Mike Gajda - July 06, 2022
Downtown Portland

Downtown Portland

Since HubSpot offers a Week of Rest in July, I had time for a rare day trip during the week. Getting out of the city again was top of mind, so I decided to go to Portland, ME for another change of pace.

Itinerary

  • 9:00 am: Leave Boston for the day. 👋
  • 11:00 am: Arrive in Portland and grab coffee at Tandem Coffee and Bakery. I can highly recommend the Banana + Sesame Cake. It's banana bread with a sweet, sesame seed crust that is to die for. Tandem's coffee is always good, and it's iced coffee lived up to expectations, though ice was hard to find at the serve-yourself station.
Tandem Coffee + Bakery

Purveyor of fine coffee and baked goods.

  • 11:30 am: We were hankering for more food, so we went to Standard Baking Co. Since I had eaten the banana bread before I initially wanted to sit this one out, but after stepping inside the building I couldn't resist getting a Plum and Frangipane torte.
  • 12:00 pm: Walk around downtown Portland. We went into a few stores, but Sherman's Main Coast Book Shop was the highlight. Not only was it a well stocked bookstore, but it also sold plenty of Maine souvenirs and small trinkets. I contemplated getting a magnetic finger puppet of Anthony Fauci, but after much thought decided against it.
  • 1:00 pm: No trip to Portland is complete without a trip to The Holy Donut. I was full from the multitude of sweet treats I ate before, but I enjoyed watching others have their fill of these delicious donuts. Luckily I've been to Portland in the past, so I've already had the pleasure of getting one of these donuts. After donuts we needed to move the car and walk off all this food. On the way we hit LeRoux Kitchen to stare at beautiful Le Creuset dutch ovens and marvel at all the different attachments that are available for KitchenAid stand mixers.
  • 2:30 pm: By mid afternoon we were ready for a real lunch so we sat down at J's Oyster, which I am told is a local favorite. We sampled a baker's dozen of local oysters and entrees for each of us. I ate a haddock sandwich that was lightly fried and really hit the spot. I would say the food felt pretty commoditized. The tartar sauce they served was made by the venerable Ken's–maker of many other dressings and sauces–and served in a plastic container.
J's Oyster outdoor patio

J's Oyster outdoor patio

  • 3:30 pm: After lunch we moved indoors to the Portland Museum of Art. Unassuming from the outside, this museum had it all; it was, by far, the best $18 I spent on the trip. The first floor was dominated by the art of Katherine Bradford whose work felt ascendant in a space. Katherine's works touched on experiencing loss and acceptance for the LGBTQ+ community, points which felt topical and close to home. The PMA's other floors were devoted to a mix of art from the 17th-19th centuries in addition to a large contemporary wing. It felt like this museum scratched every itch you might have while maintaining its accessibility and not feeling overwhelming.
Woman in Water by Katherine Bradford

Woman in Water by Katherine Bradford

PMA paper mache birds

Paper mache birds

PMA community art wall

A place where the community could make and put up art on the wall.

Pont St. Michel by Henri Matisse

Pont St. Michel by Henri Matisse

  • 6:00 pm: After the PMA we had plans to meet up with friends on the Eastern Promenade, a vast green space that features a lawn, a dedicated space for food trucks, a biking/running path, and great views of the ocean. Feeling stuffed from all the food of the day, I coasted for the evening. However, once my eyes made contact with the Gelato Fiasco food truck I knew I couldn't resist dessert. A heaping scoop of Raspberry Truffle gelato rounded out the day's long list of sweets for me.
Gelato Fiasco

The BEST gelato that I've had in the US.

  • 7:00 pm: The group wanted to get home to Boston at a reasonable hour, so we said goodbye to friends and hit the road to head back home.