Paul Ryburn's Journal

After realizing I already own the rest of the outfit I plan to wear that night, I just placed an order for a Snuggie to wear to the 1st Annual Memphis Snuggie(tm) Pub Crawl.  The pub crawl based on the blanket with sleeves will be Saturday, November 28, with tentative stops at the Tap Room, Silky’s, Kooky Canuck, and Club Chill.  That’s right, I’m actually going to set foot in Club Chill for the first time ever.  Something different to do, and it’s for a good cause.

For more info, go to Facebook and search for the pub crawl under Events.  So far 239 people have responded “attending,” so this thing may reach Stumbling Santa proportions.  How are they ever going to fit 239 people in the Tap Room?

Heading to the SMA meeting in a few minutes.  I’m still annoyed with my non-working camera.  Maybe someone else can take pics and send a few to me.

Just a reminder that the South Main Association will meet tonight at Itta Bena.  There will be a speech from the head of Contemporary Media, Inc. on the future of media, and I believe is also the night when they vote on a slate of officers for 2010.  Hors d’oeuvres compliments of Itta Bena, cash bar.

I’ll be there taking notes, but unfortunately I won’t be taking pictures – having problems getting my camera’s battery to keep a charge.  Oh well, I’ve posted pics of Itta Bena before, so you know what it looks like.  Social at 6 PM, program starts around 6:30.  Will probably do a post summarizing the meeting late tonight or tomorrow at lunchtime.

…that I ordered a West Coast Burger to go from Huey’s tonight and had them make it as a turkey burger.

Before that… I played the 7:30 poker game at the Silly Goose and finished second.  I wanted so badly to make the 11:30 game but it just wasn’t in the cards (no pun intended).  $6 pitchers of PBR on Mondays at the Goose?  Will probably be back next week.

No, I’m not suggesting you go get drunk Saturday morning, although I am suggesting it for Saturday night.  Rather, I’m suggesting that you meet your neighbors in the Pyramid parking lot at 8:30 AM Saturday, November 14, and register to help clean up Downtown.  At 9 you’ll be shuttled to sites around the area, then at noon you’ll come back for a party in Jefferson Park (do they mean Jefferson Davis Park?) where participants will enjoy music, beer, and food.  Free food?  Wonder if the Nuh-Uh Girl will show up.  Check cleanmemphis.org for more details.

Sorry for the lack of updates, again been busy.  Yesterday was Crazy Hat Day at the Saucer, when a lot of the gang put on all sorts of wild hats to celebrate the hats of COGIC.  In some cases, crazy hat participants ran outside, flagged down COGIC cars, and got photos taken with participants.  You know, I’ve got to admit, the COGIC people were real good sports about the whole thing.  Glad they’re getting to leave on a high note.  After the Saucer I went to eat at Bangkok Alley (pics in a previous post), then back to the Saucer for “Lazy Sunday Nights with Brittney,” where I found there are TWO free Service Bell apps for the iPhone that I can use to drive her nuts.

Attn Air Traffic Mike:  When you gonna return to Memphis?  I’m at beer number 199 and am waiting to know when you’ll be back so I can schedule my 3rd plate party.  I’m actually gonna get this plate done before Stephanie.

Speaking of beer, time to go out.

If you’re a fan of live poker – not the online stuff I play at PokerStars, or the Buzztime Poker I play at Calhoun’s, but real, live poker with felt tables and chips – come on down to the Silly Goose tonight and play.  They’ll have two sessions going, first at 7:30, second at 11:30.  Free to play, no buy-in, and you might win a prize.

Hmmm I may have to make an early exit from Pint Nite next door and check this out… or a late exit from Pint Nite, if I decide to do the 11:30.

I ate at Bangkok Alley tonight for Downtown Dining Week.  Here are pics:

Larb

Strip steak with panang sauce

Fried bananas with vanilla ice cream

More DDW pics to come this week.

If Sunday brunch isn’t your thing, here’s an alternative. I just walked down Union and noticed a sign in Bangkok Alley’s window advertising Dim Sum Sunday tomorrow from noon to 3. There were about a dozen different varieties, mostly priced between $3.25 and $4.25. I believe I saw a couple of stir frys as well in the $11 range.

At the Saucer, blogging from my iPhone. Just got done with a $5.50 buy-in, 45 person PokerStars tournament. Top 7 positions paid. I finished 7th and won $7.37. Yay, $2.37 profit for 2 hours work!

If you play Buzztime/NTN Trivia at Calhoun’s or elsewhere in town, then you may occasionally run into situations where you want to play, but all the Mobile Playmakers (or as we call them, “the little blue crack boxes”) are in use.  Well, if you have an iPhone, now you can play anyway.  There’s a Mobile Playmaker app available for free.  Just search for “Buzztime, Inc.” in the app store.  It will turn your iPhone into a little blue crack box, and you can play at any location that offers both Buzztime and Wi-Fi (which Calhoun’s does).

So now PROFPR will be able to dish out beatings to SKIPPY at trivia without ever touching a blue box.  I like it.

I got an e-mail from the Majestic Grille this morning saying that they’ve now expanded their popular 11 AM-3 PM Sunday brunch to include Saturdays as well.  They’ve also added some new menu items, including pancakes (blueberry or plain); filet mignon benedict; and ham, broccoli, and aged white cheddar frittata.

Good call on the Majestic’s part.  I’ve had several e-mails and text recently asking, “Who does brunch on Saturday?”  Glad to see they’re responding to demand.  There are a lot of places Downtown that do brunch on Sunday, but I’ve long said that the Majestic is the gold standard.  Nice to have the gold standard available two days a week now.

Whew… too busy at work today to get a lunchtime post in – sorry about the lack of reading material today.