Month: April 2017

Z is for Zeitgeist Factory | Using concrete in unexpected ways.

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When my girls were young, I had them make a mold of their hands and feet in the sand and then poured Plaster of Paris into the opening to create a keepsake. It’s one of those quick, easy crafts you can find on mom blogs, and in crafting books. It aligned well with my love of memory keeping. Making the mold in the sand gave the finished product a nice texture. I hung the castings on my wall where they stayed for many years. Sadly, the hanger on the back of one of them broke and it fell to the ground breaking into pieces. I took the other one down because it felt strange to leave only one child’s prints on my wall.

The made in Maine product in this post reminds me of those castings. Zeitgeist Factory makes a line of housewares made from concrete. I love the uniqueness of their products. They are simple and industrial. I think they would make a great contrast to the items with which they are paired such as a colorful handcrafted soap on their soap dish. Or, maybe some wildflowers spilling from their vases.

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Y is for Younity | Want to try a blueberry wine? You’ve come to the right state.

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While we’re working our way through the Maine Beer Trail, one of my bucket list items for this year, we don’t have a lot of experience with Maine’s wine scene. I have been to Cellardoor Winery in Lincolnville, and since they opened their tasting room at Thompson’s Point, I have gone to a few of their wine pairings. So far, that is the only winery I have been to in Maine. We do plan to tackle the Maine Wine Trail eventually, but as I said in my bucket list post, it’s probably best to attempt only one alcohol related “trail” a year.

In researching Maine wineries, I learned that there are:

(a) far more than I realized; and
(b) most of them make a version of blueberry wine.

We bought three bottles of local blueberry wines so that we could have a mini-wine tasting and compare flavors.  For our wine tasting, we opted to try the following wines (all descriptions are from the winery’s websites):

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X is for Xtreme Conditions | STABILicers Maxx make winter hiking a breeze.

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Winter hiking is exhilarating, challenging and fun but without the right equipment it can be dangerous. Trails can turn into slick, ice-covered pathways which is what you often encounter in winter, and even much of the early spring, here in Maine. You need a plan to stay on your feet. Fortunately, I have a plan.

Our last few hikes of March fell into this icy, treacherous category. While there were sections that were clear of ice, most areas were not. It didn’t stop us from hitting the trails. We had a newly purchased state park pass sitting in our pocket and were ready to go. Plus, I had finally invested in the right hiking gear for Xtreme Conditions. I own a pair of STABILicersTM Maxx which I had broken in during an earlier winter hike to the Mountain Division Trail in Freyburg.

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W is for WaldoStone Farm | Elevating brunch with a Bloody Lobster Cocktail.

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I am more of a Mimosa kind of gal when it comes to alcoholic breakfast beverages, but my husband leans towards the heartier Bloody Mary option. Bloody Marys seem to have taken on a life of their own these days with more elaborate and inventive garnishes turning them into full course meals. Trust me. Just do a quick Instagram search for #BloodyMary. I’m amazed some of the glasses don’t tip over.

If you’re looking for a place to head in Maine to get a fun Bloody Mary, check out Where to get the Best, Funky and Fun Bloody Mary in Maine from 103.7 The Peak. The Silly’s With a Twist build your own Bloody Mary opens up some really great possibilities. But, what if you’re not up for heading out for brunch? I find it shocking that anyone would not be up for brunch, but if you do opt to stay in you can still enjoy a signature morning drink.

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V is for Vintage Maine Kitchen | Creatively flavored, all-natural potato chips.

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One of the first snacks I ever made for my Dad was a french fry sandwich which was exactly what you think it would be: french fries slathered in ketchup served between bread. This was not because I was young and creating whimsical food combinations. My Dad had requested it. He liked french fry sandwiches. It may have been an unusual way to eat french fries, but it’s not surprising that potatoes would be on the menu.

One thing Maine has is potatoes. We usually show up somewhere in the top ten for states that grow the most potatoes. We’re never at number one, but are always well represented. It’s something in enough abundance that I can almost always buy local ones during my food shopping excursions and I was happy to discover a local company making something especially delicious out of Maine potatoes. Now I have another fun way to support Maine potato growers.

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