Up, up and away Every August I think the same thing: How do balloon enthusiasts (balloonthusiasts?) deal with the heartbreakingly unstable Maine weather year-after-year without sobbing balloon-shaped tears into their burners? Each summer they come here and promptly get grounded due to wind, rain, lightning and, in the case of the 2004 tragedy, termites. But […]

 Dating someone new is not easy for anyone. Expectations can be high, and it’s very easy to make a wrong move. Knowing what not to do on your earliest dates can help you to avoid future problems. Here are Dr. Romance’s reminders of what not to do on a date. 1. Don’t assume your date […]

 Like it or not, your mom has parenting experience and opinions, and odds are good that she’s going to share them with you every chance she gets. Not a problem for your fam? Smile and give Grandma a hug for us. But if you have unsolicited advice coming out the wazoo, here are a few […]

Married for 14 years, Michael and Brenda Ellis Sauro came to Maine from East Sandwich, Mass., in 2002 in search of a large barn for artistic projects. After buying a Briggs Avenue antique shop in Paris, they opened the Painted Mermaid Gallery in 2005. As the name suggests, Brenda’s work includes a wide variety of […]

Mystery photo contest entry for 8/30/09 If you can identify where this photo was taken, contact us at [email protected] or call 689-2896 and leave a voicemail with your answer. Please leave your name and phone number. Correct entries will be eligible for a drawing for a $20 Dunkin’ Donuts gift card.

I’ve always thought there was something more real, more substantial to music on vinyl than in mp3 format. Maybe it’s because in order to listen to the music there are more steps to be taken than simply pushing play on your iPod. Maybe it’s the fuller sound that’s produced when the needle is set on […]

Dropping the eldest child off at college for the first time not easy. Saying farewell to the youngest considerably more challenging. So, how do we say goodbye in a way that best supports our children? Share your tangled emotions with your child. It’s OK for them to know that you have some sad thoughts but […]

Some events require tickets or are subject to other limitations. If in doubt, we recommend you contact the venue. Night Life listings must be e-mailed to [email protected] and received no later than Thursday. Tonight Sunday Night Dance Party with Steve Colella, 8 p.m., Mixers, Sabattus Karaoke, 8 p.m. to midnight, Schemengee’s Bar and Grille, Lewiston […]

Why is it we go to a restaurant to have a quiet meal and we get canned music to go with our meal that is either a female yelling at the top of her lungs or a man, which gives the same sound as chalk on a blackboard? Why can’t they play just soft music […]

(MCT) It’s not easy to wrap your head around “Inglourious Basterds,” writer-director Quentin Tarantino’s audacious fantasy of Jewish revenge against the Nazis. Featuring long, talky sequences that give way to sudden, almost cartoonish outbursts of violence, the film is both grindhouse and arthouse; an exploitation film as Jean-Luc Godard might have made. But if you […]