New2Maine.com

I just found a link to a very interesting survey site called MaineBAC.org. Yes, this is a drinking-related site, but no, BAC doesn’t stand for blood-alcohol content in this case. It’s “Brief Alcohol Checkup” and it provides a simple, quick, and anonymous way to see whether you should be concerned about how much you drink. As a social drinker who likes his beer but only occasionally has more than two beers at a time, my risk factor for dependence is in the low range, according to the site.

At an average of only 5-6 drinks a week (I like a beer with dinner), I was surprised to find that I am in the upper third of alcohol consumption among men in my age range across the state (well, at least those who have taken the survey). If you’re not sure whether you should be concerned about your alcohol intake, or if you’re curious about how your drinking effects your BAC, take ten minutes and click through this survey. It might save your life.

I stumbled upon another great (mostly) Maine blog today called Travels with Hilary. In it Hilary Nangle details her journeys as a freelance writer and lover of food and Maine. She’s also the author of three Maine-themed Avalon Travel Publishing Moon travel guides: Moon Maine, Moon Coastal Maine , and Moon Acadia National Park.

Amber and I have yet to see most of Maine, having concentrated too much I fear on the Portland area. Hilary has some great Maine travel destinations that you should definitely check out if you’re interested in exploring Maine. I think Amber and I need to get our bikes and head out to some of these spots.

This little blog is on the map. The Portland Food Map that is. As of yesterday (Saturday), New2Maine.com is on the list of blogs that comment on food in Portland. Portland Food Map “is a directory of all restaurants, bars, groceries, and other food related resources in Portland, Maine—plus a small but growing number of places in the extended local area.”

The concept is pretty cool. You’ll have to visit the site to really see what I mean, but the Food Map consists of six major categories:

1. Eat Out—places you go because you want to try something different and eat out
2. Grab a Bite—diners, pizza joints and other casual eateries where you go when you need to eat
3. Nibble and Sip—coffee, tea, snack food
4. Take Home—food, raw or prepared, that you’ll eat at home
5. Drinks—bars, lounges, clubs, etc
6. Non-Edibles—magazines, blogs, and other resources for the foodie in you

We are, of course, part of the Non-Edibles section of the map, and we’re honored to be there.

After reading Type A Diversions: Emilitsa, a review of Portland’s newest Greek restaurant (on a blog which is now on the blogroll here), She and I have decided to bump Emilitsa to the top of, or at least very near, the top of our dining list. We just ate at Street & Co. last Friday (review coming soon), and The Front Room and Cafe at Pat’s are still on the list as well, but sometimes you just have a hankering for phyllo dough. Alas, we are going out of town for the weekend both this weekend and next, so we might not get to check another item off our “to-eat” list until March.

Update: We’ve finally eaten at Emilitsa. See my review here.

Portland, Maine is a busy place, especially for a city of just over 65,000 people. From the bars and restaurants to the theatre and art scene, it seems there’s hardly a dull moment. She and I have just begun to scratch the surface of what’s going on around here, but I thought it might be a good idea to share with you where we come up with some of the ideas for our “date nights.” Having decided that Old Port is more of a fair weather destination (wandering half-drunk down brick streets in the cold isn’t as much fun as doing it in shorts and sandals), we’ve begun to look for indoor (i.e. heated) things to do.

I’ve already blogged about the hockey game and some of the restaurants we’ve tried. For other ideas, we have come to rely on two main sources: MaineToday.com and The Phoenix. MaineToday.com’s Entertainment Calendar contains myriad listings for all sorts of events and happenings in and around southern Maine. The Phoenix, a weekly free newspaper, also contains many of the same event listings, and some interesting local flavor pieces to boot (please note that The Phoenix is not exactly kid-friendly, so watch where you leave it laying about).

So, if you’re looking for something to do in Portland that doesn’t involve the typical dinner and drinks in Old Port (which is great, don’t get me wrong), take a look at what MaineToday.com and The Phoenix have to offer. Of course, if you’re hungry before or after, you can’t go wrong with one of the many fine eateries in Portland.