BELFAST — Vinolio owner Susan Woods said you could easily spend up to an hour just roaming around her store, nibbling on this and tasting a little of that. It's Belfast's latest addition on Main Street and it's got all the elements of a perfect Cheap Date. It's fun. It's adventurous. It's a creative way to share a unique sensory experience and it's free to taste as many flavors of olive oils, vinegars, sea salts and whatever other local yummies Woods has decided to offer as samples for the day.

Vinolio opened for business June 21 and recently hosted its grand opening this past week with a wine tasting and appetizers made with Vinolio's products, such as a gazpacho made with garlic infused olive oil, goat cheese balls rolled in walnuts and drizzled with a fig balsamic vinegar and garbanzo beans cooked with Chinese Five Spice drizzled with cayenne extra virgin olive oil.

Here's where you make that "Oh my God, yum!" face, like you're almost mad you weren't there to taste this.

Woods and her husband, Joe, own the gorgeous light-filled space surrounded on all four walls with exposed brick and have held onto it for 10 years, always with the plan to open their own store downtown. They were poised to go through with their plans five years ago but the economy and the timing wasn't right. This summer, everything seemed to come together to make their dream a reality.

Each section of the store has been carefully planned to feature something fabulous. In the center of the room a table holds loaves of fresh, crusty baguettes from Offshore Bakery, which is used for the tastings. Small specialty food items, largely from local purveyors, are available for purchase throughout the store and include things like natural sea salts (also out for tastings), pastas, brownies and cakes, popcorn, local confitures and even an entire cooler of Eat More Cheese items, courtesy of their neighbor across the street.

On the left side of the store, the row of gleaming stainless steel containers, called fusti, dispense the traditional, flavored and white balsamic vinegars and ultra premium extra virgin olive oils ranging from mild to robust. 

"People who know olive oils usually tend to gravitate to the robust side, whereas people just learning usually start with the mild flavors," said Woods. As part of her store tour, Woods picks up a laminated sheet patrons can refer to in order to see what constitutes an extra virgin olive oil based on standards adopted by the USDA and International Olive Oil Council. Basically this sheet is shorthand for: This is the good stuff. Trust. Down the line is a small collection of fusti containing fused extra virgin olive oils, where fruit is crushed with the olives to yield flavors such as blood orange, lemon and cayenne chili. Infused oils are infusions after the crushed cycle.

"I'd say the Tuscan Herb and the Garlic have been the favorite infused oils," she said.  Another row on the left wall features traditional dark balsamic vinegars, all from Modena, Italy, the majority of which have been aged at least 12 years.The Fig and Dark Chocolate vinegars are her best sellers.

Part of the culinary adventure is opening yourself to new ways to heighten a food's natural flavor. "The other day I made a chocolate brownie with vanilla ice cream and fresh raspberries and drizzled it with the raspberry balsamic vinegar," she said. "We have recipes out to give people ideas but if they go to our website, they'll find even more."

To explore the white balsamic vinegars, all you have to do is cross the room. "The cranberry pear has been our big seller. People are crazy about these white balsamic vinegars," she said. "Especially with salads." A small table by the counter offers even more variety: a sesame, a white truffle and an almond oil.

Woods' store hasn't been open that long, but she has been working almost seven days a week every week and word of mouth has largely brought people through the door. Future plans include monthly wine tastings and eventually beer tastings, after they add more to their craft beer section. "We have about 75 labels now, when we get to 100, then we'll be able to do beer tastings," she said.

Wine and craft beer tastings too? Okay they're going to have to make room somewhere in their store for my tent, because once I go back in, I'm not coming out.

The craft beer section features a healthy selection of Maine-made brews as well as other local favorites like Dogfish Ale. "When my husband and I moved in Seattle in the 90s, our exposure to beer was Heineken, Rolling Rock, that kind of thing," said Woods, who, like her husband, grew up in Belfast. "There the craft brew scene was everywhere and we never knew how really good beer could taste. So when we moved back to Maine, we brought that passion for craft beers with us."

The right-hand corner of the store is dedicated to red and white wines, champagnes and sparkling wines, offering about 175 labels.

There is so much to see and explore in this store and when you're done tasting, there are three sizes of Vinolio olive oil and vinegar bottles that staff can fill, starting at $10 for the small bottle (and yep, that pretty much fits the Cheap Date budget profile).

For more information on Vinolio, visit their website or their Facebook page.

For more on Belfast's foodie scene, check out our story: 24 Hours In Belfast For The Locavore

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Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com.

ROCKLAND — Cheryl Denz, owner of Terra Optima farm in Appleton, which she's run for more than 15 years, had bigger dreams for the farm's community outreach. She initially opened a small, independent store after her eponymous farm in Thomaston, but recently relocated to the Main Street space left vacant by Sweets and Meats in South Rockland. Last week was her soft grand opening. With The Good Tern at the most northern end of Rockland and now Terra Optima at the South End, people don't have to walk far to find the kind of fresh, local produce, meats, cheese, milk, bread, and other locally made items they'd usually have to travel far and wide to get. It's all in one place and Denz said she is thrilled at the welcoming reception she's already received.

Why did you move from Thomaston to Rockland?

We weren't getting the kind of foot traffic we wanted and it's really important to me to be part of the community. It's also equally important for people to have access to really good food. When I saw the space I thought, wow, this really might work.

What are you bringing from your own farm to this market?

Mostly meat. We raise a lot of hogs, so we offer fresh pork. I also make my own sausage. I also raise broiler chickens. That's the primary focus of my farm. I do some beef, but that's usually reserved for CSAs.

What have you brought in from other farms that people can access?

Palmer Hill Farms from Thorndike provides a lot of our vegetables, such as peas, yellow squash, and zucchini. They also provide our milk and cream. Our corn, carrots and blueberries come from Beth's Farmstand. We also carry bread from Offshore Baking in Montville and Bud and Linda Bailey's honey from Whitefield. Sewall's Orchard provides our cider vinegar. We also get produce when it's available from the Teen Agriculture program from Erickson Fields Preserve in Rockport. It's an educational program for teenagers to learn how to be farmers. My particular interest is in education around this field.

Really? What do you do?

My background is in horticulture and I have a keen interest in educating on this subject. I do a lot of workshops; anything that's related to horticulture. To get young people into the business of farming, I will do anything I can to encourage that. What I see happening is that our farming population here in Maine is aging and we don't have enough young people. I think it's important for people my age to become mentors to younger people.

You've really made an effort to involve your community in your store. How has your community reacted to your opening?

It's been overwhelming positive and we've only been open a week! I had no idea. It was like this huge gamble for me and the community has been very, very supportive and it's just been delightful to me.

To find out more about Terra Optima Farm Market's store, visit their Facebook page. For now until July 23, Terra Optima is waiting on getting a phone line. The best way to reach them Denz said is to stop on in. There's a possibility they may throw a more formal Grand Opening.

"I like a good party," she said, so stay tuned.

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Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

BELFAST - The Celtic people were never known to be a dour bunch and this weekend's Annual Maine Celtic Celebration is making the most of its free-flung, crazy wild heritage with a host of music, games, celebrations, food and contests. We checked in with Claudia Luchetti, the celebration's publicity director, on three of its well-known (not-to-miss) wacky events.

Highland Heavy Games

Sunday July 21, 8:30 a.m. Steamboat Landing

The traditional Highland Heavy Games go all the way back to the 11th-Century and possibly even before that in the Scottish Highlands. Each game or competition tests the strength and coordination of each competitor to their maximum capability. It is like watching the Olympic Games firsthand, but in Celtic cultural form and tradition. First, here's a rundown on what they actually are:

Scottish Hammer Throw — A heavy metal ball (12/16 pounds for women, 16/22 pounds for men) is attached to a four-foot wooden shaft. With both feet in fixed position, the athlete whirls the hammer overhead and then tosses it forward in an attempt to reach a longer distance than any hammers thrown by competitors.

The Caber Toss — The athlete holds up and balances a long tapered pine pole (basically a tree that has been cut and trimmed down!), then runs forward and launches the caber and tries to flip it end over end the longest distance of any caber toss by competitors, relative to a straight "12 o'clock" path.

An Open Stone Put — Similar to a shot put, yet with a heavy stone as the object (8-12 pounds for women, 16-22 pounds for men), the stone can be thrown by any method as long as the toss begins with the stone in one hand cradled in the athlete's neck before being tossed the longest possible distance.

Heavy Weight Throw — Weights are metal with handles attached, thrown with one hand by the athlete, some putting a spin on their toss (28 lbs. for women, 42 pounds for "masters men") and a similar throw with weights not quite so heavy (14 pounds for women, 28 pounds for men). The athelete who can execute longest throw is the winner.

The Weight Over the Bar—The athlete heaves a very heavy weight (56 pounds, or 4 stones) over a horizontal bar. Each competitor gets three attempts, and those who are successful move to the next level in raising the bar until only one is left.

"I didn't see all of them last year, but the one that stands out for me is The Caber Toss," said Luchetti. "To do The Caber Toss, the contestants have to first pick up this long wooden pole, which looks like it weighs somewhere between 100 - 200 pounds, and balance it vertically, then has to throw it so that it tumbles end over end and whoever throws it the longest distance in that way wins."

Luchetti said that these Highland Heavy Games attract professionals who train for these games year-round and travel all over the country to compete, so that it will definitely be a thrilling show. Amateurs may also try their hands in certain categories.

The New World Cheese Rolling Championships

Sunday, July 21, 1:30 p.m. Belfast Common

Little known fact: cheese rolling dates back to the 1800s in the U.K. The Cheese Roll Championships will consist of 10 races this year, based on age and gender of contestants.

"This competition is limited to 10 people and nobody can pre-register for it. They have to start at the bottom of the hill and run up (not with the cheese). The first 10 people to get up the hill first can gain a place to paticipate," said Luchetti.

Each race begins with a three-pound wheel of cheese being rolled down the slope on Belfast Common toward the bay. The whole point is that the wheel stays upright and in each category (five categories of men and boys and five categories of women and girls) the contestents line up at the top of the hill and race one another to catch up with and grab the cheese wheel. The first to grab it wins The Grand Prize - the cheese wheel itself. The cheese wheelmaker, Cathe Morrill, sponsoring owner of the  State of Maine Cheese Company in Rockport, notes that "each wheel is composed of three full pounds of our customers' favorite kind of cheese, Katahdin Cheddar Cheese. All you can eat, just for chasing it down the slippery slope.”  Also according to Morrill, "We did something a little different with the cheese this year. Instead of naturally aging the cheese to create a rind, we used the 'clothbound' method. There are two advantages to this method. First, there will be more edible cheese for the winner. They won’t have to carve off the hard, natural rind to get to the great cheese inside. All they need to do is remove the cloth and enjoy the delicious unwrapped cheese. Secondly, as the cheese ages, we develop a beautiful green color on the outside of the cloth. It just seemed so fitting to have a Celtic colored cheese to roll down the hill."  

Celtic Dog Show

Saturday, July 20, 9:00 - 11:00 a.m. Parade and following show, Steamboat Stage

Anyone who owns a Celtic breed of dog can participate in this fun event, in which short little wee dogs have been known to strut around kitted up and in Scottish uniforms behind a Scottish bagpiper. The opening parade around the Celebration site starts at 9:00 AM.  Following the parade, dog owners will gather at the Steamboat Stage and do a little show and tell about their dogs including the breed's history and characteristics, along with any other interesting facts or human interest stories. A list on this website shows what breeds are eligible. "It's really a chance for people who love Celtic stuff and dogs to talk about the dogs and meet other people," said Luchetti.

Visit Penobscot Bay Pilot for more information and a schedule of events

Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

Welcome to our new summer series that provides a 24-hour guide to the Midcoast for a variety of personalities, crafted by locals who know this place inside and out. You're not going to see the most expensive and the most obvious choices here. What you will find is the best of real Maine — where to stay, where to go, where to eat and drink.

BELFAST — You have your own garden, you own a CSA share and you're not afraid to ask the waiter 20 questions on where it was grown, if it's local and in season. When the locavore goes on vacation, it's all about the food and drink. Belfast has always had the earthy, artsy vibe, but like its Midcoast siblings Camden and Rockland, this bohemian town has been steadily gaining a hip reputation over the last 10 years, largely due to the artists and new eateries moving in. So come to Belfast where cool meets collectivism and get ready to spend 24 hours in locavore heaven.

Morning: Rise And Shine Darlin'

Our in-the-know sources tell us that The Alden House Inn (63 Church St.), an 1840 house owned by innkeepers Rose Cyr and Larry Marshall, offer affordable rooms, an expansive garden and fresh, homemade breakfasts featuring local ingredients. They use top quality products from local farms and artisan suppliers such as New Beat Farms in Knox for their greens and seedlings, Orwin's Eggs in Belfast for their eggs and and Aurora Mills flour and cornmeal from Songbird Farm in Starks for their Maine grown grains. Some of their specialties include shirred eggs with herbs, chevre and Virginia ham, scones, blueberry pancakes served with Maine maple syrup and smoked bacon, vegetable strata and Rose's fresh-baked popovers with maple butter that people go absolutely bonzo over. They also offer on-site therapeutic massages and to-go lunches (including vegetarian) for your day's excursion.

Mid-morning Activity

July is peak growing season in Maine and if you happen to be up for a weekend, and every Friday Belfast Garden Club chooses a local garden with the "wow" factor and arranges with the owner to have an Open Garden Days tour from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The various types of gardens (from Japanese to edible to four-season with meandering stone paths) can be found at their website. (Note: gardens with past dates are now closed to the public). But you can simply walk right up to the owner's property and you will be warmly welcomed. All they ask is a $4 donation, which benefits the Club's civic beautification projects.

If you're up any other day of the week, Good Karma Farm and Spinning Co. (67 Perkins Road) is a full-time working farm in Belfast that welcomes tours by appointment. They're like the flippin' Martha Stewart of agriculture. They raise alpacas for fiber and breeding stock; they spin their own yarn on location at the farm and they make their own soap. Good Karma Farm is also the home of Carrabassett Soap Company, now in its 14th year of soapmaking.

Lunch Time, And You're Starvin' Like Marvin

By the time you come back from your pokin' around adventures, it's lunch time and there is no better place for the locavore to have lunch than Belfast's own jewel, the Belfast Co-op, a community-owned health store, deli and café since 1976. Take your time sussing out the entire store first, which offers a locally grown produce department, free-range and organic meats, fresh-caught seafood, Maine-made cheeses, gluten-free, vegan and vegetarian selections, as well as all-natural Asian, Indian, Thai, and Mexican foods and ingredients. (They're one of the only places in town offering craft beer and organic wine selections too—so if you're a fan of Maine made libations, stock up.) And bonus: one of their own staff has his own award-winning beer for sale. Every first Friday of the month, they even hold a free art opening/wine and cheese tasting, featuring seasonal wines and gourmet cheeses from 7 to 9 p.m. But oh, we almost forgot lunch! Sit down at their self-serve cafe after ordering something delicious from their deli, which changes up its specials and offerings daily. For example, Buffalo Chicken Wrap with a side of Asian Slaw for $7.50 or the Mini Huevos Rancheros, an egg with black beans and cheese served in a mini toast bowl served with salsa, sour cream and homefries for $4.95. On a cool day, their homemade hearty soups and chowders also hit the spot.

Mid-Afternoon Activity

When we write another column on Belfast, we'll cover the art scene, but for the locavore up in Belfast for a summer day, it's all about the outdoors. Belfast has a lot of hidden gems of preserves, easements and walking trails, thanks in part to Coastal Mountain Land Trust. We recommend you strap on those hiking boots and hit the Stover Preserve Trail in Belfast (1.5 mile loop), which takes you right to the edge of the Passagassawakeag River, through dense white pine forest. Click here for a map and directions. It's long enough that you get to get back to nature, yet short enough to allow you to enjoy the rest of what Belfast has to offer.

For Kicks, Try This

This one's a two-fer because we're trying to cram every awesome Belfast experience we possibly can into this article. First stop, get your local cheese on (err, is that even an expression?) with one of Belfast's latest tasting shops, Eat More Cheese, "where cheese freaks may worship on the altar of locally produced cheese." (Check out our Penobscot Bay Pilot article on them.) They offer about 40 cheeses from all over the world—but definitely try the samples of locally made varieties. After you've taken two samples of every kind (when you've tried to make it look like you've only taken one), thank owners Tony and Natalia Rose and walk on up the street to Chase's Daily, a vegetarian restaurant that doubles as an art gallery and local farm stand. Enjoy the art while you wander to the back of the building for some of the most affordable and fresh produce, like heirloom tomatoes, eggplant, squash, turnips, and beets. Grab a homemade cookie or scone from their in-house bakery to take back with you. But next, it's just a hop up the street to...

Happy Hour Activity

It would be impossible not to mention Belfast's newest restaurant, The Gothic (108 Main St.), headed up by raw/vegan chef Matthew Kenney. There's plenty of talk about in the raw food vegan and non-vegan lunch and dinner category, but this is happy hour so we'll focus on their artisianal cocktails, such as the popular Cape Aviation (lavender-infused Beefeater 24 gin with Contratto vermouth bianco, lemon, orange bitters and thyme) and locally harvested Pemaquid oysters on the half shell over champagne ice — six for $12 or a dozen for $24.  Doors open at 5 p.m. for the dinner crowd, but they can happily accommodate drinks and small plates.

Dinner Time

This suggestion is going to throw you a bit; and that's the purpose of the "24 Hours in Midcoast" series; not to be predictable or to assume everyone is working off a large budget when they visit. For this reason, we're going to tell you that if you've had on some fancy outfit for happy hour, you'd better bring a change of clothes. You can't get any more locavore than an eat-in-the-rough lobster dinner at Young's Lobster Shore Pound (4 Mitchell St.) sitting at a long picnic table overlooking the sunset on Belfast harbor. Seriously, this is why people live in Maine and live for Maine. Inside the no-frills building at Young's you pre-order your lobster, which comes right off the boat and is held in large salt-water tanks. They also serve up fresh clams, shrimp, fish and crabs, corn on the cob and you can bring your own booze for the table. (Now, you understand why you need to get some of those Maine craft beers or wines from The Belfast Co-op!) This is as authentic as it gets. The price is $24.99 for dinner and includes a 1-1/2-pound softshell lobster with steamed clams. A 1-1/18-pound softshell lobster is only $15.95.

What To Do After

After dinner if you're looking for a chil scene, try Three Tides (2 Pinchy Lane), Belfast's modernist bar and lounge with the funky layout and sweet outdoor deck. They have a brewery on site and the locavore will want to sample their Marshall Wharf craft brews (we recommend the Cant Dog or the Toughcats, after their favorite Maine band). Or for the cocktail lover, every Friday and Saturday night they make a special juice cocktail from fruit they get from local farmer's markets. They just created a strawberry margarita for the Lincolnville Strawberry Festival; they've done a blueberry infused Cosmopolitan and when peaches are fully in season, they have plans to make some kind of peach concoction that will no doubt blow your doors out. Weekends are usually accompanied with music from local DJs, who bring a sophisticated sound to the waterfront.

Hey, you still up for a little adventure?  Belfast Paddle Sports, (15 Front St. at Heritage Park)  just opened this summer and if you happen to be around for their next full moon paddle (July 22), or fireworks paddle during Celtic Festival (July 20) or meteor showers (Aug. 12) this is the supreme way to cap off your 24 hours. Owner April Lawrence will lead a group of six-eight people out in the harbor around 8 p.m. "That gives people who haven't paddleboarded before a chance to get comfortable on the water," she said. "Then we head out to a good spot and watch the sky." Price is $49 per person and you'll be able to enjoy being out on the water for a couple of hours, depending on the group.

The Morning After

Time to clear out, but there are two more "to-go" places you need to check out to complete your 24 hours and that is Belfast's latest juice and smoothie bar, The Juice Cellar (9 Beaver St.) for a raw juice to get your engines running. We recommend the Running on Sunshine (cucumber, romaine, apple, kale, cilantro, parsley and lemon). These energy boosters are reasonably priced at $5 for 12 ounces and $6 for 16 ounces. Owner Chris Roberts also makes his own raw granola, raw tortilla chips, raw donuts and raw chocolates. And finally (phew, don't blame us for the weight gain this weekend), stop by another place for locally sourced food, Scallions (In Reny's Plaza; see Penobscot Bay Pilot's story on them) for restaurant-quality, pre-made, grab-and-go lunch items for your trip back home. Scallions caters to local ingredients, smaller portions and affordable ($10 or less) good, quality food in containers that can be popped into the microwave or oven.

Stay tuned for our next series and enjoy your summer!

Follow other suggestions in our Vacation - Staycation: The locals' Guide to the Midcoast on Pinterest.

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Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com.

They've been deliberately under-the-radar for more than a decade, but it's a little known fact: the Cedar Crest Inn and Country Inn in Camden, and Navigator Motor Inn and Tradewinds Motor Inn in Rockland, have all been the temporary homes for the cast and crew of major motion pictures. These four inns comprise Liberty Hospitality of Maine, which has been the go-to lodging option for film crews since the early 1990s. The four accommodations have put up cast and crew of Anatomy of The Tide (2011), In The Bedroom (2001), Stephen King's Thinner, (1995), Mel Gibson's Man Without a Face (1992), FoodTV Productions' Lobster Festival segments, and numerous smaller commercial shoots.

Stephen Liberty, owner of Liberty Hospitality of Maine, understands the high-intensity world of film crews. His first exposure to filmmaking came about at age 5, when his parents took him to observe a crew shooting scenes in Penobscot Bay for the 1977 TV movie, Captains Courageous.  Little did he know, years later in his hospitality career that his path would once again cross with the film industry.

"We sort of fell into it," he said. "We had a fair amount of activity in the 1990s. There was a pretty good run there where every year or two, film companies would come to the coast and film something here."

He's met quite a few stars, as have his staff.. . not that they're telling.

"Discretion is the name of the game," he said. "To our credit, we don't advertise when stars are staying here or what their schedules might be. But we've had Sissy Spacek, Mel Gibson, and Marisa Tomei stay with us. Quite honestly, a lot of the bigger name stars use pseudonyms anyway when they check in."

Liberty has watched nearly all of the films of the production companies he has hosted. "It's always fun to see shots of our area. And actually in the film In The Bedroom, there is a shot of the Tradewinds sign coming down Route 1 on sort of a dark, rainy night, which is kind of neat."

Liberty will also attend the latest film set to premiere in the Midcoast later this month, Anatomy of the Tide, another locally shot, independent film, which has been their most recent client.

"It's kind of interesting to have been involved in this one in that we're also one of their minor investors," he said. "They raised local funds to get production off the ground and it's been great to participate in that film in a minor way as well as put up some of their crew."

Liberty said the Maine Film Office, a central resource for television, film and media production across the state, has been intregral to his connection to the film industry. They recently upgraded their Production Guide, essentially a free database listing Maine cast, crew and support services. This is a boon to the creative economy. Now, anyone with a skill or who can provide goods and services to the film industry can get a listing, which helps producers find talented and available crews and support services available in Maine.  

By creating a listing in the Production Guide, local crew and businesses can create and update their own profiles, describe their experience, list their credits, identify their associations, promote their own websites, and upload a resume or company brochure.  All individuals and businesses that are available to support filmmaking in the state — prop makers, electricians, hotels, restaurants, office supplies, car rentals, and furniture stores, and a variety of other businesses — are encouraged to create a listing in the Production Guide database.  

"The Maine Film Office does a good job of being the initial point of contact for these production companies that are scouting for locations," said Liberty, who advised those interested in being part of this database to know what they're getting into. When a film production is underway, it's not a "9-5" commitment.

"It is a 24-7 operation when a production is going on," he said. "There are calls at midnight, 4 a.m. wakeups, but it's kind of fun. It's exciting to be part of the 40 or 50 days a film crew is here shooting. It's flat out at times, but then it's over and you won't see it again for awhile."

In addition to the Production Guide, the Maine Film Office has rolled out a new location database, which allows anyone in Maine with property to upload photos of their residence or property for possible use in an upcoming production, simultaneously allowing filmmakers to scout for locations virtually.

The online registration form for the Maine Film Office Production Guide can be found by visiting www.filminmaine.com and clicking "Production Guide" or "Location."

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Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com.

BELFAST — Belfast Creative Coalition member Mike Hurley wants people in Belfast to have a lot of fun this summer. He is one of the organizers behind The Colonial Theatre's Summer Fun Fest, eight evenings of comedy and movies over the course of the summer.

Coming up Saturday, July 13, at 9 p.m., a trio of stand up comedians, headlined by Boston native Rob Steen, will take the stage. Steen is a high-energy performer who has been featured on several TV shows, including The Late Show with Dave Letterman, where he is a frequent guest. Spending the past 21 years as an entertainer, Steen is great at working the crowd and making every show different with his fast-paced delivery, quick wit and unique style of crowd participation. The Boston Globe has said: " Rob's act is fresh and always different. He has a gift for working the crowd into his act and taking them on a ride into his off beat world."

"Rob has worked in Maine over a number of years," said Hurley. "And the stand up comedians he brings are really funny. I remember one time Rob got up on stage and said, 'I just drove over here on Route 3 from Augusta. You know, I understand people in Maine like to have stuff, I just don't get why you have to have it all in your front yard.'"

Hurley said they are bringing more than funny movies in to Belfast to expand the use of Colonial Theatre's performance space. "We just like to mix it up and give people something fresh. We recently got a beer and wine license, and that goes well with all the things we're doing in the Summer Fun Fest."

Next weekend the Colonial Theatre is screening cult favorite The Big Lebowski and is encouraging movie goers to dress the movie's theme.

To find out more about Rob Steen & Co. and see clips of him on Letterman, visit his website www.robsteen.com

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Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com.

This summer we're starting a literary series with Maine authors titled "Real places in Maine that inspire literary fiction"...

Bill Roorbach is a Maine author, whose latest novel, Life Among Giants (Algonquin), which just won the 2013 Maine Literary Award for fiction. This funny, exuberant novel captures the reader with the grand sweep of 7-foot-tall David "Lizard" Hochmeyer's larger-than-life quest to unravel the mystery surrounding his parents' deaths.

Since Life Among Giants takes place primarily in Westport, Conn., where Roorbach grew up nearby, and in Miami, Fla., we focus on Roorbach's 2005 memoir, Temple Stream, (a real stream in western Maine that runs 12 miles from the highlands of Avon, through the village of Temple and into Farmington, where it meets the Sandy River). Roorbach lives just over the Temple line in Farmington with his wife, Juliet, and daughter, Elysia, and a lot of animals. Temple — as a place — is apparently sublime. It has been described on Wikipedia as a "a sanctuary for writers, poets, artists and crafters, and the setting for several novels, biographies, and memoirs."

Q: Your book makes Temple Stream its own character, among other quirky, rural folks in the book. What is the magnetic appeal of this stream to you and so many writers/artists?

Yes, the stream, which flows through fields below my house, is the focal point of the book, which is structured three ways. One, it's an uphill exploration from mouth to headwaters. Two, it traces the arc of the year of my daughter's birth. Three, it uses the old nature-writing staple of proceeding by seasons. In the course of my very real exploration of the stream, I met all kinds of people, but often brought people with me, too — scientists of various kinds, philosophers, historians, poets, loggers, etc. — all to look at the hundreds or even thousands of facets any stream presents. I wanted to get to know it even better than I already did, and set about learning as much as I could about the natural history, the human history and the science of the place. I don't know how many others have written about the stream itself, though it's true many writers have lived in Temple. One was Denise Levertov, who does have a very sexy poem about making love in the stream. This I include in my book. The well-known nature writer Bob Kimber lives on the stream, and he and I wrote a book together with Wesley McNair (current poet laureate of Maine) about a pond we all love in Temple: A Place on Water, which was published by Maine publisher Tilbury House. George Dennison was a truly great writer and lived up above the stream in high Temple. I know all of his kids and admire them, call them my friends. As for why Temple, the town, has attracted so many writers and artists, well, it's beautiful. Also, it's situated, as the poet Ted Enslin famously wrote, at the end of the road, has a feeling of privacy and separation from the world. But of course a lot of other kinds of people live there, too, and you meet a cross-section in my book.

Q: We're curious when writers use real names of real places and how the residents of Temple have reacted to your writing about the town and surrounding areas?

So many are friends, and so many talked to me as I made the book, that I think the reaction is mostly very positive, even grateful. Where it's not, so be it. I tried to write as honestly and accurately as I could, and the history in the book is well accepted, as is the science — many neighbors were excited to learn so much and get so much depth about our familiar backyard. The main story is my family's story, and I think our neighbors have been delighted to get to know us better. The more important reaction to me, and one that people forget, is the national reaction. Temple Stream was reviewed in dozens of newspapers and magazines across the country. The original concept, in fact, came from an essay I published in Harper's.

Q: In the book you describe putting messages in 10 bottles and flinging them into the stream to see where (and in whose hands) they'd end up. What were you hoping to learn about the people who answered your message in a bottle and did you?

I just thought it was romantic to send notes out like that. I really didn't expect to get any back. But in the end, five out of 10 did! Amazing. One was from just downstream, found by a neighbor kid who was out fiddleheading (and who, now grown up, works at Longfellow Books, as it happens). Others were found at various spots all the way down the Kennebec River, with the last coming from Popham Beach. Wow. I had no agenda, just curiosity. I'm still hoping one will turn up in West Africa someplace having ridden the Gulf Stream.

Q: Where is your favorite place to be in Maine in the summer on a gorgeous day, where there are no obligations and no worries?

I love so many places in Maine. Popham Beach is one. Fore Street, the restaurant in Portland, is another. The Mahoosucs, that's pretty wonderful, too. And any of about 75 lakes and rivers. Don't get me started!

• Roorbach is traveling all over the United States on his current book tour for Life Among Giants. To find out more information on his new book visit Life Among Giants. Also read reviews on Temple Stream here.

• For archives of Real places in Maine that inspire literary fiction, visit Penobscot Bay Pilot's Pinterest page.

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Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com.

BELFAST - Pretty soon, white pop-up display tents will begin dotting Belfast's waterfront park downtown in anticipation of the yearly juried art fest, Arts In The Park, July 13-14. Amid two full days of non-stop music and varied food offerings, 85 fine artists and artisans will be on hand to talk about and sell their original work.

What kind of art can you expect to see? The quality and variety will be vast, featuring traditional and contemporary art, photography, sculpture, metalwork, woodwork, fiber art, paper products, large scale pieces and much more.

Following is a sampling of a cross-section of the many dozens of distinct artists who will have booths at the event:

With a background in photography, Anna Low of Purple Bean Bindery is a book artist who creates each unique product by hand, whether it's an accordian-fold blank book, or her signature "Bitty books" for people intimidated by big, blank pages. See the Penobscot Bay Pilot story on Anna, What to do with a blank book.

Chong Lim and his wife, Judi, work together to preserve centuries-old traditions of metal plate engraving and paper embossing, with Chong designing each piece and Judi doing the presswork (the actual embossing and coloring). She also makes some of the paper they use and marbles other papers as well.  See our Penobscot Bay Pilot story on Chong and Judi, Island Designs.

Mark Guido combs the woods and beaches of Maine for his materials. This inspired him to create his line of stone products and rustic furniture. Mark's work is made from those found materials, including stones, twigs and burls, which he has gathered from the forests and approved beach sites along the coast. See our Penobscot Bay Pilot story on Mark, Natural Stone Products and Rustic Twig Furniture.

The weekend is shaping up to be a gorgeous one, weather-wise. Five bands will be playing, providing coverage all weekend long, including Belfast Bay Fiddlers, Bad Daddys Band, Maximum Blue, Captain Obvious and perennial favorite, the Blue Hill Brass, which has played Arts In The Park for more than 10 years. A wide array of food will be available from various vendors such as The Good Kettle (coffee and baked goods), IFF-Inerfaith Fuel Fund (strawberry shortcake), The Uproot Pie Co. (wood-fired pizza,)  The Game Loft (burgers and more),  Ye Olde English Fish & Chips (fish & chips, lobster rolls, etc.),  Stone Fox Farm Creamery (ice cream), and  Ma’s Shaved Ice.

For more details about the weekend event, visit their website, artsintheparkbelfast.org. For a preview of more artists scheduled to appear at Arts In The Park, check out their Facebook page.

ROCKPORT — The Camden International Film Festival is throwing its annual summer party at the Rockport Opera House and film lovers, CIFF supporters and the general public are invited.

Wednesday, July 10, film buffs will be treated to a stylish fête that combines light fare from Swan's Way Catering, Double Cross Vodka cocktails, Breakwater Vineyards wine, Three Tides and Marshall Wharf Brewing Company craft beer and some stellar music courtesy of a DJ accompanying a sneak preview of upcoming films on the CIFF 2013 slate this fall.

CIFF Founder and Director Ben Fowlie said, "The main thing is to get people excited for the main event in the fall. They're going to get an early look at the program. We'll screen about 35 minutes of clips and trailers of movies and shorts."

The party is a fundraiser and tickets start at $125. The party goes from 7 to 9: p.m. For more information and to get tickets visit CIFF Summer Party.

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Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com.

ROCKLAND — After the fireworks are over, the excitement and celebration continues Friday, July 5. With presumably good weather on the way, Rockland's First Friday Art Walk has three fresh and funky events to watch for in the contemporary gallery scene.

Streetside roller derby demonstation kicks off show opening: 4:45 - 8 p.m.

Jonathan Frost's first solo show "Roses, Romance and Roller Derby," is set to open with an unusual twist. The Rock Coast Rollers, Midcoast's sassiest roller derby queens, will offer a live demonstration of their mad skating skills outside the gallery on 21 Winter St. Vehicle traffic will be closed down at precisely 4:45 p.m. and between 5 and 8 p.m., the show will open featuring live jazz with Steve Lindsay and Friends. The Rock Coast Rollers were partly the subject of Frost's latest show.

"Roller derby is a new sport whose rules and patterns are changing...it's also spectacle, with elements of theater and dance. It's an arena that welcomes self-expression in dress, hair, skin, speech and movement. Most importantly, it's a way women can be strong and fast and agile," said Frost, elaborating on his fascination with the sport.

In addition to his roller derby paintings, Frost presents 16 of his signature oils of floral subjects, the roses in the title of the show, and a visual meditation on two poems by Emily Dickinson, the romance.

"Roses, Romance and Roller Derby" will run through July 31. For more information visit JonathanFrostgallery.com.

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Eric Leppanen's Afterlife 5:30 - 8:30 p.m.; After party: 9 p.m.

Belfast artist Eric Leppanen, most known for turning donations, discards and reclaimed materials into grand works of art, will unveil his first solo show, "Afterlife," at Asymmetrick Arts in Rockland. This past spring, Leppanen and nine other artists locked themselves in the Center for Maine Contemporary Art in Rockport for 24 hours and created edgy art installations out of a huge pile of donated refuse, which was collectively titled "Resisting Entropy." Leppanen's contribution to the installation was a complete drum kit made out of buckets, pots and pans.

The Afterlife show is from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Following that, Café Miranda, which has shown Leppanen's works on their walls in the past, will host an after party from 9 p.m. 'til close, featuring the live "blue electro" music of Eenor. Eenor descibes itself as "a unique genetic brew: one part intergalactic space bird and one part albino lizard from the inner tubes of earth."

"Afterlife" runs through July 26. For more information, visit asymmetrickarts.com,

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PicassoWhat Artistic Differences: 5 - 8 p.m.

PicassoWhat, Rockland's newest art gallery (studio 210 above The Black Parrot and FOG Bar on Main Street) opens its latest show, "Artistic Differences," with a public reception from 5 to 8 p.m. There will be live music by The Ale House String Band, as well as refreshments. PicassoWhat, launched by partners Jeff Wolff and Lori Schafer, has already established (with its name) that it has a sense of fun about it. The show's contemporary vibe includes works by Maine artists Andrew Speed, Tom Higbee and Marc Cutonilli; Nevada artist Samuel Foote; Maryland artist Rachel Bingamen; and Ohio artist Ava Avadon, among others.

For more information visit PicassoWhat on Facebook.

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Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com.

BELFAST - The Laugh Out Loud Short Film Festival is coming to Belfast this Wednesday, July 3, and it is not promising to be a traditional film festival. In fact, it is anything but.

According to its website: Unlike the snooty content prominent at most conventional film festivals, our films won’t challenge you to be a deep thinker or ponder the man’s inhumanity to man. Hardly.  Our filmmakers seem to focus on aspects of everyday life that average people can relate to; social media, dating, bodily functions, human sexuality, marriage, raising kids, and drinking.  We realize that raising kids and drinking may seem a bit redundant.

Film Festival director Joe Edick, out of Michigan said, this is the second year they've put this adult comedy festival on.

"Every film has gotten an audience-favorite vote in order to make it into the festival,"he said by phone. "Obviously, comedy is subjective, but we've pared down tons of submissions to bring you what we consider the funniest."

The first three short films, which have all won awards, seemingly start out the strongest. Slated to run first, Status Update: A Facebook Fairytale, an Australian film at 11 minutes is about a guy named Allan "whose Facebook status updates are all coming freaking true!"

It won a special Jury Prize from the New York Friars ClubComedy Film Festival. The next film, The Dark Companion which runs 14 minutes, is about Howard, a puppet facing an existential crisis when he is the only one who can see the puppateer controlling him. This won "Best Film" at at the Laugh Track Comedy Festival. The third award winner is Dream Job, a 19-minute film about Dave, an out-of-work filmmaker who has been selling his comic book collection to pay his rent. Just as he's about to give up hope, he's offered what he thinks is his dream job...a chance to work for George Lucas. This won the Audience Award at The NYC Picturestart Film Festival.

"Last year we got a lot of G-rated material," Edick said. "This year, the predominant content we got was pretty blue. It is definitely adult humor. For whatever reason, that's how it worked out this year.  I wouldn't recommend anyone under 18 attending, but if you've seen Pineapple Express, The Hangover, and Knocked Up, this is the type of humor to expect."

"You know if you're going to go to a traditional film festival, you're committing to days of watching films on end. This gives someone a taste of the festival experience and compresses it in 90 minutes. You get all the fun and less time commitment. It's interesting because with these films, you'll see a lot of great up-and-coming works by many people who are in the film industry, but haven't gotten the shot at writing and directing major films, so in their spare time, they pull a little money together and they do it on their own.

The Laugh Out Loud Film Festival is among many funny, edgy offerings The Colonial Theatre is bringing to the area this summer, including stand up comedy and more movie favorites.  The film fest will run again on July 28 and August 16. The show starts at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $8.25 and the Tiki bar will be selling beer and wine. For more information about the Film Festival visit lolsff.com. For more information about The Colonial Theatre visit colonialtheatre.com

Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

SPRUCE HEAD - Remember that scene in Splash when Daryl Hannah chomped into the entire shell of the lobster at dinner? I saw a woman do that about 10 years ago at what used to be the old Bayview Restaurant in Camden before it was renovated. In a distinct New York accent, she announced to everyone inside the tiny restaurant, "I've come all the way here to have a lobster and I'm finally gonna have MY lobster!" Then, crunch, she took a chunk right out of its red exoskeleton, chewing happily. There were...no words after this.

Good news Cheapsters! Miller's Lobster Co. down in Spruce Head, a truly authentic lobster shack, is offering a special $9.99 lobster dinner from July 1-7. For 10 bucks (a Cheap Dates prerogative) this gets you a one-pound soft shell lobster with butter and potato chips and a choice of corn, potato salad or cole slaw with an ocean view. Seriously. People come to Maine for this experience alone, and if you're a tourist on a mission for lobster, you're going to be paying top dollar at a restaurant, which basically serves the exact same thing for twice the price. And locals, this eliminates the work of cooking it yourself and dealing with all the shells and mess afterward.

Plus, I just like the fact that that generations of Millers have lobstered around here and this is their humble, but smart solution to marketing to customers directly. Note: this is not fancy dining, but it's the proper way to eat a lobster, outside, at a picnic table, overlooking the ocean. Getting messy. You may even get to see boats tie up at the wharf and unload the catch directly.

A little chat with Gail Miller, co-owner of Miller's Lobster Co:

Q: Why are you guys putting this special on this week?

A: We've only been open for two weeks since Father's Day Weekend, and it just kind of falls in with the 4th of July, getting foot traffic over here and letting folks know we're around for a reasonable dinner.

Q: Do you mostly get local or tourist traffic?

A: We do both. We have a lot of local regulars and a lot of people we call summer locals, who have summer homes who are here for the whole summer. And they'll bring friends and family from out of town here all summer to give them that little piece of Maine they're looking for.

Q: Have you ever seen someone bite into the entire shell of a lobster before?

A: We haven't seen that, exactly, but we have had people who ask if soft shell lobsters are edible like soft shell crabs in the South.  The funnier thing to watch is clams. Because we have the steamers, and don't do fried clams, there is a layer of skin on the neck that needs to be peeled off (see how to do that here). Occasionally, people who don't know to pull that off, will eat the entire thing whole.

This is the ultimate summer Cheap Date — and you will love the drive that goes with it. Check out their website for more information and driving directions or call 207-594-7406.

For more Cheap Dates, check out our Pinterest category of other fun things to do in Midcoast Maine.

Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

Welcome to our new summer series that provides a 24-hour guide to the Midcoast for a variety of personalities, crafted by locals who know this place inside and out. You're not going to see the most expensive and the most obvious choices here. What you will find is the best of real Maine — where to stay, where to go, where to eat and drink.

CAMDEN -You're zany; you love a good laugh and you're known for seeking out a good time. We've got a side of Camden for you that is rarely featured in statewide and national magazines, so if you're looking for amusement, entertainment, good, lighthearted people to make the most of your time here, let's roll out the barrel, Crazy Funsters, this one is for you!

Morning: Rise and shine darlin'

Where you stay sets the entire tone of your next 24 hours and innkeepers JoAnna and Bill Ball who run A Little Dream B & B come highly recommended by locals. With more than 25 years running this B & B and almost 100 5-star reviews on Trip Advisor, they are the kind of hosts who bring out the best in everybody. They both have been described by past guests as gracious, warm, hospitable and welcoming.  The fun part, which you didn't know, is that many moons ago, they both used to be eclectic toy designers, with three stores in Manhattan and one in Boston, crafting classic and unusual toys like one-of-a-kind marionettes. Before you head out for the morning, they will tempt you with the most important meal of the day.

As one guest on Trip Advisor states: "The breakfasts are truly sensational and served on a gorgeously sunlit porch. Poached pear, omelets with Brie, crepes and Scottish oatmeal, along with fresh fruit, muffins and juice are just some of Bill's delicious preparations."

Midmorning activity

Time to bug out and see what Camden's got to offer. Just a short walk into downtown, and you'll bypass two of the more light-hearted stores, The Smiling Cow (check out its ribald collection of books, knicknacks and cards) as well as The Planet (a toy store that will appeal to big kids). But shopping all day isn't fun — phoo! No! Bigger and better adventures await you once you get to Midcoast Adventure Bicycle and Scooter Rentals on 46 Elm Street. Aw yeah, baby, it's scooter time. They offer this cool 2-3 hour GPS tour on each of their scooters that will literally guide you around a loop in-town and around the countryside or out by Megunticook Lake. You can choose your own scooter ($40 for a half day) or couple up (someone call shotgun?) on their Scoot Coupe, for $30 an hour. They even provide you with helmets and safety glasses, free.  Editor's recommendation: Rent the Scoot Coupe. It's ideal if one person doesn't feel like driving, or wants to take photos or has a small dog. (Please, for the love of all that is holy, don't wear your dog in a Baby Bjorn while riding.)

Lunch time, and you're Starvin' Like Marvin

By the time you come back from your scootin' adventures, it's a short walk back over to Boynton McKay, a local breakfast and lunch spot, which boasts the craziest ceiling decorations you'll see in any Maine restaurant. They have some of the most affordable and delicious wraps and house specialties, along with grab & go sandwiches and soups, made from scratch. The high-backed booths may be packed when you walk in, but the local's trick is just stand and wait a few minutes. Phil and his staff will keep an eye out for you. Often a booth or a seat by the window will open by the time your food comes.  Editor's recommendation: Try their spicy shrimp wrap with Asian slaw ($6.25) or the Thai chicken salad with mixed greens, peppers, baby corn & two dressings ($7.25).

Happy Hour activity

There is no better way to spend happy hour than on a schooner, with your jacket flapping in the wind and your paws gripped around one of the best Bloody Marys or killer Dark and Stormies you've ever tasted in your life. Trust. There are a number of schooners that sail out of Camden Harbor and we think they're all great, but The Appledore has always had a wacky and talented crew, such as Pirate John, who will cheerfully juggle knives while reciting ballads of the sea while Laird plays guitar.

"I don't know what the other crews' stupid human tricks are," said Pirate John, "but they're probably about spinning yarns and telling lies about the delivery."

The Appledore's sunset sail is $35 per person and runs around 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. (As the summer goes on, those times ratchet down earlier.) Remember to take enough cash to tip your crew at the end, for you'll be seeing them later in the night. 

For Kicks, try this

If you choose to do the sunset sail, it's a smart idea to take your own snacks. Bring extra to share with others and you'll be making some fast friends on the sail. Best place to find individual bottles of a local Maine brews is Cappy's Company Store (follow Cappy's Chowder House down the main road to the wharf and you'll find it right after the bakery.) You can also buy bottles of chilled wine there, or if you want individual bottles of wine or champagne, scoot back up to French & Brawn Market Place, the corner general store in the heart of downtown, and you'll find them in the back. While you're there, snag a mini loaf of bread, some individually wrapped cheese, boiled eggs and homemade cookies for the journey.

Dinner time and what to do after

Every restaurant in Camden has its own personality, but if we had to pick one place that gave off a light-hearted, casual, fun vibe, it would have to be The Waterfront, particularly out on the deck, overlooking the winking lights on the ocean.  Their own motto pretty much sums it up: "Our food represents our town: comfortable, honest, unpretentious, but not without a sense of adventure." They have a good seafood menu and you can't leave Maine without trying their Oysters on the Half Shell (all locally harvested) for $14. Editor's recommendation: Try the Cioppiono- lobster, shrimp, fish, scallops, & mussels in a tomato broth with fresh herbs and bread ($23) or the Ribeye, with Jack Daniels roasted shallots and mushroom demi ($24).

Whoa funsters, just 'cause they roll the sidewalks up at 9 p.m. in Camden, doesn't mean you need to go back to the inn just yet. Pop on over to Cuzzy's, a local bar and restaurant (opposite side of the street once you leave The Waterfront) and grab a nightcap. You're not driving, who cares? There's a likely chance you'll see your Appledore crew there (along with other schooner and boat crews) and everybody's always in good spirits, especially when there is karaoke involved.

The morning after

Time to shove on, but there's one more place you need to check out to complete your 24 hours and while it seems like an odd choice, (stick with us, we know what we're doing) go to Camden Deli on 37 Main Street for breakfast. Yes, we said breakfast. This under-the-radar spot boasts a yummers, all-under-$10 breakfast menu, including Wild Maine Blueberry Pancakes and Crab-Melt Omelets with Portabella and Swiss. The best part? Have your breakfast out on the rooftop deck that overlooks the harbor. Seriously, for five bucks and the view, it is the best way to end the funnest day of your life. Yes, we know that's not a real word and no, we're not editing it out.

Stay tuned for our next series and enjoy your summer!

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Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com.

Grownups 2 is comedian Adam Sandler's lastest film, due out July 12, a sequel, to Sandler's midlife crisis movie, Grownups. While watching this trailer with a friend last night, some familiar settings began popping up. Wait... was that a shot of Penobscot Bay from Point Lookout? Looky there, a shot of downtown Camden! Does anybody recognize the lakefront house or the grand mansion? Are there any other shots of the Midcoast that I missed?

HURRICANE ISLAND — Inside a tiny, shingled one-room outbuilding, a ratty skeleton of a raccoon lies splayed on top of a laboratory table, its bones carefully reassembled Next to that lies a tray of marine invertebrates found in the intertidal zone on Hurricane Island. Alice Anderson, 23, found the raccoon bones on a hike around the island and just because she felt like it, she excavated them and put them all together again like a puzzle. When the students visit the lab this summer, this will be the first thing they see.

This is Anderson's second year as science educator for the Hurricane Island Foundation (Center for Science and Leadership), which runs a variety of leadership, science and research courses for adults and students. Hurricane Island is located off Vinalhaven in Penobscot Bay.

Anderson works with Maine and New England high school students, who come to the island throughout the summer and fall in school groups or in an open enrollment course, and gives them hands-on experiences of Hurricane Island's ecology, natural history and biodiversity. The program aims to get kids to connect with their immediate surroundings and to fire the spark of exploration and investigation within. For example, armed with the lab's extensive library of books on subjects ranging from foraging to plant, animal, insect and seaweed identification, they might go on a hike and try to catalogue the algae they find in the intertidal zone, as well as sea life — such as periwinkles and dog whelks — that exist at the shoreline. They also study climate change, lobstering practices and issues that affect Penobscot Bay.

In other words, look up, look around, look down, get your fingers in the dirt and hoist your antennae up. Science is in every aspect of the natural world that permeates Hurricane Island. Until several years ago, Outward Bound used it as its home base until they moved their offices to the Midcoast.  And what a spectacular island it is — from its enormous slabs of pink granite leading down to the sea to its steep-walled fresh-water quarry to its quiet spruce forests. Without waxing too poetic, it is a wonderland for the junior naturalist to explore and discover, for the entire island is one big laboratory. [To see more of Hurricane Island's beauty see the recent photo gallery.]

Anderson is from Oregon, but has spent much of her time these last few years in Maine. She graduated from College of the Atlantic in Bar Harbor with a degree in human ecology, and spent a couple of summers working on Deer Isle.

The Maine Island Science and Leadership Exploration courses are funded primarily by private donations and therefore, are limited to several weeks in the summer.

"The premise of this summer's program is about island ecology and how we can characterize islands," said Alice. "Starting on Hurricane Island, we'll do a survey on biodiversity, everything from geology, botany, ornithology, and marine biology. Then we'll take that information and we'll sail to a nearby island, catalog what they have in comparison and we'll communicate what we find with other islands."

This isn't just about running a group of kids through a course. The scientific data each school group collects will be submitted to Hurricane Island's Biological Field Reseach station.

"We're using this program to work with graduate students and our students' findings will be a part of their original research,"  she said.

Six months on an island, as lovely as it is, can be a really long time. Asked what really gets her excited about doing this every day, Anderson said, "I think it's really fun to have students feel empowered about learning science and to come up with student-driven experiments. It's been a learning experience for me, but it's really cool to have students be in charge of the science they're learning about and start to ask really good questions."

The island's various programs run from May 15 until Oct. 31 each year, but they're working on developing year-round programs with Hurricane Island staff coming to the mainland and continuing to work with teachers and students who've participated in their program.

The Maine Island Science and Leadership Exploration program runs from July 21 – 27 and Aug. 10 – 23. More information can be found about it here.

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Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com.

ROCKPORT — It's not that easy to see from the road on Route 90 (in the building that formerly housed L.O. Gross & Sons), but Mama's Boys has been open a month and is fast becoming an eatery people are seeking out for sandwiches and pizza.

Mama, aka Vivienne Larmor, is the matriarch of the business. "The word of mouth has been awesome; it's been a nice and steady build," she said. Her five boys range in age from 9 to 17, and they have been an integral part of the business — even in the planning stages.

"A couple of weeks before we opened, I told the boys, we needed a logo," said Larmor. Her son, Keagan, quickly sketched out a Mama sandwich holding hands with her five boy sandwiches and she loved it. "He's like 'Mom, that's just a rough draft.' So, he went and did a nicer one, more refined with color and I said, 'no, I want the rough draft.'" So that's what now appears on her Mama's Boys awning and on her takeout menu.

Each of her sons takes an active role in the business after school and now, during the summer. And every boy gets a sandwich or pizza named after him, which of course, has resulted in a little competition among the brothers. There's Marty, 17 (Marty's Italian Sub), Josiah, 15 (Josiah's Turkey Bacon Panini), Keagan, 13 (The Keaganator), Eoin, 11 (Eoin's Pesto Roast Beef), and Brody, 9 (Brody's Barbeque Pizza).

"Every week they like to brag to each other, 'Oh yeah, I'm selling more of my sandwich,'" she said laughing. Larmor won't say whose sandwich is actually selling the best because she knows that will only ratchet up the rivalry even more.

Larmor has been a part-time math and science teacher for the past 18 years while her boys were growing up, but attributes her love of food to planning for massive family gatherings. "I have a really huge family and by the time we all get together, I'm the one who would do the family entertaining. That's my only background, beside catering. I just love food," she said.

"Part of what I'm trying to do is make really good, healthy food for the community without the exorbitant prices," she added.  For her sandwiches, she uses Boar's Head meats and her French peasant and Italian breads are Borealis breads. She makes a point of trying to get locally grown vegetables and garlic for the sandwich fillers. She has a panini press and each hot sandwich comes out crunchy. As for pizzas, she sells by the slice or by the pie and makes a thin, crispy crust.

"I'm from Long Island," she said. "So we make it New York style."

Besides affordable prices, which she said she has conscientiously kept low for the locals, she also offers gluten-free pizza dough and bread for the sandwiches. "That has been something that people are really excited about.  If people need it, it's pretty hard to find up here," she said.

Welcome to our new summer series that provides a 24-hour guide to the Midcoast for a variety of personalities... crafted by locals who know this place inside and out. You're not going to see the most expensive and the most obvious choices here. What you will find is the best of real Maine - where to stay, where to go, what to drink.

ROCKLAND — Coffee drinkers apparently have more personalities than Sybil, but one thing that binds them is their fierce dedication to exceptional, specialty coffee. Once you pass the "Welcome To Maine" sign on I-95, never fear, you're not resigned to trucker coffee options in flimsy Styrofoam cups. We're focusing on Rockland, a town that has earned the tagline "salty sophistication" and for the coffee fiend, 24 hours here will feel kind of like a double shot of espresso.

Morning: Rise and Shine Darlin'

And grab a cup of coffee, stat. The Granite Inn, one of four Historic Inns of Rockland, is a chill place to begin your vacation or staycation. With its clean, minimalist vibe, it's the perfect way to start the day, sitting on their flowered front porch overlooking the busy working Rockland harbor with a cup of locally roasted Rock City Breakwater Blend coffee. But don't go anywhere until you've had breakfast, which comes with the room. Owners Ed and Joan Hanz take a lot of pride in their from-scratch inn breakfasts where guests can pick and choose from a buffet that might include fresh fruit, blueberry pancakes, bacon or sausage, homemade applesauce, lemon or ginger scones with homemade cranberry chutney and/or a choice of quiches, occasionally including lobster quiche.

Midmorning Activity

From Granite Inn, hang a right and walk all the way down to the end of Main Street for a second cup of local coffee at Rock City Coffee and check out the "small but powerful" independent book store in the back area, hello hello, which is less than 2 years old, but has already been noticed by The New York Times and Boston Globe for its fiercely funny and indy vibe. (If owner Lacy Simons is behind the counter, which she usually is, you'll know her by her black glasses and the chunky Manic Panic stripe in her chestnut hair.) Tell her we sent you: she'll have the best book recommendations.

Lunch Time, and You're Starvin' Like Marvin

Hey, while you're there at Rock City Coffee, stick around for lunch. The goofy and endearing lunch specials they post daily on Facebook should turn into a book. Here's a typical post:

So there I was. walking downtown, and I needed to use the phone. So I walk up to the phone booth, and there's this guy standing in front of it. So I tap him on the shoulder and say, "Excuse me! I'd like to use the phone!" And he turns around and tips his hat, like so *tips imaginary hat* And you'll never guess who it is. EMILIO ESTAVEZ! The Mighty Ducks guy! And so I was like, "EMILIOOOOOO!" Isn't that amazing?! Anyway, here are the specials for today:...

They have a great array of sandwiches (they call "scramwiches") and wraps as well as nom nom fresh soups and salads. They have daily specials as well as grab-and-go, so if you want to combine your lunch with your next activity (below) this is a perfect way to do it.

Mid-Afternoon Activity

To walk off your coffee jitters or hefty lunch, the best way to spend a lazy afternoon in Rockland is to take a walk with someone you really dig and venture out to The Rockland Breakwater. With its mile-long man-made granite block walkway terminating at a lighthouse, it still remains one of the coolest walks in the Midcoast (even for locals), and happens to be the only state landmark ever nominated for Virtual Tourist's "8th Wonder Of The World". Thing is, the granite blocks are uneven and widely spaced, so leave your heels at home ladies, wear some good shoes and don't get so distracted you forget to look down, trip and hurt yourself.

For Kicks, Try This

For the coffee lover, there's only one thing better than the smell of fresh-roasting coffee infliltrating the nostrils, and that's the wafting aroma of freshly baked pastries and breads. Rock City Coffee Roasters down the street on 252 Main St. is responsible for the coffees you had at the Granite Inn and Rock City Cafe, and they have their own store, where all of their coffee production takes place. (Perfect place to pick up a pound).

Atlantic Baking Co. across the street offers award-winning artisan breads and European style pastries, made by hand and made in Maine. I know, you're eating and drinking all day long, but isn't that what vacation-staycation is all about?

Dinner Time, And What To Do After

Sunfire Mexican Grill doesn't get as much press as other Rockland restaurants, but one friend who is from Los Angeles, Calif., says, "The quality of their food ranks up there with two of the best Mexican restaurants I've eaten at in L.A." The husband-wife team of Allan and Pam Cota started their business off as a takeout trailer, but their food became so popular, they opened a little place on 488 Main St. Affordable, fresh and delicious, that's all you need to know. Oh, and notice we've picked all these places within walking distance of your inn?

Rockland tends to be a bar crowd type of town at night and coffee fiends tend to be morning people, so make the most of your after-dinner walk over to Lulu's Ice Cream & Gelato shack (tucked behind FOG Bar and Grill) for some kickin' gelato or of course, coffee ice cream.

The Morning After

Time to shove on, but there's one more place you need to check out to complete your 24 hours and that is Home Kitchen Cafe for breakfast — a local and tourist alike fave. This is run by another husband-wife duo and they recently expanded the size of the restaurant, so if you can snag a seat on the upper deck, you'll catch shimmering glimpses of the ocean. They offer brunch all day (how decadent), but if they are offering lobster bennies (that's eggs benedict), they're totally worth trying or Fred's famous buns. Fred won't mind.

Stay tuned for our next series and enjoy your summer!

Follow our Vacation - Staycation: The locals' Guide to the Midcoast on Pinterest.

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Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com.

CAMDEN — Every year on June 24, nations "put aside the cynicism of the modern world and embrace the possibilities of the unknown, and believe in fairies…" so says the International Fairy Day credo.

In celebration of this day, Merryspring Nature Center is hosting its first Summer Fairy Festival Saturday, June 22, from 10 a.m. to noon. This free event will feature a variety of family and fairy-friendly activities and crafts.  Natural materials will be on hand to build fairy gardens, design wildflower seed packets, create magic wands out of natural materials, and more. Local author and fairy expert Liza Gardner Walsh will read from and sign copies of her new book, The Fairy Garden Handbook, at 11:15 a.m.

For kids, this is guaranteed to be fun, but what will be interesting is to see how many grown-up kids attend. How many adults will be crouching in the dirt, deep in concentration, building infratstructure out of twigs, shed roofs out of birch bark?

In Walsh's blog, she writes:

Some of you may remember when you built your very first fairy house and knew by instinct exactly how to do it. I bet you will have the same feeling with your fairy garden once you get a couple of gardening techniques down. Plus, you will probably have amazing ideas like my friend, Ian, who wanted to make a beetle stable in his fairy garden because the fairies like to get rides from beetles. The possibilities are limitless.

In order to "put aside the cycnicism of the modern world" Working Waterfront writer, Tina Cohen, who reviewed Walsh's first book, came up with an insightful look at the darker side of the fairy world. In her essay, "Empathy for Fairies," she alludes that the old-fashioned fairytale troll may be no different than the modern-day Internet bully troll and encourages kids to explore empathy for these damaged souls when constructing natural little houses.

An excerpt from Cohen's piece:

While tending the fairies is laudable, it’s also okay to dabble on the darker side, building houses for goblins and trolls. This is good exercise in practicing empathy for those we might find difficult to appreciate or avoid in life. “What do you gather for these types of houses? Anything nasty, cracked or broken. Bring a bucket and fill it with mud… and whatever rotting things you can find.” Walsh concludes, “The very best thing about making a house for these somewhat unpopular creatures is that they will know you are trying to help them.”

This free event is open to the public.  No sign-up is required. Check for cancellation in case of rainy weather. For more information, visit fairyhousehandbook.com.

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Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com.

ROCKLAND - When the street shuts down, that's when we know it's officially summertime. This Saturday, June 22, the 15th annual Summer Solstice Street Festival in Rockland will transform downtown as people of all ages come out to play, dance, mingle and celebrate.

New this year are the changed hours from 4 to 8 p.m. to accommodate more families. Downtown restaurants, retail shops and food specialty shops will be participating on Main Street along with street fair food tables, Solstice Sidewalk Sales, entertainment and activities.

“As the crowd grows, our Main Street restaurants are full with diners looking to enjoy a new or favorite spot, so we are bringing in some street fair food to help feed our large crowd of 5,000 people that attend," said Lorain Francis, Executive Director of Rockland Main Street, Inc. “This is also a chance for local artists and crafters to showcase their talents to the community."

In years past, Main Street has brought out wacky costumes, improvized street dances, DJs, live bands, street entertainers and hordes of that rarely seen species, "Bored teenagers actually having fun."

Your favorite Summer Solstice bands will be lining the street along with a Whoopie Pie eating contest. The weather should be great so get out and enjoy!

This event is produced by Rockland Main Street, Inc., “Working to Keep Downtown the Heart of the Community." For more information, visit: rocklandmainstreet.com

Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

DAMARISCOTTA - It seems every year we get attacked by pirates. And strangely, we like it. Right on cue, on June 22, the sixth annual Damariscotta River Pirate Rendezvous will transform the sleepy coastal town of Damariscotta into a massive sound stage of mayhem. For those who've never experienced this kind of festival before, it isn't just some side tables selling pirate-y items and some face painting for the kids. The whole town goes mental for a few hours. The village will be swarmed with pirates and peg legs, lubbers and lasses, scallywags and scurvy lads.

Festivities begin to warm up around 10 a.m. Later, pirate reenactors and defenders will be gearing up for a full scale ocean assault when the pirate ship Must Roos, a 57-foot topsail yawl, owned by Maine's Pirates of The Dark Rose, sails into the Damariscotta harbor at high noon. Costumed reenactors on shore will attempt to repel the attack with artillery, muskets, and swords as the pirate ship lays down a barrage of cannon fire. 

Ahoy me hearties! Get into the spirit of the thing by learning to talk like a pirate! English To Pirate Translator

As it takes a while for the ship to come in, listen for the local band Straight Up, who has composed a “menacing theme song” to herald the arrival of pirate ships. Pirate reenactor groups from all over will join forces, such as Black Rose II Privateers from New Hampshire, the Ancient Ones, the Kennebec Rovers and aforementioned Dark Rose Pirates. Once the pirates have invaded and convinced the townfolk and children to seek the riches of their lost treasure, the children will be involved in a day-long drama to find the hidden plunder that will include a crew muster and pirate costume contest, and a treasure hunt that will take the children through businesses of the intown area as they search for the Lost Treasure of the Mystic Pirates. Mystic Pirates swashbuckle their way throughout Damariscotta and Newcastle until approximately 4 p.m.

Look for the band Straight Up to play during the Volunteers Celebration at the end of the Pirate Rendezvous, beginning at approximately 4 p.m., open to the public, and located at Schooner Landing Restaurant and Marina. But the fun won't end there. Bands will continue later in the evening. Several intown restaurants will still be offering specials into the evening. There will also be a Pirate Pub Crawl for those who want to get their grog on.

The Pirate Rendezvous benefits Lincoln County Family Holiday Wishes, a Christmas season food and gift drive. Last year the Pirate Rendezvous raised more than $4,000 benefiting more than 500 children with Christmas gifts and clothes.

There is no charge for admission to the Pirate Rendezvous. There will be free parking and shuttle service will be provided at the Lincoln Academy parking lot. For more information visit piraterendezvous.com.

 All photos by Kay Stephens. She can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

It's okay to be a little odd, a little quirky and to like to tinker with ideas and materials in your spare time. The term for you is "Maker" and your time has come. Thomaston Artist Andrew White just got back from San Francisco where he attended something called a "Maker Faire," which hosted 90,000 visitors in San Mateo in May. Similar to the way Pecha Kucha has caught on internationally and in multiple U.S. towns and cites, the Midcoast is about to get a re-creation of California's event in the form of a Mini Maker Faire on Sept. 7, at the Camden Public Library and Amphitheatre.

White, who often works with found materials in his own work (if you get a chance check out the bicycle-parts sliding doors he created for the Rockland bookstore hello hello) said what he saw in the California Maker's Faire "just tapped into Silicon Valley and the creative world that exist there. Think of Burning Man community, the creative part of it, not the Bacchanalian part.  It's nothing you've ever seen around here before. California's Maker Faire is a known entity, it's a new thing, an idea that's happening across the country, empowering people to be innovators."

So what exactly is it? According to the website a Maker Faire is:

"Part science fair, part county fair, and part something entirely new, Maker Faire is an all-ages gathering of tech enthusiasts, crafters, educators, tinkerers, hobbyists, engineers, science clubs, authors, artists, students, and commercial exhibitors. All of these “makers” come to Maker Faire to show what they have made and to share what they have learned."

White said Camden Library staff member Olga Zimmerman was the driving force behind getting the concept of the Mini Maker Faire to the Midcoast and she has been helped by White and a group of committee members to make this happen in the fall. This is not going to be a one-off event. The Midcoast Mini Maker Faire will be an annual community-focused annual event, only, smaller, but will follow the Maker Faire motto of celebrating do-it-yourself creativity and tinkering: “Make, create, craft, recycle, build, think, play, and be inspired by celebrating arts, crafts, engineering, food, music, science, and technology!”

Featuring both established and emerging local “makers,” the Midcoast Mini Maker Faire will be a family-friendly celebration featuring rockets and robots, DIY science and technology, urban farming and sustainability, alternative energy, bicycles, unique hand-made crafts, music and local food, and educational workshops and installations. 

Sponsored by the Camden Public Library as its sponsor and the Midcoast Magnet as a co-sponsor. Visit www.midcoastmakerfaire.com for more information and to submit an application to exhibit your creation. Participating makers and creators will be listed and featured on the website in early August.  

The deadline for applications is July 12, 2013. Follow the development of the Midcoast Mini Maker Faire on its site at as well as on its Facebook fan page www.facebook.com/MidcoastMakerFaire

This summer we're starting a literary series with local authors titled "Real places in Maine that inspire literary fiction."

Mystery writer Darcy Scott is bobbing and weaving down the literary whitewater channel that comprises today's tumultuous publishing industry... and unlike a lot of writers who get chopped up in the process, she's not only surviving — she's thriving.

Matinicus, the first book in her well-known "Island Mystery Series," was published last year, receiving excellent reviews and multiple awards, including this past month, the "Bronze Award for Northeast Regional Fiction" from the 2013 IPPY Awards (Independent Publisher Book Awards), one of the most prestigious awards an independent or self-published author can receive.

"Whenever you enter a literary contest, you never know if the cost is worth it, but back last fall, I entered about seven or eight contests and as a result, Matinicus won four awards, including the IPPY and 'Best Mystery' from the 2013 Indie Book Awards," she said. "When you do win one, it really does attract attention to the book on a national level, increases sales and gives you a foothold as far as being taken seriously in an absolute sea of publications."

In recent years it has become a trend for a once traditionally published author like Scott to make the leap back over to the self-published model. In 2010, her first novel, Hunter, Huntress, was traditionally published overseas. After a series of frustrations with her traditional American publisher over her next novel (Matinicus), Scott signed with Rockland-based Maine Authors Publishing, a hybrid publishing model that allows writers to self-publish under a cooperative that works to professionally market the book.

"I'm a control freak when it comes to my books and I want artistic control," she said.

Combining that with the financial incentive of owning the entire royalty to her own book (rather than the typical 6 - 15 percent), it's a move that made sense to her and has paid off.

In her Island Mystery Series, she adopts a male protagonist point of view (another rarity for female authors) with her lead character Gil Hodges, a botanist who seems to find trouble the second he steps onto every Maine island he encounters. Her characters are sarcastic and scrappy and her lush descriptions of Maine islands are spot on. Matinicus has gotten a good deal of local attention, both for its tight, haunting plotline and for its association with one of Maine's most private (and notorious) islands. Scott, an avid sailor who has spent the last 20 years sailing around the Maine coast, particularly in and around Penobscot Bay, acknowledges that it was "very hard" for someone from away to gain access to members of the Matinicus community to gather research.

"I wrote a letter to the island's historian and it took probably six months for her to answer me," she said. "I told her what I wanted to do and she finally agreed to introduce me to some people. I stayed there for three days, interviewing people and then I was invited to tour this old house built in 1799.  When I walked in, I was absorbing all the details inside, like door latches and trammel hooks. But when I went upstairs to one room in particular, as soon as I walked in, the temperature dropped 20 degrees, and this was in the middle of summer. The hair on the back of my neck stood up. When I turned around, the home owners were grinning at me. They didn't want to tell me beforehand that they had a ghost in the house. That's when they admitted they see this floaty little spectre from time to time. So, that became the house my character Gil stays in on the island, and that ghost became a major character in the book."

Even with ample praise for Matinicus, that doesn't mean everyone liked that she was writing about a Maine island that has made national headlines in recent years.

"The thing is, what happens on an island, stays on an island, and people don't like you writing about it," she said. "But I was so interested in Matinicus's history going back hundreds of years and I had to tell people over and over, as well as in the book's acknowledgements, that this is fiction. This is not real and not about someone's present history. I took the flavor of the lifestyle of the island and developed my characters from there."

People who live on Matinicus have had mixed reactions she said. Some have really enjoyed it. Some are still wary of it.

"I was at the Lobster Festival last year when a woman came up to my table and identified herself as being from Matinicus," said Scott. "She was angry and demanded, 'What is this book about? Why did you write this?' The book had come out three months after the lobster shootings and she somehow thought that a book could be published that fast and that was what it was about. I told her the book was written six years ago, that it had nothing to do with current events, and I gave her a copy to take with her. She then gave me a big hug. A couple months later, when I visited the island again, she drove by and saw me and waved at me, so I guess she liked it."

Scott further explains: "I know people are fascinated with Matinicus and in my book, there is a bit of a voyeuristic peek into that lifestyle. But lots of writers write about places they didn't grow up in. You just have to know your subject and be real careful not to use real names or real incidents."

Scott's most recently released book, and second in the "Island Mystery Series," is called Reese's Leap, a continuation of the protagonist Gil Hodges's earnest misadventures on a remote island. She got the idea after participating in an all-female island retreat and portrays five women having an annual retreat on a private island. With Scott's characters, it's refreshing to see strong female personalities who can fend for themselves (a blessed departure from the typical soft focus Chick Lit 'let's all sit on a beach drink wine and talk about our unhappy lives' trope.) This mystery zigs and zags, deliberately throwing the reader off the scent with tight crackling dialogue and eerie, claustrophobic tension.

Scott is working on a third title coming out soon, titled Ragged Isle, which brings Gil Hodges back to the island of Matinicus to resolve some past issues brought up in the first novel.

I'm sure her fans and critics alike will be intrigued to find out what's in this one as well.

For more information on Darcy Scott's novels and where she'll be for book signings this summer visit: darcyscott.net

Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

ROCKLAND — Ah, to live like an artist full time on the coast of Maine... what would that be like? On Saturday, June 15, at 1 p.m. artists, wannabe-artists and art appreciators alike will have the chance to see what goes on inside three studios by hopping aboard a chartered minicoach, sponsored by All Aboard Trolley. Departing from the Farnsworth Art Museum in downtown Rockland, The Collective's first studio crawl goes trundling as a group all over the lush countryside, from Hope to Camden and back to Rockland.

The Collective, whose purpose exists to attract a younger, contemporary audience to the Farnsworth, has put this studio tour together after some brainstorming.

"There has been a public interest in looking behind the scenes of what goes on in an artist's studio, so this is our first pass at it," said Kelly Finlay, the Farnsworth's education coordinator. "The artists we're visiting will give a little introduction to their process and show us around and we'll go from there."

They will first visit Tim Higbee, a master printer in Hope who specializes in fine art lithography. Next, it's a visit to the Camden studio of plein air painter Colin Page, before ending up back in Rockland at the studio of painter Jessica Stammen. The artists will be on hand at each venue to introduce their space, their work and their process.

This is the only studio crawl The Collective will be offering this summer, so go while you can.

Register: Studio Crawl.
Meet: Wyeth Center parking lot on Grace Street between Union and High streets.
When: Saturday, June 15, 1 to 5 p.m.

For more information on how to be part of The Collective or when it will appear next, visit facebook.com/farnsworthcollective

Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com.

Summer is the busiest time of year for professional house painters, something Peter Berke, owner of North Atlantic Painting Company, knows too well. He just partnered with Jeff Neuman, owner of another painting company called Atomic Painting, this summer and there is no shortage of work to be done.

Berk currently has five big jobs going, including the Farnsworth Art Museum in Rockland, Jackson Memorial Library in Tenants Harbor, Jameson Point condominiums in Rockland and Cappy's Chowder House in Camden, but took a half hour to sit down with Penobscot Bay Pilot and answer some questions.

When did North Atlantic Painting Company start?

In 2000, kind of on a whim. I was a one-man operation then. Now we're up to about 17 employees. It's been wonderful because I haven't really had to leave the Midcoast area for work in 13 years.

Since you moved here in 2000, you've been really involved in your community. For example, just last week you were helping to organize West Bay Rotary's Duck Derby (see our accompanying story). What's in it for you?

In being part of the community, like the Chamber of Commerce and West Bay Rotary, supporting high school and middle school events, I've helped get my name out there. And that might have been the main reason why I started to get involved, but it has grown on me in ways I never expected. It's a wonderful thing to be part of — it's the service part of it that I like. If you're going to donate money to something, why not give it back to your own community?

With all the painting companies around, what is one reason for your success?

About seven or eight years ago, I looked for a way to differentiate our company from the others, so I bought a distributorship of a unique product that no one else has in New England called CHIC Liquid Vinyl System. It's not actually paint, but a high viscosity liquid resin applied coating system that looks and feels just like paint. What it means is, once you paint your house with it, you never have to paint your house again. It's a lifetime guarantee. It requires a specific installation, which we've trained our entire crew how to do.

The locals have grown to trust you, but how do the summer people know what they can expect from North Atlantic?

I'm honest and fair with my customers. I don't claim to be the cheapest, but I give them good value. We'll come to do the best possible job and how ever many times we have to come back, to make you happy, we'll do it. I'm not going to fight with you. Obviously I can't paint a rotten piece of wood, but if it's in our power to fix something, we will. The other thing is my employees. We've worked hard to get the best people by pre-screening them; we don't just take anybody off the street. We make sure we're neat, clean, polite and respectful in client's houses. That's because rightfully so, people will judge your company based on your employees and I'm only as good as my employees.

To learn more about North Atlantic Painting Company visit: northatlanticpainting.com
Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com.

NORTHPORT - Even though Tropical Andrea is messing up our good times this week (shaking fist — I'm giving you the shank eye, Andrea!), that doesn't mean we have to stop enjoying summer. Point Lookout is hosting their fun 'Cockails On The Deck' Summer Series on June 7 from 4 to 7 p.m. If you've never been to Point Lookout, you're in for a major treat. Driving up the winding mountain is beautiful enough, but let's put it this way, brides pay big money to be able to sip cocktails at the top of their mountain. So if Point Lookout is offering a public reception, you go!

For about $7 to $10 you can sit at the summit deck overlooking the islands, and just for a moment pretend you own a mega yacht, canoodle with the Brange in Cannes and retire every night in your own custom mink-lined hyperbaric sleep chamber.

For cocktails, order whatever you like. Pictured is the classic Dark and Stormy. They will be offering a selection of 'Small Plates' gourmet grilled little pizzas, which are $9 each. For example, the  "Say Cheese" pizza features hearty tomato sauce buried under mozzarella, provolone, parmesan, cheddar and Bel Paese (a semi-soft Italian cheese).

If it's raining, the indoor bar area of the Lincolnville Lounge and the Belfast Room will be open.

Reservations are encouraged by calling 207-789-2000. And do check out the rest of their upcoming Summer Series, dahhlinhk.

Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

ROCKLAND — In Greek mythology, naiads are a type of water nymph - lasses that preside over fountains, wells, springs, streams, brooks and other bodies of freshwater.

Michael Seif, an artist from Watertown, Mass., will present his photographic prints, The Merry Naiads, at an opening reception hosted by Archipelago Fine Arts Gallery in Rockland Friday, June 7, from 5 to 8 p.m. During the opening, Seif will discuss his illuminescent nudes and the many surprises in photographing the human form underwater.

Photographing his subjects – local women who feel at home swimming in the dark waters of a Maine-island quarry – sprang from Seif's academic background in zoology, according to Tina Cohen in her introduction to the 2013 Island Journal folio. After beginning his photographic journey studying fish, he switched to the human form on the advice of one of his teachers.

According to Cohen, "he discovered that human models moving in water created interesting effects: ripples, bubbles, distortions, fractured light, transformed features and mysterious textures." She also said, "But these quarry photographs are about more than just flesh; there's also an implicit sense of these women's expressive personalities, their embodiment of both innocence and sensuality."

Seif himself said, "The figure in nature is a subject with never-ending possibilities. In water, glittering swirls are telltale signs of life, showing the human figure in motion, as a living creature of nature."

Seif has had photography exhibits all over the country in both solo and group shows, and published his first book, The Fluid Figure, in 2011. His images of underwater nude figures are also featured in the 2013 Island Journal, the Island Institute's annual publication celebrating island life. Another reception is scheduled for Friday, June 28, from 6 to 8 p.m. The second reception will be preceded by an artist's talk at 5 p.m. for Island Institute members.

This exhibit will be in the gallery through July 26. To view Seif's online gallery click here. Current gallery hours for Archipelago Fine Arts are 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Tuesday through Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays, and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sundays. For more information, contact Lisa Mossel Vietze at 596-0701 or email lvietze@islandinstitute.org.

BROOKYN, N.Y. — While down in New York City on some biz-ness last weekend, I was coming back from Manhattan when I caught this break dancing troupe busting it out big time. They were a bunch of guys ranging from their teens into their 20s, who call themselves 3WayStreet Entertainment — and they were just as funny as they were talented.

"We're available for parties, weddings and divorces," they announced over a loudspeaker before each one began to show off their individual moves in a loose cypher. And man, this weekend in NYC broke some heat records, it was digustingly hot. And these guys were performing, with few breaks, in the 90-degree heat of a subway station.

Check out the video of their amazing performance. I bring it to the folks of the Midcoast because, while it may not be something you get to see everyday (given the lack of subways in the area), it is most definitely skill, art and beauty-in-motion. The closest we've got to this locally is Kinectic Energy Alive's dance studio in Camden — authentic breakdancing taught by Kea Tessyman. If you missed my initial article on her, refresh yourself on what "Popping, krumping, waacking and breaking" is all about.

To find out more about 3WayStreet Entertainment, visit them on Facebook or contact them at 3waystreetentertainment@gmail.com.

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Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com.

CAMDEN — When's the last time you saw the words "free" and "boat tour" and it didn't involve some smarmy time-share guy trying to shoehorn you into some backend deal in the Caribbean? Geesh, with an intro like that, I'd better turn this around quick.

The Betselma, a passenger-carrying vessel known to Camden residents for the last 66 years as operated by Capt. Les Bex, has switched hands this year. New owners, Alec and Erin Brainerd and Garth Wells and Jenny Tobin, earned the "Cool Award" of the week for offering to give Midcoast locals a free one-hour boat tour between May 24 and June 9. Too bad last week was a washout, but the coming week looks to be absolutely fabulous (Ab Fab!) for taking the new owners up on their incredibly generous offer.

The Brainerds, Wells and Tobin are paying it forward from all the support they got this winter when Betselma changed hands. Alec Brainerd has worked as a captain on a number of local boats, including Appledore, and he and his wife own Artisan Boatworks in Rockport. Wells and Tobin own the schooner Lewis R. French, which offers three- to six-day overnight passenger sails seasonally.

To kick off their new season, they are sharing the love with the locals. All you have to do to make a reservation is visit www.camdenharborcruises.com or call 236-6672 and choose a day and enter all your info, plus the coupon code LOCAL_FOLKS at the end. The reservation will change to $0.00 so you won't need to put in your credit card. But please, really be a local and honor your departure time.

To see more wicked ridiculously cool Cheap Dates stories and other local, insider things to do in the Midcoast, check out Penobscot Bay Pilot's Pinterest category, Cheap Dates.

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Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com.

Thanks to Holly Edwards for finding this one and barely holding back the coffee she wanted to snort from her nose.

Joanna Rohrback invented "Prancercising" nearly 20 years ago, a cross between dancing and excercise that looks like a pretentious pony trying to clop away from its unworthy owners.

Between Rohrback and Korean superstar rapper Psy, prancing like a horse is THE thing these days. Forget The Harlem Shake. The shake has nothing on Rohrback's prance.

Five Town Communities That Care's annual Dance Walk is coming up July 17 at 5 p.m., so this gives you plenty of time to learn Rohrback's sweet moves.

"So let's stop talking and do some walking."

Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com.

CAMDEN - Last week, a friend had told me she found a dazed and confused cat wandering around her back yard. When she approached him, it seemed from the wound on the top of his head and his disoriented manner, that a car had tagged him. She took him to the P.A.W.S. Animal Adoption Shelter under the name "Otto," where he has been renamed "Audi" and treated for his injuries.

 Staff member Kathy Howard said: "He had a little boo-boo on his head and was staring off in a corner when we first got him. He was at the vet for little more than a week and everything came back fine. No head injuries or major injuries. He was soon eating on his own and using the litterbox. I'm not sure if it his personality, but he still seems easily startled. Although he's a real sweetie, he'll head-butt your hand to let you know he wants affection. I think he'd do well in a quieter home with a calm person. He's a sweet boy."

He is a tiger cat, estimated at two years old. Sweet little guy. Stop by P.A.W.S. and ask about "Audi." Won't someone make the rest of the eight lives he's got happy?

If you ever think you've hit a cat, do the right thing.

Stop and look, and make sure the animal is okay.

Check the first house you come to and ask if it is their cat.

Otherwise, take the animal to any vet or to a shelter.

Never assume it will be okay.

There's always a chance to save its life!

For more information on Audi and P.A.W.S. Animal Adoption Center visit pawsadoption.org/available-pets

Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

ROCKLAND - Our third "Welcome Back, snowbats" installment is here and if you need to know what a snowbat is, get primed through our first "what's new" two articles on Belfast and Camden-Rockport. It's always nice to come back to Rockland after a winter away and see what's open, what's closed, what's new and what's happening. So, here is your rundown for the summer.

Won't you take me to... Foodie Town

Rockland's solid lead on the Creative Economy has lured many a restaurateur to the area, but this winter, two new stylish restaurants landed on Main Street, solidifying Rockland's burgeoning reputation as a foodie town. Watch out, Portland.

First FOG Bar and Cafe opened right after the Frankenstorm of last October, a hip joint catering to the young, artistic crowd, run by partners Ashley Seelig and Josh Cardoso, along with Seelig's parents, Sherrie Gibson and Warren Seelig. They moved into the former Rock City Cafe space, and over the winter, transformed it into a funky gourmet atmosphere with “French and Southern-inspired contemporary comfort food.”  With a new happy hour menu, the bar does brisk business, offering a variety of craft beers (from Maine as well as imports) and some of the best spirits Seelig and Cardoso have found on their own culinary journeys. Check out Pen Bay Pilot's article on it here.

In the spring, 3Crow Restaurant and Bar opened, anchoring the food scene on the opposite end of Main Street. Executive Chef and Owner Josh Hixson spun a completely different menu from his 40 Paper restaurant in Camden to offer “modern American food with a heavy Southern influence,” based in part on Hixson’s own experiences growing up the South. 3Crow also offers a craft beer and cocktail selection as well as a small plates menu that appeals to the younger generation. Check out Pen Bay Pilot's article on it here.

Home Kitchen Cafe (650 Main Street) might look a little different to those coming back. That's because its owners completed a renovation that started last fall when they closed the restaurant for the winter to open up more space in the dining room, as well as a new roof deck that catches a glimpse of the ocean. Husband and wife James Hatch and Susan Schiro are back in business and ready for the summer. Known locally for one of the best breakfast/lunch spots in Rockland, Home Kitchen Cafe should be on the "list" of places to check out this summer.

The Chowder House is another new restaurant that just opened last week at 2 Park Drive, featuring award winning chowders, classic local lobster rolls, and steamed seafood dinners.

In other Main Street news, Rock City Cafe, which now only offers breakfast and lunch, has announced it will add a new evening menu on the nights it is open for the Velvet Lounge music performances (typically Friday and Saturday night).

On yet another foodie note, those who have Primo on their destination dinner spot might like to know that in May, Chef Melissa Kelly won the prestigious James Beard Foundation award (otherwise known as "the Oscars of the food world") for Best Chef in the Northeast. Kelly flew down to New York City to accept her award and attend a party at celebrity chef Mario Batali's restaurant, Del Posto, before flying back to Maine to get right back to work.

Lastly, two local favorite restaurants have reopened under new ownership. Over the winter, The Landings Restaurant on Rockland harbor opened under Mike and Kate Miller and their family. The Millers formerly operated Grapes Restaurant before it was destroyed in a 2004 fire and continue to run Bricks Restaurant near the harbor. The seafood menu will stay much the same and people are excited to have that back deck on the water open once again. Down the road apiece in Port Clyde, locals and tourists alike were thrilled to hear that The Harpoon, now renamed The Black Harpoon, has reopened under new owners, locals, Chris Chadwick, a scallop fisherman, and his mother, Cindy Chadwick. Longtime local chef Barbara Mann is cooking for them and the place still retains its authentic, cozy fishermen's decor. Always worth the drive. Check out Pen Bay Pilot's article on it here.

New businesses and other stuff you might have missed

For those on the move, Scooter Dogs is a new scooter rental and tour/sightseeing business that opened in Rockland Harbor Park. If you prefer to pedal on your own power, Side Country Sports has expanded their space and as always, offers affordable bike rentals as a way to see downtown Rockland and Owls Head. They now offer a public riding club at 5:15 p.m. on Wednesday nights.  They ride is about an hour and a half as a group. This is a NO-drop ride, which means you will not get left behind or "dropped." This is a great opportunity to learn about riding in a group and proper rules of the road. Call 207-701-5100

Whoo! Break out the wine glasses. Breakwater Vineyards, out of Owls Head has a new tasting room in downtown Rockland on 373 Main Street, right across from Island Institute. It opened a week ago and will be open seven days a week, noon to 6 p.m. It entails $3 for four pours, allowing for a full glass of tastings, includes reds and whites. FMI: check it out their Facebook page.

And if it's sweets you're craving, Bixby & Co., an organic chocolate shop from  Warwick, N.Y., is moving to Rockland, setting up shop at 279 Main St., at the intersection with Park Drive.

If we've missed any new businesses that would be interesting to folks coming back to Maine, shoot us an email with the subject line"Add to Rockland story" and we'll add it into the list! Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

CAMDEN-ROCKPORT - Your first logical question is: "What's a snowbat?" It's a twist on the phrase "moonbats," locally coined by Belfast promoter Mike Hurley in a Down East magazine article last December. Penobscot Bay Pilot reporter Ethan Andrews prefered the term "snowbat" over "snowbird" in his article, Welcome back to Belfast snowbats! - so we're stealing it.

It's always nice to come back to Camden-Rockport after a winter away and see what's open, what's closed, what's new and what's happening. So, here is your rundown for the summer.

Cappy's Got Huge...

The most noticeable change in downtown Camden this summer is how big Cappy's got. David Robichaud, of Appleton, and Matt Orne, of Camden, purchased the restaurant business and real estate from Johanna Tutone last fall. But that wasn't the only major change. Over the winter, Robichaud and Orne bought the next door establishment, Village Restaurant, and have been steadily working with crews to transform the expanded space into seating for 225 people with two decks, two bars and two private functions rooms, making it the largest restaurant in Camden. The new restaurant will be called Cappy's Harbor View. The dining room will connect to the original bar and the nautical decor that locals and tourists love will remain the same. Coming into town, you'll notice that paint crews have already matched the dark green trim and signature red doors so that it looks as though it has always been there. And the Village Restaurant sign that adorned the entire front of the building has been removed to reveal a row of port hole windows, touché. And for those who remember Cappy's longtime favorite bartender "Big John" Collins, you're in for another surprise. He's back!

Other New Restaurants

Good news for the yachties and the deck hands...starting down in the harbor, a new gourmet pizza place has replaced what was once Poalina’s Way. Brian Hill, owner of Francine Bistro, opened Seabright, a new restaurant that specializes in pizza as well as a good cocktail menu. "We’ll also feature good rum drinks for all the sailors," said Hill. See full story here.

Halfway up Elm Street, a new Latin-inspired restaurant named Comida Latin Kitchen opened this winter, in the former space of Old World Potato Company (next to Zoot). Trained in French cuisine, chef/owner Tom Sigler brings a French flair to Latin flavors from Mexico, El Salvador, Cuba, Central and South America. See full story here.

And further down the road, Annemarie Ahearn, owner of Salt Water Farm in Lincolnville, has moved her enterprise next to Shepherd's Pie in Rockport, calling it Salt Water Farm Cafe and Market at Union Hall. The market is integrated with the café and offers fresh produce, baked goods and provisions. See full story here.

New Stores And Stuff You Might Have Missed

Speaking of big, snowbats will notice Hannaford Supermarket in Camden has also greatly expanded when they first walk through the new sliding doors. Over the winter, the grocery store finished its renovations, which include a pharmacy and more than 3,000 new products in the new space. People are still wandering around trying to figure out where everything is, except for Hannaford's best customer, Chuck Hendrick. He already knows where the rum aisle is.

Lily, Lupine and Fern is one of the only stores in town offering gourmet craft beers (in addition to fine wines) and if you wander into their shop all the way to the back, you might blink and say "where's the beer?" Never fear, owners Gary and Bunny haven't yanked their stock; they've merely turned a back alcove into the special beer and wine room. Keep walking all the way to the back and hang a Louie, you'll eventually find it. The Marshall Wharf Cant Dog Imperial IPA is worth the trek.

Right next to Lily, Lupine and Fern, tucked down into the alley at #4 Public Landing, a new gallery/studio just opened, run by Jack McKenney, an artist who works with oils and acrylics. Check them out at: jackmckenneystudio.com

Down the street, a little further, Midcoast's largest residents, Rosie and Opal, may reside in Hope, but did you know the loving elephant pals have their own store in Camden? The Hope Elephants Museum Store is at 29 Main St. and is stocked with a variety of elephant-related merchandise, including fine art photographs of Rosie and Opal. Click here for more information on the store.

Green With Envy is another new place that popped up at 25 Mechanic St. this spring. This eco-friendly hair salon uses Aveda products in addition to green cleaning products. Then, there's Twice Upon a Dream, an emporium of new and nostalgic items, which opened on Elm Street next to the Children's House Montessori School.

Other tidbits: Those who remember where Owl & Turtle used to be on Mechanic Street will notice that the alternative Watershed School has moved into that space over the winter. Across the street, another new business is gearing to open June 1, Zarafa, offering children's and maternity clothing. Speaking of kids, Bubbles  & Bean Children's Consignment (next door to Reny's) just opened this winter and they are gearing up for a huge summer.

Lastly, the iconic Norumbega Inn on High Street has reopened, under new ownership, with renovations and refurbishment for those who worried they'd never get to stay in this fine castle again.

So there you have it, snowbats. Stay tuned for your Rockland roundup next week and welcome back!

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Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com.

CAMDEN - Peter Berke has endured ribbing from his crew at North Atlantic Painting Company for a few weeks now. It takes a confident guy to drive up to a client's house with a giant wooden duck strapped to the roof of his car, but it's all in good fun to promote West Bay Rotary's upcoming Duck Derby. Note: Due to weather and related tidal conditions this Saturday, May 25, the Duck Derby has been postponed to next Saturday, June 1 at 4:00 p.m.

Berke, owner of North Atlantic Painting Company and a member of West Bay Rotary, said: "In the beginning I got involved with Rotary to promote my business, but as it turns out, I really enjoy the service part of it, the giving back. I never thought I'd be the type of person who would be so involved in this, but once you get involved, it makes you want to give of yourself more."

As for the duck?

"The duck was a combined effort," he said. "My wife, Patty, drew the duck, and my guys in the shop cut out the design and painted it. Then we took it to Adventure Advertising where they made it more like a rubber duck with the signage and decals, just like you'd put on a car."

"This has been a real team effort with everybody in Rotary to get this revived again," he said.

For 19 years, the Duck Derby was an annual springtime event, until its popularity waned for a few years. Recently, there has been interest in reviving it again.

Each raffle ticket bought will correlate to a numbered rubber duck, which will be entered into the Saturday's river race.

"The purpose is to raise money locally through Rotary, so we can funnel it back into local community organizations and nonprofits," said Berke. "As a committee, we decide where it will go, so, for example, it might go to a YMCA-sponsored program, a kids' horse-back riding program or Meals on Wheels."

Fellow Rotarian Mark Masterson, sitting next to Berke said: "Basically what we're going to do is drop 2,500 rubber ducks into Megunticook River, where they'll float down underneath Main Street, over the falls and down to an entrapment we've made at the foot of the falls. It's a wide border with pool noodles and at the end of this is a small aperature, where only one duck can come through. We will have a boat placed there so that each duck's number will be picked up as it goes through and that's how we'll designate who the winners are."

Rest assured, environmentalists, all rubber ducks will be removed from the river when it's over.

"Although, I have to say last year we did get a call from Islesboro or Isle au Haut saying they found a stray duck," said Berke. "But they cost us money, so yeah, we like to get them all back — all our ducks in a row."

Wack Wack.

Prizes for the Duck Derby race include a week's vacation at the deluxe Vanderbilt Resort in Naples, Fla., plus $1,000 cash, or one of several other great prizes, including jewelry from Etienne Perret, dinner for two at Hartstone Inn, a $50 gift certificate to Fresh Restaurant, a two-hour sail for two on the Schooner Olad, a $30 gift certificate to Graffam Brothers Harborside Restaurant, and much more.

Tickets are $5 per duck or 5 ducks for $20 and are available at HAVII, or downtown the day of the event. The event is being sponsored by Camden's West Bay Rotary, the Vanderbilt Beach Resort, Etienne Perret Jewelry, Rockport Automotive and the Hartstone Inn.

Tickets are available at Harbor Video in Camden or the day of the race at French and Brawn in Camden. Launching is scheduled at 4:00 p.m., depending on the tide. There will be a children's activities tent at the finish line starting at 11 a.m.

Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

CAMDEN - Cappy's Chowder House may be currently undergoing a major expansion for the summer, but locals and tourists will find another welcome surprise when they walk through the new doors: John Collins, who goes by the nickname "Big John," is back behind the bar after a 13-year absence.

For six or seven years during the 1990s, Big John was the jovial face behind the bar-and the tallest guy in the room, until he left in 2000. Back then, a loyal group of local ladies would convene every Monday night at Cappy's bar for the weekly Girl's Night Out (GNO). The rules were simple: no kids, no boyfriends or husbands. If a guy wanted to join GNO, he had to wear a skirt. (No guys ever did.) Big John heard a lot of inappropriate conversations and served up a lot of "Wedgies" (Budweiser in a mason jar with a lemon), but he still, to this day, remains one of the most welcoming bartenders Camden has ever seen.

Well, like they say, everything old is new again. His first day back bartending for Cappy's was on this past Monday. At the end of his shift, members of the original GNO group suprised him with a card and a photo (sometime circa 1995) of Big John with the GNO crew. We could tell from the photo it was sometime near Valentine's Day and that several of us still hadn't climbed out of the 1980s fashion-wise. Behind us stood Big John, then at 6 feet, 8 inches.

"I'm about 6 feet, 6 inches now," he said, laughing. "I've shrunk."

Asked what brought him back, he said: "For starters, my wife's schedule has changed, so Mondays and Tuesdays were a perfect time to come back. My friend David [Robichaud, along with Matt Orne] bought the place, so here I am." 

In his absence, a few things have changed.

"It's been frightfully familar and very much the same," he said. "There's a new door here," referring to the new entrance to the expanded side of the restaurant. "And a new computer system, which is great."

We pointed out there is also a new mug club, which didn't exist in the 1990s.

"They claim they brought me back because I'm the only one that can move the mugs," he said.

"We've missed his laugh," said GNO veteran Leigh Ann Englander. If you've ever heard Big John's booming laugh, it sounds exactly like Sesame Street's The Count wth its booming Ah-ha-ha!

"I miss his perfect handwriting on the specials' boards," said Joanne Parent, another GNO member and former Cappy's employee. "I'd come into work and the lettering was brilliant. I'd want to know how to recreate his 'n's and his 'h's."

Big John has also had some personal changes since his old days slinging Wedgies. He's now married with two boys, eight and ten. He said he's looking forward to a summer with the new expanded restaurant, which is to open by mid-June.

"It is very well run, clean and organized and I'm just looking forward to having fun," he said. "I love tending bar. There's going to be two more bars and two decks."

How will people react knowing he's back?

"I'm one of those recognizeable people," he said. "I suspect I'll see a lot of people from the old days."

As for Girls Night Out, Big John better get used to raucous inappropriate conversations on Monday nights again. The girls are back.

Cappy's Chowder House plans their big grand re-opening around mid-June. Find out more details from their website or Facebook page.

Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

Five Town Communities That Care and I have collaborated on a column to address the news concerning the presumed death of missing Glenburn teenager, Nichole Cable, and information on what parents and teachers can do concerning youth online safety.

Recently, police announced that a 20-year-old Orono man is facing a murder charge in connection with the disappearance of Nichole Cable of Glenburn. Earlier news reports mentioned that a fake Facebook account, or what is known as an  “imposter profile,” was used to lure the 15-year-old away from her home.

Understandably, situations like these heighten parents’ fears about their children’s safety online. Here are some suggestions on how to broach this topic with your own children.

An imposter profile is when someone creates a fake website or social networking profile in order to deceive a target.  In these cases, the predator stealse the identity of someone the target may have known in real life, and communicates with them through this imposter Facebook profile.

What we know is that predators often “groom” young boys and girls online by befriending them and finding out what they like, what hurts them and what makes them tick in a short amount of time. It’s incredibly easy to find a wealth of information on a teen simply by requesting to be their friend on Facebook. Once the teen accepts the friendship request, the predator looks at what kind of media/music/movies the teen likes, what drives his or her personality and what “angles” they can use to manipulate the impression of having common interests. For example, the predator sees what bands the teen likes on his or her Facebook page and stores that as nuggets of conversational “bread crumbs” by casually mentioning: “Oh you like One Direction? I like One Direction too!” From there, the common interests quickly lead to personal revelations and “heart-to-heart” talks. Pretty soon, the teen feels like he or she has someone special who deeply understands them and might be the only one who knows what they are going through.

What parents/teachers can do.

As upsetting as this situation is, current news stories need to be used with your teenagers as a talking point. Here is an excellent list of tips in how to guide this conversation:

• Meeting People Online: Dos and Don’ts of Online Relationships for Teens

The number one rule I tell teens is “Don’t friend anyone on social media that you don’t already know in real life and trust 100 percent.”

Everything you upload for content can be used against you, whether to groom you for nefarious purposes or for use in cyberbullying situations. Content is often repurposed for malicious reasons.

So many teens shrug off this advice thinking, “Oh, she’s being alarmist. It’ll never happen to me.”

It happens every day around the country, and in Maine, and these stories need to be told.

The other suggestion I‘ve repeatedly made to parents is to implement aBeanStalk's uKnowKids app on your teen’s cell phone, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts.  This column explains how to use this free “parental intelligence system” so that it instantly alerts you via text or email if any keywords your teen and someone else uses with them contains language around cyberbullying, sexting and predatory grooming. You’ll also know exactly whom your teen has ecently accepted as a friend on social media without compromising his/her online privacy.

If you'd like to know more about how to protect your kids from an imposter profile, along with other safety tactics, join my free webinar June 13 at 5 p.m. There are currently eight spaces left for Identifying & Preventing The Six Most Common Cyberbullying Tactics.

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Kay Stephens is the co-author of Cyberslammed: Understand, Prevent, Combat and Transform the Most Common Cyberbullying Tactics, sponsored by Time Warner Cable. She has been making presentations at Maine schools on specific cyberbullying threats, such as imposter profiles and how to understand, prevent, combat and transform them. To see more posts on this topic, visit Kay Stephens at her Affiliate page on Penobscot Bay Pilot.

Five Town Communities That Care is dedicated to promoting healthy youth development and to the prevention of problem adolescent behaviors, including substance abuse, violence, delinquency, school dropout, teenage pregnancy and suicide.

The Teen2Teen VidFest contest rules were pretty straight forward: Any teen from Lincoln County could enter with a 15-, 30- or 60-second public safety announcement video on teens and tobacco use, distracted driving, or bullying. Out of 12 student directors (all from Lincoln Academy), 15 films were judged.

Teen2Teen video fest winner Ploypailin Intarawut took first prize with a trophy and $1,000 with her short artistic PSA that layered grim smoking statistics with a soft focus close up of a teen girl’s face changed by years of tobacco use. See her winning video in this story.

“It was challenging for the directors; we narrowed it down to the top three or four videos,” said one of the judges, Orion Breen, program director at Lincoln County Healthcare. “I thought [Intarawut’s winning video] was artistic, very well made technically and it sticks with you — you can watch it more than once.“

Lincoln County Health Literacy Partnership is a joint venture whose major goal is to educate members of the community regarding healthy choices and healthy behaviors.

Maya Crosby, Lincoln Academy’s digital and print media teacher said: “This had nothing to do with our class; it was extracurricular. She’s talented and creative. It shows some good artistic and technical ability.”

Intarawut said: “I like to make short films and wanted this to be something different, not something you’d usually see. I wanted it to be abstract, so everybody who watched it could take away from it a different perspective.” 

Intarawut also makes travel documentaries and said she’ll use her prize money for her college fund. She has been accepted to Mount Holyoke and plans to do a double major in international relations and East Asian studies.

The committee awarded Nathan Austin, a junior at Wiscasset High School, the second place trophy and a prize of $500 for his green screen depiction of distracted driving while texting. Lincoln Academy student Sammy Zaidi received the third-place trophy and $250, also on distracted driving. Finally, the Audience Award and $100 went to Lincoln Academy student Aidan Shadis.

Breen said the winning films will get shared on public access and local TV channels as well as online. 

“We hope the work of these students will inspire other teens to think about their actions and affirm healthy life choices,” said Breen. “We want this night to be just the beginning.”

To see a playlist of the rest of videos in this story go to "Teen2Teen Videos."

Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

BELFAST — The concept is astoundingly simple, yet no one in the Midcoast has ever done it before. This past winter, a little take-out place called Scallions opened up in the Reny’s Plaza mall in Belfast, but lest anyone equate the idea of “to go” with fast food, this eatery is setting itself apart with its fine dining options.

Scallions describes itself as “restaurant quality prepared food to go.” For 14 years, Diana and Charles Evans husband owned The Rhumb Line, a fine dining restaurant in Searsport. Following that stint, they got three years of corporate catering under their belt before coming up with this concept.

“We have a lot of customers who were loyal to The Rhumb Line who were thrilled to know we’re carrying some of the restaurant’s signature dishes, such as the crab cakes and the horseradish encrusted salmon with a roasted red pepper mayo over brown rice and side vegetable,” she said.

Inside the bright and airy customer area, there are a few tables and a front counter framed by the large sign with the Scallions logo. The most visible part of the restaurant is the to-go coolers, which are stocked with pre-made “grab and go” entrees, lunches, sandwiches, salads, soups and desserts. Another cooler stocks beer and wine, for the convenience of one-stop shopping. “If you want the quality of a whole foods meal, but don’t feel like grocery shopping or spending another two hours after work in a restaurant, this is what it’s all about,” said Evans.

Their brand caters to local ingredients, smaller portions, and affordable ($10 or less) good, quality food in containers that can be popped into microwave or oven.

Scallions developed out of the couple’s need to see more take out options on Belfast.  

“When we didn’t feel like cooking ourselves, our only take-out options were really pizza and Chinese food. Sometimes when you want that, it’s great, but if you don’t, there’s not much else.”

They originally learned of this restaurant quality to-go concept when a friend mentioned visiting such a place in Connecticut. Knowing how well this concept would work in Midcoast, something clicked. “When it comes right down to it, it’s what we knew,” Evans said. “Now, it’s taken on a life of its own.”

What might not be evident at first glance is that the restaurant also has a full kitchen and grill in the back and does a full “to order” menu such as prime rib sandwiches, quesadillas and burgers as well as daily specials, including The Rhumb Line-favorite crab cake, alone or over salad.

Their menus and to-go items change seasonally. Moving into spring, Scallions is shifting their menu to using locally sourced lighter fare. “We’re really working with what’s coming through the door,” Evans said. “We just got our first order from Ararat Farms, which is great. They have salad greens, which is an understatement. They’re amazing. We just did fresh fennel and red pepper salad with a light sea salt extra virgin olive oil and lemon juice.”

Another favorite: Roasted sweet potato on baby spinach with a maple-mustard vinaigrette.

“People seem to be crazed for that salad,” she said.

Come summer, they’ll offer more fresh fish that they get from Maine Shellfish and Wholesale Seafood. Off the grill, they’ll bring back another seasonal customer favorite: a pan-seared peppered swordfish sandwich with Vidalia onion picalilli.

They also plan to offer to-go lobster roll, something one can rarely get in Belfast without sitting down at a restaurant.

With their catering background, they have no problem taking a larger order for groups and doing an entire dinner for 8-12 people that the host can simple re-heat at home.

“You can say you made it,” Evans laughed.

The Belfast area has given them an amazing reception said Evans.

“One of the things I like about Belfast is this is a great professional environment to be in. Everybody has their own niche and nobody steps on each other’s toes. We have great wraps in Belfast with Bay Wraps, so we won’t even offer that. We’ve got great place for raw juice with the Juice Cellar, so we won’t do juice in here. We all just do our own thing.”

Some days when you’re feeling anti-social, blah, overtired or just can’t face the world, it’s good to know there’s a place that gets it and puts the “comfort” in comfort food.

For store hours, menus and specials follow them on Facebook.

Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

Imagine looking up at the sky and seeing this? Would you laugh? Call 9-1-1? Kickstarter is the world's largest crowdfunding platform for creative projects. People use it to launch their books, movies, albums and other tech ideas. But one day, New York comedian Kurt Braunohler got a silly idea and thought, "why not run with it?"

He raised $7,000 with the help of 257 backers and got a skywriter to write "How do I land?" in L.A.

In his statement, via Gawker, he said:  "I think we can all agree that life is pretty bleak place to be a lot of the time. Often you might even think, 'Who thought this was a good idea to begin with!?' (God – what a jerk.) But I think that if there’s a way we can, just for a fleeting moment, give strangers an unexpected gift of absurdity, then I think we can make the world a slightly better place."

If you were in the midst of dialing 9-1-1, you can put the phone down now.

Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

BELFAST - Summer's coming. Time to grab some friends and break out the bar-b-ques, cocktails, and... chainsaws? Leatherface is back and this time it's personal. This well-made sequel takes us back to 1974, the morning after the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre.

It begins with a shootout between a local vigilante mob and the Sawyer family with exciting cameos by Chainsaw alumni Gunnar Hansen, Bill Mosely, and Marilyn Burns. With seemingly no survivors of the Sawyer family, fast forward 20 years later when a young woman returns to Texas to claim her inheritance. From this point, it actually almost feels like like a regular film, as opposed to being one of the slasher genre. Bring your sympathy for the devil, because this time around, we find that Leatherface has a heart. And not just the one on his plate.

"Family is a messy business. Ain't nothing thicker than blood!"

I'll confess that the first 10 minutes made the whole movie worthwhile for me. But watch the whole thing; you'll want to get every last drop.  This movie aspires to be the first in a new franchise of Texas Chainsaw sequels, so expect to see more of stars Alexandra Daddario, and Scott Eastwood. Disregard any previous franchise timelines. Ignore any discrepencies in the details. Enjoy it as a rousing sequel to the original classic. And remember, it's only a movie.
 

Reviewed by Jim Dandy. Tiffany Howard and Jim Dandy co-own Opera House Video, an independent video rental store in downtown Belfast featuring an extensive collection of new releases, foreign films, documentaries, classics and television series. Each takes turns writing the movie review. Find them on Facebook at Opera House Video.

BELFAST - This Friday evening, May 17, at the Tarratine Tribe Hall, 153 Main Street in Belfast, a series of craftsmen, artists and innovators will strut their stuff at PechaKucha Night Midcoast Maine, emceed by poet Arielle Greenberg Bywater.

PechaKucha, which is the Japanese term for the sound of conversation "chit chat," was originally devised in Tokyo in February 2003 as an event for young designers to meet, network, and show their work in public. The way Pechakucha Midcoast works is eight people each present their work, ideas and creative process in a 20-second-per-image, 20-image engaging, fast-paced slideshow.

Friday's eight include Michael Beaudry, timber framer; Sarah Boisvert, Maine FabLab; Rob Brown, painter; Nicole Magnan Caruso, Peaceful Nest Yoga; Rhonda Feiman, Japanese-style acupuncturist; George Mason, artist; George Haselton, Rockport Mechanical; and Laura Waller, artist.

To get an idea of the diversity of each presentation here's one to watch this Friday.

'If you can dream it, you can make it"

Sarah Boisvert is the founder of Maine FabLab, a "fabrication lab" in Biddeford where students and adults can dream up an invention and use the lab's sophisticated equipment to build potential product prototypes. A volunteer for MIT, Boisvert adapted the concept from the ideas of Neil Gershenfeld, a professor at MIT's FabLab as way to encourage more young people to use science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). From In an interview on a guest blog post for www.kcharry.com, Boisvert gives an example of whatever can be dreamt up can be made real. In the Maine FabLab, they offer equipment that anyone can use.

For example, Boisvert said, "3D printers are machines that build complete things in plastic from CAD drawings, so if you can imagine something, and create a CAD file, then you can have it in your hands in a day or so, complete with moving parts!"

According to FabLab's website, this can be used to create everything from customized hand brace orthotics, implantable joints, ornate bricks for construction, parts for NASA satellites, housing for consumer electronics, iPad & iPhone cases and holders, as well as artistic creations such as sculpture, jewelry, and toys.

Doors open at 6:00 p.m., program begins at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $5 at the door.

The next PechaKucha Midcoast Maine event will be on September 13 in Camden and November 15 in Rockland. For more information, email pechakuchamidco-ast@gmail.com or visit midcoastmagnet.com/content/pecha-kucha.

Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

NORTH HAVEN - Fighting princesses and bears who snack on pizza delivery guys are only a few of the wildly imaginative plays being performed this weekend at Waterman's Community Center in North Haven. On May 17 and 18 at 7:30 p.m. and on May 19 at 1 p.m., theater goers will get to experience seven original full-stage productions about 15 minutes each. The scriptwriters range in age from 9 to 65.

"Back in February we put out a call for scripts from local and summer residents and these were the best of the submissions," said Waterman's Program Director William Trevaskis. "We've gotten a lot of fantasy topics this year. For example, one of the plays written by a third-grade student named Sierra Koerber Marxis is called Brave Princess, and is about a princess who teaches knights how to fight. "It's great, it's very imaginative, very fast-paced," said Trevaskis, who also does sound design for these plays.

As for the adult plays, Jake Greenlaw (who play drums for the Toughcats) and Adam Alexander have put together a dark comedy called Craig? about a pizza delivery man who thinks all bears are friendly until he is eaten by one. Lest we give it away, there is a twist, apparently involving a second pizza delivery guy and a second bear.

Other plays are written by Katherine White, Jacqueline Clark, Sam Minot, Marten Dunn and Terry Goodhue; directed by Courtney Naliboff, AC Alexander and JJ Greenlaw and Terry Goodhue.

This is the second year Waterman's Community Center has put on this Play Writing Festival with most of the actors, sets and production drawn from students and faculty from the North Haven Community School.

Tickets are $7/$10. To get tickets, call William Trevaskis at 207-867-2129 or email him at programs@watermans.org

Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

THOMASTON - As a non-mom, I'm not generally inclined to go to literary readings about Mother's Day. (It's a little like going to a car convention when you only ride a bike.) But somehow, I knew if I went to Billy's Tavern last night for their "Mother's Night Storytelling" event, I'd find a much richer understanding of what it means to be, or not be, a mother in these times. Because gay or straight, wealthy or poor, in a committed relationship or single, ambivalent or determined, every woman has asked herself this question at a point in her life: "what kind of mother would I be?"

Hallmark Cards, Inc., may think they have the slick and packaged answer for that one, but last night's storytellers gave a nuanced performance, using music, photo essays (like Pecha Kucha) and funny and poignant stories to illustrate how different we all are as women, but how we all ask ouselves that universal question.

Brooke Willams, a writer, and co-owner of Billy's Tavern, said, "We're all in a writer's group together down in Portland and I just felt like we needed to do an event that showed all these different perspectives. Essays are so hard to get published these days, but I thought these were stories other women needed to hear."

The storytellers were Elisabeth Wilkins, Kella River, Cathy Kidman, Brooke Holland and Brooke Willams.

Wilkins, the first reader said, "My piece was about how my Italian mother-in-law didn't understand why I was breastfeeding my child because to her, it carried a cultural association of poverty. But I think what she was really worried about is that I would raise my child so differently than she raised hers and these differences would prevent her with having a connection with her grandchild." To see Wilkins's story online, click here.

Kella River, a music therapist and a professional singer/songwriter sang a couple of songs, and one in particular, titled "Mother" was refreshingly honest. With lyrics, like "Mother you kill me," the song was about not fulfilling a mother's expectations while simultaneously chafing under her control. What was so interesting about this song is that it dared go to the place that Hallmark will never dare to go, layering the omnipresent image of June Cleaver with what a real mother says behind closed doors. (See our accompanying video of her performance.)

"I've played that song only a few times," said River, "and I'm pretty careful with it. The first few times I played it people seemed kind of disturbed, and I thought, 'well, that's my truth.' On the one hand, you have to accept that we're all imperfect. On the other, whatever you pass on to your kids can be lifelong."

The hue and cry that erupts every time a woman chooses to portray a less-than-positive view of motherhood will invariably follow, perhaps even in this article. I see it all the time. One person chooses to speak her truth and dozens protest, as if she is somehow speaking for all womankind. She's not. It's her truth. She's allowed to speak it.

Willam's piece titled Microwave Chicken got the most laughs and head nods from the audience.

"I've been writing that piece for so long and I've been trying to figure out what that piece was about," said Williams. The premise is that Williams's mother gives her a microwave oven to make life simpler, but it's not a tool that Williams wants or find necessarily simplifying in the 2000s as it did for her mother in the 1970s.

"It's essentially my relationship with my mother," she said. "But it's about rebelling about how your mother does things, and about feminism. I see a lot of women my age and younger who are approaching motherhood a lot differently than their own mothers."

Shonna Milliken Humphrey, another author, was slated to do a piece last night about her ambivalence about not having kids, but she was unable to come to the show. "I was really hoping to put that piece out there, because so many people are not having kids," said Williams.

In yet, another twist of perspective, Kidman's essay was about not being a mom, not because of choice, but because of ovarian cancer. With grit and humor, she wove through her story about how she and her partner had thought about having kids, until life changed her plans.

"I felt like I'd just got spayed," she said to the audience's laughter.

Brooke Holland, a photographer, took us through her own life story about how she lost her own mother at 18 and how she came to grips with this crushing loss, first through her photography and later, through her own sweet twin baby girls. Using a projector and a screen, she took us through this journey with each evocative photograph. One self-portrait stuck with me: an image of Brooke, lying cradled inside a mossy overhang, as if that could subsitute a mother's arms. (I think there was a sand storm that blew through the doors of Billy's Tavern at that moment, because my eyes wouldn't stop leaking.)

In the end, "what kind of mother did I have?" and "what kind of mother would I be" were deeply personal and different answers for everyone on stage and in the audience. Each story coaxed us to cross that bridge from our stereotypes, our long-held beliefs and our convictions and allowed us to see the truth from many facets. And that's why we tell stories.

Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

ROCKLAND — The Hot Mamas, an eclectic group of Midcoast women, aren't into your plain, old, run-of-the-mill fundraisers. If they're going to put their energy toward something, it's a sure bet it's going to be innovative, it's going to be energetic and it's going to be hot... tssssssss.

On Saturday, May 11, they're getting behind Fashion's Night Out and a cause they deeply believe in: helping the teens and young adults who are part of Rockland's Out! As I Want To Be, an organization for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered, queer and questioning young people ages 14-22.

The Fashion's Night Out fashion show will take place at the David Scriven Crowley Gallery at 409 Main St. in Rockland, featuring five designers and outfits from two local retailers modeled by a dozen local men and women, including Oceanside East Principal Tom Forti and Trekkers' Executive Director Don Carpenter and The Hot Mamas.

Participating designers include Lisa Barfuss of Skirtin’ Around; knit-wear designer Sarah Brand-New of Belfast; Gail Perezutti of New York-based Candela; Susan Perrine, an artist known for her creative outfits fashioned from books; and furrier extraordinaire Greg Tinder of Tsarevich Couture in Northport. Participating retail stores include Four-Twelve in Rockland and the Eclectic Closet in Belfast.

One of The Hot Mama founders, Marianne Forti, said, "We just wanted to do something a little different, a little edgy, something we haven't done before to raise money for a local cause. So, we pulled in all of the contacts we knew to put this together. A fashion show is necessry for spring - I think we're all looking for a little boost in our wardrobes." 

"Most of The Hot Mamas are moms - not all, but all of the groups we support have to do with families and children," continued Forti. "We just thought it's hard enough to be a teenager, period. And when you add in questioning your sexuality, or being labeled as different, we just all sympathize how these kids must struggle because a lot of us have kids of our own."

Sarah Brand-New, one of the designers offering her pieces to the show said, "This particular cause is dear to me as I've watched close friends struggle with coming out. It's a great cause for teenagers who are coming out. This type of support could be a life saver." A yoga instructor as well as a knit-wear designer, Brand-New will be offering 19 pieces in the show with eight walks featuring her yoga knit wear line consisting of shorts and pants and legwarmers.

"I love the local yarn I've discovered living in Maine," she said. "The colors are absolutely psychedelic."

Doors open at 6:30 and the show begins at 7:30 p.m. Three Crow/40 Paper will offer a cash bar and DJ Terry Frank will spin tunes next door at Asymmetric Arts after the show.
 
All the proceeds will benefit Out! As a I Want to Be. Tickets are $30 and available at HAVII in Camden and Rheal Day Spa in Rockland, and online at www.outmaine.org. 

The Hot Mamas is about 35 women from the Midcoast who raise awareness and funds for the benefit of local women, children and families by hosting, creating and participating in fun and adventurous events. In the past, creative fundraisers have included camping out for an entire night to raise money for homeless teens as well as hosting a cocoa stand at the U.S. National Tobboggan Championships to raise money for fuel assistance to benefit local families. Find them on Facebook at: The Hot Mamas.

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Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com.