Vacation In Review - Photo recap!

Hello Reader!

It's been a while, I've been busy. Since my last post I have been in Maine for 10 days, Arizona for a day, then Nebraska/Iowa for a conference for 5 ish days, and I have been back in AZ for about a week now.

While on vacation, I accomplished my to-do-in-Maine list in full - sort of, I cheated on a few but that's ok because it is my list and I can do what I wish with it - which was a great way to map out my time in Maine.

I have finally started sorting through the 1500+ photos I took while home and I thought I would share the highlights of the trip. Most of the highlights are made up of food, drinks, friends, and natural bodies of water - All things that have been missing from my life since moving to AZ!


Enjoy!


Places to Visit:
1. Tubby's Ice Cream - CHECK! (there may have been multiple checks on this in-particular one)

2. Gifford's Ice Cream - CHECK! I decided to try a very Maine flavor, LL Bean's Muddy Bean Boots

3. The coast, specifically Rockland  (I am very ready to see an ocean again, or any natural body of water for that matter) - CHECK!

4. Orono - CHECK!

5. Ampersand (I want a cookie and coffee) Homemade cinnamon buns at Chica's - CHECK!

6. Woodmans (mmmm....flirtinis) - CHECK! (twice) I forgot how good these were!

7. Pat's, specifically the Tap Room Bear Brew for guoda and roasted red pepper dip with blueberry ale on tap - CHECK!  I had never had blueberries floating in the ale either, so that was a fun surprise.

 8. Monmouth Theatre for some Shakespeare- CHECK!

9. Hallowell (On Old Hallowell Day and probably at least one other time) - CHECK! It was Hallowell's 250th birthday so they had a cake baking contest instead of the typical pie baking contest. Worked for me!

10. Slates Bakery, and maybe the restaurant but definitely the bakery - CHECK! (three times)

11. Acadia National Park - CHECK! Which also meant popovers at Jordan Pond Restaurant - CHECK! And I also got crab cakes to amp up the Maine experience!

12. Central Street Yoga - CHECK! I didn't take a picture of it because that would be disruptive to do in the middle of a yoga class. But I did go and it was absolutely amazing - Could not have asked for a more perfect yoga class in Bangor!

13. Stillwater river - not because it's beautiful place or anything but because it is nostalgic, it was my go-to-think spot for about 6 years - CHECK!

Things to do:
1. See friends (duh) - CHECK! I, sadly, didn't get pictures with everyone...

2. Dance with friends - CHECK!

3. Eat (not all at once) lobster, blueberries, whoppie pies, maple syrup (on waffles made by Mom), and other things made with things from Maine. - CHECK! Some are listed above and I also should have added Harvest Moon Deli, Wicked Good Bean Coffee, and comfort food made by mom to the list above :-)

4. Convince Mom we are writing a children's book - CHECK (ish) we started one at least. Below is the scene we overlooked while writing

5. Take lots of picture - maybe even be in a photo shoot? - CHECK! I took approximately 1500. I reached my 10,000th picture on my camera while in Orono where I took my first photo on this camera. I captured the 9999 since the camera doesn't count above that. I also taught mom how to use the camera on my iPhone which she used to take pictures of me taking picture...

6. Sit by the lake every single chance I get! - CHECK! I was joined by an incredibly friendly/vain dragonfly who I must have taken 50+ pictures of. He even landed on my camera. So I took a pic of the dragonfly on my camera in one hand with my iPhone in the other hand so the focus is bad, but you get the idea :-)

More vacation recaps to happen later this week!

Thanks for reading! 

- M

ONE MONTH!!!

I'LL BE HOME IN MAINE IN A MONTH!!! 

HOLY SHENANIGANS, I CANNOT WAIT!!!

Can you tell I am excited about this??

I am trying to figure out how to fit everything I want to do into 10 days ... I think I may just skip sleeping, simple solution, right?

I function on to-do lists and post-it notes. So, in order to easily share this plan for my vacation with those who need to know about it, below is my list of things to do in Maine that must be completed in a total of ten days. It may be, well, it will be quite challenging, but I am so ready for it!

I have broken it into two categories; places to visit and things to do (there could be another category of things to eat, but I promised to not talk about food for a while...) Check it out below!

Vacationland To Do List (in no particular order)

Places to Visit:
1. Tubby's Ice Cream
2. Gifford's Ice Cream
3. The coast, specifically Rockland  (I am very ready to see an ocean again, or any natural body of water for that matter)
4. Orono
5. Ampersand (I want a cookie and coffee)
6. Woodmans (mmmm....flirtinis)
7. Pat's, specifically the Tap Room
8. Monmouth Theatre for some Shakespeare
9. Hallowell (On Old Hallowell Day and probably at least one other time)
10. Slates Bakery, and maybe the restaurant but definitely the bakery
11. Acadia National Park
12. Central Street Yoga
13. Stillwater river - not because it's beautiful place or anything but because it is nostalgic, it was my go-to-think spot for about 6 years


Things to do:
1. See friends (duh)
2. Dance with friends
3. Eat (not all at once) lobster, blueberries, whoppie pies, maple syrup (on waffles made by Mom), and other things made with things from Maine.
4. Convince Mom we are writing a children's book
5. Take lots of picture - maybe even be in a photo shoot?
6. Sit by the lake every single chance I get!

I think that makes for a full 10 day vacation!

Let me know if you think I am missing anything, or if some place I want to visit no longer exists, or if there is some new place I should definitely check out.

Thanks for reading!

- M

Whoopie Pies!!!

Hello Reader,

Do you know what a whoopie pie is? A real one - not one of those not-so-cheap knock-offs at Starbucks. If not, I suggest reading up on the history of the whoopie pie and all it's controversy on the always enlightening, Wikipedia. Once you really know what I am talking about, please continue.

I have always enjoyed whoopie pies and I feel it is part of being from that neck of the woods. Since leaving Maine, I have had regular cravings for them and gone to great lengths to get them. I have brought them on planes, had them shipped, and had friends bring them out when they visit. I have never put in this much effort for dessert before. I have a colleague out here from Maine and we talk and reminis about whoopie pies constantly - it is a little ridiculous, but so is the fact that the southwest has not discovered a real whoopie pie.

   

http://www.wickedwhoopies.com

A few months ago I created a treasury list on my Etsy account titled "My Heart's in Maine" where I featured things that remind me of home: pine trees, snow, chickadees, the rocky coastline, light houses, blueberries, lobster, and, of course, whoopie pies. One women, who was featured, commented on my list and sent me a message stating how hard it must be to relocate to another corner of the country. She seemed downright appalled that I was forced into such a situation and said any time I needed a taste of home to let her know. I thought that was sweet of her (no pun intended.)

Well, about a month and a half ago I got another message from the women saying she was making whoopie pies and needed my address. After some niceties were exchanged several times ("oh you don't have to," "it's my pleasure," "I'll pay for shipping," "no you won't," yata, yata, yata...) I gave in and she sent me two homemade whoopie pies. It was great! I didn't take a picture of them to share because they honestly looked like two hockey pucks - it's  a rough trip from ME to AZ in the postal service system - but the taste was there and that is what counted for me!

This is one of favorite stories to share since moving out here. I think it is a typical Mainer thing to do; I don't know you, you don't know me, but I'm going to send you fattening food!

Thanks for reading!

- M

P.S. If anyone out there has a real Maine whoopie pie recipe, could you send it to me? Thanks!