Maine magazine November 2017

BUILT FOR LIVING.

November 2017

THE

SUNDAY RIVER ISSUE

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take your day to new heights With two hotels, multiple ceremony and reception venues, a mid-mountain lodge accessed by gondola, and professional catering and event planning teams, Sunday River has everything you need to plan your perfect wedding – all set in the mountains of Maine.

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The status quo, lapped again.

A near seven-decade disdain for the expected continues with the new Panamera. Redesigned inside and out, it breathes new life into classic Porsche design cues. More powerful, more advanced, and more luxuriously appointed, the new Panamera is not just a new car, but a new benchmark. Porsche. There is no substitute.

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100

St. Mary’s Regional Medical Center Welcomes The Forevermark Tribute™ Collection

New England Foot & Ankle Specialists, one of New England’s leading centers for stateof-the-art treatment of all foot and ankle conditions, is now part of St. Mary’s Center for Orthopaedics.

Patient Centered Orthopaedic Care Our patient-centered approach to orthopaedic care considers the impact of treatment on every aspect of your life including work, family or recreation.

Together, our team of experts – orthopaedic surgeons, therapists, nurses, primary care providers and others – works with you to achieve your personal goals through an individualized care plan.

Our Specialists • Gregory Pomeroy, MD • Jessica Faught, MD • Lanny Rudner, MD – Fellow

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

Visit us at our NEW location at 117 Auburn Street in Portland or call 207-797-4791 to make an appointment.

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© Forevermark 2017. Forevermark ®, ® , and Forevermark Tribute™ are Trade Marks used under license from The De Beers Group of Companies.

on the cover

Alpine ski racing at Sunday River. Photography

by C.A. Smith Photography

contents

on this page

Going downhill in the Bud Light Local’s Challenge, a weekly race series at Sunday River.

Photography by Peter Frank Edwards

THERE + THEN 022 Going out, giving back: supporting nonprofits + local businesses in the vital work they do year-round SOCIAL MEDIA 031 Sharing memories of the state sparked by social media NEW + NOTEWORTHY 033 What’s happening around the state 48 HOURS

034 Bethel in winter and summer

by Mali Welch and Melissa Pearson

A-LIST 052 Sunday River Nightlife

by Brittany Cost Photography by Peter Frank Edwards

WELLNESS 054 Maine Adaptive Sports and Recreation

by Dr. Lisa Belisle Photography by Matt Cosby

LOVE MAINE RADIO

Leading from the Outside 068

with Dr. Lisa Belisle Wade Kavanaugh and Beth Weisberger

From trails to travel, Chris Hayward takes Gould Academy students on journeys of self-discovery.

by Susan Axelrod | Photography by Matt Cosby

065

Photography by Shelbi Wassick

Skiers for Life 076

EAT 116 Brian’s

Sunday River’s kids’ program builds skills and relationships on the snow.

by Karen Watterson Photography by Nicole Wolf

by Susan Axelrod | Photography by Nicole Wolf

EAT BLOGS

124 The Mountain Room + Harvest Bar Eatery and Alehouse

Wednesday Slalom 090

If it’s midweek in winter, it’s high time for some fast moves on the slopes.

by Karen Watterson Photography by Nicole Wolf

by Sandy Lang | Photography by Peter Frank Edwards

CAPTURE

144 Robert Killam

Big Plans, Big Views 104

A casual mountain getaway on the slopes of Sunday River provides plenty of space for family bonding and outdoor exploring.

by Katy Kelleher | Photography by Erin Little

090

EDITOR’S NOTE 017 STAFF NOTE 019 CONTRIBUTORS 021 WORDS FROM OUR READERS 027 EVENTS 028

Love with a view.

E X PA N D YO U R

possibilities

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EDITOR’S NOTE Photography by Heidi Kirn

PUBLISHER + CEO | Kevin Thomas ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER + COO | Andrea King EDITOR-IN-CHIEF | Rebecca Falzano MANAGING EDITOR | Paul Koenig ART DIRECTOR | Joel Kuschke, Kate Seremeth DIRECTOR OF SALES | Jeffrey D’Amico ADVERTISING ACCOUNT MANAGERS |

Karen Bowe, Ryan Hammond, Peter Heinz, Kerry Rasor, Tom Urban, Emily Wedick PRODUCTION MANAGER | Joel Kuschke DIRECTOR OF EVENTS + SPONSORSHIPS | Terri Coakley ONLINE EDITOR | Shelbi Wassick STAFF WRITER | Susan Axelrod EDITORIAL ASSISTANT | Brittany Cost OFFICE MANAGER | Alice Chaplick COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT MANAGER | Casey Lovejoy SPECIAL PROJECTS | Emily McConnell COPY EDITOR | Katherine Gaudet PROOFREADER | Skye Adams CONTRIBUTING EDITORS |

Dr. Lisa Belisle, Katy Kelleher, Sandy Lang, Karen Watterson STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER | Sean Thomas

urban dwellings

TM

STAFF VIDEOGRAPHER | Lamia Lazrak PHOTOGRAPHERS |

Matt Cosby, Dave Dostie, Peter Frank Edwards, Heidi Kirn, Erin Little, C.A. Smith Photography, Nicole Wolf COVER PHOTOGRAPHER | C.A. Smith Photography

INTERIORS

• DESIGN

• OBJECTS

create a swoon worthy Thanksgiving table by shopping our tablewares

PHOTO RETOUCHING | Tripp Harrington CIRCULATION | Sarah Lynn ART COLLECTOR MAINE |

Laura A. Bryer, Jack Leonardi, Taylor McCafferty, Emma Wilson THE BRAND COMPANY |

Chris Kast, Melissa Pearson, Mali Welch LOVE MAINE RADIO |

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designing for the individual. all inquiries welcome.

Winters in Maine aren’t easy. The days get colder and shorter, heating bills go up, and what was once a quick drive to the store can turn into a white-knuckle adventure, navigating around tall snow banks and drivers unaware of how ice affects braking.

At least once a winter—usually when I’m shoveling out my car after back-to-back parking bans—I ask myself what I’m doing in Maine.

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Chief Executive Officer | Kevin Thomas Chief Operating Officer | Andrea King Chief Financial Officer | Jack Leonardi

Last winter I decided to finally embrace the season by learning to ski. My first few times were humbling and a bit painful, but by the end of the winter I was hooked. Reading through the stories in this issue, I finally understood the passion of people who devote themselves to skiing.

Maine is published twelve times each year by Maine Media Collective LLC Editorial and subscription information: phone 207.772.3373 | fax 888.836.6715 75 Market Street | Suite 203 | 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 © 2017, 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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maine | themainemag.com

For some people, learning to ski isn’t as simple as signing up for a few lessons and practicing on the bunny slopes. For people with physical disabilities, like those participating in Maine Adaptive

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Sports and Recreation’s programs, skiing can be impossible without proper equipment and assistance from trained volunteers (Wellness, p. 54). The nonprofit organization got its start in the early 1980s at Sunday River, and now offers year-round activities across the state.

Families with young children also have a home at Sunday River. The mountain’s seasonal programs start with kids as young as three, who are towed up bunny slopes in sleds by instructors (“Skiers for Life,” p. 76). Some of the instructors themselves have gone through the programs, like Liam Redding, who spent last winter coaching eight- and nine-year-olds. The teenager learned to be a coach through Sunday River’s Junior Professionals program, shadowing experienced ski instructors.

For other Sunday River regulars, skiing is a lifelong passion. Fred Shrigley, 71, has been making the drive from Massachusetts

for about a dozen years for the Bud Light Local’s Challenge, a weekly ski race held on Wednesdays throughout the season (“Wednesday Slalom,” p. 90). Shrigley, who bought his first Sunday River season pass in 1988, likes the diversity of skiers who participate each week. “There are former Division One racers, Gould Academy and Sunday River ski coaches, and beginners who are snow plowing,” he says.

You don’t have to ski to love the winter, but when you’re shoveling off your car, it’s nice to know there will also be fresh powder on the mountain. See you on the lifts.

Paul Koenig Managing Editor pkoenig@themainemag.com

November 2017 17

STAFF NOTE

CREATE BIGGER

BRAND

Photography by Sean Thomas

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 stayed here, came back here, or moved here because they love Maine’s rich history, its unique character, and the people who live here, and most importantly we believe in Maine’s potential. We simultaneously love the Maine we grew up in, while fully embracing 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, as a place for second homeowners to buy into, a place to raise children, a place to start and operate a business, as a place to visit and explore, as a place to escape and heal. And, as a place to be inspired.

We cover Maine in a positive light. We very 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, guides, through the airwaves, at events, and via social media.

BRAND DEVELOPMENT ADVERTISING PRINT + WEB DESIGN SEARCH ENGINE MARKETING SOCIAL MEDIA STRATEGY MEDIA PLANNING

Auburn | Augusta | Bailey Island | Bangor | Bar Harbor | Bass Harbor | Bath | Beaver Creek | Belfast | Bethel | Biddeford | Biddeford Pool | Blue Hill | Boothbay | Boothbay Harbor | Brewer | Bridgton | Bristol | Brooklin | Brownfield | Brunswick | Buxton | Camden | Cape Elizabeth | Cape Neddick | Cape Porpoise | Carrabassett Valley | Caribou | Castine | Chebeague Island | Chesterville | Cliff Island | Cornish | Cousins Island | Cumberland | Cushing | Damariscotta | Dayton | Dixfield | Eagle Lake | Eastport | Edgecomb | Ellsworth | Eustis | Fairfield | Falmouth | Fort Kent | Frankfurt | Freedom | Freeport | Frenchboro | Frenchville | Fryeburg | Gardiner | Gray | Great Cranberry Island | Greenville | Hallowell | Harpswell | Harrison | Hermit Island | Hope | Hurricane Island | Isle au Haut | Islesboro | Jewell Island | Kennebunk | Kennebunkport | Kezar Lake | Kingfield | Kittery | Lewiston | Liberty | Limerick | Lincoln | Lincolnville | Lovell | Lubec | Madawaska | Mars Hill | Matinicus Island | Millinocket | Monhegan Island | Monson | Moosehead Lake Region | Mount Desert Island | Newcastle | New Gloucester | Newry | North Haven | Northport | North Yarmouth | Norway | Oakland | Ogunquit | Old Orchard Beach | Oquossoc | Orland | Orono | Otter Creek | Owls Head | Oxford | Peaks Island | Phippsburg | Poland | Port Clyde | Porter | Portland | Pownal | Presque Isle | Prospect | Prospect Harbor | Rangeley | Rockland | Rockport | Rockwood | Rome | Roque Bluffs | Rumford | Saco | Scarborough | Seal Harbor | Searsport | Sebec | Sedgwick | Sinclair | Skowhegan | South Casco | South Freeport | South Portland | Southport | Southwest Harbor | Squirrel Island | St. George | Stockton Springs | Stonington | Stratton | Temple | Tenants Harbor | The Forks | Thomaston | Thorndike | Union | Unity | Veazie | Vinalhaven | Waterville | Wells | Westport Island | Westbrook | Wilton | Windsor | Winterport | Wiscasset | Woolwich | Yarmouth | York

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Chief Executive Officer | Kevin Thomas Chief Operating Officer | Andrea King Chief Financial Officer | Jack Leonardi Maine is published twelve times each year by Maine Media Collective LLC

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

Editorial and subscription information: phone 207.772.3373 | fax 888.836.6715 75 Market Street | Suite 203 | 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 © 2017, 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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maine | themainemag.com

Before I had my driver’s license, my mom would get up early every Sunday morning and drive me the 20 minutes from our home in East Rumford to Sunday River.

My skis were always freshly waxed from the evening before. It was my ritual every Saturday night to put on some tunes in the garage and tune up my skis. It was a zenlike ritual: methodically filing the edges to pristine sharpness, watching wax melt and drip from the iron to the skis. And then the best part: scraping down the wax and watching the curls fall to the floor as the surface became perfectly smooth.

The chairlift would start running about a half-hour before tickets went on sale at 9 a.m. This secret quiet time meant

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that a season pass holder could get on the mountain before things began to bustle.

Riding the lift solo, I would breathe in the cold, crisp mountain air through my nose and exhale any eighth-grade worries out in a visible puff high above the trail.

My freshly tuned skis would hit that perfectly groomed and untouched trail, and I would glide down the slope leaving a perfect zig-zagged trail of S curves through the corduroy. I would repeat this all day long, stopping only for a brief lunch break.

Now that I am a parent I love to take my kids to Sunday River. However, I have to admit— now that I’m the one driving, we rarely make it for that first, quiet run.

Heidi Kirn Art Director Maine Home+Design hkirn@mainehomedesign.com

November 2017 19

CONTRIBUTORS

WE GIVE BACK.

Our mission is to make a substantial and unique commitment to supporting Maine’s nonprofit community both 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 help to raise 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, 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, we have made cash and in-kind donations and services of more than:

$1,930,463

RE T A E H T E T A T THE S TH 4 R E B M NOVE Are you feeling overwhelmed by systemic racism, climate change, or [insert current crisis here]?

Come get grounded. Then we'll rise together.

Find out! Register today:

WE ARE PROUD OF OUR AFFILIATION WITH THE FOLLOWING ORGANIZATIONS:

317 Main Community Music Center | American Diabetes Association | AIA Maine | Alfond Youth Center of Waterville | American Lung Association | Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital | Bicycle Coalition of Maine | Biddeford Ball | Biddeford/Saco Rotary Club | Boothbay Harbor Fest | Boothbay Region Chamber of Commerce | Boothbay Region Land Trust | Boys & Girls Club of Southern Maine | Bowdoin International Music Festival | Camden Garden Club | Camden International Film Festival | Camden Opera House | Camp Sunshine | Camp Susan Curtis | Cape Elizabeth Education Foundation | Cape Elizabeth Land Trust | Casco Bay Islands SwimRun | Castine Arts Association | CEI | Center for Furniture Craftsmanship | Center for Grieving Children | Colby Museum of Art | Cross Insurance Center | Dempsey Challenge | Easter Seals Maine | Elias Cup | Bayside Bowl | Environmental Health Strategy Center | Faily Hope | Farnsworth Art Museum | Fort Williams Park Foundation | Frannie Peabody Center | Friends of Casco Bay | Friends of Windjammer Days | Full Plates Full Potential | Georges River Land Trust | Gulf of Maine Research Institute | Good Shepherd Food Bank | Goodwill of Northern New England | Greater Portland Land Marks | GrowSmart Maine | Harbor House | Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project | Institute for Family Owned Business | Junior Achievement of Maine | Junior League of Portland | Kennebunk Free Library | Kennebunkport Conservation Trust | Kennebunks Tour de Cure | Kittery Block Party | L/A Arts | Life Flight of Maine | Lift360 | Maine Academy of Modern Music | Maine Audubon | Maine Cancer Foundation | Maine Center for Creativity | Maine Children’s Cancer Program | Maine College of Art | Maine Crafts Association | Maine Development Foundation | Maine Discovery Museum | Maine Flower Shower | Maine Interior Design Association | Maine Island Trail Association | Maine Jewish Film Festival | Maine Lobster Festival | Maine Preservation | Maine Restaurant Association | Maine Science Festival | Maine Start Up and Create Week | Maine State Ballet | Make-A-Wish Foundation of Maine | March of Dimes | Mercy/Gary’s House | MEREDA | Mitchell institute | Museums of Old York | MyPlace Teen Center | Natural Resources Council of Maine | New England Craft Brew Summit | North Atlantic Blues Festival | Ogunquit Museum of American Art | Ogunquit Playhouse | Osher Map Library | Passivhaus Maine | Portland Downtown | Portland Museum of Art | Portland Ovations | Portland Symphony Orchestra | Portland Trails | PORTopera | Portland Stage Education Programming | Ronald McDonald House Charities | Royal River Land Trust | SailMaine | Salt Bay Chamberfest | Scarborough Education Foundation | Share Our Strength | sheJAMS | Strive | Talking Art in Maine | TEDxDirigo/Treehouse | Teens to Trails | Travis Mills Foundation | The Strand Theatre | The Telling Room | United Way of Greater Portland | University of Maine Gardens | Viles Arboretum | Vinegar Hill Music Theater | Wayfinder Schools | Wells Reserve at Laudholm | Wendell Gilley Museum | WinterKids | Wolfe’s Neck Farm | Woodlawn Museum | Yarmouth History Center

Wellness editor DR. LISA BELISLE was a skier before she was a physician, radio host, or mother. A member of the Nordic team at Yarmouth High School, she first took to the slopes in elementary school through a community-based program at Lost Valley in Auburn.

Wellness, p. 54

MELISSA PEARSON, an art director at the Brand

Company, grew up visiting Maine each year. After one too many hot summers in Nashville, she and her husband, Trent, decided it was time for a change of pace. They now spend their time fixing up an old farmhouse, exploring Maine, and trying out new restaurants. 48 Hours, p. 34

TEDxDirigo.com SUBSCRIBE | themainemag.com

Chief Executive Officer | Kevin Thomas Chief Operating Officer | Andrea King Chief Financial Officer | Jack Leonardi Maine is published twelve times each year by Maine Media Collective LLC

Thank you to our Visionary Partner

Editorial and subscription information: phone 207.772.3373 | fax 888.836.6715 75 Market Street | Suite 203 | 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 © 2017, 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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maine | themainemag.com

MATT COSBY is a photographer based on the east side of Portland, Maine. Recent work includes stories for The New York Times and an ad campaign for New Balance. For this issue, one story was photographed on snowshoes and the other on skis. “Not a bad way to spend a work day!” Wellness, p. 54, “Leading from the Outside,” p. 68

Managing editor of Old Port magazine, SUSAN AXELROD had only experienced summer in Maine

before moving here in 2013. She has embraced the joys of winter, including learning to ski, and is hoping to graduate from green to blue trails this season. “Leading from the Outside,” p. 68, “Skiers for Life,” p. 76

November 2017 21

THERE + THEN Photography by Dave Dostie

AUGUST CINQ A SEPT

An after-work gathering of friends and colleagues August’s Cinq A Sept was held at Angelrox in Biddeford. Sponsored by Maine Honda Dealers, the event featured a fashion show, drinks from Banded Horn Brewing Company and Round Turn Distilling, and light offerings from Eventide Oyster Co. 01

02

WINTER AT CLIFF HOUSE

“It is always a joy to see the warm smiles of our sweet community. We are ever thankful to live and work in Maine!”

IT’S NOT JUST FOR SUMMER ANYMORE

03

—Roxi Suger, owner of Angelrox

Vision. Commitment. Results 04

06

05

No matter the holiday, discover a new generation of Cliff House and build memories that will last a lifetime, all cloaked in the comfort and warmth of authentic Maine hospitality. Just an hour north of Boston, enjoy a broad array of activities including snow shoeing under the stars, snuggling by the fireplace, or elemental-inspired spa services to further enrich your escape. Call 207 361-1000 or book online at cliffhousemaine.com 01 Mariah Foss, model for Angelrox, and Roxi Suger, co-owner of Angelrox 02 Mary Allen Lindemann, co-owner and community builder at Coffee by Design; David Turin, co-owner of David’s Restaurants; and Christy Bomba Turin, co-owner of David’s Restaurants 03 Chris Kast, brand manager at the Brand Company, and Julian Schlaver, co-owner of Angelrox 04 Greg Burke; Heather Burke; Aspen Burke, associate designer at L.L.Bean; and Kevin Thomas, CEO of Maine Media Collective 05 Karen Watterson, food editor at Maine Media Collective; Sharon Cassidy Dorsett, organizational psychologist at Dorsett Organizational Dynamics; and Claire Fisher 06 Sean McCarthy, bassist for Ghost of Paul Revere, and Shelbi Wassick, online editor at Maine Media Collective CABINETRY ∏ CONSTRUCTION ∏ RENOVATIONS 207.846.5105 ∏ MAGUIRECONSTRUCTION.COM

cliffhousemaine.com

· 207 361-1000 · contact your travel professional · 591 shore road, cape neddick, maine

THERE + THEN Photography by Dave Dostie

NIGHT STORIES SUMMER GALA

Honoring art and its supporters at the Center for Maine Contemporary Art Over 250 guests celebrated the Center for Maine Contemporary Art’s first anniversary, as well as the opening of the exhibition Linden Frederick: Night Stories, a collaboration between Frederick and 15 award-winning authors, including Richard Russo and Lily King.

01

02

WARM SHAKER MODERN Chilton Furniture’s Classic Shaker Bed, shown with our Sunday River Dresser and Nightstand. Built in Maine.

Lunch should be just as good as dinner.

03

w w w.ch ilton s.com 8 6 6 - 8 8 3 -3 3 6 6

“The Summer Gala provides essential funding for our exhibitions and educational programming and operational support for our mission of advancing contemporary art in Maine. We are so grateful to everyone who contributed to the evening’s success.”

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

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—Suzette McAvoy, executive director at Center for Maine Contemporary Art

Visit Us

05 06

Vist our new store in the Old Port Grand Opening November 9th 75 Market Street Portland, Maine

sustainable clothing responsibly sourced + skillfully crafted in america

443 FORE STREET, PORTLAND 207 358 7830 EVOPORTLAND.COM

01 Inka Essenhigh, artist; Betsy Eby, artist; and Bo Bartlett, artist 02 Shannon Richards, director of business development at Caleb Johnson Studio, and Caleb Johnson, principal architect at Caleb Johnson Studio 03 Donna McNeil, curator, and Linden Frederick, artist 04 Cheryl Fishko, director at Forum Gallery, and Richard Russo, writer 05 Caroline Cole, community services program manager at STRIVE, and Paul Koenig, managing editor of Maine magazine 06 Jonathan Borofsky’s Digital Man outside the CMCA entrance.

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suger m a i n e m a d e c o m f o rt

portland 271 commercial

THERE + THEN

WORDS FROM OUR READERS

Photography by Heidi Kirn

2017 TD BEACH TO BEACON 10K

The 20th anniversary of the renowned Cape Elizabeth race Thousands of runners and supporters gathered in Cape Elizabeth for the 20th anniversary of the TD Beach to Beacon 10K. Top finishers included elite runners Stephen Kosgei Kibet, Ben True, and Mary Keitany, as well as Maine runners Jesse Orach of Gorham and Emily Durgin of Standish. Race founder and Cape Elizabeth native Joan Benoit Samuelson set a new course record for women age 60 and over.

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biddeford 25 alfred st

Love an article from last month?

Have a place in Maine you want us to cover? We welcome comments of any kind. Send your notes to letters@ themainemag.com or message us on Facebook @themainemagazine.

o t R A E Y R U O Y s i This

!

S T H G I R G N I G G EARN BRA

BRING A TEAM! WEAR A COSTUME!

I have decided that in three years, come hell or high water, I am moving to Maine.

In all my years of moving, Maine has been the only state that felt like home.

Anything your magazine publishes will be like a tall glass of water on a hot summer’s day—much needed and refreshing.

—Rachel Kohler, Kelso, TN

04

“This was my first B2B, and it was an amazing experience. I enjoyed every single step of the race and can’t wait to run it again.”

—Scott McGregor, Chesapeake, VA

—Jack Leonardi, CFO of Maine Media Collective

05

06

We bought a second home in Westport Island. We have lots of favorite spots— Boothbay Harbor, Bailey Island, Camden, and Bar Harbor, and we have come to like Maine Street in Brunswick as well. We have so much to explore!

07

We love the Portland area, Pemaquid Point, New Harbor, and Bar Harbor. Another favorite is Rockport and the little art museum there. Since we are interested in the arts, visual and musical, we like the Portland Museum of Art and the Farnsworth Art Museum. The landscape, architecture, and homes are so different than here in California. It would also be interesting to see photos and read about northern and western Maine and towns near the Canadian border.

—Ellen and Mike LaVaccare, Rio Vista, CA

crafted with joy

angelrox.com

01 Joan Benoit Samuelson, athlete and founder of TD Beach to Beacon 10K, and Abdi Abdirahman, elite runner at TD Beach to Beacon 10K 02 Ingunn Milla Joergensen, artist 03 Rob Gomez, second finisher in Maine men’s division at TD Beach to Beacon 10K 04 Ted Axelrod, photographer, and Susan Axelrod, managing editor of Old Port magazine 05 Dave McGillivray, race director of TD Beach to Beacon 10K 06 Diane Nukuri, elite runner at TD Beach to Beacon 10K 07 Michael Stone, president of TD Beach to Beacon 10K

may peace prevail 26

maine | themainemag.com

November 2017 27

Join hundreds of brave Mainers for the Natural Resources Council of Maine’s 10th annual

POLAR BEAR DIP & DASH! SUNDAY, December 31, 2017 East End Beach, Portland

Help raise awareness AND funds in support of our work to address climate change here in Maine!

5K “warm up” run around Portland’s Back Cove trail: 11:00 a.m. (registration starts at 9:00 a.m., Back Cove parking lot, across from Hannaford).

Polar Bear Dip into Casco Bay, East End Beach: Noon (registration at 11:00 a.m., not necessary for race participants).

Shuttle will return participants to Back Cove parking lot after dip.

Cool prizes from local businesses for 5k winners by age class, top fundraisers, and for best costume!

Learn more and sign up at nrcm.org.

Be BOLD in the COLD to help protect Maine’s environment.

SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR LEAD SPONSORS!

EVENTS

HOLD ONTO THAT FEELING.

COMMUNITY

NOVEMBER

11.1

YO-YO MA AND KATHRYN STOTT Portland Ovations 7:30 p.m.

Merrill Auditorium 20 Myrtle St. | Portland portlandovations.org

5 p.m.–7 p.m.

Portland Art Gallery 154 Middle St. | Portland artcollectormaine.com

A LIGHT ON THE POINT

MAINE BUSINESS HALL OF FAME NORTH

11.3

SIMON SHAHEEN: ZAFIR Portland Ovations 8 p.m.

Hannaford Hall 88 Bedford St. | Portland portlandovations.org

11.4

TEDXDIRIGO

Treehouse Institute State Theatre 609 Congress St. | Portland tedxdirigo.com

11.4

WILD & SCENIC FILM FESTIVAL JIM BRADY THINKS AHEAD

CREW CONVENES ON CASCO BAY

Friends of Casco Bay 4 p.m.

Abromson Center 88 Bedford St. | Portland cascobay.org

SPACE TO CREATE AT EAST END LOFTS

PORTLAND'S

CITY MAGAZINE

11.8

ADVENTURE AWAITS: STRIVE’S 13TH ANNUAL AUCTION

Junior Achievement of Maine 5 p.m.

Hilton Garden Inn Bangor 250 Haskell Rd. | Bangor jamaine.org

JUNE 2017

Alfond Youth Center 7 p.m.–11:30 p.m.

10 Water St. | Waterville clubayc.org

11.2

FIRST THURSDAY ART OPENING FEATURING ARTWORKS

BY DAVID WILSON

THIS IS SO PORTLAND.

2017 ALFOND YOUTH CHARITY BALL

PSL Services STRIVE 6 p.m.–9 p.m.

Italian Heritage Center 40 Westland Ave. | Portland pslstrive.org

6 p.m.–8:30 p.m.

Southern Maine Community College 80 Fort Rd. | South Portland alightonthepoint2017.eventbrite.com

11.10–11.19 MY MOTHER’S CLOTHES ARE NOT MY MOTHER The Public Theatre 31 Maple Street | Lewiston thepublictheatre.org

11.17

BÉLA FLECK AND ABIGAIL WASHBURN Portland Ovations and State Theatre 8 p.m.

State Theatre 609 Congress St. | Portland portlandovations.org

11.29

NATALIE MACMASTER & DONNELL LEAHY: A CELTIC FAMILY CHRISTMAS Portland Ovations 7:30 p.m.

Merrill Auditorium 20 Myrtle St. | Portland portlandovations.org

Dockside Dining SCALES DISHES THE FRESH FLAVORS OF THE SEA

+

Rum Runners

THE CITY’S COCKTAIL CULTURE COMES OF AGE

PORTLAND + ART GALLERY

HITS ITS STRIDE INSIDER PICKS:

10

LOCAL FAVES OF THE SEA DOGS

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

LET’S GET THIS PARTY STARTED. (207) 667-6000 | WALLACEEVENTS.COM 28

maine | themainemag.com

November 2017 29

SOCIAL MEDIA Photography by Dave Dostie @Maine Magazine

@themainemag

Every day our team is exploring the state and sharing its raw, singular beauty on social media. Followers write back, sharing their own stories of the places we visit—memories of past beach days, family vacations, and moonlit treks. Join our growing community of 200,000 followers.

Because you’ve earned this.

Maine Magazine | Photo by Dave Dostie

86,789 people reached 3,200 likes, 62 comments, 973 shares

NYA

OPEN HOUSE Upper & Middle School Grades 5 through 12 November 5 at 1:00pm

NORTH YARMOUTH ACADEMY RSVP admission@nya.org | www.NYA.org

PB PB

SENSUOUS SHAPES TIMELESS APPEAL Searching for a unique perspective of Portland Head Light, freelance photographer Dave Dostie climbed up the rocks to the side of the Cape Elizabeth landmark to capture this image with his drone.

Ellen Fikani What a beautiful picture! I have been there many times and it is always so beautiful! Love the view and I love Maine!

Joe G. Gomez I want to move to Maine so bad, absolutely love it there.

Anne Wheeler I look for the Portland Head Light every time I fly into Portland.

Sylvane Treible One of my most favorite places on Earth. Love this shot.

Handcrafted from solid brass • blown glass, embroidered silks and other fabrics. since 1971

C RA F T . HOM E . J E W E LRY Boothbay Harbor Freeport Ogunquit Portland Kennebunkport

abacusgallery.com 800.206.2166

Spirit prices are the same in stores all over Maine.

Live well, drink responsibly. mainespirits.com

November 2017 31

NEW + NOTEWORTHY

by Brittany Cost Sunday River Resort has invested $4.7 million in capital improvements for the upcoming winter season. A new, high-speed $2.2 million dollar chairlift—called the Spruce Peak Triple—is the primary chairlift on the resort’s Spruce Peak. The resort will also debut a new beginner-friendly trail, Bear Paw, running along Locke Mountain, and snowmaking system upgrades include 17 new technology hydrants and more than 8,000 feet of additional snowmaking pipes. Harding Lee Smith’s Sunday River restaurant, The Mountain Room, has expanded this season with a new outdoor deck that nearly doubles its seating capacity.

CashStar, a digital gift card provider based in Portland, has been acquired by California’s Blackhawk Network Holdings for $175 million. The company will retain its current offices in Portland and Massachusetts. CashStar CEO Ben Kaplan plans to stay on as Blackhawk’s group vice president.

Available in brass, sterling, small sizes, large sizes, bridal party sets, and couples packages.

Inc. magazine has named Tilson to its annual list of the 5,000 fastest-growing companies for the seventh consecutive year, an achievement that only two percent of Inc. 5000 companies have earned.

Tilson, an information technology professional services and network construction company, has grown by more than 410 percent since 2011 and now ranks at 1,517 on the list.

PB

RBA

R OB B RAMHALL A RCHITECTS

978.749.3663 | www.robbramhallarchitects.com

Photography by Peter Frank Edwards, Sarah Prak

PB

Washington Monthly has rated Bowdoin College in Brunswick and College of the Atlantic in Bar Harbor as two of the top 20 liberal arts colleges in the country based on their contributions to the public good. Now 20th on the list, College of the Atlantic was rated 47th in 2016, the first year of the ratings. Bowdoin College was ranked 13th this year, and Waterville’s Colby was ranked 25th. Maine Maritime Academy in Castine was also ranked fourth in the Northeast in the Best Bang for your Buck category.

Holiday Gifts for the Nature Lover

The

Nature Store

Maine Audubon, 20 Gilsland Farm Rd, Falmouth (207) 781-2330 x201 • maineaudubon.org

Maine Preservation has announced its 2017 list of most endangered historic places. Now targeted for preservation, new landmarks include the Frank J. Wood Bridge connecting Brunswick and Topsham, Bowery Beach School House in Cape Elizabeth, and downtown Wiscasset, as well as historic residential neighborhoods and coastal and waterfront communities statewide.

When you see Karen out and about tell your server, “I’ll have what she’s having.”

Maine magazine food editor Karen Watterson and detail of her tasting at Dutch’s Breakfast & Lunch, Portland.

Join Karen’s dining adventures.

Subscribe, read, like, follow. themainemag.com + @eatmaine November 2017 33

48 HOURS

BETHEL: WINTER in 48 Hours MALI WELCH ART DIRECTOR, THE BRAND COMPANY

FRIDAY

WHERE WE STAYED JORDAN HOTEL WHERE WE ATE TRAIL’S END RESTAURANT AND TAVERN SUNDAY RIVER BREWING COMPANY HARVEST BAR EATERY AND ALEHOUSE SHIPYARD BREWHAUS SMOKIN’ GOOD BBQ SLIDERS RESTAURANT THE MOUNTAIN ROOM THE LOCAL HUB WHAT WE DID SKIED AND SNOWBOARDED AT SUNDAY RIVER ACTIVITIES AT JORDAN HOTEL SHOPPING IN DOWNTOWN BETHEL SOAKED IN OUTDOOR HOT TUB AT JORDAN HOTEL APRÈS-SKI ACTION

Among the mountains of western Maine, the Bethel area offers plenty of travelworthy dining and year-round outdoor recreation, including Sunday River, the most popular resort in the state.

02

EVENING:

We leave work early so we can hit up our friend’s retrofitted Mobil station restaurant, Standard Gastropub, in downtown Bridgton on our way to Bethel. A wall of coolers full of hundreds of canned beers creates an alluring aluminum rainbow—it may be the largest can selection in the state of Maine. The food game is just as impressive, and we devour a pail of malt vinegar-dusted fries before hitting the road.

The approach to the Jordan Hotel is dramatic, with vertical views of the surrounding peaks. Our trucks climb the mountainside, and the hotel emerges halfway up the eighth peak of Sunday River. It is located slopeside—part of the mountain itself and resembling an ice castle. There is a crew of us, like you should have when you go for a ski weekend: two Jessicas, Derek, Seth, Kristin, and Mali.

As we enter the hotel foyer, our faces are met with the heat and welcoming smell only a fireplace can produce.

Skis are checked, bags stowed, and we venture off to explore this massive hotel.

We join other guests for s’mores and Maine Manhattans at a special gathering hosted by the staff. After mingling, we take our drinks right onto the mountain shuttle that brings us to South Ridge, where Camp restaurant and Trail’s End Restaurant and Tavern are open for the evening. At Trail’s End, we catch a few songs by Brad Hooper, a talented, soulful solo artist from the area. After a few more appetizers and beverages, we jump on the shuttle back to bed.

MORNING:

Breakfast with doughnuts

34

maine | themainemag.com

01

02

04

Road trip, dining, and entertainment

SATURDAY 01

03

YOUR GO-TO LUNCH + DINNER SPOT.

Sunday River Brewing Company won Best Breakfast in Sunday River’s 2017 Best of Bethel Awards, so we head there first thing.

05

06

01 Fireside ski trip companions. 02 Taxidermy at the tackle shop in downtown Bethel. 03 Smokin’ Good BBQ’s iconic orange trailer. 04 Deciding on one flavor of house-made doughnuts at Sunday River Brewing is impossible—get one of each! 05 Selections from the Jordan Hotel’s breakfast buffet. 06 Onmountain sugar house at Sunday River.

Shopping in downtown Bethel

browsing the local offerings.

We chat with shop owners who recommend each other’s businesses. The Community Sports section in the Philbrook Place is a favorite, with its collection of secondhand and vintage sporting gear and apparel. If you are like us, you appreciate the craftsmanship and unique styles of older things.

And if you need some retro swag for that ’80s mountain party, this is the place to hit up. Here we also learn of a local ski-making company, YOPP Clandestine Skis—two cousins who handcraft wooden skis in Bethel.

Our crew is fueled up and primed for an excursion. The day is silver and quite chilly, so some shop hopping is in order. As in any solid Maine town, the downtown is lined with welcoming storefronts and colorful signs. We weave in and out, buying things here, sipping coffees there, and

We cap our shopping with a sit-down at Farmer’s Market and Taps, now called Harvest Bar Eatery and Alehouse, our choice for afternoon nourishment of hot soup and freshly squeezed juice. We chat with a rosycheeked couple next to us who

Upon entering we find a bakery case that is chockablock with gigantic, shimmering house-made doughnuts. A line of people in pajamas forms for takeout.

We sit in the lodge-style dining room at a picnic table and order what seems like everything on the menu. We haven’t tried all of the other breakfasts in town, but you just can’t argue with these doughnuts.

AFTERNOON:

has just finished a dog-sledding excursion—they have certainly braved the cold better than we. Afterward we pop in at the Suds Pub and Shipyard Brewhaus to get in on the après-ski action.

On the way back to the hotel we can’t avoid stopping at Smokin’ Good BBQ for a rack of their famous ribs. We take two for the road. If you want to look like a pro, get a side of coleslaw with the pulled pork and go to the Good Food Store and Catering Company next door for a package of buns. You’ll impress everyone with your savvy picnicking skills.

EVENING:

Beating the chill The night is as cold as they come.

So what do you do when you can’t leave the hotel? Take a

November 2017 35

443 FORE STREET, PORTLAND 207 358 7830 EVOPORTLAND.COM

let it snow...

48 HOURS FOR NEXT TRIP

01

LODGING IDEAS GRAND SUMMIT HOTEL THE CHAPMAN INN THE INN AT THE ROSTAY

Chart & Map Jewelry and Accessories Handmade in Maine

DINING IDEAS LA CHOZA TACO BAR BRIAN’S 22 BROAD STREET AT GIDEON HASTINGS HOUSE ACTIVITY IDEAS MAINE MINERAL AND GEM MUSEUM THE GEM THEATER MUSEUMS OF THE BETHEL HISTORICAL SOCIETY SHOPPING IDEAS GOOD FOOD STORE NABOS S. TIMBERLAKE COMPANY

01 Slopes beyond the Jordan Hotel. 02 Refueling with a plate-sized cinnamon roll. 03 As usual, waiting for the snowboarder to strap in.

02 1 Pleasant St, Portland, Maine 207.221.6807 | chartmetalworks.com

03 plunge into the heated pool that connects to two outdoor hot tubs.

The wind is whipping, and within a few minutes our hair is white and frozen, all of us looking like whacky characters from a Tim Burton movie. We decide this is a good indication it’s time to call it, so we sprint inside and head straight for the sauna.

Join the Farnsworth [Collective]!

A dynamic group of art lovers and makers in the heart of Rockland, Maine. farnsworthmuseum.org/collective

For dinner, we head to Sliders Restaurant, which is on the slope-side end of the hotel and feels like a lodge on its own, with a high post-and-beam ceiling and a wall of windows to watch skiers “sliding” by. After a smorgasbord of shared apps, we roll out of there, full but not tired. As we reach the end of a hallway in the hotel, we find a ping-pong table. The group is full of some pretty fierce competitors, so we start a tournament. Other people walking by join in the fun, and soon enough we have started our own Saturday night sporting event.

SUNDAY MORNING:

Breakfast before the slopes

36

maine | themainemag.com

A big breakfast at the Jordan Hotel buffet gets us going early so we can finally hit the slopes.

We pack the trucks and check out so we can ski until we drop.

AFTERNOON: Skiing all day long

We are lucky—the snow is like sugar. Groomers have been hard at work, and we are thankful for the care they took. We start ripping runs, all together, looping around the mountain. We stop at Harding Lee Smith’s The Mountain Room, which is an oasis halfway up the mountain at Peak Lodge. Smith is here, and he fills us in on the patio expansion project due to start in the spring.

Next we find some leisure trails where we try freestyle tricks and some steeper trails that we challenge ourselves on. The sun comes out, and we carve the day away in glittery mountain bliss.

On the way out of town we hit one of our favorite spots, the Local Hub, located right on Route 26, for a cup of hot coffee and a treat for the road. The cafe makes some of the best sandwiches around with its madefrom-scratch bread. It also has a

rotating group of local artists on display.

And in a flash we’re back in Portland. It took less than two hours to reach the Bethel area, and was well worth the short trek. See you when the snow falls again!

LOCALLY MINED, GLOBALLY WORN. DIG IT! MUSEUM STORE & PREVIEW GALLERY Jewelry 99 Main Street

•

•

Bethel, Maine

Maine Gems •

207-824-3036

•

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Gifts MaineMineralMuseum.org

Maine’s premier mountain adventure destination . . .

Bethel, Maine

At Gould, we know that classrooms don’t need walls. Our students learn in the mountains, on the water, and within our authentic school community that balances innovation with tradition. Learn by doing.

Experience Gould now. Visit gouldacademy.org

Bethel is Maine’s winter playground, home to top-notch alpine and XC skiing, as well as miles of trails for winter play.

Bethel

Enjoy culture and comforts with lodging for all budgets, 30+ restaurants, a National Historic District, museums, and festivals and events in every season.

Bethel is a year-round recreational paradise. Visit Maine’s western mountains for endless hiking, canoeing and kayaking, fishing, golf on two courses, and scenic drives in every direction.

Andover

Grafton Notch State Park

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White Mountain National Forest

2

Bethel

Augusta

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113 5

Acadia/ Bar Harbor

Fryeburg 302

95

Gray (Exit 63) Portland

Just 90 minutes from Portland

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Schedule a personalized tour today: (207) 824-7777 | admissions@gouldacademy.org

SOUTH

ERN MaiNE’S CaSiN O

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Our luxurious new hotel and pub-style restaurant— open fall 2017!

With the 24/7 action of an expanded gaming floor, a new hotel featuring over 100 rooms, and a brand new pub-style restaurant, we’re building excitement every day! We’re just minutes from the Maine Turnpike.

We’re BUILDING

eXCITeMeNT! 38

maine | themainemag.com

OxfordCasino.com

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Persons under 21 years of age may not enter the casino unless licensed as employees. Gambling problem? Call 2-1-1 or for help.

Call for a free Visitors’ Guide and map

800-442-5826 | www.BethelMaine.com November 2017 39

Maine’s premier mountain adventure destination . . .

Call for a free Visitors’ Guide and map

we ship our furniture to japan canada germany great britain the netherlands portland,maine and just up the road.

But we hope you pick your order up here, save 20% and ski another day or two.

Just 6 miles from Sunday River Maine’s Premier Four Season Resort Escape to Maine’s White Mountains ❖ 150 country elegant Inn and luxury townhouse accommodations, over 100 with fireplaces. ❖ Dining Choices: Main Dining Room, our comfortable Terrace or casual Millbrook Tavern & Grille ❖ 6,700 yard championship golf course ❖ 40 km cross country ski & snowshoe center ❖ 200 acres of resort activities including a Health Club, heated outdoor pool, whirlpool, saunas, tennis, lake house with canoes/kayaks, spa services and more…

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You plan for a good time.

We’ll be here for the unexpected.

Stephens Memorial Hospital

181 Main Street, Norway, Maine (207) 743-5933 24/7 Physician Staffed Emergency Room

~ Travel & Leisure Magazine

www.wmhcc.org Facebook.com/StephensMemorialME 40

maine | themainemag.com

On the Common, Bethel, Maine (800) 654-0125 (207) 824-2175 www.bethelinn.com

Weddings ~ Meetings & Retreats ~ Golf, Golf School & Ski Getaways

“Where To Eat” New York Times, January 2013

Cozy rooms, great breakfast included; Mountain Explorer stop B

Western Maine Mountain Clinic

Located at South Ridge Base Lodge Sunday River Ski Resort (207) 824-4900 Open 7 days a week during ski season.

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Classic New England Hospitality

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Bethel

A Bethel Legend Since 1986 Award-winning food 29 beers on tap Open 11.30 daily for lunch, dinner and late night Live Music Thursday-Saturday 8 pm

At The Sudbury Inn Great Brasserie food plus Sudbury Inn classics in our gorgeous bar room, fireside, or on our scenic porch

Open from 5:30pm - 9pm Tues – Sat for dinner and cocktails

151 Main Street • Bethel • (207) 824-2174 www.thesudburyinn.com November 2017 41

48 HOURS

BETHEL: SUMMER in 48 Hours MELISSA PEARSON ART DIRECTOR, THE BRAND COMPANY WHERE WE STAYED JORDAN HOTEL AT SUNDAY RIVER WHERE WE ATE HARVEST BAR EATERY AND ALEHOUSE CHO SUN DICOCOA’S MARKET AND BAKERY SMOKIN’ GOOD BBQ BRIAN’S 22 BROAD STREET SUNDAY RIVER BREWING COMPANY WHAT WE DID SUNDAY RIVER BRIDGE SHOPPING IN BETHEL CANOEING AT BETHEL OUTDOOR ADVENTURE AND CAMPGROUND TOURING SUNDAY RIVER COUNTRY CLUB CHONDOLA RIDE

Nestled in the mountains of western Maine, Bethel provides more than just winter sports. The vibrant small town has great food and shops, and the surrounding area offers unlimited outdoor activities year-round.

01

FRIDAY

AFTERNOON: Gems and more

My husband, Trent, and I check into our spacious room at Jordan Hotel and spend a few minutes admiring the breathtaking view from our balcony. On our way out, we stop by the front desk for some area recommendations before we head down the mountain.

Our first stop in Bethel is the Maine Mineral and Gem Museum.

The inside is bright and spacious,

42

maine | themainemag.com

and features Maine gems such as tourmaline, meteorites from Mars, and a recently dedicated outdoor rock garden. The museum is in the process of expanding to feature exhibits and educational programs incorporating history, culture, and research.

02

03

04

After some window shopping at Ruthie’s Boutique, we head to Nabos, an eclectic gift shop located in an old gas station. Owner Amanda Moran’s black lab, Martina, greets us at the door. Inside we find a basket of free produce harvested from the store’s garden beds, located where the gas pumps once were.

EVENING:

Local tapas, dolsot bibimbap, and Japanese mules Just a quick drive away, we stop at Harvest Bar Eatery and Alehouse. On Friday and Saturday nights, the restaurant serves a tapas menu with 100-percent organic food cooked in its kitchen. The marinated olives and roasted cashews are amazing, and since the Northside Ramblers are setting up for their weekly open mic night, we stick around to catch a few songs.

Just down the road in downtown Bethel, we arrive for our reservation at Cho Sun, a Korean and Japanese restaurant started by Pok Sun Lane and her son, Scott Lane. The restaurant features a cozy mix of lanterns, natural birch branches, and vintage ski decor, which makes us feel instantly welcome. We start with the evening’s complementary small appetizers and try out the Japanese mule, made with sake, ginger beer, and lime. Next up, we split the mandu steamed pork dumplings and dolsot bibimbap—a dish composed of bulgoki, vegetables, rice, and fried egg.

It’s a house favorite for good reason.

SATURDAY MORNING:

The Artists’ Bridge and downtown Bethel We start the morning with the breakfast included with our stay at Jordan Hotel, which features a hot buffet

05 01 The Sunday River Bridge, also known as the Artists’ Bridge. 02 Canoeing on the Androscoggin River.

03 Phil McCrillis from Bethel Toys and Trendz. 04 Steam Mill Antiques. 05 The view at the Sunday River Country Club. and several breakfast stations.

I custom-order an omelet and enjoy a cup of hot coffee to start the day.

Before we head down the mountain, we drive to the nearby Sunday River Bridge, also known as the Artists’ Bridge. We stop for a while to explore and plan on returning in fall to see the view with changing leaves.

Bethel’s downtown area is very walkable, so we find a spot on Main Street and park for the morning. Our first stop is the Philbrook Place. A co-op shop of sorts, it offers two floors of toys, crafts, custom art, and vintage items to explore.

Right next door is Bonnema Potters, featuring beautiful work by husband-and-wife team Garret and Melody Dalessando Bonnema. The showroom and studio is both peaceful and inspiring. In addition to their colorful pottery, Melody creates ceramic landscapes and prints inspired by nature.

AFTERNOON:

Barbecue and the great outdoors For lunch we stop at Smokin’ Good BBQ, a food truck located next to the Good Food Store. We split the Pork Sundae—cornbread piled high with pulled pork, barbecue sauce, beans, coleslaw, pickles, and smoked cashews.

It’s a beautiful day, so we head to Bethel Outdoor Adventure and Campground. Rental options include canoes, kayaks, and stand-up paddleboard rentals.

We pick a canoe and spend the afternoon floating down the Androscoggin River.

We have a couple hours left before dinner, so we decide to check out the Sunday River Country Club, an 18-hole public golf club designed by Robert Trent Jones, Jr., and located in nearby Newry. We don’t have enough time to play a round, but we rent a cart and drive the course. The course is

a mix of immaculately groomed greens and natural woods and streams, with the backdrop of beautiful mountains.

EVENING:

Savory dips and delicious pasta After a busy day, we decide to check out happy hour at Brian’s. Everything from the large patio to the interior feels modern and refreshed, and we settle in for a quick snack. The spinach and artichoke dip we order is creamy and delicious and comes with garlic crostini and shaved parmesan on top.

We have reservations at 22 Broad Street, an Italian restaurant located in a historic Greek Revival house across from the town common and the Bethel Inn Resort. We are seated near one of the fireplaces and take a moment to admire how well the house has been maintained and restored. The wine and martini list is extensive and features more than 18 varieties of martinis. Several

November 2017 43

Character • Connection • Community

45 minutes from Portland 339 Paris Rd., Hebron, ME | 207-966-5225 www.hebronacademy.org

48 HOURS

01

02

& Catering Company

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

207-824-4744 smokingoodbbq.net

03

01 Details at Brian’s restaurant. 02 Riding up the mountain.

03 Street signs at Jordan Hotel. 04 Outside the Maine Mineral and Gem Museum. of the dishes come in smaller portions, perfect for splitting and trying more items on the menu.

We start our meal with the stuffed mushrooms, made with walnuts, aged cheddar, parsley, and focaccia crumbs, and finish with the spaghetti bolognese with a housemade classic sauce.

SUNDAY 04

MORNING:

Scenic views and antiquing For breakfast, we drop in at DiCocoa’s Market and Bakery, which has handmade pastries and sandwiches, plus organic fair trade coffee and espresso drinks. Even early in the morning, the dog-friendly patio is full of people enjoying the sunshine.

During the off-season, Sunday River’s ski slopes pull double-duty as an outdoor activity center. For the more adventurous, there is a lift-

serviced bike park, zip-line course, climbing wall, and bungee trampoline. Taking advantage of the natural surroundings, there are also hiking trails, electric bikes, and disc golf. We ride the Chondola scenic lift up to North Peak to take in the view and hike.

Off the mountain and having spotted an antique store on Route 2 yesterday, we find our way back to Steam Mill Antiques, where the farmhouse and barn are full of great finds. We end our weekend with lunch at Sunday River Brewing. The brewpub has six varieties of beer on tap, and flights are a popular choice for the patio crowd. Our barbecue chicken pizza hits the spot, and we grab housemade doughnuts for the road.

Open Thurs-Sun 11:30AM to 7:30PM Mon-Wed when you see smoke

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16 Parkway - Bethel, Maine

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At the gateway to epic skiing and snowboarding In partnership with Sunday River, Sugarloaf, Titcomb Mt. and others, UMF offers a unique Outdoor Rec. Business Administration major (ORBA) and an Alpine Operations Certificate. Both programs offer real-world experience in the outdoor rec and skiing industry — including internships.

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Simon Shaheen: “Zafir”

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FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2017 8 PM • HANNAFORD HALL, USM

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A-LIST

by Brittany Cost Photography by Peter Frank Edwards

SUNDAY RIVER NIGHTLIFE Winter’s short, pale-gray days provide the perfect setting for skiing and snowboarding at Sunday River. But as the sun begins to set, the region’s bars and restaurants swell with off-duty winter thrill seekers.

Matterhorn Ski Bar | Newry

Funky Red Barn | Bethel

Sunday River Brewing Company | Bethel

The Foggy Goggle | Newry

Open after Thanksgiving, Matterhorn Ski Bar features live music all winter long. The Sunday River standby also serves food—think quick, comfort fare like pizza and garlic knots that pair well with filled-tothe-brim beer steins and quirky, camp decor.

Recently renovated, Sunday River Brewing Company specializes in casual dining options like pizza, burgers, and donuts. After the kitchen closes, classic beers like the Black Bear Porter, a dark and roasted malt blend, or a hoppy Mountain Mama IPA help the après-ski crowd carry on with their festivities.

Suds Pub | Bethel

On the lower level of the Sudbury Inn, Suds Pub prides itself on the largest selection of New England beers in western Maine. Expect traditional pub offerings, including burgers and pizza, with some variation, such as a lobster and artichoke dip.

From its picnic tables to cafeteria-style chairs, the decor at Funky Red Barn is quaint and comfortable, and bar games like darts, pool, and checkers also keep the ambience casual. On Thursday nights, its famous 14-ounce prime rib is heavily discounted.

Located at South Ridge Lodge, the Foggy Goggle is an après-ski favorite, hosting Sunday River’s popular Bud Light Music Series, along with other live bands and dance parties; on weekends, aprèsski drinks can stretch well past the traditional 6 p.m. cutoff. Try their famous nachos with shredded chicken, chili, or Shipyard Export beer cheese dip.

The Millbrook Tavern & Terrace | Bethel

A top pick for families, the Millbrook Tavern and Terrace at the Bethel Inn Resort is open year-round. Happy hour specials include $2 draft beers and half-price appetizers from 3 to 5 p.m., and the game room, complete with a pool table, provides extra entertainment.

Opposite page: Matterhorn Ski Bar’s mug club.

November 2017 53

WELLNESS

by Dr. Lisa Belisle Photography by Matt Cosby

MAINE ADAPTIVE SPORTS AND RECREATION

CREATING ACCESS FOR ATHLETES ON THE SLOPES AND BEYOND

Opposite page: Volunteer Dave Keeler of Dover, New Hampshire, with a photo of an early Maine Adaptive participant. This page: John Fleury of East Waterboro tethers a biski being used by Jonathan Hewitt of Turner as Michael Robinson of Windham follows behind.

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November 2017 55

WELLNESS Maine Adaptive Sports and Recreation

From left: Mark Stevens is the vice president of Maine Adaptive Sports and Recreation’s board of directors, and Barbara Schneider is the executive director of the organization. Gary St. Laurent of Turner, Anne Gram of Ipswich, Massachusetts, and Cathy Carmody of Lynn, Massachusetts, assist Laughlin Alexander of Portland, who got involved last winter at the urging of his physical therapist, a Maine Adaptive volunteer. “Watching Laughlin participate and thrive with a sport makes me a very proud mama,” says Carly Cope, Alexander’s mother. Opposite page: John Palmer of Yarmouth skis with Barbara Hermansen of Kingston, Massachusetts.

W

hether we are skiing through the first rays of the morning sun while making lazy turns on Sunday River’s Dream Maker trail, or kayaking off the coast of Harpswell, we need a certain amount of strength and coordination to navigate Maine’s woods and waters. It is easy to take our bodies’ abilities for granted— until we realize that other people face limitations that make these experiences less accessible. Some individuals begin life being differently-abled, due to issues like autism or cerebral palsy, while others abruptly lose limbs, including young adults in military combat. Still others develop problems with their vision, movement, or thinking due to debilitating diseases like Parkinson’s. For the past 35 years, Maine Adaptive Sports and Recreation has helped more than 12,000 athletes overcome these challenges so that they can experience the healing freedom of the great outdoors.

Dr. Omar “Chip” Crothers founded Maine

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Adaptive in 1982 with the help of three colleagues. A Portland-based orthopedic surgeon, Crothers saw a patient of his skiing at Sunday River in Newry. Despite having cerebral palsy, she appeared to be maneuvering the slopes with grace. Crothers realized that this physical activity was helping her and wanted others to have the same experience. He contacted Leslie B. Otten, founder of American Skiing Company, the former operator of Sunday River, and Otten agreed to provide this opportunity at the mountain. Collaborating with cofounders Charlie Roscoe of Yarmouth and Charlie Stevens of Cape Elizabeth, they built the program that was first known as Maine Handicapped Skiing. The organization began with eight participants, two volunteers, and one part-time staff member at Sunday River’s South Ridge. They changed the name to Maine Adaptive Sports and Recreation in 2012, reflecting the fact that it now offers activities across the state and throughout the seasons—from summer canoeing at Range

Pond in Poland to autumn rock climbing at Salt Pump Climbing Co. in Scarborough.

“The idea is that people with disabilities can benefit socially and physically by exposure to sports,” says Barbara Schneider, a ski instructor and former attorney, who has been the executive director of Maine Adaptive since October 2015. “We try to understand what we have to do to tailor both equipment and the instructional process to the people who recreate with us.” Maine Adaptive currently operates out of its own facility at Sunday River, but still relies on the financial support of Sunday River. The program now features five different winter sports—alpine skiing, alpine racing, Nordic skiing, snowboarding, and snowshoeing—at seven winter locations, from Sugarloaf in Carrabassett Valley to Pineland Farms in New Gloucester.

Maine Adaptive athletes may be as young as four, and there is no upper age limit. Younger

November 2017 57

“I watch him struggle to keep up physically on a daily basis, but when he is skiing down the mountain, he is just like everyone else,” says Stephanie Dimke, mother of Luke Dimke, who was born with spina bifida. “You will watch so many participants struggle to even get into the building, but as soon as they are out on the mountain they fly. It is almost magical.”

A collection of vintage images from the Maine Adaptive program, which has been in existence for 35 years. Opposite page: Luke Dimke, age 11, of Barrington, New Hampshire, started out with a slider (a walker on skis) and tethers, but now skis independently with outriggers. He started with Maine Adaptive in the winter of 2010.

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November 2017 59

New England. Athletes with physical disabilities participate in the Diana Golden Division, while athletes with intellectual disabilities race in the Mills Cup Division.

Maine Adaptive has won the Diana Golden Cup for the past six years.

“Everybody has inside them some sort of athlete, whether it’s super competitive or just subtly competitive,” says Mark Stevens, vice president of the organization’s board of directors. “Some of these athletes actually compete against able-bodied athletes and do very well.” A former alpine ski racer, Stevens understands how important competition can be to one’s self-esteem. Stevens began his affiliation with Maine Adaptive at the suggestion of his father, cofounder Charlie Stevens, who prompted Mark and his Bates College teammates to take part in the organization’s first annual Ski-A-Thon in 1985.

From left: Volunteer Cathy Carmody helps Olivia Buck exit a lift. Gear used in the Maine Adaptive program. “They will find the appropriate equipment for you no matter what your disability is, whether you need a lot or a little,” says Stephanie Dimke, mother of participant Luke Dimke. “If you want to ski, they will make it happen, and they love to see you reach the best of your ability.” Opposite page: Taleah Buck of Bryant Pond helps her nine-year-old daughter, Olivia, get ready to hit the slopes.

participants are often afflicted with genetic problems that affect their ability to move or see well, while older skiers may have had strokes or accidents causing incomplete spinal cord injuries. “It’s really nice to see that intergenerational activity between young kids coming to ski and older people, some of them returning to a sport that they had done before,” says Schneider. Maine Adaptive also has a program, Veterans No Boundaries, for veterans and active duty military personnel with disabilities.

Maine Adaptive is made possible through the work of more than 400 highly trained volunteers, many of whom have been there for decades. Volunteers range from retirees to students at Gould Academy in Bethel and the University of New England in Biddeford. Each volunteer receives background information on disabilities, how they may impact movement patterns in a sport, and how people with disabilities are affected by changes in temperature. “We are very committed to making sure all our instructors have the skills they need in all

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the sports,” says Schneider. Maine Adaptive sets up courses to get people certified by the American Canoe Association, sends people through wilderness first aid classes, and provides scholarships so that volunteers can do Professional Ski Instructors of America certification exams and trainings. “That’s very important, and it shows, because the quality of our instruction is very good,” says Schneider.

Maine Adaptive participants often require specialized equipment, especially in skiing.

This depends upon their levels of ability, strength, balance, and spatial orientation and whether they have use of all four limbs.

Some skiers simply need modified poles and close assistance from a volunteer.

Other skiers who have more limited use of their legs may use an adaptive monoski, which features a bucket-like seat and shock absorbers attached to a single ski, along with special poles to help with balance and support. The device can cost between $5,000 and $6,000, but Maine Adaptive provides all necessary equipment for participants. “By

providing that free of charge and providing the instruction free of charge, we eliminate a barrier to access,” says Schneider. “For families who have additional costs, because they have children with disabilities, or for folks on a fixed income, that’s made a big difference.” At Sunday River, the mountain provides lift tickets for participants and volunteers, while North East Mobile Health Services donates a bus that picks people up at the Iris Network’s housing center in Portland every week during ski season.

Maine Adaptive enables athletes to reach their highest level possible. Three Maine Adaptive skiers have competed internationally in the Paralympic Games: Carl Burnett (Salt Lake City, Utah, 2002 , Torino, Italy, 2006, and Vancouver, British Columbia, 2010); Luba Lowery (Vancouver, 2010); and Lindsay Ball (Sochi, Russia, 2014). The Maine Adaptive Alpine Race Team has 10 to 15 members who train at Sunday River each week and compete in the Diana Golden Alpine Ski Race Series against racers from similar programs throughout

The Maine Adaptive Ski-A-Thon held at Sunday River raises a significant portion of the organization’s yearly operating budget, which is about $750,000. The Ski-A-Thon engages Maine Adaptive’s entire yearlong community, including both participants and volunteers. Last March’s event raised $345,000. “It’s pretty exciting for me as an ex-racer…to watch these athletes come through the program and know that the dollars that we’ve raised and the opportunities we’ve afforded them allow them to get out there and get these same opportunities that regular able-bodied athletes get every day,” says Stevens.

Stevens gives credit to the people and facilities that have made it possible for Maine Adaptive to thrive, carrying out the legacy of his father and his father’s fellow cofounders. “I don’t think we could emphasize enough Sunday River’s cooperation,” says Stevens. “They’ve been a phenomenal partner from the beginning.”

Thanks to the original vision of Crothers, who was inducted into the Maine Ski Hall of Fame for his work with Maine Handicapped Skiing prior to passing away in 2013 at the age of 71, Maine Adaptive has become the largest year-round adaptive program in the state of Maine for adults and children with disabilities. Stevens sees evidence of the importance of this every time he hits the Sunday River slopes. “To see these athletes move around on the mountain so freely when in their daily lives it’s a struggle to get around—some of them move probably better than 80 percent of the ski population that’s out there today,” says Stevens. “It’s phenomenal to watch.”

November 2017 61

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WADE KAVANAUGH AND BETH WEISBERGER Co-owners of the Gem Theater EPISODE #320

On February 12, 2014, the husbandand-wife team of Wade Kavanaugh and Beth Weisberger re-opened the former Casablanca Cinema in Bethel, which had closed in 2012, as the Gem Theater.

KATY KELLEHER

PODCAST

Katy Kelleher is a freelance magazine writer and editor based in Buxton. Her first book, Handcrafted Maine, an examination of maker culture and artistic expression, was released this year.

PODCAST

GARY LAWLESS

#315

#317

Kavanaugh is a visual artist who has taught at Bowdoin College in Brunswick. His first job out of college was at Gould Academy.

A Nordic skier, Kavanaugh chose the position at Gould in part to work with U.S. Ski Team coach Dick Taylor, who lived there. “There were some other people about my age who were trying to make the national team,” says Kavanaugh. “In three years I went about as far as I could go, and it was time to refocus on making art.”

In the meantime, Kavanaugh had reconnected with Weisberger, whom he had known from high school. They both grew up in Winthrop. Weisberger was working as a teacher in the New York public schools. Kavanaugh eventually decided to join her in Brooklyn, but they maintained their connection to western Maine. Weisberger, who had started a business selling spice jars on Etsy, decided that it was profitable enough for her to stop teaching. Pregnant with their daughter, she and Kavanaugh moved back to Bethel to live full time. “There’s kind of a joke that you’re not from Maine unless you’re born here,” says Weisberger. “We said, ‘Well, she has to be born in Maine.’”

Gary Lawless is a poet, publisher, and editor. He is also the co-owner of Gulf of Maine Books in Brunswick.

EKHLAS AHMED

PODCAST

#317

Ekhlas Ahmed is the vice president and co-founder of Darfur Youth of Tomorrow, an organization raising awareness in her community about the violence and needs in Darfur. She is also a writer and is now working on a book called The Bridge Between, an autobiography in poetic form, to share her experiences and raise awareness about Sudan.

Weisberger and Kavanaugh, who had joined her in the business while continuing to work on his art, found the shuttered Casablanca Cinema in the process of looking for more space for their company. With the help of a Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign, a donation from Sunday River, and a commercial mortgage, they re-opened the theater. In addition to commercial movies, the Gem Theater features independent films, art events, and live performances. “I think we work more now than we would like to, but we are also setting our own schedule and making a difference in the community,” says Weisberger. “I want it to be done the way we’re doing it. So that makes me proud.”

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November 2017 67

PROFILE

by Susan Axelrod Photography by Matt Cosby Winter is prime time for Chris Hayward, director of experiential learning at Gould Academy.

LEADING FROM THE OUTSIDE

FROM TRAILS TO TRAVEL, CHRIS HAYWARD TAKES GOULD ACADEMY STUDENTS ON JOURNEYS OF SELF-DISCOVERY.

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November 2017 69

PROFILE

Chris Hayward

To outdoors enthusiasts, Chris Hayward may have the best job in the world.

Opposite page: Hayward and a student on the Gould campus in Bethel. This page: Hayward, third from right, skins up a trail at Sunday River with Gould’s outing club students.

The director of experiential learning at Gould Academy in Bethel, Hayward leads students on wilderness camping expeditions, rock climbing adventures, and trips to far-away places like China and Tanzania—activities designed to develop kids’ curiosity, encourage exploration, and connect them to the world beyond the classroom. With a background in wilderness therapy and his own resume of outdoor achievements that includes being one of a group of three people who were the first to run the 100-Mile Wilderness portion of the Appalachian Trail nonstop, Hayward seems a perfect fit for the position.

I meet Hayward on a breezy, mid-April day at Gould, where snow lingers in some shady pockets of the campus. It’s nearing the end of his busiest season; in addition to his work at the school, the 44-year-old is a part-time ski patroller at Sunday River just up the road and director of the Mahoosuc Mountain Search and Rescue Team, as well as an avid ice climber and backcountry skier. If his schedule allows it, he will spend a week in March each year at Chimney Pond in Baxter State Park training for search and rescue missions, climbing, and skiing.

“Pretty much from November 1 to right about now, it’s seven days a week,” he says.

“But that’s by choice, and I love it.”

Winter is prime time at Gould, which has a second campus for competitive skiers at Sunday River. The ski area still has plenty of snow, and as he does on most winter days, Hayward got a run in early this morning before work. “Between 5:15 and 5:30 a.m. I usually go up to the mountain, skin up and ski down,” he says. Skins, which Hayward explains get their name from the sealskins the Inuit once used, stick to the bottom of skis, enabling the wearer to hike uphill without sliding backwards, assisted by a special binding that allows the heel to lift up. The skins peel off easily at the top; the skier locks her boots into her bindings and skis down. Called “earning your turns” at Gould, the practice is one of several “experiential traditions,” informal activities in which students are encouraged to participate. “We notice if people aren’t 70

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November 2017 71

PROFILE

Chris Hayward

getting out of their dorm or connecting socially, and faculty or advisors will pull them out and say, ‘How about checking out this trip?’ or ‘Go do this,’” Hayward says.

The core of the experiential learning program is Four Point, grade-specific initiatives that culminate in “journeys of self-discovery” just before spring break each year. The name is a metaphor for the compass points, Hayward explains, which dovetails with Gould’s mission to develop students as “whole persons” who are equipped to be citizens of the world.

Freshmen travel to China, Tanzania, or Ecuador, visiting important sites and staying with host families who have students their own age. “It’s designed to be a little hard, a little uncomfortable,” says Hayward, especially since these students have only just begun to adjust to their new home at Gould. But that’s the idea.

“It’s pretty neat to see a 14-year-old who’s nervous in September making friends in China, Tanzania, or Ecuador,” he says. “It blows their mind.”

In tenth grade, Four Point focuses on the arts and service, with students staying on campus to work with professional artists from the Haystack Mountain School of Crafts and others—including some Gould alumni—on “something they would not ordinarily do,” says Hayward. Junior year, the whole class spends eight days camping in the White Mountains, sleeping under tarps and learning how to make snow walls to stay warm. Hayward shows me Gould’s collection of winter gear, including parkas, boots, sleeping bags, and snowshoes; the school provides all the necessary equipment for the junior camping trip and other outdoor expeditions. Seniors do an independent project, an off-campus internship that helps them discover their own “essential question.” These experiences can come in many shapes and sizes and often involve outdoor adventures; one student, for example, rode his mountain bike from Banff in Western Canada to Mexico.

Hayward’s own journey in experiential learning began when he was two and his family moved from Dracut, Massachusetts, to an off-the-grid house in Alna. “I certainly remember the chore of bringing in wood every day to make sure we had a warm house,” he says. “And using the hand pump in the kitchen and heating up the water on the wood stove to have a hot bath.” He was studying business at Saint Joseph’s College when a family friend told him about Outward Bound. Hayward did a 23-day 72

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Opposite page: Hayward teaches a wilderness first aid class at Gould’s Pine Hill yurt. This page, from left: Students hiking up the mountain before skiing down is an experiential tradition at Gould. Hayward, who also serves part-time on the ski patrol at Sunday River, transports a patient to the patrol room.

leadership mountaineering course with Outward Bound in Colorado, and although he came back and finished his business degree, he knew his life would take a different direction. “I’m still in touch with my instructors today from 1993; it made that much of an impact on me,” he says.

He landed an entry-level job in wilderness therapy, at-risk youth from New Hampshire in a rustic residential setting. “The kids were tough, very challenging, and they were a step away from youth detention centers or adult prison in some cases,” Hayward says, adding that thanks to Facebook, he has heard from some of those kids, who thanked him for helping them turn their lives around.

difference in my life.’”

Gould students are a different population, but they can also find opportunities for growth through challenging experiences.

“The junior year Four Point expedition is a good example, because not everyone wants to go out in the woods for eight days in the winter,” Hayward says. “They may never want to do it again, but 10, 15 years down the road, we do hear from alums saying, ‘That’s what I remember the most, and it made a

Hayward and his wife, Heather, who runs the school store, are dorm parents at Holden, one of two boys’ dorms at Gould.

They have raised their two sons on campus; Tucker, 19, is studying environmental science at Westminster College in Utah, and Luke, 17, is a junior at Gould. Both boys are mountain bikers and freestyle skiers.

“As a family we did the Allagash in 2004— my youngest son turned four on a 100-mile

After working directly with troubled kids in the New Hampshire residential program, Hayward became an aftercare counselor, assisting them as they went back to school, connecting with their probation officers, and accompanying them to court to speak on their behalf. In 1998, he and his wife moved to Bethel to run a new business called the BIG Adventure Center. He later spent nine years working for Summit Achievement in Stow, a wilderness therapy program for 13- to 20-year-olds, before joining the Gould staff in the admissions department. He was named director of the experiential learning program in 2014.

canoe trip,” says Hayward. Heather skis and rock climbs—indoors—but doesn’t share her husband’s love of extreme sports. “She’s more about nutrition, cooking, and exercise, but not exactly into my choice of activities,” he says.

I ask Hayward if there is one outdooreducation skill he would, if he could, teach to every kid in Maine, and his answer is thoughtful but quick. “My mind goes to first aid, knowing how to take care of yourself or somebody else if something goes wrong,” he says. “That allows people to help other folks anywhere, whether it’s someone going into cardiac arrest on the slopes of a mountain, or coming across a car accident—those skills are transferrable.” Helping others and building relationships, whether it is on the Gould campus or in another country, is also a component of the experiential learning program. “If you travel 24/7 with a group, whether it’s in the woods or around the world, it’s hard not to let your true self be known,” Hayward says. “When people ask me what I teach at Gould, I always say, ‘I teach life.’” What better job could there be than that?

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SKIERS

FOR LIFE SUNDAY RIVER’S KIDS PROGRAM BUILDS SKILLS AND RELATIONSHIPS ON THE SNOW.

by SUSAN AXELROD Photography by NICOLE WOLF A young Sunday River skier tucked and ready to go fast.

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The youngest skiers in Sunday River’s ski school are called Mini Runners. The three- to five-year-olds are towed up the bunny hill on a special sled.

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On a brilliantly sunny Saturday in February 2017, the first weekend of winter break, photographer Nicole Wolf and I are navigating our way through a sea of skiers outside Sunday River’s South Ridge Lodge.

We hop out of the way as a group of kids, most skiing without poles, flies down the aptly named Broadway trail, two of the younger ones flopping on their backs in the snow to rest. A short distance away, a gaggle of the tiniest skiers in colorful snowsuits is waiting to be carried up the bunny hill.

Ski instructors in red Sunday River jackets lift them onto bench seats on a two-sided sled, telling the children “hands in the air” as they are belted in. “Goodbye, parents; the kids are going to be fine,” calls a smiling, bearded instructor, climbing onto the snow machine that tows the sled. The tots wave as the sled starts to move, then disappears around a bend, taking the Mini Runners off to their morning lesson.

The Mini Runners—three- to five-yearolds—are the youngest skiers in Sunday River’s four levels of seasonal programs for children. Since many are new skiers, the emphasis of their half-day sessions is safety and self-confidence. The next level, River Runners, helps already independent skiers up to age 12 improve their skills.

There are a few options for experienced skiers ages 13 to 16: Junior Professionals is aimed at teaching them how to coach other kids, while the 8 Peaks program is focused on helping teens develop advanced skiing techniques such as moguls and steeps. At the Gould Academy Competition Program, they can learn to compete in alpine, freestyle, or snowboarding. The programs are for children who spend most, if not all, weekends of the season, plus winter break, at the mountain with their families, who are largely from New England. On Sundays, 78

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From left: Ski school kids store their gear in cubbies at River House during lunch. After a break, a boy collects his skis and poles for another run.

the program ends at noon, allowing kids to get back home in time to make sure they are prepared for school.

I meet Catherine and Vake Dhingra at River House, where they are waiting for their two boys, Nikhil—known as Nik—and Rhys, to come in for lunch. The exclusive domain of young skiers in the seasonal programs, River House is a chaotic but joyful scene as instructors shepherd their charges through the buffet lunch line. The kitchen here is famous for its mac and cheese; the hearty and simple menu also includes kielbasa, 80

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chicken noodle soup, corn chowder, a variety of kid-friendly sandwiches, fruit and green salads, and whoopie pies for dessert.

Ten-year-old Nik’s group arrives first, and he’s soon tucking into a bowl of mac and cheese—his favorite River House lunch.

The only boy in his group, eight-year-old Rhys tumbles into the room, cheeks rosy from the cold and dark hair tousled from his helmet. “I really liked skiing a trail called Hollywood because it was steep, and I like steep,” he says enthusiastically as his mother tries to convince him to eat some fruit. “The kids are skiing triple what we

ski,” says Catherine. “When there’s people waiting we can cut them,” Nik adds: kids in the seasonal programs go to the front of lift lines. With eight interconnected peaks and 135 trails and glades spread over 870 acres, Sunday River has plenty of terrain for the young skiers to explore. “They traverse the whole area,” says Vake.

Catherine has been skiing at Sunday River since 1986, when her parents bought a condo on the mountain. She was a ski instructor in the 1990s and hopes her boys will follow in her footsteps. “When Cath

and I first started dating, we came up here, but I didn’t know how to ski and had never really been to a ski mountain,” says Vake, a first-generation American whose parents are from India. He learned to ski along with his sons, who started in the Mini Runners program when Nik was five and Rhys was three. “I would say that my biggest advocate was definitely my mother-in-law, because she did everything she could to get all of these training vouchers and coupons,” Vake says. “That’s why I was able to get better, just like these guys are doing, by going to lessons.”

In a joint venture with Catherine’s parents, the Dhingras eventually bought a condo next door to theirs at North Peak, a slope-side complex with a heated outdoor swimming pool they enjoy after days on the trails. They drive up to Sunday River every winter weekend from their home outside Boston. “We’ve got a finely tuned procedure,” says Catherine. “Sandwiches in the car and minimal bathroom breaks.”

While their friends at home know they won’t see much of the family during ski season, the Dhingras say it’s worth it for the experience their boys are having in the

seasonal program. And the benefits extend beyond skiing prowess. “There’s a great social aspect as well,” says Vake. “They build camaraderie with their friends here, they get time with their cousins, and it’s valuable family time we can count on every winter.”

Dorothy and Kent Redding are devoted to Sunday River, having come to the ski resort since before they had their two now-teenage sons. Dorothy wears a Sunday River logo necklace that she had made, and the couple plans to spend at least part of the November 2017 81

The Redding family, from left, Dorothy, Aidan, Kent, and Liam, skis at Sunday River every weekend from Thanksgiving until March. Aidan skis in the 8 Peaks program, and Liam is now coaching. Opposite page: Rhys Dhingra and friends goof around in the snow.

year at the mountain when they retire. In 2010, they bought a condo, where they head every weekend from Thanksgiving until the end of March from their home in Medfield, Massachusetts. Fourteen-year-old Aidan started skiing when he was seven and now skis in the 8 Peaks program, while Liam, 17, has been skiing since the fourth grade and is in his first season of coaching eight- and nine-year-olds. “Aidan absolutely hated skiing at the beginning; he hated being cold,” says Dorothy. “He complained every day, but we said, ‘Nope, this is what we’re doing.’ Halfway through Christmas of the second season he skied down to us and said, ‘Skiing is my new favorite sport.’ And that was it.”

Even though the Reddings were accomplished skiers, they felt that ski school was the best way for their boys to

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“OUR PHILOSOPHY IS THAT SKIING IS A LIFE SKILL.”

learn the sport. “When they were little, before we had a place here, we would always have a deal with them: one day lesson, one day ski with us,” says Kent. They had heard good things about the River Runners program, and as soon as they had a home at the mountain, “we were in,” he says.

I’m chatting with the Reddings inside South Ridge Lodge when Aidan joins us, his face flushed from the morning on the mountain.

In characteristic teenage-boy fashion, he gives polite yet unrevealing answers to my questions—Me: “How many runs have you taken so far today?” Him: “Not a clue.”—but his wary smile grows broader when I ask him about the friendships he’s made at Sunday River. “They have as good, if not better, friends here than they do at home,” says Kent. “Especially when you think about being outdoors all day—they just sort of grew up together.” Neither of the boys

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Opposite page, from top: The Dhingra boys relax after a day on the slopes in the heated outdoor pool at North Peak, a condo complex on the mountain. The Dhingra family, from left, Vake, Nik, Catherine, and Rhys. This page: Wearing his coach’s jacket, Liam Redding holds the door for a young skier to come in for lunch at River House.

has any interest in ski racing, although they both like to go fast, says Dorothy. “Our philosophy is that skiing is a life skill,” her husband adds.

His coaching responsibilities over for the day, Liam finds his family in the lodge.

“He used to be the one who wanted to ski more at the end of the day, but now after a whole day with the kids, he’s done,” says his mother. To learn how to be a coach, Liam skied with the Junior Professionals program, shadowing experienced ski instructors. “It’s different helping a coach and actually being a coach, because you have to get the kids to actually listen to you,” he says with a wry smile. “I had to climb 150 yards up into the woods to get a girl out of a ditch just an hour ago. That was fun-ish.

She was fine.” Because the kids look to him to set an example, coaching has made him more conscious of his own skiing, he says.

“Most of the coaches I had when I was a kid are still coaches here. When I don’t know what to do with a kid, or I want to get better, or just in general, I can go to them and be like, ‘Can you help me?’”

Later in the afternoon, the sun glints off the trees on its way to setting as Nicole and I catch up with the Dhingras at the pool outside their condo. Steam rises from the heated water and just beyond the fence, skiers and snowboarders glide down the Southway trail. The Dhingras are leaving the mountain at the end of the weekend to spend the boys’ winter break in Key West, and have plans to ski Big Sky in Montana in 2018. But they’ll be back at Sunday River, too. Rhys has his heart set on racing. “My coach told me I’d be good at it because I like to go around the bumps,” says the eight-year-old. As a late-to-the-game skier, I envy the fearlessness of these kids who, introduced to the sport at such young ages, develop skills that grow along with their bodies. At the same time, they are building relationships that will continue to draw them to this mountain, whose every curve, steep, and glade they know so well. In time, there’s a strong possibility that they’ll strap their own children into skis before they’re old enough for kindergarten, waving goodbye as the next generation of Sunday River skiers is towed up the bunny hill.

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WEDNESDAY

Slalom If it’s midweek in winter, it’s high time for some fast moves on the slopes.

by Sandy Lang Photography by Peter Frank Edwards

Beata Wiktor at the start of one of her runs in the Bud Light Local’s Challenge at Sunday River.

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The race is on. In a team-based weekly series, competitors ski the giant slalom course on Barker Mountain at Sunday River.

“ I LITERALLY SCREAMED THE WHOLE WAY DOWN,” Meryl Kelly says about her first time on the course.

skier, “She punches it on the front and sits and hits it on the backside—that’s her style.”

Don’t fall, don’t fall, remains her mantra, she explains. “As long as I don’t go into the nets I’m good.”

There’s been no new snow falling for a few days.

Temperatures are up to about 40 degrees in these first days of March, and the tree branches are mostly bare, but there’s plenty of groomed snow on the ski runs. Sunday River’s impressive snowmaking abilities are at play. At the skyline, what looks like a horizontal rainbow hangs in the last of the clouds across the sky.

Kelly, part of the Honey Badgers team, is wearing her race bib and eyeing the slope. She works in the events office at Sunday River and is part of a short line waiting for her turn on the giant slalom course that’s marked with flags on Barker Mountain. The competition crew set up the race arena this morning in the mixed weather of steel gray heaviness and bright, glinting sunshine. The trail is cordoned off with orange net fencing and is reserved solely for this week’s competition in the Bud Light Local’s Challenge.

From under an American flag at the starting canopy, the day’s 99 competitors are getting a panoramic view of the western Maine mountains that rise around Bethel and Newry and down toward Barker Lodge and the rest of the resort below. From the line, I hear bits of conversation.

“Where you been?” “Ah, I slept in.” “Go, Joy Tonic!” And as a competitor watches a fellow

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“Racers ready,” says John Gustatis when the courses are clear. Dressed in black and gray ski gear and with his spiky hair standing tall, he’s the competition staffer at the top who gives the goahead to skiers and snowboarders to start. The competitors typically race in pairs, whooshing and scraping edges as they descend the groomed dual-slalom course marked with red gates to the left and blue gates to the right. Kelly drops in, and I don’t hear any yelling. (While she talked of trepidations and having to work up her courage, I notice later that she finished with times right in the middle of the pack.)

Between racers, Gustatis tells us that some of the

skiers are elite and serious, and others are more laid-back—like teams in a bowlingand-beers league. He’s from Bridgton and grew up skiing at Shawnee Peak there.

Others here are Gould Academy alumni or have connections to Telstar High School.

Kids at the Newry- and Bethel-area schools ski early. And many of the day’s competitors work at the resort, at night at local restaurants and bars, or are retirees—this is a morning event on weekdays, after all.

Barry Hallett is the sole person I see telemark skiing in the challenge on this day’s runs. (He’s one of four who will ski the course that way over the season—teleskiing is a combo of alpine and Nordic ski styles.)

He’s also the only one with a GoPro camera mounted on a long stick, so he can film while he skis. “I’ll see you on the hill,” he says, smiling, as he manages his ski and camera gear.

Hallett is captain of the All Funked Up team and explains that his Bethel bar, the Funky Red Barn, is a major supporter of the Local’s Challenge. “What once started as a goodsized group of local skiers,” he explains, “has morphed into close to 150 participants from as far as Massachusetts vying for the coveted Golden Ski Boot.”

It’s the skiing that drew Barry and his wife, Brooke, here in 2008, and she skis for All Funked Up, too.

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FOR THE GOLD (BOOT) Except for the lack of large crowds lining the course with cowbells and roaring cheers, it looks like I’ve skied up to a smaller-scale Olympics event, like the kind I watched on TV growing up. Or maybe a preview of the professional alpine racing, the Pro Ski Challenge, that would be hosted

by Sunday River in a couple of days.

In addition to the big-name sponsor, the Bud Light Local’s Challenge has its own announcers. Doug Hall and Pierce Stevens are at the base of Barker in the timing booth—in a building not far from the decks of the Barker Bar—to closely watch the races and record times according to bib numbers.

“Time on the blue course for Katie is 27.46,” Stevens says into a microphone.

Wearing headphones, they are also communicating with Gustatis up at the top of the run. The men take turns announcing the names of each person crossing the finish line—people are finishing anywhere from just over 24 seconds to just under 57 seconds. Everyone gets two chances at two timed runs each week—one red and one blue.

And speed isn’t the only factor for a team to win; the scoring depends strongly on team participation. Twenty or more teams of seven competitors each take part in the 10week series from January to March. Points are highest for teams who have a full slate of participants turning out for races. Besides catching up with skiers at the start, I watch a while from the finish line, close enough to hear the skis chatter and skitter as the skiers come down, shifting their weight and leaning left then right in the zig and zag of a smooth slalom run.

Stevens’s voice breaks again into the winter morning air: “Tom on the red course for a time of 33.99.”

This competition is a winter tradition—a Wednesday tradition—to meet here above Barker and try your speed on the slalom course. Begun in the 1990s, about 150 people signed up last year. The teams represent groups of friends, and often the winners are associated with local ski haunts—the bars and restaurants around Bethel.

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Bragging rights go to the team that wins the “golden boot” trophy. The 2017 series winner was Roosters and Chicks, representing Rooster’s Roadhouse in Bethel. Opposite page: Barry Hallett of the All Funked Up team with a GoPro camera mounted on a long stick, so he can film while he skis.

Brent Grygiel takes this seriously. He’s the competition and events hill manager at Sunday River and competes for the Honey Badgers, which took home the Golden Boot trophy in 2016. The award is literally a golden-painted ski boot atop a wooden base that’s affixed with metal plates inscribed with the names and years of winning teams.

Hallett from the Funky Red Barn built the trophy’s wooden base, and the boot itself ?

That was Grygiel’s.

The prized boot is at the competition center offices when I stop by. The winning team keeps it for the year, and the prior year the winners were employees of the resort’s competition and events departments.

Grygiel himself is often one of the fastest skiers, yet the strategy he recommends for the series isn’t about speed. He advises, “The best thing is to just go out and ski.”

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Clockwise from left: Ted Bidwell of the Clydesdales team watches the next competitors.

Marilyn Schroeder of the All Funked Up team. In the timing booth, Pierce Stevens and Doug Hall record and announce the time for each race.

RHUMB LINE AND COASTGUARD At 71, Fred Shrigley, a.k.a. “Shred,” has been the owner and manager at the Rhumb Line restaurant in Gloucester, Massachusetts, since 1978, and bought his first Sunday River season pass in 1988. On one of his birthdays, he rented the race hill for an hour for a private giant slalom race. “I had a bunch of friends come up from Gloucester, and they loved it and found that it’s not as hard as they thought.”

He ended up buying a house in Bethel, and some of his friends bought places in the valley, and for about a dozen years during the Local’s Challenge series, he’s made the less than four-hour drive for a mid-week getaway to ski at Sunday River.

He likes how the scoring is weighted for team participation and the diversity of skiers—his longtime teammates include a millworker from Rumford, a retired social worker, a yacht broker, a carpenter, and a contractor.

“There are former Division One racers, Gould Academy and Sunday River ski coaches, and beginners who are snow plowing,” he says. “After a few races, you can find someone who’s near you (in speed), start talking trash with them, and be rivals for the season.”

For Katie Casey, the series is not only a friendly competition; it’s date night for her and Claude Muff, teammates on the Newry Coastguard team, one of the series’ fastest.

“Whoever loses has to do the dishes,” she says, smiling.

Beata Wiktor of the Mixed Nuts team, the fastest woman of the day, says what’s interesting is that skiers and snowboarders compete evenly. “Anyone can come and can win in your category. There’s no age or equipment discrimination.”

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Morning skiing with a snow season view. In the Bud Light Local’s Challenge at Sunday River, competitors ski, teleski, and snowboard on the giant slalom course.

POST-RACE PACE After the racers finish their runs on the course, it’s still early in the day. There’s time for lunch and an afternoon of more skiing or rest before the après-ski party.

Grygiel suggests a lunch stop at Farmer’s Market and Taps in Bethel (now called Harvest Bar Eatery and Alehouse), and I head toward Parkway Road. On this March Wednesday most of the tables and stools are full of people in sweaters and plaid flannel, and the menu is based on organic food and drink. I try a hemp milk smoothie with avocado and blueberries and a black bean burger on crusty bread made by DiCocoa’s on Bethel’s Main Street. The restaurant is known for its organic wines and craft beers, but I wait.

This team-based series is designed to be social. The night of each race (and often the night before, too), competitors meet at local bars and restaurants in a season-long showcase of area ski bars and restaurants, including Barker Bar, Trail’s End Restaurant and Tavern, Matterhorn Ski Bar, Suds Pub, the Foggy Goggle, Funky Red Barn, and Rooster’s Roadhouse.

Today, the after-party is at the Millbrook Tavern and Terrace, downstairs at the sunflower-yellow Bethel Inn Resort. The general manager there is Brad Jerome, a ski racer when he was at Plymouth State University in New Hampshire who formerly participated as part of the boot-winning team the Stay at Home Jeromes. He remains a devoted supporter of the series. By the time everyone gets to the tavern, all have cleaned up and changed from ski clothes. Beer and wine glasses are clinking all around, and after everyone has a chance to go through a dinner buffet line, Grygiel begins to announce door prizes and the best individual and team results for the day. Rhumb Line, Joy Tonic, and the Honey Badgers are in the top ten.

“ There are former Division One racers, Gould Academy and Sunday River ski coaches, and beginners who are snow plowing.”

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Fast times and fun every week: organized and timed by Sunday River, the Local’s Challenge is a Wednesday tradition on the slopes.

At the end of the 2017 series, I get a message from Grygiel: “The Roosters and Chicks are the champs and got to take home the trophy.”

That means the Golden Boot trophy will spend the year in a different spot—displayed with the toboggan sleds and ski gear decor at Rooster’s Roadhouse restaurant in Bethel.

Maybe the sight of that golden award will inspire other skiers to join the series. The highest goal of all of this, beyond the fun, is to create lifelong skiers, according to Shrigley and Grygiel. Some locals have been adding the local ski challenge to their calendars for years. Some wear their game face on the Sunday River race days, but mostly, they look joyful out there on the lift line. A Wednesday ski day is a way to keep moving and have a good time in snow season. And sometimes on a giant slalom course in the western Maine mountains, it’s a way to compete just like the pros.

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THANKS FOR MAKING 2017 A HUGE SUCCESS

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BIG PLANS, BIG VIEWS A casual mountain getaway on the slopes of Sunday River provides plenty of space for family bonding and outdoor exploring.

by Katy Kelleher Photography by Erin Little

Stacey and Rob Edelstein get cozy on the second-story porch of their Sunday River vacation home. After a long day of skiing and snowshoeing, they like to relax in the hot tub.

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The whole family, including the Stacey and Rob’s four kids: Michaela, Ross, Ashley, and Brooke. The rustic live-edge coffee table came from Arhaus, and Stacey bought the lamp at Top Furniture in Gorham, New Hampshire. Opposite page: No ski house is complete without a fireplace. This one is made from American granite, constructed by Keystone Masonry in Hebron. Sheila Lilly helped the Edelsteins pick out the tile flooring at Bethel Kitchen Designs.

“There’s a theme to our house,” says Stacey Edelstein as she wraps her hands around a steaming mug of coffee. “I don’t ever want to take out a bottle of Windex if I don’t have to.” Her husband, Rob Edelstein, laughs and nods his agreement.

“I envisioned this house as our forever family space,” he explains of his Sunday River ski chalet. “It’s supposed to be familyfriendly. There’s nothing in this house that feels uncomfortable—there’s no uptight atmosphere here. You can leave that at the door.”

The house, which was designed and built in 2014 by Bruce Lilly and Jason Lilly of Clearwater Builders in Bethel, is lavish in its comforts, from the moment you walk in the door to the moment you tuck into bed. The 6,500-square-foot house features a home theater (complete with a popcorn maker and leather recliners), a downstairs guest suite, a large deck with an outdoor hot tub, and an open floor plan that merges the living room and kitchen. This airy primary space is framed by large wood beams and lit by a wall of windows, which face the snow106

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“

“IT’S SUPPOSED TO BE FAMILYFRIENDLY. THERE’S NOTHING IN THIS HOUSE THAT FEELS UNCOMFORTABLE.”

coated white trails of Sunday River. “When we first situated the house, we focused on making the most of that view,” Stacey says.

“We also knew from the beginning that we wanted something open-concept. When you’re entertaining, everyone wants to be in the kitchen. Even with big parties (and we like to have big parties of up to 60 people), you’ll find that the biggest cluster is around the kitchen.”

The Edelsteins worked closely with Bruce Lilly during the design-build process to ensure that the finished house would suit their lifestyle, while answering to the everchanging needs of their four kids, Ashley, Michaela, Brooke, and Ross (who range in age from 12 to 21). “When we built the upstairs, I wanted to keep in mind the fact that we won’t just have our single children forever,” Stacey says. The bedrooms for the two oldest girls already feature king-sized beds that look out over the mountain, and the downstairs guest suite was planned to maximize privacy. “It’s as far away from the action, and as separate as we could make it,” Rob adds. “Whichever of our kids has November 2017 107

The house features a seamed metal roof and architectural asphalt shingles, as well as pine siding and cedar shingles.

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From left: They chose granite with a leatherette finish for the countertops, which is easy to clean and doesn’t show smudges or fingerprints. The copper farmhouse sink makes it easy to clean up after a big party. The couple wanted their vacation home to feel rustic, so they installed a sliding barn door and tiles that look like stone (but are far easier to keep clean). The lighting is from Rockingham Electric, and the tile is from Bethel Kitchen Designs. Opposite page, clockwise from left: Downstairs, a curved brick archway leads into the home theater. The house is decorated with family photographs and mementos. Although not all of the kids love to ski, they all enjoy getting outside in one way or another. A trip down memory lane: “We’ve been season pass holders for the past 15 years,” says Stacey. “We now have four frames filled with our season passes.”

children first can use it and have a lot of privacy for their family.”

They also considered their kids’ various hobbies and interests; although they’re a skiing family, not everyone is equally excited about riding the Chondola. Rob has been skiing since he was three years old— “It’s my passion and my vice,” he jokes—and Stacey has been skiing since she was 18, but Ashley and Brooke are more interested in other outdoor pursuits, like horseback riding (Ashley) and hiking (Brooke). “As parents, we know that our kids aren’t just extensions of us,” Rob says. “It’s important that we let them find their own passions and discover what makes them happy.”

Since they do like to spend vacations together, they decided to build a house that could accommodate their kids’ friends and provide plenty of entertainment for the non-skiers among them. (Hence the home

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theater and indoor gym.) “Brooke might not ski all weekend long,” says Rob, “but she can still come up here, work out, hang out with her friends, and have a great time.”

Since the Edelsteins knew they would be entertaining guests frequently, they decided to keep the decor as unfussy as possible—both to foster a sense of casual hospitality and to cut down on cleaning.

They picked granite with a leatherette finish for the kitchen counter surface, “which means it never gets fingerprints on it,” says Stacey. With the design advice of Sheila Lilly (wife of Bruce Lilly), Stacey chose furnishings that felt suitably informal and rustic. “You’ll see a lot of leather throughout the house because it’s an easy surface to clean,” explains Stacey. Leather also wears well. The Edelsteins’ large leather sofa will become buttery soft over the years, each scratch adding character

and a sophisticated patina of age. In the downstairs hallway, Bruce Lilly installed a sliding barn door, which hides storage cubbies and drawers from sight. A nearby door opens directly onto Ridge Run Trail, so after a long day outdoors, the kids can ski directly up to the house, unload their gear, and head upstairs to the kitchen for a snack.

While the upstairs features hardwood floors, the team opted for tile in these heavily trafficked areas, making it easy to quickly mop up any mud or snow that gets tracked in.

While the Edelsteins’ ski chalet is forwardthinking in its design, it also pays tribute to the family’s history. Around the house, you’ll find framed family photographs hung in distressed wooden frames, as well as collages of the kids’ ski passes and other bits of winter-themed paraphernalia, like old trail signs and vintage wooden sleds.

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Support your curiosity your inspiration your museum

SHOP PMA With exclusive items based on the PMA collection, one-of-a-kind works by Maine craftspeople, and books and kits for art-lovers of all ages, the PMA Store brings the local-business experience into the museum and the museum experience into your everyday lives.

Even better, 100% of each purchase directly supports the PMA. The PMA Store is open museum hours, no admission necessary. Shop online at PortlandMuseum.org/Store

Recessed LED lights in the ceiling provide extra illumination for the great room. The house features an open floor plan with the living room, dining room, and kitchen all flowing seamlessly into one another. The hanging chandelier was purchased at Rockingham Electric.

Although Stacey and Rob had to make hundreds of decisions during the designbuild process, the biggest choice—where to locate their long-term vacation spot—was a no-brainer. “We were coming up here every other weekend for years,” says Rob. “We’ve brought a lot of families up here, and so many of our friends have bought houses nearby.” Stacey, who is on the board of the Sunday River Advisory Council, says she feels right at home in the Newry area.

“For me, it’s an amazingly positive sign that Sunday River always wants to hear

from everyone. They want to do a good job, and so they listen to every bit of feedback about everything, from wedding planning to snowmaking to housekeeping.”

“Plus, Sunday River is unique in that it’s really family-oriented,” Rob says. “We’ve spent a lot of time at other mountains, and some have great nightlife scenes while others feel very New York. But Sunday River is geared towards families.” For a dedicated skier like Rob, the mountain’s snowmaking capacity is another major

draw. “They have unlimited water up here,” he says. “Other mountains have water limitations, but Sunday River can make snow whenever, even in low-snow years.

And the grooming? It’s just phenomenal.”

With endless snow, easy access to trails, and plenty of space for family and friends, this modern ski house may be newly constructed, but it seems destined to receive that elusive designation—a forever home.

SHARE PMA When you surprise a loved one with a gift membership to the PMA, you not only give them a year’s worth of arts and culture experiences—you also strengthen your museum for the entire community.

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Up to 100% of gift memberships can be tax deductible. Ask how!

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Andrew Wyeth, Alvaro and Christina, 1968, watercolor on paper, museum purchase, 1969.1646, ©2017 Andrew Wyeth/Artists Rights Society (ARS)

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 1

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 2

5PM–9PM

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Find the perfect gift made by MECA students, alumni, faculty and staff. We invite you to share an experience beyond shopping–connecting with the arts community, celebrating with your family, and buying local.

April 15 – December 31, 2017

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Farnsworth Art Museum 16 Museum Street, Rockland, ME 04841 207-596-6457 • farnsworthmuseum.org

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EAT by Karen Watterson

Photography by Nicole Wolf

BRIAN’S

BETHEL WELCOMES BRIAN’S TO AN EXPANDING CULINARY SCENE.

W

hen the opportunity arose for Jessica and Brian Nichols to move their restaurant from Rumford to Bethel, the decision was an easy one.

Jessica’s family had a ski house at Sunday River when she was a child, and they have lived in Newry for over 30 years. Brian’s parents had owned a bed-and-breakfast in nearby Rumford Point; he returned from working in the West to help out when they bought it. The bed-and-breakfast is gone, but his family still lives nearby in the winter.

Besides being close to their families, the couple saw great potential for growth in

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Bethel. “Of course Sunday River is a huge draw,” says Jessica, “but the summer has been even busier than the winter. Both the town and the mountain put on a lot of events that bring people in from away.” Popular events include MollyOckett Day in July, the Bethel Harvestfest and Chowdah Cookoff in September, and the Sunday River Fall Festival on Columbus Day weekend, which features the North American WifeCarrying Championship, a competition that receives international attention and draws thousands of spectators. “Then there’s the huge amount of golf groups and weddings,”

adds Jessica. “At first we thought Bethel might be too seasonal, but that’s not the case at all.” In their first year, the Nicholses have established Brian’s as a restaurant that’s popular with locals and visitors. “In the winter, we see the same faces every weekend.

This is their regular stop,” Jessica says.

“In the summer, it’s different all the time, with people passing through for the special events.”

We’re sitting on the deck of the restaurant on Bethel’s Main Street. The day has the first whisper of fall, with some colorful foliage starting to make an appearance, and it’s delightful here in the sun. The Nicholses added the deck, lined with big containers of purple petunias and shaded with a pergola, last spring, a few months after the restaurant opened in December of 2016. The couple purchased the distinctive, 150-year-old Gothic Revival building with its gingerbread

Opposite page: Soaking up the sun and enjoying all that Brian’s has to offer on the new deck. This page, from left: The Maine Mule, a local twist on a classic cocktail. The seafood vongole is a sumptuous dish, loaded with Maine seafood.

trim in August of last year, thinking it might need some minor cosmetic changes. “It was a little more than we anticipated,” says Jessica. They ripped out carpet, leveled the floor, and gutted the kitchen. When they took down the old tin ceiling, a packet of letters from the 1870s tumbled out. Jessica shows them to us, the cursive handwriting faded with age and the paper thin and fragile. She lent them to the Museums of the Bethel Historical Society for copying, and plans to do something special with them to preserve a piece of the building’s heritage.

The thorough renovation has made Brian’s a warm and inviting spot, with a small bar, two cozy dining areas, and a bright, enclosed porch, along with the outdoor deck.

Jessica made curtains that frame each area, softening the edges and adding an intimate touch. The couple brought some of the

furnishings and much of the staff from the previous location in Rumford. What didn’t come along, though, was the menu.

“This menu is a little different, a little more upscale,” says Brian, who is also the chef.

“There was more pub-type food in Rumford.

There’s none of that here. There are a lot of places in town that do pub food.” Jessica chimes in, “We wanted to do our own thing.”

That means elevated comfort food and attentive service. “It’s important to have those two pillars,” she says. “Everything is made from scratch, using local ingredients whenever possible.” An updated meatloaf with whiskey peppercorn sauce and garlic mashed potatoes is a favorite. “We can barely keep up with all the orders,” says Brian. “It’s all food that people love.” Chicken carbonara features a tender, roasted, garlic-glazed

Statler chicken breast over smoked gouda linguine, studded with peas and bacon. It’s an unusual twist on the classic carbonara preparation, decadent and rich. The chef’s seafood vongole is more traditional, a big bowl of linguine in roasted garlic butter and white sauce with tiny clams, shrimp, and scallops. “It’s a quick sauté,” he says, “that lets the seafood be the star.” The Italian influence found in most dishes comes from his parents, who owned an Italian restaurant in Massachusetts, where Brian started as a dishwasher many years ago.

The beautifully arranged charcuterie board includes prosciutto, capicola, and delicious house-made crackers dusted with parmesan.

There’s also smoked gouda, blue cheese, fig jam, and grainy mustard, all rounded out with tangy house-pickled cauliflower and carrots. But some offerings veer from that

November 2017 117

THE RESTAURANT FITS IN WELL WITH SUNDAY RIVER’S MOVE TOWARD BIGGER AND BETTER CULINARY OPTIONS. club. “Oh yes, and we have a wine club, too,” she says, pulling out a goblet, similar to the blue-glazed mugs. There are nine rotating taps, featuring many of Maine’s favorite microbreweries such as Funky Bow Beer Company, Foundation Brewing Company, and Geaghan Brothers Brewing. The list of wines by the glass is varied, with mostly familiar favorites but also a few surprises, all reasonably priced.

From left: Brian and Jessica Nichols have found a home for their restaurant in Bethel. “It’s been a dream of ours forever,” says chef Brian. It’s all from-scratch cooking at Brian’s, making the best use of local ingredients. Opposite page, from top: Chicken carbonara is smoky, rich, and a much-loved menu item.

When the historic building was renovated, letters from the 1870s were found hidden in the ceiling. Sesame-encrusted tuna with Asian slaw is a light, highly flavorful starter.

path, such as sesame-encrusted, quickseared tuna with Thai chili cabbage slaw.

“I try to stay up on trends,” says Brian. “I read all the food magazines and follow a lot of chefs on social media.” The menu at Brian’s adjusts with the seasons, and the chef anticipates significant changes as winter sets in. “Last year we had a lamb chop dish that was very popular, and I’ll add more steaks and chops. But Maine seafood will always continue, too,” he says. “Local oysters are a big hit.” Sous chef Ryan Blaisdell also handles the baking at Brian’s, turning out tender focaccia for summer sandwiches,

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along with desserts, such as seasonal fruit crostata, chocolate lava cake, and a decadent cheesecake.

Behind the bar is a small wooden plaque that reads “Too Sassy for You.” It turns out that “Sassy” is Jessica’s nickname, and a conversation with her reveals that side of her personality. She’s funny and a little irreverent, warm, and easygoing with the staff. She and Kelly Glover, the dining room manager, have created a fine cocktail list and enjoy “doing research” for new cocktails. “We even use Pinterest for new

ideas,” she says. The Maine Mule is a take on the classic, using blueberry vodka, fresh lime, and ginger beer, with plenty of fresh berries bobbing on the surface. Served in a traditional copper cup, it’s a light and revitalizing quaff after golf or a day on the slopes. There’s a pineapple-basil rum fizz and jalapeno-basil margarita, too, both tempting. “We try to use fresh fruits and herbs for muddling,” says Jessica. “Cocktails will change with the seasons, but the Maine Mule will always have a place on the menu.”

An array of ceramic mugs hung on a wall by the bar prompts me to ask about a beer mug

Last winter the Nicholses were so busy, there was no time to enjoy the slopes of Sunday River. “This winter we’ll know what we’re in for a little better,” Brian says. “It hasn’t even been a full year yet, so we’re still discovering how best to handle the season.” Brian’s has been welcomed warmly to Bethel’s growing dining scene. “People are eager for something new,” Jessica says. “We’re not a special-occasion place. Brian’s is good for any night of the week.” The restaurant fits in well with Sunday River’s move toward bigger and better culinary options. “The skiing culture in the U.S. is getting more interested in food as part of it,” the resort’s president, Dana Bullen, told me last year. The scene is growing, and Jessica and Brian Nichols are thrilled to be a part of it.

Brian’s 43 Main St. | Bethel 207.824.1007 briansbethel.com

November 2017 119

C H EF M IK E W IL E Y - E VEN T I DE OY STER C O .

THIS IS SO MAINE.

WE DELIVER.

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November 2017 123

THE MOUNTAIN ROOM

BY KAREN WATTERSON PHOTOGRAPHY BY NICOLE WOLF

Peak Lodge at Sunday River | Newry | 207.824.3000 sundayriver.com is barely eight by eight feet. “I had to figure out the menu based on the space,” he tells me. “I thought, what can I do that’s really cool and different, without a ventilation hood and without a staff ?”

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

H

arding Lee Smith, owner of the four Portland restaurants known as the Rooms, opened the Mountain Room at Sunday River last winter. The restaurant occupies a previously underutilized corner of the Peak Lodge, about halfway up the mountain, at the top of the Chondola lift. The curved bar looks out on the mountain through large windows. As of this winter season, the restaurant features a newly added deck with Adirondack chairs, communal tables, and blankets for colder days on the mountain. In the far corner is Smith, working by himself, fully engrossed in his cooking tasks.

He’s working with little more than a meat slicer, a conveyor belt toaster, and a panini press. The area

EATERY AND ALEHOUSE

BY KAREN WATTERSON PHOTOGRAPHY BY NICOLE WOLF

32 Parkway Rd. | Bethel | 207.824.3272 harvestbarme.com

window, perfuming the air nearby. It’s also used as an ingredient in chimichurri and salsa verde.

Live-edge tables and wooden bench seating with cushions sewn by a relative lend a homey look. Big chalkboards list an ever-changing roster of local purveyors and farms that provide ingredients to the kitchen. Harvest Bar Eatery and Alehouse has become a community gathering place, with 100-percent organic food, a long list of Maine (and other) brews, and live music several nights each week. Dumont makes cashew, hemp, and coconut milks for the restaurant, without preservatives and lightly sweetened with dates. There are many vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options, but the menu doesn’t adhere to any strict philosophy.

asktheexperts@themainemag.com Harvest Bar Eatery and Alehouse is the kind of place you’re unlikely to stumble upon if you didn’t know about it. You might miss the sign out front in your rush to get to Sunday River. But keep an eye out; Harvest Bar Eatery and Alehouse is worth seeking out.

Co-owners Felicia Dumont and Quinton Stevens-Palmer purchased nine acres in Bethel, where they live and hope to eventually establish a wellness retreat for mind, body, and spirit, incorporating their training and passions. Leafy Mexican oregano grows tall on trellises in the

maine | themainemag.com

Bartender Joe Moran mixes an excellent cocktail, including one created especially for the Mountain Room. The Mountain Mule blends Ice Pik Vodka with cranberry juice, ginger beer, simple syrup, candied cranberries, and rosemary.

Beer options are mostly local, with favorites such as Maine Beer Company, Allagash Brewing Company, and Banded Horn Brewing Company.

HARVEST BAR

OR ASK AN EXPERT FOR PERSONALIZED ADVICE.

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Smith’s thoughtfulness has led to a menu that’s simple but highly creative and entirely delicious. Three types of boards with cured meats, cheeses, and other fun fare are popular for sharing. Smith sources excellent soppressata, Calabrese salami, and prosciutto, and slices it to order, along with local cheeses from Lakin’s Gorges Cheese. House-made pepper jelly, quince paste, and mustards are fine accompaniments.

A menu category called “Toasts” features oxtail marmalade, made by Rooms baker Sean Doherty.

Smith tells me the meat is braised for ten hours, until meltingly tender, then finished with sherry vinegar for a touch of sweetness. It’s piled on a thick piece of toasted sourdough bread and topped with shaved Grana Padano cheese and a drizzle of truffle oil for a luscious treat. A pressed ham and cheese sandwich, with Iowa ham, soft goat cheese, and that zesty pepper jelly, is very different from the one you’ll find at the cafeteria.

Dumont is streamlining the breakfast menu and will be serving a tapas-style menu all day. Small plates include zucchini fries, cherry tomato bruschetta, and Cajun shrimp with grilled polenta cakes. There are a few larger plates, too, like roasted chicken and a Pleasant River Farms beef burger. Every dish sounds appealing, and each has a suggested beer pairing. She travels to Portland a couple of times a month to pick up beer from some of the microbreweries that don’t deliver to the area, like Lone Pine Brewing Company and Oxbow Brewing Company. There are also nine rotating taps, including one for Urban Farm Fermentory kombucha, and a long list of bottled brews. A smaller selection of organic wine is available, and a wine flight allows you to try several of them.

the

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Open 11am (May–October) Open Monday - Saturday, 12 Noontoto10pm 10pm • Everyday Sunday Brunch, 10:30am to 10pm (May – October) www.spiritofmassachusettsrestaurant.com The Spirit of Massachusetts is a 125-foot schooner built right here in New England at the Charlestown NavalShipyard. Her launch in 1984 was celebrated in Boston Harbor with a tallship festival that welcomed over 80 tall ships from all over the world. After her launch she served as a goodwill ambassador for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts while sailing the globe as an educational vessel. In 2014 The Spirit of Massachusetts was restored and brought to her new home in Kennebunk, ME.

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Sunday River Real Estate

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November 2017 135

SLOPESIDE CONDOS LOCKE MOUNTAIN F-4 4 BED, 4 BATH

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639,000

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LOT 46, MT. WILL DR., NEWRY $ 260,000

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45,000

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235,000

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385 SONGO POND ROAD, BETHEL 3

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159,000

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POWDER RIDGE

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99,000

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Ten cottages, two houses, endless possibilities…

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26 Osier Road, Bristol MLS 1319475

Each office is independently owned and operated

WILL FULLER YOUR MAINE MAN IN NAPLES, FLORIDA

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“Island Watch”

73 Freeman Ridge Road, Southwest Harbor $689,000 | MLS 1314834 Listed By Erica Brooks | 207.217.0505 erica.brooks@swanagency.com

Oceanfront home in lovely Yoho Head.

Spacious home with ample bedrooms, cheerful sunroom & a true chef ’s kitchen.

Mooring included. Gated community. $750,000 | MLS 1321567 Listed by Marcella Flubacher 207.479.7611 marcella.flubacher@swanagency.com

Each office is independently owned and operated.

325 Vanderbilt Beach Road, Naples, Florida 34102 239.207.0483 | will.fuller@premiersir.com | willfuller.com

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PREMIERSOTHEBYSREALTY.COM

Sotheby’s International Realty and the Sotheby’s International Realty logo are registered service marks used with permission. Each office is independently owned and operated.

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Are you looking for a neighborhood that offers a true Maine lifestyle?

CONSIDER THE NEWEST PREMIER COMMUNITY IN OLD ORCHARD BEACH • Fully Customizable Plans • Common Water Frontage • Private Walking Trails • 15 Minutes to Portland • 90 Minutes to Boston

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CALL 207-956-0543 FOR MORE INFORMATION OR VISIT WWW.PONDVIEWWOODS.COM

A SALUTE TO OUR VETERANS

Brian Wilson has a proven tradition of excellence, trust, and service.

WITH THANKS FOR THE PEACE WE ENJOY

Call Brian today for all of your Real Estate Needs.

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DAVID WILSON NOV 2 – NOV 30

91% of millennials wish they had greater access to entrepreneurial education programs.

Volunteer with Junior Achievement this school year and help empower young people across Maine to own their economic success. Visit jamaine.org to learn more.

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OPENING RECEP TION

THURSDAY, NOV 2, 5–7PM

154 Middle Street, Portland, Maine TO REQUEST A SHOW CATALOG OR SCHEDULE A PRIVATE VIEWING PLEASE CONTACT EMMA WILSON OR LAURA BRYER AT 207.956.7105

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CAPTURE

by Robert Killam

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

Follow us on Instagram and use #CaptureMaine to share your love of the state.

“ M

y family and I were finishing up a day of skiing at Sunday River last December, and this sunset struck me as we took our final run of the day down Dream Maker trail. I have never had a bad day skiing in Maine, but this time I felt a real connection to the mountain and my surroundings. As a photographer, I am continually looking for my next shot, and Sunday River has always provided the natural beauty and background I look for in my photos. I like taking pictures of sunsets, not only because they are visually appealing, but they often emphasize the end of a great day. The incredible mountain views from the slopes of Sunday River never cease to amaze me.

I have been skiing at Sunday River for as long as I can remember, and I always look forward to making the trip up several times each winter.

Robert Killam is a 16-year-old self-taught photographer living west of Boston. He often travels to Maine to visit family and is currently a junior in high school. You can follow him on Instagram @robertkillamphotography.

THIS IS SO MAINE.

October 2017

HAND-SEWN HERITAGE

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OCTOBER 2017

WE DELIVER.

Continuing the state’s shoemaking tradition

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OUR ANNUAL FINANCIAL LISTING

RUSTIC REFINED A MAGICAL ESCAPE ON MOOSEHEAD LAKE + Inside a 200-year-old York farmhouse

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Fine home builders, general contractors, and developers

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