The Rain in Maine

For a graduation present my parents took me on a two day trip to Kennebunk, Maine. I woke up in their apartment greeted by coffee and the news we were going on a little trip. We packed our bags, got in the car and traveled an hour and a half north. We grabbed lunch on our way to our "hotel" at the Maine Diner. It was decadent. Having skipped breakfast we feasted on Chicken Pot Pie and Lobster Pie (pieces of lobstah baked in a custard dish with ritz cracker breadcrumbs and butter... too good to be true.) It was an amazing lunch but I would skip their chocolate cake, it was quite salty. After stuffing ourselves silly we arrived at our quaint cottage. I felt as though I was in a story book!

 Everything was so nice! Complimentary cookies and milk, a traditional whoopie pie, pistachios and in the morning muffins and orange juice. Well worth the trip for just the food alone. I would recommend the Cottages at Cabot Cove any day. It was wonderful in itself. The mini cottages are in walking distance from downtown Maine St. so we walked around until we were hungry for dinner! Goofing around on the free bikes was a must.

 The Tides Beach Club off of Gooserocks Beach came highly recommended. On the way we were able to see the George H. Bush estate! What a life. The restaurant was delicious to the eye and the taste buds.

 Blackberry Mojito... yum.

Followed by the TBC Chicken wings. Sweet, spicy and barbecuey all at one time. Super tender, the meat falls off the bone, but somehow the skin is unbelievably crispy. Perfection, and I am a wing expert.

Sick from all of the decadent food I ordered tuna poke which was pretty good but nothing compared to my dads garlic and butter lobster roll.

In an attempt to burn off some of the calories we crossed the street and took a barefoot walk on the most gorgeous beach I have ever been to, even in the cold. Including beaches all over the California coast, Monaco, Nice, Hawaii and all over Massachusetts. Gooserocks beach definitely takes the cake. I understand why our old president decided to reside here.

All in all it was a wonderful day and week with my family and I will miss New England terribly. Tomorrow is my last day in Boston, so sad... its been an amazing, stressful, emotional and shocking year but it was all worth experiencing. I don't know much about life because I am still so young but I do know that if you have a chance to change your life, you should take it. Every decision I have made over the years has led me to this and I couldn't be more happy.

Graduation Dinner

Recently I graduated from a tiny art school with a class of 98... exciting I know. It was far away from most of my family so the after party was going to be tiny, my parents, my sister and her husband. I was dreading the boring dinner for awhile, no friends, no aunts or uncles, in general nobody close to my age.

Anyways...

The graduation service was held in a church with no air conditioning in ninety degree weather. GREAT! The purple gown I had to wear was sticking to me in ways I never though possible and I am pretty sure my brand new 1950's inspired graduation dress was drenched. I just wanted it to end! After my principal made his speech, which I am sure nobody listened to, we processed out into the sun! Diploma in hand we drove to the school grabbed my stuff and got the hell out of there.

Okay I admit, it was kind of amazing to have accomplished what I did without getting expelled, but I was starving! I didn't want to eat that morning and have the possibility of puking on the person in front of me... So I was excited to discover we would be having steak for dinner, but not just any steak, steak from Ruth's Chris Steakhouse. Yum doesn't begin to cover my love for that restaurant. I dashed back to my apartment changed into a dress with a bit more roomy so I could grow as much as I wanted and power walked all the way to the restaurant.

I got there and was welcomed with a bottle of Prosecco and the most gorgeous bouquet of flowers filled with roses, mint, hydrangea, David Austin Roses, peonies, and lilac. My mother knows me so well.

 Next we ordered loads of food, so much I couldn't show you everything and admit we ate like cows... haha get it... any who. My sister and I shared everything so we could try everything (I highly suggest doing this.) We started with a shrimp cocktail followed by a bone in filet, baked potato and creamed spinach. Now I've had more than my fair share of steak and I am not lying when I say this was the best steak I have ever had the glory of eating. It was perfectly marbled and rare. Ruth's Chris serves all of their steaks on 500 degree plates dripping in butter. It gives the steak a wonderfully crunchy crust complemented by a smooth buttery rich center. Perfection on a plate.

 Sorry for the shadowy picture but I could not take the time to reach the right angle. I had to dig in immediately. My brother-in-law is a carnivore if I ever met one so he had to go for the gusto. A beautiful porterhouse, I had steak envy...

He ate it all... I was for lack of  a better word, impressed. The staff was so accommodating and my family was in the greatest mood. My dad and brother-in-law got on the subject of 007 (as any men do) and decided they needed to try a Bond martini. Three parts gin, one part vodka, and half part Lillet Blanc White Wine. I HATE vodka and everything to do with it. But this martini was incredible. So flavorful and light. I would definitely suggest it to anyone.

Three hours of food and conversation later the waiter surprised me with what tasted like a mascarpone cheesecake with a chocolate cookie crust, topped with strawberries and served with lots of chocolate.

It was an amazing dinner. I couldn't have been more happy with my day. I have never been more satisfied with life! When we got back to our apartment my mother had a Boston Cream Pie from Mikes Bakery waiting.

Thats my giant teddy bear behind me, in case you were wondering. It was such a great graduation because of the people who surrounded me. I don't know why I was dreading this...