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.

What the January Thaw Actually Is

My friends and I keep a chalkboard where we tally every time one of us slips and eats it on the ice each winter. Full cartoon-style falls only. No stumbles.

As of this week, I’m on the board once.
I’m calling that a win.

Which brings me to the January thaw.

You hear people mention the January thaw every winter, usually when the snow starts melting and the sidewalks turn to slush. It sounds like a myth, but it’s a real thing.

In Maine, there’s often a stretch in mid to late January when warmer air pushes up from the south for a few days. Temperatures rise above freezing, sometimes into the 40s. It’s not spring showing up early. It’s just how weather patterns work here. Cold air slips north, warmer air fills the gap, then winter settles back in.

That pattern has been happening for as long as people have kept records.

A hundred years ago, people planned around it. Not emotionally. Practically.

The thaw gave you a chance to deal with things winter froze in place earlier in the month. Snowbanks softened. Ground loosened a bit. Repairs that were impossible at ten degrees suddenly became doable. You didn’t assume winter was ending. You just knew you had a short window where things were easier.

And while things aren't as difficult as they were back then, the city still moves differently for a few days. People walk a little more. Errands feel less annoying. Snow melts just enough to remind you the ground is still there under all of it.

The important part is this: the January thaw isn’t unusual, and it’s not a fluke. It’s part of how winter works here. A brief reset before the cold comes back.

So if things feel lighter this week, that’s normal. Enjoy it. Use it. Just don’t overthink it.

Winter isn’t ending. It’s just catching its breath.

Read last weeks Logbook →

You Don’t Have to Stay Home This Month

If you’re participating in Dry January, Portland isn’t a bad place to land.

Not because it’s trying to be healthy. Not because anyone’s preaching. Just because you can still go out, order something decent, and feel like you’re part of the night.

I’m doing Dry January too, and I still want to leave the house.

A year or two ago, that usually meant settling for something sweet and forgettable.

That’s not really the case anymore.

Here’s where it’s actually worth ordering.

Crispy Gai
One of the best NA cocktail menus in the city, full stop. The Thai Herb Tonic is my go-to. Mint, coriander, ginger, tonic. Bright, savory, and built like a real drink. The Thai Iced Tea is also worth ordering. Crispy Gai treats non-alcoholic drinks with the same care as everything else on the menu, and it shows.

Sur Lie
Sur Lie quietly does this well. I’m a sucker for the Sur Lie Temple. Spiced grenadine, lime, soda. Simple. Correct.

Benny’s
A Shirley Temple with house-made grenadine for four dollars. I know. I don’t care. It works.

Gil’s
Herb-forward and bright. Not sweet. A good reminder that NA drinks don’t have to lean sugary to be interesting.

Room for Improvement
I’m usually here for a Red Snapper, but if you’re not drinking, ask what the bartenders are making NA that night. There’s more going on than you’d think.

Lamb’s
Worth the short trip. The NA Sage Sour is savory, balanced, and built like a real drink.

The Jewel Box
A smaller NA list, but thoughtful. A good place to land when you want something calm or to hear someone on karaoke sing Florence and the machines.

Arcadia*
Pinball, skee-ball, playful drinks. They lean sweet for me, but friends insist I’m wrong, so take that as you will.
*Taste thing, not a judgment thing.

Then there’s the beer side of town

I’ll be upfront. I’m not really a beer guy, alcoholic or not. But a lot of my friends are, and these are the NA options they actually order more than once, which feels like the only metric that matters.

KitNA Brewing
All non-alcoholic, made in Maine, and treated like real beer. Even the friends who normally complain about NA stuff keep going back to it.

Orange Bike Brewing Company
Gluten-free and solid across the board. If beer is your comfort drink, this is the place.

That’s kind of the point now. None of this feels like a workaround anymore. If you want something bitter, savory, or beer-adjacent, you can find it without settling.

Pick a place. Order something good. Stay out a little longer than you planned.

THIS WEEKS CONDITIONS
☀️ SUNRISE: 7:12 AM
🌅 SUNSET: 4:28 PM.
🌊 SEA TEMP: 39.9 °F (Casco Bay,)
✨ Local Favorite Shop of the Week: Verbena
✨ Local Artist of the Week: Bryan Hansen

Portside Real Estate Group

🏡 I write The Portland Logbook, and I also help people buy and sell homes in Portland.

If a move is on your mind, I’m always happy to help you think it through.

Work With Jake

🐾 Adoptable Buddies of the Week! 🐾

🐶 Joey – 2 months
Tiny. Curious. Full of possibility. Joey is a pre-adopt puppy waiting on a cardio check and someone ready for training, play, and love. If you’ve been dreaming of raising your own sidekick from day one, this is your moment.

🐱 Amato – 1 yr
Instant best friend energy. Amato settles fast, loves attention, and fits easily into most homes. Confident, social, and ready to run your household in the best way.

🐱 Peri – 6 yrs
Slow burn sweetheart. Peri needs a calm, cat-savvy home and a little space to come out of his shell. Earn his trust and you’ll have a goofy, loyal companion all your own.

🐕 Interested? Check them out here

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