25 Congress Street (corner of Eastern Promenade) Won the Home Decoration Contest and Was Visited by Mumford & Sons and Mayor Brennan
Looking for Someone at the Entrance to the Concert
Steam Veggies in a Wrap at $5.95 were a Hit.
Eastern Promenade Resident, Chris, Looks for a Better View in the Tree Tops Near His Home.
“It was a group project. There were twelve of us involved in decorating the house. My truck was used to get the lumber for the boat from Rufus Deering,” said Charles Terhune, who with his wife Alice is a tenant at 25 Congress Street – the same house proclaimed the winner in the home decorating competition offered by Mumford & Sons. Terhune said this morning in a telephone interview that he was “instrumental in getting the supply acquisition filled.” The group started working on the project about 8 am yesterday and finished around 2 pm. ‘Sparky,’ their 4 year old Shar-Pei/German Short Haired Pointer mix often occupies the first floor deck and is frequently mistaken for a black Lab. Despite her issue, she proved herself an effective project manager for the home decorating competition crew!
Two weeks ago residents along the Eastern Promenade received a letter from the State Theatre promoting a home decorating competition for residents between Ft. Allen Park and Turner Street. As incentive, the winner was promised a private performance by the band in their living room. “We didn’t get a private concert. But I’m not surprised,” said Terhune, 43. But the couple got something else. He was sitting on his deck when a long golf cart approached the house at the corner of Congress and the Eastern Promenade. He asked his wife to take the meat off the grill. They dashed up to the third floor penthouse of the building where their landlord lives; Nance Mohaghan. There he shook hands with the band. He watched as Mayor Brennan welcomed them to Portland and awarded them the ceremonial keys to the City. “It’s not every day that you have a major musical act in your building,” he said laughing. Incidentally, he is the grandson of Howard Reiche, of Reiche School on the West End. His mother grew up on the Hill on Moody Street. The couple owns Portland Power Yoga.
About 15,000 tickets were sold to the public within 30 minutes of going on sale on-line in June. One couple who bought tickets immediately and arrived in Portland on Wednesday evening were Angie and Dan Bielecki, of Cincinnati, Ohio. They were staying at the nearby Hampton Inn. “The view is breathtaking,” said Angie of the Eastern Promenade with Casco Bay shimmering in the background. They were especially enjoying the fresh seafood in the area. “We would come back,” they agreed. A couple who came up from Boston said: “The concert was awesome. Our only criticism was that it was too crowded. Too many people there.” The only other criticism heard by MHN.com was that more food vendors were badly needed. The waits for food were far too long, especially since attendees could not bring in their own food.
Others who did not buy tickets priced at $69. were enjoying the festive atmosphere under sunny skies from outside the tall fence erected about 6:30 am yesterday. One man was sellling T-shirts on the Hill while another was climbing trees trying to find the tallest one from which to view the two stages located on Cutter Street.
editor’s note: (See above right photo.) Eastern Promenade resident Matthew Day is selling neat Tee-shirts: $15. for local people and $20. for those from away. The shirts are made locally at the Arm Factory on Anderson Street. They may be purchased at homematt@gmail.com