No Longer the Victim + Wednesday news

For those of you who like to read books set in Memphis, my friend Monte recommended one a few weeks ago and I thought I’d pass it along. No Longer the Victim, the first book by a local author, is about a woman who was molested by her mother’s lesbian lover as a child. The woman flees to Memphis as an adult and begins a noted career with the Memphis Police Department. At age 33, memories of being molested are triggered. She goes on a crime spree, luring lesbians from a gay club and murdering them, then displaying their nude bodies on Beale Street. I haven’t read it myself yet but Monte enjoyed it and it seems to be getting good reviews on Amazon. The Kindle version is only $3.99.

Moody Ques: Check your email for information about Best Memphis Burger Fest on Saturday. If you didn’t get the email, shoot me an email to paul@paulryburn.com and I will forward. I will give you guys an extra incentive to get there early: This is your one chance to see “Mr. Load-in” actually do load-in.

So, who’s giving me a ride from the Downtown core to Tiger Lane on Saturday? I can take a Lyft or cab if no ride is available (I’m sure you know I’m not driving), but I thought I’d ask.

While we’re on the subject of Burger Fest, for those who don’t want burgers, the organizers have announced that Mr. Frazier’s Fish Fry will be one of the food trucks.

Bike Night on Beale is listed as running April 15 through September. That would make tonight the last one for 2015.

The Orpheum has selected Brett Batterson as its new president and CEO. Sounds like a quality hire.

Interesting post on the Memphis Magazine Ask Vance blog: Tony’s Fruit Stand at Main and Beale was a Downtown institution for many years. It closed in 1971.

From the Carbunkle Trumpet blog: Former Memphian Robo teaches New Yorkers the difference between true barbecuing and grilling.

I see the members of Squeal Street BBQ had a Facebook thread going yesterday, throwing out words associated with the BBQ teams. “Miracle Whip.” “10 oz.” “Fire Extinguisher.” “Flame Thrower.” “Charcoal.” “Fireball.” “Popcorn.” I notice “Trophy” was not mentioned.

(I mentioned a flamethrower :mrgreen: )

6:15 AM and I’m already up and posting. Could be another post at lunchtime or after work, so check back.

Bartender job open + Tuesday news

BREAKING JOB NEWS: There is a bartender position open at Bardog. This never happens. DM @BardogTavern on Twitter if interested. Aldo is a great boss and many of the staff have been there for the entire 7-year run.

Best Memphis Burger Fest continues to be a main topic of discussion Downtown this week. As I have mentioned previously, my team the Moody Ques is entering the competition for the first time. “You were on Squeal Street the last two years for Burger Fest,” I was asked recently. “Are you going to bring all the secrets you learned on Squeal Street to the Moody Ques?”

Yes. So now the Moody Ques know that Miracle Whip is a burger topping and you can buy beer in 10-ounce cans. Clearly we have an unfair advantage and Seth and Tim should disqualify us.

Here’s the schedule of events for the burger festival. In past years I have taken a cab or hitched a ride out there, arriving about noon. However, since my own real team is competing this year, I have made the offer to fully embrace my role as “Mr. Load-in” and get down there early and help the team set up. We have one of Downtown’s best bartenders competing in Bloody Mary and if he needs someone to consume his product, I would be willing to do that too.

Memphis Made Brewing Co. will start opening its taproom on Sundays beginning this coming Sunday, October 4. The hours will be 1 to 6 PM. Memphis Made is on South Cooper next to the railroad bridge. Read more on Memphis Made’s blog. They are brewing beers that will be exclusive to the taproom.

My friend Rodger who runs several restaurants has two manager positions open. He has one position which is manager of a sports bar who would also assist with a Moe’s Southwest Grill. The other position oversees three Starbucks. Both are in the Memphis area. If interested email me at paul@paulryburn.com and I will pass the info on to Rodger.

Direct flights from Memphis to New Orleans will begin in November, on an airline named GLO that is new to the Memphis airport.

Expect heavy crowds in the Downtown core tonight as Janet Jackson’s Unbreakable world tour comes to the FedExForum at 8.

I had the minestrone, which is new to the menu, at the Blind Bear last night, and it is delicious. While I’m on the subject of the Bear I want to compliment Jeannette on the hiring choices she has made in 2015. I jokingly call three of the bartenders FML (Feeny, Mary, Lacey) but the fact is that they have all become good friends of mine. I enjoy knowing each of them and their presence causes me to spend even more time at the bar than I have in years past.

From BroBible: Do you know how dumb you look posting that Facebook privacy hoax?

Interesting fact about me: If you were introduced to me in March 2014, I have gotten a total of two haircuts since you met me. I’m finally doing something about this long mop tonight, with a haircut appointment at Rachel’s after work. I am going to get about 4 inches chopped off – still not short hair, but nowhere near as ridiculously long as it is now. After that I’ll be out for happy hour, at Blind Bear probably. Back to work, where I have a 70-field web form I am building. Fun times.

Salmon croquettes @ Willie Moore’s + Monday news

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I’m working from home today, giving me a different set of lunchtime dining options than I am used to. Today I tried a restaurant that has been on my to-do list for a couple of years: Willie Moore’s, on North Main near Adams. Willie Moore’s is a soul food joint that used to be on South Third. I wanted to try the neck bones but they didn’t have them, so I got salmon croquettes with cornbread and side of turnip greens and mashed potatoes. Very, very good.

(Rodger: They didn’t have chicken fried steak, in case you were wondering.)

Best Memphis Burger Fest is this Saturday at Tiger Lane by the Liberty Bowl. 35 teams will compete in Best Bloody Mary, Best Veggie Burger, Anything But Beef, Exotic, and Best Memphis Burger. As of yesterday I have confirmed that the Moody Ques (who brought home a trophy from BBQ Fest ’15) and Squeal Street BBQ (who brought home a certificate of participation from BBQ Fest ’15, because everyone is special!) will have booths next to each other at Burger Fest. There will be live music by Lost Cause, Seeing Red, and Southern Edition, food and beer vendors, and a cornhole tournament. Admission is $10 and proceeds benefit Memphis Paws. In a few short years this has evolved into one of Memphis’ best outdoor fall festivals. Come check it out!

Speaking of the BBQ team, our team president is traveling this week and she stopped at a Whataburger. She got the chicken. At Whataburger. I have no words for this.

Sometimes on the weekends I make impulse purchases. On Saturday I decided it would be a good idea to pay $4.79 for a vegan chocolate bar. I had never had one before and wanted to understand how it is different from regular chocolate. Readers, I make mistakes so you don’t have to. I learned that “different” meant “not nearly as good.” Unless you are a vegan yourself, don’t bother.

The MBJ has an article about Creative Works, a conference that showcases Memphis as a “city of choice” to creative professionals.

Interesting article about the Pinch District that came across my Facebook news feed this weekend: The Lost Jews of Memphis

45 South Main, most recently a pizzeria and convenience store, now has a sign that reads, “Maciel’s Tortas and Tacos”

All right. Back to work. I’ll be out at Melissa Monday at Bardog for happy hour.

Arkansas Outlaw @ DeJaVu + Saturday news

Last Saturday I followed my usual routine: Brunch with Bloom at Bardog (Panda is now the bar manager) and then over to Blind Bear. About 3 I got hungry and wanted something different. It occurred to me that I had never been to DeJaVu since they opened the new Main Street location, although I don’t know if I should even refer to it as the “new” location since it has been open over a year know. I had been to the old location on Florida Street which is now Pink Diva Cupcakery, so I already knew the food at DeJaVu was delicious.

I tried to go to the DeJaVu location in the Downtown core, at 51 South Main, a few weeks after it opened. However, as was the case last weekend, it was a Saturday about 4 in the afternoon. I was told that the place was closed; it opened 11-2 for lunch and 5 to 9 or 10 (can’t remember exact hours) for dinner. That doesn’t work for a lot of Downtowners. A lot of us down here are not people who eat breakfast between 6 and 8, lunch between 11 and 2, dinner between 5 and 8. We eat when we get hungry. This is especially the case on the weekends, and a lot of the time we get hungry mid-afternoon. Fortunately the folks at DeJaVu have realized this and now stay open through the afternoon on Saturdays.

I was seated and looked over the menu. DeJaVu’s serves Creole food that makes you feel like you are in New Orleans for Mardi Gras. Although it doesn’t matter to me personally, I should also mention that DeJaVu’s menu is vegetarian and vegan friendly, with items that fit those diets marked as such on the menu. Although the menu was loaded with items I want to eventually try, there was no doubt what would be my order on my first visit: The Arkansas Outlaw.

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The Outlaw is a huge piece of catfish covered in crawfish etoufee, cooked to perfection. I have only been to New Orleans one time, but I can say the etoufee at DeJaVu is up there with the best places I ate when I was in NOLA. The service at DeJaVu was probably in the top five I have experienced in my 13 years Downtown. Truly first-rate. I got red beans and rice as my side.

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Outstanding meal, outstanding experience that left me wondering why I ignored this place for over a year. It won’t be another year before I go back. On my list to try next: Alligator Stew, Toni’s Voodoo Roux, New Orleans Creole Sampler (on a day when I’m really hungry), Big Keith’s Bayou Classic, Mardi Gras Pasta.

A different kind of Deja Vu will happen tonight at 7:30 at the Halloran Center for the Performing Arts. The Collage Dance Collective will open its sixth season with ballet performances from each of its first five home seasons.

If you like to fish, head to Bass Pro this afternoon at 1. There will be a fall fishing seminar covering pretty much all aspects of fishing.

Monday at the Halloran Center, there will be a fundraiser called Broadway and BBQ. It will be a dinner concert by the Memphis Men’s Chorale and Women’s Chorale. There will be dinner by One and Only BBQ and beer by Memphis Made. $50 single, $90 couple. Get tickets here.

Last night Seth from Best Memphis Burger Fest announced that preparation for next Saturday’s festival at Tiger Lane is complete. 35 teams, 21 vendors, 10 food trucks, over 10 craft beers. Two teams to watch out for in 7 days: The Moody Ques (my team) and Weekend at Porky’s. I’m not promising either of us will get on stage to collect a trophy (although the Moody Ques did at BBQ Fest) but I will promise you this: We’re the best parties in the entire damn park.

(Crap, I went back to make an edit and WordPress deleted the last three paragraphs of my post. Putting them back now.)

A public defender posted a touching story yesterday. As part of a plea negotiation, she had to get bus fare for her indigent client to travel from Memphis to her home in Miami. She contacted the Hospitality HUB, thinking “I’ll throw this out there, but I’m not expecting much.” The Hospitality HUB responded almost immediately, saying they would pay for half the bus fare. Later they were in contact via email and phone about her client’s itinerary. The Hospitality HUB is a wonderful organization that helps the homeless get to a better place in life. If you want to help the homeless, consider donating or volunteering. It will do a lot more good than giving money to a panhandler on the street.

Personal note: I do not lie. Well, that’s not entirely accurate. Have I ever said “that new dress looks great on you” while thinking, “I had no idea that was a new dress?” Sure. We all have. But on matters of substance I do not lie. I will either tell you the truth or say “I don’t feel comfortable discussing that.” Many people have proved recently that they are true friends who get that about me. But I have to say I am VERY DISAPPOINTED in some people I have been friends with for close to a decade, who are believing things that are being said about me, who believe I am capable of mendacity on a grand scale. To those people: We really need to talk. I will be at D-RANKS with B-RAD at Blind Bear tomorrow from 11 to 3 if anyone wishes to talk. This message is especially aimed at the south side.

All righty. Listening to Led Zeppelin Pandora radio and doing laundry and other Saturday chores. Brunch with Bloom at Bardog at 11 then will figure out the rest of the day.

Fri update: Burger Fest, Les Paul’s Big Sound Experience, Farmers Market and much more

Want to eat some really good (non-beef) burgers? Seth from Best Memphis Burger Fest tweeted the following this morning:

DM Seth if you are interested. I was a judge the first year of Burger Fest and it was a lot of fun. I got to sample four delicious burgers, and I got to meet some Memphis foodie and media royalty who were my fellow judges. I would gladly have done it again but Squeal Street requested the presence of “Mr. Load-in” on their burger team for 2013-14, and since my own team the Moody Ques didn’t compete, I agreed. This year the Moody Ques ARE competing, so of course I will be with them on October 3.

The only thing to know is that if you are a judge and you have friends on teams, the festival organizers ask that you not socialize with them until after you have judged.

Les Paul’s Big Sound Experience comes to Beale Street at the Hard Rock today and tomorrow.

“Let’s Fall into Autumn” is the theme of the Memphis Farmers Market tomorrow. It’s the first market of Autumn 2015, and lots of fall veggies and items that will help you stay warm (not that it’s a problem yet) will be on sale. Downtown Yoga will have a free demo class on the north lawn at 9:30. Foodsaver demo with Carolyn Dodson of Dodson Farms at 10. Live music by Paul Waits 8:30-10, Adam Levin 11-12:30. 7 AM to 1 PM, under the pavilion at Front and G.E. Patterson.

The Mid-South Pride Festival and Parade happens tomorrow at Church Park beginning at 10 AM, with a parade down Beale at 5. Entertainment, family activities, arts, a car show.

A supermoon lunar eclipse will happen Sunday around 8:07 PM.

Former Memphian/current New Yorker Robo got to see the Pope yesterday. Here’s his recap.

Benjamin Orgel, who organized Brewery Revival and who is involved with the upcoming beer garden at the firehouse at Third and MLK, has been named to the Downtown Memphis Commission board of directors.

From the MBJ: New Halloran Center intends to build bridges in Memphis (with video)

I am aware that there are several people Downtown who know of me but who have never officially met me, who have formed opinions of me over the past couple of months. If you’re one of those people, I would like to issue a warm and sincere invitation to sit down and talk in person. If after talking, your opinion of me hasn’t changed, I am fine with it.

What a fantastic game last night. I watched the first half at the Silly Goose and the second half at the Blind Bear. Congratulations to the Tigers who never gave up. Think Memphis might get a spot in the Top 25 next week?

Plans for tonight: About 50/50 right now whether I will spend the evening in the core or South Main. Les Paul’s Big Sound Experience sounds worth checking out, but South Main Trolley Night sounds like a plan too. I’ll make it a game-time decision.

The Nuh-Uh Girl would have thought she had died and gone to heaven

I have to take my hat off to the Downtown Memphis Commission and the Chisca on Main for throwing one heck of a successful block party last night. Main was blocked off between MLK Avenue and Pontotoc and there was live music, awards presentations, and free food and beer. The food was GOOD food too: Bardog sliders, Aldo’s Pizza, Stick’em food truck kabobs. Central BBQ had its food truck out, and was serving nachos, sausage and cheese plates, and BBQ sliders. All free. People went to a tent where they were given tickets for free food, and with presentation of valid ID, free beer.

During the awards ceremony, Terence Patterson, the incoming head of the Downtown Memphis Commission, was introduced. The search committee’s goal en route to finding Terence was to find “the twin brother” of Paul Morris who currently runs DMC. “We didn’t find his brother, but we found his cousin,” they said. Sounds like Downtown will remain in good hands in 2016.

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Terence Patterson speaking with Paul Morris looking on

My friends and I toured the back part of the Chisca, the former motor lodge, which has been converted into apartments which are now renting. “Given what that place looks from the outside, the apartments couldn’t be very nice,” I thought. Wrong. The apartments are beautiful and spacious, with wood floors and modern appliances. The 2 bedroom on the northeast corner of the former motor lodge was particularly nice. If anyone is hesitant to live in that building because of what it used to look like on the outside, don’t be.

The Chisca was serving food and beer. I got to try Not Your Father’s Root Beer, the root beer that tastes just like any other root beer but contains 5.9% alcohol. That was really good, so good that it could get me in trouble if I chain-drank them. One was enough to give me a buzz.

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Thanks to the DMC and Chisca for a fantastic party. By the way, if you don’t get the title of this post, I used to have a neighbor who was famous for showing up at events where there was free food and loading up several heaping plates. “Free food? Wonder if the Nuh-Uh Girl will show up” was a meme on this blog for eight years.

I have some news saved in Drafts, so check back at lunchtime (I normally post around 1) or after work for a news post (If anyone at the Farmers Market is reading this: Where’s the weekly email blast?)

Thur update: Trolley Night tomorrow and other news

I blogged earlier this week about the 15th anniversary of South Main Trolley Night tomorrow evening. I wanted to spotlight a couple of events at local businesses that are worth a visit if you’re so inclined.

First of all, it will be the next edition of Singer Songwriter Night at South Main Sounds, 550 S. Main. There is no cover charge, and the event will feature Shawn Hickman, Paul Taylor, Melinda Milligan, Justin Bloss, and Michelle and Jeremy Schrader.

Downtown Yoga on South Main is having Wine Down for Trolley Night, with free wine as well as free yoga.

While we’re on the subject of South Main, High Ground News has an excellent article on the neighborhood’s history and progress.

Disney on Ice: Frozen will run at FedExForum tomorrow through Sunday.

An adaptation of Dr. Seuss’ Cat in the Hat will be on stage at the Orpheum Friday, October 30 at 6:30 PM, the kickoff for the theater’s 2015-16 Family Series.

There’s a Haunted Pub Crawl, a haunted walking tour with three stops, on Friday, October 23. Details here.

Off to the party at the Chisca. Should be fun.

The not-so-pretty side of Downtown

If you’ve read my blog for any length of time, you know I am an advocate of Downtown Memphis. I’ve lived here 13 years, the last 12 in the same apartment, and can’t imagine living anywhere else. I write about my life down here to show others all the interesting things there are to do in my neighborhood, and how easy it is to meet people and make friends. If anyone out there is considering becoming a resident of the Downtown core, my advice is “Yes! Yes! Yes! Do it!”

That said, Downtown is by no means perfect. Sometimes conditions down here provide public nuisances ideal conditions in which to operate. The following story was told to me yesterday.

There is this homeless couple that follows the same routine every afternoon. They go to CeCe’s Liquors on Madison just east of Main, and load up on cheap rotgut liquor. Then they go to Walgreens and buy bottles of tea. They pour half the tea out, and pour the liquor in. That way they can get drunk in public and it looks like they’re just drinking a nice, refreshing tea. They tend to sit on the park benches on the Main Street Mall between Madison and Union when they drink.

Yesterday the woman was out by herself on a bench near an apartment high-rise on Main. And I mean, literally, she was OUT. She was so drunk that she passed out and hadn’t moved for four hours. Business owners in the area became concerned for her health, and called the Downtown security patrol (281-9146) funded by the DMC. They arrived within minutes and advised the business owners that they needed to call 911.

So someone did, and was put on hold for eight minutes. Finally an operator picked up, and asked, “What do you need? Fire, police, or ambulance?”

“Police and ambulance,” the caller replied, and gave the nearest street address.

Not long after, the woman finally moved. She walked across the street to a garbage can in front of Felicia Suzanne’s. I should mention this was about 7 PM on a mild late summer evening, and people were dining on the patios of Felicia’s, eighty3, and Cafe Keough as this happened, and tourists and residents were walking up and down Main Street Mall. The woman proceeded to vomit in the garbage can, then fell down. She got up, went behind the can, pulled down her pants, and proceeded to urinate on the sidewalk. As she tried to pull her pants up, she fell down. She got up, managed to get her pants up, and then fell backwards, hitting her head on the garbage can, knocking herself unconscious, lying in her own urine. Now she really needed 911. No ambulance or police car in sight though.

After about 10 minutes, she came to, and walked down the street to Flight at Main and Monroe, where people were dining on the patio. She proceeded to scream at the diners and pull flowers out of Flight’s flower bed. Then she wandered down to the benches near City Market at Main and Union where she pulled flowers out of one of the city’s planters. Then she went and sat on the bench and passed out.

After 35 minutes, an ambulance arrived. The EMTs went to examine her, and miraculously she came to. She was able to answer basic questions (What day is this? Who’s the President of the United States, etc.) and so they told the caller since she seemed lucid, they couldn’t take her to a hospital against her will. She screamed at them, “I don’t want to go to the hospital! I want to go to jail!”

Finally, 90 minutes after the 911 call, the police arrived. They asked where her husband was, and she said he was in jail for beating her… matter of factly, you know, like getting beat up by your spouse is just another day at the office. Despite the fact that she had committed public drunkenness, public indecency, public urination, destruction of private property, and destruction of public property, she wasn’t taken to jail. However, the caller found out she did go to jail later that evening, having injured an officer who tried to arrest her on another matter.

Okay. I have the following comments about this.

CeCe’s Liquors. The owner of CeCe’s certainly has the right to sell whatever varieties of liquors he chooses. It’s a shame, however, that he continues to cater to a clientele that causes so many problems in the surrounding neighborhood. Quench over on Second Street has proved that a liquor store selling upscale liquors and wines is a viable business in the Downtown core.

The benches. There are business owners in the area who want to see the benches removed. I have mixed feelings about this. It’s nice that the city provides places for its citizens and visitors to sit, and the homeless have just as much right to sit there as anyone else. However, people who constantly degrade the quality of life in the neighborhood and are nothing but a public nuisance need to be provided a seat in the back of a squad car, not on a park bench.

The woman herself. There are organizations like Hospitality HUB that could help her and her husband get to a better place in life. But she has to want that help. She has to want something better for herself than passing out on a park bench every day.

8-minute hold on 911. If the caller was trying to report a heart attack, they’d be dead.

35-minute ambulance response time. If the caller was trying to report a heart attack, they’d be dead.

90-minute police response time. Shows that our police are woefully underfunded and understaffed. I used to not be able to walk from Madison to Peabody Place (4 blocks) without seeing cops on bikes, on foot or in cars.

I do want to mention that after a summary of this incident was posted to Facebook, Paul Morris who runs DMC saw the post and immediately took action. The person who reported this woman had two emails from police commanders and one from Paul Morris when he arrived at work the next morning.

Although I am pointing out a problem here, I hope this post does not stop anyone from visiting or moving Downtown. I hope the past 11 years of this blog has shown you that there are many wonderful places to visit, many wonderful things to do, many wonderful people to meet. Don’t let a minor nuisance stop you from experiencing the neighborhood I have called home for the past 13 years and intend to call home for many more. This is a rare negative post. Scroll down and you will find many positive ones.

Side note: One of those wonderful things to do is the party at the Chisca on Main Street from 4:30 to 7:30 this evening. Free to the public and a chance to mingle with some of the people who make Downtown a great place to live. I will be down there as soon as I get off work, and I hope to see you there.

Seven at Saucer (Wed update #2)

Tonight my trivia team not only won best team name at the Blind Bear, but we won the whole damn shebang too. I thought it was the first time ever I have been on a team that won best name, but I was informed it happened last weekend too. Fair enough. There were a lot of shots last Wednesday.

Charles incorrectly quoted a Fireball sale price at $5 and my fav pair of librarian glasses corrected him to $3. “$5 for Fireball is kind of a rip-off,” Charles said. “SEVEN AT SAUCER!!!!” I replied. Hi Kirk!

Back to Blind Bear… while we’re on the subject, Pam & Terry play tomorrow night, Thursday September 24, at 10:00. Come check them out.

Chef Michael Patrick of Rizzo’s posted this afternoon that he had an incredible Pulled Pork Enchilada Omelet at Bedrock Eats at Main and Vance. When someone with that kind of culinary credibility compliments food, you need to take notice.

There has been a rumor going around that plans to revitalize the French Fort neighborhood south of Crump will include moving the Metal Museum to a new location. Developer Chooch Pickard got on Facebook today and said that rumor is completely, 100% false. The museum will not move from its current building.

Very cool: The Pope is ditching Congress to have lunch with the homeless. It’s a reminder that the church exists for the poor.

The past few days I’ve gotten robo-calls from scammers from local numbers starting with the same first three digits as my own number. Beware of taking calls of this type from numbers that are not in your Contacts.

From the CA… ArtSpace pushes toward the finish line. Live/work space in South Main for artists.

Home from the bars. Rare before-bed post but there was a lot of news today. Celebrating being almost entirely transparent on here and on social media and owning who I am. In general, WYSIWYG – what you see is what you get with me. That’s how I prefer to live my life. Off to bed.

Opportunity to feed the homeless, plus Wednesday news

A few of my friends have created a GoFundMe account for Sunday’s Best, a nonprofit that feeds as many as 200 people in need on Thanksgiving. The page tells the story of many people who have not had a family Thanksgiving in years, not because they are criminals or addicts, but simply because they are down on their luck. $5 will feed a young couple; $10, a family of four. If you can spare a donation, I can promise you my friends will put it to good use. 

A celebration takes place on South Main tomorrow from 4:30 to 7:30. It will be between MLK Avenue and Pontotoc, and will honor the recipients of the Downtown Vision Awards. Jason D. Williams, the Memphis Grizzline, and DJ Mark Anderson will perform, and there will be complimentary food truck tastings and refreshments. Free food? Wonder if the… oh wait, she doesn’t live here anymore. Well, the Nuh-Uh Girl may not be there, but I will. The event is presented by the DMC and the Chisca on Main.

Speaking of the Downtown Memphis Commission, I have mentioned a couple of times that Paul Morris who runs DMC is stepping down at the end of the year. A candidate has been selected to replace Paul: Terence Patterson. I do not know Terence personally but his credentials sound impeccable, and a ringing endorsement from Paul Morris is all I needed to read to know DMC has found the right man for the job.

Agave Maria has announced a new build-your-own-burrito special at lunch. Also, the restaurant is now serving complimentary chips and salsa for lunch.

This Friday is the 15th anniversary of South Main Trolley Night. Two trolley buses will parade from Beale to G.E. Patterson with grand marshal Ms. Kay Woodard, who was the hostess of the first Trolley Night. There will be art, live music and more up and down Main Street starting at 6 PM. Here’s a Memphis magazine article about Trolley Night. Complete list of Trolley Night activities can be found here.

A route through Downtown has been set for October 31’s Race for the Cure.

I want to close out this post by saying THANK YOU to my friends who have been there for me lately. Some of you have really proved you are true friends and I want to mention Clay, Katherine, B-rad, Lacey, Tony, and Rahul specifically. I appreciate you more than words can express.