Eat
Sawyer’s Hawaiian Shave Ice in Bangor
Before we get into sweater weather, I’m hoping to get my last fix of Sawyer’s Hawaiian Shave Ice! This new food truck on Broadway has been a fun addition to the Bangor food scene this past summer. They offer many natural and artificial flavor combinations to order. I really enjoy Tiger’s Blood, which combines the flavors of strawberry and pina colada. I also like to include a Snow Cap, which is a drizzle of sweetened condensed milk on top. You can also order toasted coconut as a topping and Li Hing Mui, which is a sweet and salty plum powder topping. To view their menu and their schedule for operating hours, check out their Facebook page and Instagram at Sawyer’s Shave Ice or sawyershaveice.com.
—Marissa Donovan
Attend
Bangor Silent Book Club at Chimera Coffee in Bangor
There are no excuses now when it comes to planning time to read. Elizabeth Simonds and Chimera Coffee have collaborated to create a monthly gathering that encourages designated time to read a book of your choosing while socializing with other book lovers. There is no mandatory discussion about the book you are reading, but you may receive some great reading recommendations from fellow attendees! There are also no club fees. However, I strongly recommend purchasing a hot beverage and a delicious dessert. How could you pass up buying a cosmic brownie or a small dish of tiramisu? I’ve attended twice and enjoyed both times tremendously. For upcoming meetings and club updates, follow Bangor Silent Book Club on Instagram at @BangorSilentBookClub.
—Marissa Donovan
Watch
‘A Pretty Cool Hotel Tour’ on YouTube
For most people, hotel rooms are used as breaks during a long road trip. For Margaret and Corey of “A Pretty Cool Hotel Tour,” it’s their kitschy destination. The married couple have toured many themed hotels all over the country on their YouTube channel. An episode is typically under 10 minutes and will most likely showcase a room with a heart-shaped bathtub. Aside from honeymoon-themed rooms, some episodes have featured rooms inspired by “Home Alone,” Dolly Parton, “Cinderella,” and even one partial episode of “Gilligan’s Island.” Airbnb stays with a vintage flair also make an appearance here and there through the online series. This channel unveils the creativity that can go into crafting an experience for overnight guests. What I also love about “A Pretty Cool Hotel Tour” is how animated Margaret and Corey are while traveling together. They truly show off their personalities by reenacting movie scenes and making ridiculous jokes about the decor during their stays. After watching a few episodes, you may find yourself planning your next vacation!
—Marissa Donovan
Listen
Normal Gossip Podcast on Spotify
I’m not a huge podcast listener, but a friend encouraged me to check out Normal Gossip during a recent road trip — and now I am fully obsessed. Each episode delivers a juicy bit of hot gos — the kind of funny second-hand stories that get passed around and typically elicit a jaw-dropping OMG moment or two. Listeners submit their “you’re not going to believe this” stories and host Kelsey McKinney shares and discusses them with guests. My favorites so far have been about mushroom foraging escapades and a decades old neighborhood dice game tradition. It’s fun, light, usually ridiculous in some way, and makes a road trip fly by.
—Amy Allen
Read
The Collected Regrets of Clover by Mikki Brammer
Clover Brooks is a death doula, helping her clients transition from this world when their time comes. As you can imagine, spending that much time with the dying has made her a bit awkward with the living. This book gives “Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine” vibes (another favorite book of mine) as Clover struggles to navigate both romantic relationships and regular ol’ friendships. But with nudges in the right direction, she eventually gains the confidence to go after what she wants.
Fiction
Acid for the Children by Flea
It’s weird, it’s wonderful, it’s very much Flea. The Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist tells the tale of his childhood — born in Australia (who knew?!), a huge fan of jazz and a seriously talented trumpet player (who knew?!), and a longtime drug user (kinda figured). I found myself pausing to google and going down fascinating rabbit holes — did you remember Flea was in the “Back to the Future” movies? I didn’t. Turns out, he and Chili Peppers (which Flea insists should be called the Red Hots) frontman Anthony Kiedis grew up together, along with drummer Jack Irons and guitarist Hillel Slovak. I read the paperback, but now I’m tempted to go back and listen to the audiobook which is narrated by Flea.
Memoir
The Villa by Rachel Hawkins
Two longtime friends (frenemies might be more apt) rent an Italian villa with a dark history including a murder attached to a 70’s rockstar. As one of the friends digs into the secrets held within the home, their own relationship takes a turn. The book bounces from present day to 1974, when rockstar Noel Gordon and friend Pierce Sheldon, who turns up dead, are in the house with Pierce’s girlfriend and her sister. While things turn ugly for the men, the women walk away with an award-winning album and a famed horror novel — which may just hold hints to what happened all those years ago.
Fiction
—Amy Allen
