Who's hungry? For the next few days, Joe is spreading the word about Maine Restaurant Week, which celebrates the ingenuity and innovation of Maine's favorite independent, locally-owned restaurants. If you're someplace where you can see the Time and Temp Sign, you're somewhere close to a great restaurant, many of which are participating in Maine Restaurant Week by offering special menus or promotions.  And don't forget about all the great Maine restaurants outside of Portland. If you're looking to dine out this week, be sure to check out the Maine Restaurant Week website to see which local spots are participating. Bon appetit, Portland.

For the next week, Joe will proudly be promoting Strive Rocks, a dance marathon at the Maine Mall to benefit Strive U, a comprehensive program providing post-secondary education and training to young adults with developmental disabilities in the realms of residential, employment, and community skills with the goal of enabling its graduates to live and work as full community members with maximum independence, productivity, and dignity. Joe urges you to learn more about this amazing non-profit by visiting their website, and don't forget to break out your dance shoes for the dance marathon on March 1st.

To all the lovebirds out there, Happy Valentine's Day.

XOXO,

Joe

Joe is excited to spread the word this weekend about the Chinese New Year. The Chinese and American Friendship Association of Maine (CAFAM) is hosting their 23rd Annual Chinese New Year Celebration on Saturday, February 8th, at the Westbrook Performing Arts Center at 471 Stroudwater Street, Westbrook. The celebration will feature song and dance, live Chinese zodiac animals, a lecture from Bowdoin professor Shu-Chin Tsui, a martial arts demonstration, and more fun activities. Joe wants to wish a happy new year to CAFAM and everyone who celebrates the holiday, and wishes everyone health and happiness in the upcoming Year of the Horse.

Coming soon to a Congress Street near you is the Portland Food Co-op, a grocery store dedicated to supporting local farmers and producers that will offer a wide selection of high quality and fairly priced local, organic, and natural foods and household products. Joe always appreciates the opportunity to support Maine farmers and is looking forward to this welcome addition to the Portland food scene. For more information about the co-op, click here to go to their website. They are hoping for some more member-owners before opening the market. Joe's in, are you?

Photography by Chris Trafford. To see more of Chris's work, click here.

This weekend, Joe wants to spread the word about WinterKids, an organization that helps children develop healthy lifelong habits through fun, outdoor winter activity. Growing up in Maine, some of Joe's fondest memories are of playing in the snow with his buddies, so this is a cause he appreciates. On Saturday, WinterKids is holding their annual Welcome to Winter festival in Payson Park. For more information about the event and the organization, click here. Joe hopes the event is a great success, and remember- don't let the cold weather keep you inside!

Photography courtesy of Corey Templeton. To see more of Corey's work, click here.

Each January, Joe is reminded of the achievements of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and is humbled and inspired by the Reverend's bravery and struggle for justice. While the pursuit of justice is never complete, racial equality has come a long way in Joe's lifetime, and that's thanks in no small part to Dr. King. So today, Joe says "THNX MLK".

Photograph courtesy of Chris Trafford. See more of Chris's work here.

Joe highly recommends checking out the season premiere of Sherlock, the present-day adaptation of the tales of the world's greatest detective. MPBN, the Maine Public Broadcasting Network, is hosting an event at the State Theatre tonight (more info here), where the season premiere will be shown on the big screen. If you're unable to make it to the event at the State, then do yourself a favor and try to watch the show online. Take a "clue" from Joe- the show is great, and that's just elementary.