Stacey Tran realizes it can be difficult to find a sense of belonging when your culture isn’t reflected in the place where you live. For this writer (I am half Chinese and based in Portland), that notion hits close to home. In Maine a staggering 94.2 percent identify as “white alone,” according to census.gov. However, that still leaves over 100,000 people living in Vacationland from other origins and ancestry.

This made me wonder: What do I need to feel safe, heard, and supported? What kind of setting makes me feel most open, most connected to my community? Enter Tender Table, a community-centric, volunteer-run organization that celebrates Mainers of color through food and storytelling. Events vary, from picnics and poetry readings in public parks to virtual book clubs, artist talks, and dinner parties. The content might shift from one event to the next, but the mission stays the same.

“There are so many spaces in the world where people of color feel like they can’t let their guard down,” Tran tells me. “Their identity, their existence, is constantly in question. So, we’re making that space.” To date, just over half of Tender Table’s events are for people who identify as BIPOC only, with the others open to everyone.

“For so many of us, we already have to hand-hold people through race on a daily basis,” says co-organizer Veronica Perez. “Or be that person who represents an entire culture at work or school. Here, it’s sometimes nice to just sit back and ease into conversations that we know won’t be filled with stereotype.”

Perez is a multidisciplinary artist who has received fellowships at Indigo Arts Alliance’s David C. Driskell Black Seed Studio and the Lunder Institute at the Colby College Museum of Art. Despite their success in the Maine arts community, Perez, who is half-Puerto Rican and Italian, almost left Maine at one point, due to an unhealthy work environment that left them feeling isolated. In one of many instances, Perez felt gaslit by colleagues and was told they were overreacting when they finally confronted issues. I nod when Perez tells me this, recognizing these behaviors in many interactions I’ve had throughout my own life. Often, discussions about race with family and friends result in scenarios where people of color end up doing a lot of the heavy lifting.

“It’s not [a BIPOC person’s] job to educate,” Perez says, adding that there are resources available now for those who want to learn about how embedded racism is in our belief systems. Tender Table is a place where you don’t have to worry about any of that, where, Perez adds, “you can loosen your jaw and stop clenching.”

Tran recognizes that, to reduce this tension, sometimes being around those who have been in similar situations is a great relief. “At our events, you can expect to be among others with shared and overlapping experiences and cultural backgrounds. They are centered around themes of healing, joy, rest, and connection, with food as the binding element.” Tender Table member Jenny Ibsen is a Chinese adoptee who grew up in a white family in Connecticut. Now she’s a printmaker, illustrator, and writer living in Portland, who advocates for restaurant workers. “There was a group of other Chinese adoptees who were all born in the same city as me, that I spent time with once a year. We shared stories of our adoptions and our families, bias incidents that we experienced (but barely understood in elementary school), and curiosities about our birth parents. We didn’t always talk about heavier topics—we laughed, watched TV, went swimming, and jumped on trampolines. But there was always an assumption of a shared experience, an openness that I could rarely find with my classmates or my parents, who would talk with me but could never empathize.” For Ibsen, Tender Table fills the same void.

“Tender Table isn’t just a place for us to rant, although it can be that for someone if they need it,” Tran says. “In one meeting I felt the group’s exhaustion when talking about race. What about food? Bad TV shows? Nature trails?” She tells me there was a collective sigh in the group. I wonder how many fellow Mainers are searching for this release but don’t even know it. “So much of our progress and events have happened because of conversations with one another and our communities,” Tran says. “Not because Tender Table is bound by some expectation. We listen, we see how the community responds, and we make things happen in response to that.”

This approach is opposite to the five-year busi-ness plan many organizations are modeled after. Instead, Tender Table operates as a call-and-response with their attendees. It asks itself and its communities: Is this going to help us build more relationships? Is this going to lead to deepening connections, to people doing amazing things? Can we support them? Can we support you? This meant that for the majority of 2020 and 2021 meetings were held over Zoom, to ensure that the community stayed safe and yet connected during the pandemic. In one memorable meeting, Tran delivered ingredients for making soup to each attendee’s front door, and they cooked together remotely while bonding over recipes and stories.

Tran, whose parents grew up in Vietnam, says her deep sense of belonging began at the dinner table, and Tender Table is an extension of wanting to share that powerful, sacred space. “Through the food I ate and the stories I heard at the dinner table, I learned more about my family, my ancestors’ food traditions, the landscape they grew up in, their experience of scraping by in times of poverty and scarcity, and the delicious nostalgia of very special decadent meals at New Year celebrations complete with firecrackers and the whole neighborhood singing karaoke into the wee hours of the morning.”

Perez knows that not all tables are that generous. “My family had evening dinners, but they weren’t always generative and kind. I sometimes left the dinner table in tears. It’s who you surround yourself with at the dinner table that creates spaces of vulnerability, and that is what Tender Table does.” Now, at the Tender Table helm with both Tran and Ibsen, who was asked to join the team as an artistic collaborator and organizer, Perez has no intention of leaving Maine. Tran also invited Sydney Avitia-Jacques, the political education director at Southern Maine Workers’ Center (SMWC), to join the growing Table, and now these four organizers have big plans for the year ahead. Tender Table is partnering with SMWC and Indigo Arts Alliance to host several events throughout 2023 in conjunction with the appointment of renowned musician and activist Toshi Reagon as Bowdoin College’s 2022/2023 Joseph McKeen Visiting Fellow. Reagon has invited members of the Maine community to create cultural and social justice programming based on themes from Octavia Butler’s novel Parable of the Sower. The programming will accompany Reagon’s Parable of the Sower opera, which is on tour and will be performed in April 2023 at Merrill Auditorium. Tender Table will create a series of workshops and dinners to hold space for community skill sharing and conversation.

Later this year, Tender Table plans on bringing back a version of its successful (and really fun) annual food, poetry, and art fair. For the past two summers, this vibrant event brought the BIPOC community to center stage, under the canopy of trees and tents at Congress Square Park. Tran says this year will be similar: tables filled with food and music and tents adorned with goods and art crafted by Mainers of color. After attending the past two Tender Table fairs, I can attest to how energizing it is to see a group clearing some space so that artists can fill our state with the diversity we already have as well as with the diversity to come.

“The world begins and ends at a kitchen table,” Tran quotes from her favorite poem, “Perhaps the World Ends Here,” by Joy Harjo. “No matter what, we must eat to live. The gifts of the earth are brought and prepared, set on the table.”

Tran ends with a big smile, an invitation, and perhaps a challenge. “We welcome your hungry and curious selves and hope you’ll leave feeling nourished and restored.”

Read More:

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  Claiming Space at the Table
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  Timeless Appeal at Portland’s Swiss Time

The post Claiming Space at the Table appeared first on The Maine Mag.

Keeping houseplants alive in the spring and summer is relatively easy if they get ample light and water. The winter, however, is an entirely different story—especially here in the Pine Tree State, where it gets dark at 3 p.m. and the seasonal chill sticks around longer than anyone would like. To learn how to best take care of our plant friends throughout the winter, we sat down with florist and designer John Sundling, founder and owner of Plant Office, a houseplant and dried goods store in Portland’s bustling East End.

After answering a florist’s help wanted ad in 2011, Sundling decided to combine his passion for floristry and design with his love of houseplants and his keen retail instincts. Today, he’s an active member of Portland’s thriving food and hospitality industry, designing floral arrangements for weddings, shops, and restaurants, in addition to overseeing Plant Office’s operations. Here are his top tips for caring for your houseplants during Maine’s long-lasting winter season.

Extra light is key

As a Mainer, you’ve experienced firsthand how early in the day the winter darkness descends. That’s why Sundling recommends extra light to keep your houseplants thriving, even if you’re just using simple fluorescent bulbs. Make your life easier by purchasing an automatic timer that controls the light, “so you don’t have to remember to turn the lights on and off every day.”

Humidity is your friend

Ever notice how dry your skin gets in winter? The same goes for houseplants. “Most indoor plants are from the tropics and need humidity year-round to thrive,” says Sundling, but “our homes in Maine dry out this time of year.” To ramp up humidity, try grouping your plants together in one area, spritz them with water once a day using a spray bottle, or place a small humidifier near plants that need extra moisture.

Stay vigilant for pests

“Pests can be more of a problem in the winter because plants have fewer resources to fend off attacks,” Sundling notes. Keeping an eye on your plants and sticking with a regular cleaning and pruning routine will help keep pests at bay. If you discover a common pest like spider mites, mealybugs, or aphids, be sure to “take care of it as soon as possible so it doesn’t get worse.” Begin by isolating the plant so the infestation doesn’t spread, then blast it with water to dislodge any insects. Spray it down with insecticidal soap to kill any pests that are left or dip a Q-tip in rubbing alcohol and remove stragglers one by one.

Avoid cold windows and doors

“Drafts are the enemy this time of year,” and can lead to root rot, “especially if a plant has recently been watered,” says Sundling. For that reason, consider moving your plants away from cold windows and doors that are frequently opened. The good news? In the winter, the sun remains lower in the sky, so light reaches further into your home. “That means your plants don’t have to be right in the window to get good light,” Sundling adds.

Beat the heat

Keep in mind that radiators and heating vents aren’t great for plants, either. “No plant wants to be baked to death,” jokes Sundling. Since radiators are often located near windows, it’s easy to avoid both the hot and the cold by placing your plants further into the room during the winter—just be sure to avoid smaller space heaters, too.

Don’t sweat vacation

Odds are you might be traveling at some point during the winter. Sundling suggests giving your plants a thorough watering before you leave but insists they should be fine while you’re gone. Plan to travel for more than seven to ten days? “You might want a friend to stop by and check on your plant buddies,” he says.

Lastly, we asked Sundling which houseplants tend to thrive in Maine—and you’ll never believe his response. “Plants like cacti and citrus do surprisingly well in Maine if you have enough light,” he said. “They don’t mind the cold, and unlike more tropical plants, they can live long with good care. I especially love when my lemon tree blossoms in my house in the winter,” he added.

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  A Historic West End Brownstone Gets a Classic Renovation

The post How to Keep Your Houseplants Alive This Winter appeared first on The Maine Mag.

Maine’s winters are storied, and not just because they’re cold. (If you’ve ever spent time in the Midwest, you’ll know Maine has it pretty good.) But in Maine the season lasts, the snowfall is plenty, and the daylight hours are few. The trick to winter here is to plan: get the right boots, gloves, and a proper hat, and build extra time into your commute for salting, shoveling, and running the car five minutes before you hit the road.

But that’s just the short term. Long-term plans are about optimizing (or reframing) the months of deep darkness, because once the early seasonal festivities are out of the way, that’s when winter in Maine really begins. In January, February, and March it’s time to ski, skate, snowmobile, and snowshoe; to cut holes in the frozen lakes to fish, mush dogs across snow-padded trails, and cozy up under blankets on the seats of horse-drawn carriages. Unlike other famous winter destinations, if you’re here in February, you’re guaranteed the kind of chill that warrants a sauna and drinking mulled cider by a fire.

The upside is there’s so much to experience, you’ll have a hard time packing everything into one season. To help narrow down your winter-weather to-dos and to kick-off your long-term planning, we’ve rounded up some of the Pine Tree State’s most popular activities and winter events, along with a selection of our favorite cozy lodges and package deals. This is winter in Maine, after all —go enjoy yourself.

Snowmobiling 101

Each winter, outdoor enthusiasts flock to Maine to glide, skate, or motor their way across the frozen landscape. Motoring, in particular, is wildly popular. The snowmobile—a motorized sled guided by ski-like feet—allows its pilot to cover a ton of ground, and unlike other wintry pastimes, doesn’t require hills, lifts, or frozen ponds. Snowmobiling is so beloved, in fact, that it’s considered a lifestyle. The state’s consistently heavy snowfall (albeit less reliable these past few years), its robust network of trails, and 280-plus dedicated clubs make Maine the place to go for anyone looking to spend months in the snow, slipping between pines.

If you don’t have a snowmobile, you can rent from one of the state’s many licensed operations, found on the Maine.gov website. The licensing of renters helps to ensure rider safety while funneling funds to the upkeep of miles of trails. The Interconnected Trail System, or ITS, is a network of 4,000 “primary” miles that link to another 10,000 for a total of 14,000 miles of track to explore.

Aroostook County, Maine’s northern “hunting-cap-shaped” region (look at a map—you’ll see) that abuts Canada is snowmobile central. Other hotspots are Moosehead Lake and Kennebec Valley, where Coburn Mountain calls to the more experienced riders capable of climbing 3,700 feet to its summit.

New to the sport? Sign up for a safety course listed on Maine Inland Fisheries and Wildlife’s Programs and Resources page. Visit the Maine Snowmobile Association (MSA)’s site for a downloadable safety pamphlet, and hire a guide or book a package that includes oversight by an expert. You can start your research by looking up a club in the area you’re hoping to visit, also available via the MSA.

Snowmobiles are not without their detractors. Among the complaints are noise and environmental pollution as well as disruption to animal habitat. But there are things you can do to minimize impact, like staying on marked trails and avoiding aftermarket add-ons that change emissions. All of this is part of being a good snowmobiler. The ground rules, as the MSA states, are: “Ride to the right. Ride sober. Ride at a reasonable speed. Stay on the marked trails. Use hand signals. Ride defensively.”

Lodges + Packages

Yes, you love to ski and snowmobile and ice skate. You’ve always wanted to sit in one of those huts on a frozen lake like the guys in Grumpy Old Men, catching fish through a hole, but equal to this is your desire to relax in a rough-hewn cabin next to a fire and read the hardback you bought at the airport. If this is you, consider the package deals offered by numerous hotels and resorts throughout the state. Not only do you get a cute place to stay, but you’ll also be connected to reputable guides who know the area and get premium access to gear rentals at some hard-to-beat prices. Here are a few good ones, for starters.

Luxurious

Pineland Farms, New Gloucester
This sprawling, working farm offers a quaint, comfortable, village-like experience. Wander through multiple gardens, check out the market, and stay in one of three guesthouses equipped with everything you need for a quiet, stately retreat. There’s also access to trails for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing, as well as nearby gear rental, with day and season passes available. Sledding and skating on the farm’s 100- by 50-foot rink are free. Hot drinks and bites to take out are available in the Welcome Center.

Homey

Inn by the River, The Forks
This picturesque, white-paneled inn is set in Maine’s premier snowmobiling country. Choose from one of ten rooms in the inn or one of six winterized cabins. Hunt and snowmobile with a guide, and fuel up on-site. The inn partners with the Coburn Summit Riders Snowmobile Club and 201 PowerSports. Enjoy a proper meal and a drink at the inn’s restaurant and pub.

Remote

Carter’s XC Ski, Bethel
For the backwoods experience —think “glamping at a cabin”—check out Carter’s XC Ski, where the family-run and operated establishment manages a series of off-the-grid but well-curated and photo-ready cabins accessible by ski or snowshoe. Rentals, passes, and lessons are also available.

Adventure

Moose Mountain Inn, Greenville
For great package deals, head to central Maine’s Greenville and the Moose Mountain Inn, a hop and a skip from Moosehead, the second largest lake in New England. The inn is a tidy, two-story, motel-like strip with rustic decor. Choose from one of many deals, like two nights’ lodging plus a choice of two activities: a guided hike on snowshoes to a waterfall; a half-day, two-person snowmobile rental (pay extra to make it a guided tour); or a guided ice-fishing trip.

Rugged

New England Outdoor Center (NEOC), Millinocket
The NEOC lodge is situated on Millinocket Lake and faces Maine’s highest peak, Mount Katahdin, making it a perfect base camp for adventure. Choose from a series of winter-ready cabins, whether an eco-build or traditional log. Bring a group, plus your dog (for a $20 fee). There’s also an on-site restaurant and access to cross-country skiing, fat-tire bike, and snowshoe trails as well as ice fishing. If you’re looking to snowmobile, book a package that combines a cabin with rentals.

Valentine’s Day

For you disbelievers, consider this a culturally sanctioned excuse to get away from everyone except your spouse, partner, or special friend, or even by yourself, to eat a good meal (including chocolate-covered strawberries and sparkling wine) and stare at a fire. Here are a few ideas to get you going.

February is for lovers

Visit Kennebunkport’s entire-town celebration of the red and chocolate holiday. Last year, establishments participated in all kinds of ways, from dance parties at bars to spa and hotel packages. Check kennebunkportmainelodging.com for 2023 programming.

Horse-drawn sleigh rides

Several farms throughout the state offer romantic rides in horse-drawn buggies. Check out the Deepwood Farms carriage that leaves from the Bethel Inn or from Goranson Farm in Dresden.

Dog sledding for two

That’s right: Ultimate Dog Sledding Experience offers a dog-sled trek by a snowy lake that ends with a fire, “seating for two,” cookies, and cocoa (and for $135 extra, a charcuterie board).

Romantic dinners

The possibilities are endless if what you’re after is dinner by a fire with a view of ice crystals hanging from eves.

For straight-up Romance with a capital R, book a dinner at the Lovell Inn in Lovell to enjoy a fine meal replete with “soft lighting and an original wood-burning fireplace.”

If you’re after classic fine dining in a picturesque New England village, try Paul’s Steak House in Boothbay Harbor.

Looking for exceptional (and award-winning) local cuisine and contemporary atmosphere? Check out Wolfpeach in Camden.

Dinner on a boat? Go to DiMillo’s, where an old-school red sauce establishment meets the Old Port. DiMillo’s offers a special Valentine’s Day menu and wine list.

Go rustic at the White Barn Inn Restaurant in Kennebunkport, where you can dine in yes, a barn, albeit a well decorated one featuring a picture window.

Saunas

Winter is hard on the body. Daylight hours are scarce, and aside from the lucky few who are skiing daily or weekly, the rest of us are scraping by on our exercise mats and treadmills. The dry heat of heaters and stoves does its own damage. Few things combat these realities like a good sauna.

Destination Health
This infrared sauna in Bar Harbor is a different experience than the traditional wooden room version but is no less effective or enjoyable.

Washington Baths
Portland’s slick contemporary experience for all genders. There’s also a cafe with post-sweat snacks.

Richmond Sauna and B&B
A Richmond B&B that opened in 1976 and offers the rustic, Finnish style experience—wood-fired sauna, hot tubs, and a swimming pool. Note: This is a traditional, clothing-optional situation. Evening sauna is included in a stay.

Driftless Sauna
Based in Saco, this reasonably priced mobile sauna can be rented for the day, the weekend, or an entire week. It’s probably the best thing anyone with a winter birthday could possibly add to their party.

Native Sauna
A luxury mobile sauna experience, choose to rent a 13- or a 20-foot sauna or a wood-fired hot tub, and build onto the experience with Atlantic cedar camp chairs, robes, towels, and even a moveable firepit.

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The post How to Winter in Maine appeared first on The Maine Mag.

Pistachio Cream Latte: espresso, homemade pistachio cream
Time & Tide, Biddeford

Inspired by a consulting trip to the Middle East, this latte combines espresso, milk, and a secret recipe of pistachio cream to create a latte that is equally sweet and nutty. Hot or iced, this popular menu item is a Biddeford staple.

The Thunderbolt: espresso over fresh-squeezed lemonade
Cupacity, Damariscotta

Ideal for warmer months, this surprising marriage of tart, sweet fresh-squeezed lemonade and smoky, bitter espresso makes for a refreshingly acidic pick-me-up.

CBD Maine Maple Latte: espresso, Maine maple syrup, Mindful Earth CBD tincture
Higher Grounds, Portland

This combination coffee shop and medical dispensary has the option to add up to 10mg of Mindful Earth CBD tincture to your brew. A celebration of local ingredients, the Maine Maple Latte is made with coffee beans sourced and roasted by Speckled Ax, real Maine maple syrup, and CBD extract from Maine grown hemp.

Flying Dutchman Latte: espresso, dark chocolate, habanero pepper
Traverse Coffee Co., Hallowell

If you’re looking for a way to change up your mocha latte and don’t mind a little heat, Traverse Coffee Co. has the perfect drink for you. Rich, dark chocolate and a hint (or splash!) of habanero pepper concentrate blended into a smooth and creamy latte create a spicy twist on a coffee shop staple.

“Special” Café Bombon: espresso, condensed coconut milk, pandan
Dog Bar Jim, Brunswick

The deep green color of this twist on an Iced Vietnamese coffee comes from pandan syrup. The floral, grassy notes of the pandan paired with sweetened condensed coconut milk and rich, earthy espresso come together to create a delicious and aromatic breakfast blend.

Espresso Tonic: espresso, tonic water, orange
Smalls, Portland

Espresso tonics are quickly rising in popularity in coffee shops around the country, and for good reason! A bubbly fusion of tonic water, espresso, and citrus make for a refreshing morning pick-me-up or a great mocktail option. If you’ve been itching to try this new coffee craze, Smalls in Portland has the hookup.

Cold Brew Flight: rotating seasonal flavors
Lucky Cat Coffee Truck, Lewiston

Do you often find yourself having trouble choosing between different flavor options? At the Lucky Cat Coffee Truck, you don’t have to. Order the cold-brew flight to pair with your Hong Kong Bubble Waffle to sample four of their seasonal coffee beverages. The four pours are switched up each month, and each of the cold brews are specifically brewed and infused depending on the flavor profile.

Café de Olla: latte with house made cinnamon and cardamom syrup
Choco-Latte, Bar Harbor

Choco-Latte brings a traditional Mexican spiced coffee to Maine. The warm blend of cinnamon and cardamom with espresso and milk is a great way to start your morning and gently wake yourself up before hitting Acadia’s hiking trails.

Astro Drinks Series: rotating seasonal flavors
Little Woodfords, Portland

This rotating drink series is based on the zodiac cycle, which means twelve unique beverages to sample a year! As of writing, “Sagittarius” is on the menu, a peppermint mocha topped with a torched marshmallow. When in season, you can also find drinks like the “Leo,” a sparkling blood orange bitters and agave flash brew topped with oat cream cold foam, and the “Pisces,” a white chocolate and cardamom mocha topped with crushed raspberry and pink salt.

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The post 9 Creative Craft Coffees to Mix Up Your Morning appeared first on The Maine Mag.

Originally published May 2016

Stephany Guyot was still playing under the stairs at her parents’ watch store when she started fixing timepieces.

“Mom and Dad would set up a little bench, and my brother and I would sit in there and pretend we were watchmakers,” she says. “They always had these boxes of junk watches, and my brother and I would be like, ‘Let’s try to get something to work.’ I guess I’ve always had a fascination with them.”

The fascination runs in the family.

Stephany’s father, Claude, grew up just outside of Fleurier, a small village in Switzerland known for its watchmaking and absinthe. Claude says people in the village either became farmers or watchmakers, so at age 16, he started watchmaking school. He spent the next eight years working on watches in Switzerland until he answered a newspaper ad for a job at the Waltham Watch Company in Bridgeport, Connecticut. He arrived in New York in 1972 with a duffle bag, a guitar, and a fluency in English comprised of the words “shut up” and a four-letter expletive.

At Waltham, Claude trained workers in the repair department. Even at that time, it was difficult to find watchmakers in America, so it wasn’t unusual for Swiss watchmakers to be recruited from overseas, says Jill, Claude’s wife. Claude planned to stay in America for two years. Instead, he met Jill, who was working at Waltham in the customer service department and also had roots in the watch industry. Her first job was at her father’s watch store in Westport, Connecticut; her grandfather was a jeweler and watchmaker with a store in neighboring Norwalk. Above the door of Swiss Time hangs a sign in the shape of a three- foot-tall pocket watch, passed down from Jill’s grandfather to her father to her.

After a few years, Jill and Claude left Waltham and moved to Maine. In 1977, the couple opened Swiss Time as a trade shop, doing repairs for local jewelry stores. It was located on the third floor of a High Street building, across from what is now the Westin Portland Harborview hotel. After the couple had operated the trade shop for two years, the building owner asked them if they were interested in moving down to a storefront on the first floor.

“We decided, why not?” Jill recalls. “I know retail; I grew up in it. He knows watches. So that’s when we moved down, and it worked. We’ve just grown from then.”

They moved the business to its present location on Exchange Street in 1994, and the customers followed. Some of them have been bringing their watches to Claude for over three decades. One customer, Paul Pappas, says he’s purchased seven or eight watches from Swiss Time over the last 25 years. Whenever he goes to buy a watch or watch strap or get a timepiece serviced, even if it’s been a year between visits, he is greeted by name. “It’s the Cheers of watch stores,” he says. Pappas, who lives in Yarmouth and owned a tire business and car wash before retiring, understands the value of supporting local businesses, and says the way Swiss Time treats its customers makes it easy to reciprocate the loyalty. “If I don’t buy my watches from them and they go out of business, then they won’t be there to be able to repair them,” Pappas says.

Although the watches Swiss Time repairs can be more than a century old, the equipment required to test them is state-of-the-art. To be certified to work on specific brands, including Rolex, Omega, and Longines, the store must continuously update its equipment and be ready for unannounced white-glove inspections from the manufacturers. Stephany says it’s crucial to keep the work environment clean because “a little speck of dust can float right to a watch you’re working on, and it will just stop the whole thing. It will never run right.”

The store continues to evolve. With the growth of online shopping, the majority of the store’s revenue has shifted from retail sales to repair work, says Stephany, who has been taking over more and more store operations from her parents since 2010. Claude, in his 60s, is still working on the watches, but his daughter is now apprenticing under him, starting out with a couple of pocket watches a week. She will eventually move on to mechanical wristwatches with smaller movements.

A movement is the interior mechanism in a watch. Until the introduction of a battery- powered quartz watch in 1969, all watches had mechanical movements, which don’t require batteries to work and instead rely on manual winding of the watch or, in an automatic watch, the motion of the wearer’s arm. The movement is powered by the mainspring, a coiled piece of metal that, in unwinding, transmits power to the balance wheel, which then rotates to power a series of tiny gears. These in turn move the watch’s hands. Today, mechanical movements are mostly found in high-end timepieces or vintage watches, and require occasional cleaning and servicing. Swiss-made mechanical movements, designed by watchmakers to be repaired, are mostly found in mid- to high-end or vintage timepieces. All mechanical watches need routine maintenance.

To service or repair a mechanical watch, Claude will take apart the entire movement, screw by screw, gear by gear—often over 100 pieces. Claude doesn’t make watches, but he can make the tiny parts, if needed, using a lathe. He does this less than he used to, as it’s an extremely delicate and time-intensive process; some of the parts are smaller than the tip of a pin. “There are very few people who make parts,” says Jill. “It’s a dying trade. It really is.” Still, Claude keeps his lathes in the back of his shop for special cases.

Quartz movements, which are battery powered, revolutionized the watch industry. They’re more accurate than mechanical movements and don’t have nearly as many moving parts, making them more shock- resistant. They can be produced much more cheaply and quickly. But even though there are high-end quartz watches, they don’t require the meticulous craftsmanship necessary to make mechanical watches— miniature kinetic engines built by hand. A mechanical watch, with proper care, will outlive its wearer.

“I like to say a mechanical watch has a heartbeat,” says Stephany. “You can almost always repair it. With a battery-operated watch, you get something that’s more disposable.”

The drive for longevity is reflected in Swiss Time’s retail offerings. While the store carries a dozen lines of new watches like Oris, Ball, Hamilton, and Tissot, its U-shaped display case also features reconditioned timepieces dating back to the turn of the twentieth century, including Hamilton, Omega, Rolex, and Patek Philippe wristwatches, as well as Waltham and Illinois pocket watches.

Recently, a younger audience has discovered the appeal of traditional watches. Swiss Time’s regular customers tend to be older, but Stephany says the last couple of years have seen an uptick in younger visitors to the store. More customers in their 20s or 30s, and even some teenagers, are interested in mechanical watches, both vintage pieces and new automatics, she says. Some find their grandparents’ old watches; others want to look more refined at work.

“It’s always been a way to set you apart, with the variety of watches,” says Stephany. “It becomes part of you, not only to tell the time but to make a statement about who you are.”

It’s a notion Swiss Time has embraced for nearly 40 years—when Jill and Claude ran a third-floor repair shop, when Stephany used to play under the staircase as a child, and now, when Stephany is learning the craft, hunched over a workbench with a magnifying glass in her eye.

The post Timeless Appeal at Portland’s Swiss Time appeared first on The Maine Mag.

Whether it’s curled up by the fireplace as the snow flies, lounging lakeside in a hammock, or sitting in a beach chair soaking up the summer sun, when you’re in Vacationland it’s easy to immerse yourself in a good book, made easier still by the range of independent booksellers across the state. No matter the season, here’s a list of some of our favorite Maine bookstores to help you make the most of your leisure time.

Green Hand Bookshop | Portland
Fans of vintage press and pulp horror need look no further than Green Hand Bookshop, a Portland staple with an impressive collection of offbeat and unique second-hand books. The narrow, overflowing shelves are stacked to the ceiling with titles you’ll be hard-pressed to find anywhere else.
greenhandbookshop.com

Shermans | Multiple Locations
In business since 1886, Shermans is a well-known and well-loved institution that offers a variety of books, toys, and gifts. Open year-round, seven days a week, with nine locations spread across the Maine coast, you’ll have no trouble finding your next read here.
shermans.com

Elements: Books Coffee Beer | Biddeford
Equal parts bookstore and eatery, this charming cafe in Biddeford lets you browse their curated selection of used books while you munch on some local breakfast fare or indulge in a drink or two. In addition to their day-to-day offerings, Elements hosts a variety of events from musical performances to game nights.
elementsbookscoffeebeer.com

The Briar Patch | Bangor
This small shop is home to an impressive children’s section as well as a great selection of toys and games. And though the focus is on children’s books, there is a strong selection of adult titles as well.
briarpatchbooks.square.site

Print: A Bookstore | Portland
Perched on Munjoy Hill, this shop is dedicated to its mission of promoting Maine and New England authors, as well as authors of color. Print hosts a variety of community events as well, from author readings to book club meetings.
printbookstore.com

Big Chicken Barn Books and Antiques | Ellsworth
Inside a 21,000-square-foot repurposed chicken barn, this massive antique shop is also Maine’s largest bookstore, with an entire upstairs section dedicated to second-hand books. Take your time browsing the over 150,000 titles. Plus, there’s plenty of comfortable seating and free coffee and tea on standby.
bigchickenbarn.com

Rabelais | Biddeford
Providing one of the largest selections of rare, out-of-print cookbooks in the country, Rabelais is a mecca for chefs, epicures, and food historians. The shop’s impressive collection has even been recognized by national publications CondeNast Traveler, the New Yorker, and Food & Wine.
rabelaisbooks.com

Quiet City Books | Lewiston
Located in Lewiston’s arts district, this shop has a significant collection of local titles and handmade goods by Maine artists. A staple in the community, they host poetry readings, book releases for local authors, musical performances, and act as a venue for hosting art shows.
quietcitybooks.square.site

Mainely Murders | Kennebunk
This specialty mystery bookstore is devoted exclusively to suspense, crime, and detective fiction. A haven for mystery lovers and true-crime enthusiasts, the staff is eager to offer their recommendations to any armchair detective.
mainelymurders.com

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The post 9 Unique Bookstores Across Maine appeared first on The Maine Mag.

The small city of Ellsworth, Maine—just past Blue Hill and about thirty minutes from Acadia National Park—is undergoing a renaissance. The first step in breathing life back into the town? A brand-new outdoor mural by Mount Desert Island artist Judy Taylor. To celebrate the kickoff of Taylor’s piece, producer and director Kyle Lamont of Good To Go Studios was tapped to create Beyond the Brick, a multimedia collaboration of Maine artists and musicians that was projected onto a 3,000-foot wall at a pop-up art show over the summer. We sat down with Lamont to learn more about her studio, what makes Ellsworth special, and how Beyond the Brick came to be.

What is Good To Go Studios?

We are a production company that makes meaningful media. We specialize in films, podcasts, branded content, and marketing—we haven’t tapped into video games yet, but maybe soon! We’re multimedia storytellers, possibility thinkers, and creative problem solvers, and we absolutely adore working with writers, filmmakers, editors, animators, and other creatives and business owners.

What was the initial idea behind Beyond the Brick: A MultiMedia Maine Journey?

The idea was to take people beyond themselves, beyond the brick in downtown Ellsworth, Maine and back to see how our region is a direct reflection of ourselves. We set out to make a video that reminds us why we love Maine, to fill us with pride as we honor our state’s creativity and talent. Maine’s beauty is common ground for conversation and a catalyst for artists. That inspiration shines brightly in the piece.

The creative direction came after flipping through Carl Little’s book, Paintings of Maine, which has been sitting on my coffee table since I was a senior at Sumner High School in Sullivan. The artwork kept coming to life in my mind as animations. From there, the concept grew to include footage from film shoots and branded content campaigns I have produced and directed over the years. When it came to the soundtrack, I was moved to co-produce a soundtrack composed entirely of music created by Mainers.

The project was ambitious. In addition to the video, I co-produced a pop-up art show with the nonprofit Heart of Ellsworth where the intention was to project the film onto a 3,000-square-foot wall in support of our city’s first outdoor public mural. While there were a lot of moving pieces, it was a dream project. With my wonderful team—Jim Picariello, Ruthie Harrison, and Tara Rook, plus my production designer Theo Dumas, combined with the trust of Cara Romano and her team at Heart of Ellsworth—we were set up for success. Rounding out the team was my synergy partner, Heidi Stanton-Drew, who has a wonderful way of synthesizing ideas and making them soar.

What was your first thought when you were approached about the collaboration project with Heart of Ellsworth?

I’ve been in close collaboration with Cara Romano, Heart of Ellsworth’s executive director, for years. Her vision for the downtown Ellsworth district is inspiring and one I fully subscribe to. Culture is shaped by media, and I love the symbiotic relationship we have as I support and promote their mission by producing promotional videos, live streams, and photography. The Water Street mural project has been in the works for years, so it was an organic partnership to co-produce the pop-up art show and create the video projection to headline the event. Bringing more awareness to our community about this public art piece is a big step towards infusing more culture into our town.

How were artists selected for the piece?

Carl Little was our art director, and his passion and ability to articulate Maine art is a true inspiration. He selected more than 20 artists from our region, including James Francis Sr., who is also the Penobscot Nation’s Tribal Historian, and Jessica Lee Ives, an artist in Camden whose depiction of swimming in Maine’s lakes and quarries makes me melt. Together, with the help of Karin Wilkes from Courthouse Gallery, we curated a stellar lineup. From iconic Maine artists to budding high school art students, there is a wellspring of material from which to instill pride in our creative youth. I am so grateful to all the artists who shared their work for this piece. I hope it will inspire the next generation and manifest new possibilities of community engagement.

How was music selected for the video?

Thanks to Meg Shorette at All Roads Music Festival, I was introduced to the talented sounds of Tara Rook, a producer and musician based in Portland. Her ability to craft mixes and make music that touches a spiritual chord is why I called her up! She was super receptive to my idea of creating a Maine musical soundtrack, and before I knew it, we were off to the collaborative races. It was equal parts composing for the film and producing the film to her music. Because there is no dialogue in this video, the music had to communicate a variety of feelings. Once I figured out the emotional arc of the video, she worked her magic. I love how we introduced each other to Maine musicians we had never heard before. Our state’s music scene continues to amaze me.

Why Ellsworth? What makes Ellsworth special in your opinion?

I get this question a lot. The city has a strange reputation, and it’s not entirely undeserved. I love the contradictions, like how solitude and community are both available here. I love helping small businesses develop their brand by producing a video for them and seeing the results! As a media professional who often freelances out-of-state for commercial shoots, I always stay true to my ethos that Maine is more than just a pretty backdrop on a film set, but a viable hub for media makers. Ellsworth is a supportive spot to create, and its downtown has transformed culturally through the work of Heart of Ellsworth. I’m excited to see what comes next!

What’s next for Good To Go Studios?

We’re loving the podcast format! Our in-house show called Concert Cast (a Spotify Editor’s Pick) is a travel podcast exploring concert culture. Season one is a road trip around Maine that takes you from the State Theatre to Eureka Hall, Maine’s most remote venue in The County. Our experience in podcasting has led us to develop two more live music-based shows, and we’re also developing a true crime podcast from the coast of Maine.

The post “Beyond the Brick” Brings Maine-Made Art and Music to Life appeared first on The Maine Mag.

Amber Boutiette remembers the day at Robert Bayer’s house that changed everything. In 2017 Bayer, then director of the University of Maine’s Lobster Institute, handed her a jar of cream he had made with fluid from lobsters. Boutiette had suffered from eczema most of her teenage and adult life, cycling through every prescription steroid and over-the-counter lotion she could get her hands on with no success. Two days after she started to use Bayer’s cream, the flaking skin around her eyes was starting to clear. Two weeks later, all traces of redness—which she’d assumed was scar tissue—had vanished, and, other than an occasional flare-up, her skin stayed soft and smooth, even after she stopped using the product.

Years back, Bayer had a hunch that because lobsters could regrow claws, their regenerative abilities could be used for other applications. Building off existing research on hemocyanin in other sea creatures, he found that the blue-hued blood-like fluid of Maine’s prized crustaceans, called hemocyanin, has potential to fight off viruses, kill cancer cells, and act as an antigen carrier for vaccines (and there’s early evidence it can reduce the viral load in COVID-19). After Bayer discovered the cream made with the lobster protein could restore skin, just like it does lobsters’ shells, he enlisted Boutiette and another UMaine biomedical engineering graduate student, Patrick Breeding, to experiment with skincare applications. From Bayer’s discovery, Boutiette and Breeding, who has filed a patent with Bayer, developed Marin Skincare and launched a skin cream last November. Breeding says the anti-inflammatory properties of the product, Soothing Hydration Cream, has been used by customers to help relieve and calm dry skin associated with eczema, psoriasis, rosacea, sunburns, and even rashes from browntail moth caterpillars. “I missed out on so many things in life because of eczema, so it was really incredible, not only to find something that worked for me, but to get through that struggle and to give back to people something that helped me,” says Boutiette.

To source the hemocyanin, Marin Skincare teamed up with Luke’s Lobster, which added four jobs at its Saco processing plant to collect the fluid from about one percent of its lobsters. The goal is to eventually collect hemocyanin from all the lobsters Luke’s processes. After starting Marin Skincare alongside other sustainability-focused marine businesses at the New England Ocean Cluster on Portland’s Commercial Street, Boutiette and Breeding recently moved the company to a new processing plant on Riverside Street and are on target for seven-figure revenue in their first year. For Bayer, whose research launched the company, the skincare product is another way his work is supporting Maine’s hardworking lobstermen, who are facing tightening regulations and the looming effects of global warming. “I got into medicinals made from lobster byproducts as a means to add value to lobster,” says Bayer, “with the idea that this would put more money into the pockets of lobster-fishing families.”

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The post Is Lobster Blood the Key to Better Skin? appeared first on The Maine Mag.

Last year, during the height of the pandemic, Arielle Edelman, who had been working for a film production company in New York City for over four years, found herself stuck in her apartment with less and less work. So, she turned to the pastime that got many through quarantine: surfing the internet. “I had always wanted to learn woodworking and initially thought I’d take a class in New York while staying at my job,” says Edelman, “but once I started to do some research, so many doors of possibilities started to open.”

That’s how Edelman stumbled upon the Carpenter’s Boat Shop, which offers boatbuilding apprenticeships in Bristol, nearly 400 miles from New York City. The nonprofit organization hosts eight to ten apprentices for four-month-long semesters every fall and spring at its campus on the shores of the Pemaquid River, just a mile away from the ocean. Thanks to donations, fundraising, and revenue from selling boats the apprentices have built or restored, the program doesn’t charge students a cent. “It felt too good to be true—a tuition-free program that considers applicants regardless of woodworking experience or background,” says Edelman. “Plus, you get to live in Maine.” She immediately applied and got an interview soon after. In August she moved to the campus to start the fall semester.

The apprenticeship is designed to teach basic boatbuilding and sailing skills, with progressively more difficult tasks introduced each week. Students learn the craft of boatbuilding, mostly working on 9- and 11-foot Monhegan skiffs. They live together on the campus in two farmhouses, eat all their meals together, and take turns cooking. Outside of hours working in the shop, apprentices and staff have weekly meetings and discussions about communal living, shared chores, and community service work. Apprentices are encouraged to use their time in the program to take a step back and reflect on their lives. “In life, we’re all either paying debts back or creating debt,” says Alicia Witham, the organization’s new executive director. “This is an opportunity to join a community that gives apprentices a moment to pause and find a new path forward.” She says apprentices have ranged from widowers to teenagers on a gap year before college.

Founded in 1979, the mission of the Carpenter’s Boat Shop remains the same today: “Building boats, nurturing lives, and helping others.” This ethos was one of the biggest draws for Witham, who spent nearly 20 years working at Outward Bound’s location on Hurricane Island off Rockland, and most recently served as director of adult programs and charters for SailMaine. She joined the Carpenter’s Boat Shop in spring 2021. Now that she’s been in her role for several months, Witham’s primary goals are to grow awareness of the nonprofit and “eddy back into normal times,” post-pandemic. Most applicants learn of the apprentice program through word-of-mouth or, like Edelman, by searching online. Witham has begun hosting year-round boat-building and woodworking classes for the general public and hopes to eventually open the campus to more people by offering it as a venue for weddings or company retreats. In the meantime, the apprenticeship program and the beneficial effects it has on participants and the surrounding community remain a top priority.

For Edelman, the experience led to a new career. After a decade of working in film production, she is now a restoration carpenter in Maine. “I feel that the program provided a unique opportunity to completely change my life and work in a way that I wouldn’t have otherwise had,” Edelman says. “I would call it life-changing in a very literal sense, for me.”

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The post A Bristol Boatbuilding Program Helps Apprentices Chart New Courses appeared first on The Maine Mag.

Few mornings pass in which Cory Cormier does not find himself one hundred feet in the air, balancing atop the wooden tracks of the Excalibur, New England’s tallest and longest wooden roller coaster. He describes it as a nice half-mile hike—Excalibur’s length is 2,700 feet long, with its highest peak reaching 100 feet, the steepest drop at 82. 

“Nothing runs here that hasn’t been looked at,” says Cormier. “And a broken fastener is what you’re looking for.” He tells me that maybe every day, one or two of these hot-dipped galvanized steel nuts or bolts will snap, but it’s not a big deal. Because of the nature of the ride—wood—the roller coaster moves; it bends, it flexes, and things break. “You have a fastener every foot; if you lose one, they’re engineered so that if something happens there is more than enough support and hardware that it’s perfectly safe.” Cormier calculates that Excalibur, one of the main attractions at Saco’s Funtown Splashtown USA amusement park, located behind Route 1’s car dealerships and one-story motels, gets anywhere north of 150,000 to 200,000 riders every season. During a normal summer, the park is typically open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., seven days a week, from Mother’s Day weekend through Labor Day. The Excalibur runs a cycle every five to six minutes.

Cormier is 42 and vigilant, with silvering hair and youthful eyes, a look that allows him to appear simultaneously like a dad and a kid. He’s a third-generation descendant of the founder of the amusement park, Ken Cormier, who passed away in Celebration, Florida, in 2013 after launching the Funtown venture more than 50 years ago. Ken and his wife, Violet, bought a plot of land and set up a drive-in hamburger stand named the Marvel Drive-In. Little by little, the Cormiers began adding onto the joint—miniature golf, batting cages, go-karts. They soon realized that rides made a lot more money than hamburgers, and along came the SkySlides, Swinging Gyms, Zipper, Tilt-a-Whirl, the Scrambler, bumper cars, and a gift shop. 

In 1978 they installed their first roller coaster: the Galaxi, an Italian-designed, mass-produced, steel-single car coaster made to be transportable and easy to take apart—essentially the kind you’d find in fairs and traveling ride companies. Reaching nearly 40 feet in height, with a track length of 335 meters, and a speed of 50 miles per hour, it was the only roller coaster in the entire state of Maine until 1994, when another Galaxi opened at Palace Playground in Old Orchard Beach. 

In the mid-1990s the family started putting together plans for the Excalibur. “Once you have two coasters, it brings you into a different playing field,” says Cory Cormier. “You put your name on the map.” There were two major players in the roller coaster industry at the time—Custom Coasters (CCI) and Great Coasters. “CCI had recently finished ‘The Raven’ in Holiday World, and it was considered one of the best in the world. We wanted to make a splash,” says Cormier, who was in school for mechanical engineering at the time. Beckoned back to Funtown during the construction of the newest coaster, he never finished his degree. “I thought, ‘They need help, and I’m in the family so this is probably what I’m going to do with the rest of my life. I might as well start now,’” he says. Custom Coasters got to work. They visited the park, in-house engineers designed the roller coaster, topography was inspected, loggers cleared the land, foundation work was laid, and materials for the ride were ordered. 

But why wood? This was the same decade when Cedar Point, Kennywood, Busch Gardens, and Six Flags were whipping bodies around on steel roller coasters with harder bankings, more thrills, greater heights, and speeds that could make a stoic man nearly soil himself, which was the point. Cormier’s reason: “A good woody offers you a lot of nostalgia.” 

Of the 2,398 documented roller coasters on our planet, only 164 are woodies. The Excalibur, Cormier believes, takes people back in time to the trolley parks of the roaring ’20s, when there was either a beach or a park at the end of a trolley line. “You’d go for a day off, you’d ride the trolley all the way to the last stop, and you would end up at a lake or a pond or something.” It was this original roller coaster design that Funtown had in mind when they birthed the Excalibur. The cars on the wooden coaster are made by Philadelphia Toboggan Coasters, which has been around for over 100 years. “A lot of people don’t realize that the car panels are meant to rattle,” says Cory, the design idea being that it makes the ride sound rickety. “It adds to the thrill,” he says. Structurally, the woodies are the same as they were when they first came out, but engineers have modernized the heavy banking, making the angle of the turns steeper and faster.

Riding the Excalibur is an answer free of a question. It’s a personal event nothing short of an out-of-body experience, a thrill and an awakening at once, and it’s all over in less time than a song. To ride a wooden roller coaster is to terrify yourself by choice, to laugh and scream in one breath, to grip tightly while letting gravity upstage you. Cormier recommends riding both the front and the back car of the Excalibur to experience two completely different thrills. My father and I chose the back cart; we could only handle one ride that day. The anticipation and clinkity-clink of the sound of the coaster riding up to the first hill is a giddy eternity. You drop, and your stomach floats up to your throat. I myself couldn’t stop laughing. My 72-year-old father used words I haven’t heard him say since the last time he hammered his thumb. The rattling cars mixed with the elated screams, the wind in your face, the speed. All of it was like a fast-forward holiday, worth the wait in line. The Excalibur made me feel more alive than I have in years. There are no better three words to describe it than pure joyful thrill. 

The line inches forward, another group of Mainers get off the coaster, another gets on. Everything in life is cyclical, Cormier believes. Woodies were popular once, and at this moment in time, they’re a main attraction at Funtown. In 2026 Funtown will celebrate its 60th season. There’s talk amongst the family about opening a spooky, Halloween-style ride, a second water park, even a third coaster. But the Excalibur is special. It remains a Mainer’s treasure. “We managed to keep a lot of the natural trees when we created the site for the it,” says Cormier. “Keep that Mainey feel, like you’re out in the woods when you’re flying around on that thing.”

The post The Legacy of New England’s Tallest Wooden Roller Coaster appeared first on The Maine Mag.