October 2017

Fa l l i n g Act i o n • G i f t G u i d e • M i d n i g h t. H u n g ry ?

MONTHLY

The Arts:

Words

Business:

Dark Horses October 2017 Vol. 32 NO. 7 $5.95

w w w. p o rt l a n d m ag a z i n e . co m Maine’s city magazine

Shooting Stars

The Beauty of Fall in the White Mountains of New Hampshire

New Hampshire is legendary for magnificent fall foliage with spectacularly colorful views that will take your breath away. Located in the Mount Washington Valley, North Conway is the ideal location from which to hike or drive through the fall colors, dine at local restaurants, shop at the outlets or stroll along quaint main streets.

At Red Jacket Resorts we offer two perfect options to embark on all these adventures. The Red Jacket Mountain View Resort has endless scenic mountain views and signature New England cuisine with a continental flair. And don’t miss our indoor waterpark, Kahuna Laguna, voted a top ten In USA Today.

Or choose the beloved Fox Ridge Resort, which features a complimentary full breakfast each morning for all guests. The perfect fall getaway awaits you at Red Jacket Resorts in North Conway.

For the best fall getaway rates, book direct at redjacketresorts.com.

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THIS FALL

Great Fall Auction!

SATURDAY

OCT

28

Now a one-day event, the Museum’s popular Great Fall Auction is a perennial favorite featuring antiques and collectibles, housewares, furniture, tools, and art, as well as hundreds of amazing items and gift certificates from community businesses. Admission and bidder registration are free. Come bid on travel packages, antique collectibles, preowned vehicles, art and more. There is something for everyone, and you never know what will cross the block!

Auction preview 9 am to 12:30 pm.

Auction starts at 1 pm.

Support the Museum & Donate Today!

Donations are enthusiastically accepted, and all proceeds benefit Museum programs.

Contribute your new or gently used quality goods, antiques, services and gift certificates by visiting the Museum or contact us today: (207)594-4418 or ks@ohtm.org

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C i t y

M a g a z i n e

TM

October

M a i n e ’ s

51 81

63

65

Your Guide to Falling Food&Drink

Shelter&Design

Forget food hall stir-fry, crab Rangoon, and fortune cookies invented in San Francisco.

A slew of new restaurateurs is showcasing delicious evolutions in modern Asian cuisine.

By Claire Z. Cramer

Maine meets the Mediterranean on the shores of Frenchman Bay. Welcome to “East of Eden.”

By Brad Emerson

from left: julien pilon; courtesy the knowles co; erin little

49 Hungry Eye

59 Everyday Sommelier

“The Diamond of the Kitchen” October heralds the arrival of an Italian indulgence on our shores.

By Ralph Hersom

64 Dining Guide 65 Restaurant Review

Little Giant creates a big stir on the West End.

By Claire Z. Cramer

81 House of the Month

92 New England Home & Living

Maine Life

17 Maine Classics 19 Concierge 20 Experience 27 Chowder 29 Portland After Dark

“Midnight Feasts” Where to grab your late-night bite and beer at the witching hour in Portland.

By Sarah Moore

35 Crystal Ball City

Maine’s business landscape is volatile and surprising. Evan Livada of Livada Securities risks a gaze into his crystal ball.

By Colin W. Sargent

43 End Games

In their final hours, down on their luck and dreaming of earlier days, whatever happened to the private yachts of Bath Iron Works?

By Michael L. Grace

68 Holiday Gift Guide

It’s never too early to begin penning (or pencilling, because hey, because stuff can still happen) your personal naughtyor-nice list.

Art&Style 99 Fiction

“Novel Graphics” Stunning windows of fiction by Richard Russo, Elizabeth Strout, Anthony Doerr, Lily King, Lois Lowry, and Tess Gerritsen.

From Night Stories, a book project and Center for Maine Contemporary Art exhibition by artist Linden Frederick.

Perspectives 12 From the Editor 14 Letters

63 L’Esprit de l’Escalier “Ta Vie dans l’Maine” A song gives shape to unarticulated heartache.

By Rhea Côté Robbins

104 Flash

Cover: Autumn on Pine Street by Corey Templeton.

October 2017 11

PORTLAND

|

WESTBROOK

Editorial Colin W. Sargent, Editor & Publisher

From Russia With Love

O

(207) 774-5946 harmonsbartons.com 584 Congress St, Portland, ME 04101

Books, cards, journals, gifts, & the Largest Selection Of Magazines on the peninsula

207-772-4045 • MONUMENT SQUARE

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1 2 p o r t l a n d m o n t h ly m a g a z i n e

ne of my favorite Portland Monthly stories is “Pizza Diplomacy,” written during the exhilarating nervous frenzy that was Glasnost [November 1990].

Visit portlandmonthly.com/portmag/1990/11/ pizza-diplomacy-life-on-a-soviet-freighter-2/].

The Soviet Union was collapsing, humanizing, redefining–call it what you will.

Outside the six-mile limit, the Soviet freighter Riga started to get lonely from her assignment of catching fish with a side of soft surveillance. Homesick, the crew impulsively snuck Zodiacs to the Rockland shore in the dark of night to score pizza.

In a burst of daring, our reporter jumped aboard for the return trip. (We’re sometimes asked what’s the difference between Portland Monthly and other media in Maine.

Well, here it is.)

Fearless and friendly, our writer Kevin LeDuc charmed the crew, drank with them, sang with them, conducted an extraordinary interview with the captain, and returned from a whale of an encounter fresh with intimate photographs and frank observations of life on the other side of the mirror. It’s memorable for me because it’s an internationally significant story with a local dateline. It symbolizes what we try to do with every issue of Portland Monthly.

We were the watched, the Soviets the watchers. Talk about a background channel for communication.

The story idea so touched our readers and our staff that it’s followed us for 20 years. Now it’s chased me across the Baltic Sea. In fact, I’m in Riga, Latvia, this very second, having just left Tallinn, Estonia, yesterday.

First, I ask our Riga bus tour guide about Konrads Ubans (1893-1981), the Riga-born artist father of Juris Ubans, the influential painter and art professor who lives in Portland’s West End. Was Konrads really the cat’s meow? “Oh, yes!” our guide says. “Konrads Ubans is a big guy. Just Google him!”

Better when someone in Riga says it.

As our bus swings past Grand Hotel Kempinski, our guide entertains us with by-the-ways like “Riga is where Mikhail Barishnikov grew up before moving to Leningrad.” Conquered so many heartbreaking times, the city has always had an itch for freedom.

During a break, I ask him off-microphone about the fishing ship Riga–which was owned in Murmansk–and the political climate in 1990. This was just before another imminent collapse–of the Gadus morhua fishing stock in Casco Bay. Why fish so far from home? Was the Riga really visiting Maine to conduct soft surveillance of our shores?

A quick check to see who’s in earshot. He shrugs.

“Surely they were there for surveillance, too.” (Also better when someone in Riga says it.)

Beyond spying on what we were up to at Bath Iron Works, the natural attraction was “shipping data from the New England coast up into Canada. Everyone was expected to do double duty. They were there for strategic reasons.” He smiles. “Also cod.”

Maine’s City Magazine 165 State Street, Portland, Maine 04101 Phone: (207) 775-4339 Fax: (207) 775-2334 www.portlandmagazine.com

THE PARTY SHOULD BE THE ONLY SURPRISE THAT COMES AT RETIREMENT.

Colin W. Sargent Founding Editor & Publisher editor@portlandmonthly.com Art & Production Nancy Sargent Art Director Jesse Stenbak Associate Publisher staff@portlandmonthly.com Meaghan Maurice Design Director meaghan@portlandmonthly.com Advertising Nicole Barna Advertising Director nicole@portlandmonthly.com Per Lofving Advertising Executive per@portlandmonthly.com

Total Family Wealth Management

editorial Sarah Moore Assistant Editor & Publisher sarahm@portlandmonthly.com Olivia Gunn Kotsishevskaya Communications Director olivia@portlandmonthly.com

Diane Hudson Flash Jason Hjort Webmaster Colin S. Sargent Special Features & Archives Experience Events Portal: portlandmonthly.com/portmag/submit-an-event/ accounting Eric S. Taylor Controller eric@portlandmonthly.com subscriptions To subscribe please send your address and a check for $39* (1 yr.), $58* (2 yrs.), or $68* (3 yrs.) to Portland Magazine,165 State Street

Portland, ME 04101 *Add 5.5% if mailed to a Maine address. or subscribe online at www.portlandmagazine.com

Readers & Advertisers

The opinions given in this magazine are those of Portland Magazine writers. No establishment is ever covered in this magazine because it has advertised, and no payment ever influences our stories and reviews.

Portland Magazine is published by Sargent Publishing, Inc. All cor­re­spondence should be addressed to 165 State Street, Portland, ME 04101. Advertising Office: 165 State Street, Portland, ME 04101. (207) 775-4339. Repeat Internet rights are understood to be purchased with all stories and artwork. For questions regarding advertising invoicing and payments, call Eric Taylor.

Newsstand Cover Date: October 2017, published in September 2017, Vol. 32, No. 7, copyright 2017. Portland Magazine is mailed at third-class mail rates in Portland, ME 04101 (ISSN: 1073-1857). Opinions expressed in articles are those of authors and do not represent editorial positions of Portland Magazine. 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 published 10 times annually by Sargent Publishing, Inc., 165 State Street, Portland, Maine, 04101, with news­stand cover dates of Winterguide, February/March, April, May, Summerguide, July/August, September, October, November, and December. We are proudly printed in the USA by Cummings Printing.

Portland Magazine is the winner of 65 American Graphic Design Awards presented by Graphic Design USA for excellence in publication design.

David Mitchell Vice President, Investments

Claire Cooney, CFP® Financial Planning Associate

Christopher Rogers Managing Director Senior Vice President, Investments

Nicole Trottier Senior Registered Sales Associate

Dana Ricker Senior Vice President, Investments

Lisa Carey Sales Associate

Steve Guthrie Senior Vice President, Investments

Two Portland Square, 7th Floor // Portland, ME 04101 Phone: 207.771.1800 // Toll-Free: 866.680.1196 // Fax: 207.253.5480 www.PortlandHarborGroup.com

“Helping to Simplify a Complex World” ©2016 Raymond James & Associates, Inc., member New York Stock Exchange/SIPC. Raymond James® is a registered trademark of Raymond James Financial, Inc. Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc. owns the certification marks CFP®, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™, CFP® (with plaque design) and CFP® (with flame design) in the U.S., which it awards to individuals who successfully complete CFP Board’s initial and ongoing certification requirements.

S a r g e n t

Publishing, inc.

October 2017 13

letters editor@portlandmonthly.com

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MA IN E

RT A ANN UAL YO UR FAL L GU IDE LO CA L AR T REB ELS HID DE N HISTO RY

NE.COM ANDMAGAZI W W W. P O RT L Y MAGAZINE MAINE’S CIT

star gazing [See Letter From The Editor: “Star Quality,” about Portland Monthly design director Meaghan Maurice’s topping the industry as one of “30 Under 30” rising magazine executives nationwide, September 2017] Congratulations, Meaghan!

Priscilla Kelley, Pittston

Jamie Hogan

Congratulations! This is fantastic news and quite an honor!

Theresea Rosmus, Portland We at Mister Bagel know how wonderful it is to be acknowledged for all the hard work you do! Everyone is so proud of you. Wishing you continued success.

Gail Hartglass, Portland Hungry For the real deal [See “Mid East Feast,” July/August 2017] This story makes me so hungry for real food. I currently live in Idaho, the gastronomic equivalent of white Wonder Bread.

Alison McCrady, Idaho

Buy Tickets: 207.774.0465 www.portlandstage.org 25A Forest Ave, Portland, ME

1 4 p o r t l a n d m o n t h ly m a g a z i n e

take a bow [In response to “Bow Spirits,” July/August 2017] I doubt that most [ships] had a figurehead. In my research of the Houghton ships so far, only two have been proven to have had one. Most had a billet-head on the bow. Perhaps the ships from Casco Bay were different?

Amory McLellan Houghton III, Yarmouth Gone But Not Forgotten I still think the Portland Monthly piece from years back about the Portlanders lost

SPRITZO 91 INDUSTRIAL PARK RD. SACO, ME

in Vietnam was one of the best things ever run–the years only make it more so. [See “Where Have All The Flowers Gone?”

Winterguide 1998.]

Herb Adams, Portland

Note From The Artist Thank you for the great article by Dan The SHOWROOM that takes your breath away…WITH PRICES THAT LET YOU BREATHE Kany on “Art Agitators” in the September Art Annual!

Beautifully Balanced. Surprisingly Simple.

Natasha Mayers, Portland With its minimalist style and clean lines, the composed faucet A Happy Accident I hate to say this, but I thought I was ordering a magazine subscription for Portland, Oregon, and was going to cancel my subscription. Two editions into Portland Monthly, however, I became very interested in vacationing in Maine in the next year or two. I had no idea that there were so many interesting places to visit and things to do.

It’s a great magazine!

David Eagle, New Mexico An Ugly Truth in our own Back Yard [In response to “Gentleman’s Agreement,” February/March 2009, which examined Maine’s relationship with the Ku Klux Klan during the 20th century.]

Portland is a different place now, but it doesn’t hurt to get a dose of history every now and again. Anyone who thinks racism is extinct in Portland, or in Maine, needs to inhale some reality.

Bob Whitmire, Asmara, Eritrea

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A DELIGHTFUL EXPLORATION OF THE POSSIBILITIES

Maine is a wonderful state full of amazing people, past and present. The history isn’t always pretty, but we must acknowledge that these things did happen. Don’t allow history to continue to repeat itself. Education is key in my opinion.

Dan Ingraham, Saco An incredible story in our history. I had no idea they were so pervasive here in Maine.

Karen Thibault, Portland Wow, as if that’s something worth celebrating! Seriously, Portland Magazine, you couldn’t find anything positive? Something with some Maine pride in it? Just had to jump on the bandwagon I see.

Kim Scott, Scarborough

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ry u t n e The C

b u l C

ing brat cele inesses ice. ’s bus e serv n i Ma y of F r O tu A FEW er a cen JUST ov

Reeling in the Years Shine Bright Few hospitality attractions can claim 350 years of uninterrupted family service. But Seaside Inn in Kennebunk does just that. Established by early settler John Gooch, the Seaside has warmed guests on our shores during high tides and low. “I remember my grandparents talking about how depressed the tourist industry was during World War I,” says twelfth-generation owner Trish Mason. “Business was terrible–but we did open for the season. My family lived right here and had huge gardens to supply the hotel dining room with food for the few guests who visited.” Visit kennebunkportbeachwebcam.com for time-lapse coverage of Gooch’s Beach.

courtesy photos

Holy Cow!

Ripley & Fletcher, the oldest Ford dealership in New England, opened its doors in South Paris in 1909, right across from the railroad station where trains delivered new automobiles during the 20th century. A receipt retained from 1922 shows Miss Eliza Davis of West Paris bought a Model T touring car for $403 and two cows.

One hundred years ago, Portland had 68,000 citizens–2,000 more than today. We’d just entered the Great War in Europe, where 67 of us would perish, only to face a deadlier adversary here at home. Barely a year later, the influenza pandemic would take the lives of over 5,000 Mainers–including four Portland nurses in one week alone.

Young adults suffered the most fatalities by a vast margin.

Three local firms specialized in making square pianos. Curtis & Sons chewing gum factory on Fore Street was still snapping out 1,800 packs a day. Not a single woman could vote in an election, but they were hired that year by The Portland Company to pack howitzer shell casings for the war effort–for just under 9 cents an hour.

Is your business celebrating over 100 years of serving Maine?

Email us at staff@portlandmonthly.com

When ill health forced Captain Harry Davidson to abandon a career at sea, he set a new course as a jeweler in the Old Port in 1914. Over a century later, gems from Day’s Jeweler’s sparkle all over New England.

L. L. Bean: Freeport

The unofficial outfitter of Maine was launched after a hunting trip in 1912 left Leon Leonwood Bean with wet feet. Inspired, woodsy visionary stitched leather tops to rubber workman’s boots to create a hybrid shoe for the Maine outdoorsman. Jump over 100 years and the L.L. Bean “duck boots” are a staple not just for local hunters but New York hipsters, too. Demand is so high L.L. Bean plans to double its production space to vault sales above 1 million pairs next year and reduce the regular backlog of orders. (Read our story “Dark Horses, Shooting Stars” on page 35 to learn more.)

B e l l a V i ta

Giovanni Amato first rolled out his tiny food cart to feed hungry dockworkers in Portland in 1902, and it was here he was inspired to create the original Maine Italian Sandwich. The first Amato’s sandwich shop launched on India Street during the 1920s, where a modern-day Amato’s still remains. Celebrity fans include “Stephen King, Tim Sample, and Bob Marley,” says Louis Torrieri. Do they have a count on how many Italian sandwiches they’ve served (watch out, MacDonald’s)?”

“We don’t have exact numbers.

However, we’re the largest tomato buyer in the Northeast.”

OCTOber 2017 17

Enjoy Autumn

NG S E RV I

Casual Dining

P O RT L A N D F O R O U R 1 0 0 TH Y E A 484 Stevens Ave. Portland, Maine

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R!

Concierge All The Right Notes Broadway comes to Maine via the talents of Tony-award winning star Leslie Odom Jr. The Hamilton breakout performer will melt Merrill Auditorium on October 19 with original compositions and beloved jazz standards from his recent chart-topping album.

Tickets are $37-$62.

Santé! from top: Christopher boudewyns; courtesy images(4); corey templeton

Toast to the Season

Celebrate the season of mists and mellow fruitfulness with the Maine Harvest Festival at the Cross Insurance Center in Bangor, November 11-12. Maine farmers, foodies, and craftsmen converge to showcase the Fall bounty. Events include an alpaca experience, milking competition, and music from local bluegrass acts. Tickets are $8. 561-8300

TMI

Admit it, you came because of the name. Sex with Strangers is sure to draw curious crowds–and hold them with its tale of passion and privacy online. The play will run through October 22 at the intimate Good Theater. Intrigued? Tickets are $25.

Francophiles and wine drinkers can indulge and educate themselves at French Pairings 101 at Cellardoor Winery on October 25.

Guests will learn to the art of French pairings, plus you’ll be able to taste a selection of wine and cuisine as you go. C’est bon ça! Tickets are $60.

Portland, scary?

Ocean views, comedy, a stroll through the Old Port–what could be scary about that? Wicked Walking Tours turns those quintessential pieces of Portland inside out by revealing the unknown eerie truths of your everyday haunts. Perfect for Halloween, a comedic guide leads the half mile walk exploring ancient landmarks and pirate hideouts, and there’s always the chance to hold hands while walking through the cemeteries after dark… Oct. 31. Tickets are $19.99.

OCTOber 2017 19

Experience Celebration Barn Theater, 190 Stock Farm Rd., The Half Moon Jug Band, Oct. 14. 743-8452 City Theater in Biddeford, 205 Main St. Disenchanted, Oct. 13-29.

282-084 Gaslight Theater, Winthrop St., Hallowell.

Forsooth, My Lovely, Oct. 27 - Nov. 5. 626-3698 Good Theater, 76 Congress St., Portland. Sex With Strangers, through Oct. 22. 835-0895 Lyric Music Theater, 176 Sawyer St., South Portland.

A Christmas Carol, Nov. 17 - Dec. 3 799-1421

At Emerson’s Bar & Grill, through Oct. 15; Complications From A Fall, Oct. 24 - Nov. 12. 774-0465

Art

Bates College Museum of Art, Olin Arts Center, 75 Russell St., Lewiston.

Rona Pondick and Robert Feintuch: Heads, Hands, Feet; Sleeping, Holding, Dreaming, Dying, Oct. 27 Mar. 23, 2018. 786-6158 Bowdoin College Museum of Art, 1 Bath Rd., Brunswick. The Ivory Mirror: The Art of Mortality in Renaissance Europe, through Nov 26. 725-3275

Mad Horse Theatre, 24 Mosher St., South Portland.

Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson, through Oct. 15.

747-4148 Maine State Ballet Theater, 348 U.S. Rte. 1, Falmouth. The Little Mermaid, Oct. 7 - 18; The Nutcracker, Nov. 24 - Dec. 3 781-7672

Schoolhouse Arts Center, 16 Richville Rd., Standish. Dracula, Oct. 6-15. 642-3743 The Portland Players, 420 Cottage Rd., South Portland. Nunsense a Musical, through Oct. 8; A Christmas Story, Dec. 1-17 799-7337 Portland Stage, 25 Forest Ave., Portland. Lady Day

Cynthia Winings Gallery, 24 Parker Point Rd., Blue Hill. Endless Summer: Gallery Artists, through Oct. 9.

917-204-4001 Farnsworth Art Museum, 16 Museum St., Rockland.

American Treasures From the Farnsworth, through Oct. 29; Celebrating Maine, through Oct. 29; Andrew Wyeth at 100, through Dec. 31. Marguerite Zorach–An Art-Filled Life, through Jan. 18.

596-6457 Greenhut Galleries, 146 Middle St., Portland. Tom Higgins Oct. 5-28. 772-2693 Maine Jewish Museum, 267 Congress St. Talk with Ann Wrobel, Oct. 15; Linda Stein: Holocaust Heroes, Fierce Females, through Nov. 5; Rabbi David Sandmel, Renewing the Act of Creation Everyday, through Nov. 5.

443-1416

Ogunquit Playhouse, 10 Main St., Ogunquit. From Here to Eternity, Oct. 4-29; White Christmas, Nov. 29 Dec. 17 646-5511 Penobscot Theatre Company, 131 Main St., Bangor. Murder for Two, Oct. 20 - Nov. 6. 942-3333

of Art, 5600 Mayflower Hill Dr., Waterville. Marsden Hartley’s Maine through Nov. 12. 859-5600

Catch David Sedaris at Merrill Auditorium. “An Evening with David Sedaris,” October 15.

Center for Maine Contemporary Art, 21 Winter St., Rockland.

Night Stories by Linden Frederick, through Nov. 5; William Wegman; Reel to Real, through Oct 22; John Walker: From Seal Point, through Oct 29.

Colby College Museum

Maine Maritime Museum, 234 Washington St., Bath. See the Light: the Preservation of Midcoast Maine Lighthouses, through Oct. 22. 443-1416 MECA, 522 Congress St. Dreamy & Surreal, through Oct. 20 775-3052 Ogunquit Museum of American Art, 543 Shore Road, Ogunquit. Tradition and Excellence: Art and Ogunquit, 1914-1918

through Oct. 31; Ernest Hemingway and Henry Strater through Oct. 31; Gary Haven Smith: Sculpture Gardens, through Oct. 31. 688-4468 Portland Museum of Art, 7 Congress Sq., Portland.

Child’s Play, through Dec 17; Barnet Scholar’s Weekend Gallery Talk with Jacqueline Francis, Oct. 13; 775-6148 Space Gallery, 538 Congress Street. New England Art Book Fair, Oct. 9-10; 828-5600 UNE Art Gallery, 716 Stevens Ave., “Ahead of Her Time:” The Life and Work of Nancy Hemenway Barton, through Dec. 20.

221-4499

Music

Aura, 121 Center St. Blue October and The Score, Oct. 13; Gary Allan, Oct. 14; Theory of a Deadman, Oct. 15; JJ Grey & Mofro, Oct. 18; O.A.R., Oct. 26; Martin Sexton Trio, Oct. 28; Black Tiger Sex Machine, Nov. 3. 772-8274 The Boothbay Harbor Opera House, 86 Townsend Ave., Boothbay. The Bobs Farewell Tour, Oct. 14; Annual Halloween Potluck & Scary Readings, Oct 26.

633-5159 Blue, 650 Congress St. Irish Sessions, every Wednesday. 774-4111.

Darling’s Waterfront Pavilion, 1 Railroad St., Bangor. A Perfect Circle,

Ghostly Bangor Walking Tour, Oct. 5-30; Haunted Woods Walk, Presque Isle, Oct. 7; Ghostport, Bucksport, Oct. 21; Portland Ghoulwill Ball, Oct. 21;

Longfellow’s Haunted House, Maine Historical Society, Oct. 25-30;

Halloween Silent Film: The Phantom of the Opera, Merrill Auditorim, Oct. 21;

All Souls Walk, Kennebunk, Oct. 28; Victorian Frightful, South Berwick, Oct. 28; Portland Halloween Bash, Portland Expo, Oct. 28.

2 0 p o r t l a n d m o n t h ly m a g a z i n e

“Ahead of Her Time: The Life and Work of Nancy Hemenway Barton,” UNE Art Gallery, through Dec. 20.

Nov. 10; Elton John, Nov. 17-18 358-9327 Empire, 575 Congress St. Hymn For Her + Muddy Ruckus, Oct. 12; Tribute 2 Florence, Oct. 19. 7475063 portlandempire.com Jonathan’s Ogunquit, 92 Bournes Ln., Ogunquit.

Jon Pousset-Dart, Oct. 13; An Evening with Longley, Oct. 19; Cheryl Wheeler, Oct. 20; An Evening of Dan Fogelberg Music by The Don Campbell Band, Oct. 21; Tom Rush, Oct. 22; Holly Near, Nov. 3 646-4526 Maine Academy of Modern Music, 125 Presumpscot St. Chords For Kids, MAMM’s Scholarship Gala Fundraiser with The Fogcutters, Oct. 12; MAMM Presents: Kids & Teens Open Stage, Oct. 13; MAMM Presents: Kids & Teens Open Stage, Nov. 10. 899-3433 Merrill Auditorium, 20 Myrtle St. Jersey Boys, Oct. 6-7; An Evening with David Sedaris, Oct. 15; Bethel Music, Oct. 16; Leslie Odom Jr., Oct. 19 842-0800 One Longfellow Square, 181 State St. The Brother Brothers & Oliver the Crow, Oct. 11; Sam Amidon, Oct. 13; Patty Larkin, Oct. 14; Chris Barron w/

courtesy photos

Theater

Wher e Recyclin g has Always bee n in Style

Forget Me Nots

THE LITTLE

MERMAID Based on the classic fairy tale by Hans Christian Anderson

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Experience

Purple Brainz 5: A Halloween Tribute to Prince at Port City Music Hall, Oct. 28.

Will Bradford; Oct. 15; Slaid Cleaves, Oct. 18; Laura Cortese and the Dance Cards, Oct. 21; The The Band Band: A Tribute to Bob Dylan and The Band, Nov. 3 761-1757 Port City Music Hall, 504 Congress St. Shovels & Rope, Oct. 11; The Weeks, Oct. 14; Cabinet, Oct. 21; Melvin Seals and JGB, Oct. 17; Holly Bowling, Oct. 22; Purple Brainz 5: A Halloween Tribute to Prince, Oct. 28 956-6000

Beguiling

Portland House of Music and Events, 57 Temple St. Port City Peep Show, Oct. 26; Wyatt Cenac, Oct. 27 805-0134 Space Gallery, 538 Congress Street. Japanese Breakfast with Mannequin Pussy and the Spirit of the Beehive, Oct. 10; Into The Aether, Oct. 14; JonWayne Rap Album Two Tour, Nov. 1. 828-5600 State Theatre, 609 Congress St. Queens of the Stone Age, Oct. 22; Amos Lee, Oct. 27; Josh Ritter & The Royal City Band. 956-6000

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Stone Mountain Arts Center, 695 Dug Way Rd. Kris Delmhorst & Jeffrey Foucault, Oct. 20; Freddy & Francine, Oct. 27; Humming House, Nov. 3; Alasdair Fraser and Natalie Haas, Nov. 10. 935-7292 Vinegar Hill Music Theatre, 53 Old Post Rd., Arundel. Doo Wop Project, Oct. 6; Ellis Paul with Sophie B. Hawkins, Oct. 7; One Night in Memphis, Oct. 13; The Platters, Oct. 14.

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Comedy

Community Television Network, 516 Congress St., Portland. Playback Theater, the first Friday of every month. 775-2900 ctn5.org

Portland Museum of Art, 7 Congress Sq., Portland. Night of the Living Dead (Restored Edition), Oct. 27 775-6148

Baubles & Booty for Halloween

2 2 p o r t l a n d m o n t h ly m a g a z i n e

Stone Mountain Arts Center, 695 Dug Way Rd., Brownfield. Bob Marley, Oct. 19 935-7292

Film

Dannah 123 Ocean Ave., Kennebunkport 207-967-8640

Lincoln’s, 36 Market St., Portland. Laugh Shack comedy every Thursday.

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Space Gallery, 538 Congress Street. Look & See: A Portrait of Wendell Berry, Oct. 12 & 15; Found Footage Festival, Oct. 13; Jackson, Oct. 18; Dan Savage’s HUMP! Film Festival, Oct. 18-21; The Prison in Twelve Landscapes, Nov. 09. 828-5600

From Top: tom couture; jeffrey bowling

Bewitching

Home and Small Business Weekly and Bi-Weekly

sabbathday lake Literary Events

Longfellow Garden at Maine Historical Society, 489 Congress St. First Friday Fiction, Oct. 6 & Nov. 3.

PRINT Bookstore, 273 Congress Street. Pope Brick presents Another Fine Mess: Life on Tomorrow’s Moon, Oct. 12; Melissa Sweet and Martha White present Some Writer: The Story of E.B. White, Oct. 15; Sarah Perry presents her new memoir, After the Eclipse, Oct. 17; Gabrielle Zevin presents her new novel, Young Jane Young, Oct. 18; John Hodgman presents Vacationland, Oct. 26. 536-4778.

Shaker Village Museum and Shaker Store

Harvest Festival - FREE Event October 7th 10am-4:30pm maineshakers.com 707 Shaker Rd, New Gloucester, ME

Tasty Events

Aurora Provisions, 64 Pine St. Two to three free tastings each month on Tuesdays. 871-9060 Craft Beer Cellar, 111 Commercial St. Craft beer tasting every Fri. 956-7322 Cellardoor Winery, Brick North, Thompson’s Point. Complimentary Pairings, Oct. 15 and 22; Taste of Spain Cooking Class, Oct. 19; Pairings 101, Oct. 25 and Nov. 29. 536-7700 Leroux Kitchen, Portland. Free wine tastings on the 2nd Saturday of each month, 1-3 p.m.

553-7665 Local Sprouts, 649 Congress St., Portland.

Music Brunch with Sean Mencher and friends, every Sun. 899-3529 Lolita Vinoteca + Asador, 90 Congress St., Portland. Tapas Mondays, every Mon. 3:30-10:30; wines paired with small plates.

775-5652 Otherside Delicatessen, 164 Veranda St. Monthly wine tastings. 761-9650 Rosemont Markets, Portland and Yarmouth.

Two to three free wine tastings each month on Fridays. 774-8129 Sweetgrass Farm Old Port Tasting Room, 324 Fore St. Tasting bar is open year-round for Maine-made wines and spirits. 761-8GIN

Don’t Miss

Damariscotta Pumpkinfest and Regatta, Pinkham’s Plantation, 431 Biscay Rd. PumpkinHolly Bowling will be jamming on her piano at Port City Music Hall on October 22.

Tours: Memorial Day - Columbus Day Monday - Saturday; 10am-4:30pm Sunday; 10am Worship Service only 20 minutes North of Portland

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(Take 8 Exit 5 or 5A off I-295 Directly Thompson’s Point) Thompson’s Point Road,into Portland, Maine

(Take Exit 5 or 5A off I-295 Directly into Thompson’s Point) Adult Admission $8.00 • With this ad $7.00 Adult Admission • With this ad $7.00 Produced By Goosefare Promotions, $8.00 John & Elizabeth DeSimone, Saco, ME 04072

For a list ofByexhibitors, types of antiques are bringing, or more infomation Produced Goosefarethe Promotions, John &they Elizabeth DeSimone, Saco, ME 04072 please see www.goosefareantiques.com or bringing, call 800-641-6908 For a list of exhibitors, the types of antiques they are or more information please see www.goosefareantiques.com or call 800-641-6908 OCTOber 2017 23

Experience boat regatta and derby, pumpkin catapulting, giant pumpkin art, pumpkin-pie eating, and parade, Oct. 6-9.

Harvestfest, Short Sands Beach, York. Traditional fall harvest food, kids activities, crafts, and music, Oct. 14.

Enjoy samples of our award winning, hand-crafted cheeses and browse the marketplace for the best of Maine’s foods, wines, beers and so much more!

Harvest on the Harbor, Ocean Gateway, Portland. 9th annual food and wine festival (21+ only). Chef demonstrations, lobster chef competition, Brews & Blues BBQ, tasting events, Oct. 16-24.

Maine Harvest Festival, Cross Insurance Ctr., Bangor. A delicious celebration of Maine’s small farms and their bounty, Nov. 11-12.

Owls Head Transportation Museum, Owls Head. Great Fall Auction, Oct. 28.

“Creamery Tours By Appointment” 461 Commercial Street, Route 1, Rockport, ME 207-236-8895 or 800-762-8895 Open Year Round Or Visit Us At www.cheese-me.com

Portland Beer Week, Portland. Join the Maine craft beer industry and local businesses as we partake in various events taking place in Portland, Maine and surrounding areas. Nov. 5-11.

Swine and Stein Oktoberfest, Downtown Water St, Gardiner. The 7th Annual Swine & Stein Oktoberfest is a trifecta of beer, food, and music. A beer tasting will showcase the incredible diversity of Maine craft beers along with food from quality Maine restaurants. Oct. 7.

Maine’s Oldest & Largest Mover Service you can Trust from People who care! www.MoveBisson.com Bobby Cooper Certified Moving Consultant

207-591-1045 207-831-8525 Bobby.Cooper@movebisson.com 2 4 p o r t l a n d m o n t h ly m a g a z i n e

Freeport Fall Festival, Freeport. Live music, arts and craft exhibitors, and some of Maine’s best food- including annual favorite, the Chowdah Challenge. Oct 6-8.

Fall Festival Weekend, Sunday River Resort.

The unofficial kickoff to Sunday River’s winter season, the festival includes live music, a beer garden, wine tasting, arts & crafts, scenic lift and wagon rides, children’s games and activities, and the famous North American Wife Carrying Championship, Oct. 7-8.

(800) 543-2754

a new musical

October 13th – 29th No performance October 15th

Fridays and Saturdays 7:30pm Sundays 2:00pm

Tickets Available for Online Purchase at www.CityTheater.org or Call (207)282-0849

Wolfe Neck Farm, 184 Burnett Road, Freeport. Fall Festival, Oct. 6-8.; Pumpkin Hayrides, Sat-Sundays in Oct., 10-2.

Portland Science Center, 68 Commercial Street, Maine Wharf, Portland. The age of piracy comes to life in Portland with Real Pirates: An Exhibition from National Geographic.

The 10,000-square-foot interactive exhibition showcases more than 200 artifacts, including everyday objects, personal items, and treasures, from the first fully authenticated pirate ship ever to be discovered in U.S. waters, through Oct. 29. 866-822-4780 –Compiled by Sarah Moore. To submit your own event listing, visit: portlandmonthly.com/ portmag/submit-an-event/

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October 5-28 Opening Thursday, Oct. 5, 5-7pm OCTOber 2017 25

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from top: courtesy barbara ernst prey; josh todd; Neil Grabowsky / Montclair Film Festival; f11photo - adobe

Supersize This

When Port Clyde painter Barbara Ernst Prey was asked to produce a painting depicting of Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art’s expansion before it was renovated, she leapt at the chance. The result? A watercolor painting measuring 8 x 15 feet and weighing a hefty 300 lbs. Prey falls short of saying the MASS MoCA Building 6 “may be the world’s largest watercolor,” though smaller watercolors have claimed that title. The expansive painting echoes the pre-film art of panoramas on rollers that entertained crowds around the country in the early days of the 20th century.

“The emoji sea is filled with crab, shrimp, octopus, squid, whale, even blowfish […] There’s a large void in the shape of our favorite Maine lobster,” says Luke Holden, founder of Luke’s Lobster restaurant chain. Holden has launched a petition to convince the panel of The Unicode Consortium, the governing body that determines which emojis should be added each year, to select the lobster emoji as one of 2017’s finalists. At press time, the petition has 4,020 signatures of its 5,000 goal. “We know you want it–you ask us why there is #NoLobsterEmoji daily,” Holden says on the Change.org petition page. “Now we finally have the chance to help get it.

Sign our petition. Fill this clawed void.”

The Director’s Chair Camden vacation-

er and sci-fi producer-extraordinaire JJ Abrams was recently confirmed as director and writer for the final installment of the Star Wars sequel trilogy, Episode IX (projected release date: May 2019). The honorary Mainer seems to have the Midas touch: The Force Awakens, directed by Abrams in 2015, raked in $2.06 billion in box offices.

Vacationmind

Imagine waking in a fictional Maine to find you’re an avatar in a video game. C.J. Deering’s new novel Cronica: Acadia Bend Sinister (Fantasy Publishing, $16.96) hooks you on page one and never lets you go. Deering, a former Portland Monthly intern, author, and USC Film School grad, tells us “It’s a hybrid high fantasy/modern fantasy, but Maine still shines through in Acadia, Vinland, and a Great Lighthouse for the human capital city.” Kirkus Reviews digs the dynamic: “A witty tale that revels deeply in computer-game tropes.”

Rogue Vogue

Feeling lucky? Lobsterman Alex Todd is after catching a pearly, translucent lobster off the shores of Chebeague recently. The chance of catching an albino lobster is 1 in 100 million, according to Marine Science Today.

Todd threw the lobster back after noticing she had a notched tail, indicating she may be carrying eggs. “My uncle, Andy Todd, caught [her] a week later,” says Alex’s son, Josh Todd. “We call it the ghost lobster.”

In a recent travel story titled “A Perfect Weekend Away in Southern Maine,” Vogue Magazine writer Ellen Leduc waxes lyrical about Portland’s transformation from “small, weather-worn coastal city playing second-fiddle to big shots like Boston” to a chic destination for the knowing traveler. The article offers readers the perfect weekend itinerary, from sipping brews at Austin Street Brewery and feasting at Drifters Wife, to browsing “vintage gems like Levi’s cut-off shorts and Ferragamo loafers” at Magpie Vintage store…

Wait a second. Magpie Vintage is in Portland, Oregon–a bit of a drive for a pair of loafers, don’t you think? Maybe Vacationland is best explored in person rather than via Google.

OCTOber 2017 27

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P o rt l a n d a f t e r dark

Mash Tun on Wharf Street dishes up casual and affordable fare late into the night.

Not ready to call it a night? These late night drinking and dining options extend your festivities into the small hours.

By Sarah Moore

meaghan maurice

S

ome evenings you simply want to put on pajamas and slip into bed at a time that would’ve been considered a punishment during your middle-school years. Then there are those other nights. Nights when the glittering possibilities of the city stretch out, enticing you to visit just one more bar, buy just one more round of drinks–all in search of

those indelible moments or chance meetings with strangers. When these improbable solar flares of energy strike, embrace the feeling and stay out past bedtime.

Portland’s one a.m. closing time may irk the city’s hedonists and party-goers who crave an all-night session, but there are still plenty of places to enjoy a late-night snack and a last call before you take it home for

an after party.

Wharf Street Sanctuary Once you’ve danced yourself into a parched and ravenous state at one of Wharf Street’s less salubrious nightclubs, extract yourself from the dance floor and indulge in a calming drink and snack before you head home.

Just a short walk along the cobbles you’ll OCTOber 2017 29

P ortland a f t e r da r k

discover the inviting facade of Mash Tun. Pushing a British pub-style vibe, Mash Tun has ample seating along its long bar or at one of the many wooden picnic tables scattered across its two rooms. Your nightcap options range from $8 cocktails like Dark & Stormy to a glass of $7 Prosecco, but beer is where this bar really applies itself. Check out the large chalkboards on the rear wall, where most of Maine’s breweries are well represented. Take note: Many draft pours are only 12 oz. and cost anything from $6$8 dollars. But at this point, you’ve probably had enough already anyway. The food, on the other hand, is reasonably priced and 3 0 p o r t l a n d m o n t h ly m a g a z i n e

portioned and exactly the kind of thing your pre-hangover brain is craving. Settle into a picnic bench with your friends and close out the night with a simple grassfed beef burger ($6), a side of fried Brussels sprouts with bacon, and a refreshing glass of Allagash. Serving until 1 a.m.

One and Done If you couldn’t drag yourself away from the band at Bull Feeney’s before closing time, you’re still in luck. Blue Rooster, a longtime refuge for the Old Port’s tipsy, hungry masses, is open until 2 a.m. On certain nights the line snakes onto the sidewalk of Dana Street, its occupants carousing and flirting as they wait for their or-

Mash Tun on Wharf Street.

der of signature Blue Rooster tater tots. The eatery doesn’t have an alcohol license, so instead enjoy a Po Boy and a side of Thai Tots, a surprise delight of Thai chili peanut sauce, scallions, and cilantro. There’s limited seating inside, but honestly, this isn’t a Michelin-star dining experience; it tastes just as good out of your lap on the Uber ride home.

from top: meaghan maurice; corey templeton

Blue Rooster Food Co. draws the Old Port’s revellers for post-party sandwiches and snacks like Tater Tot Poutine (inset left).

Late Night Delight ore of a fan of rock and roll than chart hits? Avoid the Old Port like the plague? Then you’re probably more likely to be found thrashing the dance floor at Geno’s Rock Club to the likes of Soul Remnants (October 13) or Primitive Man (November 3), or sinking a PBR under the red neon glow at Downtown Lounge. Whatever your tastes, who can say no to half-price sushi rolls? While we mourn the hiatus of Benkay on Commercial and India Street (reopening at 16 Middle Street any day now), Kushiya Benkay, the Congress Street sister location, still serves the ever-popular Rock ‘n’ Roll Sushi menu. This busy, buzzing joint can satiate

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3 2 p o r t l a n d m o n t h ly m a g a z i n e

Portland after dark

Taco Ecobarr on Congress proves a good pit stop before heading down to Wharf Street.

your late night hunger pangs until 2 a.m. from Thursday to Saturday. Keep the fire burning with pitchers of sake, ice-cold Thai beers, or the infamous scorpion bowls– on sale for $10. The novelty 40-oz. vessels, complete with neon bendy straws, are reminiscent of spiked punch at a school dance– as likely to give you a sugar buzz as an alcohol buzz. Next up, you’ll grab a pencil and start filling out a little menu scorecard, selecting which of the many sushi-rolls options you want to indulge in. At only $3.50 for sushi rolls and $2 for skewers, you can get pretty enthusiastic with your “scorecard” without breaking the bank. Service is brisk, and the staff is diligent about refilling water glasses, almost as if they’re surreptitiously trying to sober you up. A few stray electronic disco balls and lights remind you this isn’t just late-night sushi, this is Rock ‘n’ Roll Sushi. Party accordingly.

The Curtain Call ith Portland’s Deputy Fire Chief Terry Walsh declaring that Otto Pizza at 576 Congress will “be closed for a while” following an oven fire in late summer, you’re forced to take a detour into the Old Port via Bill’s Pizza to satisfy your molten cheese cravings. Or you could walk a couple of blocks and take a seat at Taco Escobarr. Light, fizzy Mexican beers are delicious after a long night, and the colorful buzz of the dining room will imbue you with fresh energy.

The kitchen stays open until 1 a.m. If you’re really suffering from midnight munchies, select from the full menu and fill up on a plate of carne asada swaddled in cheese and tortilla with a side of delicious breaded avocado fries. Alternatively, on the late night menu, just five dollars will reward you with a plate of hot wings or “Ninos nachos”–a compact serving of chips, queso chihuahua, pickled jalapeños, onions, radish, pico de gallo, and crema. Night shifts aside, the ancient wisdom “Nothing good ever happens after 2 a.m.” has a flip side: All kinds of fun can happen before then. n

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Legacy

p e r s pective

Crystal Ball City Where will the next year take us? Our oracle takes us behind the numbers to show us the Dark Horses and Shooting Stars at the heart of Maine’s business trends.

corey templeton

E

By Colin W. S argent

van Livada knows where the bodies are buried even while he worships his home state. He follows our industries with great industry, and his insight is often instantaneous. His crystal ball has proven uncannnily clear.

Case in point: Before the mortgage crisis hit, he warned our readers to “watch out for that subprime slime” [“The Maine 100,” October 2007].

October 2017 35

perspective Portland Monthly: What 100-year-old businesses seem the ‘youngest’ and most flexible this year?

Evan Livada: L.L. Bean started by making the first Bean Boot. Now they can’t fill the orders. There’s a whole year worth of backlog.

how people will get their groceries in the future? Uber drivers, drones–who knows?

What we do know is, Hannaford is paying attention.

You mean parent company Delhaize Le Leon (of Belgium and The Netherlands) is paying attention.

Is that a recurring miscalculation?

H

ardly. All you need is a new celebrity to be seen wearing them and the entire desire curve changes overnight. They have 52 stores now. They’re opening one at Mashpee Commons, a trendy location in Cape Cod. Everybody’s making a similar product.

Sperry makes them. But none has the cachet of ‘made in America, fully guaranteed with your money back, L.L. Bean.’

Hannaford has been acquired three times, I believe. Hannaford’s headquarters are in Scarborough. They have a significant impact here.

standing of Portland and more local cultural participation?

Union Mutual started here in 1848.

UNUM is interesting. The stock peaked in 1999 at 60.44, and it’s getting back to almost those levels. As I speak, the stock is 48. The high for the year is 51.43. Low for the year is 33.98.

Who didn’t get the memo this year? Please tell me about two businesses marooned by time that have to reconsider their basic premises?

The Maine Mall has been marooned, so they’re going to have to keep adjusting.

What’s going to replace malls? You’re going to see roller skating. An Apple store will alHugh Farrington did a great job. With a lot ways survive at a mall, but other stores are of the mergers and acquisitions, he probavictims of the times. bly did do a lot of that. But before him there The fringe stores like Dollar General, was James L. Moody, who joined the comDollar Tree, TJ Maxx/Marshalls, and whatpany in 1959 and was named president in What’s another ‘young’ old business? not are threatening malls. People want 1971. That’s when Hannaford took off.

Hannaford Bros. employs 8,400 people. In name brands at a discount. The competi1944, they went retail. In 2011 they addtion is tough, and everybody wants to buy ed online ordering with Hannaford to Go. Like Colin Hampton at Union Mutual, when UNUM had things online. Footlocker just reported a They work hard to stay ahead of the curve. a benevolent presence here deepened by a deft underhorrendous quarter. Sears has gone Last year they took more steps to through a major restructuring, but eliminate food waste. Twenty-five “Half of the paper mills in Maine at least they’re doing some partnermillion pounds of food were doing with Amazon. nated to offset hunger. Who knows Who took them to the next level here before they were acquired? Who was the magic exec?

have closed since 1980. In 2012, Great Northern paper mill won the contract to produce 3,000 tons of paper for Fifty Shades of Grey. If they keep making reprints of Fifty Shades, the paper industry will be saved.”

corey templeton

The bustle of RiRa on Commercial Street indicates Portland’s thriving cultural economy.

3 6 p o r t l a n d m o n t h ly m a g a z i n e

The competition is so fierce that the malls are struggling. People don’t like the hassle of parking. With it, half of the restaurants around the malls are closing.

What will take the place of the Maine Mall and places like it–little medical offices and dental offices to take care of the people who used to go to the malls? It’s going to be movie theatres and trampolines. Old-age health-care facilities.

In Gone Girl, an abandoned mall has become home to a den of squatters. But that could never happen in Maine!

The other thing that’s marooned is the paper industry. Half of the paper mills in Maine have closed since 1980. In 2012, they fired up the Great Northern paper mill in East Millinocket. They caused a stir when they won the contract to produce 3,000 tons of paper for that erotic book Fifty Shades of Grey. If they keep making reprints of Fifty Shades, the paper industry will be saved.

What’s the global picture?

In 1960, Maine lost its top-paper-producing state status to Wisconsin. Then China, Brazil, Germany, Canada, and Finland closed in.

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Tell us about a hot business that is enriched by, and driven by, diversity.

The Somalis and the Sudanese are growing populations in Maine. There’s been an impact on the seafood industry. No state has a lower percentage of people between 15 and 44 than the state of Maine. In 2011, there were more people dying than were born in the state of Maine.

B

arber Foods has always hired minorities. The economists say the only way Maine is going to grow is through the new immigrants coming in.

The growth needs to happen through 2035, and it’s going to be driven by the people who come here.

In 1955, Gus Barber opened up his meat shop–a little more than a butcher knife and an old truck. It was acquired by Cincinnati AdvancePierre foods in 2011. Today, Barber Foods claims they have employees from over 50 nationalities. Gus had English classes at the plant early on. It was a melting pot. Most of the Barber family has moved on, but they all did very well. In Portland, the company still operates as Barber Foods

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October 2017 37

Pers pective

Tell me about a person who started out at the bottom at Barber Foods and then, with precocious skills, cracked into the executive level.

D

avid Barber says you should talk to Besim Musliu to get a great success story. After Musliu’s farm in Kosovo was overrun and his dogs were killed, he escaped and fled to the States.

When he arrived, he spoke no English and is now in a supervisory position at [AdvancePierre/Tyson].

Tell us about a high-flying business that just started out as two people and a phone jack, where the ‘idea is everything.’

Besim Musliu started out as a temporary production line worker at AdvancePierre in 1999. Today Musliu is the company’s Operations Excellence Manager and Internal Shipping and Receiving Manager. Right: Barber Food’s popular Chicken Kiev “Easy Meal.”

3 8 p o r t l a n d m o n t h ly m a g a z i n e

Luke’s Lobster started with two employees, Luke Holden and and his father, Jeff Holden, from Cape Elizabeth. Luke went to Georgetown and Wall Street. Jeff went to SMCC. Jeff has always been in the lobster industry.

Cape Seafood LLC, the sister compa-

ny for Luke’s Lobster, processes 30,000 pounds of seafood a day. Luke’s Lobster is in Miami, Las Vegas, everyplace including the Brooklyn Bridge. They’re just going crazy.

Luke’s Lobster is on the Inc. Magazine’s list of fastest-growing companies. Luke is

A Port l a n d St ory What was it like when you arrived in Portland?

Musliu: I came to the U.S. on August 9, 1999, after the war in Kosovo was over. I’d never been here before. It was a great opportunity. Now that I’m here, I like it and have lived here since.

When did you realize you were going to break through into management?

I was always looking for opportunities to grow myself. I realized those opportunities were available at the company. Early on I realized I wanted to learn the business and grow myself so that I could eventually help others to grow with the company.

Who was your mentor, and how did your mentor help you to best appreciate Portland and its culture?

My mentors were my parents and my brother. My brother came to the U.S. with me. He was always the one to lead by example. My father taught me and mentored me how to grow myself and others. I grew up in a family where we would help people without hesitation. For example, in Kosovo, my father would donate food weekly to immigrants who fled to my country because their countries were at war. My dad taught me that no matter what the differences are between people, you should always help others. I use these values they taught me when I help others grow and when I work with other people.

from left: meaghan maurice; heatherlikesfood.com

and is going pretty good guns. In 2017, Tyson Foods, Inc. of Arizona purchased AdvancePierre, including Barber Foods, which is famous for dishes like Chicken Cordon Bleu and Chicken Kiev, for $4.2B. A sixteen percent premium from where it was trading when the deal was announced on April 25.

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October 2017 39

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on [NBC’s] Hoda and Kathie Lee all the time. They discovered their president with an ad on Craigslist in 2009. They started a co-op in Tenants Harbor and still have a retail store at the end of the wharf. They’re going through a million pounds of seafood just there. They know where each of the lobsters is coming from, which is amazing. They have a diverse work force.

I’ve asked Jeff, “What happens when the price of lobster goes up 50 cents in a week? What do you do then?” He says, “Well, we eat it.”

We’ve always loved lobster rolls in Maine. What’s the ‘paradigm shift?’

People love a $15 dollar lobster roll all over the world.

What if people in Manhattan want to buy some lobster rolls but need something to carry them in, and their Kate Spades are just too precious?

Sea Bags was founded in 1999. They’re growing about 30 percent a year. They’re privately held. They went from two stores

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three years ago to 12 stores. If you bring them a sail, they’ll give you a free bag.

That’s where these people get their sails– from their customers! It’s still a relatively small operation, but they’re in Connecticut, New Jersey…

W

hat do you see in your crystal ball?

New Balance has 888 factory workers in Maine–396 in Norridgewock, 338 in Skowhegan, 154 in Norway. If the ruling goes through that the military and U.S. government agencies need to use ‘Made in America,’ New Balance, made in Maine, will benefit. Specifically, in their product line they have a New Balance 1400–a high-end suede sneaker–that could really take off because of this. They’re going to build the uppers in Skowhegan, and then they’ll send them to Boston, where they’ll put in the soles. You can’t buy a shoe made anywhere in Maine anymore, so this is refreshing. Right now in Skowhegan, they’re making 450 pairs a day. n

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Such is the legend of J.P. Morgan’s Bath-Iron-Works-built Corsair IV that British entrepreneur Neil Young commanded Yantai Raffles Shipyard to build him a 21st century replica. Now one of the world’s largest luxury motor yachts, Nero can be yours to charter for $475,000 per week.

To learn what happened to the original Corsair IV, read on.

burgess yachts; navsource

O

Where does a Bath Iron Works yacht go to drop her final anchor?

n the brink of disappearing forever, Bath Iron Works was brought back to life by William S. “Peter” Newell in 1927, and a yacht named Vanda made it happen.

Bath Iron Works had slid into decline when the venerable shipbuilding company was put up for auction in 1925. A speculator and scrap metal dealer from New York bought Bath’s key industry for a hammer price of less than $200,000. Equipment was sold off; ship-fitters, joiners, welders, and carpenters were out of a job; and the plant gathered dust for two years. In 1927, it changed hands again and was put to use making paper pie plates.

Determined to save Bath from this hu-

By Michael L. Grace

miliating fate, Newell believed BIW could make a comeback building premium yachts of top-notch American design, craftsmanship, and quality. His enthusiasm convinced naval architect Archibald Main, born to shipbuilding on the banks of the

Vanda, named for a tropical orchid, departs Bath to large crowds in 1928.

River Clyde in Scotland, and L. E. Thibault, a leading Bath businessman, to join Newell in relaunching Bath Iron Works Corporation in 1927.

Luck was on their side: The great Philadelphia shipyard William Cramp & Sons was facing liquidation. Meanwhile, Ernest B. Dane, a summer visitor to Seal Harbor as well as a prominent Boston investor and president of the Brookline Trust Company, was looking for someone to build his newest yacht. Newell had landed his first contract: the Vanda yacht.

Starry Starts: VANDA & HI-ESMARO Newell spread the word among old BIW October 2017 43

made in ma i n e

hands, and before long, over 300 men were laboring over the 230-foot Vanda. Skilled craftsmen set about creating the yacht’s prize features–a luxurious dining salon paneled in black walnut, a grand master stateroom, and a number of guest staterooms.

In a savvy PR move, Newell had news-

papers and wire services across the country cover Vanda’s launch. By 1929, in the midst of the financial crash, Bath Iron Works was said to be the busiest shipyard in America.

Soon BIW was commissioned to build an even bigger luxury yacht–a 266-foot cruiser for Hiram Edward Manville,

From top: Brochures and adverts celebrate the elegance and luxury of the Bath Iron Works yachts. Top right: A flyer tempts travelers to cruise to Acapulco aboard the Corsair. In a dark twist of fate, the yacht later breached and was abandoned off the coast of Acapulco. Above left: Tinplate heir William B. Leeds bought the Caroline and renamed her Moana in 1938; Moana had brushes with stardom as a muse for a Gilbey’s Gin poster (center) and frequent host to Ernest Hemingway (aboard the Caroline, right).

4 4 p o r t l a n d m o n t h ly m a g a z i n e

Chairman for the Johns-Manville Corporation. Dubbed “the asbestos king” (JohnsManville produced the material), he was uncle to socialite Tommy Manville, who married 13 different times and once held the Guinness Book of World Records title for the shortest marriage. After one divorce, Tommy lamented to the press, “She cried, and the judged wiped away her tears with my check book.”

Bath artisans created replicas of the Swedish crown emblazoned over the stateroom beds– Estelle had just married into the Swedish Royal family.

courtesy Michael L. Grace

Designed by Henry J. Gielow and christened the Hi-Esmaro, yachting enthusiasts dubbed Manville’s strikingly handsome new boat the most beautiful on the seas.

Anticipating that Manville’s daughter, Estelle, would use the Hi-Esmaro, Bath artisans created replicas of the Swedish crown emblazoned over the stateroom beds–Estelle had just married Count Folke Bernadotte of the Swedish royal family. The yacht was launched by Mrs. Manville in June of 1929 in the presence of almost the entire population of Bath.

During the 1930s, the Vanda and Hi-Esmaro were a familiar sight at the nation’s great yachting races and cruising the coast of Maine. These large yachts would each employ a crew of 50 to 60 members, sometimes even carrying a surgeon and barber, and a large number these crewmen hailed from Deer Isle.

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CORSAIR IV hen Corsair IV slithered down the greased ways of Bath Iron Works on April 10, 1930, John Pierpont Morgan’s black-hulled yacht launched a career as the biggest and most elegantly appointed private yacht ever built in the USA. She was the fourth Corsair to fly the Morgan colors–each yacht a little bigger, faster, and more comfortable than the last. The Corsair IV generated ma-

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PeoplesChoiceME.org October 2017 45

jor media attention at the time, sparking a quote so familiar it seems trite. “What are the costs for operating such a yacht?” demanded one reporter. Morgan quickly retorted, “Sir, if you have to ask that question, you can’t afford it.”

For Bath Iron Works, the Corsair IV was a crowning achievement, unequivocally delivering Newell, Main, and Thibault’s promise to capitalize on BIW’s legacy and provide yachts at a cost for American millionaires.

T

he $2.5M yacht, dubbed the “Princess of the Sea,” was a thing of beauty with her clipper-ship bow and teak interior. But for all the press coverage of Corsair’s size and accommodations, there were rarely more than a halfdozen guests aboard. The Archbishop of Canterbury, Cosmo Gordon Lang, was an annual guest while the Morgans cruised in Europe. And while the yacht had none of the gold faucets and marble floors reported in the press, claims that the Corsair IV housed no bar were entirely true. Morgan was a teetotaller.

If making money was J. P. Morgan’s vocation, then yachting was his avocation– he rarely mixed the two. The legendary American financier was quoted as saying, “You can do business with anyone, but you can only sail with a gentleman.” He guarded the privacy that the yacht afforded him jealously. Once when a group of photographers edged up to the ship’s side to try for pictures of the financier, Morgan threatened to turn a hose on them if they did not leave instantly.

The Aras was built for Oxford Paper Company magnate Hugh Chisolm Jr. and later became the Harry Truman’s presidential yacht. See our story “Dream Boat,” May 2014, at portlandmonthly.com/dreamboat.

ARAS In 1931, Newell secured a contract from Hugh J. Chisholm Jr., the Oxford Paper Company king and railway magnate. Bath Iron Works would build the Aras II to replace the Aras I built by the original BIW in 1924. The 243-foot-long motor yacht 4 6 p o r t l a n d m o n t h ly m a g a z i n e

The Caroline II was sumptuously designed for Eldridge Johnson, featuring four decks and an on-board elevator.

Easter Island. The following year, he sailed for the Yucatan to join a scientific expedition, returning to America with an orangecolored throne belonging to a king said to have ruled in Central America more than 1,000 years before.

These floating palaces of luxury and their millionaire owners were a constant source of gossip and speculation among the press and the public during the hard years of the Depression. From Paducah to Dubuque, local papers filled their pages with wire service stories about famous guests, wild extravagance, and long cruises. Caroline II was even rumored to be the chosen honeymoon yacht for Edward Windsor VIII and Wallis Simpson. For Vanda owner Ernest Dane, this public scrutiny posed a true danger. Dane received ransom notes from people who threatened to kidnap his twoyear-old grandson. It was the same time as the Lindbergh kidnapping trial. Dane went public, telling reporters he’d put his grandson under constant guard.

Johnson eventually sold the Caroline in 1938 to William B. Leeds, the tinplate heir, who refurbished the yacht and renamed it the Moana. Leeds was close friends with Errol Flynn and Ernest Hemingway, who were frequent guests upon the Moana.

Leeds made lengthy cruises in the Caribbean, California, Hawaii, and the South Pacific. Besides being a sportsman adventurer, he also used his new yacht to carry food, clothing, and medical supplies to the inhabitants of the Pitcairn Islands and the leper colonies of the Society Islands.

CAROLINE II One of the last major yachts to be built by Bath Iron Works during the 1930s was the Caroline II, designed for Eldridge R. Johnson. At 279 feet in length and with a 2,400ton displacement, the Caroline II was the second largest private yacht built in America at that time. She was four decks deep, equipped with an elevator, and capable of carrying a crew of 50.

Johnson was a wealthy industrialist and the founder of Victor Talking Machines Company, often regarded as the first true media conglomerate of the 20th century. In 1929, Johnson sold his company to RCA. Caroline II was his retirement project–but she was more than just a pleasure craft.

Twenty scientists sailed with Johnson in 1931 in search of the “lost civilization” on

Watery Graves The era of America’s luxury yachting came to an end as World War II approached. The Vanda, Hi-Esmaro, Corsair IV, Aras, and Caroline would be soon shrouded in camouflage, hulls painted a dull gray, luxurious staterooms transformed into military crew quarters. But where did fate take them?

The Navy acquired the Vanda from Ernest Dane in 1942 and assigned her the name USS San Bernardino. She served as a weather station ship and was used by Admiral King to scurry among the Pacific Islands when he was Chief of Naval Operations.

The Navy decommissioned the vessel in 1946. Charles Francis Coe, publisher of the Palm Beach Post, bought the Vanda but put her back on the market within the year, where she was snapped up by so-

Caroline II was even rumored to be the chosen honeymoon yacht for Edward Windsor VIII and Wallis Simpson. was an impressive sight, bearing a black steel hull with a 36-foot beam and 14-foot draft. Aras (“Sara” spelled backward, Chisholm’s mother’s name) was powered by two large eight-cylinder Winton diesel engines. Throughout the 1930s, Chisholm and his family cruised New England every summer, escaping the harsh northern winters on cruises to Havana, Cuba, and the Caribbean.

courtesy Michael L. Grace

Made in mai n e

MAINE MARITIME MUSEUM

Pull Together:

Maritime Maine in the 1914-1918 Great War

Hi-Esmaro was Bath Iron Works’s second commission. She was dubbed “the most beautiful boat on the seas.”

cialite shipping heiress Andrea “Bubbles” Luckenbach. The heiress sent Vanda to a Tampa shipyard to be converted into a “banana boat,” the first in a fleet of refrigerated vessels for her shipping company, the Andes Line, that would work the fruit trade between Central America and Florida. But like most things in Miss Luckenbach’s life, from her tumultuous relationship with her father to her marriages (including being shot four times by her former husband, Frederick Hammer), the proposed steamship company was off to a rocky start. Before the Vanda could touch the water, the Andes Line was being sued, and Miss Luckenbach countersued. The fleet of “banana boats” never materialized, and no record remains of when or where the Vanda was scrapped.

Courtesy of Naval History and Heritage Command

On view: October 7, 2017 through May 6, 2018 www.MaineMaritimeMuseum.org

243 Washington Street • Bath, Maine • 207-443-1316

H

iram Edward Manville’s Hi-Esmaro was purchased by the Navy in June 1940 and converted into a coastal minelayer named the USS Niagara. Out at sea while the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, she served in the Pacific and became the Navy’s first motortopped boat tender. The ship once called “the most beautiful yacht in the world” was attacked by Japanese Kamikaze in deep waters of New Guinea. None of her 136 crew was killed or seriously injured, but the HiEsmaro was lost forever.

The Caroline transformed into a motor torpedo boat tender responsible for providing logistics to torpedo boats in remote areas of the Pacific. Named the USS Hilo, the one-time luxury yacht saw a good (Continued on page 76)

October 2017 47

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H u n gry Ey e

New Wave Asian A new wave of restaurateurs brings modern interpretations of authentic Thai, Vietnamese, Japanese, Korean, and Chinese food to Portland.

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ortland’s hunger for the food of Japan, China, and Southeast Asia continues unchecked. The more we learn about the cuisines of each country, the more they become vital to the restaurant landscape here–and the more they transition from exotic to mainstream as their loyal fan base grows. Panda Express this is not.

A warming bowl of chicken pho from Cong Tu Bot.

October 2017 49

Hungry Eye

HEART AND SEOUL Yobo is proof that, in Portland, when one culinary door closes, another opens. When owners Bill and Andrea Boutwell decided at the end of 2016 to shutter Bibo’s Madd Apple Café, the hippie-style pre-show dinner destination for Portland Stage-goers for 18 years, the place didn’t stay dark for long.

Sun and Kim Lully Chung’s new Korean restaurant opened at 23 Forest Avenue this summer. Today, there’s not a batik pillow in sight. Serene rooms with creamy-cappuccino walls are silhouetted with handsome black wooden furniture and banquettes.

“Yobo isn’t quite traditional, but it’s exactly what we intended: small and intimate with a short, thoughtful menu,” says chef Sun. “Good honest food.”

We feast on a mung-bean pancake with garlic-chive kimchi minced into the batter. It’s nicely browned and cut into wedges for easy dipping in a soy-scallion sauce.

Skinny steel chopsticks and serving spoons are the utensils here. “Metal sticks are traditional,” Kim says. Pan-fried pot-stickers have an irresistibly crispy skin; they’re filled with pork and kimchi and are delicious. I take back every snarky thing I’ve ever said about kimchi!

Braised, boneless beef ribs are meltingly tender. Daily banchan veggies of local, seasonal produce include cleaver-cut zucchini with toasted sesame seeds, spicy eggplant, and remarkable potato cubes dressed in Korean chili powder and sesame oil. Potatoes?

K

Hakka Me food truck serves Chinese classics to-go, like Lu Shui Ji, brined chicken with “grandma’s ginger sauce.”

im Chung, serving as hostess and waitress, starts us out with sake service. “In Korea, it’s a form of hospitality to offer your guests a little gift of some sort.” She places a stemless sake glass for each of us in its own small lacquer box. Pouring the ice-cold sake, she allows the glasses to fill and then overflow lavishly into the boxes. “Now you have a glass of sake plus a little gift.” She smiles.

5 0 p o r t l a n d m o n t h ly m a g a z i n e

“I’m a County girl,” says Kim of her Aroostook roots. “In Korea, banchan are made of whatever vegetables are plentiful, just like here.”

“We ran Sunny’s Table in Concord, New Hampshire, for years,” Kim says. [It’s now closed.] “Sunny was born in Korea.

He came here when he was six.” Kim is not Asian, but “Mama Chung says that after a couple of decades in the family, I must be at least half-Korean.”

“Asian cuisine allows people to try simple items like dumplings or pancakes in a whole new way with flavors and textures that are bold and comforting at the same time.”

And the translation of Yobo? “In our house, it means ‘Yes, Dear,’” says Kim. “Yobo is an expression of communication between husband and wife.”

FINE CHINA Portland’s ongoing renaissance for quality Chinese restaurants continues. Empire gave us a taste for elegant Cantonese dishes. Then Bao Bao arrived, with Cara Stadler’s superior dumplings. This year we added Sichuan Kitchen, the neighborhood café in the shadow of the State Theatre. And this summer, we gained Chinese food on wheels.

from top: Meaghan Maurice; courtesy hakka me

Clockwise from top left: An array of appetizers at Cheevitdee includes Thai classics like Gai Ta khrai (lemongrass chicken skewers) and Kanom Jeeb (shumai dumplings); A bowl of Pad Kra Pow features ground chicken, boiled egg, and “riceberry”–a type of purple Thai rice; Head chef and co-owner Jay Pranadsri ; The shrimp crepe, or Kanom Buang Yourn, is served with a cooling side of cucumber vinaigrette.

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Maine’s hunger for Chinese food dates back long before Empire and The Golden Lotus began to delight us with dim-sum and cha siu bao. An advertisement for the Chinaman’s Tea & Coffee Store on Congress Street appeared in the Portland City Directory in 1871. The tea shop was run

by Ar Foo Fong, who had arrived in Portland from China in 1860. Nine years later, “Ar Tee Lam opened what is believed to be Maine’s first Chinese restaurant at 1 Custom House Wharf in 1880 […] At the time, Portland’s population of 33,810 included nine Chinese men,” says Gary Libby in Chinese America: History & Perspectives.

“Maine’s first known Chinese immigrant, Daniel Cough, came here in 1857,” Libby tells Portland Monthly. “Bernard “Sonny” Cough was his grandson.” Bernard was one of the founding father of the College of the Atlantic and owner of the legendary Atlantic Oakes by-the-Sea Motel.

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“Growing up, this was rice for a special occasion, not every day,” John Wen says as he hands out a small carton of Nou Mi Fan, a fragrant pilaf of jasmine and sticky rice studded with shreds of pork, tiny dried shrimp, and slices of Chinese mushroom. He’s in the kitchen of Hakka Me, a Cantonese food truck.

October 2017 51

Hungry Eye

Above left: The “Big Mami” burger at Mami restaurant uses squid ink to give the bun its signature color.

Above right: Yakisoba has been a favorite dish since Mami’s inception as a food truck.

H

akka Me can be found on the block of Spring Street between Center and Union streets at lunchtime, the Eastern Prom, and at local breweries. “I did the Cape Elizabeth Strawberry Festival, and I’m going to Sugarloaf this weekend for the mountain bike festival,” he says with the wide smile of a free spirit. “I started the truck because I didn’t want to cook American-Chinese like my parents. They haven’t changed their menu in decades.”

INTO THE OLD PORT Cheevitdee has transformed the glassstorefront corner at Fore and Market streets into a sun-washed palace of delicious, healthy Thai food. And we do mean transformed–a Dunkin’ Donuts occupied this spot a few incarnations and light years ago. Spotless planked floors and simple wood-and-wrought-iron furniture, plus salvaged rough-plank wainscoting, set a sophisticated, minimalist tone. Even the la-

5 2 p o r t l a n d m o n t h ly m a g a z i n e

dies’ room is pretty enough for a selfie.

You won’t find crab Rangoon on this menu. Cheevitdee’s menu nicely exploits the trend in small-plate sharing, with appetizers such as Pla Goong (shrimp bites with lemongrass) and Gai Ta Khrai (grilled chicken skewer). There’s papaya salad that, like much of the menu, can be served vegetarian or vegan. Entrees include Ping Ngob (grilled salmon curry wrapped in banana leaves) and Kanom Buang Yourn, a shrimp crêpe with tofu and sprouts.

Our waiter recommends Kanom Jeeb.

“These are shumai dumplings filled with shrimp and organic tofu, very light and tasty.” He delivers a rectangle of slate upon which stand four porcelain spoons. Each spoon holds a shumai pouch in a pool of sweet ginger soy sauce, garnished with a

Tempo Dulu at the Danforth Inn has been serving sophisticated Southeast Asian cuisine since summer 2015.

“I started the truck because I didn’t want to cook American-Chinese like my parents. They haven’t changed their menu in decades.”

–John Wen, Hakka Me

few gossamer slivers of red pepper and infinitesimal dots of crispy-fried garlic. It’s one of those simple masterpieces of presentation and flavor. “Cheevitdee means ‘good life,’” he says.

Out the window, the Old Port marches by as ever, in late-season tank tops, tattoos, and plaid flannel. But you’re in an oasis of wood and bouquets of fresh flowers, tasting the subtleties of lemongrass, lime, and ginger.

TRUTH, BEAUTY, FOOD TRUCK “We wanted a casual place where people can come sit and relax and enjoy a bite to eat,” says Austin Miller, who, with wife Hana Tamaki, owns the Japanese restaurant Mami that opened six months ago in a prime spot at 339 Fore Street.

Mami debuted as a food truck a few years ago and quickly became a beloved member of the mobile food fleet.

from top right: Meaghan maurice; Benjamin moore - active beer geek; courtesy photo

Wen’s menu includes tasty braised chicken, pork dumplings, and plenty of veggie sides. “My family is from the Guangdong province, where people are referred to as Hakkanese, supposedly descendants of the Han Dynasty. I was born in China, and I came here in 1998. I grew up in Oxford, graduated from Oxford High School.

My family has a Chinese restaurant there– Ocean Pearl.”

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Hungry Eye It was Tamaki, the daughter of Portland’s first sushi chef, who introduced Miller to Japanese cooking, and he embraced it completely. They cook together in the Mami kitchen now. And the name? It means “truth, strength, and beauty,” the hostess says.

The restaurant is classic Old Port, with brick walls, a couple of sofas, a smattering of tables, and a glass front overlooking Boothby Square. Local breweries are heavily represented on a chalkboard drink menu, including Bissell Brothers and Austin Street on tap. “We started out at the breweries here, and everybody in Japan drinks beer. It goes great with the food,” Miller says.

T

Below: Kim and Sunny Chung opened Yobo on Forest Avenue this summer; The Korean restaurant serves an entree of Bi Bim Bap with either beef, chicken, or tofu. “Bi Bim Bap” literally translates as “mixed rice.”

neatly cubed sushi tuna and ripe avocado garnished with pickled onion shreds, it’s a perfect lunch.

The couple has a three-year-old daughter and a six-month old son in addition to a restaurant and food truck. “It is a lot,” Miller says, grinning, a black chef’s bandana around his forehead. “But you meet someone and you just know, I can do all this. I can do all this with you.”

EAST BAYSIDE, OF COURSE As ever, inner Washington Avenue is on the cutting edge of this new wave of Asian eat-

eries. Head for the glowing pink neon PHO sign on the corner of the former J.J. Nissen Bakery and enter Cong Tu Bot, a new Vietnamese spot opened by husband-wife team Vien Dobui and Jessica Sheahan. Counter seats overlook the big open kitchen, décor is simple, and bright pink walls bring a smile.

The pho here is strictly chicken. “Vien is really passionate about chicken broth,” says Jessica, who is working as hostess and server on this visit. When Vien comes over, he elaborates.

“In Vietnam, a lot of places specialize in just one pho. We wanted a very small focus

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he menu is also on chalkboard only, and as with so many of the new Asian places, it’s very appealing price-wise. You order at a counter, select a drink, find a seat, and your food’s delivered when ready. Yakitori or shiitake skewers are $3, octopus takoyaki is $7, and Donburi rice bowls run $10 to $14. My daily special of crunchy green beans and neat cubes of tofu dressed in a house-made tahini and garnished with toasted sesame seeds is delicious. Together with a molded cylinder of

Above: A dish of vegetable slaw piques the taste buds with chili and salty peanuts at Cong Tu Bot; the Vietnamese restaurant bustles with an eclectic and casual crowd.

5 4 p o r t l a n d m o n t h ly m a g a z i n e

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Hungry Eye here.” The concise menu comprises four noodle or rice bowls, a selection of add-ins such as poached chicken, pork patties, or a sunny-side fried egg, and side dishes of fried rice and vegetables.

“W

e keep the menu really short so each thing is excellent,” says Vien. “Some regulars walk in and already know what they’re having. And we price it so we can have regulars who can come in once a week.” Menu prices top out at just $14; sides and add-ons are $2 to $8. The kitchen is also geared for take-out. On this visit, it appeared Cong Tu Bot meals would be on tables all over the East End, so numerous were the hipsters dashing in and out with sacks of pho-to-go.

A bowl of the house chicken broth is $3.

Without noodles or so much as a sprinkling of familiar herbs, chilis, or even a wedge of lime, this broth truly is “excellent” and sings with exotic flavor notes.

Dobui’s verve is there in each spoonful. So are “star anise, clove, cinnamon, black car-

5 6 p o r t l a n d m o n t h ly m a g a z i n e

Izakaya Minato glows from the corner of Washington Avenue and Oxford Street.

The Japanese “gastropub” offers up treats such as Udon Vongole (left).

damom, coriander, black pepper…”

I bite into a bright, spicy side dish of cabbage slaw studded with peanuts and dusted with crispy fried shallots. Suddenly, my lungs are on fire–my senses have been stripped, my hands can’t feel to grip, my toes too numb to…Just kidding. But this slaw packs heat.

“Bird’s-eye chilis,” Vien says, pointing to the red slivers. I should have heeded the menu, but a one-chili designation seemed safe.

“We didn’t want our parents’ gener-

ation of Vietnamese-American restaurant,” he says. His parents were refugees from Vietnam who settled in Southern California, where he was born. “We wanted it to be like Vietnam.”

Washington Ave. Continued…

Don’t miss Izakaya Minato. There are plenty of bar and high-counter stools as well as table seating in an adjacent room at this casual, Japanese café that shares a block with Red Sea, Terlingua, and Silly’s. Décor is at-

meaghan maurice

Thainy Boda takes Longfellow Square favorite Boda “Very Thai” Kitchen on the road, featuring Thai red curry (upper right). Vermicelli rice noodles at Nom Bai Cambodian food truck (center).

tractive, right up to the red paper lanterns hanging from the ceiling. It’s a happening spot at happy hour. Chef Takashi (Thomas) Cooke and his minions are intent at their grill and frying pans in the open kitchen as barstools fill.

Flame-haired bartender Lucy presents a tray of assorted sake cups, both porcelain and pottery, no two alike. “Choose your cup,” she says before placing a sixounce carafe of cold Ozeki Sumo Junmai

sake on the bar–a tiny but charming gesture.

A special starter of a fresh mackerel filet–lightly pickled, sliced, and then seared on the skin side with a blowtorch–is a sparkling gem. Slipping each morsel in the soy and dabbing it with wasabi makes a perfect pairing with the sake.

“Portland’s kind of spoiled us,” says a young, baseballcapped fellow from Amesbury, Massachusetts, sitting nearby.

“Portsmouth’s pretty good,” says his blonde goddess companion, “but we come here and there’s always something new to try.”

They decimate an Age Ochazuke–fried rice ball in seafood broth–and a plate of tuna carpaccio with their chopsticks while sipping Campari cocktails.

“This street didn’t used to be like this, did it?” asks the goddess. n

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Everyday Sommelier

The Diamond of the Kitchen

Occasionally, the food steals the show–even for a sommelier.

Welcome to truffle season.

By Ralph Hersom

sigrid verbert - cavolettodibruxelles.it; erin little

“T

he Diamond of the Kitchen”–that is how the late, great French gourmet Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin referred to the prized tartufo bianco–the white truffle. And with prices soaring over $2,000 per pound, it’s not hard to see why! October marks the beginning of white truffle season, which lasts a mere two months, making this delicacy an elusive and valuable commodity.

The Langhe hills in northwest Italy’s Piedmont region, particularly around the town of Alba, are the best place to find this unique type of fungus that grow underground around the roots of trees–the best being oak. Truffles only grow wild underground and around the roots of trees like oak, and no cultivation techniques have been successfully developed. Harvesting is usually done early in the morning or at night because the trifolao, truffle hunters, want to keep their favorite spots a secret from other foragers. After all, it’s serious business; each truffle hunter must pass an exam in order to receive a 10-year permit to hunt. Up until 1985, the triafolao used sows to search out the fungus, harnessing the pig’s powerful sense of smell to locate truffles from over three feet below the surface. However, the scent of the tartufo bianco, which contains the same chemical as boar testosterone, drove female pigs into such a frenzy they frequently damaged or devoured the rare fungus. These days, specially trained dogs October 2017 59

Everyday Sommelier

W

hite truffle is used as a seasoning and should be eaten raw, served thinly shaved using a special truffle slicer. The flavor can bring to life dishes like risotto, tagliatelle, or even scrambled eggs. The heat from the dish permeates the truffles, releasing their pungent, mouth-watering aromas. Of course, no meal is complete without a “perfect pairing.” I highly recommend either an aged Barbaresco or a Barolo wine to accompany dishes like risotto or tagliatelle. Made from Nebbiolo grapes, the much-heralded red grape is the classic go-to for pairing with white truffles. The grape’s name derives from the Italian word Nebbia, meaning fog. Like the truffles, the Nebbiolo grapes are often harvested in late October

6 0 p o r t l a n d m o n t h ly m a g a z i n e

Truffle Hunter

Leave your truffle dog at home, we’ve found a handful of Maine’s restaurants bringing tartufo bianco to you a plate near you this Fall.

Solo Italiano, 100 Commercial Street, Portland | Tipo, 182 Ocean Avenue, Portland Central Provisions, 414 Fore Street, Portland | Ports of Italy, 47 Commercial Street, Boothbay Vignola and Cinque Terre, 10 Dana Street, Portland | Primo, 2 Main St., Rockland

when a deep, intense fog settles over the Langhe region. The 1990 vintage was an exceptional year for the Nebbiolo wines of the Piedmont region, with Mother Nature providing the perfect temperatures for an even ripening. At almost 27 years of age, the 1990 Barbaresco and Barolo simply sing, and their aromas often include hints of earth and mushrooms as they evolve.

When it comes to truffled scrambled eggs, however, red wine will never do, as

the wine’s tannins battle with the eggs.

Not to mention, red wine at breakfast is somewhat frowned upon. What is needed is a versatile wine with lots of acidity. Enter Krug’s MV Champagne! A truly decadent wine to do justice to the crown jewel of Fall’s bounty. n Ralph Hersom is a sommelier and owner of RRH Cellars Wine Consultancy. He was formerly the Cellarmaster at Windows On The World and Wine Director of Le Cirque 2000 in NYC.

solo italiano - erin little

are used instead.

Each year, the annual White Truffle Fair takes place in Alba, Italy, from October 7 to November 26. Celebrated local chefs prepare traditional dishes to showcase the year’s harvest.

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October 2017 61

L’Esprit de l’Escalier

Ta Vie dans l’Maine Translation: Your life in Maine.

The snippet of a song overheard on the radio can awaken buried emotions of a lost homeland.

staff

I

’m listening to the “Chansons” channel of Canada’s SiriusXM radio station when a song by Julien Pilon entitled “Ta Vie dans l’Maine” brings me to the jolting realization that I live in a linguistic limbo. Not by my own choice but because I’m a first-language, mother-tongue Francophone living in an English-speaking country. I was so overwhelmed by the sight of the word “Maine” on the car radio screen that I took a picture. Who is this person in French Canada that is so tuned to us, so aware of l’Maine, that he’d write a song about the estrangement of Francophones living in an Anglophone country? I search for les pa-

By Rhea Côté Robbi ns

roles, the lyrics, but cannot find them, so I hit the contact button on the website. I just have to know what this song is about. I get a response from the artist himself, who tells me it’s a story about people who love each other but are not together–and then one goes to live in Maine. It’s a love song in reverse, “a kind of an ‘au revoir song,’” Pilon says. “Ta Vie dans l’Maine” is a personal story and yet also a metaphor for the ones who remained in French-language Canada versus those of us, over the generations, who’ve left to live our lives in Maine and beyond.

There are other songs that provoke this ache of displacement, such as Maryanne Cô-

té, who shares my name and sings “1949,” or Yann Perreau and his ballad “À l’amour et à la mer.” Songs whose lyrics speak to me in my language, my world view, my accents, my thoughts, my way of being. As I listen, I understand I have been living in a strange land among strangers all of my life–that is what I think and feel. It’s a heavy topic to address while driving up I-95 on my way to work in the morning, but it can’t be helped. Like Smokey Robinson sings: “You really got a hold on me” or “Ca m’a poignée bien dure.” n Rhea Côté Robbins is the author of ‘down the Plains,’ and editor of Heliotrope–French Heritage Women Create.

October 2017 63

Dining Guide Bruno’s Voted Portland’s Best Italian Restaurant by Market Surveys of America, Bruno’s offers a delicious variety of classic Italian, American, and seafood dishes–and they make all of their pasta in-house. Great sandwiches, pizza, calzones, soups, chowders, and salads. Enjoy lunch or dinner in the dining room or the Tavern. Casual dining at its best. 33 Allen Ave., 878-9511.

Bull Feeney’s Authentic Irish pub & restaurant, serving delicious from-scratch sandwiches, steaks, seafood & hearty Irish fare, pouring local craft & premium imported brews, as well as Maine’s most extensive selection of single malt Scotch & Irish whiskeys. Live music five nights.

Open 7 days, 11:30 a.m.-1 a.m. Kitchen closes at 10 p.m. 375 Fore St., Old Port, 773-7210, bullfeeneys.com.

DiMillo’s Now through December, relax and enjoy Head Chef Melissa Bouchard’s masterful creations. Every day, she offers something new and delicious. Try our Early Dinner Specials, Monday-Friday or our wonderful Port Side Lounge, Portland’s getaway for grown-ups. Happy Hour includes special menu MondayFriday, 4-7 p.m. Open daily at 11 a.m., Commercial St., Old Port. Always FREE PARKING while aboard. 772-2216.

Kon Asian Bistro Steakhouse & Sushi Bar serves Asian cuisine with modern flair. Japanese, Sushi, Thai, Chinese, or hibachi tables. Private party rooms accommodates groups from business meetings to birthday parties. Choose fresh, delicious items prepared before your table. Family friendly; open Mon.Thurs. 11:30 a.m.-10 p.m., Fri. to 11 p.m., Sat. 1 p.m-11 p.m., Sun. 11:30 a.m.-9:30 p.m. 874-0000, konasianbistrome.com.

Hurricane Restaurant New England cuisine with an international twist. Local produce and seafood, full bar, awardwinning wine list, in-house dessert chef, lobster & blueberry pie! Sunday Brunch & Make-Your-Own Bloody Mary Bar. Good restaurants come and go; great restaurants get better and better. Lunch & dinner seven days a week. Bar menu always available. Reservations suggested.

29 Dock Square, Kennebunkport, Maine.

967-9111, hurricanerestaurant.com

EMAIL YOUR INQUIRIES TO: K_MCDONOUGH@YAHOO.COM

6 4 p o r t l a n d m o n t h ly m a g a z i n e

Maria’s Ristorante is Portland’s original classic Italian Restaurant. Greg and Tony Napolitano are always in house preparing classics like Zuppa de Pesce, Eggplant Parmigian, Grilled Veal Sausages, Veal Chop Milanese, homemade cavatelli pastas, Pistachio Gelato, Limoncello Cake, and Maine’s Best Meatballs. Prices $11.95 - $22.95. Tue.Sat. starting at 5 p.m. Catering always available. 337 Cumberland Ave. 7729232, mariasrestaurant.com.

O.Dans Restaurant, Sebago’s newest friendly farm-to-table restaurant in the heart of Sebago. Great local beer & food selection. Open 6 days a week, Tues.-

Restaurant Review

Great Big Fun Portland’s West End lucks out with another winner.

from top: corey templeton; erin little

L

ittle Giant, just weeks old, is already a bustling dining hot spot.

Andrew and Briana Volk–who brought the wildly successful Hunt + Alpine Club cocktail mecca to the Old Port– have now polished up a storefront cafe at the corner of Danforth and Clark streets.

Where Hunt + Alpine’s look is austerely Nordic, Little Giant casts a warm Scandinavian glow that welcomes newcomers with wide-plank floors, a mirror wall, and handsome furniture. We settle into a booth and look straight to the bar menu–a cute booklet that opens with a wry Edna St. Vincent Millay quotation about her “valuable mistakes” and concludes with the lyrics to Springsteen’s “Born to Run.” We select a glass of Poderi Cellario’s E Bianco ($9), a Spanish white, and–since we’re among mixology mavens–The Spirit In The Night ($13), made with rye whiskey, dry curaçao, and Fernet served with a twist of fresh orange peel. A dish of very good marinated

By Clair e Z. Cramer

olives arrives with the drinks.

Little Giant (the name, like the shoutouts to Millay and Bruce, is apparently nothing more than a cheerful whim of the owners) has an appealing dinner menu for a neighborhood joint. Local bounty is showcased, and prices are reasonable. A ‘snack’ of Little Biscuits ($6) comes on a wooden board. Spectacularly flaky biscuits frame a smear of maple-whipped lardo topped with neon hot pepper jelly. You won’t leave a single crumb.

A nightly special of blistered shishito peppers with a maple-sriracha-bacon drizzle ($8) also charms as a starter. The peppers are expertly charred, and the maple sauce is so addictive we spread it on the last of our Little Biscuits.

Pasta Fra Diavolo ($19), on special, showcases house-made squid-ink pasta. The dish arrives heaped full of calamari rings and tentacles and littleneck clams in the shell with a devilishly spicy red sauce accented with notes of lemon and lemon zest. This

October 2017 65

Dining Guide Fri 4 p.m. to close; Sat.-Sun. 12 p.m. to close; closed on Mon. Happy Hour specials, Tues.-Sat. Live music from local talent, every Fri.- Sat. 46 Sebago Road, Sebago 787-5124 ODansSebago.com

Pedro’s focuses on simple yet fullflavored Mexican and Latino food.

Offering tacos, burritos and an impressive array of margaritas, sangria, beer, and wine. Especiales de la semana (specials of the week) keep the menu varied and fresh and showcase different Latino cultures. Seasonal outdoor dining available. Open daily, 12 p.m. 10 p.m. 181 Port Rd., Kennebunk, 967-5544, pedrosmaine.com.

The highest quality lobster, crab, and shellfish.

Plus Lobster Rolls, Chowder, tacos & More!

Visit our retail location: 1035 Ocean Avenue, Portland • 747-5304 www.lindakatelobster.com

Thai Tapas 4-6pm

Portland Lobster Company Picture yourself choosing from our full menu including “Maine’s Best Lobster Roll,” lobster dinners, steamers, fried claims, chowder, and more before stopping by our outdoor bar for an ice-cold locally brewed beer or a glass of fine wine. Then take a seat on our deck overlooking the gorgeous Portland Harbor and relax while listening to daily live music. 180 Commercial Street, 775-2112 portlandlobstercompany.com Restaurante El Corazon Mexican food from the heart. Authentic family recipes passed down through generations. We serve large and small plates and an “oversized tequila selection.” Try Portland’s own “Marisco”– a Mexican seafood cocktail of shrimp, bay scallops, clams, octopus, and, of course, Maine lobster.

Open lunch and dinner, Tues.-Sat. 11:00 a.m.-9:00 p.m., 190 State St. Portland. elcorazonportland.com, 536-1354

Rivalries Sports Pub & Grill Now with two fun and comfortable upscale sports bar locations. Known for great casual pub food, Rivalries’ menu has something for everyone. And, with 30+ HD TVs and every major pro and college sports package, you won’t miss a game! Located at 11 Cotton Street in Portland’s Old Port (774-6044) and 2 Hat Trick Drive, Falmouth (747-4020), rivalriesmaine.com

Scratch-made Nice People Totally Authentic ll Feeney’s u B portland’s pub 773.7210 375 Fore Street in the old Port Facebook.com/bullFeeneyS @bullFeeneyS

6 6 p o r t l a n d m o n t h ly m a g a z i n e

Restaurant Review deserves a permanent slot on the menu.

And since every neighborhood place has to have a signature burger, we try the LG Burger with JoJos ($12), a classic grilled patty served up on a tender potato bun that tastes exactly like the good old days. American cheese, grilled onions, spicy mayo, and heavenly shredded iceberg lettuce are infused with flavorful grilled-burger juices.

JoJos turn out to be hand-cut fries, daintier than steak fries but heftier than skinny frites.

erin little

L

ittle Giant’s friendly and skilled staff appears to approach service as a shared mission. Their names are even listed in the back of the bar menu.

Andrew Volk steps away from the host station to offer tastes of the Chateau du Trignan Roussanne and hearty Pecchinino Dolcetto (each $11 per glass) for our approval before pouring us a glass of each to enjoy with the entrees.

Next time, we’ll try the Mushroom Agnolotti ($18) or the seared Rainbow Trout

($22). We also vow to try the whole smoked chicken with potato salad, greens, and cornbread ($35, intended for three or more diners), which we spot on a huge wooden board heading into the dining room, an enchanting barbecue aroma trailing in its wake.

The dessert menu makes an offer we can’t refuse: Sweet Corn Ice Cream ($9), served with house-made brioche toast points, a thick sauce of wild blueberries, and a garnish of hot, salted popcorn. It’s a feast for the senses and absolutely not to be missed. As with the terrific biscuits, the dessert highlights the talents of pastry chef Darcy Poor. We’d bet her double chocolate cake with Maine raspberry jam is also divine. n Little Giant, 211 Danforth St., Portland.

Dinner: 3-11 p.m. daily, 747-5045.

October 2017 67

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Join conductor Robert Moody as he strikes up the biggest band in town for the Portland Symphony Orchestra’s 38th Annual Magic of Christmas with special guest vocalists Suzanne Nance and Susie Pepper, and the Magic of Christmas Chorus.

PortlandSymphony.org | 207.842.0800 Monday-Friday | Noon-6 PM

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T h e G i ft L i st It’s never too early to start planning for the most wonderful time of the year! We’ve got you covered with sparkling seasonal events and gift inspiration from across Maine.

H

ow will you spend the Holidays? To feel the rush of the season, take in one of these exciting events!

• Country Christmas in Bethel, Nov. 24 to Dec. 24

• Magic of Christmas, Portland

Symphony Orchestra, Dec. 8-17 • Christmas by the Sea, Ogunquit, Dec. 8-10 • Hanukkah, Dec. 12-20 • Polar Bear Dip & Dash, Back Cove and East End Beach, Portland, Dec. 31.

• Bodhi Day, Jan. 24, 2018 • Winter Solstice, Dec. 21 • Christmas, Dec. 25 • Kwanzaa, Dec. 26-Jan. 1, 2018 • New Year’s Day, Jan. 1, 2018 • Epiphany, Jan. 6, 2018 • Mahayana New Year, Jan. 12, 2018 • Chinese New Year, Feb. 16, 2018 • Mardi Gras, Feb. 13, 2018 • Makar Sankranti, Jan. 14, 2018 • Persian New Year, Mar. 21, 2018

Maine on My Mind (And my t-shirt)

Show the world your love for all things Maine with the “Maine Lighthouse Tee” from Pinecone & Chickadee, $28.

staff photos

Bits of Glitz

Dress up your Christmas tree with pretty pewter ornaments from Danforth Pewter. This duo would bring holiday cheer to even the most Charlie Brownesque tree. Snowflake, $18.50 and Santa’s key, $25.

Delicious Discoveries

Cool Beans

Sip In Style

Arm Candy

Unless you were one of the lucky few who managed to secure a table at The Lost Kitchen in Freedom, The Lost Kitchen Cookbook is your shortcut to enjoying the much-lauded food of Maine chef Erin French. Find it at Sherman Books, $32.50.

Keep warm this winter with a trusty and stylish leather-bound hip flask from Kurier, $45.

Coffee addicts can indulge their obsession in style with this marble-effect mug and pitcher from Campfire Studios, The set costs $66 at Gus & Ruby.

Packing feels like less of a chore when you have luggage like this. Artemis Design Co. create carpet bags from repurposed Kilim rugs sourced from Istanbul. Duffel bag, $545 and crossbody bag, $148 at Peyote Moon.

October 2017 69

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Aromas of Maine For your loved one who can’t make it home for the holidays: Homesick Candle Co. captures the elusive scent of Maine. They say smell is our most evocative sense, so the “Maine” and “Summer Camp” candles are sure to revive fond memories of Vacationland as they burn, $34 each at Blanche & Mimi.

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After throwing all those snowballs you’re going to need to show your hands some TLC. Dang Good makes natural skincare products right here in Portland. Dang Hand Cream is $5.95 at The Merchant Co.

Do Try This at Home

Your oyster lover can skip the lines at Eventide and indulge safely with this gadget that takes the scare out of shucking. Find the AW SHUCKS! Oyster Shucker online at awshucksoysteropener.com. $225.

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m a d e i n m a i ne End Games (continued from page 47)

deal of battle during her service–even surviving Kamikaze attacks in the San Juanico Straits. After the war, she was decommissioned with four battle stars and sold to Pillsbury & Martignoni Shipping Brokers. From here, Caroline’s trail goes cold.

The yacht’s whereabouts remains a mystery to this day, though some records claim she was scrapped in 1958.

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or the Aras, at least, the glory days weren’t quite over. Commissioned the USS Williamsburg, the Aras was converted to a gunboat during the war, but with duties in Iceland and the East Coast, she stayed mostly out of harm’s way. In 1945, the Williamsburg replaced the USS Potomac as the presidential yacht to Harry S. Truman. Truman loved the Williamsburg, and together they cruised the Potomac River and Chesapeake Bay regions, occasionally venturing into the open sea for cruises to Florida, Bermuda, Cuba, and the Virgin Islands. The BIW yacht hosted such foreign notables as Secretary of State George Marshall; President Miguel Alemán of Mexico; and two successive British Prime Ministers, Winston Churchill and Clement Attlee.

President Dwight D. Eisenhower was President Truman lounges on the afterdeck of the U.S.S. Williamsburg, in Key West, Florida. Left to right, Charles Murphy, counsel to the President; President Truman; Admiral Robert Dennison; press secretary Charles Ross.

less enamoured with the yacht, and the Williamsburg was decommissioned after one very short journey and transferred to the National Science Foundation, where she floundered for nearly 50 years. There was a two-year stint as a hotel-restaurant-museum in Pennsville, New Jersey, followed by several years as a floating restaurant in nearby Marlboro Marina. Later, the former Aras yacht was sent to Italy, where brokers tried and failed to find a buyer with the guts and imagination to recreate her former glory. Their tired sales pitches didn’t work, and the yacht was finally scrapped at La

A verse from a song sung by sailors of the USS Niagara (née Hi-Esmaro), lost in battle in the Solomon Islands:

from left: U.S. National Archives and Records Administration; Puget Sound Maritime Historical Society - ssmaritime.com

Sleek Hi-Esmaro, the pleasure ship, Built for a sportsman’s pride.

Trivial, jaunty, and pleasure bound, Comforts on every side…

Now are you consecrated, girls: Blackened and burned you lie.

Fair Hi-Esmaro the rich man’s yacht That died as the bravest die!

Spezia in 2016.

And what about John Pierpont Morgan Jr.’s crown jewel, the Corsair IV? Morgan would surely never have imagined his prize yacht serving the British Admiralty during World War II before meeting a tragic end as a converted cruise ship in California, but that’s exactly where the tides took her.

In the wake of the war, surviving cruise ships were limited, particularly on the West Coast. The magnificent pre-war Canadian Pacific and Japanese liners that once roamed this stretch of coastline had been brutally sunk in seagoing battles. Spotting a gap in the market, the Skinner and Eddy Corporation, owners of the Alaska Steamship Company, created Pacific Cruise Lines in 1946.

The newly formed subsidiary immediately went looking for a ship–and quickly found its star. The Corsair (the IV was dropped) was taken to Todd Shipyards in New York for repair and then sailed to the Victoria Machinery Depot in Victoria, Canada, for conversion to a luxury cruise vessel.

William F. Schorn Associates of New York was responsible for outfitting accommodations for its 82 passengers. The Corsair’s staterooms were much larger and more commodious than normally expected on shipboard. No expense was spared in furnishing each room with the very finest of materials available. All bedrooms and staterooms were fitted with carpets and air-conditioning, practically unheard of at the time.

Top European chefs were hired to pre-

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The magnificent Corsair met a watery grave off the coast of Acapulco in 1949. The ship was abandoned and can been seen only by scuba divers in the crystal blue waters.

October 2017 77

M a d e i n ma i ne pare haute cuisine for the Corsair’s guests.

A total of 76 crew members and officers worked aboard the new cruise ship, making the passenger-to-crew ratio almost one-to-one, equaling or surpassing the most high-end cruise ships operating today. Each was responsible for the sole purpose of catering to the slightest desire of the carriage trade passengers.

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he new Corsair made her debut on September 29, 1947, offering two-week cruises from Long Beach, California, to Acapulco, Mexico.

Tickets averaged $600–more than a quarter of a typical American family’s income in 1947. Despite the high cost, demand was high and wait lists lengthy.

During the summer of 1948, the Corsair was repositioned to serve Alaskan tourism.

Sailing out of Vancouver, British Columbia, she provided the first deluxe two-week cruises ever offered to the Inside Passage.

Corsair’s new career was smooth sailing, until tragedy struck in November, 1949.

During a cruise of the Mexican Riviera, Corsair breached a rock and beached at Acapulco. There was no loss of life–her crew and 55 passengers were put ashore in lifeboats and evacuated, but the Corsair was determined to be a total constructive loss and abandoned to Davy Jones’s Locker. Today her legacy lives on only for divers willing to explore the remains of the vessel deep in the warm seas off Acapulco.

There would be no more Bath Iron Works luxury yachts built following the war. Taxes were sky high and millionaires would soon look to Europe for new luxury yachts. They wouldn’t be staffed by Deer Isle mariners and would no longer fly the American flag, instead registered under foreign flags to avoid U.S. taxes. The grand days of American luxury yachting had come to an end. n Michael L. Grace is a journalist and writer-producer for TV & Films. He was the original co-producer/co-writer of the musical Snoopy, based on Charles M. Schulz’s Peanuts, which has had over 1,000 productions worldwide, with a new U.S. national tour starting in 2018. Based on his experiences as a staff writer for the long-running hit Love Boat series, Michael is writing It’s The Love Boat— a new book on how a TV show created today’s billion-dollar cruise industry and the historical phenomenon of cruising by ship. His lifelong passion for travel and social history can be seen on his award-winning website: www.cruisingthepast.com.

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House of the Month

East of Eden Photos Courtesy the knowles co.

For $15.5M, you can be the toast of Bar Harbor, from soup to guns.

I

n 1867, New York businessman David H. Haight acquired a large shorefront parcel on Sonogee Point in Bar Harbor, then still known as Eden.

Haight hired a Boston builder named Doane to put up a large wooden summer house with a mansard roof and encircling verandas for enjoying the ocean views. Mr. Doane had been brought to Bar Harbor by Alpheus Hardy, a wealthy Bostonian, earlier that year to construct his own simple cottage–there being no contractors on the island considered capable of building a cottage to the standards of a wealthy urban visitor. Seeing the opportunity, Do-

By Brad Em e rson

ane remained, building a number of large cottages as Bar Harbor’s boom began.

CASTLE BOOM Just a dozen years later, Bar Harbor was a destination town, a fashionable watering hole for the East Coast elite. Its huge hotels attracted some of the country’s most prominent citizens, and it was considered a serious contender for Newport, Rhode Island’s, crown as high society’s summer capital.

Throughout the next two decades, elaborate cottages of stone and shingle, embellished with gables and turrets, were built along the shores by some of America’s most prominent architects, including William

FUN FACT: Remember the New York Supreme Court buiding with all the stairs that Charlie Sheen climbs at the end of Wall Street?

Guy Lowell designed that, too.

October 2017 81

House of the Month

Dazzling Vistas Born in 1870, architect Guy Lowell was one of the Boston Brahmin Lowells, a cousin of Pulitzer prizewinning poet Amy Lowell and her brother Percival Lowell, who discovered the planet Pluto.

Guy died of a stroke at sea near the Madeira Islands en route to Europe in 1927.

But before that he created a pantheon of startling buildings. For example: • Guy Lowell designed the Boston Museum of Fine Arts.

8 2 p o r t l a n d m o n t h ly m a g a z i n e

comparison to Italian coastal vistas .

The Brahmin & The Ladds n May 1908, the Bar Harbor Record announced that the Haight cottage was to be demolished by its new owner, yachtsman Walter Graeme Ladd of Pasadena, California. The site was to be prepared for a new cottage by architect Guy Lowell, whose Building of Arts in Bar Harbor was nearing completion (See our story “Athens in the Wilderness,” April 2014).

Walter Ladd had worked as an insurance broker, but his chief occupation was managing the fortune of his wife, the former Kate Everitt Macy. Kate’s grandfather, Josiah Macy, was a Quaker from Nantucket who’d parlayed a fortune made in shipping and commissions into another as the first oil refiner in New York, and finally into a third, when that refinery was sold to John D. Rockefeller’s Standard Oil Trust. Mrs. Ladd and her brother, V. Everitt Macy, were the principal heirs to their grandfather’s $40M estate (approximately $1.2 billion in

I

The knowles co.

Guy’s wife was Henrietta Sargent, cousin of John Singer Sargent.

John Singer Sargent drew this charcoal image of Guy, above.

Ralph Emerson, Rotch & Tilden, Frank Furness, and Bruce Price.

In 1902, David Haight’s heirs sold three parcels of their father’s shorefront, and in the next two years, three grand new cottages appeared: Andrews Davis’s “La Selva,” Henry Lane Eno’s “Sonogee,” and Edith Vanderbilt Fabbri’s “Buonriposo.”

The Davis cottage (See our story “Viva La Selva,” May 2013) was in the traditional idiom, but the Eno and Fabbri cottages were inspired by Mediterranean villas, a style newly popular in Bar Harbor, where florid travel writers of the day often drew

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On the wall facing the window, an original mural

by T.R. Mantey duplicates the island view out the

today’s dollars).

G

uy Lowell was not yet 40 when he received the commission to design the Ladd cottage, but he was already at the top of his profession as one of the most published and admired designers of the era. He had a degree in architecture from MIT; had studied landscape and horticulture at the Royal Botanic Garden at Kew; and finally, in 1899, received a diploma from the Ecole des Beaux Arts in Paris.

For the Ladds, he conceived an Italian villa with stucco walls and red tile roof.

Lowell began with an ‘H’ shape plan.

The projecting wings thus allowed for ex8 4 p o r t l a n d m o n t h ly m a g a z i n e

ceptional air and light, and took full advantage of the views–with many of the principal rooms enjoying three exposures. Even the servants’ dining room, now the laundry and office (the original industrial-scale laundry was in a separate building), enjoys bright light from three large arched windows, an unusual amenity for the era. The plan of the house, while formally arranged, is open, gracious, and highly livable, with proportions so well resolved that every space and detail seems inevitably ‘right’.

Mrs. Ladd’s Quaker heritage is reflected in the relative simplicity of this very large house. The design depends as much on superb proportions and scale as ornamenta-

tion for effect. The center of the main façade is the exception, featuring exuberant Renaissance-style stucco decoration in full relief framing the entrance. But even here, the lightness that proclaims this a summer villa prevails.

Rather than the predictably ponderous front door, one enters through French doors and steps into a large transverse hall with apsidal ends. a shallow vaulted ceiling, and a polished pale marble floor. But one barely notices this, because enticing from the end of a hall directly ahead is an enormous arched window with columned arcades, directly facing the ocean.

Lowell used a sure hand combining

the knowles co.

huge window opposite.

House of the Month

Lowell used a sure hand, combining function with beauty and drama. From these halls radiate the main rooms. from the mid-day sun. Its enormous Ionic columns, ennobling and graceful, frame the views and make a perfect transition from indoors to outdoors.

B function with beauty and drama. From these halls radiate the main rooms. One goes up a few steps from the ocean hall into an anteroom with bookcases and fireplace, and on the wall facing the window, a large mural by T.R. Mantey, original to the house, duplicates the island view out the huge window opposite.

This in turn leads to the dining room (which contains its original Renaissancestyle furniture designed by Lowell). Across this hall is a reception room, now used as a card room, which leads to the enormous, high living room, where arched French windows open to terraces and the large portico with ionic columns provides shade

ehind the living room is the former billiard room, now used as a study.

A shallow fitted closet, echoing and balancing the windows and doors of this perfectly symmetrical room, still contains the fitted storage racks for cues and equipment. Both rooms open to the main hall.

At the other end of the hall, a corridor leads to the kitchen wing, servants’ stair, and elevator. Up a broad flight of stairs are eight large bedrooms and a sitting room, each with fireplace and room-sized bathrooms with large French windows. Many of the bedrooms have vestibules, affording added privacy. Every room is bright, and on the day of my visit, despite the heat and sun outside, the rooms were cool and capturing every breeze from tall open French doors, bringing the outside in.

A door leads again from the upper hall to the servants’ hall, entering a parallel world worthy of Downton Abbey. The

woodwork here is varnished cypress and bead board, and linen rooms and utility closets with deep sinks attest to the maids who once ruled this parallel universe. The servants’ stair makes a last run to the third floor, where an 80-foot corridor lit by ventilating skylights leads to a linen room, 11 maids’ rooms, and two baths. A garage across the street, lost in the Bar Harbor fire, contained quarters for the butler, chauffeur, and footman.

Again, such was Lowell’s talent that these rooma, thanks to the ingenious skylights, cross ventilation from large dormer windows, and the deep roof, not a

October 2017 85

Mrs. Strawbridge was the former Margaret Dorrance, daughter of the founder of Campbell’s Soup.

hint of attic stuffiness is to be found here.

In spite of her world-class venue, the frivolous life of a Bar Harbor socialite–endless rounds of parties and entertainments– was not for Kate Ladd. For much of her life a semi-invalid, her favored diversion was an afternoon musicale and tea. Many noted musicians of the era played at these recitals.

Then there were the medical pursuits.

Named for Kate’s philanthropoist father, who’d died young of typhoid fever, the Josiah Macy Jr. Foundation was created in 1930 to further the causes of Science and Health Research. The foundation’s first grant was in support of bring Alfred Einstein’s assistant, Walter Mayer, to the United States.

Canny Celebrity After World War II, The Strawbridge family snatched the mansion up.

The Campbell’s Soup heirs freshened the house, and in the playful spirit of the previous owners, gave it a new name, Villa Ponte di Paglia (a pun loosely translated as ‘House of Strawbridge’).

8 6 p o r t l a n d m o n t h ly m a g a z i n e

W

alter Ladd came from a middle-class family in Brooklyn, and Kate’s mother objected to their engagement, finally relenting by 1888 when they were married.

In 1891, Ladd listed his occupation as ‘Insurance Broker.” By 1893, that occupation had changed to “Gentleman” when Ladd liquidated his own business holdings to devote himself to the management of his wife’s fortune. His chief hobby was yachting. In 1915, he commissioned the Wenonah from the Lawley shipyard.

TIME AND TIDE Walter died in 1933 and Kate in 1946. War and the Depression had diminished the market for huge Bar Harbor summer cottages, but in the optimistic post-war era, George Strawbridge snapped up Eegonos.

Strawbridge was a member of the Philadelphia family that owned the famous Strawbridge & Clothier store.

Mrs. Strawbridge was the former Margaret Dorrance, daughter of the founder of Campbell’s Soup.

The Strawbridges freshened the house, and in the playful spirit of the previous owners, gave it a new name, Villa Ponte di Paglia (a pun loosely translated as ‘House of Strawbridge’). Mrs. Strawbridge died in

1953, but in those few short years, the world around the house had changed dramatically. The great forest Fire of 1947 burned many of the large estates in the neighborhood, and big cottages were once again out of fashion. Nearby, Buonriposo was demolished the following year.

Thankfully, Villa Ponte di Paglia met a sweeter fate. In 1954, the house was purchased by Dr. Richard Gott, a native of Brooklin, Maine, who taught French at the prestigious St. Mark’s School in Southborough, Massachusetts. Dr. Gott also purchased La Selva, the neighboring estate that had once sheltered Mrs. John Jacob Astor IV. He combined the two into a luxurious campus for his new summer school, l’Ecole Arcadie: “An intense six-week summer program for boys and girls aged 13-18.

All classes and activities are conducted in the French language. Salt water swimming, tennis, cycling, and sailing complete a delightful summer. European staff.”

ADIEU TO ALL THAT L’Ecole Arcadie closed in the early 1970s.

The 1960s and 1970s were a dark time for Bar Harbor cottages. A roll call of the estates demolished in those decades reads as a requiem to an era.

But the house was once again to be lucky.

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House of the Month It was spotted by architect Stanley Hallet. Hallet didn’t dream of huge Gilded Age summer cottage in Maine–in fact, quite the contrary, he had dreams of Provence– but he was smitten. By forming a cooperative partnership, the Hallets and three other couples–the Lewises, the Grahams, and the Hills–found themselves in possession of a 35-room Italian villa on the shores of Frenchman’s Bay in September of 1975.

The four couples drew up a plan for sharing common and private spaces–not that difficult with eight master bedrooms on the second floor and 11 bedrooms for servants on the third.

The house was occasionally rented for functions to help with upkeep. In the tradition of a new era, the villa received a new name. In whimsical fashion it became East of Eden, a reference to Bar Harbor’s original name (even though the house is technically northwest of Eden). Though a few of the partners came and went over the years (and Hallet’s brother Michael moved in and became the de facto handyman), there is no doubt that their stewardship saved the

Meet the Seller

William B. Ruger, Jr., 77, served as an executive at the Sturm, Ruger & Co. firearms company until his retirement as CEO in 2006. His father, William B. Ruger, Sr. (1916-2002), cofounded the Southport-Connecticut-based company with Alexander Sturm in 1949.

“Bill Jr. alone has a $90 million stake in the gun company,” wrote Forbes Magazine the year William Sr. died.

house from probable destruction–or death

by Bed and Breakfast.

PULLING THE TRIGGER All things come to an end, and the partnership placed the estate on the market. Lucky for them, things had changed since the seventies, and big houses were back in fashion.

In 2007, it was purchased by William B. Ruger Jr., a noted collector of automobiles and 19th century art and heir to the Ruger firearms fortune.

When questioned about why he took on this project, current owner William B. Ruger Jr. replies, “During my frequent vis-

its to Bar Harbor, I’d always admired the grand old cottages. In the 1960s, I was offered ‘The Turrets,’ now the administration building of the College of the Atlantic, for $20,000, but at that point I felt the price– or rather the funds required to restore it– would be a bit of a stretch. When I was offered ‘The Turrets’ again for $50,000, the pressures of my job precluded my taking it.

My desire to own a Bar Harbor house remained, and years later, when ‘East of Eden’ became available, I jumped at the chance.”

A

man of informed and decided taste and opinions on matters aesthetic and technical, he was ready for the project, having previously completed a similar restoration of a late Victorian country estate in New Hampshire. East of Eden’s “clarity of design and planning and first-rate craftsmanship appealed to me, as did the challenges of solving old problems properly with modern solutions, and I decided, with the house approaching 100 years, that it deserved to be brought back to its past splendor, but in a way that would

October 2017 89

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House of the Month ensure its survival for another century.”

THE LATEST RENAISSANCE ast of Eden’s age had begun to show, and Ruger set about putting it right, embarking on what would be a multi-year, multi-million-dollar restoration from the ground up. He and designer F.W. Atherton, Associates assembled a team of contractors, craftsmen, and artisans.

The renovation resembled a military invasion. Ten chimneys were rebuilt, down to replacing each Italian-style chimney cap. The red tile roof was fully restored. Under the roof, the rafters supporting the wide eaves had rotted, the whole thing supported only by the soft trim below (which Atherton notes admiringly was of top grade old-growth cypress, and itself as good as the day it was installed). The 12 bathrooms were gutted. The

E

“When ‘East of Eden’ became available, I jumped at the chance.”

—William B. Ruger, Jr.

mural in the library was cleaned and repaired; windows were rebuilt; high tech infrastructure systems were installed (the basement resembles Pentagon command); and the kitchen and pantries upgraded.

Outside, Ruger was thorough in his restoration. The home’s iconic Ionic columns were rebuilt, and the elaborate baroque brackets supporting the second floor balconies were replaced. The magnificent stucco work of the façade was cleaned and restored to its former glory.

Perhaps the home’s most dramatic addition–and a departure from its original form–was the eight-bay garage, dubbed ‘Garage Mahal.’ Designed by F.W. Atherton, its pedestrian entrance has a baroque frontispiece that holds its own with the house.

As a final touch, the grounds of the longlost Buonriposo, the neighboring Fabbri estate, have been incorporated into East of Eden, providing acres of sweeping lawn as foreground for the ocean views that have so long ago remind previous residents of the Bay of Naples. Taxes are $55,640. Listed by The Knowles Company. n

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We hope you enjoyed reading about The Knowles Company’s listing East of Eden. Here are some more of Knowles’ recent listings in and around Bar Harbor, Maine.

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Real estate sales and vacation rentals since 1898 1 Summit Road Northeast Harbor, ME 207-276-3322 info@KnowlesCo.com

www.KnowlesCo.com

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3BR, 3BA, first-floor study/den. Exquisite cherry cabinets, Ancient Kauri wood on island, sunny views of the meadow. Intus triple pane windows, old oak floors, cathedral ceilings add elegance to this inviting property. Mahogany deck, bluestone patio, lovely English garden and stone wall.

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Radiant heat. Gas fireplace 5+/- miles to Sugarloaf! $235,000 PHILLIPS – Quality grand home built in 1910 with extensive woodwork, high ceilings and elegant charm in each of its many rooms. Easy ride to Sugarloaf and Saddleback areas. $189,000 SUGARLOAF MTN. CONDO – Ski in-ski out from the 4 bed 3 bath condo. Hot tub and great mountain views. $480,000

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Jefferson, Café Beautifully renovated bakery and café in Jefferson is ready for opening. Café has everything you need to start cooking now– fryolators, sandwich units, proofer, pizza oven, stove, grill top, refrigerators, freezer, walk-in cooler. New tables are in place and waiting for customers to enjoy their meals. $295,000 www.BlackDuckRealty.com email: info@blackduckrealty.com

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RANGELEY LAKE WATERFRONT 31 Windy Cross - Beautiful Eastern shore of Rangeley Lake, 5 beds/ 3 baths including guest cottage, 200 feet private w/dock, Daily Sunsets! $995,000

RANGELEY LAKE WATERFRONT - 12 Innsbrook Drive - Turn of the century log cabin w/ guest cottage and 450 feet of Eastern shore frontage, location is extremely private w/dock, all south facing w/lots of sun! $749,000

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MADRID TWP - 956 Reeds Mills Rd. - Circa 1800s Farmhouse on 78 acres,views, fish pond, gardens & orchards. Renovated, 3BRS, porch & garage PLUS - Barn, w/ 5BRS, KIT & LR w/studio space, retreats, family compound or B&B business! $389,000

QUIMBY POND WATERFRONT - 51 Hartland Rd. - Great Fly Fishing, Classic LOG HOME, open concept w/ 3BR, 2.5 BA, fireplace, porch, deck, dock, fully furnished on 1.2 acres on quiet country road - a must see! $559,000

MOOSELOOK LAKE WATERFRONT - 121 Shelton Trail - Very private 8.61 acres, over 550’ feet of waterfront w/sandy beach and 5 vintage sporting camps, great exposure, better known as sunset point! $895,000

BEAVER MTN LAKE WATERFRONT - 282 Edelheid Rd. - Beautiful 2 bed, 2 bath w/150 feet of private waterfront, fully year round dwelling w/flat lawn to water and beach, nice sized garage, very quiet! $550,000

RANGELEY LAKE ACCESS - 74 Furbish Rd. 4 Beds, 2 Baths, wonderful access to 600 feet on Rangeley Lake within walking distance from house, fully year round, 2 car garage, affordable 4 season home! $269,900

James L Eastlack, Owner Broker

207-670-5058 | JLEastlack@gmail.com

Margery Jamison, Real Estate Broker

207-670-7350 | CCINN1@myfairpoint.net

Carolyn Smith, Real Estate Broker

207-491-5800 | carolyn@morton-furbish.com

New England Homes & Living

South Portland Custom Designed Farmhouse 4 BR, 3 Full BA, 1 Half BA $775,000

Portland Historic Western Prom 7 BR, 4 Full BA, 2 Half BA $1,575,000

Portland Baltimore Block Townhouse 6 BR, 3 Full BA, 1 Half BA $760,000

Portland West End Condominium 2 BR, 2 Full BA, 1 Half BA $629,000

John Hatcher • The Hatcher Group 6 Deering Street, Portland, Maine 04101 207-775-2121• John@JohnHatcher.us • www.JohnHatcher.us

9 6 p o r t l a n d m o n t h ly m a g a z i n e

New England Homes & Living

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Fiction

Novel Graphics

“Downstairs” - Linden frederick

For thirty-two years we have championed the fine art of fiction.

Linden Frederick’s new project is a mash-up of fiction illustrating fine art.

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ight Stories the book is launching in tandem with “Night Stories” the exhibition at Rockland’s Center for Maine Contemporary Art. Here’s a taste of six of the 15 duets created when writers responded to paintings.

Richard Russo, Downstairs Painting: Downstairs, 2016. Oil on linen.

S

he’s not a gifted thinker, his sister. All her life she’s arrived at bizarre conclusions based on dubious logic. Unnervingly, though, she’s seldom wrong about him, a fact that’s always made him just a little crazy.

She opens the door before he can knock. “Roger.”

“Maggie,” he says, his voice sounding funny after so many hours alone in the car.

Stepping back into the hall, she teeters and he instinctively reaches out, remembering too late that this is what she always does. And that he always falls for it.

God, he hates her.

October 2017 99

Fiction

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Surbscribe to Portland Monthly 207-775-4339 1 0 0 p o r t l a n d m o n t h ly m a g a z i n e

H

e watches how gracefully she circulates from table to table, how she tenderly pats an old man’s shoulder and stops to ask a woman about a new litter of puppies.

Everyone in the diner knows her, and they smile as she passes by, as if they’ve just glimpsed the sun on a winter’s night. Does the girl wonder about the world outside this café, this town? Her shoes are badly scuffed and she wears a cheap dime store wristwatch. Does she dream about owning nicer things, a new dress, shoes from Italy? How can this be enough for her?

Elizabeth Strout, The Walk Painting: Dish, 2016. Oil on linen

A

nd then his mind returned to his children. They were quiet, he thought.

Too quiet. Were they angry with him? All three had gone to college, and his sons had moved to Massachusetts, his daughter to New Hampshire; there seemed to be no jobs for them here. His grandchildren were okay; they all did well in school. It was his children he wondered about as he walked.

Last year at Denny’s fiftieth high school reunion, he had shown his eldest boy his yearbook, and his son had said, “Dad! They called you Frenchie?” Oh sure, Denny said, with a chuckle. “It’s not funny,” his son had said, and gotten up and walked away, leaving Denny with his yearbook open on the kitchen table.

paintings by Linden Frederick - clockwise from top left: “takeout,” “Mansard,” “Dish”

Painting: Takeout, 2016. Oil on linen.

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Lily King, Mansard Painting: Mansard, 2016. Oil on linen.

F

rances had spoken of him only once, three years ago, at Sue’s house, when their afternoon tea had bled into cocktails and Sue’s nurse had taken all the children up to the bath. They were talking about their parents’ marriages, how they were trying to do things differently. Upstairs the children were shrieking. Audrey worried about them getting too wound up and hitting their heads on the edge of the tub. Frances said that her parents were divorced. Audrey had never known anyone with divorced parents. They split right after the war, Frances said. In ’46, when she was three. She had no memory of them together. How awful, Elinor said, and Frances said, No, it was for the best. Her father was dangerous. He had aliases. A spy, Frances said. A double agent. Maybe a triple agent.

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Fiction

Dock Square, kennebunkport, Maine 207.967.9989

Anthony Doerr, Save-A-Lot Painting: Save-A-Lot, 2016. Oil on linen.

T

Lois Lowry, Vital Signs Painting: 50 Percent, 2016. Oil on linen.

T

he four men stood silently in the dark and watched Grafton Larrabee move slowly through the room.

Beside the mannequin in the blue gown he paused, leaned forward, kissed its shoulder, and stroked its arm. n

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paintings by Linden Frederick - from top: “save-a-lot,” “vital signs”

Renovations with Character

he year Bunny turns twenty-two, she takes home $49,500. Then Mike Ramirez, a dishwasher at Sea Dog Sushi, gets her drunk on sake, knocks her up, and bolts for Tampa. More than once during her pregnancy Bunny wakes in the night and stands in front of the mirror and sees Momma’s dark kitchen, hears Momma’s drunken voice: You’re sucking hind teat, Bunny, you’re dumb as a box of hair, you’re not worth spit.

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Celebration of Reading at Vinegar Hill music theatre 1. Lisa Hurlbutt, Nathaniel Kibby, Carrie Montgomery 2. Meg McCroary, Kristin Melville 3. Marie Caswell, Teri Hatcher 4. John Vidral, Travis Mills, Paul Purdy 5. Sen. Susan Collins, Dianne Gregg 4.

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Judy Glickman Lauder and Stephen Halpert reception at UNE 1. Anne Zill, Arthur Fink 2. Betsy Evans Hunt, Annette Elowitch 3. Steve Halpert and Judith Glickman Lauder 4. Nancy Kahn, Barbara Goodbody 5.

Sophia Namara, Bruce Brown

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Poetry reading in the longfellow house garden 1. Hank Ogilby, Mary Foye 2. Russ Sargent, Bill Barry 3. Steve Luttrell, Lee Sharkey, Stephen Petroff 4.

Celeste Wideman, Kevin Noonan

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5. Stone Barn Dinner at St. Joseph’s College 1. Jeanne Paterak, Bridget Spaeth 2. Ella Hudson, Olga Merrill 3. Carol Fonde, Marilyn Blinkhorn 4. Chris Hunt, Betsy Evans Hunt 5. Diane Monaco, Elli Walsh, Charlie Walsh

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