Boothbay Experiences A Glow Up

Boothbay is very much a summer destination. During those months, every business is working to fulfill the needs of the summer crowd.  However, once Indigenous Peoples Day hits, most of the town shuts down.  Yet, starting in mid-November, the town of Boothbay experiences a resurgence, and that is owed to Gardens Aglow at the botanical gardens.

Gardens Aglow is a massive undertaking, with 750,000 lights strung up in the gardens. There are certain parts of the gardens that are shut off to visitors because it might not be safe to visit those areas at night, but the areas that are accessible makes up for the loss of those sections.  There are cafes set up throughout the compound that provide bathrooms, a place to rest and serves hot drinks.  Furthermore, there are signs and staff members throughout the gardens that can help and guide those wishing to see the lights.

The botanical gardens also provide a map upon entry to help in planning out the best route.  Due to the garden’s popularity, parking and tickets are extremely limited, so make sure to plan ahead, and definitely buy your tickets online to ensure you can enter the gardens.

After I finished my tour of the botanical gardens, I made my way into town.  While there, I dined at Ports of Italy.  Small and intimate, reservations are recommended.  There are tables scattered throughout the restaurant, and there is seating at the bar.  Street parking can be found out front, while additional parking can be found in the rear.  Unfortunately, Ports of Italy is only open from mid-April to New Year’s Eve, so make sure to plan accordingly.

Ports of Italy has a sizable wine menu, along with a cocktail list, beer, and non-alcoholic drinks. Typical Italian food with a bit of seafood dot the menu, and any guest will find something delicious to eat.  I had the spaghetti alle vongole, which is a pasta dish with clam sauce.  It is absolutely delicious, and I find myself ordering that whenever I stop at Ports of Italy.

Gardens Aglow is definitely worth the trip to Boothbay.  I try to go at least once a year, and I always find something new whenever I go.  If you are interested in Gardens Aglow, you can click here, and if Ports of Italy sounds appetizing, you can click here.  As always, I have to ask, where should I go next?

Banging On About Bangor

I love to go on adventures. One of my favorite places to visit is Bangor.  I have already written about Bangor once before, and I’m happy to do so again.  I visited Bangor a couple of times for this post, so there is plenty to read about in this post.

 

There is a ton of places to eat in Bangor.  One of the first places I went to was the Bangor Beer Company. Located right behind the Oriental Jade, this brewery has twelve beers on tap.  These beers are also available to take home with you in cans. Furthermore, people can order cocktails, red and white wine, along with mocktails and ciders.  Additionally, people can order sandwiches and burgers, along with sushi.  Appetizers like calamari and chicken wings and tenders are available.  I had the BBC Burger, the Bang Bang Shrimp and the Red Dragon Roll.  All of it was delicious, and I highly recommend it.

 

Patrons can sit at the picnic tables, at the seats at the bar, or at the booths.  There is even outdoor seating during the warmer months.  There are pinball machines where people can play while they wait for their food.  Finally, people can purchase merchandise to remember their time at The Bangor Beer Company.

 

For dinner I ended up at Miguel’s, a Mexican restaurant that was absolutely delicious.  Their drink menu is extensive, including cocktails, beer, cider, wine, non-alcoholic drinks, and flights of tequila.  There are appetizers like wings and avocado fries.  Tacos, burritos, salads and tacos can be found at Miquel’s. The décor is absolutely wonderful and looks like it was imported straight from Mexico.  Free chips and salsa are also provided while people wait for their food.  I had the Miguel’s street tacos, which came with two sides.  I had the refried beans and the Spanish rice.  All of it was very good.

 

Bangor offers a lot of recreational activities as well.  I started with the Zillman Art Museum. There are donated pieces, along with visiting artists.  Staff are on hand for any questions or if you’re looking for more information. Furthermore, there is information about the artists and paintings on the wall.  There are benches and stools throughout the museum so people can sit and take in the artwork.  There was even a painting by Diego Rivera at the museum.

 

I also visited the Bangor City Forest as well as the Orono Bog Walk.  You might say “but Merry Mainer, you’re writing about Bangor, not Orono!”  That is very true, however the Bog Walk starts in the Bangor City Forest, so I decided to include the Bog Walk in Bangor’s post.  The Forest is open year-round, while the Bog Walk is only open from May to November.

 

There are two parking lots, so there is plenty of parking spaces.  Furthermore, there are benches and picnic tables scattered throughout the forest as well.  There’s only one bathroom in the forest, so make sure to plan accordingly.  There are trail maps throughout the forest.  The maps are numbered or lettered so you know where you are.  Information about the forest is also posted throughout the forest.  The bog has seats throughout the trail to rest or take in the scenery as well as information about the bog.  Dogs are allowed in the forest, but not in the bog, so make sure to plan around that.

 

Finally, I went to the Coleman Land Transportation Museum. The museum includes a brief history of Bangor. The museum has a large collection of land vehicles, including old snowplows, fire trucks, trains, and farming equipment.  There is a small section dedicated to military history, along with a Vietnam War Memorial outside.

 

I love Maine quite a bit.  There is so much to do and I feel like I’ve barely scratched the surface.  If you want to learn more about The Bangor Beer Company, you can click here.  If you want to do more research on Miquel’s you can click here.  If you want to go to Zillman Art Museum you can click here.  Finally, if you want to visit the forest and the bog, you can click here and here.  As always, I have to ask, where should I go to next?

Butcher Burger

Portland is one of the best places to go out and find a place to eat.  Sometimes people recommend their favorite places, while sometimes I find someplace to eat by conducting my research. Butcher Burger falls into the latter.  I stumbled across it by accident and decided to give it a shot.

 

The restaurant is small and intimate.  There are seats at the bar and stools looking out onto the street.  There is patio seating available as well, but I believe that the patio seating is only set up during the warmer months.  There is plenty to drink here as well. There is draft beer, as well as beer in bottles and cans.  Additionally, there are cocktails like spicy margaritas and Texas mules.  There are non-alcoholic drinks available as well, like coke products and iced tea. There are all sorts of burgers like the cheeseburger and the bacon burger.  Sandwiches are also available for purchase as well.  There are such sandwiches like the crispy fish and the lobster grilled cheese.  Butcher Burger also sells lobster rolls as well, including the Maine lobster roll with mayo, or the hot buttered roll.  There are even munchies as well, including the Caesar salad, wings, and fish tacos.  If someone wanted fries for the table or with their meal, they can order the fries as well.  Finally, there are dipping sauces like spicy mayo and bleu cheese.

 

I visited Butcher Burger twice, and I enjoyed both meals. During my first visit, I had the Maine lobster roll with mayo and fries and a spicy margarita.  My second trip I had the cheeseburger and fries.  I do recommend going to Butcher Burger.  If you want to check out Butcher Burger, you can click here.  As always, I have to ask, where should I go next?

Live Life With A Little Moxie

I’ve mentioned before that I am not native to Maine.  However, I have always summered in Maine, and I’ve been living here in Maine for almost eight years.  In the late 1990’s and early 2000’s I attended sleep-away camp in Raymond, and it was here where I was introduced to Moxie, the state soda of Maine.  While many dislike the taste, I found that I had acquired a certain fondness for the drink.

A few years after I moved to Maine, I heard whispers of a festival in Lisbon celebrating my favorite soda.  After doing some research and clearing my schedule, I was able to attend the Moxie Festival.  The festival is always the second weekend of July, and the celebration runs from Friday to Sunday.  The first day I attended was Friday, and I enjoyed myself immensely.  The first thing I noticed were the food trucks and food stalls.  There was Cheese The Day, a grilled cheese food truck, Boba Tea and Dumplings, a fried dough stall selling Moxie floats, and LA Tacos.  There were a number of other food trucks as well, so there were plenty of options. Some of the vendors accept credit and debit cards, but most others only accept cast.  There is an ATM available, so you’re covered if you need to withdraw some money.

 

There is a ton to do as well while attending the festival. There is live music that can be heard throughout the celebration and vendors selling a wide variety of products including jewelry, home décor, and Moxie products.  Furthermore, there was a face painting stall, as well as toys and clothes for sale.  There was even a dance performance from a nearby dance studio.

 

On Saturday, the day started with a 5K for adults and children.  However, the main draw for the festival on Saturday was the parade. Billed as the largest parade in Maine, people started lining the route way before the 10am start time.  I recommend getting to the parade route early to not only get a parking spot, but to get a good spot for the parade.  The parade included go karts, an appearance by the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, and even an orange Darth Vader!  Saturday’s festivities continued after the parade, including a whoppie pie eating competition, as well as a Moxie chugging contest.

 

I was unable to attend the third and final day but it sounded like a lot of fun.  The online schedule mentioned a lot of different activities, like a car show.  While disappointing, there is always next year.  However, I enjoyed myself quite a bit, and I’m definitely looking forward to next year’s festivities.  If you want to learn more about the Moxie Festival, you can click here.  Keep in mind that as the festival is over, the website is pretty bare, so make sure to check back in as the next celebration.  As always, I have to ask, where should I go next?

A Meal at a Sicilian Table

I’ve written three blog posts about three restaurants owned by the same person.  These restaurants included Tuscan Table in South Portland. While researching those posts, I heard whispers of a fourth restaurant opening at some point in the future.  Recently, I was looking for a place to eat on the internet, and Sicilian Table, the fourth restaurant to be opened by the same owner, had begun serving customers.  I knew immediately that I had to try it, so I hurried over and ordered some lunch.

 

Sicilian Table offers a large drink menu. Cocktails, mocktails, wine, soda, and bourbon populate their drink menu.  Sicilian Table has a great food menu as well, offering a variety of food options.  There are appetizers like meatballs and mussels, as well as salads like caser salad and a Greek salad.  There is a section reserved for pizza, as well for their house made pasta.  Finally, Sicilian Table also offers sandwiches like a burger or the chicken parmesan. There are seats at the bar as well as bar seating.  There are booths and tables, along with outdoor seating. There is also two floors available for patrons to sit.  I had a Caesar salad, along with a bee sting pizza, and both were delicious.

 

I enjoy these four restaurants, and I’m glad that I was able to try the newest addition.  Maine has a great variety of places to eat, so I’ll keep looking for new places to try. If you want to check out Sicilian Table, you can click here.  Now that this post is done, where should I go next?

Feeling Blue? Go See a Live Show

Maine plays host to a lot of live shows.  Whether you’re in Bangor or in the Greater Portland Area, chances are you might be able to see a live show.  While I’ve never been big on live shows, I decided to broaden my horizons.  I chose to go see a comedy show, followed by some live music.  With my mission in mind, I decided to head to The Clambake in Scarborough to see Bob Marley.

 

If you’re confused by that statement, I don’t blame you.  I’m a fan of Bob Marley, the reggae singer, but I never heard of a comedian also named Bob Marley.  When I was planning which shows I was going to see, Bob Marley’s name kept popping up.  Marley happens to be from Maine himself, and cinema fans might recognize him from the cult classic film The Boondock Saints.  He has a long-standing relationship with The Clambake, which I’ve written about before, so he has a number of performances there. Marley also does shows around Maine and the US, so make sure to check his tour dates, to see if he is performing near you. The Clambake also has an event room for such an occasion.  There are tables at the back of the room for those who want to eat while watching the show, along with three rows of seats surrounding the stage.

 

Bob Marley is quite popular here in Maine and his tickets tend to sell out quickly, so make sure to buy your tickets early.  Furthermore, doors open at six pm for a seven pm show, enabling guests to get there early and pick out their seats.  If you want your pick of seats, make sure to get to the venue early so that you can get the seats you want.  There was an opening act, who was very funny, and he was able to warm up the crowd for Bob Marley.  After the opener finished at 7:30, Marley took the stage, and his material is hysterical. His show is quite dynamic, as Marley moves about the stage and interacts with audience members.

 

I was on a roll with my research, so the next day I went to Blue, a live music venue in Portland.  Blue is a small venue, so if you want a seat make sure to get there early.  Sometimes there is a cover charge, while other times the performance is donation based.  The doors open at seven pm, while the show starts at eight.  If you enjoy watching the band set up, go through their sound check, and prep for their show, definitely show up at seven.  There are tables facing the stage as well as seats at the bar.

 

Blue is a twenty-one and over establishment, so there are wines, cocktails, shots, spirits, beer, and non-alcoholic drinks.  Blue also offers combo drinks like the Howdy Neighbor.  The Howdy Neighbor is a can of Narragansett and a shot of bourbon.  Their menu is small, offering hummus and naan, flat bread, and a variety of grilled cheese.  I had an OG Grilled Cheese, along with a Margarita and a double chocolate cupcake.  I saw a musician Javier Rosario perform, who plays jazz music.  The band was focused on the music, so there was little talking from the band between songs, which I definitely appreciated.

 

I’m glad that I got to experience these two shows.  I had so much fun that I’ll definitely see Bob Marley again, and I can see myself going to Blue a second time.  If you want to learn more about Bob Marley, you can click here. If you want to see what Blue has to offer, you can click here.  As always, I pose the question; where should I go next?  I already have my next post planned out so make sure to stay tuned.

Exploring Some of What Portland Has to Offer

Portland offers a lot of different places to eat, though some of these restaurants are easy to miss.  Over the course of a couple of days, I decided to discover some of these hidden gems.  My first stop was Black Cow Burgers for some lunch.  Situated right on the cusp of the Old Port, Black Cow Burgers has big windows overlooking a tree-lined plaza.  Seats are available at the bar, along with tables and booths around the restaurants. Though the menu is small, Black Cow Burgers still offers quite a bit.  There is a sampling of cocktails, along with house crafted sodas available for purchase.  Furthermore, there are floats and shakes if one is feeling adventurous.

 

There is a selection of sandwiches for patrons to peruse, ranging from burgers and grilled cheese to fried fish sandwiches. There are a ton of sides to add to your entrée as well.  French fries can be added, but there is so much more as well.  Tomato soup, fried brussel sprouts, and buffalo chicken dip is just some of what Black Cow Burgers has to offer.  If you still have room for dessert, there is plenty to choose from. Customers can buy ice cream or sundaes. I had a cheeseburger with fries and a chocolate shake. I finished my meal with a vanilla shake and a tin roof sundae, and I thoroughly enjoyed my meal.

 

After I went to Black Cow Burger, I found myself craving oysters, so I decided to satisfy my hunger by sampling two different oyster bars. My first stop Eventide Oyster Company here in Portland.  While Eventide Oyster Company is small, there is a wide variety of seating available. Seats at the bar, tables overlooking the street, and wooden picnic tables are offered to diners. The picnic tables are big enough for multiple parties to be seated at. Their drink menu is extensive, offering cocktails, sake, beer and non-alcoholic drinks.

 

The oyster selection is massive, with plenty of oysters from Maine and from away. Furthermore, there is a sizable food menu available for those who might want something else. This includes soups like clam chowder, and sandwichs like burgers and lobster rolls.  There is even a dessert menu, that includes whoopie pie. I had a big meal while researching Eventide Oyster Company. I had a half-dozen oysters, an Eventide Brown Butter Lobster Roll, a burger, clam chowder, and a whoopie pie!  It was all delicious, and I recommend everything.

 

After I recovered from my feast at Eventide Oyster Company, I went to Maine Oyster Company.  This restaurant is smaller, with a more intimate setting.  There is beer on tap and in bottles and cans.  Wine is also available for purchase.  Oysters are definitely the star here at Maine Oyster Company. They offer oyster shucking classes, and you can visit their oyster farm here in Maine (I sense a future blog post!).  Their menu is definitely smaller, so I decided to focus on their oysters, which were delicious.  While during the off season, Maine Oyster Company has a small selection of oysters, the summer season sees six to eight different types of oysters available for purchase.

 

All that walking made my feet sore, so I decided to stop by Soakology, located right on Congress Street.  This massage parlor specializes in foot soaks, while offering twenty- or forty-minute messages.  The foot soaks come in a variety of scents, adding to the sense of peace that Soakology strides for.  Since my feet were bothering me, I decided to have a foot rub.  Soakology also offers a number of teas, along with hot chocolate. The soundproofing at the spa is incredible, and I found myself forgetting that I was in downtown Portland and was able to relax completely.

 

I thoroughly enjoy writing for you, dear reader, as it enables me to experience much of what Maine has to offer.  Portland itself has so much to do, so this little excursion took a couple of days to complete.  If you want to learn more about Black Cow Burgers, click here.  If you want to experience all that Eventide Oyster Company has to offer, click here.  If Maine Oyster Company is more your speed, click here.  Finally, if you want to research Soakology, you can click here.  As always, I have to ask, where should I go next?  As it happens, I know exactly where I’m going next.

A Major Steak in the Restaurant Business

 

I love steak, though I find myself not eating it as often as I would like.  Therefore, I decided to fix that.  I visited two steak restaurants, each vastly different from the other.  I went to The Steakhouse, in Wells, and Bonissoni, in Ogunquit.

 

The Steakhouse is a popular restaurant.  They’re only open for dinner, and they don’t accept reservations, so be prepared to wait a bit before you’re seated.  There is ample parking and two floors available for seating.  Despite The Steakhouse’s size, there is still a cozy and intimate feeling to the eatery. There is a massive drink menu available for patrons of all ages.  There are draft beers and beer in bottles and cans.  Furthermore, there are wines, cocktails, and frozen drinks.  The food menu is just as big as well.  There are soups, appetizers, salads, steak, and seafood that can be purchased.  

 

On my first visit to The Steakhouse, I decided to sample some appetizers.  I settled on having four different dishes. I ordered a cup of lobster stew, steakhouse cheese fries, boneless buffalo wings, and the mussels. For my second trip, I ordered the filet mignon with a side of French fries and Caesar salad.  My meals were delicious, and I would recommend everything.  The Steakhouse does close down for a month or so, so make sure to check their website before you make the trip.

 

Bonissoni was a different experience.  Bonissoni is a Brazilian Steakhouse, which means that the servers walk around the restaurant with skewers of meat.  They place the skewer onto the table and ask if you want a slice of meat.  If you say yes, then the server will cut a piece of meat off and place it onto your plate.  Bonissoni has a large menu as well. There are cocktails, desert drinks, non-alcoholic drinks, as well as a selection of wines. Furthermore, there are a number of sides that customers can order, ranging from French fries to Caesar salads.  Like The Steakhouse, Bonissoni is cozy and intimate, making for a great visit.

 

My experience eating at two superb restaurants meant that I had a great meal.  I’ve spoken before about the versatility of Maine’s restaurant scene, and I know I’m far from finished eating my way through all that Maine has to offer.  If you want to know more about The Steakhouse, click here, and if you want to research Bonissoni, you can click here.  As always, I have to ask, where should I go to next?  As it happens, I know exactly where I’m going.

A Sporting Exhibition

 

I was never big on sports.  I always joke that 95% of anything related to sports goes right over my head.  Growing up outside of New York City meant that my family followed the New York teams, like the Yankees.  While Maine doesn’t have any Major League teams, there are three Minor League teams in Portland alone.  Because of this, I decided that I would write about all three teams in one post.

I started with the Portland Sea Dogs, the local baseball team that is associated with the Boston Red Sox. As it happened, the team the Sea Dogs were playing, the Somerset Patriots, are connected with the New York Yankees. As I entered, I decided that my first stop would be to pick up some food.  As I waited in line, I noticed two things.  The first was that there were tv’s scattered around the concession stand, meaning that sports fans wouldn’t miss a second of the game.  The second was situated above the concession windows. It was here that the ranking of the teams were situated.  As it happened, the Portland Sea Dogs were in first place in their division, which was exciting.

After I took my seat, I settled in and enjoyed the game. The mascot, Slugger, wandered the stands, interacting with fans and taking pictures with them.  One thing that I was unprepared for was just how small the stadium was compared to other baseball stadiums I’ve been to.  However, the small size meant that there was a of a sense of community at the game.  As it happened, the Portland Sea Dogs won, meaning there was a small firework display at the end of the game.  As I was leaving, I noticed that there was a souvenir shop.  While I didn’t enter the store, I noticed that such memorabilia like sweatshirts were on sale.

My second stop was the Portland Mariners, the local hockey team. The Mariners are linked to the Boston Bruins, and the Mariners were playing the Lions.  There were concession stands here as well, serving drinks like beer and soda, food like burgers and fries, and snacks like popcorn and fried dough. I arrived about a half-hour before the game, and was able to watch the players warm up.  What was really cool is that if one stood at the glass facing the rink, and tried to get a player’s attention, the player might give you a puck to take home.

Furthermore, there is a jumbotron suspended over the rink, so fans could watch the game if they were struggling to see the game from their seats.  The sense of community I felt at the Sea Dogs game was also present at the Mariners game.  Additionally, there are staff members situated around the rink to help those who need it.  As it was my first Mariners game, I didn’t know how to find my seat.  The staff member was very knowledgeable and I suspect that if I had more questions, they would have been able to answer them.  Unfortunately, the Mariners lost, but I still enjoyed myself.

 

I ended my adventures with the Maine Celtics, who are obviously associated with the Boston Celtics.  As the Celtics were a local team, the sense of community was present at the basketball game as well.  The local high school even play their basketball games on the same court as well!  I live close to the stadium, so I didn’t need to drive, but there is event parking for $10. As this was my first basketball game, I needed some help finding my seat again.  The staff assigned to the area I was standing in was able to help me, meaning that the event staff scattered around the court were there to help fans with questions that they might have.  As usual, there were a couple of concession stands located about the arena.  Beer, soda, hotdogs, burgers, fries, and popcorn were available for purchase.

Throughout the game, there were activities aimed at pumping up the crowd. For example, the cheerleaders and the mascot were giving away free pizza from a local pizza place.  Furthermore, there were times when the cheerleaders would come out and perform a choreographed routine.  Again, I arrived early and was able to watch the two teams warm up.  The Celtics were playing the Delaware Blue Coats, and the Celtics were able to beat their opponent.

All in all, I enjoyed my time at these sporting events, I would even consider going again! If you want to learn more about the Portland Sea Dogs you can click here. If you want to check out the Mariners, you can click here. Finally, if you want to research the Maine Celtics, you can click here. As always, I have to ask, where should I go to next?

Arcadia 2.0

I’ve written before about how Covid changed Maine’s landscape. The shift brought on by Covid has allowed some businesses to flourish while others floundered. Arcadia National Bar falls into the former. I have written about Arcadia before when they were a hole in the wall, but now they have blossomed into a full-scale bar with two floors.

The biggest change Arcadia went through is the amount of space available to them. There are two floors of games available to customers. The first floor is primarily pinball with some classic games scattered throughout the bar. The classic games include Q-Bert, Pong, and Mr. and Mrs. Pac-Man. The basement level is mostly devoted to sports games, like skeeball and a hockey game. Arcadia even has a PlayStation 5 in their basement level. All the games take quarters, so Arcadia provides an ATM as well as two quarter machines on the first level. There are even boardgames that patrons can play while they visit Arcadia.

Arcadia has plenty of seating.  There are stools that surround the bar, and there are two booths near the bar as well.  Arcadia also provides a couple of tables by the front windows, and those windows look out onto Congress Street.  There are seats scattered around the gaming floor, allowing patrons to watch people play their games.  Arcadia even has its own version of a food court, an area devoted to serving food to guests.  Those enjoying the food Arcadia has to offer can sit in the booths that line the food court.  Visitors can enjoy a variety of food, including garlic knots, pizza, sandwiches and hotdogs, and a whole slew of desserts.  Arcadia offers a comprehensive list of drinks to those who come to sit back and relax.  Draft beer, wines, liquor, cocktails, and non-alcoholic drinks are all available for purchase.

Arcadia does a lot to sets itself apart from other bars.  For example, during the colder months, when people are wearing heavy coats, Arcadia has a coat check.  Additionally, there is outdoor seating during the warmer months, so people can enjoy the weather.  Finally, Arcadia host a whole series of events.  Every Thursday, Arcadia hosts a trivia night, with prizes for those who place first, second, and third.  Arcadia even hosted a Pride event during Pride Month.

Arcadia offers so much to their patrons. Whether you want to play pinball or skeeball, this local watering hole has you covered. If you want to learn more about Arcadia, you can click here. As always, I leave you with this question. Where should I go to next?