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A very well-appointed snow person at Overton Park. Memphis got about four inches of very unexpected snow today.
Memphis has a lot of great locally produced food, but you should also be aware that the city is home to some excellent locally made beverages. Ghost River brewing makes all of their varieties of craft beer in a converted meat packing plant downtown. Before the Tigers game on Saturday, I went to Ghost River Brewery downtown to take their free, weekly public tour.
Ghost River Brewery, Memphis, Tenn.
Ghost River knows how to treat their guests. From the minute the tour begins, the friendly brewery guys pass samples of different beers in 6 oz. cups for you to sample while you learn about the brewing process. While Chuck (the brewery’s founder) talked about the Ghost section of the Wolf River and the delicious Memphis water that makes great beer possible, I sipped some of their tasty Golden ale.
Vats of Beer, Ghost River Brewing, Memphis, Tenn.
The tour moves from the dock into the main brewing room, where we stood among giant vats of beer-in-progress and got a quick lesson on how beer is made from Chuck. He passed around cups of various malts and hops and shared some little-known beer facts (for example, if you wanted to make beer out of Grape Nuts, you totally could).
By then, another sample tray had been passed around, and I had a cup of Galacial Pale Ale in my hand. I didn’t like it as much as I liked the Golden Ale, but it wasn’t bad at all.
Galacial Pale Ale, Ghost River Brewing, Memphis, Tenn.
According to Chuck, Ghost River has been open for about 17 months, making three constant beers, the Galacial Pale Ale, the Golden, and the Brown Ale and a rotating seasonal beer (right now, it’s the super potent Wee Heavy). A portion of all of their sales is donated to the Wolf River Conservancy in order to help protect the brewery’s namesake river.
To get your hands on some Memphis-made beer, belly up to one of more than 50 local bars and restaurants that serve Ghost River on tap. You can also buy full kegs, five gallon kegs, and half-gallon growlers from the dock. Sadly, Ghost River isn’t available in bottles or at grocery stores yet.
Public tours of the brewery are free and given every Saturday at 1 p.m. Reservations are required for the tour. Be sure to eat before you go, because you’ll be sampling quite a bit of beer.
Go There:
(901) 278-0087
Day 36:
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Wearing my beret from Wish Boutique. You’ve still got two hours to enter the contest to win a $100 Wish gift card.
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I got to the FedEx Forum for the Tigers vs. Gonzaga game entirely too early. About 17,500 people came to the game (which Gonzaga won).
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A loaf of delicious, homemade bread. Yum!
I have a really hard time finding clothes that I like. It seems like it’s difficult to find casual, but really cool adult girl clothes that are more appropriate for work or errands than going to the club and I’ve all but given up on trying to shop for anything at the mall. Which is fine really – Memphis has some great shops that carry unique pieces you won’t find at any chain.
A well-dressed mannequin at Wish, Memphis, Tenn.
I went to check out Wish boutique in Germantown yesterday, and it wasn’t quite what I was expecting. The shop is really interesting – there are walls covered in records, vintage furniture is positioned around the room, and the clothes and accessories are splayed on tables, hung on racks around the room, and piled in bowls.
The clothes range from pieces that are perfect for a night out, to some work-appropriate pieces (like blazers and dresses) and comfy lounge wear. They were having a big sale yesterday, but the regular prices on all of the clothes I looked at weren’t too steep.
Earrings at Wish, Memphis, Tenn.
The owners of Wish were kind enough to give me two gift certificates to use at the store. I used on to pick up a cute blue dress (with pockets!) and a beret (which the staff – largely made up of girls named Kerry – showed me how to wear without looking silly), and two bracelets for one of you.
And here’s the best part: In addition to the two bracelets, one reader of I Love Memphis will win a $100 gift certificate to use at Wish.
Win a $100 gift card and two bracelets from Wish
To enter, all you have to do is leave a comment on this blog post, reply to me on Twitter or “like” the post on Facebook before 12 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 8. A winner will be chosen randomly.
***Congratulations to Laura Whitby Sullivan, the winner of the $100 gift card and bracelets!
(Ed. Note: Please be assured that all opinions expressed in this post are my own. Wish was kind enough to give me two gift certificates with no expectation of coverage. Need more info? See my disclosure policy.)
Happy weekend, everybody! There’s a lot going on in Memphis over the next three days, but here are some suggestions to get you started:
1. University of Memphis Tigers vs. Gonzaga, FedEx Forum, Saturday, 3 p.m.
After Wednesday’s epic win against UAB, I’m completely excited to watch the Tigers take on Gonzaga tomorrow. If you can’t make it to the game, it’ll be broadcast on ESPN 2 (and online on ESPN360). If you are going to the game, why don’t we all meet up at halftime?
2. Cirque du CMOM, Children’s Museum of Memphis, Saturday, 7:30, $125
The Memphis Children’s Museum is a wonderful non-profit museum for kids of all ages in the Mid-South. Cirque du CMOM is their annual fundraiser. Expect a big, fabulous party that’s full of top hats, feather boas, delicious food and drinks, sideshow acts and plenty of celebrating.
3. Lucero with the Glossary, Minglewood Hall, Friday, 8 p.m., $15
Hometown boys Lucero are playing at Minglewood tonight. They’re currently touring for their latest release, 1372 Overton Park. The record was critically well-received, but hope they play some of the pared-down country tracks from their first few independent releases.
4. Superbowl Sunday, bars all over town, Sunday, 5 p.m.
This year’s Superbowl is worth watching – the Saints (who’ve never been to a Superbowl) are playing the Colts (lead by Peyton Manning in their second Superbowl). Bars all over the city are having drink and food specials. Try Bardog, Local, South of Beale, Young Ave. Deli and the Cove. If you’re watching from home, order sushi from Sekisui or wings from Chings.
5. Pippin, Playhouse on the Square, Through Feb. 21, $35
Playhouse on the Square is all settled into their fabulous new home on the corner of Union and Cooper. Their first production in the new space is Pippin, a musical about the son of Charlemagne setting off to find himself on the battlefield.
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The Frank James Hotel is now a private residence in the South Main Arts District. I love the makeover the sign’s gotten.
Last night before I went to the Forum to watch the Tigers smash UAB in one of the best basketball games I’ve ever seen, I needed some food.
My mom (and perpetual Tigers game date) suggested that we stop by the new Local Gastropub on Main. She had been a few times before and loved the food.
Local Gastropub, Memphis, Tenn.
Local is in the old Sauces space, and as you can see from the photo, the room is entirely different. The bright colors and modern furniture have been replaced by warm, dark wood and comfy leather lounge chairs. There are TVs over the bar, and a more intimate downstairs dining room.
The thinking behind a gastropub is that it’s like a regular, local bar, but with better-than-pub-grub food. We were in a hurry to get to the game, so I just ordered a bowl of shrimp and she crab soup and mom got a spinach and goat cheese salad.
Our awesome waiter understood our need for speedy eating and had our food out to the table within five minutes of taking our order. My soup was delicious – the creamy broth was well seasoned, and there were generous chunks of shrimp and crab. I didn’t try mom’s salad, but it looked delicious – spinach leaves covered in goat cheese, onion and nuts.
Drink Local, Memphis, Tenn.
Local has a full bar and menu. The downstairs dining room is non-smoking, and the upstairs bar allows smoking later at night.
Go There:
Memphis may not have the romantic reputation of say, Paris or Rome, but there’s still plenty of love in the air. There are a lot of things going on around town for Valentine’s Day, so grab your sweetheart, make a reservation (if you need one) and head out to celebrate love. Here a few suggestions to get you started:
- Pick up two dozen roses from the Whole Foods on Poplar ($19.99 between today and Valentine’s day) and surprise your BFF at the Flying Saucer’s Valentine’s Day glass night on Wednesday, February 10.
- Splurge on a stay at the Peabody Hotel downtown – they’re offering a Valentine’s day package that includes a room, a bottle of champagne, a 30 minute carriage ride downtown, and brunch on the Mezzanine. If an overnight stay isn’t your thing, the Peabody’s also got multiple course prix fixe couples’ menus at Chez Philippe and Capriccio Grill, brunch on the Mezzanine, and a special Valentine’s day version of Afternoon Tea.
- Pick up some sweets from local candy maker Dinstuhl’s or some cupckaes from Muddy’s Bakeshop and take your sweetheart or kids to the Pink Palace to check out the new Chocolate exhibit.
- If you’re not coupled up, grab some friends and a $10 bill and go to Funquest on Feb. 13 for some roller derby. Memphis Roller Derby’s all-girl all-star team (the Hustlin’ Rollers) is playing the St. Louis Arch Rivals and the Women of Mass Destruction are bouting the Angels of Death.
- Have dinner at one of the city’s amazing restaurants. Many are offering special Valentine’s day menus (including this one at Itta Bena). Be sure to make reservations, and consider going on Friday or Saturday night.
- If the weather’s nice, grab your camera and go take some adorable pictures around the city. There are a lot of great locations – try South Main, Overton Park, Cancer Survivor’s Park, Cooper Young, Mud Island, and the Collierville town square.
If you notice anything that I’ve left off, please leave it in the comments and I’ll add it to the calendar.
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This is my Project 365 photo for the day, and though I didn’t take it, it was taken on my camera, so I think it counts. My friend Ryan needed some pictures of someone “walking in Memphis” for an ad campaign he’s working on. While we were out shooting, I got a little silly. (Please know that no streetlights were harmed in the taking of this photo.)
In other Memphis-related news:
- I’m not sure if you’ve been paying attention to awards season or not, but Memphis is representing at the Emmys, Grammys and Oscars. MGMT, Booker T., Five Dollar Cover Amplified and The Blind Side are all represented.
- Memphis theater (and blog) legend Sister Myotis is headed to New York for a 22-performance run of “Sister Myotis’s Bible Camp” which will run from June 11 through the Fourth of July. New Yorkers are in for a hilariously holy experience when Sister M. is let loose in their fair city. There’s only one catch – Steve Swift, the man who plays Sister Myotis, is having a tough time affording the trip.
He (and his theater company, Voices of the South) is looking for donations of cash or in-kind donations of travel, lodging or living expenses while the show is in New York. If you’ve ever come in contact with the holy lady (or if you haven’t, this YouTube video of her talking about thongs is a great place to start), please consider dropping some cash into the offering plate. Voices of the South is asking that you send any donations to Voices of the South, P.O. Box 11222, Memphis, Tenn. 38111.
- There’s still time to win a romantic Memphis Valentine’s day package for you and your sweetie. The package includes a night’s stay at the Madison, flowers, champagne, chocolate, a car and driver, and dinner for two at the Inn at Hunt Phelan. All you have to do is tell these nice people what you love most about downtown Memphis by Friday, Feb. 5.
- If you don’t have plans tonight, here are some of your options: The Magic Kids are playing at the HiTone Cafe tonight with Smith Westerns for $6, and the University of Memphis Tigers are taking on the UAB Blazers at the FedEx Forum at 7 p.m. If you can’t make it to the Forum, the game will be broadcast on CBS.
Lastly, if you ever see me out and about, please come say hello. I’ve gotten the chance to meet a few of you over the past few days, and it makes me really happy to meet you guys. It feels a little less like I’m typing into a vacuum, you know? So come introduce yourself next time you see me around town.
When it comes to downtown transportation, Memphis rolls old school with a light rail trolley system.
On the downtown trolley, Memphis, Tenn.
I decided to take a trip on the Riverfront Loop trolley yesterday. When I saw a trolley pulling up to the stop at Union and Main, I ran across the street, stuck a dollar in the fare box and settled into a seat facing the rear of the car.
As the trolley gently rumbled down the Main St. Mall, I couldn’t help but notice restaurants and shops I’ve never noticed before, newly renovated buildings and the fact that my favorite local fountain is off for the winter.
What I failed to notice was that I had gotten on the wrong trolley – instead of the Riverfront Loop, I had chosen the “Main Street Only” train. It was no big deal, though – I got off at the MATA station on North Main and waited for the next (correct) trolley.
Inside the Riverfront Loop Trolley, Memphis, Tenn.
The Riverfront Loop trolley was a emptier than the first, and warmer, too (I must have been sitting directly over a heater, but it was totally pleasant). The Riverfront Loop trolley makes a big oval from the MATA Station at Main and North Parkway around the Pyramid to Riverside (where the views of the Mississippi are incredible), through the new housing on the bluff, past the train station, then through South Main and onto the Main St. Mall.
There’s a bit of a running joke in town that you can out-walk a trolley. And it’s true – the pace of the downtown trolleys is leisurely. Riding the whole Riverfront loop will take about half an hour.
But riding the trolley is one of the best ways to see a lot of downtown Memphis. The views from the windows are incredible, and a trolley ride provides some great photo opportunities. I ran into reader Mary Allison on the trolley yesterday, and she said that some of the best pictures she’s ever taken of her two young children have been on the trolley.
Watch your step on the trolley in Memphis, Tenn.
MATA operates three different trolley lines: the Main St. only (which runs on, you guessed it – Main St. only), the Riverfront Loop, and one that runs from Madison Ave. downtown to Madison Ave. and Cleveland in Midtown.
Rides are $1 each and are free between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. and during special events (like Trolley Tour on the last Friday of every month). During the week, you can catch a trolley at any one of 35 stops every 10 minutes between 6 a.m. and 11 p.m. On Fridays and Saturdays, the trolleys run until 1 a.m., and on Sundays, service stops at 6 p.m.
For more information about seeing downtown on the trolley system, check out the schedule and rate information from MATA.
