Portland

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Looking for something to do in Portland - this is my go to website:  

http://www.visitportland.com/calendar.aspx

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Archives & Museums

International Cryptozoology Museum

11 Avon Street

Open: 11 am - 3 pm, six days a week, closed on Tuesdays.

Cryptozoology is the study of unknown animals:  such as yetis, bigfoot, lake monsters and sea serpents.

The primary purpose of this museum is to educate, inform and share evidence, artifacts, and popular cultures that they have identified.  The museum has more than 5 decades of field study related to cryptozoology.

THE ONLY MUSEUM OF ITS KIND IN THE WORLD!

Bike Clubs

Casco Bay Bicycle Club -

FMI :  http://cascobaybicycleclub.org/

Community Cycling Club of Portland -

FMI:  http://www.bikecccp.org/

Portland Velo Club

FMI: https://portlandveloclub.wordpress.com/

Rage on Portland -

FMI:  http://ragemtb.com/   (400+ members - Maine's Largest Mountain Bike Club )

Southern Maine Cycling Club

FMI:  http://southernmainecyclingclub.blogspot.com/

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Breweries

Allagash Brewing Company -  50 Industrial Way

Austin Street Brewery - 1 Industrial Way Ste 8 - This business started truelly from a hobby grown out of control.  

Tasting Room Hours

Friday & Saturday 12 - 7 pm

see more at:  http://www.austinstreetbrewery.com/tastingroom/

Bissell Brothers - 1 Industrial Way Ste 3 - The Tap Room at Bissell Brothers was designed to give our customers a chance at full immersion into our world. The art & music that inspire us are front and center, along with specialty beers or pilot betas of what will become our next production offerings. Purchase our 16 oz cans at the bar as fresh as they can possibly be. Come for lunch and enjoy the amazing offerings from one of our food truck partners while you sip our spoils from the source.

We started Bissell Brothers with the intent to build our own world, where we could hide away inside our creativity. The Tap Room is the bridge between our world, where the beer is born, and the outside world, where the beer goes. Enjoy your experience.

Tap Room Hours

Wednesday - Thursday 12 - 6pm

Friday - Saturday 12 - 7 pm

see more at: http://www.bissellbrothers.com/tasting-room-hours/

Bull Jagger Brewing Company will be opening up under a new name soon if not already Dirigo Brewing Company

Bunker Brewing Company -

122 Anderson Street

The D.L. Geary Brewing Company

38 Evergreen Drive

Foundation Brewing Company - 1 Industrial Way - Our tours are self-guided and unscheduled – we allow our visitors to explore the brewery at their own pace as they enjoy samples from the tasting room, and the staff are available to answer any questions you have.

Tastings & Tours

Thursday 3 - 6 pm

Friday & Saturday 12 - 7 pm

see more at: http://foundationbrew.com/location/

Freeport Brewing Co - 110 Breakwater Drive, South Portland - 207-837-3021

Gritty McDuff's Brew Pub - 396 Fore Street

Ininiti Fermentation & Distillation

250 Commercial Street

(207)221-8889

Peak Organic Brewing Company - 110 Marginal Way #802

Rising Tide Brewing Company

 103 Fox Street

Sea Dog Brewing Company -

125 Western Ave

Shipyard Brewing Company, 

86 Newbury Street

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Buy Local - a directory of local businesses - owned by Maine Residents @http://www.portlandbuylocal.org/member-tag/organic/ 

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Diner(s)

Becky's Diner

390 Commercial St

773-7070

4:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.

Fishermen & others often pack this waterfront, no-nonsense American diner that opens bright & early.

Serving Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner since 1991!

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Miss Portland Diner

140 Marginal Way

210-6673

7:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

1949 Miss Portland Diner – WLCC No. 818.

Miss Portland was originally located on Forest Avenue and was moved from there in 1964 – to make room for the new Federal Building – to 49 Marginal Way where she served breakfast and lunch to a mostly local crowd.

Known for her special ambiance, Miss Portland made a cameo appearance in Mel Gibson’s movieMan without a Face in August 1993.   In 2004 the City of Portland accepted the diner car as a donation to ensure her proper restoration.

Miss Portland was purchased in 2007 by Tom Manning, a Portland native who left Maine over 35 years ago for a career in publishing in New York City and who came back to his hometown to preserve this piece of local history.  Tom worked with the City’s historic preservation department to ensure that his vision of a revived Miss Portland met with their approval and her doors opened to welcome the residents and visitors of Bayside in October 2008.

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Food Truck - Best Mexican Restaurant in Town

El Corazon Food Truck

Spring Street & Temple Street

visit website for schedule: http://www.elcorazonfoodtruck.com/#!schedule/c1736

Ghost Sightings at the following places:

Charles Q Clapp House

Captain Asa Clapp is said to haunt this house, as well as the nearby McLellan-Sweat Mansion. His apparition has been seen, and other phenomena such as cold spots, footsteps, and an eerie presence have been experienced.

McLellan-Sweat Mansion

Captain Asa Clapp is said to haunt this house, as well as the nearby Clapp House. His apparition has been seen, and other phenomena such as cold spots, footsteps, and an eerie presence have been experienced.

The McLellan-Sweat Mansion is set at the corner of High and Spring Streets, but is accessed via the main entrance of the Portland Museum of Art at Congress Square.

Time and Temperature Building

Allegedly haunted by a female ghost who has a preference for riding the elevators and who will apparently often use them, sending them independently to different floors. Some workers in the building have claimed to have seen an unknown female walking through their office 

University of Southern Maine

Many reports of cold spots, footsteps, and objects being moved around, and more frequently in certain rooms than others.  The most common things are stereos and t.v.'s being turned on and off, clocks being reset right before the student's eyes, and general harmless pranks like these.

The Robie Andrew Dorm at USM - local documentation indicates that on the 4th floor of this building there was a suicide or murder in the early part of the 20th century (1900's) when it was still an all women's learning center.  Students have seen many times a ghost and have experienced gold spots, mild poltergeist activity, they constantly hear footsteps, and someone moving around above them when there is no one there.  One student reported that the ghost tried to grab her arm and her room was always cold.  According to legend there are 5 spirits who live in the house, and another was rumored to have committed suicide because she was pregnant and her boyfriend left her once she announced that she was.

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National Historic Landmarks

Victoria Mansion

A National Historic Landmark

109 Danforth Street, Portland ME

Also known as the Morse house, built 1858-1860 as a summer home for Ruggles Sylvester Morse, a very wealthy luxury hotel owner from New Orleans.  Itailanate in style, the quality and ornateness of the interior makes it one of the finest homes in America preserved from the pre-civil war days.  For more informaiton please visit: http://victoriamansion.org/

Admission

Adults : $15.00
Senior citizens (62 and over) : $13.50
AAA members : $13.50 
Students age 6-17 : $ 5.00
Under 6 : Free
Family rate* : $35.00
College students (with valid ID): $7.00
Active military (with valid ID): Free
Victoria Mansion members: Free

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Pizza

Otto -  an award-winning Portland-based gourmet pizza restaurant, was founded by Mike Keon and Anthony Allen in 2009. The co-owners' refreshing take on a timeless classic has brought flavor creations such as the 'Mashed Potato, Bacon, Scallion' and 'Cranberry, Butternut Squash, Ricotta'. With ten locations throughout Maine & Massachusetts, this independently-owned chain has a strong focus on simplicity, unique style and community involvement. 

Locations:

576 Congress Street

225 Congress Street

Spring Point Lighthouse

Buildings which are open to the public - Light Tower

The lighthouse is an active Coast Guard aid to navigation, and is owned and managed by the Spring Point Ledge Light Trust. 

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Winery

Maine Mead Works - 51 Washington Ave, Portland ME 04101 - (207) 773-6323 - founded in 2007 - using locally sourced honey and re-introducing some of the oldest traditions coupled with modern science to create a very distinctive flavor. they offer tastings from JANUARY - APRIL / Monday - Saturday 11:00am - 5pm / TOUR HOURS / at 3pm Monday - Saturday / MAY - DECEMBER - Monday - Saturday 11am to 6pm & Sunday 12pm - 4pm / TOURS are avail at 1130am and 3pm Monday - Saturday.mainemeadworks.com

South Portland

Eating Challenges

Jimmy The Greek's Restaurant

150 Philbrook Ave

South Portland

774-7335

http://www.jimmygreeksopa.com

1 Hour

Description

– A 5-6 pound calzone packed with pepperoni, sausage, and hamburger

– There is also tomatoes, onions, marinara sauce, and cheese

– There is a 1 hour time limit to finish everything

Prizes

– Free Meal

– Free T-shirt

– Picture on Wall of Fame

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Pizza

Otto -  an award-winning Portland-based gourmet pizza restaurant, was founded by Mike Keon and Anthony Allen in 2009. The co-owners' refreshing take on a timeless classic has brought flavor creations such as the 'Mashed Potato, Bacon, Scallion' and 'Cranberry, Butternut Squash, Ricotta'. With ten locations throughout Maine & Massachusetts, this independently-owned chain has a strong focus on simplicity, unique style and community involvement. 

Locations:

576 Congress Street

225 Congress Street

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Spring Point Lighthouse

Buildings which are open to the public - Light Tower

The lighthouse is an active Coast Guard aid to navigation, and is owned and managed by the Spring Point Ledge Light Trust.