Fall foliage + Grafton Notch State Park
This week, it’ll be six months since Alex and I packed our things and drove 3100 miles from Orange County, CA to our new apartment in Portland, ME. During these past six months, it’s been a rollercoaster of emotions for me with many highs and a good amount of lows. Due to the pandemic, it’s been hard to feel connected to our new environment, but honestly, I think Alex and I have been doing the best that we can, and looking at my pictures from our time here is a testament to that. We’ve explored so many beautiful areas of the state, eaten the most delicious food, gotten closer to the few friends that we had here already and genuinely have had a lot of fun. I don’t know how I would have done any of it by myself and I’m so lucky to have Alex as my partner in life.
So as a way for me to look back on our first six months in Maine, I wanted to share photos from our time here so far. Some of them are very random, but each and every one of them have a certain significance to me, whether it’s a picture of a cocktail on a Friday night to the most gorgeous hike in Western Maine. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.
Springtime on the West End
Cardamom buns from Belleville
Western Promenade manor
Hello, Atlantic
Weekend getaway in Bridgton
Strawberry picking at Maxwell’s Farm in Cape Elizabeth
A color story
View from Casco Bay Bridge
Pumpkin bread
Sunset at the Western Prom
Bath
Neighborhood kitty: Theo aka Moo
West End cemetery + fall foliage
Mike and Alex at Presumpscot River
Halloween decor
Alex and a very foggy Fort Williams Park
Bruschetta using Night Moves’ country loaf
Picnic at the Eastern Promenade
Drinks and charcuterie at Vessel & Vine in Brunswick
Mackworth Island
Fresh Maine wild blueberries from the Portland Farmers Market
Local bodega in Portland
Owls Head Lighthouse
Favorite pizza combo from Bonobo (Baby Arugula and Farm)
Androscoggin Swinging Bridge
Five Acre Farm Stand in Kennebunkport (if you ever find yourself here, get the cookies or pie)
Frozen strawberry margaritas, always
The boys at Highland Lake
Some of my favorite apartments on Danforth Street
Carrot cake for Alex’s birthday
Neighborhood kitty: Lil Teardrop
Baseball field near Back Cove
Peonies from Alex via Harmon’s Floral Company
Foggy night at the Portland Head Light
One of many cookie batches baked in the apartment
Sunset at the very dog-friendly Willard Beach
Bayside
Hike view from Bald Mountain
Drinks at Cocktail Mary
Battery Steele on Peaks Island
Ice cream in the summer
Poolside at Strawberry Hill Seaside Inn in Rockport (it was very cold, hence the goosebumps!)
Bug Light
V&Ts
Glimpse of fall in Munjoy Hill
Beach time, Long Island
Cheesecake for the Fourth of July
Eastern Prom walks
Salsa time
Western Prom walks
A quick trip to North Pomfret, Vermont
Scone from Tandem Coffee and Bakery
Grafton Notch hike
Dried flowers from the Portland Farmers Market
Our only visitor this year: my mom!
Homemade pizza night
Vintage bottles with dried lavender
Sunset at the Western Prom
Local garden in the West End
The boys at Presumpscot
Drinks at Hunt & Alpine Club (yes, that’s a Jell-O shot)
Neighborhood blooms
Me! Hiking Camden Hills State Park.