12.6.11

MAINE PART III: PORTLAND























After finding defeat in Bar Harbor, Alex and I left determined to get our fill of lobster before crossing state lines. Harraseeket Lunch & Lobster Co., a short, sweet drive from Portland, happens to open May 1st (the earliest we found), and it was everything we hoped and more. Obviously, we could have sat down at a lot of restaurants in Bar Harbor or Portland and most places in between, and ordered a nice big lobster dinner. But the beauty of the lobster pound lies one part in the freshness of the lobster (from the tank to your table in fifteen minutes flat) and the friendly, unfussy atmosphere. Sides are simple and delicious, like fluffy stacks of cornbread, corn on the cob, little boiled red potatoes, and strawberry rhubarb pie for dessert. The fact that everything was doused in little cups of golden butter didn't hurt going down either. It was GLORY. I've saved you the carnage shot here, heh, give thanks!

We spent that night at The Elms, one of the most beautiful B&B's I've ever seen and a short drive outside of Portland proper. Although it was bordered on one side by a rather busy stretch of road, once you stepped inside the doors of the 130-year-old building it felt like you were miles away from everything. It was so quiet in there it was almost eerie, but it was also incredibly well-kept by its owners, who have filled it with lovingly selected antiques. Every detail was just so, down to the gilded wallpaper in the foyer. We stayed in the Cottage Room, so named according to our host because it had a certain faded charm particular to many seaside cottages in Maine. He finished by telling us that he very much intended to keep it that way, which made me wish that there were more people on this planet capable, like him, of understanding the beauty in leaving something old and worn just the way it is.

One of the highlights of the trip came the next morning, our last in Maine, when we visited the Portland Architectural Salvage. Imagine the most fantastic old attic you always wished your Grandparents had, filled with strange, amazing fantastic old junk and furniture and dusty trunks and cloudy glass bottles. Now, multiply that by four entire floors, and you're most of the way there. It was a dream, although on the pricey side. I wanted to take everything home with me, from ship's wheels to wash basins and bags of milkglass doorknobs. If you ever have the chance, it's definitely worth a wander--thanks to all who recommended it!

Our last night we spent in Cambridge outside Boston. I had never been before, and I loved all the pretty houses and apartment buildings painted greens and creams, and the lilacs bowing their heavy heads in the rain. Now, holed up here on my lonesome, inching my way through an NYC summer, all I can think about is going back. I know that other adventures await, but they still feel impossibly far off at the moment.

19 comments:

Lydia Rose said...

This looks so beautiful and dreamy, love the photographs :)

Lydia
www.aneverydayrose.blogspot.com
xxx

Kamilla said...

love the pictures!
and I love your blog (:


thewallsaroundus.blogspot.com

Mei said...

Beautiful pictures as always. The Elms looks amazing - like being transported to another time.

Michelle said...

Absolutely gorgeous photos. Wow wow wow.

Elena said...

you always take the most beautiful photos and the stories you tell are amazing! You make me travel with you :)
Thanks Siri!

Caitlin said...

so beautiful! my best friend from home is moving to portland this summer, so hopefully i'll get to see some of these places

Meena Dhuga said...

these photos are so beautiful!! wow :)

http://pinklemonsorbet.blogspot.com/

Meena xx

à.dé said...

makes me want to go on a little trip away from the city pronto!

Ringo, have a banana! said...

Mmmmmm, lobstaaaaah!

The Elms really was incredible, I snuck a peak into almost all the rooms, since only one other couple was staying there that night, and they were all amazing. The Cottage Room was still my fave though, lots of gorgeous light and it's on the back of the building so it faces a nice quiet river. The only downside was that it has two twin beds instead of a double, not that it's a huge deal or anything, but Alex decided to try and convince me that the place was haunted, and it was late, and I'm gullible and scared of ghosts, so I made him let me squeeze into his bed hahaha. Serves him right...

I wish we'd had more time in Portland. We did stop on the way up to Bar Harbor and go to Duck Fat which was delicious! Oh man, so good. Definitely recommend. It seemed like there were an awful lot of good restaurants, but we only had time to grab a slice of pizza the day we explored. I hope I get to go back one of these days!

Taryn said...

These images look so peaceful and relaxing! What a lovely place to visit, such a homey environment.

Sell WoW Accounts said...

lobster!!!:D

Anonymous said...

i love these pics!!
xoxo

life is happy most of the time. said...

your photographs are so very beautiful and dreamy!!! xx

Claire M. said...

Gorgeous photos ;)

Milly said...

I adore the peacock cushion!x

http://millyfellintothewardrobe.blogspot.com/

Zoë said...

I've wanted to visit Portland for a while now, if I ever get around the my dreamed of road trip I will be checking out some of these incredible b&bs! I'm getting wanderlust now!

Joy said...

These all seem so beautiful that I must keep this in mind when I go back to the east coast come fall.

Suzy said...

aw now i feel bad for not taking advantage of my proximity to maine. well, you totes have a place to crash in boston if you ever do make it back round these parts! (and a cow of a cat to cuddle with)

fashion urbia said...

What gorgeous photos. I keep getting drawn but up to the lobster shots though. Living in Atlanta now, makes me yearn for the summers when I vacationed on Cape Cod eating lobsters and steamers.