MY CITY*: PORTLAND
IT'S THE NATURE, CALM AND KINDNESS OF THE PEOPLE THAT KEEP KIM KALICKY ROOTED IN HER COASTAL HOMETOWN IN MAINE
*There’s no better way to get to the heart of a city than through the people who live there. Every month, we ask someone, clearly in love with their city, to take us on a personal tour and tell us what makes it so special. You may feel inspired to visit one day or to rediscover the charms of a city closer to you, but for now just sit back, relax and enjoy some armchair travel.
How long have you lived in Portland?
All my life. There's magic and wonder to branching out and leaving your birthplace. But so, too, is there magic in remaining among what is familiar, yet changes over time as you age. I feel blessed to live and remain in my small city, where people know my name, my face, my history, or a friend of a friend.
Tell us what makes your city unique?
Portland is perched upon a peninsula overlooking Casco Bay that leads out to the open waters of the Atlantic. Our downtown bustles on the edge of a working waterfront; upscale boutiques flank piers and wharves jutting out into the bay, and boat slips fill up during our summer months. Our Old Port area lies in a low land amid the Western Promenade to its south, and a bluff overlooking the Fore River and mountains.
What’s it like in December?
Although summer in Maine is gorgeous, I'm too busy with activities and entertaining, and the heat stops me from exercising regularly and keeping the routines that balance me. Autumn and winter are when I write and dive into new projects. The cold and the quiet, and walking outside in the snow inspire my creativity. In December, I welcome the snowfall; it’s still new, so watching the flakes turn my backyard white brings me a sense of peace. We get our snowshoes and skis out for the first time and head to the mountains.
And tell us about Christmas in the city
Each year, a Mainer donates a Christmas tree, 50 feet tall, which graces Monument Square downtown. At the tree-lighting ceremony, families bundle up and brave the cold to listen to live music, sample local eggnog, sing carols, ride in horse-drawn carriages adorned with sleigh bells, and sneak a glimpse of »
“We live our lives outdoors among the mountains, lakes, oceans, clean air, and nature in abundance”
Santa. Since my boys were small, we've cut our Christmas tree down at the Old Farm Christmas Place, which is a Norman Rockwell painting come to life with evergreens in rows, marshmallows toasting, hot chocolate held in mittened hands, and tractor rides to deliver your chosen tree to your car.
What's the nature like?
Very similar to Denmark. Around 80% of our state is forested – we have pine trees, birches, maples, ash. Also lupins, beach roses, lilacs and irises. Maine has a lot of space to breathe, with a coastline 228 miles long.
Tell us about the light and colours
Sunrises glow over Baxter Boulevard. Sunsets stream fiery orange over Portland harbour. The ocean is dark blue, frothing white on slate gray and black rocks.
Where’s your favourite outdoor space?
A few miles from home is Evergreen Cemetery, which feels more like a park than a burial ground. Neighbours run or walk the winding dirt roads with prams and dogs. Couples meander. The chapel sits quietly. Solitary folk walk with snow boots in December, when the deep freeze forces us to layer. Winter isn’t a problem when we dress for it. To warm up, we snowshoe or cross-country ski there. Someone has always blazed the first trail after a snowfall, no matter how early I get out. In winter, early mornings, or in autumn when the trees are awash with colour, Evergreen is the place that has always fed my soul.
What are the people like?
Earthy, hard-working, in dirty overalls and rubber boots. Fashionable, white-collar business folk. Artsy, sporting tattoos, piercings and vintage clothing. Homeless, panhandling, in need. Life-long residents, transplants, and those who find their way back home.
Where are your favourite places to gather with friends?
The tennis courts on the Eastern Prom with brunch at The Front Room. Or on boats in Cocktail Cove at Great Diamond Island. Or Portland Head Light on a Sunday afternoon. Or for a coffee at Arabica and Crema cafés.
And what about the food?
We’re gaining a reputation as a city for food lovers – purveyors of growing and buying local, and chefs who challenge themselves creatively. Christmas food includes clam or fish chowder, lobster bisque, prime rib. Our Christmas Eve is with friends, feasting on roast turkey, ham, squash soup, salads and decadent desserts. We celebrate my husband’s birthday in
December at the cosy Fore Street restaurant. The mussels in garlic almond butter are a must.
What types of shops do you like to visit?
Stonewall Kitchen offers BYO-wine cooking classes in winter. On a chilly December night, we learn to cook, eat our delicious creations, then holiday shop around the Old Port under trees twinkling with white lights.
What’s your favourite way to get about the city?
Walking. Driving by car, you miss the detail of the doors on the brownstones on Park Street, the ancient brick sidewalks along State Street, gnarled from frost, the black iron fences along Neal Street.
Where do you like to escape to?
The rattan chair and ottoman in my bedroom by the window that looks out into the backyard. On a Tuesday. When no one knows I’ve taken a day off. I read my favourite magazines with a cup of coffee.
What has been your best discovery?
The Wednesday Farmers' Market in Monument Square, for fresh produce and wild flowers.
What would surprise a newcomer to your city?
How many wonderful places there are to visit in our state – the mountains of Camden overlooking the harbour, the lakes in Rangeley, Bar Harbor’s rocky coastline in Acadia National Park, Goose Rocks Beach in Kennebunkport – many, an easy drive from Portland.
What do you miss most if you’ve been away?
Space. Kindness. Familiarity. Beauty. Nature. A sense of balance and calm. »
Where would you recommend visitors stay?
The Hilton Garden Inn on Commercial Street is in the heart of our waterfront, an easy walk to all that Portland has to offer and the brilliant Standard Baking Co. The bakery is tiny, wooden beamed, with piping hot coffee and freshly baked baguettes, rustic bread, croissants. When my son was a boy, if I offered toast with his breakfast, he would say “good toast?”, meaning was it from Standard Baking Co?
If you could change one thing about the city…
Jobs. Jobs that can keep our children in our state so they can live the healthy lives they’ve likely experienced – in nature, in safety, in community.
What keeps you in Portland and is there anywhere else you would you like to live?
We’ve raised our sons here, have deep committed friendships that began in middle school (my husband and I met at the age of 13!), and live our lives outdoors among the mountains, lakes, oceans, clean air, and nature in abundance. And if somewhere else? Only a farmhouse in the French countryside could compare!