MEANDERING IN PORTLAND
We had a day and a half to ramble up and down Portland’s red brick streets and to explore the shops and restaurants of this New England center of cuisine and culture. The sidewalks of slightly uneven rectangular red bricks add charm and old world authenticity while echoing the 19th century building architecture, much of it also brick. It’s a small port city that is enlivened by tourists in June, July, and August, and you are always within earshot of squawking gulls.
In addition to visiting both Sherman’s of Portland (Maine’s oldest bookshop) and Longfellow Books (a serious and well-stocked bookstore that is just books), I loaded up on notecards and stickers (the latter for my granddaughter) at Paper Patch, bought hostess gifts at K & Cotelette (a sophisticated home furnishings shop), and picked up knick-knacks and knives at Le Roux Kitchen. We also stopped into Browne Trading Market to gaze hungrily (it was a day without lunch) at the fish case and to purchase some appealing-looking cocktail jams, and then into Angela Adams to ponder their colorful contemporary area rugs. For a return visit, I will be sure to check out Print, a new independent bookstore in the east end.
A walk to the art museum meant we could enjoy the recently mounted outdoor sculpture display. The sun had just come out and we were hesitant about going indoors.
On our way back, we stopped to inspect the trade posters in the Maine Historical Society’s windows, a fun teaser for one of their exhibits.
We also checked out the society’s shop (very nice!) and that netted a couple of postcards to mail to our granddaughters. One of a Whoopie Pie for the 1-year old and the other of coastal Maine showing both Portland and Boothbay Harbor for the five year old.
While there, we did a brief tour of the Wadsworth-Longfellow House which was staffed by junior docents (think middle school age) and was free admission for that hour. The house was built in 1786 by poet Longfellow’s grandparents and he and his parents moved here in 1807 shortly after he was born. The last resident was his sister who bequeathed it to the historical society upon her death in 1901. The house has been restored to look like it did in 1851.
Note: All photos ©JWFarrington (some rights reserved).
