Becky's photoblog

We had such a lovely day trip up to Portland a few weeks ago and we decided to try it again … Maine is only an hour and a half away! We decided to drive up to Ogunquit because we just wanted to walk around and get some exercise some place scenic. I remembered the beautiful scenic path along the water near Perkins Cove (the Marginal Way), so we headed there. SO bummed to find that it was so crowded with tourists that we had to completely abandon the idea … there was absolutely nowhere to park the car! So annoying because I could see glimpses of the stunning scenery as we drove around, and I was itching to get out of the car and take a long a walk but we were actually stuck.

After some whining (all me), we decided to continue north along the coast to see what else we would see, and we drove through a quieter, less touristy, residential neighborhood of incredible oceanfront properties … and then, suddenly there was a parking spot! We hopped out at Wells Beach, and walked along the shoreline listening to that wonderful irreplaceable sound of waves crashing on rocks.

After we walked a bit, we decided to take a risk on a tiny little shack of a restaurant called Wells Beach Lobster Pound. It didn’t look very promising from the outside, but we were pleasantly surprised! We brought our food across the street and enjoyed incredible clam chowder, fried clam strips and a lobster roll on a ledge overlooking the ocean. Absolutely perfect!

Did you know there are over 3,000 islands off the coast of Maine? We took a little day trip up to Portland Maine, and we saw about 10 of them on a 3-hour cruise on Casco Bay Lines. The cruise is called the Mailboat Run because it brings passengers and mail deliveries to the islands twice a day, and it gives tourists like us the chance to see Maine as it was intended to be seen: from the water. A perfectly beautiful relaxing  inspiring New England day.

We passed Gorges Island, Peaks Island and Little Diamond Island, then our first stop was at Diamond Cove on Great Diamond Island, followed soon after by a stop at Long Island. Our third stop was at Cliff Island, then finally at Great Chebeague Island, then back to Portland for window shopping and an amazing dinner.

 

 

 

A few of us knew that we would all want/need a mid-Fall getaway weekend, so we picked one of New England’s many perfect towns for a get-away weekend, Newport, Rhode Island, and we booked two rooms at one of Newport’s many inns, Bouchard Inn and Restaurant.

We got really lucky because the restaurant was being renovated, so even on a busy weekend, the inn wasn’t full. They upgraded us, and we were treated to an incredibly comfortable two-bedroom suite, with a kitchenette and sitting room between the two bedrooms. It was absolutely perfect to wake up to the smell of the complimentary pastries delivered to our room. We highly recommend the Bouchard Inn. We felt like this really nice guy was letting us stay at his really nice house while he was away for the weekend. Also, and I don’t say this lightly: the bed was really comfortable!

Little did we know that it’s Restaurant Week in Newport, and we had a few amazing meals. We started our adventure with an incredible lunch at Diego’s, and we had a really delicious dinner at Fluke’s. Not exactly fine dining, but we also had a really satisfying meal at Newport Creamery. This was one of my favorite restaurants when I was little, so of course, I had to order my favorite meal: a tuna melt and a super-chipper. Very good for the soul.

And … we saw some mansions (duh!). Click on the for my photos from our visit to three of the Newport Mansions

• The Elms
• Chateau-sur-Mer
• The Breakers

 

We did the self-guided tour at The Elms, and as I was peaking out the windows from the second floor, I realized that I was missing the last moments before the setting sun fell behind the trees. I raced through the rest of the rooms, and out the back door to see that The Elms’ facade (or is that technically the back of the house?) was brightly lit with the golden oranges of a gorgeous sunset! I only had a few minutes to take a few pictures before the sun set behind the trees. The Elms was no longer glowing, but it was still gorgeous … and then the clouds started to put on a show for us.

We hadn’t been to Waterfire in a while, so we finally found time to go on a lovely cool October evening. Still crowded, still gorgeous, still worth it.

Links to other Waterfire albums from my old photoblog:

http://www.photoblog.com/bdaroff/2011/07/30/waterfire.html
http://www.photoblog.com/bdaroff/2009/10/10/waterfire.html
http://www.photoblog.com/bdaroff/2008/08/02/paw-sox-and-waterfire.html

We spent the day in Deering, New Hampshire to visit the house that my aunt and uncle have right on Deering Lake. It rained for most of the day, so we spent most of the day playing games, but we decided not to let a little drizzle keep us from going out on the boat … even though it was windy and probably in the high 40s. We bundled up, and Captain John (right) gave us a tour of Deering Lake.

We also got to meet our newest cousin, Ted. Between Brian and me, three of our first cousins had babies this year, so we get to hang out with lots of adorable infants. This was Ted’s first time meeting several of his relatives, so we took lots of pictures.

Family and friends, please click here to see photos of Ted. The password is his middle name (all lowercase). 

Moments after arriving in Boothbay Harbor, we took in the spectacular view from the porch of the Greenleaf Inn

Maine is a treasure, and the Greenleaf Inn in Boothbay Harbor is a gem. Five DiMattias spent a lovely New Englandy weekend wandering in and out of shops, eating incredible meals, sitting on shady porches and watching the sailboats.

awww!

This lovely lady just moved in with this handsome gent. We have a scheduling conflict for their housewarming party, so we spent the afternoon visiting them in New Hampshire. It’s hard to see your friends once or twice a year when you used to see them all the time, but if it’s seven hours or not at all, then I’ll take it! I’ve known her 22 years longer than I’ve known him, and we all got along like old friends. How great is that?

We were originally planning to help them with a project, but it was way too hot to work, so instead we ate all afternoon — starting with incredible cheese samples at Grafton Village Cheese Company. My friends really know me 🙂

Brian and I took a daytrip up to Maine to see an exhibit on impressionist landscapes, which was wonderful. This is the view into the special exhibition gallery from the 2nd floor.

I love this room – and this brings me back to my very first photoblog post (10/13/07). This is the sculpture gallery at the Portland Museum of Art.

 

 

very cool rock sculpture thingy. brian took this shot through a wreath in the window

a few rooms in the PMA, looking towards a portrait of Isabella Stewart Gardner’s nephew

After we had our fill at the museum, we headed in search of a good meal, and found exactly that at this place – i think it was called Bull Feeney’s. This shot doesn’t do it justice, but the light coming through these huge windows was really amazing. For the record, the authentic Maine seafood chowder and parmesan crusted haddock sandwich with citrus aioli sauce was also really amazing

gratuitous silverware still-life

Long Wharf

This is Brian with a licorice pipe after we stopped at an amazing candy store in Kittery on the way to Portland.

This doesn’t do it justice but the sunset as we drove back was the bluest blue, the orange-est orange and every color in between.

It’s 2014, and I’m going back to the beginning of my first photoblog (at photoblog.com/bdaroff), and recreating my old posts on my own site here at beckydimattia.com/photoblog. This post is from our trip to Ogunquit with my sister, parents and grandparents. My grandparents had a time-share up there, and we drove up to spend the weekend taking in the gorgeous New England colors.

Looking back on this weekend 7 years ago, I still remember this vividly. Brian and I had started dating just one week before this, and I remember talking to him on the phone while looking out over Perkins Cove. A dear friend had also lost her father just a week before this, and I remember debating with my parents whether I should fly to San Francisco for the memorial (I did).

I also remember taking a long slow walk along the Marginal Way, and how my dad, sister and grandmother shook their heads and walked on ahead of us while my mom, grandfather and I stopped every three seconds to take pictures. It was well worth it – one of my photos below has been hanging in my office for many years, reminding me of the gorgeous Maine coast and a great day with my family.

We’re all museum lovers, and we visited two museums that weekend – the Ogunquit Museum of American Art (not that memorable for me, except the gorgeous grounds), and the Portland Museum of Art, which I loved. I especially love the room with all of the marble sculptures and tons of light pouring in from huge windows. A year or so later, Brian and I revisited the Portland Museum of Art together.