Bridge Lighting Ceremony

   Who says the real estate market is slow?  Just look at this crowd in the lobby of Newcastle Square Realty World Headquarters.

   Actually this is the reception held Saturday morning after the dedication of the new lights on the bridge spanning the Damariscotta River between the Twin Villages of Newcastle and Damariscotta.  The lights were a gift to the two towns from the Damariscotta-Newcastle Rotary Club.

 

   After a ceremony at the bridge which included speeches by Selectmen from both towns, Rotary presidents past and present, Rotary District Governor Liz Cullen and noted local historian Dick Day, everyone came in out of the cold and enjoyed cake and coffee. 

   The lights really dress up the bridge and are a nice finishing touch to our Main Street project.  And just as soon as I learn to take a decent picture at night we'll post a shot here of the bridge all lit up!

Jim Cosgrove

Damariscotta Traffic Lights

   The downtown Damariscotta construction project is finally done!  We have a newly paved Main street with proper drainage and granite curbs. We have nice wide sidewalks with 'bump outs" at the crosswalks that may be a little tricky for snowplowing but make life easier for folks using wheelchairs and we also have a downtown traffic light!

   Now, it's not like this is our first traffic light in town. We got the first one about 10 years ago down at the intersection of Biscay Road and Business Route 1(Business Route 1 being the Route 1 bypass through town that Wiscasset wishes it had built back in the '60's).  And there's a blinking light out on Route 1 itself where Belvedere Road crosses it.  But this is right downtown.  They just turned it on one morning without giving anyone any warning.  I almost drove through the red light while I was looking at it and saying to myself " will you look at that, there's a traffic light now". Seems as if they should have had a ceremony or something, maybe hung some balloons out, you know, sort of made a big deal out of it.  But no, they just turned it on and expected everybody to start stopping and going like it had always been there.

   They should have learned from the Biscay Road light experience.  Heck, I still see old timers barrel right through that one like it isn't there.  I guess they'll get used to it eventually but it has only been 10 years.  So we'll expect a learning curve while folks get used to this one.  It's a pretty fancy setup that's for sure.  It has a picture of a hand that lights up and tells you when not to cross the road and there's even one light that sort of points towards a driveway, I guess to let then know when it's safe to come out onto the street.  Wonder how they decided to time that one?

   We also have freshly painted crosswalks and folks are really enjoying stopping so that people can use them.  Some people stop their cars even if someone just walks near the crosswalk.  The other day I was walking down the road with absolutely no intention of crossing to the other side when I heard a car horn beeping.  I looked up and there was a lady waving for me to cross the road.  I realized then that I was getting close to a crosswalk. Well I didn't want to hurt her feelings or anything so I crossed over.  She seemed quite happy and was beaming as she drove on with a wave.  I waited until she was out of sight and then went back to the crosswalk, whereupon I got to make someone else happy by letting them stop and wave me across so I could go back to my office. Honestly if you want to make people wicked happy just come to Damariscotta and cross the street a bunch of times.

   All in all though I'd say downtown is pretty nice. It was a bit of an inconvenience while they were working on it but it's not like it's something they do every year.  With any luck this will take care of our needs for a good long time.

Jim Cosgrove

 

Early Bird Sale

   This was the scene on Main Street in Damariscotta this morning just before the annual Early Bird Sale kicked off at 6 AM.   Although the poor weather forecast may have contributed to keeping the crowds down a little from previous years the turnout got better as the sky lightened and business was brisk.

   The Maine Coast Book Shop is always very kind and allows many of the local non profit organizations to set up booths in front of their shop (and under their overhanging roof).  Be sure and check out their new blog where I'm told there will be more pictures of this mornings event.

Jim Cosgrove

Damariscotta River Pumpkin Races

   Now admit it, when you first saw the phrase " Pumpkin Race" you didn't imagine that it meant grown men in hollowed out Atlantic Giant pumpkins?  Well, the First Annual Pumpkin Regatta is over and nobody drowned! Last year was the first time these craft took to the water in front of an audience but this year drew quite a crowd.

   Bill Green of WCSH Channel 6 TV (seen above) was a scratch from the race because he capsized, proving that the folks that race these giant gourds aren't just pretty faces but are skilled sea persons in the great Maine tradition.

   In between showings today, Newcastle Squares' Tom Field managed to get these pictures.  Stand by for complete race results from The Lincoln County News.

Damariscotta Delays are Going Away!

   The Main Street reconstruction project in Damariscotta comes to a halt today!  After several months of "ripping it up and putting it back together" the construction crews will be pulling out for the summer as it is simply too much to deal with the combination of summer volume and the one way traffic necessitated by the job.

   Although we think the crews have been great in their attempts to minimize delays and disruptions to our businesses, the traffic and general activity has picked up as we get further into the summer season.  What used to be a 5 to 10 minute delay has recently stretched into a 20 to 25 minute or even longer delay. So major kudos to our Town Fathers (much maligned in this spot I know, but not this time) for negotiating a 2 month halt in the project.  The crews will be back after Labor Day to finish up, which is expected to take another 2 months.

   For now we'll live with our new curbstones and wider sidewalks with temporary hot top on them and a street that is slightly lower than it will be when finished.  All in all in doesn't look too bad and should be pretty nice when finished.

   If this fellow pictured below isn't careful he might get left behind as they pull out!

Jim Cosgrove

Tennis Anyone?

    Despite Jim's remarks about "highly successful workaholics" some of us are managing to stay in balance, be highly successful and have some fun here in Maine, the state that proclaims itself "The Way Life Should Be".

   For the past 4 years I have captained a Tennis Team based at the Central Lincoln County YMCA called "Net Gains". We are a diverse group of women ranging in age from the 40's to the 70's with widely varying talents and interests.  On and off the courts we are competitive and constantly working to improve.  Many of my closest relationships through the years can be traced to tennis...the game for a lifetime!

   The talent (besides tennis) on the team is amazing.  There are several artists with very different styles, Jane Dahmen and Joy Vaughan. Tamar Francis is a graphic artist who currently works at Natural Expressions Jewelry Gallery.  Be sure to click on the links to see some of their work.

   Jen Mathews owns the well-known fabric store in Edgecomb, On Board Fabrics. Frances Pusch and Sheila Palmer both have successful sewing and slipcover businesses.

   Louise Belknap, formerly of the gone but not forgotten and much missed Belknaps Hardware, is the proud mother of Anna Belknap, aka Detective Lindsey Monroe on CSI: NY.  It became very clear to all of us last week as we played a game that involved acting that Anna's talent comes directly from her mother!

Lisa Gilbride, tennis pro extraordinaire and beloved coach, runs an amazing program at "the Y" in Damariscotta. She handles an incredible number of players of all ages, abilities and personalities, always with a smile.

   Recently we gathered at Jane's beautiful home overlooking the Damariscotta River for a season ending celebration.  After a great season on the tennis courts we decided to try something different.  Who knew that hitting a ball that isn't moving would be so difficult?  Elizabeth Sylvester (aka Tiger) put us all to shame, not only actually hitting the ball but hitting it straight and long!

   And yes, I work very hard at my real estate business.  But I play hard as well, thanks to these wonderful women who have become great friends!

Debby Schling

Damariscotta River Fun

   Who says summer's a short season in Maine?  It's still May and the municipal parking lot and town landing was abuzz with summer activities early this morning.  Every day more and more boats appear on the river and in Damariscotta Harbor.

   This morning "Calliope" was launched while kayakers arrived for their paddle on the river.  We watch all this activity from the 2nd floor deck here at Newcastle Square Realty World Headquarters.  Main Street may be under construction but it is absolutely glorious on the other side of the building!

Debby Schling

Damariscotta is a Good Town

   Let me say it again; Damariscotta is a good town.  A good place to live and work and raise kids. Of course when I say Damariscotta I mean the whole region.  It's just that Damariscotta functions as the downtown for the entire peninsula including Newcastle, Nobleboro, Bremen, Bristol and South Bristol.  What I'm specifically thinking about today is the anonymous merchant that is decorating downtown with flags for Memorial Day.  The construction crews have pulled out until Tuesday and traffic is flowing in both directions.  We've got some of the dirt off of the front of our buildings and if you come downtown you can use the front doors of our offices and stores. But what will really stick out is all of the American flags that are hanging from just about every storefront.  Thank You!

   I took a picture of the flags going up on our building and if you have a real sharp eye you'll notice our new granite curbstones and dirt sidewalks.  It's going to be  a little dusty for a while but I'm sure it will be real nice when this project is done.

   If you're a frequent reader of this blog you will also recall that not too long ago we had a very nice blue awning on the front of our building.  That's gone for now, a casualty of the mammoth machinery that has been working just inches from our plate glass windows.  But it will return just a soon as the work is done.

   Have a great Memorial Day weekend.  Don't forget to honor our Veterans and remember why we celebrate the day.

Jim Cosgrove

April Showers

    First we had the Valentines Day Blizzard, then we had the St. Patrick's Day Storm and now we have the Patriots Day Nor'easter.  I can't wait to see what Memorial Day will bring.  For the uninitiated, Patriots Day is only celebrated in Maine and Massachusetts and commemorates the battles of Lexington and Concord that began the Revolutionary War.  Until 1821 Maine was a part of Massachusetts and although we severed all ties with them we're no fools, we kept the holiday!

   We're getting quite a rain and wind storm today but so far at least the damage has been minimal.  Main Street in Damariscotta is closed because there is a chimney on one of the taller buildings that has lost a few bricks and flying bricks at 50 mile an hour winds are what we refer to as a "safety issue".

    Redirecting traffic through the municipal parking lot brought some challenges of it's own like a high tide that just barely avoided flooding the entire lot.   And speaking of high tide, when did Schooner Landing become a floating restaurant?

Tom Field

Maine in Winter

    Friends from places that I used to live in, Rye, New York, Newport, Rhode Island and Boston often ask me, "what does one do in Maine during the winter?"  The implication clearly being that there could not possibly be any worthwhile means of amusing oneself in such a lonely, cold backwater corner of New England.  Oh, sure Maine is a fine place to visit in the summer or even fall, but in winter?  Surely you must simply die from the boredom.

   I usually just murmur something and smile and try to change the subject.  This is a very special place and some, no most, of us like it better in the off season when we have things all to ourselves.  We really don't want this to get out. But for those of you who are thinking of buying real estate in Maine and moving here I'm going to let you in on this well kept secret.

   I moved here in 2000 looking for a better quality of life, a town that hadn't been touched by big box stores and a community of friendly people interested in preservation, the arts, sailing, the list is endless.  I spend way more time than I planned on selling real estate but that's all right because I meet the nicest people, people who are looking for the same thing I was just a few years ago.  But, when I'm not busy with my new career here's a sample of some of the ways we have to spend our time.

   Last Friday night I had an absolutely fabulous dinner at 74 Maine Bistro located just across from our office on Main Street in Damariscotta.  The ambiance and food were excellent.  We then went to a Heartwood Theater Production at Skidompha Library.  Copenhagen was presented in the round.  The acting was incredible and held a packed house for two and a half hours!  Saturday, I slept in and after checking my messages at the office I had lunch with a friend from the Boothbay Chamber of Commerce at Salt Bay Cafe, also here in Damariscotta.  Saturday night a fellow broker and I had dinner at the Damariscotta River Grill (hmm, I think we talked about real estate, I must check with my accountant to see if that qualifies as deductible). Even though we arrived at 5:30 planning on going to the 7 o'clock show at the Lincoln Theater, everyone else must have had the same idea because both floors were packed so we sat at the bar and had a dinner of assorted appetizers.  Afterwards we enjoyed the movie The Queen.

   After Church on Sunday I made the one hour drive to Portland with a friend and had brunch at Oofa, a bistro on the corner of Commerce and State Street.  They have the best virgin Bloody Mary's and Eggs Florentine that I have ever tasted, bar none.  Afterwords we went to the 2:30 performance of Tonight: A Tribute to Leonard Bernstein given by the Portland Symphony Orchestra at Merrill Auditorium.  A standing ovation for the performance by all present.

  So you see there is never a dull moment for those interested in good restaurants and the arts here in Maine during the winter. But please, don't tell anyone.  If you think this sounds like the place where you would like to live, quietly pick up the phone and give me a call, this is our little secret!

Muffy Myles

The Gourmet Real Estate Broker in Maine

Inside Scoop on the Office Party

   Ever wonder what real estate professionals do at a holiday party?  I will let you in on a secret; they get house tours of each others homes.  Bill and Tracy Babcock christened their new house by hosting a great holiday party for the brokers and staff of Newcastle Square Realty. Actually this isn't a new house but an older, circa 1850 home with a beautiful new addition. Bill and Tracy, along with one of our fine local craftsmen have spent the last 3 years painstakingly working on every detail of this project. 

   One of the problems we see all too often when someone puts a new addition onto an older home is that the two parts of the home simply don't match. Not so here, the Babcock's have done an amazing job of blending the old with the new without losing any of the charm of the original 19th century farmhouse.  It is certainly worthy of spread in House Beautiful or Architectural Digest or even the mainecoastpropertiesblog!

   And what was the highlight of the tour?  Was it the his and her dressing rooms? This his and her offices?  The incredibly well appointed chefs kitchen?   No, it was....the automatic opening trash can.  How have I lived without one of these for so long? You wave some trash in front of it and it opens.  How cool is that?  You've never seen people use so many napkins just for a chance to throw them away. I'm calling my stock broker today and buying into the company that makes these. Clearly this is the next big thing!

Tom Field

Editors note: (Big sigh) This is a true story.  Sad, but true. Gone are the days when people could get in serious trouble with the boss for what they did at the office party. We're a very staid group.

The Early Bird Gets ...The Discount!

    It is 5:30 AM on a Saturday morning in Damariscotta, it is a few degrees below freezing and the streets are full of crazy people with shopping bags. What is wrong with these folks?  I have to admit that at 5:30 this morning I opened one eye, glanced at the clock, rolled over and went back to sleep so my information is second hand and these pictures weren't taken until after 9 when the crowd had thinned out. But from what I hear there was hardly a parking spot to be found and people were lined up and waiting to get into stores in Damariscotta and Newcastle.

   I'm sorry, but you couldn't discount a new couch or television set enough for me to get into town at 5:30 in the morning. It's November people, it's dark and it's cold at that hour.

   OK it is a festive atmosphere, there are discounts of 50% or more in some stores, you're friends and neighbors are fund raising for the Damariscotta River Association or the Damariscotta-Newcastle Rotary Club or a local charity, your favorite candidate for Maine House or Senate is handing out hot coffee and scones, but is this really necessary? Isn't 5:30 a little uncivilized? Couldn't we do this at another time?   

   I'm proposing we do this at 9 PM on a Saturday night. Then, instead of coffee and donuts it could be Irish Coffee and...whatever goes with Irish Coffee. Or a Sheepscot Ale and whatever you want because everything goes with a Sheepscot Ale.

   If we can make this happen I will personally talk to the powers that be here at Newcastle Square Realty and see if we can't offer discounts on our inventory! How about 10% off on all waterfront property! 20% for intown. Buy 3 acres we throw in another acre. I don't know why nobody else ever thought of this. Who do I talk to?

Tom Field