SUSHI!!!

After a long (and much needed) hiatus, BluGritz is back. I just needed to get a little R &R after last semester, but I think that the holiday glitz and glamour has somewhat rejuvenated me---not to mention the great gifts I got. ha.ha. I know, I know. It is not about presents. OK, so I am a big kid inside. Anyway, a friend of mine took me to eat sushi at Pacific Rim on Poplar two weeks ago tonight. It was fabulous! If you go, make sure you order Nigiri sake and the Pacific Rim roll. You won't be disappointed! One of the best places in M' town for sushi. No doubt.

Nutcracker at The Orpheum Dec. 5-7

It is Christmas time in this city! That is for sure. Remember that childhood Christmas favorite, The Nutcracker? Well, it's at The Orpheum this weekend brought to us by Ballet Memphis. Nothing like marching toy soldiers and sugar plum fairies dancing to put you in the right mood for the holidays. it started tonight and goes through Sunday. Tonight's performance began at 7; so if you missed it, try one of the other two days. Both Saturday and Sunday have an afternoon and evening performance (2 p.m. and 7 p.m.). The night show is early enough on Saturday that you could even go out downtown afterwards. Happy Holidays! Or Merry Christmas, whichever you prefer. I really don't care, either way. Apparently, it is being debated as to which greeting is appropriate for advertisers to use. I get it, but...What do you think?

Coming Attractions!

It has been suggested to me that I should add an up and coming events section. So...I will do just that in a moment.

Sunday Night Stuff To Do!

Sunday night is here. It is cold and rainy outside, but I really want to go somewhere. Actually, this would be a great night for a fire and some chili.Hmmm...Let me think. I could always go catch a late flick at the Paradisio. That is such an awesome place to see a movie. They have lots of screens, and it is centrally located in Memphis at Medenhall and Poplar. Several late night restaurants are around there as well, like The Half Shell or Belmont Grill. So, if you are hungry after the movie, go grab some fantastic gumbo and oysters at the Half Shell. Not to mention the wine list is really good, too. If you prefer a cozier environment, stroll over to Belmont Grill and pick from the menu. It is hard for me to decide who has the best gumbo, but I would probably go with The Half Shell. Ok, back to The Paradisio. This place is nice on the inside. The seating is super comfortable, and the quality of the sound is unbelievable! There is the usual refreshment area, but this place offers a little more with its wine and coffee bar located to the far left as you enter the theater. Also, there is nothing better than heading for some Ben and Jerry's after seeing a movie on a hot summer day in Memphis, TN. The ice cream helps you adjust to the humidity outside after leaving the pleasantly air-conditioned movie theater. If you have children, there is a video game area and a candy machine. For 50 cents, you, too, can get a create-your-own bag of candy. Guess they were trying to put an end to the popular candy smuggling that occurs at the movies frequently. Nice try, Paradisio.

Saturday Night Fever

Have you ever been to Huey's? This is one of the most famous burger and beer joints in Memphis. I had a burger there years ago, but I made the switch to the West Coast Turkey Burger and never looked back! Yummy! Maybe it has something to do with my L.A. obsession...Tonight, however, I had the tuna steak salad. I like this place for a number of reasons, but the most important one is CONSISTENCY. No matter when you go, the food always come out like last time. OK. So, since I missed a great Ed Hardy party at King Biscuit last night, I am definitely going somewhere tonight. But where? There's always Red Rooster downtown, and then I guess I could just see where I end up from there. I keeping hearing that Hollywood Raiford's is still happening on Saturday nights. Wow. I have not been there in forever. It has been so long, in fact, that I could just pretend like this is my first time. lol. I will get back to you on this tomorrow. Yay! Weekend!

Happy Thanksgiving Everybody!

Well, the holidays are officially here. I am on my way to celebrate with my family and friends. This should be a good day because I don't HAVE to do anything but enjoy myself. As a child, I really didn't like Thanksgiving so much because there were no presents. Now, as an adult, I welcome it because there are no deadlines! The big holiday sales start at 4 A.M.! Can you believe that? my younger sister asked me if I wanted to go with her!!?? No way! lol. You would have to drag me out of bed kicking and screaming to do something crazy like that. No, I am that person who waits until the last week to buy Christmas presents, and I will probably still be rushing around on Christmas Eve. Every year I say I am not going to do it, but I do it anyway. Maybe one day in the distant future, I will see the light and join those early bird holiday
shoppers, although it's doubtful. What's the point? I might go out later, so I will keep you posted.

Totally Out of Left Field...

The holidays are almost here, and do you know what that means? Soon it will be Jan. 20, Innauguration Day! Yay! I know the economy is putting a damper on the holiday spirit, but just think. Pretty soon Obama will be in office...Oh, I am sooooooo impressed with the new Chief of Staff: Rahm Emanuel. ;) Now, what about Memphis politics? That might take a little more time.

Time Flies Even When You are Not Having Fun...

Yes. It is completely true. I really have not had any time for fun these days. I blame that on school and the economy, of course. It is easy to blame the economy, and it is always nice to have a back up plan. Reminds me of an ex of mine. Ha. Ha. Anyway, tomorrow is Thanksgiving, and I don't have a turkey. Since I barely trust myself to even use a toaster oven, I decided to put a Southern twist on this year's Turkey Day. What could be more Southern than Corky's BBQ? A Memphis original, no doubt! It has been years since I ate there, but the food I ordered tonight looks delicious! I am so hungry, but I refuse to touch it until tomorrow... There is a big party at Club 152 on Beale tonight. I was thinking about going, but I feel so lazy! I haven't been in that place since March, but it was packed then and still fun, like I remembered it. It's a great place if you are looking for a typical club atmosphere. I don't know. Maybe I will change my mind. I am starting to have doubts about my willpower v. the food. I am fickle like that! :)

What Do You Want to do?

I picked up a brochure at my gym yesterday called the Downtowner, and there was some really cool stuff in there. Actually, I don't know if it is a brochure or a small magazine. Anyway, I saw a couple of places in there that be worth visiting. Downtown Memphis is in a sort of renaissance period, so to speak, and the cool shops and restaurants are evidence of this. More Space Place is an environmentally friendly furniture place that can customize your furniture to fit any space. Pretty nifty idea, don't you think? Maybe you want some art on your wall? Then you should check out the Joysmith/Sunsum Gallery for international flair, or if you prefer more abstract art and photography in your living space, go see Sue Layman Designs. Alsa, if you are like moi, you might enjoy aimlessly looking in awe at all of the cool and unique gift shops downtown has. Many a sunny, lazy, summer day I have found myself strolling through funky Strange Cargo, and every time I find something better than the last time. This is a must for anyone visiting Memphis! It is located near Tater Red's Lucky Mojos on Beale Street, another gift store but a little bit weirder.More for people into voodoo and stuff.lol.

Saturday

OK. So Saturday is here, and I am trying to decide what to do. There is always downtown, or what about the roller derby at the Mid-South fairgrounds? Hmmmm...I will be sure and let you know whatever I decide to do. Stay tuned.

Mama Mia! at The Orpheum

Well, my Friday night plans fell through, but it was going to be a good one! Mama Mia is at the Orpheum for its last weekend. Guess I will have to wait until next year. :( About five years ago, I went to The Orpheum to see Tom Petty. This is truly a great place to see a concert. The venue is relatively small, but it makes no difference. In fact, I think it is better that way. Seeing a show like that makes it so much more personal and memorable. another small but popular venue with music junkies around here is The new Daisy. This place generally does not have big name acts like Petty, choosing to mostly attract younger crowds who are there to see up and coming bands. The last time I went, it was a couple of years ago ( 2 or 3), and I was there to see The Strokes. They put on a fabulous show, but it was sooooooo hot!!! The Daisy doesn't have those creature comforts like The Orpheum : air conditioning, plush seating, elegant refreshment area, etc. I think it might have been a theater on Beale a long, long time ago, and nobody ever updated it. Nonetheless, that is part of its appeal : It is kind of like a diamond in the rough. And the acoustics are just as good as The Orpheum. As far as summer concerts go, Mud Island Amphitheater takes the cake. The breeze from the river keeps it cool enough to still enjoy the music, unlike Snowden Groove Ampitheater in MS. I will never go back! The parking lot is terrible, all gravel, and it was so hot last July I thought I was going to suffocate!A larger yet stll fabulous place to hear live music is none other than the fedex Forum. I will be there in January thanks to a friend of mine who gave me some tix to AC/DC! Rock and Roll all night!

RP Tracks

For years I heard about this place, but I just never went. Finally, one day several summers ago, I decided to see what it was like. Not bad at all. I happen to like small places that aren't too bright, and that have a jukebox. RP Tracks caters to the college crowd, no doubt, due to its location off of Highland. The food is inexpensive, and the beer is pretty cheap on Thurs. with pints only being a $2.50. It is pretty safe to assume that they do this because it is also ladies' night on Thursday, but I was told the busiest night of the week is Friday. Since I went this week on a Wed., I guess I was a day or two early because the place was almost empty. Maybe the cold weather had something to do with it. Of course, it was only around 10, and the bartender told me they have a late night crowd because their kitchen stays open unitl 2 :30. I always get the black bean nachos, and the Commercial Appeal named these "The Best Nachos in Town". Just between you and me, I like this place better in the summer. There is just something about the atmosphere in the place when it's hot outside...

Hangin' Out at...Starbucks?

Usually, I am that person driving through the Starbucks drive-thru, half asleep until I get my morning joe. Other than that, I don't really do muching hanging out there. I either get my Venti Pike's Place Roast for the day, or I get a bag of whole beans, typically Anniversary Blend this time of the year. Last night, however, was a different story. I met a friend at the Starbucks on Germantown Parkway and Macon, and even though we were actually there to work on a project of mine, somehow it turned into fun. Like I said, I have never really hung out at Starbucks before; I always thought the environment was too distracting to get any sort of work done. I take it back. I think the layout of this particular Starbucks contributed to its overall atmosphere : this one is much larger than the ones I have seen before in Memphis. Not only that, but we were situated in the back corner so that it felt in a way like we had the place to ourselves. I noticed that others must have felt the same way, beacuse there was just so much space! I can't stand to feel crammed into a Starbucks or any other coffee shop for that matter, especially if I haven't had any coffee! :( What should have probably only taken an hour ended up taking two and 1/2, but that's ok. Another plus is you can get a Starbucks card and get Wifi through AT&T, which is cool if you want to bring your laptop. I would have never guessed that Starbucks could be that fun. Since I have a fascination with Starbucks during the holidays, I will be going back to this one. Oh, yeah. And if you don't like coffee, you can always get the signature hot chocolate, but watch out! Apparently, there is a hot chocolate thief on the loose there...

The Grizzlies v. The Knicks

Come On, Memphis! I went to the Grizzlies game last night, and man! Since I enjoy live sporting events, I had a blast. The game was great, but the crowd left a little to be desired. Memphis waited a long time to get this team, so I hope we can hang on to it. If we want to be treated like a major city, then we need to start acting like one. Sacramento is the same size as Memphis, and they have nothing but love for the Kings. We could learn something. Let's really get out there and show these guys how loyal we really can be. Memphis and the Grizzlies deserve better...And before I forget, may I just add that the Fedex Forum is awesome! We were on the floor, so we stopped by the Lexus Lounge. It is a really nice bar and restaurant where everybody goes before the game and during half-time. When the game was over, we walked to the Peabody and had some wine . I am sad to say that I could only window shop at one of my favorite stores in Memphis, Lansky's 126 (located inside of The Peabody), because it was closed. It was probably for the best. That place is dangerous to my wallet.

Tunica is Memphis, Too!

I am no gambler. I do not have the money to lose, nor do I really even like it. However, a good friend of mine talked me into going to Tunica Staurday night, and I actually had fun. As far as Memphis goes, Tunica does have a little bit more to offer in terms of entertainment and excitement, even for a non-gambler like myself. There are other options: You can find a variety of good food at an affordable price, and of course there is the casino gimme: free drinks! We actually watched a good show at Gold Strike, singer/songwriter Phil Vasser. His music is a mix of Western and Rock. And if we wanted to (not saying we did!), we could have easily walked over to the Horseshoe or just stayed there and played a little bit....Maybe next time ;)

Blue Monkey on ...Wed?

Apparently, I am accidentally following these trivia games around town. Wed. night at the Blue Monkey offers just that. I met my friend at this midtown spot around 9:30, and there was a decent amount of people there for one specific purpose: trivia night. I really do not go for that sort of thing, but the atmosphere was definitely lively and upbeat. About an hour or so later, we both noticed how dead the place was! I heard that I should try Tues. night instead. Since that is tomorrow, maybe I will. The Monkey never falls short on its creative pizza menu or beer list. Just be sure to order something on draft. I made the mistake of ordering a Bud Light. How boring!

You Don't Have to Leave the Country...

YAY! OBAMA WON!!! No going out tonight...I was glued to CNN.

Monday at Midnight

So, I did end up back at Celtic for pint night. $2.50 pints every Monday there. Not bad, but it wasn't as lively as Wed. There wasn't a band, either. Oh, and I forgot to mention that Wed. is trivia night there with a $200 cash prize. Maybe I will give it a shot next time. I did see a store across the street from Celtic that I definitely want to check out: Lux. I'll do a little shopping (or in my case, more like window shopping) there this week. Why not? Another cool and relatively free thing to do on a Monday night is to go by Spin Street on Poplar and Highland and just browse. It is open past midnight on Mondays, so you can just go listen to CDs the old-fashioned way.lol. There are plenty of DVDs, too. The only problem I have with Spin Street is that I don't want to leave. Ever!

Where should I go first?

Last Wed. night I decided to make Celtic Crossing my first stop on my Tour de Memphis. It is a cool Irish pub located in the Cooper-Young district. The band was great,and the food was pretty good, too, especially for bar food. May I recommend the jerk chicken sandwhich and fries!There are plenty of great beers to choose from,both draft and bottles. The wine list isn't bad, either. I only wish I had gone on pint night! Oh, wait.what is tonight? Monday!I might be going back...