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I want to give a shout-out to The Parish, a restaurant in Hernando that brought dinner to the Union Mission on Monday. Chicken & dumplings, cornbread, green beans, field peas, and homemade chocolate chip cookies. Man that was delicious! Check The Parish out the next time you’re in North Mississippi.

RIP John Amos. He played James on one of my favorite sitcoms of all time, Good Times. You can watch episodes on Pluto TV for free. It ran from 1974 to 1979 and was about a family living in a housing project in the south side of Chicago.

Memphis Flyway observation deck Is coming to Tom Lee Park. It’ll let you see waterfowl up close.

Memphis Animal Services is offering free adoptions through the 15th.

Today is National Soft Taco.Day.

The Grizzlies seek a youth basketball camp coach.

Composed on my phone. Apologies for typos or weird formatting.

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Comedian Joe Gatto (who you may remember from the TV show Impractical Jokers) performs at the Orpheum Thursday. Gatto’s show is called “Let’s Get Into It” and features all-new material. Tickets are $39.75-$59.75. Bardog is giving away some tickets to the show; check their social media for info on a chance to win.

Congratulations to Central Station on being named the 2nd best hotel in the South in a Condé Nast Traveler survey. Brooklyn DJ Rivka Ruth will spin house music at the hotel Thursday from 7 to 11 PM.

What was the weather like on the day you were born? Find out here. Me: rainy and 62, which is typical Little Rock in mid-November.

Read a book, get a free personal pan pizza from Pizza Hut. Free food? Wonder if the Nuh-Uh Girl will read.

Let’s have a look at college football games of interest this Saturday:

• 9 Missouri at 25 Texas A&M, 11:00 AM, ABC
• Auburn at 5 Georgia, 2:30 PM, ABC
• 12 Ole Miss at South Carolina, 2:30 PM, ESPN
• 1 Alabama at Vanderbilt, 3:15 PM, SEC Network
• South Alabama at Arkansas State, 6:00 PM, ESPN+
• 4 Tennessee at Arkansas, 6:30 PM, ABC

Pretty boring schedule as many teams (including our Memphis Tigers) have a bye week. How sweet it will be if the Arkansas Razorbacks pull off an upset that keeps Tennessee out of the college football playoff. Don’t ever count out the Hogs at home.

City Council approved Mayor Young’s plan for the city to buy the Sheraton Hotel on North Main. The Sheraton is Memphis’ convention center hotel, but the rooms are not being kept up by current ownership. That’s been causing convention planners to look to other cities.

Get your pet blessed this Saturday between 10 and 11 AM in Court Square. Are the squirrels gonna get blessed too?

Heard some interesting Downtown gossip this morning that’s not bloggable yet. Maybe in a week or two. Back Thursday or Friday with more news.

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Happy birthday to the one and only Dani! Also a happy birthday to former president Jimmy Carter, who becomes the first commander in chief to hit 100.

JookinWarz presents Nightmare on Main Street Saturday, October 27 at the Rumba Room. 6-10 PM with prizes for best male and female Halloween costume.

The Flyer’s Michael Donahue has the info on Kellie’s Deli, a new restaurant coming to Tennessee Street.

Take this quiz to find out which country is best for you. I got Switzerland, Australia, and Canada.

The vice-presidential debate, Democrat Tim Walz vs. Republican J.D. Vance, is tonight. 8 PM CDT on CBS and Paramount.

RIP Pete Rose. “Charlie Hustle” was 83. He broke Ty Cobb’s record for most hits in the mid-1980s but later got banned from baseball for betting on games.

Also RIP Dikembe Mutombo. He was the NBA’s first global ambassador and a Hall of Famer.

Lots of light gray dress shirts, black slacks, and black polishable shoes on the Main Street Mall this morning… must be the annual AutoZone sales conference.

ABC 24 has highlights from the Grizzlies’ media day. The Grizzlies will have an open practice Sunday at noon at FedExForum.

Let’s hear it for trash pandas! Today is International Raccoon Appreciation Day.

The Grizzlies seek a coordinator of ticket operations.

Automatic Slim’s seeks daytime servers.

Raffle tickets are now on sale for the chance to win a hearse at Bardog on Halloween. 1 ticket for $2, 3 tickets for $5 – or buy a High Rise cannabis-infused seltzer and get a free ticket.

Memphis 901 FC is back home this Saturday vs. Oakland Roots SC. 7 PM.

Breakfast on Bellevue is a breakfast served at All Saints Presbyterian, 1177 Poplar, the first Saturday of every month- including this Saturday, October 5. It started as a homeless ministry but they now serve anyone who is hungry. 9:45 AM in the Young Life building.

Mahogany opens a location on Mud Island Wednesday.

That’s it for now. Probably back tomorrow with more news.

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The Miranda Lambert show scheduled for Saturday at AutoZone Park has been rescheduled due to inclement weather associated with Hurricane Helene. The new date is Saturday, May 24, 2025, with original tickets being honored then. Marty Stuart and Stephen Wilson Jr. will open the show.

Orchestra Noir presents the Y2K Meets ’90s Tour at the Orpheum tonight. The tour features R&B and hip-hop hits from those eras. Tickets are $49-$89.

Memphis Tigers AD Ed Scott outlined why a proposed move out of the AAC to the rebuilding Pac-12 was a bad deal. Tulane, South Florida, and UTSA were offered membership as well and they all declined. The fee Memphis would have to pay the AAC and the extensive travel that would be involved were cited as reasons.

Smoke could be seen rising from the south part of Downtown yesterday at lunchtime. The fire happened at a vehicle salvage yard near Webster Ave. and Hernando Rd.

Memphis Wrestling comes to the Ghost River taproom at Main and Crump the Saturday before Thanksgiving. There will be a VIP meet & greet prior to the show.

DJ Jay E plays Eight & Sand Lounge in Central Station Hotel tonight.

The second annual Podbox podcast festival happens at the Cossitt Library Saturday from 9 to 4.

That’s it for today. Back Monday or sooner (I hope) with more news.

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I’ll start this post with a trivia question for my fellow rasslin’ fans. Where was the last ECW show held? Meaning, when ECW was still an independent promotion, before the WWF acquired it. Answer at the end of this post. If you’re going with the obvious guess – Philadelphia – you’d be way wrong.

The Dallas Cowgirls take on the New York Giants tonight on Thursday Night Football, and Grind City Brewing Co. is the place to watch. Why, you ask? Because tonight and every Thursday, you get 50% off your tab if the over hits. The over/under was 44.5 as of this morning but could change by kickoff. Grind City’s taproom has 4 new TVs.

The Ja 2, Ja Morant’s second signature sneaker, officially releases today.

Did you know you can rent the second-floor performance space at the Cossitt Library? Rent the space for a half day or full day, and if you need food for your event, Chef Eli of Dos Hermanos Kitchen can cater.

Former Memphis Grizzly/Tiger Derrick Rose has announced his retirement.

It’s National Dumpling Day. Good Fortune Co. on South Main is the place to celebrate. Those crawfish dumplings with cream cheese sound delish!

Deals for law students at Bardog with a valid law school ID:

• 15% off lunch weekdays 11 AM-3 PM
• Thursdays in the Underdog 6 PM-midnight, $3 PBR and $5 wells

Any of my readers make fake IDs so I can get some of that $3 PBR?

Trivia answer: Pine Bluff, Arkansas

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Local on Main has a sign on the door saying it’s closed momentarily, and that in the meantime, you can go see your favorite crew members at Madison Tavern on Overton Square.

Memphis Medical District’s Taste of the District returns to Health Sciences Park from 4 to 6 PM October 1. Tickets are not free this year, but are very reasonably priced. Participating restaurants include

Airport City Executive Center Catering
Alcenia’s
Biscuits and Jams
Blessed By Nature
Chi Phi Food Truck
Feast and Graze
Flyway Brewery
French Truck
Guac Fresh Mex
Groovy Gratitude
Hard Times Deli
JEM Dining
K & B Smoothies
Matai’z Polynesian Grill
Muggin’ Coffeehouse
Nothing Bundt Cakes
Plant Based Heat
Playa Bowls
Poppz
Riko’s Kickin Chicken
Sabor Caribe
Slim and Husky’s
Sovereign Tea
Sunrise 901
Wonky’s Not So Famous Treats 

There will also be a DJ and live music from Grizzlies Prep.

The Grizzlies will retire Tony Allen’s number 9 jersey March 15. He’ll be the third member of the 2010s Core Four – after Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol – to receive that honor. The fourth member, Mike Conley, is still active.

Aldo’s Pizza Pies now has cauliflower crust as an option and it’s gluten free.

Pop-up concerts are being planned for Mud Island Amphitheater. The hope is to revive the performance space the way pop-events revived the Tennessee Brewery a decade ago.

’60s music group The Box Tops were recently honored with a Brass Note on Beale Street. Thomas Boggs, the late founder of Huey’s, was a member.

$5 million in upgrades are coming to AutoZone Park.

Expect heavy rain in Memphis on Friday as remnants of Hurricane Helene pass nearby.

It’s National Quesadilla Day.

Bill Maher: The WTF? Tour comes to the Orpheum this Saturday.

RIP Coca-Cola Spiced.

There will be a Grit Grind N’ Glow Run Series though Downtown Tuesdays in October. All levels, 2-mile run/walk, group photo at the end. The series is hosted by 901 Run Club and they’ll hand out glow bracelets.

Interesting betting opportunity I noticed this morning: 2 Georgia is favored by 2 points by sportsbooks in Saturday’s road game at 4 Alabama… but ESPN’s FPI has Bama at 66% to win. Are the bookies underrating the Crimson Tide?

That’s it for now. Rain may slow down my posting frequency for the rest of this week.

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The University of Memphis has announced it will remain in the AAC amid the rebirth of the Pac-12. Sigh… I get it, but it sucks to still be in a conference with bottom-feeders like Rice. Maybe the university declined the Pac-12 because they still think there’s a chance with the ACC or Big 12?

Looks like Utah State is going to the Pac-12, and maybe UNLV. That would give them the NCAA-minimum 8 schools.

Bardog has a new happy hour menu 5-7 PM weekdays:

• Shoestring fries 4/6
• Shrimp skewers 9
• Meatballs and chimichurri 7
• Pork and veggie egg rolls 9
• Pretzel and beer cheese dip 7
• Fried calamari half order 8
• Original Memphis slider 4
• Pablito slider (chorizo blend) 5
• Chicken tender slider 4
• Chicken parm slider 5
• “Girl Dinner” – shoestring fries, Caesar salad, dirty martini 20

I love it that they’re doing half orders of calamari. The full order is a lot of food – too much food for some people.

My friend Jenn had the Girl Dinner last night and raved about it.

Bardog also has a new late night menu 11 PM-1 AM every night:

• Original Memphis sliders 14
• Pablito sliders 16
• Chicken tender sliders 14
• Breakfast sliders 11
• Chicken tenders 16
• Quesadilla 9 with options to add protein
• Steak frites 30
• Shoestring fries 4/6

This is a menu that will be easy for the kitchen to execute when it gets busy in the late hours.

The CA has an inside look at new restaurant The Archives Bar & Bistro inside Hotel Napoleon at Madison and B.B. King Blvd.

Avatar: The Last Airbender in Concert comes to the Orpheum Wednesday.

Inland River Ports & Terminals has its annual conference at the Renasant Convention Center today through Thursday.

The Grizzlies have released veteran backup point guard Derrick Rose from his contract. The release reportedly came at Rose’s request and could open a regular roster spot for two-way PG Scottie Pippen Jr.

The DM reports that the City of Memphis wants to buy the Sheraton Hotel for $22 million. So said Mayor Young in an interview yesterday. It is not unusual for large cities to own convention center hotels.

Edible Memphis profiled Jessica and Nate Henssler recently. The couple moved here from Chicago in 2022. Nate is executive chef at Amelia Gene’s and Jessica is the restaurant’s general manager.

The CA looks at the career of country music star Miranda Lambert. She plays AutoZone Park Saturday, returning live music to the ballpark after more than a decade.

The CA lists the best places in Memphis to grab a non-alcoholic drink. Downtown restaurants include BarWare, Memphis Chess Club, Carolina Watershed, and Cocozza.

That’s the news for today. The formatting on this post may be weird because I started it on my phone. Back tomorrow with more.

It’s free to read this blog, but I gratefully accept tips! 
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Over the past week, several of my readers have noticed that the interior of the former Blind Bear space has been painted white. They have wondered if it’s a sign a new concept is getting ready to go into that space.

I tend to doubt it. I think the paint was merely a sprucing-up.

It’s much easier for commercial real estate agents to get potential lessees to envision their future business if the walls are a neutral color. If left all black, what could be imagined there besides a speakeasy? Maybe a goth nightclub or haunted house?

If I hear anything I’ll let you know. I’ll be honest with you, though, this is a rough time to open a bar that appeals to neighborhood local residents in the Downtown core. Rising costs have made it very hard to turn a profit, and attracting a crowd after 9 or so PM that doesn’t create more trouble than it’s worth is a real challenge.

One business that has reopened is New Orleans-style restaurant Ben-Yay’s. They are not on Main anymore; they are sharing a location with sibling restaurant Sugar Grits on Second near Gayoso. Yay’s is open noon to 9 PM Thursday through Sunday. Sugar Grits is open 8 AM-3 PM Monday-Friday and 8-4 Saturday and Sunday. At this point there’s not yet street-visible signage for Yay’s; you just have to know it’s in there.

Today is Great American Pot Pie Day. Wear your “CHICKENPOTPIE: Three Things I Love” T-shirt you bought at the Tennessee Brewery a decade ago to celebrate.

With Memphis and Northern Illinois both losing Saturday, Boise State moves into the driver’s seat for the Group of Five playoff spot. The Broncos entered this week’s AP poll at 25.

Let’s have a look at this coming Saturday’s games of interest:

• Kentucky at 6 Ole Miss, 11:00 AM, ABC
• 20 Oklahoma State at 23 Kansas State, 11:00 AM, ESPN
• Northern Illinois at NC State, 11:00 AM, The CW Network
• 15 Louisville at 16 Notre Dame, 2:30 PM, Peacock
• Arkansas at 24 Texas A&M, 2:30 PM, ESPN
• 21 Oklahoma at Auburn, 2:40 PM, ABC
• Mississippi State at 1 Texas, 3:15 PM, SEC Network
• 2 Georgia at 4 Alabama, 6:30 PM, ABC
• 19 Illinois at 9 Penn State, 6:30 PM, NBC
• Middle Tennessee at Memphis, 6:30 PM, ESPNU
• Washington State at Boise State, 9:00 PM, FS1

That’s all for now. Back tomorrow or Wednesday probably.

It’s free to read this blog, but I gratefully accept tips! 
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Just got several inches of hair chopped off by the fabulous Amanda at Gould’s at Main and Union. I feel great! Go see Amanda if you’re looking for someone to cut your hair. 

The Downtown Neighborhood Association will hold its September meeting on the 4th Wednesday evening of the month, the 25th, at Carolina Watershed. DNA members will enjoy free chicken from the new pop-up restaurant at the Watershed, Gangsta Fried Chicken, as well as one free beer or wine. City Council chairman J.B. Smiley will speak. There will be neighborhood news from President Jerred Price and Executive Director Luanne Yeley.

Dr. Johnny Fever: “I don’t know, Les… what do women want?”

Les Nessman: (thinks for a moment) “… TUPPERWARE!”

Well, they may not be able to get what they want much longer. Tupperware has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

Last night Shohei Ohtani of the L.A. Dodgers

• had 10 RBI in one night
• had 5 extra-base hits in one night
• became the first member of MLB’s 50-50 club, with 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases in one season

Today is National Fried Rice Day. Get the duck fried rice at SOB to celebrate.

Today is also National Pepperoni Pizza Day. Aldo’s Pizza Pies is the place to go.

The first 1500 at the Redbirds game tonight get a Lars Nootbar bobblehead. 7:05 first pitch.

You can now renew your passport online.

YogaSix Downtown hosts Puppy Yoga Sunday, September 29. YOGA!

Cordelia’s Market will hold its Oktoberfest Saturday at 4.

Aldo’s Pizza Pies weekend football specials

• Happy Hour prices 11 AM-4 PM
• $12 one-topping bar pies 11 AM-4 PM
• $20 pitchers all day
• $5 limoncello all day

The restaurant will pick up your tab (up to $20) when you dine at Aldo’s, Slider Inn, Momma’s, or Bardog between 6 and 10 PM on your birthday. I’m assuming booze is not included and you have to show proof of birthday.

Frankie Hollie with Taylor McManus, Clay and Donnie from Gasoline Lollipops, and Joe Johnson play South Main Sounds Saturday at 7.

New shops on Monroe just east of Front that are part of the Open on Main initiative:

• Champion’s Herbs – grand opening Sunday 1-4
• Ionia’s Closet – grand opening both days this weekend – small bites, giveaways, 20% discounts

We had a real treat at the Union Mission Wednesday evening. West Point Mennonite Church of east Mississippi came out to feed us and preach. They brought a delicious cheesy chicken and rice casserole with green beans, dinner rolls, and chocolate chip cupcakes.

They brought butter and grape jelly for the dinner rolls. We have bread with every meal at the Mission, but butter to put on it is rare – and much appreciated. No, the Mennonites did not make the the butter themselves. It was prepackaged.

Their youth group sang six beautiful hymns, and their pastor invited us to experience the comfort and peace they have in Jesus. Every word they spoke, every movement they made had so much gentleness and kindness behind it. That was my first encounter with Mennonites and they were not at all what I expected. It was a pleasure to spend an hour with them.

Probably gonna take the weekend off posting. Back Monday.

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Read it online

Bardog won Best Bar. Allie Cat wants me to remind you that they have waffles for breakfast now.

It’s free to read this blog, but I gratefully accept tips! 
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