Queen Conch waterfront cafe on Harbour Island

If you’ve never tried conch salad, than you’ve never been to the Bahamas and especially the  tiny out island of Harbour Island, which is two miles east of Eleuthera.  There, conch shells, fried conch, conch soup, conch burgers, conch fritters and conch saladis as ubiquitous as the serene, turquoise water that surrounds the island. Fresh conch salad  effectively represents the breezy, easygoing Bahamian lifestyle and is an essential activity whenever you’re in the Bahamas. Read More »

The War Memorial Bridge Connecting Kittery to Portsmouth, NH

Living in the suburbs of Boston, MA, I am blessed with the ability to drive an hour or so in almost any direction for a great long weekend.  One of our favorite weekend destinations is Kittery, Maine, just over the border from Portsmouth, NH.

Kittery is known for fabulous seafood, beautiful coastline, and great outlet shopping, and all can be experienced in a long weekend.  For lodging, you’ll find mostly value- and moderately-priced motels, so I’d recommend either staying in Portsmouth, New Hampshire (I like the Sheraton Portsmouth Harborside) or the Portsmouth Harbor Inn, a Kittery (despite the name) bed and breakfast.

For outlet shopping, you can find almost everything right on Route 1, including a Crate and Barrel outlet and a Hanna Andersson outlet.  Don’t miss a stop at Yummies, with the largest supply of bulk candy and nuts that I’ve ever seen.  You should also make sure you visit the Kittery Trading Post for the feeling of true Maine.

Want to visit the coast?  While the beaches aren’t great for swimming, there are a few local spots that you can walk, run, or ride your bike to.  You can also get a great tour of the coastline, including the beautiful lighthouses, from Captain and Patty’s River Tours, also located in Kittery.  Don’t forget to stop at any of the many roadside seafood shacks – my favorite is Bob”s Clam Hut.

If you decide to extend your trip, visit nearby Portsmouth, NH for tax-free shopping in beautiful, quaint shops.

Photo credit: InAweofGod’sCreation on Flickr

Chef John Besh - photo courtesy of Luke

Opening later this month on the San Antonio Riverwalk, is the latest restaurant of acclaimed Chef John Besh: Luke San Antonio. Reflective of what he has done with his sister restaurant Luke of New Orleans, Chef Besh is seeking to take the feel and ambiance of Luke in New Orleans to San Antonio. “It is really exciting for me to be bringing my beloved Lüke to a city with such vibrancy and spirit as San Antonio,” says Chef Besh. “I know an even stronger bond will be built between the two great food cities and hope area residents are awaiting Lüke’s opening with much anticipation.”

The restaurant is to be a combination of a French Brasserie with elements of a gastro-pub with a large craft beer and wine selection. The cuisine is expected to honor both the Old World and local alike. Executive Chef McHugh who has been with the Besh family restaurants for sometime, will be heading up the culinary staff at Luke San Antonio.
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The wharf, below Congress Street in the Old Port district of Portland, Maine.

The Amtrak Downeaster Rail begins in Portland, Maine and ends in Boston, Massachusetts. In between there are stops in Old Orchard Beach ME, Saco ME, Wells ME, Dover NH, Durham NH, Exeter NH, Haverhill MA, and Woburn MA. For this series of articles I will expound upon the merits of each stop along the Downeaster Amtrak tour.

I have made absolutely no secret about my love of Portland, Maine. One of my first articles for UpTake was about the Portland Head Light. Then back in September I wrote about how I left my heart there. The fact that the Amtrak Downeaster line begins there (or ends there, depending on where you’re starting from) just adds one more point of excellence to brag about for my favorite city.

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