Maine

day 6: epsom, nh to cape elizabeth, me

Whoa nelly was today a fun day! One of those days where I just think as I sit here to type this at 1am- somebody pinch me! Life is oh so good. I wake up after a great visit with a childhood friend, get to drive this fantastic car that Honda has loaned me, I step behind the scenes of a delicious treat of a company and help make whoopie pies, and get to meet another truly amazing person who I’ve laughed and enjoyed every second with. (And there’s still so much more to come!) For anyone who thinks life can’t be exactly what you want it to be, I am here to tell you to think again! Go out and get it. It’s all out there for the taking.

On that note, today I was all about taking in desserts! More specifically Whoopsies Gourmet Whoopie Pies. How many did I eat today while helping in the kitchen? (Um, lost track.)

As soon as I walked in the door, I mean as in- like the minute I walked in the door, Owner Marcia plated up and served me a pumpkin whoopie pie with amaretto cream cheese nutmeg filling. I wasn’t shy:

Diane noshing on a Whoopsie

After my snack we had to get to work! I put my chef coat on and started scooping:

Chef Diane making Whoopsie

The last bit in the bowl before washing it? I couldn’t let that go to waste!

Chef Diane testing vanilla cake batter

It was a sampling party:

Whoopie pie sampling platter

…complete with too much laughing, and jokes about saucy whoopie pie names:

This was round 1 of fun, with more to come tomorrow. I get to make caramel again! This was my masterpiece from today:

Fresh made caramel for the Whoopsies

Mmmm…

Everyone loves a whoopie pie- Even Million Mile Joe, (so I found out today!) 2 days till I get to meet the man behind the miles. Perhaps I will have to bring him a treat after all my hard work in the kitchen as a taste tester!

In ever changing exciting trip news, I’ve been invited to go behind the scenes of another treat shop tomorrow in between Whoopsie time. I am digging adventures in desserts! More video fun of me noshing. I wish you all were with me so I could share! What else is coming up after that? Oh- you know, more lighthouses, sugar, lots of miles on the car to surprise places, and of course- the Honda Civic Tour. YEAH!

***Total miles driven today, day 6: 80

***Total miles driven since trip start (9/2/11): 725

***Total blue lollipops gifted/left behind since trip start (9/2/11): 9

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day 5: portsmouth, nh to york, me to epsom, nh

Today was a bit of a catch up day. I went for a long run along the beach and around Portsmouth and did some trip planning for a surprise announcement I have coming. I hung out  at a local coffee shop that was packed with regulars. (My favorite kind of people watching besides airports.) The weather was that fall coastal drizzly kind with a chill, so my original plan to sit outside on the patio got axed, and so did my hopes of having some beach time in York. Fortunately, it made a good excuse for me to drive around the coast. I crossed the bridge into Maine, and of course geeked out about crossing a state line:

I headed to Stonewall Kitchen:

Stonewall Kitchen: York, ME

…as you hear on my video I was thinking from all I read and heard, Stonewall Kitchen was going to be a paradise for someone like me to watch cooking demos, try some yummy foods, shop for a few specialty items, etc. The property was impeccably maintained, the company store and cafe’ were attractive, and certainly held that New England kitchen feel- but I am bummed to report that 1.) It turned out to pretty much be a touristy stop. 2.) They scolded me when I tried to take any photos. Otherwise I had a relaxing hour in the cafe’ on my laptop nibbling on my cinnamon sugar doughnut snack:

Stonewall Kitchen: York, ME

Stonewall Kitchen: York, ME

I had to try something while I was there! (They did have this dark chocolate sea salt carmel spread that I tried too. That was delicious!) The cinnamon doughnut was one of the specialty boxed mixes they sell for at-home baking. The doughnut was good enough to eat- but wasn’t near as tasty as the Blue Benn Diner or Apple Barn homemade cinnamon sugar ones I love. (Who am I, some kind of cinnamon doughnut connoisseur now?)

After Stonewall Kitchen I was off to York Beach to drive in the drizzle. Barely over the state line, and lobster-fest was on. Every mile there were oodles of restaurants, retail shops, and roadside shacks that had all things lobster related. I thought this one was funny:

York Beach, ME

I hit the first spot on my ocean stops for the day, York Harbor:

York Beach, ME

York Beach, ME

…then Lobster Cove:

York Beach, ME

The beach screamed of It’s the day after Labor Day Weekend. Closed shops, barely anyone on the beach or street, and that one lone paddle boarder. Beyond Lobster Cove was Cape Neddick/The “Nubble” Lighthouse:

York Beach, ME

York Beach, ME

York Beach, ME

(Hmmm…I think there might be a lighthouse theme brewing to this trip. I’ll keep you thinking…)

It was time for dinner and visit with a good friend from high school, who I mentioned before was an original member of the blue lollipop soccer crew from back in the  day, so back over the border of NH I came. Tonight has been a special treat to see this friend again, meet her now husband (who I met as a boyfriend years ago) and her little boy. I have no idea how 13 years have passed with us not keeping in touch or seeing each other, but we agreed to never let that happen again. We have a natural hometown bond, but amplified from going through a time of great loss together that will never go away, so I was reminded of how much I have missed staying in touch. She had a great idea for an event blue lollipop inspired for next summer, that will bring together the rest of the old crew. (I guess you’ll have to keep following to see what it is!) It’s been a perfect night. There’s not much better than sitting on a couch with someone you’ve known for 25 years dishing on people you both know, filling each other in on life and what’s happened over the past 13 years, and going to bed too late.

I’d give up all chocolate, doughnuts, and any treat in the world to get time like tonight with special people. These times are the best treat to me. Thank you Kate Emma, Mike, Rowan and soon-to-be baby!

Tomorrow I am off to MAKE WHOOPIE! To Portland, Maine I go. This is guaranteed to be a wildly entertaining stop, and I can’t wait!

***Total miles driven today, day 5: 68

***Total miles driven since trip start (9/2/11): 645

***Total blue lollipops gifted/left behind since trip start (9/2/11): 8

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never a dull moment

As I am sure you all are very aware of, the Northeast- particularly the Southern parts of Vermont where I have planned to head to to kick off this Honda Adventure has been severely damaged by Hurricane Irene. This means a lot of things, one being there are several road closures, detours and spots that are simply off limits as the enormous clean up is underway. Considering my pre-planned route and meetings go from NJ, through NY and into VT then through NH into ME, I will essentially be attempting to go through the thick of it all. I have been a less planning, more doing kind of girl during my travels over the years, just rolling with what happens on the road, so It’s ironic that I pre-planned some things for this trip, and one of the worst floods in Vermont’s history happens right before I plan to be there.

This is all to say that as I set off on my trip north on Friday, I have no idea the random roads I will end up on, what detours I will have to take, which festivals and events will still be on or cancelled, or in general what to expect. I do know there will still be meetings with people like Million Mile Joe and Marcia, the maker of Whoopsies Gourmet Whoopie Pies, along with some other interesting characters yet TBA, which I am very excited about.

Thanks to you all for fantastic suggestions, participating in my plans, and rolling with the adventure as it is ever changing. Here’s to expecting the unexpected!

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why should cupcakes have all the fun?

More announcements:

Upcoming lessons and noshings on delicious Maine whoopie pies. Yeah!

I am excited to share that Marcia, owner of Whoopsies Gourmet Whoopie Pies will be hosting me in her sweet world of desserts for a day the week of 9/5!

Berkely and Marcia- Owners Whoopsies Gourmet Whoopie Pies

(That’s Marica on the right with daughter and business partner Berkeley on left. Photo by Mary Amons.)

For a girl like me who craves chocolate in her everyday, this is going to be like a kid in a candy store and then some. I love getting the inside scoop on how companies like Whoopsies came about and meeting the people behind the product. Of course we all know that starting and running any type of business is seriously hard work, but I am thinking if your product is called something like a whoopie pie and upon delivery (just like flowers) no matter what- always makes people smile, that must feel like a party more often than not. I can’t wait to jump into the fiesta with Marcia and her crew, and experience the whoopie magic and fun as it happens. (And taste of course!) Here’s an image of the goodness:

Whoopsies Gourmet Whoopie Pies

Yummy.

***Um, anyone out there a personal trainer and want to come on a road trip? Votes from readers and desires from me center largely around exploring eats and treats on my travels. (There’s a big surprise!) Consuming and relaxing with good company and conversation in my opinion is one of the very best ways to spend time. I guess I’ll just have to add some mileage to my daily runs so my clothes fit by the end of all this! I’m up for the challenge. Maybe I can throw a 5 or 10k race into the bucket of to see and tops. Anyone know of a good race happening around the Northeast between 9/2 and 9/19?

Back to the fun stuff…

I’m looking forward to meeting you Marcia and all about having an extra Whoopsie to take the place of the “lob-stah” I don’t eat! Two desserts instead of dinner and dessert is Ok if I’m an adult- right? 🙂

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well hello joe!

SURPRISE!!!

I told you there would be something good coming. (And this is only the beginning.)

Guess who I get to meet and hang out with in 2 weeks? The one and only Million Mile Joe!

Hondas Million Mile Joe

Joe, like me clearly loves his Honda. His 1990 Accord that is soon to hit a million miles is the same exact year and model that was my very first Honda. How cool is that? Joe has logged his miles and miles in notebooks, (which I have done during various trips over the years) and taken countless photos of his odometer. (Me too!) I’m thinking Joe and I will have plenty of good stories to share when we meet. It’s as if we are kindred spirits in Honda love. Maybe it’s because we are both New Englanders?

I was thrilled weeks ago when Honda has mentioned a potential meeting, It’s been hard for me to hold my tongue, so naturally I am very excited to share the news here now.

There is a lot more to come in the way of surprises and tricks up my sleeve, so stay tuned and keep following! 7 days and counting until I pick up my loaned Hybrid Civic and officially kick off this next great adventure!

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one month from today…

…I pick up the 2012 Hybrid Honda Civic and hit the road to Maine to kick off the Blue Lollipop Road Fall 2011 Adventure! Whoop whoop!

Who out there has some serious scoop on what’s not to be missed in the whoopee pie-lovin’, lobstah-eatin’, costal-filled gorgeous state of the Vacationland?

Please post comments here, send me an email to: diane (@) blue lollipop road.com, visit me on Facebook and drop a note here, or post a tweet to my Twitter account here.

Want to head down the Blue Lollipop Road with me? Stay tuned for some news on the possibility of jumping on the bandwagon!

 

 

 

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thanks mom

Dear Mom,

Thank you for raising me in a beautiful, safe place where I could run and play:

Front yard in Hidden Valley

Thank you for encouraging me to travel and explore:

Me at the Taj Mahal: November, 2008

Thank you for giving me 3 of the best siblings, who have turned into my best friends:

The Kid and I, Wilmington, NC: March, 2009

Brad and I on bus in Argentina

…so one of those siblings could give me a great nephew:

With DJ and Mason: June 2009

Thank you for telling me to go for it, and always follow my dreams:

I made it! At Alaska border 8/8/1: State #50

Thank you for sharing doughnuts with me on our special breakfast dates:

Blue Benn Diner breakfast with Mom

Thank you for being my friend, and the one person who I know will love me with all of her heart forever:

Mom and I at Seadog Brewing Company, Maine

You are the definition of what a mother should be. You are the reason I will always believe anything is possible. I am so, so, very lucky to be your daughter. I love you Mom. Happy Mother’s Day.

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get your bubbles ready!

Our bottle of bubbly on the coast of Maine

I took this photo while in Portland Maine 2 summers ago. My Mom, Brother, Sister and I walked by a fabulous little wine and cheese shop while perusing the streets and thought grabbing a bottle of bubbly, a baguette and some manchego cheese would make for a good snack and relax pit stop on the sunny afternoon overlooking the water. Isn’t the sweat coming off the bottle perfect? During this cold winter, it makes me dream of warm summer days lying in green, green grass and sipping deliciousness while spending time with people I love.

Cheers to popping some bubbly, and all the great adventures to come!

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