Coming Soon to the East End: Cocktail Mary

The Future Home of Cocktail Mary

From this week's Press Herald:

The head bartender at Izakaya Minato plans to open a cocktail lounge on Congress Street in Portland’s East End.
Isaac MacDougal has applied for a license to open Cocktail Mary at 229 Congress St., the former location of Ramen Suzukiya, a noodle shop that closed last fall after the owner died. In a letter accompanying his liquor license application, MacDougal noted that though some restaurants in the East End serve cocktails, that part of town does not yet have a cocktail bar.
MacDougal cited his experience working as a bartender or manager in Michelin-starred restaurants in New York City, and pointed out that his family ran the now-closed Vaughan Street Variety, a sandwich shop on Portland’s West End, since 1995.
MacDougal’s target opening date is June 1.

Isaac, he of the bright blue yes and perpetual charm, is our fave bartender at our current fave East End eatery. We're excited to support his new venture!

Portland Sky, May 2

If the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel were a cityscape, it might look something like this. With bonus rainbow!

Dessert at the Portland Pottery Cafe

I've been meaning to post this for a while! A few weeks ago I hosted a date night event at Portland Pottery - couples spend an hour or on a wheel-throwing lesson, then have dinner.

The dinner was great but the DESSERT was amazing. So amazing i am still thinking about it weeks later. A cylinder of mascarpone with walnuts, surrounded by raspberries, chocolate gelato, and a wedge of fruit pastry.

Chef Manda does not offer this particular work of art every day. There are always a few cheesecakes, bars, macaroons, and cakes to choose from, but if I want something like this, I am going to have to make it myself. And where do we go to learn new skills? Why, youtube, of course!

I decided I am going to try this for Mother's Day, when I will have a small but forgiving audience of family. Will keep you posted! In the meantime go say hi to Manda & Kevin at the PP cafe. Tell 'em Lori sent ya.

Maine Beer News

I was delighted but unsurprised this morning to read that Portland recently ranked the #1 city in the WORLD for craft beer. YOU GO, Portland! I love Portland, and I love a well-made beer, favoring IPAs & lagers - less interested in pumpkin-spice and blueberry varieties, but hey, whatever floats your teeth.
Portland is an up-and-coming tech hub, and those lads & lasses have expensive tastes and the money to satisfy them. Craft beer tastes, and craft beer budgets = 😋😜!!

I was surprised, and even more delighted, to read that Augusta is getting a craft brewery of our very own. Cushnoc Brewing is set to open a location on Water St. this fall. I've been waiting & waiting for the booming economic health in Southern Maine - and especially Portland - to reach Augusta, in the same way that the economic health of Boston crept north to Portland in search of more affordable living options. I may have a long wait yet, but at least soon I can enjoy a craft beer half a mile from my house to pass the time!

Not to mention a wood-fired pizza.

My Favorite Lunch Spot, South Portland

On Monday afternoons, I often find myself in the Portland area with some free time. If it's a warm day, I like to grab a sandwich and head for Spring Point Light. There's a nice shore walk to get there, or you can park nearby the campus at SMCC. The granite block breakwater is about 300 yards long, and provides many spots to sit, dangle your legs, and watch the passing boat traffic. On any given day you can see the ferries on their way to the islands of Casco Bay, and some times The Cat, the giant double-hulled ferry which runs between Portland Harbor and New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, as well as innumerable fishing and recreational boats.

As the weather turns, the jetty will become treacherous! Enjoy the Big Light walk before the snow falls. If it's Monday afternoon, I may see you there.

"I Love This Place!"

I had the nicest interaction this morning! I walked the greenbelt to Portland's East End beach. As I was standing at the fence overlooking the water, a young Ethiopian man stopped beside me. 
"Is this the ocean?" he asked.
"Yes," I said, "that's the Atlantic Ocean."
"Is it cold?"
"Yeah, it's pretty cold. "
"Too cold to swim?"
"Probably right now."
"But you can swim? It is safe? If I swim, I won't get sick?" 
"It's clean. People swim in it all the time."
He broke out in a huge grin: "I love this place!"

So do I, friend. 

The Veil Grows Thin

Portland, Late October Moon.

What Are You Doing St. Patty's Day?

I love Irish Music because it's so singable, if that's a word, and I love St. Patrick's Day, because normal people - people just like you and me - sing in bars. In public! Right in front of God & everyone.Possibly because they are drunk, but I rather think it's because singing is fun, and the drinking is just an excuse.

Some sing better than others, though, and if you want to her some of the best, come out to RiRa, 72 Commercial St in Portland,  on the 17th. The Keenans will be playing and singing Irish tunes fron 12-4. Full disclosure: Chris Keenan is my brother, so while I can really, truly and honestly enthuse about how much I enjoy this show every year, I'd say that even if I didn't. But I do! Come see for yourself. We'll sing along, badly, and no one will care. We'll forget the words, and pretend we know how to step dance, then laugh until the beer comes out our noses. Just come, you'll see.

Snow in Portland

There's a shock. Kind of pretty, though.

Never Too Many Portland Restaurants!

Dana Street, owner of the venerable Street & Co, and Fore Street restaurants in Portland, plans to open a new one on Portland's Maine Wharf.

Portland is fast becoming one the country''s foodiest cities ("Foodiest."Foodiest." Say it a bunch of times, it will start to sound funny.) The city already has more restaurants per capita than any other in the USA, but that isn't the part that matters; what matters is if they are good restaurants. If past history is any indicator, this will be.

In a telephone interview yesterday, Street confirmed that the deal was inked recently to lease the space at 68-72 Commercial St., which is physically located on Maine Wharf, in the city’s central waterfront district and adjacent to the Casco Bay Terminal.  The two-story building now under renovation will accommodate the restaurant’s approximately 7,000 square foot ground level space with offices above. The dramatic interior has towering ceilings flanked by large casement-style windows overlooking both sides of the wharf with easterly and westerly views. It will seat 144, making it one of the largest restaurants in the city.

Maine Wharf, before and then during renovations.

Street described his new venture as "a classic New England seafood house reminiscent of the way fish houses were in the early part of the 20^th century." Look for a grand opening sometime next summer.

Bon Appetit Recognizes Central Provisions

The foodie mag Bon Appetit has named Portland eatery Central Provisions as one of the top ten restaurants in the country. Coming in at #6,  the very new Central Provisions - which opened only six months ago at 414 Fore Street - was particularly commended for its crudo, a raw fish dish with sweet and tangy seasoning.

Portland has an ever-growing reputation as a foodie town, having more restaurants per capita than any other city in the United States. Central Provisions is a welcome addition to the mix. Despite my low-rent predilection for diners and pubs, might have to give them a try.

A Day on the East End

Confession: Portland, Maine, is probably my favorite city in the world. I feel a pinch of guilt saying that, because Augusta is my home, and I'm committed to making Augusta the vibrant city it ought to be, but the truth is it's not there yet. Portland, to me, is the perfect size: large enough to have all the benefits of city living, small enough that you'll always meet someone you know downtown.
When I was growing up in Scarborough, a couple of towns over, the East End - Munjoy Hill especially -  was a thoroughly disreputable place. Well, things change! But slowly.

Luckily my work frequently takes me to Portland, usually to the East End. Though adjacent to the Old Port, a shopping and nightlife district wildly popular with tourists and locals alike, Portland's East End remains largely a haunt of townies. The shops there are less tourist-oriented: there are salons and second-hand stores, artists' studio-storefronts, and tiny cafes, and even a couple of little grocery stores.

My day started at Hilltop Coffee, one of several choices I had for my morning java.I could also have chosen either of 2 Coffee by Designs, or the Portland Pottery Cafe. Then I went shopping!

Artists are the earthworms of an economy, going where the conditions are less fertile, preparing the soil so other businesses can thrive. Unfortunately, once an area is thriving, artists are often priced out! The East End is still at that stage where artists can afford to do business there, so I visited several studios.

Willa Wirth Silversmith

Jen Burrell Designs

Laura Fuller Stained Glass

Because it's geared more towards locals, shops on the East End tend to be less spendy than those in the Old Port. I adore second-hand stores: they appeal to the treasure hunter in me, as well as my frugal nature. I visited Cobwebs, Circa Vintage, Carlson and Turner, and two secondhand clothing stores that are recent arrivals: Frock and Urban Vogue.

Urban Vogue

Lunchtime! Though there are lots of good choices, for me it was always gonna be the Portland Pottery Cafe: I know those folks well, as I teach classes at Portland Pottery, the studio next door. What's on offer today?

I had the Strawberry Bliss Salad, from the regular summer menu.

The cafe also sells handmade pottery, including mine. 

After lunch it's time to visit the real gem of the East End: how many places can boast a neighborhood beach? East End Beach is exactly that. It's a pocket beach on Casco Bay, not large enough to attract the attention of most out-of-state visitors, but Munjoy residents can just wander down the hill for a swim. This was a hot day in July:

Kayakers departing from East End Beach for their Casco Bay adventure

The view from the East End

Artists painting the view

Periwinkles

Feeling thirsty after our day in the sun? Well, there's the Hilltop Suprette, or the Rosemont Market, if you're looking for a lemonade. Oh, wait, you were thinking of a libation? The Crow Bar is a fun little dive of a neighborhood bar, or maybe The Snug if you'd rather go a little more upscale. I used to live on the East End, and sometimes I wish I still did. (Only sometimes, Augusta!)