Gay in the Bay | Vol. 2023, Issue 13

Queer Intro

Welcome to the Gay in the Bay Blog! I am Josie, a queer writer and videographer that loves to document what I see around me. This started out as a writing blog but has grown to include events that more people should know about.

This post is for the week of March 26 - April 1.

Do you have a live event that needs filming? I’m a videographer! Please check out the Sweeney Media on your way to the About > Contact page. I look forward to working with you.

Thoughts on Writing, by Josie Sweeney

How do you write about writing? I’ve found this to be difficult. Many of the YouTube videos I’ve found online are presented like guides on writing. My bias is showing, because they come off as “this is the only way to go about this,” as if that creator’s video had been peer-reviewed. And that’s not the case. On the other hand, maybe I’d been trying to find ways to be completely original. After all, there are no more original stories, right?

Technically it’s true. Authorial contributors like Joseph Campbell Robert McKee have written extensively on what makes a good story; this is before you even begin to talk about format.

Technique, format, even down to the font choice can quickly become pedantic and trivial. And I believe that’s what my brain sees/hears whenever I see one of those “how to” videos on YouTube. It becomes so difficult to find the answer to a particular question when it feels as though opinions are carbon copied. And you don’t even have to be published to make these videos! (Which is great, I might add.)

There are so many videos and books on “How to Write a Book” that it can become overwhelming to figure anything out. And that’s what I was until I finally got to sit down and actually write. I went through the hurricane of distractions and “I don’t knows” that I forgot a very simple, very important piece of advice that Neil Gaiman states both whimsically and elegantly: Make Good Art.

This isn’t to say that you aren’t allowed to make bad art. Sometimes art needs to be “bad” before you get to the good art.

Here’s a specific example from my first attempt at completing a book: I spent five months wallowing in the trenches of this world where superpowers were real. At times I wasn’t certain what should happen next. And yet, on the last week of October, I did it. I completed my draft. And I took a couple of months off. In January 2023, I sat down to read two drafts at once to make notes; because I’m, quite frankly, crazy.

And it was bad. It was a terrible draft!

I lamented this for a small amount of time before realizing that I can make this better. Much, much better. And cooler.

So it feels like another hurricane has struck again. And I’m grateful to be in the midst of figuring out just what exactly happens within the pages of this world. That, and I found a YouTube video on Brandon Sanderson’s writing routine.

You may be in search of one thing, but end up seeing things differently.

Winchester Mystery House, San Jose

This week I want to talk about something spooky. The Winchester Mystery House has been part of the San Jose scene for well over a century. Well, most of it. There was an earthquake in 1906, which is devastating. But let’s not allow history to get in the way of a good time. Because allegedly there are ghosts in the house.

There is a lot to be said about the Winchester house, and the thing I’d like to focus on is the beauty. This place is massive, dramatic, and very Victorian. The scariest thing about the house, though, is that it’s the oldest building in the area. Every other building is less than twenty years old.

If pictures say a thousand words, then I have plenty to show. Below is only a smattering of the pictures I took. The link in the headline brings you to Kaz Rowe’s video on the House.

For full transparency: The Winchester museum asks that you do not take photos or videos for commercial purposes. I am not being paid to publish these photos, and have no plans to.

News

Malicious Compliance suggests Bible Ban

The Bible is on the chopping block as book bans seem to be taking place. Lawmakers call this a joke and a slap in the face in what they are trying to do. But this is malicious compliance, since the bible contains scenes and descriptions of sex, slavery, war, human sacrifice, and other descriptions that would, in all seriousness, be terrible for kids to read.

Donal Trump Indictment

This past week it was revealed that former president Donald Trump (who still makes me gag) will be indicted. Everyone except me is speculating how he will react. He will most likely act like a child and claim he is the most victimized person in recorded history. What else is new?

Trump is expected to be in New York City for the indictment on Tuesday, April 4th. More information provided in the linked headline above.

Kentucky pushes further Right

Lawmakers passed a bill that band gender-affirming care for transgender youth in the state, overriding a veto from Democratic Governor Andy Beshear. Prior to the vote, at least 19 people were arrested after dozens of protesters entered the House Chamber to oppose the bill.

This event occurred on March 31st, International Transgender Day of Visibility. The people in opposition were overwhelming in their opposition, at times being louder than a speaker.

Link found in the headline.

In Other News…

Hometown Artist: Fosterfalls

Wistful and dreamy, artist Fosterfalls’ first and so far only song met my ears gracefully and in a magical tone. While my description is in cloud nine, I cannot think of a better compliment for this Memphis-based singer songwriter. I found out about them on an instagram post and had to check them out on Spotify.

I listen to Punk or even City Pop these days. Their music is best described as a soundscape of peace and serenity. Please give them a listen. Their Spotify link is above in the headline.

Pocket Miku

This one stood out — sorry, spoke out — so much that it gets a standalone spot here. The Pocket Miku is from a synthesis technology called Vocaloid. This tech is produced by Yamaha. The full name of this unique instrument is Gakken NSX-39.

There is an anime character on the front, created by a company called Krypton Future. Her name is Hatsune Miku. And the synthesizer uses her voice. She vocalizes a set number of words no matter which key you press. This thing is adorable and I would love one. Reportedly only $75, but please check the company’s website for further details.

You can find the YouTube channel that introduced me to the Pocket Miku in the headline above. If you like the music of the content creator, you can find him here and below.

Pop Culture

Each week I include media that I’ve enjoyed. If you’re a creator of any kind, please email me to be included in this list. I love discovering new artists; from singer-songwriters to upcoming directors, and beyond.

Gay in the Bay | Vol. 2023, Issue 12

Queer Intro

Welcome to the Gay in the Bay Blog! I am Josie, a queer writer and videographer that loves to document what I see around me. This started out as a writing blog but has grown to include events that more people should know about.

This post is for the week of March 19 - 25.

Do you have a live event that needs filming? I’m a videographer! Please check out the Sweeney Media on your way to the About > Contact page. I look forward to working with you.

Writing & Editing & Filming

Outlining is still trudging along with my novel. I’m running into the same issues as I did the first go-round with this book: figuring out the fun little details that lead to the ending. But I’m doing something very different this time around: I’m being patient with myself. I’ve written one novel in its entirety, and it was off/on for five months. And it’s being completely rewritten. This is my second novel that I’m writing to its completion.

I’m preparing to take some tests this week. No, I’m not going back to school. Blackmagic Design hosts a training program called Train the Trainer (aka T3). This certification will give me more opportunities as an editor teacher. I feel woefully unprepared. But maybe that’s just nerves. I’ll have more to update on that later on.

I helped out with Reel Oakland on a student-run film set. It ran all afternoon, we were exhausted by the end of it. But it felt great to help out again and be on set.

There was a lighting issue at some point; we wanted to light the background as a killer drags his victim through a hallway. But the light was seen in the background of the shot! I was asked to move the light closer to the camera, and I did. The light being in the foreground ended up looking even better and more sinister.

News

SF Floods are different from Memphis floods…

Flooding continued to hit the Bay Area last week. There were gusts of wind, torrents of rain, and blocks and blocks of SF and Oakland without power. And when Atmospheric River Bob was bored enough to leave, there was much rejoicing.

A friend of mine came in from Memphis, TN to attend the Game Designers Conference. We hung out on Tuesday when the rain decided to hit us all. When attempting to show him a comic shop, we looked up to realize how dark parts of the city was. It was strange. And a reminder that we as humans don’t pay enough attention sometimes.

Queer Bedtime Stories musician

In the March edition of Queer Bedtime Stories, we had a musician grace our presence with a guitar and some sweet, sweet vocals. They go by Penny’s Luck on Spotify, links here and down below. Their music is as pleasant and delightful as a nice cup of tea. Which is very refreshing, not the least because we’re all addicted to over-priced coffee out here in the West.

Comedian in a Dress

This comedian had a comedy show in Nashville last week. In solidarity, he wore a dress. He joked that he might get arrested, bringing attention to the reality that many will and already have gotten arrested for the exact same thing. I don’t generally like it when a comedian makes topical jokes like this; the difference here is that he must have thought his points through and didn’t really punch down on anyone (except the folks who wrote the anti-trans bills).

International Day of Trans Visibility

March 31, 2023 is an important day, now more than ever. There are people trying to eradicate the existence of trans/non-binary people across the United States. If you’re reading this and think I’m exaggerating, you haven’t read the bills carefully enough and buy propaganda way too easily.

Montana Bill

This article (linked in the title) focuses on a therapist stating that nobody under her care has ever regretted transitioning; with her staying in contact with her patients.

This disproves the 80% myth and claim and even forced a Republican to concede to the point. More details in the article. I do not know author Erin Reed but I do encourage support in her efforts in covering the current anti-trans bills popping up all over.

The unfortunate reality is that there are a lot of people that claim many regret transitioning without any proof. This is why properly researched papers and statistics are important, and why quoting statistics from decades ago can be dangerous regardless of the subject.

Lil Nas X and Apologies

Lil Nas X said something that the Trans Community found offensive, and he ended up retracting his apology on Twitter. In the video above, Cody Bordone covers some conflict resolution tactics that I honestly needed a refresher on. It was nice to see what could be done about real world issues.

I took a Conflict Resolution class in college, many moons ago. If I remember correctly, many of the examples felt made up and exaggerated to fit the module for that week. Something about that didn’t make the class feel all that important.

Pop Culture

Each week I include media that I’ve enjoyed. If you’re a creator of any kind, please email me to be included in this list. I love discovering new artists; from singer-songwriters to upcoming directors, and beyond.

  • Brian Falduto has debuted a new album called Gay Country. I found it funny at times, even though this might be a serious album. My understanding of most country albums are that they take themselves seriously. Let me know what you think! Check it out on Spotify.

  • People still do playlists, right? I hope so, because I’ve started a super-specific playlist for my queer superhero book. It’s only a few songs right now, but I’m always on the lookout for more. This isn’t character specific like Casey McQuiston.

  • McKenna Grace landed on my suggested page on Spotify. The album Bittersweet 16 was off-putting and confusing to me. But once I got into the pop/rock music, I really enjoyed it. Sometimes it’s the weird album art that really captures my attention. Grace’s music is a real bop! Check her out on Spotify.

  • I found Olive Klug via the embedded Instagram post above. It was touching, though unfortunately it’s not on Spotify. Here is her Spotify page and her site.

  • Penny’s Luck is a local artist in the San Francisco Bay Area. I mention them above, so here’s their Spotify page.

Gay in the Bay | Vol. 2023, Issue 9

Queer Intro

Welcome to the Gay in the Bay Blog! I am Josie, a queer writer and videographer that loves to document what I see around me. This started out as a writing blog but has grown to include events that more people should know about.

This post is for the week of February 26 - March 4.

Do you have a live event that needs filming? I’m a videographer! Please check out the Sweeney Media on your way to the About > Contact page. I look forward to working with you.

Writing

It’s been a minute since I’ve edited anything for my YouTube channel. I’m still figuring things out for my content, but it’s still fun. Plus, it’s been a great way to get better at editing. And boy did I need that challenge. But I’m also scripting my videos again. Everyone has their own method, but at the moment I plan on editing the footage I’ve got and scripting afterward.

Writing has been a bit lax, but only because I’m still outlining. This feels like it’s stalled because I’m busy coming up with more characters. Been sick didn’t help. Though I really want to make more progress over the next few weeks.

Big D&D News!

Dropout recently shared a teaser for a new season of table top roleplaying. Matthew Mercer was the Game Master behind the table!

What’s interesting are the different folks who generally sit at Dropout’s table. Comedians and improvers are the usual players that grace us. While Matt Mercer is used to GM’ing a table full of voice actors. So this difference will be super interesting to see. You can see the video below.

Drag is not a Crime

Two bills that have been touted as a good idea were signed into law on March 2, 2023. The day before, governor Bill Lee visited Memphis, where at least two people from the trans community shared their disagreement with the bills. The purpose for Bill Lee’s visit was to cut the ribbon to a new YMCA in Whitehaven.

Amon Pride was brutally handled by five or six police-persons. It is unclear as to the exact number since everyone involved frequently moved around. You can see that video here. The other person, John Wilbanks who goes by their drag persona Moth Moth Moth (or Mothie), took a megaphone and proclaimed, “Bill Lee is a liar and a fascist!” They were immediately surrounded by several police and taken away.

I personally know Mothie and applaud their bravery for standing up. It takes a lot of guts to stand use their supposed first amendment rights to speak their opinions. Below is a local news report on the matter.

Color Coded Calendar

Each week I keep track of events so you don’t have to! This is amazing since I’m neurodivergent. But below are events that I really think you’ll enjoy…

Each week The New Parkway Theater in Oakland has a variety of events. The two that I love the most are Drinks & Dragons (Wednesdays) and Trivia (Thursdays) respectively. I am officially a new Game Master, and want to help make D&D more fun at the New Parkway. Check out The New Parkway website for further information on these and other events. You cannot go wrong no matter what day you show up.

Local Events

The New Parkway will show Clueless on March 12, 2023 at 2.10pm. The Oscars will immediately follow.

Pop Culture

Each week I include media that I’ve enjoyed. If you’re a creator of any kind, please email me to be included in this list. I love discovering new artists; from singer-songwriters to upcoming directors, and beyond.

  • I’m a fan of fan art. Aviv Or’s Twitter account is an amazing illustrator that has begun a Critical Role series. They draw the characters of each actor on CR. They also appreciate puns, which makes them the best!

  • Doctor Who - I was sick this and last week, and got to catch up on Jodie Whittaker’s 13th Doctor.

Gay in the Bay | Vol. 2023, Issue 7

Queer Intro

Welcome to the Gay in the Bay Blog! I am Josie, a queer writer and videographer that loves to document what I see around me. This started out as a writing blog but has grown to include events that more people should know about.

This post is for the week of February 12 - 18.

Do you have a live event that needs filming? I’m a videographer! Please check out the Sweeney Media on your way to the About > Contact page. I look forward to working with you.

Writing

Broke Ass Stuart

Most of the writing done this week has been in preparation for a potential job. If you’ve lived in the Bay Area for any amount of time (which is about as long as I’ve lived here now), you have definitely heard of the sassy Broke Ass Stuart (BAS for short).

BAS made a call for a writer, part time. I made the most humorous cover letter I could write and sent it to the Editor In Cheap. The Almighty Editors (my name for whomever responded) answered me and gave me a deadline for this week. I’ve answered it.

I have become a Game Master!

Chaos ensued and I stepped up to the plate! This past Wednesday I became a GM (Dungeon Master if that’s more familiar to you) at the New Parkway Theater. The usual GM was unable to attend tonight’s session, and there were about 15 people joining. The backup GM asked me if I could be in charge of the other game. I was more than happy to oblige.

Queer Superhero Novel

While writing for my book has been sparse this week, I’ve still written something. Outlining has been necessary in order to make this superhero story feel like an introductory novel; not just focusing on the main character. Because of that, I’m learning what tropes are expected in order to make something feel like a “superhero" story. Some are obvious (like costumes, the need/want to save people, insane ideas for world domination, et al), while others less so.

I’m introducing other characters. It just makes sense to me to include more heroes while more villains appear in front of the main character. But it still requires more planning to make everything feel coherent.

The End of the Internet?

I just watched a video by Legal Eagle on YouTube that talks briefly (20 minutes is honestly brief for this particular lawyer) about a Supreme Court Case. One that can spell out disastrous things for normal social media things like sharing your next drag show event on Facebook.

He was as brief as he could be, and I have a link to his video. This case is pretty complicated, but I’ll attempt to summarize it here.

A case was brought to the United States Supreme Court. This case dealt with a question that has massive ramifications: is Google responsible for its content on YouTube? This is certainly something that will affect everyone to varying degrees. I will follow this and see where it leads.

Oakland City Hall in State of Emergency

The city of Oakland was hit by a malware attack on February 8th a couple of weeks ago. The police department and other public officials are being somewhat transparent about the issue. They are acknowledging that it happened, but not indicating in what way. This could be a tactic to minimize damage being caused, or to minimize public panic, another reason entirely, or some combination of both.

This story is progressing, as they are still fighting the malware. As much as I’m not a fan of any police force, the police department appears to be the most forthcoming on information.

Oakland Police Dept. on the malware attack.

Mind Ghirardelli Square’s Dust

Ghirardelli Square is a fixture of San Francisco. I finally got to visit on February 14th, where I discovered a lot of the shops are currently closed. There are signs stating they will open up in the Summer of 2023. In just a few months, we’ll get even more chocolate options and see what they’ve been working on!

Berkley Throws in their chef’s hat for Best Pizza

Berkeley claims to have the best pizza in the Bay Area. Is the SF Eater article correct? Please let me know, in the comments or on Instagram! I take this as a personal challenge to venture in the wilds of Berkeley and scavenge their pizza selections.

National News

USA Today continues coverage of the officers charged with the death of Tyre Nichols from January 2023. The most frustrating part right now is that the court system will not start proceedings until May 2023. Paul Hagerman is the lead prosecutor, and is urging the courts to do what is right. Whether the officers are allowed back to work until then remains unclear. They go on to include the defense attorney claiming there should be justice for Tadarrius Bean (one of the officers charged for Nichols’ murder).

This whole situation calls for a complete overhaul of the police department. It has been clear for years that the entire system is questionable at best, and corrupt in every level at worst. But Memphis and the rest of Tennessee would rather kick the can down the road and focus on budget cuts or a new stadium instead of focusing on human rights. Did Martin Luther King, JR die for nothing in Memphis? My former hometown can and should do better.

The New York Times tripped this week

Major backlash has started following a New York Times Op Ed by Pamela Paul called In Defense of JK Rowling. If you decide to read the opinion, go for it. But this is most professional gaslighting I have yet to read.

To quote Bo Burnham: “The backlash to the backlash to the thing that’s just begun/ There it is again/ That funny feeling/ That funny feeling.”

Table Top Ideas

And now for more positive news…

I recently hosted my own game of D&D and loved it! I’m now looking for resources to help make things even more fun. There’s a lot of discourse on what’s better: analog vs. digital content. In the wake of the OGL debacle, the flames of chaos have been fanned as more lovers of lore and character sheets debate on the best way to play a table top game.

Personally, I love digital content. That’s not to say that screens dominate the table during the game. It just keeps things less cluttered. The biggest bonus is that a map (among character sheets and other small details) can be printed out and drawn over a million times over!

The coolest find this week is a fantasy map maker. Inkarnate is a website that allows any Game Creator to create a map to their own specifications. The range is tremendous; from world maps to furniture decorating a building, it has it all. My first impression: this caters to the medieval setting that most are used to seeing in D&D. My hope is that they accommodate other map aesthetics as well.

Color Coded Calendar

Each week I keep track of events so you don’t have to! This is amazing since I’m neurodivergent. But below are events that I really think you’ll enjoy…

Each week The New Parkway Theater in Oakland has a variety of events. The two that I love the most are Drinks & Dragons (Wednesdays) and Trivia (Thursdays) respectively. Check out The New Parkway website for further information on these and other events. You cannot go wrong no matter what day you show up.

Monthly Stuff

OmNomNom Burlesque will perform at Amado’s in the Mission District. This month’s theme is Afro Futurism.

998 Valencia St.

February 25th at 8.30pm

Pop Culture

Each week I include media that I’ve enjoyed. If you’re a creator of any kind, please email me to be included in this list. I love discovering new artists; from singer-songwriters to upcoming directors, and beyond.

This week a special mention must be made to the video below. Tennessee has done a lot of questionable things lately. But something UNquestionable was Clyde Stubblefield and his contribution to Hip Hop, among other genres of music.

A short documentary about Clyde Stubblefield.

  • I love dogs. NYC banned dogs on subways. This beautiful mess happened.

  • I was hanging out with friends after Poetry Slime, and we started talking about bands we listen to. I’ve always enjoyed the more mainstream stuff, but I took notes. I’m in love with these new-to-me bands:

    • Plumander

    • Destroy Boys

    • Illuminati Hotties

    • Japanther

    • Amyl and the Sniffers

Gay in the Bay | Vol. 2023, Issue 4

Queer Intro

Welcome to the Gay in the Bay Blog! I am Josie, a queer writer and videographer that loves to document what I see around me. This started out as a writing blog but has grown to include events that more people should know about.

This post is for the week of January 22 - 28

Jobs

January is often a slow month as many folks recover from parties and a resistance to there being a new year at all. This month has been surprisingly busy for me. Then again, I swan dived into the new year. At the same time, I will pace myself in February.

Revising my book has been crazy and amazing, but I’m applying for jobs. I can’t simply write fiction in my apartment forever. It was always the plan to job hunt. Videography jobs do not come easy, but I’m doing everything in my power to find some suitable gigs.

Employment searches aside, I have also spent a portion of time outside the Bay Area this week. This Gay in the Bay has flown to Las Vegas! Next week will resume finding events and sharing them.

Travel

This week a good friend of mine celebrated her birthday. She celebrates the entire week; and lives in Las Vegas. Earlier this month I purchased a plane ticket and made plans to help celebrate. Because who doesn’t like celebrating in Vegas?

I spent the better part of this week focusing on this trip, so writing took a back burner to celebrate my friend’s next circle around the sun. That being said, there are highlights to this trip.

There were highlights aplenty. None of which I have the energy to post about this Sunday evening. I will need to post separate reviews. This will include pictures (Instagram) and videos YouTube).

National News

Tyre Nichols is — was — a Memphian like myself. On January 10, 2023 Tyre Nichols was brutally attached by a branch of the police force called Scorpion Unit. Five of these law enforcers attacked Nichols during a traffic stop. He was sent to the hospital and passed away after three days. He was pepper sprayed and tasered when use of force was never needed.

Nichols was a skateboarder and budding photographer. And these men decided he was a threat. The Memphis Police Department has since released the officers from their duty and disbanded the Scorpion Unit.

The South has a long history of racial discrimination that is difficult to come to grips and reconcile. This story of a murdered black creative person is an unfortunate addition to this history. However, many are raising their voices once again to end this; not simply fire those that committed the murder. Voices are calling for not only a change in who is in charge of the term “law enforcement,” but a change in the system itself.

At this time, the five former officers are being charged with second degree murder; which is defined as murder with malicious intent but is not premeditated.

Some of these voices are secondary sources on my Facebook feed. The AP News reported today that many are, indeed, aware that sweeping change must happen. Axios also reports today that Senator Durbin (D-Illinois) would not rule out a federal investigation for the entire Memphis Police Department. Memphis Police Director Cerelyn “CJ” Davis will have a lot to juggle as this progresses.

I Quit

A strange idea popped into my head while visiting the Writer’s Block Bookstore: What if I gave up almost all forms of digital entertainment?

My attention span has been incredibly short for some time now. I love reading and would like to make that a bigger hobby. Social media has been a no-brainer; TikTok has been the worst at vanquishing my attention span, while others still have me checking every few minutes. However, I believe the biggest offender has been watching a ton of television. There are so many shows that I enjoy, but I often find myself binge-watching.

The plan is to limit most everything that is visual and give myself more time reading and writing. This won’t be easy.

Pop Culture

  • Love by PEGGY

  • Las Vegas Sights:

    • Neon Museum

    • Toast Society Cafe

    • Torpedo Comics

    • Little Shop of Magic

    • Dominique Ansel Bakery within Caesar’s Palace

    • Atomic Liquors, Downtown

    • Writer’s Block Bookstore

    • Red Rocks

    • Fremont Experience

Review: Moving

if there’s one thing universally scowled at even more than deciding where to live, it’s moving one’s stuff there. Moving a large amount of furniture and Disney knick-knacks is never an easy task.

Do you move it? If so, how? Or is it best to let a professional take care of it? Are you a minimalist; hoarder; stuck with your deceased parents’ stuff; meaning to declutter? It’s all, quite frankly, overwhelming. And, also frankly, none of us feel like we should give a damn about moving stuff at all.

Author’s note: I like the Gone With the Wind joke “frankly I don’t give a damn” a bit too much. Not entirely sure why that is…

No joke, I moved into my new apartment in Oakland, California on April 1st. A sunny Friday where my biggest priority was to get every box out of my truck and into the new 600+ square feet studio apartment. Thankfully I quickly found an elevator that would allow me to bring my red little wagon up to the fifth floor and avoid stairs. But what about utilities? Where does everything go once brought in? Oh yeah, we don’t have shelves yet. Or the Prince Futon - another story for another day.

Now, where did I put… everything..?

I have never been able to afford a service, but maybe I will once I move out of this new apartment in a year’s time. The service is many hundreds of dollars, but those hunky dudes generally do a great job and get a big house of furniture cleared within hours. I’ve heard this takes a lot of pressure off of a homeowner’s shoulders. I have yet to experience this.

What’s great about trying to be a minimalist while on the road: everything stays packed up and you can forget about it. What’s not great: you now lack certain things like dishes, bowls, bookshelves, et al. But now you get to set everything up.

Oh, and don’t forget that the internet router must be confusing - also a review for another day.

I have yet to hear a story that I would consider truly positive. My own experience in a new city, in a new part of the United States isn’t technically a “nightmare” comparatively, but this still hasn’t appeared without its kinks. I give Moving one star. Or maybe one truck.

How to Find the Best BBQ in Memphis

How to Find Barbecue in Memphis

Look, good barbecue (ahem, BBQ) recommendations in Memphis is tricky. Especially as a tourist. Here’s a hot take: there is no best restaurant. BBQ joints here are a dime a dozen and there’s a reason for that. Quite a few restaurants have been established for decades. Others have only been around for a few years, but are still well established.

If you’re a first time visitor to Memphis and you want to check’em out, the list of places can be overwhelming. But don’t worry, there are ways to figure this out. Here is a guide to asking the right questions any time you visit Memphis.

Dry vs. Wet
How strong is the taste?
Do you like your meat cooked with or without sauce?
Do they have easily accessible sauces on the side?
How saucy should it get?
Questions like these should pop up when asking for a recommendation. This will

reveal what type of toppings each restaurant will carry. How much spice each sauce carries. It even tells you if they focus primarily on hot sauce or just spicy sauces.

Me, personally? I like sauce. Sauce is good. Especially if there’s more on the side of my plate. Plastic cups or ramekins, it doesn’t matter to me.

Hot or Mild

Growing up I always called myself a “wimp” when it comes to spicy sauces. That almost exclusively referred to bbq restaurants. But hot sauce is always about the Scoville units. Plenty of entrepreneurs have crafted their own sauces that are, indeed, spicy.

However, there is a focus on different flavors rather than how long that terrible feeling remains.

Atmosphere
What kind of place do you want to visit?
Do you want a history of the restaurant on the walls? Some, like Central BBQ, have

that. Others, like Tops, are pleasantly bare bones.
Do you want set dressing from all over? Rendezvous is the best place for that. To be honest, this isn’t something many bbq eaters think about. If you’re lucky

enough to meet someone who works at a restaurant, but they’re off the clock, then they are the best to ask.

Sometimes the menu might be ok, but others times the background vibe just... clicks with you. You feel like you could come here often and stay awhile. Let’s say you’re a solo traveler, bouncing around. So this may not matter. But if you have a family tagging along, it’s crucial for a good experience. When you ask around for a few different places, this can narrow down the options. Maybe you can do some recon before the whole family goes? Some restaurants may have fun art all over the walls, but it may be a hole-in-the- wall.

Cooking Method
How crispy do you like your pork cooked?
This is similar to the dry vs. wet questions mentioned above. Although that only asked

if you wanted sauce or not. This section goes beyond the saucy scope. What does a particular restaurant use to cook their meat? Two restaurants have amazing bbq and use two separate methods for producing their product.
Central BBQ uses oak and hickory wood where pork and ribs are slow-roasted in a pit

for fifteen hours each day. Charlie Vergos’ Rendezvous uses a similar method (pit, time, et al), but uses charcoal instead of wood. Tops BBQ uses another method entirely.

Beer or Nah?

Does the restaurant have beer? Canned and/or on tap? What’s the variety? Can any of the employees pair a selection with something on the menu? This sounds like a “wine pairing,” but this is one reason why this is an important question. Even if you don’t drink alcohol, this can tell you if one restaurant carries Coke or Pepsi. My restaurant carried Pepsi, which constantly surprised customers.

Not all restaurants serve beer. At least, there are a few that I’ve noticed. But it has become popular for most restaurants to have their own beer menu, on top of the wide variety of meats and vegetables. In fact, beer on tap is becoming synonymous with BBQ restaurants. This may be in part because of the Memphis in May BBQ Fest held in May of each year.

I worked at Central BBQ (the original on Central Ave.) for two years. In that time I heard quite a few questions where I had to think of an answer, often on the spot. Some answers seemed obvious to me, but they often weren’t to the folks from out of town.

Ribs or nah?

This feels like a point of tension depending on which Memphian you ask. Do you want to try ribs? Or stick with a pork sandwich? Maybe you want to study the menu a bit more and look at other meat options, like turkey or beef. If this is your first time or trying a different spot on your fifth visit, you want to keep ribs as a separate question from pork or other meats. In fact, treat this as a completely different menu from the sandwiches.

Word to the wise: I’ll go ahead and say that Memphis bbq restaurants don’t know how to cook beef. Let Texas be the winner in that category.

Memphis BBQ is unparalleled. However, there are quite a few options and that gets overwhelming fast. When you visit some friends or family, start asking questions like the ones above and you’ll narrow down options fast. To rework an old saying: Break ribs instead of break. That’ll make more sense in the sense of BBQ. This way you can do what matters most: human interaction.