The month-long celebration of Christmas continues in full force this week. Tops in my opinion is the annual Christmas at the Cathedral, a wonderfully spirited and spiritual concert that will be presented four times Dec. 5-6 in Portland by the Choral Art Society plus invited guest artists. Another fine concert, much in the same vein, […]

Greater Portland Exhibits “Local Color: Pieces of Maine,” paintings by Dawn Maron, Mike Maron and Suzanne Woodward, Lifeworks Chiropractic Center, 202 US Rt 1, Suite 100, Falmouth, artists’ reception 5:30-7:30 p.m., Dec. 4 to April 29. “East Meets Weston” photography by Bruce Barlow, Freeport Community Library, 10 Library Dr., through December, freeportlibrary.com, 865-3307. Film Thursday  12/3 […]

Fridges will still be bulging with Thanksgiving leftovers when the Christmas spirit zooms in this weekend to dominate the performing arts for the next month. First up is Maine State Ballet’s annual production of “The Nutcracker,” which opens Saturday. “Joyous Sounds of Latin America” is a slight re-tooling of the University of Southern Maine’s annual […]

Although a man about town, the big, unkempt guy had a homeless-base close to the dumpster behind Portland’s Asylum on Center Street. Lucid enough to say hello and have brief, but cordial conversations, he usually chose not to. For years, regardless of the time of day, I saw him there three or four times a […]

Greater Portland Exhibits “Local Color: Pieces of Maine,” paintings by Dawn Maron, Mike Maron and Suzanne Woodward, Lifeworks Chiropractic Center, 202 US Rt 1, Suite 100, Falmouth, artists’ reception 5:30-7:30 p.m., Dec. 4 to April 29. “East Meets Weston” photography by Bruce Barlow, Freeport Community Library, 10 Library Dr., through December, freeportlibrary.com, 865-3307. Film “Peggy Guggenheim […]

Dear high school sports team spotted at breakfast last weekend, What a nice tradition you ladies have of gathering after a grueling practice (or was it an early morning game?). With tables pushed together in a long row, the 16 of you ordered, or shared food. Mindful to rehydrate after physical exertion, and of saving […]

Greater Portland Authors Saturday 11/21 “Christmas in Maine,” book launch, 5-7 p.m., Portland Museum of Art, Seven Congress Square, 775-6148, portlandmuseum.org. “A Family Farm in Tuscany: Recipes and Stories from Fattoria Poggio Alloro,” book signing and wine tasting by Sarah Fioroni, executive chef, sommelier and general manager of organic farm in Tuscany, 2-4 p.m.,The Farm […]

Concerts of several musical stripes are coming up this weekend in southern Maine. The most interesting might be described as a retro-celebration. A classic folk-rock album from 1975 will be recalled in Portland on Friday, when Aztec Two-Step (Rex Fowler and Neil Shulman) perform songs from their second album, “Second Step.” Oratorio Chorale’s fall program […]

Work contests do not motivate me. In fact, I’m philosophically opposed to them. I’m not interested in selling the most desserts, or pushing boutique wines from a distributor sales rep trying to win his own company trip to a far-off vineyard. Inwardly, I snub ego-driven dinner specials along with whatever the kitchen needs to move […]

Greater Portland Books/Authors Thursday 11/12 “How to Cook a Moose,” Kate Christensen and Genevieve Morgan, 6:30 p.m., Prince Memorial Library, 266 Main St., Cumberland. Saturday 11/20 “Christmas in Maine,” book launch, 5 to 7 p.m.,Portland Museum of Art, Seven Congress Square, 775-6148, portlandmuseum.org. Exhibits Thursday 11/19 Veterans Exhibition, Zand Head Gallery at Maine College of […]