Test Drive a Scion, Drink Coffee, Support UrbanArt

Morning, sleepy heads. I would have mentioned this earlier, but I was unfortunately delayed by a blockwide power outage here at beautiful sunny 460 Tennessee Street. Phones were down, people were cussing, and those brave souls venturing into out already cavernous restrooms had to use their cell phones to illuminate the way.

At any rate, the point is that today and tomorrow, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. (and yes, I know it is already after 11 today. Like I said: Power outage.) you can stop by Otherlands on Cooper and test drive a Toyota Scion.

For doing so, you will receive a free $15 gift card, "with the option of donating a portion towards producing UrbanArt's series of community murals this summer."

I think I may have mentioned recently about UrbanArt director John Weeden's war on ugly landscapes and his feelings about the transformative power of murals.

I completely agree. There's one mural I always notice when I'm in Fort Worth. It's really simple — just a zipper across the building, unzipping to reveal blue sky and a feather — but it's in the middle of ugly buildings and surface parking lots, and it completely transforms the nature of the block.


Apparently the building used to house a Dickies factory. Whenever I see it, it just makes me laugh and I think that goes a long way in diminishing any ugliness around it.

After the Sugar Coma

Now, generally, on the weekends, I like to sit at home on my couch and watch Gossip Girl and Heroes on Netflix. But I may have to change my regular plans for this weekend, because there seems to be a lot going on. And that's not even counting all the Halloweenie revelry.

Memphis Rock-n-Romp's last show of the season is also happening Saturday at the National Ornamental Metal Museum. The line-up includes the Nellie Olesens (v. precious!), Harlan T. Bobo (even more precious!) and The Barbaras (also precious).

It goes from 2 - 6 p.m. Adults are $5; kids are free (but you need to have a kid with you to go!) Beer is provided, but you should bring a blanket and/or chairs and snacks to share.

UrbanArt's first "Show and Tell" will also be that night at The Cove from 6 - 8 p.m. Each presentation will be about seven minutes (20 slides at 20 seconds each) and though I don't know what kinds of things people will be showing and telling — it sounds like it could be anything! — it should be interesting. And sort of reminiscent of grade school, but with beer.

RiverArtsFest is also going on Saturday and Sunday on South Main. It's free and open to the public, with five stags of live entertainment, a juried artist market, and beer and wine sales.

Hmmm, seems like the common denominator here is beer.

For more (and there is definitely more, but my fingers are getting tired) visit the Flyer's website.

Oh, and happy halloween.

Broadside

This week, the UrbanArt Commission moved its office from Madison and 3rd Street downtown to Broad Avenue, and I'm wondering what, if anything, that means for the neighborhood.

Here's a pic from Weeden Arts Watch.

I've been really interested in Broad Avenue and Binghamton ever since it was chosen as the laboratory for the new unified development code a few years ago.

A friend of mine and I were standing on the street last week, just chatting, and she looked at the buildings and suddenly said, this would be a cool place to live.

On the one hand, there's a new elementary school in Binghamton, a nice parcel of vacant land for redevelopment near East Parkway, and, perhaps most appealing, really good bones.

Broad Avenue has a distinct feel to it, one that seems to me to be pseudo-nostalgic. The scale between the height of the buildings, the width of the sidewalk, and the street seems just about right.

On the other hand, there's the Lester Street murders, last week's gangland shoot-out, and tons of car break-ins (including, but certainly not limited to, at last year's hottie biscotti party for the Flyer's annual Hotties issue).

New Places

Went to the Music Foundation's new Musicians' Resource Center on South Main last night. (My friend Jeff is secretly a Memphis music mogul, but don't tell anyone.) It was pretty swank. Almost made me wish I played some instrument, just so I could go there and use their computers. 

Then we headed over to the new downtown Blue Monkey. At the time the old Blue Monkey burned down, I think I was eating lunch there about once a week. I tried to go to the Midtown Blue Monkey in the interim, but the menu isn't the same. 

So I was pleased to see what looked like the old downtown menu back: there was the Bernie, the Havana, and all the yummy trolley car crisps. 

Also saw the likely new digs of the UrbanArt Commission on Broad last night. I am a big fan of Broad (with the exception of the car break-ins) and am interested in seeing how the new unified development code works out there. It has such good bones.