Wednesday update

Check out this SWEET new library card and keychain card I got yesterday!

Super Grizz! LOVE IT!!! I applied online for an electronic library card last month, which gave me access to some awesome resources, including 50,000+ ebooks and LinkedIn Learning. Yesterday I went to the Cossitt and upgraded it to a physical card. All I had to do was show a valid ID with a Memphis address on it. Now I can check out books from any Memphis Public Libraries branch.

After getting the cards, I took the MacBook upstairs to take advantage of the library’s Wi-Fi (and air conditioning). There was a kids’ camp up there and they were watching a presentation on the Air Force. Then they built an augmented reality module on iPads using Reality Composer. It was pretty interesting!

The CA asks, what is coffee soda? Hayes McPherson, owner of Comeback Coffee, explains.

Get ready for extremely hot and muggy weather for the rest of the week. WREG’s weather team predicts 94/78 for today, 101/81 for Thursday, and 102/79 for Friday. Those are actual temperatures, not heat indices.

The Downtown Crowne Plaza is looking for a sales coordinator.

WREG reports that there are fewer drag-racing and reckless driving incidents in Memphis this year than there were last year. Sure doesn’t seem to be the case Downtown! On Saturdays in particular I hear engines revving and tires squealing all hours of the night.

A citizen recently recorded video of a Dodge Charger doing donuts in the intersection of Ida B. Wells (formerly Fourth) and Gayoso while cops sat by in an MPD cruiser and did nothing. The video was recorded around 11 PM Sunday. Occupants of the Charger were seen hanging out of the windows.

Food & Wine named the best BBQ in every state. Downtown’s Cozy Corner represented Tennessee well, along with Midtown’s Payne’s.  Less than an hour drive are Helen’s BBQ in Brownsville, TN and Jones BBQ in Marianna, AR.

The Downtown Memphis Commission is hiring an economic development coordinator.

From a site called PlayEasy that connects people with sports event organizers: How the revitalization of Memphis has transformed the city into a national sports destination

MPD is investigating a rash of car burglaries at the Chisca Apartments.

The Bike Hub at Downtown’s new Mobility Center at Front and Beale is anticipated to open August 5. Membership will be open to those who commute to their Downtown job via bike and who need additional space to store their bike. Members will have 24/7 access to the hub via a secure access card, and only members will be allowed to enter. Membership will start at $20 per calendar year and will allow members to park up to 2 bikes.

Terrible news: Former Arkansas Razorback QB Ryan Mallett has died of drowning while on vacation in Florida. Mallett was the nephew of one of my BBQ teammates on The Ques Brothers.

Members of the Sweet Cheeks BBQ team, winner of the Shoulder division at BBQ Fest this year, spoke to the CA’s Jennifer Chandler and offered some tips for grilling out with pork this July 4 weekend.

Ryan Seacrest will take over as host of Wheel of Fortune as Pat Sajak retires. Vanna will stay on the show turning the letters.

Pepsi Colachup, a ketchup flavored with Pepsi, is a thing now.

Remember, today is greens day at Blind Bear. I heard Tony say something about a special of fried catfish with cream sauce with greens for today. I also heard him say they’re rolling out a new food menu this week.

I’m about 60% through Team of Rivals, a biography of Abraham Lincoln and his closest advisors, people who were once his rivals for the 1860 presidential nomination. It is a GREAT BOOK and I have learned a lot about managing people. A couple of takeaways I’ve picked up so far:

  • Lincoln was the master of “praise lavishly in public, criticize in private.” When Honest Abe did criticize his subordinates, he always left them a way out of the situation that allowed them to save face.
  • Lincoln was an astute observer of people and often noticed others’ negative traits before anyone else did. However, he did not pounce at the first opportunity to address those traits. Rather, he gave public opinion time to catch up.

Monday I applied online for four remote positions. One was teaching English to foreigners. After I filled out the application, the website asked me to take a quiz to assess how well I would deal with behavior problems in a classroom full of 1st- through 4th-graders. I didn’t realize I’d be teaching kids, and no longer wanted the job. Kids are not my cup of tea.

But, just for fun, I decided to take the quiz anyway.

I’m pretty sure I aced it! And the Lincoln bio was in large part the reason I did.

I was given 14 multiple-choice questions, each involving a case of a child in my classroom exhibiting undesirable behavior. I was asked to pick from multiple options to address that behavior.

Each time, I knew to pick the option that addressed the child privately, and which have him/her a chance to correct the behavior without embarrassing the child in front of his/her classmates.

If I have any CEOs reading this, I would recommend buying a copy of Team of Rivals for every person in your company who manages people. And give them time on the clock to read the book.

That’s it. Back tomorrow with more news.

Tuesday update

Beale Street Bears has an article on 3 ways Marcus Smart will help the Memphis Grizzlies. It sounds like he will fill needs as a backup point guard (replacing what Tyus Jones brought to the table) while also adding a strong defensive presence when playing on the wing (making up for what the Grizzlies lost in Dillon Brooks).

The more I read, the more I’m liking the trade. Looks like we could be looking at a Smart-Bane-Kennard-Jackson Jr.-Adams lineup to start the season and then a Morant-Smart-Bane-Jackson Jr.-Adams lineup once Ja is back from suspension.

Speaking of the Grizzlies, they’re hiring an IT security analyst.

Also, the Grizzlies picked up their team option on Xavier Tillman Sr. yesterday, a good move. X will make $1.93M this coming season.

Today from 11 to 1 at the Renasant Convention Center, EDGE will host a Loan Expo and will share plans for neighborhood business district revitalization. More than 20 local business owners will share how forgivable Inner City Economic Development (ICED) loans helped them. This event is free for the public.

Got a couple of pieces of Blind Bear news to pass along this morning. First of all, I hinted to you that greens would be coming this week as a special. I talked to Tony last night and he said Wednesday would be the day. He’s planning a mix of multiple kinds of greens, including collards. Also, he has a dish in mind with other food items that will complement the flavor of the greens.

Secondly, Memphis band The Pinch will play the Bear for the first time this Friday, June 30 at 8 PM. ’90s rock is their thing.

Today is National Ice Cream Cake Day. Get one at Margie’s 901 ice cream shop (formerly Maggie Moo’s) at 125 S. Main. Gallery

MATA will cut bus and trolley fares to 25 cents today due to a Code Orange alert for poor air quality.

FOX 13 weather is predicting highs of 100, 101, and 99 for Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Heat indices of 110-115 are possible.

There’s a College World Series of Jello shots.

The next item is for my fellow pro wrestling fans who love Memphis.

Former WCW head honcho Eric Bischoff is one of those people we all love to hate, but cheers to him for getting his head shaved for the kids of St. Jude.

The A/C in my building has yet to be restored, so the MacBook and I are headed to the Cossitt Library at 10 to cool off. Back tomorrow with more news.

Monday update

The Memphis Redbirds are back in town after a half-month’s absence. Their opponent this week will be the Nashville Sounds. However, this homestand won’t be the typical Tuesday-Sunday. It will be Wednesday-Monday so fans can spend as much time as possible at the ballpark on the long Independence Day weekend.

Here’s a look at what’s going on at AutoZone Park in the days to come:

Wednesday, June 28: No special promotions. First pitch 7:05.

Thursday, June 29: Throwback Thursday. Enjoy the greatest beer in the world, Pabst Blue Ribbon, at throwback prices of $2 a draft. Hot dogs are a $1 throwback on Thursdays. The Redbirds will wear their throwback Memphis Chicks jerseys. First pitch 7:05.

Friday, June 30: The first of a 4-day “Red, White, & BOOM” celebration. First pitch is 7:05 with the following promotions:

  • A bobblehead of Gold Glove-winning St. Louis Cardinals infielder Tommy Edman will be given away to the first 1500 fans
  • The Redbirds are smoking a whole hog and an all-you-can-eat specialty ticket gets you in on it! The ticket includes smoked pork, potatoes, corn, rolls, hot dogs, chips, soft drinks, and water.

Saturday, July 1: First pitch is 6:35 with the following promotions:

  • Free powder blue Redbirds jersey to the first 1500 fans.
  • Stick around for fireworks after the game ends.

Sunday, July 2: First pitch is 6:35 with the following promotions:

  • The first 1500 fans get a Memphis Redbirds Hawaiian shirt featuring logo elements from the team’s first 25 years.
  • Kids 12 and under get a free ice cream treat from Prairie Farms.
  • Kids get to run the bases after the game!

Monday, July 3: First pitch is 6:35 with the following promotions:

  • An all-you-can-eat specialty ticket includes the ballpark’s famous BBQ nachos with chicken or pulled pork, hot dogs, coleslaw, chips, soft drinks, and water.
  • ABC’s Gong Show winner Jessica Haas will perform a speed painting demo during the National Anthem. The painting will be auctioned online.
  • The Redbirds will be wearing special Independence Day jerseys and hats.
  • Stick around after the game for the largest fireworks display in park history. With the City of Memphis fireworks display moved to Liberty Park for the second year in a row, this is your best chance to catch a major fireworks show Downtown.

River Garden will host a Sunset Skate this Thursday from 6 to 9 PM. There will be free skate lessons (6 PM) and a limited supply of free skate rentals. DJ Brother John supplies the music beginning at 7.

There will be a free yoga class taught by Andrea Jay in the upstairs performance area of the Cossitt Library this Friday at 4 PM.

Formerly Known As headlines this Thursday’s Peabody rooftop party. 6-10 PM, $15 general admission, $30 to go VIP.

The Frontmen with Tigirlilly Gold are the featured entertainment at the free, all-ages KIX on Beale concert this Thursday. It happens at Handy Park at 7:30 PM.

Elevation Memphis performs at Live at the Tracks at Central Station Hotel this Thursday from 6:30-10:30 PM.

That same night, it will be Ladies’ Night in the hotel’s Eight & Sand Lounge with DJ Alpha whiskey.

From the CA: Desmond Bane could earn an even bigger contract extension than Ja Morant. That’s because max deals are based on a percentage of the NBA salary cap, which goes up every year.

From Storyboard Memphis: An intro to the (almost) forgotten history of The Orpheum. The grande dame of the Memphis theater scene was lucky to survive the 1970s.

UrbanArt Commission will host an artists’ happy hour at 6 PM this Thursday at Inkwell, 631 Madison. These happy hours are a chance to learn about ongoing projects and artist opportunities and network with other artists and UAC staff.

Brian Blake and Alice Hasen will perform at South Main Sounds, 550 S. Main, Friday night at 7.

For my Little Rock readers, sad news: Activist Robert ‘Say’ McIntosh has died at 79. Say played Black Santa, handing out toys to underprivileged kids. He owned a restaurant known for burgers the size of manhole covers and sweet potato pie.

The Memphis Flyer had a talk with the creator of Reevo’s Hot Sauce. He was inspired by watching a team compete in the wing competition at BBQ Fest. Downtowners, get the sauce at Cordelia’s Market, Ben Yay’s, and King & Union Bar/Grocery.

Today is Tropical Cocktails Day.

That’s it for this morning. A/C is out in my building for a few hours due to renovations, so I’m camping out around the corner at Bardog. Back tomorrow with more news.

 

Sunday update

Bold Journey recently sat down for a chat with Tim Vimonnimit, the chef behind the Soi Number 9 food truck. The truck sells authentic Thai street food. In addition to the truck, they have an on-campus dining location at UT Health Sciences Center.

Atomic Rose, the LGBTQ-friendly lounge and restaurant on Second one block south of Beale, is putting out a casting call. They seek burlesque and go-go dancers for a recurring event. Any dancer, regardless of gender or sexual orientation, is invited to apply. atomicrosememphis@gmail.com or 901-922-5645

WREG has a look at 901 KidsFest which happened at the Cossitt Library yesterday.

FedExForum has rescheduled Drake’s concert, originally scheduled for this Thursday, to Sunday, August 6. That messes up the plans of fans who took off work and booked flights and hotels.

Today is National Catfish Day, a good excuse to stop by Flying Fish for lunch. Kooky Canuck and Ben Yay’s are two other Downtown locations where you can get “the salmon of the South.”

ABC 24 discussed today’s Craft Food and Wine Festival with founder Cristina McCarter.

Want some cheap entertainment? Drop peanuts in a glass of beer. I’d like to remind everyone that The Peanut Shoppe and the Blind Bear are just steps away from each other.

If you’re a fan of ESPN’s 30 for 30 documentary TV show, did you know there’s also a 30 for 30 podcast?

An attempted revolt in Russia revealed that Vladimir Putin is not as strong as people think.

If you saw men in dresses Downtown yesterday, they were doing an “Always a Bridesmaid, Never a Bride” pub crawl. They came in Bardog for about 30 minutes. Super cool group of people.

Also at Bardog yesterday, I got to listen to Butt Slut #1 argue with her friends over whether she was going to wear a T-shirt and shorts to a “prom for adults” event. I swear, if not for the 24-year age difference, I’d wonder if we were twins separated at birth.

Staying home today… job hunting… reading my Abraham Lincoln biography… maybe taking a LinkedIn Learning course on data analysis. I will be out at Bardog early tomorrow morning (8:00) and will do my Monday blog post from there.

Saturday update

The Ghost River taproom on Beale Street is celebrating its second anniversary on the super-long weekend of June 30-July 4 with a music festival called Made to Wander:

  • $18 pitchers
  • Food by New Wing Order
  • Friday, June 30: Taproom open noon to midnight | Kitchen open noon to 10 | Live music begins at 3 | Travis Paul | Traveller the Band | Maestro 3000
  • Saturday, July 1: Taproom open noon to midnight | Kitchen open noon to 10 | Live music begins at noon | Stereo Blue | Three World | Pam & Terry | Al Kapone
  • Sunday, July 2: Taproom open 11:30 AM to 11:30 PM | Kitchen open 11:30 to 8 | Live music begins at 11:30 | Bri Marie | The Bugaloos | Aubrey McCrady
  • Monday, July 3: Taproom open 4 to 10 | Kitchen open 4 to 8 | Live music begins at 6:30 | Shotgun Billys
  • Tuesday, July 4: Taproom open 2 to 10 | Kitchen open 4 to 8 | Live music begins at 5:30 | Pam & Terry

Broadway World has a review of Frozen at the Orpheum. The production will be in town through July 2. More info/tickets

Forward Chandler Lawson may no longer be one of Penny’s Memphis Tigers, but he found an excellent landing spot: Arkansas.

The Grizzlies will play Summer League games in Salt Lake City and Las Vegas between July 3 and July 14. The games will be televised on NBAtv and ESPNews. David Roddy, Jake LaRavia, Vince Williams Jr., Kenneth Lofton Jr., Jacob Gilyard, and 2023 draft pick GG Jackson are expected to be on the roster.

Entertainment at the Blind Bear this weekend:

  • Tonight: Yubu 10-2
  • Sunday night: DJ Mylon 7-midnight

Today is Bartender & Mixologist Day.

The heat index in Memphis is expected to hit 97 today and 103 tomorrow.

In other news from The Edge, the former warehouse of the Commercial Appeal at 498 Union is for sale.

Billionaires Elon Musk (Tesla/SpaceX/Twitter) and Mark Zuckerberg (Facebook) have agreed to hold a cage fight. No I’m not kidding.

The Arcade has been named the weirdest roadside diner in Tennessee by LoveFood. Reasons why: the decor has barely been touched since a 1954 renovation, and Elvis himself ate there.

It’s an all-SEC College World Series finals in Omaha this weekend. The schedule:

  • 6 PM Saturday: 5 LSU vs. 2 Florida
  • 2 PM Sunday: 2 Florida vs. 5 LSU
  • 6 PM Monday, if necessary: 5 LSU vs. 2 Florida

All games will be televised on ESPN.

Doug MacLeod plays The Central BBQ Sessions at Downtown Central BBQ today from 6 to 9 PM.

Good Vibes on Tap, a Memphis fitness celebration, happens today at Grind City Brewing Co. Show the bartender proof of your walking, riding, or running 3 miles (or longer) on your favorite fitness app and get $5 drafts and get entered for a chance to win a $250 taproom gift card. Whether you take the fitness challenge or not, there will be raffles, yard games, and pizza.

Programming note: Monday’s blog post may be late, short, or nonexistent. Due to renovations, my building won’t have A/C that day, so I will have to find an alternate place to take my laptop to work.

That’s it for now, back tomorrow.

 

Friday update

The Grizzlies made two second-round picks in last night’s NBA draft:

  • 45: GG Jackson, power forward/center, South Carolina, 6’9″, 215
  • 56: Tarik Biberovic, small forward, Europe, 6’7″, 218

Biberovic will probably be stashed, meaning he’ll continue to play overseas while the Grizzlies will control his rights should he come to the NBA.

Chef Tam’s peach cobbler nachos have been voted the most over-the-top treat in Tennessee by Food Network Magazine. Get them at her restaurant at 668 Union in The Edge.

A Sunset R&B Festival is coming to Riverside Drive Monday, July 3 from 7 to 11 PM. Tickets are $45 + a convenience fee.

Yubu plays South Main Sounds, 550 S. Main, tonight from 7 to 9.

B. Riley Wealth in One Commerce Square, the high-rise office tower at Main and Monroe, seeks an Anti-Money Laundering Officer to work full-time.

The ARRIVE Hotel at S. Main and Butler has received a 2023 TripAdivsor Traveler’s Choice “Best of the Best” Award. Congratulations to all the hotel’s staff.

I went to the Blind Bear yesterday and had that chicken salad sandwich I wrote about yesterday:

Now I have another news tidbit to pass along from the Bear’s kitchen. Next week they’re going to have greens.

The Hilton Garden Inn across from the ballpark seeks a room service server.

The first and second rounds of 2024’s NCAA March Madness are headed to FedExForum March 22 and 24. Sign up for ticket presale notifications

Grizzlies GM Zach Kleiman says there’s been enough talking – it’s time for Ja Morant to change his behavior. There’s no more room for error, Kleiman says.

That’s it for now. Back tomorrow.

Thursday update

Got an insider tip for you if you’re in the mood for some yummy food today. Last night I got word from the Blind Bear’s kitchen that chicken salad will be today’s special.

Later last night I shared the news with fellow Bear regular Butt Slut #1, but she told me, “Oh, I already know. I saw a picture of the chicken salad. It looks awesome.”

The Bear opens at 3 this afternoon with Cinnamon slinging happy hour specials – $3 domestics, $5 wells, $5 house wines – until 7 PM. After that, they’ll be open until 3 AM and will have the chicken salad special until they run out. I’m sure they’ll have the NBA draft on at 7. At 7:30 they have their weekly Texas Hold’em poker tournament, which is free to play.

Speaking of poker… I’ve discovered a new poker game online, Badugi. It’s 4-card draw, with betting after the initial deal and each of three rounds of draws. You try to make a Badugi, which is one card from each suit. If multiple players make Badugis, the lowest hand wins. So A♦-2♠-3♥-4♣ is as good a hand as it gets.

Since it’s a game that is not well-known, most people don’t know how to play properly and chase after bad hands. I played only my second Badugi tournament yesterday and cashed (although it was play money), finishing 17th out of 159 by playing tight and being aggressive with the hands I did play.

Back to the NBA draft… as I said, it starts at 7 PM. The first round will be on both ABC and ESPN. The second round will be on ESPN and the ESPN app.

Ahead of the draft, the Grizzlies are reported to have traded backup point guard Tyus Jones, the 25th pick tonight, and a 2024 1st-rounder in a 3-team deal involving the Boston Celtics and the Washington Wizards. The Grizzlies will receive Marcus Smart, a 6’4″ combo guard.

Smart will keep the team in contention while Ja Morant is out suspended for 25 games, but the trade doesn’t address the Grizzlies’ starting small forward need. There may be another trade to come.

Smart is 29 and has 9 seasons of NBA experience, so we’re getting him right in his prime. My question is, though, what happens when Morant’s suspension runs out?  Can’t start Smart over Ja at the 1. Can’t start Smart over Des at the 2. Smart’s salary of $17,207,141 is a huge amount to pay a backup guard and even more than Tyus Jones was making.

Could it be that the front office agrees with analyst Kendrick Perkins that Ja needs a change of scenery (particularly, to get away from his friend Davonte Pack) and plans to deal him at the trade deadline?

Today is National Onion Rings Day. The Majestic Grille and Huey’s would be my top recommendations for places to celebrate.

I remember when a neighborhood restaurant had ghost onion rings on its POS system. Pat yourself on the back if you know what I’m talking about…

The Memphis Flyer has photos from the recent Loving Local fundraiser at The Ravine.

Memphis 901 FC got a nice 4-0 win over Tulsa at home last night, earning 3 points in the USL East standings.

A man is accused of stalking and exposing himself in Downtown’s South End District, near the intersection of Florida St. and Carolina Ave.

The NCAA announced that Penny Hardaway will be suspended for the first 3 games of the 2023-24 regular season. The NCAA claims that Penny failed to maintain control over an unnamed assistant coach, no longer with the University of Memphis, who committed recruiting violations during the 2021-22 season. Larry Brown?

The three games missed will be

  • Nov. 6 vs. Jackson State
  • Nov. 10 at Missouri
  • Nov. 17 vs. Alabama State

Useful info from Fox 13: What attracts and repels mosquitoes

HOTWORX is having a summer social in The Edge District today from 3 to 7 PM.

The Secret Smash Society food truck will sell burgers at Grind City Brewing Co. Sunday starting at 2 PM. Live music by Devil Train.

There’s a Badugi tournament coming up at 7:49 AM, so I’m gonna hop in. Back tomorrow with more news.

Summer solstice update (pools are fun. summer is fun.)

Today and tomorrow are good days to keep a browser tab open to Bleacher Report NBA and hit Reload frequently. The reason why is that the NBA draft is tomorrow night and there will be all kinds of trading going on. Also, NBA free agency starts a week from tomorrow, so things will be heating up on that front as well.

The mosquitoes are back and they’re the worst I have seen in a long, long time. Monday I came home from one of my favorite hangouts and it took me an hour to fall asleep because my arms and legs were itching so bad. A can of Off or Cutter is a must.

Today is the first day of summer and the longest day of the year.

A woman was carjacked Saturday morning while sitting in her parked Toyota Camry near Riverside and Court.

There will be a silent auction Saturday at Jerry Lee Lewis’ Cafe where you can acquire some of the late Killer’s most prized possessions. The auction is being hosted by his widow. The money raised will go toward a monument for Lewis’ grave.

From the Memphis Flyer: Memphis had its post-pandemic “Roaring 20s” for drinks last year

French bistro Bishop is hiring an executive chef.

Memphis 901 FC hosts FC Tulsa tonight at AutoZone Park at 7.

Caption by Hyatt kicks off its Summer Acoustic Series this Thursday from 6 to 8:30 PM. Songwriter Graham Winchester will perform in the courtyard, and you can grab bites and drinks in the hotel’s Talk Shop restaurant.

Crafts on Crafts happens every Thursday from 5 to 9 at the Ghost River taproom at Main and Crump. Relax with some coloring or borrow the taproom’s crafts supplies while enjoying a craft beer.

That’s it for today. See you tomorrow.

Tuesday update

The Craft Food & Wine Festival returns to the Columns at One Commerce Square this Sunday. Tickets include a glass and a souvenir tasting tray and guests get to sample Memphis’ finest foods from about 40 different vendors. There will be wine, beer, and cocktails as well. The event benefits Church Health. Like what you’re tasting? You’ll be able to purchase more of it from the food artisans, right then and there. This event is 21 and up, and you must show a valid ID at the door. Tickets:

  • VIP ($125) gets you in the festival at 3 PM and gets you all-access, including a private VIP area downstairs.
  • General admission ($65) gets you a souvenir tasting tray and glass. You get in at 4 PM and will enjoy unlimited tastings from chefs and food entrepreneurs, as well as wine, beer, and cocktails. Music by DJ AD.

The CA has a look at Memphis neighborhoods with the largest home price increases in 2023.

  • Believe it or not, the biggest increase was in Frayser, up 24% from a year ago.
  • Downtown is second, with average home prices moving on up from $251,500 to $294,900 for a 17% increase.
  • Rounding out the top five: Whitehaven, Raleigh, and South Memphis.

Memphis Tigers basketball news: Chandler Lawson has entered the transfer portal. 12 of the Tigers’ 13 scholarship players from last season will now most likely be gone due to transfers, the end of their eligibility, or the NBA draft.

Just made a trip to Walgreens and came back with a beer recommendation. For $2.99 you can get a 25 oz. can of Bud Light at the ‘greens. Or you can get a 25-ounce can of this:

New Belgium Voodoo Ranger Imperial IPA. It comes in at a whopping 9% ABV. It’s time to reintroduce a measure I created in this blog in 2015, the Value Drinking Index.

A beer’s Value Drinking Index = (number of ounces) * (percent ABV) / (price including tax)

When out at a bar, you generally want to see a VDI of at least 15 (craft beers and imports) or 20 (domestics). When buying beer to take home, you want to see the VDI a little bit higher.

For the Voodoo Ranger IPA:

VDI = 25 (ounces) * 9 (% ABV) / 3.28 (Walgreens price incl. tax)

That works out to an enormous Value Drinking Index of 69. Wine me, dine me, 69 me! Or beer me, dine me, 69 me, I guess.

Today is National Ice Cream Soda Day, a good reason to visit the old-fashioned soda fountain at A. Schwab on Beale Street.

Well, that’s it for this not-terribly-newsy Tuesday. Back tomorrow.

Monday update

I went back to the Memphis Public Libraries’ e-collection yesterday to find a new book to read – and I found one I’ve been meaning to read for years: Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln by Doris Kearns Goodwin. It’s about the intertwined lives of four men, all of whom wanted to be elected President of the United States in 1860:

  • William H. Seward, full of joy for life, Senator from New York
  • The pious Salmon P. Chase, governor of Ohio
  • Edward Bates, elder statesman of Missouri politics
  • The gangly and melancholy Abraham Lincoln from Illinois

Lincoln won, of course, and showed his wisdom by making his rivals his closest advisors as the Civil war began:

  • He named Seward Secretary of State
  • He named Chase Secretary of the Treasury
  • He named Bates Attorney General

This is not a quick read – 944 pages in print – but if you’re into American history, I think you would love this book.

On to the news!

Disney’s Frozen kicks off an 11-day, 15-show run at the Orpheum this Thursday.

If you have kids, you might want to bring them to the Thursday, June 29 performance, when it will be Kids’ Night on Broadway. Starting at 6:30, there will be kids’ activities including an intro-to-the-theater packet, crafts, activities, and a photo booth. The performance starts at 7:30.

Happy Juneteenth everyone. On June 19, 1865, Union troops entered Galveston, Texas, where they informed thousands of slaves that they’d been emancipated.

Today is also Take Your Cat to Work Day. Yeah I’m sure that’ll go well.

Today is also National Martini Day. Just don’t order it “shaken, not stirred” as James Bond did – that’s a faux pas. Shaking dilutes the taste of the ingredients.

A 19-year-old was arrested Saturday night after gunshots were heard from the 250 Peabody Place parking garage near Beale Street.

St. Jude has been ranked the top trusted nonprofit for the second year in a row.

University of Memphis baseball has a new head coach: Matt Riser, who spent the last ten seasons coaching Southen Louisiana. Under Riser, that school made four trips to the NCAA tournament.

The Downtown Holiday Inn seeks a chief engineer.

The North American Grappling Association will hold its grappling championships at the Renasant Convention Center Saturday.

There’s free admission to the National Civil Rights Museum today for Juneteenth Community Day. Are you a museum member? Today is an Appreciation Day for you. Come by for your member gift, store discount, and express entry.

There will be a Tigers on Tour – Summer Social event at Grind City Brewing this Wednesday from 5:30 to 7:30 PM. Memphis Tigers head football coach Ryan Silverfield and women’s head basketball coach Alex Simmons will address the crowd at 6:30. There will be giveaways and lawn games.

MemphisWeather.net says this is the day this week Memphis is least likely to get rain. 87/71. Nice breeze coming in from the northwest.

That’s all I could round up for today. Back tomorrow with more news.