When I left here about a month ago to help my daughter in Texas get packed for her move back to Memphis, I didn’t know what was coming. On the day I was flying home with my grandchildren, my ex-husband broke his ankle and the next day went to the hospital.

It became one of those stories of bad news followed by good then more bad. The roller coaster ended last week when he died from an infection that settled in his lungs. Our family is heartbroken and stunned and so that we could notify folks near and far first, we haven’t reached out to many local friends. If you knew Bob, you can read his obituary by clicking here. 

$10 Deal: Young chow rice at Golden City

I’m back for most of this week, and some things I’ve promised you are coming.

First, look for the first in our series on local breweries this week. I’ll raise a glass to Bob when I get back out.

Our podcast/radio show “Sound Bites” has resumed, and this week you can listen to Kelly English and I talk about what’s coming up for his Restaurant Iris when it moves to Laurelwood.

And now, let’s catch up. Memphis has gotten sweeter in the last week or so and there’s more to come. First, Crumbl Cookies opened at Williamsburg Village in East Memphis last week, and that’s good news for cookie lovers and folks who want to visit anywhere over there, as the end of construction means about a dozen parking spaces will open at the back of the center.

Table Talk: $10 Deals, restaurant news, grocery store blues

You can also look for a Crumbl Cookie in Olive Branch and Saddle Creek in Germantown by the end of the year.

La Baguette at Chickasaw Oaks is still under renovation and I’m excited to see how it ends up, but for now you can go in for a bite of lunch and buy from the bakery once again. Remember that it recently sold to cousins Judd Tashie and David Tashie, and that they plan to open a second location this fall on Sanderlin in East Memphis, where they are also relocating their Italian restaurant, Ciao Bella. 

And in more bakery news, Two Girls and a Whip reopens Downtown, under new ownership and with a new plan. Aldo Dean sold to Derk Meitzler and Tyson Bridges and will soon reopen at 363 S. Front.

“We’re changing it up,” Meitzler said. “People will be able to get more savory things and be able to sit outside, have coffee, get bread. It’ll be more like a neighborhood bakery.”

More good news: Meitzler and company plan to open the Paramount next week. He’s not committing to a specific day yet, but the plan is to hold private friends and family dinners this weekend, see what the kinks are, and open the new restaurant shortly thereafter.

Also, put these rumors to rest:

Payne’s has not closed. Like every year, the iconic barbecue restaurant shuts down for two weeks around July 4; it reopens July 21, so relax.

Table Talk: Road-trip eats, Texas invades Memphis

Molly’s La Casita has not closed; those folks are also taking a vacation only and you’ll find the doors open again July 20. Owner Jamie Chapman is, like many others, looking for workers, but she hopes to find a few while the restaurant is closed and to resume her regular hours when she reopens.

And The Second Line and Restaurant Iris are also only closed temporarily, though not for vacation but for a kitchen re-do. Look for both to reopen July 16.

Finally, we just dealt with a traffic story around Williamsburg Village and I see one coming for Summer Avenue: Look for the Chick-fil-A at 4649 Summer, near the intersection of Summer and Stratford, to open July 15. It’ll be open 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., Monday through Saturday.