The Portway

Astoria, Oregon ~ November 5, 2011

Portway Tavern, 422 West Marine Drive

Like many fixtures in Astoria, the Portway has a devoted clientele, fish on the facade, paint that has seen better days, and a blue and white plaque that says, "Historic Landmark." Unlike most, it has its own ATM machine.

The building was built in 1923 and opened first as a blacksmith shop before it became a cafe in 1925. It has the distinction of being "the oldest watering hole in the oldest American settlement west of the Rockies." For more interesting history, see the Portway's own web site.

This blog is sponsored by Tapir and Friends Animal Store.

Fish, Fish, Fish ~ Part 2

Here's another view of the fish sculpture in the courtyard area between the Duncan Law Seafood Consumer Center (shown here) and the Seafood Research and Education Center shown the other day in my May 10 post. In the past few days I've seen people entering both buildings, so I'm not certain what parts of the operations have been closed and what parts are still open. I believe that the seafood cooking classes have been closed. If anyone can give me some up-to-date-info, I'll amend the post.

Someone also asked how many fish were on the sculpture. As you can see, it's hard to get an angle showing everything. There are three halibut (flat) on the right-hand side. I think there are at least 11 fish, a crab pot, and a net, and at the far end is a stylized human. Leading up the steps to the Duncan Law entrance are three more salmon on the side of the staircase, not attached to this standing sculpture. You have to walk around it to see everything. I like the jagged-edged sturgeon near the bottom. We have a lot of these interesting fish in the river here.

Who is the sculptor? I didn't see a name. Vern Wilson is one of the local sculptors who makes fish in metal, but I don't know if he or someone else made this one. Can anyone tell me?

This blog is sponsored by Tapir and Friends Animal Store.

Fish, Fish, Fish

This photo shows only part of the intricate, multi-species fish sculpture outside the Seafood Research and Education Center of Oregon State University (shown here) and the Duncan Law Seafood Consumer Center, behind us and currently closed due to economic woes.

There is more to this statue, and I expect you'll see additional photos soon on this blog, and also the front of the Duncan Law Seafood Consumer Center.

This blog is sponsored by Tapir and Friends Animal Store.

Bornstein Seafoods, the real deal

Here's another of Astoria's businesses, and a very important one at that. It doesn't have a tricked out veneer, and it doesn't need one. It's all work, and all fish. For real. Bornstein Seafoods' loading dock is one of the buildings you pass on the River Walk. This isn't just a tourist town with some old buildings duded up for looks. There's one place on the walk where, at certain seasons, you can see the fish flopping down the chutes for packing on ice. In fact, if you're not careful, you can get wet and smelly. The seagulls flock here, too. I wonder why :) The paper sign that's too small to read says "NO SKATEBOARDING." Maybe it means on their truck ramp? I took the photo on April 10, 2009.