JULY 2018
Up Portland 07.18 In Print * On The Web At: www.upportland.com * On Facebook Page 1
Page 2
Up Portland 07.18 In Print * On The Web At: www.upportland.com * On Facebook
The Coastal Pharmacy & Wellness
GRAND RELOCATION
n o i t a r b Cele Product Demos & Samples Prize Drawings
Thursday
JULY 12th 9 am - 7 pm
20% OFF Your Entire Purchase* all day!
Happy Hour! 4 - 7 pm
*Discount cannot be combined with other discounts and excludes prescriptions.
29 Marginal Way, Portland Half a block east of Deering Oaks Park Follow us for event and product updates and health information. www.facebook.com/coastalpharmacyandwellness
Up Portland 07.18 In Print * On The Web At: www.upportland.com * On Facebook Page 3
Sauntering With Mat
By Mat Robedee / Up Portland Commentator
Continuing my goal to visit all of Maine’s most scenic natural wonders, I found myself recently checking Gulf Hagas off my list. Known as “The Grand Canyon of Maine”, Gulf Hagas is four-mile slate gorge located in the mountains of central Maine. This vast wilderness is part of the Appalachian Trail corridor and owned by the National Park Service, offering scenic hikes, waterfalls, rapids and even an old growth forest. Regardless of the visitors and incredible opportunities for recreation, this is not your average walk along a river. The gorge itself was carved out by the West Branch of the Pleasant River and has several trails to set your boots on. The most common route seems to be an 8.5 mile loop trail which regularly changes elevation. This trail meanders its way along the edge of the river, over cliffs and through the woods. Rated as moderate to strenuous, I first questioned the accuracy of such a rating. Looking back, I must agree. One should not underestimate the exertion required to complete this loop trip. A short northwest drive on Route 11 from Brownville Junction, you’ll reach a checkpoint at a state historic site known as Katahdin Iron Works (KI). A small fee must be paid at the gatehouse in order to continue travelling on the roads. This is an excellent opportunity to acquire a more detailed map of the Gulf Hagas area, stretch your legs, talk Mainer slang with locals and purchase some
Page 4
Maine Woods swag. Additionally, if you are not reminded by the attendant or have not already discovered yourself, many of the roads past this gate are logging highways. Giant trucks hauling recently harvested logs will be travelling at incredibly high speeds down these dirt roads. It is important to note that up there, they have the right away, so pull aside. A short drive after the hut is the first parking lot for Gulf Hagas. This seems to be the most common place to start the loop. Toilets and a large sign indicating
Up Portland 07.18 In Print * On The Web At: www.upportland.com * On Facebook
the location and history of the gorge can be found at the trailhead. Beginning the hike this way involves fording a 150-foot wide river 0.2 miles into the trail. The water may be just knee high but it is often cold, with rocks that can be rather slippery. It’s recommended to take sandals or water shoes along but make sure to hike only in dry boots. So make sure to pack something to dry your feet off before putting them back in your boots. An added bonus to this hike (and something I was particularly excited to see) was an area called The Hermitage. This is one of the very few undisturbed, oldgrowth white pine stands in New England. These giant pines are protected by the Maine chapter of the Nature Conservancy and these specific 35 acres have been on the top of my “Maine must see” lists for quite sometime. Since photos could not do this area justice, I did not take any. Trust me, though, it did not disappoint. I am thankful that places like The Hermitage still exist in this state, especially being tucked into lands with such massive logging history. In Gulf Hagas, there were once spots where the gorge was as narrow as eight feet and caused log jams. Using dynamite, log drivers widened the river. Logs and wood pulp were driven through the gorge in mass quantities. Much of this was used as fuel for smelting operations occurring at Katahadin Iron Works during that time. Past the giant pines and further down the trail, you’ll be gifted with many scenic “viewpoints” overlooking raging waters and fantastical waterfalls; pools of water just asking for you to take a swim. Beware that the trail follows the rim of the gorge, so in some areas it is over a hundred feet down. If hiking with children or pets, pay special attention to your terrain. From Portland, it is a 170 mile drive (about three hours and 40 minutes) to Gulf Hagas, so setting aside two days for such an adventure is strongly advised. Along the way are campgrounds that with enough reservation could score you a riverside tent site for the night, a fire pit and all. So pack up, get out and enjoy the natural beauty of summertime in Maine. Well, minus the blackflies… those suckers are horrible.
Up Portland 07.18 In Print * On The Web At: www.upportland.com * On Facebook Page 5
Hackin’ The Net By Ted Fleischaker / Publisher Partner Ivan and I were at a social event recently and someone was talking about a show on TV. Or rather some ads which were on it and how entertaining they were. Another day, I was down at Monument Square, ran into a friend and he was commenting on something a local newscaster said the night before on the 11 O’Clock news. I had to admit I had not seen it. The reason for both is that like more and more folks, we are “watching TV” and “listening to the radio” not on TV sets or radios, but on our computers, tablets and phones. In short, we have “cut the cord” on our cable for TV and use it for phone and high-speed internet, but not to watch television the way we used to. That windy prelude brings me to this month’s topic: Is this a good thing or have a lot of us gone too far, too fast cutting our TV subscriptions? And should you explore the options at your house? First let me say I read The Press Herald, The Boston Globe and Bangor Daily News for my local news. I get all three delivered to the door every day. While the local TV stations do put their newscasts and other bits and pieces online, and most of the local radio stations also stream, you will need to find and keep up with our local daily news to be an informed Mainer if you cable cut. But that’s my way to say it’s way too easy to never get local news if you just use streaming to watch your movies, listen to your favourite radio format or follow your sports teams. This newspaper does encourage readers not only to stay informed, but to vote, take part in the community and more, so just because you may choose to cut the cord does not mean you should tune out local events. You will miss a lot! Buy the daily papers. Watch streamed local newscasts. Remember local radio streams. Regardless of how, somehow, somewhere, keep up on things outside your door! OK, so sermon over, can you survive without cable TV or satellite? Our answer is an obvious and emphatic yes*, but as with anything there is that little asterisk (*) up there. And that is because there are things which you will miss without your electronic ties. So how to find out how you will fare? First keep your TV or cable or satellite but just don’t watch for say a week. Turn to online sources and see how you do and if it works for you. Around our house, we find streaming newscasts available from all sorts of sources (right, left and middle) and we find we can read news from all over the world. Try Britain’s www.bbc.com or European source www.euronews.com or even Australia’s www.abc.net.au just to name three. There are others in Germany, France and Canada. Plus there’s NPR.org If you subscribe to a daily paper, most offer subscribers access to their websites and most also send multiple daily news updates or bulletins to your e-mail box. There’s where you will find Governor LePage’s latest antics, ranked choice vote totals, what the city council or town council in your area is up to, and more. Don’t want a physical paper? Fine, since most major dailies (and even this newspaper --- and ours is free) offer lower-cost online “subscriptions”. Read the same paper (it’s called an e-paper or replica) on your screen, phone or tablet, including all the columns, ads and content the newsboy brings... and with nothing to recycle after! But let’s move beyond news. Almost everyone knows about movies and enter-
Page 6
tainment. Hulu, Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, YouTube and more daily are just waiting to let you binge watch your favourite movies, TV series (modern, 1960s or even older) so there is no shortage of choices. Some you will need to subscribe to for cash; others will let you watch some things free, but charge for other content; and still others have nothing but free shows, though they are usually laced with commercials. Sounds sorta like the cable you cut, right? Then there are sports. The news here is not too rosy. The greedy teams and colleges are a lot more proprietary and thus games are a lot less able to be found free. Remember they gotta pay those badly over-paid players somehow, right? There are access to scores and even some live blogs of games, but if you really, really want to watch the Pats or Sox play live, you likely are going to have to buy a subscription to something. Everybody from the NFL and Major League Baseball to ESPN have their games locked away behind various pay walls. If you aren’t a pay-for-play person you likely won’t be able to watch. Of course, if you have pay cable then you can usually get access on your smart phone, table or computer as well, but that’s not really cutting the cable, is it? It means you will have to pay for it. I am sure there are ways (legal and not-solegal) to get around those pay walls, but as quick as you can find such a gap, someone will come along and brick up the hole you found, so what I am saying here is if you are a real, dyed-in-the-wool sports fanatic, you might just have to pay for that part of your viewing, visit the local bar with a subscription or go cold turkey. I do know a few friends who ethically questionably use their sister’s or aunt’s or son’s cable or satellite info to log into the sports apps I mentioned. I won’t make any judgments as to the legality of same because afterall, someone IS paying the cable or networks for their use. If Aunt Lucille or son Anthony is not into watching sports and doesn’t use these services but pays for them as part of her or his cable package, why not? As our house is about as far from being sports fans as exists, this is a non-issue for us. If you feel differently, be aware those games are forbidden fruit if you don’t ante up for those players’ and owners’ paycheques or have a friend somewhere with a password to share --- legally or not. Moving right along, one of our household’s biggest uses for the net (and reasons we are fine with a cut TV cable) is music. More properly: radio. Thousands and thousands of radio stations with every imaginable format are at your fingertips from the keyboard of your computer, phone or tablet. Aggregators (folks who combine a bunch of stations in a searchable --- by city, country or format --- app or site) abound. The trouble is they are struggling these days to make much cash by just providing links to what one can hear on-air in this or that city. The largest of these is TuneIn (www.tunein.com) but from recent reports on broadcast news sites (best of which is Tom Taylor Now) they are struggling and might be trying to sell themselves, so do not put all your listening eggs in one basket. IHeartRadio, and local station
Up Portland 07.18 In Print * On The Web At: www.upportland.com * On Facebook
apps are also good sources, and I am rather fond of radio-locator.com which is pretty complex, but offers, by typing in a ZIP Code or city or other info a list of everything on the dial there. Next to those which stream there’s a little lightning bolt symbol and clicking that will lead you to the on-line version. Listen on the phone, computer or tablet or stream that via bluetooth to a high-quality speaker, stereo or even (in our case) a water-resistant speaker for enjoyment in the shower! Suffice to say at our house, Classic FM from the UK, CFMZ, the classical station from Toronto (who have a great 6 to 11 p.m. show on Saturday nights called Dinner Classics) and lately, the on-line recreation of Boston’s long-gone beautiful music station (https://wjibfm.wixsite.com/jib-fm97) are faves. Sorry Maine Public Classical, but I feel others do the format way, way better! But it’s not just classical by any means. There’s everything from serious talk like BBC Radio 4 to any imaginable rock, country or other musical format from all over the world online. There is even a station from Antarctica which can best be described as eclectic. Or listen to “tomorrow’s news today” with the all-news station from Australia, where it’s 14 hours ahead of us in time. As I said at the outset, there are a lot of things to consider before you cut that cord, and I have touched on but a few of the “biggies” at our house, so consider what you want and use your cable for carefully before you pull out that scissors. If you have kids, a lot of visitors (my sister whines as she wants her NBC when she visits) or others who want or expect things like the Food Network or Weather Channel or CNN on TV, then do be aware not having those or the local 11 p.m. newscast might upset some folks. You could also (if it will work in your area, which is doesn’t behind Munjoy Hill on much of the peninsula) use plain, old rabbit ears (Best Buy, Radio Shack --if you can still find one, Lowes etc. have them for under $25) for the local stuff and watch all the rest online or on demand, but again, it’s all your choice. Options....plenty of options. Good luck and let me know how you do if you try (or have) cut your cord. My e-mail is ted@upportland.com
Up Portland 07.18 In Print * On The Web At: www.upportland.com * On Facebook Page 7
July Events at Eastern Cemetery Wednesday, July 4
9 am to noon - Independence Day 30-minute tours. $5
Saturday, July 21 - 1 to 5 pm - FREE
2 pm - Historian Herb Adams will lead a tour celebrating Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, stopping at the graves of Longfellow’s remarkable relatives and giving insights into Portland’s history.
Sunday, July 22 - 1 pm
Slaves of our Founding Fathers Tour. Learn about the minority people who supported Portland’s founding fathers. We’ll visit two AfricanAmerican burial sites holding hundreds of graves but few gravestones. Tickets: $10 adults, $5 seniors/students, free under age 12 Regular tours every Wed., Sat. and Sun. at 11 am, and Thurs. at 5:30 pm. Tickets are available on Eventbrite or at the gate (cash/checks only please).
Page 8
Up Portland 07.18 In Print * On The Web At: www.upportland.com * On Facebook
Beyond The Forecast
By Jack Sillin / Weatherman & Meterology Student
Hello everyone! Widespread heavy rain fell across Maine on 28th June due to the combination of tropical moisture and an advancing cold front, with 1.42” falling at the Portland Jetport. Typically this is a sentence one might find buried deep in a technical weather report. But it’s the lead to my column this month because of how remarkable it is given our recent pattern. Between 28th April and 27th June 27, the preceding 60 day period, Portland picked up barely more than an inch and a half. That’s more than three inches below what’s to be expected based on long term climatology. The lack of rain isn’t a recent problem. Most of New England, outside parts of Northern Maine, have been running precipitation deficits for the past several years. We’ve had impressive heavy rain events here and there, but since June 2015, we’ve racked up about a foot of missing precipitation. It’s hard to say what’s causing the long term rainfall deficit, and what impact, if any, climate change has. A much more thorough examination of planetary scale circulations would be needed to answer that question. That being said, I do have an answer for what’s responsible for our shorter term dry spell that many folks may have been noticing over the past couple months. The culprit is an iteration of a pattern that has become well entrenched more or less since last fall. The pattern, visible in the upper level height map, shows a large ridge over Western North America, with a deep trough over far NE Canada. Winds blow from west to east parallel to the lines on the map, some of which I’ve marked with arrows to highlight certain features. Notice how the lines slope downward as you go from the West Coast to the East Coast. These downward sloping lines indicate Northwesterly winds approaching Portland. This partly explains the dry pattern. Geographically, there’s not much in the way of water to our northwest. Air moving from the Rockies across the Great Plains won’t pick up much moisture. Without a southerly component to the winds approaching our area, there’s no way for moisture to get here. The other component to the dry pattern is the fact that the distance between each height line gets smaller as you move east. This indicates converging winds. This map is for the upper levels, where convergence indicates downward motion. If winds are colliding in the upper levels, the amassing air can’t go up (it’s already way up there!), so it has to go down. Descending air prohibits cloud/precipitation formation, resulting in dry weather on the ground. Looking a little closer to the surface, we can see how this pattern manifested itself in slightly less abstract terms. The surface map I’ve included is from an afternoon in early May, but it is representative of what the pattern looked like for much of this recent stretch. In case maps like this are new to you, here’s a quick review of some
of the features they show and why they’re important. Some of you may already be familiar with these terms from my earlier columns or my daily forecasts (find a link at upportland.com). Areas of high pressure (blue H’s) feature generally sinking air (hence the higher pressure) and fair weather. Areas of low pressure (red L’s), and boundaries between air masses known as fronts, feature generally rising air (hence the lower pressure) and inclement weather. Here in the Northern Hemisphere, winds circulate clockwise around areas of high pressure and counter-clockwise around areas of low pressure. These patterns help further illustrate why we’ve been so dry. While winds converge aloft over the Great Lakes, an area of high pressure develops at the surface. This area of high pressure spills southeastward towards Portland, ensuring dry weather with west-northwesterly winds flowing between it and low pressure to our northeast. That low pressure area’s cold front is located well to our south, across the Mid Atlantic. Rounds of showers and storms develop each afternoon along that front, which brought very heavy rains to much of the Mid Atlantic. You might recall hearing news about flash flooding in Ellicott City, just west of Baltimore. That flood was caused by storms developing along that front. To the south of the front, tropical moisture streams north from the Gulf of Mexico. Unfortunately for us, though, the front intercepts that moisture long before it can get to Maine. While this pattern has given us some stunningly beautiful late spring/ early summer weather, when the pattern becomes entrenched for as long as it has, the lack of water can become a problem. While the rains of late June likely staved off official drought conditions, at least for a little while, we’re going to need more rain soon if we’re to remain in good shape water wise. Looking ahead at the pattern, as I’m seeing it here on 29th June, the first half of July isn’t looking too good. A supercharged ridge of high pressure is set to develop for the first week of July, bringing a heat wave from coast to coast. Temperatures here in Portland will likely remain on the less extreme side due to the cooling influence of the Gulf of Maine, but it will be hot and humid nevertheless. Temps inland are likely to soar well into the 90’s, and may even make a run at the century mark in some places. As we move toward mid-July, it looks like that ridge of high pressure will retrograde westward into the Plains. This should put an end to the prolonged extreme heat, but will also introduce the potential for increased severe thunderstorm activity as upper level disturbances will be able to drift farther south in our direction, as opposed to being shunted well north through Quebec. If you’re able to enjoy the heat, do. I’ll be evacuating to higher elevations, though even there record highs may be in jeopardy. Mount Washington’s hottest ever recorded temperature was a whopping 72 degrees. Up there, record heat doesn’t sound too bad! -- Jack
Jack’s Weather Terms
Heat Wave - In honour of the forecast for the first week of July, one of this month’s weather terms is Heat Wave. While many people refer to any stretch of hot weather as a heat wave, the term actually has serious scientific criteria attached to it. To experience an official heat wave, a location must record three consecutive days with the high temperature exceeding 90 degrees. This will be an easy mark to hit for inland areas, but is much less likely along the coast due to the sea breeze. Supercell - “Supercell” is a term often given to any particularly strong thunderstorm, but it, too, has criteria, albeit less formal than Heat Wave. To qualify as a supercell, a thunderstorm must exhibit a rotating updraft (current of rising air) over a long period of time (usually several hours). Supercells are responsible for much of the high end severe weather experienced in the U.S., including hail that can exceed the size of softballs, damaging winds over hurricane force, and tornadoes. We don’t get supercells all that often in Maine, but they do happen occasionally. The most common place for supercells is the Great Plains, where strong upper level winds and hot/humid weather most commonly overlap.
Up Portland 07.18 In Print * On The Web At: www.upportland.com * On Facebook Page 9
Layne’s Wine Time
Layne V. Witherell / Up Portland Wine Critic
NATURAL WINE
To say that the subject of natural wine is provocative is an understatement. While there isn’t an official definition, we do know the following about them. -- They use no commercial yeast, preservatives, chemical additives or Sulphur dioxide, the hallmarks of modern technological winemaking. --They are, in a word, natural. The grapes are organic or biodynamic with little or no scientific intervention. If that was it, we could stop right there. There have been spirited debates since the Romans on wine quality, vintages, etc., but this is different. It is an us vs. them. We are right and you -- you commercial wine drinking bozos -- are wrong in both argument and philosophy. They are some of the most thrilling and exciting wines made today, or, they can be some of the most amateurishly gawdawful swill ever bottled.
“L’Echapee Belle”, Le Bout du Monde “The end of the world” is in the tiny village of La Tour de France, not the race. ($18 retail). In the words of their importer it is “a wine of startling finesse and terror”. The operative word here is “startling”. A red blend of Syrah and Carignan, it moves in two totally different wine tasting directions: the softness of the style of wine-making (carbonic whole grape fermentation) with the minimum amount of sulfur adding a biological kick. This can be a great intro to what I call the “kim chee style of natural wine”. There it is. Real wine: perhaps a bit too real if you have been used to the tame fruity blackberry flavours of the conventional American stuff. It could be a new direction in food as well. Our poor lamb dish was destroyed by the prickly bacterial character of the wine. Let’s bring on some grilled veggies and a splash of balsamic to catch up with this startling new world. The new farm to table culture can, with some practice, catch up with brave new flavours of these wines. The things to keep an eye out for as the religion moves forward are: Wine lists that contain not one identifiable wine that you have ever heard of. A great source of pride to the natural wine choir. Grapes that are so new or ancient, popping up on labels, that only the initiated have the slightest clue of what they are. The latest book (as of last week) is Jason Wilson’s God Forsaken Grapes: A Slight-
I have had both and today we will look at some natural wine examples and the forces that drive them. Having run a winery, been a distributor, importer and a retailer, I understand the dynamics of the marketplace. The proponents of natural wine have established a near religious ability to bond winery, importer, distributor and store/restaurant into the same choir... thus turning a miniscule 2% market share into a virtual symphony of praiseworthiness. We see them in New York, Paris, Rome, Quebec City, Montreal, Boston and even in Portland. It takes a lot of work to start a new religion. The biggest problem is that nature -- if left to her own devices -- wants to make vinegar, not wine. Modern technology with a bevy of sophisticated equipment has produced an ocean of commercial, affordable wines that are very drinkable, reasonable in price and similar in style and taste. But you must seek out the gems. Fast forward to now. Natural wine is a blow back against all of that. As in any revolution there can be excesses, or in the words of the great French wine writer Michael Bettane they can be a “fantasy of marginal producers.” The two things we do know: they can be pricey and are unpredictable. I have chosen reasonably priced wines for this piece. --L’Enclos des Braves Les Gourmands blanc Sauvignon Blanc, (and a little local Loin de l’Oeil grape believed to be wild vines of the forest), Gaillac region Southwest France. ($18 retail bottle). We had this by the glass in a restaurant and the “Enclosure of the brave wines” blew me away. It is not a powerful, alcoholic white but an edgy expression of natural wine growing. The ancient Romans who settled in Bordeaux drank Gaelic wine. The marketing muscle of Bordeaux shoved this region aside and made it a cultural backwater. This is ancient wine-growing in France with a touch of oxidation in the glass to add to the thrill. Life beyond the varietal, a wine to contemplate. I had to order a second glass to confirm that this was real. Worth seeking out. It's not all roses out there. We ordered this to accompany a lamb dish at the suggestion of our waitperson in a (recently deceased) local restaurant that had a wine list of natural wines. One of the problems with establishing a new religion is bringing the esoteric knowledge to the ordinary people (ie., the waitstaff). --
Page 10
SEA KAYAKING & PADDLEBOARDING AT EAST END BEACH
Explore the Islands of CASCO BAY
RENTALS • GUIDED TRIPS • LESSONS PortlandPaddle.net • 207-370-9730
Up Portland 07.18 In Print * On The Web At: www.upportland.com * On Facebook
ly Tipsy Journey Through the World of Strange, Obscure and Unappreciated Wine. Stand back pinot grigio and chardonnay! It’s going to be a rough ride. Regions that are undergoing a wine cultural makeover: --Montilla-Moriles in Southern Spain has produced for centuries a cheap alternative to Sherry. Sherry tanked. --The bodega Marenas Cerro Encinas produces a full bodied dry natural red wine from the Monastrell grape ($20 bottle retail) that is fantastic, like an old style French Burgundy with the flavours of game, meat and mushrooms at its core. In a word, your quest for natural wine is similar to a tightrope walk over Niagara Falls without a net. Making it to the other side to much applause or crashing on the rocks, you can still shell out some serious money for the experience. Enjoy. (EDITORS NOTE: Layne is a professional in the wine business with over 30 years of experience. He can be reached at lvwitherell@gmail.com for talks and consulting. Website http://winemaniacs. wordpress.com/blog)
In Print * Online * On Social Media Call Us Today & Find Out How To Promote Your Business 207/536.0922
Up Portland 07.18 In Print * On The Web At: www.upportland.com * On Facebook Page 11
Food For Thought... Let’s, as the saying goes, “Do Lunch!” After all sorts of what many folks say are too formal and often pricy meals filling this space, it’s time to do lunch. And that does not mean boring. But at the outset let me mention that many of the places we have reviewed in the past for dinner would make great spots for a lunch, too. We adore the lunches we have at spots like Little Tap House on Spring Street or last month’s Rí Rá, where we often do the Irish breakfast for lunch. But this time, let’s concentrate on mid-day meals. And as one might suspect, Portland is chock full of options. Here are just four we have either not written about, or at the very least not written about in a long while. LEAVITT & SONS We were somewhat impressed when we happened upon the Portland branch of Falmouth’s Leavitt & Sons Deli. We say happened upon, as finding this little gem tucked in behind the Portland Main Post Office on Forest Avenue is no mean trick. Between one way streets and plenty of fences, locating the deli at 200 Kennebec Street is a map-reader’s skill test. Finding the few parking spots alongside the building is not a whole lot easier. Suffice to say the deli (which is way bigger inside than the building would suggest) is off Marginal Way, sorta in behind Coastal Pharmacy and kinda behind the post office. Once you do find your way to Leavitt & Sons, a lot of good eats await and, unlike that another deli down Forest Avenue, pricing here is much friendlier on the wallet... like somewhere close to 40% cheaper from what we found And have we mentioned the staff is friendly and the food good? Two of us stopping in on a recent weekday found the place pretty quiet, but we were pushing the lunch hour as it was well past 1. That said, the tomato bisque soup was hot and so thick that I swear a spoon could have stood up in the cup we had, while the sandwiches were more than passable. The two of us had what the menu called “The Menario”, (Genoa Salami, Hot Capicolla, Provolone Cheese, Roasted Tomatoes, Lettuce, Oil, $7.99) and a traditional Reuben (Corned Beef with Sauerkraut, Swiss Cheese, Russian Dressing, $8.79). The pricing was fair, though I’d preferred my Menario had a bit more meat (they serve Boar’s Head) even if that meant an extra dollar on the price. The companion’s Reuben was pronounced “excellent” not only due to what was on it (good corned beef) but for what wasn’t: too much dressing, which he says often drenches or drowns Reubens to the point that the meat can’t be tasted.
burgers, pub fare and the like. I have had some nice Winter time meals there, too. Recently, though, we were in the area (it’s at Fore and Franklin streets -- 211 Fore -- in the bottom of the Hampton Inn) and decided the rumble in our stomachs just could not wait. It was a great decision, as their empty dining room beckoned. We need to mention it was just a couple minutes past 11 a.m., which is an early lunch around our house. Eleven is also opening time for Sebago, meaning we were the first to straggle in on a quiet weekday. We not only got greeted with big smiles by staffers, but excellent, fast service and equally great food. As we had places to go and people to see (as they say) we did skip the brews this particular visit, but Sebago has some mighty good ones. We have enjoyed those and many a burger at their location by the Maine Mall, too, but for today it was all about the eats. And since we are now in full season, when we heard the specials, we jumped right on one of the visitors’ faves (above right) just to see how good Sebago’s was: a Lobster BLT & Clam Chowder ($19). Menu reads, “thick cut bacon, green leaf, local tomatoes, lemon aioli, toasted telera roll. Cup of New England clam chowder.” And the answer to our own question is they did it wonderfully. The lobster was in nice-sized chunks, the aioli a nice touch, but not overwhelming and the chowder gave that we have had many times at nearby Commercial Street’s Gilbert’s Chowder House a pretty good run for its money. Even the price of $19 for the food was very fair as, in case you haven’t been paying attention, lobster is not too cheap this season. Our conclusion, and recalling many a great burger and more here, is that we do not plan to walk by Sebago Brewing Company quite so often in the future... that is, at least not without stopping in. Only down side is that parking in the area can be tight, and while the hotel has a lot this reporter was too busy eating and forgot to see if restaurant patrons can park there. But it’s an unimportant question, anyway, since said lot is about to get torn out for yet another hotel, with parking under. Not much stays still in the Old Port these days, but do get by and eat a meal (with or without a brew) at Sebago Brewing Company. If you aren’t downtown, the mall area one is at 201 Scarborough Drive, and there are locations in Gorham and Kennebunk as well.
Other choices we spotted on the menu (it’s online at www.leavittandsons.com) included a $7.99 “Sierra” which my vegetarian friends would appreciate (Goat Cheese or Fresh Mozzarella and Veggies. Add Avocado + $1) plus traditional things like Hot Pastrami, and, of course, Tuna and Egg salads. Pricing was all well under $10, and even with the excellent soup and a soft drink, we were able to escape for under $30 for two, with a tip for the happy staffer who brought what we ordered at the counter to our table. Leavitt & Sons is not one of those “destination” lunches Portland seems to have many of, but for two hungry folks in between errands on Marginal Way and downtown, it hit the spot.
ESPO’S TRATTORIA It never ceases to amaze me the number of spots I drive or walk by and each time point and say to whomever is in the car with me (or sometimes aloud to myself) “You know...I need to try that!” Espo’s, over at 1335 Congress Street near the Transportation Centre is just such a place. My neighbours have raved about their Italian food and their twin lobster dinner (a real deal at $18 last I checked) but I never found or made the time to eat a meal there... that is until a recent Tuesday when I was in the area for a visit with a doctor and finished the check-up to find I’d forgotten all about lunch! In an attempt to remedy that growling stomach (and because my partner was whining that he was near starvation) we pointed the car into Espo’s parking area and trundled inside.
SEBAGO BREWING COMPANY We live not that far from the Old Port location of Sebago Brewing Company and seem to pass there umpteen times a week. We rarely remember they not only have good brews, but they also have way more than passable food --- especially
Keep in mind the hour was pushing two, so only a couple of tables were occupied in the cozy dining room, but none of that stopped us from salivating our way thru the huge Italian menu. In fact, going into a restaurant an hour past “starving” is sorta like going grocery shopping on a very empty stomach: not a
Page 12
Up Portland 07.18 In Print * On The Web At: www.upportland.com * On Facebook
thing to do, unless you want to emerge very full and lugging carryout boxes an hour later. In our case, our eyes were way bigger than our stomachs as we took Espo’s motto of “come hungry and leave happy” very, very literally. In fact, too much so!
HiFi DONUTS OK, so what is a donut shop, even one in the middle of downtown’s offices and government buildings at 30 City Centre (right next to Longfellow Books), doing in a lunch review? Everything, because they have now added full-day food to their changing daily donut selection at HiFi Donuts. You can do a breakfast sandwich all day, too, but they also have real (ta-da) lunches.
We started with Calamari (below). Menu says: “Fresh deep-fried calamari lightly tossed with balsamic and a touch of lemon. Served atop mesclun greens, tomatoes and onion - $11.99”. We were not in the least disappointed as the huge portion to share was almost more than we could eat, and the calamari, which not everywhere does right, was crisp and fabulous.
While the lunch menu is not huge, the choices are more than ample and the quality of what comes from the tiny kitchen at the back of the restaurant is pretty remarkable. Also remarkable is the pricing, since you can easily get out for under $10. For example, their wonderful South African inspired Peri Peri boneless fried chicken sandwich (with peri mayo, Boston bibb lettuce and tomato on a sesame seeded potato bun) is just $7.50. Add a side of chips or crisps (as Brit HiFi co-owner Melissa calls what we say are fries or potato chips) for a buck and you still have $1 for a counter crew tip and some change left from $10.
On to the entrees, which we failed to read came with salads, so add yet more wonderful food to the groaning table. I chose the Chicken Parmigiana (Menu says: “Tender breaded chicken breast topped with Jazzy’s homemade marinara and mozzarella cheese. Served with your choice of pasta - Lunch $12.50 Dinner $19.50.”) and my dining companion, the Eggplant Parm (Menu
There are other choices, too...a “New Deal Italian” with meats, peppers, lettuce, red wine vinegar served on a Fantini Roll and there’s a HiFi BLT on crusty Italian Bread, too. But our new lunch fave just appeared with the rather hilarious name of the Old Port Ripper, below. It’s not for the faint at heart (or the day before your blood work on the annual physical) but this delicious and cholesterolladen special is a bacon-wrapped deep fried hot dog, topped with spicy mustard and a house made country relish, all served on a traditional split top New England bun. The other good news about this (besides the taste) is the price. We did one with a side of fries (as though we needed those extra calories) and our bill was a very cool $5.94. Anyway, if you still have room or calories to spare, HiFi has some wonderful French Crullers (try the chocolate & sea salt), as well as all manner of donuts daily, so stop in and check it all out. Be sure you wave hi to the hard-working Melissa in the kitchen and let’s not forget her partner (work and life) Ari as this ever-at-work couple have made it all happen at HiFi Donuts, which just marked their first year in business. Bravo to them and meet me there for lunch any day! More info at www.hifidonuts.com
says: “Layers of freshly fried eggplant topped with Jazzy’s homemade marinara and mozzarella cheese. Served with your choice of pasta - Lunch $12.50 Dinner $19.50.”) First thing we needed to ask our happy server: What’s the difference --- besides the hour --- between lunch and dinner? Answer: Portion size. We opted for the lunches and waddled out. One can only imagine “what if” we’d gone to the dinner ones! Along with the parmigiana of choice, we each got a gianormous (the word’s British slang and means “extremely large”) portion of the pasta of our choice with some to-die-for delicious sauce. Oh, and there was bread to dip in olive oil and cheese, too --- as if we needed it. The house salads were also wonderful, though we opted for the Caesars ($2 extra) and there was no way I was gonna leave without some optional anchovies as well. Suffice to say we ordered way, way, way too much because we had things to do afterwards. After all that food we were only fit for napping. The bill for all that wonderful food came to $71, including a 20%+ tip for the server. But before readers cringe at the price, we need to say the meal could have landed at under $50 (or even $35-$40) had we gone with “just” the lunch entrees and their pastas and salads. That Calamari was indeed to die for, as were the Caesars and anchovies, but they added to the bill. Find out more at www.espostrat.com
AND FINALLY AT PRESSTIME... Two quick notes: 1.) Bob’s Clam Hut’s Portland shop at Washington & Cumberland avenues “should” open in late July, so watch for that wonderful addition to our Portland menu by month’s end. 2.) Duckfat has “branched out” with the Duckfat Friteshack at 43 Washington Avenue, behind the Washington location of Coffee By Design. They are sharing space with Oxbow Blending & Bottling. Despite a limited menu, yes, you can get all kinds of the famous fries, poutine, and original milkshakes, along with changing specials! They’re open every day from noon and have great patio seating, so have a brew and fries soon.
Up Portland 07.18 In Print * On The Web At: www.upportland.com * On Facebook Page 13
Page 14
Up Portland 07.18 In Print * On The Web At: www.upportland.com * On Facebook
Eric’s Optimal Corner Joel Witmer / Optimal Self Community Health and Wellness Center In an age of trending diet plans, abbreviated memories and instantly accessible information to confirm any bias, it is easy to forget that the basic tenets of achieving physical strength and fitness did not spontaneously appear in yesterday's podcast. All of us who train with weights are indebted to the pioneers of physical culture. While the capacity for innovation remains a possibility for those who intelligently seek to improve their bodies, the missing ingredients for most struggling to progress are consistent hard work and a committed understanding of the Progression Principle. Early champions who forged paths to physical strength and muscular development weren't the kind of people who missed workouts over hurt feelings or minor discomforts. They weren't the kind who complained about less than optimal training conditions or the various challenges involved in the process of building physical strength. They are people like the great Olympic champion Paul Anderson, who, with his brother-in-law constructed heavy barbells out of axles salvaged from a local junkyard; people like, Anderson's early mentor, Tennessee farmer and former deadlift record-holder, Bob Peoples, who fashioned an early wooden version of a power rack; people like Annette Kellerman, an early proponent of barbell training for women, who, in practicing what she preached, dispelled common myths about its detrimental effects. These people of purpose not only demonstrated innate toughness born of adversity, they also successfully understood and utilised the Principle of Progression. This simple truth informs us that training the same way all the time will yield rapidly diminishing returns. In other words, train the same, stay the same. To maximise the benefits of strength training, weight must be added (intensity) or reps and sets increased (density/volume). A rep (repetition) is the individual movement. Pressing a weight from chest to arm’s length constitutes one rep of the bench press. A set comprises a given number of reps performed in continuous succession. According to his or her goals, an individual must manipulate the variables of lifting, adding weight, reducing rest time between sets, adding reps and then sets with the same weight. Cycling different exercises, training more or, in some cases, less frequently, or reducing rest time between sets will also allow the body to more efficiently achieve muscular strength and size or lose fat. One example: if a trainee wants to lose weight and improve cardiovascular fitness, it would be wise to limit rest periods between sets to under a minute. Someone more interested in strength gains will most likely perform fewer reps and sets and rest longer (two to five minutes) between sets. Of course, regular exercise that does not adhere to this principle is certainly preferable to no exercise, but this mindless movement becomes an increasingly inefficient use of time that recalls a quote commonly attributed to Einstein: “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, but expecting different results.”
You don't have to be a competitive bodybuilder or strength athlete to reap the benefits of progressive strength training. Anyone who wants to build muscle and bone density or burn fat; anyone who wants to become more athletic or retain strength and athletic ability longer into old age would do well to utilise some form of progression. A simple approach to progression could involve adding reps then sets with the same weight, and then when a target number of sets and reps is achieved, the weight is increased and sets and reps are again decreased. As mentioned earlier, there are other important factors such as rest time, but for the sake of brevity, we will stick with reps, sets and weight. Seasoned power-lifter Steve Shaw provides a solid example of using progression to achieve greater size and strength. Old school strength authors like Anthony Ditillo have also tackled this topic, providing valuable insights for new and experienced trainers alike. Shaw's example involves performing two sets of six reps for a given exercise, such as the bench press. The trainee would, in ensuing sessions, increase the number of reps with the same weight until he or she is able to press that weight for two sets of 10 reps. Then the trainee would add a third set. When the trainee can accomplish 10 reps on the third set, a fourth is added. Once the trainee can complete four sets of 10 reps using the original weight, weight is added and sets and reps go back down to two and six, respectively. This reduction of volume serves as a protection against over-training. This is only one example of progression. Multiple factors, combinations, rep and set schemes mean the possibilities are nearly limitless and can be tailored to meet individual goals. Doing too much or too little can lead to stagnation or burnout in your training. Utilising a simple system of progression can help you make gains while avoiding injury. The good news is you don't have to take my word for it. Many stronger and smarter people figured it out first! My name is Joel, and I’m a certified personal trainer at Optimal Self. If you are interested in working together or would like more information about strength training, please contact me at creativemuscledevelopment@gmail.com
Be Sure To Tell Them You Saw Their Ad In Up Portland!
Up Portland 07.18 In Print * On The Web At: www.upportland.com * On Facebook Page 15
The Standard Reviewer
By Andrea Rouda / Up Portland’s Film & Theatre Reviewer
Call this one “five movies you shouldn’t have missed (but probably did).” There are movies, and then there are movies. Not all of them are worth the price of admission --- a fact we too often learn after we’ve plunked down our cash. And these days they’ve got to hit it out of the park on opening weekend to even be noticed, so the producers pour tons of money into pre-opening advertising and trailers --some shoved in our faces as long as six months in advance. And by the time the movie is released you feel like you’ve already seen it. In my experience, the louder the up-front advertising, the worse the film is apt to be. (“Coming Next Summer” is a dead giveaway that the movie’s a dog.) Sometimes the most valuable gems arrive in theatres with little fanfare and leave in a hurry, scurrying off to Netflix, thus are underappreciated by a wide audience. Following is a look back at five of those. American Hustle (2013) You'll have fun, I promise, just as long as you're the kind of person who can sit back and relax, go with the flow and hang loose. Forget asking your companions dumb (and annoying) questions like, "What's going on?" and “Who is he again?” It doesn't really matter, and besides, it’s only a movie and there will not be a quiz afterwards. Impressive dramatic performances and the occasional laugh-out-loud moments are accompanied by a nostalgic score of all your favourite songs. At least all of mine. The story is loosely based on Abscam, an actual FBI sting involving senators, congressmen and a fake Sheik of Arabee back in the '70s, so if you weren’t alive yet you get to see what life was like then. It's amusing to see how far we've come in terms of the hair, the cars, the clothes, the furnishings, and -- worth repeating -- the hair. The film’s cold open, which we see even before the title credits appear, shows how to effectively hide your bald spot. (It is at once hysterical and awful.) The jumbled plot is thankfully half-explained by a continual voice-over narrative spoken by all the different characters at different times. Besides the sting, reminiscent of Sinatra and his Rat Pack, there are lots of sexy-ish scenes, mostly involving Amy Adams showing off what are supposed to be her voluptuous breasts peeking out of low-cut dresses, but looking more like those pancakes they bring you with moo shu pork. Anyway, she's definitely "hot" and shows a lot of skin, as does Jennifer Lawrence, the other "babe" who sadly seems more like a "baby" but who my husband decided had the better breasts. Both male leads, played by Christian Bale and Bradley Cooper, never disappoint, and in fact at times stun you with their brilliance. I'm not really sure what happened every little second, or really a lot of the time, so I'll watch it again to find out. It's that good. Miracles from Heaven (2016) It was snowing and cold and nothing else was playing, so despite the dumb title -like where the heck else do miracles come from? -- I went to see this "faith-based" movie even though I am of little faith. And I'm glad I did, if for no other reason than a heartbreaking and dynamite performance by Jennifer Garner as Christy Beam, mother of a sick child. Who knew she could act, what with all her inane TV commercials for this, that and the other. The sappy tale is true, which makes it far less sappy and all the more stunning, despite being handled somewhat mawkishly by director Patricia Riggen. There
Page 16
are lots of sunlight-glinting-through-trees shots, and people looking up at the fluffy clouds, and other hints of The Big Guy, including one scene that takes place in Heaven itself, which was quite eye-opening. Turns out those fluffy clouds are hiding a solid, slick floor you could likely skate on, and the trees are various shades of pink and blue. Hydrangea petals turn into butterflies and fly away when you touch them. The whole place is quite lovely. But I digress. Back home in Texas, on the farm with the cows, the horses and the five dogs, we see adorable 10-year-old Anna suffer with a horrible digestive disease that causes her to be in constant pain and be fed through a tube in her nose, which we see going in and out and in and out more times than I really needed. (Once would have been too much.) Christy finds a specialist in Boston, offering the interesting diversion of scenes in another city and the flights back and forth. Anna has two sisters and a really handsome dad (Martin Henderson). They all go to church every Sunday and have a great life until that awful illness arrives out of the blue. Bummer. Christy cries a lot, and so will you. And she stops going to church. Who wouldn't? I mean, what could make you not believe in God more than a sick child? But the Lord comes through in a very dramatic and miraculous way, which we all knew would happen from the spoiler title, and ultimately Christy returns to her church with quite a story to share... one about all the miracles. One miracle the film could do without is Queen Latifah as a Boston waitress who befriends Christy and Anna in their hour of need. I'm guessing she was stuck in to avoid that whole "no-roles-for-blacks" thing a few years ago, because her character is totally unbelievable and adds nothing to the film. Anyway, it’s still one heck of a story that must be seen to be believed. Nebraska (2014) Starring Bruce Dern, SNL’s Will Forte and a cast of ordinary people you would walk right past on the street and never think twice about, Nebraska is the kind of slice-of-life story where nothing really happens and yet there’s never a boring moment. Watching the lives of total strangers hypnotically unfold before us is thoroughly engrossing, especially since the superb acting, directing and cinematography all border on inspirational. Although it was nominated for six Academy Awards (including Best Picture) it got none, but Dern was named Best Actor at the Cannes Film Festival for this role. Woody Grant (Dern) is a wizened old man in terrible shape, both mentally and physically – plus he drinks. No wonder his pickled brain is wrongly convinced he has won a million dollars in one of those Publisher's Clearinghouse sweepstakes. To collect the prize he believes is waiting for him, he sets out on foot from Billings, Montana, to Lincoln, Nebraska, 900 miles away. Since he can barely walk to the bathroom, such an undertaking is clearly preposterous. His son (Forte) knows there’s no money at the end of the road yet offers to drive him anyway, just to have some time with the old man. The characters they encounter on the way are a cantankerous lot, each one offering a cold stare into the dreary lives of downtrodden people who are definitely not you. This, of course, makes you happy. Shot in black and white, the stunning yet desolate scenery moves across the screen like an animated Ansel Adams portfolio. Huge, sober landscapes of farmland and sky, empty save for fluffy clouds, black cows and the winding two-lane highway the hapless protagonists follow on their sad adventure, linger for long moments until they are replaced with images of battered storefronts and darkened taverns in small towns that have seen better days. If it weren’t all so beautiful it might be depressing, but the stark images that are etched into your memory get under your skin, and you just might suddenly get the urge to rent an RV and drive across America. Hope Springs (2012) This is one of those cinematic gems that is panned by the critics, so it's yanked from the theatres lickety-split, finding a second life on Netflix where it becomes a
Up Portland 07.18 In Print * On The Web At: www.upportland.com * On Facebook
darling of the couch crowd. The plot of Hope Springs may sound dull in the telling, but it never is -- not for a minute. We get to see two of our favourite superstars depicting real people in an all-too-common situation, and they do such a good job you forget they are superstars. It's funny, sad and profound all at once, with the added bonus of a great soundtrack that fills in the blanks left by a somewhat underdeveloped script.
once again illustrates there is no role beyond her boundless talent. Florence Foster Jenkins is a fictionalised account of the real life of a prominent and wealthy socialite who became a Manhattan cult figure in the 1940s.
Meryl Streep and Tommy Lee Jones are two old pros who can effectively telegraph complicated emotions with a raised eyebrow or half a smirk. The only problem when they are both on screen is choosing who to watch. They play Kay and Arnold, a husband and wife sleepwalking through a dull marriage, both obviously bored after 31 years of the same-old-same-old, and no sex for the last five. Funny guy Steve Carell plays the very serious shrink they pay $4,000 for an intensive, week-long couples therapy retreat, and he does a sterling job at being totally humourless.
Florence rose to fame first for her philanthropy pertaining to her love of music and next for her outlandish and amateurish attempts at operatic singing. In the title role, Streep dons silly wigs, ornate costumes, tons of makeup and a fat suit to portray the aging would-be singer. But the real star of the movie is her voice: Horrendously off-key, reminiscent of a feral cat wailing in the night, everyone can hear how bad it is except the singer herself who, having battled a chronic disease for most of her life, may be slightly deaf and partly off her rocker. Hugh Grant is endearing as Florence's loving, kept companion; a failed actor who tries his best to shield her from noticing that people are laughing at her behind her back. He succeeds at that by pressing fifty- and hundred-dollar bills into the open palms of music critics and others with influence inside her small circle.
The three of them portray such kind, endearing people that I wished I could have had them all over for dinner after the show. And the state of Maine looks so pretty that I spent a considerable amount of time trying to pinpoint just which town it was, until the final credits revealed that Maine was played by Connecticut. (Go figure.) Florence Foster Jenkins (2016) In this wildly funny and profoundly sad film based on true events, Meryl Streep
Aided by a talented young pianist (Simon Helberg) hired to accompany her at small, private concerts and ultimately a giant public one at Carnegie Hall, Florence lurches simultaneously towards her outlandish stardom and eventual death. Her journey is by turns howlingly funny and abruptly sad. The film, deftly directed by veteran Stephen Frears (The Queen, Philomena, The Grifters, Dangerous Liaisons) is fun and funny, and gives a glimpse into an unforgettable life worth knowing about.
Home Furnishings & Gifts
15 Middle Street Portland
Local Art
www.lemonzesthome.com lemonzesthome@gmail.com @lemonzesthome
Nursery
Decor
Up Portland 07.18 In Print * On The Web At: www.upportland.com * On Facebook Page 17
We are more than just copies…
and
G ES
S
R
M
BROC
HU
PROGRA
and
FLYERS and SELL SHEETS and CALENDARS and BANNERS and NOTE CARDS and MAILERS and BUSINESS CARDS and NEWSLETTERS and POST CARDS and INVITATIONS and MENUS and POSTERS and … including cutting, scoring, folding, multiple types of binding, hole punching, dry mounting, and laminating
Conveniently located at 100 Fore Street in Portland
(next to Hamilton Marine on your way to the Eastern Prom) with plenty of free parking
207.775.2444 • www.xcopy.com Like us on
Page 18
/facebook.com/XPressCopy
That’s the credo which Miina Pawlowski, owner of 15 Middle Street’s new Lemon Zest Home lives life by. And thus far it shows that indeed when life hands you lemons, you not only can make lemonade, but experience a whole lot more.
To back up that claim, her shop has a tray of lemons and a huge water dispenser just inside the door, and all comers are welcome to help themselves while they shop.
and
N
There’s nothing like a glass that’s half full... unless it’s half full of lemon water... and then it’s even better.
Pawlowski (the name’s Finnish) says she named her home shop Lemon Zest Home precisely because of all the great things she sees and experiences with lemons --- from their bright, fresh look and smell to their vitamin-rich juice and the daily reminder she gets from them that even something tart can be a positive influence in life.
and
PRINTI
Zesty New Shop
Before Lemon Zest Home, Pawlowski briefly owned a successful boutique in Bethel, Maine, which ended because of what can only be called poor timing. “We were selling women’s clothes and accessories, but the very next day after we opened, I found out I was pregnant. After telling everybody that the store was my baby, I had to leave it and take care of a real one,” she said with an infectious grin. She and her husband, Scott, whom she said is “really supportive of this and both of our children” (one now two and one 11) not only is giving moral support to the store, but he was in his work clothes hanging pictures, sorting stock and helping Miina get ready for the mid-June opening. So were many of her friends and relatives, making Lemon Zest Home truly a family affair. Asked how, in the internet era the store will distinguish itself, Pawlowski says Portland is unique, and so is what she sells. “I have a passion for unique gifts and home furnishings, but the biggest thing is people like to touch and feel, which you can’t do online.” In addition, items in the store --- which range from some unique foods, like syrups and mustards to children’s room decor and art --- are Maine-made wherever possible, incorporting wools and natural elements. Plastics are a no-no as the owner strives for uniqueness and environmentally friendly merchandise at the same time. In addition, she is proud to be a woman-owned shop. “Things here are as local as I can buy them, but it’s also special because we are woman-owned, which makes me quite proud. I love that we have sustainable and unique items, from my favourite hot air balloon room decor for children’s rooms (seen in the photo at upper right) to our
Up Portland 07.18 In Print * On The Web At: www.upportland.com * On Facebook
Open On Middle Street brass items, and the shop is also a dream come true for me because we always wanted to move to Portland. We visit, eat and shop here and it’s been a long-term goal,” she said, while adding that for the present she and Scott commute from Norway, Maine, though it’s only a short while before she envisions her friends and family getting change-of-address cards from the couple. To find out more, visit Lemon Zest Home at 15 Middle Street, or scout them out online at www.lemonzesthome.com It’s best to come by, though, since even Miina hasn’t figured out a way to show her modern, fresh and fun gifts and other items over a cool glass of lemon water online. For that you’ll have to shop in person. Besides, if you don’t come by, you won’t get the chance to see her latest dog lamp and air plant holders or check on how her real lemon tree (Yes, she has one in the front window of the shop, complete with a lemon growing on it!) is doing. Besides, it’s a really fun shop worth a visit.
Up Portland 07.18 In Print * On The Web At: www.upportland.com * On Facebook Page 19
Page 20
Up Portland 07.18 In Print * On The Web At: www.upportland.com * On Facebook
Up Portland Is A Proud Member of the
August Edition Deadline
Friday 27th July Papers On Street: Tuesday 31st July
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 2018 by BBS, A division of High Speed Delivery Fork Ltd. & Ted Fleischaker and may not be reproduced in any form without prior written approval.
Phone: 207/536.0922 e-mail: ted@upportland.com
Please Read Then Recycle!
Friend us on Facebook!
Be Sure To Tell Them You Saw Their Ad In Up Portland!
Up Portland 07.18 In Print * On The Web At: www.upportland.com * On Facebook Page 21
were popular on paddle-wheel riverboats and carousels. Luckily for me, you can always play this machine manually, which saved my bacon once.
Mark: My Words
My father-in-law had extensive contacts with friends in New York State, including the guy he saw daily in his mirror while shaving. All had the knowledge and skill to build a replica of a trolley car with a calliope housed it. My sister-in-law painted the trolley car with a Maine theme and the birth of “Mr. Mark’s Mighty Maine Music Machine” occurred. The calliope was also decorated with a handcarved wooden portrait panel of me, carved by my very talented father-in-law.
By Mark Gatti / Mark’s Hotdogs My food stand business had always provided a sustainable income, coupled with my wife’s salary in her professional career. However, with the birth of our two sons in the early 1990s my father-in-law became concerned that our combined incomes would not be enough. He convinced my wife and I to start a secondary business featuring a calliope. To those not knowing what a calliope is, it is essentially a music machine that plays paper roll sheet music, much like a player piano. These music machines
A financial undertaking it was, costing about as much as a purchase of a new vehicle. I had to have the backing of three creditors; my wife’s aunt, my father-in -law and my dad. I remember how happy and relieved my wife and I were when we got them paid off several years into the business. A beautiful unit, it was the perfect fit to be hired out for parades and other special events. We were fairly successful in booking gigs on weekends throughout Maine and New Hampshire in the Spring, Summer and Fall, with a few Christmas jobs to close out the season.
Maine Jewish Museum Current Exhibitions Opening Reception: Thursday, July 12, 2018 5pm-7pm Exhibition: July 12 to August 31, 2018 First Friday Art Walk: August 3, 2018, 5pm-8pm
Home
Memories of WWII
Getting Wind of It
Spiegel Gallery
Third Floor Sanctuary Jessica Lantos, Curator
Fineberg Community Room
Nancy Glassman
Henry Pollard
Sam Gelber
Maine Jewish Museum
267 Congress Street, Portland, ME 04101 (207) 773-2339
Monday - Friday 10am-4pm + Sundays 1pm - 5pm or by appointment mainejewishmuseum.org
Nancy Davidson, Curator
Page 22
Up Portland 07.18 In Print * On The Web At: www.upportland.com * On Facebook
Generally booked for four hours, most gigs consisted of being in a parade at the start, then setting up in a park or outside community centre at the end of the parade route for three or four more hours of music. The calliope can only play at a loud volume, and as a result the parade part of the event was a smashing success, with all spectators cheering wildly as my unit went down the parade route. However, once set up and playing at the set location post parade, the magic wore off. Folks would still be interested hearing the music and checking out the unit for an hour or so, then the very loudness of the machine overcame most folks auditory senses to the extent that at the end of the gig people were visually relieved when I turned off the music. A great addition to a parade, it could turn out to be not so popular for other events. I still remember an arts and crafts festival where the poor vendors begged for me to turn off the music so they could hear their customers! In retrospect, we should’ve booked it for parade service only, with maybe one-hour tops at the set location after. As referenced earlier in this column, the music rolls could be played manually in the event of a motor failure. The automatic music motor broke down once during the middle of a busy Summer season and I was told it would take two weeks to get a replacement on special order from Iowa. No problem I thought, a hot dog stand friend offered to drive up with me to a parade in Belfast. He would drive my van during the parade while I manually operated the music machine as it was towed along behind.
I was much stressed when my friend, whose name shall remain anonymous, didn’t show up at his pickup location. After failed attempts to reach him, I had to head to Belfast solo. I travelled with much trepidation and upon arrival I searched out the event coordinator and explained my predicament. I offered him a reduced rate and even no charge at all to stay in good graces, as I would not be able to perform during the parade and could only operate at the set location after. Proving that good people are everywhere, this kind man said he would drive my van in the parade while I operated the music machine! Stress reduced in half, I still worried how well I could operate the music machine manually. I had never done this before and it takes concentration and timing to make sure the music is played in proper cadence. I did my best keeping the beat to songs like The Sidewalks of New York and the Maine Stein Song. Thankfully, my past musical background in percussion instruments enabled me to pull off the event in good fashion. The next weekend I had another booking, this time in Bar Harbor, that would again require manual music operation. Luckily, my cousin Allen was up from the south for vacation and admiringly filled in as my driver. Another four-hour event including parade, cousin later commented on my sheer stubbornness and endurance pulling this off for a second time. Fingers and thumbs severely cramped and fatigued, I only remember numbly hoping that the new motor would arrive before my next event. Besides parade events, we booked family festivals, Christmas events and grand openings for stores. In fact, I remember we booked the grand opening for the Home Quarters store in South Portland before the stores became Home Depot. My furthest booked destination was a three-day job at the agricultural fair in Houlton. Only able to travel around 55 mph with heavy unit in tow, it seemed to take six hours to get there. Very well received by the good folks in Aroostook County, they all seemed impressed that I came all the way up from Portland. Staying in a motel for this event, my wife and then very young sons came up to visit for two days. I still remember a row the two lads had with some toy plastic golf clubs my wife had bought them. Only four years old and 1½ years old respectively, they were too little to hurt each other! Always very close, it was the only real scuffle I remember them ever having. But back to my story...calliopes being in vogue in the latter 1800s and early 1900s, I had a nice theme outfit for Summer events, topped by a classic straw hat from David Wood Clothiers. For Christmas events, I had a nice wool cape that looked straight out of a Charles Dickens novel. I recall some young street thugs trying to steal my straw hat at a Manchester, New Hampshire, gig, but I managed to thwart their attempts with no harm to anybody by successfully utilising my well-honed verbal street skills. After a Summerfest festival in Harrison, Maine, I heard a small grinding sound in the back of my calliope trolley car trailer. Go figure: another young lad who liked my signature “Mr. Mark” license plate was caught in the act of a “100% off” theft attempt. My wide open-eyed look scared him so, I almost felt like I was the bad guy. There was no reason to reprimand him any further as he looked so terrified. I guess everyone of all ages and personalities liked my gear and outfits. Mr. Mark’s Mighty Maine Music Machine is temporarily resting. We are gearing up to sell this beautiful and unique musical calliope/trolley car to any adventurous nostalgic music lover. For the right price, I might even throw in my straw hat and cape. Happy Fourth all! Be safe, but have lots of fun! Warm Regards, Mark
Up Portland 07.18 In Print * On The Web At: www.upportland.com * On Facebook Page 23
Page 24
Up Portland 07.18 In Print * On The Web At: www.upportland.com * On Facebook