Tobogganoids.
Saturday, February 13th, 2010Fingers were freezing, video camera was jittery, global warming was not evident, but the US National Toboggan Championships event was lots of fun.
Click here to see the larger version of the video.
Posts Tagged ‘fun’
Wild ride.
Tuesday, February 9th, 2010The opening act for the Winter Olympics was held last weekend at the Camden Snow Bowl in Camden, Maine.
The 20th Annual US National Toboggan Championships glorified the spectacle of winter sports, but required a certain attitude.
It was a little bit Mardi Gras.
And a little bit fierce competition.
With a whoopie pie thrown in to boot.
The pageantry was awe inspiring.
Security was tight.
And the right equipment provided the edge to win.
Team spirit was everywhere, but here are the - – - -> winners.
(Will post more soon.)
The Maine Maven cocktail.
Tuesday, February 2nd, 2010
Spiked with witty, breezy, advice for getting the very best out of this fascinating state, MaineMaven.com is brimming with insightful tips about where to find the coolest stuff around.
The Maine Maven herself is the gifted Kristen Andresen Lainsbury.
Kristen’s impressive talents have been honed by 12 years as an award-winning lifestyle feature writer for the Bangor Daily News.
Many will know her as ShopGirl, the title of her wildly popular column, which showcased her charming, natural, writing style.
According to her site, “. . . she has set foot in every town, township, organized and unorganized territory in Maine, and she loves every single one of them, though not equally.”
When Kristen’s not poking around Maine, or being The Maine Maven, she’s providing PR for the University of Maine at Orono, her alma mater. You’ve seen her work in Maine Magazine’s ‘48 Hours In’ feature and in a multitude of regional and national publications.
Helping with the mixology are Jason Lainsbury, the Webmaster and Business Director, and Shawn Rice, the wonderful illustrator.
Thirsty for the spirit of Maine? Whet your whistle at Maine Maven.
Cheers!
Proof that winter affects brain cells.
Tuesday, January 12th, 2010
So what if Florida has the Super Bowl! We have our own national sports spectacle – - The National Toboggan Championships, held at the Camden Snow Bowl, February 5-7, 2010!
A mix between Carnival or Mardi Gras, and the Winter Olympics, this event is an example of what happens in Maine when the temperatures get lower and the days get shorter. Winter alters our brain cells and fun breaks out.
If you haven’t been before, here’s your chance. The best part is that anyone can enter!
Here is a link to previous crazy years.
Amazing new life forms emerge.
Tuesday, January 5th, 2010
Every winter storm brings new life to some of Maine’s most appealing creatures.
This very charming species was spotted in Castine after the ‘Route One Blizzard’ of early 2010.
Here they are observed in their native habitat.
Making spirits bright!
Tuesday, December 22nd, 2009Lincolnville Beach lit up the night with their Christmas spirit. (It’s so great 2bnMaine this time of year.)
Wishing you all the joys of this magical season!
To see a larger version click here.
Frightfully cool.
Wednesday, October 28th, 2009
Stylish ghouls will find just the right Halloween gear in this hauntingly cool shop.
Rock, Paper, Scissors, in Wiscasset is the sister shop of Smitten, and shares the same stylish gene pool.
If the thought of encountering a store where you want everything you see makes you uneasy, then you’ll be horrified at what you find here.
Terrified at the sophistication.
Frightened by all the shelves packed with beautiful papers and stationary. (Very much like shops you see all over Europe, but rarely in the US.)
And spooked by all the cool kid gear.
It’s positively chilling how many great treats you’ll find here. But don’t be scared.
Rock, Paper, Scissors, 68 Main Street, Wiscasset, ME 04578, 207-882-9930
If the line is long, it must be good.
Tuesday, October 6th, 2009
Lucky Rockport – - – just around the corner from the new Farmers Fare (see this post below) you’ll find the classic Market Basket on the corner of Routes One and 90.
Soho had Dean & Deluca, Napa Valley had Oakville Grocery, and Rockport had The Market Basket — the quirky pioneers who followed their instincts to satisfy appetites for really fine food. The folks who follow the ‘if you build it, they will come,’ philosophy.
Under new owners, Larry & Lynette Platt, it continues to be a popular purveyor of fine food to mid-coast Maine.
The Market Basket’s known for making fresh bread, pasteries, sandwiches and prepared dishes, on site.
They were one of the first to bring a complete selection of fine wines to the area.
And along with their scrumptious prepared foods, they have a huge selection of speciality food items. A good cook will be able to find just that right esoteric ingredient. They often offer cooking lessons.
The shop’s packed with personality, fun, great food, wine, tourists, and locals. It’s the perfect spot to pick up picnic fare for the boat or hike, a birthday cake, wine and cheese, inspiration, or morning pastries for the office.
The line may occasionally be long, but the conversations are interesting, and the the food worth the wait. But just a warning, you may end up hungry for more.
The Market Basket, corner of Routes One and 90, Rockport, ME 04856, 207/236-4371
Farmers Fare, an amusement park for food.
Wednesday, September 30th, 2009
There must be a larger market for fine food than is readily apparent, as even more foodie sources are now available in mid-coast Maine. Just around the corner from the ever popular Market Basket, at the intersection of Route One and 90 in Rockport, you’ll find the brand new Farmers Fare.
It has the spirit of the Market Basket, sans the adirondack chairs, with a dash of Chase’s Daily thrown in.
The owners of Farmers Fare, Teri Thompson-Christie and her husband, Peter, of Camden, aim to entertain, and educate folks about local Maine agriculture. And it looks like they’re having bushels of fun in the process.
The business focuses on Maine agricultural products. Everything, including the materials used to build the building, are from Maine.
A garden to explore, seasonal events to enjoy, a playground to climb, recipes to learn, fresh coffe to sip, and a gathering place to chat, are just a few of the amusements you’ll find there.
You can pick up local meat from a local butcher, produce and dairy goods from local farms, freshly baked goods and other wares all produced in Maine.
They’re even planning to help local businesses manufacture and bring their products to market.
If you went to The Maine Fare, you’ll find many of the same products here, including Dolcelino’s and Matt’s Coffee.
Stop in, amuse yourself with the abundance of Maine.
Farmers Fare, Route 90 and Cross Street, Rockport, ME 04856, 207-236-3273.
Foodie Fest in Camden.
Tuesday, September 15th, 2009Taste buds, and eyeballs, had a wild romp last weekend at Maine Fare, in Camden. There were so many exciting products — cheeses, wines, beers, honey, soft drinks, fish, etc. that it’s easy to see why Maine’s enjoying it’s spot on the foodie map. It’s not a simple task bringing a new product to market, please support and encourage them.
These are just a few of the treats offered. (Still getting used to a new camera, so not all turned out as planned, sadly.)
Matt’s Coffee, (above) purveyed wood roasted coffee beans, served excellent coffee and demonstrated this very clever item — the Aerobie Aeropress.
Dolcelino’s (above) served bites of their delightful ice cream sandwiches, frozen in Maine. Really, you must try them!
Paolina’s Way, from Camden, showed us how to prepare fantastic, classic, Italian zucchini blossoms.
Borealis Breads (above) offered crunchy bread baked last night.
Suzuki’s (above) in Rockland revealed the secrets of great sushi rolls.
The Garden Institute encouraged home gardens.
And everyone had a great time!
Sink or swim. Or win.
Wednesday, September 9th, 2009
Winning, or just competing in, the Build-a-Boat Race, requires a boatload of talent — creative thinking, engineering, design, naval architecture, carpentry, courage, strength, endurance, teamwork, sense of humor, copywriting, among them.
Each team builds their boat on Saturday with materials donated by EBS and Sikaflex. And races it on Sunday in front of a wild crowd. And if you don’t sink or swim, you’re in the running for a trophy.
Ram 1500 V8 Magnum, above, powered by Brendan Carey and Ryan Splaine, of Lincolnville, won first place. Boy, were they fast!
Three Guys and a Saw, above, powered by Jeff Emery and Cameron Morgan, from the U.S. Coast Guard cutter Abbie Burgess, placed second.
In-and-Out-Rigger, powered by Glen, Glen and Max Ruesswick, won the Best Design Award.
Nikkos, above, powered by Gordon and Aiden Darwin won the People’s Choice Award.
Banana Dore, powered by Dave and Nicholas Johnson from Camden.
Here are pics from last year.
