First Friday Art Walk was mentioned as a must by our tour guide earlier in the day, and since we…read morewere on Congress St. for dinner, decided to check it out. In addition to various art galleries, studios, and museums offering free admission from 5-8 pm, local artists were selling homemade items (drawings, paintings, jewelry, clothing, etc.) for several blocks along Congress St. in downtown Portland (Art district area). Apparently some get there as early as 2pm to snag the perfect spot and set up. Although I didn't buy anything, it was cool to see individuals show casing their work. There were also singers and musicians as well. Some parts of the art walk led to crowded sidewalks, which made pushing a stroller through a crowd difficult. So definitely bring some patience.

Went to my first " First Friday" since i moved to my apartment on Congresst St between High and…read moreForest. Really great vendors, very creative items for sale at a variety of prices. From amateur artists to pros, face painters, balloon folders, tarot card readers, and gardeners.. Face sketchers and photographers.. Jewelry makers etc.. I bought a cactus, a necklace, and the coolest dog collar!

Shannon at the bar rocks! She is very engaging, makes a great drink and represents the bar very…read morewell!

We ordered Mac and cheese for our 4 year old. It came in a styrofoam cup. When he got to the…read morebottom of the cup there was a piece of plastic which turned hard with black print on it. We brought this to the attention of our waitress. She said she was sorry and would bring this to the attention of the kitchen staff. We then asked to speak to the manager After waiting 10 minutes we were told this person is on there way. Then this person came over and said she was the manager and said the same thing as the waitress. We then asked for her managers name and email. She said I will get it. After another 10 minutes goes by a male manager comes to our table and said he's been upstairs but also stated that he will talk to kitchen staff. He said the Mac and cheese comes in a plastic pouche they microwave it. That's why there was plastic. This was totally unacceptable not even to mention if we were not watching the child and he put that in his mouth and choked. Also, to think there was melted plastic in the pasta he was eating. At the end of the manager came back and gave us 10% off the check. This was handled totally inappropriately . Not to mention how dangerous that was and our child could have been ill due to the plastic in his cup.

What a stunning spot to look out on to a quintessential Maine Harbor. Sunset is spectacular here…read more Heaven.

Such a cool experience in Portland... A tall ship docked next to the Maine State Pier behind RiRa…read moreand The new Science Center. I loved the interactive aspect of this tour. We were taken around by one of the crew members and he showed us the various parts of the ship. I don't know if there are words to describe being on a ship of this size and feeling like you've slipped back in time. This ship was built in 2009 (which was shocking enough) as a replica of a historic Spanish ship. There are crew on the ship that have sailed all over the world. The ship winters in the Caribbean and Florida and travels up the coast... This thing is MASSIVE!! Pay the money and go on this ship!

Engine is an organization that's working to bring the creative community to downtown Biddeford and…read morethey've moved to 128 Main St., close to all the artists in the Pepperell Mill Campus. And they're right across the street from their future home in the old Reny's building. I've gotten to know the people at Engine and some of my works have been shown in their old space. Now I can't wait to see what they do with this newer, larger, and (for me) more convenient space. There's also a FabLab onsite and tons of education opportunities for people of all ages. Want to join a group of people sketching the urban streetscape? Want to expose your 8 year old to 3D design and printing? Engine is what you're looking for.

Engine is a wicked cool art gallery on Main St. in Biddeford. I love to visit on Biddeford ArtWalk…read morenights. They also host live music, comedians, and interactive art exhibits which have always proven to be fun. I definitely recommend checking out their schedule of events if you're in the area. It's an art gallery with a really open vibe that makes everyone feel welcome.

If you're looking to experience Maine, the city of Portland, has it all rolled into one city…read more If you love lighthouses, you can tour them by land, or by water. If you are a foodie there are so many great restaurants.This is a seafood lovers paradise with some of the best lobster, lobster rolls, oysters, and fresh seafood. You can also check out some of the cities well-known breweries. Let's not forget shopping the downtown water front district. The cobblestone streets are filled with quaint shops. If you want to be on the water, take a sunset, lighthouse, or schooner cruise. There are also all kinds of sightseeing tours. Put on your best walking shoes, and check out Portland Maine.

Portland has been on my "to visit" list for quite some time. I had the opportunity to do a quick…read morepop in, and took advantage. I have been to Massachusetts and Rhode Island, but had never been this far north. Let me just say, coming from Texas in July, this was a breath of fresh air. Everything was so GREEN. I got the memo, and set out in comfortable shoes. I didn't really have an agenda, I just went out to explore. I know that the architecture of the north is far different than what I am used to, but I love it and find it charming. Portland on a weekend was bustling, but not overwhelming. Lots of people out and about but it wasn't crowded. I meandered downtown and then head down to the harbor area. I would have liked to have done a bit more exploring in that area, but it was sprinkling and I saw some lightening over the water, which was my que to get indoors. They have a lot of dining options, though a bit pricy. Doing a bit of research, that just seems to be the going rate in this area. I was charmed by the city and hope to come back and spend some quality time here. I just got a little taste.

Outside of the Temple Street Garage, in front of The Works Bakery Cafe, is a giant stone. You've…read moreprobably passed it a million times and have never taken a second to stop and look because it's a giant stone lying on the ground, and Portland has loads of those, so why does it matter? Because it's not a stone. It's a mask (...made of stone). The very large Elm Theater Mask was - according to the privately donated plaque near it - "found in 1977 during the excavation of the Portland Public Library at Elm and Congress streets. It was the single most important architectural detail of the former Elm Theater" (side note: like history? you should REALLY take a gander at this photo of the theater from 1920 on the Maine Memory Network: https://www.mainememory.net/artifact/12858) "which stood at its Elm Street Site from 1916 to 1952 and was the work of architects William Miller and Raymond Mayo of Portland. The beaux-arts style building first served as a motion-picture house and later as a church. A theater for WWII troops and a playhouse for the Portland Players, the mask has been intentionally left in its found state." Portland preserved. Is this stone mask to change your life? Probably not. Is it going to take you more then a few moments to check out? Nope. Is it cool, though? It sure is. In a city where we're now constantly razing things to the ground to build high-rises to help our ever inflating population, it's nice to have a little something of yesteryear tucked under a cherry blossom tree just smiling at the world around it.