May Musings

Posted on May 1, 2024 by Thebeerchaser

After doing recent posts on two wonderful Portland bars – the historic Huber’s and the iconic Sandy Jug, I’m going to skip around and cover a few miscellaneous topics after a farewell to a Portland landmark for years. (#1.)

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

Farewell to Quintessential Dive – The Jolly Roger

I visited this Portland eastside landmark in January, 2023 with my friend, Hillary Barbour, knowing that it would be both the first and last time I would raise a mug in this watering hole which has been a prominent feature on the block for about the last sixty years:

The Jolly Roger Will Become Affordable Housing

“After much speculation about what would become of Buckman dive bar the Jolly Roger, WW has confirmed it will become an affordable housing complex helmed by recovery and low-income housing nonprofit Central City Concern. The property was bulldozed this fall and is currently an empty lot.” (Willamette Week – 1/16/2024)

Although there was a smidgeon of hope for a reprieve in 2023, one year later, it was razed and the irreplaceable sign visible for blocks is now relegated to the scrap heap:

“Of the landmark sign—which WW once called ‘a majestic freestanding pylon sign shaped like a ship’s mast at a height no longer sanctioned’ ….it was trashed.

‘It was too large to be used in the building or anywhere else, she says…Efforts were made to see if any signage, restoration companies or collectors were interested in it, to no avail.'”

Farewell to a long and prosperous voyage!

An Informed Perspective

I had lunch recently with a friend of the conservative bent who was bemoaning the current US policy on climate change and energy. He had witnessed the 2017 total solar eclipse when he was at the Oregon coast and took in the same event again on April 8th this year.

Although Oregon was not in the path of totality. His comment:

“Don, this provides additional evidence of the lack of dependability of solar power as a future energy source….” (#2 – #3)

Another Beerchaser-of-the-Quarter Update

The last update was in February when I related the recent award of Portland environmental attorney, Jay Waldron (Rugger, Rafter and Rider and Lawyer).

Well, one of Jay’s Portland lawyerly colleagues – who is also in the esteemed ranks of Beerchasers-of-the-Quarter, Jim Westwood – was involved in another significant victory, although this wasn’t as one of the premier players in the Oregon Appellate Courts.

westwood bow tie 2

Jim, who has accompanied me on more Beerchasing events than either one of us would want to admit in the last thirteen years, is also a fellow Oregon City High School graduate (although several years ahead of me).

As I have stated previously as evidence of my longevity, his mother Catherine, was my Latin teacher for two years in the mid-sixties. The photo gallery below provides evidence of Jim’s affirmation of Beerchasing as a venture although it should be noted that both of us also have an affinity for single malt beverages.

Clockwise: The Tanker Bar – 2013, The Yard House – 2016, The Independent Sports Bar – 2017, The Standard – 2018, The Sandy Jug – 2024, Howell’s Tavern – 2022, Yur’s Bar – 2020, Rose City Book Pub – 2019, TC O”Leary’s Irish Pub – 2017 and Kelly’s Olympian 2015 and The Goose Hollow Inn – 2012.

(You will recognize his mug – so-to-speak – in each of the photos below:

Beerchasing at the Goose Hollow Inn in 2012 with the late Portland Mayor Bud Clark and John Terry of The Oregonian

Below is an excerpt from my 2013 post when I named him as a Beerchaser-of-the-Quarter. I mentioned his extensive civic activities including coaching high school Constitutional teams:

“Jim has volunteered for 11 years as a coach for ‘We the People’ high school Constitutional law teams for Grant High and De la Salle North Catholic High School.

Marilyn Cover, Executive Director of the Classroom Law Project (CLP), stated, ‘He’s a great teacher, a great coach and a great model citizen.’ He was honored last year as the 2012 Legal Citizen of the Year by the CLP.”

The historical figure he most admires is George Washington and when he received an annual award from the Multnomah Bar Association in 2013, they gave him the caricature shown in the photo below.

The Grant High team won the National Championship in the Washington DC competition in 2013 and then repeated in 2015. Westwood fulfilled his promise to get a tattoo if they achieved that victory.

The picture below shows the George Washington theme continued as 1783 was the year Washington bade farewell to his officers at Fraunces Tavern and resigned as Commander-in-Chief.

They won in 2018 and his second tattoo followed although at time of publication I could not ascertain where it’s located or the content. He retired from being a full-time coach in 2019, but as Jim, with his characteristic modesty, stated this month:

“I intended to fade into nothingness, but as has happened with other retiring coaches, Grant Con team is the Hotel California. You can never leave. The best description of me is ‘involved volunteer.”‘

My involvement varies, in 2024 I was involved about twice as much as last year….This year, for the first time since retiring, I went to DC with the team and the coaches. although it was more of a vacation for me than it was for the others.”

He thus shared in the incredible accomplishment of 2024 Grant High’s Constitutional Team when they again won the National Championship in April. As reported by the Center for Civic Education on April 16th:

“Students from Grant High School of Portland, Oregon, placed first in the We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution National Finals, an annual competition that brings together high school students from across the nation to answer difficult questions about the U.S. Constitution...

More than 1,000 students participated….The competition results were announced at an awards ceremony Monday evening before an in-person and online audience of more than 3,400 people…A total of 48 high school teams from 28 states and the District of Columbia participated in this year’s events.”. (#4 – #5)

2015 Winners – Westwood in back row with bowtie

In a time where civics is almost a forgotten course offering in high schools across the United States, teacher advisor, David Lickey; coaches including Andrea Short, Tim Volpert, Shelley Larkins and Westwood (many of whom are lawyers) and the parental volunteers deserve accolades for their commitment to preserving democratic institutions.

When I asked about a third inking, he responded:

“I’ve been in contact with Ximena, my personal tattoo artist, about the tattoo for this year’s win. The ink will flow later this month.”

There’s speculation whether it will be a cherry tree, the words “Valley Forge” or “1791” – the year when the Bill of Rights was ratified which Washington called for in his first inaugural address. Stay tuned…..

There’s a Crisis, However.

Even back in 2021, an article in Harvard Magazine showed evidence of the Crisis in Civic Education:

“…..The Annenberg Public Policy Center’s survey on civic knowledge found that barely half of American adults can name all three branches of government, and 20 percent cannot name any rights protected by the First Amendment.

This state of affairs follows prolonged disinvestment in the fields of history and civics: today, a new report reveals, federal spending per pupil in these subjects averages $0.05, whereas STEM education (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) per pupil averages $50—a thousandfold difference in funding allocation.” (#6)

A document needing more attention

But Have Some Moderation…!

While efforts to enhance civic education are to be encouraged and applauded, one Oregon Circuit Court Judge in Clackamas County – just south of Portland – went a step too far when in a criminal trial for hit-and-run (State v. Varvara) last week:

“….(she) decided to give a hands-on civics lesson to a class of visiting second graders, inviting eight of them to serve as jurors in a hit-and-run trial, swearing them in, allowing them to sit in the jury box and giving them supplies to take notes.”

Now this was a bench trial – meaning the judge, not a jury – makes the final decision. The Presiding Judge, however, was evidently not impressed with the judgment of Circuit Judge Ulanda Watkins. He intervened and the second-graders were ushered out of the courtroom.

Judge Watkins was appointed to the bench in 2017. She is, at least up until this point, running unopposed in the 2024 Oregon Primary Election. (#7)

“In the end, Watkins delivered an acquittal without consulting the students — the 7- and 8-year-olds left before the trial concluded. But the judge’s off-the-cuff overture to the school children became the talk of the courthouse in downtown Oregon City.” (#8 – #9)

The Clackamas County Courthouse in Oregon City.

There have been no reports on whether the eight second graders selected for the jury have requested the $10 daily juror pay or whether the school district has submitted the 20 cents per mile reimbursement for the school bus.

Cheers

External Photo Attribution

#1. Sandy Jug Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=122100957092143158&set=pb.61554294744173.-2207520000&type=3).

#2. Wikimedia Commons (File:Christmas Eve Sun (31460091150).png – Wikimedia Commons) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license. Author: Paul Stewart from Timaru, New Zealand – 24 December 2016.

#3. Wikimedia Commons (File:Solar eclipse of April 8, 2024, from Hot Springs, Arkansas.jpg – Wikimedia Commons). Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International, 3.0 Unported, 2.5 Generic, 2.0 Generic and 1.0 Generic license. Author: Kevin Payravi – 8 April 2024.

#4. Oregon Live (Grant High’s U.S. Constitution Team represents Oregon in national tournament – oregonlive.com).

#5. Center for Civic Education (Release: Portland’s Grant High School Places First in Center for Civic Education’s Nationwide Competition on the Constitution – civiced.org).

#6. Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (File:United States Constitution Bicentenial Commemorative Dollar Obverse.jpg – Wikimedia Commons. This image is a work of the United States Department of the Treasury, taken or made as part of an employee’s official duties. As a work of the U.S. federal government, the image is in the public domain in the United States.Source: US Mint 19 May 2022.

#7. Oregon State Bar (Judge Ulanda Watkins (osbar.org).

#8. Wikimedia Commons (File:Scale of justice 2 new.jpeg – Wikimedia Commons). This work is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or any later version. Source: Scale_of_justice_2.svg: DTR – 28 July 2009.

#9. Wikimedia Commons (File:Clackamas County Courthouse, Oregon City – DPLA – 13cd2d986b77594222b11d38c0491c08.jpg – Wikimedia Commons) This file was contributed to Wikimedia Commons by Oregon State Archives as part of a cooperation project. The donation was facilitated by the Digital Public Library of America, via its partner Northwest Digital Heritage. Source: Gary Halvorson, Oregon State Archives – 6 August 2013.

Let’s Talk Turkey – at Hubers

Posted on April 6, 2024 by Thebeerchaser

Many people in Portland, say a visit to Huber’s Cafe – the City’s oldest bar – should be scheduled during Thanksgiving week. (External photo attribution at the end of the post #1)

Huber’s, famous for its turkey, however, is a great place to have a drink or combine that with a lunch or dinner any time during the year.

“Established in 1879, Huber’s is Portland’s oldest restaurant. If you visited us in the 1890s, you’d have seen patrons conversing with a drink in one hand and a turkey sandwich in the other. Over 100 years later, we’re still known for our turkey. Along with our traditional turkey dinner, you can expect majestic decor that’s reminiscent of another time.” (Huber’s website)

And that was the case in late January when our walking group had drinks and a wonderful dinner at this historic Portland bistro. Our walking group consists of nine of us who periodically take a several-mile “hike” and then hit a bar or brewery to eat and drink afterwards.

During the bad weather, we still call it “our walking group” but skip the stroll. Since this was a fowl weather day…we decided that Hubers was a good option.

Oh, the History….

I stated “oldest bar“ above because it was founded as the Bureau Saloon in 1879.

Entering Huber’s is an historic encounter, in itself:

“Located in Portland’s historic Pioneer Building, Huber’s contains arched stained-glass skylights, mahogany paneling and terrazzo flooring. Original fixtures such as spittoons, overhead lights, a pewter wine stand, and cash registers, fans, and operable clocks made of brass still remain, reminders of its rich history.” Wikipedia (#2)

Although Huber’s has operated in four different Portland locations, it’s occupied the present space since 1910. Notwithstanding its loyal clientele, the pandemic hit Huber’s with the same intensity that competitor establishments faced.

Take this excerpt from a November 2020 story in the Oregonian entitled, “Huber’s Cafe – Portland’s oldest restaurant imperiled by COVID 19 freeze“. It ends with a quote from James Louie, the co-owner:

“Founded in 1879, the city’s oldest restaurant has survived WWI, the Spanish Flu pandemic, the Great Depression, WWII, the Great Recession and the months of protests that have shuttered many of the surrounding businesses….

‘Huber’s could be history in six months or so. Our lease is up in July 2021. We’ll have to decide by this spring whether to renew it.'”

Jim and David Louie, co-owners (Kerry Eggers.com) (#3)

Fortunately, it weathered the storm and appears to be doing well. We were there on a late Tuesday afternoon and by the time we left, the spacious dining room and bar were packed. That said, the hospitality sector still struggles after the pandemic, especially in Portland.

“‘Sales are improving,’ James says. ‘We’re still not profitable. Even though sales are higher, so are our costs. Products have gone way up. Labor prices have gone up. It is harder to get staffing. We had to raise wages in order to attract employees.’ ” (Kerryeggers.com)

Given it’s long and captivating history with the same family, there are numerous news and related media accounts about Huber’s, however, I would suggest that the most comprehensive and interesting is by Kerry Eggers.

Kerry is a wonderful writer and also one of my favorite Oregon State Beavers – graduating with honors in 1975 after serving as sports editor, managing editor and editor of the school newspaper, The Daily Barometer.

The column is engrossing and you should read it:

“Huber’s is more than just a restaurant — it’s a Portland institution.”

Before I continue with Huber’s, a few more words about Kerry and why you should follow his column – not only for insightful sport stories, but the human-interest narratives.

Don’t overlook his ten print books including my favorite: Civil War Rivalry – Oregon vs. Oregon State. (#4 – #5)

“Kerry Eggers has been writing sports for Portland newspapers since 1975. He worked for the Oregon Journal from 1975-82, at The Oregonian from 1982-2000 and at the Portland Tribune from 2001-2020.

Eggers is a six-time National Sports Media Association’s Oregon Sportswriter of the Year, winning in 1981, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2011 and 2018.” (Kerry.eggers.com)

Below are just a few tidbits from Kerry’s column that I found fascinating. It’s a compelling story not only about a family institution, but Portland’s history.

Co-owners Jim and David are the great nephews of Jim Louie who Frank Huber hired in 1891. Jim Louie had arrived in Portland ten years, earlier, at age eleven as a stowaway on a clipper ship from China.

“When Prohibition hit in 1920, Huber’s nearly closed its doors. But a delegation of Portland citizens urged Jim and Augusta to stay in business by selling the slices of turkey it had previously been serving for free, and the landlord offered easement on rent.

The establishment was converted to a restaurant, with roast turkey as the house specialty, but also expanding the menu to include ham, steaks, veal, lamb chops, pork chops and seafood. During Prohibition, it also operated as a speakeasy, covertly serving Manhattans in coffee cups.”

Spanish Coffee – The Signature Drink (#6)

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“Since 1975, the signature item at Huber’s has been the Spanish coffee. For several years, the waiter theatrically pouring the drinks to customers was James Louie. The Huber’s name is now synonymous with the Spanish coffee flaming drink and James’ name is synonymous with its popularity.

…That’s giving me too much glory,” says James, who got the idea when eating dinner with wife Helen — they were dating at the time — at the Fernwood Inn in Milwaukie. They were served a Spanish coffee tableside, featuring rum and Kahlua and topped off with whipping cream.”

“Before long, Huber’s was being called the ‘Buena Vista of the North,’ referencing San Francisco’s Buena Vista Cafe, the birthplace of Irish coffee in the U.S.”

“James says Huber’s has sold as many as 600 Spanish coffees in one day. The average, he says, is about 250 daily….Because of the Spanish coffee’s popularity, Huber’s is the largest user of Kahlua in the state of Oregon, and one of the largest in the U.S.”

And don’t forget to check out the photo of a 1941 menu in Kerry’s column. The “$1.25 Dinner Special” included:

Oyster, shrimp, crab or fruit cocktail salad
Soup or Salad
A choice of five entree’s
Vegetables and potatoes
Dessert
Coffee, tea or buttermilk

I assume although it wasn’t customary at the time, you would want to do a 20% tip which would be a quarter!

Our Experience

Connor, (photo above) orchestrated the Spanish Coffee ritual at our table. He was excellent and the drink was well worth the $14.50 cost (+ a tip for Connor, of course…)

This description from Willamette Week may be a bit hyperbolic, but it still scrupulously portrays the experience:

“As blue flames swirl in the bottom of each glass, rising to lick its lip, the vested bartender rotates the glasses around each other with a sort of belly dancer’s shimmy. It’s impossible to look away from the flame—pepped up by nutmeg and unaffected by the Kahlua and coffee poured from great heights.

The coffee snakes its way into the glass from as high as three feet above its rim—never spilling even a drop, and never dousing the eternal flame—while the bartender turns, sways and swirls.

By the time the fresh-whipped cream finally blankets the fire, you already feel a little drunk. And that’s before tasting the smoothest, most satisfying Spanish coffee in town.”

And Don’t Forget

While Hubers is known for its turkey, it has other menu items – all worth trying, most notably ham and coleslaw, but you can’t go wrong with anything on the menu from hamburgers to its Reuben or clam chowder or the Shrimp Louie. And the prices are very reasonable. (#7- #8)

After eating an outstanding barbecue turkey sandwich and coleslaw for just under $20, I was well pleased. And why not stick to one of their turkey dishes such as the hot-turkey sandwich, turkey enchiladas, turkey pot pie or just a drumstick with mashed potatoes (and gravy…) (#9)

Support our Portland Restaurants and Bars

I mentioned above that Huber’s, is recovering, although not abounding in earnings, however, one needs only to travel 1.1 miles away to see a long-term and signature Portland waterfront restaurant – opened in the early 1990’s – now closing permanently.

Portland’s economy is still racking up casualties. According to a March 29th Oregon Live article:

“Neighbors and regulars first heard the news Wednesday, learning from longtime employees that they had been given five-days notice before (McCormick and Schmick’s Harborside at the Marina) imminent closure.” (It’s the last M & S establishment in Portland) (#10 – #11)

And this is not just a typical hospitality sector closure we’ve come to expect – especially in Portland. This one is noteworthy for those who follow Portland’s rich beer history.

As noted by Jeff Alworth’s well-known and respected blog Beervana:

“We learned today that a Portland institution was closing down: McCormick and Schmick’s RiverPlace restaurant. It was once the toast of the town, featuring the best view in the city. It was also the home of Full Sail’s Portland outpost, an important formative location in creating Portland’s beer scene.

The closure of McCormick and Schmick’s is melancholy on its own terms—it was once a piece of Portland’s culinary character. Full Sail was no less a part of the city’s beer character. It was a great place, and John really helped elevate Portland beer. RIP”

Cheers and Happy April