Allagash 2nd Best American Brewery

Paste Magazine ranks the best 25 Breweries in America. Allagash is bested only by Dogfish Head.

"Allagash is like a little slice of Belgium without those pesky language barriers. Using Belgian yeasts and coloring brilliantly inside the style lines as with their flagships White, Dubbel and Triple, what really makes this Maine brewery special is their series of barrel-aged beers, led by Curiuex, Interlude and Fluxus—the latter of which includes sweet potatoes and black pepper in its recipe. We’re also impressed with tweaks to standards like the quad Allagash Four that blends four malts, hops and sugars."

tip: Blog About Beer

Portland Neighborhoods 'Map'

by Corey Templeton

New Faux Mayor Selected

WMTW:

"Portland City Council members met behind closed doors Monday evening to pick the next mayor in what could be the last time the legislative body can make such a decision. The members selected Nick Mavodones Jr. to serve as mayor for one year, succeeding Portland's current mayor, Jill Duson. Mavodones was last selected as mayor three years ago."

A Buyer for Jordan's Meat Plant?

The Forecaster:

"The property, which takes up almost a block between Franklin Arterial and India, Middle and Fore streets, has been vacant since the plant closed in February 2005, despite attempts by the current owner to develop it into a luxury hotel and later an extended-stay hotel and office complex.

Broker Greg Boulos, of CBRE/The Boulos Co., confirmed this week that the property is under contract but would not say to whom or what the redevelopment plans are.

'I can't really say too much because it hasn't been closed on,' Boulos said.

The 1.75-acre property has been on the market since 2007. The listing price was $4.75 million. "

The Building of the Civic Center

Here is a (kinda cheesy) slide show of the building of the Cumberland County Civic Center.

On June 23, 1972, the site for the proposed $5 million Cumberland County Sports & Convention Center was chosen from among three finalists; Gorham, a site on 20 acres in South Portland by the newly constructed Maine Mall, and the site on which it stands today in downtown Portland, nestled between Free and Spring Streets. The design for the structure was made public in November of 1974 by architect E. Crawley Cooper, and the site work began in early 1975.

tip: All Things Maine

3rd Healthiest for Women

Self.com ranks the Portland metro area 3rd out of 100 healthiest places for women. Burlington took the top prize.

"'You can work downtown, hop on a bike at lunch and quickly be in a wooded area by a stream,' enthuses Heather Chandler, 38, publisher of the Sunrise Guide, a book of green-living tips for southern Maine. The area (including South Portland and Biddeford) posts primo scores for water and air quality and has nearly 70 percent more green buildings than the average. The state gives a green stamp of approval to eco-aware hotels and restaurants so customers can seek them out."

tip: I Love Portland Maine.com

Green Hand Bookshop Opens

The Green Hand book store is now open on Congress St. (next to Joe's Smoke Shop). The bookstore, run by Michelle Souliere of Strange Maine blog fame share the space with the 'International Cryptozoology Museum.'

photo by Bryan Buchman

The Scarlet Letter D

While Portland did the right thing last night, the majority of those who voted statewide chose discrimination with their votes to repeal the state's same-sex marriage law. The very disappointing result makes Maine the latest to not only continue to condone legal discrimination, but to reaffirm it by a popular vote.

While I am confident that in time this will be changed, we now have the mark of discrimination branded upon the state. It was a reminder that outside of Portland, many people in the state live in very different worlds. In countless communities there is no longer an economic engine, so people only leave and people who hold different values and provide new perspectives and don't move into those communities.

Once the bitterness of last nights vote passes, efforts to change the minds of those in the remote (and not so remote) communities can begin. Certainly many people won't change their views, but some will. While I don't know how this should be done, we can't just wait for the inevitable generational shift before we remove the stain of discrimination that has been placed upon our state.

Beans to Close Portland Outlet Store

The L.L. Bean outlet store on Congress St. will close next September. Maybe Linda will sell me irregular Smartwool socks.