Right after I did my last New Year’s Eve post, someone sent me a link to McEwen’s New Year’s Eve menu. For anyone interested in celebrating there, here it is.
Second draft: What’s going on Downtown New Year’s Eve
I’ve heard about some more places Downtown throwing New Year’s Eve parties, and I’ve received additional details about some of the parties I already knew about. So here’s Take 2:
AUTOMATIC SLIM’S
There will be a set menu dinner at Slim’s at 6:30 and 8:30. At 10:30 Walrus takes the stage, and will play until 3 AM.
WHO WILL LIKE THIS PARTY: Fans of Walrus and/or Michael Patrick’s cooking. Crowd should be mostly locals who are fans of one or the other; not many tourists, maybe a few who wander in off Second.
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BARDOG TAVERN
Bardog will open at 11 AM on New Year’s Eve and serve its regular menu until 2 AM (they close at 3). The party will kick off at 5 PM with two hours of happy hour, then continue until close. No cover, bar open to all comers. Their doormen will be in tuxedos, although this is a place where you can feel quite comfortable in jeans.
WHO WILL LIKE THIS PARTY: People who want to party with the Downtown core neighborhood crowd. It will be wild, but it will be friendly people who know how to party without acting stupid, getting in fights, etc. If I didn’t already have plans (see below) this would likely be my pick.
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B.B. KING’S
The King Beez take the stage at 5 PM, then the B.B. King All-Stars take over at 9:15. $25 general admission; $75 VIP ticket with reserved seating, a bottle of champagne, and party favors.
WHO WILL LIKE THIS PARTY: Music fans who are willing to spend some money to ring in the New Year with a good band. Drink prices tend to be on the high side, although not to the point of being as outrageous as some parties (see “Peabody Hotel” below).
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BEALE STREET
The annual New Year’s Eve countdown party broadcast on Channel 5. No cover, just stand out on the street, watch the bands at the Pepsi Pavilion if you want, beer or drinks available from restaurant to-go windows.
WHO WILL LIKE THIS PARTY: People who want to spend absolutely no money and still go to a New Year’s party, and people who want to possibly be seen on TV for a brief second, and who are willing to put up with the cold and an unruly crowd to do it. Otherwise, avoid Beale. Of all the Downtown parties, this gets my vote for the “sucks the most” award.
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CALHOUN’S
December 31 is Calhoun’s Sports Bar’s first birthday. I haven’t heard about anything special yet, but I know they’ll be open and will have $1.50 PBR.
WHO WILL LIKE THIS PARTY: The same people who are in Calhoun’s December 30, January 2, and all the other days of the year; people who like to hang with the South Main locals; people who want to drink PBR for a relatively cheap New Year’s bill. Note: If you’re hungry, eat somewhere else before coming to Calhoun’s (Harry’s Detour across the street is a good call, or see the Majestic Grille below).
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FLYING SAUCER
Party starts at 8 with a $10 cover for UFO members, $15 for non-members. Champagne and party favors at midnight. As always, 75 beers on draft, and another 120 in bottles. Hot waitresses in miniskirts. Pool, darts.
WHO WILL LIKE THIS PARTY: People who want to celebrate New Year’s in a very crowded mainstream bar. The Saucer tends to turn into amateur night on New Year’s Eve, full of douchebags who are there to “kick some ass” and “get some pussy.” Downtown regulars avoid the Saucer like the plague on New Year’s Eve.
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GROUND ZERO
Blues with Preston Shannon. $25 cover gets you party favors, finger foods, and champagne at midnight. Party starts at 8.
WHO WILL LIKE THIS PARTY: Blues fans. This will draw a more mature crowd than Beale Street, although it’s still close enough to Beale that you’ll have to deal with the traffic and the parking. Preston Shannon plays Ground Zero frequently, so this will not be your one and only opportunity to see him and his band.
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HARD ROCK CAFE
The Hard Rock will do a “guitar drop” on Beale Street at the stroke of midnight, dropping a Gibson guitar 100 feet from a 60 ton Barnhart crane. Performances by Surrender the Fall, The Franchise DJ Mic Tee, Dennis Coffey, and the official comeback show of Whiskey Penny.
WHO WILL LIKE THIS PARTY: Hmmm. You’ll have to brave the cold and crowd on Beale to see the guitar drop, but Hard Rock is known for having one of the better sound stages. If you’re into one of these bands, or if you’ve never been to the Hard Rock and want to try it for the first time when there’s a huge crowd, you’ll probably like it.
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HOLLYWOOD DISCO (formerly Raiford’s)
$15 cover, champagne at midnight, the usual disco tunes and 40s of beer.
WHO WILL LIKE THIS PARTY: Anyone with a pulse. Seriously, who doesn’t like Raiford’s? Actually, I better qualify that for the benefit of people who’ve never been. If clubs with fog machines make your allergies act up, this might not be the best bet. Also, it’s a small club, and the music is LOUD. That said, we love the place. A top recommendation.
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HUEY’S DOWNTOWN
The Beat Generation will play at 9 PM. This is the Memphis band that went to play the Cavern Club in Liverpool, the Beatles’ home from 1961-1963, as part of the celebration of the 50th anniversary of rock ‘n’ roll. Thanks to rhythm guitarist Jeff Golightly for e-mailing me and providing me with details. It’s Rick Nethery’s band, and he and Jeff were in The Crime back in the day. Expect plenty of Beatles covers. Huey’s is a great place for band interaction with the audience, and you’ll probably learn a lot about music history.
WHO WILL LIKE THIS PARTY: Fans of the 1960s British Invasion. Note that after midnight, partiers from Beale will begin to flow in to get something to eat on their way home.
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KOOKY CANUCK (formerly Big Foot Lodge)
$2 Super Cold Coors Light all day (from opening at 11 AM). At 9 the party starts with DJ Tree spinning until 2. Champagne and party favors at midnight. No cover.
WHO WILL LIKE THIS PARTY: People who’ve been to this restaurant’s parties in the past and had a good time; people who like big, cheap beers. The name may be different, but Shawn and Lana still know how to throw great parties. One of my top recommendations for people who want to have a fun, crazy time, but away from the “amateur night” crowd.
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MAJESTIC GRILLE
The Majestic will have their regular menu at regular prices with no cover, but Patrick will also whip up a few special dishes to celebrate the evening.
WHO WILL LIKE THIS PARTY: People who want a sit-down dinner; people who want something more elegant than a crowded bar; people who want to get a good meal then go to a party elsewhere. That’s what my friends and I are doing: We have reservations for 30 at the Majestic for 7:30, then we’re heading to a keg party in South Main. If you like to “get buck” as my friend Johnny Mason likes to say, you may find the Majestic a little too sedate.
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ORPHEUM
The Orpheum will hold the Bluff City Ball, with jam band The North Mississippi Allstars and Lucero headlining. Amy LaVere and Jim Dickinson will also perform. $30-45 tickets.
WHO WILL ENJOY THIS SHOW: Music fans who are more interested in hearing some good music than moving around and mingling to ring in the new year.
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PEABODY HOTEL
The Peabody is throwing “Aristocrunk New Year’s with Lord T and Eloise.” with a $35 cover. There’s also “The Scene” party for $25 with Andy Childs and the John Felix Trio. You can also get reservations for dinner at Capriccio ($95) or Chez Phillipe ($125), which includes complimentary admission to “The Scene.” The one year I went with a group to the Peabody New Year’s Eve party, there was a 25 minute line for drinks, 15 minute line to the men’s room, and drink prices were about 200% of what a reasonable person would pay. My group of friends and I were just about the only people there over 23.
WHO WILL LIKE THIS PARTY: People who want to spend a lot of money to brag that they were at the supposed “THE place to be” on New Year’s Eve; people who want to ogle barely legals in skimpy cocktail dresses; people who enjoy standing in long lines. In my eyes, second only to Beale Street on my list of parties to avoid. Even the presence of Lord T & Eloise doesn’t change my opinion. They’ll probably play Newby’s sometime in the next month; go see them then.
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PIG ON BEALE
$5 cover for “Louisiana Mojo Queen” Ms. Zeno and the Guy Venable Band.
WHO WILL LIKE THIS PARTY: People who are already on Beale and get hungry and tired of standing in the cold. The Pig has some of the best ribs on Beale (I’d probably tie them with Blues City for first place). Zeno is one of the most underrated singers in Memphis.
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RED ROOSTER
Red Rooster will have the band Nix for their New Year’s Eve party. It consists of the singer from Deep Shag, two former members of Snozberry who also played in Deep Shag, and an Ardent producer.
WHO WILL LIKE THIS PARTY: This is the Rooster’s first New Year’s Eve, so I have no past record to look back upon. My guess is, if you’ve enjoyed the Rooster on a very crowded Saturday night, you’ll probably like it for New Year’s Eve. See “Flying Saucer” for my best guess as to what the crowd will be like.
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RUM BOOGIE CAFE
Dinner package with 3-course meal, guaranteed seating, party favors, and champagne for $85. Pam and Terry play from 5:30 to 9:30. James Govan and the Boogie Blues Band play from 10 to 2. Regular admission without guaranteed seating is $20.
WHO WILL ENJOY THIS PARTY: People from out-of-town who are willing to pay to guarantee themselves a seat to hear some good music; people who are part of the Beale Street crowd and want to come in out of the cold. These are two great acts, but they play Rum Boogie and other nearby restaurants all the time, so I can’t see a lot of Downtowners paying $85 or $20 to catch them unless they’re very dedicated fans.
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That’s all for now. If you know of anything I missed, e-mail me at paul@paulryburn.com. There MAY be a third draft if necessary.
More New Year’s Eve stuff to come
Thanks to the people who e-mailed me about a couple of New Year’s Eve events I missed in my last post. I also got a copy of this week’s Memphis Flyer and found several more. I’ll do Draft 2 of “what’s going on Downtown New Year’s Eve” tomorrow or Monday.
Been busy. Took the laptop to the Second Street branch office and worked all afternoon. Early next week I’ll unveil my newest websites – 13 of them, with more to come after that. I’ve got these things on a production line and am going to start cranking them out in rapid succession. I’ve also figured out a way to stop paying $10.19 to GoDaddy for a domain name every time I want to build a new site. Maybe reading the Warren Buffett biography has inspired me to find new ways to cut costs to a bare minimum.
Going back out in a few minutes, although I have no particular plans for the evening. The rain will probably keep me close to home, so probably the golden trio of the Saucer, Voodoo Room/Hoop’s new bar, and Bardog will command my attention.
I’m doing brunch tomorrow at Slim’s again. Looking forward to trying more of Michael Patrick’s excellent menu.
What’s going on Downtown New Year’s Eve
I’ve been promising this for a while, and here it is, or at least Take 1 of it. Here’s a look at what’s going on New Year’s Eve in Downtown Memphis. Since different events appeal to different people, I’ll give my assessment as to who might enjoy each. Venues listed in alphabetical order.
BARDOG TAVERN
Bardog will open at 11 AM on New Year’s Eve and serve its regular menu until 2 AM (they close at 3). The party will kick off at 5 PM with two hours of happy hour, then continue until close. No cover, bar open to all comers. Their doormen will be in tuxedos, although this is a place where you can feel quite comfortable in jeans.
WHO WILL LIKE THIS PARTY: People who want to party with the Downtown core neighborhood crowd. It will be wild, but it will be friendly people who know how to party without acting stupid, getting in fights, etc. If I didn’t already have plans (see below) this would likely be my pick.
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BEALE STREET
The annual New Year’s Eve countdown party broadcast on Channel 5. No cover, just stand out on the street, watch the bands at the Pepsi Pavilion if you want, beer or drinks available from restaurant to-go windows.
WHO WILL LIKE THIS PARTY: People who want to spend absolutely no money and still go to a New Year’s party, and people who want to possibly be seen on TV for a brief second, and who are willing to put up with the cold and an unruly crowd to do it. Otherwise, avoid Beale. Of all the Downtown parties, this gets my vote for the “sucks the most” award.
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CALHOUN’S
December 31 is Calhoun’s Sports Bar’s first birthday. I haven’t heard about anything special yet, but I know they’ll be open and will have $1.50 PBR.
WHO WILL LIKE THIS PARTY: The same people who are in Calhoun’s December 30, January 2, and all the other days of the year; people who like to hang with the South Main locals; people who want to drink PBR for a relatively cheap New Year’s bill. Note: If you’re hungry, eat somewhere else before coming to Calhoun’s (Harry’s Detour across the street is a good call, or see the Majestic Grille below).
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FLYING SAUCER
Party starts at 8 with a $10 cover for UFO members, $15 for non-members. Champagne and party favors at midnight. As always, 75 beers on draft, and another 120 in bottles. Hot waitresses in miniskirts. Pool, darts.
WHO WILL LIKE THIS PARTY: People who want to celebrate New Year’s in a very crowded mainstream bar. The Saucer tends to turn into amateur night on New Year’s Eve, full of douchebags who are there to “kick some ass” and “get some pussy.” Downtown regulars avoid the Saucer like the plague on New Year’s Eve.
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HOLLYWOOD DISCO (formerly Raiford’s)
$15 cover, champagne at midnight, the usual disco tunes and 40s of beer.
WHO WILL LIKE THIS PARTY: Anyone with a pulse. Seriously, who doesn’t like Raiford’s? Actually, I better qualify that for the benefit of people who’ve never been. If clubs with fog machines make your allergies act up, this might not be the best bet. Also, it’s a small club, and the music is LOUD. That said, we love the place. A top recommendation.
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KOOKY CANUCK (formerly Big Foot Lodge)
$2 Super Cold Coors Light all day (from opening at 11 AM). At 9 the party starts with DJ Tree spinning until 2. Champagne and party favors at midnight. No cover.
WHO WILL LIKE THIS PARTY: People who’ve been to this restaurant’s parties in the past and had a good time; people who like big, cheap beers. The name may be different, but Shawn and Lana still know how to throw great parties. One of my top recommendations for people who want to have a fun, crazy time, but away from the “amateur night” crowd.
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MAJESTIC GRILLE
The Majestic will have their regular menu at regular prices with no cover, but Patrick will also whip up a few special dishes to celebrate the evening.
WHO WILL LIKE THIS PARTY: People who want a sit-down dinner; people who want something more elegant than a crowded bar; people who want to get a good meal then go to a party elsewhere. That’s what my friends and I are doing: We have reservations for 30 at the Majestic for 7:30, then we’re heading to a keg party in South Main. If you like to “get buck” as my friend Johnny Mason likes to say, you may find the Majestic a little too sedate.
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PEABODY HOTEL
Their usual party with several bands playing in various ballrooms on the second floor. I believe the cover is $50 this year. The one year I went, it took 25 minutes to stand in line for drinks and 15 minutes for the men’s room line. Drinks are about 200% of what you’d reasonably expect to pay at a bar. The year I went, my group of friends and I seemed to be the only ones there over 23.
WHO WILL LIKE THIS PARTY: People who want to spend a lot of money to brag that they were at the supposed “THE place to be” on New Year’s Eve; people who want to ogle barely legals in skimpy cocktail dresses; people who enjoy standing in long lines. In my eyes, second only to Beale Street on my list of parties to avoid.
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RED ROOSTER
I haven’t heard exactly what they will be doing, but I know they will be open and plan to throw a big party. More details to come.
WHO WILL LIKE THIS PARTY: This is the Rooster’s first New Year’s Eve, so I have no past record to look back upon. My guess is, if you’ve enjoyed the Rooster on a very crowded Saturday night, you’ll probably like it for New Year’s Eve. See “Flying Saucer” for my best guess as to what the crowd will be like.
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That’s my first draft of the NYE list. There are also a few private parties I know about, but the hosts would probably prefer that I not blog about them. Let me know (paul@paulryburn.com) if there are other parties Downtown that I should add to this list, and I’ll refresh it before the big day. In particular, what will be going on at Earnestine & Hazel’s? I’ll be a hop, skip, and a jump away later in the evening and may stop by.
Dempseys apparently NOT playing Saucer tonight
Just got back in town. Found a voice mail and text message from one of the other Saucer regulars. The Dempseys are apparently not playing the Downtown Saucer tonight, as I’d announced twice this week on my blog. “One of the managers can’t read a calendar,” said the text message. I had posted they’d be playing after seeing it on the Saucer’s website calendar, although I thought it was a bit odd for them to play the day after Christmas, because they usually take an extended holiday in Seattle around that time.
The updated calendar says the “Sausage Assassins” will be playing. Somehow I don’t have expectations for them to be as good as the Dempseys.
Holiday update
Among my Christmas presents were two biographies:
- The Snowball: Warren Buffett and the Business of Life
- Traitor to His Class: The Privileged Life and Radical Presidency of Franklin Delano Roosevelt
I’ve been reading the Buffett biography tonight and am finding a lot in common with the greatest investor of our times. He was barred from his 8th grade graduation because he refused to put on a suit. He’s also fond of saying that he judges how well he’s doing using his Inner Scorecard, rather than the Outer Scorecard most people use. In other words, his own assessment of his progress is far more important than what other people think of him. I’ve read about 220 pages of it today and am currently on the late 1950s where he meets Charlie Munger for the first time.
Spent a good part of today at my mother’s new apartment. We forgot to make reservations for lunch and ended up eating at a Chinese buffet, which at $11.99 was probably just as good as the $30 buffet we forgot to go to. They had pieces of crabmeat wrapped in bacon… mmmm.
Back in Memphis late afternoon, will be at the Saucer by the time the Dempseys take the stage at 9:30.
In other news, I’ve learned there will be a beer pong tournament at Quetzal on January 8, with two-person teams and a $20 entry fee to benefit charity. If you’re on Facebook search for “beer olympics at Quetzal” to read more about it.
A different kind of post: Childhood memories and stuff
This is going to be a different kind of post from my usual.
I’m home in Little Rock on Christmas Eve night. It’s a more eventful Christmas than usual around here. My mother is moving into an assisted living facility this month. She’ll still have her own apartment and a normal life, but help will be a button away if she needs it, which is important because she’s had two minor strokes and some other health issues the past three years. The movers came and moved the stuff she’s keeping into her new apartment yesterday. The stuff she’s not taking, including the extra bed, is still in her old house. So tonight we’re staying in separate places – she’s in the new place and I’m in the old.
The old house is about 1200 SF plus a good-sized attic. The new place is less than 600 SF. That means she’s having to leave a lot of stuff behind – sell the items that are worth money, and throw the rest out. The movers have brought down everything from the attic, and I’ve been walking around tonight looking at memories from my childhood. The box full of toys that made me so happy when I was 3. The green watering can that my grandmother used to water the violets on the windowsill. A bag full of stuffed bunnies that I received in Easter baskets over the years. There’s a stuffed chick in there too. I can’t remember the chick’s name but I distinctly remember that I loved it very much when I was only a couple of years old. There’s the original Atari VCS that I spent many hours of 1982 playing. I wonder if it still works.
Then there’s the silver place settings that my grandmother wanted me to have. She died in 1999 and I guess she figured at some point after that, I’d turn into a normal person and get married and have a family. I wonder if she ever looks in on me late night as I gobble down some to-go nachos from Huey’s with a plastic fork, and if so, what she thinks about the direction my life has taken. Funny thing is, that silver is worth several thousands of dollars probably, but I’d rather have her old watering can which would probably sell for 50 cents at Goodwill.
I’m kind of glad all this stuff is being dispensed with though. If my mother had stayed in the old house until she died and I had to deal with the removal of all of it, it would have sent me right over the edge. I’ll grab a few souvenirs to take back with me to Memphis before I leave Friday afternoon.
The new apartment looks like it’s going to work out great. My mother is already meeting “the girls” in the lunch room and making lots of new friends. I have a feeling she’ll be a lot less lonely than she was in the house all by herself. I think it will be the start of a whole new life for her.
One of the things she’s leaving behind is her computer. The apartment building has a computer lab with Internet connections. She’s going to use the lab until I get my employment situation straightened out, at which time I’ll buy her a laptop and she’ll get Internet in her apartment. I went ahead and gave her a Christmas gift a day early, a 16 GB flash drive with PortableApps.com installed on it to use in the lab. I gave her a computer when she retired in 1995 and taught her how to use e-mail and create her own web page. Most of her neighbors don’t even know how to turn a computer on. I predict she’s about to come upon a newfound popularity as “the one who knows about computers.”
So I spent the day at her new place, then drove back to the old place about 7. On the porch I found 5 giftwrapped lawyer boxes full of food from my mother’s church. “You are deeply loved,” said the note on the box. They know she’s not been in the best health lately, and that she spent a lot of money on the move, and wanted to help. I was really touched by that gesture. Kind of made the “experiencing God’s love through the act of giving to others” thing strike home to me.
All right. Enough rambling. Merry Christmas to all my blog readers and friends.
Quick update: Christmas opening, Kooky Canuck NYE party
(9:31 PM Wed night: Had posting problems this morning, sorry.)
It’s Wednesday morning and I’m waiting for the rain to clear out of here so I can drive to Little Rock. In the meantime, a few notes:
The owner of Calhoun’s Sports Bar e-mailed me and said that the bar will be open at 4:30 on Christmas Day.
Jennifer Biggs, who writes the Whining & Dining blog for the Commercial Appeal, has a list of restaurants that will be open on Christmas.
Kooky Canuck, the restaurant on Second formerly known as Big Foot Lodge, is having a party on New Year’s Eve. No cover, $2 Super Cold Coors Light 34 oz. draft all day, DJ Tree spinning tunes from 9 PM to 2 AM, champagne and party favors at midnight. Remember, if you have extra pennies lying around the house, they make great tips for bartender Meghan. Big F- er, Kooky Canuck’s parties are always superb.
Finally clearing up… still raining but I can see to the Arkansas side of the river out my window now. Guess it’s time to pack up and hit the road. Hopefully I’ll have Internet access in Little Rock and will continue blogging. Will be back Friday night the 26th.
Watching the weather… and launching sites
Sitting here watching the weather. I’m supposed to drive to Little Rock today, but it’s below freezing with ice and snow between here and there. I’m going to wait until about 2 and see if it gets significantly above freezing all the way there.
In the meantime… time to launch my latest website.
College Logo Golf Bags is the place to find not only golf bags, but golf balls, golf towels, and other golf accessories with your favorite college logo. You’ve seen me launch enough of these things to know how they work, secure checkout and shipping by Amazon, I never see your name or credit card number, blah blah blah. There is a Memphis Tigers golf bag in the store, as well as Memphis golf balls, divot tools, and towels.
I’ve been asked what is open Christmas Eve/Day. I haven’t compiled much of a list, since I’m heading out of town. I know that you can usually count on Westy’s and Wang’s to always be open, and restaurants inside hotels pretty much have to be (although for the more popular you’ll need reservations). Bardog Tavern will have its tree trimming party tomorrow, so it will be open for Christmas Eve, and will open at 5 Christmas Day. Flying Saucer will be close at 4 PM Christmas Eve and reopen at 5 Christmas Day. I’d guess most of the restaurant row along Union and Second will be closed on Christmas Day. Not sure about Calhoun’s and Earnestine & Hazel’s. If you know of a place Downtown that will be open, shoot me an e-mail (paul@paulryburn.com) and let me know and I’ll post it.
Temp still hovering around 33 here and 30 in Little Rock. I’m going to wait until about 2 and then make a decision. If conditions don’t improve by then, I’ll postpone my trip until morning and join the team at the Flying Saucer for trivia. Back in town Friday night either way.
That’s right, that’s right… it’s time to launch another new site. Also: the restaurant coupon code I forgot to include in this morning’s post
This morning I told you about two web stores my friend Buck Daddy had recently launched. Well, now it’s time to launch another of my own:
College Logo Billiards is the latest in my series of “college logo” niche stores, organizing billiards and pool items sold through Amazon.com
I’ve been informed that I left something out of this morning’s post… I told you that there’s an 80% off coupon code for Restaurant.com good through Christmas, but I forgot to tell you what it was! Typical Monday morning for me, sorry. The coupon code is HOLIDAY.
Going to see if I can crank out another website this afternoon before I hit Pint Nite at 5… I’ve pretty much got them on a production line now.