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For Jack It’s Not If Or When, But Weather by Peter Michalakes Each morning, a high schooler at North Yarmouth Academy rises early enough to see the stars above him on a clear day. One might think — as one would of any typical high schooler — that he’s only up so early to catch up on overdue homework or because he wants time to watch television before school starts. But think again: this high schooler is not typical. He is Forecaster Jack. “I’m an amateur weather forecaster,” he said in an interview this past Saturday. “I’m really focused on not hyping forecasts – I give people objective analysis.” He is Jack Sillin, a sophomore at the Yarmouth-based private school and the brains behind the forecasting blog, forecasterjack.com, which services all of New England. He is a self-taught forecaster, and has already been featured on the Weather Channel and WCSH6 as well as in a larger newspaper in Portland. Additionally, he is an integral part of amateur forecasting agencies, such as Western Maine Weather in Florence, Maine. “I have access to all of the same data as the big-shot meteorologists,” Jack said. In forming a forecast, meteorologists take special notice of regional temperatures, patterns of high and low pressure systems, and the pressure of the atmosphere on any given day. Sillin synthesizes all of this information himself, and every morning, far before the sun has even began to rise, he posts his forecast on his blog for any New Englander’s use. “I want people to learn stuff while they’re getting the weather from me, too,” Jack said. “I provide more than just 65 and sunny.” A LONG-TIME PASSION Jack started forecasterjack.com in October 2011, and as of a couple years ago, he has been making daily predictions and posting occasional lessons on his website. However, Sillin’s passion for weather started well before his website went live. “You don’t need to go back that far in time to get into the world of excited sevenyear-old me, saying, ‘Hey, a snowstorm!’” Sillin said. “I did have one less formal, less professional project before, but forecasterjack.com is what I’ve turned into a helpful resource for people.” Sillin’s interest in meteorology was a gradual development during his formative years. For example, on long cross-country plane rides to see his extended family, the only in-plane television show his mom would let him watch was the Weather Channel. “It was also really the blizzard of Patriots Day, 2007, that set off a deep
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passion for meteorology in me,” Sillin said. “It was the first storm I remember watching on the radar: it was all really exciting for a kid, and I just wanted to know why!” What started on that Patriots Day has since evolved into what Sillin hopes is a lifelong career. For now, though, it is just a hobby — forecasterjack.com is adfree and does not generate revenue. “It’s honestly just really fun, and that’s why I do it. It’s really fun.”
THE GROWING OF A METEOROLOGIST Sillin wakes as early as 5 a.m. to make his predictions every morning before school, and spends an additional two to three hours each day learning more about his craft. “If it’s 75 and sunny, I’m not really gonna devote three hours to figuring out 75 and sunny,” Jack said. “But if it’s a big storm — that’s where I really rack up the hours, figuring everything out,” emphasising that there is no other way that he’d rather spend his time. In his pursuit of meteorology, there are a few experiences that Jack expects to stay with him as he pursues the field further. The most recent was Hurricane Sandy, in 2012: a category three hurricane at its peak that tore up huge sections of many Atlantic islands and the East Coast. To a meteorologist, hurricanes are the jackpot, the créme de la créme of natural disasters from a scientific standpoint: they are some of the most exciting and most powerful storms on record. When Hurricane Sandy was downgraded to a tropical storm as it approached Maine, when Jack was still in middle school, he felt conflicted. The meteorologist inside of him wanted to experience the brunt of the storm first-hand, yet he realised that the destruction the storm inflicted on other parts of the country was a tragedy for many families. “We were really lucky to be spared that tragedy,” Jack said. “Back then, I was a little disappointed when it didn’t hit in its full glory in Maine. But today I know that we were lucky.” Jack’s first real-life experience with a superstorm wouldn’t come until over a year later, in the much-less-damaging blizzard of 2013 that dumped huge amounts of snow across New England. “I really devoted an insane amount Please Continue On Page 15
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Hackin’ The Net By Ted Fleischaker / Publisher My best friend of 50+ years (since Junior High) Keith Runyon, recently delivered a speech in Louisville about the changing scene in the newspaper industry. A quote from it is appropriate here because it was recently “death in the afternoon” at my house and it was not a happy time. Keith said: “A book published in the early 1980s was called Death in the Afternoon, which took its title from the Ernest Hemingway classic about bull-fighting. It recounted a broader wave of closures of once popular evening newspapers like The Indianapolis Times, Nashville Banner, Miami News, Evansville Press, Lexington Leader, St. Louis Globe Democrat and many, many others...” My situation was not as dire as a city losing a trusted “friend” in the form of a long-standing daily newspaper (Portland lost the Evening Express in 1991), but for me, at the moment it took place, it was nearly as traumatic. What I am referring to is the hard drive in my computer — the very computer I am using to write this column — up and died without leaving so much as a name or forwarding address. And allow me to assure readers, it was indeed a traumatic experience. I mention this in the column because (and I am all full of quotes today from outside sources) as the Kingston Trio said in their famous tune MTA, about Poor Old Charlie being trapped forever on a Boston MTA train, “this could happen to YOU!” And allow me to say if you keep your gear (this includes computers, smart phones, tablets and TV gadgets) long enough it will. It might not be the full, catastrophic hard drive death as I experienced, but morning or afternoon or night, sooner or later that toy or business tool is going to meet its maker and it would be a great idea now (ie: sooner, not later) to be prepared. Just as you get a check-up to catch a cancer or illness early and treat it or you get the car tuned up for our Maine Winters or state inspection, it’s a good idea to do a bit of preparation for the “when” and not the “if” you have a device failure. A friend of this column works for a major computer firm on the front line and tells us that one of the most oft-seen and saddest occasions is when he has to tell someone that their phone, tablet or computer has expired. No matter how good the warranty and if they will get a new one for no cost or have to pay for it, data on the dead device is often as unsavable as Grandma Fanny’s uncopied recipe for spinach casserole after grandma is in the ground. The dead tell no tales, and dead computers and phones and tablets share no photos or phone numbers or other info you might want or need. So now that I have drilled that point into your heads sufficiently, here’s what I recommend you do — and if you do not already, you do soon. That is to back up. Back up to the “cloud” if you wish. Back up to your own computer from your phone or tablet and save those recipes (including Grandma Fanny’s casserole). Back up the computer to an external drive (you can get a great one for $69 on line or at Best Buy or even Target) and set up your computer to auto back up to said drive regularly.
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As far as your phone, back that up, too, so you have the numbers you need. I am constantly amazed how often one of my Facebook friends posts “Please send me your digits...new phone and lost all contacts!” If the contacts had been backed up on a regular basis he or she might have missed one or two, but not ALL contacts. And let’s chat just a bit about photos. Show of hands to all those who use ONLY an iPhone or phone cam these days to do their picture-taking. OK, that appears to be most of you...and to you (and I am one amongst you) who use your phone as the sole way you take pics, please, please, please back that up as often as you can. Save the pics to iPhoto or whatever programme you have, but save them. If you lose, soak (as in at the beach or while kayaking, not in the toilet please) or damage your phone beyond repair (or it just finds its own afternoon and dies) or it’s stolen you will have copies and you will thank me later. My computer tech friend says he’s amazed at how many folks show up with dead devices and burst into tears when they find the photos on them are gone forever. That does include the last Christmas with Grandma Fanny at the table or the day you finished the Maine Marathon. If you want to keep those images, either store them in a cloud service like iCloud Photo Library, Flickr, Picasa, Google Drive or drop box or back them up to your own computer or both. I will confess most external services are not free, but a year at $39 (and some do have free trials or free memberships) is way, way cheaper than the cost of trying to get them copied off of that dead device — if (and that’s a big if) — that can even be accomplished with the cause of death being a big factor here. There’s also the matter of business records or other tax or financial documents. You probably have more than a few stuck on your computer (I did before its untimely demise) and while the IRS or state might offer some sympathy or extensions, trying to rebuild lost data can be time and cash consuming. You can back up that sensitive info to the cloud or a thumb drive or other external drive. And a quick tip: if you can fit it on a thumb drive or even a CD (some of us still have CD burners) then make a 2nd copy and throw it in your bank box or somewhere away from the main computer.
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That way, should your office burn or the equipment die, you will have an off-site copy to restore from. Another easy way to accomplish this if you have a small business would be to give your quarterly or year-end info to your accountant for him or her to store with your files off-site. Never “assume” that data can be restored or “lost” items found. Often they can’t. And finally, a bit of advice from my own bathroom mirror (ie: me!): And that is to listen to your devices. My computer was giving me error messages with increasing frequency and shutting down unexpectedly from time to time, but I was always “too busy” to back it up and take it in until it was too late on that fateful afternoon. Just as you’d not leave your cat or dog sick but would take him or her to the vet ASAP, if your computer, tablet or phone (or other device) starts acting peculiarly do a back up (if you don’t have Time Machine or another app which automatically does one for you already) and get it serviced by a qualified tech. That means the Apple Genius Bar or the Best Buy Geek Squad or their ilk — not your Uncle Joe’s friend who “tinkers” with things. A qualified tech! The sooner it’s seen and diagnosed, the sooner and better chance you will have of getting it back on track with less interruption (or cost) to your life. And trust me, a death in the afternoon can sure put a crimp in your style no matter how well prepared you may be. Even with a full back-up and an external drive I was out of commission for a few days. Without the preparedness it could have and would have been a lot longer — or maybe permanently. We can’t avoid device death, but we can be vigilant and that means backing up, buying AppleCare or any extended warranties you are offered and taking decent care of your gear. My contact in the biz says it’s amazing how many phones he gets which have landed in the surf or the toilet or been run over by a car or damaged beyond repair. If your whole life is on your device, shouldn’t you use decent care to keep it (and its data) safe? Checking, taking care and using common sense will make your online life a whole lot easier. And I know that from my own computer’s death experience the other afternoon!
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Food For Thought... Burgers and sandwiches here in the lobster and seafood capital of the world? Burgers!?? And other “stuff” that’s not seafood? Well we on the Peninsula have it all, but we will confess, if you read to the end you are going to still find one of the town’s most interesting spots we have found to get one of those ubiquitous lobster rolls. Oh, and if you want a sub-title for this review it would be “two for $30” as it just happens our meals have ended up costing just about that at all three places! So let’s quit introducing and get to eatin’... First off, we did say burger and sandwiches. One of the biggest culinary disappointments we have had (in fact about the ONLY one) since moving to Portland in the Spring is the lack of really, really good beef here. We do like Pat’s on Stevens Avenue, which many friends have recommended, and the beef at Market Basket in Biddeford is decent, but it’s still not the Midwest. Of course that’s only fair since we never saw a fresh lobster in Indianapolis, where we moved from, and there are not too many in Louisville where we were born and raised. But still, when we started asking friends about burgers, once the wags got over “just go to Mickey D’s or Wendy’s,” we were left with the same dilemma.
radius of their farms in Nebraska. All production is single sourced, meaning when the animals are slaughtered they are all from the same farm. All animals are pasture raised, grass fed, and grain finished for the last 90 days of their beautiful lives. We use ground beef chuck, beef brisket, all-natural pork shoulder, house-cured bacon, fresh garlic and rosemary...” It’s that pork which means things are sadly not available rare, though the juices and the texture of the burger made up for what we usually demand (as in really, really rare despite every government warning against same).
At any rate, that tiny bump aside, the eats at Nosh are topnotch (Top Nosh?) and it’s a place we will definitely be visiting often. We both had the cheese burgers on our initial visit (website menu says: “NOSH patty / American cheese / lettuce / tomato / onions / pickle / grilled brioche bun...”) and it did not disappoint in any way. It was juicy with a great sauce and the brioche really added to the whole package. At $10 we felt it was also fairly priced. We added an order of the fries (potatoes grown per the menu in Lewiston) and tried the bacon dusted version. They also have sea salt and pepper, sea salt and vinegar and buffalo dust, which we assume is barbecue. We decided (and we hear bacon lovers whining out there) that the bacon was not our fave part of the fries so next time will go plainer, though the sauces (long list of choices, including a horseradish mayo, which we picked) added to things greatly. Another good thing about Nosh is their hours: Monday to Saturday from 11.30 a.m. till 1 a.m. and Sundays 4 p.m. till 1 a.m. We were fairly late and were still able to get a full dinner, which can be a neat trick for while Portland is a gourmet and foodie city, it’s also a way earlier to bed town than where we moved from so it’s taking a bit of effort to get used to having dinner at normal hours — not 10 p.m.!
How can, we wondered, any real foodie city as Portland is not have some really neat spots for a burger?
More info online (with menus): www.noshkitchenbar.com Dinner for the two of us came in at around $30 and we added a 20% tip for what was great service even with the place packed nuts-to-butts. We will be back!
And then a friend gave us a roadmap: it led us to 551 Congress Street, at right, which is the home of Nosh Kitchen Bar. They do have a whole lot more, but we followed the friend’s advice and can say we did not go wrong
But what’s on our plates this month besides burgers? How about an awesome fried chicken sandwich? This one’s over at 47 Middle Street at East Ender and it leads me to confess a sin: I like it so much I have (in three visits) yet to order anything else off their great menu and I have not been for dinner as they only offer the fried chicken sandwich at lunch! Yes...it IS that good, really!
— the burgers were outstanding. Probably our only beef with the beef is that the burgers are not 100% beef but have other things (not fillers, but meat) in them. That means you have to have them totally cooked and they can’t be eaten rare. This is what their website has to say: “All burgers are made from all-natural cows, sourced in a 250-mile
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Why? Well it might just be the fact that their chef always gets it right. It’s never overcooked (He avoids the classic rubber chicken “illness”.) and it’s never cold. It rolls out on an awesome bun (right) with a garnish of bibb lettuce, tomato and what they call “Alabama white sauce”. I still have not figured out what that’s made of, but it makes the sandwich — that and the fact that the chicken is prepared perfectly and the breading flavour is not so much as to overwhelm the bird. We so love the fried chicken sandwich at East Ender that when we spotted one at Miss Portland Diner we expected similar, but on that dish Miss Portland disappointed. Hers was overly bready (the chicken WAS in there somewhere) and the rest were not special trimmings like East Ender serves. Guess it serves me right for trying because Miss Portland does some of the best breakfasts, patty melts and other items we discussed here last time, but no one place is the best
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at everything. So back to East Ender... What else would we like to try if we can break free of the chicken’s spell? A fried lobster sandwich sounds fun, as do fried fish (with “preserved lemon tartar sauce”) and their grilled cheese with “tomato jam” interests us as well. We will say we have tried both the fried brussels sprouts and the onion rings (below) sides at East Ender and found both go great with that chicken sandwich. We like the sprouts (comes with a “chili-lime vinaigrette”) a wee bit better and the onion rings can be a bit “doughy” as they are the uber thick variety and very well coated. If you are a thin onion ring aficionado, skip these, but they are light and delicious if you have an open mind to go with your open mouth! Lunch for two at East Ender (two of the fried chickens and one each of the rings and sprouts) came to about $30, but that was before a generous and deserved tip for flawless service with a lot of smiles. I should mention, too, that I was wondering what I’d find when I first stepped into East Ender as I was told it arrived under current ownership about the same week I arrived in Maine in the Spring. As is usual when there’s a management, menu or other change anywhere, I did hear a fair share of groaning and moaning when I asked friends about it — all moaning and groaning they (and I) can confirm is and was unfounded. East Ender is great. Now if I could just pry myself into trying more items from the lunch menu or dinner there, but that’s a story for another day! EastEnderPortland.com is the website and the hours are Monday – Saturday from 11.30 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Sundays for brunch (11 a.m. to 3 p.m.) and dinner (5 to 9). If you want that chicken sandwich you will need to make it by on a weekday or Saturday before 3.30 when lunch menu ends, though I spotted an inspiration for my southern roots: they do grits on Sundays at brunch which is tempting! So, you have read thus far and are wondering if that lobster or anything fishy is coming...the answer is yes and you can find some wonderful seafood at almost any intersection in Portland which is why we avoided anywhere too “commercial” when we got here. We never did get to eat at The Weathervane by Maine Mall as it closed just about the time we arrived. And we are OK with the “fast food” clams at Friendly’s and love to hear friends tease about the fact Portland’s Red Lobster closed down in 1998 because lobster is everywhere, so we were rather skeptical when a friend suggested lunch at Linda Bean’s inside the Maine Mall. We had been to Bean’s Maine Kitchen & Topside Tavern in Freeport several times and loved it (they have the “real deal” whole belly clams as I found only Mainers know) and I’d walked Please continue on the Next Page
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More Food For Thought... by the Lobster Boat Cafe in the Maine Mall a bunch of times, so I said sure and went along not expecting too much. Fact is, LL’s wife owns (I found out later) seven restaurants and the Maine Mall location does food right. In short, they make a damn good lobster roll and the chowder is delicious. The best part is of late they have had a $15 special with a cup of the chowder, a lobster roll, chips and their Maine Kelpislaw — the latter of which is a neat use of sugar kelp and so unique even the name has the little ® indicating it’s trademarked by Bean’s! Lobster rolls are a dime a dozen (OK a bit more than a dime) here in Maine and they range from some pretty lousy ones at fast food spots up to some awe-inspiring ones I have had at the likes of Red’s Eats in Wiscasset. Bean’s is definitely in the top quarter and maybe a bit higher, though I’m personally not fond of what the menu calls “Linda’s secret herb dressing” and should ask to see next time if it could be on the side or replaced for me with plain mayo. The reason it’s not my fave as is? I love the taste of lobster and Bean’s is known for the best and freshest and most sustainable catch, so I want to skip the herbs and really, really taste the lobster. But that’s just me as friends I’ve taken to Bean’s (Freeport and the mall) have all raved. The Maine Mall Bean restaurant has several unique features worth mention: one that they have the Miss Moxie, a full-size boat in the middle of the dining area which serves as a bar and more. And two, that they have what from I can tell is the only “petting zoo” for the kids (and not-so-young) to actually reach in and touch or pet a lobster! We did ask about the latter on a visit and found out they have a marine specialist who makes sure the petting lobster is well fed and cared for, and if it’s been the petting tank too long it gets “rotated out” and another lobster takes its place while it (sadly after doing the petting duty) heads for someone’s dinner plate. In any case, it’s still worth seeing, and if you have a few minutes, touching. They do have hand sanitizer by the tank and staff can answer any questions, too, so it’s a unique addition to merely eating lobster! For more info on the Maine Mall Bean restaurant, visit www.lindabeansperfectmaine.com/mainekitchen/restaurants/ where you will find hours, menus and more for all of the locations. We can tell readers the Maine Mall one is open seven days during regular mall hours and the staff and management are super friendly and fun to talk to. Lunch, by the way, for two came out to $30 as they have had that wonderful special both times we visited recently, though we’d fib were we not to say we’d go anyway as it’s a good time, a fun place and we love petting the crustacean in the tank, too!
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Shalom House Awards Honour Humanitarians Shalom House will honuor two humanitarians, Peter Driscoll and William Floyd at their annual Shalom House Hope Awards 5th November from 6 till 9 p.m. at the Ocean Gateway, downtown. The 2015 Johnson & Korda Innovation Award will be awarded to Peter Driscoll, Executive Director of Amistad, Portland’s leading Peer Support and Recovery Centre. Under Peter’s direction, Amistad has become a leader in developing services that are organised and delivered by peers. The 2015 Joseph Brannigan Community Excellence Award will be awarded to William Floyd, Executive Director of Genesis Community Loan Fund, who has been an integral part of the development of several housing, services and supported opportunities for those with disabilities all over Maine for the past 30 years. The Shalom House Hope Awards are named after the organisation’s founders Birger Johnson and Thor and Connie Korda, who with the help of others, spearheaded the first group home in Maine, which is now part of Shalom House’s 27 properties and support services for people with serious mental illnesses. To RSVP to the event visit www.shalomhouseinc. org or ring the Development Department at Shalom House on 207/874.1080.
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The Standard Reviewer
By Bill Elliott / Up Portland’s Film & Theatre Reviewer
There’s a moment towards the end The Walk, Robert Zemeckis’s stunninglyfilmed account of Philippe Petit’s legendary high wire walk between the two towers of the World Trade Centre in 1974 that sums up the movie in a single image. Philippe Petit’s photographer friend Jean-Louis wipes a piece of dirt from Philippe’s face just before the French aerialist steps onto a taut steel cable to take the first precarious steps between the north and south towers. It is a touching moment, an intimate act of friendship and consolation. Petit’s “performing” costume has just blown over the edge of the tower and with it, it seems, most of his confidence. The moment encapsulates what The Walk is about. While the film focuses on Philippe Petit, his daring act would not have been possible without the help of friends. Mercurial, arrogant and self-centred, Petit is nevertheless talismanic enough to attract around him a loyal band of disciples. The camaraderie that develops among the close-knit group of French and American bohemians during the meticulous planning stages of the eponymous walk is one of the film’s most appealing features. The Walk is a quiet, poetic film that is unlikely to grab mainstream American audiences in the way it deserves to, especially since it is competing commercially with the likes of The Martian, The Intern and Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials. Shot in an almost documentary, cinéma vérité style, the film feels more European than American, in both sensibility and approach to storytelling. From the outset, Philippe Petit (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) addresses the audience directly as the film’s narrator as well as its protagonist. This gives the film an intimate, fly-on-the-wall feel. Recounting the story of his daring stunt from conception to execution, Petit invites the audience to become accomplices in the act. It’s an interesting approach given that the feat was intended to appear to onlookers as an impromptu piece of street theatre or performance art. In fact, what came to be tagged the “artistic crime of the century” required close to six years of planning by the small band of confidantes working on both sides of the Atlantic. The event itself became a national and international front-page story. The film opens with Philippe Petit as an adult standing atop the Statue of Liberty’s torch, with the Twin Towers gleaming in the background. As he tells the story of his audacious plan to illegally enter the not-quite-completed towers, set up a steel wire between the two buildings, and walk the 140 feet between them, the film dances back and forth between flashbacks and the early Seventies, with Petit and the two towers as omnipresent figures looming over New York City. As a child, Philippe sneaks under a tent to watch a circus performance. He is intrigued by the high wire walkers. The aerialists look supernatural; to the naked eye they appear to be floating in air. There is something that immediately strikes him as poetic and dangerous, and he is drawn by the pull of the narrow piece of rope that separates life from death. Breaking into the tent after hours as teenager to practice walking the high wire, he is caught by the Czech circus impresario Papa Rudy (Ben Kingsley), whom Philippe impresses with his juggling skills. Papa Rudy agrees to be his mentor — for a fee.
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Working as a street performer in Paris, juggling, wire walking, and doing sleightof-hand tricks, Philippe first learns about the World Trade Centre while reading a newspaper in a dentist’s office. At the time, the Twin Towers aren’t much more than an architect’s casual rendering. But Philippe’s poetic young mind sees in them a symbol of man’s reach extending its grasp. And he decides that his personal heaven would be reached by putting a wire between the two towers and walking between them. Philippe nurtures his obsession, meticulously researching the towers as they come closer to completion. Meanwhile, the young street performer blooms into a skilful aerialist, under the tutelage of Papa Rudy. Meeting Annie (Charlotte Le Bon), a street performer and musician, Philippe enlists her as his first “accomplice” to conquer New York. More accomplices arrive: a young photographer Jean-Louis (Clément Sibomy), then Jean-Louis’s friend, Jean-Francois (César Domboy), or Jeff as he prefers to be known. On their numerous preparatory trips to New York, the band befriends Jean-Pierre (James Badge Dale), an American Francophone, who works in a pawn shop and overhears their plans. An inside man from one of the Twin Towers, Barry Greenhouse (Steve Valentine), is brought on board when he recognises Philippe, who by this time has gained some international notoriety by walking between the two spires of Notre Dame cathedral in Paris, and between two pylons of the Sydney Harbour Bridge. While the film’s outcome is well known to the audience, the build-up to the aerial climax is great fun. The group of outlaws dress up as construction workers, fake IDs, and move hundreds of pounds of equipment into the upper floors of the still-in-construction towers, risking capture by security staff and police. It’s heady stuff. As enjoyable as The Walk is, it does not quite emulate James Marsh’s Man on Wire, made seven years earlier. Whereas The Walk is a fictional film that adopts a documentary style, Marsh’s film is a documentary that recreates the events leading up to the WTC wire crossing using actors. Man on Wire not only uses dramatic re-enactments alongside interviews and news footage, its entire narrative structure mirrors that of a heist film, giving it an even greater dramatic edge. The Walk attempts the same, but to lesser effect. Since Petit’s high-wire routine was an illegal act, no movie cameras were on site to film the event in real time. Thus, Marsh’s documentary relies on still photographs for the film’s climax. The Walk, on the other hand, employs spectacular visual effects to recreate the aerial walk. Even though the audience is aware that trickery is being used, the cinematography is breath-taking and dizzying. What gives Man on Wire more of an emotional edge is that the first half of the film depicts the World Trade Towers being built. Since 2001, we have seen —over and over again — images of them coming down. At no point does Man on Wire make any reference to the Twin Towers destruction. That would take away from the film’s main focus — Petit’s death-defying feat of reckless bravery and chutzpah. The star of Man on Wire is Philippe Petit. The Walk, however, chooses to put the World Trade Towers front and centre stage. The Twin Towers loom large in almost every shot of Manhattan. In its seamless recreation of the towers, the film gravitates emotionally towards wishful thinking and psychologically towards a final act of closure. As companion pieces, Man on Wire and The Walk recount a tale of youthful determination, recklessness, hubris and almost balletic creativity. Petit’s tale is from a more innocent time in American history, when the vulnerability of the World Trade Towers could be exploited for a life-affirming and artistic endeavour rather than a destructive and murderous one.
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Letting The Cat Out Of The Bag By Stacy Begin / Owner, Two Fat Cats Bakery The Jenga Cake
shortcuts that I would never, EVER, EVER allow at the bakery. In fact, I would roundly chastise an employee for even suggesting a shortcut. But at home, well… The first shortcut was to only spray the pans even though the recipe suggests, wisely as it turns out, to spray AND flour the pans. About half the cake made it out of the pans. But no worries. I had chocolate buttercream frosting, an excellent adhesive, and I busied myself “gluing” the cake together. On to the next shortcut – assembling the cake. Normally, you should trim each layer before stacking them. But was I really going to waste one morsel of precious cake by trimming?! I think you know the answer to that question. One untrimmed layer rose above the other until I had a tilting wonder of chocolate.
I love Chocolate Zucchini Cake. Not just any zucchini cake, but a three-layer monstrosity with chocolate buttercream frosting that’s luscious and deeply satisfying. I want to eat it in the Summer, at the height of zucchini season, while sitting on my porch. And, usually I do. But this Summer, things were unusually busy and all at once October touched down and still no zucchini cake. The cake weighed heavy on my mind. And, so, on an unusually warm October day, I marched down to the Farmers’ Market, bought what was surely the last of the zucchini crop, and prepared to bake my most favourite cake.
I did not shortcut the chocolate buttercream process unless you think total neglect is a shortcut. In which case, I did take a shortcut. I failed to make enough. So there it was, the cake I waited all Summer to make - half-naked and leaning like a Jenga game. We all looked at it wondering if it would survive the first slice or implode like a crumbling old barn. I am pleased to report that it survived the first slice and the slice after that and the one after that until I went to the cake stand one day and nothing remained but crumbs, archaeological remnants scattered about as if to say “Here stood the Jenga cake. It was very, very good.”
At this point, I’d like to depart from the narrative for a moment, to go off on a tangent. Like many of you, my days off are very busy. There are kids and dogs, laundry, car repairs, etc.,etc., yada yada, fill in the blank with your own errands. So, sometimes at home, when pressed for time, I may – just may – take
So, I encourage you to make your own Jenga cake. If it leans, prop it up; if it’s unsightly, turn the ugly side to the wall like a Christmas tree. Just bake. Oh, and use up all that zucchini.
Taste your way through town on our daily tours, exploring local delicacies in Portland, Rockland, Kennebunkport and Bar Harbor
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Eric’s Optimal Corner Eric Hilton / Optimal Self Community Health and Wellness Center When the colder months start to roll in and our bodies start to slow down; we have to find a way to keep the engine burning and the body moving. I suggest Weight Training because to me it is a perfect way to increase your body’s fat burning process, plus it makes you strong and leaves you feeling good. Incorporating a simple weight training routine into your lifestyle builds discipline and good habits. There are many resources out there for you. Please let me share my passion for weight training and give you a basic understanding of how to get started. I have beaten up my body so much over the years. My body was in constant pain from bad posture and injuries. All I could do was drag this body around, until I was led to discover a way to keep it moving so that the pain would no longer drag me down. I discovered that weight training could help re-pattern my body’s improper movements and give me strength to move with less effort. It helped to lighten the stress of life. Weight training is the movement of a muscle with resistance. A simple weight training regime allows you to target individual parts of your body, as you take your time and enjoy it. I have heard many people tell me that “I don’t want to get big and muscular” or “I just want to do cardio.” Weight training is what you make of it and it helps all other types of fitness. Think of it as a personal discovery of your relationship with your body. Here are just a few benefits: �
The more lean muscle you have, the more fat you burn.
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Training improves bone density (recommended for osteoporosis).
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Working out is a natural antidepressant.
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It increases your daily energy and ability to move.
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Strengthens your joints and takes the pressure off your skeletal system.
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Training gives you the ability to sculpt your body the way you want it, and to feel good about it
Honoring your body is loving yourself and is guaranteed worth your time. So, how should you do it: �
Train smart and consult your doctor first if you have any health conditions that may be affected by training.
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Find a fitness centre or gym you feel comfortable in and make sure it’s located in a convenient place that works with your travel and lifestyle.
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Make the decision to commit to a membership for your health.
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Have the staff show you all the equipment so you know to use it.
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Go to an introductory session with a personal trainer to get you started.
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Create a schedule that can be consistent and realistic. If you want to go to the gym every day, and you haven’t worked out for a long time, you
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may have to start with just three days. If you miss a day then make it up and hold yourself accountable. The consistency of a regular weight training routine will keep you growing and not just struggling to maintain. �
Aim to target every muscle group in your body each week.
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Give yourself an hour to work out if you can comfortably handle it.
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Find a work out buddy so you can motivate each other.
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Read a book or use the web to learn about weight training for yourself. Learn about your body’s anatomy and understand how it moves.
Once your plan is complete, then start the journey. Before I begin training I always start with about seven minutes of stretching my whole body to increase blood flow and to get my muscles activated. Doing five minutes on a cardio machine can be used to warm up and awaken the muscles as well. This is how a basic model for weekly weight training and your hour at the gym could look if we chose to work out five days a week, an hour a day. We could set up our days like this: —Monday: Biceps/Triceps (Arms). —Tuesday: Shoulders. —Wednesday: Legs. —Thursday: Chest/Core (Abs). —Friday: Back. This example targets the whole body and is sufficient for a beginner. We don’t want to over train and exhaust ourselves completely. Take it easy in the beginning and be patient with yourself. The results and comfort will come from each dedicated week. The more you do, the more you can do! To set up your hour of exercises; take the muscle group of the day and pick three or four exercises. Each exercise is made up of repetitions and sets. A repetition is the number of times you move the weight. A set is one cycle of repetitions. This is how one exercise could look: Bicep curl- (4 sets) 1st set: 15 reps 2nd set: 12 reps 3rd set: 10 reps 4th set: 8 reps. As the repetitions decrease, the weight should increase. Start with a weight that you can comfortably do several times. As the reps decrease, add more weight being able to complete the set amount of reps with proper form. A personal trainer can show you safe form and how to achieve the results you are looking for. Recovery (rest) between sets is very important. When we give our muscles a break, they are able to be replenished and charged for the next set. Safely give yourself 60 seconds or more between sets. The heavier the weight, the longer the rest. If you maintain a consistent training regime each week, your body is guaranteed to feel healthier. It will be able to handle daily tasks with much more ease, feeling more capable every day because you are stronger. Weight training can also be a fun hobby. You set goals for yourself and see results from your efforts. Make it a regular part of your lifestyle and enjoy it. Join a gym to stay out of the cold and not stuck on the couch. Find a gym with a good community and make new friends who, just like you, care about their health. Get fierce with yourself and feel the power of your own inner strength, but above all, have fun training. I have been a personal trainer since 2005 and I have seen the beauty one can achieve. If you have any questions or if you are interested in starting a weight training routine, please get in touch with me. You can find me at Optimal Self Community Health and Wellness Center at 640 Congress Street, right here in Portland.
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Becoming A Professional Meterologist? For Forecaster Jack It’s not A Question Of Weather, Just When Continued From Page Three of scientific energy to that blizzard,” Jack said. “I was helped a lot by my family. They’ve really been supportive of what I’ve done, and they’ve really helped me become curious about what I love.” THIS UPCOMING WINTER As the months grow colder here in Maine, there has been an increasing amount of chatter about the severity of the upcoming Winter season. The Old Farmer’s Almanac — a source loathed by meteorologists, being based more on folklore than on observational science — has predicted a severely cold and snowy Winter in New England. This contrasts sharply with many climatologists’ predictions, who generally predict a more mild winter, partly due to the El Niño cycle which the world is experiencing. The El Niño and La Niña cycles have to do with the temperature of a specific part of the Pacific Ocean, which has been observed to have distinct effects on climates throughout the globe. “The Farmer’s Almanac is not based on science, and it shouldn’t really be trusted,” Sillin said. “The science of long-term forecasting is very new — we can’t predict sunny, cloudy, snowy, or rainy with any accuracy beyond seven days,” but he emphasised that we should trust those who have devoted their lives to these predictions. “My knowledge resides more in day-to-day forecasting,” Jack said. “Look at the National Weather Service, the Climate Prediction Centre — those guys
know what they’re doing.” MOVING FORWARD In between cross-country running, hiking, and yes — high school classes — Jack looks forward to expanding on his initial success in forecasting. This year, Jack has created another digital medium for his forecasts, delivered by video daily to anyone who adds his username on Snapchat. Additionally, he intends to continue another project he started last year for North Yarmouth Academy classmates, which is to keep his school constantly posted on the chance of a snow day if there is an impending storm. “Everyone really appreciates the snow days — it turns out that you really do get credit for getting the forecast right,” Sillin said. “I actually had a fan club at one point, after we had more than a few snow days…People do love it when I predict a snow day.” To see Jack’s impressive work for yourself, click the Forecaster Jack link on our website, www.upportland.com. For Snapchat users, you can add @ wxguysillin for a daily weather update to your phone that is more accurate than some professional meteorologists. Additionally, watch for Jack’s weather column in future issues of Up Portland as well as his daily forecast, starting in December on our web page so you can say, “I read him before he was famous!”. Peter Michalakes can be reached at pmichalakes16@waynflete.org
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Some Comments From Up Portland By Ted Fleischaker / Publisher We as a newspaper have been amused (not in a good way) and disappointed at the campaign being waged by those hoping against hope to get a “yes” vote on Question 2 in November. In truth, we as a newspaper want to follow up on our last month’s strong “NO ON 2” editorial (you can read it and all of the October issue on our website at www.upportland.com) by saying our opinion has not changed (nor have those of the mayor, AARP and any number of community organisations) and we hope everyone reading will VOTE NO on 2 on 3 November — and send a strong message that we need to clear out scenes like that at right and replace litter, emptiness and rusting gear with desperately needed housing, retail and an inviting (not weed-strewn) bayside park. What has us most upset is that the yes on 2 group appears to be playing fast and loose with “facts” during their PR campaign. Scare tactics like posting online and stating that 2 is needed (among other things) “to stop another Portland House being built” while they and anyone who can read is aware this is now impossible under existing zoning but the statement being left online by them for days after the exaggeration was pointed out is questionable. Also, we feel that their signs urging locals to “Protect Portland’s Scenic Beauty” are a joke on voters. What they really mean (and what they really should say) is “Protect Our Personal Special Interests”. In addition to killing the 58 Fore Street (Portland Company) project today, the proposed rule a yes on 2 would establish would not only create another hoop for potential developers of any project to jump through (a committee to assure views they want remain) but the rule, if passed would prohibit council (that’s the folks we elect) from altering or changing the whole “not in my backyard” scheme the yes side has drempt up for five years without another city-wide vote. Oh, and for good measure passage of 2 would be retroactive to cover the Portland Company redevelopment. Can we say skewed logic, blocking progress and a real “stopper” for almost anyone and anything being built now or for five plus years to come? Question 2’s misguided passage would not only create a “scenic viewpoint protection zone” (translate: it specifically is for those few folks along Fore Street who might be impacted and who do not care that the city will be stuck with an overburdening rule) but it will require a task force (ie: another hoop) to be formed which will identify additional views now and forever which might need “protecting”. This (really) could include something as innocuous as a tree you plant which grows up and in five years “offends” your neighbour by changing his view with some lovely leaves and branches! While we are sorry for a few folks along Fore from Waterville to Atlantic streets that their views may be slightly impacted (the developer has shown plans which assure this will be extremely minimal or totally untrue depending upon location) we can safely say we are satisfied with the sensitive and forward-thinking job that the Fore Street proposal takes into account. But more importantly, we as a newspaper feel Question 2 goes way beyond anything reasonable and, for a handful of people’s special interests will all but block needed, but controlled, growth in our city. For that reason it MUST go down to defeat so we ask readers to go to the polls 3rd November and to vote a strong NO on Question 2. Your future and ours depend upon the continued growth of our city. Please vote NO and send a message for progress on the Peninsula!
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The Buck Stops Here
By Luke Reinhard / Advisor — Ameriprise Financial
Grandparents: Four Tips for Spending on Your Grandkids Many grandparents spend cash on their grandkids – whether by chipping in on tuition bills, purchasing special treats or simply buying holiday gifts and helping with day-to-day expenses. Many seniors say that creating a financially secure life for themselves and their family is an important goal. As a grandparent, it can be hard to find a balance between supporting (and spoiling) your grandkids while ensuring you don’t run short on funds to reach your own financial and retirement goals. Here are four tips to keep it all in check: 1.
Know what you can afford. No matter how much you enjoy splurging on your grandkids, your financial security should remain your first priority. There are many unknowns in retirement, including your longevity, fluctuation of the markets and the impact of inflation on purchasing power. Spend and gift within your means to maintain your own financial health in the future.
2. Determine if you’re giving or loaning. If you’re giving a gift, understand current federal tax rules, which are based on the calendar year. In 2015, you can give up to $14,000 to each family member before the federal gift tax is applied. And make certain the recipient knows it’s a gift for their own tax purposes, and so there is no uncertainty about whether or not they need to pay you back. If you are loaning money to a grandchild, be very specific about the terms and repayment, and consider having a written document that both parties sign and date. This can help safeguard your financial situation and ensure both of you are on the same page – now and in the future. 3. Talk about it. Many people tend to shy away from discussions about money and finances with their family. If you would like to help support your grandchildren or save for their future goals like college or a down payment on a home, be sure to communicate this with their parents. This can help your adult children do a better job with their own financial planning. For example, if the parents of your grandchild know how much you are expecting to contribute to their child’s education, they may be able to decrease the amount allocated to a 529 Plan and invest more toward other goals, such as their own retirement. 4.
Establish boundaries. Even if you want to help your grandchildren financially, depending on their situation, it may not be appropriate to do so, or to repeatedly provide support. Everyone appreciates help, but if your grandchild needs to learn financial independence, there can be value in letting them live within their own means. Keep in mind the smart — and sometimes tough — financial lessons you learned as you made your own way as a young adult, and the pride that came with successfully overcoming challenges.
If you want to provide financial support to a family member, but haven’t incorporated it into your overall financial plan, consider consulting a financial professional. He or she can help you evaluate your financial needs and goals and create a strategy. A clear and realistic understanding of your own financial picture can help you identify how much you can comfortably give and stay on track with your own goals.
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Get Up Off That Sofa! It’s 6.) Eat At Le Petite Jacqueline, French Bistro: 190 State Street.
by Peter Michalakes & Ted Fleischaker The season is over, the nights are getting longer and you could let boredom set in, but why? Portland is a city filled with countless shops, restaurants, hole-inthe-wall bars, and enough tours and history to satisfy even the most ambitious of we locals. Our staff decided to pick out some of the above we especially like and challenge readers to visit as many as possible in the days remaining in 2015. Here is our list, so far, now go, and send us your suggestions, too: 1.) Visit the Northeast’s finest creamery right here in Portland: go by and try some of the over 30 samples on offer every day at Cabot Farmers’ Annex, 163 Commercial Street. Everything’s available to buy, too, and nothing’s better than a grilled cheese and tomato soup lunch on these crisp Autumn days. 2.) Ride the Portland Fire Truck. From its’ base on Commercial Street you’ll get a unique perspective on a guided tour of the city.
4.) Explore Peaks Island via Casco Bay Lines: 56 Commercial St. Or better still, ride the mail boat which tours a number of the islands (while dropping off freight & mail) twice daily all year round. Dress warmly and enjoy Casco Bay up close & personal. Cost is about $20 for the three-hour trip.
3.) The holiday decor is up (or soon will be) and now’s a great time to tour the Victoria Mansion: 109 Danforth St. Info/schedules: www. victoriamansion.org
7.) Enjoy the great (and warming) chowders at Gilbert’s Chowder House, 92 Commercial Street. Afterwards, walk around the block and see where some of the freshest fish comes from at Harbor Fish Market on Custom House Pier. 8.) Walk the first Friday Art Walk: Congress St 9.) Run the Back Cove Trail: Off of Marginal Way. 10.) Indulge at Gorgeous Gelato: 434 Fore Street. Or cross the street and try Gelato Fiasco. Either one is sure to please. 11.) Experience Portland’s history at the Eastern Cemetery on Congress Street. 12.) Walk the Western Promenade and check out the Maine Medical Centre’s historic sections dating back well over 100 years. 13.) Attend a concert at the Portland State Theatre: 609 Congress Street. 14.) Visit the “Top of the World” Park: North Street off of Congress. 15.) Eat at Asmara Ethiopian Cuisine: 51 Oak Street and experience some unique dishes. 16.) Browse the Portland Museum of Art: 7 Congress Street. 17.) Go vinyl shopping at “Strange
5.) Photograph the Eastern Promenade. Take Fore Street east from downtown and bring good walking shoes. The views (below) are worth it.
Maine”: 578 Congress Street. 18.) You’ll have to wait till Speing to tour innards of the Portland Observatory at 138 Congress Street as their season ended in October, but you can hike or drive up to the nation’s oldest ocean observing tower and see it any day from the outside. Built in 1807, it is the only known surviving tower of its type in the United States and it also happens to be the “symbol” we use throughout Up Portland. 19.) Watch a movie at Nickelodeon Cinemas: 1 Temple Street. 20.) Enjoy locally-owned brews at Omi’s Café: 28 Brackett Street or
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Time To Explore Portland! see how they brew beer and have a free taste or two at Shipyard Brewing Company on Hancock, between Newbury & Middle streets.
29.) Shop for a unique, Maine-made t-shirt (perfect for holiday gifts) over at 10 Moulton Street’s Liberty Graphics in the heart of the Old Port.
21.) Do something different and visit the International Cryptozoology Museum: 11 Avon Street.
30.) Explore the tastes and aromas at the Publc Market House on Monument Square. They have it all from wines to hot soups at Kamasouptra and a huge cheese selection at K Horton Specialty Foods, too. Great for a lunch break!
22.) Bring the family to the Children’s Museum: 142 Free Street. 23.) Tour the Wadsworth-Longfellow House. Tix/Info: 489 Congress Street. 24.) Ride the Maine Brew Bus: 111 Commercial Street or for you food hounds out there, try a Maine Foodie Tour: www.mainefoodietours.com 25.) Make your own pottery at Colour Me Mine: 1 Thompson’s Point or at Portland Pottery, Studio & Cafe at 118 Washington Ave. 26.) See up-and-coming musicians at Blue: 650A Congress Street. 27.) Visit the free Maine Jewish Museum & Etz Chaim Congregation, built in 1921 at Congress & India streets and learn why this area of town was called “the Jerusalem of the North” in the early 1900s. 28.) Get some great scones, a Shaker or apple or sour cherry pie or even a savoury Chicken Pot Pie at Two Fat Cats Bakery on India Street.
31.) Visit Congress Square Park, below, have a bite to eat from a food truck and set your watch by the clock from Portland’s long-gone and lamented railway station.
32.) Race your physically-fit friends up Fox Street’s hill just East of Franklin, then walk back down and at the bottom enjoy the taste and aroma of fresh coffee at Coffee By Design’s coffee house and roastery, 1 Diamond Street. 33.) Have your own “Maine Adventure” at the Portland branch of Reny’s Department Store at 540 Congress Street, below right.
34.) Take in a performance on The Kotzschmar Organ, Portland’s Historic Municipal Organ at Merrill Auditorium. Info & dates: www.foko.org
35.) Take a lunch break and have some of the town’s best pizza or a stuffed muffuletta and some delicious housemade dessert at Micucci’s at the corner of India and Middle streets. This long-time staple dates back to the days when this was a neighbourhood of immigrants and when most everyone was either Italian, Jewish or Irish. That’s our list thus far. Share your unique adventures with us and we’ll feature your submissions in the next installment. Enjoy exploring the city! Peter Michalakes can be reached at pmichalakes16@waynflete.org & Ted at ted@upportland.com
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The Gossip Column
invasion goin’ on here in Maine or if it was all just Halloween happening a bit prematurely. First we posted a headline from a Down East newspaper about a guy in jail, unable to raise $500 cash bond locked up for allegedly biting the ear off another man during a disagreement! And then there was a chalk board (left below) we spotted at the Monument Square Farmer’s Market about vampires and finally the licence plate we saw (left) on a motorcycle parked over on High Street just a stone’s throw from Congress Square. (That’s two motorcycles in one column!) Anyway, we cats have yet to find any
By Britain & Sydney / The Up Downtown Office Gossip Cats Ever wonder why we cats have ears that are pretty large and can turn to different directions at the same time? Well, in we pussies’ way of thinking it’s so we don’t miss anything big. And boy do we have plenty to write about this month (and you thought November was all about our feathered friends, the turkeys, huh?)... First off, our owners are $3 richer and nobody knows who’s the poorer for it as Ted looked down at his feet this week during a walk over on Newbury Street and instead of the usual litter blowing in the Autumn winds were three $1 bills! It’s not unusual to pick up a penny or two or even a dime, but $3 was a good find for a street corner!... Speaking of streets and finding, it never ceases to amaze we cats what we will find over on Middle and India streets. Last month it was a stack of pies from Two Fat Cats Bakery at the corner of the two roadways and this time, well, someone lost their boots! We spotted a pair, shown, in front of Eventide one afternoon on Middle just sitting there. The owner (or some other shoeless “sole”) must have come by shortly after our photo as an hour and a half later when we cats checked again, the footwear had walked on (Dare we say: given the boot?) One never knows what will show up on Middle & India streets, now do we?!... Speaking of puns, why did the motorcycle need a nap? Well, of course: It was “too tired”. But over on Washington Avenue a classic Honda our owners pass and envy for it’s great condition all the time on their fitness walks must have taken that pun too literally as one day in mid-October they passed to see the bike not upright, but laying on its side! Fortunately next time they passed it was upright again, so we can only assume that nap time was over!... Speaking of over, over in our downtown neighbourhood we have two pugs who live down the block. You know, pugs of the dog variety. Anyway, we are trying to get these dirty dogs to spill all the beans about their owner’s weekend in the South for a wedding recently...but the pooches ain’t doing a lot of talking so far. The parts of the story we kittens did get was this: the pugs owner had an old college friend getting married down south and made plans to fly down for the weekend wedding — formal dress and all. Seems she got down there but instead of a wedding there was a huge fracas, ending up with some full wine glasses being thrown at the rehearsal dinner and some visitations by the local constabulary to quell things before they got even worse. At the end of the day we cats hear there never was a wedding and from what’s been told us as of this writing, there never will be — at least not by the couple she went to help celebrate. But get this: We cats hear this is not the first, but the second, set of nuptials which the same lady went to witness which did not happen. And the second set called off the very day they were due to take place when the “lovers” became combatants, too! That begs us to ask: “If you were going to get married (given her “luck”) would you include her in the guest list?” Makes us pussies go “hummm” and we are gonna sit on those pugs to get what Paul Harvey used to call “the rest of the story” sooner or later, too! ... Speaking of stories, we got am earful from a cool cat who texted to tell us a local dude in his town was going to buy an old airplane he found for sale and fly it around the world. Of course the guy flew (pun there?) off the handle when the cat told him it had been done (though none too successfully) by Amelia something-or-other. What’s the line about fame being fleeting? ...And finally, a friend in Toronto saw a few of our owners’ posts on Facebook and asked if we had a zombie
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zombies, but it does appear the fun and playful spirits were alive and well during October’s lead-up to Halloween! That is, aside from “hearing” about the severed ear which, according to the newspaper story, was too damaged for doctors to reattach and which brings us back to the ears we used to start this month’s missive. We will be “listening” for further details, but on that note will turn it over to the feathered turkeys and wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving. Now go gobble up some great food and don’t forget a pie from our furry associates over at (where else?) the Two Fat Cats Bakery on India Street! Oh, and while they are usually closed Mondays this time of year, they will be open the Monday of Thanksgiving week. Make ours a sour cherry and hold the pits for the pugs! Up Portland Is A Proud Member of the
December Edition Deadline
Wednesday 18th November Papers On Street: Tuesday 24th November
Up Portland is published the last week of every month at 22 Hancock Street, Suite 403, Portland, Maine 04101. 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 will 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 2015 by BBS, A division of High Speed Delivery Fork Ltd. & Ted Fleischaker and may not be reproduced in any form without prior written approval.
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Sauntering With Mat
By Mat Robedee / Up Portland Commentator
Sometimes the best way to appreciate Portland is to take some time away from it all. For some that may be a stroll along the Presumpcot River Trails, a tour on Casco Bay or a simple drive thru the countryside. One of the greatest perks of living in Portland is that you can still get the big city feel while having endless opportunities for unique day adventures at your fingertips. It was a gorgeously sunny Indigenous Peoples Day (a.k.a. Columbus Day) and I had to get out of the city to explore. I knew that the foliage was at its peak, so I called up my father and told him to get ready for an adventure. We loaded up bags, jumped in my car and decided the best way to see the most of the colours was to see as many trees as possible at once. We decided to take a ride into country, amongst the White Mountains and eventually made our way up the Mount Washington Auto Road. Mount Washington is in New Hampshire, yet if weather treats you well – it can clearly be seen from various areas in the city, such as the Western Prom or even at top of the Eastland;
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while sipping on your favourite bevvy as the sun sets (which makes for a great touch to any date by the way). The mountain itself is the highest peak in the Northeastern United States at 6,288 ft (1,917 m) and internationally recognised for its extreme weather, including a 231-mile-per-hour wind gust which, until a couple years ago when bested by an Australian typhoon, was the highest ever recorded on earth! The Native Americans originally called the mountain Agiocochook, which roughly meant "Home of the Great Spirit". It is said that neighbouring tribes never ascended the mountain and the first actual recording of the mountain being summited was by Darby Field, in 1632. He began his trip from Portsmouth, New Hampshire, because lack of roads allowed no access to the base of the mountain and the trip took a total of 18 days. Eventually the mountain was renamed for General George Washington (before he became President) and in 1861 the Mount Washington Auto Road was completed and open to the public. The auto road is by no means a simple drive and those scared of heights should consider sitting passenger on this one, which is why I have that look of terror in the photo at left. The journey begins at Toll House (yes it costs money), where you receive a packet of information, a CD you can listen to on your way up explaining the history of the auto road, along with the famous “This car climbed Mount Washington” bumper sticker. Being a hiker, who has climbed this mountain over two dozen times, these stickers make me laugh out loud, but what the hell – slap it on your bumper if you feel proud! The road climbs a dramatic 4,618 ft (1,408 m) from the toll house and is full of narrow twists, turns and very steep edges (thus that terror). The narrow mountain roads have no guardrails but numerous pull-offs where one can rest if their nerves are getting too high.
Up Portland 11.15 On The Web At: www.upportland.com
The road takes you up through the White Mountain Forest where eventually the trees decrease in size the higher one ascends. The real magic of this land is experienced once one makes it past the tree line and into
the alpine zone, right. The weather at this altitude quickly can go “downhill” as the temperatures can plummet (don’t forget to pack warm clothes regardness of the time of year) and one gets the feeling they are driving on Mars or another distant planet, rather than a mountain in New Hampshire. Fogs and ice and even snow can suddenly appear, too, even in the “warmer” months, so make a note to check the forecast before you leave Portland and remember those winds. It’s said the meterologists, TV engineers and others who “man” the summit year round have an informal “100-milean-hour” club. To gain entry one must walk cross the entire deck of the summit observatory with the winds gusting to (you guessed it) over the century mark. So what’s it like on even a “tame” Fall day up here? Boulder strewn fields and jagged landscape surround, as you sit angled back in your car, slowly making your way to the top. Once at the summit, most are surprised at the amount of development. Granted, I for one am not a fan of it all but if it were to be done, I do find the construction of it to be tasteful. At the summit there is that gorgeous observation deck, a museum, cafeteria, a couple gift shops and a U.S. Post Office (with it's own ZIP code). So get a hot dog, buy a knickknack and mail someone a letter if you must – but the real beauty is outside – so go enjoy it! Oh, and be sure as you look 360 you note the various antennas on the mountain. One of those carries the signal of WHOM-FM (94.9), the former easy listening and now soft rock station everyone in Portland listens to at least once in awhile. Thanks to its’ 6,312 foot (1,924 metre) antenna height above sea level (think the shops on Commercial Street) it’s reputed to have the largest land mass coverage of any FM staton in North America with its 48,000 watts of power. I do know that you can hear it from Massachusetts to Quebec and beyond.
Fun Fact: A street in Colorado Springs is named Mount Washington because it is the same elevation as its New Hampshire counterpart.
But the greatest part about this day excursion away from the city, is that Mount Washington is a forever changing attraction. I have been there endless times now and at each encounter, the experience is like none before. The mountain is always different — the weather, the foliage, the season, the views – so no matter what time of year it is, the drive out is worth the journey. If you happen to want an escape from the city to explore this area but the auto road is closed due to the Winter season, do not fret. You could hike it in the Winter as I have (watch for the horizontal icicles sculpted by the winds), but far easier is to consider booking a day tour via snow coach. Mount Washington does incredible tours to the 4,200-foot tundra level in the Winter allowing one access to a world that few get the chance to experience that time of year — all in comfort and warmth, while allowing someone else to drive up. So what’s the drive cost? Car and driver: $28 with each additional adult $8 (includes a bumper sticker and audio tour on CD in English, French or German); Motorcycle and operator: $16, passenger: $8. Children ages 5- to 12: $6, under 5: free. Info: www.mtwashingtonautoroad.com/start-your-adventure/
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Up Portland 11.15 On The Web At: www.upportland.com