Chef's Wharf
By Andrew Vietze
Port Clyde's Dip Net restaurant has all the hallmarks of a classic Maine lobster shack -- the weathered gray building just off the docks, the picnic tables where you can sit and watch the lobsterboats pulling up, the menu rich with seafood. That's where the similarities end, though. The Dip Net is the next generation of lobster shack, the sort of takeout eatery where you can get calamari with tomato chipotle and lightly fried oysters in a ginger shallot sauce. Where there's a raw bar and you can sample a bouillabaisse that's been raved about on Emeril's Web site. The sort of transcendental lobster shack that the Food Network might take notice of (and has). The exceptional nature of the place may be explained by the fact that it sits steps from the Monhegan Boat Line terminal and consequently sees scores of relatively affluent travelers pass by on a daily basis in the summer. Whatever the reason, it's a real find for anyone who appreciates seafood prepared with a bit of creativity, and the menu is diverse enough to appeal to families or groups with widely varied tastes. Mom can delight herself with lobster bisque or Jonah crab claws in mustard sauce while finicky dad enjoys a traditional shore dinner, and the kids tuck into grilled-cheese sandwiches. The options, which change from lunch to dinner, are many, and they're augmented by daily specials. The cooks use every effort to incorporate local produce and "humanely raised" beef and poultry, so you can feel good while you eat. The dessert menu is heavy on pies, and they come highly recommended. You won't find another lobster shack quite like the Dip Net the length of the coast -- and the view, out across Port Clyde Harbor, isn't bad either. For more information call 207-372-6307 or visit www.dipnetrestaurant.com.Allagash Elderhostel
Elderhostel quietly runs all sorts of interesting programs for seniors in Maine. You don't even have to be very elder to participate, just over fifty-five. This month the organization is taking a trip north to paddle the Allagash. Thoreau wannabes can partake in the ten-day odyssey through the fabled canoeing corridor (provided you can swim and get physician approval to paddle twelve to eighteen miles a day). The outing will be led by a Registered Maine Guide and a naturalist and will study the natural and human history of the waterway -- fascinating stuff -- as you paddle, negotiating rips and looking at wildlife. The trip is scheduled for September 4 through the 14. The price is $1,023. More information can be had by calling 877-426-8056 or clicking over to www.elderhostel.org
Open Studios
The midcoast region has become rightly renowned for its artists and artisans. Now a local outfit has put together a handy map and guide that links the studios of many talented professionals all through Camden, Rockport, Lincolnville, Appleton, Hope, and Warren. Jewelers like Etienne Perret and Michael Good, woodworkers like Richard Dunham, and photographers like Tillman Crane can all be found in it. The guide includes nearly two-dozen participants representing a range of artistic disciplines from pottery to painting to rag rugs. Each entry includes a capsule about what the artist does, contact information, a Web site, and the hours that his or her studio is open to visit. (Most are by appointment only.) The best time to visit might be the weekend of September 16 to 18, when all of the artisans will open their studios for free tours from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Want to see how well-known model boatbuilder Rob Eddy does his astonishing work? Or talk glazes with potter Laurie Adams? This is your chance to do it in a single day. Pick up your copy of the guide at midcoast shops or visit www.artisanstour.com
License to Cheer
The definition of eternity might just be waiting in line at the state's motor vehicle bureau to renew one's driver's license. Somehow you always seem to pick the busiest time to stop by, there are never enough clerks, and the fellow in front of you always seems to have some bizarre problem that requires an hour's explanation. Fortunately, the state of Maine now allows you to renew online, which is about the best service it's ever provided. All you need is one of the newer digital licenses and a computer printer to print your new info. Visit www.informe.org/bmv/dlr/ for more details.
Duck Delivery
The roast duck at the Village Inn in Belgrade has achieved almost legendary status. In the past thirty years, the inn's dining room has served more than 350,000 ducklings -- more than any other restaurant in the nation (or so it claims). Whether or not that's the case, there's no denying that people travel far and wide to sample this waterfowl. Now you can serve the famous Village Inn duckling dinner at your own home. The inn has a mail-order arm -- wing, if you must -- that will ship two ducks to you overnight via FedEx. The birds feed four and come with the inn's famous stuffing, as well as four of its award-winning sauces. The whole meal costs $75 (plus shipping and handling). And that's no canard. Call 888-581-1154 or visit www.villageinnducks.com for more information.
Mini Movies
We've all seen the Academy Award statues go to directors in the Short Film category and wondered how we'd ever get a chance to see these lauded little movies. You can't just visit the local multiplex and sit down to watch a twenty-minute experimental drama about foosball. If you plan it right, however, you can stop by Railroad Square Cinema on the weekend of September 17 and 18 and watch a whole bunch at once during the Manhattan Short Film Festival. For $6 you can feast your eyes on a cool dozen of the most creative shorts going. Admission to see this raft of intriguing minis costs you less than what you'd spend at the big box cinema for a disappointing summer blockbuster. Call 207-873-4021 or visit www.railroadsquarecinema.com for more information.
Nice Buns
Cinnamon buns are not supposed to be this good -- at least not in the middle of the North Woods, thirty miles from the nearest town. But everything found at Big Eddy Campground is a little better than you think, from the wild campsites overlooking the most famous salmon fishing pools in Maine, to the kayaking and rafting right out the tent flap, to the wilderness programs the campground's owner, Chewonki, sponsor on the premises. Served on the porch of the camp office, the buns are sticky and gooey and perfectly sweet. You'll also find apple sour-cream coffee cake, breakfast burritos, and java by Carrabassett Coffee Co. -- W. Branch Organic flavor, natch. The porch is open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., and the food is self-serve when no one is around. Buns are $1.75. Big Eddy Campground is located on the Golden Road twenty-eight miles above Millinocket. For directions call 207-350-1599 or visit www.bigeddy.org
