Snoop Dogg, New Year's Week Activites

Snoop Dogg is coming to Memphis on Monday, February 7th at Minglewood Hall. Tickets go on sale on January 3, 2011. There's even a V.I.P. option where you can meet Snoop Dogg and Minglewood seems like the perfect setting for a Snoop show.

There's all kinds of fun things going on this week. In addition to the normal New Year's Eve festivities, the Tigers are playing on Thursday night and the Liberty Bowl is on Friday afternoon. If you are looking for something to do before the Tigers play Lipscomb, you may want to the Liberty Bowl Beale Street Parade. If the weather is nice, this should be a good time with fans from Central Florida and Georgia.
 

Happy Holidays!

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, Festivus or whatever you celebrate this time of year. I hope that you were able to spend the day with friends, family and others that you care about. More fun posts starting soon.

Cannon Smith Arrested

It's fairly safe to say that everyone in the Memphis area has heard that Memphis quarterback Cannon Smith has been arrested for his actions near Beale Street. It's a minor charge that is just being blown up because of Smith's connection with FedEx. What's more surprising is the fact that the Commercial Appeal has failed to mention Smith's prior arrests when he was 19. The point being, this isn't Smith's first rodeo.

Retaurant Updates: Grace & Reef Closed

Cooper-Young's Restaurant Grace and The Reef have closed. Grace is sort of a shocker, but The Reef is far from a surprise.

Bar None, BBQ Nachos, Cafe Society Corsair Artisan Tasting Update

A few people have asked what's the best thing to eat at Bar None. Having only been there twice, with limited snacking, it's hard to say. The few items I did try tasted great, with the mango-sriracha wings being my favorite. Any recommendations?

Central BBQ nachos

Have you ever had bbq nachos at Central BBQ? If not, make sure you try them the next time you visit one of their locations. They are fantastic. Most people get them loaded with pork shoulder, but give the chicken a try. You will love it. One more thing, it is a huge plate. Easy for two people to split for a meal.

The Corsair Artisan Distillery tasting scheduled for this Wednesday night at Cafe Society in Midtown has been rescheduled to Wednesday, January 12, 2011. More details as they become available.

Music Updates - NOLA Bingo Show & Huey Lewis

Bingo cards from last night

Anyone who wasn't at the Hi-Tone on Sunday missed a fantastic night of entertainment. Amy Lavere, the opening act, could entertain most people for hours. Great performance as always. The special surprise of the night was The New Orleans Bingo Show. The best way to describe the Bingo Show is an interactive music and theater/cabaret show. They played great music, had original skits, short films and we even got to play bingo. On the way home, all I could think was "wow!" I can't wait to see this group again.

Minglewood Hall has announced that Huey Lewis & The News will be playing on January 27, 2011. Many people will remember these guys from their 80's hits like "The Power of Love" and "Hip To Be Square." Their latest CD "Soulsville" was recorded in Memphis at Ardent Studios in Midtown. Tickets go on sale on Friday, December 17.

Here's a little Huey Lewis & The News for your enjoyment.





'

Libert Bowl Set, Cafe Society Events, Umai Closed, Steve Martin

We are looking forward to seeing Central Florida and Georgia fans roaming the streets of Memphis on New Years weekend for the Liberty Bowl. UGA usually has a strong fan following, but with the Bulldogs having an off year, there is a chance for weak turnout. UCF is familiar with playing in Memphis during December. The Knights last played in the Liberty Bowl in 2007, a 10-3 loss to Mississippi State.

Midtown's Cafe Society is having a couple of fun events next week. On Monday, local artist Patti Smith is having an art show/open house and wine tasting at the restaurant. Smith's art will be featured and there will be $5 samples of wine. A portion of the proceeds from the art and wine sales will be donated to the Memphis Food Bank.

Gorgonzola Stuffed Filet at Cafe Society

The fun continues at Cafe Society on Wednesday night at 6:30pm for a Corsair Artisan Spirits Tasting. $25 plus tax and tip will give you the opportunity to taste Triple Smoke Whiskey, Vanilla Bean Vodka, Spiced Rum & Gin-Head Style Gin. $5 small plates will be available as well.

Next time you are at Cafe Society, ask if the Gorgonzola Stuffed Filet is still on special. Great stuff!

In some less glamorous news, Midtown's Umai has closed after failing to pay taxes to the state of Tennessee. I never had the chance to go to Umai, but many people said that they had a good product.

Tickets are on sale now for Steve Martin's one night show at the Orpheum on Saturday, May 28, 2011. Martin may have some jokes up his sleeve, but the main focus of the evening will be his banjo playing skills. Should be a great night of banjos and bluegrass.

Here's a quick sampling of some of the sounds you may hear at Steve Martin's show.



On tonight's agenda, either checking out Robert Earl Keen at Minglewood or Walrus at Swanky's.

 

Who's Playing In The Liberty Bowl?

Central Florida earned a spot to play in the 2010 Liberty Bowl yesterday with the Knights win over SMU in the Conference USA Championship game. Which SEC opponent will the Knights face on New Year's Eve? Right now, it could be between Georgia and Tennessee-Knoxville. The Vols seem like a logical choice with the built in fan base in the Memphis area, but they will most likely receive a bowl invitation from the Music City Bowl in Nashville.

So that leaves the Bulldogs from Georgia. If invited, it would be UGA's third appearance in the Liberty Bowl. The Bulldogs last appearance in the game was in 1987, a 20-17 victory over Arkansas.

Memphis Lagniappe's Fabled College Football Playoff Predictions Week Of 12/6/10 - FINAL

Memphis Lagniappe's Fabled College Football Playoff Predictions are published weekly to show a possible college football playoff format. Similar to the NCAA basketball tournament, 11 conference champions receive automatic bids. 5 additional spots are available for at-large bids.

Round 1 games would be hosted by the higher ranked seeds. Rounds 2 - 4 would incorporate the bowl system with host cities/bowls bidding to host the games. The "Big 4" BCS bowls would be permanent playoff hosts on a round-rotating basis (Championship, semi-finals and 1 round 2 game).

For the week of December 6, 2010:

1. Oregon (PAC 10 Champion)
2. Auburn (SEC Champion)
3. TCU (Mountain West Champion)
4. Wisconsin (Big 10 Champion)
5. Stanford (At Large PAC 10)
6. Ohio State (At Large Big 10)
7. Michigan State (At Large Big 10)
8. Arkansas (At Large SEC)
9. Boise State (WAC Champion)
10. Virginia Tech (ACC Champion)
11. LSU (At Large SEC)
12. Oklahoma (Big 12 Champion)
13. Central Florida (C-USA Champion)
14. Connecticut (Big East Champion)
15. Miami (MAC Champion)
16. Florida International (Sun Belt Champion)

Dropped out: Northern Illinois (#13, MAC Champion)

Number Of Teams by Conference:
Big 10 (3), SEC (3), PAC 10 (2), ACC (1), Big East (1), Big 12 (1), C-USA (1), MAC (1), Mountain West (1), Sun Belt (1), WAC (1), Independent (0)

Match ups round by round assuming higher seeds win.

Round 1
(16) Florida International at (1) Oregon
(9) Boise State at (8) Arkansas
(12) Oklahoma at (5) Stanford
(13) Central Florida at (4) Wisconsin
(11) LSU at (6) Ohio State
(14) Connecticut at (3) TCU
(10) Virginia Tech at (7) Michigan State
(15) Miami at (2) Auburn

Round 2
(8) Arkansas vs (1) Oregon
(5) Stanford vs (4) Wisconsin
(6) Ohio State vs (3) TCU
(7) Michigan State vs (2) Auburn

Round 3
(4) Wisconsin vs (1) Oregon
(3) TCU vs (2) Auburn

Championship Game
(2) Auburn vs (1) Oregon

Bacon Club, Cheap Local Eats, St. Jude Marathon

Overheard at a Midtown bar last night was talk of a bacon club. Yep, a bacon club. I didn't hear the entire conversation, so I had to do a little research and came across Zingerman's Bacon of the Month Club. The basic three month intro club membership includes bacon delivered monthly, "just in time for weekend frying." Great concept. Not sure if it's worth $99, but it might be worth a shot or it could make for a nice gift for the bacon fans your life. We all have them.

Side note - the Zingerman's are, apparently, into all kinds of food ventures. Check out all of their businesses.

The December 2010 issue of Memphis Magazine has a great list of great local food under $20, $15 and $10. They did an awesome job putting this together. Guess I know wear I'll be eating for the next few weeks.

Congratulations to all of the runners in the St. Jude Marathon today! Seems like perfect weather for the run.

Bar None Website Up & Running

Bar None by John Bragg has their website up and it includes the new menu. Can't wait to try it out. May have to get a sampler of all of the sliders.

Liberty Bowl Entertainment

By the end of the weekend, we should know which Conference USA and SEC teams will be participating in this year's Liberty Bowl. One thing we know for sure is the halftime entertainment. The O'Jays will bring their R&B and soul inspired music for everyone's enjoyment.

Here are a few of their hits.





Can't have The O'Jays without a Soul Train Line Dance.



Kick off for the Liberty Bowl is scheduled for 2:30 on New Year's Eve. Tickets are still available.

Bar None Opening Friday Night

John Bragg's newest concept is opening Friday night in Downtown Memphis. Bar None by John Bragg opens its door at 8pm. To help celebrate, it will be happy hour all-night!

What can you expect at Bar None? As with any Bragg venture, you can can expect great food. In this case, great pub grub. Although downtowners will miss Circa, Bar None will bring a new festive spot to Main Street.

Might have to check this place out Saturday night after the parade.

Stumblin' Santas, Welcome Back Le Chardonnay, Football

Just a reminder to dust of your Santa suits, elf costumes or whatever holiday costume that you like to wear. The 6th Annual Stumblin' Santa Pub Crawl will take place Saturday night in Downtown Memphis. All the fun starts at 6:30pm at the Flying Saucer. Make sure you get an early boost of Christmas cheer by going to the Memphis Holiday Parade before you get your stumble on. The parade starts at 5pm with a short route on South Main Street from GE Patterson to the Orpheum.

Le Chardonnay is back! Owners closed the popular Overton Square spot last year to open Italian-themed The Villa. The new Le Chardonnay will feature its popular menu items in addition to some of the best dishes from The Villa.

It's hard to believe how quickly the 2010 college football season has gone by. The story lines were great this year. Cam Newton, undefeated teams, BCS busters and we still have the bowl season to add to the drama. Championship weekend kicks off tomorrow with the MAC Championship game. Here's to another fun-filled football weekend.

Here's the picks for this week.

Last Week: 2-4
Season: 51-27 (65%)

MAC Championship - Northern Illinois over Miami (OH)
C-USA Championship - Central Florida over SMU
SEC Championship  - Auburn over South Carolina
ACC Championship - Virginia Tech over Florida State
Big 12 Championship - Oklahoma over Nebraska
New Orleans Saints over Cincinnati Bengals
Tennessee Titans over Jacksonville Jaguars

Weekly Liberty Bowl Projection: Central Florida vs Georgia

Assuming Central Florida wins the Conference USA championship on Saturday, a UCF vs Georgia match up would be great. Both teams are evenly matched and it having UGA and their fans in town for the game and New Year's festivities would be great for Memphis.