A weekend to share...

Some people might call me extravagant, even if it is behind my back. But who is going to treat you well if you don't do so yourself? I am accustomed to meals out, a nice home, good vacations, etc. but I've never put something together with the intention of my own PERSONAL satisfaction without the consideration or inclusion of other people. It may sound selfish, but I suppose my goal in planning this birthday weekend retreat was to shout out, "If plan A doesn't work, you have to make a plan B... or you're going to feel let down." And the only thing worse then feeling let down by others, is to feel let down by yourself. And so, I ended up booking a weekend away at an Inn on the coast of Maine with spa appointments, dinner plans and a whole lot of down time! Instead of boring you with most of my relaxation, I wanted to at least offer my insights one what most would consider the highlights of this weekend:

1. The Stage Neck Inn, York Beach, Maine: A quaint, seaside Inn on the water in York Beach. I had an upper beach view room, which meant I could see the beach from over the parking lot, but considering I booked a VERY low rate, last minute on a weekend when they were hosting a wedding, I still considered myself fortunate. Especially with the clean rooms, comfortable beds, and views from the lobby and dining rooms of the Inn. I didn't make it to breakfast the first morning as I chose to sleep late, however, brunch on Sunday was a nice cap off to the weekend, even if I felt slightly out of place in the company of many Seniors... the sausage and eggs benedict was good. And we all know, I'm ok if the food's ok!

2. Mimmo's Restaurants, York Beach, Maine: There aren't a lot of options in York Beach, for fun, casual dining. Fortunately, Mimmo's is a well known, BYO restaurant RIGHT on the beach. Admittedly, I took the MOST backwards route to get to the restaurant when it was actually off the same road as my hotel (oops), but at 7pm on a Friday night (off-season) I was seated immediately. Along with two friends, we cleaned off two bottles of wine (which we brought), a stuff mushroom appetizer that was swimming in delectable marinara sauce, two baskets of vampire-fighting garlic bread, significant platters of chicken parmigiana, Penne Al Forno, and Chicken Rolleta (or something like that.. ). It was a very joyful evening, with great food, awesome conversation and spectacular views. Definitely a fun, casual dining location where you feel like you've either been added to the mob family or you're watching a live Godfather movie! Oh, and a complimentary shot of sambuca or amaretto after your meal? Definite thumbs up!

3. The Spa at Stage Neck Inn: This spa is DEFINITELY new. They are working out some kinks, but the small size and limited patronage did make for a very personal touch. I opted for the Retreat Day Spa (90 min massage, manicure and pedicure) with the added scalp treatment and head massage. I went ALL out.. it was my birthday weekend! I arrived at 11:30am and was escorted into a very tranquil, lovely massage room which I later learned was the 'wet room' for body wraps and other treatments. They do also have a couples massage room across the hall. the masseuse was very gentle (whereas I generally like a more therapeutic, deep tissue massage), but I enjoyed the relaxation and proceeded to fall asleep a few times while she worked her magic. The head and scalp massage, to be honest, weren't anything too special. The menthol/mint essense of the scalp treatment was nice and as expected left my hair incredibly greasy, but for what I paid, I'd almost have preferred someone to have stood behind me and used on of those alien-looking head massagers. No tingles = nothing special.


3. MC Perkins Cove, Ogunquit, Maine: Instead of heading south towards home, it was time to venture North for dinner on the second evening. Hungry after having only eaten a GIANT bag of Peanut M&Ms after my spa day, we drove on the scenic route to find somewhere to go.. passed a few typical Maine Lobster shacks.. which aren't all that original for us. I mean, we LIVE 30 min from here. So, we aimed for the quaint village of Perkins Cove, a small cul-de-sac of small boutiques and an entry way for the famed MARGINAL WAY walkway. Being off season, the drive and parking were very easy, and we had been able to spot a new-looking restaurant called MC Perkins Cove. I was skeptical that my jeans and hoodie would be too casual, but thankfully, the wait staff were in jeans too.. though definitely of the NY designer jean variety. With a small wait, we sat at the bar and were greeted heartily by the bartender, Brian, offering up the HARVEST martini as his specialty - something about pomegranate and chambourd? stop there. I'll have two! Before he could even shake up the drinks, our table was ready. now, that is service. Or so we thought..

The lighting was a little off, making the menu difficult to read from shaddows and the table tops a little worn from the copper being marked by wear and tear. However, the ambiance was refined, elegantly moody, and the tables were full. A rare treat on a weekend in April in Maine! Sadly, we ended up having to wait FAR too long for our martinis to be delivered, even though they sat at the bar waiting to be delivered for quite a while before a waiter finally took ownership of our table. We were then offered water by one person, only to not have him bring it, have another lady offer, not bring it and the later the first person brought us tap water. Did they have to drill a well?? The taste of the martini was delicious though more like juice then a cocktail.. I could have chugged down quite a few but was glad I didn't.. they're not inexpensive. So, I occupied myself with the spiced peanuts that were delivered, very nice and unique, along with the warmed bread. Finally, it was time to order.. but of all the most delectable things to get, how would I choose? I always assume you ask the waiter for a recommendation. And this is a new one. I asked, " what is the chef's specialty?" and learned they all were. Well, how is that helpful? And did I noted that this waiter strategically never offered a name and also deferred to another waiter/bus person if we asked for something? I'll explain more in a moment for my theories on this... So,we opted to share a Beijing Pork appetizer and I had the Lobster Mac N Cheese. Yum, right?

We didn't have to wait too long for the appetizer, not as long as the martinis! But I did have enough time to realize, I wasn't able to relax in this refined, moody setting. Normally, I can have a sip of my cocktail or wine and lean back into my chair, take a deep breath and just enjoy the company, the food and the drinks. But I realized the energy of this restaurant was so manic that it would be IMPOSSIBLE to relax. The wait staff were hurriedly running around the restaurant, numerous wait staff attending to numerous tables, the hostess and a presumed host were assisting, our waiter was sometimes behind the bar making cocktails - and this would all make it appear as if they were SHORT staffed. But that wasn't the case at all. In fact, I think it's fair to say they were so overstaffed that everyone assumed someone else would take responsibility for a table, fulfill a patron's request, etc. Tripping over themselves and getting almost nothing done. I theorized they were all hyper sensitive to the presense of the renowned chef Clark (of Arrows fame) who had a dauting Ramsay-esque quality about him which fascinated me, but at the same time, it made me think it was possible all of the staff were new. Either way, that was EXTREMELY disappointed. Thankfully, the appetizer arrived and I couldn't say enough fantastic things about it.. succulent pork dumplings served with three sauces and a cabbage vinagrette slaw. It was divine.. I could've been content with refills for my dinner! And so my expectations for the entrees was VERY VERY high. I should have known this would mean disappointment.

The Lobster Mac N Cheese was served classically in a baking dish with the cracked topping, wth a half of a lobster on the side.. along with lobster meat baked into the dish. and yes, this was the most expensive dish on the menu. The pasta was cooked well, though not al dente which is ok with me for a baked pasta dish.. the lobster was rich and flavorful, but the cheese sauce was almost like cheese cream, or just cream. It was almost milk-like and had a very very mild cheese flavor. Perhaps it was served too hot, so I let it sit and combine together some, which ended up helping the consistency some, but the cheese flavor was noticeable absent. I can appreciate that you don't want to overpower the lobster, but you can't call something Mac N Cheese if there isn't any cheese to speak of!

My friend had the rainbow trout with herbed polenta. it was a whole friend fish along w/ a cauldron of baked polenta. Tasty, but the fact that the hostess proceeded to spill almost ALL of the delicious sauce onto the table and my friends' hand upon delivery of this fine entree withdrew from her affection for it. admittedly, we ate most if not all of the dishes.. we were hungry and it's not to say these weren't 'good' but they weren't 'great. We both regretted not just ordering and sharing 4 or 5 appetizers! and so when the waiter asked if I wanted to see the dessert menu, I decided to entertain myself... only to have him clearly NOT hear me and bring the check. And so, I never had the pleasure to see what their dessert menu was. But if their desserts were anything like their appetizers, it might be worth going back to check it out.

All in all, nice decor, frazzled ambiance, excellent cocktails and appetizers, mediocre entrees. MC Perkins Cove has the potential to be another amazing and noteworthy bistro, but it has to get through some of these growing pains.. and the staff would be better off taking a CHILL PILL.. or drinking less coffee, either way.

And so that was my spa weekend in maine.. good food, good friends, and GOOD SLEEP. once again, these are only my opinions and I in no way claim to be a certified critic; I am just a wandering gal who enjoys eating out and spending time with friends, and is offering her opinion for you to check out whether in agreement, disagreement, or even if you just don't care!