A Maine Memory List
Since Maine was the one big travel trip for the summer, and heck, even the year, I find myself going back to it often in my mind to relive my favorite aspects. Ever the fan of lists and content in litany format, I’m compiling my top ten from the ten days below, in no particular order by any means.
1- Aragosta, Deer Isle - We stayed in three (very) different types of accommodations during our trip, from a proper B&B to an Airbnb, but Aragosta, sits on a cove and offers up charming cottages with a view, and an amazing prix fixe dining event that should not be missed. Our cottage, Lupine, was the perfect studio size for two with a front porch of cove views and came with local coffee for morning cup o’ joes made in the mini cottage’s kitchen. Believe it or not, it was least expensive our of our three different accommodations, but ultimately, felt the most luxe.
2- Burnt Cove Boil - I happened upon this dinner activity by chance and by way of researching an oyster pickup spot in Deer Isle. This low-key boil dinner served up not only the freshest lobster I’ll probably ever have in my life (caught same day and from the nearby waters) but also the most heavenly sunset views, and our day was even somewhat cloudy during the sunset. Jake, the charming and ever-hospitable host/ring leader, creates a local, but unique dining experience that you just won’t find anywhere else traveling in the state. For $30 (a deal!), you get a boiled Penobscot lobster, a blue stone crab, an ear of corn, and an ice cream sandwich, just like the ones you could find from your neighborhood ice cream truck. Our make-shift table was made from lobster traps with Adirondack chairs facing the cove, and I couldn’t help feeling the “pinch me is this real” thought in every bite of that freshly peeled lobster tail.
3- Acadia National Park / Bar Harbor - I wrote a little bit about this day in my previous post. While the packed day started early with a 2.5 hr drive to make it to our timed entry to drive to the top of Cadillac Mountain, I’d gladly do the day all over again. After Cadillac, the longest part of the day was driving to the trailhead/entering another part of the park for our Beehive Trail hike. The Beehive had some rock climbing and scaling, and it’s a manageable 1.5-2 mile loop hike, but some families were in over their heads on the hiking level and created a stop gap on the mountain and in the middle of rock climbing. Even with that part of the day taking longer than normal, we managed to make it to Bar Harbor for a late lunch out on the water. We scarfed down chicken sandwich basket lunches and ice cream cone desserts before walking out to Bar Island since it was low tide and popping into a few of the towns shops. The weather was nothing but blue skies and sun all day. The 2.5 hr drive back to Deer Isle gave us plenty of time to reflect on all the views we managed to collect for the day.
4- Blue Hill Books - It is nothing but inevitable that in any new locale of travel, we will hit up as many of the local, independent bookstores that we can. Amongst all the ones we managed to see (I recollect we did 5-6), Blue Hill Books was my favorite. For me, local bookstores always give off a “small but mighty” feeling to begin with, and add a passion for the curated selection on their shelves, and you usually get a memorable bookstore personality. Blue Hill Books is in an old home just off the main street in the town of Blue Hill, and has two floors of books worth perusing. I picked out an Oliver Sacks’s essay collection (his first of many) that I’d been meaning to snag for awhile, and I left knowing even if I didn’t purchased my paperback, the bookstore would be ok and still standing with or without my monetary support for years to come.
5- Rose Foods - Hands down the best bagel/lox sandwich you’ll find in the city, no doubt. This spot is housed in charming red and blue painted store front and has well-designed food packaging. Yes, food packaging. I’m a sucker for well-done art on food packaging, it’s a bonus to the eating experience. Go for breakfast, go for lunch, go for both.
6 - Marlinspike Chandlery - My favorite boutique of the trip for one, not being on my radar and my discovery of it, two, for its true creative owner who I chatted up, and three, for its endless bits and bobs found and made cramming every corner the eye could see. I walked away with a sea urchin paperweight wrapped in the owner’s handmade rope design and a brass rope bracelet. Two mementos I was not expecting to procure on this trip, but are now both my most treasured.
7 - Farnsworth Art Museum / Wyeth Center - It’s also fairly certain that in addition to bookstores, we’ll visit an art museum (or two, or more depending on location) on a trip. To say I was blown away by Rockland’s very own, Farnsworth, is an understatement. Rockland combines the best of small - creative town vibes with nearby outdoor activities, and not initially on my radar until I saw the founder of Tiny Atlas visit the town and Farnsworth, I’m glad we stopped in for the afternoon before heading back to Portland. The Farnsworth had a handful of curated, small exhibitions that I loved, showcasing Andrew Wyeth and his son’s artwork, as well as one focused on early 20th century book covers designed by American women. The center covers ground in two buildings, one contemporary and one, an old church. It was the kind of art experience that seemed fresh, thoughtful, local, educational, and doable (as in, not exhausting and manageable in your time and attention).
8 - Lobster Roll from Stonington, Deer Isle - Of all the handful of lobster rolls I ingested on this trip (and yes, handful is not an exaggeration), I think the Stonington’s takes the cake. It had been just over ten years, since I had this very same lobster roll, and the toasted bun combined with the lobster mix still had that crunch and taste as I remember it to have. The bonus is you can order your locally made ice cream from the same spot and enjoy two not-to-be-missed eating memories all in one go.
9 - Izakaya Minato - Another dining spot not initially on my radar that I feel lucky to have tried on this trip, this izakaya really, and I mean really hit the spot, after our drive back from Deer Isle and at the end of the day where rain clouds had settled in. Perhaps hunger pains drove the 5-star dinner experience here, but either way, each dish hit it out of the ballpark. Besides the couple of specials we ordered, we ordered garlic edamame, daily tempura, motoyaki oyster, mochi bacon, chicken tsukune, and rice ikura. I mean, mind blowing, and oh, so full and content after the smorgasbord of food. I hope to go back, if ever in Portland again, mark my words.
10 - The Shop: Island Creek Oysters - Obviously, I couldn’t leave out an oyster spot from this travel’s top ten, oh, what a tragedy that would be! On our last day, and for a second lunch, if you will, I popped into The Shop for the cheapest oysters in our whole trip, as well as a side of house made chips and dipping sauce topped with salmon roe. On another, albeit our last, rainy day, this platter of oysters felt the most genuine and real. Perhaps it was the price, perhaps it was rain, but perhaps it was the notion, that it would be a long time from now that I could pop into a rehabbed garage-like space and taste the Maine briny sea mixing with oysters’ plump texture all in one delicious bite.