MAINE, USA — If you're looking for a new instrument to pick up, a secret sledding spot, or even a place where you can find red snappers on pizza, this month's issue of Down East magazine is for you.
We spoke with Down East's editor, Brian Kevin, about the latest edition.
It features an article on an Iraqi transplant, Jawad Al Fatlawi, who has dedicated his life to perfecting the instrument known as the oud.
"He was an asylum seeker in this country from native Iraq, but he is a really talented maker of instruments," Kevin said. "He's found a way to take this traditional Middle Eastern instrument and put it in a body that's more like a resemblance of a guitar, [which is] a little more familiar to Western musicians."
Also featured is a premiere sledding spot in every Maine county. The Down East team found some hidden gems that are sure to keep you and your family entertained all winter long.
"Really good community sledding hills aren't necessarily something that you can just up and Google," Kevin said. "A lot of times, you kind of have to know where the locals go."
The magazine also takes a closer look at Maine's pizza landscape, featuring an entire spread of yummy menu options from around the state. There's something for everyone, including a pizza in Aroostook County topped with Maine's famous red snapper hot dogs and Humpty Dumpty's all-dressed chips.
"Pizza has gotten a lot better in this state over the course of the last decade," Kevin said. "It's a little bit of a consequence of the farm to table movement; it's a little bit of a consequence of the artist and bread movement; and it's a consequence of a few pioneer places like Otto."
The latest issue of Down East magazine is available now in a store near you.