Month: June 2016

This morning I was looking at the list of upcoming Market Days at the Memphis Farmers Market, each given a cute title to focus on a particular aspect of the Market. One of the future titles is “Baked to Perfection.” It makes me wonder, if Tennessee legalized marijuana, would the Memphis Farmers Market allow its vendors to sell weed?

Good afternoon everyone, YOGA! There will be free yoga at the Farmers Market at 10 AM Saturday, It’s hosted by Downtown Yoga. Bring a mat and a bottle of water. This is an all-levels class. We’re Spilling the Beans is the theme of this week’s Market, and I’m not sure what beans have to do with yoga. Personally, I wouldn’t advise eating beans before doing yoga. Seems like it would not be good to be gassy when you are doing all that stretching.

One of the other Market activities this week does match the theme a little more… the UT Extension Institute of Agriculture will give a cooking demo at 10, 11, and noon. On the menu for this week’s demo is green bean salad. The Master Gardeners will be back to answer all your planting and growing questions. For the kids, there will be a crafts table 10 to noon, sponsored by the Dixon, where they can make their own noise music maker filled with beans. Live music by James Bros. 8:30 to 10 and Shufflegrit 11 to 12:30. Dog adoptions by Real Good Dog Rescue. The market happens every Saturday, 7 AM to 1 PM, under the pavilion at Front and G.E. Patterson.

Last week I lost the mayorship of the Farmers Market on Foursquare/Swarm. I am not going to let that stand. I am going down there as close to 7 AM as possible and taking back my mayorship! I do not plan to be there at my usual 10:00-10:40 time this week. I will be back in the Downtown core hours before that and will be counting the minutes until Bardog opens.

20 years ago today was a momentous day in professional wrestling. Jake “The Snake” Roberts, in between bouts of drug and alcohol abuse, became a born-again Christian for a little while. He made it to the finals of the King of the Ring tournament, where he faced WWE newcomer Steve Austin. Austin had struggled under a “Ringmaster” gimmick, and had recently changed his persona to something new. “Stone Cold” Steve Austin defeated Jake the Snake to become King of the Ring. After the match a bloody Austin grabbed a microphone and stood over Jake, where he cut one of the most memorable promos of all time.

Talk about your psalms. Talk about John 3:16. Austin 3:16 says I just whipped your ass.

The Memphis Made taproom is doing a rare Thursday opening today from 4 to 9 for the Amerivespa event that is rolling through town. It’s on South Cooper by the railroad trestle a block south of Central. If you’re looking for a recommendation, the Lucid Kolsch and the Fireside are two of my faves.

The NBA draft is live on ESPN tonight beginning at 6 PM. The Grizzlies pick 17th, with five-minute intervals between picks in the first round.

Phillip Jackson plays Tacos & Tunes tonight on Felicia Suzanne’s patio. $2 tacos, $5 margaritas.

KIX on Beale is tonight at 7:30 at Handy Park. This is a free all-ages show, this week featuring Drew Baldridge and LanCo. Listen to KIX 106 (that is, if you can stand country music, which I can’t) for a chance to win VIP passes.

Loflin Yard’s music lineup for this week starts off with Graber Grass 6-9 tonight, Rolling Head Orchestra 6-9 Friday, Austin-based East Cameron Folklore Saturday 4-7, and Motel Mirrors Sunday 4-7.

Davis Coen plays the Dirty Crow Inn Saturday from 9 to midnight. He’s a country-blues guitarist and singer-songwriter whose guitar work and vocals are reminiscent of Johnny Cash, Tony Joe White, and Lightnin’ Hopkins. Monday at the Rizzo’s Diner party, my friend Bones showed me some photos of the new outdoor deck he has been helping build for the Crow, and it will likely be done in time for the weekend.

Finally, a reminder that the Putt-Putt Pub Crawl is happening Saturday from 1 to 4 PM. It starts and ends at the Flying Saucer, with stops at the Silly Goose, Local, Oshi, Agave Maria, Aldo’s, and Kooky Canuck. Dress in your best golf attire. $15 individual, $50 for a team of 4. Admission includes drink specials and 9 holes of putt-putt. Prizes for best dressed team, best team score, and best hole. Proceeds benefit the American Cancer Society.

Happy birthday to my buddy Kao in Monclova, Mexico.

I’ll lead off at the Silly Goose after work. I want to hear how their first lunch shift went. Back later today or tomorrow with more news.

Flyer Burger Week, presented by the Memphis Flyer and the Tennessee Beef Industry Council, is coming July 13-19. Restaurants around the city will be offering a $5 burger. Participating Downtown restaurants include Huey’s, The Dirty Crow Inn, Bardog Tavern, Aldo’s Pizza Pies, Tin Roof and more yet to be announced. Seth, I bet this is your favorite week of the year!

New lunch location! As of today the Silly Goose is open for lunches. Come by and try their sandwiches and gourmet coffee! The Goose is on Peabody Place halfway between Main and Second, next to the parking garage entrance.

The Downtown Memphis Commission is rolling out a new grant for Downtown ideas that are fun, creative, and/or artistic; ideas that will advance Downtown as an interesting, engaging and beautiful shared space to all who live in, work in, or visit our neighborhood. Get details on this new grant here.

The Downtown Neighborhood Association has two events coming up next week. Want to meet new Downtown Memphis Commission leader Terence Patterson and get to know his agenda for our neighborhood? He will speak to the DNA at the Cossitt Library, corner of Front and Monroe, on Tuesday, June 28. The event is free for DNA members and $10 for non-members. Social at 6, program at 6:30, and snacks and beverages will be available.

Two days later, on the 30th, it will be time for DNA happy hour, this month with a river view. It will happen at the River Inn of Harbor Town, on Mud Island starting at 6 PM that night. All are invited to attend. Drop by for a beverage, or stay a while and make a night of it.

I don’t know if there are people out there who read my blog every day who just love mac & cheese. However, on the chance that I do have such a reader, I want to mention that Burger King is teaming up with Cheetos to roll out Mac & Cheetos. Following in the footsteps of Doritos Locos Tacos, Burger King is the latest fast food chain to create a hybrid food with a Frito-Lay product.

The Grizzlies have announced their team for NBA Summer League in Las Vegas. They will play the NBA D-League team July 8, Denver July 9, and Milwaukee July 11, and then will participate in a tournament to crown a champion July 18.

Useful: How to turn off “______ is now live” notifications on Facebook

Pro wrestling fans: There’s a GoFundMe to fund the funeral for wrestler Gypsy Joe who performed in and around Memphis for many years, both under that identity and as half of The Blue Infernos. He was one of the early pioneers of hardcore wrestling.

From The Stupid Files: Texas dad tried to save baby left in hot car by putting her in the fridge

Life Is Good now has cornhole outside the store every day for you to stop and play.

Mike Miller has said he would return to the Grizzlies if there is interest. Miller is a free agent this summer. Come back Mike, make my #13 Miller jersey relevant again.

That’s all for now. Probably another post later today with Farmers Market news and more.

Two weeks ago, Memphis Police Officer Verdell Smith was killed in a car chase at B.B. King and Beale. However, he was not the only victim in that crime spree. Two men, Al Sakan and Josh Walton, were shot in The Pinch before the chase began. They are still in the hospital. This Saturday evening, June 25 beginning at 6 PM, there will be a fundraiser for Sakan and Walton at Westy’s. Live music by Roosevelt Brooks, Keith Blanchard of GTA, and No Control.

Do you read ebooks? You may have some money coming your way. Apple was artificially inflating the prices of ebooks sold through several channels, it was said, but people lawyered up and took them to court. Apple agreed to a $400 million settlement and Tennesseans will get $8.9 million of that. If you are an Amazon customer, log in to your account and check your balance; there may be some money there. The money can be spent on any product Amazon sells, not just ebooks.

*pauses to check own account*

$17.92! SWEET! I read a lot of ebooks using the Kindle app on my iPhone. I guess it’s time to do some shopping!

MATA has sent out a press release notifying the public that on Monday, July 4, the Main Street and Riverfront trolleys will operate on a Sunday schedule. The Madison Avenue trolley will not operate that day.

Here’s the menu for Chef Ana’s wine dinner at Bleu tomorrow, Thursday, June 23. 901-334-5950 for reservations. The dinner will feature wine from the Pacific Northwest and complimentary valet parking is included.

Barbara Bush: “I don’t know how women can vote for Donald Trump.” A voice of wisdom, right there.

Meritan, a nonprofit that provides health and social services to seniors and children, will move its headquarters to The Edge by July 2017. It will occupy a building at 345 Adams, just east of Danny Thomas, that has long been vacant.

That’s all I got for now. Tonight I will lead off at Silly Goose for happy hour, pay a visit to the Blind Bear, the back to the Goose for Cheers with Charvey at 10.

A new festival is coming to Downtown Memphis in July. The South Forum Festival will happen 11 AM to 7 PM Saturday, July 2. It will be in a fenced lot on Vance between Second and B.B. King. There will be food vendors, live music, games, and an outdoor movie screen. Admission to the fest will be $5, with kids under 7 free with a supervising adult. There will also be a VIP area you can buy access to, which will have all indoor amenities, music, movie screenings, and food and drinks.

For those of you who don’t come Downtown much, do you want to eat like the locals when you do come down here? Well, I try to give you lots of good suggestions on my blog, but here is a pre-packaged tour where you can hit several of the best spots at once: City Tasting Tours. Every Saturday from 1:30 to 4:00, owner Cristina McCarter takes 16 people on a tour of five of the best local restaurants, and they are all located Downtown. Looking at the slideshow on the website, I recognize most of the dishes tour participants try, and have to agree that is a tour worth taking. “Like” City Tasting Tours on Facebook to keep up with the latest news about their offerings.

From Gizmodo: Cleverly smuggle booze by turning it into edible bubbles

Friday night it will once again be time for the monthly South Main Trolley Night, with many of the shops in the area open ’til 9 or later and some offering discounts and/or hors d’oeuvres and/or beverages. If you’re an SMA member, there will be complimentary burgers, dogs, beer and wine for you in the lot next to Bluff City Coffee (non-members $10). There will be live music up and down Main, and South Main Sounds will host another Songwriter Night with Nick Redmond, Angela Drew, Evan Farris, Jason Davenport, Tori Tollison and Jeff Hulett. I plan on being at Trolley Night and I hope to see you there!

LYFE Kitchen has launched a new mobile app.

Your Girlfriend headlines Thursday, June 23’s Peabody rooftop party. $10 cover, first 200 ladies free, or you can go VIP for the season for $150. Admission price includes a buffet of mini spring rolls and pot stickers with soy sauce. If you’re in VIP you get a second buffet of lobster spring rolls, chicken satay with peanut sauce, assorted sushi, and fortune cookies. Lychee margaritas will be the drink special.

I want to make a clarification to my post about Rizzo’s catering menu. Yes, you will still be able to dine at the restaurant. It’s not going catering only. What I was saying is that they are doing away with the “diner” concept (I mean, does that space look like a diner at all?) and adopting a new menu.

Time to go to work. Possibly another post later today.

Last night I enjoyed a splendid dinner of pork loin, beef tenderloin, lamb, crab cakes, crawfish cakes, and Wiseacre Tiny Bomb. What was the occasion you ask? Rizzo’s is evolving and they invited some friends over to try out the new menu. They are dropping the diner concept from the restaurant (the new location looks nothing like a diner anyway) and are going after more catering business. Chef Michael Patrick handed out gift bags that included a catering menu, and I made sure to grab a copy. Photos below. (click to view in larger size)

Need to get lunch delivered to your office conference room? Keep Rizzo’s in mind. Their prices are very reasonable and their food is top-notch. They offer night, weekend, and holiday catering too for an additional charge. They have a variety of beef, pork, poultry, seafood, and vegetarian entrees. They do sandwiches, vegetables, and desserts too.

Also in the gift bag was a little jar. “That’s chow chow,” Chef told me. “Put it on some crackers. It’ll make a great midnight snack.” Thank you Chef for the chow chow and for dinner. And thank you to my friends for the great company last night. I got to hang out with many members of Squeal Street BBQ and catch up with them.

In case anyone is worrying… the Lobster Pronto Pup is still around. It made the cut for the new menu.

There’s no better place to watch soccer than The Brass Door, and the American Outlaws are holding their official watch party tonight, Tuesday, June 21, as the USA team plays Argentina.

Ultimate Scavenger, a scavenger hunt all over the city, is coming to Memphis Saturday, September 24.

Good news for city employees: You’ll be able to ride MATA for free beginning July 1.

The Bendy Boozy Yoga class that has been held at the Rec Room on Broad once a month the past several months is adding a new location: Loflin Yard. The first Bendy Boozy class will be at Loflin this coming Sunday, June 26. It is a one-hour, all-levels yoga class followed by brunch cocktails. The class starts at 11 AM, rain or shine. Cost is $20 and they are requesting that payment be made by credit card only.

Next time you’re in the Silly Goose, ask owner Daniel to show you the new artwork on his arm. The tattoo artist? None other than Damien Echols. By the way, Damien tweets some really good stuff. Follow him at @damienechols.

Don’t forget that there’s a Downtown Safety Patrol number you can call if you see illegal activity. It’s 901-281-9146. Last night as I was walking back from Rizzo’s, I saw a guy doing the fake parking lot attendant scam at Main and Peabody Place and called the number. The patrol was only a block away and they got there quickly and made him move on.

If you like beer and feel like making a road trip, the Arkansas Brewers Festival happens over in Little Rock Saturday evening.

Taco Bell has free Locos Tacos (one free per customer) 2-6 PM today.

I forgot to mention a couple of things that happened at Max’s Sports Bar last weekend. Friday night I did the Gangnam Style dance up and down the aisle. And Sunday night, I adopted a sister! I was talking to a fellow only child and told her, “Generally I enjoy being an only child but given some of the things I’ve been through the past year, I have really needed a sister to talk to.” She told me she understood, that sometimes she wishes she had a brother. So we adopted each other! Cheers to my new sis! We’ll talk soon I’m sure!

That’s it for now, could be a second post later today though. Undecided where I will lead off after work but leaning Blind Bear.

“Hey hottie! Hey sexy! I love the way that hair blows in the wind!” I looked over and people in a Nissan SUV were taking a video of me walking down South Main toward the Farmers Market.

Don’t be alarmed… it was just two of my fellow Sunday brunch crew regulars, Rahul and Tony. They were hungry, so we decided to make a trip to Earnestine & Hazel’s so they could get Soul Burgers. Tony was unaware that the place was a brothel until ’92 and bartender Clarence gave him a walkthrough of all the memorabilia on the walls.

I checked in on Swarm by Foursquare, and got an unexpected message: “You are 1 day away from becoming mayor.” Foursquare is an app/game many of us play down here. If you check in more than anyone else at a venue in 30 days, you become “mayor” of that venue. This past week I was at my all-time peak on Foursquare. holding the mayorships of Brass Door, Bardog, Blind Bear, Silly Goose, and the Farmers Market (although I lost that one yesterday). The good thing about E&H that I am friends with the current mayor on Foursquare… and he is out of town! That’s one of the few Downtown mayorships I have never held, and it will be a fine replacement for the Farmers Market. I would say a trip to E&H is pretty much mandatory this afternoon.

“Who’s working the Bear today, Pau Pau?” Tony asked. That’s his pet nickname for me. Isn’t that sweet? I replied that my favorite pair of librarian glasses has the Saturday day shift. “No, she’s out of town,” Tony told me.

“It’s probably Mary then,” I told them.

“Let’s go see Mary!” they said. “Come on, Pau Pau, you can ride with Rahul.” It would be one of the rare times I was not at Bardog at 11 sharp on Saturday, but sometimes you gotta roll with spontaneous adventure. We parked in the Peabody Place garage. You know those people who take the elevator from the second floor to the first floor instead of just taking the stairs? Yeah Rahul is one of those people. If you know him I am sure you are not surprised.

My visit at Blind Bear was short-lived, however; soon my phone started blowing up telling me I was in trouble for 1) not being at Bardog at 11; and 2) not bringing the bartender mint as I had promised. About 11:30 I walked down there. It’s nice to be missed I guess.

Later in the day I started to get hungry. Maciel’s has become such “the Saturday thing,” because it’s so good, but I decided I wanted something different this week. “What’s the exact opposite of Mexican?” I thought. A place I rarely go came to mind: Spaghetti Warehouse.

I guess there are two main reasons I don’t go to Spaghetti Warehouse much. For one, it’s off the beaten path. When I think where I want to eat, I mentally take a walk down Main, Union, Second, the well-traveled streets. At Huling and Wagner, Spaghetti Warehouse is off my radar. The other thing is, it has a stigma of being a place to take kids and tourists. That’s a shame because the food there is perfectly fine. It’s not a 5-star restaurant but it doesn’t try to be. It’s the Olive Garden of Downtown, but you know what? Once in a while I liked to eat at Olive Garden.

I was torn between my two favorites: The beer chili spaghetti and their signature 15-layer lasagne. After a few minutes of pondering I decided to mix it up a bit: I ordered the lasagne, but topped with Alfredo sauce rather than their tomato sauce.

This was really good. I love Alfredo sauce and theirs was rich and there was plenty of it. Service was excellent too. I enjoyed my visit and will have to think of SW more often.

I couldn’t go to South Main without paying my respects to Max’s Sports Bar, so I walked in that direction, using a second visit to Earnestine & Hazel’s as a staging ground waiting for Max’s to open at 4:30. Once I got to Max’s, I played it smart – one glass of water for every beer I drank. I have learned my lesson about getting dehydrated in the summer heat and don’t plan to let that happen again. Bartenders, I am going to be asking for a lot of water these next three months.

By staying hydrated, I was still full of energy at 9 AM. “Hey, you know what’s open now?” I thought to myself, “Nate’s bar!” I paid my third visit to Earnestine & Hazel’s of the day, walking up the stairs to the second floor where the whores used to take their customers back when the place was a brothel (1960-1992). The back part of the second floor as has a tiny bar, tended by a gentleman named Nate who has been there more than 20 years. You are not a true Memphian until you’ve had a drink at Nate’s bar. He is a great person to pick his brain for knowledge about this city. He’s not a native of the city but he’s been here 54 years.

You know, yesterday was just a really good day from start to finish. Most of my best days down here are shared memory with friends, but yesterday was different. It was just me, spontaneously doing what I felt like all day long.

On to the news. If you want to take your father somewhere different for his day, the Metal Museum is offering free admission to the first 20 dads. They will give away a hook and bottle opener to the dad who can answer a tough question following their foundry demo. The museum is open noon to 5 today.

Belz Museum will show a free screening of My Neighbor Totoro at 12:15 this afternoon. This 1988 movie is rated G and is about two girls who move to the country to be with their ailing mother, and who have adventures with the forest spirits that live there.

The first 1500 in the gate (first pitch 6:05, gates at 5) at the Redbirds tonight receive a pair of adult Cardinals dress socks. Kids under 12 get an ice cream treat (first 2500) and can run the bases after the game. The $40 club ticket special is in effect tonight.

D-RANKS with B-RAD at Blind Bear is first on my list today. B-RAD told me last weekend that I am a brat, and I am feeling EXTRA bratty today. Ready to make it a memorable day. Back tomorrow.

Prepare yourself for a very, very, very important announcement.

This is a big one.

The donut shop on Main now serves funnel cakes.

It’s at 8 S. Main, in the ground floor of the Number 10 Main building. So if you ever find yourself awake at 2:51 in the morning and think, “Gee, if I had a funnel cake right now, I bet I would sleep better,” there you go.

Now, I’m not saying that is the most important announcement I have ever put on this blog. It’s certainly not as important as any post marked VERY IMPORTANT PBR NEWS. But still, it’s important.

By the way, that reminds me: I’ve been told that The Dirty Crow has 24-ounce PBR cans.

Discussion topic on Facebook yesterday: I just don’t understand people who lie all the time. I mean, if you do that, you have to pretty much keep a spreadsheet in your mind of who heard what. I told lie #1 to these people, and lie #2 to these people, and the truth to these people, and lie #3 to these people. It just seems like so much mental energy consumed remembering all that… I’d rather conserve that energy for other matters. Plus, you constantly have to worry that two people who have heard different versions of your story will talk, and then you end up looking like a fool. Not worth it.

Not that I’ve never lied… I remember one time about a year ago when I lied and said I had a BBQ team meeting at the Silly Goose in order to extract myself from a situation that was getting out of hand. But notice that lie did not hurt anyone. Lies that damage other people are the type to avoid.

If you’re looking for something outdoorsy to do today, get down to the river. The Outdoors Inc. Canoe and Kayak Race takes off at 10 AM.

There’s a special ticket you can purchase at tonight’s Redbirds game that gets you not only a seat but a Kolten Wong Hawaiian jersey. Ten random jerseys have been signed by Kolten himself.

General Redbirds promotions tonight (special ticket or not) include a beach towel for the first 1500 in the gate, a block party with a band before the game, and fireworks afterward. First pitch vs. the Iowa Cubs at 6:35.

Quench is hosting a Downtown wine tasting next Friday, June 24.

Today at South Main Book Juggler from 1 to 3: Guidelines to starting and maintaining a church dance ministry. Dr. Denita Hedgeman educates ministries and leaders on the Biblical foundations of worship through dance.

The Memphis Farmers Market has announced that they are short staffed today, so no pet sitting.

MemphisWeather.net says the heat index will remain under 100 today. That’s a cause for celebration!

Fun times at Max’s Sports Bar last night… people were playing ’70s country rock on the jukebox and everyone was singing along. Funny how things happen… as we were singing “Take Me Home, Country Roads,” a post appeared in my Facebook news feed from my reader from Morgantown, West Virginia who I met a couple of weeks ago. She and her boyfriend were at Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville. They’re Hog fans! I am so proud to have such an intelligent reader base!

The farmers market is first on the list for me today. Going to buy some mint for Bloom at Bardog and see what the tandoori truck has to eat. Time to get outside and enjoy this (relatively) cool weather.

You know, I try not to make this a political blog, but this is so crazy that I have to say something. Donald Trump wants to invite North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un to the White House for burgers at the conference table. “Who the hell cares” what people think, said The Donald. In other news, Trump admires Russian leader Vladimir Putin and praised the Russian nuclear program as “tippy-top” while our nukes are old and tired. Trump also thinks that countries like Germany, Japan, and South Korea are using the US, and we should consider leaving them to fend for themselves if attacked. THIS MAN IS COMPLETELY NUTS.

Great idea: We borrowed a shelter dog to go hiking, and you can too – and should. I wonder if any of the local dog fostering organizations would permit that? I’ll ask the Streetdog folks next time I see them at the Farmers Market.

Tin Roof on Beale Street has a new menu, the Memphis Flyer reports.

Sad day for Memphis sports fans: Radio talk show host George Lapides has passed away.

Ghost River is looking for a farmer or group of farmers to pick up their spent grain. If you can help call them at 901-278-0087.

The Juneteenth Urban Music Festival is at Robert Church Park near Fourth and Beale today through Sunday.

New Memphis Tigers head basketball coach Tubby Smith has bought Rudy Gay’s house in Memphis.

A new lighting display will beautify a vacant building on the southeast corner of Main and Union starting next week. They are working on a system that will see the lights respond to the presence of passersby. Sounds neat!

Crop Hop 5K, a race to raise money for the Memphis Farmers Market, is this evening at 6:30. Due to the excessive heat, I’m changing my stance on going to the race after-party from “going” to “maybe.” I really want to go but standing out there in 100+ heat index just doesn’t sound like much fun. It’s a good cause though. Maybe I’ll go give them my $15, stand around long enough to drink one Memphis Made beer, then walk across Main to enjoy the air-conditioned comfort of Max’s Sports Bar. I don’t know, I will figure it out. That’s all for now, back tomorrow.

There are a few things I will not be discussing in this post: Islamic terrorism, hate crimes, assault weapons, and alligators. Go to Facebook if you want to read about those topics. However, for my friend Katie Mac I do have this:

It’s Thurs. Here’s the world’s smallest deer, the pudú. You’re welcome. (pudú, pudú, pudú, pudú rockin’ everywhere!) pic.twitter.com/pvQZpgWmwO

— Woo Pig Brewey! (@WooPigBrewey) June 16, 2016

Sorry Katie, it’s not a duck but this is the best I could do.

Did you know that the Malco theater will have a rooftop screen? Choose901 has a post on exciting things happening in South Main.

From All About Beer magazine: beer and ice cream pairings. Mint chocolate chip and coffee porter or stout? Usually I am not a fan of coffee beers but that would work!

It’s time to stick the pole in the hole and get u some fish, because Let’s Go Fishin’ is the theme at the Memphis Farmers Market this Saturday. However, you don’t even need a fishing pole when you come to the Market – the vendors have fresh fish from the Gulf and farm-raised catfish as well, not to mention advice on how to prepare your “catch.” From 10 to noon kids can make Father’s Day frames for their dads. Live music from Ted Horrell 8:30-10 and Savannah Long 11-12:30. Streetdog Foundation will be on-site with adoptable dogs. The Market runs from 7 AM to 1 PM under the pavilion at Front and G.E. Patterson every Saturday.

Carrington Wise, owner of Carrington’s Catering, is the subject of this week’s vendor chitchat. She sells artisan sweets, tarts and savories at the Farmers Market. Her most challenging offering to make is the Asparagus Gruyere Tart. Oh man, that sounds yummy! I didn’t know she made those. I will have to check out her booth when I defend my Farmers Market mayorship on Foursquare this Saturday.

Save the date: Double J’s annual SEC Football Kick-off Party will be Saturday, August 8 from 4 to 8 PM. It’s hosted by the SEC Alumni Clubs of Memphis and benefits Hope House. $10 cover includes two beer tickets. Put your gameday gear on and come support Hope House!

There’s a Neighborhood Safety Meeting to which the public is invited tonight at the MATA board room at Central Station from 6:00 to 7:30 PM. Debra Streeter, the Security Coordinator for the Downtown Memphis Commission, will be there, as will several representatives from Memphis Police and the District Attorney’s office. Questions will be limited to two minutes apiece and can be emailed to Streeter@downtownmemphis.com.

The 901 Heavy Hitters play Alfred’s tomorrow night, Friday, June 17, from 10 PM to 2 AM. Sometimes it can be useful to have access to Heavy Hitters on a Friday night. 

It’s Dump the Pump Day, so Mayor Strickland took the bus to work:

It’s National #DumpThePump Day, so I’m taking the @RideMATA No. 50 to City Hall this morning. pic.twitter.com/syu8Yymq0d

— Mayor Jim Strickland (@MayorMemphis) June 16, 2016

Sad to hear that Gypsy Joe, who wrestled in the Memphis territory in the 1960s and 1970s, has passed away.

Power is out in some parts of the city, and may not be restored until Saturday. MLGW advises its customers not to stay in a residence without power. It’s simply too hot.

An agreement has been reached to give ServiceMaster access to the garage at 250 Peabody Place. That will address parking concerns once the company moves its HQ Downtown. The garage is said to be underutilized between 6 AM and 6 PM.

A/C is out at work, so I am about to hit the road and work remotely this afternoon. I’ll be at happy hour at the Silly Goose around 5.

The Daily News has a good article on changes and additions to Loflin Yard. The Coach House is now open with Loflin’s second interior bar and more restrooms (BADLY NEEDED! Thanks!) The house opens up to the backyard where private events and live music will happen. They are taking steps to keep people cool in the front yard too. The “Smoke House” menu will rotate seasonally, and they will have a “rainy day menu” with po-boys, sides and dollar-off drinks. They are also opening for lunch on Fridays. That venue has been a smashing success since day one and it just keeps getting better and better!

By the way, here’s the weekend music schedule for Loflin Yard. Paul “Snowflake” Taylor kicks it off Thursday 6-9 with one-man acoustic jams. The Joe Restivo 4 play instrumentals from the golden age of Memphis music Friday 6-9. Saturday is a doubleheader. Motel Mirrors featuring Amy LaVere, Will Sexton, and John Paul Keith are in the 3-6 slot, followed by blues legend Earl “The Pearl” Banks 6:30-9:30. John Paul Keith is back for a 4-6 PM set on Sunday.

There’s more than live music on Saturday. There will be an event called The Changing of the Yard with a wiffle ball home run derby, a cornhole tournament, and a Ring on a String tournament. Drink specials when the train passes and Sache will be printing Loflin merch.

Downtown Yoga has announced a free yoga class at the Memphis Farmers Market Saturday, June 25 at 10 AM. Sign up here. I love to take advantage of the amenities the Market has to offer, but don’t worry – I won’t subject market-goers to the sight of me doing yoga! (Or more accurately, trying to do yoga.) Most likely, that day I will go way early (8:00ish) or way late (noonish) and I do not plan on being there at the 10:00 hour.

Memphis native and recent New York transplant Carbunkle Trumpet has some advice for Northeastern pitmasters on how to barbecue. There is a lot of good stuff in here and his post is a good read for any BBQ aficionado.

South Main Sounds Songwriter Night #29 happens this Friday, June 17, at 550 S. Main from 7 to 9. This installment of the acclaimed series will feature veterans Rice Drewry, Joe Leathers, and Toni Norton along with newcomer Brenna Clark. They are going for something different this time, with fewer musicians having time to get in more music in a more relaxing set-up.

This morning I posted about Widespread Panic’s show at Mud Island Amphitheater Saturday night, and an after-party by SweetWater beer at Alfred’s. Well, more beer, more parties in this second Wednesday post. High Cotton taproom will host a pre-party with Hiway Hi-Fi from 3 to 5 that afternoon. No cover, Gourmade food truck, discounted pints, family and dog friendly.

Smart, smart move: The MBJ reports that Mempops, the handmade, all-natural frozen pop shop, has hired JC Youngblood, formerly of Central BBQ. Mempops is considering additional stores and Downtown is said to be one of the neighborhoods they are considering. I can tell you that a store down here would be very well-received by the locals.

It’s Father’s Day Glass Night at the Flying Saucer tonight. Buy the glass starting at 7, or earlier if you are a Master of the Universe with 5+ plates. Based on the video announcement they sent out, it looks like they may be going with a Star Wars theme.

The Grizzlies Foundation is seeking new mentors. Here is a list of new member orientations. The featured mentor program is the TEAM Mentor Program, in which three volunteer mentors and nine 7th and 8th graders come together to form one TEAM.

That’s it for now. You never know, there may be a third update this evening, so check back.