Portland, Maine
I spent New Years in Portland visiting friends from high school. The apartment where we partied was stunning. It was huge, industrial, yet homey. It had a gas fireplace, a loft bedroom/bathroom/closet, and a super amazing kitchen. Of course, it cost less than the filthy shoebox landlords in Queens call “apartments.”
The most striking thing about Portland was how new the whole city was. All these highrises, trendy restaurants, parking garages, mashed up against dirty old wharfs. The pedestrians alternate between grizzled seamen and hemp rope rock-climbers. The whole town feels like the set of an indie rom-com.
Of course, this aura of Portland got me thinking about Archipelago, my once and future indie rom-dram. It’s always a thrill to be injected into the ideal set for a project you’re working on. Has anyone ever had this experience? You’re wandering through life, writing a western, and all of a sudden find yourself in a Texas ghost town?
