Paul Ryburn's Journal

The Farm Table, formerly Farm Market Co-op at 300 S. Main, is no more. The storefront has been emptied out. It was a good idea in the wrong neighborhood. Its healthy foods and eco-friendly products would have sold like gangbusters in Midtown. Down here, that stuff is too much of a niche market.

NBA Finals game 2, Knicks at Spurs, 7:30 tonight, ABC. Knicks lead 1-0.

It’s Margaritaville Night at the Redbirds. The first 1500 through the gate tonight get a complimentary beach towel. It’s Fiesta Friday with $5 margaritas and Dos Equis beer and 2 for $5 street tacos. First pitch vs. Louisville 7:05 PM.

Dinstuhl’s candy store next to the Majestic is now selling chocolate-covered grapes and chocolate-covered pineapples.

Hustle and Dough in the ARRIVE Hotel will have a drag brunch Sunday, June 14.

Earnestine & Hazel’s is doing live music during happy hour Thursdays now. Last night they had Nightshade & Co. That band will be back early Saturday evening on the new patio and then later upstairs.

Filipino snack bar Kuya will be an official vendor at the Memphis Vintage Market Saturday, June 6, noon to seven in Overton Square, 2100 Trimble Place.

There’s a Cash App magic wand now.

Aldo’s Pizza Pies is the Official Game Ball sponsor for the Arena Football team the Memphis Hound Dogs. Memphis has its home opener against Iowa this Saturday. Bring an official game ball to either Aldo’s location for 15% off your dine-in food tab.

There may not be a post tomorrow because I need to meet up with the Urban Bicycle Food Ministry folks when they ride through Court Square about 8:45 and get whatever breakfast they are handing out. Getting a free meal in my belly early will be key to controlling my food costs for the day. Back Sunday if not before.

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Yesterday I asked an AI agent to explain to me the Robert Smith vs. Morrissey public feud of the mid- and late-1980s. A year ago, I would’ve searched Quora for answers. I wonder if AI will lead to the death of Quora?

Memphis Filling Station will hold its first-ever block party Saturday, June 13. Noon to 7 PM. Live music by Rice Drewery and Paul Crum. Vendor booths. At least 5 food trucks. And, of course, MFS beer.

Weather permitting, Brass Door will show all of Team USA’s World Cup matches in the alley.

SI.com looks at the worst possible outcome for the Grizzlies in the upcoming NBA draft. Please don’t trade the 3 pick!

Next Monday will be LEGO Dino Day at the Cossitt Library. 4:00-5:30 PM.

City Council members want to make the Mud Island Amphitheater ADA compliant so it can get back to hosting concerts.

Today is National Moonshine Day and National Cheese Day.

Memphis Medical District seeks a workforce operations specialist. They also seek a senior employer & talent relations specialist. These positions are grant-funded.

City Market is offering a free fresh watermelon juice with any salad or sandwich order.

Tonight is 1970s Night at the Redbirds. First pitch vs. Louisville 7:05.

If you’re stuck-up please don’t work in the bar/restaurant industry.

I’ll be at Tony and London’s bar at Earnestine & Hazel’s tonight  from 5:00-close. Come hang out and have a Soul Burger. Back tomorrow with a Frupdate.

I gratefully accept tips: 
Venmo: @Paul-Ryburn (8113 if it asks for digits)
Cash App: $PaulRyburn1
Zelle: paul@paulryburn.com
Apple Pay: paul.ryburn@gmail.com

NBA Finals Game 1, NY Knicks at San Antonio, 7:30 tonight on ABC.

Flying Saucer June burger specials

• Whistle Stop – beef patty, pimiento cheese, fried green tomatoes, Southern style red cabbage slaw, spiced tomato jam
• Grateful Shroom – beef patty, truffle aioli, sauteed mushrooms, caramelized onions, Swiss cheese, arugula

In other burger news: Did you know Little Bettie, the pizza kitchen inside Wiseacre HQ, makes more than just pizza? They posted their Bettie Melt recently: “A double-patty masterpiece topped with American cheese, caramelized onions, dill pickles, pickled peppers, mustard, and mayo on Texas toast.”

Rootstock Wine Merchants has white wine recommendations for summer.

Just City seeks a development & operations coordinator.

Playa Bowls wants to hire an area director of operations.

Today is World Cider Day.

The Memphis Astronomical Society invites you to late afternoon solar observation 5:30-7:30 Thursday at the Cossitt Library.

I managed to stay out of the Union Mission 5 nights in a row and it’s been wonderful. But I need a shower, a change of clothes, and a good night’s sleep. So this afternoon I will return there. Back tomorrow with more news.

I gratefully accept tips: 
Venmo: @Paul-Ryburn (8113 if it asks for digits)
Cash App: $PaulRyburn1
Zelle: paul@paulryburn.com
Apple Pay: paul.ryburn@gmail.com

READER Q: Paul, I read your blog and want to support you – but I don’t do Venmo or any of the payment apps in your footer. How can I help?

A: There’s something you can do for FREE. Tell people about me! I don’t have a marketing budget the way corporate blogs like I Love Memphis and Choose901 do. I rely on word-of-mouth.

Trivia Q: Who is the largest individual owner of farmland in the US? Answer is at the end of this post.

The Grizzlies will host an NBA Draft watch party Tuesday, June 23 at 6 PM. Watch the draft on the Jumbotron.

The Brass Door will host a Love Island watch party Wednesday night.

A lot at Riverside and Carolina is drawing complaints for overgrowth and snakes.

Cordelia’s Market hot lunch specials this week

• Tue: Fajitas with green spaghetti
• Wed: Pot roast with spring salad
• Thur: North Shore beef with French fries
• Fri: Fish and chips

My Big Fat Greek Burger is the burger of the week at Momma’s: Angus beef topped with pastrami, cheddar, onion, shredded lettuce, and Thousand Island dressing.

Chase Tyler will bring Southern rock, country, and swamp pop to the Peabody rooftop Thursday 6-10 PM. $15 to get in, $40 VIP. VIPs get a buffet of catfish po’boys, chicken & sausage jambalaya, and beignets.

The Redbirds host the Louisville Bats tonight at 7:05. Our ‘birds sit in a first-place tie with Nashville.

Today is National Leave the Office Early Day. You have to pick up your cat from the vet… remember?

Trivia A: Bill Gates

Back tomorrow with more news.

I gratefully accept tips: 
Venmo: @Paul-Ryburn (8113 if it asks for digits)
Cash App: $PaulRyburn1
Zelle: paul@paulryburn.com
Apple Pay: paul.ryburn@gmail.com

First of all, THANK YOU to two awesome friends who let me crash on their couch last night. I got a full eight hours sleep, and I got it without having to pay six dollars or being forced to sit through an unwanted chapel service.

Let’s rock.

The Grizzlies are hiring a UI/UX developer.

Do you like pie? Then you need to check out Bob’s Bakery in the back corner of Tonica at Front and MLK. It’ll feature a grab & go when it opens later this month. They’ll have quiches too.

Another mention for Memphis’ most haunted dive bar: The Rolling Stones in America by location

Soul food fusion restaurant Sage is hiring a bartender and a server.

PJ Morton will be at River City Records Saturday, June 13 for a meet & greet and merchandise pop-up. Use the link to RSVP and guarantee your spot.

Memphis Pride Fest & the Beale Street parade are this Saturday. Worth a Lyft/Uber to Crosstown Friday night is the big gay dance party.

It’s National Olive Day. Get one (or three) in a martini or Bloody Mary.

Enjoy sunsets at Beale Street Landing every Thursday this month. Flyway beer, Old Dominick cocktails, Hi Neighbor Cafe food. Keri Lee will perform this Thursday.

A double feature of Last Star Fighter and Space Balls will be shown on the big screen at Loflin Yard Thursday night. 6-10 PM with happy hour specials until 7.

Back tomorrow with more news.

I gratefully accept tips: 
Venmo: @Paul-Ryburn (8113 if it asks for digits)
Cash App: $PaulRyburn1
Zelle: paul@paulryburn.com
Apple Pay: paul.ryburn@gmail.com

Wall of Voodoo was an underground New Wave band of the late 1970s and 1980s. They had a following, for sure, but their music didn’t have wide reach.

With one exception.

“Mexican Radio” (1982) was a song about the border blaster radio stations of Northern Mexico whose strong signals could be picked up in L.A. The song charted in the U.S. and overseas, and its video was in MTV’s regular rotation.

The band was a one-hit wonder. I asked AI agent Google Gemini, how much will the band make in royalties off its one hit in 2026?

The findings:

• The band had five members
• Two of those members wrote the song
• The nonwriting performers are likely to earn $150 to $400 this year
• The songwriters are on track to earn $3500 to $6500

Writing songs is more richly rewarded than playing an instrument. It is why Pete Townshend became a millionaire several years before the rest of The Who.

INSIDER TIP: When asking AI to make a complicated guess such as this one, ask it to explain its reasoning in detail each step of the way.

In Memphis magazine, Bruce V has a look at Heath’s Bar in Iris. The restaurant may be in Midtown, but Bobby Heath is a member of the Downtown family. Go see him for a well-mixed cocktail.

Sports fans, you’re starting your week with incomplete information if you don’t watch the “What’s happening at Max’s Sports Bar” reel on Facebook every Monday. It’s social media done right. The reels are captioned, so if you need to watch them with the sound off you won’t miss anything.

Disney’s Beauty and the Beast comes to the Orpheum Tuesday-Sunday.

Memphis Chess Club is getting set for its summer chess camp. Learn the basics of the game, chess strategy, and play against other newbies in the community.

July 6-10th (daily options available)

Camp T-Shirt included

10% off MCC Membership upon completion

⚾ Memphis Redbirds Rooftop Evening Viewings

Back tomorrow with more news.

I gratefully accept tips: 
Venmo: @Paul-Ryburn (8113 if it asks for digits)
Cash App: $PaulRyburn1
Zelle: paul@paulryburn.com
Apple Pay: paul.ryburn@gmail.com

NBA teams voted 29-1 this week to adopt a draft lottery reform proposal… and the Memphis Grizzlies were the “1.” CBS Sports explains the new rules and lists winners and losers. The Grizzlies are listed as “losers” because the new rules devalue the Jaren Jackson Jr. trade with Utah.

The U.S. Department of the Treasury is taking first steps toward printing a 250-dollar bill… with the Trumpster’s face on it.

Very cool: Take a 3D tour of the 16th-century Aztec capital of Tenochtitlan

Downtown Memphis Brew Hop returns June 15-21. Tastings, trivia nights, brewery tours, giveaways & more at 8 participating breweries and bars. Use Explore Bike Share to “hop” among locations.

A water main break closed Adams between Riverside and Front and several blocks of Front this morning.

Mister Rogers stamps are making a comeback.

The Pet Hospitals-Downtown at 660 Jefferson is hiring a veterinary assistant.

It’s National Biscuit Day.

Out in The Edge, Peach Cobbler Factory will have its ribbon cutting next Friday, June 5 at 4 PM. The first 20 attendees will receive a “Sweet Success” kit.

Folks, I’m uncomfortably short on money going into this weekend. If anyone can leave something in one of the online tip jars below, it’d help me a lot. Back tomorrow with more news.

I gratefully accept tips: 
Venmo: @Paul-Ryburn (8113 if it asks for digits)
Cash App: $PaulRyburn1
Zelle: paul@paulryburn.com
Apple Pay: paul.ryburn@gmail.com

A new restaurant called Happy Memphis has opened at 385 S. Second. According to Facebook, soft opening hours are 11:00 AM to 7:00 PM and its offerings include wings, Phillys, burgers, pasta, tacos, Alfredo, kids’ meals, and more. Welcome to the neighborhood!

Max’s Sports Bar will have live music by Conan Callahan 6-9 Friday in the courtyard for South Main Trolley Night. $6 drafts during that time.

Sunset Skate returns to Tom Lee Park tonight 6 to 9. Free glow sticks while supplies last.

Check out this road rage beatdown at Knight-Arnold and Mendenhall.

Last night’s Downtown Memphis Association meeting on the Hu. Hotel rooftop was postponed due to storms. The new meeting date will be Monday, June 1. DNA will send its members a new registration email.

Back tomorrow with a Frupdate.

I gratefully accept tips: 
Venmo: @Paul-Ryburn (8113 if it asks for digits)
Cash App: $PaulRyburn1
Zelle: paul@paulryburn.com
Apple Pay: paul.ryburn@gmail.com

Memphis Medical District Collaborative wants to get public feedback about parking along Madison Avenue at a meeting at 656 Madison next Wednesday, June 3, from 4 to 6 PM.

AutoZone Park seeks a premium suite attendant.

Cordelia’s Market hot lunch specials 11-2 this week:

• Tue: Enchiladas, rice & beans
• Wed: Chicken tostada salad
• Thu: Corned beef Reuben or hot pastrami sandwich & chips
• Fri: Chicken & shrimp pesto linguine

Catch a free screening of Ferris Bueller’s Day Off tonight at Slider Inn Downtown. 7 PM.

Comedians Jeremy Hellwig and Milly McDermott headline a show at Flyway Brewing Saturday night. I wonder if Jeremy is related to the late Ultimate Warrior?

Marcella Simien plays Hotel Pontotoc 7-10 Saturday.

Memphis Record Pressing seeks a graphic designer who can be a brand manager and think in terms of creative strategy.

Jasper Float Spa seeks a licensed massage therapist (LMT).

Humble Drip coffee shop at 7 N. Main will be closed today, Friday, and Monday, June 1. They’ll resume their normal schedule on Tuesday.

Team USA’s World Cup Group D schedule:

• Friday, June 12, 8:00 PM CDT: USA vs. Paraguay in Los Angeles
• Friday, June 19, 2:00 PM CDT: USA vs. Australia in Seattle
• Thursday, June 25, 9:00 PM CDT: Turkiye vs. USA in Los Angeles

The former Commercial Appeal building at 495 Union is set to be torn down, making room for the new Regional One hospital.

Back tomorrow with more news.

I gratefully accept tips: 
Venmo: @Paul-Ryburn (8113 if it asks for digits)
Cash App: $PaulRyburn1
Zelle: paul@paulryburn.com
Apple Pay: paul.ryburn@gmail.com

I have a few warnings to share today, and the first is directed at business owners and managers: You need to monitor what Meta AI is saying about you on Facebook.

Yesterday morning, I needed to get some information about a local business. So I did a search for it on Facebook. The results contained a link to the business’s Facebook page and a description of the business automatically generated by Meta AI.

That description said the business would be closed until noon in observance of Memorial Day.

I was sitting in the business. It was 8:00 AM and the business was wide open. Had been for 30 minutes. Meta AI was speaking with confidence and it was dead wrong. This is known as hallucination in the AI world.

Business owners/managers, I suggest you check what Meta AI is saying about you frequently.

Okay. The next two warnings are for Downtowners in general.

Watch out for a tall, skinny guy on a bike with a green frame who rides around the Main Street Mall, particularly around Court Square, between sunset and 12:30 AM. He is there to steal your stuff and he is VERY bold.  If you turn your back on your bag for 1 minute, it’ll be gone.

Also watch out for people who try to sell you shoes on the street on Sunday mornings. They get these shoes from a church clothes closet that operates 6:15-7:45 AM. They are not supposed to be turning around and selling the shoes for profit.  If you buy them, you’re potentially taking shoes off the feet of a homeless person who needs them.

Rock the Boat brings the ’70s and ’80s yacht rock to the weekly Peabody rooftop party this Thursday from 6:00 to 10:00 PM. $15 to get in, $40 VIP. VIPs get a buffet of chicken and beef sliders, grilled vegetables, and tater tots.

From WREG: What to expect at the South Main Songwriter Festival June 13-14

Ritual Coffee at 505 S. Main will have its grand opening Wednesday 4:00-6:00 PM. Complimentary light bites. Free drinK ticket for the first 50. Ribbon cutting at 4:15.

Back tomorrow with more news.

I gratefully accept tips: 
Venmo: @Paul-Ryburn (8113 if it asks for digits)
Cash App: $PaulRyburn1
Zelle: paul@paulryburn.com
Apple Pay: paul.ryburn@gmail.com