Paul Ryburn's Journal

The big news Downtown is that City Market opens today! Located at the corner of Main and Union, City Market is the Downtown core’s newest grocery and deli. It will be open until 10 Monday-Saturday night which is great news. It’s also great news for people who keep health-conscious diets, as the shelves will contain products you might find at Whole Foods or Fresh Market. It’s owned by Sunny and Hamida Pirani, two super nice people who I’ve had the pleasure of knowing for a couple of years. Please come support them! Here’s a Commercial Appeal article about the new market. I haven’t been by yet but will probably stop in tomorrow.

One thing I forgot to mention when I posted about everything going on Saturday… if you come to South Main for the Rock’n’Romp or the holiday parade, stop by 517 S. Main between 3 and 9 PM for a Christmas bazaar featuring handmade goods by local vendors. It’s presented by Indie Style Market.

I have to laugh at a position @tmj_mem_jobs tweeted yesterday. There’s a Specimen Management Representative job open at Concentra. I recognized that name immediately because it’s where I had to go to take my drug test for my current job. Well, I guess it’s the type of job where no one could blame you if you got really pissy at work.

Don’t forget that it’s open house night at Shelton Clothiers and Christine by Shelton tonight from 5 to 9. Chair massages from Mona Spa, 20% off everything in the store, get a $25 gift card free when you buy a $50 card. Giveaways, food, wine. Free food? Wonder if the Nuh-Uh Girl will show up.

Trying to decide what to do tonight… there’s a WordPress meetup at Republic Coffee at 6 PM. My friend Otto (Otto42 in the WordPress community) is trying to talk me into going. Hmmm… could do that… then again it is poker night at Max’s Sports Bar… or I could always go to the Saucer and do the usual. Lots of options.

Right now it’s lunchtime though. Hungry for Mexican.

There are a lot of events going on Downtown Saturday, December 4. Here’s a quick list.

The Memphis Marathon, half-marathon and St. Jude 5K happen Saturday morning. Runners take off from AutoZone Park at 7:15 (5K) and 8:00 (marathon and half-marathon). All races except the family race are sold out at this point. Funds raised from the events will benefit St. Jude. Visit the Memphis Marathon home page for more info.

Some of the Stumblin’ Santa attendees (see below) plan on meeting outside The Pyramid at 8 AM, in costume, to cheer on the runners. If you’re stumbling Saturday night and want to put on your Santa suit early and join them, they say you’re more than welcome.

At 2 PM there will be a family-friendly event at 409 S. Main – The Rock’n’Romp. This is a rocking concert with music by The Luv Clowns, Cody Dickinson, and Gasoline Grace. Adults must be accompanied by kids to get in. Free for kids, $5 adults.

This isn’t a Downtown event, but one a lot of Downtowners are interested in: The SEC championship game on CBS at 3 PM Central time. Not only are fans of Auburn and South Carolina, the participating teams, going to be watching this one, but Arkansas fans as well. If Auburn wins, they advance to the BCS National Championship, and Arkansas will likely be invited to the Sugar Bowl.

The Memphis Holiday Parade happens at 5 PM on South Main between G.E. Patterson and the Orpheum. Bands, dancers, floats, scooters, and of course a special appearance by Santa Claus. This year Jerry “The King” Lawler, who main evented WWE Monday Night Raw this week, will be the grand marshal.

The Memphis Tigers host Western Kentucky at the FedExForum at 7.

Also at 7, the granddaddy of all Memphis pub crawls, “Bob and Roland’s Stumblin’ Santa,” will begin at the Flying Saucer. There are Elvis crawls, Snuggie crawls, and more, but this is the first and the finest. Today they released their list of bars – after starting at the Saucer, Santas will crawl through Alfred’s, 152, and Coyote Ugly. There are so many Santas expected that they will likely have to break into groups and rotate through the three Beale bars in shifts. If you want to participate, show up at the Saucer at 7 PM in costume – preferably Santa, but there have also been Mrs. Claus, reindeer, elves and Christmas trees in past pub crawls. Be sure to bring a toy for the Ronald McDonald House. Since these toys will be shared among many kids, they’re not accepting stuffed animals due to germ concerns. For latest news on the pub crawl, find the event “BOB AND ROLAND’S 6TH ANNUAL STUMBLIN’ SANTA!!!!!!!!!” on Facebook and click Attending or Maybe Attending.

Not sure if I’ll be stumbling this year… it’s a friend’s birthday and the one weekend this month he’ll be in town, so whatever he wants to do. I have the costume if need be, but I’ve done SS twice before and am comfortable missing it if he’d rather do something else. If I don’t stumble I’ll buy a toy and drop it in the box before 7 Saturday. Others who want to donate a toy but can’t attend the pub crawl can bring it to the Saucer before that date and time.

The annual gift card sale is on. $25 for $50 gift cards. Starts at 9. Will probably run out by 1. If you want a deal on one of the best restaurants in Downtown Memphis you better take advantage. No online sales. You have to be there to get it.

I’ve received a security alert that counterfeit $20 bills have been passed in the Medical Center/Downtown area recently. If you are in a job where you take money from customers, be sure to hold 20s to light and make sure they are real U.S. currency.

Bad news for those of you who were looking forward to authentic Russian banya in Downtown Memphis: It ain’t gonna happen. A businessman from Russia named Yuri, who moved here after studying aeronautic engineering at Georgia Tech, had planned to open an authentic Russian bath house, or banya, at the southwest corner of Union and Main (old Smooth Moves location). However, when he had to travel home to visit his sick mother, he encountered problems when he returned to the US. Customs agents in Atlanta told him his visa only allowed him to work as an aeronautic engineer here. He cannot legally open a bath house under his visa. His lawyers have been fighting it for the past week, but today he posted to Facebook and Twitter that his appeals have fallen upon deaf ears. He must go.

Thanks Yuri for trying to bring something different to Downtown Memphis. I wish you well, and hope that one day you get to fulfill your dream of opening a bath house in the city of Elvis Presley.

Yuri posted something interesting to Facebook this morning. He went to visit the property at 85 Union one last time, and there was “a most intelligent gentleman” looking around. Yuri posted, “here is business:” and a link to Thompson, an advertising agency located Downtown. Could Thompson have their eye on that space, now that it’s available? I’ve been familiar with the company for a while, since I judged an employee baking contest there in 2009. Very nice people, and I’ve heard from sources within the company that they have been looking to expand. That location would be ideal for a growing company like Thompson.

Still sick… made it to work today though. Remains to be seen if I’ll make it until 5… sorry again for the lack of blog output this weekend, but when I’m not out talking to people and taking photos, that happens.

James Taylor is coming to the Orpheum February 27. Tickets will be on sale Friday, December 3, at 10 AM, through Ticketmaster or by calling the Orpheum at 901-525-3000 or 800-745-3000.

The Madison Hotel has started an afternoon tea from 2-4 Monday-Friday. You get your pick of the following teas: House blend spiced chai, dragon well green, Egyptian mint, citrus chamomile, wild encounter, sapphire Earl Grey, or Kenilworth Ceylon English Breakfast. Teas can be purchased with choice of sweets (scones or petit fours) or finger sandwiches, and you can add sherry or champagne. Live music, complimentary hot chocolate bar. Glass ornaments to benefit the children of LeBonheur will be available for purchase.

A reception for artist David D. Lynch’s latest show will be held at the Majestic Grille from 5:30-7:30 PM Tuesday, December 7. The show will be entitled “Memphis: A City for All Seasons” and will feature artwork from his 2011 Memphis calendar. Original artworks, prints, and the calendar, “Art & Anecdotes around the River City,” will be available for purchase. As always, the Majestic takes no commission, with all proceeds going to the artist. Validated parking can be found in any Peabody Place parking garage. Champagne and drink specials will be available, and there will be complimentary hors d’oeuvres by Chef Patrick Reilly. Free food? Wonder if the Nuh-Uh Girl will show up.

I’ve been asked several times about the annual Stumbling Santa pub crawl… it’s this Saturday, December 4. The absolute best way to get the latest and most up to date news on the crawl is to search for “BOB AND ROLAND’S 6th ANNUAL STUMBLIN’ SANTA!!!!!!!!!” on Facebook under Events. They’ll post the latest details there. Click Attending or Maybe Attending to receive any messages they send out. I’ll try to post a summary later in the week, but if you go there you’ll hear it straight from the organizers.

The Razorbacks made it to #7 in the BCS standing this week! Nice! If Auburn wins the SEC championship next Saturday, projections have the Hogs taking on Ohio State in the Sugar Bowl. That will be a sweet game indeed.

If I feel up to it, I’ll be at Pint Nite about 6.

All season long I’ve watched LSU rise to an artificially inflated ranking due to fluke win after fluke win. They’re a good team for sure, worthy of Top 15 especially considering the division they play in, but Top 5? They were overrated. I wasn’t ever worried though. “Just wait until the last game of the season,” I thought. “Bobby Petrino, Ryan Mallett, and the Arkansas Razorbacks will take care of the problem.”

Take care of the problem they did. LSU played well, but a couple of big plays put it away for the Hogs. One was a surprise touchdown pass at the very end of the first half to send Arkansas into the locker room with a 21-14 halftime lead.

In the final minute of the game, LSU fumbled just outside of their own goal line with an 8-point deficit. So much for that miracle touchdown and two-point conversion! The Razorbacks probably could’ve run up another 7 points, but decided to just do the safe thing, down the ball, and call it a game.

Where we go next is up to the SEC championship game, Auburn vs. South Carolina, next Saturday. If Auburn wins, they go to the BCS national title game, and the Hogs would have to be under consideration for the Sugar Bowl. If that does not come to pass, either Capital One or Cotton will be our likely destination.

Still feeling sick. I thought I was over it, but I’m not feeling well for the second night in a row. Eating a pizza I ordered, then will get in bed. Y’all drink some beer for me and hopefully I’ll be out tomorrow.

Tonight there is a benefit concert at the Hard Rock Cafe on Beale Street in honor of Chip Parkhurst. Chip had been battling cancer for 5 years, and two bone marrow transplants kept him alive far longer than anybody had thought was possible. He would have had his 30th birthday this week, and his wife, sister and friend are putting on this benefit show.

The event is from 9 PM to midnight, with a $10 cover at the door to benefit the National Bone Marrow Donor Program. There will be music by Jeremy Stanfill and Aurora and a silent auction.

For the second day in a row, I find myself apologizing for not making it to South Main last night. I’ve been fighting off a cold for the past few days. As I watched the Auburn-Alabama game at the Saucer, it became clear that the cold was winning. So I left at 6 PM, stopped at Walgreens for soup, and got in bed.

Although I missed South Main happenings, it wasn’t a terrible night, because I got to watch the Boise State-Nevada game. What a fantastic game that was… Nevada scored a touchdown with the clock running down

to tie it at 31. With nine seconds left, Boise’s quarterback threw a Hail Mary and the receiver did a spectacular job rolling on his back as he caught it, so that the ball never touched the ground, for a complete pass that got them within the Nevada 10. Two seconds left and easily within field goal range for the win… but the kicker missed the field goal, sending the game into OT.

Nevada won the toss and elected to go on defense for overtime. Again Boise couldn’t get to the end zone and had to kick a field goal… and missed again. Nevada took possession, and when they got to fourth down, it was their turn to kick a field goal… and the kicker placed it straight through the uprights. Nevada won 34-31 to dash Boise State’s national title/Rose Bowl hopes. If you get a chance, try to see a highlight reel of this game. It was one of the best football games I’ve ever seen.

I feel a little better this morning. Going to try to make it to the Saucer to watch the Arkansas-LSU game, although I don’t know if I’ll stay out much later after that. GO HOGS!!!

Last night, I met my friends Shawn, Joe and Spiros at the Saucer at 5 for what we figured would be a quiet evening of Thanksgiving beer drinking.

It didn’t stay quiet for long. This guy came in, and I’d seen him in there a few times before, and had seen enough of his behavior to know to have as little interaction with him as possible, lest he start looking for me every time he comes in.

He took a seat at the bar and started serenading the bartender, singing in a voice loud enough to fill not only the main room, but the outside room (the Garden) as well. The bartender went to the other end of the bar to pick up a ticket and he followed her down there, still singing very loudly. “They certainly won’t be booking him to sing on stage on the weekends,” I commented on his singing.

Then he asked the bartender, “Is it okay if I pay you for this beer the next time I come in?” WTF? Does he think he’s Wimpy? “I’ll gladly pay you Tuesday for a hamburger today.” The bartender didn’t like that idea much and told him he had to pay now.

“Well, fine, then!” he said, anger showing in his face. “I guess I won’t be tipping you then!” He stormed off into the other room, and it sounded like he was arguing with the servers in there. He followed one of them back into the inside room and started yelling something about “TOE JAM AND BELLY BUTTON LINT.” Again, WTF?

“I’ll see you next time,” he then told the bartender. “There won’t be a next time,” she replied.

He stormed back into the other room, chugged his beer, then came back in to put his empty glass on the bar. He thought for a minute and then put his glass on the bar upside down, so that his slobber and germs could get all over the bar. Then he finally left.

You know, lately I’ve been thinking: Servers and bartenders have to take classes and take a test to get licensed to work at bars. Maybe there needs to be a license for bar patrons as well. Make people pass a test that demonstrates they have a basic understanding of things like proper manners when ordering a drink; tipping appropriately; personal space; body language; that it’s inappropriate to excessively mooch drinks from other bar patrons; not touching other people’s food without permission; and other basic etiquette. Everyone would have a better time if only those licensed to be in bars were allowed in.

Sincere apologies to those in South Main whose parties I said I’d attend, but didn’t make it. I really did want to come to the potluck I was invited to down there, but by 7:30 it was raining cats and dogs, showing no sign of stopping, and the trolley was on holiday schedule. Apologies as well for missing the annual Thanksgiving party at Earnestine & Hazel’s.

No big plans for today. I guess I’ll head to the Saucer at 1:30 to watch the Auburn-Alabama game. No disrespect to my friends from Bama, but I have to root for Auburn to win this one, as it is necessary for Arkansas to receive a BCS bid when they beat overrated LSU tomorrow. Later today I’ll head to South Main Trolley Night and probably the Jimi Hendrix party at the Warehouse. Enjoying the 4 day weekend… maybe I’ll see you out!

It opened at 5.

The guy to my left, by the way, is named Spiros and will probably be mentioned on my blog a lot the next two months. He is a character on the level of the Nuh-Uh Girl. Not obsessed with food though.

Thanks to my friends who invited me to their private party tonight and then gave me a generous shot of Jager in addition to the drinks and beers I requested. Thank goodness for the rain so people won’t see how I redecorated the Main Street Mall sidewalk on the way home.