AGENDA-October 2009
The go to list for things to do, books to read, and places to eat around Maine...and much more.
by Kristen Andresen Lainsbury
Eat
Slice of Life
If the idea of driving a half-hour out of your way for brick-oven pizza sounds ridiculous, clearly you haven’t been to the New Gloucester Village Store. Pepperoni with fresh mozzarella hits the spot, but if you’re feeling a little upscale, try leeks, arugula, and chevre. The setting, a tastefully restored building that once housed the local farm and feed store, couldn’t be cozier.
405 Intervale Rd. | New Gloucester | ngvillagestore.com
Exercise has its rewards, but they usually don’t entail a glass of wine. The Wine Flight 5K—which organizer Margo Mallar describes as an “homage to the marathon of Medoc,” is a different story. On October 17, participants will meet in Portland’s Monument Square and walk, run, or meander along to a mystery destination, where a fabulous meal and wine await. It’s not a race, so everyone wins. Mallar’s organization, Maine Ambassadors of Food and Drink, is also involved in the Tower of Chocolate Festival and the Food Film Series events that weekend.
maineambassadors.com
Not Going the Distance
You’ve heard about The Omnivore’s Dilemma. Consider this the locavore’s delight: Cultivating Community will hold a 20-Mile Meal—a tasting event featuring ingredients grown and sourced within a 20-mile radius—on October 4 at Turkey Hill Farm in Cape Elizabeth.
120 Old Ocean House Rd. | Cape Elizabeth | cultivatingcommunity.org
Maine Course
Foodies rejoice—Harvest on the Harbor brings together Maine chefs and national food and wine authorities for a weekend of eating, drinking, and merriment October 22–24 in Portland.
Locations vary | Portland | harvestontheharbor.com
Drink
Tea-lightful
Cosmos? Please. You’re so over them. Ditto for appletinis and lemondrops. If you’re tired of drinking the same thing as everyone else, order the Tea Martini at the Old Port Sea Grill. Earl Grey–infused Ketel One with lemon and simple syrup make for an elegant understated cocktail.
93 Commercial St. | Portland | theoldportseagrill.com
Bavarian Dream
Raise a stein or a glass at Acadia’s Oktoberfest and Food Festival, a celebration of Maine brewmasters, wine makers, and chefs, October 10 on Mount Desert Island.
Smuggler’s Den Campground | Route 102 | Southwest Harbor | acadiachamber.com
Hear
Taylor Made
Listen to the mellow sounds of Livingston Taylor on October 15 at The Landing at Pine Point, Scarborough’s new event destination.
353 Pine Point Rd. | Scarborough | thelandingatpinepoint.com
Sounds Like Fun
It’s a little embarrassing to listen to The Giraffe Attack Collection at work. After a few minutes, you’ll realize that you’ve been there at your desk, dancing in your chair and bopping your head, while your colleagues laugh and stare. But you can’t help it while listening to this upbeat assortment of tunes by Portland singer-songwriter Eric Bettencourt.
eric-bettencourt.com
Wear
Bag Lady
All Hannah Tarkinson wanted was a gorgeous bag. But the Portland gal was broke. And she didn’t wanna be po’ no mo’ (that’s slang for poor no more, kids). So in 2002 she started making her own leather purses with exquisite details, and they have attracted a cult following. Her label? Ponomo. Her aesthetic? Big dollars.
Zane | 41 Exchange St. | Portland | ponomostyle.com
See
Rare Prints
Longtime Maine summer resident David Driskell is a giant in the world of African American art and culture, and his paintings hang in museums around the world, but his print work hasn’t been widely displayed until now. Evolution: Five Decades of Printmaking by David Driskell changes all that. The touring show opens October 29 at the Portland Museum of Art. Left: David C. Driskell, Jonah in the Whale, 1967, linocut and collagraph, AP 16.5” x 10”. Collection of the artist | 7 Congress Sq. | Portland | portlandmuseum.org
Swoon-worthy
Collaboration and participation are the name of the game for Swoon, an internationally known street artist who will discuss her work at SPACE Gallery on October 17. During her visit, Swoon and her collective will create a collaborative piece for SPACE, which will be on view through December.
538 Congress St. | Portland | space538.org
By Hand
There are juried craft shows and then there is
Work of the Hand, which offers exceptional work by Maine and New England artisans for sale, order, or commission. Presented by the Center for Maine Contemporary Art, the show and sale is now in its 20th year. Offerings include jewelry, furniture, glass, fiber arts, pottery, and more. An opening reception is scheduled for October 9, and the work will be on view through October 18.
162 Russell Ave. | Rockport | cmcanow.org
Stitch ’n Rich
Subversive stitches and a mixed-media melange are on tap for October 2, when a group show by Allison Cooke Brown, Sage Lewis, Zoe Sheehan Saldana, and Alex Sax opens at Whitney Art Works.
492 Congress St. | Portland | whitneyartworks.com
Go
Open Up and Say Arrrrr
Halloween comes early to Ellsworth this year when Gandalf Murphy & The Slambovian Circus of Dreams bring their Pirate Ball to The Grand Auditorium on October 24. Come in costume.
165 Main St. | Ellsworth | grandonline.org
Smashing Pumpkins
Charlie Brown’s “The Great Pumpkin” was, well, great. But could he scoop it out and turn it into a motorboat? Probably not. The motorized giant pumpkin regatta is just one of the highlights of the Damariscotta Pumpkinfest, October 4-12.
damariscottapumpkinfest.com
Give Up the Ghost
Yes, Stephen King may be the scariest author of all time. But there were plenty of chills and thrills in Bangor long before he arrived. Discover the Queen City’s eerie history during a Ghost Lamp Walking Tour led by a costumed curator from the Bangor Museum and Center for History on October 6 and 20.
Bangor Waterfront | bangormuseum.com
Shhhhh...
Usually when you see the words organ and Halloween in the same sentence, it brings back
memories of those “brains in a jar” mom made for a party when you were in fourth grade. This is way less gross: On October 30, organist Scott Foppiano will provide musical accom-paniment to a classic silent film, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, for a Halloween extravaganza at Merrill Auditorium in Portland. A costume contest precedes the show.
Merrill Auditorium | 20 Myrtle St. | Portland | tickets.porttix.com
Read
Farm (Re)fresh
Living off the land can be rewarding—and frustrating—as Dahlov Ipcar learned when she and her husband moved from New York City to a Georgetown farm in the late 1930s. Her classic children’s book Hardscrabble Harvest, recently reprinted by Islandport Press, is a gorgeously illustrated ode to rural living.
islandportpress.com
A Beautiful Mind
It’s rough to be a faded pageant queen at the ripe old age of 17, as former Little Miss Maine Dara Cohen discovers in Secrets of Truth and Beauty. Maine author and librarian Megan Frazer has received accolades for her debut novel, a frank story of self-discovery.
meganfrazer.com
Shop
Carte Blanche
Texting is great. So is the iPhone. But sometimes, “I <3 U” just won’t cut it. Sentiments like these call for The Card Society, an exclusive card-of-the-month club in which members receive two limited-edition letterpress cards by the multitalented Maria Vettese. Become a card carrying and sending member today—improved communication is just one of the fringe benefits.
port2portpress.com
Costume Drama
It isn’t exactly the Running of the Brides at Filene’s Basement, but people have been known to get a little territorial over polyester bell-bottoms and Southern-belle ballgowns at Penobscot Theatre Company’s pre-Halloween costume sale. The fundraiser on October 24 is a beloved tradition for costume-seekers from Bangor and beyond.
Bangor Opera House | 131 Main St. | Bangor | penobscottheatre.org
Write
Character Study
The Telling Room, a Portland-based writing program for authors aged 8 to 18, has branched out to offer master classes for adults this fall. On October 8, Lewis Robinson, who wrote the snow-stuffed novel Water Dogs, will present “Characterize This: How to Test the Mettle of Your Fictional Characters.”
225 Commercial St. | Suite 201 | Portland | tellingroom.org
Watch
Reality Bites You might want to tune into Daddy’s Girls on MTV this fall. Not to follow the oh-so-exciting adventures of Angela and Vanessa Simmons as they launch their Pastry shoe line. Nope. The real draw are the rugs, fabric, and glass-ware by Portland’s own Angela Adams, which production designer Johnny White chose for the show’s second season. Tuesdays, 10 p.m., on MTV.
10.2009 | To Do
10.1 | Rufus Wainwright at the Merrill Auditorium, Portland | tickets.porttix.com
10.2 | Subversive stitchery at Whitney Art Works, Portland | whitneyartworks.com
10.4 | Cultivating Community’s 20-Mile Meal, Cape Elizabeth | cultivatingcommunity.org
10.4–12 | Damariscotta Pumpkinfest | damariscottapumpkinfest.com
10.6+20 | Ghost Lamp Walking Tour, Bangor | bangormuseum.com
10.8 | The Telling Room’s master classes with Lewis Robinson, Portland | tellingroom.org
10.9–18 | Work of the Hand, Rockport | cmcanow.org
10.10 | Acadia’s Oktoberfest and Food Festival, Southwest Harbor | acadiachamber.com
10.15 | Livingston Taylor at The Landing at Pine Point, Scarborough | thelandingatpinepoint.com
10.17 | Artist talk at SPACE Gallery with Swoon, Portland | space538.org
10.17 | The Wine Flight 5K, Portland | maineambassadors.com
10.22–24 | Food and wine at Harvest on the Harbor, Portland | harvestontheharbor.com
10.24 | Penobscot Theatre Company’s pre-Halloween costume sale, Bangor | penobscottheatre.org
10.24 Gandalf Murphy & The Slambovian Circus of Dreams’s Pirate Ball at The Grand Auditorium, Ellsworth | grandonline.org
10.28 | Artist talk, “Nelson Fund for Social Justice: David Driskell,” Portland | portlandmuseum.org
10.30 | Halloween silent film extravaganza at Merrill Auditorium, Portland. | tickets.porttix.com
