Trip Summary: From One Portland To The Other

Last weekend the in laws came into town and we all made the short trek up to Portland Maine. I have to say that I didn’t expect to love Portland Maine, especially since I am from Portland Oregon and think it’s the best city ever, but I really did love it. Having just done some brief research on the city I discovered that it has won numerous awards so I shouldn’t have been too surprised. Normally I dont place much merit in those types of awards but I must say that with my experience in Portland I can truly say that most of those awards are warranted.

Ranked as Bon Appétit magazine's America's Foodiest Small Town (2009).[11]
Ranked #1 on Forbes.com America's Most Livable Cities (2009).[12]
Ranked #6 on Relocate America's Top 10 Places to Live in 2007.[13]
Ranked #12 in the world by Frommer's in its list of Top Travel Destinations for 2007.[14]
Ranked #20 in Inc. Magazine 2006 Boom Town List of Hottest Cities for Entrepreneurs.
Ranked #7 on the 2005 list of the 100 Best Art Towns in America. (The Countryman Press, April 2005)

Despite the cold, the city was very walkable. The old city section of town was a particular favorite with bars and restaraunts and shops galore. The town has a very old colonial feel that feels a little more European that any city in the US I have been to thus far. It was very charming. Not a typical word in my vocabulary but its really the only word that fits. Portland was one of those places where you feel an aura radiating from it. Almost like you are transformed to a different era. We did a lot of wandering and just taking the city in which made for a relaxing weekend. We went lobstering which was quite the experience. On the way out of town we stopped in at the Portland Headlight which was the total cliche lighthouse but it was pretty beautiful. All and all I ate more lobster and fried food that I have in the last 5 years combined, had some great beers in some great pubs, listened to some good music, and had a great time taking in a very unique American city. My wife's family and I had a great time and I will definitely be heading back up to Portland in the future. Below are some pictures, videos (sideways rookie film job on my phone), and links to some of the sights I recommend hitting if you ever travel there.

Portland Headlight
1000 Shore Road
Cape Elizabeth, ME
04107
(207) 799-2661
Email cephl@aol.com
http://www.portlandheadlight.com/

Lucky Catch Cruises
170 Commercial St
Phone: 761-0941
Web: www.luckycatch.com
1 1/2 hour lobstering excursions from Memorial Day to Columbus Day. Pull traps near lighthouses & seals.

Bull Feeney's
375 Fore St
Phone: 773-7210
Web: www.bullfeeneys.com
An Irish pub & restaurant dedicated to the immigrant families who built today's Portland.

Portland Harbor Hotel
468 Fore St
207.775.9090
www.portlandharborhotel.com
Experience Old Port charm, distinctive details & impeccable service

Three Dollar Dewey's
241 Commercial St
Phone: 772-3310
Web: www.3dollardeweys.com
Portland's original alehouse. 36 Draft beers & 42 bottles. Reasonably priced pub fare. Free popcorn!

Portland Lobster Co
180 Commercial St
Phone: 775-2112
Web: www.portlandlobsterco.com
Enjoy Maine's best lobster roll, lobster dinners, fried clams, beer & wine on our large deck!

Fore Street Restaurant
288 Fore St.
Phone: 775-2717
Web: www.forestreet.biz
Offering peasant style American food cooking in the heat of live wood fire ovens.

Novare Res Bier Cafe
4 Canal Plaza
Phone: 761-2437
Web: novareresbiercafe.com
Bier Cafe. Great selection, huge outdoor deck.

Finally Some Good Legislation On TAP!

If you are a consistent BadskiBlog reader you know that my posts can give our politicians a pretty hard time. Don't feel too bad for those guys just yet, they are doing just fine. Besides what is more patriotic than being critical of your elected officials? If you aren't a watch dog who is going to be? With that said I am always willing to give credit where credit is due and that is why I am pleased to present all you readers with some great news regarding a trend in recent legislation. Ben Franklin once said that "beer is proof that god loves us and wants us to be happy." Well it seems like our nation's leaders are taking a page from the playbook of leaders past and instituting legislation that's striding farther and farther from the prohibition days.

As state lawmakers work on a budget that raises North Carolinians' taxes and slashes the services they use, they're also poised to offer something to offset some of the pain — free beer.
While wine tastings have become commonplace, states from Vermont to Texas to Washington have moved to let people take a sip of a cold one before deciding what brand to buy.

Beneficiaries include microbreweries that sometimes have few other ways to advertise. "One of the big benefits of a tasting is it allows a brewer to make a face-to-face connection with the person enjoying the beer," says Paul Gatza, director of the Brewers Association.

I am actually going to a beer tasting tonight at PJ Whelihans Bar and Grill in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. The event is being hosted by a friend of mine who works for a wine distributor who has recently seen a large increase in demand for beer distribution. I have come across a few articles in the past that are speaking about the huge market share capture of the microbrew industry. I think that the new generation of beer drinkers are beginning to turn the industry into one that is very similar to the wine industry. People enjoy pairing it with different foods, are becoming educated on the different types, and are creating a social scene around a common love of beer. Good ol' Ben Franklin would be proud. Not everyone is thrilled with this trend, especially the large American breweries. However this is not always the case.

Tastings also can give an edge to larger breweries with the staff to make the rounds, Paul Gatza, director of the Brewers Association says.

Vermont started allowing beer tastings last year, one year after authorizing similar events for wine, says George Bergin, owner of the Beverage Warehouse in Winooski, Vt.

"Beer tastings are probably our most popular events, more so than wine," Bergin says. "We will have people standing in line for four hours to try beer."

Luckily for beer drinkers many legislators are not giving in to those resistant to relaxed laws on beer tastings.

Few North Carolina lawmakers have opposed the bipartisan effort to allow beer tastings, despite some objections. Mark Creech of the Christian Action League of North Carolina says beer, unlike wine, is the beverage of choice for underage drinkers.

Rep. Thom Tillis, a Charlotte Republican, assured lawmakers that tastings wouldn't attract minors used to cheap beer. Milwaukee's Best, he says, is unlikely to be on the menu.

I agree with Rep. Tillis. I actually worked as a volunteer at the Great American Beer Festival in Denver while I was in college and although the crowd was lively, there was little to no disturbing behavior and no underage drinking. The experience was a great one built around camaraderie and a love of beer. The thing about tastings is that the brewers interests are aligned with creating a positive atmosphere without pushing the boundaries of legality.

I have made you aware of this great shift in beer drinking freedom, now go forth and make Ben proud, and enjoy some free beer.

Badski's Consumer Report - Devil's Alley

Badski's Consumer Report - Welcome to another edition of the post that celebrates greatness in all things consumer related. Last night Heidi and I went into Philadelphia with some friends to take advantage of Beer Week. We ended up seeing a dinner and beer deal at the Devil's Alley bar and grill and decided to check it out. The weekend was also the pre-celebration for St. Patrick's Day (which is huge in Philadelphia) so the drunken Jersey masses were out in full force. Other than the occasional annoying drunk girl dressed in all green it turned out to be an awesome night.

Devil's Alley was advertising "3 Big Courses, 3 Great Beers $29.95" so it was the obvious choice for the night and it did not disappoint. I was a little nervous that they would skimp on the food or the beers or both, however they did not take that lowly route. The menu had about 4-10 choices for each course and a specialty beer paired with each meal based on the complementary basis of the barley pop. Course number one was the appetizer course. Some examples of our tables selections were crab, pepper, and pepper jack cheese quesadillas with tangy salsa paired alongside an apricot wheat beer, beer battered tempura vegetables with a dark stout. The second course was the main course and it picked up right where the last left off. The portions were as advertised and the quality of the food (and beers) were awesome. Some examples of our tables choices were ground rolled steak strips with onion rings and a coffee stout, a fruit glazed salmon with mac and cheese and beans served with a dark wheat beer, a half chicken with sweet potatoes and beans served with a dark wheat beer, and BBQ ribs with stuffing muffins and mac and cheese with an IPA. I tried a bit of everything, food and beers, and they were all great. The final course was the dessert course and we indulged on chocolate raspberry cake, orange cake, banana splits, and banana blueberry bread pudding all paired with more great beers.

The place wasn't decorated anything special but it had a quirky vibe and served as both a restaurant and a cool bar. Drinks were reasonably priced and the selection was great. Couple that with some good service and some great friends and you've got yourself a spot on Badski's Consumer Report.

Badski's Consumer Report

Rogue Dead Guy Ale - We all love to bitch about bad service, bad products and the miserable experiences we have had as consumers. However, I have been inspired by Ashton Kutcher's I pledge campaign (insert sarcastic laugh here and check out my post on the I pledge campaign) to be a better citizen so I have decided to start a new segment on my blog that highlights outstanding experiences I have had as a consumer. So welcome to Badski's Consumer Report!

It's ironic that I discovered an Oregon micro-brew almost three years into a stint living in the Greasy State aka New Jersey after living in Oregon for 18 years. But let me tell you, I am glad that I came across this beauty barley pop. 

Rogue describes Dead Guy Ale as a beer "In the style of a German Maibock, using our proprietary Pacman ale yeast. Deep honey in color with a malty aroma and a rich hearty flavor." I am far from a beer snob/tech drinker so I cannot get to in depth in describing every subtle flavor and nuance of this great beer, but rest assured Dead Guy is more than just a cool name. I would say the key statistics are as follows: smooth, rich, flavorful, 9%. A great beer for eating alongside a nice home cooked meal or the classic college circus. Hit up the Rogue website here and go get yourself a Draft, 22oz Bottle, Six Pack, or my personal favorite the 64oz Growler!