A midnight martini, one olive, please 🍸

Portland’s illuminated martini glass in the West Hills

The illuminated outline of a martini glass affixed to a multi-story home lights up the night.

The martini glass is traditionally turned off the first week of January. | Photo by @photosbymikewarner

We’ll take “Quirky Portland Signs” for $400.

Clue: A beverage container that inspired a 30-ft display in the West Hills that, when lit, unofficially signals the start of the holiday season.

Question: What is a martini glass?

Ding ding ding.

Portland’s iconic, illuminated martini glass is shining brightly once again. It’s a familiar sight this time of year — but do you know the story behind it? Bottoms up, we’re jumping back in time.

An Italian family named the Martinis were the first to build a martini glass sign in the West Hills — albeit on a smaller scale — which they would light up to signal a party was happening. After the family moved away, a high schooler in the neighborhood named Monty Meadows decided to keep the tradition going. He made a larger version of the sign using two-by-fours and some borrowed Christmas lights, and then affixed it to the side of his family’s home.

Wintry Northwest weather had other ideas, though. The rickety sign was blown down and repaired multiple times until Monty’s dad offered to help. Together, the duo improved the emblem every year, adding stronger aluminum piping and more lights. By the time Monty’s parents separated in 1982 and the family home was put up for sale, the sign was iconic enough that the new buyer insisted it be included in the deal.

The illuminated outline of a martini glass lights up the night amidst residential buildings upon a hillside. — A red slash was added to the sign at one point to discourage drunk driving.

Fast forward a few decades to when the property changed hands again. The buyer — Portland architect Aaron Hall — tore down the house in 2013 and built a new one, but the effort took years… and the martini glass was sorely missed. “Everybody was calling, saying ‘Where’s the sign, where’s the sign?’” Aaron told KOIN 6 News. “I said, ‘It’s coming back. I just have to build the house first.’”

True to his word, Aaron has not only maintained the tradition but he’s also improved upon the sign’s design. In 2015, he unveiled a three-story-tall martini glass (complete with a “stuffed” green olive) that uses LED technology and sports a sleeker, more modern look. And while Aaron himself doesn’t drink, he shakes up a mean martini for his guests.

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Wednesday, Nov. 30

“It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play” | Wednesday, Nov. 30-Saturday, Dec. 24 | Times vary | Portland Center Stage, 128 NW 11th Ave., Portland | $25-$86 | The beloved classic about small-town everyman George Bailey has been re-imagined for the stage as a live radio broadcast.

Thursday, Dec. 1

North Plains Jingle Parade | Thursday, Dec. 1 | 6-8 p.m. | Jessie Mays Community Hall, 30975 NW Hillcrest St., North Plains | Free | Join your friends and neighbors for an evening of festive entertainment featuring a tree lighting, carolers, hot chocolate, and a visit from Santa.
Patti Smith | Thursday, Dec. 1 | 7:30 p.m. | Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, 1037 SW Broadway, Portland | $41.33 | The singer, songwriter, poet, painter, and author will share her work as a self-discovered photojournalist documenting her everyday life.

Friday, Dec. 2

Kalani Pe’a’s Hawaiian Christmas | Friday, Dec. 2 | 7:30 p.m. | Patricia Reser Center for the Arts, 12725 SW Millikan Way #240, Beaverton | $30-$50 | The Grammy Award-winning singer celebrates the warmth and special “aloha” of the holiday season, sharing songs with western and Hawaiian roots.
Kevin Hart: Reality Check | Friday, Dec. 2 + Saturday, Dec. 3 | Times vary | Moda Center, 1 N. Center Court St., Portland | $45-$145 | The stand-up comedian and actor known for his roles in “Jumanji,” “Ride Along,” and “The Secret Life of Pets” brings the jokes to Rose City.

Saturday, Dec. 3

Mason Bee Cocoon Cleaning | Saturday, Dec. 3 | 10 a.m.-12 p.m. | Portland Community College Rock Creek Campus, 17705 NW Springville Rd., Portland | Free | Learn how to extract, clean, and store mason bees in this hands-on workshop led by OSU Master Gardener Ron Spendal.

We have a monthly guide filled with events + activities you can plan for in advance. Click the button below to bookmark ideas for upcoming date nights, family outings, and time with friends.

BACK TO DECEMBER

Weather

45º | Last day of November rain | 85% chance of rain

Sunrise + Sunset

Rise: 7:29 a.m.
Set: 4:28 p.m.

Number

1,669. That’s how many people in Multnomah, Clackamas, and Washington counties were placed into homes in the first year of Metro’s supportive housing fund, according to three new reports submitted to the fund’s oversight committee. Counties will gather more data, like the housing retention rate, as the 10-year program continues. 🏘️ (OPB)

Development

City officials have picked a developer to transform the interior of Milwaukie City Hall into a mixed-use building featuring a restaurant, brewery, bakery, offices, and community art. Henry Point Development will start the project in 2023; city services will move into a nearby building on Southeast Main Street. 🏗️ (Portland Business Journal)

Closed

Rains PDX — a Portland outerwear store that first opened in 2019 — has permanently closed. Owner Marcy Landolfo cited a string of break-ins for her decision to close the shop at 77 NE Grand Ave. Customers can still buy clothing online. (KATU)

Feel Good

Tualatin firefighters recently rescued a puppy stuck at the bottom of a 35-ft embankment near the Willamette River. The 10-month-old Cavalier King Charles spaniel was hoisted to safety and returned to its owner — a bit bedraggled but otherwise unhurt. Not all heroes wear capes. 🐶 (KOIN)

Outdoors

Foraging has literally been around since the dawn of humankind, but the activity is enjoying a modern revival of sorts. For many people, including Craft and Cauldron owner Erika Ironwood, rural and urban foraging offers “a sense of agency” and a mindful respite from the blur of everyday life (Google: “forest bathing”). 🌰 (The Columbian)

Announced

Take your love for PDXtoday to the next level by joining our new membership program. Support local journalism while enjoying perks like: exclusive birthday deals, shoutouts on our member wall, discounts from our online shop (Six & Main) + more. 🎉

Seasonal

We’re all about staying warm throughout the colder months, which means we’re leveling up our typical outerwear to something a little toastier. Enter: heated jackets. We love this one for its three different heat levels and this slim fit option with 5,000+ five star reviews.*

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Food that deserves a round of a-paws 🐩

Portland Pet Food Company makes dog treats with brewer’s spent grain

Can we eatz it yet, hooman? | Photo by PDXtoday

Katie McCarron started making dog food using human-grade ingredients when her 14-year-old poodle Rosie was struggling to eat. The food got Rosie eating — and she lived to be nearly 17.

Hoping to help other dogs, Katie founded the Portland Pet Food Company in 2014. She decided to create dog biscuits next.

“I started thinking about what would be unique to Portland and thought about all the breweries we have and thought, ‘Well, I could go repurpose the spent grain,’” Katie said.

Brewer’s spent grain (which doesn’t contain hops or alcohol) from Ruse Brewing, Hopworks, and other local breweries is mixed with all-natural peanut butter, Bob’s Red Mill flour, and other locally-sourced ingredients like bacon and pumpkin. Real talk, we’re tempted to eat them ourselves.

City Editor Cambrie’s pups wolfed down the Rosie’s Beef N’ Rice meal. They even got to try the company’s new mint biscuits made with mint from a farm in Clatskanie (look for those in February 2023).

THE WRAP

Today’s issue was written by Cambrie.

Editor’s pick: I can finally check “visit the Freakybuttrue Peculiarium” off my Portland bucket list. From an ornate — but possibly haunted — dollhouse to a cabinet full of curiosities, it’s a tour de force of humanity’s undying love for the creepy, weird, and wacky.

Missed yesterday’s newsletter? We rounded up the top industries and employers in the greater Portland area.

Connect with us.

Editorial: Cambrie Juarez, Ben McBee, Britt Thorson, Emily Shea | Send us a scoop, question, or feedback.

Sales: Terri Kiesenhofer | Advertise with us.

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