healthcarewiththerightattitude.Afterall,isn’tthatwhatlifeinMaineshouldbe?
9TalesoftheGrandHotels: Wakeup Call at the Eastland
TheEastlandIlotel.builtin1927andfeaturingtheTopoftheEast,hassome newowners.ButwilltheybringI.egalSeafoodinastheirflagshiprestaurant? BvColinSargent
17 La Survivance!
Thisrallyingcryreferstotheeffortto sustainFranco-/\mericanculture,andtheI'rench language,inMaine.ByDenisLedoux
24 Sunday In The Park With Fred FredTompson’sCastleintheParkisthecrownjewel ofDeeringOaks.By1lerbertAdams
30 Women Are From Mars: Isn'tthat...SueSmrekar? z\chatwithFarmington’sownRedPlanetscientist. BvIIcrbertAdams
32 The Good Doctor
MAS.H.authorDr.RichardHookergaveus morethanabelievablecharacterinIlawkeye Pierce.IIecreatedanewarchetype.ByColinSargent
39 Fran's Place
35 Getaways: The Balsams
ThisShangriLaoftheCroatNorthWoodsis closertoPortlandthananyothermajorcity.ByColinSargent
43 100 Neal Street
Designedforahand-lotionmagnate,this JohnCabinStevenshouseisashowcase ofthearchitect’stouches.ByColinSargent
47 Fiction: Yaxass Iyo Dawaco (CrocodileEtFox)
ASomalitaletranslatedbyMarianAhmed&ConorQuinn.
port'a nd Hi^ Scb0students 7aitun andIstatA".
Xeg^’ of soma" Seestonf. page 41 •
Putsome“Good"IntheGoodbye!
Donateyourusedcar,boatorcamper totheNationalKidneyFoundationof Maine.We’llarrangeforpickupand youmayqualifyforataxdeduction.I Funds will support programs for | patients and families in Maine. i 1-800-488-CARS(2277)
PayneStewart’sPilot Whenaninternationalfigure likegolfstarPavneStewartis losttotheworldinaghostly LearjetthatfliesoverNorth Americaforfourhourswith allsoulsonboardpresumeddead,the wiresenieestendtolisttheotherpassen¬ gersandcrewinembersinsmallprint. Butoneofuswasonthatplane. Infact,hewasthepilot,aMaineAir NationalGuardofficerwholivedin Brewer.IIejustwasn’tin.Mainewhenit happened,that’sall.
IcarriedMainewithmewhenIwasa NavypilotfixingintheIndianOcean duringtheHostageCrisis,soIknow whatthat’slike.Iwasnewermorea MainerthanwhenIflewoxerMombasa, Kenya,lookingdownthroughnix'chin bubbleatgrass-coxeredhutsorfixing oxerthelostdesertsofMasirah,aBritish IndianOceanterritorialislandwherethe
natixepopulationlivesincrashedordis¬ cardedUSandUKaircraft(fromPBYs toA-1Skxraiderstob’-14s).Kcmcmbcr howIlawkexePiercealwavssaxshes from Maine inM.A.S.II.(seeourstory, page32)? 1 droxenix'detachmentcrazv withMainestories,too.Beingfrom someplaceistheonl\'hopexouhaxeof gettingback.
That’swhyweatPoRTIAXD MAGAZINE sovalueoursubscribersfromCermam to.AustraliatoSaudiArabia.Mostof themmakeitbackafterafewxears.
SadlwthepilotofPaxncStewart’sLear jet35willnot.An.AirforceIM6sentup toiiixestigatctheI.earjet’sinexplicable northwestcourse(ithadtakenoffin OrlandoheadedforDallasandcwentuall\ crashed in swampland near Mina, South Dakota) said he couldn’t see MichaelKling. 43,orhiscopilot.Steph¬ anieBellegariguc,throughthewindows becausefrostwasaccumulatingonthe insideandthepassengerwindowswere dark-acatastrophiclossofcabinpres¬ sure.theN’TSBwillprobablvconclude. Aplanethatflicsitselfat44,000feet and600milesperhourremindsmeof theAndreaDoria,theshiprescuersdis¬ coxcredwiththetablesetforsupperbut nooneonboard.Whatdisturbsisthe suspense,theunfinished,theunknown... 4heonethingIdoknowisthatMaine staxswithuswherexcrwego.Mikehad Mainewithhim.perhapsavisionofthe silxerPenobscotasitsnakesitswax'tothe sea.Ihopethatisasmuchacomfortto
Winter Surfers Ireadyourarticleonsurfingin Maine["CoingCoastal:Confessions ofa\\interSurfer,”storvandphotos bvEugeneCole]withgreatinterest.
1amasurferfromwaybackinthe middle1960sherein.Maine.1am51 nowandnolongerpartakeinthesport. Inoticedtheguvcommentedthatthe boardhewasusingwasa10-foot\lako fromwavbackinthe1960s.Ihavea 9'6”CalCustomthat1wouldbeglad todonatetothegroup.
Ifthereisam'interest,voucanreach me bv email at gwpl@maine.rr.com orcallmeat655-327S.
ClennPorterfield POB 260 Ravmond,.Maine04071
PioneerSurfer “SurferJoe” Shevenell PleasetellEugeneCole|whoisdoc¬ umentingMainesurfinglegendsin textandphotographs-seehis“Coing
58ForeStreet,Portland,ME04101 (207) 828-0814 ■ www.datamainc.com/mngrr
ComeandseeMaine’suniquerailroadheritage, theworldfamouscollectionoftwo-footgaugecars and engines on display and operating atthePortland Company located on beautiful Casco Bay.
Museum entrance andtrainride wheelchair accessible.
lours,schools andgroups welcomebv appointment.
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BarHarbor,Maine andAcadiaNationalPark Bar Harbor Inn OneofMaine’sfinest,full-service, oceanfrontresorts,offeringexceptionalaccommodations finedining&personalservice.Specialpackages&meal plans.RatedSuperiorFirstClassinOfficialHotelGuide. www.barharborinn.com 800-248-3351
Maine Street Motel Newlyrefurbishedthroughout, comfortable,modernrooms,convenientin-townlocation, reasonablerates,freeHBO. AAA ♦♦ www.mainestreetmotel.com 800-333-3188
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thatJoeShcvcncllwasapioneersurfer inthePortlandareaintheearly1960s. z\saMainenative,IgrewupinPort¬ landandrecalllisteningto“Surfer” JoeShcvcncll,whowasalocalDJand localbov.
EstelleWatsonSanders New Gloucester
Rustic Overtones Heyguys,justgotthewinterissueof Portlwd Magazine [Winterguide 2000].ThanksforthebitonRustic Overtones!
Joel Marcus joel 10@javanet.com
Submarine Net Iamlookingfordata,magazinearti¬ cles.etc.,dealingwithamthingrelat¬ edtoGermansinMaineinconnec¬ tionwithWorldWarII,suchasUincidents,P.O.W. camps,etc.1 alreadyhave thefollowing issuesof Port¬ landMagazine: October1995; September1995; December 1994; July/August1997;December1996. Ganyoutellmeanyotherissuesin whichyouhavehadarticlesofasimi¬ larnature?
.Also,1amlookingforinfoabout a German couple who moved to Maineinthe1920sandbecamelong¬ termspies.Butamthingyouhave willbehelpful.
BerylN.Battle WestBath bejcbatt@clinic.net
Thankyouforyourinterest!Tosearchfor indisidualstoriessince1985.tryourarchivesat www.portlandmonthly.com.Bytheway,we’re hopingtobecontactedbyfonnerU-lx>at cressmembersortheirdescendantswhojoined .Americansocietyafterthessarbysettlinghere inMaineorNewIlampshirc.Ifanyofour readerssharesthisextraordinaryperspective, pleasecallusat<207)7~5-4>59.-Ed.
editor@portlandmonthly.com
Colix SaRGEXI
Eou»ic/mg Editor O Publisher
Naxcy Sargexi ArtDirector
Cail Wartell
Publisher'sAssistant
Michai l J. Sullivax AdvertisingDirector
Sieve Luttrell Advertising
Elizabeth M. Eddy
C.ontraller
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JOHANNA Ha.NABURGH Editor
Diaxe Hudson CalendarEditor
Colix S. Sargent ProductionAssistant
Kevin LeDuc. Diane Hudson Photographers
Elizabith 1lUSION Intern
TracyGoldsmith Intern
POKTlAXD Magazine is published bv Surgent Publishing. Inc.. 5“S Congress Street, Portland. ME 04101. All corre¬ spondence should be addressed to 5“S Congress Street. Portland. ME 04101. Advertising Office; > S Congress Street. Portland. ME 04101 '.207) “"5-4539. Billing Ques¬ tions; Ifsou have questions regarding advertising invoicing and payments, call Elizabeth Eddy at ‘“5-4339.
Newsstand Cover Date; April 2000. published March 2000. Vol 15, No. 2. copvnght 2000 Portiaxd Magazine ismailed at third-class mail rates in Portland. ME 04101 ISSN: IO"C 1S5"l Opinionsexpressedinarticlesarethoseofauthorsand donotrepresenteditorialpositionsofPoRTl.WD Magazine. letterstotheeditorarcwelcomeandxsillbetreatedasunconditionallvassignedlorpublicationandcopyrightpurposes andas.subjecttoPOKTlAXD Magazine's unrestrictedrigntto editandcommentcditoriallv.Res|xmsiblconlsforthatportion of am advertisement which is printed mcorrectlv. Advertisers arcresponsibleforcopvrightsofmaterialstheysubmit.Nothing in this issue mas be reprinted in whole or in part without written permission from the publishers. Submissions welcome, butwetakenoresponsibilityforunsolicitedmaterials.
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T^HELDOn SHELDON SLATE is a family owned businesswithfourgenerationsofex¬ perience. We mine and manufacture our own slate products from our own quarries.Therangeofourcolorswill compliment any kitchen or bath. Our slateisheatresistant,non-porousand non-fading. It has a polished/honed finishandisverylowmaintenance.Let ushelpyoudesignandbuildacustom sink, countertop or vanity. Custom inquiries are handled through the Monson,Mainedivision.
Sinksandcountertopscanbecraftedina varietyofways.Useyourimagination,or wecanassistyouinyourdesign.
RestoringtheEgyptianTeaRoomtoits1920sgrandeurby rippingawaythefiberboardbroughtintocreatethe SonestaRibRoominthe1980s?ConsideringLegalSeafood asapossiblecenterpiecerestaurantforthehotel, aswellascompletelyrestoringandremarketingthe TopoftheEast,theGardenCafe,andtheEastlandCafe?
Radisson eastlandhotel NotonlydoestheEastlandHotel’sTopoftheEast Loungeoffer360-degreeviews,thehotelitself,built in1927,isabouttoexperiencea360-degree turnarounditselfaspartofaS3millionrestoration.
WakeupCallattheEastland estoringtheEgyptian’FeaRoom toits1920sgrandeurbvripping awaythefiberboardbroughtinto createtheSonestaRibRoomin the1980s?BringinginLegalSea¬ foodasapossiblecenterpiecerestaurant forthehotel,aswellascompletelyrestor¬ ingandremarketingthe'FopoftheEast lounge,theGardenCafe,andtheEast¬ landCafe?Thesearejustsomeofthe ideasbeingtossedaboutduringtheheady earlydaysofPortlandHotelAssociates' stewardshipoflireEastlandIlotel.which
Kober!Indeglia thevpurchasedatauctioninIcbruanfor 84.”5million.
o o o w
Buthowdidthisallcomeabout?
“luMax'orsoollastyear,wewerecon¬ tactedbyabrokernamedJimO’Connor, whorepresentedthe.Maddens,”savsRob¬ ertA.Indeglia.35,apartnerinthebastlandventureandexecutivevicepresident ofMagnaIlospitalitv('.roup,whichwill beprovidingtherestorationandmanage¬ mentexpertise.
Atthattime,theFlorida-basedMadden family, who had bought the Radisson EastlandforS9millionin1997,wasout ofmonevandoutofideasforthe204-
roomhotel.Indcgliaandhispartners,bv contrast,expertsinhotelrestoration,were intrigued.
“IcameuptoPortlandforaformalwalk¬ throughandwasexcitedbytheEastlands prospects.”The1927landmarkhotel“was similartotheTutwilerinBirmingham, Alabama.ItwasalsosimilartotheProvi¬ denceBiltmore.Itshallwaysreminded meoftheAmbassadorWestinChicago.”
“Itwasthedefininggrandhotel"ofthe PoorestCity“andhadwithstoodthetestof time.”Notonlythat,itpossessedarchitec¬ turaladvantagesthatcouldn'tbeequalled withmodernconstructionprices,andin allprobabilitywillneverbeduplicated.
“There’snothingelseinMainelikethe EastlandBallroom.”Indcgliasavsofthe underappreciatedattractionthat,at5,000 squarefeet,isoverhalfthesizeofthe Waldorf-Astoria's9,990-square-footGrand Ballroom,oneofthemostfamousinthe world.“Itwouldtakeanastronomical amountofmoneytocreateitifitweren’t alreadyhere.
“ButitwasthePortlandmarketthat attractedus,”hesavs.“Itlooks,appears, andsmellslike,fromtheresearchwe’ve done,tobeontherise.”
Ironically,"itisyourrelativelyslow¬ errecoveryfromtherecessionthat makesPortlandsoattractive.Oth¬ ercitieshavealreadyleveledoff. butPortlandhasn’tpeakedyet. ExceptforUnum,whichappearstobe transitioningoutofthearea,wefindthat corporationsarecominghereinasteady stream.Peoplearecominghere.Things arehappeninghere.It'snotahugemarket likeNewYork,butitisverymuchlike Providence,whereI'mfrom,andthekind ofplaceIenjoyworkingin-astrong third-tiercitv.”
Indcgliaexplainsthat“whenImention
MilIifcsloiq^Vkxorlx
Denis Ledoux, director
<Jilin।•<(iiliin| jlxslyytilin]sir\i<is fi i।.<।L\I umih xx<s 95-54GouldRoad,LisbonFalls,ME04252 edic@turningmemories.com tel:207-353-5454♦fax:207-353-7570
Seventeen-vearemployeesPunnvXadeau,left,andGloria PinedaarepartofthegrandEastlandtradition. theredevelopmentoftheimmediatearea, I’mthinkingofthePortlandMuseumof z\rt,theIlayBuilding-abeautifulbuild¬ ing-andtheState'Iheatre.Inourview. CongressStreetisoneoftheanchorsto downtownPortland.
‘Typically,we’renottheleadersin restoringanarea,we’rethefollowers.We hadtoseethoseotherthingshappening [therestorationoftheIlayBuildingfor StarbucksCoffeeandthe1lavGallen, thepurchaseandongoingrestorationof theState'Iheatrebuilding,andthestcadv, successfulgrowthofthePortlandMuse¬ umofr\rt]aheadofourspiffingupthe Fastlandinsideandouttojustifvour investment."
Moreover,theFastlandoccupies apreciousspotonCongress Square:“There'snotalotof roomtobuildthesehotels”on thepeninsula.‘Torexample, it’snotlikethey’llbuilda600-roomMar¬ riotthereinthecenterofthecits’.Several smallhotelsaregoingtobebuilt[during Portland’spresentexpansion|.buttbev’ll beoftheboutiquevarietyandweregoing tohappenanyway.Besides,they’reneed¬ ed. BeyondwhatwellofferattheFast¬ land,Portlandneedstherooms!"
AstakenasIndcgliaisaboutPortland, hekeepshisfeetonlevelground.Regard¬ ingtheperennialstirringsaboutbringing anewconventioncenterdowntown,“No matterhowmuchvisionariestalkabout creatinganewconventioncenter,the
Eastlandisactuallyhere. When you read thepapersinProvidence,itlooksasifsev¬ ennewhotelsarebeingbuilttheresimul¬ taneously,butifvoudrivearoundand surveythesites,vou'llseconlvonethatis actuallyrising.There'salotofhyperbole."
Sointheseearlydavsbeforethefinal closingpapersaresigned,whatinitial ideasarcbeingkickedaround?
“We’remakingalotofdecisionswitha birdseyeview,”Indegliasays.“It’sfunny thatyoumentionedLegalSeafood,be¬ causeit'salreadycrossedmvmind.DiMillo’sisanexcellentfamilyrestaurant, butwouldn’tthatbesomething?11istorically,weliketobringagoodoutside restaurantasavendor.Anotherpossibility I’dliketosecwouldbetohaveaOapitol Cyrille,areallvhigh-endsteakhouse.It doesn'truleoutourrunningourown restaurant,though,Eoratownlikethis therearealotofoptions."
PriortobiddingfortheEastlandat auction.Indegliaandhispartners broughtanengineerintothehotel forinitialsurveys.“Hetoldus,'If youripdownthewallsintheRib Room, some of the original Egyptian Roomarchitectureisstillthere,waiting.'" Ideally,Indegliawouldliketorescue detailsthatdatetothehotel’sconstruction intheRoaringTwenties,whenthefoot¬ stepslikethoseofCharlesLindbergh echoeddownthehalls,"buttherearelim¬ its.hesays."Insomeinstancesit'sbetter tohangupvintagephotographsshowing thehotelinitsearlydavs.”
AnInn „forall Anytimeoftheyearisagood timetovisitourall-suite InnonthebeautifulMainecoast. Enjovfirstclassaccomodations andtrulysujoerbdininginthe AudubonRoom.Petswelcome. JustminutesfromPortland.
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Overall,Indeglialovesthelayoutofthe restaurantsandplanstokeepthedining areaswheretheyare.RegardingtheTop oftheEast,heacknowledgesthatsucha star-cappedloungeisthesocialapexof majorcities,suchastheTopoftheMark inSanErancisco,"butwehavetostudvit inordertorecreateitasanattraction.”Eor starters,“itwillcontinuetobeopenand utilizedasalounge.Theremaybesome remarketing,butitmaybedifferent, becauseitwasn’tdoingmuchbusiness towardtheendbeforetheaction.”
Helikestherooftopexperience“be¬ causeitmakesituniqueforthehotel guest. The Hotel Washington is re¬ nownedforitsrooftoplounge...Itwillstav inoneformorfashion.”
About the onetime outdoor swimming poolonthetopofthebuilding,whichwas addedintheearlv1960sandabandoned sometimethereafter,Indeglialaughs.
“Wewillprobablyleaveitasitis.'There aresafetyissues.Eirstofall.you’dneedto encloseitonallsides.AndinPortland, thereonlythreemonthswhenvoucould considerswimmingupthere.No.Idon’t thinkwe’llbebringingthatback."
Butwhoare“we”?
Ifyou’veeverstavedinoneoftheHis¬ toricInnsofAnnapolis,anexquisitechain thatincludesTheMarylandInn,you’dbe prettvimpressedwith“we,”theformer owners/crcatorsandrestorationteam.
Parent company Magna Hospitality GroupiscomprisedofIndeglia.35.anattomev/owner/partner;lifelonghotelierW'illiamBurruss(“hecuthisteethinthe managementprogramoftheRitzCarl¬ ton”),founderofGrandHeritageHotels, whichownedandoperatedover25luxury hotelsintheU.S.beforesellingin1997to W'indhamInternational;andPaulDenv¬ er,52,anequityinvestor"insevenor eightoftheGrandHeritagehotels.”
GrandHeritageholdingsincludedThe StanleyinEstesPark,CO.,famousin StephenKing’smo\icTheShining.”
Casco Bay, Harpswell 12th year—7 courses 1-800-372-8465 Bobsails25@AOL.com www.Boatshow.com/CaptainBob.htmI
Introducingthelatest releasebyAmerica’s mostcollectedliving ■artist,ThomasKinkade. ‘HisbelovedImages aresilentandenduring messengersofhope, joy,andbeauty,day inanddayout.
Whyresort toanythingless? Weknowwhatmakesagreat resort.Somethingforeveryonein thefamily.Anytimeofyear.
That’stheAnchorageInn. SouthcoastalMaine’sonlycom¬ pleteyear-roundfamilyresort. DirectlyonDingSandsBeachin YorkBeach.
You11finditallatthe Anchorage.
Over100beautiful,modem andfolly-appointedoceanfront rooms.Allwithairconditioning., direct-dialtelephones,privatebath andcolortelevision.Somerooms, likeourSpaSuites,evencomewith privatewhirlpools.
There’sanoutdoorandindoor
swimming pool t with whirlpool f i spa.Complete X**-'1 .. exerciseandfit-*€^5f nessroom.An indoor/outdoor poolsidecafefora refreshingdrinkorquick snack.Andanoceanfront restaurant,withbeachsidedeck, foranythingfromatallcooloneto anhonest-to-goodnessDownEast lobsterandclambake.
Andwhereelsecanyoulook acrossfromyourroomandseeone ofAmerica’smostpicturesque lighthouses?
Nottomentionalocationthat’s justminutesfromtennis,golfand alltheshopsandattractionsin YorkBeach,theKitteryoudetsand historicYorkandPortsmouth.
Foragreatvacationanytimeof year,there’sonlyonespottoresort to.TheAnchorage.
Formoreinforma¬ tionandreservations, callorwrite.
LaSurvivance! ByDemsLedoux
hereareyoufrom?”
“Here”
“Well,voudon’tsound likevourefromhere.” J ButIdosoundlikeI’m fromhere.Isoundlikethemajority'of peoplewholiveinLewistonandBiddeford andOldTownandWaterxille.Likepeople fromtheSt.JohnValley 7 .
IamnotthefirstFranco-Amcricanwritertobeimpelledbya needtoportravmvcultureasbeingfrom“here,"butIconsciously chooseFranco-Amcricaasbothmysubjectandmyaudience.My goalhasnotbeentoarticulateanAmericanexperiencebuttogive voicetoaFranco-Amcricanone.
Us.NotAmerican“us,"norwhite"us,”norNewEngland“us.”but... Franco-American“ns!”
'Ilierelationshipwith"us,"totellthetruth,isnotentirelyeasy. IwasonceaguestspeakerataFrancosocialclubinCentral Maine.ThisclubisoneofadwindlingnumberofFranco-Ameri¬
canorganizationsthroughoutMaineandNewEnglandwhose missionincludesamixtureofentertainment,culturalpromotion, benevolence,andbingo.
IspokeaboutFranco-Americanliteratureandarts.Startingwith theserializednovelsthathadappearedintheFrench-language newspapers—inEcwiston.Biddeford,FallRiver,Ilokoke,Eowell—inthelatenineteenthccnturv,Iproceededtospeakabout earlyattemptsattheEnglish-languagenovel,quickkreviewing JackKerouacandGracedeRepentignyMetalious.Iwrappedup withcontemporarvwriterssuchasDavidPlante,whoseworkhad, somewhatreccntlv,beenafinalistforaNationalBookAward.
“ThankyouforalltheworkvotivedoneforFranco-American literature.”saidakindlywoman.
"It'slovelyofvoutoacknowledgemvcontributions.Contempo¬ rarvFrancoWmericanwritersandartistsneedvouracknowledge¬ mentandpraise.Butweneedsomethingelse,too.Praisedoesnot paythemortgage!Weneedvourfinancialsupport.”
Toshowhoweasvthiscouldbe,1wavedtowardatablewhere manvofthesetitlesweredisplayed.Thereweremusictapesby JoseeVachon,EillianEabbe.EucicTherrien,storvtapesbv MichaelParent,poctrvandnovelsbvadozenvvriters.
Isoldthreetitles.
ThiscrowdspentmoreonbingothanonFranco-Amcrica. Thevwouldnot—infact,couldnotbecausethevlacked thetradition—supportthearticulationofacontemporarv version—orvision—of“us.”Ofourentireculture’sinstitu¬ tions.therewaslittleelsebesidesthesocialclubsleft.
Onehundredvearsandfourgenerationsago,fiveifyoucount mvchildren,mvancestors—impelledbytheirownneeds—had committedmetobeingfrom“here.”Ilongedtobefromsome otherplace,butIdonotbelongelsewhereeither.
FolkloreisthelanguagetoomanvFranco-Amcricansusewhen thevwanttospeakabout“us.”Itisaninsidioustool,atrap,really, becauseitfossilizesculturalexperiencebvcelebratingsomething asifitwerealiveratherthandead.Folklore'sfondrepresentations ofthesamefewfoodsanddances,thesameverseortwoofthe samewell-rememberedfewsongs,mayremindusofourchild¬ hoodsinacomfortingwavorofthegrandparentswholovedus. butfolklorecannotlightupthepresentwithitssoft-focusligh*of nostalgia.
FolkloretakesupsomuchspaceinFranco-Americathatthereis littleroomleftforacontemporarvculturetomakeaplaceforitself.
Withitsweightoffolklore,thehistorvof“us”isannouncingitsend. OurpersonalandgroupIlistorvissubjecttobecomingfolklore. Asastorvtellerandstorvcollector,Iamoftenofferedapocryphal storiesthatpeoplesharewithmeasiftheyarcofferingapieceof thepuzzlethatwillmaketheFranco-Americanstoryclearatlast. Thevtellfamikstoriesthathavebeenalteredoverthevearsand thesestoriesalmostalwayspurporttobegroupstories.But.they
arenot;thevarealteredfamilystories. Peoplewilltellme,“Mygrandfather wasthefirstFranco-Americantosettlein thistown."Usually,thedatetheyprovide isatleastagenerationafterthefirst knownFrancoinhabitantsettledthere.
pointedoutaftertheprogram.“Itwould beimportanttothemtoincludea Frenchsong—orasongintranslation." Itsimplyhadn’toccurredtoher.ITcre wassomethinginvisibleaboutherstudents. InvisibleeveninLewiston. Or,“MyfatherwasthefirstFrancoAmericanto...”.Again,whateverthe achievementis,itprobablyoccurreda generationortwotoolatetobeafirst!
Asarule,Franco-Americanshavelittle awarenessoftheirgrouphistory.Instead, wemakefamilv-sizedstoriesintogroup stories.Wedon’tknowthedifference
FBarondeCastin.’thisperiodofseven¬ teenthcenturyFrancohistoryhaslefta fewplacenameslikeMt.Desertand Castineandlittleelse.
rancoMainehistoryfallsintotwo distincteras,'lirefirsttakesplace before1800;thesecond,after 1800.’IlieearliestoftheFrench storiesincludestheSte.Croixset¬ tlementin1604,theexplorationsof SieurdeMonts,thesettlementofthe andwcseemtolikeitthatway:itexcuses usfromthecomplexityoftakingaserious lookatsociety,atpolitics,atthebigger meaningandroleofourpeopleinthe historyofMaineandofNorthAmerica. Wesay:"Franco-Americanslike...” Orperhapsit’s“Franco-Americans don’tlike...”
It’sasthoughanyoneofuscanmake upanentireculturalprofilebasedonour ownchildhoodandclaimitasthecom¬ munityexperienceofanentirepeople. (IfanAnglo-Americanweretosav, becauseherfamilyismusical,“Yankees lovetosing.Thevsingeverytimethev gettogether,”wewouldrecognizean unfoundedstatement.)
Themostdifficultanecdotesformeto heararethosethatreducehistorysimply topersonalissues.“Thevcamedownto workinthemillbecausethevwerenot abletomakealivingonthefarm”is oftenpresentedasthecauseofmigration amongFranco-Americans.Thetruth isofcoursemuchmorecomplicated. 11istonbooksdon’tsavthatPuritans
deliciouslyheroictalcsthatfedmychild¬ hood:thestorvofFrenchJesuitmission¬ ariessuchasthosein7heBlackRobe. couldn’tmakeitinEnglandorwerefail¬ uressothevdriftedhere;instead,thevare portrayedaschampionsofreligiousfree¬ domwhoactivelychosetocomehereto seekabetterlife.
WherewouldcontemporaryFrancoAmericanshavelearnedtheirpeople’s historv?Inpublicschool?
1lardlv.1rememberattendinginv youngersister’sschoolmusicrecital.She wastheninthesixthgrade.Theteacher hadpreparedamulticulturalprogram. ThechildrensanganAmishsong,an African-Americanspiritual,andafew otherpiecesthatweregenuineattempts toteachbeyondthestandardhomogeniz¬ ingschoolrepertoire.
"Youcanexpectthatsixtypercentof vourstudentsareFranco-American."1
TheyearstheseJesuitsspentwiththe Indianscontributedtoalliancesbetween theIndiansandtheFrench.InMaine, thebestknownoftheseJesuitswas SabastienBasle,perhapsbecausehewas killedbvanEnglishraidseekingtoelimi¬ nateFrenchinfluence.For20years, BaslehadeludedtheEnglishraidersas helivedwith/Abenakis.
WithinEvodecadesofthemurderof Basle,mostofthesurvivingWestern MaineIndianshadmadetheirwavnorth toCanada(explainingthelackofan IndiancommunityinWesternMaine). Inthenextgeneration,theyparticipated ontheFrenchsideofwhatAmericans calltheFrenchandIndianWar. Attheendoftheeighteenthcenturv. muchfurthertothenorth,isastory aboutzAcadianscomingtotheSt.John
Valleybythe1780sinsearchofahaven. Theyarrivedinthe1780safteragenera¬ tionspentintheFredrickson,New Brunswick,areawhereanincreasing Englishpenetration,fueledbvamassive influxof/AmericanLoyalistsettlers,made themfearfulofanotherDeportation.
“Deportation?”myfriendMartinasks. .Alartinisacollegegraduatewhogrewup insouthernNewJersey,anarticulate,wellreadman.Yet,heasks,“Deportation?”
CanitbethattheAcadianDeportation of1755isnowsoinvisibleapartofNorth AmericanhistorvthatMartinhasnever heardofit?
Thisisthestory.zAcadiansinvvhatwe nowcallNovaScotiahadbeenunder EnglishsovereigntysincetheTreatyof Utrechtin1713.(InNewFrance,there werethreecolonies:zAcadiainNovaSco¬ tiawithitssettlersfromsouthwestern France;Canada,comprisingtherestof CanadaandmuchoftheAmericanMid¬ west;andLouisiana.)
InSeptemberof1755,Acadians wereseizedfromtheircommuni¬ ties(mostofthemwhilethevwere atSundayMass)andshipped away.Thatistosav;Englishsol¬ dierssurroundedthechurchesandevac¬ uatedthepeopleontoships—without theirelderlyleftathometocarefor infants,withouttheirpregnantwomen whohadnotmadethesometimesardu¬ ousjourneytoMass,withouttheirsick whowerealoneonthefrontierfarms, withouttheirhusbandswhowereon huntingexpeditions.
TheseizedzAcadianswerescatteredall overNorth/America.LeGrandDerange¬ ment.thev-callit.“’IlieGreatUpheaval.” Manyofthosemaroonedinthesouthern BritishcoloniesofNorthzAmericaeven¬ tuallyfoundtheirwaytoLouisiana (rememberLongfellow’s"Evangeline”?), wherethevbecamewhatisnowknown asCajuns.
T’hczAcadianswhowereleftbehind regroupedandfled.’Hreyescapedfrom NovaScotiaintoNewBrunswick.Even¬ tuallytheyfeltimpelledtofleeSouthern NewBrunswick,too.FortheseAcadians, thedistantSt.JohnA'alleywasano¬ man’slandwheretheymightsetup farmingandraisetheirfamiliesinpeace withoutfearofexpulsionbvtheEnglish.
AATthin60years,unknowntotheseA'alleyzAcadians,theAA'cbster-zAshburton TreaE'(1842)dividedtheA'alleybeEveen theU.S.andCanada,thuscommitted
On Portland’s Waterfront Enjoythesaltyatmosphereof 0^ Portland'swindowonthewater! Or—experiencetheviewandawhiff oftheseaonourwaterfrontpatio!
DuringtheAmericanCivilWar, recruitersdescendedonthe/Kmerican sideoftheValley.ThcvtoldAcadian menthattheyweresubjecttothedraft fortheNorthernArmy.Thedraftwasthe leastofthenewstotheseyoungmenand theirfamilies—themorestartlingnews wasthatthe\'allcvwaspartoflesFlats) 'Ihevwereabsolutelydumbfounded. TheyhadescapedtheEnglishinNova Scotiain1755andlaterescapedthe EnglishagaininsouthernNew Brunswick,andhereweretheseother Englishtellingthemtheywerepartof theircountry.
Andsubjecttoadraftintotheirarms! ThenextpartoftheFrancoAmcrican storytakespartinthenineteenth-and twentieth-centuries.
TheFrenchCanadiansdidnot intendtoimmigratetothiscoun¬ try.Mostofuscamedownas migrantworkers,oftenknownas “birdsofpassage”—desoiseauxde passage.WorkerstraveledtoBiddeford andlatertoManchester,NewHamp¬ shire.z\sfortunesbeckoned,theFrenchCanadians(notyetFranco-Americans) wenttoSpringfieldorperhaps Woonsocket.Youngerfamiliesandsin¬ glepeopleweremoremobile,ofcourse, !butthispatternofmobilityheldtosome jextentforeveryone.Followingthebest wagesmadesensetoworkerswhohad comedownonlytoamassanestegg,not| to settle in a new home. I StartinginsouthernNewEnglandas[ earlyasthe1820s,whentheindustrial¬ izationoftheregionbeganinMassachu¬ settsandRhodeIsland,thewaveof migrationfollowedindustrialization northwarduntilithitMaineinthe1850s and1860s.
"Ilewantedtomakeapileofmoney (untasd'argent),”saidmygreataunt Rosaofherfather.“Healwaysthought hewouldgoback.”
Overthecenturyofmassmigrationsto theU.S.,roughly1830to1930,50per¬ centofthosewhocamedowndidreturn toFrenchCanada—comparedto25per¬ centofEuropeanimmigrants.
Swellsinmigrationratescorresponded withtheendofadepressionorrecession intheU.S.FrenchCanadaexperienced theseforlongerperiods,so,asprosperity returnedtotheUS,anexpandingjob marketherecreatedanaccessibleoption
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AfterthedepressionofI873,for instance,thereisadecidedincreasein migrationtoNewEnglandinthelate 1870sandcark1880s.Afterthedepres¬ sionof1893,thereisasimilarincrease. Thisistheperiodwhenmvfather’sfami¬ lycamedown.
Withinagenerationofsettlinghere, theFrenchCanadiansreproducedtheir ruralvillagesinurbansettings.Achurch, ofcourse,anelementaryschool,anews¬ paper,benevolentsocietiesandsocial chibs,ahospice,ahospital(sotheCanadienswouldnothavetogotoan"Ameri¬ can”hospital),andanorphanage.
Theendtothiscloserelationshipcame inthe1920s,whensuccessiveU.S.laws restrictedimmigration.b’rancophone careermobilityslowedandeventually ceased.Nolongercouldtherebeancasv north-to-south-to-north-againmovement. Bast-to-west-and-no-coming-backwas whatdeveloped.(Likethe forthoseseekingrelieffromeconomic underdevelopment.
Toencouragethe“oiseauxdepassage" tosettledown,theclergycollectedfunds fromparishionerstoloantofamiliesso thevcouldbuildthree-andfour-decker apartmentbuildings.Propertyowners, thevbelieved,wereeasierto"keepin
ThereheserializedhisbookJeannela rileuse,thefirstBranco-Americannovel. (Iliketothinkthatthe1lonorcBeaugrandMetrostopin.Montrealisnamed afterafranco-American!).CalixtaLavalleewrotethetextfortheCanadian nationalanthem"OCanada!"whileliv¬ inginI,owcll..Massachusetts.(Itwas written,ofcourse,inBrenchandonlvlat¬ ertranslatedintoEnglish.)
tionlevels.
Bvthe1950s,themills,whichhad beenourraisond'etreforcomingdown, weredecliningquickly(hadbeenin somedeclinefortwoandthreegenera¬ tions).Eventhemoststableofthe French-languagenewspapers,always besiegedbvlackofadvertisingfundsand theconstantattritionofitsreadership towardstheanglophonenewspaper, begantodeclineseriously.
"It’stheend,”mvmcmeresaidonedav inthe1950swhensheopenedherMessagertoreadthatthenewspaper,found¬ edin1880,wouldbedroppingfrom dailvtotri-wccklvpublication.Shewas right,eveniftheendwouldnotcomefor anotherdecade—butcomeitdidforthe Messagerin1968.
Intheearlv1880s,Bather1levev, assignedtoSt.PierreetSt.Paulin Lewiston,wasoneoftheclergy whoorganizedaninformalbank¬ ingsystem.Whenhiseffortdid notsucceed,however,andlostitscon¬ tributors'funds.BatherIlevevwashastily transferredtotheManchester,New Ilampshire,diocese.There,undaunted, heorganizedanotherbankingeffortthat evolvedintothefirstcreditunioninthe ILS.—theSainteMariecreditunion. Bv1900,oneineveryfiveNewEnglanderswasaFranco-Americanlivingina francophonecommunitvinwhichthe comingsandgoingsbetweenBrench CanadaandtheU.S.werecasvandfre¬ quent.Careersweremadeonbothsides oftheborder.1herapportwasclose.In fact,theBrenchCanadianscalledNew EnglandIeQuebecd'en bus—Quebec LowerDown.Between1830and1930. oneinthreebrenchCanadiansspent someperiodoftimeinNewLngland. 1lonoreBcaugrand.mavorotMontreal andeditorofleadingnewspapersinthat citv.wasatonepointeditoroftheFranco newspaperlaIxepuhliqueinballRiver.
ans,thebrench Canadiansbecameapeoplesplit betweentwocountries.)
Afterthe1920s,ambitiousBrancos begangoingwest—NewYork.Ohio.Illi¬ nois.There,thevwerelostintheanglo¬ phoneworldwherethevweresimpiv “white"—or“Anglo.”T’hevwereno longeravailabletotheBrancocommuni¬ tyandwerenolongervisibletoitsvouth. Ihevoungbelievedthevwerethefirst onedoingthisamongBrancos.“Ithasn’t beendonebefore.”(Thisproduced manvpersonalstoriesmimickinggroup stories!)
The Branco communitv we knew in Maineinthe1940sand1950sand1960s wasamuchmoreproletariansociety thanthatearlierone,alessdiverseone.It wouldnotbeuntilthe1960sthatBran¬ cosagainproducedamixedcommunity, onethatapproximatedthenon-Franco communitvinclass-diversitvandeducagiouslv.Oftenseveralmembersofafami¬ lygroupedtogether,withtheclergy’s help,tofinanceabuilding—sav,brothers andtheirfamilieseachlivingona floor—andthen,whenthevcould,thev builtmorebuildingsandthebrothers eachhadanapartmentbuildingof theirown.
Bythe1950s,too,theBrench-language moviehousesweregoneorgoing,and Brench-languageradiowasreducedtoa fewhoursadavevenonstationslike Lewiston’s WCOU. which had been foundedasafrancophonemedium. Churcheswereofferingmoreand moremasseswherethesermonand thenon-Latincommunicationwasin English,notinBrench,asithadbeen forgenerations.
Manvofushadafeelingthatwe werethelastgenerationtobe Branco.Winkitcanbesaid thateverygenerationplacesits stamponthegroupexperi¬ ence,Ithinkitcanalsobesaidthatthe communityIgrewupinwasthelastgen¬ erationofBranco-Amcricanstolearn BrenchbeforelearningEnglish,thelast generationtoliveinfamilygroupings whereBrenchwasnecessaryandin whichlinkstoQuebecwereactiveand regularlyrenewed.
IthinkofNathaniel1lawthorne,who saidthatNewEnglandwasaslargean areaashisheartcouldencompass.I knowwhathemeant.Ihavealwaysfelt thatBranco-Americawasaslargeacon¬ ceptasmvownheartcouldencompass. /Andnowwhatremainsformyheartto encompass?
Mv son Maxim came home from a high-schoolrehearsalofThomton Wilder’sOur Town —inwhichhewas playingthenarrator—withastory.He toldhismotherandmehowtheplavhad alinethatreferredtothe“Canucks”in "Frenchtown."
Ourearsprickedup.Washeaskinghow¬ todealwiththisall-too-commonslur?
“ItoldMr.Treworgy,'Wccan’tusethat wordhereinIisbon.Manyofthepeople whowillcometotheplaywilleitherbe Franco-AmericanorhaveFranco-Amcricansintheirfamily.”’1Ieadded,“Mostof thekidsintheshowareFranco-American orhaveaFranco-Americanconnection." 'Thenhetoldus,“IsaidIwouldnotsax' thatonstage.”
Tohisgreatcredit.Mr.'I'.,whohad neverrecognizedthistermasobjection¬ ablebefore,turnedtoMaximandasked, “Ilowdoyouthinkthelineoughttoread?" Maximreplied,“'Frenchpeople'would beallright,orTranco-Amcricani” z\ndsothetermwaschangedfrom "Canucks”to"peopleinFrenchtown.” Myson’sawarenessandcouragefillsme withpride.Hisinsistencethathispeople willnotbedenigrated—notevenslight¬ ly—whileheisonstageiscomfortingto me.IttellsmethatsomethingofFrancozXmcricapersists.’Hiathisheartisencom¬ passingsomethingofFranco-America. ButinhowmanyothertownsacrossNew Englandwilltheinvisiblefrancosinthe audiencewinceatbeingcalled“Canucks?”
Our Townposesanotherproblemfor me,asubtleone.In1900,asmentioned earlier,oneoutofeveryfixepeopleinle Quebecd’enhas wasFranco-American. 1’hisisnottoimputethattheremaining fourwereAnglo.ThereweretheIrish andtheItaliansandtheJewsandadozen otherethnicitiestomaketheYankee worldthatThorntonWilderportraxeda xervunrepresentativeoneofthegeneral population.Buthewritesasifitwere THE New England experience.
Yankeeswerealreadyatthattimea minority'ethnicityinNewEngland,but Our Towndoesn'tacknowledgethat. [DoesWilderhavetoacknowledgethis? Insomewav,no,becausehewritesabout ahighlyvisibleYankeeProtestantworld inthemidstofwhichanotherinvisible NewEnglandexists.Ifyoudon’tseeit, hoxx'canx'ouacknowledgeit?
Accnturvlater,westillexperiencethe effectsofthatinvisibility.
ButThorntonWilderisn'ttheonlvone callingusnames.When“Frenchie" jokesmadetheroundsonW'BEMRadio sexeralyearsago.whoshouldturnoutto betheperpetrator?
“Frenchie”wasagrandsonofoneof Franco-America’smostardentchampi¬ onsofapreviousgeneration!
Atoneo'clockonSundays,nix'pepere wouldtunehisfloor-modelradioto
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Our journev in Burma begins in storied Rangoon with its magnificent Schwcdagon Pagoda, its markets and
journev from the kingdom of Alandalav toPagan,onboardOrientIxpress’s riverboat, “The Road to Mandalay,” on thestoriedIrrawaddyRiser.Aleisurely unforgettable4-daycruise.
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portland “L’oeiletsonauteur,”aweeklynewsanalysisprogramhostedbyI,onisPhilippcGagne.L’oeiletsonauteur(The EyeandItsAuthor)referredtohiscol¬ umn in Ij2 XIessager,thenewspaperhe alsoedited.Everyweek,throughhisarti¬ clesandradiospots,hesoughttointer¬ pretlocalandstatenewsfromaFranco perspectiveandtoadvocatepositionsthat promotedFrancointerests.
Myfather,grandfather,andIsataround theradio,listeningtoLouis-Philippe GagnedefendFranco-/\merica,exhort¬ ingustodemandourplaceintheAmeri¬ cansun.
WliatwouldMonsieurGagnehave said,inthemid-1990s,ofhisgrandson “Frenchic”perpetrating"Frenchjokes” ontheradio!Foralltohear.
Thescandalreachedallthewayto Canada, from whence came a CBC reporter.WTilcwewereindignantand fuming,hesetouttofind“Frenchie.”It tookhimlittletime,justafewdays,to uncovertheculprit.
Ilowlittletime,too,ittooktoforget whoweare.Howlittletimeittookto assumetheidentityothersseeinusfrom theirdifferentperspective.
Infact,onlythetimeittakestogofroma peperetohisgrandson—twogenerations! “Hey,lightenup!You’retakingthistoo seriously,”defendersofthe“Frenchie” jokessaid.
Tooscrioush?
Ethnic(orracial,orgender)jokesand teasingarealmostneverempoweringto membersofthatgroup—whetherthe jokesarctoldbygrinninginsidersorby outsiderswithaclearagendatodeni¬ grate.Ethnicjokesarcdisempowering becausetheytradeonstereotvpesand cliches—infact,thesejokesusuallyhave nothingfunnvtothemoncevouelimi¬ natethestcrcohpcsandcliches.WTiena jokeisnotfunnywithoutitsethniccontent, youcanbesureitsrealagendaistoslur. Lightenup?Idon’tthinkso.
Today,thereareroughlythesame numberofYankeesandFrancos inMaine(afewmorepercentage pointstowardtheYankeeside).It wouldstandtoreasonthenthat, travelingaroundthestate,onewould finda“Franco”correspondenceto‘Yan¬ kee”Fordand“Yankee"Cleanersand "Yankee"Electronics.But.Ihavenever comeacrossasingleinstanceof“Franco” inthenameofacompany—notasingle
one.
Ifyoucancallyourcompanyanything, itstandstoreasonthatyouwouldchoose anamethataddsvaluetothepublic’s perception.Wliatmakes“Yankee"afitter additiontoacompanynamethan“Franco-American?”
Sure,‘Yankee”hasthebenefitofbeing shorter.Butultimately,thereasonforits preferenceissurelynotlengthbut stature.“Branco-American”hasnone— notevenforFranco-Americans.Other¬ wise,citieslikeLewistonandBiddeford whereFrancosareinamajority -would havemanycompaniesbearingthename “Franco.”
IcanunderstandwhyEllsworth,acom¬ munitythatdidnotattractFranco-Amcricans,hasno“Franco-American” Launderette,butOlddownorAugusta? EveninFranco-AmericanLewiston,the telephonebooklists“Yankee”Balancing, ‘Yankee”Microwave,“Yankee”Pride CleaningCompany(andseveralothers locatedinnearbytownswhicharenot historicalFrancocommunitiessoI’m notmentioningthose),butthereisno Lewiston-Auburncompanybearingthe word“Franco”initsname.
T"‘ntilmyjunioryearincollege, I my education was entirely a I Franco-/\mcrican one. I am I ven -gratefulfortheopportunity tohavebeeneducatedin whatadmittedlywaseventhenan anachronism.
Myschooldaysweredividedfairly evenlybetweenEnglishandFrench. EntirecoursesweretaughtinFrench. Duringrecreationperiods,wespoke Frenchduringthedayand,Englishdur¬ ingtheevenings.
MyteacherswereFranco-/\merican men,withonlyafewFrenchCanadians amongthem.Thevdidnottrytoteach melefrangaisdeFrance.Itwasn’ttheirs toteach.'UreysimplytaughtFrench grammarandliteratureastheyknewit fromtheirownstudies.
IsmvFrench“real"French?Letmetell yousomething:correctFrenchiscorrect French—whetherthespeakerisfrom Port-au-PrinceorWestbrookorBrussels. IsaYankee’sEnglishrealEnglish?
OncewhenIwasyoungandstill dependedonhitchhikingfortransporta¬ tion,ItouredQuebec.Iwasgivenaride byamanwho,uponhearingmespeak, announced,“IrecognizetheFranco-
Americanaccent.”
Andthat’swhatitis:anaccent—anda littlevocabularybutnotenoughtobe incomprehensibletoanyoftheworld’s educatedfrancophones.
1lowcanmyFranco-Americanpeers whowerepublicschooleducated—and youngerFranco-Americans—reappropri¬ atethelinguisticheritageandinheri¬ tancetheyhavelost?Educatedinpublic schoolswheretheirknowledgeofFrench keptslidingbehindthesophistication thatcharacterizedtheirEnglish,howcan the} -sayanythingbut",\lyFrench isnottoogood"or
wassteepedinAnglo-America. “Andwhereareyougoingtoschool?” heaskedZoe.
Afterheranswertherewasapause. "Wlratareyonstudying?
“Frenchlanguageandliterature," Anotherpause.“You’llpickupa French-Canadianaccent,”hewarned her,anxious!}.
Ilorrors.
Litershetoldmeshemerelysmiled backathim.“Wlrafstheuse.It’shope¬ lesswithpeoplelikethat.Theydon’tget it,dothe} -?”
Someoneelsetoldhersheshouldgoto FrancetolearnrealFrench.“But,Idon’t wanttospeak“real"Continental French,”shereplied.“Iwanttospeak likein} -ownpeople.”
NowasIspeakwithher,1hearour Quebecancestors.Notonlyinafew wordsstrungtogether,notonlyinphras¬ esandsentencesbutinentireparagraphs andchaptersandtomes!SoonIknow shewillspeaklikeaQuebecoise.
ShewritestohermemcrcinFrench, andmymothertellsme,“Youshould readallthebigwordssheuses!” Mydaughter.
Nomatterwhatthe(Anglo)NewEng¬ landhistoryprofessorsays,it’ssolovelvto hear.Musictomyears.
“Idon’tspeakrealFrench.” MydaughterZoe,whohas grownupamilefrommvown childhoodhome,benefited fromfewoftheman\ -FrancoAmericansupportsIhadin mychildhood.
TodaysheislivinginFrenchinMon¬ treal,astudentatI’univcrsitcdeMon¬ treal.
Wlienwespeak,weekafterweek,I noticeherFrenchgrowingandfilling out.Notjustthevocabulary—that’sprobablytheeasiestpart—butthecadenceof thesentencesasthe} -swellandbreakas wavesofFrench,notEnglishsounds. Mydaughterhashadtogofarfrom hometobecomebilingual.Bilingualism isnowhardtocomebvhere.Tomakea
spaceforherselfinthefrancophone experienceinNorthAmerica,shehadto lease"here.”
OnavisittoDartmouthCollegewitha friend,shewasintroducedtooneofhis professors,aNewEnglandhistoryspe¬ cialist,amanwhoseownfamilyhistory
Franco-Americaisslippingawayfrom me,and,asthesearscomeandgo,parts ofitarebecomingamemorywhose edgesarenolongersharp.Iwriteabout Franco-Americatofixitinsomewayso thatsomethingwillremainformeand forthetwomillionpeopleinNcw Englandwhoseroots,likemine,are strongbutinvisiblestrandsinthefabric ofNewEngland.
Evenasmycommunitymovesinex¬ orablytowardsfullassimilation,Iam encouragedtoknowthatIhavepassed somethingontoanothergenerationof Franco-Americans.1don’taskofthemto recreatethepastthatIknew.Ionlyask thatthe}-allowsomepartoftheirheartto encompassFranco-Americaasthevand theirgenerationevolveaplaceforthemsehesintheirworld.
DenisI^douxleadstheSoledLifestory\etwork whichassistspeopleandbusinessestocollectand recordtheirstonesinwriting.TheSoledLifestory \etworkoffersworkshops,books.editingandwriting services.liehastwicebeenawardedMaineWriting Fellowships.HelivesandwrdesinLisbonballs.
castlestandsinthemiddleof Maine’slargestcitv.Itboastsno knights,defendsnoborders,and isnotancientascastlesgo.EmpL todawitisfullofmemories.
luckedbesidetheskatingpondinPort¬ land'sDeeringOaksPark,thesmallgran¬ itetowerisaVictoriantreasurepreserved inthemiddleofthemostbustlingand populatedsquaremileofMaine.Todav boththecastleandtheparkareintransi¬ tion.asrapidlvchangingtimesalterthe meaningofopengreenspaceincitvcen¬ ters.Forsome,thevsvinbolizevanished
ByHeibertAdams
yesterdays;forothers,greattomorrows.
Boththecastleandtheparkwerethe workofmanyhands,includingengi¬ neers.artists,druggists-andthefar-sight¬ edDeeringfamily,shipbuilderswhose farmonceembracedover200acres ofhayfields,oceaninlets,andthethick thatchofforesttheyconsideredtheir frontlawn,Deering’sWoods.
I,ongbeforeitwasapublicpark,Deer¬ ing'sWoodswasapublicresort,Ilireadedbyrockyravinesandtidalpondsthat connectedtoBackCove,thickwithwild oaksandwalnuttrees,thewoodswere
convenientbutdistant,sunlitbutmvsterious,theperfectrambleforthesenti¬ mentaldwellerinthe19thCenturacitv busilvgrowingjustbevondCongress Street.YoungIlenrvWadsworth LongfellowandschoolmateElijahKel¬ loggwentgunningforducksinitsshal¬ lowponds,dammedupbvtidalgates thatpowcredsmallgrainmillsbelowa woodenbridgewhereForestAvenue nowstands.
Asgenerousgentrycontentintheirfine 1S04Federalistmansiononthenorth edgeoftheOaks(todaythesiteofUSM’s
Andevemnantooktoitwithawill. Winters.PortlandStreet(todayPark Avenue)besidetheOaksbecamea straightawayforSaturdaytrottingraces downitslength,withthousandscheering thedisplaysoffancyequipmentandfine horseflesh.Xights.braveboysdashedon sledsdownBramhallItill(then1laggett's Ilill,namedforafamousslaughterhouse onitsupperslopes)deepintotheOaks, lanternsilluminatingthecrossings. Summers,entiretrainloadsofTemperanceLeagues,Sundayschools,and fireman’smusterssoughtitsshadefor afternoonfestivities.
ItfelltoPortland’scitvengineer, WilliamGoodwin,tomakethispublic parkreadsforallofthem,allyearround. W’iththeeveofanartist,Goodwincom¬ missionedmanyoftheOaks’smost belovedlandmarks,includingitsfirst bandstand(1883),pondfountain(1885), duckhouse(1887),andswanboat (1888.)1Ieclosedthetidalgatestofill thepondinanticipationofwinterand thegrindandclickofhappyskaters.“Bet¬ terthatchildrenshouldenjoythiskindof amusementintheOaksinsteadofgoing outoftown.”
Dr.AlonzoW.Smith,oneofPortland’s firstparkcommissioners,whokepta carefuleveontheOaksfromhisdrug storeatthecornerofParkandforest Avenues,noticedthechildrenshiver¬ ingoutthereandcameupwith thenextimprovement./\ndinall likelihooditwashewhogottheequally amiablearchitect,Frederick/\.Tomp¬ son,involved.
Tompson(1857-1919)wasasculptor, artist,andarchitectwhosetastesranfrom thepracticaltothewhimsical.Inhislong careerTompsondesignedeverything fromthePortlandExpositionBuildingto theW'ildeMemorialChapelinEver¬ greenCemctary,fromDeeringHigh SchooltotheStateStreetpillarsinDeer¬ ingOakspark.Tompson’sW'alkcr MemorialLibraryinWestbrook,withits twinbrickChateautowers,wasdedicated inMav,1894,anditsdesignmaystill havebeenonhisdeskwhenhesketched outasinglestonetower,sparklingwith stainedglass,asidealforDeeringOaks. It was indeed a gem. agreed the citvpapers:“AWaitingRoomfor WarmthinWinterandShelter fromShowersinSummer,”head¬ linedtheEasternArgusinOcto¬ ber,1894.“Oppositethenortherly
portionofthelakelet...totheskaterdur¬ ingthecoiningwinteritwillbeawel¬ comeboon,particularlyfortheladies,as ablazingfirewillbekeptburningina largeopenfireplaceforwarmthwhen skatersorspectatorsbecomechilled. Somewhatofthegothicstyleofarchitec¬ ture,itwillbeasubstantialandhand¬ someadornmenttothepark...Thelower portion,whichisbeingbuiltwithcon¬ demnedgranitepavingblocks,isalready upseveralfeet.”
L"nfortunatclysomethingpromptly wentwrong,andwhenthesnow flew’thetowerwasstillunfin¬ ished.OnDecemberI,overa thousandchildrenhappilyskated thenewice:“Thegirlsquiteasnumer¬ ousastheboys,andaboutasskillfulin theirevolutions,”notedtheArgus.“A blazewasburninginthefireplaceofthe newwaitinghouseatDeeringOaks,but astheroomwasoccupiedbylumberand carpenter’stoolsitwasofverylittleconse¬ quencetotheskaters.”
AJanuarythawin1895broughtoutthe DeeringOakszoobutnoendtothe work,grumpedtheArgus:"Downinthe Oaks,theskaters,deers,andbearswere havingagoodtimeunderthegenial influenceofthemildwintersun.'Die bearscameoutfromtheirdenand playedlikekittens,andthedeersintheir parkwereemblemsofanimation.Com-
missionerSmith,withhisusualcare, hadcausedtobeclearedarespectable sizedsurfaceoftheiceforthegirlsand boystoenjoytheirskating...Butthe prettywaitinghouse?Thatwasthere, butnotopen.”
Amidaflurryofhammeringthe towerwasfinishedanddedicated withaflourishonJanuary17, 1895,withafinecracklingfire greetingallcomers.“Usefuland Ornamental,”proclaimedthePortland DailyPress.“Theoutsideisverypleasing architecturally,andquiterivalstheorna¬ mentalbuildingsintheparksoflarger cities.Insideitisaplaceofeleganceand comfort...Mr.FrederickA.Tompsonis thearchitectofthisbuilding,anditwill alwaysbeagracefultributetohisartistic taste...andbuiltsosubstantiallyitwillno doubtbeajoyforever.”
Morethanamerewaitingroom, Tompsonhadinfactdeliveredafine Victorianfantasy:'Powered,tieredwith bandsofredbrickandgraygranite,its bright16by25-footinteriorsported stainedglasswindows,icecreamtables, andanornamentalfireplacewithafine oakframecutfromanancientstumpin theOaks,bearingaslatetabletengraved ingoldwithastanzafromLongfellow’s poem “My Lost Youth”:
AndDeering’sWoodsarefreshandfair, andwithajoythatisalmostpain Myheartgoesbacktowanderthere... andIfindmylostyouthagain.
Itwasall“worthyofthehomeofany richman...Butwaitaminute!”wrote CommissionerSmith,withaneve towardthecity’stightfistedtaxpavers. Perhapsone'sfirstthoughtmaybe, “flowcanPortlandjustlyaffordsuchan elegantandluxuriouslittlestonebuild¬ ingwithaconstantfire,justforawaiting roominthepark?”Itwasbuiltofsurplus cits’pavingstonesandmostlydonated materials,Smithassuredreaders,and“It isallreal,andjustasrichandsubstantial, butnotsoexpensiveasitlooks...The wholethingshascostonlyS900.”The economicaltowerquicklybecameone oftheOaks’sfavoritefeatures,knownto allsimplyas“TheCastleInThePark.”
Thankstothenewhalf-toneprinting process,in1895theCastlewascaptured inthefirstactualphotographeverprinted inaPortlandCitvReport,shownsur¬ roundedbvpatronsinparasolsandstraw
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hats,withlittlegirlsinwhitedresses awaitingthepaddlingSwanBoat-acen¬ turysymbolizedforever,frozenonone summerafternoon.
IntheTwentiethCentury,trafficand changingtimespromptlylaidsiegetothe CastleIn'IliePark.
CommissionerAlonzoSmithdied in1919,livinglongenoughto seetheOaks’spondlastsymbolic outlettoBackCovepavedover forStateStreetExtensionin 1904.PortlandersbornbeforeWorld WarIImaystillremembertheCastleasa
AStrollThrough TheOaks 1689Maj.BenjaminChurchbattlesaforceof French&Indiansalongatidalestuarytodaythe siteofthetenniscourtsinDeeringOaks. 1804Deeringmansionbuiltontoday’sBedford Street,overlookingtheOaks. 1882WoodenfootbridgebuiltinDeeringOaks. 1883FirstpublicbandstandbuiltintheOaks. 1887Firstduckhouseplacedinthepond. 1831FirstpettingzooopensintheOaks,with deer,bearcubs,andmonkeys. 1835CastleintheParkconstructed. 1308BuffaloBill'sWildWestShowperformsnext totheOaksinafieldonForestAvenue. 1811ConcretebridgebuiltintheOaks. 1320MaineStatehoodCentennialcelebratedwith PassamaquoddyIndianencampmentintheOaks. 1322CitybuysoutCascoTanneryCo.onForest Avenuewithitsshedsandcesspools;reclaimed landisaddedtotheOaks. 1324Spanish-AmericanWarmonumentdedicated intheOaks.
1827CharlesLindberghspeakstoroaringcrowd of25,000bytheCastleinthePark. 1831DeeringOaksRoseCirclesetoutbyParks SuperintendentKarlSwitzeronthesiteofthe formerCascoTanneryCo.
1833-34NewPortlandPostOffice,aWPAproject, builtonForestAvenue.
1837MonumenttoWorldWarIGeneralClarence EdwardsdedicatedintheOaksoppositethenew PostOffice.
1945SoftballfieldintheOaksdedicatedtoSgt. EdwardQuinn,Jr.,killedinOkinawa.
1960Currentsprayfountainwithcoloredlights installedintheOakspond.
1972I-295cutsahugeswathoffthenorthedgeof theOaks.
1893PresidentBillClintonspeaksintheOaks. 1994StarsDenzelWashingtonandWhitney HoustonfilmedskatingintheOaksforthemovie ThePreacher'sWife.
2000SummerShakespeareperformedinthe OaksbytheMaineDramaticInstitute
havenforskatesharpeningorsweetsona summerafternoon.Postwar,practicality setin:In1954-55,theageoftheauto,the citvbuiltanewdrive-upsnackbartothe westoftheCastleandturnedtheoriginal |towerintotoilets.Furtherbrickexten;sionsinthe1960sand1970seachadded spacebutstrippedtheoldstructureof character.
Inthe1980s.risingtidesofcrimeand drugdealingthreatenedDeeringOaks.
WlicntheCastle’slastfull-timerestau¬ rant,theBarkingSquirrel,closedin October1998,manyfelttheshuttered Castlesymbolizedaneraofpublicparks thattimehadpassedbv.
EntertheParksideNeighborhoodAsso¬ ciation,theFriendsofDeeringOaks, andothercivic-mindedgroupswho believethatforTwcntv-FirstCentun-citv dwellers,openspaceisnotemptyspacethesamesentimentthatmovedtheDeer¬ ingsandz\lonzoSmith100yearsago. “Goodideastravelacircle.Itmavtake time,buttheycomebackinvogue again.”saysTheo1loltwijk,alandscape architectwhojusteditedBoldVision,a bookaboutthebuildingoftheparksvsteminPortland.“Long-termsisionsaved ourcityparksforustoday,andwillsave themfortomorrow.”
FormerPortlandMayorz\nnc Pringleagrees.Pringleispresident oftheFriendsofDeeringOaks,a watchdoggroupthatproposes returningtheCastleInThePark toitsfinestdavs,withoakfireplaceand stainedglasswindowsrestored."The Castleshouldbethecenterpieceforthe parkasaconnectinglinkbetweenboth sectionsoneithersideofStateStreet-to giveasenseofwholenessthatcertainlyis missingnow.”'ITiatmaymeanclosing StateStreetExtensionthroughtheOaks, notesDanaSouza.DirectorofPortland’s ParksandRecreationDepartment,end¬ ingdecadesoftrafficflowthatturnthe publicparkintoaroaringpass-through forRoute77."ThepillarsonStateStreet shouldbetheentrancetotheOaks. Today,trafficmakesthemtheexit.Thafs backward.Theparkshouldserveusersof thepark,nottraffic."hesavs.
Portland'sComprehensiveTransporta¬ tionCommitteeisnowstudyingthe impactofclosingStateStreetExtension, acontroversialidea,Souzaadmits.“But thisisapublicprocess,andwithoutpub¬ licinputwedon'thaveaproject.”
z\nddoesthepubliccare?Listfall 1loltwijkhostedafreepublicwalking tourofDeeringOaks.Overcightvpeople showedup,hikingfortwohoursthrough thebrightautumnleaves.Thetour beganandended,henotessignificantly, attheCastleInThePark.“Peoplelove theirpark.”hesavs.“Ithinkthevcare morethanever.”
Tonight,asthevhaveforahundred years,thewindowsofMr.Tompson’scas¬ tleflashintheAprilsunsetandwait.
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When Dr. Suzanne Smrekar wasastudentatIlebronAcad¬ emyinIlebron,Maine,she rarcis’visitedtheschoolobser¬ vatoryorgazedatthestars. 'Iodav,sherarelytakesherevesoffthemespeciallytheredonelowonthewestern horizon:Mars.
EarmingtonnativeSmrekar,37,a researchscientistatNASA’sJetPropul¬ sionLaboratoryinPasadena,California, spentmostof1999withherewes-and scientifichighhopes-turnedtowardthe PedPlanet,aschiefscientistforDeep Space'Iwo,twinhigh-techprobesthat werepartofthe.MarsPolarI.ander.Mis¬ sionaimedattheicwwastesofourmyste¬ riousneighbor.InearlyDecember1999, afterasear’sjournev157millionmiles throughtheinterplanetars’darkness,the PolarIbinderfellstreakingthroughthe thinairofMarsdossntossardthereddust ofalateMartianautumn.
Andthen-silence.
SmrekarandherfeHossNASAscientists sseressatchingthatnightandarestill ssaitingforssordfromMars.“Masbethe 1,anderoserturned,ormasbeitssas buriedindeepdust.Webasenossas’to knoss,”shesass,sadnessandexcitement bothclearinhersoice.“Butitsuressasa realadsenture,ssasn’tit?”
LorSmrekar,theMarsPolarLinder carriedacargoofsymbolicfirsts.Polar I.anderssasthefirstN/VSAmission designedtorecordtheactualsoundof theMartianssinds,thefirstmeantto samplesoildeepbelossanotherplanet’s surface-andthefirstspaceprobein ssInchtheprojectmanager,chiefengi¬ neer,andchiefscientist,Smrekarherself, ssereallwomen.
"Iknossofnootherprojectssithesen justonessomaninansofthosepositions, muchlessallthree.ButaNASAhistori¬ anlookeditupforusandconfirmedit," shesass.“Sometimesit’simportantto haserolemodelslikethatforallkids,1 think,includinggirls."
Smrekar’sossnjournes’tothestars beganfirmlsrootedintheWestern mountainsofMaine.Orphanedasa teenager,shegrossupintheRangeles’ Lakesregionandinthenearbstossnof Poland.Sheattended1lebronAcadems’, sshereteachersrememberherasan intense,upbeat,andoutgoingstudent happiestsshencrunchingnumbersin mathhomessork.AtBrossnUnisersits shetriedanthropologs.astronoms.and
phssics,“Butthesjustdidn’tseemright forme,andthenItookasummerintern¬ shipinplanetarygeologs’,andthatssasa funanddsnamicgroupthatmadesci¬ encecomealis’eforme!”
SmrekarspentmuchofayearinNesv Mexico,droppingtestprobesintothe desertfromarentedskydis’ingplane andfiringthemintomesasfroma 30-footmilitarycannonmountedona
Yes, this Is rocket science. An Interview with Maine's own Dr. Sue Smrekar By Herbert Adams
Geophysics-thestuds’ofhoss-thebasic lasssofphysicsshapethegeologs’ofearthtookhertoSouthernMethodistUnisersilyinDallasforaPhDin1987andpost¬ doctoralssorkatMil’sortingthroughthe asalancheofdatafromtheNASAfly-by ofVenus.
Since1992,Smrekar’sssorkatPasade¬ na'sJetPropulsionLabhasconcentrated onBarth’sgeologicalhotspots,like 1lassaiiandTibet,ssherctheunquiet Earthisstillatssork.Toreadtherock¬ boundrecordofMars'hotspots,Smrekar proposedadart-likedesiceloadedssith sensorsshotintothesurfacefroma descendingspacecraft.Ideally,says Smrekar,“youcouldseedaplanetssitha dozenofthematoneshot,andthenjust listentothem”-inasense,cloakingthe planetinasensors’fishnet.
flatbed.‘AVehadlotsofproblems,"she laughs.“Ourbombingskillssseren’t great,andssccouldn’tfindtheminthe desertafterss'ards.”
Theresultssasthetss’inDeepSpace TwoprobesonthePolarLander. Definedas“bulletssvithbrains,”the probes-eachaboutaninchandahalf indiameterandaboutaslongasaBic pen-sseredesignedtossithstand400 mphimpactsandtemperaturesofminus 184degreesEarenheitdeepintheMart¬ iansoil.“WTathappenedtotheMartian atmosphere?WheredidMars’swatergo? "Drelayersinthepolarregionsmighttell ussshytheMartianclimatechanged."
Unfortunately,theprobes,likethe PolarLander,descendedintosilence. Nodatares-ealsiftheyesenfired,“and ssehasenossaytodeterminesshathap-
penedatall.There’sstillafewongoing attemptstocontactPolar1,ander,but
they’ll conclude when Martian winter y
comes soon. Will we ever find it some- bw 4 ■
dav? I certainlv hope so!” she smiles. '
canwhilc,Smrekar’scareer remainsonTerraPinna.“1 havefondmemoriesofMaine, afabulousplacetogrowup,” shesays."Icomebackasoften astwolittlekidsallow,everycoupleof sears.”Shestillvisitsherfamilyinthe LewistonareaandhikestheRangeley LakesandBaxterStatePark.Smrekar evenmissesMainewinters,andsome¬ timesdrivesherchildrenintothehigh Californianmountains,“justsotheycan seerealsnow.”
“InPortland1liketheOldPortfor Christmasshopping-arealtreatthatI likealot.”HomeinMaine,Smrekar remembersreadingRayBradbury's MartianChroniclesasachildand dreamingofbeinganastronaut.Asa Rangeleystudent,shevisitedOrganon, thelaboratoryofthecontroversialscien¬ tistWilhelmReich,andwasintrigued bvhis“rainmaking”skycannonmount¬ edoutside,pointedattheheavens.
“Thesethingspiquedmyinterestin scienceandininventingthings,certainIv,”shesavs.“Asakidgrowingup,you justneverknow.”
UntilthemysteryofthePolarLander’s fateisfiguredout,therearenoplansfor anothermissionto,\lars-andscientist Smrekarhasnodreamsofgoingthere herself.“No,1havelittlekidsnow,and I’mnotinthebigleaguesanymore,”she laughs.“Butifanyoneoffersmearide ontheShuttle,boy.I’mgoing!’ Nowandthen,sheadmits,shepauses underthenightskvandlooksupat Mars,flashingredandfaraway,"andI think,‘Hey!Iwonderwhatyoudid withmyprobes?’"
AS MAINE GOES heremustbeaspecialkindofhellforwriterslike Dr,RichardIlookerofBremen,Maine,authorof M.A.S.lI.,thebestselling1969novelthatresultedin themoviestarringl-'.lliotGouldandDonaldSuther¬ landandthetelesisionseriesstarring/ManAlda.
Idon’tknowexactlywhatthehellwas,butI’mguessingit startedwhenhispublishersandagentssaid,“'Thatwasgood! Doitagain.”
Ilooker,apracticingthoracicsurgeoninMaine,fellinto astateofliteraryanomie,crankingoutsequelslike M.A.S.H. Goes
To New Orleans, ■
M.A.S.lI.Goes I
ToLondon, I
M.A.S.lI.Goes E To Miami, I
M.A.S.H. Goes I ToAloscow, '
M.A.S.lI.Goes ToLasVegas, M.A.S.lI.Goes
ToIlollywood.
M.A.S.lI.GoesTo AIontreal, M.A.S.H.GoesTo Maine.M.A.S.H. GoesToMorocco.
M.A.S.H.Go.esTo Paris,M.A.S.H. GoesToSanFran¬ cisco,M.A.S.H. GoesToTexas, M.A.S.H.GoesTo Vienna,andthe redoubtable
M.A.S.H. Mania.
“Itmusthasetakenawholeteamof1lookerstossrite them.”jokesGarslosslessofGulfofMaineBooks.
bleary-eyed)residentwhowantstoworkforthepublicgood. Noss,withHawkeyePierce,theirreverentdoctorfromMaine wholikestojokeandbuckthesvstem,afourthhasbeenadded tothepantheon.Mamsoringpeopledonot admittobasingseenthe
M.A.S.lI.movie ortelevisionshow,orifthevdo,con-
Todas-atBarnesandNoble,ararefirsteditionofHooker’s sideritdeclasseasIxissie.Butfromthe1960son. original MASH T goesfor $900;a cops-of M.A.S.H. GoesTo SanFranciscogoesfor somethingless.
EheGoodDoctor HawkeyePierce Histon'scompensationis,bsthetimeHooker (hisrealnamewasDr.RichardHornberger)died onNosembcr”,199“.atPortland’sMaineMedicalCenter, he’dleftuswithsomethingmore.
ByColinSargent
BeforeA1.A.S.11.,therewereonls'threedoctorarchetspes-the godlikesurgeon,thecountrsdoctor,andthestam-esed(and
Hawkeye was therolemod¬ elforawhole generationof iconoclastic, talented, wisecracking phvsiciansincluding1970s medicalstudentDr.Iluntcr “Patch”Adams,whowillbeentertainingPort¬ landersthisspringwithanApril10thbenefitper¬ formance($89aticket)atMerrillAuditorium,enliveningthe professionacrossthecountrv.
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t’shypnoticallyeasygettingdir¬ ectionstoI’heBalsams,“lake theGrayExitofftheMaine TurnpikeandturnleftonRoute 26.”Thenwhat?“'I’hafsit. You’rethere!"
IYoufindyourselfdrivinghigherand
higherintothemountainsuntilsuddenly the205-roomresort,ashimmerwith32acrc1,akcGloricttesparklingatitslap andstockedwithtrout,jumpsintoview. MamPortlandershaveneverhadocca-
StoryByColinSargent
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Every MAN NEEDSA GOOD SUIT. CLOTHIERS Aoperationsince1866).
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Dimitri'sisarestaurantownedbynative-bornGreeks whohavebroughttheirhomelandhereinfoodand music.SpecialtiesincludeSouvlaki(skeweredpork), Avgolemono(eggandlemonsoup),Mousaka,Mama's Spanakopita,LambShanksMytilini,andwood-grilled fishoftheday.TheGreek-stylemusselsarefantastic andthegrilledbananadessertunique.Minutesfrom Portlandat185RouteOneinScarborough.Open7days, lunch12-2:30anddinnerfrom5p.m.883-9800.
Falmouth'slandmarkItalianrestaurantistheaward¬ winningCasaNapoliRistorantefeaturingdelicious Italianspecialties.Choicesforlunchconsistofsoups,sal¬ adsandsimplepastadishes.Dinnerentreesincludetra¬ ditionalpastadishes,pesceorseafood,veal,sirloinand
chickenservedalongwithsalad,homemadebreadand thechefschoiceofasidedishandvegetable.TheCasa Napolipridesitselfonanextravagantwinelistofwhites andreds,importedanddomestic.Lunchisservedfrom 11:30-2Mon.-Fri;dinnerfrom5-9Sun.-Thurs.,5-10Fri. andSat.
CafeStroudwater,specializesinaneclecticbistro-style cuisinewithanemphasisonnativeMaineseafoodand primecutsofbeef.Itisfive-starChefChristianStruck's creativetouchesthatmakethisdiningexperiencelike nootherinPortland.InadditiontoaspectacularGrand SundayBrunch,CafeStroudwaterservesbreakfast, lunchanddinnerdaily.TheCafealsooffersPortland’s onlyChefsTable.LocatedintheEmbassySuitesHotel, reservationssuggested.775-0032
CricketsRestaurantinFreeport.Deliciousfoodatrea¬ sonableprices.Freshlocalseafood,lobster,weekend primerib,steaks,fajitas,pasta,salads,specialtysand¬ wiches,vegetarianselections,dailyblackboardspecials. Privatefunctionroom.Fullservicelounge.Mainemicro¬ brewsontap.Easyparkingonly1/2milesouthofLL Bean.BreakfastSat.ftSun.BrunchSun.,11-3.Main Street,Freeport.865-4005.Reservations/majorcredit cardsaccepted.
David'sCreativeCuisineAfter15yearsasanacclaimed chef-ownerinPlymouth,Boston,Newburyportand MiddleStreetinPortland,DavidTurinhasopened David'sCreativeCuisineat22MonumentSquare.The menuincludessuchnewcreationsandoldfavoritesas: CrispyHerbedGoatCheesePackets,ShitakeMushroom RavioliandWhiteChocolateMousseAlmondNapoleon fordessert.Fullbar,openfordinner7nights.Lunch weekdays11:30-4.ForReservations:773-4340.
Youcan'tbeatthelocationofDiMillo'sFloating Restaurantat25LongWharfoffCommercialStreetfor fabulouswaterviewsofPortlandHarbor.Escapefrom thehustleftbustleofthecity.Watchtheboatsgoby. EnjoyfreshMainelobsteryear-round,steak,seafood dishes,ftmore.Open7daysaweekfrom11am-11pm. Children'smenuavailable.Fordrinksftalightermenu, tryourPortsideLounge.772-2216.
EmptyPocketsLiveIrishMusicPubshowcasesthe bestmusiciansfromNewEnglandftbeyondfeaturing worldclassIrishmusicaswellaslivejazz,swing,ft blues.ThemenuincludeshomemadeIrishScones, GuinnessStew,ftIrishSodaBread.SeewhytheCBW callsusPortland's"warm,comfyworld."27ForestAve, Portland.ParkingacrossthestreetatGatewayGarage. 207-774-1100.Tues.-Sat.,5pm-1am;Sun.,3pm-1am. Dinnerservednightlyuntil10p.m.
F.ParkerReidy's,siteoftheoriginalPortlandSavings Bankbuiltin1866at83ExchangeStreet.Establishedin 1976duringtherenaissanceoftheOldPortarea,F. ParkerReidy'sisaPortlandfinediningtradition,special¬ izinginsteaksftfreshseafood,butalsoofferingpasta, chicken,ftsalads,w/primeribfeaturedonweekends. Turn-of-the-centurydecor,personalizedservice,ftgreat foodcreateawarmftcongenialatmospherepopularfor bothbusinessftintimatedining.Lunch6days.Dinner Sun-Th4:30-10,FrftSat4:30-11.773-4731.
DeepintheheartofthemysteriousWoodfordsareaat 540ForestAvenueistheGreatLostBear,whereyou'll findafullbarfeaturingover50draughtbeers,predomi¬
nantlyfromlocalmicro-breweries.Accompanyingthem isanenormousmenuw/everythingfromsoups,salads, ftsandwichestosteaksftribs,aswellasalargevege¬ tarianselectionftthebestnachosftbuffalowingsin town.Discoverwherethenativesgowhenthey’rerest¬ less!Servingfrom11:30am-11:30pm7daysaweek. 772-0300.Visituson-lineat:www.greatlostbear.com Hugo'sPortlandBistro,accessiblylocatedattheinter¬ sectionofMiddleStreetftFranklinArtery,wasPortland DiningGuide's1996GoldMedalWinner.Theinnovative menuchangesmonthlyftfeaturesfreshseafoodft interestingvegetariandishes.Crabcakesareahouse specialty,ftparkingisavailable!Servingdinneronly Tuesday-Saturday,w/livepianomusicnightly.Forreser¬ vationscall774-8538.
JamesonTavern.Consistsoftwowelcomingparts,a casualbarftloungeftamoreformaldiningroomeach offeringacomfortableplaceforeasydining.Thebuild¬ ingisthesiteofthesigningoftheconstitutionforthe stateofMainewhenitbrokeawayfromMassachusetts, theroombeingpreservedftavailableforviewingatthe Tavern.Classicpreparationsservedinagracefulftele¬ gantsettingmaketheJamesonTavernafineretreat fromfrenziedoutletshopping.115MainSt,Freeport, 865-4196.Creditcardsaccepted;reservationsrecom¬ mended.
Katahdin,atSpringftHigh,oppositetheartmuseum. Comfortablefoodacrossatantalizingculinaryrange, comfortableatmosphereftwaitstaff,ftcomfortable prices.Itsidentifiablyloyalclienteleestablishesitscredi¬ bilityftpopularity.Trythefishchowder($2.95/3.95), crabcakes($13.95),grilledseascallopsw/spicylimeft vegetablevinaigrette($14.95)orthechefsBluePlate Special($10.95).Allhomemadedessertsincludingtheir ownicecreamftsorbets.Tu-Th,5-9:30pm;FftSa, 5-10:30.774-7140.
TheLobsterCookerRestaurantislocatedintheheart ofFreeport'sshoppingdistrictjustablockfromLL Bean.Fast,friendlyservicefeaturinglobster,crabmeat, scallops,shrimp,award-winningheartychowders,sand¬ wiches,beer,wine,fttakeout.Openeveryday,year round.EnjoyaMainetraditionintheirhistoric1860 barnorbaskonthesundrenchedgardenpatio.Theirfish chowderhaswon1stplaceintheannualFreeportGreat ChowdahChallengein'96,'97,ft'98,aswellasBest OverallChowder,1998.865-4349.
It's"MextotheMax!”atMargaritasMexican RestaurantsftWateringHole!Twogreatlocationsin Portland,othersinLewiston,Augusta,Oronoft Portsmouth,Margaritasservesup"oversized”mealsft colossal-sizeddrinks!There'salwaysfreehotchipsft salsa,ftdownrightlegendarymargaritas,ftthehouse specialtyisthesizzlingfajita!HappyhourM-F,4-7pm, freehotappetizers.InPortlandat242StJohnSt,Union StationPlaza,874-6444ft11BrownStneartheCivic Center,774-9398.LunchatBrownSt,W-F.
Maria'sRistorante,est1960byowner/chefAnthony Napolitano,offersPortland'sfinestItaliancuisinewitha verygoodItalianwineselection.Spacious,beautiful, Italiandecorateddiningrooms.Privateroomsavailable forlargegroups.Vealsaltimboca,fettucinietoscano, zuppadepesce.ClassicItaliandesserts,Anthony'sown pistachiogelato.Lunch:$5-$8,Tu-F,11:30am-2pm. Dinner:$9-$l8,Tues.-Sat.from5pm.337Cumberland Ave.,freeparkingavailable.Tel:772-9232.
ThePepperclubisaprize-winningrestaurant("Best Vegetarian”ft"BestValue"inFrommer'sGuidetoNew England)featuringcreativeworldcuisine.Itsblackboard menutypicallylistsfivevegetarian,threefish,ftthree meatentrees,includingasuperborganicbeefburger. Peppercluboffersrelaxed,colorful,unusuallyaffordable diningontheedgeoftheOldPortw/easy,freeparking ftgoodwinesftbeers.Opennightlyat5p.m.;credit cardsaccepted.78MiddleStreet,nearFranklinArtery. 772-0531.
Ricetta'sBrickOvenPizzeria,voted"BestPizzain Maine"since1990bythePPHftCBW,Ricetta'sistruly
atasteoftheoldcountry.M.E.CurlyofthePPHraves: "Ricetta'sisarguablythebestpizzawestofRome.” Dine-in,take-out,delivery,Etcateringareavailable.The all-you-can-eatgourmetlunchbuffetincludespizza, pasta,soup,Etsalad.KidseatFREEduringSundaylunch buffetEtMondaysfrom3pmuntilclosing.29Western Avenue,SouthPortland.775-7400.
SaigonThinhThanh,608CongressStreet,Portland. "Ofthe137restaurantslistedinthe1996-97edition, SaigonThinThanhisafour-starrestaurantranked firstinvalue.SaigonThinThanhisMaine's-and probablyNewEngland's—finestVietnameserestaurant'-PortlandDiningGuide."Fourstarsforfood, service,Etvalueformoney.Withgood,healthy, flavorfulfoodEtquickserviceinapleasant,clean atmosphere,SaigonThinThanhisworthinvestigating.”—PressHerold.773-2932.
SebagoBrewingCompany.Agreatrawbar,boating motifdecorEtitsownbeer(youcanwatchitbeing madehere)aresomeofthefeaturesofthisunique micro-breweryrestaurantnestledintheunlikelyenvi¬ ronsofMaineMallnexttoFilene'sBasementTrythe LobsterQuesadilla,NativeMusselssteamedinhouse brewedaleorMaine's#1PastramiSandwich.Entrees featuredailyfreshcatch,perfectlygrilledNYSirloin, chicken,heartypastasEtampleinventivesalads.Single maltscotch,goodwines.ServingUam-lam,happy hourM-F,4-7ft10-dose.879-ALES(2537).
Silly's.Therestaurantthatdefiesdescription.Theyhave everythingfromcharbroiledburgersEtshishkabob.hand cutfries,BBQEtjerkchicken,toawildvarietyofpizza, vegetarianplates,milkshakes,desserts,Ettheirfamous rolledupabdullahs-allmadew/freshingredientsdaily. AlivelyEtfunkyatmospherew/apatiooutback.Beer, wineEtoccasionallylivemusic.FreedeliverytoPortland EtRt1/Rt88Falmouth.M-Sa,10am-10pm.40Wash¬ ingtonAve.,Portland.Creditcardsaccepted.772-0360.“ SnowSquall,knownforgreatMaineseafoodEt lobster,alsoservessteaks,chicken,veal,filetofbeefEt vegetarianselections.Offeringcasualdiningaswellas fulldinners,luncheoninthepatioordiningroom., M-F,1l:30am-9:30pm.Happyhourdaily4-6,double drinkssinglepriced,wineEtbeerspecials,free munchies.EarlydinnersS7.95:M-Sa,4:30-6EtSu, 2-6.FamousSundaybrunchbuffet,11-2.Locatedin SouthPortlandwaterfrontmarketat18OceanStreet, ampleparking.799-2232or800-568-3260.
StoneCoastBrewingCompanyisamajormicrooper¬ ationofferingfullrestaurantfacilitiesaswellasfantas¬ ticbrewsonitssubstantialpremisesintheOldPort.Its restaurant,openfrom11:30amdaily,offerseverything fromsteaktolobster,Etyoudon'tneedtoleavethe buildingtoenjoysomeofthebestlivemusicin Portland—it'sjustupstairs.At14York,thejunctionof Pleasant.YorkEtForeStreets,w/plentyoffreeparking. Call773-BEER.
TonyRoma's"FamousForRibs"isconvenientlylocated attheendofExit7oftheMaineTurnpike,adjacentto theHowardJohnson'sinSouthPortlandEtjustminutes fromtheMaineMall.TonyRoma'sacrossthecountry specializeinthebestbarbecueribsw/ouroriginal sauce.Thegrillisalwaysfiredupforafullmenuof chicken,primerib,steaks,seafood,Etsandwiches,Etour famousloafofonionringsBreakfastbuffetopensat 7am.LunchEtdinner7daysaweek.Enjoythecasual atmosphereofTonyRoma's.
TortillaFlathasbeenservingNewEnglandersfine MexicanfoodEtdrinkfornearly30years.At1871 ForestAvenueinPortlandyoucanfindfavorites likenachos,fajitaschimichangas,tamales burritos,tacos,enchil-adas,Etfrozenmargaritas sevendaysaweek,aswellasseafood,steak, porkEtchickencookedw/aMexicanflair.With lunchspecialsstartingat$4.95,achildren's menu,nightlyspecials,aChiliHappyHour,a screened-indeck,Ettake-out.TortillaFlatisa memorableMexicanexperienceyoucanafford anytime.797-8729.
likethis.We’dalsohave enjoved trying another FrancoAmerican favorite, salmon pie (tartesalmon, $5.25),butit had already sold out.
Fran'sPlace In a state where 40 percent of the citizens can claim a strong French heritage, bran’s Place, 1485 Lisbon Street.
Fran’sisparticularlywell known for its incredible crepes, which are a regular menu sta¬ ple.Ihepastry,again,issome of the best we’ve had. The great bonus, however, is that the traditional maple svrup Lewiston, reigns supreme. Specials include tourtieres (meat pies), filled with meal and mixed with mashed pota¬ toes,carrots,andallspice. Pork is the meat of choice for Fran’s tourtiere, which is “cooked slowly for three to four hours;’’ some chefs prefer chicken. Tourte actually means
with which the crepes can be served comes from the small farm in St. Romain, 45 miles “passenger pigeon,” as the pics were traditionally made with the meat of those birds before they became extinct, shot out oftheskvbvhunters,inthe mid-1800s.
Wc chose the tourtiere (S4.95) with mashed potatoes. gra\y, and a great,crispy coleslaw, and the meatloaf (paindebeouf, S4.95) with gravy, freshfrenchfries,and
excellent pickled beets. The tourtiere's crust was light and flavorful. niceh complement¬ ing the delicately seasoned meat stuffing. I cannot remember having anything anvw here that tasted exactly
beyond the Maine border town of Coburn Core, where Fran grew up. The crepes can be ordered instead w ith blueber¬ ries,strawberriesorraspberries, and with w hipped cream if you like. Wc shared a crepe withstrawberries, which were suitably warmed, and the whole effectwas very good. Probably 250 peoplewillpassin
and out of Fran’s Place on a Sunday morning, some of them regulars from as far away as Rumford, another mill town, 43 miles upriver on the .Androscoggin.
- Revinu C Photos Bv Diane Hudson
CALENDAR Theater BowdoinCollegeDepartmentofTheaterand Dance,Brunswick.April2000marksthereturn ofBowdoin’stheateranddanceperformancesto MemorialHall,withitsnewWishTheaterand beautifullyrenovatedPicardTheater.Evitawith
musicbvAndrewLloydWebberandlyricsby Tim Rice is planned for April 14-16. The TheaterandDanceIlonorsprojectwillstagethe ChineseOperaversionofMidsummer Xights Dream onApril21-22followedbvthe29th Annual Spring Performance of the Bowdoin Dance('.rouponApril27-2S.TheMarkMorris Dance Company kicks oif the Arts 2000 celebrationonMav6-7.(207)725-3575.
'The Children’s 'Theatre of Maine, >17 MarginalWax.Portland.Mrs. Erisbyandthe Kats of XIMH shows through April 2> on FridaysandSaturdaysat”p.m.onSaturdaysand Sundavsat2p.m.satandsunat2p.m.>17 MarginalWav,(207)828-0617.
MadHorseTheatreCompany.92OakStreet, Portland.“OfftheMap."bvJoanAckerman, placingthroughApril22,bringstothestagea swcctlvjoyousexaminationofthepowerof familvandfriendshipandthedesireforbrighter horizons. Shows at ":>0 p.m. on Thursdays, S p.m. Fridays and Saturdays,and5p.m.Sundavs.(207) 828-12’0.
Portland Stage Company, Portland * PerformingArtsCenter,27ForestAvenue. Portland.Celebratingits100thbirthclaw PortlandStagepresentsthelastplayofthe season. PluesforanAlabamaSky.apainfully honestandintimateportraitofindividuallivesin anextraordinarytime.Performancesarcthrough May7.(207)774-0465.
UnivcrsitvofSouthernMaineDepartmentof
Theatre,atRussell1lall,USMGorhamcampus. WatchMolicre’sfamoushypochondriacashe plavsthefooltoahostoffarcicalconartistsin theclassiccomcdv. 1'heImaginaryInvalid. Performancesarc.April21-30.{2071"SO-5151.
Music TheBestofBroadwaxatMerrillAuditorium. Portland.Thisextraordinaryproductionreturns foraninthvear.presentingsomeofMaine'sbest singersanddancersinamagicaleveningof Broadwaxsonganddance.AVGME’sKimBlock andDougRaffcrtvserveashostsfortheevent whichincludestheperformanceoftwenty-five Broadwaysongsinanefforttohelpgenerate fundsfortheBarbaraBushChildren’s1lospital atMaineMedicalCenter.Bethere,Mav18,at "50p.m.(207S42-0S00.
('enterforCulturalExchange,OneLongfellow Square.Portland.Aprilprogramsinclude:Chan MolvSam.Cambodiaresidency;GeorgeRabos
Ensemble,(neckdanceEriday;Braziliandiva VirginiaRodrigues;W’cstAfricanpercussionist Ibrahima;CambodianNewAearfestival;Lydia PerezvJorgeArce,PuertoRicoresidency; Humano, Pan-Carribbcan Dance Eriday; Domino.QuebecDanceEridavandVirvla.an ensembleofSwedishmusiciansanddancers.
Continuingexhibitsinclude“Portraitsfromthe PermanentCollection,”“ArtandLifeinthe Ancient Mediterranean,” and Asian and Europeanartfromthepermanentcollection. CurrentshowsthroughJune4include“Terry Winters;Prints;”“ArtisticLicense:\isionsof Literature;”and“MedievalArchitectureandthe (207}761-0591www.arlsandculture.org ModernImagination.”(207)725-
PCAGreatPerformances. MerrillAuditorium, Portland.
BeSuretoSee... Chan Molv Sam, Cambodian perlormers,('enter forCultural Exchange, AprilId
"(hlShaham”appearsonEridav.AprilHatS p.m.(207)S42-0S00.
PortlandStringQuartet.Portland.Atthe WoodfordsCongregationalChurchonApril9at 5p.m.,don’tmissguestartistDoriotAnthony Dwvcr.flutist,andaperformanceofBellagio \ariationsforStringQuartetbyBowdoinCollege Professor.ElliottSchwartz.(207)761-1522.
PortlandSvmphonvOrchestra.4"7Congress Street.MerrillAuditorium,Portland.All performances begin at 7:30 p.m. unless otherwisenoted.OnApril16,thePortland SvmphonvOrchestraandIhiivcrsihofSouthern .MaineChamberSingerspresent“’TheMusicof RodgersandHammerstein,”includingmusical selectionsfromIheKingandI.SouthPacific, 1'heSoundofMusic,Oklahoma,Carousel, and StatePair.OnMav2.at“:>0p.m..thePortland SvmphonvOrchestraperformsanall-orchestral celebrationofSpring.<207)S42-0S00.
UniversityofSouthernMaineDepartmentof Music.CorthcllConcertHall.Universityof Southern Maine campus, Portland. “An EveningofEarlvMusic,"directedbyBruce FithianisscheduledforApril18at8p.m usm.maine.edu/mus
Museums&Galleries BowdoinCollegeMuseumofArt,Brunswick.
CenterforMaineHistory,4S9CongressStreet, Portland. Pluribus Unum: Maine and the MakingofaNation,showsthroughOctober>1. MaineHistoricalSociety’srareimprintofthe DeclarationofIndependenceisthecenterpiece ofthismillennialexhibitionandisoneofonly tvvcntv-fivccopiesknowntoexist.Theshowalso exploresthechanginglivesandattitudesof Maine residents during and after the Revolutionary War and showcases Maine people who played national roles in the creationoftheAmericanidentity.(207)8,9024".
Colbv College Museum of Art. 5600 Mayflower Hill. Waterville. Ongoing exhibitsarc“TheArtofAlexKatz.”inthe PaulJ.SchupfCallenand“AncientArt,” fromColbv’spermanentcollectioninthe JetteGallery.“T'hcJoanWhitneyPayson Collection"isonviewthroughJuneIS.(207)
Farnsworth /Art Museum. >52 Main Street. Rockland.Exhibitsinclude:“TheOlsonHouse: CreatingaScale.Model.”withcreatorDudley Rockwellgivingatalkabouthismodeland sharingpersonalrecollectionsoftheOlson Ilousewhen.AndrewWvcthpaintedthereeven Saturdayal2p.m.throughApril16;“Paintings. PropsandCostumes:ObjectsofInspiration.”a showcombiningthepaintingsofJamieWyeth andtheactualpropsandcostumesseeninthe works; and "Painting the Elements: Maine LandscapesbvN.C.Wyeth(207)596-6457.
EoreStreetGallen,366loreStreet,Portland. “ImpressionsoftheBiology,"paintingsbyTom Maciag,showsthroughApril30.evenday.(20,) 874-8084.
IlavGallcrv.594CongressStreet,Portland. “AAaterandLight.”anexhibitionoflandscape paintingsbyJulieFreundandStanMoeller, showsthroughApril16.Moeller,inspiredbythe writingsofRachelCarson,createsanhomageto nature.Ereundworksmainlvingouacheand pastelparingdownthelandscapetogetatan essentialview.Freeport’sHarraseeketRiver appearsinmanvworks.(207)"">-2513.
InstituteofContemporaryArt.522Congress Street. Portland. “Beyond Decorum: 'I he PhotographyofIkeUde.”continuesthrough April1>.IkeUde.aNigerian-bornartistliving andworkinginNewA’orkCih,lakespartina multimediainstallationofferingthefirst
■ CALENDAR ■ comprehensivelookathiscriticalphotographic work dating from 1991 with his OnerGirl scriestohismostrecentworksinprogress.He scriesandBevondDecorum.(20")S79-“42.
L/AArtsAnnualArtAuctionatthe(.ewistonAnburnCollege,l^wiston.Amuchanticipated auction,thisyearmorethan55Maineartists havecontributedtheirwork.Workswillbe exhibitedforsixweeksbeforetheauctionevent onMay6.Don’tmissthisexcitingevening, beginningat6p.m.
LewisGallery,PortlandPublicLibrary,5 MonumentSquare.Portland.Photographsbv MadeleinedeSinctv“LesSaisonsdunVillage: IwodecadesinthelifeofaFrenchvillagein Brittam."(207iS71-175S.
Ixical1SSGallenandTapasBar.1SSState Street.Portland.Fclccticshows,mixedmedia. IuesdaytoSaturdayfrom11a.m.toclosing; tapasavailablefrom4p.m.(20"i761-7909.
OTarrellGallen,5SMaineStreet,Brunswick. Openingwithareceptionfrom5-7p.m.on April 15 and continuing to Mav 11 arc "William Manning: New Paintings and Collages;”"MargaretLibbv:AnimalPaintings andPastels;"and“MarikoQuint-Rose:Paper InspiredinBurma."(207)"29-8228.
PortlandMuseumofArt.”CongressSquare. Portland."HamiltonLasterFieldFoundation Collection,”featuresworksbvField.Stuart Davis.PeggyBacon.YasuoKunivosbi."Re¬ collected Images: Chansonetta Stanley l’mmons,"anexhibitofEmmons’blackand whiteprintsandoriginalhand-coloredglass slidesincludingrarelyseen,intimatestudiesof nature, shows through Max 21. "Lasting Impressions:ContemporaryPrintsfromthe BruceBrownCollection."continuesthrough June4.Brown.CuratoroitheMaineCoast ArtistsGalleryinRockport,hasassembleda phenomenalcollectionotcontemporaryprints representingsomeofthebestworkbeingdone inMaineandthenation.Someoftheartists represented include: John Cage; David Hocknev;AlexKatz;AlisonHildreth:Howard Clifford;KarlSchrag;NeilWcllivcr:Brel Bigbee;ChuckClose:andDmiscBourgeois. FreeadmissionFridayeveningsfrom5p.m.to 9p.m.120")"“5-ARTSor(800)659-406".
University of New England. W cstbrook CollegeCampus.Portland.ThroughApril22. seizetheopportunitytoviewamazingworksof artthatarepartofthetreasuretrovesotMaine coq^orationsandprofessionalfirms."Selections fromMaineCoq^orateCollectionsincludes worksbvBcvcrlvHallam.PatHardv.John Heliker.AlexKatz.BernardLmglais.William Manning. Abbv Shahn. and mans more. For moreinformation,call20")”9“-“26L 'ompiledbvI)iaucIludwn
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100NealStreet StorybyColinSargent
ohnNealssasoneofPortland’s mosttalentedssriters.JohnGalsinStcsensssasoneofPort¬ land’smostcelebrated architects.Soperhapsthere’sa 1J^ps'collabor-..ationofspiritsat ssorkinthelovelygablesandturretsof 100NealStreet inPortland'sW'est End.builtin1898forhandlotionmag¬ nateAlbert11.Hinds(sshostrolleddaiIstoosersecfinancesathislaborators' onncarbsPineStreet)andlistedforthe thirdtimeinthreescarsbs'HieHatcher Groupfor$550,000.
Threetimesinthreesears?Broker JohnHatcherexplains."1firstsoldthe propertsfor[hotelier]HarperSibley [formerossneroftheNonantum ResortinKennebunkportandthe CoastlineInninSouthPortland]in thespringof1997.W'esoldthehouse againlastfalltoaseniormarketing exccutisebroughtinbs-L.L.Beanto ssorkasasicepresidentforcorporate imaging.1lemosedinafterclosing, butbarelsafterunpacking,hessas hiredbyBluelight.com(theinternet domainrepresentingK-.\lart)and sshiskedassas'toCalifornia.”
Onfirstglance. One1Inndred NealStreetisa diminutivecastle shoehornedinto .anexclusiveWest Endneighborjj hoodandpossibly
Portlandlandmarksnotesthat100 NealisashosscaseoftrademarkJohn CalsinStesenstouches,including“the slate-sheathedfacadegablesshichoserhangsthebrickbods'ofthehouse.In theapexofthegableisanoculussvindoss -;bc-neathitisapairedopening ssithmulti-pancdsash...Thechimney isrescaledontheexteriorinthebrick sectiononly;itisornamentedssitha raisedpanelonthesecondstoryand flaresoutatthebasetoaddtothesaricty ofssal1surfaces.”
1
compromisedbybasingonly60feetof streetfrontage.
Buttherearccompensations,includ¬ inga200-footbacksardwithanenor¬ mous,hoaiymaplethatmustbearem¬ nantfromtheproperty’soriginalplant¬ ings.Shelteredbythistreeisthe house’stsso-storybrickcarriagehouse, addedin1914.“Thesardandcarriage houseareexceptionalfortheW'est End."sas's1latchcr,notingthat“the originalStes-ensblueprintsareonfile atMaineIlistorieal,andtheoriginal bi-foldgaragedoorsarestillupthere onthecarriagehouse'ssecondfloor," aninsitingspotforahomeoffice.
Thoughthesalesliteraturedescribes itasaColonialRcsisalhome,it’shard nottotickofftheShingleStvlcand QueenAnneinfluencesassouenter beneathassseepingslateElizabethan porchinasymmetricalharmonyssitha hexagonaltsso-storvhasssindossonthe left,slate-cappedtosserontheright,and glasssolariumjuttingoutfromthesec¬ ondfloor.JohnRuskin,inhissearchfor peqrctualsariation,ssouldbepleased. SursesorRickRedlonofGreater
Inside,incomparableturn-of-the-ccnturs'carpentrytakescenterstageasyou surses'thefoyer.ThelargeUsing roomtoyourrightssas“formerly tss'orooms,”1latchcrsays,shossingsshereagracefulcentralfire¬ placehasbeenaddedcirca1920. Toyourleftisadiningroomssith oakssainscoting[originallysarnishedbutnoss'paintedssliitc] andastainedglassssindoss'gloss¬ ingaboscaspacedesignedfora sideboard.Eromhere,soussalk throughtoalargetiledsunroom ssithfireplaceandsicsssoftheback gardensbeforeturningintoaslate pantrs'ssiththeoriginalssoodencabi¬ netrystillintact,includingasetofiron racksdesignedforsixloas'esofbreadto risesimultaneously.'Hiekitchenhas beenopeneduptoincludesicsssof thebackyard.WTilcthislargerspace issuccessfulandboastsaprettytin ceiling,someupdatingassaitsaness' ossnerhere.
Upstairsyou’llfindthesamequarter¬ sassnoakfloorsthatmakesuchanim¬ pressiononthefirstfloor.Aformal staircaseascendsthreefloorsasdocsa secondsetofstairs;onthesecond floor,themasterbedroomencompass¬ esthetosserandincludesaninglenook fireplacessithseatasssellasacose ceiling.Asecondlargebedroomoffers ancxclusis'essalk-intotheextruding solarium.Afamils'roomssithfireplace hascofferedceilings(ssithcansas paintedoscrin-betscen),afour-square floor,abuilt-inbookcase,andsiesssof thegardens.Ajacuzzionthisflooris anotherplus,thoughthebathrooms needsomessork.
WhenItConies ToPlants, WeWroteTheBook! We’veexpandedourcatalogfor2000.Now,allourtrees,shrubs, andperennialsareallincludedinthiscomprehensiveandinfor¬ mativeresource.Withover250pages,you’resuretofindthe plantsyou’relookingfor,aswellassomehelpfulhintsfor selectingtherightplants,andtipsaboutkeepingthemhealthy.
& Expanded customer parking. & Garden Center with unique gifts. & Your source for large trees and plants (trees to 20 feet). & Specimen plants our speciality. & Blooms Of Bressingham. & Complete water-gardening area. & Prints by artist Gary Milek.
GROWING GARDENERS FOR LIFE O'DonaVs Nurseries,Inc.
tor the North
■ NEW ENGLAND HOMES & LIVING St.George 1.2+/-acres with200'of waterfronton CutlerCove. T’hishome offersopen kitchen,dining andlivingarea,3bedrooms,2baths,3decks,fullwalk-outbase¬ mentand13monthhomewarrantyincluded.$179,000
Rockport
Beautifuloceanviews fromthisduplex.Two,2 bedrooms,1bathunits, 1stfloorlaundry,deck, 2cargarageandhome warrantyincluded. Duplexisinexcellent conditionandhasagreatrentalhistory.$199,000
South Thomaston Largecontemporary homesituatedon 1.74+/-acreswith 213'offrontageon o WeskeagRiver. Kitchen,dining room,livingroom withfireplace,4bedrooms,2.5baths,fullbasement,2cargarage anddeck.Needssomefinishing.$208,900
South
Lightfilledcontemporary withopenfloorplan. Kitchen,diningroom, livingroom,3bedrooms, fullfinishedbasement, deck,indoorpool,2cargarageandoutbuildingallsituatedon 1.7+/-privateacreswith180'ofwaterfrontonSnowdealCove. 1lomewarrantyincluded.$239,000
SoundVest Properties This home is completely new and ready to move into. FeaturingfrontageontheBackRiver,adockandfloat, screenedinporch,deckandwonderfulwaterviews. Hardwoodfloorsgleaminthekitchenandlivingroom, anattachedtwo-cargaragewithanareaforstudioabove makebothconvenienceandextraspace.$285,000.
OrrsIslandcharacterizethishalfacrelot.Aseptic systemhasbeendesignedforathreebedroomhouse.
at $235,000
Patios • Walkways Stone Walls STONEWORKS 1'ri-:i-:Delivery! with purchase of $500 or more 50miles radiusofstore.
Simplify!Simplify! HenryDavidThoreau's revolutionbeckons tranquilityerprosperity toa21stcenturygone madwithasnarlof computercables, orphanedshoes,tech manualssoftwareboxes, lastsummer'ssilkdresses Stscarves,potsStpans pyrexdishes,taxforms, copperkettles&your newTimSampleCD amidtheclangorofso muchothereralia.
Organize!Organize! Ourneedtomake senseofallthis(aswell asrestorevaluetoit)leadsus toClosettec,aleaderinthe evolutionoforganizationfor homeerbusiness.Because theydesignaroundyouSt yourneeds,yourcloset,study, library,orkitchen(yes,at Kitchentecthey'llcreatea kitchenespeciallyforyou)will
becomeareflectionofyouer yourlifestyle.Forgetthemove orexpansionerwithafree designerconsultationinyour homeletKitchentec-Closettec helpyoudiscoverthatyou already have more space—& peaceofmind—thanyouever dreamedpossible.
Ydxasj- Crocodile wo DMco •and FOX A SOMALI TALE TranslationbyMarianAhmed andConorQuinn
tongue,butthecrocodiledid. Thefoxsaidtohim, “OCrocodile,there issomethingthat isveryvery important/’ Thenhesaidto her,“What isit?” Thereuponshe crocodilelives.
IllustrationBv saidtohim,“IfI
Onedayshemet thecrocodileandthey hadaconversationtogether. Sothefoxdidnothavea ।tellyou,Idon’t thinkthatyoucanhelp mewithit.”
Thenhesaidtoher,“I
RITE AID Withmorelocationsthananyother drugstore,we’realwayscloseby. Wefillyourprescriptionspromptly andourpharmacistsalwaystakethe timetoansweryourquestions. Further,RITEAIDoffersbigsavings andproductsyouuseeveryday:
promisethatifIknoworunderstandthe problemthatvouhave,Iwillhelpyou withit.”
Afterthatshesaid.“Mvsisterisgetting married.Soshewantspeopletoululate forher,andIdon’thaveatongueIcan ululatewith,soIwantvoutolendme vourtonguetonight,sothatIcanululate formvsisteratherwedding.AndIwill returnitIovoutomorrowmorningwhen Icomegetmvselfwater."
Sointhatwavthecrocodilegavehis tonguetothefox.Andthecrocodilelost atongue,andthefoxfoundatongue. Thuspeoplequotetheproverb.“I,ook beforevouleap.”Thecrocodiledidnot thinkaboutwhatwouldhappeninthe future.Andtodavacrocodileistongue¬ less,andafoxhasatongue,butthereisa problem:itisforbiddenforthefoxto drinkfromanyriver.Becausecrocodile agreedingoodfaith,butshetrickedhim, heisalwavswaitingthere.
Annotation ConversationThoughthefoxdoesn'thaveatongue,a suspensionofdisbeliefisbothnecessaryandcommonto anystorytellingtradition.“Encounter”wouldnotbeagood substitute,becausetheSomaliwordhasnothingatalltodo withmeetingorbumpingintoanyone.
UlulateAtSomaliweddings,it'satraditiontoululatefor thebride.It'salmostakindofcheer,movingyourtongue rapidlyagainstthetopofyourmouthwhileemittinga highpitch..
SoandThereuponIntheoraltradition,thecorresponding Somaliwordsmakethelinksineventsmoreclearandeasy tofollow.Theyholdthethreadsofthestorytogether. LookbeforeyouleapTheyhavetheexactsameproverb. IntheSomalilanguage,itslookbeforeyouact.butwhen theylearntheEnglishversion,theyimmediatelyadoptleap asthetranslation.
ButSomaliconjunctionsdon'tworkthesamewayasin English.We'veintentionallyleftthetranslationabitroughto giveabitofasenseofwhatlifeintranslationislike.
-ConorQuinn
Fromleft;ConorQuinn.HurriaShire.Xaima Abukaar.and/.aitunSharif
Inanexcitingcollaboration,PortlandHigh School students of Somali heritage have teamed up with linguist Conor Quinn to translateSomalistoriesintoabook.The tale above comes to us courtesy of Marian Ahmed and Conor Quinn. Any individuals or groupsinterestedinpublishinga comprehensivecollectionoftranslated Somalistoriesandartworksgeneratedasa resultofthisproject-orparticipatinginthe projectitself-areencouragedtocontact PortlandHighSchool'sprojectcoordinator, ChristineBraceras,at(207)756-8418.
Inaworldgonefacelesswithcyberstores andlifelesswithstripmalls,TheShopsat FalmouthVillagewillstandoutagainstthis seaofretailsprawlwithaboldnewlook... theoldfashionedvillagecenter.
ConceivedanddesignedbyPortCity Architecture,theinvitinglookisasfamiliar asaMainecolonial—butasspicyas Ricetta’s Pizza. Here,thepersonalityoflocalstores like Minott’sFlowers,Christine’sGallery, and RainbowToys combinewiththenational presenceof Staples and Hallmark. Innovative designcreatesaspacewhere Books,Etc. and MaineRoastersCoffee cometogetheraround thewarmthofafireplace.
Withbrickwalkwaysthatinvitestrolling, boulevardslinedwithtrees,andplazas landscapedforconversation,PortCity Architecturehasdesignedavillageofstores centeredaroundmodernconvenience.Enjoy abrickovenpizzaandwalktoamovie,or warmupwithanespressoafterskating atFalmouth’sFamilyIce.Ourvillagewill sparklecomeChristmas,andthroughout theyear,aswemakeshoppingfunagain.
Spaceisdwindling,butopportunity stillexists.Joinus—becomepartofthe experience—aswecelebratethereturn ofthevillagecenter.
Starbird Music on Gendron “OnedayoneoftheGendron'swasinourformerstore buyingmusic.(TheGendron'sbarebeenStarbirdcustomers foralongtimet)Thestorewashustlingthatday,asusual. 1hepeopleatGendron'ssuggestedtomethatwemight considerrelocatingtolargerfacilities.Theyaskeduswhat areaoftownwemightconsider,whatsizespaceweneeded, etc.1heywentrighttoworkforusandinacoupleof monthstheycalledusbackwiththeperfectlocation."
“Wewantedtocreateamusicstoreforthe90s,andwe envisionedthisbeautifulopenspace,expandingitinto differentdepartments.Thiswasourfirstexperiencein buyingabuilding.Itwastimeconsumingwithamillion details,alotdifferentthanbuyingahouse.Thefolksat Gendron knew I needed a lot of help and support. They wereintouchwithuseverydayforayear!"
"Whenyou'rerunningabusiness everyday,youdonothavethe timetosearchandexplorefor anewlocation.Thats’wherethe folksatGendronenteredthe pictureanddeliveredonall ofourdreams.”
“Iheyknewweneededastorethatcomplimentedwhat wesell,pianosandorgans.Afurniturestorewasmoving outandGendron’shadtheforesighttoseethepossibilities.”
“Nowwehavearecitalhall-togivesomethingbackto thecommunity-andtwelveindividual,separatemusic studiosforteachers.”
“IfeltverycomfortablewithGendron's,theytreatedme withrespect.Theyreturnedeveryphonecallandnever gaveup.Theyknowtherightpeopleatthebanks.They cametoalltheappointmentswithme,introducingme toalloftheirconnections.”
“Becauseoftheirpositiveattitudetherewerenoobstacles toobigthatwecouldnotovercome.Inshort,we'reglad we had the opportunity to choose Gendron."
JillStarbird, Owner StarbirdMusic
