PORTLAND, Maine — August's edition of Down East magazine captures the beauty and food scene of the white mountains, highlights an ice cream stand that's been serving smiles for decades, and gives us a closer look at the life one of Maine's most recognizable faces, Dr. Nirav Shah, among other topics.
Editor-in-Chief of the magazine, Brian Kevin, joined us in the 207 studio to talk more in-depth about the latest issue.
Samantha: First, let's turn our attention to something everyone loves to enjoy this time of year, ice cream!
Brian: The story is about the Island Dairy Treat on the Kennebec River in Skowhegan, and I think it's interesting because when you think of businesses that double [as] community hubs, you might not instinctively think about ice cream shops.
But certainly, in the summer in Maine, they are. And for 70 years, this place has just been like a community gathering place.
Samantha: To be in business for 70 years is quite an accomplishment.
Brian: The folks who are running it these days have some stories that go back generations. You have people that came when they were small, and now they bring their grandkids. All this kind of classic stuff.
So, if you are watching this and you think, ‘That kind of reminds me of the ice cream shop in my town, maybe I’ll go get a scoop.' You're going to recognize something about just that community aspect.
Samantha: The treats looked pretty good, too.
Brian: Dave Waddell, the photographer, did an amazing job of shooting images that are going to make you want to go and get a cone when you're done.
Samantha: As we mentioned, August's issue of Down East magazine features a familiar face. We know him as Dr. Nirav Shah, but as it turns out, there's way more to his story.
Brian: Yeah, and he's one of these people who has exploded onto the scene on account of the pandemic, obviously. Across the country, there are public health directors that, up until 2020, you know, worked hard and did important jobs but in relative obscurity.
Shah is an example of how this position has become a very public position in the last two years. But as the story’s author, Jesse Ellison, kind of points out, as you talk to others in his sphere across the country, [there] really aren't a lot of other examples of folks who have obtained the kind of celebrity [status]. He's got kind of an offbeat charisma because we're Maine, and we’re small. And we run into each other on the trail that he has managed to attain here.
Samantha: And he's, of course, pictured with his signature diet Coke in hand.
Brian: He has an iconic soft drink, which I don't know how many other public directors you can say that about. But, he's also a guy who, as he talked about with Jesse, has a complex relationship with his notoriety. He came to Maine after leaving a similar position in Illinois, which was kind of a controversial stint. He's very conscious of the fact that there are folks out there who take exception to the different sort of regulations that is his job to promote in various ways and sometimes butts heads with him on social media. So, hearing a little bit about how he's navigating this, I think it was interesting, and it's a conversation that I don’t know he's had much of up until now.
Samantha: The day we receive a sleeve of our favorite soda with a red ribbon around it is the day we'll know we made it!
Brian: Why aren’t people just handing me beer at the grocery store? How do I get to the level of Shah?
Samantha: Last but certainly not least, you'll know why when you see these photos. The issue has a full spread on the White Mountains and even has something for the foodie in your life.
Brian: When we do a service package like this, we try to look at not only the obviously hiking opportunities that are there and our little tiny chunk of the White Mountains. You know, people obviously associate the Whites with New Hampshire. But Maine’s got a bit, and our argument is we have some of the best of it. And it doesn’t see sort of the traffic at the trail heads that you get in New Hampshire and some of these more popular trails and the Presidentials and things.
But there’s also the amazing trail town of Bethel, where you can get a terrific meal at Le Mu Eats and a bunch of good beer. We stopped at some of our favorite places. Fryeburg is a great gateway town. It's a great place to stop off, and there are scenic drives and springs to soak in and like a number of things to do even if you're not a ‘badass’ hiker.
Samantha: As the article points out, there is no shortage of visitors year-round.
Brian: The White Mountains stay busy, but I think you can avoid some of those crowds in Maine. And whether you're someone who wants to strap on a backpack and log in a 12-mile day, or whether you're somebody who wants to go out with the kids and hit a couple of miles of trail and then jump into a pool to cool off, there’s something in here for you. And thank you for saying this. I think the photography, the three photographers who shot this, will make you want to go. That's our hope.