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.

Bold Is the Space Every Creative in Portland Needed

Bold is a magazine shop in the Arts District that feels nothing like the racks you grew up with. Walk in on Congress Street and you feel it fast. The shelves aren’t filled with the standard grocery-store magazines you are used to seeing. These are softcover coffee-table books. Heavy pages. Real design. Photography that stops you. The kind of things you leave out because they just look good.

Portland has plenty of art, but Bold fills a new lane. You flip through something from Copenhagen or Tokyo and it snaps you out of autopilot. It feels real. It feels useful.

Stacy, the owner, has a clean eye and a real love for print design. On the counter sits a stack of Vogue issues she’s collected from around the world, lined up like a small personal archive. It tells you everything you need to know about the place.

We live in a world built to scroll ourselves numb, getting hit with ads pretending to be inspiration. Walking into Bold pushes back against that. It reminds you how good it feels to hold something with weight. Something made by people.

You’ll find food journals that read like actual diaries, fashion books with attitude, travel pieces that get under your skin, and art & design magazines that make you want to rearrange your entire apartment. Interiors, literature, style, craft. All chosen with intention. Nothing random. Nothing fed through an algorithm.

The space matches that energy. Clean lines, warm light, and enough room to flip through something without feeling watched. It fits the Arts District the way Space Gallery and the PMA do. It adds to the neighborhood instead of changing it. A small thread, not a takeover.

Talking with Stacy brings the whole vision into focus. She isn’t chasing a trend. Bold feels like a quiet stand for print, design, photography, and inspiration that doesn’t disappear the second your thumb moves.

Stacy is also serious about supporting local magazine makers. She already carries Pencil Magazine, a small Portland print journal that spotlights local artists and makers. And she plans to keep adding more.

Visit Bold

A Field Guide to Maine Christmas Trees

Walking onto a Maine tree farm in December hits the same way every year. Cold air in your lungs. That sap smell. Rows of green that felt way bigger when we were kids. But once you start walking through the trees, everything kind of blends together. I honestly never knew there were real differences. Some trees are soft, some are prickly, some lean blue, some stay deep green. Fir, spruce, then fir again.

The trick is paying attention to the small things. How the needles bend. What color sits under the branch. The smell you get when you crush a little twig. Once you notice that stuff, the whole field changes. The trees stop looking the same and you start seeing what’s what.

Balsam Fir

Balsam is the old Maine standard. Similar to the Fraser in look, it has soft, flat needles that bend easily when you run your hand down a branch. Flip one over and the underside stays a steady deep green. Crush a needle and the scent hits you exactly the way Christmas is supposed to smell. The branches have a gentle sway that gives balsam its classic soft silhouette. If you want the tree that feels closest to the woods we actually live around, this is the one.

Fraser Fir

Frasers are sturdier and easy to spot once you know the trick. Turn a branch and the underside flashes silver. That is the signature. The needles feel firmer and the branches push back when you press down. They are built for heavier ornaments, warm houses, and people who tend to forget about watering until late at night. The scent is lighter and cleaner than balsam, but fraser holds its shape and its needles better. If you want reliability without losing the look, go with this.

Canaan Fir

Canaan sits between balsam and fraser in a way that makes immediate sense once you see it. The needles look like a darker fraser with a softer sheen underneath. Touch them and they land in that medium zone. Crush one and the smell has balsam’s brightness with a deeper, earthier finish. The branches stay strong without getting rigid and the shape feels full without looking too dense. If you want the best mix of scent and longevity, Canaan is the quiet winner.

Blue Spruce

Blue spruce never pretends to be something else. The color leans into icy blues and steel tones that look incredible in winter light. Touch a branch and the needles let you know exactly what you are dealing with. Spruce is sharp. It is part of the charm. The branches stay stiff and architectural and the tree almost looks sculpted compared to the softer firs. The scent is mild, but blue spruce is chosen for presence, not aroma. You do not see it everywhere around Portland, but when you find one, it is unforgettable.

Douglas Fir

Douglas firs are gentler in every way. The needles feel almost feathery and the green is lighter and more open. The branches give easily if you press down. Crush a needle and you get a sweet, citrus-like scent that sets it apart from every other tree in the field. It is not great for heavy ornaments and it is not the most common tree around Portland, but it has a warmth and softness that people love once they see it in a living room.

How to Read a Tree in the Field

The simplest method is touch, flip, crush. Soft needles mean fir. Sharp needles mean spruce. A silver underside means Fraser. A steady dark green means balsam. A darker, moodier fraser with an earthy scent leans Canaan. Blue needles point to spruce. A sweet citrus smell means Douglas. Once you know these cues, the whole field becomes easy to read.

Farms Near Portland

Below are the farms that hold up both in Reddit conversations and in real world research. These are the ones that make sense to send readers to. A mix of cut-your-own and pre-cut, all within reach of the city.

Highland Farm in Scarborough
Pre-cut trees. Reliable quality. A local favorite for people who want quick and easy without sacrificing a good tree.
Old Farm Christmas Place in Cape Elizabeth
Cut-your-own and pre-cut. A true farm feel close to Portland, with fir varieties and a more classic experience.
Balsam Ridge Christmas Tree Farm in Raymond
Cut-your-own and pre-cut. Known for strong firs, a traditional setup, and a well-run operation with a sugarhouse.
Merry Christmas Trees in Windham
Cut-your-own. Balsam-focused. A straightforward, family-run spot without any fuss.
Broadway Gardens in Westbrook
Pre-cut only. Quality varies by year. Worth checking for convenience.

Find a Tree Farm

THIS WEEKS CONDITIONS
☀️ SUNRISE: 6:55 AM
🌅 SUNSET: 4:05 PM.
☁️ AIR QUALITY: Clean, steady, and staying clear through the week.
🌊 SEA TEMP: 49.6 °F (Casco Bay,)
✨ Local Favorite of the Week: Indy’s Sandwiches

🏡 Thinking about buying or selling a home in Maine? Just hit reply, I’d love to help.

🐾 Adoptable Buddies of the Week! 🐾

🐶 Connor – 10 yrs
A small black-and-white gentleman with the softest energy. He’s gentle, easy, and has this little star-shaped smile that gets you right away. Dog and kid intros are needed, cat history unknown, but he’s a sweet senior who just wants a calm home and a warm spot to land.

🐱 Daenerys – 6 yrs
A Tiny Tiger girl who needs patience and a quiet place to settle in. She’s shy at first, but once she feels safe, she relaxes into her rhythm. Best without young kids, and she may like another steady animal around. If you get her, you get her.

🐱 Helen – 3 yrs
An orange-and-black stunner with a careful side. She needs a calm home and someone who understands slow trust. No young kids for her, but she might do well with another mellow pet. Give her time and she’ll show you her real personality in little flashes.

🐕 Interested? Check them out here

If the link doesn’t open anymore, it means they’ve already been adopted!

The PMA Tree Lighting: A Copper Beech Holiday Kickoff

Friday, December 5. Festivities begin at 6:00 PM. The tree lights go on at 6:30. There’ll be carols by Classical Uprising, seasonal poetry from The Telling Room, festive treats, and PMA store discounts. Come gather under the glow with friends and family.

Join the Tree Lighting

“Please go support the people who are supporting the logbook!” -Jake