Tag Archives: food

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Porters Preserve part two.

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The whole time we were exploring this area we met two other people on the trail.

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Talk about a hidden gem.

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Shame the wild raspberries weren’t quite ready.

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Now that’s my kind of conference room.

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It always surprises me how many beautiful little places there are like this along our coast. I’ve lived in Maine since I was 15 and never knew this existed.

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Another trail lead to a sweet little private beach.

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Hey, it’s Maine. If there’s 3 feet of sand? We call it a beach.

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Ending the hike, we took the final trail back to the parking lot.

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Where there was a wonderful old cemetery. I love exploring those and had just found a headstone from 1837 when I noticed the webs.

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Webs full of squirming worms that could have been the dreaded brown tail moth. No way I was rubbing up against those bad boys again.

Back in the car, there was only one thing left to do to make the day complete. A meal at our favorite Boothbay Harbor restaurant, the Boathouse Bistro.

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It’s not on the water, and the decor might leave a little to be desired but it has the best food around hands down. Spicy Cajun grilled shrimp and veggies on cheesy grits for me.

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And a perfectly cooked filet mignon with herbed truffle butter for the husband.

Life is good.

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Random thoughts….

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Have you ever visited a military cemetery and wondered why there are coins on top of the headstones? I get asked this a lot and thought I’d share.

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I once saw a bratty little boy removing coins from graves in a veterans cemetery and while I don’t normally interfere with parents and their children…. you can bet I did that day.

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Judging from the ad photo, I’d say that one.

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I could do without a lot of things in this world, but never my books.

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This is one of our large backyard apple trees. It’s a Granny Smith and has provided us with 20 years of spectacular autumn pies. But last year a massive wind storm ravaged the right side of her and we had to have an arborist in to give her a massive prune. He assured us all would be well but the harvest will be nonexistent in 2022. Sadly there wasn’t a single solitary bloom this spring …. which means a lot less pie this fall.

😫

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What cod be better?

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On the way to the commissary in Bangor the other day we were disappointed to find our favorite little diner closed for lunch. This sent us searching far and wide for something quick other than the awful fast food chains. Pulling off the highway at the small town of Newport, we took a chance on a place called Anglers.

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Despite the name, (Newport is neither new… incorporated 1814… nor a port anywhere near the water) I didn’t hold out much hope for fresh seafood.

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The restaurant is a dressed up family diner but damned if they didn’t make a nice cocktail.

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An Absolute Citron deckhand lemonade. Quite refreshing.

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I went with the smaller ‘minnow’ portion of fried shrimp and was pleasantly surprised. Fresh, light and perfectly cooked. Husband had a nice clam chowder and broiled scallops which he said were equally good. But the thing that really rocked my world and made me do more than merely contemplate returning?

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.99 cent drafts. And my husband doesn’t drink Budweiser, this was a Maine craft beer called Allagash White which normally costs him $7 -8 a glass. We wondered if this was a serious senior discount, a special price for veterans, or the waitress just made a big mistake. On the way out we asked… and were told all drafts are .99 cents, all the time.

Needless to say this will now be our go to lunch destination before the monthly commissary run.

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Ogunquit Cliff Walk .. part 3.

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And we’re walking….

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Along one of the prettiest stretches of Maine coast.

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Many private homes line the Cliff Walk and while they all have stunning views, I can’t say I’d want a constant throng of tourists marching past my back door every day.

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A quick video to give you a feel for the place.

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When you near the end of the 1.25 mile stroll you enter Perkins Cove.

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Once a thriving artists colony…

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It now houses two waterfront restaurants and a large parking lot.

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We took advantage of the former, Jackie’s Too.

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Our table was perfect.

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The basil lemonade? To die for.

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Unfortunately the chowder was sub par. Creamy and clam filled, but completely bland and flavorless.

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Husband had tiny and completely over cooked soggy mussels while I fought my way through a husk filled Caesar salad with dried out grilled chicken. $112 later we vowed never to return… to eat. The bar had a great view and the cocktail was fabulous.

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Fueled up, we turned around and headed back to the Cliff Walk.

To be continued….

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News you can’t use.

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Admit it, you look forward to these.

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And I thought our cat was spoiled. Geesh!

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New Yorkers are an inventive lot and will try to sell you almost anything. A Pier 17 rooftop? Sure, why not….

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I have never in my life wanted to play golf, until now.

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I should. I really should….

And because I’m thoughtful blogger who always thinks of her friends, you can as well.

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Cheers!

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A good movie and a disappointing meal.

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Getting my husband to a movie theater is a rarity these days. While I’d be happy to see a weekly film on the big screen my other half complains about the concession prices, the endless pre show commercials and God forbid he doesn’t get to sit in the back row. But last night I convinced him.

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And we saw what might turn out to be the largest grossing movie of all time. I’m not a huge Tom Cruise fan, but if you liked Top Gun you’ll love the sequel. The fighter jet aerial sequences are stunning and the movie does a nice job paying homage to the original. Val Kilmer makes a poignant appearance and the story line of Goose’s resentful son is well played. Granted the new beach football isn’t as good as the volleyball scene from decades past… but not much is. Overall Maverick brings it and even my theater cranky spouse was glad he went.

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Sadly we couldn’t say the same for J. R. Maxwells, the restaurant in Bath where we had dinner afterwards.

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I admit their cocktails were potent AF, one Cosmo and one margarita about did me in.

A loaf of homemade bread was a nice way to start.

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But it went downhill from there.

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My minuscule cup of clam chowder contained roughly 4 spoonfuls and my husband’s French Onion soup was weak and flavorless.

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The salad I didn’t photograph had some decent blue cheese dressing but the pan seared scallop carbonara that sounded wonderful turned out to be an anemic platter of bland goop. I often wonder if we’re too critical when it comes to eating out. We’ve added this place to our won’t ever return list… and that list is getting longer by the day.

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News you can’t use.

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Because I live for odd headlines.

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If they’re anything like Twinkies, I’m sure they still tasted fine.

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Yes, in 1945 American GI’s liberated a little girl’s birthday cake along with Italy. She looks quite happy now, so I guess what they say is true… it’s never too late for cake.

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While we welcome all wild visitors for a nosh at Casa River … this makes me glad I don’t live in Florida.

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Is this really a gift? I’m going with no.

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Random skies and sammies.

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Woke up this morning to an odd light in our front yard.

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The sun was shining through little peaks in the clouds and it was positively eerie.

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This being Sunday, it was my day to cook for the weekly man cave pool tournament… but this time, I took your advice.

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Fresh ham salad and chicken salad sandwiches on flaky croissants.

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With fruit plate accompaniment. Pretty… and so much less time consuming.

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