OPM September

Page 1

THE

Boating Issue

SEPTEMBER 2018

LOVING LIFE ON THE ISLANDS

SETTING SAIL WITH TRADITION

PLACES TO DOCK AND DINE


Photos courtesy of Bloomsburg Carpet

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

capozzaflooring.com

oldporttile.com

capozza-cs.com


Progress is never backing down. Introducing the all-new Audi S5 Coupe.

Morong Falmouth Audi 187 US ROUTE ONE 207-781-4020 WWW.MORONGFALMOUTHAUDI.COM “Audi,” all model names, and the four rings logo are registered trademarks of Audi AG. ©2017 Audi of America, Inc.


PORTLAND’S ONLY P ORTL AND’S ONLY ALL-SUITE WATERFRONT HOTEL ALL- SUITE WATERFRONT HOTEL

Located inLocated downtown Portland, just steps from the shops, restaurants, galleries, in downtown Portland, just steps from the shops, restaurants, and attractions galleries, and attractions ofof thethe city’scity’s historichistoric Old Port. Old Port.

145 Fore Street, Portland, Maine 04101 145 Fore Street, Portland, Maine 04101 ToTo reserve your room, 207-761-1660 or 1-800-MARRIOTT reserve your call room, call 207-761-1660 or 1-800-MARRIOTT OrOr visitvisit our web at marriott.com/pwmdt oursite web site at marriott.com/pwmdt


l a p O ry e e r Ra iscov D Earrings F9583 $2,305.00

Pendant F9582.....$4,167.00

Bracelet F9581.....$5,815.00

Spectacular African Opals from new finds in Welo, Ethiopia

Color unlike anything you have ever seen. Color that sweeps and darts, vanishes and reappears. One moment it’s red, then orange, then violet and on to ghostly blues and spectral greens, apparitions of a longlost world, playing, dancing, cavorting across the surface. Colors dreaming within the gems. Look once, look twice, look a hundred times, always different. Carry one close to your heart, a pendant, a necklace, hold colors near the ear, and for dramatic moments of outreach, a bracelet or a ring too. No matter what we say, it can’t convey, no matter what we show in print and video, they don’t begin to explain. Visit us and see. Visit us and in two minutes you will see something you never knew existed, you couldn’t possibly have known. Your heart will know, you must have, must take one home with you… or two, or three. Everything is Early Welo, amazing values. Welo opals set in 22 karat yellow gold. We have the definitive collection of Welo opal in New England. Each gem is individually chosen, lovingly handcrafted. Adding new pieces weekly. $450.00 to $7,500.00

Over 100 pieces of Welo opal jewelry on display. This is a must see. Absolute Satisfaction Guaranteed on anything you purchase. Full 30-day refund.

MM818

Cross Jewelers 570 Congress St., Downtown, Portland, Maine

More on-line www.CrossJewelers.com/welo Open Monday - Friday 9:30am to 5:00pm 1-800-433-2988


Our guests have spoken. Our customers are raving about DiMillo’s Lobster Mac & Cheese– Come in, relax, and treat yourself!

views “Wonderful of the marina. Excellent food and atmosphere!

You haven’t experienced the real Maine until you’ve dined at DiMillo’s!

In the Old Port, Portland, ME

207.772.2216

www.dimillos.com

Always free parking while you’re on board.


1912


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

1. We’re not judging your body. at all. We want you to look and feel your best, and your stomach/back/stretch marks/etc. is the last thing on our mind when getting you the right fit.

2. Your underarms are not fat. Everyone has loose skin there, and no one notices it when you’re wearing a shirt. Don’t sweat it. How is anyone supposed to tone that area, anyway?!

3. And your breasts aren’t saggy. They’re completely normal! Trust us - we’ve seen hundreds and hundreds of them. We know what’s “normal”. Nobody actually looks like the Cosmo cover models.

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

5. Speaking of seeing it all... Don’t be embarrassed or ashamed of your breast shape or size. It is actually more common for women to have asymmetrical breasts than to have so-called “perfect” ones. There is never a need to feel sorry or apologize for your breasts!

6. The experts aren’t always right. Are we experienced? Yes. Do we know what we’re talking about? Of course! But guess who’s in charge? You are. If something feels uncomfortable, trust your gut. You know your own body. Would you let a hairstylist chop your hair into a pixie cut because they think it would suit your face? But everybody is unique and you should make any final decisions for yourself because they make you genuinely happy.

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

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

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

10. In the end, it’s about what makes you feel confident and comfortable in your own skin. This is what Aristelle is about. There are many choices of brands and styles in every lingerie store (but not many have the range of sizes we offer). If you’re overwhelmed, we’re here for you! And if you’d rather have your privacy and try things on without our feedback, just let us know. The space is yours, and we want your shopping experience to feel safe and relaxed. On a budget? No worries. If there’s one thing we want you to remember more than anything else on this list, we’ll say it again: We’re not judging your body or you.

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


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

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

1. We’re not judging your body. at all. We want you to look and feel your best, and your 1. We’re not judging your body. at all. stomach/back/stretch marks/etc. is the last thing on our

We want you to look and feel your best, and your mind when getting you the right fit. stomach/back/stretch marks/etc. is the last thing on our mind when getting you the right fit.

2. Your underarms are not fat. Everyone has loose skinare there, 2. Your underarms notand fat.no one notices it when you’re wearing a shirt. Don’t sweat it. How is

Everyone has loose skin there, and no one notices it anyone supposed to tone that area, anyway?! when you’re wearing a shirt. Don’t sweat it. How is anyone supposed to tone that area, anyway?!

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

They’re completely normal! Trust us - we’ve seen “normal”. Nobody actually looks like the Cosmo cover hundreds and hundreds of them. We know what’s models. “normal”. Nobody actually looks like the Cosmo cover models.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


September 2018 34

ISLANDS IN THE BAY

RESIDENTS OFFER PERSPECTIVE ON LIFE AWAY FROM THE MAINLAND. by Susan Axelrod and Blair Best Photography by Sean Thomas

THIS PAGE: “ It’s easier to compartmentalize life when at the end of the day you have to make the 5:30 boat.” –AMANDA O'BRIEN


48

ON HER WATCH

ABOARD FRANCES, CAPTAIN MEGAN JONES HONORS PORTLAND’S SAILING HERITAGE AND HER PERSONAL STORY.

by Susan Axelrod Photography by Sean Thomas

56

PERSONAL SPACE

ANNE AND BOB RITCHIE CREATE SEPARATELY AND TOGETHER IN A SOUTH FREEPORT FARMHOUSE.

by Susan Axelrod Photography by Myriam Babin

48 17 TAKE NOTICE

NEWS, NOTES, AND MORE

18 DINE

DOCKSIDE GRILL IN FALMOUTH

22 36HRS PORTLAND ISLAND HOPPING IN CASCO BAY

26 PROFILE

FOR RIPPLEFFECT EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR ADAM SHEPHERD, OUTDOOR EDUCATION IS A PATH TO LEADERSHIP SKILLS.

70 A-LIST

THE BOATER'S GUIDE TO CASCO BAY RESTAURANTS

IN EVERY ISSUE 13 14 15

EDITOR’S NOTE STAFF INSIGHTS TALENT ROSTER

ON THE COVER

KOKOMO, A CATALINA 34, SAILS INTO THE FOG ON CASCO BAY. Photography by Erin Little

56


FindABoneDoctorME.org

So You Can Live in Motion. She could run for hours listening to her favorite music. Between kids and work, a different type of marathon was definitely in the cards. At St. Mary’s Health System, a member of Covenant Health, we know you need expert Orthopedic care tailored to your specific bone and joint need to help you live in motion. • Total and Partial Joint Replacement

Orthopedics

• Arthroscopic Repair & Surgery • Joint Reconstruction

Orthopedics

• Foot & Ankle Medicine & Surgery

Orthopedics

Offices in Auburn and Portland Same Day Appointments Available 207.333.4710

Orthopedics

Orthopedics


Trademark, Inc.

General Contractor South Por tland, Maine 2 0 7. 7 6 7. 3 5 5 2 trademarkdesignbuild.com

Come Cruise Casco Bay or explore the islands on Portland’s iconic ferry!

Visit our website, call or stop by the terminal to learn more about the many affordable options to get out on the water. cascobaylines.com ¡ (207) 774-7871


You’ll find it here. EDITOR | Susan Axelrod ART DIRECTOR | Sarah Prak CREATIVE DIRECTOR | Joel Kuschke PRODUCTION MANAGER | Nichole Heady ASSOCIATE EDITORS | Kate Gardner, Emma Simard COPY EDITOR | Katherine Gaudet PROOFREADER | Skye Adams PHOTOGRAPHERS |

Ted Axelrod, Myriam Babin, Matt Congdon, Dave Dostie, Erin Little, Sean Thomas, Nicole Wolf

PUBLISHER & CEO | Andrea King ADVERTISING ACCOUNT MANAGERS |

Ryan Hammond, Peter Heinz, Tom Urban DIRECTOR OF FINANCE | Melissa Olander DIRECTOR OF MARKETING | Scott Wentzell DIRECTOR OF EVENTS & VISIBILITY | Shelbi Wassick OFFICE MANAGER | Casey Lovejoy GRAPHIC DESIGNER | Taylor Adams CIRCULATION | Sarah Lynn INTERN | Blair Best

MAINE MAGAZINE

Kate Gardner, Paul Koenig, Joel Kuschke MAINE HOME+DESIGN

Danielle Devine, Joel Kuschke, Emma Simard STATE 23 MEDIA

Adam Japko, Sandy Spaulding Managing Partners

SUBSCRIBE | oldport.com

Old Port is published twelve times a year by State 23 Media LLC.

abacusgallery.com

CRAFT . HOME . JEWELRY

Editorial and subscription information: phone 207.772.3373 | fax 888.836.6715 16 Middle Street | Suite 501 | Portland | Maine | 04101 Opinions expressed in articles or advertisements, unless otherwise noted, do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the publisher, staff, or advisory board. Every effort has been made to ensure that all information presented in this issue is accurate, and neither Old Port nor any of its staff is responsible for omissions or information that has been misrepresented to the magazine. Copyright © 2018, State 23 Media 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. oldport.com

Since 1971 | Boothbay Harbor Freeport Kennebunkport Ogunquit Portland 800.206.2166 | 12 OLD PORT

oldport.com


Editor’s Note PHOTOGRAPHY BY TED AXELROD

M

ost of us who live in Maine are familiar with Mark Twain’s famous quote: “If you don’t like the weather in New England now, just wait a few minutes.” In our coastal city, we’ve learned to deal with changeable weather, while other kinds of change—the closing of a beloved neighborhood bar, or the rise of new condominiums—may be harder to accept. But the older we get, we realize that change is life’s common thread, and that more times than not, it makes sense to embrace it.

Another change is that going forward, we will be publishing Old Port quarterly, instead of monthly. We are confident that this will better serve our advertisers, and allow us to create more robust issues chock full of the informative, useful, beautifully illustrated content you have come to expect from us. Each issue will be focused on a theme, starting with November, which will be our second-annual Holiday Issue and Gift Guide (if you’re a retailer or a maker, look for our gift-guide submission form online soon).

There have been a number of recent and positive changes involving Old Port and our sister publications Maine and Maine Home+Design. We have a new ownership team and a new company name: State 23 Media. Managing editors, including me, have been elevated to editors, and we no longer have an editor-in-chief. We are exploring new coverage areas, new story ideas, and new ways to present our content, both in print and online.

Boaters know all about anticipating change, whether it’s a shift in the wind, a sudden squall, or seaweed caught in the propeller. So it seems fitting that this issue is devoted to boating. This is the twelfth season that Captain Megan Jones has taken people out sailing from the Maine State Pier on Frances, a traditional vessel she helped to build (On Her Watch, page 48). Boats obviously play a large role in the lives of Casco Bay islanders.

Photographer Sean Thomas visited the five that are inhabited year round for a photo essay that includes interviews with residents like Rick Frantz, of Great Diamond, who says riding the Casco Bay Lines ferry feels “like you’re all part of the same tribe”(Islands in the Bay, page 34). Teaching kids how to have fun on the water and build community is the goal of Rippleffect executive director Adam Shepherd, who Maine magazine associate editor Kate Gardner witnessed in action on Cow Island (Kayak Connection, page 26). And even if you don’t arrive by boat, you’ll find great food and friendly faces at Dockside Grill in Falmouth (Dine, page 18). I’m excited about Old Port’s new direction and I hope you will be too. As always, I’d love to hear from you with questions or thoughts you’d like to share.

SUSAN AXELROD Editor saxelrod@oldport.com

SEPTEMBER // 2018

13


Staff Insights W H AT ' S Y O U R FAV O R I T E WAY T O G E T O U T O N T H E WAT E R ? “ By paddleboard early in the morning at Crescent Beach in Cape Elizabeth. It’s so quiet and peaceful, and makes me realize what a four-season state we live in. There are always a few swimmers, occasional kite boarders, and lobster boats heading out. There are families of ducks and sometimes you’ll even see deer prints on the sand as you push the board into the water.” Andrea King CEO & Publisher aking@themainemag.com

“The sunset wine cruise aboard the Frances, a vessel captained by Megan Jones of Maine Sailing Adventures. Sommelier Erica Archer joins her onboard to provide you with some amazing wine, a few insider tips, and even some light snacks. Not only is it a beautiful, comfortable boat to sail on, the views of the Old Port from the bay can’t be beat. There’s something about the silence of gliding through the water with only the power of wind against the sails that makes you exhale, sit back, and relax.” Nichole Heady Production Manager nheady@themainemag.com

“If I’m not swimming I like to be on a boat on the ocean. It is such a sensory experience: overwhelming sunshine, icy cocktails, salty air. Our time to do this is limited by the seasons so I really appreciate any chance to be on or in the water.” Taylor Adams Graphic Designer tadams@themainemag.com

14 OLD PORT

oldport.com

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 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 | Family 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

SUBSCRIBE | oldport.com

Old Port is published twelve times each year by State 23 Media LLC Editorial and subscription information: phone 207.772.3373 | fax 888.836.6715 16 Middle Street | Suite 501 | Portland | Maine | 04101 Opinions expressed in articles or advertisements, unless otherwise noted, do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the publisher, staff, or advisory board. Every effort has been made to ensure that all information presented in this issue is accurate, and neither Old Port nor any of its staff is responsible for omissions or information that has been misrepresented to the magazine. Copyright © 2018, State 23 Media 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. oldport.com


Talent Roster

THE PEOPLE BEHIND OLD PORT MAGAZINE

KATE GARDNER

Kate Gardner is the associate editor of Maine magazine and has lived in Portland’s West End for four years. When not writing, she can be found exploring the Old Port’s many bookstores and coffee shops. For this issue, she visited Cow Island to meet Adam Shepherd and learn about Rippleffect, an outdoor leadership program for kids and teens (Kayak Connection, page 26).

BLAIR BEST

Editorial intern Blair Best was raised on the midcoast and is a graduate of New York University’s Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute and Tisch School of the Arts. When not on assignment, she can be found hiking in the mountains, writing on the beach, or training in the studios of Portland Ballet. For this issue, she traveled to the Casco Bay islands to capture the everyday lives of yearround residents on Cliff, Great Diamond, and Long (Islands in the Bay, page 34).

Subscribe at

oldport.com

SEAN THOMAS

Freelance photographer Sean Thomas has been documenting with his camera for most of his life. A graduate of Savannah College of Art and Design, he is excited to be living in Maine, and to continue telling stories about the people and places that make up the state that he loves, including the islands of Casco Bay he captured for this issue (Islands in the Bay, page 34).

MELISSA OLANDER

Director of finance Melissa Olander was born and raised in central Maine before moving to the Portland area 25 years ago. With its diverse culture, food scene, and waterfront, she considers Portland an ideal place to live and work. She and her husband Erik spend their time playing golf, boating, and traveling, and it was a special treat to spend time on Great Diamond Island for this issue (Island Hopping in Casco Bay, page 22).

SEPTEMBER // 2018

15


CLASSIC COMFORT FOODS

MADE FROM SCRATCH Lunch at 11AM Dinner at 4PM Happy Hour 3PM-5PM Monday-Saturday

365 MAIN STREET YARMOUTH, MAINE | 207.847.0580 | OWL ANDELM.COM


Take Notice N E W S, N OT E S, A N D M O R E BY BLAIR BEST THE PORTLAND INTERNATIONAL JETPORT is due to receive a $3.88 million federal grant from the Airport Improvement Program. The funds will be used to expand airplane parking and build a brand new taxiway; both are part of a plan to reach 2.3 million passengers by the end of 2036.

Photo by David Heady

THIS IS SO PORTLAND.

Photos courtesy of Sticky Sweet

STICKY SWEET, the Thaistyle sticky rice and vegan ice cream company has opened at 119 Cumberland Ave. on the corner of Cleeve Street. Owners Kelley and Ashley Dow started their business in 2017 with a stall at the Portland Public Market. The plant-based ice cream, in flavors such as sea salt maple and mint chunky chip, is also sold at the Portland Food Co-op.

A team from Boda is bringing a new cold brew coffee company to Portland. EMPYREAL BEVERAGES meaning “belonging to or deriving from heaven,” is a new shop opening soon on Riverside Street with the hopes of producing everything from flavored cold brews to nitro Thai iced teas.

NICOLE MAINES, the transgender activist who grew up in Portland and won the landmark case for transgender rights in 2014, is now the first person to be cast as a transgender superhero on a popular television series. Maines will play the recurring role of reporter Nia Nal on the CW show Supergirl. She is filming in Vancouver, British Columbia, and is expected to finish in April 2019.

Happening in September 9.1

DARK FOLLIES 10TH ANNIVERSARY SHOW 2 p.m. & 8p.m. Mayo Street Arts 10 Mayo St. | Portland §brownpapertickets.com

WE DELIVER.

9.16

Subscribe 207 772 3373 themainemag.com/subscribe

FLEA BITES FOOD TRUCK BRUNCH 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. Portland Flea-for-All Congress Sq. Park | Portland §congresssquarepark.org

JIM BRADY THINKS AHEAD

CREW CONVENES ON CASCO BAY

SPACE TO CREATE AT EAST END LOFTS

PORTLAND'S

CITY MAGAZINE

9.9

2018 MAINE CHEESE FESTIVAL 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. Wolfe’s Neck Farm 18 Burnett Rd. | Freeport §mainecheeseguild.org

JUNE 2017

9.22

RIPPLE ACROSS PORTLAND An adventure challenge race 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. Portland §rippleacrossportland.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

Subscribe at

oldport.com

SEPTEMBER // 2018

17

LOCAL FAVES OF THE SEA DOGS


Dine

W H E R E TO E AT N O W BY SUSAN AXELROD PHOTOGRAPHY BY SEAN THOMAS

Port Call of

First-rate food, a lively bar scene, and upbeat staff keep Dockside Grill sailing through the seasons. 18 OLD PORT

oldport.com


O

n a balmy Thursday evening in midJuly, there’s not an empty seat at Dockside Grill in Falmouth. Tanned, windblown sailors just off the water drink beer at the outdoor bar, recapping the latest results in the nearby Portland Yacht Club’s Thursday night racing series. At a table on the deck— shaded by sails hung as awnings—a nattily dressed couple sips martinis from icy glasses, glancing up from the menu to chat with friends who’ve just arrived wearing shorts and flip-flops, having spent the glorious day on their boat. A family waiting for a table sits on a curved bench in front of a round stone table that opens to become a firepit on chilly nights. Dockside Grill is open year-round, but the restaurant at Handy Boat Marina offers extra appeal in summer, when the garage doors between the deck and dining room are rolled

The oval bar, with the most coveted of its comfortable seats outside on the deck, offers generous pours and attentive bartenders adept at taking care of what is often a large, convivial, and thirsty crowd.

up, connecting indoors and out. Between Memorial Day and Columbus Day weekends, the action is all on the first floor, where every reclaimed wood-topped table has a view of the busy anchorage and, beyond it, Casco Bay. The sleek, slightly more formal upper level is reserved for private events in the summer and becomes the dining room from Columbus Day until the following summer. My husband and I aren’t boaters, but we have spent many a delightful evening in this happy spot. There has been a restaurant on the property since sailing legend Merle Hallett owned it, when it was the Galley. From 1999 to 2013, it was Falmouth Sea Grill, run by Laura Argitis, owner of Old Port Sea Grill in Portland and co-owner of North 43 Bistro in South

Opposite page: In the summer months, Dockside Grill's indoor-outdoor first floor houses the restaurant, while the second floor is used for private events. The rest of the year, the restaurant occupies the second floor. This page, from left: Dockside Grill's raw bar offerings include Maine oysters, served with blood-orange mignonette. A Castaway Cosmo: four berry-infused vodka (made in house with blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, and strawberries), cranberry juice, Cointreau, and fresh lime juice. The hearts of romaine salad with white balsamic, white anchovy, asiago, and frico.

SEPTEMBER // 2018

19


Dine

Portland. Manager Nicole Genella has worked there since the space was completely renovated in 2010. Two years earlier, John and Rebecca Marr had purchased Handy Boat, and in 2013, their daughter, Andrea, who worked at Falmouth Sea Grill in high school, took over the restaurant, renaming it Dockside Grill—a reinforcement of its connection to the boatyard and marina. “We’re trying to make it more cohesive in that you can come by boat,” says Genella, who handles Dockside Grill’s day-to-day operations alongside general manager Charlie Ross. “Radio nine to Handy Boat and tell them you’re coming to the restaurant. They’ll assign you a mooring and shuttle you in by launch.” Boaters (and anyone else) who arrive between 4 and 6 p.m. can take advantage of Dockside’s 20 OLD PORT

oldport.com

daily happy hour, a noteworthy deal that includes a $5 cocktail of the day (margaritas on Tequila Tuesday; sparkling rosé on Fancy Friday), $4 wine by the glass, $2 off all draft beers, and $5 small plates such as chicken nachos and pork dumplings with ponzu sauce. The oval bar, with the most coveted of its comfortable seats outside on the deck, offers generous pours and attentive bartenders adept at taking care of what is often a large, convivial, and thirsty crowd. Portions on the plate are generous as well. On a weeknight visit, a friend and I each make a meal out of the crabcake appetizer and the romaine heart salad. Two meaty crabcakes are each the size of a small burger; nicely seared and piping hot, they are paired with

crisp pickled onion, cucumber pickles, and a sesame-lime remoulade. The cool, crisp romaine heart is napped with creamy white balsamic vinaigrette and grated asiago cheese; I crumble the accompanying frico (a cheese crisp) on top for extra crunch, but we both forgo the white anchovy that usually tops the salad. On another evening, lightly fried calamari drizzled with sweet-spicy chili sauce is a memorable starter, as is the decadent puff pastry-wrapped baked brie with berry compote—that 80s cocktail party darling is still a tasty nibble with drinks. Except for a few seasonal changes, Dockside Grill’s dinner menu stays fairly consistent. “We definitely try to appeal to the regulars, who are our bread and butter in the winter


A welcoming port of call for sailors and landlubbers alike.

Opposite page, clockwise from top left: Diners arriving by boat can radio to Handy Boat for a mooring and a ride to the dock. Sesame-crusted yellowfin tuna with herb risotto, cabbage, carrots, and honey-ginger-soy glaze. Handy Boat's launches stay busy during the summer months. This page, from left: The first floor dining room has garage doors that open the entire front to the outside. Crab cakes with pickled cucumber and onions, cilantro, and sesame-lime remoulade.

months as well,” says Genella. But there’s plenty of variety, including the Dockside Creation option (available until Columbus Day), which allows diners to choose one of six proteins, two sides, and one of five sauces. I was deeply satisfied with Genella’s entrée recommendation, a hefty slab of beautifully rare seared yellowfin tuna, crusted with sesame seeds, over herb risotto with a warm, crunchy slaw and honey-ginger-soy glaze. Our attentive, thoughtful server says it’s the dish they can’t take off the menu, and I understand why. Flat iron steak Oscar is also a winner, as well as a perfectly executed

classic: grilled steak topped with nuggets of lump crab and a rich béarnaise sauce, served with roasted new potatoes and slim asparagus spears. My husband and I do something that is extremely rare for us in a restaurant— we eat every single bite on both plates. As we dig our spoons into flavorful, not-toosweet Kahlua cake with mocha buttercream, the sky over the water is turning that deep blue of summertime dusk, and while the bar is still full, the conversation has quieted. We wander out to the water’s edge and watch as the launch brings another group of boaters in

to the dock, then turn and take in the glow coming from Dockside Grill, a welcoming port of call for sailors and landlubbers alike. Dockside Grill 215 Foreside Rd., Falmouth 207.747.5274 thedocksidegrill.com

SEPTEMBER // 2018

21


36hrs

ISLAND HOPPING IN CASCO BAY

MELISSA OLANDER

DIRECTOR OF FINANCE

The gracious surroundings of a luxury hotel are home base for a weekend of exploring Great Diamond and Chebeague Islands.

01

FRIDAY EVENING

My husband, Erik, and I are Mainers and love being on or near the water, so we’re thrilled to begin our weekend adventure on Casco Bay. We start with a quick trip on the Casco Bay Lines ferry heading to Great Diamond Island (GDI, as the locals call it). As we depart the Portland waterfront on a busy Friday night, we take a few deep breaths and feel the summer sea breeze wash away the stresses from our busy day, recognizing again how fortunate we are to live here.

22 OLD PORT

oldport.com

GDI is a short trip from Portland, but it feels like you are miles away in an oasis of peace and tranquility. As we step onto the dock, we hear nothing but the gentle lapping of the water on the rocky beach and fall easily into Maine island mode. We are greeted by the friendly staff of the Inn at Diamond Cove, where we are staying for the next few nights. They escort us to the inn by golf cart, and we get checked in. Our room is spectacular—a luxury suite, which offers all the comforts of home, including a fully equipped kitchen, a living room with fireplace, hardwood floors, custom furnishings, and a spacious walk-in shower in the bath. The private balcony is a great spot for us to kick back with glasses

of wine. We decide to have dinner in the Lobby Bar + Cafe, which is in a beautiful garden area—the perfect setting for a relaxing evening. We start with a light appetizer of tri-colored chips and house-made salsa fresco. We are hungry enough to order a second appetizer and ask for the lobster bruschetta, which is melt-in-your-mouth divine. Lobster is the theme for the evening as we both order our entrees: his a juicy filet topped with lobster and mine a buttery halibut filet on a bed of lobster risotto. I’m not sure how we manage to fit in dessert, but the menu is too hard to resist. While waiting for our salted caramel gelato, we sip creamy cappuccinos and wonder how we will ever be hungry again.


02

03

04

05

06

07

SATURDAY MORNING

We rise early to take in the sights, sounds, and stillness of island life. A walk around the grounds gives us the opportunity to see some of the community of Diamond Cove and say hello to the locals as they start their days with coffees on beautiful front porches bedecked with American flags and rocking chairs. After a quick breakfast we head off on our first adventure of the day. We meet up with Beth Sanders, a volunteer for the Fort McKinley Museum, who will spend the next few hours showing us around Diamond Cove

and Fort McKinley. The island was originally the location of a U.S. Army coastal defense base, formed in the 1890s to protect Portland Harbor and Casco Bay. Fort McKinley, named after the president, was the home of hundreds of soldiers housed in barracks and officers’ quarters throughout the island. The Inn at Diamond Cove now occupies one of those barracks and most of the buildings remain, having been restored and turned into private single-family homes or duplexes. Most of the batteries are heavily overgrown and on private property. However, it is clear that the community values the history of the fort and takes great pride in preserving it.

AFTERNOON

Casco Bay has so many islands to explore, and there is only so much time in one day. We decide to hop over to Chebeague Island Inn for lunch, calling on Kevin Wentworth, owner of Chebeague Island Water Taxi, to pick us up for the 20-minute cruise through Casco Bay. His 31-foot recreational fishing boat, the Result, is the perfect way to get out on the water for the afternoon. Arriving on Chebeague, we make our way to the front porch of the inn for lunch, pausing to take in the view of inviting wicker chairs arranged strategically on the shaded porch overlooking the bay. Set high on a hill, the inn has the understated feel of the quiet island life it

01 Tugboats on Portland's working waterfront. 02 Diamond Cove Marina. 03 Lobster Roll at Chebeague Island Inn. 04 A sunny day on Casco Bay. 05 Duckpin bowling at Great Diamond Island Community Center. 06 Chebeague Island Inn. 07 The signature blueberry cocktail from the Lobby Bar + Cafe at the Inn at Diamond Cove. SEPTEMBER // 2018

23


01

02

03

represents. We are soon seated at a table on the dining side of the outdoor porch. Continuing with our lobster theme, I order the traditional Maine lobster roll and Erik gets the fish ’n chips, along with refreshing glasses of prosecco, before meeting up with our water taxi and heading back to Diamond Cove.

Josh Hambrick makes an appearance at our table and we are delighted to meet him. Our evening ends with a quiet 10-minute walk back to the inn, where we join a few guests at the cozy firepit by the pool for one last beverage before turning in.

EVENING

SUNDAY

Diamond’s Edge Restaurant is situated right on the water with breathtaking views of Diamond Cove. We are seated on the lawn, poised perfectly for the evening’s sunset. The sky fills with shades of pink, orange, and purple as we enjoy our last evening on the island. The cuisine is unique, beautifully displayed, and so delicious. Chef

MORNING

Before we leave this beautiful sanctuary, we order room service for breakfast and linger on our balcony while we listen to the morning songs of the birds and breathe in the seaside air before our departure.

04

We have arranged for Casco Bay Adventures to take us back to the mainland and preview some of the charter adventures they offer during the summer months. Capt. John greets us at the docks with his energetic smile and quick wit, and I earn my unofficial Junior Captain’s license, when John let me takeover the wheelhouse for a bit. While the boat trip was the perfect end to our 36 hours on Casco Bay, as we step onto the mainland, we admit that we need more time to explore. This brief Maine island experience left us eager for our next adventure and grateful for the peace and beauty that is so close to home.

01 Fishing with Casco Bay Adventures. 02 Filet of beef with shrimp at Diamond's Edge restaurant. 03 Kevin and Polly Wentworth of Chebeague Island Water Taxi with their children, Olivia, left, and Alden. 04 Capt. John at Casco Bay Adventures.

24 OLD PORT

oldport.com


Enjoy weightless relaxation in one of our four float tanks. You’ll feel perfectly supported while you float effortlessly in a warm, saline solution containing over 1,000 lbs. of Epsom salt. FIND OUT MORE!

floatharder.com

500 Washington Ave. Portland

207.400.5187

audetenterprises.com

207.671.3465 @audetenterprisesllc


Profile

THE PEOPLE WHO MAKE PORTL AND BY KATE GARDNER PHOTOGRAPHY BY NICOLE WOLF

k a y a K ion

Con n ect

epherd, h S m a d A r to ec ir d e v ti u For Rippleffect exec ership sk ills. ad le to h at p a is on ti ca u ed outdoor

26 OLD PORT

oldport.com


when adam shepherd was in college, his plan was to join the music industry. He even worked in Nashville for two years as a recording engineer, snagging credits on Brooks and Dunn and Neil Diamond albums. Then he went on a backpacking trip. “It railroaded my career plans,” he says.

Now, the 41-year-old South Portland resident wakes up five days a week and commutes across Casco Bay to Cow Island, where he oversees local kids as they kayak, swim, and zipline in the name of wilderness education. Rippleffect, a youth

development and leadership program, is “not just about teaching kids to kayak and tie knots,” Shepherd says. “It’s about compassion and social emotional development.” Rippleffect was founded in 1999 as a way of helping young Mainers connect with the ocean so close to where many of them grow up. Two years later, the nonprofit bought 26-acre Cow Island with the help of the Maine Coast Heritage Trust and the community. The program now serves 3,500 students, ages eight to 18, each year through a series of camps and school programs.


on a tuesday morning in july,

the sun is beating down on the island as the temperature climbs into the high eighties. The heat is exhausting, but the kids are bubbling with excitement. Shepherd matches their enthusiasm as he helps the 12-year-olds drag brightly colored sea kayaks down a rocky path to the shore. The day-campers laugh with him as he and the guides help them into the narrow boats before they head out into Casco Bay. They exude a nervous, excited energy as they prepare to make their loop around the island. Shepherd’s smile cuts wide across his face as he pushes each kayak out to sea. Helping kids launch their kayaks isn’t exactly in Shepherd’s job description. Neither is spotting them on the rock climbing wall or overseeing games on the ropes course. Although being Rippleffect’s executive director keeps Shepherd more than busy with bigpicture ideas and growing the organization, he can’t help but engage with the kids as they explore the island and learn to interact with nature. It is, after all, what drew him to the organization. “I’m a recovering guide, so I still love to get out there,” he says.

Previous spread: Adam Shepherd pushes two campers in a kayak out onto the bay. This page, from left: Shepherd became the executive director of Rippleffect in 2015. Bessie greets people as they arrive at Cow Island. Opposite page: A group of kids bring their kayak to the shore with the help of Shepherd and a guide.

28 OLD PORT

oldport.com


Prior to joining Rippleffect, Shepherd worked for over a dozen years as a summer camp director before moving to Maine in 2012 and becoming an outdoor guide on Cow Island. By the following year he had been promoted to Rippleffect’s director of advancement. When the executive director role became available at the end of 2015, Shepherd “jumped at it,” knowing it was the opportunity of a lifetime. “It’s my dream job,” he says. “I hope it’s the last job I ever have.” Being executive director means Shepherd needs to recognize where Rippleffect can and should do better and then figure out how to make that happen. The organization’s biggest growth area needs to be lowering the barriers to outdoor education for Maine students, he says. “We exist to provide every child in Maine with an outdoor experience regardless of barriers, whether they be social, economical, cultural,” Shepherd says. As Maine’s demographics diversify—especially in Portland—and more immigrants come to the state, making Rippleffect more accessible has become a bigger focus. The organization not only gives scholarships, but it also works with schools to bring students to the island.

It’s my dream job. I hope it’s the last job I ever haVE.” —ADAM SHEPHERD

There are 28 schools that take field trips to Rippleffect each year, including every middle school in Portland. Additionally, each fall the Casco Bay High School freshman and senior classes spends a week on the island. Getting kids together outside of school and away from screens and technology is important, Shepherd says, because it helps them experience deep “human-to-human connection.” Working together through problems, such as how to get a group from one tree to another using pieces of rope, and participating in discussions about leadership styles, allow students to better understand each other and themselves. While what constitutes adventure depends on the individual, Shepherd says the more remote an experience, the more meaningful it can be. For example, the girls’ leadership camp, a week-long program for teenagers, involves the group getting to know each other for a couple of days on Cow Island through structured discussion and activities before heading out to camp. As a group, they kayak to different islands throughout Casco Bay, set up camp for a night, and head to a different island the following day. “That depth of wilderness SEPTEMBER // 2018

29


30 OLD PORT

oldport.com


Opposite page, from top: Campers encourage each other through challenging activities, such as climbing a rock wall. Shepherd, the Rippleffect staff, and campers made a rock sculpture featuring words they hope to embody. This page: A group of teenagers paddles around Cow Island.

SEPTEMBER // 2018

31



If it stops here and doesn’t get carried over to the mainland, we’re not doing our job.” —ADAM SHEPHERD

experience is where we see the group bond and build confidence,” Shepherd says. “We see this being critical for human development.” Whether kids participate in a day camp, school trip, weeklong camp, or a 12-day leadership program, the goal is for them to develop as leaders. Shepherd says Rippleffect works to teach young people how to contribute to the global community and to be stewards of their own communities. “If it stops here and doesn’t get carried over to the mainland, we’re not doing our job,” he says. Connecting with others and with the land and water near where they live teaches kids the impact they can have on the world around them. And if they’re anything like Shepherd, the experience will hopefully “railroad” their career goals in the best way possible. Opposite page, clockwise from top left: A Rippleffect guide oversees a ropes course activity. A camper climbs the rockwall. A preteen boy is about to embark with his group on a sea kayaking trip. Rippleffect offers programs for kids ages eight to 18. This page, from top: Shepherd wishes sea kayakers luck as they head out on Casco Bay. Participants in the boys' leadership camp do a ropes course activity.

SEPTEMBER // 2018

33


ISLANDS IN THE BAY

BY SUSAN A XELROD AND BL AIR BEST PHOTOGRAPHY BY SEAN THOMAS • ILLUSTRATION BY SARAH PRAK

Casco Bay is home to seven lighthouses, eight forts, and 785 islands (including exposed ledges). From Portland, Casco Bay Lines ferries service six of the offshore islands, five of which are inhabited year-round. Each of them has its own flavor and personality; we talked to residents for the inside story on these unique places to live.

34 OLD PORT

oldport.com


N W

E S

CHEBEAGUE ISLAND

LITTLE CHEBEAGUE ISLAND

CLIFF ISLAND LONG ISLAND GREAT DIAMOND ISLAND

LITTLE DIAMOND ISLAND

PEAKS ISLAND


CLIFF ISL AND It takes nearly two hours by ferry to reach Cliff Island, the last stop on the Casco Bay Lines run. It is a place where children’s playing voices ring out across the fields, bikes are scattered along unpaved roads, driftwood takes the place of car bumpers, and everyone says hello. “I feel like for each person out here and for every kid out here it’s their island. It’s their place,” says Hope MacVane-Tray, a lifelong resident and owner of the Cliff Island Store and Cafe, the island’s only shop. A chalkboard outside advertises “Homemade Blueberry Muffins, Watermelon, and Lobster Rolls” while another asks for leftover egg cartons. “Growing up on the island was quiet and very isolating,” MacVane-Tray explains as she tightens her light green paisley apron. “As a teenager I think I didn’t enjoy it as much, but now I look back and I notice it’s pretty amazing—the island is a part of who I am and for that I feel very fortunate.” The feeling of being a part of something special is a common thread. “There’s such a way of working together and it’s just magical,” adds Elizabeth Berle, MacVane-Tray’s childhood friend. “It’s something

36 OLD PORT

oldport.com

“It’s like a badge of honor, getting to grow up with island feet.” —ELIZABETH BERLE

you would only get in a setting like this.” Two miles long by one mile wide, Cliff Island is home to about 200 residents during the summer months and 40 during the winter. It has a oneroom schoolhouse, chapel, library, post office, and on-island conservation team. The majority of yearround residents rely on lobstering for their living. “There’s my father’s lobster boat, the Lady J,” MacVane-Tray says as we walk along her family’s wharf on Griffin’s Cove. Behind her, children and adults race along the pier and cannonball into the water, a summertime activity for generations, she says. As we head back toward the village, a bright yellow soccer ball shoots out of the trees and rolls across our path. Soon to follow is a group of sunburned boys in the middle of an afternoon match. “You see how none of them are wearing shoes?” Berle says. “It’s called island feet. My son takes his shoes off at the beginning of the summer and doesn’t put them on again until school starts. It’s like a badge of honor, getting to grow up with island feet.”

—Blair Best


SEPTEMBER // 2018

37


38 OLD PORT

oldport.com


PEAKS ISL AND Just three miles from the Casco Bay Lines ferry terminal in Portland, Peaks is the most populated of the Casco Bay islands, with close to 1,000 year-round residents. Amenities include a branch of the Portland Public Library, a good-sized market, two hotels, and a few casual restaurants. In the summer, daytrippers stream through the iconic green gate of the ferry landing to spend a few hours wandering shaded island paths, visiting the backshore beaches, or exploring the remains of World War II–era forts. Even in midJuly, however, Peaks is considerably quieter than it was in the late nineteenth century, when the island had several hotels, theaters, and an amusement park, and was known as the Coney Island of Maine.

“On a beautiful summer day I love sitting on the lawn of my grandparents’ house—the house I grew up in—looking across the bay to Portland while family comes and goes.” —AMANDA O'BRIEN

“On a beautiful summer day I love sitting on the lawn of my grandparents’ house—the house I grew up in— looking across the bay to Portland while family comes and goes,” says Amanda O’Brien, who moved to Peaks when she was two. “It’s part nostalgia, part postcard.” Following in the footsteps of her mother, an island native who left as a teenager and later returned to raise her daughter, O’Brien went to college in New Hampshire and lived in other parts of the country before becoming a mother herself. “When I had my son I realized Peaks was an amazing place to raise a child,” she says. She bought an old house one street over from her parents when Emmett O’Brien, now five, was 11 months old. “Being a single mom, it’s been a great place for me and my son. Someone will bring my trashcan in, or plow my driveway, and I’m not always sure who did it.” O’Brien, the director of business development at Flyte New Media and co-founder of Eighteen Twenty Wines, both in Portland, thinks of Peaks as a Portland suburb, albeit one surrounded by water. “There’s a whole group of us who take the 7:15 or 8:15 boat to make it to our jobs,” she says. “I have coworkers who think my commute’s crazy, but I can get from Peaks to Commercial Street in 20 minutes.” Living on the island has even helped her appreciate Maine winters, when islanders pitch in to help each other, and her commute is less crowded. “It’s easier to compartmentalize life when at the end of the day you have to make the 5:30 boat,” she says. “Work is here; then I take a boat ride and my family is over there,” she says. “It’s been very good for my mental health.”

—Susan Axelrod

SEPTEMBER // 2018

39


GREAT DIAMOND ISL AND Rick Frantz recalls how he felt when he and his wife, Jennifer Fox, moved to Great Diamond Island. “It was October and the leaves on the trees were all different colors,” he says. “I remember this incredible feeling when it got dark and I watched the ferry just sort of disappear. That’s when it first hit me. It was like watching our last link float away and I remember thinking, ‘Wow.’” Frantz, the co-owner of Andy’s Old Port Pub, and Fox moved from New Hampshire to Great Diamond about 18 years ago. “When I first moved to the island, the longest I stayed for one period of time was three weeks,” Frantz says. “When I came off the island it was spooky. I didn’t know that it could only take three weeks for everything on the mainland to

feel so different.” The couple describes moving to Great Diamond as a magical accident. “We hadn’t ever really thought about living on an island before,” Frantz laughs. “I remember Jennifer telling me that we had to meet our realtor on a water taxi. I didn’t even know what a water taxi was.” In the late nineteenth century, after the Spanish-American War, about half of the island operated as Fort McKinley, the largest of five forts built to defend Portland Harbor. After World War II, the military base sat abandoned until the 1980s, when developers renovated the brick buildings into a private community with amenities such as tennis courts and a bowling alley. This side of the island is known as Diamond Cove. The other

“ T here is a personality in the ferry and you sort of have a family on there. It’s like you're all part of the same tribe.” —RICK FRANTZ half of the island was established as a summer colony called Diamond Island Association in the 1880s. “There’s only a core group of us that are on the island year-round—about 64 of us—and we know and respect each other’s side,” Frantz says. The islanders on Great Diamond experience a camaraderie that Fox describes as “the kind of thing you don’t even understand until you’re involved.” This sense of community is common to the Casco Bay islands, and it happens by way of the ferry service. “The longer we are out there the more we realize that the ferry is like a whole other island in itself,” Frantz explains. “There is a personality in the ferry and you sort of have a family on there. It’s like you’re all part of the same tribe.”

—Blair Best

40 OLD PORT

oldport.com


SEPTEMBER // 2018

41


42 OLD PORT

oldport.com


CHEBEAGUE ISL AND Ten miles from Portland, Chebeague Island is the largest offshore (i.e. not connected to the mainland by a bridge) island in Casco Bay, and the only one that is its own town. Until 2007, when its residents voted to secede, Chebeague was part of Cumberland; Cliff, Long, Great and Little Diamond, and Peaks all belong to Portland. Three miles long by a mile wide, Chebeague has a library, recreation center with an outdoor pool, fire and rescue services, even an assisted living facility, Island Commons. While summer visitors swell the population considerably, Chebeague has a year-round population of about 400, a number that may be slowly increasing as people discover it can be an idyllic place to raise a family. “It’s a hidden gem,” says Kevin Wentworth, who moved to the island 15 years ago. He and his wife, Polly, a fifth-generation “summer person”

from Philadelphia, are raising their nineyear-old twins, Alden and Olivia, in Polly’s grandparents’ former home. “I’m so excited for my kids because they are getting to grow up in the best place,” says Kevin Wentworth. “In July, you can go down to the sandbar that connects to Little Chebeague Island at low tide and you can be the only one on that beach.” Now in his second season as the owner of Chebeague Water Taxi, Wentworth, a former ferry captain, is an enthusiastic ambassador for the island, as well as the provider of an important service. From pre-K through fifth

grade, children attend the Chebeague Island School (Wentworth is also the schoolbus driver), but for middle and high school, they go to Yarmouth. “So many families were missing the last boat for things like their kid had a concert and was playing a trumpet solo,” he says. Still, he insists that second only to Peaks Island, Chebeague has “the best combination of ferry services,” allowing residents to commute easily to the mainland. Wentworth often shuttles guests to the Chebeague Island Inn, a gracious reminder of another era and a center for summertime social life. “Chebeague is the place to just shut down,” he says. “People ask me, ‘What is there to do?’ and I say, ‘Well, do you like great food, good drinks, relaxing conversation?’” The Wentworths support local businesses such as Doughty’s Island Market, but like many islanders, they also rely on mail order. “If I’m parked at the town office I’ll go out to my car and my packages will be in the passenger’s seat,” Wentworth says. “It shows the personal side, how people make it work on an island.”

—Susan Axelrod

“I’m so excited for my kids because they get to grow up in the best place.” —KEVIN WENTWORTH

SEPTEMBER // 2018

43


LONG ISL AND On Long Island, John Pearsall’s neighbors don’t know his name. “They just call me the Plane Guy,” he says. Pearsall is the president and CEO of Elite Airways, and about 11 years ago he fell in love with Long Island. After staying for one week in the summer of 2006, Pearsall decided to move his airline from Las Vegas to Portland and build a house on the island. “It’s just a great place to live,” Pearsall says in his office on Portland Pier. “You can come from here in the city, get on that ferry, and be in a totally different world once you reach that island.” The commute to Long Island is about 40 minutes by Casco Bay Lines ferry. It is a ride that Pearsall describes as a “pretty sweet way of life.” He quickly pulls up a picture on his phone taken on a recent morning. The sky is a dark purple and the island is outlined in gold. “That’s what I see going to work every day on the 6:45 ferry,” he says.

“The people out there are really down to earth. I think that’s what makes Long Island special.” —JOHN PEARSALL Long Island has two sandy beaches, an elementary school, fresh water pond, library, and conservation hiking trails. It is also recognized as a vital part of the history of Casco Bay. During World War II, the island was used as a Navy base and was one of the largest refueling depots for military vessels in the North Atlantic. It was also the only island to have a seaplane base, which now serves as a boatyard. Pearsall is a familiar face at the island boat yard, which is where he parks his own Lake Renegade. “I fly it everywhere,” says Pearsall. “I’ll take it to meetings or out to the lakes. I also like to fly it over Long Island. The views from up there are just incredible.” Measuring 1.42 square miles, Long Island is a yearround home for 240 residents. Most of the families are third- or fourth-generation islanders whom Pearsall refers to as "'the good crowd.' The people out there are really down to earth. I think that’s what makes Long Island special,” he says. A large number work on the island, many as lobstermen, teachers, or small business owners. Pearsall is part of a small group that commutes daily. “When that ferry comes around, it’s like the school bus for everybody. That’s part of what makes it a different way of life out there,” Pearsall says. When asked to describe the island in one word, he chooses “peace.”

—Blair Best 44 OLD PORT

oldport.com


SEPTEMBER // 2018

45


Make an ordinary trip, extraordinary We invite you to make an ordinary trip extraordinary, and enjoy affordable luxury travel witout the worry. Maine Limousine Service specializes in corporate travel, airport transfers, weddings and all special occasions. Situated just minutes from the Portland International Jetport, Maine Limousine Service has been providing professional, reliable, luxury transportation for Northern New England since 1987. Toll Free: 800-646-0068 • Local: 207-883-0222 Online Reservations available at www.mainelimo.com Email inquires to info@mainelimo.com

THIS IS SO MAINE.

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


Greater Portland’s

Green Cleaning Service

• Friendly, professional staff • Handmade cleaning formulas • Specializing in weekly and biweekly cleaning for your home

(207) 221-6600 · www.greencleanmaine.com

Don’t just see Portland — Discover it.

PORTLAND’S #1 SIGHTSEEING TOUR

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

$52 for both!

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

Photo by Jack McCabe

Just $28

Harbor Lights and Sights Cruise

Just $28

Book online @ Portlanddiscovery.com

Call today 207-774-0808 • info@PortlandDiscovery.com Long Wharf, 170 Commercial St. (next to DiMillo’s) • Tours depart May-October 18-PORT-6099 Update_Print_Ads_7_667x4_750_4c_OldportMag_0208_OUT.indd 1

2/8/18 11:09 AM


ON HER WATCH

48 OLD PORT

oldport.com


Aboard Frances, Captain Megan Jones honors Portland’s sailing heritage and her personal story.

S

ailing Frances through the pass between Little Diamond and Peaks islands, Captain Megan Jones heads into the wind to slow the vessel and issues firm yet friendly orders to her crew. Asher Heaney, a student at Maine Maritime Academy in Castine, and Kyle Magaliff have already loaded bags of produce and cartons of eggs into Pushy, Jones’s apropos name for the aluminum-hulled boat with an engine that accompanies the sail-power-only Frances. The young men hop in and cast off, heading for the Trefethen-Evergreen Improvement Association on Peaks Island’s northwestern shore. This is the fourth summer Frances has delivered CSA

shares from Cultivating Community’s Fresh Start Farm to islanders on Peaks; the weekly, three-hour sail is one of several regularly scheduled trips offered by Jones’s business, Maine Sailing Adventures. “I enjoy this weekly trip particularly because Frances would have been a cargo vessel, and helping Cultivating Community aligns with our mission to serve Portland,” she says. Frances was built to recall a British pilot cutter, the first type of working vessel that sailed out of Portland between 1790 and 1810. Seventy-four feet long and just over 18-anda-half feet wide at her beam (the center), the exceptionally stable sailboat can carry up to 42

By SUSAN AXELROD Photography by SEAN THOMAS

people on her sparkling, white-painted deck. With a sure hand (or sometimes a foot) on the wheel, Jones sails Frances like an experienced rider who knows her horse’s every move—boat and captain are closely connected, and not just because they have been sailing together for 12 years. With her late partner and friend, Hasket Hildreth, and their friend Wallace Soule, Jones built the Frances: welding the steel hull, laminating the mast and boom, designing and installing the traditional standing rigging. The trio launched and sailed Frances—named for Hildreth’s eldest daughter—in the summer of 2004. Maine Sailing Adventures was launched two years later, with Frances docked at the end of the Maine State Pier.

Opposite page: Built in the style of a British pilot cutter and a fixture on the Portland waterfront since 2006, Frances can carry up to 42 passengers on her spacious decks. This page: Crew members Kyle Magaliff, left, and Asher Heaney fold the mainsail on the boom as Captain Megan Jones steers Frances back to her berth on the Maine State Pier. SEPTEMBER // 2018

49



Opposite page, clockwise from top: On Wednesdays in the summer, Frances delivers shares from Cultivating Community's Fresh Start Farm to CSA members on Peaks Island. Farm fresh eggs are part of the CSA share. A traditional thump mat of woven rope reduces wear and tear on the deck. This page: Frances under sail with her large mainsail flying. A gaffrigged cutter, she can carry up to five sails.

SEPTEMBER // 2018

51


“ H er design is essentially to carry cargo and lots of it, which totally translates to people.” —Megan Jones

From June through mid October, Frances takes passengers out for day sails, sunset sails with acoustic music, and wine sails with sommelier and wine educator Erica Archer. Pushy guides the boat off the dock into the bay, where the crew raises the sails by hand, reaching overhead and hauling hard on the lines to lift them up the 80-foot main mast. Once under sail, Frances is swift and comfortable; there is plenty of room for passengers to mill about. “Her design is essentially to carry cargo and lots of it, which totally translates to people,” says Jones. “We can put a full bluegrass band on this boat.” When Jones met Hildreth, soon after she graduated from Bates College, he was starting to think about building a traditional sailing vessel. “He enjoyed sailing, but the process of building was really the thing that he loved,” she says. She had grown up on sailboats, cruising with her family and spending her summers at the Southport Yacht Club on the Sheepscot River. Hildreth, Soule, and Jones built the Frances over the course of nearly three years, starting at the Portland Company. “Every part of it came in pieces that

52 OLD PORT

oldport.com


Opposite page, from top: Frances is named for the eldest daughter of the late Hasket Hildreth, who designed the boat and built it along with Jones and Wallace Soule. An old compass and a conch shell—once used as a horn—recall the bygone days of sailing. This page: Aboard Pushy, Heaney, left, and Magaliff head to Peaks Island with the CSA shares. Because Frances does not have an engine, Pushy powers her on and off the dock and accompanies her while under sail.

had nothing to do with what it was going to become,” Jones says. All the steel for the hull arrived on a truck from the Midwest. Hildreth, an engineer, had calculated the measurements so precisely that “after a year of cutting and tacking and welding we loaded the scrap waste into the bed of a small Toyota Tacoma,” she says. While at one time, sailing ships’ masts were made of straight, strong, old-growth eastern white pine (also known as king’s pines for the British crown’s attempt to declare ownership of them in the late seventeenth century), there are few of those trees left. To make the mast for Frances, Jones and Hildreth first tried to replicate the dimensions of the king’s pine masts. After realizing that trees from centuries before were significantly stronger, they engineered a mast, laminating together planks of Douglas fir from the Pacific

Northwest. The exceptional height of the mast means Frances carries especially large sails, and despite the boat’s simple, clean lines, she tests Jones’s well-honed skills. “This is a particularly challenging vessel to operate with her sail area, namely controlling her 45-foot long main boom,” she says. “But I’m out here every day and I might potentially get bored if it wasn’t a challenge. This is the nature of good sailing.” The Frances was the boat of Hildreth’s dreams. After his death in the winter of 2008, Jones learned he had been drawing and painting it since he was a boy. “In many ways still, I’m shepherding Hasket’s project,” she says. “He loved to share his knowledge and he wanted a vessel that would be for the people of Portland.” The paying day sail passengers and private charters help fund nonprofit

work, such as the CSA deliveries and fall sail training programs with Portland middle school students—Jones estimates that she will have taken 1,000 Lyman Morse Middle School students sailing after this fall. “One of the beautiful things about boats is that you realize that if you’ve got a good boat you can go anywhere in the world,” she says. “That’s super appealing to me in many ways. I get to go sailing all over the planet in the wintertime on other boats, and I know I will own another one that will take me further than coastal Maine. I know Hasket wanted Frances to be in Portland doing what it’s doing. That’s what has kept me rooted and grounded here—each summer returning home."

SEPTEMBER // 2018

53


From the kitchen to the dining room. Susan Axelrod, a former restaurateur and now Food Editor, writes about one of her great passions: amazing meals. @eatmaine++ themainemag.com themainemag.com @eatmaine

DiMillo’s | Portland


MAINE SAILING ADVENTURES MAINE STATE PIER á PORTLAND, ME

THE 32ND ANNUAL SPURWINK HUMANITARIAN AWARDS

Friday, October 12, 2018 | 6:00PM-9:00PM Brick South, Thompson’s Point

Celebrate honorees who have gone the distance for others in need with an evening of cocktails, dinner, awards, and auction.

Information & Tickets: www.spurwink.org/humanitarian (207) 871-1211 ext. 2106 Photo courtesy of Olivia Copelyn

Charter . Special Events . Day Sail Yoga Sail . Acoustic Sunset Sail . Wine Sail

(207) 749-9169 á MAINESAILINGADVENTURES.NET

PORTLAND DRY GOODS CO. PORTLAND, MAINE

237 Commercial Street, Portland, Maine 04101

www.portlanddrygoods.com


56 OLD PORT

oldport.com


PER SO N A L SPACE Anne and Bob Ritchie create separately and together in a South Freeport farmhouse. by S U S A N A X EL R O D • Photography by MY R I A M B A B I N

Opposite page: Anne and Bob Ritchie relax in their sitting room, which was a dining room before they renovated their circa 1850 farmhouse. The chimney behind them was rebuilt to accommodate the woodstove. This page: The property surrounding the house includes mature trees and perennial gardens, tended by Anne.

SEPTEMBER // 2018

57


The considerable charms of Anne and Bob Ritchie’s restored farmhouse reveal themselves slowly. An approaching visitor catches a glimpse of buttery yellow clapboard, then the lush gardens—layered with shrubs and perennials—come into view behind a weathered picket fence. Turning into the driveway, one sees the small barn, and beyond it, Anne’s white garden and a swath of lawn, ringed by woods. Finally, there’s the house itself, its lavender front door a clue to its inhabitants’ distinctive style. Or rather, styles. Married for 33 years, the Ritchies have not always lived together, but they do in this circa-1850 house, which has two owners’-bedroom suites and plenty of room for them each to pursue their separate interests. For Bob, it’s science and stone; for Anne, it’s art and wellness—a fine art photographer and devoted practitioner of yoga, she swims in Casco Bay every day in the summer from Winslow Park, just a short distance from the house. They share a fondness

58 OLD PORT

oldport.com

for wood heat, splitting the wood themselves, and for their Maine coon cats, Jack and Ava. In August of 2015 Anne, an educational consultant, was on her way to the park for a swim when she saw that the farmhouse was for sale. For three years, she had been renting a small house a mile away from where she and Bob had lived for two decades. A retired physician and scientist who, in the 1970s, founded the Foundation for Blood Research

in Scarborough, Bob is also an amateur geologist. He has contributed significantly to the collections of the Maine Mineral and Gem Museum in Bethel (where he is on the board), including 900 spheres he carved from various types of stone. All of that stone was in the Ritchies’ former home. “Five and a half tons of rock, a diamond saw, two sphere machines, grinders, dust, oil, dirt, noise everywhere,” says Anne. “There was no room for me, my head, my heart, my art.” She looked at the South


We love wood and fires. The day we closed on the house, I came here and lit fires in the living room and kitchen and they burned beautifully.” ­ —Anne Ritchie

Freeport farmhouse and saw possibilities. “It had a place for a woodstove, two fireplaces, proximity to where I spend a good part of every day all season long, first-floor living for Bob, second-floor living for me,” she says. She moved in first, living in a small section of the house during an extensive renovation. Bob moved in six months later, after donating his stone-cutting equipment and most of his rock inventory to the museum in Bethel. Bob’s main-floor owners’ suite was move-in ready and has a practical vibe, centered on his office, a double-height room with pine-green walls and French doors opening onto the patio. Anne’s suite upstairs includes a small, serene bedroom, walk-in closet, bathroom, and a large, airy studio where she practices yoga and works on her photography; examples of

her work—ethereal photographs of plants and other natural objects, printed on canvas, hang throughout the house. From her streamlined white desk she can see Casco Bay over the trees. Contractor Arthur Davignon, of Falmouth, built her a barn door for her bathroom, which was updated with an open shower, white pebble tile floor, and sleek, freestanding bathtub tucked under a skylight. The hub of the house—where the Ritchies spend time together—needed major work. The central chimney was dismantled and rebuilt, using the original bricks, to accommodate a woodstove in what was the dining room. Part of the roof had to be redone. When Davignon pulled up old 12-by-12 tiles in the kitchen, he discovered everything underneath was rotten. “That floor is totally

Opposite page: In the living room, linen blankets from Brahms Mount in Freeport are draped over the sofas and used as window treatments. The jute rug is from Nuloom. Bob made the base of the coffee table. The photographs on the mantel are Anne's.

SEPTEMBER // 2018

59


60 OLD PORT

oldport.com


Opposite page: Bob, an amateur geologist, works in his office with Maine coon cat, Jack, as his companion. This page, from top: The Ritchies kept the kitchen's footprint, but completely renovated it with new cabinetry, appliances, shelving, and gneiss countertops from K and D Countertops in Windham. The painting to the left of the glass shelves is by New Hampshire artist Dan Thibeault, based on a photograph by Irivng Penn. The wood-look porcelain tile flooring, from Homestead Flooring in Yarmouth, extends into the sitting room, where French doors open onto a patio. The antique hutch is from Grove and Maine Antiques in Peterborough, New Hampshire and the small painting of peaches is by Anne's father, Bob Weathers. The photograph on the wall to the right is by Anne. The rug is from Garnet Hill.

SEPTEMBER // 2018

61


new, all the way through to the carrying timber,” says Bob. They retained the kitchen’s footprint, but installed crisp white lower cabinets with natural stone pulls from the Nest in Brunswick, glass shelving in place of upper cabinets, a farmhouse sink, stainless steel appliances, a spacious island, and LED track lighting from WAC Lighting. In the daytime, the kitchen is flooded with light from a bank of windows that looks out over a tidal creek. “At high tide, I can paddle from Winslow all the way in there,” says Anne. The countertops are gneiss—a geological cousin of granite—in a pattern called titanium, black and gray swirled with silver and white from K and D Countertops in Windham. “To me it looks like the islands in Casco Bay,” Anne says of the slab that tops the kitchen island. Given her minimalist, white aesthetic, the choice was a surprise to Bob.

“She sent me an image of it and I thought, ‘Black stone? What’s going on?’” he says. Elsewhere, however, Anne’s favorite palette prevails. The former dining room has been repurposed as an airy sitting room with side-by-side white-painted antique armchairs centered on a nubby, oatmeal-colored rug from Garnet Hill and French doors leading to a sunny patio. “In the summer we look out and in the winter we face the woodstove,” says Anne. The floor that flows from the sitting room to the kitchen is porcelain tile that looks like distressed, white-painted wood, from Homestead Flooring in Yarmouth. The living room window treatments are white linen blankets from Brahms Mount in Freeport (where Anne once worked), as are the throws that drape the two facing sofas in front of the fireplace. Anne also replaced two windows

This page: In Anne's bedroom upstairs, the striped wallpaper is from the previous owner, the linen curtain is from Crate and Barrel, and the bedding is by Brahms Mount and Sferra. Opposite page, clockwise from top: Anne's studio space includes both sophisticated and playful elements, such as the pink polka-dot desk chair. The photo on the wall is her work. A shelf in Anne's bathroom against a wall covered in the same pebble tile used for the floor. Anne's open shower—the back wall is a remnant from K and D Countertops. "I'm kind of a Chanel junkie," says Anne.

62 OLD PORT

oldport.com



We moved in here not knowing if this was going to work, and it does.” —Anne Ritchie


on one wall of the living room with a large south-facing window that offers a bucolic view of the gardens. White, industrial-style lamps from Ikea stand behind the sofas. Anchoring the room is the fireplace, which she is apt to light even on a summer day if there is a chill in the air. “We love wood and fires,” Anne says. “The day we closed on the house, I came here and lit fires in the living room and kitchen and they burned beautifully.” Anne is confident in her taste, combining vintage pieces—a white-painted hutch from a shop in New Hampshire, for example—with contemporary items such as a pair of stonebase lamps from Crate and Barrel. “We didn’t

hire interior designers. I see something I think would be perfect; I bring it home and it somehow fits,” she says. Stones are displayed as decorative objects—granite orbs stacked under a cloche on a shelf, and smooth ovals of black basalt from Jost Van Dyke on Anne’s desk. “There are stones from all over the world in this house.” Instead of crowding her out, here, stone finishes and accents complement and ground the home’s bright, breezy rooms. Stone, air, light, dark, fire, water: there is ample room for all these elements, and for both Anne and Bob. “We moved in here not really knowing if this was going to work, and it does,” she says. “We’ve made it, I think, lovely, and it works for us.”

Opposite page, clockwise from top left: A Thomas Moser chair in a corner of the living room in front of bookshelves, which, like the tree branch stair railings, were in the house when the Ritchie's purchased it. Anne had two smaller windows removed and a header installed to accommodate the plate glass window at right. The Ritchies share a passion for wood heat, and for splitting their own wood. Bob in front of the barn. Wrapped in a towel from Brahms Mount, Anne heads off for her daily swim at Winslow Park. This page: In a corner of the living room, a stone-base lamp from Crate and Barrel rests on an antique table from one of Anne's road trips. The oil paintings above the chair are by Sue Callihan of Peterborough, New Hampshire.

SEPTEMBER // 2018

65


Come out of your shell

You should be here. 5 PORTLAND PIER, PORTLAND | 207.772.4828

2017 2017

Home of

THE TWIN LOBSTER SPECIAL! Live Entertainment on Portland’s Largest Waterfront Deck! ∏ Open Year Round ∏ Available for Private Events

CU ST O M H O U S E W H A R F portholemaine.com | 207.773.4653


Gather

G O O D T I M E S, G R E AT C A U S E S

GREATER PORTLAND LANDMARKS’ HISTORIC GALA ON PEAKS ISLAND Photography by Matt Congdon

Greater Portland Landmarks’ Annual Historic Gala brings together about 300 people each spring to celebrate historic preservation during its largest fundraiser of the year. On June 22, Landmarks invited people for an evening of fun at Greenwood Gardens, the site of the former Peaks Island Amusement District, a turn-of-the-century center for summer recreation in Maine. The night was punctuated by a boat ride, live music, and live and silent auctions. The party raised funding for educational programs and for a major visitor exhibit project at the Portland Observatory Museum to support music programs that are world-class, accessible, and transformative for Maine’s children and adults. 01

04

02

03

“Our Annual Historic Galas have gained momentum over the years and have become known as a party not to be missed. This last gala on Peaks Island was a pleasant surprise because so many new people showed up; the theme of the gala being “The Rusticator” appealed to everyone. I was astounded at how many people came dressed in the country style of 1910. Hard to beat oysters, lobster, cocktails, great auction items, and probably the best sunset of the summer. ”

05

— Candice Lee, Landmarks Trustee and Gala Chair 06

07

08

01 Lauren Webster, director of marketing and admissions at Seventy-Five State Street, Jeremy Sherman, painter 02 J.J. Stuart; Paul Tulley; Dan Kennedy, owner at Harmon’s & Barton‘s; John Hatcher, real estate agent at Keller Williams; Eric Baxter; Lonnie Leeman, CEO at Christopher Aaron Counseling Center 03 Caitlin Day, senior leader of communications and marketing at TD Bank, and Tammy Garland 04 Scott Wentzell, director of marketing at State 23 Media, and Lisa Wentzell 05 Sam Shupe, graduate writing fellow at Boston University, and Phoebe Harris, artist 06 Byrd Wood and Ted Oldham 07 Jane Stevens, financial advisor at Northwestern Mutual, and Nate Stevens, broker at CBRE | The Boulos Company 08 Sally Oldham and Steve Dimuccio

SEPTEMBER // 2018

67


. to join your friends Lunch 11:30am Live11:30am Music Lunch ace Our3:00pm venue place to joinLive your friends Music wonderful placeMid-day to joinmenu your friendsis a wonderful Mid-day menu 3:00pm Mid-day menu 3:00pm Mid-day menu 3:00pm orful New ate a special event. Dinner 5:00pm for a night out or celebrate a special event. out or celebrate aDinner special event. at 5:00pm Dinner at 5:00pm Dinner 5:00pm Serving Brunch at 10:30am

Happy Hour everyday 4:00pm-6:00pm Hour everyday from 4:00pm-6:00pm YearSunday round, for seaside dining, local cuisine, Happyfrom wist. *Closed Dinner and fresh Mondays *Closed Sunday for Dinner and Mondays lar views January of through Memorial Day January through Memorial Day Sunday Sunday ar. Serving Brunch at 10:30am Serving Brunch at 10:30am Live Music Live Music your friends Mid-day menu 3:00pm Mid-day menu 3:00pm al event. Dinner 5:00pm Dinner 5:00pm

Serving Brunch at 10:30am Live Music Mid-day menu 3:00pm Dinner 5:00pm Happy Hour everyday from 4:00p

Happy Hour everyday from 4:00pm-6:00pm Happy Hour everyday from 4:00pm-6:00pm

THIS IS SO PORTLAND.

and all with beautiful panoramic views of Casco Bay.

Falmouth, 04105Maine 207-747-5274 www.thedocksidegrill.com 215 Foreside Road, Falmouth, Maine 04105 207-747-5274 eside Road, Maine Falmouth, 04105 207-747-5274 www.thedocksidegrill.com

daily happy hour

live music sunday brunch

booking private events JIM BRADY THINKS AHEAD

CREW CONVENES ON CASCO BAY

SPACE TO CREATE AT EAST END LOFTS

PORTLAND'S

CITY MAGAZINE JUNE 2017

Dockside Dining SCALES DISHES THE FRESH FLAVORS OF THE SEA

Maine 04105 207-747-5274 www.thedocksidegrill.comWE DELIVER. 7-5274 www.thedocksidegrill.com Subscribe +

Rum Runners

THE CITY’S COCKTAIL CULTURE COMES OF AGE

PORTLAND + ART GALLERY

Year round, seaside seaside fresh cuisine, and beautiful panoramic views. Year round, dining, freshlocal cuisine, and beautiful panoramic views. 215 foreside road,dining, falmouth |local 207.747.5274 | thedocksidegrill.com Dockside Grill Hours: Dockside Grill Hours: TheDockside Dockside Grill Grill is The is located locatedin inthe theheart heartofofCasco Casco Monday-Saturday Monday-Saturday Bay at at Handy Lunch 11:30am Bay Handy Boat BoatMarina. Marina. 11:30am Mid-day Lunch menu 3:00pm Dockside offers fresh, fun and flavorful New Mid-day menu 3:00pm Dinner at 5:00pm Dockside offers fresh, fun and flavorful New Dinner at 5:00pm England Fare with a modern twist. *Closed Sunday for Dinner and Mondays England Fare with a modern twist. *Closed DinnerDay and Mondays January Sunday throughfor Memorial Our Seaside location offers spectacular views of January through Memorial Day Our Seaside location offers spectacular views of Sunday Casco Bay at any time of year. Serving BrunchSunday at 10:30am Casco Bay at any time of year. Serving Brunch at 10:30am Live Music Our venue is a wonderful place to join your friends Mid-day menu Live 3:00pm Music Our venue is a wonderful placeatospecial join your friends for a night out or celebrate event. Dinner 5:00pm Mid-day menu 3:00pm for a night out or celebrate a special event. Happy Hour everyday from5:00pm 4:00pm-6:00pm Dinner

HITS ITS STRIDE INSIDER PICKS:

10

LOCAL FAVES OF THE SEA DOGS

207 772 3373 themainemag.com/subscribe

Happy Hour everyday from 4:00pm-6:00pm

215 Foreside Road, Falmouth, Maine 04105 207-747-5274

www.thedocksidegrill.com

215 Foreside Road, Falmouth, Maine 04105 207-747-5274

www.thedocksidegrill.com

AN ISL AND ESCAPE LUNCH · DINNER · BAR Walk-ins or Reservations Private Boat Passage or Ferry from Portland’s Old Port

CROWNJEWELPORTL AND.COM

www.thedocksideg


Gather

G O O D T I M E S, G R E AT C A U S E S

SHIPYARD OLD PORT HALF MARATHON Photography by Dave Dostie

After eight years the start and finish lines of the Shipyard Old Port Half Marathon have moved away from the waterfront and into the heart of the Old Port. This sold-out event attracts 3,500 runners from around the country with more people coming from Massachusetts than Maine. It’s easy to see why since runners in Maine’s premier half marathon enjoy spectacular views of lighthouses, Civil War-era forts, and sailboats as they run along the waterfront of Casco Bay, and then celebrate with a block party featuring Shipyard craft beer, ice cream, pizza, and live music! 01

02

03

04

05

“We’re grateful to the City of Portland for allowing us to move our event into the heart of the Old Port. We’re also grateful to all residences and businesses in the Old Port and along the waterfront for working with us while we shut down streets to host our race and post-race party.” —Eric Boucher, Race Director for the Shipyard Old Port Half Marathon

06

07

08

01 Matthew Petit 02 The runners at the starting line 03 Deanna Parker, Stephanie Duval, and Denyell Gerchman 04 Nane Kouyoumjian, Kevork Kouyoumjian, and Kathy Timmins 05 Michael Dochtermann 06 Amanda Nurse, running ambassador at Adidas 07 Bystanders cheer on the runners 08 Shaelie Dumont and William Schoellkopf lead a group of runners.

SEPTEMBER // 2018

69


A-List

BY BLAIR BEST // PHOTOGRAPHY BY SEAN THOMAS

70 OLD PORT

oldport.com


The Boater’s Guide to Casco Bay Restaurants Casting off your lines for a day on the water is one of the pleasures of living in a state with thousands of miles of coastline. Especially when the day’s plans include heading for a waterside restaurant. Here is our guide to some of Casco Bay’s most popular destinations with great food for you and accommodations for your boat. SALTWATER GRILLE | 231 FRONT ST. | SOUTH PORTLAND

Saltwater Grille welcomes boaters with a private dock and a large deck offering panoramic views of Portland’s city skyline. The menu includes plenty of locally caught fish and seafood, steaks, and owner Mark Loring’s signature pizza—lobster, grilled corn salsa, and basil.

DIAMOND’S EDGE RESTAURANT | DIAMOND COVE | PORTLAND

On the grounds of historic Fort McKinley, Diamond’s Edge Restaurant and Marina gives boaters the chance to escape the hustle of Portland for a relaxed island setting. The lawn overlooking the cove is a popular spot to enjoy a meal and a glass of wine.

THE DOLPHIN | 515 BASIN POINT RD. | HARPSWELL

On the edge of Potts Harbor, the Dolphin has its own marina and a deck with sweeping views of the Casco Bay islands. Known for its traditional Maine fare served with blueberry muffins, the restaurant has been a local favorite since 1966.

NORTH 43 BISTRO | 1 SPRING POINT DR. | SOUTH PORTLAND

Overlooking Port Harbor Marina, North 43 Bistro has decks on two levels and a contemporary feel. Chef Stephanie Brown’s sophisticated yet soulful menu changes every three weeks and has more varied choices than most waterside restaurants.

HARRASEEKET LUNCH & LOBSTER CO. | 36 MAIN ST. | SOUTH FREEPORT

Cozy coastal vibes fill this seasonal, seaside pier in a working harbor. With bright red picnic tables, a lobster pound, and a classic Maine menu, the restaurant provides a real taste of local character.

ROYAL RIVER GRILL HOUSE | 106 LAFAYETTE ST. | YARMOUTH

This stylish waterfront restaurant boasts a large deck with heaters, firepits, and a harbor view, with a slip available for boaters at Yankee Marina just next door. The lively bar is a popular gathering spot for locals, and the large menu offers something for everyone.

DOCKSIDE GRILL | 215 FORESIDE RD. | FALMOUTH

See Dine on page 18.

Opposite page: The first-floor deck at North 43 Bistro in South Portland overlooking Port Harbor Marina. There is also a deck on the restaurant's second floor.

SEPTEMBER // 2018

71


FIND YOUR DREAM...

150WASHINGTONAVE.COM

B E N C H M A R K M A I N E .C O M | L A N D RY T E A M @ B E N C H M A R K M A I N E .CO M | 2 07. 7 75 .0 24 8

From the kitchen to the dining room. Susan Axelrod, a former restaurateur and now Food Editor, writes about one of her great passions: amazing meals. @eatmaine + themainemag.com

North 43 Bistro | South Portland


(Back Row): Mark Fortier, Brenda Cerino-Galli, Bob Knecht, Lucy Foster-Flight, Joi Kressbach, Gail Landry, Whitney Harvey, Tish Whipple, Susan Lamb, Pete Molloy, Sue Lessard, Jeff Davis (Front Row): Sandy Johnson, William Davisson, Dianne Maskewitz, Steve Parkhurst, Lynn Hallett.

more than 60 years of industry experience

DISTINCTIVE REAL ESTATE

coastal living recognized leaders

oCeanvIews on Peaks Island

local expertise

international exposure

Custom Home In Cumberland ForesIde

one union wharf | portland | 207.773.0262

www.townandshore.com

HIstorIC Great dIamond Island


THE ACADIA LIVE EDGE TABLE Designed & Made in Maine

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

C E L E B R AT E S U M M E R • P R E PA R E F O R FA L L !

Our summer finale sale runs now through September 30. Visit our showrooms or Chiltons.com.


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.