It’s hard out here for Grizz Nation with the Grizzlies off to one of their worst season starts in franchise history. From frustratingly close losses to questionable officiating, it is safe to say that the basketball gods have not exactly been in Memphis’ favor as of late.
But it can’t rain all the time, and despite the stormy weather, there are still plenty of silver linings to be found if you look for them.
So, in honor of the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday, here are 10 things Memphis Grizzlies fans have to be thankful for:
1. Current and former Grizzlies players assembling holiday meals for families in need.
In partnership with Meals of Hope, a nonprofit organization dedicated to bringing people together to fight food insecurity, the Memphis Grizzlies players and staff put together Thanksgiving meals for hungry families in the Mid-South area.
2. Progress continues towards a new deal that guarantees the Grizzlies remain in Memphis for the next 25 years.
Regardless of how any of us might feel about the politics surrounding state funding for upgrades and modernization of sports venues, the fact remains that Grizzlies and FedExForum are net positives for the community in terms of economic growth and employment.
3. Marcus Smart’s YounGame Changer’s Foundation getting involved in the community.
One of the missions of his YounGame Changer’s Foundation is to provide resources, inspiration, and support for pediatric cancer patients and their families. The YGC Foundation has already provided two of their Smart Carts for Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital. Each cart is filled with electronics like tablets and Nintendo Switches that can be used by admitted patients and their families to provide a diversion and source of entertainment during treatment and as a portal for communication.
4. Miles Bridges doesn’t play for our team.
There are things worse than losing, and having to root for a violent domestic abuser is one of them. Sorry, not sorry.
5. Desmond Bane has been a legitimate all-star-caliber player.
He is playing more minutes, scoring more points, making more assists and steals than ever. Despite the team’s overall record, Desmond Bane deserves to be an all-star. Argue with your mom.
6. Santi Aldama is playing the best basketball of his career.
I’ve said it before, and I will say it again: Name a more iconic duo than Spanish big men and the Memphis Grizzlies. You can’t.
7. Jaren Jackson Jr continues to develop into a leader on and off the court.
8. Despite our starting lineup often partly consisting of a few G-League players in a trench coat, the Grizzlies are no longer at the bottom of the Western Conference.
The San Antonio Spurs (who have 2023 number one draft pick Victor Wembanyama) and the Portland Trail Blazers are both below Memphis in the standings.
9. The addition of Bismack Biyombo helped strengthen the front court.
The loss of both Steven Adams and Brandon Clarke for the season added both insult and injury to the Grizzlies’ woes.
Since being acquired by Memphis using the disabled player exception, the Congolese center has averaged 7.6 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 1.9 assists while playing an average of 24.1 minutes per game.
And finally last but certainly not least:
10. There are just 12 games left until Ja Morant returns.
This is not a drill. Twelve more games until 12 is back, y’all.
This Wednesday, November 22nd, will mark an apotheosis of sorts for a man who, despite being raised in El Dorado (pronounced El Dor-RAY-do), Arkansas, has become an institution of Memphis music. That would be pianist and performer extraordinaire Jason D. Williams, who’s been pounding the ivories with boogie-woogie fervor here for over 40 years. Now, those decades of musical mania will culminate in Williams receiving a brass note on Beale Street, in a ceremony just before his performance at Lafayette’s Music Room, where he’ll preside over his twelfth annual “Thanksgiving Eve” show at the venue.
Arriving in Memphis in 1982, Williams quickly began a residency at Mallards in The Peabody Hotel, through which his reputation rapidly grew. Soon after, Jason D. Williams was signed to RCA Records, and later on a latter-day iteration of the Sun Records label. Williams now joins a select few honored by both the Peabody Brass Duck Feet and the Beale Street Brass Note.
Honoring the artist thus is appropriate, given his role in keeping the art of boogie woogie and rock and roll piano alive. As he told the Memphis Flyer in 2021, “You take somebody like Jerry Lee Lewis singing ‘Five foot two, eyes of blue,’ and that was a lesson on the chords of the 1800s. Or ‘Alabama Jubilee,’ or ‘Sweet Georgia Brown.’ Between him and Leon Redbone, you could just about get all the storybook you needed on how to play good ol’ chord changes. Because those songs have a lot of the changes that go through everything, not just the pounding rockabilly stuff. You listen to that stuff, or even Al Jolson, and you’ll get all the changes you need to be a great musician.”
Williams, who often composes songs on the spot, even while performing onstage, has clearly internalized The Great American Songbook and more, yet can walk listeners through all of history, even up to the modern era. “I’ll go from ragtime up to some Elton John or ‘Freebird’ or whatever,” he told the Flyer. “Whatever comes to my mind. I usually am the first one to hear what I’m doing. I’m just an audience member too. My fingers take off and I start singing, and it could just be something somebody said in the audience, and my fingers take off, and I go, ‘Okay, here I go!’”
Jason D. Williams will receive a Beale Street Brass Note and perform at Lafayette’s Music Room, with opener Susan Marshall, this Wednesday, November 22nd, at 7 p.m. Visit lafayettes.com for details.
Two West Tennessee officials were recently indicted after a state agency found they stole thousands of dollars from an animal shelter in one instance and from jail inmates in another.
The Tennessee State Comptroller, Jason Mumpower, recently announced indictments in the cases after investigators from his office discovered the fraudulent schemes.
In one, Christopher Sikes, the former director of Hardin County Animal Services, was found to have stolen $12,117. The funds were stolen from shelter collections while Sikes led the organization from January 2019 until he was fired in January 2023.
Sikes used two different methods to carry out the misappropriations of the funds.
For one, he improperly voided receipts totaling $8,459 in the shelter’s accounting software. Voided receipts could occur when a refund is issued. However, shelter services are nonrefundable, and numerous customers who had their receipts voided confirmed that no refunds were ever received. Investigators verified that these collections were neither put back on the books nor deposited.
Sikes also failed to deposit at least $3,658 in fees collected at the shelter. During the time span of the invesitgation, shelter collections totaled $24,618. But Sikes only deposited $20,960 in collections.
Investigators found that Sikes was the only shelter employee authorized to void receipts, access collections from the safe, prepare shelter collections for deposit, and deliver deposits to the trustee.
Earlier this month, the Hardin County Grand Jury indicted Sikes for one count of theft of property over $10,000, one count of forgery over $10,000, one count of computer crimes over $2,500, one count of destruction of and tampering with governmental records, and one count of official misconduct.
“Hardin County officials should ensure that one person is not given exclusive control over key financial processes,” Mumpower said in a statement. “Separating financial duties reduces the risk that errors or misappropriations will go undetected.”
Earlier this month, the Lake County Grand Jury indicted Neina Ceaser, the administrator of that county’s jail.
Investigators found that Ceaser stole at least $35,158 of inmate commissary funds and cash deposits from January 2018 through July 2023. Lake County jail inmates use their commissary funds to purchase items such as snacks and toiletries. Ceaser was responsible for overseeing the inmate commissary accounts, which includes making cash deposits.
The investigation began after Lake County officials discovered the sheriff’s department commissary account was out of balance and inmates could not pay for commissary products.
The investigation revealed that Ceaser failed to deposit cash that was collected from two kiosk machines located at the sheriff’s department. The kiosks are used to collect money for placement in an inmate’s commissary account. If an inmate has any cash or coins on their person when they are booked, the funds are also placed in their commissary account, using the kiosk.
Investigators compared the cash collections in the kiosks to the department’s cash deposits and discovered that Ceaser failed to deposit $35,158.88 of inmate funds into the inmates’ commissary bank account. Ceaser concealed her misappropriation by falsifying general ledger journal entries and deposit slips.
For this, Ceasar was indicted by a grand jury for one count of theft of property over $10,000, one count of destruction of and tampering with governmental records, and one count of official misconduct.
“Sheriff’s department officials must provide adequate oversight and implement effective internal controls over cash collected in the kiosks,”Mumpower said. “One person should not be responsible for collecting the cash, counting it, depositing it, and posting the journal entries. I’m pleased to note the department is already taking steps to address this issue.”
Winter is a great time for introspection and soul-searching. (Photo: Aaron Burden | Unsplash)
Autumn has always been my favorite time of year. As I grow in my practice, I’ve come to love winter almost as much. I enjoy the darkness, the forced isolation the weather brings. I look forward to having more free time and fewer responsibilities. I can get back into crafting and meditating — things I think I don’t usually have time for. Winter is not quite here yet, I know. It’s been 80 degrees outside in November, so it’s difficult to believe we are closer to winter than summer. Perhaps the warm fall weather has us craving the cold more.
In Wicca, winter is associated with death. Nature is hibernating, and it can look like the world around us has died. The trees are the barest of skeletons. The Crone has taken her seat at the cauldron, and it is time for some introspection.
Although I do appreciate the changes winter brings to both myself and my environment (the skies are never as clear as a crisp winter’s night), my fascination with winter has more to do with its association with stillness than anything.
We have passed Samhain, and Thanksgiving is here. Many of us view Samhain as the end of a cycle, and it has become known as the Celtic New Year, which makes this a great time to put things to rest in our lives. Because the weather makes staying home and indoors so appealing, this is when we spend more time alone. A time when there’s not much else to do but think.
I encourage you all to embrace the coming winter and spend some time with yourself. Be the Hermit from the Tarot; ruminate, re-evaluate, ask yourself the hard questions. How have you grown? Are there areas in your life you’ve been stagnant in? What is important to you? There is a chance that your answer may be different this time from the last time you considered these things. As we grow, our lives change, our priorities change, and we need to be aware of that so we can steer our life in the appropriate direction.
While you’re doing a sort of self-evaluation, you will likely find things you don’t like, or that you know are unhealthy for you. Bring the winter into your thinking. Get rid of those things, bury them. Winter is the season of the Crone, and although she is wise, she can be harsh and unwavering in her knowledge. These things aren’t always easy, but they are necessary. Pruning helps the plant to be healthy, and we don’t want dead leaves and branches weighing us down.
This time of year is great for introspection and soul-searching but don’t forget to look at your life through the lens of gratitude, too. Every November, we are reminded to be grateful. It is nice to have these reminders, but living or working from a place of gratitude all year long is a good goal to have. Being grateful for what you have can encourage the universe to send you more blessings because you appreciate what it’s given you already. Being grateful can change your outlook and how you handle the hiccups of day-to-day life. It’s like being an energy converter. Sure, you can could be mad that you had a flat tire one morning when you were trying to leave for work. Or you can be grateful that it went flat in the driveway and you didn’t have a blowout or wreck driving. Sometimes those things that go wrong in our day are protecting us from something worse, we just can’t see it.
As we look toward winter, don’t dread the cold and bleakness. This is a time that can be empowering if you harness winter’s energy. Get to know yourself again, and clean out your metaphorical closet. Actually, go ahead and clean out your bedroom closet, too. It’s a good time to donate unwanted clothing to local shelters or clothes closets that help the needy.
Emily Guenther is a co-owner of The Broom Closet metaphysical shop. She is a Memphis native, professional tarot reader, ordained Pagan clergy, and dog mom.
Tennessean Tami Manis is going to see her name in the 2024 edition of the Guinness World Records book after 34 years of hard work … not getting haircuts. United Press International reported on Aug. 31 that Manis’ mullet, measured at 5 feet, 8 inches long, earned her the prize in the female competitive mullet category. She had not cut the “party in the back” section of her hair since Feb. 9, 1990. “I’ve had people recognize me from 20 years ago because I’ve kept the same hairstyle,” she said. “This is amazing.” [UPI, 8/31/2023]
What Could Go Wrong?
Frick and Riverview parks in Pittsburgh have a problem: The deer population has grown to the point that the animals are dangerous to themselves and humans, Fox News reported. “With no natural predators, we are seeing an increase in car-deer collisions, relentless damage to our ecosystem and unnatural aggression toward pets and people,” the city’s website reads. What to do? The city is going to randomly pick 30 archers to participate in “a pilot program with archery-controlled hunts … during the 2023-2024 deer archery season,” the city announced. Hopeful hunters will be part of a lottery system, and final participants must have a clean background check and a deer permit. In addition, “the selected archers will be required to attend an accuracy test” and will be confined to a specific area of the park to hunt. Those who kill more than two deer in their area will be given preference for subsequent seasons, according to the city. Keep that orange vest handy. [Fox News, 9/5/2023]
Least Competent Criminal
Nicholas Coffey, 23, couldn’t resist bragging on social media about his “new” Mercedes-Benz on Sept. 2, which made it easier for cops to track him down, Fox News reported. Coffey and an accomplice used the stolen car to break into other vehicles on Deltona, Florida, residential streets during the early morning hours, then stopped at a gas station, where Coffey was captured on surveillance video. Volusia County detectives caught up with him the following morning and arrested him on multiple charges. [Fox News, 9/4/2023]
Clothing Optional
The Chicago Park District just couldn’t let the city’s nudists have a little fun on Labor Day. Early that morning, someone posted a sign at Loyola Beach along Lake Michigan declaring “Nude Beach Past This Sign,” WLS-TV reported. But, Alderman Maria Hadden scolded, the sign was unofficial and “cheeky,” and workers had it removed by that evening. Hadden did share that in 1932, Alderman George A. Williston proposed a resolution to create a nude sunbathing beach in the same location. Great minds … [WLS, 9/5/2023]
Inexplicable
Patrick Spina IV, 45, of Absecon, New Jersey, is facing criminal mischief charges after a bizarre series of stunts starting in June, WPVI-TV reported. After the Quality Inn in Galloway Township was targeted about a dozen times with a bright green dye launched into its outdoor pool by a drone, Sandra Woolston, the general manager, said she “had a meltdown” because the pool was largely unusable. In August, police got a call about a similar incident from a resident who was swimming in his pool when the dye was cast. The sea dye, normally used in search and rescue efforts, is damaging to swimming pools. Police got in touch with the FAA and learned the drone was operated by Spina. Detectives could not supply a motive but said they believed he was “pranking people.” “He was getting too happy with doing it,” Woolston said. [WPVI, 9/5/2023]
Saw That Coming
A 20-year-old unnamed Swiss man was taken to the hospital on Aug. 21 after trying not once, but twice, to put his face on the water nozzle at Geneva, Switzerland’s Jet d’Eau, the BBC reported. The attraction projects 110 gallons of water per second, reaching a height of 459 feet. His first attempt resulted in him being thrown backward; on his second try, he was thrown into the air and landed on a nearby cement walkway. He then dove into Lake Geneva, where officers found him and sought medical care for him. The company that operates the fountain intends to file a complaint against him for trespassing. [BBC, 8/23/2023]
Be alert to workplace fraud. (Photo: Growtika | Unsplash)
November 12th to 18th marked the 22nd anniversary of International Fraud Awareness Week. Effectively preventing fraud in your organization takes everyone doing their part to establish an open culture of awareness and security. Although fraud prevention should be a year-round priority, the week is a great reminder of the prevalence of workplace fraud, the many forms it comes in, and how many times it still goes unaccounted for. With the right tools and guidelines, you can keep your business safe and shielded from fraudulent activities.
To commemorate International Fraud Awareness Week, let’s take a look at three essential practices that can help combat workplace fraud minimize future risks.
Updated Training
Ongoing anti-fraud training is needed to keep employees educated and aware of new threats. When was the last time your fraud awareness training was updated? The landscape for fraud is constantly evolving along with technology. Easy and effective practices that can help prevent fraud include strong internal controls, fraud hotline reporting tools, annual training for all employees on fraud risks, and easily accessible trends and resources.
Fraud Ethics at the Top
Fraud ethics should start at the top of your organization. Is the tone at the leadership level one of honesty and integrity? Would your top management do the right thing if no one was looking? Indicators of effective guidance include instilling code of ethics policies, communicating those policies to the entire organization, and having an open-door policy and reporting mechanism, such as an internal fraud hotline, for all employees to report potential fraud and/or fraud risks. An independent assessment of your organization’s culture toward fraud and ethics policies is a great way to evaluate where you stand and where improvements can be made.
Strong Internal Controls
Internal controls are another important component to minimizing fraud risks. Strong internal controls can be achieved in a number of ways, but common methods include establishing a code of conduct, regularly performing audits, and ensuring management is involved where needed. It’s also a great idea to have a checks and balances system across key work processes or roles who handle sensitive information. The most susceptible areas of your business to keep an eye on are cash receipts, inventory, new vendors, and payroll. No singular team member in these areas should own the entire process of a crucial task — there should always be an opportunity for other team members to assess and review work if suspicious activity arises.
Making fraud prevention a business priority doesn’t have to be intimidating, nor does it mean creating a whistleblower culture in the workplace. At the end of the day, it comes down to ensuring your employees and business are safe and that team members not only feel empowered to speak up if needed but also have the tools to do so.
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 firms providing comprehensive wealth management services to ensure all elements of a client’s financial 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.
As we ready ourselves for Thanksgiving feasts with family and friends, gift-giving season creeps closer. You may be one of those who got an early start, and have already made your lists and checked them twice (good on ya!). Or you might be like me, a serial procrastinator who has a list of giftees faintly scribbled in my brain, but only a vague idea (or none at all) of what to get for them (whomp whomp!). Lucky for you, dear readers, the Flyer staff has a few things in mind that may kick-start your shopping inspiration here within our annual “alternative Black Friday” gift guide. While it’s tempting to click around the web and “add to cart” to your heart’s content, we hope you’ll consider shopping local and supporting Memphis makers, artists, retailers, institutions, and small businesses this season (and all year round).
Just a little food for thought: According to Amazon Investor Relations, the online shopping giant’s net sales increased 13 percent to $143.1 billion in the third quarter of 2023, compared to $127.1 billion in the third quarter of 2022. The popular Temu app, which claims you can “shop like a billionaire” from its selection of low-cost offerings, has drawn enormous success since its September 2022 launch. According to data from statista.com, “in May 2023, Temu generated approximately $635 million [U.S. dollars] in gross merchandise volume [GMV], a drastic increase over its September 2022 GMV of only $3 million.” The fashion-forward app, Shein, headquartered in Singapore, has expanded its marketplace beyond clothing and apparel, and as reported by CNBC this summer, its “Executive Vice Chairman Donald Tang told investors the company reached record profitability in the first half of 2023, driven by U.S. sales momentum. … The company brought in $23 billion in sales in 2022 and is now worth $66 billion, according to a May report from The Wall Street Journal.”
Wouldn’t it be nice to use some of our gift-buying budget this year to focus on driving more of that sales momentum right here in Memphis? Beyond those highlighted in our “Gift Local 2023” feature, there are so many local retailers who’d appreciate your business. Your hard-earned dollars can be used to support the economy here at home, rather than line the pockets of foreign organizations and multibillion-dollar companies. We’d also like to encourage you to browse these pages and consider purchasing from our advertisers, who help to keep the Flyer free — on newsstands and online.
Tickets to concerts, stage performances, and other events at venues like the Orpheum Theatre, Bartlett Performing Arts & Conference Center, GPAC, Lafayette’s Music Room, MoSH, Playhouse on the Square, Theatre Memphis, Crosstown Arts, Halloran Centre, or Graceland Soundstage would make great gifts — and lasting memories — for just about anyone on your list. If a trip to Vegas isn’t in the cards, a planned night or weekend at one of our regional casinos — Gold Strike Casino & Resort, Southland Casino, 1st Jackpot Casino Tunica, Hollywood Casino Tunica, to name a few — could be a big win for your giftee. A trip to Sheffield Antiques Mall, A Moment in Time Antiques & Collectibles, aquaTreasures Estate Center, or one of the city’s many eclectic secondhand shops could uncover the perfect one-of-a-kind find for a one-of-a-kind loved one. Get in tune with the music-lovers in your life with a gift from rEvolve Guitar & Music Shop or Goner Records. Or spice things up in the bedroom with lovely lingerie for yourself or your partner from Coco & Lola’s.
If you want to peruse a variety of booths and vendors in one place, mark your calendars for one of the many local gift markets happening around town in the coming weeks. The Memphis Arts Collective Holiday Artist Market runs November 24th through December 24th at 5847 Poplar Avenue #110. This year’s WinterArts will be open daily at 870 S. White Station Road November 25th through December 24th. And there’s the Choose901 Holiday Market at Crosstown Concourse Thursday, November 30th, through Saturday, December 2nd. Find additional info on these events and more like them at events.memphisflyer.com.
Speaking of the Flyer, we’ve got merch available at grindcitydesigns.com/memphisflyer for any Flyer fans you might know. If you’re a fan yourself, you could support our work with a one-time or monthly donation by becoming a Frequent Flyer (look for the “Support Us” widget on memphisflyer.com or email frequentflyer@memphisflyer.com to find out more).
We hope you’ll put Memphis at the forefront of your holiday shopping sprees this year. Buying local supports the people — not only business owners, but also their employees and families — who make our city so special. And we think that’s pretty darn important.
Memphis Heritage reached an agreement last week with the owners of Tekila Modern Mexican that will stop the painting of the former Nineteenth Century Club and remove any paint already applied. A GoFundMe for the project had raised $715 of its $10,000 goal as of press time.
Litter Buggy
Posted to Reddit by u/g713
Memphis Redditor u/g713 posted a cool video this weekend of a trash pickup around Overton Park using a litter buggy. The remote-controlled trash cart helped remove about 40 gallons of litter between the park and Union.
BOLO
Memphis-area phones, tablets, watches, and more buzzed or chimed over the weekend to alert locals of a killer on the loose.
On Saturday, Mavis Christian Jr. began a string of shootings at three locations that left one woman injured and four women dead. Police said the man knew his victims and that the spree was likely a result of domestic violence incidents.
Officials issued a rare be-on-the-lookout alert as the citywide manhunt for Christian was underway. Police said the man took his own life after finding his car and body in South Memphis.
Eli Roth’s Thanksgiving carves up a whole lot more than just turkey.
In 2007, Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez were at the top of their game. The two directors had come up from the indie underworld at the same time in the early ’90s. Tarantino’s Kill Bill films were critical and commercial successes, and Rodriguez was doing both mainstream blockbusters with Spy Kids and cutting-edge animation with Sin City. They teamed up to make a tribute to the shameless, cheap exploitation films of the drive-in era. Grindhouse was a double feature condensed into a single movie by leaving the middle reel out of each film. Rodriguez’s contribution was Planet Terror, a hyper-violent zombie sci-fi flick starring Rose McGowan as a go-go dancer with a machine gun leg; Tarantino’s was Death Proof, a car chase movie starring Kurt Russell as a murderous stuntman driving a sinister black hot rod.
Tarantino and Rodriguez invited their film bro buddies to make trailers for movies that could never get made which ran before and between the two features. Rob Zombie did one for “Werewolf Women of the S.S.”; Edgar Wright did a hilarious voice-over riff called “Don’t.” But strangely, three of the trailers for films that “could never get made” actually ended up getting made. Rodriguez made “Machete” around legendary Mexican-American stuntman Danny Trejo, and it spawned two successful feature films. (I’m still waiting for Rodriguez to complete the trilogy with Machete in Space.) Then there was the self-explanatory Hobo with a Shotgun from Canadian filmmaker Jason Eisener, who got his slot in Grindhouse by winning a South by Southwest Film Festival contest. And now, there’s Thanksgiving by Hostel director Eli Roth.
The original trailer had to be cut down a bit to avoid the entire film being slapped with a NC-17 rating. Roth’s feature just squeaks under the bar for an R rating, but it is every bit as demented and shameless as the trailer. As the name suggests, Roth’s film is smack dab in the middle of the slasher horror tradition of Black Christmas and Halloween. Like John Carpenter, who Roth is clearly channeling here, the jump scares and arterial spray are flying cover for unsparing social satire.
Thanksgiving in Plymouth, Massachusetts, is like Halloween in Salem — the epicenter of holiday vibe. That’s why it feels so off that RightMart owner Thomas Wright (Rick Hoffman) has decided to open his big box store on Thanksgiving, while he enjoys a greeting-card-worthy Thanksgiving dinner with his family. One of the hallmarks of the grindhouse slasher pics is that almost everyone you meet is an insufferable jerk, so it’s more satisfying when they inevitably get killed. Thomas’ daughter Jessica (Nell Verlaque) is the least unsympathetically portrayed character in the film, but still, she’s the one who inadvertently starts a riot on Thanksgiving when she lets her obnoxious friends into the RightMart before it officially opens at 6 p.m.
For Roth, the FightMart riot is his Omaha Beach in Saving Private Ryan. Fully feral American consumers tear each other to pieces over discount waffle irons. The security cameras make the rioting shoppers look like rats in a maze driven crazy by some kind of perverse psychological experiment. It’s the first of a series of blistering images Roth conjures using the familiar tropes of Thanksgiving.
A year later, the Wright family business has settled a bunch of lawsuits, and Jessica and her friends are the subject of harassment on social media. Then, a new, much more threatening harasser appears, using the pilgrim name John Carver. I had never really thought of how terrifying the traditional Plymouth Rock pilgrim outfits were until Roth showed me one dismembering people with an axe. Sheriff Eric Newlon (Patrick Dempsey) asks Jessica to help find the killer before he finds them. But there is no shortage of suspects who carry grudges from the FightMart riot, so Jessica’s amateur detectives have their work cut out for them.
The ironic part of Thanksgiving is that it started as a joke about a low-budget exploitation film that was too weird to be made, and now, 16 years later, it’s become a really good low-budget exploitation film. Roth hits that elusive sweet spot between stupid and smart. It’s gross, it’s in shockingly bad taste, it indicts its audience simply by existing, and yet, you can’t look away. Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!
We see your cursor hovering over the “buy now” button. Don’t you click that! Jeff Bezos doesn’t need your money. Yes, we know Black Friday and the holiday season are both coming right up, but skip the deluge of cardboard boxes and turn your gaze local, instead. We Memphians know that this city is blessed with an abundance of both creative and entrepreneurial spirits, and there’s just so dang much cool stuff that they’re producing on a daily basis. Our 2023 alternative shopping guide features plenty of unique creations, from up-and-coming fashion designers, to glassware grotesqueries, to your next board game fix. So put those dollars back into local pockets and check out this year’s roundup of Memphis goods.
#JaydaStitchedIt
If you’re looking for a trendy way to include your favorite memories in your clothing, or pay homage to your alma mater or sports team, then look no further than a custom item designed by Memphis designer Jayda Stotts. The 23-year-old fashion designer is a graduate from Clark Atlanta University, and her work has been worn by celebrities to red carpets and events. Notable names include GloRilla, Gloss Up, and K Carbon. It’s been hard to track down who exactly started the tapestry set trend, but when Stotts saw it take over social media, she knew she wanted to put her own twist on it. She artistically combines the use of collages, photos, and other elements to create high quality hoodies, pants, and two-piece sets.
Shortly after posting a few sets, Stotts’ inboxes would be flooded with requests for sets for graduation pictures, homecomings, birthdays, and more. “I love doing them because they bring joy to people when they get a custom design for a loved one,” says Stotts. “It makes me feel good to know I made someone’s day with something they can have forever.” Orders can be placed by contacting Stotts at 901-445-0509, or by visiting her website: jaydastitchedit.myshopify.com. — Kailynn Johnson
“I saw glass as a young kid, and it looked like some kind of arcane magic,” says Dale Strand, the artist behind Prometheus Glassworks. “I decided I’m gonna figure out how to cast those spells.”
When you think about glass art, it tends to be either your grandma’s precious tchotchkes or hyper-expensive museum abstractions. “We’re working in a more sculptural direction. That’s the next frontier,” Strand says.
His creations can be abstract, like his Christmas ornament covered in eyeballs, or character-based, like the friendly, grinning cyclops shot glass. And they are cozy, in their own way. “I think it’s kind of creepy-cool or creepy-cute because they’re not like totally grotesque, but they’re, you know, creepy enough. That’s my customers right there.”
The self-taught Strand makes his glass monsters in his garage. “I’ve got a kiln and a bench mounted torch. So it’s not quite as big of an operation as like Dale Chihuly, who would do that big, hot shop glass.”
His artistic inspirations are also not what you would expect from an artist with the skill to make a realistic strawberry and delicate mushrooms out of glass. “Frank Frazetta is one of those fantasy art guys from the ’70s. It’s the stuff you would see painted on the side of a van, but more fine-arty.”
Find his creations on Instagram (@PrometheusGlassworks) and buy directly from Prometheus Glassworks on Etsy. — Chris McCoy
Abducktion (Photo: Courtesy Very Special Games)
Abducktion
Prepare for intergalacDuck shenanigans! Anyone who knows me knows that I love ducks. So when, in late 2022, I caught wind of Very Special Games’ mash-up of sci-fi mischief and the famous waterfowl, I thought, “Here’s a game made specifically for me.”
Abducktion is, as of now, the latest creation by Very Special Games founders Evan Katz and Josh Roberts (you may have read about some of their other games, like Charty Party, in the Flyer’s pages before). And it’s a deviation from their normal card-based designs, with a whole board’s worth of miniature duck figurines and a large UFO comprising the pieces.
And, guys, the whole point of the game is getting your ducks in a row. Genius. You’ll draw a card from the deck and try to arrange several multi-colored ducks on your board into a specific pattern to get points, upon which said ducks will be whisked away by the central spaceship. Where do they go? Who cares, you got points!
It’s a fairly simple game, like their others, perfect for a quick get-together of 20 or so odd minutes. We busted it out for the first time at Memphis Made, with plenty of folks wandering over to marvel at the cute lil’ hand-painted birds. A friend borrowed it for a family trip, and reported that their young cousins couldn’t stop playing. So if you’re looking to pick up a new game, why not support a local creator at the same time?
Order Abducktion ($39.99 for the base game/$44.99 for base game + expansion) at veryspecialgames.com. — Samuel X. Cicci
Some choices are best left to fate, and most, like your holiday shopping, are best left to a bit of reflection and soul-searching. And for the person in your life who is all about reflection and soul-searching, this oracle deck crafted by artist Stacey Williams-Ng just may be the perfect gift. It’s also a great gift for the taphophile, or cemetery lover, in your life, she adds. After all, this oracle deck of 36 hand-painted cards pays homage to Victorian mourning symbolism through hand-painted illustrations of cemetery symbols from around the world, with even a few from Memphis’ very own Elmwood Cemetery.
As a graphic designer, Williams-Ng’s interest in symbolism led her to volunteering at Elmwood Cemetery, where she’s headed tours on Victorian mourning symbolism for the past few years. “Basically, I wanted to take those meanings and translate them to these cards,” Williams-Ng says. “The cards, believe it or not, are not macabre at all. There’s only two cards in there that are ‘sad.’ It’s not like a whole card deck about weeping and crying and sadness at all.”
The deck is truly unique and high-quality, comes in a velvet-lined coffin box, and includes a pocket-sized book with a full glossary of over 100 cemetery symbols, perfect for cemetery excursions. Plus, the World Divination Association named the deck the Best Indie Deck of 2023.
“It’s been amazing selling oracle decks in general, honestly,” Williams-Ng says. “The feedback I get is actually way more profound than I ever expected. People talk about how much it’s touched their lives. It’s a spiritual product, so it’s incredibly rewarding that it touches people on a pretty profound level.”
Purchase the Roses, Dust & Ashes Oracle Deck ($60) at lapantherestudio.com. — Abigail Morici
Black and Beale notebook (Photo: Courtesy Black and Beale)
Black and Beale
Growl towel? Check. Favorite Memphis beer tee? Check. Bumper sticker with that Memphis hashtag that was so fire for, like, five minutes? Check. Something with the Pancho’s guy? Yep.
What do you get for that Memphian who seems to have every Memphis thing? Let me introduce you to Black and Beale. It’s the most Memphis-centric dry goods shop you need to know about, especially if you — or someone you love — just can’t stop with the city pride.
But Black and Beale’s stuff is not stylized retreads of the Grizz logo, the bridge, the Pyramid, and all that. There’s a Memphis City Schools (remember that?) enamel pin, for example, and one of a Supreme from Jerry’s Sno Cones. Memphis slang is on display, too. A lunch box reads, “You hungry, ain’t it, mane?” A T-shirt logo looks like Stranger Things’ title font but reads, “We ain’t scared hoe.”
Not being from Memphis originally, there’s a ton of stuff on the site I do not understand but still like. An enamel pin of a hand is “a throwback to the good ol’ days of Memphis checkin’ and Memphis City Schools butter cookies.” What? And — just in time for the holidays — is a special Juicy J sweater reading, simply, “Yeah Ho Ho Ho.” (I had to ask a co-worker.)
Sha’ Hughes is the founder of Black and Beale. She says she’s “fueled by my passion for all things Memphis, Tennessee,” and considers herself a “Memphis aficionado.” Just looking at her website, I have to agree. — Toby Sells
The ritual of smoking deserves a certain sophistication, do you agree? There’s nothing better than an elegant water pipe to enhance whatever you puff and there’s no finer place to acquire one than at Pearl’s Puff Parlor (look through their wares at pearlspuffparlor.com). Miss Pearl takes antique pieces from around the globe and transforms them into alluring and singular water pipes that your mother would admire (and maybe steal, so you should get one for her as well).
Pearl’s vintage wares are steeped in history and lovingly repurposed to provide a glowing experience for those who inhale. It will be easy to appreciate the wide and pleasing variety of styles and sizes from the small and lovely (bud vases, of course) to larger decanters in the event you have guests over. And should you or your company prefer other methods of puffery, Pearl also has attractive holders for rolled cigarettes and splendid ashtrays since — as your mother would insist — neatness counts.
So, for the discerning smoker who likes nice things to use as well as to look at, browse the remarkable collection at Pearl’s Puff Parlor. And enjoy the experience. — Jon W. Sparks
Stacy Kiehl’s toys (Photo: Stacy Kiehl)
Stacy Kiehl’s Toys
Stacy Kiehl doesn’t carry a big sack and say, “Ho, ho, ho.” But, like that guy in red, she’s in the toy game. In a way.
Among her works are brightly colored paintings and sculptures of “old vintage wind-up toys,” says Kiehl, a Memphis artist. “I’ve always collected toys. And there are a lot of toys that are a little too collectible for me that I can’t ever find. So, I’ll find photos of them so I can paint them and have them.” Among the nostalgic vintage toy subjects in her paintings are tin wind-up toys of people on motorcycles and scooters.
Kiehl, who moved to Memphis from Los Angeles, also paints the old tin cowboys on horse toys, but, “Anytime they have guns,” she says, “I paint a carrot in their hand instead of a gun because it seems like a healthier choice.”
She’s made actual wooden push toys with wheels, including one of an elephant and another of a dog. “I have some wooden dice that I painted and bouquets of wooden flowers.”
And she made a two-foot-tall Lone Ranger doll out of papier-mâché and wood.
Kiehl paints many other subjects, from cats to blue suede shoes. Her paintings range from six-by-six inches to 12-by-12 inches, but she also paints larger works. She also makes key chains and stickers, which “make good stocking stuffers.”
Beginning November 24th, Kiehl will hold a sale of her works — with free shipping — on her website: stacykpaints.com. — Michael Donahue
