Regards | Portland, ME

I have started writing over on Substack. I'd love it if you subscribed! I was seeking a way to re-circulate my blog and email my community. Perhaps a newsletter of sorts is the answer? What I have found on Substack is a vast community of very good writers that inspired me to write a bit more, too. My hope is that Substack gives me some more visibility. I recently wrote about this very night in Portland, Maine which will publish straight to the inbox of my subscribers. 

I loved our experience at REGARDS and would fondly recommend it!

They have an excellent wine program and (after cocktails at CBG, Paper Tiger and Blythe & Burrows) we went straight for wine by the glass. Our first was from the skin contact or orange wine section: a Bosman ($16) Fides Grenache Blanc from Western Cape, South Africa. Second, from the whites, a glass of Dorcha ($13) Sauvignon Blanc from Lower Styria, Slovenia. 

To eat, some of the most inventive, thought provoking plates:

casco bay oysters ($10) smoked trout roe, bergamot mignonette

scallop crudo ($24) matsutake xo, chile de arbol, toasted jasmine rice milk

birra tacos ($22) preserved tomatillo, queso oxaco

hamachi collar ($36) shio koji x tare, morita emulsion

Regards

547 Congress St.

Portland, ME

Primo | Rockland, Maine

Primo is the best of the best. I unknowingly had this place on my bucket list ever since Anthony Bourdain / No Reservations / Season 6 / 2010. I say unknowingly because I forgot the name entirely for years, but, traveling up here sparked my memory of the show - and an elusive restaurant - a white farmhouse on a hill - in Rockland, Maine....

Surprise! That's where Bob scored reservations for our engagement dinner (obviously having not discussed any plans with me, definitely having no idea about my memories from watching the show many years prior.) Fun how things work out like that. Very serendipitous!

The experience was unforgettable and the staff treated us like royalty! Seriously, I had never felt so special, post engagement glow and all that.

Seared Husdon Valley Foie Gras ($22) | chive biscuit, seared strawberries, madeira jus
Oysters Rockefeller ($17) | baked in the wood oven w bacon butter, spinach + parmesan
Cabernet Franc, Chateau du Hureau ($48) | “Saumur~Champigny” 2010 France
Pan Roasted Halibut ($38) | Maine shrimp + corn, asparagus, fiddleheads, spoonbread
Pork Saltimbocca ($33) | roast garlic mash, garden spinach, prosciutto + mushroom, madeira jus
Banana Pudding Parfait | house made Nilla wafers and baked meringue

Also check out Eater New England's 38 Essential Restaurants. I was glad to see Primo on that list.

Primo

2 Main Street

Rockland, ME 04841

Islesboro Island + Camden | Maine

Maine....

The Way Life Should Be

Vacationland

A beautiful state to get engaged!

What a whirlwind this summer has been so far! I tend to get pulled away from the computer + blog the most in warmer months - more so than I would like even though I'm off enjoying life! Weekends have been filled with the unbeatable summer in New England routine - beach, lake, camping, hiking - then pile on extremely busy work weeks (and even a work weekend), add in weeknight blog events, a dash of planning for my sisters wedding shower and bachelorette party and it all adds up to less time for this little hobby!

June went by in a blink - we celebrated a lot - really soaked it all in and enjoyed telling friends and family about our engagement in person. We had a lot of home time and city time - cookouts, gardening, drinks and dinners. Simultaneously, I mourned the loss of a dear friend I've had since childhood, an unexpected death that really shook me and the entire Yarmouth/Dennis/Cape crew/community I grew up with. A reminder for sure to live it all to the fullest.

We spent 4th of July at the (sister in law + brother in law's) house on Lake Winnipesauke followed by a camping + hiking weekend in Crawford Notch. Back to back New Hampshire weekends in the Lakes Region and the White Mountain National Forest, respectively, reminded me of how much I love that state.

And how each New England state now holds a really special place! MA - everything! my forever home! // VT - my winter home! skiing! // NH - UNH! college! // CT - where both my parents grew up, endless family gatherings // and now ME - engaged! (Sorry, Rhode Island, I've got nothing of importance!) 

I digress. I wanted to share more Maine photos! Hope you enjoy!

1-5 | Maine State Ferry - Lincolnville --> Islesboro

6-11 | Exploring the charming, tiny Islesboro town center: Dark Harbor Shop / Antiques / Williams Bros. Plus a little engagement lunch from the Dark Harbor Shop counter - melted ham and swiss w tomato + onion on an English muffin.

12 - 18 | Our memorable Friday night dinner in downtown Camden at the distinctive + precious Harstone Inn. My stuffed lobster tail with parmesan risotto and zucchini + summer squash ribbons and that lemon poppy seed soufflé were so, so good. (Saturday night dinner coming in a separate post.)

19 - 24 | Camden Hills State Park: Camden Harbor views from Mount Battie Tower + a hike to the summit of Mount Megunticook.