Wanna be a star in Freeport?

Freeport Playesr will be holding open auditions for Noel Coward's "Fallen Angels" on Monday & Tuesday, Jan. 5-6 from 7-9:30 pm at the Freeport Public Library (off Main Street north).

Callbacks, if needed, will be on Wednesday, Jan. 7. Performances will be at the library from March 13-29.

The play will be directed by Bill Steele. The Players are looking for three women
and three men, late 30's to 50's - and they must be able to sustain an English accent (one man needs a French accent). Actors should be prepared to read sides from the play at auditions.

For more information contact Sara Stelk at 353-8735 or saragstelk@aol.com.

12 Days of Christmas winners

Portland's Downtown District pulled together a slew of great prizes during the 12 Days of Christmas that helped get people out and about in the Old Port. Here's the list of all the lucky winners:

Pabst Blue Ribbon: "PB-Arts Contest"

The deadline for submissions for the third annual Pabst Blue Ribbon "PB-Arts Contest" is Wednesday, December 31.

Works will be accepted in four categories -- photography, painting, sculpture and poetry (new this year) -- from September 1 through December 31, 2008. PBR will select one grand prize winner and one runner-up in each category on January 15, 2009. As in past years, the winning artwork will be honored and displayed in cities across the United States in various ways -- wallscapes, alternative weeklies, building projections, newspaper racks, bus benches, store displays and other visual outlets. You may have seen this year's artwork up around your city.

- Grand prize winners will receive $1,893 in cash, symbolic to the year 1893 when PBR won their famous blue ribbon, and a one-year supply of the inspiring brew.
- The runners-up in each category will receive exactly 1/3 of the Grand Prize: $631 in cash and a four-month supply of Pabst.
- For further submission and contest details your readers can visit www.pabstblueribbon.com

Borealis Breads to open new Portland bistro

[From the Portland Press Herald]

Borealis Breads is opening its new Portland bistro and bakery Wednesday at 182 Ocean Ave.

Gov. John Baldacci will attend a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 10 a.m.

Josh DeGroot, former chef at the Sweet Leaves Tea House in Brunswick and the Newcastle Inn, will be the head chef at the 35-seat bistro near Back Cove. The food at the bistro will feature Maine products and locally grown ingredients.

Hours will be 7 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 7 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 8 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Sunday.

Borealis Breads was founded 15 years ago in Waldoboro by Jim Amaral, and over the years had a retail presence at the Portland Public Market and in the Hannaford store on Forest Avenue. The new bistro will create 18 full- and part-time jobs in Portland.

Comedian Bob Marley at Merrill Auditorium

Maine's Best Selling Holiday Show is in it's 9th Year

December 26-31 2008

Born and raised in Maine, Comedian Bob Marley has been cutting a path to the top of the Stand-up Comedy Industry for more than fifteen years. For the past 8 weeks Bob has been in Toronto, Canada , for the filming of the long anticipated sequel to Boondock Saints, 'All Saints Day'.

Detective Greenly is coming back. The sequel includes favorites from the first movie, Sean Patrick Flanery and Norman Reedus (as the McManus brothers) , and Billy Connolly ( ll Duce), along with the new female lead Julie Benz (Rita on Showtime's 'Dexter') and brat packer Judd Nelson. Bob Marley has brought back the always funny and incredibly wrong Detective Greenly, this time in a much larger role than the first film. The film successfully wrapped in Toronto on Monday, for the past several weeks he has been traveling back to New England on Saturdays to finish up his fall tour.

Now as we come into the holiday season Bob is back home in Maine preparing for his Holiday Shows, getting as much stage time as he can, regularly popping into the Comedy Connection to fine-tune his brand new show for Merrill Auditorium opening on December 26, with 6 shows running through New Years Eve. When he is not on stage this December, you can always find him at the Maine Mall talking with Mainers, and signing CDs or one of his many new UPTA CAMP items. Bob has expanded his line this year with lots of great gifts under $10.

This years NEW release a CD/ DVD Combo, 'Big Mouth Bob' hit stores in early November. The CD contains a full 45 minutes of Stand-up comedy from last year's Merrill Auditorium Shows and the DVD features a full length live show at the Comedy Connection this past June. The combo has a full hour and a half of new material including footage from Bob's Fan Appreciation Ski Day at Shawnee Peak last March.

Starting December 13th you can register at his Maine and Bangor Mall locations to win a week UPTA CAMP on Bob. One very lucky family will win a full week at a lakeside camp here in Maine to be used this summer. Bob will call the winner on Christmas Eve.

RUSTIC OVERTONES DELUXE LIMITED EDITION ROOMS BY THE HOUR A BULL MOOSE EXCLUSIVE

Just in time to be tucked under the Christmas tree or in a stocking, the Rustic Overtones is releasing a deluxe limited edition of "Rooms by the Hour" with three bonus tracks. A Bull Moose exclusive, the CD will retail in their stores and online for $10.97 beginning at midnight, Monday, December 22 (release date is Tuesday, December 23).

"Rooms by the Hour" was released in the early part of 1998, and quickly became so popular it lead to widespread major label interest, resulting in a contract with the Warner Music Group. Shortly after "Rooms by the Hour," the band recorded three additional tracks in their rehearsal space, "Last Night's Band," "Cherry," and "Room 6," all included on the limited edition "Rooms by the Hour." The band is currently at work on a new record.

In July 2007, during the first month of Rustic Overtones "Light at the End" release, also a Bull Moose exclusive, the CD earned the Bull Moose record for the highest-grossing first-week sales of a local release in the stores' history. By August, the CD had topped the Bull Moose sales charts for 4 weeks running, making the CD a record-breaking release for the independent ten-store chain.

The Rustic Overtones, originally formed in Portland, Maine in 1995, is a seven piece band featuring guitarist and lead vocalist Dave Gutter, drummer Tony McNaboe, trombonist Dave Noyes, baritone saxophonist Jason Ward, bassist Jon Roods, alto and tenor saxophonist Ryan Zoidis, and Nigel Hall on keyboards and vocals. In their own words, the band's sound is a rock/soul/funk mix of "fiery rhythm section," "blazing horn riffs" and "soulful vocals."

Maine Diner Celebrates 5 Millionth Customer

he Maine Diner, a family-owned eatery known for its home-cooking and hometown hospitality, announced today it will celebrate serving its 5 millionth customer the week of December 15 at the famous blue-and-white local landmark on Route 1.

This event marks a crowning achievement for brothers Myles and Dick Henry, who opened their famous diner 25 years ago, with the mission of serving the tastiest home-cooked meals made from family recipes at a good price with the friendliest staff available. The Diner's food has earned them accolades on NBC's Today Show and The Phantom Gourmet.

While many businesses on Route 1 have either been forced to close seasonally, or have gone out of business altogether due to the economy, the Maine Diner has built a loyal thriving customer base not only come from around the corner, but also from around the country.

"Five million customers...it is unbelievable. Back when we started out I never would have dreamt it was possible to reach such a crowning achievement. But here we are, celebrating two major milestones back-to-back: 25 years in the business and service to 5 million customers. It amazes us," Henry said. "Dick and I have been so fortunate to have things work out this way."

It took the Maine Diner 12 years to hit their first milestone of serving 1 million customers. Four years later they hit the 2 million mark, and have averaged a million customers roughly every three-and-a-half years since then. Statistically, the Diner serves 1,200 to 1,600 people a day in a season, or roughly 300,000 to 325,000 customers a year.

The final countdown to the lucky customer starts the week of December 15 as patrons come through the door. Numerous prizes will be awarded to that one lucky winner including cake, gift cards and foods from a variety of supportive vendors. All customers who come in between now and the 5 millionth customer celebration are eligible to fill out a raffle ticket enabling them to be in the running to win a $1,000 travel vacation voucher.

The Henry brothers say they could not have achieved this milestone in their business without their loyal staff, some of whom have been employed with them since the Diner's inception. The Diner employs an average of 65 employees year-round.

"Our employees' experience and dedication is rare in this rapid-fire restaurant business where people come and go. I'd put our staff up against any in the world," Henry said. "To everyone here, hitting this hallmark in hospitality is a big, big deal. We plan on having lots of fun and a ton of promotions to commemorate the event. Everyone gets involved, and nobody should miss it!"

About the Maine Diner: The Maine Diner is a family-owned restaurant, now in its 25th year. Known for its hallmark hometown hospitality, speedy service and hearty home-cooking, the blue-and-white local landmark will serve 5 million customers this month. Over the years the diner has earned numerous accolades from a feature spot on NBC's Today Show, as well as earning the rating of a "90" with the Bay State's Phantom Gourmet, making the diner one of 70 restaurants out of 2,500 rated in New England to earn this exceptionally high score. For more information, please visit: www.mainediner.com

Google Street View Launches in Maine

From Kittery to Presque Isle, innovative street level imagery of Maine to provide new tourism, education, real estate and business benefits

Today Google Maps has expanded the coverage of its popular Street View feature to include imagery from across Maine. Street View is a free feature of Google Maps that lets internet users view and navigate 360-degree street-level imagery of cities, towns, and regions across the United States and internationally. Street View is integrated with driving directions on Google Maps to make it easier to see the view of the streets that accompany directions.

Using Street View, people can check if a restaurant has parking out front, make travel plans, arrange meeting points, save time at open houses on Saturday morning, and explore both well-known and more isolated parts of the state. Street View also now puts Maine's most historic and iconic landmarks and attractions on display, including Acadia National Park and the Nubble Lighthouse at Cape Neddick in York.

Stephen Chau, Product Manager at Google, commented: "We're thrilled to bring Street View to so much of Maine - places like Portland, Auburn, Lewiston, Bangor, Bar Harbor, the view from drives along the Atlantic coastline, Acadia National Park. Since launching Street View, we have heard great feedback about how Street View has helped its users in their lives and how it has enabled them to discover many remarkable new places. Now residents and visitors alike can explore all Maine has to offer."

"Google Maps has been very popular and is used by organizations, businesses, and individuals far and wide as an essential and informative tool every day of the week. Street View provides an added experience by enabling users to see street-level panoramas of Maine's public roads."

STREET VIEW OVERVIEW

To view Street View imagery, visit Google Maps at http://maps.google.com and drag the orange "pegman" icon (located at the top left, above the "zoom slider") over the map. Blue outlines will indicate where the street-level vantage point is available. The option to view Street View imagery will also appear when you zoom in to the lowest level of Google Maps. By simply clicking the "Street View" link, it's easy to check out a restaurant, preview a hotel, arrange a meeting spot, or help your real estate search.

Street View first launched in May 2007, and now includes imagery from hundreds of cities and towns across the United States, as well as a dozen national parks. Street View imagery is also available internationally for Australia, New Zealand, France, Italy, Spain, and Japan. Today's update, including Maine, doubles the amount of coverage in the United States.

Google has gone to great lengths to safeguard privacy while allowing Maine to benefit from this feature. Street View only contains imagery that is already visible from public roads, and blurs identifiable faces. Anyone can easily flag for removal images that they consider inappropriate by clicking on "Report a concern" at the bottom of the Street View image in question.

GRITTY MCDUFF’S BREWING COMPANY RELEASES NEW “21 IPA” TO LAUNCH 21ST ANNIVERSARY YEAR

Craft brewer's "beerthday" event to take place December 21st in Portland

Maine craft brewer Gritty McDuff's Brewing Company (www.grittys.com ) has launched its 21st year of brewing award-winning beers by introducing its exceptional new anniversary beer: Gritty's "21 IPA."

Gritty's 21 IPA is currently available at beer retailers throughout Maine. Beginning in early 2009, the 21 IPA also will be available to bars, pubs, taverns, restaurants and beer retailers throughout the rest of New England, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Florida.

Gritty's 21 IPA is a unique marriage of American hops, with a British body utilizing English 2-Row Pale Malts brewed in the India Pale Ale style. Significant amounts of Munich and Cara malts give the beer a rich, golden hue.

Brewed in small, 50-barrel batches, 56 pounds of Cascade hops are used in each batch. Both Willamette and Warrior hops are added at the finish to produce a beer which begins with a hoppy aroma and taste that lead to a sweet finish.

The beer has a specific gravity of 1069, an ABV of 6.8%, and an IBU of 60.

Gritty's 21 IPA debuted at the 2008 Maine Brewers Festival in early November, and earned rave reviews from attendees. In a setting that featured Maine's best beers from some of the state's most respected brewers, 21 IPA proved to be an instant crowd favorite: the Gritty's team ran through two kegs of 21 IPA at the one-day festival, and was the first beer of the day to run out.

"We're proud of the enthusiastic feedback we've received from our customers over the past 20 years," said Richard Pfeffer, Publican of Gritty McDuff's. "It has been a genuine privilege to brew hand-crafted beer for a growing number of beer-lovers. Our 21 IPA continues our Gritty's tradition of brewing beers that appeal to serious and casual beer fans alike."

Gritty McDuff's 21 IPA is now available in Hannaford supermarkets throughout Maine, as well as in a growing number of supermarkets, beer and wine shops, convenience stores, and other beer retailers in Maine. 21 IPA has a suggested retail price of $6.99 for four-12 ounce bottles.

Kegs of the 21 IPA will be available after Gritty's taps the first official keg of their 21 IPA at its Brew Pub in Portland, scheduled to take place during the company's festive "Beerthday" on Sunday, December 21st.

Portland Announces WinteRush, Maine's Coolest Festival

City and community groups plan a one-of-a-kind winter festival for February
What: This Monday, the City of Portland will announce plans for WinteRush, Maine's Coolest Festival, February 6 - 14, 2009. WinteRush will provide exciting and fun winter activities that can be enjoyed by all ages in downtown Portland. The week-long festival was conceived as a way to promote health and fitness during what can often be a cold month.

Healthy Portland with the City of Portland's Public Health Division and Let's Go! will host a series winter activities as a part of Winterfit, one of the components of WinteRush. Winterfit will include cross county skiing, ice skating, sliding, snowball fights, scavenger hunts, shoveling contests, relay races, and much, much more!

Kicking off WinteRush, Maine Snow & Ice Sculpting Foundation will hold an International Snow & Ice Art Expo in Lincoln Park, which will run through the entire week. Sculptures of Maine marine life including a life sized humpback whale will be on display in the park.

The following weekend, Sunday River and Sugarloaf will hold a Downtown Showdown in Monument Square. The resorts will bring the mountains to Portland as they build a snow-covered hill in the heart of the downtown for a skiing and snowboarding rail jam.

Other events planned for WinteRush include a patio concert sponsored by WBLM and WCYY, a Portland Pirates game and pick-up hockey at the Portland Ice Arena.

Check out the event's website for updates and schedules, www.winterush.com (website will go live next week).

Who: Mayor Jill Duson will be joined by representatives from Sunday River/Sugarloaf, the Maine Snow & Ice Sculpting Foundation, Maine Winterfit and other partners. Ed Jarrett of the Maine Snow & Ice Sculpting Foundation will sculpt a kick-off sculpture before the press conference (beginning at approximately 8:00 AM).

"Portland WinteRush is a great opportunity for children, adults and families to get active and have a lot of fun this February," stated Mayor Duson. "Winter can often be a difficult time to stay healthy and this festival makes it easy."

"WInteRush is also an excellent opportunity for people to travel to Portland and check out the great local restaurants and shops in the downtown -- providing economic opportunities during what can be a very slow time for the city."

When: Monday, December 8, 2008, 11:00 AM

Where: Lincoln Park

Crafting "CHEESEY" Holiday Spirit - 500-Pound Cheese Moose to Get Carved

In celebration of the holidays, Sarah "The Cheese Lady," a nationally recognized cheese sculptor, will be carving a 500-pound mammoth Wisconsin Cheddar Cheese into the ultimate - and edible - holiday cheese centerpiece at Sam's Club, 45 Marketplace Drive, Augusta, ME. Sarah will carve Majestic Mr. Moose, snowshoe bunny, chickadee, White Pine Willie, and other Maine icons celebrating the festive food-filled season. One might even see a carving of the Sam's Club store manager decking the halls.

The public is invited to view the live carving December 4, 5 and 6 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Onlookers can watch Sarah's progress, taste the cheese and purchase their own piece of the 500-pound mammoth cheese.

"This is a unique opportunity for people of all ages to see and taste a cheese of this mammoth size - 22 inches tall and 28 inches in diameter - offered during this special holiday event in Sam's Fresh departments. This is cheddar made the old-fashioned way; you can taste the difference for yourself," states Kaufmann.

The added perk of seeing the carving come to life is why so many flock to see Sarah "The Cheese Lady."

A mammoth cheese is defined as any artisan, handcrafted variety of cheese larger than 75 pounds. The mammoth cheddar cheese Sarah "The Cheese Lady" will be carving is made by Henning's, a 100-year-old family-run cheese manufacturer, in Kiel, WI.

"Folks are amazed at the sizes and can't believe the cheese is real," Kaufmann explains about the mammoths. "They stop dead in their tracks and love to have a taste just to ensure that it is indeed real cheese!"

"The Cheese Lady" has been sculpting cheese since 1981. For the past 12 years, she has been commissioned by Sam's Club locations across the nation to carve "big cheeses." She currently carves in her studios in Cincinnati and San Diego, as well as at various venues nationwide. Although yellow Cheddar is the most common, she uses a variety of cheeses large and small including Provolone, Asiago, White Cheddar, Gouda, Gruyere and more. She has carved cheeses as small as two ounces - the F-18 fighter jets she sculpted to land on a six-foot-long 640-pound USS Ronald Regan aircraft carrier - and as large as a 12,500-pound cheddar mammoth inscribed with a fierce dragon. Other notable creations include a 120-pound Mickey Mouse and several personalities (Jay Leno, Matt Lauer, Katie Couric, Mario Andretti and Wisconsin's own Bret Favre).