Paul Ryburn's Journal

One of Downtown’s icons has passed away. Bernard J. Lansky opened his first store at 126 Beale in 1946. Initially he sold Army surplus items, but in the 1950s he started carrying high-end men’s clothing. Future rock star Elvis Presley took a liking to what he saw in the store, and Mr. Lansky became “Clothier to the King.” He passed away this morning at his home at age 85. His legacy lives on in the excellent selection and service found in the Lansky clothing stores at the Peabody. Condolences to Mr. Lansky’s family and friends. There will be a public service at Baron Hirsch Synagogue, 400 South Yates Road, on Friday, November 16th at 11 a.m., with interment to follow at Baron Hirsch Cemetery.

Need a Christmas gift for a baseball fan? The Redbirds have two holiday packs. For $80, the Joy ticket package ($114 value) includes four dugout box vouchers for the 2013 season, one St. Louis Cardinals 2011 World Series replica ring, and an autographed item (call for details). For $45, The Cheer package ($55 value) contains four bluff ticket vouchers for the 2013 season, one youth Redbirds jersey (youth XL), one Redbirds SillyBandz, and 10 boardwalk tokens. Both packages include a $10 service charge for tax and shipping. Call (901) 722-0299 or go online at memphisredbirds.com to purchase a package.

Also, don’t forget about the flip-the-switch party tomorrow at 5 PM at AutoZone Park’s Rockeyfeller Plaza!

Couple of beer news items: First of all, FuzzyBrew (@FuzzyBrew) has tweeted that Buster’s Liquors has a new website listing their 10,000 item inventory. Why is a liquor store’s website beer news? Well, any beer sold in Tennessee that is over 6% is technically considered liquor rather than beer. Some liquor stores, including Buster’s, carry a big selection of these high-ABV beers, often at prices of around half of what you’d pay for them at a bar.

The other beer news is that on Tuesday, the City Council will vote on the final reading of an ordinance to allow beer tastings in grocery stores. The ordinances here are more restrictive than in other large Tennessee cities. I definitely support relaxing the rules so that people can sample beer before they buy.

Cutting this post short to go eat. For once I’m excited about having lunch in DeSoto County, because The Boiling Point is having a Thanksgiving menu today. Turkey and dressing and all the trimmings! May do another post after work, so check back.

I was too excited about Blue Man Group at lunchtime to look around for any other news to post. Here’s your after-work news.

Another new event starts Monday at the Brass Door: Lightning Lunch. Every weekday, soup and a sandwich for $7. If they don’t have you in and out within 40 minutes, they’ll buy your lunch.

The Flyer’s Hungry Memphis food blog has a couple of posts of interest to Downtowners today. First of all, want to buy a food truck? The Revival food truck is for sale. $39,000 will buy you everything – the truck, the equipment, even the recipes. They’re having to sell because one of the owners was offered a regional corporate restaurant position that was too good to turn down.

Also, the Hungry Memphis folks tried Bleu’s build-your-own-pasta menu this week. They created some beautiful dishes that I’m sure were delicious too. Meanwhile, out in Horn Lake I had a Frosty from Wendy’s for lunch today. So there’s that.

December 5, 1933 was the day Prohibition was repealed. Two Downtown bars will celebrate the 79th anniversary of the repeal with parties that night: The Blind Bear and the Silly Goose. The two bars are right around the corner from each other, so there’s no reason why you can’t hit both.

The Mid-South Food Bank desperately needs turkeys. To make a cash donation to go toward turkeys, go here and select “Turkeys” from the “Designation:” item on the form.

The Grizzlies play the Thunder in OKC tonight at 7. Reminder: Aldo’s Pizza Pies is having a watch party. Two 65″ TVs at the bar, four 50″ TVs around the restaurant. Have a look at today’s Slice of the Day, with vodka sauce base, caramelized onions, sliced sausage, and green bell peppers.

Plans for tonight: After a few weeks apart due to Halloween and Downtown Dining Week, the trivia team will be back at the Blind Bear at 8:00. As usual, I’ll do a little pre-gaming for trivia at the Saucer first. Time for beer!

Last night I went to see Blue Man Group at the Orpheum. (Disclosure: They comped me media passes, so I saw it for free. Nevertheless, I truly mean every word of what I am about to type.)

Here’s my verdict: If in your entire life, you only take one recommendation I make on this blog, make it this one: GO SEE THIS SHOW. It blew my mind. I had been wanting to see Blue Man Group live for over a decade and had very high expectations. The show not only met those expectations but exceeded them.

Furthermore, this show is absolutely worth paying a premium for the best seats. If you can get in the first 12-14 rows, that would be ideal. I don’t want to spoil the show by explaining why, but toward the end, the folks near the front are the ones who get to join in the fun the most.

What exactly is Blue Man Group? I’m going to expand the definition I posted last week a little. Their show combines color, music, rhythm, storytelling, humor, and audience participation. I really can’t say much more than that without giving away details of the show, and my description wouldn’t do it justice anyway. If you’re not sure whether you want to go, search YouTube for Blue Man Group and you’ll find plenty of videos. But trust me, you NEED to see this live.

I had heard that the front rows were “poncho seats,” and people who sit there put on ponchos to avoid getting paint on them from the performance. Actually it’s more than just paint. Again, I can’t say much more without giving away part of the show.

Two audience members had particularly special experiences. One got to eat with the group, while another got to paint with them.

One thing to note: Unlike most shows at the Orpheum, this one has no intermission. Therefore, it’s probably not a good idea to consume a lot of liquids before you take your seat.

For more info see the Orpheum’s website. Tickets are listed at $20-85. I would easily pay $85 for the experience I had last night. For students, tonight is student rush night if you want to see it for cheap.

GO SEE THIS SHOW. Please. You will not regret it. If you don’t enjoy this show, you are probably green, live in a garbage can, and your name is Oscar. Absolute must-see show of the year.

The Brass Door is starting a new Tuesday night promotion beginning tonight. It will be “TCB,” Tuesday Curry and Beers. After 5 PM, you can have Rogan Josh or Korma with rice for only $8 while enjoying beers with Seamus and Diamond Dave behind the bar. They’ll still have 2 for 1 fish and chips after 5 as well, and happy hour specials from 4 to 7. I love curry and if I didn’t have Blue Man Group tickets, I’d be there tonight for sure. Hopefully next Tuesday!

LaunchMemphis is having a fundraiser, Risk City Soiree, this weekend in celebration of 2012 Global Entrepreneurship Week. It will be this Friday, November 16 at Minglewood Hall. Entertainment will be provided by Fast Planet (recently featured on MTV), Marcela Pinilla, and Danari. Cover is only $5, which is very inexpensive for a fundraiser. Buy tickets here or pay at the door.

The Big East is set to approve two divisions for their 2013-14 football schedule. Memphis will be in the western division, along with Houston, SMU, Temple, Boise State, and San Diego State. We waited all these years to join a major conference and this is what we get??? Looks like we’re still in Conference USA. The Tigers will play all five western division opponents, plus three from the eastern division of Rutgers, Louisville, Cincinnati, UConn, Central Florida, and South Florida.

The Rendezvous is looking for part-time cashiers to work their stands at FedExForum. Call 901-523-2746 if interested.

Beer news: South of Beale will have Magic Hat’s winter seasonal, Heart of Darkness, in bottles starting tomorrow.

Plans for tonight: BLUE MAN GROUP!!!!! It’s the first night of their 6-day run at the Orpheum and I have tickets. I’m no theater critic but I’ll do the best I can to post a review tomorrow. You NEED to see this show. Check them out at blueman.com if you’re not familiar with their act.

Central BBQ has announced that they are extending the Grand Opening specials at the new Downtown location through Thanksgiving. For $10 you can get a half slab of ribs, or for $6 you can get a full order of wings (dine in only).

Two Memphis teams did well in the World Food Championships in Las Vegas. “I Like Big Burgers and I Cannot Lie” qualified by winning Best Memphis Burger Fest in September. They partnered up with Kooky Canuck to become Team Kooky Canuck, and came in fourth in the burger division of the Vegas food championships. Meanwhile, Black Pig, an Ontario-based team that includes Kooky Canuck owners Shawn and Lana Danko, made it to the final table of the overall championships. Their team’s signature steak & lobster dish came in sixth, earning them $6500 in prize money. Congratulations to both teams! For a complete recap, read Seth’s write-up on the Best Memphis Burger blog. Don’t forget that the winning creation of “I Like Best Burgers” is on Kooky Canuck’s menu through Sunday.

Good news for the FedExForum and for Memphis: The facility will get to host games for the 2014 NCAA Men’s Basketball Championships, commonly known as March Madness. Specifically, the South Regional will take place March 27-29, 2014. Glad to see the NCAA scheduling tournament games in our first-class arena. That will bring many tourist dollars to the Downtown area.

Yet ANOTHER round of layoffs at the Commercial Appeal. When will the bleeding stop? It’s a bad time to be in print media. Google now makes more in ad revenue than ALL print media combined.

The Grizzlies will host a food drive at Friday’s game at the FedExForum. Bring a non-perishable food or cash donation and receive a buy-one-get-one voucher to your choice of games later in the month. By the way, CONGRATULATIONS to the Grizzlies on last night’s victory over 2012 NBA champs the Miami Heat! It’s great to see the team starting off strong this year.

If you’re going to the Tigers-North Florida game tonight, hold on to your ticket stub if Memphis wins by at least 20. It will be redeemable at the Flying Fish for a cup of their seafood gumbo.

On my way to Saucer for Pint Nite. Almost all drafts $3 all day Monday.

If you want to get the kids in the holiday spirit, make a reservation for Brunch with Santa at the Majestic Grille Saturday, December 22. There will be seatings from 10 AM to 1 PM. The Majestic’s excellent regular brunch menu will be available, and there will also be some brunch specials for the kids. There will be hot chocolate and holiday cookies, and classic holiday movies will be playing on the big screen.

As you eat, Santa will walk around and visit the tables. Be sure and bring your camera so you can get a photo of Santa with the kids. Elves from the North Pole and Rockey Redbird will walk around and visit as well.

Brunch with Santa fills to capacity every year, and reservations are required. If you want to go, better call as soon as possible to get the time you want to be seated. Their number is 901-522-8555. The Majestic is on the Main Street Mall, one block north of the Orpheum.

I’ll probably be back after work with a “Monday Update” news post, so check back.

Six months ago on a rare day off, I ventured to Bleu, the restaurant in the Westin Hotel across from FedExForum. I’d heard good things about their Build Your Own Sandwich menu at lunch, and wanted to give it a try. I built a sirloin steak sandwich on a Kaiser roll and was quite impressed.

Now Bleu has taken the build-your-own concept in a different direction: They’ve added a Build Your Own Pasta menu to their lunch menu. Here’s how it works:

For step 1, you choose your protein. Choices include grilled chicken, shrimp, sirloin, clams, grilled sausage, meatballs, mussels, or ground beef. The overall price of the dish varies, depending on which protein you select. Prices range from $8.99 to $10.99.

In step 2, you choose your sauce. Sauces include marinara, alfredo, pink vodka cream, alio, or spicy Southwest cream.

You add your vegetables in step 3. Choices are roasted red pepper, mushrooms, caramelized onions, broccoli, tomatoes, spinach, edamame, olives, and eggplant. You can pick up to three.

Choose your pasta for step 4. You can choose spaghetti, cavatappi, penne, orecchiette, or pappardelle. (I’m including Wikipedia links in case some of those pasta types are unfamiliar. I assume spaghetti needs no explanation.)

You have the option of an add-on ($3.99) for step 5. Add-ons include shrimp, mussels, meatballs, ground beef, grilled chicken, clams, grilled sausage, or sirloin.

Drinking alcohol in one’s lunch hour is usually not advisable, but I’d be awfully tempted to ask my server to recommend a glass of wine to go with my pasta masterpiece.

Since I work in Horn Lake, I haven’t had a chance to try the build-your-own-pasta menu yet. However, if it’s as good as Bleu’s BYO Sandwich menu, there is no doubt it will be a big hit.

Yesterday I hung out at Panda Manda’s bar at Bardog until mid-afternoon. At that point I decided it was time for a trip to the Flying Saucer. I paid my tab, then wandered down Scratchy’s Alley and the Main Street Mall.

As I walked down the block of Main between Gayoso and Peabody Place, I looked in the window of Shop Girl New York, the women’s clothing boutique that just moved there from South Main. My friends Karen and Dennis were inside working and waved me in. It is really a beautiful shop. I asked if I could take some photos of the place and they said sure. (Click any photo for larger image)

Ladies, if you like what you see here, why not come visit Shop Girl and treat yourself to something new, or pick up a Christmas present for one of your girlfriends? Shop Girl is in the Pembroke Square building on the Main Street Mall just south of Gayoso, between the Center for Southern Folklore and the Blind Bear.

Veteran’s Day will be celebrated Monday, so I’ll start off today with a couple of pieces of Veteran’s Day news. First of all, there will be a parade to honor our veterans down Second Street that morning. It will start at Exchange and go south on Second to Monroe. I don’t see a start time listed but I believe it’s been 10 AM in previous years.

Also, Segway Tours of Memphis will offer 50% off on tours of Memphis to veterans that day. If you want to make a reservation, email MemphisTours@segway.com.

At the Best Memphis Burger Festival on September 30, part of the prize package for the winning team was that the burger would be featured on Kooky Canuck’s menu for one week, provided a restaurant was not the big winner. A private team won, and the burger created by Team Shoemaker Financial (Tal Goldsby, Amy Jenkins, Lauren Cooper and Nich Yatsula) will be on Kooky’s menu from Monday, November 12 to Sunday, November 18. The burger consists of cheddar cheese, caramelized onions, peppercorn mayo, fried egg, avocado, lettuce, and a buttered bun.

There will be a Grizzlies watch party Wednesday night, November 14 at Aldo’s Pizza Pies. The Grizzlies will be at Oklahoma City to play the Thunder that night, and Aldo’s will have the game on its 6 TVs. $2.50 Bud and Bud Light.

Want to cook with beer this Thanksgiving? Check out this list of Thanksgiving recipes with beer. Thanks to Sam Wynne of Flying Saucer corporate (@SaucerSam) for tweeting this list.

Waiting for Bardog to open at 11, when it will be Panda time. Plans after that TBD.

Today I have on my Tony Allen “All Heart, Grit, Grind” T-shirt to pay respect to the man who will have to guard the NBA’s leading scorer tonight. James Harden and the Houston Rockets play the Grizzlies tonight at 7 at the FedExForum. We will see if TA, one of the league’s premier defenders, can shut down Harden’s scoring game. Get tickets here. Free magnet schedules to the first 10,000 fans.

Shop Girl New York opens in its new location on the Main Street Mall today. The women’s clothing boutique moved from South Main into the space in between Center for Southern Folklore and Blind Bear. I peeked in there last night when they were having a pre-opening party, and the store looks really nice. Hours are 11-6 today. I’ve already had a couple of people ask if they have tube tops. Probably not this time of year, but they have plenty of other outfits and accessories.

Discover the Dinosaurs will be on tour at the Cook Convention Center this weekend. Come experience up to 60 moving and museum-quality dinosaurs, in scenes that will take you back millions of years to the age of the giant reptiles. Great thing to do with the kids.

The Yazoo “Barely a 4K” is tomorrow. The run starts and ends at Huey’s at Second and Union. Check-in begins at 9 AM. All participants get a cape – that’s right, I said a cape. More details here.

Four days from now, I will be at the Orpheum watching Blue Man Group. This is the most excited I have ever been about an Orpheum show. Their performances combine color, music, rhythm, and storytelling in a manner you probably have not seen unless you have spent extensive time traveling to planets in other solar systems. If you like the musical STOMP!, Blue Man Group’s performance is STOMP! times at least 100.

Last month, I saw Blue Man Group approaching on the calendar. I thought to myself, I’ve got to get some people together to go see it, and I’ve got to convince them that this is totally worth paying for the best seats. Then an email from the Orpheum arrived. I had almost forgotten that I’m on their media list because of this blog. They usually offer me tickets to Tuesday night of their bigger performances. I’ve turned down almost all of their offers, because 1) I’m not into musicals that much; and 2) up until last year Tuesday was my regular trivia night. When they offered Blue Man Group tickets, however, I fumbled all over the keyboard hurrying to type up an RSVP response. I’ll be there Tuesday night and will have a review up sometime Wednesday. I plan to put my extra ticket to very good use too.

When I say Blue Man’s performances include color, I’m not kidding. They call the front seats “poncho seats” and provide ponchos to protect the audience members from getting paint on their clothes.

Thinking about wearing my new royal blue fleece jacket to the performance. Or is that too much like wearing a Van Halen T-shirt to a Van Halen concert?

Plans for tonight: Normally I start at the Saucer, but it will be packed with people pre-gaming on their way to the FedExForum. Hmmm. Blind Bear? Bardog? No, those places will be packed with Downtown Dining Week diners. That leaves the Silly Goose, which is not on the DDW list. So I’ll hit the Goose about 6, then migrate over to the Saucer after the Grizzlies crowd leaves for the game at 7. Got a pumpkin ale I want to try, and I’m going to overlook the fact that it’s expensive. Plans after that TBD.