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.

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.