Paul Ryburn's Journal

Flying Saucer is giving away this Flyway cooler. Ask you server for details on how to win.

The NBA All-Star 3-point contest, shooting stars challenge, and dunk contest are tonight. NBC/Peacock beginning 7 PM.

Mark P. at South Main Sounds is considering having a Punk Night once a month. DO IT DO IT DO IT

MATA is extending its free bus and trolley fares through the end of March.

Downtown Nutrition has introduced a Sweet Street Serenade drink with pineapple, peach, strawberry, and rainbow candy.

Jerry Seinfeld will do a show at the Orpheum Saturday, May 9.

Kooky Canuck seeks a server.

Lansky 126 is looking for a salesperson with an eye for customer style. Must have previous sales experience.

Penny’s 12-12 Tigers are at Utah State tonight. 7 PM CST tip. TV: CBS Sports Network

Back tomorrow with more news.

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Last night, a friend I’ll call A described an upcoming professional situation. She isn’t sure how to handle it and it’s stressing her out.

Another friend, B, pulled out his phone. “Hey, Perplexity, can you hear me?” he asked.

“I can hear you,” it replied. Perplexity is an AI chatbot like ChatGPT, Grok, and Google Gemini.

Friend B took 2-3 minutes describing Friend A’s situation. He was very conversational, and he stopped mid-sentence several times to gather his thoughts. If I hadn’t known better, I’d have believed he was talking to another human.

Then Perplexity responded, also taking 2-3 minutes. Its answer was chock full of insights and tips Friend A could put to immediate use.

Wow wow wow. That was the first time I’d witnessed how powerful modern AI can be.

If you don’t know how to use and talk to AI agents by the end of 2026, you’ll be as outdated as someone in 1999 who didn’t know how to connect to the Internet.

I installed Perplexity on my iPhone this morning. I asked it my fav question to ask AI – List several reasons why the Beatles broke up. Perplexity hit all the points I expected to see and a few I hadn’t considered.

I finally tried an Exclam!Burger at Memphis Chess Club today.

For the longest time, I avoided the Exclam!, thinking the cute name might indicate a veggie patty. But no, it’s meat and it’s good. With fries, $9.88 for a single including tax.

There will be a Mardi Gras party Tuesday at the bar inside the Moxy Memphis hotel on Court Square. $9 naans, cocktail specials all day, free king cake slices with drink purchase.

Heart-shaped pizza pies are back at Aldo’s today through Sunday. 2 toppings max, dine-in/take-out only.

More details about tonight’s Galentine’s Day celebration at Bardog: In addition to the Tito’s martini bar and the $20 Girl Dinner, there will be strawberry shortcake shots and a Ladies’ Night playlist all night long.

Next Gen Kim

Time to hit Publish and go play with AI. Back tomorrow with more news.

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It’s time to reintroduce a website I mentioned a lot in 2018 and 2019 – Tankathon, which tracks the race to the bottom of the NBA in order to get good odds in this year’s draft lottery. Currently the Memphis Grizzlies, at 20-33, have the 8th-worst record in the league, which would give them

• a 6.0% chance of getting the number-1 pick
• a 26.3% chance at a top-4 selection

Rickey Smiley and Friends will have a Valentine’s comedy show at the Orpheum Friday night.

More comedy at the Orpheum Saturday: Gary Owen: No Hard Feelings Tour

On Sunday there’ll be a soulful 1920s murder mystery at the Halloran Centre: The Rellik Casino & Hotel

Momma’s has Old Dominick Valentine’s cocktail specials through Saturday. Today:

• Ladies’ Night happy hour starting at 5
• $7 specialty cocktails all night
• Karaoke of Love starting at 8

This Friday-Saturday at Momma’s:

• Cornmeal-dusted oysters
• Seared NY strip steak au poivre
• Shrimp & sausage etouffee
• Peanut butter cookie

Memphis Chess Club has a couple of holiday cocktails. Descriptions copied from Facebook:

• The Pink Lady: This classic gin-based beauty is blush-pink, silky smooth, and just the right amount of sweet. It’s Valentine’s Day in a glass!
• The Contessa: A vibrant and sophisticated play on a Negroni. It’s light, floral, and the perfect bittersweet companion.

Cordelia’s now carries 3 varieties of Hive Bagels: everything, cinnamon raisin, and plain.

Penny’s 12-11 Tigers travel to Denton, Texas for an 8:00 game tonight at North Texas. TV: ESPN2

StyleBlueprint lists 13 spots to grab dinner at the bar. Downtown picks include Loflin Yard, Silly Goose, The Lobbyist, Green Beetle, JEM, Majestic Grille

The Memphis Flyer has the info on new menu items at Felicia Suzanne’s, Amelia Gene’s, and The Lobbyist.

Bleacher Report gives the Grizzlies’ rookie class a collective grade of A-.

Back tomorrow with a Frupdate.

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Crawfish boils return to Max’s Sports Bar this Saturday and will happen on Saturdays, weather permitting, through April. The details:

• First batch will be ready at noon
• But the place gets super packed for the first boil of the year, so come at 11
• Crawfish are $15.50 for one pound or $28 for two
• Shrimp are $20 for one pound
• Sides – corn, taters, and sausage – are included in the boxes of crawfish and shrimp but don’t count toward the weight
• They ask that you leave the kids and dogs at home

I’ll say what I say every year – during the spring months, restaurants and festivals will offer you numerous opportunities at crawfish, but you won’t find tastier ones than those boiled by Glaze Hardage @ Max’s. The spice level is perfect.

The burger of the week at Momma’s is a big one – the Momma’s Mac. Basically the same ingredients (but much better quality) as the Mac put out by a famous burger chain. It’ll make you smile… or maybe it’ll make you grimace.

The Grizzlies have an 8:00 away game tonight with Jokic and the Nuggs. TV: FanDuel Sports

Paulette’s has a Chef’s Mardi Gras menu through Fat Tuesday (17th) except on Valentine’s Day.

There’s a Mushroom Masterclass with The Mushroom Queen at The Artist Table tonight.

Play Some Skynyrd plays Flying Saucer 8-11 PM on Valentine’s.

The Cossitt Library will hold a combination celebration of Friday the 13th and Palentine’s Day Friday afternoon from 2:30 to 5:30. There will be crafts and movies. Come make a new pal.

(Palentine’s Day should not be confused with Palpatine’s Day, a holiday that leads you down a path to the Dark Side.)

The city council is hiring a budget analyst and a communications analyst.

Back tomorrow with more news.

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Yesterday I had two cheesecake-stuffed chocolate cookies from DVOUR Desserts. Absolutely delish. DVOUR is at 523 S. Main, just steps away from Earnestine & Hazel’s.

If you’ve been missing gyros since the Grecian Gourmet on South Main closed, check out Kellie’s Deli at Tennessee and G.E. Patterson.

Grind City Brewing has Singo music bingo Thursday at 6:30.

Downtown Nutrition has a Seattle Tea this week only to celebrate the Seahawks winning the Super Bowl.

Tomorrow is Wild Winter Weiner Wednesday at Wiseacre. Buy an award-winning Sky Dog beer, get a hot dog.

Today is International Cribbage Day. Folks, I downloaded a cribbage app onto my iPhone a few months ago and it is one of the most fun card games I’ve ever played.

It’s also Extraterrestrial Culture Day. Celebrate at the Flying Saucer.

Who wants to buy me a brownie at Memphis Chess Club for National “Have a Brownie” Day?

Memphis City Council seeks a legislative analyst.

Congratulations to Crazy Gander coffee shop on Madison on its recent 100 on its health inspection.

I had the pleasure of talking to some Old Dominick Distillery employees and their associates last night at E&H. The distillers’ belief is that if they produce a $30 bottle of spirits, the quality should be comparable to their nationally-distributed competitor’s $50 bottle. Sounds like a winner to me.

Bleacher Report previews the Feb. 16 WWE Monday Night RAW, to be broadcast live from FedExForum:

On tap for next week’s show: Bayley vs. Asuka vs. Nattie in a Women’s Elimination Chamber qualifier, Je’Von Evans vs. Gunther vs. Dominik Mysterio in a men’s Elimination Chamber qualifier, and AJ Lee appears live.

Back tomorrow with more news.

I gratefully accept tips: 
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NO NFL on TV for six months!!!!!

Yes, there will be other sports on TV as boring as NFL football (e.g. golf, tennis), but those sports’ fans aren’t nearly as annoying to sit next to at bars.

For me, the vacation from the NFL got started a day early… I threw my name in the hat for a Room in the Inn bed yesterday, because after 2 weeks of cold weather I’m positively SICK of staying at the Union Mission! I got picked to spend the night at one of my fav host churches, West Union Cumberland Presbyterian in Millington.

They fed us meatball sandwiches. I went back for seconds and asked for no bread, just meat and cheese. They must have loaded my plate up with 15 meatballs! For dessert there was a birthday cake someone forgot to pick up from the bakery. I got a corner piece and it was more icing than cake. To quote The Archies, ah, SUGAR, SUGAR! To quote Road Warrior Hawk, WHAT A RUSH!

Can you tell I’m in a good mood today?

BUT THEN, THE BEST PART…They couldn’t get the Super Bowl on the TV they wheeled into the gym where our cots were. The other guys were disappointed. I was elated. Ten hours quality sleep, followed by two THICK sausage & cheese biscuits, followed by a bus ride back to Downtown Memphis. THANK YOU West Union CP for a wonderful night!

Curious what a “Cumberland Presbyterian” is? Wikipedia to the rescue.

I started my Sunday at Bardog brunch, where a girl in a red beret told me I had “Resurrection energy” and held onto my hand for a looooooooong time. Her behavior reminded me of someone from my past. I was tempted to ask if she owned chihuahuas or did yoga, but I decided not to.

This week’s 11 AM-2 PM hot lunch specials at Cordelia’s Market:

• Mon: Italian meatballs with Italian grits
• Tue: Chicken cakes with rice and beans
• Wed: Pot roast
• Thur: Chicken fried chicken with mashed potatoes and green beans
• Fri: Fried cod with fries

Hot n Heavy Dogs will have their cart at Main and Union 10:30-2:30 Tuesday of this week.

Slider Inn is hiring for both locations. Apply weekdays between 11 and 5.

What Now Memphis has more info on the opening of Playa Bowls in The Edge.

Did you know it’s possible to live in a national park for free?

The Orpheum hosts dinner on stage Thursday.

Shen Yun comes to the Cannon Center Tuesday.

The Grizz play at Golden State at 9 tonight. TV: FanDuel Sports

Wayne Alexander, Curtis B. Scott, and Leah Grams Johnson play South Main Sounds this Friday 7-9.

On Saturday at South Main Sounds, there will be a Farmhouse Studio Night with Brian Hayes, Rice Drewry, and Gerry Finney. Fun Fact: My friends and I would go to Buffalo’s on Winchester to hear Gerry Mondays in ’94-’95. I have not since found a wing as good as Buffalo’s extra hot.

Over the weekend I had a dream about OTASCO. A defunct tire and auto supply store. I wonder what a psychiatrist would say about that.

When I was a kid, I thought the drugstore Osco was a subsidiary of OTASCO because OTASCO contained all of its letters in the same order.

If I don’t get rid of this janky-ass laptop soon, I’m gonna go crazy. The junk food binge I went on in the aftermath of the winter storm took a big bite out of my Chromebook savings.

Back tomorrow with more news.

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Friday night at the Union Mission, our guest preacher from New Hope MB, Orange Mound took a poll on which Super Bowl team audience members were rooting for. “I don’t have a dog in the hunt,” he said. “I haven’t had a dog in the hunt in 30 years. I’m a Cowboys fan.”

My spirit guides want you to know that Penny’s 11-11 Tigers host Charlotte today at 1 PM. TV: ESPN+

ESPN analyst Kendrick Perkins had this to say following the trade deadline:

Ja Morant better wake the hell up. Cause in two years, after this contract, he could find himself out the league.

South Main sim-golf bar Birdie’s will have a Galentine’s Day celebration Friday beginning at 6:30. NO BOYS ALLOWED. No cover. Complimentary refreshments, drink specials, golf at Candy Land (I guess that’s a course?) on the sims, karaoke, door prizes.

The Grizzlies have waived Eric Gordon. They acquired him in a trade last week.

Today is National Pork Rind Appreciation Day.

Tip from Recomendo: You can read Substack newsletters in your favorite RSS reader. Just add /feed to the newsletter’s URL.

The folks at Havenhaus announced that the music venue is moving to 2487 Broad.

Back tomorrow with more news.

I gratefully accept tips: 
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The National Guard deployment to Memphis has Hotel Indigo booked solid for the first 9 months of the year. While that’s great news for the hotel, Action News 5 reports that it’s not so great for Biscuits & Jams, the restaurant on the ground floor of the building. B&J depends upon business from hotel guests, but the Guard brings its own breakfast. As a result, revenue is down 70%.

Today is National Patty Melt Day. Celebrate with a Smokey Melt from Huey’s or a Maddy Paddy from Momma’s.

Once again the Grizzlies have a 9 PM game at Portland. TV: FanDuel Sports

Bleacher Report gave the Grizzlies front office a grade of A- on its trade deadline moves.

If you want to excel at Scrabble, learn those 2-letter words.

The Sporting News has a day-by-day Winter Olympics TV schedule.

Back tomorrow with more news.

I gratefully accept tips: 
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The NBA trade deadline has passed and Ja Morant is still a Grizzly. ESPN’s Shams reports that several teams showed interest but none were willing to make a serious offer.

Memphis did, however, get a trade in before the deadline, sending the draft rights to Justinian Jessup to the 76ers. The Grizz get Eric Gordon and a 2032 second-round pick swap.  Memphis also waived Georges Niang, who was part of the JJJ trade.

The Grizzlies have a 9:00 game tonight at Portland. TV: FanDuel Sports

The South Main Association will hold its first Social of 2026 at Tonica, 265 S. Front, Tuesday at 6 PM. Speakers will be new business owners:

• John Paul Gagliano, Tonica
• Kristen Cerda, Farm Market Co-op
• Shayne Diaz, Kuya
• Atlaf Ali, owner of the new South Main liquor store

Members’ first wine or beer is on SMA, with special drink prices after that. Tonica will serve small plates.

The Winter Olympics opening ceremony is live on Peacock at 1, or catch the encore on NBC tonight at 7.

Puppy Bowl XXIII is Sunday at 1 PM on Animal Planet. Meet the players

The Downtown Memphis Commission has a list of Valentine’s and Galentine’s events.

Indie Memphis Film Festival moves to South Main this year.

Tevin will host Karaoke of Love at Flyway Brewing tonight 7-10.

In other Flyway news, Alexis Jade and Carter Wenger will perform live there on the 10th and 24th of both February and March.

Memphis Filling Station will move its Sunday trivia to 2-4 this week so it’ll be over in time for the Super Bowl. Nacho specials all day.

Bardog has a new dessert – peanut butter cheesecake.

Wings will be back at Bardog for one day only this Sunday. They’ll also be slinging two specialty drinks: the Seattle Sea Breeze and the New England Gimlet. $25 buckets of Mich Ultra, Bud, Bud Light.

On Sunday for the game, Slider Inn Downtown will have $20 Mich Ultra buckets, $6 Lalo tequila and Old Dominick, and a fire pit raffle.

The calm person’s guide to handling toxic people

Back tomorrow with more news.

I gratefully accept tips: 
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You may have noticed a lack of PBR on draft at bars and restaurants the past 3-4 weeks… this morning I found out what happened. The brewers had a bad ingredient in the recipe and as a result, kegs had to be pulled out. No timetable for the beer’s return.

When you want your finger on the pulse of Grizzlies fandom, you go to Max’s Sports Bar. That’s what WREG did to get local reactions to the Jaren Jackson, Jr. trade.

Max’s will do a raffle at the end of the Super Bowl this Sunday and every drink order gets you a ticket. Prizes include a Bud Light cooler and an Angry Orchard foosball table.

Joanna Serenko from The Voice along with Tyler Dale will perform at the Silly Goose Friday, February 13 starting at 10:30 PM.

Cordelia’s monthly Meet Your Neighbor mixer happens today 5-7 in the market’s cafe. Free beer samples.

King cakes have arrived at Cordelia’s. Three flavors:

• traditional cinnamon
• cream cheese
• strawberry cream cheese

They’ve got minis for $4.89 and full-sized cakes for $23.39.

Frost’d, Grind City Brewing’s winter tasting event, is set for Sunday, February 21. Music, raffles, and 5 new beers available for one day only.

Out in The Edge, Flyway Brewing will sell cases of beer for $25 this Friday-Sunday.

Guac Fresh Mex at Washington and Manassas has added a Guac Potato to its menu. It’s loaded with tender steak, chicken, and shrimp in the restaurant’s signature cheese sauce.

Penny’s 10-11 Tigers have an 8:00 game tonight at UAB. TV: ESPN2

Keep your eye on Bleacher Report – today is the NBA trade deadline.

Back tomorrow with a Frupdate.

I gratefully accept tips: 
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