Friday, February 27, 2009

Two if by Sea


Spring Light in the foreground in South Portland and Portland Headlight in Cape Elizabeth in the background. This was taken from Martin's Point in Portland last Sunday, right before it started raining/snowing so that made it hard to focus, get good color, or compose a stunning shot. But for what it's worth, I still like it.

Thursday, February 26, 2009

Top


The top of City Hall. I wonder where they bought that weather vane?

Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Roma Cafe / Bramhall Pub

Looks suspicious.

I hear The Roma is really nice but am curious what the subterranean pub looks like.

Monday, February 23, 2009

Heavy Branches

World's Largest Human Lobster Meetings

From Channel 13's storm closing page...

Portland's one canceled event today is the world's largest human lobster meeting. Anyone have any idea what this is? I must have missed that memo.



Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Fight Terror


This flyer is on Commercial Street. I've seen these all around town and have been meaning to get a shot of one of them. Good marketing I think.

Friday, February 6, 2009

Portland Daily Sun

The Portland Daily Sun arrived in newspaper boxes around the city this week. Pictured is Thursday's edition. I think it's a pretty good read, with mostly local items on the first couple pages then syndicated national, opinion, and comics pages followed by ads. It is published Tuesday through Saturday.

As Elliott pointed out here, the Daily Sun's website is quite ugly. I plan on doing a little review of local newspaper's online efforts sometime this weekend, so stay tuned! Spoiler: The Daily Sun and the West End News will be scraping it out for second-to-last place.

Thursday, February 5, 2009

Crosstown Traffic


Traffic on Congress Street last Sunday. I think it was backed-up due to the Disney on Ice event at the ol' Civic Center.

Wednesday, February 4, 2009

All along the watchtower


Portland City Hall, designed by Carrere and Hastings and built in 1909. The firm is also known for designing the New York Public Library among many other fine structures. City Hall was added to the register of historic places in 1973.

Tuesday, February 3, 2009

Winter Hazards

Does anyone else worry a little bit about being impaled by a falling icicle while walking Portland's sidewalks in the winter? I try not to think about it.

Sunday, February 1, 2009

Before and After #7

The Armory Building in 1898:


In 2009:


Per the Maine Memory Network:

"The Armory was built in 1895 and was used for drill purposes by the many National Guard units that were headquartered there. The building also served as a civic auditorium.

The Guard vacated the building in 1941, but it was used to house military personnel who were in Portland temporarily. The Navy used the building during World War II as a recreation center."


The building is now a fine Hotel & Spa, known as The Regency. From theregency.com:

"..the armory was nearly razed in 1962 when it was abandoned as surplus property by the National Guard and taken over by the city of Portland. Many, including the Chamber of Commerce and the City Manager, wanted to demolish the site and use the site for waterfront parking.

This "improvement plan", was opposed by the many veterans who trained here as well as the city councilmen who thought the plan was too expensive. Following a year filled with controversy the State of Maine Armory was sold for $28,000.00 to State Paper Company. The building, which had served both Maine and this country for over sixty years, was used as a warehouse until 1984 when it was purchased for its conversion into a hotel. The Portland Regency Hotel opened with 95 rooms in 1987, a complement to Portland's popular, restored Old Port."