The last thing my over-scheduled life needs is another distraction, and yet somehow my family convinced me to join Facebook. I was immediately “tagged” to participate in the New York Times-noted phenomenon “25 Random Things About Me,” the object of which is to create a list of candid disclosures you’ve had the good sense to keep to yourself. It got me thinking that maybe this magazine should unburden itself of its accumulated trivia. Here are “25 Random Things About Down East”:
1.) Down East was founded in 1954, the same year as Sports Illustrated; 2.) Unlike Sports Illustrated, Down East has never published a swimsuit issue; 3.) Down East does, however, enjoy romantic walks on Ogunquit Beach; 4.) The original Down East logo was hand-drawn by Marge Hanna; 5.) The first edition of Down East sold out within two weeks; 6.) The November 1954 issue included a letter from then Governor-elect Ed Muskie endorsing Down East; 7.) In fifty-five years, Down East has had just four editors in chief; 8.) Caskie Stinnett was not one of them; 9.) Yes, Down East knows those blow-in subscription cards are annoying, but it’s how we get new readers; 10.) Down East’s offices are in a former mansion named Roxmont; 11.) Behind Roxmont is a stable where they washed polo ponies; 12.) People have mistaken our offices for an inn and tried to book a room here; 13.) Down East has subscribers in every state; 14.) The state with the fewest Down East subscribers is North Dakota; 15.) The state with the most subscribers is Maine; 16.) Down East appeared as a prop in The Mist; 17.) The only movie star to appear on a Down East cover, so far, is Liv Tyler; 18.) Down East has a secret celebrity crush on Vanity Fair; 19.) Down East’s favorite meal is lobster, baked potato, and blueberry pie; 20.) The first issue of Down East to feature a photo on the cover rather than an illustration was January 1985; 21.) Over the past ten years Down East has won thirty-three awards from the International Regional Magazine Association; 22.) The first book Down East Books ever published was Leroy the Lobster in 1967. 23.) Down East has published more than 750 titles since; 24.) There are 33,367 words in this issue; 25.) Down East belongs to you, its readers.

Paul Doiron
Editor in Chief
editorial@downeast.com