Ray Routhier has written about pop culture, movies, TV, music and lifestyle trends for the Portland Press Herald since 1993. He is continually fascinated with stories that show the unique character of Maine’s people and places. He’s written about why so many businesses use the made-up word “Mainely” in their names, how you can trace Portland’s history through its various smells and why Mainers lament the loss of Portland-made B&M baked beans. He’s interviewed a wide variety of filmmakers, actors, musicians and authors, including Patrick Dempsey, Tony Shalhoub, Richard Russo, Tess Gerritsen, Tony Bennett, Anna Kendrick, and Stephen King. His passions, besides writing, include baseball history, old movies and “Jeopardy!” A native of Manchester, New Hampshire, he graduated with a degree in political science from the University of New Hampshire. He lives in South Portland with his wife and two children.
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PublishedDecember 19, 2010
Festive (Just don’t digest it)
But it’s not true that the poor, pilloried poinsettia is poisonous – at worst it could give you, or kitty, an upset stomach. So go ahead and use it in your holiday decor.
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PublishedDecember 16, 2010
Something ‘different’ for the holidays
You can have a blue Christmas, courtesy of an Elvis impersonator, or a bit of burlesque – and those are just a couple of the less traditional ways Mainers can celebrate the season.
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PublishedDecember 13, 2010
Pin setters right up mechanic’s alley
Maine at Work: Our reporter gets his hands – and his khakis – dirty behind the scenes at Bayside Bowl.
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PublishedDecember 12, 2010
Open House: Nesting instinct
The Weirs of West Bath wanted a home that really fit them — and got one with an open plan, tons of storage, a tree-filled lot and soaring windows that invite the outside in.
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PublishedDecember 6, 2010
An ear-opener: Teaching the blind to navigate streets
Maine at Work: A coach for the visually impaired finds satisfaction in delivering tools that foster independence.
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PublishedDecember 5, 2010
Author Q&A: The man, the myth, the gun lover
Mainer Silvio Calabi explores the life of Ernest Hemingway through the prism of his passion for hunting and firearms.
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PublishedNovember 30, 2010
Screenwriting contest picks winning script
Chris Sorensen wins $500 for his short screenplay “Double or Nothing.”
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PublishedNovember 30, 2010
For youngsters this Christmas,’little things … are big right now’
Santa might not need such a big toy sack this Christmas. It appears the hot holiday toys are shrinking.
The gotta-have toy of Christmas 2000 was the Razor Scooter, a toy big enough to stand on. In 2005, the hot Christmas toy was the Xbox 360, a substantial video game set. In 2006, parents scoured stores for the $40 TMX Elmo doll, in the standard Muppet size.
Last year, the hottest holiday toys by far were Zhu Zhu Pets, small in both stature and price. They were the size of hamsters, and priced under $10.
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PublishedNovember 29, 2010
At South Portland store, reporter wonders if the shoe fits
Marie Forbes sat in a chair and said casually and cheerfully, “I’m looking for a sexy little black shoe with a heel.”
My first inclination was to ask for more information — maybe a sketch of the shoe so I’d have more to go on. I mean, how do you define sexy in shoe terms?
But before I could open my mouth, Paul Adams had me following him into the back room at Selby Shoes, Etc.
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PublishedNovember 25, 2010
Music and Nightlife: Hooked
Phish founder Mike Gordon can’t get enough of … lists. And playing music. And touring — he’s in Portland Friday.
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