Anyone can join the Ideal Maine Social Aid and Sanctuary Band, which just had its busiest year yet.
Leslie Bridgers
Columnist
Leslie Bridgers is a columnist for the Portland Press Herald, writing about Maine culture, customs and the things we notice and wonder about in our everyday lives. Originally from Connecticut, Leslie came to Maine by way of Bowdoin College and never left. She joined the Portland Press Herald in 2011 as a reporter and spent seven years as the paper’s features editor, overseeing coverage of arts, entertainment and food.
Posted inLeslie Bridgers, Life & Culture, Maine
In-person dating events are having a moment in Maine | Column
Tired of the apps, an increasing number of people are eager for new ways to meet romantic partners.
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Posted inLeslie Bridgers, Opinion
A self-conscious Portland struggled openly with ICE strike | Column
Please spare us the trumpeting of donations in lieu of closing or, worse, the cringeworthy insistence on the value of your open business as a ‘safe space.’
Posted inLeslie Bridgers, Life & Culture, Maine, News
Portland pop-ups extend beyond Little Free Library trend | Column
People are inviting neighbors onto their properties to take food, make wishes and play with their dogs.
Posted inBusiness, Food, Maine, News
More than 200 Maine businesses are participating in Friday’s strike. Here’s a list.
Shops, restaurants and others are closing their doors or making donations to organizations that support people affected by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement surge in Maine.
Posted inLeslie Bridgers, Life & Culture, Maine, News
How accurate is AI’s ‘Most Maine Man in the World’? | Column
Although a video spoofing the popular Dos Equis ads features several clever takes on the ultimate Mainer, there are shortcomings.
Posted inFood, Leslie Bridgers, Maine, News
Could a $20 burger and beer lure you to a Portland restaurant? | Column
With the rapidly rising cost of eating out, even a grant-funded program of deals might not be enough to entice local diners to leave their homes.
Posted inHealth, Leslie Bridgers, Life & Culture, Maine, News
Why members of this popular Westbrook fitness class keep coming back | Column
The thrice-weekly sessions that started with four older adults now draw between 40 and 50 people ranging in age and ability.
Posted inFood, Leslie Bridgers, Life & Culture, Maine, News
Strangers met for dinner at 5 Portland restaurants. Despite our fears, it was fun. | Column
Based on personal traits and dining preferences, The Maine Dinner Club matches people up to share a meal out. It wasn’t as awkward as you might think.
Posted inArts & Entertainment, Business, Leslie Bridgers, Life & Culture, Maine
The ways Maine was forever changed by 2025 | Column
New license plates, the last Farmers’ Almanac and other developments that redefined our culture.