La Vida Local
Irregular Notes on West End Life
By Rosanne Graef
Late Winter in Bits & Pieces
February often brings a kind of restlessness as the days grow noticeably longer. And there’s nothing like a cold snap with a couple of subzero days followed by a record-breaking high a few days later to lead folks to start talking about getting out a swimsuit and heading for the beach. While the changing weather kept the conversation rolling with “Cold enough for ya?” and “I never thought I’d be wearing shorts outdoors in Maine in February,” some of my experiences over last month warrant comment.
Blues of ‘Groundhog Day’
Admittedly, it was post-February 2nd when friends invited us over to watch “Groundhog Day.” Predictably, in the thirty years since we’d last seen it, lots had been forgotten. One thing that really struck me this time was the prevalence of blue in the film. From Andie MacDowell’s brilliant royal blue coat to the paler blue of the waitresses’ uniforms to the sea of denim-clad spectators at Punxatawney Phil’s big day, shades of blue ruled. Take a look for yourself to see if you agree.
Valentine Bandit
What a relief it was on Valentine’s Day to venture out and see red hearts taped to windows on Danforth Street. Yes, Virginia, there is a Valentine Bandit! A couple of days later, on my birthday, I received affirmation that after all these years I have successfully established my brand. Excepting the one with a goofily smiling Golden Retriever, every card I got featured cats.
Half-off Metro Fares
Now let’s take a look at making the most of March here in the West End. If you’re not a rider of Metro yet, now’s the time to start. From March 1st through September 30th there’s a Fare Deal Promotion of 50% off all fares on Greater Portland METRO, Biddeford-Saco-Old Orchard Transit, and South Portland Bus Service, including local and express service and full and reduced fares. Use cash or the DiriGo Pass: https://dirigopass.org.
WENA Speakers Series
On March 9, at 6:30 p.m., Dawn Brennan-Daly, Executive Manager of St. Luke’s Community Kitchen will be at the West End Neighborhood Association (WENA) Speakers Series to talk about the opportunities available there for people considering starting a food-related business. Even if that’s not you, it’ll be interesting to learn about the possibilities of a farmers’ market, pop-up take-away, catering, meeting space, etc. This event will take place in the Reiche Community Room, accessible from Clark Street.
St. Patrick’s Day Parade
Definitely don’t miss Maine Irish Heritage Center’s St. Patrick’s Day celebration in the West End’s old Irish neighborhood. Meet at St. Dom’s at 8:30 a.m. on Friday, March 17th for the parade to Harbor View Park for the Irish flag raising. Then stroll back to MIHC for coffee, tea, and soda bread.
Make some good late winter memories for yourself!
