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A Rejuvenating Stay at Inn by the Sea

Lisa and I recently spent a night on the outskirts of Portland, Maine, at one of our favorite properties in New England, Inn by the Sea. We wanted to check out their new Cove and Beach Suites and were happy we made the effort. Both were very spacious 2-bedroom suites, ideal for families of 4, with full kitchen, fireplace, and large balcony. Even the Cove Suites, which overlook the lawn, had views of the Atlantic from the balcony. Inn by the Sea is located in a glorious spot on Cape Elizabeth, with a sloping lawn and outdoor pool that leads to a small path and the 3-mile stretch of Crescent Beach. It’s become a popular retreat for dog lovers, many of whom adopted dogs from behind the front desk at the resort. The property runs a program with a local dog shelter and a remarkable 117 dogs have been adopted. The real surprise was the food and wine at the resort’s Sea Glass restaurant. Chef Andrew Chadwick was recently asked to create a Maine dinner at the James Beard House in New York and now I understand why. The food was by far the best I’ve ever had at the restaurant. Chadwick, who ran the Chatham Bars restaurant on Cape Cod, knows his way around seafood, especially the sublime lobster tacos. He’s joined by the knowledgeable sommelier Donald Linscott, who paired the dinner with exceptional Oregon pinot noir. A memorable stay!

 

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New Trace and Trust Program Ensures the Quality of Fresh Seafood

The big news out of Boston last week was a Boston Globe report that discovered many seafood restaurants serving mislabeled fish. Pricey red snapper was replaced by far cheaper tilapia in many instances. White tuna was exchanged for a Central American fish called escolar that often causes stomach ailments. These restaurants were often duped by fraudulent wholesalers who made the bait and switch. Good news is that many of the recently opened seafood restaurants in town like Island Creek Oyster Bar and Legal Harborside either employ their own wholesale seafood business or go straight to the source, the fishermen, so they had no problems.

Even better, a new collaboration between fishermen and New England chefs has resulted in Trace and Trust. Fishermen tell chefs where they are going to fish and what they hope to catch. A photo of the catch will then be uploaded on the Trace and Trust website. When the catch is landed, it is assigned a unique ID number and QR code. The fish is then packed on ice and brought to each restaurant. Diners who order the fish receive a card with that same ID number and QR code. They can scan the QR code with their smart phone or enter the ID number on the Trace and Trust website to learn the story of where their fish was caught and by whom. James Beard-nominated chef, Richard Garcia, at 606 Congress, is already using this technique and diners love it. Boston has always taken its seafood seriously. By going straight to the fishermen, the latest round of seafood restaurants ensure that you’re getting the finest quality fish.

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Kudos to Kyle Maynard

I was working out at the gym last Sunday watching SportsCenter on ESPN, when they featured a fascinating profile of quadriplegic Kyle Maynard. Maynard, 25, was born with arms that end at the elbows and legs that end at the knees. But that never stopped him from doing a damn thing, including wrestling in high school. Thus his motto, “No Excuses.” Several months ago, Maynard raised the stakes when he attempted to climb 19,340-foot Mount Kilimanjaro without prosthetics. Joined by injured American veterans Chris Hadsall and Sandra Ambotaite, Maynard was hoping to raise awareness to the alarming statistic that 18 US Veterans commit suicide every day. After ten grueling days of climbing on all fours over boulders, through snowfields, and avoiding rockslides, Maynard and his team made it to the summit on the morning of January 15th. That should motivate you to go outside and do something active this weekend. If not, you can always hire Maynard, a motivational speaker, to inspire you.
 
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Canoe the Upper Iowa River, Cresco, Iowa

Don’t worry about crowds on this forgotten run in the glacial-carved valley of northeast Iowa. The Upper Iowa can be paddled for 110 miles from Lime Springs to the Mississippi, but a good 31-mile jaunt from Kendalville to Decorah snakes through cliff-lined gorges below 200-foot-high chimney rocks. Bald eagles frequently soar over the limestone outcrops and deer, mink, raccoon and beaver call the area home. Chimney Rock rents canoes, offers trip planning, and provides a free shuttle. 
 

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Back on My Feet

Three times a week at 6 am, a select group of runners head to Boston Common to work out. One day, it could be sprints, the next day a long jog. The one thing these folks have in common besides a good sweat is that they are all homeless participating in the Back on My Feet program. Launched in 2007 in Philadelphia, the nonprofit organization has become such a success that it has already moved on to Baltimore, Washington, DC, Chicago, and this past May, Boston. Obviously, the program is much more than a good run on an often chilly morning. Back on My Feet builds self-esteem and confidence through leadership training. Though it doesn’t provide shelter or food, the organization does help with connections to housing, job placement, and self-sufficiency. All you have to do is be present at least 90 percent of the workouts to show your commitment. As I always say to my kids, strong body, strong mind.
 

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Charlie’s Sandwich Shoppe to Close After 87 Years

Several summers ago, I was hired by Chevrolet to drive a Chevy Malibu from Boston to Washington, DC on one tank of gas and then write about the experience. It was an absurd assignment, made even more ridiculous by the macho photographer they hired to take shots for their glossy magazine. It was a brutally hot day and seeing that he was following my wife and me in a convertible, I asked if he needed any suntan lotion. "Oh no, I don’t need that," said the guy. By the end of the drive around 9 pm, he was as red as a boiled lobster. 

 
Anyway, we needed an iconic Boston locale to start the drive and I thought there was nothing better than Charlie’s Sandwich Shoppe. “That sounds like that Seinfeld episode where they try to drive as far as they can without running out of gas,” said Chris Manjourides, when he heard of my assignment. Together, with his brother Arthur and sisters Marie and Fontaine, the siblings run the restaurant, founded by their father in 1927. Lisa and I sat on the red stools across from photographs of all the celebrities and famous politicians inluding President Obama who wisely made their way to this small breakfast joint nestled amidst the fashionable brownstones of the South End. Since the age of 12, Arthur has arrived every morning at 3:30 am to cook the freshly made muffins. Locals stand in line for a chance to dine on their gigantic three-egg omelettes, tasty turkey hash, and blueberry pancakes. Now the siblings can finally sleep in. I just found out that the place will close in June. They’ll be sorely missed in this town. 
 
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Ski the Alps

I had lunch yesterday with 12 ski resorts from the Swiss, French, Italian, German, and Austrian Alps. Travel to the Alps from America was up a whopping 50 percent this past summer and 30 percent last winter. Americans, especially from the East Coast, are finally realizing that you don’t have to be a Rockefeller to ski the region. On average, lift tickets are $50-$60 per day, far less than Stowe or Vail. Yes, you can splurge on some grand hotel at St. Moritz, but there are also many affordable pensions around town. And not all the ski areas are as challenging as Chamonix. Remember, you’re not skiing down the Matterhorn. You’re looking up at the Matterhorn as you ski the base area in Zermatt, a far less threatening proposition with a vast amount of intermediate and novice terrain. The trails are long, relaxed, and thankfully in the past decade, groomed with snowmaking capabilities. Best of all, you’re in Europe, dining on exceptional food and savoring the culture. One day you can be in Kitzbühel, downing large mugs of beer, the next day enjoying a glass of Bordeaux and exceptional French food in Megève. Cortina, in the Italian Dolomites, is only a two-hour drive from Venice, so you can combine Carnevale in February with several nights of skiing. Overseas flights are also much more reasonable in the winter months. So grab those skies and fondue forks and hit the Alps this winter.
 

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