Author: paulryburn

Yahoo! Sports ranked every 2023 college football season bowl game, all 41 of them, in terms of their potential to be good. December 29’s Liberty Bowl, featuring Iowa State vs. Memphis, comes in at number 19.

Blind Bear specials for this week:

• Tony’s famous cactus chili – Cactus, ground beef, diced tomatoes, onions, corn, Northern beans, spinach, rich broth with a kick; just the right amount of spice – cup 6, bowl 10
• Cajun chicken Alfredo – fettuccini noodles tossed in house-made Alfredo sauce topped with pan-seared Cajun chicken breast, green onions, and tomatoes; with garlic Texas toast – 18
• Peach cobbler – sweet tender peaches in a flaky golden crust topped with Margie’s 901 vanilla bean ice cream – 8

McKinney Wright pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in the 2018 shooting of Memphis Chamber CEO Phil Trenary as Trenary was walking home from Loflin Yard. Wright will get 25 years without parole with credit for time served.

The Cornelia Crenshaw branch library will have holiday treats noon to 2 Saturday. Cocoa, treats, crafts, story time, photos with Santa (bring your smartphone or camera). 531 Vance.

Today is Light Up a Life Day… oooh… “You Light Up My Life” would make a great song to sing at Wednesday night karaoke at Blind Bear… here’s a video with lyrics.

Daaaang are we witnessing the fall of Christian Brothers University? This DM premium article indicates the school will lay off about 30 faculty members this week in an effort to balance the books. The university announced earlier this fall that it’s looking to cut $4 million. It sounds like even tenured faculty – normally close to untouchable – could be on the chopping block.

Memphis Crisis Center seeks a call center representative.

Force Dance comes to the Renasant Convention Center Friday-Sunday.

There’s a Downtown Beer Runners group departing from the Downtown Wiseacre taproom tonight at 6:30. 3-mile run then post-run beers.

DJ Flame spins hip-hop this Friday at Eight & Sand Lounge in Central Station Hotel.

Random thought: If Montgomery, Alabama has a college football bowl game, why doesn’t Little Rock have one? They’re both state capitals. Little Rock has the edge in city population (204,405 to 200,603) and in metro population (748,031 to 386,047). Montgomery has better December weather (avg. 61/39) but Little Rock’s (avg. 53/33) is similar to Memphis which has the Liberty Bowl.

Today’s specials at Bardog:

• Carne asada street tacos – onion, cilantro, salsa, corn tortillas – $18
• Salisbury steak – mushroom & onion gravy. With squash, zucchini, snd msc & cheese – $19
• Soup: Crawfish bisque
• Dog: Onions, pickles, tomato, mustard, ketchup
• Mussels: Garlic butter, white wine, tomato
• Pecan pie
• Tiramisu

That’s it for this morning. Back soon with more news.

The Liberty Bowl will be played in Memphis on Friday, December 29 at 2:30 PM, with a television broadcast on ESPN. The Liberty Bowl’s contractual affiliation is

Big 12 vs. SEC

It has some latitude and can pick (I think I have this approximately right) anywhere from the 3rd- to 8th-place finisher in those conferences. That allows the bowl to select a good matchup that will intrigue traveling fans of the two invited schools as well as local football fans.

Given who was available, the Big 12 pick was pretty obvious:

Iowa State Cyclones vs. SEC

The Iowa State Cyclones are 7-5 (6-3 in conference) with a recent win over ranked Kansas State. Iowa State fans have traveled very well to previous Liberty Bowls and are known to love Memphis as a travel destination.

The “SEC” side of the equation was a bit murkier. Mississippi State, Arkansas, Florida, South Carolina, and Vanderbilt failed to win the requisite 6 games to be invited to a bowl game. That left the SEC unable to fulfill all of its contractual obligations, including its obligation to the Liberty Bowl.

So the Liberty Bowl became

Iowa State Cyclones vs. At-large

Now it was up to the folks at the Liberty Bowl to find a team that would match up well with I-State and which would appeal to the local audience and sell plenty of tickets. Presenting the lineup for the 2023 Liberty Bowl:

Iowa State Cyclones vs. Memphis Tigers

This is fantastic news for Memphis… and yet not the best news for the Downtown Memphis economy. This year we’ll have one team’s fans staying in Downtown hotels, eating in Downtown restaurants, rather than two.

Let’s embrace the Iowa State fans who will be coming to Memphis – show them a good time, point out our favorite spots that they might otherwise miss. Maybe we can convince some of them to extend their stay until New Year’s.

Other bowl games of interest:

• December 23: Camellia Bowl, Montgomery, AL: Arkansas State vs. Northern Illinois, 11:00 AM, ESPN
• December 29: Cotton Bowl, Arlington, TX, Ohio State vs. Missouri, 7:00 PM, ESPN
• December 30: Peach Bowl, Atlanta, Penn State vs. Ole Miss, 11:00 AM, ESPN
• December 30: Music City Bowl, Nashville, Auburn vs. Maryland, 1:00 PM, ABC
• December 30: Orange Bowl, Miami Gardens, FL, Florida State vs. Georgia, 3:00 PM, ESPN
• January 1: ReliaQuest Bowl, Tampa, LSU vs. Wisconsin, 11:00 AM, ESPN2
• January 1: Fiesta Bowl, Glendale, AZ, Oregon vs. Liberty (Group of Five representative), noon, ESPN
• January 1: Citrus Bowl, Orlando, Iowa vs. Tennessee, noon, ABC

It’s National Cookie Day. You can celebrate with a visit to Makeda’s at 301 Jefferson. Or you could visit Butterific Bakery & Cafe at 488 S. Second. Or the pastry shop inside the Peabody. Or Insomnia Cookies on Beale.

Travel South International Showcase comes to the Renasant Convention Center today through Thursday.

Trans-Siberian Orchestra comes to FedExForum Thursday, December 14.

Eight & Sand Lounge in Central Station Hotel will be closed for a private event Wednesday, December 6.

Westy’s celebrates its 40th anniversary this coming weekend.

The annual Memphis holiday parade rolls down Beale Street from 2:00 to 3:30 PM Saturday.

Streetdog Foundation hosts Sippin’ with Santa Paws this Saturday at Loflin Yard. Silent auction, drink specials, dog costume contest, adoptable dogs, photos with Santa Paws. This event will be held in the heated Carriage House.

On Sunday there will be a gingerbread decorating party at Loflin Yard.

Old Dominick Distillery will hold a Speakeasy Soiree Tuesday evening to celebrate the 90th anniversary of Prohibition’s repeal.

There will be a holiday bazaar in Tom Lee Park Saturday and Sunday. It’s free to the public and there will be a free Double Dutch Aerobics class Saturday 10-11 and Sunday 2-3.

Bardog news:

Today’s specials at Bardog:

• Fried chicken sandwich with lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles, cheddar, bacon, BBQ – $17
• Grilled salmon penne in a Tuscan butter cream sauce – $19
• Soup: Crawfish bisque
• Dog: Peppers, onions, ketchup, mustard, bacon
• Mussels: Garlic butter, white wine, tomato
• Pecan pie
• Tiramisu

That’ll do it for now. Back tomorrow probably.

Let’s take a look at Memphis basketball on TV in the next 7 days:

• Memphis Grizzlies away at Detroit Pistons, 6:00 PM Wednesday. TV: Bally Sports
• Memphis Tigers away at VCU, 6:00 PM Wednesday. TV: ESPNU
• Memphis Grizzlies home vs. Minnesota Timberwolves, 7:00 PM Friday. TV: Bally Sports. Tickets
• Memphis Tigers away at 14 Texas A&M, 3:30 PM next Sunday. TV: ESPN2

The week is a little slow for basketball due to the NBA in-season tournament knockout stage and final exam week at universities.

The College Football Playoff lineup has been revealed:

• 1 Michigan vs. 4 Alabama (Rose Bowl, January 1)
• 2 Washington vs. 3 Texas (Sugar Bowl, January 1)

Florida State was left out despite being undefeated and a conference champion. Georgia was left out after having a stellar year in which its only loss came to the #8-ranked team in the country.

Now it’s being reported that top-two left-outs Florida State and Georgia will meet in the Orange Bowl.

Today is National Apple Pie Day. I recommend you celebrate with some apple pie moonshine from Ole Smoky. Bardog and Blind Bear carry it.

Today is also National Green Bean Casserole Day.

The founder of Downtown’s biotech Hera Health Solutions has made the Forbes 30 under 30 list. Memphis health tech accelerator ZeroTo510 played a big part in Hera’s growth.

Seth Henigan will be back as Memphis Tigers quarterback for the 2023-24 season.

Yesterday’s St. Jude Marathon raised $15 million, a new record.

Real estate developer Henry Turley is retiring.

One of those three cool-looking cottages at the corner of Mulberry and Talbot is for rent.

The Moxy Hotel hosts Christmas Music Bingo Monday night.

By the way, the Moxy is looking for a Hotel Operations Manager.

And the city is looking to hire a court clerk. (appointed position, $173k per year)

Archer Malmo seeks a marketing analyst.

In some professions, a 33% success rate is good enough to be recognized as the person of the year.

My friends Luke & Sheryll just dropped off 7 cans of PBR left over from their wedding, so I’m about to head home, pop one open, and turn on the TV. DRUNK LOVE BOAT!!! Mickey Rooney is a guest on today’s Christmas-themed episode. After that I’ll head back out to Butt Slut #1’s bar in Bardog’s Underdog Room. Back tomorrow with more news.

Couple of last-minute items came in:

Virtual golf bar Birdie’s  at 495 S. Main will offer 50% off golf all weekend when you show your St. Jude race credentials. The HERO World Challenge will be on TV for all you St. Jude Heroes to watch.

The Blind Bear has added a fettuccine chicken Alfredo special for those looking to carb up tonight:

The previous post has a complete list of things happening Downtown this weekend for the marathon, holidays, and conference championships.

This isn’t a Downtown event, but it’s Downtown-related and worth a Lyft or Uber: The Memphis Listening Lab at Crosstown Concourse will host a free listening party for the Orpheum’s new album featuring its Wurlitzer organ. There will be copies of the album for sale, refreshments, and a conversation with the group who produced the album. Wednesday, December 6 from 6:30 to 8:30 PM.

Random fact I learned this weekend: Your head is slightly older than your feet

The Downtown YMCA seeks a membership coordinator.

The Blind Bear is having a piano request show with Adam Heart at 10 tonight (Friday). These shows are a lot of fun and I think they’ll have a good crowd tonight. I don’t normally reveal Bear door passwords on my blog, but tonight’s involves a particularly fabulous person, so I’ll make an exception: Tell them “Sharmin sent me” to get in without paying cover. Happy birthday Sharmin!

That’s all. As I explained earlier, I will probably take a day off from blogging tomorrow.

Most likely I will be out watching the St. Jude Marathon runners tomorrow and won’t have time to post anything. So this will be the Friday-Saturday news roundup and I’ll plan on being back on Sunday.

Today is Bartender Appreciation Day.

Hop on a bus or trolley and sit any place you please. Today is Rosa Parks Day.

And it’s National Christmas Lights Day.

As for Saturday, that’s Business of Popping Corn Day. Go to Momma’s on Crump Blvd. and sample the output of their new popcorn machine. According to Facebook and Google Maps, Momma’s is open all the way until 3 AM tonight and Saturday night. You never know who you might run into there at 2:45!

Saturday is also National Mutt Day.

Memphis Tigers signee Mikey Williams reached a plea deal yesterday on charges of making a threat with a gun in a San Diego suburb. Williams has a chance to avoid prison time and get back on the court.

Work is underway to bring the 100 N. Main building, Memphis’ tallest, back to life.

A white Ford Mustang was involved in several Downtown robberies minutes apart Wednesday night. The Mustang was said to be a convertible with California plates.

An event called Skincare & Chill comes to 70 S. Front on Saturday, December 16. Gift bags for the first 10 attendees. Light refreshments will be provided. Complimentary skincare analysis.

The Grizzlies play Dallas tonight at 6:30 on Bally Sports.

Bardog specials today:

• Cheese & jalapeno burger – Texas toast, cheese sauce, jalapeno, home fries – $18
• Blackened red snapper – mashed potatoes, zucchini, squash – $19
• Soup: Cream of mushroom
• Dog: Peppers, onions, ketchup, mustard, bacon
• Mussels: Garlic butter, white wine, tomato
• Pecan pie
• Pumpkin cheesecake

The Orpheum seeks a manager of housekeeping operations.

MICAH (Memphis Interfaith Coalition of Action and Hope) seeks a community organizer.

Memphis Crisis Center seeks a volunteer coordinator to work Thursday noon to 7 AM Monday. The position is 50% remote/availability as needed. The hours are not flexible.

The crisis center also seeks an operations manager.

Grind City Brewing Co. seeks a marketing director.

Ibis has front of house positions open – servers, bartenders, hosts.

Bishop, the French restaurant in Central Station Hotel, is looking for a bartender. They also seek an AM/PM server.

Hip-hop DJ and producer DJ Evil Dee plays Eight & Sand Lounge at Central Station Hotel tonight.

Greg Cartwright and Amy Dee play Eight & Sand Saturday night. The lounge is rockin’ the double Dees this weekend.

RIP Sandra Day O’Connor, the first female justice on the U.S. Supreme Court.

There’s a special report on (interfering with my Price Is Right watching) that George Santos has been expelled from Congress, shrinking the Republicans’ 9-seat majority in the House. An ethics report said Santos “blatantly stole from his own campaign.”

OK good, The Price Is Right is on now. A contestant just won a Chevy Equinox SUV on the Any Number game.

Hmmm what would the worst Price Is Right Showcase ever look like?

• A karaoke machine
• A trip to Knoxville including Vols tickets
• A boat

Don’t forget the Friday-Saturday CARB UP special at Local on Main:

Roasted veggie pasta in a lemon pepper cream sauce for $12. Add chicken or shrimp for $5 more.

Updated list of specials & opening times for Saturday / marathon weekend

Aldo’s Pizza Pies, Bardog, Momma’s, and Slider Inn will have 20% off food for runners Thursday-Saturday.

The Brass Door will open at 6:30 AM and food service will begin at 8 AM.

Wiseacre Downtown will open at 7 AM Saturday with breakfast burritos, French toast, and fruit yogurt parfaits, then over to pizza by the slice by Little Bettie Kitchen at 11. They’ll release Lightning in All, a dry-hopped pale ale brewed for the marathon. 20% off all beer tabs with your race bib.

Arcade Restaurant opens at 7 AM (regular opening time, not a special early opening).

King & Union Bar Grocery opens at 7 AM (regular opening time, not a special early opening).

Sugar Grits opens at 7 AM (regular opening time, not a special early opening).

Sunrise opens at 7 AM (regular opening time, not a special early opening).

Bardog will open at 8 AM with Melissa and Allie Cat bartending.

Local on Main is shooting for a 8 AM opening and will have an IV recovery station for runners. $1 off drafts for runners Fri-Sat. $12 roasted veggie pasta in a lemon cream sauce; add chicken or shrimp for $5 more.

Silly Goose will open at 9 AM.

Automatic Slim’s opens at 9 AM (regular opening time, not a special early opening).

The Stumbling Santa pub crawl commences at Flying Saucer at 7 PM. Bring a toy for the kids of Porter-Leath and dress as Santa or your favorite Christmas character. Be prepared to stumble from bar to bar in the Downtown core and on Beale Street.

Blind Bear has their Prohibition Repeal party Saturday starting about 8 PM. Food and drink specials. DJ Tree at 10. Gangster or flapper attire recommended but not required. A photographer will be there, so come get your picture on the wall.

It’s possible, but not likely, I will be back before Sunday with more news. Good luck and good vibes to all the runners.

I was going to list a bunch of road closures for Friday-Saturday for the St. Jude Marathon and try to offer advice on the best routes to take in and out of Downtown. However, it looks like MPD has even better advice – download the Waze app. Marathon organizers and MPD have partnered with Waze to bring drivers up-to-the-minute traffic and routing information.

RIP Henry Kissinger. The retired National Security Advisor and Secretary of State was 100. Kissinger was a 1973 recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize.

Clouds increase this morning ahead of the arrival of showers after 3pm, which become heavy at times tonight. South wind near 10 mph also increases to 20-30 mph this evening, so secure that outdoor Christmas decor! Temps rise from near 40 to near 60 today. pic.twitter.com/Odkfqop1Rz

— MemphisWeather.net (@memphisweather1) November 30, 2023

Bardog specials today:

•  Chimichurri flat iron steak & home fries – 22
•  Korean BBQ pig wings with mac & cheese – 18
• Soup: Cream of mushroom
• Dog: Peppers, onions, ketchup, mustard, bacon
• Mussels: Garlic butter, white wine, tomato
• Pecan pie
• Pumpkin cheesecake

UGH Blind Bear will host a Tennessee Vols happy hour Wednesday, December 6.

That’s it for now. I posted a BUNCH more Thursday news about 1:00 this morning, so if you haven’t seen it, keep scrolling.

My friends Dennis and Mary Pat messaged me to let me know they’ll be in town this weekend to run the St. Jude Marathon. They are a super cool couple who always made sure I had my New Year’s black-eyed peas and collard greens when they lived in Memphis. They’re super cool for another reason too: Running the marathon isn’t the only way they support the children’s hospital.

About 5 years ago, Dennis & Mary Pat flew to East Africa and hiked Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania to raise money for St. Jude.

And you can too.

There’s a company called Embark Exploration that books adventures where you can hike the world and save lives. Embark has released its 2024 trip itineraries and you can follow in Dennis & Mary Pat’s footsteps:

• Macchu Pichu, Peru, September 2-10, minimum fundraising commitment to St. Jude $12,000
• Continental Divide, Colorado, September 16-21, minimum commitment $12,000
• Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania, October 12-22, minimum commitment $32,000

The Grizzlies WON A GAME last night and looked dominant for just about the first time this season. Memphis 105, Utah 91.

There are still seats open for the Bubbles Around the World dinner at the Peabody on Thursday, December 7. From the hotel’s website:

Champagne, Prosecco, Cava and some sparkling surprises, cheers to the season of celebrations with a curated selection of sparkling wines served alongside an elegant 4-course dinner in Chez Philippe.

The evening will begin with a welcome reception and cocktail. Then, the evening will progress into a 4-course dinner created by Chef de Cuisine, Keith Clinton and Executive Pastry Chef, Konrad Spitzbart. Each course is paired with a sparkling wine from around the world.

My friend Ashleigh says the pistachio cake at Curfew is the best in the world. Just thought I’d pass along that recommendation. Also, yesterday I learned that “your hair looks super frizzy today” will never be taken as a compliment, even if you mean it as one.

Bobby Petrino is back with the Arkansas football program, having been hired this week as offensive coordinator. Heir apparent to the head coaching job if Sam Pittman gets fired next season, I bet.

The Memphis Redbirds are hiring an assistant groundskeeper.

St. Jude seeks an HR communications specialist.

Today is National Meth Awareness Day. Book rec: Tweak by Nic Sheff. It’s a very well-written account by a former addict.

It’s also National Personal Space Day, a holiday I’m a big fan of.

Tonight at Momma’s, there’s a Ladies Night DJ set with BassVentura. Ladies get 20% off, dine-in only.

Blind Bear now carries Happy Dad seltzer, grape and fruit punch flavors. The seltzers are 5% ABV and have electrolytes.

Memphis Interfaith Coalition of Action and Hope is hiring a community organizer.

Peoples, the pool hall on Beale Street, has a free pool happy hour weekdays from 4 to 7.

The Broom Closet on South Main has a Witch Ball Crafting Event on Saturday at 2. The cost includes all supplies needed to create your own personalized witch ball as well as snacks and cider. It’s recommended that you reserve your seat in advance because space is limited.

Check out the 2023 St. Jude Marathon spectator guide if you plan on getting out to watch the runners Saturday.

Cordelia’s Market will host a holiday vendor tasting Wednesday, December 6 from 6 to 8 PM. More than 20 vendors will be on hand with offerings for you to sample. Festive accordion tunes by Aaron Brame.

There’s drag queen bingo at the MOXY Memphis hotel featuring Moth Moth Moth tonight from 7 to 9.

All right, let’s update the list: Bars/restaurants doing something special on Saturday / St. Jude Marathon weekend – version 2.0

Aldo’s Pizza Pies, Bardog, Momma’s, and Slider Inn will have 20% off food for runners Thursday-Saturday.

Wiseacre Downtown will open at 7 AM Saturday with breakfast burritos, French toast, and fruit yogurt parfaits, then switch over to pizza by the slice by Little Bettie Kitchen at 11. They’ll release Lightning in All, a dry-hopped pale ale brewed for the marathon. 20% off all beer tabs with your race bib.

Arcade Restaurant opens at 7 AM (regular opening time, not a special early opening).

King & Union Bar Grocery opens at 7 AM (regular opening time, not a special early opening).

Sugar Grits opens at 7 AM (regular opening time, not a special early opening).

Sunrise opens at 7 AM (regular opening time, not a special early opening).

Bardog will open at 8 AM with Melissa and Allie Cat bartending.

Local on Main is shooting for a 9 AM opening and will have an IV recovery station for runners.

Silly Goose will open at 9 AM.

Automatic Slim’s opens at 9 AM (regular opening time, not a special early opening).

The Stumbling Santa pub crawl commences at Flying Saucer at 7 PM. Bring a toy for the kids of Porter-Leath and dress as Santa or your favorite Christmas character. Be prepared to stumble from bar to bar in the Downtown core and on Beale Street.

Blind Bear has their Prohibition Repeal party Saturday starting about 8 PM. Food and drink specials. DJ Tree at 10. Gangster or flapper attire recommended but not required. A photographer will be there, so come get your picture on the wall.

I may update the list one more time Friday. We’ll see.

And a “Thursday update #2” is likely around noon today, It’s currently about 1 AM as I publish this, so who knows, overnight news could come up.

Yesterday I was at my usual happy hour spot when an influx of Fancy’s Fish House employees arrived. They’d had a mid-afternoon meeting. Unfortunately, the subject of that meeting was, “You don’t have a job anymore.”

Their Facebook page says that Fancy’s isn’t gone for good; they’ve just “Gone Fishin’ for a change of scenery,” and that they’ll be back in 2024 with “a new outlook.” I wonder what that means? Redecoration? Renovation? Relocation? One thing it does mean is that its employees are without jobs 4 weeks before Christmas. That sucks.

Former Fancy’s employees: jobs4tn.gov has info on filing unemployment claims.

The seafood restaurant has only been open a year and 7 months. That seems awful soon to make changes big enough that all the employees have to be laid off for a while.

Okay, now the DM has clarification. Fancy’s is closing to prepare for a new concept, apparently requested by fine dining restaurant Amelia Gene which recently opened nearby.

Tickets are still available for Bardog’s upcoming beer dinner, to be held Wednesday, December 6 downstairs in the Underdog Room. It’s a collaboration with Broad Avenue’s own Hampline Brewing. The five courses feature full 8 oz. pours each – not the little dribbles you get at most beer dinners.

Starter�Tuna Carpaccio w/ Handlebar Haze New England IPA

First Course�Asparagus Bisque w/ Natch Lager

Second Course�Beet Salad w/ Cherry Bomb Cherry Amaretto Gose

Third Course�Beef Wellington w/ Hoot & Haller Pilsner

Dessert �Pumpkin Cheesecake w/ Dunk Tank Oktoberfest

Memphis in May CEO Jim Holt will retire in January. I don’t blame Holt for wanting to step away from the Tom Lee Park controversy. At 65, he’s of typical retirement age. Why would he want to spend extra years of his work life stressing out over that mess?

As a 13-year veteran of two BBQ teams, Jim, I’d like to thank you for all you’ve done. I’ve spent many a happy day on the river because of your efforts. I appreciate it, sir. I hope there’s a beach or a fishing boat or whatever your happy place is in 2024.

Here’s a look at Tony’s Pot Roast which is a special at Blind Bear this week.

That’s a cup of au jus on the left and it’s perfect for dipping the beef, the new potatoes, the dinner roll… even the green beans.

Today is The Customer Is Wrong Day. I recommend you celebrate at a restaurant with a glass of water, some lemons, and lots of sugar packets. Bonus points if you sneak a bottle of cheap vodka in your coat pocket.

Today is also National Chocolates Day. My recommendation would be Dinstuhl’s on the Main Street Mall just north of Peabody Place. Check out their assorted chocolates and chocolate bars.

Your kids will be able to design thank-you notes to Santa at Cordelia’s Market on Saturday, December 9.

The CA has an analysis of why the Liberty Bowl is still a possible postseason destination for the Memphis Tigers.

I took a quiz yesterday to learn my preferred whiskey flavor profile. Apparently I like “creamy, buttery” whiskeys such as Mortlach 16 or 20 (single malt) or Old Port 18 (blend). Other flavors I like are fruity, spicy, smoky, malty, and fresh.

Ben-Yay’s now has Cajun butter wings. Hat tip to the restaurant’s neighbor, Cristina of Feast & Graze, for posting about them on Facebook.

Grizzlies vs. Utah, 7 PM tonight, FedExForum.

The Memphis Flyer has a ramen roundup. It comes with news about South Main’s very own Good Fortune Co.: Birria dumplings will appear on a revised menu soon.

RIP Charlie Munger.  The investing guru, who lived to be 99, was Warren Buffett’s business partner.

Eternal Sunset: View a sunset somewhere in the world no matter the time of day where you are.

Happy 74th to The King, Jerry Lawler.

Bardog specials today:

• Pesto salmon over vegetable spaghetti – $19
• Grilled Buffalo chicken wrap – $17
• Soup: Crawfish bisque
• Dog: Peppers, onions, ketchup, mustard, bacon
• Mussels: Garlic butter, white wine, tomato
• Pecan pie
• Pumpkin cheesecake

Local on Main special today:

Parmesan-crusted chicken, grilled then finished in the oven, with sauteed vegetables.

Let’s have a look at college football games of interest to Memphians this weekend:

Friday

• 5 Oregon vs. 3 Washington, Pac-12 championship, Las Vegas, 7:00 PM, ABC. Winner likely punches their ticket to the CFP semis; loser likely misses out on the semis but gets a New Year’s Six bowl appearance.

Saturday

• 18 Oklahoma State vs. 7 Texas, Big 12 championship, Arlington, TX, 11:00 AM, ABC. Texas could make the CFP semis with a decisive win and help from Alabama, Iowa, Louisville, and/or Jesus.
• 1 Georgia vs. 8 Alabama, SEC championship, Atlanta, 3:00 PM, CBS. Bama is probably in with a win. The Dawgs are probably in with a two-touchdown loss or better.
• SMU at 22 Tulane, AAC championship, New Orleans, 3:00 PM, ABC. Tulane likely clinches the Group of Five New Year’s Six bowl berth with a win.
• 2 Michigan vs. 16 Iowa, Big Ten championship, 7:00 PM, FOX. Michigan is in the CFP semis with a win or a competitive loss.
• 14 Louisville vs. 4 Florida State, ACC championship, Charlotte, 7:00 PM, ABC. Florida State needs to win to get in, and they need to root for teams ranked slightly lower (Oregon, Texas, Alabama) to lose.

The Peabody has extended its Cyber Monday deal through midnight tonight. Book a stay between now and March 31 online – no coupon code needed – and get a discount of 40% off the Best Available Rate.

Bishop is hiring a dishwasher.

Leanne Morgan brings stand-up comedy to the Orpheum on her Just Getting Started Tour Saturday and Sunday. There’s an afternoon and an evening show each day. $35.75-$59.75.

400 tourism professionals will come to the Renasant Convention Center next week for Travel South International Showcase 2023.

The new Flame Ramen location on Second just north of Union (former Subway location) is open.

Sitting at Bardog typing this. The Captain just played Willie Nelson’s “City of New Orleans” on the jukebox. The Captain has better taste in county music than many Downtown bartenders. We need more classic country and less boot-scootin’, shit-kickin’ music. The 1980s were the decade when it all went down the drain. At the beginning of the ’80s, Willie, Dolly, and Kenny were the biggest stars. By the end, you had Garth Brooks.

Bardog specials today:

• Hamburger steak with mushroom, onion, brown gravy, mashed potatoes, asparagus – 19
• Shrimp pasta with bell peppers and mushrooms over spaghetti with garlic butter sauce – 19
• Soup: Crawfish bisque
• Dog: Bacon, onions, BBQ sauce
• Mussels: Garlic butter, white wine, tomato
• Pecan pie
• Pumpkin cheesecake

All right. I said I’d wait until Thursday or Friday to post this, but let’s go ahead and get a first draft up:

Downtown restaurants/bars doing something special for Saturday / St. Jude Marathon weekend

Aldo’s Pizza Pies, Bardog, Momma’s, and Slider Inn will have 20% off food for runners Thursday-Saturday.

Arcade Restaurant opens at 7 AM (regular opening time, not a special early opening).

King & Union Bar Grocery opens at 7 AM (regular opening time, not a special early opening).

Sugar Grits opens at 7 AM (regular opening time, not a special early opening).

Sunrise opens at 7 AM (regular opening time, not a special early opening).

Bardog will open at 8 AM with Melissa and Allie Cat bartending.

Silly Goose will open at 9 AM.

Automatic Slim’s opens at 9 AM (regular opening time, not a special early opening).

The Stumbling Santa pub crawl commences at Flying Saucer at 7 PM. Bring a toy for the kids of Porter-Leath and dress as Santa or your favorite Christmas character. Be prepared to stumble from bar to bar in the Downtown core and on Beale Street.

Blind Bear has their Prohibition Repeal party Saturday starting about 8 PM. Food and drink specials. DJ Tree at 10. Gangster or flapper attire recommended but not required. A photographer will be there, so come get your picture on the wall.

Got an addition to the list? Email me at paul.ryburn@gmail.com or hit me up on Facebook Messenger.

That’s it for now. This is my second post today. Keep scrolling for a review of Redneck Trivia at Momma’s and a lot more Tuesday news.

I attended Redneck Trivia at Momma’s, “the diner & dive off 55,” last night and had a BLAST!!! So much fun!

There were six rounds of 5 questions + a bonus, each question worth one point apiece. Each round  had a theme; themes included “the NFL,” “the Civil War,” “Tennessee whiskey,” and “famous Memphis rednecks.” A couple of Memphis redneck question examples:

• Which professional wrestling manager is known as “The Mouth of the South”? A: Jimmy Hart
• George Barnes was an American gangster better known as whom? A: Machine Gun Kelly

I was invited to join an existing team by my former student Zach, whose team would be missing several members this week, including a certain someone who thinks New Hampshire is the CAPITAL CITY of West Virginia. Yet the teammates who did show up were all familiar faces: In addition to Zach, they included Jack and Leslie from Bardog, Kelly from Blind Bear, and Butt Slut #1. I was the only team member who’d never bartended professionally, making me a liability in the “Tennessee Whiskey” round.

There were opportunities to earn bonus points.

At halftime (following round 3 out of 6), teams could get on stage and sing group country music karaoke to earn an extra point. I refused to get on stage with my team, because hell no.

After the 6th round teams could arm wrestle for 2 extra points, but only if both teams agreed to participate. Last night our opponents didn’t need the points and wisely refused. So our two girls arm-wrestled each other.

Overall, a very fun experience and my first trip to Momma’s in more than 3 years. I would gladly go back and expressed that to my teammates, and also to the trivia host.

Oh yeah, here’s a pic of that new popcorn machine at Momma’s:

Penny Hardaway’s Memphis Tigers remain unranked in this week’s AP Top 25 poll. Memphis received 108 points in this week’s voting, a mere 12 points behind number-25 Oklahoma. The team’s gotta go out and show that their awful performance vs. Villanova was a fluke.

But, one piece of good news in the Top 25… new American Conference foe FAU climbed 6 spots to 13th this week. If they stay on that trajectory, that’ll give the Tigers opportunities for quality wins on February 25 and March 9. Go Owls… as long as you’re not playing Memphis.

The Tigers also have an opportunity for a quality road win vs. 14 Texas A&M on Sunday, December 10.

Today is National French Toast Day.

It’s also Turkey Leftover Day.

And of course, it’s Giving Tuesday, a good day to drop a few dollars on your favorite nonprofit. I recommend Hospitality Hub as an organization that does a lot of good work in Downtown Memphis and is worthy of your support.

There are people passing very sophisticated counterfeit bills in Downtown Memphis. Be unusually wary of anyone making a purchase of only a few dollars and paying for it with a 50 or 100. I’ve heard these fakes even have watermarks and “the stripe” and you have to use a special pen to check them.

Contemporary art gallery Sheet Cake Gallery will have its grand opening Friday, December 1 from 6 to 8 PM at 405 Monroe.

St. Jude has a Business Analyst I or II position open.

It’s Fire Pit Friday at Tom Lee Park this Friday, December 1, from 4:30 to 6:30 PM. Free s’mores at the First Horizon River Lounge. Hot chocolate available from vendors. More Fire Pit Fridays on the 8th, 15th, and 22nd.

Also this Friday, you can get your picture with Santa for free on Beale Street from 5 to 7 PM.

The Metal Museum will have a Holiday Artists’ Market this Saturday.

Gia Welch and JD Westmoreland play The Central BBQ Sessions at Downtown Central BBQ this Saturday.

Blind Bear specials for this week:

• Turkey & dumplings – Turkey breast and leg meat, celery, onion, thyme, house-made dumplings – cup 6/bowl 10
• Slow roasted pot roast – Baby red potatoes, carrots, onions, bell peppers, celery; served with sauteed green beans and a dinner roll – 18
• Sweet potato pie – Sweet potatoes, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger with a golden, flaky crust and whipped cream

Turkey & dumplings. Flavor was perfect and there were plenty of big hunks of meat.

BONUS BLIND BEAR PRO TIP: The Bear is currently fire-saling Ole Smoky peppermint moonshine, which I believe is around 100 proof, for $3. So next time you’re tempted to order a shot of Rumple Minze, realize you could get something similar (and better) for less than half the price.

This Saturday is the Bear’s Repeal Day Celebration in observance of the 90th anniversary of the repeal of Prohibition. Dress in your best gangster or flapper attire – or don’t, it’s all good. Food & drink specials. DJ Tree at 10.

Back to the trivia night I attended last night at Momma’s. I can’t believe I am about to admit this but…

I am so proud of Butt Slut #1.

From 2005 to about 2013, I served as captain/secretary of a large trivia team at the Saucer. Just getting everyone to listen to the question is a lot. Then you have to round up potential answers and how sure each member is of their proposed answer. You also have to ensure that the more outspoken people don’t drown out other, quieter, team members who might have the actual correct answer.

Butt Slut #1 handled all that near-perfectly last night. It’s not an easy thing to do. We lost 32-30 but it would have been more like 32-17 without her guiding the team.

All right. We’re coming up on 1:00 Tuesday morning as I type this. Gonna go ahead and hit Publish. If more news comes out in the morning, I’ll do a second Tuesday post.