Portland Monthly Magazine May 2018 by portlandmonthlymagazine

O l d p o r t N e w s | C l i f f H a n g e r s | Roc k e r E t h e r i d g e

2 018 o n sta g e Gina Yashere at SPACE

MAY 2018 Vol. 33 NO. 3 $5.95

w w w. p o rt l a n d m ag a z i n e . co m Maineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s city magazine

Edge of

Summer

Stay Sunday-Thursday during select dates through June 14,2018 and receive free daily water park admission! Some restrictions apply, and this offer is not valid during holidays and school vacation periods.

BOOK ONLINE OR CALL AND MENTION CODE: MWKL

800-RJACKET (800-752-2538) redjacketresorts.com north conway, nh

vacations perfected

• • • • • • •

The Forevermark Tribute™ Collection

FOR ALL T H AT YO U ARE A diamond for each of your qualities

www . days j e w e l e r s . co m ™

P r i va te Events | Corpora te Ce l e b r a t i o n s | Fa m i l y R e u n i o n s | We d d i n g s

Host an Adventurous & Unforgettable Experience on our Private Island in the center of Casco Bay.

Historic | Coastal | Scenic Contact our event planners and start realizing your dream event today! Casco Bay | Portland | Maine 207-536-8950

W W W . H O U S E I S L A N D E V E N T S . C O M

a n n a h small important luxuries

123 Ocean Avenue, Kennebunkport â&#x20AC;˘ 207-967-8640

DIAMONDâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S EDGE Gr e a t Di a mo n d I s l a n d P or t l a n d, M a i n e ( 2 0 7 ) 8 0 5 -9 8 3 6

R E S T A U R A N T

M A R I N A

on great diamond island, maine

Your Isl a nd State of Mind awaits you. Just a short fer ry r ide from the bustle of Portl a nd you c a n r el a x in luxur iously appointed rooms, enjoy gour met se aside dining, a nd stroll quiet be aches for the per fect M aine getaway.

proud partner properties of 4 6 8 F or e S t r e e t,

InnAtDia mondCove.com

P or t l a n d, M a i n e

Dia mondsEdgeR estaur antAndM arina.com

( 2 0 7 ) 7 75 -9 0 9 0

Portl andHarborHotel.com

Visit Once. Stay Forever. Stay at our luxurious waterfront resort and enjoy exclusive membership benefits at Boothbay Harbor Country Club. Play Golf on our world-renowned championship course. Experience our new fitness pavilion, pool, and tennis courts. Explore the coastline on one of our private yacht charters. Kayak, paddleboard, or walk across the historic footbridge to shops. Kick back, relax and enjoy majestic sunsets from our heated deck. www.BoothbayHarborOceansideResort.com

Reservations: 800-762-8433 Other: 207-633-4455 35 Atlantic Ave., Boothbay Harbor, ME

“Exceptional accommodations, spectacular locations and first-class amenities” – Tripadvisor Guest Experience the vacation of a lifetime! Stay in one of our five-star cottages and enjoy exclusive membership benefits at Boothbay Harbor Country Club. Play Golf on our world-renowned championship course. Experience our new fitness pavilion, pool, and tennis courts. Explore the coastline on one of our private yacht charters. Kayak, paddleboard, or simply relax and enjoy a craft cocktail with a breathtaking view. www.BoothbaySummerCottages.com 800-762-8433

SPRING FINE ART AUCTION | MAY 17TH, 2018 | @5:30PM To b e h e l d i n o u r N E W Au c t i o n F a c i l i t y a t

312 Gannet Drive, South Portland, ME

Auction Highlight: Master Work by Waldo Peirce

f f o d i r r a B

GALLERIES International Fine Art Auctions “Penobscot Gals”, 1938. oil on canvas. (43” x 31”)

The Auction Event of the Spring:

Sale Preview: May 16th, 10am-8pm | May 17th, 10am-5pm

INCLUDING WORKS BY: Marc Chagall, Pablo Picasso, Cecelia Beaux, Roy Lichtensein, Fairfield Porter, John Singer Sargent, William Zorach, Jane Peterson, Anthony Thieme, Edward Curtis, BereniceAbbott William Stanley Hazeltine, Jean Beraud, Charles Woodbury, Tom Crotty, Eliot Porter, Waldo Pierce, Eric Hopkins, Leroy Neiman, Gustav Klimt, Stephen Etnier, Al Hirschfeld, and many, many more...

B arridoff G alleries

312 Gannett Dr. South Portland, ME 04106

Learn more at:

w w w.Barridoff.com

FineArt@barridoff.com 207.772.5011 ME Auction License # AUC1627

SPRING FINE ART AUCTION | MAY 17TH, 2018 | @5:30PM To b e h e l d i n o u r N E W Au c t i o n F a c i l i t y a t

312 Gannet Drive, South Portland, ME

Highlights from our Upcoming May 17th Sale

SANDRO MILLER “Green Marilyn” AP 35” x 35” est $10,000-$12,000

JOHN SWANN “Cedar Pool” 14” x 20” est $5,000 - $7,000

f f o d i r r a B

FAIRFIELD PORTER “Lizzie with Guitar” 1973 est $3,000 - $5,000

GALLERIES International Fine Art Auctions

www.Barridoff.com

JOHN SINGER SARGENT Drapery Study II 28” x 18 1/4” est $9,000 - $12,000

LOUIS DARLING Mill Pool 16” x 20” est $900 - $1200

ROBERT SOLOTAIRE “138th Street Bridge” 8 1/4”x 13 1/4” est $900-$1200

ALAN MAGEE “Constellation” 20” x 30” est $8,000 - $10,000

JACQUES-ÉMILE BLANCHE Woman Reading 22” x 18” est $3,000 - $5,000

ROY LICHTENSTEIN “Crack” 18 1/2” x27 1/4” est $8,000 - $10,000

EDWARD CURTIS “The Basketweavers” 5 1/2” x 7 5/8” est $1,000 - $2,000

ELLISON HOOVER “Liberty”, 1940. 13 1/2” x 9” est $1,200 - $1,800

LEROY NIEMAN “Cheetah” 28 1/2” x 20 1/2” est $3,000 - $5,000

Sale Preview: May 16th, 10am-8pm | May 17th, 10am-5pm

B arridoff G alleries

312 Gannett Dr. South Portland, ME 04106

Learn more at:

w w w.Barridoff.com

FineArt@barridoff.com 207.772.5011 ME Auction License # AUC1627

MAINE MARITIME MUSEUM This is Maine. The rest is history.

June 9: Join us for Mary E Commissioning Day!

This summer, Maine Maritime Museum invites you to come aboard Mary E Celebrate the launching of the newly restored 1906 schooner Mary E – the oldest Maine-built fishing vessel still afloat.

www.MaineMaritimeMuseum.org/mary-e

243 Washington Street • Bath, Maine • 207-443-1316 • www.MaineMaritimeMuseum.org

M a i n e ’ s

C i t y

M a g a z i n e

May

from left: courtesy witch files; franÇois gagné for landvest realty; meaghan maurice Cover: David Burgoyne.

Art&Style

Maine Life

Perspectives

Food&Drink

Sam Bagala of Gray takes us behind the curtain of Hamilton’s groundbreaking national tour. By Sarah Moore

23 Concierge

18 Letters

Embark on fresh adventures with fungi. By Claire Z. Cramer

25 Up in Lights

27 Summer Theater Preview

21 Maine Classics 29 Experience 37 Chowder

39 Portland After Dark

Five directors cast Maine as the star of the silver screen. By Sarah Moore

“Naughty Portland” Kitty Kentuck, the sexy spirit of Portland’s night life, leads us on an unforgettable bar crawl. By Olivia Gunn Kostishevskaya

101 Fiction

47 What’s New?

57 Maine’s Close-Up

“The Pickup Artist” By Hank Garfield

Personalities

43 Come to the Window Melissa Etheridge looks back at 30 years in show business. Interview by Sarah Moore

What a difference a year makes. It’s time to meet the stars who have set-up shops in Portland to surprise you this summer. By Sarah Moore

16 From the Editor 79 My Maine

“Four Nations” Maine’s indigenous people reject a one-size-fits-all native narrative. By Maulian Dana

77 L’Esprit de l’Escalier “The Art of the Task” A Cinderella moment at the root of a word. By Rhea Côté Robbins

104 Flash

Shelter&Design

67 Hungry Eye

73 Libations

“Trending Into Maine” Navigate the hottest hop trends quenching Maine’s thirst this year. By Josh Christie

82 Dining Guide

83 Restaurant Review

Benkay delivers familiar favorites in new spaces. By Claire Z. Cramer

86 House of the Month Living on the edge in Cape Elizabeth. By Colin W. Sargent

92 New England Homes & Living

23 Cover: Gina Yashere performs at SPACE on May 18. See “London Calling,” page 23. m ay 2 0 1 8 1 5

Editorial Colin W. Sargent, Editor & Publisher

Portland’s best-kept secret for

20 years!

Celebrate and Save Come visit, mention this ad, sign up for our private mailing list, and join our birthday club. Est. June 1998

Skate America 1986 T

Simply Scandinavian

he 2018 Oscar for Best Supporting City goes to Portland, Maine, host site of “Skate America 1986,” which drives key scenes in I, Tonya. The way the movie tells the story, the Cumberland County Civic Center is where Tonya Harding got her first big break. The international event took place here in Maine from October 13-19, 1986. The superscript PORTLAND, MAINE appears on the footage depicting the CCCC, now known as Cross Arena. In a field of skaters, emerging star Tonya Harding won the long program and took second overall. To see the real Harding skate during the competition in our actual Civic Center, not the Hollywood one, visit youtube.com/watch?v=BJuZuqr8nXQ. Nineteen eighty-six was the year we started Portland Monthly. We were just five months old when the Forest City hosted Skate America 1986. To set the mise en scène, our magazine was mixing an astonishing interview with Marguerite Yourcenar with coverage of “The Velocity of Money in Portland,” “The New Urban Cliff Dwellers,” “Hot Young Artists.” The top grossing film during Skate America was Crocodile Dundee, replacing Top Gun. Though Skate America 1986 was a global event, we went local with our coverage. In this column, I gave a shout-out to Skate America and our local hero Dr. Doug Brown of OA Center For Orthopaedics, acting physician for the event. (Dr. Brown was captain of his Bowdoin hockey team and Exeter’s.) In the Skate America finals, Brian Boitano won the gold medal; Viktor Petrenko of the USSR took the silver. Kristi Yamaguchi was a newcomer, skating in the pairs division. In the end (or was it the beginning), Tiffany Chin of the U.S. beat Tonya Harding for the Gold. What’s the takeaway? Portland is a twilight zone between Pictured top: Tonya Harding before and after. Saints and strangers are among us right performs at Skate America in now. As readers, let’s catch them as they take flight. Portland,1986. Harding recently returned to our screens on Dancing with the Stars, Monday nights on ABC. Pictured lower: Orthopedic surgeon Doug Brown.

19 TEMPLE ST

PORTLAND

207 874 6768 SIMPLYSCANDINAVIAN.COM 1 6 p o r t l a n d m o n t h ly m a g a z i n e

E x t r a o r d i n a r y P e r spe c t i v e

MONTHLY

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

duckfeetusa.com

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

Sarah Moore Assistant Editor & Publisher sarahm@portlandmonthly.com Olivia Gunn Kotsishevskaya Communications Director olivia@portlandmonthly.com Diane Hudson Flash Jason Hjort Webmaster Colin S. Sargent Special Features & Archives Experience Events Portal: portlandmonthly.com/portmag/submit-an-event/ Mira McKenney Intern accounting Eric S. Taylor Controller eric@portlandmonthly.com

Original Danish handcrafted leather boots. Since 1975.

subscriptions To subscribe please send your address and a check for $39* (1 yr.), $58* (2 yrs.), or $68* (3 yrs.) to

Portland Magazine,165 State Street Portland, ME 04101 *Add 5.5% if mailed to a Maine address. or subscribe online at www.portlandmagazine.com

Readers & Advertisers

The opinions given in this magazine are those of Portland Magazine writers. No establishment is ever covered in this magazine because it has advertised, and no payment ever influences our stories and reviews. Portland Magazine is published by Sargent Publishing, Inc. All correspondence should be addressed to 165 State Street, Portland, ME 04101. Advertising Office: 165 State Street, Portland, ME 04101. (207) 775-4339. Repeat Internet rights are understood to be purchased with all stories and artwork. For questions regarding advertising invoicing and payments, call Eric Taylor. Newsstand Cover Date: May 2018, published in April 2018, Vol. 33, 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.

Available @

Portland Magazine is the winner of 72 American Graphic Design Awards presented by Graphic Design USA for excellence in publication design.

S a r g e n t

Publishing, inc.

@duckfeetusa M AY 2 0 1 8 1 7

letters editor@portlandmonthly.com gazine Portland Ma

ddings Es | Wild WE rban Coyot sorting | U ExtrEmE rE

aPril 2018

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

Rustic Xanadu

Imagine

Your Perfect Summer

2 Vo l u M e 3 3 , n o.

That’s my daughter! Thanks for choosing my photo for your April cover! It’s a photo I took of my daughter at the top of Maiden’s Cliff, looking out over Megunticook Lake in beautiful Camden, Maine. Annette Hazzard, Camden Women On The Move Thank you for your article [“We’ve Come A Long Way, Baby…Haven’t We?” February/March 2017]. It brought back a lot of memories. I attended the National Women’s Conference in Houston in 1977. I graduated from Maine School of Law in 1975 and opened the first all-women law firm in Portland that fall. There were 80 students in my class, seven of them were women. The scores for the seven women on the LSATs averaged 50 points higher than the

207-772-4045 • MONUMENT SQUARE

PORTLAND’s Landmark BOOKSTORE WWW.LONGFELLOWBOOKS.COM 1 8 p o r t l a n d m o n t h ly m a g a z i n e

men’s scores that year, indicating there was still gender discrimination in admissions. There were only 10 women in Maine in private practice when I graduated, and only one female judge. I was Chair of the Maine Women’s Lobby for its first two years and served on the Board of Directors for six years. I practiced law as a civil rights attorney and

Wher e Recyclin g has Always bee n in Style still continue my involvement with moving forward on civil rights and other current issues. I went to the Women’s March in Washington, D.C., last year. Several women who traveled to D.C. on a bus together came back to Maine and formed March Forth, a resistance organization based in the Portland area. Kim Matthews, Westbrook spruced up [See “Resorting…to Extremes,” April 2018] A lovely story! Thank you for leading with Spruce Point Inn. I love sharing the magic of the place. Stephanie Seacord, Boothbay Gala gifts Thank you very much for your donation of two two-year Portland Monthly subscriptions to the Maine Maritime Museum Mariners Award Gala, and thanks for helping to make the event a success. Amy Lent and Rebecca Roche, Maine Maritime Museum

Forget Me Nots

“Tapping has turned my life around! ” — Stephen M.

Now located at The Shops at Falmouth Village, 240 U.S. Route One

Now acceptin g season al cloth in g and accessor ies 781-8252 U.S. Route One Falmouth, Maine

Tues–Fri 10–6 Sat 10–5 Sun 12–5

forgetmenotsfalmouth.com

EFT Tapping KarenStClairEFT.com 207-878-8315 2.25” x 4.875” KSC_EFT-PM-ad-0418 March 30, 2018 2:52 PM DGD

She means Business [Pictured above] Delegates from Portland and Bangor to the National Federation of Business and Professional Women’s Clubs annual convention at Richmond, Virginia, July 6-11, 1931, posed before traveling by train to the event. From left to right: Florence Webber, Helen P. Ayer, Dr. Ruth E. Emery, president of the Portland Club; Mrs. Orrilla Morris, Florence Dole, Marcia O’Donnell, Minnie V. Smith, Annie Boothby, Florence Liscomb and Nellie Turner, all of Portland; and Maud A. Aymar, Flora E. Weed, Alice M. Hart, Eunice Coney, Grace M. Rice, president of the Bangor Club; and Elizabeth I. Firth, all of Bangor; and Gertrude Veazie of Brewer. M AY 2 0 1 8 1 9

YOU'RE FIERCE. YO U ' R E FE A R L E S S . BUT ARE YOU FINANCIALLY FIT? Financial fitness is all about having a healthy relationship with your money and a long-term plan for staying in good financial shape. With decades of planning experience, Jay Tobias and his team at Katahdin Financial Group can help you navigate life changes and strive to make your money last so you can pursue a life you love. When you have a clear road map to where youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re going, you can take time to enjoy the view along the way.

Jay

Cam

Judy

To start the conversation, give us a call at (541) 668-6615, email jay@katahdinfg.com or visit us online at www.KatahdinFinancialGroup.com. Securities and advisory services offered through LPL Financial a Registered Investment Advisor, Member FINRA/SIPC.

The Village Expands A Wells candle company lights the way to Europe. Village Candles is taking its Maine-famous scents to the U.K. and the rest of continental Europe. Company president Jeanne Hulit expects international sales to double in the next two years as scented candles grow ever more popular overseas, according to the Portland Press Herald. The factory currently employs around 60 full-time employees and produces 35,000 candles a day. Hulit says Europeans favor natural scents such as florals, while Americans prefer the aroma of fresh baked blueberry muffins wafting through the house.

Clockwise from top left: courtesy photos; deering high photo by corey templeton

Ram Pride

Architectural Digest says Deering High School is a true stunnah. The school has been honored as Maine’s most beautiful public high school, along with 49 others from each state. The Stevens Avenue school was built in 1922 by Maine architect John P. Thomas in the Tudor Revival style, which incorporates Medieval English design traditions. Deering boasts a star-studded alumni, including actresses Anna Kendrick and Andrea Martin, as well as writer Annie Proulx. Two Portland Monthly staffers are also Deering graduates, our founding editor/publisher Colin W. Sargent and design director Meaghan Maurice.

Dinner & Conversation

Taking reservations now: Salt and Sauce, a new community platform offering family-style dinners from the managers of LB Kitchen. Over a three-course meal, chefs will walk diners through their meal. “There’s so much to learn about what goes into cooking, sourcing, preparation, and drink pairing, but there really isn’t a venue or group that offered all of it,” says Chloe Kessell, co-founder with Cecelia Bye. The first dinner was held in March by LB Kitchen chef and owner Lee Farmington and Mike Francis of South Portland Wine Co. To make a reservation, visit the events page at lbkitchenportlandme.com.

The Great War World War One may have ended in 1918, but it changed society forever. To celebrate the 100th anniversary of the WWI armistice, The Brick Store Museum in Kennebunk will show From the Kennebunks to the Argonne Forest: The Great War that Changed Us through 2018. “This is something that affected small towns like Kennebunk and Kennebunkport,” says executive director Cynthia Walker. “We’ve written the exhibition script to include the overarching changes that happened during the war [civil and women’s rights, immigration reform, etc.] while also focusing on personal stories of those that lived here.”

Uncle Sam’s got new kicks. New Balance, which operates three Maine factories in Norway, Skowhegan, and Norridgewock, will put nearly 1,000 Mainers to work manufacturing sneakers for the military. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King, along with Representative Bruce Poliquin, have pushed for shoes to be included in the 1941 Berry Amendment, which requires military members to wear American-made uniforms. The $17.3 million contract will last for 18 months.

M AY 2 0 1 8 2 1

The Vision Goes On The Vision Goes On in Portland, Maine Maine in Portland,

JUNE 17-24, 2018 JUNE 17-24, 2018 LEWIS KAPLAN, DIRECTOR

LEWIS ADMINISTRATIVE KAPLAN, DIRECTOR ELLIE CHATTO, DIRECTOR ELLIE CHATTO, ADMINISTRATIVE DIRECTOR Sunday, June 17 neral17 , Ju thed ’s Ca ndkeay Su St. Lu

o to a grand choral work thed solral Caom ch ’s- Fr St Bake Al.l Lu a grand choral work All Bach - From solo to

Tuesday, June 19 ral 19 y, thJuedne da ’s Ca eske Tu St. Lu yond Beral anthd ed Lue ke Ba’schCa St Be.for Before Bach and Beyond

Saturday, June 23 onal Church neati23 Jureg Co,ng tuourd thay Sa Falm

Thursday, June 21 ne aim21 Ch e Et, zJu urgosd guay Th Syna

Profane andaim e Et guSa crezdCh goch: Sy . Ba J.Sna truments insne ueofa roq credbaand Pr Saon Pe.rfo ch:ed Barm J.S instruments Performed on baroque

ALL CONCERTS 0TPSM 7:E3R ATNC GINCO ELL BA BEGIN AT 7:30 PM

ngrtregational Church Conce thCo ouch Fa ee Ba Frlm Free Bach Concert

Sunday, June 24 l ne dra24 , Juthe ’s Ca ndkeay Su St. Lu

the Twl o Giants el:dra Cand ked’sHa Luan St Ba.ch ants Bach and Handel: Two Gi

TICKETS AVAILABLE AVAILABLE byTICKETS phone, website or at the box oﬃce by phone, website or at the box oﬃce

BachVirtuosiFestival.org BachVirtuosiFestival.org 20 Myrtle Street, Portland, Maine 04101 | 207.842.0800 20 Myrtle Street, Portland, Maine 04101 12-6 | 207.842.0800 Box Oﬃce Hours: Mon-Sat Box Oﬃce Hours: Mon-Sat 12-6 © 2017 Brian Kaplan © 2017 Brian Kaplan

$100/person Series Pass — Four Concerts June 17, 19, 21 & 24 $100/personIndividual Series Pass — Four Concerts June 17, 19, 21 & 24 ticket pricing for concerts: $35/personIndividual in advance, $40pricing at the for door (space permitting) ticket concerts: $35/person in advance, $40 at the door (space permitting)

Clockwise from top left:thompson’s point; cmbg; courtesy photos

1London Calling

When London-born Gina Yashere crossed the Pond in 2007, she risked leaving behind a successful comic career for a date with the unknown. After all, the former elevator engineer from East London had enjoyed sold-out shows and slots on prime-time television. But among a sea of white, male comedians, Yashere was frustrated with being cast as the “token” black, queer female in the mix. A decade later and a continent away, Yashere has sold three comedy specials to major networks and landed a spot on The Hollywood Reporter’s “Top 10 rising talents” list. In British terms, she “broke” America. “My comedy has always been broader, more American in style,” Yashere says. “That staid, dry British wit isn’t what I do.” You can watch Yashere’s appearance on Season two of The Standups, now showing on Netflix. The path to stardom has proven more open and accepting on this side of the Atlantic. “I’m not saying there isn’t misogyny and racism in American comedy and entertainment, because there is, but I’ve also found a much greater scope of opportunities. My last project was called Ticking Boxes. When I worked on [British comedy panel show] Mock the Week and conversations about diversity came up, they’d always hold me up as an example, like ‘We hired Gina, look!’ I know I was hired because I’m consistently good, but I also tick those boxes for the producers.” On May 18, Gina Yashere will be raising the roof at Space Gallery, her first appearance in Maine. “I’m constantly touring. It’s been a great way to see more of the United States. I’ve been surprised to find these little oasises…or is it oases? These pockets of great people and places in red states. I loved Boise, Idaho. Loved it. The rest of Idaho? Not so sure. I’ve never been to Maine, and I know zero about it. That’s why I want to come–I’m like, ‘Let me go to Portland, Maine!’ It’s a very brief visit, but I’ll be doing one of my hotel reviews [watch the selfconfessed germaphobe’s hotel reviews on Instagram @ginayashere]. If all goes well, I’ll plan to come back for a longer trip and explore.” –By Sarah Moore

The Sound of Summer

Nothing says summer quite like dancing in the sea breeze with a glass of ice-cold beer. When Thompson’s Point hosts the first musical act at its waterfront venue, you know that time is now. Psychedelic rock band Portugal. The Man (not to be confused with Portugal. The Country) will help Mainers shake off the cobwebs with a rousing set on May 26. Tickets are $45 on the day of the show.

Love in Bloom

Welcome the official start of the summer season with a bounty of dazzling flowers and plant life at Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens. During Memorial Day Weekend (May 27-29), Boothbay’s verdant jewel will offer free admission to all residents with a valid state I.D. Explore and admire the flora of mid-coast Maine as you wander the gardens at your leisure.

All Roads Lead to Belfast

For one day in May, Belfast transforms from city to sprawling stage. On May 19, All Roads Festival will return for its third year. Attendees can wander the city, stopping into venues along the way throughout the day to catch their favorite local indie band in action. Meander your way from Waterfall Arts, where When Particles Collide will ignite the crowd at 7 p.m., to The First Church to catch Spencer Albee at 9:15 p.m., before racing the The American Legion to raise the rafters with headliners Ballroom Thieves. Tickets are $30 on the day.

Indigenous Craft Travel to Pesamkuk, or Mount Desert Island, from May 18-20 to experience the inaugural Abbe Museum Indian Market in downtown Bar Harbor. The market will be the largest of its kind in the northeast, bringing together more than 75 Native American artists and performers from 35 Nations across the U.S. and Canada. Visitors can browse and buy the unique items handcrafted by gifted Indigenous artisans. The event will also include a fashion show, film festival, storytelling, dancing, music, and crafts.

M AY 2 0 1 8 2 3

T he Arts

Up In Lights From homeschool to Hamilton: Gray-native Sam Bagala takes us on his journey on tour with the world’s biggest musical.

from top: hamilton national tour,Joan Marcus; kris rogers

ow do you land the role of a lifetime before you’ve even passed a quarter century? If you’re Sam Bagala, you start young. At 13, the precocious musician from Gray had his first paid gig playing keys for Lyric Theater’s production of Beauty and the Beast. By 17, he was thrown before a cast of Broadway stars as the teenage Musical Director at Maine State Music Theater. Less than a decade later, he was “riding a tour bus somewhere through the Midwest” when a voicemail across the airwaves delivered the news he’d been waiting for: Bagala had won his spot on Hamilton–the Broadway Box-office-smashing hip hop musical by Lin-Manuel Miranda that tells the all-singing, all-dancing, all-rapping story of the birth of our nation through a culturally diverse lens. A graduate of the Boston Conservatory and USM’s Early Study program, Sam Bagala is now on the road with the Hamilton troupe for the play’s first excursion beyond Broadway. This month alone, he’ll bounce

By Sa rah Moore

from California to Georgia and on to Nevada. After that? “I’ve lost track,” he says. Bagala is the show’s full-time musical associate, splitting his talent between the orchestra pit and backstage. “I love the diversity of my job,” he says. “Once a week, I’ll conduct the entire evening performance.” With his back to the vast audience, Bagala’s baton steers the 10-piece orchestra and cues the singers through the play’s 46 soaring musical numbers. On other days, “I play first or second keys.” Outside of per-

formances, he “might lead music rehearsals with new cast members, teaching them the scores and lyrics.” Five months into the role, Bagala knows the Hamilton playbill like a first language. Behind the scenes, he’s been every character on the cast. “I play five to six dance rehearsals a week, performing the number for the dancers to follow.” The genre-bending Hamilton score features a musical spectrum that ranges from show tunes to hip hop. A one-man rendition takes vocal gymnastics to a new level. “I can be playing the piano while simultaneously rapping three different parts. Watching as I play the keys and cover the three-part female harmony and rap in ‘The Schuyler Sisters’ is particularly funny to experience.” Early Inspirations Childhood in Maine sounds like “Marley, Springsteen, Buena Vista Social Club–and plenty of world music,” Bagala says. “My parents aren’t musicians [he outstripped his mother’s piano tutelage at five], but our M AY 2 0 1 8 2 5

Th e Arts

DUSTLESS SANDING. CUSTOM FINISHING. SUPERIOR SERVICE.

Dean Leslie (207)-252-9025 CascoBayHardwoodFlooring.com

2 6 p o r t l a n d m o n t h ly m a g a z i n e

Theater between high school and his early twenties from 2009 to 2015.

n the snatched moments he’s not on the road with Hamilton or the shows that preceded it, Rent and Elf: The Musical, Bagala lives in New York City. He tries to escape to Maine whenever he can. “The Hamilton tour comes to Boston in September. I’m hoping to get a week off to come back and see my family in Gray and visit Ogunquit Playhouse and Maine State Music Theater.” Then it’s back on the highway bound for North Carolina and a new state every week thereafter. Can he conjure a dream beyond touring with the world’s musical-of-the-moment? “It’s funny, someone on the cast said that the other day: ‘What do you do after you’ve done Hamilton?’ It could tour for another 20 years. I’d love to write my own shows and work with other musicians. I spend most of my time at the piano composing. It’s the most rewarding and organic process, and I want to continue to be as creative as I can.” n

courtesy Photo

family loves music. I remember plunking away on my grandma’s piano in Rumford every Christmas. I actually played the Hamilton score on her out-of-tune keys last holidays after I learned I’d landed the job!” Homeschooled until 13, Bagala’s cacophony of influences left its mark on both himself and his brother, Marcus–a score-writer for TV and film. A classically trained pianist, Bagala was regularly playing paid

gigs at community theaters, and later professional theaters like MSMT and Ogunquit Playhouse, throughout his young years. “It was a great feeling to be a teenager and get paid for playing the piano. I realized I wanted to make a career out of this.” During this time, the limelight called out for a moment–“I starred in the ensemble at the Lyric, Portland Stage, and Hackmatack”– but Bagala ultimately decided his destiny would be below the footlights. Unlike Anna Kendrick, his Maine musical theater peer, Bagala didn’t shoot off to New York and LA at a young age. By his twenties, he’d become a seasoned veteran of summer stock theater across the state. “I feel so lucky to grow up in such a small and supportive community where I had so many opportunities to learn,” he says when asked if he felt he grew up far from stage school. Bagala’s personal bio ballparks around 800 performances with Maine State Music

Su mmer T heate r Pr evie w

Carousel Music Theater, 196 Townsend Ave., Boothbay Harbor. 100 Years of Broadway, Jun. 21 - Jul. 21; All Hands On Deck, Jul. 24 - Aug. 9; You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown, Aug. 12 - Sept. 2. 633-5297.

Spritzo is a boutique kitchen and bathroom showroom that boasts a great selection of toilets, sinks, showers and faucets. The Spritzo team works with homeowners and industry professionals to build bathrooms and kitchens that are comfortable and compatible with your lifestyle.

Celebration Barn Theater, 190 Stock Farm Rd., South Paris. Work Bash Weekend, May. 19 & 20; Bouffon, Jun.4-9; Retreat with the Show Doctor, Jun. 11-16. 743-8452 Cold Comfort Theater, The Crosby Center, Belfast. The Boys Next Door, Jun. 7-16; The Tempest, Jul. 20-29; Love Letters, Aug. 29. 930-7244 Enchanted April, May 4-20; The Producers, Jul. 20-Aug. 5. 282-0849 1932 Criterion Theater, 35 Cottage St., Bar Harbor. Tanglewood Marionette’s Dragon King, Jun. 30; Tanglewood Marionette’s Sleeping Beauty, Jul. 21; The Maine Comedy AllStars, Jul. 21. 288-0829. Deertrees Theater, 156 Deertrees Rd., Harrison. A Betrothal and The Universal Language, Jul. 12 & 20 & 27 ; The Amazing Adventures of Louis de Rougemont (As Told By Himself), Jul. 14 & 19 & 27 & Aug. 4; The Turn of the Screw, Aug. 9. 583-6747 Fenix Theatre Company, at Deering Oaks Park, Portland. Three Sisters, Jul. 13-

Visit our afﬁliated showrooms Worcester, MA • Providence, RI

Newton, MA

91 Industrial Park Rd. Saco, ME • SplashSpritzo.com

M AY 2 0 1 8 2 7

Summer Theater Preview Footlights Theater, 190 US-1, Falmouth. The Ladies’ Guide to Life & Laughter, Jul. 10-Aug. 30. 747-5434 Freeport Community Players, 30 Freeport Performing Arts Center, Holbrook St., Freeport. One-Act Showcase, Jul. 12-29; I’ll Be Back Before Midnight, Sept. 13-30; 865-2220 Good Theater & St. Lawrence Arts,76 Congress St., Portland. Opera Maine presents Three Decembers, Jul. 13. 885-5883 Hackmatack Playhouse, 538 Route 9, Berwick. Lend Me a Tenor, Jun. 15-30; All Shook Up, Jul. 4-21; The Bridges of Madison County, Jul. 25-Aug. 11; Dial M for Murder, Aug. 15-Sept. 1. 698-1807 Heartwood Regional Theater Company, Lin-

coln Academy, Newcastle. Bloomsday, May 11 & 12; Down Along the Cove, Jun. 29-30 & Jul. 1 & 6-7; 563-1373

Lakewood Theater, 75 Theater Rd., Madison. Women in Jeopardy, May 24-27, 30-31, Jun. 1-2; Incorruptable, Jun. 7-10 & 13-16; Little Shop of Horrors, Jun. 21-24 & 27-30; Jenny's House of Joy, Jul. 5-8 & 11-14; The Irish...and How They Got that Way, Jul. 19-22 & Jul. 25-28; The Legend of George McBride, Aug. 2-11; A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Aug. 16-19 & 22-25; Anne of Green Gables, Aug. 30-31 & Sept. 1-8. 474-7176

8-25. 725-8769

Mayo Street Arts, 10 Mayo Street, Portland. Harry Jameson– Pieman Theater Co., through May 20; Bellatrix with Einstein, Little Homonculus, Jun. 8. 879-4629

Gaslight Theater, Winthrop St., Hallowell. Witness for the Prosecution by Agatha Christie, Jun. 15-17 & 22-24; Marriage Murder, Aug. 24-26 & 31, Sept. 1-2; 626-3698

2018 Season

JUNE 6 - 23

Get ready for highoctane excitement when STOMP comes to Merrill Auditorium, May 17-19.

Lyric Music Theater, 176 Sawyer St., South Portland. The Foreigner, Jun. 8-17. 799-1421 Lewiston-Auburn Little Theatre, 30 Academy St., Auburn. 12 Angry Men, Jun. 8-17; Young Frankenstein, Aug. 10-19. 799-1421 Mad Horse Theatre, 24 Mosher St., South Portland. The Explorer’s Club, May 3-20. 747-4148

207-725-8769

JUNE 27 - JULY 14

PLUS!

Maine State Ballet Theater, 348 U.S. Rte. 1, Falmouth. Dancer’s Choice, Jun. 20-21; Hansel and Gretel, 9-18; The Magic Toy Shop, Oct. 6-14. 781-7672 Maine State Music Theatre, Pickard Theater, 1 Bath Rd., Brunswick. Million Dollar Quartet, Jun. 6-23; Beauty and the Beast, Jun. 27-Jul. 14; Saturday Night Fever, Jul. 18-Aug. 4; Singin’ in the Rain, Aug.

MSMT.ORG

JULY 18 - AUG 4

Nasson Little Theatre, 457 Main St., Springvale. NYT presents Princess and the Pea, May 11-20;The Edwards Twins, Jun. 2; Jon Stetson, Jun. 8; Good Theater presents Underwater Guy Jun. 23-24. 842-0800 Merrill Auditorium, 20 Myrtle St., Portland. Dirty Dancing, Jun. 18-19; The Marriage of Figaro, Jul. 25 & 27. 842-0800 Ogunquit Playhouse, 10 Main St., Ogunquit. Smokey Joe’s Cafe, May 16-Jun 9; Oklahoma! Jun. 13-Jul. 7; An American in Paris, Jul. 11-Aug. 4;

BRUNSWICK, ME

AUG 8 - 25

With Portland Stage Opening August 14 Tickets on sale now at portlandstage.org

TICKETS ON SALE APRIL 25 2 8 p o r t l a n d m o n t h ly m a g a z i n e

from left: junishi taakahashi; sokvonny chhouk

Aug. 5. 400-6223

Experience Grumpy Old Men: The Musical, Aug. 8-Sep. 1. 646-5511

Over 125 performances throughout downtown Portland, June 16-23.

Penobscot Theatre Company, Bangor Opera House, 131 Main St. The Spitfire Grill, through May 13. 942-3333

The Portland Players, 420 Cottage Rd., South Portland. Titanic, May 18 - June 3. 799-7337

Portland Fringe Festival, downtown Portland.

774-0465

Portland Stage, 25 Forest Ave. Sex and other Disturbances, through May 20.

Fringe Benefits

Public Theatre, 31 Maple St., Lewiston. The Midvale High School 50th Reunion, May 4-13.; Everybody Loves Pirates! May 20. 782-3200 Saco River Theater, 29 Salmon Falls Rd., Buxton. Hiroya, May 25; A Bridge Under A Sound Under A Town, Jun. 2. 929-6472. Schoolhouse Arts Center, 16 Richville Rd., Standish. Once Upon a Mattress, May 18-20; Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep, Jun. 1-3; Seussical, Jul. 12-19. 642-3743 Theater at Monmouth, 796 Main St., Monmouth. Season 49: ROAR! The Year of the Woman. 933-9999

Portland’s seventh annual Fringe Festival will flood the Art’s Districts with entertainment from June 16-23,with over 125 “genre-defying performances” by 35 talented artists. Venues include Portland Stage Studio (25A Forest Av.), Bright Star World Dance (108 High St.), SPACE Gallery (538 Congress St.), and Mechanics Hall (519 Congress St.). Tickets start at $10.

Art

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

Senior Thesis Exhibition 2018, through May 27; 786-6158 Bowdoin College Museum of Art, 245 Maine St., Brunswick. Art from the Northern Plains, through July 8; AEGYPTUS: Egypt in the Greco-Roman World, through July 15. 725-3275 Center for Maine Contemporary Art, 21 Winter St., Rockland. Jacob Hessler + Richard Blanco: Boundaries, through May 27; Screen: Adam Lampton: Museums, through May 27; KJ Shows: Portrait of an Artist, through June 3; John Moore: Resonance, through June 17. 701-5005 Colby College Museum of Art, 5600 Mayflower Hill Dr., Waterville. City of Ambition, through Aug. 26; 859-5600

Farnsworth Art Museum, 16 Museum St., Rockland. Andrew Wyeth: Temperas and Studies from the Wyeth Collection, through - Oct. 21; Ai Weiwei: Circle of Animals/Zodiac Heads, Mar. 24 - Dec. 30; Andrew Wyeth in Rockland, Apr. 7 - Nov. 4; Maine: The Farnsworth Collection, opens May 12. 596-6457 First Friday Art Walk, downtown Portland. Visit local galleries, studios, and museums. May 4; June 1. Greenhut Galleries, 146 Middle St. Two Person Exhibition: Matt Blackwell and Kathi Smith, through June 2; John Whalley, Jun. 7-30; David Driskell Solo Exhibition, Jul. 5 - 28. 772-2693 Maine Historical Society, 489 Congress St.Longfellow’s Cocktail Party & Magical History Tour, May 11-12; Beer in

Huge Factory Sale from Southern Maine’s Newest & Largest Electric Bike Dealer Colt Classic Commuter E-bike LOADED! Sale priced

Internet pricing with NO shipping costs!

1799

Boar Camo Off Road Fat Bike for outdoor enthusiasts Sale priced

2199

COME IN & TEST DRIVE THE HOTTEST NEW RIDE IN MAINE – THE E-BIKE!!!

Electric Bikes of Maine.com Rt. 25, Gorham • 702-BIKE

HOURS: Tu-Th 9-5 | F 9-6 | Sa 9-4 (Closed Su & Mo)

A Division of Frost & Flame | Directly across from Sebago Brewing location M AY 2 0 1 8 2 9

Experience

Maine Maritime Museum, 234 Washington St., Bath. BIW: Building America’s Navy, May 18Dec. 31. 443-1416 MECA, 522 Congress St., Portland. 2018 MFA Thesis Exhibition, May 11-Jun. 8, 775-3052 Portland Museum of Art, 7 Congress Sq. The 2018 Portland Museum of Art Biennial, through June 3; The Robbers: German Art in a Time of Crisis, through July 15. 775-6148 Richard Boyd Art Gallery, 15 Epps Street. Paintings in Oil, through Apr. 29; A Walk in the Woods: American Landscapes, through May 29. 221-4499 UNE Art Gallery, 716 Stevens Ave. Opening Reception for Inside The

Cube: Looking Back Over 40 Years, through July 15. 221-4499

Music

Aura, 121 Center St. Jonathan Davis, May 11; 1964: The Tribute, May 17; Third World, May 18; Rising Appalachia, May 22; Andrew McMahon and Friends, Jun. 08; Awolnation, Jun. 20; Sara Evans, Jun. 30; Voyage: A Journey Tribute, Jul. 06. 772-8274 Blue, 650 Congress St. Irish Nights, every Wed.; The Happy Hour, every Thurs.; Jazz at Blue, every Sat.; Rexy Dinosaur, May 17; Dark Hollow Brewing Co., May 20; The Ghosts of Johnson City and Sassquatch, May 25; The Middle Eastern Jazz Project, May 26. 774-4111 Darling’s Waterfront Pavilion, 1 Railroad St.,

Bangor. Jason Aldean, May 27; Imagine Dragons, Jun. 8; Logic, Jun. 9; Foreigner, Jun. 15; Paramore, Jun. 21. 358-9327 Empire, 575 Congress St. Rich Vos, May 18; Jahriffe & JAH-N-IRoots Band, Jun. 8; Southern Culture on the Skids, Jun. 27. 747-5063 Jonathan’s Ogunquit, 92 Bournes Ln., Ogunquit. Suede, May 26. 646-4526 Maine Academy of Modern Music, 125 Presumpscot St. May 6; 2017 MAMM Slam: Finals, May 12; The MAMM stage at the Old Port Festival, Jun.10; MAMM Presents: The Kids Are Alright Series- Dustin LeVasseur & Andrew Hodgkins Jun. 10. 899-3433 Merrill Auditorium, 20 Myrtle St. STOMP, May 17-18; Darci Lynne, Jun.

Historic. Intimate. Vibrant. MAY 31 JUNE 16 JUNE 22 JUNE 23 JUNE 28 JUNE 29 JUNE 30 JULY 7 JULY 9 JULY 12 JULY 13 JULY 14

KEVIN NEALON WELL-STRUNG RUSTIC OVERTONES w/MYRO ROOMFUL OF BLUES MISS RICHFIELD 1981 THE BEAUTIFUL ONES: PRINCE TRIBUTE* THE AWESOME: 80s TRIBUTE* THE ADAM EZRA BAND DEEP BLUE C STUDIO ORCHESTRA LINDA EDER JIM MESSINA PAULA COLE

*$10 of every ticket will be donated to the Maine Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association as part of our Alzheimer’s Awareness Weekend.

Visit our website for the full schedule www.vinhillmusic.com/port

3 0 p o r t l a n d m o n t h ly m a g a z i n e

Trixie Mattel will bring the glamour to State Theatre on May 18.

24; Lindsey Stirling, Aug. 2. 842-0800 One Longfellow Square, 181 State St. Matthew Logan Vasquez, May 15; THE BAND Band, May 18; Louis Apollon, May 23; The Sea The Sea, May 30; Caroline Cotter, Jun. 6; Eric Bettencourt, Jun. 7; Dar Williams,

Jun. 10 761-1757 Port City Music Hall, 504 Congress St. Fleetmac Wood Presents Rumours Rave, May 11; Citizen, May 24; Parquet Courts, May 25; Alvvays, May 29; Hop Along, Jun. 1; David Wax Museum, Jun. 2; Typhoon, Jun. 3; Lez Zep-

courtesy photo

the Garden:Crime and Punishment May. 15. 774-1822

M AY 16 - JUN 9

JUN 13 - JUL 7

JUL 11 - AUG 4

GET YOUR TICKETS TODAY! 207.646.5511 â&#x20AC;¢ OgunquitPlayhouse.org Rte 1 Ogunquit, ME

AUG 8 - SEP 1

SEP 5 - OCT 28 All titles subject to

change.

Experience pelin, Jun. 6. 956-6000 Portland Symphony Orchestra, 20 Myrtle St. The Return of Norman Huynh, May 2122; . 842-0800 Space Gallery, 538 Congress Street. Broken Shadows, May 17; Amy Reid, May 25; La Luz with Gymshorts, Jun. 5. 828-5600 State Theatre, 609 Congress St. MisterWives, May 16; Trixie Mattel, May 18; Apocalyptica, May 25; Tash Sultana, May 30; Belle and Sebastian, May 5; The Decemberists, Jun. 10. 956-6000 Stone Mountain Arts Center, 695 Dug Way Rd. Séan McCann, May 18; John Gorka, May 19; Keb’Mo’ Band, May 23; DuoDuo Quartet, May 25; Harry Manx, May 26; Rodney Crowell, May 27; Alejandro Escovedo, Jun. 2; Rose Cousins and Mark Erelli, Jun. 8. 935-7292 Waterville Opera House, 93 Main St. 3rd Flr., Waterville. Seussical, Jun.15-17 & 22-24; The Bolshoi Ballet: Coppelia, Jul.1, 873-7000

Comedy

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

Andy’s Old Port Pub, 94 Commercial St. Nick Crowley, Kevin Neales, & Krystal Kamenides, May 5. 874-ANDY Blue, 650 Congress St. Portland Comedy Co-Op Presents Worst Day of the Week, every Mon. 774-4111

Head to the Award-winning Boothbay Harbor Opera House this Season! Grammy-winning

Rodney Crowell May 26

Beyond Bluegrass

Kruger Brothers

The Sensation!

Joe Newberry & April Verch Frank Vignola Jazz Trio American roots blues

The Subdudes

Yes Darling featuring Ryan

Montbleau

Empire, 575 Congress St. First Friday Comedy, first Fri. of every month; Sunday Night Stand Up!, every Sun.;. 558-2279

June 1

Rhiannon Giddens

June 21 June 23 June 29

July 7

“IBMA guitarist of the year”

July 21

AND! Patty Griffin, Hot Club of Cowtown, John Doyle, Arsentiy Kharitonov, Weight Band, Eileen Ivers, Seth Glier, Coig, Thornetta Davis, Della Mae, Suzy Bogguss, Ellis Paul & more! Advance DISCOUNTED Tickets Available Only from the

BOX OFFICE

633-5159

Shows at 7:30 PM, Open All Year, Free Parking 86 Townsend Avenue Boothbay Harbor More calendar listings at www.boothbayoperahouse.com

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

Lincoln’s, 36 Market St. Laugh Shack Comedy, every Thurs. Jonathan’s Ogunquit, 92 Bournes Ln., Ogunquit. “Nick is Right” Comedy with Nick DiPaolo, May 4. 646-4526 Johnson Hall, 280 Water St., Gardiner. Capital City Improv, Apr. 28; Maine Event Comedy, May 19. 582-7144 One Longfellow Square, 181 State St. Bob Marley, May 19. 761-1757

July 11

Molly Tuttle July 13 Grammy winning voices Chanticleer

Bull Feeney’s, 375 Fore St. Portland Comedy Showcase, every Wed. 773-7210

Somerset Abbey, 98 Main St., Madison. Maine Event Comedy: Stand Up, May. 11. 696-5800 Space Gallery, 538 Congress Street. Gina Yashere, May 18. 828-5600 Stone Mountain Arts Center, 695 Dug Way Rd. Bob Marley, May 17. 935-7292

Tasty Events

Aurora Provisions, 64 Pine St. Two to three free tastings each month on Tuesdays. 871-9060 Gourmet Gala, Ocean Gateway. A celebration of food featuring samples from local

restaurants and caterers, wine, and beer. Plus: Corporate Chopped Challenge live cooking event. Apr. 10.

YEARS

Leroux Kitchen, Portland. Free wine tastings on the 2nd Saturday of each month, 1-3 p.m. 553-7665

Lolita Vinoteca + Asador, 90 Congress St., Portland. Tapas Mondays, every Mon. 3:30-10:30; wines paired with small plates. 775-5652

C L A S S I C S • E D U C AT I O N • M U S I C A L S • N E W W O R K S

2018

Local Sprouts, 649 Congress St., Portland. Music Brunch with Sean Mencher and friends, every Sun.

DOWN ALONG THE COVE – an Original Work – June 29-July 7 THE SECRET GARDEN – July 20-28

HEARTWOODTHEATER.ORG

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. Whiskey Wednesday, weekly. 761-8GIN Wine Walks with Erica Archer, Old Port. Delicious Italy, May 19; Wine & Food Walk in Portland's West End: Spain, May 26; Wines & Oysters Walk in Portland, ME, May 27; Wine & Food Walk in Portland's East End: French Reds, Jun. 2; White Wine & Oyster Shucking Social, Jun. 2; Wine & Food Walk in Portland, ME: Loire Valley, Jun. 9. 619-4630.

Film

Portland Museum of Art, 7 Congress Sq. RBG, May 18-20. 775-6148

Literary Events

LFK, 188 State St. Word Portland, a monthly reading series featuring original writing from authors on the first Mon. of every month. 899-3277

Boarding ~ Lessons Training

Specializing in Quarter Horses

Maine Historical Society, 489 Congress St. Portland Monthly First Friday Fiction, May 4; Jun. 4. 774-1822 Print: A Bookstore, 273 Congress St. Bestselling authors Jacqueline Sheehan, Randy Susan Meyers, and Ellen Meeropol present their latest works, May 16; Owen Laukkanen presents Gale Force, May 17; Tommy Pico on JUNK and Joseph Osmundson, Inside/ Out, May 21; Ada Calhoun presents Wedding Toasts I’ll Never Give, May 21; Julie Falatko presents Two Dogs in a Trench Coat Go to School, May 29; Alan Lightman presents Searching for Stars on an Island in Maine, May 30. 536-4778

Don’t Miss

Annual May Day Festival, Downtown Kennebunk. Craft markets, live music, climbing wall, and a parade to celebrate spring, May 5. 604-1341

A ride to remember 25 East Mark Dr. Kennebunk, Maine | 207-590-7528 | EASTMARKFARM.COM

Bug Light Kite Festival, 55 Bug Light Park, South Portland. Presented by the South M AY 2 0 1 8 3 3

design.style.sustainability

Experience Portland Historical Society, this annual festival features live music, a fundraising barbeque, demonstrations, and an impressive kite-flying spectacle, May 19. 767-7299 Damariscotta Oyster Celebration, Downtown Damariscotta. Tour and taste the best of the region’s oysters, Jun. 14-16 Hard Cider Run, “Dash through the Eastern Promenade in pursuit of hard cider,” a 5K presented by Urban Farm Fermentory, May 12. 773-8331 Mother’s Day Garden & Tea Open House, Neziscot Farm, Turner. Enjoy tea, explore the greenhouses and gardens, and indulge in brunch and lunch specials, May 12-13. 225-3231 Sugarloaf Marathon and 15K, 5092 Access Rd., Carrabassett Valley. Sugarloaf Marathon and 15K, a Boston Marathon qualifying race, May 20. 800-THE-LOAF Stand Up Paddleboard Sunset Tour, Portland Paddle, East End Beach. Take a leisurely paddle along the Portland waterfront, topped off with a panoramic view of the sun setting over the city, starting May 25. 370-9730

207-632-1257 www.janrobinsoninteriors.com

–Compiled by Sarah Moore and Mira McKenney. To submit your own event listing, visit: portlandmonthly.com/portmag/ submit-an-event/

THE LITTLE THEATRE Southern Maine’s Most Intimate Performance Venue

WWW.NASSONEVENTS.COM 457 MAIN STREET, SPRINGVALE, MAINE 207.324.5657 3 4 p o r t l a n d m o n t h ly m a g a z i n e

APRIL 20-28

The Originals Present

EDUCATING RITA A comedy by Willy Russell MAY 12

MILLTOWN ROADSHOW MAY 25

HIROYA JUNE 2 & 3

A BRIDGE UNDER A SOUND OVER A TOWN By Stowell Watters JUNE 9

C.J. CHENIER AND THE RED HOT LOUISIANA BAND Tickets & Info: 207-929-6476 or SACORIVERTHEATRE.ORG 29 SALMON FALLS RD, BAR MILLS, ME

A two-person exhibition : May 3 - June 2

Opening reception Thursday, May 3, 5-7pm

Manifesto

Matt Blackwell

Above and Beyond

Kathi Smith

146 Middle St. Portland, Maine | 207.772.2693 | info@gre enhutgalleries.com | www.gre enhutgalleries.com M AY 2 0 1 8 3 5

Clockwise from top left: courtesy photos; jeremiah trimble; mira mckenney; courtesy photo

Our Arbitrator

Ambassador Rick Barton, former Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations, and Portland Monthly columnist, dissects America’s role in global conflicts in his new book, Peace Works: America’s Unifying Role in a Turbulent World. Barton hopes the book, due to be published May 15, will engage a “broader public in expanding peace. So much of what I learned in Maine served me as I represented the U.S. and the U.N. in more than 40 conflicts.”

For the

Birds

THWACK! What’s more startling than a study session violently interrupted by a bird’s unfortunate death by window pane? Students at the University of New England can study in peace, knowing they won’t witness bird strikes at the new Ripich Commons on the Biddeford campus. A group of students petitioned for feature bird-safe glass after taking Associate Professor Noah Perlut’s Advanced Field Methods in Avian Ecology and Conservation class. The glass breaks reflectivity, making it visible to birds flying through high migration area. “Humans can see it at an angle, or in a reflection, but it disappears in a straight on perspective,” says Alan Thibeault, UNE’s Assistant Vice President for Planning.

A car crash may have killed Patrick Dempsey’s character, Derek Shepherd, a.k.a. Doctor McDreamy, in Grey’s Anatomy, but that doesn’t mean the show has lost its Maine touch. York native and former Portland Monthly team member Tameson Duffy is the new staff writer. Her first episode, “Old Scars, Future Hearts,” aired last month. “I moved to LA in 2002 and attended the UCLA screenwriting MFA program. I worked as an assistant to actors and writers. I poured drink samples at grocery stores, and I was even a dog nanny. Working in the writer’s room is a whole new animal.” Before moving to LA, Duffy attended the University of Maine and performed with South Portland’s Mad Horse Theatre.

East Coasters

Maine’s newest recycling venture might be right under your pint. Maine Coasters and Bio-Boards uses pine and spruce pulp and leftover grain from breweries to make drink coasters. According to the company’s website, nine out of 10 beverage coasters are developed with products from Germany. Maine Coasters and Bio-Boards aims to bring the product closer to home. “The idea came about as I explored Maine’s breweries and tasting rooms and saw the clear connection between the industry’s art and marketing,” says founder Kai Smith. “Coasters are an easy way for a brewery or restaurant to establish its brand identity.”

Fingers were pointed recently, after scientists claim Maine lobstering was to blame for the decline of whales in the North Atlantic. NPR reports that 17 whale deaths were caused by entanglements or ship strikes in 2017. Patrice McCarron, executive director of the Maine Lobstermen’s Association, says Maine’s lobster industry has been fishing with modified gear since 1997. “Scientists have documented that right whales are spending far less time in the waters off of the Maine coast and more time in the unregulated waters of the Gulf of St. Lawrence in Canada. Last year’s cluster of whale deaths in that region underscore the need to implement mitigation measures in areas where whales are present.” The whales are in your court, Canada.

M ay 2 0 1 8 3 7

Your personal vacationland is here. Welcome to the Anchorage.

Just a short drive from Portland and Boston, the Anchorage Inn and Resort is a complete oceanfront destination, featuring over 200 rooms and suites, 2 outdoor and 2 indoor swimming pools, Sun and Surf oceanfront dining, a poolside café, fitness center, resort-wide WiFi, and more.

For Reservations,call 207-363-5112

For casual but cool dining anytime, try the Sun and Surf!  Serving seaside breakfast, lunch & dinner  Your favorite cocktails  Eat in/take out  Beachfront deck  Enjoy creative takes on fresh New England seafood & more! On the beach, across from The Anchorage Inn.

Ask about our catering & wedding packages! 207-363-2961

265 Long Beach Ave., York Beach, Maine  anchorageinn.com

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

Naughty Portland It’s hard to imagine the Portland we know today, teeming with bars and breweries, as a place where one once had to slink through a backdoor to get a little loose.

meaghan maurice

By Olivia Gunn Kostishevskaya

aine first banned the manufacturing and sale of spirits in 1851, but in Portland, a town built on rum, taverns continued to operate undercover. Rum runners, bootleggers, and the like smuggled in booze, selling it on the sly. Don’t you just wonder what a bar crawl might have been like at the time! If you’re intrigued by shadowy lounges, basement pubs, and raucous dives, come with me. Does anything survive of these early places? Tonight, my wing man is none other than the ghost of Kitty Kentuck, who made a fortune investing in our darker passions. Catherine Landrigan, a.k.a. Kitty, sailed into the Forest City in 1846. By 1851, she was convicted for selling liquor and sanctimo-

niously vilified for running brothels. But for all of her court run-ins, Kitty was a woman with reduced options but unquenchable entrepreneurial inspiration. Men envied her business savvy and gift for knowing where and when to earn money, which brought her all sorts of friends in high places. At the height of her financial arc, she purchased property from writer and visionary John Neal, the cousin of Gen. Neal Dow, Portland’s mayor and the Father of Prohibition. To Neal, Kitty was “a poor, but generous, kind-hearted Irish woman.” Poor like a fox! According to Dow, she kept “a notorious groggery” and troubled police, though he did admit (and in his circle this must have prompted gossip) that she was “once very handsome.” But to those visiting Portland in need M AY 2 0 1 8 3 9

P ortland a f t e r da r k

of a drink and company, Kitty was…Well, perhaps the sailors say it best: O, I goes down to Kitty Kentuck’s, I gets my whack three times a day; Where the ding-bat’s on the table, Four and six the bummers pay. Good Time Girl We start out in the Old Port, where Kitty ran her “boarding house” at 22 Hancock Street, strategically situated to draw clients from the harbor. Searching for a 21st century pairing (even if Stormy Daniels isn’t

on CNN on the bar TV as you enter)? Why not try the “cold beer and hot sausage” at Tomaso’s Canteen–a sure fit for a Kentuck kind of night. Tomaso’s sits in a cozy nook off Middle Street. While the spot no longer bears the reputation of its predecessor, Sangillo’s, it’s a refreshing rough-andtumble alternative to the smooth neighborhood favorites nearby (Eventide, Hugo’s), which Kitty may have considered too tame. Squeezing into the bar at tiny Tomaso’s is a feat in itself during a weekend, let alone grabbing a seat. Luckily, two members of

“At Lincoln’s, I paint a picture of busty corsets, coat tails, and bawdy jokes told through wheezing laughter and sing-alongs.” Bramhall sits just steps from the home of the Father of Prohibition himself and Kitty frenemy Neal Dow. Just before you reach Dow’s former residence, you’ll pass the location (the balcony, where employees could wave to passersby, is a tell) of the onceinfamous Parisienne Sauna, a salacious “massage parlor” up until the 1980s. Whiskey to the left of him, sex to the right

our motley crew have been drinking since early afternoon, and we’re able to saddle up to the bar between them. With “Black Velvet” blaring from the jukebox, we order a round of beers and two tequila shots for Kitty and me. Hang on, it’s time for a “Sweet Caroline” wave. Downtown & Dirty ontinuing most indiscreetly, there’s no draw in Portland like Rosie’s free popcorn and $1.50 Miller Lite drafts. At this price, someone else is bound to feel charitable and pick up the tab, chest puffed high. I think of the Moon Girl, a fixture on the beer’s logo since 1907, toasting her “champagne,” and imagine she shares the spirit of Ms. Kentuck. Rosie’s pub makes the perfect pit-stop, and, running into more friends, “this round’s on me” rings through

The Dance Hall

Augustus King once ran a dance hall and brothel on Munjoy Hill, the location of the crudely named “Whorehouse Riot of 1849” that left several wounded and one man dead. According to Trudy Irene Scee’s Dancing in Paradise, Burning in Hell: Women in Maine’s Historical Working Class Dance Industry, the riot started after a July 4th argument between King and a group of sailors. Following several brouhahas that summer, including one imbroglio involving a cannon fired into King’s home, an angry mob gathered on King’s property and set fire to his dance hall. 4 0 p o r t l a n d m o n t h ly m a g a z i n e

Congress Street: the Chastity belt? Today it’s dotted with bars, specialty shops, and galleries, but Congress Street was once a haven for kink. Before reopening as one of Portland’s favorite music venues, the State Theatre screened adult films, and in the late 1980s, you could catch a porno matinee at the building that hosts Geno’s

Clockwise from top left: maine craft distilling; library of congress; meaghan maurice; bramhall

Rock Club. the air like a hallelujah. The after-work crowd has started to pack the floor, but we snag one of the dartboards along the back wall and go through the motions of a game. It’s hard to be confident when one friend, Stefan, dares us to call out numbers as he ticks them off one by one. His girlfriend strolls up with, “Call any number. I’ll do it with my eyes closed.” Atta girl! We can’t possibly continue this crawl without checking into Lincoln’s, the speakeasy below Market Street. Though I’ve been to this bar more than enough times to know where the door is, it gets me every time. Lincoln’s makes for the perfect nightcap joint with its $5 drinks, meaning the bar is usually packed. It’s closing in on 10 p.m., more friends have gathered, and while it’s hard to hear even yourself, the crowd is in a great mood. Groups line the walls, lounging over sofas and corner tables. One posse is nestled in the back of the bar where entertainment typically sets up, its centerpiece a vintage velvet couch–a likely spot for the spirit of Kitty to hold court at the end of a night. As a romantic, I paint a picture of busty corsets, coat tails, and bawdy jokes told through wheezing laughter and sing-alongs. You can learn more about Catherine Landrigan in Matthew J. Barker’s The Irish of Portland, Maine: A History of Forest City Hibernians. You’ll find she wasn’t handed an easy life. She lost all of the wealth she’d made for herself in the 1866 fire, leaving her destitute in a shanty, where she died at 56. But, as tragic as Kitty’s life ended, she was a self-made woman known to sailors and local politicians alike. I’d have loved just one round with the Queen of the Portland Night. n

SPONSORED BY

BUY TICKETS: 207.774.0465 www.portlandstage.org 25A Forest Ave, Portland, ME

M AY 2 0 1 8 4 1

The Matchmaker

of Maine

I s n ’ t T hat…

Come to the Window Melissa Etheridge will serenade crowds in Union and Orono this summer. I n t e rvi e w B y s a rah moore

rom the moment she broke onto the music scene in 1988, Melissa Etheridge has forged her own destiny. In the past thirty years, the songwriter has recorded 14 studio albums, collected Academy and Grammy awards, overcome breast cancer in 2005, and advocated tirelessly for the LGBTQ community.

You’re playing among the vines at Savage Oakes Winery on June 16. What can the audience look forward to?

photo by john tsiavis

I’ll be performing my classics like “Come To My Window,” “I’m the Only One,” and “Bring Me Water.” There’s a good handful of songs I know everyone wants to hear, and I love to play. Then I dig a little deeper into my albums. I’ve played in wineries for the past couple of years now. They’re some of the most beautiful places in the world, so I’ve folded that into my tour schedule, although I’m not really a huge wine drinker. I’m more of an herbal girl. It’s been 30 years since the release of your eponymous debut album. How has the music industry evolved during that time?

When I came into the business in the late 1980s, we’d call around radio stations to try and convince them to play my songs. They’d respond “Thanks, but we already M AY 2 0 1 8 4 3

SUMMER SUMMER ART ART SALE SALE 2018 2018

collect. –build your art collection / make a difference –build your art collection / make a difference

PM 29, 10AM-6 E N JU Y, A ID FR • M -6 P AM-6 29, 10AM PM E N JU JUNE 28,, 10 Y, A ID FR • M THURSDAY, P 28 10AM-6 AM-6PM JUNE 30,, 10 THURSDAY, JUNE SATURDAY, 10AM-6PM SATURDAY, JUNE 30 Don’t miss Collect, MECA’s 2018 invitational Don’t miss Collect,the MECA’s invitational art sale, featuring work 2018 of MECA faculty, art sale, featuring the work of MECA faculty, staff, alumni, students, and friends. Build your staff , alumni, students, and friends. Build your collection while making a difference - a portion collection while making a difference - aFund. portion of each sale benefi ts MECA’s Annual of each sale benefits MECA’s Annual Fund.

meca.edu/collect meca.edu/collect

Choose from a wide range of Choose a wide rangeby of work in afrom variety of media work in a variety of media by established and emerging artists. established and emerging artists. Now more than ever we need to Now more than ever we need support art and arts education.to support art and arts education. MEDIA SPONSORS MEDIA SPONSORS

SPONSORS SPONSORS

Isn ’ t T hat… have a female artist.” It got better in the 1990s. That was a glorious time. There were so many great musicians playing and recording very important music. Of course, after that, I experienced the advent of the digital age. I’m not going to say it’s bad–music is still just as important now. I have four kids, and I see how technology allows them to access different artists. It’s helped me, too. It allows people to listen to my earlier work, and it’s given me more control and reach with my songs. I can interact with my fans directly. If you could give any advice to yourself back then, what would it be?

Just take it one day at a time–you have lots of time and life to live. Try to love yourself as much as looking for someone else to love you. Do more sit-ups.

“In the 1980s, we’d call around radio stations to try and convince them to play my songs. They’d respond “Thanks, but we already have a female artist.” You’ve always been an outspoken musical figure. Do you think artists have a duty to stand up and speak out?

It’s a personal choice. You can’t say do be political with your music; you can’t say don’t. For me when I started out, my work was so incredibly personal I was compelled to be honest. I can’t imagine being any other way. I have no regrets about speaking out on the issues I have. Your final show of the national tour is at the Collins Center in Orono on September 29. Do you plan to take a little downtime in Maine?

I love Maine, especially in the summertime! I usually visit Portland once a year. There’s not much time for relaxing with four kids. I’m usually writing and recording and staying busy and creative. Sometimes going out and playing a show is the most relaxing thing I can do. n M AY 2 0 1 8 4 5

Coming may 2018

The essenTial hoTel experience By focusing on the little things, we’ve created something big. Something new. The AC Hotel Portland Maine is built from the ground up with a visionary’s spirit and a designer’s eye. It’s an experience that feels stylish, yet efficient. Alluring, but purposeful. Every detail is considered to provide just the beautiful essentials. A New Way to Hotel.

PoRTLanD Located in the old Port district on the historic site of the grand Trunk Station For more information call 207.747.1640

158 Fore Street Portland, mE

D o w ntown

What’s

New?

A fresh crop of entrepreneurial dreamers is ready to ignite your summer. By Sarah Moore

meaghan maurice

ust when you feel you’ve got the whole city memorized by heart, you turn a corner and dazzling new restaurants, bars, and shops waiting to be explored. Portland is as restless and shifting as the sea that surrounds it. So take a deep breath and dive into the new Old Port… and beyond. Exchange Street Evolution On the last night of 2017, we said goodbye to Sonny’s cocktail bar and hello to Black Cow at 83 Exchange Street. Housed in the same gorgeous 19th-century former bank that provides the picturesque backdrop to Tommy’s Park, Black Cow is nonetheless a very different beast from its predecessor. Gone are the sultry red walls and heavy drapes, replaced by a vibrant teal paint and dovegray banquettes. Chef de cuisine Nicholas Nappi describes the casual restaurant as “elevated classic Americana”–think succulently greasy cheeseburgers made on dense, house-made buns and drizzled with caramelized tomato mayo and mustard, “cured and ground right here.” Heady nostalgia is apparent in the playful menus (Slushburgers are Sloppy Joes for the Instagram world), newly installed soda fountain, and shake bar. Before you panic, the original Sonny’s bar remains, along with much of its original staff and a pared-down list of 10 fancy cocktails. “We started afresh with the bar program,” Nappi says. “The new menu features citrus-forward drinks and whiskeys that cut through the grease of the burgers.” The air of M AY 2 0 1 8 4 7

Downtown

From left: Lobster grilled cheese at Highroller Lobster Co.; Tessa Storey and Mark Barnett of Higher Grounds coffee shop and apothecary hope to see a new wave of local businesses to Wharf Street; Carefully curated homewares and gifts at Fitz & Bennett.

classic kitsch and Black Cow’s reasonable prices ($5 hamburgers) are sure to appeal to parents and their kids alike. The restaurant looks a lot less friendly for those with dietary restrictions–most options contain meat and dairy. À La Cart cross Exchange Street you’ll find the brick-and-mortar realization of Highroller Lobster Co. food cart. The punchy design of the interior–a vibrant red and white canteen–and the creative menu list dispel the notion of a lobster roll joint as a seasonal enterprise. As if to prove this, Andy Gerry and Baxter Key opened the restaurant’s (lobster-red) doors in the depths of December. If you like your lobster shacks with a little edge, you’ll feel right at home with a tasty taco made of crisped cheese, filled with a bounty of lobster meat, fresh romaine, and lashings of lime mayo.

Wharf Street, But Not As You Know It The narrow, cobbled walkway tucked parallel to the bustle of Commercial Street is an after-hours destination for fine dining (think Street & Co., Central Provision) and after-after hours debauchery (think Bonfire and Oasis nightclub). Mark Barnett hopes to change your mind. The owner of Wharf Street’s uber-chic new coffee shop and apothecary, Higher Grounds, has a 4 8 p o r t l a n d m o n t h ly m a g a z i n e

big dreams for this little street. He moved into 45 Wharf Street in October 2017, after he connected with landlord Joe Cooper over a shared vision for its future. “We really want to shift the public perception of Wharf Street. Imagine if it could be pedestrianized–we could create boulevard with a European feel right here.” Grab a Speckled Ax coffee and light bite and take a seat among the tropical plants and succulents (some of them whimsically adorned with name tags) amid shelves of locally made tinctures, tonics, and salves. Barnett hopes to expand his herbal offerings in the near

“We want to shift the public perception of Wharf Street. Imagine if we could create boulevard with a European feel right here.” –Mark Barnett

future–he’s following state legislature closely to see if the possibility of expanding Higher Grounds into a cannabis retail space could become a viable prospect. “The space next door [49 Wharf Street] is empty. If cannabis retail becomes a legal possibility, we could always expand.” In the meantime, “we’ll be open till around 7 or 8 p.m. this summer, and we’ll have patio seating out front of here and 49 Wharf.” Retail-Orientated You can indulge more than your taste buds in the Old Port. A sleek set of boutiques and international brands has found its perch along these narrow streets in recent months. If the food scene leaves you feeling inspired to flex your own Epicurean muscles, SKORDO at 372 Fore Street has all the gadgets and ingredients you could desire to at least look the part of the Michelin-star chef. John Karonis and his family launched the business online in 2016. “SKORDO is Greek for garlic,” he says, a nod to his family’s heritage, though it’s not all Hellenic wares. The tastefully designed storefront sells everything “from ceramic rice cookers to Tunisian tagine pots.” Pick up a bag of Greek seasoning and a pot of Maine blueberry pork rub to add a rush to your grills and picnics this summer. Beyond the kitchen, find interior design inspiration at the petite Fitz & Bennett

from left: courtesy Highroller lobster; meaghan maurice; mira mckenney

LobsterShirt.net

showroom on 43 Silver Street. The store is carefully curated to resemble a Pinterestworthy array of enviable ceramics, throws, and tchotchkes. “Portlanders loves local art and handmade artisanal objects, but we’re practical, too,” says owner Lauren Siviski. “I want to make sure someone can come in with $50 or less and find something really exciting to keep or give as a gift.” On the corner of Tommy’s Park and Middle Street, clothing retailer Rambler’s Way installed a 5,000-square-foot storefront to showcase the brand’s upscale eco-clothing line. Launched by Tom Chapell (of Tom’s of Maine fame), the shop offers Merino-wool and organic cotton basics. The clothes are 100-percent American-made, though the style is classically British–think Meghan Markle crossed with Kate Middleton. Jump aboard the “athleisure” train with a trip to lululemon on 18 Exchange Street. The global brand opened its first Portland store on Milk Street in 2010, but closed several years later. The new shop front on one of the Old Port’s busiest thoroughfares assures visitors it’s “Here to be, here to stay,” according to hand-lettering on the windows. The minimal, sleekly lined interior is an expression of the brand’s ethos of clean living, exercise, and authenticity. Pop in for a pair of snug yoga pants or information on the store’s exercise classes and events. Expect to leave with your wallet feeling significantly lighter.

Fine Cotton Polo Shirts with the Lobster Logo Hats Too!

minkahome.com

Monhegan Towel Warmer...

www.islandinnmonhegan.com - 207.596.0371 M AY 2 0 1 8 4 9

D owntown You Can Always Go Downtown urther uptown, the action continues with exciting new eateries popping up along the fertile stretch of Congress Street. Here, two architectural treasures recently found their second lease on life. The Roma Café, which brought foodie delight to Portlanders long before we were ever considered foodies, rises from its ashes to offer classic red-sauce Italian fare in The Rines Mansion at 767 Congress, where the restaurant lived from 1936 until 1989. If you’re weary of modern dining, with its communal tables and trend-driven ingredients, find a table at the tastefully reimagined Roma and order up a plate of spaghetti, meatballs, and Caesar salad…and enjoy. Just 250 feet away, The Francis Hotel in the Mellen E. Bolster House has shaken off its dust sheets to begin a new life as a hip boutique hotel with accompanying restaurant, Bolster, Snow & Co. Described by owners Nate DeLois, Tony DeLois, Jake DeLois, and Jeff Harder as a “restaurant with rooms,” the petite hotel (named for famed

architect Francis Fassett) is an homage to its history, with restored fireplace and classic furnishings dotted around the living spaces and 15 bedrooms. Lafayette, We Are Here Another historical face peeks out from the corner Park and Congress from the lobby of the Lafayette Building. When you catch a glimpse of Teddy Roosevelt’s toothy grin, you’ve come face-to-face with the area’s latest high-end cocktail joint, Sagamore Hill Lounge. Owner Ryan Deskins describes Sagamore as “a world-class place to get a

NOW OPEN

drink inside a former luxury hotel–which happened to be built during Roosevelt’s first term.” There will be beer and wine along with “a selection of presidentially inspired drinks. The Rough Rider himself was fond of mint juleps, with fresh mint from the White House garden. Sagamore Hill is a place that we think Teddy would happily saddle up to today.” On the same row, tucked in beside Merchant & Co., Poké Pop will fuse the popularity of Hawaiian poké bowls (fresh, raw tuna served with assorted vegetables and rice) with Asian delicacies rarely seen in

W E E K E N DS@ 1 1AM

COCKTAILS | RAW BAR | SMALL PLATES | 26 EXCHANGE STREET | THE OLD PORT 5 0 p o r t l a n d m o n t h ly m a g a z i n e

mira mckenney; courtesy coworkhers; mira mckenney

Times they are a-changin’ at the intersect of India and Fore Street, where a crop of new buildings have sprouted up in the past year.

Female empowerment is the focus of CoworkHERS collaborative work space on Congress Street. Right: SKORDO spices things up on Fore Street, offering kitchenware and an eclectic mix of spices and herbs.

Maine. Owner and sushi chef Anusat Limsitong plans to familiarize us with tasty, healthful treats like bubble tea and bingsu– a type of dessert made from shaved ice and sweet toppings. Electric Avenue he dark horse of the Portland scene, Washington Avenue keeps on giving us more reasons to go east. After two years of speculation and planning, an unusual development on the corner of Washington and Marion Street has finally come to fruition. “Yes! At long last, the

Black Box shipping-container project is moving ahead,” says Jed Harris, commercial real-estate developer. The vision for pop-up commercial spaces housed in six reused shipping containers has been on Harris’s mind for several years, inspired by the success of similar projects in other U.S. cities and London. “We have a reservation agreement with The Cheese Shop of Portland and a new espresso bar. The containers have been modified by a company in Brewer called SnapSpace. If all goes well, they’ll arrive onsite this month, and tenants will be able to occupy by June

1. We’re very excited to see what types of businesses show up.” Take a trip past the Nissen Building to see the new industrialchic structure come to life, as this stretch of Portland evolves before our eyes. Sometimes the new energy feeds on new energy: The Cheese Shop owners Will and Mary Sissle were put in contact with Harris by Pete and Orenda Hale, the restaurateurs who recently expanded Drifters Wife bistro and wine shop a few doors down. “Washington Avenue is one of our favorite places to visit,” Mary says. “It felt natural to open our shop among those places we love the most. This was the perfect way for us to get our shop going in our ideal neighborhood quickly and cost efficiently.” The little storefront will offer cheeses cut-to-order and an array of dairy and deli items from Maine and beyond. Ogunquit’s Bob’s Clam Hut owner Michael Landgarten teased back in January that the building (formerly 3 Buoys seafood shack) at the corner of Cumberland and Washington would soon be transformed into “an urban Bob’s,” complete with a

A Blend of STEM Classes & Summer Fun.

Astronomical Adventure Tour

Lift Off !

The Beauty of Moving Matter

Exoplanet Encounter

Welcome to Mars

Thermodynamics

Guts, Blood, & Brains

We See 3D

Robotics

Learn Computer Programming

Calculus in a Week

Parts & Pieces Reimaging Science

207.325.3600 mssmsummercamp@mssm.org www.mssm.org/summercamp Transportation to Portland Available

M AY 2 0 1 8 5 1

D o w n to w n large outdoor patio for hungry visitors to devour fried clams and lobster in a less frenetic, more local-centric hangout than the Old Port. Landgarten aims to open before summer gets underway. By day, Portland Pottery is the cozy cafe-cum-workshop that has inhabited 118 Washington Avenue for over thirty years. But by night, it transforms into something altogether more romantic. When dusk falls and the candles are lit, Lena’s Italian dishes up wholesome slabs of parmesan (in eggplant, veal, or chicken iterations) baked in sweet and sharp tomato sauce and generous amounts of oozing mozzarella with a side of crisp romaine Caesar salad. Seated in mismatched spindle-back chairs and surrounded by handmade pottery, you could’ve been transported back to Nonna’s kitchen. Get Down to Business Despite appearances, there’s more to Portland’s urban ecosystem than bars and restaurants. Entrepreneurial Mainers are sending waves out from our little seacoast

CLARKE PROPERTY MANAGEMENT We treat your property, as if it were our property. Let Clarke be your choice for Property Management in Portland, Maine. Since 2005, Clarke has provided the highest quality of service to customers looking for Property Management in Southern Maine. American Journal Readers Choice “Best of the Best” Property Management Company

• Tenant screening • Rent collection • Maintain in house staff for repairs • Local/Family Owned • Members of the SMLA • Specialize in single family and multi unit CALL 207-591-0365

EMAIL clarkemanagement2006@gmail.com

w w w . C L A R K E P R O P E R T Y M A N A G E M E N T. c o m 5 2 p o r t l a n d m o n t h ly m a g a z i n e

state across the globe. Figures from The Maine Department of Labor suggest unemployment rates in the state have dipped to 2.9 percent–the lowest since 1976. Portland caps in even further beneath the curve at 2.5 percent. According to The Financial Post, 2018 looks set to be another bumper year of lobster exports, with China hungrier than ever for our lucky red lobsters. So what’s happening under the surface of The Forest City? On the Move Moving eastward beyond the Maine State Pier, you’ll notice big changes underfoot. After all, the rumbling construction vehicles are hard to miss. Several large firms have made moves to this end of town in the past year, eager grab a position close to the beating heart of the Old Port. CEO Joshua Broder chose 16 Middle Street from among 20 other properties to establish his new Tilson HQ. It was a strategic move: the tech information service company is listed as one of America’s 5,000 fastest-growing companies by Inc. this year,

Full-Service li Boar’s Head De

tions

Loca Now with 2 37 Depot Road, Falmouth (207)781-3753

200 Kennebec Street, Portland (207)536-1076

“A Real Maine Deli Since 2007” M AY 2 0 1 8 5 3

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

Dow n to w n and “we’ll probably add another 30 people to our 115-strong Portland team in 2018,” Broder says. “There’s a lot of young talent in Maine.” The tech-savvy employees can enjoy a walking commute to work, “affordable condos,” and choice lunch spots– “We’re responsible for the lines outside Micucci’s these days!” Tilson took a gamble on this relatively quiet neighborhood last year, but now they’re in good company. WEX has chosen the corner of Hancock and Thames Street, a former city parking lot, as the downtown site for its new headquarters. The 100,00-square-foot, five-story space will give 450 of the company’s population enviable sea views. Sensing opportunity, AC Hotel will open the doors to its swanky 150-room hotel at 158 Fore Street, no doubt hoping to entice visiting businessmen and women. Fresh Picks t’s not all big corporations taking steps this year. A number of startup incubators around the state are giving wings to small-scale entrepreneurial efforts. CoworkHERS launched a glossy female-only workspace at 411 Congress to nurture women-lead businesses and freelancers– not a bad move, considering Maine leads revenue growth among women-owned business, according to the 2018 State of Women-Owned Businesses Report. “What I aim to do is bring a community of women together to help them connect with like-minded women and find their confidence, be independent, successful and unafraid to tackle their dreams and goals,” says founder Heather Ashby. “After touring numerous coworking spaces in Maine and Boston, I realized that they’re quite dude-centric. At CoworkHERS, women not only have a place to work, but they enjoy free coffee, wine, snacks, lockers, high-speed internet, printers and meeting rooms, plus a whole community of amazing women.” On the foodie front, Fork Food Lab on Parris Street was bought out by Brooklyn’s Pilotworks, a nationally leading commercial kitchen and business incubator enterprise. The Maine Center for Entrepreneurs has launched the Cultivator Food, Beverage & Agriculture Accelerator program. The new start-up food business initiative will nurture its first crop of local entrepreneurs this year. n

Custom art glass for any application. Custom Designs, Restorations and Repairs, Windows, Doors, Lighting, Kitchen and Bath, Fusing, Painting, Sandblasting, and more...

• 630 Forest Ave Portland, ME 04101 • 800.773.4154 • www.phoenixstudio.com • M AY 2 0 1 8 5 5

Cinema

Maine’s Close-Up Far from the Hollywood hills, innovative directors are casting our state in the spotlight. Discover the Maine movies coming to a screen near you.

courtesy island zero

By sarah Mo ore

Island Zero What: A remote Maine island community finds itself suddenly cut off from world. When people start to vanish, the terrified survivors realize that someone–or something–is hunting them. When: May 15 Where: Over 15 locations, including Camden, Rockport, Lincolnville Who: Laila Robins (Homeland); Adam Wade McLaughlin (Billions); Teri Reeves (Once Upon A Time); Elaine Landry

The Witch Files n 2014, the streets of Portland crawled with the staggering bodies of the undead. This year, the skies overhead will spark with spells and curses. Kyle Rankin, director of the Portland-based comedy/horror movie Night of the Living Deb, returns with more otherworldly antics in The Witch Files. “It’s based around a group of misfit high school girls who meet in detention,” he says. “One of them has certain magical skills, and she leads the others to an island [Mackworth], where they perform a ritual and form a coven.” A world of possibility seemingly opens

M AY 2 0 1 8 5 7

Cinema

ankin lives in LA, where he’s currently working on an action movie. Night of the Living Deb and The Witch Files are self-confessed “passion projects” for the director, who hails from York. “I very selfishly wanted a reason to come back. I spend my time eating and drinking coffee around town. I like to keep an eye on the pool of creativity in Maine and hire local cast and crew for these movies where I can.” Movie-making is a strikingly different experience in this corner of the country. “Both films were incredibly low budget, around $250,000 each,” Rankin says. “No 5 8 p o r t l a n d m o n t h ly m a g a z i n e

one in Los Angeles can believe it’s possible to make a movie on that amount. But everyone’s so accommodating here. The mayor and the sheriff both came to greet me while we shot The Witch Files in Bath. People lined up to offer filming locations for free. We were made to feel very welcome.” Island Zero If the Coppolas and Coens have taught us anything, it’s that filmmaking is a family business. That being said, the partnership between best selling medical-thriller novelist Tess Gerritsen (of Rizzoli & Isles fame) and her photographer/farmer son Josh Gerritsen may surprise viewers–the pair have produced a horror movie that will set your skin crawling. “[Tess] approached me about the idea out of the blue,” Josh, the movie’s director, says. “We were weeding my garden in 2014 when she turned to me and said, ‘How would you like to make a horror movie in Maine?’ Tess grew up watching horror films. I enjoy how horror allows you to explore some of humanity's darker sides through the lens of something fantastical.” Island Zero transports us to small island community that finds itself inexplicably cut off from the rest of the world. Soon after, a shapeless ‘something’ begins to hunt the island’s inhabitants one-by-one. “Tess came up with the idea by asking herself, ‘What if you lived on an island and the ferry never came back?’” says Josh. “She worked backwards from there and filled out the story with characters who would fight to the ends of the earth to bring their loved ones to safety.” The movie taps into a gnawing anxiety

familiar to anyone who’s lived beyond the easy grasp of civilization. Like the snowbound Overlook Hotel in The Shining, the film’s surroundings force the tension inward onto the island and its inhabitants as the dread and body count rise. First-time feature director Josh found inspiration from Ridley Scott’s 1979 classic Alien for the lurking hunter. “Scott keeps the tension going through the entire film, while only showing the alien a handful times. In our film, you do end up seeing…something at the end.” Josh, who lives in Lincolnville, and Tess, a long-time Camden resident, were set on making Island Zero here in Maine, despite its challenges. “One of the biggest difficulties we faced was dealing with the freezing temperatures,” Josh says. “One actor had to pretend she was a corpse outside at night. She said she could literally feel her eyeballs starting to freeze! But we always knew we wanted to set the film here because there’s so much atmosphere. There’s a sense of foreboding that permeates our surroundings. Beauty can quickly turn to danger, and that's what makes Maine so unique. And so perfect for horror.” Coming of Age in Maineland

What: Maineland is a multi-layered documentary that follows teenagers of China’s wealthy elite as they attend Fryeburg Academy. When: In theaters. Planned Amazon release June/July 2018.

courtesy Witch Files

up to the newly minted witches, but, inevitably, there’s a darker side to the magical allegiance. The movie trailer propels us through familiar haunts, from Exchange Street to Miss Portland Diner, as the spells turn to curses and storm clouds gather. “I was watching Chronicle one day, and it was all these dudes discovering superpowers–I just wasn’t that interested,” says Rankin. “I feel like magic and witchcraft have a particularly feminine energy.”

T h e W i tc h F i l e s What: A group of misfit teenage girls form a powerful coven. When: Release pending (stay tuned for Halloween 2018) Where: Portland; Mackworth Island; Bath Who: Paget Brewster (Friends); Holly Tayler; Greg Finley

The window won’t need to be rolled down like before. No blast of cold air rushes into the car to wake the children sleeping in the back. There is no cause to stop and start and stop and wait your turn to pay. No fumbling for the right change or the smallest bills. Just a gentle roll through the tollbooth, past the green light that says both “go” and “thank you.” This is E-ZPass. No stopping. No strings. No worries. Only the open road ahead and the journey continues.

discover the discounts at ezpassmaineturnpike.com

Take Take home home home more moremore than thanthan aaamemory… memory… a memory… TakeTake home more than memory...

Cinema

Enjoy the signature tastes of Maine wherever you are! Call or click MaineLobsterDirect.com... the ultimate source for fresh Maine lobster. Our premium, hard-shell Maine lobster is harvested daily from the cold, clear waters of the North Atlantic and shipped overnight throughout North America. Stop by our wharf and we’ll pack your order to travel or click/call us when you get home.

We We Wewelcome welcome welcomewalk-in walk-in walk-in We welcome orders—large orders—large orders—large walk-inor or or orders—large small small smalland and andgladly gladly gladly or small supply supply supply andrestaurants restaurants restaurants gladly supply and and and restaurants caterers. caterers. caterers. and caterers.

48 48 48Union Union UnionWharf Wharf Wharf 48 Union Portland, Portland, Portland, WharfMaine Maine Portland, Maine04101 04101 04101•Maine ••toll toll tollfree 04101 free free800.556.2783 •800.556.2783 800.556.2783 toll free 800.556.2783

Bringing you all things tea Purveyor of ﬁne teas, treats, tea wares, accoutrements, books, linens–oﬀered in an atmosphere of calm and eclectic beauty. WEDS–FRI 10 am-5 pm SAT 10 am-3 pm Other times by appointment.

Director Miao Wang had just released Beijing Taxi, her first documentary film, and was hunting for her next juicy project when she arrived at Fryeburg Academy in April 2011. “I was immediately struck by the number of Chinese students I saw there,” Wang says. The experiences of these “parachute students,” traveling from vast Chinese cities to study at one of our state’s oldest and most prestigious private schools, planted a seed that would blossom into Maineland. “I began speaking with the school and its teachers to learn about the international program and ended up accompanying the admissions director on two trips to China.”

aineland follows Stella Xinyi Zhu and Harry Junru He, two of 360,000 Chinese high schoolers currently studying in the U.S., as they come of age among the rolling countryside and complex social ecosystem of the modern American high school. They study, play tennis, join the cheerleading team, and roam the academy’s verdant grounds with their friends. “Harry in particular came to really appreciate the beauty and nature of Maine,” Wang says.

Thanks for Buying Local! The perfect spot to catch up with a friend over tea and a scone. Tea Tasting Class • Knowledgeable assistance. Available for speaking engagements.

5 Industry Road, Suite 1A, South Portland • (207)761-8041 • www.nelliestea.com 6 0 p o r t l a n d m o n t h ly m a g a z i n e

“I moved to Boston in 1990 with my parents when I was 12-years-old,” says Wang. “It was a very different time in terms of China’s global position–most of the coun-

courtesy to keep the light; Maineland

To k e e p t h e l i g h t What: A lighthouse keeper’s wife struggles with her work and her sanity as she cares for her sick husband on an island in 19th-century Maine. When: Available on Amazon. Where: Moose Peak Island; Machiasport; Lubec Who: Erica Fae (Boardwalk Empire); Jarlath Conroy (True Grit); David Patrick Kelly (Twin Peaks)

try was poor. We were poor. I grew up in a largely white community and had mainly white American friends.” Harry and Stella, meanwhile, leave the vast metropoles of Guangzhou and Shanghai for the quiet of rural Maine at a very different moment in history. The rapidly changing identity and economics of China seep into the film, where parents will pay $48,000 per year for their child’s high school education and expect killer grades in return. Harry and Stella navigate the usual terrain of adolescence while coming to terms with their family’s expectations, a changing understanding of American society, and their own identities. “Since the recession, the past ten years in China have been about financial growth,” says Wang. “Stella’s family owns a home electronics factory in Shanghai. She had to consider her family’s desire for her to take over the family business against her growing awareness of the notion of individualistic thinking–this very American notion of fulfilment beyond making money.” The film has had its theatrical release at select theaters across the country. The movie is also readily available for school and educational programs. Wang hopes Maineland will be available on Amazon “by June or July of this year.”

(855) 912-8130

To Keep The Light “I recently came across these stories of New England women who worked as lighthouse keepers in the 19th century, and I couldn’t believe I’d never heard about them before,” Newbury native Erica Fae says from her home in New York City, her new baby asleep M AY 2 0 1 8 6 1

10-6 Tuesday-Saturday • 10-2 Sunday

Come localfavorite honey being “Thiswatch is my new spot!”harvested! –Everybody unique gifts, mead, wine, and beer all natural line of skincare products observation hive & hobbyist beekeeping explore our honey tasting bar

cinema

494 Stevens Avenue, Portland, Maine • thehoneyexchange.com • 207.773.9333 • H o l ly S ta r What: A broke puppeteer returns to Maine for Christmas, only to get wrapped up in a bizarre treasure hunt. When: Planned release, Dec. 2018. Where: Biddeford and Saco Who: Katyln Carlson (Going in Style), Teya Patt (Fresh Off The Boat), and Brian Muller (The Deuce)

on her chest. The actor and screenwriter sat down to pen a short film inspired by the stories of the pioneering women who’d gripped her imagination. “My first draft was 60 pages long. I paused and thought ‘Oh, I guess I’m making my first feature.’” Released in March, To Keep the Light drew acclaim from a slew of film festivals, winning Best Director at the Berlin Independent Film Festival. “It’s a wonderful affirmation for a small film without fancy producers and grants to win something like that,” Fae says. The movie, which takes place on Moose Peak Island off Jonesport, tells the story of Abbie, a lighthouse keeper’s wife forced to take over her husband’s job when he falls ill. “She’s an accidental feminist, though I hate that term,” Fae says. “She’s placed in a situation where she has to take on a traditionally male role. She becomes an advocate for her right to that job in the face of objection. She rises to it.”

6 2 p o r t l a n d m o n t h ly m a g a z i n e

courtesy holly Star

any of Fae’s projects, past and current, examine New England history–“moments and women from history that deserve more consideration,” Fae says. Details of To Keep The Light are lifted directly from historical fact. “I read a lot about Maine’s Abbie Burgess and Ida Louis from Rhode Island, both female lighthouse keepers.” Moose Peak Island is framed in full cinematic glory in every shot, with Abbie or the light tower often framed as lone figures among the angular rocks and

Greater Portland’s

Green Cleaning Service

Home and Small Business Weekly and Bi-Weekly

Get a free estimate today! 207-221-6600 www.greencleanmaine.com

CONGRESS SQUARED RESTAURANT & BAR

HAPPY HOUR MONDAY-FRIDAY 5PM-7PM

WWW.CONGRESSSQUARED.COM 157 HIGH ST. • PORTLAND, ME

M AY 2 0 1 8 6 3

Cinema

Ride the Trolley!

swathes of seagrass. “I remember standing in front of Christina’s World when I was 14, absolutely captivated. I think much of the film’s visual style was influenced by the Wyeths.” Holly Star nce upon a time, Holly Star started out as a big, studio movie set in Chicago starring two male leads. “Then I moved to the Saco/ Biddeford area a few years ago,” says director Michael A. Nickles, newly relocated from LA. “I was charmed by the location and thought it would make a great backdrop for a film. So I wrote for the area.” You’ll spot Palace Diner, the Saco DriveIn, the Saco train station, the Pepperell Mill among the scenes. “We were lucky that both Saco and Biddeford embraced and supported the making of the film,” Nickles says. “I’ve made a fair amount of feature films [Swing Away, Playback] and have never gotten that kind of support from a community before.” Other nods to Maine are dotted among the script. “At

The Best Way to See Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park!

for tickets and information log onto OlisTrolley.com 1 West Street Bar Harbor

207 - 288 - 9899

37’ Bunker & Ellis, 1977/2016, John Deere 400 HP, $420,000 (Mary Lou)

31’ Newman Friendship Sloop, 1981, Universal 24 HP, $85,000 (Jabberwocky)

36’ Chester Clement, 1932, Chris Craft 140 HP, rebuilt. $75,000 (Maddy Sue)

32’ Newman Cruiser, 1974, Chrysler 275 HP, 2015. $75,000 (Retriever)

46’ Newman Sportfishing Cruiser, 1989, Daewoo 808 HP, 2001. $265,000 (Cap’n B)

33’ Beneteau 331, 2004, Westerbeke 27 HP, $65,000 (Orn)

32’ Newman Cruiser, 1974, Chrysler 275 HP, 2015. $75,000 (Retriever)

KATHE N. WALTON, BROKER

Newman Marine Brokerage 207-244-5560 • 207-266-5574 CELL 254 MAIN STREET, SOUTHWEST HARBOR, MAINE • INFO @ JARVISNEWMAN.US • JARVISNEWMAN.US 6 4 p o r t l a n d m o n t h ly m a g a z i n e

one point the couple goes to the Palace Diner to take part in a Christmas tradition they call ‘building a pyramid,’” Nickles says. “It's basically a plate of ascending whoopie pies. Originally I think it was pizza or something, but I added the whoopie pies because everyone here is so in love with them.” The director now holds screenwriting and filmmaking workshops for Maine teens, including the Project Aware Summer Film Institute on Aug. 13-17. “The challenge now is to convince other producers and financiers to shoot here, because there isn't a tax incentive,” Nickles says. “A filmmaker might love the state for creative reasons, but if it doesn't make sense on the money side, the project will go elsewhere. For Maine it would bring money for goods and services and labor.” Nickles hopes audiences will be able to enjoy Holly Star in time for the next holiday season. “With any luck, it will have a successful theatrical run in addition to being available on platforms like iTunes, Amazon, and Netflix.” n

Oceanfront Lodging, Dining & Gatherings Marine Room, Ocean Terrace and The Porch Live Music thursday, friday & saturday 5-7pm Dining noon - 9:30 pm

207-967-3331

thecolonyhotel.com

140 Ocean Ave, Kennebunkport, ME

M AY 2 0 1 8 6 5

â&#x20AC;Śa high point on my trip to Kennebunkportâ&#x20AC;Ś

Good Restaurants Come and Go. Great Restaurants Get Better & Better.

Dock Square, Kennebunkport | 207-967-9111 | HurricaneRestaurant.com

Find us at

.com, too!

H u n gry Ey e

M u s h r o o m M a g i c Indoor mushroom cultivation is thriving in Maine. We follow three companies through the process. By Clair e z. Cramer

photo by Matt McInnis, north spore

Italian Oyster Mushroom, Pleurotus pulminarius:

f you like mushrooms–and who doesn’t?–you’ve probably noticed oysters, maitakes, shiitakes, and other exotic varieties receiving star treatment in Portland’s restaurants. That these are Maine mushrooms, both cultivated and foraged, adds to their local and often organic pedigree. You may find them sautéed, roasted, or starring on designer pizzas. At the charming new Elda in Biddeford, diners are presented at the start of the meal with warm, fragrant cups of clear mushroom broth infused with a sprig of thyme and a twist of lemon. At Tipo, the casual Italian café on Ocean Street, an assortment of North Spore mushrooms comes in a sauce that works as an appetizer or a light lunch. Chef MiM AY 2 0 1 8 6 7

chael Smith “makes the sauce from mushroom stock, marsala, and just a dash of sherry vinegar,” says the waiter as he sets down the shallow pottery bowl. A tangle of tender mushrooms in its rich, dark sauce is heaped on a crisp, creamy-centered square of fried polenta and garnished with dabs of white-truffled egg yolk. It’s the earthy, exotic essence of mushroom mystery. This inspires a trip to the North Spore stand at Portland’s Saturday farmers’ market. Vivian Ewing walks me through the varieties she’s offering today. “Shiitakes and oysters are the most popular. These chestnuts are prized for their color.” They’re slim-stemmed, with rich russet caps. “And we call these lion’s manes, but they go by other names, too, like hedgehog and bear’s tooth.” Aptly, they’re big, white, and ruffly. “I cook them all pretty much the same.” She smiles. “Just saute them in butter with garlic.” North Spore’s wares include products made from medicinal mushrooms. There are tins of dried chaga, which resembles smashed fragments of dusty bricks, for simmering into tea. There are eye-dropper bottles of mushroom tinctures, which can be taken as a few drops on the tongue

or in herb tea. Most fascinating is a plastic bag about the size of a shoebox, which appears to be stuffed with soil. Out of a hole in the bag, a fist-sized cluster of shiitakes is growing. “That’s an indoor growing kit,” she says. “You can order a variety you like and grow it right in your kitchen.” To The Source “We work with mushroom farmers all over the country,” says Matt McInnis of North Spore Mushrooms. He’s a co-owner, along with Eliah Thanhauser and Jon Carver, of the four-year-old company based in the Dana Warp Mill in Westbrook. The three met as undergraduates at the College of the Atlantic in Bar Harbor. “COA is small enough that everyone pretty much knows everyone else,” McInnis says. “The three of us were fairly biology-focused. I got into mushrooms through restaurants–I cooked all through school at the Burning Tree restaurant in Mount Desert. But we all liked to forage for mushrooms in the woods downeast.” “We’ve got basically two tracks to our business,” he says. “We do spawn, which we sell to other [commercial mushroom] farms. And we also sell mushrooms.” North Spore mushrooms can be found in restaurants, the Portland Food Coop, and other retail outlets. “We put out an availability report to restaurants every week, and we have a delivery van.” They al-

Tipo serves up North Spore mushroom ragù over polenta and white truffle egg yolk.

so have a thriving mail-order business for indoor and outdoor growing kits, medicinal products, dried mushrooms, and books. North Spore’s spawning lab is the key to its success. “We had a leg-up because Jon has a graduate degree in mycology. We make master spawn from cells in petri dishes. We have a ‘cell bank’ of familiar and unusual mushroom varieties. I believe we’re the largest specialty spawn producer catering to small growers and home cultivators in the east.”

The Block Farm ark Robinson of Cap ’n’ Stem in Gardiner explains his company’s place in the mycological food chain. They buy spawn mixed with grain from North Spore. “First we incubate the mycelium–the part of a mushroom that’s underground–in a temperature-controlled room.” This incubation room is “four or five thousand square feet. We’ve Union sources hen of the wood, oyster, and beech got about 12,000 total square feet mushrooms from Mousan Valley here,” says Robinson. “We’re in Farms for the sauce in this dish, also an old wool mill that later befeaturing confit chicken thigh, stonecame a shoe factory. Now it’s ground corn polenta, spring peas, home to an commercial bakery smoked cippolini onions. and us.” If nothing else, commer-

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: shiitake from cap ‘n stem; Tipo; Union

Hungry Eye

1600 1600 Get up to

by mail with purchase of selec t Get up to KitchenAid brand appliances * Januar y 3 – July 18, 2018

by mail with purchase of selec t KitchenAid brand appliances *

ES ★ BE D

NG ★

AP PL

Januar y 3 – July 18, 2018

cial mushroom cultivation seems to rival craft brewing for creative re-use of Maine’s onceabandoned industrial spaces. Cap ’n’ Stem produces the colonized substrate bricks of “a mixture of red oak sawdust with different ratios of carbon and nitrogen,” depending on the variety of mushroom. It’s from these bricks that edible, organic mushrooms will grow. Eliah Tannhauser at North Spore explains, “If this was tomato farming, we’d say we sell tomato seeds. Cap ’n’ Stem would sell the tomato seedlings.” The substrate medium–grain and sawdust–is sourced from companies in Northern New England. “Our red oak sawdust [is byproduct] from a company operating in Skowhegan and New Hampshire,” says Robinson. Nothing goes to waste. “Once it’s used in our process it can’t be reused in the same way, but we can sell the spent substrate to farmers as a soil amendment that’s high in nitrogen.” After harvesting mushrooms from their bags of substrate, home growers can shake the spent medium right into the compost heap. Robinson sums up Cap ’n’ Stem. “We’re primarily business-to-business, selling substrate to commercial mushroom farms all over the country.” The company also does

S ★ SERV

APPLIANCES, BEDDING, SALES & SERVICE Ask us about ﬁnancing options. Route 302 - 54 Bridgton Road - Westbrook 800-797-3621 - www.lpapplianceme.com Monday - Friday 9am - 5pm | Saturday 9am - 12pm

*See store associate for rebate form with complete details. Only valid at participating KitchenAid brand retailers. Rebate in the form of a KitchenAid brand Visa® prepaid card by mail. Additional terms and conditions apply. ®/™ ©2018 KitchenAid. All rights reserved. To learn more about the entire KitchenAid brand line, please visit kitchenaid.com. CCP-24182

M AY 2 0 1 8 6 9

H u n g ry E ye retail online sales of shiitake, oyster, and lion’s mane blocks for home growers. READY TO SHIP “We have a unique situation with mushroom farming in Maine,” says Aron Gonsalves of Mousam Valley Mushrooms in Springvale. His wife, Emily Sharood, and her family started the company in 2012. “We have strong relationships with the other farmers. North Shore in Westbrook makes the spawn. Cap ’n’ Stem makes the [bricks] and sells them to us, and we fruit them out.” Or, to complete the tomato analogy, Mousam Valley sells tomatoes. “We’re shipping about 5,000 pounds of mushrooms a week,” says Gonsalves, “And we expect it’ll be up to 10,000 pounds or more by the end of this year” as the company implements some new production innovations. Mousam Valley presently employs 15 people and has a fleet of delivery vehicles. “Our biggest business is with grocery stores, from Rosemont Markets to Hannaford.” n

SKORDO EMPOWERING THE HOME COOK PORTLAND • FREEPORT SKORDO.com

7 0 p o r t l a n d m o n t h ly m a g a z i n e

Tasteful Things

Oils, Vinegars & Wicked Good Stuff

A SPECIALTY FOOD SHOP Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re proud to carry the very best in Infused and non-infused Extra Olive Oils (Award winning) and Balsamic Vinegars as well as Salts from around the world, Rubs, Dippers, Italian Herb mixes, Finishing Sauces, and Special Oils (Sesame, French Lavender, Black Truffle and Avocado). We can share pairings, recipes and suggestions for a great meal. We also take pride in carrying locally made products,

SHOP LOCAL!

www.tastefulthingsme.com 207-577-0782 8 Depot Street, Bridgton, Maine

390 Congress Street | Portland, Maine 04101 | 207.808.8700 | unionportland.com M AY 2 0 1 8 7 1

Maine Coasters and Bio-Boards is developing beverage coasters made exclusively from Maine softwood pulps, such as pine and spruce. our products are biodegradable, produced locally, and contain waste materials like spent grain from local breweries.

By incorporating unique materials into our coasters we create a tactile and visual experience for the consumer and an innovative branding opportunity for breweries, restaurants, and others.

Our goal is to compete with the largest pulpboard manufacturers in the world while strengthening Maineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s econom We are currently developing prototypes with the university of Maine to be released to the forest economy. public this summer. if you are a brewery, bar, or restaurant, and would like to receive samples for your business, please send us an email at: info@mainebeercoasters.com

www.mainebeercoasters.com

Libations

Hazy days: T-Shirt Cannon by Lone Pine Brewing uses three hops and plenty of oats to layer complex fruit character with a soft mouthfeel.

Trending Into Maine It’s time to consult your the season’s beer forecast. It’s looking like a juicy, hazy summer ahead.

meaghan maurice

his spring, The Brewers Association officially added three new styles to its Beer Style Guidelines: “Juicy or Hazy-style” Pale Ales, IPAs, and Double IPAs. Maine’s reaction? About time. Colloquially known as New England IPAs (or NEIPA), this brew style exploded in popularity over the better part of a decade. While most point to Vermont’s Heady Topper as the original of the style, many of the best examples are brewed right here in Maine. At Lone Pine Brewing Company,

By Josh Christie

Bissell Brothers, and Mast Landing Brewing Company, the juicy, hazy allure of the NEIPA is their bread and butter. So what’s all the fuss? Where the classic IPA is often aggressively bitter, NEIPAs are much softer on the palate. The hop bills tend to favor late additions of hops that impart fruity and tropical flavors rather than grassy and herbal. Malt bills are cut with wheat and oats, which gives a smoother feel on the palate–as does the occasional addition of lactose. Finally, they’re often left un-

filtered, which gives them their signature haziness. Unlike astringent IPAs of old, NEIPAs are floral, fruity, and smooth. The appetite for Maine-made NEIPAs remains fierce, with few signs of slowing after half a decade. In recent weeks, Libbytown’s Bunker Brewing Company released its own take on the style: Beastcoast IPA. Even with customers limited to two 4-packs a person, it sold out within 24 hours. Battery Steele Brewing regularly sells out of beer in its tasting room. And Bissell BrothM AY 2 0 1 8 7 3

SO ST linen

STRIPES FOR SPRING 5 South Street Portland, ME 774.234.7678 southstreetlinen.com 7 4 p o r t l a n d m o n t h ly m a g a z i n e

Libations ers, arguably the standard-bearers for NEIPAs in Maine, commands lines out the brewery doors for every release, drawing thirsty patrons from across state lines.

ne more sign of the style’s ascendance: Large, established breweries are jumping on the bandwagon. Shipyard Brewing Company, the largest brewery in Maine–better known for producing traditional English-style beers like Export, Old Thumper, and Chamberlain Pale Ale, released Finder IPA last fall. It’s packaged in 16 oz. “pounder” cans that bear little resemblance to Shipyard’s other can designs. Poured a hazy gold, brewed with oats and Citra, Mosaic, and El Dorado hops, it’s another delicious drop in the Maine beer pool. n

Fabulous Socks for Men, Women, & Kids

Josh Christie is the author of Maine Beer: Brewing in Vacationland. He is also the co-owner of Print: A Bookstore, an independent bookstore on Portland’s East End. He recommends: Goodfire Brewing Company: Waves Battery Steele Brewing: Flume Bissell Brothers: The Substance

564 Congress Street, Portland, Maine (207) 805-1348 • thesockshack.com

M AY 2 0 1 8 7 5

THE

OLD HOUSE — PARTS CO. — WWW.OLDHOUSEPARTS.COM P: 207 9851999 1 TRACKSIDE DRIVE, KENNEBUNK, MAINE RETAIL STORE OPEN 363 DAYS A YEAR

L’Esprit de L’Escalier

The Art of the Task The root of a word reveals differences in DNA between languages.

B y R h e a Côt é Ro bb i ns

’m thinking of the storied keepers of the maisons I’ve known. “So clean you can eat off the floor,” we’d say about the blinding, shining linoleum floors of houseproud family friends. The real problem here is that I have to face my day and its own chores…ouvrage, mon ouvrage. “Do your chores.” Something my maman would never say to me. Better she said: Fais ton ouvrage. “Ouvrage, maman, oui” sounds like a title for a song. I have finished my work. Ouvrage is an automatic, intended verbiage to my ears. Then I read

the word “chores” in my girlhood books. Do my chores. Chores: a word that feels like a pair of badly fitting shoes that verloper–flops off and on. A word that sounds like gratter–scratching sound to my ears. Something to be sing-songed: “doing my chores.” I flap my half-apron at the word of common understanding, at chores. Turn it around in my mouth seven times to try to become accustomed to speaking it. Il faut tourner sa langue sept fois dans sa bouche avant de parler. The etymology of “chore” comes from early English “char,” a form of charcoal or coal. Coal is derived from Germanic and Old English “col,” meaning glowing ember. In Middle English: charr, charre, cherre–odd

job, turn, occasion, business. The etymology of ouvrage? Old French: ovraige, ovrage, derived from the Latin word “opera.” Doing one’s work in either language moves you from coal to opera with the ensuing nuances and meanings. One an earthy, glowing stone; the other a reflection on the opera of living and working on the stage of life. A journey from poor Cinderella to princess in a few mere syllables. All the differences between two simple words, representative of the DNA of the cultures, are resplendent in the expressions compared. Something to ponder as one faces the work of the day. n Rhea Côté Robbins is the author of ‘down the Plains,’ and editor of Heliotrope–French Heritage Women Create.

Don’t just see Portland — Discover it.

PORTLAND’S #1 SIGHTSEEING TOUR

Portland City and Lighthouse Tour 105- minute trolley tour of Portland’s history, architecture, and landmarks, including a stop at Portland Head Light.

$52 for both!

105- minute cruise with beautiful views of Casco Bay’s famous lighthouses, lobster boats, seals, seabirds and more.

Photo by Jack McCabe

Just $28

Harbor Lights and Sights Cruise

Just $28

Book online @ Portlanddiscovery.com

Call today 207-774-0808 • info@PortlandDiscovery.com Long Wharf, 170 Commercial St. (next to DiMillo’s) • Tours depart May-October 18-PORT-6099 Update_Print_Ads_7_3125x4_875_4c_PortlandMag_0208_OUT.indd 1

2/8/18 11:09 AM

M AY 2 0 1 8 7 7

1912

My Maine

scott evers; illustration by mira mckeney

Four Nations

The First Nations of Maine are their own universes– complex, many-layered, and unique.

“

The Passamaquoddy take part in ancient funeral and burial customs, placing red marks on the face while in mourning to signify red ochre.”

By Maulian Dana

ndigenous people of Maine are fortunate to live on the same beautiful lands and be nourished by the same majestic waters that our ancestors cared for many generations before us. While we are some of the first people of the country to be colonized, we remain in our homeland, undisplaced. The “settling” of Maine had tragic effects on our population, resources, cultural identity, and customs. It set us up for a future of M AY 2 0 1 8 7 9

PORTLAND

WESTBROOK

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

My Maine trying to rebuild from devastation. We remain. We survive. We are still here. The collective tribes of Maine, and some bands in the Maritime Provinces, form the Wabanaki Confederacy. Wabanaki derives from a word in our languages meaning “People of the Dawn.” We unite as confederacy in ceremony and social celebrations, and many families have connections in various tribes. However, we are four very distinct nations, each with a rich history, unique culture, and separate language, with our own individual struggles and strengths. Each of the four tribes is federally recognized, meaning they qualify as Indigenous Nations. Part of this process protects a nation’s land, called a “reservation,” and ensures rights to federal funding and resources. The tribes of Maine have many similarities, but there are subtle differences, too. Each nation has tribal governments that oversee housing, education, administration, culture, human resources, natural resources, and more. Tribal employment is mostly found working in these departments. All the tribes have a government comprised of elected Chief, Vice Chief, and Tribal Council. The Maliseet Tribe has a representative to the legislature, whereas the Penobscot and Passamaquoddy have Ambassadors (yours truly). Every community also has its own schools, health clinics, and community buildings. To uphold our traditional crafts, we have alliances and art groups that promote basketry, birch-back work (canoes, baskets, etc.), jewelry, fashion, paintings, and performance art that harkens to the days of our ancestors, including many groups of drummers, singers, traditional dancers.

he Aroostook Band of Micmacs is located in Presque Isle Maine. They form part of a very large overall tribe, with thousands of members throughout Canada. Traveling south into Maine, you’ll find the Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians, part of a larger tribe with communities in the provinces. These northern tribes are known for their strength and fortitude living in the beautiful and at times unforgiving Aroostook county. The Micmac Tribe has the most unique language of the Wabanaki tribes, whereas the other three languages are almost identical. Mali-

8 0 p o r t l a n d m o n t h ly m a g a z i n e

seet and Passamaquoddy languages are interchangeable and sound fast and rhythmic, while the Penobscot language is a little slower and uses longer words. All tribes have active language recovery and education programs in the reservation. There is a large gathering hosted in Aroostook county each year called Mawomi, which means “welcome.” This event celebrates the culture, dances, health, and strength of the tribal nations. The Passamaquoddy Tribal Nation has two different reservations communities in Maine. The Passamaquoddy Tribe at Indian Township is located along breathtaking lake property near Princeton. The Passamaquoddy Tribe at Sipayik or Pleasant Point is located along the ocean right next to Eastport. The Passamaquoddy are known for their excellent hunting and fishing abilities, and for the tribe’s strong Indigenous language and culture. Being located in some of the most isolated areas has served to keep members grounded in the Passamaquoddy ways. They take part in ancient funeral and burial customs, including placing red marks on the face while in mourning to signify red ochre used for this purpose for centuries. They have wakes for those who have passed over in the house where the person lived instead of in a church or funeral home. They celebrate baby showers after the baby has been born. My homeland is the Penobscot Nation. We are located on Indian Island, which is surrounded by the Penobscot River and neighbors Old Town. Our reservation land includes the islands in the river north of us, although the only island with infrastructure is the one we live on. We have strong cultural traditions, and we also have many members of the tribe who live and work in surrounding communities. Penobscots are the most centralized Indigenous community in the state, being closest to Bangor and Portland. Penobscots are known for our connection to the river, which we’re named for and flows through much of the state. We are a strong water culture, with many talented canoeists. There is much to say about each Nation and many things that make us unique from each other. At the end of the day, we are Wabanaki people. We are the reason our ancestors fought so hard to survive the unthinkable. We strive to make them proud. n

Jill Hoy, Portland Head ligHt, Paint for P reservation 2017

Paint for Preservation 2018 11t 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 1, 2018 | 4:00pm - 7:30pm Join award-winning artists in celebrating Cape Elizabeth’s natural beauty and ecological significance at Breakwater Farm 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!

All proceeds benefit the Cape Elizabeth Land Trust. A limited number of tickets will be available. For more information visit: capelandtrust.org/paint Media Sponsor:

Preservation Sponsors:

Event Sponsors:

Conservation Sponsors:

Portland, ME • Portsmouth, NH • rmdavis.com

For You, For Your Family, Forever 330 Ocean House Road Cape Elizabeth ME 04107 207-767-6054 E-mail: info@capelandtrust.org www.capelandtrust.org

Brett Cary of Chimney Rock Food Co.

Stewardship Sponsors:

360 Uncoated • Casco Bay Frames & Gallery • Huffard House Design Knickerbocker Group • Maine Limousine Service Town & Shore Associates LLC • Veterinary and Rehabilitation Center of CE

M AY 2 0 1 8 8 1

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, 6465575, barnbilly.com Bayside American Café (formerly Bintliff’s) owned and run by Joe & Diane Catoggio since 2003. The menu includes delicious items like house-made smoked salmon, corned beef hash, crab cakes, sandwiches, salads, Benedicts, and more. Come and discover why customers love Bayside American Café. Breakfast, brunch, and lunch are served daily starting at 7 a.m. 98 Portland St., Portland, 774-0005 baysideamericancafe.com. Benkay sushi bar and Japanese restaurant is back! At our new location on 16 Middle Street, chef Ando has designed an authentic Japanese culinary experience close to Portland’s waterfront. Full bar and menu including premium sushi, sashimi, and rolls. Monday-Friday: Lunch, 11:30 a.m. - 2 p.m.; Dinner: 5 p.m. - close. Saturday - Sunday: 11:30 a.m. - close. 7735555, sushiman.com BlueFin North Atlantic Seafood restaurant in the Old Port harnesses all that Maine is, and positions it into a delicious dish. Executive Chef Tim Labonte creates new and unexpected meals using fresh, locally-caught seafood and seasonal ingredients at their peak. From breakfast through dinner, your next adventure may just be your next dish. 468 Fore Street Portland’s Old Port 7759090 portlandharborhotel.com Bolster, Snow & Co., is located in the spectacularly reincarnated brick mansion, The Francis (formerly the Mellen E. Bolster House). With executive Chef Nicolas Verdisco at the helm, Bolster Snow provides guests with warm, genuine hospitality, gracious service, and fiercely seasonal food and drink that are representative of the Northeast Region. 747 Congress St. Portland, 772-7485, thefrancismaine.com

ihcmgr@portland.twcbc.com

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

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

Restaurant Review

Sushi,

Chic and Sleek

Benkay relocates to a brand-new corner in the East End. By Claire z. cramer

meaghan maurice

pening in 1997, Benkay led the pack that transformed Portland into city full of excellent Japanese restaurants. A move this January from Commercial Street to a gleaming storefront in the condo canyon that’s risen just east of India Street has brought a bright new luster to an old favorite. We’re led to a window table overlooking Middle Street. Micucci’s and Lois’ Natural Marketplace may be just around the corner, but we might as well be in another city, so new and unfamiliar are the surrounding buildings. And what’s been lost (a harbor view) has been made up in improved interior design. The new Benkay is handsome and minimalist, with simple wooden tables, chairs, and benches. A long sushi bar adorned with colorful seafood and garnishes is presided over by four sushi-men. We begin with saki samplers. Our server brings a flight of three dry sakes in small glasses on wooden trays ($10 per flight). We sample Ozeki brand Yamadanishiki and Karatamba Honjoro, and Hakushika Chokara. The first sip of Yamadanishiki is cool and bright, and we enjoy comparing

subtle differences throughout dinner. The menu here is huge, our server’s input welcome and excellent. She advises the pork gyoza over the shrimp shumai. The pan-fried gyoza are hot and fragrant with ground pork and cabbage, noticeably tastier than most pork dumplings ($8). Seaweed salad–fine shreds of bright green kelp and thin strips of

dark nori–is subtly tart and well dressed ($6). From the daily-special chalkboard above the sushi bar, we choose Tai snapper. A dainty pair of nigiri–pieces of light, flounderlike fish set on bite-size disks of sushi rice–is delicious with a dip in soy sauce ($8). Two of Benkay’s enduringly popular ma-

ki roll selections are beautifully presented on a speckled pottery platter, complete with floral-like arrangements of shaved, pickled ginger and wasabi paste garnishes. Maine Rolls (8 pieces) salutes with fresh, cooked lobster, asparagus, and cucumber ($11). The signature Benkay Rolls ($10) invites with spicy raw tuna, tempura-fried before being sliced into pieces and enrobed in a cloak of creamy wasabi sauce. Rich, decadent, and completely irresistible. The menu has pages of assorted sushi and maki-rolls; cooked entrees with pork, chicken, or tofu; and tempura of both seafood and vegetables. At a nearby table, we spot a platter piled high with feather-light shrimp tempura under siege by four diners’ chopsticks. We conclude the feast with simple Hamachi yellowtail rolls. The dark, strong raw fish is the perfect foil for the last of the ginger and wasabi. Benkay’s 21-year run is proof that gloriously fresh seafood and excellent service will never go out of style. n Benkay, serving lunch Mon. – Fri. from 11:30 a.m. - 2 p.m. and dinner 5 p.m. - close, Sat. & Sun. 11:30 a.m. – close; 16 Middle St., Portland; 773-5555; sushiman.com M AY 2 0 1 8 8 3

PallaSinclair Law Offices Molly B. Sinclair Tori L. Stenbak • Wills & Trusts • Estate Planning • Powers of Attorney • Health Care Directives • Guardianships and Conservatorships

• Family Law • Divorce • Parental Rights • Child and Spousal Support • Adoptions

207-854-2521 | 425 Main St, Westbrook w w w. pa l l a s i n c l a i r . c o m

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

Dining Guide

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 fromscratch sandwiches, steaks, seafood & hearty Irish fare, pouring local craft & premium imported brews, plus 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. 773-7210, bullfeeneys.com. Congress Bar and Grill Serving Portlanders delicious food and beers for years! Fully embrace Portland’s laid back, no frills attitude. Try Thai chili wings and the best fries in the city while vintage game shows play on-screen. Happy hour everyday 4 p.m.- 6 p.m. & 10 p.m. - 12 a.m. Late night menu Fri & Sat. Open 7 days, 11:30 a.m. to 1 a.m., 617 Congress St., Portland 828-9944

Mastering Mastering the Artthe of Art of RefinedRefi Travel ned Travel PORTLANDPORTLAND 68 Marginal 68 Way Marginal Way SOUTH PORTLAND SOUTH PORTLAND 401 Western401 Avenue Western Avenue BRUNSWICK BRUNSWICK 147 Bath Rd 147 Merrymeeting Bath Rd Merrymeeting Plaza Plaza AUBURN AUBURN 600 Center 600 St Shaw’s CenterPlaza St Shaw’s Plaza BIDDEFORD BIDDEFORD 472 Alfred Road 472 Alfred Road

El Corazon Mexican food from the heart. Authentic family recipes passed down through generations, plus an “oversized tequila selection.” Try Portland’s own “Marisco”- a Mexican seafood cocktail of shrimp, bay scallops, clams, octopus, and, naturally, Maine lobster. Open lunch and dinner, Mon.-Thur. 11:00 a.m.-10:00 p.m.; Fri.-Sat. till 11:00 p.m.;Sun. 9 a.m.-9 p.m. 190 State St. Portland. elcorazonportland. com, 536-1354 The Corner Room features bright, wideopen space complemented by handcrafted woodwork. Patrons can expect a warm, comfortable atmosphere, marked by the rich aromas of house-made pastas, pizzas, antipasti and artisanal breads. Enjoy the taste of Venice in the heart of Portland, ME! 879-4747, 110 Exchange Street. Visit thecornerroomkitchenandbar.com. Fish Bones American Grill offers creatively prepared American cuisine along the canal in the historic Bates Mill complex in the heart of downtown Lewiston. Open seven days, offering dinner Monday through Sunday, lunch Monday through Friday, and brunch on Sundays. Come get hooked at 70 Lincoln Street, Bates Mill No. 6! fishbonesmaine. com, 333-3663. Hurricane Restaurant is open for the season! New England cuisine with an international twist. Local produce and seafood, full bar, award-winning wine list, in-house dessert chef. 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

AAA 883-4985 AAATravel: Travel: AAA (866) Travel: 866-883-4985 866-883-4985

J’s Oyster is a premier seafood destination and locals’ favorite with indoor and outdoor waterfront seating on one of Portland’s

8 4 p o r t l a n d m o n t h ly m a g a z i n e

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 Maria’s Ristorante is Portland’s original classic Italian Restaurant. Greg and Tony Napolitano prepare classics like Zuppa de Pesce, Eggplant Parmigiana, Grilled Veal Sausages, Veal Chop Milanese, homemade cavatelli pastas, Pistachio Gelato, and Maine’s Best Meatballs. Prices $11.95 - $22.95. Tue.Sat. starting at 5 p.m. Catering always available. 337 Cumberland Ave. 7729232, mariasrestaurant.com. Pearl Kennebunk & Spat Oyster Cellar is Chef Rebecca Charles’s (of Pearl Oyster Bar, New York) newest restaurant. Enjoy elevated beach food, including Charles’s famous reinvention of Maine’s lobster roll. Happy Hour on Wed., Thurs., and Sun. from 5 p.m. - 6 p.m. for $1 oysters, $5 wines, and well cocktails! 27 Western Ave. Kennebunk. pearloysterbar.com/ pearl-maine/. 204-0860 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, pedrosmaine.com. 967-5544 Portland Lobster Company Experience “Maine’s Best Lobster Roll,” lobster dinners, steamers, fried claims, chowder, and more before visiting our outdoor bar for an icecold local beer or a glass of fine wine. Then relax on our deck overlooking the gorgeous Portland Harbor while listening to daily live music. 180 Commercial Street, 775-2112 portlandlobstercompany.com Ricetta’s Brick Oven Ristorante, a Maine Italian favorite since 1989. Experience a modern, family-friendly atmosphere with a versatile menu filled with awardwinning brick oven pizzas, pasta, grill, and Italian entrees, using as many locally sourced ingredients as possible, plus gluten-free options. Sunday - Thursday 11:30 a.m. – 9 p.m.; Friday & Saturday: 11:30 a.m. –10 p.m. 240 U.S Route 1, Falmouth. 781-3100. Twenty Milk Street welcomes diners with warm, intimate décor and a lovely brick fireplace. Located in the Historic Portland Regency Hotel, we offer Sunday brunch, breakfast, lunch, and dinner, specializing in modern American dishes with a New England flourish. We’re proud to serve local produce, seafood and beef, pork, chicken, and turkey from our own farm! 774-4200. M AY 2 0 1 8 8 5

House of the Month

Twenty feet into this home, I knew I was going to live here.

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

Glass Palisade

Listed for $2.25M, Cliffside truly becomes a legend.

By Colin W. Sargent

erched on the Ship Channel’s edge, this soaring hideaway at 13 Birch Knolls in Cape Elizabeth has been sanctuary to a legendary

jewelry designer and advocate for the homeless and many non-profit organizations since 1995. Lucinda Yates’s story opens when, as a 16-year-old South Portlander, her life was shattered with the sudden death of her dad. It tore her family apart, leading her to float to California, where she married and divorced very young. She returned with her daughter to Portland in the glitzy 1980s, not expecting a safety net.

photos by franÇois gagné for LandVest

“I was 20 when I first came back. I waitressed at The Splendid. Then I waitressed the graveyard shift at Harbor View. Was it Harbor View? Harbor something. It was on Commercial Street, close to the waterfront. That place was crazy! You’d get everybody in Portland coming in there, drinking. But I learned a lot. I used to tell my daughter, ‘I will not pay for your college until you become a waitress.’ It teaches you so much about everything.”

Single-mother Lucinda was already designing jewelry in stolen moments, dreaming of putting the world back together again, when she spied a collection of discarded matte boards in a trash can near a frame shop. She seized upon and rescued that trove, and while playing around with their right angles had a Eureka moment–a hypnotically spare house design she turned into a pin. Not just any pin. In 2012, Huffington Post reported “Designs by Lucinda has sold more than 5 million pins, raising more than $25 million for thousands of nonprofits in the U.S. and globally, as far as Iceland and Malaysia. And though living on the streets was traumatic–even lifethreatening–Yates acknowledges her life wouldn’t be what it is today had she never been homeless in the first place.” Lucinda updates the 2018 figure to “$30 million” for the nonprofits. Many Mainers admire Lucinda’s fairy tale, her generosity and creative courage. But what became of the frame shop where trash became treasure? “It was the Artisans, a small custom frame shop right near where

M AY 2 0 1 8 8 7

House of the Month

Pier 1 used to be. She sold art supplies there. I rented a 10 x 10 space from her at $50 a month. Between projects, I used to go out back and have a couple of coffee, to relax. That’s where I found the framing mattes.” Lucinda is silent for the length of time it take to take a sip. “She opened another location in South Portland…She ended up going bankrupt.”

Are You Ready To Live The Automated Life?

www.tuckerandtucker.com 636 US Route 1, Second Floor, Scarborough, ME 207-885-0059 | info@tuckerandtucker.com 8 8 p o r t l a n d m o n t h ly m a g a z i n e

photos by franÇois gagné for landvest

rateful for her good fortune, Lucinda looked for a dream house of her own for her family. “I looked for a year and a half for waterfront property.” When she saw Cliffside, “I wasn’t more than 20 feet into this home when I knew I was going to live here. I walked in, and I knew. I was looking at the water. I was looking for a contemporary home near the water but hadn’t been able to find it. The next owner is going to feel just what I felt.” While the structure dates to “between 1935 and 1945, when I purchased Cliffside it was essentially a new home.” Inside, there are two master suites, a glass staircase, and a glass floor. The stunning effect puts you right out on the granite cliff, even though you might be sipping on a Manhattan near the toasty fireplace. “The previous owner was William Jelin. I have my art studio here, but the whole house is a creative space. There’s a little spot in the top room where my husband and I have two chairs. I don’t know what happens there, but it’s something magic. We call it The Vortex.” From so many points of vantage on this stunning lot, you can see the sparkling lights of Portland’s skyline, but better still, you’re treated to all the ship traffic coming in and out of the harbor. With its double tier of waterfront decks, Cliffside almost

No matter the space, no matter the style, we have you covered.

capozzaflooring.com

oldporttile.com

capozza-cs.com

Now in Portland! Serving espresso, lattes, pastries, cakes, breakfast sandwiches 502 Stevens Ave

9 0 p o r t l a n d m o n t h ly m a g a z i n e

207.805.1614

leans into the channel. Asked about the kitchen, she laughs. “Billy Jelin didn’t cook. It’s like a galley kitchen designed by a caterer. I had this idea when I was househunting that I wanted this huge French Provincial kitchen. But the kitchen didn’t even cross my mind when I saw the view. Three people can work in this counter space, set back from the main living area, behind this area of pure vista. That need for the French Provincial kitchen–so gone!” The house is like a ship tacking into the channel. The entire interior is in motion. “The views are so stunning that at first, I couldn’t decorate this house. I was afraid what I’d put in wouldn’t work, because the background is so enormous–the granite

from left: pin by lucinda; photos by franÇois gagné for landvest

House of the Month

BE A

BACKYARD HERO

cliff, the water. But anything works. I have an 11-foot table and piano in here now, but you’d never know it. That’s because the view is so spectacular. Turns out, you can’t ruin spectacular.” Outside, nature and architecture converge to create terraced granite gardens as you find your way down to water’s edge and private beach. Need a reality check? You’ll love the two-car garage. So why would anyone ever leave a place like this? Lucinda will always keep her Portland connection, but “My daughter lives in 4 5 0 B aT h R O a d San Diego, there. 4 5and 0 my B agrandson T h R Ois a d He’s 18 months old. He’s a dream boy.” B RYates U N S toWdream. I C K you? Lucinda 20 07 .7dares .443 4. 632.7672Do 77 2 4 Taxes are $21,362. n

F R E E A S S E M B LY AND DELIVERY* OF ANY GRILL PLUS REMOVAL OF YOUR OLD GRILL *FEE MAY APPLY FOR DELIVERY OUTSIDE OF SCARBOROUGH.

OAK HILL 13 29 GORHAM RD 1 3 2 U S R T 1 207.883.5058 SCARBOROUGH

883.0101 F R E EM2 0AP7I .NO RT FREEPORT E

BRUNSWICK

2 0 7 . 8 6 9 . 4 0 0 28 0

Th ROad

132 US RT 1

SWICK

FREEPORT

ROad

D U N S TA N 2 U S RT 1 636 US RT

7.869.4008

132 US RT 1

FREEPORT

W 3 . 6I 2C 7 7K

4 5 0 B aT h R O a d

2 0 74 5. 08 B6a9T .h4 R0O0a8d

B R U N S W 4I 5C0K B a T h R O a d B 2R0U7 .N SWICK 443.6277

2 0 74 5. 08 B6a9T .h4 R0O0a8d

6277

BRUNSWICK B 2R0U7 .N SWICK 443.6277

207.443.6277

132 US RT 1 132 US RT 1

FREEPORT F2 0R7E. 8E6 P9 .O RT 4008 207.869.4008

207.869.4008

207.443.6277

4 5 0 B aT h R O a d

132 US RT 1

BRUNSWICK

FREEPORT 207.869.4008

207.443.6277

4 5 0 B aT h R O a d

132 US RT 1

BRUNSWICK

FREEPORT

207.443.6277

207.869.4008

www.newmeadowsmarina.com

132 US RT 1 132 US RT 1

FREEPORT F2 0R7E. 8E6 P9 .O RT 4008

4 5 0 B aT h R O a d

132 US RT 1

BRUNSWICK

FREEPORT

207.443.6277

207.869.4008

www.newmeadowsmarina.com Yamaha outboard www.newmeadowsmarina.com • full • full line line Yamaha outboard www.newmeadowsmarina.com line Yamaha outboard 1 3 2 U S R T •1full dealer and service center dealer and service center

dealer and service • full line Yamaha outboard sales on Yamahacenter outboards F R E E P O R•• summer T• summer sales on Yamaha outboards and Pioneer boat Packages summer sales on Yamaha outboards dealer and service center and Pioneer boat Packages 2 0 7 . 8 6 9 . 4 0 0 8• boat rentals available to exPlore and Pioneer boat Packages the beautiful maine coast • boat rentals available to exPlore

• boat rentals available to exPlore • summer sales on Yamaha outboards the beautiful maine coast the beautiful maine coast and Pioneer boat Packages www.newmeadowsmarina.com Yamaha outboard www.newmeadowsmarina.com • full • full line line Yamaha outboard www.newmeadowsmarina.com line Yamaha outboard 132 US RT 1 4 5 0 B aT h R O a d 1 3 2toU exPlore S R T •1full dealer and service center dealer and service center wmeadowsmarina.com • boat rentals available • full line Yamaha outboard www.newmeadowsmarina.com dealer service • full line Yamaha outboard • summer and sales on Yamahacenter outboards FR E E P O R T F R E E P O R T B R U N S Wdealer I C K and • summer sales on Yamaha outboards service center the beautiful maine coast and Pioneer boat Packages • summer sales on Yamaha outboards dealer and service center and boat Packages 207.869.4008 • boatPioneer rentals available to exPlore 2 0 7 . 8 6 9 . 4 0 0 8 2 0 7 . 4 4 3 . •6 summer 277 and Pioneer boat Packages sales on Yamaha outboards

eadowsmarina.com

the beautiful maine coast • boat rentals available to exPlore

• boat rentals available to exPlore • summer sales on Yamaha outboards the beautiful maine coast the beautiful maine coast • boat rentals available to exPlore and Pioneer boat Packages M AY 2 0 1 8 9 1

and Pioneer boat Packages the beautiful maine coast

• boat rentals available to exPlore • full line Yamaha outboard

Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s get started. Jennifer DeSena Broker/Owner, Realtor, CRS, CLHMS, ABR, SRES 207-799-0900 oceanhouserealestate.com

New England Homes & Living 13 Grove Street #5, Kennebunk Three bedrooms and two full baths in this beautiful second and third floor condo located in the heart of downtown Kennebunk. Pine floors, decks, wood burning fireplace, single car garage in an absolutely charming building perfect for primary living or second home getaway! Five minutes to the beaches! $269,000.

Ed Gardner, Broker/Owner

experienced - respected - committed

WWW.ANDREWSMILLIGAN.COM • 207-985-5525 info@andrewsmilligan.com • 24 Main Street Kennebunk 04043

Let the Ed Gardner Team ~ Navigate You Home ~ 207.415.4493 E d @O cEan G atE R Ealty . cOm

MOVING COMPANY & YARD CARE SERVICES Good people doing great work!

Large • Small • Local

Landscaping • Snow Plowing

Long Distance • Charity

Mowing • Excavation • Hauling

Packing • Dump Runs

And Much More!

Year Round • Residential • Commercial

Serving Grea ter Portland Main e since 1995!

207-773-4660 | jonsue@maine.rr.com | SpiritualWorkers.com

M ay 2 0 1 8 9 3

New England Homes & Living

“Your Real Estate Source for The Rangeley Region” RANGELEY LAKE

LIVING IS EASY and HASSLE FREE at Niboban Sporting Camps on Legendary Rangeley Lake! Only 1 Front Row Cabin Remaining – Once You Arrive, You’ll Never Want To Leave – Get It Before Its Gone! $269,500

RANGELEY LAKE

Caryn Dreyfuss Broker

Beautiful 4BR Lakeside Home on the East Shore of Oquossoc Cove, Thoughtfully Updated with Attention to Detail. Open Level Lawn to Gradual Entry WF with Bridge Over Small Boat Lagoon to Dock. $515,000

RANGELEY

(207) 233-8275

RANGELEY LAKE RARE OFFERING on Secluded Smith Cove! Classic Lakeside Cottage Privately Sited on 2.9 Acres with 400’ Shore Frontage. Unobstructed Views, Covered Porch, Flat Lawn to Waterfront and Dock. $530,000

RANGELEY LAKE ACCESS

QUIMBY POND

Better Fence. Best Experience. Energy Efficient “Green” Home Built in 2010 w/ICF Construction. 2BR, 2BA Home Offers Sun Filled Open Spaces, Low Heating Costs, Saddleback Mt Views. Quiet Location Minutes to Quimby Pond, Area Amenities. $249,900

Fantastic Lakeside Setting Abutting Rangeley Lake Town Park. Light Filled 3BR, 3BA Tri-Level Town Home w/Fully Equipped Efficiency Apt. in Walkout Basement. Direct Lake Access, Walk to Local Amenities, Move-In Ready. $249,900

caryndreyfuss@morton-furbish.com

2478 Main Street • P.O. Box 1209 Rangeley, Maine 04970 www.realestateinrangeley.com

Just 56 Feet From Tranquil No-Motors Quimby Pond! Completely Renovated Summer 2016 w/ All New Systems, Septic, Drilled Well. Enjoy Unobstructed Pond/Sunset views, Level Lawn to the Water w/New Aluminum Dock. $289,000

Better Fence. Best Experience.

Privacy Privacy

Decorative Decorative

Pools Pools

Protection Protection

Let ActiveYards® provide you a Let ActiveYards® provide you a lifetime solution for need. any fencing need. lifetime solution for any fencing Please call for your local authorized dealer: 1-866-490-1358

Find Fencing solutions and more at: activeyards.com Find fencing solutions and more at: www.activeyards.com

9 4 p o r t l a n d m o n t h ly m a g a z i n e

New England Homes & Living

Durham - $750,000

—Classic Antique Farmhouse with modern upgrades— Well manicured gardens, grounds, and fenced pastures. Hardwood floors complement a large eat-in kitchen with wood stove. Kitchen view is of peaceful patio overlooking 9+/- acres of pastures. 7 stall barn ready for horses or alpacas. Surrounding fields protected from development, view remains eternal! 7.5 miles from Bowdoin College - only 25 minutes from Portland.

MLS# 1324077

Wiscasset - Visit DayBreakEstate.com for details!

—Daybreak Estate— Impeccable waterfront Georgian Colonial situated on 8.3 lush acres overlooking the vineyard and 650' of bay frontage has been restored & upgraded in every detail, stunning architectural features, high ceilings, impressive master suite, 3 fireplaces & leaded glass. Professionally manicured lawns and gardens with European flair. Perfect for entertaining, guests will be impressed w/wine cellar and tasting room. 7 minute walk to yacht club and downtown.

Dramatic, 3400+/- SF, shingle-style Cottage home with three levels, four bedrooms and 4.5 baths. Breathtaking panoramic ocean views from every room, especially from the great room and gourmet kitchen. Whimsical 800+/- SF guest cottage designed like a lighthouse with a wraparound porch and turret. $1,590,000 MLS#1338776

MLS# 1309933

Raveis.com 240 MAINE STREET BRUNSWICK, MAINE 207.729.1863

Elizabeth Dubois - BROKER, REALTOR® 207-671-8279 elizabeth.dubois@beangroup.com

www.beangroup.com

SHELDON SLATE is a family-owned business with four generation of experience. We mine and manufacture our own slate products

from our own quarries. The range of our colors will complement any kitchen or bath. Our slate is heat-resistant, non-porous, and nonfading. It has a polished/honed finish and is very low maintenance. Let us help you design and build a custom sink, countertop, or vanity. Custom Inquiries are handled through the Monson, Maine, division. PRODUCERS OF SLATE FLOOR TILE, FLAGGING, STRUCTURAL SLATE AND ROOFING, MONUMENTS, AND SLATE SINKS Monson, Maine 04464 207-997-3615 Middle Granville, New York 12849 518-642-1280 SHELDONSLATE.COM M ay 2 0 1 8 9 5

New England Homes & Living

237 Waldoboro Road, Jefferson, ME 04348

207-549-5657

Rockafella

Big Boy

Jefferson – This beautiful home is a dream—350' of

waterfront, dock and gazebo at waters edge. Overlooking the water is a 2 bedroom, 2½ bath home with sunroom that leads out to a large deck and screened-in room with outdoor kitchen & cozy chairs for watching the gorgeous sunsets. Inside is a family room, largeCafé dining/living Jefferson, room with fireplace, office, and Beautifully renovated anddeck. café in Jefferson is ready for master bedroom withbakery outside opening. Café has everything you need to start cooking now– Yard is beautifully landscaped along fryolators, with applesandwich and pearunits, trees,proofer, lightedpizza oven, stove, grill top, path to waterfront, & New tables are in place and refrigerators, freezer,greenhouse walk-in cooler. 3-car garage. Must see! $389,000 waiting for customers to enjoy their meals. $295,000

www.BlackDuckRealty.com email: info@blackduckrealty.com

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

Rockaround

www.StepGuys.com 207-324-8100 • 1-888-433-6010 192 Biddeford Road, Alfred, Maine

New England Homes & Living

York Ocean Front 3 BR, 3 Full BA $1,100,000

Portland Summer Place 3 BR, 3 Full BA $539,000

Portland West End Condo 2 BR, 2 Full BA, 1 Half Bath $598,500

Scarborough Dunstan Crossing 2 BR, 3 Full BA $549,900

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

M ay 2 0 1 8 9 7

New England Homes & Living

Laurie Roberge REALTOR® Buying and selling a home is complicated. Fortunately, as a trusted real estate professional serving the Greater Portland market for over 18 years, I can help. Whether you dream of the city or country, lake or ocean, let my experience work for you “Bringing People Home” one dream at a time. laurie.roberge@beangroup.com 207-415-0960 | 6 City Center, Suite 313, Portland

Assisting people buy and sell properties in the beautiful Western mountains of Maine since 1985

Enjoy Maine’s Vacation-land!

HERE IT IS! The BEST ski in/out location on Sugarloaf mountain. 2 bed 1 bath, this incredible unit offers many upgraded elements including a gourmet kitchen, heated ﬂoors in kitchen, dining and bath, custom ski tuning bench, gas Regency ﬁreplace, custom tiled shower and lots of creative storage areas. AMAZING views. Large deck overlooking Sawduster Chair and Beach with sunken hot tub to relax in after a long day on the slopes. Low association fees and 2 special parking permits make this Sugarloaf condo in Village South an incredible opportunity and buy. $375,000

259 MAIN STREET, KINGFIELD CSMREALESTATE.COM 207-265-4000 9 8 p o r t l a n d m o n t h ly m a g a z i n e

155 Gray Road, Suite 101, Falmouth, Maine 04105

EST 1919

Fiction

The Pickup Artist By Hank Garfield

adobe stock

work at the State Fair, in the parking area on the infield of the track. It’s a boring job, but it’s only two weeks of the year, and besides, an artist can always find a way to make even the most tedious tasks interesting. We park them in sections, cordoned off by string, two rows of vehicles in each section, facing each other. Five of us, plus a supervisor, ensure that everyone parks in an orderly fashion. There’s a handicapped section, closest to the grandstand. My job – well, my self-appointed task, more accurately – is to separate out the big pickup trucks and park them in their own sections. People love those big pickups, especially people who come to the State Fair. Your Dodge Rams, Toyota Tundras, Ford Fourby-Fours. They come in all colors, and they’re all huge, with a full back seat between the cab and the bed. After Dick, the

supervisor, saw what I was doing, he grudgingly agreed it was a good idea to give them their own section, away from the less imposing SUVs and the small cars that used to be considered normal. Dick’s been working the fair for twenty years. He’s got the routine down pat. There’s a big rush at the beginning of the day, then a lull in mid-afternoon, and then it picks up again as people arrive for evening events like the demolition derby or the hot dog eating contest. Mostly we park them as they come in, filling in open spaces when people leave. There’s no particular order to it. Or at least there wasn’t, until I came along. He put me in charge of parking the pickups. I waved all the other vehicles on, and steered each behemoth truck into a spot beside the next, all in two neat rows. But this too became boring after a while. To amuse myself, I began parking the pickups by col-

or. I assembled a section with dark trucks on one side and light ones on the other. Then I did a section with one side in color and the other in black, white, silver and gray. One day I had five red trucks in a row, but then I took a pee break, and Andrea, the young woman who relieved me, parked a red truck on the opposite side, totally oblivious to the pattern. We got into a bit of an argument until Dick came by and told us to get back to work. I got more refined. One day I had red, white and blue trucks alternating in a row. I had seven or eight of them lined up like that. Meanwhile, I was making the black and dark green and sepia and silver trucks park on the other side, and I’d opened up a new section to handle the overflow. “Just park him next to that red one,” Dick said when he saw me wave on a family in a black Ford. “Can’t,” I said. “That’s the Americana M AY 2 0 1 8 1 0 1

Fiction side. Red white and blue only.” “For Chrissake,” he growled. “Just park ‘em.” But what’s the fun in that? Anyone can fill up a parking section. It takes an artist to create a color-coordinated canvas of vehicles. That’s what I am. I’m an artist with pickup trucks. The rest of the crew began to talk about me. They were just parking cars in rows, one after the other. But I was making people park all over the place, leaving gaps until a truck of the right color came along. You have to work with the materials at your disposal, after all.

T Port Mag_Ad 27.indd 1

3/28/18 12:13 PM

AA AFFILIATE BOSTON RED SOX

1 0 2 p o r t l a n d m o n t h ly m a g a z i n e

he final straw for Dick came when I was attempting to create a row of piano keys: two white trucks, then black-white-black, then two more white ones, then black-white-black-white-black, and so on. The problem was, there weren’t enough white trucks, so I had to fill with light silver and gray, and it didn’t look much like a piano. And the other side of the section was a mess of mixed-up reds and blues and greens. Meanwhile, I’d started a new section up the field. We were getting a lot of black trucks that day, and I didn’t have places to put all of them. Still, I had almost completed my first octave when Dick strode over and asked me what the hell I was doing. “I’m trying to make it look like a piano,” I explained, indicating an empty space I was holding in reserve between two black trucks. “I need a white one right there.” “You can shove your piano up your ass as far as I’m concerned,” he said. “Just park them where they fit. Goddammit, this isn’t rocket science.” No. It’s art. But nobody appreciates art anymore. The next day, I was reassigned to the walk-in gate, stamping people’s hands as they entered. It was a boring job, until I started stamping every female on the left hand and every male on the right. When I wasn’t sure, I took my best guess. The day after that, I did it by eye color, and the day after that, height. There were a few awkward moments when people held out the wrong hand. Yesterday I saw Sherry, my new supervisor, give me a funny look. I’m afraid she might not appreciate art, either. n

Dan Dallaire and son, PCU Mortgage

NMLS #449242

flash Portlandmonthly.com 1

Mayo Street Arts Blue Moon Ball fundraiser for the Locker Project 1. Samantha Henningsen, Benjamin Lascelle 2. Susan Webster, Blainor McGough, Bruce Fowler 3. Emily Ross, Jazmin Knapp 4. Thoman Campbell, Peter Campbell

1 1

Maine Restaurant Association Annual Awards Banquet at Holiday inn by the bay 1. Kerry Altiero, Christy Bombaturn, Dave Turin, Matthew Levin 2. Steve DiMillo, Jr., Jeanette Breggia 3. Barbara Grotton, Steve DiMillo 4. Lucas Butler, Melissa DiMatteo, Bob DiMatteo 5. Troy Mains, Brenda Downs

Killing for Love screening at Portland Museum 1. Genie Nakell, Jeff Barkin, Joan Belsky Barkin 2. John Sheldon, Emily Sheldon 3. Michelle and Anthony Sanborn 4. Thea Johnson, Amy Farfield, Louise Rosen

DIGITAL DETOX If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re vacationing to a remote location or simply steering clear of your inbox for a weekend, you might have thought about grabbing a magazine or three. Studies have shown that readers both retain information and recognize branding through printed material much more than through digital media. Plus, you never have to worry about forgetting a power cord. Cummings Printing is a third-generation family-owned company specializing in printing high-quality, short-run publications. At each phase of the print process, we provide a human-touch that is unmatched by the competition. Let us help you create a publication your readers can escape with.

cummingsprinting.com

4 Peters Brook Drive | P.O. Box 16495 | Hooksett, NH 03106-6495 | 800-647-0035 http://www.facebook.com/CummingsPrinting

1 0 4 p o r t l a n d m o n t h ly m a g a z i n e

@CummingsPrint

info@cummingsprinting.com

find your

place

$10 A MONTH Buckn

am R

I2am Mon - 9pm Fri Sat- Sun 7am- 7pm

NOW OPEN

251 US-I Falmouth, ME 04105 (207) 536-7710

US - 1

STARBUCKS

Fully Staffed

251 US-1 Falmouth, ME

SHAWS

STAPLES

264 Civic Center Drive, Suite 2 • Augusta, ME • (207) 623-0023 145 Marginal Way • Portland, ME • (207) 879-2200 8 Thomas Drive • Westbrook, ME • (207) 773-7774

join today in-club or at planetfitness.com Must be 18 years old, or 13 with parent/guardian. Home club only. Billed monthly to a checking account. State and local taxes may apply. Subject to annual fee. Offer available at participating locations only. Planet Fitness locations are independently owned and operated. © 2018, PFIP, LLC.

Life is complicated. We’re here to help. We know Local We know Wealth We know Investing We know Trusts We know Estates We know Retirement We know Family We know Businesses We know Philanthropy We know Solutions

DISCOVER WHAT KNOW-HOW CAN DO. LET’S TALK WWW.PEOPLES.COM/INSIGHTS WEALTHMANAGEMENT@PEOPLES.COM 1.207.828.3104

Investments and Assets held in a ﬁduciary account are not deposits, or other obligations, are not guaranteed by People’s United Bank, N.A., are not insured by the FDIC, by any other government agency, or by People’s United Bank, or any of its afﬁliates, and may lose value.