Dining in Maine: Duck Fat Fries and Whoopie Pies

We had such a great time in Maine and, what's a vacation for, if not to splurge a little?  This little wine and cheese treat was a welcome back gift from the resort group that owns the cottage we rented.  But we also found some very good eating all around Maine... and some pretty good drinking, too!

Birthday Time at Thyme!

Thyme Restaurant, 8 Tower Place, Roslyn, NY 11576, 516-625-2566 thymenewyork.com

Thyme Restaurant on Long Island

A while back I found a website called dininglongisland and they have a section on waterfront restaurants.  Since then, it's been my go-to resource when choosing where to eat out there.  I love dining by the water!  We considered selecting a place on the 'nautical mile,' a stretch of waterfront in Freeport that's home to dozens of casual bars and eateries on the water.  But, ultimately an amazing menu on a lake won out over clams and beer on the ocean.  The food offerings at Thyme were too good to pass up!

Dinner in Central Park - The Loeb Boathouse, New York, NY

East 72nd and Park Drive North, New York, NY 212-517-2233, www.thecentralparkboathouse.com

A business associate of Brian's was in town for the weekend with his wife and we took them out for a lovely dinner at the Boathouse. Whenever we entertain, Brian always leaves it to me to choose a place that out-of-towners would like and that would show off our city. Since we're in Manhattan, there's no shortage of impressive places but I like to feature the quieter, less touristy aspects of this city.

The Couple that Freezes Together...and Other Christmas Adventures

Judging by the movies I've seen, normal people spend the holidays gathered around the tree (or menorah, as the case may be), surrounded by their family.  They unwrap presents and eat many cookies while basking in the warm glow of the fireplace.  We, however, are clearly not normal.

Autumn in the Valley

Brian and I have a few traditions throughout the year and one of them is a road trip north into the Hudson River Valley at some point in October.

  Most years it happens a little earlier in the month but extra warm conditions have kept the leaves from turning until now.

A Review of Earth at Hidden Pond

354 Goose Rocks Road, Kennebunkport, ME, 207-967-6550 earthhiddenpond.com

When we were inquiring about good restaurants in the Kennebunkport area during our recent vacation, we were directed to Earth at Hidden Pond. Ken Oringer, famed Boston chef and James Beard award winner, created this "farm to fork" restaurant with a vision of forging a close knit community and relationship with local growers and purveyors of meats, produce and seafood.

Summer Vacation Heaven on the Coast of Maine

It's been a few weeks since we got back, at least physically.  Emotionally we are still lounging in our cottage by the water, strolling through adorable towns with interesting shops, running with our pup along the rocky coastline of southern Maine, driving through green, lush and pristine countrysides and admiring stately waterfront homes.  It wasn't our first time in Maine and, hopefully, it won't be our last.  Relief at getting back home to sleep in our own bed?  Nope, just misery that our heavenly vacation was over.

The Cottages at Cabot Cove

7 South Main Street, Kennebunkport, ME 04046, 207-967-5424 cabotcovecottages.com

"Harbor" cottage

Two summers ago we vacationed, for the first time, in coastal Maine. I'd done extensive research on all the quaint inns and B&B's in the area and we settled on Captain Jefferd's Inn. A close contender though was the Cottages at Cabot Cove. We loved the look of them and the reviews on Trip Advisor were good. But we were slightly concerned that each cottage was independently owned and we might not have anyone to talk to about problems. So we chose the inn and were reasonably pleased.

An Anniversary Overlooking the Hudson (Review of Harvest-on-Hudson)

Harvest-on-Hudson, 1 River Street, Hastings, NY 10706, 914-478-2800 www.harvest2000.com

Sometime last year I accidentally came across the web site for this restaurant and was immediately taken with the stunning photographs of the place. I knew that I absolutely wanted us to go there but somehow, a year passed, life got busy and we never quite found the opportunity. This past weekend, however, Brian and I were celebrating our 5th anniversary and we did so with a reservation, at long last, for dinner at Harvest.

Bocca East Restaurant

1496 Second Avenue, New York, NY 10075, 212-249-1010 www.boccaeast.com

Let me begin by saying that it's lucky we even ate at this restaurant. A couple of weeks ago, Brian and I had plans to meet a dear old friend for Sunday brunch. I'd suggested Bocca because it always looked inviting whenever I walked past and the menu on its web site was compelling. She agreed and said she'd take care of the reservations.

My Date with an English Scone and a German Foodie

Alice's Tea Cup Chapter III, 220 East 81st St., New York, NY 10028, 212-734-4TEA www.alicesteacup.com

This "chapter" of Alice's Tea Cup is only a few blocks from our apart- ment and I've always wanted to check it out. I am definitely a tea and scones kind of woman. Unfortunately, Brian is not a tea and scones kind of man. That plus the fact that the place always looked a little "delicate" for him to fold his 6'4" frame into. :)

The Water Club

The East River at 28th - 32nd Sts, New York, NY 10016, 212-683-3333 www.thewaterclub.com

The Water Club was built in 1982 on Manhattan's East River near the 34th street heliport. The culmination of a three year project, the restaurant is set on a floating barge and resembles a docked yacht. Although you can arrive by foot, its location off the highway makes that awkward and the restaurant recommends arriving either by private car or taxi. Valet parking is offered in the restaurant's lot and that itself is a rare luxury in Manhattan.

Sunday Lunch at Mediterranean Grill

160-24 Willets Point Boulevard, Queens, NY 11357, 718-281-4210

Last Sunday, Brian and I drove to his mother's house in Queens to take her out to lunch.  There aren't a lot of options near her home but she'd found this place a few months back.  We hadn't made reservations so, given that Sunday post-church lunch places tend to be crowded, we were prepared for a wait.  But, we walked into an almost empty restaurant.  Hmm...

Croton Colonial Diner

221 South Riverside Avenue, Croton-on-Hudson, NY 10520, 914-271-8868

How do you review a restaurant that you visit once a year, on the exact same date?  Let us explain.  A number of years ago on the Saturday of Thanksgiving weekend, with holiday company gone, Brian and I decided on an impromptu outing. We drove up one side of the Hudson River Valley, crossed over the Bear Mountain bridge and followed the river back down through all the towns along the valley. The day was dreary and cold but Christmas music was playing on the radio and we held hands in the car throughout much of the drive. After many hours, hungry and in desperate need of a restroom, we stumbled on this diner in Croton.

Autumn Delights!

Apple picking at Harvest Moon Farms

We took advantage of a lovely Columbus Day weekend to take a drive upstate, watch the leaves turn and visit Harvest Moon Farms in North Salem for some apple picking, pumpkin picking, the smell of cider doughnuts and delighting in the season. With baskets of apples and pumpkins now on hand, we re-visited our favorite old and new recipes. We hope you enjoy them as much as we do!

Grace's Trattoria

201 East 71st Street, New York, NY 10021, 212-452-2323 www.gracestrattoria.net

We've shopped at Grace's Market for years but only recently stopped in to the trattoria for Sunday brunch.  The menu is fairly extensive and features far more than standard brunch fare.

Noah's Restaurant

136 Front Street, Greenport, NY 11944, 631-477-6720 www.chefnoahschwartz.com

After strolling around the town of Greenport for a few hours on a lovely warm day, we came to Noah's Restaurant. Hungry, we quickly scanned the menu outside and saw lots of tasty sounding offerings plus the outdoor seating looked quite inviting.  An excellent waiter appeared immediately, showed us to a comfortable table and brought a big carafe of cool water.

Greenport on the North Fork

We spent one of the last warm days of summer strolling around the town of Greenport on the North Fork of Long Island.

The area is known for it's many wineries, farm stands and delightful little towns.  At it's tip is Orient Point where you can catch the ferry to New England.

Summer in Mystic, CT

S & P Oyster Company

1 Holmes Street, Mystic, CT 06355, 860-536-2674 www.sp-oyster.com

When we mentioned to people that we were going to spend a few days vacationing in the Mystic/ Stonington area, anyone who'd been there told us to eat at S & P Oyster Company. The opinions of the place were universal and unanimous and now that we've sampled it ourselves, we'll add our voices to the cheering choir.