Name that Flyover City! — Sept 15, 2022

Here’s a review of this week’s questions:

1. What southern city is home to Chefs Andy Ticer and Michael Hudman, childhood friends that have opened six different restaurants since 2008?
2. Gold-medal gymnast Simone Biles was born in what midwestern city?
3. Psychedelic rock band The Flaming Lips got their start in what city?

And here are the answers:

1. Memphis, TN. Andy Ticer and Michael Hudman opened their first restaurant, the appropriately named Andrew Michael, in 2008. It featured Italian cuisine rooted in traditional southern cooking, and became hugely successful for the duo, who grew up together and are both classically trained chefs. 2012 saw the opening of their neighborhood eatery, Hog and Hominy, followed by Porcellino’s Craft Butcher in 2015 and Catherine and Mary’s, their first downtown Memphis location, in 2016. Trying their luck in New Orleans, the chefs opened Josephine Estelle in that city’s Ace Hotel in 2016. In 2018, their second downtown Memphis restaurant, The Gray Canary, became restaurant number six for the busy duo, both winners of numerous culinary industry awards.
2. Columbus, OH. Simone Biles was born in Columbus in 1997 and discovered her athletic talents at an early age. She began competing at age 8, and by 2011 she had cemented her standing at the junior elite level. That year, she took the top spot in the vault and balance beam events and finished third in the all-around at the American Classic. In 2016, she became recognized as a superstar in the sport, winning four gold medals at the 2016 Rio Olympics. She famously withdrew from the 2020 Summer Olympics to focus on her mental health, becoming an inspiration to people worldwide for recognizing the importance of one’s personal life over their public life in sports. Besides her Olympic achievements, she has been honored with Espy Awards, Teen Choice Awards, Athlete of the Year Awards, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom, presented to her by President Joe Biden.
3. Oklahoma City, OK. The Flaming Lips, led by charismatic front man and chief songwriter Wayne Coyne, got their start in 1983 in Oklahoma City. Originally joined onstage by his brother Mark, and later, an everchanging list of group members, the band has released 16 albums, several of which have appeared on the charts, though sales have been sporadic. They have won several Grammy Awards and are highly respected by critics and a dedicated legion of fans. Their music falls into the niche categories of Post-Punk, Neo-Psychedelia and Experimental Rock, though they truly defy categorization and have to be experienced live in order to be appreciated. “Q” magazine named them to their list of “50 Bands to See Before You Die,” so that counts as a ringing endorsement, and to think, it all started at a small club in Oklahoma City called The Blue Note.