Since I started this blog in 2011, I never get tired of hearing the amazing stories of the smaller independent breweries that have employed creativity, skill at the craft, grit during economic challenges and wisdom when opportunity knocks to become successful businesses.
I felt a big sheepish that I hadn’t been to Little Beast Brewing (hereafter LB) until this July and based on my experience will definitely return.
My ten-member Beerchasing group loved it and the story is interesting and portends a bright future for co-founders and owners Charles Porter and Brenda Crow. (External photo attribution at the end of the post – #1 – #2)
When I was researching a new brewery to visit, the descriptions of LB beckoned – those on the site itself – and the favorable reviews of beer and food on print and social media as well as the interesting history – founded in 2017.
I was therefore delighted to discover an oasis of sorts – described perfectly by the Portland Mercury
“Its spacious outdoor area is simply one of the most gratuitously pleasant places in the city to sit and sip a beer.“
“The vibe is easy – regulars line the bar trying the latest intriguing tap offering, friends catch up at sun-drenched picnic tables, kids and dog dogs frolic while their people stretch out on the front lawn.”
The structures in which a number of taprooms are housed have fascinating histories. I have seen former auto shops, gas stations, laundromats, whore houses, groceries and taxidermy studios (Montana not Oregon….) which were converted into great brewpubs.
Little Beast is no exception and was:
“…previously a residence that would become home to a fortuneteller – Porter and Crow remade the cramped interior by ripping out booths and building a taproom featuring a walnut-topped bar and a new draft system.
The beer garden outside also features a covered back porch that’s heated and enclosed in winter.”
“If ‘Loveliest Brewery in Portland’ were an award category, Little Beast Brewing would win Gold. This spot has big charm and rich history: Brewmaster and cofounder Charles Porter is a craft-beer rock star, with over two decades of experience at spots like Deschutes Brewery and Full Sail Brewing; he was also the cofounder and head brewer of Logsdon Farmhouse Ales…”
And the space is intriguing with both the beer garden and the interior, having little alcoves and partitioned spaces that allow some privacy although most want to inhale the positive vibe from the energetic crowds that we witnessed.
Rumor has it that they will even provide a blanket for a picnic.
An alcove if you want privacy
Complementary Backgrounds
While some would assert that husband-wife business partnerships are a terrible idea (based on a lot of evidence) it has worked well for Porter and Crow.
He has thirty years of brewing experience (after receiving his degree in biology) starting in Indiana and from there a resume in Oregon that few can match:
“His love for craft beer (and interest in fermentation science *) brought him to Bend, Oregon, where he brewed at Deschutes Brewery and later, at Full Sail Brewing Co.
He went on to found Logsdon Farmhouse Ales and was the architect of many of their celebrated beers.” (Little Beast website)
* “The name – Little Beast – is ‘an ode to the little critters that ferment beer,’ Porter says. ‘The yeast and bacteria’ in the brewery’s mixed-culture beers.”Meunier 6/20/19 (#3)
“An ode to the little critters….”
While Little Beast has won awards for its innovative beers, it also gets outstanding reviews for its food. This is where Brenda Crow’s culinary background made the food offerings at the Brewery a hit when it first started. She graduated from the University of Colorado.
“Brenda is a Portland native, culinary arts graduate and expert in the business of specialty food. Working alongside and promoting farmers, fishermen, and makers, she has passionately followed her belief that great food is the essence of a good life.“
Our Server
You can either order at the bar or through a scanned QR code at each table and your order will be delivered. We were greeted and served well by a great guy named Preston.
He’s worked at LB for three years and was extremely helpful and friendly. He is a great asset to the brewery. And the social media reviews often mention the helpful and friendly staff.
Preston captured the spirit
The Beer
Virtually every review, whether by a beer technocrat or a general reporter, emphasizes the variety of beer at LB and they are overwhelmingly positive. And my one regret is that our group, didn’t take the opportunity to sample a robust tap list.
These include not only their own beers, but some excellent guest taps such as DeGarde’s (Tillamook, OR) “The Nelson” (Dry-hopped Wild Ale) or Dwinell Country Ale’s (Goldendale, WA) “Guesswork” (Blended Spontaneous Ale with Peaches).
For example, take a look at these descriptions of Porter’s beers:
“He began Little Beast brewing classic Belgian and European style beers, including saisons and pilsners, and the taplist is rounded out by IPAs, hazies, sours and stouts — a wide array of beers to pair with your barbecue of choice.” Oregon Live 10/29/21
or
“Its mixed-culture-fermentation beers…, ales aged in oak and foeders (large wooden barrels), dark and dry hopped sours, …and hoppy saisons, and Belgian triples and quads embody a variety of flavors and moods—some are bright and crisp, some punchy and jammy, some brooding and earthy. All are complex and delicious.” (Seriouseaters.com5/24/21) (#4)
The Pinetop IPA was a hit
In retrospect, we should have gotten a few samplers or at least been more adventurous, but all but one of us had the Pinetop IPA (6.4 ABV) – “citrus, tropical, balanced” – a very good beer, but not very daring considering what was available.
Dave Bartz, our former Managing Partner and now Chair Emeritus at the Schwabe Williamson law firm, who was joined by his wife, Susan, had a dark sour and took home a bottle of cherry sour – one of LB’s “rare beers.”
Stay tuned for Part II where I let you know about the great food and also some information about my interesting Beerchasing companions. There’s a lot more to this story!
Clockwise: Sue Bartz, Thebeerchaser, Dave Bartz, Charlie Faust, Jim Westwood, Amy Faust, Max Faust, Jack Faust and Jim Finn
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 at the end of the post and so the narrative isn’t clipped. (External photo attribution at the end of the post #1)
Our cruise from Montreal to Boston on Holland America’s Volendam continued and the sixth day we made port at Halifax, Nova Scotia – a delightful and picturesque city – with a current population of 441,000 – the capital and most populous municipality of the Canadian province of Nova Scotia. (Wikipedia)
Halifax has the social, cultural and economic features of a major urban center, but rugged natural beauty nearby within its boundaries:
” …famed for its massive natural port, which is one of the world’s largest and greatest of its sort. Halifax was created in 1749, and the Halifax Harbor has given significant benefits throughout the years.” (Port of Halifax)
Given the early date in the season, we were the only cruise ship in port, however, that was an anomaly. Besides being an international marine shipping and cargo center:
” In 2019, the Port of Halifax had 179 cruise vessel calls with over 323,000 passengers aboard. It is estimated that cruise passengers alone contribute about $172 million to Halifax’s economy every year.” (#2 – #3)
Nearby Natural Beauty
While I was most enthused to visit a thriving brewery very close to our pier (see below), we first visited a beautiful natural area reached by a twenty-seven mile scenic bus ride to Peggy’s Cove:
Although it was cloudy with light rain, the destination and the history made it worth seeing. The surrounding community also appeared to be a close-knit group bound by braving harsh Atlantic weather and their occupations as can be evidenced below.
“On September 2, 1998, Swissair Flight 111 crashed into St. Margaret’s Bay approximately eight kilometres (five miles) southwest of Peggy’s Cove with the loss of all 229 aboard. The cove became one of the staging areas for first responders that were involved in the search-and-rescue response, crash recovery operation, and investigation of the crash.
Many of the CCGA volunteers that were first to approach the crash site were privately owned fishing boats that were operating out of Peggy’s Cove and surrounding harbours.”
The memorial below is a tribute to the crew and passengers on that ill-fated flight. (#4)
Let’s not forget about Beerchasing…!
We hadn’t had a beer at a brewery for two days when we had enjoyed a pint in Charlottetown at the Gahan Brewery. The selection of beer on the ship was dismal although they had great martinis, but I was ready to hit this brewery on the south waterfront.
And it has a good story spurred by its motto “Art, Science and Good ‘ol Hard Work.” Garrison Brewing originally opened in 1971 and has expanded. Located in a wonderful historic building, it evidently has had one of its brewpubs in this location since 2006.
They had a decent selection of beers on tap, but we were delighted with our selection – Janet had a Tall Ship East Coast Ale:
“Brewed with adventure, craft, pride & independence, this beer delivers on true refreshment with an easy-going style. Drop anchor & hoist a glass.” I also loved the fact that it’s made with Willamette (Oregon) hops.
I’m a big fan of red ales and Garrison’s Irish Red Ale was wonderful and the initial beer brewed when Garrison opened:
“Ruby red with a smooth malt base, Irish Red Ale is where it all began. Taste the beer that launched a brewery.“ (#5 – #6)
And Garrison Brewing had a great atmosphere ranging from our friendly bartender, Wilken, to the pet-friendly environment evidenced by the poster in the photo below. We were sorry that we would not be able to visit their other location.
From some quick research, it appeared that Halifax has a significant number of quality craft breweries which may merit a return visit, but our ship was ready to weigh anchor and head to Bar Harbor, Maine, our next port-of-call.
And this day meant some travel in the Atlantic Ocean which I was anticipating. The map below is in reverse order and doesn’t include our port of origin, Montreal, but it will give you an idea of the two remaining days of the cruise. (#7)
The People
One of the unexpected joys of this trip was the people we met besides our long-time friends and cruise companions – Jeff and Susan Nopper, I have mentioned in previous posts. There was Brad and Tammy from Colorado Springs.
Brad, when he found out about my Beerchasing hobby, gave an immediate invitation to visit his city and hit the numerous quality breweries. I could attest to this based on a previous Colorado road trip and reminded him that I had seen Colorado Springs labeled “The Napa Valley of Beer.”
He was especially enthused about Red Leg Brewing and Janet and I will visit it on a September road trip. (#8 – #9)
Then there was Sonny – one of the most energetic eighty-seven year old guys I’ve seen who is still working as an electrician in Florida. We ate dinner with him and his wife (whose name escapes me) – a few years younger and who still works as a teacher.
I can’t forget JD and Jennifer, a very friendly couple from Houston, who we met at the bar one night. Both a few years from retirement – he works as a petroleum consultant and she in the legal field.
They had just returned from riding their Harleys to Sturgis for the annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in the Black Hills of South Dakota – a ten-day event attended by over 500,000. What an interesting couple! (#10)
Ride to the Black Hills!
But the most interesting and engaging person we met was at a breakfast on the ship when an attractive woman came up and asked if she could join us as there was a vacant two-person table adjacent to ours.
Anne Cochran introduced herself and told us that her husband was playing Texas Holdem – one of the daily activities on the ship – and she was grabbing a late breakfast. (#11)
We started exchanging information and I gave her my Beerchasing card which she said her husband – a trial lawyer, would love.
She’s from Cleveland and related that she met him after serving on a jury in a trial that he won. Anne was very personable and I asked her what she did for a living. She modestly stated, “Well, I don’t know if you know of Jim Brickman, but I do vocal accompaniment for him.”
I replied that I certainly did know of Jim Brickman. He’s one of the most well-known solo pianists in the nation and a multiple Grammy winner. I have a bunch of his numbers on my iTunes.
“The hit-making songwriter is the best-selling solo pianist of our time, earning 22 Number One albums and 32 Top 20 Radio Singles.
He’s garnered two Grammy nominations, Gospel Music’s Dove Award, two SESAC Songwriter of the Year Awards, a Canadian Country Music Award, and is a member of Pandora’s ‘2 Billion Streams’ Club.” (https://www.jimbrickman.com/bio/) (#12 – #13)
Of course, I was curious and after breakfast checked out the Web. I first came across a clip from a 2010 CBS Good Morning Show where the duo performed “Never Alone” released in 2006.
Anne has a captivating background which has led to a long and impressive vocal career.
“Anne Cochran began her career as a teenage, lead vocalist in Cleveland Ohio…while earning her degree in Theater and Voice at Case Western Reserve University by day.
When Anne and her young friend, (the soon-to-become ‘Piano Romance Man’) Jim Brickman, entered and won a ‘You Light Up My Life’ radio contest, they began a stellar twenty-year stage and studio collaboration that has gone on to produce many hits, 4 PBS Specials and countless sold out shows throughout the world.”Story – Anne Cochran
To get another idea of the quality of her voice, check out this Youtube link to the number she recorded in 2008 entitled “Face of Your Heart.” (#14)
We saw Anne and her husband a night later in the lounge and had a nice conversation. They were both very enjoyable people and one of the highlights of the cruise.
Stay tuned for our final stop before ending the cruise in Boston. Bar Harbor was a wonderful stop for several reasons I will cover in my next post.
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 at the end of the post and so the narrative isn’t clipped or shortened. (External photo attribution at the end of the post #1)
The distance between the Port of Sydney on Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia and Halifax, the destination on the sixth day of our Holland America cruise from Montreal to Boston was 277 nautical miles.
This meant the MS Volendam sailed most of the late afternoon and the night in the Atlantic Ocean allowing us to arrive the next morning in Halifax. (#2)
.
While the Volendam was refreshingly smaller than the two prior Holland America ships on which we cruised, it’s still a very large vessel. Its maiden voyage was in 1999. Maximum speed is 23 knots.
With a total of ten decks, it has capacity of 1,432 passengers and complement of 647crew members. We could work off the excellent food by walking around the third deck – 3.5 rounds made a mile.
*1. Gross Tonnage is not a reference to the weight of a cargo ship. It refers to the capacity of a ship’s cargo. Tonnage is more of a metric for the government to levy taxes, fees, etc. The displacement tonnage of a ship (see below) is the ship’s weight.
*2. The beam is the width at the widest point.
The weather was better which meant some time to view the scenery as well as the nautical traffic. The latter fascinates me and brought back some memories of the two ships I was on during my brief service in the Navy which I’ll mention below.
For example, we passed the freighter – Algoscotia (shown below) – launched in 2004 and one of seven vessels owned by Algoma Tankers Ltd. – a subsidiary of Canada’s largest inland shipping company.
The ship is a chemical/oil tanker and according to one vessel-finder website, was sailing to Portugal. It’s currently docked in New York Habor.
Maritime Sidenote – I had a recent conversation with my former Schwabe law firm Managing Partner, Dave Bartz – not only an outstanding environmental lawyer, but also an expert in admiralty law.
I mentioned the cargo ship, MV Dali collision with the Francis Scott Key Bridge in March. Dave, in his continuing efforts to educate me, pointed out that it was actually an “allision.”
“In a collision, two moving objects strike each other; for example, two passing ships. An allision, however, involves an accident where only one of the objects is moving.
For instance, this maritime term can refer to an accident where a moving boat runs into a stationary bridge fender.” (Arnold and Itkin law firm)
(I subsequently used that fact in numerous conversations trying to show my erudition and now you know too.) (#3 – #4)
Retired maritime expert Dave Bartz
The Dali and the Francis Scott Key Bridge
For comparison purposes and to better understand the damage caused to the bridge, the Dali is a larger vessel than the Volendam with a gross tonnage of 95,000 vs. 61,000, a length of 984 feet vs. 778 feet and a beam of 158 feet vs.106 feet.
Digression — A Bit of Maritime Nerdery
Seeing the Algoscotia piqued my interest in light some of the similar freighters we saw on our 2017 Panama Canal cruise and the infamous Ever Given – involved in the 2021 Suez Canal obstruction.
It also harkened back memories of the USS John R. Craig – DD885 and the USS Bradley DE1041 – in the Navy destroyer and destroyer escort I spent some time on during NROTC midshipman summer training cruises in college.
For example, take a look at the statistics for the Algoscotia:
Gross Tonnage: 13,352
Length: 489 feet -149 meters
Beam: 24 meters
Now, the freighter is a big ship up close, but the Volendam dwarfed her – 1.6 times longer and a heck of a lot more volume or carrying capacity – close to five times – 61 tons compared to just over 13.
The USS John R. Craig
The John R. Craig, commissioned in 1945, was an old destroyer when I spent the summer of 1967 as a 3/c midshipman – a lot of it in the engine room and boiler room. Maximum speed was 34 knots.
This great ship had its ultimate demise twelve years later when it was decommissioned on 27 July 1979 and then sunk as a target off California on 6 June 1980. (#5)
USS John R. Craig – DD885
The John R. Craig had a total complement of 336 officers and crew. Now as a naive college NROTC guy, I thought it was a pretty big ship – over the length of a football field at 390 feet long – but you can see from the structural data below the Volendam was almost twice as long.
Displacement 3,460 tons
Length 390 feet – 119 meter
Beam 41 feet – 12.5 meters
The USS Bradley (#6)
USS Bradley – DE1041
I spent over three months on the Bradley, the summer of 1970, on a 1/c midshipman cruise. I was fortunate because I was the only 1/c midshipman on that vessel and the Executive Officer told me that I would replace the lieutenant in charge of the Deck Division when he went on leave in two weeks until he returned.
The Bradley was a much newer ship – launched in 1965, twenty years after the John R. Craig – with a total complement of 247 of which sixteen were officers. Maximum speed was 27 knots.
The Bradley had a less ignominious ending than the Craig. In September 1989, she was leased to Brazil and became the destroyer Pernambuco (D 30). She remained active in the Brazilian Navy into her 39th year afloat. The eventual auction and dismantling by a private company is fascinating.
Displacement 2,624 tons
Length 414 feet – 126 meters
Beam 44 feet – 13.4 meters
I became friends with the officers on the Bradley – it had a squared-away crew and commendable morale. I extended my time on the cruise until the officer returned from leave because of this.
The Captain had requested that I return to the ship upon my commissioning in March,1971 and I had orders to the Bradley. Unfortunately, skull injuries from a serious auto accident in January,1971 essentially ended my Navy service before that occurred.
How Big is Too Big??
Now, I was amazed at the size of the Liberian container ship MSC Arushi when she passed us in the Panama Canal in 2017. Her gross tonnage is 44,803 tons and length overall 921 feet (more than three football fields) with a container capacity of 4112.
The Suez Canal obstruction by the cargo ship Ever Given in 2021 raises the question as to whether there should there be limits to the size of vessels for a number of practical reasons.
“…. the Suez Canal was blocked for six days by the Ever Given, a container ship that had run aground in the canal. The 400-metre-long (1,300 ft), 224,000-ton, vessel was buffeted by strong winds on the morning of 23 March and ended up wedged across the waterway with its bow and stern stuck on opposite canal banks, blocking all traffic until it could be freed.” (Wikipedia) (#7 – #8)
The Suez Obstruction from the US Space Station
The Arushi, mentioned above, looked massive, but compared to the Ever Given almost seems like a yacht. The Ever Given – one of the largest ships ever built – is more than the length of four football fields and 400 feet longer than the Arushi. She can hold five times as many containers, or 20,124.
Keep in mind these facts for a standard 20-foot container:
“The standard dimensions are 20 feet long and eight feet wide. They weigh 5,200 pounds when empty and 62,000 pounds when fully loaded. The internal volume is the equivalent of 200 standard mattresses, two compact cars, or 9,600 wine bottles.” (Boxhub.com). (#9 – #10)
Whoa Baby!
Okay hypothetically, let’s say that you’re the Officer of the Deck of a large cargo ship and your radar operator reports a large “skunk”– (the common label used for unknown surface radar contacts – readyayeready.com) dead ahead on the horizon.
Now bear with me, so to speak, because the scenario may not be very probable, but it will help demonstrate my point below. You want to be cautious, so you order the helmsman who relays it to the ship engineer, “All engines stop – rudder amidship.”
How long does it take the vessel to stop? (#11)
Who are those guys anyway??
The answer is “More time (and distance) thank you think.”
“The stopping distance for a cargo ship depends on factors such as displacement, trim, speed, and type of machinery. Most vessels will travel approximately 5 to 12 times their own length before coming to rest from full ahead, taking 4 to 10 minutes to do so.
You have to pardon me for this long detour on maritime stuff and will have to wait for the next post to hear about Halifax and a great brewery there, but I couldn’t help myself although real naval experts can probably eviscerate some of my assumptions and statistics.
During World War II and to a certain extent to the current time, the large Navy ships such as aircraft carriers, battleships and cruisers have been the mainline weapons of the Navy along with submarines.
Compare these with the modern versions of battleships, aircraft carriers and cruisers. Even destroyers, known for the agility and maneuverability are a far cry from the USS John R. Craig as can be seen by the photo of the Zumwalt Class Destroyer.
“The warship is not categorically out of date, and the world’s most important militaries are still investing heavily in warships. But current trends suggest the large warship will become increasingly contested, and perhaps less effective as a result…
Deploying an anti-ship missile (or drone) is a relatively cheap way to counter a warship that can cost billions of dollars and can carry several thousand sailors. Missiles have the potential to create parity between disparately situated nations… (#20 – #21)
At the moment, nations like the U.S., China, and NATO member-states are still investing in warships, suggesting that the world’s top war planners continue to believe in the viability of the warship.
But recent events have raised questions about survivability at sea. And as the history of warfare indicates, no system is untouchable, suggesting that even the mighty warship may one day become fully obsolete.”
Fortunately…..
I don’t have to worry about these issues and as we sailed into Halifax, I was focused on hitting a great brewery that was only three blocks from our pier and I’ll tell you about in the next post.
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 at the end of the post and so the narrative isn’t clipped or shortened.(External photo attribution at the end of the post #1)
Since the pandemic, it’s been discouraging to see the number of hospitality establishments that have struggled or just closed permanently. Exacerbating the situation, is the hardest hit of these enterprises has been the independent or small business owners.
Not that the corporate chains have been untouched by labor shortages, supply-chain issues or just profitability, but they have far superior reserves. After having it on my list for years, I had lunch at Gino’s Restaurant and Bar in Sellwood, just south of Portland.
And I’m happy to report that Gino’s appears to be thriving, just as Huber’s, (see my recent Beerchaser review) another iconic Portland establishment that’s served loyal patrons for longer than Gino’s, but has some similarities which make both eateries and bars worth visiting – and I might add – “again and again!”
The photo above shows the name as “Original Leipzig Tavern” and I will explain that apparent discrepancy below.
I’ll relate more about the outstanding careers and reputation of these two gents below, but first a little about the rich history of this Sellwood-Moreland Neighborhood treasure.
From left: Thebeerchaser, Doug Morgan and Walt Ellis
Our visit was enhanced by our wonderful server, Natalie, who right from the start, showed the same attributes of Gino’s staff as described in this review from Trip Advisor in November, 2023:
“This is a wonderful place to eat. Often busy and you may need a reservation. Staff are very friendly and professional, attentive without being intrusive, fast service, always with a smile. Food is excellent. Cocktails and beer, wine list is extensive, appropriate and connoisseurs won’t be disappointed. Go and enjoy.”
An outstanding server
Followers of this blog might remember the name “Accaurdi family”as they were the original owners of Portland’s Old Town Pizza – opened in 1974. Adam Milne, the current owner, first visited when he was nine and subsequently purchased it in 2003.
“It was in the historic Merchant Hotel in Old Town and a hub for like-minded people with a radical agenda. It stood as a beacon for the local community; a place to break bread and enjoy your neighbor.”
You will recognize the same theme in Gino’s history.
What is now Gino’s, actually goes back to 1924, when it was opened as a confectionary. The establishment has had multiple names and been in more than one location since that time. The most comprehensive account is a wonderful article, originally published in 2023 in the Sellwood Bee:
“In the summer of 1924, Peter and Helen Leipzig finally attained their lifetime dream….(they) purchased the well-known confectionery store at East 13th and Spokane from Mr. Brink, and are now in possession….
‘The Leipzig’ was seen as the first coffee shop and lunch counter in Sellwood.” (#2)
The Sellwood Bridge over the Willamette River today
“Within Sellwood itself, stood a bar known as the Leipzig, and for years this was one of many watering holes on the southeast side near the bridge. Years later, the original owner would sell the Leipzig to its current owners, with one caveat, the Leipzig sign was to remain, and so it does to this day.”
There are a number of accounts as to the name issue – Gino’s versus The Leipzig Tavern – according to current owner, Gino Accuardi, in our phone conversation detailed below. He said that one of the senior members (obviously unmarried) of the Leipzig family was the Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Portland.
“He was very irate when the confectionary turned into a bar because he was against drinking.” (#3)
The article in the Sellwood Bee continues:
“Marc and Debby Accuardi bought the Leipzig Tavern in 1996, opening “Gino’s Restaurant and Bar next door”, and using the old Leipzig Tavern as an additional bar for their customers. Much as Peter and Helen believed in back in 1924, they built a place ‘where friends and neighbors could gather to enjoy quality food and wine’”.
I had a very nice phone chat with Gino, who picked up the phone when I called for additional information. Our conversation started like this:
Gino: “Gino’s Restaurant and Bar. This is Gino.”
Beerchaser: “You mean the Gino?”
Gino: “Yep, my grandfather named this place after me when I was twelve. Since I was from a third – no I guess a fourth-generation restaurant family, I guess I knew I was going to own a restaurant someday.”
“I’ve heard many versions of why the Leipzig sign is still there, but keeping it just made common sense. It has a great legacy.”
The Bar Section
The establishment is divided into two distinct sections. One walks into the bar which has an older-time ambiance including a beautiful backbar and a number of booths. This is aptly described by Willamette Week in their 2019 review:
“Gino’s survives as a Corleone-fueled fever dream simmering in old country charm. The mahogany-lined restaurant sits underneath signage advertising the long-dead Leipzig Tavern, and serves inspired renditions of defiantly unreconstructed Italian classics…..
Today the attached restaurant is known as Gino’s. The bar inside was salvaged from a Chicago warehouse by the current owner and adds a more authentic old-world touch to the atmosphere of the bar (the brass seal from the manufacturer is still on the bar today).” (emphasis supplied)
This touch harkened me back to some of the great bars and backbars in both Oregon and the western US where I have Beerchased.
(I have to admit that I’ve only seen one alligator hanging over a bar – at the Blue Moon Saloon in what is purported to be Montana’s longest bar. It’s not as scary, however, as the polar bear in an adjacent glass enclosed case.)
The Dining Room at Gino’s
Gino’s dining room also has character. It’s reported to have once been a silent movie theater. There are interesting and colorful murals, antique furniture and scads of knick-knacks and mementoes from years past.
We had great sandwiches at our lunch and the dinner menu beckons for a return visit – it has variety and very reasonable prices. Read the following account from a 2018 Portland Eater article with Gino’s mom, Debbi recounting their favorite meal (and as remarkable as it seems these days, it’s still available for only $23 – see “Grandma Jean’s” on the menu).
“When Marc and I first opened our Italian restaurant in 1996, we lived upstairs, and every Christmas Eve we would have all the Accuardis in for a potluck—that was about 120 people.
And this was the dish: red sauce with pork ribs, stewed beef, and pepperoni (served over penne at Gino’s). The thing was, everyone—every aunt, uncle, and cousin—had their own version, and there would be huge arguments about the right way to make it. It’s all about when the herbs go in, basically.
This is a dish that goes generation to generation.” (#4)
I asked Gino how business was during the pandemic and he stated:
“If I would have known at the beginning, what I know now, I might have thought twice, but we were both lucky and agile as we adjusted some things and tried new ideas that worked. We cooperated with the City and closing part of the street was really helpful.
We have a great clientele from all over the city, but especially our neighborhood. I live six blocks away and my daughter goes to school in the neighborhood. We focus on being a neighborhood establishment and they rallied for us.”
The spacious patio adjacent to the bar affirms Gino’s comment above.
In Closing, I Can’t Forget my Beerchasing Companions and the Hatfield School
I’m happy that my two lunch companions – both Gino regulars – Walt, from the date they opened – suggested Gino’s. We had great sandwiches and a good bottle of wine for lunch.
“Wonderful experience. This is a magnificent restaurant. Great atmosphere, lovely Italian food, attentive staff. Not too noisy. Seasonal Caprese on the menu just now, is superb. Good bar, excellent and extensive wine list. The wines by the glass are first class and reasonably priced. Beers varied to suit all tastes.”
In the mid-seventies, I was working for Clackamas County and enjoying my work in local government. Based on the reputation of the MPA program at PSU, I applied and was admitted:
“The Mark O. Hatfield School’s degree, certificate, and continuing education programs are shaped by three overarching values: the importance of public service, the pursuit of social justice, and the quest for effective innovation in service delivery.” (#5)
I had a demanding job (and a bachelor’s social life) and grad school began a long journey of taking one class per quarter for the next five years – usually on a weeknight from 6:00 until 9:00, if I remember correctly.
There were numerous papers occupying many weekends, but I was often able to integrate them into my job for the County Commissioners. The professors were first-rate and the classes practical and interesting.
Walt Ellis was my advisor and not only a great professor, but a wonderful and caring human being. His “Organizational Theory” class was of considerable use to me not only while I was in the public sector, but for the next twenty-five years in legal management.
Because of work demands (or at least that’s what I maintain now…) I took an incomplete with one major paper to complete to get credit. At that time, there were not personal computers and I typed some of the papers and hired a typist as well. There is a time limit on incompletes and that was tolling.
I had the paper completed, but only 50% typed on the last day to submit it. I knew where Walt lived so I drove to his house, knocked on his door with my paper in the late afternoon. Walt answered the door and I was prepared to beg for mercy – but I didn’t have to. He took the paper and said to his wonderful wife:
“Rosemary, don’t we have enough spaghetti for Don to join us for dinner?”
(It was a wonderful meal and I ended up with an A in the course.) You won’t believe it, but I still have two papers from Walt’s classes in 1978 – from the “Organizational Theory”and “Administrative Theory and Behavior” courses.
Walt also informed me that if I didn’t finish my two remaining courses in the next two terms, PSU was going to start deducting credits. This was right when I had started dating my future wife – Janet Dancer, who was working as the Assistant City Manager at Oregon City. (We met at a Planning Commission meeting.)
On our first date to a Portland Trailblazer game, I successfully lobbied her into enrolling in the MPA program. Janet had majored in Public Administration at the University of Oregon and, interestingly enough, had taken a course from Walt Ellis when he taught there.
We married shortly afterwards and Janet and I took two terms of Data Analysis together – which came close to ruining our marriage and not just because she got a much higher grade on the first linear regression exam then I did. (#7)
(She had a better grasp of linear regression.)
Does the guy in the pew look familiar?
We used to flip a coin to see who would drive to the now century-old Shattuck Hall on campus and stand in line to have the punch cards run through the mainframe and who would clean the bathrooms. (The winner got to clean the bathrooms.)
Our forty-four-year marriage survived Data Analysis and other challenges and we both got our MPA’s – although Janet in a much shorter period.
The Morgan – Ellis Family Endowment
I will conclude with a final accolade to these two outstanding academicians with an excerpt from the Spring Newsletter of the Hatfield School with a quote from Masami Nishishiba, Ph.D, Director.
“We were thrilled to announce the establishment of the ‘Morgan Ellis Family Endowment for Community-Centered Education, Scholarship, and Governance.’
This incredible initiative was kickstarted by two Emeriti Professors, Dr. Doug Morgan, Former Chair of the Department of Public Administration and the Founding Director of the Center for Public Service and Dr. Walt Ellis, Former Associate Dean of the College of Urban and Public Affairs. Their generous donation of $100,000 set the foundation for this endowment.” (#8)
After leaving Charlottetown on our cruise from Montreal to Boston, the fifth and sixth days saw us docking in two cities in Nova Scotia – first Sydney on Cape Breton Island and then Halifax, the capital of Nova Scotia.
The map above shows Sydney on the northeast coast. (External photo attribution at the end of the post #1)
So, for the first time we left the watery “confines,” if you will, of the St. Lawrence River and ventured forth into more expansive nautical territory including the Gulf of St. Lawrence, the Cabot Strait (between Nova Scotia and Newfoundland) and then the Atlantic Ocean.
I should add that due to a bit of inclement weather during much of the first part of the cruise, I hadn’t been able to sit outside our stateroom and just take in the marine scenery.
To remedy that while we were sailing the Gulf of St. Lawrence, I bundled up in several layers and “capped” it off with a stocking cap and then my favorite Benedictine Brewery hat on top of that. (By the way, that’s coffee in my cup and not beer.) #2
It harkened back memories of days on both a Navy destroyer and destroyer escort, so I decided even though there were winds and swells, to look over the rail of the ship – for a better view.
To my chagrin and without warning, a big gust hit and my brewery cap, sailed off my head and disappeared over the starboard side of the Volendam – into the Gulf of St. Lawrence.
My first inclination was to shout, “Monk overboard!” but I figured the captain was not going to issue the command, “Full speed astern,”to recover my headgear. (A new one is on my to-do list when I again visit the Mount Angel Abbey.) #3
“Monk Overboard!”
Nova Scotia – Fascinating History
I could devote several posts just to the history, culture and geography of Nova Scotia, but will summarize. It was first visited by outsiders when the French landed in the early 1600’s.
Since that time Nova Scotia has been directly or peripherally involved in military conflicts with groups including the English, Scottish, Dutch, French, Americans and the original inhabitants – the Mi’kMaq.
The conflicts ranged from the American Revolution, the French and Indian War, the War of 1812 and the American Civil War.
“Nova Scotia is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada, with an estimated population of over 1 million as of 2024; it is also the second-most densely populated province in Canada, and second-smallest province by area.”
Cape Breton Island, a large island to the northeast of the Nova Scotia mainland, is also part of the province, as is Sable Island, a small island notorious for being the site of offshore shipwrecks. (I was thankful that our captain avoided Sable Island and didn’t try to use the navigation chart below.) #4
Map showing location of shipwrecks along Sable Island
Port Royal was the first permanent European settlement in what would become Canada. The settlement was in the Mi’kmaw district of Kespukwitk and was the founding settlement of what would become Acadia.
The French and Acadians lived in Nova Scotia and during the early years, nine significant military clashes took place as the English and Scottish, Dutch French, and Mi’kmaq fought for possession of the area. (#5)
The Arcadian Expulsion
The treatment of the Arcadians by the British is a sad chapter in Western Civilization:
“The Expulsion of the Acadians was the forced removal of inhabitants of the North American region historically known as Acadia between 1755 and 1764 by Great Britain.
The history is complex, but the British finally and reluctantly acknowledged the grave error of their actions although it took until the 20th century for some of this to transpire.
“Some 233,000 people whose mother tongue is French—the great majority of whom are Acadians—represent one third of the province’s (New Brunswick) population.” (The Canadian Encylopedia)
The Arcadians have made great strides which led me when I saw the hat below to state that I was glad that they were taking a more assertive position until Janet chastised me for misinterpreting the acronym. (I quickly recanted.) (#6)
No, Don. That’s not Arcadians!
Sydney
But I digress…when we docked at Sydney – founded in 1785 by the British and incorporated as a city in 1904 – with a current population of just over 31,000, we were greeted by two interesting scenes on the pier:
The largest fiddle in the world.
Purportedly, the largest fiddle in the world, the instrument and bow reach a height of 60 feet – it’s made of solid steel and …“was dubbed the ‘Big Fiddle of the Ceilidh’. Ceilidh is a Gaelic word which translates into ‘visit’.” (Atlas Obscura.com)
I was a bit disappointed not to hear a soundtrack of Alabama’s hit – “If You’re Gonna Play in Texas, You Gotta Have a Fiddle in the Band.” (But perhaps not one that big…although given the Texas mentality, one never knows.)
Although having a rich history, Sydney was definitely not as impressive as Quebec City and Charlottetown in its presentation of that legacy, but our eight-hour bus tour that day along a major portion of The Cabot Trail made up for that. A large portion of the economy in Sydney depends on the cruise industry. (#7)
“This 298 km (186 mi) highway weaves through The Cape Breton Highlands National Park, rewarding travelers with spectacular valley and coastal views all along the way.” (www.novascotia.com)
It reminded me of the amazing Trail Ridge Road through Rocky Mountain National Park although the Cabot has breathtaking views of the sea as well as the rugged mountains.
“One of Nova Scotia’s most enchanting places, where the mountains meet the sea. Discover 950 square kilometres of rugged wilderness, travel along the world-famous Cabot Trail and marvel at lush, forested river canyons carved into an ancient plateau.” (https://parks.canada.ca/pn-np/ns/cbreton)
We had a great bus ride – other than a tour guide who thought she was a stand-up comedian performing at the front of the bus as we made our journey. (Unfortunately spurred on by repeated guffaws from a small minority of our fellow riders….).
It included a wonderful buffet lunch with the best clam chowder I’ve had in years at a small restaurant in the fishing village of Ingonish, halfway through the trip.
Not to be parochial, but giving a shout-out to our Oregon, we found that while the scenery – both along the Cabot Trail and on a tour through Acadia National Park at our final port – Bar Harbor – were outstanding, they certainly did not surpass what we sometimes take for granted along the beautiful Oregon Coast and the mountains in Central and Eastern Oregon – two to four hours respectively from our home.
And as seen below from our 2023 trip to Steens Mountain in Eastern Oregon, you probably won’t encounter cattle along your highway on the way.
The Central Oregon CoastCattle drive on the way to Steens MountainKiger Gorge from the summit of Steens Mountain
Stay tuned for our next port – Halifax, Nova Scotia, which included a trip to an outstanding brewery.
#3. Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (Portrait_of_a_Monk_in_Prayer_MET_DP345572.jpg (2777×3882) (wikimedia.org) This file is made available under the Creative Commons CCO 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication. The work of art itself is in the public domain . George Craiguthor – 1893 painting, depicting an event in 1755.
#5. Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (Deportation Grand-Pré – Expulsion of the Acadians – Wikipedia). This is a faithful photographic reproduction of a two-dimensional, public domain work of art. The work of art itself is in the public domain…..Author: George Craig – 1893 painting, depicting an event in 1755.
Since it was 682 nautical miles from Quebec City to Charlottetown, we spent the second day of the trip – a Monday – just cruising which I really enjoyed – and the weather was much better:
Charlottetown is the capital and largest city of the Canadian province of Prince Edward Island – one of thirteen Canadian provinces or territories – the smallest province in terms of land area and population, but the most densely populated.
The city has a population of just 40,500 and was incorporated in 1855. Since it was pretty compact, we decided to just walk on our own and there was a nice boardwalk along the pier and harbor.
When we docked and left the ship, I expected to see a bevy of Canadian realtors waiting for appointments with those on the cruise who were hedging their bets based on the result of the forthcoming November US General Election. But I guess that’s another story…..
Dual citizenship??
While it was filled with historic houses and buildings, the highlight was two wonderful churches. St. Dunstan’s Cathedral Basilica – built from 1897 to 1907 – it reminded us of the ornate trappings of similar structures in Europe.
“St. Peter’s has superb choral music, beautiful liturgy, strong orthodox Christian teaching and preaching, a friendly congregation, and a tradition of service to the community.”
Remember, however, this is a blog primarily about bars and breweries…..
Now, we hadn’t been to a brewery since Montreal, so after viewing the cathedrals, we set out in search of suds. Gahan Brewing came to the rescue. And consistent with the heritage of other structures throughout town, The Gahan House embodied history:
“Gahan is a name unknown in Prince Edward Island today, but in the middle of the 19th century, John Gahan was a prominent merchant, an importer of teas, wines, and family groceries. His place of business was on the corner of Queen and Sydney Streets in Charlottetown; now known as The Gahan House.”
The brew pub was a very attractive mix of brick and dark wood and they had an excellent selection of beers. Gahan Brewing also has a good story and it was nice to see an independent brewery thriving:
“The Gahan Brewery (formerly Murphy’s Brewing Co.) was established in March 1997 in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. The beer quickly became a local favorite and the brewery relocated to its current location on the corner of Queen & Sydney Streets in Downtown Charlottetown, thus doubling its production capacity and giving it a permanent home in Old Charlottetown.”
“With a total of six locations across Atlantic Canada, The Gahan House has become an East Coast tradition dedicated to creating memorable experiences.”
And their Island Red Ale was one of the best I’ve drunk. I’m also sorry that I didn’t get to try the Big Don Coffee Belgian Blonde Ale before Gahan stopped brewing it. One reviewer on Untapped characterized it as follows:…”
“So deliciously weird, wouldn’t want to drink more than one, but that one is a great treat.”
This prompted Janet to remark, “That account might be similar to your personality, Don…..”
The pub also had a great menu and there was a thriving take-out business during the noon hour, but we had lunch back at the ship.
And since we still had twelve (of the fifteen “free” daily drinks) waiting for us at the ship that day, we didn’t partake at the Olde Dublin Pub – right across the street. It looked like a watering hole, however, that deserved additional research!
“….we’re Charlottetown’s original Irish pub! Here, since 1983, Islanders and visitors alike have been tipping back Guinness, enjoying Irish and East Coast dishes with an ODP twist, and raising a cheer for some of the best traditional and contemporary music to grace the province”
I guess that that will have to wait for our return trip!
Cheers and stay tuned for Sydney – our next port.
Cheers!
External Photo Attribution
#1. Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Vote_sign_democracy.jpg) File is made available under the Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication. The person who associated a work with this deed has dedicated the work to the public domain by waiving all of their rights to the work worldwide under copyright law.
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 at the end of the post and so the narrative isn’t clipped or shortened.
We had a night and a morning in Montreal before we embarked on the Volendam (on Saturday May 4th – my birthday) so on Friday, we took a ninety-minute bus tour of the city and then walked around to see historic buildings and, of course, bars and breweries.
I might add that we stayed at the La Centre Sheraton – right downtown – which had a wonderful looking bar itself. The concierge recommended a couple of good places for beer.
Th Sheraton bar
Our first watering hole where we had some excellent beer was 3 Brasseurs. (That’s “brewers” in English). Evidently, it is a chain with establishments thoughout France and four locations in Canada – Montreal, Quebec, Toronto.
“Welcome to our brand with 30 years of experience in beer making, design and service of authentic and generous local dishes, for the greatest satisfaction of our customers.”
The bar had a great atmosphere inside with a long, attractive bar, but given the beautiful day, we sat outside on the expansive patio – right on the street which made it more interesting.
And we sat next to a young and very friendly couple – the first of many great people we met on our trip – who were visiting from the Western part of Canada. We only had beer and they even offered to share their food with us since the servings were so generous.
We declined and ate that night in an Italian restaurant – a mistake – we should have ordered a burger and fries at 3 Brasseurs.
I left the others for five minutes while they were waiting for our beers, to check out the other recommendation from the concierge – Brutopia – kind of an interesting name and I was sorry we didn’t have time to check it out. It looked very interesting:
“Brutopia Brewpub is the premiere brewpub in downtown Montreal. Since we opened our doors early in 1997, our attentive, friendly staff has been serving full flavoured beers, freshly brewed on our premises.” (# – External photo attribution at end of post #1)
It looked like the brewpub had great food, but we still had places to see and instead ate that night in an Italian restaurant – a mistake – but I guess I already said that above.
The ship left the next day at about 5:00 PM and we had some beautiful views of Montreal – by the way, the city is actually on an island….And shortly after we left the pier, I saw another brewery I would have liked to hit – I guess when we return.
Molson and Coors merged in 2005 and at that time, Molson Coors was rated the third largest producer of beer in the United States, and the second largest brewer in the United Kingdom.
It has continued to expand and in 2016, “per the agreement with the regulators, SABMiller sold to Molson Coors full ownership of the Miller Brewing Company brand portfolio.” Wikipedia
Shipboard Life and Port Adventures
We quickly acclimated to life on the cruise. The only issue which disappointed me was that with the exception of the second day, we sailed from port to port in either the late afternoon or after sunset into the morning hours and I didn’t get to see that much of the beautiful countryside and towns along the St. Lawrence.
Every day, we could either sign up for tours (excursions) ranging from walking tours, to tours of museums, historic homes to long bus tours e.g. an eight-hour ride (including lunch) which we took on Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia to see the beautiful coast and mountains.
Historic and beautiful Quebec City (#3)
We sailed Saturday evening from Montreal to historic Quebec City. Before debarking the ship for the tour, we had our typical breakfast at the Volendam’s Lido Market Place – a buffet that had an amazing assortment from pastries to traditional faire to lox.
The first morning, I had lox and onions with my scrambled eggs, even though some would scoff at this combination.
We then took a two-hour guided walking tour of the city of 549,459 settled originally in 1633. To get from the pier to the upper level and most of the attractions, we took the Old Quebec Funicular (1879).
At the top was a great view and an abundance of history.
The tour was very interesting, albeit wet, as a steady rain came down. It didn’t dampen the experience of seeing the:
Fairmont Le Chateau Frontenac (“An iconic historic hotel in Quebec City known for its castle-like architecture and stunning views of the St. Lawrence River.”) (1893) (#4)
or
Notre-Dame de-Quebec Basilica Cathedral (“An historic and iconic basilica-cathedral, known for its stunning architecture and religious significance.”). (1633 – original) (#5)
Since our excursion of Quebec City was over by lunch, we spent the rest of the day exploring the ship.
The activities were an eclectic bunch of pursuits – keeping in mind that given the median passenger age, there could probably be an animated discussion of the Nixon vs Kennedy debate.
There were team sports or competitions from bingo to trivia to soccer goal scoring to cornhole to poker to pickleball to bridge, but these were not for us as was the case with “Origami Folding – Paper-bomb”or “The Art of Flower Arranging”to “Coloring for Adults” (not hair…) or “Adventures with Water Colors – Jellyfish….” (#6 – #7))
Adult coloring?
However, there were no offerings such as “The Colorful History of Pabst Blue Ribbon,” or “Hop Gardening,” although I have to admit given the median age of the passengers, I was surprised to see one actually entitled “Pampering the Ladies…”
One that piqued my interest was “Make Your Own Mug” until I found it that it pertained to coffee rather than beer and I blanched about spending 90-minutes in a session – “Make Your Own Flower Vase.”
And these were just on the first two days so I thought with five more days left on the cruise, they might consider “Make Your Own Titanic” or “Make Your Own Submarine,” but Janet told me not to go anywhere near the Cruise Director with these suggestions.
We decided that we would enjoy walking the deck and then reading and viewing beautiful Quebec City from a higher deck – this while consuming one or two of our fifteen “free” drinks per day (unbelievably – part of the cruise package).
It made me think seriously about the assertion of Aloysius Archer, the protagonist in the Baldacci novel I was reading:
“If you’re going to drink all day, you have to start in the morning.”
While walking the deck, my mind was still at work wondering:
“Do they really need the warning message on the bulkhead shown in the following photo?”
Is that warning really necessary?
And while my initial “Make Your Own” suggestions were not viable, given the robust supply of cooking material on board, why not “Make Your Own Life Ring?” (#8)
Plenty available in the ship galley
On a more serious note, I thought Holland America missed a good opportunity by not mimicking Portland’s Breakside Brewery which recently advertised:
“Make Your Own IPA Ice Cream, 11 a.m.-noon Saturday, June 15: Join Malek and Breakside head brewer Ben Edmunds – churn your very own beer-infused ice cream.”
The selections in the dining room for the evening meal were splendid as was the presentation and quality. We typically had two meals each day (along with an occasional cookie or ice cream cone in the evening.)
Given the expansive and plentiful availability of both food and alcohol, it made me wonder if any medical research had been conducted on the correlation between heart attacks and post cruise living.
I decided to banish that morbid thought the next morning when I had my breakfast which included lox and a bagel. (#9)
Stay tuned for our next port, Charlottetown – 721 nautical miles from Quebec City – so we had one full day of just sailing, before we docked at this next city – another one with a rich and interesting history.
Janet and I recently completed a seven-day Holland America cruise on the Volendam – from Montreal to Boston. We were accompanied by our long-time friends Jeff and Susan Nopper. (External photo attribution at end of the post #1 – 2.)
Our travel history included two prior HA cruises – the first from Anchorage, Alaska to Vancouver, BC in 2014. It included a side trip to Denali National Park before the cruise started and the journey by ship was wonderful way to see Glacier Bay; whales and wildlife; and the Alaska coastline that would be a challenge on another mode of transport.
In 2018, we took a second cruise – this one with the Noppers to the Panama Canal from Fort Lauderdale, Florida – not a full transit – through the canal from east to west – but just through the locks. After a cruise around Lake Gatun we went back through the canal to the Atlantic Ocean and explored the Caribbean.
A massive cargo ship going through the canal
I’ll give more info in a future post, but on the first two cruises, both of our ships accommodated 2,700 passengers and 1,000 crew members. The vessel for the recent trip up the St. Lawrence Seaway and around Nova Scotia was about half that size – 1,432 passengers and 647 crew.
Although we enjoyed the first two cruises, we definitely preferred the smaller ship which still had great amenities – pool, great gym and workout facility, pickleball court, casino, theater and, of course, multiple bars and restaurants.
And I’ll have to state that my wife, Janet, is not the biggest fan of cruises – partly because of a tendency for motion sickness. She gave me this cruise for my birthday although it was much better than she expected and she did not get seasick.
The Noppers on the Panama cruiseDon and Janet in PanamaJanet and Susan on the St. LawrenceDon and Jeff waiting for Montreal flight
Janet was prepared with patches and medication but did not have to use them – the biggest swells were about three feet around Halifax.
This was a good thing because our cruise package provided fifteen “free” drinks each day. Her pharmacist told her to avoid mixing pills or patches with alcohol….
I might add that if you plan a trip, take Susan Nopper with you. Janet is an excellent planner, but Susan is the epitome of a well-prepared and informed journeyer. She always knew when, where, how what, and why……
I bemoaned the fact that I did not have my college bota bag with me given the drink quota, but there was no way we could consume that much booze. Coffee drinks also counted and one day I had to work off a caffeine high by walking the deck several miles after having four espressos.
And I have to admit that I supplemented my typical martini or microbrew with some new cocktails including a “Smokey Boulevardier.”
It was indeed smokey and one of the ship’s officers jokingly came over to the bartender and asked if he needed to alert the ship about an on-board fire as smoke was wafting over the bar as he prepared my cocktail.
But I have to admit, my favorite drink on the ship was their beautiful Bloody Mary. I also coaxed Jeff Nopper into having his first martini – gin, up with olives.
The food was also superb with multiple eateries – formal and informal available at all times of the day. For example, take a look at the late night menu available at the Lido Cafe below.
It reminded me of my Navy destroyer when we had “Midrats from 8:00 PM to midnight:
“Midrats has been a Naval tradition dating back to 1902, when the Navy decide to make changes to Sailors’ diet by introducing a new meal to the fleet. President Theodore Roosevelt signed the 1902 Navy Ration Act that included a section for additional rations specifically for Sailors who worked the night shift.
Nowadays, Sailors can choose from breakfast items such as eggs, pancakes, bacon, sausage, and French toast; or dinner items like pork chops, ribs, mashed potatoes, green beans, steak, and grilled chicken.”
The difference between the Navy and the HA cruise, was after the midnight snack, I didn’t have a watch on the bridge of the ship from midnight to 3:00 AM.
Not to get totally preoccupied with food, but the selection was amazing and and the quality very good from appetizers to desserts as you can see from the selection of cupcakes one evening and decorated cakes the next.
Fortunately, we were disciplined in our walks around the 1/3 of a mile deck just a step away from our stateroom. Surprisingly, we didn’t gain any weight.
Montreal – The City of Mary
We had a night and a morning in Montreal before the ship departed and it is a wonderful city in which one could spend days if not weeks touring this metropolis of 1.8 million people.
Since our time was limited, we took a 90-minute bus tour to see Mount Royal, the underground and the historic buildings:
“Some of the city’s earliest still-standing buildings date back to the late 17th and early 18th centuries. Although most are clustered around the Old Montreal area, such as the Sulpician Seminary adjacent to Notre Dame Basilica that dates back to 1687.” Wikipedia
Of course, even though we were limited to one evening in the city, we set out to find a watering hole or two to quench our thirsts – possibly to build up to the routine on the ship. I will fill you in on the next post, but have to leave you with this one unforgettable memory of Montreal.
We were walking in the late afternoon in the downtown area and came across a middle-aged guy with a baby carriage in which a live rabbit was contentedly riding. He offered to let the rabbit get out and run around.
Of course, I wanted to make a comment that this was not the kind of hops I was seeking for my the Beerchaser blog, but the others told me to hold my tongue and he rolled his cargo away when the light changed.
After doing recent posts on two wonderful Portland bars – the historic Huber’s and the iconic Sandy Jug, I’m going to skip around and cover a few miscellaneous topics after a farewell to a Portland landmark for years. (#1.)
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 at the end of the post and so the narrative isn’t clipped or shortened. External photo attribution at the end of the post.(#1)
Farewell to Quintessential Dive – The Jolly Roger
I visited this Portland eastside landmark in January, 2023 with my friend, Hillary Barbour, knowing that it would be both the first and last time I would raise a mug in this watering hole which has been a prominent feature on the block for about the last sixty years:
“After much speculation about what would become of Buckman dive bar the Jolly Roger, WW has confirmed it will become an affordable housing complex helmed by recovery and low-income housing nonprofit Central City Concern. The property was bulldozed this fall and is currently an empty lot.” (Willamette Week – 1/16/2024)
Although there was a smidgeon of hope for a reprieve in 2023, one year later, it was razed and the irreplaceable sign visible for blocks is now relegated to the scrap heap:
“Of the landmark sign—which WW once called ‘a majestic freestanding pylon sign shaped like a ship’s mast at a height no longer sanctioned’ ….it was trashed.
‘It was too large to be used in the building or anywhere else, she says…Efforts were made to see if any signage, restoration companies or collectors were interested in it, to no avail.'”
Farewell to a long and prosperous voyage!
An Informed Perspective
I had lunch recently with a friend of the conservative bent who was bemoaning the current US policy on climate change and energy. He had witnessed the 2017 total solar eclipse when he was at the Oregon coast and took in the same event again on April 8th this year.
Although Oregon was not in the path of totality. His comment:
“Don, this provides additional evidence of the lack of dependability of solar power as a future energy source….” (#2 – #3)
Well, one of Jay’s Portland lawyerly colleagues – who is also in the esteemed ranks of Beerchasers-of-the-Quarter, Jim Westwood – was involved in another significant victory, although this wasn’t as one of the premier players in the Oregon Appellate Courts.
Jim, who has accompanied me on more Beerchasing events than either one of us would want to admit in the last thirteen years, is also a fellow Oregon City High School graduate (although several years ahead of me).
As I have stated previously as evidence of my longevity, his mother Catherine, was my Latin teacher for two years in the mid-sixties. The photo gallery below provides evidence of Jim’s affirmation of Beerchasing as a venture although it should be noted that both of us also have an affinity for single malt beverages.
(You will recognize his mug – so-to-speak – in each of the photos below:
Beerchasing at the Goose Hollow Inn in 2012 with the late Portland Mayor Bud Clark and John Terry of The Oregonian
Below is an excerpt from my 2013 post when I named him as a Beerchaser-of-the-Quarter. I mentioned his extensive civic activities including coaching high school Constitutional teams:
“Jim has volunteered for 11 years as a coach for ‘We the People’ high school Constitutional law teams for Grant High and De la Salle North Catholic High School.
Marilyn Cover, Executive Director of the Classroom Law Project (CLP), stated, ‘He’s a great teacher, a great coach and a great model citizen.’ He was honored last year as the 2012 Legal Citizen of the Year by the CLP.”
The historical figure he most admires is George Washington and when he received an annual award from the Multnomah Bar Association in 2013, they gave him the caricature shown in the photo below.
The picture below shows the George Washington theme continued as 1783 was the year Washington bade farewell to his officers at Fraunces Tavern and resigned as Commander-in-Chief.
The Coach fulfills his promise
They won in 2018 and his second tattoo followed although at time of publication I could not ascertain where it’s located or the content. He retired from being a full-time coach in 2019, but as Jim, with his characteristic modesty, stated this month:
“I intended to fade into nothingness, but as has happened with other retiring coaches, Grant Con team is the Hotel California. You can never leave. The best description of me is ‘involved volunteer.”‘
My involvement varies, in 2024 I was involved about twice as much as last year….This year, for the first time since retiring, I went to DC with the team and the coaches. although it was more of a vacation for me than it was for the others.”
He thus shared in the incredible accomplishment of 2024 Grant High’s Constitutional Team when they again won the National Championship in April. As reported by the Center for Civic Education on April 16th:
“Students from Grant High School of Portland, Oregon, placed first in the We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution National Finals, an annual competition that brings together high school students from across the nation to answer difficult questions about the U.S. Constitution...
More than 1,000 students participated….The competition results were announced at an awards ceremony Monday evening before an in-person and online audience of more than 3,400 people…A total of 48 high school teams from 28 states and the District of Columbia participated in this year’s events.”. (#4 – #5)
2015 Winners – Westwood in back row with bowtie2024 National Champions
In a time where civics is almost a forgotten course offering in high schools across the United States, teacher advisor, David Lickey; coaches including Andrea Short, Tim Volpert, Shelley Larkins and Westwood (many of whom are lawyers) and the parental volunteers deserve accolades for their commitment to preserving democratic institutions.
When I asked about a third inking, he responded:
“I’ve been in contact with Ximena, my personal tattoo artist, about the tattoo for this year’s win. The ink will flow later this month.”
There’s speculation whether it will be a cherry tree, the words “Valley Forge” or “1791” – the year when the Bill of Rights was ratified which Washington called for in his first inaugural address. Stay tuned…..
“…..The Annenberg Public Policy Center’s survey on civic knowledge found that barely half of American adults can name all three branches of government, and 20 percent cannot name any rights protected by the First Amendment.
This state of affairs follows prolonged disinvestment in the fields of history and civics: today, a new report reveals, federal spending per pupil in these subjects averages $0.05, whereas STEM education (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) per pupil averages $50—a thousandfold difference in funding allocation.” (#6)
A document needing more attention
But Have Some Moderation…!
While efforts to enhance civic education are to be encouraged and applauded, one Oregon Circuit Court Judge in Clackamas County – just south of Portland – went a step too far when in a criminal trial for hit-and-run (State v. Varvara) last week:
“….(she) decided to give a hands-on civics lesson to a class of visiting second graders, inviting eight of them to serve as jurors in a hit-and-run trial, swearing them in, allowing them to sit in the jury box and giving them supplies to take notes.”
Now this was a bench trial – meaning the judge, not a jury – makes the final decision. The Presiding Judge, however, was evidently not impressed with the judgment of Circuit Judge Ulanda Watkins. He intervened and the second-graders were ushered out of the courtroom.
Judge Watkins was appointed to the bench in 2017. She is, at least up until this point, running unopposed in the 2024 Oregon Primary Election. (#7)
Perhaps taking civic education too far…
“In the end, Watkins delivered an acquittal without consulting the students — the 7- and 8-year-olds left before the trial concluded. But the judge’s off-the-cuff overture to the school children became the talk of the courthouse in downtown Oregon City.” (#8 – #9)
The Clackamas County Courthouse in Oregon City.
There have been no reports on whether the eight second graders selected for the jury have requested the $10 daily juror pay or whether the school district has submitted the 20 cents per mile reimbursement for the school bus.
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 at the end of the post and so the narrative isn’t clipped or shortened. (External photo attribution at the end of the post. #1)
In a recent entry in my daily devotional, the author illustrated his point by quoting Proverbs 20:1:
“Wine is a mocker and beer a brawler; whoever is led astray by them is not wise.”
Reading this led me on one of my typical internet research projects which my wife says occupy far too much of my free time, although it was prompted by a recent NBC.com article entitled:
” Morgan Wallen arrested after throwing chair from rooftop of Nashville bar, police say.” (#2)
Is an encounter with a chair, a brawl?
And while this incident was not a brawl per se’, it was not his first encounter with police because of scuffles with others:
“Wallen was arrested around 11 p.m. Sunday night outside Chief’s on Broadway, a Nashville honky-tonk bar that his fellow country musician Eric Church opened in March.
Per a police report, officers were standing outside the bar when a chair landed intact on the ground several feet from them. Staff members reportedly told the officers Wallen had thrown the chair from six stories above…” (emphasis added)
Since it involved a bar, I obviously was curious. Chief’s on Broadway, opened just in April, evidently celebrates the career of Eirc Church and has about 4,000 posters from his country-western singing career.
It may well be the tallest bar in the United States:
“Chief’s is a six-story bar, restaurant, event space, and live music venue designed to celebrate Eric Church’s ever-expanding musical legacy.
Located in historic downtown Nashville, Chief’s will feature a ticketed music venue, inspirational interiors, and a thoughtful focus on unique live performances, offering fans an unparalleled entertainment experience in Music City.” MusicCity.com (#3 – #4)
Given the short duration since opening, there are only three Yelp reviews so far, but it’s obvious, the rooftop incident will play for some time:
“Super nice bar and good drinks. Almost gave it 4 stars(rather than five) because the chairs are so light and tossable.”Yelp – April 8, 2024
Before leaving this thread, a few more comments on the distinction between beer and wine as illustrated by quotes:
“Beer is made by men, wine by God.” – Martin Luther
“In wine there is wisdom, in beer there is freedom, in water there is bacteria.”– Benjamin Franklin
And my favorite which is unattributed except I located it in an ad on the website of the Sherlock Holmes British Pub in Dubai, United Arab Emirates:
“Beer, because one doesn’t solve the world’s problems over white wine.”
Of course, we shouldn’t give short shrift to whiskey and Irish playwright and critic George Bernard Shaw, no stranger to controversy, who opined: (#5)
“Whisky is liquid sunshine.”
Who better than an Irishman to know….
Not many dives I’ve been to have served wine. If it were available and could lead to “mocking” as the scripture asserts, it might result in a brawl with those consuming quantities of beer. (#6)
Here’s to Solving World Problems
I was also struck that an internet search reveals a number of athletic teams named “Brawlers.” I assume that their post-game libation is beer.
The Boston Brawlers – a football team based in Harvard Stadium – a charter member of the Fall Experimental Football League (FXFL) – a professional football minor league that played just two seasons in 2014 and 2015.
The Bricktown Brawlers – a professional indoor football team based in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. They were a member of the Lonestar Division of the Intense Conference in the Indoor Football League (IFL).
In contrast, I didn’t find any athletic team named “Mockers”– only two bands – one a pop band from New Zealand that performed from 1979 to 1988 and Los Mockers – a 1960 rock band from Uruguay.
The latter, pictured below, do not look like they could hold their own in a brawl… (#8)
I have rather eclectic taste in the music I listen to – ranging from Big Band, Classical (especially with beautiful oboe solos, Christian instrumental, 1960’s rock-n-roll and last but not least, old-time country western.
This is not the contemporary western pop, but renowned vocalists like the four shown clockwise below:
Well, one of these crooners recently passed away. The legendary Toby Keith died in February 2024 of stomach cancer. Although not an ardent fan of his songs, I was captivated by his songs, “Beer for My Horses” as well as the 2003 single “I Love This Bar” – it reached #1 on the US BillboardHot Country Singles & Tracks.
Keith released nineteen studio albums, two Christmas albums, and five compilation albums, totaling worldwide sales of over forty-million albums.
He charted sixty singles on the BillboardHot Country Songs charts, including twenty number-one hits and twenty-two additional Top-Ten hits. (Wikipedia) (#13)
Country Music Hall of Fame
I love this bar It’s my kind of place Just walkin’ through the front door Puts a big smile on my face It ain’t too far Come as you are Hmmm, hmmm, hmmm, hmmm, hmmm, I love this bar
The song captures perfectly the sentiments I felt when I decided to start my Beerchasing hobby in 2011, as stated in an article entitled:
“Just walking through the front door puts a big smile on my face.”
“The song is about finding a sense of belonging and comfort in a local bar. Keith sings about all the different types of people that frequent the bar, from bikers to college kids, and how they all come together to have a good time.
The chorus of the song proclaims Keith’s love for the bar, stating that it has everything he needs, from cold beer to good company. The lyrics paint a picture of a place where everyone can let loose and forget about their troubles.
I became more interested after I started a data base on bar articles. It caught my attention that Toby Keith’s bars were having some problems other than what might be caused by unruly patrons.
Fans of the late singer will be happy to know that Keith was not the owner. Rather his song was the inspiration for the bar and his name licensed by Boomtown Entertainment. Toby Keith evidently did make surprise visits to franchises, where he performed and socialized with fans. (Wikiepedia)
The ownership by Boomtown was under the control of one Frank Capri. (see below).
The story is too complex to convey here, but you might check out the links above and it can be summarized by stating that after his death and a series of closures and scads of lawsuits, only two locations of “I Love this Bar” remain open – both in Oklahoma and neither of which is now owned by Boomtown Entertainment.
“Toby Keith’s I Love This Bar and Grill offered mall owners a special recipe. Equal parts eatery, roadhouse and concert hall, it promised steady foot traffic during the day and an after-hours bonanza of drinking and dancing. It proved to be a recipe for financial disaster.
Combined, four Arizona developers won $13.1 million in judgments against Capri and his companies. Greenville joined a list of 19 other cities from coast to coast where Boomtown said it would build Toby Keith restaurants that never opened.
Those cities included Anaheim, Colorado Springs, Jacksonville, Boise, New Orleans, Lansing, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, San Antonio and Portland, Oregon.” Greenville News – 11/1/2027 (#17)
“Capri’s Phoenix companies built 20 Toby Keith restaurants beginning in 2009 and announced plans to build 20 more that never opened. By 2015, all but one had closed. Allegations of fraud and theft followed.
In lawsuits, developers claimed he stiffed contractors, broke lease agreements and took millions of dollars meant to pay for construction.” (Arizona Republic – 3/13/2019)
As has happened many times when celebrities collaborate with entrepreneurs (and mobsters…) the result is not positive.
The story essentially ends as reported March 2022 in City Beat – a Cincinnati publication:
“Frank Capri, a former mobster turned government witness turned developer who scammed The Banks with a Toby Keith’s I Love This Bar & Grill-branded restaurant, was sentenced last week to five years in federal prison after pleading guilty to charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and tax evasion.”
I guess as one of the verses in the song goes, a lot of investors and contractors came out on the short end:
We got winners We got losers Chain-smokers and boozers We got yuppies We got bikers We got thirsty hitchhikers And the girls next door dress up like movie stars Hmmm, hmmm, hmmm, hmmm, hmmm, I love this bar (#18)
#7. Flickr’s Common (File:Brawl.jpg – Wikimedia Commons) This image was taken from Flickr‘s The Commons. The uploading organization may have various reasons for determining that no known copyright restrictions exist. Author: British Library 7 December 2013.
#18. Wikimedia Commons – Public Domain (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Michigan-exterior-toby.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. Author: ArizonaLincoln – 3 March 2010.
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