A Sprite, An Elf, A Knave

It's clear to me now that my questions have been mere child's play for the two Notes from Memphis Advanced Readers. They both responded correctly to the second tiebreak question. The answer from today's earlier question (see previous post) is: "A little interesting note about this building is the mosaic high up on the facade. You would miss it unless you were on the other side of the street. The building, built in 1912, originally housed the Puck Grocery and Warehouse. So the mosaic is of Puck, a character from Shakespeare's play "A Midsummer Night's Dream". Puck is a sprite, an elf, a knave."

I have probably insulted both of them with my pedestrian inquiries. It is apparent that a seriously perplexing question must come forth and it shall be in the form of a riddle. Here we go:

Memphistanista has appeared in print and press, in which two places you must guess.

So, Memphis Sarah and Anonymous K&M, email your answers to poppysit@aol.com

The Quiz Continues

I'm shocked. The 1000th post quiz has still not concluded as the two readers who got all the initial questions correct, also got the tiebreaker question correct. The question was: "There are many buildings downtown that fly the American flag, but one building displays the flag of another country. Which country's flag is it?" The answer: France

I must now pose another question for these brainiac readers as they compete for the coveted Buddy Guy CD prize:
Here it is: I'm thinking of a number between 1 and 1000... just kidding. But it may come to that.

Ok, Memphis Sarah and Anonymous K&M, here is your Notes from Memphis tiebreaker question #2 designed for Notes from Memphis Advanced Readers:

There is a mosiac high up on the facade of a downtown building. It portrays a character from a play written by one of world's most famous writers. Name the character and the play and also tell why it's there in the first place.

Good luck!

Five Favorites for Friday

Here's a list of Five Favorite blogs with useful information:

Benito's Wine Reviews - so you have some ideas for what to drink

Sparkling Like a Diamond - so you have some ideas on what to cook

The Sartorialist - so you know what to wear  - for women and men 

The Book Lady's Blog  - so you have some ideas on what to to read

Intelligent Travel  - so you know what to do when you need to bail

Quiz Tiebreaker

Well, I received quite a few responses to the 1000th Post Quiz Questions and not one but TWO people answered all of them correctly. Those readers are fellow Memphian Sarah and Anonymous K&M. Thanks very much to everyone who emailed me their answers and to all my readers. Here are the questions with the answers:

1. The Memphistanista Memphis Map is divided up into 5 areas. Name them.
Downtown, Midtown, Near East, Middle East, Far East

2. What/who is the mascot of this blog? Give name and stage name.
Poppy, Superfine Poppy

3. What unusual event happened downtown this past spring?
River Flood

4. What happens at the Corkscrew one day each week?
Tuesday Ladies Day

5. What kind of shop (that I am desperate for) is missing from downtown
Gelato Shop
 
But now I find that we are facing a tiebreaker situation as there is only one prize and therefore can only be one winner.  So, Memphian Sarah and Anonymous K&M if you're still reading and interested in continuing to compete for the Buddy Guy CD, here is the Tiebreaker Question which I hope is sufficiently difficult but not impossible to answer:

There are many buildings downtown that fly the American flag, but one building displays the flag of another country. Which country's flag is it?
Please email your answer to poppysit@aol.com

Keeping it Real; Railroads and Trolleys

Keep it Real at the 477 Store located at, uh, 477 S. Main St. in the Memphis College of Art Nesin Graduate School. Trolley night is this Friday so it would be a good time to wander in and check out this shop. 

And I have to admit, I did not know about the.....

You can read about it HERE

France, Italy & Argentina Tonight

It may be time for the End of Summer Wine Tasting at the Madison Hotel's Grill 83 but it still feels like summer to me. I can't get to France, Italy or Argentina at the moment but this sounds like a very reasonable (and cool) compromise. So, until I grab my passport again...

Don’t miss the kick-off of Grill 83’s new wine tasting events! Come enjoy a sampling of six wines selected from France, Italy and Argentina that will be paired with select fares chosen by executive chef Chris Windsor and prepared on-site at three action stations.

Tuesday, Aug. 23, 2011

6 to 8 p.m.
Madison Hotel Mezzanine
$35 Per Person, Inclusive of all Tax and Gratuity

Featured Wines:

Ca’ Montini Pinot Grigio, Tuscany, 2008
Monmousseau Vouvray, Val de Loire, 2008
Monmousseau Rose D’Anjou, Loire, 2010
Tilia Chardonnay, Mendoza, 2010
Catena Malbec, Mendoza, 2009
Monmousseau Brut Etoile, Loire

Pairing Menu:

Caesar Salad Station
The freshly made (table side) Caesar dressing is mixed with chopped heart of romaine in a bamboo bowl, topped with grated parmesan. Be prepared for an intense, unexpected complexity- just the way Senor Caesar Cardini meant for it to be.

Brazos Valley Cheese Display

Blueberry Havarti with organic blueberries, eden (creamy Brie wrapped in edible fig leaves), and horseradish pecan cheddar with roasted pecan bits and zesty horseradish, all served with sliced ciabatta

Ginger Crème Brule Station
Served with a variety of toppings.

ONE THOUSAND

This is it! I'm at my 1000th post and I want to give my readers the opportunity to win a prize as a way to say "thank you" for reading. First, the prize revealed: the below pictured Best of Buddy Guy CD. An odd choice of Prize from Memphistanista as he is not a Memphis blues artist but rather the king of Chicago style blues. Nevertheless, when I was wandering around this store on Beale Street this CD was playing and it just felt right. If I were 4,000 miles away and I heard this I would think of home:

Here's one of the tracks on this CD:

Ok, first things first. Rather than answering the quiz in the comments section, send an email to poppysit@aol.com with your answers. In the unlikely event someone actually answers these questions I'll be impressed. In the unbelievable event that two or more people answer all the questions correctly it may be necessary to have a shoot out situation. We'll see what happens.    

Good luck. Here we go:

1. The Memphistanista Memphis Map is divided up into 5 areas. Name them.
2. What/who is the mascot of this blog? Give name and stage name.
3. What unusual event happened downtown this past spring?
4. What happens at the Corkscrew one day each week?
5. What kind of shop (that I am desperate for) is missing from downtown?

Quiz Prize Procured and Today's French Lesson Made Me Laugh Out Loud

The Quiz is imminent! I purchased the Prize today and had a lot of fun in the process I must say. Here's a hint about the Prize; it came from this store on Exciting, Historic Beale Street in Beautiful Downtown Memphis, Tennessee:

Lots and lots of gift and prize ideas were here.

The Prize can be easily shipped anywhere so don't be shy about participating in the quiz. Memphis is also the Home of FedEx and they love to fly little packages all over the world.

My French study continues on in a plodding and boring way most days. BUT today I was finally rewarded by a conversation that was, dare I say it, amusing. Two things to note: 1. I understood the entire conversation   2. I laughed for the first time while studying French. Normally, I have a headache or my brow is furrowed in a confused knot. Granted these are baby French words, but still. I shall recount the conversation here for you:

Man: Pardon, est-ce que vous voudriez boire quelque chose avec moi, mademoiselle?

Excuse me, would you like to drink something with me miss?

Woman: Pas "mademoiselle", "madame"

Not "miss", "madam".

Man: Pardon madame. Mais est-ce que vous voudriez boire quelque chose avec moi?

Sorry ma'am. But would you like to drink something with me?

Woman: No merci monsieur.

No thank you sir.

Man: Pas maintenant?

Not Now?

Woman: Et pas plus tard.

And not later.

Man: Mais a une heure, d'accord?

But at one o'clock, ok?

Woman: Pas d'accord.

Not ok.

Man: A deux heures?

At two o'clock?

Woman: No merci, je ne veux pas.

No thanks, I don't want to.

Man: Plus tard, a huit heures, d'accord?

Later, at eight o'clock, ok?

Woman: No monsieur, pas d'accord.

No sir, not ok.

Man: Ou a neuf heures?

Or at nine o'clock?

Woman: Absolument pas.

Absolutely not. (OMG, she's thinking in her head, what is wrong with this guy?)

Man: A quelle heure?

At what time?

Woman: No monsieur, je ne veux pas boire quelque chose avec vous.

No sir, I do not want to drink something with you.

Man: Ah, je comprends maintenant. Vous ne voudriez pas boire quelque chose avec moi, mais vous voudriez manger quelque chose avec moi. A huit heures ou a neuf heures?

Ah, I understand now. You wouldn't like to drink something with me but you'd like to eat something with me. At eight o'clock or at nine o'clock?

Woman: Vous ne comprenez pas.

You don't understand.

Man: Qu'est-ce que je comprends pas?

What don't I understand?

Woman: Vous ne comprenez pas français.

You don't understand French.

Hilarious. Or it is to me if that gives you any indication of just how rigorous my studies have been.

Five Favorites for Friday and 1,000 is Near

REMINDER:
I've almost made it to my 1000th post! Today's post is #998, so in the next couple of days look for the Notes from Memphis Quiz celebrating this milestone. The winner of the quiz will win something small but special from downtown Memphis.

Today's Five Favorites are Five Favorite Small Space Blogs:

Small Space Style

Apartment Therapy

Little Diggs

Tiny Ass Apartment

Solutions for Small Spaces

Best Vehicle for the Revitalized Area

Click on this map to enlarge:

The project is growing:

read the article: http://www.memphisdailynews.com/news/2011/aug/18/bass-pro-pyramid-project-grows/

So trade your Vespa in for this:

Third Thursday Block Party

Downtown Rooftops

Photos of some downtown rooftops visible from my rooftop...

And a shot of the top of the Exchange Building with the sun rising behind it...

Flowering Tea

I'm not a hot tea drinker but a friend of mine gave me some flowering tea to try. You set the humble looking ball of tea in your glass, pour in hot water and watch as it slowly blooms. See, it's garden in your glass...

http://www.primulatea.com/

As for the taste? It's lost on me I'm afraid; it's like pearls before swine. Hot tea just tastes like hot water with a suggestion of some other flavor to me. I'm a diehard coffee drinker but this was pretty.

Five Favorites for Friday and a Side Story

Today's five favorites are the five favorite things I saw while waiting at the trolley stop this morning:

My wonderful car is in the shop for repairs and to be more specific I was waiting on the trolley- bus. Since the trolley-trolley can't make it all the way to Main St. from Madison due to the fact that Madison is still blocked from Second to Main because of the building that is Impossible to Demolish. I understand there's some wall issue, weird issues, whatever. Madison is blocked so I was waiting on the trolley-bus, which is a bus that picks up people at Main and drives them down the Madison trolley line (via Jefferson). The trolley-trolley still runs down Madison it just runs from Third to Cleveland. It's not as confusing as it sounds.

Anywho, let's get to the side story. So, Poppy and I were out on our morning walk, shuffling slowly, barely awake when Downtown D and CREW came rolling down Main St. in pursuit of a runner. I've never seen Downtown D in Aggressive Mode, though it was playful and not at all menacing. The CREW consisted of Shaggy Black and a newcomer who I've named Red Bull. Let me give you some background. Downtown D is the stray dog that's been a downtown fixture for a few years. She lives off the charity of Beale Street patrons, restaurants and has no doubt various other contacts for food and water. She's a survivor. I call her Downtown D, the D stands for dog. However, it should be noted that one of downtown's homeless guys has told me she's his dog and her name is Lady. At any rate, she's taken up with a partner, a fluffy black dog who Mary named Shaggy Black. Now it seems they have added on another member, a red haired chow/pit bull mix, hence the name Red Bull. So back to the story, Poppy and I were walking along when we heard barking and saw a girl running toward us being chased by these three. Red Bull was obviously being initiated as he was almost nipping at her heels. The runner was none to pleased at this circumstance, but like a trooper she just kept running. It was at that point that the troublesome trio saw us coming and decided we were more interesting. Red Bull came over and tried to play with Poppy but as she was tethered to me, it proved to be too cumbersome. Anyway, Downtown D, clearly the Alpha, stood back at a cool distance and barked for him to knock it off, which he did. Shaggy Black was unsure of what to do and stood off to the side a bit. Eventually another runner came along and off they went chasing him and nipping at his heels. Here's a picture I took of Downtown D and Shaggy Black back in May:

Zippin Pippin

Where is the Zippin Pippin now?

Five Favorites for Friday

Photo above: Marshall Arts at 639 Marshall in the Edge

Five Favorite Things about Downtown in August :

1. Observing the influx of tourists from all over the world in town for Elvis Week.

2. Seeing how many European men walk around in "capri" pants. They are really just short cargo pants, but still.

3. Hearing many different languages because of #1. I went to Starbucks next to the Westin to get out of the house to study French. While there 3 French guys, seeing my notebook, asked me if I speak French. I choked and blathered on in English about how I was studying and trying to learn it. I'm a chicken, I know. Note: They were not wearing cargo capris. Also, last night on the late night Poppy walk, a huge group of Italians sauntered by remarking on my "cane" =  dog in Italian.

4. Seeing lots of Elvis-ey looking get ups. Some people are blatant and try to do a full on Elvis Look while others just display touches of Elvis. The sideburns or the sunglasses or the cuffed Levi's, etc... There are also tons of glittery Elvis purses and tote bags out and about.

5. A sharp increase in people stopping me to ask "Where is the Rendezvous?"

On Sale..

Sip and Shop tonight at:
Red Fish Gallery
Aug. 4th,  5 pm- 9 pm

Great Specials, entertainment and refreshments

Sale prices good Thursday 8/4/11 thru Sunday 8/7/11

1. All Belts, Scarves and Hats 25% off regular price
2. Red Dot Sale Racks and Red Dot Purses $16 each
3. Green Dot Sale Racks 20%- 50% off regular price
4. Suzanne's Designs New Arrivals $5 off regular price
5. Artwork by Memphis Artist Buck Thomas 50% off
6. Jeans and Summer Pants Green Dot Sale Rack $10 and up

All I've Got

I've been very busy of late learning about direct and indirect object pronouns in negative sentences in French. How wonderful. I needed a break from the drudgery of all this Francophone study and can hopefully impart some useful downtown information to you:

Item: It's Tuesday which is the Corkscrew Ladies Day: 10% off all wine.

Item: The Brass Door, the beautiful new Irish pub, has opened to much positive fanfare (I had no doubt).

That's all I've got. I feel like a Franco-phoney. Help.