Portland Magazine APRIL 2025 by portlandmonthlymagazine

WATERFRONT WEDDINGS WITH BOONE’S

CULTURE

13 FROM THE EDITOR

“Bluebirds, Snowbirds” By Colin W. Sargent

15 LETTERS

17 CHOWDER

A tasty blend of the Fabulous, the Eyebrow-Raising, and the Just Plain Wrong.

45 FINE LIVING

“Down the Hatch” By Clif Travers

21 “Rockstar Hours” By Laurel Faye

29 “Thoreau Back” By Colin W. Sargent

41 “Maine to Malawi: Forward” By Colin S. Sargent & Evan Liu

55 MAINE LIVE

“Onstage: Mount Eerie” Interview with Phil Elverum By Laurel Faye

95 “Flower” Fiction by Suzanne Strempek Shea

24 “Unpacking & Updating” By Clif Travers

63 “Who Gets Married in Maine?” By Clif Travers

By Colin W. Sargent

82 “The Rosenberg Legacy” By Laurel Faye

88 NEW ENGLAND HOMES & LIVING REFRESH

49 CORNER TABLE “Falmouth Floor Show” By Colin W. Sargent

51 SELECT AREA RESTAURANTS EXPLORE

18 MADE IN MAINE

37 CAMPING, MOUNTAINS, LAKES & LODGES

62 MAINE WEDDING GUIDE 2025

COLIN W. SARGENT

Founding Editor & Publisher

ART & PRODUCTION

Art Director NANCY SARGENT

Associate Publisher JESSE STENBAK

Design Director CLAIRE HANLEY

Design MEAGHAN MAURICE MERCEDES VILLENEUVE

ADVERTISING

Advertising Executive ANDIE EWING

Advertising Executive PER LOFVING

EDITORIAL

Assistant Editor & Publisher LAUREL FAYE

Contributing Editor CLIF TRAVERS

Special Features & Archives COLIN S. SARGENT

Special Projects JASON HJORT

ACCOUNTING

Controller JENNIFER LORD

SUBSCRIPTIONS

Subscribe online at www.portlandmagazine.com.

Portland Magazine, aka Portland Monthly Magazine, is published by Sargent Publishing, Inc. Repeat Internet rights are understood to be purchased with all stories and artwork. For questions regarding advertising, invoicing, and payments, call Jennifer Lord at 775-0101.

April 2025, Volume 40, No. 2 (ISSN: 1073-1857). Letters to the editor are welcome and will be treated as unconditionally assigned for publication and copyright purposes and as subject to Portland Magazine’s unrestricted right to edit and comment editorially. Responsible only for that portion of any advertisement which is printed incorrectly. Advertisers are responsible for copyrights of materials they submit. Nothing in this issue may be reprinted in whole or in part without written permission from the publishers. Submissions welcome, but we take no responsibility for unsolicited materials. All photography has been enhanced for your enjoyment.

Portland Magazine is proudly printed in the USA by Cummings Printing. 102

Bluebirds, Snowbirds

Growing up in Portland, I never saw a bluebird. Poor Colin! e way I heard it, they got tired of the cold weather and ew away forever. e last straw, they say, was the dag-blasted winter of 1895.

Walking to Chapman School every morning, my heart went out to the disappeared ones. Why did you forsake us? Where, oh where did you go?

I heard bluebirds, though, in the form of the Bluebird Records my father sometimes put on the hi- : Artie Shaw, Duke Ellington. Billie Holiday, singing for Shaw, swept the year 1938 away with her adorable “Any Old Time.”

After our honeymoon in Maine, Nancy and I took a train to visit her grandfather, Dr. Sterling Lafayette Davis, at his beautiful homestead in the Piney Woods of Texas. When we arrived in our rental car, the elds were blue. “ ey used to live in Maine,” I told him.

“ at’s because they all ew straight down here.” He waited for the perfect beat. “To get away from that poor man’s fertilizer you all call snow!”

So, I never saw my rst bluebird. I saw my rst 5,000, all at once, a mystical experience.

Now, many of them have made their way back to Maine. I can reliably see them at Kennebunk’s Hillcrest Golf. And Portland Monthly exec Jenny Lord, who lives in Old Orchard Beach near Dunegrass, says, “ ey come in small groups, uttering from one perch to the next as they forage o my property.

During the winter, they eat berries o my holly and bittersweet. In the summer, they catch bugs midair above my gardens, helping with pest control. Once they’ve eaten, they nd their feathers, showing o After a quick rest, they y away until

Where

Where Recycling Has Always Been In Style

Forget Me Nots

Now Accepting Seasonal

TER

LAKEWOOD THEATER

This year Lakewood Theater celebrates its 125th season

We few lucky ones who spend countless hours at Lakewood have found "Lakewood time "

For mountain building, Redwood tree growing, or glacier melting, 125 seasons is a dandelion in the wind But to us, who measure out our lives no longer in coffee spoons but in cell phone minutes, a century plus is a long, long time.

Think about time "Are we there yet?" "I'm late! I'm late! For a very important date!" "Where's the fire?" "Flight delayed."

Think about time "Are we there yet?" "I'm late! I'm late! For a very important date!" "Where's the fire?" "Flight delayed "

There is only one important time each day at Lakewood: Curtain Time The rest of the day does not really matter There are few wall clocks at Lakewood There is a clock on the wall back stage but the only time that matters is kept by the Stage Manager "Ten minutes " "Thank-you, ten " "Three minutes." "Thank-you,three." "Places."

There is only one important time each day at Lakewood: Curtain Time The rest of the day does not really matter. There are few wall clocks at Lakewood There is a clock on the wall back stage but the only time that matters is kept by the Stage Manager. "Ten minutes " "Thank-you, ten " "Three minutes " "Thank-you,three " "Places "

We are fortunate to have a collection of old playbills, in addition to all the wonderful advertisements they also contain the musings of Lakewood founder and visionary, Herbert L Swett Mr Swett writes of jaunts, strolls, rambles, day trips, and excursions People pick wild flowers and compete in endless games of badminton They chat

They took their time in that different time

Foot race

Space race Rat race

They took their time in that different time.

Foot race

Space race

Rat race

Microwave, Toaster Oven, Drive thru Fast Food

Lakewood Time

Microwave, Toaster Oven, Drive thru Fast Food Lakewood Time

Even "Curtain Time" is more a sense of surroundings rather than clock: twilight, a stirring in the trees, a loon call on the lake, smell of campfires, the swish of canoe paddles, a "sweater around the shoulders" coolness, the clatter of dishes in the Inn kitchen Herbert said his favorite time of day was sunset He writes of sitting in his office watching cars drive into the parking lot One can almost imagine him coming down the stairs and strolling over to the Inn to chat

Even "Curtain Time" is more a sense of surroundings rather than clock: twilight, a stirring in the trees, a loon call on the lake, smell of campfires, the swish of canoe paddles, a "sweater around the shoulders" coolness, the clatter of dishes in the Inn kitchen Herbert said his favorite time of day was sunset. He writes of sitting in his office watching cars drive into the parking lot. One can almost imagine him coming down the stairs and strolling over to the Inn to chat

Slow down We move too fast

Welcome to the 125th Season of Lakewood Theater

Have a grand time

Have some Lakewood time

THE SHORE OF YOU

Great cover! [A canoe’s view of Loon Lake, near Rangeley, Feb/March 2025]

Maine Home Connections, Portland

RADIO DAYS

What a beautiful job of editing and layout for the story [“Radio Bangor,” Feb/March 2025] on WZON and Downtown. I sat in my driveway reading it and will admit that I teared up seeing those photos. I’ll be hunting down copies where I can nd them to give to Rich and Carey. I was moved.

Bruce Pratt, Swanville

POSTCARD FROM THE EDGE

“ e Grand Canyon is carved deep by the master hand; it is the gulf of silence, widened in the desert; it is all time inscribing the naked rock; it is the book of earth.”

—Daniel Culross Peattie, 1941 Sabine Baer, formerly of Monhegan Island, now El Tovar, Grand Canyon, Arizona

THE KENNEBEC

by Alden x DW

For these, and mor e “Good Shoes , ” shop with us in- stor e in Por tland’s Old Por t - and online at davidwoodst yleshop. com. See you soon.

Flash Event

Sailing Ships will be creating a 32-foot boat with twelve students in Freeport behind the Oyster Co. starting April 18. “Our goal is to build it in one week,” says camp director Alex Agnew.

FACT FISH OR

I’m a sturgeon… seen for the very frst time. But a 13-foot fsh in Kennebec River? Am I a hall of famer or a hoax?

You be the judge: theloveofwildlife.quora. com/A-4-meter-13-ft-sturgeon-fsh-in-KennebecRiver-Maine-USA-The-largest-sturgeon-onrecord-was-a-Beluga-female-captur

Sur Lie

Bravo

Portlander Mimi Weissenborn, chef at Sur Lie, waits in the wings for a chance back at the oven in the ‘Last Chance Kitchen’ restitution round of the new season of Bravo’s hit series, “Top Chef.”

Inn Crowd

Two of the stunning destination resorts on Monhegan Island are: Island Inn (top) and Monhegan House (bottom). Some unwitting travelers aren’t completely aware there’s no such thing as the “Monhegan Island Inn.”

Perfec t Pawing

You dropped the bomb on me. This 17-month-old yellow lab, Teddy, is the Augusta Police Department’s “frst bomb-snifng dog,” tasked with protecting the State House. Jubilant Teddy (“he tugged and chewed on his leash during a brief press conference”) hails from Utah and is now paired with Capitol Police Ofcer Ryan Frost.

At Norway Savings Asset Management Group, it’s not necessarily the size of your nest egg we care about — it’s the story behind it. Your planning decisions are a reﬂection of your values and your future. They’re about the choices you’ve made to get here, and your vision for what comes next. We take the responsibility of protecting your ﬁnancial future incredibly seriously. We make sure your story lives on.

HoursRockstar

What we feel for eight-time Grammy-nominated Avril Lavigne is anything but complicated. Avril spent her early years in Quebec and grew up in Ontario. This summer, she’ll be rocking us, her ‘temporarily estranged’ neighbors to the south.

INTERVIEW BY LAUREL FAYE

I’ ve driven through Maine on my way to visit family in New Brunswick, but this is the rst time I’ll be spending signi cant time with you. e whole region is beautiful, especially during the spring.”

We’re known for Moxie, Red Snapper hot dogs, and blueberries—like an ungodly amount of blueberries. How will you follow your hunger when you’re here?

You don’t have to convince me. I fkn

love hot dogs, haha. I eat blueberries every morning. I’ll be sure to get a bunch and try them out. When I traveled to Quebec as a child, I’d pick wild blueberries, and my mom would bake a fresh pie from them. Amazing memories!

How do you sneak in time to compose? It depends on whether I’m home or on tour, where I’m living rockstar hours, waking up right before the show, getting onstage, and then winding down on the bus. at’s

when I feel the most creative. At home, I get up early, enjoy my co ee, and then head into the studio feeling ready and refreshed to create. I still keep it classic–keeping my songwriting in notebooks and starting every song on an acoustic guitar or piano. I’ve kept every lyric book since I was a teenager!

I adore your line “You come over unannounced” in “Complicated.” Are paradoxes a signature for you? at line is such a classic, and it’s this

MAINE AFTER DARK

universal feeling that everyone can relate to of not recognizing the person in front of them. When I was younger, I think I just wrote whatever felt real—never wanting to overthink it in case I lost the feeling of the moment. Now, I still do that, but I’m more aware of how words hit, how they ow with the melody. I’ve grown as a songwriter, but I still love keeping it raw and emotional.

When you write songs like “Breakaway” for Kelly Clarkson or “Can You Die from a Broken Heart” for Nate Smith, what’s it like to express yourself through someone else’s talents?

So, I didn’t write the Nate Smith [Oh, no], but I am attered you thought so [Phew]; however, I am currently writing and producing for another female artist. I can’t say who it is yet, but she went through a hard time earlier this year, and it’s been amazing to support her in this way. Coming soon.

What’s your go-to shower song? I don’t sing in the shower–Ha!

What’s next?

is summer, I’m doing a second round of the greatest hits tour. It’s incredible. I am so excited to celebrate it. Last summer was so insane we had to do it again.

I’m turning 30 this year, and I’ve been listening to you since I was a girl. I know exactly what your music meant to me, but what does it mean to you to be the icon for a generation of young girls who didn’t ft in the world but who found a home in your music?

I’m so grateful for everyone who found a home in it. And if you grew up listening to me as a teenager— guess what? You can STILL blast it and feel like a badass, even if you’re about to turn 30. And don’t stress… 30 is not old. ere’s still so much fun ahead.

Unpacking & Updating

Reshaping an art installation for a new audience.

STORY BY CLIF TRAVERS

The project started in a bar, a place where ideas are born and often die.

But this one—this art installation that could create a dialogue—didn’t get washed away by a bottle of red. It had legs as thick as pylons. And fteen years later—ten years after the last time this work spoke to an audience—it’s

about to speak again.

It’s called “ e Medicine Cabinets Project,” interactive boxes inspired by the work of Joseph Cornell. I was living in New York City, bartending in high-end lounges where people from around the world would linger over $20 cocktails, commiserating about their world or the larger one. It was the perfect environment for my idea.

It started with a question. “What is one problem in society that could be easily cured?” And the follow-up. “How could it be xed?”

Not surprisingly, people had opinions, some too lubricated to consider. But there were many thoughtful observations about societal ailments, most of which only required slight changes in our

HARMONY & ADVENTURE

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© Kristin Sweeting Photography

attitudes to cure them. I settled on nine. e Medicine Cabinets took nearly ve years to complete before showing them in Boston, New York, and Chicago. It’s been ten years since they’ve been seen beyond my studio. Recently, they spoke to an audience again when Mechanic’s Hall hosted their “Evening of Wonder.”

One piece is a trilogy of boxes titled “ ree Dilemmas.” Each box contains a recorded scenario, allowing the participant to listen and then o er a written solution on the black wall surrounding it. Ten years ago, the dilemmas dealt with personal conundrums and how the listener would deal with them. is year, due to the dramatic changes in the political landscape, I’m asking more global questions.

The world has changed in ten years. e days of empathy have become shorter. As I prepped the boxes for viewing, I considered the themes that strangers had believed to be problematic for civilization back then. Rudeness. Ageism. Stereotyping. Imbalance. Apathy. Will people still identify with what had been on our minds ten years ago? Have we become calloused to the simple issues—too jaded to consider the possibility of change?

It’s occurred to me that maybe the project isn’t done. Could the times require more ailments, more cures? Have the issues of a decade ago become super uous?

I consider the question: Where are we now? n

Luxury in the North Maine Woods

Haymock Lodge at Macannamac Camps

Photos by Luke Patry

Enjoy absolute luxury in the heart of the North Maine Woods in the Allagash Lakes region of Maine. Just miles from the famous Ghost Trains of the Allagash Wilderness Waterway. Haymock Lodge can be rented for lodging only, or upgrade your stay to the VIP American Plan which includes three homecooked meals and a social hour with hors d’oeuvres. Haymock Lodge is a beautiful two-story log home with hardwood ﬂoors and designed with a traditional sporting camp in mind. This three-bedroom, 2 ¾ bath home boasts great southerly views of Haymock Lake and includes a very large wrap around deck. Although completely oﬀ grid, the Lodge has full electricity. This home sleeps up to 12 people.

Thoreau Back

The writer we wish we knew.

BY COLIN W. SARGENT

One of the oldest tropes in Maine is to stalk Henry David oreau’s excursions through the Maine Woods and try to channel him, preferably while roughing it in a 21st-century wilderness resort with views of Moosehead Lake, sipping co ee (or cognac) in front of the re. Well, surprise: we haven’t changed, but he has. Meet the oreau you never knew.

oreau expert Laura Dassow Walls, PhD, author of Henry David oreau, A Life (University of Chicago Press), has volunteered to take us closer.

While channel surfng last night, I saw a clip of Yoda dispensing advice on Star Wars. It struck me. Were Yoda’s enigmatic pronouncements just ripped-off Thoreau?

Here’s a quote from oreau: Not till we have been lost do we begin to nd ourselves. Number 1, that’s kinda Yoda. If you boil it down, it sounds like Yoda. If you open it up, it sounds

like Yoda squared.

Many of us think of HDT as an old guy–one of the bearded worthies on the Smith Bros. Cough Drop box. But he was just 44 in 1862 when he died.

Yes, he was so young!

Forty-four is Kim Kardashian, Ryan Reynolds, and Kristen Bell. Beyonce is 43. The last time Thoreau came to Maine, he was just 39—think Portland actress Anna Kendrick. Since they’re his peers, which of those fve people do you think Thoreau would have liked the most?

Not Kim Kardashian. He wasn’t big on adornment. If a woman were all fashion or makeup, he’d have walked right away.

So, who would he have gravitated toward on that list?

Maybe…Ryan Reynolds.

When Thoreau met with Old John Neptune, the legendary Penobscot governor and sachem, two elaborate belief systems touched–two kinds of “medicine.” How did that meeting come about on Indian Island in Old Town?

His guide, Joseph Polis [who also identi ed as Penobscot], introduced them at the end of oreau’s third journey in Maine. Polis knew Neptune, and after they got back to the village, they were lingering. Polis says, “Let’s see Gov. Neptune.” ey talked for a long time. I’m not sure they stayed overnight, but oreau was impressed. John Neptune was 89.

Polis de nitely had medicine, too. At rst, oreau just knew Polis as a leader, a guide. I don’t think oreau realized how powerful Polis was when they started, that he’d gone to Washington, D.C. What’s remarkable was how oreau got more and more deeply intrigued and even in awe of Polis across three weeks. ere’s a moment of Polis showing phosphorescent wood in the forest to oreau. oreau wrote that “there is a stranger world than I ever knew.” He’s astonished when he sees Polis communicate with a snake. Another time, Polis tells him, “Oh, I can make 12 pints of tea from what’s around us.” oreau is spellbound. Polis points

The Trailing Yew

OUT THERE

out an arbor glyph on a tree that’s a bear in a canoe, which is Polis’s sign. It dawns on oreau that Polis knows this vast area as his home. He knows it better than he knows Concord. oreau is becoming aware of a more profound indigenous knowledge and viewpoint that he realizes exists all across North America. Polis is introducing him to a living people, not to a dead remnant race. It was pivotal for oreau. e three trips to Maine were the peak of oreau’s life.

Did Thoreau and Polis become friends?

One time, they dared each other to a race. Polis sets o , and oreau gathers up all the pots and pans. ey’re teasing and laughing. As usual, oreau claims victory. Polis was one of oreau’s heroes; at the end of his life, he named him one of his absolute all-time inspirations, up there with Emerson. He wrote up a whole adventure about Polis but couldn’t publish it because he said he couldn’t face him again [if he did]. ere was some interesting tension between the two… I think Polis completely understood how to handle the situation, and I don’t think oreau understood that he was being handled.

Where’s a good place to channel Thoreau in Maine? You were up here recently on your book tour.

We stayed at Chalet Moosehead Lakefront Lodging. On the day we visited, it was misty with an overcast, the water like glass. Loons were exploring and doing their looning thing. I just thought it was magical. Very quiet. Beautiful view. e central view in Greenville was too busy for us. At Chalet, the historical museum was a block away. I looked at the logging machinery and felt this was what oreau saw!

Experience Moosehead Lake aboard the historic Steamboat Katahdin, a “living museum” for our community, region, and future generations. Daily cruises, charters, weddings, and corporate events.

Where else?

Big Moose Inn. at got into the heart of the country that so awed oreau on his rst visit. Jaw-dropping. is is really the Maine Woods, and we are really here!

His guides were shy about taking him to the top of mountains. Was that really because they believed God was up there, or is that an oversimplifcation?

He and Polis do charge up the slopes of Mt. Kineo. But oreau was warned about the top of Katahdin. Maybe it was closer to something like this: going to the top of Katahdin was kind of like barging all over the altar of a Catholic church. He made it up once, but he felt the mountain did not permit him to do it again because he got lost along the way. After he left Maine, he still dreamed of being lost there, a sacred experience on the

“Sailing Day”

by Carroll Thayer Berry (1886-1978)

Hand painted, three panel decorative screen.

Painted in 1930 as a commission for Mr. Simon “Sy” Wexler of Chicago.

EAST BOOTHBAY

TRADING CO. GALLERY & SHOP 218 OCEAN POINT RD. 207 446 5759

Available as an audiobook on Audible!

Aviator Charles Lindbergh’s aw-shucks schtick is a mask for a monster who destroys strangers and loved ones with equal indifference.

Hunter makes a fortune exposing fraudsters. When he stumbles across the corpse of his German teacher on his old reformatory grounds, he’s certain he is onto something evil and becomes drawn into the mystery.

Unsure who his own father is, Hunter is no angel himself. A former “black ops” military offcer, he knows what he has to do to get the job done,no matter the cost.

Nightmares, hallucinations, and fragments of grisly memories knock on the door of his subconscious. Even the stage prop “Old Sparky” in his new lover’s lurid Grand Guignol connects a deadly circuit in Hunter.

Orisa cards warn of air disaster. Brainy Pia offers a path out of his disintegration. Traveling the globe—Paris, Berlin, Geneva, and London—Hunter can’t resist the magnetic scene south of New York where the Crime of the Century once played out.

Hunter is falling through the universe’s trap door. He’s headed for hell—unless he can redeem himself with one final flight.

shoulder of Katahdin that completely unnerved him. One of the reasons NEW: Concerts at Saint Alban’s in Cape Elizabeth*

Wednesday 6/18 Bach, from Cöthen to Leipzig* Thursday 6/19 Great Performances: The Artistry of BVF (Etz Chaim Synagogue) Sunday 6/22 Bach by Candlelight* Tuesday 6/24 A Baroque Finale* June 18 - 24, 2025

FEATURING: Triple Concerto • Mass in G • Trio Sonata in B ﬂat • Anna Magdalena Bach Notebook • Sonata for Solo Violin in G minor • Chromatic Fantasia and Fugue in D minor Tilge Höchster, meine Sünden • Orchestral Suite #1 • Prelude, Trio, and Fugue in B ﬂat Obbligato Sonata in G

Nestled in the heart of Maine, the Blair Hill Inn & Spa offers a captivating fusion of historic charm and contemporary elegance. Perched majestically above the shimmering waters of Moosehead Lake and framed by the surrounding mountains, the Blair Hill Inn promises an enchanting retreat. Whether you seek relaxation, thrilling adventures, or exquisite dining experiences, this boutique hotel is the perfe ct destination to create unforgettable memories. www.blairhill.com

From Off-Season rates starting at just $89 per night, to peak Summer rates starting at just $259, there’s something for everyone at The Anchorage. 2-Night Stay and Dine Packages also available.*

Over 200 rooms & suites, 2 indoor & 2 outdoor (in season) pools, oceanfront dining, and more, just 45 minutes from Portland and one hour from Boston.

SUMMER PLANNING |

Maine to Malawi

Mainer’s African venture gains both international and community traction.

STORY BY COLIN S. SARGENT AND EVAN LIU

Thanks to a new partnership with the UN and United States International Finance Partners, Sanguo Ventures Limited (SGV) is the rst electric motorcycle manufacturer on the African continent.

Our rst production model, the MM125 motorcycle, provides African businesses with a greener, cheaper, and more reliable transportation option that o ers additional economic opportunities for Malawi communities.

Now we welcome stage two:

SGV is thrilled to launch our new SGV150 electric motorcycles in Malawi, ushering in a new era of a ordable transportation. is model symbolizes our vision

Forward

Founders Liu (L) and Sargent (R).

Oceanfront Lodging, Dining & Gatherings

Febbie Mbewe, inventory control ofﬁcer & brand

for a future where economic mobility is accessible to all, enhancing daily life for institutions and individuals through signi cant reductions in transportation costs and fostering a sustainable economic environment that bene ts communities.

Stay tuned to see our all-electric pickup trucks rolling out over Malawi in the next few months. n

Portlander Colin S. Sargent and Evan Liu are the founding partners of SGV, established in Malawi in 2017.

For more on the Maine connection and regional opportunities, follow this link: https://sgvelectricmobility.com/ https://www.portlandmonthly.com/portmag/driving-force/

Medicinal Plant Sciences -DE

Bachelor of Science Degree (B S ) Length: 34 months

Cannabis Sciences -DE

Associate of Applied Science Degree (A A S ) Length: 18/36 months

Cannabis Business Administration -DE

Associate of Applied Science Degree (A.A.S.) Length: 20/40 months

Cannabis Business Operations -DE | Diploma Length: 10/20 months

We keep hearing about edibles. What about drinkables? Maine is welcoming a whole new category of liquid assets.

Sales are exploding thanks to consumers who want to cut down on alcohol or seek a faster buzz. Liquid THC still requires digestion to hit the bloodstream, but it does it faster than edibles— with just 5 to 15 minutes to kick in. e issue is your soft tissues: THC gets absorbed faster than, say, a slug of Jack Daniels. at’s why, according to Future Market Insights, liquid cannabis is poised to yield a mind-blowing $8.3B in the U.S. by 2032. Maine’s already catching the breeze.

in 2015—with just cannabis.” Six years later, here in Portland, Hi5 sodas took o .

DELTA9

Current laws keep their success from going o the rails. “Our products are made with all-natural ingredients, including THC,” Pollock says. “It’s made from cannabis, not hemp. e hemp extract, called Delta9, can go

REALITY THEATRE

“I’ve always been into cannabis,” says owner and CEO Zack Squier from Portland. “I was a chef for fteen years [venues include Fuki and Umami in Portsmouth], and it felt like a natural progression to get into the cannabis beverage biz. I kept seeing products with fake ingredients, even when it was medical. I know from experience how important it is to have real ingredients in whatever you’re making.”

Down the Hatch!

Liquid THC hits the high mark.

STORY BY CLIF TRAVERS

WEALTHY & WISE

“ is year’s record-breaking,” says Brandon Pollock, CEO of eory Wellness, creators of the rocketing Hi5 THC sodas. “A lot of people are trying to get healthier, and this is the natural alternative to alcohol.” Could this be why reports are rolling in saying Dry January was bigger this year than ever?

EARLY TRAJECTORY

After graduating from Colby with a degree in economics and minors in administrative science and philosophy, Pollock and a friend “took over an old machine shop in Waterville that was part of a paper company. at’s where eory Wellness started

through the liquor channels. THC needs to go through the dispensary.”

IS IT THE GOOD TURTLE SOUP OR ONLY THE MOCK?

If you’d rather be your own bartender and mix up a personalized THC-infused beverage, whether adding it to a mocktail, a cocktail, or a special hot tea to get you through this wicked season, Squier’s Elixirs has you covered. With nearly a dozen avors like Pink Pineapple and Mandarin Mango, these chef-designed and all-natural potions are the perfect mixers for your favorite drink. e result will either lift you up or send you o to Dreamland, depending on the dosage and the product description.

e Squier’s Elixirs website pushes that point, stressing the 100-percent real juice that’s used as well as premium cannabis.

HANG OVER GLIDING

Squier agrees with Pollock that liquid cannabis is a perfect alternative to alcohol. “You’re just replacing it with something that’ll get you to the same place without the hangover and the toxins that are in some spirits. Dry January was huge for us, and I think it’s going to be a trend moving forward.” Ascetic April, perhaps?

ROOM FOR SHROOMS

But the chef/mixologist isn’t stopping with elixirs. He’s got a seltzer coming out this month and then something a little di erent. “I think the next step is to play around with mushrooms. ere’s lots of possibilities there, and it’s a perfect path for a food guy like me.”n

The Sicilian Table sparkles on two oors of one of the mixeduse mid-rises that have landed like UFOs at Falmouth Shopping Center. It’s part of a culture change that signals a seismic lifestyle shift. While generations of well-heeled Payson-adjacent elite still live in mansions and cottages along Route 88 in this yachting town, a new citizenry now thrives where they shop,

Falmouth

FLOOR SHOW

North Atlantic sailing capital has a Mediterranean twist.

many with balconies looking directly down on the lights, tar, and retail throb of this emerging shop ping mecca.

e bistro impresses on entry with its contempo rary décor and warm and friendly wait sta . e verticality works; think col orful sh mobiles oating in midair. It’s like dining inside a trendy aquarium.

STORY BY COLIN W. SARGENT

For the rst course, we order the Pork Belly ($16), “blood orange and tamarind glaze, local micro green hazelnut salad, garlic peppercorn aioli, Fresno peppers & toasted sesame.” e peppers add an unexpected bite. e Italian Bang Bang Shrimp ($20), “crispy shrimp, arugula, sweet pepper relish, spicy tomato aioli & polenta croutons,” also jumps with fun and avor. Both appetizer portions are so generous we’ll have plenty for leftovers.

Our Grilled Sword sh ($38) is an attractive eight-ounce cut served with leeks and eggplant, topped with sundried tomato tapenade and served with arugula, chilled farro, and multicolored tomato salad. Nutty and tasty, farro is an Italian grain that dates to ancient Roman times. While the Branzino ($42) was served head removed (not in the traditional manner) the perfectly grilled lets are our favorite, festive with “warm farro salad, sun-dried tomatoes, capers, olives, herbs, lemon, kale,” and with a departure of chimichurri sauce. is “inspired Mediterranean” cuisine comes from a bistro connected with Royal River Grill House in Yarmouth, e Tuscan Table in South Portland, and Tuscan Brick-Oven Bistro in Freeport. Finishing with a generous and far-too-delicious serving of Blackout Cake, I feel slightly manipulated without knowing why. Congratulations. Yeah, I’ll be back! n

The Corner Room features bright, wide-open space with towering ceilings complemented by handcrafted woodwork. Patrons can expect a warm, comfortable atmosphere, marked by the arich aromas of house-made pastas, pizzas, antipasti and artisanal breads. Come and enjoy the taste of Venice in the heart of Portland, ME! 879-4747, 110 Exchange Street. Visit thecornerroomkitchenandbar. com for more information.

Boone’s A Portland landmark since 1898. Original home of Alexander Boone’s world-famous Baked Stuffed Lobster. Two waterfront decks, two full bars, two cozy dining rooms, fireside tables. Perfect setting to enjoy the finest seafood from Maine and the world. Steaks, chowder, lobster rolls, grilled dishes, daily features. Visit Boone’s for a romantic date, business luncheon, family gathering or large banquet. BoonesFishHouse.com

Bruno’s Portland’s Best Italian, Market Surveys of America. Silver medal, Best Italian, Best of 207. Seriously delicious Italian, American, seafood dishes with signature in-house pasta (Bruno’s Pasta Co. goodies entice in statewide culinary stores). Great sandwiches, pizza, calzones, soups, chowders, salads. Lunch/dinner in dining room or tavern—casual dining as an art form. 33 Allen Ave., 878-9511, restaurantji.com/me/portland/brunos-restaurant-and-tavern-/

Docks Seafood We pride ourselves on our Maine roots. Our mission is to source our seafood locally and regionally. This is noticed by discerning diners who appreciate the value of their food being made fresh from scratch. Our bar features a rotating list of Maine craft beers and signature cocktails. Hours are 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Wed.-Sun.

Maria’s Ristorante Portland’s original classic Italian restaurant. Greg & Tony Napolitano prepare classics: Zuppa di Pesce, Eggplant Parmigiana, Grilled Veal Sausages, Veal Chop Milanese, homemade cavatelli pastas, Pistachio Gelato & Maine’s Best Meatballs. See our own sauce in local stores. $11.95-$22.95. Open at 5 Wed.-Sat. Catering always avail. 1335 Congress Street 772-9232, mariasrestaurant.com.

DiMillo’s On the Water Now’s the time to enjoy everything DiMillo’s has to offer: fabulous dishes prepared by Head Chef, Melissa Bouchard, voted one of Maine’s Chefs of the Year, plus Certified Angus Beef, Italian and the best lobster around. Our outside dining is unparalleled. Open Monday thru Saturday at noon, Commercial St., Old Port 772-2216. Always FREE PARKING while aboard.

Flatbread Company Portland Situated on the working waterfront next to Casco Bay Cruise Lines in Portland’s Old Port. Family-friendly restaurant with signature wood-fired, pizzas, fresh salads, local craft beer, spirits and local, organic fresh ingredients. Pet friendly, deck seating on the water during summer. 72 Commercial St., 7728777, flatbreadcompany.com.

Joseph’s by the Sea in Old Orchard Beach offers breathtaking views of Saco Bay. Enjoy indoor dining, outdoor seating, an upstairs lounge, and a rooftop deck. We specialize in locally sourced seafood and fresh Maine lobster. Closed for the season, we’ll reopen in March. Contact us at info@josephsbythesea. com or call 207-934-5044 for more info.

Family Dining & Full Bar Pine Point Road, Scarborough • 883-6611 www.facebook.com/KensPlace1927

Open Late March to Late Fall

Hey we heard you’re in town, WE’D LOVE TO SEE YOU! Come by for a curated cocktail, dinner, or artisanal in-house made gelato.

Sincerely, your Sweet Friends Sinceramente, i vostri Dolci Amici

All Aboard!

e Mountaineer o ers a supremely scenic journey over Crawford Notch.

Onstage: Mount Eerie

INTERVIEW BY LAUREL FAYE

You’re back but different. What’s new?

Ihave a full band, which is rare. We’re playing my new album, Night Palace, which is weird and dreamy and windy and also concrete.

Your material is edgy. Is music a guilty pleasure for you?

Seeing a close loved one die can violently reorient one’s priorities and one’s sense of what’s worth worrying about. And yeah, there’s the guilt of surviving and spending your time enjoying life, food, making art, keeping on existing, and that’s

Music

Aura, 121 Center St. Silverstein, Apr. 19; Bruce in the USA, Apr. 25. 772-8274.

Bay Chamber Concerts, Hammer Hall, 5 Mountain St., Camden. Minetti Quartet, Apr. 12; Adam Swanson, May 7; Spring Chamber Music Recital, May 14. 236-2823.

Blue, 650A Congress St. Darksoft, Waves Crashing, & XO, Apr. 24; Sue Sheriff Jazz, Holly Channell Quartet, & Nicholas Ryder Group, Apr. 26; Church of Good Times & El Malo, May 2; Heather Lynn & Wild Honey Collective, May 3; Songwriters in The Round, May 8. 774-4111.

Cadenza, 5 Depot St., Freeport. Denny Breau, Apr. 18; T-Acadie, Apr. 19; Lara Herscovitch & the Highway Philosophers, Apr. 25; Zoot Jumpers, Apr. 26; Songwriter Showcase, Apr. 27; Kray Van Kirk, May 2; Carole Wise, May 3; Bailey’s Mistake, May 9; Adam Swanson, May 10. 560-5300.

Camden Opera House, 29 Elm St. 40 Thieves, Apr. 16; Tom DiMenna, Apr. 25. 236-7963.

Chocolate Church Arts Center, 804 Washington St., Bath. The Eagles Experience, Apr. 11; Steve Poltz, May 15. 442-8455.

Friends of the Kotzschmar Organ, Merrill Auditorium, 20 Myrtle St. Bach Birthday Bash, on demand to Apr. 28. 842-0800.

Good Theater, Stevens Square Theater, 631 Stevens Ave. I’ll Drink To That!: Grand Re-Opening Concert Gala, Apr. 24–May 4. 835-0895.

Grand Theater, 165 Main St., Ellsworth. MET LIVE: Le Nozze Di Figaro, May 3; MET LIVE: Salome, May 17. 667-9500.

The Hill Arts, 76 Congress St. Blues Prophets, Apr. 25; Denny Breau, May 18. 347-7177.

Jonathan’s Ogunquit, 92 Bourne Ln. Johnny Cash Tribute Show, Apr. 19; The Peacheaters, Apr. 25; Dar Williams, Apr. 26; Sawyer Fredericks, May 1; Another Tequila Sunrise, May 3; Nicole Zuraitis, May 4; The Joshua Tree Band, May 9; Rock This Town Orchestra Trio, May 10;

weird, but it’s all part of it. Loss is real and universal, but it’s also a very hot re. It’s not OK to play around with it mindlessly.

What are you working on now?

With your own music label, are you the epitome of DIY?

At least for now, doing things simply and directly seems to be working to keep me paid enough to live on this work. Functional socialism that bathes the poets with money hasn’t come to fruition yet.

Moondance, May 16. 646-4777.

Lincoln Theater, 2 Theater St., Damariscotta. The Met Live: Le Nozze di Figaro (Mozart), Apr. 26; The Met Live: Salome (R. Strauss), May 17. 563-3424.

Maine Film Center, 93 Main St., Waterville. Met Opera Encore: Le Nozze Di Figaro (Mozart), May 3. 873-7000.

Maine Irish Heritage Center, 34 Gray St. Breen, Rynne, & Murray, Apr. 15. 780-0118.

Mayo Street Arts, 10 Mayo St. Cuarteto Rotterdam, Apr. 19; Neil Pearlman & Giovanni Kiyingi, May 1. 879-4629.

One Longfellow Square, 181 State St. Allie Sherlock, Apr. 13; Jim Lauderdale & The Game Changers, Apr. 18; Lucy Kaplansky, Apr. 19; David Wilcox, Apr. 23; Pine Tree Flyers & The Young Tradition Touring Group, Apr. 25; Mary Fahl, Apr. 26; Missy Raines & Allegheny, May 1; Medium Build & Petey USA, May 4; Olive Klug, May 9; Grifﬁn House, May 10; Duke Robillard, May 16. 761-1757.

I’m working on an experimental collaborative record with Arrington de Dionyso. I’m working on my taxes. I’m working on small construction projects around the house. I’m working on booking a van and hotels for my next tour. I’m working on not getting stressed out juggling my many selves.

SPACE Gallery, April 17. n

Michigan Rattlers, May 6; Evan Honer, May 7; Darren Kiely, May 10; Moon Hooch & Saxsquatch, May 16. 805-0134.

Portland Ovations, Merrill Auditorium, 20 Myrtle St. The Count Basie Orchestra, May 8. 842-0800.

Portland Symphony Orchestra, Merrill Auditorium, 20 Myrtle St. Carmina Burana, Apr. 27–29 (on demand May 19–Jun. 16); Classic Romance, May 13. 842-0800.

State Theatre, 609 Congress St. Get the Led Out, Apr. 17; moe., Apr. 18; Badﬁsh, Apr. 19; Magdalena Bay, Apr. 28; MJ Lenderman & The Wind, May 4; Cypress Hill, May 15. 956-6000.

MAINE LIVE ’25

Opera House at Boothbay Harbor, 86 Townsend Ave. The Boneheads, Apr. 26. 633-5159.

Portland Conservatory of Music, 28 Neal St. Melissa Lund Ziegler, Apr. 17; Words in Music, Apr. 18–19; Ban & Maneri: Transylvanian Dance, Apr. 25; PCM Spring Beneﬁt, May 10. 775-3356.

Portland House of Music, 25 Temple St. Moe, Apr. 17; La Lom, Apr. 19; The Brokes, Apr. 25; Grateful Shred, Apr. 25; Matt Andersen, May 1; Quaint AF, May 2; Brett Dennen & River Whyless, May 3; Bit Brigade, May 4;

Stone Mountain Arts Center, 695 Dugway Rd., Brownﬁeld. Alison Brown, Apr. 19; Twisted Pine, Apr. 26; Lyle Lovett Acoustic Group, Apr. 30; Kris Delmhorst & Jeffrey Foucault, May 2; Love in the Country, May 3; Valerie June, May 8; The Steel Wheels with Jack Broadbent, May 9; Rickie Lee Jones, May 10; Mary Frances Leahy, May 16. 935-7292.

Stonington Opera House, 1 School St. Open Mic Night, May 7. 367-2788.

Strand Theatre, 345 Main St., Rockland. Met Opera: Le Nozze Di Figaro, Apr. 26 & May 6; Matt Andersen with Julian Taylor, May 2. 594-0070.

University of Southern Maine, Corthell Hall, 37 College Ave., Gorham. Nicholas Rhodes, Apr. 19; University Chorale & Chamber Singers, Apr. 21; Jazz Ensemble, Apr. 24; Vocal Jazz, Apr. 25; Abigail Curtis, Apr. 26; Composers Ensemble, Apr. 26. 780-5555.

University of Southern Maine, Merrill Auditorium,

20 Myrtle St. Osher Youth Ensembles Spring Concert, Apr. 16. 780-5555.

University of Southern Maine, South Portland High School, 637 Highland Ave. Haydn, Beethoven, and Boulogne, Apr. 30. 780-5555.

Vinegar Hill Music Theatre, 53 Old Post Rd., Arundel. The Mallett Brothers Band, Apr. 19; Loudon Wainwright III, Apr. 27; The THE BAND Band, May 2; Roomful of Blues, May 3; The Furious Bongos, May 4; Carbon Leaf, May 15; Sans Souci, May 16. 985-5552.

Waldo Theatre, 916 Main St., Waldoboro. Live Sonic Alchemy, Apr. 27. 975-6490.

Theater

Belfast Maskers, 17 Court St. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, Apr. 25–May 4. 619-3256.

City Theater, 205 Main St., Biddeford. Murder On The Orient Express, May 9–25. 282-0849.

Collins Center for the Arts, 2 Flagstaff Rd., Orono. NT Live Broadcast: Dr. StrangeLove, Apr. 10. 581-1755.

Community Little Theatre, 30 Academy St., Auburn. The Little Prince, May 9–18. 783-0958.

Footlights Theatre, 190 US-1, Falmouth. From Pen to Paper to Stage, Apr. 18–19. 747-5434.

Mad Horse Theater, 24 Mosher St., South Portland. The Legend of Georgia McBride, May 1–25. 747-4148.

Mayo Street Arts, 10 Mayo St. Bread & Puppet Spring Tour, Apr. 26–27. 879-4629.

Ogunquit Playhouse, 10 Main St. Come From Away,

May 15–June 14. 646-5511.

Penobscot Theatre Company, Bangor Opera House, 131 Main St. Mother Russia, May 1–18. 942-3333.

Portland Ovations, Merrill Auditorium, 20 Myrtle St. The Simon & Garfunkel Story, Apr. 23. 842-0800.

Portland Stage, 25A Forest Ave. Not Quite Almost, to May 4; Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, May 14–Jun. 1. 774-0465.

Public Theatre, 31 Maple St., Lewiston. Now and Then, May 2–11; The Dragon King, May 18. 782-3200.

Waldo Theatre, 916 Main St., Waldoboro. Frances Floats: From Broadway to Back River Road, Apr. 26. 975-6490.

Waterville Opera House, 1 Common St. Roald Dahl’s Matilda The Musical, Apr. 25–27 & May 2–4. 873-7000.

Literary

Kennebunkport Community House, 2 North St. Colin W. Sargent discusses Portland Monthly feature stories and reads from Flying Dark, Apr. 3. colinsargent.com.

Maine Audubon, Gilsland Farm, 20 Gilsland Farm Rd., Falmouth. Birds & Words: A 1-Day Birding & Writing Workshop, Apr. 27. 781-2330.

Maine Irish Heritage Center, 34 Gray St. Maine Irish reads Trespasses by Louise Kennedy, May 8. 780-0118.

Maine Jewish Museum, 267 Congress St. Lowry’s Lodge Spring Open Poetry Reading, Apr. 27. 773-2339.

Print: A Bookstore, 273 Congress St. Nathaniel Ian

Miller (Red Dog Farm), Apr. 24; Jennifer Haigh (Rabbit Moon), Apr. 30; Aaron John Curtis (Old School Indian) with Morgan Talty, May 7. 536-4778.

Dance

Aura, 121 Center St. Gimme Gimme Disco, Apr. 12. 772-8274.

Belfast Flying Shoes, First Church in Belfast UCC Fellowship Hall, 8 Court St., Belfast. First Friday Dance, May 2. 338-0979.

Blue, 650A Congress St. Salsa Nite, Apr. 25. 774-4111. Hackmatack Playhouse, 538 School St., Berwick. Sunday Contra Dance, May 4. 698-1807.

The Hill Arts, 76 Congress St. Hustle & Flow Presents: Dancestravaganza, May 17. 347-7177.

Maine Dance Center, Windham Performing Arts Center, 406 Gray Rd. Recital 2025: Legends & Icons, May 10. mainedancecenter.com.

Maine State Ballet, Lopez Theater, 348 U.S. Route One, Falmouth. Don Quixote, Apr. 11–13. 781-3587.

Mayo Street Arts, 10 Mayo St. Flamenco Movement Workshop for Mothers and Caregivers, Apr. 12–13; Flamenco Tablao, Apr. 12–13. 879-4629.

Portland Ballet, Westbrook Performing Arts Center, 471 Stroudwater St. The Sleeping Beauty, Apr. 25–26. 857-3860.

Portland Ovations, Merrill Auditorium, 20 Myrtle St.

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Complexions Contemporary Ballet, Apr. 11. 842-0800.

Portland School of Ballet, Westbrook Performing Arts Center, 471 Stroudwater St. Year End Showcase, May 10. 857-3860.

Portland Symphony Orchestra, Merrill Auditorium, 20 Myrtle St. Sleeping Beauty with Portland Ballet, May 11. 842-0800.

Three of Strong Spirits, 35b Diamond St. Bachata Night with Danza Latina, Apr. 18. 899-4930.

USM Department of Theatre, Russell Hall, Gorham Campus. USM Spring Dance Concert, Apr. 25–27. 780-5151.

Vivid Motion, The Hill Arts, 76 Congress St. Grania: Pirate Queen, May 9–11. 347-7177.

Art

Bates College Museum of Art, 75 Russell St., Lewiston. Senior Thesis Exhibition 2025, Apr. 11–May 24; Beth Van Hoesen, Apr. 11–May 24. 786-6158.

Bowdoin College Museum of Art, 245 Maine St., Brunswick. Art, Ecology, and the Resilience of a Maine Island: The Monhegan Wildlands, to Jun. 1; Irreplaceable You: Personhood and Dignity in Art: 1980s to Now, to Jun. 1; Poetic Truths: Hawthorne, Longfellow, and American Visual Culture, 1840–1880, to Jul. 20. 725-3275.

Caldbeck Gallery, 12 Elm St., Rockland. March On: Selections, to Apr. 26. 594-5935.

Carol L. Douglas Studio and Gallery, 394 Commercial St., Rockport. Landscape and marine paintings, workshops, and instruction. Watch-me-paint.com. (585) 201-1558.

Center for Maine Contemporary Art, 21 Winter St., Rockland. Katrina Weslien: i forgot to remember, to May 4; Kyle Downs: From The Collection of Lord Red, to May 4; The Sun, Trying to Disappear, to May 4; Allison Cekala & Nate Luce: Fruition, to May 4. 701-5005. Colby College Museum of Art, 5600 Mayﬂower Hill Dr., Waterville. Square + Triangle, to Apr. 21; Senior Show 2025, May 9–24; Into the Wind, to Jun. 8; Radical Histories: Chicanx Prints from the Smithsonian American Art Museum, to Jun. 8. 859-5600.

Cove Street Arts, 71 Cove St. Emergent, to May 10. 808-8911.

Farnsworth Art Museum, 16 Museum St., Rockland. Arts@theIntersection: Year Two, to May 4; Native Prospects: Indigeneity and Landscape Painting, to Jul. 6; Capturing Her Environment: Women Artists, 1870–1930, to Aug. 25. 596-6457.

First Friday Art Walks, Creative Portland, 84 Free St. May 2. 370-4784.

Greenhut Galleries, 146 Middle St. Maine Show 2025, to Apr. 26; Jim Flahaven, May 1–31. 772-2693. Lincoln Theater, 2 Theater St., Damariscotta. Exhibition On Screen: Dawn of Impressionism: Paris 1874, May 7–8. 563-3424.

Maine Historical Society, 489 Congress St. Maine’s Untold Vegetarian History, to May 17; Best Friends: Mainers and their Pets, to Jun. 6; Of Note: Maine Sheet Music, to Jul. 28. 774-1822.

Maine Jewish Museum, 267 Congress St. Masha Ryskin & Serge Marchetta: Traces, to May 2; Craig Becker: Lorica: Masks of Eternity, to May 2; Linda Gerson: Elements

of Light and Color, to May 2. 773-2339.

Maine Maritime Museum, 243 Washington St., Bath. Upta Camp, to Nov. 28; Upon That Isle in Maine: The Story & Works of Chris Van Dusen, to Mar. 29, 2026. 443-1316.

Meetinghouse Arts, 40 Main St., Freeport. Combined, to Apr. 26; FreePORT: Our Working Waterfront Then and Now, May 2; Refresh, May 16. 865-0040.

Ogunquit Museum of American Art, 543 Shore Rd. A Sailboat in the Moonlight, Apr. 18–Jul. 20; Henry Strater’s Ogunquit, APr. 18–Nov. 16; Where the Real Lies, Apr. 18–Nov. 16. 646-4909.

Peary-MacMillan Arctic Museum, 10 Polar Loop, Brunswick. At Home In the North, to Jun. 1, 2026. 725-3416.

Portland Museum of Art, 7 Congress Sq. As We Are, to Apr. 27; Jo Sandman: Skin Deep, to Aug. 17. 775-6148.

Richard Boyd Art Gallery, 15 Epps St., Peaks Island. The American Landscape, to Apr. 29; Paintings in Oil, May 1–29. 712-1097.

Roux & Cyr International Fine Art Gallery, 48 Free St., Portland, Jake Hall Showing, 221-7700.

Ticonic Gallery & Studios, 93 Main St., Waterville. Sports Illustrators, Apr. 16–Jun. 16. 873-7000.

University of New England Art Galleries, UNE Art Gallery, 716 Stevens Ave. Circle of the Sun, to Jun. 8. 602-3000

University of New England Art Galleries, Jack S. Ketchum Library, 11 Hills Beach Rd., Biddeford. As Above, So Below, to May 4. 602-3000.

Bites

The Burleigh, Kennebunkport Inn, 1 Dock Sq. Easter Sunday Brunch, Apr. 20. 204-9668.

Earth at Hidden Pond, 354 Goose Rocks Rd., Kennebunkport. Easter Sunday at Earth, Apr. 20; Spring Fling Mixology, Apr. 26. 967-6550.

The Ecology School, Maine Beer Company, 525 US-1, Freeport. Community Pizza Night, May 7. 283-9951.

Maine Tasting Center, 506 Old Bath Rd., Wiscasset. Indian Homestyle Cooking Journey, May 2, 9, 15, & 16. 558-5772.

Maine Seaweed Week, ﬁnd seaweed food and drink specials, cooking workshops, farm tours, and more at over 70 businesses to celebrate this sustainable superfood. Apr. 25–May 4. seaweedweek.org.

Now You’re Cooking, 49 Front St., Bath. Italian Dinner Cooking Class with Shawn Piciulli, Apr. 13; Dinner for Two Class with Alexandra Vaﬁades, Apr. 24; Healthy Brunch Cooking Class with Dr. Alyssa Finn, Apr. 27; The Complete Oyster with Jean Vande Moortel, May 11. 443-1402.

Stone Mountain Arts Center, 695 Dugway Rd., Brownﬁeld. Mother’s Day Brunch & Concert, May 11. 935-7292.

WW&F Railway, 97 Cross Rd., Alna. Mother’s Day Tea with Back River Bistro, May 10. 882-4193.

Don’t Miss

Chocolate Church Arts Center, 804 Washington St., Bath. Patten Library Spelling Bee, May 9. 442-8455.

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Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens, 105 Botanical Gardens Dr., Boothbay. Fundamentals of Botany, Apr. 25. 633-8000.

Maine Maritime Museum, 243 Washington St., Bath. STEAMbox Family Workshop: Learning with Light, Apr. 19; Drop-In LEGO Workshops with Colby Adolphsen, Apr. 30; Community Day, May 17. 443-1316.

Makers on Main, Main St., Freeport. An expansive trail of Maine art, crafts, & food, with a delightful array of local products for sale, May 3. visitfreeport.com/makersonmain.

Mayo Street Arts, 10 Mayo St. An Evening of Crankies with Katherine Fahey, Apr. 20. 879-4629.

Owls Head Transportation Museum, 117 Museum St. STEM FEST, Apr. 12. 594-4418.

Railway Village Museum, 586 Wiscasset Rd., Boothbay. National Train Day Celebration, May 10. 633-4727.

Stonington Opera House, 1 School St. Trivia Night, Apr. 17 & May 15. 367-2788.

Strand Theatre, 345 Main St., Rockland. Jurassic Jo’s Dino Show, May 3. 594-0070.

Strawbery Banke Museum, 14 Hancock St., Portsmouth. Berry Basket Workshop, Apr. 19; Springfest: A Celebration of Gardens & Baby Animals, May 10–11. (603)433-1100.

To submit an event listing: portlandmonthly.com/ portmag/submit-an-event/ Compiled by Bethany Palmer

Level Up Your Brainpower at Maine’s Premier Nerd Camp Does your child ages 10-12 enjoy learning about Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math? Playing Magic the Gathering, Dungeons & Dragons, Chess, Checkers, and solving puzzles? They might like the MSSM STEM Summer Camp in

Martin Johnson of e Night Game, there couldn’t be a better place to exchange vows than the Rangeley Lakes region. Surrounded by a small group of close friends, they did the deed on the edge of Mooselookmeguntic Lake in Oquossoc—yes, those are the correct spellings—at the Bald Mountain Camps Resort.

Cooke posted about the event on—where else?—Instagram. “We got married!!!” she wrote. “Over the weekend, a small but mighty fortress of friends and family held hands in a circle around us as we turned the page into a brand-new chapter of life as husband and wife.”

It was surely a Kumbaya a air, but the view of that magical lake was plenty spiritual on its own. e couple’s duet is now bicoastal as they split their lives between Nashville and L.A.

SECRET SERVICE

Married

in Maine? Who Gets

Three weddings and a future.

STORY BY CLIF TRAVERS

Who wouldn ’ t want to get married in Maine? I mean, come on! We’ve got the gorgeous landscapes, the hospitable venues, and the weather (well, sometimes). Seems like we have the perfect place for couples to tie that intricate knot. And there are

a few celebrities who agree. Check out these three couples who chose the state of ME to become a We.

A NIGHT [BELOW] BALD MOUNTAIN

It was a long way from Nashville in July 2021, but for singers Naomi Cooke of the band Runaway June and

Kennebunkport is a well-established wedding destination. With 119 venues in the area, couples have a lot to choose from. But in October 2018, Barbara Bush—daughter of the 43rd president—and Craig Coyne—the actor best known for the movie Jarhead—didn’t need to do a ton of searching. e Bush compound, known as the Walker Point Estate, was originally built in 1905 by the rst George Walker Bush (very few name variations in this family). It’s about as perfect a Kennebunkport location as there is.

e October wedding was kept under wraps in order to avoid the gapers, and only the immediate

Naomi Cooke and Martin Johnson.

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exploded last night as I watched my dearest sissy get married in Maine. It was just like her: private (only family!) and full of love (and yes, lots of tears!),” sister Jenna Bush Hager wrote on her Instagram page.

e bride strode down a rosy aisle with the help of her dad. Sticking with wedding tradition, she wore a bracelet that once belonged to her namesake. “It’s really sweet,” she said to People in a 2018 interview. “ e ‘something borrowed’ I’m wearing is this bracelet my grandfather gave to my grandmother Barbara on their 70th anniversary.”

WHEN STARS COMMINGLE

Tra c was on the minds of the Kennebunk Police Lt. Higgins and his team in August, 2009 due to the celebrity status of the couple. But later, he admitted that it went much better than expected. e lack of chaos might have had something to do with the many trolleys that ferried the guests to the wedding of Ali Larter, of Legally Blonde and Heroes, and Hayes MacArthur, a comedian/actor best known for his role in the series Angie Tribeca.

Once again, location was a given. MacArthur’s parents own a 15-acre estate in Kennebunk, and thanks to the agreeable Maine weather they were able to take their nuptials on the manicured lawn. e music was Irish to honor the heritage of MacArthur. If there were jigs and River Dancing, there’s no way of knowing.

e couple met while lming Homo Erectus in 2005, and they were engaged by 2007. Both careers have done well since. Larter is in the current series Landman, and MacArthur has been cast in the lead of the upcoming lm A Love Like is. See our interview with Larter in our April 2010 issue. n

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Free 800.646.0068 | Local 207.883.0222 | Reserve Online www.mainelimo.com Email inquiries info@mainelimo.com | 70 Pleasant Hill Road, Scarborough, Maine

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PHOTO BY BRAEDON FLYNN

www.CandlebayMaine.com 8 Maple Avenue, Freeport info@candlebaymaine.com (207) 865-1868

*Candlebay Inn nor its representatives are not responsible for booking the photo session with Sharyn Peavey Photography. The person or persons booking the room is responsible for contacting Sharyn Peavey Photography directly to ensure the photographer is available on your desired date and to schedule the session with the photographer. Likewise, neither Sharyn Peavey Photography nor its representatives are responsible for booking a room at CandleBay Inn. Make sure to mention this collaboration to receive your discount! Book a 2-night stay direct at CandlebayMaine.com* or by calling 207-865-1868* and receive 10% off your stay and 10% off an engagement session with Sharyn Peavey Photography* + a box of

Seven Arctic explorers, one Snowy Owl— what could possibly go wrong? Join Arcturus and his pals Lena, Captain Donald MacMillan, and a crew of friendly research sailors aboard the lovely schooner Bowdoin in 1934. The wounded snowy owl gets a lift from Portland, Maine, to his Arctic homeland. On the way, everyone learns something new in this children’s story inspired by a true adventure. $12.95

Suggested for ages 3 to 9.

DREAM IT. BUILD IT. LOVE IT.

P r o v i d i n g q u a l i t y c a b i n e t r y a n d c o u n t e r t o p s t o h o m e o w n e r s a n d c o n t r a c t o r

t h r o u g h o u t S o u t h e r n M a i n e s i n c e 1 9 7 7 .

P r o v i d i n g q u a l i t y c a b i n e t r y a n d c o u n t e r t o p s t o h o m e o w n e r s a n d c o n t r a c t o r s

t h r o u g h o u t S o u t h e r n M a i n e s i n c e 1 9 7 7 .

P r o v i d i n g q u a l i t y c a b i n e t r y a n d c o u n t e r t o p s t o h o m e o w n e r s a n d c o n t r a c t o r s

t h r o u g h o u t S o u t h e r n M a i n e s i n c e 1 9 7 7 .

t h r o u g h o u t S o u t h e r n M a i n e s i n c e 1 9 7 7 . m

w w w . i n d i s c o . c o m 2 0 7 . 8 8 3 . 5 5 6

Sister s & PortlanHer d

I’m walking on air!

—Michael

Caine in Hannah and Her Sisters

BY COLIN W. SARGENT

Lisa Drew and Reeven Elfman went to Bates College together. “We were in the same class and graduated in the same year.” But they didn’t date. “We’d recognize each other on campus, wave, and say hi.”

Twenty years later, Drew, a senior health leader at Maine Health Maine Medical Center, bumped into Elfman when she was scheduled to deliver a lecture at a medical conference in Chicago where he was working. For the next nine years or so, they kept up with each other.

The Rosenberg Legacy

They lived in and loved Portland’s favorite enclave.

Whether you ’ ve heard of them or not, you’re living inside their in uence. Portland’s Rosenberg family arrived here amid the inrush of immigrants in the late 1860s. Hailing from czarist Russia, which encompassed their native Poland, the Rosenbergs launched their real estate business on 85 Exchange Street, in a building that still stands. e “Rosenberg Bros.,” Samuel and Jacob, with the aid of their wives Ida and Helen, bought three of the four homes on the Western Promenade known as the Sisters, numbers 46, 48, 50 & 52. In a bold stroke for a woman of her time, Helen Rosenberg bought two of the Sisters from Barnet Fouerman et. al. and registered them in her own name on March 29, 1917, a week before the U.S. joined in the ghting of World War I. In taking possession of 48 and 50 Western Prom, she was able to rent out rooms to extended members of her family, including music teacher and pianist Julius Rosenberg, who bedded down at 48 alongside another member of the Rosenberg

STORY BY LAUREL FAYE

an abbreviation that city records use to identify him as a boarder. Meanwhile, the family real estate business was starting to soar, with headquarters at 85 Exchange Street, which now stands as the Portland Savings Bank building, where Black Cow slings burgers and orange cream soda to Old Port denizens. Likewise, the Rosenbergs owned 654-656 Congress Street, later called the Lafayette hotel and now Lafayette Square. 28 A Street, one of many residential properties overseen by the Rosenbergs, still stands as a family home today.

IRISH NEED NOT APPLY?

John Burrowes, from whom the Rosenbergs bought their three Sisters, was born in Ireland in 1844. He may have faced challenges due to anti-Irish-immigrant sentiment at the time. Before John’s foray into petits chateaux, his business was responsible, according to his descendant Ruth Neagle on portlandhousestories.com, for “building the Kennebunk Free Library, as well as Portland High School, the Grand Trunk RR Station, and the old Portland Library” at 619

home to VIA advertising agency today. Burrowes’s brother, E.T. Burrowes, owned a major screen door factory here as well as the renowned Burrowes pool table manufacturing rm. e Rosenbergs’ descendants distinguish Portland’s annals. Mildred “Billie” Rosenberg Bromberg, daughter of Samuel Rosenberg, attended Deering High School and graduated as salutatorian of her 1939 class. After graduating from Wellesley College as a Wellesley Scholar in 1943, she married and spent the remainder of her life in Dallas, Texas. Her son, John Bromberg, visited the city of his mother’s birth with his wife in 2023.

“Portland was the predominant reason we decided to come to Maine,” Beth Bromberg, daughter-in-law of Billie, writes in her blog, “Back to the Past!” “Her dad died when she was about 8 years old, so we decided to come to Portland to learn more about her and her ancestry.” n

Read more about the Sisters and the Rosenbergs in our 2010 story, “West End Girls,” and visit the Portland Room at the Portland Public Library, or the Maine Historical Society, to comb through the city directories for more. “Back to the Past”: https://brombergblog. com/2023/09/26/back-to-the-past/

“I kept dating,” Elfman says, “and Lisa laughed when I told her that a number of times my dates would arrive with casseroles when they came over the rst time.” He couldn’t help but wonder, were they leaving the dishes so they’d have the option of returning to pick them up later? As Elfman and Drew grew closer, “I sent Lisa a casserole myself with the message, ‘I’d like to get to know you a whole lot better!’ It’s our meet-cute.”

I HAVE MY ANSWER!

Many Portlanders know and love the Sisters, the nearly-matched set of diminutive brick mansions on the slope where the Western Prom meets Danforth Street.

Forty-eight Western Promenade is the jewel box where Drew and Elfman romantically took up residence when they started their lives together. e proposal was in a trolley car passing in front of the house, with “Will You Marry Me” emblazoned on a banner ung over the Promenade.

Built-in 1905, this tiny castle glows with golden tiger oak, leaded glass, cove ceilings, quarter-sawn oak oors, and “13 original stained-glass win-

dows,” Elfman says.

OWL BE SEEING YOU

Located close to Wayn ete and Maine Medical Center (“I could walk to work,” Drew, recently retired, says), it’s been a fun place to decorate with their art collection (including Robert Indiana and Lichtenstein), a perfect pairing with the stunning views they enjoy of the Fore River from four oors.

“We’ve seen owls from up here, looking over the water,” Drew says. “I think that’s a hawk’s nest.”

As pretty as the water views are,

it’s a delight to be in the company of other similar buildings in the enclave. ey are their own most prepossessing views. In such an exclusive nook, is it hard to live with the other Sisters? “Not at all!” they say. “ ere’s no association or anything like that.” e vibe here, a rare balance, is “friendly but not intrusive.”

Throughout this urban refuge, the original woodworking, including many built-ins and three original majolica replaces, is in perfect nick. e radiant heat below the slate oor of the underscores the warmth. e asking price for the 6,098-square-foot, four-bedroom, ve-bath (including two full ensuites o the primary bedroom) pocket mansion is $1.985M. Taxes are $15,318.

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BIRTH OF THE SISTERS

Regarding why these sweet Sisters are set below and to the south of the other mansions of the Western Prom, real-estate agent John Hatcher has told Portland Monthly, “When William Vaughan lived on 387 Danforth Street, he owned 400 acres of what we now think of as the Western Prom.” Sugar merchant, re ner, and real-estate baron J.B. Brown (1805-1881), “who had a net worth of $5M during the Civil War, bought 300 of those acres. When John W. Burrowes wanted to buy some land to develop on the Prom, he approached the Brown heirs, who refused. But the City of Portland had a dumping ground at the location where the Sisters are today. You can imagine the trash being pushed down the slope of this hill toward the river. e Browns didn’t own that!”

Burrowes won the day. e Sisters stand as a monument to courage and pluck in facing down a ‘No thanks!’

Elfman, who with Drew is fascinated by their house’s history, says, “[Twelve] years after Barrows built them, three of the Sisters were bought by the Rosenbergs. at’s why these houses were also called the Jewish houses." n

designs@kennebunkkitchens.com 207-967-2819 | 169 Port Rd. Ste. 11 Kennebunk, ME 04043 kennebunkkitchens.com

“Since taking ownership at the start of the year, my wife and I are committed to

- Mike & Brooke Joly, Owners

DALLAS

PO M11 L46, Woodcock Lane, Skowhegan

Little River Way

Kennebunkport, ME 04046 • 5 Beds, 3 Baths • MLS #1499123

New to the market in Kennebunkport, just under 2 miles to Goose Rocks Beach! Relax and unwind at this picture-perfect oasis. Located at the end of a private road sits this modern farmhouse with beautiful tidal views of marshlands and open ocean. Features a 'post and beam' style, this exquisite property offers an open floor plan, ideal for family gatherings and endless entertaining.

James L. Eastlack, Owner Broker 207-864-5777 or 207-670-5058 | JLEastlack@gmail.com

SPRING LAKE –property on a great remote body of water. Off grid w/generator, year round building, detached garage, Ice ﬁsh, hunt, enjoy all seasons! $495,000.

6 Spring Lake Rd - Escape to nature and a wonderful waterfront property on a great remote body of water. Off grid w/generator, year round building, detached garage, Ice fish, hunt, enjoy all seasons! $495,000.

20 Vista Lane – RANGELEY LAKE – A rare offering, the Buena Vista Estate on 567 feet of deep water frontage,53 private acres w/south facing exposure, total privacy, development potential.

RANGELEY LAKE – Lakeside Marina & Convenience - Wonderful business opportuinty in downtown commercial zoning, convenience store, 25 boat slips, gas, boat rental business, great waterfront location! $965,000.

2582 Main St - Wonderful commercial business on Main Street w/ 105' on Rangeley Lake, Marina/ Convenience Store, 25+ Slips, Gas, Shop, Downtown Commercial Zoning, High Traffic Location, $965,000.

Located close to the village with expansive southwest views of Rangeley Lake, 4 beds, 3.5 baths, very close to Saddleback Ski Area, snowmobile and ATV from your doorstep, heated garage! $639,000.

631 Bald Mtn. Road – MOOSELOOK LAKE – A rare offering, 4 bed, 4.5 bath contemporary lakefront home w/beach, detached garage AND private island w/2 bedroom guest cottage, 3.56 Acres! $1,899,000.

RANGELEY LAKE VIEWS – 21 Pine Grove - 4 Beds, 3.5 Baths, Fully Furnished, SW facing views w/LOTS of sun, Snowmobile and ATV from your doorstep, Detached 32x32 garage fully heated, a must see! $639,000.

ROCK POND CONDO - You can't get much better than this location! This trailside condo has great ski-in-skiout access and looks directly at the chairlift! Very light and airy, Spacious with 3 fnished levels. 3-4 Bedrooms and 3 full baths. Great gas viewing woodstove in the cathedral living area. Nice mudroom entry for all your ski gear. Great rental potential and unit is being sold partially furnished. Enjoy Saddleback, Maine's Favorite Mountain and this wonderful condo with a #1 location! Call Today! $799,000

Gorgeous VIEWS overlooking Rangeley Lake and Saddleback Ski Area, wonderful estate property located just outside the Rangeley village, 48.32 Acres,4 bed,4.5 bath home w/ guest quarters. $1,495,000.

277 Stephens Road – MOOSELOOK LAKE – West facing Sandy Beach frontage, 4 bed, 3 bath home w/attached 3 car heated garage and detached 3 car garage w/large bonus room! $850,000.

A Lok Back at the Market of 2024

The Real Estate market continues to be a topic of great interest all across the nation as we navigate a changing landscape. We wanted to share a quick look a the latest statistics for residential home sales in Cumberland County. If you have any questions about buying, selling or investing in real estate, give us a call we love Real Estate and a member of our team would be happy to talk with you!

• Average Selling Price increased 6.6% from $641,821 to $693,447

• Unit sales increased 5.8% from 3586 to 3794

• Sales to List Price Ratio decreased from 103.4% to 101.4%

• Average Days on Market increased from 23 to 29

• Available Inventory increased from 1.6 to 1.9 months supply

These numbers show that demand for housing continues to be strong, leading to continued signifcant gains in prices. Although an increase in months of available inventory would indicate a softening in the market, this is not supported by the other indicators. Going into 2025 there is broad confdence that there will be further easing of interest rates, although not to the degree that was once thought. Although this is good news on many fronts, it will increase demand as some who had paused their search for housing will re-enter the market.

Property Management

en ea ound

The Lodge at Kennebunk is set on a quiet 8 acres of land, and has convenient highway access. It is also minutes away from shopping, dining, and beach options. Our facilities include a 40' outdoor heated pool, a conference room, a game room, a playground, picnic tables, and gas barbecue grills. Our amenities include extended cable television, air conditioning, phones, refrigerators, and microwaves in every room.

elu e ont nental eak a t and ed nte net o ldw de all each a e hannel lu o e hannel o e on emand ke ental

Flower

BY SUZANNE STREMPEK SHEA

She was pounding on my door again.

“Flower!”

I came to Portland from a Massachusetts village where we never locked doors or anything. But now I was living in a city, because that’s where art schools are, including mine. I’d graduated high school and soon would be an adult, whether I knew how to do that or not. In that Bicentennial year, I was declaring my own independence, though an army of one. My parents let me come here yet phoned weekly to warn about crooks and perverts and remind me I didn’t know how to live in a city.

But this was a city so small I needed only to cross the street to class, where my photo teacher told us taking a picture was “making a photograph.” Photographers created

something rather than grabbing what already existed. at was the moment I knew I was in college, where I’d learn big things that would be in my brain forever. Like the idea of making something from what was right in front of me.

My small city’s small art school had no dorms, so I lived at the YWCA on happy-sounding Spring Street, across from the white and hulking Holiday Inn. All the other Y tenants were actual real women, working, smoking, swearing, drinking. One of them, a pasty-white, black-rooted blonde, wore a pendant resembling an elephant’s trunk or what I imagined a penis looked like. She called me Flower, “As in wall ower,” like she’d known me all my life. I called her Roots, but never out loud. Roots scared and fascinated me. I was glad my parents weren’t dialing

the Y’s payphone when she held forth about smoking hash and running naked down to the waterfront, a place I’d not yet visited because, at least in movies, waterfronts were dangerous places full of rough weather and tough men. But Roots reminded me this city I lived in had an ocean just down the hill rather than two hours away like back home.

On my rst trip, I stopped to make a photograph of some kind of shing boat, e Rosie. A hatch opened onboard, and a young guy in a Bruins jersey, and ponytail emerged—as surprised to see me as I was him—both of us standing in a moment that was gone with the next.

At night, I’d study contact sheets full of pilings and rigging and neatly stacked lobster traps, and I’d look out my window where my re ection was superimposed over the Holiday

FICTION

Inn, its windows like rows of aquariums. On nights men appeared in one of the windows, Roots banged on my door: “Flower! Your camera!” I obliged, attaching the requested zoom, following her to make sure I got everything back.

Above us, men waved, raised glasses, sprayed room numbers onto the window with shaving cream. Roots pointed the lens upward, proclaimed, “Wicked!”

Back at my desk, I’d soon see her and her gang many oors above, waving at me to join them.

“You’re going to die of boredom,” she’d warn the next day.

e December night I turned 18, technically an adult, another thing I didn’t know how to do, Roots pounded again. Across the street, three men held up pieces of paper reading 717. Roots handed back my camera with, “Come on! Are you ever going to do anything fun?”

I really didn’t know. But technically, I was at art school to make something, including of my life. And that’s what I started to do when I soon stood at the Holiday Inn entrance, heading to a hotel room full of men, like an adult might.

But it really was the moment I turned from the entrance that I knew I was an adult learning a big thing I’d have in my brain forever.

My camera and I walked in the snow to a dangerous place full of rough weather and tough men. But maybe tough women, too. Like this one learning how to live in a city.

At e Rosie, I made photographs of snow coating her rigging, quiet all around. en footsteps behind me. Same guy, arms full of groceries. Both of us stood in a moment that was gone with the next. Which was when I followed him aboard to see what I could make from what was right in front of me. n