Best place to live Maine single straight 40s (Portland: dog friendly, places)

[WhoFanMe]

Originally Posted by la_cavalière

Oh, just wanted to include a few plugs for Portland, Maine:

Outdoor Magazine: Portland, Maine: Best Town in the East
Best Towns 2010: Portland, Maine | OutsideOnline.com

Bon Appétit: Portland, Maine: America's Foodiest Small Town
Portland, Maine: In the Magazine : bonappetit.com

Forbes: Portland, Maine: America's Most Livable City
America's Most Livable Cities - Forbes.com

Good stuff la_cavalière, I hadn't seen that Bon Appetit article.

[lawmom]

Wild Willy's Burgers in South Portland has a gluten free menu. Welcome To Wild Willy's Burgers - South Portland, Maine

I knew this because a few months ago while flying, some passenger was talking another's ear off about his gluten free dough that Wild Willy's buys. I have never been to the place so I can't say whether it's good or not.

I don't see the gluten free stuff on their menu online but there is a big banner out front advertising the fact that they do indeed offer it.

[pugdoglover]

Thank you very much! Great information.

[pugdoglover]

Thank you Maineah for your perspective. I do understand not all people like dogs and I do pick up after mine and keep him under control while in public places (always on leash except at the beach where he loves to stretch his legs).

[Maineah]

Originally Posted by pugdoglover

Thank you Maineah for your perspective. I do understand not all people like dogs and I do pick up after mine and keep him under control while in public places (always on leash except at the beach where he loves to stretch his legs).

It really isn't that people don't like dogs.Your dog is cute as a button. It has to do with uncontrolled dogs in public places. Many dog owners do not feel the need to control their pets. They let them run all over the place and get offended when people ask them to remove their dog from their picnic, playground, or what ever. We went to a Beer Festival in Vermont last year. We will not go back because of the dozens of dogs allowed into the festival. It rained and there was mud on the ground. Dogs were fighting and rolling in the mud. A mud covered dog jammed his muzzle into my wife's rear end covering her with mud. Needless to say we had to leave as she looked like she'd had an accident! All I can say is people need to leave their dogs home and not bring them to public events and public places. We paid good money to go to that festival only to have the day ruined by someone's undiciplined mutt. The same goes for beaches. I have seen a dog take a sandwich right out of a childs hands on the beach. The owner just laughed and said poochie was being friendly. The mom of the crying and somewhat terrified child was less than amused. The rest of us need our space too. Dogs are free to roam all over any property YOU OWN. Nowhere else!!

[riddei63]

As a dog owner I agree with Maineah. I have a Great Dane, and as such, I realize that having a giant breed dog carries a great responsibility. Charlie wouldn't hurt a fly, but I don't expect someone with trepidations around dogs to know that. He is well trained to voice command, and I still always keep him on a leash when in public. I do take him to public places such as the Portland Farmers Market, but he stays by my side. Only if someone wants to greet him (and lots of people do) will he get close to anyone else.

[RubyGrace]

To Puglover,

SO, did you move to Portland? Have you found it to be a welcoming environment, especially as a single person? Is it difficult to find friends? I am noticing that in Portland and the surrounding areas that it seems like families with kids are everywhere--and I hardly ever meet anyone in their thirties and forties who is single. This is becoming annoying, and isolating to me. I miss the south, where I came from, just for the fact there was a broader range of people around me and I didnt feel like such an alien just because I am single! I am trying to decide whether making the move back to the city and state I came from will be worth it, its hard moving--one way or another, even though it will be moving back to a place thats more familiar and I know people--it will still be yet another change to adjust to. I do not read about many other people on this forum who are also in their thirties/forties, single and from other states who have had positive experiences living in Portland and decided to stay. If there any in that demographic, I'd love to hear about your experiences in Portland.

[WhoFanMe]

RubyGrace, are you on Twitter? Each month a group gets together #MeTweetup to socialize face to face rather than just 140 characters. I missed last night's meeting, but it's documented here:

Maine Tweet Up

There are also groups through other sites like Meet Up, LinkedIn, etc.

[la_cavalière]

I'm married and in my 40s, and most of my friends are single! It may depend on where you live. You can also join one of the clubs that interests you on meetup.com. A great one is the Portland Out and About Meetup Group:

Portland Out and About Group (Portland, ME) - Meetup

[SongBird1]

Hey, there Pugdoglover! I'm in the same boat as you. I too am looking to relocate, have done lots of research, and have settled on Portland. I visit nearly every summer, and can't say enough about it. I was wonder, do you, or does anyone out there know of a need for Spanish teachers! I am a foreign language teacher, and will hopefully continue this in Maine.

By the way, I have 3 dogs myself, so I totally identify with the dog-lovers out there!