Coffee + compounds come to Marginal Way

In some ways, entering the new Apothecary by Design and attached PeRx-U-Up Specialty Coffee & Cafe shop on Marginal Way is like stepping back in time to an old-fashioned pharmacy. The locally-owned business is brimming with helpful staff members and the coffee bar is similar to an old-timey soda fountain. But in other ways this place is as modern as can be.

The shop does carry the mass market brands and items you usually see in a national pharmacy chain. But it also offers an extensive selection of natural remedies and personal care products. You can find everything from herbal tinctures to Traditional Medicinals teas and cruelty-free soaps to natural hair dyes.

Not only does it have a regular pharmacy, but the shop also has a specialized compounding pharmacy, which you can see here through the glass. Inside this sterilized zone, pharmacist Joe Lorello mixes up custom medicines. For patients and doctors who need prescriptions made in higher or lower dosages, prepared as a cream rather than a pill or formulated without an ingredient to which the patient is allergic, a compounding pharmacy is the solution.

Here are just some of the pharmacists and specialists available to help customers. Mark McAuliffe, far right in the photo, tells me that the shop has particular expertise in working with insurance companies to obtain coverage for medications and that the team has extensive experience formulating prescriptions for transplant patients and women undergoing fertility treatments.

And whether or not you have a prescription to fill, it's worth popping inside to pick up a Coffee By Design coffee, a soup or a sandwich.

The sandwiches are made fresh each day by City Deli and the soups and pastries come from Stones Cafe and Bakery in North Yarmouth. Regular offerings include chicken caesar wraps ($6.50), veggie wraps ($5.95), ham and cheese paninis ($6.95) and roast beef and cheese sandwiches ($6.25). There's a special wrap and panini each day, and today's are a honey curry chicken wrap and a steak bacon cheddar with horseradish panini. Today's soups ($3.25-$6.45) are carrot ginger, portabello primavera and beef sausage chili.

The pharmacy and coffee shop are located at 84 Marginal Way, in the new InterMed building. It is open Mon.-Fri. 7 am-6 pm and Sat. 8 am-1 pm. During the week, the pharmacy opens at 7:30 am. You can reach them by phone at 774-5220.

Winter Farmers' Market keeps city dwellers eating local

Monument Square may be covered in snow, but that hasn't stopped a trio of farmers from showing up every other week to deliver Maine-grown and raised food to us urbanites. On Christmas Eve, there was quite a line of people waiting to fill their baskets and shopping bags with holiday eats at this Winter Farmers' Market. I was psyched to restock my supplies of potatoes, carrots and beets, which were all running dangerously low.

In October, I wrote about this cold season market for Switch noting that there would be a total of four farms participating, but one of those, Cornerstone Farm, has yet to show up.

Here's some of the food offered by Freedom Farm and Thirty Acre Farm. Both farms work together to obtain email orders from customers, source food from other farms and then dole it out at the appointed pick-up day. Sumner Valley Farm has set up its stand and is taking orders too. Farmer Daniel Perron also is selling his eggs and meats to those who haven't pre-ordered.

This isn't the only winter farmers' market taking place in the state. According to Eat Maine Foods, there are similar markets in Bath, Brunswick, Camden and Gardiner.

The next market takes place Jan. 7 from 11 am-1 pm. Should you want to get in on the Portland winter farmers' market, just send the farmers an email and ask to be added to their email lists. And for added incentive, here's a peek at the foods they had available for this week's market.

>>Sumner Valley Farm
sumnervalley@hotmail.com
Pastured Pork

Shoulder Roast $5.00 a lb.
Sirloin Roast $5.00 a lb.
Chops $8.50 a lb.
Country Ribs $6.50 a lb.
Rack of Spare Ribs $6.50 a lb.
Bacon $8.75 a lb.
Ground Pork $ 5.50 a lb.
Pork Steak $7.50 a lb.
Sausage (not in links) $7.00 a lb.
Breakfast, hot italian or sweet italian sausage

Patured Chickens

Whole Chicken $3.50 a lb.
Chicken Livers $3.00 a lb.

Beef

Hamburg $5.50 a lb.
Rib-Eye Steak $11.00 a lb.
Stew Meat $5.50 a lb.

>>Freedom Farm/Thirty Acre Farm
eatlocalallyear@gmail.com

Freedom Farm
Freedom Farm Certified Organic Vegetables
Beets $2/lb (3 pound min./increment)
Carrots $2/lb (3 pound min./increment)
Rutabaga $1.50/lb
Purple Cabbage $1/lb
Red Onion $2/lb(5 pound min./increment can be mixed w/yellow)
Yellow Onion $2/lb (5pound min./increment can be mixed w/red)
Golden Shallots $6/lb (1 pound min.)
Mixed Loose kale $6/lb (1/2 lb min.)
B grade squash $.50/lb
Winter Squash (Please order by the piece)
Butternut $1.25/LB
Buttercup $1.25/lb
Long pie Pumpkin $1lb
Lamb
Leg Roasts $10/lb
Shanks $10/lb
Loin Chops $15/lb
Ground $10/lb

Thirty Acre Farm
Whitefield, Maine
mofga certified organic

Lacto-fermented foods:
Sauerkraut
Sauerkraut with Caraway & Juniper
Ruby Kraut
Gingered Carrot
Kim Chi
Sour Dill Pickles
Spicy daikon

Small (16 oz.) $6.00 Large (32 oz.) $10.00

*Red Kuri Squash (beautiful red squash good in pies or just plain roasted) $1.25/lb*

Organic Pork:
Ground Pork $10.00
Sausage (loose only}
(breakfast,
hot Italian ) $10.00
Boneless Pork Chops $12.00
Bone-in Pork Chops $11.00
Baby Back Ribs $9.00
Spare Ribs $8.00
Bone-in Loin Roast $10.00
Rolled Roast $11.00
Ham Steaks $10.00
Ham Roasts $10.00
Stir Fry Tips $11.00
Country Ribs $10.00
Variety Meats $5.50

Goranson Farm
Mofga Certified Organic
Dresden, Maine

Parsnips $2.50/lb (3lb. min./increment)
Potatoes- Yukon Gold- $2.00/lb (5lb min./increment)

MAINE-LY POULTRY
LOCALLY GROWN PRODUCTS FROM WARREN MAINE.

WHOLE CHICKENS $3.25 LB.

BONE IN BREASTS $5.50 LB.

BONELESS-SKINLESS BREASTS $8.75 LB

FRESH RABBIT $5.25 LB.

GROUND TURKEY $5.85 LB

HOMEMADE ALL MEAT CHICKEN PIES WITH PEAS
LARGE $13.00 SMALL $7.00

FRESH FREE RANGE EGGS $3.50
Swallowtail Farm
Small family farm located in Cooper's Mills .

Organic Jersey Yogurt in glass , maple or plain
pint-$5.00 quart- $8.00

Organic Queso Blanco
pint-$7

Farmer's Cheese
pint- 11$

Buttermilk
quarts-$5

Creme Freche
1/2 pints- $5 pints-$8

Townhouse Farm
Whitefield, Maine

Ewegurt - sheep milk yogurt, plain and maple
$5.00- 16 oz
$2.50- 6oz

Halloumi - Cypriot frying cheese. Made from organic Jersey cow milk.
$16/lb - you can order 1/2 wheel (approx 1/2 lb), or a whole wheel (approximately 1 lb)

Morgandie - aged cheese. Similar to manchego or young parmesan. Organic jersey cow milk.
$16/lb - also in approximately 1/2 lb or 1 lb wedges.

Port City Music Hall gets ready to rock

Portland is about to gain a really awesome live music venue, and the other day I had the great luck of scoring a behind-the-scenes tour. Called Port City Music Hall, it will soon open at 504 Congress St., where the Stadium used to be (prior to downsizing) and before that the Keystone Theater. Right now the exterior doesn't look like much, but you can see where they've added ticket windows.

Inside, the space is huge and will be have a maximum capacity of 660 people standing. Smaller shows could set up row seating (capacity 350) or four-top tables (capacity 240). Construction is still in full swing, but you can see part of the giant bar to the left. Plans don't call for a full food menu, but light fare will be offered, and in the summer there will be sidewalk seating. Beyond the frame of this snapshot, there's an entrance area, a coat check and a door to a hallway that leads to the offices upstairs and provides private access to the stage for the musicians. In front of the glass windows, there will be a a cozy lounge area.

Portland-based interior designer Joshua Bergey is working on making a really hip interior. Here publicity manager Ceci Gilson shows off one of the cool '70s-era couches Bergey picked up at an auction in Boston. This couch is stored in a huge room downstairs that could be used for private functions. Next door there's a room that will have pool tables and more couches.

This board of paint samples was in the same room as the couch. It wasn't clear if this is the final color scheme, but there's a good chance that stencil will show up around the club.

Don't be fooled by the paint color. This is the green room, where the band members can hang out and get ready for the show. The room includes a full bathroom and a dressing room. Outside this room, there is a sweet roof deck for use by the bands and staff.

Back downstairs, I took this photo of the roughed-in stage. Since the crews were working on sanding the drywall during my visit, this dust-obscured picture was the best I could get. To the left of the stage, there will be a raised VIP area with its own bar. Due to delays related to the recent ice storm, a definitive opening date has not been set. But owner Rob Evon is aiming for the week of Jan. 15. Right now the Port City Music Hall MySpace page lists a few of the acts lined up so far. The always-fun Boston group Lovewhip is booked for Jan. 22 and internationally-acclaimed OK Go hits the stage on March 13. It's clear that in just a few weeks, Congress Street will really be rocking.

Borealis opens on Ocean Ave.

Yesterday the Back Cove neighborhood gained a new eatery. Borealis Breads Bakery & Bistro opened up at 182 Ocean Ave. I drove over there for lunch today and wasn't surprised to find all the parking spots filled and a line at the counter.

Borealis has been around for 15 years, baking up their signature breads that are frequently made with Maine-grown grains. The bakery began in Waldoboro and later had shops at the former Portland Public Market and the Forest Ave. Hannaford. This new spot gives the bakery a retail presence in the city once again.

The menu is fairly extensive, featuring sandwiches, panninis, salads, soups and pizza. Some sandwich highlights; chicken salad with tarragon & walnuts ($7), roast beef with horseradish and scallion spread ($7), roasted turkey with onion jam and cream cheese ($7) and Veggieville with garlic or red pepper hummus ($6). I ordered a hummus on multigrain and it was outstanding.

Today's pizzas, from the brick oven in the background, included three cheese (with whole milk mozzarella, provolone and ricotta) and pepperoni. The shop is open seven days a week from 7 am-8 pm (sandwiches served until 5 pm). To place an order, call 541-9600.

Live music showcase at O'Naturals

Tonight, before heading over to the Portland Stage Company to see the absolutely hysterical (and completely sold out) Santaland Diaries with family, we met up at O'Naturals for a quick bite to eat. While there, we had the pleasure of listening to Rebecca Minnick's sweet bluegrass songs. A member of the school committee, the versatile Minnick told us her gig was the first in what is to be a series of performances by local musicians at the restaurant. No word on who else we can expect to see in the series, but one thing's for sure, Minnick definitely got O'Naturals' live music tradition started on a beautiful note.

Touring the Freemason's secretive temple

On Saturday, Adam and I took part in a first-time-ever public tour of the Masonic Temple located at 415 Congress St. The front half of the building was sold years ago to finance upkeep, while the back of the building (which faces Portland High School's Freshmen Alley) is still owned by three Portland lodges, a few regional orders and the Masonic Grand Lodge of Maine, all of which belong to the international fraternal organization known as the Freemasons. This back half of the building, which is considered one of the state's most endangered properties by Maine Preservation, is where we went for the free tour.

Because the blockbuster film and the best-selling book "The Da Vinci Code" have popularized the legends surrounding this generally secretive society (whose history stretches back to at least the 16th century and includes many prominent figures), you're likely wondering why the Portland temple opened its doors to the public. The reason is rising costs. As a result, the building is on the market, listed at $5.25 million. To drum up interest in the property, the brothers decided to invite the curious to have a look.

During our tour, Rob Lind (who chairs the governing body that operates the building), mentioned that some members of the organization have expressed an interest in renting parts of the space to theater groups or arts organizations rather than selling the whole property outright. This would bring in new revenue and allow the Masons to maintain the building's historic use, but I can imagine other members may object to this idea because it lessens the exclusive, clubby feel of this exquisite architectural gem.

We started our tour downstairs, where the hallway has an arched ceiling, the original decorative painting and the finest quality millwork. Decorative wall painting is a delightful feature throughout the building. We learned on the tour that a few of the walls have been cleaned only once since the building was completed in 1911, but even without upkeep the paint is in relatively good condition.

This is called the Scottish Rite Reading Room. I didn't see many books, but I did see two lovely pool tables and a round table that would be perfect for poker.

Here's a rather fuzzy look at the impressive Corinthian Hall and its beautiful stained glass windows (you can see a better image here). The space is used for the elaborate (and secretive) rituals the Masons perform. This room also has thrones and a massive pipe organ.

We ran into our friend Adam while on the tour. Here are the two Adams looking Masonic in Corinthian Hall.

Boody Hall is the place where the Masons gather to conduct business, such as secret balloting on whether or not to accept candidates for membership. Candidates must be 18+, have high moral character and believe in God. Lind said traditionally many members have been military men, police officers or farmers. There are three sets of thrones in this room, and the organization's leadership sits in them according to rank. The central pedestal has green velvet cushions for kneeling and a Bible at the center.

Here I am standing in front of the highest throne. Note the G on the wall above me. When asked about it, Lind said it stood for God and geometry, "among other things." Could "other things" include the elusive grail?

In order for candidates to move through the various degrees of Freemasonry (there are 32 in all), the lodges perform elaborate theatrical productions. Each performance is crafted to impart a moral lesson, and each requires its own closet for costume and prop storage. Lind pulled out this rack of clothes to demonstrate the storage capacity.

These are the costumes from the performance Masons refer to informally as "George Washington." The room also houses an assortment of wigs and a large station for applying stage makeup.

It's easy to see how the massive Scottish Rite Auditorium with seating for more than 700 and two pipe organs could be used by other performing arts groups.

The walls of the building are covered in murals, portraits, prints, plaques and Knights Templar imagery. This plaque commemorates President George Washington's Masonic membership, one of many famous Masons.

The tour was absolutely fascinating and certainly deepened my understanding of Freemasonry. I'm hopeful that somehow this magnificent building seeped in mystery and myth can be preserved in its present state. Maybe the local lodges can start charging a fee and make the tours a regular thing? I'm sure there are many people who would fork over a few bucks for the chance to check out this unique property filled with grandeur and lore. I'd even pay to see it again.

After the ice storm

Broken tree limbs littered the streets of Portland today, after last night's ice storm. Because I took a vaca day, I had the luxury of sleeping in while others were trying to de-ice and navigate the slick streets. Instead I waited until the sun peeked out around 1:30 to head out and try to do some errands. Normally, I would walk, but because the roads were in better shape than the sidewalks, I chipped my car out of a block of ice and drove.

A number of the stop lights along Cumberland Avenue were dead, and stop signs took their place.

Classes were canceled for the day at Portland High.

Longfellow Square sparkled with a covering of ice.

This poor tree outside Urban Hardware was snapped in half.

The birches in front of the Portland Museum of Art were bent and a little broken.

And even though the power was working fine at my house (just two blocks away), Whole Foods had locked its door citing a lack of electric juice.

Utopia makes old stuff cool again

I've been wondering what was going into the storefront in the recently completed glass-fronted building attached to the Portland Harbor Hotel, and today I found out. It's a sleek new furniture gallery called Utopia, where everything on display is created from reclaimed materials.

Shop manager Elena Usova was kind enough to show me around and tell me about the company's green philosophy. The wood comes from things like old pickle barrels and tobacco barns, and the metal in one of the pieces began life as a bridge. A few pieces are made from eco-friendly bamboo. Veering away from petroleum-based lacquers, finishes for the wood include citrus oil and natural wax.

Utopia runs a manufacturing facility in Gorham, where it's been making custom fixtures and furnishings for stores and restaurants for a number of years. Rather than showcasing commissioned work, the retail space contains Utopia's own line. But custom orders are welcome too.

Here's the Kinetic Table and Kinetic Chairs, which boast clean lines and a modern aesthetic. The table sells for $3,000 and the chairs go for $780.

This edgy table ensemble is one of president Ty Parr's latest creations. Parr and Brett Miller are the designer brains behind all this beauty.

Here's the Cashmere Sofa ($3,600), which is an utter dream to sink into. Should you want to give it try, head over to Utopia tomorrow night, Dec. 11, from 7-9 pm for a grand opening party. I can't promise Shangri-La, but I do hear there will be free drinks.

Utopia is located at 470 Fore St. It's open from 10 am-8 pm seven days a week. FMI call 899-4266 or click on over to www.utopiadesigns.com.

Portland gets mugged

Coffee By Design wants you to drink your java in proper Portland style. To make this easier, they've introduced a limited edition line of mugs created by ceramic artist Megan Walsh. Each of the four mugs depicts a local landmark, including the Portland Museum of Art, the Baxter Library, Monument Square and the building next to WCSH-6. The mugs sell for $20 and can be purchased from any of Coffee By Design's three downtown shops.

Homemade tortillas & tamales heat up Washington Ave.

In the space which used to house the Wicked Pulp juice bar, Corey Jones has opened an awesome tortilla joint called Loco Pollo. It's located on Washington Ave., near Silly's and Coffee By Design. Corey isn't advertising that he's open, but Adam and I spotted the lights on and people inside eating when we drove by Wednesday night on our way to a reception at the Portland Motor Club. All week I've been dying to try it out (after waiting a year and a half for it to open), but I didn't have a chance to get over there until yesterday.

Around 11:30, Adam and I ducked in for a quick lunch before heading out of town to a party. When we first walked in we had the place to ourselves, which gave us the chance to chat with Jones. A few minutes later another couple came in (who'd clearly eaten there before) and then Anestes Fotiades, the author of the must-read PortlandFoodMap.com, stopped by to check out the scene.

Something tells me Jones' plans for a soft launch might be revving up a little faster than he expected.

The decor bursts with Mexican warmth and good cheer. The food is simple, filling and affordable. Jones is serving up soups ($4-6), tamales (3 for $6) and tortilla plates ($8 for a medium chicken plate). An experienced baker comes in every morning to make the corn tortillas and tamales.

Adam ordered two green chile chicken goat cheese tamales, and I asked for a tortilla plate with beans and rice. Jones also whipped up two mango-banana-strawberry smoothies for us. When the food arrived at the counter, we took it and headed over to the sauce bar, so we could load up on the excellent salsas and hot sauces.

My meal was simple and satisfying. The rice was fluffy and sprinkled with delicate bits of cilantro and the fresh, warm tortillas had the heft and flavor you can only get with scratch made. Adam was equally pleased with his spicy tamales, filled with chunks of chicken and parcels of goat cheese. The salsas rounded out each dish perfectly.

Loco Pollo is located at 52 Washington Ave., at the base of Munjoy Hill. It's open Mon.-Sat. 11:30 am-8 pm. 899-4422.

Mingling with hot rods

Last night a group of art lovers and collectors had a chance to check out an impressive private collection of vintage cars. The Contemporaries and the Committee of 100 (both membership groups at the Portland Museum of Art) gathered at the brand new Portland Motor Club for tasty drinks, apps from Aurora Provisions and fun company. Just like all the social events that involve the Contemporaries, last night's party proved to be a fabulous time.

Bill Waldron (far left) owns Falmouth Motor Group and opened this facility to house his impressive collection of restored '60s and '70s cars and to rent storage space to people looking for a secure spot to house their vehicles.

Now I have to admit, I know next to nothing about cars. And while I can manage to stand in front of one and smile, I'm incapable of telling you anything worthwhile about these vehicles. So instead, I'll offer up a few snapshots of the gorgeous cars in Waldron's collection.

Should you want to be there for the next Contemporaries soiree, be sure to get your membership check for $250 in the mail ASAP. Because you won't want to miss the huge party we're planning for January. It will celebrate the opening of "Backstage Pass: Rock & Roll Photography," which showcases a private collection of more than 200 rarely seen photographs of every prominent rock star from Eric Clapton to Courtney Love. It's bound to be THE social event of the new year.

Trees, wreaths & kissing balls fill Monument Square

Most of the farmers packed up shop after last Wednesday's market, but two die hards returned to town today. Both Uncle's Farm Stand and Beckwith Gardens are set up with a fabulous assortment of fresh holiday greenery, including wreaths, swags, kissing balls and Christmas trees.

Uncle Andy's also has a decent selection of staples, including apples, cider, onions, jams, honey and pickles. Should the weather continue to cooperate, look for them in the square next Wednesday. If not, you can always get your local farmer fix by getting your name on the winter farmers' market email lists.

Skyline is a changing in East End

If you've driven or walked down India or Fore streets lately, you've likely seen the massive new Ocean Gateway parking garage. It's nestled next to long time neighborhood landmark Micucci Grocery and is in the spot where the Breakaway Tavern used to sit. In the distance, you can see a slice of the slanting roof of the actual Ocean Gateway ferry terminal.

On the back of the garage there is a mural painted by Elizabeth Morrill Burke of Peerless Painting of Falmouth. According to The Bollard, the mural was created as a way to make an ugly wall meet the city's design standards. The image is based on historical photos of the Eastern Prom, which may explain why it's rendered in grayscale. Or maybe they were just trying to save money on paint.

Should you come down Middle Street, you can't help but notice another new building rising behind the garage.

Rumor has it that this new building at the corner of Fore and Hancock streets will become a Residence Inn by Marriott.

Hopefully, we can expect more construction in this area soon. Across Middle Street from the garage is the spot where the Village Cafe used to be. It was knocked down in June to make way for the Bay House condos. The website says people will begin moving in next fall. However, when I did a story about the condos for Switch a little over a year ago, I was told construction was going to start at the beginning of this year for a fall 2009 opening. I guess we'll just have to wait and see what happens to this now vacant lot.