Paul Ryburn's Journal

Saturday night I went to Beale Street with our local Fireball ambassador and some friends. One of the spots we hit was Dancin’ Jimmy’s, in the space that used to be Pat O’Brien’s. The corner bar and the courtyard area on the ground floor are the parts of the building open to the public. I didn’t take pics of those, because they look much the same as when the place was Pat O’s.

Because we had a liquor rep, though, we got the chance to check out some of the rooms upstairs, which can be rented out for private parties. The upstairs was beautiful. This would be a good place to have a holiday or birthday party, or a corporate gathering. Full bar and access to Dancin’ Jimmy’s food menu, as well as balconies overlooking Beale. Here is a clickable photo gallery. Please forgive the graininess of a few images; I didn’t know we were going to be going anywhere nice, so I didn’t bring my digital camera and had to rely on my iPhone’s cam.

Trish

The menu (click to view larger, readable image)

I’ve got some beer news to lead off this Wednesday post. Downtown Huey’s is starting a Wednesday pint night, beginning tonight. All their draft pints will be $3 from 4 to 10 PM.

Looking for something fun to do with the kids this weekend? The Big Scoop Ice Cream Festival is this Saturday from 11 AM to 4 PM. Your ticket ($7 advance, $10 at the door) will entitle you to try a variety of ice cream flavors, frozen treats, and snacks. There will be live entertainment and kids’ activities. Proceeds benefit the Ronald McDonald House of Memphis.

South of Beale will be on Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives next Monday, October 1, and they’re having a watch party. Guy Fieri was at the gastropub three days in May filming for the show. Happy hour prices will be extended to the show’s end at 10 PM, with $3 drafts, $4 wells, and $4 happy hour wine. Starting at 8:30 they’ll have pass-around hors d’oeuvres, including some that were on the show. Free food? Wonder if the Nuh-Uh Girl will show up. They’ll also have a special caramel popcorn specialty cocktail to complement their homemade popcorn.

Every morning I check the social media site Mashable to keep up with the latest news. Today I got on there, and said to myself, Hey, there’s St. Jude! The “Hey, St. Jude” remake of the Beatles classic has gone viral to the point that the big news sites are picking it up.

The national TV schedule for Tigers men’s basketball has been released. Among the games are the November 22-24 tournament, Ohio, Louisville, Tennessee, Harvard, and some C-USA games.

Okay. time for a mini-rant. According to this TIME Magazine article, the botched call at the end of the Packers-Seahawks game may have caused $250 million in gambling money to change hands. They say that the NFL, whether it wants to admit it or not, is driven by legal sports betting. From what I’ve observed this seems to be true. I’ve been in sports bars with people who have a total in the 4 digits bet on all the NFL games happening that day. I know of fantasy football leagues where the payout at the end is in the 4 digits.

Yet I can’t go to an online poker site, deposit $200 which is a fraction of one percent of my yearly income, and play tournaments where I never have more than $10 of that $200 at risk at any one time. Because, according to Congress, that could lead to me developing a serious gambling addiction which is a threat to the American family as we know it. It’s all so ridiculous.

You’ve probably heard this by now, but just in case: A University of Tennessee student was hospitalized after he and his frat brothers gave each other alcoholic enemas. They hooked up rubber tubing to stick in each other’s behinds (yeah nothing gay about that at all) and the hospitalized student had a BAC above .40, considered lethally toxic. Way to keep it classy, UT.

I’ll be at Blind Bear at 8 for a special “Jamie trivia” night in celebration of his birthday. Happy birthday Jamie!

I wanted to try a white pizza at Aldo’s Pizza Pies tonight, but a final table appearance at Blind Bear poker prevented it. Aldo’s shuts down their kitchen at 10 PM weekdays, 11 PM weekends (I believe Thursday is included in the weekend).

What to do if you have a craving for pizza and Aldo’s is no longer serving? Walk down the street to the Silly Goose. They recently redesigned their menu to include more pizzas. A 12″ pizza is just $10. Olive oil, spinach, mozzarella cheese, ricotta. They have plenty of meat pizzas for the same price.

As good as Aldo’s? Impossible to say, because I have not yet had Aldo’s white pizza. But for the hour of the night at which I ordered it, the Goose’s white pizza is PAP (perfectly acceptable pizza). After a 10 minute walk home (funny how a 5 minute walk home turns into 10 after PBR is consumed), all I had to do was heat the slices in the microwave for 30 seconds and they were good to go.

Sorry for no other post today, but there just wasn’t that much news. I hope to be back tomorrow at lunch with something worth reading. If it’s not worth reading, I don’t post.

Back to Aldo’s. Maddison told me she’s bartending next Monday and she may wear a tube top. This needs to happen.

Okay. Drunk. Bedtime.

First of all, a reminder: 100% of Chili’s profits today go to St. Jude. I realize I’m blogging this after most of you have eaten lunch, but if you don’t have dinner plans, how about Chili’s? Let’s raise a big pile of money for the children’s research hospital.

Yesterday I dropped by the Blind Bear while they were serving their Hung Over Like a Bear brunch, and learned that they’ve added a couple of items to the brunch menu. They now have biscuits and gravy, a staple at many restaurants that serve brunch.  They’ve also added chili cheese bear dawgs, a good thing to have during football season. Hung Over Like a Bear brunch runs from noon to 6 PM.

Ever thought about brewing your own beer? The Bluff City Brewers will have a Learn to Homebrew Day on Saturday, November 3.

Social media/marketing guru Jay Baer got fired as a BBQ judge last weekend. It’s not a Memphis-related story, but I thought I’d post it since a lot of my readers participate in BBQ festivals, either as team members or as judges. His story is pretty damn funny.

That’ll do it for now. I’ll be at Pint Nite at the Saucer about 6. Poker at the Silly Goose (8:30) is a “maybe” this week because I stayed out way too late last night.

Yesterday I took a break from Sunday Fun Day beers in the mid-afternoon to get something to eat. Having not been to the Flying Fish in several months, I went there.

As I walked in, I scanned the Fish’s rather extensive menu. I realized that, although the Fish has been open for more than four years, I have not tried the majority of the menu items. I made up my mind to try at least one new thing. Scanning the “Starters” list, the fried jalapeno chips sounded good, since I love spicy food. I ordered them, and having satisfied my requirement to try something new, I ordered a 3-piece catfish filet basket as well.

Ten minutes later, my buzzer went off – they give you buzzers to let you know when you can pick up your food, similar to the chain Italian restaurant Fazoli’s. I walked up to the counter and found a huge basket of fried jalapenos, with a cup of ranch for dipping.

There were enough that I could have satisfied my appetite just with the jalapeno chips alone. I suppose that would not have been a nutritionally balanced meal, though, so I’m glad I got the catfish too. It seems like frying the jalapenos took out some of the heat. They had a spicy zing but didn’t set my mouth on fire. The ranch dressing took some of the edge off as well. I also dipped some of the jalapeno chips in the tartar sauce that came with my catfish, and that was a good combination too.

At $2.99, the jalapeno chips were an excellent value. I will keep them in mind next time I need an inexpensive snack.

I noticed a couple of changes since my last visit to the Fish. For one, the fried chicken livers are gone from the menu. I guess they weren’t popular. I’m sorry to see them go, though, because my grandmother got me hooked on chicken livers when I was a little kid (back then KFC sold them). They still have the coolers from which you can grab a beer as you wait in line to order, but they now carry PBR in bottles rather than cans. I have a slight preference for the cans, but either will work. I’m just happy to see they carry PBR in any form.

The Fish is on Second across from the Peabody. Great place to bring kids, great people watching at the garage-window seats facing the sidewalk.

Quick post about a couple of things happening this afternoon…

At 2 PM, historian Jimmy Ogle will lead a free tour of the Memphis-Arkansas (I-55) bridge. As you walk halfway across the bridge, you’ll learn about the river, the other bridges, the railroads, Crump Park, and more. Bringing a camera is recommended. If you want to take the tour, meet at Crump Park on Metal Museum Drive.

At 4, Jeremy Shrader’s Quinessentials play a free concert in Court Square. Blankets, coolers, and lawn chairs are welcome. Pets too, if you clean up after them. This is the first in a 4-week Court Square concert series presented by the DMC.

Fun night last night. I met up with the Fireball people and discovered/re-discovered a couple of cool places Downtown.

Our first stop was Peoples, the pool hall on the less-traveled block of Beale between Third and Fourth. It’s funny, when we think of places to play pool Downtown, we often think of the lone bar table at the Flying Saucer or the Blind Bear. Peoples has about a dozen full-sized tables that you pay for by the hour. Very nice tables, good equipment. The bartender just couldn’t have been nicer, and they have PBR on draft. It’s the first time I’ve been there since 2003, and I don’t know why it’s taken me 9 years to get back. Definitely enjoyed Peoples last night.

Also, Peoples is the only place Downtown where you can get tampons out of a vending machine.

The next stop was Dancin’ Jimmy’s, a bar I have never been to. It’s in the old Pat O’Brien’s location. The corner bar and the courtyard/fountain area are Dancin’ Jimmy’s itself, and then upstairs are several rooms where private events can be held. We got to go upstairs (it helps to have a liquor rep with the group) and the rooms are absolutely beautiful. I took about a dozen pics and will post them when I get more time.

About to head out to brunch at the Majestic. Normally I skip the Majestic on weeks when there’s an Orpheum show, but I won’t get to go next week because I’ll be at the burger festival in Midtown. After brunch I’ll probably bounce back and forth between the Flying Saucer and Blind Bear, with a trip south to Max’s Sports Bar a possibility as well.

If you’re a Tennessee Titans fan, bad news for you: Tomorrow’s game will not be shown on local TV. The local FOX affiliate has chosen to show the Dallas-Tampa Bay game rather than Detroit vs. Titans. That means you’ll need to find a TV hooked up to NFL Sunday Ticket to watch. If you’re Downtown, the Beale Street Tap Room is the place to go in the core, and Max’s Sports Bar has it in the South Main district. Game starts at 12 noon Central time.

The coolest blight in the city is headed to court. If you’ve walked down South Main, you may have noticed a mural next to 481 S. Main, near the Butler Station trolley stop. Behind the mural is an overgrown garden. The garden is a very neat place, and I see kids crawling in there all the time to have their picture taken. However, the owner has failed to take care of the garden, which presents problems. There could be rodents, snakes, as well as homeless who sleep in there. The owner is being taken to court, to try to convince him to take care of the garden while still preserving as much of its character as possible.

Aldo’s Pizza Pies is starting a Trivia Challenge on Twitter. Every Monday-Friday at 4 PM they will post a trivia question about pizza to their @AldosPizzaPie account. The first three guests to show the bartender that you follow the pizzeria on Twitter, and respond with the correct answer, will receive a free slice.

Best Memphis Burger Fest news: Ciao Bella has signed up to be a participating team. Also, the festival is now kid-friendly. They’ve added a sidewalk chalk contest for the kids. Best chalk art drawings of burgers will win prizes.

The Fireball folks are going to be out Downtown tonight. Request to join the group “FIREBALL WHISKY Memphis” on Facebook to find out where they’ll be. You have to be approved by an administrator because the group is 21 and up only, but the approval process is quick. I hear they got a lot of Fireball-branded goodies in the mail this week and will be handing them out.

I’ve already mentioned these, but just a quick reminder: Dragon Boat Races on the river today, 10 to 3; Ryne Hancock autographing his book Say Goodnight, Cassie about the 2011 LSU football season at Center for Southern Folklore, 3:30 to 5:30 PM.

There are really no college games I’m interested in today, so I’m going to take a day off from Saturday college football watching at Max’s Sports Bar. Instead, I’ll revert to my old schedule and hit Panda Manda’s bar at Bardog Tavern at noon. If I go to Max’s it will probably be at 6 to watch the Rutgers-Arkansas game.

I have more info about the beer bust that will happen at the Brass Door today. It will start at 4 PM and it costs $10 to take part in the beer bust. Beers will be Killian’s, Heineken, Bud Light, and yummy, delicious PBR!!!!! There will also be $3 shots of Spice Box, $4 shots of Fireball, $4 Georgia Whiskey (bourbon, peach, ginger ale), and $4 nutty espresso (hazelnut, triple shot vodka, soda).

Cool event at the New Daisy tomorrow night – a one-man band festival. Memphis legend Johnny Lowebow will be among the performers. Kerry’s blog has details on the festival and other things happening in Memphis this weekend.

AutoZone Park will have a watch party for Game 2 of the World Series on Thursday, August 25. Admission will be free to the public, and you can watch indoors on the club level or outdoors on the park’s new HD video screen. There will be an all-you-can-eat buffet ($7 if purchased in advance, $10 at the door) with Rendezvous BBQ, King Cotton hot dogs, Turner Dairy ice cream, and Coca-Cola soft drinks. All you can eat? Wonder if the Nuh-Uh Girl will show up. Cash bar selling Budweiser and Barefoot Wine. Season ticket holders who renew their seats for 2013 will receive one buffet wristband and drink ticket per season ticket renewed. Self-guided tours of the dugout and clubhouse, silent auction, kids’ activities. Buffet tickets can be purchased over the phone at (901)722-0295.

Riverside Drive will be closed tonight from Jefferson to Georgia for the St. Jude 24-hour bike ride. If you’re coming Downtown for the Orpheum show or any other event, plan an alternate route.

Fun time at the Double J loft bar last night… I pushed the sleep schedule a little and stayed out until 1. No definite plans tonight, but I’m sure spontaneous fun will pop up somewhere. It always does Downtown.

(Edit: just realized I had a second Thursday update and forgot to publish it yesterday evening. Scroll down and you’ll see it.)

(Edit Friday morning: Argh, forgot to hit Publish)

If you’re a wine lover, Aldo’s Pizza Pies has a new happy hour special you’ll enjoy. Wines by the glass are $4 at 4:00, going up to $5 at 5:00, and $6 at 6:00. Even Meomi Pinot Noir is included in the special (I guess that’s an expensive wine?) If you prefer beers, drafts are $1 off during happy hour.

Twelve electric car charging stations have been installed in six parking garages Downtown. Here are the locations:

The Justice Center Garage (245 Washington Avenue)
Front Street Garage (85 North Front, between Adams and Jefferson)
Riverfront Garage (Front Street at Monroe)
Peabody Place Office Tower Garage (110 Peabody Place between Main and Second)
Gayoso Parking Garage (Gayoso between Main and Second ).
250 Peabody Place Garage (250 Peabody Place between Third and Fourth)

You pay $2 an hour for the charging, unless you’re a Blink member in which case you pay $1 to $1.50 an hour. You also have to pay the fees for the garage you park in. Good to see this has arrived in Downtown Memphis. Kermit says it’s not easy being green, but with these stations it will get a bit easier.

Congrats to Ben Weiss, the GM of the Redbirds. The other GMs voted him the Pacific Coast League Executive of the Year. With Weiss at the helm, ticket sales have increased two years in a row. The stadium has also seen more premium events and giveaways, including two visits by the Cardinals’ World Series trophy as well as a giveaway of Elvis bobbleheads. Weiss oversaw the installation of the largest video board in the minors, and season ticket holders have been treated like royalty since he started here. Congrats to him on a well-deserved award.

Don’t forget that tomorrow is Park(ing) Day. Go down to the Main/Peabody Place area and enjoy 16 miniature urban parks. 11 AM-6 PM.

The Flying Saucer’s Oktoberfest celebration starts today and continues through October 5. All Oktoberfest beers, drafts and bottles, will be only $3. If you’re working on a plate this is a good chance to knock a lot of beers out for cheap. The Saucer will also have Bavarian appetizer specials. What specials exactly? Don’t know, but I’m heading down there to find out, because there’s no sacrifice I won’t make for my readers. Happy Thursday evening and I’ll be back with more news tomorrow.

RiverArtsFest, Memphis’ premier arts festival, will be held on South Main October 26-28. The festival needs volunteers to assist with a number of duties, including artists’ market ambassadors, logistical support, artist hospitality, beer and wine sales, merchandise sales and cashiering, set up/teardown, assistance with entertainment, and traffic control. If you’re interested in help making this arts festival a success, go here to sign up as a volunteer.

Urban Workspace, the new co-working space at 6 West G.E. Patterson, plans to offer cooking classes to the public this fall. Among the teachers will be well-known Downtown chefs such as Michael Patrick (Rizzo’s Diner) and Ryan Spruhan (Chez Philippe). Classes will be a maximum of 8 students, to allow for a lot of personal interaction with the chefs, and will be held on the evenings or weekends. Fee will be $49 per class. On October 4 there will be a reception to introduce the classes. At the reception you will be able to meet the chefs and sample food. Free food? Wonder if the Nuh-Uh Girl will show up. I suspect she will, because I learned about the classes from this Memphis Flyer article that she posted to Facebook.

Aldo’s Pizza Pies is on Twitter now. Follow them at @AldosPizzaPie to keep informed of daily pizza specials and other happenings at the pizzeria.

Congratulations to Frank Eudy, son of local pro wrestler Sid Vicious/Sycho Sid. Last night was the finale of Big Brother. Frank didn’t win the grand prize, but he won the $25,000 America’s Choice prize when fans voted him “favorite houseguest.” Frank’s parents have been regular guests on MemphiSport Live on AM 560/FM 87.7 11 AM-1PM Saturdays this summer. Wonder if they’ll get Frank on the show for an interview now that the season has concluded?

By the way, MemphiSport co-host Kevin Cerrito hosts sports trivia tonight at the Green Beetle. 8 PM start time.

Normally I don’t recommend that my readers head to the ‘burbs to eat at chain restaurants, but Monday is the exception. On Monday, September 24, Chili’s will donate 100% of the day’s profits to St. Jude.

All right, off for a quick lunch. Will probably take a week off from poker at Max’s Sports Bar tonight and hang out closer to home.