The Mad Travel Planner

a diary of travel, food, art and culture.

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Let the holiday weekend begin #viewfromourroom #westcoast #pacific #coronado #labordayweekend (at Hotel del Coronado)

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How to survive three+ hours in coach #survivaltips #justalttlejunk #nofirstclass #earplugs #wifi #goodbook

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It usually pays to be a tourist in your own town.

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True for all the states where I’ve lived. But the North Pole for Alaska? And Waikiki Beach is pretty nice.

(via https://68.media.tumblr.com/e6aa641036cee257ec30bee535b5de56/tumblr_ottezitfeN1rn1906o1_1280.png)

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(via http://projectinspo.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/TRAVEL-RICHER-QUOTE-INSPIRATION.jpg)

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How I Roll

At the end of a 10-day road trip, my lobster walkabout included five rolls at traditional roadside huts: one in Massachusetts, one in Nova Scotia, and three in Maine. As much as I love fresh lobster, I realized that my preference isn’t for plain lobster meat on a bun, which is how it was served in three out of five huts, but some variation on lobster salad.

By far, my favorite was the “picnic style” lobster roll from Bite into Maine. A grilled hot dog roll with a layer of crispy coleslaw filled with fresh lobster meat (4.5 oz to be exact) then drizzled with warm butter and sprinkled with celery salt. This hut also had such interesting variations on the theme that it was hard to choose.

It’s also important to mention that finding each place was part of the fun. Bite Into Maine was food truck operating in the middle of Fort Williams Park in Cape Elizabeth with the breathtaking Portland Head Light. Here’s the rest of the list in order of lobster-y goodness:

2nd place: The Fish Shack, Lunenburg, Nova Scotia

3rd place: No Name Restaurant, Boston, MA

4th place: Thurston’s Lobster Pound, Bass Harbor, ME

5th place: Bob’s Clam Hut, Kittery, ME

Taste testing lobster rolls was a real dream assignment for this New England girl. Although there was a clear winner, I wouldn’t have skipped any of them.

8.8.17

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A little bit of Maine.

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Where to Travel Based on Your Zodiac Sign

Find the perfect destination for your next vacation based on your astrological sign.

My sign is spot on. You?

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Kingsbrae Garden was an inspiration on a rainy day in New Brunswick. Artists: David Hind, Donna Mayne

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(via I have left my heart | Inspirational Travel Quotes)

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Who needs shark week when you have Lobster Week? Hands down, Michael Phelps would beat a lobster in a race with no need for CGI. And I can honestly attest to not one lobster tornado, however the bright red, prehistoric-looking symbol of the sea was everywhere in Nova Scotia: on t-shirts, building signs, and even a lobster-shaped table pager at a local shack; in lobster poutines, benedicts, casseroles, and even potato chips. Like cheese in Wisconsin, lobster culture in the Maritimes is big business. In Nova Scotia alone, where lobsters are sometimes referred to as the "cockroach of the sea," it's a billion dollar business. What most people don't realize is that cold water lobster found in the Canadian Maritimes and New England is special--its the only species that has front claws--a pincher and a crusher. Pacific, Caribbean, South African lobsters (also called rock or spiny) have only five sets of appendages and front antennae. It's a matter of opinion, of course, but I'll bet anyone a shark stunt in the cold Atlantic that the claw meat is the sweetest, most tender part of the crustacean. Landing by ferry in Yarmouth on the southern tip of the province and traveling by car along the coast to Halifax and eventually around to the western port of Digby (330 miles with lots of stops!), you can truly experience Lobster Week. And on the way, slow down to explore Lunenberg (a UNESCO site) and order a lobster roll at The Fish Shack. It's made with mostly cold claw meat with slightly peppery mayo on a toasted, freshly baked hamburger bun. From your bite, you know that it's pretty close to perfection. p.s. Seafood-philes take note: Digby is the Scallop Capital of the World. A trip for another time perhaps.

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East Coast Lobster Rolls

Surprisingly, the internet experts seem to agree: the lobster roll likely made its first appearance in Milford, Connecticut in the late 1920s. From there, it migrated down to Long Island and then, of course, up the New England coast to Maine.

The delightful sandwich, even though a staple for coastal people subsisting on local seafood, is reminiscent for me as a seaside summer treat. Even more so now that I no longer live in New England.

Recently, Food and Wine posted the article “America’s Best Lobster Rolls” that includes 24 restaurants coast-to-coast that serve the irresistible Homarus sandwich. This was serendipitous as I will be driving the Maine coast this July. But before I begin the journey that will include outdoor activities in Arcadia National Park, some fine coastal inns, botanical gardens, and plenty of lobster huts (as they are called in the pine tree state), I spent a long weekend in the Boston area, which boasts many fine examples of lobster rolls. In particular, #24 on the Food and Wine list or Chef Barbara Lynch’s B&G Oysters on Tremont Street.

B&G Oysters is a casual diner-like subterranian restaurant that serves the best of New England seafood specialties like Ipswich fried clams, a traditional fish & chip platter, and of course, an extensive raw bar selection. However, the trip to B&G was the official kickoff of my “best lobster roll of New England” summer tour. And it was an excellent choice–a sublime, meaty pile of lobster ever so lightly dressed in lemon and chive on a freshly untoasted brioche roll. This plump sandwich was served with house-made bread & butter pickles, the crispiest fries, and paired, by my traveling sommelier, with a sparkling Tissot Cremant du Jura Brut Rosé.

There are five lobster huts on the F&W list in Maine. I am excited to get on the road next month to detail each dining experience as well as document other highlights from the northeast coast. And if you already have a favorite Maine lobster stop, please message me.

“The road has always been the place to find the answers, or ignore the questions.“ ~unknown

6.26.17

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Newport may conjure thoughts of gilded-aged mansions, America’s Cup racing, maybe even Claus Von Bulow, but whatever your association, it is a destination worth exploring.

On a blustery weekend, right before the Thanksgiving holiday, I had a chance to spend two relaxing and culinarily satisfying days at the Castle Hill Inn while taking time to explore two of the Newport Mansions.

The Castle Hill Inn sits precariously on Newport neck, a mansion itself built in 1875 by a Swiss marine biologist. The house has nine guest rooms along with beach cottages and beach houses scattered across the property. The cottages by the sea are cozy and private with beautiful views of the mouth of Narragansett Bay. Fine linens, a fireplace, and freshly baked cookies are welcoming touches.

While the setting is almost perfect, the food is what really shines at Castle Hill. Breakfast and afternoon tea are included in the room rate and you would be wise not to skip either. Most of the food is sourced locally, and as you can imagine, seafood the star at Castle Hill. Don’t miss the lobster hash at breakfast. My dinner favorites were the RI oysters on the half shell appetizer served with wasabi and shaved clementine and the seafood duet entree of diver scallops and lobster with curried cauliflower and sweet potatoes.

From Thanksgiving to New Years, only three of the nine Newport mansions are open daily for tours: The Breakers, The Elms, and Marble House. The real benefit of this time of year is that the mansions are decked out in full holiday regalia and there are virtually no crowds. While touring The Breakers. the 70-room summer home of Cornelius Vanderbilt II, I felt like I had the entire cavernous place to myself. The audio guides offer interesting history along with personal accounts of the people who inhabited these “cottages”. Next time, I will be sure to book the Servant Life Tour to get the real story.

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