Maine School of Science and Mathematics (MSSM) is a nationally acclaimed public residential high school, ranked #1 in Maine and among the top schools in America. Catering to academically driven students from across the state and beyond, MSSM offers an unparalleled educational experience focused on STEM, advanced coursework, and individualized learning. With world-class faculty, a collaborative community, and access to cutting-edge resources, MSSM prepares students not only for college but for leadership in an ever-evolving world. Nestled in the picturesque beauty of northern Maine, MSSM provides a transformative environment where curiosity and innovation thrive.
Accepting Applications for fall of 2025
Start your journey now by using the QR code to plan your visit to campus. You can also watch one of our virtual webinars or schedule an online information session with our Dean of Enrollment Management.
Deadline: Feb 1st
SCOOPS
29 “Sticker Shock” By Clif Travers
23 Night Gallery
“The Shape of Light” By Colin W. Sargent
SNOOPS
15 FROM THE EDITOR
“Show Me the Magic” By Colin W. Sargent
17 LETTERS
19 CHOWDER
A tasty blend of the Fabulous, the Eyebrow-Raising, and the Just Plain Wrong.
35 FINE LIVING
“The Rise of Smoke” By Tess Davis
CULTURE
49 GET OUT
86 LAST WORDS
“When We Was Fab” By Colin W. Sargent
SHELTER
69 TALKING WALLS
“Holiday House” By Colin W. Sargent
78 NEW ENGLAND HOMES & LIVING
41 CORNER TABLE “Hungry? Go See Tyce” By Colin W. Sargent
43 SELECT AREA RESTAURANTS
EXPLORE
21 MADE IN MAINE
50 HOLIDAY GIFTS & EVENTS GUIDE
COLIN W. SARGENT Founding Editor & Publisher
ART & PRODUCTION
Art Director NANCY SARGENT
Associate Publisher JESSE STENBAK
Design Director CLAIRE HANLEY
Design MEAGHAN MAURICE MERCEDES VILLENEUVE
ADVERTISING
Advertising Executive ANDIE EWING
Advertising Executive KAREN DUDDY
EDITORIAL
Assistant Editor & Publisher CLIF TRAVERS
Contributing Editor GWEN THOMPSON
Special Features & Archives COLIN S. SARGENT
Special Projects JASON HJORT
Associate TESS DAVIS
ACCOUNTING
Controller JENNIFER LORD
SUBSCRIPTIONS
Subscribe online at www.portlandmagazine.com.
Portland Magazine, aka Portland Monthly Magazine, is published by Sargent Publishing, Inc. Repeat Internet rights are understood to be purchased with all stories and artwork. For questions regarding advertising, invoicing, and payments, call Jennifer Lord at 775-0101.
December 2024, Volume 39, No. 9 (ISSN: 1073-1857). Letters to the editor are welcome and will be treated as unconditionally assigned for publication and copyright purposes and as subject to Portland Magazine’s unrestricted right to edit and comment editorially. Responsible only for that portion of any advertisement which is printed incorrectly. Advertisers are responsible for copyrights of materials they submit. Nothing in this issue may be reprinted in whole or in part without written permission from the publishers. Submissions welcome, but we take no responsibility for unsolicited materials. All photography has been enhanced for your enjoyment.
Portland Magazine is proudly printed in the USA by Cummings Printing.
Show Me the Magic
Portland ’ s skyline is a trick of scale. It delights the eye. Our skyscrapers seem lofty, but they’re still not too tall for seagulls to land atop the Time & Temperature building.
If you leave the Forest City for an extended time for a visit to Hong Kong or Manhattan (sorry about the World Series, guys) and then return, the skyscrapers on the peninsula of Maine’s largest city seem much, much smaller. To a Misstra Know-It-All, barely there.
But stay here a while, and they start to grow. I’d say like in a Kafka story but that would be a reference. So maybe it’s more like in a Disney movie, or one of the warlock tricks Jack Lemmon does in Bell, Book & Candle.
It has to do with Portland’s singular personality. e Forest City guides us to our dream selves. Its gentle slopes treat us to surprise vistas. We can check the temperature and say hi to Joe through the trees from our ground- oor studio cresting Baxter Boulevard.
It isn’t just the diminutive skyscrapers that seem to grow. It’s the sense of friendship, humor, and irony. Stay with me a second. When I was in Deering High School, class of 1973, I asked the person sitting beside me during the graduation ceremony what his plans were. He said, “I’m never coming back here. e tallest building here is Maine Medical Center, where we’re all going to die.” Typical Portland joke. Even if I can’t remember who you are, I know you’re back with us.
December in Maine. Wicked (see our feature story “When We Was Fab”). Where else in the universe can you get a glow from shoveling snow?
Note: To read our interview with one of the actual crewmembers who put the incandescent Time & Temperature sign up in Monument Square (it rivals putting the salt in the ocean as a righteous Forest City boast), see “Sign of the Times,” April 2014.
APPRECIATING GREATNESS
Hello, I saw my article as part of the November issue [“Woman of Substance,” November 2024] and I want to say thank you to you both for this fantastic presentation of Dr. Whittier —one of those moments when I had the opportunity to meet one of the grand ladies of Maine.
Rhea Cote Robbins, Portland
AND THANK YOU, BILL & DEB
ank you for the most recent issue of Portland Magazine. Both Bill and I always look forward to the next issue. Bill also enjoyed, as did I, writing for the magazine.
Debbie Barry, Portland
For links to groundbreaking features written for us by the late William David Barry, visit portlandmonthly. com/portmag/online-extras/ —Ed
SIPPIN’ PRETTY
I love the new cocktail sections. I’ve tried several, and they’ve all been tasty. I’m making the “Fishermen’s Punch” for our huge anksgiving Day party. I’ll let you know how it goes.
Cindy Charles, Freeman
We’d love to hear from you! Send your letters, comments, or quips to editor@portlandmonthly.com or message us on Facebook.
THE BA XTER
the Wall
3,686 miles from its former home, a piece of the Berlin Wall now sits on Portland’s Long Wharf. The DiMillo family purchased the hunky relic in the 1990s and eventually installed it near their foat-
Cleaning house? Check it before you wreck it. One lucky woman found Rembrandt’s Portrait of a Girl in the attic of her
ONE CURVY BIRD
Gnome home?
Local architects and the Rangeley Lakes Regional School collaborated to build Gnome Home Roan as part of an ini tiative to involve kids with nature. Now, 30 gnomes and gnome houses later, the project is a monstrous success!
The Anhinga, or Devil Bird because of its resemblance to water snakes, is native to South America. However, 80 people spotted one in a meadow in Somerville recently, marking the frst time this bird was seen in Maine. Maybe checking out our weather for relocation?
There’s no doubt that Maine sees the sun before any other place in the country, but where exactly does the sun frst rise? For the summer months, West Quoddy Head receives the frst sun, but at certain points in the year its sunset is blocked by hills in New Brunswick. For the remaining months, check out Mars Hill and the top of Cadillac Mountain
This holiday season, choose
REAL MAINE
When holiday shopping, visit REALMAINE.com to fnd locally made products to give, share, and enjoy.
Cozy knits, farm subscriptions, gift baskets, house warmers, holiday arrangements, teas, and confections can be purchased at Maine farms, markets, stores, and online year-round.
REAL MAINE CHRISTMAS TREES
Pick your perfect Maine-grown Christmas tree at your local tree farm this season. Follow us @GetRealMaine visit REALMAINE .com
Night
Gallery
Talk about a boulevard of dreams.
JOHN CALVIN STEVENS and his son, John Howard Stevens, submitted this whimsical image of what might have been a signature landmark for the City of Portland had the city fathers accepted it. e two architects
STORY BY COLIN W. SARGENT
called their vision “Night View from Baxter Boulevard of Proposed Park for P.P.D.C.” e submission can be seen online if you search “Proposed Park for Portland Public Development Commission, Portland, 1920.”
e centerpiece would have been a thousand-foot fountain of light that would have attracted visitors from as far away as—who knows? the Tobin Bridge in Boston? Or for that matter, outer space?
We’ve done the math. e curvature of the Earth would not have prevented travelers from Massachusetts from seeing it.
Sweet dreams and fying machines in pieces on the ground.
— James Taylor, “Fire and Rain”
Negatives that doomed the project, particularly the beacon light, might have included the cost, bad for birds, keeps people awake, light pollution reduces stargazing and therefore quality of life, you name it. ere are so many good reasons for not doing something beautiful.
Historian Herb Adams says, “later, there were hopes of a dirigible mooring mast” on the shores of Back Cove. One year in the 1930s, Maine hosted the National Governors’ Conference, and many of the governors were taken in a blimp from Portland around Mt. Katahdin and then back again.
e Stevens submission evolved to the idea of a Back Cove Recreation Park in 1935. ink conference center, a Made-in-Maine Pavilion (the fragrant beans and molasses smell from the nearby B&M plant would have set the tone!), yachting, outdoor theater. File it under hypnotic hypothetica, but never stop dreaming. n
At Norway Savings Asset Management Group, it’s not necessarily the size of your nest egg we care about — it’s the story behind it. Your planning decisions are a reflection of your values and your future. They’re about the choices you’ve made to get here, and your vision for what comes next. We take the responsibility of protecting your financial future incredibly seriously. We make sure your story lives on.
Seven Arctic explorers, one Snowy Owl— what could possibly go wrong?
Join Arcturus and his pals Lena, Captain Donald MacMillan, and a crew of friendly research sailors aboard the lovely schooner Bowdoin in 1934. The wounded snowy owl gets a lift from Portland, Maine, to his Arctic homeland. On the way, everyone learns something new in this children’s story inspired by a true adventure. $12.95
Suggested for ages 3 to 9.
TINTYPE BY JOHN DIMARTINO JR.
Sticker Shock
One artist takes aim at cash vultures.
STORY BY CLIF TRAVERS
Maybe you ’ ve seen the signs but didn’t register what they were. ey look a lot like the ones that inspired them, the signs that rst appeared on telephone poles and community bulletin boards in the early 2000s: Cash For Your Home or Cash for Your Junk Car. “ ese people are predators,” Geo Hargadon says, and he was inspired to shine a light on their depravity. Hargadon creates similar street lures o ering money for valuable art. Cash for Your Warhol, they proclaim in evocative graphics that embed themselves into our world. A recent sighting was on parking signage outside Maine Hardware o St. John Street.
“It was an art project meant to be a comment on the nancial crisis and the one percent,” Hargadon says. “ ere were signs o ering cash for everything during the crash of 2008. I’m driving in my car, and I’m thinking even rich people are losing money. ey’re gonna need to sell their art. I thought it was funny, but I didn’t know how big it would get. It caught on, and it’s still going.”
Fifteen years later, the signs and stickers have been seen in over twenty countries—from Britain to Japan to Brazil—and in nearly every state in the U.S.
A graduate of Harvard University and a nancial advisor for over fty years, Hargadon sees his work as part parody, part commentary. “ e com-
moditization of art is o ensive to me. It’s become a competition. Collectors measure their worth by who owns the better Warhol or whatever. I’m calling them out on it.” He never intended for it to become a commodity of its own, but it has. “ at wasn’t the goal at all. I just wanted my comment to be out there, and I didn’t care who liked it. I wanted to see what would happen.”
What happened was a lot. “I printed up a few signs, stapled them to phone poles, and I started getting calls right away. Some were just curious about what the signs meant. But a few thought they had Warhols and wanted to unload them. My projects relate to money, and that’s what resonates with people.” Messages poured into the listed phone line and continue today. “I’ve archived them, and there are thou-
sands at this point. Some people get that it’s a parody, but I have a lot of calls from drunk kids who just think it’s funny. en there are the real responses. I’ve been o ered so many legit Warhols at this point that I nally bought one a few years ago. Everyone thinks they’ve got a treasure, but they’re not all valued at a million bucks, you know. One guy had paid $75K at an auction, and he wanted to sell it for that. I o ered him $25K. He was insulted. Just because you paid big bucks at an auction doesn’t mean it’s worth it.”
But the fervor didn’t stop there. Hargadon’s signs have now been included in over seventy- ve art exhibits—group and solo shows in galleries and museums around the world. Stories about the signs have appeared in Vanity Fair, Boston Globe, Blouin Artinfo, among others. e project, which initially mocked the art sales world, has become part of the establishment itself. His signs sell for hundreds of dollars on eBay. When Christie’s Auction House held a Warhol event, Hargadon was asked
to participate. “It was about ten years ago when I was approached by someone who’d been collecting my signs and had a proposal for me. He said, ‘I’m the chairman of the Warhol Foundation, and we’re in the process of doing a project with Christie’s.’ ey were selling a lot of Warhol’s work, and he wanted to give all the board members a gift, a special sign for them. e board included Cindy Sherman and members of the Warhol family. I did an edition of about 20. e family loved them and told me that Andy would have found them very funny. ere’s not much humor in art, but Andy Warhol appreciated a good joke.”
Not all artists are as easily humored. Christo, the artist known for wrapping landmarks such as L’Arc de Triomphe and the Aurelian Walls in Rome, was not so amused by Hargadon. He’d created e Gates in Central Park in 2005—an installation of 7,503 gates with free-hanging fabric. Hargadon found the project to be beautiful but also worthy of
humor. His smaller work called e Somerville Gates was a photographic journey through thirteen miniature gates made from materials from Home Depot, winding through his Somerville loft and occasionally observed by his cat Edie, who towered over them.
is project was viewed by millions on the internet and brought a request from the organizers of a bene t for the Massachusetts College of Art, an event sponsored in part by the Christo Foundation.
Gates. He refused to answer.” Shortly after Christo’s gates were removed from Central Park, Hargadon took
Even rich people are losing money. They’re gonna need to sell their art. I thought it was funny, but I didn’t know how big it would get.
“ ey wanted to auction o one of my miniature gates, but Christo had a delicate ego. He vetoed it, and the request was withdrawn. Later, at an event at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston he was asked by a reporter what he thought of e Somerville
his Gates website down as well. ere were four million downloads of his installation, and he was facing a $20,000 bill from his internet provider. But his Cash for Your Warhol signs live on. Orders come in regularly—for stickers as well as full-sized signs—and his work has been in
three group shows this year. In 2014, Hargadon went brick-and-mortar with a Cash for Your Warhol store popping up in Cambridge, Massachusetts. It closed in 2016, but not before another was opened in Belfast, Maine where he summers. “ e store is designed as if it’s for people who have a Warhol to sell, but it’s really more of an installation. Some of the stu in the store is real, and others are fake. I leave it up to the viewer to decide what’s what.”
Is there another project in the works? “I’m waiting for a good idea to hit me. When it happens, it’ll happen.”
For those who are looking to sell, buy, or just browse, the project’s website is cashforyourwarhol.com. n
A MERI C A ’S O L D ES T S HO E S T OR E
The Rise of Smoke
Farmers navigate the rapid growth of medical cannabis.
STORY BY TESS DAVIS
Since before the Civil War, the humble spud held fast as Maine’s top cash crop. However, a shift occurred in 2020 when medical cannabis usurped that high position over potatoes and blueberries. While Maine’s Potato industry revenue brought in around $238M in 2023, medical cannabis brought in a whopping $280M.
Medical cannabis farmers like Brady Palmer are embracing healthier farming techniques. Palmer, who opened his farm in 2014, al-
ways loved gardening, but he made his living as the owner of a real estate o ce. After a surprise open heart surgery in 2009, he decided he needed a change, transitioning to farming full-time. Grumpy’s Organic Farm, in Manchester, Maine, was born.
“I had people saying, ‘Grow the cash crop,’ but at the time, my kids were all little, and I was like, ‘ ere is no way I can grow cannabis.’ I was closed o to it, but I started researching it, and I realized that it really is medicine.”
Although Grumpy’s began as a small operation serving only a few patients, it quickly expanded. On 4s/20/18, Palmer opened Earthly Delights of Maine, a medical cannabis dispensary. Many of his customers su er from chronic illness, and they rely on Grumpy’s for high-quality products.
Palmer grows MOFGA (Maine Organic Farmers and Gardens Association) Certi ed Clean Cannabis. He doesn’t use pesticides and treats his soil with organic materials. “We’ve always been involved with
MOFGA, so it was just a natural transition for us. I hate large industrial ag. ey annihilate the soil, but I work with nature, and I let the soil give the plant what it wants when it wants it.”
Unfortunately, the rapid industry growth makes it more di cult for farmers like Palmer to make a living. “ e prices have come down, and there are just so many people involved now. Some big out-of-staters are coming in.”
Originally, the O ce of Cannabis Policy only gave medical marijuana selling licenses to residents, but in 2021, Wellness Connection, Maine’s largest cannabis company,
and its Delaware parent company, High Street Capital (now Acreage Holdings), sued Maine and won, e ectively enabling out-of-staters to sell medical marijuana in Maine.
e changing industry means that Palmer has been unable to build his geothermal greenhouse, and he hasn’t grown cannabis for a year and a half.
Source: nass.usda.gov.
Yet, now his plants are back in the soil, and he’s looking to the future. He plans to expand the dispensary’s offerings by stocking it with other healing plants and foods along with cannabis.
While cannabis isn’t making moves to push potatoes and blueberries out of the focal point of Maine’s cultural crops, with four years as Maine’s reigning top crop, the continuously growing cannabis industry has earned a place to stay in Maine’s culture of prominent produce. Farmers like Palmer are celebrating.
“Maine is known for its high-quality craft cannabis, and now you are really seeing a perfect vision of that. We have a lot of farmers and a lot of farms.” n
Medicinal Plant Sciences -DE
Bachelor of Science Degree (B.S.) Length: 34 months
Cannabis Sciences -DE
Associate of Applied Science Degree (A A S ) Length: 18 months
Cannabis Business Administration -DE
Associate of Applied Science Degree (A.A.S.) Length: 20 months
Cannabis Business Operations -DE | Diploma Length: 10 months
NOTIFICATIONS
Our daily struggle with digital over-stimulation is continuous and real. With emails, pop-up ads, and notifications, we are often in sensory overload. Reading a print publication is a focused experience outside of the digital realm. Printed content has tested better with brand recall than digital, and is easier on the eyes. Bottom line: printed publications provide readers with a meaningful and memorable experience.
Cummings Printing is a third-generation familyowned company specializing in printing highquality, short-run publications. At each phase of the print process, they provide a humantouch that is unmatched by the competition. We help you create compelling publications so your readers truly understand the allure of the printed word.
Hungry? Go See Tyce
STORY BY COLIN W. SARGENT
One of the brightest lights on Route 1 in Saco, this place is hopping. From the moment you get out of the car and hear the throb of island music from the boom box guiding you in, you know you’re in for a fun time.
A cozy table set for a party of four begins our adventure.
“My inspiration is my mother’s kitchen,” says chef-owner Mabel “Tyce” Reid-Wallace, who, upon seeing me recording the event, demands my phone, curates away two of her least favorite pictures, laughs, and hands it back. “ e cuisine and I are from Saint Catherine’s, one parish over from Kingstown.”
We dive into the savory, smoky Jerk Pork (large size, $20) and the medium-sized coconut Shrimp Curry ($16, incredibly juicy, perfect), both served with enchantingly spiced Rice and Peas [beans], likely given their punch with allspice and scotch bonnet peppers. is restaurant has barbecue in its name, so keep up with Tyce to nd out if brisket or ribs are in the smoker. Tonight’s our lucky night—the Beef Brisket Plate ($25.75) is deeply satisfying, with a tangy sauce. We also devour the sweet Chili and Jerked Wings ($14). For greens we choose the Callaloo (a Caribbean stew of leaf vegetables descended from West African cuisine) and cooked Jamaican slaw. e sweet Fried Plantains (one order, $3)
seems a perfect counterpoint for the rice, a backbeat for the other goodies that deepen the collective taste.
For dessert, we love the Bread
Pudding and Pineapple Upside-Down cake. Which deftly turns Maine’s icy Decem ber right-side up. Geographically intriguing, dar ingly delicious, and driven by an upbeat personality, Go See Tyce is very nice. n
Anthony’s Italian Kitchen 30 years of Old World recipes. Best meatballs in town. Mile-high lasagnas, fresh-filled cannoli pastries, 54 sandwiches, pizza. A timeless great family spot. Beer and wine. Free parking. 151 Middle St., Portland, AnthonysItalianKitchen.com, 774-8668.
Bandaloop has moved into a restored 1700s barn on Route 1 in Arundel. Since 2004 we have offered locally sourced, globally inspired, organic cuisine. Our new home has plenty of space, parking, outdoor seating, takeout, and an event space in the loft. We continue to offer something for every palate—from vegans to carnivores and everything in between. bandalooprestaurant.com
The Corner Room features bright, wide-open space with towering ceilings complemented by handcrafted woodwork. Patrons can expect a warm, comfortable atmosphere, marked by the arich aromas of house-made pastas, pizzas, antipasti and artisanal breads. Come and enjoy the taste of Venice in the heart of Portland, ME! 8794747, 110 Exchange Street. Visit thecornerroomkitchenandbar.com for more information.
Boone’s A Portland landmark since 1898. Original home of Alexander Boone’s world-famous Baked Stuffed Lobster. Two waterfront decks, two full bars, two cozy dining rooms, fireside tables. Perfect setting to enjoy the finest seafood from Maine and the world. Steaks, chowder, lobster rolls, grilled dishes, daily features. Visit Boone’s for a romantic date, business luncheon, family gathering or large banquet. BoonesFishHouse.com
Bruno’s Portland’s Best Italian, Market Surveys of America. Silver medal, Best Italian, Best of 207. Seriously delicious Italian, American, seafood dishes with signature in-house pasta (Bruno’s Pasta Co. goodies entice in statewide culinary stores). Great sandwiches, pizza, calzones, soups, chowders, salads. Lunch/dinner in dining room or tavern—casual dining as an art form. 33 Allen Ave., 878-9511, restaurantji.com/me/portland/brunos-restaurant-and-tavern-/
Docks Seafood We pride ourselves on our Maine roots. Our mission is to source our seafood locally and regionally. This is noticed by discerning diners who appreciate the value of their food being made fresh from scratch. Our bar features a rotating list of Maine craft beers and signature cocktails. Hours are 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Wed.-Sun.
Maria’s Ristorante Portland’s original classic Italian restaurant. Greg & Tony Napolitano prepare classics: Zuppa di Pesce, Eggplant Parmigiana, Grilled Veal Sausages, Veal Chop Milanese, homemade cavatelli pastas, Pistachio Gelato & Maine’s Best Meatballs. See our own sauce in local stores. $11.95-$22.95. Open at 5 Wed.-Sat. Catering always avail. 1335 Congress Street 772-9232, mariasrestaurant.com.
Flatbread Company Portland Tucked between two wharves with picturesque waterfront views. Family-friendly restaurant w/ signature pizzas, weekly carne & veggie specials. Made w/ local ingredients, baked in wood-fired, clay ovens. Everything’s homemade, organic, and nitrate-free. 24 local drafts & cocktails showcase all-local breweries & distilleries. 72 Commercial St., 7728777, flatbreadcompany.com.
DiMillo’s On the Water Now’s the time to enjoy everything DiMillo’s has to offer: fabulous dishes prepared by Head Chef, Melissa Bouchard, voted one of Maine’s Chefs of the Year, plus Certified Angus Beef, Italian and the best lobster around. Our outside dining is unparalleled. Open Monday thru Saturday at noon, Commercial St., Old Port 772-2216. Always FREE PARKING while aboard.
491 US Route One , Freeport, Maine 1/2 mile south of Exit 20 (Across from Hotel 44N)
EL RODEO
Daily Rotating Selection of Local Oysters
Gardens Aglow at Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens until Dec. 31.
Holiday
Belfast Flying Shoes, Rockport Opera House, 6 Central St. Oh! Flying Shoes! Special Solstice Shine Dance, Dec. 20; Last Night Contra Dance, Dec. 31. 338-0979.
The Burleigh, Kennebunkport Inn, 1 Dock Sq. Holiday Cocktail Class, Dec. 21. 204-9668.
Cadenza, 5 Depot St., Freeport. Pat Colwell & The Soul Sensations’ Motown Christmas, Dec. 21. 560-5300.
Camden Opera House, 29 Elm St. Lúnasa: Irish Solstice Celebration, Dec. 20. 236-7963.
Chocolate Church Arts Center, 804 Washington St., Bath. Sing! It’s Christmas, Dec. 16. 442-8455.
City Theater, 205 Main St., Biddeford. Irving Berlin’s Holiday Inn, to Dec. 22. 282-0849.
Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens, 105 Botanical Gardens Dr., Boothbay. Gardens Aglow, to Dec. 31; Making a Festive Arrangement, Dec. 14. 633-8000. Collins Center for the Arts, 2 Flagstaff Rd., Orono. The Nutcracker, Dec. 21–22. 581-1755.
Earth at Hidden Pond, 354 Goose Rocks Rd., Kennebunkport. Casino Royale New Year’s Eve, Dec. 31. 967-6550.
The Ecology School, Riverbend Farm, 184 Simpson Rd., Saco. Winter Solstice Stroll, Dec. 19. 283-9951. Fete Market, Toad & Co., 31 Diamond St. B. Fete Holiday Market, Dec. 14. 303-9145.
Footlights Theatre, 190 US-1, Falmouth. Humbug!
A Spirited Christmas Carol Gone Wrong, to Dec. 22; A Christmas Carol, to Dec. 23. 747-5434.
Greenhut Galleries, 146 Middle St. 2024 Holiday
Show, to Jan. 25, 2025. 772-2693.
The Hill Arts, 76 Congress St. Magic 8 Ball Winter Solstice Concert, Dec. 22. 347-7177.
Kittery Art Association, 2 Walker St. KAA Holiday Show & Gift Bazaar, to Dec. 21. 451-9384.
Lyric Music Theater, 176 Sawyer St., South Portland. A Christmas Carol, The Musical, to Dec. 22. 799-1421.
Maine Jewish Museum, 267 Congress St. Lowry’s Lodge Holiday Open Reading, Dec. 15. 773-2339.
Mayo Street Arts, 10 Mayo St. St. Lucia’s Day Procession with Northbound, Dec. 15. 879-4629.
Meetinghouse Arts, 40 Main St., Freeport. Sparkle, to Dec. 29. 865-0040.
Mystic Theater, 49 Franklin St., Rumford. THUNDERSTRUCK New Years Even with Monsta, Dec. 31. 369-0129.
New England Craft Fairs, Augusta Armory, 179 Western Ave. 35th Annual Last Minute Arts & Craft Show, Dec. 14–15; 35th Annual Last Chance Arts & Craft Show, Dec. 21–22. 946-7079.
Now You’re Cooking, 49 Front St., Bath. Cookie Decorating Drop-In, Dec. 14. 443-1402.
One Longfellow Square, 181 State St. Rock My Soul, Dec. 15; Lúnasa, Dec. 16; Portland Jazz Orchestra Holiday Show, Dec. 19–20; Inanna, Sisters in Rhythm, Dec. 21; Low Lily’s Winter Solstice Celebration, Dec. 22; Lyle Divinsky & Friends, Dec. 29; A Havana New Year’s Eve Bash feat. Primo Cubano, Dec. 31. 761-1757.
Opera House at Boothbay Harbor, 86 Townsend Ave. Holiday Potluck & Carols, Dec. 18; Irish Christmas with John Doyle & Mick McAuley, Dec. 20. 633-5159. Owls Head Transportation Museum, 117 Museum
St. STEM Saturdays: 3…2…1… Happy New Year!, Dec. 28. 594-4418.
Penobscot Theatre Company, Bangor Opera House, 131 Main St. A Christmas Carol, to Dec. 22; Holigays are Here Again, to Dec. 22; Santa’s Storytime & Singalong, to Dec. 22. 942-3333.
Portland Ballet, Merrill Auditorium, 20 Myrtle St. A Victorian Nutcracker, Dec. 17–22. 842-0800.
Portland Conservatory of Music, 28 Neal St. ChoralART Singalong, Dec. 19; Home for the Holidays, Dec. 26–28. 775-3356.
Portland House of Music, 25 Temple St. Griffin William Sherry ’s New Year’s Eve(ish) Party, Dec. 27–28; Tim Sullivan’s Half Dead, Dec. 31. 805-0134.
Portland Symphony Orchestra, Merrill Auditorium, 20 Myrtle St. Magic of Christmas, to Dec. 22 (on demand Dec. 20–Jan. 10, 2025). 842-0800.
Ticonic Gallery & Studios, 93 Main St., Waterville. Holiday Bazaar, to Jan. 27, 2025. 873-7000.
Vivid Motion, The Hill Arts, 76 Congress St. Holly Jolly Follies, Dec. 19–21. 347-7177.
Waldo Theatre, 916 Main St., Waldoboro. Every Christmas Story Ever Told, Dec. 13–15; Heather Pierson Trio: Holiday Charlie Brown Christmas Concert, Dec. 22. 975-6490.
Waterville Opera House, 1 Common St. Tommy Dorsey Orchestra, Dec. 19; Christmas with the Celts, Dec. 23. 873-7000.
Wells Christmas Parade, Route 1. The 39th Annual Christmas Parade begins at Wells Plaza and ends at the Wells Junior High School, Dec. 15. wellschristmasparade.com.
Theater
Cross Insurance Arena, 1 Civic Center Sq. Disney On Ice: Into The Magic, Dec. 19–22. 791-2200.
Mad Horse Theater, 24 Mosher St., South Portland. A Delicate Balance, Jan. 9, 2025–Feb. 7, 2025. 747-4148.
Mayo Street Arts, 10 Mayo St. Tanglewood Marionettes’ Sleeping Beauty, Dec. 21–22. 879-4629.
Ogunquit Playhouse, The Music Hall, 28 Chestnut St., Portsmouth, NH. Frozen: The Broadway Musical, Dec.
JANUARY
HOLIDAY GIFTS & EVENTS
GET OUT
18–22. 646-5511.
Penobscot Theatre Company, Bangor Opera House, 131 Main St. By the Light of the Silvery Screen, Dec. 30–31. 942-3333.
Portland Players Theater, 420 Cottage Rd., South Portland. Into the Woods, to Dec. 22. 799-7337.
Portland Stage, 25A Forest Ave. The Snow Queen, to Dec. 24. 774-0465.
Dance
Belfast Flying Shoes, Rockport Opera House, 6 Central St. First Friday Dance, Jan. 3, 2025. 338-0979.
Blue, 650A Congress St. Salsa Nite, Dec. 27. 774-4111.
Camden Opera House, 29 Elm St. Grit & Grace Repertoire Fundraiser Show, Dec. 14. 236-7963.
Merrill Auditorium, 20 Myrtle St. Dancing with the Stars, Live!, Jan. 14, 2025. 842-0800.
Music
Bay Chamber Concerts, Hammer Hall, 5 Mountain St., Camden. Chamber Music Recital, Dec. 19. 236-2823.
Blue, 650A Congress St. Open Mic Live, Dec. 17; Matt Meyer and The Gumption Junction & El Malo, Dec. 20; David Newsam with Maddie Adams & Gruppo Antudo, Dec. 21; Saguaro & Connor Ellis Group, Dec. 28; Jazz Sesh, every Wed. 774-4111.
Chocolate Church Arts Center, 804 Washington St., Bath. Hiroya Tsukamoto, Dec. 20. 442-8455.
Friends of the Kotzschmar Organ, Merrill Auditorium, 20 Myrtle St. Grand Opera Meets the Mighty Kotzschmar, on demand to Dec. 24; Christmas with Kennerley, Dec. 23 (on demand Dec. 30–Jan. 29). 842-0800.
The Hill Arts, 76 Congress St. Reed Foehl Band, Dec. 28. 347-7177.
Maine Film Center, 93 Main St., Waterville. Met Opera
Katie Matzell & Friends will perform at One Longfellow Square on Dec. 28.
HOLIDAY GIFTS & EVENTS
Encore: The Magic Flute (Mozart), Dec. 21. 873-7000. One Longfellow Square, 181 State St. Katie Matzell & Friends, Dec. 28; Enter the Haggis, Jan. 2, 2025. 761-1757.
Opera House at Boothbay Harbor, 86 Townsend Ave. Ellis Paul, Dec. 28; The Boneheads, Jan. 11, 2025. 633-5159.
Portland Conservatory of Music, 28 Neal St. Mary Rosen & Diane Walsh, Dec. 15. 775-3356.
Portland House of Music, 25 Temple St. Joe Samba, Dec. 20; Enter the Haggis, Jan. 3, 2025. 805-0134.
State Theatre, 609 Congress St. Pink Talking Fish, Dec. 21; Start Making Sense, Dec. 28; Zakk Sabbath, Jan. 2, 2025. 956-6000.
Stone Mountain Arts Center, 695 Dugway Rd., Brownfield. Adam Ezra Group, Dec. 21; Dar Williams, Dec. 27; Soggy Po’ Boys, Dec. 31; Albert Lee, Jan. 10, 2025. 935-7292.
Strand Theatre, 345 Main St., Rockland. Nefesh Mountain, Dec. 20; Met Opera Encore: The Magic Flute, Dec. 24. 594-0070.
Unitarian Universalist Church of Brunswick, 1 Middle St. David Mallett, Jan. 11, 2025. 729-8515.
Vinegar Hill Music Theatre, 53 Old Post Rd., Arundel. 12/OC & The Gang, Dec. 14. 985-5552.
Waldo Theatre, 916 Main St., Waldoboro. Adam Ezra Group, Dec. 20. 975-6490.
Ofering a wide selection that is constantly being updated and changed - puzzles, books, puppets, games and toys for both indoors and outdoors. Visit us on Facebook for updates on new merchandise, promotions and events!
Monday through Saturday 10-5 • Closed Tuesdays • Sunday 10-4 26 Main Street, Cornish • 207-625-3322 • atonceallagog.com
MAPLE PEPPERⓇ
Since 1987 – made with 100% pure maple sugar – savory with a touch of sweetness. Try it once. You’ll come back for more! Highland Foods, Rockland, Maine Order online at WWW.MAPLEPEPPER.COM
HOLIDAY GIFTS & EVENTS GET OUT
Waterville Opera House, 1 Common St. Portrait of Aretha starring CeCe Teneal, Jan. 9, 2025; EagleMania, Jan. 10, 2025; Julia Gagnon, Jan. 11, 2025. 873-7000.
Comedy
Blue, 650A Congress St. Comedy Open Mic, every Tues. 774-4111.
Grand Theater, 165 Main St., Ellsworth. Bob Marley, Jan. 4, 2025. 667-9500.
Meetinghouse Arts, 40 Main St., Freeport. Capital City Improv Comedy, Jan. 18, 2025. 865-0040.
Stone Mountain Arts Center, 695 Dugway Rd., Brownfield. Bob Marley, Dec. 18. 935-7292.
Art
Bates College Museum of Art, 75 Russell St., Lewiston. Across Common Grounds, to Mar. 15, 2025; Array: Recent Acquisition Series, to Mar. 15, 2025. 786-6158.
Bowdoin College Museum of Art, 245 Maine St., Brunswick. Re|Framing the Collection: New Considerations in European and American Art, 1475-1875, to Dec. 31; Etruscan Gifts: Artifacts from Early Italy in the Bowdoin Collection, to Feb. 9; 2025; Currents: Art Since 1875, to Mar. 2, 2025; Hello, Stranger: Artist as Subject in Photographic Portraits since 1900, to Mar. 23, 2025. 725-3275.
Caldbeck Gallery, 12 Elm St., Rockland. Winter Exhibition, to Jan. 31, 2025. 594-5935.
Carol L. Douglas Studio and Gallery, 394 Commercial St., Rockport. Landscape and marine paintings, workshops, and instruction. Watch-me-paint.com. (585) 201-1558.
Center for Maine Contemporary Art, 21 Winter St., Rockland. Letha Wilson: Cut, Bend, Burn, to Jan. 12, 2025; Lauren Luloff: Paint the Air, to Jan. 12, 2025; Katrina Weslien: i forgot to remember, to May 4, 2025. 701-5005.
Colby College Museum of Art, 5600 Mayflower Hill Dr., Waterville. Surface Tension, to Jan. 12, 2025; Square + Triangle, to Apr. 21, 2025; Into the Wind: American Weathervanes, to Jun. 8, 2025. 859-5600.
Cove Street Arts, 71 Cove St. Lateral Passage, to Jan. 11, 2025. 808-8911.
David Lussier Gallery, 66 Wallingford Sq., Kittery. Gallery with works by artists including Benjamin Lussier, David Lussier, Pamela Lussier, & Jennifer Simpson, to Dec. 24. (860) 336-9051.
De’Bramble Art Gallery, 16 Middle St., Freeport. Art by Marilyn J. Welch and Friends. (510) 717-8427.
Farnsworth Art Museum, 16 Museum St., Rockland. The Wyeths: Impressions of Coastal Maine, to Dec. 31; Magwintegwak: A Legacy of Penobscot Basketry, to Jan. 5, 2025; Lynne Drexler: Color Notes, to Jan. 12, 2025; Sue De Beer: The White Wolf, to Jan. 26, 2025. 596-6457.
First Friday Art Walks, Creative Portland, 84 Free St. Jan. 3, 2025. 370-4784.
Maine Film Center, 93 Main St., Waterville. Frederick Ndabaramiye, to Dec. 31. 873-7000.
Maine Historical Society, 489 Congress St. Music in Maine, to Dec. 31; Rearranging History: Wayn-
All your Maine-inspired gifts — including an exclusive selection of Sea Bags — in one place.
HOLIDAY GIFTS & EVENTS
GET OUT
flete School & Maine Memory Network, t0 Dec. 31; Maine’s Untold Vegetarian History, to May 17, 2025. 774-1822.
Maine Jewish Museum, 267 Congress St. The Teaching of Isaac Luria to Reflections on Melville & Other Paintings, to Jan. 3, 2025; A Paler Shade, to Jan. 3, 2025; Echoes of the Other, to Jan. 3, 2025; Season 2, Episode 1: Rick Graff, Jan. 9, 2025–Feb. 28, 2025; Ancient Text Renewed: Marlene D’Orazio Adler, Jan. 9, 2025–Feb. 28, 2025. 773-2339.
Maine Maritime Museum, 243 Washington St., Bath. Sustaining Maine’s Waters, to Dec. 31; Hashi: Connecting Maine and Japan Through Student Art, to Jan. 5, 2025; Upta Camp, to Nov. 28, 2025. 443-1316.
Maine Sculpture Trail, Schoodic International Sculpture Symposium. An outdoor exhibit of 34 sculptures over 200 miles Downeast. schoodicsculpture.org.
Moss Galleries, 100 Fore St. Gail Spaien & Lynne Drexler: Light in Every Room, to Jan. 4, 2025. 804-0459.
Peary-MacMillan Arctic Museum, 9500 College Station, Brunswick. Northern Nightmares: Monsters in Inuit Art, to May 4, 2025; Collections and Recollections: Objects and the Stories They Tell & At Home In the North, to Jun. 1, 2025. 725-3416.
Portland Museum of Art, 7 Congress Sq. Peggy Bacon: Biting, never Bitter, to Feb. 2, 2025; As We Are, to Apr. 27, 2025. 775-6148.
Portsmouth Historical Society, 10 Middle St., Portsmouth, NH. Upstairs with the Furniture Masters, to Dec. 31. (603)436-8433.
River Arts, 36 Elm St, Damariscotta. Celebration, to Dec. 30. 563-6868.
University of New England Art Galleries, UNE Art Gallery, 716 Stevens Ave. Spark of Live: Abstraction, Microscopy, and Discovery, to Feb. 16, 2025. 602-3000
University of New England Art Galleries, Jack S. Ketchum Library, 11 Hills Beach Rd., Biddeford. Studio Ecosystems: UNE Visual Art Faculty Show 2024, to Feb. 9, 2025. 602-3000.
Lobster Dip 2025 will be held on Jan. 1 in
Old Orchard Beach.
HOLIDAY GIFTS & EVENTS
D.D. Johnston
Now Available as an audiobook on Audible!
Aviator Charles Lindbergh’s aw-shucks schtick is a mask for a monster who destroys strangers and loved ones with equal indifference.
Hunter makes a fortune exposing fraudsters. When he stumbles across the corpse of his German teacher on his old reformatory grounds, he’s certain he is onto something evil and becomes drawn into the mystery.
Unsure who his own father is, Hunter is no angel himself. A former “black ops” military offcer, he knows what he has to do to get the job done,no matter the cost.
Nightmares, hallucinations, and fragments of grisly memories knock on the door of his subconscious. Even the stage prop “Old Sparky” in his new lover’s lurid Grand Guignol connects a deadly circuit in Hunter.
Orisa cards warn of air disaster. Brainy Pia offers a path out of his disintegration. Traveling the globe—Paris, Berlin, Geneva, and London—Hunter can’t resist the magnetic scene south of New York where the Crime of the Century once played out.
Hunter is falling through the universe’s trap door. He’s headed for hell—unless he can redeem himself with one final flight.
GET OUT
Film
Center Theatre, 20 E. Main St., Dover-Foxcroft. Moana 2, to Dec. 19. 564-8943.
Maine Film Center, 93 Main St., Waterville. The Iron Giant, Dec. 29; When Harry Met Sally, Dec. 31. 8737000.
Strand Theatre, 345 Main St., Rockland. The Muppet Movie (1979), Dec. 19. 594-0070.
Don’t Miss
24th Annual Atlantic Plunge, Gooch’s Beach, Kennebunk. Dip in the cold waters of the Atlantic Ocean in this fun event to raise funds for Caring Unlimited, Jan. 1, 2025. caring-unlimited.org/atlantic-plunge.
3rd Annual Vertical Challenge, Saddleback Mountain. A series of free casual ski and snowboard races open to all ages and abilities, with a festival element featuring snowy activities, games, free samples, and swag for all ages, Jan. 5, 2025. 864-5671.
Lobster Dip 2025, in front of The Brunswick Hotel, 39 West Grand Ave., Old Orchard Beach. Fun event to raise funds for Special Olympics Maine, Jan. 1, 2025. somaine.org/get-involved/lobster-dip.
Maine Irish Heritage Center, 34 Gray St. Maine
HOLIDAY GIFTS & EVENTS
unique
GET OUT
Irish reads The Bee Sting by Paul Murray, Jan. 9, 2025. 780-0118.
Maine Maritime Museum, 243 Washington St., Bath. STEAMbox Family Workshop: Wonderful World of Whales, Jan. 11, 2025. 443-1316.
unique gifts, mead, wine, and beer all natural line
explore our honey tasting bar observation hive & hobbyist beekeeping Come watch local honey being harvested!
Polar Bear Dip & Dash, Southern Maine Community College, 2 Fort Rd., South Portland. Gather your friends, start a team, or fundraise on your own to support NRCM’s climate change work for this 17th annual event, Dec. 31. nrcm.org/events/polar-bear-dip-dash.
Print: A Bookstore, 273 Congress St. Abbie Kiefer presents Certain Shelter with Gibson Fay-Leblanc, Jan. 15, 2025. 536-4778.
Stonington Opera House, 1 School St. Trivia Night, Dec. 19. 367-2788.
Tasty
Maine Tasting Center, 506 Old Bath Rd., Wiscasset. Entertaining with Maine Ingredients: Mocktail Mixology, Jan. 9, 2025. 558-5772.
To submit an event listing: portlandmonthly.com/portmag/submit-an-event/
Compiled by Bethany Palmer
Photo by: Cait Bourgault
Holiday
House
The second family to fourish at 366 Spring Street restored this magnifcent Italianate/Greek Revival home one room at a time.
STORY BY COLIN W. SARGENT
West Indies shipping merchant Jonathan Hartwell Fletcher was born in Westford, Massachusetts in 1821. After dabbling in blacksmithery, he moved to Portland and took a position as a clerk in his sister’s husband’s family business, Smith & Hersey. Wresting control of the rm, he renamed it Fletcher & Co. and began operations as an import/ export rm.
Ships ying his
ag darted back and forth to the Caribbean Islands as our city bloomed, and he built a home whose interior rivals the Victoria Mansion’s, with soaring archways, 13-foot ceilings, Cuban mahogany woodwork, pocket doors, three replaces with majolica
tiles, fantastical built-ins, a dumb waiter, and a cistern collecting water from the roof.
It was built in 1869, three years after the Great Portland Fire.
Over the years, generations of Fletchers lived here until selling the .35-acre property at 366 Spring Street to the Voss family back when few buyers had an interest in Victorian behemoths from a bygone era that required astronomical amounts of fuel heat.
“My parents bought the house in 1971 when I was one year old,” says Matthew Voss. By then,
Our family wasn’t made of money, so we saved up and fixed one room at a time.
COURTESY OF JOHN SCRIBNER, LANDVEST.
it had hit rock bottom. When they bought this house, the windows were boarded up. Homeless people and kids made res here” in the grand entertaining rooms to keep warm. “It was sort of left deteriorated. e arched front doors pains had wheelcut glass. We found them shattered. We still have a fragment to show what was there.
“Our family wasn’t made of money, so we saved up and xed one room at a time.”
The result is a trip back through time to a perfectly curated world that must have been as insulated from the last 40 years as the house that Chance, the gardener, called home in the movie Being ere.
So you actually grew up in this house. Remarkable. Where was the best place to hide?
He leads me to the cavernous rustic attic — as big as a small theater — with 20 foot beamed ceilings, a cedar room, and corners to twist and duck behind. “Here’s an old train set from the 1950s,” he says, picking a car up from a box beside an ancient cardboard container emblazoned with Black Label beer. “My brother and I
COURTESY OF JOHN SCRIBNER, LANDVEST.
CUSTOM COLONIAL WAYNE
Custom built Colonial home in desirable Wayne with 4 bedrooms and 3 full baths on a very private 3.46 acres. Over 4842 SF of living space with the additional 1405 SF of decks and porches. An additional 2000 sf of basement and 5 garage bays. Spacious kitchen with granite counters, island, and eat in kitchen. Screened in porch, formal dining with fireplace, o ice, full bath and family room. Upstairs primary bed suite with custom bath with jet tub, and cedar closet Jack and Jill full bath and three more large bedrooms. There is an open o ice area. Beautiful landscaping and a two story heated 3 bay additional garage, fenced in pet area. Join other families in this community. Take the Materport tour online or come see! MLS 1602987 $744,500
SIDNEY $335 , 000
Ranch home with 3 bedrooms 1 ba on a 4 acre lot. Rural feel but minutes to Augusta and Waterville from this delightful home in desirable Sidney. True one level living with not one but two fabulous garages. Use all four acres for your self and your family compound. Or…It is easy to add another home and possibly a third with town approval. Land is all surveyed. The insulated and electrifed front garage is 38 feet by 12.5 and has been used as a business space and will hold two cars. The other detached two-car garage is 28 by 24 and has electricity and windows for a cheery place. The home’s open and functional foor plan seamlessly connects the living room, dining area, and kitchen, creating a welcoming space for family. The deck is an excellent spot for outdoor dining and barbecues. The charm of this Sidney, Maine home is undeniable, with its picturesque setting and practical features. Don’t miss the opportunity to make this your new home. Check with the town of Sidney in the event you want to have a business in the garage that is perfect for that use! This home is so effcient and well insulated and your total cost to live here is remarkably low with favorable taxes. Take the Materport tour online or come see! MLS 1603830 $335,000
FARMINGTON
Enchanting home nestled in the heart of Farmington. Built in 1890, 5 bedrooms and 2 full baths on 1 acre of land and just a short walk on the sidewalk to Main Street Farmington and the University of Maine. This Georgian Revival from a bygone era has been the family home for the Mills family for over 109 years. The sturdy, well-built home has over 2,493 square feet of living space and an additional space you could use as it has a third floor and a two story barn. Spacious kitchen, first floor living ,vintage parlor, and dining. Many possibilities and could have additional buildings added with shared drive. Multi family and business possibilites. Many updates: shingles, furnace and electrical. Remodel the inside to your wishes! Take the Materport tour online or come see! MLS 1609730 $265,000
AUGUSTA! $331 , 750
Augusta! This inviting three-bedroom 1 ½ ba home is ideally located in a friendly neighborhood, near the Marketplace at Augusta, Togas VA and Maine General. Empty nesters or only just begun. You are in a cul-de-sac with sidewalks. Spacious eat in kitchen sunny living room, and hardwood foors. Lower level with a large family room, a large offce laundry are and a workshop ft for the handyperson Putter all you want in this neat downstairs with a 1/2 bath. The fnished basement offers a fantastic bonus space—perfect for a cozy family room, home offce, or play area. Large back deck, and two car garage. With its perfect blend of comfort, convenience, and charm, this home is ready for you to make it your own. Don’t miss out on this fantastic opportunity in Augusta! Schedule your showing today! This has been a family home since 1980 with the same family It has been lovingly cared for. This home has 1511 square feet but feels larger with all the room. Take the Materport tour online or come see! MLS 1604491 $331,750
MANCHESTER
$875 , 000 4 4 ACRES | $750 , 000 2 4 ACRES
Stunning 1834 Colonial with ten bedrooms and six bathrooms with 6400 SF at 60 Readfield Road. The main house has a cook’s kitchen, 22 ft formal Dining, 44 foot double parlors with two fireplaces, a bath and a living room. The second floor has the primary bedroom and private bath. Three other bedrooms with a guest bath. Third floor 2 more bedrooms. The other section of the home with separate entrance has four bedrooms and two baths. This home is bathed in natural light and has been extensively updated and is a “gem to behold”. Make it your home or family compound. This has been an Inn, approved bed and breakfast, and a duplex and a school. Take the Materport tour on line or come see!
FARMINGTON $340 , 000
Imagine you are a professional building contractor. You come across the perfect 100 acre parcel of prime hunting land. You have the skill, knowledge, and equipment to build your dream camp. You put an 18 by 32 camp on a full foundation and install a septic system with a dug well nearby. You wire the camp and have a generator for electricity. You install propane tanks for your cook stove, refrigerator, and run propane lights. Your cottage has an open concept kitchen-dining -living room bathed in natural light and fnished in pine. A sliding door leads to an 18 by 8.5 foot deck and a full bath completes this level. You have two loft areas for sleeping in the tranquil wilderness. The lower level is warmed by a wood stove and has plenty of room for you to putter around in this open space complete with overhead door for your ATV to come inside. Enjoy the solitude and privacy on your 100 acres. Just minutes to to Bingham, Wyman Lake, the Kennebec River, and The Forks. Sugarloaf and Greenville are an easy ride. The center of a recreational paradise. When the conditions are right you can snowmobile and ATV from here. Tremendous opportunity for your own private compound in coveted Bingham area. You could also subdivide additional lots if that is your wish for family or others! Motivated sellers! Concord Plantation, low taxes. Take the Materport tour online or come see! MLS 1609628 $340,000
used to shoot mini Frisbees at each other up here.”
He shows me another box full of arrows—over two dozen of them. I’d considered calling this story “Fletcher’s Arrow,” since a etcher is one who makes arrows. But what were the odds of actually nding arrows up here? He hands me a souvenir.
Our footsteps echo as he guides the way down to the main bedroom on the second oor, “where I’m sleeping right now. I’m the last one living here during the sale,” invited by necessity to revisit his childhood. A gracious replace serves as the focal point. ere is an en suite bathroom.
We head down the hallway to the bedroom he remembers best, facing
COURTESY OF JOHN SCRIBNER, LANDVEST.
Spring Street. “See this window?
When I went to Wayn ete—I was a couple of years ahead of Liv Tyler—I used to stand right here when it was snowing, watch each ake come down, crank up the radio, and pray that school was going to be canceled that day!” Without a beat, he does a dead-on impression of a local radio announcer listing the school closures.
We descend the grand staircase and pass through an archway to a grand salon where the only remaining furnishing there is a large oriental rug. “ ere used to be a buzzer below this carpet where, if you stepped on it, you could call servants. But that was from before. We didn’t have any servants!
“My mother, Patricia Voss, is an artist (a number of her large, skilled, creative canvases are still around); fa-
Discover
Premier destination for luxury custom cabinetry and exquisite kitchen and bath design
Personalized designs based on your vision Finest materials and meticulous craftsmanship Exceptional Service Proud Partnership with The Kennebec Company
Explore our showroom in Kennebunk to see our custom cabinetry and discuss your next project
designs@kennebunkkitchens.com 207-967-2819 | 169 Port Rd. Ste. 11 Kennebunk, ME 04043 kennebunkkitchens.com
“Since taking ownership at the start of the year, my wife and I are committed to continuing the tradition of excellence.”
- Mike & Brooke Joly, Owners
TALKING WALLS
ther is a forensic psychiatrist who was at Maine Medical and still practices in Falmouth.” A Brown graduate, Matthew “ran the market risk team for Goldman Sacks for two years, 2010 to 2012” as chief technology o cer. Afterward, he was VP of research and development at Truefort. He’s founded Quicbit (an information systems organization) and Netus, LLC (a technological social enterprise).
“Some of the ceilings were painted [with Victorian decorative patterns] when we moved here.” But, of course, they were peeling. Even birds might have been ying through the house when it was at its least cared for. A space left uncovered on a rst- oor ceiling shows what the earlier work looked like. e rest is covered with removable paint, awaiting a third family to take the helm.
Every one of these rooms has a fabulous place for a Christmas tree. Across the decades, “there were visits from the Portland Symphony or Portland String Quartet, and my Wayn ete classmates came each year for a holiday party and dance.”
Listed by John Scribner of LandVest for $2.25M. Sale pending at press time. Taxes are $22,252. n
Discover our historic Victorian B&B on the waterfront in lovely Boothbay Harbor, one of Maine’s prettiest harbors. Steps away from acclaimed shops, galleries, boat trips, and restaurants, the Inn is an ideal launching point for several days of coastal exploration. Welcoming visitors with true Maine warmth and unique style for generations. Please call for seasonal rates & specials.
Discover our historic Victorian B&B on the waterfront in lovely Boothbay Harbor, one of Maine’s prettiest harbors. Steps away from acclaimed shops, galleries, boat trips and restaurants, the Inn is an ideal launching point for several days of coastal exploration. Welcoming visitors with true Maine warmth and unique style for two generations. Please call for seasonal rates & specials.
Harbour Towne Inn 71 Townsend Avenue Boothbay Harbor, Maine 207.633.4300 | www.harbourtowneinn.com
40 Portland Pier #9
Portland
Live on the waterfront in the heart of the Old Port, steps away from many award-winning restaurants. Enjoy waking up to the sunrise illuminating the whole condominium. The living room with built-ins opens to a large deck overlooking the waterfront. 1 parking space and storage included. $498,500
122 Pine Stret
Portland
This stunning, spacious, sun-filled West End townhome known as the ‘Walter Hatch Residence’ has been meticulously restored and maintained. This property exudes period charm and details. The home is currently offered for sale for $1,595,000
Portland
One of Portland’s most iconic homes, the Kathryne F. Cunningham House, is located in the highly sought-after West End. This historic residence, Portland Magazine’s October ‘House of the Month,’ seamlessly blends timeless elegance with modern luxury. $2,895,000
James L. Eastlack, Owner Broker 207-864-5777 or 207-670-5058 | JLEastlack@gmail.com
631 Bald
– A rare
3.56 Acres! $1,899,000.
2582 Main St - Wonderful commercial business on Main Street w/ 105' on Rangeley Lake, Marina/ Convenience Store, 25+ Slips, Gas, Shop, Downtown Commercial Zoning, High Traffic Location, $965,000.
PINE GROVE LANE – Located close to the village with expansive southwest views of Rangeley Lake, 4 beds, 3.5 baths, very close to Saddleback Ski Area, snowmobile and ATV from your doorstep, heated garage! $639,000. www.Mor
RANGELEY LAKE – Lakeside Marina & Convenience - Wonderful business opportuinty in downtown commercial zoning, convenience store, 25 boat slips, gas, boat rental business, great waterfront location! $965,000.
Saddleback Parmachenee A-Frame #22 - First time on the open market! Wonderful architecturally designed A-Frame with 3 beds, 2 baths and gas viewing Woodstove. This unit is being sold furnished and ofers great rental potential. Enjoy all 4 seasons with access to Saddleback Lake! Easy Ski-inSki-Out location of the Smelt Streamer trail and access to the South Branch Quad below. These A-Frame units are situated in a quiet, peaceful four acre parcel directly on the trail. This unit has radiant in foor heating on the frst level with polished concrete foors and baseboard heat on the second level. Experience Maine's Favorite Mountain this winter, call today!! $895,000
SPRING LAKE – 6 Spring Lake Rd - Escape to nature and a wonderful waterfront property on a great remote body of water. Off grid w/generator, year round building, detached garage, Ice fish, hunt, enjoy all seasons! $495,000.
20 Vista Lane – RANGELEY LAKE – A rare offering, the Buena Vista Estate on 567 feet of deep water frontage,53 private acres w/south facing exposure, total privacy, development potential. $2,650,000.
RANGELEY LAKE VIEWS – 21 Pine Grove - 4 Beds, 3.5 Baths, Fully Furnished, SW facing views w/LOTS of sun, Snowmobile and ATV from your doorstep, Detached 32x32 garage fully heated, a must see! $639,000.
PROCTOR ROAD – Gorgeous VIEWS overlooking Rangeley Lake and Saddleback Ski Area, wonderful estate property located just outside the Rangeley village, 48.32 Acres,4 bed,4.5 bath home w/ guest quarters. $1,495,000.
277 Stephens Road – MOOSELOOK LAKE – West facing Sandy Beach frontage, 4 bed, 3 bath home w/attached 3 car heated garage and detached 3 car garage w/large bonus room! $850,000.
Mtn. Road – MOOSELOOK LAKE
offering, 4 bed, 4.5 bath contemporary lakefront home w/beach, detached garage AND private island w/2 bedroom guest cottage,
DALLAS PLANTATION
RANGELEY NORTH
Assisting people buy and sell properties in the beautiful Western mountains of Maine since 1985
MOUNTAIN MAGIC
12 Woodcock Lane, Eustis, Maine
Beautiful custom built home situated in the heart of the Western Maine Mountains. Views of Flagstaff lake, Bigelow Mountain Range and Sugarloaf Ski Resort. Close to all outdoor activities: snowmobile/ATV trails, boating, hiking, fshing, skiing and mountain biking. 4 bedrooms, 3 1/2 bathrooms, walk-out apartment on the frst foor, 2-car garage. Hard wood foors and cherry cabinets are just a few of the exquisite details in the kitchen. This home will make a wonderful family retreat to build a lifetime of memories. Book a tour today! $789,000
Beautiful western mountains of Maine. Cape on 80 acres of fields and forest! Dead end road in Salem Township. Fish Hatchery Rd. Fireplace. 3 bed, 2 baths plus additional large sunroom. Garage and building/ workshop. Fruit trees and berry bushes. $395,000
LOOKING FOR WATERFRONT? Here is one of our several waterfront listings. 4 bd 3 bath with ROW to water and near boat launch and public beach. $380,000. CSM has water front homes, camps and land in the beautiful western mtns of Maine. Spring Lake, Flagstaff Lake, Embden Pond and rivers and streams.
259 MAIN STREET, KINGFIELD CSMREALESTATE.COM
259 MAIN STREET, KINGFIELD CSMREALESTATE.COM | 207-265-4000
259 MAIN STREET, KINGFIELD CSMREALESTATE.COM | 207-265-4000 JANET@CSMREALESTATE.COM
OFFICE:207-265-4000 CELL: 207-491-9703
KIM@CSMREALESTATE.COM
style
com ines contem orary air ith nat ra ea ty eat ring g eaming granite countertops on the 14-foot kitchen island, plus a formal dining area ith direct access to the side dec ith s ee ing ie s of the Bart ett ear trees that ine the street En oy yo r morning coffee on the ide front orch in this friend y neigh orhood Wa to C m er and o n Ha armers ar et on at rday d ring the season and meet neigh ors and oca endors Wa to rince emoria Li rary En oy the armth of the gas fre ace d ring the co d months, and entertaining on yo r dec in the s mmer he home a so feat res centra air he rimary s ite offers ri acy and s ace to re a arge a in c oset and a e aid o t athroom here are t o additiona edrooms ith a athroom he o er e e o ens to a arge fami y room ith a f ath and edroom Hi e the o n orest trai from the near y rai head, or dri e a short distance to in Broo s Recreation fe ds En oy free access to Broad Co e Reser e Beach com e his comm nity offers the o tion to oin a maintenance an ith ser ices s ch as o ing and a n care $799,000
Hey, today ’ s the grand opening for the Maine Mall. Wanna check it out?” Tommy Casasa was an icebreaker, a risk-taker, full of fun. He loved to go and do.
“Why?” I asked. “It’s all the way in South Portland.”
“It’s just around the corner! Come on! Years from now, you’ll be able to say you were there on the rst day!”
I was years away from reading On the Road, but on that day, Tommy was my Neal Cassady. We pulled on
our bicycles and glided from Capisic Street to Stevens Avenue, then down the hill into Stroudwater past the Tate House. Leaving the Northeast Yellowbird jets of the Portland Airport to our left, we pedaled through the ghostly remains of a collapsed pig farm until we reached a wide pavilion
of new tar. In the center rose the brick façade of Jordan Marsh (now Macy’s), with its signature doorway. Vintage Tommy: “Jeesum. at copper roof must have cost a fortune!”
Taking in the wonders, we stalked through the retail universe, dazzled by the coral-colored, fantastically luxe (to a teenager’s eyes) marble oors. (And we’d thought Pine Tree Shopping Center on Brighton Avenue was the ne plus ultra.)
Re-entering the atmosphere, we saw a smaller structure with a peaked roof barely starting to rise across the empty parking spaces—the world’s rst glimpse of Hu Ke Lau? Nah. Chan Sun “Sonny” Ng opened that landmark in 1972. Looking back ve decades, I con ate the Moon Landing (July 21, 1969) and the opening of the rst anchor store at the Maine Mall into the same interstellar event. Both happened in 1969. Both turned the world upside down, possibly nudged into being by the rst quake ( e White Album by the Beatles, November 22, 1968). But you’ll forgive my 14-year-old self, because I do run on, since back then we were Fab.
store nicknamed “Porteous,” which lit up downtown like, well, like this picture, which still vibrates in my head. I’ll bet you an Angelone’s pizza that many other
Portland natives carry this vivid memory with them.
WEIRD, WICKED CITY…
In Lincoln Middle School, we practiced the art of cursive writing (universal then but now only required in 24 states), always easier for a right-hander. Many of us were dispatched to Dorothy Mason School of Dance to gain some grace (for me and my sulking partners, a frightening two months of ballroom dancing—“I don’t wanna do that, they don’t wanna do that”). During the holidays, so many of the fabulous crushed into the department
In the 1960s, the accordion was considered a credible instrument in a Portland garage band. Gripped by the strangeness of it, I dial up Michael J. Tabone, who most successfully played the accordion in his band e Mustangs. You know Michael Tabone. He’s the cool older brother of my friend, the late Vincent “Jimmy” Tabone.
When did you and e Mustangs start?
“1964,” Michael says.
Holy Lee Iacocca. You mean you guys named your band for the hot new car?
“Yes.”
“I remember seeing you perform on our black-and-white RCA TV during Beatlemania. I can’t remember if it was on Dave Astor or Youth Cavalcade.”
“Both! I won one season of Youth Cavalcade.”
Fabulous. e Dave Astor TV show
was our version of Hairspray. Give us a quick master class to help us understand why an accordion could be part of a rock band. I mean, it’s so Portland, almost too Portland. “ e reason was, during that time, bands like the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, the Animals—all those British bands had a member playing the keyboard standing up.”
And this is what we had.
ANY PORT IN A STORM
“I did nally transition to the organ,” Michael says.
“Years later, I ended up with a Hammond B3, playing in night clubs and rock bands throughout Massachusetts and Maine in the Seventies and Eighties. My last hurrah was about six years ago when I played the organ in Waterville at Mainely Brews. A heavy rock band had been playing there, but they were a little too loud for the customers, so I was brought in to sort of quiet things down. I taught them some of the old songs.”
I still keep my own 1960s Scandalli accordion asleep in its gray suitcase with the red plush interior. Who knows when I’ll get the call? If you were lucky, you missed my debut recital (so many Portlanders had one) at Starbird School of Music.
BUT FAB WASN’T FAB FOR ALL
Just because we were Fab didn’t mean we were always fabulous. e story goes, in 1971, word got around that the Elks Club was touting its cool new climate-control technology. How exciting, how fresh, how crisp. At the same time, the Deering High School graduating class was voting
LAST WORDS
on where to hold their senior prom. e Elks Club had air-conditioning; the Eastland Hotel, where the prom was traditionally held, did not. But...
PRINCIPLE VS. CREATURE COMFORT
There was a national Elks policy restricting memberships. Una Richardson, now Una George, speaks to me by phone from her home in Marietta, Georgia, with the same warm and familiar Maine accent I remember from Deering High School. “It was a [nearly] all-white school when I went there. In our class, only one other girl and I were Black. I am not a natural public speaker,” she says. “I was so nervous.” But she got up alone on stage and implored her classmates not to vote for the Lodge. Her classmates voted 176-64 against her wish to hold the dance at the Eastland Hotel. “I picketed outside the Lodge, supported by friends, members of the NAACP, and the Deering High art teacher, Antoinette Michael. Why should I want to go to a prom in a place where Black and Jewish men could not join; women were not allowed to join at all?”
Years later, this incident gured in the landmark U.S. Supreme Court Decision to support individual states’ rights to revoke the liquor license of businesses that practiced racial discrimination.
assembling to hear me back then. As for right now, 53 years later, I’d say I know how I feel today. How do you feel about what happened? In 2013, the Portland Press Herald interviewed me about the incident. After the story came out, a number of classmates contacted me and apologized. ey said, ‘I didn’t understand back then.’” at’s a step up from what she heard the rst time around: You’re allowed to attend the dance; what’s the problem?
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.
Una served in the U.S. Air Force as a medical sergeant during the Vietnam War years, then attended San Antonio College with help from the G.I. Bill. Returning here, she worked for over two decades at City Hall in Portland, not far from the Porteous building.
A NEW ERA
e traditional retail giant Porteous, Mitchell & Braun is now Maine School of Art and Design. e National Elks Club revamped its bylaws in the 1970s, and Maine Lodge 188 is most welcoming to all. Women hold leadership positions in lodges all over the state. Jordan Marsh long ago morphed into Macy’s. Now, you can easily nd a convenient parking spot at the Maine Mall.
If you could speak to those classmates right now, what would you say? “First of all, I would thank them for
Philip T. (Tommy) Casasa, who biked with me to the Maine Mall, died of cancer on July 1, 2011. e humor, the e ervescence, was there to the end. His many friends still share the ache of losing him so young. So, am I alone in boasting I was one of the rst at Jordan Marsh? Tell us, how fab are you? Email editor@portlandmonthly.com. n
Deering High School yearbook, 1971.
Nutritional Information:
Amount per serving: Calories 160; Total Fat 8 g; Saturated Fat 1 g; Sodium 330 mg; Carbohydrate 14 g; Fiber 2 g; Total Sugar 5 g; Added Sugar 0 g; Protein 9 g
YOUR SAFETY, OUR PRIORITY:
GEAR UP & ENJOY EVERY SNOWY ADVENTURE!
As winter approaches, Maine’s roads are about to get challenging. Snow, ice, and slush will make driving unpredictable. But at VIP Tires & Service, we know the key to staying safe starts where your vehicle meets the road—your tires.
Winter tires aren’t just a seasonal upgrade; they’re a necessity for navigating New England’s harsh winter conditions. Unlike all-season tires, winter tires are specifically designed to grip icy and snow-covered roads. Even if you have all-wheel drive, winter tires are still key to maximizing safety and performance in the toughest conditions. If you love the snow and enjoy hitting the slopes or exploring the outdoors, winter tires will help you do it safely, without worrying about getting stuck or having to stay home. With the right tires, you can take on whatever winter throws your way and keep you and your loved ones safe.
Turn to VIP, our certified technicians are here to help you choose the right winter tires for your vehicle and install them so you’re ready for the season. Stay safe this winter—schedule your tire change today!
