Down East in Maine

The Best Clam Chowder in Maine

After two amazing days in Maine, it’s time to catch up.

Friday found Tim and I heading back south to Portmouth, New Hampshire on the border of Maine and NH.  We were meeting Mark Miller from Axis who I work with quite a bit for FIT.  I don’t think he ever expected to meet any of our Jackson office, so it was fun to see him.  We settled in at a local favorite, The Friendly Toast, the first of several amazing meals we were to have in the next 48 hours.   My Cuban scramble of egg whites, cuban rice, carrots and corn was totally different and absolutely fabulous.  Tim decided his burrito was the best he’s ever had on the East coast – it even gave JH favorite DOG a run for their money.   We chatted about writing, photography, and mountain biking.  Since we only talk computers during business hours, we covered more interesting topics over eggs.

Congress Street, Portsmouth NH

After breakfast, Tim and I began our journey up Route1 along the Maine Coast.  We turned into Kennebunkport ME for work.   We located the advertised KBC Internet Cafe and found a small coffee shop attached to a large gift shop with a single computer plugged into the wall.  While not my usual definition of an Internet Cafe, we were able to get good signal and better coffee and have a productive day.  We took a break over lunch and walked the crowded streets of this picturesque town, keeping an eye out for Bushes, poking our heads into galleries and of course inquiring if they had any Thomas Bradshaw Art Work.  We laughed at the distinct prominence of the Democratic Party headquarters in this small town of 3000.  It seems like there may be some local dissention with their Presidential residents.

Kennebunkport ME

Once the work day was done, we continued up Route 1 to Portland.  We turned up and down the hilly streets until we found Lauryn’s cute apartment near the beach.  Lauryn has been in Portland for about 5 months and has discovered some fabulous must do’s.   After showers, we took a tour of the town with her friend Aaron.  We started at Silly’s for a dynamite dinner.  It was very reasonable and an incredibly diverse and delicious menu.   From authentic Jamacian Jerk to spicy BBQ, the food was great.  The restaurant only seats about 45 people but obviously has a cult following.   Their walls are full of framed photos of patrons holding up a “EAT AT SILLY’S” bumper sticker in every concievable location across the United States.   Tim and I got our sticker and are planning to submit some  entries over the next few months!

Once we were full of good food, we then walked to Grace, one of the most unique bars I’ve ever seen.  The Chestnut Street Church was built in 1856 and housed a devout Methodist congregation until 2006 when the church closed it’s doors in disrepair.  The historic building sat empty until an imaginative restauteur bought it and began a $2 million overhaul.  The result is an edgy, elegant combination of Church and Food.  While it may be a bit taboo to sip a strawberry/jalepino margarita in the nave, it was definitely unique.

The next morning we woke up early for our next food event.  This time it was Bintliff’s for Lobster Benedicts.  You have to get to Bintliff’s early before the long lines form.  Lauryn, her twin sister Carolyn, Tim and I made it in just in time.  We ate Lobster and Crab Cakes with eggs and mimosas.   Unbelieveably fabulous.  Tim and I knew we had to leave Portland soon or we’d just keep eating so we said good bye to Lauryn and thanked her for the amazing margaritas, our loaf of delicious fresh baked focaccia and a wonderful tour of the city.

It was a rainy day on the coast and we took the scenic road through the fishing villages of Maine past lobster shacks, ports and shipmakers.  We’re carrying Mark Sigman’s New England Lonely Planet Guide and it was a life saver as we traveled from village to village.   We stopped at the picturesque port of Camden which has a harbor full of Windjammers and lobster boats.   Here we had what Lonely Planet describes as “The Best Clam Chowder in all of Maine”.  That’s a bold statement, but I think they’re right.  It was astounding.  The clams were perfectly tender and sweet and the potatos melt in your mouth.  Add a homemade buttermilk biscuit and a bottle of Bar Harbor Blueberry Ale and it is pure heaven.

Happy and Full of Chowder

Our final destination was Seasport Shores, a campground on the beach just a few miles north of Belfast.   We’ve got water, power, internet, views, waves, seals and porpoises.  We may not leave.  Now we just need to find some bike rides to work off all this food!