Daily thoughts of a Downtown Memphis resident
Yep I’m back Downtown. Let’s have a look at these specials:
Get ready for a Ja vs. Zion matchup tonight, as the Grizzlies travel to NOLA to take on the Pelicans. That game’ll be at 7 on Bally Sports.
Grizzlies guard Marcus Smart has been upgraded to questionable for tonight’s game.
Today is National Whiner’s Day.
The Memphis Tigers have risen to 19 in this week’s college basketball AP poll. Conference foe FAU shot like a rocket up to number 7, giving Penny’s team the opportunity for two more high-quality wins.
The DM has a look at the new brewery & taproom coming to South Main. It’ll be called the Memphis Filling Station. The brewery has already won multiple awards for its beer. They plan to have a club membership and will release new beers on Thursday night.
Like most writers, I am a voracious reader. Today’s reading:
Iowa State is here for the Liberty Bowl:
Tee Morant says his son Ja hasn’t altered his circle of friends since Ja’s suspension.
That’s it for now… looks like I’m about to head back Downtown following Christmas in Eads. Back tomorrow I hope.
Good news for the fans of popular second-year Memphis Grizzly Kenneth Lofton Jr., who was waived last week in order to open a roster spot for the returning Ja Morant: Lofton Jr.’s playing career is not over.
The Philadelphia 76ers are signing F/C Kenneth Lofton Jr., on a two-way contract, sources tell ESPN. Lofton played parts of the past two seasons with the Memphis Grizzlies. Lofton adds to the Sixers frontline depth. pic.twitter.com/j1d2fO6age
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) December 23, 2023
Let’s have a look at Memphis sports on TV this week:
The Tigers got it done vs. Vanderbilt yesterday but it wasn’t pretty. They improved to 10-2 and will likely move up from their number-23 spot in the AP poll.
Birdie’s, the virtual golf bar in the South Main District, is now offering memberships. Members will get significantly discounted golf rates as well as food and merchandise discounts. Bitdie’s will be open until 6 PM today if you want to swing by and get someone a membership for Christmas.
I love JEM Dining already and it’s not even open yet. The new restaurant, to open in The Edge District in January, wants to offer a fine dining experience to Memphis “without fancy dress codes, high prices, or formal expectations.” Dress codes don’t work in this city. The restaurant design was kept moderately-sized so the chef could be hands-on. The restaurant will have a monthly supper club.
The Greater Memphis Chamber says that replacing the 1949 Memphis-Arkansas Bridge is preferable to building a third bridge across the Mississippi River at Memphis. 2026 is the target date for the opening of the replacement bridge.
The Detroit Pistons tied the record for single-season NBA losing streak with their 26th straight loss last night.
The Liberty Bowl parade will roll down Beale Street Thursday starting at 2 PM. ABC 24 will livestream the parade here.
In Sweden, it’s a tradition to watch Donald Duck cartoons on Christmas Eve.
The number of venues now participating in the South Main New Year’s Eve bar crawl has expanded and now includes
Bar crawl tickets are $40 per person. Proceeds raised will be used to purchase neighborhood security cameras and connect them to MPD’s Real-Time Crime Center.
That’s it for now. Headed to Bardog for Christmas Eve cocktails slung by James and Butt Slut #1. Out to Eads for the holidays after that. Back tomorrow or Tuesday with more news.
This is the Friday update but it’s Thursday afternoon about 6 as I type this. Sitting at the bar at the Blind Bear waiting for the Grizzlies to come on. So I figure I’ll lead off with a couple of pieces of Bear news.
This week I got some insight into how Tony makes his famous greens at the Bear. If you’ve ever seen them, you’ve noticed the greens are loaded with big hunks of MEAT!!!
Tony, I’m told, smokes his own turkey legs and adds them to the pot likker in the greens. That’s where they get their meaty, smoky flavor. Now available on the regular menu.
As I sit here this afternoon, the bald bearded bartender dressed as The Grinch is installing new 55-inch TVs so that there won’t be a bad seat in the house for watching college bowl games.
One college football game will be celebrated at the Blind Bear in particular – the Tennessee Vols vs. Iowa Hawkeyes in the Citrus Bowl. They’ll open at 10 that morning and the game will start at noon. Drink specials, food specials, local swag.
I hear from a Vols fan that there will be watch parties for the Tennessee Vols every week (except the bye week) in fall 2024 at the Bear.
The Downtown Memphis Commission will announce Paul Young’s replacement after Christmas. Young, who runs DMC, will become the mayor of Memphis on January 1.
The city is hiring a golf events planner.
The Grizzlies looked great last night and improved to 2-0 with Ja back. I’m beginning to wonder if an “ESPN: 30 for 30” documentary will one day be made about our starting point guard’s comeback. Next up: at the Atlanta Hawks Saturday at 6:30.
Stax Music Academy seeks a student services manager.
Today’s specials at Bardog:
Back tomorrow or Sunday or Monday with more news.
Restaurant management company Packed House has announced holiday hours for all of its businesses.
Momma’s
Slider Inn
Aldo’s Pizza Pies
Bardog
Today is National Coquito Day. This beverage is part of the holiday tradition of Puerto Rico. Coquito recipes vary and the drink is aged in the refrigerator before being served.
It’s also National French-Fried Shrimp Day. My recommendation is the Shrimp Basket at Flying Fish. I was gonna recommend Huey’s but it appears they don’t have the shrimp po-boy anymore.
Ja Morant returns to The Grindhouse tonight at 7 as the Memphis Grizzlies battle the Indiana Pacers. Local TV coverage will be Bally Sports. Free Grizzlies rally flag to the first 10,000 through the FedExForum gates.
There’s a holiday special at Feathers Spa at the Peabody Hotel: Buy (in-store) a gift card to the store worth $175 or more, and receive a free Zents gift set valued at $85. The gift set includes moisturizing body wash and an age-defying probiotic lotion.
It’s Wurlitzer Wonderland night at The Orpheum, a one-night concert featuring the theater’s historic pipe organ. Festive tunes played on the 95-year-old organ will get you in the holiday spirit. 7 PM showtime. $10 cash at the door.
The Daily Memphian has added word games.
E-scooter company Bird has filed for bankruptcy.
December 21 is the day of the year that Memphis gets the least sunshine… but the historically coldest time of the year is mid-January. ABC 24 explains why. For the same reason, June 21 is the longest day but July is the hottest month.
It won’t be a white Christmas in Memphis, but it’s beginning to look a lot like a wet Christmas. And – good news – a warm one.
Today’s specials at Bardog:
Back tomorrow with more news.
Happy birthday to my friend John D! He celebrates a big one today. See you at Local on Main in a little while, John!
The Memphis Tigers made it 4 victories vs.ranked teams last night, earning a 77-54 victory over 22 Virginia. Along with previous wins over 20 Arkansas, 21 Texas A&M, and undefeated 13 Clemson, Memphis has some assets to impress the NCAA tournament seeding committee.
Six seed sound about right for the Tigers? Maybe a ceiling of a five seed if we run the table against ranked conference opponent FAU.
And then there’s Ja… he looked brilliant in his last-second shot that gave the Grizzlies a 115-113 victory over New Orleans. We can all breathe a sigh of relief… our guy hasn’t lost a step. Ja had 34 points for the night.
The Memphis City Council has voted to give the Liberty Bowl stadium to the University of Memphis. Absolutely the correct move. Well done.
Today is National Sangria Day and Go Caroling Day.
I got a new troll yesterday. No idea what to name him. Suggestions?
Drew & Ellie Holcomb’s Neighborly Christmas is tonight at the Orpheum.
That’s it for now. Maybe back later today.
Truffle Philly cheese steak with fries, a $12 special today at Local. Tender and cheesy and the bun sops up the juice. Peppers and onions of course.
Chicken and short rib tacos, another special today at Local. $3 each. They have chorizo too.
$5 margarita special today at Local.
Blind Bear specials for this week:
Y’all, I tried one of those fried chicken sliders yesterday, and it was DEE-LISH-US. You will never want Chick-fil-A again after eating Tony’s chicken sliders.
As for the new menu, it’s not a giant change. The other major addition that had previously been a special was the coffee-crusted NY strip steak, with a loaded baked potato and Tony’s greens for $28.
The Peabody Hotel has added a robot to its security team, WREG reports. I have one question, though: Where’s the mustache? I mean, what kind of security guard DOESN’T have a mustache???
From ESPN: A quagmire situation: What Ja Morant’s return (tonight) means for a teetering Memphis Grizzlies season
The CA has a list of 10 Memphis restaurants Guy Fieri should visit for his TV show. Downtown suggestions include Chef Tam’s Underground Cafe, Momma’s, Sunrise, and Gus’s.
LEO Events is hiring a junior graphic designer.
Today’s specials at Bardog:
Not a very newsy Tuesday but that happens around Christmas. Back tomorrow with more.
The Memphis Tigers have entered the AP Top 25, having handed Clemson its first loss of the season. Penny’s Tigers came in at number 23. That’s one spot below the Virginia Cavaliers, who Memphis will face this week. Clemson fell 5 spots, from 13 to 18, following its loss to Memphis. FAU, who the Tigers will see in conference play twice this season, is 14th.
There’s going to be a South Main bar crawl on New Year’s Eve, organized by locals. Bar Ware, Ibis, and Lucky Cowboy are among the participating bars, with more to be added. Cover charge is $40 and goes toward a South Main Association initiative to purchase and install safety cameras in the neighborhood and connect them to MPD.
By the way… while I recommend the pub crawl listed above, I ABSOLUTELY DO NOT recommend pub crawls organized by out-of-towners. ESPECIALLY on New Year’s Eve. Too many failed promises. Too many instances of bars having no idea they’ve been listed as a participating business. These out-of-town companies tend to have very generic social media account names, for example “We Like Pub Crawls.” AVOID THEM.
Kinfolk, a breakfast and brunch restaurant on Harbor Town Square, is hiring a bartender.
Sheet Cake, the new art gallery at 405 Monroe out in The Edge, will host a holiday happy hour from 4:30 to 6:30 PM this Friday. There will be mulled wine and cookies. Artists who have work on display at Sheet Cake will be on site to talk about their creations.
Bleacher Report suggests the Grizzlies do a trade with the Utah Jazz: Memphis gets Kelly Olynyk, while Utah gets Luke Kennard and lottery-protected 2026 first-round pick.
TDOT intends to replace the I-55 bridge over the Mississippi River, “the old bridge” built in 1949, in 2026.
South Main Sounds, the music performance space at 550 South Main, has partnership opportunities available:
Contact markmusic@att.net for more information about these opportunities.
Pro Wrestling Stories has a review of The Iron Claw, the movie documenting the life of the Von Erich family that debuts in theaters this week. I grew up watching the Von Erichs on cable TV. I was especially a big fan of David, who seemed destined to be a world champion. I was heartbroken when I turned on Fort Worth’s KTVT one Saturday night at 10:30 and announcer Mark Lowrance informed us that David had died in Japan. He was only 25.
Fan favorite Kenneth Lofton Jr. will likely be waived from the Grizzlies this week to free up a roster spot for the returning Ja Morant.
That’s it for now. Back tomorrow with more news.
My world business traveler friend Randy returned to Memphis last week. This time he’d been to New Zealand. He brought a goodie bag for me to Bardog with him Saturday.
These olives are SO GOOD! I wonder if I took them to Aldo’s Pizza Pies, would they put them on a pizza for me?
“Kiwi Poo,” chocolate covered peanuts.
Venison salami. I haven’t tried this yet but I am sure it is delicious!
Also in the goodie bag:
Sunday morning I woke up around 7:30. With the bars not opening until 11, I found myself bored at home with nothing to do. I decided to start on the chocolate bar and the bottle of vodka. By 10 AM I’d finished half of each. With an hour remaining to kill, I took a seat on the sofa…
… and fell asleep for what seemed like a brief moment…
Then I woke up and checked my phone. It was 12:35. I thought something was wrong with my phone! But then I looked out the window and saw the sun directly overhead, and I realized I really had slept two-plus hours.
I threw on my clothes and hurried to Blind Bear. Chico behind the bar saw me come in. He ran to the kitchen door and shouted, “Tony, he’s here!”
A few seconds later, Tony came out of the kitchen, on his phone. “Yeah. He’s here. He just came in,” Tony said to whomever he was talking to.
Turns out I had told my friends Allie Cat and Butt Slut #1 I’d meet them at 11 at Bardog. When I no-showed, they were worried sick. Oops!
Let’s have a look at local basketball this week:
Tickets are still available for Bardog’s New Year’s Eve 2024 Bash.
What does a ticket get you?
Tickets are $150 and that includes tax and gratuity. I don’t recommend a lot of New Year’s Eve parties, because they mostly all suck – but this is one I can get behind.
From the DM: Hire Local develops health care jobs in Memphis Medical District
Today is National Wear a Plunger on Your Head Day.
Memphis Made Brewing Co. will have a tailgate and watch party for December 29’s Liberty Bowl. Food truck Big River Dogs will be on site. Prefer to drink at home? They’ll be selling six-packs to go for $9.01 all day.
Congratulations to Brett Roler, new COO of the Downtown Memphis Commission.
Grizzlies jobs!
Today’s specials at Bardog:
Since the specials are time-sensitive, I’ll stop here and hit Publish. Possibly a second post later today.