You are here: Home / Archives for Maine

Social Media Day 2011 – Portland, Maine Mashable Meetup

June 6, 2011 by Leave a Comment

Maybe you have been seeing or hearing about Mashable and aren’t really sure what that or they are all about? Mashable covers social media news, events and everything in-between. This year is the 2nd year Mashable has presented ‘Social Media Day’ via Mashable Meetup’s, which are worldwide events that are held to celebrate the technological advancements that enable everyone to connect with real-time information, communicate from miles apart and have their voices be heard… AKA the Facebook & Twitter social media revolution!

Outside deck at the Porthole Restaurant

To sum is up… This is a time for anyone and everyone in the Portland, Maine area that is a web enthusiast, blogger, Facebook, Twitter user… And let’s face it, in 2011 that is pretty much everyone! So, on Thursday, June 30, 2011 at 7:00PM at the Porthole Restaurant, everyone that is friends online will be able to meet offline, in real life. Sounds like fun right? Well it is! And the Porthole is one of the most perfect locations in Portland for this event because of their large outside deck that overlooks picturesque Casco Bay, as well as their ice cold beverages which are always enjoyed after a long day of work… especially on a Friday Eve! ;)

So mark your calendar & plan to come on down on the 30th for social media mixer! I hope to see you all there! Please RSVP via the Mashable Meetup Facebook event page.

Images courtesy of Mashable.com & Roadfood.com

Filed Under: Local Events, Maine, Portland, Social Media · Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Beaches That Allow Dogs In Maine

May 25, 2011 by 1 Comment

Ferry Beach. Scarborough, Maine. April 2011.

If you’re anything like me, you love taking your dog outside at any time during the year! But how much fun is it to bring your dog to the beach?! [Sand & salt aside... Remember, just like kids, they wash! ;) ] I have a golden retriever, Harlow, as many of you already know & she absolutely loves the water, especially the beaches of Maine! But if you are a dog owner you know that you often ask yourself [especially this time of the year], “Can I bring my dog to that beach? During the day? & until WHEN?!” Problem solved! Below you will find the beaches that allow dogs in Maine, in alphabetical order! [If there are any in corrections, please let me know so that I can fix this post & it is as accurate/current as possible!]

FYI! – It is REQUIRED that you pick up your dog’s poop at ALL of the beaches below! It’s gross, can make other people sick, & it contaminates our beautiful beaches! So please pick it up!

  • Acadia National Park – Pets are ALLOWED in all park locations except Sand Beach, Echo Lake Beach, Isle au Haut campground, ladder trails & inside public buildings. Must be under control & not left unattended!
  • Bar Harbor – Hadley Point Beach – Dogs on a leash are allowed on the beach.
  • Biddeford – Dogs are allowed on Biddeford area beaches before 9 AM and after 8 PM. For more details call Biddeford Parks & Recreation at 207. 283.0841.
  • Kennebunk – Gooch’s Beach, Middle Beach, & Mother’s Beach – From June 15th until the day after Labor Day dogs on a leash are allowed on the beach before 9 AM and after 5 PM.  At other times of the year, there are no restrictions other than leash and clean-up.
  • Kennebunkport – Arundel Beach AKA Colony Beach – From June 15th through September 15th, dogs on a leash are allowed on Colony Beach before 8 AM and after 6 PM. At other times of the year, only leash and poop clean-up rules apply.
  • Kennebunkport – Goose Rocks Beach – From June 15th through September 15th, dogs on a leash are allowed on Goose Rocks Beach before 8 AM and after 6 PM.  At other times of the year, only leash and poop clean-up apply.
  • Kittery – Seapoint Beach, Fort Foster Beach, & Crescent Beach – From June 15th to September 10th, dogs on a leash are allowed on the beach before 10 AM and after 5 PM.
  • Old Orchard Beach City Beach – From Memorial Day through Labor Day, dogs are only allowed on the beach before 10 AM and after 5 PM. During the rest of the year dogs are allowed on the beach at any time. Dogs don’t have to be on a leash if they are under voice control!
  • Ogunquit – Ogunquit Beach, Foot Bridge Beach, Moody Beach – NO DOGS ALLOWED on Ogunquit Beaches from April 1st to October 1st. For more info call the Ogunquit Chamber at 207.646-2939.
  • Portland – East End Beach – Dogs are allowed on the beach from the day after Labor Day to the day before Memorial Day, but are not permitted during the summer months.
  • Portland – Willard Beach – From May 1st through September 30th, dogs on a leash are only allowed on Willard Beach between the hours of 7 AM and 9 AM, & 7 PM and 9 PM.
  • Attention Portlanders! Other Portland dog owner responsibilities can be found here!
  • Saco – Bayview Beach, Camp Ellis Beach, Kenney Shores Beach – Dogs are allowed on Saco municipal beaches at any time with leash and clean-up. Within Ferry Beach State Park, dogs are not allowed on the beach proper, but are allowed in the park interior with leash and poop clean-up.
  • All Scarborough area beaches – Scarborough State Park, Ferry Beach, Higgins Beach & Pine Point – From June 15th to September 15th from 9 AM to 5 PM dogs are allowed. 5 PM to Sunrise dogs must be leashed. Sunrise to 9 AM dogs may be off leash but under voice control. Responsible party must have a leash in hand (leash to be 30′ or less in length). All pet poop [including Horse manure!] must be removed.
  • Wells Beach – From April 1st through June 15th, dogs on a leash are allowed on the beach. Please keep dogs away from Piping Plover nests! [See photo below to see what I am talking about]. From June 16th through September 15th dogs are not allowed on the beach from 8 AM until 6 PM Dogs are allowed on the beach from 6 PM until 8 PM. Dogs must be on a leash and under control of a responsible person.

    FYI! This is what a Piping Plover & it's eggs looks like. Image courtesy of U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

  • York – York Harbor Beach, Long Sands Beach, Short Sands Beach & Cape Neddick Beach – From around May 20th through September, dogs allowed off-leash on York beaches from Sunrise to 8 AM, as long as owner is present with leash at hand. At other times of  the year, dogs are allowed on the beach, as long as owner is present with a leash at hand. Clean-up rules always apply!

Also, please don’t litter! If you carry it in, please remember to carry it out! If we work together we can keep Maine beaches clean for years to come! :)

Filed Under: Beaches, Maine · Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Why I Think Spring is the Best Time of The Year

April 13, 2011 by Leave a Comment

If you are from New England like me or anywhere that gets snow during the winter months, then I am sure you can relate to and appreciate this time of the year, every year. When the snow is melted and the mud becomes more than bearable for those of us that get sick and tired of the snow after about the fourth work day of the week that you have driven to and from work in the snow. It wears. The days when it is dark at 4:30PM gets old very fast and I don’t know about you, but I watch the ‘Almanac Data’ and the ‘Hours of Daylight’ during the weather forecast every night and probably get a little too excited than a normal person should when I see that the increase has exceeded four hours. Spring, to me, is the best time of the year , but summer runs an extremely close second. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Maine · Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Stiffler’s Mom’s Whoopie Pie Recipe

March 29, 2011 by 2 Comments

This cookbook was written in 1967

For those of you who are from Maine, I am sure you have heard about the recent debate about what the state of Maine’s official dessert should be; blueberry pie or the whoopie pie? There has been some friendly competition between Pennsylvania about which state should have the right to claim the whoopie pie as their dessert [Pennsylvania says that the Amish created the whoopie pie]. However, Pennsylvania does have a Whoopie Pie Festival in September!

[We don't have that in Maine!]

This past weekend at the Maine Mall in South Portland, Jon Armond and Eva Matteson from Portland’s Coast 93.1 Morning Show put the debate to the test and teamed up with Amy Bouchard from Wicked Whoopies to beat the record. They needed to beat Pennsylvania’s record, which was 200 lbs. When this sucker was complete it was 1,067 lbs. They crushed the old record.

I have been getting some requests from a few of my Twitter followers asking if I have a favorite whoopie pie recipe that I could share and I couldn’t think of anyone in my life who is a better cook than my mom. I know some of you can agree with me on that :) Growing up, I  remember my mom made the most delicious treats that I used to trade at snack time for Twinkies, Ring Ding’s and Ho Ho’s. She also made some phenomenal whoopie pies!

I called her yesterday and she dug out her cookbook that holds the recipe…. It’s called ‘The Grange Dessert Cookbook [from the Virginia State Grange]  and it was published in 1967. So there ya go, my favorite recipe originated from Virginia.

Directions to make the chocolate dough for the ‘pie’ bottom & tops:

- 2 eggs

- 2/3 cup of butter

- 1 1/4 cup of sugar

- 1 cup of milk

- 2 1/2 cups of flour

- 1/2 cup of cocoa

- 3 teaspoons of baking powder

- 1/2 teaspoon of salt

1. Cream together eggs, butter and sugar.

2. Add milk, flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt.

3. Beat until smooth.

4. Drop heaping tablespoon’s of the dough onto a greased cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 – 15 minutes.

Directions to make the filling:

- 3/4 cup of shortening

- 1/4 jar of marshmallow fluff

- 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract

- 3/4 cup of confectioners sugar

1. Combine the shortening and  marshmallow together .

2. Blend in the vanilla and sugar and beat until fluffy!

Once  the chocolate ‘pie’ tops and bottoms  are cooled COMPLETELY you can start putting your whoopie pies together!

ENJOY! Make sure you let me know what you think about Stiffler’s Mom’s whoopie pies and don’t forget to share with your friends!

Filed Under: recipes · Tagged With: , , ,

Vote for Jeff & Sam! Clay Hill Farm Green Wedding Giveaway Finalists!

March 28, 2011 by 1 Comment

For the past few years, Clay Hill Farm in Cape Neddick [York], Maine has given a free green wedding to a couple that demonstrates commitment to sustainable practices and inspiring others to do the same.

One of three finalists, Jeff Court and Samantha Smith [Vote here!] have shown how a commitment to the Earth parallels their commitment to each other. Jeff and Samantha have been together for over 9 years.

This is their story:

We met when we were 17. Jeff is from Arundel, Maine and Samantha is from Buxton, Maine. We “officially” became an “us” on January 3, 2002. We went to different high schools (Thornton Academy and Bonny Eagle respectively), and went on to different colleges (Wentworth Institute of Technology and Quinnipiac University). We both decided to further our education. Samantha went to law school at Southern New England School of Law and Jeff is currently getting his Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering at Worcester Polytechnic Institute. On January 3, 2009, Jeff proposed on Mother’s beach in Kennebunkport, Maine. Currently, we are living in Worcester, Massachusetts.

We work on being green in many ways. Perhaps our most considerable impact is achieved through taking a strong look at how we live and taking into consideration what we truly need and use. Reducing consumption provides more significant results than simply reusing or recycling, which we also do. We like to live a life style that shows others that reducing the natural resources one consumes is not difficult and in fact can improve ones quality of life.

Over the last few decades, home sizes have increased year after year, yet family sizes have decreased. These days, people feel the need to build homes with unnecessary extra space, where as during previous generations homes were built to suit a family’s needs and size. We currently reside in a small, one bedroom apartment that helps reduce our environmental impact in many ways. The reduced square footage is easier to heat, which significantly reduces the fuel consumption to warm the space. The small rooms and the fact that there are only a few of them also reduce the lighting costs. The living spaces are all shared, so a couple lights are effective at illuminating all spaces. Also, the small living space allows us to take a look at the physical possessions we accumulate. With a large home, it is very easy to fill it with physical items, many of which, will only be used or appreciated a few times and left to collect dust. Each one of these items has a history, which requires some amount of energy and natural resources to manufacture and ship it to the end user. By having a small amount of space to keep possessions, it allows us to focus on a select number of items that are really important and useful to us. The limited number of distractions inside allows us to spend more time appreciating the world outside and all nature has to offer.

Our car is another way we like to demonstrate how having less does not mean one has to sacrifice. About a year ago we purchased a Smart Car. It is about half the size of a conventional car, but provides all of the services one typically needs. The smaller car requires less raw materials to manufacture, but still meets all of our daily needs. Also, we have reduced waste by utilizing reusable bags when grocery shopping and not purchasing bottles of water. We each have Sigg aluminum water bottles, which we use daily.

Through living a life style of reduced consumption we are able to demonstrate to others that large sacrifices don’t have to be made in order to do great things for the planet. Being green does not have to be overwhelming. We have made small changes to our daily lives and will continue to find green ways to live. We have made a commitment to each other and we have made a commitment to reduce waste.

Jeff and Sam have embarked on a five-week public voting campaign to garner votes with their inspirational environmental message, while creating a community give-back campaign/program to celebrate the shades of green that make a difference in their community.

Their community giveback is two parts. First, they are working to get a community garden started at Jeff’s university (WPI in Worcester, Massachusetts) so their giveback will continue year after year. The second part is reducing trash in their day-to-day lives and documenting it on their ‘ Trashing the Trash‘ blog  it so others can follow and learn some of their great ‘being green’ tips!

The voting ends this Sunday, April 3rd at NOON and the winner will be announced on Friday, April 8th!

 

 

Please watch their video and help them win the green wedding of their dreams! If they have inspired you to be more green, like they have for me, [I LOVE that Jeff had Sam's ring made from recycled metals... Green genius! ;) ] Please vote for them right HERE!!!

You can also check out the Green Wedding Giveway Blog and see Jeff & Sam’s weekly video updates!

Jeff & Sam on left!

Some tid bits & green facts about Clay Hill Farm:

* (1991) First Restaurant in the country to be a certified wildlife habitat and bird sanctuary by the National Wildlife Federation
* (2008) One of the first businesses in Southern Maine to be awarded/certified as a state Environmental Leader
* Voted #1 for Weddings & Romantic Dining (People’s Choice on the Seacoast)
* Original working farm built in 1780
* Family owned and operated since 1986
* Green points: Pesticide-free land-care, composting, recycling, herb & vegetable gardens, commitment to seasonal food, passion for local food, nature trails, over 100 bird houses on the property
* Committed to community outreach and environmental awareness. Please visit their Eco-Reach website to get familiar with Clay Hill Farm’s outreach events and programs.

Filed Under: Special Post · Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Why I Loved The Signature Event!

March 2, 2011 by Leave a Comment

A birds eye view from the balcony of the Commandery Knights Templar Armory room

On Monday evening the rarely seen Masonic Temple on Congress Street in Portland, Maine hosted one of the coolest events I have attended in a long time! More than 400 people attended the Maine Restaurant Week kick off party, The Signature Event – Cocktail & Dessert Competition, where more than a dozen bartenders and pastry chefs served up some of the most delicious treats & cocktails that I have ever tasted! For $30/ticket, and from 5 – 8PM we were able to sample anything & everything  as many times as we wanted with the opportunity to  vote on the desserts & cocktails that we enjoyed the most. The party was held in two large rooms that open into the entry hall. It was perfect & I hope to attend more events there very soon.

[Read more...]

Filed Under: Local Events, Maine, Portland · Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Cape Elizabeth, Maine. Fort Williams & Robinson Woods

May 4, 2010 by 10 Comments

I have lived in Maine my entire 26, almost 27 years of life. I have been going to Fort Williams State Park AKA Portland Head Light since I was born. It became a family tradition very early on to visit Fort Williams with my mom, dad and my little brother, Sean. We would stop at DiPietro’s Market on Cottage Road in South Portland on our way to the park to get the BEST Italian sandwiches I have ever tasted & then a quick stop at The Cookie Jar to get cream horns! A little side note…I still stop at DiPietro’s on my way, but The Cookie Jar was a casualty of a storm in October 2006 that ripped off the roof  & forced the closure of what had become a tradition for many. The bakery will be re-opening this June & I could not be more excited to get my hands on a cream horn once again :) So despite the lack of the famous cream horns, this adventure still makes for a spectacular afternoon. I have always been fascinated by the huge mansions that line Shore Road on the way to Fort Williams. I always tell myself, “Someday! I will own one of those homes”. & well I will…someday. :)

[Read more...]

Filed Under: Beaches, Health & Fitness, Maine · Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

I am running a 10K…At least that’s my goal.

April 27, 2010 by 12 Comments

So about a month and a half ago my boyfriend Nate signed us up to run the TD Banknorth Beach to Beacon 2010 10K Road Race which is being held on August 7, 2o1o. I am now kinda sorta regretting what I got myself into. 6 miles?! That is further than I have ever run. Ever, ever. I do not like to run and to be quite honest, I never really have enjoyed running. Well, I didn’t mind it so much in high school when I played field hockey, but maybe it was more interesting to me because I was running after a ball, not just aimlessly running for the sake of running. This is the 10th year anniversary of this race. It is a 6.2 mile (10K) run, starting at Crescent Beach and ending at Portland Head Light, both of which are in Cape Elizabeth, Maine. Last years race had 6,000 runners and approximately 10,000 spectators.  Joan Benoit Samuelson, a native of Cape Elizabeth, Maine, won the 1st ever women’s marathon in 1984 at the Olympics in Los Angeles & is also the founder and co-chair of the 10K race.

[Read more...]

Filed Under: Health & Fitness, Maine, Portland · Tagged With: , , , , , ,

The Valentine Bandit(s?) of Portland, Maine♥

February 15, 2010 by 2 Comments

I have spent the past couple of years living in & around Portland, Maine, enjoy my 20s. It is by far my most favorite city ever & as I have come to realize, it seems to get more & more interesting each & every year. Maybe it is because I will soon be approaching 30 & seem to notice a  bit more, but there are so many little things that happen in & around Portland that make it unique & truly unlike any other city in America. One of which is the Valentine Bandit which has struck Portland every February 14th since 1976, taping red hearts printed on sheets of white paper all over Portland and even in other nearby cities (I saw a heart taped to the new Westbrook Middle School this year!) People try and guess who it is responsible, but if you ask me, I will tell you that I don’t want to know! That takes all the fun out of it…just relax people & try to think for a minute that maybe there is someone or more than one out there that just wants to put a smile on your face whether you are acting miserable & single or happy & in-love. It can bring you back for a minute & help you to realize what life is all about. LOVE. It is what we are all chasing & don’t try to deny it because it is human nature. It is the ultimate emotion that we can feel & experience as humans (at least I think so) & maybe one of the only pure & true things that still exists on this planet. I guess it is what keeps us going everyday & keeps us together. I do know that the heart is frail & easily broken, but it is wonderfully resilient :)

[Read more...]

Filed Under: Maine, Portland, Special Post · Tagged With: , , , ,

Looking for some fun in the snow? Try cross country skiing!

January 30, 2010 by 3 Comments

Winter has not ever been my favorite season, but since I live in Maine and have my entire life, I might as well  just get used to it and embrace it. Right? So a couple of weeks ago we (Nate &I), as well as a couple of our friends went cross country skiing at Pineland Farms in New Gloucester, Maine. I had never been there before and had only seen the commercials on TV and heard that it is a great place for cross country skiing. So, we got all our snow gear together and headed North on Route 95 for about a half hour. Pineland Farms is a “5,000 acre working farm, diverse business campus, educational & recreational venue…” Their mission statement is to “…provide a productive & educational venue that enriches the community be demonstrating responsible farming techniques, offering educational opportunities & encouraging a healthy lifestyle through recreation.

We all rented the skiis because none of us had any cross country skiing equipment. You can find the cost here.

Also, I would recommend grabbing a map to keep in your pocket for when you get out on the trails. The trails are all marked clearly, but it just helps to have one with you in case you get lost ;-)

They do a great job of grooming the trails. However, if you haven’t been cross country skiing in a while, prepare for a GREAT workout! You will be sore the next day. They have all difficulty levels of trails; Beginner, Intermediate, & Advanced. And now that I am looking at the map more carefully, I am realizing that we were mostly on the Intermediate trails, so no wonder why it was quite challenging! There were a bunch of little hills and turns that made it exciting. We came across a Warming Hut that you could go in to warm up. It was so cold the day we went, so I would recommend going after we get a big snowstorm and for the temperatures to be in the mid 30′s! So round up your friends, get outside and do something!

Oh & the best part is that they have a really nice, big market, The Market at Pineland Farms. After your adventurous day of skiing, head in to grab some yummy snacks & treats to bring home. They have all of the farm-fresh goodness from the farm, as well as an expanded assortment of Maine made foods, beverages & gifts. My favorite part, besides the yummy Gatorade that saved my life after skiing for 3 hours, were the assortment of cheeses that they make right their on the farm. They also have samples all over the market, so that was fun as well ;) I plan on going back again this winter, but not until it WARMS up a little bit. Oh & we need some snow to ski! The rain took it all away!

Filed Under: Uncategorized · Tagged With: , , ,
« Older Posts
Newer Posts »