In the long tradition of destination stories here at Jaunted, we've never abandoned covering the dramatic history of the Grand View Topless Coffee Shop in Vassalboro, Maine. Opening nearly three years ago with $3 coffee and $2 donuts and free gazing at the waitress' gazongas. As expected, the joint was controversial from the start and even a mini-documentary went about profiling the place and its customers.

Then it burnt to the ground. Suspiciously. Well CBS News shares that the arsonist has finally been convicted, and he wasn't doing it for morality reasons at all; he was angry at his ex-girlfriend, an employee of the Grand View who had left him to shack up with the coffeeshop's owner. Raymond Bellavance Jr. is now headed to jail as the Grand View gets on with business. ]]> JetSetCD 2012-01-02T09:46:17-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2010/10/19/1111/3636

When we think of cosmopolitan capitals of cuisine, some pretty well known names come to mind: Paris, Tokyo, New York…and Portland? Yes, it’s true. The hardscrabble main metropolis of Maine has concocted a special alchemy of farm-fresh fare, seasonal seasonings, and good old-fashioned gourmet cooking that makes it one of our top foodie destinations. Here’s how we recently spent 36 gluttonous hours there.
]]> EricRosen 2010-10-19T14:55:41-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2010/7/19/8844/87915

While President Obama and the first family were doing their thing in and around Acadia National Park this weekend, organizers down the coast were preparing for some excitement of their own. Obama should have reconsidered his schedule, because he'll have just missed the Maine Lobster Festival set for August 4 through 8 in Rockland.

Probably one of the most delicious summer food festivals out there, this year’s crustacean celebration features live music, art, photography, and of course a huge parade where 25,000 lobster fans are expected to line the route. Organizers are ready for the crowd as they expect to have 20,000 pounds of lobster steaming away, so be sure to bring along some spare butter to help wash it all down. ]]> kjb 2010-07-19T14:01:09-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2010/7/16/92735/5985

Why is President Barack Obama getting into an electric car? Well, he made a friendly visit to the town of Holland, Michigan yesterday, in order to check in on companies manufacturing batteries for electric vehicles. Although he did fly Air Force One in to Holland's Tulip City Airport, he sadly didn't take time from his busy schedule to go Dutch clog shopping or eat any homemade appelmoes (applesauce) . Like other US cities named for European towns, Holland, MI takes the affiliation a little too seriously and you can bet all of these things are offered.

After Michigan, Obama is back in DC today packing for a weekend trip with his family. They're headed to Mount Desert Island, Maine nearby Bar Harbor. The first family will keep it low-key with hiking in Acadia National Park, some golf at Kebo Valley Golf Club, and loads of quality time.]]> JetSetCD 2010-07-16T09:34:40-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/11/11/132821/51

Maine's Grand View Topless Coffee Shop has had a dramatic year. After only opening up in the town of Vassalboro back in February, the place has been had it's moment in the media limelight, been burnt to the ground by an arsonist, and then reopened in a tent. Now it looks like it's back for good, as the owner has received the permit to reopen in a business trailer on the property—not as great as the original, but it exists nonetheless.

According the Boston Herald, business so far has been slow, but it could also be because the arson fire from last June is still under investigation. But for those anxious to have a place where they can make "I like my women like I like my coffee" jokes, the Grand View is back in business.

Things get a little more NSFW after the jump ]]> JetSetCD 2009-11-11T14:14:25-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/10/13/101042/52

Usually, volunteer vacations are about helping the needy, but for some, they can also have a political agenda. Last year, Travel for Change helped send over 400 volunteers to swing states to work for the Barack Obama campaign. Now, they are helping send volunteers to Maine, where voters will take to the ballot box next month and decide whether to overturn a law that allows same-sex couples to wed. "Question 1," as it is being called, is similar to Prop 8, a same-sex marriage ban eventually approved by voters in California last year.

Travel for Change is working with the No on Question 1 campaign to get volunteers from across the country to Maine to work for marriage equality. The organization is raising funds and airline miles, matching volunteers to share rooms and cars, and placing them in appropriate jobs once they arrive in Maine. ]]> cmb 2009-10-13T12:03:37-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/9/11/15041/1233

See that mass of light on the horizon in Acadia National Park? That's the Milky Way—for reals.

Stargazers will see the blue yonder with new eyes at Maine's new Acadia Night Sky Festival, which celebrates the starry, natural nighttime sky. The festival, which starts on the sunset of Sept. 17 and ends at sunrise Sept. 21, tries to bring awareness to the problem of light pollution and the importance of preserving the pristine skies of Bar Harbor and and Acadia National Park.

Fest organizers say that a natural sky is increasingly rare, since artificial light from cities create light pollution and obscure our view of the glowing stars and other stellar matter. They add that two-thirds of the entire population of the Eastern Seaboard has yet to see Earth's own galaxy. In light of this (har, har), the Island Astronomy Institute, along with groups like the National Park Service and the Bar Harbor Chamber of Commerce, decided to preserve the beauty of downeast Maine's natural sky. It's such a sight to behold, that on clear nights you can see the Milky Way swirl above Mount Desert Island. ]]> Jennifer Kester 2009-09-11T10:33:51-05:00 Search Jaunted string http://www.jaunted.com/search/