Paul Ryburn's Journal

I’m going to start off with a couple of linky links for those of us going to The Price Is Right Live at the Orpheum on April 1:

• List of active pricing games
• Price Is Right strategy by a game theorist

The strategy guide is not comprehensive for every pricing game, but it does contain some interesting nuggets. For one thing, if you are last to act on Contestants’ Row, you should bid $1 higher than the previous high bid. Research shows this strategy works about 54% of the time. The reason why is that people tend to bid low, not wanting to overbid which is an automatic loss.

Then there’s Showcase Showdown where you spin the wheel and try to get as close to a dollar as you can without going over, with the winner advancing to the Showcase. I’ve seen the first person (of 3) to spin stay (refuse a second spin to add to their total) on as little as .55. Game theory says that strategy is not optimal. You actually want to spin again on as much as .65 if you have two people to spin after you.

I’ll make one other observation, this one having nothing to do with game theory. When there’s a Showcase with a boat as one of the prizes, it’s always the second Showcase. Why? Because that way, it can’t be passed. Nobody wants a friggin’ boat.

The Blind Bear’s new Saturday/Sunday Hung Over Like a Bear brunch menu rolled out yesterday. A few highlights:

• Paul’s Meatloaf Sandwich: Yes, it’s named after me! The meatloaf comes between two slices of Texas toast with sides of fried okra and mashed potatoes. $14
• Mac’s Big Vol Breakfast: Scrambled eggs with cheese, bacon, sausage, biscuits & gravy, hashbrown casserole, and an orange slice. $16. I bet this will become my friend Davis’ favorite brunch item, based solely on the name.
• Avocado Toast: Sunny side up egg with a balsamic drizzle atop steamed spinach, onions, tomatoes, peppers, avocado, Texas toast with breakfast potatoes. $16. At first, this new menu item scared me a bit, because the most batshit crazy woman ever to brunch at the Bear LOVES avocado toast. But she’s been gone from Memphis for more than a year now. I think this is a fine menu addition.
• Chicken & French Toast: Two jumbo whole wings over apple pie moonshine French toast. $16. Chicken & waffles is the most overplayed brunch dish ever, so I’m excited to see the Bear doing a unique take on it rather than bringing it back directly. Plus, with French toast, the kitchen’s capacity to turn out that dish isn’t limited by the number of waffle irons they have.
• Blackberry moonshine pancakes: Ole Smoky blackberry moonshine pancakes with blackberries, scrambled eggs, and bacon. $16. The Bear is known as the best place in the city to get flavored moonshine. It’s fun to see them incorporating that into their menu.
• Ole Smoky moonshine shots, by the way, are only $4 during brunch.

The Grizzlies BEAT SOME ASS on Western Conference first-place Denver last night, winning 112-94. That pulls Memphis within 5 games of Denver and opens up a 2-game lead over third-place Sacramento. Our guy Xavier Tillman Sr. totally kept up with Nuggets All-Star Nikola Jokic on the court. Next up: LeBron, AD, and the L.A. Lakers come to town Tuesday.

Reminder: The Tigers host Cincinnati at 1:00 on ESPN2.

Today is For Pete’s Sake Day. Cheers to my buddy Pete who used to be my neighbor down the hall and my other buddy Pete who I used to beat at pool at the Saucer all the time.

There’s an Elvis on Mud Island meme generator but Elvis is turned sideways.

All right. It’s a bit of a slow news day, so I’m out after only a handful of news items. Heading to Bardog at 11. My friends Randy and Theresa can’t make it today because they have stuff to do around the house. I think Butt Slut #1 will be there, though.

Oh, hey, you want some butt slut news? There are 5 of them now and they’ve started taking on military ranks. For example, Butt Slut #1 is now “Captain Butt Slut.” Although, continuing to call her “Butt Slut #1” is still perfectly acceptable too.

“I have a title within the butt slut organization,” I told a friend a couple of days ago. “But it doesn’t fit into the classic military structure. I’m the Big Bad Butt Slut Booty Daddy.” (So, to all my freaks out there, Big Poppa Paul is your hookup. Holla if you hear me.)

“You’re kinda like the President of the United States is to the U.S. military,” my friend said. “You’re not a butt slut yourself. But you’re the Commander-in-Chief of the butt sluts.”

Let’s finish this up with a video of the man who inspired my title within the organization. (this is one of the great pro wrestling promos of all time, but WARNING: NSFW):

Back tomorrow with more news.

It’s a classic 1-2 matchup at FedExForum tonight at 7. The Denver Nuggets, in first place in the Western Conference, come to town to take on the second-place Memphis Grizzlies. Grizzly Bear Blues has a preview. TV: Bally Sports South

Oddly, our main adversary in this game is not even in town. The Grizzlies are 6 games back of Denver for first in the West. A win would only incrementally help Memphis catch the Nuggs in the standings. The real problem is that the third-place Sacramento Kings are hot on the Grizz’ heels at 7.5 games back of first. So the most important reason Memphis needs to win is to keep distance between themselves and the Kings.

Sacramento defeated the L.A. Clippers last night 176-175 in 2OT. It’s said to be the second-highest combined score ever in an NBA game.

Tonight is Varsity Spirit Night at FedExForum. The first 5000 through the gate receive a Grizz Girls poster.

191 Collabs will be at the arena selling hyper-local Grizz garments tonight.

Just what the world needed: McBroken, a website that tells you the status of the ice cream machine at every McDonald’s in real time. It can prevent you from leaving your local McD’s disappointed because you didn’t get soft-serve ice cream.

Anyone else getting swamped with Instagram notifications on their phone? Even in the case of my best friends, I don’t care who added to their story. I don’t care who posted for the first time in a while. I don’t care who Instagram thinks I may know.

Three schools are the leading contenders to land Bronny James, LeBron’s son: USC, Ohio State, and Oregon. Coach Penny offered Bronny a scholarship to Memphis but it’s unlikely he’ll accept.

NPR has the true story of why many Christians eat fish on Friday. It’s not what you might think. Henry VIII, an Englsih king who had no qualms about meddling in religious affairs, was involved.

Patio Porkers, formerly a part of Memphis in May BBQ Fest, is moving to Beale Street this year. 30 teams will compete to determine who has the best backyard BBQ. The competition meat turned in must be ribs. Saturday, May 20 will be the date and it’s open to the public. The winning team gets $1000 and a trophy. More info

The coffee shop in Young Rock season 3, episode 10 is actually the carriage house of the Woodruff-Fontaine mansion.

Vintage heart-shaped cakes have been the #1 request at Primas Bakery + Boutique on South Main lately. In response, they’ve added a vintage cakes section to their online menu. Online pre-orders require 48 hours’ notice.

The Tennessee Vols’ baseball coach has been suspended as possible NCAA violations are being investigated. That school is such a laughingstock.

Interesting post from the Blind Bear last night:

“You do not want to miss this Friday’s Burlesque show! This Friday will be the last Burlesque show!  Come see our modern twist on a classic burlesque show with 3 beautiful ladies performing throughout the audience accompanied by live music from James and the Ultrasounds.”

(emphasis mine in the paragraph above)

People are already asking me, “Paul, why is the Bear ending burlesque?” I don’t have any official word from management, but I’ll venture a guess based on what I’ve heard from the bartenders.

Several years ago on the TV show Bar Rescue, Jon Taffer and his team of experts rescued a gay bar that I believe was in Las Vegas. Like many gay bars, it had a drag show, and this one was fabulous. The performers were dressed to the nines and played their roles perfectly.

So, what was the problem, then?

The drag show was too good. People were paying attention to the show and not their drinks. Also, people didn’t want to step in the queens’ way to get to the bar to order. So sales went down during the shows. So did bartenders’ tips.

Again, this is just speculation on my part, but I suspect Bear burlesque may have had a similar issue.

Action News 5 employee and Downtown Memphis resident Matt Infield had his car stolen this week. Not surprisingly, it was a Hyundai.

The DM’s Jennifer Biggs has the recipe for Calvary Waffle Shop’s fish pudding. Biggs points out that the dish is unfortunately named and it’s actually more of a casserole.

Something you don’t see often: Snow swirling around the HOLLYWOOD sign

Southbound traffic from the I-55 bridge will be reduced to one lane until fall.

Tonight is Open that Bottle Night.

City Council members questioned Memphis in May officials about how they’re going to keep Tom Lee Park from being damaged during Music Fest and BBQ Fest. The number of BBQ teams in the park will be reduced from 232 to 150.

That’s it for today. I’ll lead off at Blind Bear at 11, then over to Bardog at 1 for brunch with my friends Randy & Theresa. Back tomorrow with more news.

Downtown bar moment of the week: Yesterday a couple sitting next to me asked for “the vodka with the bird on it.” It took the bartender a couple of minutes to figure out they were asking for Grey Goose.

Save the date: South Point Grocery will have its 1-year anniversary celebration Saturday, March 4. Here’s what will be going on that day:

• Free burgers and hot dogs
• Live music by Bri Marie beginning at noon
• $5 deli sandwiches
• Grecian Gourmet pop-up
• Beer samples from Memphis Made
• Food samples from local vendors – Elise Dessert Company, OH Grate, Las Delicias, and more
• In-store specials
• South Point merchandise and gift card giveaways

Out in The Edge, Chef Tam’s Underground Cafe will add a grab & go just in time for spring. Perfect for customers who want great food but need to get in & out fast.

With the expansion, Chef Tam’s is hiring.

• Cashiers start at $13.75/hour
• Hosts $14.50
• Servers base pay $8.50 – with tips $17-$35

Stop by the cafe for an immediate interview.

Comedian Taylor Tomlinson performs at the Orpheum tonight.

Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers recently went on a darkness retreat to contemplate his next career move. ESPN explains: What’s a darkness retreat?

Memphis Magazine’s Ask Vance column had a look back at the Britling Cafeteria which opened at 155 Madison in 1921. I wonder if the group that now sits at the corner table at Max’s Sports Bar had a table there.

Feast & Graze will have its next Toast & Jams brunch with DJ A.D. on Sunday, March 26. The first brunch was said to be a runaway success. Tickets are $67 and space is limited. You get unlimited table-side-served dishes and complimentary drinks.

Let’s have a look at stats site FiveThirtyEight’s updated NBA predictions. The Grizzlies

• Are considered the current second-strongest team in the West (behind Denver)
• Are considered the current fourth-strongest team in the NBA (behind Denver, Boston, Milwaukee)
• Have better than a 99% chance of making the playoffs
• Have a projected record of 50-32
• Have an 18% chance of making the NBA Finals
• Have an 8% chance of winning the NBA Finals

The Grizz didn’t help their playoff odds last night, though. They dropped one on the road at Philly, 110-105.

Food & Wine has a look at Pozole Rojo (red pozole). It’s been a soup special at Bardog lately.

DJ Tree will play upstairs at IBIS, 314 S. Main, 9 PM to close Saturday.

Toby Sells of the Memphis Flyer reports on upcoming proposed Downtown development projects.

• A skybridge from AutoZone’s building (It’s the STORE SUPPORT CENTER Toby!!! Not the headquarters!) to the Downtown Mobility Center currently under construction
• A second boat dock off Greenbelt Park
• A co-working space at 635 Madison in The Edge that is expected to have a koi fish theme

Penny’s Memphis Tigers will be short a man the rest of the season. Keyonte Kennedy is said to be out with “a non-basketball injury.” Except, in a sense it IS a basketball injury. Kennedy, frustrated over the loss to Houston on Sunday, punched a wall.

Let’s put my Tiger fandom aside for a second. If this had been a story about a Tennessee Vol, I would have done an entire post making fun of him and also the UT coaching staff for recruiting him. I hope Keyonte’s rehabilitation from injury includes not only medical treatment, but an anger-management curriculum as well.

Without Kennedy, the Tigers closed out Wichita State 83-78 last night. Will that be enough to get them off the playoff bubble? Next up: at home vs. Cincinnati, Sunday 1 PM.

Today is World Bartender Day.

It’s also National Tartar Sauce Day. The Majestic Grille and Local on Main both have good Friday fish specials. It’s fish pudding day at Calvary Waffle Shop. If fast food is more your thing, there’s a Captain D’s and a Long John Silver’s near Third and Crump.

And it’s National Tortilla Chip Day. No question about it, Maciel’s is the place to go. Get ’em with the guac or the chorizo cheese dip.

That’s the news for now. Back tomorrow with more.

The Memphis Flyer’s cover story this week is where to find great pizza in Memphis. Among the Downtown pizzas profiled:

• P.R.E.A.M. from Slim & Husky’s – white sauce, spinach, pepperoni, Italian sausage, mushrooms, red onions on a thin crust
• Grandma’s Pizza from Little Italy – sauce, mozzarella patches, pick your toppings
• Farm Daddy from Silly Goose – garlic cream sauce, chicken, scallions, mushrooms, smoked bacon, mozzarella, Parmesan
• Thud Butt from Little Bettie’s Pizza Kitchen inside Wiseacre Downtown – mortadella, black pepper honey, pistachio stracciatella, homemade cheesy mayo

If you have no idea what stracciatella is – as I did not – Wikipedia to the rescue.

WHAAAAATTTTT?????? The school lunchroom pizza at Max’s Sports Bar – the VERY same one you ate as a 7th-grader – didn’t make the list?

DJ Mylon will spin the tunes at Blind Bear this Saturday from 10 PM to 2 AM.

5:39 AM: A train, probably Amtrak’s City of New Orleans, just rolled through my neighborhood. “i bet my friend Tawanda is saying, ‘there goes old toot toot right now,'” I thought. Down here, the train is our rooster.

Ready for some pre-season soccer action? Memphis 901 FC takes on the Memphis Tigers at 9:45 AM Saturday at the Billy J. Murphy Athletic Complex.

The Shamrock Shake is back on McDonald’s menu.

New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson says the Grizzlies are the best trash talkers in the league.

The NBA is back in full swing tonight, the All-Star break now over. The Memphis Grizzlies travel to Philadelphia to take on the 76ers. The game will be nationally televised on TNT at 6:30.

Penny’s Memphis Tigers hit the road tonight too. They tip off at Wichita State at 6:00, nationally televised on ESPN2.

The Tigers are looking a little better in Joe Lunardi’s ESPN Bracketology. Memphis has moved up to the first team listed in First Four Byes and is a projected 9 seed.

Two Downtown book clubs have sprung up in one month. A few days ago I told you about the Boozy Bear Book Club which will meet at Blind Bear for the first time tonight. But now, Soul & Spirits, the brewery on the far end of North Main, will do a book club the first Friday of every month – so, March 3 – in their Low Tones room from 5 to 7 PM. This club is a little different in that they don’t tell you what to read. They’ll merely provide a quiet space to read whatever book you’re working on, drink a great craft beer, and talk to other book lovers.

Memphis Parks & Recreation is looking to fill hundreds of summer jobs and is taking applications today. Kids ass young as 15 can apply and adults can too.

Today is National Chili Day.

Dancing with the Stars on tour is at the Orpheum tonight. Tickets are $49.50-$125.

Sam Angel Original Arts on the ground floor of 10 S. Main will hold a visual abstraction art opening exhibit Friday from 4 to 8.

Action News 5 looks at The African Place in Uptown in its latest 5 Star Story.

There’s a blizzard warning for parts of Los Angeles County today. No I’m not kidding.

Grizzly Bear Blues: The vision with Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. is materializing

Ivanka and her husband have been subpoenaed in the investigation of the January 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol.

It’s possible I may not do a blog post tomorrow morning, because I’d like to stay out a bit late and catch Joey Barrett at Blind Bear. If not tomorrow, I’ll be back Saturday with more news.

OMG I’m typing this at 4:52 AM and the temperature outside is 70. In FEBRUARY. Memphis weather, mane. I guess this means it’s gonna snow Friday.

So, I walked home to eat lunch yesterday about 1 in the afternoon. I was not expecting what I saw and heard. The new Fat Tuesday location next door to my building had opened at noon. There was a drumline and at least 75 people congregated outside. When I left about 3, the crowd had swelled to more than 100. The crowd was even larger when I walked home from Blind Bear about 9:30. I had to weave through a maze of people to get to my front door.

Which is good, I guess. Fat Tuesday is an immediate hit.

I just feel bad for the folks in the northwest units (the ’01s) on the second and third floors of my building. Going forward, they ain’t never going to get no sleep. I live on one of the upper floors facing away from Fat Tuesday, and I could hear the crowd noise quite clearly as I went to bed last night.

Action News 5 has coverage of Fat Tuesday’s opening.

WREG has more info on The Garden Brunch Cafe, the new restaurant opening in the former Rizzo’s space at South Main and Butler.

I hope you didn’t give up booze for Lent, because today is National Margarita Day.

It’s also Supermarket Employee Day. Cheers to the folks at Cordelia’s Market and South Point Grocery.

Fox 13 is predicting a high of 80 today, which would break the day’s record by 4 degrees.

The 2023 Memphis Tigers football schedule is out. Non-conference opponents: vs. Bethune-Cookmam, at Arkansas State, vs. Missouri (neutral-site game in St. Louis), vs. Boise State.

Loflin Yard is hosting a Paint & Sip on Thursday, March 16. Limited seating. Drink specials. Your ticket includes art supplies.

From the CA: An ESPN analyst’s joke about DeAndre Williams’ age (he’s 26) touched a nerve for Coach Penny.

Feast & Graze has a new addition to its breakfast catering, The Breakfast Box. Each box has a ham & cheese sando, a yogurt parfait, and seasonal fruit. $10 each. Free delivery within 21 miles. Must pre-order catering 48 hours in advance.

College football commissioners are considering changes to shorten games.

• No more icing kickers with consecutive timeouts on the same down
• No more extending 1st or 3rd quarters if ended on penalty – the penalty would be assessed at the start of the following quarter
• Clock continues to run when the offense gains a first down, except within 2 minutes of a half
• Clock continues to run on an incomplete pass once the ref spots the ball

The Peabody has some love potions at its Lobby Bar through the end of February.

From the Morning Brew newsletter: Monopoly strategy

That’s it for now. Happy Ash Wednesday.

The big day is here.

For those who observe Lent (which I don’t), today is the last day to live it up before a 40-day period of austerity.

And as of today, Downtowners have a new place to live it up – and it takes its name from this very day. Fat Tuesday at 8 S. Main. That’s near the intersection of Main and Madison, just a quarter block south of Walgreens.

It’s also next door to my apartment building.

For those not familiar, Fat Tuesday is a daiquiri bar similar to Wet Willie’s on Beale Street. This is not the first time Downtown Memphis has had a Fat Tuesday. There used to be one in the old Peabody Place Mall that closed circa 2007

It’s a bit weird to have a daiquiri bar on a VERY residential block on Main. But then, we Downtowners do like our booze. Fingers crossed that the new business turns out to be a good neighbor and an asset to the surrounding community.

Bobby Weir and Wolf Bros play the Orpheum tonight. You may remember Weir from a little band called The Grateful Dead. HEADS UP: After the show, local jam band FreeWorld will play a rare Tuesday gig at Blues City Cafe’s Band Box.

Bardog Tavern has something new going on for weekday lunch. For $15 (but that includes soft drink or iced tea, tax, and gratuity) you get to choose from one of two daily specials:

• Monday: Al Pastor Tacos or Chicken Alfredo
• Tuesday: Country Fried Chicken or Taco Salad Bowl
• Wednesday: Sloppy Joe Sliders or Chicken Parmesan
• Thursday: Meatloaf or BBQ Grilled Chicken Sliders
• Friday: Pan Fried Atlantic Cod Tacos or Buffalo Chicken Wrap

Loflin Yard will do Crawfish Boil Sundays with live music March 19-April 30 from noon to 3 PM.

The Mid-South Farm & Gin Show happens this weekend at the Renasant Convention Center. Downtown Memphis loves the ginners! Such nice, down-to-earth people. Always a pleasure to have you in town.

Soul & Spirits Brewery on the far end of North Main has announced its St. Patrick’s Day Party for Friday, March 17.

• Green pints of beer
• Champs BBQ food truck serving Irish fare
• Blessing of the Beer at 6 PM
• Bagpipe band at 7 PM

I was watching ESPN yesterday and the following came up on the ticker at the bottom of the screen:

“Colts to hire Jim Bob Cooter as OC” (offensive coordinator)

Just based on the name alone, ol’ Jim Bob is qualified for a position with the Tennessee Vols.

First 6000 people at the Tigers’ 1 PM Sunday home game vs. Cincinnati get a free blue T-shirt. They’re asking all Tigers fans to wear blue to the game.

Riverside Drive between Union and Georgia will close tomorrow through July 1 for Tom Lee Park construction.

Congrats to South Point Grocery, winner of a recent Excellence in Merchandising award from Associated Wholesale Grocers.

There will be a book launch for author Mark Greaney at 2 PM Saturday at The Rendezvous for his new book Gray Man #12: Burner. Note that purchase of the book from Novel is required to get a place in line to meet the author.

Julianne Ankley and Schaefer Llana play South Main Sounds, 550 S. Main, this Friday at 7.

Gospel group the McCrary Sisters come to the Halloran Centre Friday night. Tickets are $37.50.

There will be a Sound Healing Meditation this Friday at Downtown Yoga at 7 PM. YOGA!

Cordelia’s Market hosts trivia this Wednesday at 6:30.

There’s a Mardi Gras Ball at the Cadre Building, Second and Monroe, this Saturday. Cajun food, cocktails, entertainment from a New Orleans musician.

For those of you who attend church, it’s Shrove Tuesday rather than Fat Tuesday. Eat some pancakes.

Food entrepreneurs: The Memphis Medical District has launched a Restaurant Resilience Accelerator.

The University of Memphis School of Law has an Administrative Assistant I position available.

That’s it for today. Happy Mardi Gras everyone. Back tomorrow.

Poor Jaren Jackson Jr. He was the last one to be picked for a team by captains LeBron and Giannis for the NBA All-Star Game. I know how that feels. I skipped first grade, so I was undersized compared to my classmates and as a result, I was frequently picked last for teams in P..E. class.

The difference is, Jaren makes $105 million over a span of 4 seasons and I don’t.

As usual, there was no defense at all in the game. Team Giannis (including Ja) beat Team LeBron (including Jaren) 184-175.

With the All-Star Break over, the Grizzlies travel to Philly to take on the 76ers Thursday at 6:30. TV: TNT

Penny’s Tigers lost to Houston 72-64 yesterday. I can’t imagine the NCAA tournament committee penalizing Memphis much for losing a road game to the #2 team in the country. The good news? Houston has to come here March 5 and play the Tigers in front of a rowdy FedExForum crowd celebrating the ’72-’73 Tigers that went to the Final Four.

The DM has a recap of yesterday’s Youth Villages Soup Sunday event.

Today is Hoodie Hoo Day in the Northern Hemisphere. Trouble is, it’s bordering on too warm to wear a hoodie – it’s 60 as I type this at 6:20 AM going to a high of 71. More like Shortsie Hoo Day.

Dammit I won’t get to pull Butt Slut #1’s hoodie over her head on Hoodie Hoo Day! She does lunch with her co-workers at Slider Inn Midtown on Mondays. I owe her one.

Gus’s Fried Chicken is coming to Ahwatukee, a suburb of Phoenix.

MATA is hiring trolley operators as well as fixed-route drivers and mechanics. $3000 sign-on bonus. They offer 401(k), health care, and in-house CDL training.

Little Rock’s own Joey Barrett plays the Blind Bear Thursday from 10 PM to 1 AM.

Former DNA president Jerred Price brings his Almost Elton John show to IBIS, 314 S. Main, Thursday at 8.

Silky’s will have a Mardi Gras party on the patio this Tuesday with a crawfish boil and beads.

The Broom Closet is hosting a New Moon Sound Bath tonight.

That’s it. Happy Presidents Day to those of you who have it off! Back tomorrow with more news.

Now that I’m going to The Price Is Right Live at the Orpheum on April 1, I’ve been paying close attention to the prizes they give away on the show. I have to ask myself: How much of this crap would I actually want? Let’s examine:

The cars

The last time I drove a car was October 24, 2018. Not having a car is total freedom to me. No insurance bill to pay. No monthly parking garage fee. No driving the car every couple of weeks just to keep it from falling into disrepair from lack of use. Do I really want to give up that lifestyle?

Camaro – This sounds like a dream prize, right? Wrong. Have you ever listened to the description of the Camaros they give away on the show? 2-liter engine. It is a SIN in my opinion (and generally I don’t even believe in sin, but that’s a topic for another post) to put a 2-liter engine in such a fine car. I realize cars can do more with less engine than in the ’80s when I bought my first one. But if it’s a Camaro, I want a 5-liter V8.

Then there’s the fact that a car is an income-consuming asset – you have to pay for gas and to insure it. State Farm thought my last two cars (Saturn, VW Jetta) were boring and therefore my premiums were low. That would not be the case with a Camaro. Their actuaries would possibly worry that I’d be out doing donuts in the intersection of Second and Monroe like all the other fools in this town.

Hyundai Elantra – It would be stolen within the first month of my owning it. Don’t understand why? Read this.

Kia Soul – See Hyundai Elantra. They are cool cars though. I got to ride home from Sunset Symphony in a Soul one time years ago.

Chevy SUV – like Price Is Right Camaros, these are sinfully underpowered. 1.4 liter is the typical announced engine size. Driving such a car would make me feel like a mom picking up the kids from band practice. In my opinion, any Chevrolet product with less than a 2.5 liter engine should be called the Nova – because in Spanish, “no va” means “doesn’t go.”

I’ll be back with future installments of things I could win on The Price Is Right Live: the trips, the cash, the random crap. But now, let’s get on to the news.

Blind Bear is trying something new – a book club. The first meeting of the Boozy Bear Book Club will be this Thursday, February 23, from 7:30 to 10 PM. The topic of discussion this Thursday will be The Shards by Bret Easton Ellis (I first saw the Facebook event listing for the book club after having “a few” beverages and thought the title read, “The Sharts.” That made me laugh really hard). Allison Douglass will host the book club meeting.

South Main gift shop Feelin’ Memphis will be closed through March 1 so they can knock down a wall and expand into the space next door that was their holiday pop-up shop. Can’t wait until March? No problem, you can shop online.

Today is National Chocolate Mint Day. My favorite ice cream flavor!

Memphis could hit 76 on Wednesday, tying a record.

Longest-lived American president Jimmy Carter has entered hospice care. Carter is 98 and left office 42 years ago. As recently as 2 years ago he was building Habitat for Humanity homes.

Smart City Memphis thinks the Main Street Mall is shameful and offers a solution to fix it.

KWAM 990 has an interview with Bryan Duffel who is opening Birdie’s indoor golf & bar on South Main. The revised projected opening date is said to be before The Masters in April. Duffel points out that you can complete 18 holes of virtual golf in far less time than it takes for 18 holes of real golf.

Congrats to Jaren Jackson Jr., recently elected a Vice-President of players’ union NBPA.

Happy 43rd birthday to former Grizzlies player and Tigers assistant coach Mike Miller.

That’s it for today. Headed to Bardog where there will be sports on TV but NO NFL FOOTBALL! YAY!!!!!! Remember the schedule for today:

• Tigers at 2 Houston, 2:00 PM, ESPN
• NBA All-Star Game, Team Giannis vs. Team LeBron: Draft at 6:30, game at 7:30, TNT. Ja will be a starter and Jaren will come off the bench.
• And best of all, NO NFL FOOTBALL!!!!! Some stupid golf tournament is on though.

Back tomorrow with more news.

Sick of this cold weather? I know I am. But never fear; this is Memphis and different weather is always right around the corner. MemphisWeather.net expects highs in the 70s Tuesday through Thursday.

Well, I was wrong about a couple of things concerning NBA All-Star Weekend yesterday. First of all, Memphis DID have a player in the Rising Stars game… specifically, the Memphis Hustle did, in Summer League favorite Kenneth Lofton Jr. Lofton scored 7 points and made 4 rebounds repping the G-League against first- and second-year NBA players on Team Joakim.

Lofton will be back to play in the NBA G-League Next Up Game at 2 PM Sunday (NBAtv)

Also, I had the start times of the Rising Stars game and the celebrity game wrong by an hour. I forgot that the site I was looking at didn’t automatically detect my time zone and listed all times as Eastern. Sorry about that.

Rachel Mullen, the owner of Primas Bakery + Boutique on South Main, will compete in the Food Network show “Spring Baking Championship: Easter.” Episodes begin Monday, March 6 on the network. If you have Discovery+ you can catch them there too.

Tasia Vergos, matriarch of The Rendezvous, has died at 96. She was married to Charlie Vergos.

Marshmallow Peeps-flavored soda is back for the Easter season. It’s produced by Pepsi.

Speaking of Easter Sunday, the Redbirds are going to celebrate the holiday BIG with an afternoon game at AutoZone Park:

• First 1000 kids 12 and under receive a free Redbirds Easter basket
• All kids 12 and under receive a free Prairie Farms ice cream sandwich
• Specialty ticket gets holders all-you-can-eat Easter brunch: pancakes, ham/egg/cheese biscuits, sausage links, sausage patties, bacon, cheese omelets, mustard and caramelized onion quiche, crispy Brussels sprouts with bacon, Caprese pasta salad, fresh fruit platter, bagels and toppings, desserts
• Specialty ticket holders can also play catch on the field
• Post-game there will be an Easter egg hunt on the field

Easter is on Sunday, April 9.

The MBJ reports that the restaurant space at S. Main and Butler, most recently occupied by Rizzo’s, will become The Garden BC (brunch cafe) and it will open in late March. It’s similar to a concept the owners operated in Nashville 2009-2020. Initially, they’ll be open Friday-Sunday only and will offer classic brunch dishes as well as a specialty item: bananas foster pancakes.

Six new apartments are coming to Monroe Avenue above McEwen’s. The project is called 124 Newsroom because the business that used to be next door to McEwen’s had an address of 124 Monroe and was a world newsstand.

Edible Memphis reports that there’s a new coffee shop, Boycott Coffee, on the ground floor of the Commonwealth Building at 240 Madison. They open weekdays at 6:30, Saturdays at 9, Sundays at 10. Edible’s writers say Monday is the best day to go, because a rep from Rigby Roastery is in there with specialty coffee beans from around the world.

Today is National Drink Wine Day.

Grape. plays Earnestine & Hazel’s tonight at 9.

Heartbreak Hill Trip plays Blind Bear tonight at 10.

The Professional Bull Riders Pendleton Whiskey Velocity Tour comes to FedExForum tonight.

More NBA All-Star Weekend fun kicks off tonight at 7 on TNT. First up is the skills challenge featuring Giannis and his two brothers vs. three members of the Utah Jazz vs. three rookies. Next up, eight players will compete in the 3-point contest. Wrapping up the evening, four players will take part in the dunk contest.

WWE Elimination Chamber is tonight as well. Roman Reigns (champion) vs. Sami Zayn (no longer The Honorary Uce) for the WWE Universal and World titles headlines the show. I’ll make a bold prediction: Montez Ford wins the U.S. title Elimination Chamber match to kick off his singles career.

I’m heading to Bardog today for a fun Saturday brunch with my friends Randy, Theresa, and Butt Slut #1. It will be a bittersweet day, though, because Butt Slut #1’s work schedule is changing and this looks to be the last Saturday she will be able to join us.

This isn’t horrible news for me, as I will still see her at Bardog and Blind Bear on other days of the week. But it is for Randy and Theresa, who live 50 miles away and who can usually only make it down here on Saturdays. They’ll rarely get to see her anymore, and I know that’s disappointing for them.

Hey Randy, look at the bright side, you can take Butt Slut #1’s terrible music off your brunch playlist. If I never heard “Bills, Bills, Bills” again, that would be perfectly okay. Oh God, now I have that song stuck in my head.

That’s it for today’s post. So very excited about a weekend without any NFL football on TV. Back tomorrow if there’s any news to report.

Man, the Tigers gave us a scare last night.

Up by double digits for much of the game, the Tigers’ lead disappeared in the last 10 minutes of the second half. Entering the final seconds, UCF was up 63-62. Then Memphis knocked the ball out of one of the Knights’ hands and ran it down for a score at the other end to win by 1.

The Tigers may very well have preserved their NCAA tournament dreams with that last-minute steal. Joe Lunardi’s ESPN Bracketology has Memphis as the final team in Last Four Byes, meaning the Tigers would avoid having a play-in game Tuesday or Wednesday of the tournament’s opening week to make it into the first round. A loss to UCF last night likely would have moved Memphis into Lunardi’s First Four Out or Next Four Out column.

Next up for the Tigers is a BIG opportunity. They play #2 Houston, at Houston, on Sunday at 2 PM. A win there would move the Tigers out of the NCAA tournament bubble entirely. Memphis has the raw talent to do it, absolutely. They just gotta execute. Which means, don’t jack up a 3 attempt from 26 feet out as soon as you run down the court.

I’ll offer some advice: Years ago, the Grizzlies’ rookies were interviewed around the start of the season. They were asked what they had learned in practice. One rook said they had learned a general rule of thumb – if you can get the ball inside to Z-bo, get the ball to Z-bo. He’ll figure out what to do with it from there.

Let me offer the 2023 collegiate version of that rule: Tigers, if you can get the ball inside to DeAndre, get the ball to DeAndre. He’s the most experienced player on the squad. He’ll know what to do.

Fan site Grizzly Bear Blues is hiring a reporter to cover the Memphis Hustle, the Grizzlies’ G-League affiliate that plays in Southaven.

Memphis lost a sports legend yesterday. Tim McCarver was a catcher in Major League Baseball from 1959 to 1980. Following his retirement as a player, he became a color commentator on baseball broadcasts. He called 23 World Series. The Memphis Chicks played their home games in a stadium named for him.

Downtowners, you can get a free steering wheel lock at the MPD precinct at 444 North Main. I especially recommend doing this if you drive a Hyundai or Kia.

A new beer fest is coming to Downtown. The announcement is kinda long, so I’m just gonna copy/paste

Join the Memphis Grizzlies and WISEACRE Brewing Co. for BrewFest on Sat., February 25th from 2:30-5:30pm at WISEACRE Brewing Company HQ.

Tickets purchased through this exclusive offer include entry to BrewFest, WISEACRE Brewing Co. beer tasting at BrewFest, and  tickets to the Memphis Grizzlies vs. Denver Nuggets game. BrewFest attendees will receive exclusive WISEACRE merchandise discounts, entry into a raffle to win signed Memphis Grizzlies items, and more!

Ticket Package Includes: Entry to BrewFest at WISEACRE Brewing Company HQ, 398 S B.B. King Blvd, Memphis, TN 38126

Tickets to the Memphis Grizzlies vs. Denver Nuggets game, Tip-Off @ 7:00pm at FedExForum

WISEACRE beer tasting at BrewFest

WISEACRE merchandise discounts at BrewFest (10%) Entry into a raffle to win signed Memphis Grizzlies items

Parking is available on a first-come first-serve basis at BrewFest, and food will be available for purchase during the event.

Ticket link: https://Grizzlies.spinzo.com/Brewfest23

A very happy birthday to longtime Downtown bartender Jessica! Catch her at Local on Main today 11:00 AM to 7:30 PM.

Here’s the NBA All-Star Weekend schedule. Tonight is the celebrity game (7 PM, ESPN) and the Rising Stars game (8 PM, TNT). The Grizzlies do not have anyone on the Rising Stars this year but former Tiger Jalen Duren will play for Team Joakim.

As for the celebrity game, I’ll be rooting for Team Ryan because WWE Superstar The Miz will be on it.

There’s a Mardi Gras party at Old Dominick at 2 Saturday.

Memphis Symphony Orchestra performs Star-Crossed Love – Romeo and Juliet at the Cannon Center Saturday.

Evan Ferris, Davy Ray Bennett, and Titus Waldenfels play Songwriter Night at South Main Sounds, 550 S. Main tonight at 7.

That’s it for now. Back tomorrow with more news.