Memphis Wine Blog

As I mentioned recently, I've created a wine blog to track wine tastings, parties, and dinners in Memphis.

So far, you'll find both detailed information about events, and a calendar of events. It's pretty surprising just how many wine events there are in Memphis-- especially on Wednesdays. :~)

Check it out now! www.MemphisWineBlog.com.

Cheers!

Clueless in the Kitchen with Bobby Flay

I received a request today to post the following information regarding a TV show that's casting terrible cooks in Memphis. Those selected will learn to cook with Bobby Flay. I sent an e-mail back asking for more information, but for now:

CLUELESS IN THE KITCHEN? LEARN TO COOK WITH BOBBY FLAY!

Single and can't cook a meal for one? Frustrated because you don't know how
to pack a nutritious lunchbox for your kids? Forgo paying for culinary school
and learn the basics in two weeks with Bobby Flay's "Real Food Cooking
School."

Impress us with your wit and your lack of food knowledge… Bobby Flay is
ready to school you as only an Iron Chef can! You'll learn the basics of
grilling, sautéing, knife skills, how to make simple, nutritious meals from real
foods…and so much more!

If you're feisty and eager to step up your cooking skills: make us a
3-minute VHS tape or DVD telling us your worst cooking story, the most horrible
meal you ever cooked, and why you should be a part of Bobby Flay's "Real Food
Cooking School."

Worried? Don't be – you'll be having too much fun! Remember…have a family
member, best friend or spouse make an appearance on your tape – a little
testimonial, "Oh my god, she regularly burns the bottom of the sauce pan!" goes
a long way.

All applicants should live in the United States, be over the age of 18, and
be available April 15-30th for filming in New York City.

Please mail tapes by March 22nd to:
ATT: Real Food Cooking School
110
Leroy Street
New York, NY 10014

Questions? Email us at realfoodcookingschool@gmail.com

A Funny Thing on the Way to Dessert

I had a great dinner at Blue Fin in Downtown Memphis last night. During dinner, a straight laced looking man sitting next to us was talking at a very high volume. He was so loud and so very expressive, he could have been sitting at our table.

At one point, he said something that had me almost rolling in the floor laughing:

There was a point in my life when I was a real derelict! I mean, I was
really a derelict for a while; for a few years!

derelict
adjective
1. worn and broken down by hard use; "a creaky shack"; "a decrepit bus...its seats held together with friction tape"; "a flea-bitten sofa"; "a run-down neighborhood"; "a woebegone old shack" [syn: creaky]
2. forsaken by owner or inhabitants ; "weed-grown yard of an abandoned farmhouse" [syn: abandoned]
3. failing in what duty requires; "derelict (or delinquent) in his duty"; "neglectful of his duties"; "remiss of you not to pay your bills"
4. in deplorable condition; "a street of bedraggled tenements"; "a broken-down fence"; "a ramshackle old pier"; "a tumble-down shack" [syn: bedraggled]

noun
1. a person without a home, job, or property
2. a ship abandoned on the high seas [syn: abandoned ship]

Weekend Recap: Felicia Suzanne's, EP's, Mollie's, and more...

Well, it was another successful weekend in the Bluff City! As I do dishes and wash clothes today, I'm reflecting back on fun, friends, and good food.

My adventures on Friday started at Felicia Suzanne's on Main Street with friends. The entire bar was taken up by people who all knew one another. I had the smoked salmon deviled eggs with caviar. Both the food and the company were great! I also had a chance to stop by Hoop's Bar and EP's, where I met up with and ran into friends. I left a little early though... it was cold this weekend, and I was tired.

Saturday night, I visited Mollie Fontaine Lounge in the Victorian Village, and Earnestine & Hazel's, on South Main. Mollie's was packed to the brim with people. Word has definitely gotten out about just how good it is. And, considering how off the beaten path Mollie's is, that says a lot. On my way into E&H, I ran into Robbie, Ester, and Edison, who were clearly having a fabulous night; they were heading to Raiford's. At E&H, I ran into Lindy and her crew, who were also having a great time.

Today, my to-do list is short. I'm essentially getting ready for the week. Since tomorrow is MLK Day, I'm hoping to make it to the Grizzlie basketball game. Thursday, I'll be getting a haircut (whoo hoo!) and after that, it's anybody's guess.

Have a great Sunday!

And, the Weekend Has Arrived With A Bang: Memphis V. LA!

This weekend so far is WOW. :~) Last night was the perfect example of why I make Memphis my home.

I got home a little late from work, and started off chatting up one of my neighbors over popcorn. Then, I went home and was basking in the peace and quiet of the evening when I got a text message from a couple I'm friends with, "We're heading to EP's for a bite. Come have a drink!" So, I headed down to give it a try and the night took it from there.

First, I spent time with the couple at EP's. Then, I headed into Hoop's Bar next door, where I sat at the bar, ate dinner, and caught up with more friends. Everyone's been away for the holidays and it was the first time I'd seen most people in weeks.

After finishing the great egg rolls at Hoop's, a friend and I headed down to Club 152 where I ran into a few other friends and had a dance before we had another "change of venue."

Next on the list was Silky O'Sullivan's. Silky was there to greet us in his typical friendly way. Inside, some crazy, drunk, old man tried to chat me up while my friend stepped away for just a minute. This qualified for another COV.

Next, we headed to Double Duce! My friend was absolutely impressed that such a random place existed on Beale. If you haven't been yet, you should really stop by-- at least for a minute or two. Downstairs, they have live music. Upstairs is a techno club and outside, there's a mechanical bull- ha! It's an experience all of its own and definitely worth the trip. You never know what you'll find there. Yesterday, I found my first shot of Jager. Then, we were on to the next COV...

The next place is a little hole in the wall bar on Beale that I don't know the name of. I've been there a few times, and its always reasonably full of people. It looks a little like a hallway with a bar along one side. This time, we ended up sitting next to two guys who were in town from LA. They almost immediately started to complain about Memphis and how unexciting it is compared to LA. Since I've lived in LA, I could easily argue against this point. I asked just how long they'd been in town for (assuming it was a while if they were in so much pain), and I learned that they had just flown in that same day for a fitness conference. Haha. They must have been so tortured after 4 hours.

They were both so into La-La-Land... It was so interesting to hear them brag about LA, since actually living in LA is so emotionally challenging on just about everyone who does it. Practically everyone there struggles every day, and people constantly wonder if staying is the right idea, or not. One of my LA friends just called me 2 days ago with this exact struggle. She's not sure if she should stick it out longer, or finally give up. I told her she should check out Memphis. :~)

Anyway! Rather than explain why Memphis is so great, my friend and I decided to SHOW them! Our next COV? Raiford's! My friend called up the limo driver who promptly flew around the block to pick us up in the Raiford's limo. The two guys were clearly surprised, but hopped in with us and minutes later we arrived at the door of Raiford's Disco. After ushering us through the door, it was on! Unfortunately, our sad LA friends just couldn't hang. They didn't even make it to the dance floor before they were out the door. I guess it was just too much fun. :~) (Actually, it was probably just too late for them. Everything in LA closes around 1:30 or 2:00 AM.) Despite this setback, my friend and I were off to the races. We danced the night away in the DJ booth and in the back room. We were actually there when Raiford said goodnight and they closed down. Oh my.

Wow, what a good night! This is exactly the sort of reason that I moved back to Memphis after living in LA.

A quick recap of last week: After recovering from a NYE debacle, I came down with a cold last Friday. I stayed home Saturday and Sunday, determined to get better and by Thursday, my hard work had paid off. I was feeling better and had a lovely time Thursday night at Molly Fontaine Lounge in the Victorian Village. If you haven't been, you should go. This place is at the very top of my personal favorites. Yesterday was a fulfilling day at work-- one where you leave the week feeling like maybe you actually accomplished what you set out to do. And, that's where last night began.

Tonight, I will be accompanying a friend to an ice hockey game. In case you didn't know, ice hockey is one of my favorite sports. :~) (And speaking of that, the RPI Big Red Freakout game is coming up in just a few weeks. )

Well anyway, have a good weekend. I look forward to catching you up on more fantastic details very soon!

Friday Update

Well, it's been practically a week since I wrote an update.... so here goes nothing... I drove back to Memphis on Sunday night and the week has been a blurr since then.

It's been a week filled with happy hours and news from friends. I've hardly had any time at home and actually only because I woke up 1/2 an hour early this morning have I been able to write this blog or finally start doing laundry. Last night, I didn't get home until around 11 PM and I walked straight to my bed and went to sleep until this morning. That's been the pattern I've repeated every day.

I don't think I've even watched any TV. I did however hook up Guitar Hero, which I recommend highly! As I mentioned, I finally learned to play over the weekend and now I've been able to set up my own game.

On friend news-- One of my close friends accepted a job this week in Atlanta, so he'll be moving there. He's going to be starting an entirely new life, and I get the sense that he's really going to like it. I'm hoping that I may be able to visit! Other friends told me stories of being stranded in a foreign country with no passport...of new events...and life changing moments. All in all, it's been a good week!

Tonight, I'm going to have another go at happy hour-- and will be meeting up with friends again after work. This may turn into a Raiford's night, seeing as the Atlanta friend will be soon moving.
Tomorrow, I'm going to do my best to be up and presentable by 8 AM. The St. Jude Half Marathon is in the morning and 3 of my friends are running in it. I'm hoping to find another person who wants to watch for a few minutes and then go have breakfast. Hopefully, the bulk of the day tomorrow will be productive, but really... it seems as if when it's the most important to be productive is when the least gets done. Tomorrow night, I'll be attending a friend's birthday dinner and party.

I'm very excited about Sunday! After my last post regarding horseback riding, I found a coach! I start on Sunday afternoon.

Well, that's the summary of the week. Paul reposted a link to a great article in the Commercial Appeal about The Warehouse. This is such a cool place and right down the street from me, so I thought I'd share.

OH MY! Corky's BBQ on QVC

Ummmm....... first off, let's be clear: I do not watch QVC. :~)

Okay, now that that's out of the way: I was channel surfing this evening and saw a "cooking show" on TV. When I stopped, I quickly recognized the guy cooking as the Corky's BBQ guy.

Then, a few seconds later, I realized I was watching QVC. At first, I thought maybe the item for sale was some kind of barbecue grill or something.

Then I realized that nope, it's actually just barbecue! 5 lbs of ribs for around $50.

Here's a link to the barbecue on the QVC site. They even carry BBQ meatballs. Does Corky's normally make meatballs??

If you're like me, you'll likely be going directly to Corky's site when you want to send ribs to your friends and family: http://www.corkysbbq.com/.

STRANGE!