Day 7; Post 7: Flashback.

Jamie and I went to New York a couple of weeks ago! Sure, it would have been better to post about our fun trip back then, but I'll do it now.

We had been planning on visiting NYC for a long time. Aside from having lots of friends there, it is a pretty easy trip up, and it's a nice place to visit and sightsee (so I hear.) Jess actually had a free weekend -- a break from the crazy doctor hours -- and we were sold. We booked a trip on Megabus (highly recommended) and made our voyage north.

When we got there, we got to catch up with Jess and admire the view of the Empire State building that she has from her deck. Yes. She has a view of the Empire State building. And a deck. And a pretty great apartment.

The Empire State Building posing as a Candy Corn for Halloween.

The next morning we got to have brunch at a pretty yummy brunch place that had tons of really tasty vegetable side dishes. I'm blanking on the name right now...but I'm sure Jess could chime in with the name if anyone's curious. From there we took the subway to Central Park and met up with Marina. We were total tourists and walked through the park taking pictures and catching up.

We walked up to the Met to see the Art of the Samurai exhibit which was pretty amazing. They had armor that could only be on display for two weeks every 5 years -- and we happened to be there during that window. A huge collection of Samurai swords and headdresses...very neat.

We headed back to Jess' apartment to distribute candy to trick-or-treaters (it being Halloween and all). The award for creepiest costume went to two middle-aged women who showed up wearing masks of Dubya and Laura Bush...with no kids. Seriously, why are you 45 years old and trick-or-treating without children?? At least bring children and help them "get rid" of their "bad candy" if you want free candy.

The highlight of the trip came with our adventure to get to Brooklyn Heights on Halloween night. Jess' boyfriend works at a restaurant there and we decided to pay him a visit and get some good food in the process. We quickly realized trying to take the subway to Brooklyn from the Lower East Side may have been unwise. Apparently, in New York, they change the routes of the trains with nary a sign or announcement. So, all of the sudden the A-train was going on the F-track, and the F-train was going on the B-track, or some sort of craziness. The end point being there was a good 30 minutes spent sitting in the station under the West Village...on Halloween night...where the Halloween parade begins.

We got our own Halloween parade. And let me say this: the moment you turn an inanimate object into a "sexified" Halloween costume, you may have gone too far. Sexy kittens or sexy witches are a Halloween staple. But, a sexy guitar? Really?

Eventually, we made it and made the delay worth it by having some tasty, tasty food. The mac n' cheese was The Best. We also took a cab back.

Before we left on Sunday morning, we caught up with Bridget and Anne Louise and had yet another yummy brunch. In the end, we had a great weekend, although I tried and failed at convincing any of my friends to move to DC. We may not do brunch anywhere near as well as New York, nor do we have Candy Corn Empire State Building, but we do have a metro system that will not leave you stranded and Barack Obama.

Day 6; Post 6: Dogs are Pretty Smart Too.

And now for something a little bit different. I saw this video last week and thought it was pretty fun -- just thought I'd share...

I officially want a Border Collie. Perhaps someday when I own some rolling hills on which it can run...

Day 5; Post 5: Becoming Human.

Jamie and I have been Tivo-ing the PBS series, Becoming Human. It is awesome. It also awes and inspires me to see how smart people are; not just evolutionarily-speaking with all the fire- and tool-making, but the scientists who can piece together a life story that is millions of years old.

They can tell how many days old the homo erectus was when he died by looking at its teeth (apparently enamel on a tooth grows another layer according to the circadian rhythm), or that how many millions of years ago it was that humans became hairless (using what they know about the difference between head lice and pubic lice), and that homo erectus had developed enough socially to care for each other because they found a skull that had no teeth and had not had teeth for two years before it died showing that its "community members" had cared enough to feed him and even go so far as chew his food for him.

Oh, and we found water on the moon today.

Science -- just incredible.

Day 4; Post 4: Spreading Good Cheer.

Almost forgot to post today!

First things first, a great big "Happy Birthday" to my father-in-law! Jamie and I are sending all of our birthday wishes and love across the country today...

So, Jamie and I had been subscribers to XM Radio for a couple of years now. We enjoyed it and were regular listeners...until they were swallowed up by Sirius. Then it was downhill. Fewer stations, our favorites were not as good, the sound quality was worse, and they started charging for things that had been free. Needless to say, I had been on the lookout for an alternative for when our subscription ran out.

I never got into Pandora -- I didn't like all the limitations. When I sit down to work, I like to have music playing, but given all of the regular interruptions at work the music is usually playing to an empty office. Lo and behold, I would go through all the free hours of music within days. Or, I'd go through all of the skips. Too much pressure.

The time to renew our subscription was getting closer, and I thought I would be succumbing and continuing with Sirius, until one wonderful day, when I noticed an intriguing free app for my trusty Pre. I clicked the download button and I discovered Accuradio -- the greatest internet discovery since Netflix Watch Instantly. If you have never used this website before, consider it my gift to you on this, the dawn of the holiday season.

Free streaming of a huge selection of genres, almost commercial free (they have one every hour or so), skip as many songs as you like, ban certain artists, etc. Feel like listening to some of the newest Indie hits from the Nordic region? There is a whole station dedicated to it. Native American music? It's there!

And showtunes! A whole channel dedicated to showtunes! Not just that, there are 30+ subchannels within the showtunes channel that narrows it down even more by era, songwriter, tempo -- there is even a subchannel dedicated to just the overtures. The classical channel (and its 50+ subchannels) is even more impressive. So great. Jamie even approved of their indie music selection...at first scoffing at the thought of getting rid of his beloved XMU station on XM/Sirius. Then he saw the 30+ subchannels for INDIE music and his icy heart began to melt.

Up until a couple of weeks ago, I still wasn't sure I was ready to get rid of the XM radio...only because at this time of year I am addicted to holiday music. It's a problem I have, and I know it's totally nerdy and irrational to listen to holiday music in November. But, I would listen to it in October if I could. (It just stretches out that warm fuzzy feeling I get around the holidays.) XM had a station dedicated just to holiday music that came on around Thanksgiving. There is was no beating that station come November.

Then, I saw that Accuradio had a Holiday Channel -- and they add more subchannels EVERY day. Granted, some of the channels are silly (i.e. the station that only played songs with the word "Jingle" in the title, or the station that only played different versions of "Silver Bells"), but when they added "Old-Fashioned Christmas" today I had little hearts in my eyes.

I hope it can bring you joy too.

Day 3; Post 3 - Preppies in the News!

Today was a much needed day off from work (thank you, Veterans, for protecting our country). Sort of -- I was still working a lot, mostly editing report cards -- but at least I got to do it in my jammies with a cat on my lap.

It is absolutely shameful that I haven’t posted about this before, but I say it’s better late than never. About a month ago we had a BIG visitor at Prep! He was literally BIG (like, 7’ tall – or at least, he seemed that tall) and figuratively for us educator types: Arne Duncan! The U.S. Secretary of Education! He came to our school! He said "hello" to me!

So, apparently, there was a week back in October that was focused on healthy eating and physical fitness. As the only public elementary school in D.C. serving healthy and organic meals to our students, it made sense for him to visit us. Also, we’re great and I’m sure he was just trying to find a way to check out our preppies.

The downside was that we did not find out about his visit until one school-day before. You can imagine the amount of frenzy that followed the announcement that Secretary Duncan and his wife would be visiting. Despite visiting for only an hour or so, we planned and prepped like crazy. Of course, our teachers were champs (as usual) and our kids did an amazing job. He brought a couple of soccer players from U.S. Men’s team (Jozy Altidore and Oguchi Onyewu) who taught the kids some soccer moves and then ate lunch with some of our 4 year olds.

I don't know who took this picture (some news person) but photo credit to him/her.

In the end, the visit went very well. Our kids impressed Secretary Duncan, and they were invited the next week to see a screening of "Sid the Science Kid" about H1N1 Flu Vaccinations. There they got to see (and some of our 3rd graders introduced!) Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius.

Of course, now I've had some kids wonder to me why our school hasn't received any of the vaccine. Oh well...one battle at a time.

In a semi-related sidenote: for the first time in our relationship history, Jamie has succumbed to the flu before I have! Could it be that the Capitol is even more germ-infested than an elementary school? Don't worry, Jamie is handling it like a champ!

Day 2; Post 2: So Much for Schadenfreude.

Today on my way home from work, there was a car following closely behind me. Very, very closely. So closely, in fact, that I could not see his headlights behind me -- I'm talking a foot or less was between our moving vehicles.

Having not driven far from work, and it not being the best of neighborhoods, my first thought was that this guy was going to ram my car and then rob me. I could not think of any reason that this car would be tailgating me. There were other lanes where he could go around me and I had not cut him off to make him mad.

Fearing the worst, I made a few turns (he continued to follow behind me). At one point, he had to pause to let a jaywalker by, and I gained a good 1/2 block or so on him. At this point I started to change lanes to make a left turn. That's when he floored it and quickly closed the gap between us.

I was about 2/3 of the way into the lane when he decided to try and squeeze past me -- unfortunately for him, 1/3 of the lane was not enough for his car to pass by me without jumping onto the curb of the grassy median. By the time I swerved to get out of his way, his tire had exploded on the curb and his car spun out.

The sense of poetic justice was fleeting and was quickly replaced by guilt. Despite the fact that I did not hit his car, nor was his reckless driving and tire exploding any fault of mine, it crossed my mind to stop and help. Then I remembered where I was (and when...it was pretty dark) and all my initial fears came flooding back. So I drove on and let him deal with his flat tire on his own -- after all, I would be of very little use to him.

Thing is, I can't shake the feeling like I should have done more. Or more, that I shouldn't have jumped to the conclusion that I did -- that he was up to no good. So, guy who drives too closely to me, wherever you are: I hope that your tire got fixed and that you got wherever you were going in time. I also hope you learned to drive in a way that didn't make you a big jerk.

Day 1; Post 1: Ambitious Endeavor.

Been a while since I posted -- I am a little ashamed. This prompts me to undertake a pretty ambitious blog endeavor: 30 posts in 30 days. I can't make any promises for the awesomeness of said posts. Nor can I really guarantee that they will not be more than a video that I found online. But, I will try to be somewhat entertaining...for 30 posts anyway.

To help me in my first effort, I am enjoying a classic on Netflix Watch Instantly - my friend in multitasking. Tonight I made an excellent choice: The Adventures of Milo and Otis. I have a history with this movie...a sometimes tragic history with this movie. Tragic only because I only saw it once despite many repeated attempts. My heart-wrenching last attempt involved a broken VHS tape.

But tonight, through the magic of the internet, I am able to see the movie again...and let me tell you, it -- like Muppets Take Manhattan -- is even better now that I'm older. Aside from the animal cruelty that must have been involved (let's stick a kitten in a box floating down a waterfall - wee! Oh! What if we have that grown bear tackle a pug? Comedic gold! Maybe have a crab pinch that cat's face or have the cat play with a hedgehog. Let's throw this puppy into the middle of the ocean! Oh his whimpers will be so adorable!), this movie is most amazing. Maybe it will only stay amazing as long as I am ignorant of whether or not any animals were actually hurt in the filming.

It's like a movie version of Cute Overload.

This movie may be the reason for my apparent obsession for orange tabbies.

It may also be the reason why I can still play About Strange Lands and People by heart to this day. (No, I don't get why there are pictures of babies in the video.)

WHOA. I just noticed that the person who posted that video of Milo and Otis on You Tube had the username of "HappyMeliProject". Creeeeeeeepy!

And because everyone can benefit from more Milo and Otis...

One post down...29 to go.

Monongahela.

Earlier this week, Jamie and I realized that we had nothing planned for the long weekend. No weddings, no work (at that point -- but more on that later). That's when I suggested a camping trip! We had been watching the PBS documentaries on National Parks: America's Best Idea and I think we were both itching to get out there. When I first suggested it, I wasn't really thinking we would go. First, we had been planning to visit New York for a while now, and this weekend was looking like the only open one we had for a while. Second, it being a holiday weekend, it was going to be a busy camping weekend.

But then: I found out Jess was going to be out of town this weekend; an NPR piece mentioned how the leaves were already changing in West Virginia; and finally, there was a forecast for rain. It was done deal -- Jamie and I were going camping this weekend. As already established, rain is our friend and we figured that it would keep away the other campers on this holiday weekend.

I did a little research -- or rather, I looked up DC on Google Maps and zoomed out until I found a big green splotch to determine which place we would go. The closest (and most sizable) green splotch turned out to be Monongahela National Forest. Upon further research, it seemed to be the perfect choice -- not too far and off the beaten path.

We packed the packs and set off for West Virginia on a rainy Saturday morning. This camping trip was the best idea ever. Just look:

Yes, I did manipulate that picture...to put in the border. That is actually what the colors looked like!!! (Although, I did use my camera's foliage setting...but it's not too far off what it really looked like.)

The changing fall colors were really a surprise. After the NPR mention, I had thought...oh, maybe some of the trees were starting to change. No, when we got there they were in full-fledged peak season. I love the fact that I get to cheat nature out of two peak seasons since it hasn't even started over here in DC.

And of course, it cleared up once we started our hike.

We picked a loop that would take us along a river for the first day, and up into the meadows on the second. What I learned quickly was that "fording rivers" in the Fall, is preferable to "crossing streams" in the Spring. On our last backpacking trip, we crossed streams 15 times throughout the trip and ended up hiking with wet feet and frozen pants. I was fearing the worst when I read about fording these rivers. Jamie had warned me fording means that I could be up to my waist in this river. Yes, we had to cross the river a few times, but fortunately, doing so in the Fall means hopping across rocks. Socks stayed dry and Melissa stayed happy!

The trail took us up into different meadows on the mountainside which offered us INCREDIBLE views of the valley since there were no trees blocking the view. The mountains looked like a patchwork quilt with all of the changing leaves.

Somehow, both Jamie and I neglected to bring anything to keep time with. So we had no idea when we got up the second day, or how long we were hiking...we truly got absorbed into our hiking. We completed the 14 mile loop...got back to the car...and realized we were three hours later than we thought we were. So much for Jamie's Eagle Scout status...I'm sure he should have been able to tell what time it was by looking at the sun or at least fashion some kind of sun dial out of twigs.

I forgave him anyway. And now, the requisite Jamie and Melissa self-portrait. I know I look all timid in this picture, but the alternative was not an option...

Limited Time Offer?

Not sure if I'm allowed to share this...but I will until my brother tells me I have to take it down. But seriously, who am I to hoard all of this cuteness??

And Leah is clearly going to be a teacher like her auntie...

Most. Adorable. Nieces. EVER.

Gleeful.

Wow. I'm way behind in my posting. Work picked up and I haven't had much of a free moment. But, right now, I'm sitting in a hotel in lovely Hershey, PA after having gone to a great wedding for our dear friends Angie and Dan. Good times!

Every time I come to Pennsylvania I decide that it is a really lovely place. Hershey is no exception -- and as an added bonus there is chocolate everywhere. EVERYWHERE. Interestingly, they do not leave chocolates on your bed at the turn down service at the lodge where we're staying.

The wedding was beautiful, of course. Angie being very crafty (I mean it in the Fraulein Maria crafting playclothes for the children out of curtains sort of way -- although she is also very intelligent) there were so many gorgeous homemade details. There was the beautiful flower in her hair made using lace from her mother's and grandmother's wedding dresses. There were the "homemade" pies and napkins. Just, so many details.

The ceremony and reception took place at Dan's family farm. While it did rain, everyone had a blast and it made the dancing to the live bluegrass band even more fitting somehow. Besides, we all know that rain during weddings is good luck.

This wedding was genuinely fun and we had a blast...it was such a nice group of people...

----
So, life has been good! As I mentioned, work has been crazy. One of my favorite ways to unwind lately is in watching Glee. If you haven't seen it -- you should. Jamie doesn't watch much t.v., but even he likes it. There is something about a T.V. musical that is awesome.

Anyway, in this last episode, there was some dancing to Beyonce's "Single Ladies" (of Kanye West/Taylor Swift fame.) As mentioned before, there are few things that Jamie will watch over and over again. One is Alec Baldwin playing Tracy Morgan's dad in 30 Rock:

The second is the "Let's Go to the Mall" music video from How I Met Your Mother:

And NOW, the football dance from Glee. He has, in fact, asked to watch it before we go to bed every night since it aired. (Obviously, watching this clip may spoil the ending of the episode...but worth it)

Good T.V. You can see all of the episodes on Hulu.com. Do it.

The only problem with watching that clip repeatedly is that the Beyonce song has been in my head for the past few days. It's an annoying song to be in your head...but it might be worth it to get it stuck in your head if only to watch this baby dance! (I'll be honest. That baby looks kinda like I do when I'm watching Glee.)

The Anthem for My Year.

Bobby McFerrin is cool in every circle. Case in point:

He can even hold his own with neuroscientists.

So, the kids came back on Monday. I am exhausted. I have changed two more poopy pants than I would like to. But, the year is off to a strong start...I will post more later, but right now I'm too exhausted. Instead, I will listen to the advice of Mr. McFerrin.

Bobby McFerrin - Don't Worry Be Happy
Uploaded by jpdc11. - Music videos, artist interviews, concerts and more.

Shrinking the World.

For some reason this video makes me a little emotional. It should at least make you smile...

I don't remember if I ever linked to one of this guy's videos before...basically, he just travels around the world and dances. One of the first videos he did got really popular back in 2003 or so, many people saw it through the power of the internet. So many saw it that by the time he did a repeat trip a few years later, he was able to get a following of people to dance at the different locations with him.

Something about this video is so touching. It celebrates how beautiful our planet is while also celebrating the people in it.

Can't help but notice that Peru is not in the video. Bummer. If you have some more time to spare you might enjoy some outtakes...

Edited to add: After posting this, I noticed that the first video doesn't adjust to the size of the page so about a third of the image is always cut off. Normally, I deal with my videos just being off-center, but in the case of this video having the whole picture actually matters. You can see the video in its "widescreen" format here.

Commercials are Better in Japan.

Hee! I am a fan of this commercial.

Also, this one. Hee!

Spike Jonze is pretty cool.

Eggy-weggs.

Inspired by Julie & Julia -- which I saw with Jamie last week -- I decided to try poaching an egg today for lunch. After all, it's probably among the healthiest ways to cook an egg since you don't use butter. I had heard it was hard to do, so I was prepared for multiple attempts.

But, today everything worked out and I had the most perfect poached egg ever on my first try. I should have taken a picture of it, but it is now residing in my belly. I have decided that I will be making poached eggs instead of fried eggs from now on. SO GOOD.

Accomplished.

Friday was the last day of the first full week of Summer Professional Development -- it has been a great time so far. Our teachers have been troopers through long days of training and having a very positive attitude to boot! The highlight of my Friday (even better than the staff party, which was fun) was this moment:

Yes, that is my board of presentations I had to prepare for Summer PD. And yes, every single box has been checked off. Now I can get started on the other list of things to do. But, I did want to revel in my accomplishment.

Then, this morning, my school got a mention in The Washington Post! I think we can all revel in that accomplishment too. If you don't really feel like reading the whole article...here's the part that pertains to our school.

At D.C. Preparatory Academy's Edgewood Middle School campus in Northeast, reading and math scores also showed steady growth. Since 2006, reading pass rates at the charter school have risen 23 percentage points, to 65 percent; in math, 70 percent of students are now proficient, up 27 points.

Emily Lawson, the school's founder and chief executive, said the gains have been made as teachers have streamlined curriculum and interventions.

In addition, she said, teachers used a new tool this year: Every eight to 10 weeks, students took tests developed by the Achievement Network, a Boston-based nonprofit organization, to determine which standards they had mastered and which they had not. Teachers used the results to tailor their lessons to students' needs, Lawson said.

Together Again.

I know I've probably said this before, but I'm saying it again: I LOVE Netflix Watch Instantly. I think it's the greatest thing ever. At least it's up there. This outpouring of love for Netflix comes from the fact that I am currently watching Muppets Take Manhattan after a long and busy week.

This movie is the perfect way for me to spend my Friday night. First of all, because I was trying to sing this song to Jamie the other night, but only remembered the "he'll make me happy" line.

Now I can torture him with more of my Miss Piggy impression. Secondly, because it's the stuff of good memories. It really takes me back to my childhood when (I hear) I watched this movie very frequently -- I'm sure my brother could confirm or deny this statement. My family might exagerrate and say I watched it nightly, but I think I probably watched Star Wars or The Neverending Story (or maybe Sound of Music) more. Of course, my memories of watching these movies all blend together into one memory of sitting on my parent's bedroom floor (with a pink carpet by the way) and getting out the Beta Max tapes. Good times.

P.S. This movie is way funnier as an adult. I'm actually getting the jokes! That blonde muppet (Janice?) cracks me up. Also, the "Saying Goodbye" song is breaking my heart right now.

BSL.

Today was great! It was the first day for our new staff and I have to say that I am super-excited. Everyone was asking questions and actively engaged...it's going to be a good year. Now I can't wait until we have everyone back.

This probably belongs more on my brother's blog (you know...the one with the adorable babies on it). He was blogging about communicating with his 10 month old twins and how it can be challenging at times. It got me thinking about baby sign language and then I stumbled upon this lady and her signing baby:

As an educator in a school with an early childhood program...and one that has a ASL program to boot, I get to see baby sign language firsthand. It absolutely blows my mind. I was in a supermarket a while back and I saw a woman with a baby and they were walking through the produce section signing a bunch of fruits and vegetables. Never mind that I don't know ASL myself and they may just have been faking it...but still.

P.S. I love how at the end of the video, the baby signs for more cheerios. Hee!

Tomorrow is the first official day of the new school year in my book. It's the first day that we have teachers in the building and we start saying "welcome!" to everyone. Summer just keeps getting shorter and shorter...this year it rushed by...mostly because of summer school, but also because I have been so busy! I am glad we got the trip in when we did...

That said, I am really looking forward to this year. I wouldn't say I feel "energized" -- too burnt out to say that -- but I am really excited. I feel like this is going to be a great year...our school will be in its third year and a lot of those kinks that come with opening a new school will be worked out.

And now, a backpacking cat.

See more funny videos and Cute Animals Videos at Today's Big Thing.

The Lobsterfest.

Although one might argue that the entire trip was a lobsterfest, the true Lobsterfest takes place in Rockland, Maine. As luck would have it, the first day of the Lobsterfest happened to be my and Jamie's last day in town. Even better, our flight out of Maine wasn't leaving until about 6pm (or so we thought) which gave us ample time to partake of the festivities before heading back to Portland.

But I'm getting ahead of myself.

After a couple detours inland (not intentional), we managed to get to our destination. Despite being the least expensive hotel on our trip, the view from our final room was the best of all.

Granted, the hotel wasn’t all that refined and looked more like a Motor Lodge, but in the end it had among the nicest amenities of all of the ones that we went to. Among the amenities was a fancy-pants game board (that apparently is worth $289 -- yowza), a huge plasma t.v., a desktop computer, a fireplace, a fridge and wine chiller, and binoculars with which to enjoy the aforementioned view. A pretty great value! Thanks Ledges!

We ventured in to Camden to enjoy some New England Clam Chowder. It was tasty! Easily my favorite type of soup out there…and I’m glad we did, because I had been so focused on lobster that I had forgotten that clam chowder was also something Maine was known for. We did some window shopping, and some actual shopping. We laughed at some of the souvenir shirts and placards, oogled some of the Maine fruit spreads, and then ducked into a yarn store. (Incidentally, there are yarn stores ALL over Maine!) Jamie actually requested that I make him a scarf – it should be known that Jamie has not requested that I make him anything since the dreaded gorilla sweater – so he picked out some yarn for me to use.

After a good night’s rest, we went to Rockport for breakfast at a local shop that had a great reputation. Apparently, it was where the lobstermen went for breakfast, and they had Eggs Benedict with crab for $5.99. So excited. Unfortunately, the article where we had read about it was a few years old and in the time since then (probably not long after the article was written) they had commercialized a little bit. The food was still great, but they no longer had the lobstermen or the cheap crab. Jamie did get some delicious blueberry oatmeal pancakes with fancy high-quality maple syrup (he paid extra).

Then, Jamie and I ventured to the U.S. Coast Guard base to tour the facilities – part of the Lobster Festival offerings. A very young and muscle-y coast guard guy (officer?) showed us around and took us on a boat. It was pretty impressive to see these boats up close – they basically are floating tanks. One of them had an engine so powerful that it could propel the boat upside-down for five minutes (it would contain enough air in pockets as well) before righting itself. At least that’s what Officer Muscle-y told us.

We then headed back to the festival and gawked at the giant Lobster Boilers. Since time before we would have to leave was ticking, Jamie and I made our way to the Main(e) food tent to get our Lobster Festival lobster. The way that the line worked out, the batch of lobster that we saw going into the boiler across the fairground also happened to be the lobster that we were served.

So Jamie and I each got a lobster and split an order of steamed clams. Pretty delicious...not as good as Lunch and Lobster (the teeniest bit overcooked) which will remain the best meal in Maine. After our lobster, Jamie and I wandered around the fair for a little longer before heading to the airport.

Of course our flight was delayed by four hours. I have yet to be on an AirTran flight that left on time. So we spent a little more time in Maine (well...the airport) than we had anticipated but in the end we managed to get home intact and with very good memories of our trip.

I then got to check off Maine from my list of places that I wanted to go...although, I do want to go back and backpack for real. That will have to be for another time.

An IOU.

This is my attempt to get my post in before midnight. I started work again today so, of course, I'm swamped. But, I intend to keep up with the posting and updating so consider this my post for today, and I promise to update with the final day of our Maine adventure tomorrow...

I wouldn't be so lame and would actually post about it tonight given that I'm a little restless, but I heard an interesting, yet disturbing, piece about sleep apnea and sleep deprivation on NPR this morning. Suffice to say that I want to do my best to get some sleep tonight.

Instead, please enjoy the new look! My bloggy geekiness is in rare form tonight!

Beautiful Acadia.

Acadia was the most highly-anticipated destination point on our trip. I'm cheating a little bit, because some of this was done actually before we drove into Bar Harbor -- we figured it would be great to do a drive around the loop around sunset. So this post actually covers more than one day...some of this was pre-lobster ice cream (thanks to Jess for the article.)

First thing we did was go to Cadillac Mountain -- which is the first place in the United States that sees the sunlight every day.

From the top, we could see the various islands that made up Acadia National Park. It was truly lovely. We also went to Thunder Hole -- which was a formation of rocks along the cliffs that made a very loud booming noise when the waves crashed into its caves. Although we weren't there at the best time (which is supposedly a couple hours before high tide) we did get a few loud booms minus the huge waterspouts.

Then, we went to the Sand Beach...to snap some pictures of the Maine coastline.

The next day, Jamie and I opted to rent some bikes and take to the Carriage Roads. Aside from the bike ride through Kennebunkport, this would be the first time since my knee surgery that I rode a bike for a prolonged period of time. Still, we were only in Acadia for a day, and there was a lot to see...I figured it was the best and most efficient way to see the park. It was!

We ended up bicycling about 20 miles throughout the park. Unfortunately, as is the nature with riding bicycles, the going uphill part always took three times longer than the going downhill part. But, I survived it -- despite fleeting moments of cursing my existence during the longer uphill climbs. I'm hoping 20 miles was enough to knock out my part of that Whoopie PIE's demise.

After taking in Acadia, we returned our bikes and set course for our final destination of Rockland, Maine. Home of the Maine Lobster Festival which just so happened to kick off on our final day in Maine...

A Lobster-ful Day.

After seeing the Bush compound, we ventured north towards Bar Harbor. We figured on our way we would stop at Freeport and get some Outlet shopping goodness in. After all, it isn't often that we get to be in the home of L.L.Bean.

Note: This picture was taken with my Pre!

I don't know what I had envisioned for Freeport. Probably something more like the outlet malls I had been used to: a giant parking lot surrounded by stores. The only reason we decided to brave Freeport despite what we had expected was because Jamie and I are not big shoppers and instead rely on a few HUGE shopping sprees to cover all of our shopping needs for a year. We had decided ahead of time, that this would be a one of the HUGE shopping sprees for the year. We were long overdue.

Freeport turned out to be much nicer than I had expected. It was more like a "quaint" shopping town...with a main street and any parking lots tucked away from sight. The stores were built to look like more traditional architecture...so the Banana Republic outlet looked like a Victorian house, the Abercrombie and Fitch outlet was like an old bank, and the J.Crew store resembled the post office. Of course, the L.L.Bean was ginormous...and it was our first stop.

Of course, I didn't bring my camera with us while we shopped, but suffice to say it was impressive. There was a fly-fishing demonstration going on INSIDE the store at its indoor trout pond. I finally bought the real raincoat I needed for our camping trips. Both Jamie and I bought many items of clothing that we were in need of at the various stores, and Jamie bought some shoes. Finally, our big purchase was a new carry-on and a bigger suitcase from the Samsonite outlet so that we could take all of our bounty home. (Don't worry, we paid much less than the listed price...thank goodness for outlet stores.) And I have to say, our new luggage made me feel much more adult.

But the shopping is neither here nor there. The most important thing was what happened after the shopping. Of course, I mean the food.

Another place I had heard about through my research was a lunch place called Harraseeket Lunch and Lobster. The reviews I had read about it all mentioned it being the best meal of their lives, etc. I have had many good meals in my life -- thanks mostly to Peru and very generous parents. But, I was ready to give Lunch and Lobster a chance.

We programmed the GPS on my Pre (another thing that the reviews mentioned was that it was very difficult to find) and headed off to find our lobster lunch. Thanks to the magic of GPS technology, we found it:

It was 3pm by the time we finished shopping...so we were hungry for lunch and we were just hoping it wasn't closed. It was open...and absolutely packed. The weird thing about Lunch and Lobster was that there were three different windows. One window had desserts only. A second window had their cooked stuff (i.e. lobster rolls, french fries, clam burgers, etc.) A third window around the corner at the back of the building sold only whole lobster (live or boiled) and steamed clams.

Fortunately, I had read enough to know about the secret window...and since we had shared that delicious lobster roll in Kennebunkport, we opted to go with the Lobster Lunch Special offered to locals at the secret window. Two 1lb lobsters with butter for $15.99. A great deal -- so we decided to split one of the specials and order some sides. When I walked around the corner, there was the lobster boat with the men unloading the lobsters directly into the kitchen. Right off the boat.

I ordered our lobsters and they put them on a scale and dumped them unceremoniously in a pot. 15 minutes later, we had our lobsters.

While I was at the secret window, Jamie was in the other line ordering some sides and drinks. It should be noted that the line for that line was so long that we did not get said sides and drinks until about 40 minutes after we had already consumed the lobsters. It was fun to see people cheer as though they had won the lottery when their number was called to pick up their food.

THE LOBSTER. Oh man, the lobster. This lobster was the hands-down best thing we ate on our trip to Maine. It was cooked perfectly, fresh off the boat, and so simple. But GOOD. The lobster was New Shell Lobster, which I guess means that you don't even need any tools to get to the meat...so even the regular work that goes into eating lobster was gone.

We ended the meal with a stop at the dessert window to pick up a Whoopie Pie -- that New England treat! This Whoopie Pie was much larger than expected...it was a Whoopie PIE.

So the Whoopie PIE provided Jamie and I with some yummy snacking on the 4 hour drive to Bar Harbor...our next destination. Bar Harbor is a kitschy town near Acadia National Park. Upon checking in at the hotel, the front desk lady began to gush to us about how the room we were staying in had the best view in the entire hotel and that it really was one of the best rooms. Of course, the catch was that it was on the third floor and there was no elevator which was a small price to pay for the best view in the hotel!

Of course, we got to the room and found that "the best view of the house" meant a great view of the hot tub containing loud people with strong Bostonian accents. Granted, if you craned your neck out and looked around the rest of the building you could see a strip of ocean. Bah.

Despite having eaten the best lobster ever for lunch, Jamie opted to go all out lobster with dinner. He got a lobster pizza and...wait for it...lobster ice cream. When we got to the ice cream parlor, Jamie asked for a sample of the lobster ice cream and another flavor. When he actually ordered the lobster ice cream, the lady working there immediately blurted out: "REALLY???" This was a bad sign. Most people would heed that sign...Jamie did not.

He ate the ice cream. It was okay to eat...as long as you didn't get any lobster chunks. Which were salty and frozen and gross. He was determined to eat the whole thing, though...and save for a few lobster chunks that he snuck into the trash can...he did it.

We made a point of not eating any lobster the next day that we spent in Acadia and Camden.

The Place With a Funny Name.

After enjoying our Becky's breakfast and seeing the Portland Head Light, we headed to Kennebunkport. This place was the little splurge portion of our trip -- we decided to stay at a more hoyty-toyty inn and spend our day walking through the fancy main street area and looking at seaside mansions.

We stayed at The Breakwater Inn & Spa and our room was right by the water so we had a nice view of the boats as they passed by. See?

That's the view from our balcony.

The inn was about a mile from town, so we took a nice stroll to the main street. We got to duck into stores on our way, made a few purchases and eventually found our way to The Clam Shack. In my research, I had heard that this place had the best Lobster Rolls and so we had to give it a go. Plus, even at 3:30pm there was a long line of people waiting which is a good sign. Since Jamie and I had eaten a pretty tasty brunch at Becky's we weren't all that hungry...but we figured we could not miss Clam Shack. Plus, lobster rolls aren't all that big...so I decided to get one and urged Jamie to do the same. Of course, he said he would just have "a bite" of mine, and OF COURSE, that turned into half of it...which turned out to be perfect anyway.

That was the best half of a lobster roll I'd ever had and our memories of the Street & Co. meal from the night before began to fade.

We then rented some bikes and explored the rest of the town that way. It was a nice way to get to see the gorgeous houses on the beach, and explore the tree-lined streets. However, it wasn't the best way to document the town of Kennebunkport as I didn't have that much faith in my abilities to ride a bike and take pictures at the same time. Still, here are some pictures from our time in Kennebunkport:

On our way out of the town the next day, we stopped by the Bush's summer home...which looked menacing and scary in the fog.

Then, we made our way north towards Acadia National Park with a stopover in Freeport...