Paul Ryburn's Journal

I had no idea this existed until yesterday. HTH did a crawfish festival fly under my radar?

Next Saturday in Court Square, there’s going to be a crawfish festival called Mudbugs in March. It’s put on by BCB Entertainment, Hard Rock Cafe, and Q107.5. The website says it’s “A True, Louisiana-style crawfish boil complete with corn, potatoes, sausage, mushrooms and plenty of spice.” There will be live music by The Patrick Dodd Trio and George McConnell and the Nonchalants. Tickets are $5 general admission (which gets you in the park, crawfish purchase extra) and VIP wristbands are $35. The site says “VIP access includes entrance into Court Square Park and all-you-can eat crawfish and separate beer-tenders for the VIP section. The VIP section will be closer to the band and will have additional entertainment located in the section to play during band breaks.”

Sounds like fun. I had no idea this was going on until someone told me they had wristbands they couldn’t use and asked if I wanted them. So now I have a beer festival (River City, in Handy Park) and a crawfish festival to attend next Saturday. There are worse problems to have, I suppose. Since I had a couple of extra wristbands I stopped the elevator a couple of floors early and slipped wristbands under my neighbor the Nuh-Uh Girl’s door. I may pick on her about the free food thing but occasionally I support it as well.

Last night I made it until closing time at the Saucer, then stopped by the Bear for a PBR. Since I’m posting this at 11:25 AM, obviously I didn’t make it to brunch at the Majestic. I’ll be out about noon. I may try to make it to the Grizzlies-Lakers party at Max’s Sports Bar at 8 tonight.

Thanks for your feedback for the name for the poker table. Most of you who responded had thoughts exactly in line with my own. I think I’ve come up with a name.

This will be listed on their online reservation site. They gave me my choice of all the poker or blackjack tables. Obviously I went with poker. I took the near table to the front door. I have ideas what to call it but would be interested in hearing yours. Send ’em to paul@paulryburn.com. They told me there’s no rush but I’d like to submit the final idea when I play poker Tuesday.

I feel like I’ve hit the big time. My buddy John D has a breakfast named after him at the Majestic. Now I’ve evened the score with a poker table. It’s a dining table rather than a poker table every time except Tuesday between 7:30 and about 10.

The Blind Bear has rolled out its website, and it looks fantastic! Very few bars or restaurants have websites that capture the essence of the venue as well as the Bear’s does. You can view their menu online, as well as their “Juice List” and “Giggle Water” menus. Being a speakeasy, they don’t have wine or mixed drink menus (wink wink). There’s also a form where you can reserve one of their 2 private rooms or 8 dining areas.

By the way, I mentioned that we might bring one more sponsor on board with our BBQ team. Now I’ve been granted permission to make the announcement: Our newest sponsor is none other than the Blind Bear! They will be doing our paper products, I’m told. So we’ve got WordPress, Holliday Flowers, Double J SmokeHouse and Saloon, and the Blind Bear. There is no team in all of BBQ Fest that can claim to have sponsors as good as ours.

If you want to give some aspiring musicians a hand, come to Elliott’s restaurant on Second Street tomorrow and eat some pancakes. From 8:30 to 10:30 they will have a pancake breakfast, with all proceeds going to the Visible Music College’s Music Business department’s annual trip to Nashville. $7 for adults, $5 for children 12 and under. There will be bacon and fruit served with the pancakes.

Entrepreneurs: Would you like a retail space to sell your goods, rent-free, for up to 3 months? The Downtown Memphis Commission is seeking retail concepts for a pop-up market in the Power House art gallery. The project is intended to bring more unique retail to the South Main shopping and art district. To download the Request for Proposal and Application, go to DowntownMemphisCommission.com.

The Peabody has announced a Jack Daniel’s “Meet the Master Taster” Dinner and Whiskey Tasting with Jeff Norman, which will take place Thursday, March 29, 2012, at 6 p.m. in Capriccio Grill. The event will include a 4-course tasting of Jack Daniel’s whiskeys led by Norman, followed by a 4-course dinner of Jack Daniel’s-infused recipes created by Chef Ana Gonzalez. The event is $65 per person (plus tax and gratuity, includes valet parking). Reservations can be made by calling 901-529-4199. Menu:

Tennessee Whiskey Tasting:
Jack Daniel’s Old No. 7 Black Label
Gentleman Jack Rare Tennessee Whiskey
Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel, specially selected for The Peabody
Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Honey

Dinner Menu:

1st Course
Jack Daniel’s Sweet Hot Glazed Shrimp

2nd Course
Early Spring Greens, Yellow Beet, Vidalia Onion
Served with Hog Jowl Dressing, Topped with Jack Daniel’s Candied Pecans

3rd Course
Oven BBQ Tennessee Pork Tenderloin served with Butternut Squash Risotto
Lynchburg Candied Apple Demi Glace, Creole Red and Green Beans

OR

8 oz Filet with Jimmy’s Jack Fancy Mushroom and Pearl Onion Sauce
Mashed Potatoes Au Gratin and Creole Red and Green Beans

4th Course
Jack Daniel’s Honey Banana Pudding with Glazed Pecans

There’s been a controversy this week about employers asking applicants for their Facebook username and password. That lets interviewers log in as the applicant, look around and get a better sense of who the applicant is. Facebook has announced its intention to fight this practice. The company says that asking for usernames and passwords is a violation of its Terms of Service, and they will take legal action if necessary. I haven’t agreed with everything the social network has done, but I have to say “Go Facebook!” on this one. If I were interviewing for a job and someone asked me for my Facebook login info, I would get up and walk out. That is a flat-out invasion of privacy and we as a society need to stand together and say it will not be tolerated.

Hashtag I saw this morning: #FindYourInnerTebow. That makes me want to delete my Twitter account.

Plans for tonight: I’ve pretty much ruled out the 7:00 performance of Sesame Street Live at the FedExForum, but other than that, plans are pretty much still open. I’ll be out somewhere enjoying the nice spring weather.

Max’s Sports Bar is sponsoring a golf scramble to benefit St. Jude on Saturday, April 21 at 2 PM. Entry is $100 per person which includes green fees, a polo with the “3 Club Max” logo, donation to St Jude, and beer back at Max’s. Each participant will only be allowed a 6 iron, wedge, and putter in their bag. The winning team gets 4-$50 gift certificates to Max’s, and the winning and losing teams get trophies. Deadline for entry is April 8.

I get the weekly emails from the Downtown Memphis Commission listing what’s going on in the coming week (sign up at DowntownMemphis.com). In this morning’s email I noticed a very cool event if you’re into different cultures of the world. Saturday there will be a celebration of the Persian New Year at 477 N. Fifth. There will be traditional Persian food and Nowruz ceremonies and dances. The email says to contact iraniansinmemphis@gmail.com for more info.

Sesame Street Live will be at the FedExForum tomorrow and Saturday. 10:30 AM and 7 PM performances tomorrow. 10:30 AM, 2 PM and 5:30 PM shows Saturday. Title of the show is “Elmo’s Super Heroes.”

Segway Experience of Memphis is now officially operating tours of Downtown on Segways, starting from the Peabody. Call 901-529-4108 to book a tour. Follow the tour company on Twitter at @SegwayMemphis.

Here’s a Huffington Post article on the Moscow Mule. This is the light, refreshing drink made with vodka, lime juice, and ginger beer. The article fails to mention that the cocktail should be served in a copper mug. You can get a Moscow Mule at the Flying Saucer.

Reuters reports that the next iPhone will have a bigger 4.6 inch display. It will be a retina display, similar to what is used on the new iPad.

Plans for tonight: Undecided as of yet. Hmmm… it is poker night at Max’s Sports Bar though…

This morning I got a treat – I got to walk to work. I volunteered at the bridge tournament at the Convention Center. As I walked up the Main Street Mall, I noticed that a new restaurant is about to open in the old Leonard’s BBQ space in the Claridge. It’s a meat-and-two place called Willie Moore’s Family Restaurant. I took a pic of the menu and am attaching it to this post (click to view larger size). Hours will be 11-6 Monday-Friday, 11-5 Sunday.

The Peabody has announced its lineup for Thursday night rooftop parties for the first part of the 2012 season. Here’s the list:

April 19: FreeSol with Chris Rene
April 26: Dr. Zarrís Amazing Funk Monster
May 3: Party Planet
May 10: Kevin & Bethany Paige
May 17: Lord T & Eloise
May 24: G3: The Garry Goin Group
May 31: Mudflap King

Admission will be $10 and includes one drink, except for the April 19 party which will be $15. Ladies free until 7. VIP Passes for the entire 2012 season are available for purchase at the door. The passes include admission to all 18 parties with event valet parking, a 20% discount on Peabody logo merchandise in Peabody Deli & Dessert, and a 10% discount in Capriccio Grill and Chez Philippe throughout the 2012 Rooftop Party season – a $500 value – for just $100. VIPs will be treated to food and beverage tastings from the Peabody Chefs and Budweiser in the Stella Artois themed VIP Lounge. (Just make sure you get to the food tastings early, before the Nuh-Uh Girl eats it all.)

The Memphis Daily News has a good article about Beale Street Landing, which will open on April 27 as the American Queen steamboat arrives in port. The article has details on the restaurant in the landing, which will open in July. Because the landing takes up part of Tom Lee Park, Music Fest and BBQ Fest (assuming it remains on the river) will be slightly more cramped this year.

There was a magnitude 7+ earthquake in Mexico today. Hope all my Mexican friends who read this blog are safe, although most of them live in the Monterrey area which is safely far away. I wasn’t able to find anything about the cause of the earthquake on the University of Memphis’ Center for Earthquake Research Institute site, but fortunately pro wrestler The Iron Sheik explained what happened on Twitter: “Earthquake in mexico because the tito santana take shit that look like king kong bundy ass.” Well all righty then.

The Memphis Business Journal reports that it’s about to get harder to receive unemployment benefits in Tennessee. Recipients may be required to submit documentation of two weekly work searches to continue to get benefits. Also, they’ll be required to participate in case management sessions including skills assessments and remedial education.

Poker at the Blind Bear has been moved back a half hour to 8:30 tonight, because Jamie’s custom poker chips are ready and he has to go pick them up. Fine with me – gives me an extra half hour to drink beer at the Saucer before I walk over there! I’ve been running hot at the poker tables lately, and hopefully I’ll bring home the $50 Bear Bucks first-place prize.

If you want to hear some Memphis music in two very comfortable venues, the South Main district of Downtown is the place to be tonight.

At 7 PM, Brad Birkedahl takes the stage for an acoustic set at Double J SmokeHouse and Saloon. When he played his initial gig last week, it was described as “country with some 50s and 60s thrown in.” Having heard him play in the past, I wouldn’t be surprised to hear covers from artists like George Jones, Jerry Reed, and Johnny Cash, and it’s totally possible he’ll throw a little Elvis in too.

Then at 9, Dynaflow takes the stage down the street at Earnestine & Hazel’s. Good old fashioned rock and roll, played through vintage amps. There are few places in Memphis that have as much soul as E&H, a former brothel turned into a bar. If you’re hungry, try one of their Soul Burgers. Check out the memorabilia on the walls. If you look around you can even see daily lunch menus from the early ’80s, when E&H was still half bar, half brothel.

To get to both venues, take the Main Street Trolley all the way south to the end of the line. You’ll see Earnestine & Hazel’s on the corner, at G.E. Patterson. Double J is a half block walk east down G.E. Patterson.

Happy 85th birthday to Elvis’ clothier, Bernard J. Lansky. You can visit his clothing store in the Peabody and wish him a happy birthday in person. By the way, in coming weeks I’ll have details of a trunk show and designer appearance by Robert Stock, chief creative officer of the Robert Graham clothing line.

There’s a Groupon today for a team entry into the Urban Dare Adventure Race for $45, a $90 value. Teams of two people decipher clues, perform playful stunts, and navigate the city while raising money for breast cancer research. The race is on Saturday, April 7 and the starting point is the Flying Saucer.

I finished 3rd out of 17 in poker at the Silly Goose last night. I’ll give it a try again tonight in Jamie’s game at the Blind Bear at 8.

The City of Memphis will hold a Town Hall meeting Downtown this Wednesday, March 21. Meeting will be in the first floor auditorium of MLGW, 220 S. Main. Town hall meetings are a place for discussion between government and citizens. The meeting will be facilitated by George Little, the city’s Chief Administrative Officer. His office handles neighborhood services, employee services, youth services and business services. This is your chance to connect directly with city government, so come with your questions and concerns.

The Memphis Business Journal reports that a new salon and day spa will open on Beale. It will be called Kingdom Kreations, and it will occupy the second-floor space above Alfred’s.

The Memphis Flyer posted a yummy photo of LunchboxEATS pineapple upside-down cake. Remember that LunchboxEATS, normally a lunch-only place, stays open late the evenings of Grizzlies games, giving those who don’t work Downtown a chance to try their food.

The Wirecutter reviewed the best iPhone battery cases. These are cases that are also a spare battery, that recharge your iPhone to extend its battery life by up to 100% longer. I’d always heard Mophie made the best cases, but the review indicates that the PhoneSuit Elite has taken the lead. Read the review here.

In other iPhone news, free, ad-supported apps kill your phone’s battery. If there’s a paid version of your favorite app, might be worth upgrading to preserve battery life.

Time for beer. Saucer is my first stop of the evening, for Pint Nite with most drafts $3. I’m 50/50 on whether I’ll play the 7:30 poker game at the Silly Goose.

Revive, a new women’s boutique, is now open for business on Second Street, just north of Union in One Commerce Square. This is kind of a successor store to Coco & Lilly, owned by the same people. Coco & Lilly lost its space when the Peabody Place mall closed last year. Here’s an MBJ article about Revive.

Speaking of One Commerce Square, there’s a second new business in that building – Independent Bank, accessible through the entrance at Main and Monroe.

One of my favorite bands, ’60s British Invasion cover band Jeffrey and the Pacemakers plays Downtown Huey’s tonight. They take the stage at 8:30 PM.

John Calipari’s Kentucky Wildcats moved on in the NCAA tournament yesterday with a victory over Iowa State. Calipari is trying to add to the one Final Four appearance he previously had as the coach of UMass*, Memphis*, and Kentucky.

Yesterday turned out to be a drama-filled St. Patrick’s day, due to an incredibly rude and creepy post that someone made to Facebook. It got screen captured and texted all around Downtown. The post itself didn’t shock me as much as the fact that some of my friends continue to associate with this individual. He didn’t get invited to be on the new BBQ team (he probably blames me, incorrectly, for that) and yesterday’s behavior was a classic example why. I heard he plans to “drop some money on Squeal Street” and hang out in their booth all weekend at BBQ Fest since he wasn’t invited to ours. Have fun with that, guys!

Anyway, due to that drama, I got thrown a little off schedule for St. Pat’s. I missed the parade, but I did make it to Brass Door, Saucer, Silly Goose, and Bardog. I hate it that I didn’t get back to the Brass Door for some of the bands. At least I got their delicious fish & chips, with curry sauce, to start off my day right. And at least I got to see Panda Manda walk on the bar at Bardog in a plaid skirt and tiny green shorts underneath.

MemphisWeather.net reports that a high of 84 is expected today. That’s 20 degrees above normal! Should be an awesome Sunday Fun Day. Going to kick it off with mimosas at the Majestic at 11.