Where Brooklin at? Where Brooklin at?

        Brooklin, Maine is a small coastal town near Blue Hill.  It's the home of Wooden Boat Magazine, E.B. White, boat builders and artists.  My boyfriend is currently living at his family's home there to work at the Brooklin Boat Yard.  It is a gorgeous little town that I have pretty much fallen in love with.  

         I went and visited this past, beautiful weekend. Once the fog lifted on Saturday, it was perfect coastal weather.  It was hot, but there was a cool sea breeze that kept you from noticing.  Thanks to the combination of a storybook town and an amazing boyfriend, I was spoiled with another amazing weekend.

Driveway at High Head

A boat that Matt is helping to get summer-ready

View from the launch at Wooden Boat

My most favorite driveway in history

A view from the top of a hill

Caterpillar Hill in (I believe) Brooksville, ME

Matt and Me

The Cockatoo Portuguese Restaurant

Best mussels I've ever had!

Deer Isle Bridge

Me after I found a shrink gun

        I got out to Brooklin later than I anticipated on Friday.  It was a rainy night, so we didn't do anything except eat delicious food (thanks to Matt's mom) and watch the Devils make it to the Stanley Cup.  It's a good thing we rested up that night, because Saturday was packed full of things to do.
        On Saturday, we must have biked around Brooklin for nearly four hours.  The weather started out alright and got better and better as our ride went on.  We went all over the place and stopped at some beautiful places.  First, we went down to the Brooklin Boat Yard so that Matt could show me where he works.  I can tell her loves it there.
        Next, we biked to an awesome little place called The Cave.  There, we enjoyed  macchiatos whipped up by a barista named David.  He roasts his own coffee which he calls Bucklyn Coffee. He was very humble and kind and his macchiatos provided some delicious fuel for our bike ride.
        After that, we biked to a dozen other place. We saw Wooden Boat, the yacht club, some cool little un-named places, the cemetery and a wicked cool farm.  All we're enjoyable, but nothing compares to my favorite part of the bike ride.
        There is a private driveway in Brooklin that I had been dying to see the other end of.  It is a well maintained, dirt driveway that has a bunch of old trees lining it on both sides.  There's always the perfect amount of sunlight peaking in, and the lawns on either side are always lush and green.  It is simply beautiful.
         Well, I don't really condone trespassing, but sometimes you've just got to do what you've got to do.  While biking by, we noticed that the gate was up... We took that as a sign that no one was there and that if we were discreet, we could just take a peak at what the end of the driveway looked like.  So, we biked around the gate and headed down the long, fairy tale looking driveway.  It was gorgeous.  There was a huge, stone covered water tower in a clearing on the property.  It looked like a tower that was taken off of a mid-evil, Irish castle.  At the end of the driveway, I saw what I expected; huge houses (not just one) on a hill with a view of the ocean.  I'm just glad that I was finally able to satisfy my curiosity.
     
        That night, we headed out early for our dinner reservation at The Cockatoo Portuguese Restaurant.  On our way, we stopped in what I am pretty sure was Brooksville, at a lookout spot called Caterpillar Hill.  There, we had a gorgeous view of the hills and ocean.  Then, we jumped back in the good 'ol Volvo and headed to Deer Isle for The Cockatoo.
       After driving on a couple of dirt roads, we finally came to a clearing and saw the restaurant.  It is a cute, lodge-like building with an incredible view. It was the day after their season opening, and besides us, there were only two other tables in the restaurant.  It was a comfortable environment and the whole staff was wicked friendly.  We think the maitre 'd might have been a retired, James Bond-esq spy. He was cool.
       There wasn't anything there that wasn't extraordinary. We shared the most delicious fried calamari I have ever had.  It was garnished with banana peppers and rather than marinara, it was over a runnier sauce that had a sweet, slightly spicy kick to it.  I loved it.
        I ordered mussels, my favorite dish anywhere.  They were hands down the best mussels I have ever had. They were fresh and oh so delicious.  They didn't need any extra flavoring except for the perfect amount of garlic they were cooked with.  Every time someone came over to ask us how everything was going we had to be sure to keep from geeking out at how much we were obsessing over the food.  "Everything is really good," was repeated over and over again.  I didn't think it was appropriate to tell everyone there that I was having a foodgasm with every bite.
       After dinner we forced ourselves to share a piece of chocolate cake.  I'm glad we did, because it was incredible.  Then, we hopped back in the car and enjoyed the beautiful sunset on our drive back.  I don't know why I have been getting so spoiled with luxurious weekends of relaxing and eating (first Portland, now Brooklin!), but I sure could get used to it.

        Until next time my little ocean creatures.

Tuesday Tunage: Andrew Bird

         Every few months I get re-obsessed with Andrew Bird.  I always like him, but I will excessively listen to him for weeks at a time.  I am back on my kick, clearly.  Currently, I am loving Andrew Bird's Bowl of Fire.  Here, I have posted his song "Fake Palindromes".  It is the first song I ever heard by Andrew Bird, and it has remained one of my favorites.
        On a side note, if you are ever having trouble focusing when you are trying to study, I highly recommend listening to Andrew Bird's album, Useless Creatures.  It is hands down one of my favorite albums.  The instrumental songs get you completely lost in anything that you are doing.  I wouldn't skip around the CD because the songs work together in order to make it feel like you are running through a field on a sunny day.  That probably makes it sound like I am stoned out of my mind when I listen to it, but I kid you not; you will feel so relaxed and productive.  I'm sorry to gush over it, but it really is the greatest.  It's summer now, but give it a try once next semester starts back up.  Here is a little preview:

        "Hot Math" is the second to last song on the album.  Plus, the cover art is adorable and fantastic and makes me love it even more! Listen to Andrew Bird! You will love him!

        Okay, sorry about that. I am done ranting now.  Until next time you little creatures!

"Coffee Tea or Me?"

        Okay, so it's not on my official Summer Reading List, but I just finished this book and it is definitely worth a share.  

        Coffee Tea or Me? is the fantastic memoir of two airline stewardesses from the 1960's.  It is no secret that I am obsessed with the 60's. When I saw this gem sitting on a shelf at Goodwill, I just had to buy it. The best part is that it was only fifty cents!  I figured this book would be whatever.  If anything, I thought it would just look nice on my bookshelf, displaying it's witty title for all to see.

    Oh, how wrong I was.

        This book isn't super well written, but it is still good.  Once I started reading it I couldn't put it down.  With it's mix of story telling, educating, and advice giving, I felt like I was an airline stewardess in the 60's. If you love anything and everything that has to do with the 1960's, you are going to love this book.  It is a great, borderline scandalous book to get lost in for a couple of days.

        Seeing as to it was written in the 60's, I will warn you that it isn't the most politically correct book.  You kind of have to think of it as Mad Men in the sky in a book.  It's wrong, but it's entertaining.  For example, there is a whole chapter that breaks down what to expect from male passengers based on their race or occupation.  While you know the stereotypes aren't always true, you'll still end up giggling at least a little bit. 

        So, go get this book (it is available on Amazon and I'm sure you could find it other places, too), throw on a big hat, sit in the sun, and get your fabulous self lost in it.

Tuesday Tunage: Talking Heads

This is a pretty sweet version of Talking Heads' Psycho Killer.  The whole film, Stop Making Sense, is definitely worth a watch.

Tuesday Tunage: ALO and Hall and Oates

So, I had it all planned out to post this song today...

ALO- "Walls of Jericho"

...but then this came on the radio while I was in the shower!

Hall and Oates- "You Make My Dreams Come True"

I hope you all enjoy flailing your arms to that.  Happy Tuesday.

A Getaway To Portland, ME

        This weekend was beautiful! It was the perfect opportunity to pack up the good 'ol Volvo and head south to Portland. (Shout out to Bryan Roche for keeping the 90s jams bumpin' the whole way down.)  I could not have asked for better weather and people to spend the day with.  The trip revolved around walking, discovering, and best of all...eating.

Headed on down to P-town

We stayed at my friend Betsy's super sweet apartment.  Betsy is living it up in Portland right now and she has an awesome blog about bagels and Portland. 

        Check out Betsy's Blogel. I assure you; it's well worth a gander.

We discovered that the roof at Betsy's is a great hang out spot.   Later that night, I spent a good hour people watching from here.  It provided a nice time passer while everyone else went to the bars (under 21 woes).

These are some of the cool spots that we chose to stop and hang out at.

These are the delicious places we chose to get food at.

Otto Pizza is hands down some of the greatest pizza I have ever had.  This pizza is on a whole other level than most slice shops I've been to.  It's gourmet pizza with some of the most mouth-watering topping combos I have ever heard of.  I had a mushroom and cauliflower slice.  The mushrooms were caramelized (or something awesome like that) and they tasted way too good.  Like, full on food-gasm good.  

This here is my first OhNo Cafe breakfast sandwich.  It consisted of a perfectly fried egg, spinach, tomato,  cucumber, red onion, cream cheese and Sriracha all in-between a delicious bialy. Between this and the Otto pizza, I spent the greater part of my weekend in a food coma.

I love Portland, ME.  Being there made me excited about my trip to Portland, OR that I am planning on taking this year.  Comparing the two cities should be interesting.

Summer Reading List

1. "Another Roadside Attraction" by Tom Robbins
       I am going to be completely honest when I say that I would join a cult if Tom Robbins was its leader.  He is hands down my favorite author.  This is the one and only book of his that I have yet to read.  I have been waiting to borrow it from a friend, but I am getting impatient and will probably buy it myself next week.

2. "If You Have to Cry, Go Outside: And Other Things Your Mother Never Told You" by Kelly Cutrone
      Are you familiar with the show Kell on Earth?  All you need to know is that it was a 2010 show on Bravo that followed the life of PR bad-ass Kelly Cutrone.  On it, they mentioned her book titled "If You Have to Cry, Go Outside".  That title really stuck with me and I have been attempting to make it my life's mantra. I'm hoping the book is just as inspiring as the title.

3. "Life As I Blow It" by Sarah Colonna
        I am a huge Chelsea Lately fan and I love whenever Sarah Colonna is on the round-table.  I've heard only the most fantastic things about this comedic memoir.  I always look forward to reading anything that will make me laugh.

4. "I Thought You Were Dead" by Pete Nelson
        This book follows a character who is a little down on his luck and confides in his dog...who responds...in English.  It may seem a little out there but I have already read the first 50 pages, and so far it's good.  I might also be a little bias because I met the author.  He was a guest staying at the inn that I work at and he took a liking to me because I am an English major.  He sat in the lobby for over an hour discussing books and giving me writing advice.  Later that night, he came down with a signed copy of his book and he lectured me about how I had to go to the university where he teaches to talk about a book that I write and have published.  Inside, he wrote "see you in five years."  Besides my two favorite high school teachers, nobody has ever encouraged me to write more than Pete Nelson had.  It was a pretty awesome thing.

5. "A Clockwork Orange" by Anthony Burgess
        I know, right?  This book would be on here.  People always rave about it and how it's a classic and it's so revolutionary and blah blah blah.  I really don't even know what it is about (I feel like even people who claim to know don't).  All that I know is that there is some crazy rape scene or something.  I might as well get it over with and just read the damn thing, right?

6. 'Night Mother by Marsha Norman
        I really enjoy reading plays.  I performed the opening scene of this one with another girl in an acting class that I took.  The scene ends with my character, Jessie, telling her mother that she is going to kill herself.  I have been dying (pun unintended) to finish the play and figure out what happens.  This is a must on my list.

7. "State of Wonder" by Ann Patchett
         From what I've read about this book, it is supposed to be a female-centered version of "Heart of Darkness".  As much as I hated actually having to read "Heart of Darkness", I will admit that it was overall a great story that I enjoyed and  often find myself referencing in college.  Just please don't tell that to my high school English teacher.

8. "Good Faith" by Jane Smiley
        I fell in love with Smiley's contemporary adaptation of King Lear, "A Thousand Acres".  Smiley is a fantastic writer, and I am excited to start another one of her novels.

9. "Fifty Shades of Grey" by E.L. James
        I need to see what all of the hub-bub is about. Don't judge.

10. "Hot Water Music" by Charles Bukowski
         Bukowski and I have a love-hate relationship. One second I'll be all, "yeah you're pretty cool," but then  I'll be all "you're a  sick bastard!"  We're going to try to work it out this summer.


        Check back to see what I thought of all of these books.  Also, I would love to get some recommendations on what I should read next.

Tuesday Tunage: Mountain Goats

        This is what I'm listening to this dreary Tuesday.  If you haven't listened to the Mountain Goats already; you are crazy.  Their song, No Children, is witty and somewhat relate-able (whether or not you want to admit it).  It is the perfect song to listen to on gross, cloudy days when everyone and their brother are being a huge pain in the ass. "I hope you die. I hope we both die."  Everyone's thinking it at one time or another; the Mountain Goats are saying it for you.

Disposable Cameras and Target Meltdowns

        I love disposable cameras.  I like to use them during events that might be a little too dangerous for my Sony DSLR. Tony is my Sony.  The disposables are referred to as my sluts; I use them once and then toss them.  It might seem like a wasteful process, but I assure you it is not.  Kodak has been recycling these disposable cameras for over a decade now.  Check out what those smart cookies are doing.

        Again, I love disposable cameras.  While I wouldn't exactly call them cheap (keep in mind that I'm cheap), they are definitely always worth it.  They're perfect for capturing a moment the way that it was.  As I often remind anyone who tries to snag my disposable at a party, "Use that wisely, girl! That ain't no digital and I've only got 27 cranks."  People can get really annoying about taking the "perfect" picture with digital cameras because they have an unlimited amount of tries.  With a disposable it's click, boom, done.  Oh, you were chewing with your mouth open in that one? Sorry, no do overs.

Halloween 2010

Autumn Christmas Party

White-trash Kitty Door

Coast of Brooklin, ME

Rafting on the Penobscot
(Water-proof disposables are the best!)

        Usually, I go to the local Target to get my cameras developed.  They have one-hour drop off, and in my opinion they produce the best quality out of any big department store.  So please, just imagine my dismay when I walked in today and saw that they are no longer developing film...

Wait, what?!

         Yeah, you heard me.  Target is no longer developing film! Needless to say, upon being told this I created a bit of a scene.  It might have been a little dramatic, but really; no more quick and easy film developing? I may or may not have told the Target associate breaking the news to me that she was "literally tearing my heart out."  Yep, so like I said, a bit of a scene was caused.  On the bright side, I now have a reason to go check out Bangor Photo.

           

20 Before 20

This, my dears, is what inspired me to start a blog.

     It was two days before my 19th birthday, and while I should have been writing papers, I was instead making my 20 Before 20 list.  Being as to this is my last year as a teenager, there are a few things I want to get done. I got a lot of my inspiration for this from some other blogs I've been following (obsessing over) for a while now.  The one that inspired my list the most is I Just Might Explode.  Check 'em out!

20 Before 20

1. Go to the West Coast

2. Have a piece published

3. Fill a photo album with a picture from every day this year

4. Sew a dress

5. Get a new tattoo

6. Plant a tree

7. Learn to French braid

8. Volunteer somewhere

9. Climb a new mountain (literally)

10. Raise money for Michael's lungs*

11. Write a play

12. Go on a road trip with friends

13. Stay off all social media sites for one full week (ahhh!)

14. Run a half marathon

15. Write a letter to my 4th grade teacher (she was awesome!)

16. Find a random diner to try

17. Make someone happy cry (people do it to me all of the time)

18. Start a blog (done!)

19. Go horseback riding

20. Make homemade mozzarella 

*My cousin has Cystic Fibrosis and has just been put on the list for a lung transplant. Please go to this page to learn more and perhaps even make a donation. Remember to like it <3