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

Time Out Market | Lisboa

 

Time Out Market is a blast. From Chiado neighborhood we meandered down Pink Street (where the umbrellas are) to reach the original all-star line up of Lisbon fare in Cais do Sodre neighborhood. Time Out Bar is situated at the entrance, and cocktails are immediately flowing from the bustling line up of bartenders. The boys have wild energy right now so Bob and I are balancing sipping drinks with making sure they are behaving! Bird Macumba (€12) with rum, Aperol, vanilla, passion fruit, pineapple juice, lime and raspberry syrup helps with this task. It's a beautifully crafted drink. 

Time Out is so much fun and crowded, the energy is sparked by an excitement to enjoy the best of Lisbon food under one roof. We casually strolled with cocktails in hand to check out the menu at each five star restaurant turned high end market stall.

Sea Me Peixaria Moderna has a huge fan in me! Their brick and mortar is in Chiado serving Portuguese Japanese Fusion. I had black tempura fried cuttlefish, gorgeous oysters, and seared scallops with mango tartare. Bob picked one of the chef named stalls and his beef cheek meal was perfectly executed, undeniably comforting. Time Out Market begs of you to linger. We enjoyed good food and glasses of crisp vinho verde with no sense of urgency. We chatted with our dining companions in close proximity. The girls across from us have been here two nights in a row and are impressed Ryder is eating cuttlefish dredged in black tempura. Bob, the boys and I shared Crush Doughnuts for dessert before we embarked on a relaxing walk home, passing through Praca do Municipo. 

Once we're home to our clean and contemporary Baixa Airbnb it feels nice to be welcomed back. My little city adventurers took a warm shower while Bob and I drank some of the vinho tinto our hosts left. I love a choose your own adventure day to discover a new city. Lisbon is a spectacular one for which to do just that. 

Time Out Market

Mercado da Ribeira

Avenida 24 de Julho

1200-479 Lisboa, Portugal

Atelier Casa de Comidas | Granada

Oyster with kiwi, jalapeno + samphire

PATATAS BRAVAS

Oxtail stuffed croissant with Béarnaise Sauce

Stewed red tuna cheek from Almadraba, smoked aubergines tahini, 

graprefruit + cold-macerated onion soup. 

Atelier Casa de Comidas - Michelin Star lunch in a calm, contemporary space with perfect service. Andalusian flavors using modern techniques, food that surprises + excites you.

Atelier Casa de Comidas

C. Sos del Rey Católico, nº7

18006 Granada, Spain

(interior photo source)

Brighton Bodega

Here today with a compilation of dishes I've had at one of my favorite spots: Brighton Bodega. 

A wealth of variety is offered through globally inspired small plates which are filling and big on flavor. The beverage program is impeccable with 20 draft lines host to some of the best New England craft beers, a seasonally focused cocktail menu with house made sodas and syrups, and eclectic, boutique driven wines. 

in order (mostly!)

The Bohdi Tree - plymouth gin, matcha tea syrup, cucumber, lime + eucalyptus bitters, mint

goat cheese stuffed dates with almond za'atar and apricot honey 

smoked salmon carbonara

fresh, briny, perfectly shucked oysters

black truffle gnocchi mac n cheese (S U B L I M E)

fried burrata in San Marzano Marinara (H E A V E N)

warm fluffy bao stuffed to the brim with fried chicken, lettuce and pickles

Korean BBQ Kalbi short ribs 

more warm fluffy bao this time with crispy duck confit bathed in hoi-sin

spicy chicken drumettes

Located in Brighton Center, this spot has felt like a neighborhood godsend since it opened. 

Brighton Bodega

328 Washington St

Brighton, MA 02135

Toronto Bachelorette

We kicked off #FarewellFenton Toronto Bachelorette night two with a photo shoot on Graffiti Alley. I have an affection for street art and this spot was off the charts cool. I wish we had more time to explore the graffiti walls but high heels in snow really do not mix. Plus, our reservation awaited at Bar Chef.

How beautiful and fun are my friends? 

Saturday Night: Bar Chef is wild. It presents as your swanky, dimly lit, hip cocktail bar. But to the insider, you've discovered a world that challenges the conventional notions and boundaries of the cocktail experience. It is one of not only taste but touch and smell, sound and sight. 

I invite you to really read the description and take in the photos of my friend Eden's choice, Geometric Lavender. This was beyond. Since Manhattans are my favorite, I chose their signature cocktail the Vanilla and Hickory Smoked Manhattan. The presentation and the aromas were exhilarating and the drink itself, definitely the best Manhattan I've ever had.

This being a rare + fascinating opportunity, most of the gals went all out with something from the molecular cocktail menu. Our waiters were impeccable - their attention to detail and explanation of the cocktails left us all very impressed. The menu has pages dedicated to punch bowls for large format sharing and a sipping page based on classic spirit forward cocktails (i.e. my Manhattan.) 

Grey Gardens

Talk about going all out! I was surprised and in awe of our dinner at Grey Gardens. We had a phenomenal five course meal in their private, ultra luxe wine cellar, complete with table-side Negronis and poppin' bottles of champagne. 

A table full of Negronis is a beautiful thing! Negonis are the only cocktail Grey Gardens serves. They are a wine focused bar but having just the one table-side cocktail felt like such a sophisticated thing to do. They alerted my sister of this fact when she made the reservation to which she replied "well that's perfect because it's my sisters favorite cocktail!" (I realize I proclaimed the Manhattan my favorite above - it's inherently the classics that do it for me!)

We were here until midnight! This was such a memorable event. The girls shared their favorite Kristen stories and we played shoulders (best drinking game ever) for what felt like hours. Essentially, shenanigans ensued and Grey Gardens was more than fine with it!

Grey Gardens describes their food as "New North American." Pictured: Oysters served in the most charming Le Creuset baking dish with mignonette in tincture bottles. Swoon! One of three delicious salads: Green Asparagus w radicchio + stracciatella. One of three inventive pastas: Ravioli w sweet potato, black truffle, sour cream + apple. It was a true feast with much fanfare. 

I would fondly recommend both Grey Gardens and Bar Chef if you visit Toronto. They are conveniently located right across the street from one another in the Kensington Market area. The rest of the night was a good one. We went dancing across the street and kept the party going back at the Sheraton. 

Sunday Day: It was early to rise for a hot yoga class at Yyoga followed by breakfast at Sud Forno on Temperance. We meandered in on a whim and it worked out nicely. The first floor is counter style service - an espresso bar and then a separate space for fancy cafeteria style eats. (Second floor is seated brunch.) The space was architecturally stunning and the food was impressive, especially the Nutella filled bombolini. 

We freshened up and regrouped with the non yogis back at the Sheraton. The rest of the day played out somewhat spontaneously, with a planned start in the Distillery District. 

I adored this historic brick building neighborhood with peace and love art installations, cute shops and good restaurants. 

It was physically painful to be outside at times. This photo is hilarious and really captures the ridiculousness of the weather! 

We relaxed at Mill Street Brewery for a couple hours. Then we moseyed across the street into El Catrin. 

The sky high walls covered in gorgeous, traditional Mexican décor left us wide eyed in amazement. We took over the bar and got down with margarita pitchers, tableside guacamole, mezcal and....crickets. Reminiscing on our trip to Mexico City, specifically our street food tour; Teri, Christina and I got a kick out of making all the girls try the crickets. I had some deconstructed street corn which was fantastic, too! 

We owe the hostess at El Catrin a debt of gratitude for the next stop on our Sunday Funday adventure. When Teri requested a place with a jukebox, a place we could do a little dancing, she suggested Pacific Junction Hotel. I'm picturing a swanky hotel. In actuality, it's a chill neighborhood bar with a unique, hip, slightly retro interior and a fun spot for 10 girls to crash and have their own dance party all afternoon....and into the evening. (We pushed back our dinner reservation, twice.) 

I loved the lyric chalkboard framed by the Aspen ski. So much randomness in one place. I'm probably over sharing a bit....just having no fun at all.... 

Did I mention how kind and amazing people from Toronto are? I mean, in the last restaurant we had the manager moving tables as we climbed on the back booth to get a good photo with the wall, and now here we are on the bar....after everyone pitched in to move the soy sauce and chopsticks. (Yes, they serve Asian food and yes, I had dumplings and spring rolls, good stuff.)

These moments at Pacific Junction Hotel were a highlight of the trip.

Sunday Night: The practical side of us eventually gave in and decided that dinner was in fact in order. Piano Piano is a whimsical, warm, welcoming, Italian restaurant specializing in wood-fired pizza. In Toronto - they cut their pizza with scissors. None of us had ever seen this but apparently it's a thing. We had a wonderful late in the evening dinner, everything from the antipasti to the pasta to the red wine were excellent. 

Monday Morning: Breakfast at the no frills Canadian chain Sunset Grill - picked for it's location a few blocks from the hotel. 

Then, pictures with the Toronto sign! 

Last call: A Bloody Caesar back at the Sheraton Centre (the lobby bar and bistro - BnB) ..because you can't travel to Canada and not have a Bloody Caesar!

What.a.weekend. 

Also: Part one 

If you need further insight on Toronto, definitely let me know. 

The wedding in FIVE DAYS!