At Harvard Pilgrim, Maine isn’t just where we work. It’s also where we live. As a not-for-pro t health plan, we put our members’ needs rst. Which appears to be a very good plan. In fact, our members rated Harvard Pilgrim as having the “Highest Member Satisfaction among Commercial Health Plans in the New England Region,” two years in a row, in a J.D. Power and Associates study. So if you’re looking for a exible solution that ts the needs of your business, your employees, and their families, we should talk. Like most things that are crafted in Maine, the health plans from Harvard Pilgrim are very well made. Recognition that the philosophy of doing right by members is the
Built in Maine for Maine. Call your Broker or call us at 207.756.6350. harvardpilgrim.org
Even though
CONTACT
Paul Brandis
Sanford, ME 04073
Bus: 207-324-1667 www.paulbrandis.org
Augusta, ME 04330
Bus: 207-622-6383 www.insuremedeannalynn.com
Taylor Ins and Fin Svcs Inc
Betsi Jane Taylor
Augusta, ME 04330
Bus: 207-622-4414 www.betsitaylor.com
John Grillo
Portland, ME 04103
Bus: 207-797-7004 www.johngrillo.biz
Dawn L McIntosh Ins Agcy Inc
Dawn McIntosh
Portland, ME 04101 Bus: 207-761-1511 www.portlandmaineinsurance.com
Robin Thurston
Scarborough, ME 04070
Bus: 207-883-5867 www.robinthurston.com
Nancy Hafford Wells, ME 04090
Bus: 207-641-2186 www.nancyhafford.com
Diane Newman
Portland, ME 04103 Bus: 207-773-2080 www.dianenewman.com
Gary P Towle Ins Agcy Inc
Gary P Towle
Gorham, ME 04038
Bus: 207-839-6585 www.garytowle.com
Peg
Dennis Keller Augusta, ME 04330
Bus: 207-623-3344 www.denniskeller.com
Peg Poulin
Saco, ME 04072
Bus: 207-283-9166 www.pegpoulin.com
Terri Wright
Yarmouth, ME 04096
Bus: 207-846-3099 www.twrightagency.com
Lewiston, ME 04240
Bus: 207-783-3332
www.lisalaliberte.com
Michelle Raber
Scarborough, ME 04074
Bus: 207-883-0111
www.michelleraber.com
Zwirner Ins and Fin Svcs Inc
Tricia Zwirner
North Windham, ME 04062
Bus: 207-892-2864
www.triciazwirner.com
Lisa Laliberte
Deanna Lynn Woodruff
Diane Newman Ins Agcy Inc
Poulin-Horton Ins Agcy Inc
TICKETS MAKE GREAT GIFTS
we work maine. we rise with the sun. we teach. we sell homes . we love our families. we sail. we publish music. we split wood. we renovate. we engage. we paint. we dig clams. we make new friends. we love life. we practice yoga. we negotiate. we design. we cherish. we play golf. we play with our grandchildren. we support our kids. we talk. we go antiquing. we love the red sox. we compost. we grew up in maine. we race. we run. we reduce & recycle. we choose maine. we watch the leaves turn colors. we write cookbooks. we go to bean suppers. we play maine. we cruise maine waters. we show houses. we make snow angels. we go to closings. we own B&Bs. we toast our clients. we decorate. we eat. we dream. we play with our kids. we support local businesses. we know our markets: we live in them. we socialize. we create. we smile. we laugh. we act. we will. we engage. we make lobster rolls. we love life. we love. we coach. we celebrate. we love our dogs. we create. we love seasons. we cook. we participate. we share. we care about our communities. we live. we sit by the fire. we are family and friends. we are the authentic leaders, mothers, fathers, friends, partners and pioneers whose passion for our work, homes and environment build the foundation to our greatest successes. our lifestyles are what make us exceptional brokers. we are maine.
jan moore mary herbert
charlie mcbrady
erica brooks
john bennett
kim swan
midge smith
christina deetjen
mary purslow
linda jonas
carroll fernald
christine holt
dana moos
Colin W. Sargent
Karen E. Hofreiter
Exchange Street Afternoon 18" × 24" oil on canvas
he rooked ile afe
Of Ghosts & Guests
Paul Black
24” x 24” oil on canvas
Bruce Habowski
“Lady Gaga, meet the ghost of Lucky Lindy” ran like quicksilver through my brain when I heard the lady in question had chosen Deering Oaks as the perfect place in Maine to make a speech.
That’s because famed aviator Charles Lindbergh made that same unusual choice of venue when he came to Portland on July 2 , 1 2 .
Featuring original works of fne art, photography, and limitededition prints by regional and local artists.
Featuring original works of fine art, photography, and limitededition prints by regional and local artists.
372 Fore Street
Portland, Maine 04101 (207) 874-8084 www.forestreetgallery.com
372 Fore Street Portland, Maine 04101 207 874-8084 www.forestreetgallery.com
Why connect these two figures beyond the certainty that both loved to shoot their mouths off, based on significant achievements they made in other fields Can the living and dead occu y the same s ace at the same time Should we appreciate more than ust what’s in front of our eyes I think it’s more a matter of loving Portland on both the “real” and the “fantastic level,” as the Rev. Dr. T. Lawrence Shannon says in Night of the Iguana
As for the real level, consider: According to SA Today, 00 people came to hear Lady Gaga speak about abolishing “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” in the military.
Now, resonate that against the fantastic level: Twenty-five thousand crowded into the Oaks to hear Lucky Lindy in the same spot in 1 2 , with electric amplifiers set up so everyone could hear every word that came out of his mouth. His hot button “ nited support of .S. Air Mail.” Of course, the Lone Eagle was having a fabulous year. He’d ust become the first human being to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean in his iconic monoplane, the S irit of St. Louis. For that matter, Portland was having a great year, too. Lindbergh was the celebrity chosen to open the doors of the brand new, posh Eastland Hotel. A fragrant tidbit I learned on Maine Memory Network: When Lindbergh was about to fly away having landing on Old Orchard Beach he tossed a piece of seaweed into the air to determine wind direction.
No matter your flight level, real or supernatural, it’s a good idea to know which way the wind is blowing.
We’ll have a chance to experience the same kind of mystical duet this winter while watching the Maine Red Claws play basketball at the Exposition Building. While our new, charismatic, '-11" center Magnum Rolle, from Freeport, Bahamas, is dunking the basketball, I’ll be cheering for him on the realistic level while still spellbound by the ghost of the great Paavo Nurmi, who will be running rings around him “on the fantastic level.” Nurmi, the greatest of all Olympic distance-running champions, came to run here on February , 1 2 lapping the field in the ,000-yard run at the Exposition Building.
Shouldn’t Nurmi’s spirit be with us, too, while we’re watching Magnum Rolle Don’t all of Nurmi’s nine gold medals count for anything Isn’t it time for us to admit there really was a world before we were born
We asked the Red Claws if Rolle himself believes in ghosts, and they said, “being new to the area Magnum is not comfortable participating in the ghost story.”
Smart choice. It’s best to know the ghosts around here before you take them on.
Bill Keaton Advertising Executive bill@portlandmonthly.com
EDITORIAL
Karen E Hofreiter Assistant Editor & Publisher
Colin S Sargent Special Features & Archives
Jason Hjort Webmaster
Diane Hudson Goings On · Flash · Reviews
Cynthia Farr-Weinfeld Contributing Photographer
ACCOUNTING
Alison Hills Controller
I NTERNS
Adam Chittenden, Taryn Crane, Rebecca Gillenwater, Joshua Lobkowicz, Michael Morris, Maya Ranganathan, Elizabeth Schluge, Krystin Talbot, Collin York
SUBSCRIPTIONS
To subscribe please send your address and a check for $39 (1 yr.), $55 (2 yrs.), or $65 (3 yrs.) to Portland Magazine 165 State Street Portland, ME 04101 or subscribe online at www.portlandmagazine.com
Portland Magazine is published by Sargent Publishing, Inc. All correspondence should be addressed to 165 State Street, Portland, ME 04101. Advertising O ce: 165 State Street, Portland, ME 04101. (207) 775-4339. Repeat internet rights are understood to be purchased with all stories and artwork. For questions regarding advertising invoicing and payments, call Alison Hills.
Newsstand Cover Date: December 2010, published in November 2010, Vol. 25, No. 9, copyright 2010. Portland Magazine is mailed at third- class mail rates in Portland, ME 04101 (ISSN: 1073-1857). Opinions expressed in articles are those of authors and do not represent editorial positions of Portland Magazine Letters to the editor are wel come and will be treated as uncon d itionally assigned for publication and copyright purposes and as subject to Portland Magazine’s unrestricted right to edit and comment editorially. R esponsible only for that portion of any advertisement which is printed incorrectly. Advertisers are responsible for copyrights of materials they submit. Nothing in this issue may be reprinted in whole or in part without written permission from the publishers. Submissions welcome, but we take no responsibility for unsolicited materials.
Portland Magazine is published 10 times annually by Sargent Publishing, Inc., 165 State Street, Portland, Maine, 04101, with newsstand cover dates of Winterguide, February/March, April, May, Summerguide, July/August, September, October, November, and December.
Portland Magazine is the winner of 27 American Graphic Design Awards presented by Graphic Design USA for excellence in publication design.
Dale Bragg Builders, Inc.
There’s a lot to know. NYA students are engaged in a broad spectrum of learning experiences. So, when it’s time to move on to college, not only will they know what direction is right for them, they’ll be prepared to succeed wherever they go. Project: Study in Wire and Paper Mache Class: Sculpture/Studio 1
PO Box 871, Portland, ME 04104 (207) 829-6015 www.dalebraggbuilders.com
NORTH YARMOUTH ACADEMY
Dale Bragg Builders, Inc.
Dale Bragg Builders, Inc.
PO Box 871, Portland, ME 04104 (207) 829-6015
PO Box 871, Portland, ME 04104 (207) 829-6015 www.dalebraggbuilders.com
www.dalebraggbuilders.com
MOST INTRIGUING
Got the November issue at home last night killer You guys rock Tom Landry ortland
OTHER VOICES, OTHER ROOMS
We are thrilled to see Telling Room student Aruna enyi and TR supporter Emilia Dahlin featured in ortland Magazine “Ten Most Intriguing,” November 2010
The Telling oom staff ortland
AND CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU
I am writing because I read that you recently won nine national pri es at the American Graphic Design Awards for design excellence by ra hic esign SA. Congratulations This is a distinct honor, and you should be proud of your efforts. I wish you the best of luck with your future endeavors. State Senator Justin Alfond ortland
WARM WELCOME
Thank you for mentioning orea House in the “Imperat fs” section of the November 2010 issue Your early interest in our restaurant gives us hope that the mainstream community is excited and interested in an all- orean restaurant like ours and we hope to see you soon.
Melissa Lin ortland
ARTFUL DISCOURSE
I thought your Joan Whitney Payson piece “Good Eye,” May 2010 a remarkable document of diligence, hard work, painstaking research, and writing. It showed a very human figure, with money and professional help, blossoming into a great collector.
Incidentally, did you know that the Australian who purchased’ Irises, but never gained possession of it, had a copy made
and put it on a tour of Australia’s most illustrious museums He did not want the world to know that he had failed financially, and the tour had already been arranged before he defaulted on the purchase. The deception was discovered when one museum director was alerted to ask about the amount of insurance on the Irises fraud.
As for Hopper “American Chop Suey,” September 2010 , that was a fine piece of detection and plausible theory. By the way, did you know that a Japanese television team used our cottage in Cape Eli abeth for an hour-long program on Hopper They recreated his visit here with two young American actors, even to renting a 1 20s automobile. The program was part of a series of European painters
As for Albert C. Barnes “Good Eye,” May 2010 , we have seen his collection thrice: first in its original installation in the old house, subsequently on tour, and finally in the moderni ed Barnes home, revitali ed and brought up to modern museum standards but with all the works in Barnes’s prescribed place with money from the tour.
Eddie itz atric ortland
WILD APPRECIATION
I ust wanted to thank you for the article on Dan Fogelberg “Wild Child,” April 2010 . For all of his devoted fans, it means a lot to us to know where he was most happy and where most of his inspiration came from. He has been my favorite musician since the 1 0s, when I first heard him sing. He is sorely missed, but this article brings his happiest times back to his fans. Jean has done great things for his fans since his passing. She keeps his spirit alive for us. Kim Anderson lendale Arizona
I truly en oyed your piece on Dan Fogelberg as told through his wife Jean. The interview questions really brought home some of the essence of who Dan was. Lovely article, and thank you for providing those who loved Dan’s music additional information about him as a person. It makes his music that much more precious. Lisa ovey Indiana olis Indiana
Thank you for taking the time to interview Jean Fogelberg. It provided insights into her life with Dan. Although I’ve been to Maine before, it makes me want to return to sample’ the places so renewing and inspiring to Dan. ic Congrove oano e irginia
We
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.
IMPERA
Inspired by fleurs-de-lis and owner Kim Dailey’s in-laws, The Dailey Grind’s fanciful shakers let you pulverize pepper with pizazz! Carthage, Maine, daileywoodworking.com
Food Network Magazine named the ‘seven-napkin burger‘ at Owls Head General Store the “Best Burger in Maine ” 2 South Shore Drive, Owls Head
Lewiston-based Rancourt & Co.’s handcrafted moccasins and loafers often stroll under the aliases of Ralph Lauren and Red Wing and have attracted international attention, most notably from “an Italian diplomat” who purchased a pair of cordovan leather shoes for $450. rancourtandcompany.com
Eden
The New York Times Magazine real estate staff recently spanned the nation to show readers“what $2 million will get you.” Maine’s entry? Recent gubernatorial candidate Rosa Scarcelli’s Western Prom home by John Calvin Stevens, listed by Mulkerin Associates for $1.95 million
Dahlov Ipcar’s new Farmyard Alphabet combines the artist’s acclaimed illustrations with fresh text. $10.95, islandportpress.com
Ambitious cuisine, bargain rates! Chefs-intraining at Southern Maine Community College’s Culinary Arts Program dish up four delectable courses in their oceanside dining room. Right price ($12), right time. Reservations: 741-5612
$75-$185
“It takes a fanatic to make great chocolate,” says Janet Puistonen of Box Hill Confections in Cumberland. “I make truly artisanal, handmade chocolates.” Gift baskets start at $50. boxhillconfections.com
Musicians of the Portland Rossini Club, established 1869, perform January 16 at St. Luke’s Cathedral. Join this fascinating organization. phyllisleeke.com
Celebrate! Celebrate!
Theater
Biddeford City Theater, 205 Main St., Biddeford. A Christmas Carol, the musical, Dec. 3-19. 282-0849 citytheater.org
Penobscot Theatre Company, 131 Main St., Bangor. Plaid Tidings, Dec. 3-23. The Velveteen Rabbit, Dec. 8-20. 942-3333 penobscottheatre.org
Portland Players, 420 Cottage Rd., South Portland. The Santaland Diaries, Dec. 15-19; The Mousetrap, Jan. 14-30. 799-7337 portlandplayers.org
The Theater Project,14 School St., Brunswick. Ms. Scrooge by P.M. Clepper, Dec. 17-19; Storytelling with Al Miller-Special Holiday Edition Featuring Phyllis Fuchs and Brad Terry, Dec. 24. 729-8584 theaterproject.com
Music
Bay Chamber Concerts, Strand Theatre, 345 Main St., Rockland. Epic Brass, Jan. 15, 236-2823 baychamberconcerts.org
Bayside Bowl, 58 Alder St., Portland. Kill the Karaoke featuring Trainwreck and the Fuge, Dec. 22, 29, and Jan. 5. 791-2695 baysidebowl.com
The Big Easy, 55 Market St., Portland. Free New Year’s Eve Show w/ The Cyborg Trio & Dreamosaic, Dec. 31. 775-2266 bigeasyportland.com
Blue, 650 Congress St., Portland. Danielle Miraglia, Dec. 17; Red Curtain Series, Dec. 18; HOLIDAY BAZAAR w/ Mark Tipton, Dec. 22; Bernie Bouthot Quartet, Dec. 23. 774-4111 portcityblue.com
The Choral Art Society, Immanuel Baptist Church, 156 High St., Portland. An Epiphany Celebration, Jan. 8. 828-0043 choralart.org
Cumberland County Civic Center, Free St., Portland. Portland Pirates Home Games, Dec. 28, 31, and Jan. 7-8. UMaine Black Bear Hockey vs. U.S. Na-
tional Under 18 Men’s Hockey Team, Jan. 2. 775-3458 theciviccenter.com
Dogfish Bar and Grille, 128 Free St., Portland. Griffin Sherry & The Ghost of Paul Revere, Dec. 23; the Del Rossi Possy, Dec. 24; Matt Myer and the junction Gumption, Jan. 1; down the road apiece, Jan. 6; Sean Mencher and his rhythm kings, Jan. 8. 772-5483 thedogfishbarandgrille.com
Empire Dine and Dance, 575 Congress St., Portland. Adam Ezra Group and This Way, Dec. 17; Sparks the Rescue, Dec. 19; The Stowaways, Dec. 20, 27; Grupo Esperanza, Jan. 7. 879-8988 portlandempire.com
One Longfellow Square, 181 State St., Portland. Ring in the Holidays Gospel Style with Rock My Soul, Dec. 12; Jorma Kaukonen, Dec. 15; the Portland Jazz Orchestra, Dec. 16; The James Montgomery Band, Dec. 17; Darol Anger’s Republic of Strings presents Yulegrass!, Dec. 18; Ellis Paul and Band, Jan. 1; The Fishtank Ensemble, Jan. 6; Le Vent du Nord, Jan. 7; The THE BAND Band, Jan. 8; George Cole Quartet, Jan. 15. 761-1757 onelongfellowsquare.com
The Space Gallery, 538 Congress St., Portland. Film: Herb and Dorothy, Dec. 9. 828-5600 space538.org
St. Lawrence Arts and Community Center, 76 Congress St., Portland. “Snow-Bound” read by Michael Maglaras, Dec. 12. 775-5568 stlawrencearts.org
Dec. 20
Aaron Neville croons soulful, holiday tunes at Stone Mountain Arts Center, Brownsfield. 8 p.m., $110
CS Boutique
State Theatre, 609 Congress St., Portland. Dashboard Confessional, Dec. 12; Badfish: A Tribute to Sublime, Dec. 18; New Year’s Eve Clash of the Titans, Dec. 31 at 8pm. 956-6000 statetheatreportland.com
Stone Mountain Arts Center, 695 Dug Way Rd., Brownfield. Stone Mountain live Annual Christmas Show, Dec. 12; Christmas with Aaron Neville Up Close & Personal, Dec. 20. 935-7292 stonemountainartscenter.com
Waterville Opera House, 1 Common St., Waterville. The Nutcracker Ballet, Dec. 10-12; Anni Clark, Jan. 21. 873-7000 operahouse.org
Don’t Miss
15th Annual Christmas Craft Show, Augusta Armory, 179 Western Ave., Augusta. Dec. 11-12. 946-7079, 706-843-9188 newenglandcraftfairs.com
Arrows Restaurant, 41 Berwick Rd., Ogunquit. New Year’s Eve Celebration, Black and White Dinner, 6 courses $98, Dec. 31. 361-1100 arrowsrestaurant.com
Children’s Museum of Maine, 2 Free St. Portland. Rudolph’s Workshops: Candle Making, Dec. 3, 17; Candy Making, Dec. 10,19; Light-up Nose Greeting Cards, Dec. 11,18; Snowflake Ornaments, Dec. 12; New Year’s at Noon!, Dec. 31. 828-1234 kitetails.org
Christmas at Victoria Mansion, 109 Danforth St., Portland. Victoria Mansion is lavishly decorated for the holidays by professional designers, decorators, and florists, making this a festive time of year to plan a tour, to Jan. 8. 772.4841 victoriamansion.com
Comedy Connection, 16 Custom House Wharf, Portland. Brad Mastrangelo, Dec. 16-18; Bob Marley at the Merrill Auditorium, Dec. 29-31. 774-5554 mainecomedy.com
Free Horse & Wagon Rides, Monument Sq., Portland. Free rides throughout the enchanting downtown so you can enjoy the lights and sounds of the holiday season, Dec. 17-19. 772-6828 portlandmaine.com
Grace, 15 Chestnut St., Portland. New Year’s Dinner and Dance, Dec. 31. By reservation. Dec. 18–Badfish brings the ska/punk jams of Sublime to the State Theatre, Portland. 7:30 p.m., $18/20
Jan. 6–Fishtank Ensemble performs their eclectic, ‘gypsy’ music at One Longfellow Square, Portland. 8 p.m., $15
828-4422 restaurantgrace.com
L.L. Bean’s Northern Lights Celebration, 1 Freeport Village Station, Freeport. Enjoy free valet parking, product demos, crafts for kids, and horse-drawn carriage rides, Nov. 17-Dec. 31. 552-7772 llbean.com
New Year’s Eve Bell Ringing, City Hall, 55 Front St., Bath. Dec. 31 at noon. 442-7291 visitbath.com
Merry Madness! Eastland Park Hotel, 157 High St., Portland. Shop ‘til you drop in downtown Portland! Participating stores will remain open until 10pm, Dec. 16. portlandmaine.com
Photo A Go-Go, Bakery Photo Collective, Dana Warp Mill, 90 Bridge St., Westbrook. Preview of show Dec. 6-10; silent auction, Dec. 10. 591-6675 bakeryphoto.com
Saddleback, 976 Saddleback Rd., Rangeley. 50th Anniversary Celebration, Dec. 31; Family Fun Day, Jan. 15. 864-5671 saddlebackmaine.com
Clash of the Titans, State Theater, 609 Congress St., Portland. Battle of the Bands, Zach Jones, The Lucid, Grand Hotel, Dec. 31 at 8pm. 956-6001 statetheatreportland.com
Sugarloaf, 5092 Sugarloaf Access Rd., Carrabassett Valley. Blessing of Skis and Boards, Dec. 15; Holiday Gift Bazaar, Dec. 10-11; Family New Years Party, Dec. 31; College Snow Fest Week, Jan. 3-6; Children’s Festival Week, Jan. 10-14. 237-2000 sugarloaf.com
Sunday River, 15 South Ridge Rd., Newry. Time Pilots and Motor Booty Affair, Dec. 18; College Week, Jan. 3-7; Never in Vegas, Jan. 8; Children’s Festival Week, Jan. 10-14. 800-543-2754 sundayriver.com
Women in Harmony, Woodfords Congregational Church, 202 Woodford St., Portland. “Best of Women in Harmony” winter concert, Jan. 22-23. 522-1124 wihmaine.org
Tasty Events
Black Cherry Provisions, 56 Depot Rd., Falmouth. Wine tasting every second Sa, 2-5pm. 7815656 or blackcherrymaine.com
Browne Trading Company, 260 Commercial St.,
Merrill’s Wharf, Portland. Wine tasting every third Th, 5-7pm. 775-7560 brownetrading.com
Chef Encounters, The Salt Exchange, 245 Commercial St., Portland. Watch Executive Chef Jacob Jasinski prepare your feast right in front of you at the Chef’s Table. Reservations required. 347-5687 thesaltexchange.net
Havana South, 44-50 Wharf St., Portland. “$10 for 10” wine tastings every third W, 5:30-8pm. 772-9988 havanamaine.com
Old Port Wine Merchants, 223 Commercial St., Portland. Wine tasting every third W, 4-7:30pm. 772-9463 oldportwine.com
RSVP, 887 Forest Ave., Portland. Wine tasting every second W, 4-7pm. 773-8808
The West End Deli & Catering, 133 Spring St., Portland. Wine tastings every first F, 6-8pm. Beer & Boar’s Head tasting, Dec. 15. 874-6426 thewestenddeli.com
Wine Wise Tastings, The Wine Bar, 38 Wharf St. Portland. Rieslings, Dec. 15; Sparkling Wines, Dec. 29; Italian Reds, Jan. 8. 619-4630 winewiseevents.com
Galleries
Art Gallery at UNE, Westbrook College Campus, University of New England, 716 Stevens Ave., Portland. The Architecture of Environmental Landscapes, Within and Without, to Dec. 19; Alison Hildreth New Work, Catalogue interview with Patricia Nick, Jan. 5-Apr. 3. 221-4490 une.edu/artgallery
Atrium Art Gallery, 51 Westminster St., Lewiston.
Area Artists 2011 biennial open juried exhibit of work in all media by artists in Androscoggin, Franklin, and Oxford counties, Jan. 21-Mar. 19. 753-6554. usm.maine.edu
Center for Maine Contemporary Art, 162 Russell Ave., Rockport. Photographing Maine: Ten Years Later, to December 5. 236-2875 artsmaine.org
Farnsworth Art Museum,16 Museum St., Rockland. Louise Nevelson, to Dec. 31; Emily SchifferCheyenne River-Arnold Newman Prize Winner Exhibition, to Jan. 16; Arnold Newman, to Jan. 16. 596-6457 farnsworthmuseum.org
Galeyrie Fine Art, 190 U.S. Rt. 1, Falmouth. Gallery artists show, new offerings from the Osher Map Collection. Presentation of the 1932 Illustrated Map by Berta and Elmer Hader, and Original hand-colored 1938 Maine Atlas. 781-3555 galeyrie.com
Institute of Contemporary Art, Maine College of Art, 522 Congress St., Portland. Saturday School Exhibition, Dec. 11; First Friday Art Walks, Jan. 7; Faculty Exhibit, Dec. 4-Jan. 9. 775-3052 meca.edu
Maine Maritime Museum, 243 Washington St., Bath. Cross Currents Exhibit, to Feb. 7. 443-1316 mainemaritimemuseum.org
Portland Museum of Art, 7 Congress Sq., Portland. Rackstraw Downes: Onsite Paintings, 19722008, Dec. 16; Weston: Leaves of Grass, Dec. 30; The Lay of the Land: A Celebration of Art Acquired by the Friends of the Collection (1983-2010), Jan. 15. 775-6148 portlandmuseum.com
–Compiled by Maya Ranganathan
Cost Conscious
The
Quality Conscious
You
Well Informed
Health Conscious
Our
CHOWDER
Barrel of Fun Barrel of Fun
At $6 million, this Carmel, California, creation (brought to our attention by the Wall Street Journal) is unique, but owners Mark Feldberg and Emilyn Page admit it’s Maine-inspired. Page notes their new home is “not a copy,” but inspiration for the roof did come from an “Ogunquit house we saw while summering” here (inset).
Play It Forward
Yarmouth-resident Nora McCormack recently filmed the video for Guster’s “Bad, Bad World” on the streets of Portland. Strangers were asked to take $10 and change a life. “It was rewarding to see people participate in and react to the challenge.”
Moving the Bishop
Washington portrait painter Gilbert Stuart’s 1 2 rendering of Bishop Cheverus 1 -1 , titled The ood Bisho has been donated to Cheverus High by Robert & Eli abeth Nanovic of North Yarmouth, who purchased it at auction in Dedham, Mass., in 200 for 1 , 0. “The Bisho was sent for a bath’ at Portland Museum of Art before we hang it here,” says Brian Dudley. Cheverus escaped imprisonment during the French Revolution, fled to London in disguise, and ministered to the Penobscot and Passamaquoddy tribes here.
Camden is offering land on the Megunticook River for free–if you’re a business owner who can bring in new jobs. But beware the fine print: You’ll have to ‘tiptoe around’ the minor chemical contamination from tannery solvents. On the bright side–initial incentives such as no corporate income or sales tax will free up cash for extra mops. freelandinmaine.com
Keep This Under Your Hat
County music star Kenny Chesney was spotted this summer in Port Clyde, filming the video for his hit song “Seven Days.”
We’re All Inuit
FIND THE HENRY MOORE & WILLIAM ZORACH
Clockwise from top left: Mother and Child, Martha Ikiperiak Eekerkik, 1968 (soapstone); Drum Dancer, Paul Aaluk, 2001 (antler); Reclining Woman, Henry Moore, 1930 (Hornton stone–a favorite of Moore–is a limestone named after quarries at Hornton in the southeast region of England), National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa, purchased 1956; Mother and Child, William Zorach, 1942 (terra-cotta), Odon Wagner Gallery; Throat Singers, Silas Qayaqjuaq, 2001 (antler on soapstone base); Spiritual Throat Singers, Silas Qayaqjuaq, 2004 (antler & serpentine, 20 varieties, often used for jewelry and hardstone carving, sometimes called ‘Teton jade’); Bird Woman, Therese, 1968 (serpentine)
CA gorgeous new collection at Peary-MacMillan Arctic Museum dramatizes the connection between modern & primitive art.
BY COLIN W. SARGENT
all it the exaltation of influence. “An extraordinary gift of 1 0 Canadian Inuit soapstone and antler carvings and prints” is the heart of the new show “Imagination Takes Shape: Canadian Inuit Art from the Robert and Judith Toll Collection” at Bowdoin College’s the Peary-MacMillan Arctic Museum.
Striking individually, these treasures of human touch illustrate the influence of ancient and more recent arctic carvers on “smooth” contemporary operators like internationally celebrated sculptors Henry Moore 1 -1 and William orach 1 -1 . And vice versa, by the way, with modern Inuit sculptors riffing off the cultural influences of masters working off-ice that is, art imitating life imitating art. How fascinating it is to see Inuit carvers carrying sobriquets such as “George Arluk, the Henry Moore of Inuit art.”
Everything flows in circles. “As early as the 1 20s, Henry Moore made sketches of Inuit art and artifacts that he later used as inspiration for his own work long before the much-vaunted launching of the contemporary Canadian Inuit art industry’ in the late 1 0s,” says Emily Auger, PhD, author of The Way of Inuit Art. “However, Moore’s work can no more be summed up by the influence of a single non-Western tradition than the art of a contemporary Inuit artist working in a multicultural context can be summed up by the influence of a single Western artist.”
See if you can guess which two images do not come to us directly from the hands of Inuit master sculptors before you read the caption left . ■
>> For more images, visit portlandmonthly.com.
Bar Wars Bar Wars
The Old Port is a battlefield for a dirty fight to lay claim to the best post-midnight scene.
BY KAREN E . HOFREITER
It s 10 p.m. on a raw, slushy Friday night. Our motley crew sporting stiletto boots, L.L. Bean ackets, glittery eye shadow, and chunky sweaters and carrying bulky cameras and tripods descends upon the Old Port, a checkerboard of glowing windows framing bouncing lasers of neon. The cobblestone on Wharf Street practically vibrates with the pounding beats of hypnotic techno and Top- 0 ear candy. Despite the nasty weather, the streets are flush with squealing girls in micro-minis, herds of shivering smokers, and long lines of teetering club-goers corralled behind red velvet ropes.
We march through it all, not to be deterred from our mission: to find the ultimate nightlife in a city often dismissed for a single-flavor bar scene watered down and rounded out to appeal to
tourists in the summer and depressed locals in the winter. We’re not searching for the best wings, the most authentic Irish music, the biggest flat screens, or the least offensive environments for nuclear family units rather, we’re on the hunt for places with a racing pulse and amphetamine vibe and venues for indulging vices and satisfying inner vixens.
So who will have you dancing, and who will kill your bu before midnight isclaimer inions are solely those of the author.
BEST POLE DANCING
Cactus Club and Styxx have this category covered. Cactus has Continued on age
A giant lobster built from ghost traps? Behemoth blades of grass assembled from lawn mower blades?
Sculptor Chris Fennell plays with our notions of creation and destruction with his public-art installations.
Riding the Wave
Ilike to make fine art out of garbage,”
says Chris Fennell, who recently turned the trick right here in Maine. Visitors to the niversity of Maine at Farmington are doing a double take upon seeing his towering, lime green installation Lawn Mower Leaves in front of the glass doors leading to the education center see photo in Table of Contents, page 11 . A paean to sustainability A oke that swallows its own punch line Fennell’s giant leaves of grass tease the brain because they’re made entirely from recycled lawn mower blades.
Add this to his emerging national reputation for larger-than-life, eye-popping sculptures such as Building Wave created from “cast off boards” suggesting timber from wrecked ships in Bellevue, Washington, and Bicycle Tornado created from 1 0 recycled bicycles in Athens, Georgia, and you have a whirlwind talent who exults in the power to da le and tickle at the same time.
Why did you become a sculptor?
I was a mechanical engineer and went back to school to study art BA from niversity of South Florida MFA from niversity of Georgia . I tried to be a painter and a sculptor who carved out of stone. Then I started building things, using the principles of physics. It evolved into building things in a green fashion.
In Lawn Mower Leaves, why are the leaves shaped the way they are?
They started as three blades of grass from lawn mower blades because the school is about sustainability. Sustainability hey, lawn mowers Should we have as many lawn mowers as we do I’m trying to
Fennell’s Building Wave (wooden boards, 18' x 11'x 18') breaks over a pond in Bellevue, Washington.
BY MICHELLE SU S A N TWO M E Y
From top: Chris Fennell stands in the breezy vortex of over 800 ‘flying’ baseball bats that comprise his installation Bats Baseball (aluminum bats, 8' x 16' x 12') in Atlanta, Georgia.
From top: Chris Fennell stands in the breezy vortex of over 800 ‘flying’ baseball bats that comprise his installation Bats Baseball (aluminum bats, 8' x 16' x 12') in Atlanta, Georgia.
Hunt The Stops Here
At Maine’s largest general store, it’s one-stop shopping for “that special gun or wedding dress.”
BY CAROLINE N O RWOOD
What can I say about a store that claims, “If we ain’t got it, you don’t need it” If you’re thinking of a sterile, generic, mundane, big-box store forget it. How about a country general store on three levels where one can buy a hunting rifle, a gorgeous wedding dress, a six-pack of beer, and even Billy Beans on Tuesdays You’ll find all this and more on display at Hussey’s General Store in Windsor. The array of items for sale is overwhelming. Step through the door, and you step back in time.
As for the effect of the nearby Hannaford,
“A lot of people were worried about it. It affected us a bit in retail at first, but no one can be sure whether this wasn’t due to the poor economy. Then business bounced back. We’re such a diversified, long-standing store it didn’t affect us much,” says Choate.
The dramatic assortment of goods is not always arranged in tidy, straight rows but handily placed here and there. There are racks of Columbia clothing, heavy hardware, thriving plants, groceries, and toys. Hunters will appreciate the “Devastator Sweet Suy” duck call, a bargain for 2 . , as well as goose decoys that go for 2. each. You can rent a wood splitter for 0 a day or buy a fresh meat package for -21 . Call ahead to order Prices accurate at time of press.
Harland and Mildred Hussey opened this oasis in 1 2 . Their son, Elwin, is still active in the business. A third-generation Hussey, Ben amin J., is the current president. Forty employees keep this sprawling enterprise open days a year closed Christmas .
Office manager Diana Choate says people seem hypnoti ed by the big sign outside, “Guns, Wedding Dresses, Cold Beer.” It’s been there “as long as people can remember.
“It draws customers from a 0-mile radius but also from far beyond for those seeking a special gun or wedding dress. Our gowns come from different vendors, mainly from New York or California. People will drive for sales even if the gas is high.”
During my most recent visit to the store, I brought my three-year-old grandson, John, with me. We had to go upstairs to see the wild animals. A huge caribou head towers over the stairway, and a black bear head glowers at passersby from one of the walls. en Hallowell of China, Maine, welcomed us and helped John get a closer look at the bear. en can usually be found helping customers select the best hunting rifle. an ee maga ine recently voted Hussey’s as having the “best onestop shopping” in New England. The biggest general store in Maine, it offers customers something money can’t buy. The shopping experience at Hussey’s is as warm as a great stone fireplace during the holidays, with a gentle atmosphere, people who have time to say hello, and clerks who take time to lift up your grandchild to see a stuffed bear not to mention floors that creak when you walk down the aisle. ■
>> For more images, visit portlandmonthly.com.
With a sheaf of summers in Bar Harbor as his inspiration, Wall Street 2 heartthrob John Buffalo Mailer, 32, is daring to live on the knife’s edge, taking on the world as actor, playwright, screenwriter, editor, blogger, and scene-stealer. Would you expect anything less from the son of two-time Pulitzer prizewinning author Norman Mailer (1923-2007), who for decades treasured Maine as his fortress of solitude?
When Your Name Is Mailer
Congratulations on your recent role as Robby in Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps. You were also “Speechwriter No. 2” in W., right? How did you first meet Oliver Stone, and how did these acting assignments come about?
Ifirst met Oliver because he had read a treatment for a Hurricane atrina movie I had written. Our mutual friend, Richard Stratton who plays the prison guard in the first few moments of Money Never Slee s , had gotten the treatment to Oliver and now he wanted me to come to Los Angeles for a meeting. Simultaneously, Laura Dawn, the Cultural Director of MoveOn.org who also makes an appearance in MNS , had asked my brother Michael and myself to produce a commercial suggesting we listen to the Iraq War veterans on what to do about the situation. I took a leap and asked Oliver if he would be interested in directing it, and with hindsight, not surprisingly, he said yes. The weekend is too much of a story to get into here, but suffice to say, meeting with Oliver as a writer was a fantasy come to life producing a commercial he was directing, that lead me to believe that antacid might ust be the most important product on the market and something everyone should pick a company and buy stock in. Nerve-wracking is one way to put it. Bruce Lee once said that the goal is to be like water: Always maintain your own substance while still remaining flexible enough to take on the necessary shape you need in order to deal with the moment at hand. It’s a good idea when working with Oliver in any capacity. If you try to maintain a rigid stance on how you are going to go about doing your part be it writing, producing, or acting , you are fighting the magic and putting yourself in the eopardy of not rising as high as he can bring you. Oliver has the ability to pull exactly the per-
INTERVIEW B Y COLIN W. SARGENT
You Can’t Phone It In
formance he needs from you which in turn makes you shine in ways that don’t even allow you to know it is happening. At one point over that weekend I produced the commercial for him, he turned to me and said, ou look like Russell Crowe
“I’ll take that,” I said. “I’ve gotten Jason Priestley all my life.”
He smiled and looked at me with a cross of si ing me up and checking me out almost undressing my soul with his eyes. Then he grinned.
“You could be my Russell Crowe.”
“I’ll be your Russell Crowe, Oliver.” I said it with a laugh, and while I certainly appreciated the comparison, after seventeen years of hoofing it in New York theater as an actor, writer, and producer, I forced myself not to take it too seriously, as I did not know how many more times I could come within striking distance of living my dream, only to see it fall apart for reasons out of my con-
trol. So I laughed and we went on going through footage of veterans talking about bringing the troops home.
Several months later, when Oliver cast me in the role of Paul Medlo, one of the unfortunate troops who lived through the My Lai Massacre, a si able role in in ville, one that does not ordinarily go to theater actors with limited film credits like myself, I thought that dream had finally come true. It happened to come at a cra y time in my life, as my father was dying in the hospital and I was flying back and forth between L.A. and New York for callbacks. I did get to tell my dad that Oliver had cast me in the film before he died. There was a good deal of comfort in that. The day after my father’s funeral, I had to fly to L.A. to start rehearsals. It felt like an acid trip. By Friday, when Oliver told me the movie had fall-
en apart and was not going to happen in the foreseeable future, I had to laugh. I had buried my dad the Tuesday before, and tough as I like to think I am, the news that this movie was not going to happen made the death of my father all too real and I nearly crumbled, suddenly weak in the knees now that I no longer had this adventure with Oliver to escape into and put off dealing with the loss of my best friend, my dad.
“I’ve had a bad week,” Oliver said to me on the phone, sensing a bit of shock on my end. “But you’ve had a really bad week ”
When I heard he was in New York casting Money Never Slee s, I emailed his assistant, Evan Bates, who told me no one but Shia LaBeouf and Michael Douglas had been cast yet. The next day I got an invitation to go to dinner with Oliver, Shia, Eric opeloff the producer , and Oliver’s mother, Jacqueline. First audition.
for Shia ”
“If you cast me, you absolutely can ” I was about to collapse from the tension of not knowing.
“I’m casting you, I’m casting you. Relax.” “So, it’s official ” I still had no idea what was going on.
Oliver extended his hand. “It’s official.” athleen Chopin, the casting director, gave me a wink to suggest she had been pulling for this and was happy both Oliver and Fox were taking a chance on an unknown. I walked out of her office, took one look at athleen’s assistant and the other actors waiting to go in, then allowed myself to drop to the floor and exhale in a way I had never done before. The fantasy had become, once again, reality. Only for real this time.
to the swagger to the energy shots, he wanted us to eat, sleep, dream, and honor where these guys were coming from. Oliver doesn’t go in for udging his characters, which is why he is able to pull off the kinds of movies he does. He comes at it from a genuine sense of curiosity, of wanting to understand his sub ects for all their faults and virtues. He asked the same of all us.
THE NAKED AND THE LIVING
That night outside of the club we went to after dinner, Shia told me that Oliver had spoken to him the day before and told him he was casting me as his best friend. That it was a done deal. Now, Shia is a really nice guy, and I think, looking back on it, he kind of liked me and was ust trying to give a guy a little confidence, because I had to audition my ass off for this part. After three rounds, Oliver sent me a text saying, “You’re good, man. Get ready.” I thought I was in So much so, that I went up to a buddy of mine’s farm in western Massachusetts to celebrate, not quite breaking, but certainly swelling my nose to twice its normal si e by making the foolish mistake of sparring with my pal. When I got the call the next day from my manager telling me it was down to me and two other actors both badass actors who had an impressive amount of credits behind them that I could not claim , and I would have to do one more audition, I came close to panicking. In the end, it may have been the shiner and swollen nose that cemented the part for me, as Robby is a good guy but a bit of a brawler. You never know how these things can shake out.
My father completely taught me how to write. Part of it has to be born in your ear–the same way you can teach someone how to play jazz but you can’t teach them how to be Miles Davis.
Getting to work with this cast was like going to work in my fantasy every day. Each one of them affected me probably much more than they know. Getting to spend a day standing next to Michael Douglas may have been the highlight. We have one scene together at the Metropolitan, where my character is telling Gordon Gekko what an inspiration he was to him growing up as a kid, which amounts to about thirty seconds of film time but took six hours to shoot. As a now iconic actor who started out as a producer, and also grew up under the shadow of a largerthan-life father, Michael has always been an inspiration to me. What I learned that day is he’s also a terrific guy real, grounded, and humble, yet aware of who he is and what he has accomplished. I was sweating bullets at the beginning of the day, but after about twenty minutes with him, I felt at ease. It was instrumental for my character, who is also talking to a legend he admires in that scene.
Once I had finished the audition, a slight grin formed at the corners of Oliver’s mouth. “So, I can count on you to look out
But even in that moment, I already knew the adventure was ust beginning.
If there were a ‘word cloud’ for your acting instructions in Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps, what would some of those cloud words be? There’s certainly a sense of you grounding Jake’s character as his fellow options trader and Long Island best friend–”a deft little performance,” according to ew.com, as well as some tension.
Love,’ Protect,’ and Bring The Sex.’
What specific acting considerations did Stone ask you to keep in mind while shooting? Which of the other actors was most helpful to you on set?
Oliver was adamant about us all doing our homework and really understanding the world we were embodying. From the accent
However, Frank Langella and I have become the closest out of everyone I got to know from the cast. Frank is the genuine article, and it is incredible to see him starting to get his due as one of the greatest actors of his generation. He has been generous with offering advice on acting, women, and life. And as a result, the fantasy continues on.
Your father has written eloquently (no surprise) about his having to climb Otter Cliffs in Acadia National Park as an Episcopalian rite of passage, in Harlot’s Ghost and in Esquire, saying the black rocks at the base of the cliffs hissed like a gas-station floor. Reading the mutual interview you and he wrote for New York magazine, I found myself wondering if you were ever asked to perform the same feat? Or was it at least discussed?
It started to hail as we were on the middle of the Knife’s Edge. I don’t think I had ever been quite as scared in the eight years I had been alive, than I was in that moment. –John Buffalo Mailer
Clockwise from top: Knife’s Edge, Mt. Katahdin; Norman and John Buffalo Mailer; Fortune Rock, the Somes Sound house where Norman, John Buffalo, and the rest of the Mailer clan stayed. To read more, visit: portlandmonthly.com/portmag/2010/06/finding-fortune
Every summer, my father would gather all of my brothers and sisters and cousins and we would train for months, getting ready to hike Mount atahdin. I was young at the time, and it is really more my siblings’ place to talk about these outings indeed, several of them have written about those adventures eloquently in various publications , but I will say that the time when it started to hail as we were on the middle of the nife’s Edge for those unfamiliar with Mount atahdin, the nife’s Edge is a half-mile stretch of small, sharp rocks forming about a threefoot-wide path from one peak to the next, with an extremely steep drop-off on either side, which would most likely send one to an early grave if you were to take a tumble . I don’t think I had ever been quite as scared for my life in the eight years I had been alive, than I was in that moment. When we got to the bottom of the mountain, we all went out for cheeseburgers. I think a part of me understood why my father would push us so much farther than we thought we could go I had never had a better cheeseburger in my life. He instilled in all of us from a young age
that Courage was the highest virtue, and that it was only through confronting one’s fears that life could fully be appreciated.
Tell us about what you’re writing right now–what this interview is interrupting (sorry), whether it’s a screenplay, novel, article, or non-fiction piece.
Currently I’m producing a feature documentary about using hip-hop as a core curriculum in inner-city high schools called ollow The Leader directed by David Ambrose cowriting a screenplay about the life of Rita Gigante and working on two books, one of which is called An Insider s uide to the Heterose ual nder ground of rovincetown, which is a tour through the last ten years in America, with a focus on exploring the Columbine massacre, /11, the flooding of New Orleans, and the bank bailouts. Which is a good deal of fun, believe it or not. The other book is called ays in etroit, which I’m writing with Matt Pascarella. That one is about the experience of going to see Matthew Barney’s opera adaptation of my father’s book Ancient Evenings, essentially turning Detroit into his canvas, while also taking a tour through the ghettos and burned-out buildings
of a city that can legitimately claim to have 0 percent of its buildings abandoned.
In addition to that, I am working on several books with my family and the Wylie Agency of unpublished collected works of my father’s for the Mailer Estate.
If you were to write a bizzarro sequel to your ebook Music, Food, and Death that took place in Maine instead of New Orleans, who would the strippers be? Where is Maine’s underbelly, and who’s running it?
nfortunately, I couldn’t tell you that offhand. But if you’re interested, I’d be happy to put on my investigative ournalist hat and get to the bottom of it for you so to speak.
Because Maine seemed to be your father’s fortress of solitude across the years, or at least one of his fortresses, you’ve surely spent more than a few vacation days here. Where and when were you here, and what do you like to do specifically when you’re here?
My strongest memories of Maine were those summers we spent hiking atahdin.
We ran a story this summer, written by an architectural blogger known as the Down East Dilettante, where he describes a fantastic house in Somes Sound, Maine [“Finding Fortune,” Summerguide 2010]. At one point, Norman Mailer suspends his very young son above the surf of this house he’s renting. Was this you, and do you remember this?
I’m not sure that ever happened, to tell you the truth. While my father always pushed us hard, he was never cruel. He did encourage all my brothers and sisters to ump off the porch into the water. I was too young to even attempt it at the time. I believe he made a deal with my oldest brother, Michael, that if he would ump off, then my father would dive off, head-first. Of course Michael did ump off, and my father was not altogether comfortable with having to make good on his end of the bargain. Luckily, he was madly in love with my mother and was not about to give her the sense that he was scared to do it, so he got up there and even reali ed there were certain advantages to diving instead of umping, one being that you have that far less to go when you leap out head-first.
What other adventures have you had in Maine?
do not recommend it to anyone. But it certainly felt like an adventure.
The most foolish adventure I’ve had in Maine would have to be the time some buddies and I decided to climb the Beehive in Acadia National Park while under the influence of more than one substance. Going up was all well and good, as the path is clearly marked and all types of handholds have been put in place to aid you along dangerous patches. But that wasn’t quite exciting enough for us, so in our tripped-out state, we decided to go down the back side, which remained untouched. About halfway down, I reali ed that if I fell, it would be the end of me. I have never felt more like one with a rock in my life as I took the painstakingly long ourney back to level ground, sweating all the way. It is not something I would ever do again, and I
Tell us about the Maine that’s yours and nobody else’s. It may be safe to say that the back side of the Beehive is the only part of Maine I could make that claim on, as I don’t believe anyone before or since has been as foolish as we were to try a stunt like that with no ropes.
So far, what’s the best writing you’ve done in Maine, and what were the circumstances? Did you work on The Big Empty here at any point? Did you have to distance yourself from New York, for example, while you were writing Crazy Eyes? Many people came up to Maine from Manhattan immediately after 9/11, because we seemed like a kind of Brigadoon, unstuck in time, where they could take stock of the world situation. I have to admit that I have not done any writing in Maine, although the extraordinary beauty one encounters on the coast has certainly inspired a good deal of my abilities with description. I’ve always seen Maine as the most beautiful state in the Northeast when it comes to terrain.
What’s your next film project?
There are several possibilities I am weighing at the moment, but at the ripe old age of 2, I’ve learned not to talk about them until the deal is signed, because in the movie business, you never know if it’s real until you’re in the theater watching the final cut. But I will say that thanks to Wall Street, each of the possibilities is exciting, and I would be thankful to be a part of any of them.
Andrew Wyeth purposely chose never to teach Jamie Wyeth to paint. How did, or didn’t, Norman Mailer teach you to write? He completely taught me how to write. As much as anyone can teach another, that is. Part of it has to be born in your ear, particularly with dialogue. The same way you can teach someone how to play a but you can’t teach them how to be Miles Davis. But from the time I was seventeen I was showing my father stories and he would take the time to edit them, tell me what I was doing right and what was like tin scraping on aluminum to his ears when I would make the stupid mistakes all writers need to do when they are first starting out. A great deal of what he taught me is in his book on writing, The S oo y Art, which I recommend to any serious writer, although I was mad as hell at the time he wrote it.
“You’re giving away the family secrets, Pop ” In truth, it is a little-known gem and perhaps one of his greatest gifts to writers for generations to come.
In her memoir, your mother, Norris Church Mailer, has written, “Well, I bought a ticket to the circus. I don’t know why I was surprised to see elephants.” How much does your mom figure in your creative career?
She is an equal inspiration. I think she has her own strengths as a writer that I have learned from, particularly her descriptive skills and sense of plot and structure. One reviewer called her writing painterly,’ and I believe that’s an accurate statement. As someone who has fought cancer for 12 years and beat the odds time and time
again, having endured pain to levels that most of us don’t even want to know exist, she has taught me that anything is possible, and I carry that with me every day. My mother is a superhero in my book.
Tell us three things you have to do to reassure yourself you’re in Maine when you’re here.
First and foremost, Harbor Bars ice-cream treats . Gotta get a real Harbor Bar. Second, ump into that free ing cold water that makes you know you’re alive in ways you ust can’t explain to anyone from a tropical climate who has not had the pleasure. Third, go hike Mount atahdin.
is a collection of his radical columns from the 1 0s and 1 0s, and it is fascinating to discover the similarities between those columns and some of the finer blogs around today. I think in some ways, he would have been excited by the possibilities inherent in blogging if he were a young man today, but at the time he discovered it, he knew that his attention had to be focused on his last novel, The Castle in the orest, if he was going to be able to pull off what he set out to do with that book.
Your dad is famous for his nose as a writer. What’s your organ of privilege, creatively speaking?
Now that’s a saucy question I would have to say it’s my ear. You can’t teach someone
a wordsmith.
Tell us about your alter-ego of Beau Buffalo Mailer. You have certainly done your homework. Wow. Well, when I was getting ready to enter the world, my parents still had not decided on my first name. They had it down to John and Beau but were having a hard time pulling the trigger on one or the other. When I told my college roommate, Neil Stewart who was with me when we discovered In The Heights , that I easily could have been called Beau Buffalo Mailer,’ he immediately concluded that if they had named me that , I would have had no choice but to become a boxer. “You know, Beau Buff, the wild middle-weight who could have become a contender,” was along the lines of what he imagined. But, aside from Neil and myself, I was not aware that anyone else knew about my frustrated middle-weight boxing alter ego. I’m extremely impressed.
died, and did you correspond with him about that?
He did a couple posts for the Huffington Post when it was ust starting out, partially out of curiosity and mostly because he liked and respected Arianna Huffington and wanted to see her succeed. He had a little bit of fun with it, but left it at that. Dwayne Raymond, his last editorial assistant, wrote about it quite well in his book, Mornings With Mailer. However, one of the books I am working on for the Mailer Estate
how to write dialogue. They are either born with the ability to hear and write out how someone talks, or they are not. Of course there are tricks and rules one can and should learn, but at the end of the day, like Atticus Finch taking no pride in his ability to shoot a rifle well, a writer who is lucky enough to have an ear for good dialogue should equally take no pride in it and instead ust be thankful they can take the time to work on their weak points as
In the first Wall Street, Josh Mostel, a summer Mainer, played one of Gekko’s lieutenants. Were you aware of his performance, and his connection to Maine, while preparing for your role?
I have to admit I would be lying if I told you I was aware of his connection to Maine, but I have en oyed his work in every single movie I have ever seen him in. I think he is an incredibly underrated character actor who I would love to see get the chance to do a dramatic lead.
Is The Naked and the Dead still in production as a feature film?
We have a script my father loved and are in discussions, but are not in production yet. Our goal is for it to be in a theater near you sooner rather than later, as I feel it is incredibly timely now that so many of our men and women who have been stationed overseas will hopefully be coming home. From the conversations I have had with friends of mine who have served in Iraq and Afghanistan, who
How good was your father getting at blogging by the time he
“From the time I was 17, I was showing my father stories.” In 2006, John Buffalo & Norman Mailer coauthored The Big Empty (Avalon Publishing Group, $12.10), using George W. Bush’s presidency and the Iraq War as a point of departure.
Heather Hemmens kicks butt as mean-girl Alice Verdura on T V ’s Hellcats. But for the rising director/ producer, this is just the beginning.
Think wounded baby tigress.’ Because Alice Verdura’s wrist is broken, she’s going to miss the state cheerleading championships, so why not spoil them for everyone else
The ealous teen played by Maine’s eat er em men , 22, isn’t ust a devil in a blue dress, she’s a conniving, well, hellcat on Wednesday-night’s TV series Hellcats submarining scholarships, switching up nudephoto scandals, exposing rivals’ alcoholic moms, outing classmates, and generally getting into people’s heads. Which isn’t a
La LaLocal Vida Vida Local
INTERVIEW BY TARYN CRANE & E L IZABET H S C H L UGE
bad skill set if the actor who is playing you dares to dream of being a director, too.
The stunning Hemmens grew up off the grid in rural Waldo, west of Belfast, “without electricity my parents were hippies.”
After finishing high school at prestigious Walnut Hill School for the Arts near Boston, she moved to Los Angeles to court fame on both sides of the lens.
Your fans may be surprised to know you’re also a producer and director. Can you tell us more about that?
I’ve directed two short films: erils of an Ac tive Mind and esignated, which is about to be released. I acted in erils as well, so I had the interesting experience of acting and being behind the camera in the other I was entirely the director, which was an absolutely different perspective and dynamic.
What directorial work do you admire?
All of the Coen Brothers’ films, particularly The Big Lebows i Ang Lee’s Memoirs of a eisha and any Spielberg blockbuster.
Do you feel entertainers must show talent in a number of dis-
ciplines these days?
Yes. I’ve always looked beyond being strictly an actress because of the type of career I hope to have. I always want to have a lot on my plate, because I love multitasking.
Who best exemplifies this type of multi-talent in the industry today?
Debbie Allen. She’s an idol to me. She was a director on episode ten of Hellcats, so I met her then. As a fledgling director, I was sneaking behind the monitor to study her techniques while she was working. I saw some angles I hadn’t considered before. She has such an eye for detail and dance scenes. Because she’s a choreographer and dancer herself, she had cool, different lighting ideas overhead shots we hadn’t used before. She did a lot of camera movement, too following individual dancers. Another director might have left them stagnant.
Your mother is Costa Rican and your father English. How does your ethnic background enrich your directing and acting? Being Latina represents a lot for me. I love to dance and eat. I have a little bit of sass. Growing up in Maine, there wasn’t any Spanish
spoken. My siblings and I were the only ones from Costa Rican or African-American heritage in our schools, so it was about finding my own identity. Hey, that must be my director’s vision coming through.
Has growing up in Maine affected you professionally?
Yes People see my being from Maine as an exceptional thing, and they’re always surprised. On Hellcats, I play a spoiled, bratty character, but I had very grounded, humble beginnings I grew up in a serene environment. I’m not a big-city girl. What you see on TV is not what you get when you meet me. Acting is definitely required for me to play this character
If you could shoot a film anywhere in Maine, where would it be? And how would the physical landscape of Maine influence how you’d shoot it?
I grew up way back in the woods outside of Waldo , so it would definitely be filmed on my parents’ land. It would be some horror flick like Blair Witch ro ect. There are acres and acres of beautiful land with wildlife, streams, and woods.
Maine is most beautiful in the winter,
ectacular unsets from the inin oom ela in the ic ford ub ith Coc tails and Li hter Fair
when the trees are covered in snow and you can ice skate on your pond. You’d see my film influenced by the need to show the beauty of the state.
When you come back here, how do you know you’re in Maine? I fly into Bangor, and you know you’re home before you even land. Just flying over Maine is ama ing because you can always tell what season it is. It’s orange and lush or covered in snow or bright green. It’s a relief to return. First thing, I take a deep breath. Then I have to get Greek pi a at Alexia’s in Belfast to know I’m really home.
What do you like to do while you’re home? I like to cook with my mom, read books favorites include Teach ourself to Thin by Edward de Bono and The Celestine ro hecy by James Redfield , and go for long walks with our dogs. I en oy snowmobiling and four wheeling.
Where might we find you in the Old Port? I’m not very familiar with Portland, but in
Continued on age
Kazak
Room Get a
Room Get a
Sometimes, life isn’t fair!
Sometimes, life isn’t fair!
Take a peek at the most deluxe hotel suites in Maine.
Take a peek at the most deluxe hotel suites in Maine.
For sheer indulgence, the Honeymoon Suite at Portland Harbor Hotel can't be topped: Jacuzzi, gas fireplace, candles, and your own sound track playing on the built-in iPod dock. So what if it's not really your honeymoon? This suite makes it easy to pretend.
BY LEAH WHA L E N
peek-a-boo shower separated from the bedroom with floor-to-ceiling glass doors. Not enough room to spread out? Ask to have your suite combined with the King Suite for acres of personal space.
At the Danforth, you can sprawl out under a glowing chandelier. “The bed was in another place,” says owner Kim Swan, “but I loved making the bed a real focal point when you walk into the room. So I thought, what the heck?” Artwork by Maine artists rotates through the room, which strikes a perfect balance between vintage (the moldings) and new (the contemporary, rattan furniture).
Seeking stress reduction? Spa services at the White Barn Inn in Kennebunkport offer a soothing Swedish and deep-tissue massages, along with the special Kennebunk River stone treatment. Then, warm up from a cold day of shopping in your cozy suite.
So maybe you really did meet that special someone at the holiday party, and you want to ring in the new year with your new love in style. Or perhaps the thought of even one more holiday event makes you shudder, and all you want to do is get away from it all. Whether you’re a celebrant or a Scrooge, if you need an escape close to home, we’ve found some opulent hotels in Maine with rooms that surround guests in luxury and good cheer.
Why not do as the divas do Li a Minnelli yes even though she was a no-show for her Merrill Auditorium event and Taylor Swift stayed in the Executive Suite at Portland Harbor Hotel during recent swings through town, and both “loved it,” according to general manager Gerard ilad ian. Could it be the soothing properties of en suite Jacu is, built-in sound systems, and luxurious king-si ed beds They certainly couldn’t hurt.
Want to pretend you own a mansion in Portland’s West End The Danforth is the place to stay. Their rooms seamlessly blend tradition 1 th-cen-
Clockwise from top: The Executive Suite at Portland Harbor Hotel offers a double-sided fireplace dividing living area and bedroom, and a
tury fireplaces with modern furnishings. As you spread am on another ginger scone and ga e out over the private, walled garden, it’s easy to play lord or lady of the manor.
Maybe you crave an escape to a country inn the Captain Lord Mansion in ennebunkport has what you seek. Soft four-poster beds and deep wingback chairs promise co y comfort, if you can tear yourself away from the Jacu i-style tub or et shower. Their beautiful Memory Garden may be covered in snow this time of year but in the
company of fellow guests like Vanessa Williams, you’re certain to make some memories of your own.
Back in town, the Portland Regency Hotel boasts two enormous suites in the historic former armory’s turrets, each with a gas fireplace, Jacu i-style tub, and unbeatable views of the city and waterfront. Downstairs, Twenty Milk Street offers tasty local foods, but if you don’t want to leave your room and why would you , each suite has its own dining nook so you can en oy your oysters and champagne in solitude.
We could go on and on Camden Harbour Inn, Inn by the Sea in Cape Eli abeth, Asticou Inn in Northeast Harbor but one thing is clear: There’s no need to leave Maine if you want to get away in style.
>> For more images, visit portlandmonthly.com.
Some Like It
Cold
There’s more than one way to ‘cook’ a fish.
Looking for a fun way to cut down on your energy bills this winter Consider cooking without heat.
You might make ceviche, for instance.
In this dish also known as seviche or cebiche , “the acids of the uices you use cook’ the ingredients,” says Jay Villani, , chef at Sonny’s restaurant in Portland. For his popular version, he combines rice wine vinegar, lemon and lime uices, sherry, ginger, and diced alape os. Then Villani marinates some raw seafood in this spicy sauce for about a half hour.
The Lady Captain’s Ring
“I
Want to Wear My Ring All the Time!”
Women told us what they wanted: a diamond ring which could be worn all the time and yet was both feminine and beautiful. We listened and created an entire collection of contemporary designs which are low profile, durable, and comfortable.
These exclusive designs were created to be worn 24 hours a day*, 365 days a year, during the widest range of activities. Ideal for today’s active lifestyles. Each ring in this lifestyle collection features a full platinum rim to protect the entire outer perimeter of your diamond.
Lady Captain’s Rings set with Siberian White Diamonds
carat wt.14K yel goldPlatinum
1/5$1,350$2,150
1/4$1,550$2,350
1/3$1,850$2,650
3/8$2,150$2,950
1/2$2,950$3,750
5/8$3,450$4,250
From day one, the Lady Captain’s Ring was an instant hit. It is a ring which possesses mystic appeal. There is just something about the double-horizontal double-vertical design that simply appeals. The design is low-profile, comfortable, wearable… flows with the hand… it’s completely natural.
3/4$5,050$5,850
Cross Jewelers offers a wide range of fine quality diamonds. We will be happy to help you select the diamond of your dreams. Give us a call, we work nationally, or stop in to our store in Portland, Maine.
“The seafood might be scallops, shrimp, yellowfin tuna, white fish whatever’s really fresh. I also might add some sweet potato or avocado and serve it with some pickled vegetables, something to vary the textures and add a little crunch,” he says.
To make sure the dish is safe, the key is “the seafood has to be super, super fresh straight off the boats and into the citrus,” Villani says. “And the beauty is that it has many variations.”
www.CrossJewelers.com/style
At Walter’s restaurant in the Old Port, chef-owner Jeff Buerhaus, , makes his own version. He calls it “Caribbean Coconut Mango Ceviche” pictured . This is raw shrimp dipped in hot coconut milk, chilled, then bathed in a blend of “mango puree, lime uice, hot and sweet chilies, kaffir lime leaves, and lemongrass. Let it sit overnight. That’s it,” he says. Buerhaus serves his ceviche in a lettuce cup, often with house-made
sesame crackers or tortilla chips.
You can find yet another form of ceviche at Miyake, Portland’s Japanese-French-Italian fusion restaurant. Here, the Tai Ceviche consists of Japanese snapper marinated in lime and lemon uices, cilantro, and ohba an herb that tastes like a cross between basil and mint . It’s wrapped in soy paper, topped with tobiko a bright yellow flying fish roe , and garnished with radish sprouts or red amaranth leaves, which add a bitter contrast and more lively color.
The origins of ceviche remain controversial. Some say it comes from Spain or Polynesia. Many historians attribute it to Central or South America, particularly Peru, about 2,000 years ago. In any case, it seems right at home in Maine, not only because of our stellar seafood, but also because locals have been using alternative cooking’ methods from the earliest Colonial days using salt to cure fish like cod and salmon, for instance.
At Portland’s Back Bay Grill, chef de cuisine Dave Connolly makes his own gravlax, which is prepared this way. He cures organic Scottish salmon by letting it sit in a mix of salt, sugar, and dill for about 12 hours. The salt extracts water from the fish, which inhibits the growth of harmful bacteria, and the sugar and dill add flavor.
Like ceviche, the technique for making gravlax “dates back to days when people didn’t have refrigeration,” Connolly says. “Now sophisticated eaters are liking it cool again.” ■
>> For a clam ceviche recipe, visit Online Extras at portlandmonthly.com.
Directly behind Walmart and Regal Cinema
THAT’S OH, SO STYLISH TOO!
Santa
The origins of Santa Claus are complex. Through the centuries he has been associated with a bishop, a Norse god, and a olly fat man. His mode of travel has included sleighs, reindeer, white horses, and goats, depending on the continent and the century.
But one thing is certain he has always had his fans. So perhaps it should come as no surprise that a small, tin Santa above holds the record for the highest price ever paid for a toy at auction. Sold by Maine’s own James D. Julia Auctioneers this past June, it went for an impressive 1 1,000.
Only three such Bergmann Santas are known to exist. Made by the New York firm of Althof Bergmann in the 1 0s, it’s an odd mix of painted American tin, goats with bells, a clockwork or windup mechanism, and a Santa dressed simply in red crepe paper with white trim. Internet buyer Not this time. The purchaser was right in the audience.
The seller was Malcolm Deisenroth, a 0-year collector whose consignments crested 1 million at the event. Before Deisenroth snapped him up, the Santa had been the property of Bernard M. Barenholt , cofounder of the children’s toy company Creative Playthings and author of Anti ue Toys . “Barenholt was one of the pioneers of serious toy collection, and his book is considered a must have’ among toy collectors,” explains Andrew Truman of Julia.
No matter how jolly he appears, Santa is serious business.
Baby
Other Bergmann toys at the Julia auction included a “Rail Road Omnibus” with apanned horses and original driver , and a charming Columbia ferryboat left, 0,2 0 . Another world auction record was set with the sale of a rare eystone pressed-steel “World’s Greatest Circus” ride-on truck with paper-lithography decoration inside and out. It sold for 1 ,2 0, making it the highest price ever paid for that particular toy.
Religious holiday toys and decorative pieces can also be found at auction. Terracotta, wood, or polychrome antique santons or santos saints or religious figures sell for a range of prices, from almost nothing to the five figures. Collectors tend to focus on a specific style, such as the articulated-body santos or those only from South America.
Hanukkah dreidels have been around for more than 2,000 years, but finding one above 100 years old is difficult. Most sell for less than 200. Expect to pay 00 for a small, 1 th-century Eastern European lead dreidel with embossed lettering or 00 for a wooden 1 00-vintage. ■
Althof Bergmann goat bell toy, sold by James D. Julia Auctioneers for $5,175 in June.
Learn to Ski & Ride Card
51 Wharf Restaurant & Ultra Lounge Indulge in the chef’s avantgarde cuisine, w/exceptionally creative courses, local ingredients done from-scratch in our kitchen & the freshest seafood. We serve local Maine lobster, a menu w/savory chicken, & steak & pasta. Available for private parties & events. 51 Wharf St., Portland’s Old Port, 774-1151, 51wharf.com. *
Anthony’s Italian Kitchen Voted “Best in Portland” three years in a row. Pizza, pasta & sandwiches. All homemade recipes, including lasagna, chicken parmesan, eggplant parmesan, meatballs & Italian sausages. Variety of hot & cold sandwiches. Beer & wine. Catering available. 151 Middle St., lower level, Portland, 774-8668. *
Beale St. Barbeque Eclectic American cuisine. The best hardwood-smoked & grilled meats, poultry, fish & seafood, as well as tasty appetizers, specialty sandwiches, salads, & creative daily lunch & dinner specials. Full bar w/ Maine microbrews on tap. No reservations needed, children welcome. Open all day, every day. 725 Broadway, S. Portland. 767-0130, mainebbq.com.
Billy’s Chowder House makes seafood dreams come true, serving the freshest seafood around, whether fried, grilled, broiled, stuffed, or over pasta. The chowders are all homemade & the lobster rolls have been featured in Bon Appétit. Surrounded by the Rachel Carson Wildlife Refuge. 216 Mile Rd., Wells, 646-7558, billyschowderhouse.com.
The Black Tie Market & Bistro will satisfy anyone’s craving for great food served w/flair & fun. Now serving light breakfasts & lunches & everything you need to entertain at home. Made-toorder paninis & wraps, soups, home-baked desserts, & fresh salads. Try our candy bar, gelato, or a great bottle of wine. Now hosting wine tastings! 756-6230, theblacktieco.com.
Boda is a “Very Thai” kitchen & lounge. Delicious selections of Thai home-style entrees, street-vendor inspired grilled skewers, tapas, & a full bar. Vegetarian options available. Come experience an eating culture of Thailand! No reservations & parking available. Late-night menu served until 1am. Open Tu-Su from 5pm-1am. 671 Congress St., Portland, 347-7557.
Brea Lu Cafe has been serving up breakfast & lunch for 22 years! Favorite menu choices include 12 specialty omelets, build-yourown breakfast burritos, Belgian waffles w/ fruit, eggs Benedict & homemade corned beef hash. Lunch features homemade chili, fresh made-to-order sandwiches, burgers & wraps. Open daily, 7am-2pm. 428 Forest Ave., Portland, 772-9202.
Bull Feeney’s Authentic Irish pub & restaurant, serving delicious scratch-made sandwiches, steaks, seafood & hearty Irish fare, pouring local craft & premium imported brews, as well as Maine’s most extensive selection of single malt Scotch & Irish whiskies. Live music five nights. Open 7 days 11:30am-1am. Kitchen closes at 10pm weekdays, 11pm weekends. 375 Fore St., Old Port, 773-7210, bullfeeneys.com.
Clementine Restaurant 44 Maine St., Brunswick. Chef-Owner Dana Robicheaw offers the culinary expertise he acquired at Johnson & Wales & other Portland fine dining establishments. Exquisite food & fine wine in a relaxed atmosphere. Join us for a three-course, prix fixe menu for only $25. Tu-Sa 5-9pm. 721-9800, clementinemaine.com
DiMillo’s Floating Restaurant serves the freshest lobster, seafood, Black Angus cuts of beef, Italian fare & more. DiMillo’s offers fabulous views of the water in Portland Harbor from every table. Famous lobster Roll, clam chowder, haddock chowder, lobster stew & delicious salads. Serving from 11am. Commercial St., Old Port, 772-2216, dimillos.com.
The Dogfish Bar & Grille and The Dogfish Cafe “Great food, drink & service in a casual & unpretentious atmosphere.” Real local feel, reasonable prices & great food. The Cafe (M-Sa lunch, dinner & Su Brunch) offers a more intimate setting, while the Bar & Grille (open daily at 11:30am) offers live music W-Sa night. 128 Free St., 772-5483 (Grille); 953 Congress St., Portland, 253-5400, thedogfishcompany.com. Espo’s Trattoria has been owned by the same family for over thirty years & will become your first choice for fine Italian dining. Menu items include homemade sauces, lasagna, fresh local seafood & tender steaks. Generous portion sizes are served by personable & professional staff in a family-friendly atmosphere. Takeout & catering are available. Lunch specials daily from 11am-3pm. espostrattoria.com.
Eve’s at the Garden takes a fresh and local approach to food. Chef Jeff Landry uses ingredients from Maine’s coastal waters and farms: jumbo scallops, naturally raised pork and beef, sustainably raised fish and shellfish and Maine lobster prepared Mediterranean style. Free dinner valet. Lunch 11:30-2, dinner 5-9:30. 468 Fore Street, Portland. 523-2040, portlandharborhotel.com.
Fish Bones American Grill A casual upscale restaurant offering creative American cuisine. Specialties include grilled thin crust flatbreads, unique entrée salads & creative dinner offerings. Located in the heart of Lewiston in the historic Bates Mill complex with offstreet parking. Come get hooked! Lunch & dinner Tu-F; dinner only Sa; seasonal brunch Su. 333-3663 fishbonesmaine.com. *
G & R DiMillo’s Bayside A comfortable sports bar w/excellent food! Catch the season’s most exciting games on multiple wide screen flat panel TVs. W/homemade pasta & bread, classic appetizers, soups, sandwiches, burgers & homemade, hand-tossed dough for fantastic pizza. M-Sa 11am-11pm, Su noon-8pm. 118 Preble St., Portland, 699-5959, grdimillos.com.
The Good Table “Honest, good food.” Made-from-scratch brunch, lunch & dinner. A well-rounded menu w/choices to please every palate. W/inspired blackboard specials, the kitchen always takes advantage of locally-grown produce & seafood. Full bar w/seasonal cocktails. Seasonal hours. 527 Ocean House Rd., Rte. 77, Cape Elizabeth, 799-4663, thegoodtablerestaurant.net.
Grace A 160-year-old Methodist church engulfed by huge cathedral ceilings & beautiful stained-glass windows. Our eclectic menu & house-infused cocktails provide a perfect atmosphere for any occasion. Reservations are recommended w/ample seating at our circular 30-seat bar, or in our comfortable cocktail lounge. Open Tu-Sa evenings at 5pm. 15 Chestnut St., Portland, 828-4422.
The Great Impasta, a long-standing restaurant located on Maine St., serves Mediterranean-inspired food w/ a concentration on Italian dishes. This restaurant is a favorite of both locals & those from away. Incredible, fragrant aromas from the open kitchen hit you the moment you walk through the door. Vegan & gluten-free menus available. 42 Maine St., historic Brunswick, 729-5858, thegreatimpasta.com.
Great Lost Bear A full bar w/70 beer taps of Maine & American Craft breweries & a large Belgian selection. Menu features salads, burgers, a large vegetarian selection & the best nachos & buffalo wings in town. Discover where the natives go when they’re restless! Every day 11:30am-11:30pm. 540 Forest Ave., in the Woodfords area of Portland, 772-0300, greatlostbear.com.
Jacqueline’s Tea Room & Gift Shop Authentic afternoon tea in an exquisite English setting. Over 70 of the finest quality loose-leaf teas to accompany your four-course luncheon of scones, finger sandwiches of all kinds & desserts. Great for intimate conversations & parties.Reservations only (not required for shopping).
Jameson Tavern has a casual bar, lounge & dining room. The building is the site of the signing of the Constitution for the state of Maine when it broke away from Massachusetts. Classic preparations served in a graceful & elegant setting make this a fine retreat from frenzied outlet shopping. 115 Main St., Freeport, 865-4196. *
JP Thornton’s Bar & Grille offers upscale, fresh cuisine in a casual pub setting. Known in the Portland area for having a “Cheers-like” atmosphere, locals & those who stumble across this hidden jewel of Foodie favorites can enjoy hand-cut grilled steaks, fresh seafood & house appetizers w/a great selection of microbrews & specialty cocktails. 740 Broadway, S. Portland, 799-3100.
Linda Bean’s Perfect Maine Lobster Roll is coming to Portland! The new location on Exchange St. will include the sweetest Maine lobster w/the company of a full-service bar. Using a ¼ pound of Maine lobster fresh from her own wharves & adding her special mix of herbs, the roll earns the right to be called “Perfect.” lindabeansperfectmaine.com
Little Seoul Restaurant Authentic Korean cuisine and sushi bar in a relaxed, casual atmosphere. Quality food at reasonable prices. The service is excellent at Portland’s newest culinary experience. Located in the heart of the Old Port. No reservations needed. Open for lunch, dinner and takeout M-Th 11:30am-9pm, F-Sa until 10pm. 90 Exchange St., Portland, 699-4326.
Lotus Chinese and Japanese Restaurant, 251 U.S. Route 1, Falmouth, Maine (Falmouth Shopping Plaza). We feature fullservice bar and lounge area, sushi bar, Chinese traditional food not available outside of Boston, friendly atmosphere and courteous service. 781-3453
Margaritas Mexican Restaurants & Watering Hole! Always free hot chips & salsa, legendary margaritas & the house specialty, the sizzling fajita. Happy hour M-F 4-7pm & free hot appetizers. 242 St. John St., Union Station Plaza, 874-6444 & 11 Brown St. near the Civic Center in Portland. Other locations in Lewiston, Augusta, Orono & Portsmouth, 774-9398.
Maria’s Ristorante, est. 1960 is Portland’s finest Italian cuisine. Maine Sunday Telegram’s 4-star restaurant. Homemade sausages & the finest meatballs around, thick Veal Chops a la Maria, Zuppa De Pesce Fradiavolo, homemade gelato & Italianstyle cakes. “Preserving the authentic Italian dining experience.” Lunch & dinner Tu-Sa, $13-$25. 337 Cumberland Ave., Portland, 772-9232, mariasrestaurant.com.
Miss Portland Diner, a Portland original. Visit the famous 1949 Worcester diner car serving breakfast all day & homemade diner classics. Beer, wine & liquor. Open daily from 7am-9pm. Located at 140 Marginal Way, Portland, 210-6673, missportlanddiner.com.
One Dock Creative, contemporary New England Cuisine & traditional Maine favorites in a relaxed setting overlooking the Kennebunk River. The menu offers “small plates,” such as duck spring rolls, flatbread signature pizzas, pan-seared scallops in a maple glaze & a lobster & chipotle cheddar macaroni & cheese, proving to be fan favorites. W-Sa 6-9pm. 967-2621, onedock.com.
Pat’s Pizza offers a full bar & family dining experience in the heart of Portland’s Historic District. Pat’s offers a full menu of appetizers, entrees, desserts & of course, pizza! We also have a large selection of salads & sandwiches for lunch. Large parties welcome, please call ahead. Located at 30 Market St., Old Port, 699-4455, patspizzaoldport.com.
The Pepperclub is a prize-winning restaurant (“Best Vegetarian” & “Best Value” in Frommer’s Guide to New England) w/creative world
Big Heart
On a chilly December evening, you can’t beat Little Seoul.
Exciting, perfectly located Little Seoul doesn’t ust offer one kind of kimchi. To my way of thinking, that would be not so dee kimchi. Instead, they offer no fewer than six variations on the ,000-year-old traditional orean side dish each an entirely different explosion to the senses. One of them, the fermented cucumber, is so sneaky, vinegary, and strangely cooling it’s the culinary equivalent of having your office chair spun around halfway by someone surprising you.
That is, the individual flavors here have extraordinary personality. From sweet to sour, spicy, or bitter, every one of your taste buds will be stimulated.
Holiday shoppers selecting this new Exchange Street attraction as the perfect prelude to a movie at the Nickelodeon will be delighted to learn the show starts here.
LITTLE SEOUL
90 Exchange Street, Portland
Monday-Saturday: lunch 11:30 a.m.3 p.m.; dinner 4:30-9 p.m., Friday and Saturday until 10 p.m., 699-4326
Hungry for exotic orean fare, we tore into the heavenly Pork Bulgogi 1 , stir-fried, spicy pork with esty red chili, onions, carrots, cabbage, thin ucchini, and sesame. It is deeply satisfying, with a punch.
But wait there’s the mouth-watering atsu 12 , lightly breaded, deep-fried strips of spicy chicken with a delicate, savory thin crust. This is served with crisp, shredded cabbage salad that’s a perfect counterpart to hot, crunchy chicken. Two da ling sauces a suave, remoulade-like tomatomayonnaise and a thinner, darker, kickier soy sauce with sugar and oyster extract complete the dishes. Yum.
Headurp Bop 11. 0 is absolutely fresh salmon and white fish served with shredded vegetables and briny salmon roe decorating the presentation like colorful tree ornaments. It’s spicy and extremely present an eye-opener.
Served in a hot stone bowl, spectacular Bibimbop 1 is the kind of stick-to-the-roof-of-yourmind dish that makes you close your eyes and crave it the next day. It’s rice topped with beef, shredded seaweed, sesame seed, mushrooms, bean sprouts, and optional take it spicy orean chili sauce, served with a fried egg. Then, stir it up as desired to watch the elements combine and utterly change. The result hits you so deeply you feel somehow that you’ve come home even if you’ve never tasted a dish like this before, even if you’ve never been to orea before
For dessert, try the Mochi ice cream little puffs of ice cream served with a delicate skin made of sticky rice and deluged with blueberries and chocolate sauce, each new bite a revelation. And we haven’t even mentioned the incredible sushi bar and Japanese entr es. Remember, we told you about this place first. ■
>> For more images, visit portlandmonthly.com.
Pickled Cucumber
Bean Sprout
Spicy
Traditional Cabbage Traditional Cabbage Fermented Cucumber
Fresh Cucumber
It’s a family affair at Little Seoul, with founder Insook Kim and daughter Younji (pictured).
t
cuisine. Blackboard menu lists five vegetarian, three fish & three meat entrées, including an organic beef burger. Relaxed, affordable dining on the edge of the Old Port w/free parking. Open nightly at 5pm. 78 Middle St., 699-4455, or pepperclubrestaurant.com.
Pier 77 & The Ramp Bar & Grill are owned & managed by Kate & Chef Peter Morency. Pier 77 has a formal dining room w/stunning views of Cape Porpoise Harbor & live music each weekend, while the Ramp is more casual, w/its own bar menu at hard-to-beat prices. 967-8500, pier77restaurant.com. *
Pom’s Thai Taste Restaurant, Noodle House & Sushi Bar was voted “The Best of Portland ‘09” by Phoenix readers, w/ vegetarian & wheat-free options, a kid’s menu, made-to-order noodle soup & $1 sushi every M & Tu. 571 Congress St., Portland, 772-7999. Also in S. Portland, Pom’s Thai Restaurant at 209 Western Ave., 347-3000 & Thai Taste Restaurant at 435 Cottage Rd., 767-3599, thaitastemaine.com.
The Run of the Mill brewpub is located in a restored mill building on Saco Island, offering quality food at reasonable prices; 24 beers brewed in-house throughout the year are rotated through seven taps. Sample 3 oz. of all beers on tap for just $5. Wine list & full bar. Trivia Mon, open mic Tu & live music Th, 5719648, therunofthemill.net.
Saeng Thai House Authentic Thai food, w/an upbeat tempo & tantalizing dishes-zesty flavor awaits you here. Entrees include crispy noodle pad Thai, house specialty seafood choo chee, pad Thai, ginger fish, Sushi & much more. Eat in, take out, or delivery available. 267 St. John St., Portland, 773-8988, & Saeng Thai House 2 at 921 Congress St., 780-0900.
The Salt Exchange American-style tapas, using local, organic & sustainable ingredients. Extensive beer & wine list. Wine tastings W 5-6:30pm include complimentary canapés. Open for lunch Tu-Sa 11:30am-3:00pm & dinner 5:30-9pm. (F-Sa, until 10pm). Lounge open Tu-Sa 11:30-close. 245 Commercial St., Portland, 347-5687, thesaltexchange.net.
Silly’s, chosen “Best Bargain” by Yankee magazine now features something for everyone including weekend brunch along with vegan & gluten-free options. Silly’s staff, voted “Best Service” by Phoenix readers, presents all-scratch kitchen food in a whimsical setting either inside or in the garden patio. Open Tu-F 11am-9pm and Sa-Su 9am-9pm. 40 Washington Ave., 772-0360, sillys.com.
Stockhouse Restaurant & Sports Pub The best place to catch all of your favorite games. Fun, family-friendly atmosphere offers a
&
accommodations. Daily food & drink specials & a menu w/everything from pub-style appetizers to homemade entrees. Open daily at 11am. 506 Main St., Westbrook. 854-5600, thestockhouserestaurant.com.
Stonyfield Cafe (formerly O’Naturals) serves natural & organic flatbread sandwiches, tossed salads, rice & noodle bowls, soups, kids meals, organic tart frozen yogurt & Sunday Brunch. Quick service for people on the go…but our leather couches, wireless internet & comfortable atmosphere will entice you to stay. Chicken, roast beef, wild bison meatloaf, wild Alaskan salmon & many vegetarian items–there’s something for everyone. Falmouth, 781-8889, stonyfieldcafe.com.
Twenty Milk St. U.S.D.A. prime & choice steaks & the freshest seafood, combining award-winning classic American cuisine w/ fine wines in a warm & inviting atmosphere. Crab cakes w/lemon shallot mayonnaise, baked escargot, charbroiled chili-lime scallops & sumptuous desserts. Complimentary valet parking. Dinner daily; also breakfast, lunch & brunch. Portland Regency Hotel, 774-4200, theregency.com.
Varano’s Italian Restaurant Food so good, you may never cook again. W/stunning views of the coast & the Rachel Carson Wildlife Refuge. The best Italian food north of Boston. The menu offers signature Italian dishes & special family recipes & the comprehensive all-Italian wine list is a Wine Spectator award recipient since 2002. 60 Mile Rd., Wells, 641-8550, varanos.com.
Walter’s is one of Maine’s most popular restaurants. Chef/ owner Jeff Buerhaus is inspired by global influences. Seasonal menus are accented by creative daily specials. Extensive wine list & inventive cocktail creations complement menu offerings. M-Sa lunch 11:30am-2:30pm, dinner from 5pm, bar menu 2:30pm-midnight. Su brunch 10am-2:30pm. 2 Portland Sq., 8719258, waltersportland.com.
Wells Beach Steakhouse & T-Bone Lounge serves prime & all-natural steaks, fresh seafood & delicious salads, w/Kobe sirloin steaks, set in a plush atmosphere. Enjoy a selection from the highly allocated new world wine list, or a signature Wells Beach martini under the starry ‘sky’ of the lounge. 73 Mile Rd., Wells, 646-2252, wellsbeachsteakhouse.com. *
Yosaku Authentic Japanese culinary experience, designed by owner Sato Takahiro & chef Matsuyama Masahiro. Premium sushi, sashimi & rolls, including Yosaku, Portland Pirates & traditionally cooked Japanese cuisine for the sushi-shy. Enjoy a bento box beside a tranquil Japanese waterfall. Lunch M-F 11:30am-2pm, Sa-Su noon3pm. Dinner 5-9:30pm, F-Sa 5-10:30pm. 1 Danforth St., 780-0880. *reservations recommended
almost single-handedly to Solo Bistro, soon be known as the midcoast destination.”Maine Home + Design
www.solobistro.com
see why everyone is talking about S in downtown Bath... Winner of Santé Magazine’s Innovative Culinary Hospitality Award Reservations at www.solobistro.com
Andover, “Downtown” 33 Main St. 978-470-3344 1-800-223-9004
“Cornerbrook”
233 R OUTE 1 YARMOUTH , M AINE |
GRILL
With Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield, you can offer your employees more than just health coverage. You can offer them a health benefits package that provides real value ... for you and for them.
A range of affordable health, dental and vision plans.
Wellness care resources and tools your employees can use to live healthier.
Potential cost savings through the strength of our network.
Real value for your employees and the benefits they need. Value for your company by helping to manage costs and create healthier employees. Find out more about Anthem’s complete solutions for your company today at anthem.com/connects2.
Sweat Equity Sweat Equity
A pinch-your-pennies guide to Portland fitness venues.
BY KAREN E . HOFREITER
Excuses. We’ve all got ’em, especially when it comes to breaking New Year’s resolutions. Take “Get in Shape,” for example. Whether that means shedding pounds or increasing cardiovascular fitness, oining a gym can help you achieve your goal. But the lamest excuse of all for not doing so in these lean times Money. Slim budgets seemingly make it difficult to put your health first, but by making informed decisions and a few small tradeoffs, physical fitness can be yours.
Finding the money doesn’t have to be as drastic as, say, depriving yourself of a fun New Year’s celebration. Instead, start by taking hard look at your monthly spending, especially for “ or under” purchases like lunches out, convenience-store impulse buys, and post-work beers. With the median gym membership fee in Portland at 0 per month, you only need to sacrifice two indulges’ per week, whether that means occasionally making coffee or lunch at home or skipping happy hour freeing up time for a workout .
You can save even more money by checking with your health insurance company. Many, like Anthem Blue Cross and Harvard Pilgrim, offer significant reimbursement on gym memberships about 1 0 per year on average.
Once you determine how much you can afford, the next step is figuring out what you need and want in a gym. When it comes to amenities, you get what you pay for.
At 10 per month, Planet Fitness is one of the least expensive gyms in town. It offers the basics cardio machines,
Portland’s only independently owned and family operated funeral home.
Expertise you can trust. A whole network of resources. Attention to each patient—body, mind and spirit. Close to your home or office.
If you’re looking for a new primary care provider close to home, chances are Mercy has one right near you. At all of our locations, you’ll find physicians, nurse practitioners and staff experienced in providing exceptional care for everyone from kids to seniors…backed by all the resources of Mercy, including the latest technology and unmatched attention to your personal needs.
What makes a Mercy Primary Care provider special? Yarmouth Opening
$21/day with equipment rental ees sub ect to change. Enrollment fees ed.
weight machines, and free weights and there’s tons of square footage to accommodate members during peak hours. Consequently, it does have a bare-bones, warehouse feel. Due to their “no- udgment one” commitment, beginners may feel more comfortable however, this may be the reason for so few mirrors, which prevents exercisers from keeping an eye on proper form.
If you’re looking for the Mercy Primary Care location that’s best for you, please call 553-6913 for more information.
If going to the gym is your escape from hectic daily life, the en-like atmosphere at The Body Architect is for you. Rain showers with pebble floors, re-minerali ed water, sweeping views of the East End, and innovative equipment like TR which uses partial suspension and your own body weight to build strength will have you looking forward to every workout.
“Members see us as a private sanctuary, a refuge from the rest of their lives. They come to recharge and renew themselves,” says coowner Antonia Anderson. “We partner with our members to make a difference in their lives. We know them by name.”
The more convenient the gym, the more likely you are to stick with it. The Bay Club has a prime downtown location, offers laundry service, and has two studios, allowing
HOSPITAL
Amelia Sponseller, FNP at Fore River Family Practice
Economical
Open long hours: 4 a.m.–10 p.m. (weekdays)
Group classes, studio space, sauna
Group classes, studio space, juice bar
Group classes, studio space, child care
Group classes, studio space, Olympic-size pool, basketball/squash/racquetball courts, sauna, towel service, kid-friendly
of
two
group classes (Qigong, Kettlebells), TRX
Small group classes, including Pilates Reformer, workshops
Climbing wall, equipment and shoes for rent, instructional clinics, kid-friendly
introductory offers and annual rates not includ
for a large number and variety of group classes. “Our clients say we’re better than ever. We have top-of-the-line equipment and if you don’t want to work out in a warehouse, we’re perfect,” says owner Tracy Moore.
If the idea of becoming a gym rat no matter how great the amenities makes you blanch, but frigid temps and icy streets keep you from working up a sweat in the great outdoors, consider Pure Movement, which offers small classes, including yoga and Pilates, in their sun-filled, second-floor studio, where you’ll en oy personal attention. Try a Pilates Reformer class, which uses a special contraption to tone and tighten the whole body. Or ditch mindful breathing and counting reps altogether. Exercise-indisguise options include ballroom dancing Maine Ballroom Dance , belly dancing Ayperi , boxing Portland Boxing Club , karate Fournier’s Leadership arate , fencing Portland Fencing Center , swimming YMCA , ice skating Portland Ice Arena , and even hashing,’ where groups of runners make stops at beer check-points’ along a designated trail Portland Hashers Group . It all counts toward a healthier and richer you. ■
Unique
suspension equipment, outdoor deck, sweeping views of the East End, Pi-Mag water, rain showers, towel service, complimentary organic bath products, Wi-Fi, eco-friendly
Large number
group classes,
studio spaces, sauna, steam room, towel and laundry service, juice bar, Wi-Fi, skyline views of downtown Portland
Skipping your dental appointments may seem like a safe bet. We know. But you will lose your bet when you have fractured teeth, broken llings and require root canals and gum treatment to restore your oral and overall health. Skip the bet. Call us, we understand.
e ember ui e to Wellness
Maine Coast Orthopaedics & Maine Coast Adult Health
Wayne D. Piers, DO
Treating fractures of all kinds & sports injuries • O ffering reconstructive surgery, arthroscopy, ACL repair, amd total hip and knee replacements
Sheri L. Piers, ANP
Family care for ages 12 and up
said make-up can’t be permanent?
Arthur H. Gager, D.D.S.
• Providing comprehensive Periodontal care since 1986
• Twenty years experience with dental implants
• Now offering FDA approved laser treatment
• Twenty minutes from Portland
2 Medical Center Drive Biddeford 283-4867
Certified audiologists DR. ROGER FAGAN AND DR. CAITLIN W. HELSTROM fit and service a wide variety of hearing instruments. Hearing evaluations, hearing-aid services, tinnitus treatment, and now auditory-processing assessment are all available at our convenient Portland location. Call today: 797-8738, or check out faganhearing.com.
At FORESIDE DENTAL HEALTHCARE, our doctors do their best to focus on the individual patient’s needs and to be involved in all aspects of a patient’s dental care to achieve their healthiest, most beautiful smile. Come see for yourself! Call 207-781-2054. foresidedental.com
DR. ARTHUR H. GAGER, specializing in periodontics and dental implants, has been helping people in Southern Maine maintain good oral health for over twenty years. Dr. Gager delivers the care you need with skill, experience, and commitment to your best interests. 283-4867, gagerperiodontics.com
LASERVISION at Maine Eye Center is Maine’s only provider of iLASIK laser vision correction. iLASIK combines 100-percent blade-free technology with the world’s most advanced vision correction platform. Located at 15 Lowell Street in Portland. To determine if you are a candidate, call 791-7850 or visit maineeyecenter.com for more information.
LUCINDA’S DAY SPA creates a balance of beauty and wellness in a comfortable and welcoming atmosphere. We have been offering relaxing and beneficial manicures, pedicures, facials and massages since 1993. We have two convenient locations in Scarborough and Cumberland Foreside. 207-829-3100 x2, lucindasdayspa.com
MAINE COAST ORTHOPAEDICS AND MAINE COAST ADULT HEALTH CARE Located in Portland, we provide orthopaedic treatment for fractures, reconstructive surgery, sports injuries, arthroscopy, ACL repair, and total knee and hip replacement. Also offering family care services for ages 12 and up by Sheri L. Piers, ANP. We accept all insurances. For more information, please call 797-0113.
RESTORATIVE AND AESTHETIC DENTAL ASSOCIATES are all about giving you a roadmap to your next chapter in total dental health. A collaborative effort between you, your dentist, our supporting team and onsite lab will enable you to achieve your desired smile within your comfort zone. 773-6331 or radentalmaine.com.
DR. NANCY SARGENT AND DR. IRINA BABAYAN are committed to delivering the very best in dental care for our patients. In support of our mission, we offer an environment that is optimized for patient comfort and convenience. Offering family, restorative, and cosmetic dentistry in a friendly atmosphere. Located on Route 1 in Falmouth. Call 781-4216, or visit foresidefamilydentistry.com.
Belfast, you’d find me at Chase’s Daily eating a muffin or at one of the local brew pubs. I also love Moody’s Diner.
After playing a cheerleader on Hellcats, do you worry future acting endeavors may have you typecast?
No, I don’t think playing a cheerleader pigeonholes me at all. Alice is dynamic and complex she’s smart and strong, hides her vulnerability, and has a ealous streak. The layers of her character allow me to show a large range with my acting. I believe this role will bring more different and interesting opportunities than if I were playing the girl next door.
You weren’t a cheerleader in high school, but if you could go back in time, would you try out for the cheerleading squad? It would have been good for me. In unior high, when I was searching for my identity, it would have given me more confidence.
If your career as an actress had not been successful, what would you be doing instead?
Teaching. Working with kids and being an influence is important and needed especially now, with cuts in funding. Behind every successful person is a mentor. Mine was and is my th-grade teacher, Mrs. Dale L. Breau, who still teaches at Morse Memorial Elementary in Brooks.
What’s the best advice you’ve been given?
Someone once told me to be a black belt at whatever I do. My passion for acting motivates me, and every day I give it my all.
What actors do you feel you’re learning from right now as inspirations? And (assuming it’s not you) who would you choose to play you in a movie about your life?
Eva Mende , Salma Hayek, Pen lope Cru , and my costar Ashley Tisdale. I’d want eke Palmer from Disney Channel’s True Jac son and the movie S elling Bee to play me in a movie. Naturally, I’d direct. ■
>> For more images, visit portlandmonthly.com.
.
. are leased to elcome ne atients
Creatin enerations of miles
U. . oute Falmouth, Mainensurance elcome Con enient ours ailable
Experience Counts
e ysi ians at ardio as ular onsultants o aine a e o er years ombined e erien e in nter entional ardiolo y. ur board erti ied ysi ians are ommitted to ro idin uality and om assionate are to our atients. W en it matters most ount on e erien e.
Mirle Kellett Jr. MD, Thomas Ryan Jr. MD, William Dietz, MD and Peter Higgins, MD
La Vida Local continued from age
On a brisk December evening, Merry Madness takes over Downtown Portland & the Old Port…
Maine’s First Gift BAskets
PASSAMAQUODDY WARES
ABBE MUSEUM abbemuseum.org, 288-3519
$90-2,000
The Nutcracker
BOSSOV BALLET
Dec. 10-12
Waterville O p era House bossovballet.com
873-7000
Victorian Nutcracker
PORTLAN D B A LLET
Dec. 23
Merrill A u ditorium portlandballet.org
772-9671
$17-47
Nutcracker Burlesque
V I VI D MOTION
Dec. 17-19, 21-23
S a int L a wrence A r ts Center vividmotion.org
775-5568, $12
Dates for This Holiday Season
2010
Dec. 1-9
Hanukkah (Jewish)
Dec. 7 Islamic New Year
Dec. 8 Bodhi Day (Buddhist)
Dec. 21 Winter Solstice
Dec. 25 Christmas (Christian)
Lobster Buoy Fruit Pops
PILONES D E FRUTAS LA BODEGA
761-6661
$1.59
Dec. 26-Jan. 1
Kwanzaa
2011
New Year’s Day
Epiphany (Christian)
Makar Sankranti (Hindu)
Jan. 19-21
Mahayana New Year (Buddhist)
Chinese New Year
Nirvana Day (Buddhist)
Mardi Gras (Christian)
Persian New Year
r. 13-15
r. 14-16
r. 18-26
Thai New Year
Cambodian New Year
Passover (Jewish)
Easter (Christian)
Instant Warmth
FOR LOVEOF BLUE
Cobalt swept from an artist’s palette, Ripples of color, pure blue, brilliant, A September sea and sky, cool and crisp, Blue eyes, blue jeans, blue velvet, soft and warm, Eternal color to calm and comfort.
We understand your love of blue. As jewelers we indulge our passion for blue in seeking the best of the best, blue sapphires. We spend weeks each year comparing,considering, to find the most perfect sapphires. Once chosen, we select high-white, precision-cut diamonds to complement. Our master jewelers then mount in platinum or gold.
for all who love the color blue.
CITY BEAT
the poles actually on the bar, which presents opportunities for dangerous P.D. .I.s Pole Dancing nder the Influence . Since a concussion guarantees she’s leaving with the paramedics and not with you, having a pole on the ground and a professional on site like at Styxx limits both selfinflicted bodily harm and embarrassment. For those wondering, PT’s Showclub was disqualified on the basis of unfair advantage or disadvantage, depending on how you feel about pasties and tassels.
BEST PDA ON THE DOWN-LOW
Beer goggles or no, PDA is not pretty. eep it classy and get close in that minty-fresh kind of way at Styxx, where the back dance floor is surrounded by co y booths draped in translucent mosquito’ nets.
BEST FOR A SUIT-STALKING
Havana South has a lively social scene and sleek atmosphere, but beware of the looong bar of half-bagged men in their prime’
Bar Wars continued from age
F1118
F1858
View from the Top Pearl
The Armory
wearing faux Armani and sipping expensive Scotch. The open floor plan leaves little space to run and hide should one start to swagger toward you. Best bet start bragging loudly about your beefcake boyfriend who’s out for a smoke and will be back any moment.
BEST FLANNEL DANCING
A pint of Gritty’s and views of roughed-up lobster boats may seem essentially Maine,’ but our state’s true colors come screaming through at Asylum, the only place in a city south of Canada where you’ll experience a sea of Bean plaid grinding to Lady Gaga.
BEST CARRIE BRADSHAW MOMENT
Need an escape Or perhaps you re a homesick urbanite from the big city, seeking refuge
VIP at 51 Wharf
from the aforementioned What Not to Wear scene Pearl before 10 p.m. is your place. A sultry lounge with live a by local acts like Lady en, cutting-edge cocktails, and a sophisticated, mixed crowd of fashionistas, yuppies, and workaholic middle-aged professionals, it could be a part of any New York minute for better or worse .
So could the model-gorgeous bartenders shaking martinis and booties. But beware of exactly what you ask for it s likely you ll get it. When a member of our group pushed her empty martini glass toward the JessicaAlba doppelg nger and asked for another lychee unspoken assumption: a martini , she got ust that a lychee on a toothpick.
BEST SPOT FOR CHARMING A COED
The primarily 20-something crowd at Oasis and 1 Wharf make for a rousing, hormonecharged good time. But the date market is more like a meat market at Oasis, where despite live cover bands and giant Jenga games on the patio in summer the groping can get a bit tiresome. Such unwelcome harassment is grounds for expulsion at 1 Wharf, where they’ve figured out the magic formula: Cater to the ladies and the guys will follow them through the door.
BEST FOR INDULGING THE EGO
Flash your cash in the VIP sections at Pearl and 1 Wharf, where you party while your personal bartender mixes drinks at the table. It’s as close to bottle service as you’ll get in Maine due to laws prohibiting patrons from touching liquor bottles . Regardless, Portland’s swanky VIP areas are a far cry from the over-priced slea e you’ll find in Boston. Pearl boasts seven sections, three of which are elevated from the dance floor. 1 Wharf has two areas elevated from the main club floor, both with room to dance above the shoulder-to-shoulder crowd. Other amenities include a mood lighting
and wrap-around lounge seating. Your own bouncer keeps other club-goers from crashing your soiree.
BEST GRUNGE FAIRY-TALE
ENDING
There’s nothing like capping off an upscale evening with a rende vous at Sangillo s. About the si e of a generous walk-in closet, this is a gritty, fuss-free bar where you’ll find Jack, Jim, and Johnnie served straight up with a no-nonsense smile. This is the place you can shoot Jell-O shots in your wedding dress while blasting Britney on the ukebox to the good-natured chagrin of the locals.
N.B. True story.
BEST ART IN THE LOO
If you’ve got a bawdy sense of humor, you’ll appreciate the rest-room-stall graffiti at Geno’s Rock Club, where you’re guaranteed to be entertained during those many beer-induced trips to the porcelain throne. Don’t expect to find such fun at places like 1 Wharf, where they actually have bathroom attendants to hand you mints and keep the TP ing to a minimum.
BEST
EXCUSE FOR ROOM SERVICE
While hotel lounges have been recently rediscovered’ by the thirty-something set in cities like Boston and Los Angeles, Portland’s hotel bars are about as sexy as an airport lounge. The Armory at the Regency may have some Mad Men appeal, but with the heavy, dark-wood furniture and fake books painted onto the walls, it’s more suited to a three-martini lunch or smoke-free meeting of the old boys club than a littleblack-dress tryst.
The Top of the East at Eastland Park Hotel is worth a visit for its glittering view page but it’s too bad the lounge itself has trouble topping it. You might find yourself hitting the sack early and not for the right reasons.
BEST BAR-NEXT-DOOR
If you re looking for a place to bring the parents or grandparents or kids or platonic drinking buddy from out of town, you can always go with the Old Port standbys: Rosie s, R Rá, Dock Fore, Brian Boru, Dewey s, etc. They re as hunky-dory as it gets, but there’s something to be said for reliable familiarity like a good friend always up for Chinese takeout and a game of innocent poker. ■
>> For more images, visit portlandmonthly.com.
Cross’ Watermelon Patch Maine Tourmaline
A heart of pink, a rind of green, Held secure by curling tendrils of precious gold.
Colors, shapes, and sizes vary in infinite and fascinating combinations. For a sampling and preview see our website: www.CrossJewelers.com
We look forward to your visit so that you may select your favorites. If you can’t wait, (and who could with such a collection?) give us a call. 14K yellow gold necklaces shown actual size $485.00 - $1,485.00
Riding the Wave continued from age
take something sustainable and make people think twice about it.
Your sculptures are so organic, they seem to be made of themselves. How did you happen on that insight?
After a silence. It was funny to make blades of grass out of lawn mower blades.
Where did you get the blades for this project?
I got some from people in Farmington who donated them. I also went to the a Deere dealership and bought blades for a dime a piece. I ended up bringing home 00 blades.
And do your blades change to reflect the seasons?
In the winter it becomes its own piece that stands out, and in the summer it looks like part of the tree next to it. It will change, it will be different. I don’t think anyone “gets” a sculpture until he or she has lived with it for a year. The nice thing about public art is that it’s out there 2 / .
What makes the design of your leaves unique?
As a whole, the sculpture leans forward like a tripod. The individual leaves look like they’re moving, and it directs the eye. I took that same diamond pattern, like the reflection of water, and used it in the lawn mower blades.
If someone told you to remove one of the three blades, which one would it be?
I suppose you could take away the center one the axis and still have the interaction of the other two making it work. That is the cra iest question I’ve been asked.
How has the sustainability of the project complemented the building behind it?
The education center is a LEED-certified building. They wanted a sculpture that said something about sustainability. I’m not against lawns they’re great for playing soccer on but it makes sense to have bushes and perennials and meadows instead.
How many (perfectly good) parking spaces were used to make this?
Not many, actually.
Did you have any setbacks while building?
I did ignite myself on fire three times.
Where do you find your inspiration?
The way I get a lot of my ideas is from hik-
ing, caving, and kayaking. I look to nature for the form.
Did your wife come and visit you here?
She did. We drove out to the coastline and had lobster, went hiking, went up Cadillac Mountain. I noticed how everything from the trees to the rocks was twisted from the wind, and there was lots of moss.
If you could live in Maine, where would you live?
I love Farmington and Bar Harbor, but I’d have to live in Portland. You need things that big cities offer: steel, unk, and other artists to bounce ideas off.
What place in Maine do you itch to install a wave sculpture?
I would love to do a piece on the coast, maybe a wave constructed out of old wood beams from ships. It would be a memorial to people who have lost their lives at sea.
If you could change anything to the design of a lobster (in a sculpture), what would you do?
Make it out of those real colorful lobster traps and make it big enough that a child could walk through it.
Is there anything you miss about Maine?
I love the micro-breweries there. They are right up with Boulder, Colorado, with the good beer. In the South, they have horrible beer. They mustn’t have the good hops down there.
What’s your current project?
Lewiston, Idaho. It’s a wave being built with aluminum canoes on the Snake River, where Lewis and Clark crossed.
Why aluminum canoes?
They’re a modern material we’re all familiar with, used in an unfamiliar way.
What makes the canoes a better material for this project than wood beams?
The use of canoes makes it easier for the viewers to picture themselves in the wave, to be part of the sculpture.
When will you finish, and what’s next?
I’ll wrap up before Christmas . Then I’m off to Clearwater, Florida, to create an aluminum fireball out of decommissioned ladders from a fire station. ■
>> For more images, visit portlandmonthly.com.
Keeping it free costs a fortune.
A uniquely scenic, recreational, and historic site, Fort Williams Park is used and enjoyed by visitors from near and far. But wellmaintained public spaces depend on many sources to provide the necessary financial support. Improvements such as the new Play Structure have been funded through grants. Many more, like the Cliff Walk, are achieved with the support of “friends”, people who care enough to contribute to preserving the Park’s natural beauty. People like you. Our current focus is on establishing an educational Arboretum and restoring the Battery Blair gun emplacement. Will you be a friend to Fort Williams? Send your gifts to: Fort Williams Foundation (PM), PO Box 6260, Cape Elizabeth, ME 04107. Together, we can save this precious treasure. For now. For ever.
Fort Williams Foundation, P.O. Box 6260, Cape Elizabeth, ME 04107 • www.fortwilliams.org
When Your Name Is Mailer… continued from age
have also read the screenplay, no matter the battle, war is war is war. It would be nice if the movie of The Na ed and the ead could serve as a mode for them to distill and understand what they ust endured, through the perspective of World War II. That’s the goal.
Please ask and answer a question of your own that will take you out of your comfort zone. Or just tell us when you’re next coming to Maine.
There is no question that takes me out of my comfort one. The ones that create an uncomfortable spark in you tend to produce the most interesting answers, and on occasion can even teach you a little something about yourself. But as for when I will next be in Maine, all I need is an invite and you will see me there, Harbor Bar in one hand, a list of strip clubs to investigate in the other, and the rest of me ready to tackle the nife’s Edge once again.
Considering your work as a whole, you are the embodiment of an integrated media person. As a magazine writer [New York] and editor [High Times] yourself, tell us about the future of magazines.
The experience of holding a maga ine you care about in your hands, seeing the surprises the editors have in store for you with each issue, not quite sure of what will interest you or what will not, cannot be duplicated with any other medium. I have been very fortunate to come along at a time when it was still possible to get in on putting out maga ines that made a stir in the public mind. Of course we will adapt, and there are a great many benefits to what you can do with an interactive, online maga ine, but the smell will never be there. The texture, or the ability to fold down a page, a page that might be discovered by someone else who happens to be reading it in your house and takes a second look because you have marked it, all that will be lost. Which is perhaps my biggest gripe with the extent the virtual world has permeated and altered our own namely, there’s nothing sensual about the Internet. The more time we spend with machines and virtual friends, the colder and more detached we seem to become. ■
Read an excerpt from Mailer’s latest short fiction piece “Bleed” on page 93. >> For more, visit portlandmonthly.com.
For $2.475 million, you can stretch out in ‘your own private Norumbega.’
Castle Camden
What would you build if you’d invented the first duplex telegraph up until then, telegraphs were so one-sided When Joseph Stearns decided to build a summer vacation house in Camden in 1 , he enlisted architect Arthur Bates Jennings to create the Norumbega, famous in recent years as an inn filled with all sorts of stories.
Years ago, the hotel owner’s girlfriend was watering some plants upstairs when diners heard a splashing sound. She’d accidentally spilled a pitcher of water on House Speaker Newt Gingrich.
“He got a little wet,” manager Chris Shrum told us at the time.
On another occasion, a rain-swept Dustin Hoffman called from a yacht in the harbor. Is there room at the inn for me
Not if you don’t have a reservation, sir. We’re all booked
But you can stay here any time you like, because the Norumbega is being sold this holiday season by LandVest as a single-family home, “which it was until the 1 0s,” says
listing agent Terry Sortwell.
“It’s . acres of landscaped grounds overlooking Camden Harbor and Penobscot Bay. It’s equally well-suited for continued operation as a luxury lodging facility or restored to use as a private residence. The building’s 1 en suite guest rooms and elegant common areas feature exquisite period architectural detail, including ornate wood paneling, exposed beams, carved trim and mantels, parquet floors, elaborate fireplaces with handcrafted wood and tile surrounds, and oversi ed windows that flood the rooms with light.”
As in, every room’s a great room. ■
>> For more images, visit portlandmonthly.com.
(Standing Left to Right): Jeff Davis, Sue Lamb, Chris Jackson, Rowan Morse, Gail Landry, Bob Knecht, Dianne Maskewitz, Steve Parkhurst, Tish Whipple (Seated Left to Right): Mark Fortier, Cindy Landrigan, Sandy Johnson, Edie Boothby
At CharlieBurnham’sHeating, we’llupgradeyourequipment toprovideallyourhomeheat, plus virtuallyunlimitedhotwater, silentoperationandthelowest fuelbillspossible!
SHELDON SLATE is a family-owned business with four generations of experience. We mine and manufacture our own slate products from our own quarries. The range of our colors will complement any kitchen or bath. Our slate is heat-resistant, non-porous and non-fading. It has a polished/honed nish and is very low maintenance. Let us help you design and build a custom sink, countertop, or vanity. Custom inquires are handled through the Monson, Maine, division.
Tom Landry Broker/Owner (207) 939-0185 tomlandry@benchmarkmaine.com
Local - informed advice from professional Realtors® specializing in your area
Savvy - innovative marketing, advertising, exposure and strategies for buyers and sellers
Responsive - an entire team passionate about providing the very best service
Leigh & Lida Mundhenk –
rds st
New fiction by
John Buffalo Mailer
Ihave lost Mike and Gon o. It’s close to midnight and I have no idea where they are. They said they were going to pick up girls and I should wait at the house for them. That way they can fit more people into the Corolla. I have no idea how my parents did not wake up last night, but they didn’t.
I’m not going to try my luck again, so I wait outside.
They roll up to the house with three girls in the back.
“Painter,” Gon o says.
“You ain’t gonna believe who we picked up. It’s the Crab Tree girl ” It is. She looks more beautiful now than in the restaurant.
“I’m Celosia,” she says, extending her arm.
“Celosia,” I repeat. “That’s a unique name. Does it mean anything ”
“It’s the name for a flower with plume-like spikes.” I am going to have something special with Celosia. I feel it in my bones, in my heart.
swim, but the underwear stays on this time. She has a boyfriend, a boyfriend she’s had for three years. Everyone is having fun. Even Gon o is smiling. I don’t know what I’m going to do about this girl.
At dawn we drive the girls to Celosia’s car. Mike and Gon o leave shortly after the girls and head back to Brooklyn. I’m sad to see them go. Who knows when I’ll see them again They’re not the best guys in the world, but they’re real. The kind of people my parents want me to hang out with don’t have any real problems. No backbone. I don’t ever want to be like that.
“She looks as though she’s thinking about something, or someone. She’s surprised at first, then smiles and throws her arms around me.”
She is nineteen. She lives twenty minutes south of Provincetown in a town called Wellfleet. We drink a little Popov and drive to the beach. All six of us are in the car, but I am alone with Celosia. The day we met her at the Crab Tree was her first day on the ob. We were the only customers she liked. Now we all go for another late-night
I can’t stop thinking about this girl. She let me wear her sweatshirt last night and forgot to take it back. Or did she I contemplate driving down to Wellfleet to see her at work. She’s got a boyfriend, but her face won’t leave my head.
I’m on my way to the Crab Tree, and the DJ tells me only one more day til the Fourth of July is in full effect. I pull into the parking lot and grab the sweatshirt as I head for the entrance. I can see her through the window. She looks as though she’s thinking about something, or someone. She’s surprised at first, then smiles and throws her arms around me.
“I hoped you might come, but I didn’t know. I’m so glad you did,”
she says.
“Do you want to see a movie after you get off work ”
“Absolutely,” she tells me. Absolutely.
I drive to the theater and reali e there is nothing playing at the right time. Back to the Crab Tree until she gets off. It is ten o clock. Her mother is away on vacation. She has the house to herself. We go there.
Her house is fairly deep in the woods. Her room is on the first floor. We sit on the bed and talk about how she is unhappy with her boyfriend, Ivory. He is a small-time gun-dealer from New York who comes up here a lot so he can be with Celosia and his friends. My local friends are his friends, too. Why I’ve never met him, I don’t know. But I do know I don’t like him. Celosia makes him sound nasty. I wonder why this beautiful creature would be with someone like that, nasty. She could be with me.
I’m about to tell her “dump him and run away with me” when I hear someone yell ”BOO ” through the window. It’s Ivory. Having ust been with Mike and Gon o for the past two days gives me the edge I need. I won’t wait for him to take charge I’ll get up and introduce myself.
mine. I spend the night there.
I get home from work the next day and call Celosia. She sounds happy to hear my voice, and I am happy to hear hers.
“So, Ivory came by today and got all his stuff,” she tells me. “He called me a tramp among other things. I told him all we did was cuddle, but he didn’t believe me bee bee oh, hold on, that’s my call waiting.” I wait. “That was Ivory.” She sounds slightly disturbed.
“What did he say ” I ask.
“He said, Alexander Painter is going to bleed tonight.’ Hello, are you still there ”
“Yes, I’m still here. That really sucks ”
“I don’t think you should go out tonight.”
“Stop being ridiculous. It’s the Fourth of July. I have to go out.”
“I mean it, Alex.”
“So do I. I have to go now.” Damn it I should have known this was too good. I forgot that nothing in life is free. One way or
what’s going down. I decide not to let it bother me. I’m good at opening a butterfly knife. I had to work hard to get it, but I did. I can open one in under a second, although I’ve never had to. Maybe it’s a bad idea to go out tonight. If I don’t Now, I’m scared. I know that if I don’t, I’ll be a coward for the rest of my life.
Night time. I go to a beach party my friend Aria is having. I know Ivory will be there. Everyone will be there. I have to get this thing over with. I cannot let it last one minute more than it has to, or it’ll kill me. I shouldn’t think thoughts like that they might come true.
I take a few shots of vodka it loosens me up. My stomach is in knots waiting to see Ivory. Friends are trying to get me to smoke some dope, but that will only dull my reflexes. I have to stay sharp.
“Damn you, Alexander Painter. Damn you. Because of you, we will never have what we did, and that’s a shame; it was beautiful. The most beautiful thing I’ll ever see in my life.”
“How you doin’ Ivory I’m Alexander Painter. We have some friends in common.”
“Friends in common ” he says to me. “Who ” He’s not as tall as me, but he sure as hell doesn’t look weak.
“Oh, come on. I know Dan and Jeb and Dave and Jesse and Joshua and Robin. You do know them, don’t you ” He is taken back by this. He says a few words to Celosia in private and then leaves.
“You know what he got me for my birthday ” she says to me after he’s gone a while. “G-string panties. What a erk.”
“He sounds like a real pudknocker,” I tell her.
“You do use the cra iest words, Alexander.”
We kiss. Her lips are soft, they cradle
another, you pay. My father taught me that. I should have listened.
I go downtown to a head-shop where I know I can get a butterfly knife. It s a good knife to have because it takes apparent skill to open properly. That should scare this Ivory punk. The guy who works the knife counter is from Brooklyn. His name is Vasque . He usually talks a lot of bull, but today he ust looks at me funny. Almost like he knows
Ivory arrives in his pick-up truck. He is alone. He spots me out of the crowd and heads in my direction. Grasshoppers are umping around in my belly. As he gets closer, I think of Celosia’s belly and how nice it was to feel its bare warmth on my hand. I think about how that one time may have been the last. Was it worth it I like this girl, but do I like her enough to bleed Either way, I’m not going to spend the rest of my life with her. How long could it last I’m going away to school soon, and I’m damned if I’m going to go with a girlfriend at home. This is not even about her anymore. If I told Ivory that it was over between Celosia and me,
he’d shoot me anyway. This is about me and a bully. F k him I’ve got backbone.
Ivory has a bulge on his side. I know it’s a gun.
“I’m surprised to see you out tonight,” he says to me, his face no more than two inches from mine.
“It’s the Fourth of July. Haven’t you been listening to the radio ”
“That’s funny, kid. Come here we’re gonna have a word.”
We walk away from the party. He puts his arm around me tight. I flex all the muscles I can without holding my breath, but I have no control over the direction we’re going. We walk under a wharf and he stops. I can hardly make out the details his face it’s so dark. The party feels miles away.
“I gotta be honest, I wanted to shoot you. No, don’t laugh, cause it ain’t funny. You were nearly a dead man today.” I have my hand on the knife. There is so much sweat in my palm I’m afraid it will drop if I try to whip it out.
“Then something happened,” he continues. “I reali ed that you never been in love. Cause if you had, you wouldn’t have done to me what you did. You took everything I care about from me. Now, you’re a good-looking kid. So I’m guessing that if you never been in love, it’s your fault. If it’s your fault, then you must be a person without integrity. Do you know what integrity means ”
“No, why don’t you tell me ”
“Completeness. That is something you ain’t got. You probably never will. You’re not going to last with Celosia. But you know that, don’t you I love that girl, and you f ked that up. Damn you, Alexander Painter. Damn you. Because of you, we will never have what we did, and that’s a shame it was beautiful. The most beautiful thing I’ll ever see in my life.
“I’m going to tell you one last thing. When you break it off with her in a month or two, think about me. now that I still have integrity, and you ain’t got shit. If you ain’t got shit, then you ain’t shit. Think about that. Happy Fourth of July.” He struts off.
I have never felt more degraded in my life. A small-time gun-dealer is going to tell me who I am Not tonight. I yell after him.
“Hey Ivory You might have integrity, but I’m the one rubbing her belly tonight ” ■
MARTINI
Diamond Earrings
“Extra Dry”
Poised delicately in 3-prong, low-profile, earlobe-hugging, comfortfitting,almost invisible settings. Cross’ Martini settings are set with brilliant, full-spirited diamonds… intoxicating, non-stop brilliance.
Open, airy, alive with fire and light. Feel the glow all day at the office, family gatherings, holiday parties… forever.
Extra dry is: Simple. Pure. Elegant. Create a stir where ever you go.
RONALD McDONALD HOUSE GALA AT WOODLANDS CLUB IN FALMOUTH, from left: 1. Thomas Gadbois, Alexandra Kerr 2. Sarah Scola, Thomas Scola 3. Cyndi Lydick, Ron Lydick, Sheila Peabody 4. Laura Davis, Peter Rinck
EXCHANGE IN PORTLAND, from left: 1. Laura Kibort, Chip Kibort 2. Julie Kramer, Robin Ivy 3. Jenny Davis, Roy Moore, Kelly Stacy, Mariann
LEND ME A TENOR OPENING NIGHT AT USM THEATRE IN GORHAM, from left: 1. Meghan Brodie, Will Kilroy 2. Megan Malloy, Jess Emerson 3. Bryn Doiron, Rylee Doiron, Corrie Legge, Rachel Cooney
2
3. Judy Schneider , Barney Schneider
HARVEST ON THE HARBOR AT OCEAN GATEWAY IN PORTLAND, from left: 1. Kate Slocum, Kevan Deckelman 2. Robin Shay, Meghan Scheibal 3. Nancy Durst, Deanna Pelletier 4. Lisa Kaldrovich, Jessica Sueltenfuss 5. Michael Berry, Pam Emmons, Amie Sherry 6. Zac Young, Michael Ruoss 7. Amanda Pastore, Todd Bacon 8. Karyn Lewis, Christina Vaillancourt 9. Jim Quivey, Ian Smith 10. Kim Melo, Lorie Mastemaker 11. Chad Kurszewski, Annie Brown
MARTIN’S POINT EVENT AT THE HEALTH CARE CENTER IN PORTLAND, from left: 1. Shannon Banks, Todd Roggow, Amy Landry 2 . Amy Morin, A d am Mc N a lly, A a ron S k illing 3. Michael Bevilacqua, Suzanne McCormick
DOUBLECROSS VODKA TASTING EVENT AT SALT
Blarbano
FIRST FRIDAY ART WALK GALLERY HOUSE AT 18 HOWARD STREET IN PORTLAND, from left: 1. Pam Macomber , Peter Macomber
