June Juxtapositions

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Welcome back to Thebeerchaser. If you are seeing this post through an e-mail, please visit the blog by clicking on the title above to see all of the photos and so the narrative is not clipped or shortened.  External photo attribution at the end of the post.  (#1 – #2)

In my last blog post entitled “May Meanderings,” I wrote about my favorite brewery – the Benedictine Brewery at the Mount Angel Abbey and Seminary and its Head Brewer, Father Martin Grassel. 

Also about the 2022 movie, “Father Stu: Reborn” and the late priest’s connection with Mount Angel.  And finally about the post pandemic travails of a wonderful dive bar I first visited in 2015 – Kelly’s Olympian – another example of the City of Portland’s ineffective and frustrating efforts to keep its businesses operational and its citizens safe.

Juxtapositions??

The word is defined as:

“The act or an instance of placing two or more things side by side, often to compare or contrast or to create an interesting effect.”

I’ll try to do a bit of that in this post, but regardless of whether that succeeds, the title satisfies my affinity for alliteration.

I worked for twenty-five years on the mid-level floors of the PacWest Center – a great thirty-story skyscraper in Portland’s Central Business District. The Schwabe, Williamson & Wyatt firm at one time occupied five floors and had about 130 lawyers – the anchor of our four branch offices.

The building’s proximity to the courts, government buildings and amenities made it a very desirable location. There were also great views and the expansive floor plate was conducive to functional and attractive designs for professional service firms.  And who can complain about a large Starbucks, a bar and at one time, a good restaurant – all – only an elevator ride away.

In a previous post, I mentioned the filming of parts of the movie “The Last Innocent Man” based on the novel by Portland’s best-selling author, Phillip Margolin, in addition to a commercial or two.

I’ve also gotten a chuckle on the “use” of the building in CBS’ comedy drama “So Help Me Todd,” which stars actress Marcia Gay Harden as a lawyer in a large Portland law firm.

The storyline makes anyone familiar with actual law firm operations and professional rules cringe, but it’s a fun series.  The exterior of the PacWest Center is often shown along with fleeting glimpses of Portland landmarks, but scenes of the law firm interior are evidently filmed in Vancouver, BC.

The PacWest Center also has character.  For example, the recent article entitled, “This Portland pine may be the world’s tallest tree planted on top of a high rise:” (#3 – #4)

“Standing approximately 40 feet tall, the pine prominently planted atop the Pacwest Center’s 25th-floor terrace could be the tallest tree growing from any high-rise rooftop on Earth.

Commuters anywhere southwest of Jefferson Street and 6th Avenue are bound to notice the coniferous evergreen towering above Downtown traffic. Planted shortly after the office building’s completion in 1984, the tree has quietly matured with the Portland skyline, drawing little attention in the last four decades.”

The article raised speculation about the height of the tree, but KOIN TV which published the story, went to the best source, John Russell, President of Russell Development Co. in Portland.  He was the developer of the PacWest Center and has both engineering degrees and an MBA from Harvard Business School.

“Russell said that the PacWest Center’s alternating exterior of silver paneling and tinted windows can be used like a measuring stick, which can give a rough estimate of the tree’s height. ‘It’s easy,’ Russell said. ‘The total of the two layers is 13 feet.’

With the tree extending roughly six layers high, it can be surmised that the tree is approximately 40 feet tall. Russell told KOIN 6 News that the tree was four or five feet tall when it was placed in the terrace’s metal planter bed. He and his wife Mary Fellows still look up at the PacWest Center and enjoy the pine tree for the oddity that it is.

‘The tree just delights me,’ Russell said. ‘It’s quirky and fun.'”

And if there is doubt about future ability of the floor plate to handle the weight of the tree, I suggest they contact John to do the stress calculations….

I was fortunate to get to know John Russell through his association with our law firm and civic work with the City Club of Portland.  And there are few if any in the Northwest with the long record of public service comparable to John’s. 

Among the boards and commissions on which he has been a member include the Portland Development Commission, the Oregon Transportation Commission, the Mayor’s Business Roundtable (Chair from 1993 to 2003), the Portland City Planning Commission and the Portland Historic Landmark Commission.

He has also served as Chair of the Oregon Investment Council. “He is known for supporting diversity and inclusion in his evaluation of investment pitches.” (Wikita.com) (#5 – #6)

I loved hearing John’s stories about him and the late John Schwabe – one of our law firm’s named partners, an Oklahoma boy and a genuine War World II hero from the Battle of Guadalcanal and other battles in the South Pacific.  (“For his military service, Schwabe was awarded a Silver Star, five Bronze Stars and a Presidential Citation for Valor.”)

The two went back to Wall Street to talk to the New York investment bankers in a successful effort to obtain financing for the PacWest Center. John Russell is the epitome of an outstanding citizen and businessman.

High Rises?

But with the pandemic and the recent trend of remote work, the future of high rise buildings raises many questions. A January, 2023 article in the Bend Bulletin stated, “U.S. Bancorp Tower, Oregon’s largest office building, faces loss of two major tenants.” 

The situation may have changed since publication, but still signals a change not only in Portland, but in cities throughout the country.

“Portland law firm Miller Nash and Bay Area internet pollster SurveyMonkey are leaving the U.S. Bancorp Tower.

The moves will leave about 100,000 square feet of vacant office space in the iconic ‘Big Pink,’ Oregon’s second tallest building and its largest office building, and suggests the recent weakness of the downtown office market will continue in 2023.” (#7)

702px-MtTaborPortlandHood

“Big Pink”

On May 7th, Oregon Live asked: “Portland office vacancies have nearly doubled since the pandemic; Will return-to-office plans reverse that?”  Other law and professional service firms using the remote-hybrid model will certainly consider reducing office space when leases expire.

The May 12, 2023 Morning Brew summarized the situation in New York City and what steps should be taken if this trend continues:

“How much empty office space does New York City have right now? Enough to fill more than 26 Empire State Buildings (about 74.6 million square feet, if you want to be specific).

Researchers Edward Glaeser and Carlo Ratti made the comparison to emphasize how NYC and other large American cities need to make drastic changes to their zoning laws to adapt to the WFH era. The ultimate goal should be to become a ‘Playground City” where people live, work, and play all in the same neighborhood. (#8)

Playground City?

While I love the City of Portland, I’m not very optimistic about us becoming a “Playground City” referenced in the article above, much less returning to a vibrant metropolis that attracts tourists and beckons to those in surrounding areas to patronize businesses and hospitality establishments.

When a June 2, 2023 Oregonian article is entitled,

“Open-air drug use is at an all-time high’ in downtown Portland: Police turn to citations as fentanyl crisis explodes.”

it diminishes confidence in current efforts. 

And there is widespread agreement that it will take more effective leadership by the Mayor, City Council, District Attorney, Governor, State Legislators, public sector unions, business leaders and the Portland Police Department, Police Union, the homelessness bureaucracy and homelessness advocates of all sides, churches as well as, non-profits, among others to compromise and develop creative solutions. (#9 – #10)

Does that seem insurmountable?  Well, I still pray for World Peace and solutions to Global Warming!!  And with the amount of funds already approved to address the problem, the solutions are not for lack of resources – at least to make strong steps forward. 

Remote Work

Before closing, I want to offer one more opinion (rant) about this trend.  While I’m an old guy, I still believe the trend to largely vacant workplaces where most people work on-line should be reversed or at least moderated.  

While necessary during the pandemic and offering some distinct advantages – environmentally, economically, lifestyle and for working parents – we need to ask “What’s  the ultimate cost?” (#11)

Woman_Working_from_Home_during_Maternity_Leave

Is it healthy for organizations not to have a sense of community, in-office mentoring and comradery?  And are the purported productivity gains real or imaginary?  Review a recent Bloomberg News article entitled “Remote Work May Come with Daytime Drug and Drinking Habits:”

Some of the statistics cited are stunning and alarming and at least raise questions:

“A May 2022 study by Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta estimates that the number of working age Americans (25-54 years old) with substance abuse disorders has risen by 23% since pre-pandemic, to 27 million.  A figure that’s about one in six of people who were employed around the time of the study.

Drug recover firm Sierra Tucson concluded from a November 2021 survey that about 20% of US workers admitted to using recreational drugs while working remotely, and also to being under the influence during virtual meetings.

Quit Genius found in August 2022 that one in five believe that substance use has affected their work performance, also according to a survey…..Though back-to-office mandates are unpopular for many reasons, addiction experts note that resistance consistently comes from millions of addicted employees.”

And Finally…

Consistent with the concept of “placing two or more things side by side, often to compare or contrast or to create an interesting effect,” let me suggest two options if you do decide to commute back to the office:  (#12 – #13)

And to end on an upbeat note after some sobering narrative, I leave with this quote which I loved from one of my favorite authors – John Sandford – in his novel Field of Prey:

“The day was another good one, with fair-weather clouds floating overhead and warm and humid. Here and there, in the ditches, the sumac was showing orange leaves and the dust from gravel roads hung in the air for a while, as it does on the windless humid days; a good day not to be dead.”  (Emphasis supplied – Page 141 – #14 – #15)

Cheers

External Photo Attribution

#1.  Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Mountain_peaks_under_snow.jpg) This work has been released into the public domain by its author, G%C3%BCrkan Seng%C3%BCn. This applies worldwide.  Author:  G%C3%BCrkan Seng%C3%BCn.

#2.  Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Waves_breaking_on_ocean_coast.jpg)  This work has been released into the public domain by its author, Rosendahl. This applies worldwide. Author: Rosendahl.

#3. – #4.  Photos courtesy of Dan R. Swift, SIOR, CCIM –  Senior Vice President
CBRE | Advisory and Transaction Services – Investor and Occupier.

#5.  Willamette Week (Oregon Investment Council Member Blasts Elite Fund Manager For Lack of Diversity (wweek.com) 6/20/18

#6. The Oregonian obituaries (https://obits.oregonlive.com/us/obituaries/oregon/name/john-schwabe-obituary?id=27054738)

#7.  Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:MtTaborPortlandHood.jpg) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license. Author:  Cacophony – 30 May 2007.

#8.  Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (File:Empire State Building (aerial view).jpg – Wikimedia Commons)  The author died in 1952, so this work is in the public domain in its country of origin and other countries and areas where the copyright term is the author’s life plus 70 years or fewer.  Author:  Sam Valadi – 17 July 2012.

#9. Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Seized_drug_equipment_Forum_Marinum.JPG)
I, the copyright holder of this work, release this work into the public domain. This applies worldwide.  Author: MKFI – 26 August 2012.

#10.  Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Homeless_in_New_York_City..jpg) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license.  Author:  Adjoajo – 31 December 1969.

#11. Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Woman_Working_from_Home_during_Maternity_Leave.jpg) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.  Author: CIPHR Connect – 21 August 2001.

#12. Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:1950_Schwinn_Spitfire.jpg)  Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license. Author: https://www.flickr.com/photos/bs/ – 6 October 2006.

#13.  Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Electric_Bicycle_Adventure_06_23_2021_(51267213401).jpg

#14.  Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Skunkbush_sumac_

(Rhus_trilobata)_on_Seedskadee_National_Wildlife_Refuge_(37332909495).jpg) This image or recording is the work of a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service employee, taken or made as part of that person’s official duties. As a work of the U.S. federal government, the image is in the public domain. For more information, see the Fish and Wildlife Service copyright policy. Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license. Author:
USFWS Mountain-Prairie – 13 September 2017.

#15. Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Tamsa.JPG)  I, the copyright holder of this work, release this work into the public domain. This applies worldwide. Author: Ingvar Pärnamäe (Õväküvä) – 27 July 2010.

 

May Meanderings

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(Welcome back to Thebeerchaser. If you are seeing this post through an e-mail, please visit the blog by clicking on the title above to see all of the photos and so the narrative is not clipped or shortened. 

Pappy’s – That’s all there is to it!

This is a blog about bars, saloons and breweries – colloquially labeled as “watering holes” – not bistros or cafes.  I’ve made a few exceptions where a great bar is located within a restaurant, but only for those of historic significance. 

These have essentially been restricted to the McMenamin establishments which reek of history – the White Eagle Saloon, the St. John’s Pub, the Old Church and the Fulton Pub.

The following is an exception, however, because of the compelling character of both the bistro and the owner.  It’s not a bar – I don’t even know if they serve any alcohol, but Pappy’s  Greasy Spoon in the heart of Canby –  a small town in semi-rural Clackamas County about twenty-five miles south of Portland  – is a destination I would unequivocally recommend.

And it’s not that often when the charisma and personality of the owner are so integrated with the overall character of the bar, that it becomes a focal point and the highlight of the visit. 

Those I remember from my eleven years of Beerchasing are John Runkle of the Dirty Shame Saloon in Yaak, Montana and the others all in or near Portland.

There’s Adam Milne, the entrepreneurial owner of Portland’s Old Town Brewing; the late Mayor Bud Clark and his unforgettable Goose Hollow Inn and former Irish soap opera actor, Tom O’Leary, the owner of T.C. O’Leary’s.

I can’t forget amiable Amy Nichols of the Cheerful Tortoise and Cheerful Bullpen; the inimitable Frank “The Flake” Peters of the Grand Cafe (RIP) and last but not least Patrick Whitmore, the generous and down-home, cowboy-hat wearing owner of the Beavercreek Saloon (formerly Buffalo Bill’s and Kissin Kate’s in rural Clackamas County.)

I heard the stories of the grit and determination it took to open and manage their bars from each of the individuals above and pictured below, while I was at their establishments and they were unique and rewarding to hear.

Beerchasing Icons

From top left clockwise:  John Runkle, Adam Milne, Tom O’Leary, Frank Peters, Patrick Whitmore, Amy Nichols and Mayor Bud Clark

However, on my May 4th birthday, I met another icon like those above – this one at Pappy’s Greasy Spoon where I had breakfast with two former work colleagues – Dick Templeman and Walt Duddington.   

Dick, who is now retired in Canby, was the first manager (Director of Operations) I hired when I started working at the Schwabe law firm in 1985.  We worked together until I retired in 2010 and he was outstanding at his job.

Walt was a skilled technology consultant, who saved our bacon on a number of projects.  And speaking of bacon, see below.

Pappy came over and spent twenty minutes relating his story and just chatting with us – at the end being joined by his wife, Lisa.  But first he thanked Dick for supporting the business during the pandemic years when takeout was the only option much of the time.

While you can get an excellent burger or fried chicken sandwich with a milk shake before their 2:00 PM closing time, the specialty is breakfast of “generous” portions which Pappy’s starts serving at 6:00 A.M.

Before telling you more about Pappy’s and maybe out of a sense of guilt, I should tell you about my breakfast that day as it probably shortened my life by several years.  That said, I would do it again. 

The Riley Special for only $9.00, is two eggs, four strips of bacon (or sausage), hash browns (or red potatoes) and two slices of toast (with jam). At least I didn’t have the biscuits and gravy…but as a recent article in Oregon Life stated:

“:…this isn’t a place for those who are counting calories or watching their cholesterol. This is classic American diner food in its truest form. “

Birthday bacon, itself, is worth remembering but as stated in one of the many articles:

“But what makes Pappy’s truly exceptional is Pappy himself (whose real name is Mike Merrill), who’s owned and run the diner for over 20 years and absolutely loves what he does.

The business originally started in a bowling alley, Canby Bowl, which has since closed down and has been replaced with an O’Reilly Auto Parts.” (Oregon Live 4/18/23)

Photo May 04 2023, 9 44 39 AM

Pappy told us that he and his first wife moved to Oregon from New Hampshire. He’s had the business for over twenty years.  Walking into Pappy’s is taking a trip back to the classic diners of the 50’s. 

The long counter with red stools reminded me of the drugstore where I used to get nickel Cokes after my Oregon Journal paper route in Oregon City was finished.

And speaking of Coca Cola, much of the memorabilia (which he states is about 90% donated – even some from the East Coast) is Coke related. 

There’s numerous Coke signs, a clock, an upside umbrella hanging from the ceiling and best of all, an antique Coke cooler which I assume still functions because there are current bottles of Coke underneath it. 

Don’t forget the Aunt Jemima sign and the photos of celebrities’ ranging from Elvis to Nat King Cole to Danny Thomas and Al Hirt to name just a few.

Pappy stares out from galley where he cooks hundreds of breakfasts each week and periodically walks out like an army general to greet his customers who are already being giving loving attention by his servers including Lisa.   

He told us that his first wife died a number of years ago from an extended illness, but Lisa, who was working as a server became a friend and then a perfect match. They were married about five years ago.

Dick said the wedding was held in a large vacant room down the hallway, but the reception was in the diner: 

“Marilyn and I attended along with half the town.  It was standing room only.  Fun time.”

Pappy’s is well worth a visit, but it may require a wait.  It’s worth it!

Pandemic Recovery Challenges Continue

In my last two posts I wrote about the number of bars and breweries that struggled during the pandemic and listed a number of my favorites which are no longer in business. 

One would think the challenges are largely past, however, the City of Portland unfortunately and to the detriment of business owners, has not recovered to the extent of other major US cities. 

While it’s easy to point fingers and there have been unprecedented challenges, most citizens feel that elected officials, most notably the Portland Mayor and City Council and the District Attorney of Multnomah County fell down on the job.  Don’t forget the last Oregon Governor’s constant equivocation on COVID closure and occupancy policies for hospitality establishments.

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One of my favorite historic Portland dive bars I first visited in 2015 is Kelly’s Olympian.  A May 10, 2023 Willamette Week article is entitled, “The Owner of Kelly’s Olympian Is Despondent About the Fentanyl Den Across the Street”:

“Since it opened in 1902, Kelly’s Olympian, the bar on Southwest Washington Street, has survived two world wars, the Depression, Prohibition, the Great Recession, the 2020 protests and COVID-19.

It’s an open question whether it will survive the fentanyl den across the street between 4th and 5th avenues.”

When I visited Kelly’s, the scene was typical of that until the pandemic – people sitting at picnic tables in front of the bar, a few motorcycles parked out front by patrons who wanted to see the vintage collection of the machines inside and a friendly, engaged and diverse crowd at the bar as described in this Zagat Review:

”a mix of punks, business types and ‘street urchins’ gathers for Pabst and ‘strong’ pours of Jack Daniels….”

And there would always be crowds to enjoy the bands who played there several times each week.  At one point, Kelly’s was purported to have the second highest liquor sales of any establishment in Oregon.

But what attracted many people – both regulars and visitors – were the unique trappings of the bar.  Hanging from the ceiling were about a dozen vintage motorcycles which had each been beautifully restored.

Adding to the flavor were museum quality neon signs, antique gas pumps and historic photos of Portland and an old-fashioned pinball machine.

Our friendly bartender, Mary Kate, when we asked about the bar’s history, showed us the trap door behind the bar and the stairway down to the cellar which although they are now boarded up, used to have a maze of “Shanghai” tunnels:

 “Legend has it that there used to be several secret entrances to the Shanghai Tunnels, Chinese immigrants and dockworkers lived and made their way about the underground of Portland.”  Kelly’s Olympian website

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It should be noted that not all of downtown currently Portland presents the same picture as the area around Kelly’s Olympian.  As stated in the Willamette Week article, the times of prosperity have changed:

“Kelly’s is hanging on ‘by a string,’ says owner Ben Stutz. Blight, crime and untreated mental illness and addiction in downtown Portland are driving customers away, and Stutz is spending $15,000 a month on full-time security guards for Kelly’s and tenants on the floors above

…I would like more police patrols. Just walk the street. Go in and deal with people. Make it uncomfortable for people to break the law. I’d also like to see the governor get some State Police and National Guard out here like they’re doing in San Francisco.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom is not what you’d call a bleeding heart. He took a look at San Francisco and said, ‘We can’t have this happen.’ But our governor isn’t doing that. The mayor talks about a reset. The governor needs to talk about a reset too.”

Next time you are in Portland stop at have a beer or whiskey at Kelly’s and tell them you’re glad they’re still going.   And ask to see the trap door behind the bar!

But Let’s End on a More Uplifting and Ethereal Note!

Those who follow Thebeerchaser know that my favorite brewery is Mount Angel Oregon’s Benedictine Brewery – on the grounds of the Mt. Angel Abbey.  The Brewery is one of only three in the US owned and operated by Benedictine monks.

I was fortunate to get involved in the planning and development in 2016 until the Brewery and St. Michael’s Taproom Taproom opened in November 2018.

It has been extremely successful and Fr. Martin Grassel, the Head Brewer, has developed a regional following for his excellent beers.  ( External photo attribution is at the end of the post. #1)

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Recently, he was featured in an episode of “The Beer Hour with Jonathan Wakefield.” The episode covers a wide variety of topics, from the history of monastic brewing to monastic formation and Fr. Martin’s vocation story, to the origins of the Benedictine Brewery.

Since it’s 53 minutes long, I was just going to listen for about ten minutes, but got hooked and listened to the entire thing. He’s a good storyteller!

The Beer Hour with Johnathan Wakefield: Benedictine Brewery’s Father Martin Grassel on Apple Podcasts

But I want to end this post – not with a review of a watering hole – but a movie.  Fr. Stu: Reborn was released by Sony Pictures in December, 2022. 

As unlikely as it seems from his past roles, it stars Mark Wahlberg (who is a devout Catholic) and was produced on a shoestring budget of only $4 million.  Evidently, the film received mixed reviews; however, my wife and I really enjoyed it.  (#2 – #3)

The focus of my interest was the role of the Mt. Angel Seminary.  As stated in the Mount Angel Newsletter:

“An injury ended Stu’s heavyweight professional boxing dreams, and after a succession of short career starts, a motorcycle accident caused him to spend months in hospital care.

In that time of recovery, he realized his vocational call to the priesthood and entered the seminary for the Diocese of Helena. He studied at Mount Angel Seminary from 2004 to 2007 and was ordained in 2007.”

Since I serve on the Abbey Foundation Board, I’ve gotten to know many of the monks, priests and seminarians including Fr. Pius Harding OSB (shown below) a monk who was Fr. Stu’s spiritual director at the Abbey and who just celebrated his 30th anniversary of ordination.  He stated: 

“Stu had a casual, upbeat way about him: very interested in the people around him. He was most generous; as a matter of fact, you had to refrain from admiring things in his presence, or he would buy them for you.”  (#4)

frr pius

During his years in seminary he was diagnosed with a rare autoimmune disease that mimics the symptoms of Lou Gehrig’s disease and for which there is no cure.  The movie chronicles his courageous battle with the disease.

“He took [the illness] on like the fighter he was trained to be,’ recalls Fr. Pius. ‘And he went on to live the vocation of love. I know several who embraced the Catholic faith due to his kind example and zealous catechetical ministry.’”  (#5)

I’m confident that you will enjoy the movie.  Blessings and Cheers

External Photo Attribution

#1.  Benedictine Brewery Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/BenedictineBrewery)

#2.  Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Mark_Wahlberg_(6908662467).jpg)  Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license.  Author:  Eva Rinaldi – 20 February 2012.

#3. Mount Angel Letter (https://www.mountangelabbey.org/fr-stuart-long-lifelong-fighter-for-christ/)

#4  Mount Angel Letter https://www.facebook.com/MountAngelAbbeySeminary/photos/fr-pius-x-harding-osb-celebrates-25-years-of-ordination-at-the-mass-for-trinity-/1612137055508896/?paipv=0&eav=AfZLE-ZipJYEIS3d0endrLmmaDP01ldf2GuMQlXxWffe36RtDUmu0_V1g1Nw0EuDYTY&_rdr)

#6.  Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Mt._Angel_Abbey_(Marion_County,_Oregon_scenic_images)_(marDA0213).jpg)  The copyright holder of this file allows anyone to use it for any purpose, provided that the copyright holder is properly attributed. Redistribution, derivative work, commercial use, and all other use is permitted.  Source:  Gary Halvorson, Oregon State Archives.

The Pearl That Never Escaped its Shell Until………

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(Welcome back to Thebeerchaser. If you are seeing this post through an e-mail, please visit the blog by clicking on the title above to see all of the photos and so the narrative is not clipped or shortened.  External photo attribution is at the end of the post. #1)

Was it a Downer or Just the Truth?

In my last blog post which at least one loyal follower described as a “downer,” I discussed the number of not only newer establishments, but some of the “hallowed’ watering holes in the Portland hospitality business, which had folded up their taps since I started Beerchasing in 2011.

This situation was, of course, exacerbated since 2020 with the pandemic.  One verbose rhetorical question I posed was:

“How many of the now defunct watering holes started off on a shoestring, by partners who had a passion for cooking, brewing beer (often in their basement) and who frequented their favorite bar or brewery and said to themselves or their partner after too many beers, ‘I (we) could do that!’”

2020-Pam draw 4

What was the count of the newer establishments which collapsed because the owners built their business plan on an unrealistic view of what it takes to own and manage a bar or brewery?   Thus, the euphemism, “I (we) could do that,” based on a whim and a prayer.

I’m not going to answer that question, but devote this post to two contrasting hospitality business visions – one which flared up before smoldering into ashes and the other, which based on a sound and prudent vision in 2012, has thrived even during the pandemic.

Does Fanfare Equate to Success?”

While some naïve entrepreneurs understandably reap what they try to pour, even some of the most seasoned hospitality experts can make a bad call.  Former Oregon Duck Joey Harrington was a collegiate football star and named  Pac-10 Offensive Player of the Year in 2001 before being a high draft pick by the Detroit Lions. 

Harrington played seven years in the NFL although he never replicated the collegiate level of success in the NFL.  In 2016, he partnered up with two hospitality pros.  (#2)

In December, 2016, Harrington and two major partners, Kurt Huffman – a well-known Portland restaurateur and a “legendary” bartender, Ryan Magarian (the co-founder of Aviation Gin) opened a new restaurant/bar on a busy intersection in the upscale Pearl District of Portland.

Huffman is both an MBA and a lawyer and Magarian – a veteran in the hospitality business.  The new Pearl Tavern had previously been a restaurant known as The Parish.  

The high profile establishment opened to great fanfare including an article in Willamette Week entitled:

Former NFL Quarterback Joey Harrington is Opening a Tavern in Portland

“Intended to be more casual than a steakhouse, the family-friendly Pearl Tavern served various cuts of steak, fried chicken, fish, and risotto, as well as bar snacks and other options for brunch and happy hour. The interior had dark leather booths and multiple widescreen television for sports viewing, and the servers wore plaid. (Wikipedia)

To his credit, 3% of the profits were directed to Harrington’s family’s educational foundation. Initial reviews were good such as this one in 1859 Magazine:

“…..adulation is immediate for the killer atmosphere, wrap around bar, big screen TV’s, inviting leather booths and, most discernibly, delicious food”.

 In 2017, The Oregonian included it in it’s list of Portland’s 10 Best New Happy Hours,  (#3)

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The adulation may have been immediate, but it was also short-lived as only about eighteen months later, Portland Eater headlined an article:

“Ex-Quarterback Joey Harrington’s Sports Bar Will Serve Its Last Fried Chicken Sandwich This June“

A Flawed Concept?

Interestingly enough, there were no print media “autopsies” that I could find stating a specific reason for the closure.  And without offering conclusions, but raising possibilities, some sleuthing on social media reviews was very revealing. 

The Pearl Tavern received an accrued 3.5 stars out of 5 on Yelp before it permanently closed – low for an establishment of that type and although there were some superb reviews, too many set forth criticisms.  Even many of the good reviews had disclaimers.

Evidently, as they hit the economic skids they also skimped on service and patrons were mad about having to order at the bar – in what was purportedly an upscale establishment.

The repeated themes were prices which were too high and mediocre food. People criticized the overall concept and cited better values and ambiance at other Pearl District establishments:   

“Went in there tonight, hardly any people, hate walk-up ordering.  We couldn’t have done that anyway because the music was so loud we could barely talk to each other just standing there….. We had a lovely meal elsewhere and I looked at the Pearl menu afterwards and it just looked like pricey bar food.  Poor concept.”  (Yelp 5/29/2018)  (#4) 

Was it loud music or the concept itself?

A number predicted even soon after the opening that the tavern would be short-lived  although people in Oregon love Joey Harrington and wanted him to succeed: 

“I wanted to like this place…..badly. Big Joey Harrington fan but man, this place is just not that great. In fact, IN FACT , it’s not even worth stopping at. You can tell what they are going for here, but you can see it was done cheaply and with corners cut.  The drinks were great, but even the happy hour price seemed high.”  (Yelp 5/5/17) 

Perhaps the problem was overestimating the ongoing draw of a star athlete when the overriding concept is flawed.  How many people in Portland want to go to a sports bar with multiple big screens, raucous crowds during games, but then have to order a high-priced steak or other entre’? (#5)

Sports_portal_bar_icon

“Was not impressed with this place at all. Way overpriced, mediocre bar food. It seems like they are going for upscale tavern food/atmosphere but they miss on the food big time.”  (Yelp 4/5/17) 

“The old Oregon Ducks QB Joey Harrington owns this place, get a clue! In a foodie town that needs a good sports bar, this place misses the mark by a wide margin. It will not last the year.  We left and caught the last 2 periods at Life of Riley. Way better! Skip this place!”  (Yelp 4/22/17)

 Lessons to be Learned?

Now there are other nearby establishments that also failed during the last five years.  For example, Bridgeport Brewing founded in 1984, closed in 2019 and nearby Henry’s Tavern – open for fifteen years – left the scene as reported in The Oregonian on October 1, 2019:

“Henry’s Tavern, a popular Pearl District watering hole and restaurant, quietly closed its doors for good after notifying staff only hours before it shuttered.”

That said, another great watering hole about one mile away – Yur’s also a tavern owned by a former NFL star is still going strong.  Terry Hermeling was an offensive tackle (weighed in at 255 and is 6’5” tall) for the Washington Redskins during the 1970’s after starring at the University of Nevada at Reno – 

Yur’s has thrived for twenty-five years by eschewing pretension  – it’s clearly a dive bar!   I loved it as did about ten companions.  (#6)

Willamette Week headlined its review in 2018:

“Yur’s is a Dark Dive Perfect for Day Drinking.”

And by Comparison…….

Shortly – like about two months after the Pearl Tavern closed – another bar opened in the same quarters as reported in the July 9, 2018 edition of Portland Eater:

BACKWOODS IN THE PEARL IS NOW OPEN IN PORTLAND’S PEARL DISTRICT

“To complement the beer offerings (most of their own beers) Backwoods has an enticing cocktail menu with very affordable pricing, especially for the neighborhood. It also offers a concise wine list.”

Backwoods is a small brewery originating in Carson, Washington.  

“Backwoods Brewing was founded by the Waters family in July of 2012. Prior to that, Jim Waters had taught his sons the art of home brewing before they flew the nest, but the boys came back after college with the dream of starting a brewery in their hometown.”  (#7 – #13)

The two brothers (Tom and Steve Waters) have been strategic and smart in their expansion and underlying business plan. They brew excellent beers and are planning a third location in Ridgefield, Washington while adding cabins at their scenic site in Carson.

Backwoods Brewing expanding with brewpub in Ridgefield, bigger plans for Carson – oregonlive.com 

Backwoods Pub in the Pearl

I had lunch there just last week with two Oregon State fraternity brothers (Ron Holloway and Steve Crow) and almost five years after opening, Backwoods in the Pearl is thriving.  We had to make a mid-week lunch reservation and it was filled.

Photo Apr 21 2023, 12 55 07 PM (1)

As just one comparison, let’s look at the price of two items at the Pearl Tavern compared with current prices at Backwoods in the Pearl.  This from an April 2017 Yelp review of the Pearl Tavern:

“We were recommended the burger. Tasted like a Big Mac with a fancy bun. The patty was about as thin as a Big Mac burger patty as well. $16 for that one. The baby kale salad was pretty tasty. $12 for a $7 portion.”  (Emphasis supplied)

Keep in mind that this was in spring of 2017 and inflation, as measured by the CPI on a non-compounded rate through 2023, has been about 24%.   Backwoods offered several burgers – its Little Town Burger goes for $13.50 and the Big City Burger (1/2 pound with bacon and fried egg) is now priced at $15.75!  Both include fries or tots.

One can have a small Kale Salad for $9.75 and the kale entre’ salad for $15.25.  I had the Fiesta Chicken Wrap which included a side salad, was scrumptious and big enough – even with my appetite – to serve both as my lunch and dinner that night for $15.  (#14 -#16)

Backwoods gets 4 out of 5 stars on Yelp and has a very nice ambiance.  And the comments about poor service and having to order at the bar are history as evidenced by our experience and repeated comments on social media.

Our server was a wonderful young woman named Ally – maybe I’m biased because she is also an Oregon City High School graduate. But she was one of the most attentive, personable and competent servers I’ve had in eleven years of Beerchasing.   It rounded out the positive visit at Backwoods in the Pearl.

The Future

How will Portland bars and breweries fare in the future?  Part of that depends on getting both office workers and tourists back to the City.  And forecasts are not exactly optimistic.  Look at this May 7, 2023 headline in Oregon Live:

“Portland office vacancies have nearly doubled since the pandemic; will return-to-office plans reverse that?”

“More than a fifth of the office space in downtown Portland was vacant in the first quarter of the year, according to the latest data from commercial real estate firm CoStar. That’s double the vacancy rate in 2019, and the number of empty offices is continuing to rise.”

Let’s hope the Mayor and City Council step up to the plate and develop action plans to reverse that trend.

Cheers

External Photo Attribution

#1.  Wikimedia Commons (File:Pearl Oysters.jpg – Wikimedia Commons)  Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.5 Generic license.  Author: Keith Pomakis – 10 December 2005.

#2.  Wikimedia Commons  (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Joey_Harrington.JPG  Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license.   Author:  Conman33  16 November 2008.

#3.   Pearl Tavern Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/pearltavernpdx/photos/pb.100054523927834.-2207520000./1511892872228948/?type=3)  Source: User:Mysid – 26 November 2004.

#4.  Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia .org/wiki/File:Rolling_Loud_Logo.png) This logo image consists only of simple geometric shapes or text. It does not meet the threshold of originality needed for copyright protection, and is therefore in the public domain. Source:  Rolling Loud festival – 11 June 2022.

#5.  Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sports_portal_bar_icon.png)  Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.  Authors: Baseball.svg: vedub4us

#6. Yur’s Bar and Grill Facebook Page ((4) Facebook)

#7 – #13.  Backwoods Brewing Website (https://www.backwoodsbrewingcompany.com/portland-menus) and Facebook Page (Backwoods Brewing Company | Carson WA | Facebook)

#14 – #16.   Backwoods at the Pearl Website (https://www.backwoodsbrewingcompany.com/portland-menus)

I (We) could do that!!

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(External photo attribution at end of the post #1)

Although, after a diminished effort the last three years, I’ve resumed Beerchasing with a vengeance in 2023.  And my last three Portland water-hole discoveries have been awesome and deserve affirmation. 

The Basement Public House, the Jolly Roger at John’s Landing and the Tabor Tavern – all in Portland, helped to validate why I started this hobby in 2011 – although I really didn’t need a lot of reinforcement….

They were great visits and I had wonderful Beerchasing companions to enjoy the ambiance with me.  (Click on the links above to see the reviews.)

But All is Not Well in the Rose City!

Hospitality industry businesses, most notably at least for me – bars and breweries – have had extreme challenges surviving.  The pandemic starting in 2020 and the next three years was the death blow for many Oregon establishments although a lot of them had been struggling prior to that time given the vagaries of the NW economy.

An April 2023 article in Portland Eater – a credible website – was headlined:

“At Least 1,000 Oregon Restaurants Have Closed During the COVID-19 Pandemic, According to an Industry Group” 

It went on to assert that:

“Factoring in the closures and openings in 2021, the ORLA estimates the net loss to be 600 to 800 permanent closures of restaurants across Oregon.”

So I looked back in my Beerchasing files – filled with clippings on bars and breweries – many  that have opened since I started this hobby in 2011.  I was shocked at the number of closures. Some, including Bridgeport Brewing, Sloan’s Tavern and the Ash Street Saloon to name a few, had thrived for years. 

The photos below are just several of the establishments that no longer pour draft beers, canceled leases (or defaulted), painfully disposed of the old beers signs and memorabilia, and made their final “last call” – this time for the bar itself.

(Clockwise – The Lost and Found, Cruise Inn – Lincoln City, Lompoc Tavern, Black Squid – Lincoln City, Slabtown, Hair of the Dog Brewery,  Oregon Public House, The Tanker, Ash Street Saloon, Burnside Brewing.)

Now a major factor in the closure of many was the pandemic – it challenged the fortitude, entrepreneurial creativity and perseverance of even the most well-managed hospitality establishments. 

As stated above, but worth emphasizing, a number of those were already perched on that sudsy precipice and toppled quickly in 2020 and shortly thereafter.. 

While there were many “old-line” watering holes on the list, the problem with some of the newer short-lived venues – the owners and management didn’t “learn the ropes” before they ventured out on their own.

Two good Portland examples of how current successful bar owners worked their way up and were fully aware of the commitment and grit required before opening their own taverns are:  (Photos #2 – Jackson Family and #3 – Zig and Wife, Kristen)

How many of the now defunct watering holes started off on a shoestring, by partners who had a passion for cooking, brewing beer (often in their basement) and who frequented their favorite bar or brewery and said to themselves or their partner after too many beers:

“I (we) could do that!”

I was struck by this quote from a John Sandford novel (Bad Blood) when protagonist Virgil Flowers, asks a watering hole owner:

“‘ Do you like owning the pub?  ‘I used to,’ she says simply.  ‘Not any more. I’m tired of it. The grease, the stench, the drunks.  You see a lot.  Sometimes early in the evening, when people stop in for a beer on their way home and there’s the companionable feeling in the room.  

But then it gets edgier.  More sour.  And the work never ends.  Cooking and cleaning, purchase orders, deliveries messed up, the staff drinking up all your profits, the breakage.  It’s a hard business.’

All right he says, but neither of them moves and they sense the dense yellow light filling the little kitchen, glinting off the pots and pans, the grill, the steel sink, the stack of empty steel barrels, the racks of mugs, the towers of plates and saucers, the mound of freshly washed silverware, the cracked wall that had once been white, the scrawl of penciled phone numbers on the wall by the phone, the battered old yellow phone, the battered dish washer……..'”      (Photos #4 and #5 above)

I’ve been waiting for months to use that excerpt and it may be overly dramatic, but perhaps it serves as at least a reasonable contrast to the romanticized version of owning a bar held by some naïve, but now past owners.

That said, pandemic factors, including the often well-intentioned but inept attempts by Governor Brown of Oregon on access (and closings) to bars and restaurants, landlords’ inflexibility on leases, lack of available staff and inflationary wages all contributed to operational nightmare’s for even the most well-managed and capitalized establishments.

Although they were trying to react in uncharted territory, the Portland City Council and Mayor Ted Wheeler were not much better in handling the pandemic and concurrent protests and civil disorder.  Michael Schmidt, the Multnomah County District Attorney wasn’t much help.

According to an article in the April 4th 2023 Portland Business Journal:

  • In a survey of restaurant owners, hiring software maker Poached found that 97% of the more than 100 respondents don’t think the City is headed in the right direction to have a thriving food industry.
  • Eighty-three percent said their businesses had been broken into, and 90% of that group said they had break-ins in the past year.

In the next post, I’ll share a case study of one upscale Portland bar that opened at the end of 2016 with much fanfare – only to quietly close about eighteen months later.  And the establishment which replaced it immediately afterwards is thriving.  Why?

Stay Tuned!

Photo May 02 2023, 10 12 23 AM (2)

External Photo Attribution

#1.  Wikimedia Commons (File:Gordmans – Three Rivers -CLOSED- (50383975587).jpg – Wikimedia Commons)  Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.  Author: Kzoo Cowboy – 24 September 2020.

#2.  Jolly Restaurants Facebook Page (https://www.jollyrestaurants.com/jolly-history)

#3.  Swift and Union  Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/swiftandunion/photos/pb.100033225804742.-

2207520000./1656436864569501/?type=3)

#4.  Wikimedia Commons (File:New Phone is an Old Phone.jpg – Wikimedia Commons) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.  Author: Billy Brown – 6 September 2010.

#5.  Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (File:Dirty dishes.jpg – Wikimedia Commons) I, the copyright holder of this work, release this work into the public domain. This applies worldwide. Author: User-Mysid – 26 November 2004.

#6.  Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Governor_Kate_Brown_(27497566614).jpg) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license. Source:  Oregon Department of Transportation – 30 June 2016.

#7. Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ted_Speech.jpg) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license.  Author: Hcraddock –  5 December 2015.

 

Tabor Tavern – An Eastside Treasure

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(Welcome back to Thebeerchaser. If you are seeing this post through an e-mail, please visit the blog by clicking on the title above to see all of the photos and so the narrative is not clipped or shortened.  External photo attribution is at the end of the post. #1)

Well Beerchasers, I’ve hit the jackpot with my recent visits to bars The Basement Public House (eastside) and the Jolly Roger at John’s Landing (westside) – both independent neighborhood establishments owned and operated by Portlanders.  And now I’ll tell you about another outstanding neighborhood tavern.

I first visited the Tabor Tavern in 2022 with my colleague on the Abbey Foundation of Oregon Board, John Limb and returned this February with a former Schwabe Williamson law firm colleague, John Mansfield, who is now working as a Deputy County Counsel in Washington County.

And as will be the case with the other two establishments, I’ll return again notwithstanding the internal pressure which is my constant companion — knowing how many watering holes I haven’t visited and still await Thebeerchaser with anticipation.  

In researching the Tabor and it’s opening in 2012 by Ken “Zig” Naffziger, I was not surprised by its longevity and success.  And the welcoming ambiance radiates when one walks in the door. 

The problem with some of the newer hospitality venues which were short-lived – especially with the impact of the pandemic – the owners and management often didn’t “learn the ropes” before they ventured out on their own.  The COVID related issues challenged even the most experienced manager.

Two good examples of how long-time successful bar owners worked their way up and were fully aware of the commitment and grit required are the Jackson family – owners of the Sports Page in Beaverton and the Jolly Roger bars – the most recent reviews on this blog.

The other is Zig Naffziger – owner of the Tabor Tavern.

“In 2012, after 25 years in the industry — including stints with Portland pub icons McMenamins, Lompoc Brewing and the Horse Brass Pub — Ken “Zig” Naffziger decided to set out on his own.​

Inspired by Zig’s travels and love of pub culture, his goal was to create the kind of place fellow tavern fans could congregate to enjoy high-quality food and drink in a warm, welcoming and unpretentious environment.”  (Tabor Tavern website)  (#2)

Zig learned the industry before he opened the Tabor Tavern

Let’s look at what has made the Tabor Tavern a favorite eatery and bar on the northwest edge of the Tabor Neighborhood.   

And based on the reception it got from the time it opened until the present, his first establishment allowed Zig and his wife, Kristen Siefkin, to open a second neighborhood tavern and restaurant – Swift and Union in 2015 – less than ten miles away.   

It had been his life-long dream of Naffziger to open a neighborhood pub.  He was smart about how he went about it – getting advice from experts including his wife:

“‘I am an avid fan of pub culture and hope to create the kind of place fellow fans would like to congregate.’ Naffziger brought in restaurant consultant, Sean Herron of Big Idea Group as advisor on this project (and) food and beverage PR executive, Kristen Siefkin.”  (https://brewpublic.com/oregon-beer/tabor-tavern-to-open-this-spring/)

Photo Feb 15 2023, 12 09 53 PM (2)

Now the outside of Tabor Tavern does not portend what awaits you inside.  It’s a plain wooden one-story building with a red roof in a semi-commercial residential area on a busy street. 

There are a number of small picnic tables that share the sidewalk for Portland’s months when outside seating is an option. 

Not to be forgotten – also not available at many watering holes these days is plenty of off-street parking with more available in the Tavern’s lot. (#3)

1002612_487428964686117_2130783424_n

But one walks into a quaint one-room interior which is a wonderful throwback to the diners of the 60’s or 70’s.   In fact, along with historic Portland photos and an attractive chalkboard display showing beers on taps, there’s a large wood poster entitled “Back in 1972.” 

It has 1972 statistics such as the cost of a house ($27,550), the average annual income ($9,697), cost of a gallon of gas (36 cents) and cultural items like popular songs (American Pie), movies (The Godfather) and TV shows (All in the Family). 

Also – famous people born that year including Gwyneth Paltrow – who didn’t know then that in the future she should stay away from both ski slopes and courtrooms…….

The welcoming, rich interior has wood tables of various sizes located throughout with dark-colored wooden booths with padded seats by the windows along the front. 

And one of the most iconic features is a long-reclaimed wood bar with twelve old drugstore counter-type stools.  All give an impression of high quality and care. The floor is refinished cement and there are antique rugs providing a nice contrast.

The Food, the Beverages and the Service

Tabor Tavern gets an A grade on these three categories.   Each time I visited or followed up with a call, the staff was friendly and helpful – including offering to take pictures of us for the blog and even posing in one of them. 

Besides eight varied Northwest beers and one cider on tap, one can also get cans and bottles including a non-alcoholic beer.  Of course, I was pleased to see the old standby – $3.50 Rainer Tallboys. 

Wine is also available, and they get good reviews on their seven cocktails which go for $12. I was intrigued by the Drunken Botanist – “Wild Roots raspberry vodka, muddled arugula, honey, lime juice, served up” – but didn’t have the courage to ask what “muddled arugula” is. (#4)

450px-Eruca_sativa

But it’s the excellent upscale pub food which beckons me to make a return visit.  I was surprised that the annual Willamette Week Best Bar Guides, I’ve collected for the last ten years didn’t have Tabor Tavern in any of its editions.  

Take a look at these two reviews from the weekly newspaper, however, and you’ll get a flavor for the quality of the cuisine:

“This casual, bustling neighborhood joint always miraculously has at least one table available whenever we roll up. Its adult menu is exceptional pub grub: a perfect beet salad (with quinoa and pepitas) and a fried chicken sando that my partner orders every time and will not shut up about.

It also has a small kids’ menu, which includes the coveted grilled cheese and fries for $7. Hell yes! Tabor Tavern is perfect for cool families, although a passerby would hardly even know it, which is the ideal aesthetic.”  Willamette Week 8/18/21

And I can personally attest to the accuracy of the effusive review of the fried chicken sandwich ($16) – I had it and my friend, John Mansfield relished the Spinach and Warm Bacon Salad. ($14)

Photo Feb 15 2023, 11 52 37 AM

Perhaps that’s why we looked so happy in this photo – taken after we finished lunch – although some people assert that I’m always happy when I have a meal with a lawyer……..!

However, when I return, given the description in the review below and seeing it first-hand when my Beerchasing companion, John Limb tried it in 2022, I will, without hesitation, order the Tabor Burger as described in the 2017 article “The 16 Best Bar Burgers in Portland.” 

“The Tabor Burger ($16.50 with fries, soup or salad) is precisely what would happen if a hamburger got attacked by an episode of Frasier: arugula, brioche bun, blue cheese and bacon jam.

But it comes together better than expected—a balance of fat against salt and bitterness, rather than acidity. But is it weird I sometimes feel I’m eating a Cobb salad?”  

Our friendly server agreed to have his picture taken with John. 

I told John’s story in a prior post about Chuckanut Brewing.  Before retiring in 2017, he was the publisher of the Oregon Catholic Press. 

The OCP is a non-profit national leader in Catholic and faith-based music publishing and worship resources. During his tenure, OCP became the nation’s leading publisher of Catholic worship material. He continues to serve as Publisher Emeritus.

And it was a remarkable coincidence that as we ate our lunches and drank our beers on a nice April afternoon at the outside tables in front of the bar, that John looked at two guys inside – sitting adjacent to us – with just a window separating us. John and both of the guys started smiling and waving simultaneously as they  recognized each other.  

In the photo below, the guy on the left is Rudy Lopez who works at OCP and is a very talented musician and composer as is Bro. Rufino Zaragoza – a Franciscan friar (monk) from California. 

He collaborates with OCP including efforts to serve the Vietnamese community both here in the U.S. and in Vietnam.  (Click on the above links on these individuals and you will be impressed with their work and dedication.)

John had not seen Bro. Rufino since 2001 when both traveled to Viet Nam and facilitated the development and publication of a Vietnamese National Hymnal which is now available internationally.

Photo Aug 04, 12 00 52 PM (2)

And Because it Bears Mentioning

After looking at the photos again, I commented to John in a recent phone call, “John, you have an amazing resemblance to comedian Stephen Colbert.”  His reply was:

“Yes, I’ve been told many times that I look like him — more so in the past, when he still wore wire-rimmed glasses like my own.  There have been times when people were actually convinced that I was him, and I was just trying to avoid them by saying that I wasn’t.  My fifteen minutes of fame, so to speak.”

Well, you judge for yourself!  (#5 – #6)

Well, that’s John Limb on the _______??!! 

I laughed and reflected that John should feel pretty good about the comparison.  The only famous person friends have said that I resemble is former Senate Majority Leader – Republican Trent Lott from Mississippi. (2001)   And no, I’m not going to show you the picture!  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trent_Lott

In Closing

You should make a point to try Zig’s ” dream that became a reality,” and he created a place that is “warm, welcoming and an unpretentious environment.”  I plan to visit Swift and Union as well.  But I’ll leave you with this brief 4/15/23 Yelp Review.  It sums up most of comments very well:

“I’d never been to Tabor Tavern before.  Wow!  The food is excellent!!  Everything delicious.  I split the beet salad and burger with blue cheese, bacon jam & arugula .  SOOOO delicious!  

A table mate had the fish and chips and another had the Tabor burger.  All outstanding – as are the fries.  Highly recommend this eatery!!”

And if you want to see the breadth of the food and cocktails Zig Naffziger offers and the outstanding presentation, just check out the photos on the Tabor Tavern Facebook Page. (#7)

10991536_774050192690658_167030841859064804_o

Cheers

External Photo Attribution

#1.  Tabor Tavern Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/TaborTavern/photos/pb.100063643386983.-2207520000./3778581502237497/?type=3).

#2. Linked-in  (http://Ken (21) Kenneth “Zig” Naffziger | LinkedIn)

#3. Tabor Tavern Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/TaborTavern/photos/pb.100063643386983-)

#4.  Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Eruca_sativa.jpg) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.  Author: Whut – 6 October 2010.

#5.  Abbey Foundation of Oregon 2020 Annual Report (https://abbeyfoundationoforegon-annualreport.org/annual-report-2020/)

#6.  Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_Colbert_(character))

 https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Stephen_Colbert_on_set_cropped.jpg   This file is a work of a U.S. Army soldier or employee, taken or made as part of that person’s official duties. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Work_of_the_United_States_Government – Author Staff Sgt. Teddy Wade

#7.  Tabor Tavern Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/TaborTavern/photos/pb.100063643386983.-2207520000./774050192690658/?type=3)

Ahoy – Get Hooked at the Jolly Rogers!

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308002050_526974239428514_6096512536961124187_n

(Welcome back to Thebeerchaser.  If you are seeing this post through an e-mail, please visit the blog by clicking on the title above to see all of the photos and so the narrative is not clipped or shortened.  External photo attribution is at the end of the post. #1)

In a January 2023 Beerchaser post, I captured my visit to the iconic Jolly Roger in east Portland with my friend Hillary Barbour.  The current Jolly Roger on SE 12th and Madison was opened in the early ’90’s and Rob and Starr Jackson were partners with the Cheerful Group. 

This group owns two Portland bars previously reviewed by Thebeerchaser – the Cheerful Tortoise and the Cheerful Bullpen.

The Jacksons became the sole owners in 2004 and leased it since; however, the watering hole is short-lived as the landlord plans to develop it as a five-story, 100-plus-unit residential complex.

The bar’s closure and demolition will happen when permitting issues are finally resolved with the City of Portland – probably by the end of the year although the City’s actions have dragged on. So the Jolly Roger – East will have its final voyage in the coming months and be sorely missed. 

As one  2021 Yelp reviewer stated:

“Exactly what you want with a neighborhood place. Regulars who accept newbies, great drinks, good beer selection and some really good bar food.”

Fortunately for Portlanders like myself, who love good bars, the Jacksons still own two establishments – the Sports Page in Beaverton and the Jolly Roger at John’s Landing which is reviewed below.

The Jackson’s business model is built on the premise:

“Nobody has more fun than we do.”  

Although each of the two Jolly Rogers has a distinctly different ambiance, both are “communities” and the Jacksons have promoted activities which draw not only regulars, but people who want to experience the comradery of such events. 

Starr Jackson said that since the pandemic, those gatherings have essentially ceased at the Jolly Roger-East and John’s Landing, but they still continue at the Sports Page which has more expansive quarters. (#2-#5)  

308514632_526974236095181_7011294792121199665_n - sports page

The Jolly Roger at John’s Landing

I was pleased that my Beerchasing companion, Dennis Ferguson, suggested that we try the John’s Landing location and had no idea that he was a regular since he lives in a different part of the City. 

I’ve known Denny since 1979 when he was President of JBL&K Insurance – our employee benefits and insurance broker at the Oregon State Bar.  After he retired from the company, he had a second career as Senior Philanthropic Advisor for the Portland State University Foundation. 

One of my most frequent Beerchasing comrades as you can see from the photos below — we’ve raised mugs at places ranging from the Cheerful Tortoise, Cheerful Bullpen, Yamhill Pub, the Lompoc Tavern, Dockside Saloon and the Leaky Roof – to name just some of the watering holes where he’s joined me.

Denny is probably the most positive and optimistic person I know and a true friend.  For example, when I got to the Dockside Saloon early and told Karen, the server I was meeting him for breakfast, she immediately responded:

“Fergy.” He’s coming in today.  That’s like winning the lottery.”

Dennis Ferguson is so positive that he once started a rigid diet on the day before Thanksgiving.  He is so confident that he fills out his March Madness bracket during football season before basketball has started.  He’s so optimistic that (well, you get the idea…)

(Photos below clockwise – From JBL&K, the Cheerful Tortoise in 2012, the Leaky Roof in 2019 – my 300th watering hole reviewed on this blog), Karen at the Dockside in 2018, the Yamhill Pub in 2015, the Lompoc Tavern in 2015 and the Cheerful Bullpen in 2014).

What’s Not to Like About This Place??

It’s located in a nice, older neighborhood with character, where parking is plentiful (and free) and in a building that also has some interesting history – it used to be one of the two Stanich locations – from 1987 to 2003. 

Note: The eastside Stanich’s also had a colorful history – named by a Thrillist writer in 2017 as making the Best Hamburger in America!  Stanich’s, temporary closed in 2018 – some say caused by the Thrillist story, but most contend, by Nick Stanich’s multiple and complex legal and family problems.

(The bar closed permanently in 2020. Read the fascinating Willamette Week article with the story.) 

Besides the nice external setting, one walks into an upscale, well-lit cafe’-type ambiance with tables and booths of assorted sizes well-spaced and with what appears to be happy and energized patrons seated throughout. 

Starr Jackson and our friendly server, Suzie address the patrons by name – people come back to this place regularly.

The multiple televisions and video poker machines (located in an alcove) don’t interfere with the atmosphere – not the case in many bars in which both are a distraction.  The juke box softly plays a good selection of tunes which enhances the mood. The wood bar is  long and attractive. 

The good news according to a telephone conversation with Starr this week is that they are still investing in the property so they probably aren’t going anyplace….They’re replacing an old garage in the back which provides the storage for the bar.

And speaking of the back of the bar, take a look at their patio and why it is a favorite spot in the neighborhood during good weather.  (#6)

patio (2)

An Example of Community

Shortly, after we sat down for lunch, some older guys walked in incrementally and headed for a long table in the northwest corner.  They were all carrying individual bottles of wine and then ordered lunch which they ate while immersed in conversations. 

Denny told me that Starr let’s these guys bring their own wine in for what is essentially a non-existent corkage fee and they drink it during lunch. 

The last guy to join the five elderly gents was a much younger guy – very tall and athletic – he looked familiar. The younger guy – part of the regular group – is former Portland Trailblazer Center, Steve Johnson. 

Photo Mar 21 2023, 12 56 40 PM (2)

He starred for the “Orange Express” Team at Oregon State which in 1981 went to the second round of the NCAA Division 1 Tournament.

” A 1st Team Consensus All-America and Pac-10 Player of the Year in 1981, Steve was also a three time selection as All Pac-10.  His 746 field goal percentage was an NCAA men’s basketball record until 2017….

Johnson was inducted into the Oregon State University Hall of Fame in 1993 and now the Oregon Sports Hall of Fame in 1995.” (Oregon Sports Hall of Fame)

Steve Johnson played ten years in the NBA for a number of different teams including the Trailblazers before retiring.  The group drank wine and stayed talking until after Denny and I left. (#7 – #8)

The Beer, the Food and the Service

The preponderance of social media reviews are very positive (one misfit complained that he could not see the Trailblazer game on any of the TV’s – this could be construed as prudent censorship….).

Many bars have a limited “pub menu” but the JR is the full-mail deal – a diversified assortment of appetizers, salads, sandwiches, burgers a number of macaroni & cheese options, pizza and full plates which include steak, brisket and fish & chips. 

Don’t forget the expansive breakfast menu (served until 3 PM on Saturday and Sunday) – includes omelets, steak and eggs, biscuits and gravy, and corned beef hash (which is going to get me back there – soon….)

And the prices are really reasonable.   Denny had the cheeseburger for $14.  He’ opted for this menu item every time we’ve Beerchased except one bar at which they didn’t have it available during breakfast!) 

My Taco Tuesday lunch at the Jolly Roger meant three beef tacos for $5. (#8 – #9))

Photo Mar 21 2023, 1 19 05 PM

The Yelp reviews focus on the quality of the food – especially the tacos, burgers and mini-corndogs – the friendly and efficient service and the selection of beers and cocktails.  Take a look at these four from which are very representative:

“I love Jolly Roger! They have great drinks and food. It’s very fresh and so tasty! The bartenders are super friendly and always remember you. Highly recommend!” (3/4/2023)

“I’ve visited this bar a couple times since I moved into the neighborhood and it is an amazing spot! I come here to work on assignments for my fellowship as well as drink and eat with friends. Regardless of why I visit the workers always treat me with kindness and camaraderie. Great selection of beers on tap and yummy food.” (12/5/2021)

“My local watering hole. The staff is phenomenal and the food is delicious!!! They have a big selection of food and drinks. They always have daily deals, which is awesome. The food gets better and better every time I go. There’s a lot of TVs also. I would definitely recommend this place.” (2/13/2019)

“I love this bar!! Great quality food! Amazing service! Feels like a family with all the regulars and being in the middle of a neighborhood! Great safety measures being taken here!”  (8/15/2020)

In my Beerchasing travels the last twelve years, I always appreciate the family-owned operations which understandably tend to have a family-type environments.  The Jolly Roger at John’s Landing epitomizes this. 

Stop by and the second time you go in, Starr will greet you by your first name — and you might even see Denny there eating a cheeseburger!

Photo Mar 21 2023, 11 47 48 AM (2)

The Beerchaser’s recommendation for the Jolly Roger might be summarized by one word:

Aaarghh!

And as pirates say when they toast:

“May your ANCHOR be tight, your CORK be loose, your RUM be spiced and your COMPASS be true.”  (#10)

800px-Dale_Clark_poses_as_Johnny_Depp,_in_Pirates_of_the_Caribbean,_24391

External Photo Attribution

#1.  Sports Page Bar Facebook Page (http://(https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=526974246095180&set=a.526974219428516)  

#2 – #5.  The Jolly Roger  Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10101048170669568&set=t.100000625986101&type=3) 

#6.  Yelp – Back patio (https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/jolly-roger-at-johns-landing-portland-3?select=ZpGOlRyzOucpGzHgUk4MiA)

 #7.   Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Steve_Johnson_OSU.jpg) This work is in the public domain in the United States because it was published in the United States between 1928 and 1977 inclusive without a copyright notice. Source: Oregon State University Yearbook 1977.

#8.  Oregon Sports Hall of Fame (http://oregonsportshall.org/timeline/steve-johnson-basketball/)

#8 #9.  Taco Tuesday (https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/jolly-roger-at-johns-landing-portland-3?select=cXZbVwS4H253G5gsm0UGAg)

#10.    Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piracy#/media/File:Dale_Clark_poses_as_Johnny_Depp)  This work is from the Carol M. Highsmith Archive collection at the Library of Congress. According to the library, there are no known copyright restrictions on the use of this work. Carol M. Highsmith has stipulated that her photographs are in the public domain.

 

Marching in Madness….

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(Welcome back to Thebeerchaser.  If you are seeing this post through an e-mail, please visit the blog by clicking on the title above to see all of the photos and so the narrative is not clipped or shortened.  External photo attribution is at the end of the post. #1)

Beerchasing Miscellany

Those who follow this blog know that periodically I author a post that has nothing to do with bars, breweries or beer – just stuff I see and file away in my cranium short term or longer term in my voluminous files. 

I talked about these files in my two posts entitled “De Files De Files”  My wife of forty-three years is on a campaign to get me to recycle these. 

So here goes…

In the month of March, millions of people crouch for hours around their televisions at home or better yet, at bars and breweries, watching NCAA College Basketball’s March Madness. And this year with the first-round upsets, the term “March Madness“ seems apropos.

When Farleigh Dickenson, (sounds like the protagonist in a William Faulkner novel) beat top-seeded Purdue and after three other major upsets, the NCAA stated that there were no perfect brackets remaining of the 20 million in online games – even President Joe Biden’s – who picked Arizona to win it all.   (WeareIowa.com.)  (#2)

And besides the bedlam that occurred in the games, there were other crazy happenings off the court.  For example, the New York Post and scads of print and broadcast media outlets reported on Hall of Famer Bill Walton’s gaffe during the Arizona vs USC game when he used a derogatory term describing people with dwarfism.

“Little People of America (LPA) called Walton’s use of the term ‘m—-t’ on the mic ‘deplorable and inexcusable’ in a statement to TMZ on Friday.  ‘Those who use the term midget or any terminology that further stigmatizes people born with dwarfism are asked to educate themselves to eradicate this word,’ LPA officials said….The organization also demanded an apology from the former All-Star center.”  (NBA Bleacher Report)

It was insensitive of Walton, but I love the guy.  We had ample experience with the big redhead, when he played for the Portland Trailblazers from 1974-9.  While his brief tenure brought Portland’s only NBA Championship and he was named the 1977 NBA Finals Most Valuable Player, it was often filled with disappointment and controversy.

“During his rookie season he missed 47 of the 82 games because of foot ailments. In his second season, he broke his ankle and missed 31 games. Even in the championship season, he hurt his ankle and missed 17 games. (#2 – #3)

And it did not end well:

“During the off-season, Walton demanded to be traded, citing unethical and incompetent treatment of his and other players’ injuries by the Blazers’ front office. He did not get his wish and sat out the entire 1979 season in protest.” (Wikipedia)

Part of the problem was communication – he had a speech impediment which compounded his physical issues.  And many of his grievances with NBA trainers and doctors have since been validated and experienced by pro athletes in other sports. 

Compounding the problem, he unfortunately alienated many because of what were his personal lifestyle choices and political opinions – which he like any citizen, he is entitled to. For example, he lived within a few blocks of my brother and his wife in West Linn where I now reside. 

It was a big, impressive A-Frame house on the Willamette River located on Nixon Avenue.  In his first year for the Blazers in 1974, given the former President’s recent demise after Watergate, Walton was asked why he chose that street.  He replied something to the effect:

“Well, they didn’t try to impeach the street!”  

I give credit to anyone who works through a problem while also maturing and growing as a person.  From being a semi-recluse because of his stuttering problem, he has become an Emmy-winning broadcaster.  While some can’t tolerate his style, he comes through as jovial, optimistic and knowledgeable about not only sports, but most topics and issues. 

I don’t know if he issued an apology for his recent broadcast error, but he has enough emotional intelligence to know when he’s made mistakes as seen in this 2009 Seattle Times Story https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/nba/nba-tearful-bill-walton-apologizes-to-portland-fans/.

He had returned to Portland to make a speech for the Special Olympics:

“I’m here to try and make amends for the mistakes and errors of the past,’ Walton said. ‘I regret that I wasn’t a better person. A better player. I regret that I got hurt. I regret the circumstances in which I left the Portland Trail Blazers family. I just wish I could do a lot of things over, but I can’t.

So I’m here to apologize, to try and make amends, and to try and start over and make it better…The love they gave me was something I could not return,’ Walton said. ‘And that’s something that will forever be a stain, a stigma, on my soul. I can’t wash it off.’

And he has a great sense of humor.  In a subsequent March Madness game last weekend, he said to his partner, Dave Pasch:

“That’s why I love history, Dave.  It’s been around so long.”

Lunacy or Just Changing Times?

But the madness isn’t just with athletics.  It’s evident in cultural matters, print and broadcast media, academia, medicine, religion, law, et.al.

I was flabbergasted to see a movie review in Portland’s mainstream daily newspaper, The Oregonian entitled:

“Winnie the Pooh Stars in an R-rated Slasher Movie”

The review was about the new British independent film entitled “Winnie the Pooh – Blood and Honey.”   Now if this film has any redeeming social value, how far behind is “Daniel Tiger – Creative Carnivore” or “Little Kitty Decimates Her Litter…..” (#4 – #5)

I felt better after reading the review when I went to the “Non Sequitur” comic strip and an old guy was saying:

“I miss the good old days when I had some semblance of what the hell was going on!” 

Back to Athletics….

I want to address trends in high school sports in a future post, but this one snippet will give you an idea of why I yearn for the good old days.  This March 23 Oregon Live excerpt relates the priorities of the University of Oregon.

“The Oregon Ducks aren’t waiting until Trent Seaborn reaches high school before offering a scholarship….Seaborn, is a 6-foot, 178 pound quarterback for Thompson High School in Alabama and led the school to the Class 7A state title.  Seaborn threw for 1,117 yards, with 15 touchdown passes and three INTs. (#6 – #8)

Now I realize that the Ducks are anxious to pay back the thrashing they got in the 2022 Civil War  come-from-behind victory (38 – 34) by my Oregon State Beavers, but this is somewhat ridiculous.  What if Trent flunks ninth grade? 

And it’s just going to promote more jokes such as I set forth in my blog post last year:

Albert Einstein arrives at a party in Eugene and introduces himself to to the first person he sees and asks, ‘What is your IQ,” to which the man answers, “241.” “Wonderful,” says Albert, ” We will discuss the Grand Unification Theory and the mysteries of the universe.”

Next, he introduces himself to a woman and inquires, “What is your IQ, to which the woman replies, ” 207.” “That’s great,” said the physicist, “We can discuss politics and the scientific implications of world affairs. We’ll have much to discuss.”

He approaches a third person and asks, “What is your IQ,” to which the guy holding a beer, answers, “51.” Einstein ponders this for a micro-second and says, ‘Go Ducks!” 

(#9)

400px-the_oregon_duck_in_2011

Law, Politics and Religion

Perhaps this clip from July 22, 2022, The Week magazine combines a couple of topics which demonstrate the outlandish predicaments we increasingly face:

“A pregnant Texas woman is fighting a $215 ticket by claiming the end of Roe gives her the right to use the HOV lane.  Brandy Bottone says that when officers pulled her over for driving ‘alone’ in the high occupancy vehicle lane, she said that her fetus now counts as a person in Texas, but they ticketed her anyway.  She said, ‘Texas can’t have it both ways.'” 

Science, Technology, Engineering and Fashion

Amazing developments in science and the tech world are also topics I want to address in a future Beerchaser Miscellany post, including the debate about Artificial Intelligence, which scares the heck of of me.

But I take heart in the creativity of university students to mitigate my concern – there’s good with the bad.  Also from The Week magazine (June 3, 2022):

“…a group of students at Johns Hopkins’ Whiting School of Engineering announced the invention of edible adhesive tape to hold messy tacos, burritos and wraps together.”   (#10 – #11)

And speaking of engineering, the weather in Oregon this winter has made me greatly appreciate one everyday device that most of us take for granted – the remote automatic garage door.  Cheers to C.G. Johnson for his 1926 invention.

And Finally

This last anecdote is fictitious, but one I’ve kept in my files for many years with the hope of having a context in which it could be used:

“Dr. Calvin Rickson, a scientist from Texas A & M University, invented a bra that keeps women’s breasts from jiggling, bouncing up and down and prevents the nipples from showing during cold weather.

At a news conference, after announcing the invention, a large group of men took Dr. Rickson outside and kicked the crap out of him…..”  (#12)

Note:  I checked to see if others might have seen info on Dr. Rickson and a Google search reveals 664,000 possible hits with his college noted as Texas A & M, Ohio State and Oxford University!

Cheers

External Photo Attribution

#1.  Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Drum_major_(PSF).png)  This work has been released into the public domain by its author, Pearson Scott Foresman. This applies worldwide.

#2.  Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (File:Bill Walton – Trail Blazers (2).jpg – Wikimedia Commons)  This work is in the public domain in the United States because it was published in the United States between 1928 and 1977, inclusive, without a copyright notice.  NBA Press Photo 1975

#3.  Wikimedia Commons (File:Bill Walton 2022.jpg – Wikimedia Commons)  Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.  Author: Erik Drost 18 February 2022.

#4.  Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (File:Winnie-the-Pooh 156.png – Wikimedia Commons)   This work is in the public domain in the United States because it was published (or registered with the U.S. Copyright Office) before January 1, 1928.  Author: Ernest Howard Shepard (illustrator)   1926.

#5. Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (File:Fred Rogers and Daniel S. Tiger Sightseeing in Soviet Union.jpg – Wikimedia Commons)  This work is in the public domain because it was published in the United States between 1978 and March 1, 1989 without a copyright notice, and its copyright was not subsequently registered with the U.S. Copyright Office within 5 years.  Unknown author May 7, 1988.

#6.  Wikimedia Commons (File:Oregon ducks football unif19.png – Wikimedia Commons)  Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license.  Author: Fernando Martello 21 May 2020.

#7.  Wikimedia Commons (File:377-thumbs-down-1.svg – Wikimedia Commons Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license.  Author: Vincent Le Moign  – 28 April 2018.

#8.  Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:2017-09-09_Oregon_Ducks_vs._Nebraska_Cornhuskers_03.jpg)  Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license.  Author: Kingofthedead – 9 September 2017.

#9.  Wikimedia Commons (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Oregon_Duck#/media/File:The_Oregon_Duck_.jpg) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license.  Author: Ray Terrill – 19 November 2011.

#10.  Wikimedia Commons (File:Sticky tape.jpg – Wikimedia Commons)  Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.5 Generic license.  Author:
André Karwath aka Aka  19 February 2005.

#11.  Wikimedia Commons (File:Burrito, Russia 2.jpg – Wikimedia Commons) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license. Author: К.Артём.1  2014.

#12. Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (File:Bra.jpg – Wikimedia Commons)                   This file is made available under the Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication. Author:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/en:ModeMuseum_Antwerpen  2014.

 

Portland’s Basement Pub – The Finale

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(Welcome back to Thebeerchaser.  If you are seeing this post through an e-mail, please visit the blog by clicking on the title above to see all of the photos and so the narrative is not clipped or shortened.  External photo attribution is at the end of the post. #1)

I recently discovered The Basement Public House –  a wonderful neighborhood bar in SE Portland and in starting to convey the reasons for that evaluation, embarked on two side trips on TheBeerchaser posts:

Initially, I reminisced about five of the Portland  basement bars I’d been to during the eleven years since I started Beerchasing.  https://thebeerchaser.com/2023/02/22/a-cellars-market-of-subterranean-portland-bars-part-1/

That led me to explore other subterranean watering holes – unfortunately none in which I had raised a mug but were interesting:  https://thebeerchaser.com/2023/02/27/down-to-earth-at-the-basement-pub-part-ii/ 

These establishments ranged from two in Germany to a Fort Worth, Texas dive to an upscale joint in Brazil.  

The photos above show a sample of pubs mentioned in these two posts.  (Clockwise – Life of Riley Tavern and the Grand Cafe in Portland; Mary’s Basement in Schwabach, Germany; The Basement English Pub in Blumenau, Brazil and Basement Bar in Fort Worth, Texas.  #2 – #4).

As an aside, according to Wikipedia:

“(Blumenau) has a cultural agenda focused on parties based on the daily life and habits of European immigrants, with emphasis on German heritage, including the second largest Oktoberfest in the world, which takes place during 17 days in October.”

Musical Implications?

Rooftop Bars could generate great tunes such as The Drifters unforgettable “Up on the Roof,“ but there are understandably, not many songs about basements.  I did, however, find one on YouTube entitled “The Basement Song” by a somewhat obscure British indie rock band named The Bluetones.   

And finally, another British group, Basement – stylistically  described as “melodic hardcore punk.”  (#5 – #7)

But Without Further Digression….

Why was I so enamored by Portland’s Basement Public House?  As I stated in the previous posts, while the moniker might connote visions of a dark, musty, cluttered dive bar, The Basement Pub – actually at street level in the basement of an historic home in SE Portland – is like a entering a living room.

A few Yelp reviews below catch the flavor quite well, but the highlights for me were:

It’s clean and there’s a quiet, but upscale ambiance that is comfortable and friendly. The bar is horseshoe shaped and attractive  This is heightened by the affable and competent bartender, Elizabeth, who was there on both of my visits.

Some of the tables have game boards built into the glass tops and there’s also an alcove with gameboards which are used for events such as cribbage contests and Trivia Night. People sit at some of the tables with computers while others are involved in animated conversation both at the bar and at the tables.

There are Christmas-type lights of various colors which provide a nice touch and complement a few old-fashioned neon signs such as one for Rainer Beer.

The don’t offer an expansive tap list, but have a good variety of NW beers with seven  (including PBR) and one cider on tap plus an additional selection of bottles and cans. The prices are very reasonable.

And one of the unique features is an Olympia Beer tap which actually dispenses water for thirsty patrons.

There’s some nice art and photos on the walls – nothing fancy, but the historical photos are interesting.  Two old-fashioned pinball machines contribute to the character as does the expansive, heated patio a few steps from the bar.  

To further my contention that The Basement is not a dive bar I discovered another unique feature in my Beerchasing travels. This is the only watering hole I’ve ever visited where they had a book of matches in the bathroom – a courtesy to subsequent users to mitigate lingering odors.   

I would suggest that no dive bar would ever think of this remedy!

“This place is so authentic that the bathroom even looked like my Grandpa’s basement commode. What a strange trip down memory lane that was.” Yelp 10/26/08

In my reviews, I try to emphasize distinguishing features of each establishment I visit.  Now the aquarium at The Basement Pub was not unique in my experience: however………….

Photo Jan 18 2023, 7 59 49 PM (2)

It’s the only one that I remember besides the epitome of that phenomenon at the Dive Bar in Sacramento we visited in 2016.  Only four blocks from the California Sate Capitol, patrons can see the 40 foot long saltwater aquarium over the long bar.

Dive Bar has a head mermaid and mermaid trainer and you can even hire the mermaids for your own party:

“Stunning Professional Mermaids and Mermen with years of swimming and underwater performance experience are available to enchant your guests with their playful spirits, beautiful acapella siren songs, water performance, prop work and so much more!”  

Check their website: (https://www.gigsalad.com/dive_bar_mermaids_sacramento1)

Fortunately, it appears that the pandemic did not dampen the spirits of the aquatic performers and they are still going strong.  It’s open from 3:00 to 2 AM seven days a week. (#7 – #8)

But I Digressed — Again!

Below are excerpts from a few Yelp Reviews which do a great job of capturing the essence of the The Basement Pub.

“This is the epitome of a perfect neighborhood bar. It’s so comfortable here, the staff is friendly, the back patio is awesome, and the customers sitting out front on warm days just always seem to be so nice and friendly.  When you just want a beer (alone, or with friends), this is your spot. At least its mine.”  (5/11/18)

“Not much to say. This a great local bar with a cool laid back vibe. Not a dive bar in my mind, it’s a kick ass bar!”   9/30/19

“The Basement Pub is a spot you want to go regardless how it feels outside. This is the spot you should be a regular at because of how cool, calm, and collected this pub is. It is LITERALLY a basement in a 4-story home right off of the street.”   10/10/22

Now during good weather, there’s some nice tables in the front, but the heated patio is a great place to relax during any month. (#9)

Beerchasing Companions

Those who follow this blog know that I treasure the get-togethers that Beerchasing provides and The Basement was no exception. 

The first time, I met my former two bosses from the law firm – President, Dave Bartz and Managing Partner, Mark Long.  The three of us served as an Executive Committee for the firm’s Board of Directors.

They were not only distinguished lawyers in their specialties, but had remarkable management instincts – and they complemented each other artfully.  Sharing the leadership of the firm rather than relying on a single chief was an untried concept when they were asked by the firm to accept the positions in 2001.

The length of their tenure in these roles (16 years) belies the respect of their lawyer colleagues and that of all firm personnel.  They are both recently retired and honored with Emeritus status.  (From left: Long, Bartz and Williams)

I enjoyed the first visit so much that I succeeded in putting together a larger group for my  return. This one – five retired friends.  As my acquaintances often remind me, “Dirt, you are still under the curse, ‘May your life be filled with lawyers,'”  since five of the seven on the two visits fit that profile.

Jim Westood – semi-retired lawyer who followers of this blog know is one of the most frequent Beerchasing colleagues and a former Beerchaser-of-the-Quarter. His education, etc. have been well documented in previous narratives.

Larry Frank – retired and a graduate of the University of Iowa and Northwestern School of Law of Lewis & Clark College in Portland. He joined The Standard in Portland in 1988 and was promoted to lead the legal staff of its Insurance Service Group before federal and state regulatory agencies, legislative bodies and industry associations and managed litigation until he retired in 2016.

John Kelly – Educated at Georgetown University and then a masters degree in City and Regional Planning from the Harvard Kennedy School before earning his law degree at Northwestern (Lewis and Clark).

His focus was planning – specializing in land use and transportation. He had stints for the State of Oregon, but much of his career was for consulting firms on highway, streetcar and bus rapid transit projects for ODOT, Metro and TriMet. 

Tom Kelly – Twin brother of John Kelly and his career may best be summed up by this August 2022 headline lead sentence in the Portland Business Journal:

“A Portland Construction Icon is set to Retire……Tom Kelly built the company his father started into a regional powerhouse that’s, by one measure, the country’s largest remodeler of its kind.”

He graduated from the University of Oregon, joined the Neil Kelly company, became owner and retired forty-four years later.

Dr. Doug Walta – I highlighted Doug in a previous blog post.  He received his medical degree at the University of Minnesota and a degree in Health Care Management and Leadership at the Harvard Wharton School and also a Master of Endoscopy. 

He subsequently founded the Oregon Clinic and served as CEO of Clinical Services for Providence Health and Services in Oregon.  He is a pioneer in fiber optics diagnostic techniques. (Clockwise: Williams, Westwood, Walta, Frank, John Kelly and Tom Kelly)

Photo Jan 30 2023, 4 33 45 PM (2)

I might add, one of the refreshing things about being around this group is recognizing the commitment to civic, charitable and professional activities which each one exemplifies.

We must have been a spectacle to the other regulars as we consumed multiple mugs, told stories and bemoaned the advanced state of technology, the challenge of getting to our health clubs and what has happened to our beloved City. 

(We agreed to do it again soon – something which is a good idea given the median age of our group.)

What About the Food?

None of my two groups had food while at The Basement Pub and that factor is not one of its strengths.  It’s essentially limited to Indian food and snacks (pickled vegetables and chips/chutney – each only $3).   You have to like curry as all of the six “small plates” feature it, but they’re only $6 to $8 and served over rice.  

I’m not sure these prices are current as they don’t have a website and their Facebook page has not had a new post since the end of 2021.

The few comments on the food were mostly positive although somewhat dated:

“The menu consists of a few curry and pickle options that are nice for snacking on. Definitely not a dinner destination but this type of small plate spice does pair well with the cold beer.”  Yelp 8/15/19

“The menu is inexpensive and tasty.”  Yelp 3/18/09

“The modest daily food menu serves as a staple for those who just want a snack to continue with the task of drinking or to tide them over until reaching their nights end.” Yelp 2/4/13

I did have to laugh at this one, however:

“This is a decent neighborhood night cap spot, however, smells strongly of curry. (We didn’t experience that.) Last night, I gained the courage to try the illustrious curry and much to my detriment, I can fully say 10/10 would not recommend, unless you’re doing a bowel prep for a colonoscopy the next day.” Yelp 5/10/19

If that had been the case, at least you could use the matches in the bathroom…….

Cocktails

Mixed drinks are definitely an attribute – both quality and price and how about that “Dirty Bird” – (Shot of Old Crow and a Pint of Pabst!)

“The cocktails are affordable, using straight forward, quality, simple ingredients. On happy hour they are great value for money.”  Yelp 8/15/19

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In Conclusion

I loved everything about The Basement Pub and will be returning.  It’s a community and epitomizes the type of establishment which makes this hobby so fulfilling.  Try it!

Cheers

External Photo Attributions

#1.  The Basement Pub Website Photo (http://basementpub.com/?fbclid=IwAR3JVSUJTKFsutTnOuUxsMYg8WaiqNVtaAqWHCL0sAh08j5YjsZgCggmzzk)

#2. ((http://(https://www.facebook.com/Marys.Pub.Team/photos/pb.)

#3.  (https://www.facebook.com/theBasementpub/photos/10159706093652804)

#4. (http://(http://Photo Basement Dive Bar in Stockyards – Review of The Basement Bar, Fort Worth, TX – Tripadvisor)

#5. Wikimedia Commons – Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license.By Sry85 – Own work, CC BY 3.0 (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:The_Bluetones.jpg)

#6.  Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Drifters#/media/File:The_Drifters.png) This advertisement (or image from an advertisement) is in the public domain because it was published in a collective work (such as a periodical issue) in the United States between 1928 and 1977 and without a copyright notice specific to the advertisement.

#7.  Wikimedia Commons  (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basement_(band)#/media/File:Basement)  By Stephanie Hahne – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, (https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=74055061)

#8.  Dive Bar – Sacramento – Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=477376944403648&set=pb.100063940396138.-2207520000.&type=3)

#9.  Dive Bar – Sacramento – Facebook Page  (https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=467811825360160&set=a.467811778693498)

#10.  Yelp Photos (https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/basement-pub-portland-2)

 

Down to Earth at the Basement Pub – Part II

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(Welcome back to Thebeerchaser.  If you are seeing this post through an e-mail, please visit the blog by clicking on the title above to see all of the photos and so the narrative is not clipped or shortened.)

In the last post entitled “A Cellar’s Market of Subterranean Bars,”  I introduced a new bar I discovered and really enjoyed on my two recent visits – The Basement Public House in SE Portland.  It’s actually at street level on SE 12th, but in the basement of an historic house.

Nostalgia beckoned and I then recapped the five favorite subterranean bars I’d visited in the eleven years I’ve been Beerchasing. My digression generated enough words that I had to save the review of the Basement Pub for the next post.

While the watering hole’s moniker might convey the impression of a dive bar, it instead, has the ambiance of a quaint and delightful neighborhood bar – one reason I returned within a week of my first visit.

Elizabeth, the friendly bartender, some nice art and historic photos, a good tap list and an expansive heated patio all make this a bar you should visit..

What’s in a Name?

While I discovered the Basement Pub while driving on a new route in Portland, I often find new establishments by web searches – or at least do some research before I make an initial visit.   A bar or brewery’s website is the best place to start and I also try to get a feel based on customer reviews in social media – while realizing some of these reviews are written by idiots……

The problem with using the the purported link to Portland’s Basement Pub’s website is, for some reason, it takes you to an Online Pharmacy page – and the page is filled with Viagra ads.  It includes what I guess are derivatives such as Lovegra, Vigora, Revatio, etc. – for males and females including handy “Weekend Packs.” 

Further research revealed Viagra is the generic name for Sildenafil. I noted that the potential side effects i.e. headaches, heartburn, and flushed skin can also result from too many beers.  (External photo attribution at end of post #1)

The molecular structure of Viagra (in case you’re interested…..

Not to further digress  (that’s what I do since I’m retired and not on a deadline) but this made me wonder what was the proper nomenclature for searching on other subterranean bars. 

For example, searching the Web on “Basement Pubs” or “Basement Bars” would take you to sites such as a chain of eight Basement Sports Bar and Grills in Ohio including Cuyahoga Falls, Akron and Sagamore Hills.  One review summed it up stating:

“Well, don’t come here expecting a 5 star fine-dining experience, but if you want good bar food and a good beer selection, this is your place.”

Or there’s Basement – in the heart of Chinatown in New York City: “Not bad! Edgy and younger crowd of people.”

Now if you want a western flavor, how about the Basement Bar in the stockyards of Forth Worth, Texas which one 2017 Trip Advisor review titled, “Crude but Fun” and explaining:

“They have a toilet you can’t defecate in according to the sign, a naked lady painted on a door, 2 dollar Keystones, live music, tons of smoke…it’s a total dive bar that had a great vibe and we had a ton of fun. I would recommend if my first sentence didn’t scare you away.”

(Photos #2 – 7 Counter clockwise – The Basement Sports Bar and Grill – Ohio – first two; Basement – New York City; The Basement Bar – Fort Worth; ; The Basement Bar – Fort Worth; Basement – New York City)

How About Internationally?

While I know I’m getting carried away, I just want to finish this side trip by telling you about The Basement Pub in Rome:

“Cozy and modern craft beer pub and cocktail bar in the heart of the very central area Prati, just 400 meters from the Vatican. We offer a wide variety of bottled and draft craft beers, both Italian and international, combined with world-famous draft Guinness”

It even gets rave reviews including this one from a Spokane guy named Darien in 2022:

“The Basement is by far the best bar experience I have had during my time studying abroad here in Rome! It’s a great place to hangout and meet new people. Of all the nights that I have spent here I have never had a negative experience. The staff continues to go above and beyond!”

Okay, but what about South America – Brazil to be specific – where the Basement English Pub is waiting:

“The Basement is a beautiful English pub located in a historic basement in the center of Blumenau. Its original stone walls are complemented by lots of wood, a long bar and leather sofas, typical elements of the most traditional English pubs.”

(#8-12 Clockwise – first two – Basement Pub – Rome – remainder – Basement English Pub – Brazil)

I’m Forgetting Germany!

I then remembered that I hadn’t looked for any basement bars in Germany – where beer is a major part of the culture.  If anyone could tell me where to find a great brewery or bar regardless of whether it was above or below ground, it’s Rich Carbonara – who owns a great enterprise named Beerwanders.

I’ve never met Rich in person, but “talk” with him regularly through e-mail and our mutual blogs (his can be found at https://www.beerwanderers.com).  When my wife and I return to Europe, we will definitely take one of Rich’s tours.  As he states on his website:

“Much of the information on these small breweries and the trail networks that link them is nearly always in German and I’ve been busy translating it into English as a hobby of sorts.

I thought it was a shame not to share it with others who might be intrigued by the idea of an invigorating walk in nature that ended in a great local meal washed down with a beer brewed by the same family for hundreds of years.”

He’s also written an interesting book – especially if you’re heading for Germany – Beerhiking Bavaria.  (#13 -15)

Beerwanders  had forty-three reviews on Trip Advisor – all 5.0’s and this one is typical:

“Had a great day hiking and drinking beer with friends. Rich was the perfect guide and we all had a great laugh. Amazing traditional beer gardens and stunning Bavarian countryside, what more could you ask for! I highly recommend this tour. Don’t think about it….just book it, you’ll have the best time.”

BW-header-images3-scaled

In the press to get this post finished, I didn’t have time to check with Rich, but I found two – Mary’s Basement Irish Pub in Schwabach – only about one hour and forty-five minutes from where Rich lives in Munich and the Irish Pub which is evidently in the basement of the Europa Center in Berlin.

Unfortunately, it appears that Mary’s closed several years ago although it was evidently a rockin’ place with live music and a robust crowd as described by one reviewer in Restuarant Guru who gave it a five-star rating and enthusiastically stated:

“I can absolutely recommend this establishment for nightly puking on the lawn. Would do it again. 5/5” (#16 – 17)

It’s interesting that the majority of the basement bars I found outside the US had Irish Themes and that was true of the Irish Pub in Berlin which brags:

“Guinness & cocktails, plus Irish pub food like baked potatoes, in a buzzy space with live music. Here you will find original Irish culture with tradition.  These include live music every night, sports broadcasts on big screens and flat screens, Guinness on tap, Kilkenny, Magners, Cider, Pub Grub and much more……

According to the motto ‘COLD BEER – WARM HEARTS’, young and old of all nations will find a place for communication in a natural Irish pub atmosphere and the Irishman a piece of home.”

Several reviewers such as this one on Trip Advisor  commented on the length of the bar:

“Came in on a weeknight in January for a pint. They place was pretty busy. I still managed to find a seat at Berlin’s longest beer bar.”

Ending on a Downer….

I would be remiss in not mentioning that anyone searching for Basement Bars could locate thousands throughout the US where enterprising beer lovers create their own “alcoholic ‘man’ caves.”  A great example is this one where an article in an Irish magazine website states:

“Homesick Irishman Builds Irish Pub in the Basement of his US Home”

Baltimore couple, Jim and Kate Phelan moved from Ireland in 2008, missed their homeland and created an amazing nook in their basement – “Phelan’s Irish Pub.”   It even has a Facebook Page.

“Complete with a distinctive red and green colour scheme, bar stools, dartboard, pool table, and a vast range of beers, stouts, and spirits on offer, you’d be forgiven for thinking you had walked into an Irish bar in the heart of Ireland.”

And with only a lukewarm apology because I’ve had a lot of fun on this excursion off the main topic – Portland’s wonderful Basement Public House.  But stay tuned to the next post and I promise……..(just remember not to try their website to see a photo!)

348s pdx

Cheers

External Photo Attribution

#1.  Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons ((Sildenafil-from-xtal-3D-balls – Sildenafil – Wikipedia) This work has been released into the public domain by its author, Benjah-bmm27. This applies worldwide.  Author:  Ben Mills 6 June 2008.

#2 – 3. (http://Photo https://thebasementbars.com/)

#4.  (https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/basement-new-york-4?select=ofTM4-Sg0mzaFU2mMWXC8A)

#5.  (http://Photo Basement Dive Bar in Stockyards – Review of The Basement Bar, Fort Worth, TX – Tripadvisor)

#6.  (https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g55857-d5834479-Reviews-The_Basement_Bar-Fort_Worth_Texas)

#7.  (https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/basement-new-york-4?select=qcHyTthBV2kujie2tmRdyg)

#8  (http://View of the center of the restaurant. (yelp.com))

#9.  (http://The Basement – Pub. Cocktail Bar. Events. (Rome) – All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (tripadvisor.com))

#10 -12.  https://www.facebook.com/theBasementpub/photos/10159706093652804)

#13 – 15. (https://www.beerwanderers.com)

#16 -17.  (http://(https://www.facebook.com/Marys.Pub.Team/photos/pb.)

#18 – 19. (http://IRISH PUB, Berlin – Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf (Borough) – Restaurant Reviews, Photos & Phone Number – Tripadvisor)

#20.  (https://www.irishpubberlin.de/galerie)

#21 – 22. Phelans Irish Pub (http://Facebook

.

A “Cellars” Market of Subterranean Portland Bars – Part 1

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In the twelve years I’ve pursued the perfect watering hole on Thebeerchaser Blog, I only remember five of the approximately 425 I’ve visited and reviewed, that were “subterranean” venues in which to raise a mug.  

That is, until I recently unearthed The Basement Public House – close-in on the SE side of Portland.  I was so captivated by this pub after my first trip in mid-January, that I followed up two weeks later with a second visit.  Usually my return trip takes longer. The bar is shown above with my former Schwabe Williamson & Wyatt law firm colleague Mark Long at the entrance.

Now there are certainly additional basement bars I haven’t discovered, but for historical context, the five other “sunken” establishments in which I’ve Beerchased – all in Portland, include:

Joe’s Cellar in NW Portland – One month after I commenced this journey in 2011, https://thebeerchaser.com/2011/09/17/step-up-to-joes-cellar/  I discovered this Portland dive.  As I pointed out in the post, Joe’s is actually at street level, but the entrance looks like one is entering a cavern and both the ambiance and the name fit.

I quoted Davy Jones, lead singer for the Monkees, when he observed decades earlier, “You can (have me sing) in the basement or the penthouse; it doesn’t matter to me.”  I would suggest the same can be asserted about drinking beer. 

The Yard House in downtown Portland’s Central Business District, before it closed permanently, was located in the basement of a high-rise office building.  The title of my post asks, “The Yard House – Does it Measure Up?”  It definitely did not!   

One enters through a sterile, corporate-looking lobby to be greeted by a young, smiling hostess.  She walks you down steps to the bar area.  The establishment – part of a national chain – is owned by the same corporation as the Oliver Garden Restaurants.

p1040028-e1459642208599 (2)

Although it did not have shrimp alfredo, ravioli or garlic bread on the menu, it did have100 beers on tap.  And one could buy “a yard of beer” (32 ounces) in an incredible glass. (Beerchaser of the Quarter, Jim Westwood is trying to polish one off below and then asked if they also had “meters of beer.”

The ambiance was that of an Applebee’s or a suburban branch of Citibank” although at the latter you’d have to get a time certificate of deposit instead of a pint of IPA….

Mummy’s – Closed permanently during the pandemic, this venerable subterranean bar and grill I described in my title as “A (Buried) Portland Treasure.”   It was only two blocks from my Portland law office downtown.   A Portland Mercury article aptly described it:

“(We) descended to a ‘mysterious and venerable place.’ True to its name, Mummy’s is filled with Egyptian artifacts much like you’d find in an actual crypt.  (It’s) weird, tomb-like, but lovable space.” 

The Grand Cafe – Before it closed in about 2015, this was one of the most fascinating cellar bars in the City – partly because of the persona of the owner – Frank Peters.  ” Frank the Flake” is a former bar(s) owner, former college basketball star at Oregon State, former professional player and manager for the legendary Portland Mavericks baseball team and  former candidate for Governor of Oregon.

He is also a former inmate of the Oregon State Prison. 

After spending 30 months in prison – six of it in the Multnomah County Justice Center in Portland – he had to rebuild his life from scratch. He performed his community service at the Washington Park Zoo, shoveling elephant manure. 

In 1994, the Grand Café held a karaoke contest judged by the Honorable Steven Gallagher – the same judge who sentenced Peters to prison.

The original incarnation of The Grand was known as The Union Avenue Social Club (UASC). It dates back to 1926 when “The Club” was at the corner of Union Ave and SE Russell St. and was probably a speakeasy.   After Prohibition, it moved from Union Ave to the site on Grand Avenue in a building which is over 100 years old. 

You should read Thebeerchaser post which has the details of Peter’s amazing and, at times, unbelievable history, including some excerpts from the book he wrote while in prison.

Thanks to a request from his long-term friend and former Beerchaser-of-the- Quarter Jack Faust, shown in the photo above, he opened early one afternoon in 2013.

The book includes the account of his formation of The Götterdämmerung Society for the purpose of having the inmate members watch Richard Wagner’s Opera, “Ring of the Nibelung.”  He promoted the event in the prison newsletter.

It also relates why Frank asserted that he went to prison on a “softball scholarship”:

“An immense Black inmate said, ‘Hey Peters, remember me, you kicked me out of your club. You sure are white.’ ‘Well,’ I say, ‘I’ve been kicked out of my own club so don’t feel bad.’

‘Frank, I would like to ask you to do something for us, but I don’t know how to ask. …O.K., O.K. – Frank, will you play softball for us?  We are in third place, and our goal is to make the playoffs.  We are the Marauders, sponsored by the Lifers….’  

I…..made my decision on the spot.  I played for the Marauders.  We won the second half and made the playoffs”

baseball card schwabe (2)

Frank gave us an exclusive tour of both expansive floors of The Grand explaining the scads of photos and memorabilia from his past athletic and professional exploits. 

The basement was devoted to one of its traditions – Salsa Dancing and Andrea’s Cha Cha Club Wednesday through Saturday nights.  Our tour concluded with a salsa dance lesson.  “We sell Fun,”  Peters informed us, “And salsa dancing is not defined by age.” 

Life of Riley Tavern –  This bar in the Pearl District of Portland has two floors.  I went with six lawyers in the Schwabe Tax and Estate Planning Group and one of their secretaries.  They’re some of the smartest people I know.  All the lawyers – besides their law degrees – have Masters in Taxation.   

We had a delicious lunch on the first floor and a lot of fun while we ate, although to many people, the terms “Tax lawyer” and “Fun” might seem like a contradiction in terms.

The basement, however, really defines the bar.  As I stated in my 2016 blog post:

“One walks down the battered steps into an intriguing, dark basement space with just a few small windows – it reminded me of the fallout shelters the government promoted when I was a kid.  (They also told us with sincerity during drills that we should assume a position under our desks in order to avoid the impact of a nuclear warhead…..)

It’s full of dark wood furniture, pool tables, and the bartender serves a cucumber gin and tonic that will really make you think about ordering quite a few gin and tonics.  The billiards, shuffleboard, and darts in the basement are free.”

 

And before I close with a teaser about The Basement Pub, I think it appropriate to talk about my one Beerchasing experience that was the total converse of cellar bars. That was the Schilthorn Taverne at the 9,700 foot level of the Schilthorn in Switzerland.

We ascended the Schilthorn, by two separate tramways that took us to the top of the 9,744 foot mountain. It is one of the highest peaks in the Bernese Alps.  The James Bond movie, “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service”, was filmed at the top.  And the tavern is just below the summit.

Stay Tuned for More on The Basement Public House

While a number of my favorite dives or breweries have closed, I’m constantly coming across low-profile but fascinating bars that propel me onward.  Such was the case with the Basement Pub, which I happened to see out of the corner of my eye while driving a new route in SE Portland.

It was described in a Google search as:

“Dimly lit lounge & hangout featuring a card-game league, board games, trivia & a low-key vibe.”

My first thought was, “How could I have missed what seems like a great dive bar?”  But although the title and the outward appearance lead one to think that this place is a “classic dive”  (not that there’s anything wrong with that!) it’s actually a quaint and delightful neighborhood pub with a friendly staff and some nice features that drew me back.

You’ll read the details of my two visits and why you should try this bar in my next post.

There’s no “down-side” to this bar!

Cheers!