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Start off with the Ginger Cosmo, the Gallery Cafe signature cocktail. Made with a home-made ginger simple syrup, it's a peferct way to settle in to this intimate location in Rockport. Prismglass Gallery and Cafe is a stunning marriage of food and art...glass art of course.
You will enjoy your cocktails, wine, and friendly fine dining in a pleasant, simple and elegant dining room accommodating only nine tables inside, and four additional patio tables under chic umbrellas surrounded by lovely gardens. Comfortably surrounded by a well-planned collection of glass art from around the country, you will be delighted by the collection of menu suggestions as purposefully selected as the glass. The atmosphere is intimate and magical, casually elegant.
Choose from lunch selections such as "Black & Blue" Steak Salad, Lobster Mac & Cheese (total comfort food!), Tuna and Artichoke Panini, The Tuscan Burger (three meats, provolone on ciabatta), or the amazing Lobster and Beet Salad. Do not forget to try the signature Tomato Basil soup!
For dinner, the lights dim and each table is graced with a custom glass piece containing an oil lamp. The atmosphere is aglow, romantic, glorious! Be tempted by appetizers; a Lobster Bisque, the Seafood Martini, or perhaps the Beef Carpaccio? Pace yourself!
Awaiting your selection are the entrees; Hickory Encrusted Flat Iron Steak, Pan Seared Duck with Maine Blueberry Sauce and Polenta, or Lobster Rockport. And this is just a glance! I'm certain that you have decided by now that dessert is not to be left behind. Creations include Maine Blueberry Fritters, Frangelico Creme Brule, Lemon Poppyseed Cake, and assorted home-made ice creams and sorbets.
Chef/Owner Lisa Sojka welcomes guests to enjoy this perfect marriage of food and art in a most intimate and inviting setting. The warmth of the glowing glass pieces, the exquisite culinary presentations, and gracious staff make Prismglass Gallery and Cafe a must do in Rockport. The repeat clientele (and there are plenty of them) will tell you that Prismglass is special, and consistency in service and presentation make it one of the Midcoast's finest. Reservations are suggested, and be sure to make time to browse the galleries.
http://www.prismglassgallery-cafe.com/
If you are in the Bangor area, and even if you aren't, I'd make a trip to Thistles Restaurant. Tucked into Bangor's financial district at 175 Exchange Street, Thistles makes an excellent stop for both business and pleasure.
My husband and I stopped in for lunch while we were waiting for the infamous pop up to be readied for the season. I might as well be honest, I lovingly refer to the pop up as my "lake house". I will have to post about it sometime. I digress...
I loved Thistles. With it's funky modern interior, I was welcomed by the smell of amazing food. I knew that the Latin-inspired cuisine was going to be a new and exciting experience for me. I feasted on Argentinian Beef Empanadas with the suggested Malbec Kaiken, Lujan de Cuyo.
The grouping was so lovely, so alive with flavor! The chimichurro sauce absolutely burst in my mouth, perfectly complimenting the modestly seasoned ground beef and pastry.
My husband enjoyed the Argentinian seasoned steak, also with the Malbec. Although a more conservative selection on the menu, it was no less fantastic. Expertly cooked medium rare and seasoned just enough to add that special Thistles touch that chef/owner Santiago Rave has so exquisitely mastered.
www.thistlesrestaurant.com
My best friend, Fletcher Smith, owns and manages an exquisite property management business here in Midcoast Maine. Her properties represent some of the finest luxury, yet explicitly "Maine", vacation rentals available for you to enjoy in this area. These homes are well-appointed, and you can choose from oceanfront, oceanview, harborside or lakeside. Some homes are enormous traditional "cottages", some are new and some are distinguished and have aged well over the years. Whatever your choice, traditional or modern, SummerMaine will deliver an unmatched vacation experience in one of my favorite parts of Maine...the Midcoast! You must visit the website, www.summermaine.com to get the full scope of what is available for you to enjoy. You will not be disappointed!
www.summermaine.com
Ok, so now I have you scratching your heads, right? Luxury camping? As in, camping out-of-doors in the wild Maine woods? Absolutely! Believe it or not, a good Maine camping trip is not to be overlooked. But, be advised! Not all campgrounds are created equal. And being particularly particular about my choice of campgrounds, I am not easily converted into a "happy camper".
However, this changed for me last year on August 6th weekend for my husband's 35th-ish birthday, we headed for the great Maine woods of Grafton Notch, right up against the New Hampshire border just outside of Bethel Maine.
So often, when trying to select a nice place to camp that offers:
Compounded by beautiful scenery, easy access, and little to no crowds can be a daunting if not impossible task. I can honestly say "Eureka!" The weekend that we chose to camp in Newry just so happened to be at the tail end of a massive rain spell, and these campsites were situated pleasantly along a river. There was a flood advisory that night, but off we went with our pop-up in tote. (Yes, I love my pop-up complete with shower, fridge, furnace, linens and tablewear).
Now I'm not sure if we had the place to ourselves because of the recent flood warnings, because Grafton Notch Campground is fairly new, or if it's really just that good. We chose site 13 which offered plenty of space and a nice short walk to an exceptionally clean outhouse. We enjoyed the beautiful night with our red zin, a wonderful meal of steaks, corn, and potatoes cooked fireside, and strawberry shortcakes.
In the morning, I was greeted by cool breezes and warm sunshine. I decided to stroll the rest of the campground and was absolutely delighted at what I found. I guess its fair to say that words cannot describe how immaculately clean the bathrooms were, big huge private walk-in shower with WATER PRESSURE! Outlets, clean sinks, the smell of cedar, it was truly as nice as any home or hotel bathroom. All of the outhouses were spotless and well-maintained. Nestled in a tremendous gorge surrounded by the splendor of the Mahoosuc Range with the river running by, Grafton Notch Campground gets my absolute approval should you decide to try a different kind of luxury.
www.campgrafton.com
