Michelle's life is a colorful map of exploration and adventure. From the iconic streets of New York to the sunny shores of Florida, the jagged coast of Maine to the rugged terrain of Montana, she's been fortunate to call some of America's most beautiful states home. Beyond the U.S., Michelle's wanderlust has taken her on a motorcycle journey through India, led her to teach English in Hanoi, and saw her studying Spanish in Guatemala. Michelle graduated with a communications degree from the S. I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University and in addition to a career in advertising has worked with OnlyInYourState since 2016, where her love for travel and storytelling converges. Alongside writing and exploring, Michelle finds joy in photography, staying active, and time with her family.
For questions, comments and inquiries please email: mstarin@onlyinyourstate.com.
Mainers have a pretty thick skin. We have to when living in a state that’s known for funny accents and cold winters. In fact, we mean that we literally must have a thick skin! But, no matter how many jokes we take in stride there are some things we’re just plain tired of hearing. So, for those of you with friends in Maine, read up and help avoid any uncomfortable situations. And, for those of us Mainers out there, maybe we can lighten up just a bit. After all, maybe the folks who aren’t from Maine are just a little jealous!
1. "Just order the lobster roll, it's the same as the ones in Maine."
There isn't. We checked. At least, not the kind of snowstorm that we consider to be "big." Most of the time Mainer can handle the amount of snow that those in more southern states just can't deal with.
Summer is great, but things get even better in the fall! Changing leaves, cozy weather and lots and lots of hikes. Nope, things are definitely pretty great after the summer is over.
5. "It's snowing, you won't have to go to work tomorrow!"
Yes we will. We always go to work. A little snow doesn't give us the day off. The roads will be cleared by morning and we'll all act as though nothing happened.
If there's one thing a Mainer will never forgive themselves for, it's not buying it when they saw it at Marden's. So, please, don't encourage us to walk away from that 50 feet of rope. We all know the jingle...
Nope, just that one pair. The one we've had for over ten years because they last. And also because, let's face it, we're not trying to spend another paycheck at L.L. Bean.
No. Portland, Maine is the real Portland. And we're not just saying that because we live here. The Portland located over on the west coast didn't show up until almost a century after we did!
11. "We can't make it this year, but maybe next Christmas we'll visit!"
We know it's not true. Friends and family conveniently plan their visits for summer. So, we officially wave them goodbye for a good 10 months of the year.
12. "You should spend the winters somewhere warm!"
