New mixes from four eras of Elvis Presley recording in Memphis. p19 Sun’s Out, (Burger) Buns Out The Flyer’s
PHOTO: JILLIAN | ADOBE STOCK The King’s Hometown Cuts
THE fly-by
MEM ernet
Memphis on the internet.
DRAMA
We’ve seen a lot of photos of Sputnik over the years but maybe never one so dramatic as Danielle Lewis posted to the Memphis In Pictures, Places and People Facebook group last week.
{ WEEK THAT WAS
By Flyer staff
Questions, Answers + Attitude
Edited by Toby Sells
Power to xAI?
Environmental groups say xAI sidestepped city council and the MLGW board.
Memphis environmental groups urged o cials last week to deny an electricity deal for xAI, demanded a public review of the project, and said Memphis Light, Gas and Water (MLGW) ratepayers could subsidize some large portions of the infrastructure deal.
Josh Clark started a GoFundMe for Kinfolk restaurant last week a er a water main busted and ooded their shop.
“ ey are gonna be out of business for a little bit so they won’t have any cash ow to come in and help cover employee cost,” Clark said. “In a city where all of our favorite restaurants are closing down, let’s show our support to our favorite spot.”
As of late last week, the GoFundMe had raised $1,380 of its $2,500 goal.
DAMN
e Damn
Weather of Memphis can’t stop messing with AI. He recently asked it to write a weather forecast for the city.
“Yo, listen up, cuh!” it began. “It’s nna be hot as hell out here, mane. On god, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., it’s gon’ feel like 112 degrees. Not gonna lie, fam, it’s serious out here.”
Details on the deal that brought the Elon Musk-founded company to locate its arti cial intelligence hub — called the Gigafactory of Compute — to Memphis remain few, even almost two months a er its announcement.
A Tuesday letter from the Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC) outlined those knowledge gaps, showed local leaders’ confusion and even ignorance about the deal, and claimed that the facility would cause environmental harm to those in South Memphis and that MLGW CEO Doug McGowen may have overstepped the boundaries of his position in approving the deal.
Groups say a deal for that much energy needs more local approvals.
e letter was written and sent by the SELC on behalf of the Memphis Community Against Pollution (MCAP); Young, Gi ed & Green; Sierra Club Tennessee Chapter; and the Sierra Club Chickasaw Group. SELC wrote, “Many of these members will be directly a ected by xAI’s operation and its harmful local consequences.”
e letter was sent to the board of the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA). SELC said MLGW is requesting TVA to provide xAI 150 megawatts of power. In the letter, SELC argues TVA’s Memphis system is not reliable enough to handle that much new consumption. Also, it said a deal for that much energy needs more local approvals.
Further, TVA’s gas-powered plants here are cooled with water from the Memphis Sand Aquifer. Higher strains on those plants — like during winter-weather events here in 2022 and 2021 — caused a serious draw on the aquifer and threaten well elds “that provide drinking water for predominantly Black, low-income South Memphis communities.”
For these reasons and more, the group urged TVA board
members to study the impacts of xAI’s supercomputer before agreeing to serve the facility. at study should include impacts to air pollution, climate change, water quality, water quantity and access, environmental justice, and transportation, SELC said. SELC also argued that the request to serve xAI is premature “because MLGW has not obtained approval from the MLGW board or [the Memphis City Council] to spend millions of dollars of ratepayer money to subsidize xAI.” MLGW leaders told council members earlier this month that it would pay for $760,000 worth of substation upgrades for the project. Also, the utility gives the company a big break on its power bill as it builds.
Despite this “apparent massive commitment of ratepayer funds to subsidize xAI’s infrastructure needs,” neither the council nor the MLGW board “was aware of the xAI project until it was announced on June 5th,” SELC said.
Further, the group said MLGW board members weren’t even aware of MLGW’s request to serve xAI with more power from the TVA as late as two weeks ago. For proof, SELC cited an MLGW board meeting on July 17th in which MLGW board member Mitch Graves said, “On the xAI stu … I wasn’t aware … that TVA’s got to approve something… hadn’t heard that anywhere … what is that they need to approve?”
SELC said McGowen negotiated this deal with xAI without oversight from his board or the city council. Doing so, the group said, is a violation of the charters of the council and the board.
“ e TVA board should not consider the pending request until MLGW obtains required local approvals,” it said. Visit the News Blog at memphis yer.com for fuller versions of these stories and more local news.
e return of Links at Audubon promises premier golf experience for years to come.
Iwas lost.
e course was right there, shining green through the earlymorning haze like a scene from ESPN Films. But the rst tee and my buddies John and Lang were nowhere in sight. When I nally wheeled in the parking lot, it all made sense.
is was the rst day of play at the Links at Audubon, a highly anticipated day more than a year in the making. But this was early days still and it wasn’t all gured out yet. ere was no clubhouse. No pro shop. ere was, however, a construction trailer and another trailer for bathrooms. A handful of golfers changed shoes and futzed with golf bags near cars on a shiny new slab of nightsky blacktop.
But beyond that parking lot, an un nished chain-link corral, and past construction workers hurrying here and there, the brand-new Links at Audubon Park shimmered again through the haze and ESPN Films music swelled in my head.
e course closed in November 2022 for a complete overhaul that cost
between $8 million and $9 million, depending on what you read. I was not a golfer when the project began. But I was a reporter.
At the time, I thought, “$8 million for another public golf course here?” It sounded absurd. I sco ed when Memphis City Council members Chase Carlisle and Ford Canale, who helped to rework the original plan, said they did it to give more green space for the “non-gol ng public.” e gol ng public is likely 5 percent (or less) of the total Memphis population, I thought. Why spend so much on them?
en, the bug bit. I started playing Overton Park 9 in November and haven’t been able to stop. Maybe I still don’t understand why the city spends so much on golf but I can say Memphis courses o er an astonishing array of experiences. But I turned my mind o to all of that on the rst tee and drank it in.
e low green rises, the gentle swales, the steeply sloped greens were manicured to a Mario World precision; squint and you could wonder if it wasn’t all rendered in perfect pixels. A mowed
line cut along the fringe of the fairway made it look inset, premium. Long, silver grasses swayed and the bough of old hardwoods hushed in the morning breeze.
We swayed, too. To yacht rock. We always do when John’s in the group.
e music is tastefully volumed — loud enough to be enjoyed by us, never loud enough to be heard away from the cart — and it’s the perfect soundtrack to the activity. It straddles some line between irony and at-out entertainment, much like my take on golf itself. I’m no country club guy, but here I am, having fun.
I hadn’t played 18 holes since I was a teenager. Lang plays nearly every week. John plays a little less than that. But none of us are scratch golfers. We’re improving, just enjoying the game. at’s something I’ve learned on Memphis golf courses. Nobody’s going to run you down because you’re not an ace shooter. ey’ll support the heck out of you. Our day at Audubon was punctuated with a murmured “g’shot,”
or a loud “hell yeah,” or “nice” when were weren’t verbally coaxing balls to keep running or stop running. at’s what golf is all about. at’s what friendship and support is all about. You don’t have to be great to have fun. And I learned that on those Memphis golf courses I worried so much about. I certainly hope (and do think) there’s a Memphis Parks experience out there for everyone in town, so everyone can discover what I found on our golf courses.
For decades to come, Audubon will remain a place where we can all laugh at our own mistakes, learn from our past and continue to believe our next shot will be great, to believe in the future.
PHOTO: TOBY SELLS Opening day on the links
ELVIS: BACK IN MEMPHIS
Still on Call
Alisa Haushalter, the former health department head, keeps her hand in.
Some readers might wonder: Whatever happened to Alisa Haushalter? e former director of the Shelby County Health Department, Haushalter was, not so long ago, one of the most visible people in the public eye as department head at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic.
By one measure — the fact that she was publicly accountable and on call on a daily, even hourly basis — she may have been for a time the single most visible of all local o cials. Not only was she at the helm of the health department and having to cope directly with the scourge of Covid, managing local responses to it as best as she could; she had the responsibility of communicating every aspect of the disease’s progress and every important piece of data relating to its impact on the community. It was 24/7 and then some.
It is certainly arguable that Haushalter herself was one of the chief victims in Shelby County of the Covid-19 pandemic. Her work as the director was hailed as exemplary then and later by her associates in the department and in county government at large.
But, simply because of the prominence of her position, she was caught up in various controversies that owed more to the inherent disruptiveness wrought by the pandemic than to any actions she was responsible for.
Consider this a tease for a forthcoming lengthier, and possibly eye-opening, treatment of Haushalter’s pivotal and arguably heroic service on behalf of Shelby County in a time of crisis. Su ce it to say for the moment that political pressures relating to state vs. local issues played a large role in her decision, in February 2021, to step down as health department director.
But her service to Shelby County has continued. When she came here in 2016, a er years of health service, rst in Nashville and later at the renowned
Nemours health complex in Delaware, she had a request of thenCounty Mayor Mark Luttrell, who hired her.
For three years, while working in Nashville, she had gone back and forth between the state’s two largest cities working on her doctorate, which she got from the University of Tennessee Health Science Center.
“When I was in Nashville,” she recalls, “I had dual appointments. I taught at Vanderbilt, and I was at the health department there. So when I came here, part of my discussion with Mayor Luttrell was, ‘Can I have a dual appointment so that I’m still teaching?’” e answer was yes, and, while serving as health department director she taught health policy at UT. Her thinking was eminently commonsensible. “ at really was sort of how I came back to Tennessee. You learn along with the students,
and the students get to learn from someone who has experience, not just what they’re getting from reading the book. And so it has always been a good match.”
Upon leaving the department, Haushalter would expand her teaching load to include, currently, healthcare economics and population health.
She has never departed from the idea of service. She’s still very much here and on the case, keeping her hand in — learning, doing, and teaching. Aside from her regular students, she says, she’s still on call at the department. “ ere are team members over there that still reach out to me that I coach or mentor.”
Her bottom line: “I’m committed to public health, I’m committed to nursing and have spent decades doing that. And I’m committed to Shelby County.” More about Alisa Haushalter to come. Stay tuned.
PHOTO: JACKSON BAKER Alisa Haushalter
PUBLIC MEDIA RELEASE 2024-2025 CHILD AND ADULT CARE FOOD PROGRAM
The Land Academy announces participation in the Child and Adult Care Food Program. Meals will be provided at no separate charge to eligible children/adults without regard to race, color, national origin, sex, disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA served at the following site(s):
Name of Site(s): The Land Academy Address of Site(s): 3430 Overton Crossing
AT LARGE By Bruce VanWyngarden
Bear Market
A crazy week gets o to a crazy start.
Iawoke early Monday morning, made a cup of espresso from the fancy machine gi ed to me from my son last Christmas, and sat on the deck to watch the hummingbirds. Well, that, and scroll through the news on my phone. It was quite the news day already, even at 7:30 a.m.
In Florida, Hurricane Debby was dumping massive rains on that perennially dumped-on state. Flooding would soon ensue. In the Middle East, the winds of war seemed to be heating to a fever pitch, with Iran, Hezbollah, Israel, and Hamas all making threats and seemingly prepping for attacks. In the UK, there were riots in the streets from far-right protestors. A hotel was burned. In Paris at the Olympics, there were photo- nishes, a female boxer accused of being male, and lots of U.S. swimming medals. Kamala Harris was about to name her veep candidate. Donald Trump attacked Georgia’s Republican Governor Brian Kemp 12 times in an Atlanta stump speech. And on Wall Street, stocks appeared to be headed lower as a bear market loomed on news that the U.S. economy seemed to be cooling.
Pshew, what a start to the week, I thought. But wait, there was more. … Speaking of bears: Erstwhile presidential candidate, vax truther, and brainwormer Robert F. Kennedy Jr. released a videotape of himself telling a tale about dumping a dead bear cub and a bicycle in New York’s Central Park a er leaving Peter Luger Steak House one night. And as if that itself weren’t strange enough, the kicker was that he was telling this bizarre story at Roseanne Barr’s house. What? Is this real life?
As one person wrote on X: Kristi Noem — “Let me tell you about my animal killings.”
RFK Jr. — “Here, hold my bear.”
and didn’t want to leave the bear in his car, so, as one does, he drove to Central Park and dumped it on a trail, underneath his bicycle, trying to make it look like the bear had been killed by a cyclist.
I don’t know about you, but this episode makes me think RFK Jr. just might be a tad, well, insane. But maybe that’s just me. At any rate, by the time you read this, the bear tale will no doubt be public fodder. But damn, it was a heckuva way to start my work week.
Also in the news were several stories about the increasing use — and misuse — of AI (arti cial intelligence).
A Trump campaign surrogate put out a photo of their candidate surrounded by Black women “supporters” who all looked suspiciously alike and who all had six ngers on every visible hand. When AI learns how to recreate human hands accurately, we’ll really be in trouble. But until then, I don’t trust it.
USDA Income Eligibility Guidelines Effective July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2025
In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, sex, disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA.
Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g. Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.), should contact the Agency (State or local) where they applied for benefits. Individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing or have speech disabilities may contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339. Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English.
To file a program complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, (AD-3027) found online at: http://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_cust. html, and at any USDA office, or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 6329992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by: (1) mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; (2) fax: (202) 690 7442; or (3) email: program.intake@usda.gov.
provider.
Kennedy said he released the tape to “get ahead” of a New Yorker story that was about to recount the bear saga, which had been a mystery since 2014, when it was rst reported in the media that two women had found a dead bear cub under a bicycle in Central Park.
In Kennedy’s version, via the video (which also featured Roseanne wandering around and occasionally looking at Kennedy as though he were nuts), he’d found the bear dead beside the road in upstate New York and put it in his car, intending to skin it and eat it. Yes, he said that. He then went to dinner at the aforementioned famous steak house, then realized he had to catch a plane
Here’s another example of why I don’t trust it: I decided to use Meta’s AI (now easily accessible in your friendly Facebook Messenger app), to research, well, myself. I prompted it thusly: Who is Bruce VanWyngarden? It responded with: “Bruce VanWyngarden is a notable gure in Memphis, Tennessee. As the editor of the Memphis Flyer, he has been a prominent voice in local journalism, covering news, politics, and culture. He has written two books, including Everything at’s True (2021). Additionally, his work as a musician and lead singer of e Gun Club has made him a respected gure in the music scene.”
What? I was lead singer of an infamous post-punk L.A. band? Who knew? I’d totally forgotten that part of my life. Dang. Well, at least, AI didn’t dig up that embarrassing armadillo incident. Pshew.
PHOTO: JILLIAN | ADOBE STOCK Hate to be the bearer of, er, news, good, bad, and insane.
Consider This
Is long-term care insurance right for you?
your
There is o en debate among nancial professionals about whether long-term care insurance (LTCI) is worth the expense. Some advisors argue having long-term care coverage in place is vital to protecting clients’ assets in retirement. Others believe it’s more cost e ective to invest the money a client would have used on premiums into a diversi ed portfolio that can continue growing over time to cover future care expenses. e correct answer is “it depends.” When determining whether long-term care insurance is right for you, consider the following.
What are your goals?
• Do you hope to leave a nancial legacy for your children or grandchildren a er you pass away? If yes, an LTCI policy may help protect the assets in your estate. If no, your current assets may be enough to cover the cost of long-term care.
• Do you hope to continue living in your home for the rest of your life, or do you wish to move to a senior living community? If you want to continue living in your own home, you may need LTCI to cover the cost of an in-home caregiver. If you plan to move to a senior living facility, the assets from the sale of your home may be enough to cover your housing and care expenses.
• Do you have children or other family members who would take care of you should you become unable to take care of yourself, or would you prefer having a professional help with your daily living tasks?
What is your current nancial situation?
Perhaps this question should be, “Do you have enough assets to cover the
cost of long-term care without a policy in place?” Healthcare is one of the largest expenses faced by Americans in retirement. A 2021 study by Fidelity estimated the average retired couple, aged 65, would need approximately $300,000 in a er-tax savings to cover healthcare expenses in retirement. And, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 70 percent of adults who reach age 65 will require some type of long-term care as they grow older.
If you have enough available savings to use for long-term care expenses without derailing your other nancial goals, an LTCI policy may not be necessary. On the other hand, if you or your loved ones would struggle to pay such a large expense, it might make sense to invest in LTCI.
How old are you?
One of the most important considerations in determining whether or not LTCI makes sense is the age at which you purchase it. If you wait too long to implement coverage, you may not qualify. On the ip side, if you implement a policy too early, you may end up making premium payments for longer than necessary.
Gene Gard, CFA, CFP, CFT-I, is a Partner and Private Wealth Manager with Creative Planning. Creative Planning is one of the nation’s largest Registered Investment Advisory rms providing comprehensive wealth management services to ensure all elements of a client’s nancial life are working together, including investments, taxes, estate planning, and risk management. For more information or to request a free, no-obligation consultation, visit CreativePlanning.com.
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PHOTO: DOMINIK LANGE | UNSPLASH
What are
long-term healthcare goals?
SPORTS By Frank Murtaugh
Can’t-Miss Cards?
What has happened to the Memphis Redbirds’ rising stars?
Since the St. Louis Cardinals last played in the World Series (2013), the franchise has suited up six prospects of the “can’t miss” variety. ese are the future stars who become centerpieces in annual postseason runs. Alas, the six players share two distinct similarities: Each has played for the Memphis Redbirds, and each has, in fact, missed.
Oscar Taveras was the Cardinals’ Minor League Player of the Year with Double-A Spring eld in 2012. By the time he suited up for Memphis in 2013, Taveras was the second-ranked prospect in all of baseball. A line-drive machine from the le side of the plate, Taveras battled injuries over two seasons with the Redbirds, but still hit .306 over 46 games in 2013 and .318 over 62 games before being promoted to St. Louis in 2014. He hit a game-tying home run in the only game St. Louis would win in the 2014 National League Championship Series, then died with his girlfriend in a car accident two
weeks later. Taveras was intoxicated behind the wheel.
Michael Wacha needed only 15 games at the Triple-A level to convince the Cardinals he was ready for a big-league rotation. A er posting a 2.65 ERA for Memphis in 2013, Wacha joined St. Louis and came within an out of no-hitting the Washington Nationals in only his ninth major-league start. He earned MVP honors in the 2013 NLCS, twice beating the Dodgers and not allowing a run in 13 innings. He battled injuries but remained a part of the Cardinals’ rotation for six years, winning 17 games in 2015. Since departing as a free agent a er the 2019 season, Wacha has pitched for ve different clubs. Now with the Kansas City Royals, he’s four wins shy of 100 for his career.
Alex Reyes was the Cardinals’ Minor League Pitcher of the Year in 2015 at the tender age of 21. He struck out 93 hitters in only 65 innings for Memphis in 2016 before a late-season promotion to St. Louis, where he posted a 1.57
ERA over 46 innings. But Reyes only pitched in 20 games over the next four years, sidelined by one signi cant arm injury a er another. He made the National League All-Star team as a closer in 2021, a season he topped for the Cardinals with 29 saves. But he hasn’t thrown a pitch since surrendering a walk-o homer in a wild-card loss to the Dodgers to end that season.
Jack Flaherty was the Cardinals’ Minor League Pitcher of the Year in 2017 when he helped the Redbirds to a Paci c Coast League championship by going 7-2 with a 2.74 ERA over 15 starts. He was a certi ed big-league ace two years later, posting a 2.75 ERA and the most strikeouts (231) in a season for St. Louis since Hall of Famer Bob Gibson retired in 1975. But by 2023, Flaherty was a trade piece, going to Baltimore in return for current Redbirds in elder César Prieto.
Dylan Carlson was the Cardinals’ Minor League Player of the Year in 2019 when he hit .361 over 18 games with Memphis a er a September
promotion from Spring eld. He lost what would have been a full season at Memphis to the 2020 pandemic, but still took over right eld in St. Louis in 2021. Carlson nished third in National League Rookie of the Year voting that season a er hitting .266 with 18 home runs and 65 RBIs. But injuries have diminished his production. Carlson batted .198 over 59 games this season before the Cardinals traded him to Tampa Bay last week.
It’s unfair to include 22-year-old Jordan Walker among this group of fallen stars, but you can’t help but wonder (if not worry) with Walker posting pedestrian numbers (.252, 7 home runs through Sunday) against Triple-A pitching a er leading the Cardinals with a .276 average a year ago. Prospects are fun to rank and track as they rapidly climb the minor-league ladder. But sustainable success in the big leagues remains the goal. And for a franchise now more than a decade removed from its last National League pennant, “can’t miss” must be reconsidered.
PHOTO:
Out
Love
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SUN’S OUT, (BURGER) BUNS OUT
Oh, the weather outside is frightful-ly hot, but a redup grill is so delightful. at’s right, Memphis, it’s the most bunderful week of the year: Burger Week. at means you get some of the best burgers Memphis has to o er at a pretty awesome price of $6.99 from Wednesday, August 7th, to Tuesday, August 13th. Without further ado, here are this year’s Burger Week burgers.
Sunrise
Sunrise Patty Melt
e last time I had a hamburger for breakfast was probably when I ate a Krystal at 5 a.m. or something back in the day. at would have been on the way home, though, not a er waking up in the morning.
Sunrise Memphis is o ering the “Sunrise Patty Melt” for its Burger Week selection. Its creator, Sunrise Memphis executive chef Will Sater, calls it “a double smash patty with a cheddar cheese, jalapeño, cream cheese, and bacon jam we make in-house. And an over-easy egg.” ey had a version of the sandwich for last year’s Burger Week, but it was on a brioche bun instead of Texas toast like now. “We thought the toast was a little better for
the texture.”
Sater continues, “Oh, it exploded. It was a very good product for us. And people seem to enjoy it, so it’s turned into a hit for us.”
It exploded like the egg can when cut with a knife. “It’s a messy burger, for sure. But just seeing that egg run out is kind of the pièce de résistance, as we like to say. You want to see that egg oozing out. It makes it feel more like breakfast, for sure.”
e Sunrise Patty Melt ended up on
the menu. “People kept asking for it. So, we just decided to put it on the menu. And it turned into a big thing here.”
— Michael Donahue
Jack Brown’s Crab Rangoon Burger
As dives go, Jack Brown’s Beer & Burger Joint is as funky as you’d want, but with generous helpings of surprises. One of the chain’s co-founders proclaimed, “We’re a dive bar, not a dump,” and it’s certainly not
Sunrise Patty Melt
PHOTO (LEFT): JON W. SPARKS
Jack Brown’s Ron Swanson
your average burger and beer joint. ose are some high-end burgers, all of which are made with Wagyu beef from Snake River Farms in Idaho and slapped down on Martin’s potato buns. What’s more, all ingredients are made in-house. Any burger on the menu is a delight, but consider what’s being o ered during Memphis Flyer Burger Week: e Crab Rangoon Burger, with that delectable Wagyu beef, topped with house-made crab Rangoon (mixed with cream cheese), fried wontons, and sweet ai chili sauce, served on that potato bun. Tragically, I was too early to sample that one, but I’ll be back now that Burger Week is underway. Meanwhile, I gladly dug into the Tuesday special, the Ron Swanson, with bacon, Muenster cheese, and barbecue bacon mayo. My companion got the Elvis burger that’s topped with some peanut butter. And the fries were scrumptious, begging to be dipped in an onion aioli sauce, which now
PHOTO (TOP): MICHAEL DONAHUE Sunrise
replaces any ketchup tendencies we used to have. Phenomenal burgers and (despite the bras discreetly hanging from a light xture) family-friendly! — Jon W. Sparks
Tops Bar-B-Q
Policeman Burger
Tops Bar-B-Q, whose iconic cheeseburger is special in its own right, is featuring the Policeman as its Burger Week selection.
Describing the burger, Hunter Brown with Tops, says it’s a “Tops famous cheeseburger on a bed of mayonnaise, pickles, with applewood bacon, grilled onion, slow-smoked brisket, and Sweet ‘N’ Saucy barbecue sauce.”
Naming it the Policeman had to do with how Tops supports members of the Memphis Police Department. ey protect communities where Tops team members as well as customers live and work, says Randy Hough with Tops. It’s important for Tops to bring attention to them for the job they’re doing there every day.
I could have yelled out how good this over-the-top sandwich is at the Tops Cordova location where I tried it for the rst time. But nobody had to call the police. I kept my calm. — MD
Rock’n Dough
e Classic Burger
How do you get beer into a hamburger?
e question has vexed armies of scientists for generations. e team at Rock’n Dough Pizza & Brewery has nally answered it.
e solution lies in the pickles. e menu lists them as “house-made hop pickles.” at’s right. Rock’n Dough’s food geniuses avored pickles with hops, the beer ingredient that li s heavy on aroma, avor, and bitterness. I’m a hop-head/IPA bro, so it’s one of my favorites.
ose pickles can be found on e Classic Burger at Rock’n Dough. It’s a stripped-down street-racer of a burger that relies on old-school avor punch — not some ashy topping-of-the-month — to deliver the goods. And it sure does. One bite transported me back to the lake or the ballpark, places I rst learned to savor and appreciate food in the rst place. Like a great beer, e Classic was balanced and you could taste the beef, the garlic-basil mayo, the seasoning, and all
the ingredients, especially the pickles. e hop avor was subtle, but I swore they’d gure out how to get a beer in my burger. And my hat went o to them. — Toby Sells
Farm Burger
e Spicy Pimento
Living as close as I do to Farm Burger in the Crosstown Concourse, I eat there o en, and though I didn’t order their special Burger Week o ering when I stopped in last week (the Spicy Pimento, with their usual 100-percent grass-fed beef burger, pimento cheese, pastureraised bacon, pickled jalapenos, and sherry-date barbecue sauce), the burger I did get was a lesson in how you just can’t go wrong with an establishment so focused on fresh, local food as the basis of its menu.
I’ve become a big fan of their kale slaw as an alternative to French fries, so I ordered a side of it with my regular, reliably delicious Farm Burger, the eatery’s agship sandwich. But the burger that was served was even more delicious than expected: e kitchen had misunderstood, thinking I wanted only a kale slaw topping, and that’s what I got. Imagine my surprise!
One bite and I was hooked. e texture of the well-dressed kale leaves complements your basic Farm Burger to a T, adding a new texture and avor pro le to the aged white cheddar, caramelized onions, and Farm Burger sauce toppings that are usually included. Of course, I soon was craving my usual side of kale slaw as well, which the attentive servers promptly brought to my table. But I won’t soon forget the brilliant mistake of adding kale slaw directly to my burger. Indeed, next time I’m there I’ll suggest that addition on my Spicy Pimento Burger. — Alex Greene
Huey’s
World Famous Huey Burger
Huey’s has had a special place in my heart ever since it was the nale to an eighth grade eld trip. However, I’m a bit embarrassed to admit that in my 12 years of being an avid Huey’s-goer I hadn’t tried a burger from there until this week.
I know! I know! But let’s say that my rst Huey’s burger is a Burger Week staple — and it’s worth the hype. I haven’t had an actual burger in years, opting for leaner meats instead, and I’d classify this as an actual burger. You know, the one you see in some TV show from the ’90s that the characters seem to neglect over frivolous dialogue — despite the mouthwatering entree before them.
I tried the World Famous Huey’s burger fully loaded (minus the onions) with cheddar. I added a side of sweet potato fries which were the perfect addition. is will
continued on page 14
PHOTO: DARNELL ALEXANDER Tops Bar-B-Q Policeman Burger
PHOTO: TOBY SELLS Rock’n Dough e Classic Burger
PHOTO: ALEX GREENE Farm Burger Classic Farm Burger with kale slaw
PHOTO: KAILYNN JOHNSON Huey’s World Famous Huey Burger
PHOTO: SHARA CLARK Tug’s Casual Grill BBQ Cheddar Burger
continued from page 13
de nitely be added to the cheat meal rotation. —
Kailynn
Johnson
Tug’s Casual Grill
BBQ Pulled Pork Burger
For this year’s Burger Week, Tug’s is offering an upgrade to their BBQ Cheddar Burger — a menu item served with fries, typically priced at $16.95. So consider their BW deal a steal! e standard is a half-pound sirloin patty, topped with housemade barbecue sauce, cheddar cheese, crispy onion straws, lettuce, tomato, onion, and pickles (as pictured on the previous page). e special will come with a helping of housemade pulled pork in the mix. I tried the standard on my visit, since the pulled pork wasn’t available at the time. No complaints from me! is was a top-notch burger. e slightly sweet sourdough bun was the perfect vessel for its contents. e well-seasoned massive patty had that fresh-from-the-grill crust. e surprise bits of crunch from the fried onion straws were delightful. Now, envision all that with a scoop of pulled pork. Is your mouth watering? It should be. P.S. e seasoned fries are the bomb (think Back Yard Burgers but way better) and are included in the BW o ering. Don’t sleep on this! — Shara Clark
Loflin Yard
Baja Burger
I always have a relaxing time when I go to Lo in Yard. For this visit to the sprawling, mostly outdoor compound, the heat that has gripped the Blu City had mostly dissipated for the evening. I grabbed a table in view of the TV that was showing the Olympic gymnastics team nal, and ordered my Baja Burger.
e Baja is a staple of the Lo in Yard menu. It comes with a thin patty on a brioche bun, topped with red cabbage slaw, spicy aioli, bacon, and pineapple. It’s the latter ingredient that is unusual for a burger. But, as it turns out, it is not a showstopper like pineapple on pizza. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed the Baja. In this burger, the beef is not the primary attraction. Instead, it’s the combination of the pineapple and thick slabs of peppered bacon. It’s quite tasty and quite unusual. At least, I wouldn’t have thought of it! As with most
things in life, it’s the balance that makes it good. Simone Biles would probably approve. — Chris McCoy
Bain Barbecue
Special Burger
e former food truck moved into a brick and mortar location in Cooper-Young a little over two years ago, says manager Emily James. e idea to add a burger to their menu came a er a Super Bowl party where the restaurant ran out of their trademark Texas-style barbecue brisket. “We tried to start doing burgers back in February. We started out with wings on our Anytime menu, and burgers just kind of came naturally.”
Bain’s Special Burger is a smashburger with a Home Place Pastures patty with “shrettuce,” house-made pickles, and Jones Orchard heirloom tomatoes. It’s topped with a secret sauce. “I think it brings out the burger avor a lot,” says James. e smashburger comes on a Martin’s potato buns. “Every sandwich has a Martin’s potato bun,” says James. “We just started putting those on the grill, too, and let ’em sit for a second. We let ’em get a little crusty.”
For a side with your juicy burger, you can choose the ve-cheese mac, a baked potato salad, brisket pinto beans, jalapeno lime slaw, or the traditional french fries. e best part about getting a burger at a barbecue joint is that you can dip your
fries in one of Bain’s barbecue sauces. I tried all three avors — hot, sweet, and mustard — and unexpectedly, the mustard sauce won! — CM
Betly Sports Bar & Grill
Smokey Baloney
So, uh, here’s the thing. I don’t eat meat, but I’m supposed to write about a burger? Who in their right mind wants the opinion of a pescatarian about a burger? I don’t even have one to give. I guess I’ll have to stick to objective facts when it comes to the Smokey Baloney at Betly Sports Bar & Grill in Southland Casino & Hotel. First o , what a fun name for a burger. I love the word baloney; I won’t eat it but I’ll call it any day. Ain’t that some baloney? e Smokey Baloney is made of all-beef patty, beef brisket, halfpound fried all-beef bologna, onion rings, and Memphis barbecue sauce. I’m sure that sounds delightful for any burgerloving fool. You can check out the picture below — as they say a picture is worth a thousand words.
And if you’re looking for an excuse to hit the slot machines, a $6.99 burger sounds as good as any. So get a bang for your buck while you win (or lose) major
bucks. — Abigail Morici
Belle Tavern
e Tavern Smash
e best way to get to Belle Tavern is by going to the door on Barboro Alley. It’s just a couple hundred feet from Second Street and the Peabody Hotel, but you’ll feel mysterious, in the know, like a spy. It could be almost an underground secret, except for the fact that it’s one of downtown locals’ favorite spots. If you haven’t been to the Belle Tavern yet, this would be a great week to start. And a great way to introduce yourself to their tasty menu would be to order the Tavern Smash, a delicious concoction consisting of a four-ounce, ground-beef smash patty, onions, pickles, dijonnaise mustard, pickles, and a scrumptious house-made sesame bun. Mmmm. is is a cheeseburger classic, and it’s made to be smashed — into your tummy!
— Bruce VanWyngarden
Wimpy’s
Rajun Cajun Burger
As most of us know, one of the most famous lines in Western letters goes this way: “I’d gladly pay you Tuesday for a hamburger today.” e sentiment and the syntax belong to one J. Wellington Wimpy, a character in the comic strip Popeye, created by E.C. Segar. A louche fellow, something of a deadbeat, Wimpy, a chum of the title character, speaks for many of us who want to lay hands (or chomps) on something desirable before we have the means to get it gainfully. If your goal is the same as Wimpy’s — a good, garden-variety burger — you can get it seven days a week at one of three Memphis-area locations of the Wimpy’s restaurant chain. For just over 10 bucks, you can get the basic version — the Wimpy burger — with fries. at’s the kind I got at the Wimpy’s at 7424 US Highway 64, just down the street from my digs. It’s satisfyingly plump, cooked to one’s speci cations with all the usual xings. For a tiny bit more, you can get a super-charged variety called the Rajun Cajun, but for Burger Week, it’s just $6.99. e Rajun Cajun has its own renown, and I sampled enough of the special sauce that goes on it to attest that it’s good and spicy.— Jackson Baker For more Burger Week information, visit memphis yer.com/page/burgerweek.
The Baja Burger features Angus beef on a brioche bun with a pineapple and red cabbage slaw, bacon, and spicy aioli. loflinyard.com
The Spicy Pimento
FARM BURGER
1350 CONCOURSE AVE, #175
The Spicy Pimento features a 100-percent grass-fed beef burger, pimento cheese, pastureraised bacon, pickled jalapenos, and sherry-date barbecue sauce. farmburger.com
Special Burger
BAIN BARBECUE
993 SOUTH COOPER STREET
Our Special Burger is a single patty smashburger from Home Place Pastures, with shrettuce, house pickles, heirloom tomatoes from Jones Orchard, thin onions, and burger sauce on a toasted Martin’s Potato Roll. bainbarbecue.com
Smokey Baloney
BETLY SPORTS BAR & GRILL
1550 N INGRAM BLVD
The Smokey Baloney is made with an all-beef patty, beef brisket, half-pound fried all-beef bologna, onion rings, and Memphis barbecue sauce. southlandcasino.com/dining/betly-sports-bar-and-grill
Tavern Smash Burger
BELLE TAVERN 117 BARBORO ALLEY
Our four-ounce smashed patty is topped with dijonaise, onions, pickles, and American cheese, served on a house bun. belletavern.com
HUEY’S
MULTIPLE LOCATIONS
Our claim to Huey’s fame! This classic burger comes with mayo, lettuce, tomato, mustard, pickle, onion, and your choice of cheddar or Swiss on a buttered, toasted sesame seed bun. hueyburger.com
The best thing about hamburgers is that you don’t have to pick just one thing to love. They exist in endless permutations — square or circular patties, 100 percent certified Angus beef or Mexican chorizo, smothered with cheese and sautéed onions or given room to breathe with the classic lettuceand-tomato-only combination. Burgers can be a simple sandwich or a colossal configuration of artisanal veggies and locally sourced meat.
We’re once again celebrating the plethora of burger-rific possibilities with the return of the Memphis Flyer ’s Burger Week. This year, 12 restaurants are o ering burgers, from the mostbasic to the bougie, for only $6.99 each. Whatever your tastes, we’re pretty sure you can find a few you’d like to try.
Share your Burger Week photos using #FlyerBurgerWeek and tagging @MemphisFlyer and you might win something cool! AUGUST 7-13
1. THEY MIGHT RUN OUT
Please, don’t be a jerk to our restaurants. We’re in this together, burger-lovers.
2. YOU WILL TIP
It’s a $6.99 burger, burger-lovers. The servers of Memphis are making sure you get your Burger Week burgers — so tip 20 percent at least, please. And a kind word is always welcome!
3. PICK UP A SIDE AND A COLD BREW
We don’t require that you purchase these, but we think it says a lot about you if you give love to your Burger Week restaurants by ordering extras.
4. CHECK TWITTER, FACEBOOK, AND INSTAGRAM
#FlyerBurgerWeek is the hashtag for your Burger Week info — and follow us to stay up-to-date on all things Burger Week, including burger maps and any late additions.
Head over to memphisflyer.com/page/burgerweek for more info and a map of all #FlyerBurgerWeek locations.
Policeman burger
TOPS BAR-B-Q
MULTIPLE LOCATIONS
Our Policeman Burger is a quarter-pound patty grilled and served with American cheese topped with a portion of beef brisket, applewood bacon, mayo, pickles, grilled onions, and sweet-and-saucy barbecue sauce. topsbarbq.com
Sunrise Patty Melt
SUNRISE MEMPHIS
670 JEFFERSON AVE • 5469 POPLAR AVE
This double smash patty is topped with cheddar cheese, jalapeno cream cheese, and bacon jam with an over-easy egg served on Texas toast. sunrise901.com
Rajun Cajun burger
WIMPY’S BURGERS AND FRIES
3231 GOODMAN RD E • 9245 POPLAR AVE, #11
• 7424 STAGE RD, #121
Folks on the Bayou LOVE the heat! This one has pepper jack cheese, jalapenos, Cajun seasoning, and spicy mayo on top of our 1/3-pound Wimpy Burger. wimpysburgers.com
Crab Rangoon Burger
JACK BROWN’S BEER & BURGER JOINT
2197 CENTRAL AVE
Made with 100-percent Snake River Farms American Wagyu, our burger is topped with our house-made crab Rangoon, fried wontons, and sweet Thai chili sauce, all served up on a Martin’s Potato Roll. jackbrownsjoint.com/ locations/memphis-tn
The Classic Burger
ROCK N’ DOUGH PIZZA
704 MADISON AVE • 7850 POPLAR AVE
• 1769 N GERMANTOWN PKWY
Our Classic Burger is a six-ounce Angus beef burger patty served on a potato bun with lettuce, tomato, onion, house-made hop pickles, and garlic-basil mayo. Add a side of fries for $3 or a side salad for $4. rockndoughpizza.com
BBQ Pulled Pork burger
TUG’S CASUAL GRILL
51 HARBOR TOWN SQUARE
Tug’s BBQ Pulled Pork Burger features a half-pound sirloin burger, housemade barbecue sauce, pulled pork, cheddar cheese, crispy onion straws, lettuce, tomato, pickle, and seasoned French fries. tugsmemphis.com
steppin’ out
We Recommend: Culture, News + Reviews
The Elvis Effect
By Michael Donahue
It wouldn’t be Elvis Week without Ronnie McDowell.
McDowell will be back in Memphis to headline “A Tribute to the King,” which will be held at 2 p.m. on August 11th at Lafayette’s Music Room.
e show also includes special guest Amber Rae Dunn with e Royal Blues Band. McDowell, whose songs include his chart-topping hits “Older Women” and “You’re Gonna Ruin My Bad Reputation,” says he’s going to do some of his records at Lafayette’s. One of them will be “ e King Is Gone,” a 1977 song he wrote about Elvis. “Without Elvis I wouldn’t be doing what I’m doing,” says McDowell, who lives in Nashville.
Growing up, McDowell used to listen to 78 rpm records that his sister brought home from the store. One of them was Elvis singing “Hound Dog” on one side and “Don’t Be Cruel” on the other.
His life changed when he heard “Don’t Be Cruel.”
“I ain’t been the same since,” McDowell says. “It was the way Elvis performed that song. He had taken his guitar and turned it over and was slapping the back of that guitar. And he was doing it on the back beat. And he was singing at the same time.
“Something in his voice was di erent from everybody else’s. ere’s just something di erent. And to this day, I can’t put my nger on it other than the fact that it really touched and reached my soul.”
McDowell remembers the rst time he watched Elvis on TV. He told his sister, “Wow, that guy is too pretty to be a guy.”
But he also could see the kindness in Elvis. “ e camera bares your soul.”
McDowell was driving when he heard the DJ announce at 2:22 p.m. that Elvis died. McDowell wrote “ e King is Gone” that a ernoon. “In one week, that would sell a million records. And two weeks later I was on American Bandstand.”
He performs a duet to the Elvis hit “It’s Only Make Believe” with Dolly Parton on her Rockstar album. He’s also going to perform a version of it with the recorded voice of his buddy, the late Conway Twitty, on his upcoming album.
McDowell is a star in his own right, but, he says, “My total inspiration is Elvis Presley. Period.”
General admission tickets to “A Tribute to the King,” which will be lmed for an upcoming TV special, are $25. VIP admission is $100 and includes premium seating, a swag bag, and a meet-and-greet following the show.
Tickets may be purchased by calling 901-207-5097 or lafayettes.com/memphis/event-tickets, and in person at Lafayette’s Music Room.
A TRIBUTE TO THE KING, LAFAYETTE’S MUSIC ROOM, 2119 MADISON, SUNDAY, AUGUST 11, 2 P.M., $25-$100.
VARIOUS DAYS & TIMES August 8th - 14th
Lion’s Gate Sound Bath
e Broom Closet, 552 South Main, ursday, August 8, 6:30 p.m., $20 e Lion’s Gate Portal serves as a channel for spiritual growth, healing, and manifestation. It o ers an opportunity to align with higher frequencies and delve into transformative inner work (read more about it on page 23). e Broom Closet’s inhouse musician and certi ed sound therapist Matt Petty will be hosting a unique sound bath to harness the powers of this powerful day. ere will be zero-gravity chairs for everyone to sit in during the sound bath. You may want to bring a blanket if you get cold during meditation. Space is limited to 10 people, so be sure to reserve your spot ahead of time. is session is open to anyone age 16 and over. Get tickets at tinyurl.com/ yy675x7r.
Adult Skate Night
Growlers, 1911 Poplar, Friday, August 9, 8 p.m., $5, 21+
Adult Skate Night is back at Growlers, thanks to e Check-In. Tickets include your choice of drink or snack ticket. Bring your skates and roll.
Second Annual Skol-astic Adult Book Fair
Soul & Spirits, 845 North Main, Saturday, August 10, 1-7 p.m. Shop with local authors and bookstores from all over the city. Local authors include Holly Whit eld, Lisa Kröger, Flyer’s Toby Sells, Diana Townsend, and Sammi Usher. Bookstores include Burke’s Book Store, Cafe Noir, DeMoir Books & ings, Novel, and Friends of the Library bookstore. ere will be a made-in-Memphis vendor market with an emphasis on book-themed makers, and food trucks will be on-site.
2024 Memphis Chicken & Beer Festival
Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium, 340 South Hollywood, Saturday, August 10, 6-10 p.m., $25.40-$50.87, 21+
The 6th Annual Memphis Chicken & Beer Festival is, essentially, a beer fest with a chicken twist. Festival-goers can expect live music, yard games, inflatables, and more.
Tickets include admission into the event, a souvenir tasting glass, over 90 different beverage samples, and a portion benefits Merge Memphis, a nonprofit with a mission to serve women experiencing homelessness. Food will be available to purchase.
Tickets will be available online at memphischickenandbeer.com or at the gate if not sold out.
PHOTO: COURTESY RONNIE MCDOWELL
Ronnie McDowell
MUSIC By Alex Greene
The King’s Hometown Cuts
New
Having incorporated elements of Sun Studio, Phillips Recording Service, and Ardent Studios into the design of his own Southern Grooves studio, Matt Ross-Spang has an ear for history, so it’s no wonder that he’s become the go-to guy for mixing Elvis Presley. It started with his 2016 mixes of outtakes from Presley’s 1976 recordings at Graceland, and others followed, but his mixes on 2020’s From Elvis in Nashville compilation, stripping overdubs away from the raw tracks Presley recorded during marathon sessions in June of 1970, were Ross-Spang’s greatest feat, yielding such jaw-dropping tracks as the hard-choogling “Patch It Up.”
Now, following a brief similar to that of the Nashville album, Ross-Spang has outdone himself on a new box set dropping just as Elvis Week commences this Friday, August 9th. With a nod to last month’s 70th anniversary of Presley’s first recordings for Sun Records, Sony Music/Legacy Recordings will release Memphis, a set of five CDs and/or two LPs produced by Ernst Jørgensen, col-
lecting everything Presley recorded in his adopted hometown.
Naturally, that includes Presley’s initial work with Sun Records’ Sam Phillips, though those foundational recordings were not tampered with (nor could they have been, not being multitracks), only given a thorough restoration and remastering. After the Sun era, there were three other distinct moments when Presley cut records in Memphis: in 1969 at American Sound Studio, in 1973 at Stax Records, and in 1976 during remote recording sessions the King set up in his own Jungle Room at Graceland. Also included is a live recording of Presley and his touring band at the Mid-South Coliseum in 1974. All of those recordings get the Ross-Spang treatment.
Working from digital copies of the original multitrack tapes offered him a glimpse into the recording techniques of a bygone age. “I was really excited to work on the Stax and American stuff simply because I’m a Memphis history nut,” he says, “and to get to hear those multitracks was really exciting. Working with Chips Moman at American, Elvis
had a new band, a new producer, a new studio — everything was new. And yet Chips didn’t have nice technologies like RCA [in Nashville]. He committed all that music to four tracks, typically. And oftentimes he recorded the [reverb] chamber right onto the track. Or put the bass and the acoustic guitar on the same track. So it was really cool for me to open that up and see how much commitment he had, the vision he had from the beginning.”
Those American recordings yielded hits like “In the Ghetto” and “Suspicious Minds,” but the familiar versions, exploding with those distinctive string arrangements, are only hinted at here. The Memphis tracks reveal what preceded those orchestral flourishes: The sure-footed, house band Moman had assembled, aka The Memphis Boys, both soulful and rocking, playing their hearts out while the voice of Elvis rang out in the room. As Robert Gordon writes in the extensive liner notes, the new mixes put us “standing next to Elvis inside the recording studio, us and the basic band, hearing
what he’s hearing.”
Moreover, it’s a master class in minimalist songcraft, as one hears guitarist Reggie Young weave his lines in with those of keyboardists Bobby Woods and Bobby Emmons, the latter’s organ parts suggesting an orchestra, yet molded out of rawer sounds. Here and there are occasional overdubs, as in the remarkable “Don’t Cry, Daddy,” where Presley harmonizes with himself. As Ross-Spang explains, “We left in some of the overdubs that they did on the spot there [at American], but we didn’t use things that they went back to Nashville to do.”
Ross-Spang didn’t have to mix these tracks entirely on his own. “It was really fun to get to work with Robert Gordon on this. I was sending him mixes and he was sending me notes back. And then producer Rob Santos and Ernst. Sometimes I can treat a mix too technically and not emotionally, but Ernst would give me very nontypical, emotional mix notes.” As the singer’s raw emotion explodes from the speakers, Memphis reveals Elvis to be one of the premier soul artists of his time.
CALENDAR of EVENTS: August
8 - 14
Send the date, time, place, cost, info, phone number, a brief description, and photos — two weeks in advance — to calendar@memphisflyer.com.
DUE TO SPACE LIMITATIONS, ONGOING WEEKLY EVENTS WILL APPEAR IN THE FLYER’S ONLINE CALENDAR ONLY. FOR COMPREHENSIVE EVENT LISTINGS, SCAN OUR QR CODE BELOW OR VISIT EVENTS.MEMPHISFLYER.COM/CAL
ART AND SPECIAL EXHIBITS
2023 Wilson Fellowship Artists e Dixon’s partnership with the town of Wilson, Arkansas, awarded residencies to artists Danny Broadway, Claire Hardy, ad Lee, and John Ruskey. rough Sept. 29.
THE DIXON GALLERY & GARDENS
Anna Parker: “The Beauty of Pointillism”
Each painting resonates with the meticulous arrangement of dots, circles and strokes. rough Aug. 29.
MEMPHIS BOTANIC GARDEN
Artists’ Link Summer Show Artists’ Link members o er visitors a variety of creative subjects and artistic media to enjoy. rough Aug. 28.
MEMPHIS BOTANIC GARDEN
“Bracelets, Bangles, and Cuffs: 19482024”
A remarkable collection of contemporary bracelets. rough Nov. 17.
METAL MUSEUM
“Branching Out”
Discover intricate connections between students, teachers, and casting communities, which branch out much like a family tree. rough Sept. 8.
METAL MUSEUM
ACROSS
1 Caprice
5 Rung #1 of an apt word ladder
9 “Too frustrating for me!”
14 Michael who played the title role in 2014’s “Cesar Chavez”
15 Melville work following “Typee”
16 Exploding stars
17 History moving forward
20 Bring up … or something brought up
21 Same-___ marriage
22 “Phooey”
23 Canine command
25 “The Amazing Spider-Man” director, amazingly enough
28 Trade show
30 Alternative to Target
Crossword
32 Rung #2 of the ladder
34 Ire
38 Actress Falco
39 Supermarket section
40 Readily open to change
41 Snowy expanse
44 In a nervous manner
45 Lowest number not found on a grandfather clock
46 Woman’s name that’s a city in Oklahoma 47 Takes five
48 Rung #3 of the ladder
49 “And yet …” 50 Quench
52 Italian province where Moscato is produced
54 Follower of crack or crock 55 Shadow
58 Where Hawks soar: Abbr.
60 South side?
62 Cry when warmer weather returns
67 Taqueria option
68 Jai ___
69 Funny Samberg
70 Subscription option
71 Rung #4 of the ladder
72 Not nice
1 Typist’s stat: Abbr.
2 Experience auditory hallucinations
3 Latin phrase on memos
4 New World parrots 5 English head 6 Global financial org.
7 “Didn’t intend for that!”
8 Irish girl’s name related to the word “honor” 9 Dutch banking giant
10 Stuffed with ham and Swiss cheese
11 Allege
12 Big employer in Huntsville, Ala.
13 Try
18 Charlemagne’s domain: Abbr.
19 Losing line in tic-tac-toe
23 Spit in the food?
24 I-, in chemistry
26 Gusted
“Health in Enamel” emes of health, healing, and spirituality crystallize with a survey of current enamel holdings in the Metal Museum’s permanent collection. rough Sept. 29.
METAL MUSEUM
“It’s a Fine Line”
New works by Stephanie Howard (Greenville, SC) and Khara Woods (Memphis, TN). rough Aug. 9.
SHEET CAKE
“Mission: Astronaut”
Get a taste of life as an astronaut, using skills like engineering, physics, teamwork, and fun. rough Sept. 2.
MEMPHIS MUSEUM OF SCIENCE & HISTORY
“On Paper!”
It’s recyclable, sustainable, and a medium for artistic expression. is interactive exhibition celebrates the versatility and beauty of paper as a material initiating creativity and innovation. rough Sept. 29.
THE DIXON GALLERY & GARDENS
“Southern/Modern: 1913-1955”
“Southern/Modern” seeks to encourage new admiration for the region’s rich cultural heritage through paintings, drawings, and prints. rough Sept. 29.
Edited by Will Shortz No. 0306
27 City just east of Gulfport
29 1950s-’60s
set of stacking rings with multiple metals.
Summer Art Garden: “Creatures of Paradise” Memphis-based duo Banana Plastik present an environment lled with vibrant and whimsical beings. rough Oct. 26.
MEMPHIS BROOKS MUSEUM OF ART
“Summer Soirée en Violette”: New Works by Chère Labbé Doironn Featuring the artist’s wonderfully unique landscapes using vivid colors and diverse materials. Weekdays only. rough Aug. 15. ANF ARCHITECTS
“United Streets of America” Vibrant paintings by local artist Carol Co ey Clark. rough Aug. 24.
MORTON MUSEUM OF COLLIERVILLE HISTORY
Works by Heather Jones Native to Memphis, Jones creates delightdriven works using bold colors, lines, and unassuming imagery. Mondays-Saturdays, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. rough Aug. 29.
MEMPHIS BOTANIC GARDEN
Works by John Roberts
Shaped by his family history, John Roberts paints to express the extraordinary within everyday environments. rough Aug. 22.
DAVID LUSK GALLERY
ART HAPPENINGS
Gallery Reception - “A New Stage Begins”: Metal Art by Jennifer Hyatt Meet the artist and explore the exhibit. Friday, Aug. 9, 5-7 p.m. Exhibit through Sept. 9.
BUCKMAN PERFORMING ARTS CENTER
Munch and Learn: The Sculpture of Richard Hunt and Richard Serra In “Remembering Richard,” Ellen Daugherty discusses two sculptors, Richard Hunt (1935-2023) and Richard Serra (1938-2024). Wednesday, Aug. 14, noon-1 p.m. THE DIXON GALLERY & GARDENS
Reception for “An Open Book” Celebrating Zoe Nadel’s retrospective of gurative small collage works, a reception with the artist. Saturday, August 10, 4-6 p.m.
ST. GEORGE’S ART GALLERY AT ST. GEORGE’S EPISCOPAL CHURCH
CLASS / WORKSHOP
Jewelry Class: Spinner and Stacker Rings
Make a set of stacking rings in multiple metals and a sterling silver spinner ring with instructor Brandy Boyd. $80. Sunday, Aug. 11, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
MEMPHIS BOTANIC GARDEN
Super Saturday: National Book Lovers Day
Put together a coin envelope book, write a story, and illustrate the front and back covers. Saturday, Aug. 10, 10 a.m.-noon.
MEMPHIS BROOKS MUSEUM OF ART
COMEDY
Comedy Open Mic
Hosted by John Miller. $10. Tuesday, Aug. 13, 8 p.m.
HI TONE
Drew Fraser
e celebrated comedian from Russell Simmons’ Def Comedy Jam and BET’s Comic View. $22-$68. Friday, Aug. 9, 7:30 p.m. | Friday, Aug. 9, 10 p.m. | Saturday, Aug. 10, 7:30 p.m. | Saturday, Aug. 10, 10 p.m. | Sunday, Aug. 11, 8 p.m.
CHUCKLES COMEDY HOUSE
THE DIXON GALLERY & GARDENS
PHOTO: COURTESY MBG
Brandy Boyd teaches a class on making a
PUZZLE BY MARY LOU GUIZZO AND ERIK AGARD
Saturday Night Showcase
A diverse lineup that cracks smiles and causes uproarious laughter. $15. Saturday, Aug. 10, 7 p.m.
MEMPHIS CLOVER CLUB
COMMUNITY
Lupus Support Group:
Paint & Sip
Lupus survivors, supporters, and caregivers are invited. Saturday, Aug. 10, noon-2 p.m.
EAST
DANCE
Boogie Nights: A ’70s
Disco Funk Dance Party
With videos and other ’70s pop-culture eye-candy on the screens all night. 18+. $10. Friday, Aug. 9, 9 p.m.
BLACK LODGE
Club Elvis Dance Party
SiriusXM Elvis Radio DJ Argo plays your favorite Elvis tunes.
$30. Tuesday, Aug. 13, 10 p.m.
THE GUEST HOUSE AT GRACELAND
FAMILY
Free Back to School
Family Day
With live music, food trucks, arts and crafts, free vaccinations, sports physicals, healthhub screenings, and an exercise class with Memphis Rox. Free.
Elvis Week starts Friday, August 9th, at Graceland, with many special events this week and next.
FILM
King Creole
Enjoy a New Orleans-style brunch and watch Elvis’ iconic 1958 film, King Creole. $70.
Wednesday, Aug. 14, 11 a.m.
THE GUEST HOUSE AT GRACELAND
Lawrence of Arabia
David Lean’s 1962 epic adventure drama. Sunday, Aug. 11, 1 p.m. | Monday, Aug. 12, 7 p.m.
MALCO PARADISO CINEMA GRILL & IMAX
Lilo and Stitch
Gather on the Guest House back lawn for a Hawaiian luau party and movie screening. Includes complementary leis, a special pop-up shop, and a photo op. $12. Saturday, Aug. 10, 7:30 p.m.
THE GUEST HOUSE AT GRACELAND
Porgy & Bess: Met Summer Encore 2024
One of America’s greatest operas returns, featuring soprano Angel Blue and bassbaritone Eric Owens alongside a phenomenal ensemble cast. David Robertson conducts.
Wednesday, Aug. 14, 6:30 p.m.
MALCO PARADISO CINEMA GRILL
CALENDAR:
AUGUST 8 - 14
Shoot & Splice: Documentary
Filmmaking with Robert Gordon
Indie Memphis and Crosstown Arts present filmmaker and author Robert Gordon in conversation with Molly Wexler. Tuesday, Aug. 13, 7 p.m.
THE GREEN ROOM AT CROSSTOWN ARTS
PERFORMING ARTS
Carmen Jones
The classic musical by Oscar Hammerstein II, featuring music by Georges Bizet. Through Aug. 18.
HATTILOO THEATRE
Memphis Matters
An ensemble reenacts an audience member’s story. Saturday, Aug. 10, 7 p.m.
THEATRESOUTH
SPECIAL EVENTS
Elvis: Back in Memphis
A celebration of the music
Elvis created in his hometown, with Gene Chrisman, Donna (Rhodes) Morris, Norbert Putnam, and David Porter. $52. Tuesday, Aug. 13, 7-10 p.m.
GRACELAND SOUNDSTAGE
Elvis Fan Choice Awards
The fans have spoken. See the winners revealed. $52. Wednesday, Aug. 14, 7 p.m.
GRACELAND SOUNDSTAGE
Elvis Fan Celebration
Death Drop at Hotel Le’George
Friends of George’s unveils its newest show featuring Winston, a frazzled property manager, navigating a motley crew of eccentric characters. $30/general admission, $60/ VIP. Thursday, Aug. 8, 8 p.m. | Friday, Aug. 9, 8 p.m. | Saturday, Aug. 10, 8 p.m.
THE EVERGREEN THEATRE
Hot Hot Hot: A Risqué Variety Show
It’s August and Hi Tone’s embracing the heat. $15. 21+ .
HI TONE
From trivia to an Archives Show & Tell, and more. $10. Tuesday, Aug. 13, 2 p.m.
THE GUEST HOUSE AT GRACELAND
Elvis Tribute Artist Meet and Greet
Mingle with the semifinalists, snap photos, and enjoy light appetizers and refreshments. Saturday, Aug. 10, 10 a.m.
GRACELAND EXHIBITION CENTER
Q&A Session with Jerry Schilling
Hear Schilling share his favorite stories, memories, and insights into the life of his friend Elvis Presley, who he first met in 1954.
Followed by a photo op. Tuesday, Aug. 13, 11 a.m.
THE GUEST HOUSE AT GRACELAND
Sony’s Memphis Q&A and Listening Event
Enjoy a Q&A and listening event about Memphis , Sony’s new deluxe compilation of tracks Elvis recorded in his adopted hometown. Wednesday, Aug. 14, 2 p.m.
THE GUEST HOUSE AT GRACELAND
SPORTS
BBA Memphis 50th Celebration
The Black Business Association and the Memphis Redbirds salute the pioneers of Black baseball, the “Negro Leagues.” Saturday, Aug. 10, 6:30-9 p.m.
AUTOZONE PARK
Memphis Redbirds vs. Gwinnett Stripers
$13-$86. Thursday, Aug. 8, 6:30 p.m. | Friday, Aug. 9, 7 p.m. | Saturday, Aug. 10, 6:30 p.m. | Sunday, Aug. 11, 1 p.m.
AUTOZONE PARK
National Pickleball Day
A fun-filled doubles pickleball tourney celebrating the holiday. Whether you’re a pro or a beginner, enjoy a day of friendly matches, and great company. $5. Thursday, Aug. 8, 1-3 p.m.
THE SALVATION ARMY KROC CENTER
We Saw You.
with MICHAEL DONAHUE
Artists didn’t have to wear a disguise, but there was more than one creative type in a witch costume at the Incognito Art Auction party, which was held July 28th at the Memphis Botanic Garden.
e artists were all part of the event, which returned in July a er more than a year. eir artwork was on view July 8th through 28th. Online bidding was July 15th through 28th.
is is how it works: Guests can see the art and the name of the artwork, but not the name of the artist. ey bid on what they like. Not the artist.
Kenneth Jackson performed while guests scratched their heads and dined from a spread that included turkey, ham, and roast beef sandwiches. Witches could remove their hats and tap whoever bought their artwork toward the end of the party.
According to the press release, Incognito is supported in part by Artists’ Link, a “volunteer organization, resource, and support group for Memphis area visual artists and a link between artists and the community.”
More We Saw You photos at memphis yer.com.
PHOTOS: MICHAEL DONAHUE
above: (le to right) Frank Lilly (artist) and Dominick Barconia; Amy Hutchison; Mollie Stringer and Ethan Doyle below: (le to right) Cathy Gross and Suzanne Evans; Heather (artist) and Memphis Jones bottom row: (le to right) Ron Olson; Saj Crone
Emily Guenther
The Lion’s Gate
We are now in the Lion’s Gate Portal (July 26th to August 12th), a relatively new energetic phenomenon. It’s a combination of astrology, ancient cosmology, and numerology — all channeling a very speci c celestial alignment that peaks on August 8th.
e portal happens when the sun, in the astrological sign of Leo, is in alignment with the star Sirius, Orion’s Belt, and Earth. is happens when Sirius “rises” or becomes visible again due to the sun’s yearly passing of the star. e rising of the dog star is an occurrence that has been noted by cultures for thousands of years. Ancient Egyptians knew Sirius well and based many of their ceremonies and holidays around the time it became visible.
Mars is the planet of action, competition, conquest, passion, desire, and energy. With these powers combined, Sirius was considered particularly auspicious. is is why taking action while it is in alignment is thought to help one achieve one’s goals, imbued with the luck of Jupiter and the courage of Mars.
Sirius is the brightest star in the sky and is astrologically considered to be a spiritual sun. Its powerful energy is activating, upli ing, and capable of raising consciousness. Where the sun provides physical nourishment, Sirius is believed to breathe life into our “spiritual bodies.” In astrology, it brings wealth, abundance, fortune, and fame. is alignment with the star means it is an excellent time for manifestation.
e
To the ancient Egyptians, Sirius was seen as the embodiment of the agricultural goddess Sopdet and was connected with the annual rising and ooding of the Nile, indispensable to their survival. In later civilizations, the Greeks and Romans noticed that Sirius, actually a binary star that they called “ e Dog Star,” began to rise alongside the sun in late July. ey believed that the united ascent of these two stars side-by-side made for the hottest time of the year — the Dog Days of Summer. e Dog Days of Summer and the Lion’s Gate Portal are not the same, even though they happen simultaneously and focus on Sirius as a key factor.
Besides its brightness, ancient astrologers noted that Sirius seemed to take on characteristics of two ery planets — Jupiter and Mars. In astrology, Jupiter is the planet of luck, miracles, expansion, and growth believed to bring forth prosperity, happiness, fortune, wealth, and wisdom.
e entire Lion’s Gate Portal period is considered spiritually signi cant but its peak falls on August 8th. In numerology, the number 8 is associated with balance, power, karmic relief, and mastery and is known as the number of good luck and fortune, discovery, hope, and opportunity. It’s also linked to the in nity symbol, which represents continuous balance and the in nite ow of energy. e 8:8 combination signi es inspiration, integrity, knowledge, introspection, and intuition and represents in nite activation. Some consider 8:8 to be one of the most powerful number combinations.
August 8th is also the day that marks the sun’s mid-way point through the astrological sign of Leo. e sign of Leo is associated with boldness and con dence. Of course, the sun is also the ruler of sign Leo. So in this moment, everything is in alignment physically and spiritually. is feast of energy allows an opportunity for spiritual expansion and evolvement. Giving us a chance to become a more empowered, better version of ourselves. Many people use this window of the Lion’s Gate to help them manifest their dreams and signi cant changes in their lives. If you are manifesting prosperity or things that involve taking a risk, this might be a good time to double down on your manifestation rituals.
Emily Guenther is a co-owner of e Broom Closet metaphysical shop. She is a Memphis native, professional tarot reader, ordained Pagan clergy, and dog mom.
AUTEUR:
PHOTO: EMILY GUENTHER
sign of Leo is associated with boldness and con dence.
FOOD By Michael Donahue
The Pork Rind (and More) Game
Brim’s introduces new potato chip avors.
Brim’s Snack Foods is brimming with ideas for new products.
e company, known to many for its pork rinds, recently introduced four new potato chip products: Memphis Style BBQ Rib Chips, Formula 901 Memphis Mojo, Cheddar Sour Cream, and Bu alo Ranch.
Potato chips will always be a staple item in stores, says Luke Brimhall, 31. But, he says, “People are tired of their grandma and grandpa’s avors. ey want to try new things.”
Brimhall, Brim’s brand development manager, and his brother Nick, who is plant manager, are part of the second generation of the Brim’s family business.
like you’re biting into a pork rib. It’s not just a barbecue chip. It’s its own animal.”
e Formula 901
Memphis Mojo is a combination of chip avors. “ e idea is to take your di erent chip avors — sour cream and onion, dill pickle, salt and vinegar, barbecue, all traditional avors — and blend them together. en add in some more barbecue because we live in Memphis.”
The result is a “fine, tangy barbecue and something else I can’t describe. Just the blend from everything in there.”
It began with their parents, Terry and Becki Brimhall. “My dad was a student at Memphis State. And to pay for his tuition there, he would sell MoonPies and those little miniature pecan pies. He used to sell those to grocery stores.”
Like Luke’s grandparents, Paul and Joyce Brimhall, the couple began by selling other people’s products — “from bread to cookies and chips” — to grocery stores.
Luke’s grandmother was quite an entrepreneur in her own right, he says. “Even though she was a homemaker, she always had something she was selling on the side. My favorite one was custom- tted brassieres.”
A er a man in Arkansas told him in the late ’70s how much he made selling pork rinds, Luke’s dad realized that was three times what he made selling MoonPies and pecan pies. “So, he looked around and found somebody’s pork rinds to start selling.”
In 1979, the Brimhalls began making and selling their own pork rinds. e people who supplied them with pork skins helped them get their fryer and taught them how to use it.
e Brimhalls “rented space in an old smokehouse o Highway 70 and started making it themselves.”
Pork rinds begin with “pig pellets,” Luke says. The raw pig skin arrives frozen. “They cut it into pieces and
render it down slowly in an oven until it becomes a pellet. Super hard. Shelf-stable. You can’t eat it. It’s hard. You fry it until the moisture evaporates and causes the pork pellet to expand into that puffy thing that we call ‘pork rinds.’”
e business began as “Brim’s.”
When they were growing up, “Brim” was the nickname for Terry and his brothers.
His dad had “a sales network in place” from selling other people’s pork rinds to stores, Luke says.
Several years later, they added popcorn to their line. is was followed by cheese pu s, onion rings, and cheese curls. “Over the years, we added on other items we have partners make for us.”
In 1987, they moved to Bartlett Corporate Park, where they now have about 200,000 square feet. They have another factory in Spartanburg,
South Carolina.
Brim’s, which now sells more than 50 snack items, began making its new line of chips in June. “We have had some potato chips over the years, but never really pushed it very hard.”
Seven years ago they came out with the Memphis Rib chip. “We sold a ton of it.”
But sales fell o when they introduced a Memphis Heat chip, so they discontinued Memphis Rib. “I think we made the bags too similar and people couldn’t distinguish them in the stores.”
But now Memphis Style BBQ Rib Chip is back.“Most of your barbecue chips are based on what barbecue sauce would taste like. Really sweet. Candylike. is is more of a dry rub.”
It has “a meaty taste to it. It tastes
ey added Cheddar Sour Cream and Bu alo Ranch because they’ve never o ered those potato chip avors.
Brim’s, which doesn’t add new items very o en, introduced a kettle corn a few years ago.
e company introduced a churro item called Cinnamon Twists at the end of 2023. Twist-shaped corn pellets are fried until they pu up; then the pellets are drenched in cinnamon sugar.
Luke’s parents are “pretty much retired. Dad still comes in to sign checks. I say he comes in to shake hands and kiss babies.”
As for upcoming products, Luke says, “We’re working on revamping our hot fries line.”
ey try to keep all their product lines “fresh and up to date with new packaging and new avors.”
Brim’s sells other avors of pork rinds, including plain, hot, and sweet barbecue. ey also sell salt-andvinegar- avored pork rinds, which aren’t popular in the South, but are on the East Coast.
Brim’s also features “a lot of crackling avors. Essentially pork rinds, but they have a layer of fat attached to the skin. ey tend to not pop out as much. ey can be a little bit harder than pork rinds.”
Diversity among Brim’s items is literally the spice of life. “People don’t want to eat chicken ngers and hamburgers at every meal of their life. And they don’t want to do the same thing in the snack world.”
PHOTOS: MICHAEL DONAHUE Luke and Terry Brimhall
NEWS OF THE WEIRD
By the editors at Andrews McMeel Syndication
Recurring Theme
Constance Glantz, 74, was receiving hospice care at a Waverly, Nebraska, nursing home when she seemed to pass away on June 3, The New York Times reported. The nursing home contacted the funeral home, and she was transported there. But as a mortician began the process of preparing her for burial, they discovered she was still breathing. Paramedics were called, and Glantz was taken to the hospital, where she actually died later the same day. “This is a very unusual case,” said Chief Deputy Ben Houchin noted. “At this point, we have not been able to find any criminal intent by the nursing home, but the investigation is ongoing.” [NY Times, 6/3/2024]
Ewwwww!
A woman named Cheyenne called in to a radio show in Australia on May 28 and dropped a whopper of a confession, the New York Post reported. “So my nan passed away in August last year and got cremated,” Cheyenne began. “I went over to my mom’s one night and thought to cheer her up a bit … ‘Let’s just taste Nan.’” The caller went on to say that her brother, who had been in prison, was recently released and as a “welcome home” dinner, she made him pasta with sauce — alla Nan. “I thought it would be funny to prank him … and I put some of Nan’s ashes in the pasta sauce.” Cheyenne said she has a “weird addiction” to the ashes and believes they help connect her with her late granny. “Nan will live on through me forever,” she said. Bon appétit. [NY Post, 5/28/2024]
A Three-Hour Tour
If you thought quicksand only appeared in old episodes of Gilligan’s Island, think again. Jamie Acord, 47, and her husband, Patrick, were touring Popham Beach State Park in Phippsburg, Maine, on June 1 when Jamie fell behind, the Portland Press Herald reported. “All of a sudden I was hip-deep in a wet slurry of sand,” she said. “I couldn’t feel the bottom and I couldn’t get a footing.” When Patrick looked back, he thought she was kneeling, but she couldn’t extract herself. After he pulled her out, she said, “I turned around and the hole was gone.” Maine state officials say
patches of quicksand are startling but not really life-threatening, but just in case, they plan to install warning signs that will help visitors know what to do if they find themselves stuck. Scientists say quicksand is denser than the human body, so the upper torso will remain buoyant at the surface. But tell that to Jamie. “I’m just glad I wasn’t alone,” she said. [Portland Press Herald, 6/6/2024]
Crème de la Weird
On June 6, when Farida, 50, went missing from her village in South Sulawesi province in Indonesia, her husband and other residents started searching for her — but found only her belongings, the Daily Mail reported. They did, however, spot a “python with a large belly,” village leader Suardi Rosi said. “They agreed to cut open the python’s stomach. As soon as they did, Farida’s head was immediately visible,” he said. She was found fully clothed inside the python, which was about 20 feet long. Farida’s husband, Noni, 55, lamented her fate: “I am forever sorry that I let my wife go out alone. If I had been with her that day, the snake would not have dared to touch her.” Farida was taken away for a religious burial. [Daily Mail, 6/8/2024]
Perspective
Real estate developer Sekisui House in Osaka, Japan, has announced that it will demolish a nearly completed new condominium building in Kunitachi, Tokyo Prefecture, because the structure is blocking neighbors’ view of Mount Fuji. United Press International reported that the 10-story building was just weeks away from opening to new residents. “We were aware of the culture that values scenery, but we failed to consider it adequately,” the company said. People who had bought condos will be compensated financially, they said. [UPI, 6/11/2024]
Send your weird news items with subject line WEIRD NEWS to WeirdNewsTips@amuniversal.com.
ARIES (March 21-April 19): Legend tells us that the first person to drink tea was Chinese Emperor Shennong in 2737 B.C.E. As he lounged outdoors, tree leaves fell into his cup of water and accidentally created an infusion. Good for him that he was willing to sample that accidental offering. It took many centuries, but eventually tea drinking spread throughout the world. And yet the first tea bag, an icon of convenience, didn’t become available until 1904. I don’t expect you will have to wait anywhere near that long to move from your promising new discoveries to the highly practical use of those discoveries. In fact, it could happen quickly. The coming weeks will be a favorable time to ripen your novel ideas, stellar insights, and breakthrough innovations.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20): I hope that in the coming months, Taurus, you will be refining your skills with joy and vigor. I hope you will devote yourself to becoming even more masterful at activities you already do well. I hope you will attend lovingly to details and regard discipline as a high art — as if doing so is the most important gift you can give to life. To inspire you in these noble quests, I offer you a quote by stage magician Harry Blackstone Jr.: “Practice until it becomes boring, then practice until it becomes beautiful.”
GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Wohlweh is a German word that means “good pain” or “pleasurable pain.” It might refer to the feeling you have while scratching a mosquito bite or rubbing your eyes when they’re itchy from allergies. But my favorite use of the word occurs when describing a deep-tissue massage that may be a bit harrowing even as it soothes you and provides healing. That’s a great metaphor for the kind of wohlweh I expect for you in the coming days. Here’s a tip: The less you resist the strenuous “therapy,” the better you will feel.
CANCER (June 21-July 22): I earn my living as a writer now, but for many years I had to work at odd jobs to keep from starving. One of the most challenging was tapping the sap of Vermont maple trees during the frigid weather of February. Few trees produce more than three gallons of sap per day, and it takes 40 to 50 gallons to create a single gallon of maple syrup. It was hard work that required a great deal of patience. According to my analysis, you Cancerians are in a metaphorically comparable situation these days. To get the good results you want, you may have to generate a lot of raw material — and that could take a while. Still, I believe that in the end, you will think the strenuous effort has been well worth it.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Babylonia was an ancient empire located in what’s now Syria, Iraq, and Iran. Among its
Rob Brezsny
citizens, there was a common belief that insomnia was the result of intrusive visitations by ancestral spirits. Their urge to communicate made it hard for their descendants to sleep. One supposed cure was to take dead relatives’ skulls into bed, lick them, and hold them close. I don’t recommend this practice to you, Virgo. But I do advise you to consult with the spirits of deceased family members in the coming weeks. I suspect they have a lot to tell you. At the very least, I hope you will explore how you might benefit from studying and pondering your ancestors’ lives.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Libran tennis player Naomi Osaka is one of the highestpaid women athletes ever. She is also a staunch political activist. That blend of qualities is uncommon. Why do I bring this to your attention? Because now is an excellent time to synergize your pragmatic devotion to financial success with idealistic work on behalf of noble causes. Doing both of these activities with extra intensity will place you in alignment with cosmic rhythms — even more so if you can manage to coordinate them.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Scorpio actor Sally Field told a story about an agent who worked for her early in her career. In those formative years, all her roles were on TV. But she aspired to expand her repertoire. “You aren’t good enough for movies,” the agent told her. She fired him, and soon she was starring in films. Let’s make this a teaching story for you, Scorpio. In the coming months, you will be wise to surround yourself with influences that support and encourage you. If anyone persistently underestimates you, they should not play a prominent role in your life’s beautiful drama.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): One Sagittarius I know is building a giant sculpture of a humpback whale. Another Sagittarius is adding a woodshop studio onto her house so she can fulfill her dream of crafting and selling fine furniture. Of my other Sagittarius acquaintances, one is writing an epic narrative poem in Greek, another is hiking the Pacific Crest Trail from Northern California to the Columbia River in northern Oregon, and another has embarked on a long-postponed pilgrimage to Nigeria, the place of her ancestors’ origin. Yes, many Sagittarians I know are thinking expansively, daring spicy challenges, and attempting fun feats. Are you contemplating comparable adventures? Now is an excellent time for them.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): When I opened my fortune cookie, I found a message that read, “If you would just shut up, you could hear God’s voice.” In response, I laughed, then got very quiet.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): I love the fact that Antarctica doesn’t belong to anyone. Thirty nations have research stations there, but none of them control what happens. Antarctica has no government! It has a few laws that almost everyone obeys, like a ban on the introduction of non-indigenous plants and animals. But mostly, it’s untouched and untamed. Much of its geology is uncharted. Inspired by this singular land, I’d love for you to enjoy a phase of wild sovereignty and autonomy in the coming weeks. What can you do to express yourself with maximum freedom, answering primarily to the sacred laws of your own ardent nature?
I ruminated on how, yes, I express myself a lot. I’m constantly and enthusiastically riffing on ideas that are exciting to me. So I took the fortune cookie oracle to heart. I stopped talking and writing for two days. I retreated into a quiescent stillness and listened to other humans, animals, and the natural world. Forty-five hours into the experiment, I did indeed hear God’s voice. She said, “Thanks for making space to hear me. I love you and want you to thrive.” She expounded further, providing me with three interesting clues that have proved to be helpful in practical ways. In accordance with your astrological omens, Capricorn, I invite you to do what I did.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Scientists at the University of California devised a cheap and fast method for unboiling an egg. Their effort wasn’t frivolous. They were working with principles that could be valuable in treating certain cancers. Now I’m inviting you to experiment with metaphorical equivalents of unboiling eggs, Aquarius. You are in a phase when you will have extra power to undo results you’re bored with or unsatisfied with. Your key words of power will be reversal, unfastening, unlocking, and disentangling.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Every week, I imbibe all the honey from an eightounce jar, mostly in my cups of hot tea. To create that treat for me, bees made a million visits to flowers, collecting nectar. I am very grateful. The work that I do has similarities to what the bees do. I’m constantly gathering oracular ideas, meditating on the astrological signs, and contemplating what inspirational messages my readers need to hear. This horoscope may not be the result of a million thoughts, but the number is large. What’s the equivalent in your life, Pisces? What creative gathering and processing do you do? Now is a good time to revise, refine, and deepen your relationship with it.
FILM By Chris McCoy
Marvel Death Trip
Okay, ne. I saw Deadpool & Wolverine. Are you happy now?
Ah, the ’90s. If you remember the nal decade of the 20th century fondly, odds are, you weren’t there. Sure, the Cold War was over, and we had world peace, except for little stu like the Gulf War, the Bosnian and Rwandan genocides, the First Chechen War, and some other minor slaughters. e economy was good, unless you happened to graduate into the early 1990s recession that followed the Gulf War. Bill Clinton was elected president in 1992 to the tune of Fleetwood Mac’s “Don’t Stop ( inking About Tomorrow),” ending 12 years of Reaganite political domination. Except that Clinton governed like Republican Lite, expanding the War on Drugs and the carceral state. As a reward, Newt Gingrich impeached him.
e kids’ response to the Clintonian utopia was a resounding “whatever.” e 1990s began in the spring of 1989 when Heathers made its brief theatrical run. Winona Ryder’s devastating deadpan sarcasm became the coin of cool. If Douglas Copeland’s novel Generation X gave us a name, Richard Linklater’s indie lm Slacker gave us what passed for an ethos. e newly formed Comedy Central’s agship show was Mystery Science eater 3000, where robots made fun of “cheesy” movies in space. Sincerity was passé. Snark reigned supreme.
In the comic book world, the ’90s were the worst of times. Marvel tried to freshen up their product with young talent like artist Rob Liefeld (now notorious for his obsession with pouches, which made his characters look like walking cargo shorts) and writer Fabian Nicieza, who created Deadpool. In superhero comics, everything is deadly serious. World-
GET ONE 2 PC
saving is a regular event. Only Deadpool doesn’t keep up the kayfabe. As the only character in the Marvel universe who knows he’s in a comic book, he frequently broke the fourth wall, looking directly at the reader and making snarky comments about the action. Yes, this whole superhero trip is ridic, Deadpool says, but we both know it, and I’ve already got your money, so let’s have fun with it.
The Age of Snark lasted until the mid-’00s, when The New Sincerity and Poptimism arrived with the millennials. The new young people were sick of the old young people’s bullshit. Thus it has always been, and will be again.
e rise of the New Sincerity corresponded neatly with the cinematic superhero onslaught. Marvel, struggling to survive, sold the rights to their crown jewels to Twentieth Century Fox in 1994. It took until 2000 for X-Men to nally hit the screen.
e somber, self-serious adventure was a huge hit, and made a star out of Aussie song-and-dance man Hugh Jackman, who played Wolverine, the coolest X-Man. Deadpool, whose X-Force super-team was included in the Marvel/Fox deal, was introduced in the 2008 spino X-Men Origins: Wolverine. Played by Ryan Reynolds, he was just another glum, violent superguy. en, Marvel sold its B-team e Avengers to Disney, and Iron Man exploded in 2008. As Marvel stole their lunch money, the X-Men lms descended into morose nonsense, and Ryan Reynolds was given free rein to get snarky with Deadpool in 2016. Now, Disney owns Twentieth
Century Fox, and their oh-so-sincere Marvel Cinematic Universe, having nearly destroyed the lm industry with the magnitude of its success, is passé. Deadpool to the rescue! He’s snarky like you, fellow teenagers! Deadpool & Wolverine tries to rise above the Marvel muck by diving into the deep end of the lore pool. It’s not about the history of these characters. Hugh Jackman’s poignant swan song as old man Wolverine in Logan is erased and mocked in the cold open, when Deadpool brutally murders agents of the Time Variance Authority (TVA) with pieces of Wolvie’s adamantium skeleton. No, this lm is about the business history of the characters, and brand positioning for future exploitation. Deadpool and Wolverine are banished by the TVA to e Void, where comic book characters who have been discarded by the poptomist machine sit in limbo. ere are many cameos by former superhero actors showing up for
a paycheck. I won’t spoil the “fun” by telling you who they are, except to say that Daredevil Ben A eck apparently has all the money he needs.
But, a meta hero needs a meta movie. e Disney brass is celebrating the success of Deadpool & Wolverine as the redemption of the MCU business model. Don’t be so sure. Is it good when the only way you can juice sales is by making fun of your own product with ultraviolent gay jokes? Isn’t getting snarky about Marvel movies my job?
Oh well, at least the fake-ass New Sincerity is truly and nally dead. Long live snark! Or not. Whatever.
Deadpool & Wolverine
Now playing Multiple locations
Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman are, once again, Deadpool and Wolverine.
Our critic picks the best films in theaters.
Cuckoo
Gretchen (Hunter Schafer), an American teenager, moves to the German Alps to live with her divorced dad (Jan Bluthardt). But things are not all as they seem in the picaresque mountain town. Her father’s wealthy boss Herr König (Dan Stevens) has some plans that seem … unnatural. This psychological horror by German director Tilman Singer is giving off heavy Midsommar vibes.
It Ends With Us
Gossip Girl’s Blake Lively stars in this adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s popular romance novel of the same name. Lily (Lively) has just opened her own floral
shop in Boston when she has to return to her Maine hometown to eulogize her abusive father. She finds herself with a choice between an emotionally distant neurosurgeon boyfriend (Justin Baldoni) and an old flame (Brandon Sklenar).
Borderlands
The first-person shooter hit from 2009 gets a film adaptation. The great Cate Blanchett stars as Lilith, an adventurer who descends to the planet Pandora (no relation to the Avatar homeworld) in search of a rumored vault full of alien treasure. To help her navigate the savage planet, she brings along her robot Claptrap (Jack Black), the mercenary Roland (Kevin Hart), demolitionist Tiny Tina (Ariana Greenblatt), and more familiar characters from the game.
Qualifying Agencies are:
•Health Organizations
•Treatment Centers
•Churches
•Schools
•Local Businesses
•Non Profits
•Restaurants/Bars/Clubs
•Hotels etc...
memphisprevention.org
THE LAST WORD
By Janet Boscarino
A Cleaner, Greener Future
e bene ts of reducing plastic pollution.
Every year, as much as 23 million tons of plastic are leaked into our oceans, rivers, and seas worldwide. Taking proactive steps to reduce plastic pollution has never been more critical. e pervasive presence of plastic waste poses severe risks to our ecosystems, health, and future generations, but by making conscious e orts to minimize plastic use, communities like Memphis can experience a variety of bene ts and foster a cleaner, greener future.
1. Protects our waterways
Plastic pollution has a devastating impact on our waterways, but individual actions to reduce plastic use can significantly benefit our local rivers and streams. In Memphis, the mighty Mississippi River is a lifeline, providing essential resources as well as local recreational opportunities. Its local watersheds also have a part to play. The Loosahatchie River, Wolf River, and Nonconnah Creek in Memphis all feed into the Mississippi River Watershed, the fourth largest in the world. The Mississippi River eventually drains into the Gulf of Mexico, leading to the North Atlantic Ocean. Unfortunately, plastic waste often finds its way into these waterways, contributing to pollution that extends far beyond our city’s borders.
When residents choose to reduce their plastic consumption — opting for reusable water bottles, bags, and containers — they contribute to a healthier city. ese seemingly small actions prevent debris from accumulating locally, reducing the risk of harm to aquatic life and preserving the natural beauty of our environment. Clean rivers and streams support diverse wildlife and provide cleaner water for human use, creating a ripple e ect that extends to the broader ecosystem and contributes to cleaner oceans globally.
2. Reduces health hazards
The benefits of reducing plastic pollution are not limited to environmental preservation; they also have direct, tangible impacts on public health. Plastics, especially when improperly disposed of, can release harmful chemicals into the air and water. These can contribute to respiratory issues, contaminate drinking water, and pose additional health risks. In Memphis, decreasing plastic pollution can lead to cleaner air and safer drinking water, reducing the incidence of health issues associated with this practice.
3. Advances our economy
Embracing sustainable practices can have significant economic benefits for Memphis. A cleaner environment can attract tourism and enhance the city’s reputation as a desirable destination for visitors. Visitors are drawn to cities with pristine natural attractions, spotless streets, and a commitment to environmental sustainability, leading to increased tourism revenue and economic growth.
Moreover, investing in waste management infrastructure and sustainable technologies creates job opportunities and stimulates municipal development. By transitioning to more sustainable waste management practices, such as recycling and composting, we can create eco-friendly jobs in industries like waste collection, recycling processing, and renewable energy production. ese jobs not only provide employment opportunities but also contribute to the growth of Memphis, positioning us as a leader in environmental innovation and sustainability.
4. Strengthens community relationships
Reducing plastic pollution can also strengthen community relationships by fostering collaboration and collective action. Organized clean-up efforts and sustainability initiatives provide opportunities for residents to come together, bond over a shared commitment to environmental stewardship, and make a tangible difference in their neighborhoods.
In Memphis, grassroots organizations, neighborhood associations, and local businesses frequently organize cleanup events, park beauti cation projects, and sustainability workshops. ese initiatives not only improve the physical environment but also cultivate a sense of pride and ownership among residents. By working to address these challenges, communities build stronger social connections, trust, and resilience — laying the foundation for a more vibrant and inclusive city.
As individuals, businesses, and policymakers, we must recognize the interconnectedness of environmental, social, and economic well-being and take concerted action to create a cleaner, greener future for our city. By working together and prioritizing sustainability, we can build a more resilient, prosperous, and inclusive Memphis for generations to come. Let us seize this opportunity to make a positive impact and pave the way for a brighter tomorrow.
Janet Boscarino founded Clean Memphis in 2008, driven by her passion for creating a cleaner and greener environment.
