{"id":64808,"date":"2023-01-20T11:35:58","date_gmt":"2023-01-20T16:35:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.themainemag.com\/?p=64808"},"modified":"2023-01-26T11:45:22","modified_gmt":"2023-01-26T16:45:22","slug":"editors-picks-january-2023","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.themainemag.com\/editors-picks-january-2023\/","title":{"rendered":"Editor’s Picks: January 2023"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Here at Maine<\/em> mag, our sights are set on spring\u2014can you believe we\u2019re working on the May issue already? While our minds are turned toward blooming flowers, warm breezes, and Maine Maple Sunday, our bodies are stuck in reality, and the editorial team has been keeping it quite cozy this month despite the unsettling lack of snow\u2014that is until today. From streaming new shows to visiting a hidden music venue, here\u2019s what members of our staff have been up to.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What We Read:<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Photo courtesy of Random House Group<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Being pregnant with morning sickness (which should be more accurately named morning-noon-and-night-sickness), one seeks peace, quiet, and something to escape into\u2014why not a good book? Author Taylor Jenkins Reid hooked me with <\/em>Malibu Rising and <\/em>The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, but <\/em>Daisy Jones & The Six<\/a> is a different kind of read (and my favorite by far). Written as a documentary script, this story is told through the retelling of events from each Fleetwood Mac-inspired character, making the band\u2019s journey feel palpable. <\/em>Daisy Jones & The Six is jam-packed with drama, love stories, comedic relief, and all things rock-n-roll, including an entire collection of lyrics from the songs mentioned throughout the story. When you get to the last page, don\u2019t be sad! The novel is coming to life on Amazon Prime as a limited series in March<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2014Caili Elwell, digital strategist<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What We Drank:<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Photo courtesy of Three of Strong<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

While I don\u2019t have anything personal against the concept of Dry January, I think most self-indulgences are okay in moderation. This month, I was thrilled to find out that <\/em>Three of Strong<\/em><\/a>\u2014Portland\u2019s only rum distillery and one of my favorite places to hit up for always-friendly service, on-tap cocktails, and $5 bottomless bowls of popcorn\u2014launched a canned version of their in-house draft Maine Mojito<\/a>. The ready-to-drink 4-packs are made with mint, lime, and Brightwater Silver Rum, are available throughout the state and at Three of Strong\u2019s East Bayside taproom, which means you might as well grab a growler of Hibiscus-Lime Rum Punch or a bottle of small-batch spirits to take home while you\u2019re in town.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2014Becca Abramson, editorial assistant<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What We Ate:<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Photos courtesy of Trudy Bird’s<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

One of my New Year’s resolutions is that in 2023 I won’t go out to eat more than once per week. Not that I <\/em>was eating out that often before\u2014I just tend to view eating out more as a last resort when I didn’t feel like cooking, as opposed to a special occasion (scarcity theory and whatnot, right?). Earlier this month I decided to use my one meal of the week to check out <\/em>Trudy Bird’s \u00d8lbar<\/em><\/a>, a Scandinavian-inspired restaurant that recently opened in North Yarmouth. From the wrought iron taps at the bar to the small-plates menu filled with mouthwatering bites like charred cabbage garnished with pork belly and a cider glaze, the atmosphere and design had me hooked. Plus, Toots Ice Cream’s newer location is just down the road, so it’s easy to stop by and wash down your hearty meal with ice cream.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2014Hadley Gibson, associate editor<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Where We Went:<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Photo: Lincoln Sample<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Last month, I bought tickets to a concert in Boston with a big, popular band in a big, modern venue. I paid $15 for a Bud Light and stood at the edge of the massive group of people, my view partially obscured by a beam in the middle of the room. I thought longingly back to the show I had caught in Portland only a few days prior\u2014Butcher Brown at Sun Tiki Studios<\/a>\u2014and while I tried to enjoy the Boston show, it was impossible not to compare the two back-to-back experiences. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019d never heard of Butcher Brown, a jazz-funk fusion band, before getting tickets, but after some Spotify reconnaissance I decided their show would be a fun way to spend a Friday night. The band was amazing, the live performance has stuck with me as one of the best I\u2019ve seen, and the quality of the venue played an enormous role in that. I\u2019ve gone to a few shows at Sun Tiki since being introduced to the space, but this show was what solidified the venue as my personal favorite. Tucked next to a dive bar alongside Forest Avenue, the repurposed tanning salon doesn\u2019t look like much from the outside, but inside it\u2019s a great little venue with an affordable selection of drinks, a stage you can see from anywhere in the room, an almost comical number of bathrooms, and, most importantly, an incredible sound system and light setup that makes you forget how small the space actually is once the show starts. It\u2019s a real hidden gem. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2014Olivia Ryder, production manager<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What We Watched:<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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