Lobsterman 2010 registration open

Tri-Maine is already counting down the days until Lobsterman 2010.

329, to be exact.
And they don't want you to miss out!

So they're opening registration for the 2010 Lobsterman Triathlon and Aquabike today - 47 weeks before race morning! Sign up, mark your calendar, and join Tri-Maine on the shores of stunning Winslow Park in South Freeport, Maine on Saturday, September 18, 2010. Lobsterman sold out weeks before race day in 2009, and it's expected to reach the 800 athlete capacity even faster this year.

The dreary weather is coming, so lock in your target race for 2010 and start dreaming about the beautiful September sunshine on the coast of Maine. See you there.

FMI or to register: www.tri-maine.com

Opinionated about Maine restaurants? The Opinionated About survey wants your input

Opinionated About, an exciting new dining survey for the U.S. and Canada, is looking for your opinion about eating out, here in Maine, and afar. Opinionated About is working on its first published guide book and is looking for folks who love to eat out and have a viewpoint to share. If you've been in Rabelais recently you have seen the small blue fold-out on the counter for the Opinionated About 2009 survey.

To encourage you to share your opinions, they have put together an incentive plan which is outlined here. Review restaurants and earn some of today's best new cookbooks. There are restaurants here in Maine to be reviewed, and for those who eat and travel (or travel to eat), others across the country. It's time to tell the world what you think!

The incentive plan and the survey on www.opinionatedabout.com

Wayside Soup Kitchen teams with Fabu for cutting-edge fundraiser

Please join Wayside Soup Kitchen & Food Rescue and Fabu Salon & Spa for a cut-a-thon fundraiser on Sunday November 1, 2009! 100% of the proceeds to benefit Wayside Soup Kitchen & Food Rescue.

WHAT: Cut-a-Thon benefit for Wayside Soup Kitchen & Food Rescue. $25 haircuts - walk-in only (no appointments). Raffles from dozens of area restaurants and food vendors available for $1 each.

WHERE: Fabu Salon & Spa, 136 Commercial Street, Portland, ME

WHEN: Sunday November 1, 2009. 8AM # 8PM.

First come, first serve. ALL proceeds benefit Wayside Soup Kitchen & Food Rescue.

About Wayside:
Mission: The Mission of Wayside is to increase access to food for those in need in Southern Maine by providing a system for community based volunteers who serve prepared meals where such meals are needed, and by collaborating with other hunger agencies in developing an efficient network for the collection and equitable distribution of food. Wayside shall be guided in this mission by a deep compassion for our common humanity.

Monthly "Naked Shakespeare" performances at the Wine Bar in Portland to continue

The Portland City Council grants an exemption to the dispersal ordinance, clearing the way for "Sonnets and Soliloquies" to resume in November

WESTBROOK, ME - Acorn Productions, presenters of the free "Naked Shakespeare" series, will be returning to the Wine Bar on Monday, November 2 at 8 p.m. with an all-new installment of "Sonnets and Soliloquies," the company's monthly free performances of some of the Bard's best verse. The company had been displaced over the summer when the City Council refused to grant the Wine Bar on Wharf Street an entertainment license due to the so-called dispersal ordinance which prohibits venues within 100 feet of one another from receiving an entertainment license.

After several months of meetings and discussions, the Portland City Council voted 8-1 last night to allow an exemption for "non-amplified entertainment," allowing the Wine Bar to receive an entertainment license with that restriction. "We are extremely grateful to the City Council for working with us on this issue," said Acorn's Producing Director Michael Levine, "It has been a long few months for us, but we are thrilled at the final result, which will allow our unique brand of entertainment to continue in the Old Port."

"Sonnets and Soliloquies" is a one hour free performance of some of the bard's best poetry, presented in a style that is designed to be accessible to all audience members, even those that are not that familiar with his work. The ambience and performance style encourage an intimate relationship between actor and audience that allows the language to take center stage. Actors are cued by contemporary lines written on cue cards read by audience members, allowing for a playful interaction that celebrates the poetry by providing a contemporary context for the text. "Sonnets and Soliloquies" continues as a monthly series on the first Monday of every month through the spring. The line-up will change every month as different actors perform different selections, many of which will be drawn from the company's spring production of As You Like It, which will take place May 13 # 23 at Westbrook's Riverbank Park.

Call Acorn Productions at 854-0065 or visit www.nakedshakespeare.org for more information about "Sonnets and Soliloquies" or any other programs offered by Acorn Productions' "Naked Shakespeare" group.

Upcoming Naked Shakespeare performances:
November 2, December 7, February 1, March 1, April 5, May 3, June 7

FREE, suggested donation $5

City Arts Guide shows off Portland

PORTLAND, Maine - The free 2009-2010 ARTS GUIDE Portland that is a well-known resource for gallery listings, First Friday Artwalk information, articles on the current arts scene and performances in Portland is now available. Every artist and venue that is open to the public in the city of Portland receives a free listing in the guide.

"We are truly pleased to highlight the success of First Friday Artwalk, a program of the Portland Arts and Cultural Alliance (PACA) in this year's guide," said Portland's Downtown District (PDD) Executive Director Janis Beitzer. "This guide is used by businesses, realtors, residents, and visitors. When we first started with this concept we weren't sure where it would go - it's wonderful to see that so many businesses and arts organizations continue to embrace and support it."

The guide can be picked up at Portland's Downtown District's (PDD) at 549 Congress Street in addition to galleries and museums throughout Portland. You can also order free copies on- line at info@portlandmaine.com.

Created based on input from our partners at Maine College of Art (MECA), Portland Arts & Cultural Alliance (PACA), Portland Stage Company, Portland Symphony Orchestra, Portland Ovations, Portland's Downtown District, Portland Museum of Art, and Maine Magazine, the guide serves as a single resource for all members of the arts community.

Acorn Productions announces five finalists for the full-length featured play at this year's Maine Playwrights Festival

The company plans dramatic readings of all 5 plays at the Acorn Studio Theater over the next few months

WESTBROOK, ME # Acorn Productions announces that the company has selected 5 full-length plays to be given dramatic readings in the Acorn Studio Theater as part of the process of choosing a featured play for this year's Maine Playwrights Festival. The scripts were chosen from the 17 pieces submitted this fall by Maine-based playwrights and address issues ranging from race relations to aging and military recruiting practices.

The dramatic readings will take place over a series of Friday nights in October, November and January, featuring actors from Acorn's "Naked Shakespeare" Ensemble as well as students studying their craft in the Acorn Academy Academy.

Audience members at the readings will be invited to stay for a "talkback" with the playwrights and Acorn staff members; comments provided during this session and via a written feedback form will be used to help Acorn select the play to be featured at the ninth annual Maine Playwrights Festival, scheduled to take place from April 16 to May 1, 2010 at the St. Lawrence Arts Center in Portland. All readings begin at 7:30 p.m.; admission is free with a $5 suggested donation.

The first script to be read is "Army of One," by Laura Emack, which follows the story of book smart high school senior Joan, who poses as a potential enlistee to expose hardball recruiting, but ends up responding to her country's call by a committed emissary she cannot dismiss. "Army of One" will be read on Friday, October 30.

Two readings will take place in November: "Looking for Nadia," by Clare Melley Smith will be read on Friday, November 13, and "Solitary Dancers, by Jan Paetow, is brought to life on Friday, November 20. "Looking for Nadia" details what happens when Nadia, a woman with a long history of mental illness, suddenly drops off the planet and her college chum Margo embarks on a quest to find her. "Solitary Dancers" is a painful comedy about three middle-aged people and their eccentric approaches to the realization that they are mortal.

The final two scripts selected by Acorn will be read in January. Friday, January 8, features "Trouble Deaf Heaven," by Gibson Faye-Leblanc, a play that takes place at an Oakland school for dropouts, where Lonny, a troubled inner-city youth, nears a performance as Hamlet by rethinking who he is and which roles he has the strength to play. The final piece will be read on Friday, January 15. "The Waiting Room," by Keith Powell Beyland, is a contemporary drama that examines how truth is often the first victim when race and violence are joined under the flaring media spotlight.

The Maine Playwrights Festival (MPF), currently in its ninth year, serves as a creative incubator to assist playwrights with the development of new work. Each year, playwrights from all across the state submit their pieces for consideration by Acorn's reading committee. This year's edition of MPF will run over 3 weekends from April 16 to May 2, 2010, and features 3 rotating evenings of plays to be directed by Acorn's Producing Director Michael Levine, veteran actor and director Harlan Baker, and internationally-touring performing artist and educator Julie Goell. The full length play chosen through the reading process will be joined by an line-up of short 10 to 15 minute plays, and a third grouping of 3 or 4 one-act plays. Acorn is still accepting short plays and one-acts from playwrights; an application is available to download at the company's website www.acorn-productions.org.

Open house & concert at Bowdoinham studio for lessons in fiddle, guitar and mandolin

WHAT: Music Lesson Open House and Concert at Free Grange Music Studio

WHEN: Friday, Oct. 30, 2009 (Open House 3-6 p.m., Concert 6-6:45 p.m.)

WHERE: on Center Street in Bowdoinham (at corner of Main St./Route 125, behind Fox Real Estate) at Free Grange Music Studio

HOW MUCH: Concert $3; Open House free

At Free Grange Music Studio's Open House in Bowdoinham on October 30th, visitors are invited to drop by between 3 and 6 p.m. to meet music teachers Hope Hoffman (fiddle), Tamora Goltz (fiddle) and Jeff Trippe (guitar and mandolin).

This Open House is an opportunity to see the new studio space, ask questions (including general advice about instruments and music), and, if guests bring instruments, to informally play some music with the studio's friendly and talented instructors.

Each visitor or family of visitors at the Open House will receive a complimentary gift certificate for $10, which can be used as credit towards a scheduled violin/fiddle lesson, or be passed on as a gift to a friend.

An evening concert will be held at the studio October 30th from 6-6:45 p.m., featuring performances by some of the teachers at Free Grange Music Studio.

Guests can reserve seats for the concert (10 seats available) for $3 by mail to Hope Hoffman, PO Box 171, Bowdoinham ME 04008 and pick up tickets at the studio anytime after 3 p.m. on day of concert, or purchase tickets at the studio between 3 and 6 p.m. on the day of the concert.

Located less then a mile from I-295, and a tenth of a mile from the waterfront, the studio is within easy walking distance to Bowdoinham's library and hiking trails. Its family-friendly facilities include a comfortable waiting room with books and crayons, and a sunny, colorful teaching room.

Visitors arriving can look for the landmark of window boxes of colorful flowers on the building. The studio has its own parking lot and entrance on Center Street, around the corner from Fox Real Estate.

This year's discounts and special offerings at the studio include:

-- Trio Discount: If three friends would like to combine group and private lessons, a discounted rate is available for advance reservation for an hour and a half block of lesson time, which the trio can divide among themselves in a way that best fits their schedules.

-- Gift Certificates: Gift certificates are available for purchase online at www.hopehoffman.org. Each person or family who attends an Open House at Hope's studio will receive a $10 gift certificate.

Portland Symphony Orchestra Welcomes Special Guest Judd Nelson for "Great Stories to Tell" at Merrill Auditorium, November 8

PORTLAND, Maine - For the first Sunday Classical concert of the 85th anniversary season, the Portland Symphony Orchestra (PSO) welcomes celebrity guest narrator Judd Nelson for "Great Stories to Tell!" Led by Music Director Robert Moody, the matinee performance will also feature members of Portland Ballet Company. The concert takes place on Sunday, November 8 at 2:30 PM in Merrill Auditorium, 20 Myrtle Street in Portland.

"Great Stories to Tell!" blends music, story-telling, dance and colorful costumes to appeal to all the senses. The concert begins with Respghi's Ancient Airs and Dances (Suite No. 1), composed in 1917 and based on themes of Renaissance-era lute music, followed by selections from Mendelssohn's A Midsummer Night's Dream Op. 61, written to accompany the Shakespearean romantic comedy.

The centerpiece of the program is Stravinsky's L'histoire du Soldat ("A Soldier's Tale") # a 1918 theatrical work "to be read, played, and danced" ("lue, jouée et dansée"). L'histoire du Soldat is a parable based on a Russian folk tale about a soldier who trades his fiddle to the devil for a book that predicts the future of the economy. The music is witty and acerbic, and includes elements of ragtime, early jazz, and tango. Dancers from Portland Ballet Company portray the Soldier, the Devil, and the Princess, while Nelson narrates, all accompanied by a virtuoso ensemble of select PSO players.

Judd Nelson, best known for his roles as John Bender in The Breakfast Club, Alec Newbary in St. Elmo's Fire and Jack Richmond in Suddenly Susan, is a native of Portland, and returns to the city to narrate this exciting performance. Nelson's father Leonard is a past Board President of the Portland Symphony Orchestra.

Sponsored by Cardiovascular Consultants of Maine, "Great Stories to Tell!" will take place at Merrill Auditorium, 20 Myrtle Street, at 2:30 PM on November 8. Tickets range from $20-$70 and are available through PortTix at (207) 842-0800 or www.porttix.com. Phone and internet orders are subject to $6-per-ticket handling fees. Tickets may also be purchased in person at the box office at 20 Myrtle St., Monday through Saturday, noon to 6 PM.

A Concert Conversation with Dr. Scott Harris, Director of the USM School of Music, takes place at 1:15 PM in the Rehearsal Hall, and a Post Concert Q&A will be held onstage with the artists immediately following the performance. Cardiovascular Consultants of Maine will be providing free health screenings in the auditorium lobby. A live recorded broadcast of the concert can be heard on Maine Public Broadcasting Network on Wednesday, December 9, 2009.

The PSO's 2009-10 season is sponsored by IDEXX Laboratories. For complete season information, including artist biographies; program notes; and Online Insights, provided with support from season Enrichment Sponsor Fairpoint Communications; visit www.portlandsymphony.com.

Historic Inns of Rockland tackle health care reform with their own brand of wellness coverage

Prescription coverage includes choice of red or white. No pre-existing conditions refused and guests are encouraged to squeeze the stress ball, not the taxpayer.

Rockland, ME # When it comes the public vs. private debate over health care reform, the conversation at the four Historic Inns of Rockland, ME revolves around whether to have the massage ensuite or in the spa. Along with their senator, Olympia Snowe, this feisty group of four historically preserved inns is not afraid to cross party lines and has their own idea for a prescription drug plan simplified into two tiers # red or white. Wellness coverage here includes complimentary anti-oxidant chocolates and blueberry juice, pie or pancakes. Best of all, affordability is assured; a cost-cutting measure is included with 10 percent off all rooms (built into the package) along with spa treatments at RHealWellnessCenter and Day Spa. Stress-relief toys even come free.

It's all tongue in cheek, but it measures up to one great relaxing weekend geared toward wellness, stress relief and a form of health care reform that promises to be passed by all those participating. The promise: no one will be denied; all pre-existing conditions will be accepted, and affordability is guaranteed; with four inns, you're sure to find one that fits your budget and all wellness criteria.

The expanded prescription coverage for the Historic Inns of Rockland's Health Care Reform package includes not only cardio-training but stress relief and couples therapy all in one.

* Wellness coverage includes two nights accommodations in luxury rooms, many with fireplaces multi-jet showers, whirlpool or soaking tubs.

* A multi-course cardio-healthy and hearty breakfast for two offers antioxidants, vitamins, fiber and protein to start the day.

* Physical and mental therapy comes in the form of a couples massage enjoyed ensuite or at a local day spa plus 10% off at RHealWellnessCenter and Day Spa.

* Stress relief is offered with a complimentary stress ball allowing you to squeeze the ball not the taxpayer, and relaxing music CD featuring local Rockland artists.

* Weight control measures include a welcome basket with locally made cheeses and chocolates, proven to provide antioxidant nutrition.

* The prescription drug plan offers a gift certificate to the Wine Seller, Rockland's premier wine store for a choice red or white wine or non-alcoholic beverage.

Cost-cutting measures have been employed. Participants will receive 10% off additional spa services and room rates for this package (only) offered from November 1, 2009 # May 15, 2010 for $510-750 per couple, excluding tax.

The Historic Inns of Rockland have decided not to allow health care reform to cripple their economy. For more information on how four inns are working together to insure health care reform for Maine and travelers beyond , visit www.HistoricInnsofRockland.com or the LimeRock Inn, Captain Lindsey House, Granite Inn and Berry Manor Inn. For reservations, call 877-ROC-INNS (877-762-4667).

Bicycle Coalition of Maine Receives Award from Maine Public Relations Council

Augusta # Shoshana Hoose, communications coordinator for the Bicycle Coalition of Maine, received a Golden Arrow award from the Maine Public Relations Council for publicity for the coalition's 2009 Great Maine Bike Swap. The award was presented at the council's recent annual conference in South Portland.

The swap, held each spring in Portland and Orono, provides an opportunity for the public to buy and/or sell used bicycles in good, working condition. Hoose created public service announcements, a Youtube video and a variety of written and Web-based materials to publicize the swap. The Orono and Portland events both broke attendance records, with 55 percent more bikes sold than the previous year.

To find out more about the Great Maine Bike Swap and dates of the 2010 events, please visit www.BikeMaine.org.

Maine's Institute for Italian Studies is expanding: Institute for International Studies

Maine's Institute for Italian Studies is expanding this month into the Institute for International Studies and the Institute for Spanish Studies chapter. Spanish Open House on November 5, 5:30-7:30pm.

Founded in 2004 by Maria Luisa De Luca (native of Rome) and Paola D'Amato (native of Trieste), the Institute for Italian Studies has offered language courses, cooking classes, workshops (art, opera, film), trips, immersion programs and translation services for those interested in Italian language and culture. These course offerings have also been picked up by several Maine public and private schools and adult education programs.

Following the successful model of the Institute for Italian Studies, the Spanish chapter was founded with the purpose of bringing together people passionate about Hispanic language and culture. Our instructors, natives of Spain and South America, will be teaching not only their language, but also their traditions and heritage. Programs include language, cooking, travel and plenty of fun cultural events.

Because of a growing interest and demand in other foreign and romance languages, the Institute for International Studies has expanded to offer Spanish studies and plans to introduce Chinese, Japanese, Portuguese, German and French language studies in 2010.

With the experience of assimilating into a new country behind them, Luisa and Paola understand first-hand the importance of learning English and of acclimating to American ways. For this reason, in collaboration with another great Maine educator, Ann Marie Barter, they are developing a new aspect of the Institute: English as Another Language. These classes will be geared towards assisting professionals, new Americans and international students eager to gain or improve their English communication skills and to better navigate workplace, social and academic settings.

For businesses that interact with foreign entities, customers or employees, the Institute for International Studies is also embarking on a series of courses which will be tailored to individual business needs. This fills an important niche for firms that strive to be competitive in the International market. Clear communication in native languages increases customer service, trust and potentially sales and relationships with businesses abroad.

For more information about these programs, visit the IIS website at www.iismaine.com or contact Paola D'Amato (207-409-0276) or Maria Luisa De Luca (207-939-5127) or info@iismaine.com.

Def Leppard cancels Manchester, NH concert

LOS ANGELES, CA - Due to unforeseen personal matters, the third leg of Def Leppard's North American Tour, set to begin on October 22nd and including their November 17th concert at Verizon Wireless Arena in Manchester, has been cancelled. "We know how truly blessed we are to have such committed fans," said the band in a statement. "That's why we've agonized over this decision. Even if just a single concert, we don't take cancelling shows lightly, but unfortunately life's commitments need to be the priority."

Ticket refunds are available at the point of purchase.

Live Nation takes pride in bringing live entertainment to the public. We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused fans.

Fifth Annual Caviar Dinner Menu Revealed with American, German and Israeli Caviars

PORTLAND, Maine # Caviar, one of the world's best known delicacies, will be the main feature of the fifth annual Caviar Dinner on Friday, October 23 at Eve's at the Garden, Portland Harbor Hotel.

The evening begins with a champagne reception at 6 pm with hors d'oeuvres of oysters, blini and baked potato paired with Golden Whitefish Roe, Wasabi Flying Fish Roe and Salmon Roe before guests move to their seats for the highlight of the evening: four courses of seafood paired with caviars from around the world. Caviars featured during the dinner include American Spoonbill, Desietra Baerrii, Galilee Osetra Caviar, and White Sturgeon Caviar. Executive Chef Earl Morse concludes the evening's menu with Maple Pumpkin Panna Cotta topped with Hackleback Caviar, pairing the natural nutty sweetness of this caviar with a sweet dessert.

Renowned caviar importer and expert Rod Mitchell, owner of Browne Trading Co., will be on hand during the dinner to provide an expert introduction to the caviars.

Portland Harbor Hotel is offering a room and dinner package during the caviar event for guests interested in spending the night. When calling to purchase tickets to the Caviar Dinner, interested parties should inquire about room package options and availability with the reservationist.

Caviar Dinner tickets are $95 per person; seating is limited. Reservations may be made by calling (207) 775-9090.

About Browne Trading Company:
Located on Merrill's Wharf in Portland, Browne Trading Co. has provided the best restaurants and home kitchens with the freshest fish from New England, the U.S. and the world for more than a decade. They continue to provide the finest offerings of domestic, farmed and wild caviars from around the world that are graded and hand packed by their expert caviar team. In their boutique smokehouse in Portland, their smokemaster handcrafts smoked salmon, fish and a variety of shellfish following the traditional techniques passed down from generations of Maine fisherman. Browne Trading also now offers a line of gourmet items such as olive oils and salts to better provide a total culinary experience to their customers.

About Eve's at the Garden:
The four-star Eve's at the Garden inside the Portland Harbor Hotel is open seven days a week for breakfast, lunch and dinner. During the warmer months meals are also served in the Hotel's welcoming interior courtyard. For more information about Eve's at the Garden or the Portland Harbor Hotel, or to make a reservations, please visit www.portlandharborhotel.com or call (207) 775-9090, toll-free (888) 798-9090.

About the Portland Harbor Hotel:
Located at 468 Fore Street in the heart of the Portland's historic Old Port district, the Portland Harbor Hotel's old world charm, distinctive design, and top-notch service have earned it the distinction of being an American Automobile Association (AAA) four-diamond hotel, the only hotel to receive the honor in Portland, for five years in a row. The Hotel's deluxe guest rooms and suites offer views of the Portland cityscape, Casco Bay, or the hotel garden. Just completed at the end of 2008, the Hotel now offers four new luxury and honeymoon suites, featuring beautiful handmade wood cabinets, as well as top-of-the-line new fitness facilities.

On-site services and amenities include complimentary Lincoln Towncar service, valet parking, 24-hour room service and certified concierge services, nightly turndown service, meeting and banquet facilities, and wireless high speed Internet access throughout the Hotel. The Portland Harbor Hotel is also home to the four-star restaurant Eve's at the Garden. Contact Portland Harbor Hotel by calling (207) 775-9090 or toll free, (888) 798-9090, or visit www.portlandharborhotel.com.

'Chief operating optimist' for clothing company Life is good to speak at Bates

LEWISTON, Maine - Roy Heffernan, "chief operating optimist" for the apparel company Life is good, known for its optimistic slogan and subtle humility, speaks at 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 29, in Bates College's Chase Hall Lounge, 56 Campus Ave.

Sponsored by the Bates Student Philanthropy Club, the event is open to the public at no cost. For more information, please call 207-786-6129.

Brothers Bert and John Jacobs began the company that would become Life is good in 1989, when they designed their first T-shirt. They started in Boston, selling their shirts college to college, dorm room to dorm room, but had little luck until they designed what is now known as the "Jake" shirt: a cartoon drawing of a face with a contagious grin, sunglasses and the words "Life is good."

In September 1994, the brothers presented their new Jake shirts at a street fair in Cambridge, Mass. The shirts were a hit. Since then the small company has grown to a much larger enterprise, with Jake the trademark figure. Today their merchandise is sold across country and the company has reached sales of more than $100 million a year, without a dollar spent on traditional advertising.

The company is known for its nonprofit organization, The Life is good Kids Foundation. The Foundation receives financial support principally through the company's donation of 100 percent of the profits from the sale of select products and public donations at Life is good Festivals held in major cities across the country.

The foundation supports extraordinary charities that create a lasting positive impact on children facing unfair challenges, including the traumas of violence, poverty and loss. So far, more than $4 million has been raised for this cause.

Roy Heffernan is "chief operating optimist" for Life is good, ensuring that the company delivers on its promises. His presentation is sure to offer solid lessons for entrepreneurs, philanthropists and optimists alike.

The Bates Student Philanthropy Club provides Bates students the opportunity to become acquainted with the philanthropic process, increasing philanthropic awareness on campus and strengthening the Bates community at large.

Cellardoor Winery Holiday Season Cooking Class Series, October 18-December 6

LINCOLNVILLE, Maine - What better way to prepare for upcoming holiday season meals than by learning from the pros? Cellardoor Winery is teaming up with local chefs to offer a series of cooking classes just in time for the holiday season. In the kitchen of Cellardoor's beautiful restored 1790s barn in Lincolnville, guests will learn to cook gourmet four-course meals ranging from an Italian-inspired feast to a complete Thanksgiving dinner. Following the classes, participants dine on their creations paired with Cellardoor wines in the tasting room barn loft.

The complete list of upcoming classes includes:

October 18, 2009 # 5:00 p.m. | Paolina's Harvest: Cooking with Christina Sidoti
Guests will spend an evening learning the art of preparing a 4-course, Italian-inspired meal featuring dishes that celebrate the freshness of local fall foods. Led by Christina Sidoti, owner of Paolina's Way Restaurant in Camden, Maine, the class menu includes:

* 1st course: fried polenta cakes topped with a warm crab tapenade,
* 2nd course: rustic root vegetable and white cannellini bean salad over seared kale, topped with shaved parmesan (vegetables may change depending upon availability),
* 3rd course: pumpkin ravioli with crispy sage / brown butter sauce, garnished with toasted pine nuts, ricotta salata, dried cranberries, and
* 4th course: caramelized apple zeppole.

October 25, 2009 # 5:00 p.m. | Savory Pot Pie Cooking Class with the Chefs of Natalie's
Led by Chefs Lawrence Klang and Chad Gelso of Natalie's Restaurant Camden Harbour Inn, guests will spend the evening learning the art of preparing savory pot pies as taught by Chefs Klang and Gelso. Gelso recently featured a deconstructed Chicken Pot Pie on the WCSH-6 television show 207. Participants will learn the secrets to multiple pot pie recipes including:

* local sole, leek and carrot pie with a jus bourride,
* slow-roasted duck pie with cannellini beans and garlic sausage,
* braised lamb shoulder pie with Halloumi cheese, dates and pistachios, harissa lamb jus and filo crust,
* TV 207 Pie # a modern twist on the traditional chicken pot pie, and
* caramelized Maine apple pie with rosemary crème fraîche for dessert!

November 15, 2009 # 4:00 p.m. | Thanksgiving Dinner Cooking Class with Chef Lawrence Klang
Chef Klang will teach guests how to prepare a new take on the classic Thanksgiving dinner. Recipes include:

* roasted organic turkey breast and apple-stuffed leg and thigh with cider turkey jus,
* broccoli and salsify scaled halibut,
* turnip velouté,
* sesame turnip fondant,
* broccoli emulsion,
* sides dishes including maple sweet potato puree, aleppo pepper marshmallows and vanilla citrus cranberry chutney, and
* pumpkin soufflé with gingerbread crème anglaise.

December 5, 2009 # 4:00 p.m. | Dutch Sinterklass Class with Chef Lawrence Klang
As part of Camden's Christmas by the Sea weekend, Chef Klang of Natalie's will teach guests how to make some of the traditional Dutch holiday treats served on Sinterklass; including pepernoot, speculaas and taai-taai. In addition to sweet treats, Dutch savory dishes such as stamppot will be featured. A complete menu will be announced prior to the class.

December 6, 2009 # 4:00 p.m. | A Holiday Cooking Class with Chef Bryan Dame
Bryan Dame, executive chef at Lincolnville's The Edge restaurant, will be teaching a special Holiday Cooking Class as part of the Christmas by the Sea weekend.

Visit www.mainewine.com for complete details, announced soon.
Cooking classes take place in the tasting room kitchen at Cellardoor Winery's vineyard location at 367 Youngtown Road. Participation is $75 per person, and space is limited # to reserve spots call (207) 763-4478 or email info@cellardoorvineyard.com.

PB-Arts contest call for entries: Win cash & one year of PBR

The contest invites PBR drinkers to create unique works of art inspired by the historic can. Works will be accepted in four categories - photography, painting, sculpture and poetry - from October 15, 2009 through January 15, 2010. PBR will select one grand prize winner and one runner-up in each category.

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. In addition, PBR will showcase the winning artwork throughout the U.S.

For further submission and contest details your readers can visit www.pbrart.com

Biddeford RiverWalk Coalition Introduces Plans for an Urban River Walk along the Saco

Biddeford, ME - The City of Biddeford and the Biddeford RiverWalk Coalition will introduce plans for building a spectacular urban river walk along the SacoRiver and beside several historic mill buildings at a kick-off meeting on Wednesday, October 21st at 6 PM at North Dam Mill.

The meeting comes directly on the heels of the new Mill District Master Plan, commissioned by the city in 2008 and delivered by Crosby Schlessinger Smallridge LLC to the city council in late September. "Much momentum has already been generated in the form of designation as a historic mill district in 2008 and funding from the Maine Department of Economic Development," says Biddeford's planner, Greg Tansley. "We wanted to unveil our exciting project as soon as the plan was completed."

The RiverWalk will run along the SacoRiver between Mechanic's Park and the Diamond Match property in Biddeford, with ultimate connections across the river to Saco, to neighborhoods, schools and businesses, and link with local, regional and national trails including the Eastern Trail.

Plans call for a three-phased construction timeline over the next year, commencing this fall. Wright-Pierce and Richardson & Associates will conduct the engineering and design to get the process rolling. The National Park Service Rivers & Trails Program will provide technical assistance over the coming year as well. The newly formed Biddeford River Walk Coalition will seek and provide public feedback, build support, and help raise funds for the project.

Edward T. Pollack Fine Arts artist Nelson Bruns participates in Waynflete School Alumni Art Show, Sept 24-Nov 14

Edward T. Pollack Fine Arts is happy to announce that one of its regular artists, Nelson Bruns, is currently being featured in a show of work by Waynflete School alumni. The show includes metal sculptures and related pieces by Bruns, a 2006 Waynflete School graduate and native of southern Maine, now studying engineering at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York.

Mr. Bruns' work will surprise and delight the viewer with its inventiveness, humor, intelligence and craft. The works on display demonstrate the artist's technical proficiency with metals, his ability to combine found objects to make built collages, and his ability to make art objects which rely on the scientific principles of magnetism and electricity.

The overarching theme of the show is Bruns' intertwining of engineering principles with an aesthetic sensibility to create art. His work explores the mysteries of magnetism, gravity and sound waves, for example, allowing the viewer a sense of adventure and discovery. It is an invitation to stand along with the artist and wonder in a most engaging way, how do these invisible forces work? The show is a refreshing celebration of the physical world, and the forces that shape it.

In direct conversation, Bruns demonstrates great intellectual curiosity and a candid willingness to respond that he doesn't always know the answer to the questions he raises in his artwork. It is through that portal of exploration that we can see glimpses of an art that lets us see the world differently. That is where the show takes on energy. Some of the implications of the work are political, like the assemblage of bullets and money, over which is played the recording of a tedious Congressional debate. Some of the work has more the feel of a science experiment, like the feather paintings of sound waves. Other works are abstract compositions of interpenetrating forms in space made of metals. All are provocative visualizations of real ideas. If this work is a harbinger of things to come, pay attention now. We are seeing the formulating stages of a nova.

Images from the Waynflete School exhibition can be seen on the website of Edward T. Pollack Fine Arts, at www.afinething.com.

The show at Waynflete School will be on view until November 14th. Waynflete School is located at 360 Spring St, Portland, ME 04102.

Nelson Bruns shows and sells his work through Edward T. Pollack Fine Arts, 29 Forest Ave, Portland, ME. More information about the artist can be found on his website, www.nelsonbruns.com

Kinesthetic Communication workshop at the Cellardoor Vineyard in Lincolnville

Led by Suzanne Sutton of New York City and assisted by Michael Shell of Belfast, Maine. Suzanne is known as an inspirational workshop leader with an open mind and open heart. She has studied and taught personal transformation modalities, on 5 continents, for over 15 years. She currently teaches nonviolent communication in New York City, in addition to personal and institutional coaching, mediation and training.

Michael Shell works as a Life Coach, yoga teacher and leads authentic communication practice groups in Midcoast Maine. The founder of The Center for Authentic Living in Belfast, Michael seeks to introduce the best transformational teachers to the region. "It's been a dream of mine to attract top communication trainers of divergent teaching modalities to our area. I am excited to have Suzanne. She has a huge heart with the capacity to connect and empathize with just about anyone."

Kinesthetic Communication honors our body wisdom. "Our body offers us a treasure maｐ of awareness and information all the time; some call it 'intuition' or 'gut feeling'", explains Suzanne. "However, we don't always listen to it. Workshops participants learn tools to open this treasure map to access one's body communication system, in the moment.

Kinesthetic Communication helps us to manifest the power of compassion in the way we talk, listen, think and perceive the world.

Past participants have reported acquiring the ability to:

Create conversation alternatives that are more fun, less costly, and　more effective than habitual methods

Get results with clear, doable, effective requests

Skillfully navigate even the most challenging moments

Enjoy more authentic relationships -internally, interpersonally, in community, and globally

Maintain connection with others even in the midst of conflict

Attendees gain invaluable support for personal relationships, communication in the workplace, group process, and perhaps most surprisingly, for finding deep peace in connecting compassionately to oneself.

The Kinesthetic Communication workshop takes place on Saturday, November 7th, 10:00am - 4:30pm.

Price: $55 for one, $75 for 2. $45/$65 if paid by Oct. 21. Tickets are limited. Please RSVP soon - 322-2356. Food is available. Wine tasting after the workshop.

Workshop is located at the Cellardoor Winery. 367 Youngtown Road Lincolnville, Maine, ７６３－４４７８

LeaderSHIFT: A call for emerging and incumbent leaders to move Maine forward together

Thursday, October 29 from 5 to 8 p.m. at Portland's Ocean Gateway Terminal | www.civicleadership.org FMI or to register

A recent report revealed that nationally, only 6 percent of board members are 35 years or younger.

That figure likely comes as no surprise to those already involved in board governance. After all, young people have shallow pockets, few connections, limited attention spans, already stretched schedules and certainly not enough personal and professional experience to bring value to a board.

Right?

Wrong!

A recent ICL convening of young emerging leaders and the organizations that serve them reveals that Maine has a powerful population of 22-35 year olds who are energized, educated and eager to be engaged in their communities like never before. They respect that they have lots to learn from incumbent leaders, but they also have much to teach including lessons on new ways of being involved and organizing through social networking.

Given that Maine has the oldest population in the country, these young emerging leaders are critical to moving Maine's public, private and nonprofit sectors forward. And they must be engaged now to ensure that they'll put down strong roots to keep their families, their businesses and their innovative ideas here in our state.

So save the date for Thursday, October 29 and set your sights on the Ocean Gateway Terminal on Portland's picturesque waterfront for an evening of assumption-shattering and awareness-building as together, we embark on a LeaderSHIFT that will change the face and the future of Maine.

Together, we'll be inspired by the stories from a number of young leaders in our communities who are innovative, entrepreneurial, collaborative and ready to lead including Hannah Pingree, Maine's Speaker of the House; Will Smith, Associate Dean at Bowdoin College and Director of the Seeds of Peace Camp; and Fortunant Mueller, Principal with ReVision Energy . And we'll learn from the current best practices that engage young emerging leaders the evening's program will spotlight including the Portland Museum of Art's Contemporaries program, Portland Greendrinks and Woodard & Curran's Leadership Development Program. Plus, we'll have plenty of food/drinks, music and inspiring conversation on how to train, support, engage and connect this growing network of skill leaders.

To register, contact Shawn Hunt at 773-3254 ext. 100 or shunt@civicleadership.org.

Sponsorship opportunities are still available for this event. For more information on how you and your organization can support this critical cause through sponsorship of LeaderSHIFT, please contact Celeste LaBadie at 773-3254 ext.101 or clabadie@civicleadership.org.

$50 per person includes hors d'oeuvres/cash bar
Cancellations must be received by October 21.
Scholarships available

Illness forces cancellation of fortepiano concert at Bates College

LEWISTON, Maine -- A concert at Bates College by fortepianist Andreas Staier, scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 18, has been canceled due to illness.

Staier, a German citizen, was treated for appendicitis in Germany on Oct. 12.

The college hopes to reschedule the concert during the current academic year, said Seth Warner, manager of the Olin Arts Center Concert Hall at Bates.

For more information, please contact 207-786-6135 or olinarts@bates.edu.

Camden International Film Festival Announces Winners

BECAUSE WE WERE BORN Wins Harrell Award for Best Documentary
PHILOSOPHER KINGS Wins CIFF Award for Best Newcomer to Nonfiction

Camden, Maine, October 6, 2009 # The Camden International Film Festival announced its award winning films at the Closing Night Ceremony on Sunday, October 4 at the Camden Opera House in Camden. The Closing Reception ended 2009 festival activities that included screening 45 films representing numerous countries, the inaugural edition of the POINTS NORTH Documentary Film Forum, live musical performances, and video installation exhibits. Winning filmmakers received $1,000 cash prizes and the CIFF Award Winner receives a scholarship to attend courses at the Maine Media Workshops in Rockport, Maine through a sponsorship from Maine Media Workshops.

This year's Harrell Award for Best Documentary goes to BECAUSE WE WERE BORN directed by Jean Pierre Duret and Andrea Santana which documents two young teenage boys who hang out at a service station in Pernambouc in the poor northeast of Brazil, watching trucks and travelers and hearing stories about a wider world they can only dream of.

The Harrell Award Jury noted: "The jury gives Jean-Pierre Duret and Andrea Santana's Because We Were Born the Harrell Award for Best Documentary Feature for its excellence in cinematic craft and for its rigorously pure vérité aesthetic. The filmmakers have created a work that challenges the viewer on many levels. Told with a quiet intensity and deep love and respect for their subjects, in our opinion, this piece represents the best of what nonfiction cinema has to offer."

This year's CIFF Award for Best Newcomer to Nonfiction goes to Patrick Shen's THE PHILOSOPHER KINGS, which documents the search of wisdom in unlikely places. The Philosopher Kings takes us on a journey through the halls of the most prestigious colleges and universities in America to learn from the staff members who see it all and have been through it all: the custodians.

The CIFF Award Jury noted: "The jury is thrilled to present the CIFF Award to Patrick 'Die Hard' Shen for his remarkable achievement, PHILOSOPHER KINGS. The film took a sensitive and humanistic approach to its material, allowing its unconventional yet universal subjects to speak for themselves. Though they all had experiences that bordered on the extreme - from losing an arm in an accident to being traumatized by war - the subjects were individuals with wisdom and emotion before being victims of any tragedy. Shen, through his subjects, managed to touch on larger social issues through the eyes of several disparate, and remarkable, characters. In short, we wanted to marry every single character on screen, or at least, hang out with them in the stairwells or bathrooms of Princeton, Duke, Cornish College of Art, and other higher learning institutions. So, for an amazing combination of casting, crafting, editing, and thinking outside the box about what makes a compelling film, we are proud to honor Patrick Shen and PHILOSOPHER KINGS."

Benjamin Fowlie, Festival Director said, "We are honored to have had the opportunity to share such a wonderful nonfiction program with our audiences, and congratulate all of this year's winners. We would also like to thank our jury members for their dedication and commitment to this very challenging role. Congratulations to BECAUSE WE WERE BORN and PHILOSOPHER KINGS. We are honored to be a part of both films' successful festival runs."

The Camden International Film Festival award winners were chosen by a distinguished jury including:

Harrell Award Jury: Pamela Cohn (PFunk Productions), Ryan Harrington (Gucci Tribeca Fund) and Dana Rae Warren (Moody Mountain Media).

CIFF Award Jury: Sara Archambault (LEF Foundation), Ian Cheney (King Corn, The Greening of Southie), Danielle DiGiacomo (IFP).

For Festival and Award photos go to the CIFF website at: www.camdenfilmfest.org.

2009 Sponsors. Premier Sponsors: Camden National Bank, Downeast Magazine, University of Maine, MovieMaker Magazine, Maine Arts Commission; Major Sponsors: MPBN, Paolina's Way and Unity College.

About CIFF
Committed to supporting and generating interest in independent documentary films, the annual festival presents a snapshot of the cultural landscape through the year's best non-fiction storytelling. The weekend also consists of a number of intimate Q&A sessions, panels, installation exhibits, musical performances and parties.

The 5th Annual Camden International Film Festival took place October 1-4, 2009, screening nearly fifty films in venues throughout Midcoast Maine. For more information on the festival visit www.camdenfilmfest.org.

Small towns, big films.

WANTED: The perfect tree for Portland's Annual Holiday Tree Lighting Ceremony!

A search is underway for the "perfect" spruce or fir tree for the holiday season in Monument Square kicking off with the Annual Holiday Tree Lighting Ceremony to be held on November 28th at 5:30pm.

The winning tree is 50-70 feet tall and trees will only be considered within 15 miles from Portland. We will remove it from your property at our expense!

All tree entries must be received by November 7, 2009. For more information contact Portland's Downtown District at (207) 772-6828 or email info@portlandmaine.com.

Maine Brewer's Festival Nov 6 & 7 at The Expo, Portland

Buy your tickets now for the 2009 Maine Brewers Festival on Friday and Saturday, November 6 and 7, at the Portland Expo! Also, stay tuned for the first-ever New Hampshire Brewers Festival on November 13 and 14, and also Spring Beer Portland, in May 2010!

www.mainebrew.com for tickets and details

General Information
The 16th annual Maine Brewers Festival will be held on Friday and Saturday, November 6th and 7th, 2009. This festival celebrates the quality and community of Maine's craft brewers and their tasy celebrated brews. Great food, door prizes, interesting vendors, and fantastic music round out the experience. This event has become an anticipated New England tradition. We hope you'll join us for fun, friends, and most importantly, great beer!

Friday Night Dinner with the Brewers is Back!!!
The first-year ticket-buying pioneers had a fabulous time last year, and it may well sellout this year. We'll improve on the winning format by adding a little more "learn your beer" Q&A and discussions, for those who want that. Here's what your ticket package will include:

• A pre-dinner panel discussion with 4 Maine brewers about 1 or 2 beers that they each bring to the dinner, many of which you'll have a chance to pair with your dinner.

• Whoa! What a line-up of your favorite Maine craft brewers we'll have, Last year it was Gritty's, Allagash, Shipyard, and Atlantic. Stay tuned to learn this years line-up.

• Panel discussion and presentation, with the evenings featured brewers, moderated by our guest professional industry insider.

• Dinner at Portland's beautiful and convenient Clarion Hotel

• Great, live background music!

• Admission to the regular Saturday festival, either the Happy Hour session or the evening session

• Each dinner table features a brewery employee. Each table of attendees has a chance to talk with, and learn from, a brewing expert while they're enjoying dinner.

• A limited edition, full-color, full sized Maine Brewers Festival beer mug, and other good schwag!

Saturday Event Schedule
Happy Hour Session: 1:30 p.m. # 5:00 p.m.

• Doors open at 1:00 p.m.
• Taps open at 1:30 p.m.
• Food sales start @ 1:00 p.m.

Evening Session: 6:30 p.m. # 10:00 p.m.

• Doors open at 6:00 p.m.
• Taps open at 6:30 p.m.
• Food sales start @ 6:00 p.m. Taps close 15 minutes prior to session end, allowing you time to enjoy your final brew.

SMCC Presents Fall Healthy Cooking Series

South Portland$Southern Maine Community College present a Fall Healthy Cooking Series with Lisa Silverman, macrobiotic cooking guru and founder of the Five Seasons Whole Foods Cooking School in Portland. Classes include Introduction to Macrobiotics on October 27; Japanese Cooking on November 3; Healthy Quick Meals on November 10; and Natural Cooking for the Holidays on November 17. Each 21/2-hour class is held in the Culinary Arts Building and costs $45. Visit www.smccme.edu for details or call (207) 741-5758.

Introduction to Macrobiotics
Discover how to cook for health and vitality. Learn how to cook whole grains, sea vegetables and soups as well how to stay healthy with the changing seasons.

Date: October 27, 2009
Time: 6:00-8:30PM
Location: Culinary Arts Building, South Portland
Tuition: $45

Japanese Cooking
Learn how to make miso soup, seaweed salad, tofu gyoza and brown rice nori rolls with natural ingredients.

Date: November 3, 2009
Time: 6:00-8:30PM
Location: Culinary Arts Building, South Portland
Tuition: $45

Healthy Quick Meals
Want to eat healthy in a hurry? Learn how to prepare delicious meals in under 30 minutes without dairy, meat or refined sugars. Menu includes: Jessica's "hamburger helper" # fish wraps with Asian slaw, and tofu mango salad.

Date: November 10, 2009
Time: 6:00-8:30PM
Location: Culinary Arts Building, South Portland
Tuition: $45

Natural Cooking for the Holidays
Explore healthy alternatives to traditional holiday dishes. Menu includes cranberry glazed tempeh, whole grain stuffed delicatta squash, and vegan pumpkin tarts.

Date: November 17, 2009
Time: 6:00-8:30PM
Location: Culinary Arts Building, South Portland
Tuition: $45

About the Instructor
Lisa Silverman graduated from SMC's Dietary Technology program in 1987. She has a BA/BS degree in Holistic Nutrition from Lesley College. In addition, she studied Macrobiotic cooking at the Kushi Institute in Becket, MA and at the International Macrobiotic Institute in Kiental, Switzerland. Lisa's recipes can be found in the Hip Chick's Guide to Macrobiotics by Jessica Porter, Becoming Whole by Meg Wolff, and in the new book, The Kind Diet by Alicia Silverstone coming out this fall.

Historic Inns of Rockland offer opportunities to experience friendly spirits

Rockland, ME - Most people choose B&Bs because they offer the ideal place to spend time with the one they love in a luxurious setting. However, those in search of stranger bedfellows may choose to sleep where friendly spirits dwell. And the best news is that ghost busters don't have to wait until Halloween to experience the world beyond.

Many of the Historic Inns of Rockland are home to friendly spirits, including everyone from Rockland's illustrious former citizens to children. When members of the Paranormal Association of Maine visited the region they found the Historic Inns of Rockland a bastion for ghostly activity. The Historic Inns of Rockland, in conjunction with community organizations, will give those seeking interaction with the other world in this bootiful coastal town the chance for a close encounter of the "other-world" kind when they visit around Halloween.

Can't come over Halloween? Have no fear, intrepid travelers in search of spooks and spirits won't be disappointed with their stay any time of year. Captain Lindsey is still hanging around the Captain Lindsey House, along with thirty-five other spirits, according to what he told the "spiritologists" on their visit there.

Included in the band of happy spooks in addition to Captain, himself, are T. B. Severence, the 41-year-old who purchased the inn from George Lindsey in 1857, a dominant spirit named Ensign, a five-year-old named Jeffrey and a four-year-old named Emmy, both of whom are waiting for their father to come and get them.

The majority of the spiritual activity usually takes place in the parlor, where glasses of water slide across tables, and doors have been known to slam on their own. For those in search of the phantom haunted inn, you'll find plenty of spirits willing and ready to commune with those in tune at the Captain Lindsey House.

When paranormal experts visited The LimeRock Inn, they felt the presence of many people in the front parlor # vestiges of the patients that formerly sat in the front parlor waiting room when the inn was home and office to Dr. Lawry.

A number of giggling phantoms played at the top of the stairs, checking in with the visiting paranormals. Many of the presences at the LimeRock Inn gaze longingly out the windows. All are friendly, and it's clear that happy family members are still hanging out here to welcome guests also in search of friendly spirits.

At the Berry Manor Inn, paranormal experts could see ghosts welcoming them through the windows of this Rockland mansion turned B&B. There were three older ladies, dressed in early 1900's garb standing at the window smiling, with their pinkies in the air.

It is clear that the spirits who inhabit Berry Manor Inn are friendly, and sometimes so funny they're a hysterical lot. Says innkeeper and owner, Cheryl Michaelsen, "Our guests who are more prone to "sensing" the presence of ghosts have expressed a feeling of warmth and happiness when they are in the house." According to Cheryl, the friendly spirits are an added bonus for Berry Manor Inn's guests.

While no spirits have been seen by the owners of the Granite Inn to date, co-owner Edwin Hantz muses that with its long legacy as an inn, he's sure there are probably a few lurking in the hallways waiting to be discovered.

Historic Inns of Rockland's members include LimeRock Inn, Granite Inn, Berry Manor Inn, and Captain Lindsey House. For more information, including a press kit complete with a photo library and online availability go to www.HistoricInnsofRockland.com. To book a reservation at any of these "spirited" inns, call 1-877-ROC-INNS (877-762-4667).

Local Travis James Humphrey crowned district winner of Guitar Center’s King of the Blues

Last week, local Travis James Humphrey came one step closer to becoming a future guitar legend when he was crowned the district winner of Guitar Center's King of the Blues, the nationwide search for the next great undiscovered blues guitar player.

Travis's journey began when he was crowned the Portland local winner on September 10. Now, he will be competing against all the winners from the Northeast on October 21 for a chance to compete in the Hollywood Grand Finale. The winner of the Grand Finale will receive a prize package worth over $35,000, including $25,000 cash, gear and product endorsements and the dream of being named the "Greatest Undiscovered Blues Guitarist of 2009".

Last Wednesday, the top 24 undiscovered blues guitarists in the nation were selected to move on to the King of the Blues Regional Finals, moving one step closer to being crowned Guitar Center's King of the Blues and $25,000 cash. On Oct 21, these winners will once again go head-to-head, competing to move on to The King of the Blues Grand Finals scheduled for November 12th in Hollywood.

Tickets are currently on sale for the King of the Blues Grand Finals, which are scheduled for November 12 at the House of Blues Sunset in Hollywood, CA. In addition to showcasing the top five finalists as they compete for the King of the Blues crown and $25,000 cash, the King of the Blues Grand Finals will also feature performances by renowned blues guitarist and Gibson artist Joe Bonamassa, who has been awarded "Best Blues Guitarist" by Guitar Player Magazine for the past three years, as well as Grammy Award winner Pete Anderson.

Tickets for this very special event are just $20, and are available at Ticketmaster.com or the HOB box office.

Like Guitar Center's other talent search competitions # the legendary Drum-Off (now in its 21st year), and the recently launched On-Stage # King of the Blues is part of Guitar Center's ongoing mission to provide emerging artists and musicians with career-altering opportunities and vehicles to achieve success.

Introduced in 2006, King of the Blues is more than just a competition to find the most technically skilled players. King of the Blues is designed to seek out the most passionate, innovative and authentic guitar players and give them a shot at stardom. For example, the winner of Guitar Center's 2007 King of the Blues, Aaron Loesch, was invited to perform at Eric Clapton's Crossroads Festival in front of over 25,000 attendees.

New music-centric television series produced in Portland, The Acadia Sessions, begins production

We are pleased to announce The Acadia Sessions, a weekly television program slated to begin production during the late fall of 2009. Maine Public Broadcasting Television Network intends to air the compete series of twenty-six episodes and New Hampshire Public Television has expressed interest in broadcasting the program as well.

Each 30-minute episode documents and explores the interactions of a featured artist or group, giving the audience a "behind-the-scenes" look at the dynamics of music making, the songs, the musician's backgrounds, relationships, the writing and collaboration process. In a cinéma vérité style, The Acadia Sessions provides a realistic look at what it means to be a working musician in the 21st century via footage of song performances, rehearsals, interviews, and candid interactions taken during private recording sessions. It creates a view into the artists' experience that the public rarely has the opportunity to see. Several episodes during the season will have "field trips" to regional music-related businesses and craftspeople.

The Acadia Sessions is capturing the zeitgeist of the New England music scene - allowing viewers to understand the rich diversity of musicians in the area.
We are actively seeking underwriters and individual contributors for the 2009-2010 season.

"Maine Public Broadcasting Network (MPBN) offers its enthusiastic support to 'The Acadia Sessions' a 26 week television series of half hour 'recording profiles' of Maine and regional musical ensembles. The broad spectrum of musical ensembles to be profiled, and the 'behind the scenes' look at how 'making music happens' is exciting."

Charles L. Beck
VP/Director of Radio and Television, MPBN.

"A quality program celebrating regional musicians is just what Northern New England needs."

Dawn DeAngelis
Chief Content Officer, NHPTV.

Please attend the fund raising event and first public screening of the trailer and pilot episode of The Acadia Sessions featuring the Portland based ensemble Spencer and the School Spirit Mafia. Meet the production crew and show your support@ Space Gallery, Portland, Maine on Friday October 9th from 7-9 PM. Catering by 13th Cookie Confectioneries & Delights. Cellist Emily Dix-Thomas and special guests will be performing at this launch event.

A benefit show will go on after the launch party featuring several local music groups, including Moneycastasia and Tricky Britches.

A 2 minute trailer for the series can be seen at www.theacadiasessions.com

Maine Lobster Harvest Days celebrate the fall lobster harvest

Fall is the time of year when Maine Lobsters are most abundant and the majority of the annual catch is harvested. This fall, communities are coming together to celebrate the harvest of our favorite crustacean and to show their appreciation for the local lobstermen. Dubbed 'Maine Lobster Harvest Days,' these events offer live and cooked lobster for one low price, often with entertainment and other treats to put customers in a celebratory mood.

"Fall is the best time of year to enjoy Maine Lobster," said Dane Somers, Executive Director of the Maine Lobster Promotion Council. "They are at their peak of flavor, fullness and abundance." Because of the harvesters' responsible harvesting methods, we are seeing abundant harvests year after year. Maine harvesters will bring in over 12 million pounds of lobster in October alone. That means that there is enough lobster for everyone in Maine to celebrate this fall. And with special pricing, there's no reason not to eat Maine Lobster.

The Maine Lobster Harvest Days give Mainers the chance to enjoy delicious Maine Lobster at special wharf prices, while showing their appreciation for the local harvesters and the lobstering communities that they support. A portion of proceeds from each of the events will be donated to charities supported by Maine lobstering communities.

The Penobscot East Resource Center in Stonington originated the idea of the Maine Lobster Harvest Days with their impromptu 'Lobster Sale on the Pier' in the fall of 2008. The original event was intended to raise awareness of the plight of the harvesters who were seeing lobster prices in a free-fall due to the international financial crisis. They formulated the Stonington Lobster Working Group to continue the good work started by Penobscot East Resource Center. "Our message hasn't changed," said Robin Alden, SLWG chair. "We want to show support for our local lobster industry because it is a vital part of our community."

The Maine Lobster Promotion Council was founded by the lobster industry and is funded by lobster license holders. The Council represents the interests of the entire Maine lobster industry, including harvesters, dealers and processors, and markets and promotes the sale of Maine lobster worldwide.

For more information on Maine Lobster Harvest Days events, visit www.lobsterfrommaine.com or contact Marianne LaCroix at the Maine Lobster Promotion Council, 207-287-5140.

Maine Lobster Harvest Days

October 10
Port Clyde
Port Clyde Fishermens Dock, Co-op Road
Time: noon-5 p.m.
Prices: $5/live lobster, $6/cooked lobster

October 11
Bath
Gilmore's Seaood, 131 Court St.
Time: 6 a.m. - 6 p.m. Prices: $5/lobster, live or cooked

Scarborough
Bayley's Lobster Pound, 9 Avenue 6 Time: 9 a.m. - 6 p.m. Prices: Available live and cooked

Stonington
Stonington Fish Pier, 9 Atlantic Avenue, Time: 1 p.m. until the lobsters are gone Prices: $5.25 per live lobster

October 17
Georgetown
Five Islands Lobster. 1447 Five Islands Rd. Time: 10 a.m. until the lobsters are gone Prices: $5/lobster, live or cooked

Maine Chef to Realize Dream of Cooking with Jean-Georges Vongerichten, 2009 James Beard Foundation Outstanding Restaurateur Honoree

CAMDEN, Maine # Chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten is to foodies what Eddie Vedder is to rockers and Tom Brady is to sports fanatics. The energy in his restaurants at service time resembles crowded stadiums before the band takes the stage. It's the stuff of dreams. For Chef Lawrence Klang, executive chef of Natalie's Restaurant at Camden Harbour Inn, it's a dream realized. He and two other chefs have been invited to cook alongside Chef Vongerichten at a benefit dinner taking place in the tiny seaside village of Deer Isle, Maine.

"Jean-Georges represents the best of French cuisine. He is one of my idols," said Klang.

Klang's reputation is solid; his French standards are balanced against his interpretations of classic Maine cuisine. He has attracted a loyal customer base from the year-round communities of midcoast Maine. Summer- and shoulder- season guests of the inn come to try his dishes.

"If Lawrence's customers knew the whole story, they'd be amazed," said Raymond Brunyanszki, owner of the Camden Harbour Inn. "On one hand he utilizes classic French techniques and hyper-modern technology. On the other, he buys locally raised, grown and landed ingredients and honors Maine's long-standing culinary traditions. He's a remarkable chef. The proof is in the amazing depth of flavor in his dishes. We are proud of him and happy that he is getting to live his dream of cooking with Chef Vongerichten."

Four chefs including Vongerichten will prepare a benefit five-course dinner to raise money for ICEC (Island Culinary and Ecological Center), the Deer Isle based non-profit organization dedicated to teaching people the joys and benefits of healthy eating and cooking, utilizing regional products while supporting a sustainable environment.

The dinner will highlight Maine seafood and local organic and sustainable producers of seafood, vegetables, cheeses, cranberries and mushrooms. The chefs include:

* Jean-Georges Vongerichten: Owner of a global empire of restaurants that includes venues in London, Paris and Shanghai, as well as New York's three-Michelin-starred Jean Georges restaurant. Internationally reputed for his innovative, groundbreaking cuisine.

* Michael Leviton: Chef-owner of West Newton darling, Lumière, and Boston's trendy and chic Persephone. One of the Best New Chefs in America in 2000 by Food & Wine. Nominated Best Chef Northeast, James Beard Foundation 2009.

* Melissa Kelly: Executive Chef and proprietor of Primo in Rockland, ME, Orlando, FL, and Tucson, AZ. She is the 1999 James Beard Award winner Best Chef, Northeast.

Chef Klang has been invited to work with native Maine seafood including whelks, oysters, sea urchins and mussels. "The sea urchins are going to be harvested on Wednesday and I'll be cleaning them on Thursday in preparation for a sea urchin emulsion. I'm also planning to serve oysters with nori dressing and shaved black radish." Klang is still working on his menu, "I have to submit my menu on Wednesday," he said, "but there are so many exciting dishes I'd like to make, narrowing it down is the hard part."

All proceeds from the dinner benefit the fall programs of the Island Culinary and Ecological Center which include an Heirloom Apples class, an after school cooking club, community dinners and adult education cooking classes for beginners and advanced enthusiasts. Sponsors for the dinner are Ingrid Bengis Seafood, Jonathan Chase, Ken and Cherie Mason and Rich and Mary Howe.

For more information about the Columbus Day Weekend activities on Deer Isle visit www.edibleisland.org. The dinner is Friday, October 9 at 6 p.m. and is $250 per person, seating is extremely limited.

Celtic Crossroads at Camden Opera House October 10th

On Saturday, October 10th at 7:30 PM Celtic Crossroads will begin their second US Tour on the stage of the Camden Opera House in Camden, Maine. Their first US tour in 2007 sold out and saw nightly standing ovations. This years tour is being filmed for a pilot TV program, and the group will be filmed in March of 2010 for their very own National Public Broadcasting special.

The live concert is a spectacle of talent, featuring seven world-class musicians, who play over twenty instruments on stage, and show how Irish music influenced the global birth of a multitude of musical genres. This show features high kicking dance, inventive arrangements and bass driven grooves along with unsurpassed showmanship.

The name Celtic Crossroads originates from a time in Ireland when neighbouring communities met at the crossroads between towns and villages to socialize # long before the pub tradition began. Magical interludes from the haunting uilleann pipes, whistles, and of course the celtic harp along with some of Irelands finest exponents of traditional song transport the listener to that crossroads in Ireland.

Tempestuous fiddle playing competes with explosive banjo, intricate mandolin, accordion, mandola and bouzouki and awe-inspiring guitar riffs, while silky classical flutes remind the audience that these fiercely traditional musicians are also classically trained. Throw in thunderous bodhran rhythms, drumkit, saxophone and cajon and the audience finds themselves recklessly and ecstatically stomping along.

As the thunder starts to take hold, rhythms beating, Irish dancers defying laws of speed and gravity, musicians swopping instruments before your eyes, building and rising from a slow groove to a climactic, epic and all encompassing wildness of unadulterated genius, audiences are unable to prevent themselves from jumping to their feet in thunderous ovation.

Reserved seating tickets are $16 children 12 and under; $25 - $30 depending on section.
Available (listed in order of least fees to most) at Camden Town Office Monday # Friday from 9 AM # 2 PM, online at: www.camdenoperahouse.com or by calling (207) 470-7066.

FMI: visit them on the web at: www.CelticCrossroads.ie or at www.camdenoperahouse.com

Def Leppard with Cheap Trick at Verizon Wireless Arena Nov 17

Def Leppard with Cheap Trick at Verizon Wireless Arena Nov 17
www.verizonwirelessarena.com | Manchester, NH |November 17 at 7:00pm

Tickets go on-sale Friday, October 9 at NOON and will be available at the Verizon Wireless Arena Box Office, charge by phone at (800) 745-3000 and on-line at www.livenation.com

Tickets are $99.00, $79.00, $49.00 and $29.00, reserved seating, all ages.

The hottest rock tour of the summer has just gotten hotter. Fifteen additional fall concerts, including seven in Canada, have been added to the critically hailed tour starring British rock legends Def Leppard, with special guests Cheap Trick. The tour stops at the Verizon Wireless Arena in Manchester, NH on November 17.

"We are really amazed by how well the tour has been received," said Def Leppard front man Joe Elliott. "Our fans have been absolutely fantastic. There's really no greater compliment than to be asked to keep on doing it so that's what we're going to do."

The tour highlights three decades of music from one of rock 'n' roll's greatest bands. With combined sales of 80 Million albums worldwide, 65 million from Leppard alone, fans will be treated to hits like "Photograph," "Rock Of Ages," "C'mon C'mon," "Pour Some Sugar On Me," "Foolin'," "Bringin' On The Heartbreak," "Nine Lives," as well as Cheap Trick classics "I Want You To Want Me" and "Surrender."

The tour has played to massive crowds throughout the summer. Celebrity guests, including include Taylor Swift, Larry Mullen, Jr. Of U2, and Perry Farrell of Jane's Addiction, along with a wide range of fans of all ages have come to see the mega hit-filled show. Def Leppard also launched the first interactive tour in history via Rockzimity, a Bluetooth and Wifi exclusive.

Def Leppard (Joe Elliott/vocals, Vivian Campbell/guitar, Phil Collen/guitar, Rick "Sav" Savage/bass and Rick Allen/drums) sits at the top of an iconic class of rock 'n' roll bands. In fact, they are one of a handful of select groups, including the likes of The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, AC/DC, Pink Floyd and The Eagles, who have been awarded the R.I.A.A.'s prestigious Diamond Award more than once (Pyromania and Hysteria). The band's most recent album Songs From The Sparkle Lounge debuted last year at #5 on the Billboard Top 200. They've also sold out the 02 in Dublin AND headlined Britain's Download Festival 2009 to more than 80,000.

Over the course of their career, Def Leppard has produced a series of classic groundbreaking albums that set the sound for generations of music fans and artists. The group's spectacular live shows, filled with powerful melodic rock anthems, have become synonymous with their name and are an institution in the touring industry as they continue to sell out arenas worldwide.

With more than 5,000 performances, 20 million records sold, 29 movie soundtracks and 40 gold and platinum-recording awards, Cheap Trick may be one of the most covered bands of all time. Since the 70s they've been blending elements of pop, punk and even metal in a way that is instantly catchy and recognizable.

Cheap Trick's acclaimed new album, The Latest, continues their reign as power-pop progenitors as they celebrate their 35th anniversary together. Since forming in the city of Rockford, IL in 1974, they have sold over 20 million albums and had numerous hits including "Surrender," "I Want You to Want Me" and "Dream Police." Cheap Trick features the original line-up of Robin Zander - vocals and guitar, Rick Nielsen - guitar and backing vocals, Bun E. Carlos - drums and backing vocals & Tom Petersson - bass and backing vocals.

Def Leppard has teamed up with I Love All Access to offer the ultimate fan experience for the tour featuring a variety of packages. For more details go to www.iloveallaccess.com.

Google's Top Climate Change and Energy Expert to Speak in Portland

Internet powerhouse Google is investing tens of millions of dollars in
clean energy technology, and their top energy expert will be in Portland
on Wednesday, October 7, to present a public talk about their
strategies. Dan Reicher, director for Climate Change and Energy
Initiatives at Google, will speak at University of Southern Maine,
Hannaford Hall, in a talk that starts at 7:30 p.m. and is free and open
to the public.

Along with companies, innovators, and nations around the globe, Google
sees an opportunity and urgency for transforming our economy from one
running on fossil fuels to one based largely on clean energy. The
technologies and know-how are either available or under development,
according to Google, and embracing them will create new industries and
millions of jobs, cut energy costs, improve national security, and
reduce the threat of climate change.

Mr Reicher will describe how and why Google is making its bets on the
clean energy ideas and technologies of tomorrow. Dan Reicher is one of
the nation's leading clean energy experts, with broad career experience
in the public and private sectors, including serving as Assistant
Secretary at the U.S. Department of Energy where he managed more than $1
billion in renewable energy and energy efficiency investments.

The event is sponsored by the Natural Resources Council of Maine as one
of the organization's 50^th anniversary events. The event is free and
open to the public, but reservations are requested. For More Information
or to RSVP visit www.nrcm.org or contact Joyce Gracie at (207) 430-0128, joyce@nrcm.org

*Dan Reicher, Director of Climate Change and Energy Initiatives, Google*

*Wednesday, October 7, 2009, 7:30 p.m.*

*Hannaford Hall, University of Southern Maine at Portland*

*Free and Open to the Public, but reservations requested*

*FMI, RSVP www.nrcm.org or contact Joyce
Gracie at (207) 430-0128, joyce@nrcm.org

SMCC Culinary Arts Luncheons Offer Gourmet Cuisine & Ocean Views

Southern Maine Community College's Culinary Arts Dining Room is offering public luncheons # four course meals Wednesday and Thursday and buffet lunch on Friday # from 12 to 1:30 pm for $12 per person.

The dining room offers patrons a gourmet dining experience with cuisine produced by SMCC culinary arts students and faculty in this upscale epicurean "lab". The luncheons allow students the opportunity to learn the fine art of running a full-service restaurant. With a spectacular view of Casco Bay and the islands, the dining room offers the perfect backdrop for informal business meetings and work and non-work luncheons.

Please call 207-741-5612 Tuesday through Friday 11 am to 2 pm for luncheon reservations. For more information on the culinary arts department, visit the website at www.smccME.edu.

College students: Get $10 tickets at the PSO’s first ever student rush “Happy Hour!”

From 5 to 6 PM on Tuesday, October 6, tickets are just $10 for college students! Pick up your tickets for "Heroes and the American Dream", the opening night concert of the PSO's 85th anniversary season, then head to the Rehearsal Hall down the block for a Concert Conversation with Music Director Robert Moody and composer Peter Boyer. The 7:30 concert opens with Beethoven's "Eroica" Symphony and features "Ellis Island: The Dream of America," a dramatic multimedia production with guest actors from Portland Stage Company portraying immigrants' stories from the Ellis Island Oral History Project.

Just come to the Merrill Auditorium box office (20 Myrtle St, Portland ) between 5 and 6 PM and present a valid student ID with photo. Two ticket maximum per ID. Seating is subject to availability and at the discretion of management.