{"id":27208,"date":"2023-11-06T12:32:16","date_gmt":"2023-11-06T18:32:16","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.paulryburn.com\/blog\/?p=27208"},"modified":"2023-11-06T12:32:16","modified_gmt":"2023-11-06T18:32:16","slug":"monday-update-223","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.paulryburn.com\/blog\/2023\/11\/06\/monday-update-223\/","title":{"rendered":"Monday update"},"content":{"rendered":"

I got to see The Kent<\/a>, the relatively new (I think it\u2019s been open about a year) event space in Uptown yesterday. It\u2019s at the corner of Keel Avenue and North Front Street, and derives its name from that intersection (KE-el and Fro-NT).<\/p>\n

What a beautiful space. The Kent is an old brick warehouse that takes up most of the block. It\u2019s an open space for the most part, two stories tall, with lots of big, high windows providing gorgeous ambient light.<\/p>\n

We were there to celebrate the life of a member of our Downtown family who left us way too early. Friends and relatives spoke. There was a slide show cast onto one of the upper beams where everyone in the room could see it easily.<\/p>\n

About 70 people showed up. There was a food buffet, banquet seating, and a display of the departed\u2019s favorite items. The Kent handled it all comfortably. In fact, it felt like there were entire sections of the facility we barely used, and that another 30-50 people could have shown up and it still wouldn\u2019t have felt packed.<\/p>\n

There was plenty of parking on the streets surrounding The Kent. You can tell the area was a warehouse district in the not-too-distant past. Plenty of buildings from that era survive, standing alongside new houses and apartment complexes.<\/p>\n

Now, let\u2019s answer the question that was on my mind and I\u2019m sure is on some of yours\u2026 Is The Kent walkable from the Downtown core?<\/p>\n

My answer is yes and no.<\/p>\n

Yes, if you\u2019re up for a long walk. I pre-gamed at the Blind Bear, and would have had no problem with a 35-or-so-minute walk north to the memorial service on a beautiful 75-degree early November day.<\/p>\n

Then again, I know Downtowners who think three blocks is too far to walk\u2026 people who say, \u201cOkay, we\u2019re going to finish our drinks at Blind Bear and then head to Bardog\u2026 who\u2019s driving? Or should we call an Uber?\u201d For those people, The Kent is not walkable from the core.<\/p>\n

I would be less likely to make a walk to The Kent after dark. I listen to the police scanner now and then and Uptown is still a neighborhood in transition, and gets a little \u201ciffier\u201d the farther north you go. That\u2019s a shame because I would love to make some walks to the Grind City Brewing Co. taproom which is about a half-mile north of The Kent.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s a Downtown dining PRO TIP: This week I expect that a number of food trucks, serving a diverse array of dishes but with an emphasis on soul food, will set up on Exchange Ave. between Main and Second. The trucks will mainly be there to serve COGIC convocation attendees, but they certainly don\u2019t require proof of attendance to sell to you. Those of you who work in the city\/county government buildings or at St. Jude will likely be a short walk away from some really yummy lunch.<\/p>\n

Weather: Memphis temps are expected to be highs in the low 80s\/lows in the mid 60s with no chance of rain, then a cold front comes through Thursday and we\u2019ll be back to more seasonable readings of low 60s highs\/low 40s lows. Get outside while the weather is beautiful! Those of you who have \u201cuse \u2018em or lose \u2018em by December 31\u201d sick days should consider developing a cough this week.<\/p>\n

Enjoy a Peabody Hotel Thanksgiving dinner in the comfort of your own home.<\/a> Order by Thursday, November 16; pick up in the hotel’s valet area between 11 AM and 3 PM Wednesday, November 22. The dinner serves 4 people and includes<\/p>\n