Friday update

It’s February, and you know what that means… it’s time for the Flying Saucer to unveil its Valentine’s Day glass. Glass Nights happen Wednesdays at 7. This year Valentine’s Day is on a Wednesday, and Saucer management has wisely figured out that a lot of people will have other plans that evening. So Glass Night will be the Wednesday before, February 7 at 7 PM.

Can you guess who will be on the 2024 V-Day glass?

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce.

I hear a collective groan from some of you. Yeah, they’re a bit overexposed. I think they’re a cute couple though. Maybe I’m getting sentimental as I get older.

You can now get the creations of Chef Eli Townsend on DoorDash. Dos Hermanos Kitchen joined the app earlier this week.

The Cossitt Library will present a History of Soul Food on Thursday, February 22 from 6 to 8 PM. The discussion will take a look at how soul food, with roots in Africa, has impacted Southern cuisine.

It’s Black History Month, and to celebrate, the Downtown Memphis Commission has released a neighborhood guide to Black-owned businesses.

It’s Tater Tot Day. The Hibernation Tots at Blind Bear would be my recommendation to celebrate. They’re topped with ground beef, cheese sauce, bacon, jalapenos, tomatoes, and ranch.

Old Dominick will hold an exclusive tasting + VIP experience today. BIG Bourbon Club will host a tour, tasting, and Meet & Greet with Master Distiller Alex Castle.

Comedic production Her Needs, His Needs comes to the Orpheum tonight.

Tennessee Songwriters Week Qualifying Round will be at South Main Sounds tonight from 7 to 9.

Rumba Room has an open house from noon to 12:30 PM Saturday. The flyer for the event reads, “Ladies styling for salsa & bachata.” Luisana Perozo will be your host.

Did you know that King’s Palace Cafe on Beale has a Gospel Brunch every Sunday? Talented groups from around the city perform every week. The doors open at 11 AM, and no reservations are accepted; it’s first-come, first-served.

The Memphis Tigers host Wichita State at noon Saturday at FedExForum. The Tigers will have the opportunity to lose their 5th straight in front of a national TV audience, as the game will be on CBS.

The Grizzlies host Golden State tonight at 7. Get there early to be one of the first 5000 and score that SWEET Desmond Bane mini-hoop.

The Grizzlies have posted more info on Marc Gasol’s jersey retirement night April 6.

Grind City Media’s Jessica Benson put the NBA on blast for not selecting Grizzlies starter Vince Williams Jr. to the sophomore team in the Rising Stars Game.

Mack Weaver is Memphis in May’s new president and CEO. Weaver has been with the company 25 years, recently as CFO and EVP.

Soup Sunday returns to The Kent on Sunday, February 18.

Ben Yay’s has added a second murder mystery masquerade dinner on Sunday after Saturday’s sold out.

Plant Based Heat is featured in the DM’s $10 Deal this week. The vegan restaurant opened a new location at 363 S. Front in December.

ESPN’s Woj reports that the Grizzlies are trading injured center Steven Adams to Houston for Victor Oladipo and three second-round draft picks.

Downtown’s Sheraton Hotel is for sale, the MBJ reports.

Dinstuhl’s at Main and Peabody Place will have strawberries beginning February 11 and you can pre-order yours now.

Political nerd alert: Moody’s Analytics presents Who Will Be the Next President?

I’ll probably be back around 11 with Bardog’s specials.

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Thur update #2: Today’s specials at Bardog

Don’t know why I’ve been forgetting to post these this week. Here we go:

  • Blackened cod & shrimp tortellini with spicy red sauce, bell peppers & onion – 20
  • Grilled chicken sandwich with lettuce, tomato, onion, pickle, bacon with ranch, cheddar – 17
  • Soup: Beer cheese
  • Dog: Bell peppers, onions, spicy mayo, eggs
  •  Mussels: Garlic, tomato, white wine
  • Caramel cake
  • Tiramisu

I had a big news (and birthday) post earlier this morning, so keep scrolling if you haven’t seen it.

Readers’ generosity helps keep this blog afloat. Donations:
Venmo: @Paul-Ryburn
Apple Pay: paul.ryburn@gmail.com

Buttski Sluttski’s Dirty Thirty update

Last November I got birthday cake smooshed in my face. Now it’s February 1 and turnabout is fair play.

Marc Gasol announced his retirement from professional basketball yesterday. So most likely we will have a ceremony to hang number 33 from the rafters of FedExForum next season.

I’m fond of saying “Everybody beats Rice.” They’re the Vanderbilt of the American Athletic Conference. But it’s not true. Not everybody beats Rice. The Memphis Tigers, for example, lost to Rice last night, 74-71. Hello NIT… if even that tournament’ll have us.

Don’t forget, this is one of those Februarys with 29 days. Not 28.

Bob Dylan will perform at the Orpheum March 29 and 30. The dates will be part of Dylan’s Rough and Rowdy Ways Tour.

The I-55 bridge will close over the weekend. Use I-40 as your alternate.

Today is Spunky Old Broads Day. Some days the comedy just writes itself.

The Majestic Grille seeks hosts/expos.

Dyer’s made Southern Living’s list of Most Beloved Burger Joints.

The Hyatt Centric seeks a front office agent.

The Downtown Neighborhood Association is now on TikTok as @DNAmemphis.

Jalen Duren, a former Memphis Tigers one=and=done, has been invited to play in the NBA Rising Stars game during All-Star weekend.

There’s a Masquerade Murder Dinnet Party this Saturday at Ben Yay’s. “This year is 1755 and it’s Carnival Season in Venice, time for the Masquerade Ball. The question on everyone’s lips is who is the figure in red? Seen conversing with several guests, but no one admits to knowing them.” $75 dinner package, $100 dinner and drinks package.

There’s an Arkansas State alumni group ticket deal for Friday’s Grizzlies game.

Grind City Brewing Co. is having a FROST’D limited edition release party this Saturday.

DJ Mylon plays Blind Bear Friday.

A man is charged with hitting Blue Suede Brigade employees with a vehicle during the St. Jude Marathon.

Back on the streets after a 3-night stay at the Kings Inn at 240 and Union. Fun fact: On a weekday, valet parking for an oversized vehicle at Canopy Inn (B.B. King and Union) costs more per night ($36) than a standard room ($35) two miles down the road at Kings Inn. You definitely pay a premium for location!

On a related note… has anyone stayed at that Super 8 at Crump and the Mississippi River? If so, what are the room rates? And how is the WI-Fi? Let me know at paul.ryburn@gmail.com or on social media. Trying to come up with reasonably-priced alternatives to the Kings Inn should I need a hotel room in the future.

One big plus for the Super 8 is that Momma’s would be very walkable. I could hang out there with the butt sluts in the evenings and have breakfast there in the mornings. Maybe I’d make some new trucker friends at “the diner & dive off 55.”

That’s all for now. Probably back tomorrow with more news.

Readers’ generosity helps keep this blog afloat. Donations:
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Apple Pay: paul.ryburn@gmail.com

Bluff City Nachos @ STIX

I said on Facebook that I wouldn’t be blogging until Thursday or later, but I came across something so yummy I changed my plan.

Several years ago my neighbors slipped several STIX gift cards under my door as a Christmas present. I used most of them not long afterward, but the final one made its way to the back of my wallet and I forgot about it.

Until this week, when I was cleaning out my wallet! I found the card and remembered it had about $30 on it.

I ordered an item I’ve never had before, the Bluff City Nachos: “Crispy wonton chips topped with baked spicy crab, diced avocado, diced jalapenos, and sweet soy. Spicy.” I didn’t think the portion would be very big, and I didn’t expect a lot of crab. So I ordered a side of edamame too, to make sure I’d feel full when I left.

The portion was big and there was a LOT of crab!

I didn’t need the edamame! Then again, who can argue with edamame?

The nachos were delicious and made me feel like I was on the beach patio of a restaurant in Destin. The sauce nicely accented the taste of the crab, and the chewiness of the crab was a nice counterpoint to the crunchiness of the chips, which held out well until the last few bites. I enjoyed this dish from start to finish.

One thing I will note – the nachos are sticky and messy! Get extra napkins. If you finish this dish without a bite of crab landing on the floor, you have attained mastery.

If you only get the sushi when you come to STIX, this is a good choice to venture out to the rest of the menu. Strongly recommended.

Readers’ generosity helps keep this blog afloat. Donations:
Venmo: @Paul-Ryburn
Apple Pay: paul.ryburn@gmail.com

Tuesday update

Some of you have been asking, “Paul, I want to help you with your current financial situation so you won’t have to be homeless anymore. But we need you to set up an account that lets me pay you electronically. Can you make that happen?”

DONE!!! I am now on Apple Pay at paul.ryburn@gmail.com. How to send and receive money on Apple Pay You don’t have to use small deposit amounts to verify the account as you do with Venmo. Easy peasy.

Congrats to the folks at McEwen’s bar, which scored 100 on its health inspection.

Last night the Memphis Tigers made a statement in their game vs. UAB.  That statement was, “We absolutely do not want to be in the NCAA tournament.”

My laptop is not functioning well and neither is my brain. i will try again later.

 

A day in the life of a new homeless person on the streets of Downtown Memphis, Part 1

I stayed until closing time at Bardog Tavern Friday night/Saturday at 3 AM. Since I have no place to go, I try to maximize time spent in central heat and a strong Wi-Fi signal.

I had 4 beers, but other people around me paid for 2 – so my tab was only $8.78. Not bad for six hours of conversations with awesome friends.

You know, this reminds me of something I used to write about on Medium.com. No matter how bleak my current situation looks, I maintain a gratitude practice, being thankful for whatever abundance I receive. Because there’s always abundance. Acknowledging it and being grateful signals to the universe (or God, All That Is, your Higher Power, however you think of it) “Yesssss! More of this, please!”

So, what was I grateful for last night?

  • The fact that such a wonderful neighborhood bar has been so easily accessible to me, and had been for 15 years
  • That two of my best friends, Butt Slut #1 and Butt Slut #2, were sitting with me
  • That I met several other awesome people while there
  • Two PBRs that other people generously paid for
  • – Having ample cash to purchase two more PBRs without feeling a sense of money scarcity (the scarcity mentality can KILL a gratitude practice)
  • – Two awesome bartenders, London and Nick, behind the bar

By the way, I left London and Nick a $3.22 tip for a total of an even $12. That’s 37%, considerably higher than the industry-standard 20%. Why did I do that when I was nearly broke? It’s also part of the gratitude practice. It tells the universe, “If you give me abundance, I will spread it around.”

3:00 AM came, and it was time for bed… well, for everyone in the room except me! I planned to meet my friends Randy, Theresa, and Butt Slut #1 back at Bardog at 11:00, so I had 8 hours to fill with walking the streets of Downtown and whatever other activities I could find.

Mostly walking. My usual route is on Main Street. There was a light rain throughout the night. I had on a water-resistant jacket on, and I pulled the hood of my New Zealand Kiwi hoodie up over my head.

As I walked close to places with free Wi-Fi on (or near) Main, I’d pull out my phone and check messages, email, and Facebook. Since I no longer have cellular service, I gotta get my fix when I can.

“What time does City Market open?” I thought as late morning slowly crept in. “I’d love to get a Mountain Dew and a sausage biscuit and sit in their cafe area with my laptop.”

It was not to be, however – City Market’s sign said Saturday’s opening time was “0320” – and while an opening time of just after 3 AM is on my “would be nice” list, it’s not on my “expect it to happen” list. Sure enough, it didn’t. The rain got harder, soaking through my jeans. I spent the 7:00 hour huddled under an indented storefront just south of Union. As I tried to stay dry, I formulated a Plan B for breakfast.

Unfortunately that was the beginning of the single worst day I’d had since becoming homeless about a week before Christmas. Yet, I still found a way to sprinkle gratitude throughout my day. By the end of the day, though, I was just about ready to tap out to this event called “life.”

I didn’t, though. It’s now Sunday, and I’m still here. And I figured out City Market’s hours and am here on my laptop and a Mountain Dew. No sausage biscuit, though – I decided that’d be too expensive for my current budget.

This post is getting long, so I’m gonna bust it apart into 2 pieces. The second piece will be out sometime between this afternoon and Thursday, I hope. Before I go, let me bang out an expected news item on Sundays:

MEMPHIS BASKETBALL ON TV THIS WEEK

  • Sunday, January 28: Memphis Grizzlies away at Indiana Pacers, 2:30 PM. TV: Bally Sports
  • Sunday, January 28: Memphis Tigers away at UAB, 4:00 PM. TV: ESPN
  • Monday, January 29: Memphis Grizzlies at home vs. Sacramento Kings, 7:00 PM. First 5000 get Grizzlies Mentor shirts. TV: Bally Sports
  • Wednesday, January 31: Memphis Tigers at home vs. Rice, 7:00 PM. TV: ESPN+
  • Thursday, February 1: Memphis Grizzlies at home vs. Cleveland Cavaliers, 7:00 PM. First 5000 fans get a Grizzlies Black History Month scarf. TV: Bally Sports
  • Friday, February 2: Memphis Grizzlies at home vs Golden State Warriors, 7:00 PM. First 5000 get a Desmond Bane mini-hoop. TV: Bally Sports
  • Saturday, February 3: Memphis Tigers at home vs. Wichita State, noon. TV: CBS
  • Sunday, February 4: Memphis Grizzlies away at Boston, 5:00 PM. TV: Bally Sports

Friday update

That is great news for Downtown.

Tyler Perry has been in Memphis filming a Netflix project.

The DM had a couple of Downtown food notes (premium article, requires subscription);

  • Uncle Red’s (previously Red Bones Turkey Legs) is gone from Csrolina Watershed. The restaurant is getting a brick-and-mortar location on Broad Avenue.
  • Rock ‘n Dough Pizza has landed at FedExForum for Grizzlies games. Slice choices will include cheese, pepperoni, and a slice of the day. Tonight’s SOTD will be BBQ chicken.

Robitussin cough syrup has been recalled.

Memphis River Parks Partnership seeks a field trip assistant for Tom Lee Park.

That’s it for today. Back tomorrow or Sunday or Monday.

Thursday update

If you text or PM me (during reasonable hours for people to be awake) and I don’t respond within 10-15 minutes, I’m probably at Local on Main. Their Wi-Fi is out and I don’t currently have cell service.

Today is National Irish Coffee Day. Bardog is your place to take care of that need. There may be a social media post from them about the holiday featuring a video with Emily and Allie Cat.

Today is also National Fish Taco Day. Either Maciel’s or Flying Fish can help you celebrate.

Vocal ensemble New York Polyphony performs at Calvary Episcopal Church tonight at 7:30. Everything from Gregorian chants to the 20th century will be fair game.

RIP Charles Osgood. The CBS newsman was 91.

Hotel Indigo seeks an engineer to do equipment maintenance and repair.

College students, do you dream of wearing the red and black? AutoZone has 11 different types of internships this summer.

Speaking of the ‘Zone, construction of their new pedestrian bridge across Front will block a couple of Downtown streets for the next month:

  • Front from Union to Beale
  • Peabody Place from Front to Main

The Grizzlies seek a foundation content coordinator.

The Memphis Flyer’s 20 Under 30 annual issue is out.

Bounty on Broad now has 25 cent martinis EVERY DAY from 5 to 6 – not just Wed-Thur anymore. Go see my friend Maddie!

Back for a limited engagement: Today is the second of two days Bardog is once again selling wings. They got shipped a case by mistake and decided to roll with it. I THINK these details are right, but don’t hold me to them:

  • Happy hour ONLY
  • Get ’em with Buffalo or BBQ sauce
  • 6 for $11 or 12 for $18

The Nine Sushi & Thai on Union has closed temporarily for renovations and will reopen in March 2024.

The Grizzlies beat Miami 105-96 last night. Vince Williams Jr. led the team in scoring with 25.

The Metal Museum seeks a development & communications coordinator.

Hotel Indigo seeks an operations manager.

That’s it. Back tomorrow.