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On a sunny, 72-degree day, I’m sitting in Congress Square Plaza, the concrete epicenter of a clash between two cultures, Portland’s grittier face and gentrifiers.
Portland is currently engaged in a robust debate about keeping Congress Square Plaza public versus selling a large portion of the space to an adjacent hotel for an events center. 
/ The "Beyond the Basics for Creatives" mini series will begin on Wednesday May 8th and continue until August 14th.
Presented by Creative Portland, Maine College of Art (MECA), and Maine Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts with generous funding by the Quimby Family Foundation.
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There is a brief, blissful period at this time of year when it's warm enough to enjoy a sea breeze, but no one is laying in the sand (or on the rocks) just yet; which means it's still off-leash season at many local beaches!
The following photos come from some of my favorite public spaces to visit with my rescue dog who tends to take issue with other large white things, like FedEx trucks. Anywhere away from a road where he can run free makes a great dog walk for me.
/ Ever wondered why Wharf Street is a block removed from the wharves? Fore Street was the original water line, named after the river that flows into Portland Harbor. In 1853 the city began to fill in the wharves in front of Fore Street, extending the land mass and creating Commercial Street, in order to lay down railroad track and enhance the city's position as a hub of commerce (at least according to Creating Portland: History and Place in Northern New England.
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In the world of literary fiction, there are fewer aspirations higher for a short story writer than to have their work published in The New Yorker. The magazine’s hallowed pages have been home to legends of the short story form such as Ann Beattie, Raymond Carver, Alice Munro, William Trevor, John Updike, and Eudora Welty.
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In a city as charged as Portland, it can be challenging to keep track of what's happening when. If you're looking to indulge your artistic/creative side, there are many calendars out there, including this listing of more than a dozen right here on this web site.
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/ By now most people have at least heard of Kickstarter, the crowd-sourced funding platform for creative projects. But have you heard about Portland's new organic bagel company or the aquaponic greenhouse filled with tomatoes and tilapia?
Using Kickstarter's "discover" page allows you to find projects by geographic area.
