Welcome back to Thebeerchaser. If you are seeing this post through an e-mail, please visit the blog by clicking on the title at the top to see all of the photos so the narrative is not clipped or shortened. (External photo attribution at the end of the post.)
While many people would suggest that September is not technically summer, I’m going to finish my four-part “Summer Simmers” series – after Labor Day.
Besides, with the temperatures being experienced all over – at least in the US, “simmers” is still appropriate. We’ve witnessed a new paradigm with aberrant weather and atmospheric events, which besides being alarming, make one rethink a lot of past assumptions – even lyrics to songs….
I was listening to my YouTube favoritesand did a mental double-take, of sorts, when I heard the following lyrics to the James Taylor and Karli Simon favorite “Devoted to You.” (#1)
“Darlin’ you can count on me Till the sun dries up the sea Until then I’ll always be devoted to you”
The dynamic vocal duo above, thought their marriage would last “forever” rather than just eleven years – until James became too vain….
And obviously the words in bold above, are exaggerated to make a point, but I also never thought we would see a tropical storm in California, draught to flood whiplash and record wildfires in 2021 on three continents.
And given my concern for the future of my four precious granddaughters – shown in the photos at the beginning of this post – I’m going to rely on the studies and evidence from scientists.
This is in lieu of the blather evidenced in a recent political debate by, among others, a self-admitted “skinny guy with a funny last name” who majored in biology and stated:
“And so the reality is more people are dying of bad climate change policies than they are of actual climate change,”
Another Outstanding Lawyer
In my last post, I chronicled my long friendship with Portland lawyer Mark O’Donnell and why I admire his skill as a lawyer, his values and Mark’s civic contributions.
This was followed by a long career at Northwest Regional Law Firm Stoel Rives, where after joining the firm in 1976, he became a partner. He was ranked among the top 5% of Oregon’s appellate lawyers in 2006.
The Legacy
But while Charlie’s legal career was outstanding and will be part of his legacy, his life will be celebrated more so based on his family values, his life-time friendships, his diverse interests and his perseverance though physical hardship.
He became significantly disabled from a spinal cord injury and peripheral nerve damage sustained initially working in a sawmill the summer of 1969.
He had two beautiful and accomplished daughters (Ashley and Joliene) during his forty-five year marriage to Carol, who he met at an holiday open-house after college. And Charlie cherished his two grandsons.
Notwithstanding the limitations from his back injury which caused him to work both in a prone position and a stand-up desk during his law practice, he also participated in drag racing, snow shoeing, building snow caves, dog mushing in Denali and the Yukon (40 below) and he resumed hunting. (#2)
Buck was also a man of faith and active in his church – St Luke Lutheran.
But I’m going to focus on the times when I first met Charlie – the SAE House where he was a member of the class of 1969 – one year ahead of me.
This “cowboy” from Prineville who wore his ten-gallon hat (which he also would periodically don at the law office) would entertain us with his acapella version of “I have a dog and his name is Jake.”
It was not fair that Charlie was so smart and while the rest of us were cramming during Dead Week right before finals, Charlie was raising mugs at our favorite bar – Prices’ Tavern.
And he would usually end up with the highest GPA in the House during many quarters. (#3 – #4)
And Charlie developed life-long bonds with his fraternity brothers.
The picture on the left below is at an SAE Beerchasing event at the Gemini Bar and Grill In Lake Oswego in 2019.. (Charlie is on the left) At the Celebration-of-Life, seventeen of us sang the SAE Song “Violet” to his family and friends.
Cheers and Phi Alpha Brother Buck! (#5)
There’s Nothing Better than Baseball in the Fall
In June, I went to a book reading by Eric Gray a couple of weeks ago in Portland. He has written two books:
Both are excellent and are essentially vignettes – “a collection of personal memories. With over 1250 tales collected from around the world, memorable experiences with Major League Baseball.:” (#6 – #8)
Check out these books, you’ll enjoy them.
And Finally
In honor of Buck Adams, I’ll finish with this clip from the July 16th Morning Brew Newsletter. It’s the kind of discussion that Charlie would have over a beer at Prices Tavern with his SAE brothers, given his love of the wilderness.
Besides, his mind was sharp enough to conceptualize the thesis. It also makes one wonder who funds these academic studies (besides students with their tuition) and what practical value they have.
“The hills are alive with the sound of silence. If a tree doesn’t fall in the woods, new research suggests that we’d still consider its lack of sound to be…a sound. A Johns Hopkins study has found that people hear silence as a kind of sound rather than an absence of noise. (#9)
Researchers discovered this by running ‘sonic illusions,’ which typically compare one moment of noise to two shorter moments of noise that together last the same amount of time.
Listeners tend to wrongly perceive the uninterrupted moment as lasting longer, and the same thing happened when the single moment of noise was subbed out for silence.
This might not have happened if our brains didn’t consider silence to be a sound, scientists say.”
Of course the guys from the SAE house at Prices were less erudite than the Johns Hopkins’ researchers and would have advanced a corollary question:
“If a lone backpacker in the forest expels gas, does it smell?”
The Johns Hopkins’s study was published. The SAE inquiry never was.
From Bumpass Hell in Lassen Volcanic National Park
Welcome back to Thebeerchaser. If you are seeing this post through an e-mail, please visit the blog by clicking on the title at the top to see all of the photos so the narrative is not clipped or shortened. (External photo attribution at the end of the post.)
In my first “episode” of “Summer Simmers” I stated that I was going to end some future posts with three items from my vast collection – bar jokes, lawyer jokes and quotations. Well this one ends with a combined “story” of each of these three elements.
It’s courtesy of my friend of more than fifty years, attorney Mark O’Donnell, who is one of the best business, land-use and real estate lawyers in the state. His robust practice also includes legal work for non-profit organizations. Besides his skill as a lawyer, Mark is also a wonderful human being.
He’s a guy who shows compassion, a dry and sophisticated sense of humor and an ethic which involves helping others on a daily basis. (I realize that these traits apply to most attorneys….) (#1)
“Mark is an inspiration for many, and the support of his friends, family, and colleagues at the event made it clear that he has made an impact in our community,”
In September 2018, the Northwest Pilot Project presented him with the Agency Impact Award to commemorate his service to the organization, which provides affordable housing to seniors in Multnomah County:
O’Donnell’s commitment has prevented 450 low-income seniors from becoming homeless.” …He also partners with SE Works, De Paul Treatment Centers and other organizations that serve at-risk kids and low-income seniors.”
Stay tuned below for the closing story, but first some quick news about two watering holes:
It was a great little pub and brewery in SW Portland and I enjoyed a beer with my friend, David Kish, who had a distinguished career in public service both for the State of Oregon and the City of Portland including serving as Portland’s Director of General Services under legendary Mayor Bud Clark.
David Kish – a distinguished career in public service
And Sasquatch has a great story:
“In 2012 (Tom) Sims – former weld-grinder, former beeper salesman, soon-to-be former homebrewer – opened Sasquatch Brewing, and the brewpub quickly caught on in the Hillsdale neighborhood.
It proved to be such a hit that in 2017 Sasquatch’s owners opened a second pub, returning to Sims’ roots in Northwest Portland, where the co-founder had years earlier plied his trade.” (Oregon Live)
David and I talked to Tom, a fellow Oregon State grad (David graduated from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst) and based on his initial success, he had plans to expand – these came to fruition.
Will be back in business
After the closure news late last year, I was then happy to see just a couple of months later, Willamette Week’sstory:
“Sasquatch Brewing Will Start Producing Beer Again at Its Hillsdale Flagship.”
Experienced brewer, Nick Scandurro, plans to be “…brewing in Hillsdale this fall and have at least 12 in-house beers by spring 2024.”
Tom Sims made heroic efforts, but the pandemic, cost of materials and related issues made it impossible to continue. I hope he continues brewing in some capacity.
Celebrates its 100th Birthday in 2023
The Sandy Hut – A Portland dive icon that I visited in the early days of my Beerchasing journey – epitomized why I started this retirement pursuit.
Known by regulars as “The Handy Slut”, this excerpt from “Willamette Week’s 2008 Bar Guide” (that was three years before I started Beerchasing) will convey why it’s so well loved:
A classic resource for Thebeerchaser from 2008
2008– “The Handy Slut, as regulars and the bar’s merchandise call it, is a lurid, windowless utopia. It looks like it once housed the Rat Pack—and hasn’t cleaned since the party ended.
The drinks pack enough alcohol to fuel a racecar, and often mere eye contact constitutes consent. The east side loves you, Sandy—you dirty little slut.”
My first foray was in 2014 with one of my favorite attorneys and frequent Beerchasing companion, John Mansfield. John has never been shy about having his photo appear in this blog and the second photo shows him with Kevin, a friendly regular we sat next to at the bar.
He welcomed us and stated he has frequented the bar since 1979 when he moved from Phoenix.
JM in front of the iconic Al Hirschfield exterior
I was thus very concerned about the rumor shortly afterwards that The Slut was going to be demolished and become a high-rise condo.
It was purchased in 2012 by two of Portland’s dive bar saviors, Warren Boothby and Marcus Archambault. And as with their other acquisitions, they went to work
” And in 2018 restored an Al Hirschfield mural of celebrity caricatures, uncovered a glass brick wall by the old entrance and improved the food and drink menu with recipes nodding to the establishment’s Mid-Century glory days, when it was known as The Wolf’s Den.” (Oregon Live 7/18/23)
And as it celebrated it century year in August, does it still have a community following? Well, take a look at the photo below and the description of the event and it’s obvious:
“I’m so in love with this portland community. thank you so much for supporting sandy hut and helping to make portland a great place to live. no arguments, no fights. just 2000 folks showing up to have fun, rock out, and be present. thank you to the vendors, staff, and food carts that made this event a success! ….we love you all!” (#3)
And as Promised Above – The Story and Mark O’Donnell
Mark, being a compassionate guy and believing in contrition has forgiven me for my letter after I first met him in 1979 when I worked for the Clackamas County Commissioners in Oregon City.
He was appearing before the Board on behalf of a client who needed a conditional use permit for a mobile home on an expansive rural property. (At that time, they were labeled “house trailers.”)
Fortunately, I had worked with a number of lawyers in the DA’s Office who were were known for their well-honed cynical, sarcastic senses of humor. I speculated, with some risk, that Mark might share this same trait.
So with an elevated attitude of righteous indignation, I sent him a letter castigating him for trying to turn the park across from my Mom’s residence and most of my Oregon home town into a massive trailer park. (#2)
“Trailer Home!”
Mark responded, in kind, and this started a long-term friendship where we debated everything from religion to politics to land-use planning at periodic lunches.
Our relationship was characterized by letters and e-mails that many (most notably the secretaries who opened my mail) would view as acrimonious. All of these missives are still in my collection of “treasured” documents and I’ve included a few examples below.
In a letter to me dated 2/21/1979 to the Local Government Personnel Institute (my then employer) he again referenced my “concern” about my mom’s residence, he stated:
“(Your mom) called us bleeding liberals and said she agreed with every policy decision of her “former” son. (In the preceding paragraph, he asserted that Mom disclaimed ever having a son.) I then apologized for my single issue approach and we had a nice talk.
In the course of leaving the premises, she mentioned to me that while she always agreed with your great plans for our society such as clean air, transit malls, snow-capped mountains, clean water, mediocre schools, demise of the family unit, open space and farmland, she did miss the feeling of self-respect, dignity and independence.”
When I started work as the Business Manager at the Oregon State Bar, he did not disappoint me as you can see by the address on the envelope below:
Of course, Mark wanted to raise the standard higher and got one of his firm’s associate attorneys involved. I knew Martha Hicks from her work as a Deputy DA in Clackamas County when I worked for the County Commissioners. (Ironically, she now works as an Assistant Disciplinary Counsel at the Oregon State Bar!)
In a letter dated 8/7/1979, Martha wrote, in part:
“Attorney Mark O’ Donnell has forwarded to me your letter. He has also explained to me in detail your views on land use planning, government expenditures, tax relief and continuing support for elitist goals.
I have explained to Mr. O’Donnell your ‘spoon-in-mouth’ childhood, education and employment patterns. I have also admitted to Mr. O’Donnell that this does not excuse you, but that he should show more compassion and appreciation for your views.
I suggest you consider the following:
‘From each according to his abilities, to each according to his needs.'” (#3)
The first time I received a letter quoting Karl Marx
This initial series of letters culminated with Mark’s correspondence to me dated 7/11/1979. It was in response to a check I sent him for $1.07 for “legal services in kind.” The final paragraph in his letter stated:
“The El Gazebo Saloon has the finest super nachos that I’ve ever tasted. Please call me so that we may discuss these important matters over a plate of super nachos and large amounts of beer.”
He enclosed the following correspondence to Ms. Sharon Imholt, the Proprietor of the El Gazebo:
When we met for super nachos and mugs of beer, Mark gave me credit for $1.07 and paid the remainder of the bill. The El Gazebo went out of business long ago and has been resurrected several times since.
The structure that houses the bar has a long history as you can see by the photo below. It’s ignominious history may have come to a halt, however.
It became known as the Route 99 Roadhouse and closed temporarily in February 2021, when the Oregon Liquor Control Commission suspended its license for COVID violations:
“Per Gov. Kate Brown’s guidance, restaurants in ‘extreme risk’ counties cannot allow any form of indoor dining; in addition, all counties in Oregon must wear face coverings and follow social distancing guidelines when in restaurants or bars.
“The OLCC says it had reached out the bar before the in-person visit with educational information about the state’s safety protocols. According to the OLCC, inspectors who visited the bar for the follow-up evaluation found Route 99 packed with customers and staff, many of whom were maskless inside the bar.” (PDX Eater 2/5/21) (#4 – #5)
A watering hole with a long history including a meeting over super nachos and beer
It reopened, but the last Facebook post was in December 2021 indicating it was closing for good and the listed telephone number has been disconnected.
Objectively speaking, the above letters may appear like a foolish waste of time by two guys who don’t have enough to do, but they started a friendship that has endured for decades and transcends trite banter.
Mark followed our last lunch two weeks ago by sending me a booklet with David Foster Wallace’s essay:
Wallace was an American novelist, short story writer, essayist, and university professor of English and creative writing who died by suicide at the age of forty-six in 2008.
The text originated from a commencement speech Wallace gave at Kenyon College on May 21, 2005.
“The speech covers subjects including the difficulty of empathy, the unimportance of being well-adjusted, and the apparent lonesomeness of adult life. It suggests that the overall purpose of higher education is to learn to consciously choose how to perceive others, think about meaning, and act appropriately in everyday life.
Wallace argues that the true freedom acquired through education is the ability to be fully conscious and sympathetic.” (Wikipedia) (#5)
The essay was controversial, as was its author, but received great acclaim. I could write another post on both of these, but I want to finish with my favorite part of the work below, and as I promised, it involves a bar!
“Here’s another didactic little story. There are these two guys sitting together in a bar in the remote Alaskan wilderness. One of the guys is religious, the other is an atheist, and the two are arguing about the existence of God with that special intensity that comes after about the fourth beer.
And the atheist says: ‘Look, it’s not like I don’t have actual reasons for not believing in God. It’s not like I haven’t ever experimented with the whole God and prayer thing. Just last month I got caught away from the camp in that terrible blizzard, and I was totally lost and I couldn’t see a thing, and it was 50 below, and so I tried it: I fell to my knees in the snow and cried out ‘Oh, God, if there is a God, I’m lost in this blizzard, and I’m gonna die if you don’t help me.’
And now, in the bar, the religious guy looks at the atheist all puzzled. ‘Well then you must believe now,’ he says, ‘After all, here you are, alive.’ The atheist just rolls his eyes. ‘No, man, all that was a couple Eskimos happened to come wandering by and showed me the way back to camp.'”
And In Conclusion
Cheers to Mark O’ Donnell and as he would advise you:
(External photograhps (#) attributed at the end of the post)
In my last Beerchaser post, I mentioned an article that bemoaned the fate of seven Portland breweries which have recently closed or been put up for sale. This led to a perhaps overly ominous question in a headline entitled “7 Portland Breweries and Taprooms are Closing. Is Peak Craft Beer Over?
But there have been some real success stories including Crux Fermentation’s new SE Pub which I reviewed in that same post.
Now to focus on two “B’s” for they are among the “Best” breweries encountered on my twelve year Beerchasing journey. They’ve attracted many loyal patrons. Neither has a long history, but both have made their marks.
Beachcrest Brewing Company – Gleneden Beach
Beachcrest Brewing came to my attention in early 2019 – shortly after they opened. I wrote the following review:
“In seven years of Beerchasing, I’ve been impressed with the number of brewery owners who started homebrewing as a hobby and ultimately became micro-craft entrepreneurs after diverting from their original career paths. They have ranged from lawyers, teachers, accountants, contractors and public servants to former bartenders.”
Below is some information from their website:
“Beachcrest Brewing Co. started as the dream of lifelong musicians Matt and Amy White who spent many summers visiting the enchanting Oregon Coast. After years of dreaming of living on the coast the duo made the plunge and relocated to the central coast to follow their passion of combining beach life, craft beer and great music.”
They partnered with Megan Leesley – a CPA who does the Brewery’s accounting and Sean Sissel, a contractor, who spent five months in 2018 building out the brewery. Both still live in Colorado and will be working in the brewery periodically.” (#1)
I interviewed Matt and Amy (on the left of the photo above) to get info for my post and they were a wonderful couple – passionate and enthused about their dream. We have a vacation home in nearby Lincoln City and I was concerned, however, given the competition, how they would do.
The Brewery is across from Salishan Lodge in a small commercial development. Salishan, at one time one of Oregon’s premier destination resorts, was struggling and going through ownership changes. A number of other small businesses in the same mall had gone out of business or were struggling to get customers.
And, of course, one year later, the pandemic was upon us.
Four years later, I’m happy to report that they appear to be thriving?
Our deck in Lincoln City often sees Thebeerchaser down a Beachcrest brew….
So without reviewing their financials, how do I conclude that they are flourishing?
Well, every time we make a visit, the expansive taproom and patio are hopping. The setting for the patio on the back nine at Salishan is beautiful and they’ve transformed part of the patio into an all-weather tent which regularly features jazz and a variety of other musical offerings. (After all, Matt and Amy are professional musicians.)
“My absolute favorite thing about this place was the ambiance. We sat with a nice view of the golf course, kind of hidden away from other guests. It was convenient for our dog. They have a 70s and 80s soft rock hits playlist that creates the perfect vibe. I’ll definitely come back.” (Yelp 6/14/23) (#2)
Although a number of new businesses have opened in the mall, there is still ample parking. Beachcrest has a robust tap list and the beers are varied and great quality (especially the Lincoln City Logger (Helles Lager) (5.5% ABV16 IBU).
They’ve regularly offered new and creative beers such as their Strawberry Milkshake IPA released on June 7th. One can also order wine, cider, a margarita and the unforgettable Rogue Root Beer.
Beachcrest does some of the most creative and attractive labeling I’ve seen on the Coast. (#3 – #4)
While the menu is not expansive it has some delicious salads, a tasty jumbo beer pretzel with cheese sauce and mustard and nine pizza options – the reviews are very positive. And don’t forget the chocolate cake for dessert.
“Best wood fired Pizza on the Coast and their beer is outstanding! Friendly staff makes it a joy to eat and drink here. They have a very open air feel to the whole place. The price point makes it a great value. It’s our favorite brew pub in Oregon.” (Yelp 6/5/23) (#5 – #7)
Matt and Amy White have created a “community” in their four + years of operating with many loyal Central Coast fans. Their establishment is family and dog friendly.
Besides their live music every Saturday at 6 pm and Sunday at 4 pm from July through September they also have Trivia Night every Wednesday.
The staff is friendly and efficient and they seem to reflect the same values as the owners which is emphasized on their website. Even on very busy days, the wait-time is minimal.
And while not trying to demean another good Oregon Brewery (Pelican) which recently opened an expansive brew pub just south of Lincoln City (about three miles away) you will pay substantially more for beverages and food and usually face a wait-time.
(I just checked with Google Assistant and on this August Sunday afternoon, the wait-time for a party of four was 120 minutes!) It should be noted that Pelican does have a robust pub menu.
Besides the patio, you will also find that Beachcrest has a beautiful taproom.
Benedictine Brewery – St Benedict, Oregon
Dating back to 1887, the Mount Angel Abbey Hilltop is one of the most beautiful and peaceful locations in Oregon. It is home to the Benedictine monastery, the seminary and college, and also features a book shop, museum, a majestic chapel and beautiful guest house for retreats. People of all faiths or no faith are welcomed.
The Alvar Aalto Library designed in 1970 by Finnish architect Alvar Aalto – which garners international recognition – has manuscripts dating back to the twelfth century. (#8)
“Mount Angel Abbey strives to be a place where all can ‘seek things above’ in peace and solitude. The Abbey keeps vital the ancient traditions of Divine Office, love of learning, and hospitality.” (#9 – #13)
The Abbey’s rich history percolates throughout the Hilltop and in 2018 another ancient monk tradition dating back to the Middle Ages became a reality – the opening of the Benedictine Brewery and St. Michael Taproom.
“The beer brewed now at Mount Angel follows the early monastic tradition and is “crafted for a higher purpose.” It’s likely the only beer in the US that receives a priestly blessing at every stage, from raising the hops to pulling the tap. Mount Angel Abbey’s Benedictine Brewery and Taproom is one of a very few monastic breweries currently operating in the United States.”
Saturday, August 26, the Fifth Anniversary of the Brewery will be celebrated. It will be open for the regular Saturday hours (1 to 8 pm) but from 2 to 4 pm, five years of operations will be celebrated with monastic art displays, an ice cream cart, cornhole, live music, and of course, your favorite Benedictine Brewery beer. (#14 – #16)
And I have been blessed to be associated with the Brewery and its Head Brewer, Fr. Martin Grassel, since 2016.
I remember well the cloudy day in November 2017, when we started with a cement slab and through the efforts of about 125 monks, priests, seminarians and volunteers, ended with a framed structure.
It’s now become a gathering place of exceptional fellowship and cheer.
I’ve witnessed Fr. Martin – who as a monk prays five times each day and has primary financial duties at the Abbey as Procurator, become a skilled brewer and manager. (He gets by with minimal sleep!)
He’s expanded the variety of beers, recently added barrel aging to the repertoire, garnered a regional following of beer enthusiasts and run a profitable business that helps further the Benedictine mission and values in addition to drawing many people to explore the entire Abbey Hilltop and meet the monks and priests.
He efforts have made the Brewery’s motto “Taste and Believe” a reality.
Come out on Saturday and wish Fr. Martin and the Benedictine Brewery Happy Birthday. (And by the way, the Hair Shirt IPA (7% ABV – 56 IBU) is superb and will not make you feel guilty about ordering a second pint!) (#17 – #20)
Welcome back to Thebeerchaser. If you are seeing this post through an e-mail, please visit the blog by clicking on the title at the top to see all of the photos and so the narrative is not clipped or shortened. External photo attribution at the end of the post. (#1 – #2)
My wife, Janet and I first visited the Crux Fermentation Project in Bend in the summer of 2017 on a Central Oregon road trip. And there is no shortage of options in Bend as evidenced by the Bend Ale Trail.
Now the number of stops on this malted trek varies based on the internet site you check and the date because I saw figures ranging from ten to eighteen to thirty – the latter of which appears to be the latest count:
“For a small mountain town, Bend packs in the breweries. With 30 breweries on the Ale Trail, there is no lack of variety — whether you love sours, IPAs, or just a good beer-flavored beer, there is a craft brewery for everyone here!”
It’s debatable whether Bend can still be considered a “small mountain town”with a 2021 population of 102,000 and in 2017 we did not travel the entire journey which now has expanded to seven “Territories” and is more sophisticated….
“Track your progress in our free app, or pick up a keepsake paper passport at the Bend Visitor Center for $5. Either way, you can plot your course, bone up on brewery knowledge, or pick a perfectly paired adventure for your trek through each territory.”
But we did visit some great Bend breweries on the Trail including Sunriver, Boneyard, Goodlife, Spokenmoto (coffee and beer), Immersion and Atlas Cider Company.* Interestingly, notwithstanding the pandemic and increased competition, all are still open and appear to be thriving. (Photos from our 2017 trip)
*I was initially concerned that Atlas Cider was gone, but some additional research revealed it changed its name to Avid Cider Company because of an intellectual property dispute with Atlas Brew Works which brews beer in Washington DC. (Bend Bulletin)
(I guess that was before all DC lawyers were employed working on prosecuting or defending felonies……)
But Let Me Digress….
But before I get back to Crux and an exciting new development for the brewery, let me take a brief international side trip – appropriately, because I was talking about the Bend Ale Trail.
I want to take this opportunity to invite my friend from Germany, Rich Carbonara and his wife, Doreen, to Oregon to experience this Central Oregon phenomenon. (#3 – #4)
While we have not met face-to-face, Rich and I regularly share e-mails and comments on each of our blogs. Reading an excerpt from this Philadelphia native’s bio below and seeing the book he wrote, you will not be surprised at the commonality of our interests.
“Since those times, I’ve hiked from the Rockies to the Andes to the Himalayas but friends still mostly think of me as the beer guy, the one who was into craft beer before it became fashionable.
Living in Munich, I still do my fair share of alpine hiking in the nearby Alps but I find myself ever increasingly drawn to Germany’s brewing heartland to not only find the beers I’ve been looking for there since 1997 but also to enjoy the many trails that more gently get a person from point A to point B. In my case, those points are often if not always breweries.”
Now the scope of Rich’s adventures in hiking and exploring breweries far exceeds what we could offer just in Bend, but there are certainly numerous NW hikes and craft brews to more than pique his interest.
And besides, that would help me convince Janet that we should reciprocate and visit Munich for Beerwandering – a great complimentary activity to Beerchasing. If the photos of the breweries, the beer, the beautiful countryside and the food below entice you, check out his website. (#5 -#12)
“(I can be) a resource of information about the beer, food and trails of Bavaria, and in particular the northern part known as Franconia.
If the ideas don’t seem self-explanatory enough or if you just want a local guide to do all the planning, reserving of accommodation, getting you on the right trails to the best breweries and making sure you order (or at least know about) the local delicacies, then please feel free to contact me (thebeerwanderers@gmail.com”
What’s in a Name?
While we enjoyed each of our seven stops on the Trail, Crux, was clearly our favorite. The taproom was magnetic, the beer varied and high quality and the design of merchandise and beer cans and bottles creative.
But the most impressive feature was and still continues to be the grounds surrounding this former AAMCO Transmission Shop.
With food trucks, playground equipment and a stage for musical acts it’s a “community” gathering place that attracts locals and their families, tourists from throughout the Northwest and even “Pacific Crest Trail thru-hikers that take a break from their 2,600-mile trek.”
And one cannot help but feel the positive energy that keeps things hopping into the evening. The clever way Crux does “Sundowner Hour” with flexible times during the year depending on when Old Sol disappears below the horizon ($1 off beer 1/2 hour before and after sundown) is another example of creativity.
Crux had its tenth anniversary last summer celebrating the vision of Larry Sidor with co-founders Paul Evers and Dave Wilson
“….During these ten years, Crux has been producing hundreds of different beers and has since expanded into wine, cider, and most recently, whiskey!” Brewpublic.com
I don’t know the origin of the name, but an educated guess is after the celestial Crux:
“a constellation of the southern sky that centered on four bright stars in a cross-shaped asterism commonly known as the Southern Cross. It lies on the southern end of the Milky Way‘s visible band.” (#13 – #14)
The Crux Fermentation Project Logo
Rest on its Laurels? No Way!
While the team at Crux has garnered many awards for both its beer and marketing, they are not resting on their laurels – so to speak. For example, in May 2021:
“After a few trial runs, Crux Fermentation Project has officially released NØ MØ Non-Alcoholic IPA in 12oz cans and on draft. This is the perfect option for those looking at cutting back their alcohol intake, reducing their calories consumed or pairs nicely with a lunch during the work day.
NØ MØ Non-Alcoholic IPA is brewed like a regular IPA using Citra and Mosaic hops.” (Brew Public May 4, 2021) (#15)
“The Crux Portland Pub is pouring 20 taps of its offerings, which eventually will include three batched cocktails.
Beers on the first tap list include five lagers, such as the Bivio Pilz Italian Pilsner; seven IPAs, including hazies and West Coasts, such as the tropical Grade A Portland IPA brewed for the new pub; and Tart Cherry Tough Love, a barrel-aged imperial stout.”
I was really saddened by the closure of Pono Brewing after a visit with friends in January 2023. It was a wonderful family-oriented tap room with great food and good beer that they brewed temporarily at Zoiglhaus Brewing.
Founder Larry Clouser and his wife in addition to Marketing and Graphic Design Director, Byron Sina were gracious and talked about the challenges they had to overcome and their plans for the future. I wish them well.
While some of these closures were only the Portland-based part of their operations, the tale was familiar:
“Rising costs of operation, change in consumer drinking habits, and the lingering effects of the pandemic have all affected the market.”
But I Will Close on a Happy Note
Janet and I joined our friends John and Kim Limb and John and Sharon Meek for a Sunday afternoon dinner at the the new SE Pub. (Both Johns and I serve on the Abbey Foundation of Oregon Board – we refer to them as First and Second John…)
And while our friendly and competent server, Jen, stated that after opening in early June it’s still a work in progress, we were all impressed and will return.
The Beer – As you can see from the photo below, the tap offerings are rich and include their non-alcoholic brew. They also have wine and cocktails.
The Velvet Underpants IPA (6% – 60 IBU) was the favorite although the Cruz Pilz (5.2% – 35 IBU and the Noisy Boy IPA (5.7% – 65 IBU) both got good reviews and I’m sorry we didn’t get a sampler so we could try more of the tap list.
Thanks to Kim Limb’s alertness when we walked in – she heard that one of the brewers from Bend was on site – I got to briefly chat and get a photo of Grant McFarren, Crux’s Assistant Brewmaster. (Take a look at this interesting interview with him about Experimental Hops) (#16)
The Food –Rather than rely on food carts as does the Bend location, the new pub has its own kitchen:
“… the menu includes dishes like a chopped cheese sandwich—a New York bodega classic, a muffuletta, sticky wings, a cheese-and-charcuterie board and a beet avocado banh mi.” (Willamette Week 6/19) (#17)
Our group, after a great Brussel Sprout Starter (flash fried and tossed with local hop honey, smoked blue cheese, Crux Whiskey, and pork belly ) had the Muffuletta Sandwich, the Jerk Chicken Sandwich, and the Beet and Burrata Salad (fresh local greens, roasted beets, delicata squash, sun-dried cherries, candied walnuts, pickled red onion, burrata cheese, and focaccia croutons). We were happy with our meals.
The Setting – As mentioned, still a work-in-process, but definite potential for this former Darigold Dairy structure.
There is ample free parking in their lot and on the street. The picnic tables – an interim setup – will be replaced by a full patio with heater which will probably be covered. They have a lot of space on the second floor which is being built out.
All this will supplement the very attractive long bar and current space for tables. And while Vagabond left some brewing hardware, it’s not being used now, but the plan is to brew on site as they progress with their plan:
“The new, modern rustic look is a credit to the skills and hard work of Gary Estenson, Crux’s maintenance manager, and head brewer Sam Wallace, Randles said. They took decades-old onion boxes that had been abandoned on a farm, cleaned them up, and crafted the wood-lined walls with them.
Estenson fabricated the copper-cylinder pendant lights hanging along the bar, in addition to other touches.”(Oregon Live 6/18) (#18 – #19)
Check out the new Crux Portland Pub. It’s here for the long term.
Welcome back to Thebeerchaser. If you are seeing this post through an e-mail, please visit the blog by clicking on the title at the top to see all of the photos and so the narrative is not clipped or shortened. External photo attribution at the end of the post. (#1)
During the summer months, I’ve decided to address some random items – some having to do with bars and breweries and some captured while sipping a gin martini at the beach (up with olives). As in the first post in this series, I’ll end with three jokes from my files.
Bullshit Will Never be the Same!
It’s psychologically challenging when one knows that a sad event is on the horizon, but the timing is unknown – kind of an ominous foreshadowing, if you will. Now perhaps that’s an exaggeration in this case, but I was saddened when I received an e-mail from former Beerchasing Regular, “West Coast Dave Hicks.”
When I started this blog in late 2011, I decided that besides reviewing bars and breweries, I would feature an interesting individual or group each quarter. My Beerchasers-of-the-Quarter might not have anything to do with beer or bars, but in my opinion they’ve made a meaningful contribution to society and their story should be told.
In almost every case, I’ve known the individual or group and they’ve ranged from athletes, authors, media personalities, military heroes and even academicians (including my graduate school professor in Public Finance).
One of the few I did not know, but felt compelled to “honor” in 2012 after reading his brilliant essay, was Dr. Frankfurt. As a lark, I looked up his contact info at Princeton and sent him an e-mail describing Thebeerchaser blog and his designation as B-O-Q.
I thought it would get caught in Princeton’s spam filter or that a person with this distinguished Ph.D.’s schedule would just ignore it..
So I was surprised and thrilled to receive the e-mail below several days later. His cryptic reference in the last sentence also indicated that he read my very long blog post in its entirety.
Sent: Monday, January 30, 2012 7:36 AM To: Williams, Donald Subject: RE: Hello Dr. Frankfurt
Dear Mr. Williams,
First of all, thank you for the honor of naming me the January 12, 2012 Beerchaser of the Quarter.
I have looked at the blog in which you announced my receipt of this distinction, and I was impressed by its wit, its charm, and its erudition. Also, I enjoyed the pictures.
I intend to follow your blog regularly. I am especially interested in keeping up with the debate over whether to remove the letter M from the alphabet. I believe that, with regard to this issue, my mind is still completely open.
*+* BULLSHIT rubber stamp on the desk of a Street Photographer
I will mourn the passing of Harry Frankfurt, in part, because he won’t be around to comment on the 2024 Presidential Elections.
And as we listen to the forthcoming debates and interviews we can’t say the Professor did not warn us:
“The realms of advertising and of public relations, and the nowadays closely related realm of politics, are replete with instances of bullshit so unmitigated that they can serve among the most indisputable and classic paradigms of the concept.”
As an admonition when a candidate steps over the line, perhaps the moderator of each debate should whip out the poster below: (#5)
Farewell to Another Icon
The world was saddened with the death of Tony Bennett last week at the age of 96. He won twenty Grammy Awards and sold over fifty million records during his career.
The crooner captivated audiences for seven decades with his wonderful tunes and his charismatic personality, philosophy of life and support of humanitarian causes. He was a model for all generations.
Anthony Dominick Benedetto, like Thebeerchaser, was born in Long Island, New York. He struggled with significant personal issues during his life, but overcame them and continued to be a “masterful stylist of American musical standards.”
“(He had) an easy, courtly manner and an uncommonly rich and durable tenor that made him a master of caressing a ballad or brightening an up-tempo number.” (APNews.com)
And who has not whistled or hummed, “I Left My Heart in San Francisco”in the shower….? (#6)
Tony Bennett and wife, Susan
I wrote about him in a 2020 blog post – one not about entertainers but lawyers. My post was intended to make some observations about my almost forty years working with attorneys.
The opportunity to interact with these professionals during my entire career almost all of whom were ethical, smart, dedicated advocates with amazing work ethics and elevated senses of humor was a real benefit.
I tried to identify some general traits of lawyers that kept me on my toes in communicating. The last one I mentioned and the relevance to the preceding narrative is described below in this excerpt from the August 2020 post of Thebeerchaser:
Need to Have the LAST Word
Over my forty years working with lawyers, I learned that one way to garner their respect was to respond emphatically and with confidence in any (or every) kind of debate whether it was in conversation or electronically.
I learned, however, that even if I prevailed in substance, I should expect, and to some extent, encourage the lawyer to have the last word. It was a good method to save further time deliberating and allow a win–win result.
My favorite example of the lawyer insisting on the last word, occurred with one of Schwabe Williamson & Wyatt’s very good lawyers from our Vancouver Office who was on a sabbatical in Italy with his wife.
This counselor was very active in professional and civic activities and served on the Washington State Bar Board of Governors.
They were walking up to the entrance of an exclusive restaurant in Rome and out comes a group of several people led by a distinguished looking gentleman in an impeccably-tailored suit.
Obviously, I wasn’t a witness, but I was told that the conversation went essentially like this as the lawyer and his wife approached the group and he addressed the guy in the lead:
Lawyer: Hi. I know I’ve seen you before. Are you from the Pacific Northwest?
Stranger: No.
Lawyer:Wow! I know I’ve seen you before… Are you involved with the Vancouver, Washington Chamber of Commerce?
Stranger: No.
Lawyer:This is just puzzling to me because I’m positive I’ve seen you before. Did you have any dealings with the Washington State Bar Association?
Stranger: No……. I’m Tony Bennett
Lawyer: Oh my God. You’re right!!(emphasis added) (#7–#8)
No! I’m Tony Bennett!
(And “I didn’t leave my heart in Vancouver, Washington!”)
In Closing…
I mentioned in my most recent blog post Summer Simmers – Part 1, that since we will be moving later this year, I’ve been mandated by my wife, Janet, to go through the stacks of files scattered at various places in our house including my office and the garage.
In my diligent efforts to help Oregon’s recycling efforts, I’ve found that I’m most inclined to keep files entitled “Bar Jokes,” “Lawyer Jokes” and “Quotations.”
So, unless I hear vehement objections from Beerchaser followers, I will periodically continue to include an example from each of these categories:
Lawyer Joke
A trial lawyer known for his aggressive personality sat in his car in the immense courthouse parking lot during a lunch recess. He saw an old guy who obviously could not remember where he parked. So every time the guy held the remote in the air, the lawyer honked his horn.
Bar Joke
A skeleton walks into a bar and the bartender says,“What’ll it be?” The skeleton replies, “I’ll have a beer and a mop.” (#9-#10)
(Next time, why don’t you try a dry martini?)
Quotation
“When I die, I want to go peacefully in my sleep like my grandfather – not terrified like all the passengers in his car.” (Anonymous)
#9. Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Human-Skeleton.jpg) 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, including all related and neighboring rights, to the extent allowed by law. You can copy, modify, distribute and perform the work, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. Author: Skimsta – March 2010.
Welcome back to Thebeerchaser. If you are seeing this post through an e-mail, please visit the blog by clicking on the title at the top to see all of the photos and so the narrative is not clipped or shortened. External photo attribution at the end of the post. (#1 – #2))
I often understandably get questions from followers of this blog on the origin of my nickname. Credit is due to my long-term friend, fraternity brother and Beerchaser-of-the-Quarter, Jud Blakely, for the design of the logo which has the moniker, “Don ‘Dirt’ Williams.”
The story on the derivation of that label can be found in the 2021 blog post under the section entitled “The Origin of Dirt.”
It was not due to a nefarious action, but college fraternity brothers at the SAE house at Oregon State University in 1966. And it has stuck all of these years.
From Dirty Donnie to Dirty to Dirt
And I get a good chuckle when I see examples. For instance, this Rogue Brewery truck we saw on the Oregon Coast and this creatively named hauling company whose truck came rumbling by our house recently.
And, one of my favorite radio personalities is Andy “Dirt” Johnson on Portland radio station 1080 The Fan. Dirt has had a great career in a competitive industry and he’s carried the nickname from an earlier age than I:
“He was an all-league quarterback at Portland’s Cleveland High School, where he picked up the nickname ‘Dirt,’ which has stuck professionally. It came from some inappropriate pictures he drew on an overhead as a Cleveland freshman.” (The Oregonian) (#3)
From Earth to Earth, Ashes to Ashes, “Dirt to Dust….
Yes, I’ve slightly modified this burial service phrase from the Book of Common Prayer to relate the derivation of my younger brother, Rick’s nickname, when he joined the SAE’s at OSU four years after me. It was logical that he should become known as “Dust.”
And I want to talk about Dust a bit – not only because he had a remarkable career in the US Navy before retiring as a Captain, but because it’s relevant in light of the recent tragic implosion of the Titan submersible.
His career story is conveyed in my blog post when I named him as one of my Beerchasers-of-the-Quarter in 2015. Rick, like me, graduated from Oregon State and was commissioned as an Ensign after four years in the NROTC program.
The photos below show him as a midshipman and at his 1987 wedding (clockwise from left to right: brother-in-law, Dave Booher, Dust, Captain Jim Taylor, Dirt and middle brother, Garry – a West Point graduate)
With wife Mary Jean and two sons, Timothy and Taylor receiving his first Legion of Merit Award from Vice Admiral Herb Brown, Commander of the US Navy Third Fleet in 1997
But to summarize, after graduation and commissioning in 1975, he was off to Naval School Diving and Salvage as a “hardhat” diver, followed by Surface Warfare School.
In his first sea tour on the Navy’s newest ocean engineering platform, submarine rescue ship USS PIGEON (ASR 21), he qualified as a Deep Sea (HeO2) Diving Officer and Surface Warfare Officer. During this tour, he attended Naval School Deep Diving Systems for saturation diving training as a Navy Aquanaut.
In an usual career twist, he went through a challenging interview with the legendary Admiral Hyman Rickover (Father of the Nuclear Navy) (read about it in the post) and attended Nuclear Power School in Orlando and Submarine Warfare School in Groton, Connecticut.
He served two deployments on the USS SEAWOLF (SSN 575) – the oldest operational fast-attack sub in the world. Rick qualified in Submarines and as a Nuclear Propulsion Engineer. (#4 – #7)
After this five-year detour, he took command of the Deep Submergence Vehicle SEA CLIFF (DSV 4), an“inner space ship” built for deep ocean recovery with a crew of fourteen special projects submariners including three officers.
He served almost three years during the SEA CLIFF’s conversion from a 6,500 feet steel-sphere and aluminum frame vehicle, to titanium-rated for 20,000 feet – an extraordinary and accelerated nine-month project – and the deep ocean operations that followed.
Before I relate his amazing experience as captain of the Sea Cliff, Rick’s final command was as skipper of the USS Spadefish (SSN 668 – a Sturgeon Class fast-attack nuclear sub. Dust led two under-ice expeditions to the North Pole during his command of SPADEFISH. She surfaced through the ice “about a dozen times.”
The trips were also “Freedom of Navigation Exercises” to assert US rights of passage in international waters — as the Russians were trying to assert territorial rights in the Arctic Ocean – a situation which is still a critical defense issue today. (#8 – #10)
“The book was widely acclaimed on its release and remains so: it is regarded as one of the premier adventure novels and one of Verne’s greatest works.”, (Wikipedia) (#11)
I didn’t know until researching this post that:
“The title refers to the distance, not depth, traveled under the various seas: 20,000 metric leagues (80,000 km, over 40,000 nautical miles), nearly twice the circumference of the Earth.” (Wikipedia) (#11 – #12)
20,000 Feet Under the Sea!
Now the book was science fiction and Dust, while skipper of the Sea Cliff, did not encounter a giant squid as did Captain Nemo of the Nautilus.
He did, however, have an incredible adventure in 1985 – and that’s not hyperbole as you can see by reading the article below:
The key paragraph of this 1985 Oregonian article about the Sea Cliff dive off the coast of Guatemala states:
“Now at 33, Williams sits as the first man to command a deep-sea diving submarine 20,000 feet below the ocean surface. He and his team, which he credits most for the achievement, are known throughout the community for their feat and the United States owns the title of being the first country to master those depths….
When the day finally came (after two years of preparation) Williams and two crew members crowded into the vessel’s main cabin – 6 1/2 feet in diameter and after fourteen hours, mastered the mission.” (#13 – #14)
The most graphic representation I saw to help understand the pressure at those depths was the “squashed cup” you see in the picture below. It was a full size coffee cup tied to a line outside the Sea Cliff on the operation and shows the effects of the pressure at 20,000 feet.
The Titan Submersible(#15)
The Titan implosion was a tragedy and given his experience in the depths, I wanted to get Rick’s perceptions. He was somewhat tight-lipped because of the tragic consequences although he has typically been reticent about his Navy experience.
Part of that is for security purposes and part of that is probably to “repay” me for the transaction we had when I was eight and he was four. I told him that if he gave me a dime, I would give him five pennies. Since he was not into currency at that time, he readily agreed.
And speaking of payback, he did, in a manner of speaking on his First -class Midshipman Summer Cruise in 1973 as recounted in the aforementioned 2015 blog post:
“While Rick was a whiz at math and science, his comprehension of world geography was lacking. While on this 1/C cruise and in port in Singapore, he awoke me with a phone call at 3 AM.
He wanted to borrow $50 for what he characterized as ‘an investment in the future’ – to buy a watch. Although he maintains that he paid it back (…and he later did give me the watch as a gift), it is still carried as an Accounts Receivable on Thebeerchaser’s personal balance sheet.” (#16 – #17)
Stansfield Turner
Recently I started reading Bob Woodward’s book Veil – The Secret Wars of the CIA (1981-1987)Stansfield Turner was transitioning from the position after Reagan was elected. Turner referenced the “SNCP” (Special Navy Control Project) involving high-risk surveillance by US subs on their Soviet counterparts and other Soviet assets.
I asked Dust if had had ever been involved in that and he responded, “
“I can neither confirm nor deny receipt of your email referring to submarine operations. To quote General Schwarzkopf. ‘We do not discuss submarine operations.'”
This facetious response was similar to the retort, “If I told you, I would have to kill you,” that he often gave me when I asked Rick about the games of “chicken” that US subs were having with their Soviet counterparts in the Pacific while he was on active duty.
But I Digress…..
While I didn’t do any meaningful research, my understanding was that one of the issues of controversy with the Titan was its carbon-fiber hull as contrasted with the steel and titanium hulls of Navy and other deep submergence vehicles.
The debris field of the Titan was evidently about 500 meters from the hull of the Titanic which is at a depth of about 13,000 feet. The Sea Cliff dive went to 20,000 feet and their final practice dive was at 15,000.
Rick’s comments were few but meaningful. When I asked him about the lack of certification and rumors of rushed inspection with the Titan, he said that going that deep in the ocean is “inner space.
“The Navy’s rigorous inspections make it “obscenely safe. There is no margin for error or backup plan. The Navy’s approach has been validated.”
He quoted a former Navy Admiral:
“Never begrudge a precaution.” (#18)
And finally he stated:
“I was extremely proud of going to 20,000 feet and particularly proud of returning from 20,000 feet!”
Dust earned his MBA while in the Navy and is now a Senior Fellow in the Center for Public Service at Portland State University, and a doctoral student in Public Affairs and Policy. After working for several defense contractors he founded Oregon Applied Research LLC. – an executive and technical management consultancy and veteran-owned small business.
And Finally….
While Rick and I may have disagreed on the value of coinage and the net present value of investments, we were harmonious during college years in our annual rivalry with Brother Garry, while he attended the US Military Academy at West Point.
Garry’s most articulate response came in the mail one year the week before the Army vs Navy Game.
#2. Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Dust_bunnies.jpg) This work has been released into the public domain by its author, Stromcarlson at English Wikipedia. This applies worldwide – 23 January 2016.
#6. Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyman_G._Rickover#/media/File:Hyman_Rickover_1955.jpg) This file is a work of a sailor or employee of the U.S. Navy, taken or made as part of that person’s official duties. As a work of the U.S. federal government, it is in the public domain in the United States – Circa 1955.
#7. Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Seawolf_(SSN-575) This file is a work of a sailor or employee of the U.S. Navy, taken or made as part of that person’s official duties. As a work of the U.S. federal government, it is in the public domain in the United States. US Navy – August 1977.
8. Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Spadefish_%28SSN-668%29) This file is a work of a sailor or employee of the U.S. Navy, taken or made as part of that person’s official duties. As a work of the U.S. federal government, it is in the public domain in the United States. 1969.
#9. Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Insignia_of_SSN-668_Spadefish.PNG) This file is a work of a sailor or employee of the U.S. Navy, taken or made as part of that person’s official duties. As a work of the U.S. federal government, it is in the public domain in the United States.
#18. Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Deep_sea_corals,_Wagner_Seamount.jpg) This image is in the public domain because it contains materials that originally came from the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, taken or made as part of an employee’s official duties. 15 September 2017.
Welcome back to Thebeerchaser. If you are seeing this post through an e-mail, please visit the blog by clicking on the title above to see all of the photos and so the narrative is not clipped or shortened. External photo attribution at the end of the post. (#1)
The word “simmer” is a transitive verb meaning “to stew gently below or just at the boiling point.” The usual context is cooking, although with climate change it describes the reaction in many parts of the country to elevated temperatures – now during a major portion of the year in many regions.
I prefer to use the term more intellectually, however – to describe my mental state when looking at many TV commercials, reading or listening to political commentary or just ideas for future Beerchaser blog posts. Ideas which simmer in my cerebellum…..
So this and a few more scattered posts this summer will just be an amalgam or fusion of miscellaneous topics – most not having to do with bars or beers.
Stay tuned, however, for reviews of two great bars I’ve visited in the last few months and deserve their own posts – both with the type of riveting histories that make conveying them in this blog, a fascinating hobby.
“So the last will be first, and the first will be last.”
The author of the Gospel of Mathew who composed the above verse (Chapter 20 v 16) could have used this description for the 20th Century Oregon Legislature and voters. The state led the nation in some meaningful initiatives.
The Oregon Beach Bill was shepherded by Oregon Governors Tom McCall (R) and Bob Straub (D) – when bipartisanship was the norm!
“Thanks to Oregon’s landmark Beach Bill, passed in 1967, and a 1969 Oregon Supreme Court decision, the public’s right to access to all of the state’s beaches is guaranteed
…It established public ownership of land along the Oregon Coast from the water up to sixteen vertical feet above the low tide mark.” (Wikipedia) (#2 – #3)
Tom McCall and Bob StraubCannon Beach
Then there was Oregon’s Bottle Bill – introduced in 1971 as the very first bottle bill in the U.S. The bill was created to address a growing litter problem along Oregon beaches, highways and other public areas. (Oregon.gov).
It was again championed by McCall and former Senator and then State Supreme Court Justice, Betty Roberts. (#4)
So how does these mesh with the following two examples?
Oregon and Louisiana were the last two states to allow convictions from non-unanimous juries:
“For decades, Oregon allowed juries to convict people of felony crimes based on non-unanimous jury verdicts (for example 10 jurors agree to convict while 2 jurors vote to acquit). In 2020 the United States Supreme Court took up the constitutionality of non-unanimous jury verdicts in Ramos v. Louisiana.” (Oregon.gov) (#5)
And as reported in the June 23rd Oregonian after seventy-two years, the Legislature voted to end a prohibition on self-serve gas. Unless vetoed by the Governor, the law
“would require gas stations to staff at least half of their open pumps for people who want assistance. But it would allow other pumps to be open for self-service.”
But wait, it goes further! In a fit of progressivity, lawmakers included a provision that:
“….would also eliminate from state law language referring to coin-operated fuel pumps, perhaps in recognition of the fact that a $1 coin, the largest denomination in general circulation, would today buy two-tenths of a gallon of gas, and it would take more than 50 of them to fill an average tank.” (#6)
It’s a great comfort to me that Oregon changed this archaic prohibition before New Jersey – now the only state where one can’t pump his or her own gas.
This also makes me quite confident that the Oregon Legislature will make future leaps in solving some of the less significant issues such as climate change, homelessness, funding for public defenders (a crisis), timber and wildfire management and Oregon’s high school graduation rates.
The Good Ol’ Days?
How many times have we Baby Boomers reflected on how our parents used to say “goodbye”to us in the morning when we were on summer vacation from grade school? Our moms would then admonish us not to be late for dinner as we walked out the door for the day.
We would often pack a lunch and then wonder across busy streets through the woods to a pond or stream in which we fished or swam, have lunch in a makeshift treehouse and walk or ride our bike several miles to a hobby shop or Five and Dime Store in the center of town.
Now days, parents are understandably a lot more cautious about that kind of “adventure” without adult supervision. That said, I’m amazed at how young and how fast kids whiz by on electric scooters or motorized bikes – most of the time – but not always – with helmets. (#7 – #8)
My younger daughter is a pediatric Emergency Department nurse.
Maybe I should ask her although I think she’d probably reply, “Relax Dad. Go have a beer!”
Concluding Simmers
I’ve mentioned in recent posts that since we will be moving later this year, my wife has been relentless on reminding me of my task to go through my extensive collection of newspapers, magazines and old files with everything from college and graduate school papers to law firm e-mails which are often humorous and sarcastic (Go figure!)
But it’s not just reviewing this stuff, but the mandate is to recycle the great bulk of this “material” in filing cabinets in our garage, my home office, etc.
I’ve already given my daughters the stuff from their school years that occupied several file drawers, but I insisted on saving a valuable resource for my bar exploits – the Annual Willamette Week Bar Guides.
An invaluable reference since Beerchasing began in 2011
I did find three files that I also am inclined to keep entitled “Bar Jokes,” “Lawyer Jokes” and “Quotations.”
To assuage Janet’s concern that I will never look at these files and our daughters will eventully be forced to dispose of them upon our demise, I offer the following. Perhaps, I will provide one in each category to end future blog posts where I don’t review a specific bar or brewery.
Lawyer Joke
A guy walks into a lawyer’s office and says, “You’re a high-priced lawyer. If I pay you $500, will you answer two questions for me?”
“Absolutely,”says the lawyer. “What’s the second question?”
Bar Joke
A brain walks into a bar and says to the bartender, “Please give me a draft beer.” The bartender looks at him and says, “Sorry, I can’t serve you.” The brain asks, “Why not?” The bartender replies, “Because you’re already out of your head.” (#9)
Quotation
“Before you judge a man, walk a mile in his shoes. After that, who cares? He’s a mile away and you’ve got his shoes…..” Scottish Actor Billy Connolly
Welcome back to Thebeerchaser. If you are seeing this post through an e-mail, please visit the blog by clicking on the title above to see all of the photos and so the narrative is not clipped or shortened. External photo attribution at the end of the post. (#1 – #3)
Nostalgia…
When I started Thebeerchaser blog in 2011, the goal was to visit and review bars and breweries just in the Portland metropolitan area. I figured with hundreds to choose, I would have new options for years. However, we started traveling in retirement…
Janet and I could not resist the allure of watering holes throughout the State of Oregon and then when we took some road trips – across the country. We even hit a few, as you can see from the photos below, in our 2013 Rick Steve’s Best of Europe Tour where we visited six countries in twenty-one days.
We can’t forget the Miscellanea Pub in Rome and one of our favorites – Hell’s Tavern (Zur Höll) in Rautenberg, Germany – as one reviewer stated, “I didn’t think Hell would be so awesome!”
Others included the Publican Pub in Beaune, France and in Vernazza, Italy (The Cinque’ Terra) – the Blue Marlin Bar..
So I abandoned the logo that Teresa Lovegren, my former assistant, so generously provided when I started Beerchasing and prevailed upon my fraternity brother and friend of almost sixty years, Jud Blakely, to design a new logo.
Jud’s great effort has stood the test of time although my hair color has changed slightly.
But in reminiscing recently, I realized that although I’ve visited and reviewed over 400 watering holes, throughout the USA, only a handful of those have been in my neighboring state – Washington.
Perhaps one reason is my older daughter, Lisa and her husband, Jamie, who live in Lake Forest Park have two beautiful granddaughters and although Beerchasing is an avid pursuit, it would never replace time we can spend seeing these two little angels.
On one of our trips in 2012, before the granddaughters came along, we visited The Pour House in Port Townsend and then not another pub in the Evergreen State until 2016 when we stopped at the Ice Harbor Brewery in Kennewick on the way to a wedding in Coeur d’Alene.
Then a three-year lapse until a visit to the Loowit Brewery in downtown Vancouver – right across the Columbia River from Portland.
I was with my retired colleague “General” Larry Paulson, who I first met as a lawyer when we both worked in the Schwabe Williamson & Wyatt firm. He then served with distinction as the Executive Director of the Port of Vancouver when we
We affectionally called him “General”because he also had a career and retired as a Brigadier General in the Oregon Air National Guard. (#4 – #5)
Assuming you’re still with me on this Beerchase down Memory Lane, fast forward to a trip in the fall of 2019 when we visited Lisa and her family. Her husband, Jamie, his brother, Rob and dad, Jon and I hit the historic Caroline Tavern and then had dinner at Elliot Bay Brewery’s Lake City Pub. (#6)
I finished that trip the next night with a memorable visit to Daphne’s in Edmonds in which I got to meet the legendary bartender, Desmond van Rensberg.
The bar is a hole-in-wall, but Desmond’s personality radiates and seems to expand the structure! (#7 – #9)
Coming out of COVID
Jump ahead four years and the full-scale resumption of Beerchasing after the pandemic waned. Another Seattle trip provided an opportunity to visit two new establishments.
The granddaughters were both in school, so it didn’t interfere with my time to visit them and see a swim meet, a piano recital and marvel at their wonderful personalities.
As happens on a number of occasions, the enjoyment of spending time with my Beerchasing companions heightened the discovery of a new bar or brewery – in this case Salish Sea Brewing Pub in Edmonds and Stack 571 Burger and Whiskey Bar in Bothell.
Salish Sea Brewing
Salish Sea Brewing is owned by a husband and wife team – Jeff and Erika Barnett who started their enterprise in 2013 and were foresighted when they purchased American Brewery.
They acquired a competitor brewery and taproom including brewing equipment – a short distance away in Edmonds – in 2021 American struggled during the pandemic.
“The purchase of American was made possible by Salish Sea’s ability to navigate the pandemic. The brewery’s downtown location resulted in regular walk-up business and, despite having a limited distribution network, Salish Sea made use of 32-ounce mason jars to sell beer-to-go.”
The brewing equipment was moved down the street to what is now the Salish Sea Boathouse near Edmond’s picturesque waterfront. (#10 – #11)
The brewpub was very pleasant and it’s obvious from the reviews and just observing, that they have built a loyal community in and around Edmonds. Dawn, our friendly server, told us about a running club which uses the pub as a base and it is definitely family oriented.
I was there with my colleague on the Board of the Abbey Foundation of Oregon, Rex Wardlaw who lives in Edmonds although he and his wife migrate to Kona for most of the bad weather months in Washington – a good portion of the year.
I didn’t eat but Rex had a great looking green salad and we split a gigantic soft pretzel ($11). Salish has a good varied menu of moderately priced pub food ranging from soups, salads, burgers, flatbreads and standbys such as Fish & Chips and Mac & Cheese in addition to a nice kid’s menu.
I didn’t bother to write down the specific beers either of us had, but we were able to choose from eleven of Salish’s own beers and both of us enjoyed our drafts.
As was the case with my Beerchasing companion the next day at lunch, I always learn a lot from just listening to Rex who had a remarkable career in investment banking and wealth management – one reason he is now Chair of the Abbey’s Investment Committee which manages its endowment fund.
He ran his own investment research and consulting company for ten years after retiring as managing director/portfolio manager at Wells, US Trust and then First Republic.
Rex attended NW Nazarene Collège and then earned his MBA at the University of Oregon. (#12 – #16)
And Rex’s self demands are not modest. For example, in 2015, he successfully completed the Swiss Jura Challenge on a 1 Trek 720 bicycle. That’s 30,000 + feet of vertical over 425 + miles from Geneva to Basel and back through French Comte to Geneva in 10 days (9 days of riding) with 4000 feet of daily climbing.
Rex is a man of faith – he also completed two pilgrimages – hiking the Portuguese Caminho from Lisbon to Santiago, Spain in 2018.
He followed with the Via Francigena Pilgrimage from Canterbury, UK to Roma, Italia in 2022 – solo hiking the first 560 miles of the VF, a pilgrimage route incorporating parts of the ancient Roman Road across France and Switzerland.
As we were leaving the brewpub, Rex asked me if I wanted to go for a twenty-mile jog to work off our beer and pretzel. I politely demurred…
Stack 571 Burger and Whiskey Bar
When Jon Magnusson asked me if I wanted to go to lunch at Stack 571 in Bothell, I was curious about the derivation of the name. A bit of internet searching revealed that it’s named after the ASARCO smokestack – once the world’s largest which had an interesting demise according to Historylink.org.
“At 12:40 p.m. on January 17, 1993, demolition experts collapse the landmark American Smelter and Refining Company (ASARCO) smokestack as part of a Superfund toxic cleanup of the old copper smelter in Ruston.
As many as 100,000 people gather to witness the detonation that, with one push of a plunger, sets off charges that in eight seconds reduces the structure to rubble and dust.” (#17)
I wondered why the bar’s President and Operating Partner, Attila Szabo, chose that symbol for the name of his new venture in 2016.
(Further searching revealed that it is because their burgers are “stacked” or tall). They have five locations including Vancouver, WA and emphasize organic, free-range and locally sourced ingredients.
Just as Rex Wardlaw’s intellect and experience is worth noting, my older daughter’s father-in-law always makes a very stimulating dining companion.
While Jon ate one of the Stack’s good cheeseburgers (single patty…) I had a chicken sandwich with what I assume was a diminutive chicken. The French fries and onion rings were delicious, although I don’t know under what conditions they were grown.
Jon Magnusson is now a Senior Principal with the Magnusson Klemencic Associates structural engineering firm which he joined in 1976 and:
“….advanced to CEO, and ultimately Chairman of the Board, a role he held for 18 years. Now a Senior Principal, Jon has been structural engineer-in-charge for over $2.5 billion of construction in the last 10 years alone.
He has worked on projects in 47 states and 49 countries, including major sports stadiums, healthcare facilities, signature convention centers, and high-rise buildings.
Over the course of his career, Jon has been an invited speaker for over 240 presentations and participated in more than 100 media interviews.”
Jon also donates a lot of time and travels extensively for professional associations. He’s a second generation Washington Husky (both his son and my daughter share the same alma mater) and we always enjoy talking about the Pac12.
The one football game I attended with him in Seattle (in the renovated and expanded Husky Stadium that his firm managed as they did when it expanded in 1982), the Huskies clobbered my Beavers.
This was also the case when son, Jamie, and I attended the same rivalry in 2019 in Reser Stadium in Corvallis. (Jon’s firm also did the work on the expansion and improvement of Reser at OSU last year.) (#18 – #21)
These include Safeco Field and Lumen Field in Seattle as well as Hayward Stadium in Eugene, Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara (Home of the 49’ers and Guangzhou International Arena in China to name a few.
Stack 571 had about fifteen beers on tap including three of their own although they say nothing about their brewing capabilities on their website.
But what intrigued Jon and me is the claim that their selection of whiskeys exceeds 100 although the sign at Bothell indicated 179! The availability of a “Whiskey Passport “ may merit a return trip(s). (#22 – #23)
Since there was still time before the granddaughters got home from school, Jon asked if I wanted to come over and review the engineering stress equation (σ =F/A0). I politely demurred….
In closing…
I started this long post with some nostalgia including three historic images of Seattle breweries that were a mainstay during my college years – Rainer and Olympia.
I realized that my Beerchasing adventures in Washington and more specifically, Seattle, have lacked energy and will do my best in the future to stay “Stride-for-Stride with Seattle Brew.” (#24)
#12. Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jura_Mountains#/media/File:Juragebirge.JPG) This file is in the public domain in the United States because it was solely created by NASA. NASA copyright policy states that “NASA material is not protected by copyright unless noted”. Author: Jacques Descloitres, MODIS Rapid Response Team, NASA/GSFC 22 October 2002.
Welcome back to Thebeerchaser. If you are seeing this post through an e-mail, please visit the blog by clicking on the title above to see all of the photos and so the narrative is not clipped or shortened. External photo attribution at the end of the post. (#1 – #2)
Also about the 2022 movie, “Father Stu: Reborn” and the late priest’s connection with Mount Angel. And finally about the post pandemic travails of a wonderful dive bar I first visited in 2015 – Kelly’s Olympian – another example of the City of Portland’s ineffective and frustrating efforts to keep its businesses operational and its citizens safe.
Juxtapositions??
The word is defined as:
“The act or an instance of placing two or more things side by side, often to compare or contrast or to create an interesting effect.”
I’ll try to do a bit of that in this post, but regardless of whether that succeeds, the title satisfies my affinity for alliteration.
I worked for twenty-five years on the mid-level floors of the PacWest Center – a great thirty-story skyscraper in Portland’s Central Business District. The Schwabe, Williamson & Wyatt firm at one time occupied five floors and had about 130 lawyers – the anchor of our four branch offices.
The building’s proximity to the courts, government buildings and amenities made it a very desirable location. There were also great views and the expansive floor plate was conducive to functional and attractive designs for professional service firms. And who can complain about a large Starbucks, a bar and at one time, a good restaurant – all – only an elevator ride away.
In a previous post, I mentioned the filming of parts of the movie “The Last Innocent Man” based on the novel by Portland’s best-selling author, Phillip Margolin, in addition to a commercial or two.
I’ve also gotten a chuckle on the “use” of the building in CBS’ comedy drama “So Help Me Todd,” which stars actress Marcia Gay Harden as a lawyer in a large Portland law firm.
The storyline makes anyone familiar with actual law firm operations and professional rules cringe, but it’s a fun series. The exterior of the PacWest Center is often shown along with fleeting glimpses of Portland landmarks, but scenes of the law firm interior are evidently filmed in Vancouver, BC.
“Standing approximately 40 feet tall, the pine prominently planted atop the Pacwest Center’s 25th-floor terrace could be the tallest tree growing from any high-rise rooftop on Earth.
Commuters anywhere southwest of Jefferson Street and 6th Avenue are bound to notice the coniferous evergreen towering above Downtown traffic. Planted shortly after the office building’s completion in 1984, the tree has quietly matured with the Portland skyline, drawing little attention in the last four decades.”
The article raised speculation about the height of the tree, but KOIN TV which published the story, went to the best source, John Russell, President of Russell Development Co. in Portland. He was the developer of the PacWest Center and has both engineering degrees and an MBA from Harvard Business School.
“Russell said that the PacWest Center’s alternating exterior of silver paneling and tinted windows can be used like a measuring stick, which can give a rough estimate of the tree’s height. ‘It’s easy,’ Russell said. ‘The total of the two layers is 13 feet.’
With the tree extending roughly six layers high, it can be surmised that the tree is approximately 40 feet tall. Russell told KOIN 6 News that the tree was four or five feet tall when it was placed in the terrace’s metal planter bed. He and his wife Mary Fellows still look up at the PacWest Center and enjoy the pine tree for the oddity that it is.
‘The tree just delights me,’ Russell said. ‘It’s quirky and fun.'”
And if there is doubt about future ability of the floor plate to handle the weight of the tree, I suggest they contact John to do the stress calculations….
I was fortunate to get to know John Russell through his association with our law firm and civic work with the City Club of Portland. And there are few if any in the Northwest with the long record of public service comparable to John’s.
Among the boards and commissions on which he has been a member include the Portland Development Commission, the Oregon Transportation Commission, the Mayor’s Business Roundtable (Chair from 1993 to 2003), the Portland City Planning Commission and the Portland Historic Landmark Commission.
He has also served as Chair of the Oregon Investment Council. “He is known for supporting diversity and inclusion in his evaluation of investment pitches.”(Wikita.com) (#5 – #6)
I loved hearing John’s stories about him and the late John Schwabe – one of our law firm’s named partners, an Oklahoma boy and a genuine War World II hero from the Battle of Guadalcanal and other battles in the South Pacific. (“For his military service, Schwabe was awarded a Silver Star, five Bronze Stars and a Presidential Citation for Valor.”)
The two went back to Wall Street to talk to the New York investment bankers in a successful effort to obtain financing for the PacWest Center. John Russell is the epitome of an outstanding citizen and businessman.
High Rises?
But with the pandemic and the recent trend of remote work, the future of high rise buildings raises many questions. A January, 2023 article in the Bend Bulletin stated, “U.S. Bancorp Tower, Oregon’s largest office building, faces loss of two major tenants.”
The situation may have changed since publication, but still signals a change not only in Portland, but in cities throughout the country.
“Portland law firm Miller Nash and Bay Area internet pollster SurveyMonkey are leaving the U.S. Bancorp Tower.
The moves will leave about 100,000 square feet of vacant office space in the iconic ‘Big Pink,’ Oregon’s second tallest building and its largest office building, and suggests the recent weakness of the downtown office market will continue in 2023.” (#7)
“Big Pink”
On May 7th, Oregon Live asked: “Portland office vacancies have nearly doubled since the pandemic; Will return-to-office plans reverse that?”Other law and professional service firms using the remote-hybrid model will certainly consider reducing office space when leases expire.
The May 12, 2023 Morning Brew summarized the situation in New York City and what steps should be taken if this trend continues:
“How much empty office space does New York City have right now? Enough to fill more than 26 Empire State Buildings (about 74.6 million square feet, if you want to be specific).
Researchers Edward Glaeser and Carlo Ratti made the comparison to emphasize how NYC and other large American cities need to make drastic changes to their zoning laws to adapt to the WFH era. The ultimate goal should be to become a ‘Playground City” where people live, work, and play all in the same neighborhood. (#8)
Playground City?
While I love the City of Portland, I’m not very optimistic about us becoming a “Playground City” referenced in the article above, much less returning to a vibrant metropolis that attracts tourists and beckons to those in surrounding areas to patronize businesses and hospitality establishments.
When a June 2, 2023 Oregonian article is entitled,
“Open-air drug use is at an all-time high’ in downtown Portland: Police turn to citations as fentanyl crisis explodes.”
it diminishes confidence in current efforts.
And there is widespread agreement that it will take more effective leadership by the Mayor, City Council, District Attorney, Governor, State Legislators, public sector unions, business leaders and the Portland Police Department, Police Union, the homelessness bureaucracy and homelessness advocates of all sides, churches as well as, non-profits, among others to compromise and develop creative solutions. (#9 – #10)
Does that seem insurmountable? Well, I still pray for World Peace and solutions to Global Warming!! And with the amount of funds already approved to address the problem, the solutions are not for lack of resources – at least to make strong steps forward.
Remote Work
Before closing, I want to offer one more opinion (rant) about this trend. While I’m an old guy, I still believe the trend to largely vacant workplaces where most people work on-line should be reversed or at least moderated.
While necessary during the pandemic and offering some distinct advantages – environmentally, economically, lifestyle and for working parents – we need to ask “What’s the ultimate cost?” (#11)
Is it healthy for organizations not to have a sense of community, in-office mentoring and comradery? And are the purported productivity gains real or imaginary? Review a recent Bloomberg Newsarticle entitled “Remote Work May Come with Daytime Drug and Drinking Habits:”
Some of the statistics cited are stunning and alarming and at least raise questions:
“A May 2022 study by Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta estimates that the number of working age Americans (25-54 years old) with substance abuse disorders has risen by 23% since pre-pandemic, to 27 million. A figure that’s about one in six of people who were employed around the time of the study.
Drug recover firm Sierra Tucson concluded from a November 2021 survey that about 20% of US workers admitted to using recreational drugs while working remotely, and also to being under the influence during virtual meetings.
Quit Genius found in August 2022 that one in five believe that substance use has affected their work performance, also according to a survey…..Though back-to-office mandates are unpopular for many reasons, addiction experts note that resistance consistently comes from millions of addicted employees.”
And Finally…
Consistent with the concept of “placing two or more things side by side, often to compare or contrast or to create an interesting effect,” let me suggest two options if you do decide to commute back to the office: (#12 – #13)
And to end on an upbeat note after some sobering narrative, I leave with this quote which I loved from one of my favorite authors – John Sandford – in his novel Field of Prey:
“The day was another good one, with fair-weather clouds floating overhead and warm and humid. Here and there, in the ditches, the sumac was showing orange leaves and the dust from gravel roads hung in the air for a while, as it does on the windless humid days; a good day not to be dead.” (Emphasis supplied – Page 141 – #14 – #15)
(Welcome back to Thebeerchaser. If you are seeing this post through an e-mail, please visit the blog by clicking on the title above to see all of the photos and so the narrative is not clipped or shortened.
Pappy’s – That’s all there is to it!
This is a blog about bars,saloons and breweries – colloquially labeled as “watering holes” – not bistros or cafes. I’ve made a few exceptions where a great bar is located within a restaurant, but only for those of historic significance.
The following is an exception, however, because of the compelling character of both the bistro and the owner. It’s not a bar – I don’t even know if they serve any alcohol, but Pappy’s Greasy Spoon in the heart of Canby – a small town in semi-rural Clackamas County about twenty-five miles south of Portland – is a destination I would unequivocally recommend.
And it’s not that often when the charisma and personality of the owner are so integrated with the overall character of the bar, that it becomes a focal point and the highlight of the visit.
Those I remember from my eleven years of Beerchasing are John Runkle of the Dirty Shame Saloon in Yaak, Montana and the others all in or near Portland.
There’s Adam Milne, the entrepreneurial owner of Portland’s Old Town Brewing; the late Mayor Bud Clark and his unforgettable Goose Hollow Inn and former Irish soap opera actor, Tom O’Leary,the owner of T.C. O’Leary’s.
I can’t forget amiable Amy Nichols of the Cheerful Tortoise and Cheerful Bullpen; the inimitable Frank “The Flake” Peters of the Grand Cafe (RIP) and last but not least Patrick Whitmore, the generous and down-home, cowboy-hat wearing owner of the Beavercreek Saloon (formerly Buffalo Bill’s and Kissin Kate’s in rural Clackamas County.)
I heard the stories of the grit and determination it took to open and manage their bars from each of the individuals above and pictured below, while I was at their establishments and they were unique and rewarding to hear.
Beerchasing Icons
From top left clockwise: John Runkle, Adam Milne, Tom O’Leary, Frank Peters, Patrick Whitmore, Amy Nichols and Mayor Bud Clark
However, on my May 4th birthday, I met another icon like those above – this one at Pappy’s Greasy Spoon where I had breakfast with two former work colleagues – Dick Templeman and Walt Duddington.
Dick, who is now retired in Canby, was the first manager (Director of Operations) I hired when I started working at the Schwabe law firm in 1985. We worked together until I retired in 2010 and he was outstanding at his job.
Walt was a skilled technology consultant, who saved our bacon on a number of projects. And speaking of bacon, see below.
Pappy came over and spent twenty minutes relating his story and just chatting with us – at the end being joined by his wife, Lisa. But first he thanked Dick for supporting the business during the pandemic years when takeout was the only option much of the time.
While you can get an excellent burger or fried chicken sandwich with a milk shake before their 2:00 PM closing time, the specialty is breakfast of “generous” portions which Pappy’s starts serving at 6:00 A.M.
Before telling you more about Pappy’s and maybe out of a sense of guilt, I should tell you about my breakfast that day as it probably shortened my life by several years. That said, I would do it again.
The Riley Special for only $9.00, is two eggs, four strips of bacon (or sausage), hash browns (or red potatoes) and two slices of toast (with jam). At least I didn’t have the biscuits and gravy…but as a recent article in Oregon Lifestated:
“:…this isn’t a place for those who are counting calories or watching their cholesterol. This is classic American diner food in its truest form. “
Birthday bacon, itself, is worth remembering but as stated in one of the many articles:
“But what makes Pappy’s truly exceptional is Pappy himself (whose real name is Mike Merrill), who’s owned and run the diner for over 20 years and absolutely loves what he does.
The business originally started in a bowling alley, Canby Bowl, which has since closed down and has been replaced with an O’Reilly Auto Parts.” (Oregon Live4/18/23)
Pappy told us that he and his first wife moved to Oregon from New Hampshire. He’s had the business for over twenty years. Walking into Pappy’s is taking a trip back to the classic diners of the 50’s.
The long counter with red stools reminded me of the drugstore where I used to get nickel Cokes after my Oregon Journalpaper route in Oregon City was finished.
And speaking of Coca Cola, much of the memorabilia (which he states is about 90% donated – even some from the East Coast) is Coke related.
There’s numerous Coke signs, a clock, an upside umbrella hanging from the ceiling and best of all, an antique Coke cooler which I assume still functions because there are current bottles of Coke underneath it.
Don’t forget the Aunt Jemima sign and the photos of celebrities’ ranging from Elvis to Nat King Cole to Danny Thomas and Al Hirt to name just a few.
Pappy stares out from galley where he cooks hundreds of breakfasts each week and periodically walks out like an army general to greet his customers who are already being giving loving attention by his servers including Lisa.
He told us that his first wife died a number of years ago from an extended illness, but Lisa, who was working as a server became a friend and then a perfect match. They were married about five years ago.
Dick said the wedding was held in a large vacant room down the hallway, but the reception was in the diner:
“Marilyn and I attended along with half the town. It was standing room only. Fun time.”
Pappy’s is well worth a visit, but it may require a wait. It’s worth it!
Pandemic Recovery Challenges Continue
In my last two posts I wrote about the number of bars and breweries that struggled during the pandemic and listed a number of my favorites which are no longer in business.
One would think the challenges are largely past, however, the City of Portland unfortunately and to the detriment of business owners, has not recovered to the extent of other major US cities.
While it’s easy to point fingers and there have been unprecedented challenges, most citizens feel that elected officials, most notably the PortlandMayor and City Council and the District Attorney of Multnomah County fell down on the job. Don’t forget the last Oregon Governor’s constant equivocation on COVID closure and occupancy policies for hospitality establishments.
“Since it opened in 1902, Kelly’s Olympian, the bar on Southwest Washington Street, has survived two world wars, the Depression, Prohibition, the Great Recession, the 2020 protests and COVID-19.
It’s an open question whether it will survive the fentanyl den across the street between 4th and 5th avenues.”
When I visited Kelly’s, the scene was typical of that until the pandemic – people sitting at picnic tables in front of the bar, a few motorcycles parked out front by patrons who wanted to see the vintage collection of the machines inside and a friendly, engaged and diverse crowd at the bar as described in this Zagat Review:
”a mix of punks, business types and ‘street urchins’ gathers for Pabst and ‘strong’ pours of Jack Daniels….”
And there would always be crowds to enjoy the bands who played there several times each week. At one point, Kelly’s was purported to have the second highest liquor sales of any establishment in Oregon.
But what attracted many people – both regulars and visitors – were the unique trappings of the bar. Hanging from the ceiling were about a dozen vintage motorcycles which had each been beautifully restored.
Adding to the flavor were museum quality neon signs, antique gas pumps and historic photos of Portland and an old-fashioned pinball machine.
Our friendly bartender, Mary Kate, when we asked about the bar’s history, showed us the trap door behind the bar and the stairway down to the cellar which although they are now boarded up, used to have a maze of “Shanghai” tunnels:
“Legend has it that there used to be several secret entrances to the Shanghai Tunnels,Chinese immigrants and dockworkers lived and made their way about the underground of Portland.” Kelly’s Olympian website
It should be noted that not all of downtown currently Portland presents the same picture as the area around Kelly’s Olympian. As stated in the Willamette Week article, the times of prosperity have changed:
“Kelly’s is hanging on ‘by a string,’ says owner Ben Stutz. Blight, crime and untreated mental illness and addiction in downtown Portland are driving customers away, and Stutz is spending $15,000 a month on full-time security guards for Kelly’s and tenants on the floors above
…I would like more police patrols. Just walk the street. Go in and deal with people. Make it uncomfortable for people to break the law. I’d also like to see the governor get some State Police and National Guard out here like they’re doing in San Francisco.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom is not what you’d call a bleeding heart. He took a look at San Francisco and said, ‘We can’t have this happen.’ But our governor isn’t doing that. The mayor talks about a reset. The governor needs to talk about a reset too.”
Next time you are in Portland stop at have a beer or whiskey at Kelly’s and tell them you’re glad they’re still going. And ask to see the trap door behind the bar!
But Let’s End on a More Uplifting and Ethereal Note!
Those who follow Thebeerchaser know that my favorite brewery is Mount Angel Oregon’s Benedictine Brewery – on the grounds of the Mt. Angel Abbey. The Brewery is one of only three in the US owned and operated by Benedictine monks.
I was fortunate to get involved in the planning and development in 2016 until the Brewery and St. Michael’s Taproom Taproom opened in November 2018.
It has been extremely successful and Fr. Martin Grassel, the Head Brewer, has developed a regional following for his excellent beers. ( External photo attribution is at the end of the post. #1)
Recently, he was featured in an episode of “The Beer Hour with Jonathan Wakefield.” The episode covers a wide variety of topics, from the history of monastic brewing to monastic formation and Fr. Martin’s vocation story, to the origins of the Benedictine Brewery.
Since it’s 53 minutes long, I was just going to listen for about ten minutes, but got hooked and listened to the entire thing. He’s a good storyteller!
But I want to end this post – not with a review of a watering hole – but a movie. Fr. Stu: Reborn was released by Sony Pictures in December, 2022.
As unlikely as it seems from his past roles, it stars Mark Wahlberg (who is a devout Catholic) and was produced on a shoestring budget of only $4 million. Evidently, the film received mixed reviews; however, my wife and I really enjoyed it. (#2 – #3)
The focus of my interest was the role of the Mt. Angel Seminary. As stated in the Mount Angel Newsletter:
“An injury ended Stu’s heavyweight professional boxing dreams, and after a succession of short career starts, a motorcycle accident caused him to spend months in hospital care.
In that time of recovery, he realized his vocational call to the priesthood and entered the seminary for the Diocese of Helena. He studied at Mount Angel Seminary from 2004 to 2007 and was ordained in 2007.”
Since I serve on the Abbey Foundation Board, I’ve gotten to know many of the monks, priests and seminarians including Fr. Pius Harding OSB (shown below) a monk who was Fr. Stu’s spiritual director at the Abbey and who just celebrated his 30th anniversary of ordination. He stated:
“Stu had a casual, upbeat way about him: very interested in the people around him. He was most generous; as a matter of fact, you had to refrain from admiring things in his presence, or he would buy them for you.” (#4)
During his years in seminary he was diagnosed with a rare autoimmune disease that mimics the symptoms of Lou Gehrig’s disease and for which there is no cure. The movie chronicles his courageous battle with the disease.
“He took [the illness] on like the fighter he was trained to be,’ recalls Fr. Pius. ‘And he went on to live the vocation of love. I know several who embraced the Catholic faith due to his kind example and zealous catechetical ministry.’” (#5)
I’m confident that you will enjoy the movie. Blessings and Cheers
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