Maine Travel Maven

Rangeley Inn reopens under new owner

Hilary Nangle

-

October 23, 2013

Travis Ferland is working to restore the Rangeley Inn to its former grandeur. Already, the three-story historical hotel in downtown Rangeley is looking better, thanks to a coat of sky blue paint.

Before grandeur, however, there’s a lot of work to be done. For starters, he’s bringing the building up to code, installing a sprinkler system and updating the heating system. “We’re doing essential repairs and repainting,” he says.

He’s going through the hotel room by room, evaluating and replacing furnishing, fixtures, TVs, and carpeting as needed. “We’re all about guest comfort. And we’re adding free Wi-Fi, that’s a big thing for our guests,” he says. He’s also completing rooms in the adjacent motor lodge that were never finished. “No major work is needed on that building, it’s in pretty good condition,” he says.

The inn is open for business, and he’s aiming to reopen the pub by late December. “I’d like to serve more unique food than typical pub fare. I’d like to see upscale, quality, from-scratch cooking.”

Ferland, 32, grew up in the hotel industry. His parents ran the Pink Blossoms property in Ogunquit, purchasing it as motor inn and transforming it into a boutique property with a repeat clientele. “I grew up in the biz, it’s in my blood. It comes naturally to me,” Ferland says.

After graduating college in Boston, Ferland joined the Peace Corps in Senegal, returned to manage his parents business, and then went to New York to work for the Peace Corps International Rescue Committee. “I worked with displaced persons in refugee camps, it was fascinating work,” he says. As part of his support role, he organized conferences, so he says he understands people’s expectations, which should come in handy as he grows the corporate business.

He earned an MA in international affairs, but knew it would be difficult to find work. For about six months, he worked as the executive director of a small, nonprofit gay and lesbian travel association. But he knew he wanted to return to Maine.

His mother mentioned that the Rangeley Inn was coming up for auction. They researched the property, put info together, and bid, winning it for $800,000.

“It needs a lot of work, it’s an old building, but it has so much potential,” he says. He has information on past occupancy. “I want to bring it back.” He’s looking to the Bethel Inn, Mount Washington Hotel, and the former Balsams for inspiration, and he plans to market corporate retreats, weddings, reunions, and packages.

During his years in New York, he traveled often. “It got to the point where travel was not as fulfilling because I wasn’t rooted. Now I’m rooted.”

“It was a gut feeling, moving back to Maine,” he says. “I haven’t looked back .”

Acadia National Park is officially closed, but many of its treasures are accessible

Hilary Nangle

-

October 1, 2013

0

I’d like to share something with you that came to me from an innkeeper in Bar Harbor:

The government shutdown has closed the Park Loop Road and all concessions in Acadia National Park including Jordan Pond House. However, the hiking trails and carriage roads are still open to hike/walk and many of the trail heads are located on state roads or within easy walking distance of the gates. You can also bike the Park Loop Road free of traffic. There are also many miles of scenic driving and beaches located on the island that are not part of the Park Loop Road. Please don’t panic and come and support Bar Harbor and MDI. The boat tours and buses are all still open for business.

Key points:

• Hiking trails and carriage roads remain open

• Park Loop Road, although closed to cars, is accessible for bicyclists: What a glorious time of year to pedal the road without traffic

• Boat tours, departing from Bar Harbor, Southwest Harbor, and Northeast Harbor, provide another way to view the park, see its highlights, and learn more about the history and heritage, flora and fauna.

• You can’t drive the Park Loop, but there are miles upon miles of scenic drives on Mount Desert Island.

• The park’s concession stands are closed, but the independently owned shops in the island towns remain open.

• The island’s many museums, including the Abbe in Bar Harbor, the Gilley in SW Harbor, and the Seal Cove Auto Museum, remain open on regularly scheduled days/hours as do local historical society museums.

Fine dining in the Maine woods? Find it at Blair Hill Inn overlooking Moosehead Lake

Hilary Nangle

-

September 29, 2013

0

Fine dining in the Maine woods? Find it at Blair Hill Inn overlooking Moosehead Lake

Once north of Bangor, I temper my dining expectations. I know I’ll find plentiful farms with farm-made goodies, Mom-and-Pop restaurants serving huge portions of hearty comfort foods, and sporting camps with good home cookin’. I don’t expect dining rooms where the ambiance and service sets the stage for professionally prepared, innovative fare that captures the seasons and teases the tastebuds. But that’s exactly what’s on the menu at the Blair Hill Inn, in Greenville.

The inn, built as a private mansion in 1891, delivers mesmerizing views over Moosehead Lake from its hillside location. Enter into a refined hush of exquisite woodwork, fine architectural detailing, stained glass , and huge windows taking in those head-swiveling views. We settled first in the in the lounge, where a leather couch and chairs invite settling in by the fireplace. Over glasses of wine, we conversed with other guests as we shared tales of our day’s adventures and marveled at the views.

In the evening, the inn sets tables in the lounge, living room, main dining room, and enclosed porch, rooms that flow from one to another. All are decorated with refined flair that honors the inn’s Victorian roots but does so with a light and sophisticated style.

Lines are clean, accents are a well executed blend of contemporary pieces and antiques, woodwork shines, glasses sparkle, soft lighting prevails, and gentle music fills the background. Lighted candles filled the dining room fireplace, adding ambiance without overheating those seated next to it; a log fire burned in the living room fireplace, which was a comfortable distance from the window-side tables. And the views? Outstanding!

Executive Chef Amy Oliver’s set menu includes a choice of two appetizers, three entrées, and two desserts, as well as a soup and salad. Most of the vegetables and herbs are sourced from the inn’s greenhouse and gardens, but Oliver’s farm-to-fork cuisine reflects her experiences in the Bahamas, France, Cuba, and Morocco.

After ordering, our dinner began with an amuse bouche, a bite-sized decadence comprising a slice of apple topped with a seared scallop and blueberry chutney.

For my appetizer, I chose the autumn mushroom Napoleon, with caramelized onions, rainbow chard, and mushrooms in puff pastry with a warm Parmigian cream, while Tom opted for the Maine lobster, crab, and shrimp cakes pan-fried in crispy potato crumbs with smoky pepper aioli and lemon. Midway through, we grudgingly switched plates. Both appetizers were not only beautifully presented, but also well conceived and executed, delivering sublime flavors that complemented and enhanced each other along with a range of textures. Game on.

The soup, a puree of root vegetables and lentils with a mascarpone-pesto swirl, was served with a house-made focaccia, which was ideal for mopping up every rich and satisfying drop.

Next came a salad that, like the soup, celebrated autumn. Mixed local lettuces were paired with maple-roasted squash, goat cheese, dried cranberries, and pumpkin seeds, all lightly dressed with a pumpkin-seed oil vinaigrette. The flavors balanced and complemented each other, and the squash croutons were a delightful surprise.

Entrée choices were wood-fired grilled steak with herbs de Provence, parsley & garlic butter, confit tomato, potato gratin dauphinois, and baby carrots OR maple-chile-glazed duck breast, with sweet potato, quinoa pilaf, and dragon-tongue beans OR seared tuna with wasabi-cream sauce, stir-fried cabbage, crispy rice, and sweet soy. After much deliberation, we opted for the steak and the tuna. Both were expertly prepared, delivered a well conceived balance of flavors and textures, and, as with the previous courses, beautifully presented. While I would have preferred a more rare tuna, it wasn’t overcooked and remained moist. The crispy rice balls were addictive.

We split the two desserts: chocolate mousse cheesecake in chocolate ganache with exploding chocolate and raspberry purée and cornmeal and molasses pudding topped with baked apples and whipped sour cream. Although I’m a confirmed chocoholic, and this cheesecake was magnificent, I hogged the pudding, which truly delivered the flavors of the season.

Service throughout was among the best I’ve experienced in Maine. It was professional, without being stiff, friendly without hovering. Water glasses were kept full, silver wear replaced or provided for each course. Although I later learned the innkeepers, who are on the floor throughout dinner, had to deal with a housekeeping emergency, we never knew it. The dining room retained its decorum, service never missed a beat, and the kitchen delivered on its promise.

What I remember now, as much as the food and service, is the detailed, thoughtful presentation of each course. Plates were never uniform, with each chosen to serve as a perfect backdrop and to enhance the visual pleasure of each dish. I’m still smiling at the memory.

***

The Blair Hill Inn serves dinner Thursday-Saturday nights, by reservation, from early May through late October. The five-course meal is $59. House wines by the glass range $10-12; wine list bottles range $20-$195. Rooms at the inn begin at $325, including breakfast.

Flagstaff Lake cruise is ideal way to view Maine’s autumn foliage

Hilary Nangle

-

September 26, 2013

4

Flagstaff Lake cruise is ideal way to view Maine’s autumn foliage

If you’re looking for a new way to experience leaf peeping, book a trip with Jeff Hinman’s Flagstaff Lake Scenic Boat Tours. On a brilliant September morning, with a hint of chill in the air, we met Jeff, a Maine Master Guide, at the boat landing in Stratton. After boarding his 12-passenger pontoon boat, we set off for a 2.5-hour cruise on Flagstaff Lake to see autumn’s annual peep show.

Unless you’re willing to bump along back woods roads, hike the rugged Bigelow Mountains, or trek into Maine Huts & Trails Flagstaff Lake Hut, a boat is the best way to see Flagstaff, Maine’s fourth-largest lake. And Jeff is the ideal landscape interpreter. He and his wife, Beth, previously owned the (now-gone) Porter House restaurant. The day they sold it, he purchased the boat to set into motion his dream of offering guided tours of Flagstaff.

As we cruised along, following the river’s deep channel in the shallow lake, Jeff shared the lake’s rich history, including these highlights:

• Benedict Arnold’s ill-fated march to Quebec along what was then the Dead River and Col. Bigelow’s attempt to spy Quebec City from the peak that now carries his name.

• The stories of the towns and villages in the Flagstaff-Dead River Valley that were flooded by Central Maine Power to create Flagstaff Lake. Most homes and businesses were relocated or razed, but the foundations remain. The graves were moved. The stained glass windows from the church were installed in a new church, built to resemble the original, in Eustis;. Roads were rerouted. He also talks about local landmarks, such as the old J.P. Morgan farm and Schoolhouse Hill. (Do yourself a favor and listen to “Below,” by Slaid Cleaves).

• The attempt to create a Vail-quality ski resort on Bigelow.

• The creation of the Bigelow Preserve.

We cruised by islands that once were hilltops under the shadow of the Bigelow range. We kept an eye out for moose, but settled for eagles and loons. Other than a few kayakers and canoeists, we saw no other boats until we were nearly back at the dock, and then only two small pontoon boats. It was quiet, magnificently quiet, the sun was warm, but the colors were just beginning to turn. Go now, and I’m sure you’ll see ma nature’s flash dance in its full autumn glory.

Two new barbeque joints open in Maine

Hilary Nangle

-

September 2, 2013

0

My apologies; I’ve been neglecting this site as I’ve been trying to visit every nook and cranny of Maine for a new edition of Moon Maine. I do have lots of news to share, and I’ll begin with some recent BBQ finds.

Salvage BBQ, Portland

Earlier this weekend, I attended the pre-opening reception for Salvage BBQ, the newest venture from Portland chef/entrepreneur Jay Villani, think Local 188 and Sonny’s. The name pretty much says it all. This new barbecue joint is located in the former home of Portland Architectural Salvage, on Congress Street–a couple of blocks up from St. John. That’s a plus for anyone staying at the Inn on St. John (a more budget-friendly lodging than most of Portland’s hotels).

Sampling portions of menu items circulated throughout the evening, and my friend L. and I tasted Villani’s dry-barbequed pork and beef spare ribs, brisket, pulled pork, sausage, baked beans, hush puppies, greens, mac and cheese, and chicken. First place was a tie between the brisket and the chicken—I gave the chicken the blue ribbon, followed by the brisket; L. reversed that. Truth is, I far prefer chicken to red meat, so factor that in. This chicken was so moist and flavorful, I’d return for it alone. I really enjoyed the beans, sausage, and hush puppies but found the mac and cheese lacked any zing. Both L. and I thought this likely was created for kiddos.

The space is open and somewhat warehouse chic (shades of Fore Street). Big windows fill three walls, a bar runs most of the length of the inside wall, floor is wood, ceiling is high with ductwork, and the noise level is loud. Seating is at shared picnic tables, great for families and groups.

About that bar: comfy seating, 16 brews on tap, and an enticing cocktail menu posted on the blackboard.

Eat Here & Get Gas: Standard Gastropub, Bridgton

Honestly, when I first walked by this gas station on Main Street, I thought the building was the usual convenience store. Nope, it’s a restaurant, Standard Gastropub (a groan-producing name that works), and it’s a much-welcome entry to Bridgton’s rather limited food scene.

Two Bridgton natives doing some serious cooking — and smoking. In addition to the usual BBQ offerings, the daily chalkboard specials (changes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner) might include Pork Rind Coated Schnitzel with Sweet Potato Risotto Asiago, and Garlic Rainbow Chard, Crispy Confit Duck & Goat Cheese Egg Rolls, and sometimes lobster rolls.

The breakfast menu includes items such as sriracha smoked pork, fried egg & American cheese
on Big Sky English muffin bread and soft-boiled egg packed in pork sausage & deep fried with Tabasco dark ale mustard sauce; lunch options include a house-smoked chicken sandwich with jalapeño & cilantro slaw and Standard sauce and a Kobe beef hot dog for kids.

The room has an open kitchen on one end, tables fill the rest. Did I sample? Nah, I’d just had a very filling lunch at nearby Beth’s Kitchen Cafe (great, casual breakfast/lunch bakery/deli, by the way, with a dog-friendly patio), but next time I’m in town, I definitely plan on eating here. If you go, I’d love to hear your thoughts about it.

Five Questions: Ron Crusan, Director, Ogunquit Museum of Art

Hilary Nangle

-

July 23, 2013

2

Five Questions: Ron Crusan, Director, Ogunquit Museum of Art

Enter the Ogunquit Museum of Art and it’s hard to decide where to look first: The works on the walls or the wall of windows framing the sculptures in the garden with rocky cliffs and ocean as the backdrop. Truth is, many people spend a week on Ogunquit’s famed sands without ever visiting the Ogunquit Museum of Art. Don’t make that mistake. This small museum is a treasure, both inside and out.

Outside, sculptures by artists including William Zorach, Cabot Lyford, Bernard Langlais, and Robert Laurent accent the lawns and garden. Inside, paintings by some of the biggest names in American art hang on the walls.

During a 2013 visit, then museum director Ron Crusan shared his thoughts about the museum’s heritage and its future.

When did Ogunquit become an art colony and why?

When you think about Ogunquit and art, think about the early colonies. They brought a lot of artists here and it’s still an art colony. Art has always been a major part of Ogunquit.

In 1888, Boston artist Charles Woodbury saw Ogunquit and said: “What a great place for an arts school.” He bought about five acres between Perkins Cove and Shore Road for $400. This museum sits on part of that land. At that time, the fishermen lived inland, they didn’t want to look at the ocean; the land was too salty and rocky for farmers; and the idea of a leisure class didn’t exist. Woodbury started the first colony, and his studio is still in Perkins Cove and operated the school for a number of years.

Then, Hamilton Easter Field came along and said: “What a great place for an arts school.” He opened Ogunquit’s second art school on the other side of the cove. Easter Field was a Modernist from New York. Early on he bought a lot of the Perkins Cove fishing shacks from the fishermen. Fishermen loved him. He added electricity and built an ice house, and gave them to the fishermen.

The artists were here, the fishermen had nice amenities, and then the hotels came. One had success and then another opened up. People started to come to see the artists and the fishermen. That’s how the tourist industry started here. Now, there are about 100 hotels, B&Bs, etc., in Ogunquit. When you think there are 1,300 year-round residents, and nearly 70,000 summer visitors; I like to say the artists had a great part in that, people came to see the art.

Artists still come here to paint on the museum grounds. That’s our tradition. When you think of some of the well-known painters who’ve painted here, you can see the same scenes. You can look out the window and see the same scenes, the same rocks where they painted.

How did the museum get started?

One of the artists who came was Henry Strater. He first came here in 1919, studied here, spent time in Europe, came back, settled here. He knew Easter Field in New York, and met Hemingway and Pound in Europe. Eventually, after years of summering in Ogunquit, he decided to build a museum here to honor the artists, and he slowly built a collection of American art.

Construction began in 1952, and the museum opened in 1953; this is our 60^th year. The museum was much smaller than it is today and it was only open in July and August. There was no heat, and it was all-natural light. It’s very different now. We’ve developed over the years, and we continue to develop and improve. Today, the museum’s numbers about 2,000 objects, including works by John Marin, Walt Kuhn, Marsden Hartley, and others who visited Ogunquit.

How long have you been here and what’s your mission?

I’ve been in the art field for more than 25 years. I’ve been a curator, a director at other museums. I came here for the collection: It’s a fabulous American Modernist collection. I’ve been director here for five years. I’ve tried to open it up, broaden our audience, bring people in, and expand our corporate program.

I don’t want to be stagnant, just Ogunquit artists. Want an active museum, with a lot of activity. Want people to be excited by the new stuff as well as the old stuff. We do focus on Maine, on Ogunquit, but we are an American Art Museum. We rotate exhibits about every other month. We show a lot of beach and ocean, but we try to challenge the viewer. The current Warhol exhibition is an example. The Warhol show is bigger than just our collection.

How did the Warhol exhibition come about?

Peter Kelly, who divides his time between Ogunquit and New York, had a friend who knew and photographed Warhol, but she had never shown or printed her works. I went to New York to talk with photographer Pat Hackett about it and decided that what made sense for us was to pair her photographs with a collection of Warhol’s works. She chose 60 works to be printed and wrote the text. We sourced Warhol works from private collections. He made gifts to people he knew locally, and we’ve had that connection.

The exhibit shows Warhol’s need to develop the artist as a celebrity. His goal was to raise his profile and increase his business. He bought her a camera and told her to photograph him with everyone he knew. At first she took pictures of Joan Crawford or Warren Beatty. Warhol told her: “You’re not getting it. Take a photo of them with ME in it.” It raised his profile and his business. It’s done the same for the museum. Since opening (4 days earlier), we’ve broken all records for attendance.

What distinguishes the Ogunquit Museum of Art, what are the treasures?

In the Strater Gallery are two portraits of Ernest Hemingway that Strater painted while in Paris. Hemmingway found the first “Too damn literary, like H.G. Wells,” so Strater painted him again after they boxed.

Paired with the paintings is a photo of the two fishing off Bimini. They were out fishing for 30 days, and Strater had the prized fish— on a reel, by the way. As he was pulling it in, Hemingway started to shoot the fish with a machine gun, which resulted in a lot of blood and a lot of sharks, but that’s not what made Strater mad. He couldn’t enter it in the contest, because it wasn’t whole. When a photo appeared in Time magazine, the caption said that Hemingway had caught the fish. Hemingway wouldn’t correct it. That’s what made Strater mad.

[The “Sixty Works–60 Years” exhibition, on view through October 2013, comprises some of the most important pieces from the museum’s permanent collection. Included are works by Henry Strater, Charles Woodbury, Hamilton Easter Field, Walt Kuhn, Charles Burchfield, Marsden Hartley, Reginald Marsh, and Rockwell Kent. Here Crusan highlights a few treasures]

The Cliff by Charles Woodbury, and First Bridge, Perkins Cove by Hamilton Easter Field: These two works by the founders of Ogunquit’s art schools hang side by side. First Bridge depicts the cove before it was dredged when it was more of a creek.

Sleeping Girl, by Walt Kuhn, a modernist who lived in New York and Cape Neddick: This portrait of a girl was in his studio for 30 years. When he died, his wife, Vera, gave it as a gift to museum. It’s one of his greatest works. Just this past winter, it was in a retrospective of his work.

Still Life with Eel, by Marsden Hartley: This is a very important work. It’s a transition piece between his work in Europe and coming back and painting in Maine. When in Europe, he painted the German Officer series, with emblems and patches that told the story of this German officer. When he came back to the states and to Maine, you can see the same patterns in this work.

The Bowery Drunks, by Reginald Marsh: Marsh was a member of the Ashcan school. Ashcan artists painted the grit of New York, which was very different from the pastoral scenes a lot of artists were painting. This depicts life on the streets in New York’s Bowery.

Alaskan Sunrise, by Rockwell Kent. Kent spent time in Russia and Alaska as well as on Monhegan Island.

North Wind in March, by Charles Burchfield: Usually watercolors are small, but this is a huge piece. Very few museums have paintings of this size.

Q & A with Capt. Jon Finger, schooner J&E Riggin

People
Q & A

Hilary Nangle

-

July 15, 2013

1

Q & A with Capt. Jon Finger, schooner J&E Riggin

Capt. Jon Finger, J&E Riggin. Hilary Nangle photo — Capt. Jon Finger at the wheel of the schooner J&E Riggin. ©Hilary Nangle

I had the good fortune to spend a day sailing aboard the schooner J&E Riggin during the annual Parade of Sail by the Rockland Breakwater. The Riggin, a National Historic Landmark, was built in 1929 as an oyster dredger. Refitted for passengers, it now offers 4- to 10-day sails along the Maine coast. Owners Annie Mahle and Jon Finger are both captains, but Annie, renowned for her cooking, can usually be found in the galley, while Jon navigates the tricky waters.

What is special about a windjammer vacation?

Slow down and enjoy life aboard the Riggin. Hilary Nangle photo — Relaxing aboard the Maine windjammer, schooner J&E Riggin. ©Hilary Nangle

The best way to see Maine is from these old sailing vessels. It forces you to slow down and take in the scenery. There is no engine, no tires. It’s all about the wind and tide. It’s relatively slow moving in today’s fast-paced world, but it shows you what it was like to live in simpler times.

Being aboard a windjammer gives you the time to enjoy each others’ company, to tell stories, sit and enjoy a great meal, take in the sights and the sounds and the smells.

Every day is different, the scenery is always changing. Being aboard lets you take it all in and absorb it. These coastal mountains, spruce-clad islands, ledges with seals, the osprey: There so much that you can’s see from a car or bus.

**Why sail aboard the schooner J&E Riggin?**

We have a reputation in the fleet of having the best food and that comes from Annie’s passion for cooking. And because we’re a husband/wife team, there’s a family atmosphere.

It’s Annie’s cooking though that sets us apart. Because she’s so passionate about serving the freshest and best — it often comes from our own garden— there’s a farm-to-table atmosphere. The eggs come from our own chickens, the lettuce, radishes, garlic, and herbs from our garden. When our guests arrive, many take taxis and when they tell the driver they’re sailing aboard the Riggin, the drivers tell them they’ll “love the food.”

What makes the waters of Penobcot Bay such a destination for sailors?

Guests relaxing aboard the Riggin. Hilary Nangle photo — Guests relaxing while sailing aboard a Maine windjammer on Penobscot Bay. ©Hilary Nangle

Choices, lots of choices. It’s a fairly protected body of water, an no matter what direction the wind is blowing we have all these choices of what direction we can go.

There’s the beauty of the coast and being able to weave in and out of the islands. Compare that with Newport (Rhode Island): You leave Newport and your choice is Block Island or Martha’s Vineyard, and you spend all day in open ocean and everyone is getting sea sick.

The beauty of Penobscot, Jericho, and Blue Hill Bays is you don’t have to go into open ocean. And we have thousands of islands on the coast of Maine. We’ve had people who’ve lived their entire life in Maine and they come out with us and say they had no idea there were so many islands.

What are some of your favorite places to sail?

I like Bartlett’s Island Narrows in Blue Hill Bay and Somes Sound, Valley Cove is dramatic. Bartlett Island is such a pretty island, so well manicured—I think the Rockefellers own it—and sailing through the Narrows is fun. There are mountains, islands, and bald eagles, and the sailing the Narrows is a challenge.

What don’t people understand about sailing aboard a windjammer?

Guests are taken in by the romance. We are bound by wind and tide to where we go. Most people have a destination in mind, depart point A for point B, and they want to know what point B is. I can’t tell them. It depends upon the wind and tide. I can’t pick B until 3:30 pm. I always know where we are, I just don’t know where we’re going.

Given the opportunity, we ask if anyone wants to take a trick at the wheel. They’re always surprised at how she responds. Some guests don’t know how to figure out where the winds is blowing from, they’ve lost that connection to the natural elements. We once had a charter, a blind adventure group. We put them on the wheel on a day with a nice, gentle breeze. Each could instantly tell which way the wind was blowing. I told them to keep the wind over their right shoulder and go straight. Most were steering better than those who can see.

You’re based in Rockland, what shouldn’t people miss while here?

The Farnsworth Art Museum and Wyeth Center, definitely. The Owls Head Transportation Museum because it has such cool stuff. Where else can you go ride in a biplane—and because it’s a trainer, you’re in front—plus, they have such cool cars. Where else can you see a 1965 Shelby Cobra? I always drool over that one. We also love In Good Company, a small, intimate restaurant. When we have a couple of hours off between sails, we go in. We don’t need reservations and if we sit in the back, chances are we won’t see anyone we know. That’s hard in a small town.

Checking in: West Street Hotel, Bar Harbor

Hilary Nangle

-

June 29, 2013

1

Checking in: West Street Hotel, Bar Harbor

Check into the West Street Hotel, Bar Harbor, for contemporary nautical decor and nice perks.. ©Hilary Nangle — Bar Harbor’s West Street Hotel has a primo downtown location facing the harbor and access to facilities at its sister property, the Harborside. ©Hilary Nangle

The West Street Hotel, one of the newer additions to the Ocean Properties empire, opened in 2012 on the corner of Main and West Streets in downtown Bar Harbor. Frankly, I was suspect of the property, as construction required a controversial variance to the town’s height law. Locals aren’t fond of either the height or the Miami-does-Maine facade, but when offered the opportunity to visit in 2013, I went. What I found was a smart, boutique hotel with a sophisticated, nautically inspired decor, spacious rooms—many with balconies and most with prime views, and a decent pub-style restaurant.

Guest room, West Street Hotel, Bar Harbor. ©Hilary Nangle — Guest rooms at the West Street Hotel have a contemporary nautical decor. Many have balconies and water views. ©Hilary Nangle

Guest room amenities

Guest rooms offer plentiful contemporary amenities: free Wi-Fi, plush linens, heated bathroom floors, flat-screen TVs, and refrigerators. I loved the views from my third-floor balcony: over the harborfront to Bar Island and even out to a few of the Porcupine Islands. Noise from the street and pub below wasn’t a problem; but I can see how it could be. That said, heavy drapes not only block the light but also minimize noise from outside.

The only things missing are in-room coffee and tea. Each floor, however, has a pantry area with a Keurig for brewing coffee, ice, complementary water, morning fruit, and evening snacks. Tea drinkers are ignored (but I made a suggestion to the manager, and I’m hopeful that electric kettles will made available along with Forte tea, which is served in the restaurant). Of course, to get your morning jolt, you’ll have to either get dressed or ignore vanity and pad down the hall in your bathrobe.

Hotel perks

Rooftop pool, West Street Hotel, Bar Harbor. @Hilary Nangle — Love the dreamy water views over Bar Harbor and the Porcupine Islands from the West Street Hotel’s rooftop infinity pool. @Hilary Nangle

The hotel does have some other noteworthy perks: Guests older than 18 have use of a heated, rooftop pool with gull’s-eye views over the harbor. And, all guests have access to the facilities at the Harborside, the hotel’s sister property across the street. These include tennis courts, a full-service spa, and two outdoor pools, and a hot tub.

I spent too little time enjoying these benies, but I confess that I easily could have spent a day lounging by that rooftop pool. I’d just want to be sure to arrive early enough to snag one of the shaded loungers. I also would have enjoyed spending time in the spa.

Dining options

Breakfast isn’t included in the hotel’s rates, but Paddy’s, the hotel’s Irish bar, is located on the street level, and it does a fine job (lobster Benedict!). The pub lays on the Irish theme with interior millwork handcrafted in Ireland, traditional Irish furnishing, and wall murals drawn from Irish folklore.

The menu also is a trip across the pond, with breakfast fare including a ploughman’s breakfast, bubble & squeak, and pan boxty scramble in addition to the usuals (and that lobster Benedict, $16); most items range $10-14.

Lunch and dinner options include lobster bisque and onion and Irish ale soup; Irish farm house chicken salad and a Celtic Caesar; sandwiches and burgers; and rotisserie items, which are cooked in a glassed in area; most run $10-28. The sliding glass doors open to the patio, with heat lamps, allowing diners to eat inside, outside, or in between.

And if you’re hungering for lobster, Stewman’s Lobster, across the street and another sister property, is the place to dress down and muckle on to one of the tasty critters while enjoying the harbor views.

Bottom line: The West Street Hotel is a good choice for folks who prefer a boutique hotel over a B&B, want to be front and center in Bar Harbor, and have access to that rooftop pool as well as the spa, tennis courts, and pools across the way.

Lunder collection inks Waterville on Maine’s art map

Hilary Nangle

-

March 26, 2013

0

Lunder collection inks Waterville on Maine’s art map

Colby College Museum of Art’s new Alfond-Lunder Family Pavilion is a game changer for Waterville. With the addition of this new wing, set to open to the public on July 13, 2013, the museum not only becomes the largest art museum in Maine in terms of gallery space, but also makes one of the most important holdings or American art assembled by private collectors accessible to all for free. “This adds another arts and culture destination to the map in Maine,” says Sharon Corwin, museum director and chief curator.

Lunder Collection: A remarkable gift to the people of Maine

The new, 26,000-square-foot wing, which adds 10,000 square feet of exhibit space, was designed by Frederick Fisher and Partners Architects. It was created specifically to house the recently donated Lunder Collection, comprising more than 600 pieces valued at more than $100 million, that was collected and donated to the college by Peter H. and Paula Crane Lunder.

According to a statement issued by the Lunders, the collection …

… was assembled with our personal vision and great pleasure over the course of more than thirty years. We started the collection while visiting Maine antique shops, then branched out to art galleries and museums in Montreal, Chicago, Washington, D.C., New York, and Boston. We sought scholarly advice from curators, museum directors, artists, art dealers, and consultants to help us select objects of exceptional quality. The knowledge, the relationships, the experiences, the pure pleasure of being involved with the art world have contributed greatly to our lives.

What makes the gift especially remarkable, says Colby College President William D. Adams, is its intention. “The Lunders wanted to make this art available to the people of Maine.” Since Colby’s museum doesn’t charge admission, anyone can experience these masterpieces.

A grand tour through American art

I had the privilege of touring the new wing and viewing some of the paintings, prints, sculptures, photographs, drawings, and other objects.

I was wowed.

The collection is a grand tour through the history of American art. It’s not only the breadth of the collection, but also its depth; it bridges the centuries, with the oldest piece dating from 1796. Works range from folk art to classical to challenging.

Also remarkable, Corwin says, is that the Lunders began collecting European works, before beginning to add 19th-century American works. “This collection was amassed only in the last 16 years.”

Nearly 500 works are by American masters. It’s an impressive list that reads like a Who’s Who of American art: John Singer Sargent, Mary Cassatt, George Inness, William Merritt Chase, Winslow Homer, Augustus Saint-Gaudens, Edward Hopper, Alexander Calder, Georgia O’Keeffe, Alex Katz, Louise Nevelson, Romare Bearden, Donald Judd, John Chamberlain, George Rickey, and Jenny Holzer, among others.

Part of the Lunder Collection is a remarkable concentration of works by James McNeill Whistler, including the painting Chelsea in Ice (1864), almost two dozen more paintings, watercolors and pastels, and a group of 201 etchings and lithographs, accompanied by some 150 books, journals, photographs and archival materials related to Whistler. In addition, it includes 40 exceptional examples of Chinese ritual and mortuary ceramics dating from the prehistoric period to the Jin Dynasty (1126-1234), which complement the museum’s existing holdings in Chinese ceramics.

Thematic galleries

Works are being exhibited thematically, for example: poetic mode, artists and models, working the waters, views from abroad, Taos School, childhood, and seasons. Especially notable is the work the Sol LeWitt work that spans the three-story staircase. It can be viewed from outside and is especially stunning when illuminated at night.

The $15 million glass pavilion adds four new galleries to the museum, all are devoted to exhibiting works from the permanent collection. It also add a new education classroom as well as third-floor classrooms and studios for Colby students. It is expected to receive LEED Silver certification.

When the museum reopens July 13, hours will be Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m.—5 p.m. and Sunday noon —5 p.m. Admission is free.

Top photo: Colby College Museum of Art/Courtesy of the Estate of Sol LeWitt/photo by Gary Green

Harlequin romance: great opportunity for birders

Hilary Nangle

-

February 23, 2013

0

Ready to romance a harlequin? Here’s a wonderful and rare opportunity to spy threatened harlequin ducks in Maine. On Saturday, March 30, Bob and Sandi Duschene (Bob’s the founder of the Maine Birding Trail and author of the guidebook) are leading a 2.5-hour cruise, departing from Stonington, to sight the duck named for the vivid markings that call to mind the Italian clown.

The shores of Isle au Haut and surrounding islands are thought to be principal wintering grounds in the United States for the harlequin duck. Other expected sightings include surf, white-winged, and black scoters, horned and red-necked grebes, red-throated and common loons, long-tailed ducks,buffleheads, red-breasted mergansers, purple sandpipers, and, according to organizers, “at least one other surprise.”

The cruise, organized by Island Heritage Trust, is $30 per person and advance reservations are required. Call 207-348-2455.