Portland in a Snap

Freelancers needed to write Sunday society column

Angie Muhs — Mon, 30 Jul 2012 17:24:01 GMT

Portland Museum of Art photo

Are you an outgoing person who loves to socialize and attend parties? Would you like to get paid to do so?

The Maine Sunday Telegram is looking for people with writing and reporting experience to attend social events, talk with guests, snap photos and then write columns about what took place at the soiree and who was there to experience it. The ideal candidate will enjoy meeting lots of different people, have interviewing experience, know his or her way around a camera and be able to write on deadline.

This is a paid freelance position with multiple spots available. The individuals who make the cut will be responsible for attending an event as assigned every other week and then submitting a column and five photographs by noon on Friday. The columns and photos will be published in the Maine Sunday Telegram’s Scene & Heard section.

To apply, send a letter of interest to Features Editor Rod Harmon (rharmon@pressherald.com) and Assistant Features Editor Wendy Almeida (wea@mainetoday.com). Be sure to tell them why you would be a good fit and attach a resume and a couple writing samples.

Best of luck party people.

Abbey Greslick photo

Libra Foundation interns dine with Maine CEOs

Angie Muhs — Wed, 27 Jun 2012 01:51:19 GMT

More than 100 college students interning this summer with some of Maine's top companies enjoyed a three-course dinner this evening with two dozen CEOs and top executives from those same companies. The dinner was part of the Libra Foundation's Summer in Maine program, which promotes internships in Maine and provides each year's summer interns with networking and recreational events.

Tonight's party took place at the Portland Country Club in Falmouth. Speakers included Bill Ryan, the retired chairman of TD Bank, part owner of the Maine Red Claws and trustee for numerous organizations, including the Libra Foundation.

We also heard from Jonathan Ayers, the chairman, president and CEO of IDEXX. The speeches took place during the salad course, allowing the interns to chat with the CEOs seated at their tables during the main course. As many people pointed out, it was the kind of high level access that students aren't likely to find at a big city internship.

Be sure to pick up a copy of the July 1 edition of the Maine Sunday Telegram, where I'll have more photos and details from the party.

Until then, I hope to see you out and about.

Broadway in Bloom Gala pairs stage couture with floral design

Angie Muhs — Thu, 21 Jun 2012 03:18:09 GMT

Flowers and fashions took center stage at tonight's Broadway in Bloom Gala Banquet. The party, held at the Hilton Garden Inn in Freeport, was part of the 81st annual convention of The Garden Club Federation of Maine. The event wraps up tomorrow, but tonight the dinner party paired floral designers with original musical theater costumes from the vast collection of the Maine State Music Theater in Brunswick.

In the photo above, Suzanne Bushnell, who chaired the convention committee, stands next to a dress from "The Whiz," which inspired the flower design of Sandy Wallen of the St. Mary's Garden Club. Her floral creation included woven palm leaves, which mimicked a woven pattern on the bodice of the gown.

Here Suzanne stands between a mannequin wearing a gown from "Cinderella" and Maine State Music Theatre Lead Costume Designer Kurt Alger. The abstract floral design at the right was created by Cynthia Hosmer of the Old York Garden Club. Cynthia set up her floral design yesterday but then had to head to Newport, R.I. to judge a flower show.

Designer Judy Alderman of the Lakeside Garden Club talked about how she interpreted a dress from "Hairsrpay" with peonies and blue hydrangea.

Designer Buff Harrington of the Harpswell Garden Club played off the triangle front of this gown from "Hello Dolly" to create her abstract design.

If you want to see the Maine State Music Theatre's costumes in action, catch "A Chorus Line" before it wraps up this Saturday, or "Legally Blond," which opens on June 27 and runs through July 14. "Sunset Boulevard" and "42nd Street" play later this summer.

Should you want to learn more about the party and see more snapshots, be sure to pick up a copy of the June 24 edition of the Maine Sunday Telegram, where I'll have all the details in the Scene & Heard section.

Until then, I'll see you out and about.

Winter Kids heads to Bubba's for a License to Chill

Angie Muhs — Fri, 08 Jun 2012 03:21:29 GMT

Stuffed with antiques and collectibles, Bubba's Sulky Lounge provided the quirky yet awesome venue for tonight's Winter Kids License to Chill party. About 250 of us party guests wandered from room to room in the the sprawling night club and everywhere there were more people having a great time. Guests who made it to the room all the way at the back of Bubba's, enjoyed barbecue from Buck's Naked and the chance to bid on dozens of silent auction items.

Winter Kids is the nonprofit organization that provides all Maine 5th through 7th graders with free and discounted admission to slopes and trails. The organization also introduces Maine children, particularly new immigrants, to Maine's rich tradition of winter sports.

Maine's Funniest Mom Karen Morgan emceed the party's entertainment and also handled the live auction. The showcase auction item was a chance to play a round of golf and have dinner with Olympic Gold Medalist Seth Wescott. This auction item has become a tradition, and this year's winner declared that she had just bought the best Father's Day present.

Another highlight of the party was the interactive improv comedy of Dennis Hunt, Tuck Tucker and Tom Walsh, who are members of Running With Scissors. They performed on Bubba's iconic dance floor. You can catch Running With Scissors this Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. at the Comedy Connection in the Old Port.

Capping off the night was a bluesy and very danceable performance by North of Nashville, a band that's a favorite with the winter crowd up at Sugarloaf.

Be sure to pick up the June 10 edition of the Maine Sunday Telegram, where I'll have more photos and details from the party in the Scene & Heard section.

Until then, I hope to see you out and about.

Historic House Gala opens door to West End colonial revival

Angie Muhs — Thu, 31 May 2012 01:55:05 GMT

Deep in the West End this evening, more than 150 guests gathered for the annual Greater Portland Landmarks Historic House Gala at the colonial revival home of Kathy and Bob Whelan, seen above making a few remarks during the party. Behind them you can see Hilary Bassett, executive director of Greater Portland Landmarks, and State Historian Earle Shettleworth, Jr., who both spoke at the event. The house you can see in the background is actually the neighboring home.

But if you were to look to the left you'd see this view of the back side of the Whelan home, where guests mingled during the party and enjoyed martinis and 1950s-themed appetizers. Both inside and out, the home has been carefully and thoughtfully renovated, allowing it to retain its historic charm and character while accommodating the needs of a new era.

All the home's spaces are fabulous and the kitchen was no exception. Here Courtney Loreg of Aurora Provisions plates bite-sized deviled eggs in the modernized room.

If you want to read more about the house and the well-known families who have lived there, be sure to pick up the June 3 edition of the Maine Sunday Telegram. I'll have more details - and photos - in the Scene & Heard section.

Until then, I hope to see you out and about.

Goodwill's mission comes full circle at film screening

Angie Muhs — Thu, 24 May 2012 02:24:39 GMT

About 80 people gathered at USM's Abromson Community Education Center in Portland tonight for a reception and private screening of five short films. Called A Circle of Films, the event was hosted by Goodwill of Northern New England and featured the work of young filmmakers, who were tapped by the nonprofit to create the work.

Filmmakers Nick Brennan and John Logan Pierson were on the road touring with another film, but the other three filmmakers joined Goodwill's President & CEO Anna Eleanor Roosevelt (granddaughter of Franklin D. and Eleanor Roosevelt) on the stage after the screening for a Q&A. From left they are Logen Christopher who directed "Circles"), Stuart Townsend (who directed "New Wheels") and Jeff Griecci (who directed two shorts called "Coming Full Circle"). You can watch all the films on YouTube at www.youtube.com/goodwillnne.

While taking a diverse approach to the subject, all the films explore the work Goodwill does - from recycling clothing to providing employment opportunities. The cycle of donated clothing creating jobs which in turn allow people to buy new shirts they will one day donate to Goodwill is what the nonprofit calls the virtuous circle.

You can read more about it in the May 27 Scene & Heard section of the Maine Sunday Telegram, where I'll have additional photos and details from the event. Don't forget to pick up a copy.

Until then, I hope to see you out and about.

Golden retriever puppy steals show at Kids First Gala Auction

Angie Muhs — Fri, 18 May 2012 03:31:30 GMT

Gracie, a 16-week-old female golden retriever generated quite a stir when Meg Wilson brought her out during the Kids First Gala Auction, held tonight at the Woodlands Club in Falmouth. She was number three on tonight's live auction docket (subject to the successful bidder completing a screening process) and generated oohs, aahs and outstretched hands for the duration of her appearance on the auction floor. When the gavel fell, the lucky bidder paid $1,500 for the privilege.

All the money raised tonight supports the center's programs for children and adults experiencing separation and divorce. Kids First aims to prevent the emotional trauma kids can suffer when their parents go through a messy divorce.

Lee Goldberg, WCSH-6 sports director, hosted tonight's live auction and Tom Saturley, president of Tranzon Auction Properties, lent his professional and personable touch as auctioneer.

Other fun items on the auction block included this Angela Adams rug - modeled by Susan Livingston and Maine District Judge Keith Powers - Red Sox v. Yankees tickets, an original Missy Asen painting and a martini party for 16.

In addition to the live auction, tonight's festivities offered up a cocktail reception on the covered deck, a wide selection of hearty hors d'oeuvres, an extensive silent auction and a chance to dance to the music of swing band Big Chief.

Be sure to pick up a copy of the May 20 edition of the Maine Sunday Telegram, where I'll have more party photos and details (including a funny story about the high bidder for Gracie).

Until then, I hope to see you out and about.

Art Honors party bestows honorary doctorates on Shettleworth & Sussman

Angie Muhs — Wed, 09 May 2012 02:49:04 GMT

Hundreds of people partied across three floors of the Maine College of Art tonight for the 16th annual Art Honors. The event drew major movers and shakers in Maine's art scene and introduced them to this year's class of graduating seniors. From the sushi bar in the student lounge to the molecular gastronomy cocktails in the science lab to the three artists sketching portraits of guests, the party featured lots of attractions.

But the highlight was the awards ceremony.

First off, MECA President Don Tuski, right, and trustee Andres Verzosa, left, presented state historian Earle G. Shettleworth, Jr. with the Art Honor for leadership in community service in the arts and education. Shettleworth is a prolific and sought-after lecturer and author, and THE expert on Maine history and architecture.

The second Art Honor - this one for leadership in art philanthropy - went to S. Donald Sussman, majority share owner of the Portland Press Herald/Maine Sunday Telegram and husband of Congresswoman Chellie Pingree. In addition to saving my job and rescuing the paper, Sussman is a generous donor to numerous Maine causes, many of them art-related. He's also a self-confessed avid art collector.

The patron and sponsor ticket holders who filled Osher Hall for the presentation gave standing ovations after both presentations. The proceedings were simulcast throughout the building.

After the presentations, Vezosa kept everyone smiling, including, from left, Roxanne Quimby, who received an Art Honor last year, Margaret O'Keefe, who co-chaired the event committee with Verzosa, Shettleworth and Sussman.

If you want to see more party photos and read about what guests had to say, be sure to pick up the May 13 edition of the Maine Sunday Telegram. I'll have all the details in my Society Notebook column.

Until then, I hope to see you out and about.

Dr. Bob McAfee honored with Hanley Leadership Award

Angie Muhs — Tue, 01 May 2012 03:20:59 GMT

Dr. Bob McAfee, a living legend in Maine medicine, was honored tonight with the Hanley Leadership Award during a dinner held at the Marriott at Sable Oaks in South Portland. Above, Dr. McAfee smiles and waves to the crowd after receiving the award. His wife, Doris, is behind him and to her right are Gordon Smith, of the Maine Medical Association, and Dr. Sean Hanley, who chairs the board of the Daniel Hanley Center for Health Leadership, which is named for his father.

Dr. McAfee is a past president (and the only one from Maine) of the American Medical Association, where he succeeded in getting the organization to recognize that domestic violence is a medical issue. He's a trustee emeritus for the University of New England, a founding member of Maine Citizens Against Handgun Violence and the former chairman of the Partnership for a Tobacco-Free Maine advisory council.

In addition to presenting the award, the Hanley Center introduced the first crop of McAfee Fellows to the crowd. The fellows are all physicians completing an advanced leadership training course, offered in conjunction with the Heller School at Brandeis University.

The party attracted leading figures in Maine's healthcare scene and featured a keynote address by Dr. Thomas Lee, a professor at the Harvard Medical School and network president of Partners HealthCare System. Dr. Lee talked about a system his practice is using to create continuous improvement in patient care.

Should you want to see more photos and learn more details from the party, be sure to pick up the May 6 edition of the Maine Sunday Telegram.

Until then, I hope to see you out and about.

Blue Wrap medical waste takes a turn on the catwalk

Angie Muhs — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 10:04:10 GMT

More than 300 people crowded into Hannaford Hall at USM's Abromson Center in Portland tonight for the second annual Blue Wrap Project Runway fashion show. Once again the show was a huge hit, garnering multiple standing ovations, cheers and applause. The event benefits Partners for World Health, which collects discarded but still usable medical supplies and distributes them to Third World countries. In the photo above, Partners for World Health founder Elizabeth McLellan shows 4-year-old Avery Murphy where to stand at the end of the show. Elizabeth is wearing a gown designed by Michelle Arnold and Avery is wearing a ballerina dress designed by Erika Lynn Smith.

The show featured 40 models wearing clothing created by an almost equal number of designers. All of the couture was made from the disposable medical product known as blue wrap.

Here's a look at some of the designs spotted on the runway:

Emalie Esty models a short but well ruffled dress designed by Zeljka Rakovic. Master of ceremonies Erin Ovalle, host of the morning show on WMTW-8, is at the podium in the background.

Brandon Gormley models a pious suit designed by Suzanne Parrott and CM Almy Corporation, a Maine company which produces garments worn in churches around the world.

Morelle Kadia models a dress with African flair designed by Bioneke Mpungu, who was inspired by the fashion of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The young members of the Bossong family wear designs created by their aunt Lynne Atienza. The children, from left, Reagan, 6, Victoria, 8, Lawrence, 10, and Robert, 11, performed on their violins before being joined by their mother, Annie Atienza-Bossong, a dentist, who designed her own sheath dress.

USM alum and 2010 Miss Maine United States Aleksandra Derikonja models a leggy dress designed by Erika Lynn Smith.

Flowing across the stage with an Asian air, Sophie Salomon modeled a kimono-inspired wrap designed by Judy Gailen and embellished with 175 origami cranes.

John Hatcher, CEO of Hatcher Real Estate Enterprises, channeled President Thomas Jefferson in this period costume designed by Barbara Kelly.

Ninette Irabaruta modeled a gown perfect for prom or a cocktail party designed by Marina Douglas.

Christina Strong D'Appolonia, who owns Strong Bodies in Yarmouth, modeled a cocktail dress and jacket created by nationally known fashion designer Jill McGowan.

Don't forget to pick up the April 29 edition of the Maine Sunday Telegram, where I'll have more details and photos from the fashion show and party.

Until then, I hope to see you out and about.