Up Portland August 2017

August 2017

See Page Two For Details On Our Blooms, Taken In The Garden At The Maine Jewish Museum

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A Special Spot In All Seasons...

The garden at the Maine Jewish Museum & Etz Chaim Synagogue at Congress & India streets is a place to behold in all seasons, made even lovelier now with the addition of sculptures, benches and a relaxing atmosphere. Drop by while the daisies are blooming, all of the flowers are at their peak and let the cares of the world have a break.

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Nautical Artist Alan Claude Lights The Way If you aren’t somehow familiar with Alan Claude, we’d be willing to bet you are familiar with his works, which hang all over town, from the Ocean Gate Terminal to the Jetport and in homes, hotels and businesses around the state.

Inspired by bold, poster style graphics from the 1920’s and 30’s, mixed in with a dab of Edward Hopper, a heap of drama and a teaspoon of serenity, the graphic art of Alan Claude calmly reflects the beauty of New England life with colourful contrasting imagery, dimensional light and shadow, all combined in classic art style travel posters of famous New England lighthouses.

Claude’s works, which literally do hang in galleries, hotels, transportation centres and elsewhere can also hang in your house or be given as a gift as he’s preparing for South Portland’s 38th Annual Art In The Park Show & Sale coming up Saturday 12th August from 9 a.m. till 4 p.m. in Mill Creek Park. The show will feature original art work and photography by up to 175 artists in styles, sizes and prices to suit all tastes and budgets.

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Maine Jewish Museum

First Friday: August 4, 2017 5pm-8pm Within the Landscape Anne Ireland

Before the Flood Anita Clearfield

Final Mourner’s Kaddish Max Miller

Exhibition: July 13, 2017 - September 10, 2017 Maine Jewish Museum

267 Congress Street, Portland, ME 04101 (207) 773-2339 Monday - Friday 10am-4pm + Sundays 1pm - 5pm or by appointment mainejewishmuseum.org

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Flavonoids O

O

Adenosine Triphosphate

chelated

macronutrient

Mixed Tocopherols

enzymes

alkalinity

long-chain fatty acids

Essential Amino Acids

micronutrient

Polysaccharides

oxidation

We know words like this so you don’t have to.

We also know how to explain them in a way that makes sense.

Knowledge

Shared Generously

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There’s Something Fishy Here...

Welcome to Up Portland’s monthly crossword. In case the popularity of lobster rolls, fresh fish from SoPo’s Dock’s, Harbor Fish Market or Free Range Lobster have not reminded you, this is the place for locals to enjoy and visitors to come for seafood of all kinds. And for both our local readers and visitors alike, this month’s puzzle theme is fish and seafood and a bit of related this and that.

You’ll find a lot of familiar (and maybe a few notso) eats here, along with a few things you may need to “catch”, so do not be a chowderhead or you find yourself dead as a mackerel! Sharpen your brain and pencil. As always, comments are welcome at ted@upportland.com and the solution (no peeking) is on Page 20. Oh, and the photos are some “fishy hints” to a few of the answers... Good luck!

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Food For Thought...

As readers, including some who got quite vocal reminded me, just because a restaurant is on the water does not make it necessarily good or bad. And as my late Grandpa Fred used to tell me, “You can eat what’s on your plate. You cannot eat the view! Go for what they serve!”

All good advice, especially since I took some heat from the place’s fans for my less-than-stellar review last issue of the Saltwater Grille in SoPo. This month, though, I hope for some redemption as a friend took me (and even paid) for my first visit to the Royal River Grill House in Yarmouth. Unlike the issues I had last time at Saltwater, at Royal River it was smooth sailing with a wonderful meal AND a delightful view all combined. Obviously, this is one I will be returning to early and often.

Royal River Grill is one of those spots that I have been hearing about ever since my arrival here a couple years ago, but which time or distance or just “excuses” kept me from visiting --- until now. It’s an oversight I regret as from the ample parking by the door to the light, airy and quiet modern elegance of the dining

rooms (indoor and out --- the out below) and the food, it was nothing but a good experience.

Probably the hardest thing about Royal River Grill House is finding it. It’s right off I-295, but the state doesn’t have the exits exactly where they make it easy, so my hostess opted for the scenic route instead. This turned out to be wonderful as we spotted stopped traffic on 295 as we sailed down U.S. 1 and onto Maine Route 88.

The latter was a sheer joy and a way to say slow down, enjoy the lovely spots you will drive thru and take the extra 10 minutes to see why Maine really is life the way it should be. Plus, if you do this, you will arrive relaxed and ready to enjoy some great eats --- also the way it should be when one goes to a lovely waterfront eatery.

We hit the door about 1.30 on a weekday, though I’m told especially in season a reservation for dinner or even a weekend lunch would have helped. We lucked out and found no wait for either the indoor or outdoor dining areas.

We also had less than a couple minutes wait before the excellent staff stopped by to say hello, make us welcome and take that first beverage order. Plus 10 points for spotless service, which continued thruout our meal.

The menu here is broad --- ranging from some excellent salads, one of which my hostess had, complete with some shrimp large enough to be

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saddled and ridden (photo next page), to my old fave of an iceberg lettuce wedge with a ranch dressing. In between there were plenty of choices, so maybe this is where I mention the whole menu is online at www.royalrivergrillhouse.com As far as other items, the menu also has a very good reach, ranging from lobster rolls to burgers and stopping everywhere in between with things like steak tacos and chicken BLT pasta. There are also my old faves of Fish & Chips and a Grilled Chicken Sandwich. Indeed choice.

So what did I choose? Acting like the tourist I sometimes still am in my “new hometown” of two and a bit years, a lobster roll (at right). It was only the second I have had since arriving here as a resident and it was well worth the wait.

It came served “correctly” my Mainer friends would say, on a split top bun and with melted butter (Hold the mayo, please, even the Lemon Chive Mayo they offer!) Fries in huge quantity came along for the ride and it was a very ample portion for $22, even in this year when scarcity has driven up lobster rolls well past the $20 price in many areas.

The great service continued thruout the meal and I was more than slightly sad when time came to walk out through the garden entrance and get in the car for the trip back south on Maine 88.

That’s my way to say I plan to take husband and guests of my own up to Royal River Grill House. Call it a “new discovery” thanks to that lunch invite, and add to that the fact that at least 50% of the folks I have mentioned my excellent experience here to have commented, “I’ve heard good things but never found time to go there!”

This reviewer’s advice is to make time. They serve lunch and dinner seven days from 11.30 a.m. till 10 p.m. and the menu mentions a Sunday Brunch from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. as well. Looking at the brunch menu, one finds all the usual suspects but some real neat add-ons such as (quoting here) “Monte Cristo with

Tuscan bread French toast, bacon jam, honey ham, slow roasted turkey breast, aged Swiss & Maine Maple syrup ($15) and Blueberry Pancakes with Maine Blueberries & whipped blueberry mascarpone ($12).” If those don’t get your wheels on the highway next weekend maybe the Maine Crab Oscar Omelette or the Grill House Breakfast (two eggs any style, toast, home fries & choice of bacon or sausage ($10) will.

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More Food For Thought...

Continued From The Previous Page Finally a word about price which, as I did not pay for the lunch nor leave the tip, I can only estimate, but I’d say looking at the menu it was probably around $45 or $50 for two. The portions were more than ample, pricing fair and the service (which I believe I have mentioned several times) left nothing to be desired.

Overall, Royal River Grill House leaves little to be desired, which includes the views and the atmosphere. Go try it for yourself, unless you are amongst that 50% of friends who already have and joined me in singing its praises when I said I finally ate there.

feel your pain and while I do understand “first come first served” to the restaurants who stick solidly to that policy I say you might want to remember who was here to tip your staff and pay for food in January and February. In other words, loosen up a bit.

If your host spots a “regular” in line, sure, go on and hand her or him that beeper or take their name so as not to hack off the rest of the line by appearing unfair, but (wink wink) get that local a table ASAP and let the guy from Philly or the woman from Denver wait an extra five minutes. I promise they won’t notice if you handle it with grace, but the local will remember and come Winter might just choose another place to go if you leave him or her way back yonder in a line ... a line which will vanish come October leaving you needing that local.

I get that it’s a tough balance and having been on both sides of that line, I get it...I really do, but remember Mr. or Ms. restaurant manager who is here 12 months a year and who is here one day or night. Do your best to find a balance, but side with the 12 month resident whenever you can.

Finally, back to food --- and good food at that --- kudos to the management at Coffee By Design (CBD) for teaming up with Sisters Gourmet Deli on Monument Square to add some real lunchtime (and breakfast) fare to their menus.

What they have done is a win-win and one we happily have been supporting with our wallet. It’s the addition of some delightful hot sandwiches on locally baked bread that Sisters delivers to CBD and which they heat upon ordering.

The breakfast range includes both one with egg, bacon cheddar, sun-dried tomato and banana peppers and a vegetarian version, while the lunch offering includes a Macintuscan (below) with turkey, bacon, honey mustard, cheddar and mixed greens and a veggie one with tomato, cucumbers, mozzarella, sundried tomato, spinach and basil mayo.

Team any of the above with a coffee or other beverage (especially an iced drink in these Summer months) and it’s a grand alternative to heavier meals. Now all we wish is that CBD would stock some small bags of chips to go with the sandwiches, and then we would truly have it all --- including that proverbial bag of chips!

Go check the new items out at any of the Portland CBD locations, where I have long loved the coffee and the Baker’s Bench pastries like cream horns and cinnamon rolls from Westbrook they have offered for some time. Great folks, that CBD bunch, for teaming up with other Maine businesses to keep things local which is indeed life as delicious as it should be!

Bits & Bites...more restaurant words... I was struck the other day by a few lines I read in the “big paper” here talking about how some new eateries are open or about to open out on Forest Avenue and elsewhere off peninsula due to the totally jammed Old Port and downtown we luckily have. But the lines that caught my eye were ones which said locals were getting tired at places which take no reservations of having to wait and wait in season, whereas they were wanted, courted and needed to come eat in the off-season.

As a reviewer I find that whole situation bad because --- and let’s be honest: To keep Portland, and especially the Old Port’s restaurants vibrant and in business we not only need, but must have “season.” It took me a year after arriving here in May 2015 to understand the differences and how vital those days between the 4th of July and Columbus Day are to a place making it or breaking it and the “for rent” sign going up in their window.

But that aside, as a customer (and a regular at over a half dozen spots) I do not feel the year-rounders should have to wait in those tourist lines unless it can’t be helped. To those of my fellow Portland diners tired of the needless waits I say I

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Letting The Cat Out Of The Bag

By Stacy Begin / Owner, Two Fat Cats Bakery

Rituals and Recipes In The Morning I am a creature of habit. I am especially fond of my morning ritual. It starts with an early rising in the quiet of the house, followed by a hot cup of coffee and a real newspaper, not tweets or digital headlines, thank you very much. It then meanders to a quick look at e-mails to prepare for the day ahead. Nothing must interrupt this meditative aloneness. It’s heaven to me and without it, nothing goes quite right the rest of the day.

One day, in the stillness of the early morning, I folded my newspaper and put it aside, nursed the last drops of my coffee, and turned to my e-mails for a quick look. What greeted me shattered my blessed morning ritual and let me know I had some explaining to do. The subject line said: YOUR RECIPE SUCKS. Wow. Okay. Good morning to you, too!

online interview I did a number of years ago, and there it was: the recipe – along with a lengthy chain of comments. Fascinating. Fascinating because about half the commentators had success with the recipe. For those who didn’t, they stated they had put their own “spin” on the recipe. In other words, they hadn’t followed directions.

This is critically important in baking. You’ve heard it before, but baking is a science. Unlike cooking, riffs, substitutions, your own creative flair, can create a huge disappointment if you’ve not made the recipe before. For instance, each of our pie recipes requires a different amount of sugar, thickener, acid, etc… depending on the fruit we’re using. It’s all calibrated to produce the best pastry based on the uniqueness of each fruit. I wondered if my e-mail friend had followed our directions. So, I asked him.

Absolutely, he said. He followed the recipe to the letter…. Except for two things: he used a different thickening agent, and he substituted a different fruit for the Maine blueberries. His wife suggested that this may be the reason. Ever so gingerly, I hinted that he had married a wise woman who, in this matter, was probably correct. He should try again, following the instructions precisely this time.

I never heard back to learn if he eventually met with success. I took the silence as affirmation that my recipe really didn’t suck after all. It’s back to my morning ritual with a little peace and a hot cup of coffee.

At first I wasn’t sure if I should open it. Was it a legitimate e-mail from a customer who was less than pleased with their purchase? Or, was it a ransomware ploy demanding a pouch full of bitcoins to secure the release of my hard drive?

Either option was destined to contain some very unpleasant consequences; but, at the risk of spending my day buying bitcoins, I opened it.

Luckily, it was a real e-mail from a real person with a puzzling complaint.

He had found our recipe for a blueberry pie on a blog, followed the instructions and came away with something akin to blueberry soup. “What happened??” He demanded.

I went into panic mode. Where did this recipe come from? Had we made a mistake in the translation from a commercial recipe to one a home baker can follow? Was it simply a typo now out on the internet ether for all the world to see?

The gentleman, when I replied, was much kinder than his subject line might suggest. He directed me to an

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夀伀䜀䄀 ☀ 吀䄀䤀 䌀䠀䤀

䜀礀洀 䠀漀甀爀猀 簀 䴀漀渀ⴀ䘀爀椀 㘀愀洀ⴀ㤀瀀洀 簀 匀愀琀 㤀愀洀ⴀ㤀瀀洀 簀 匀甀渀 㤀愀洀ⴀ㘀瀀洀

September Edition Deadline

Friday 25th August Papers On Street: Tuesday 29th August

Up Portland is edited in Portland and printed the last week of every month in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. We may be contacted at the e-mail or phone number below. While every effort is made to ensure accuracy and fairness, the publisher assumes no responsibility for errors. Liability is limited to the cost of said ad. Ads not cancelled by published deadlines may be billed at agreed-upon price.

Ads may be edited or rejected for content at the discretion of the publisher. All items appearing in Up Portland, as well as the name, logos and design are copyright 2017 by BBS, A division of High Speed Delivery Fork Ltd. & Ted Fleischaker and may not be reproduced in any form without prior written

匀唀䴀䴀䔀刀 匀倀䔀䌀䤀䄀䰀 䄀搀搀 漀甀爀 䌀氀愀猀猀 倀愀挀欀愀最攀 昀漀爀 ␀㄀ ⼀ 䴀漀渀琀栀 眀栀攀渀 礀漀甀 猀椀最渀ⴀ甀瀀 昀漀爀 愀 ␀㐀 ⼀ 䴀漀渀琀栀 䜀礀洀 䴀攀洀戀攀爀猀栀椀瀀 ⠀␀㄀ 匀愀瘀椀渀最猀⤀⸀ 伀渀攀 琀椀洀攀 攀渀爀漀氀氀洀攀渀琀 愀渀搀 礀攀愀爀氀礀 挀漀渀琀爀愀挀琀 愀瀀瀀氀礀⸀

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DONUTS HANDMADE DAILY from scratch with whole ingredients Special shout-out to local purveyors Honey Exchange, Smiley Hill Farm & Fairwinds Farm!

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Sauntering With Mat

By Mat Robedee / Up Portland Commentator

Tran·scen·den·tal·ism noun � An idealistic philosophical and social movement that developed in New England around 1836 in reaction to rationalism. Influenced by romanticism, Platonism, and Kantian philosophy, it taught that divinity pervades all nature and humanity, and its members held progressive views on feminism and communal living. Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau were central figures.

After dinner on the first night, we decided to paddle out and watch the sunset. My friend’s Thoreau comment earlier that day came to mind as we watched the sky ablaze with colour from the setting sun. Thoreau was not just a writer, leading transcendentalist and observer of nature; he was inspiration for people like myself. For those seeking nature and how it affects both the human experience and condition.

“I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived. I did not wish to live what was not life, living is so dear; nor did I wish to practise resignation, unless it was quite necessary. I wanted to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life, to live so sturdily and Spartan-like as to put to rout all that was not life, to cut a broad swath and shave close, to drive life into a corner, and reduce it to its lowest terms...” Henry David Thoreau

With our gear packed snuggly into the canoe, we launched off into the water and shared excitement in knowing that it would be several days before we returned. Soon into the trip, the sheer sense of remoteness became overwhelming. I breathed deeply to take it all in. Portland may be where I live, but my heart inhabits the wilderness. Other than the two of us, there was nothing, no cars or electric buzz. We embraced the silence and slowly searched for the first night’s tent spot. Turning slightly around to me, my friend quietly said, “Wow… I feel like a modern day Thoreau”. After sharing similar sentiment, a smile from ear to ear stretched across my face. Not only is Thoreau a major influence in my life, much of his writing, especially The Maine Woods, helped guide me during my “coming of age” years.

The trip we were embarking on was the 34+ mile Moose River Bow Trip located in Northwestern Maine. Other than the neighbouring town of Jackman and being a near stone’s throw from Canada, this area is known for outstanding natural beauty, incredible waterways and my favourite thing - solitude. The trip itself encompasses Holeb and Attean ponds along with a lengthy section of the Moose River. In addition to this, two gnarly portages need to be tackled.

One, for instance, is over a mile long and because I like my back not broken - I avoided this by hiring a company called Call of the Loon to shuttle our gear.

The second day we continued to explore Holeb Pond, eventually making our way down the Moose River. Being a former whitewater canoe instructor, I was rather excited for some flowing water and rips. Unfortunately, I would later discover, this section of the river was primarily through a bog and very slow moving. Recognising this early on, I switched gears and was equally pleased in understanding this was not going to be a quick moving, wave crashing experience but rather a trip of relaxation and reflection.

Knowing I brought my fishing pole, I was absolutely fine with the turnout. It had been years since I last fished but that evening I caught a 12-inch brook trout. And yes. It was delicious.

The third day was perfection. The Moose River continued meandering its way throughout a massive bog until it eventually emptied into Attean pond. After spending the day on the Moose River with flat water and eroding clay shorelines thick with tall shrubs, this change in surroundings was greatly welcomed. This island-studded pond awarded us with a fresh breeze, rippling waves and sweeping view of mountains on the horizon.

The goal was to stay at the first tent site after the river and pond met but that never panned out. Instead, we mustered up a last bit of energy and paddled across the pond to a campsite well worth the additional calories burned.

With a large sandy beach and a vista that gave me chills, we set up for the night to take it all in. After an evening of swimming, discussions and laughter, we

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were greeted with a roaring Milky Way that tore across the night sky. Lying on my back I dug my toes into the sand and stared up into the big unknown. The haunting cry of a loon would occasionally echo across the pond. I lost myself in this moment and my thoughts went back to Thoreau.

“Not until we are lost, in other worlds, not until we have lost the world, do we begin to find ourselves, and realize where we are and the infinite extent of our relations.”

The majority of Day four was spent on Attean Pond and hiking nearby Sally Mountain. By early evening we were packed up and headed home. Soon into the drive home, the road was following a ridgeline that offered dramatic views of Attean pond and The Moose River areas. We pulled off at a scenic rest stop and got out to catch one last glimpse before heading home. It was there I found a placard discussing the history of Attean Pond. Coincidentally enough, it was named after Joseph Attean, said to be the last heredity chief of the Penobscot Nation. He was also the guide for Thoreau’s second trip to Maine.

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Downtown’s Most Up-To

3 1

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To-Date Map & Directory

4 9 2 6 7

Top Stops By The Numbers

10 8 5

The Observatory

1

Coastal Pharmacy

2

Rite Aid Pharmacy

3

Hannaford (Grocery)

4

Whole Foods

5

CVS Pharmacy

6

Two Fat Cats Bakery

7

Ocean Gate Terminal

8 1

Maine State Pier

Maine Jewish Museum & Etz Chaim Synagogue 10 Longfellow House 9 1

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Hackin’ The Net

By Ted Fleischaker / Publisher I had a lot of good comments about the column last issue dealing with entertainment in the form of TV or radio online, and I am thankful for those comments. (If you missed it, you can read it in our archive at www.upportland.com) I do have to laugh a bit though as someone asked me “Where do you find out all that stuff?” To which my reply was simply, “I just know from so many years of being online and on the net.”

Looking back, in some ways I was like standing around the block from Thomas Edison when the first light bulbs rolled out of his lab. I had my first computer in the 1980s, and long before there was an internet I had the predecessors: CompUServe, and later Prodigy, and finally AOL before the true net came together.

Back then speeds were all dial-up and somewhere around 56k when the phone modems actually worked. Imagine trying to work with today’s very rich content on a 56k download...that in the world where in Portland we now have 120 Megs of speed and even the starter stuff is up to 60 megs. Times have really changed as Prodigy, AOL and CompUServe are only remembered by a few of us real old folks.

But I didn’t come here to just look at the old times. I came to share a few bits to help those out there surfing, so let’s get to it with some tips and tricks: ---Unplug that device! You heard me. Unhook it from the wall or computer. I never realised until I spoke with a computer tech pal recently that leaving that laptop, cell or pad plugged in all day or all night is the fastest way to ruin a battery. I’d always thought leaving it hooked up was a great thing to do, so you’d always have a 100% charged device. And sometimes that’s OK (like before a trip when you will be away from power) or if a major storm is expected that might interrupt your electric. But the rest of the time, unplug that device.

only used multiple cycles (remember that lifetime is somewhere between 300 and 500 cycles per most of what we have seen) but you have never really let the battery “learn” to work efficiently.

You did know your battery has a memory, right? Batteries which discharge totally, then charge totally, then empty almost or totally again for a few cycles will “learn” how to charge and stay charged better than those plugged in after say 21% is used, meaning everytime you plug in that almost-full phone or pad you are teaching the battery bad tricks and shortening its life.

The advice we got from experts: let it discharge at least occasionally and then charge it again from zero. It will be happier and last longer, saving you cash and frustration.

---Try a weekly turn-off. Once a week or so turn off your phone or pad or computer and give it a minute to rest before you turn it back on again. That can help to clear out all manner of things and basically let the gadget “reset”.

I know you are thinking what if I miss a call or a text or message. It’s way better to give the device five minutes off at say bedtime or on a slow day than to have it malfunction. You’d be shocked how even this simple tip has helped speed up my gear and it will do so for you as well. Also that restart will turn off things you probably forget were on and give you a fresh beginning with the memory you are using and how its being accessed.

---Back up! Back up! Please back up! I know I talked about this a month or four ago, but it needs saying more because a lot of folks just fail to “get it.”

Back up your gear. Use the cloud or an external hard drive or a computer and back up your pad and phone or laptop. Please back up.

It continues to amaze me the reports I get from highly-paid computer techs about the number of customers in tears because their device took a swim at Higgins Beach (or in a toilet --- YUK) and can’t be saved. Same with devices which just break down, those which wear out or those which somehow end up lost, stolen or just misplaced.

The reason?

Well, we were told that every one of those batteries has a life span, and just like the cat has a proverbial nine lives and we have our span on earth, those chemicals which make the battery cells work and charge and operate your screen and device have a set number of charge-discharge cycles.

That’s not to say you can’t get more, just like we almost all have a grandmother or uncle who lived past 90 when the average lifespan is somewhere closer to 79 years here in the States. But they are the rarity in most families, not the average.

If you constantly plug in your device, you will be using a “cycle” each time.

Think about it. You wake up and unplug the phone, then get to the office and plug it in again because the battery has dropped to 78%. It recharges then you go to lunch and come back and hook it up again because that battery (with all your lunchtime texts and internet) is down to 87%.

Once again it goes to 100 while you are working. Then you leave, use GPS to get somewhere and finally arrive home, with the battery 63% charged so you rush to hook it up again.

Instead of allowing that battery to discharge almost completely, you have not

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This is not rocket science and unless you do not care if you lose all of your data, you will need to have a reserve where you can see, access or get it back after the inevitable happens. I have been preaching this for ages, but I still get almost daily reports from folks who lost the last photo of Grandma Fisher at Christmas dinner or Uncle Kurt at the 4th of July in 2011.

Back up your data and when the phone takes that swim or goes missing, you can get back the important things you had on it. Do not say you’ll do this next week or even tomorrow as the song lyrics say: Tomorrow never comes, but sure as I am sitting here, some disaster will. Back up...please!

---Update. For those living in some cave, allow me to inform you that Apple is about to unveil their 10th anniversary iPhone. To go along with it, a new Operating System (OS) is due out this Fall. A beta (working sample) version is already in full test mode and the new OS will be here before you know it.

Up Portland 08.17 In Print * On The Web At: www.upportland.com * On Facebook

Other formats (since not everybody is Apple or Mac OS) also have regular updates. And with each one, the apps and programmes you use either need to get updated or eventually they will quit working. The major upcoming Mac change already has warnings popping up on screens everywhere, so do update things as soon as you can and keep the phone, pad or computer up-to-date.

How to update? Easy! Just open the App Store app and look in the bottom right corner (see below) of the screen where it says “Updates”. There will be a red numeral there showing the number of apps you have which need to be updated.

Some of the updates are for security. Others are to change the way something works or looks.

But if you go to the official App Store app and a number appears, now would be a good time to get those updated.

Two fast tips on that, too: 1.) Do your updates at home or the office where you have a fast and dependable WiFi. You are also on a secure network there as you will need to enter your iTunes or other password to update.

The best place to do so is away from prying eyes at the coffee shop or snoopers on a public WiFi. 2.) Plug in your device before you begin the updates. Some can be quite long or multiples may need updating --- 11 in my example at left. If your battery gives out part way through you might find a confused mess or even a crashed phone in rare instances. This is one time where you will do better if you plug in your device so you will be guaranteed you can complete the updates and not run out of juice.

Eventually you will break down or just quit. The system you use will do the same once it’s full or if it’s near the breaking point.

If you buy new just to look cuter or hotter or neater and can afford same, that’s fine, but keep in mind that eventually we all will need to update gear. In time, support for, and apps which will work on, devices will be “legacy” and there will be no further updates.

That can be bad on security, bad on getting the job done and eventually (yes really) things will just come to a stop. Apple, pc, Droid and Samsung all eventually “age out” their old gear and quit supporting it, so stop by the store, your carrier or ask a techie friend and remember that eventually ALL gear needs replacing. It’s just a matter of when...not if.

And finally on this topic, be sure that before you trade in your old phone or iPad that you have backed up the data (there that is again) and wiped it clean afterwards. Doing so will mean no one will have your data when you hand it in AND you will have a back up so you can just hit the “restore from back up” box when you plug in your new device and you will get your pictures, music and other apps on the new gadget.

If you have questions, pop in at Best Buy, the Apple store or your favourite tech spot and ask for a bit of help.

Remember that it is way easier to get this right before you hand in the old pad, computer or phone than after it’s gone off to recycling (or your cousin in Peoria).

What was that we were saying a bit ago about backing up?

And for August, that’s our news.

Thanks for reading. Send us an e-mail (ted@upportland.com or via the website form at www.upportland.com) and we will answer any questions you might have. Happy computing!

---Finally this month, a few words about new gear. Do you need it or just wanna have the latest greatest? If you can afford to, go on and get a new pad or computer or phone, but keep in mind that it might not be that much faster, brighter or flashier than the one you have.

There are exceptions to every rule, and one here would be if your phone, computer or pad is so old that it either cannot use the latest programmes or OS or if it can, the speed lags as it seems every update takes more and more memory and space on the drive.

If that old drive gets close to the breaking point it will slow, then stop. Think of you walking around with a five pound sack of flour. You will likely do fine, but what happens when you have to carry two...or three...or four?

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Beyond The Forecast

By Jack Sillin / Weatherman & Meterology Student Hello everyone!

atmosphere sets up just right. This hardly ever happens in Maine.

Why is it so hard for tornadoes to form in Maine? There are several answers to this question, so we’ll begin by going over what tornadoes need to form.

First of all, there needs to be some thunderstorm activity. This is simple enough in Maine --- we get thunderstorms frequently in the summertime. However, most of our thunderstorms are on the weaker side because it’s hard for really warm air to make its way up this far Northeast. For a truly hot airmass to arrive in Maine, it needs to dodge the cold waters of both the Great Lakes and the Atlantic ocean. This is nearly impossible.

This month’s Beyond The Forecast column focuses on a phenomenon that is very rare up here in Maine, but when it strikes, it can be extremely powerful.

This, of course, is the tornado.

Tornadoes do happen in Maine, but very infrequently. Typically one or two tornadoes form each year in the state and the vast majority of them are brief and weak. On the first of July, however,, something quite extraordinary happened just Northwest of Portland: Five tornadoes formed in a single day; one of them strong enough to snap trees two feet in diameter. This month’s column will discuss what tornadoes are, how they form, and why they’re so rare here in Maine.

As a bonus, I’ve used 3-D modeling technology to let you peer inside the storms to see exactly what was going on.

For all this talk of tornadoes, it will probably be helpful to define exactly what a tornado is. A tornado is a rapidly rotating column of air that extends from ground level up into the base of a thunderstorm. There are many different variations on a tornado that are more common.

Typically our heat occurs when air downslopes off the mountains. Downsloping is a topic I’ve covered in previous columns as is heat, but the bottom line is that in Maine, if there’s heat, there’s typically little humidity, and if there’s humidity, there’s typically little heat. For thunderstorms strong enough to produce tornadoes to form, there need to be both heat and humidity. Tornadoes also need winds to change direction with height. Winds aloft are almost always out of the West (or Southwest or Northwest) in Maine in the Summer, and tornadoes often need surface winds blowing from the opposite direction of the winds aloft.

Where does that leave us? With East winds. What’s to our East? The Atlantic ocean, which is quite cold. If we have East winds that are capable of producing enough rotation for tornadoes, the air cools right off and there’s no instability for thunderstorms to form, let alone grow strong enough to produce tornadoes.

The bottom line is that it’s very hard to get tornadoes in Maine. So how was the atmosphere able to overpower that on July 1st? The answer lies in what’s a very common, and typically benign weather feature: a warm front. Warm fronts pass through Maine all the time. They typically bring a period of showers, followed by warmer temperatures.

Waterspouts are tornadoes that form over water (easier due to less friction).

Dust devils are rapidly rotating columns of air that aren’t connected to any thunderstorms. And gustnadoes can appear to be a tornado when in fact they are actually just little eddies caught up in a larger circulation. Despite all the imposters, tornadoes are spectacular phenomenon which only happen when the

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So what caused this warm front to unleash a swarm of tornadoes? There were a few factors that contributed. First was a jet streak located over Western New York State. This jet streak (check this month’s terms section for more on jet streaks) was resulting in divergence aloft (winds blowing in opposite directions). When winds blow in opposite directions aloft, they create an area of lower pressure that air from below must rise to fill. The general rising motion favoured storm development.

In the mid levels, a strong disturbance was driving

around the base of a mid level low located near James Bay. This disturbance helped to provide the trigger for thunderstorm development as it ushered in warm, moist air from the Southwest. In the lower levels, a warm front was noted which also helped to bring in more warm, unstable air. Notice the wind profiles at each level.

Thankfully, despite all the mayhem and damage done, only one person was injured and their injuries were minor. Everyone heeded the warnings and thus what could have been a very bad situation was avoided. Always remember that tornadoes can happen everywhere, even in the typically cold wilds of Maine.

Winds are almost due Westerly in the upper levels, Southwesterly in the mid levels, Southerly in the low levels and Southeasterly at the surface. Remember what one of the key ingredients in tornado development is: shifting winds with height.

That was all on full display!

Finally, speaking of the cold and tornadoes, have you ever wondered about a snownado? So far, my research has turned up exactly zero mentions of a tornado ongoing at the same time as snowfall and this is to be expected.

Remember one of the key ingredients for tornado development was enough heat and humidity to produce strong thunderstorms. That’s nearly impossible to do if you’re also looking for it to be cold enough to snow, but you may be wondering why we can get thundersnow but not snownadoes.

As we look down at our list of things needed for tornado development (instability/trigger for strong thunderstorms and shifting winds with height), it’s looking like game on. Sure enough, It only took until a little after 2 p.m. for our first tornadic supercell (rotating thunderstorms that are independent of a squall line are called supercells) to appear, just west of Sebago Lake. The first tornado of the day touched down a few minutes before 2.30 and was rated an EF-0 by the National Weather Service after they determined its maximum winds were 75 m.p.h.

I should explain, as an aside, that EF rating here, too. It stands for “Enhanced Fujita” named in honour of the late Tetsuya Theodore “Ted” Fujita, a prominent Japanese-American severe storms researcher. His research at the University of Chicago on severe thunderstorms, tornadoes, hurricanes and typhoons revolutionised the knowledge of each and he established a scale based upon damage caused to allow meteorologists to determine a tornado’s wind speed when it touches down. This first one was “only” an EF-0, the weakest on the scale.

Thundersnow can occur with very weak thunderstorms embedded within winter storms. We’ve had several cases of thundersnow here in Portland and I wrote a column about this early last year. However, remember that not all thunderstorms are created equal. It’s rare and hard enough for a storm to strengthen enough to produce a single clap of thunder in the Winter. It’s nearly impossible for it to produce a tornado.

That being said, there have been waterspouts observed in powerful lake effect snow bands over lakes Erie and Ontario. Waterspouts are much easier for storms to produce given that there’s little to no friction over the water.

On land, the storm must overcome friction from trees, hills and buildings.

I will note that the paths of the tornadoes here in Maine show that there were many more miles covered by tornadoes over water than over land.

I’ll be back with more next month. Hopefully, as Summer winds down we won’t see too many more tornadoes between now and then!

--- Jack Sillin

Jack’s Weather Terms The biggest storms, however, were yet to come. The strongest storm of the day arrived in Maine a little after 4.30 p.m. It showed the classic “hook echo” signature on radar and 3-D scans of the storm confirmed strong rotation in the lower levels. A tornado formed from this storm and it initially touched down on the lower slopes of Shawnee Peak ski resort. It snapped trees and damaged docks and cabins before it moved out over Moose Pond.

Another storm, embedded within a larger squall line, produced three tornadoes in the span of just a half an hour. The first moved across the southern part of Moose Pond before it dissipated shortly thereafter. The second moved just north of downtown Bridgton before it lifted east of Long Lake.

The third and final tornado moved through parts of Otisfield.

In total, five tornadoes were confirmed by the National Weather Service on July 1st. That’s more than any other day in Maine history! Seven tornado warnings were issued by the Weather Service which is more than they’ve ever issued in a given year, let alone a given day!

--- Jet Streak: A jet streak is a pocket of extremely fast moving air embedded within the larger jet stream. Jet streaks can be up to a couple hundred miles long and the strongest ones can be a hundred or so miles wide. They range in intensity from 100 m.p.h. all the way up to 200+ m.p.h. in the strongest cases. While the air inside the jet streaks zooms by at well over 100, the jet streak itself often only moves 20 or 30 m.p.h. As a result, air parcels must accelerate into the jet streak and decelerate out of it. These accelerations and decelerations help to shape our weather in important ways, such as causing general rising motion in the air above Maine that helped to fuel our tornado outbreak. Jet streaks occur between 20 and 40 thousand feet in altitude and can be caused by a wide variety of factors, such as air moving around/over mountain chains and the release of energy from tropical cyclones.

---Jet Stream: The jet stream is a current of fast moving air between 20 and 40 thousand feet in altitude. The winds in the jet stream blow between 50 and 100 m.p.h. but isolated pockets known as jet streaks (see above for more) can feature winds exceeding 200 m.p.h. The jet stream varies in latitude from day-to-day but it’s often located in the Polar regions during the Summer and the mid latitudes during the Winter. The jet stream is often a basic demarcation between cold polar air masses and warm tropical air masses. Occasionally, the jet stream will split into two branches: the polar jet and the subtropical jet. This is most common in the wintertime. So called “split flow patterns” are responsible for some of the most interesting weather we get here in Portland, most notably in the form of Nor’easters.

Up Portland 08.17 In Print * On The Web At: www.upportland.com * On Facebook Page 23

Eric’s Optimal Corner Sarah Brann / Optimal Self Community Health and Wellness Center I wanted to take a moment to introduce myself before I get into my story. My name is Sarah Brann and I am a NASM (National Academy of Science Medicine) certified personal trainer. I own a personal training gym in Lewiston, Blank Slate Training & Fitness, and I also have the great privilege of being part of the team at Optimal Self in Portland.

Before I started my personal training career full time, I worked in social services for a non-profit that supports individuals with developmental disabilities. My background is strongly based in teaching and behavioural science. I have found that the skills I used in the classroom translate very well to the gym setting. Also, knowing quite a bit about behaviour modification comes in handy, too.

I have a son who’s 12 and three step-sons (ages 14, 12 and 10) who keep me and my husband very busy. All the boys are involved in a sport they enjoy and every once in awhile, we get a fun family session in at my place in Lewiston. We also enjoy hiking, camping, and kayaking together as a family. Teach them to be active while they are young and they’ll (hopefully) carry the habit with them through their life.

I, myself, am an avid runner. I have participated in numerous road races, 5k’s, 10’s, and half marathons. Running is very meditative for me and I enjoy the solo time I get when I head out the door in the early mornings.

I’ve also participated in physique competitions, placing 1st women’s novice bodybuilding, 3rd overall in women’s body building and 1st in women’s physique --thus the photo at upper right with some of my “hardware”. Bodybuilding can be a difficult sport. It takes a lot of patience, commitment to your goal, and unwavering determination.

My Health & Fitness Journey My health and fitness journey definitely has not been linear, and it is far from complete. I have spent the majority of my adult life as a disordered eater.

When I was in my early 20's I found myself in the full grip of anorexia, and I starved myself all the way down to 93 pounds.

That period in my life was really the beginning of my health and fitness journey, because sometimes you have to learn what not to do before you can move forward properly. I've had several relapses with my eating disorder over the last 15 years and with each relapse, I learned an important lesson.

I am going to discuss four major lessons that I’ve learned along the way that have helped me immensely, in hopes to help others who are struggling with similar situations. They are: 1.) Know who will be part of your support system. 2.) Be aware of your own behaviour. 3.) Be your own advocate. 4.) You are enough.

I use the lessons in many aspects of my life but I find that as a personal trainer my clients are able to utilise them as well. Let’s explore them a bit more in depth:

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1.) Know who will be part of your support system. When a person starts a fitness journey, they need to find some form of a support system. The people in the support system could be family, friends, other gym-goers or a personal trainer.

A support system is important because one can help a person stay motivated, listen to the person vent about the struggles of losing weight or trying to reach a personal record... or sometimes they need to simply just be there for the person so that they know they are supported.

2.) Be aware of your own behaviour. This is a very hard lesson to learn because it really takes some serious responsibility to be honest with yourself about why you're acting a certain way. We live in a society that pretty freely blames a lot of our own actions on the world around us, rather than having each of us be accountable for ourselves. The hard truth is no one made you eat that donut; no one took away your time so you couldn't go to the gym; no one else forced you to watch a GOT marathon --- that was all you. Own it, and you'll be one step closer to your fitness goals.

3.) Learn to be your own advocate. Learn how to ask for help. You have a support system, use it. Call a friend and ask them for help, whether it's with nutrition, workouts or just getting out of bed. I recently had to do this myself.

My best friend is a personal trainer in the Farmington area and I asked her to help me stay accountable. I recognised that my own behaviour was slipping into old habits, and I advocated for myself. Even trainers need trainers because we’re only human.

4.) Last, remember that you are enough. The number on the scale does not define you. The weight you can bench press does not define you. How quickly you run a 5k does not define you. Yes, as a trainer I want people to exercise and take good care of themselves, but know that who you are today is enough just the way you are. We can all make improvements but that doesn't mean right now we are worthless. You're a gem at every stage in your journey!

If you're interested in talking with me more about the lessons I've learned or about disordered eating (remembering that I am not a clinician and can not provide treatment for eating disorders but I can listen to your struggle and become part of your support system) feel free to contact me. I'm also available at Optimal Self in Portland and Blank Slate Training & Fitness in Lewiston for personal training.

Up Portland 08.17 In Print * On The Web At: www.upportland.com * On Facebook

Processed Media

By Randy Dankievitch — TV Editor of Goomba Stomp Pyre: The Fantasy RPG/NBA Jam Mashup You Never Knew You Wanted The evolution of Supergiant Games is one of the more impressive stories of modern game development; from 2011's stunning Bastion to 2014's less-adored, often underrated Transistor, Supergiant's continued refinery of their now-signature game play mechanics and narrative tendencies is a short, but remarkable arc. With their latest release, Pyre, Supergiant Games firmly establishes themselves in the upper echelon of game development: Pyre is an ambitious pastiche of genres, from party-based role playing games to arcade sports titles, an incredible distillation of ideas that alternates between being a beautifully crafted visual novel, and a wildly addictive sports game.

Set against the beautiful landscape of The Downside, Pyre is, at its core, a story about a road trip through societal purgatory, experienced through the eyes of the unseen player-character, The Reader. Banished to the gorgeous, neon-soaked landscapes of The Downside, The Reader embarks on a quest with a predictably quirky (and everrevolving) set of characters, following the stars in the sky to participate in The Rites, an opportunity at redemption sought through a 3-on-3 competition that feels like a mix between NBA Jam and Rocket League, with Transistor's ability systems thrown on top. Out of context, the story seems a little trite and ridiculous; however, the simple foundation Pyre builds both its story and its gameplay blossoms into an impressive gaming experience pretty quickly.

ing time, and The Reader continues to unlock the mysteries of The Downside through the ancient texts unlocked after victories.

Throw on the breathtaking visual and audio layers of Pyre, and it's clear why Supergiant took so much time to polish up this title before releasing it; save for the occasional, random crash, Pyre looks and plays like a dream at full 4K 60 frames a second on my PS4 Pro. And I've certainly put it through its paces; after nearly a dozen hours with the campaign and about 50 versus matches played with friends and against the AI, I'm still itching to dig further into the strategic minutiae of team building, the same way I would with a traditional sports title or role-playing adventure.

In a year with so many great titles experimenting with the mash-up of genres – Horizon and Zelda's mix of survival and open-world action game, for example – one might think the overwhelming amount of unique influences seen in Pyre would make for a disappointing title. However, Pyre is a game that takes a number of beloved genres and strips them down to their very core, building out the complexities between these beloved systems, rather than trying to iterate on the mechanics themselves. All the characters of Pyre move similar to those of Transistor; however, a completely redefined context and game play area feels almost revolutionary in how it adapts what's known into something completely new, and mechanically complex. In short, it's hard to find an element of Pyre that isn't an impressive achievement for Supergiant Games, a $20 game with more ambition, technical mastery, and pure gamer pleasure at its core than most $60 titles from much-larger studios.

Early on, Pyre takes on the impressions of a PC visual novel from the early aughts; a collection of linear conversations, set against visually impressive back drops that are nearly drowned out by the sheer amount of information conveyed. However, as Pyre is but a distillation of many genres, Pyre focuses on a few intriguing and engaging elements of visual novels and ditches the pretension of the rest: branching paths and conversations can have different effects on player abilities and stats in the Rites, and specific player decisions throughout will make decisive, remarkable changes to the narrative at hand. See, at its core, Pyre is a fantasy sports game wrapped in a roleplaying game; the novelistic elements of the story are a powerful set of (simplistic) social metaphors are but an entryway into the game's true gameplay, which are the Rites themselves (also playable in a local versus mode, which means friends can join in on the fun).

The Rites offer sinners the opportunity to re-enter society; with three accused on each team, players try to stuff a celestial orb into a burning pyre in order to win.

Sound simple? It's anything but; those familiar with Supergiant combat systems will feel the similarities in the movement and combat design of Pyre, ratcheted up to a new level thanks to some welcome intricacies and the inherent drama of playing a sports game (complete with booming-RPG-voice narrator, which is so awesome).

Using a combination of special offensive / defensive abilities and platforming skills (jumping and throwing, primarily), players move their various characters around – each with their own traits, stats, and unique buffs – trying to score on the pyre, eventually eliminating the opponent when one pyre's energy goes from 100 to zero.

Unsurprisingly, Supergiant's technical wizardy is on display every time The Rites come to the forefront of the narrative; each and every match offers players a chance to try out new teammate combinations, with cross-buffs, special abilities, and all sorts of other stat-nerd friendly material fans of NBA 2K and Dragon Age alike will drool over. Throughout the campaign, emotional bonds are formed and broken as players win close matches with specific players, find new teammates worthy of play-

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Financial Focus

By Bryce Kronk & Jeremy Urquhart — Edward Jones Unless you live near an amusement park that does a lot of advertising, you probably didn’t know that the 16th of August is National Roller Coaster Day. Actual roller coasters provide people with thrills. But as an investor, how can you stay calm on the “roller coaster” of the financial markets?

Here are some suggestions: ---Know what’s in front of you. If you’ve ever ridden a roller coaster in the dark, you may find it scarier than if you boarded it in daylight – after all, it can be unsettling not to know where you’re going. The same can be said about investing:

Alan Claude Lights The Way...

Continued From Page Three

If you have no idea what’s in front of you, you might find the journey unnerving – and if that happens, you could make panicky decisions, which are usually bad ones. So prepare for the inevitable market volatility – it’s a normal part of the investment landscape.

---Buckle up. When you’re on a roller coaster, you need to buckle your seat belt or use a restraint. You want to have the excitement of the ride, but you certainly don’t want to take unnecessary risks. And you can enjoy some of the excitement of investing without incurring more risk than you are comfortable with, too.

One way to lower your risk level is to diversify across a range of investments – stocks, bonds, government securities, and so on. That way, if a market downturn primarily affects just one type of investment, you’ll have some protection.

However, although diversification can reduce the impact of volatility on your portfolio, it can’t protect against all losses or guarantee a profit.

---Choose a strategy for the journey. Different people have different ways of handling a roller coaster ride. Some like to throw their hands up, enjoying the feeling of abandon, while others hold on tightly to the bar in front of them.

When you invest, you also need a strategy that works for you, and the best one may be the simplest: Buy quality investments and hold them for the long term.

How long is “long term”? It could be 10, 20, 30 years or more. Famed investor Warren Buffet says his favourite holding period is “forever.” If you’ve chosen a mix of quality investments appropriate for your risk tolerance, you may be able to hold them until either your goals change or the investments themselves undergo some transformation.

---Stay for the whole “ride.” When you hop on a roller coaster, you’ve got no choice – you’re staying until the ride is over. As an investor, though, you can exit the investment world whenever you like. But if you take a “time out” from investing every time the market drops, you risk still being out of the market when it rallies – and the early stages of a rally are often when the biggest gains occur.

Furthermore, if you keep investing during a “down” market, you’ll be buying shares when their price has dropped, which means your dollars can go further – and you’ll be following one of the basic rules of investing: “Buy low.”

You can’t take out all the twists and turns of the investment road, but by following the above suggestions, you can help make the ride less stressful – and possibly more rewarding.

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The beautiful park atmosphere and the quality of the artwork, as well as food, music and fun for the kids combine to make South Portland’s Art in the Park a favourite summertime event for the whole family. Info is available at www.artintheparkmaine.com But back to Claude, who tells Up Portland that he draws his unique lighthouse works because he loves the lights and the history they have here in Maine. “Like most artists, I draw what inspires me... what makes me feel good.. which in turn, hopefully, does the same for the viewer. I start with taking lots of pictures, then I sketch a drawing on paper, and finally I redraw everything on the computer while keeping uneven shapes and providing a natural organic, silkscreened look.

“I lived in San Francisco for 23 years where I met my soulmate and moved to Maine. We got married at Marshall Point Lighthouse and that inspired me to draw life on the New England Coast. When I get up just before sunrise, I look at the sky and if it is glorious with dabs of yellow and orange and accented magenta clouds... I think... what would it be like at Pemaquid Point Light or some other lighthouse at this very moment?”

Claude said he has been influenced by American realist painter Edward Hopper and European travel posters of the 1920’s. “My challenge was to create an original series with a certain freshness of expression. Throughout the 20th century only a handful of lighthouse travel posters were ever made. I wanted to reflect in this series the way I felt about lighthouses,” he noted.

As for Hopper, Claude greatly admired the American realist painter because of what he termed Hopper’s, “brilliant use of light and shadow, along with stark empty spaces.” Other influences include early 20th century poster artists and pop artist Robert Indiana. In August 2004, Alan and his wife Erin visited with him at his Vinalhaven Island home and Indiana gave a them a private tour of his works and discussed art and life. That visit inspired Claude to search further to find his own “voice” or style in art.

The best way to experience Claude’s works (aside from looking at a lot of walls in Portland and away) would be to drop by Booth 78 at Art in the Park, where he will be present autographing the large and small lighthouse posters and meeting friends old and new. The art, as well as his annual calendar, is also on sale year round by Claude from alanclaude.com and at a number of Portland and Maine shops, including Old Port Card Works on Moulton Street at Commercial in the heart of the Old Port.

Up Portland 08.17 In Print * On The Web At: www.upportland.com * On Facebook

Mark: My Words

Some people wonder why my business has been so steady and successful. I believe one reason for this is that my great great-grandfather Thomas J. Murphy’s spirit walks Middle Street directing customers to my cart.

Ironically, my great great-grandfather also had a business on Middle Street in the late 1800’s. He was not only a successful haberdasher, but he also was a Civil War veteran. I thank him for starting the family tradition of self-employment --- the very tradition I continue today.

While you may not need a college education to operate a hotdog cart, I believe I am using my sociology degree every day. Portland is a wonderful city full of diversity, so understanding different cultures has served me well.

By Mark Gatti / Mark’s Hotdogs Happy Summer all!

I find I wear many hats during the day as I speak with many different people. I can be a counsellor, a peacemaker, a mediator, a city navigator, a weatherman and in my spare time, I’m also a change maker for parking meters. Whew!

For those who don’t know me, allow me to introduce myself. I’m Mark Gatti, owner and operator of Marks Hotdog stand, plying my trade at the corner of Middle and Exchange streets in the Old Port. Maybe the photo at right will help jog your memory.

I feel lucky to have had the pleasure of being part of Portland as it has grown and changed over the past 34 years. My encounters with my many customers have been interesting, enriching, unpredictable, fun and always educational.

Look for more about this in my articles to come --- just like my cart: rain or shine!

I am a lifelong Mainer with ancestors from Portland and Union and I grew up in the small picturesque town of Wayne.

How did I end up operating my food stand here in Tommy’s park for the past 34 years someone may ask?

SEA KAYAKING & PADDLEBOARDING AT EAST END BEACH

As a sociology major recently graduated from Orono during the recession, what choice did I have but to go West? After eating and drinking my time away while working at a car wash in Santa Cruz, California, for six months, I decided to go rogue and work for an insurance company in Colorado. After sitting in a cubicle for six more months it dawned on me: this was not at all my life’s passion, so back home I came.

Upon returning to Portland, I got a promising sales job peddling defective smoke detectors to friends and family. Thankfully, no one had a fire.

Weighing my options to go on for a master’s degree in sociology or figure out an alternative I had an epiphany. My stomach was growling and dreaming of those delicious California food carts and I thought Portland could use a good, traditional hotdog stand.

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So, began the plans, research, and ultimately, the construction of my little red cart. Being a thrifty Mainer, and with the help of my talented father, we constructed the cart out of barnboard from my grandmother’s chicken coop. Being a sentimental man, I refuse to replace these historic boards with new lumber --thus the cart you see in the photo and in Tommy’s Park to this very day.

But because nothing is ever simple, construction, licensing and logistics took about six months. The best part of that wait was sampling product. My goal was to have nothing but high-quality snappy dogs on warm steamed buns.

There was never a question of grilling. I have had the same high-quality dog for 34 years and have adhered to my business philosophy of “keep it simple stupid.”

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The Standard Reviewer

By Bill Elliott / Up Portland’s Film & Theatre Reviewer

There is a scene midway through Christopher Nolan’s lyrical, visually stunning, and intensely ambitious World War II film, Dunkirk, which succinctly encapsulates the chaos, fear, helplessness, and ultimately, the madness of warfare.

Following an attempt to evacuate a group of British soldiers on a naval vessel that is subsequently sunk, a lone soldier strides across the beach in the besieged Normandy town, discarding his rifle, helmet, and clothing before wading into the raging sea.

Three other soldiers watch him from a distance, as they sit motionless, the surf rippling over their feet, not uttering a word. The implication is that the hapless soldier intends to swim the 45 or so miles to Dover, feeling that his chances of making it across the English Channel alive are about the same as staying on the beach.

Dunkirk recounts the events of 26 May to 4 June 1940, when the British Expeditionary Force, along with their French counterparts, were surrounded by advancing German troops and pushed back from Belgium and Northern France towards the Normandy coast. Trapped on the beach in the small French port of Dunkirk (Fr: Dunkerque), there is only one escape route — across the Channel.

Like thousands of other Allied soldiers, he makes his way onto the beach, and the first thing he does when he arrives there is (literally) shit himself.

The land story follows Tommy and a couple of soldiers he meets on the beach who try unsuccessfully to escape on board several vessels. They are eventually picked up in the sea by Dawson after their naval boat is torpedoed.

The sea perspective follows Dawson, Peter, and George as they sail across the Channel, picking up along the way an evacuated soldier (Cillian Murphy) whose boat has also been sunk. The soldier is almost catatonic when rescued, unresponsive and unable to speak. “Is he a coward?” asks young George. “No, he’s shell shocked,” Dawson responds. “He’s not himself. He may never be himself again.”

The fighter pilot Farrier, along with his comrades, engages in dogfights over the Channel, taking out a handful of German planes, but losing his two comrades who ditch into the sea (one is rescued by Dawson in another intersection between the three stories). During an early aerial engagement, Farrier’s fuel gauge is damaged leaving him uncertain whether he has enough gas to return home.

In each of the three narrative perspectives, the same dramatic tension drives the story: will the character make it back to England?

What is striking about Dunkirk, given its subject matter, is the matter-of-factness with which the soldiers, military leaders, and civilians helping in the evacuation approach the ever-present threat of death.

Those on the beach, in the water, and in the air, are sitting targets for German planes strafing them with bullets and bombs, as well as from German artillery behind the front lines. The terror they face is palpable; they exist in a constant state of fear, panic, and confusion. Survival is a matter of dumb luck.

Because the Germans had destroyed the docks at Dunkirk, the British navy had to use stone and concrete breakwaters and makeshift piers to evacuate soldiers onto ships and smaller vessels.

With larger ships vulnerable to attack by German planes and shells, the navy requisitioned more than 800 merchant marine vessels, fishing boats, pleasure craft, yachts, and tugs — piloted in many cases by civilians — which made their way across the Channel to help evacuate soldiers.

Described at the time by Churchill as a “colossal military disaster,” in which tens if not hundreds of thousands of soldiers were expected to be lost or captured, Dunkirk instead turned into a wartime miracle, with 338,000 British and French troops evacuated to England from a total of 400,000 stranded on the beach.

Nolan’s film, released in late July to critical acclaim, is told from three perspectives — land, sea, and air — with each storyline interwoven into the larger narrative arc. This multi-layered narrative structure renders the film a little short on drama and character development, but these are not Nolan’s chief concerns.

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September 9, 2017 A ride to benefit Milestone’s addiction and homeless services

The land, sea, and air narratives focus on three main characters: Tommy (Fionn Whitehead), a young British Army private stranded on the Dunkirk beach and looking for a way home; Farrier (Tom Hardy), a Royal Air Force pilot who is part of a reconnaissance mission over the Channel; and Dawson (Mark Rylance), a civilian boat owner who makes the journey across the Channel with his son, Peter (Tom Glynn-Carney), and a teenage family friend, George (Barry Keoghan), to help with the evacuation.

The film’s opening sees Tommy and a group of British squaddies walking through the town of Dunkirk as German propaganda leaflets (inviting them to surrender!) rain down from the sky. Suddenly, they are under attack from snipers and running for their lives. Tommy is the only one who makes it over the barricade the French army has set up to resist the approaching German troops.

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In one scene, soldiers fall prostrate on the beach as a German Heinkel swoops to unload its bombs. Some soldiers take the full blast as the bombs hit the beach, while others remain unscathed. After the plane has dropped its payload, the surviving soldiers stand up, brush off the sand, and take their positions back in line, waiting for boats.

Gliding silently and gracefully over the beach to cheers from soldiers below, Farrier surveys the weary, antlike combatants from his perspective high in the sky. As he cranks his landing gear and the plane comes to a balletic halt on the beach, you can almost imagine the war is over. But it isn’t. For most of the soldiers who were eventually evacuated from Dunkirk, it’s only just beginning.

In another scene, there is a sense of elation and relief as soldiers finally board a navy cruiser and are greeted by nurses, naval personnel, and civilians who feed them toast and jam and cups of tea. Everything seems ordered, calm, and safe.

This sense of homely security is soon revealed to be a false one as a torpedo slams into the boat while still in the harbour, and panic, confusion, and terror grip those trapped on the lower decks as the boat takes on water.

While there are acts of heroism large and small in Dunkirk, the film doesn’t really dwell on individual acts of courage. Rather it focuses on getting the job done; there is a pervasive attitude of “we are all in this together,” which will carry Britain through the dark days of the Blitz and on through D-Day and beyond.

It is refreshing that Nolan avoids resorting to a “blood and guts” approach to depicting warfare, showing its horrors in gory detail. Amazingly, not only does he not show severed limbs and mangled bodies, I don’t recall seeing a drop of blood during the film. The horror is mostly implied.

When you see a group of soldiers trapped in a torpedoed boat, you know what their fate is. When bombs fall on top of soldiers on the beach or breakwater, you know the outcome. Nolan leaves it at that.

Dunkirk is not without its flaws. Some viewers might find the pacing a little slow. While the film boasts a few big-name stars (Kenneth Branagh, Tom Hardy, Cillian Murphy, and Mark Rylance), the cast is mostly made up of unknown young British and Irish actors. This makes for a little difficulty following parts of the story, especially on the beach at Dunkirk.

If you put a few thousand men in World War II army uniforms and then blacken their faces with oil and soot, it becomes hard to tell one from the other! The young George subplot is a tad mawkish also, perhaps an unsubtle reminder that wars claim the innocent as well as the worldly.

But picking faults with Dunkirk doesn’t undermine the film’s sweeping scope and cinematic achievement. Towards the film’s end, Hardy’s character, Farrier, is flying on fumes as he chases and shoots down a German plane threatening British troops on the beach, providing the film’s lyrical denouement.

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Hiram Benedict

An Evening with the King In A Tribute to Elvis Presley

Special Date: Saturday, August 26th 7 – 9:30 pm

39

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Includes Italian Buffet & Show!

Beer and Wine available • Free Parking in Rear Lot

Reservations Only • Call 221-2267 151 Middle Street, Portland

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