Moxie Cream Soda: A Taste of Maine

143 years ago in Lowell Massachusetts, a physician named Augustin Thompson created Moxie Cream Soda in his barn. Thompson left his thriving medical practice to develop and market his patent medicine as a "nerve tonic." Moxie Cream soda was rumored to cure ailments from softening of the brain to losing your manhood.

Today, Moxie is distributed in limited quantities in New England as a subsidiary of the Coca Cola Company and remains popular with Mainards. Every summer, the town of Lisbon Maine celebrates Moxie's contributions to the state of Maine with the Moxie Festival. Here is a video of Frank describing Moxie's infamous aftertaste.

Upon asking fellow Colby students if they liked Moxie, they almost always responded, "Nahh, but my dad loves that shit."

Recently, Moxie has gained popularity in Maine and Connecticut because of its mixability with spirits, here are some of my favorite recipes taken from this forum;

The “Welfare Mom”, which consists of equal parts Diet Moxie and Allen's Coffee Flavored Brandy,

The Vijay", which consists of equal parts of Moxie and blended American Whiskey,

The “County Girl”, a drink made up of one part bourbon whiskey and two parts Moxie on the rocks, with an optional lime garnish.

If any of this sound good, you can buy Moxie on line here, or better yet call some small grocery store in Waterville like the Big Apple and ask them to ship a case to you.

Thanks to Mr. Rodney Corey for the tip.

Here are some more links,
Moxie Soda: A Taste of Maine (Picasa),
Hometown Favorites: Moxie,
Moxie (Wiki),
Moxie Festival.

Changing Seasons: Spring

On March 21, 2009 (the first day of spring) it was 39 degrees and windy in Waterville, Maine. Spring comes late in central Maine. This Saturday, the conditions were finally appropriate to recreate the flying shoe over the Colby Quad and take a new background picture. For the last two seasons, I have picked a shoe that contrasts with the landscape and colors. On Saturday, I contrasted the budding trees, green grass, and high spirits of Colby students with my white Common Projects.

Here is a look back through the last three seasons,


My LL Bean Bucks overlooking a the Colby Quad on chilly fall afternoon in mid October.

My Paul Smith Canvas Sneakers overlooking two feet of packed snow on the Colby Quad in mid January.

My Common Projects overlooking the Colby Quad in late April.

By recreating the scene as closely as possible, I hope to showcase the vibrant changes in the Maine seasons.

Here are some more links,
Changing Seasons: Winter (ART),
My Common Projects (ART).

My De Bernardi

Before I was into photography and blogging I obssessed over bikes and bike parts. Two years ago I built up this De Bernardi Thron 57 (last year they made them), wheeling and dealing parts on Craigslist.org until I finally settled on this set up.

On Saturday I rode over to the Colby Woodsman dojo to take some photos of my beloved whip.

My bike is dirty, scratched, and worn because I ride it. When I left for college I sold my Jeep and since then have used this guy as my primary means of transportation.

This Fizik Arione Wing Flex saddle has received a lot of love from my bony ass including a seventy mile jaunt from Portland to the Oregon Coast. The wheel set, Velocity Deep V laced to Miche Primato Hubs, were the only parts I purchased new, the rest are used, including my Miche Pista Supertype Seat Post.

My Micha Primato Track Cranks make me move.

This summer my De Bernardi will be back on well cared-for avenues and busy intersections mobbing around the streets of NYC. I'm excited.

Here are some more photos,
My Debernardi (Picasa),

Brian Kupke and His Yale Sweater

Behind Brian Kupke's preppy and seemingly conservative appearance lies one of the most dynamic and interesting people I have ever met. A close friend first introduced me to Brian in the fall of my freshmen year as the boyfriend of her older sister, Austin Philips, a tenacious, All-American Rower two years his senior. Brian's origins in Leesburg Florida, and rumors of an NRA card in his wallet, a rarity at Colby, only added to his mystique. Over the last three years Brian and I have grown close and I thought it would only be fitting to write about this interesting character before he graduates next month.

Although not visible through his vintage Yale sweater and the case of 12 gauge rounds, both of Brian's nipples are scarred from two years of housing stainless steal studs and a brass chain.

Upon arriving at Colby in the Fall of 2005, Brian switched from playing Defensive End to rowing four seat on Colby's Varsity Crew Team. However, Brian's extensive resume of athletic feats fails to translate into mano y mano ability, and yours truly trounced him in a spandex wrestling match last week despite his thirty pound weight advantage, 2-0.

Some of you may know Brian as Kuppykakes, a level 80 fury warrior on the Alexstrasza Server. Brian sacrificed many a cold Maine Night to achieve this prowess, and has recently retired from his account, ending a two year love affair with the World of Warcraft.

Over winter break, Austin's next door neighbor, a Yale Alum, gave Brian this Whalerknits Yale Sweater from the mid 80's.

Made in the USA, damn right!

I love the details of this sweater, like the length of the cuff.

Brian being Brian.

After Graduating in May, Brian wants to apply his quirky creativeness to a career in interior design. I am sure Brian and his Yale Sweater will have an interesting and fruitful journey. I look forward to hearing about his exploits and am ready for a wrestling rematch whenever.

Here are some more links,
Brian Kupke and His Yale Sweater (Picasa),
Brian Kupke Shooting From the Hip (Vimeo),

Barns From Maine

I love Maine barns. Here is a collection of some of my favorite from the last three weeks. All are available in 21-megapixel downloads on my Picasa page. Have a nice weekend and try to find a barn.

Here are some more links,
More from Route 137 (Picasa),
Houses Down East (Picasa),
New England Barns (ART),
Red, White and Blue (Picasa).

Western Comic Books: 1930-1960s

Early Western Comic books from the late ’30’s and early ’40’s, were based on and complemented early western TV and movie stars such as Roy Rogers and Charles Starrett. From there, the genre gained popularity and DC, Prize, Marvel launched multiple series in the ’50’s and ’60’s with names like Tomahawk, Six Gun Heroes, Blazing Six Guns, Two-Gun Kid, Ringo Kid, Apache Kid and my favorite, Bullet Code.

I love the heavily romanticized and stereotyped view of the American West through the lens of the mid-twentieth century.

These comics are all racially appalling, "If you survive our tribal test, Tomahawk, you and the boy win your freedom!"

Check out the golden eagle on his headdress and loincloth, it looks like something form the Third Reich.

Check out his Van Dyke mustache.

Love the Spanish.

Indian or White Man?

Crackin’ skulls.

I love John Wayne’s outfit, his wool shirt is amazing. I cant get over the fonts, titles and colors.

Check out this advertisement from the back of a Two-Gun Kid. Everything a boy needs.

Yeeeeehhhaaaaaaaaa!

I have never liked comic books. I usually find people’s obsession with their set formulas and one-dimensional characters almost as boring as US Weekly or Perez Hilton. However, these Western Comics are an awesome romanticization of the American West and and interesting look into the ’30’s, ’40’s, ’50’s, and ’60’s. This is what the people who wore Filson, Woolrich and Pendleton read when they were 11. Check out my picasa album for a lot more pictures.

Here are some more links,
Western Comics (Picasa),
All-Star Western (Wiki),
Western Comic Marketplace,
The First Western Comic Book,
Amazingco.com comic Book index (there are some gems in here),
All John Wayne Comics,
Two-Gun Kid (Wiki).