Maine magazine March 2018 by Maine Magazine

March 2018

THE FOOD ISSUE

AUBURN - AUGUSTA - BANGOR - TOPSHAM AUBURN - AUGUSTA - BANGOR - TOPSHAM SOUTH PORTLAND - WATERVILLE - MANCHESTER, NH. 800-439-3297 SOUTH PORTLAND - WATERVILLE - MANCHESTER, NH. 800-439-3297 AUBURN - AUGUSTA - BANGOR - TOPSHAM AUBURN www.daysjewelers.com - AUGUSTA - BANGOR - TOPSHAM www.daysjewelers.com SOUTH PORTLAND - WATERVILLE NH.800-439-3297 800-439-3297 SOUTH PORTLAND - WATERVILLE -- MANCHESTER, MANCHESTER, NH. www.daysjewelers.com www.daysjewelers.com

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contents Island Harvest 046

Cultivating Turner Farm’s riches of land at sea by Dr. Lisa Belisle | Photography by Matt Cosby

The Reinventions of John Wulp 058

The shipwrecked artist finds a new creative life—again—on a Maine island by Philip Conkling | Photography by Matt Cosby

Island Magnets 066

Students and islands attract each other at Islesboro and North Haven schools by Philip Conkling | Photography by Nicole Wolf

Fishing Life, Chebeague 076

Lobster and stories on a fishing boat with Chebeague Island’s Alex Todd and his sons— part of a family heritage of more than ten generations on Casco Bay by Sandy Lang | Photography by Peter Frank Edwards

Celebrating Big Skies 094

Preserving the soul of a home and celebrating the history of Maine’s offshore communities on Lanes Island by Katy Kelleher | Photography by Sean Thomas

on the cover

After hanging out with fisherman Alex Todd of Chebeague Island, photographer Peter Frank Edwards and writer Sandy Lang decide to make something special with the fresh Maine catch. Photography by Peter Frank Edwards

on this page

Farm managers Brendan Sinclair and Liesel McCleary on Turner Farm. Photography by Matt Cosby

THERE + THEN 016 Going out, giving back: supporting nonprofits + local businesses in the vital work they do year-round NEW + NOTEWORTHY 025 What’s happening around the state 48 HOURS

028 Portland; Brunswick + Topsham

by Shelbi Wassick and Reven Oliver

A-LIST 042 Mocktails around Maine by Brittany Cost Photography by Nicole Wolf

LOVE MAINE RADIO

Interview with Leigh Kellis by Dr. Lisa Belisle Photography by Sean Thomas

EAT

104 Nīna June

by Karen Watterson Photography by Nicole Wolf

EAT BLOGS

122 The Green Ladle

by Karen Watterson Photography by Nicole Wolf

CAPTURE 136 Chris Lawrence

046

EDITOR’S NOTE 011 STAFF INSIGHTS 013 CONTRIBUTORS 015 EVENTS 022

057

Karen Bowe, Ryan Hammond, Peter Heinz, Kerry Rasor, Tom Urban, Emily Wedick PRODUCTION MANAGER | Nichole Heady DIRECTOR OF EVENTS & EXPERIENTIAL MARKETING |

Reven Oliver

DIRECTOR OF CORPORATE GIVING & VISIBILITY |

Shelbi Wassick

Ted Axelrod, Liz Caron, Matt Cosby, Dave Dostie, Kyle Dubay, Peter Frank Edwards, Lauren Lear, Erin Little, Nicole Wolf CIRCULATION | Sarah Lynn ART COLLECTOR MAINE |

Jack Leonardi, Taylor McCafferty, Kendra McDonald, Emma Wilson THE BRAND COMPANY |

Taylor Adams, Chris Kast, Maureen Littlefield LOVE MAINE RADIO WITH DR. LISA BELISLE |

Spencer Albee, Dr. Lisa Belisle, Brittany Cost, Paul Koenig, Casey Lovejoy, Shelbi Wassick Photo © Darren Setlow

MAINE HOME+DESIGN MAGAZINE |

Rebecca Falzano, Heidi Kirn OLD PORT MAGAZINE |

Susan Axelrod, Joel Kuschke MOXIE MAINE MAGAZINE |

Brittany Cost, Heidi Kirn

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ARCHITECTS

BOOTHBAY

INTERIOR DESIGNERS

PORTLAND

BUILDERS

CABINETMAKERS

knickerbockergroup.com

Opinions expressed in articles or advertisements, unless otherwise noted, do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the publisher, staff, or advisory board. Every effort has been made to ensure that all information presented in this issue is accurate, and neither Maine nor any of its staff is responsible for omissions or information that has been misrepresented to the magazine. Copyright © 2018, Maine Media Collective LLC. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission, in writing, from the publisher. Printed in the U.S.A. themainemag.com

maine | themainemag.com

EDITOR’S NOTE Photography by Sean Thomas

Memories around food can often be some of our most vivid. I still remember the tanginess and crunch of the cheddar and breadcrumbs that would top my mom’s baked macaroni and cheese when I was a child. Until our Christmas traditions changed a few years ago, one of the things I looked forward to each Christmas Eve was my aunt’s baked clams. Food can even heighten bad memories. I still have a hatred of artificial lime flavor that I trace to eating too much lime-flavored Italian ice while I was recovering in a hospital bed after my appendectomy. For chef Sara Jenkins, memories of making pasta as a child in the Tuscan village of Teverina shaped the outlook that she brings to Nīna June in Rockport (Eat, p. 104). Jenkins got her first break in the industry when she took over as chef of the acclaimed

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Boston restaurant Figs, but she still fondly remembers baking potatoes in a toaster oven in her dorm room at Gould Academy and mashing them up with olive oil. After reading Dr. Lisa Belisle’s story on Turner Farm, it’s clear she and photographer Matt Cosby won’t easily forget their visit to North Haven (“Island Harvest,” p. 46). After meeting farm managers Brendan Sinclair and Liesel McCleary, they end the day with a barn dinner under strings of lights, eating a bounty harvested from the land around them. As stories go, it’s hard to beat a good fishing tale (“Fishing Life, Chebeague,” p. 76). Alex Todd, whose family has been fishing on Casco Bay for ten generations, has his share of stories to tell to writer Sandy Lang and photographer Peter Frank Edwards, including one about the almost translucent

lobster he pulled out of a trap last summer and another about the time he caught a live cannonball. Because this is our Food Issue, what we do with the catch or harvest is just as important, so Lang also writes about the lobster Thermidor dish she and Edwards made with the lobsters Todd caught. For more personal anecdotes, read about some our staff members’ most memorable food experiences in Maine (Staff Insights, p. 13). And if you have any memories of your own, please share them with us. We always love hearing a good story, especially about food.

Paul Koenig Managing Editor pkoenig@themainemag.com

March 2018 11

Ambitions: Happy guests. Award winning wines. WE LOVE MAINE. We fill our work days creating Maine-centric media products—publishing magazines and guides, producing radio shows, managing social media sites, developing websites, filming videos, producing events—because of this simple tenet. Our staff have stayed here, come back here, or moved here because we love Maine’s rich history, its unique character, and the people who live here, and most important, because we believe in Maine’s potential. We simultaneously love the Maine we grew up in and fully embrace the reality that things change and evolve. And we bear witness to that happening here. We are cheerleaders for Maine as a place for people to live, stay, and thrive—a place for people from away to move to, a place for second homeowners to buy into, a place to raise children, a place to start and operate a business—as well as a place to visit and explore, a place to escape and heal. And, a place to be inspired. We cover Maine in a positive light. We intentionally leave the negativity and snark to other media outlets. There is a place for everything, and we honor that. But that place is not here. So if you love Maine, please turn to us with your reading eyes, your listening ears, your follows and your likes, your attendance, and your advertising and sponsorships. Explore what we believe is the best Maine has to offer, on the pages of our magazines and guides, through the airwaves, at events, and via social media.

Photo by Emily Qualey SUBSCRIBE | themainemag.com

Lincolnville Winery | Portland Tasting Room | mainewine.com

Live your life. Be who you are. Drink good wine along the way.

12 CellardoorAdFinal.indd 2

1/19/18 4:25 PM

maine | themainemag.com

STAFF INSIGHTS Answering questions about how we experience the state

WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR MOST MEMORABLE FOOD EXPERIENCE IN MAINE? “My husband, Byron, and I went camping at Gulf Hagas last summer and forgot our plates. While this may seem like a minor issue, we had a mega meal planned. So we went down to the river and found perfectly sized flat river rocks that we used to prep and then as plates. The experience of cooking under the stars (rib eyes, asparagus, grilled potatoes, and red wine, if you must know), coupled with the fact that we were eating off rocks in the wilderness, made it a magical experience.”

We’re the vacation planning service that will help you fall in love with Maine. (And our restaurant scene.)

Chris Kast Brand Strategist, The Brand Company chris@thebrandcompany.me

“Last spring I went on a 24-hour commercial fishing trip with a friend of a friend. We spent six hours getting out to our destination, dropped the dredge, and by the time the sun rose we had scallops in hand. I ate to my heart’s content. I didn’t do it for pay or to become a fisherman—I just wanted to experience the open ocean. In the end I got paid with a 15-pound bag of scallops. It was the hardest won and most pride-filled payday and meal of my life.” Ryan Hammond Advertising Account Manager rhammond@themainemag.com

“On Fourth of July weekends, my cousin organizes family lobster bakes at my parents’ home on Southport. A local fisherman sets up a rig in the driveway, layering lobsters, clams, corn, and potatoes with seaweed and tucking in raw eggs—when the eggs are hard-boiled, the bake is done. While it’s cooking, the kids help my dad make strawberry ice cream in an old-fashioned ice cream maker with rock salt and a crank. It’s a simple, familiar Maine meal, but somehow extra special.” Susan Axelrod Managing Editor, Old Port magazine saxelrod@themainemag.com March 2018 13

Start planning your perfect Maine getaway today at

yourmaineconcierge.com 207.215.4151

WE GIVE BACK.

At Maine Media Collective our mission is to make a substantial and unique contribution to supporting Maine’s nonprofit community statewide, regionally, and at the town level. We believe that the work Maine’s nonprofit organizations do, individually and collectively, makes our lives better and Maine a better place to live. With limited budgets, Maine’s nonprofits need help boosting awareness of their specific causes and raising the funds they need. We have established long-term relationships with over 120 nonprofits and community-based organizations. We give to these organizations by providing, free of charge, services ranging from advertising to graphic design, brand development, marketing advice, online announcements, and social media engagement. We often include nonprofit organizations in our editorial coverage through feature articles and/or recaps of their events. You’ll find the latter in our “There + Then,” “Turnout,” and “Gather” sections. Over the past year, MMC has made cash and in-kind donations of more than:

$1,930,463 WE ARE PROUD OF OUR AFFILIATION WITH THE FOLLOWING ORGANIZATIONS:

THE HIGH MAST A modern take on the Shaker four post bed. An original design from Chilton Furniture, in collaboration with Sea Bags of Maine. Learn more at chiltons.com.

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Maine is published twelve times each year by Maine Media Collective LLC

w w w.c h ilto n s .co m • 8 6 6 - 8 8 3 -3 3 6 6 F R E E P O R T 2 0 7- 8 6 5 - 4 3 0 8 • S C A R B O R O U G H 2 07- 8 8 3 -3 3 6 6

C H I LT O N ’ S W I N T E R S A L E FEBRUARY 1 THROUGH MARCH 4 Visit our showrooms or chiltons.com

Editorial and subscription information: phone 207.772.3373 | fax 888.836.6715 16 Middle Street | Suite 501 | Portland | Maine | 04101 Opinions expressed in articles or advertisements, unless otherwise noted, do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the publisher, staff, or advisory board. Every effort has been made to ensure that all information presented in this issue is accurate, and neither Maine nor any of its staff is responsible for omissions or information that has been misrepresented to the magazine. Copyright © 2018, Maine Media Collective LLC. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission, in writing, from the publisher. Printed in the U.S.A. themainemag.com

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CONTRIBUTORS

Director of events and experiential marketing

REVEN OLIVER transplanted to Bowdoinham one

and a half years ago from Wellfleet, Cape Cod. She and her wife, Elyssa Cohen, share a log cabin in the woods with their two Alaskan malamutes and two Maine coon cats. Free time is spent playing with their dogs in the snow, cycling, hiking, gardening, and exploring this gorgeous state they are thrilled to call home. 48 HOURS, p. 28

KATY KELLEHER is a writer who loves cold and wild places—the more remote, the better. Her adventures have taken her to the Arctic Circle, Fogo Island, and recently to Lanes Island, where she interviewed Island Institute founder Philip Conkling about his glorious summer residence. When she’s not exploring islands or driving down dirt roads, she can be found at home, reading about color theory. “CELEBRATING BIG SKIES,” p. 94

As a mother and physician, wellness editor

DR. LISA BELISLE is intrigued by the interplay of

food, community, and the environment, and the impact of these on our health. Writing her piece about Turner Farm was an opportunity to explore these themes while enjoying time on a beautiful Maine island. “ISLAND HARVEST,” p. 46

During the dead of winter, photographer

SEAN THOMAS most fondly remembers the

highlights of coastal summers. In the story about Philip Conkling’s Lanes Island home for this issue, he was able to revisit the island through his photos, remembering the ferry ride, the crisp island air, and the warm fall sun. “CELEBRATING BIG SKIES,” p. 94

March 2018 15

THERE + THEN Photography by James Hardman

JOY

Celebrating the end of 2017 in high spirits Maine Media Collective hosted its end-of-year holiday party called “Joy” at Cunningham Farm in New Gloucester. Josh Berry of Union at the Press Hotel served up extravagant platters of seafood, lamb, fondue, breads, cheeses, vegetables, and desserts, while Island Creek Oysters provided a raw oyster bar and Cellardoor Winery, Shipyard Brewing Company, Stroudwater Distillery, and Coffee by Design offered drinks. Wendy Polstein of Quill Design planned the space, and Wallace Events provided rentals, including—most important— heating. Staff from Kennebunk’s Destination Catering served drinks at the bar. Spencer Albee selected a playlist that inspired guests to dance, even with below-zero temperatures outside. Students at Maine Academy of Modern Music serenaded guests as they entered the barn for dinner. 01

JUNE 4-9 “We named the event ‘Joy’ because that is what we aim to bring to those in our community. Joy is what we strive for in our magazines, events, partnerships, and parties. I think I speak for everyone when I say that, with this party, we delivered—it was definitely a joyous occasion.” —Andrea King, CEO of Maine Media Collective 04

KENNEBUNKPORTFESTIVAL.COM

#KPTfest Produced by Maine Media Collective

01 Jared Levin, co-owner of Chilton Furniture; Jen Levin, co-owner of Chilton Furniture; Chris Kast, brand strategist at the Brand Company; Paul Andrews, executive director of Wayfinder Schools; and Byron Bartlett, school administrator at Wayfinder Schools 02 Steve Malcolm, owner and CEO of Knickerbocker Group, and Martha Barrett 03 Josh Berry, executive chef at Union at the Press Hotel 04 Melissa Olander, accounts receivable and credit manager at Maine Media Collective; Erik Olander, counselor; Hugh Wilkinson, founder and principal of Coral Hill; and Andrea King, publisher and CEO at Maine Media Collective 05 Krystal Malinovskii and Yegor Malinovskii, market president at Berlin City Auto Group 06 Fred Forsley, owner of Shipyard Brewing Company, and Judy Forsley, CFO at Sea Dog Brewing Company 07 Charlotte Whitaker, Union at the Press Hotel, and Wendy Polstein, owner of Quill Design

maine | themainemag.com

REDISCOVER MAINE DINING REDISCOVER CLIFF HOUSE MAINE

Native ingredients honor Maine’s indelible heritage. By partnering with local fishermen, farmers, and distillers, Cliff House combines the region’s distinctive culture and tradition with culinary innovation and sustainable practices for authentic and nuanced dining experiences. Whether dining at our signature restaurant, The Tiller or noshing on whole steamed Maine lobsters at Nubb’s Lobster Shack, you are guaranteed a true taste of Maine.

thetillerrestaurant.com

cliffhousemaine.com · 207 361-1000 · 591 Shore Road, Cape Neddick, Maine 03902

nubbslobstershack.com

THERE + THEN Photography by Sean Thomas

EVENING FOR THE ENVIRONMENT

THIS IS SO MAINE.

Honoring contributions to the future of Maine’s environment At Brick South on Thompson’s Point in Portland, Maine’s environmental community celebrated its hard work and found inspiration to continue protecting Maine. The event by Maine Conservation Voters and Maine Conservation Alliance featured keynote speaker Brian Deese, a former senior advisor to President Obama who oversaw climate, conservation, and energy policies and one of the key architects of the Paris climate agreement. The organizations also honored George Smith with their 2017 Harrison L. Richardson Environmental Leadership Award for writing, speaking, advocating, and inspiring others to care for the nature of Maine. The event raised over $63,000 for conservation work to protect Maine’s air, land, and water. 01

“Maine Conservation Alliance and Maine Conservation Voters’ Evening for the Environment was a great opportunity to have a beer with every environmentalist in Maine, hear a great speaker, and see everyone’s friend, George Smith, who was honored for his work to protect Maine’s environment.” —Adam Lee, chairman of Lee Auto Malls

WE DELIVER. Subscribe 207 772 3373 themainemag.com/subscribe

01 Brittany Cost, editorial assistant at Maine Media Collective, and Jennifer Burns Gray, director of advocacy and public relations at Maine Association of Nonprofits 02 Lucas St. Clair, executive director of Elliotsville Plantation and candidate for Congress 03 Nick Bakelmun and Stephanie Miles, advocacy coordinator at Maine Conservation Voters 04 Alex Clarke; Chelsea Chamberlain Johnson; and Sophie Halpin, communications and development coordinator at Maine Conservation Voters 05 George Smith, environmentalist 06 Beth Ahearn, political director at Maine Conservation Voters 07 Robert Nadeau; Cathy Nadeau, Maine state representative; and Ed Pineau, cofounder of Pineau Policy Associates

maine | themainemag.com

BRITTA BRUCE MARTHA BURKERT M A R C H 1- 31, 2 018 O P E N I N G R E C E P T I O N , T H U R S DAY, M A R C H 1, 5 - 7

Martha Burkert | Sheep May Graze Safely | 36”x36” | Oil on Canvas

Britta Bruce | Skinny Dip | 40”x40” | Oil on Canvas

1 5 4 M I D D L E S T R E E T, P O R T L A N D, M A I N E 0 4 1 0 1 A R TC O L L E C TO R M A I N E . C O M

TO REQUEST A PRIVATE VIEWING PLEASE CONTACT EMMA WILSON AT 207.956.7105

THERE + THEN

CREATE BIGGER

BRAND

Photography by Dave Dostie

EIGHTH ANNUAL PORTLAND TRAILS HOLIDAY DASH 5K

Getting outside to support trails, active transportation, and conservation Over 350 runners and walkers supported Portland Trails with a winter 5K on the Eastern Promenade Trail. Held after the winter’s first big snowfall, the event ended with beers and brunch at Rí Rá Irish Pub. 01

“We look forward to this race every year. It’s great to see our community engage in a healthy and fun way to celebrate the winter season.” — Jen Goldman, Portland Trails

It’s about a new direction. thebrandcompany.me 207.772.3373

01 Jeffrey Graham, Frances Allan, Lindsay Cloutier, and Todd Cloutier 02 Russell Gelinas and Sarah Terison 03 Kim Guerin, Nathan Staples, and Kasia Park 04 Julie Martin and Lydia Thayer 05 Nancy Courtois and James Courtois 06 Cynthia Donatelli and Peter Donatelli 07 Todd Cloutier and Lindsay Cloutier 08 Arielle Oosten and Mary Beth Hiller

maine | themainemag.com

urban dwellings

INTERIORS

• DESIGN

• OBJECTS

It’s time to set the table for Spring!

SEPTEMBER 18–22

118 CONGRESS STREET PORTLAND, MAINE URBAN-DWELL.COM 207-780-6136 Produced by Maine Media Collective

boothbayharborfestival.com

designing for the individual. all inquiries welcome.

EVENTS

Wish you were here.

COMMUNITY

3.1 – 3.3

SANDGLASS THEATER: BABYLON

Portland Ovations 8 p.m. Portland Stage Company 25A Forest Ave. | Portland portlandovations.org

3.2

MAINE EATS: THE FOOD REVOLUTION STARTS HERE Maine Historical Society 489 Congress St. | Portland mainehistory.org

3.2 – 3.3

WINTERKIDS DOWNHILL 24

9 a.m. Sugarloaf Mountain Resort 5092 Access Rd. | Carrabassett Valley winterkids.org

3.3

GIRLS ROCK CONCERT

Maine Academy of Modern Music 4:30 p.m. Port City Music Hall 504 Congress St. | Portland maineacademyofmodernmusic.org

3.3

TAL NATIONAL

7:30 p.m. The Strand Theatre 345 Main St. | Rockland rocklandstrand.com

3.8

SAILMAINE WINTER WARM-UP 6:30 p.m.–9 p.m. Cellardoor Winery at the Point 4 Thompson’s Point | Portland sailmaine.org

3.8

TALKING ART IN MAINE: ALAN MCGEE

LET’S GET THIS PARTY STARTED.

7 p.m. Lincoln Theater 2 Theater St. | Damariscotta lcct.org

207.667.6000 | WALLACEEVENTS.COM 22

maine | themainemag.com

3.10 – 3.18

3.23

Various locations mjff.org

Maine Youth Leadership 5:30 p.m.–11 p.m. Bayside Bowl 58 Alder St. | Portland maineyouthleadership.org

MAINE JEWISH FILM FESTIVAL

3.10

LADYSMITH BLACK MAMBAZO Portland Ovations 8 p.m. Merrill Auditorium 20 Myrtle St. | Portland portlandovations.org

3.11

CHARLOTTE’S WEB

Portland Ovations 1 p.m. Merrill Auditorium 20 Myrtle St. | Portland portlandovations.org

3.14

ANNUAL WINE + DINNER GALA Portland Symphony Orchestra 5 p.m.–10:30 p.m. Harraseeket Inn 162 Main St. | Freeport portlandsymphony.org

3.16 – 3.25 MARJORIE PRIME

The Public Theatre 31 Maple St. | Lewiston thepublictheatre.org

3.18

20TH ANNIVERSARY MARY’S WALK + KERRYMEN 5K Maine Cancer Foundation Noon Thornton Academy 438 Main St. | Saco maryswalk.org

FIFTH ANNUAL BOWL-A-THON

3.24

34TH ANNUAL AWARDS GALA + SILENT AUCTION EqualityMaine 5:30 p.m.–10 p.m. Holiday Inn by the Bay 88 Spring St. | Portland equalitymaine.org

The Original Keepah™ Cuff - Men’s Satin

3.24

CASEY ABRAMS ACCOMPANIED BY THE MAINE YOUTH ROCK ORCHESTRA 7:30 p.m. The Strand Theatre 345 Main St. | Rockland rocklandstrand.com

3.30

THE CAPITOL STEPS

Chart-Etched Keepah™ Cuff - Satin

7:30 p.m. The Strand Theatre 345 Main St. | Rockland rocklandstrand.com

3.30 – 3.31

BROADWAY NATIONAL TOUR: KINKY BOOTS Portland Ovations Merrill Auditorium 20 Myrtle St. | Portland portlandovations.org

The Original Keepah™ Cuff

3.21 – 3.25

2018 MAINE FLOWER SHOW Brick South 8 Thompson’s Point | Portland maineflowershow.com

3.23

CELESOIRÉE

Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project 5:30 p.m. Portland’s Ocean Gateway 14 Ocean Gateway Pier | Portland ilapmaine.org

Lobster gauge cuffs for men and women. Original or etched with Maine’s coastline.

FI S H B ON E M E TA LWO R KS.CO M March 2018 23

Our brand new adventure destination is now open! Members and non members welcome. Rates from just $80/night including all meals.

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Medawisla is the newest destination in our Maine Wilderness Lodges network.

Offering opportunities for hiking, paddling, fly fishing, canoe camping, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing, steps away from your private cabin or bunkhouse accommodations.

Rates from just $80/night including all meals.

OUTDOORS.ORG/LOONS | 207.358.5187

Our brand new adventure destination is now

NEW + NOTEWORTHY by Brittany Cost FREEPORT, MAINE 207.865.4169 HOUSESANDBARNS.COM

L.L.Bean donated $2 million to nonprofit organizations in 2017, including the Maine Audubon and Teens to Trails. United Way received the largest grant, nearly $600,000, and L.L.Bean also contributed grants to hurricane recovery efforts in Florida and Texas.

Photo by Kevin Bennett

Husson Universityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s board of trustees has approved a plan for a new $3 million wellness center at its Bangor campus. Intended for students seeking care or enrolled in health-related programs, the 7,100-squarefoot space will provide health services and educational opportunities. Additional space will also allow Husson to increase nursing enrollments by nearly 25 percent.

We build houses that are made just for you.

Each home we design is as unique as the people who live in them. WEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;RE READY TO CREATE YOURS.

CVS Health has acquired Portland-based pharmaceutical company Apothecary by Design, which was previously owned by BelHealth Investment Partners. CVS Health plans to retain the employees and name. Apothecary by Design was founded in 2008 as a pharmaceutical company that plays an active role in patient care. Boothbay Harbor Shipyard has been bought by Bristol Marine, a company based in Rhode Island that currently owns shipyards in Bristol, Rhode Island, and Somerset, Massachusetts. Boothbay Harbor Shipyard has been in operation since the late 1800s.

We are the engine.

Photo by Robert Mitchell

And we keep our clients humming.

130 Middle Street | Portland, Maine 04101 | 207.775.3496

purdypowers.com March 2018 25

A.J. BUECHE

ANN TRAINOR DOMINGUE

AURORA WINKLER

BARBARA CONE

BRENDA CIRIONO

BRIAN BROWNE

BRITTA BRUCE

DAN DALY

DOUGLAS H. CAVES SR.

EMILY DODGE

GINNY LANE

HELEN LEWIS

HOLLY L. SMITH

JENNIFER LITCHFIELD

PATTI KANE

JODI EDWARDS

JULIE CYR

JULIE BLAKE

WHITNEY HEAVEY

MARC VAN DER LEEDEN

MARSHA DONAHUE

MILENA BANKS

M.J. BENSON

NANCY SIMONDS

JESSICA LEE IVES

JEAN KIGEL

PETREA NOYES

STEVE ROGERS

TIM SAPPINGTON

WILLA VENNEMA

YOU’RE INVITED P R I VA T E A R T E X H I B I T

Grab a glass of wine, relax, and explore the largest listing of Maine art from the comfort of your home.

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OPENING MARCH 2, 2018

Steak Sauce with an Accent During the fighting of World War II, my dad Joseph F. X. Loughlin dreamed of being home in Brooklyn, NY, grilling a thick steak, marinated in his mom’s special sauce—my Grandma Frances’ secret recipe. Not only is it good on steaks, it cures hangovers! So, try a little Irish. I guarantee you’ll never forget it! —

MAINE EATS THE FOOD REVOLUTION STARTS HERE

Joseph K. Loughlin

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Steak Sauce with an Accent DuringDuring the fighting ofofWorld WarII,II, the fighting World War mymy dad Joseph F. X. Loughlin dreamed of being home dad in Brooklyn, grilling a thick Joseph F. X.NY, Loughlin dreamed of steak, marinated in his mom’s special sauce— my Grandma Frances’ secret being home in Brooklyn, NY, recipe. grilling a Not only is it good on steaks, it cures hangovers! thick steak, marinated his mom’s So, try ainlittle Irish. I guarantee you’ll never forget it! special sauce—my Grandma Frances’ secret recipe.

MAINE HISTORICAL SOCIETY 489 Congress Street Portland, Maine www.mainehistory.org @mainehistory

Not only is it good on steaks, it cures hangovers! So, try a little Irish. I guarantee you’ll never forget it! —

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PORTLAND in 48 Hours

SHELBI WASSICK DIRECTOR OF CORPORATE GIVING + VISIBILITY 01

With a combination of New England seaside charm and metropolitan energy, the stylish seaport of Portland is home to historic buildings, award-winning restaurants, and a working waterfront. The abundance of unique, locally owned boutiques, eateries, and markets provides something for everyone in Maine’s largest city.

FRIDAY

We opt for the wine pairing and are treated to one of the best selections of wines we’ve had in Maine.

Cocktails and white-tablecloth dining

SATURDAY

EVENING

A new venture from the creative couple behind Portland Hunt and Alpine Club, the West End’s Little Giant is bright and welcoming on this 10-degree evening. Bar manager Max Overstrom-Coleman greets my boyfriend, Sean McCarthy, and me and walks us through the restaurant’s innovative cocktail menu. Sean picks the Knife Fight, a bourbon-based drink, and I get the hot buttered rum. Both begin to warm us from the inside out. We order a snack of fried oyster tacos and plan what old haunts we will visit and what new gems we hope to uncover in our home city. We head just up the street to check in at our weekend accommodations, the Danforth Inn. The 1823 brick mansion is a modern oasis of tranquility with impeccable decor and design. We quickly settle into the Old Port room and prepare for dinner. Dining at Tempo Dulu is a one-of-a-kind experience. At the recommendation of the knowledgeable staff we order the rijsttafel, an Indo-Dutch feast with multiple small plates. Our fireside table for two is soon crowded with heaping bowls of fluffy rice, tender beef rendang, chicken satay, and more.

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MORNING

West End brunching We rise before the sun to a subzero day. Bundled up tight, we visit the Danforth’s charming cupola to watch the sun rise over Portland. The inn offers a luxurious breakfast spread, but we have another West End spot in mind: Ilma Lopez and Damian Sansonetti’s newest endeavor, Chaval. We belly up to the bar next to the warmth of the kitchen, and we have a great view of Sansonetti and his team during brunch service. Veteran Portland bartender Patrick McDonald mixes us up a few delightful breakfast beverages, including a Garibaldi with Campari and orange juice—freshly squeezed to order—and a Bloody Mary with sherry. Our three entrees—the Spanish Breakfast, the Iberian bomba rice bowl, and the beef cheek hash—are warm and comforting and show the attention to detail that the husbandand-wife duo is known for. We know we have a big day of eating ahead of us, but we can’t resist trying Lopez’s churros. Chaval is everything you could hope for in a brunch.

WHERE WE STAYED THE DANFORTH INN WHERE WE ATE LITTLE GIANT TEMPO DULU CHAVAL THE HOLY DONUT LIQUID RIOT BLYTH AND BURROWS UNION OPIUM TANDEM COFFEE AND BAKERY WOODFORD FOOD AND BEVERAGE WHAT WE DID SUGER BROWNE TRADING COMPANY HARBOR FISH MARKET RAMBLERS WAY PORTLAND ART GALLERY SALT CELLAR FOLIA JEWELRY ABACUS GALLERY SKORDO

48 HOURS 02

01 A candlelit cocktail at Blyth and Burrows. 02 Decor at the Danforth Inn’s restaurant, Tempo Dulu. 03 Portland’s City Hall stands steadfast and true. 04 Browne Trading Company brings five-star seafood to Portland. 05 Perusing the menu and sipping cocktails at Chaval. 06 A selection of some of the beautiful clothing at Ramblers Way. 07 The bar at Blyth and Burrows.

AFTERNOON Shopping by foot

We start our journey on Commercial Street. Housed in the E. Swasey and Co. Pottery building, Suger is home to designer Roxi Suger’s Angelrox brand, a beautiful, sustainable clothing line made by hand in a historic mill in Biddeford. Across the street, Browne Trading Company is known for its pristine seafood and fine caviar. We browse the store’s tremendous wine selection and select a dry Riesling as a souvenir. We embrace the cold for a short exploration of the piers and docks that make up Portland’s working waterfront before ducking in to Harbor Fish Market to take long, deep breaths of the salty smell and inspect the fresh oysters on ice. We move a little farther inland to explore the Old Port. Relatively new to the scene, Ramblers Way on Market Street has organic merino wool clothing that seems especially cozy, considering my chilled bones. Portland Art Gallery, just across Middle

Street, showcases a variety of talented Maine artists and is the perfect stop for a moment of quiet contemplation before we continue our journey along the cobblestones to the Salt Cellar. Co-owner Judit Vano-Tydeman greets us with a warm smile and leads us to the salt vault, where she explains the many benefits of halotherapy. We round the corner to explore the shops and restaurants that line Exchange Street. Folia Jewelry is our first stop. We wander around the small glass boxes and admire owner and artist Edith Armstrong’s beautiful designs. Just a couple doors down is Abacus Gallery. Surrounded by a perfectly curated selection of art, jewelry, and decor, we catch up with owners Sal Scaglione and Dana Heacock, who tell us some of the history behind their five Maine stores. I ogle their selection of Ed Levin jewelry until it’s time for another snack. A visit to Portland isn’t complete without a stop into the Holy Donut. The Maine potato-based doughnuts come in a variety of eclectic flavors, such as maple

bacon, pomegranate, chai glazed, and my personal favorite, dark chocolate with sea salt flakes. Fully recharged, we walk to Skordo. Family owned and operated, Skordo is the perfect resource for any level of home cook. We peruse the store’s plentiful spice racks, sample a few spices, and leave with a cookbook, an Ethiopian spice mix called berbere, and every intention of becoming regulars.

EVENING

Fernet and farm-fresh food Liquid Riot Bottling Company, besides being a restaurant and bar, is also a distillery and brewery that churns out an impressive list of libations, including an award-winning fernet. We snack on poutine and sip fernet as the light fades on Portland’s working waterfront. With a decor that pays homage to the city’s maritime history, Blyth and Burrows has dim, atmospheric lighting. We settle into a booth on the middle level

March 2018 29

48 HOURS

of this three-tiered bar, right next to the inconspicuous entrance to the secret bar downstairs. I stay on the fernet train and order the H.M.S Boxer, and Sean orders the Penny Cap, which comes with a side of bottled smoke. At the recommendation of many, we order the Poke Bao, which is the perfect bite to hold us over until dinner. Although it is surrounded on all sides by busy city streets, Union’s elegant dining room is calm and sophisticated. Sean and I take a table for two by the plate-glass windows. Executive chef Josh Berry has created a menu that boasts ingredients from many Maine purveyors. I order the truffle beef pot roast off the signature chef’s dishes menu, and Sean opts for the braised local rabbit with white corn polenta. Union’s menu is a beautiful reflection of the farmers and fishermen of Maine, as well as Berry’s talent. We arrive back at the Danforth Inn chilled to the bone and know the perfect antidote awaits us at Opium. The inn’s dark and moody cocktail bar is filled with purple light while a DJ provides the soundtrack for the evening and bar manager Alexa Doyer mixes up some exquisite cocktails. We can’t resist the Jakarta, which arrives with an empty glass placed over smoking Chinese spices with bitters, vermouth, rye, and absinthe to top it off.

SUNDAY MORNING

Lattes and off-peninsula brunch Tandem Coffee and Bakery, a modern bakeshop in a former gas station, is the perfect place to start the morning. On entering we are greeted with a bakery counter lined with biscuits, pastries, and pies of all shapes and sizes. We sip two lattes, share one of baker Briana Holt’s famous loaded biscuits, and watch as the shop fills up with the morning crowd. We head off-peninsula for brunch. One of the pioneers of the Woodfords Corner neighborhood revitalization, Woodford Food and Beverage is housed in a midcentury modern building at a bustling Portland intersection. The interior is bright and inviting. I enjoy a classic and satisfying brunch of eggs and coffee, and Sean gets a little more adventurous with Woodford’s take on eggs in purgatory. We soak up the sun streaming in from the large windows that face the evolving neighborhood. As we make the short trip back to our apartment in Portland’s Parkside neighborhood, we reminisce about our staycation weekend and are overwhelmed with gratitude that we can call this charming city home.

FOR NEXT TRIP

LODGING IDEAS THE PRESS HOTEL PORTLAND HARBOR HOTEL THE FRANCIS DINING IDEAS ISA BISTRO DAVID’S SUR LIE ACTIVITY IDEAS BREWERY TOURS PORTLAND MUSEUM OF ART CASCO BAY FERRY SHOPPING IDEAS PORTLAND DRY GOODS ARISTELLE PEYOTE MOON ANNUAL EVENTS MARCH: MAINE RESTAURANT WEEK JUNE: OLD PORT FESTIVAL OCTOBER: HARVEST ON THE HARBOR

01 Angelrox opera sleeves displayed at Suger. 02 Happy hour at Little Giant. 03 Sampling spices at Skordo. 04 A poutine snack at Liquid Riot. 05 Skordo’s extensive spice rack.

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BRUNSWICK + TOPSHAM in 48 Hours

REVEN OLIVER DIRECTOR OF EVENTS + EXPERIENTIAL MARKETING 01

Well-known as the home of Bowdoin College, Brunswick still maintains its roots as a manufacturing city—L.L.Bean makes its iconic Bean boots and totes here—while offering a growing range of dining options.

FRIDAY EVENING

Worldly dining and beer flights My wife, Elyssa, and I check into the Brunswick Hotel and Tavern, our home for the next 48 hours. Our room is spacious and comfortable, with views down Maine Street and toward the free public ice rink constructed on the town green. Elyssa, a professional photographer, will be capturing our trip for the story. We head out for an early dinner at Enoteca Athena, where our friend, Michelle Thresher, joins us. My food allergies have always made ordering meals somewhat difficult, but chef-owner Tim O’Brien seems to enjoy the challenge. Eating family style, we 34

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share delicately fried chicken skins, pear salad with prosciutto, roasted Brussels sprout salad, chicken, mushroom risotto, and a lamb dish. The menu changes often, with nightly specials all based on what fresh local ingredients O’Brien is able to source from neighboring farms and fishermen. We enjoy our meal so much that we are late to meet more friends over at Flight Deck Brewing, the new brewpub that opened last year at Brunswick Landing. The building is a former shooting range that was originally made entirely of cement. The brewery owners have created a cool, funky space to gather and listen to music. We enjoy the musical talents of the local band Sons of Quint. Still full from our dinner, we resist the temptations of the food truck that is offering barbecue and order two flights of beer to share.

WHERE WE STAYED BRUNSWICK HOTEL AND TAVERN WHERE WE ATE ENOTECA ATHENA WILDFOURS GLUTENFREE BAKERY FRONTIER EL CAMINO HENRY AND MARTY RESTAURANT AND CATERING SEA DOG BREWING COMPANY BRUNSWICK HOTEL AND TAVERN WHAT WE DID FLIGHT DECK BREWING BRUNSWICK WINTER MARKET SHOPPING ON MAINE STREET LITTLE DOG COFFEE SHOP THE SWINGING BRIDGE MERE POINT WHATLEY FARM CATHANCE RIVER NATURE PRESERVE BOWDOIN COLLEGE MUSEUM OF ART THE BOWLING BOWL

SATURDAY MORNING

Baked goods and farmers’ market We start our day at Wildflours Gluten-Free Bakery on Cumberland Street. Chef-owner Kelley Hughes and her assistant, Shelagh, serve us a warm pumpkin chocolate chip muffin topped, with melted butter and a cinnamon bun just out of the oven. The baked goods are so delicious it is difficult to tell they are gluten free. We head over to the Brunswick Winter Market in the refurbished Fort Andross Mill Complex. With live music and around 50 farmers and vendors, this is one of the largest winter farmers markets’ in the

48 HOURS 02

01 Swinging Bridge, a pedestrian suspension bridge over the Androscoggin River. 02 Ben Whatley of Whatley Farm. 03 The dessert special at Frontier. 04 Beer flights at Flight Deck Brewing. 05 The counter at Frontier Cafe. 06 Scenery at the Cathance River Nature Preserve. state. We stock up on eggs and produce for the week before heading downtown to the Little Dog Coffee Shop for a coffee and hot chocolate.

AFTERNOON

Shopping and late lunch After our midmorning pick-me-up, we enjoy some shopping on Maine Street. Nest is an eclectic gift shop full of unique items. Be sure to check out the large furniture showroom on the lower level. Wyler’s and Local Market and Cafe are sister stores connected to each other. Wyler’s features crafts, clothing, jewelry, games, and more, while Local

Market and Cafe specializes in Maine-made food items and kitchen gadgets and has a deli including take-away meals made on-site. Nearby, Morning Glory Natural Foods is a family-owned, independent store that has been on Maine Street for 35 years. It specializes in local and organically grown foods, with fresh breads, cheese, wine, daily staples, supplements, and much more. We visit Gorham Bike and Ski to pick up snowshoes for tomorrow’s outdoor activity. Manager Steve Kilburn is an excellent resource for all things bike and ski related, whether it is a mechanical issue (the store services bikes and skis) or advice on where to enjoy these activities. The store rents bikes,

snowshoes, and skis for children and adults, both daily and weekly. After all that shopping, we have worked up an appetite, so we head back to the Fort Andross Mill Complex to have lunch at Frontier. The renovated entrance catches our eye, as does the new cafe. Frontier also has a small theater where it shows independent films. The Androscoggin River rages below our vantage point in the rustic and stylish dining room with lofted ceilings and huge windows. The menu is globally inspired and locally sourced with vegan, antibiotic-free, and gluten-free options available.

March 2018 35

48 HOURS 01

01 Galleries at the Bowdoin College Museum of Art. 02 Jerk-style brisket at Frontier.

After our late lunch, we walk across the “Green Bridge,” which connects Brunswick and Topsham, and marvel at the force of the water coming through the dam after the recent rains. After a short drive south on Route 1 we explore the Swinging Bridge, a popular pedestrian suspension bridge over the Androscoggin River.

EVENING

Margs, dinner, and football We meet friends at El Camino for their popular margaritas, guacamole, and chips before heading to dinner at Henry and Marty Restaurant and Catering, another fantastic Brunswick restaurant that specializes in fresh local food. We then wander back across the Green Bridge to Sea Dog Brewing Company in Topsham in time to catch the end of the Patriots playoff game. Sea Dog’s restaurant features freshly brewed beer, delicious pub-style food, pool tables, and an outdoor seating area.

SUNDAY MORNING

Sunrise and jazz brunch We drive six miles to the public boat launch on Mere Point to catch the sunrise. The beauty of the narrow peninsula makes for a lovely drive or bike ride. As we are both cyclists, we are familiar with this peninsula in the warmer months, but this is our first foray out this way in winter. The boat launch is a good starting point to explore the area by boat or kayak as well. We head back to the Brunswick Hotel and Tavern for its Sunday jazz brunch featuring the Jason St. Pierre Jazz Trio. The Tavern is casual and comfortable with a nice crowd enjoying the offerings of chef David Pendexter on an a la carte brunch menu. When the weather warms up, the brunch seating spills out to the lovely courtyard. After brunch we drive over to Topsham to meet Ben Whatley, one of the owners of Whatley Farm, for a

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tour of his operation. This is a treat for us, as we have been buying Whatley Farm organic produce at the Brunswick Farmers’ Market for the past year, and a number of restaurants in Brunswick feature the farm’s produce. Whatley Farm specializes in organic vegetables, some fruits, pork, duck eggs, and some of the best garlic scape pesto I’ve ever tasted.

AFTERNOON

Art museum and bowling While in Topsham we visit the Cathance River Nature Preserve for an adventure on the snowshoes we rented from Gorham Bike and Ski. The beautiful trails are free and open to the public daily from dawn to dusk. The 5.6 miles of trails are used for hiking, snowshoeing, and cross-country skiing. A section of the trail slopes down toward the Cathance River and offers nice views of its Class IV rapids when the water is high. We head back to Brunswick to visit the Bowdoin College Museum of Art. Open Tuesday through Sunday, the museum is free and open to the public. Built in 1894, the striking Walker Art Building is on the National Register of Historic Places. With over 20,000 permanent pieces in its collection and a revolving series of exhibitions, it would probably take more than 48 hours to see it all. We end our visit to Brunswick at the Bowling Bowl, a candlepin bowling arena since 1941. The vintage facility features the original wood alleys from 1941 and machinery from the early 1960s. Owner Matthew Laffely is a mechanic by trade and uses his skills to tinker on the antique machinery. The casual and welcoming facility is open daily in the winter and five days a week in the summer. We are tuckered out after such a full weekend but joyful for all the incredible people we have met along our journey. Brunswick is a lovely place with a small-town vibe. Its vast variety of restaurants take pride in serving food that is locally sourced with influences from India, Italy, Greece, Japan, Vietnam, Germany, Mexico, and beyond. I hope you will make the time to enjoy your own 48 hours (or more) in Brunswick.

FOR NEXT TRIP DINING IDEAS TAO YUAN BOMBAY MAHAL RICHARD’S RESTAURANT

ACTIVITY IDEAS CYCLING MERE POINT PENINSULA HEAD OF TIDE PARK MUSIC ON THE MALL IN SUMMER

SHOPPING IDEAS BULL MOOSE GULF OF MAINE BOOKS CABOT MILL ANTIQUES

ANNUAL EVENTS JUNE + JULY: BOWDOIN

INTERNATIONAL MUSIC FESTIVAL AUGUST: BRUNSWICK

OUTDOOR ARTS FESTIVAL, TOPSHAM FAIR

Fine Silver • Jewelry • Ironstone • Pottery • Rare Books • Art • Glassware • Textiles Baskets • Majolica • Militaria • Toys • Nautical Merchandise • Period Furniture to Mid-Century Modern

Located on the scenic Androscoggin River in historic Brunswick, Maine, our showroom is housed within a beautifully restored textile mill from the 1820s. Offering a vast collection of fi ne antiques, our staff will help you discover that unique or rare treasure you have always been searching for! From small collectables that can easily be packed in a suitcase to larger home furnishings that can add stately elegance to any room, our ever-changing inventory of antique merchandise is sure to meet your needs. Big or small, we are happy to help facilitate shipping services for your new purchases. Our home in the historic Fort Andross Building is an all-inclusive location for a fun-filled experience. After a busy day of shopping at Cabot Mill Antiques, relax and enjoy a meal at one of the restaurants in Fort Andross!

Voted Best of Mid-Coast Maine 54 Years Consecutively! A Multi-Dealer Emporium 16,000 square feet offering 160 quality dealer-displays

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Voted Best of Mid-Coast Maine 54 Years Consecutively! A Multi-Dealer Emporium 16,000 square feet offering 160 quality dealer-displays

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B ayview G allery Local and Fresh Henry and Marty Restaurant and Catering offers the highest quality food and service. At the heart of our philosophy is a dedication to using the freshest local, organic and sustainable products available. Our chefs shop weekly at farmers markets, and local growers deliver directly to us. We strive to strengthen the economy and the livelihood of hard-working Mainers.

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MOCKTAILS AROUND MAINE In the past, if you wanted to skip the alcohol while out, dinnertime options were limited to juice and soda. Now many restaurants serve creative, non-alcoholic concoctions that can compete with their boozier counterparts. Vena’s Fizz House | Portland

Originally serving mocktails exclusively, owners Johanna and Steve Corman have since added alcoholic drinks to the menu, but mocktails, drinking vinegars, and fizzes—juices spiced up with bitters—still entice patrons. Our pick: Try the Prickly Pear-tini, crafted from prickly pear puree, pineapple gomme, cardamom bitters, and a dash of lime.

Azure | Freeport

At Azure in Freeport’s shopping district, simple, fruit-based mocktails pair well with decadent Italian fare. Our pick: A blood orange and rosemary lemon drop is tart and piney, perfect for brightening up a winter day.

Frontier | Brunswick

Grab dinner and catch an evening movie in the recently revamped space at Frontier, and sip on one of their fruity mocktails, ranging from sweet to tart. Our pick: Maybe it’s the name, but the unconventional flavors of the Lonely Hearts Club Soda—apple juice, verjus, peppercorn simple syrup, pine bitters, seltzer, dried apple, and a squeeze of lemon, on the rocks—create a strong alternative to a traditional aperitif.

Robert’s Maine Grill | Kittery

With three ingredients or less, Robert’s Maine Grill crafts fruit-based beverages that reflect the effortless, upscale ambiance of the seaside restaurant. Our pick: The strawberry basil spritzer is light and fresh, as the basil offsets the sweet strawberry taste.

Woodford Food and Beverage | Portland

Woodford Food and Beverage’s selection of house sodas includes a shrub drink with the same vinegary syrup they mix into their booze-filled Dark and Shrubby. Our pick: The rhubarb-ginger shrub, on offer in spring, is healthful and tangy.

Central Provisions | Portland

Aptly titled “Temperance Drinks,” a nod to Prohibition-era frugality, the non-alcoholic section of the menu at Central Provisions features more options than most. Our pick: The Pain (Free) Killer is indulgent and spicy, combining orange and pineapple juices, coconut cream, old-fashioned bitters, and nutmeg.

Opposite: Mocktails are a refreshing alternative to a traditional cocktail. March 2018 43

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ISLAND HARVEST C U LT I VAT I N G T U R N E R FA R M’S R I C H E S O F L A N D AT S E A The fields are green and gold, unfurling from beneath a modern timber-frame barn toward the shores of the Fox Islands Thorofare. An iconic New England stone wall climbs and dips across the land, where Native Americans lived more than 6,000 years ago. In a nearby hoop house, we find rows of fragrant basil and stands of showy tomatoes, many of which are bound for local markets and this evening’s barn supper. More than 200 years after the Thomas family established roots here on North Haven’s Fish Point, their agricultural legacy lives on, thanks to those who now till the soil, tend the hearth, and champion sustainability at Turner Farm. One of only 15 year-round islands off the coast of Maine, North Haven is located 12 miles out to sea. Those who wish to go

there must plan their journeys in advance. Last year, on a visit to North Haven artist Eric Hopkins, we departed from the Knox County Regional Airport in Owls Head, and jaunted efficiently over the ocean in a tiny charter plane piloted by Penobscot Island Air. Today’s vessel of choice is the Captain Neal Burgess, a state-run ferry that travels between Rockland and North Haven three times a day. My traveling companion is the former publisher of Maine magazine, Kevin Thomas. Originally from landlocked Aroostook County, where both of his grandfathers were farmers, he is intrigued by Turner Farm’s offshore enterprise. After an hour on the boat, we near our destination and see North Haven’s sister island, Vinalhaven, across the thoroughfare. Like fraternal twins, these landmasses, which were once called the Fox Islands, are

as different as they are alike—the former known for its forest-ringed fields, the latter for its granite quarries. Hannah and Cecily Pingree are waiting at the landing for the Captain Neal Burgess. Both graduates of the North Haven Community School (the smallest K-12 public school in the state of Maine, with 70 students), these siblings returned to their hometown after several years spent pursuing passions in other parts of the country. A documentary filmmaker, Cecily is also the owner of Calderwood Hall, a restaurant, market, and bakery located across from the ferry landing. Built in 1908, the space served as a dance hall, basketball court, and movie theater (among other things) before reopening in its current capacity in 2014. A yeasty pizza aroma

Farm managers Brendan Sinclair and Liesel McCleary on Turner Farm with Fox Islands Thorofare in the background. Opposite: Sinclair and McCleary in one of the greenhouses where tomatoes grow in abundance.

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WELLNESS Turner Farm

Opposite: Hannah and Chellie Pingree in front of the barn at Turner Farm. This page: View of the lower part of the barn at Turner Farm, built by Houses and Barns by John Libby.

escapes from the open kitchen, tantalizing those who stop in for a North Haven Brewing Company beer or shop the market for produce and dairy goods—much of which comes from Turner Farm. Hannah also works with food as business manager for Turner Farm and Nebo Lodge. A historic inn with nine guest rooms and a restaurant, Nebo Lodge was purchased and renovated by Chellie Pingree (mother of Cecily and Hannah) in 2005. It has become a popular destination for locavores. A chalkboard on the restaurant’s wall describes the “Island Harvest”— microgreens, garlic, edible flowers, fromage blanc, and lobsters—that will form the basis for the evening’s menu. The restaurant’s cook (she does not like to be called a chef ) is North Haven native Amanda Hallowell, who has been at Nebo Lodge since it opened. Hallowell and her team have been lauded

by national publications such as Food and Wine, Bon Appetit, and Travel and Leisure. Vases filled with dahlias, zinnias, and other late-summer blooms are a colorful contrast to the white-painted wainscoting. Both Nebo Lodge and Turner Farm are known for their flowers, which have been carefully arranged by innkeeper and gardener Pam Mountain. Modern, nature-themed rugs designed by Angela Adams, who was also raised on North Haven, adorn the wood floors. “It’s a joint social-business mission,” Hannah says of Nebo Lodge and Turner Farm. “We believe it enhances community sustainability. You have a place to eat or buy food, and it also has provided people with employment.” After graduating from Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, with a degree in political science, Hannah served four terms in the Maine Legislature,

most recently as speaker of the House. A mother of two, she continues to be active politically, serving on the North Haven school board and numerous committees that support the 355 individuals who live on the island year-round, as well as the 1,500 summer residents. “We all are in this together,” says Hannah. “We rely on each other.” Hannah is proud of her mother, who (along with then-husband Donald Sussman) bought and began revitalizing Turner Farm in 2008. Previously a state senator, Chellie now represents Maine’s first district in Washington. Elected the same year she bought Turner Farm, Chellie has served on the House Committee on Agriculture and the Appropriations Committee’s agriculture subcommittee. “She is one of the most involved members of Congress regarding food and farm policy,” says Hannah. “When March 2018 49

From left: McCleary takes notes amid the seedlings. Fresh eggs from “happy hens who are fed certified non-GMO feed,” according to Turner Farm. Opposite: Sinclair feeding the pigs.

she’s not in Congress, she figures out how we can make this farm work.” Chellie is having lunch with us—tomato and mozzarella sandwiches on homemade bread, from Calderwood Hall—but first excuses herself to take a phone call from the secretary of the U.S. Navy. She soon returns, and is more interested in hearing about my companion’s experience with family farms than in talking about herself. Originally from Minnesota, Chellie came to Maine (by way of Massachusetts) in 1971, following in the footsteps of back-to-thelanders Helen and Scott Nearing, authors of Living the Good Life. Her Scandinavian grandparents had been farmers, and Chellie would go on to study with organic farming expert Eliot Coleman—himself a member of the back-to-the-land movement—at College of the Atlantic in Bar Harbor. Hannah was born while Chellie was still a student. After graduating with a degree 50

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in human ecology, Chellie moved to North Haven, where she farmed on rented land while raising Hannah, Cecily, and her son, Asa. Capitalizing on wool from her farm’s sheep, she founded the mail-order company North Island Yarn in 1981. At one time, her business provided knitting kits and other products to more than 1,200 accounts around the country. “In a state like Maine, there aren’t multiple big employers in every small town,” says Chellie. “It’s a very rural economy. You become a businessperson in a backwards way. You learn as you go. You’re always trying to figure out ‘How do I add value to this product or income for my family?’” The land on North Haven’s southern shore has a history of inhabitants stretching back several millennia. Archeologist Dr. Bruce J. Bourque and his colleagues did excavations between 1971 and 1980 and found that the site had been occupied

multiple times beginning 6,000 years ago. A Native American group known as the Red Paint People established a village there around 5,000 years ago and hunted swordfish from this location. Centuries later, Samuel and Mary Cushing Thomas of Marshfield, Massachusetts, settled the area. It remained in that family for six generations, taking its name from a man who married into their clan. By the time Chellie and Donald Sussman bought Turner Farm in 2008, the land was being used as a summer estate. Its 200 acres had not been cleared for many years and required extensive restoration. “It’s the biggest farm I’ve ever had the chance to run and the most serious operation,” says Chellie. As we drive onto the farm’s property, we pass through a wooded area and a pen where several large pigs are snuffling at the ground. Behind the barn, a cow chews a mouthful of grass as her companions doze in the midday sun. These placid bovines supply the milk for the farm’s

WELLNESS Turner Farm

“PEOPLE ARE SURPRISED THAT IT’S A FARM ON AN ISLAND. IT’S A VIBRANT, OPERATING COMMUNITY.” —CHELLIE PINGREE North Island Creamery, which specializes in fresh artisan cow cheeses, yogurt, and raw milk. Turner Farm also sells pastureraised beef, pork, and eggs. “Everybody who farms knows that it’s not easy to make a living,” says Chellie. “Our season is very short. You have to pay for the infrastructure year-round. So we’re constantly trying to look for the right way to go about doing it.” Turner Farm’s vegetables, flowers, and herbs are certified organic through the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association. There are eight greenhouses on the property. The twice-weekly farm stand is finishing up for the day. We peek inside the majestic

cupola-topped 40- by 60-foot barn, which was built by Houses and Barns by John Libby in 2009. We hear voices and pots clanging behind a curtain as Hallowell orchestrates the preparations for the upcoming barn dinner. Light filters in through the window, illuminating the few remaining cartons of cherry tomatoes. The island community has been especially welcoming to Turner Farm, not only by visiting its farm stand but also through the farm’s community-supported agriculture program. Turner Farm also supplies mainland stores and restaurants, such as the Good Tern Co-op and Suzuki’s Sushi Bar in Rockland.

The farm managers, Brendan Sinclair and Liesel McCleary, greet us outside the greenhouses. Sinclair and McCleary realized that they shared a mutual love of agriculture while working at the Michigan State University Student Organic Farm in East Lansing. “We met while castrating a pig’s scrotum,” jokes Sinclair. They have worked on farms from Colorado to Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, and came to Turner Farm in 2015. In the summer the farm has close to ten staff members, who do everything from weeding the fields to cleaning greens. Turner Farm greens, such as kale and spinach, are staple crops. Inside one of the March 2018 51

From left: Specially created cocktails begin the barn dinner. No Maine summer is complete without grilled corn. Opposite: Food at the Turner Farm dinners is served family style.

farm buildings, Sinclair gestures toward a washing-machine-sized piece of equipment that looks like an industrial salad spinner. It is used to rinse large quantities of produce. “On the island, we have an unlimited market in July and August,” says Sinclair. “In September everyone leaves, and we still have all this food we are figuring out how to sell.” Sinclair next points out the boiler that heats three of the greenhouses using wood from fallen trees. In the winter, Sinclair and McCleary (who are often the only farm employees still remaining on the island) wake up several times a night to keep the fires burning. “Farming is a 24-hour-a-day, 365-day-a-year job,” says Sinclair. We follow McCleary into the greenhouses, where she shows us the holy basil that she has been carefully cultivating. We also see a few containers of gingerroot. 52

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McCleary is interested in medicinal herbs like these, but they will not likely end up on farm stand shelves. “There is a balance between what we like to grow and what people will buy,” says McCleary. She walks carefully through the rows of flowers, which have been planted in the field just below the greenhouse. Bees dip amidst the nasturtiums; an inquisitive chicken pecks in the soil near the calendula and borage. Nearby, the doors are open for tonight’s sold-out barn dinner. A few guests have sailed in from nearby Eagle Island; others have taken the charter Equinox out of Rockland. Several will be staying at Nebo Lodge, as we will be. The departing sun splashes a trail of magenta across the water, and we find our seats at one of the long tables that have been set up inside. Strands of lights are suspended like stars from the

rafters; the centerpieces are bunches of baby carrots in mason jars. Across from us, a group of young women toast their friend’s birthday with the cocktail of the evening: an Italian spritz made with Aperol, Campari, rosemary, and orange. After greetings from Chellie Pingree, Sinclair, and Hallowell, the family-style dinner begins. We pass platters of blistered shishito peppers and radishes, baba ghanoush, cumin-braised beef, and roasted new potatoes. By the time we finish our final dish—Maine peach and blueberry crisp with maplepepita crumble—the moon is high above us, softly lighting the historic fields that sustain this Maine island. A vast ocean surrounds us, but we are grounded in community.

March 2018 53

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Get to know your neighbors. LAUREN WAYNE

PODCAST

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Lauren Wayne is the general manager and talent buyer for Crobo, which owns and operates the State Theatre and Port City Music Hall, and the company is the promotor for concerts at Thompson's Point. She promotes more than 260 concerts in Portland every year.

JESSICA JORDAN

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Jessica Jordan was 34 and recently engaged when she was diagnosed with stage-two breast cancer. She went through almost a year of treatment and was only two months out of radiation when her mother passed suddenly from a pulmonary embolism. In honor of her mother, Jordan completed the Tri for a Cure in July and was the race's top fundraiser with $63,000 in donations.

ROB SNYDER

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As president of the Island Institute, Rob Snyder is responsible for working with island and coastal leaders in Maine to identify and invest in innovative approaches to community sustainability. He oversees the Institute's efforts to share solutions with communities that are experiencing similar sustainability challenges.

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LOVE MAINE RADIO by Dr. Lisa Belisle Photography by Sean Thomas Love Maine Radio is a weekly radio show and podcast hosted by Maine magazine wellness editor Dr. Lisa Belisle.

LEIGH KELLIS

Owner of the Holy Donut EPISODE #323

Holy Donut owner Leigh Kellis did not set out to own three doughnut shops. A graduate of Deering High School in Portland and the University of Maine in Orono, Kellis has always loved to sing and play piano and envisioned herself in the music business. Then, almost seven years ago, a craving for comfort food became a serendipitous experiment. “I couldn’t find a doughnut that wasn’t mass-produced or from a factory,” says Kellis, who had spent several years in the hospitality industry. “I was disenchanted and discouraged, so I decided to start making my own.” Kellis began experimenting with batter made from one of Maine’s best-known crops—the potato—and she liked what the humble spud had to offer. “When I tasted it, I said, ‘Yes, this is exactly what I’ve been looking for—moist and delicious and wholesome.’” For many months, Kellis got up at 6 a.m. to cook doughnuts, one by one, in her kitchen. Her father, newly retired, soon showed up to help. After successfully selling small batches of her pastries at Coffee by Design on Washington Avenue, Kellis realized she might have a viable business. “We’re in Maine. It’s the land of the potatoes. We need a doughnut shop. Home run.” The store (the first was opened on Park Avenue in Portland) became known for creative flavors like coffee brandy, pomegranate, and chocolate sea salt, and for its gluten-free and vegan options. “The doughnut thing was perfect because it was extremely creative and extremely experimental. That’s my comfort zone,” says Kellis, who borrowed money from family and eventually partnered with her brother-in-law and sister. “I didn’t have a solid business plan, I just leapt.” Kellis says that “faith over fear” is their mantra. “As I get older I’ve realized it’s important to choose positivity,” says Kellis, who now has 80 employees and regularly sells out of doughnuts at all three stores. “Trust that what you’re doing is what you’re meant to be doing.” Kellis also values the time she spent working with her father, Allan, before he passed away last fall at the age of 68. “He was so proud to be a part of it and to watch it grow and to make sure his kids were good,” says Kellis. “I’m definitely feeling his presence still.”

LISTEN TO THE FULL INTERVIEW Love Maine Radio airs Sundays on WPEI 95.9 FM at 7 a.m. and on WLOB 1310 AM at noon. Past episodes are available for streaming at lovemaineradio.com. Subscribe on iTunes or wherever you get your podcasts. March 2018 57

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PROFILE

John Wulp

THE REINVENTIONS OF

JOHN WULP The shipwrecked artist finds a new creative life—again—on a Maine island

by Philip Conkling // Photography by Matt Cosby

March 2018 59

PROFILE John Wulp

first met the protean artist John Wulp two decades ago, after he had begun directing student plays on North Haven Island. Wulp drew astonishing performances out of his young cast members, which misted the eyes of hardened lobstermen and boatbuilders who watched their children perform at seemingly impossible levels of intensity. I wondered how such an accomplished Broadway playwright and director had washed ashore on a remote Maine island. Little did I know that Wulp, who had been metaphorically shipwrecked on nearby Vinalhaven Island and then proceeded to become the toast of both communities, would need to weather many more triumphs and disasters during the following decades. Wulp first landed on Vinalhaven a halfdozen years after winning a Tony award in 1978 for his stunning Broadway production of Dracula. The production featured, among others, Edward Gorey, who designed the sets and costumes and also won a Tony for his work on the show. “Dracula was an enormous success,” Wulp recalls, “and I thought everything I did would make fabulous amounts of money. But over the next four years everything I did lost fabulous amounts of money.” A few years after Dracula’s successful three-year run on Broadway, Wulp and

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a friend mounted a sailing expedition to visit Great Spruce Head Island in northern Penobscot Bay, where Fairfield Porter, an artist Wulp admired, painted many of his dreamy, bucolic landscapes. The pair did not get to Great Spruce Head but dropped anchor in Pulpit Harbor on North Haven, where Wulp immediately said to himself, “Oh my god, I am going to live here.”

on his house and, by his own admission, had worn out his welcome in New York. He decided to move to Vinalhaven year-round. “I had no money,” Wulp says, “so to support myself I worked at the lobster plant packing frozen lobsters at night and worked as a breakfast cook at a local restaurant.” Then he adds, almost as an aside, “That’s when I seriously started to paint again.”

While staying at the Pulpit Harbor Inn, run by Barney and Christie Hallowell, both teachers at the island school, Wulp made a reservation to return to North Haven to find a house to buy. With an island real estate agent, Wulp scoured North Haven’s properties, but he could not find what he was looking for. On the next-to-last day before he was to return to New York, the real estate agent arranged for Wulp to look at houses on Vinalhaven. There he saw an abandoned, weathered Cape on Poor Farm Road, on a lonely, isolated part of the neighboring island. “It was exactly the house I had in my head,” Wulp says. He closed on the property in the spring of 1985. With no plumbing or wiring and with plaster crumbling around him, Wulp spent the next six summers slowly and meticulously restoring the farmhouse and the “beautiful old ruined orchard” in the adjacent meadow.

In the past, whenever Wulp’s theater career had stalled or his productions had ended in disaster, he would turn his restless creative energy to a completely different artistic medium. Wulp took up photography in the early 1960s and began organizing photo shoots with various artistic troupes, including the Merce Cunningham Dance Company, the Paper Bag Players, and the Living Theatre. In addition, when he was not consumed by the theater world, Wulp began painting watercolors and later moved to acrylics. Wulp painted stunningly quiet landscapes and virtuosic portraits, which he had no trouble selling, and he briefly considered becoming a professional portrait painter. But he demurred, he tells me, “because I wanted to make paintings that were more deeply felt and personal.”

By 1992 Wulp had completed the repairs

While struggling to make ends meet and make a new life for himself on Vinalhaven, Wulp painted a series of an apple tree on the island as it bloomed, fruited, and

Opposite: The 1857 Timothy Lane house, known as Rockaway, overlooking Carvers Harbor on Vinalhaven. This page, from left: Wulp’s barn studio viewed from the orchard. Wulp, a playwright, director, painter, photographer, and poet, is a man for all seasons.

fell quiet, which he named Four Seasons. Several of these are now in the collection of the Farnsworth Art Museum in Rockland. In 1994 Wulp ran into Barney Hallowell again, who had since become the principal at the North Haven Community School. The two quickly hatched a plan for Wulp to help start a theater program at the school. “It was like a life support,” says Wulp. “I wanted to work with kids to see what we could make with the materials of their lives.” The kids in the lower grades were immediately interested, and they made up a play they titled The Enchanted Ferry Boat, which islanders loved. “Then the kids in the upper grades got interested,” recalls Wulp.

Earnest with four high school student leads—an exceptionally challenging play to pull off because the puns in the dialogue require split-second timing—and the students turned in brilliant performances. With this success as a springboard, Wulp mounted new productions year after year, including Thornton Wilder plays, William Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream and The Tempest, a charming adaptation of The Wind in the Willows, Gilbert and Sullivan’s H.M.S. Pinafore, and a play Wulp had first encountered in the 1960s called Red Eye of Love, which Wulp describes as “a crazy, cockeyed history of America I thought was hilariously funny.”

With older students in mind, Wulp proposed to mount an ambitious production of Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being

The show that earned Wulp his widest audiences in Maine, however, was his production of Islands in 2001. It was based

on life on North Haven, population 350. Wulp recruited Cindy Bullens (now Cidny Bullens), a Grammy-nominated musician who had lived part-time on North Haven and had tragically lost an 11-year-old daughter to cancer in 1996, to help write the songs. Wulp’s idea was to talk with groups of kids and then make a musical out of those talks. He recalls one teenager complaining about island life, comparing it to having “six mothers and 350 babysitters.” He and Bullens looked at each other and knew they had a title for a song, which they fleshed out with music and lyrics to become an integral part of the show. The initial production of Islands was delayed for a year after Wulp had a heart attack and underwent quintuple bypass surgery. A year later, after a sold-out local March 2018 61

PROFILE John Wulp

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Opposite: In front a portrait he painted, Wulp reads through one of his plays that he recently uncovered in his attic. This page, from left: The piano in Wulp’s studio has helped him write lyrics for several of his musicals. Wulp is editing the play The Saintliness of Margery Kempe, which he will produce on Broadway this year. Wulp’s library spills out of its bookcases.

run on North Haven, Wulp, through his large network of theater contacts, arranged to bring this wildly successful musical for a reprise on Broadway. The ambitious effort was nearly derailed again, this time by the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center, when the parents of some cast members decided it was too risky to allow their children to participate. Wulp and the islanders, however, decided the show must go on, minus only a few of the youngest of a cast of 50-plus local residents. After the success of Islands, the community rallied around Wulp’s original dream of acquiring and renovating a large rambling building that had been a store and post office at the head of the ferry landing for a theater and community center. After Waterman’s Community Center opened, Wulp spent the next three years producing great community theater. But in 2005 the North Haven School and Waterman’s Center parted company with Wulp. “We were all worn out,” Wulp says, and adds, “The material was difficult, what I was asking them to do was difficult.” The locally popular shows were expensive to mount, and although Wulp says he raised most of the money himself, the financial risks upset some board members of the

Waterman’s Center. Shipwrecked yet again and nearing his 80th birthday, Wulp was adrift. “I worked for 12 years and had nothing to show for it,” he says. Wulp sold his beloved house to a summer couple, subject to a life tenancy in the attached barn, and began painting again to support himself. He also suffered several minor strokes, which further isolated him and strained the frail bonds of community support that had often sustained him. Then something almost miraculous happened. In 2015 the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis was in the midst of planning an exhibition on modern dance and learned that Wulp had photographed Merce Cunningham’s renowned dance troupe. After a curator visited Vinalhaven to see Wulp’s photography, her visit attracted the attention of the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, which purchased Wulp’s entire collection. But the real gift of that day appeared while Wulp was sifting through boxes in his attic to find the 40-year-old Cunningham negatives. He came across a file of four plays he had written when he was getting his start in the theater. One of them, The Saintliness of Margery Kempe, was a comedy he had

written in the early 1950s while he was in the Marine Corps. The trip to the attic seemed to inspire another manic burst of creativity from Wulp, who turned his attention to writing poetry. Beginning in the spring of 2016 and for the next four months Wulp composed over 200 poems, which he read at Vinalhaven’s theater and then published in 2017 in beautiful book form, titled Cormorant Time. Wulp also sent his recently discovered original plays out to theater directors in New York, attracting the attention of one of Broadway’s leading directors, Austin Pendleton, who hopes to stage Wulp’s play The Saintliness of Margery Kempe this year, around the time Wulp turns 90. And if that were not enough, there is interest in mounting a musical version of Red Eye of Love in London, a play that had a long run off Broadway in 1961 and that Wulp subsequently rewrote with Arnold Weinstein, the play’s original author. “I always wanted a chance to relive my life and do it better,” Wulp says, “and here I am doing it.” Then, the ever-imperious theater director adds, “You do it over and over again until you get it right.”

March 2018 63

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ISLAND MAGNETS

Students and islands attract each other at Islesboro and North Haven schools BY PHILIP CONKLING // PHOTOGRAPHY BY NICOLE WOLF

slesboroâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s magnet school program, which attracts upwards of 30 students who commute daily to the island from the mainland, is located in a lovely renovated stone mansion with a recent addition to accommodate this innovative educational program. The success of the effort to attract students to this isolated rural community has sparked interest from other towns wrestling with declining school

enrollments, including the nearby island of North Haven. The day that photographer Nicole Wolf and I visit the Islesboro program, the ferry terminal waiting room in Lincolnville is filled with magnet school students who sit quietly on benches with open books and notebooks, finishing homework assignments. Studious and focused, these

students have opted for ten-hour school days with early-morning and late-afternoon ferry rides in order to take advantage of a highly unusual educational experience. When Islesboroâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ferry, the Margaret Chase Smith, pulls up to its slip, more than two dozen middle and high school students quickly board and file into port and starboard passenger cabins above the

Opposite: A group of island magnet students boards the Margaret Chase Smith ferry for their morning commute across Penobscot Bay. This page: Islesboro magnet student Finn Gibson, a junior from Belfast, on his morning ferry ride to school. March 2018 67

“IT WAS MY RESPONSIBILITY TO ACHIEVE THE MISSION, AND I TOOK THE CHARGE SERIOUSLY.” car deck. Romy LeFage, a vivacious seventh grader from Belfast, says she opted for the Islesboro magnet program after two years of home schooling “because it’s super cool to go on the ferry every morning.” Now in her second year in the magnet program, she says she values the “smaller environment out here and learning at your own pace.”

he is part of a community theater group. He acknowledges that magnet students have a betwixt-and-between life, as they divide their time between their hometown and the island. “There is a strong community on Islesboro,” Gibson says, “and even though we are not exactly a part of it, you have a feeling of acceptance.”

Out on deck in the stiff breeze during the crossing, I speak with 11th-grade student Finn Gibson, who is dressed in wool pants with a wool hat, the ear flaps pulled down tightly to keep him warm. Gibson is a five-year veteran of the Islesboro magnet program and plans to stay through graduation next year. He tells me he has lots of interests, including math and physics. “I really like the teachers and have been challenged,” he says, citing in particular the Advanced Placement classes that the school now offers. But Gibson is also active in his home community of Belfast, where

The bus at the Islesboro ferry landing on Grindle Point meets us and quickly fills with chattering magnet students, who range from 5th to 12th graders, for the ten-minute ride to the Islesboro School. I sit next to Ryan Martin, the high school horticulture teacher, who lives on the mainland in Montville and is one of a handful of teachers who also commute by ferry to school every day. Martin says magnet school participants from the mainland “are all really close because we spend so much time together.” Even though their days begin at 7:30 a.m. and don’t end

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until 5:30 p.m., Martin says, “The kids are so polite and well-mannered—they’re really awesome.” Heather Knight, the principal of Islesboro Central School, greets each student and guest at the door of the school, located on a 21-acre former estate whose gardens now produce a variety of edible produce and products that students raise and sell. Knight, a bundle of taut energy packed into a petite frame, has overseen the expansion of the Islesboro magnet program during her ten-year tenure. Now in its 29th year, the program began with a single student who commuted to Islesboro Central School. When Knight was hired in 2007, there were just six students in the program, she tells me. “But then we rewrote the school’s mission statement,” Knight says, “and incorporated the magnet program as a part of our mission, which

Opposite: Horticulture teacher Ryan Martin with his middle school science class in the greenhouse. This page, clockwise from left: Islesboro Central School’s principal, Heather Knight. A magnet student shows his round-trip ferry ticket. The 1928 stone mansion was donated by the owner’s estate for use as the Islesboro schoolhouse.

was a key element of the school’s long-term commitment to adding diversity to our student body.” Demographic trends had indicated that enrollment would decline from approximately 90 students to as few as 60 students at the K-12 island school during the next decade. One option was to become a K-8 school with students commuting to the mainland for high school. “But many island families said, if there were no high school on Islesboro, ‘we won’t stay here,’” Knight recalls. The school board and community began planning to dramatically expand its magnet program in order to increase diversity, class size, and program offerings without reducing staff. Knight says, “It was my responsibility to achieve the mission, and I took the charge seriously.” In order to accommodate more magnet students at the Islesboro school, the school board, community, and staff had to confront serious building issues. The original

stone mansion that had been donated by an elderly summer resident to house the Islesboro school, although charming, was in many respects inadequate. The basic question was whether to renovate or build somewhere else. “It was a pivotal point,” Knight says. The school board hired engineers, who said the 1928 building had “beautiful bones” and recommended renovating the original building and adding a new wing with additional classrooms, including music and band rooms and an expanded gym and cafeteria. As the community embraced the vision of an expanded school facility that would accommodate more students from the mainland, Islesboro’s deep-pocketed summer community got behind the effort and helped raise private funds, because there was no state support. In 2010 the beautiful new facilities opened. With additional space and strong community buy-in, the magnet school program grew

steadily to top out at its current level of 30 students—one-third of the school’s total enrollment. Knight has asked Annika Rogers, a quietly confident senior, to show us around the school. As an infant, Rogers was found abandoned in a train station in China and was later adopted by a couple in Atlanta, who ultimately decided to relocate to Islesboro. Walking backward while talking, Rogers ushers us into classrooms along the way, where we chat with teachers who have a free period. We duck in to Kristin Kelley’s classroom, where we meet the high school language arts teacher. Kelley lives on the island and has been a teacher at the school for the past six years. During her relatively short career on Islesboro, she has taught an astonishing 20 different classes, including world literature, American literature, British literature, women in literature, nature March 2018 69

writing, academic writing, film, psychology, and AP English. Many of these classes were created in response to student suggestions. Kelley also describes Islesboro’s Personalized Pathways program, whereby at the beginning of the school year a team of teachers meets with each student and their parents to design an individualized learning program. They jointly discuss how each student learns best and then they collaborate on a pathway, focused either on academic or hands-on learning styles. “There are internships all over the island,” Kelley says, “and if kids want to be fishermen, for example, they can read boat manuals in social studies class.” Later I learn that Rogers, our student guide, began taking high school math in middle school, another example of the flexibility and individualized program the magnet school is able to provide its students. “Because we personalize education at an early age, kids can go anywhere they aspire to,” Kelley says. Across the bay from Islesboro, North Haven has just launched a magnet school program as well. The drivers behind North Haven’s new program are similar in many 70

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respects to Islesboro’s, says North Haven Community School principal Amy Marx: declining school enrollment and the desire to increase student diversity. Marx says that the largest classes here at Maine’s smallest K-12 school have eight students, while most have three to five. With larger class sizes, Marx says, “There is more diversity of opinion and more interesting discussions in class.” A change of just one person in school, Marx says, “can change the whole vibe in the school, and even islanders with no children in the school get excited by new faces on the island.” For years the North Haven Community School has attracted off-island students to its program, which has been widely recognized for its emphasis on innovative place-based and experiential learning. North Haven also has invested in new facilities built around three modules, one each for its elementary, middle, and high school divisions. Sometimes students from smaller islands without their own high schools, such as Isle au Haut and Monhegan, have boarded with local families in order to attend North Haven’s school. North Haven has also recruited foreign

students to augment the student body. This year there are three exchange students: from Germany, Slovakia, and Thailand. “We have had kids for many, many years come to school on North Haven; we just didn’t call it a magnet program,” says Marx. In the past, Marx tells me, the biggest barrier to attracting students to North Haven had been housing the students, given that an hour-and-a-quarter ferry commute twice a day is out of the question. Last year, serendipitously, a newly built three-bedroom house near the ferry landing became available when the owners’ plans changed. The school board leaned in to the opportunity, raising funds to rent the house, hire a house parent, and support scholarships for magnet students. Last September North Haven enrolled two young women in its magnet program—a ninth grader and a tenth grader. One recently moved to Waldoboro, and the other is from South Portland. One read about the program in The Working Waterfront newspaper; the other saw a Facebook post. Both were attracted to the small class size that North Haven offers. “The students

Opposite, from left: Music teacher John Oldham leads a practice session for the winter school concert. Collecting fir boughs, or “tipping,” for seasonal wreath-making class. This page: Islesboro students on lunch break in the new library.

have thrived,” says Marx, “because we can individualize their education program. We can focus more attention on what they need or want from school.” But Marx is quick to add that the magnet program is also a benefit to everyone at the school because it reduces students’ sense of insularity—that nothing new ever happens there. School counselor Kelsey Jones, who graduated from North Haven Community School in 2005 before earning undergraduate and master’s degrees at Colby and Lesley Colleges, says, “The whole scenario has been great from my perspective.” Jones emphasizes that both magnet school girls chose to attend the school in spite of long commutes to and from their families on Mondays and Fridays. “They see the opportunities that can be had here, which helps with morale throughout the school,” she says. Jones understands that keeping magnet school parents in the loop from week to week is another challenge. She says that the

parents follow the school’s Facebook page and are involved in virtual conferencing to follow their child’s progress. One of the unexpected benefits of the program, Jones says, has been the magnet house itself. “It’s just like a college dorm—it’s like practice living away from home.” On some afternoons, if there are no sports events or other extracurricular activities, high school students congregate at the house to play Ping-Pong in the garage or watch movies in the living room. “The kids don’t have a lot of places to go. Sometimes they even invite eighth graders. It’s just so necessary for these kids,” Jones adds. The common thread that runs between Islesboro’s long history of success with its magnet programs and North Haven’s newly launched program is the focus on individualized learning. The parents of three Islesboro magnet school students, Matt O’Malia, an architect, and Heather Ward, a family practitioner in Belfast, underscore the value of such attention for their very different children. After three

years in the Islesboro program, their eldest daughter had become a confident enough traveler to spend a year enrolled in a French high school for her senior year. Their tenth grader is interested in sports management, especially equestrian sports, and the school has allowed him the flexibility to pursue internships. Ward says their youngest son, a seventh-grader, is different from both of his siblings, having attended the small Cornerspring Montessori School in Belfast, which she describes as a very protective environment. But the Islesboro magnet program “really gave him the exposure to try new things and the safety to see his potential.” These island school programs have taken what is often perceived to be their greatest liabilities—isolation, small size, and limited enrollments—and turned them into assets that benefit students, impress parents, and enrich community life.

March 2018 71

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FISHING LIFE

CHEBEAGUE By Sandy Lang Photography by Peter Frank Edwards

Lobster and stories on Chebeague Island and a fishing boat with Alex Todd and his sonsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;part of a family heritage of more than ten generations on Casco Bay

Lifelong fisherman Alex Todd checks in with 16-year-old Josh Todd. The father and son continue a tradition of fishing from Chebeague Island.

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March 2018 77

Maybe you heard the wild story last summer. While lobstering off the east end of Chebeague Island about 15 miles northeast of Portland, boat captain Alex Todd hoisted one of his 800 traps to find that he’d caught a rare, almost translucent lobster. “From the second the trap cleared the water, I could see it,” he recalls. “The lobster’s shell was white with a real slight blue tint.” Reachable only by boat, Chebeague is the home of this commercial fisherman. He’s familiar with unusual catches, including occasional multicolored lobsters in reds, yellows, and blues. But this hue was a new one for him, and before Todd released the lobster (it was a female and possibly bearing eggs), he got a few photos on his phone to share with the Maine Coast Fisherman’s Association, which posted them on Facebook. The post was a social media hit for a few days—especially after newspapers picked up the story of the rare crustacean. Such is the life of a lobsterman. At least this one, who is one of the few remaining yearround fishermen living on the island. His family’s fishing legacy goes back more than ten generations on Chebeague. (Like other locals, he pronounces the island’s name with the second syllable sounding more like “big” than “beeg.”) We first met Todd a couple of summers ago along the Stone Wharf on Chebeague Island. Photographer Peter Frank Edwards and I had been staying at the Chebeague Island Inn on an early summer weekend when we walked down for a closer look at a 42-foot fiberglass boat stacked high with lobster

Cruising near the shore of Littlejohn Island at the end of the day. Alex Todd captains the Jacob and Joshua, the boat he built and named after his sons.

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traps. We got to talking with Todd, and he told us that he’d grown up on Chebeague in the 1970s and 1980s, “when the island was more of a fishing community. It shaped you.”

HALF,HALF,HALF To catch up with Alex Todd again, I call him one day in the fall. He answers the phone in the wheelhouse, and between bits of conversation I can hear creaks and whooshes of the boat and wind. Sometimes the call drops for a few seconds. This time of year, he tells me, he’s pulling his lobster traps down near Biddeford. To get there, he and a sternman were up and out by 4 a.m. and will return around 7 p.m. It’s November, and each day has its seasonspecific tasks. Soon a friend will help him to haul in his son’s lobster boat to store in the yard at his house for the winter. “I’ve got the

trailer, and he’s got the truck,” he explains. A fishing life was never in doubt for Todd. His father, Daniel Todd, worked on a sardine boat for a cannery in Yarmouth, and Alex was driving his own car by the age of 9 or 10 on island roads. “When I was 12, my brother and I would have to move my father’s 80-foot groundfish dragger when the ferry needed to come in. The steering was a piece of crap, and sometimes we had to fix it, fast, before it blew on the rocks.” One year in the early 1990s Alex Todd followed his father and worked on a codfishing boat in Alaska—his dad has traveled widely to fish in Alaska, the Gulf of Mexico and throughout New England. When back in Maine, the younger Todd married and captained his own boats. And today, Alex Todd is the brawny captain with a tattoo of marine rope around one bicep. His fishing boat, the Jacob and Joshua, is named for his sons, Jake, 19, who’s studying chemistry

and physics at the University of New England, and Josh, 16, who’s a high school student in Freeport. Both boys fish, too, whenever school is out. It’s part of who they all are, Alex Todd explains. While Jake has a smaller boat of his own to use in lobster season, Alex Todd’s boat stays in the water year-round as he fishes for scallops in winter and lobster in the warmer months. Before the shrimping season was halted in recent years, he did some shrimping, too. And when there’s been groundfish to be caught, he’s fished for cod, haddock, pollock, and hake. He also fishes for pogy fish (also known as menhaden) and sells the oily fish as lobster bait. The scalloping was good last year, he says. He’s on the state’s Scallop Advisory Council, a panel that makes recommendations about the fishery. And he tells me of another odd catch he had once with the scallop dragger. Years ago, he says, the dredge brought up an

Opposite: A fishing legacy on Casco Bay continues. From left are Josh Todd, Alex Todd, and Jake Todd. This page: Jake and Josh Todd pooled their money to buy a used boat of their own, the 31-foot High Maintenance, which they use mostly for lobstering. March 2018 81

When you ask a fisherman how it’s going, Alex says, “half the time he’ll tell you it’s up. Half the time he’ll say it’s down. And half the time it’s a lie.” old, undetonated cannonball. Todd wanted to keep it to display in the yard at home, but he needed to make sure it would never explode. While his sternman watched from a distance, he carefully “pulled the wadding out.” He says he wasn’t fearful because he figured the contents would be rotted or wet, but he found the powder alarmingly intact, “and drier than a buckwheat fart.” Todd has plenty more stories. He once caught a decades-old bowling ball near Cushing. And he remembers the heyday of shrimp fishing before the shrimp population dropped sharply in the Gulf of Maine. (The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission reviews conditions each year, and last fall it put a moratorium on shrimp fishing through 2018—the fifth

straight year.) To be able to fish all year, Todd has to continually change what he’s fishing for. “I stay diverse,” he says. Besides, when you ask a fisherman how it’s going, he says, “Half the time he’ll tell you it’s up. Half the time he’ll say it’s down. And half the time it’s a lie.”

BAY CROSSING Some days, Todd goes back and forth from the island to the mainland a few times, and on this sunny November Thursday, he swings by to pick us up at the ferry dock at Cousins Island. A couple of friends of his who had been waiting for the ferry hop aboard the Jacob and Joshua, too, and Todd takes us all on the 1.7-mile jaunt

across Casco Bay to the Stone Wharf on Chebeague. Waves splash across the windshield, and I can see that the yellowpainted Chebeague Island Inn on the hill is closed for the season. Todd keeps a truck parked near the dock, and we all ride together around the 4.5- by 1.5-mile island— passing the town library and center, Slow Bell Cafe, and Doughty’s Island Market, the only grocer. This time of year the island is home to about 400 residents, compared to 1,500 or so when the visitors and “summer natives” arrive. As he follows the North Road and the South Road and makes a loop of Chebeague, Todd says, “I imagine I’ll always live here.” Todd points out special places and family houses, and we stop at Bennetts Cove, a

From left: Alex Todd in the wheelhouse. Todd and his sons motor to a few more lobster traps in the final hour before sunset. Opposite: Barrel drums of pogy, a bait fish that will be used in the lobster traps.

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curved beach across from the house where a great-uncle of his, Sanford Doughty (1919–2013), lived throughout his life. Todd says he wished he had talked more with his uncle about his own fishing experiences and what he remembers of the generation before him. Doughty’s father and Alex Todd’s grandfather would fish from a large sailing vessel (65 or 70 feet long, with a kicker motor) and sail down to New York City to unload catches directly to Fulton Fish Market. His great-uncle “saw so much change in fishing,” Todd says. “And he was wicked community oriented, too.”

Todd’s yellow and black lobster buoys. Inside he has more family history and heirlooms, including a number of original paintings of island landscapes, fishing scenes, people, and boats by his mother, Louise Rich Todd (1930–2014), who grew up on the island, too. And he unfolds a fragile, yellowing newspaper article from the 1960s about his great-grandfather, Ernest E. Ross, who was a fisherman on Chebeague in the early and mid-twentieth century. Back through the generations of both of his parents, Todd’s fishing lineage is deep.

Todd shows us the pond where Doughty established an ice rink and warming hut on his property for island children to use in wintertime. And when we get to Todd’s own house he points out a dory stored in the yard that once belonged to this fisherman uncle. The boat is at the edge of the woods, along with lobster traps, coils of rope, and some of

LOBSTER TIME By afternoon, it’s time to cut back across the bay and pick up Todd’s sons at the wharf on Littlejohn Island. With the school day over, they’ll be pulling up some nearby lobster traps before sunset. The tide is lower now,

and from the boat we look upward at the stone wall of the wharf as Josh Todd jumps down to the deck, followed by a friend, Lexi Ketch, who’s also a high school junior in Freeport. Ketch watches intently as Josh starts to pierce the bait fish to set the traps. “I’ve never seen him work before,” she says. Alex motors toward their buoys, and he and Josh start hauling traps and measuring each lobster’s body length to make sure it’s keeping size. The work is rhythmic. Josh pulls rubber bands over the claws and resets each trap. Before long, Alex gets a call that Jake has made it to Littlejohn from his day of college classes in Biddeford and is ready to join them. We return to the wharf, and once aboard, Jake pulls on a pair of orange rubber fishing overalls to join his father and brother. After tending to a few more lobster traps, they’re soon headed over to check

Opposite: The vibrant colors of the catch, just hauled from the bay and dripping on deck. This page, from left: Rubber bands for lobster claws. Lobsters must have a rubber band pulled around each of their claws before they’re brought to market. March 2018 85

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on Jake’s boat, High Maintenance, that’s moored on the backside of Chebeague. All of these guys started fishing early. Jake says he was helping his father on lobster days by the time he was eight or nine years old, and then he and Josh put their money together to buy a 31-foot, 1969 Webco lobster boat when Jake was in seventh grade. Now 19, he’s earned his own commercial license and is up to fishing 500 traps in summertime. “Everyone has their own way of fishing and ways to branch out,” says Jake, who is joining this newest generation of commercial fishing around Freeport and Chebeague. “I like that it’s a community. Along with Josh, I’ve had my friend Edward and my girlfriend, Chloe, go out with me as sternman. And my friend Henry has his own boat and goes up to Swans Island.” Josh Todd, meanwhile, works on both his

father’s boat and on High Maintenance, depending on the season and the timing of his breaks from school. “I remember shoveling shrimp on my dad’s boat when I was in third or fourth grade, and we’d go lobstering on summer days all through my childhood,” he says. “This is all I’ve ever done, and what I want to do when I get out of school.” He says he gets an adrenaline rush every time they set the seine or get a big set of pogy fish or a trap full of lobsters. One day last fall, he caught a 300-pound tuna, dressed out. “Fishing is family tradition. We see our uncle and grandfather every day in the summer. We live next to each other and fish in the same waters.” And it’s definitely an advantage to fish with his dad, he says, because of his dad’s decades of experience. “He knows where lobsters historically are going to be at certain times of the year. He can put us in

the right spot.” Passing along this know-how and fishing heritage to his sons is important to Alex Todd. And before we all part, he’s got one more story of a rare catch. (He’s caught on that I like these tales.) Todd says it’s a fisherman’s joke that, if you pull up a boot in the dragger, there may still be a foot inside. Well, one time he did haul in a boot, and he and the sternman were laughing until he reached in to find remnants of a sock “and what might have been little toe bones in there.” I can’t tell if he’s just joking with me. But as the sun sinks closer to setting, and I watch Todd’s sons ably jump off the boats and back onto shore at Littlejohn, I think, that’s the way it is with Maine fishing. These young guys will soon have plenty of their own wild stories, too.

Opposite: Fishermen brothers Josh Todd and Jake Todd on their boat, moored near the shore of Chebeague Island. This page: Alex Todd fishes year-round from Chebeague, where generations of his family have lived and spent their lives fishing. March 2018 87

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LOBSTER THERMIDOR Thankful for fishermen like the Todds, we want to make something special with these Maine lobsters. We open the thick, classic cookbook Mastering the Art of French Cooking by Paris-trained Julia Child, and after checking what we have in the fridge and pantry, we come up with a loose riff on one of her multistep recipes—a France-meets-Maine lobster Thermidor. Like Child’s, the cooked lobsters are split in half lengthwise, and we use plenty of butter, lemon juice, and vermouth. Peter Frank has been experimenting with variations on this recipe for a while. Here’s how we made it, this time:

Boil two lobsters for 15 minutes in seawater or lightly salted tap water. Remove from water to cool.

Melt a chunk of butter in a skillet over medium heat and sauté a generous handful of quartered mushrooms. Add the juice of ¼ lemon, a generous pinch of chopped parsley, and a splash of white wine. Cover and cook until the mushrooms sweat, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from the pan and set aside.

In the skillet over medium heat, make a roux with 4 tablespoons of butter (half a stick) and about 3 tablespoons

of flour, stirring with a wooden spoon. Add ½ cup white wine and ½ cup heavy cream. Add salt, pepper, and cayenne to taste. Add a dash of Pernod or pastis. Set aside.

Cut the cooked lobsters in half lengthwise with your biggest, sharpest knife and discard the sand sack (from head). Remove the meat, tomalley (green stuff ), and roe (if you’re lucky enough to have a female with roe). Reserve the shells with intact claws attached.

Stir the tomalley and roe into the cream sauce.

Chop the lobster meat into ¼-inch chunks and sauté in butter, adding a splash of Cognac. Add to the cream sauce and stir together.

Arrange the four lobster shell halves (with claws attached) in a baking dish and fill with the mushrooms and lobster in cream sauce; sprinkle with vermouth, parsley, and grated Parmesan cheese. Broil in the oven until browned and bubbly.

Now the best part: serve hot with crusty bread. Crack the claws and dip into the sauce. Sip dry white wine. Enjoy! March 2018 89

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92 Exchange Street | 207-842-6000 | Aristelle.com

10 Secrets 10 Secrets our Bra our Bra Fitting Fitting Experts Want Experts Want You To Know You To Know

For most people, trying on bras is about as fun as getting a flu shot. But after thousands For most people, trying on bras is about as of fittings, we’ve decided it was time for some fun as getting a flu shot. But after thousands #realtalk before your next (or first!) bra fitting of fittings, we’ve decided it was time for some at Aristelle. #realtalk before your next (or first!) bra fitting at Aristelle.

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3. And your breasts aren’t saggy. They’re normal! Trust us - we’ve seen 3. Andcompletely your breasts aren’t saggy. hundreds and hundreds of them. We know what’s

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4. You have nipples, we have nipples, everyone 4. You have nipples, we have nipples, everyone has them. Nipples don’t faze us, whatever shape, has color, them. Nipples don’t faze us, itwhatever size, positionwe’ve seen all. shape, And don’t have nipples? need it toall. feel selfsize,if you color, positionwe’veNoseen conscious. ofhave women have undergone surgery And if youLots don’t nipples? No need to feel self- for various reasons you are notundergone alone. Not surgery to mention, conscious. Lots and of women have for being a breast cancer survivor makes you total badass! various reasons and you are not alone. Nota to mention, being a breast cancer survivor makes you a total badass!

5. Speaking of seeing it all... Don’t be embarrassed ashamed ofDon’t your breast shape 5. Speaking of or seeing it all... be or size. embarrassed or ashamed of your breast shape It is actually more common for women to have or size. asymmetrical breasts than to have so-called “perfect”

ones. There ismore nevercommon a need to feel sorry to orhave apologize for It is actually for women your breasts! breasts than to have so-called “perfect” asymmetrical ones. There is never a need to feel sorry or apologize for your breasts!

6. The experts aren’t always right. Are we experienced? Yes. Do we know what we’re 6. The experts right. talking about? Ofaren’t course!always But guess who’s in charge?

You If somethingYes. feels Are are. we experienced? Douncomfortable, we know whattrust we’re your gut. You know your But ownguess body.who’s Would let a talking about? Of course! inyou charge? hairstylist your hair a pixie cut because they You are. If chop something feelsinto uncomfortable, trust think it would suit your everybody is unique your gut. You know yourface? ownBut body. Would you let a hairstylist chop make your hair pixie cut for because they and you should any into finaladecisions yourself think it would suit your face? But everybody is unique because they make you genuinely happy. and you should make any final decisions for yourself because they make you genuinely happy.

7. Except we’re right when we tell you that you really dowe’re need more 7. Except rightthan whenone we bra. tell you that you We get it- bras are an investment! But just like a nice really do need thanoutone bra. if you wear them pair of jeans, brasmore get worn quickly We getsingle it- bras are an investment! But just like a nice every day without giving them a breather. We’re paireven of jeans, bras get“treat worn yourself” out quickly if you wear not going to say because a fewthem wellevery single without giving them a breather. We’re fitting bras isday something you need. But we will say this: not even going You deserve it! to say “treat yourself” because a few wellfitting bras is something you need. But we will say this: You deserve it!

8. Speaking of bras? Yes, you CAN pull off a sexy red bra. of bras? Yes, you CAN pull off a sexy 8. Speaking Guess what, Ms. Plain Jane? You can totally rock a “sexy” red bra. bra. They’re often as supportive as everyday styles, so Guess what, Ms. Plain can totally a “sexy” why not try one? We’d Jane? never You force you to tryrock anything, bra.we They’re everyday so but think often you’ll as be supportive surprised ifas you take thestyles, plunge. why not try one? We’d never force you to try anything, but we think you’ll be surprised if you take the plunge.

9. But also, it’s totally okay to be Plain Jane. As we said before, it’s up to okay you! We every woman 9. But also, it’s totally to think be Plain Jane. should own whichever kinds of bras make her feel

As we said before, it’s up to you! We think every woman amazing. That’s why we go through the effort of should own whichever kinds of bras make her feel carrying so many styles. And so, maybe Jane isn’t amazing. That’s why we go through the effort of actually plain at all. Maybe she just wears vibrant outfits carrying so many styles. And so, maybe Jane isn’t that don’t need anything showing underneath. actually plain at all. Maybe she just wears vibrant outfits that don’t need anything showing underneath.

10. In the end, it’s about what makes you feel 10. In the end, about whatinmakes you skin. feel confident andit’s comfortable your own This is whatand Aristelle is about. in There many choices confident comfortable yourareown skin.

of brands andAristelle styles in is every lingerie (but not many This is what about. Therestore are many choices have the range of sizes we offer). If you’re of brands and styles in every lingerie store overwhelmed, (but not many we’re here for you! Andwe if you’d have your privacy have the range of sizes offer).rather If you’re overwhelmed, and try things on without our feedback, justyour let us we’re here for you! And if you’d rather have privacy know. The space yours,our andfeedback, we wantjust your and try things on is without letshopping us experience to feel and relaxed. On your a budget? No know. The space issafe yours, and we want shopping worries. If there’s we want On youa to remember experience to feel one safething and relaxed. budget? No more than else on this list, we’ll say it again: worries. If anything there’s one thing we want you to remember We’re not judging body you. more than anythingyour else on thisor list, we’ll say it again: We’re not judging your body or you.

92 Exchange Street | 207-842-6000 | Aristelle.com 92 Exchange Street | 207-842-6000 | Aristelle.com

It was an unforgettable evening celebrating the Center’s love and support for grieving children and families in our Southern Maine community. Thank you for making the Love Really Counts Auction & Dinner Gala such a success this year!

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The 2018 Portland Museum of Art Biennial is made possible by the William E. and Helen E. Thon Endowment Fund with additional support by the PMA Contemporaries. Corporate Sponsor: The Bear Bookshop, Marlboro, VT Above: John Harlow (United States, born 1989), Garish Sunlight, 2016, digital photograph and scanned handwriting, 16 x 20 inches. Courtesy of the artist. ÂŠ John Harlow

(207) 775-6148 | Por tlandMuseum.org

CELEBRAT ING BIG S K IE S by Katy Kelleher // Photography by Sean Thomas

maine | themainemag.com

PRESERVING THE SOUL OF A HOME AND CELEBRATING THE HISTORY OF MAINE’S OFFSHORE COMMUNITIES ON LANES ISLAND Twelve miles from the mainland, overlooking the Lanes Island Preserve, stands a grand white house named Rockaway. Neoclassical corner boards flank the front steps, and two tall spruces stand guard nearby, towering over a gabled roof and reaching toward the sky. If the day isn’t too misty, you can see the house, perched on its hill, from the Vinalhaven ferry. It’s a welcoming sight, particularly if you happen to catch a glimpse of Rockaway during the summer months, when it is decked with colorful hand-sewn flags that flutter in the wind. It has stood on that picturesque waterfront plot since 1857, and with any luck, it will continue watching over Carvers Harbor for many years to come.

Philip Conkling and Paige Parker are the current inhabitants of Rockaway, but the couple view themselves more as stewards of the house’s legacy and land than its owners. They do not live in the house full-time (they have a year-round residence in Camden) but instead use it as a family gathering space, a beloved vacation home, and a rental property. “My late father-in-law bought the house in the 1960s,” explains Conkling. “He was a pilot, and one day he was flying over the island when he saw the big white elephant of a house.” He recognized the house’s innate elegance from above, and he knew he had to learn more about the island residence. At the time, the former ship captain’s home wasn’t in good shape

(Rockaway functioned as an inn for several decades, and hundreds of tourists have walked through its halls), but that didn’t deter Dick Morehouse. “He was an architect and a Depression-era guy, and the idea of coming and working all summer was so exciting for him,” Conkling says. “That’s what we did for all the years he was alive.” Later, Conkling and his late wife, Jamien Morehouse, spent every summer on Lanes Island with their sons, caulking windows, painting walls, sanding floors, building trails, and working in the Zen garden. After Jamien died in 1999, Conkling remained close with his father-in-law, and when he married Paige Parker in 2000, Dick Morehouse stood with his new “surrogate

Opposite: If you’re arriving at Lanes Island by ferry, you’ll glimpse the bright white facade of Rockaway on your right as the boat pulls in to the harbor. This house has stood here since 1857, and if Philip Conkling and Paige Parker get their way, it will continue to greet visitors for decades more. This page: Rockaway has lived many lives. It’s been an inn, a summer home, and a year-round residence. Conkling and Parker currently use the space as an island escape and an occasional rental property. March 2018 95

daughter” at their wedding. Theirs is a blended family, one that merged graciously and with an abundance of love. While the house is available to rent, it has not been scrubbed of personality, like many rentals are. There is evidence of family life in every room. In the children’s room, there is an oil painting of Conkling’s four sons on the wall (the work of local artist John Wulp) and a collection of colorful flags that Jamien cut and sewed. “We have a tradition of waving in people on the ferry with watermelon flags when they are coming to visit, and on the Fourth of July the whole house is decked out in banners,” Conkling says. “Jamien was a flag and banner maker, and the island is a great place for whipping flags and celebrating big skies.” In the 18 years they have been married, Parker has left her mark on the house, too. “It’s a

nice amalgam of Paige’s taste and mine,” Conkling says. “I like a country feel, a little bit European and French,” Parker adds as she ladles out servings of hot, creamy fish chowder. We’re eating lunch at their kitchen table, which is covered in a salmoncolored floral tablecloth. Nearby, a cat washes its paws before padding slowly out of the room. Later, as we tour the house, I spot the cat again, sunning itself on a bed upstairs in one of the many small but well-appointed rooms that make up the second story. Even this part of Rockaway, with its long hallway and rows of 11 bedrooms (a holdover from the days when the house was a proper inn) feels homey and warm, thanks to the landscape paintings that adorn the walls, the soft quilts that cover the beds, and the retro charm of cushioned wicker chairs and

Shaker-style nightstands. This is where “the boys,” as Conkling still calls them, stay when they come to visit with their wives and kids. The extended Parker-Conkling tribe is huge, and when I ask if they ever have a full house at Rockaway, Conkling laughs. “All the time,” he says. “Especially in the summer.” Owning an island house has been a boon for the family. It’s given them a space to gather, a space to remember their lost loved ones, and a place to create new memories. “When the boys were growing up, there was no TV out here,” Conkling recalls. “The fun they had was the fun they made. It’s remarkable how internalized that sense of adventure gets when there is supposedly nothing to do.” His sons grew up collecting raspberries and blackberries from the property, which they would sell to tourists

Opposite: In the kitchen, a painting titled Lanes Island by Stapleton Kearns hangs above the round dining table. Here, Paige and Conkling take their meals—simple, good food, like fish chowder and salad. This page: In the music room, Conkling has collected evidence of Rockaway’s history. He likes to show visitors how the house has changed over the years (gables added, stories torn down, windows moved, and rooms shifted). March 2018 97

maine | themainemag.com

in downtown Vinalhaven. “They would come home proud to make a dollar or two,” he says. These days, there are grandchildren to think of, so every year they host “Camp Rockaway,” which involves games, lobster bakes, and plenty of kid-friendly activities. “It’s a magic thing to have this big space for the kids to be learning and playing and bonding,” says Conkling. The island has also been a great source of inspiration for both Conkling and Parker (Parker is a graphic designer and an art director, and Conkling is an editor and a writer, including for this magazine). They are passionate about sharing stories of Rockaway’s history—an entire room is devoted to pictures of the house in its various stages of development, from sea captain’s mansion to inn to vacation home. Over the decades, additions were added

“ It’s a magic thing to have this big space for the kids to be learning and playing and bonding.” Opposite: Two views of the library: Conkling and Parker have amassed quite a few books over the years. As the founder of the Island Institute, Conkling has long been fascinated by the rich histories of Maine’s island communities. This page, from top: The upstairs of the house is still structured like an inn and features many guest rooms off one long central hallway. Parker prepares a meal in the kitchen. Parker and Conkling frequently host members of their huge extended family. Fortunately, the house can sleep dozens of people (they’ve held weddings here before, too). March 2018 99

100

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and removed, stories built and torn down. The couple views what stands today as something sacred, well worth preserving. Even when it comes to little things, like choosing new decor or painting a wall, Parker says, “We have to be sensitive. I don’t want to erase the history of this place. We made it livable and up to date, but we want to do that without disrespecting the soul of the house.” Conkling has spent much of his life exploring, studying, and celebrating Maine’s many island communities. The founder and former president of the Island Institute, based in Rockland, he knows better than anyone the beauty of these offshore communities, the small unexpected joys of island living. His time on Lanes Island,

“We made it livable and up to date, but we want to do that without disrespecting the soul of the house.”

he says, has changed the way he thinks. It’s given him a greater appreciation for the natural world and his connection to it. “When you live on an island,” he says, “you feel close to the weather, because you are. You feel a smaller part of the universe. The island also gives you a sense of possession over your world, even if it’s temporary, even if you are only there for a day. You can walk around an entire island, seeing the same things from different perspectives. You see nuance, and you get a more balanced view of things.” He looks at his wife for a moment. “Aside from Paige, I would have to say my other muse is Lanes Island.” A house with soul, an island muse, and a garden filled with memories—for Conkling and Parker, there is no place like Rockaway.

Opposite: Rockway dressed in watermelon flags. It’s a tradition to welcome visitors with waving flags, many of which were hand sewn by Conkling’s late wife, Jamien Morehouse. This page, from left: One of Morehouse’s banners hangs in a place of honor on Rockaway’s walls. A scene from Conkling’s study.

March 2018 101

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Chef Sara Jenkins brings Mediterranean flair to the coast of Maine 104

maine | themainemag.com

EAT by Karen Watterson Photography by Nicole Wolf

oday, like most days, Sara Jenkins is kneading pasta dough in the kitchen of her Rockport restaurant, Nīna June. While she works the dough to a smooth consistency, she tells the story of the wheat harvest in the Tuscan village of Teverina. “It was in early summer, and the men would take the combine from house to house, threshing wheat. The women would spend the whole day making pasta in the kitchen. At the end of the day, there was a big feast at long tables. And, I kid you not, someone would bring out an accordion,” she says, a little misty. Jenkins grew up in that tiny farming community, the daughter of a foreign correspondent and a food writer. The house in Teverina that her parents purchased in 1971 has now become an anchor for Jenkins. She makes every effort to return there at least twice a year, usually for the fall olive harvest. There are 150 olive trees on the property, and the fruit is pressed into a luscious green oil. She learned to make pasta from her next-door neighbor, of which she says with a sigh, “It was the tail end of a way of life.” Rockport is a long way from Tuscany, but Jenkins has transported the food, and the mood, of her childhood to this charming

trattoria overlooking the harbor. She and her son moved to Maine from New York City just two years ago, seeking a better quality of life and to be closer to family, including her mother, cookbook author Nancy Harmon Jenkins. The Jenkins family has a long history in the area, stretching back 13 generations, but Sara had never lived on the midcoast. She did, however, attend high school at Gould Academy in Bethel, her mother’s alma mater. Coming from Rome, she says, was “a tough adjustment.” “You couldn’t even get olive oil here in those days. I had to bring some with me, and I’d use the toaster oven in my room to bake a potato, then mash it up with the oil. Those were the flavors I was missing,” she says. After Gould, Jenkins moved to Providence to study photography at Rhode Island School of Design. But food was still an important part of her life, and she found herself working in kitchens. Even her senior thesis, a photographic essay on slaughterhouses, was related to food. Her first break came when she worked at Figs, an acclaimed Boston restaurant. Jenkins stepped into the chef role when her friend Barbara Lynch moved on. She next cooked in Italy for four years before she moved to New York. Jenkins swiftly

built a reputation at several restaurants there before opening two of her own: Porchetta and Porsena. Porchetta, built on the strength of a fabulous roasted pork sandwich, is now closed. But Porsena, a small pasta-centric place, remains open and extremely popular, with Jenkins overseeing it from afar. “I had the advantage of starting to cook in the United States when people were really interested in authentic Italian food, not Italian-American,” she says. Her style is simple, fresh, and seasonal, as you would find all over Italy in homes, smalltown osterias, and city restaurants. At Nīna June in late December, a farmer from Fine Line Farm in Searsmont arrives with a box of late-season chicories and arugula. Jenkins is able to coax maximum flavor from winter produce, turning ingredients like root vegetables into flavorful dishes. Mesclun, grown in greenhouses this time of year, is the basis for a simple but stellar salad with an herbed crème fraîche dressing. Segmented clementines and avocado are added, and a sprinkle of fried onions completes the dish. While she pulls the salad together, Jenkins talks with the two young cooks on her staff. She gives Darcy Dunn instructions for the squash on tonight’s menu. “Roast it until

Opposite: A skate wing sautéed with butter, lemon, and capers. This page, from left: Sara Jenkins has been making pasta since she was a child, a skill taught to her by a neighbor in Tuscany. Simple, seasonal ingredients make up this salad, with a finishing touch of fried onion. March 2018 105

it’s close to being brown and soft,” Jenkins tells Dunn. “Then we’ll use some of that blue cheese butter.” She then turns to Adam Hahn, talking quietly about the mashed potatoes that will accompany the hanger steak. The two cooks set to work. The chef turns to her own prep duties, rolling out dough for a tarte flambé, then filling it with caramelized onions and crème fraîche. The dish is from the Alsace region of France, so I ask where it fits into the Nīna June menu. “I make food from wherever I find it and wherever I like,” Jenkins says. “Sometimes I make things once; sometimes I make them over and over again.” This winter, Jenkins has instituted Mediterranean Thursdays, an opportunity for her and the staff to stretch their boundaries. They’ve already covered Istanbul and Beirut, and a Night in Tunis is planned. The special event menu includes brik, a Tunisian street food made from a special type of puff pastry that encases an egg, herbs, and spices. “The response to the dinners has been great,” she says. “It’s a chance to bring some ethnic food to the area.” For ideas Jenkins turns to the many cookbooks that are piled on counters and shelves in the dining room. 106

maine | themainemag.com

There are titles from friends, such as Lynch, from Jenkins’s mother, and her own Olives and Oranges, published in 2008. “As a cook, I’m someone who likes reference,” she says. “I use the books for inspiration.” She and her mother collaborated on Four Seasons of Pasta in 2015, a paean to their favorite food. Jenkins sets to making another batch of pasta dough, but first she needs to find her lucky fork, the one she likes best for

Her style is simple, fresh, and seasonal, as you would find all over Italy in homes, smalltown osterias, and city restaurants.

mixing the eggs into flour. It’s on a dining table, where just a few minutes ago she had been tasting wine with visiting distributors. Dunn looks on while the chef cracks eggs into a well in the pile of flour, absorbing Jenkins’s words of advice. “Every ingredient will change the quality of the dough,” she says. “You’ll know it’s ready by feel.” This intuition only comes with decades of experience. Most of Jenkins’s dishes are just four or five excellent ingredients, layered simply but thoughtfully. When she puts together a bowl of pappardelle with short-rib ragu for us, it’s from muscle memory. She adds a handful of Parmesan and parsley to the pan, giving it a deft flip with her wrist, and turns the pasta and meat sauce into a bowl. The unmistakable toothy bite of fresh pasta combined with incredibly tender meat makes this dish a favorite with diners, and it remains on the menu year-round. The rich long-simmered flavor reminds me of dishes I’ve had in trattorias all over Italy. Next Jenkins sautés a skate wing using the classic ingredients of butter, lemon, and capers. Skate can be a difficult fish to eat, what with all the cartilage, but the

Opposite: The open kitchen is the heart of the restaurant, where Jenkins cooks authentic Italian food, including many of the dishes she grew up with. This page, from left: The slow-cooked short-rib ragu over fresh pappardelle is a customer favorite. Nīna June has the feel of an Italian trattoria— welcoming, warm, and simply decorated.

chef’s preparation yields supremely tender results. It’s served on Umbrian lentils that absorb the buttery goodness and sliced turnips roasted until their sharp flavor has mellowed. Nīna June boasts an open kitchen, so diners can watch Jenkins and her crew work. It’s a joy to sit at one of the counter seats that surround the work space and watch the ease and grace of their skills. As an order comes in, Dunn expertly prepares a bowl of risotto with dried porcinis and fresh oyster mushrooms. The rice is cooked well, with a firm but not hard bite, and the flavor is deeply earthy and savory. Jenkins is the rare chef who curates her own wine list. “I know my food better than anyone,” she says. “More chefs should do their own list. It’s as personal as the food.” She’s also worked at a winery in Italy, running its cooking program. Not surprisingly, the list is dominated by Old World varietals, especially heavy with

Italian labels. Currently Jenkins’s favorite is La Lastra Canaiolo, an old-fashioned Tuscan wine with fruity notes and some peppery spice, which pairs well with roasted meats. There are French selections as well, mostly in the white wine category. “It’s a killer wine list,” says bartender Page Bradshaw. “It brings people in with its authenticity. It’s also well priced and unique to the midcoast.” Wine is the most popular beverage choice at Nīna June, but Bradshaw gets a lot of orders for classic cocktails, too, especially Manhattans and negronis. The transition from New York to Maine hasn’t been easy. “I thought there would be more down time,” says Jenkins. “This is so much more consuming than I anticipated.” Figuring out when it will be busy and when business slows down has been a challenge, too. But last summer Bon Appetit magazine named Nīna June one of the Best New Restaurants in America, praising “the fantasy vacationland restaurant

where Maine meets the Mediterranean.” That mention has brought more visitors, especially from out of state, who might not have stopped in Rockport otherwise. They’ll come mostly in the summer when the outdoor deck overlooking the working harbor is open. In the winter, it’s mostly locals who come to dine in the rustic, candlelit room. Some have established themselves as regulars, often choosing a seat at the bar. There they can order the grilled cheese sandwich special of the day or one of Jenkins’s more traditionally Italian specialties. With a glass of wine, it’s a cozy dinner. After all the places she’s worked and lived, we’re fortunate Sara Jenkins finally made the decision to come home. Nīna June 24 Central St. | Rockport 207.236.8880 ninajunerestaurant.com March 2018 107

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11 Free Street • Portland, Me

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540 FOREST AVENUE PORTLAND, ME 207-772-0300 www.greatlostbear.com

the

FRONT PORCH Ogunquit, ME

Celebrating over 35 years as a world famous entertainment destination. Located in the heart of beautiful downtown Ogunquit village. The Front Porch is one-of-a-kind, offering an elegant and diverse fine dining menu in all three unique venues; dining room, bar/lounge, and our non stop party, The sing along Piano Bar. 9 Shore Rd. Ogunquit, ME | thefrontporch.com | 207.646.4005 |

THEFRONTPORCHOGT

YOU ASKED US WHERE TO EAT, AND WE ANSWERED WITH A WEEKLY RESTAURANT BLOG. FOLLOW THE JOURNEY ONLINE. themainemag.com/blog

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THE GREEN LADLE:

EDUCATION, ONE ENTRÉE AT A TIME

BY KAREN WATTERSON PHOTOGRAPHY BY NICOLE WOLF

156 East Ave. | Lewiston | 207.777.3199 thegreenladle.com

here’s just a half hour before the doors open at the Green Ladle’s Open House, an annual event to showcase this Lewiston culinary arts program. In the parking lot, senior Noah Leclair is tending a smoker filled with pork ribs and sautéing corn over a portable burner. “It’s my father’s recipe,” he tells me. Inside, another student is pushing a heavy cart loaded with an enormous steamship round of beef to the carving table, while others set up an array of cupcakes. Chef Dan Caron gives a pep talk, as any coach would before the players hit the field. “Check your mise en place, make sure you have extra oil, be ready,” he tells them. Dressed in black chef jackets and hats, the students pose for a quick group photo before taking their stations, while outside the line of hungry people extends into the parking lot. When the door opens, all 57 Green Ladle students are ready and waiting to demonstrate their abilities. The Green Ladle is the culinary arts program at Lewiston Regional Technical Center. It’s a hands-on experience, combining academics with career skills. The students accepted to the two-year program attend Lewiston High School and other nearby high schools. Juniors and seniors spend every other day with Caron in the Technical Center’s Green Ladle building, returning to their home high schools on the off days for traditional classroom learning. Caron has been running the show for almost 20 years, but the program was much different when he started. “It was more of a home economics class,” he says. “The school budget at that time was so small, it only allowed me to teach cookies and muffins. I quickly decided it needed to be more of a real-world experience.” In order to accomplish that goal, he needed funds beyond the budget, so in a moment of resourceful thinking, he turned to a soda machine. “I sold sodas to buy beef for the next day’s lesson plan,” he says. Within two months, Caron had students catering events, which generated income to expand the program. Since then, Lewiston Public Schools has increased the program’s budget, but catering gigs, a student-run restaurant, and fund-raisers still help fund it. Green Ladle students cater approximately 250 events each school year, serving up to 2,000 guests at some events. “The students truly handle all the aspects,” Caron says. “They plan the menu, cost it out, and execute it. They rotate through all the positions, but each job has a head chef, and that’s a position they have to earn.” The student-run restaurant at the school operates from February to April. It’s open two days a week to the public, serving lunch to about 150 people each day, with a new theme each week. Students rotate through positions here too, from food prep to head chef to hosting and serving. It’s become so popular with the community that reservations must be made in advance. In the spacious Green Ladle kitchen, rows of student desks face a 30-foot stainless-steel island, the main demonstration area where Caron or pastry instructor Rebecca Levesque gives the day’s lesson. The building was constructed for the program 11 years ago on land already owned by the Lewiston school system, and it’s a testament to the popularity of the program. The kitchen is bright, big, and spotless. It contains everything one would find in a restaurant kitchen, including a walk-in cooler, a smoker, stacks of ovens, six refrigerators, an enormous Hobart mixer, and gleaming piles of pots, pans,

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trays, spatulas, and whisks. On one wall, Caron has posted photos of the Green Ladle alumni, all 500 of them. Before they can get their picture on the wall, students must learn to cook, from boiling water to baking bread. A rigorous curriculum with competency standards set by the state, along with all that hands-on experience, gives them the skills they need to launch careers in the food industry. A “pace book,” created by Caron, keeps track of what each student has learned and what he or she still needs to master. “I realized all students learn at a different pace. Standards are taken from ProStart and the American Culinary Federation, setting clear expectations,” he says. “Using a combination of both covers what the restaurants in our community are looking for.” ProStart is a nationwide culinary arts education program established by the National Restaurant Association to develop talent in the food industry. Locally, the Maine Restaurant Association supports ProStart and hosts a competition each spring. Students in culinary education programs across the state compete for the opportunity to advance nationally and win scholarships. Caron and Levesque select a Green Ladle team of seniors who have excelled in leadership positions to participate in the February event each year. The team of five develops the recipes with input from visiting local chefs. Chef Wilfred Beriau, former department chair of culinary arts for Southern Maine Community College (SMCC), visits with all the teams before the competition, reviewing their menus, watching them cook, and offering pointers, always keeping their plans a secret. Caron is not allowed to have any communication with students as they cook a three-course meal for the judges. Spectators cheer on the teams as the clock winds down, then each team is scored, not just on the taste of their dishes but also presentation, knife skills, cleanliness of the workstation, and organization. “To a lot of kids, this is their sport, their big game,” Caron says. The winner of the state competition goes on to the National ProStart Invitational to compete against teams from around the country. The Green Ladle team has been to the national competition twice and is hoping to win the spot this year when the event is held in Rhode Island. Chef and restaurateur David Turin, who is among the judges at the state level, helps the winning team prepare for the bigger stage and accompanies them to the competition. Many seniors plan to continue their culinary arts education beyond high school, and the program at Southern Maine Community College is a popular choice. Other graduates apply for a coveted spot at the prestigious Culinary Institute of America or Johnson and Wales University. In addition to supporting the program’s operations, fund-raising events bring in income that goes toward a scholarship fund, and about half the students who graduate from Green Ladle receive scholarships or financial awards from the program for college. While senior Mack Whittier is demonstrating his flambé skills at the open house, I ask him what his plans are for next year, and he’s ready with an answer: “I’ll start at Southern Maine Community College, then go on to the Culinary Institute of America. Ultimately I hope to be the executive chef at the White House.” His mom, watching the process, is beaming. “This is his absolute passion,” she says. “He’s bound and determined to be successful.”

& Catering Company

Authentic Pit-Style BBQ Ribs • Brisket • Chicken • Pork Route 2, Bethel • Orange Trailer at the Good Food Store

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• catering all OccasiOns • PrePared fOOds tO gO • sandwiches • wedding Planning • natural & gOurmet fOOds • maine made fOOds • fine wines and cheeses Heather Hale-Nivus & David Nivus Route 2, PO Box 467 Bethel, ME 04217

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M O N - T H U 1 1 : 3 0 - 1 0 : 0 0 F R I - S AT 1 1 : 0 0 - 1 1 : 0 0 S U N 1 1 : 0 0 - 9 : 0 0 B R U N C H 1 1 : 0 0 - 2 : 0 0 O N S AT U R D AY S A N D S U N D AY S ! J O I N U S F O R H A P P Y H O U R M O N D AY- F R I D AY 3 : 0 0 - 6 : 0 0

from classic to contemporary from maine boiled lobster to Maine craft beer You can find it all here at

Enjoy live music on our deck, great food and drinks, spectacular views, and breathtaking sunsets...Cook’s Lobster & Ale House, where all great things come together for one

amazing experience! Photo: Christina Dubois

Latitude 43° 45’ 1”

cookslobster.com

68 Garrison Cove Road, Bailey Island, Maine (207) 833-2818

Longitude -69° 59’ 32”

Come See Our New Renovations! Upgrades include: a larger, more flexible events venue, a new coffee bar and lounge serving Speckled Ax coffee and sandwiches & snacks to grab ’n go–or bring into the theater, new bathrooms, and a more convenient box office!

Located at Fort Andross 14 Maine Street, Brunswick, ME explorefrontier.com 207.725.5222

Connecting to the World through Food, Arts, & Culture

Celebrating 5 years of Maine food

Located in the Old Masonic Hall 189 Main Street Yarmouth, Maine 207.847.3250 gathermaine.com LUNCH TUESDAY – FRIDAY 11:30 to 2:00 DINNER TUESDAY – SATURDAY 5:00 to 9:00 SUNDAY BLUEGRASS BRUNCH 9:30 to 1:30

OPEN FOR THE SEASON Friday, March 30th

261 SHORE RD. OGUNQUIT, ME

207.216.9639

NORTHERN-UNION.ME

Open for the Season on March 30th!

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

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

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Don’t miss Premiere Night! Wednesday, March 21, 6:30 PM!

Maine Flower Show Premiere Night is an exciting must-see event for those eager for an exclusive first look at some of our Flower Show exhibitors - masters in floral design, horticulture and yardscaping. Featuring hors d’ oeuvres, a cash bar and music, Premiere Night provides a special opportunity for you to be one of the first to preview all 14 display gardens and take part in our Premiere Night Awards Ceremony.

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JOIN US IN THE FIGHT AGAINST LUNG DISEASE! 1, 2 or 3 day ride options!

CROSS M AI KA RE

As part of the Lung Association’s efforts to advance research for all lung diseases, we will be funding more than $6.5 million in grants in fiscal year 2016-2017. The money raised by the Trek Across Maine proudly contributes in part to these efforts! Cycle with us in the fight against lung disease.

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207-624-0312

221 Main Street Belgrade Lakes, ME 04918 221 Main Street Belgrade Lakes, ME 04918

207-495-3700 207-495-3700

featuring lakepoint luxury

BELGRADE • LONG POND Unique waterfront custom designed home. 4 bedrooms all with private custom tiled baths, custom Rutt Kitchen cabinets, dining BELGRADE LONGcovered POND porches, screened room, livingroom with fireplace,• deck, in porch,waterfront family room, 330’ ofdesigned waterfrontage, acres. all with Unique custom home. 42.38 bedrooms private custom tiled #1334442 baths, custom Rutt Kitchen cabinets, dining • $1,585,000 room, livingroom with fireplace, deck, covered porches, screened in porch, family room, 330’ of waterfrontage, 2.38 acres. #1334442 • $1,585,000

ROME • GREAT POND BELGRADE LAKES Farm house with 15 rooms, one full and 2 half baths, 5.15 acres, wide 3 Bedrooms, 1.5 baths with 110’ lakefront waterfrontage on 3.08 wood floors, office space, deck, nice views, walking distance to the acres of privacy with a beautiful sandy beach. Large screened porch and located at theROME end of• GREAT private POND road. Village. Many possibilitiesBELGRADE with lots ofLAKES history and many updates. with 110’• $595,000 lakefront waterfrontage on 3.08 Farm house with 15 rooms, one full and 2 half baths, 5.15 acres, wide 3 Bedrooms, 1.5 baths #1288428 #1330826 • $199,000 wood floors, office space, deck, nice views, walking distance to the acres of privacy with a beautiful sandy beach. Large screened porch and located at the end of private road. Village. Many possibilities with lots of history and many updates. #1288428 • $595,000 #1330826 • $199,000

373 CASTLE ISLAND ROAD | BELGRADE Unique waterfront home on Long Pond. Custom designed with many fine detials. 4 bedroom/5 bath. Wrap around deck, screened in porch. 330’ of waterfrontage and 2.38 acres. #1334442 - $1,585,000

BELGRADE 4 Bedroom, 2 bathroom cape placed in a rural setting with views of Great Pond. 2 Enclosed porches with an attached workshop and BELGRADE garage. Close to the Belgrade Lakes Village, Belgrade Lakes Golf course, Augusta/ Waterville. 4 Bedroom, 2 bathroom cape placed in a rural setting with views of Great Pond. 2 Enclosed porches with an attached workshop and #1323605 • $175,000 garage. Close to the Belgrade Lakes Village, Belgrade Lakes Golf course, Augusta/ Waterville. #1323605 • $175,000

188 AUGUSTA ROAD | ROME Adirondack Style year round home with custom Kitchen & island. Cathedral Ceiling, Master Bedroom Suite, 2 additional bedrooms with full, private baths, large dock. This property has it all! #1321087 - $799,000

ROME • LONG POND BELGRADE • GREAT POND Beautiful views from this lakeside cottage. 100 ft of frontage with Year-round home with lake views and new 2-car heated garage gradual entry into the water, dock, large deck, open concept living with bonus room. First-floor master suite with private bath & ROME • LONG POND BELGRADE • GREAT hardwood floors. 3 Bedrooms, office, with a wall of windows to take in the views!POND Close to Belgrade Lakes deck. Custom kitchen, birch porch, newwith dock.lake views and new 2-car heated garage Village andviews all itsfrom amenities! Year-round home Beautiful this lakeside cottage. 100 ft of frontage with screened suite with private bath & gradual entry into the#1334308 water, dock, large deck, open concept living with bonus room. First-floor #1331654 •master $679,000 • $429,000 with a wall of windows to take in the views! Close to Belgrade Lakes deck. Custom kitchen, birch hardwood floors. 3 Bedrooms, office, screened porch, new dock. Village and all its amenities! #1331654 • $679,000 #1334308 • $429,000

371 CASTLE ISLAND ROAD | BELGRADE

58 WEST HATHAWAY LANE | ROME

Stunning Long Pond year round, Contemporary with custom kitchen, granite Great Pond classic cottages with, two boat houses, 12+/- acres of land and counter-tops & stainless appliances. Large 3 Bedrooms, 3.5 Baths, 2MOUNT side VERNON • LONG 299’ of water frontage, a garage, great views,SIDNEY sunsets are amazing at this POND BELGRADE • LONG POND construction. Build packages available. Spacious ranch with views all the way up Long Pond! Open living in logthe cabin right New Rare overlooking opportunity to buy feetone of frontage. Comes a sea- Large decks the 315 lake, with hot tub.with #1332993 - $875,000 location Jamaica Point area. #1293715 - $799,000 sonal cottage with a screened porch, 2 bedrooms & a loft. Use this cottage or build a new one on the 2.4 acres BELGRADE • LONG PONDof land. Year round road, close to golf course. Rare opportunity to buy 315 feet of frontage. Comes with a sea#1320367 • $399,000 sonal cottage with a screened porch, 2 bedrooms & a loft. Use this cottage or build a new one on the 2.4 acres of land. Year round road, close to golf course. #1320367 • $399,000

at water’s edge with great deck! Guest cottage. 200’ +/- frontage open floor plan. Build to suit—a number of available floor plans can be chosen based on your needs! Multiple options are available on 2.25 acres. SIDNEY MOUNT VERNON • LONG POND including Garages and foundation types. #1306038 $524,900 Large views all the way up Long•Pond! Open living log cabin right New construction. Build packages available. Spacious ranch with #1309923 • $239,000 at water’s edge with great deck! Guest cottage. 200’ +/- frontage open floor plan. Build to suit—a number of available floor plans can be chosen based on your needs! Multiple options are available on 2.25 acres. including Garages and foundation types. #1306038 • $524,900 #1309923 • $239,000

BELGRADE • GREAT POND CHESTERVILLE • PARKER POND ROME • LONG POND 3 Bedroom, 3 full bath Adirondack-style year-round home. Cus- 200’ Lakefront with dock and sitting area. 4 Bedrooms and 3.5 Renovated 2 bedroom, 1 bath cottage, screened-in porch, living tom kitchen, cathedral ceiling, fieldstone fireplace, dining room, baths. Contemporary on 10 peaceful acres. Stove fireplaces, 4 sea- room, kitchen, private dock, tennis court, common beach area. Each62 cottage has its own dock and share 480’ of waterfront. with lake views,• 4-car garage. screened porch, wrap around• LONG decks, custom ROAD patio. Master bed- son room, 3 decks CHESTERVILLE 71 STONEY POINT | BELGRADE YORK LANE | ROME BELGRADE • GREAT POND PARKER POND ROME POND room suite, dock and 2-car heated garage. #1307762 $178,000 $899,000 1 bath •cottage, screened-in porch, living dock and •sitting area. 4 Bedrooms and 3.5 Renovated 2 bedroom, 3 Bedroom, 3 full bath Adirondack-style year-round home. Cus- 200’ Lakefront with#1290208 #1321087 •fieldstone $1,100,000 room, kitchen, private dock, tennis court, common area. Stove fireplaces, 4 seatom kitchen, cathedral fireplace, diningHouse room, baths. Gorgeous Estate withceiling, 3 bedroom, 2.5 bath Main and 2Contemporary bedroom, 1on 10 peaceful acres. Great Pond cottage with Western exposure, open concept kitchen,beach 3 bedEach cottage has its own dock and share 480’ of waterfront. screened porch, wrap around decks, custom patio. Master bed- son room, 3 decks with lake views, 4-car garage. room suite, House dock andover 2-car heated garage. garage! Sandy Frontage on Great Pond, bath Guest 2 car heated rooms one full bath, wrap around deck, steps from the waterfront, private #1307762 • $178,000 #1290208 • $899,000 #1321087 • $1,100,000

www.belgradelakepoint.com 1.19+/- acres with 200’ of waterfrontage. One of a kind #1328967 - $599,999 www.belgradelakepoint.com

private, level and very well landscaped, all on 4+acres. #1310458 - $779,000

CAPTURE by Chris Lawrence

EVERY DAY WE COMB THROUGH OUR INSTAGRAM FEED TO FIND IMAGES FROM FOLLOWERS DOCUMENTING OUR STATE. WE SHARE A CAPTURE OF THE DAY ON @THEMAINEMAG, AND EACH MONTH IN MAINE MAGAZINE WE HIGHLIGHT ONE OF THOSE PHOTOS.

captured this photo of the supermoon on January 2 at 7:12 a.m., right before sunrise. I planned this shot, waking up extra early just for this photograph. I checked my phone’s weather and coordinates application for positioning, and then I camped out at a friend’s house on the South Portland side of the harbor, waiting for the moon to descend. I tend to shoot in the early mornings and late afternoons when the light turns golden, but recently I’ve been getting into nighttime astrophotography, which this moon image exemplifies. For me, photography is totally captivating. Give me a camera and I will wander, looking for scenes to shoot. With a camera, I become acutely aware of my natural environment. Time becomes irrelevant in the vacuum of the lens. My world becomes light, colors, movement, angles, and textures. I’m self-absorbed in that moment—it’s for me, alone. Chris Lawrence has lived in Maine since 1970 and is an avid outdoor and landscape photographer. He is a hunter-gatherer of natural light and a spirited adventurer who has an affinity for capturing the colorful and energetic imagery of Maine. Based in Scarborough, he shoots images everywhere—while hanging from the door of a helicopter, riding the stormy seas in a boat, climbing Maine’s mountains, and relaxing beside winding rivers. You can follow him on Instagram @mainescenes.

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