I’m Jake Newman. The Portland Logbook is my love letter to this city: the food worth hunting down, the history that refuses to die, the corners you only find if you’re paying attention.

Five Thousand of Us

The Portland Logbook just passed 5,000 readers. Think about that for a second. That’s enough to fill the State Theatre three times over and still flood the streets outside. Looks like I should start a band. (Oshima Brothers, if you’re looking for new members, I’m willing to change my name or get adopted.)

Five thousand people reading about Portland every week. That number isn’t just big, it’s wild. When I started this, it was just a way to share what I love about this city: the places that matter, the stories worth telling, the little details you only catch if you live here and pay attention. Now it’s turned into a community, and knowing you’re all out there reading along means more than I can say.

Portland is home. It’s the late-night kitchens, the sea air in winter, the artists, the old houses, the stubborn character that makes this place different from anywhere else. Writing The Logbook has made me love it even more, and the fact that 5,000 of you are here for it tells me I’m not alone in that.

I’m grateful for every single one of you. Thanks for reading, for sharing, and for helping me prove that this city’s stories are worth telling. Here’s to the next 5,000.

— Jake

Five thousand of us reading about Portland every week. Feels like reason enough to throw a party. Would you come if The Logbook put something on? 🎉

Dreaming of the Deering Oaks Castle

If you’ve walked through Deering Oaks, you know it: the little stone castle by the pond, turrets sharp against the trees. Built in 1894 as a warming hut for ice skaters, it later sold cocoa and hot dogs to families by the water. For generations it was part of the park’s rhythm. Today, it mostly sits quiet, leased here and there, never quite alive the way it could be.

I keep imagining it. A café tucked inside, coffee steaming on winter mornings. Summer nights with wine at outdoor tables, music drifting over the pond. Portland deserves its own version of Central Park’s Boathouse or Boston’s Public Garden café, right here in the heart of Deering Oaks.

The hurdles are real: the Castle has no kitchen, and that’s half the battle. Past tenants have struggled with the scale and the seasonality. But the bones are there, the history, the charm, the setting. All it needs is vision.

One day, maybe the gates will open again, lights glowing inside those stone walls, and the Castle will stop being a backdrop. It will be the heart of the park again. Until then, every time I walk past, I’ll keep picturing the sound of clinking glasses and the smell of coffee in the air.

What do you think the Deering Oaks Castle should be? 🏰

🐾 Adoptable Buddies of the Week! 🐾

🐶 Milo – 7 months, 54 lbs
Playful pup with tons of energy. Loves walks, hikes, and being your sidekick. Best with kids 8+, dog meets required, cat history unknown.

🐱 Shresher VonCattersis – 15 years
Independent long-haired lady. Needs a patient, cat-savvy home. Likely best as the only pet but has lived with older cats.

🐶 Ben – 1 year, 53 lbs
Fun, energetic, and loves the outdoors. Dog selective, cat history unknown. Best with kids 6+ who can handle his bouncy play style.

🐕 Interested? Check them out here