My Portland trip was a lot more fun this week since my
mom, Pat Sr., accompanied me.  Before our
trip, she spent hours poring over a Portland tourist map — she was ready to
hit all 158 stores over the two days she had in town. She figured she had 3.18
minutes per store if she gave herself 5 hours.

Entrance to The Ramp

So much for the best laid plans. She found other things
to occupy her time, including: Mass at the Cathedral; a climb up the Observatory
in Munjoy Hill followed by a stroll back to town along the Eastern Promenade; a
quick stop at the Greek Festival; the Portland Museum of Art, and a foot soak and cup of tea at Soakology. She only hit about 58 stores, but she made some good
purchases, so all is well.

Mom’s Lobster ‘Dinner’

Of course we had some wonderful meals, although the only
lobster she had was the one the hotel left on the bed. Her favorite breakfast
was a ham and cheese croissant at Standard Bakery; favorite lunch was the crab
cake and onion strings at The Ramp in Kennebunkport, and favorite dinner was salmon
at the Union restaurant at the Press Hotel. (I was excited to visit the Press
Hotel – former home of the Portland Press Herald. Nice touches include old-fashioned
typewriters in the lobby and on the walls.)

We spent our last day touring the beaches, starting with
Ogunquit. We walked the Marginal Way – 1 ¼ miles of paved path wending high
above the ocean. It’s a lovely walk that begins or ends at Perkins Cove, a
great place to grab lunch or a drink. Then we headed to Kennebunkport, where I
was determined to find The Ramp, a recommendation from a foodie friend. It’s a fun,
funky spot, and as noted Pat Sr. enjoyed her meal, as did I. (I had a Greek
meze plate; maybe I had the Greek festival on my mind.) We ended our beach day
at Old Orchard Beach, the most “Jersey” of all Maine beaches, with a pier, lots
of junk food vendors, amusement rides and a seven-mile long, wide, sandy beach.
We ended the day with a couple of soft custards near the pier – you can take
the girls out of Jersey, but….

Portland has a love-hate relationship with tourists. On one hand, they know they need us for their economy. On the other, places
get crowded and a small town like Portland can feel overrun with us. Despite
that, everyone we met was friendly and helpful. I know I’ll be back, and Pat
Sr. is hoping for another visit.