up portland july 2016

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by Peter Michalakes for Up Portland

During the morning of this upcoming July 4th, the Maine Historical Society will partake in its annual public reading of the Declaration of Independence at its museum location on Congress Street. Meant to remind spectators of the audacity of the United States’ forefathers, it will be a time to honour one remarkable point in this nation’s history and the role of Portland in its genesis. Then, in the afternoon, the museum will return to chronicling a significantly more somber piece of this city’s history: the Great Portland Fire of July the 4th 1866.

“It burned so bright that the bricks were iridescent,” Jamie Rice, director of Library Services at the Maine Historical Society and a primary curator for its exhibit, “Images of Destruction: Remembering the Great Portland Fire of 1866” told me. “When the Portland Sugar Company caught fire, it basically blew up like a bomb.”

The exhibit, which opens the 30th of June and runs until the 2nd of October, delves into the personal side of one of the most destructive urban fires in modern American history. It features original photographs and interpretive pieces of art arising from the blaze, in addition to artifacts from the time period that managed to survive the disaster. “Many photographers came from around Massachusetts and Maine to take pictures of the devastation for days afterwards,” Jamie said. “It was the largest fire in the United States at the time...just in terms of destruction.” The exhibit features four oil paintings by George F. Morse, a since-acclaimed artist who lived through the Great Fire and whose work has provided historians with a unique lens into the experience of Portland residents during the disaster. Scenes from Congress Street, Middle Street, Commercial Street and the Eastern Cemetery showcase on a personal level the ferociousness of the flames. “The oil paintings, by far, are really are most impactful,” Jamie said, emphasising her reaction to Morse’s oil painting of the Eastern Cemetery, seen at right. “The cemetery itself didn’t burn, but basically you’re standing in the cemetery, watching the fire, and you can see the gravestones in front of you.”Objects that persist as reminders of the Great Fire’s destruction permeate the exhibit, ranging from everyday house supplies, let-ters between loved ones to remnants of local landmarks.

The 4th of July The Town Burned Down...

“We have a child’s shoe that came out of the fire; we have a Civil War token; teacups, saucers...” Jamie said. “We even have a piece of the Second Parrish Church bell that was melted down...it’s amazing.” The commonly accepted theory for the Great Fire’s cause is that fireworks had been set off next to the Portland Sugar Company, causing the manufacturing plant to ignite and spread the flames through parts of the Old Port and East End. Another theory, propagated by John Neal in his 1866 book Account of the Great Conflagration of Portland, is that sparks from nearby railroad tracks had ignited the sugar company. Histo-rians can not be completely certain of the cause, but they can be certain of the fire’s destruction. “It was a tremendous loss... banks, busi-nesses, everything,” Jamie said. Approxi-mately 10,000 people became homeless and much of Portland’s infrastructure suddenly crumbled. A major cause of the fire’s capacity to spread quickly and far was the relative lack of a developed fire


department here at the time. The technology for modern firetrucks was still decades away, so the city relied on simple hand pump trucks to put out flames. “The city of Portland has been officially burned four times,” Jamie said. “So Portland was a little bit versed in dealing with fires. A lot of citizens did what they could to fight the fire back.” And the exhibit features a model hand pumped fire truck from the era to let visitors experience what trying to fight a burning city with that gear would have been like. Ultimately, the Great Fire’s impact on the Portland of today persists in undeniable physical, as well as in less visible ways. In its aftermath, not only were emergency response departments bolstered, but fire laws, insurance regulations and prevention plans became an inherent component of the city’s identity. In a more visible sense, bricks from buildings which burned and were too weakened to use for new buildings became pavers, many of which still form city sidewalks. Other debris was pushed or hauled into the bay, creating new “land” which was built on and remains part of the city. Quite literally, Portland rose from the ashes, and today we are lucky enough to reflect on what events of the past have made this community be so special in the present.

Visit “Images of Destruction: Remembering the Great Portland Fire of 1866”, spon-sored and supported by Luminato, this Summer during regular museum hours. The exhibit will also be open during the First Friday Art Walk 1st July from 5 to 8 p.m., alongside several other exhibits of the Maine Historical Society. To learn more about the Great Fire on your own and to view more images, visit www.mainememory.net or ask your friendly local librarian for references at the Portland Public Library.

Up Portland thanks the Collections of Maine Historical Society for the photos with this story.


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The Buck Stops Here

By Luke Reinhard / Advisor — Ameriprise Financial

Budgeting for a Blissful Wedding

You’re planning for the perfect wedding, but will you put the same amount of attention into planning your wedding budget? Knowing how much money you have to work with will help you plan a wedding that satisfi es both your dreams and fi nances. While budgeting can be a daunting task, consider how the average cost of weddings in the U.S. has risen over the years, reaching $33,000 in 2016, according to “How to make your wedding budget,” by The Knot.com

Here are some tips to help you get started on plans – whether you’re helping fi nance your child’s nuptials or your own.

—Set expectations. The bride, groom and parents on each side may each have

different thoughts about the ideal wedding. If you’re the bride or the groom, talk with your partner about what aspects of the wedding are most important to you. If you’re a parent, talk openly with the couple to hear their expectations.

—Decide on a location. Do you have your heart set on a destination wedding? That’s great, as long as you’re prepared to incur the added expense of airfare and accommodations (and manage the logistical challenges of long-distance event planning). However, it’s common for destination weddings to have a smaller guest list, which may help balance the budget.

—Put the wedding in perspective. Couples beginning a life together will likely have other fi nancial goals, such as paying off student loans, a new car purchase or a down payment on a home. Discuss the priority and ideal timeframe of each goal to know when your fi nancial obligations are due (if you’re a parent, deter-mine if and how much you’ll help). Then, consider how your wedding budget fi ts in to those other priorities. Consider working with a fi nancial advisor who can provide an objective look at your fi nancial picture.

—Determine who’s paying for what. It’s important to have a frank conversa-tion as early as possible to clarify who plans to contribute and how much. If you are receiving a check from another well-wisher be clear on what, if any, expecta-tions are tied to the money given. It’s common for others to want a say in the wedding decisions if they’ve contributed fi nancially. Being clear up front may eliminate awkwardness tied to the gift down the road.

—Manage cash fl ow. Cash fl ow can be tricky, even when your fi nances are in great shape. Ensure you understand how and when each vendor expects to be paid so you can plan your budget accordingly. Some expenses may need to be paid in full to book the services, while others may require a down payment or payment in installments leading up to the wedding.

—Enlist a professional planner. If you don’t enjoy rigourous planning, or can’t afford the time it takes, consider hiring a wedding planning professional. While it is an added cost, the right planner will work within your budget to obtain the best vendors and help coordinate the big day.


Flag Day is a big day at The Obseratory as each year climbs to the top and historic tours are free on this day to commemorate the tower’s reopening on Flag Day after a WPA rescue operation in the 1930s saved it from being eaten by bugs which were destroying the wood. Up Portland is proud to use it as our symbol and it’s also where the page one photo was taken this month.


Food For Thought...

Non-traditional restaurants have always been one of the favourite things for this reviewer. We are talking spots like the Miss Portland where you can dine in a 1948 Worcester Dining car. Or Wiscasset’s Red’s Eats, where there’s basically a pick-up window which hands out some of the state’s and world’s best lobster rolls (even without a restroom or credit cards accepted). There are also ones like myriad cafes which share the Old Market House on Monument Square, bring-ing everything from salmon on bagels to soups and desserts, all with just a bit of great drink thrown in from the fi rst fl oor shop.

The above is why when neighbour Peggy rang my bell not too long ago and asked did I want to go to the Portland Pottery Cafe (122 Washington Avenue) I jumped at the chance. The idea of clay, glaze and sandwiches all in one place was intriguing. It also turns out the marriage is a good one because the great service, smiling staff and wonderfully bountiful portions combine to make this spot one I will be returning to often.

I had to laugh when someone took a mug from the rack by our table and it never came back...not because it was being used for tea, but because the person bought it so it’s now residing in a kitchen somewhere, making for a happy owner.

The cafe menu is ample without being massive, portions are huge and there was enough I wanted to try that I could go back every day for over a week just to sample what caught my interest.

For this fi rst visit, I picked a Smoked Salmon Sandwich and was presented with what could be a salad and lox all somehow balanced on a toasted cibatta roll. The “everything” cream cheese which came on it was really a feature as was the

amount of lox (smoked salmon) bulging from the bread.

To eat said sandwich I did a “deconstruction” and ate the salad (sprouts, cucumbers and fi eld greens) with a fork while having the salmon and cibatta in the other hand. Overall, it was delicious; not to mention fi lling. About all it lacked was inclusion of a bag of chips (Dare I say all that and a bag of chips would have been nice?) but I came away very full and smiling not only with the quality of the food, but the people-watching in the pottery, surrounded by pots, cups and more is fi rst-rate.

The bill also is fi rst rate as the huge lunch sandwich with salmon accompanied by potato salad clocked in at under $10, though I happily pitched in $2.50 (so 25%) of the combined table tip.

My dining partner had a large salad — so large that she took half home and was more than full as well. The salad, which included greens, apple and chicken was more than fairly priced at $10 and pronounced one of her “go to’s” at the cafe. I can see why.

The menu also has a number of other items I want to try on future cafe visits, including one of the long list of all day breakfasts (the “mighty New Englander” with corned beef hash is of special inter-est as are the pancakes, with a different fl avour daily.)

I’ll also be curious to try the “Raku Burger” (not fresh from the kiln, but fresh from the kitchen) and on a chilly day could wrap my


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head and hands around one of the advertised Classic Grilled Cheese Sandwiches.

About the only thing on the menu that’s not to this meat and potatoes reviewer’s liking is the chef slipping in “healthy” when one would least expect same, which means I will not be trying the Kale Super Salad (with quinoa...yuk!) nor a chile that was one of the day’s soups. Maybe all that’s just me, but I found so much I did eat and want to try that I can easily bypass some of the grazing foods and enjoy the rest. What’s that line about “something for everyone” my mom used to mention?

There are a wide variety of soft drinks (including a vegan “Green Monster Smoothie”) and they make the desserts in their own kitchen, too.

So our conclusion is we are adding the Portland Pottery Cafe to our list of great local, eclectic eateries and they can count on us to come back. We loved the lunch so much and were so busy praising our neighbour for recommending this place that we got a couple blocks down Fox Street before we realised that we’d not taken any time out to shop for pottery. What was that we said about next time?

Hours for the cafe are 8 a.m. till 6.30 p.m. weekdays; 8 to 5 Saturdays and they do a Sunday brunch from 10 to 2. More info at 207/772.4334.

Elsewhere in restaurant news, sometimes the cover and the book do not jibe well and such was the case on a recent week-day when we found ourselves in Kennebunk about 1.30 p.m.

and decided to lunch at the Kennebunk Inn, where the restaurant is called Aca-deme. The outside (below) looked quaint (the inn dates to 1799), but the inside, perhaps due to it being a mid-June Tuesday and pretty late for lunch, was quiet to almost a funereal degree. The restaurant is apparently quite famous with Food Network and other expo-

sure which was a neat idea as was the name. Their website states: “Academe is a distinctive Maine, Brasserie-style restaurant featuring fabulous food and friendly, informal service. Take a seat at the bar, at a front table overlooking Main Street, or, in the winter months, next to the fi re and enjoy the warm and inviting ambiance offered to patrons from next door and around the world.“Academe takes its name from the rich educational heritage of New England as well as the educational focus of The Inn’s owners and on-going programmes (e.g. The Inn maintains an externship programme for culinary students from na-tionally recognised institutions). All our menu items — from soups to chowders to salads to sandwiches to entrees — utilise the freshest local ingredients and are perfectly complemented by our diverse wine list, seasonal beers and unique cocktails — Blueberry Martini, Maine Lemonade...”

That meant the menu was rather interesting as someone with a good imagina-tion — and for sure access to a panini press — was showing a lot of creativity. Never one to disappoint and order things which are not on the radar, we each ordered one of the creations on bread.

For me, it was the Triple Burger Panini ($12) which the menu says is, “Three


More Food For Thought...

Continued From Th e Previous Page

July 14 - September 6, 2016Opening Reception with Artist: Thursday, July 14, 2016, 5pm - 7pm

Spiegel Art Gallery | Curated by Nancy Davidson

A new body of work by Camille Davidson, conceived and designed for the Maine Jewish Museum. Three new series of paintings - Kabbalat Ohr, the Sefirot series, and Jacob’s Pillow are infused with the ancient mystical practice of remaining receptive to receiving the shards of light, the sparks of Holiness, the remnants of Divine energy from Genesis that are still present in the ordinary moments of our daily lives. Ms. Davidson’s paintings seek to receive, hold, and liberate such moments. Boldly rendered, they are less didactic and more experiential, less literal and more expressive. With this new body of work our beautiful museum and synagogue space invites all to participate in the possibility of Kabalat Ohr, receiving light.

Maine Jewish Museum267 Congress Street, Portland, ME 04101 (207) 773-2339

Monday - Friday 10am-2pm + Sundays 1pm - 5pm or by appointmentmainejewishmuseum.org

Receiving Light|קבלת אורCamille Davidson

Lichens Juliet KarelsenJuly 14 - September 6, 2016

Opening Reception with Artist: Thursday, July 14, 2016, 5pm - 7pmFineberg Community Room | Curated by Nancy Davidson

These stitched “paintings” are metaphors, forest jewels and small green messengers that call attention to the beauty of the environment and its need for preservation and protection. They are sketches of changing light, hues, textures, and lines of the plants, lichens, mushrooms, mosses, and the landscapes small and large around us. Like nature they provide surprises--unexpected juxtapositions, odd compositions, tiny startling detail. They cross genres between painting, stitching, tapestry, rug making, and embroidery and reference abstract art, fantasy, landscape, textile, miniature worlds, and even science, from botany to mycology. They were inspired by Karelsen’s time spent at The Haystack Mountain School of Crafts last summer.

mini burgers topped with American cheese, sautéed onions, thousand island dressing and sauerkraut,” while partner Ivan picked the Organic Atlantic Salm-on Panini ($15) listed as, “Broiled salmon with roasted tomato and horseradish goat cheese, spinach, and bacon.”

Despite the fact that by this point the clock was pushing two, we endured what I felt was a bit of a long wait for food (also given that the staff was discussing plans for a banquet or reception quite loudly at one of the few other tables oc-cupied in the room at that hour) but we had picked window seats and had the passing parade on Main Street to view while waiting.

Once food did arrive (our waiter, Charlie, has been there for years we heard in the reception discussion and truly delivered service with a smile) it was hot and delicious. It needs to be mentioned that unlike most spots where one really, re-ally, wants fries with their burger or sandwich and they really, really also want onion rings, Academe offers an “a little of both” option at no additional charge; an option which we happily tried in one of our choices and one we will both do next time.

The food was served piping hot (points there) and had we been earlier and

had more time, we were tempted totally by other items on the menu, too. The Heirloom Tomato Salad will be a must try next time and the place is famous for a Lobster Pot Pie, which the menu says is an “Academe exclusive, featured on the Food Network show Best Thing I Ever Ate & the Travel Channel’s Food Paradise, with poached lobster including tail, knuckle and claw meat, peas, corn, potatoes and Shanna’s hand rolled puff pastry.” I am just not sure I can justify $22 for lunch, but hey if I’m writing about it, I suppose I could call it “research”, right? Anyway, at the end of the day (bill says we checked out at 2.50 p.m., so we

were late, cost for two came to $31.59 without a 20% tip for the ever-smiling Charlie.

Would we go back? Yes likely as we end up down Kennebunk way every so often. But I think I’ll wait till Winter as the room (above) and atmosphere would really lend themself to a cozi-ness few spots have, especially were there some snow falling and a fi re in the fi replace. You needn’t wait to try Academe at Kennebunk Inn, just show up a bit earlier than we did and I suspect things will be closer to perfec-tion that what we found so late in the lunch hour.

Restaurant hours, by the way, are Tuesday through Saturday from 11.30 a.m. till 9 p.m. Reservations from 207/985.3351 or via the website at www.thekennebunkinn.com

Bits & bites...some briefs on the food front... Things are looking glum for a rebirth anytime soon at the old White Cap Grill on Middle Street. The former cavernous restaurant home of Sebago Brewing (it’s now at Franklin & Fore streets alive & well) has been shuttered since about the


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first of the year and while it appeared a new eatery was soon to arrive, that’s not happened. Last we checked, a sign in the window is advertising the owner’s New Hampshire eatery, Black Cap, and otherwise there’s no signs of life... Way better are the smiling customers who are seen coming out of Solo Italiano, which brought Italian to Commercial Street and took the former site of Ebb & Flow. We need to go by and try the new place and it is on our agenda... Speaking of agendas, we really do not have one, but we have had two so-so lunches in the South Portland area of late and both at spots which get rave recommendation from friends. One is The Cookie Jar at 554 Shore Rd, Cape Elizabeth, where I have been twice and neither time was impressed. Their English Muffins to take home are not half as good as those at Standard Baking Company in Portland, and their sandwiches in the case are bland at best... at least we think so. Maybe this is a real “go to” first thing in the morning, but thus far I have not been impressed. Same for a lunch recently at Verbena Eat Right Now in “downtown” SoPo at 103 Ocean Street. There the meal was “OK” for $22 and change for two, but there was nothing particularly memorable about it. In fact, I had to go back and find the photos I took of lunch and sent to a friend to even recall I had this beef sandwich and my partner a chicken salad (the menu refers to as “famous”). I guess I tend to dine out way too much as a food critic, but when they all run together it does worry me that we have all become spoiled by the really outstanding meals Portland features... And finally a few words not on food, but drink... First, at Duckfat on Middle Street where that word is not (as I bet you’d supposed) about milkshakes (which are awesome) or the spirits (which are great). Nope, it’s about a discovery I made on the Duckfat Craft Sodas list: All Maine Tonic. If you have not tried this one, plunk down $3 and do it. The tonic has sparkling bubbles, along with honey, maple, chaga and raw cider vinegar. Yes, vinegar. But do not take my word for it: try one. Chaga, for those uneducated as I was, is a mushroom that typically grows on birch trees in colder climates across the Northern Hemisphere. As Maine qualifies, you can get the mushrooms at farmer’s markets and elsewhere in town, or let the folks at Duckfat add them in powder form to this unique tonic. It’s great with any of the entrees or just as a non-alcoholic tonic for the designated driver (DD) if your

friends are imbibing!... And speaking of imbibing, we know of no better beer flights than at the brand new (at presstime) Foulmouthed Brewing Co. at 15 Ocean Street in South Portland. This is a former garage (below) now turned into a really ultra-modern decor atmosphere microbrewery. The beer was pronounced “outstanding” by friends we took, and the food is more than nice (though a very limited menu makes it more a drinks, beer and snacks than din-ner spot) and we loved our sparkling lemonade as the DD for the day. Pricing is not cheap (a flight of beer, the lemonade, a poutine and a nacho totalled $39) but it is good and we guarantee you will meet new “friends” as tables are limited so we pulled a couple chairs up and shared with some really nice folks we’d never met before. To find out more (hours, etc.) check www.foulmouthedbrew-ing.com or friend ‘em out on Facebook. And for July, that’s it! Happy 4th and happy grilling! See you in August.


Sauntering With Mat

By Mat Robedee / Up Portland CommentatorDuring the summertime in Maine, it seems that every person, along with their 2.5 children pack up a cooler and head to the beach on the weekend. Like moths to fl ame, Mainers take advantage of their limited Summer months and gravi-

tate towards the salt, sun and sand. This is no real surprise, as the Greater Portland & Casco Bay Region are known for their incredible beaches and dramatic coastline. Of course, leaving early in the morning to avoid beach traffi c and claim a spot on the sand to lounge out for the day.

For me, going to a large and beautiful public beach in Maine during the Sum-mer is a truly magnifi cent experience…once or twice each year.

Now do not get me wrong - I LOVE the beach. Both Ogunquit and Ferry Beach are amongst the tops of my local choices. In truth though, I fi nd the amount of time spent getting to the beach, along with the number of people there, to be rather off putting. I would much rather take advantage of that hot weather moment (which seems rare in Maine) and disappear with friends on a more “off the beaten path” swimming adventure. Such experiences can be had by taking advantage of the many swim holes scattered throughout the state.

Swim-hole: a place in a river, stream, creek, spring, or similar natural body of water, which is large enough and deep enough for a person to swim in. Common usage usually refers to fresh, moving water and thus not to oceans or lakes.

The beauty of swimming in Maine, is that there are endless options of fresh water choices. These often-secluded natural pools are the perfect antidote to crowded beaches full of zinc covered tourists and candy covered children. Perhaps you desire a private spot to lay out in the sun while listening to a waterfall gurgle, a rocky ledge to jump from to make a massive splash or even a rope swing to liven up the day a bit; swim holes are a “choose your own adventure” sort of experience. There is something about exploring a swim hole that feels like a religious experience to me, kind of like a baptism from Mother Nature.

I have been an avid swim hole hunter for over 15 years now. The list of swim

holes I have visited, found myself and recoded from word of mouth, is rather vast. Due to this, people regularly ask me where my favourite spots to go are. Unfortunately for them, my main rule is that in order for you to know where my favourite spots are, you need to accompany me on the journey fi rst. I do not give out directions, coordinates or any major hints for discovery. Also, swim holes can vary in accessibility. There are many that one can drive to and after a two minute walk down a dirt trail, be able to take a dip in. Other swim holes — my personal favourites — require a daypack and a few miles of hiking in the forest to reach.

For swim hole beginners; outside the greater Portland area, yet still a short country drive away – it’s worth head-ing towards North Conway. I for one like to head towards the White Mountains, as the crowds are less, the Appala-chian views are spectacular and the swim holes tend to be far more pristine.

Do not be surprised though if the water is frigid the closer to the mountains you go. Make sure to pass thru the town of Fryeburg fi rst – a gateway town to a ton of swimming options. From Fryeburg you could continue on route 113 for a gorgeous scenic drive. This road will bring you up into the White Mountains and has many pull offs. This is one of my favourite drives and also offers many swim hole adventures. If you really feel adventurous, I highly recommend checking out the Kancamagus Highway for one of the fi nest drives in the White Mountains, full of the most stunning vistas and countless swim holes within eyesight from the road. Another way to fi nd that perfect swim hole, is to simply ask. Head to that country store where you fi lled up with gas earlier and wondered who actually bought those pickled eggs and sausages in jars on the counter as you paid the cashier. The locals know where the swim spots are, so it’s always worth asking. If you are not one to ask, then open a map, go explore somewhere new and make sure to bring your swimsuit…or not :)


Processed Media

By Randy Dankievitch — TV Critic / TVOvermind

Shows to Binge this Summer

Summer is the time of cookouts, long days at the beach, walks along the Eastern Promenade... and of course, binging out on television like there's no tomorrow. With the relative lack of broad-appealing prestige dramas and comedies on air, Summer is the time to catch up on shows discarded during the crowded broad-cast season, and unearth the hundreds of classics just sitting on streaming sites, waiting to become your next digital addiction. Here are but a few great options for the Summer Binge of 2016:

Grounded for Life (Netfl ix) – No Summer binge watch is complete without a classic American sitcom. So why Grounded for Life? Well, why not Grounded for Life? FOX's 2001 sitcom was way ahead of its time, a show that utilised many familiar aspects of both multi and single-camera comedies we see in televi-sion today. A show that told all of its major stories in fl ashbacks, Grounded for Life didn't just play with the typical progression of a sitcom plot: it played with the very fabric of what multi-camera sitcoms could aspire to on a creative level throughout its fi ve seasons, peaking with the show's fantastic 4th and 5th seasons, which aired on The WB after FOX cancelled the show early in season three.

If that's not enough to convince you, the presence of Donal Logue and Megyn Kelly as the central parental fi gures should be more than enough: their perfor-mances alone are worth the 91-episode journey through the Finnerty family's Irish Catholic lives.

Resident Advisors (Hulu) – With only a handful of episodes, Hulu's short-lived original series Resident Advisors isn't exactly the most memorable or lengthy entry on this list. However, Resident Advisors is one of the forgotten gems from the early era of original streaming series, when low budget and quirky, low-key premises were the norm.

Starring Ryan Hansen and Jamie Chung, Resident Advisors is a low-brow com-edy about a bunch of RA's in a college dormitory: and somehow, manages to be simultaneously one of the most charming and immature shows of the last fi ve years. Unfortunately, there are only seven episodes to watch: it may be forgotten minutes after you fi nish watching it, but it's a fun, enjoyable little ride for the three hours it lasts.

Oz (HBO Go) – Everyone talks about The Sopranos, Sex and the City and Game of Thrones as the Holy Trinity of shows that brought HBO to the forefront of television programming. In the modern age of television, that might be true: but in the mid-1990's, HBO was already on fi re, with critically acclaimed comedies like The Larry Sanders Show, The Chris Rock Show, Mr. Show with Bob and David.

Then, they aired a little show called Oz about a maximum security men's prison in upstate New York. Boasting one of television's all-time greatest casts (includ-ing J.K. Simmons in an absolutely stunning role), Oz brings new meaning to the words “dark”, “brutal” and “gritty” when it comes to television shows. A show that serves as a precursor to everything from The Wire, to Breaking Bad, to Or-ange is the New Black, Oz is a powerhouse show. It’s a gut-wrenching 56 hours of

your life you'll never regret spending on it (and also, probably never want back when it's all over).

Samurai Jack (Hulu) - “Long ago, in a distant land, I, Aku...” anyone who has heard those words emitting from their television can speak to the singular beauty that is Samurai Jack. The story of a samurai displaced in time by an evil entity, Samurai Jack is one part Homer's Odyssey, two parts Akira Kurosawa, and one part Avatar: The Last Airbender. Recently revived by Netfl ix for new episodes (written by Genndy Tartakovsky, the show's original creator), Samurai Jack is worth watching not just for its action and epic story, but it's technical and artistic mastery (there's an argument to be made that Samurai Jack has the best sound editing of any show in American history, but this is not the time nor place for that debate). Just trust me on this one: embark on the journey with Jack, and you'll never view animated series (or kung-fu movies) the same, ever again.

Hannibal (Amazon Video) – If you didn't catch NBC's recent three-season remake of Thomas Harris' novels when it aired from 2012 – 2015... well, now is your chance, with the fi rst two seasons streaming on Amazon Video (and season three available for purchase, as well). Bryan Fuller's adaptation is perhaps the most twisted, creative television show ever created, an art house fi lm disguised as a serialised network drama.

Utilising directors like Vincenzo Natali, Guillermo Navarro and David Slade, Fuller and his team created a surrealist drama about a serial killer, exploring the twisted mind of sociopaths in ways Law and Order and the like couldn't even imagine to approach. As violent as it was philosophic and atmospheric, Hanni-bal brought Harris's novels to life in ways the popular fi lms couldn't imagine – and with Mads Mikkelsen delivering an iconic, defi nitive performance of Hannibal Lecter (f*ck off, Sir Hopkins) next to Hugh Dancy, Caroline Dhavernas and Laurence Fishburne, gave America perhaps the best show of the decade... one way too many people missed during its brief 36-episode run.


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The Standard Reviewer

By Bill Elliott / Up Portland’s Film & Th eatre Reviewer

Whit Stillman is a well-respected American fi lm director, though most movie-goers may never have heard of him. He has made only fi ve fi lms in the last 25 years; his fi rst, Metropolitan, a low-budget fi lm about small group of preppy, Up-per East Side Manhattanites, was released to great acclaim in 1990.

Since then, Stillman has written, directed, and either produced or co-produced Barcelona (1994), and The Last Days of Disco (1998), followed by (after a 13-year hiatus) Damsels in Distress (2011). His most recent fi lm is Love and Friendship, based on the Jane Austen novella, Lady Susan.

Whitman’s fi lms are witty comedies of manners about upper crust Ivy Leaguers and ambitious social climbers. They have been described as costume dramas without the costumes. So, it is somewhat bemusing that it took him so long to make a fi lm based on an Austen novel, particularly as Austen has become, in recent years, a cultural mini-industry.

Spin-off novels based on her books (most usually Pride and Prejudice), fi lms, TV shows, and even musicals with Austen-based themes have fl ooded the market recently. There have been re-imaginations of her classic works introducing vam-pires and zombies into their storylines. So, Stillman, it seems, was the perfect match for Austen’s world of wit, manners and social privilege.

Matching and mating are key forces in all of Austen’s novels. Mating rituals, however, are generally driven by economics and not biology. While most of her characters would fl inch at the idea of working for a living, the fear of loss of so-cial status, privilege, and money are always ever-present. Marriage is a conduit to a life of leisure, comfort, and support for the rest of one’s family (there are always mothers and sisters to look after). Love is a secondary thought, if it is thought of at all.

Austen’s Lady Susan is a story told through a series of letters. In Love and Friendship, Stillman fl eshes out the characters and the storyline, presenting the narrative almost as a TV sitcom. (He even employs some classic TV techniques, like introducing characters in freeze frame, accompanied by their character name, prior to their appearance onscreen).

The widowed Lady Susan Vernon (Kat Beckinsale) has been dependent on the kindness of strangers ever since her husband died leaving her with little means of supporting herself and her daughter, Frederica (Morfydd Clark).

However, in Austen, having no money is rarely a barrier to continuing to lead a life of leisure and comfort. If nothing else, upper class blood is thicker than water and there are always friendly families happy to help out, if only for a time.Lady Susan has outstayed her welcome at the home of Lord and Lady Manwar-ing (pronounced “Mannering”). For one thing, she’s been having an affair with the handsome lord of the manor. So, on very short notice, she is forced to pay a visit to her in-laws, Catherine and Charles Vernon (Justin Edwards and Emma Greenwell).

Such unannounced visits are an upper class family’s nightmare as putting up relatives requires months of preparation. But the couple gracefully welcome Lady Susan into their home.

It quickly becomes apparent that the visit is not simply happenstance. The charming and manipulative Lady Susan, known as the “most accomplished fl irt in England,” has her sights on pursuing wealthy husbands for both herself (while continuing her affair with Lord Manwaring, of course), and her some-what mousy daughter.

Much to the horror of her in-laws, the object of Lady Susan’s affection is Regi-nald DeCourcy (James Fleet), the brother of Vernon’s wife, Catherine. The young DeCourcy is initially dumbfounded by Lady Susan’s superior attitude and rude-ness. But he quickly falls prey to her womanly charms and becomes her most loyal advocate, defending her against any criticism.

All the while, Lady Susan keeps her fi nger on society’s pulse through her Ameri-can friend, Alicia Johnson (Chloë Sevigny), whose much older husband despises Lady Susan so much he threatens to send Alicia back to the States if she has any contact with her. Susan is no less rude to Alicia than she is to her in-laws and everyone else for that matter. But Alicia puts on a brave face, even when her friendship jeopardises her own welfare.

As in all Austen stories, the focus is to fi nd a wealthy mate who will provide a continuance of the lifestyle to which one is accustomed. Society is a veritable 18th century meat market for mates. While pursuing Reginald (and continuing to see Lord Manwaring in private), Susan tries to fob off the dim-witted but like-able Sir James Martin (Tom Bennett) on her daughter.

Sir James is so profoundly dull of wit, he thinks that God provided us with 12 Commandments and, at the dinner table, appears to have never encountered peas before. His childlike wonder at the “tiny green balls” is one of the fi lm’s superbly comic moments.

Kate Beckinsale is a delight to watch. She brings to Lady Susan — perhaps Austen’s most unlikeable female character — a psychological complexity, as well as a cunning charm, cutting wit and biting intelligence. To a character so cruel and self-important, Beckinsale injects a warmth and humanity that makes her eminently appealing, if not actually likeable.

Austen’s milieu is also Whitman’s natural milieu. The joy of watching Love and Friendship is in the way Whitman brings out the often riotously funny elements of Austen’s writing while making the story feel modern and relevant. Indeed, Whitman’s fi lms have always had an uncanny knack of putting characters in Austen-like situations. They are acutely aware of the importance of money and privilege and the notion of slipping out of one’s social circle is met with fear and dread.

His characters (the women particularly) are constantly searching for mates who will help them maintain their social stature. No matter that Whitman’s fi lms hitherto have been set thousands of miles away and in the present day, they remind us that many aspects of Austen’s world, at least in a very privileged and insulated sector of American society, are still very much with us.

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Letting The Cat Out Of The Bag

By Stacy Begin / Owner, Two Fat Cats Bakery

Letting The Cat Out Of The Bag

The Call of the Fields

Sitting on my counter is a cardboard fl at fi lled with memories and sustenance and sweaty, crouched labour. The contents glisten and beckon and warn me that it, and the delight that it brings, are fl eeting. It radiates an urgency, a building panic that this season is all too brief and soon that shallow, long box and its contents will be gone for another year. That box is fi lled with strawberries.

I am lucky. With a quick e-mail or phone call to one of our loyal vendors or farms, I could have fresh, local strawberries delivered to my door. And I do that for the bak-ery purposes. But, for personal pleasure, I go to the fi elds. I need to go to the fi elds for the sake of tradition, for the feel of warm sun on my arms and legs, the ache in my back from kneeling too long, the soft give of the berry, and the satisfaction and pride of a basket fi lling with culinary possibilities.

I went this morning, while it was still cool. The fi elds were already full of people: young families, friends, couples. It gave me a moment of hesitation. Will there be any good berries left? Do I really want to be with this many people? But I reasoned I was already here and wouldn’t have another free moment to pick strawberries. It was now or never. I chose my row carefully and began picking on my hands and knees. Around me I could hear murmurs and snippets of conversation, marveling at the size and quantity of the berries, dreaming of shortcakes with berries and cream, pointing out the most prolifi c plants and abundant rows. I can hear a mother call-ing out to a little girl named Emily. From her tone, I can imagine that this mom came to the fi elds with a dreamy farm to table vision. Little Emily has gone off

script. Mom is annoyed. Emily is defi ant. The vision has been shattered along with a few berries.

I smile to myself. There was a time, I took my small children berry picking with full expectation that they would love it as much as I did. Family memories and lore would blossom and ripen like the berries we sought. And, for about 10 minutes, it looked like my dream would come true. But the children tired quickly. They whined and squished berries out of boredom, and rushed me. We left exasperated with each other. Yet, every year we went to the fi elds together and forced the matter – we will create a happy family memory, damn it! Until one year, my children, now taller than me, informed me that it would be so much better for all of us, if I went alone. Yes, I had to admit with relief, it would be.

I go alone, nowadays. I like it that way. As I work on my hands and knees, and feel the trickle of sweat develop on my brow, an obliviousness to the chatter around me takes hold and I am in blissful solitude. Business tasks and family schedules and obligations are jettisoned and my mind is quieted until it is solely focused on one thing: here’s a perfect one hidden under the hay, there’s a nice clump of berries just here, this one is not ready. On it goes.

Next to me, an older couple works side by side in silence. They are methodical, each with a fl at by their side choosing berries carefully, but quickly. They are serious pick-ers, like me, working towards a berry quota. My fl at weighs nearly 15 pounds now. I wonder and worry if that will be enough. You see, I have needs that must be met. I need to make strawberry pie, strawberry jam, salad with strawberries, strawberries for fresh eating, strawberries for the freezer. But what if I want to make ice cream, too? Will there be enough? I decide that 15 pounds will have to do. It’s time to move on with my day.

Arriving at home, I notice the straw along the plant paths has left little impressions in my knees and, despite several hand washings, my fi ngers are stained with berry juice and dirt. These physical reminders of the fi elds will all disappear shortly and so will the berries. When they are gone, the cardboard fl at will leave the counter and be returned to its home in my storage closet until next June when the fi elds call again. And I, like so many others, will pick up my berry box and answer their call for the sun, the ease of mind, and the berries.


Hackin’The Net

By Ted Fleischaker / Publisher

Don’t look now, but someone or something is looking. No, no, don’t be like what a computer tech friend calls the “Tin foil hat wearing crazies” who cover the cameras on their cell phones with a bit of aluminium foil for fear “the govern-ment is watching us all through the lenses”, but do know that regardless of how much you’d like to stay hidden, it is becoming harder and harder. And in many ways that is not at all bad and usually requires your (or my) permission to hap-pen.

Let’s look at some of what’s up, but before we do let this writer say he embraces many, but not all, of the things about to be discussed. Some are really helpful and useful...and those not so much I have turned off or opted out of.

First off, things done “for your protection” usually bug the heck out of me, but others are pretty cool. We had a friend from Kansas visiting us in Maine recently and he handed his credit card to the clerk at a ski shop in Freeport to buy some closeout ski boots. “Sorry, it’s been declined,” the clerk announced. But before the word “declined” left his lips, our friend’s cell phone buzzed with a text. It was his bank asking “Are you in Maine? We show you live in Kansas. Someone’s trying to use your Visa in Freeport. Is this you?” He had only to respond “yes” and his card was back in business. Safe, yes. Scary that they not only knew he was away but exactly where he was. Big brother is out there even if it is for your protection.

Next, at our house Ivan and I make regular use an an iPhone app called Find Friends. Simply put, you can give permission (and can with one toggle turn same off and on so it’s not an all or nothing deal) for anyone with a phone who asks to “follow” you to do so. You can label various places so if you want it can say “home” or “Maine Mall at Work” or “School”. The location they are at shows on a map and the accuracy is pretty true and scary in some ways, but it has a myriad of uses. Example: Louisville friend, Keith, says he will call “when he gets home” to discuss an upcoming event. It easy to see if he made it (and text “Hey did you forget to call?”) if he did and doesn’t phone. It’s also useful for a hot din-ner when partner Ivan texts he’s leaving work and is passing by home to collect me for a ride to supper. I just see when he’s on Franklin Street and then go out front to get collected. Beats all heck out of being cold or wet or hot standing in the street.

But what about folks coming from further. As Tim Cook with Apple loved to say on a recent presentation “There’s an app for that” and there is also a computer (desktop) pro-gramme in most cases.A recent Boston

visitor took the Amtrak Downeaster. We wanted to go to the Portland station to collect him but didn’t want to stand around so we went searching. Lo and be-

hold, Amtrak has joined the airlines with a train tracker map visible right from their main page or direct (www.amtrak.com/trainlocationmap) ...one which even says when the train left wherever, when it was at it’s last stop and (most important) when it is due and if it’s anticipated to be late or early or on time and by how much. We found it accurate within fi ve minutes and met the train right on time.

The airlines have had tracking abilities for a long time, though after 911 a lot of the various things were turned off or put on delays or removed for fear they’d help not someone wanting to meet a fl ight, but someone wanting to do nefarious deeds. I am happy to say that most of those things

(and more) are now back and working, making it possible to track a fl ight your friends might be on or one that’s headed in to pick you up for a trip and more. All the info (usually including fl ight numbers, what kind of plane and on and on) is available on maps and in real time, so you no longer have to count on those (often inaccurate) gate announcements or those TV screens the airports seem to locate as far from the seating areas as possible, now that you can’t go wait at a gate without a ticket.

Just download one of a half dozen or more (all free) apps and know when to be at the baggage claim or out front in the Cell Phone Lot to pick up your incoming friends or when to be at your gate to catch your outbound fl ight.

Next let’s look at “location services” on your phone. You DO know where that control is right? That’s OK ‘cause I didn’t either. It’s under control panels and then privacy. Remember what we said at the outset: you can turn things on and off and decide what you want folks (and apps) to see, know and do. Just be aware that turning things off and “locking down” too totally will get you a less functional device. Some things do need to have access to your locale (like map and restaurant reservation apps and some weather apps and one we adore called Sol which will track the sun, count down to sunset and even say how far above the horizon the sun is — provided it knows and can use the GPS in your phone to fi nd out where you are.

There are also dating apps allowing you to see possible “matches” near you. And shopping apps and websites where you can fi nd the closest store of a certain brand with little aggravation, often accompanied by a map to boot... IF you have location services on.

But there is a down-side to allowing or being “found” by your phone or com-puter and it’s that some apps and websites are geo-restricted. Some apps are not even for “sale” in the Apple store U.S. but only in, for example, the Apple online app store in the UK or Ireland, Australia or Canada. In other words, if you are in Maine U.S.A. there are some British or other foreign apps, fi lms and TV shows which are not licensed for viewing or using by you. You might get a blank screen if you try and go to one on an app or the web anyway, or you might get a mes-sage which says things are not available in your country then locking you out.

This leads us to mention that there is a huge on-going battle over Virtual Private Networks or VPNs. These are connections one can buy (there are free ones but they seem not to work well and are slow) which can trick (dare we say “end run”?) the “checker” computer in the foreign country into thinking you are there when you are not. That will, of course, allow you to see or hear or buy content not licensed for you and I in the U.S., all of which is of questionable legality and will need discussing next month as it appears I am out of space for this time, so stay tuned and enjoy July! This is to be continued!


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Up Portland is edited in Portland and printed the last week of every month in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. We may be contacted at the e-mail or phone number below. While every effort is made to ensure ac cu ra cy and fairness, the pub lish er assumes no re spon si bil i ty for errors. Liability is limited to the cost of said ad. Ads not cancelled by published deadlines may be billed at agreed-upon price. Ads may be edited or rejected for content at the discretion of the publisher. All items ap pear ing in Up Portland, as well as the name, logos and design are copy right 2016 by BBS, A division of High Speed Delivery Fork Ltd. & Ted Fleis chak er and may not be re pro duced in any form without prior written

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Eric’s Optimal Corner

Eric Hilton / Optimal Self Community Health and Wellness Center

Happy Summer Portland! This is Eric Hilton, owner and personal trainer at Op-timal Self Community Health and Wellness Center. This month I want to share with you one of the most signifi cant and easy ways to change your life in only 30 days. It is called the Jungle 30 challenge. And yes, I know that “change your life in 30 days” sounds like something you’d expect on late night TV, but it’s not.

The Jungle 30 consists of doing 30 push-ups, 30 air-squats and 30 sit-ups every day for 30 days. It only takes a matter of minutes to complete, which is part of the simplicity.

First of all, I want to mention that when I suggest this to people who don’t work out, they give me a funny look. Why? Because any of these exercises can be dif-fi cult to do. I am not asking anyone to seek perfection on a push-up right off the bat because the point of this challenge is to dedicate 30 days to strengthen the body and to develop good patterns of movement.

The exercises can be modifi ed to work from where your body is on day one, then every day you practice a movement you will increase your ability to do that specifi c movement because your body becomes more familiar with it. This can be big, especially if we never squat down or practice sitting up. The goal is to discover your strength, which will make your everyday much easier. Every day you complete the Jungle 30 you are teaching your body to be more confi dent in moving. The more you do, the more you can do. We need to have this simple mentality when taking on this challenge. Now, let me ease everyone’s minds by explaining the exercises and the modifi cations to make you successful at whatever level you may be at.

The Push-up

The goal of the push-up is to strengthen the chest, triceps and shoulders in the way of pushing your body. Your hands should be a little more than shoulder width on the fl oor underneath your shoulders. Your body should be straight from head to heel with your toes fi rmly planted on the ground. The goal is to al-low your elbows to bend close to your side, helping you to lower while maintain a straight body.

Once your triceps (the back of the upper arm) are level with the ground, push off your strong hands and raise your body up till your arms are straight. Then repeat. Keep your body strong pushing yourself away from the ground. If it is too diffi cult to do a normal push-up, you can either do push-ups on your knees or on the wall. Check the photos with this article.

The Air-squat

The air-squat strengthens the muscles of the quadriceps (front muscle of the up-per leg) and the butt muscle. These are powerful muscles that get us around all day. The muscles that help us stand up when we are sitting.

Standing with your feet slightly past shoulder width, keeping the chest up while you push your butt back, trying to not allow your knees to go past the feet. Once you squat down to where your hamstrings (the back muscle of the upper part

of our leg) is parallel to the ground, drive off the heel of the foot, squeezing the butt muscles upward to stand. Then repeat. If this is too much to do right now, you can do squats on a bench or chair. Make sure the chair positions your hips no lower than your knees when sitting. Again, check the photos for the “how-to”.

The Sit-up

The sit-up is how it sounds. You are just practicing sitting up. This exercise works the abdominal muscle underneath our belly. Sit on the ground on your butt. Have your feet shoulder width in front of you with your knees bent at 90 degrees. Stick your toes up to anchor your heels. Ground yourself off your butt muscles as you lower yourself back to the fl oor. With your arms bent, start to roll your upper body, starting with the head till your shoulders are in line with your hips. Then lower yourself down and repeat.

For some people this may be too much. You can do crunches, which will still activate the abdominals, or use a physio ball. Keep the simplicity of thinking that you are just sitting up and allow your body to move in its natural way. Once more, check the photos for the “how to” instructions.

Now that you have the basic info about how to do these movements, set the course and challenge yourself. The main goal is to achieve 30 repetitions of each movement every day. You can also break them up and do 10 reps of each, then repeat twice more daily. That will get you the 30/30/30.

And one rule… If you miss a day, you have to start over. This challenge also builds discipline. If you want to start this challenge and you are unsure if you can because of health issues, please get in touch with your physician, health professional or me at [email protected]

And if/when you begin this regimen, I really want to hear your progress and ev-erything that you achieve from doing it. Send me a note or, better yet, come by and see me at 640 Congress Street or post your success on Facebook to inspire others!

A variety of methods and ways exist to do these exercises, as Eric’s article explains.


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Beyond The Forecast

By Jack Sillin / Weatherman & Meterology Student

Hello everyone!

Summer is now offi cially here no matter which calendar you follow. Solar Summer (the lightest quarter of the year) began way back on 7th May. Me-teorological Summer (the warmest three months) followed 1st June and now Astronomical Summer (between the Summer solstice and the Autumnal equi-nox) is underway as of 20th June. We’ve already experienced some Summer-like weather with heat and humidity in late May and early June but where are the thunderstorms? In this month’s Beyond the Forecast, I’ll explain what ingredi-ents are necessary for thunderstorm development and why Summer boomers have been few and far between here in Maine thus far this year.

How do thunderstorms form? In the simplest of terms, thunderstorms occur when warm air rises, cools, and condenses violently enough to cause heavy rain, thunder, lightning, and sometimes gusty winds, hail or even tornadoes. In meteorology, the name for thunderstorms is convection, which comes from the thermodynamic process that produces such storms. There are two main ingre-dients necessary for convective development: instability (the fuel) and some sort of trigger or spark to ignite the fuel. I use this analogy because convection is extremely violent. A typical, garden variety thunderstorm will release more energy than the atomic bomb dropped over Hiroshima in 1945. For severe thun-derstorms or clusters of thunderstorms, the amount of energy released increases exponentially. To get such a violent explosion, you need some potent fuel and something to set it off.

First let’s talk about the fuel. Fuel for thunderstorms is unstable air, which can be quantifi ed through measuring CAPE (Convective Available Potential Energy). I won’t get into the nitty gritty details of how CAPE is calculated but it is basi-cally measured by seeing how easily a parcel of air can rise through the atmo-sphere. Air can rise for many reasons but in terms of most convection, air rises because it is warmer than its surrounding environment. Warm air is less dense than cold air and so the relatively warmer air will always be less dense than the relatively colder air. That pocket, or parcel, of air becomes buoyant and will rise until it no longer can. You can see buoyancy everywhere from balloons in the air to bubbles in the sea. When air is buoyant in the atmosphere it rises, cools, and its water vapour condenses into clouds, and eventually, precipitation. This is how thunderstorms work at the most basic level.

This process can only occur if air parcels start ris-ing. This happens when the air near the surface warms, usually due to the sun while the air aloft remains cool. The more the lower levels heat up and the colder the up-per levels remain, the more buoyant

the air parcels become. Increasingly buoyant air parcels will rise with increasing

force until a thunderstorm is born. Check out the leftmost column of the graphic with the coloured bars to see what I mean. The colours repre-sent the temperature of the atmosphere with red being the warmest and dark blue being the coldest. The y-axis is height.

To get instability you must have a signifi cant drop in temperature over a relatively

short gain in altitude so as to maximise buoyancy. The rate at which the atmo-sphere cools with height is known as the lapse rate which is usually given in degrees celsius per km risen. To get signifi cant convection (big thunderstorms), usually the atmosphere must cool at a rate of 8 or 9 degrees celsius per kilome-ter at least through the mid levels. Once you’re a good 5-6 km up, the lapse rate usually weakens as you’re into the cold air well above the earth’s surface. The lower and colder this layer is, the faster the air must cool with height to keep the surface temperature constant. To get a visual on this, imagine the leftmost column of that graphic with the blue (cold) layer closer to the ground. All the other layers would be compressed and the rising parcel would become even more buoyant.

To sum it all up, an unstable atmosphere features cold temps aloft relatively close to the ground and warm/hot temps at the surface. The change in temperature with height creates buoyancy which lifts warm air from the surface upwards into the colder upper atmosphere. The other thing you need to get convection is moisture at the surface that can be transported upwards to cool, condense, and eventually return to the surface as rain or hail. To fuel thunderstorms, you need not only instability, but moisture.

We’ve now explored the chain of events and forces that create the violent rising currents (updrafts) within thunderstorms. However, for this process to work, there needs to be something to set it off. There needs to be some upper level energy to drive the cold temps aloft surfaceward. There needs to be some sort of surface disturbance, front, trough, etc. to get the warm air parcels rising in the fi rst place. These are parts of the second ingredient for convection, the trigger.

Many things can trigger convection depending on location. In Florida, clashing sea breeze fronts ignite storms. Differences in heating from mountains to valley can spark storms across the Desert Southwest. The difference in density between dry air and moist air are responsible for many of the classic Midwest twisters. Here in Maine, thunder is most often heard in association with cold fronts drop-ping south from Canada. The second graphic (below) depicts the typical setup in Maine shown as a cross section from somewhere west of the area to somewhere east (New York to Nova Scotia, for example). Most big storms in Maine feature a surface cold front with warm moist air ahead of it and cool dry air be-hind it. An upper level distur-bance typically rotates around an upper low near Hudson Bay which pushes the upper level cold air closer to the surface, steepening lapse rates. As the sun heats up the atmosphere across the state and the cold front approaches, storms erupt and sweep east.


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Now we know how storms form. We know the ingredients necessary for storms to form and we know how those ingredients combine in Maine to create those classic Summer boomers. Now where are they and why haven’t we had any yet this year? Furthermore, why have they repeatedly evaporated just before reach-ing Portland? The short answer is that we’ve been missing one or more ingredi-ents every day so far. When we have tons of heat and humidity, there’s no front or disturbance to provide the initial boost necessary to get air parcels rising. When there’s plenty of energy to get the air rising, there’s no high octane fuel in the form of heat and humidity to fuel any showers that might try to get going.

Another common storm killing phenomenon here in Maine is known as a morn-ing MCS or Mesoscale Convective System. These roll through in the morning hours with clouds, showers, and sometimes a rumble of thunder. They are left-over relics from the powerful storms that form over the Midwest and travel east. They act to prevent any heating of the surface for several hours, which can often reduce the amount of fuel for storms enough to prevent them from forming. Remember, if the surface is not significantly warmer than the upper levels of the atmosphere, there won’t be enough instability to ignite and sustain convection.

But why have the storms that have formed evaporated or drastically weakened before they reached downtown Portland this year? To answer this, we turn back to the colourful bars graphic I used to describe instability. The centre and rightmost columns of that graphic give examples of stable air masses such as those we’ve seen in Maine so far this Summer. In the centre column, an air parcel begins to rise with shallow instability but is stopped by a warm layer aloft known as an inversion or ‘cap’. When the rising parcel reaches this layer, it stops rising because it is as cold as (or possibly even colder than) its surroundings. The rightmost column depicts what the atmosphere looks like when a sea breeze moves ashore. Cold air moves in at the surface while the mid levels of the atmo-sphere remain warm. No air rises because the air warms with height and thus it is impossible to have any buoyancy in that part of the atmosphere. By the time the air gets around to cooling with height, it is too high in the atmosphere to

initiate convection most of the time, though sometimes elevated convection can form in situations like this. This phenomenon is most common in Maine during Nor’easters. That elevated convection brings us the thundersnow we all know and love though that’s a complex topic for another, chillier day.

Enjoy the Summer everyone and remember buoyancy, lapse rates, CAPE, and cold air aloft the next time you hear thunder (after, of course, you get to a safe place from which to enjoy the storm).

-Jack


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The Gossip Column

By Britain & Sydney / Th e Offi ce Gossip Cats

What a month July is shaping up to be with a lot of inside fi reworks as well as the outside kind. First off, get well soon wishes to friend and fellow writer Christian who was doing a bit too much strenuous gardening and broke his leg --- not in one, not in two, but in THREE places right at the ankle. He has never been one to do anything half ass, so he’s now the writer boy on crutches, but still he soldiers on, though we pussies hear tell his dog, Sophie, has had her walks around the Eastern Prom shall we say, cur-tail-ed ...Speaking of curtailing, our owners say they are gonna cut back on their guest list since in one recent 10-day stretch they had fi ve sets of guests/friends show up, of which three stayed in the guestroom. We cats hate that, especially Syd, as she has a “happy place” on an afghan in the rocker in there. Worst of all, however, was not the volume of guests, but the fact that one couple decided that Virginia may be for lovers (as their old state slogan went) but Maine was for fi ghters. This dynamic duo fought nearly the whole four days they were in Portland as guests of our home, with one buying not so much as a stick of gum or cat treat for we two- and four-legged hosts while the other did a great job as a guest. Sadly, after they left for Kansas City and home, they both decided the hosts were their problem so now neither one speaks to the other OR our owners!.. And speaking of fi ghting, we have no clue why the sign in a Maine grocery store (shown) says what it does. We assume it’s a message to employees to let the offi ce handle (or fi ght with) the men’s restroom soap dispenser if it’s empty, but for sure it got a giggle when our owners spot-ted it, though they did not rip it off the wall! And for July that’s our gossip beat. Stay safe with the fi reworks and Happy 4th!


By Britain & Sydney / The Office Gossip Cats

up portland july 2016

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