Paul Ryburn's Journal

One of the Downtown Download bloggers did a great post on Foursquare, the location-based checkin service with apps available for most smartphones.  On Foursquare, your phone senses your location when you visit a venue, and you check in from there.  You can earn badges for certain types of checkins, such as “crunked” for checking in at four different venues on the same night, and “school night” for a checkin after 3 AM on a weeknight.  If you check in at a location more than anyone else over a two-month period, you become “mayor” of that venue.  You can also post “tips” and “to-dos” for a venue.

In cities like New York and San Francisco, many restaurants and bars offer specials to Foursquare users for certain types of checkins, certain badges, or for being the mayor.  It’s starting to spread to Memphis.  In the post linked above, blogger Brian C discusses Foursquare awards as a way for Memphis restaurants and bars to attract more business.

You can go here to see a complete list of venues across the US offering Foursquare specials. (Click on a venue’s name to see the special.)

For example, there’s a bar in Connecticut called The Pour House that offers $1 drinks to its mayor, and a free drink for the mayor on every third visit.  Now, I don’t know if there’s a bar in Memphis that would be similar to The Pour House, but if there is one, maybe they should think about offering that deal to its mayor.

Business owners:  Surf around the Foursquare business page, see what venues in other cities are doing, and maybe you’ll come up with some ideas on how Foursquare can lead to new repeat customers for you.

If you like ice cream, this is a good week for you.  Ben & Jerry’s will give away free ice cream cones today from 12 to 8 PM.  Also, all week long, the Kemmons Wilson School of Hospitality at the U of M will let you build your own ice cream sundae all week from 2-4 PM.

Join the group “The City Taste” on Facebook to keep up with more great food deals from around the city.  That’s how I learned about these.

Free ice cream?  Wonder if the Nuh-Uh Girl will show up.

Oh, speaking of whom… I’ve learned that the Nuh-Uh Girl will be attending Mpact Memphis’ happy hour from 6 to 7 tonight at Primetime Sports Bar.  There’s an open bar and buffet for members ($5 non-members), but if you plan on eating you better make sure you get there before she does.

Let’s see… I’m a member, and there’s an open bar… yep, sounds like I’ll be late for trivia tonight.

Speaking of MPACT, there’s a new Downtown Download blog up about their recent Soul of the City Gala, including very detailed descriptions of what they had to eat and a picture of the buffet.

I saw a good tweet this morning linking to a Beer Flavor Wheel, which seems like it would be very useful to print out and learn about the different styles of beer.

If you like Cuban food, today’s Memphis Groupon is for dining at the Rumba Room on South Main.

All right… I have some stuff on Foursquare, but I want it to stand alone in a post, so I’m going to hit Publish on this Tuesday news post.  Another to come shortly.

Chef Patrick Rose invited me to come to Bardog to try his food, after seeing me mention him in the blog last week.  So I did.

Scallops with cream sauce and citrus rice.  It’s one of their specials this week.  It was fantastic.  How I wish they’d tweet their specials.  I’d probably eat there an extra 1-2 times a week if they did.

If you haven’t eaten at Bardog, you’re missing out.  Patrick is there Fri-Sun nights.

My friends Dennis and Mary Pat volunteer at St. Vincent DePaul, a wonderful organization that helps the poor and homeless.  I asked them to e-mail me some information about it.  I especially like the fact that although the volunteers believe they are serving Christ by giving their time and money, they do NOT preach to those in need.  They simply give from the heart.  Their e-mail is below.

St. Vincent de Paul Society usually operates out of the Catholic Church but it is a non-denominational organization dedicated to helping those in need. It is not a traditional “preaching” type ministry. The members are volunteers who go out and help anyone in need. Here’s a quote from the Memphis SVDP webpage (www.svdpmemphis.org). “The Society collaborates with other people of good will in relieving need and addressing its causes, making no distinction in those served because, in them, Vincentians see the face of Christ.”

St. Mary’s Catholic Church operates the soup kitchen downtown. Here’s a quote from their webpage (http://www.stmary-memphis.com/soup-kitchen/) “St. Mary’s Catholic Church Soup Kitchen has been operating continuously for one hundred-thirty-six years! The soup kitchen serves the poor, the homeless, the less fortunate and the marginalized in our community. We serve more than 50,000 meals each year.”

These are just two of the many fine organizations in Memphis who are there to help those in true need. Instead of giving money to the scammers on the street, people should consider making a donation to these charities. Anyone truly in need can go seek help and find it. I would also encourage your readers to consider volunteering for a shift at the soup kitchen from time to time. It is very rewarding, and it really makes a difference.

I forgot to mention in my lunchtime post – the “I Love Memphis” party is happening NOW, Monday 5-7 PM, at South of Beale.  Will head down there in a few minutes.

Pint Nite after that.

It’s official: The NCAA has denied Memphis’ appeal of the allegations that led to Memphis vacating its 38 wins in the 2007-08 basketball season. The allegations concern a player, presumably Derrick Rose, who allegedly had someone take a standardized test for him. Way to go Coach Sleazeball… wonder how long it’ll be before the same thing happens at the U of K.

Here’s an article that explains what President Obama’s health care reforms mean to you. Great job Mr. President! I’m going to quote and agree with someone who posted on Twitter this morning: If I have to pay higher taxes so the poor in this country can have health care, then I’m happy to pay them.

MPACT Memphis is having an “It’s Officially Spring!” happy hour with a twist tomorrow night, Tuesday, March 23, at 6 PM at Primetime Sports Bar. Stop by to enjoy some free appetizers, grab a drink, mingle, and get plugged in with local nonprofits. You’ll also be able to join Artitude, the young professional group that supports RiverArtsFest. Free food? Well, I guess the Nuh-Uh Girl will show up late to trivia across the street at the Saucer tomorrow night.

If it’s not chillin’, the South Main Association will be grillin’ Friday night at the South Main Trolley tour. They’ll have complimentary hot dogs, hamburgers, and Boscos beer for SMA members ($5 for non-members). Forecast for Friday is sunny and 64, so it’s looking like this will happen.

The Tennessee Human Rights Commission is holding a Listening Session at BRIDGES, 477 N. Fifth, on April 5 at 5 PM. The THRC investigates complaints of discrimination based on race, creed, color, religion, sex, age, national origin or disability in the areas of housing, employment, or public accommodation. Such discrimination is illegal in TN. The THRC wants to hear from the community, and this is your chance to tell them your concerns. Go here to RSVP.

Plans for tonight: Pint Nite, what else?

Getting ready for work this morning so I have limited time to type, but I just had to type a brief post saying how proud I am of my government today.  Finally, America has caught up with the other civilized countries of the world by guaranteeing its citizens affordable, quality health care.

During this debate, I’ve refrained from bashing the “tea baggers” on my blog, because I know some of them personally – they own small businesses, and therefore see this from a perspective I cannot.  I disagree with their opinion but respect how they feel.

Still though, I feel this change had to happen.  And I’m glad it did.

YES WE DID.

It’s time for a new “Brick” Quote of the Week, but I don’t have one.  So instead, you get the “Brick” Joke of the Week.

Q:  What do you call it when Katie (pictured below) bends over too far when she’s picking up glasses?

A:  Exposed Brick.

The Memphis Zombie Massacre is returning May 28.  That’s a South Main Trolley Tour night as well.  Search for the event “Memphis Zombie Massacre 2010” on Facebook for more information on how you can join the zombie march.

Ah a good afternoon… took a long walk around Downtown, got invited to what sounds like a cool party tonight.  Gonna play a freeroll or two on PokerStars then go out around 7.

Great article about John Calipari on Slate.  Check it out.

I ended up going bowling with friends last night downstairs at Primetime.  I have to admit, it was a lot of fun!  About 15 of us were there, and we had 3 lanes.  They had pitchers of several domestic beers for $5.  I, of course, went for the PBR.  Bartender was super nice and so was the guy running the lanes.  It was a last-minute decision to go, but I really enjoyed it.

The best game I ever bowled, a 152, occurred when I was drunk out of my mind.  That strategy didn’t seem to work last night, as there were zeroes all over my scorecard.  PBR didn’t seem to help.  If I remember correctly the 152 happened after several hurricanes at Silky’s.  Maybe next time I’ll make that my starting point.

I do owe my friends Steve and Alexis an apology for not making it to their goodbye party…  after God knows how much PBR, I knew there was no way I could stumble to South Main and back.  So I stumbled home instead, with a stop at Bardog where I had the pleasure of talking to chef Patrick Rose.  Hopefully I’ll stop in there Sunday for a meal.

Oh and as I stumbled past an alley on Second Street, a certain douchebaguette who wants to be JWoww when she grows up told me to f*** off.  Thanks for buying me a beer Monday night!  Have fun roasting yourself in the tanning bed until your skin turns the color of a turkey on Thanksgiving.

Damn DowntownMemphis.com got hacked!  I was going to go there to view their calendar and post a few recommendations for tonight.  Guess that won’t be happening.

Playing a $5.50 NL Hold’em tournament on PokerStars as I type this… trying out more small ball strategies.  Don’t forget to check out my poker blog if you’re into the game.  No idea what I’ll be doing tonight, but it’s too nice out to stay home