Food + Beverage

Chocolate Silk Pie

A melt-in-your-mouth pie for any occasion Article by Angela Smith | Photography by Josh Samson & A.V. Crofts In one pie-baking competition Anita Verna Crofts entered, chocolate pies were banned because judges feared they’d overshadow humble fruits and custards. While Anita agrees a key lime or peach can rival any dessert, she believes her Chocolate Silk Pie would’ve been unbeatable. Silky and rich, it’s adapted from her grandmother’s legendary recipe, stored in the tin she received from her...

Arts + Culture

Artistry of a Meal

Four Maine artists infuse creativity into every course Article by Angela Smith Every meal holds quiet magic. Nourishment that feeds body and soul. Especially when art shapes each step. From painted recipes to illustrated ingredients, hand-thrown vessels to thoughtfully plated dishes, four Maine artists infuse creativity into every course, reminding us that artistry lives not just around the table, but within it.   Brenda Erickson Paints the First Course: A Watercolored Recipe Before the...

Arts + Culture

Gather & Share

Serving and strengthening communities one story at a time Article by Angela Smith | Photography by Karl Schatz At the heart of every Community Plate Story Sharing Supper is a simple idea: come hungry, bring a dish, share a story. Held in libraries, churches, farms, and fairgrounds across Maine, these potluck gatherings have quietly become one of the state’s most heartfelt community movements. Rooted in ritual and shared humanity, they invite us to slow down, pull up a chair, and nourish body...

Food + Beverage

A Portland Icon Returns

A reimagined take on the classic tavern, Dry Dock returns with stunning views, bold flavor, and heart. Article by Angela Smith | Photography by Jenny Bravo They say timing is everything. And in the case of Dry Dock’s return, this adage holds. For the past five or six years, Luke Holden, co-founder of Luke’s Lobster, has been reaching out to his longtime friend, former classmate, and culinary peer Matt Ginn with the same question: “When is it time to link up and do something together?” Last...

Food + Beverage

From Farm to Table, Feasting the Maine Way

At Wanderwood, a harvest meal blends food, farming, and community. Article by Angela Smith A Harvest Escape at Wanderwood Tucked into Maine’s midcoast, Wanderwood feels like the kind of place you don’t just visit—you step into. Guests arrive by way of a path that winds through blueberry fields and open pasture, the land alive with the season’s rhythm. At its center, an 1870s barn and 1920s farmhouse set the stage for evenings that bring food, farm, and community together in one...

Style + Beauty

Threaded with Meaning

How a quiet brand born in a New York apartment grew into a Maine-made label of elegance and calm Article by Becca Abramson | Photography by Maria Mylena In a world of fast fashion and fleeting trends, Portland-based designer Bailey Renée is embracing a pace defined by slowness, stillness, and intention. Her namesake label, Bailey Renée , is a contemporary womenswear brand rooted in natural materials with heirloom quality, timeless silhouettes, and a strong sense of place.  “It all began in a...

Style + Beauty

Silhouettes & Storyboards

Portland-based stylist Wade Stephens talks sourcing chaos, Maine aesthetics, and his dream of pushing fashion forward Article by Becca Abramson | Photography by Courtesy of Wade Stephens Stylist and designer Wade Stephens didn’t study fashion or follow a linear path into the world of wardrobe. Instead, he carved out a niche for himself through music, curiosity, and a whole lot of hustle. Based in Portland, Maine, Stephens has worked on everything from indie films to liquor campaigns, all while...

Home + Design

The New Classic

With roots in craftsmanship and a flair for custom, Maine Bunk Beds delivers timeless furniture and a story in every build Article by Becca Abramson | Photography by Julia D'Agostino When Cliff Webster first told his wife he was thinking about buying a bunk bed company, her immediate response was: “Absolutely not.” It was 2024, and Webster had recently left his job at Wayfair after a long stretch of remote work from Maine. He and his wife, Elizabeth (who grew up in Augusta) had left Boston...

Life + Culture

Not Your Average Office

The Wave is Portland’s chic new co-working space that puts community first Article by Becca Abramson | Photography by Coco McCracken Tucked inside the historic Nissen Building on Portland’s East End, just a block from the buzz of Washington Avenue, The Wave doesn’t look—or feel—like your average co-working space. There’s no crowded bullpen of desks or corporate branding. Instead, you’ll find sunlit windows, thoughtfully curated artwork on the walls, and a fridge stocked with LB. MINI-MART’s...

Arts + Culture

Sit. Stay. Smile.

Pet photographer Gina Soule turns fleeting moments into lasting memories Article by Becca Abramson | Photography by Gina Soule When Gina Soule tells you she spends her days photographing dogs, it’s not just the cute ones or the well-trained ones. It’s all of them: wobbly puppies, high-energy rescues, semi-feral street dogs, and wise old companions nearing the end of their lives. “There’s no such thing as too wild or too untrained,” she says. “You just embrace dogs for who they are.” By day...