New2Maine.com

I just finished a walk with my dog and was musing on the 12″ or so of snow on the ground in most places. There are snow banks as high as my head, and spring looks much farther off than two weeks. As I rounded a corner, I saw a car with a Sea Dogs bumper sticker which got me to thinking “I wonder when their home opener is? Is the field going to have to be plowed between innings?”

So I surfed over to PortlandSeaDogs.com to check it out. There, in a nice big red and blue banner, was the count down to the opener. 35 days until Hadlock Field hosts a ball game. It may flirt with 50° this weekend, but it only just got up to the freezing point today. It seems rather wishful thinking that it’ll be baseball weather in five short weeks. I sort of doubt Amber and I will be taking in the opening day festivities, but for those who are undeterred by wearing a parka to the park, ticket packages are on sale now. Maybe we’ll see you there. Just not until May…

The Ferry Beach Ecology School’s now annual benefit event at Cinque Terre, Eco Appetito, is on tap for this Sunday, March 8. Amber and I very much enjoyed going last year and were looking forward to it this year as well. Unfortunately, we’ll be attending a first birthday party instead, so we’ll have to wait for next year. For those of you not otherwise occupied, we highly recommend checking out the festivities on Wharf Street. The menu highlights include:

• Premium veal, ham and pork samplings
• Artisan cheeses and breads
• Fresh fish from Browne Trading Company
• Winter Point oysters, raw and roasted
• House-made ravioli filled with organic vegetables from Laughing Stock Farm
• Arugula pesto and mushroom soup “shots”
• Seasonal vegetables from Farm Fresh Connection

And, to quench your thirst:

• Handcrafted beers from Allagash Brewing Company
• Wines provided by Aurora Provisions, Mariner Beverage, & Wicked Wines
• French Press Coffee tasting by Starbucks Coffee

If you’ve not yet experienced Chef Lee Skawinski’s fare at Cinque Terre, this event offers a reasonably economical (tickets are $35 each) way to see what all the buzz is about, and it’s tax deductible. Oh, and it benefits a great cause, too! Check out ecoappetito.com for more information and to order your tickets.

It’s March here in Maine (well, okay, everywhere). That means the end of winter is within sight (theoretically). Except that I can’t see more than 10′ out my window right now because of the snow that’s falling harder than the Dow Jones Industrial Average (but not as hard as my 401(k)). So it’s definitely in like a lion this year. Let’s hope the lamb doesn’t get lost in the snow. She can’t come quick enough.

Flatbread Pizza on Commercial Street is donating a portion of its proceeds from tonight’s sales to Konbit Sante, a Maine-based medical partnership with Cap Haitien, Haiti. Amber recently did a mission trip to Haiti with our church and travelled with Konbit Sante. She’s seen the good work they’re doing to bring medical care and training to the people of Haiti’s second largest city. We’ll be going out for pizza tonight and hope to see you there. If you’ve already got dinner plans, but would like to help out this effort, take a look at Konbit Sante’s “How You Can Help” page. Financial assistance is not the only means of contributing:

Konbit Sante is different from many other organizations in that we do not send teams of doctors and nurses to provide hands-on care. Instead, our staff and volunteers work with Haitian colleagues to develop health care programs, to teach doctors and nurses, to make infrastructure improvements, and to collect and deliver much-needed equipment and supplies.

The most valuable asset you can give is your time. Not a doctor or nurse? They have many needs that can be filled by those without medical training, including infrastructure improvements, working with things like the computer and electrical systems, and collection and distribution of medical supplies and equipment. 

Konbit Sante is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit corporation organized in the State of Maine. They can be contacted as P.O. Box 11281, Portland, ME  04104. You can call 207-347-6733 or email info@konbitsante.org for more information.

I’m on call this week for work, so taking Amber out to dinner for Valentine’s Day is not really possible. However, a friend of mine came up with an alternative that is going to work out well. Vintner’s Wine Cellar on Forest Ave., within walking distance of our apartment, is hosting a series wine and chocolate tasting events beginning tomorrow (February 13) and running through Sunday evening. There will be three 90 minute tastings each night, beginning at 4:30 PM and running back-to-back-to-back. Amber and I will be checking this out Saturday night with a group of friends (don’t worry, I have some other Valentine’s Day things up my sleeve too). The cost is $30 per person, and you should call ahead to make a reservation – 207-878-1119.