ROCKLAND— It’s one of the Midcoast’s best kept secrets: The food at Mid-Coast School of Technology is delicious. And you can’t beat a $5 lunch.

On Feb. 23, the school’s hospitality program kicked off its annual World Café, where for the next eight weeks, nearly 50 students will perfect and execute a themed menu for the public at the school, 1 South Main Street. Each weekly menu offers full breakfasts and lunches for an average of $5, Tuesday through Friday. 

“We usually offer two appetizers, a soup and salad, and three to four entrees,” said chef Joshua Gamage, the school’s culinary arts instructor.

On opening day, the humble restaurant (which is actually a classroom) was packed with regulars who know to go in via the side door (not through the school’s main doors.) Each table in the dining area has a modest paper table setting with a vase of fresh flowers and a comment card. The starting week is always U.S.A. themed and for lunch, the fried cheeseburger balls topped with pickles ($3) and the cowboy burger with homemade barbecue sauce and crispy haystack onions ($5) were the biggest hit.

Cristen Rasmussen, 17, was the student chef behind the most popular items ordered. “I was just thinking about doing a fun little cheeseburger slider for an appetizer and it popped into my head,” she said. “It feels really good that people are ordering my food.”

Her mother, who was a World Café regular, got Rasmussen interested in the hospitality program and this is her first year.

“I think I want to work as a chef when I get out of this program,” she said.

Classes are split up into morning and afternoon shifts. Gamage teaches culinary arts while his co-instructor, chef Carol Pelletier, teaches front of the house skills, as well as baking/pastry and nutrition. Each student gets to work every facet of the restaurant business, from the preparation to serving etiquette.

My server was 18-year-old Liz Freyer, who had never taken orders before. As this was her first year in the program, she asked me hesitantly several times to confirm the order. She said she’s more comfortable in the kitchen.

“Next week for Mexican Week, I get to make a dessert of churros,” she said. “It’s fried dough with cinnamon and brown sugar. I’ll also make sopapilla, which are also deep fried triangles. When you take a bite, it tastes just like fried dough at the fair. We’ll serve that with cinnamon ice cream.”

For next week’s Mexican menu, Gamage and the students reviewed all of the Mexican restaurant offerings in the area.

“We look at menus from the chain restaurant all the way to a local restaurant and we might see 10 different ideas and how to put them all together,” he said. “Leading up to World Café week, we do a lot of experimentation and if it’s good enough, it will go on the menu.”

Just like an executive chef or expediter in a restaurant, Gamage makes sure that every dish that goes out is up to the program’s highest standards. It’s called “Working the pass.” He said when it’s showtime, he is behind the line helping the student chefs prioritize the tickets.

“When the orders started coming, it can get very scary for them, really quickly. I’m there to basically show them how to time everything out. Sometimes, it’s like a little deer in the headlights and they’re wondering is this going to be OK. But, we design a very simple menu so the kids don’t get too overwhelmed.”

The skills training they are getting is invaluable.

“When kids have the experience of live cooking for customers, they are getting almost a college level of instruction, because there’s just no way any simulation could teach you the mental aerobics of timing out tickets or interacting as servers,” he said. “It’s a nice, safe way to learn these skills.”

Every year Gamage has successfully placed almost every one of his students as staff with local restaurants. “I have relationships with most of the restaurants,” he said. “I usually just determine where the student lives and if he or she has transportation, then match the student personality wise and skill wise with restaurants that would be the best fit.”

By 1 p.m. the Cafe promptly shut down as the students needed to tally the receipts, clean up the kitchen, reset the dining areas and catch the bus back to their other schools or back home.

To view the full menu for the World Café’s current week click here. Or stay posted to their Facebook page for each week’s menus.

Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

THOMASTON — The art of decorating wood with burn marks, also known as pyrography, is something 22-year-old Zach Spofford has been playing around with since he was 14.

He’s gotten good at it. When he’s not working part time at the Flagship Theater, he’s usually working on fan art that appeals to him, particularly people from pop culture. Recently, he did a detailed woodburn of the Grammy winner Taylor Swift. 

“I usually just trace the outline of a face onto the wood and then freehand the gradients and the shade, so it looks more realistic,” he said.

Satisfied with the piece, he uploaded it to his Facebook page in mid-February. His friend, who follows Swift on Tumblr, reposted the image. To the friend’s surprise, (and Spofford’s) Swift wrote back via a private message on Tumblr and said: "He's amazing for doing that, and so talented. I'm so impressed."

Spofford said Swift indicated she was interested in commissioning him to do a woodburn of herself and one of her famous squad friends.

“Yeah, that would be a really big deal,” he said.

He seems fairly unfazed that an international star found his work good enough to praise him. Right now, his focus is on a giant piece he’s excited about — the original 1977 Star Wars poster.

He points out the shading on the p piece.

“As you can see, it’s really a lot of detail,” he said, noting that it took a lot of intricate work to get the shading on R2D2 correctly. “Yeah, that was crazy.”

He uses an electric kit with a stylus, burning gradients in some places and allowing negative space to fill out the rest of the image. 

“It’s a lot like comic book drawing,” he said, of his process.

Asked how he puts together a piece, he said: “I’ll go online and try to find a photo of something that I really like. Then, I buy the wood. I used to use pine, but it’s too soft and full of knots, so now I just use birch. What I do to save money for the printing of it, I’ll tape a piece of carbon paper to the wood and transfers the image to the wood, so I have the basic outline. What most people don’t know is that you can’t erase anything. You have to be really focused. You just have to not mess up.”

However, even after investing all that time and energy into pieces, mistakes do happen.

“Oh it happens all of the time,” he said, “I just gotta hide it.”

He’s actually making a small living on commissions, but still maintains his day job for the insurance.

“It’s tough to be an artist,” he admitted.

Maybe one piece for Taylor Swift might change all of that.

To see more of Spofford’s work on Facebook visit: Pyroglyphica

Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

THOMASTON—The long-haired tuxedo cat was stumbling, falling down on the sidewalk when a gentleman found him this past week. He was filthy, emaciated, suffering from a respiratory illness and covered in fleas. The cat was near death, its rib bones protruding from his matted coat. He couldn’t stand up on his own, his front paws buckling.

“We’ve all got our fingers crossed with this one,” said Theresa Gargan, Pope Memorial Humane Society of Knox County’s shelter manager. “He’s just been out all winter starving. He’s an older cat on top of that.”

The shelter immediately put him in a warm environment and got him to take fluids and wet cat food. As soon as he’s a little more stabilized, they’ll treat him with medication to clear up the respiratory illness. “He’s been eating and handling the food well,” said Gargan. “But he’s still in critical condition. I think we’re looking at at least a month before he’s better and adoptable.” As Saint tries to eat, he seems to have trouble swallowing. He’s still too weak to step into the litter box, his front paws, still buckling, so they have to regularly change out the towels under him.

Gargan said they named him “Saint” as he has had the patience of a saint while administering care to him. One touch to his face and his misery seems to recede for a moment and he closes his eyes and responds to the nuzzle. “He’s affectionate for sure,” said Gargan. “He is neutered, so he was somebody’s pet at one time. We don’t know if he escaped or was pushed out, but he’s been barely surviving all winter on his own. At his age, he shouldn’t be outside at all.”

Ever since Saint’s photo was posted on the shelter’s Facebook page, the shelter has gotten a lot of response from the public. “People are sending good wishes, which is awesome,” she said. “And people have asked if they can donate anything to his care. As always, we can use wet cat food. The paté kind, that’s all he can ingest at this point.”

Penobscot Bay Pilot keep you posted on Saint’s progress.

Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

This weekend has full plate of music for every taste. You like holler folk? Psychobilly? Steel drums? Down home blues? Midcoast’s got it...as well as a new Maine movie that has got everyone talking.

Rock City’s Luau

Saturday, Feb. 20 — Rockland

In their final fundraising push for a new roaster, Rock City Café is transforming their coffee shop into a tropical paradise for a night. Expect live music from Steelin' Thunder, delicious food cooked by guest chef Max Miller of The Landings, tropical cocktails (with tiny umbrellas!) and grass skirts. February seems confused this year, let's confuse it further. Bring a Hawaiian shirt and wear shorts. Doors open at 6:30 p.m., suggested donation of $10, just like last time. Eat, drink and dance!

Murder Weapon at the Myrt

Saturday, Feb. 20 — Rockland

These homegrown Thomaston musicians are back with their unique blend of punk/rockabilly/psychobilly at The Myrtle Street Tavern. The show starts at 9 p.m. Click to hear them on Reverbnation.

Free Range Music series at Waterfall Arts

Saturday, Feb. 20 — Belfast

Edith & Bennett (Edith Gawler and Bennett Konesni) are musicians and worksong scholars who together play music rooted in old-time fiddle, banjo, Swedish dance tunes, and farmer's ballads and hollers. Sugarbush (whom we profile in our forthcoming spring issue of The Wave) are a rollicking soulful trio of musical mamas from Waldo County, bringing a variety of genres into their unique Americana Folk mix. The show starts at 7 p.m. Tickets are $8 in advance/$10 at the door. (Kids 12 and under are half price; under five are free.) Click to buy tickets.

The Old Blues Kats at Hatchet Mountain Publick House

Saturday, Feb. 20 — Hope

The Old Blues Kats return to Hope’s only Irish pub for an evening of booze, blues and BBQ. Seating is limited so act quickly to secure your table. The show starts at 8 p.m. Suggested donation is $10/person.

Killer Road Trip: Tumbledown, the Maine movie

Friday, Feb 19 through Sunday, Feb 21 — Portland

This a comedic love story set in a small town in Maine is getting some serious buzz lately. In this movie by Portland filmmakers Sean Mewshaw and Desi Van Til, pop-culture scholar Andrew (Jason Sudeikis) comes to Maine to interview Hannah (Rebecca Hall), the protective widow of an acclaimed singer. When the unlikely pair strike a deal to co-write a biography, Andrew finds himself clashing with a cast of locals, including Hannah’s hunky suitor (Joe Manganiello) and her loving, but defensive parents (Blythe Danner, Richard Masur). When Hannah and Andrew's stormy partnership blossoms into an unexpected connection, they face the possibility that the next chapter in their lives may involve each other. Click for show times.

Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

ROCKLAND — Sure, you can sit around watching the Oscars in your super comfy Dollar Store flannel P.J. bottoms, but when someone sticks a microphone in your face and asks “Who are you wearing?,” the fashion world is not going to be impressed when you say Paul Bunyan.

Instead, grab a pal or a date, and work that red carpet like the rent is due at Strand Theatre on Sunday, Feb. 28. There will be paparazzi, so be sure to give FACE and HIGH GLAMOUR as you stroll in.

“Actually a handful of people dress up, the rest of the audience usually just comes in regular clothes,” admitted Strand Theatre Marketing and Community Relations Manager Jana Herbener.

Presented live from the Dolby Theater in Hollywood, Calif., the 88th annual Academy Awards ceremony starts at 7:30 p.m. when the doors will open for the red carpet previews. The hour before the show, which starts at 8:30 p.m., is always like Fashion Police and with champagne specials up in the balcony bar, it’s always fun to play the Oscar Night drinking game. (Three shots if JLaw stumbles in her dress again.)

“We have a contest where you can guess all of the Oscar winners of the night,” said Herbener. “We’ll provide ballots and you just have to submit your predictions before the ceremony starts at 8:30 p.m. Anyone who guesses correctly will be put into a drawing where you can possibly win a 10-movie pass card ($75 value).”

For a full list of 2016 Oscar nominees, click here.

Besides being able to see every smile and every sequin in all their brilliant glory on the theater’s high definition digital projection system, the event is free to the public.

See you there!

Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

Through the years, starting when she was 6, Rita Swidrowski would capture on the pages of her sketchbook what to some might seem like banal moments - like the color of someone’s backpack. But for her, they were a way to capture moments in time. “I have this core memory of sitting on a bench on the boardwalk by the ocean with crayons, and I drew the beach and the people and it left a real impression,” she said.

She was an art teacher throughout the 1980s and 1990s, then worked in libraries in children’s programming in the 2000s.

“Art has always been part of my professional and personal life,” she said. “I’ve always had a private journal, but somewhere along the way, the sketchbook and the journal melded.”

She began to get inspiration from other sketchbook journal artists, such as the author of Sarah Midda’s South of France.

Around 2001, when she lived in Portland, she started restudying the French language. Her French teacher, Valérie Guillet, of The Language Exchange, got a glimpse of her sketchbook and said, “You’ve got to go to France.” So she went on immersion trips to Provence.

“Traveling with my French teacher, we weren’t allowed to use English, so journaling with my sketchbook became a way to practice French,” she said.

For 10 years she went back to France to sketch. Hence, many of her sketchbook drawings are captioned in French.

Swidrowski works in black pen and colored pencils, or watercolor. “I don’t like pencil,” she said. “I like the commitment of a pen.” While she sketches the “big” overarching scenery details like waterscapes and architecture, she also zeroes in on the innocuous little moments — things that wouldn’t necessarily stand out to the casual observer. In one sketch she did at an L.L. Bean concert this past summer, she portrays what looks like an ovoid-shaped husband and wife, whose clothing even somewhat matches. Her friend provided the caption. “J calls them salt and pepper shakers.”

"For me, the ordinary becomes extraordinary and memorable when I draw and write," she said.

Sometimes people she’ll never meet end up as character sketches in her notebooks. Flipping through the pages, she remembers these people who’ve wandered through her life — many of whom never even know they were sketched. Sometimes she overhears their conversations and includes snippets of what they said in captions beside the drawings. It’s a lot like being a photojournalist on a micro level, except the “photos” are her own interpretation.

For example, one day she observed a group of young people in the Belfast Commons playing a game of Ultimate Frisbee. To the everyday passerby, it was just a game, nothing noteworthy. But, as she overheard the young people conversing, she began to scribble down their words next to their sketches.

“What they were talking about had such local color, but then my comments were all about how they were all cooperating together, as opposed to other sports where other players just fight each other,” she said.

 Swidrowski often draws in public spaces such as libraries, parks, beaches and concerts. She is often approached by strangers while sketching to ask what she’s drawing and if they can take her photo. With societal norms, it’s hard to imagine a stranger coming up to someone writing in her journal to ask “What are you writing?” But for some reason, with artists, people feel it’s okay to approach.

“Sometimes, I have these great encounters with people who are enthusiastic in sketching,” she said. “And there are times, I just close my notebook and wait until they pass. But, they’re just doing what I’m doing. They’re curious and instead of sketching me, they are interviewing me and taking my picture. And it becomes a little moment for them that they’ll remember in their journeys as well.”

Swidrowski currently has a show hanging at the Belfast Free Library, with two filled workshops starting Tuesday, Feb. 16. To go through all of her private journals and choose what allows the public into her private world took a lot of time for her.

“I mostly picked most of the sketches of Maine and Quebec City,” she said. “In the past, I might have felt more vulnerable about releasing these illustrations, but I’m more confident and centered than in my youth and I enjoy sharing the joy they bring me.  I also think we’re in a society that is getting to be a lot less private. My generation has been much more private, but I think in a way, this show is moving me with the times.”

Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

This weekend is all about the jam. Whether you go Irish, roots rock or funkadelic, here are some great suggestions for your Valentine’s (or anti-Valentine’s) Day weekend, plus for the outdoor lovers, a couple of Killer Road Trips to get out there and play in the snow!

Irish Music Jam and Black & Tans

Friday, Feb. 12 — Rockland

It’s a little more than a month away for St. Paddy’s Day, but Rock City Cafe is getting the jump on it Friday with local musicians doing an informal evening of traditional Irish tunes and a few songs. Their vast repertoire of Irish music is known far and wide, and musicians come together to play the tunes they know in common. Rock City will also be offering specials on Irish Coffee, Dublin Mudslides and their version of a Black & Tan. Show goes from 7 to 10 p.m.

Anti-Valentine’s Day Dance

Saturday, Feb. 13 — Rockland

3Crow Restaurant and Bar is going to do their best version of Grumpy Cat meets George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic with an Anti-Valentine’s Day dance. Not sure what the dress code is (all black on the outside because you’re all black and withered on the inside?), but, DJ Janimal will be spinning and there will be drink specials. The dance starts at 10 p.m. and goes to 1 a.m. No cover.

Cheap Dates: Tubing & Chocolate

Saturday, Feb. 13 to Sunday, Feb. 14 — South China

I’ve put together a few creative ideas (that are literally off the beaten path) for people who want to celebrate their friendship or relationship in a non-traditional way with tubing at South China’s GO Tubing Lanes. (Note: Go at night, it’s better). Check out my latest column: Cheap Dates: Valentine’s Day in China

Killer Road Trip: Winter Fest

Sunday, February 14—Damariscotta

Bitter cold won’t stop the die-hards from sledding, skating, sipping free hot chocolate, watching a sled dog demonstration and eating hot dogs for $1. There will be a warming hut open and a campfire with marshmallow roasting. There will also be snowshoes to borrow at no cost on Sunday! The event goes from noon to 3 p.m. FMI: Winter Fest

Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

SOUTH CHINA — A couple of years ago, when the Camden Snow Bowl’s snow tube hill closed, there were a lot of sad faces in the Midcoast. But, a little gem has cropped up on the snowy hills of South China that will turn the sads into glads again. GO Tubing began in 2013, started by Kevin Gower, who runs several snow tube lanes on his property.

With a website and Facebook presence, they’re drawing people from all over Maine. “I grew up next door to this hill and we used to slide down the hills all the time,” he said.

Lazy people are really going to love this place because it offers a tube lift, which pulls you up a little alley all the way up the hill, so you don’t have to trudge up with your tube every time. (Although you can burn 200-300 calories per half hour if you choose to walk up).

“We try to give people a two-and-a-half-hour session, which is plenty of time,” said Gower. At $18 per session, people actually have to book a certain time online (it’s not a show-up-and-go kind of place). He has 115 tubes and says it gets very busy on the weekends.

Given that school vacation is going to explode with chitlins all over the hill starting Monday, Feb. 15, Gower suggests that the best times for Valentine’s Day couples would be on the weekend at 9 a.m. (when it’s the least busy) or at 6 p.m. (when the trails get even slicker after the sun goes down). Even if you’re not a couple, this Cheap Date is perfect for happy singles who prefer bombing down a hill as opposed to getting bombed on anti-Valentine’s Day.

The temperatures on Sunday are predicted to be breezy and frigid, with a high of 15 degrees Fahrenheit, so after all of those tubing hijinks, you’re due for a cozy warm up.

The Green Bean Coffee Shop is about 10 minutes away from the GO Tubing trails in South China and according to owner Nancy Rodrigue, they’ll be open Saturday (unfortunately not Sunday) until 3 p.m. and will be offering heart shaped donuts, cookies, brownies and hot chocolate. Click for directions.

However, nothin’s finah than The China Dine-ah, another local favorite down the road apiece, open on Sunday. Imagine having a hot chocolate or sharing their signature cream puff, a dessert for two split and filled with creamy vanilla pudding and topped with hot fudge or filled with your choice of ice cream and topped with hot fudge, whipped cream and a cherry. Click here for directions

Better get humping up that hill each time if you go the cream puff route. Have a majestic Valentine’s Day.

Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

Behind the Slides, our ongoing feature, is where we meet up with an artist who presented at a PechaKucha event and find out the deeper story beneath the images they chose to portray.

Ariel Hall is a multi-disciplinary artist working mainly in performance and installation. She is currently working on projects for the opening of the new Center for Maine Contemporary Art, co-curating TEDxDirigo events and keeping furiously busy in her studio.

Note: The slides appear in the right column. Click on the photos to match them with the actual slide notes (in italics). Beneath the slide notes will be the deeper story.

Moebius Strip

This is a moebius strip—a long and somewhat tangled one that I made of paper. If you imagine walking along the strip, you would return to your starting point having traversed the entire length on both "sides" but without ever crossing an edge. You're on the outside, then suddenly you're on the inside, but then the inside becomes the outside again, but actually the outside IS the inside. This torsion of inside and outside is much like a body's reflexive surfaces, where the boundaries between interiority and exteriority, oneself and the world, are in constant reciprocity with one another.

Moebius strips are a guiding motif in my work. My work has always been predicated on the body, exploring the relationship between subject and object, and moebius strips are the perfect physical manifestation of this relationship—form, analogy, and metaphor, entwined.

Planes of Contact

I'm interested in planes of contact—permeable membranes, like skin, that simultaneously contain and demarcate, and allow for connection and flow. Bodies are our means and our medium in the world, and the very substance of us as subjects. So we are both object and subject, enfolded.

I've done a number of collaborations with local photographer Ralph Hassenpflug. We work easily, fluidly together, drawn to similar materials and processes. This photo came from a long series of portraits we made using materials of various transparencies to wrap or occlude or layer over me. This is a lot about exploring emotional states of selfhood.

Corporeality

For me, corporeality is the most accessible framework for understanding the complexities of being a subject. This view of subjectivity assumes that bodily knowing is knowing—that a body has its own functional intelligence not lesser than the mind's. It's almost like I'm making maps of myself for myself, using my body as the primary thinking tool to better understand what it means to be a subject among subjects.

I love working with latex. As a material, it is endlessly interesting to me. I love that it becomes like a second skin that I can stretch, pull, tear, fold, layer over me. It does wonderful things with light, and it's so resilient.

Containers

I'm particularly drawn to making and using various containers—jars and sacks and womb-like things that contain just like a body contains. In some ways, bodies are just vibrant containers for visceral mass—assemblages of many multiple containers brought together, smushed together, and held more or less in place by our skin. I'm compelled by materials and forms that reference a body or evoke bodiless.

These containers are very visceral to me. I made them by melting down plastic bottles into wilted forms. They are like little bodies, little clear bodies that reveal their fluid insides. But they're also just simple vases.

Anthropophagic Slobber

Part of what I loved about performing this piece, called Anthropophagic Slobber, by Lygia Clark, was that it so explicitly plays with the relationships between interior, exterior, and surface. By drawing thread out of one's mouth onto the skin of another, what's internal is literally made external, and a second skin of accumulated thread forms.

For the past two years I have performed other artists' work at the Museum of Modern Art. This is one of those pieces. I actually wrote about this particular piece in my graduate thesis. I've been working with this same group of performers on a number of different shows, and we have developed this incredible intimacy which makes doing a piece like this one much easier than if it were with strangers.

Yoko Ono’s Bag

Sometimes a simple device, like Yoko Ono's black cloth bag for Bag Piece, is the most profoundly effective. Getting inside the bag and spending hours in it, every day, for four months, changes you. From inside, a whole world is available to you. You can see out to the people looking at you, but they can't see in beyond the bag's opacity.

This is another piece I did at MoMA. I loved the freedom that it allowed—you're simultaneously very much on display and totally hidden from view. It allows you to really be yourself, which was partly Yoko's intention with the piece. This photo is taken from inside the bag, looking out to my reflection in a mirror across the way. I love the reflexive thing that happens here where you can see yourself looking at yourself but you can't actually see yourself—all you see is your form. Again, I think of that flip between inside and outside, self and other.

Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

ROCKLAND — Known for the “Best Breakfast in New England” (deemed by Yankee magazine), Home Kitchen Café owners James Hatch and Susan Schiro are expanding their restaurant’s popular brand this April into the former Brown Bag location on Main Street.

Hatch and Schiro, who’d just expanded the business a year before, transforming the former hair salon adjacent to the restaurant at 19 North Main St. into an ice cream parlor and bakery, had no plans on moving until they learned the Brown Bag was going out of business.

“The Cone Home shop where it sits right now is far enough off the road to have little visibility,” said Hatch. “Initially, when we were considering [the Brown Bag space], we came to the conclusion that a Main Street location was a brilliant and obvious place as a Home Kitchen ice cream and dessert destination. They had all of the equipment for sale, but not the building, so we made an offer on all of what was inside.”

As patrons of the old Brown Bag know, the building is divided into three sections. On the left was the seating area, which, according to Hatch, will now be the new Cone Home ice cream parlor. The right side was previously a bakery and will remain so. 

“We will be able to make all of our own breads for the restaurant, as well as bread, rolls and buns for sale, along with more dessert items and homemade cones for the ice cream shop,” Hatch said.

The middle area (the former ordering area) will now be a sub/burrito shop.

“We’ll make to-order homemade subs, that North End Boston Italian style with cappicola, Mortadella, Provolone — a variety of 15-20 subs,” he said. “From here to Portland, there are no homemade sub shops, which I think will add to the food map of Rockland.”

Hatch anticipates opening the bakery in early April, with the other two sides of the business opening shortly after.

“The colors of the interior will be the same as the restaurant,” he said. “Everybody’s going to know this is the same Home Kitchen experience in a different location.”

As for the bakery/ice cream space they currently own adjacent to the Home Kitchen Cafe, Hatch envisions a waiting lounge with a built-in bar for restaurant patrons. “I always thought that was something we needed,” he said. “It’s not ideal to have people waiting inside, where the space is so small, and sometimes, they have to sit there up to an hour, so we want to build a place for people who are waiting for a table to have a cocktail or a coffee or tea.”

The new expansion not only keeps the Main Street space locally owned, but it’s boosting the economy as well.

“We’re creating seven or eight new jobs and hopefully keeping the scene vibrant,” he said.

Related Story:

• Rockland Planning Board considers Home Kitchen Cafe expansion

  Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

The fate of the Toboggan National Championships hangs in the balance as I write this, so we’re going to bring you five things that are not toboggan-related this weekend. Either way, you’re going to have fun!

Banff Mountain Film Festival Tour

Friday, Feb. 5 and Saturday, Feb. 6 — Rockport

Over the course of two nights, the film fest, (which is shown in more than 60 countries) comes to the Camden Hills High School Strom Auditorium in Rockport. Expect a high emotion, high intensity set of short films. Jeff Boggs, who runs the festival every year said “Films I’m looking forward to seeing are Reel Rock:10: Line Across the Sky  (Best Film – Climbing, Alex Honnold has been in several films over the years..talented athlete, likable character.) Builder, Important Places (Best Short Mountain Film), Eclipse (Best Film – Mountain Sports), and Climbing Ice: The Iceland Trifecta (Strong female climber. Women play a larger role in the films this year.). Many times, the films I like the most during each program aren't the ones I was expecting to enjoy the most.” See PenBay Pilot’s story on breakout films here. Tickets are for one night’s show are $12 for adults/$5 for students. To see the line up for both nights visit: Banff Film Festival 2016

The Mallet Brothers at Unity College

Friday, Feb. 5 — Unity

The band that’s taking over the land is back. Over the last six years, The Mallett Brothers Band has proven to be an underground powerhouse, constantly touring and building a diehard fanbase across the nation, while still calling the state of Maine their home. With songs that can range from alt country, to americana, honkytonk,  jam or roots rock, theirs is a musical melting pot that's influenced equally by folk and singer/songwriter influences as it is  by harder rock, twang and psychedelic sounds. Tickets are $15 and can be purchased here.

Sassquatch sighting at The Speakeasy

Saturday, Feb. 6 — Rockland

With songs fresh off their new album "Cryptomusicology", this fusion band, whose name started as a joke, will do some awesome covers, and some brand new tunes that will have you clearing a dance floor. The show goes from 8 to 11 p.m. Tickets are $5 at the door. Catch their sound on Bandcamp: Sassquatch

West Bay Rotary Chili Challenge

Saturday, Feb. 6 — Camden

Winterfest’s theme this year is Mardi Gras, and area restaurants, chefs and individuals will be vying in friendly ‘Cajun Competition’ for bragging rights to making the best chili in the Mid-Coast.  Look forward to the culinary creations from the Waterfront Restaurant, Waterworks Restaurant & Pub, Quarry Hill, Camden Hills Regional High School, Thorndike Creamery and numerous others! Plus, there will be hot and cold beverages, dessert and entertainment from Camden Hills Regional High School musicians. Held at 1st Congregational Church at 55 Elm Street in Camden. There is a donation of $10 (at the door) for adults and $7 for kids 12 and under. The event starts at 4 p.m. “until the pots are empty!”

Killer Road Trip: Speakeasy in Seal Cove

Saturday, Feb. 6 — Seal Cove

The Roaring Twenties comes to the Seal Cove Auto Museum with their Brass Club Speakeasy! There will be 12-piece swing band, a specialty cocktail created just for this event, Prohibition-era beers, blackjack tables, and even a performance by a belly dancer. It's sure to be the cat's pajamas! $40, $25 for members (includes drinks) FMI: sealcoveautomuseum.org

Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

ROCKPORT — Every year, for the past 16 years, Maine Sport Outfitters has brought a collection of the best short films of the Banff Mountain Film Festival to the Strom Auditorium at Camden Hills Regional High School. For lovers of extreme outdoor sports and daring filmmaking, this is a treat to have in Camden as the festival is shown in 40 countries across the globe.

This year’s lineup includes 20 new films spread over two nights, ranging from shorts to longer features and from outdoor superhuman feats to heart-tugging documentaries.

On Friday, breakout films are sure to include:

55 Hours in Mexico (9-minute short)

Fly to Veracruz on a Friday, rent a car, climb the third-highest peak in North America, ski down and return to your desk Monday. How hard could it be?

And another one that will squeeze your heart is:

Denali (8-minute short)

There’s no easy way to say goodbye to a friend, especially when they’ve supported you through your darkest times. This is about a guy who takes his dog on one last trip.

 And on Saturday, films of note include:

The Last Dragons (10-minute short)

An intimate glimpse at North America's Eastern Hellbender, an ancient salamander that lives as much in myth as in reality.... and in many waters, myths are all that remain of these sentinel stream-dwellers.

And another one sure to chill you to the bone is:

Climbing Ice: The Iceland Trifecta (17-minute short)

Join award-winning photographer Tim Kemple and ice climbers Klemen Premrl and Rahel Schelb for an expedition to Iceland’s Vatnajökull Glacier to discover new ways to push the boundaries of climbing ice.

Tickets are for one night’s show are $12 for adults/$5 for students. To see the line up for both nights visit: Banff Film Festival 2016

Orono author Robert Klose happens to be a professor at two Maine universities and knows a little about the inner workings of academia. An author of three non-fiction books and a children’s book, Long Live Grover Cleveland is his first novel, which just won the 2015 USA Book News Award in the humor category.

The book, which takes place in the 1980s, follows Marcus Cleveland, a used car salesman in New Jersey who has never been to college.  His relative, Cyrus Cleveland—a direct descendant of President Grover Cleveland—founded Grover Cleveland College (a fictional college in the northern woods of Maine) and on his deathbed, he wills it to Marcus. Facing the impending calamity with cheer, an incorrigibly sunny attitude, and ample naivete, Marcus is totally unprepared for the stew of discontented faculty, internecine rivalries and unforeseen events that threaten to upend his every effort to rescue the school from the threat of extinction.

What inspired you to write this?

I really believe in writing about what one knows and I’ve been teaching for 30 years, so I know the ‘academy’ as they call it. The culture of higher education is a bottomless pit of inspiration. And the most pointed responses I’ve gotten from readers are from those who actually teach and work in education. Certainly a lot of the events of the book are exaggerated reflections of what goes on in a college or a university.

Would it be safe to say this is a satire? And if so, what authors influenced you?

It’s certainly a satire. Richard Russo, is one, H.L. Mencken, a great journalist, and Mark Twain, those come to mind.

What’s the gist of it, in your own words?

The central irony of the book is that the school was founded during Vietnam by a raging leftist, pacifist who was a strong supporter of Richard Nixon, because as long as Nixon kept the war going, students kept pouring into his college with their college deferments. When the war ends, the students no longer need the school so they flee it in droves. And Cyrus, the founder, basically has a stroke. So, the only way to save it is to will it to a descendant. The only one he knows is Marcus, his nephew, a used car salesman, in his 40s. Marcus, who has never even been to college, gives it his best shot to save it from extinction. Marcus is nothing like his uncle, he’s apolitical and highly asexual as well, until he meets a woman at the school, who herself, has given up on love.

How long did it take you to write this novel?

With edits, just about a year.

Did you have an agent?

No, I didn’t. For my first book, I went through about 68 publishers before I found one. The second book, I went to about 15 publishers. The third, about 10. Basically, as I established a track record, it got a little easier and I only went to about seven or eight publishers before Medallion Publishing, out of Aurora, Ill., took it on.

Klose will be doing a book reading at Belfast Public Library on Tuesday, Feb. 2 at 6:30 p.m. Books will be available for sale and signing. to find a copy of Klose’s book online visit: Long Live Grover Cleveland

Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

ROCKPORT—With more than 50 women on the waiting list, Union Hall in Rockport was jam-packed Thursday night with 180 women from the Midcoast who gathered to meet, talk and celebrate being female entrepreneurs and business women. SparkME, organized by event planner Jamilah Gregory, was a through-the-roof success and everything she’d promised. The glittery black and gold decor set the backdrop for fabulous hors d'oeuvres, wine and craft beer donated by a number of restaurants, wineries and caterers.

The event didn’t feel like a staid networking event; it felt like a giant, but intimate cocktail party, with women dressed to the nines. For two hours, women mingled and posed for fun photos with props set up by Gingersnap Rentals. The mood was so exuberant that it was hard to hear some of the speakers over the chatter.

The point of the event wasn’t just to celebrate, it was to walk away inspired. Marilyn J. Geroux, District Director of the U.S. Small Business Administration, kicked off the welcoming address by announcing how many loans they’d given female business owners last year. As the evening progressed, other successful female entrepreneurs spoke to the crowd from the balcony, including Kate McAleer from Bixby & Co. chocolates, who spoke of the challenges of being a female in a male-dominated chocolatier industry; Ronna Lugosch, owner of Peapod Jewelry who showed up in a giant peapod suit, talking about the importance of memorable branding; and Shannon Kinney, founder of Dream Local Digital, who spoke about balancing motherhood with business and doing our best to inspire the women who will follow in our footsteps.

To that end, the event doubled as a fundraiser for New Hope For Women.

“It’s a good possibility that many of the ladies who come to this event have been affected by domestic violence in some way,” said Gregory. “I’m hoping that the event will be a spark for many of these women who just need to keep going, keep pushing through this year.”

Stay tuned as Penobscot Bay Pilot will add a gallery of the night’s photos, coming soon.

Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

BELFAST — As we wrote in a recent article, it’s always tough for a fairly new restaurant in the Midcoast to thrive during the winter, but Jenifer Oakes, one of three co-owners of Nautilus Seafood & Grill, credits two factors for their winter survival: a new location and loyal customers.

Though it’s only been a little more than a month since they moved from the east side of Belfast, across the bridge the spans the Passagassawakeag River, and took over the former Weathervane Seafood Restaurant space, a scenic downtown waterfront spot on Main Street, Oakes has seen a huge spike in business.

“Since we moved, we’ve probably seen a 50 percent increase in sales,” she said. “We’re doing lunch now too, and the dinners have been a lot busier. Everyone’s making more money; everyone’s happier.”

The east side of Belfast has always been quiet due to the drive-through traffic.

“We opened in 2012 over there and we’d stay open in the winters, but the east side in the winter is deadly,” she said. “We really had to cut back our schedule in the winter and suffered through. It was not profitable. We’d make a bunch of money in the summer and sink it all back in during the slow winters. And now that we’re over here, we haven’t had to do that.”

Unlike Camden and Rockland, where restaurant turnover seems to happen every season, it’s fairly rare for this kind of space to open up in Belfast.

“Darby’s has been here for 30 years, Dockside for the same and Rollie’s has been here forever,” said Oakes.

Weathervane Seafood Restaurant, a family chain seafood restaurant, started in 1969 as a take-out stand, before expanding to multiple locations in Maine. It closed its Belfast operations at the end of the season in 2014 and never re-opened.

Oakes said her customers aren’t deterred by the new location, which for some means a drive across the bridge. “If anything, we’re seeing the same people more often, which is great,” she said.

Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

Midcoast has its serious groove on this weekend. With the Camden Winterfest kicking off this weekend, there’s actually more going on than I can cover in this column. Belfast is leading the charge on the most fun activities, but there’s also the cultural feast of Pecha Kucha and the literal feast of Pies on Parade with a Downton Abbey tribute! Yum.

Pecha Kucha Night

Friday, Jan. 29 — Rockport

PK, as we affectionately call it, is always an eye opener to some of the most interesting people in our community and what they’re doing. This month’s presenters are: Ken Foster, an artist we’ve covered, Ariel Hall, performance artist, Audrey Lovering, One Community, Peter Neill, director of the World Ocean Observatory, Bill Mook, oyster cultivator, Alissa Morris, creator of Urban Exodus, Lisa Pohlmann, executive director of the Natural Resources Council of Maine and Lee Schneller Sligh, professional gardener. The emcee is Arielle Greenberg Bywater. The event is held at the Rockport Opera House. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.; $5 at the door.

A New Vaudeville Review

Saturday, Jan. 30 — Belfast

A little bit of singing, comedy, dance, poetry—that’s how communities in Maine used to entertain one another in the winter in the early 20th century and Belfast’s Midcoast Actors are still doing it the old-school way with their new Vaudeville Review. The show features Jenny Tibbetts, Sigrid Coffin, Erik Perkins, Seth Whited and Ando Anderson. Belfast Poet Laureate Toussaint St. Negritude will read his poetry, the Rugged will be performing rock music, and Phil Clement, Ezra Rugg and Jeff Densmore will frame the frenzy with flourish musicale. Buy tickets in advance at Left Bank Books on Church Street in Belfast or at the door the night of the performance.  The show starts at 7 p.m. at Troy Howard Middle School. Cost $12. FMI: belfastcreativecoalition.org.

‘70s Night with Draft and Draw

Saturday, Jan. 30 — Belfast

This is kind of kooky. Waterfall Arts is offering a fun night to everyday people and artists to come in and draw or paint a costumed model. This episode of figure-drawing and drinks features a 70s theme brought to life by performance artist Bridget Matros as her notorious alter-ego, Starr. Draft and Draw is similar to typical figure drawing sessions in that the model takes short poses followed by longer ones. Unlike typical figure drawing sessions, chit-chat, moving about and laughing are all acceptable. It’s a life drawing event that many find entertaining and relaxing. DJ LaPelle will be spinning ‘70s tunes, making smooooth choices for the ride... Easels, drawing benches and inspiration are provided; bring your own drawing or painting materials (no turpentine please). Cost: $10 at the door; beer and wine are available by donation. The event is from 7 to 9 p.m.

Snowed In! Dance Party

Saturday, Jan. 30 — Belfast

After Draft and Draw or the Vaudeville show, head on over to Three Tides and Marshall Wharf for their 8th annual Snowed In! winter dance party. The night features DJs Ian Hammond, Jason Keith and Matty.t, with some fresh out of the fire house music so you can shake what your mama gave you.  Starts at 9 p.m. and goes til close. No cover.

Celebrate National Pie Day with a Pie Tour

Sunday, Jan. 31 — Rockland

This is like a pub crawl for savory and sweet pies, and you can feel good while you’re feasting your way through Rockland, eating pie! Proceeds from this event benefit the Area Interfaith Outreach Food Pantry, and ver the past nine years, more than $100,000 has been donated from this event to help provide food for Midcoast families. This year, 23 bakers and chefs are about to open their doors for folks to sample the pie parade, from shepherd’s pie, pizza pie and seafood pie to every fruit and sweet pie you can think of. The Island Institute invites Downton Abbey fans to come in and have a cup of tea, finger sandwiches and teacakes served by staff in 1920s attire. The suggested donation for the tea event is $5. Pies on Parade runs from 1 to 4 p.m. and tickets are $30 for adults/$15 ages 10 and under. Call to reserve: 596-6611. FMI: historicinnsofrockland.com

Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

Seaweed, for Karen Cooper, a lobsterman on North Haven, was never anything special. Like a roadside weed, it was everywhere. The brown, rubbery-looking vegetation only had one purpose — to provide cover for lobsters, crab, sea urchins and fish.Then, something happened that changed the way she saw seaweed.

“More than five years ago, my best friend got breast cancer,” she said. “And one of things she did is to go on a raw macrobiotic diet. She was eating seaweed salad one day and I was like ‘Oh my God, what the heck is that?’ It was like green spaghetti.”

Cooper had grown up on an island surrounded by sugar kelp and rockweed, but it sure didn’t look like this salad.

“There’s so many different varieties of seaweed,” she said. “So, I tried this seaweed salad and I realized it was quite delicious. And it’s obviously good for you.That’s why my friend was eating it to try and heal herself.”

That got Cooper’s wheels turning.

“I’d do anything for her, she was my best friend,” she said. “So, I looked it up online and found out who was already growing seaweed in Maine.”

Wild kelp harvesting along the estuaries and inlets of Maine’s “coastal highway” is nothing new. Asian and Native American civilizations have done it for centuries and several Maine businesses have been selling sea vegetables for decades. But, as Cooper would soon discover, the nation’s first commercial kelp farm called Ocean Approved started in Maine in 2009 in Casco Bay. Founded by Tollef Olson and Paul Dobbins, this farm has revolutionized how people are using and eating kelp, positioning Maine as a leader in the seaweed industry — and inspiring others up and down the coast to apply for their aquaculture lease, so they too, can harvest, process and sell it.

Cooper reached out to Dobbins, who sent her a “big, huge 300-page” manual on how to get started.

“I just about died,” she said. “But, last year, I sat in on a couple of seaweed talks at Maine Fishermen’s Forum. And they were showing us how to set up an aquaculture business around sugar kelp, all these things I thought I couldn’t do.”

Turns out Cooper was looking for help at the exact time that the Island Institute, in Rockland, was advertising for its new Aquaculture Business Development Program. And in Maine’s seaweed industry, it became six degrees of separation to connect everyone.

Susie Arnold, a  marine scientist at the Island Institute, had been focusing on ocean acidification for the last three years.

“Maine is at a particular risk for ocean acidification for a variety of environmental and socio-economic reasons,” she said.

As a result, they ordered a study commission on what to do about it. One of the recommendations was to research if seaweed can play a role in remediating ocean acidification.

“Basically, marine plants like kelp photosynthesize like land plants, taking CO₂ out of the environment and into their tissue,” Arnold said. “The theory is that when harvested, by taking that plant out of the water, you’re taking out the CO₂, restoring the Ph balance in the water. And, you get the double benefit of harvesting the edible seaweed as a nutritious sea vegetable.”

This winter, Arnold teamed up with Nichole Price, from Bigelow Laboratories and Ocean Sciences, to deploy sophisticated instrumentation inside and just upstream of Ocean Approved’s kelp farm and test if the growing kelp was improving the water chemistry.  Dobbins seeded the lines with almost microscopic kelp in early November. By January, the kelp was 14 inches long. By May or June, Arnold predicts, the kelp will be 14 or 15 feet long when it is harvested.

“Four days ago, we went out and collected the first set of data,” said Arnold. “What we've seen already is lower carbon dioxide inside Dobbins’ kelp farm waters than upstream at the control site.”

She’s excited that the theory is working, but is careful not to project too much at this point.

“This is preliminary and will have more data as the winter goes on,” she said. “But if this works, and we are able to demonstrate that kelp farming can remediate ocean acidification in the localized areas, it means promising things for shellfish aquaculture.”

Already, the Department of Marine Resources is working with a number of applications to develop more kelp farms that are co-located with and mussel and oyster farms.

Cooper didn’t realize it at the time, but over the last few years, kelp farming has become a hot topic for consumers and restaurants. She just stumbled into at the right time. The Island Institute is working with her on getting a state license to farm kelp and and helping her put together a business plan. Seeding the lines in the fall and harvesting kelp in the spring dovetails perfectly with her down time in the winter, providing her with a secondary sustainable job before lobstering starts again in the summer. A win for Cooper, a win for the ocean, a win for nutrition and for Maine’s economy. What’s not to like?

And to think this has been right under Cooper’s nose her entire life.

ROCKLAND — Even with Rockland’s robust restaurant scene, the winter months can be a “make or break” time for a new restaurant’s survival.

Comida Restaurant co-owners Tom Sigler and Lisa Laurita-Spanglet announced Jan. 24 through their Facebook page that they were closing their 421 Main St. location.

“With heavy hearts we have to announce that Saturday was Comida's last night open. We have come to the unfortunate place where we simply cannot keep going. A heartfelt thank you to all who supported us over the last three years. It has been a pleasure serving this Midcoast community. Here's to the next adventure!”

As Penobscot Bay Pilot wrote in an article in the fall, Sigler and Laurita-Spanglet were trying to find an innovative solution to running lunch service without stretching their resources and staff too thin and paired up with ‘Wich Please food truck owner and chef Malcolm Bedell to operate during the day hours, while Comida took over the night shift. For a while, that solution was working with the two restaurants combining resources for a weekly “India Night” themed dinner.

An email message from Laurita-Spanglet mentioned the Comida space will now be available with all the equipment and fixtures for sale as a package to a new tenant. It’s unclear what Bedell’s plans are for the rest of the winter. Their customers have been offering condolences on their Facebook page with one customer, Jason McClure, echoing the others’ sentiments: “Total bummer. Though I only visited a couple times, I appreciated the diversity you brought to Rockland. I can only imagine the challenges that come with operating a tapas menu in such a small town. Best of luck.”

Here’s hoping other restaurants and food trucks will replicate their unique model of collaboration elsewhere.

Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

No need to make that frantic bread and milk run, because it looks like that Mid-Atlantic storm is going to just miss us this weekend, giving us a sunny Friday-Sunday for the outdoor events like the Glacier Ice Bar and Rangeley’s Snodeo. We’ve got some quirky indoor entertainment happening as well. Check it out!

Last weekend for the Ice Bar

Friday, Jan. 22 & Saturday, Jan. 23—Rockport

If you didn’t want to brave the mob scene the first weekend, this is the more chill (yeah, I said it) weekend to experience the pirate-themed Glacier Ice Bar at the Samoset Resort. 20,000 pounds of crystal-clear glacier ice have been transformed into a fantasy land. Cold luge drinks in musket ice shot glasses and hot pit fires with faux polar bear coverings are some of its best features. Plus, they have an ice rink outside and you can bring your own skates. If you don’t go this weekend, next weekend is your last chance before they dismantle it. Starts at 5 p.m.; no charge to get in. See our gallery from last weekend.

Teen Mentalist Opens His Own Show “Perceptions”

Friday, Jan. 22—Rockport

If you haven’t seen our latest story on 16-year-old Nat Lawson, give it a quick read. Because he’s a quick study and after 25 professional shows, he is performing for the first time at The Rockport Opera House. at 7 p.m. The audience can expect mind reading, hypnotic influence and other inexplicable feats of the mind, live. All proceeds will be donated to Midcoast Interact's Service Trip to Safe Passage, Guatemala. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Show starts at 7:00 p.m. $10.00 at the door.

The Collective Hosts Trivia Night

Saturday, Jan. 23—Rockland

Fog Bar and Café is teaming up with the cultural warriors of the Farnsworth Art Museum’s Collective and hosting a special trivia night, focusing on pop culture and art history. Free. Save your seat or register your team of six with kfinlay@FarnsworthMuseum.org.

Killer Road Trip: ‘Snodeo’ at Rangeley Lakes

Friday, Jan. 22 & Saturday, Jan. 23—Rangeley

Not just for snowmobile lovers, this annual event draws a lot of people for their outdoor fun, demo rides, races, marshmallow roasts, snowmobile parade with Monty the Moose and fireworks! Free to attend. FMI: Snodeo

Open Roller and In-Line Skate Sundays

Sunday, Jan. 23—Northport

Point Lookout Fitness Center in Northport has teamed up with the Rock Coast Rollers to offer an exciting and fat-busting from 1-3 p.m. It’s non contact and both roller skates and in-line skates (with protective gear) are allowed. The cost is$10 per session or you can pre-pay how many Sundays you want. RCR will have a limited amount of gear to lend out. FMI: rockcoastrollers.training@gmail.com

 Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

Though he'd never met me before, Nat Lawson knew who I was the moment I walked through the door of the school cafeteria. Coincidence? Maybe not.

Nat is a professional mentalist, something people often confuse with a magician. According to the dictionary, a mentalist is someone who reads minds for entertainment, a psychic and a fortune tell. It is a person who believes that “the mind and its functions are a legitimate area of psychological research.” Nat doesn't use mind games and he doesn't use tricks, but instead, combines intuition, psychology and hypnosis to draw information from people in his audience, and manipulate their minds.

At 16, he is a senior at Camden Hills Regional High School. Because of a late summer birthday, he skipped fourth-grade and entered middle school at nearly two years younger than most of his peers. At 6-feet-tall, he has an easy smile and exudes the confidence of an older student. I soon realized that the last few years he has spent mastering a stage presence probably has a lot to do with it.

At age 8, his parents gave him a book on magic. But Nat didn't have the typical top hat and cape. Instead, he used household items like salt shakers to improve his skills and amaze people.

At 10, he found a book on mentalism and began the first steps in training his mind and intuition.

"Over the next two years I gradually switched my focus from sleight of hand to psychology, and from misdirection to hypnotic influence," Nat said. "By 14, I was focused solely on mentalism."

While he was still learning, his family moved from the Midcoast to Austin, Texas, for one year. While in Austin, Nat began to busk on the streets in his free time, honing his mentalism skills on audiences of strangers. One passerby happened to be the executive event planner for Mary Kay Cosmetics. She enjoyed his performance so much that she asked him to perform in front of the top 250 saleswomen for Mary Kay Cosmetics in Austin that following month.

"I couldn't believe how many pink Cadillacs were in the parking lot," he said. "My dad drove me there and just sat in the car and read while I performed."

It was the first time he performed mentalism professionally in front of a large crowd.

"Were you scared out of your mind?" I asked.

"No, I absolutely loved it," he said. "I've never had an aversion to performing in public."

The performance went without a hitch. Vicki Jo Auth, national sales director at Mary Kay Cosmetics, gave a glowing testimonial: "Everyone loved Nat's performance. He is so entertaining and everyone wondered...How did he do that? He is a true professional and I know he loves what he does, because it shows as he works the room."

For the past two-and-a-half years, Nat has performed more than 25 professional shows, performed in five countries, 11 states and 18 cities, which is a mind-blowing accomplishment for a 16-year-old. When he's not in school, he also manages a small web design company called TriColor Designs.

In his show, he "chooses" an audience member by throwing out a paper airplane. Whomever catches it becomes part of the show. None of it is scripted and there are no audience "plants." Because of the nature of mentalism, not everything goes the way he expects—something he chalks up to a learning curve.

"In one show this past summer, I brought this big burly man onto my stage, whom I later found out was a lieutenant in the Army." Nat said. "I could immediately tell he didn't want to be up there and this was going to be difficult. I asked him to write down a particular time on a piece of paper. But I said, 'Don't make it an easy one like 7:00 or 12:30. Make it specific like 9:27 or 3:04.' Once he wrote it down, I looked at him and I just knew. I said, 'I get the impression that you did the one thing I just asked you not to do. You wrote down 7:00.' And sure enough, he held up the paper sheepishly and it was 7:00."

Nat has big plans for an already big future ahead of him. He's applied to several universities and colleges, intending to study psychology as a way to augment his innate skills.

"You probably have an advantage when doing interviews, don't you?" I asked.

"I am aware of quite a lot, but I try not to show it," he said with a smile.

Nat will be performing his first full-length, one-man show called Perceptions at the Rockport Opera House on Friday, Jan. 22 at 7 p.m. The audience can expect mind reading, hypnotic influence and other inexplicable feats of the mind, live. All proceeds will be donated to Midcoast Interact's Service Trip to Safe Passage, Guatemala.

Hail To The Rad Kids is an ongoing feature highlighting teens with artistic or musical talent. 

Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

ROCKLAND — “It’s almost like you’ve got to smoke a pack of cigarettes and drink a ton of whiskey before heading to jail,” said Sarah Waterman, 34, after a cold swim in Rockland Harbor on Jan. 17. Waterman, who heads to Hawaii today to train on a women’s outrigger and paddling team, is not a fan of the heat. Loves Hawaii, but not the humidity.

“That’s the best analogy I can come up with before diving in,” she said. “It’s the cold I crave. I needed to suck up the cold of the ocean one last time before I headed out.”

Waterman grew up in Maine and is most definitely an outdoor girl. Most of her part-time jobs in-between traveling involve lobstering, landscaping, gardening or anything that involves hands-on work.

At 10:30 a.m., she walked down to the docks, by Archer’s On The Pier, followed by some friends who had emergency blankets, hot cocoa and warm socks and mittens when she got out. She timed out how long a swim in 35 degree Fahrenheit water would take before hypothermia set in. She just did this swim last month—albeit when it was 10 degrees warmer.

“You sure you don’t want me to get you my wet suit?” said one of her friends.

“Naw, even if you do, I’m just gonna jump in anyway,” said Waterman. “That’s just how I do it. If you put too many restrictions on me, I’m just going to do it while you’re running back to get the suit.”

She swims in the ocean every year around this time. Her mother died of cancer 10 years ago this month. There’s a social tendency to link brave feats like this to memorials or fundraisers, but Waterman didn’t need it for her mother. This is a personal thing.

In water this cold, it generally takes about 10 minutes before a person begins to succumb to hypothermia. There’s also the possibility of cold shock response, which is the body’s response to sudden cold water immersion. For those not habituated to cold water, diving in may trigger an elevated heart rate and stress, which could lead to a heart attack. Waterman fully knew the risks of potentially cramping up without a safety boat nearby. She said every time she does this, her heart hammers a bit and she chants a small mantra in her head to quell the fears. It’s a little prayer to the ocean asking it to keep her safe.

Shedding her Muck boots down to a sleeveless neoprene shirt and leggings, she dove in, while her friends raced back to their cars to meet her over at the Public Landing in Rockland. Other friends were posted at the Public Landing with a life ring.

“When I dove in, I could immediately feel the cold right up in my armpits,” she said. The swim took her no more than three minutes. When she walked out on the beach in bare feet and climbed up the rocky embankment, she was grinning ear to ear.

“I needed to get as much cold in me as I could,” she said. “But I’ll definitely take a hot coffee and whiskey now.”

View the gallery to see the swim. All photos by Kay Stephens.

Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

How do we know we’re deep into winter now? Because it’s ice bar season. And the Samoset isn’t the only one with an ice bar this weekend. With the major winter “stahm” ratcheting down to possibly rain, there’s no reason to stay inside. See what else we’ve got in store.

GLACIER Ice Bar and Lounge

Friday through Sunday, January 15 -17 — Rockland

Even with the name change from FROST to GLACIER at the Samoset Resort in Rockport, this is still "the hottest coolest bar and lounge" to hit the Midcoast.There is no cost to get in and each year Chef Tim Pierce adds some new twist to the concept. Because of its popularity, it will get super crowded later in the night, so hit it early to get luge shots and themed drinks. Wear mittens!

“Narratives” Pop-up Art Show At Three Tides

Friday, January 16 — Belfast

Speaking of cool, Three Tides is hosting a pop up series curated by artist Kenny Cole called "Narratives.” It engages locally  sourced small works with globally sourced art, that addresses the ongoing narrative of our times. The show features five artists: Kenny Cole (Maine), Jennifer Beinhacker (US), Matt Lock (US), Niklas Nenzén (SWE) and Alice Sfintesco (FR). Goes from 4 to 6 p.m.

Killer Road Trip: Spire & Ice Bar 

Friday, January 15 to Saturday, January, 16 — Gorham

If you’ve done the Glacier Bar every year and feel like a change of scenery, this second annual ice bar is held at the Spire 29 on the Square (29 School Street). There will be ice luge, specialty drinks and dancing. $10 admission. Goes from 7 p.m. to 1 a.m.

Two Dollar Pistol Rocks Out

Saturday, January 16 — Rockland

Head on over to beautiful RockVegas for a rock ‘n roll show by local favorite Two Dollar Pistol at Trackside Station, starting at 9:30 p.m. They play covers from 1960 to 2014. No cover.

Chili & Chowder at Trackside

Sunday, January 17 — Rockland

This fundraiser for the Rockland Professional Firefighters Local 1584 brings out the fierce competition from chefs to civilians when it comes to the best chili and chowder you’ve ever tasted. Get in line early. Tickets are $10 sold at the door and the event starts at 2 p.m. Read our story: Cheap Dates: All kinds of homemade chili and chowder for $10

Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

With a winter storm predicted for this weekend, it’s a perfect time to take a trip down Memory Lane. Ever wonder how people in the Midcoast dealt with honking piles of snow clogging the dirt roads of Main Street without snow plows?

We spoke to members of the Rockland Historical Society to find out several ways they did it.

“On the main streets, they used a bunch of people with shovels, who were mainly just citizens who made a couple of bucks for the day,” said Ben Perry. “They’d just all work together to shovel the snow into sleighs pulled by horses or they’d pile it up on sidewalks. It didn’t remove all of the snow for people to use the sidewalks, but just enough to clear the streets. Then they’d lead the horses down to the harbor and they’d dump the snow in the water.”

Andrew Carpenter added: “I can tell you from the research I've done that it was common for men of all walks of life (from bankers to lime kiln tenders) to come together to help clear Main Street. Small bands would often play music for the men and stores would provide warm drinks and food.”

Sometimes they’d rig up a large shovel system to a team of horses and let the animals to the work, as seen in the middle photo of horses clearing snow on Tillson Avenue c.1920. Thomas Shapiro’s junk store at 55 Tillson Avenue can be seen in the background with the Coca-Cola sign.

When it was time to bring out the big guns, they used a wooden snow roller.

According to Maine Memory Network: “A snow roller was an over-sized wooden barrel that would be filled with water in the winter so it could freeze to provide the weight to pack down the snow. These were pulled by a double team of horses consisting of four. Instead of plowing the snow to the side of the road, the weight of these huge, heavy wooden rollers compacted the snow into a hard surface that horses, buggies, and wagons could travel on.”

Going on information his friend’s father told him 20 years ago, Richard Kahn said: “The first time you could use a car in the winter was around 1929. It was something like that, but before that the rollers would pack down the snow hard to a smooth surface so that sleighs could travel over the snow.”

The more you know...

Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

Maine has been all over the news this past week in response to Governor LePage’s comment that out-of-state drug dealers named "D-Money, Smoothie, Shifty" have come here to sell drugs and "impregnate a young, white girl before they leave."

The comments made national and international headlines before, predictably, the the backlash began.

First, the unfunny: A GQ correspondent named Drew Magary (who describes himself as “Author, Blogger, International bon vivant”) penned a satirical piece on January 8 titled “Maine: Do We Need It?”  Even though he spent only four years at a college in Maine, he felt qualified to jump on LePage’s disparaging comments as a platform to eviscerate the entire state’s population by concluding, “Maine is a terrifying wasteland with little to offer us in the way of economic or intellectual resources.”

Oddly, that didn’t go over well with real Mainers.

On January 9, blogger Shannon Thurston responded with a sarcastic rebuttal titled. “Maine: Why We Need It: A Response to a Privileged White Boy.” Then, on January 11, another Huffington Post blogger and Maine native Crystal Ponti, doubled down in a piece she titled: “In Response to GQ's 'Maine: Do We Really Need It?'”

Just goes to show that the “hicks from the sticks” stereotype of Mainers is still very much alive and well with the urban hipsters.

Now the funny: On January 9, someone nicknamed “Smoothie” on Twitter (aka @ManiacNewsGuy) started an account and tweeted: “White dudes from Maine are coming into the Bronx selling coffee brandy and making our black girls fat. Call the National Guard!”

In less than a week, the new Twitter account has maybe posted 30 tweets, but has amassed nearly 800 followers (and counting.) The salty tweets kept coming. Here are some of the best, all posted on January 10.

 “Holy crap. The lobster is so cheap here. Heading back to NYC with three live 1-pounders and a white woman.”

“Me and Shifty stayed at a lovely B&B in Camden. Shifty bought another f****** antique teapot.”

“Had haddock at DiMillos Floating Restaurant. More like floating nursing home. LePage, you need babies. Me and Shifty are here to assist.”

Even the power outage in Maine this past week got some play (along with a zing to Magary’s article):

“Hey, LePage, power's down again in your f****** Third World state. How do I know which girls are the white ones in the dark?”

Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com  

Jamilah Gregory knows how to throw a party. Having recently returned to Maine with her husband and child, she launched her event planning business, JBG Events, and decided to put together a special event called SparkME for female entrepreneurs in the Midcoast area on Jan. 28. More than just a networking event, this is a celebration for any woman who could benefit from a "spark" of New Year's inspiration and innovation.

We asked her a few questions about the upcoming event.

What’s your Maine connection?

I’m originally from Concord, N.H., and my husband grew up in Damariscotta. We met in Maine while I was attending Bowdoin, where I did a lot of event planning. After a few years moving around for his education in Boston, we’ve finally come back to Maine.

Is this the first event you’ve ever thrown for female entrepreneurs?

Yes, this is the first event I’ve done in this regard. I’ve done many other events for different purposes. It was originally conceived as a Christmas event, but I realized that would have been in a totally hectic season, so I moved this to the end of January and made it a New Year’s toast. I have worked with some of the networking groups in the area. I’m a member of Maine Women’s Network and they have endorsed this event. I will have several resource tables that will support female entrepreneurs, such as Small Business Administration, New Ventures Maine, C.E.I. and Maine Women’s Network.

With the new year, we all have these resolutions. How do you envision this party will spark women to be inspired and motivated once they leave?

I’m hoping that those who’ve already registered, such as new young entrepreneurs like Kate McAleer from Bixby & Co. to the experienced entrepreneurs like Ronna Lugosh from PeaPod Jewelry will all connect with one another. Each female entrepreneur who goes into business has a unique gift, whether it’s the product that she sells or the service she provides to the community. I’m hoping by the time they leave, women will reflect on the ways they are a gift to our community. Rhonda Nordstrom, for example, is a sponsor, and I’m so inspired by people like her who contribute to their communities, using all of her friends and resources to give back in unique ways.

This isn’t just a party, it’s a fundraiser...and it’s all connected, correct?

Yes, I chose New Hope for Women as the recipient because I knew female entrepreneurs could really rally around this good work for women in the area. It’s a good possibility that many of the ladies who come to this event have been affected by domestic violence in some way. I’m hoping that the event will be a spark for many of these women who just need to keep going, keep pushing through this year.

According to a a statistic cited in an article from Business News Daily, one of the biggest challenges for female entrepreneurs is the lack of support from other female business leaders. How will your event address that?

I think that statistic is so appalling because women need to help each other. This event is all about women encouraging one another in the pursuit of strengthening their businesses that serve our community. It’s vitally important, especially in rural Maine, to have a network that supports female entrepreneurs and gives you more opportunities to refer people. That’s what a community needs to do to thrive—to have collaboration, not competition. I think SparkMe is definitely going to achieve that goal with 125 women all representing a variety of skills and professions, whose purpose being there is to encourage one another.

Looking through your website, it looks as though you have a real flair for throwing a party, not just some networking event in a giant conference room. What’s in store for the night?

SparkME is all about creating a spark in the new year. So, the decorating theme is gong to be sparkles everywhere, black and gold, really inspiring and will feel like a holiday and celebration of women. We’re really excited to offer a heavy spread of complimentary appetizers from various restaurants and catering companies as well as  wine from Cellardoor Winery, Oxbow beer from Newcastle, and sparkling wine to fit in with the New Year’s theme and to provide a toast. We’ll have over 30 door prizes that represent everything from chocolate, coffee, wine to flowers, massage and pre-counseling sessions.

According to Gregory, tickets are nearly sold out. The event takes place Thursday, Jan. 28 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Union Hall in Rockport. Tickets are $15 per person and can be purchased at EventBrite.com. Pre-Registration is required for this event. More info can be found on Spark ME’s Facebook page.

Who’d have thought that coloring books geared toward adults would be the hottest thing this winter? The New York Post recently ran a piece on the trend, reporting that more than 2,000 adult coloring book titles have been created since 2013 and the genre’s two biggest bestsellers, Secret Garden and Enchanted Forest, have sold a combined 13.5 million copies in 50 countries. This isn’t the kid stuff of oversized, child-like cartoonish outlines of turtles and mermaids. These are books with sophisticated line art awaiting colored pencils to bring elaborate fantastic worlds to life.

Locally, two libraries are recognizing the trend. The Thomaston Public Library hosted two adult coloring book sessions in December, touted as a way to de-stress after the Christmas chaos.

Children’s Librarian Joanna Hynd said, “My co-workers, Diane and Alex and I had noticed this new fad and wanted to jump on the bandwagon. I didn't realize how much fun we were going to have with it. I've been enjoying one of the coloring books in particular, called Illuminating the Stars. All of the images in the book are of silent-movie actors and actresses. I like that I am bringing color to these faces that were only captured in black and white on film and in photographs.”

Ian Grima, a 24-year-old restaurant employee, was one of the participants for two weeks in a row. He took a precious night off work to attend because the idea really attracted him.

“I was probably the youngest one there,” he said of the six participants, who ranged in age from 30-60, in the last session. “But, I like to sketch in my free time, and I thought this was a great way to just hang out with people I’ve never met, draw and zone out for a while. It was really relaxing.”

Grima worked on a piece for about an hour depicting intricate underwater scenes. He said no one worked on the same page out of the book.

“Although, it would be cool to see how two different people used color in the same illustration,” he said. “One of the things I really liked about this was how we were just able to sit and chat while coming up with our own interpretation of the drawing with colored pencils or crayons. It would be great to see certain bars doing this for the winter months, not just karaoke and trivia. It takes up no space at all and is a low-pressure activity for people who’d rather just chill and draw.”

Diane Giese, the head librarian at the Thomaston Public Library, said the turnout from both evening sessions reflected a wide variety of colorists.

“One neighbor brought and supervised her children, so even though it was an evening for adults, the adorable towheads were participating,” Giese said. “Then we had a bona fide artist who came with his wife and several neighbors. He brought his own tools and was clearly very good.  We also had several older folks come and a couple with a challenged daughter.  What a great broadstroke the evening was.”

The chill factor of this art form is what also drew Rockland Public Librarian Jessie Blanchard to set up coloring sessions for adults this winter. The library plans to offer a free session January 16 at 10 a.m. and again on February 20 at 10 a.m. “I believe adult coloring has become so popular because it's gives us permission to do something creative and relaxed without any expectations,” she said. “The act of coloring is the reward.  It includes the gentle social aspect of a quilting club or a golf game without actually requiring any skill.”

People can donate their finished page to the library or take them home.

For more information visit: Adult Coloring Session

Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

ROCKLAND — More than five years ago, firefighter Carl Anderson thought there might be a more inspiring way for Rockland Professional Firefighters Local 1584 to do their annual fundraiser for the Muscular Dystrophy Association than standing outside the station with a big old black boot and hoping folks would drop some dollars in.

“Having worked in restaurants before I became a fireman, I thought a competitive food challenge would really get more people interested,” he said.

The best part of the Chili & Chowder Challenge (and why this makes the perfect Cheap Date) is that everybody is a judge and for a $10 entry fee, you can stuff your face on some of the best home-cooked comfort food Mainers can make. This is the fifth year of the challenge and those participating are bringing their A Game.

“Everyone gets a ballot and a bowl and they can walk around and try everything, sampling from the professional category of the 14 restaurants participating, as well as from the kitchens of 12 individuals, who are just your everyday mom and pop,” said Anderson.

“At this point, the people competing are pretty serious about winning,” said Anderson. “Everything that you can possibly imagine has been entered as a recipe. We’ve had chili made with moose, venison, bear and turkey as well as vegetarian, as well as chowder made with lobster, corn, scallop, clams. You name it; it’s been tried and people really go all out.”

When the doors open at 2 p.m. at Trackside Station in Rockland, the community will also be a diverse crowd with different intentions. 

“There are families bringing their children, grandparents up for an afternoon out, and people coming in hoping to see their friends and family win the contest,” said Anderson

But everyone is coming with an empty stomach, and no doubt, a discerning memory of the best dang chili or chowder that their parents or grandparents used to make.

Anderson said, “There’s a lot of bragging rights to winning this competition.”

Participating restaurants in this year’s Rockland Fire Department’ Chili & Chowder Challenge to benefit the Muscular Dystrophy Association include Trackside, The Highlands coffee House, Athens Pizza, Region 8 Culinary, ‘Wich Please, Yardbird Canteen, Pen Bay Hospital, Rockland Café, Thomaston Café, Eclipse, Waterworks, The Lobster Shack, Pho Sizzle, and Park Street Grille. Members of the individuals category include the Chris and Maria Solorzano, Maynard Stanley, Chris Oliver, Brian Sullivan, Ben Adams, Lisa Brandon, Scarborough Fire Department Local 3894, Faye and Anne, Rockland Police Department, St. George Fire Department and the Knox County Sheriff’s Office.

The $10 admission at door includes a ballot.

Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

And.....we’re back! With the holidays falling on the last two weekends, there wasn’t much going on, but now, it’s a new year, and here’s what we’ve got rolling the first week of 2016.

A new place for Happy Hour

Friday, January 8 — Camden

Locals know that The Crow’s Nest at Cappy’s Chowder House has always been closed in the winter, but this week the restaurant is shaking things up by opening up that little snug in a rug bar for the winter. With specials and munchies, this is the place to try for Happy Hour. You’ll make friends within minutes. For more of our Happy Hour listings visit: The Midcoast Guide To Happy Hour.

Blues and Guitar Giveaway at The Speakeasy

Saturday, January 9 — Rockland

Well, now this isn’t something you see in an everyday show. The Juke Rockets, a high octane Maine blues band  will be playing the Speakeasy and giving away a new guitar to someone in the audience. They started out in 2007 playing clubs around Waldo and Knox County. Today they have been judged #1 Blues Band in the State of Maine by the Maine Blues Society for two years in a row. At this special show, they will be giving away a new Fender FA-100 acoustic guitar to one lucky fan! You must be present to win. The show starts at 8 p.m. 

Alternative Funk at Rock City

Saturday, January 9 — Rockland

Vicky Andres and Max MacFarland will be playing 7:00-9:00 p.m.at Rock City Café. The duo plays music with an alternative-rock-funk flair.

Funny, skewering play at The Farnsworth

Saturday, January 9 — Rockland

Get ready for a dramatic play with snark built in. The Farnsworth Art Museum presents Master Class by Terrence McNally: Famed opera singer Maria Callas is teaching a master class. She is glamorous, commanding, larger than life—and drop-dead funny. Callas' first "victim" is Sophie, a ridiculous, overly-perky soprano, dressed all in pink. Sophie chooses to sing one of the most difficult arias, the sleepwalking scene from La Sonnambula—an aria that Callas made famous. Before the girl sings a note, Callas stops her—she clearly can't stand hearing music massacred. And now what has started out as a class has become a platform for Callas. She enters her memories, and we learn about the sacrifices that must be made in the name of art. Master Class won both the 1996 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding New Play and the 1996 Tony Award for Best Play. Either bring the “earmuffs’ or don’t bring the kiddies. The play starts at 2:00 p.m. in the Farnsworth auditorium. This is a play only suitable for adults. Cost: $12, $10 members. FMI: Master Class

Mexican Night at Oyster River Wine Growers

Saturday, January 9 — Warren

If you haven’t yet tried this pop-up gathering, here’s your chance. Salty Soup Kitchen a mobile kitchen is preparing Mexican food paired with sparkling wines and ciders in the heated barn of a winery on a horse-drawn farm. Here’s what they’re trying new this night: Pozole and scallops: “Pozole is the most delicious unsung hero from Mexico — rarely getting the respect it deserves outside of the motherland. It is a beautiful and rustic one-bowl meal made from simmered hominy, pork, chile paste and fresh condiments of radish, cabbage, onion, lime, oregano, and tostadas. A mariachi symphony of smells, colors, textures and flavors.” As for scallops: “Scallops are a pretty special harvest this winter, and they are insanely good right now. Especially on top of the tostadas they will be making.” Food will be served from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. Show up anytime in that window, but bring cash. Drinks are $5/pour. Food ranges depending on the menu of the night from desserts ($2-$5) to snacks ($5-$9) to bigger dishes ($10-$16 or so.) FMI: Mexican Night

Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

In 2015, Sketch Artist Ken Foster started a project to draw or paint 250 portraits of friends, colleagues and acquaintances he’d met over the years and title it The Portrait Project. Here are Midcoast people you might recognize. For privacy’s sake, Foster only refers to them by their first name. See our original story here.

Nick

This is Nick. He and my son have been friends since the second-grade. The beginning of their friendship happened to coincide with the end of my first marriage. The house I moved into during the separation and first couple of years after the divorce was right next door to Nick and his family. We couldn't have been luckier. Nick and Alex played together for hours building forts in Trollum, playing Viva Pinata (a video game), and engaging my friends and I in many Nerf wars. They forged a lasting friendship and I'm crazy proud of the young men they are becoming.

 “When I was in third- or fourth-grade they moved into the house next door,” said Nick. “I knew Alex a little from school. One day I walked over, knocked on the door, and just started being friends After that, we went outside and played tag.”

Nick, 18, is a senior at Camden Hills Regional High School and is still friends with Alex, even though they no longer live next door to one another. “He goes to a boarding school so I don’t see him as much, but we hang out when he comes back for vacations and the summer.”

And yes, they’re still playing video games. “A fair amount, yeah,” he said.

In the summer, Nick and Alex hang out at Foster’s lake house, which they call “Lake Chilling.”

“We’ll go out tubing or swim around,” he said. “Actually, I stopped tubing because there have been several occasions I’ve been injured. The boat is way too powerful and one day, Alex and another friend were sitting on the tube that can only fit two people, and I was sitting on the boat watching them. My leg was kind of extended out around some of the ropes that were connected to the tube and when the boat started moving, the rope started pulling, getting tighter and tighter, constricting my leg. I almost got thrown off the boat. So, that really hurt and I decided never to do it again.”

Asked what he thought about Ken’s portrait, he said, “I liked it a lot. He painted from a photo, which was taken after a cast party we had after we performed Shrek, The Musical in my sophomore year.”

Nick was Pinnochio in that musical. “Ken did a good job with that portrait, he always does,” Nick added. I appreciated that portrait because theater is a big part of my life and it reminds me of the passion I have for it.”

Related stories:

• Hot Sketch: Shannon, Queen of Everyday Adventures

• Hot Sketch: Steven, the man who cross-referenced his way to get to Maine

• Hot Sketch: Terri, the author who used to be a watercolor artist

• Hot Sketch: Cate, the right brain/left brain lady who went to Belize

Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

If you’re one of those people who checks the same five websites every morning with your cup of coffee, it might be time to get your brain in gear for whatever you plan to accomplish in 2016. The top resolutions for people in 2015 were: Losing weight, getting organized, spending less, enjoying life and learning something exciting.

Here are five websites to help you learn something new (and they’re free so you’re spending less.) See how I worked that in?

Love to travel? Learn a new language

www.duolingo.com

You’ve got your tickets and your passport, but now you need to say “Please bring me my umbrella cocktail” in another language. This website allows you to practice a language you’re rusty in, or attempt to learn a new one. I did a beginner lesson in French and then tried one in Irish Gaelic and I liked the way it felt like a game, not like a language lesson. A vocal translator accompanied each sentence, allowing me to practice pronunciation. You can create a profile to save your progress and even set your daily goal of mini lessons ranging from “Basic” to “Insane.”

Feeling too hip? Lose some weight

www.myfitnesspal.com

I have to say, I love this website. It keeps you honest. It’s a free online calorie counter and diet plan. It’s not rocket science, it’s just science. You lose weight by tracking your caloric intake. Because, as you know, those umbrella cocktails have a way of sneaking up on the scale. When you create a profile, which you can make private or share publicly if you want some support from fellow pals, you begin to slowly train your brain on what healthy foods (and fast foods) you can choose each day. When you hit your daily goals, it feels like an accomplishment and motivates you to keep it up.

Spark your creative side

www.skillshare.com

Ugh.... January to April. The pervasive feeling if you’re not an outdoor person in the winter is that there’s nothing to do. But, you don’t just have to binge on Netflix this winter, because this is very cool site that taps into your creative interests. Writing, Photography, Culinary, Design, Business, Film, Fashion, Crafts and DIY—there are more categories to get that right hemisphere of your brain cranking with bite size (one hour) videos that show you how to get better at a particular skill. Additionally, you can get real project feedback, participate in online discussions and read class notes from other students. I love that the app also works on your phone or your tablet.

Tuition-free college education

https://www.edx.org/

How is it possible in the age of exorbitant college costs these days to get a Harvard-level education and not pay a dime? With this website, you can get a English grammar and essay class from UC Berkeley, an Intro to Computer Science class from MIT, a Global Hospitality course from Cornell and way more. This free, nonprofit and open source online learning site allows you to take courses in in computer science, languages, engineering, psychology, writing, electronics, biology, or marketing. They also offer “verified” certificates (for a fee) for people who want to use their completed courses toward a college degree. Hey, beats paying thousands of dollars at a community college for the same thing.

Personal assistant at your service

https://trello.com

Trello is perfect for people are constantly smacking their foreheads and saying ‘D’oh!” because they can’t keep it all straight in their minds. Since I typically organize with Post-it Notes, I really like this easy- to-navigate website (and apps for your phone and tablet).  It’s set up as drag-and-drop virtual Post-It Notes, whatever your daily to-do lists are, from bill paying, studying, work and personal development goals to a shareable board for ideas and tasks with your coworkers. Want to see inspiration on how to customize it for your life or profession? Check it out here.

Happy New Year everyone!

Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

Here is the New Year's Eve rundown and where to go to find every type of entertainment to put you in the mood.

Belfast

New Year's by the Bay

Nineteen years running, the annual New Year's by the Bay is an arts, music and entertainment extravaganza that goes all day until midnight. Three not-to-miss bands this night include the Sauternes, the husband-and-wife duo who combine ambient world flavors with jazz overtones and revive retro lost tunes from the 1920s-1940s.(6-6:45p.m. and 11-11:45 p.m.); Sugarbush, a rollicking soulful trio of musical mamas who bring a variety of genres into their unique Americana Folk mix (7-7:45 p.m. and 9-9:45 p.m.) and People of Earth, a serious groove machine kicking out R & R, Latin, funk and reggae (10:15 p.m.-12 a.m).

One button admits you to all performances and activities of the New Year’s by the Bay 2014 chem-free, family friendly, cultural celebration. Food purchases are separate. Adults – $18; Students K-12, $5; children under 5 are free. For more information visit nybb.org

Front Street Pub

Ring in the new year with champagne, passed hors d’eouvres, prizes giveaway and dancing from 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. $5 cover and 21+

Camden/Rockport

Natalie’s Restaurant

For an upscale NYE, Natalie’s starts with a glass of champagne, and a selection of hors d"oeuvres accompanied by a swinging Jazz Band, followed by an eight-course celebration dinner. After dinner, their Count Down party includes live music, Dutch "oliebollen" (a traditional donut style pastry served in The Netherlands on New Years Eve) a selection of hors d'oeuvres, fun party favors and a champagne toast at midnight. Availability is limited and reservations only. Call 207 236 7008 for more information.

Norumbega Inn

Again for an upscale package join Norumbega Inn for a Chef's Tasting Menu, wine pairing, live music, dinner, and fun priced at $175 per person, plus the cost of your room. Space is limited. Call 236-4646.

Cuzzy’s Restaurant & Bar

Maybe the dining and dancing isn’t your thing. Cuzzy’s will be throwing a New Year’s Eve party with karaoke, starting at 9 p.m.

New The Drouthy Bear

Guitarist Sam Grinnell will be the entertainment, starting at 8 p.m. Warm yourself by the outdoor fire (weather permitting) and once they push back the tables, get ready for some late night dancing.

Rockland

Trackside Station

Ring in the New Year at Trackside Station! Watch the ball drop on their 150-inch screen and other TVs. Champagne toast at midnight. Live tunes by Amber-Jack,  a classic rock band specializing in music from the ‘60s and ‘70s with songs also ranging from the ‘80s to the present.

New Myrtle Street Tavern

Whoopy Kat will be headlining the New Year’s Eve party at the Myrtle. Fronted by a red hot rocker chick and awesome band, they’ll be playing until 2 a.m.

Eclipse & The Speakeasy

This overnight package Blues New Year's Eve Party includes a night at the Trade Winds Motor Inn with New Yorker Slam Allen performing. $229 per couple gets you the room, a four-course dinner at Eclipse, dancing and party at the Speakeasy, a champagne toast, use of the pool and hot tub and breakfast. Note: this is a package deal only and there will be no entry to the Speakeasy without it.  FMI: 596-6055.

Fog Bar and Café

The Dolphin Strikers are back again for a NYE Masquerade from 9 p.m. to midnight. Masks provided but you’re encouraged to wear your own. Drink specials all night.

New Rockland Elks Club

Creatures of Habit will start playing at 6 p.m. with a social hour and appetizers at 7 p.m. Buffet of Prime Rib or Baked Ham $30 per person Tickets: $35/person. Call for more info: 594-9200

Waldoboro

The Narrows Tavern

The St. Huckleberry Trio with their Celtic-tinged Hard Folk plays the Narrows Tavern in Waldoboro starting at 9 p.m.

The Bog Tavern

Bullwinkle's Family Steak House/The Bog Tavern will be hosting their annual New Year's Eve celebration with dinner specials, giveaways, the band Midlife Crisis starts at 9 p.m. There will be New Year's Eve toast at midnight.

Tenants Harbor

The Quarry Tavern

You want a mellow, home-by-11 p.m. kind of night? By the Bay Jazz Trio,  The Quarry Tavern, 21 Mechanic St., Tenants Harbor. 7-10:30 p.m. FMI: EastWindInn.com

Note: If your establishment isn’t listed here it’s because we were unable to find any details of your event posted online. We will be adding more details and more New Year's events as they become available. Please check back! To contact me with more details, email  news@penbaypilot.com

WARREN—On December 22, Santa Claus made a special stop to visit some children in the Tree of Life Learning Center on Route 90 in Warren. Heather L. Nelson, who works with the Children's Collaboration Center in Warren and runs the autism play group said seven families (including her own) showed up to meet Santa.

“Last night was a great success,” she said. “There were nine children with autism and typical siblings as well. Last year my friend, Marshall Perfetto, stepped up when I was looking for a Santa to come to our group. This year, he reached out to me asking if he could play Santa again. Bobbi and Chris Young, of the Tree of Life Learning Center graciously donated the space for the evening and Marshall and I shopped for candy canes and toys for all the children. I originally started the play groups because children like my son Brian, who has autism, are usually not included or able to participate in most of the after-school activities that are offered in the area. I wanted to create a place of inclusion, where they could play how they needed to without being judged, where parents could connect with other parents and typical siblings could also meet other siblings who also get what it's like to live with a brother or sister on the spectrum.

“All of the kids had a great time last night. I'm always surprised by how busy and loud it can get and how different all the kids are. We have some severely affected by autism and some very high-functioning children, yet everyone always seems to have a great time and there are never any huge meltdowns. Our Santa is special because he doesn't just sit in a chair waiting for the kids to approach him. He gets down on the floor and he plays and he is as patient as the kids need him to be. Many of our kids aren't able to wait in lines without difficulty and they need a lot of time to warm up to approaching someone that is different, like Santa. All the kids had a wonderful time and by the end of the night each of them had at least gave Santa a high-five.”

Check out our gallery of photos taken by Heather Nelson.

Got Nog? The wood-fired pizza restaurant Meanwhile In Belfast sure does. They’ve created a rum and sherry-infused homemade eggnog recipe for the holidays that will knock an elf of the shelf.

Clementina Senatore, co-owner and chef, created a modified version of the cocktail, which she adapted from French chef Frederic Le Bordays’ famous recipe, calling it the Eggnog Winter Sherry Flip.

“It’s an interpretation of his recipe. He does his with cognac, but I do mine with rum,” she said. “And we make the eggnog from scratch.”

The sherry used in this drink is Luxardo, which Senatore said can be found in any liquor store. “This is our most popular brunch drink,” said Senatore. “Some people will just sip this over the course of a half hour.”

The Eggnog Winter Sherry Flip is a fairly easy cocktail to layer together and when done, Senatore tops it with a dash of fresh ground coffee. Because the eggnog is made from scratch, the taste is slightly sweet and creamy, not thick, like store bought eggnog. The first sip is coolly fresh with the warm hints of rum and sherry below. And the bite of coffee grounds rounds it off. Why not start off your Christmas morning with this drink?

To make this at home, watch our accompanying video. The recipe also follows below.

The Eggnog Winter Sherry Flip

• 1 ounce Mount Gay
• 1 ounce Luxardo
• ½ ounce Contratto Vermouth Bianco
• ½ ounce Agave
• ½ ounce heavy cream
• 1 pinch of clove and cinnamon
• 1 garnish of orange peel
• 1 organic egg

Shake (but add the ice last!) and pour into a cocktail glass. Garnish with fresh ground coffee.

To see all of our past “What’s In That Cocktail” series (with video!), check out our “Iconic Cocktails” resource page: The best craft cocktails in the Midcoast

Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

The week before Christmas can be terribly stressful for families living paycheck to paycheck. Shel McAfee knows this all too well, which is why her spare bedroom is overflowing with donated toys for parents to pick up—even on Christmas Day.

Penobscot Bay Pilot covered her story last April. McAfee opens her home to strangers 365 days a year. “If my car is in the driveway, I’m home,” she said. “Feel free to knock on my door.”

Despite her disabilities, she is dedicated to making sure parents have something to give their children for the holidays. “I have people at my house almost every single day, whether they’re dropping something off or picking something up,” she said.

A grassroots network exists in the Midcoast to try to help parents in multiple counties. “There are a couple of women in the area, Laurie Jillson of The King’s Closet in Rockland and Ashley Sorrentino in Belfast, who also do what I do,” said McAfee. “There are a group of us who try to help people with clothing and household items.”

Visions of huge Christmas trees piled with toys and gifts underneath permeate holiday commercials, ads and movies, which can make for a very disappointing and unrealistic experience for children whose parents struggle to buy toys with what little they have leftover from bills. It’s a keen sensation McAfee felt as well, raising her own children as a single mother.

Despite the fact McAfee is often hampered by her own medical issues and often has no help moving, sorting and organizing clothing and toys, she does not let her physical limitations close her operation down. “Absolutely not,” she said. “I put myself in the position that so many of these parents are in this time of year. The look on a mother’s face when you give her something that she can give her child, is why I won’t close.”

Oftentimes, parents will bring their children with them when picking out free toys. “The only rule I have for the children when they come in is I tell them you have to mind your manners,” she said. “I never get tantrums. I get a lot of pregnant mothers, wonderful women, who hold their little one’s hands as they wander through the room, asking politely if they can have a toy. I give them whatever they want.”

Unlike a formalized agency, McAfee requires no application or even identification. “I don’t even need to know what your story is, if you need it honey, it’s yours,” she said. The only thing she can’t do is hold specific items. At her home, it’s first come, first served.

 McAfee prefers electronic contact through the Facebook page when arranging for a pickup. Anyone who wants to donate items or browse items for pick up can go to All Free Midcoast.

Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

The uptick of Christmas music, movies and holiday stories this week would have you believe everyone in the world will be home on Dec. 24-25 celebrating with family. But what if you don’t celebrate Christmas, are flying solo this season, or just want to get the heck out of your house? We’ve put together a list of Midcoast restaurants and bars that will be open Christmas Eve (Dec. 24) and Christmas Day (Dec. 25).

Belfast area

Front Street Pub will be closing at 6 p.m. on Christmas Eve and will be back open on Christmas Day at 8 p.m.

China One will be open until 9 p.m. Christmas Eve and open all day Christmas Day until 9:30 p.m.

Ming’s Chinese Restaurant will be open until 8 p.m. both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

Camden

Peter Ott’s On The Water will be open from 4 to 8 p.m. on Christmas Eve.

Natalie’s Restaurant will be open with limited seatings available for 1 p.m., 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Christmas Day.

Cuzzy’s Restaurant and Tavern are open all day on Christmas Eve with karaoke starting at 9 p.m. They are open Christmas Day as well.

Cappy’s Chowder House is open on Christmas Eve until 6 p.m.

Rockland area

Comida will be open Christmas Eve from 5 to 9 p.m.

FOG Bar and Grill is serving lunch on Christmas Eve from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Thomaston Cafe will be open on Christmas Eve from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., and again from 5:30 to 8 p.m.

The Samoset Resort’s Bella Vita is open on Christmas Eve from 11:30 a.m. until approximately 10 p.m., and the same on Christmas Day, but their restaurant is completely booked those two nights.

Trackside is serving lunch and dinner on Christmas Eve, open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Note: if you are a restaurant/bar owner and have updates, please email specific details to news@penbaypilot.com

Many who follow Bangor Police Department’s Facebook page known how funny it is, but recently, the rest of the nation has started to catch on. The page, started in 2010, only had about 10,000 likes when Sgt. Tim Cotton took it over in 2014. In just a year and a half, the page has increased to 83,000 followers and spiked nearly 11,000 more followers over the last two weeks when The Washington Post ran a story titled “This may be the only police department in America with a funny Facebook page.”

With 27 years under his belt as a police officer, Cotton felt the time and culture was right to introduce some levity into the page’s daily posts. His unique sense of sarcastic and satirical humor has been influenced growing up watching Saturday Night Live sketches and reading Mad Magazine, as well as The Onion, P.J. O’Rourke, and Dave Barry.

“I enjoy sarcasm, but I also think you can use it and not hurt people,” he said. “It can be a mean form of comedy, but I try to use humor to make fun of the police as well. Self-deprecation is the key to life. You can tell when someone begins to talk about themselves, if they are overstating their skills, but if you just fall on your sword and point out your own faults in a funny way, it lets everyone know we’re all human, we all have flaws. And I think people will always respond to that better.”

Here are some gem posts from the Bangor Police Department’s Facebook page in the past few months:

“Two men stole a very expensive electric ice auger from a sporting goods store at the mall. A day later the same guys came in and each took a crossbow and a compound bow. The video is being reviewed. I say they are from out of state as we all know that the batteries in an electric auger will only last about 3 minutes when it is 25 below. Watch for them, they will be the guys shooting arrows at the ice when the auger dies. They will be caught. Or hospitalized by a ricochet.”

There’s the time this past November he had to rebuke the international singer, Katy Perry.

“I mentioned yesterday that Katy Perry was at the Fusion; Fire and Ice Extravaganza. It was incredible to meet her.

Sadly, just prior to the Fusion Awards, the Chief of Police and I checked every car in the Husson University parking area for minor violations. Oddly, the only issue we discovered was on Katy Perry's vehicle.

We share this to point out that we play no favorites. Whether you are Katy Perry or any other famous, former, resident of St. Albans, Maine, you need to put your registration stickers on your plate. It is a simple task. Even though KP advised us that she had not done it due to the possibility of getting her thumb dirty.”

Narcissism, it can get you a summons.”

The page’s primary audience is split 60 percent women and 40 percent men, according to Cotton, with the average age range skewing between 25-65. The Bangor Police Department leverages the fans that they attract with the funny stuff into helping them do community policing as well. When the department puts out a photo on a suspect or witness, many of the page’s fans share the information, which assists in finding the individual.

Cotton said, “Since we’ve started using the Facebook page, about 80 percent of the pictures we run, we find that person within 24 hours.”

Here’s a post made regarding two unidentified young shoplifters in October:

“The individuals in this photo are enjoying an evening shopping at Kohls. For the record and just to be clear, Kohls SELLS clothing.

Selling is an ancient tradition in which one person or entity has something that another person or entity would like to have. In this tradition, the person that wants to take the item home would give the owner of the items something of value in return for the privilege of doing this. It really has been going on for a long, long time.

Apparently history is lost on one of the young men in this photo. One of them has determined or maybe forgotten, that the passing of the item of value (in this case, money) is really one of the most important steps in the process.

We understand. We are only running this photo so that others will know that this is not the way to complete a sale.”

Though Cotton tries to keep a balance between jesting and light ribbing, not everyone, of course, is a fan.

“We get some nasty comments sometimes,” he said. “Overall, we have about 95 percent support, but there is a lot of animosity toward police officers. Everyone thinks we’re sitting out there eating donuts, waiting to give tickets. But we’ve got a job to do.”

The Washington Post article pointed out that what might work for a city like Bangor, in a state like Maine, may not necessarily work for communities where tensions between the police and citizens are high.

“You have to put your money where your mouth is,” Cotton said. “We really try to do as much community-related service as we can, and have our officers be human out there and interact with the public in a positive way. But granted, we also have to arrest people who are committing a crime, and not everything can be warm and fuzzy.”

Cotton said that other police departments around the country have responded to the page, asking how they might be able to incorporate humor into their work as well. The public perception is that most police are authority figures and can’t afford to use humor.

“A lot of cops I know have a great self-deprecating sense of humor,” he said. “But, if you don’t present it right, it can come off wrong.”

He cites one police department’s page he followed early on that would routinely mock suspects with derogatory terms.

“It was a constant berating of that particular populace and it didn’t take into an account that everybody has a human side and a back story. When I put someone’s photo up there that we’re searching for, once we identify the suspect, I’ll typically take the post down. We’re not looking to hurt people, just trying to use the page to solve the crime.”

Locals have responded well to Cotton’s style. Midcoast resident Bill Packard said, “I would have to say that the post about the guy that dove into the pool to try to get away in December was one of my favorites. Overall, what I really like about the page is that it evokes a human aspect to things that are not always comfortable. This is just the way it is. We do what you do because you do what you do. No hard feelings on this side. And we all could lighten up.”

Cotton’s main sidekick, a taxidermy American wood duck he calls the Duck of Justice, probably has enough fans of its own to start its own Facebook page. The DOJ often accompanies Cotton on his daily trips in a variety of themed outfits. 

“If ever there is a next time I get pulled over, I sure hope the Duck of Justice is riding shotgun with the BPD officer,” said another Midcoast resident, Nathaniel Bernier.

Right now, fans are following updates about the DOJ coming back from a recent trip in Las Vegas with one of Cotton’s colleagues.

“I got a call from a Pittsburgh sergeant who knew the DOJ would be coming through the airport at midnight,” Cotton said.  “She told me she wasn’t working that night, but she really wanted to go and get a photo of herself with the DOJ.”

What happened in Vegas though, the DOJ has been sworn to secrecy and to keep under wraps.

Don Colson, also one of the page’s fans, echoed what many others also believe: “The Bangor PD has got it right. I really hope other departments are paying attention. Take a little time to know the people. IT WORKS!”

Visit Bangor Police Department’s Facebook page

Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

Some find their “zone” in the arts or music. For figure skater Willow Grinnell, the moment she steps on the ice is when she feels she’s most creative. “I like to take a couple of laps around the rink, getting up to that powerful and fast glide before I do my favorite jumps and spins,” she said. “I love the freedom of being able to create my own programs.”

When emotional songs, like Adele’s “Hello” play over the loudspeaker, it takes her out of her everyday thoughts and into the zone.

“The best feeling is when I’m going super fast around the rink and go into a big arabesque spiral,” she said.

Willow first tried ice skating at three years old and began training as a figure skater at seven years old. There are eight levels to becoming a senior figure skater and at 18 years old, so far she’s mastered six.

She passed her juvenile freestyle and intermediate moves, which are patterns or figures on the ice. In the Midcoast, there’s not much available competition figure skating, which suits Willow just fine. She’s never really been interested in competing, just bettering her skills and when she goes to college, she thinks she’ll stop testing altogether and just skate for fun.

On a rainy day in December, she sits in Mr. Kahn’s art room at Camden Hills Regional High School and opens her laptop to show me photos taken of her performances on ice in the last few years. “I’ve been working on this particular move lately; it’s every figure skater’s worst nightmare,” she said. “It’s an axel, the only jump you take off from forward so you jump up, spin from a rotation and a half and land backwards.”

She said she’s fallen so many times, she doesn’t even feel it any more.

“The first thing you learn is to fall left or right and to land so you don’t hurt yourself,” she said. “But one time, I landed so hard on my tailbone I bruised it and it hurt for weeks.”

I asked if that deterred her from getting back on her skates and she smiled. “Nope. Never.”

Other moves she’s mastered include the layback spin, in which she drops her head and shoulders and arches her back downwards toward the ice and spins. It looks like a terrifying, if not nauseating, move. “You get to a point where you just learn not to get dizzy,” she said.

Along with skating, she plays field hockey and a little bit of lacrosse, but sees herself focusing more on school when she goes to college next year. She still hasn’t decided where she wants to go but she wants to study the environment.

"I will always see figure skating as 'my thing',” she said. “When people ask me what I like do, I say I'm a figure skater.”

Willow will be performing as Frozen’s Elsa alongside Santa on Sunday, December 20, at the Midcoast Recreation Center in Rockport. The show begins at 12:30 p.m. with performances by Midcoast skaters.

Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

One day in 2009, while waiting for his partner to get ready so they could go to a holiday party, Joshua Bodwell, Maine Writer’s and Publisher’s Alliance executive director, was just idly thumbing through his bookcase, when he had the idea to come up with a “Baker’s Dozen” list of books that resonated with him in that past year.

“I read the year-end list that the major publishers put out, but I think they can be kind of anxiety-producing,” he said. “I didn’t want to put together something that parroted a New York Times Top 10 bestseller list, which can make you feel like ‘Oh My God, I haven’t read this, I haven’t read that...’ and those lists are made largely by people who read for a living. With my list, I wanted it to be more organic, a little more thoughtful looking back on what I read and why I cared about it.”

Recalling a Stephen King quote he’d read in Entertainment Weekly, Bodwell said: “He had this great line about how there’s buzz and then there’s hype. Buzz is sort of like seeing your friend in the grocery store and you have to gush about a book or a movie. Hype is who’s got the most pop-up ads and billboards promoting the book. He was making a case for buzz.”

Friends and family responded so well to Bodwell’s annual book list that he’s been doing it ever since. He just released his latest “Baker’s Dozen” recommendations and more than a few Maine writers have made the list. The interesting thing is that not every book he chooses has just been released. “For example, I just read John McPhee’s Oranges, which came out in 1967,” he said. “To me, this list is truer to what people’s reading lives are like.”

We asked him to provide five that fit the following categories. His descriptions come from his blog.

Funniest

The State We’re In: Maine Stories by Ann Beattie

From the mordant humor of “The Little Hutchinsons” to the sly warmth of “Yancey” in The State We’re In: Maine Stories, Beattie remains a master storyteller I so admire as she continues to stretch out and evolve.

Most poignant

Our Souls at Night by Ken Haruf

(Knopf, 2015) I read Our Souls at Night with the sad knowledge it was the last novel Kent Haruf completed before his passing in late 2014. From the first page, Haruf’s already spare style is stripped to its very essence.

Most representative of Maine

Closer All the Time by Jim Nichols

Closer All the Time traces the lives of damaged vets, good-hearted drunks, clam poachers, broken boxers, damaged young boys, prop plane pilots, husbands and wives, single women, and others. They are all, each in their own way, people like the rest of us who struggle profoundly to understand their place in the world.

Newest voice

Love the Stranger by Jay Deshpande

Deshpande was a new discovery for me this year. The poetry in this debut collection reveals a rare combination of great intelligence and linguistic skill filtered through a big, generous heart.

Breakout shining star

After the Parade by Lori Ostlund

Ostlund is a writer of great humanity and has a gift for infusing the novel’s sometimes nearly unbearable sorrow with laugh out loud humor.

To see more of Bodwell’s book picks visit his blog Bodwell’s Baker’s Dozen or check out the winners of the 2015 Maine Literary Awards.

Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

 It’s all about the music this weekend. And what a smorgasbord! Alternative, Americana, rock and roll, Scottish, Cuban salsa and dun dun de dun, the theme song to Star Wars: The Force Awakens (thanks John Williams).

National ‘Ugly Sweater Day’ at Trackside

Friday, Dec. 18 — Rockland

Adult Alternative/Top 40ish band Just Teachers will be taking over Trackside Station for National Ugly Sweater Day, rocking the place starting at 9 p.m.

The Mallet Brothers Band at Simonton Corner

Saturday, Dec. 19 — Rockport

The ever-popular Mallett Brothers Band will be playing an intimate show at Simonton Corner Dance Hall (366 Main St.) in Rockport, featuring two sets from the Malletts, with an opening set from Midnight Riders beginning at 8 p.m. Known for their Americana, county, rock and roll vibe, they’ve been taking Maine by storm in recent years. Donations at the door of $15-20 will go to the artists and venue expenses. There will be some refreshments available on site, as well as a bonfire later.

Primo Cubano at The Speakeasy

Saturday, Dec. 19 —Rockland

If you look at your waistband and see a little muffin top (and who doesn’t this time of year?) you can work it off with some chip-free salsa when Primo Cubano takes the stage at The Speakeasy with their Cuban-inspired, Maine-made music. It's time to take to the dance floor and work those hips and shimmy shakes! (One hour can burn up to 450 calories!) The show starts at 8:30 p.m.

Scottish Holiday Concert

Saturday, Dec. 19 — Camden

Friday, Dec. 18 to Sunday, Dec. 20— Bangor

Die-hard Star Wars fans can hit up the Thomaston Flagship theater today and tonight for midnight premier or, if you’d rather get your beauty sleep, drive to a galaxy far, far away (Bangor) for a weekend-long Star Wars “Galactic Gathering” fest at the Bangor Mall cinemas to see The Force Awakens. Celebrated as a mini Comic Con, expect to see local artists, memorabilia, costumes, toys, comics, apparel and more. Remember this guy? You may even see R2D2 itself. FMI:  Times of show

Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

LINCOLNVILLE—The Lincolnville Community library celebrated the holiday season on Wednesday night December 16 with an array of storytellers, singers, musicians, and cookies.

Check out Phil Clements and his daughter Sophie’s beautiful rendition of “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas” video as well as the community singalong video (with Will Brown and Scott Harrison) of “Have a Holly Jolly Christmas.”

Our gallery of photos has more details about the participants.

It’s like you were there!

Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

There are dual sides to 18-year-old Matt Young and he knows it. There’s a playful, creative side that comes out in his art. And then there’s the kid who doesn’t plan on going to college, but rather, into the workforce. The kid who digs trucks and engines.

“I like art a lot,” he said. “I see it as an expressive form. It’s a way to get my mind off other stuff.”

Two years ago, Matt took a metal sculpture class and while everyone else chose to make flat designs out of sheet metal, he decided to make 3-D characters from the movie Minions.

”I thought I’d take this hard material and make this soft, loveable creature,” he said. His mother has claimed the Minions pieces, but he’s had requests from classmates to make more.

Engines and anything on wheels are what spurs Matt’s artistic interests. He recently made a clay prototype of a Honda CX500, the kind his father owns. “I’ve been riding on motorcycles since I was about 3 years old,” he said. “My dad used to take bungee cords and strap my sisters and me to him, because we used to fall asleep on the back.”

“I love sketching,” he said. “Since I was 4 years old, I’ve been sketching tractor trailers.”

He’ll take a sketchbook and draw trucks for hours with pencils, working on the shading. “My father used to be a long haul trucker. He used to come home and draw rough sketches of them, which got me into it,” he said.

Matt sees himself getting his commercial driver’s license and following his father’s initial career into long haul trucking as well. “I don’t plan on going to college,” he said. “I see a need for further education as far as practical stuff, but I don’t see going to college for philosophy or advanced English. I might go to technical school, instead.

“Motocross and engines are basically what I center my life around,” he said. “I just love working around machines and I could see the drawing coming into it as a mechanical engineer or a car designer some day.”

Hail to the Rad Kids is a recurring feature highlighting teens with artistic and/or musical talent. 

Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot

Behind the Slides, our ongoing feature, is where we meet up with an artist who presented at a PechaKucha event and find out the deeper story beneath the images they chose to portray.

Rafi Baeza has more than 20 years of visual branding experience, ranging from developing identities for corporations such as FedEx to working on museum exhibitions. He has received numerous awards for his work, including a gold medal from the AIGA biennial exhibition in Miami. His work has appeared in both Communication Arts and Print magazines. Baeza is currently a graphic designer and the creative director of the Farnsworth Art Museum. He is proud to have grown up in Camden, where he lives today.

Note: The slides appear in the right column. Click on the photos to match them with the actual slide notes (in italics). Beneath the slide notes will be the deeper story.

PK Design

Design is about ideas and I have been fortunate enough to spend my whole career coming up with ideas that solve problems for people. This is an image I created for PechaKucha a couple of years ago and thought it fitting to begin with. The concept being, what is inside an idea.

The hardest part about creating this image was figuring out how to cut open a light bulb. My friend, Annie Brown, suggested a string, paraffin and fire. Violà! I love the adventure certain projects take you on.

Moving to Maine

After moving back to Maine, it was only a matter of time before I was asked to create a lobster logo.  This logo is made up of the elements of a standup paddleboard race unique to the Midcoast that the organizers, Mark and Thor, wanted me to convey. You can see in the head the mountains meeting the sea and in the tail a SUP paddle.

A lobster is actually very cool looking, very graphic.

In 2015, Sketch Artist Ken Foster started a project to draw or paint 250 portraits of friends, colleagues and acquaintances he’s met over the years and title it The Portrait Project. Here are Midcoast people you might recognize. For privacy’s sake, Foster only refers to them by their first name. See our original story here.

Cate

This is Cate. She's an accountant. We both like to do life drawing so that's usually where I see her. Cate didn't think I was going to do her portrait because I "friended" her after I started the project. Boy, is she going to be surprised.

Cate just got back from a week-long vacation with her husband in Belize, where they were celebrating turning 60 this year. Asked if she took along her drawing materials with her, she said: “Oh sure. I took a lot of photographs and did a watercolor painting in the town of Hopkins. I was struck by the amazing colors of the buildings and flowers and the Caribbean sea. Everything has such beautiful, bright colors.”

The place where they vacationed is a resort called Hamanasi. “It was just a wonderful break before tax season starts for me.”

An accountant who happens to be an artist. Most people who identify as left-brain thinkers tend to have strong math and logic skills. Others who identify as right-brain thinkers, tend to express themselves creatively. Cate feels she’s both.

“It’s a balance,” she said. “I’ve always enjoyed numbers, but I’m also drawn to the artistic expression things that can’t be described with words or numbers — that nonverbal side. If I don’t have that creative, artistic outlet, then it’s not a very satisfying life for me.”

Asked what she thought of Ken Foster’s portrait of her, she said: “I was so excited, I just squealed. I didn’t think he’d have time to do it. We became Facebook friends while he was in the midst of the project. So, when the portrait popped up, I was totally surprised.”

The photo that Ken chose to do the portrait from was on Cate’s Facebook page.

“It’s a picture of me in a tea house in Glasgow, Scotland, and I’m sitting up very straight and looking very regal, which is not my normal pose,” she said. “After I saw how he drew me, I thought, maybe I am regal on the inside!”

Related stories:

• Hot Sketch: Shannon, Queen of Everyday Adventures

• Hot Sketch: Steven, the man who cross-referenced his way to get to Maine

• Hot Sketch: Terri, the author who used to be a watercolor artist

Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

There’s some very cool stuff going on in Rockland this weekend and the hard part will be trying to choose which venue to go to. Or, you can hop in the car, go down to a just-opened outdoor skating rink in Portland, take a twirl on the ice and sip craft brews after.

Strand Theatre presents Rockland Shorts

Friday, December 11—Rockland

They’re back again, the always entertaining series of short creative films put on by the Maine Short Film Festival on subjects close to Mainer's hearts: art, environment, horror, social justice, comedy, and organic farming. The shorts cover all genres including fiction, non-fiction, experimental and animation. Admission is $8.50 and the show starts at 5:30 p.m.

Save Rock City Launch Party

Saturday, December 12—Rockland

Here’s the skinny (latte). Rock City Café is under threat of having to close unless they purchase a new roaster as the smell and smoke of the current one is causing problems with neighbors. To crowdfund a new roaster, they’re throwing an all-ages launch party featuring The Dolphin Strikers with special guests First In Maths and poet Dave Morrison. The suggested donation is $10, which gets you admission and some snacks. The show starts at 6 p.m. FMI: Rock City Café

PopUP art show at Steel House

Saturday, December 12 to Sunday, December 13—Rockland

Pop ups are the hot thing now and the Steel House in Rockland will be featuring the area’s hottest artists and makers. They will also have their letterpress fired up and ready to print cards on-demand. The event is at 711 Main Street, Rockland and goes both days from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Electronic Dance Music at The Speakeasy

Saturday, December 12—Rockland

Get lost in electronic soundscapes and booty shaking with Quantum. This is an interesting project band led by founding member Jason Dean, who has been a professional drummer for 15 years. His goal is to create a vehicle for fresh and exciting music from Midcoast Maine to NYC. The show starts at 9 p.m. and will be recorded for DVD concert release.

Killer Road Trip: Ice skating with beer and PB&Js

Saturday, December 12 to Sunday, December 13—Portland

Last week The Ice Rink at Thompson's Point (located right off I-295 in Portland) opened with a warming tent serving peanut butter sandwich creations by the food truck PB&ME and beer and wine available from The Bar Association. You can bring your own skates or the rink will have hockey skates for you to rent. The rink is open seven days a week. Admission is $8. The Ice Rink is at 10 Thompsons Point, Portland or call 207-239-3729.

Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

PORTLAND—Stumble down to the ground floor of the Portland Public Library and you’re sure to feel how Alice did after sipping the “Drink Me” sizzurp.

A contemporary art exhibition titled “Wake Up Alice!” began November 6 at the library, featuring the surreal, fantastical and cheeky works of 35 Maine artists depicting some element of Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. The exhibit celebrates the 150th anniversary of the book’s publication as well as the 10th anniversary of the Illustration Program at Maine College of Art (MECA).

“I find that people are either in love with Alice In Wonderland or slightly freaked out by it,” said MECA’s Illustration Program Chair and Assistant Professor Scott Nash. “And it’s funny, I read the book when I was a kid in various forms, but there are certain of our artists that were sort of put off by the book and how unkind the characters were to one another. But that’s the nature of nonsense, moving from one curious situation to another. We, like Alice, travel through Wonderland, much in the way we observe things in dreams—dispassionately.”

Headed up by Nash, the exhibit took two years to prepare and curate. “All of the artists represented in the show have had some connection to our department, either as visiting faculty, current faculty, alumni and even current students,” Nash said, “I wanted to run the full gamut—from seasoned illustrators to new talent. As a result, we’ve gotten some remarkable pieces and some of the student illustrations are our most popular works.”

The diversity of the show shows the range of artistic expression inspired by this story. One of the focal points of the exhibit is a section of wall with what seems like manic Sharpie scribbles. Artist Declan McCarthy put the book on tape and listened to it out loud as he scrawled the entire plot of the book in cartoon form on the wall. “He did this over the course of a few days while we were hanging the show,” said Nash. “He wrote out the whole story in real time. It was incredible to watch him as he worked.”

Another artist who brought out the visceral energy of The Mad Hatter, Alice falling down the rabbit hole and The Cheshire Cat was Lori Stebbins, a recent graduate of MECA. Her dream-within-a-cartoon depiction of these iconic characters washed in dark greens and blues, is another popular attraction to the exhibition. “I’ll get different reactions on what people are focusing on in the show and this is one that’s getting noticed,” Nash said. “I adore Lori’s ‘Alice’ figure and and the dimensions of the illustration all akimbo.”

Nash himself, has a few pieces in the show. A diminutive Alice stands in a wash of white looking up after realizing where she is and says something people won’t expect. “As I was getting work in for the show, I took the opportunity to do something a little understated, taking advantage of white space and the idea of Alice shrinking,” Nash said. That’s what I would have said, I’m afraid.”

So far, 4,000 people have come through to view the exhibit, which is on par with MECA’s Illustration Department’s previous shows at the Portland Public Library on Edward Gorey, Maurice Sendak and The Art of The Pulps. Nash is proud of his Illustration Department. "There is such a wealth of illustrators in Maine. Coming from Boston 20 years ago, I'm just astounded at all of the talent here. It's the primary reason we're able to develop shows like this."

The show will hang until December 31 at the Portland Public Library. For more information visit: Wake Up Alice

Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

ROCKLAND—Maine filmmakers are usually a quiet, under-the-radar bunch, but when the Maine and Film Video Association (MFVA) gets some of their best work together, the result is like watching a book of short stories come to life. From satire and parodies to a breathtaking underwater film, the second annual 2016 Maine Short Film Festival’s lineup promises to inspire an emotional response from audiences all over Maine with its premier show kicking off in Rockland at the Strand Theatre on December 11.

“Last year we had 27 entries; this year we had 42,” said filmmaker and Maine and Film Video Association Board Chair Richard Kane. “So, there’s a lot more interest in the festival all across the state. A lot of these filmmakers just do their own thing and they’re not all that concerned about getting their work out. And that’s why we exist— to develop an audience for these filmmakers.”

Three of the strongest films that Kane felt stood out in the festival include:

Fever (17:34 minutes) by Marie Chao and Matthew J. Siegel. Fever is a psychological thriller about a woman's desperate attempt to recapture the affection of her estranged husband.

Heart & Hand (4:26 minutes) by Sharyn Paul Brusie and Kevin Brusie Heart & Hand celebrates the life of a farmer and his animals. Through video, music and poetry, this pure and rich life is revealed.

Bonaire (1:34 minutes) by Mauricio Handler, a legendary underwater cameraman. This commercial spot was produced as part of a Dutch Caribbean National Parks environmental awareness campaign.

“These filmmakers are the most mature of what we’ve seen,” he said, adding that film festivals typically only accept artistic or independent entries, but that the Maine Short Film Festival opened their doors to commercial or sponsored work as well. “I think it’s important that we serve our members and many of our members are making commercial films, spots and PSAs,” Kane said. “That’s the way they make their living.”

Of the 14 films selected, three, including Bonaire, are exceptional pieces of commercial work. The rest of the 100-minute program focuses on original screenplays in all genres: documentary, fiction, experimental, comedy and horror.

According to lead juror, Louise Rosen, director of the Maine Jewish Film Festival, “There is a terrific range of work by Maine filmmakers, from humorous to poetic to sassy to scary.”

Other shorts that will be sure to entice some laughs include: My So-Called Housing Cooperative (10:54 minutes) by Craig Saddlemire, the story of young adults trying to live a life of cooperation and compassion... without losing their minds. This episode from a monthly webisode features a scripted parody based upon real life at the Faire Bande à Part Housing Cooperative (Faire-Op), a three story apartment building in Lewiston, ME. Then there’s I Just Don't Get It - It's My Russian Soul (7:25 minutes) by Walter Ungerer, a dialogue between a young Russian man and his English girlfriend; where he explains his vodka habit. “I just don’t get it? It’s my Russian soul. Why can’t you understand?”

The Festival will premiere Friday, December 11 at 5:30 p.m. and will feature many of the filmmakers and jurors in a Q&A after the program. The Festival will tour ten Maine theaters throughout the winter and spring of 2016. 

Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com