Trolley Night: March 2010

Friday night was the first "kinda, sorta warm enough to go out" Trolley Night! The turn-out was much better than past months and the crowds were great. My in-laws were in town and we decided to go to Pearl's Oyster House for dinner after making a few stops along the way. I had played a prank the previous week by "borrowing" and taking pics of the MPACTMemphis sign that I placed in my courtyard (and posting them to @MPACTMemphis on Twitter), so my first stop was to return that sign to the MPACTMemphis office on South Main, as well as to wish my friend Penelope who works there a Happy Birthday. :-)



We stopped at the SMA (South Main Association) cookout and since we were about to have dinner, skipped eating any of the burgers and hotdogs and instead grabbed two cups of Ghost River Golden from the keg for my brother-in-law Jeremy and I as the others didn't want beer until they got to Pearl's. On the way we saw a nice way to get people into your art gallery... paper sacks with smiley faces all over the sidewalk!



Since Pearl's had a long wait, Jeremy and I went back out and hit up a few art galleries including the old Jay Etkin Gallery (I'm not sure what the new name of the place is though, if there is a name?). One art gallery in particular, Nook and Crannies, had unique artwork in the form of the artist's panties and stockings, along with various other pieces of art adorning the walls. The artist, Brittany Wilder, changed each undergarment into stylish artwork by painting different things on each one to make them all unique.



There was also a band playing outside between Onix and a trolley stop which was really good and had gathered a large crowd.



We had a great dinner of oysters, jambalaya, etc. and made our way back to trolley night. After stopping and seeing a few more friends along the way, we had some friends come back to my place and had a few beers and hung out for a while. Glad I could show off South Main and trolley night to the in-laws from Iowa. We all had a great time!

"I Love Memphis" Party

After a long day at work, it was a great way to end a Monday by going to the "I Love Memphis" Party!

The party, which was thrown by Kerry of ilovememphisblog.com, was a great way to meet the bloggers and people on Twitter that you may have communicated with but never actually met in person. There were A LOT of people in SOB (South of Beale) that night and was a lot of fun meeting new people, catching up with friends, exchanging ideas, etc.

The cake was previewed, in true social media fashion, on Twitter and facebook ahead of the party and was a sight to be seen in and of itself! The cake featured a FedEx package containing various Memphis themed music venues as well as a cake guitar! The cake was created by the wonderful artists at Westside Cakes.

Near the end of the party, I and a few friends checked another social media site, foursquare, and saw that about 15% of the party were all on foursquare and "checked into" SOB (South of Beale). Seems that foursquare is definitely gaining momentum.

I had a great time and here are a few pics from the event:

South Pacific at the Orpheum

Grab your honey bun, head down to the Orpheum, and don’t wash this play right out of your hair!

I went to opening night of South Pacific yesterday and was pleasantly surprised to find how enjoyable it was. Never having seen the play OR the movie before, I did not know the story line or what to expect, although I was familiar with quite a few songs.

Set on a series of islands during World War II, the play intertwines two love stories, racial boundaries, and the frustrations of naval island living, amid comedy, song, and dance. The musical numbers I waited for – There Is Nothin’ Like a Dame, I’m Gonna Wash That Man Right Outa My Hair, and Honey Bun – did not disappoint. The actress playing the lead character, Nellie Forbush, was fantastic, with that Arkansas drawl, perfect comedic and dramatic timing, and a great singing voice. I also thought the actress laying Bloody Mary was a standout, especially creating quite the flowy atmosphere during the song Bali Ha’i.

The play is driven by musical numbers and dramatic scenes alike. While the sets are sometimes simple, they really give the open aired feel of being on a beach. At only one point did it seem a bit slow, during one song in the second act. Other than that, I was thoroughly engrossed in the show, waiting to see what would happen!

South Pacific definitely has that Rogers and Hammerstein vibe. If you are a fan of classic musicals, I would recommend this show for sure. It is playing through Sunday, and there are still tickets left. Go to www.orpheum-memphis.com for more details, and have yourself Some Enchanted Evening!

Turning Downtown Memphis Green: St. Patty's Day 2010

Having survived laryngitis by pretty much staying home for 2 weeks, I thought I'd get back on that horse and get out and party it up for St. Patty's Day!

While walking to a trolley, my friend Angie C. (one of about 14 Angies I know) spotted me and gave me a ride to Beale St. along with joining in on the fun!

We met up with Rebecca S. and watched the raising of the goat and the blessing of the kegs at Silky O'Sullivan's. We then went inside and hung out in the courtyard, listened to a musician and I bought us a few beers that Rebecca turned green for us. Friends Josh and Angie (another one of the 14) met up with us there as well before we moved on to the next place.





Later, we moved the party to the Flying Saucer which was featuring Celtic Dancers and an Irish band, bagpipes and all! The fire sale that night was Ireland's own Harp of which I made sure to taste test quite a few of them. Was a great night with a great group of friends and I'm happy to say this time I didn't leave the Saucer without my voice!






Okay... I typed this blog at around 4am this morning... that's just WAY too many green pics.... LOL

MPACT Gala

Well, I am still trying to catch up on my blogging, as there have been so many fun downtown events lately…including last Friday’s MPACT "The Soul of the City" Gala. An annual event and fundraiser to honor young professionals, your ticket included wine, beer, food, music, dancing, pictures, a goodie bag, and the chance to see who won the MPACT Maker Awards.

Arriving with some friends who were nice enough to give me a ride (thanks Eli & Todd!), we walked in to Central Train Station to find the party in full swing (having arrived “fashionably late” of course). I grabbed a drink, said hi to everyone, then headed to the buffet to eat before it got too late. Food was provided by Crave Catering and included pulled pork, sirloin sandwiches, black bean & corn salsa, spinach dip, fruit, and desserts. Unfortunately we missed out on the jalapeño cheddar martini martinis and battered chicken as those were already gone. Still, the food (well, at least for us non-Lenters) was very good!

After everyone had their fill, awards were presented, followed by the usual party merriment of live music and open bar! We definitely got our dance on that night. Free beer and wine helps with that! We also got several groups together to take pictures in old school prom poses. We did it all, from the large girl group shot, to the stand behind with arms around, to the front to front with arms outstretched, to the girl being picked up. Can’t wait to see how they all turned out!

After the gala, we headed to the Peabody Corner Bar, as we heard that Wynton Marsalis would be playing around 11. Unfortunately, he did not show up, but there was still amazing jazz music being played. The bar was pretty crowded, so we only stayed for a bit then headed to the next venue. I think I ended up at Bardog, but there is no photographic evidence, so who knows what happened. LOL, that’s what happens after several glasses of wine. Fun night!!

And speaking of MPACT, tonight is:

"It's Officially Spring!" Happy Hour w/a Twist at Primetime Sports Bar (150 Peabody Place) at 6:00 p.m.

For more info or to RSVP contact the Member Connections Committee. Free for members. $5 for non-members.

Stop by after work to:

* Enjoy some FREE appetizers

* Grab a drink

* Mingle and network

* Get plugged-in to local nonprofits