New website: Shopping Bloodhound

It’s time to roll out my newest website… Shopping Bloodhound.  The bloodhound tracks great deals on eBay’s auctions and “Buy It Now” sales for brands in clothing, shoes, and watches.

bloodhound

For clothing and shoes, I tried to list brands that are either hard to find locally, or that sell for extraordinarily high prices at local boutiques and can be found for a lot less on eBay.  Over the past year I’ve bought a few Robert Graham shirts, which sell for $198-238 locally, for $50-70 on eBay.

For watches, I tried to pick brands that are collectors’ items and whose offerings tend to change from year to year, and from clothing makers who also have watch lines.  About five years ago, I bought my current watch (pictured below) for $40 on eBay.  The retail price was $189, so it’s possible to save some considerable money.

watch1

I definitely plan on adding more brands to each category, and possibly expanding beyond shoes, clothing, and watches.  This is a site that will expand as the year goes on, so feel free to bookmark it and check back.

I got the idea for this site after adding some eBay links to Tube Top Boutique a couple of months ago.  In January they made me an extra $30.  Not exactly a down payment on a new condo, but it made me realize that an all-eBay site was worth building.

If you know of particular brands that you would like the bloodhound to track, shoot me an e-mail at paul@paulryburn.com and I’ll see about adding them.

Back later today with news about Hard Rock, tonight’s Memphis Flyer Hotties Party, and more.

February South Main meeting recap

Here are my notes from last night’s South Main Association meeting:

– Meeting was at Earnestine & Hazel’s.  There were free Soul Burgers… I wanted one, but there were a lot of people in the room who’d never had a Soul Burger before, so I let them go first.  E&H has a new menu item, shrimp creole with salad and bread for $10.

– Joan Robinson came up and talked about the new SMA fundraiser.  She found a company called Funding Factory that recycles cell phones and inkjet and laser printer cartridges.  Every phone or cartridge received turns into points, which turns into money for SMA.  Being your phones and cartridges to the March 10 meeting at Circa.  She’s also trying to organize drop-off points around South Main; if you can help shoot an e-mail to info@southmainmemphis.net.  Larger businesses can also sponsor this project for South Main if they choose.

– Sherman Wilmott of Shangri-La Records/Projects came up to speak about a possible new music fest for South Main. The Shangri-La Pops Fest has happened for 3 years in Midtown, and now he’d like to bring it Downtown, to offer 3 hours of free music after the July 31 Trolley Tour.  Everyone agreed it’s a great idea.  The amount of music offered will depend on how much sponsorship money he can raise between now and then.

– Next up was Brian Paris with the Center for Southern Folklore.  They’re now opening at 8 AM and serving coffee, etc. to make up for the loss of Blues City Pastry down the street.

– Also, the Center now has free live music from noon to 1 PM every Thursday and Friday.  You can come down there and brown-bag it or eat the CSF’s food.

– Every two months or so they plan on having larger events where the audience can get up close and personal with the musician.  There will be a performance piece and an on-stage interview.  On February 14 they’ll have the first of these, Robin and Linda Williams.  The next one will be Big Sam’s Funky Nation from New Orleans in April.

-Mode du Jour is closing this month.  Friday 2/27 will be their goodbye party/sale at Trolley Tour.

– Major Sheffield of MPD came up.  He commands the South Main Station in Central Station.  Although the name of the station is “South Main,” the district he commands covers Crump on the south, the river on the west, Chelsea on the north, and Third and then Danny Thomas and then all the way to Watkins on the east.  He has 2 lieutenants and 20 patrolmen under him.

– Advice on panhandling from the major:  Look at them.  Most people look away and are easy targets.  If you look at them and give off an “I see you” vibe, they’re more likely to decide you’re street-smart and leave you alone.

– All the majors were asked to submit plans for their precincts, and among his plans he said, “I like to see officers on foot.  I like to see officers on bikes.”  That allows them to sneak up and catch vehicle burglars and aggressive panhandlers in the act.  GO MAJOR SHEFFIELD!  That’s something a lot of us have been saying down here for years.  Cops can’t truly know the problems of the community when all they do is cruise around in their cars at 25 mph.  On foot/bike weather permitting, of course.  It isn’t reasonable to expect them to be out on bike when it’s 35 and raining.

– The question was raised about calling the South Main Station (636-4099) vs. calling the main MPD number (545-COPS) for help.  Major Sheffield clarified that the South Main Station doesn’t dispatch.  If you want a car to come out on a call, call 545-COPS.  What the South Main Station can do is ask if there’s a car in the area than can run by the location you request.  He said that the person who answers the phone at South Main Station should never be rude when explaining this to callers, and if they are rude to ask for a lieutenant.

– An audience member complained of being woken up at 5 AM by two construction projects near Main and Jefferson.  She asked if there was a noise ordinance, and the major said yes.  He arranged to get details from her and said he would pass on the info.

– Mike King asked if dormant police cars – ones not in use – can be parked at strategic locations around South Main to give criminals the sense that the police are watching.  The major said that was possible and he’d look into it; however, once a car has just sat in the same spot for a couple of days, people tend to ignore it.

– The major is new to this precinct.  As such, he wasn’t totally familiar with South Main.  He quoted a crime that happened at 895 N. Claybrook, which may be in the same ward but is of little concern to South Main residents.  He also talked about generic topics like when and when not to call 911 that were perhaps a waste of time for a crowd as sophisticated as the SMA.  It would have been better if he’d brought a lieutenant who has worked the area for a while and is familiar with the unique set of circumstances in the neighborhood.  That said, I can tell the major is a good officer and good man, and will learn the neighborhood and respond.  He said he has an open door policy if there are concerns.

– The audience question and answer session in my opinion was a mess.  People were interrupting and asking 4 or 5 follow-up questions and there were people who had their hands up for 20 minutes who were being ignored.  I got tired of it after about 25 minutes and left to head to trivia.

– Mike King stayed and talked to the major about some of our repeat offenders.  I know he brought up Jumper Cable Guy specifically.  Let me clarify about JCG a little… if all he was doing was panhanding he wouldn’t be a big concern.  However, he’s been known to follow and threaten people who refuse him.  I’ve heard comments that people’s wives feel afraid to walk around their own neighborhood now, after encounters with JCG.  That’s the kind of thing that needs to be stopped.  It’s not just the panhandling.

– To his credit, the major said he was willing to stay until 10 PM and talk with audience members individually about their concerns.  As he said, “there are things I can talk about and things I can’t talk about,” but he definitely didn’t appear to be ducking audience members’ questions.  Once he gets acclimated to South Main he will be a real asset to the neighborhood.  Thanks to Major Sheffield for coming out.

– As I left, Deni from the Majestic Grille was trying to get the floor to make an announcement.  I think she was going to talk about the Gundlach Bundschu wine tasting Monday, February 23 from 6 to 8 PM.  $35 per person, 4 courses with matching wines.  Courses include Crispy Wonton with a spicy Tuna Tartare; Roasted Sea Scallop, white beans, smoked bacon and leek cream; Grilled Lamb chop; carrot puree, homemade apple jelly; and Chocolate Pot au Creme.  Call 522-8555 to make reservations.

– She probably also talked about their special Valentine’s Day menu, which includes Peppercorn Crusted Tuna Carpaccio, Lobster Bisque, Herb and Dijon Crusted Rack of Lamb, Filet Mignon Oscar, and Sauteed Black Grouper.  Regular menu will be available too and classic romance movies will be playing on their big screen.  Again, call 522-8555 to make reservations.  I’d be all about that Filet Mignon Oscar if I were going.  I can’t say it enough – Patrick cooks the best filet in the city.

After the meeting, I headed north to Tuesday night trivia, where the team took second place.  “You can have your choice,” the manger told us.  “A $25 gift certificate or 3 T-shirts.”  We don’t want no stinkin’ T-shirts!  We want beer money!  Afterward I wandered over to Kooky Canuck for to-go wings, then called it a night.

The Memphis Tigers play Tulsa, the team with the second best record in C-USA, tonight at the FedExForum.  Also, Mpact Memphis members, don’t forget the happy hour tonight at The Cove.

SMA meeting, Mpact Memphis @ The Cove, Hotties party, Kindle, restaurant discounts, more

A correction to something I wrote in an earlier post:  The FedExForum didn’t sell out 3 times in 3 days – it sold out 3 times in 26 hours.  AC/DC, the Tiger day game the next day, and then the Grizzlies game that night were all sellouts.  Congrats to the Forum on a very successful 2009 so far.

Don’t forget the South Main Association meeting tonight at Earnestine & Hazel’s.  Free for members, $5 for non-members, and it will be an important one because the topic is crime in South Main and an MPD major will speak.  If there is a question-and-answer session afterward, I plan on asking if anything can be done about Jumper Cable Guy, who is in the area running his scam on almost a daily basis.  Program starts at 7:00.  I’ve heard times of both 6:00 and 6:30 (not sure which is correct) for social hour prior to the meeting.  Free Soul Burgers.

If you’re a member of Mpact Memphis, don’t miss their happy hour tomorrow night at The Cove, on Broad a block or two east of Hollywood.  The Cove is a very cool little bar, the kind of place that existed in the ’50s… best way I can describe it is a very classy dive bar, with a nautical theme.  Downtowners – if you like Bardog you’ll probably like the Cove as well.

Thursday night is the Memphis Flyer’s annual “Hotties” party at the Red Rooster.  This is the party to celebrate their annual list of Memphis “hotties” (male and female) that they pick for their Valentine’s Week edition.  I don’t think they can possibly have a Hotties cover that is more talked about Downtown than the one they ran last year.

Amazon has released the newest version of their electronic reading device, the Kindle 2: Amazon’s New Wireless Reading Device (Latest Generation).  It’s thinner, has more storage, battery life is improved, the page-turning mechanism has been improved, and it has a new “read-to-me” feature that reads your book to you in an electronic voice.  Downloading books via Kindle tends to be considerably cheaper than paying for hardcover or paperback, so if you read a lot the Kindle may end up paying for itself.

New Restaurant.com discount code: Enter TREAT at checkout for 60% off. That means their $25 face-value gift certificates good at many Downtown restaurants, normally $10, can now be had for $4. They’re also throwing in a $15 FTD reward with purchase. Good through Sunday, February 15.

Go Tigers!  #8 AP, #10 ESPN.  A 2-seed in the NCAA tournament is looking more and more likely.   The way we’ve been playing with Tyreke Evans at point guard, I think we could go toe-to-toe against any 1-seed in a regional final.

Outta here, time to do some work, will be at trivia tonight after the SMA meeting.  Hmmm… it’s supposed to rain tonight… getting to E&H and then back to the Saucer is going to SUCK.  Oh well, I’ll deal with it somehow.

Good news on the job front

I got some good news this morning on the job front.  A position I would really like to have has come available… it’s a position where I know I’d be a good fit both personality-wise and skills-wise.  There’s no guarantee that I’ll get it but I think I have a very, very good chance.

Sunday marks 4 months since I was laid off from VP.  People have commented that I have stayed unemployed an unusually long time.  There are two main reasons for that:

1) I believe in waiting for the right job to come along, not taking the first position I see.  I believe that I deserve a great place to work and will settle for nothing less.

2) I haven’t been actively looking.  I’ve been using the past few months to do some freelancing work (which has kept me afloat) and to build affiliate-marketing websites that will produce a good side income for me in the long term.  Since being off I’ve built over 80 websites – almost one per day if you don’t count weekends and holidays.  Anyone who thinks I’ve been doing nothing but going to the bar since October doesn’t understand what I’ve been up to.  Except for a few days I’ve been up and in front of the laptop getting stuff done by 8:30 AM every day, and I’ve rarely knocked off before 4:30 or 5 (although I’ve taken my work to the Saucer with me on quite a few occasions).

Anyway, keep your fingers crossed for me.   I can’t say more about this position right now, because doing so would give other IT people a lead on where to find a job and create possible competition.

However, I do have the name of an IT recruiter who did me a kindness above and beyond the call of duty this morning (related to a different position)… I’d be happy to refer qualified people to her if anyone is looking.  E-mail me (paul@paulryburn.com) if interested and I’ll do introductions.

Hmmm… 66 going to 75 as I type this.  I think it’s time to take the laptop to the Saucer’s window and do my work from there this afternoon.  Today I have to re-learn how to author Windows help files, a topic I haven’t touched since 2003.

The ultimate in Downtown Memphis cruising

When the weather gets warm, tricked-out cars with huge rims come out and start cruising Second Street on Sunday afternoon.  Usually they are Buick Roadmasters, ’90s Chevy Caprices/Impala SSs, Crown Victorias, and ’80s Monte Carlos and Grand Prix with rims in the 22-26″ range.

The car pictured below, though, takes the prize for the best I’ve ever seen.  This is a mid-’70s model full-size GM convertible that cruised by several times yesterday.  I can’t quite tell the make of the car, but I think it’s a GrandVille, Pontiac’s equivalent of the Chevrolet Caprice in those days.  The rims must have been 36 inches.  And they did not move.  At all.

ultimate-hoopty

Let’s have a closer look:

uh-closeup

“Nice rims, but how does he get in the car?” we wondered.  “Does he have to use a ladder?”

How ’bout them TIGERS!!! Plus: FedExForum

Last night the #14/15 Memphis Tigers played like the team that took us all the way to the national championship game last year.  We went on the road for a game against a highly regarded school, Gonzaga, and when I checked the predictions on Yahoo! Sports they had Gonzaga by 4 1/2 to 5 points.  Instead we blew them away, leading by 17 at the half and by 26 at one point early in the second half.  The Zags attempted a late run but the lead was insurmountable.  It reminded me of the Memphis-Michigan State game in last year’s tournament, when a lot of people said the Spartans would take us out, and by halftime we were up 50-20.

As long as we continue to sweep our conference, we’re probably looking at a Top 10 ranking in both polls by the end of the season (and it’s possible we’ll get there Monday).  I think last night proved that we’re worthy of a #2 seed in the NCAA tournament.

Great article in today’s paper about the hard-working people at the FedExForum.  Not only have they stepped up their event schedule since opening five years ago, but they’ve also dramatically increased attendance at returning events like the Trans-Siberian Orchestra show.  Last week they had 3 sellouts in 3 days, and there was a 24-hour period where they had to turn the arena three times – a Friday night AC/DC concert, a Saturday noon Tiger game, and a Saturday night Grizzlies game.  Glad to see the people at the Forum finally getting the recognition they deserve.

Anyone who thinks Downtown is hurting because of economic conditions should’ve been out at our locals’ bars last night.  First I went to the Silly Goose to watch the game, and by the time I left around 11 the place was packed.  Then I wandered down to Bardog Tavern and it was packed as well.  Great to see it.

Off to brunch at the Majestic, then on to the Saucer.  I’m taking the laptop with me, because I plan on making some updates to our BBQ team website later today.  It’s Sunday Fun Day!

Finally tried A&R Bar-B-Q

I finally got to give A&R Bar-B-Q at Third and Court a try this afternoon.  I took home a huge box of rib tips, baked beans, and seasoned fries for $9.29.  Not a bad deal at all compared to other BBQ joints in the Downtown core.

Their posted hours are lunch until 10 PM weekdays.  No closing time is posted for Friday and Saturday, and I’m not sure if that means they close earlier or later than 10.  On Sundays they open for lunch and close at 5.  So there’s plenty of opportunity for those who live but don’t work Downtown to still get up there and try some of their food.  This is the only A&R in the city that serves beer.

I want to come back and try some of their other stuff, particularly their brisket, pork ribs, beef ribs, and BBQ nachos.

I also got a flyer for the club next door, off Third in the entrance to the parking garage, called Memphis Sounds.  It says that A440 plays there every Friday night.  Showtime 8 PM, $5 martini specials, happy hour until 7, $10 cover.

Sat update: Grammys at Hard Rock, Google Earth, and a rare occasion where I cheer for the Vols

The Recording Academy is hosting its annual Grammy watching party tomorrow night at the Hard Rock Cafe on Beale Street, Sunday, February 8, at 6 PM, and the public is invited.  Free for Recording Academy members, $25 for the general public; or you can join the Recording Academy at the door for $150. FreeWorld will perform from 6 to 7 and then it will be time to watch the Grammy TV broadcast.

Google just released Google Earth 5.0.  In this version, not only can you explore the land of the Earth, but you can dive deep into the sea and explore the Mariana Trench, the deepest part of the ocean.  It’s a free download available here.

Go Vols!  Yes, I actually just said that.  I actively cheer for any team playing the Tennessee Volunteers football team.  Same for the men’s basketball team, and I take great delight in making fun of head coach Bruce “The Orange Goblin” Pearl on my blog.  But the women’s basketball team… I just can’t pull against them… how can you not respect what Pat Summitt has accomplished.  She’s a legend in her own time, up there with the all-time basketball coaching greats like Henry Iba and Adoph Rupp.  Congratulations to Coach Summitt on her 1,000th victory.  I watched the Lady Vols game from the Tap Room Thursday night while listening to IBC bands.

#14/15 Memphis plays #18 Gonzaga tonight at 8 PM on ESPN.  A win tonight would surely put us in contention for at least a #3 seed in the NCAA tournament, maybe even a #2.  Looks like some of the gang plans on gathering at the Silly Goose to watch the game.

Great weather today… high 69, low 52, according to the Weather Channel.  I plan on working on the personal finance project and my websites for a good while today, but I’ll probably get out and walk around too.

Pics: International Blues Challenge day 1

Last night was the first night of the International Blues Challenge competition on Beale Street.  I went down there with my friends Mikey and Chuck.  We bought wristbands that got us into all the clubs, and proceeded down the street to listen to some good music.

memo0089We started at Handy Park, where we listened to Texas bluesman Jeff Strahan.  I was worried about sitting out in the cold, but they had a heated tent!  Nice!  We had great seats right behind the judges.  While Jeff was performing, I caught up on the latest BBQ news from our team captain Chuck.

memo0092Then we moved on to the Tap Room, where a bluesman with dreads (didn’t catch his name) was on the stage.  It’s the first time in over a year I’ve visited my mug at the Tap Room.  As a member of the Mug Club I was able to get 22 ounces of PBR for $2.25.  Not bad.  I used to be a regular at the Tap Room and realized last night how much I miss the place.

p1010456Then we went to the Old Daisy.  Our interest there was not so much the band, but the fact that Chuck and I had never been inside the Old Daisy, and Mikey hadn’t in many years.  We wanted to see what it looked like inside.  Above is a pic of the main room with the band performing on stage.

p1010463We were particularly impressed with the Old Daisy’s back room, which had a full bar and memorabilia from past concerts all over the walls.

p1010465Chuck (in his “Elwood Que” persona from the Ques Brothers) and Mikey pose in front of the Old Daisy bar.

p1010466A view of the posters and records on the walls of the Old Daisy’s back room.

p1010467Me on the Old Daisy’s stairs with Gloria, Leigh, and Harmony.  Yes, the “I Love Romanian Girls” shirt is still around.

p1010470The gang at a table at the Old Daisy.  Leigh, Shane, Harmony, Mikey, Gloria.

We had one more stop on our schedule, a blues band from Australia playing at 11.  By that point, though, all the Beale Street Big Ass Beers and Tap Room Mug Club PBRs had caught up with me.  I headed to Bardog for to-go food (and what happened there is worthy of a separate post), then I was home for the evening.

The IBC continues tonight, with a $15 wristband to get you in all the clubs.  More info on the IBC can be found on the Blues Foundation’s website.

I have a friend’s housewarming tonight so I don’t know if I’ll be at the second night of IBC… you never know though.  Looks like a great night, with a low of only 48, followed by a weekend with highs in the 60s.  This looks like a good weekend to come out of hibernation and be out and about.

Attn Downtown business owners: $30,000 forgivable loans from the CCC

If you own a business Downtown, be sure to read this article in the Commerical Appeal – the CCC may be able to help you through these tough economic times.  They’re offering $30,000 forgivable loans to Downtown businesses that meet certain qualifications.  The loans are being handed out on a first-come, first-served basis, so if this is something you’d be interested in, now is the time to apply.