{"id":2884,"date":"2008-12-10T09:50:30","date_gmt":"2008-12-10T15:50:30","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.paulryburn.com\/blog\/?p=2884"},"modified":"2008-12-10T09:50:30","modified_gmt":"2008-12-10T15:50:30","slug":"wed-update-bb-king-panera-mpact-memphis-jillians-to-increase-trivia-prizes-and-more","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.paulryburn.com\/blog\/2008\/12\/10\/wed-update-bb-king-panera-mpact-memphis-jillians-to-increase-trivia-prizes-and-more\/","title":{"rendered":"Wed update: B.B. King, Panera, Mpact Memphis, Jillian’s to increase trivia prizes and more"},"content":{"rendered":"

B.B. King plays his club tonight.\u00a0 I’ve heard the show is sold out.\u00a0 The rumor is that this may be his last show, due to the fact that he’s 83 and his diabetes is getting worse.\u00a0 Several celebrities are said to be attending the event tonight.\u00a0 Justin Timberlake and Sheryl Crow are among the names I’ve heard dropped.<\/p>\n

Metro Memphis got its first Panera yesterday.<\/a> A location opened out in Collierville, and one is coming to Laurelwood soon.\u00a0 They say they plan to eventually open 12 locations in Memphis, and I’ve heard talk that one of them may be Downtown.\u00a0 I wonder how well a Panera would do in the core considering we already have Blues City Pastry<\/a>… perhaps one would work well toward the north end of the core (maybe in the ground floor of the Lincoln-American Tower?) or in the Pinch, which has been hurting for a bakery\/coffee shop since Cafe Francisco closed.<\/p>\n

There’s a good article in the Commercial Appeal about Mpact Memphis executive director Gwyn Fisher.\u00a0 Congrats to Gwyn on the article, and for making Mpact so much fun this year.\u00a0 I’m looking forward to their “How I Holiday Bash” tonight.\u00a0 “Lose the shoes and find the pickle” is the tagline for this event.\u00a0 Don’t ask me; I have no idea what it means either.\u00a0 The point is, it’s a party where you can share how you celebrate the holidays.\u00a0 Attn ladies who have been talking about “Christmas tube tops” lately:\u00a0 This would be a good chance to show them off.<\/p>\n

Congrats to the Rapscallions who came from way behind to pick up a second-place finish in trivia last night, bringing our total to $50 for our next party.\u00a0 Attn Ann: Where was your team last night?\u00a0 The Weiss Asses won first place, their first trivia victory since 1856, the year that a lot of their members celebrated their 40th birthdays.\u00a0 I think I’m going to start sitting at window seats, rails, and on couches more often, because I’m tired of dealing with a certain bartender.<\/p>\n

Speaking of trivia… I’ve heard that Jillian’s has decided to increase their Thursday night trivia prizes to $100 for first place, $65 for second, and $35 for third.\u00a0 Not a bad idea, considering that Thursday is a tough night to do trivia.\u00a0 If they want the night to work, they need to develop a regular following before rooftop party season starts up again in April.\u00a0 Since they read my blog, I’m going to point something out:\u00a0 It should never ever take more than two minutes to get a beer at the bar.\u00a0 If there are problems with the kegs, etc., those need to be sorted out before 7 when trivia starts, not when there are already 15 thirsty people waiting.\u00a0 With several new locals’ spots open or about to open (Bardog, Voodoo Lounge @ Orleans on Front, Silly Goose), a bar with 200 beers and hot waitresses across the street, and the Rooster competing for game-watching crowds, Jillian’s cannot afford to screw up if it wants a piece of Downtowners’ business.<\/p>\n

Panhandler alert:\u00a0 There’s an extremely aggressive panhandler who goes by the initials “G.M.” who has been going around begging a lot lately.\u00a0 His opening line is usually something like, “Hey, big dog.\u00a0 Sir.\u00a0 Sir.\u00a0 Scuse me.\u00a0 Sir.\u00a0 Hey, look here, big time, I ain’t no bum or nothin’, I’m just trying to get me about fifteen billion dolla so I can put some fuel in my corporate jet.\u00a0 Can you help me out?”\u00a0 I can’t believe people are actually giving this guy money.\u00a0 Of course, he goes through the usual sob story about how he’s going to turn his life around, but you can tell he’s been saying that for 20 years or more.<\/p>\n

Time to prepare for my meeting… I can’t find the product manual, which is kind of a problem.\u00a0 For those going to Mpact’s party, I’ll see you tonight.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"