Tag Archives: drinking

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The search continues.

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The husband and I hit another antique store yesterday, but failed to find any appropriate vintage beer or whisky crates for my vinyl collection. (okay, I did see a Budweiser crate but even I have standards)

I’m afraid the search is proving fruitful in only one aspect.

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And that’s enlarging the number of albums I need to house in the first place. But I was happy to find 13 of the same records I lost decades ago. A few covers are in rough shape, but for $2 each I won’t complain.

And lest you think the husband came home empty handed, he found a treasure for the man cave as well.

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A wood bound mixed drink recipe book from 1941.

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It’s a hoot and has some interesting drawings.

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As with anything the husband purchases, he always tells me to look it up and see if he paid too much.

This was the first listing I saw.

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Yikes! I was impressed he only paid $15 until I saw a bunch of others ranging from $20-100.

Good luck wdan1351. If you manage to sell it for that price? Please let me know.

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Round two at the Pig

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Our second trip to the Blind Pig Tavern was shorter but no less wonderful than the first. Jumping back into their amazing craft cocktail menu, I tried a strawberry rhubarb margarita.

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I dislike rhubarb. But this was made with fresh strawberry purée and the rhubarb balanced the sweetness perfectly.

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The pole of shame, reserved for those who don’t pay their bills or stiff the waitstaff.

This visit was a quickie with just drinks and appetizers, but neither disappointed.

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Yes, it looks like they were wrapped in condoms, but the cold marinated shrimp with cherry tomatoes, spring greens and avocado in rice paper with tequila lime aioli was sublime.

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As were the wings and Philly cheesesteak flatbread.

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The pear mojito? Magnificent!

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Their array of dried fruit is impressive and rotates in clever little containers like this.

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The on tap beer list?

It’s folkin’ hoppy.

🤣

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Man cave malfunction.

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Of course it happened on the day we’d invited friends over for adult beverages and pool in the man cave. I’d gone out early to set up some tasty snacks and heard an awful noise coming from under the bar.

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My mini mixer fridge.

Oh, the horror!

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Frozen solid and ready to burn out the motor. I unplugged, emptied, laid down a towel and propped open the door to defrost. Thinking our not even two year old expensive appliance was ready to die, I did some research. Turns out over packing a mini fridge is common and once the air flow is blocked it freezes up.

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And yes, I was certainly guilty of that. Club soda, tonic, Coke, ginger ale, Sprite, Bloody Mary mix, Tom collins mix, premixed margaritas, cranberry juice, lemonade, lime juice, orange juice etc. I have a well stocked bar, I need a well stocked mixer fridge!

I’m happy to report the 24 hour defrost worked with no apparent damage. Fridge is back up and running though with considerably less inventory this time around.

Thankfully we have a much larger beer fridge for the overflow.

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It means boat.

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Bateau – def. a light flat-bottomed riverboat used in eastern and central North America.

A bateau is a boat, but in my neck of the woods? It’s also a brewery.

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Perched on the river in a turn of the century mercantile building, we met the owners recently and had to check it out. And though the outdoor seating had a great view….

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It was hot, so we opted for indoor.

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Which also had a good waterfront view.

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I liked the vibe, and I liked the beer.

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I did not like the fact that my husband and our friend found the strategically placed cribbage board and left me twiddling my thumbs for an hour .

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But I joined the Maine Beer Trail and checked in accordingly.

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And I drank.

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It was called pucking sour… and it was, with cherry and pomegranate undertones.

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Miscellaneous drivel.

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As you know, our cat Lord Dudley Mountcatten is spoiled. He is not however, ill mannered.. and never tries to jump on the dining room table during meals. But for those of you who have misbehaving felines? I offer a solution:

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You’re welcome.

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What do you do when a friend recommends a fabulous blueberry vodka but you have no space on your man cave bar shelves?

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You pack them a little tighter and hope the shelves are up for the extra weight.

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We seem to be down to three baby woodchucks from seven. I prefer to think this is a result of momma chuck kicking a few of the kids out of the den and not the result of predation. But this little guy?

He’s still trying to move in with us.

🙂

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I don’t care if the pig is blind, that porker knows how to mix a drink.

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I love finding a new watering hole, and recently we hit the jackpot.

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The Blind Pig Tavern. So named because sympathetic policemen were known to turn a blind eye to speakeasies back in the day.

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This place has a modern rustic feel, randomly placed pigs and the most fabulous craft cocktail list I’ve seen in years.

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Ooh la la!

From the breadth of selection, I knew it was going to be a long afternoon.

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First up? The raspberry basil martini. I’m a sucker for mixing fresh herbs in alcohol and this was sheer perfection. The bartender must have known I was in it for the long haul because she brought me the bonus amount as well. Waste not, want not.

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Next up was the pineapple sage gimlet. As it was being served, the bartender told me she went easy on the sage because a few people said it tasted like tree bark. Amateurs! I took one sip and asked for the full strength version. It was sublime.

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And lest you think all I do is drink, there was food as well. Parmesan garlic brined wings to share…

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And a pulled pork Mac and cheese that was rich, creamy, delicious and enough for three meals.

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There was also a blackberry violet sour. The bartender said a few people told her this one tasted like soap…. which made me marvel at the masses of unrefined drinkers who came before. Go back to the 7-11 and pick up a pack of Bud you heathens! This cocktail was tart, sweet, fragrant and complex. A layered masterpiece.

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As we rounded toward evening, I ended on the Butterfly martini. With gin, St. Germain, violette liquor, hibiscus simple syrup and rose water it was a veritable flower garden in a glass.

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Random picture of the husband’s giant bowl of haddock chowder because yes, he was there too. Someone had to drive me home after all.

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Cute touch. I left the bartender a big tip, but no bucket for the kitchen this time around.

The Blind Pig has earned the top slot on our visited once, have to go back list. So many cocktails, so little time…

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You never know who you’ll meet at a bar.

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The husband and I dropped by a favorite haunt last week.

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The cocktails are always stellar. Blood orange gin fizz? Yes, please.

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Garlic Parmesan wings? Don’t mind if I do.

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Cucumber cooler?

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Good enough to have two, one before my meal.

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And one with my fish and chips. But it was the bar patrons on either side of us who were really interesting.

On the left? A doctor of infectious diseases who worked alongside Anthony Fauci for 5 years.

On the right? A man who put a plastic top with a straw on his glass of Jameson because he has a tendency to spill after two.

You just never know.

🤣

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A woodchuck kind of evening…

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Mowing and yard work done for the day, we retired to the barn porch for adult beverages.

Can you spot the baby woodchuck?

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He was seriously chill.

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There’s something very satisfying about spending the day beating your lawn and gardens into submission and then sitting back to enjoy the view.

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Which of course, included another baby woodchuck.

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Life is good.

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Discovering a hidden gem.

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I love randomly exploring an area we’ve visited often and stumbling on a new place. Last week it was the Boathouse Hotel and Marina in Kennebunkport.

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The perfect location for a leisurely spring afternoon lunch.

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And in true River style I worked my way down the cocktail menu.

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The Watermelon Sugar to start….

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A Walk of Shame with appetizers. Crab cakes for me, lemongrass ginger mussels for the husband.

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White Lemonade Sangria with a chicken Caesar salad for me, sherry baked haddock for my other half. It was a wonderful meal in a pleasant spot made even better by the friendly couple we met at the bar.

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They were visiting from Wisconsin for a college graduation so we happily gave them some local destination suggestions. Turns out they run a pub of their own in Wisconsin with the same town name as one in Maine.

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The Presque Isle Pub. If you’re ever in the area, stop by and tell them the boozy couple from Maine say hello.

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