilon, the new Cuban restaurant on Madison near Second, Friday evening. I asked her how it was and she said the food was “fab” and very reasonably priced. I’ve got to get in there and try it soon. She said the hours are 7 to 7 Monday through Saturday.

Yesterday I started at Bardog as usual. It was pointed out to me that one of the other bar customers was waiting for me to finish my beer to see if I’d order another one, and then as soon as I did, he did too. I started paying attention, and yep, that was happening. About 2:30 I asked Panda for my tab as quietly as possible and slipped down Scratchy’s Alley on my way to the Flying Saucer, hoping to get away from him. Not 30 seconds after I took a seat next to my friends at Saucer, he was hovering behind us.

One of my friends suggested he slow down on the drinking, as he was quite hammered by that point. He responded by ordering a car bomb and a 25 ounce can of beer. Initially he stayed a couple of people away from me, but he soon found reason to talk to my BBQ teammate sitting next to me, leaning on the back of my chair so as to invade my personal space as much as possible. I finally had to move away from my friends to get away from him. When he was done with his beer he crushed the can and angrily slammed it on the bar, then shoved it in my general direction. Passive-aggressive MUCH? Since he watches Grizzlies games at the Saucer and I watch them at Blind Bear, I thought I’d be free from him in the evening, but no, he followed me to Bear too. Fortunately my BBQ teammates occupied all the nearby seats and he had to sit at the other end of the bar. Disappointed that he couldn’t pester me more, he left at halftime. Seriously? WTF is wrong with people? I think he blames me for not being on the BBQ team this year, when he should blame his own long-standing pattern of inappropriate drunk behavior.

Due to laundry not getting done in time I won’t make it to brunch at the Majestic today. I’ll probably lead off at Saucer at noon, then at 3 I have to go to a BBQ team leadership wrap-up meeting at Blind Bear. I’m not a member of the LLC behind the BBQ team but I get invited to these things anyway. Actually, one of our first-year members (and I wish she were my stalker instead of a creepy middle-aged dude) had a really good suggestion I want to pass on. After that I’ll catch Jeffrey and the Pacemakers on the Forum plaza, and plans TBD after that. Maybe Silly Goose, although I have reason to believe it will be an absolute shitshow tonight. At any rate, it’s a Sunday not followed by a work Monday, and I’m going to make the most of it. It’s going to be a beautiful day in the mid 80s and I hope to see some tube tops!

Welcome to Tube Top Month, which began at 5 PM yesterday. Tube Top Month is a celebration of the greatest women’s fashion item ever invented, the tube top. From today through July 4, every post on this blog will mention tube tops or will feature a photo of a tube top. Tube Top Month had its first year in 2005 and was originally the month of June. In 2010 one of my readers suggested I expand it to include the Memorial Day and July 4 weekends. I thought that was an excellent idea.

For our first photo we have an established tube top superstar, Jessica who was working a rare Friday shift at the Silly Goose last night. Want to be in the blog? Put on a tube top and come find me. I have the camera phone on me at all times.

Sunset Symphony is changing its scheduled event times this evening to accommodate the Grizzlies game. Symphony will begin at 7, fireworks at 8:45, then they will show the game on the stage’s big screen at 9. By the way, a tube top would be a great choice of clothing for tonight in Tom Lee Park.

The Memphis Flyer has a good article about Tamp & Tap, the coffee shop/biergarten which will open in Van Vleet Flats soon. I did not realize it is being opened by Taylor Berger, the entrepreneur who opened Chiwawa in Midtown recently. That place has been a runaway success and hopefully Tamp & Tap will be too.

The Redbirds are giving away unique Memphis Belle T-shirts to the first 2000 fans at AutoZone Park tonight. The shirts celebrate the 70th anniversary of the Memphis Belle’s 25th combat mission. There are discounted tickets for veterans tonight, and after the game there will be fireworks set to Big Band era music. Gates open at 5, first pitch at 6:05.

That’ll do it for now. I’ll most likely watch the game at Blind Bear as usual. Go Grizzlies! Let’s see those growl towels! And those tube tops!

Breaking news: Club 152 has been allowed to reopen. It will be open as of 5 PM today following an agreement just signed in Environmental Court.

Yesterday afternoon, Mayor Wharton announced that there will be huge LED screens in Handy Park broadcasting tomorrow’s Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals. Game time is at 8 PM. The park would be a great place to be if you don’t have a ticket to see the game in person. Handy Park is at the corner of Third and Beale.

Meanwhile, over in Tom Lee Park, the final event of Memphis in May will take place. Sunset Symphony is the most laid-back of the Memphis in May events. Patrons are allowed to bring their own coolers and picnic baskets in, and you can bring blankets and sit on the grass. There are bands all afternoon, and when the sun sets, the Memphis Symphony Orchestra performs and then there are fireworks. If you don’t feel like bringing your own, food and beverages will be sold by vendors. Read the FAQ to find out what items you can and can’t bring in. This is a really good event for date night or for a family outing.

AutoZone Park and the Redbirds are honoring our military by designating 26 seats in the first three rows of section 106 for service members. Military will be able to purchase those seats at a 50% discount by showing their military ID. Row 1, seat A in that section will be wrapped in black with the POW/MIA logo. It will be marked “Reserved in Memoriam” and will remain permanently empty.

Good USA Today article: Memphis: A Basketball Haven in a Football Region

That’ll do it for now! Tube Top Month starts at 5 PM.

Mayor Wharton has proclaimed tomorrow GRIZZLIES DAY and is asking everyone to wear your Grizzlies colors, jerseys, or team gear. He is also asking everyone Downtown to leave their lights on Saturday night. The Goodyear Blimp will be in town to cover the Western Conference Finals, and we want Downtown to shine.

Gary Escoe’s Atomic Dance Machine plays the Peabody rooftop tonight. On the buffet: pasta salad, deviled eggs, and Southern fried chicken legs. VIP buffet: Southern fried chicken tenders, potato salad, ham & Swiss sliders. The Budweiser of Memphis beer tasting in VIP will feature Yazoo beers this week. $10 to get in, cover includes first drink, ladies free before 7. It’s a beautiful rain-free day and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with it if you decide to kick off Tube Top Month a day early.

Tomorrow is Bob Dylan’s 72nd birthday. The first 20 fans to come to AutoZone Park tomorrow and purchase tickets to his July 2 concert here will receive a free slice of birthday cake and four tickets to any Redbirds game in August.

The Paul McCartney concert is this Sunday at the FedExForum. Prior to the concert, starting at 5 PM, there will be a plaza party featuring the 1960s British Invasion band Jeffrey and the Pacemakers. Attendees will be able to buy Paul McCartney and Grizzlies merchandise, and brats, beer, and soft drinks will be sold.

Congrats to Marc Gasol for making all-NBA second team, although I think he should have been first team.

The Silly Goose has revised its menu again. Here’s a look at the new food menu: (click to see enlarged size)

New to the menu is a choice of meats cooked “on the stone.” They actually bring it out to your table and it cooks on a hot stone right in front of you. I watched Chris the manager try it out several weeks ago and the filet looked really good. You get your choice of several sauces and a side. They put the hot stones away at 10 PM, which is probably a good idea given how crowded it gets in there at night.

Speaking of the Goose, I hear the PBR is good there. I think I’ll walk down there and have one.

Last night I got an email from my friend Angie. Angie is a Downtowner who I’ve known for about 11 years. We first met when we were both involved in projects for the now-defunct young professionals organization MPACT Memphis. Angie was the one who got me into affiliate marketing. I don’t do much of it anymore, but it kept me afloat for the 5 months I was in between the last job and the current one in 2008-09, so I am grateful to her for that.

I knew Angie was an Oklahoma native, but I did not realize that she is a product of the Moore, Oklahoma public schools. The district has 22 elementary schools, 5 junior high schools, and 3 high schools. When Angie went to school there, the education was so sought-after that parents would try to “sneak” their children in by borrowing water bills from friends to prove residency. Angie credits the Moore school system for making her the person she is today.

As you’ve probably seen on the news, the tornadoes hit the Moore school system hard on Monday. Two schools will have to be torn down, the administration building was hit, and other schools were severely damaged. Angie’s parents were interviewed on the news last night. You can see the interview on her blog. Also on her blog, you can learn how to donate to the rebuilding of Moore schools in a way that is more direct than going through the Red Cross.

Angie is also looking for people in Memphis to help her put together a fundraiser for the Moore Public Schools. You can contact her at angela(dot)copeland(at)gmail.com if you are interested in helping.

Here’s a satellite map of the damage in Moore. Block-wide path of destroyed homes and buildings all across the town. Wow.

I want this to stand by itself as a post, so I’m delaying the daily news post until after work.

(Forgot to hit Publish before going out, sorry)

100 jobs are coming Downtown as paper products manufacturer Kruger Products expands its production facility. White Cloud toilet paper is among the products they make here. The plant is at 400 Mahannah, near Second and Island Drive, so it would be a short commute for people who live on Mud Island. You can view a list of jobs here and there are entry-level ones available. Even the entry-level jobs pay well.

Mayor Wharton has committed to building 15 miles of green bike lanes over the next two years. Green lanes are protected from car traffic.

Interesting fact I learned on Twitter: Oklahoma University has a course on storytelling in professional wrestling.

Congratulations to Max’s Sports Bar on their fundraising for tornado victim relief. Bartender Michele posted that they raised $506 yesterday.

The Daily News reports that talks are underway for Club 152 to reopen. I have a couple of friends who work there and I know they must have hated missing that BBQ Fest weekend tip money.

Home from work, time for beer, outta here!

If the Grizz don’t get it together, Mayor Wharton is going to be FedExing some BBQ. The mayor of San Antonio contacted him, bragging about Texas BBQ and asking Wharton if he’d be interested in making a bet. If the Grizzlies come back to win the series against the Spurs, SA’s mayor will send Wharton Texas BBQ from one of his favorite restaurants. Mayor Wharton accepted the bet and said that if the Grizzlies lose the series, Rendezvous BBQ will be on its way to Texas.

In other Grizzlies news, Saturday will be a milestone: The first time the Grizzlies have ever played a game during Tube Top Month. The month is a celebration of tube tops, and while it was originally June, it has since been extended to Friday of Memorial Day weekend through July 4. Why not show your support for the Grizzlies by wearing a tube top on Saturday?

There are jobs open in Uptown, at BRIDGES. From their website: “If you want to help us build a community of leaders to advance racial, economic, educational and environmental justice, you’ve come to the right place.” Jobs open include Development Specialist, Data Specialist and Helpdesk Resouce for Bridge Builders, Bridges AmeriCorps Full-Time Member. I have toured their facility a couple of times and it is fantastic.

Twilight Sky Terrace, the swanky new lounge atop the Madison Hotel, will have a cookout for Memorial Day. From 11 AM to 4 PM they will have burgers and hot dogs coming off the grill, as well as their regular menu items. There will be all-day drink specials too. The party will continue into the night after the grill shuts down at 4.

Former Memphis Tiger D.J. Stephens recorded a 46-inch vertical jump at the NBA Combine today. That’s the highest ever recorded in the NBA.

In the news: A Seattle butcher is taking advantage of legal marijuana by feeding it to his pigs. Wonder if any BBQ Fest teams will put in orders for 2014?

That’s it for now. I’ll be out at the usual places after work.

If you want to help those in Oklahoma who lost everything to yesterday’s tornadoes, two popular bars on the south side of Downtown have a way for you to do that. Both Max’s Sports Bar and Double J Smokehouse will be collecting clothing, food (non-perishable) and money. Everything they collect will go directly to the Red Cross. Both bars will have the Grizzlies game on.

The Grizzlies’ official Game 2 Watch Party will be tonight at the FedExForum, and it’s free to the public. However, you can get there early for an Open House happening from 11 AM to 6 PM today. You can get free playoff swag including a really cool Western Conference Finals poster. If you’re thinking about buying season tickets for 2013-14, you can test-drive your seats.

There’s a new Go South Main website that is very nicely done.

I’ve been wondering about a new restaurant called Havana Pilon that I see on Madison Avenue every day as I drive home down Second. They left some flyers in my building, and I got one and took a pic. (Click to enlarge)

The upper left corner is a bit fuzzy, so here’s a list of the specialties they serve. Everything else should be readable if you enlarge.

MOFONGO – Fried green plantains mashed together in a PILON (which is a wooden mortar and pettle) with garlic and olive oil

ABACO – Cuban soup made with beef, pork, chicken, corn on the cob and vegetables

ROPA VIEJA/OLD CLOTHES – Shredded beef in tomato sauce and vegetables

CUBAN PICADILLO – Ground beef, potatoes, onions, garlic, bell pepper and olives

CUBAN FRIED RICE – Prepared as in Havana’s famous Chinatown

ARROZ CON POLLO – Yellow rice with chicken

EMPANADAS – Homemade empanada filled with shrimp, ham, or cheese

The restaurant is a tiny little place, so be prepared to get your food to-go when it’s busy.

Plans for tonight: The Blind Bear has been my Grizzlies watch spot, and I see no need to change that. Game is at 8 but I’ll get there early to get a good seat.

BBQ Fest has wrapped up and the winners have been posted. Here’s a list. My team the Moody Ques didn’t get any top-three finishes other than first in Best Booth. Chef David Scott Walker said that after the judging, one of the judges came by and offered very helpful constructive feedback. The meat was championship quality, he said, but the way we did the presentation needs some work. Chef commented on Sunday that BBQ Fest is addicting and added, “Can we start talking about next year?” When people are asking that question the day after, rather than saying “I don’t want to think about BBQ until at least September,” it’s a very promising sign.

There’s an article about BBQ Fest on SeriousEats.com today, with coverage of the Moody Ques booth. Thanks to Ben for coming by and talking to the team.

A bar named Prohibition may be coming to the Front Street space that was formerly Rehab Disco. The MBJ reported today that the owners have applied to the DMC asking for permission to put up the sign.

Six new companies have graduated from SeedHatchery startup bootcamp. The bootcamp is an intense 90-day process to guide entrepreneurs through the very early stages of their new businesses. Congratulations to all six.

I am WORN OUT. BBQ Fest has left me physically sick, and I know I’m not the only one on the team in that condition. Made it to work though. I’ll be out for a little while after work, but it will be a pre-10:00 night for bed though. Will probably lead off at Silly Goose because I haven’t spent much time there the past week and want to catch up on a few things.