Paul Ryburn's Journal

The Red Rooster’s grand opening party is tonight. Yeah it was open last week, but tonight is their big celebration. I will definitely be there.

If you have an iPhone or Android, you can download a free Memphis in May app that will keep you informed of the entire month’s worth of festivities.

Three finalists remain for the Center City Commission CEO job: Memphians Andy Kitsinger and Paul Morris, and a third candidate from Orlando. I have no doubt the CCC will come out of the interview process with a great CEO, but I have to admit, there’s one candidate in particular who I hope gets it.

Poker tournament tonight at Bardog Tavern in the Underground Room at 7:30. Have you wanted to play one of these, but aren’t sure how to play? No problem, come early at 7 for a 30-minute lesson on how to play poker. Entry is free, so at worst your losses will be limited to your bar tab.

Short lunch post today because I need to make a Target run. More to come after 5.

If you’re on Foursquare and you check in at work, be careful about comments you make along with your check-in, especially if you work for a large corporation. Big companies have Thought Police that search for anything negative said about them. If you leave a negative comment with your check-in and it goes to Twitter, the Thought Police will see it and corporate will contact your supervisor to reprimand you. This has happened to multiple people I know in recent weeks.

This won’t come as a surprise to anyone: Consumerist.com surveyed its readers, who voted Comcast as the worst company in America. You won’t hear any argument from me. Ticketmaster was the runner-up, and again, I can’t disagree.

On Friday, May 7, Bobby Rush will host a special fundraiser for the Center for Southern Folklore. Tickets are $50, or you can purchase a Golden Circle Ticket for $100 which will give you priority seating for the concert, as well as the chance to dine and talk with Mr. Rush before the show. Doors open at 6:30. Call 525-3655 or visit the Center’s website to purchase tickets.

If you’ve ever wanted to give yoga a try, master instructor Grace Harwood from Midtown Yoga will give a free class tomorrow in Court Square. It will run from 11:45 to 1:15, and it’s part of the CCC’s Downtown Alive! lunchtime series.

Interesting article on the Memphis Flyer site on tipping.

Time for trivia at the Saucer.  The Rapscallions have been absolutely unstoppable lately, having amassed winnings of $525 to be used at a future party.  Hopefully we’ll add $50 more this week.

If you’re looking for something else fun to do, don’t forget that it’s Super Tuesday at Kooky Canuck, with their massive $34 oz. signature drinks only $5.  After trivia I may not be up for one of those, but I imagine I’ll at least stop by Kooky for a Super Cold Bud Light on the way home.

Also, Stepbrothers play the Silly Goose tonight.  Usually their start time is around 9.

Outta here, on the way to trivia.  Low in the mid 40s tonight.  This may be the last time I can wear the PBR hoodie this season.

There’s a Woot-off going on today at Woot.com.  Be sure to reload it frequently (or track it with an iPhone app) to see new items, and if Random Crap appears, buy immediately.

So, yesterday I pulled out my camera.  I thought to myself, “I wonder how many Wine Race photos I took?  About 30?”

Nope.  I took 190.  The highlights are below.  You’ll note that most of the photos were not taken at Wine Race itself… the best happened after everyone had consumed multiple Call-a-Cabs at Wet Willie’s.

It’s a wonderful day!  BEER!

A PBR cup nested inside a Wet Willie’s Call-a-Cab cup.  Now that’s alcoholic genius right there.

The Queen of the Vine contestants on stage.  Some of the girls in the competition were cute, but a few wouldn’t have looked out of place walking down Brooks Road.

Grape stomp

She loves to ride that cock

Kelly’s first shift at the Rooster

Here’s a pic of the Nuh-Uh Girl eating.

Lauren and Brick

This is an indication of how drunk I was… I looked at the photos the next day and thought, “There was a girl in my lap?  I don’t even remember”

oops

Full album can be viewed here. If you’re looking for complete and thorough coverage of Wine Race, don’t bother with it.  If you’re looking for a bunch of pics of really drunk people, this is the album for you.

If you missed Wine Race or left before the end, you can see who won here.

I took a lot of pics but they were Paul’s Drunkass Pics since Call-a-Cabs were involved.  When I get a chance I’ll go through them and see what’s on the camera that is blogworthy.  I know I took several tube top photos.

Right now, though, it’s time for Pint Nite.  I’ll probably stop for a beer at Kooky Canuck at some point too.

Yesterday at Wine Race, I wandered over to the Red Rooster and checked in on Foursquare.  I became the mayor of the Rooster, making me a Super Mayor as I simultaneously hold 10 mayorships.  Most of them are not that interesting – places where I eat lunch on the weekdays account for about half.

Before I went out yesterday, I tweeted that I planned to add one more mayorship.  It wasn’t the Rooster that I was referring to, although I’m proud to have that one.  Nor am I going after the one a couple of people suspected – the gym in the basement of my building.  Checking in there is seriously lame.

Time to go to work.  After work:  Pint Nite at the Saucer, of course.  Will probably stop by Kooky Canuck for a quick beer too at some point.

I just downloaded my photos from Memphis Brewfest and wow, are they ever horrible.  Out of all the ones I took there are maybe 3 good ones.  Lots of out of focus shots, shots with half of people’s heads cut off, shots with eyes closed, etc.  That’s what happens when the point is to get as wasted as possible in 4 hours.  Well, the organizers of the festival would probably argue that the point is to learn about beer, but I disagree.

I did get a good pic of one of my favorite tube top wearers, and she will probably make an appearance on the blog sometime in June.  36 days until Tube Top Month!

Which reminds me… if you’re going to Wine Race today and want to be on the blog, wear a tube top and find me… I’ll have the camera with me.  (Note:  This offer applies to women only… shouldn’t even have to say that, but Skippy reads my blog.)

The official start time of Wine Race is 1, but people start congregating on the street earlier… I’ll probably get down there about 12.  I’ll mention once again that a Call-a-Cab from Wet Willie’s is a very good idea.  (Unless you’re driving… then it’s a very BAD idea.)  Events include (not sure about the order) a grape stomp, a parade, Queen of the Vine, and the wine relay.  Most of the participants start drinking early in the morning so they’re properly lubricated by the time the competition starts.  If you’ve never seen Wine Race, you really need to come down.  It’s in Handy Park and on Beale east of Third.

Post-race, everyone (participants and spectators) disperse to nearby bars (Alfred’s in particular) and proceed to get even more wasted.  Last weekend may have been the best festival weekend of the spring, but this weekend is surely the drunkest.

After that it’ll be time for Music Fest… I’m undecided about going this year.  I’m going to wait until Wednesday, the last day to buy the 3-day pass, then decide.  I have two requirements:  No low below 60 degrees, and no day with a greater than 50% chance of rain.  Looks like the temperatures will hold up, but the rain situation is iffy.

Saw on Twitter that a couple had sex in a hot tub on a Downtown rooftop last night.  They apparently had quite an audience.  I wonder which rooftop?

What the hell… I’ll go ahead and post the few good Brewfest pics I took… then I’m outta here… see you at Wine Race

Beer being served in the concourse

Bicycle Bobby and Kelly.  With wind gusts to 40 MPH, I was extremely disappointed that Kelly didn’t wear her skirt.

A rare pic of the Nuh-Uh Girl without food.  From the look on her face, I’d guess she was sampling Turbo Dog.

Stevie G, Lee and Lauren

If you didn’t get a chance to check out the grand opening of the Red Rooster Thursday night, here are some pics of the first floor and patio.  I didn’t get up to the second floor.

Kooky Canuck is known as one of the best places Downtown to get value for your money, and that will definitely be the case for their Kooky de Mayo party they’re throwing May 5.  Take a look at the specials they have planned for that day.

If you read my blog on Thursday, you saw that I made a post where I claimed to have hacked the Cordova Flying Saucer’s computers.  I said that I stole next Tuesday’s questions for trivia night, and posted them.  Of course, the whole thing was a joke.  It was obvious I made up the questions, and if I were into hacking I sure wouldn’t publicize it on my blog.  Or rather, I thought it was obvious.

I just passed the GM of both Saucers on Second Street.  “You’re a funny guy, Paul,” he told me.  “I was getting phone calls all day saying, ‘Paul Ryburn hacked your computers!'”

Wow.  I am at a loss for words.

Cordova is stupid.