Here are 20 Portland-y things I am thankful for.
- The Portland Public Library, YES Books, Longfellow Books, The Green Hand, Strange Maine, Casablanca Comics, and Coast City Comics for keeping us literate
- David Meiklejohn, Barry Dodd, Videoport (obviously) and the DIY film and video scene
- The wonderful, friendly, and beautiful staff folks at Local 188, Hot Suppa, Sonny’s, The Holy Donut, and Crema, the five places at which I spend most of my time when working, drinking or eating
- Picnic, The Merchant Company, Ferdinand, Pinecone + Chickadee, and the quirky, modern craft scene
- Material Objects, Find, and every single thrift and vintage store out there
- Bunker Brewing Company, Maine Beer Co., Allagash Brewing Company, Rising Tide, Urban Farm Fermentory, Novare Res, Portland Greendrinks, The Great Lost Bear, Mama’s Crowbar, and all brewers, fermentors and appreciators of great drink
- Nosh, Boda, Duckfat, East Ender and the slew of other places I go to satiate the beast after I have had a few beers
- Tandem, Speckled Ax, Bard Coffee, and the new, high-end coffee class
- Joel Beauchamp, the Potockis, Nan’l Meiklejohn and Pocket Brunch because even though I have not yet attended an event, I trust their sensibilities and simply enjoy that something like this is happening in town
- Unseen Portland, Brass Cankles, Portland Daily Photo, and other digital, micro-documentary projects
- The Greens, Progressive Democrats, The League of Young Voters, the reshaped Occupy Movement, organizers, immigrant rights groups, and Mayor Brennan, who are all working hard to maintain the town’s forward-thinking spirit
- Cultivating Community, Portland Co-Op, Portland Farmers’ Market, Local Sprouts, and the food freedom fighters
- The State Theater, Geno’s and all of the great music venues along with Enterprise Records, Moody Lords, Bull Moose Records, and all of the indie music folks
- SPACE Gallery, Sacred and Profane, Portland Museum of Art, First Friday Art Walk (PACA) and the dynamic art venues, events and happenings
- Might + Main, The SOAP Group, VIA, the professional creative class, as well as Pecha Kucha and other fora for sharing creative ideas
- The Social Media Breakfast and Maine Tweetup folks, and everyone else who works to humanize digital media interactions
- LiveME, for representing so hard
- MPBN, WMPG, and non-commercial radio
- Planned Parenthood, for providing essential services through thick and thin
- The Outfits, Sontiago, Kurt Baker, Sam James, Rural Ghosts, Spencer‘s gang, and all of the music makers
Now go on and tell me what I have missed.
