Thebeerchaser Does Eastern Oregon – Part 1

Posted on November 4, 2013 by Thebeerchaser

Granite – one of the stops in the Eastern Oregon Beerchaser Tour

After visiting pubs in six European countries on a 21-day Rick Steves’ Best of Europe Tour this summer, a return to basics was in order. What better description of “basics” could one devise than a four-day road trip through Eastern Oregon – visiting taverns, pubs and bars along the way. (This post is the first of three installments…)

Historic beauty along the highway

Psyched to start our 1,300 mile journey

Thus, three of us – Thebeerchaser, brother-in-law, Dave Booher and Pendleton teacher and coach, Steve Larson, completed a 1,346 mile four-day trip in August.

We camped three nights and stayed at the wonderful Diamond Hotel, in Diamond, Oregon on the fourth. Diamond, with a population of five, is so small that the “Welcome To” and “Come Again” signs could be on the same telephone pole. Anyone who has not experienced this historic inn, should make it a bucket-list item.

As one can see from the map, we circled through the “God’s Country.”

The Route - From Prinevill on the West to Baker on the East - Diamond in the South and ending at Pendleton (North)

The Route – From Prineville on the West to Baker on the East – Diamond in the South and ending at Pendleton (North) – 1,346 miles in 4 days.

This trip was a great opportunity to either visit or photograph some of the colorful and historic local watering holes that are institutions in cities such as Prineville, LaGrande, Baker, Fossil, Burns, John Day, Mitchell and Sumpter.

Solstice – Prineville’s only brewery

Prineville

Solstice Brewery – Solstice celebrated its second anniversary in July and with a play area for tots (which we did not try) is a family oriented venue. Shelby, our waitress, was friendly and helpful as was the owner, Joe, who told us it was the only brewery in Prineville and that they have a five-barrel capacity.

Shelby and Dave with Thebeerchaser Logo

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The Bar at Solstice

They bought their five-barrel brew kettle from Terminal Gravity Brewery in Enterprise. Their beer was good and we tried the War Paint Red Ale, Show-me-the-Honey Wheat Ale and Walton Lake Lager, three of six Solstice’s own brews. We also had a good Sunday lunch.

The Horseshoe – Established in the 1940’s

Horseshoe Tavern – Just up the street from Solstice on Prineville’s Main Street we met native Pennsylvanian, Heather, the bartender, who did a great job filling us in on the history of the bar, which is over 70 years old – a fact substantiated by the picture of the original owner, Howard Bose, on opening day.

Horseshoe Founders in 1940

Heather told us that her most challenging customers were the off-duty state troopers, who made the trucker patrons look tame.

They have seven beers on tap and we enjoyed the Bombshell Blonde from Cascade Lakes Brewery in Redmond. This review from “Urban Spoon” summed up the Horseshoe pretty well, “Good food, huge portions.$1 beer, friendly staff. What more could you want?”

Heather at the Horseshoe

Heather convinced Thebeerchaser to have an “Angry Balls” cocktail which is Angry Orchard Hard Cider (5% alcohol) and a drop of Fireball. It was very good although evoked no emotional or physical reaction implied by the name.

LaGrande

The Hideout Saloon – Our next stop was in “downtown”, LaGrande, where Cindy, the gregarious bartender who has worked at the Hideout for ten years, hailed from the Land of Sky Blue Waters as did the “Beer-of- the-Day” – a draft Hamm’s.

Thebeerchaser “hiding out…”

Cindy briefing Dave on the Hideout

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Cindy didn’t know exactly when the bar started operating, but said without equivocation, “It’s older than anybody here.”

Old Testament Vintage

We noted that a number of patrons – other than ourselves – reminded us of some of the Old Testament characters so we knew the bar was old.

Because they had cheap PBR and Dave was in a nostalgic mood, he harkened back to his days in the Navy’s Submarine Service and used the phonetic alphabet and ordered a “Papa – Bravo – Romeo,” which Cindy understood.

The LongBranch Saloon – Just down the street, we discovered our final LaGrande bar – one that had no lack of character and ambiance. Patsy, the bartender didn’t know how old the bar was, but said that her grandmother worked there at one time.

Barbed-wire sculpture added to the atmosphere

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One young guy came in and she asked for his ID which he didn’t have. He left – came back and showed his ID – then just got a glass of water….! The Long Branch also has a quant diner attached that looked like it was from the 1950’s.

Straight from the 1950’s..

We then debated where we should camp that evening. Steve advocated flexibility, but I told him, “Spontaneity on this trip takes a lot of planning…”

We stopped at the Dairy Queen in John Day to assess our options, while I had a chocolate malt, Dave a Dilly Bar and Steve a DQ Sundae. We couldn’t figure out why Dave told the Drive-thru waitress to make sure that our orders were “To Go.”

Unity Lake at Sunset

We headed east on Highway 26 and about half way between John Day and Sumpter, we ended up at one of Oregon’s wonderful State Parks – Unity Lake State Recreation Site.

“Camping” may be a stretch to describe our accommodations because we stayed in a cabin with bunks, but as you can see from the photos, it was a perfect ending to a day of exploration.

A toast to God’s Country!

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A Tribute

And this post should end with a short tribute to the man who instilled my appreciation of God’s Country when I was in my teens and he was a carpet salesman for Mohawk Carpets.

My Dad – F. Duane Williams – on whom we lovingly bestowed the moniker, “FDW”, grew up on the East Coast and thanks to his courage and that of my mom (Frannie), we moved to Oregon from Ohio in 1960 after a three-month camping trip (a VW bus hauling a Nimrod pop-up-tent trailer) across the US. We missed three + weeks of school in the fall because FDW wrote the superintendent of schools that we were getting an outstanding education on the road.

FDW in God’s Country

We all fell in love with Oregon on the trip and FDW quit his job and moved to Portland while Frannie sold the house and then drove the four kids across the country to our new home in Oregon City. From that point on, FDW was imbued with “The spirit of high adventure.”

FDW and his VW

Although he did not make much in commissions from his Eastern Oregon territory, he loved the trips. From the geology to mingling with his dealers such as Doc Mosier of Mosier’s Home Furnishings in John Day – founded in 1955 and now operated by Doc’s son he relished the adventure.

I still have a personally autographed copy of famous Oregon cattleman, Herman Oliver’s autobiography, Gold and Cattle Country, with whom my dad had many visits in Grant County.

And no trip was complete without navigating a little-used Forest Service road in his VW Bus. (We once spent the night sleeping in the VW when we took the wrong turn got stuck on a new spur in the Mt. Emily Road and had to be pulled out the next morning by a bulldozer that was excavating for the new road!)

Slabtown – A “Slice” of Portland History

Posted on October 21, 2013 by Thebeerchaser

An important institution in an historic neighborhood

After six posts on pubs and taverns in Europe based on our Rick Steves’ Best of Europe Tour, Thebeerchaser takes comfort in returning home – to the roughly 700 watering holes in Portland. And what better way to regain the origins of this blog than reviewing a Portland classic dive bar – Slabtown.

External character in a manner of speaking

As evidence of its status, it is the only bar other than the recently Beerchaser reviewed Slammer Tavern (September 2013) that has been named one of the favorite bars in the ”hallowed” – at least in my eyes because of its value as a reference source – Willamette Week Drink Guide (Favorite Bars) for the last six years.

And as we walk you through our visit to this NW Portland institution, we will provide some highlights from the WW past reviews:

2013 – “Old-school rock and roll venue, Slabtown is, as ever, a play-town for putative grown-ups (with occasional all-ages shows served up from the back entrance) with pinball, air hockey, Skee-ball and Pop-a-Shot.”

: Old School venue with traditional bar competition – Air Hockey, etc.

I was pleased to have Portland lawyer, Scott Whipple, a Beerchaser regular and esteemed graduate of Iowa’s Grinnell College (where they still talk about his accomplishments on the basketball court) accompany me both to this bar and our second stop that night at the Skyline Tavern.

: Fred and Scott – A character in a bar with character(s)

We sat at the bar next to a great old guy with a white beard, overalls and a baseball cap named Fred, who while I talked to the friendly bartender, Dave, wanted to engage Scott on topics such as “quality trading” in the stock market, World War II and the global economy. Ben, another quality barkeeper who has worked there for 4 1/2 years was there working with Dave on my second visit.

Two Class A Bartenders – Dave and Ben with Thebeerchaser Logo

Dave was very helpful, has worked there for 18 months, is a Wilson High graduate and the grandson of John Howard, the former and very well-regarded President of Lewis and Clark College.

2011 – “….Slabtown has changed, man. But don’t freak out – it has changed for the better.

The owners booted the video poker machines for more pinball and video games (this place is like a Chuck E. Cheeses for adults) upgraded the sound system a bit and incorporated a wider range of music into the schedule….The building seems further from collapse than ever before….”

Old style pinball machines replaced Video Lottery — Good Move!!

Distinguishing Characteristics

Its History – Slabtown has been around since the ‘70’s under three different owners It was originally a strip club and was also known as “Cal’s Fort.” It has an interesting “altar” near the entrance, paying tribute to fabled rock musicians Wendy O’ Williams and Freddie Mercury. The bar was also used as a set for two scenes from the “Portlandia” show.

The “altar” at the entrance.

The Slabtown neighborhood is also one of Portland’s most historic neighborhoods and oozes with history as evidenced by this excerpt from the July 13, 2013 The Oregonian

“For a century, Wallace Park was the site of trading for Native Americans, (Tracy) Prince writes in “Portland’s Slabtown.” The book (published by Arcadia Press) traces the Slabtown neighborhood’s history……when Native Americans outnumbered white settlers 1,000 to 275, through its blue-collar decades, and into its current “Trendy-third” reputation for its Northwest 23rd Avenue boutiques…..

It was a working-class neighborhood home to marginalized groups — Native Americans, Chinese and European immigrants, gypsies, and black Portlanders.”

Timber is a key to the “roots” of Slabtown.

Why the name “Slabtown? “….back in the industrial days of lumber milling, the slabs of the rounded tree edges made good fuel and were to be found all over this area.” (KGW.com 9/7/2010). The slices of wood piled up at the George Weidler Lumber Mill on NW Northrup Street commencing in the 1870’s.

The Menu – It’s entirely vegan since last June! This is the first time Thebeerchaser has encountered this situation although it was not a problem. Neither Scott nor I could tell the difference between the excellent large order of vegan french fries we had that night versus what we are used to……..

A very positive change initiated in July 2012 was the introduction of Falafel to their kitchen with a new chef. You can see the reviews are superb:

Yelp 6/6/13: “Dive BAR! but right now they are renting the kitchen out to an amazing FALAFEL CHEF… So good you must try…”

: Although a limited menu, the food gets high marks.

Yelp 5/9/13: “Best falafel sandwich I’ve had in Portland and quite surprising to find it at a dive bar.”

Yelp 10/12/13: “Lover’s of delicious food: this is a serious find. It is a serious dive……But the people who make the falafel are serious about their craft. I’ve never had a better gyro, and I’ve been to Greece and eaten them there, so I feel like I am qualified to speak to Gyro power.”

Drum sticks and guitar strings – A unique feature

The Vending Machines – It may well be that Slabtown is the only bar in Portland where one can purchase both guitar strings and drumsticks (not the kind one eats) from a vending machine.

You can also see Scott waiting in anticipation at the kissing booth, which, understandably, did not get any participants when we were there. There are also a number of old classic pinball machines, air hockey and skee-ball and Pop-a-Shot that did see a lot of action.

: “Better not give up your day job, Scott.”

2010 – “…You can order a basket of French fries and play pinball for three hours and no one is going to try to grab your boobs…”

Pop-a-Shot – The score reflects Whipple regressing to his college days at Grinnell…

But perhaps the machine that ended up with more than several of our dollars in its belly, was Pop-a-Shot.

Scott immediately gravitated to the machine and we played no less than five games in which he marginally came out on top in four of them. Scott sang the Grinnell Fight Song as he shot. After we went back into the bar, Dave the bartender, said to me, “He’s a competitive guy, isn’t he?” (If you only knew, Dave….)

As a Concert and Performance Venue – When I asked Dave and Ben how they would best describe Slabtown i.e. Dive Bar, Neighborhood Bar, Music Venue, Ben stated, “It’s something different to each person and can be each of those.” Dave, however, chose the Performance Venue option because of the history and the percentage of the bar’s receipts resulting from these shows.

Indeed, check out the calendar on the Slabtown Website or Facebook page – a full calendar with different types of music – live and otherwise – some with cover charge – some free – almost every night. They also have all-ages shows to open it up for more patrons and obviously, closely control the alcohol for underage folk. Also Bingo and Industry Night events on Tuesdays.

2008 – “….Slabtown strikes a near perfect balance between style and scum with dirty rock and plenty of breathing room to relax over cheap food and plentiful beer…A fine after-work drinking spot if there ever was one.”

Scott at the “Bar” – making a closing argument to himself

As a sign by the entrance said at one time, “This isn’t the Pearl – It’s Slabtown! You’ve been warned.”

So noted! And that’s a good thing. Check them out while you have a gyro….

Slabtown 1033 NW 16th

The Beerchaser Goes International – The Final Chapter

Posted on October 9, 2013 by Thebeerchaser

The Arc de’ Triomphe

After leaving the wonderful Cinqua Terra on the Mediterranean Coast of Italy, we headed for the final two stops on our Rick Steves’ 21-Day Best of Europe Tour. From Italy, we hit Beaune, France for a night followed by the last two of our trip – Paris.

Tasting at the Bouchard Aîné & Fils cellars

Beaune (pronounced “bone”) is a delightful and historic city of about 25,000 people in eastern France, right in the wine capital of Burgundy. The city still has a good portion of the wall, ramparts and moats constructed during the Roman era to protect it. Although my preference was obviously beer, we had a very interesting tour of Bouchard Aîné & Fils cellars – one of the many located in and around the city and established in 1750. .

We also visited the Hospice de Beaune, a charity hospital built in the 15th century after the devastating Hundred Years’ War and the Plague left more than 90 percent of the town’s population destitute .

I then ventured into a majestic cathedral right across the street from our hotel – which turned out to be Notre-Dame de Beaune – one of the largest Romanesque churches in Burgundy. It dates to the 12th century and was not completed until the 1600’s and has marvelous tapestries from the 1500’s inside.

The majestic Notre-Dame de Beaune

Notre-Dame de Beaune – dates from the 12th Century

Unfortunately, we left early on a Saturday morning when the merchants of Beaune were just setting up the notable food market which features cheese, wine, fruits and other delicacies from all over Burgundy.

Before an excellent dinner, we had a beer in one of the most delightful pubs we encountered on the trip – The Publican. Unlike my experience in Paris the next day, the bartender was very friendly and spoke excellent English. (I considered myself to be bilingual because I knew how to say “hello” in French.)

A wonderful little pub….

Nice selection of beers and great atmosphere at The Publican.

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They had a nice selection of beers and a great little deck where we joined a number of other patrons and enjoyed the afternoon.

We concur with this excerpt from a Yelp review in late 2012:

“Best bar in town!” The owner is great. The prices are perfect …The seating is all couches and nice chairs, very comfortable! Very English friendly but we also saw a number of local youth (18-25 years old). The wine they serve is from the owner’s in-laws and very good for the price. We didn’t have any food, but the meat and cheese plate looked good.”

Cathedral of Notre Dame de Paris

The bus driver, as we arrived in Paris, gave us a quick tour, of sorts, through the city. Seeing the Eifel Tower, the Seine River and the Arc de Triomphe was amazing – as was our subsequent tour of the Louvre, Notre Dame Cathedral and the incredible Church of Sainte-Chapelle.

The magnificent stained glass of the Chapelle de Saint

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I found another amazing cathedral – this one the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral – established in 1861 and the first Russian Orthodox place of worship in Paris.

The Russian Orthodox Cathedral

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And while we really enjoyed Paris, Thebeerchaser had his only negative experience in a Parisian bar after visiting over sixty in America and six European countries since I started this blog in 2011 – a validation of the stereotype of rude and snobbish French servers and a justification for presenting this bad bar joke before I relate my experience:

A Frenchman with a parrot perched on his shoulder walks into a New York bar:

Bartender: “Wow, that’s really neat! Where did you get him?”

Parrot: “In France. They’ve got millions of them……”

: Millions of Frenchmen available….

Thebeerchaser is Chastised!

Our hotel was only one block off the famed Champs-Elysees – one of the world’s most famous boulevards. The night before, I saw a pub with the inauspicious name “The Beer Station” only about two blocks from our hotel and I took a picture of the sign on the outside.

After visiting the Russian Cathedral, I decided to take a picture of the interior on my way back even though I did not have time for a beer – I wanted to at least mention one bar in Paris.

The Beer Station – not one of Paris’ finer bars..

So on a late Sunday afternoon, I popped in and took a quick photo of the bar which had about four patrons sitting at it. After I left, the bartender came running out yelling, “Monsieur, Monsieur, you did not ask permission to take this photo.”

I explained what I was doing and showed him the two pictures – one of their sign and one of the bar with its beer taps. In righteously indignant and broken English, he informed me that he wanted me to delete the picture of the bar. Rather than argue – I did.

Everything turned out fine, because I walked a block to the La Vin Couer – a classy bar and one in which the bartender and his staff were more than happy to pose for a Beerchaser picture.

La Vin Couer – A classy alternative to The Beer Station – and friendly!

It made me wonder why the bartender was so prissy about pictures which admittedly did include a few patrons. I assumed, however, that an important corporate officer or high-ranking politician who did not want to be seen at a bar would patronize a place other than one called “The Beer Station.”

Then it occurred to me that a bar with this moniker only one block off the classy Champs-Elysees is tantamount to Leonardo de Vinci, naming the subject of his famous work – “Gertrude.”

De Vinci’s Mona Lisa at the Louvre – did not name his famous work “Gertrude”

And after reading this April 2012 Yelp review, it made me think that I was better off skipping The Beer Station anyway:

“What you see is what you get.

Eating here was not a highlight of my recent trip to Paris. It was raining, I was tired, so we decided to find a place near the hotel to eat. This place filled that void. We had below average food and wine at a below average price.”

And the bar down the street – La Vin Couer was classy and favorably reviewed in this December 2012 Yelp review excerpt:

“This seems to be an ‘in’ place with the crowd as it is relatively close to the Arc de Triomphe… It is a popular place. They were very pleased that we asked “Parlez vous Anglais?” even though they spoke perfect English – just made mention that it was nice that we even inquired! Food was very good and prices were reasonable – for Paris…Good sized servings, good taste, easy access…… “

And so ended our outstanding 21-day Rick Steves’ Best of Europe Tour – one that we would strongly recommend for anyone making their first trip to Europe. We saw majestic scenery, living history, met wonderful people and visited a few great bars.

We will return. Thanks Rick Steves!

That said, it will be nice to return to Portland and the comforting ambiance of the Barmuda Triangle…! Stayed tuned for our next review of Slab Town in NW Portland.

Beerchaser of the Quarter – George M. (Jud) Blakely III

Posted on September 16, 2013 by Thebeerchaser

“Each person confronts war and copes with it in his own way… but all of us are bound up in its common tragedy. We feel its futility more keenly because we also sense its damning persistence as a part of the human condition. It is a symbol and a symptom of humanity’s failure to understand itself. (Jud Blakely, 1967)

In 1967, I was going to fraternity house dances, keggers and football games (watching the OSU Giant Killers) – enjoying life at Oregon State University. Most Americans were preoccupied with their own pursuits, while 8,000 miles away in SE Asia, our fellow citizens were serving in the Viet Nam War.

Recent world events and an evening I spent in late August with two gents who I consider to be outstanding citizens and heroes, compelled me to dedicate this post as a small tribute to them almost fifty years later. You can join Thebeerchaser in giving a more tangible salute to Oregon’s other Viet Nam vets by contributing to Viet Nam Veterans of Oregon Living Memorial (VNVOLM) . (see end of this post)

Jud Blakely and Doug Bomarito both served as combat officers in Viet Nam. Jud graduated from OSU in 1965, where he was a member of the SAE fraternity and served as OSU Student Body President. He was then commissioned in the US Marine Corps. Doug was a 1968 Annapolis (US Naval Academy) graduate where he played first base and had the highest batting average on the Academy baseball team.

With 24/7 news feeds, it’s too easy for us to be oblivious to the service of our current military personnel, but Viet Nam was much worse. We not only ignored their sacrifice, but when they returned home, they were often chastised rather than thanked. Let’s look at the service of these two veterans:

Patrol Boat – River

Doug as a Navy Ensign, initially served on a destroyer, but in 1969 volunteered for Patrol Boats River (PBR), which patrolled in the hostile rivers and canals. He served as a patrol officer for a number of PBRs attached to a River Division near the Cambodian border by the Gulf of Thailand. It was, to say the least, hazardous duty.

February 23, 1970, on his 75th combat mission, the boat on which he was directing tactics and another for which he had responsibility, were ambushed by the North Vietnamese. During a severe fire-fight, Doug and two of the crew were wounded and eventually med-evaced to hospitals, but not before Doug completed his mission.

He received the Purple Heart and the Bronze Star with Combat V (The “V” insignia is added to the medal when it is earned for extraordinary heroism or valor in combat situations. – see the end of this post for the specifics on his Bronze Star.) Doug later served as a Navy Officer Recruiting Officer (OIC) for the Northwest and after leaving the service, went to Lewis and Clark Law School and passed the Oregon State Bar exam.

2nd Lt. Jud Blakely

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Jud, as a USMC 2nd Lt., spent a toal of 13 months in combat ops in Viet Nam as an infantry platoon leader with India Co., 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines. He received two Purple Hearts and the Bronze Star with Combat V. (See the end of this post for an excerpt from his citation.)

He spent 3 months in the Chu Lai area, along the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) for 2 months, south of Da Nang for 2 months and then in Duc Pho for 3 months and back south of Da Nang for 3 months. His purple hearts were for a punji-stake puncture in his knee and shrapnel wounds in his forehead from a midnight mortar attack during the monsoons on the southern edge of the DMZ.

They both went on to successful careers and have wonderful families. Jud and his wife, Deborah, live in Boise. Doug still practices law in Portland He has been active in numerous civic affairs including serving on the boards of CYO Camp Howard and the Girl Scouts and was the driving force in the development and siting of the VNVO Living Memorial.

Jud formed his own consulting company, Jud Blakely Ltd., and wrote speeches for CEOs and top executives of companies and coached them on how to speak. His clients included Shell Oil, Sea First, Rainier Bank and Lonestar Gas.

He has written two screen plays and designed the new website for the VNVO Living Memorial, which is very close to completion. Jud has done all of the writing that appears on the Memorial site.

The three of us attended the recent Portland State vs. Eastern Oregon College football game in JeldWen Stadium to see Jud’s son, Paul, who is a punter for the EOC football team and was voted 2nd Team All-Conference as a freshman last season. It was then that I realized that in reviewing events from our forty-five year friendship and what I knew about him that Jud deserved special recognition as Thebeerchaser-of-the-Quarter.

The Blakely family after the PSU game (Paul, Deborah, Sarah and Jud)

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When I finish, I’m going to read “The General Theory of Money” by John Maynard Keynes.

I once described Jud in a letter as follows:

“He is an amazing guy. He will take a twelve-mile run, break to read a 600-page non-fiction book, then play full-court basketball for three hours before coming home to work.” (I guess it was probably only ten miles….)

I realized that if Jud’s beer of choice at Price’s Tavern in Corvallis had been Dos Equis instead of Blitz, he might well be appearing in the commercials as The World’s Most Interesting Man. Let’s look at the evidence – presented, in part, below:

ASOSU Student Body President 1964-5

OSU Student Body President – Jud and three other OSU seniors, including All-American and former ABA/NBA basketball player, Jimmy Jarvis, went on what was to be a stealth mission and lit the traditional Rook-Sophomore Bonfire, the night before the lighting ceremony in 1964. Jud and two of the others got caught and arrested for “Maliciously and willfully starting a fire.”

Trial by Fire at OSU

Fortunately, the Municipal Judge, one Helmut Schreima, could not find that specific provision in the Corvallis Municipal Code and our boys were only charged with “burning without a permit” and fined $15 each (Jud’s beer money for the month….) so he could serve in the Marine Corps, but he had to forfeit his student body office.

A column from the OSU Daily Barometer (written by Baro Editor, Rich Hansen) expresses sentiments about his leadership talent and his ability to arouse (?) students: “….Seldom has the office of President been so alive in campus conversations or has the President’s name been so often repeated. I’m convinced that it has been a long time since OSU has had a president so well suited for the office as Jud Blakely.

Blakely is not only an intellectual and dynamic leader but retains those school-boy qualities that make him a human being – the zeal for school spirit and his subsequent bout with municipal authorities (bonfire incident) is a recent example. He drew enormous criticism and even more teasing for that stunt, but in the end it achieved its goal. It revived spirit and got students participating again.

Nevertheless, for the first time in my memory the student body is excited, or at least aroused, about what’s going on. From the hand-made sign that someone carried to the game reading, ‘Ban Blakely’ to the chants of ‘We want Blakely’……”

As an aside, Jud was a three-sport athlete at Portland’s Sunset High and also played freshman baseball at OSU.

Marine Corps Recruiting Officer – 1970 – A prior Beerchaser post (June 2012) briefly highlighted the ruckus caused on the Portland State College campus, when Jud and USMC Silver Star recipient and now Federal Judge, Ancer Haggerty, were the Marine officer recruiting officers and actively engaged Portland State students in debate about the War.

During this time, he met Major Nelson Olf, who was commissioned in the USMC after graduating from the OSU NROTC program. He was the CO of the USMC Reserve Unit at Swan Island when Jud arrived in Portland.

Jud and Retired USMC Lt. Colonel Nelson Olf

After retiring from the Corps, Nelson managed a business out of Forest Grove and was a professor of business both at PSU and Pacific University. He has contributed substantial sums to a variety of institutions and causes he supports – for instance, he has fully endowed an engineering scholarship at Oregon State. The Navy ROTC obstacle course at OSU is named after him in recognition of his significant gift.

As a Marine officer, Nelson made scores of KIA and WIA notifications during his tenure and Jud went with him on ten or twelve of these casualty calls…..“They were much harder emotionally on me than being in combat.”

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Tri-Met – After his military service and before starting his consulting firm, he spent several years as an Asst. to the General Manager of Tri-Met, where Jud was not the typical bureaucrat as evidenced by this excerpt by the late Doug Baker, in this 1972 Oregon Journal Column, “Baker’s Dozen.”

A woman – Esther M. Leibrand – who had tried to get bus service to Boones Ferry Road, wrote the following rhyme to get attention

“ I love Tri-Met, I love Tri-Met

I’d love it even better yet

Out on Boones Ferry Road, you bet.”

Poetry in motion – so to speak….

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Jud answered with his own ryhme and started a poetic dialogue with her that went on for over a year while he worked behind the scenes to make the route a reality:

“We Tri to meet and Tri to meet

The need for folks to save their feet..

So we will try to save your feet a load

And try to reach Boones Ferry Road

Tri-Met’s money won’t grow on trees,

It comes from taxes and fees…”

On the initial run of the new route, “…Riding in the decorated bus was Ms. Leibrand, who was greeted with a special placard at the front of the bus”:

“Here we are Ms. Leibrand

We brought you a Tri-Met bus,

Bring your poetry , climb aboard,

And rondelet with us.”

Basketball Exploits – Jud and I used to play each week at Catlin Gabel School with a bunch of Nike execs. I would taunt him by reminding him that his name spelled backward is “Duj” and kid him that he lost his quick first step because of the war wound to his leg.

He responded by mailing me a note that said:

“Next time we play hoop, I will show you how to go to your left. Then you can go to Portugal, seize power and then be overthrown.”

One time we were trying to dunk the ball at a basketball hoop on the wall at Collins View Grade School (now Riverdale High School) while partaking of our favorite beverage.

Ollie Moreland, a former star college athlete, got over-hyped and severely injured his leg which led to a painful trip to the Emergency Room at Kaiser Sunnyside Hospital where the following dialogue actually occurred:

Blakely: “I think Ollie’s in shock. He’s not communicating. Let us off at the entrance. I’ll take Ollie and the beer in and you meet us.”

Beerchaser: “Do you think it’s okay for us to drink beer in there?”

Blakely: “Shut up and enjoy it. You only live once. I’ll handle it.”

Emergency Room Doc (while chuckling when he sees the beer being consumed): “Looks like your friend’s leg is badly broken. We need to take some X-rays and run some tests. Do you know what medication he’s on?”

Blakely: “Budweiser.”

Night patrol….

Gulf Coast Humanities Consortium (GCHC) – Because he could not gain membership to the Tri-Lateral Commission, when he was huddled in the hurricane shelter under his house in Mobile, Alabama, Jud formed the GCHC with three colleagues in the 1990’s.

Two of them were English professors at the University of South Alabama in Mobile and one was a Catholic priest. They met each month at the Pink Pony Pub in Gulf Coast and drank Rolling Rock Beer, while contemplating weighty issues. The following summarizes their objectives and was part of their recruiting letter to yours truly:

“Here’s the deal: Join up but don’t show up. That’s all there is to it. You never have to ever go to a meeting – NOT EVER. Hey, we don’t want you to. All we want is your name. Oh, and we also want to use your titles, achievements and honors. And we ask for zero in return…..Ah, but you do get – absolutely free – a chance to identify with us as we move in capricious ways to exploit your name, your life’s work, etc.”

Who’s Been Drinking My Budweiser????

I don’t think I ever joined because I was afraid that it might be on my record and keep me from getting a library card or passport, but I did participate by conference call in their book club selection that summer – “Goldillocks and the Three Beers.”

———————

Other Exploits of Note (or not….): Jud and I co-presented at an American Society of Association Executive’s National Conference in Chicago when I worked at the Oregon State Bar in the late ’70’s. Jud was an accomplished speaker but it was my first gig and I was very nervous.

Knot your typical public speaker…..

To loosen up the crowd (and Thebeerchaser..), Jud started the seminar by asking someone in the audience to dare him to cut the silk tie he was wearing in half. A person in the first row promptly complied and to rousing applause, Jud took out a pair of scissors and “performed the surgery.” We received outstanding evaluations……

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The Viet Nam Veterans of Oregon Living Memorial

The Portland Viet Nam Veterans’ Living Memorial

58,286 U.S. Armed Forces personnel were killed during the twenty years of the Viet Nam conflict (including those missing in action) which ended in 1975. Approximately 2.6 million Americans served. 153,303 were wounded in action.

As stated in the Oregon Living Memorial:

“803 Oregonians fell during the war in Vietnam from 1959-76…but so long as they are not forgotten, they do not die…and here, we honor the Fallen by remembering them.

We honor, too, the 57,000 Oregonians who answered the call, who served, and who returned to us. This Living Memorial is also no less a loving celebration of them.”

Jud Blakely’s idealism and optimism were tested during his thirteen months in the field in Viet Nam. As he wrote regarding his platoon’s experience in Duc Phổ, in the South Central Coast region of Vietnam: “We fought and fought and never lost…and yet we didn’t win.” It seems that Jud’s narrative eloquently portrays the tragedy of Viet Nam for us as a nation.

He and Doug Bomarito are heroes and the words Jud wrote as part of the eulogy for my best friend in high school, Marine Lance Corporal Gary Kestler, who was killed in Quang Tri Province in Viet Nam in 1968 should be taken to heart by each of us:

One of a “Few Good Men.”

“When you honor the veterans of your county, honor them not only for their commitment and sacrifice on your behalf. Honor them also for their quiet conviction that war is the most sorrowful state of man. And honor them with reverence for the lives they gave to end that sorrow forever.”

And please check out the site at: http://vietnamvetsoforegonmemorial.sitemodify.com/

Then send a donation by check to the Viet Nam Veteran’s of Oregon Memorial Fund (VNVOMF) to honor all of our Viet Nam Veterans. They can be sent to:

Doug Bomarito, Attorney at Law

Past Chairman and President

Vietnam Veterans of Oregon MF

7157 S.W. Beveland Street

Tigard, OR 97223

dmbomarito@dmbpc.com

(503) 223-8285

You can reach Doug at his law practice in Tigard at (503) 223-8285 and Jud’s e-mail in Mobile, Alabama is judblakely@gmail.com

The following is an excerpt from Jud Blakely’s Bronze Star citation:

Receiving his Bronze Star and promotion to Captain from the Asst. Commandant of the USMC

For meritorious service in connection with operations against insurgent communist forces in the Republic of Viet Nam from 4 July 1966 to 1 August 1967.

Through this period 1st Lt. Blakely performed his demanding duties in an exemplary manner while participating in several major combat operations……He displayed exceptional leadership and professional ability in leading his unit against the enemy.

Although painfully wounded on two occasions, he steadfastly remained with his men and, despite his injuries, directed his platoon with skill and determination, inflicting heavy losses on the enemy.

During Operation Desoto, he assumed command of a beleaguered Marine platoon which came under intense enemy fire and sustained several casualties, including the platoon commander.

Disregarding his own safety, he repeatedly exposed himself to the heavy volume of fire to lead the unit against the enemy. Through his heroic and timely actions in the face of great personal danger, 1^st Lt. Blakely inspired his men and provided command continuity at a critical moment.

From Doug Bomarito’s Bronze Star citation:

“For heroic achievement while serving with friendly foreign forces engaged in armed conflict against the North Vietnamese and Viet Cong…on 23 February 1970. Lt. (jg) Bomarito was in charge of a two boat patrol proceeding north on the Giang Thanh River.

As the patrol was rounding a bend in the river, it suddenly came under heavy enemy rocket and automatic weapons fire.

During the ensuing engagement, his boat received one direct rocket hit which wounded him and his crew and started a blazing fire.

As the boat beached, still under enemy fire, he maintained control of the situation and readied his crew for for an assault on the closest enemy position. When the other boat in his patrol came to his assistance, he then directed a devastating air strike on the enemy positions and coordinated the medical evacuation….”

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Jud recently had triple by-pass surgery and is undergoing physical therapy – I’m sure with the same discipline and intensity that has characterized his life since high school and led to the achievements which make him a slam dunk for Beerchaser-of-the-Quarter.

So rather than affirming the sign from Corvallis – “Ban Blakely” – let’s hoist a mug of PBR – since they don’t brew Blitz and longer – and yell, “We want Blakely” and make a toast to all Viet Nam Veterans.

A Brewski at 9,744 Feet? Thebeerchaser Goes International – Part V

Posted on September 1, 2013 by Thebeerchaser

Mt. Schilthorn in the Swiss Alps - Beer with attitude - er...I mean altitude!

Looking out from the Schilthorn (mountain) in the Swiss Alps – Beer with attitude – er…I mean altitude!

After leaving Rome on our Rick Steves’ 21-day Best of Europe Tour, we spent three days in the Cinque Terra on the rugged Mediterranean coast of Italy – an extremely picturesque series of five villages or small towns i.e. Monterosso al Mare, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, and Riomaggiore. After two days on the coast, we headed for the Swiss Alps.

Beauty on the Mediterranean coast

A major part of the charm is that the villages are inaccessible by car – you can choose train, boat or just walk on the path connecting the villages. And notwithstanding the many tourists, one experiences the charm of a true Italian village.

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With the exception of one small bar we visited in Monterossa, most of the drinking establishments were attached to cafes’ but we had some great food at two locations – La Cantina Di Miky and Restaurant Belvidere.

The Blue Marlin bar and restaurant in Vernazza

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The trail between the villages – most notably Monterossa and Vernazza – was closed because of mudslides, but the train and boat made it easy to commute between each of the villages.

Composer, Guiseppe Verdi, once said, “You may have the universe if I may have Italy,” and all of us on the tour talked about returning to this part of Italy, but that was before we were exposed to the surreal beauty of the Swiss Alps.

: The beach at Monterossa – a little warmer than the beaches in Oregon….

The highway to the Alps was stunning and it just kept getting better as we entered the Lauterbrunnen Valley and traveled to the village of Murren.

The beautiful Lauterbrunnen Valley

On our first day in the Alps 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 where there is a revolving restaurant – the Piz Gloria – and the James Bond Bar.

This was the only Bond movie in which Bond was played by George Lazenby and his enemy, Ernst Stavro Blofield, had his laboratory at the top of Schilthorn

Piz Gloria which houses the James Bond Bar

Besides paragliding, one of the activities in the Lauterbrunnen is BASE jumping – one which almost requires a drink to discuss.

We walked down to Lauterrunnen’s Horner Pub, where we drank beer with BASE jumpers , some of whom were smoking majuijuana – fortunately after, rather than before, their jumps. We also proved that beer can taste good even when there is a difference of 5,000 feet in altitude.

For the uninformed BASE jumping is an activity where participants leap from fixed objects and use a parachute to break their fall. “BASE” is an acronym that stands for four categories of fixed objects from which one can jump: buildings, antennas, spans (bridges), and earth (cliffs) – Wikipedia. In the Alps, the relevant category is obviously “earth.”

Cheers – regardless of whether it is 9,744 or 5,000 feet – or in Amsterdam, at sea level!

Having worked in the legal profession for over thirty years, when researching the sport, I first noticed a “Third Party Liability Insurance Offer including Basejumping.” And then the website entitled:

“Lauterbrunnen BASE Fatality List”

It had a list of 35 persons who had died in this region in BASE jumping accidents since 1994 – the last one was the week before we got there. The following admonition helped put it in perspective:

The Horner Pub – Beer after the jump….

“Too many jumpers died in this valley!

Don’t become a statistic.

Life is precious, play safe.

No Littering!
Know your limits, stay safe & pull high!”

Our group, while drinking beer at the outstanding Horner Pub complied with the “no littering” requirement……And the following quote from a BASE jumper interview, typifies the grit of those who love this activity as a hobby:

“Let me put my cigarette out before you interview me on camera. My mom knows I BASE but she doesn’t know I smoke.”

Hiking down to Lauterbrunnen and the Horner Pub

Our beers at the Horner Pub were a perfect ending to our two days in the Alps. A Trip Advisor review from September 2012, aptly described this quaint pub in Lauterbrunnen:

“Horner pub-not just for beer!

The Horner Pub has some of the best meals in Lauterbrunnen…..This is a great place to unwind after hiking all day. Frequented by BASE jumpers, we met some very interesting people and learned a lot about the sport base jumping.”

A delightful pub in the Swiss Alps

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The scenery was so spectacular and such a blessing it made me chuckle at the dilemma of the atheist who, struck by the spectacular beauty of his surroundings, wanted to express his profound gratitude, but didn’t know who to thank!

Fortunately, Thebeerchaser did know Who to thank and kept this in mind as we headed off to France for our last leg of our 21-day European journey.

Profound gratitude for the natural beauty of the Swiss Alps

His house is in the village though…..from a church in Lauterbrunnen.

If You’re Good, You May End Up in The Slammer……

Posted on August 26, 2013 by Thebeerchaser

One of Portland’s Classic Dive Bars

“The whole object of travel is not to set foot on foreign land: it is at last to set foot on one’s own country as a foreign land.”

The most recent Beerchaser posts have been on pubs and sights encountered on our Rick Steves’ 21-day Best of Europe Tour. In light of a recent reading of famed British philosopher and author, Lord Chesterton‘s above quote, however, it was a vivid reminder that Portland’s bars, taverns and pubs are second to none in both the US and the globe!

Oozing with character and history……

And The Slammer is a Portland classic. As evidence, Willamette Week publishes a “Best Bars” or “Drink Guide” supplement each year. Thebeerchaser has kept printed copies of these going back to 2007 and they include 100 to 125 of the approximately 700 total Portland bars each year. They are an invaluable resource for this blog.

Well, The Slammer (and Slab Town – visited already and to be reviewed next month..) appear to be two of the few, if not the only, establishments to make the list each of the last seven years. Let’s look at a few excerpts:

“…The Slammer is maybe the friendliest bar in town ……It is a family-run dive bar of the old school, an after-softball hangout….and a place that will suffer fools but never assholes, one of the few places in town where widely disparate strangers talk to each other……It is a heartening place, and its very bad for your liver.” (2013)

A great group of regulars and memorabilia from the ’70’s — that’s a Tonka Truck…….

“…the Slammer’s core clientele of square-jawed stalwarts with uncomplicated wardrobes (Eagles jackets shelved at the first flush of Slammer Softball jerseys…) that once typified the East Side Industrial District.” (2012)

“Walk into the Slammer and be transported back into a reassuring hybrid of your uncle’s basement den and freshman-year college parties. Intimacy presides in this former speak-easy. A cigarette vending machine, pinball and Big Buck Hunter offer ample distraction…. Escape the no-man’s land of industrial Southeast Portland and be welcomed home to a strange, rowdy and delightful den of locals.” (2011)

I was fortunate to have my friend and Beerchaser regular – Portland attorney, John Mansfied, join me for the visit and he could have been a regular based on the way he commandeered the old Skee Ball machine – one of the few in Portland.

Beerchaser followers may remember John as the skilled intellectual property lawyer who has a propensity to interpret language literally. For example, at the Mock Crest Tavern (May 2012 blog post), the menu stated, “Breakfast Served – Any Time.” John asked for French toast from the Renaissance Era…..To see another one of his “literal” stories, see the end of this blog post.

Mansfield – His victorious expression has an inverse relation to his score at Skee Ball

“…..it’s safe to say the Slammer was pulled from somebody’s dive-bar fantasy and realized with a hasty affection. The bar has a cozy, funky atmosphere….filled with a mix of old regulars and neighborhood youngsters.” (2010)

“….. but the Slammer is a corner bar so enchanting you may be moved to stand on an outdoor table and sing along to “Rocket Man” playing on the loudspeakers. After which the regulars will come outside and congratulate you.” (2009)

Chris, the bartender, maintained the tradition of just about every one of the fifty-plus bartenders I have interviewed on Thebeerchaser tour of Portland bars and taverns – he was extremely friendly and helpful in giving us information about their bar. He’s the son of the female owner.

Bartender Chris and John Mansfield with Thebeerchaser logo

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The Slammer opened thirty-four years ago and Chris’s mom bought it eighteen years ago. He thought that one of the distinguishing characteristics is the great mix of clientele – WW agrees with him.

“Plopped on the weird convergence of Southeast Stark Street, 8th Avenue and Sandy Boulevard, Slammer’s the kind of place that’s slightly different every time you go in…..one thing’s certain—the door on the bathroom is still nonexistent, and you’ll probably hug the bartender before leaving.” (2008)

The sign says a lot about the character of this quirky establishment.

Based on our visit, Slammer was a great bar with friendly regulars and a solid and endearing character, but it has not always been this way. In fact, one of my friends – a former Portland police officer who has been on Beerchasing visits, advised me to avoid it for our own welfare based on his experience as a cop.

When queried for specific examples, he stated, “The guy who did a car prowl and ran into the bar to hide. Noise complaints not uncommon. The occasional bar fight we were called to suppress – usually a boyfriend/girlfriend argument when they had too much beer.

Honestly, probably not any more incidents than a bar of comparable size. The patrons more often got in trouble walking home and peeing on the side of the building or passing out on the sidewalk.”

Chris noted that a number of years back, they had a few “burps,” but those are from days gone by. A group of regulars sitting at the tables on the “patio” right outside the door stated, “Slammer is the best (and friendliest) bar in Portland.”

“The Friendliest Bar in Portland.”

Slammer doesn’t have a bunch of beers on tap or an expansive menu (essentially sandwiches, tacos, chili and sides), but the food and beer is cheap and they have a reputation for strong drinks and friendly bartenders.

This old, red Victorian house with two renovated apartments up-stairs, the small bar on the ground floor and a bunch of Christmas lights strung all over the exterior is worth a visit.

I will conclude by stating that it is always a treat to drink beer with attorney Mansfield. Besides being honored as an Oregon Super Lawyer since 2009, he is a talented musician and in his younger days played in a rock band. Another example of his tendency to analyze and interpret language literally is evidenced by this communication with the police dispatcher when he was at the U of O and a wild and crazy guy:

Dispatcher: “Eugene Police Department”

Mansfield: “I’d like to report a theft at our residence.”

Dispatcher: “What is your street name?”

Mansfield: “Bubba”

The Slammer 500 SE 8th Street

Crossing the Rubicon — For a Moretti?? Thebeerchaser Goes International – Part IV

Posted on August 13, 2013 by Thebeerchaser

The Glorious history of the Roman Empire – Still visible today.

In Florence we saw the wonder of Michelangelo’s David in the Accademia and then headed to Rome. Awed by the history, I tried to envision the perspective of a Roman Legionnaire in 49 BC crossing the Rubicon with Caesar to reassert his power in Rome after the Gallic Wars.

However the metaphor fails since I slept in a comfortable bed the night before, had an outstanding breakfast and traveled in a luxury bus and the only “hardship” endured was doing some of our laundry in the hotel sink!

Moretti - not an option in the 5th century.....

Moretti – unfortunately, not an option for the Roman Legion…..

Compare this to the Roman infantryman (named “Mules”) who carried as much of his own equipment as possible including his own armor, weapons and 15 days’ rations – about 60 pounds total – and walked in sandals. As comedian, Bill Maher, quipped, “If you think you have it tough, read history books.” (See the end of this post for more details on ancient Roman beer.)

Modern travel superior to foot-power…

We toured the Vatican first and were overwhelmed by the immense collection of art and the historic structures. It compels consideration of the impact of the Catholic Church through the annals of history – even before priests had to admonish their parishioners to turn off their mobile devices at the start of mass.

These range from the positive contributions to art, culture and education to the tales of intrigue and outright decadence by some of the medieval pontiffs. Stunned by the magnificence of the Sistine Chapel, one can imagine Michelangelo responding to Pope Julius II in 1508 by saying, “You want WHAT painted on the ceiling…?”

“This Swiss Guard gig is an honor, but do we get a brewski when our watch is over?”

June 2nd is Republic Day – the Italian equivalent of Independence Day in the US – and Rome was festive. In St. Peter’s Basilica, we witnessed a half-hour procession of worshippers – all from one village – filing in for a 6:00 PM mass. Take a look at Thebeerchaser’s video to see just a small fragment of the celebrants filing into St. Peter’s: http://youtu.be/fHcJQVsWv0g,

The State within a State

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The Colosseum in Rome – the center of entertainment and athletics during the reign of Caesar

On the second night in Rome, after an outstanding tour of the Colosseum, we had dinner in a wonderful pub/cafe – Miscellanea.

It is interesting to note that a lot of bars and taverns in Portland, although they have their own internal ambiance, there is a good chance of passing a Subway Store, a Home Depot or some other strip mall chain upon exiting. Conversely, immediately adjacent to Miscellanea was the Pantheon.

This incredible temple to the gods of Rome rebuilt in 126 AD, is a circular structure with sixteen massive granite columns and a central opening to the sky, which sources say is still the world’s largest un-reinforced concrete dome.

The granite columns of the Pantheon – this ain’t no Home Depot…!

The reviews of Miscellanea were spot on including this one by a Canadian tourist this March:

“We were near the Pantheon when it started to rain and we went into this cafe for shelter and lunch. How lucky were we! The place was very busy and we shared a table with three other diners. Pasta was very good and the house wine was fine.

The atmosphere was good with lots of laughter and chatting and it seemed to be mainly Italians who were eating. At about 2pm the place started to empty as Romans returned to work and left a few tourists to idle away the afternoon with another glass of wine.”

Cassius had a “lean and hungry look.” Maybe we should jog back to the hotel……

Miscellanea had a great selection of beer and wine plus the food, as you can see by the photo, was amazing – and the portions were large.

It was also interesting to see both the display of beer labels and a chronology of university students who signed the “register” when visiting the establishment – essentially, a listing of colleges and universities all over the world whose students frequented the bar while studying in Rome.

: A great selection of beer and wine.

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I loved this picture of the 1994 class of Notre Dame which is concrete proof that the University has an academic program of which their football team can be proud:

: The Fighting Irish leave South Bend to “study”abroad…

Go Irish!!

On the walk back to the hotel, per the tradition, we threw a coin over our left shoulder at the Trevi Fountain – commissioned in 1732 by Pope Clement XIII – the largest in Rome and one of the most famous fountains in the world.

Legend has it, that this action ensures a return trip to Rome – plus it helps to fund the water bill for the gushing attraction.

Trevi Fountain – featured in the movies, “Roman Holiday” and Three Coins in a Fountain”

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After we left Rome, we stopped at another majestic cathedral in Central, Italy.

The Cathedral of Orvieto, built in the 14th century is another example of the Pope’s influence – this one, Pope Urban IV. While the external trappings are impressive, the interior is another magnificent example of Middle Age art.

Orvieto Cathedral – to commemorate a miracle in 1283.

The beautiful stained glass in the Cathedral of Orvieto, Italy

*******

And going back to the Roman legionnaires and the quest for a good brew, a sixteen-year old post by Gregory Smith from the “Brew Your Own (BYO) Magazine” web site, poses an interesting theory to the role of beer in the time of Caesar: “History tells us that Julius Caesar was stabbed in the back by Brutus in 44 BC. If everyone had just been a little patient, Caesar’s passion for a mug of beer would have killed him off without the mess of the Ides of March stabbing. In fact it was probably the Roman passion for a good beer that killed off the entire Empire.

It wasn’t the actual beer that would have killed the Roman ruler, it was his lead-laced beer mug. Roman brewers used a variety of earthenware containers to store and serve their beer. The pottery and glaze were lead based. The risk to the beer drinker would increase based on the amount of beer consumed or the age of the brew.

If Brutus had waited a little longer, Julius Caesar could have literally drunk himself to death by lead poisoning, which was very common in the years of the Roman Empire (from 753 BC until around 476 AD)

Beer could have caused the fall of the Roman Empire because it probably led many Romans to settle in lands far away from Rome, leaving the heart of the empire unprotected against ravaging barbarians.”

And now on to the Cinque Terra on the Mediterranean coast of Italy and the Swiss Alps! Then, before the end of the Rick Steves’ Best of Europe Tour, we head back to Portland for a review of one of Portland’s classic bars – The Slammer. And don’t forget to try a Birra Moretti. You can get it in the USA and 39 other countries.

Thebeerchaser Goes International – Through Bavaria to Venice and Beyond….

Posted on July 29, 2013 by Thebeerchaser

A draft Moretti at the Devils Forest Pub in Venice

Back to the Rick Steves’ Best of Europe Tour after the first two posts took us from Amsterdam through the Rhine Valley in Germany (according to Wikipedia, a 2010 report showed Germany ranked second in the world for per-capita beer consumption) and Austria. A highlight was traveling through Bavaria – the southeastern-most state of Germany, which is known for its 40 types of beer and purportedly over 4,000 brands of Bavarian beer.

So many options and so little time….!

Bitburger – an excellent German Bier

The Autobahn is an outstanding method of traveling and the scenery, mostly rural, is stunning.

Highlights included two historic castles – both abodes of “Mad King Ludwig II.“ This is not the name of a linebacker for the Oakland Raiders, but a real Bavarian king, whose taste for these massive structures helped lead to his ultimate demise in 1898, even though they were not built using public funds, but from the king’s personal fortune and borrowing.

Neushwanstein – A King’s home is his castle – er, castleS, that is……

Construction of Neushwanstein – the largest castle – started in 1868 as a “retreat” and tribute to composer Richard Wagner.

Perhaps Ludwig’s childhood castle home – built in 1833 by his father called Hohenschwangau, in the Bavarian village of the same name, wasn’t sufficient because the “retreat” – only a few hundred yards away was started when Ludwig was 35 and living in the fortress below.

The original castle – Hohenschwangau – A “stone throw” from Neushwasnstein – the King’s retreat castle.

Our nine days in Italy commenced in Venice – the Floating City, which is built on pilings and actually comprises over 100 islands separated by the legendary canals and connected by bridges.

American humorist, New York Times columnist and actor, Robert Benchley, upon arriving in Venice was reported to have sent a cable to his editor stating, “Streets full of water. Please advise.”

Venice was marvelous and besides the wonderful history, the food and the pubs – not just cafe’s, but real bars – were notable.

Near the Bridge of Sighs in Venice

Streets full of water – Please advise…..!

Although we did not eat there, based on its ambiance, the staff and the beer, my favorite bar was The Devils Forest Pub – right near the famous Rialto Bridge.

Trip Advisor reviews were good including this one from a visitor from the United Kingdom in April:

“This pub was fantastic with Italian staff that also spoke English, the food was delicious and great value for money and the décor is fab like an old English pub well worth a visit.”

Devil’s Forest bartender with our crew.

This one from July, 2013 echoes our experience:

“Great pub just a few steps away from Rialto off a side street. Very friendly staff and a great crowd there. Good beers on tap, we did not eat there, but the place was packed with a good fun crowd (was there during Spain/Brazil match). Would definitely go back if I return.”

A true pub atmosphere at The Devil’s Forest

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After a long day of sightseeing (and shopping) we wanted to sample some of the Venetian food so we took a boat to the other side of the City. We were successful in this goal as can be seen from the photo below:

: Pizza and Moretti beer for dinner

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And while in Venice, I got to see a few more bars which looked good from very cursory visits and on-line reviews – they are on my list to explore when we return. These included:

Bar A1 10 Savi: (see picture below)

Bar A1 10 Savi – Another tavern near the Rialto Bridge

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Bacaro Jazz made me chuckle because the décor and stated tradition surrounding it reminded me of one of my early Portland dive taverns – The Dixie Tavern in Old Town. Take a look at the July, 2011 review from Yelp of the Venice bar and the pictures I took of both establishments:

Bacaro Jazz Bar – The international symbol of support on the ceiling……

“Bacaro Jazz has a fun atmosphere and is perfectly placed by the Rialto Bridge to bring in all the tourists and backpackers. Right when you walk in the first thing that grabs your attention besides the long bar counter is all the Bras – yes Bras hanging on the ceiling.”

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“The tradition is all the women walking in who donate their bra to the collection tend to get a free drink and a rise from the
crowd. The Bar has every drink you can think so if your intent is to walk in sober and leave the same way forget about it.”

Portland’s Dixie Tavern – A New Meaning to “In the Cups”

Each year at the Dixie, they make a donation to the Susan Kommen Foundation for each of the ceiling decorations.

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Perhaps it is an abrupt transition, but I cannot leave this post without showing another example of a church we passed in Austria – the steeples were always great landmarks in every city and this one was no exception.

A landmark in every city in Germany, Austria and Italy!

And finally, one of the most outstanding cathedrals and structures on the entire trip – the Patriarchal Cathedral Basilica of St. Mark – in Venice. We trudged up the 373 steps to the top of this architectural and engineering masterpiece for a wonderful view of Venice and the surrounding countryside.

The interior of St. Mark’s

The basilica is the final resting place of St. Mark, the patron saint of Venice. Construction started in the 9th century and it is one of the best examples of Byzantine architecture in the world. The mosaics (about 40,000 square feet) and bronze sculptures are remarkable. It has five domes laid out in the form of a Roman cross.

One can only imagine the labor of the peasants including stories of holding back food and water rations of the workers as the upper dome, which rises 141 feet, was being completed so they would not lose the significant time it took to leave their posts for biological functions. The Basilica was consecrated in 1094 although it was not completed until 1674.

One of the best examples of Byzantine architecture in the world.

On to Rome and the Cinque’ Terra on the Mediterranean coast.

Sasquatch Brewery – Anything but Abominable!

Posted on July 16, 2013 by Thebeerchaser

The Sasquatch – A Brewery and a Brew Pub

Note: After two “Thebeerchaser Goes International” posts, we should return to a review of a Portland establishment before continuing the narrative of our European trip.

The Sasquatch Brewery and Pub in Hillsdale brought back memories from Thebeerchaser’s past – many years past – where for years a few blocks up from the Sasquatch site located on Capitol Highway, stood a wonderful bar named “No Dogs Allowed.” In fact, it was about the same time that the group “Three Dog Night” was on the charts and appeared in a memorable campus gig at Oregon State.

Anyway, I joined my friend, David Kish, for some frosty mugs. Sasquatch is in his neighborhood and where a former Italian restaurant became this quant pub which makes great beer and has good food – It’s worth a visit.

A quality addition to the Hillsdale Neighborhood

We talked to owner, Tom Sims, another OSU grad, who while in the paging business, brewed beer in his garage as a hobby. Like other Oregon micro-brew entrepreneurs, he pondered whether he could expand his hobby into a business.“Maybe I can build a small brewery.”

Built from the ground up with a lot of thought

He bought his first eight-barrel boil kettle on Craig’s list and poured over drawings of the historic building – once a Trolley Station on the Red Electric Line which carried commuters from Portland to Hillsboro and Forest Grove.

That was a little over two years ago and he now brews about 700 barrels annually. The Sasquatch Website is outstanding. It’s includes photos and brief narratives chronicling their journey from designing the brewery to working on a “Good Neighbor Agreement” with surrounding residents and the hoops to get their liquor license. The values conveyed in their website and talking with the owner and staff on our visit, make me root for the future success of their enterprise:

Kish and Waitress ____. Friendly staff and good values....

David Kish and our server. Friendly staff and good values….

“Sasquatch Brewery believes in strengthening our community by creating the opportunity for spontaneous meetings, serendipitous connections and celebrations…..We are a family-owned brew-pub that strives to support local and sustainable farmers….

Our beers are brewed on site from a seven-barrel system with the quality ingredients and care that Oregonians expect. We pride ourselves on being a friendly place for our neighbors to unwind and enjoy great food and great handcrafted beer with family and friends.”

Because I knew that Kish also had an interesting history, I quizzed this one-time beer-related entrepreneur and outstanding former Oregon public servant about his story. I loved the tale about how he became known as “The Beerman” in the late 1960’s at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst when he and some buddies successfully franchised the distribution of beer to twenty of the twenty-two fraternities on campus. (We both agreed that statutes of limitation for the eleven or so state and federal laws this arrangement possibly violated, have in all probability, tolled.)

The “Beerman” was also a dedicated public employee and bar owner.

While it has become fashionable to demean public servants, I know from his personal work ethic and expertise, which I witnessed working with him at City Club of Portland, David Kish was a dedicated and very competent public manager.

Let’s look at a summary of his public service which started as an officer in the US Army. He worked on the Model Cities program and Portland urban renewal before becoming former City Counselor, Charles Jordan’s lead assistant in 1974.

He then owned and operated a Portland bar for six years (1976-82 – The Storm Cellar Tavern on Burnside which became a soccer bar – The Bitter End – closed last year, but rumored to be re-opening.) A stint in the solar energy business with former Portland Planning Director, Ernie Bonner, and he then became the Director of Budget and Energy Management in the Oregon Dept. of Energy.

He was recruited back to the City as Portland’s Director of General Services and then Mayor Bud Clark’s (See July, 2012 Beerchaser post on the Goose Hollow Inn under “Historic Bars tab) Chief of Staff for two years before resuming his position in General Services until his retirement in 2000. Thanks for your service, David!

The Beerman joins Thebeerchaser tour.

From the selection of ten Sasquatch Brews and four rotating taps, David had their Oregon Session Ale, a pilsner, that he enjoyed, while I opted for the OR-7 Amber Ale which lived up to its billing: “Easy-drinking, malty and medium bodied with a rich amber hue….worthy of a second pint.”

They do not serve liquor, but also have a nice selection of wine and what manager, Alex, described as a “robust selection” of six hard ciders. Neither one of us had the courage to imbibe, but our curiosity was piqued by the “Beer Float” (Hairy Knuckle Stout, vanilla ice cream and salted caramel sauce)

Family-type Ambiance and Family Faire on the menu.

The menu is diverse with kid plates, small platters and dinner servings with snacks, sandwiches and a variety of entrée’s and desserts. We each had a Chicken Basil Sausage (marinated in the Amber Ale) with sauerkraut, which was excellent.

And in case you were wondering, the Abominable Snowman or Yeti was the term coined in 1921 by a newspaper reporter, Henry Newman, when he interviewed porters for a Mt. Everest expedition, when they discovered large human-type footprints of unknown origin.

The Poster is of Vastly Higher Quality than the Movie!

And the poster of the 1977 film “Sasquatch – The Legend of Big Foot,” in the Brewery provides evidence that the artwork was a lot better than the movie unless you are fans of the actors (George Lauris, Steve Boergadine and Jim Bradford), who perhaps went on to jobs in micro-brewing that were more notable than their film careers. A review in the Internet Movie Data Base (IMDB) by The Film Geek is not exactly gushing……

“Unfortunately the script and acting are weak. The dialogue is forced and clunky and the characters are little more than stereotypes. The pacing is also very slow, little of note happens in the film until the last 10 minutes……Overall the film is an oddity, it veers from a leisurely nature trek, to weak animal-based comedy, to a tension-filled finale….”

Since I am harkening back – when did the Abominable Snowman become Sasquatch? Was it the same politically correct people who felt that the beast should be gender neutral, and that it was unfair to the burly hirsute females who wandered through the NW wilderness, to assume that they were of the male gender?

And to further digress, perhaps, it’s the same people who are now obsessed with renaming high school mascots such as “Braves” and “Warriors” into more contemporary and refined mascot monikers such as the “Pummeling Pomegranates” or “The Fighting Arborvitae” – but that’s another topic.

The bottom line is that you should pay a visit to The Sasquatch – you’ll be glad that you did.

Sasquatch Brewing Company 6400 Capitol Highway

Thebeerchaser Goes International – Part Deux

Posted on July 8, 2013 by Thebeerchaser

A Frosty Mug of Leffe Bier which is a product of ....

A frosty mug of Leffe Blond Bier which is brewed at the Stella Artois brewery in Leuven, Belgium

The last post summarized our recent 21-day Rick Steves’ tour of Europe. From Amsterdam, we headed south through the Rhine Valley in Germany and then Austria. (The Rhine joins the Willamette in being one of only about 30 rivers in the world to flow north.) While the coffee in Europe was found wanting (one either has a mini espresso or a small and watered-down Americano rather than a mug of java), the beer – or bier – was great. I’m sure you’ll agree that experimentation in the different countries was mandated.

To quote the late musician, Frank Zappa: “You can’t be a real country unless you have a beer and an airline – it helps if you have some kind of a football team or some nuclear weapons, but at the very least you need a beer.”

Before leaving the Netherlands, we stopped at the Arnhem Open Air Museum – a “village” with farmyards, historic cottages, businesses, shops and a wonderful little brewery – a permanent exhibit since 1996. The title of the exhibit is appropriately “Bier is dranck voor alleman” (Beer is a drink for everyone). Arnhem is noted as the site of the World War II Battle of Arnhem, commemorated in the 1977 movie, “A Bridge Too Far.”

: The Bier Brewery in Arnhem, Netherlands

There is a restored 1750 brewery from the Dutch village of Ulvenhout and a new building next to it (shown in the picture). Although I’m Protestant, given the preponderance of Catholic churches in Europe, I need to confess that I spent the most time here rather than lingering at the historic bakery, apothecary, sawmill, etc..

: The friendly brewer briefing Janet on their process.

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And the two brewers were friendly and gave Janet and me an informative briefing — and samples — of their product.

The process was different in the ___, but the end product still tasted good.

The process was different in the 1700’s but the end product still tasted good.

After two nights in historic (I guess “historic” and “village” or “city” in Europe are superfluous..) Bacharach, where we enjoyed a two-hour boat trip on the Rhine, we headed for one of my favorite cities – the walled city of Rothenburg.

The beauty of Bacharach

Rothenberg attracts tourists from all over the world based on its notable roots in the medieval era. The incredible wall with guard towers, which can still be traversed around most of the city, was constructed in the 1300’s. It again brings to mind, one wag’s view of the difference between democracy and feudalism – “In democracy, your vote counts while in feudalism, your count votes.”

“The Walled City” is no exaggeration.

Rothenburg also has World War II notoriety after initial destructive Allied aerial bombing, when US Secretary of War, John McClory, personally aware of the beauty and historic significance of the city, ordered American troops to refrain from artillery bombardment. Most of the city fortifications and artifacts were saved and it was occupied by the Allies in March, 1945.

View of the wall of Rothenburg from the wall of Rothenburg

Since we had some free time to explore Rothenburg, Janet and I split up and she joined our two new female friends on the tour to hit the shops in town. (I had contracted laryngitis, so I was worthless as a companion for conversation – but it did eliminate any language barrier with the locals.)

Now, many males view accompanying their spouses shopping as tantamount to torture – so consistent with the analogy, I spent a fascinating two hours in Rothenburg’s Museum of Crime and Punishment.

Four floors of exhibits – most notably instruments of torture and items used in the execution of sentences (literally!) – costly books, graphic arts, documents of emperors, princes, the nobility and towns were interesting and in some respects, bizarre.

Does it get any better than this??

A beer and dinner were a welcome respite after the museum experience and we had an excellent dinner of bratwurst and sauerkraut before embarking on a colorful Night Watchman Tour of the city. Hans Georg Baumgartner, the Watchman, whose comic timing in his colloquy, would make Jerry Seinfeld envious, took us on a wonderful walking tour of the city.

Only the grave digger and the executioner had lower status…

He pointed out that the watchman job – starting in the Middle Ages and continuing in Rothenburg until the 1920’s – was dangerous. Guarding the city at night was like a policeman, but the pay was low and the job was a dishonorable one. “Only the gravedigger and the executioner were lower.”

Hell’s Tavern (Zur Höll) – We finished off the Watchman Tour with one of Baumgarter’s best lines. This pub is in Rothenburg’s oldest house and the foundation of Hell was laid in 970…. He stated, in effect, “If a citizen in Rothenburg admonishes you to ‘Go to Hell,’ it is a good recommendation.”

: Zur Höll – in one of Rothenburg’s oldest buildings

And of course, we descended a few steps from where he concluded into the “Gates of Hell,” if you will, which unfortunately due to its restricted size and the tourist season, was full. It has an extensive wine list and some exotic brandies (apple, grape, pear, cherry and small yellow plums) although a limited number of draft beers.

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So ended our time in Germany. It was one of the tour’s highlights for me. But after the tour in the Torture Museum, it may force a double-take in future Portland bars with pool tables, when I hear the term, “Rack-em Up!”

An extensive wine list and some exotic brandies

Rothenburg was our fifth day of the tour and I realized that except for a few minor snippets on BBC, we were clueless on current events. Of course, that also meant that since we left Oregon we had not had to hear the ubiquitous and chirrupy expression, “Hi, I’m Jan from Toyota,” for a week!

Stay tuned – on to Italy!