/ In the midst of our city’s “spirited” debates about socio-economic inclusiveness and economic development comes a discussion of the issue from an arts district perspective at a panel for attendees of next week’s Creative Communities Exchange.
/ A little more than 20 years ago I got it so very wrong when I predicted that the Portland Sea Dogs would flop in their new 6,000-seat, downtown stadium. I whinged about parking, frigid weather and general apathy. I cited the failed Maine Guides. Fortunately for Portland, I could not have been more wrong about the team's prospects. In the 20 years since the first pitch, 7,647,893 people have watched Portland Sea Dogs games at Hadlock Field, home of the Red Sox' double-A team.
/ 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.
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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 lying 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 her 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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