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Maine Life
Shelter&Design
Food&Drink
Personalities
33 Portland After Dark
Front-row seats of Perkins Cove are yours for $1.99M at 11 Oarweed Lane. By Colin W. Sargent
Serving up nostalgia: Local chefs are reviving retro food trends for modern palates. By Claire Z. Cramer
A Case of Jeykll and Hide: One of America’s first female impersonators is a vanishing enigma. By William David Barry & Danielle Fazio
15 Maine Classics 25 Concierge 31 Chowder “Dinner Is The Show” You’ll know the Recession’s over when you order flambé. By Colin W. Sargent
41 New Port
Summer signals enticing new mix of bars, restaurants, and retail. By Mike Schoch
53 Electric Avenue
Unstoppable momentum launches ‘inner Washington’ onto the city’s radar. By Sarah Moore
81 House of the Month
84 New England Home & Living
Perspectives 10 From the Editor 12 Letters
75 L’Esprit de l’Escalier “And You From Yours” By Rhea Côté Robbins
96 Flash
67 Hungry Eye
73 Everyday Sommelier “Pack Your Basket” Wine picks for your picnic. By Ralph Hersom
77 Restaurant Review
Barnacle Billy’s celebrity credentials are hard to beat. By Colin W. Sargent
78 Dining Guide
61 Material Girl
Art&Style
17 Wheels Of A Dream
Pattern-spotter Brad Kenney on his selection of Ragtime at Ogunquit Playhouse opens our 2017 Guide to Maine Summer Theater. By Olivia Gunn
20 Curtains Up! The 2017 Summer Theater Preview 93 Fiction
“Post Traumatic” By Wren Pearson
Cover: Dining beside the show at The Grill Room. Photo by Meaghan Maurice. M ay 2 0 1 7 9
Editorial Colin W. Sargent, Editor & Publisher
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1 0 p o r t l a n d m o n t h ly m a g a z i n e
n 1981, when we were newlyweds, we went to the Windy City by Pullman to see Judy Chicago’s Dinner Party. Because it was a special occasion, we stayed at The Drake. We loved the exhibit, toured the Loop, and were dazzled by the Miracle Mile. Retrieving our luggage from the porter but still not wanting the fun to end, we asked the Drake’s maître d’hôtel if there were time to order Chateaubriand for two to go before we left for home on our evening train. Time was extremely tight, but they kindly said they’d try. Precious minutes clicked by. When our outrageous request looked truly impossible, we let the front desk know we had to leave and caught a cab for the station. We figured we’d grab a sandwich on the club car. On the platform, steps from boarding, we heard someone running toward us. It was a young Drake chef in a spotless coat with Chinese knot buttons, white hat flapping. He presented a porcelain platter bearing an armor of tin foil. It was the Chateaubriand–a 10-oz. tenderloin filet accompanied by a mysterious shallot wine demi-glace reduction sauce with flavors of lemon, tarragon, and peppercorn (I’m a writer, not a chef), nestled in a ring of tender baby carrots, pearl onions, haricots verts, button mushrooms, and fingerling potatoes. Somewhere, someone must have been playing Berlioz. “We’re so sorry to be late. Here you are,” he said. “This is on us.” We thanked him emphatically, but…”What about the platter?” “Our gift to you.” He bowed and disappeared. Had we dreamed this? After 35 years of use and washing, the Drake monogram has dissolved from the china, but the exquisite memory lives on. Though we can’t offer corporeal nourishment at Portland Monthly, we do endeavor to give you that extra nugget of information to feed your imagination. Here’s a little something about Chateaubriand. It was created by Montmireil, the private chef for ambassador Vicomte François-René de Chateaubriand (1768-1848), the Napoleonic cross-media star renowned for his literary French Romanticism. To twist off Victor Hugo, who was a ‘big fan’ of the vicomte’s poetry, “I will have Chateaubriand or nothing.” Lucky for us, it’s making a comeback. See Claire Z. Cramer’s story on culinary nostalgia, p. 67. Because we love theatrical presentations, including those at tableside, I also cop to a pyrotechnic penchant for watching dishes served flambé. (See “Dinner Is The Show” in our Portland After Dark section, page 33.) I’m always so glad to hear from our readers who appreciate what we serve up. Thank you, Heather, for your note: “I have learned so much from this dreamy magazine.”
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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 Ryan Hammond Advertising Executive ryan@portlandmonthly.com Grant McPherson Advertising Executive grant@portlandmonthly.com Carrie Colby Advertising Executive carrie@portlandmonthly.com
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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: May 2017, published in April 2017, Vol. 32, No. 3, 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.
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Eye in the sky The April cover is the best photo of Portland I have ever seen! Frank Maguire, South Portland Greta’s Grand Hotel [Re: “Ogunquit on the Rocks,” April 2017] We used to spend time in Antigua every March. We always stayed at this quaint and very understated resort called Galley Bay. One year Greta Garbo was there. She kept to herself, and all the guests respected her privacy. Evidently, People magazine was moored off the beach, trying to catch a glimpse and a story. My dad would walk the small beach every morning to the hotel veranda, where they served coffee. He’d always return with his cup of coffee and one for my mom. The day Greta was leaving, she spoke to him and said: “I vatched you valk the beach every morning with your coffee–vat a man!” It was hysterical. We all got a great kick out of it. We used to tease my dad about it all the time! Abby Weiner Taylor, Seller of Millstone Manor, Ogunquit In Memoriam Eddie Fitzpatrick, longtime friend of Portland Monthly and 27-year dining partner to restaurant reviewer Diane Hudson, passed away recently. Eddie was like a second father to me. I’ll miss you very much, Eddie. I’m certain I’m a better person for having known you. Henk Griffin, Amsterdam, Netherlands
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He was the dearest of men. I have many fond memories of Eddie, his quick wit and sharp mind. He will be sorely missed. Ann Kerry, South Portland
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after a century of high jinks on the high seas, the Mary E has made it home. Built in Bath in 1906 by Thomas E. Hagan, Mary E is believed by Maine Maritime Museum to be Bath’s oldest wooden schooner still afloat. She’s lived a little, considering her colorful history as a trade vessel, salvaged wreck from the bottom of Lynn Harbor, and even a pleasure boat for jazz musician Teddy Charles. The 73-footer will be permanently docked at Maine Maritime Museum and will be accessible to the public. “This is a vessel of remarkable importance, despite her modest size,” says curator Nathan Lipfert.
Imagine presidential candidate Franklin D. Roosevelt pulling over on U.S. Route 1 in Wells for a quick bite of lunch at Libby’s Tea Room 1932. Now, imagine yourself doing the same at this restored roadside attraction, now the Johnson Hall Museum, in 2017. Late auctioneer Billy Johnson placed architectural treasures all over this lot like statues on Easter Island. Explore relocated curiosities like the old South Berwick Beach Train Station and a one-room schoolhouse from york County, unstuck in time. Bill passed away in 2014, but his wife, Dr. Jo Johnson, is keeping his vision alive. “I’ve left everything the way Bill always had it. The tearoom is currently open for weddings. I’m planning to reintroduce public museum tours in the future.”
Maine skiers have taken Europe by storm. Portland’s Lucas Houk recently won the gold medal for Men’s 5K Cross Country Freestyle event at the 2017 Special Olympics World Winter Games in Austria. Meanwhile, Anna McDougal of Wiscasset grabbed the bronze for Women’s Alpine Novice Giant Slalom. Says Houk, just arrived home: “I won the gold in my 5K race, and I came in fifth in my 4x1K relay and my 2.5K race. The best part? “Skiing into the stadium at the end of the race with everyone cheering.” “I’ve been coming the last six years,” says U.S. snowshoeing coach Duane Hall. “This was the best year yet. Great coverage, with nightly reporting by ESPN.”
The Work of a LifeTime
Maine author Jane Goodrich spent over two decades writing The House at Lobster Cove (Benna Books, $24.95), a fictional biography of elusive Boston aristocrat George Nixon Black. Why so unrushed? Goodrich, who runs a boutique letterpress printing press, believes anything worth doing takes time. “I wrote the entire book with a fountain pen.” She and her husband also dedicated their time to painstakingly reconstructing Nixon Black’s iconic Kragsyde mansion on Swan’s Island. “The more I knew about him, the more I knew how strange and miraculous his story was,” Goodrich says. “He lived this very successful, openly gay life.” m ay 2 0 1 7 1 5
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Theater Guide
Ogunquit Playhouse showcases the edgy Broadway hit Ragtime as a sign of these times.
neil McMahon
By Olivia Gunn
nce upon a time, summer theater was dismissed for rarely taking risks. This year, race, immigration, and class issues all take center stage at Ogunquit Playhouse in Ragtime: The Musical, a story spanning 10 years of the early 20th century as the United States prepares to enter World War I. Three families, three different worlds, all-American. To better understand our national uneasiness in 2017, “we must examine how our country came together,” says artistic director Brad Kenney. “Ragtime shows the struggle laid out bare on the stage.” Based on the 1975 novel by E.L. Doctorow, the musical first premiered at
the Ford Centre for the Performing Arts in Toronto in 1996 before making its way to L.A. and finally to Broadway in 1998. The show is epic in its scope. Written by fourtime Tony Award-winner and Pulitzer Prize-nominee Terrence McNally, Ragtime follows the lives of three central characters from three very different backgrounds: Mother, an upper-class WASP from New Rochelle; Coalhouse Walker Jr., a black Harlem musician; and Tetah, a Jewish immigrant from Eastern Europe. Their lives merge in a force, generating one sweeping, tragic, triumphant version of the American tale. The story was produced in cinematic form in 1981, garnering a slew of Academy Award nominations. Tom Mikotowicz, au-
thor and Professor of Theatre at the University of Maine, says it’s multiculturalism that makes shows like Ragtime: The Musical and the recent hit Hamilton so strikingly relevant today. “That is a real post-modern concept. Thirty years ago on Broadway, you weren’t seeing shows like this. In Hamilton, for example, the cast would have been made up of white males. That clash, using that post-modern casting concept, points out the discrepancies in our culture.” Doctorow, an Army veteran who once stated his politics were “Biblical: you shouldn’t murder, you shouldn’t steal,” couldn’t avoid reflections on the Vietnam War while writing Ragtime in the 1970s. So while it seems there’s no coincidence that Ogunquit Playhouse has chosen to take on the show now, m ay 2 0 1 7 1 7
Theater Guide to feel more recent tensions and reverberations, Kenney is a deeper pattern-spotter. He’s been mulling over the idea of presenting Ragtime in Maine “for over five years.” Still, particularly this summer, “theater has a responsibility to give back to the community and culture,” says Kenney. “Members of my own immediate family feel very differently about current affairs.” From the exploits of Harry Houdini to a functioning Ford Model T on stage, Ragtime isn’t a walk in the park productionwise. “It’s a lot to take on when you know you have foot the bill,” Kenney says. “But we knew that regardless of how people feel about it politically, we must examine how this country came together and what we are. The president is the lead story every single day of our lives in this country. Most of our conversations harken back to
1 8 p o r t l a n d m o n t h ly m a g a z i n e
these themes. I don’t think there is a better piece that shows it…and it’s done in a fantastic Broadway fashion.” ast summer, the theater performed The Hunchback of Notre Dame, another epic undertaking. But it wasn’t just the striking visuals and performances that hit audiences at their core. “Hunchback, though it was based on the Disney version, takes more from the Victor Hugo novel,” a much darker vision, explains Kenney. Charles Laughton’s standout performance as Quasimodo in the 1939 film comes to mind. “In Hunchback, one of the strongest themes is racial hatred.” When it was staged last summer, “we were headed toward the [presidential] election. Audiences were sitting there with tears in their eyes.” For all its distance and antiquity, Hunchback “shocked people. It was more than they expected.” Cue Ragtime. “The stakes don’t get higher for people trying to survive, live in a new country, or keep their family together.”
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Tom Paxton & The Don Juans May 10
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theater guide For the past 85 seasons, Ogunquit Playhouse has brought works to its stage that expose audiences to a life beyond their own. In 2014, it was recognized for exceptional work with a listing on the National Register of Historic Places that touches on its cultural impact and role as one of the bastions of the small theater resurgence. Is art catching up with real life, or is it the other way around? “People are gravitating out of the cities, L.A., Hollywood, and New York. Professional productions are moving into different regions.” This August, they’ll give us the stories of a Harlem musician, a Jewish immigrant, and a sheltered, upper-class housewife. Three varied American stories merge into one message of hope. n
Summer Theater Preview Celebration Barn Theater, 190 Stock Farm Rd., South Paris. Mike Miclon’s The Early Evening Show, first Saturday in Jun., Jul., Aug., Sept. & Oct.. 743-8452
Paint for Preservation 2017 10 t h A n n uA l W e t PA i n t A uc t ion B e n ef i t Sunday, July 9, 2017 | 4:00pm - 7:30pm Join award-winning artists in celebrating Cape Elizabeth’s natural beauty and ecological significance at a stunning venue overlooking Richmond Island in Cape Elizabeth. A catered reception, elegant music and a lively auction of “wet” artwork painted en plein air throughout the weekend make this an event not to be missed!
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Freeport Community Players, 30 Freeport Performing Arts Center, Holbrook St., Freeport. Seussical, Jul. 20-30; The Servant of Two Masters, Sept. 14-Oct. 1. 865-2220 Good Theater & St. Lawrence Arts, 76 Congress St., Portland. Vivid Motion’s Hunchback of Notre Dame, May 12-14; The Meatball Chronicles, May 17-21. 885-5883
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City Theater in Biddeford, 205 Main St. Steel Magnolias, May 12-21; Wizard of Oz, Jul. 21-Aug. 6. 282-0849
Fenix Theatre Company, at Deering Oaks Park, Portland. Three Sisters, Jul. 13-Aug. 5. 400-6223
Preservation Sponsors:
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Event Sponsors:
Cold Comfort Theater, see website for Belfast locations. Crimes of the Heart or One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Jul. 6-9; The Mikado, Aug. 3-6. 930-7244
Deertrees Theater, 156 Deertrees Rd., Harrison. Last Train to Nibroc, Jul. 7-Aug. 18; Indoor/Outdoor, Jul. 15-Aug. 3. 583-6747
A limited number of tickets will be available. For more information visit: capelandtrust.org/paint Media Sponsor:
Children’s Museum & Theater of Maine, 142 Free St., Portland. Stage stories, daily. May: Pet Month; floral arrangements with artist Jen Richardson-Greene, May 18-28. 828-1234
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Hackmatack Playhouse, 538 Route 9, Berwick. She Loves Me, Jun. 16-Jul. 1; Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story, Jul. 5-22; Steel Magnolias, Jul. 26-Aug. 12; The Fantasticks, Aug. 16-Sept. 2. 698-1807
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Theater Guide Heartwood Regional Theater Company, Lincoln Academy, Newcastle. Into the Woods, Jul. 13-22; Summer Camp, Jun. 26-Jul. 6. 563-1373 Gaslight Theater, Winthrop St., Hallowell. Noises Off, Jun. 16-25; Baskerville, Aug. 18-27. 626-3698
May 12th - May 27th | Fridays & Saturdays at 7:30pm Sundays at 2:00pm | $20 all seats/all shows Purchase a 2016-2017 Flex Pass of 5 tickets for $80 | Good for any combination of shows this season
Lakewood Theater, 75 Theater Rd., Madison. Arsenic and Old Lace, May 25-Jun. 3; Some Sweet Day, Jun. 8-17; Shout! The Mod Musical, Jun. 22-Jul. 1; Those Crazy Ladies in the House on the Corner, Jul. 6-15; Avenue Q, Jul. 20-Jul. 29;The Savannah Sipping Society, Aug. 3-12; Bullets Over Broadway, Aug. 17-26; Baskerville, Sept. 1-9; A Comedy of Tenors, Sept. 14-23. 474-7176 Maine State Ballet Theater, 348 U.S. Rte. 1, Falmouth. Spring Recital, May 19-20; Don Quixote, Aug. 10-19. 781-7672 Maine State Music Theatre, Pickard Theater, 1 Bath Rd., Brunswick. Always Patsy Cline, June 7-24; Sleeping Beauty, June 14-17; Guys and Dolls, Jun. 28-Jul. 15; Grease, Jul. 19-Aug. 5; Newsies, Aug. 9-26; Alice in Wonderland, Aug. 21. 725-8769 Merrill Auditorium, 20 Myrtle St., Portland. Pippin, May 13; Riverdance, May 31-Jun. 1. 842-0800
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Ogunquit Playhouse, 10 Main St., Ogunquit. Mamma Mia!, May 17-Jul. 1; Bullets Over Broadway, Jul. 5-29; Ragtime, Aug. 2-26; Heartbreak Hotel, Aug. 30-Sept. 30; From Here to Eternity, Oct. 4-29. 646-5511 Penobscot Theatre Company, Bangor Opera House, 131 Main St. I Loved, I Lost, I Made Spaghetti, through May 14; The Full Monty, Jun. 15-Jul. 9. 942-3333 Portland Stage, 25 Forest Ave. Disgraced, May 2-21. 774-0465 Public Theatre, 31 Maple St., Lewiston. Ripcord, May 5-14; Chickens and Crocodiles: Silly Stories for a Child’s Imagination, May 21. 782-3200 Schoolhouse Arts Center, 16 Richville Rd., Standish. Disney’s Mulan Jr., May 19-21; Billy Goes to War, Jun. 9-11; Peter Pan, Jul. 13-30; Disney Before Dark KIDS, Aug. 4-6; Once Upon This Island, Aug. 18-20; Dracula, Sept. 19-Oct. 15. 642-3743 Theater at Monmouth, 796 Main St., Monmouth. My Father’s Dragon, Jun. 24-Aug. 17; Three Days of Rain, Jul. 1-Aug. 18; The Learned Ladies, Jul. 6-Aug. 20; Macbeth, Jul. 13-Aug. 18; Othello, Jul. 20-Aug. 19; Red Velvet, Jul. 27-Aug. 17; Peter and the Starcatcher, Sept. 14-24. 933-9999
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Maine’s oldest 26-miler, the Sugarloaf Marathon draws hundreds of runners to the Carrabassett Valley, this year including Olympic Gold Medalist Joan Benoit Samuelson. Tag along on May 21 to watch the race, spot moose along the course, and remember how you meant to get in shape this winter. 800-843-5623
Theater
City Theater, 205 Main St., Biddeford. Steel Magnolias, May 12-21; Wizard of Oz, Jul. 21-Aug. 6. 282-0849 Lyric Music Theater, 176 Sawyer St., South Portland. Catch Me If You Can, Jun 2-18. 799-1421 Mad Horse Theater, 24 Mosher St., South Portland. Mr. Burns, a Post-Electric Play, May 4-21. 747-4148
Cheers!
Street Eats & Beats hits Thompson’s Point on May 20, bringing along a bevy of high-quality food trucks and a host of custom drinks. Bring friends (21+), soak up the live music, and don’t forget to hit the photo booth. 321-4246
d Foo k Truc
Portland Ovations, 50 Monument Sq. Pippin Broadway National Tour, May 13. 842-0800 Portland Players, 420 Cottage Rd., South Portland. Rock of Ages, May 19-Jun. 4. 799-7337 Portland Stage Company, 25 Forest Ave. Play Me A Story, every Saturday; Disgraced by Ayad Akhtar, May 2-21. 774-0645
Schoolhouse Arts Center, 16 Richville Rd., Standish. Disney’s Mulan Jr., May 19-21; Peter Pan, Jul. 13-30. 642-3743
Lupè
Waterville Opera House, 93 Main St. 3rd Flr., Waterville. Der Rosenkavalier, May 13. 873-7000
Aura’s brand new venue will play host to one of hiphop’s most irreverent and politically-minded stars, Lupè Fiasco, on May 14 Tickets are $40. 772-8274
Galleries
Wine & Dine Meet Portland’s hippest chefs at Toast on the Coast, a benefit event at the scenic Ocean Gateway on May 11. Learn about pairings, refine your palate, or simply enjoy the exquisite samples. Proceeds go to Veterans Count Maine. 828-0754
Hosted by South Portland Historical Society, the Bug Light Park Kite Festival will feature local vendors, on-hand kite experts, and tours of the Bug Light Tower. Families can cast their own kites high into the sky or simply sit back and enjoy the spectacle between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. on Saturday, May 20. 767-7299
Portland Ballet, at Westbrook Performing Arts Center, 471 Stroudwater St., Westbrook. Swan Lake Act II, Apr. 28-29. 772-9671
Public Theater, 31 Maple St., Lewiston. Ripcord by Norm Foster, May 5-24. 782-3200
A night with
Let’s go fly a kite.
Maine State Ballet Theater, 348 U.S. Rte. 1, Falmouth. Spring Recital 2017, May 19-20. 781-7672
Bates College Museum of Art, Olin Arts Center, 75 Russell St., Lewiston. Kate Gilmore: In Your Way, Jun. 9-Oct. 7. 786-6158 Bowdoin College Museum of Art, 1 Bath Rd., Brunswick. Modern Medieval: Materiality and Spirituality in German Expressionism, through Jun. 4. 725-3275 Center for Maine Contemporary Arts, 21 Winter Street, Rockland. David Driskell, Renewal and Form, through May 11; Mark Wethli, Piper Club, through May 14; Sam Cady, Parts of the Whole, through May 21. 701-5005 Colby College Museum of Art, 5600 Mayflower Hill Dr., Waterville. No Limits: Zao Wou-Ki, through Jun. 4; Marsden Hartley’s Maine, through Nov. 12; Brand-New & Terrific: Alex Katz in the 1950s, through Aug. 6; Graphic Matters: George Bellows & World War I, through Sept. 3. 859-5600 Farnsworth Art Museum, 16 Museum St., Rockland. American Treasures From the Farnsworth, through Oct. 29; Celebrating Maine, Apr. 5-Oct. 29; Andrew Wyeth at 100, through Dec. 31. 596-6457 First Friday Art Walk, downtown Portland. Visit local galleries, studios, and museums. May 5.
m ay 2 0 1 7 2 5
She Sings
Mary Fahl, star of mid-90s alternative pop group, October Project, will captivate audiences at One Longfellow Square on May 19. Tickets are $28 in advance or $33 on the day. 761-1757
Tasty Delight Fork Food Lab welcomes hungry foodies to meet its members and sample their wares at the May Market on May 13. Open 11 a.m.3 p.m., there will be a cash bar and plenty of culinary inspiration for your summer meals. Free admission. 558-0881
Experience Genovese cuisine in the heart of downtown Portland. S O L O I TA L I A N O R E S TA U R A N T . C O M 100 COMMERCIAL STREET | 207-780-0227
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Greenhut Galleries, 146 Middle St., Portland. William Irvine and Nancy Morgan Barnes exhibition, May 4-27. 772-2693 Maine Historical Society, 489 Congress St.World War I and the Maine Experience, May 10; Longfellow’s Cocktail Party & Magical History Tour, May 12-13. 774-1822 Maine Maritime Museum, 234 Washington St., Bath. Through These Gates: Maine Shipyard Photography 18582016, through Sept. 24; See the Light: the Preservation of Midcoast Maine Lighthouses, May 27-Oct. 22. 443-1416 Portland Museum of Art, 7 Congress Sq., Portland. The Mistress and the Muse, through June 4; Artist’s Choice: Photographs from the Judy Glickman Lauder collection, through May 29. 775-6148
Music
Blue, 650 Congress St. Irish Sessions, every Wednesday. Fat Knuckle Freddy, May 12; The Library Band, May 19; SoJoy, May 27. 774-4111. Empire, 575 Congress St. Marbin, May 6; Jay Bragg, May 19. 747-5063 Maine Academy of Modern Music, 125 Presumpscot St. The Kids are All Right ft. Namory Keita, May 6; 2017 MAMM Slam: Finals, May 13; All Roads Music Festival, May 20; 899-3433 Merrill Auditorium, 20 Myrtle St. Tony Bennett, May 11; Gordon Lightfoot, May 17; Riverdance, presented by Roberts Group Live. 842-0800 One Longfellow Square, 181 State St. John Craigie with Joel Thetford, May 7; Eric Bettencourt, May 12; Caroline Spence & Connor Jarvey, May 18; Kristin Andreassen, May 27. 761-1757
courtesy photos
Experience
Port City Music Hall, 504 Congress St. Jamestown Revival, May 3; The Dustbowl Revival, May 5; Real Estate, May 7; The Record Company, May 16; The Wind and The Wave, May 19; Buffalo Tom, May 25; The Orwells, May 30. 956-6000 Portland House of Music and Entertainment, 57 Temple St. Old Salt Union, May 3; Pink Talking Fish, May 12 & 13; The London Souls, May 18; Live Music Mon. through Sat. 805-0134 Portland Symphony Orchestra, 20 Myrtle St. Tchaikovsky’s Pathetique, May 16. 842-0800 Portland Ovations, Merrill Auditorium 20 Myrtle St. Elephant & Piggie’s “We Are in a Play!”, May 7; “Pippin”, May 13. 842-0800 Space Gallery, 538 Congress Street. Get Ready Weekly, May 1; Screaming
Females, May 6; Xasthur with Johanna Warren and Dwell in Moonblood, May 23. 828-5600 State Theatre, 609 Congress St. Kris Kristofferson, May 4; Twiddle, May 6; Ryan Adams, May 7; Mastodon with Eagles of Death Metal & Russian Circles, May 9; Suicide Girls: Blackheart Burlesque, May 19; Flogging Molly, May 27. 956-6000 Stone Mountain Arts Center, 695 Dug Way Rd. Del McCoury Band, May 5; The Wailin’ Jennys, May 9; Susan Werner, May 12; Alejandro Escovedo, May 19; The Rough & Tumble, May 26; Tom Snow Quartet, May 27; Chris Thomas King, May 28. 935-7292 Waterville Opera House, 93 Main St. 3rd Flr., Waterville. Biscuit, May 12; Blue Öyster Cult, May 25; The Met: Der Rosenkavalier, May 27; 873-7000
Craft Beer Cellar, 111 Commercial St. Craft beer tasting every Fri. 956-7322
Insider Tip: With half-price wine and fresh oysters for only $1.55 Five Fifty Five on Congress Street is where locals do happy hour. Mon. to Fri., 4:30-6 p.m. 761-0555
Comedy
Andy’s Old Port Pub, 94 Commercial St. Nick Crowley, Kevin Neales, & Krystal Kamenides, May 5. 874-ANDY
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.
& Maine Event Comedy, May 12. 696-5800 State Theatre, 609 Congress St. John Mulaney: Kid Gorgeous, May 10. 956-6000
Community Television Network, 516 Congress St. Portland Playback Theater, the first Friday of every month. 775-2900
Stone Mountain Arts Center, 695 Dug Way Rd., Brownfield. Bob Marley, May 18th. 935-7292
Johnson Hall, 280 Water St., Gardiner. Maine Event Comedy, May 13. 582-7144
Tasty Events
Lincolns, 36 Market St. Laugh Shack comedy every Thursday. Somerset Abbey, 98 Main St., Madison. Mark Turcotte
Aurora Provisions, 64 Pine St. Two to three free tastings each month on Tuesdays. 871-9060 Browne Trading Market, Portland. Regular wine tastings, through June. 775-7560
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 tastings each month on Fridays. 774-8129 Sweetgrass Farm Old Port Tasting Room, 324 Fore St. Tasting bar is open year-round for Maine-
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Experience Family Operated Since 1970
36 Main Street South Freeport
made wines and spirits; Mother’s Day Wine and Chocolate in Union, May 14. 761-8GIN Wine & Food Walks, Portland. Join Sommelier Erica Archer for a themed walk through a Portland neighborhood with wine and spirit tastings paired with delicious foods, every Sat. 619-4630
one night only
PortFringe, throughout the Old Port. A week-long fringe festival, featuring shows and performances by local artists and theater companies, Jun. 17-24. Print: A Bookstore, 273 Congress St. Bestselling authors Jacqueline Sheehan, Randy Susan Meyers, and Ellen Meeropol present their latest works, May 16. 536-4778
Lunch Counter Open Daily 11:00-8:45
Enjoy our Fresh Seafood from our indoor dining room or our outside picnic tables! Fresh Lobster Rolls, Maine Shrimp, Clams, Scallops & Homemade Desserts
Lobster Pound Open Daily 7:00-8:45 Lobsters, Crabs & Clams unloaded fresh daily from our boats! Ice packs are available for your convenience.
Lunch (207) 865-4888 • Lobster (207) 865-3535 harraseeketlunchandlobster.com
THE
Riverdance, Merrill Auditorium 20 Myrtle St. An innovative and exciting blend of Irish dance, music, and song, May 31. 842-0800 Sunday River, Sunday River Rd., Newry. PondA-Palooza, Apr. 8; The Great Tailgate, Apr. 15; Ski Maynia, May 1. 800-542-2754 –Compiled byWillis Kuelthau To submit your own event listing, visit: portlandmonthly.com/portmag/submit-an-event/
Rangeley Lakes
Come experience for yourself what generations of vacationers already know. 1-800-MT-LAKES info@rangeleymaine.com
www.RangeleyMaine.com
L E G E N D A RY 2 8 p o r t l a n d m o n t h ly m a g a z i n e
Greenhut Galleries presents a two-person exhibi�on by
William Irvine & Nancy Morgan Barnes May 4 - 27, 2017
William Irvine
Nancy Morgan Barnes
Opening recep�on Thursday, May 11th from 5 - 7pm
Now celebrating our 40th year!
146 Middle St. Portland, ME • info@greenhutgalleries.com
www.greenhutgalleries.com
m ay 2 0 1 7 2 9
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Clockwise from top left: courtesy photo; africa studios; courtesy nasa; NASA Photo / Bill Ingalls; adobe stock
The world’s most expensive spice could soon bloom in Maine, despite its legendary source in Persia. Echoing a British trend (“Cultivation of exotic spice returns to Essex, UK, for the first time in 200 years,” Daily Mail), researchers at the University of Vermont have successfully grown several crops of saffron crocuses in polytunnels and are encouraging growth here. Strands of saffron are worth more than their weight in silver, sometimes gold. Um, waiter, is this farm-to-table saffron locally produced?
Bristol native Zach Miller recently found himself catapulted into internet stardom after popular dating app Tinder partnered with People Magazine to declare him “The Sexiest Man in Maine.” Since then,”I’ve been featured on the MTV reality show Catfish,” Miller says. “MTV contacted me again for a dating show called The One, but they mistook me for heterosexual, so I wasn’t cast.” Despite this, “My daily life hasn’t changed as a result,” insists the 25-year-old photographer. Online, however, Miller is getting a lot of attention. “Plenty of marriage proposals; hundreds of messages, many attempting to determine my sexuality; and some negative reactions on Twitter. You’ll find the most insecure people on Twitter.”
Looking for an exit strategy from Earth? Thank Maine’s Chris Cassidy for furthering progress. President Trump recently signed a bill awarding $19.5 billion to NASA. Human exploration of Mars is now an active goal for the space agency, according to Time Magazine. Capt. Cassidy, USN, a York High grad and former Navy SEAL, is Chief of the Astronaut Office at NASA. Not counting this White House photo shoot, he’s spent 182 days in space.
A UMaine student faces fines and investigation after traveling in an Augusta-based cab with five baby alligators. Yifan Sun, 20, a sociology major, was reportedly taking the reptiles to visit a friend in Waterville, but by the time the taxi arrived at Concord Coach bus station, an Animal Control Officer was waiting. The penalty for the possession or importation of wildlife without a permit comes with a minimum fine of $50.00, though Warden Allarie believe Sun will face “roughly $150” in fines. As for the ‘gators? “We have to provide them with a good home,” says John MacDonald of the Maine Warden Service. “It’s not always easy, and it’s fairly labor intensive.” The ‘gators are being held at a local rehabilitation center until an out-of-state home is found. m ay 2 0 1 7 3 1
P o rt l a n d a f t e r dark
Dinner Is The Show The newest old trend is putting the circus back in ‘bread and circus.’
A
By Colin W. Sargent
Head Chef derek Bissonnette; courtesy the white barn inn
group of friends was talking about food trends when the discussion turned to food as theater. You know those mid-century showy presentations: open kitchens, tableside prep with guéridons and portable gas jets, salads tossed with ‘ginormous’ utensils, juggled cocktail shakers, and, most flamboyantly, flambé.
Those in the know request a showstopping Baked Alaska for special occasions at The White Barn Inn; [right] The restaurant’s inviting, rustic dining room. M ay 2 0 1 7 3 3
P ortland a f t e r da r k
“Wait, what? Nobody’s doing that around here anymore.” She was right in the sense that flambé was snuffed out decades ago. But didn’t flambe’s box-office bombing set the stage for its comeback? Now that the Recession is receding and comfort food has become a little too comforting (read tame), people are looking for an excuse to dress up that isn’t just your second-best-friend’s mother’s college roommate’s niece’s wedding. With the closure of Barnum and Bailey, bringing the show back to the dining room may be just the ticket. Turns out, restaurateurs are beginning to step up to the plate. “Spotted–the Baked Alaska making a comeback in Toronto restaurants.” Or check out newsposto.com: “Baked Alaska [is] a retro dessert that’s making a comeback.” It’s the surprise of the summer. Sud3 4 p o r t l a n d m o n t h ly m a g a z i n e
denly, everybody knew Baked Alaska before it was hot. “It is said to have been inspired by America’s purchase of Alaska in 1867,” newsposto opines. “Now nostalgia for this thermodynamically challenging pudding is making it popular again.” I remember as a young Naval Officer, you weren’t allowed to go out from a dining in until the Baked Alaska had sung. And so it goes now in Maine.
with flambé part of the pyrotechnics. “We also have two versions of the Bananas Foster,” both well lit. “One is for the White Barn Bistro, our less formal restaurant. It’s the classic Bananas Foster presentation. We take butter and sugar and sauté it and burn banana liqueur and rum and flambé it. This is all tableside. It’s a conversation starter. It’s very popular. People love to take pictures, love to take video. Every-
Keeper of the Flame e serve Baked Alaska,” says Hugo Aguirre, who’s been at the White Barn Inn Relais and Bistro since July. “Especially on holidays. A lot of people come here for the classic dining experience. When they come, they do like to enjoy the presentation. They want to linger. They like to be entertained.” It’s a special occasion here every night,
“Now that comfort food has become a little too comforting (read tame), people are looking for an excuse to dress up and be attended to.”
“W
meaghan maurice (3)
Nostalgia with a twist: Bananas Foster are ers flambéd then served on waffles at Croon & Cocktails, where your drink may also come with added pyrotechnics [right].
21 Albert Meadow Bar Harbor, Maine 04609 (800) 753-0494
Bar Harbor’s Premier Oceanfront Accommodations
www.balancerockinn.com
(855) 912-8130
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one is aware of it in the bistro.” But there’s a lot to be said for a private flame. In the fine dining part of the White Barn Inn, “We have a banana soufflé wrapped inside a crêpe.” Here, it’s less showy but no less romantic. It’s another tableside experience, “presented with two bananas that have been brûléed. Finally, Myers Rum is lit and poured (while still flaming) onto the plate.” Beyond the fire, what’s the trick to flambé? “People will never stop loving flambé if you do it right. It’s done right, I would say, if you keep it classic–not necessarily classy but classic.” Aguirre agrees flambé went dark over the last decade, but he considers the disappearance the exception, not the rule. “A lot of things ‘went away’ after the crisis in 2008.” Once the shadow of the stock-market plunge started directing the market, “Efficiency in cost was the biggest driver in our industry.” Not the greatest news for romantic diners. “Fine dining with tableside presentation took such a massive hit that it almost disappeared for a while. It’s something I love to do, just as I love salt-crusted whole fish served at tableside, where you debone for the guests.” Do your classic presentations include the famous 1980s show-stopper, Chateaubriand for two with baby vegetables? “We do that too, actually,” Aguirre says. “We have Chateaubriand on our bistro menu. We carve it for tableside, cooked to perfection–asparagus, mushrooms, a red wine jus. During the Recession, people were disinclined to order it because it seemed too extravagant. But many diners are rediscovering it as a wonderful way to celebrate.
from top: chef derek bissonnette - white barn inn; leah fisher arsenault photography
Portland after dark
Our City… “With Chateaubriand, where you use the best filet of tenderloin, it’s an expensive item that you don’t get so much profit from. But what you do deliver is value.” Really, what’s a memory worth?
F
ore Street offers a peppermint Baked Alaska from its bag of tricks. It’s most likely to appear in the summer, virtually without warning, a surprise. For a place already famous for its open-grill fire, it’s no big deal. “We just brûlée the marshmallow.” Could I also order the rum baba flaming? The busy staffer hangs up before I could hear the answer. The Harraseeket Inn in Freeport had Bananas Foster on the menu last spring. According to the restaurant staffer we spoke to, we’ll have to wait for summer to see if there’s a second act.
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Torch Song It’s not just food that’s being re-ignited, my fellow raconteurs. Flaming cocktails are lighting up the Hunt + Alpine Club. And at Crooners & Cocktails on 90 Exchange Street, “we have the Dean Martin Flame of Love,” says Rachael Joyce, general manager and bartender. “It’s a Stoli martini: three ounces of Stoli chilled with a ’chino cherry rinse and finished with a flamed orange peel. A simple, clean cocktail. We do the flaming right here at the bar. If a customer asks, we’ll do it tableside!” But there’s got to be a morning after. Following your long night’s journey into day, there returns everyone’s excuse for drinking at noon, brunch. Established 120 years ago, brunch is on fire, too. [Some
Madison Gouzie, cover model and owner of The Marshmallow Cart, uses a torch to prepare his signature roasted s’mores.
Buy Tickets: 207.774.0465 www.portlandstage.org 25A Forest Ave, Portland, ME
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Portland after dark people say the whole juice-based cocktail thing, viz., thick Bloody Marys, mimosas, and cosmopolitans, originated with brunch. See the Washington Post’s story “How brunch became the most delicious– and divisive–meal in America.”] Crooners & Cocktails combines the two trends of returning brunch and returning flambé every Sunday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. “On our brunch menu we have Bananas Foster Waffles,” Joyce says. Watch the blue flame flap above the melted butter, brown sugar, rum, cinnamon, and ice-cream with the jazzy history of New Orleans. Yes, please. Ring-a-ding-ding. Original Sin o after decades in the dark, our appetite for tableside theater and all things flambé is being re-ignited. Recognition of this appeared in Bon Appétit Magazine as early as 2014, when senior editor Julia Kramer dug out a 1978 story “Let’s Flambé a Lobster!” from her archives and whimsically posted it. The internet was lit on fire.
S
Come Out of Your Shell
Your table is ready. 5 PORTLAND PIER, PORTLAND | (207) 772-4828
3 8 p o r t l a n d m o n t h ly m a g a z i n e
nicole barna
Underground tiki bar Rhum favors a flaming Sterno-dipped lime to garnish dinner and drinks. Anything else? “We’ll set anything you want on fire!” says Chef Chad Austin.
We were sitting at Table 11 in the Grill Room, where the experience to the open flame is perfectly framed, watching the chef deftly turn meat in the dramatic flames, and wondered, “Can Cherries Jubilee, Crêpes Suzette, Harbor Lights, and Steak Diane be on the horizon?” Restaurateurs are recognizing and seizing on our need to dawdle over our meals. We will no longer be satisfied standing in front of a food truck and eating only with our hands. We want to see our food be prepared, and we want to wait for it. And that’s what’s what. n
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Located in Portland’s Longfellow Square, The Hiawatha houses luxurious residential units ranging from studios to two-bedrooms. Named after Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s poem, The Song of Hiawatha, this brand new handsomely appointed building has been carefully designed to offer modern amenities, while showcasing charm and elegance. Covered parking, fitness room, in-unit laundry, and breathtaking views are just a few of the amenities offered. Visit the website for more information.
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D o w nTown
New Port
Dreamers upend downtown, the Old Port, and the waterfront. By Mike Schoch
Not the usual suspects ortland Public Market House is shuffling its roster dramatically. After 18 years, beloved cheesemonger Kris Horton has hung up her cheese knife. Stepping in to fill the void is Cafe Crêpe. “We do one thing, and we do it really, really well: sweet and savory crêpes,” says owner Lauren Brinkmann. Bar seating excites with views of the open kitchen space, where the staff deftly smooths and flips the batter over large hotplates. Extra seating at the window faces Monument Square. Crêpes are hot right now. Brinkmann runs another Cafe Crêpe location in Freeport and a food truck on Thompson’s Point. But the Market House venture is her biggest yet. “We’re so used to
Meaghan maurice
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working in tight spaces. This feels huge.” Here’s a taste: The Roma features “mozzarella, tomatoes, basil, olive spread, and pesto.” Dare to feel sweet? The Cinnamon Bun startles with “cinnamon, sugar, and butter.”
We do one thing, and we do it really, really well: Sweet & savory crêpes. — Lauren Brinkmann
On the second floor, replacing Granny’s Burrito, Sticky Sweet serves sweet rice treats that co-owner Ashley Dow learned to make while teaching in Thailand. The dish is simple–sticky rice paired with fruit and drizzled with Maine maple syrup.
Another newcomer, Pho Co., is owned by husband-wife team Hoang and Chau Du Nguyen. The stand sells steaming bowls of soup along with spring rolls, dumplings, and rice dishes. Hoang says pho ramen has become a recent favorite. “We were the first place in Portland to combine these two popular dishes.” A block over from the market, Portsmouth-transplant BRGR Bar is serving up grass-fed beef and boozy shakes in the space once inhabited by Margaritas Mexican restaurant. But this is no Happy Days diner. The lighting is subdued, and the space is industrial in style with a bright mural of a cheeseburger dominating the back wall. You could get a workout walking laps around the enormous bar. Burgers M ay 2 0 1 7 4 1
Downtown
range from $13 to $18 while a spiked shake will set you back $11. Across Monument Square, sandwiched between Guitar Grave and the First Parish Church, catering company A Moveable Feast has opened a restaurant branch, Vieux Port Creole. Co-partner Susanne Cornelia says the fare is unique in Portland. “The Cajuns came through Maine on their way to Louisiana, and this is the kind
of hearty food they ate,” she says. Cornelia’s grasp of Acadian history may be fractured, but the gumbo and jambalaya are tasty and surprisingly inexpensive: only $4.25 for a cup and a bread roll. “It’s affordable because we buy simple ingredients and don’t pour anything out of a bag,” Cornelia says. Her restaurant opened on Mardi Gras, but Cornelia and partner Kevin Guay are still putting the
finishing touches on the place. The intimate dining area, checkered floor, paintings, and even the makeshift counter all make it inviting and unpretentious. When Cornelia isn’t bustling around greeting and chatting with customers, she’s working on her laptop out in the dining room. As customers pay their bills, they leave with stacks of lunch menus. “I hand them out like candy,” she says. Chain Reaction n the rough square mile contained by India, High, Congress, and Commercial Streets lies the salty, beating heart of Portland’s commerce. And despite the Old Port’s nostalgic name, retail spaces in the area seem to ride a carousel of new ownership. This summer, Williams Sonoma-owned furniture chain West Elm will move onto the corner of Middle and Market Street, formerly home to White Cap Grille and before that Sebago Brew Pub. Before that, the Oyster Club. Before that, Market Street Market, developed by Pritam Singh. It’s
I
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Clockwise from top left: corey templeton; Meaghan maurice (4)
Portland Public Market House welcomes a fresh batch of foodies, featuring two vendors inspired by the fragrant tastes of Southeast Asia. Sisters Ashley and Kelley Dow of Sticky Sweet (above) are introducing Portlanders to exotic sticky rice bowls, a traditional Thai dessert; Chau Du Nguyen (below left) serves up steaming bowls of Vietnamese noodle soup at Pho Co.
a magic corner, as the turnover implies–a telling starting point for change. Portland has had an uneasy relationship with chains in the past few years, exemplified by a 2006 City Council zoning ordinance that limits the number and size of franchise businesses in the Old Port. Nevertheless, Urban Outfitters set up shop on this row in 2011. Anthropologie followed in 2015. The appearance of another corporate chain fuels anxiety about the homogenization of Portland’s marquee retail district, the threat it poses to local business owners, and, less quantifiably, the dilution of local charm. (Though few suggest the Old Port wasn’t a rough and a scary place to walk through at night before the retail renaissance.) West Elm spokesperson Dru Ortega insists, chain or not, the furniture store will
make an effort to become more than just an outlet. “In 2013 we introduced West Elm LOCAL, empowering our shopkeepers to connect and engage with area artisans, nurturing a creative network that celebrates craftspeople,” Ortega says. “Our shopkeepers are empowered to become contributing members of the community by inviting artists, makers, and other local creative busi-
“We introduced West Elm LOCAL, empowering our shopkeepers to connect and engage with area artisans, nurturing a creative network that celebrates craftspeople.” –Dru Ortega
ness owners into the store to host pop-up shops and community-driven workshops that are open to the public.” Ortega adds that the store “will dedicate a small footprint to featuring a selection of products made by Maine-based artists.” In fact, the design of the store will be, to an extent, Portland-specific. “A handful of elements in West Elm’s Portland store will honor the city’s industrial and maritime history,” he says, including sailing rope woven into a sculpture and a lattice of railroad ties. Local flavor, or just good PR? Sartorial scene ough and Tumble on 127 Middle Street is a paean to what manager Jessica Shulte calls “the strong, rugged Maine woman.” Founded by former restaurateur Natasha Durham of Natasha’s and Mim’s fame, the store sells mostly leather handbags–each individually hand-
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Downtown
made at Durham’s studio space in Norway. The flagship store is stylishly spare, with wide expanses of wood floorboards and industrial metal racks bedecked with bags. “The emphasis is on being functional, but our bags are proof that something wellmade and functional can turn out beautiful,” Shulte says. ust a few blocks away you’ll find another handbag connoisseur, this time with an Italian heritage. O Bag on Middle Street is one of eleven U.S. locations representing the European brand. The concept here is often likened to adult Build-A-Bear, where customers create their own custom bags by choosing the components from rows of bags, handles, liners, watch faces, and other accessories in
Fun & Gamers
“We’re committed to slow fashion”–Bridget Lenahan, Peyote Moon a dazzle of color schemes, all dripping and dangling from the walls. Assistant manager Bayley Hamilton says customers “spend hours in here planning out their bags.” Across the way on Exchange Street, boutique Peyote Moon [pictured above] is a champion of high-end handmade style. Owner Bridget Lenahan threw open her doors last year, featuring wares that are “timeless and committed to slow fashion, not the stuff you buy and throw out season after season.” The shop has a Southwestern flavor, with turquoise rings, denim jackets, and dream catchers aplenty. A mix of vintage and contemporary clothes hangs from the walls. Most of the items are made in small batches
from independent designers. “These are heirloom pieces that will last a lifetime,” Lenahan says. And the prices do promote that expectation. A vintage Grateful Dead T-shirt will set you back $248. Lenahan was initially terrified that business would slump during the winter, but business has been steady. “I’ve put literally everything into this store,” she says. “Each step is exciting but a little nerve-wracking.” Bars & Baristas Two newcomers have moved in opposite each other on Wharf Street–the epicenter of Portland’s raucous summer nightlife. Mark Deane, owner of Rosie’s, Mark’s Place, and Old Port Slice Bar and Ice Bar, established
Restaurants and bars are the kings and queens of Portland commerce, but this year, the entertainment contingent made some bold moves. Gabe Letourneau moved HUD Gaming Lounge from Biddeford to Congress Street. His idea is to create a comfortable environment for serious gamers to ply their trade and even compete with others internationally. The interior is dimly lit, with projvectors streaming gaming competitions and animations on the walls. House music plays on a loop in the background. Gaming stations allow patrons to play consoles like XBox and Playstation from low leather couches. Traditionalists can take a seat in front of the many high-performance desktops, custom built by Letourneau and his associates. “We built this from the perspective of gamers,” Letourneau says. “You need to have comfortable seats, you need to have some snacks–Doritos and Mountain Dew–for fuel.” It’s not all gourmet in Portland. Inspired by South Korean LAN gaming centers called PC Bangs, HUD is outfitted with some of the fastest public internet in Maine. More than simply sitting folks down in front of screens, Letourneau sees HUD as a community space for gamers to meet, network, and learn. “We get every age group here at different times of the day. Younger kids come in with their parents during the day, and then at 2 a.m. you get a comparatively older crowd.” Those who enjoy their games off-screen can head to the newly renovated Bayside Bowl– with eight new lanes, a bar, a taco truck, and a rooftop space. The exterior also got a facelift and now shines as a beacon of Bayside’s revitalization efforts–a funhouse mirror of what’s happening on Middle Street. “For years we’ve had long waits for lanes and waitlists to join leagues,” says partner Charlie Mitchell. “We want to accommodate all the folks who want to join the party. 4 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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from right: corey templeton (2); Daryl m. adams photography; mike schoch
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Mark’s Sports Bar [above right] on the former site of Buck’s Naked BBQ. His philosophy couldn’t be simpler. “It’s about watching sports, so we went ahead and made that easy to do.” Deane nods to the numerous flatscreen TVs wallpapering the establishment (there are more than 70.) The dim interior allows some light to enter, but not enough to distract from the screens, some of which are wall-sized projections. “We can put on different games in each section, so customers can watch what they want,” Deane says. Deane, who lost his wife, Cindie, to cancer, says he spent three years grieving and not speaking to anyone. His most recent flurry of entrepreneurship has been his way of connecting to the world again. “This really started as a way to get out of the house.” Opposite you’ll find Jager, a Bavarian pub whose brand fits in with the deep cobblestones and European mise-en-scène (sports bar notwithstanding) of Wharf Street. “The idea came to us following the overwhelmingly positive response we received from Oktoberfest specials at our sister pub, The King’s Head,” says co-owner and chef Paul Kirschbaum. Light filters through a single window facing Wharf Street. Exposed brick, finished wood counters, and mounted antlers lend to the hunting-lodge feel. Jager, after all, is German for hunter. You could certainly imagine bearded, musket-slinging Teutons plopping down here to chow on bratwurst and Spaten lager. Kirschbaum is of German descent and says the menu is informed by his time spent working at his family’s restaurant in Düsseldorf. Far from a novelty act, this place caters to Portland’s substantial German community. “We’ve only been open since February, and we’re thrilled to find both local brewers and off-the-boat Germans as
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D o w n to w n dedicated regulars,” Kirschbaum says. ust a few blocks westward, yet far away in spirit from the hunting grounds of Deutschland, you’ll find Baristas + Bites. The interior is small, industrial, and designed for customers to orbit around a rectangular steel service counter. Owned by financial advisor and founder of Love Kupcakes, Amy Alward, the cafe courted controversy earlier this year when Alward declared she would pay employees $15 an hour and introduce a no-tipping policy. Open for breakfast and lunch, the cafe’s focus is, naturally, Love Kupcakes and, less conventionally, fresh, local rotisserie chicken to-go. While cupcakes and chicken may not seem like likely bedfellows–or platefellows– manager Chris Hines says,“The most popular item on the menu, by far, has been the chicken.” Which is lucky, as the installation of the large rotisserie oven caused headaches. “When we got it up to Fore Street, we couldn’t get it in the front door. [It] had to be shipped back to Boston. The shipping and reassembling costs were outrageous.” Local bartender Joshua Miranda is making moves on Exchange Street. His new cocktail joint Blyth & Burrows will have a seductive nautical theme that pays homage to the bar’s namesake, 19th century sea captains Samuel Blyth and William Burrows. Blyth & Burrows hopes to entice in a sophisticated crowd with the promise of molecular cocktails, smalls plates, and an oyster pit. “Order a drink at The Captain’s Table and select a mixed dozen oysters from the Damariscotta River,” advises Miranda. And there’s more. “Once you’ve eaten, tell your server if you’re not ready to go home. They’ll direct you down a secret passage-
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corey templeton (2)
Arts
TEMPOart has invited three artists to create public art around the city during the summer months. Look for sculptures in Lincoln Park (above), Boyd Street Community Garden, and Post Office Park. The planned redesign of Congress Square Park will feature permanent public art by Sarah Sze, a New Yorker with family ties in Maine, who won a $75,000 grant toward the project last year. Sze’s latest design proposal hints at “a series of discoveries along the entry trail” and a piece that “inserts itself into the fabric of life.” Woodford’s Corner is seeing its own artistic resurgence–an upcoming installation by Maine-based artist Aaron Stephan and the return of the Bakery Photographic Collective to contemporary art gallery Speedwell Collective. “There’s a little renaissance happening out here,” says Teresa Valliere, president of the recently established Friends of Woodford’s Corner. “Community engagement really pays off.” Portland Museum of Art will open the David E. Shaw Sculpture Park, featuring works from Celeste Roberge and John Bisbee, on July 7. Guests will be able visit the garden during museum opening hours. Audiophiles need look no further than Aura’s newly refreshed façade on Center Street, where a packed season of shows is underway. Rumors of a new “Portland” mural being commissioned are, as yet, unconfirmed.
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D o w n to w n way…” The daring will discover a secret basement bar–the Broken Dram–hidden to all but those in the know. Familiar Faces, New Spaces n old friend returned to the Old Port this year in the shape of El Rayo Taqueria. Moving from its home in a former renovated gas station on York Street (slated to become a condo development), El Rayo has replicated its bright, kitschy style in the space formerly known as stationery shop Papier Gourmet on Free Street. The large rear deck promises to entice hungry burrito-eaters throughout the summer months. Meanwhile, popular food truck Mami will soon be opening a permanent (and stationary) restaurant on Fore Street where Mainley Wraps once stood. Co-owner Hana Tamaki believes that fast-casual food, such as Mami’s Kobayashi Hot Dog, is on the rise in Portland and anticipates a busy lunch rush. “We want to open a place where people feel comfortable bringing their kids,” she says. “We’re anxious but very ex-
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D o w n to w n cited [to go into bricks and mortar].”
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ongfellow Square locals can breathe easy with the confirmed revival of Joe’s Super Variety in the brand-new Hiawatha Building at 667 Congress Street. The new location, situated on the first floor of the sleek, eight-story building, may seem a world away from the shop’s origins, but owner Michael Discatio assures us that despite the change in appearance, Joe’s is still planning on keeping it real. “I can’t walk down Congress Street without people asking me when we’re going to open. All they say is that there’s no place to get a sandwich around here anymore.” Customers can enjoy the extended food, beer, and wine selections, but other than that, Michael expects to maintain the shop’s previous atmosphere. No big deal. “Took an old building down. Put a new one up.” When asked how his grandfather and store founder, Joe Discatio Sr., would have felt about their brief closure, Michael says, “He’d be pissed. I closed for 17 months. He didn’t want to close for a single day.” n
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ARTFUL LIVING IN PORTLAND’S EAST END The Hay Runner Block tastefully envelopes a triangular block with a graceful, three-story curve placed at the base of Portland’s famed Munjoy Hill. Hay Runner Block offers 17 1-3 bedroom custom living spaces.
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Once an overlooked corner on Portland’s cultural map, this stretch of Washington Avenue is making big moves–and a name for itself in the process.
illustration by ed king
T
he full length of Washington Avenue snakes its way northeast from the base of Munjoy Hill for almost five miles, becoming more spreadout and residential as it trickles away from downtown. At its source, the half mile from the corner of the Eastern Cemetery to Tukey’s Bridge, rapid developments and a fresh crop of businesses are demanding a new appellation, a new identity to define the evolving neighborhood. It’s only real when it becomes the talk of the town. Welcome to “Inner Washington.”
By s arah Moore
Ahead of the Curve Before this, Portland residents knew Inner Washington better as the home of J.J. Nissen’s, the baking company which once filled this corner of the city with a stream of workers and delivery vehicles and the aroma of freshly baked bread. In 1997, when sisters Deirdre and Stephanie Nice bought a small pizza joint in 1997 named Bongo Cily’s for $63,000, they were one of only a handful of other businesses on the street. Brightly colored and kitschy (look for the Albert Einstein poking out his
tongue above the entrance), Silly’s was born. “Back then, it was an old Italian neighborhood, I believe,” says Deirdre Nice, now executive director of St. Lawrence Arts on Congress. “There was Vito’s Bakery where Coffee By Design now stands, a Vietnamese market next door, Portland Pottery, and, of course, the bakery. We used to buy our hamburger rolls from the discount store. It hit our business hard when Nissen’s moved [to Brunswick in 1999].” Twenty years later, the sisters have pursued other ventures, but their eccentric and well-loved Silly’s is still M ay 2 0 1 7 5 3
City Beat
a cultural mainstay–a veteran on a street humming with change. Gradually, Then Suddenly Incrementally, a trickle of new faces began setting up shop along the seam that joins the industrial East Bayside to residential Munjoy Hill. Tu Casa got us hooked on Salvadorean fare in 2002. Coffee By Design started roasting here in 2005, followed by the arrival of Maine Mead Works in 2010. Around this time, local developer Jed Harris was commuting daily between Falmouth and the Old Port. “I’d look at the area as I drove through. I began to think of Washington Avenue as the industrial corridor for the East End.” A destination of its own. Talk about thinking big. When Harris bought the 130,000 square-foot Nissen Building for $7.2 million in late 2013, vacancy was at 70 percent. Securing a lease with Newcastle-based brewery Oxbow was his first catch. “I was invested in Oxbow’s vision,” he says. The hip tap-room, with 5 4 p o r t l a n d m o n t h ly m a g a z i n e
beer barrels and graffiti lining dark walls, tipped the avenue’s influence onto the public radar. By 2015, the foodie scene had set its sights firmly beyond the Old Port. Italian-American eatery Roustabout opened at 59 Washington Avenue. Next door, Maine & Loire wine shop brought a cosmopolitan feel to the street, strengthened by the addition of a storefront bistro named Drifters Wife. Across the street, Terlingua BBQ joined the fray. Suddenly, East Enders didn’t have to trek downtown to enjoy that spoiled-for-choice sensation familiar in the Old Port.
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urrounding the Nissen building, the past year has ushered in new arrivals. Among them, urbane, Japaneseinspired Izakaya Minato, colorful Flying Fox Juicery, and the petite, timber-clad A&C Grocery (above). A&C owner Joe Fourni-
er cut his teeth at Rosemont Markets and as co-founder of the Farm Stand in SoPo. When his time came to go it alone, Washington Avenue was a natural choice for the Munjoy Hill native, who sells a small but choice selection of groceries, deli products, and booze in his tiny, sunlit shop. “Everyone talks about the revitalization of this street, but that’s not right,” says Fournier. “This is the Golden Age of Washington Avenue.”
clockwise from top left: corey templeton; eaghan maurice (2)
“Everyone talks about the revitalization of this street, but that’s not right. This is the Golden Age of the Washington Avenue.”
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Retail Details: Jacquelyn Pepice (left) of Hem & Veil began reworking vintage and custom wedding dresses in the space behind Fiore Design in 2016; Samuel Strickland and Michael Fortier (right) of Venn & Maker, the Nissen building’s newest retailer, specialize in fine art and handcrafted goods and furniture with an international aesthetic. “We’re going for ‘modern nautical,’’’ says Fortier. So no anchors and sailor stripes? “You said it!”
meaghan maurice
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Hungry For More ith a Midas touch and the Nissen Building at 100-percent capacity, Harris has set his sights beyond its walls. This summer, the old Creighton’s Flower Market will be re-imagined to house Maine Craft Distilling’s expanded production and tasting room. Boston-based Island Creek Oysters will share the space. A block away, Harris plans to install five shipping containers on an empty patch of land cornering Marion Street. Each container will offer a monthto-month lease that allows small business to set up shop in a low-risk environment– an entrepreneurial incubator. For visitors, it creates the excitement and spontaneity of a pop-up shop. Similar projects have blossomed across London. The street’s manufacturing heritage has its advantages over the Old Port, where space and surface parking are vanishing dreams. Plus, industrial chic is the
new nautical. Jordan Milne of Hardshore Distilling installed his 20-foot gin still, a totem of copper, in the Nissen building’s former loading dock beside Maine Mead Works in January. Dividing the bar from the cavernous production space is a wooden pergola made entirely from shipping crates that carried Milne’s custom-built still over from Germany. Copper chandeliers sparkle overhead. A retractable garage door hearkens back to the building’s original design. “The scale of this place is well-designed
“We’re on the path to gentrification right now. We’ll have to wait and see if it’s successful.”
for manufacturers,” says the 32-year-old former investment banker. “It’s great for brewers and distillers. The more of us there are, the more of a destination we become. There’s a feeling of being in the right place at the right time.” Eyes On The Horizon Next door, Tandem Coffee co-founders Vien Dobui and Jessica Sheahan are busy polishing concrete walls and installing bar stools to complete the sleek facade of their new Vietnamese joint, Cong Tu Bot (Dobui’s childhood nickname. “It literally means ‘powdered prince,’ someone who’s a bit of a dandy”). Dobui spent a stretch working at his uncle’s noodle shop in Phan Thiet, Vietnam, in 2015, honing plans for his own fast-casual Vietnamese eatery. This will include a traditional Vietnamese breakfast menu, with pho and congee. “Not brunch. Breakfast,” he insists. “It’s going to be a challenge, M ay 2 0 1 7 5 7
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but Asian food is the fastest-growing food sector in the U.S.” Dobui, Sheahan, and business partner Joseph Zohn originate from the San Francisco Bay Area. All three lived in Brooklyn prior to relocating to Portland in 2012. Dobui is familiar with the patterns of urban gentrification. As a result, he is cautiously optimistic about the neighborhood’s dramatic developments. “There’s a reason I left Brooklyn. It’s an important example of gentrification and the need to do it right. We’re on that path right now. We’ll have to wait and see if it’s successful.”
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hile the neighborhood feels buoyed by “a really young energy, regardless of age,” Vanessa Helmick of Fiore Design admits there’s still a way to go before Washington Avenue can rest on its laurels. “The foot traffic isn’t quite there yet. There are still perceptions we need to overcome, particularly among tourists who visit just once a year.” After all, Roustabout received a hero’s
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welcome, yet found itself closed for business only 15 months later. “Places may come and go, but they bring visitors, attention, and other entrepreneurs to the area,” Harris says. “It’s an ecosystem.” Without the security of tourist hordes and cruise-ship crowds, the avenue will have to fight a little harder to secure its foothold. But those suffering from Old Port fatigue will find the street a welcome refreshment–think fewer people and knickknacks shops, more parking. In terms of sustainability, the area is united in its efforts. Helmick is in the process of establishing a Washington Avenue Collective; there are plans for a summer block party; and, less conventionally, an astonishing number of the new faces on the street are either new or expectant parents (among them, Fiore, Terlingua, Drifters Wife, Hardshore Distilling, and Cong Tu Bot)–“Don’t drink the water!” laughs Milne. If all else fails, perhaps we’ll see a new generation of designers, distillers, and restaurateurs taking up the mantle in years to come. Ecosystem indeed. n
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One of the first professional female impersonators in America, Tom Martelle was a star of the 1920s stage and a regular sensation in Maine.
queer music heritage
W
ho’s the fine-looking girl over there who just nodded to you? I wouldn’t mind knowing her myself,” writes journalist Philip B. Sharpe for Sun-Up Magazine in May, 1925, a glossy publication in vogue from 1923 to 1932. The “girl” in question was in fact a Mr. Tom Martelle (alternately spelled Martell), one of the most celebrated female impersonators of the era and a keen visitor to Vacationland. The story, tucked between articles about “Wet and Dry Fishing” and the Quoddy Hydro Project, and styled “A Case of Dual Personality–But No Jekyll and
By Wil l iam David Barry & da nie lle Fazio
Hyde,” may have come as a surprise to SunUp readers more used to the magazine’s usual modus operandi: “Resort features… Adventure, Romance, Beautiful Pictures– a magazine just chock full of good things.” More enticingly, the story captures female impersonation and vaudeville theater in New York, punctuated with two photographs of Martelle, in and out of drag, captioned “Tommy the Boy” and “Tommy the Girl.” Adventure, romance, and beautiful pictures: check, check, and checkmate. Although Martelle had been astonishing East Coast audiences since 1911 (his
sheet music–words and music by Martelle– can still be found in flea markets, antique shops, and on eBay), information about the performer is scarce. Almost nothing can be read about him beyond the 1930s. The SunUp feature captures rare details about this forgotten figure. Sharpe writes that Martelle was born in Los Angeles, “twenty-eight years ago this month,” placing his birth date in 1897. He often visited Maine to perform at the Jefferson Theater on Free Street and enjoy the open roads. “Motoring has always had a strong appeal to Mr. Martelle, and the State of Maine has been visited M ay 2 0 1 7 6 1
I co n s by him during several vacation tours in the past few years.”
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ust five years later, Martelle’s name disappears almost completely from the playbills of history. In the 21st century, his obit is still below the digital radar. Conversely, his brief but brilliant career is well documented in newspaper clippings and promotional materials of the era. Emerging onto the show business scene in 1911, Martelle was billed as “The Boy With the Pretty Gowns.” “[Martelle’s] success continued to build by the end of the teens when he was in a production of Julian Eltinge’s famous musical The Fascinating Widow,” says JD Doyle of the Queer Music Heritage radio show. “Eltinge was definitely the most famous female impersonator of the time–he even had a New York theater named for him [Eltinge 42nd Street Theatre, now Empire Theater].” Martelle’s big break came in 1923 with the release of the musical comedy The Gay Young Bride, followed by The Fashion Girl, Some Girls, and Glorious Annabelle. “One clue to his popularity is that he was among the very few whose image was used in the venue advertisements of the time,” Doyle says. “The most common billing given to him was as ‘The Foremost Delineator of Feminine Types.’ He was especially known for his dazzling costumes.” Doyle is both intrigued and frustrated by the shooting star of Tommy Martelle. “So, what happened to him after the 1920s? I’d
Cherry Bomb Conor Leigh Tubbs from South Portland has performed in drag as Cherry Lemonade for the better part of seven years. What does the local star make of the early female impersonators of the 20th century?
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Would you consider [Martelle and Eltinge] to be early examples of drag queens? Part of me wants to categorize them as drag queens. Part of me battles with that. It’s one thing to dress in women’s clothing and prance about, it’s
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love to know.” Naughty Vacationland–A Vanishing Act The Sun-Up exchange offers a unique insight into the temper of the times. A May, 1925 Portland newspaper article lists scandalous local personalities tongue-in-cheek: “Charmatta Ballad, a musician;” “Lillian Fairservice, a maid;” and “Catherine King [who] lives next door to George Queen.” Mirroring this, the city was up for grabs. Large downtown buildings were under construction, Prohibition was being giddily ignored, and in slick local periodicals, writers were crafting cheeky shorts such as “How to be Successful With Men” and “The Flapper in Search of a Husband.” Indeed, Rockland-born poet Edna St. Vincent Millay (“My candle burns at both ends”) was the very spirit of the Flaming Youth and Roaring Twenties caprice. When it suited her, she wore trousers and daringly took on the persona of Vincent.
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ut the fun couldn’t last. Following the financial crash of 1929 and the Great Depression, Portland was one of the most financially flattened communities in the country. The Jefferson Theater (where John Wilkes Booth performed, and where local performing “reached its peak of excellence”) was torn down in 1933, Millay faded somewhat from the limelight (though she returned to Ragged Island, off Orr’s Island, each summer), and no one seems to
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another to use drag as a platform to pay homage to the strong, fearless women of the world. It’s hard to say what the intentions were behind their acts, as they lived in a time that valued women less than men. Do you believe the drag arts of today are inspired by vaudeville theater of the 1920s? Absolutely. That dingy, grimy, booze-soaked, speakeasy-style nightlife atmosphere is making a comeback in a big way. What do you make of the often hyper-masculine personas of the 1920s performers off-stage? When I’m out of drag, I do embrace the masculine sides of my personality. But here’s the thing about drag queens that people don’t understand: It takes a real man to get in drag.
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The Jefferson Theater on Free Street was a glamorous mainstay of the local arts scene before it was torn down in 1933.
know what became of Tom Martelle. Austerity tightened its belt on the glamour of the twenties, and throughout America, local laws such as Detroit’s 1944 ordinance prohibited people from appearing in the “dress of the opposite sex.” And with the shifting tides of culture, “The Foremost Delineator of Feminine Types” seems to be lost to the footnotes and ephemera of history. The Man Behind the Make-Up The art of female impersonation may have titillated a 1920s readership, but from a modern perspective, the gender bias and gender anxiety may be the most striking fact of the story. Sharpe is quick to expound upon Martelle’s masculinity, “Mr. Martelle is a real he-man. Off stage he has none of the feminine traits which I have found in other female impersonators and costume models that I have met.” Martelle himself indulges in some hedged political correctness: “Girls, as a rule, act more than men. They are continually acting… I am casting no insult against their sex– If I was a woman-hater, I never would be working in this profession.” The Sun-Up story ends with beauty advice for Martelle’s female fans. “When you get right down to it, you can’t fool the men a great deal. Powder is necessary, but rouge and lipstick look sad in the eyes of men, who often say, ‘I wonder what she would look like without that Junk.’” Apparently the professional female impersonator failed to see the irony in his comments. But if a sexual history of our state is ever to be written, it is visible and crying for notice between the pages of magazines, biographies, newspapers, and documents that a true, often colorful, understanding of sex, gender, and social history has always dreamed of coming forward to surprise and delight. n
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Back On The Menu
What’s old is new again. The fundamental things apply.
R
By Clair e Z. Cra m er
malcolm bedell - fromaway.com
emember when restaurants were special?” asks Andrew Knowlton, editor of Bon Appetit, in the April issue. We sure do. Knowlton, a notorious trend-hound, now pines for the days when the maître d’ would pull out his chair in the sort of restaurant where patrons wore “something other than jeans.” But maybe it’s not about the white tablecloths–maybe it’s about the vibe, the ambience, and best of all, the food. In Portland, it’s easy to find restaurants that are special in that way you remember, but also new and exciting.
Even Jillian and Malcolm Bedell, bloggers and owners of Rockland-based ’Wich, Please sandwich truck, can’t resist the allure of “old-school recipes.” Marvel at the Maine lobster-stuffed Chateaubriand recipe on their blog (fromaway.com). We doubt they’ll be making this dish in the back of a food truck anytime soon…
FONDUE & OYSTERS “Courtney’s food is full of intuition,” says Birch Shambaugh, co-owner with his wife Fayth Preyer, of Woodford Food & Beverage at Portland’s ever-bustling Woodford’s Corner. At lively F&B, site of the original mid20th-century Valle’s Steak House, chef Courtney Loreg takes us back by refashioning dishes we remember into something better. Croque Monsieur (and Madame), the Sunday night plat du jour, is “comfort epitoM ay 2 0 1 7 6 7
Hungry Eye
‘Same Stock,’ Different Name
“Ever heard of bone broth? At least as a term, bone broth is relatively new, popularized–even hipsterized–by the rise of the paleo diet, which focuses on the consumption of meat, fish, vegetables and fruit, or the kinds of foods that may have formed our diet during the Paleolithic era. The broth, usually homemade but increasingly available at shops and through special order, boasts a thick texture with a pronounced flavor, and it’s the latest darling of the health food world, with cookbooks, websites, and even a Southern California restaurant devoted to the stuff.”–The Virginian Pilot Here in Portland, LB Kitchen took a chance on the trend. You can buy a warming 12oz. cup of ‘Liquid Gold’ to sip while you eat at the petite bistro on the East End. “It took some convincing before [chef and owner Lee Farrington] agreed to serve it,” says life and business partner Bryna Gootkind with a complicit smile. Made from chicken bone broth, turmeric, and coconut chili oil, the ‘drink’ has a salty kick that Gootkind says is “packed with good fats.” 6 8 p o r t l a n d m o n t h ly m a g a z i n e
[Clockwise from top left] With its funky mid-century architecture and preference for vinyl it’s no surprise Woodford Food & Beverage is championing the return of retro menu items; keep an eye out for deviled eggs on bar menus across town, including LFK and Hot Suppa; classic Steak au Poivre makes a welcome return to Portland courtesy of Timber Steakhouse; and the ultra-hip bone marrow trend shows no sign of waning in Portland.
ALL THE RIGHT MOVES We go in search of more reimagined classics, and we find some at Scales on Commercial Street. The big, airy seafood restaurant has windows for days overlooking the commercial waterfront and ferry traffic. Co-owner Dana Street admitted from the outset that he was giving a nod to the old Durgin Park in Boston, but we sense even more of bygone Anthony’s Pier 4 elegance.
S
ince this is a Street-and-partners establishment–as are Fore Street and Street & Company–there’s the signature poured-concrete bar, complete with narrow trench for crushed ice to accommodate your raw-bar selections. There’s mellow, repurposed wood, flattering lighting, and lazily rotating ceiling fans. Like the other two spots, Scales looks terrific and the service is professional. There’s Boston brown bread with baked beans and bacon, if you must, and wonderful old staples such as grilled skirt steak, short-rib pot roast, and pan-roasted duck breast. More thrilling, on a recent visit the evening’s specials are Monkfish Au Poivre, and Skate Schnitzel with an egg on top served with spätzle. How’s that for shaking up the classics?
A couple of old salts next to us at the bar pick their way through a pile of Jonah crab claws heaped on ice in front of them. On our other side, a young woman and her date are sharing an appetizer of smoked bluefish on julienned, roasted beets over a swirl of lemony yogurt, all of it crowned with a tangle of brilliant green dill. (Beets are still very much in style.) Our bartender, Morgan, actually asks us if we’d “like that martini shaken or stirred.” We urge her to use her judgment. We give a start when we discover there are no Parker House rolls on the menu. When Scales opened last year, it received much fanfare for its distinctive version. “They change the menu constantly,” says Morgan. “The Parker House rolls will probably be back at some point, but right now they’ve switched it up to cloverleaf rolls with chive butter.” Later, we track down Parker House rolls baked fresh daily at Grant’s Bak-
“Parker House rolls
are as much of a tradition in the United States as any bread. They were created, so the story goes, by the Parker House in Boston, which was one of our great nineteenthcentury hostelries. Parker House rolls should be delicate, soft, and rather sweet, typical of American rolls in the nineteenth century, and they consume butter by the tons.” –James Beard
from top left to right: courtesy woodford f+B (2); flickr.com/julian; Carol Borchardt
mized,” says Shambaugh. “It’s the best take on a ham and cheese sandwich you’ve ever had.” It’s hard to argue, considering the excellent smoked ham, impeccable Swiss cheese, rustic bread, and flawless béchamel. Then there’s the ambience–deep, plushy booths, a long bar, plate-glass windows overlooking the great white way of Forest Avenue traffic–and the background music. “We believe in vinyl,” says Shambaugh. Spinning old albums on a turntable “is the right soundtrack for what we do here.” Here is where you rediscover the forgotten pleasures of Oysters Rockefeller, a grilled steak and fries, and Scallops Gratinee. “We do the old things we like,” says Loreg. “The gratinee is basically scallop casserole.” Don’t pigeonhole these dishes as straight-up retro, though. The cheese fondue is made with Great Hill Blue. The Kale, Frisee, and Radicchio with Poached Egg appetizer is “a hybrid of classic Caesar and Lyonnaise salads.” The dressing is bright and lemony, spiked with pecorino, and the croutons and pork lardons have been swapped out for crisp, golden coins of fried fingerling potato.
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Hungry Eye ery in Lewiston. “We always have them because people always want them,” says Pam Grant. “They’re made with the same yeast dough as the plain dinner rolls, but people go nuts because they split them and slip in some butter, and glaze them with an egg wash to be shiny. And we eat with our eyes, right?” FANCY BYGONE BITS Remember when bone marrow was all the rage? Well, it’s back. Find the roasted bones with local mushrooms and sourdough toast at Lolita. At Central Provisions, the marrow is liberated from the bones and presented on toast with fontina, horseradish cream, and onion jam. Then there’s the raw revival. Sounds queasy, but squeamish is out and raw beef is back in. We found shaved beef carpaccio with truffled asparagus salad at Crooners & Cocktails, and classic steak tartare with a raw egg yolk on grilled rustic toast at Woodford Food & Beverage. There’s beef carpaccio with arugula and smoked-onion aioli at Tipo, the new fancy-peasant Italian
7 0 p o r t l a n d m o n t h ly m a g a z i n e
restaurant on Ocean Avenue. Fancied-up peasant food is Portland’s own perpetual trend. Beets, Brussels sprouts, and kale are menu royalty here. And look at smelts! They’ve filled the niche left empty when sweet little Maine shrimp became an endangered species. We discovered clever preparations on spring menus all over town, including fried at Lolita and served with a paprika aioli; with fiery pepper aioli at Tipo; and with fancy slaw and ginger mayo at Fore Street. Keeping it Nordic, Portland Hunt + Alpine Club serves pickled smelts.
O
n the other end of the spectrum, once considered the epitome of passé party food, deviled eggs are suddenly on every bar menu in town. With a twist of modernity, Hot Suppa offers a Sriracha-infused, bacon-topped version; Terlingua dishes them up covered in smoked salmon and olives; while at Rhum, you can enjoy an unlimited number sprinkled with toasted coconut flakes during happy hour. Never say never.
BEEF & BOURBON OK, let’s get back to old-time glamour. At this time of year, you might think of Exchange Street as the place where out-oftowners come to shop and eat Holy Donuts en plein air, but it’s also the Gold Coast for cocktails and steak. The Grill Room came first to upper Exchange, where you can watch the cooks at the open fire searing your New York sirloin and dressing your wedge salad with blue cheese and bacon. Steps away, at Crooners & Cocktails, you can nibble stuffed mushrooms before your tournedos and garlic-whipped potatoes. The dark, clubby interior calls out for bourbon. “Bourbon and rye are very big,” says bartender Rachael Joyce, who keeps an impressive collection of artisanal bitters on hand for the Old Fashioneds and other hearty cocktails. “The bourbon and rye from Stroudwater Distillery on Thompson’s Point are excellent.” At Timber Steak House, a few doors up, memory lane is paved with Steak au Poivre and bourbon peppercorn sauce, and Surf
& Turf with an eight-ounce filet steak and poached lobster tail. Call ahead and make a reservation and request a Chateaubriand for two to be cut to order for you. “Chef serves it with a red wine sauce,” says manager Jenny Lord, “but we always have béarnaise if you prefer.” SPRINGTIME IN PARIS If you really want to go full-stop nostalgic, take a field trip to Maurice, the charming 40-year-old classic French restaurant in South Paris. Visit over Memorial Day weekend and you can catch the famous Lilac Festival and 20th-anniversary celebration at the McLaughlin Garden there. At Maurice, Gallic charm has never gone out of style. With candlelight flickering on your cloth-draped table, you can indulge in Escargots à la Bourguignonne and Coquilles St. Jacques with mushrooms and mornay sauce. “Give us a day’s notice,” says owner Corey Sumner, “and sure, of course we’ll have your Chateaubriand and béarnaise sauce. We’ll slice it tableside.” n
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Everyday Sommelier
Pack Your Basket Host your own Déjeuner sur l’herbe with picnic-friendly international wines under $20. By Ralph Hersom
meaghan maurice
W
hen skies are blue and tourists are out in full-force, spare yourself the endless wait for a table and take lunch into your own hands. All you need is a blanket, some food, and a bottle of one of our carefully-chosen wines for the perfect picnic. Paired with stellar Maine views, you’ll be out to lunch in no time. Pop a bottle of sparkling François Montand Blanc de Blancs to kick off the al fresco festivities. François Montand, a descendant of a long line of winemakers from the Champagne region, moved to the Jura region in eastern France in the 1940s and began making his eponymous sparkling wines according to the traditional Champagne method. Montand’s grapes (Colombard, Ugni Blanc, and Chardonnay) come from diverse terroirs throughout France, ensuring the best possible fruit for consistently excellent sparkling wines at a great value. Enjoy with fried chicken on one of the many swinging benches scattered around Mackworth Island. If you prefer your white wine crisp rather than sweet, make sure you pack a bottle of Domaine Delsol Picpoul de Pinet from France in your picnic basket. This dry,
light, and refreshing unoaked wine is made from the Picpoul Blanc grape (the same grape used to make the famous Noilly Prat Vermouth), one of the oldest indigenous Languedoc varietals. The nose is fruity and floral with hints of rose petal and lime. This wine pairs beautifully with seafood, so pack a lobster roll and perch on the rocks overlooking Kettle Cove while you sip. From Down Under comes Seaside Cellars Pinot Noir, an excellent medium-bodied red with aromas of red fruits, flavors of fresh raspberry, and hints of spice. If you’ve never tasted a New Zealand Pinot Noir,
you owe it to yourself to give this one a try. This versatile red can be enjoyed on a blanket in Payson Park, eaten with chicken and salmon or on its own for those who prefer a liquid lunch. In the mood for something pink? Look no further than the suitably-named Summer Water. This delicious rosé from the central coast of California is made from a blend of Grenache and Syrah with notes of strawberry, pink grapefruit, and white peach. Lean and refreshing with a label that begs to be posted to Instagram, Summer Water is the go-to choice for lazy days of barbecuing on the Eastern Prom. The final choice is a delicious Nebbiolo-based red from Renato Ratti Winery, which has been producing wines in the Piedmont region in northwest Italy since 1969. Each mouthful delivers aromas of raspberries and strawberries with flavors of cedar and earthy notes. Enjoy the Renato Ratti Nebbiolo on the grass at Bug Light Park with fine cheeses and a view of the sunset. n Ralph Hersom is a sommelier and the Category Manager of wine, beer, and spirits for Hannaford Supermarkets. He was formerly the Cellarmaster at Windows On The World and wine director of Le Cirque 2000 in NYC. m ay 2 0 1 7 7 3
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And You From Yours The art of storytelling translates individual experiences into collective memories.
Clockwise from top left: courtesy lynn robinson
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B y Rhea Côté Ro bbins
hat’s your immigration story? Everybody has one. In Lynn Robinson’s short film And You From Yours (1993), Robinson tells the story of female immigrants uprooted from Quebec to the Northeast. Through powerful imagery Robinson conjures the range of emotions one experiences when one emigrates: the uncertainty, the acclimation, the indecision for the French Canadian woman of whether to stay or go back, and then finally the recognition of the freedoms gained. Do you know your own immigration story? And how can you avoid stereotypes when telling that story? Throughout her film, Robinson weaves the tale of her own great-grandmother’s immigration, gleaned from details shared with her by her grandmother–her mémère. The film tells an intergenerational tale through the medium of flashbacks set between the 1870s and 1990s. Robinson drives the narrative using an epistolary format, unique imagery of landscapes, close-ups, and scenes revisiting her family’s former homestead. The story is told in broad strokes to allow space for the viewer to imagine her own experiences. What makes the film important to the French-Canadian heritage immigrants is that this is one of the few examples of such a film where the women are selfvoiced. If I were to express what I feel when I watch the film, I would say that I’m given freedom. It’s the freedom that only a story can give–and not just any story, but one I can relate to personally and profoundly. n Watch And You From Yours at www.vimeo.com/213185748. Rhea Côté Robbins is the author of ‘down the Plains,’ and editor of Heliotrope-French Heritage Women Create. m ay 2 0 1 7 7 5
Restaurant Review
The Hungry Cove Clockwise from top left: parker River Kid - flickr; thetinyadventurer.com; xbuxx/flickr
The opening of Ogunquit’s Barnacle Billy’s marks the start of summer.
E
veryone’s excited because here in Perkins Cove, the season begins the first day Barnacle Billy’s opens,” says realtor Chris Erikson. [No coincidence here. This is a companion story to our House of the Month feature just steps away, page 81. Same cove, different angles.] Barnacle Billy’s is the straw that stirs the drink in Perkins Cove. If you are, say, a movie technician assigned to capture the musical sounds of happy people in Maine, Barnacle Billy’s is where you’ll find it. What a cacophony! Fine dining is one thing, but this is Finestkind dining. What’s the value of the first lobster, the first steamed clams, and the first blueberry pie à la mode of the summer? This eternal attraction, and this resolutely informal experience, is at the center of the real Vacationland. We enter at twilight and through the dining room see astonishing views of the Perkins Cove fishing fleet and the white span of the bridge over the harbor. There’s still a chill in the air, but stalwart diners huddle on the deck. Both of the massive stone fireplaces crackle with welcome blue
By Colin W. Sargent
and orange flames. With native nonchalance we enter, select our seafood immediately on arrival (vegetarian options are limited to salads and dessert because it’s too early for corn), pay at the register, and earn a precious number (ours is “10”) that will somehow sound dreamy a few minutes later when it’s barked on a loudspeaker amid the raucous shucking of lobsters and steamed clams. Barnacle Billy’s was founded in 1961, the year John Glenn went into outer space. Looking for celebrities? Presidents George H. W. Bush, Bill Clinton, and New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady have eaten here. “But not at the same time,” the joke goes. Correction–it was at the same time. How about Cybill Shepherd, Chris-
tian Bale, Art Garfunkel, Mikhail Gorbachev, Elizabeth Montgomery, Rex Harrison, Patty Duke. The Kinks. You’ve really got me going, Barnacle Billy’s! Anthony Perkins (Psycho). Sir David Frost. “Robert Goulet sang on the deck once,” according to co-owner Tim Tower, son of founder Bill Tower (1927-2013). Ask for Table 30, where the founders always held court. Tonight, a pound-and-a-quarter lobster, expertly pre-cracked and perfectly cooked, is $24. A generous order of sweet, succulent steamers with hot, melted butter is $21.95. Pie (with ice-cream, naturally) is $8.75. “We’ll have our own corn in August.” Because you fetch your meal, there isn’t even a space for a tip on the food receipt. Beverages, in contrast, come to your table. Barnacle Billy’s, founded during the Sputnik years, is still a blast. Located in the heart of the Ogunquit art colony and tourism mecca, this is high on our list of places that must never change. So what’s the added value? This is where summer lives. See the live webcam: www.barnbilly.com/newwebcam.cfm. n m ay 2 0 1 7 7 7
Dining Guide Anthony’s Italian Kitchen, offers homemade Italian cooking using the freshest ingredients, featuring favorites such as pizza, pasta,and sandwiches. Voted “Best in Portland” for three years. Dine-in and catering services on offer. Beer and wine available. Open 11-8 Mon. through Sat. 151 Middle St #5, Portland; and new location Cumberland County Courthouse, 205 Newbury St. anthonysitaliankitchen.com, 774-8668. Barnacle Billy’s, known for luxury lobster, steamed clams, large lusty drinks, barbecued chicken, homemade clam chowder & of course, the lobster roll & lobster stew. Features extensive indoor & sundeck seating where guests can enjoy both the beauty of the harbor & the ocean beyond. Perkins Cove, Ogunquit, 646-5575, barnbilly.com
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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 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
Scratch-made Nice People Totally Authentic l Feeney’s Bulportland’s pub 773.7210 375 Fore Street in the old Port Facebook.com/bullFeeneyS @bullFeeneyS
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Dinner Specials, Monday-Friday or our wonderful Port Side Lounge, Portland’s getaway for grown-ups. Happy Hour includes special menu Monday-Friday, 4-7 p.m. Open daily at 11 a.m., Commercial St., Old Port. Always FREE PARKING while aboard. 772-2216. Eve’s at the Garden, an oasis of calm and great food in the Old Port. Perfect for meetings and special occasions. Ingredients from Maine’s waters and farms. The seasonal Ice Bar is ideal for outdoor dining. Happy Hour Mon. - Fri.; free valet parking. Lunch 11:30 a.m. - 2 p.m., Dinner 5-9:30 p.m. 468 Fore St., Portland, 775-9090, evesatthegarden.com
J’s Oyster is a premier seafood destination and locals’ favorite with indoor and outdoor waterfront seating on one of Portland’s scenic piers. Established in 1977, J’s offers classic favorites and friendly service. Coastal Living claimed J’s one of “America’s Best Seafood Dives 2016.” Find us on Facebook. 772-4828 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 is open for the season! Enjoy New England cuisine with
an international twist. With local produce, seafood, a full bar, an award-winning wine list, and in-house dessert chef, Hurricane Restaurant has been nurturing the seacoast palate for over 25 years. Good restaurants come and go; great restaurants get better and better. Reservations suggested. 29 Dock Square, Kennebunkport. 967-9111, hurricanerestaurant.com
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. 772-9232, 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.-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 full-flavored 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.
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 Solo Italiano Traditional northern Italian cuisine mixes Maine freshness with Genovese flavor from international chef Paolo Laboa. Enjoy the crudo bar or the daily changing menu. Included in Food & Wine Magazine’s 2016 “What to Do in Portland, ME.” Open daily 5 p.m–10 p.m. 100 Commercial Street Portland, 780-0227, soloitalianorestaurant.com TIQA’s pan-Mediterranean menu features dishes inspired by the cultures and cuisines of North Africa, Southern Europe, and the Middle East. Executive chef/co-owner Bo Byrne partners with purveyors to procure hand-selected, sustainably-raised and sourced meats, seafood, cheeses, and produce. TIQA is open 7 days a week for lunch and dinner with brunch on Sunday. 327 Commercial Street, 808-8840 . *reservations recommended
Ogunquit Trolley Company
Call the OGUNQUIT TROLLEY COMPANY for more information (207) 646-1411 or (617) 417-2042, or visit OGUNQUITTROLLEY.COM m ay 2 0 1 7 7 9
GOULDSBORO, $2,900,000
44 WORKMAN ROAD, 660FT. FRONTAGE / 9.5 ACRES
SULLIVAN, $1,895,000
ROUTE 1, 900FT. OF COMMERCIAL FRONTAGE, 22.95 ACRES
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125 HAPPYTOWN ROAD, 380 ACRES, BLUEBERRY FIELDS
House of the Month
Oarweed Magic photos courtesy aland realty group
The cottage of daydreams in Ogunquit.
D
B y co li n w. sargent
arling, we’ve made it. We’re looking out the windows of the most perfect tiny cottage on Perkins Cove. And it’s not just the windows. A wraparound deck and garden terraces showcase the picture-perfect fishing fleet. The iconic white drawbridge is framed in the center of your view from lofty 11 Oarweed Lane. “This was an older home originally,” listing agent Chris Erikson says. “The property was redone completely in 2011 by Jerry D’Hart of Coastal Construction. The ownM ay 2 0 1 7 8 1
House of the Month
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An interior decorator, Giles has livened things up with her collection of local art. Among the canvases: “George Carpenter, Michael Palmer, Brad Kenney (artistic director at Ogunquit Playhouse), and Claire Bigbee.” The effect of the paintings is striking against the soft blues and greens of her contemporary seaside palette. “This house graced the cover of Coastal Home,” Erikson says. He walks to the imposing stone fireplace, where other art col-
ony painters may have warmed themselves as owners or tenants circa 1920-1950. “This is original. It’s wood-burning.”
T
here’s a “first-floor bedroom, with two bedrooms and a bath upstairs.” On the lowest level there’s a fourth room, presently being used as an office with bath. The wraparound deck on the top level makes you feel as though you’re on a ship. The kitchen is new, but still just a footnote to the memorable view. Besides, why cook when you’re steps from waterfront restaurants including M.C. Perkins, Barnacle Billy’s [see our review, page 77], Jackie’s Too, Oarweed Oceanside, Cove Café, and Foot Bridge Lobster. If you love Maine, this may be the center of the world. It’s where the gulls are. None of which answers the question, what the heck is an oarweed? An oarweed is a living variant of a ribbonlike brown kelp long and thick enough to stop a dory. Think laminaria digitata, magic and mermaids. The house is cooled by a scenic waterfall so close you can hear the white noise as snow runoff pounds into the cove. Price tag is $1.99M. Taxes (2015) are $7,191. View: priceless. n
photos courtesy aland realty group
er is a professional interior designer. She wanted to keep a Maine cottage feel.” He walks to the large bay window, the boats floating behind him. “This used to be a deck. Then it was closed in,” with a further deck beyond it. This cottage “was built around 1905,” says seller Andrea Giles. The first owner was “a fisherman, so the house even had a floor [with a hatch] that opened up to pass the fish through [from the cove below].”
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New England Homes & Living
“Your Real Estate Source for The Rangeley Region” OQUOSSOC It’s All About the View at this Custom Log Home Overlooking Cupsuptic Lake. Sunny Floor Plan, Attached 2-Car w/Workshop. Walk to the Kennebago River, Minutes to Mooselook/Rangeley Lake Boat Ramps. $325,000
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MOOSELOOKMEGUNTIC One of the Last Large WF Parcels on Mooselook! Beautiful Sandy Beach w/432’ Frontage, Rustic 2-BR Cabin 50’ from Shore, 4+ acres Wooded Privacy. $800,000
DALLAS PLANTATION Mooseridge Lodge – Impressive 5-BR Katahdin Cedar Log Home Offers Panoramic Mt/Lake Vistas, Top Quality Materials Throughout, Stainless/Granite Kitchen, Radiant Heat, Back-Up Generator. Detached 2-Car. $598,500
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Traditional 3-BR Log Cabin is Just Steps from 700’ Shared WF, Dock, Storage Barn. Relax to the Sound of Round Pond Stream, Also Includes Add’l Shared 18 acre Wooded Parcel. $219,000
End of the Road Privacy on 4 Wooded Acres! Comfortable 3BR Chalet w/Mellowed Pine Interior, Lake/Mt Views, Large Wrap-Around Deck. Deeded Rangeley Lake WTFRT with Dock. $299,500
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RangeleyLake LakeViews Views199 199Bonney BonneyPoint PointRd. Rd. Rangeley gemininthe the woods, this199 bed, bath home Lake Views Bonney Point Rd. A ARangeley gem woods, this 44bed, 33bath home sits acres southern A gem woods, 4 bed,exposure 3exposure bath home sits ononin 7 7the acres w/w/this southern && Rangeley Lake Views! $525,000 sits on 7 acres w/ southern exposure & Rangeley Lake Views! $525,000 Rangeley Lake Views! $525,000
RangeleyLake Lake13 13William WilliamRd. Rd. Rangeley Spacious bed,13 bath 4-season 4-season vacation Rangeley55Lake Rd. Spacious bed, 33 William bath vacation home on Rangeley Lake, 2 fi replaces, decks Spacious 5 bed, 3 bath 4-season home on Rangeley Lake, 2 fireplaces,vacation decks w/ views, 2 car garage. $639,000 home on Rangeley Lake, 2 fi replaces, decks w/ views, 2 car garage. $639,000 w/ views, 2 car garage. $639,000
Quimby Pond Pond 202 202 Quimby Quimby Pond Pond Rd. Rd. Quimby Pristine log home on Quimby Quimby Pond, known Quimby log Pond 202 on Quimby PondPond, Rd. known Pristine home for its fl y fi shing, has 4-season porch, garage Pristine log home on Quimby Pond, known for its fly fishing, has 4-season porch, garage w/ bonus room. $398,000 for its fl y fi shing, has 4-season porch, garage w/ bonus room. $398,000 w/ bonus room. $398,000
DallasHill Hill163 163Dallas DallasHill HillRd. Rd. Dallas 3 Bed, 2.5 bath, executive ranch-stylehome home Dallas Hill 163 Dallas Hill Rd. 3 Bed, 2.5 bath, executive ranch-style on 4.2 private acres, close to Saddleback Ski 3 Bed, 2.5 bath, executive ranch-style on 4.2 private acres, close to Saddlebackhome Ski Area! $225,000 on 4.2 private acres, close to Saddleback Ski Area! $225,000 Area! $225,000
LoonLake Lake15 15Chundo ChundoRd. Rd. Loon A traditional log cabin on theshores shores ofof Loon Loon Loon Lake 15 Chundo A traditional log cabin onRd.the Lake, 264-feet of private frontage, 2 bed, A traditional log cabin on the shores of Lake, 264-feet of private frontage, 2 Loon bed, 1 bath, a must see! $234,000 Lake, 264-feet of private frontage, 2 bed, 1 bath, a must see! $234,000 1 bath, a must see! $234,000
Gull Pond Pond 22 Ouananiche Ouananiche Rd. Rd. Gull Very rare, 294’ on Gull Pond, 88 buildings, buildings, Gull Pond 2 Ouananiche Very rare, 294’ on Gull Rd. Pond, traditional Maine log cabins connected by Very rare, 294’ on Gull Pond, 8 buildings, traditional Maine log cabins connected by 90-foot porch steps from the water! $589,000 traditional Maine log cabins connected by 90-foot porch steps from the water! $589,000 90-foot porch steps from the water! $589,000
Mingo Springs 71 Proctor Rd. Mingo Springs 71 Proctor Rd. Gorgeous Contemporary, bed, 2 bath, golf Mingo Springs 71 Proctor3 Rd. Gorgeous Contemporary, 3 bed, 2 bath, golf course views, finished basement, detached Gorgeous Contemporary, 3 bed, FP, 2 bath, golf course views, finished basement, FP, detached 2course car garage only $319,000. views,heated, finishedforbasement, FP, detached 2 car garage heated, for only $319,000. 2 car garage heated, for only $319,000.
Rangeley Lake 45 Wheatland Rd. Rangeley Lake 45 Wheatland Rd. Beautiful home on Rangeley Lake Rangeleywaterfront Lake 45 Wheatland Rd. Beautiful waterfront home on Rangeley Lake W/South Facing Views, 3,800 sq ft, Beautiful waterfront homeDock, on Rangeley Lake W/South Facing Views, Dock, 3,800 sq ft, 3W/South bed, 3 bath, FP, Views, Garage!Dock, $995,000 Facing 3,800 sq ft, 3 bed, 3 bath, FP, Garage! $995,000 3 bed, 3 bath, FP, Garage! $995,000
Mooselook Lake 529 Bald Mtn. Rd. Mooselook Lake 529 Bald Mtn. Rd. Turn Back Time, Classic Log Cabins, Mooselook Lake3529 Bald1932 Mtn. Rd. Turn Back Time, 3 Classic 1932 Log Cabins, Boat House, 7253Feet On 1932 Mooselook Lake, Turn Back Time, Classic Log Cabins, Boat House, 725 Feet On Mooselook Lake, 5Boat Acres, Private, Facing, Dock. $895,000 House, 725SW Feet On Mooselook Lake, 5 Acres, Private, SW Facing, Dock. $895,000 5 Acres, Private, SW Facing, Dock. $895,000
James L Eastlack, Owner Broker
James Owner 207-670-5058 | JLEastlack@gmail.com JamesLLEastlack, Eastlack, OwnerBroker Broker 207-670-5058 207-670-5058| JLEastlack@gmail.com | JLEastlack@gmail.com
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BRUNSWICK
Bramhall Row - 749 Congress Street, Portland Maine Surrounded by 14+ acres of rolling fields and woodland, this gracious residence with over 3,400 square feet of living space features an updated kitchen with breakfast nook, a formal dining room, mudroom, office and a large living room. The second floor offers a master bedroom suite, four additional bedrooms, two full baths, a convenient laundry room and a spacious family room. A back yard heated pool with patio, screened porch and decks complete the picture. 10+ acres of this special property are forever protected in conservation. This is a very special oasis located just three miles from downtown Brunswick. $549,000
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New England Homes & Living
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New England Homes & Living
South Portland Custom Designed Farmhouse 4 BR, 3 Full BA, 1 Half BA $775,000
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Scarborough Old Blue Point Estates Colonial 4 BR, 2 Full BA, 1 Half BA $519,000
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A thrilling new novel based on the true story of the largest fire in Maine’s history—from the author of
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An exquisitely suspenseful new novel about an extraordinary young woman tested by a raging fire and its devastating aftermath.
“ TOTALLY
IRRESISTIBLE” —Kate Christensen, Portland Press Herald
Knopf
AnitaShreve.com
Who would you be if you could begin again?
Fiction
Post Traumatic By Wren Pearson
Aliaksei Smalenski
C
all 911. I think I’m going to kill someone.” Jeff was prone to exaggeration. I walked the length of the parking lot to his apartment. He was standing on the curb, staring at my approach. “Did you call?” “No. I’m not calling 911 without knowing why.” He glared at me. “A guy at the bar was getting in my face. He kept pushing me, shooting off his
mouth. I left, but it’s not going away, so call 911 and tell them to send the fucking cops before I end up hurting you, too.” He’d never threatened me before. I was his consigliere. We took care of each other. I dialed the number. As I tried to explain the situation to the operator, Jeff kept interrupting. “Tell them to send the cops now!” The operator repeatedly asked if I were being threatened. Was I in danger? She wouldn’t listen to the backstory. They both
kept talking over me. I set the phone down, not knowing what to do. “Stay on the fucking line!” Jeff hollered at me. “You don’t hang up!” A fire truck was the first to arrive. High up in the cab, the two occupants looked down on the scene. Jeff stormed to the engine as the uniforms descended. “So what’s going on here?” the woman asked from the step of the truck while the driver rounded the front. Her tone was disMa y 2 0 1 7 9 3
Fiction
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missive as she took in Jeff’s tattoos. “I need to be handcuffed!” Jeff shouted. “I need to be cuffed and restrained now!” He was pacing back and forth by the truck, wrists out in front of him. “Just calm down,” the woman said. “Take it easy, man,” the driver said. “Calm down.” Calming down wasn’t an option. Blue lights bounced off the brick walls as the next vehicle arrived. Jeff kept moving, stalking up the lot toward the cruiser and the emerging officers. The firemen followed him. Jeff was pleading now. “Please, officers, cuff me. Handcuff me before I lose it.” The young cop on the left put his hands on his hips, on his belt. “Sir, tell us what’s going on with you.” Suddenly Jeff was looking around wildly. “Where’s Sharon?” he bellowed. “I can’t see Sharon! Where is she?” I started running, calling to him. “I’m here, Jeff. Hold on. I’m right here!” “Tell them!” he screamed as he caught sight of me. “I’m his caregiver. He’s an Iraq war combat veteran with severe PTSD. He’s got a Purple Heart and a Bronze Star, and he lost men in Baghdad. He’s unarmed, and he’s asking for your help! Please handcuff him now before this goes bad.” eff stood still, wrists out, arms shaking. The older cop nodded at me, stepped forward, and clicked the cuffs. Jeff let out a long breath then drew in more air and roared up at the night sky, straining against the the cuffs with all his might. His body seemed to swell in size like Bruce Banner transforming into the Hulk. He didn’t move from his spot. Every muscle in his body contracted, forcing the fury against the cage of his skin. A stretcher appeared. A paramedic with a syringe. The needle went in, but still he roared, straining against the handcuffs. Another syringe. He collapsed on the stretcher, and all six uniforms rushed forward to strap him down. Fully restrained, he stopped his howling, replaced by a small voice of tears as the gurney was rolled to the back of the ambulance. “I didn’t kill that child. I didn’t kill that child.”
9 4 p o r t l a n d m o n t h ly m a g a z i n e
… “Where to?” the ambulance driver asked me. “Mercy.” I could hear him swearing at people as I filled out forms with the nurses and police. They were trying to intubate him to pump his stomach, though I knew there were no drugs and not much alcohol in there. He hadn’t been downtown long enough. “This may take a while,” a nurse said. “Those two shots barely lasted the ambulance ride.” I sat in the open doorway, reading by the corridor light as two people slept on rows of chairs in the darkened lounge. The swearing faded away. Hours later, I moved to Jeff’s room, sitting at the foot of his bed. I watched the drainage bag slowly fill up with urine while he snored peacefully. He was released in the morning under the condition that he go immediately to the VA and meet with his psychiatrist, who was expecting him. “Sharon will take me,” Jeff said. The doctor saw the quick flash of panic on my face. I didn’t know what to expect anymore. “We can call the sheriff,” the doctor offered. “You don’t have to transport him.” But I knew I did. In the car, Jeff reclined the seat, making the journey in silence with his eyes closed. At the VA, I sat in the psych unit waiting room with combat vets from different wars. I’d been here before. A young guy behind me pulled out a Ziploc bag containing a dozen peeled, hard-boiled eggs and offered them to anyone within earshot. When Jeff came out of the locked hallway that led to his shrink’s office he was all smiles. His ride home was jubilant. “Doc said I handled this all real well. I got out of the situation to a safe place. I asked for help. No violence. No arrest. I did it all right.” “I’m proud of you.” As I parked the car, Jeff took out his cell phone. “I’m gonna call Brita and see if she wants to go roller skating. You wanna come?” I shook my head no. He got out and walked toward his place, already dialing the phone. I climbed the stairs to my apartment, locked the door behind me and cried myself to sleep. n
Take Take home home home more moremore than thanthan aaamemory… memory… a memory… TakeTake home more than memory...
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