Old Port Summer Festival – Portland, Maine

Yesterday, Cristina and I went to the Old Port Summer Festival. This is the unofficial start of the Summer and Tourist Season here in Southern Maine. We braved a foggy day along with an estimated 25,000 other hardy souls. Though a bit damp and chilly, no one’s spirits were dampened by the weather.

There was a plethora of food – primarily Maine staples such as lobster, lobster rolls, clam chowder, and shrimp, along with Thai, Vietnamese, and Indian cuisines – to fuel the overwhelming crowds. There wasn’t a street along the Old Port Harbor that wasn’t filled with families jostling in lines for food and live band music of all genres. Bagpipers and Irish dancers mixed with folk and rock groups to keep the festival spirit alive. An annual Maine coastal festival, the Old Port celebration is always a Maine place to go.

Cristina’s offers multiple lodging options for your Maine coastal rental vacation. Though we concentrate on Weekly Rentals during the Prime Summer Weeks, we offer long-term packages throughout the Fall, Winter, and Spring months. We also have bed and breakfast availability for shorter stays. We recommend calling in advance to confirm openings.

Call us to make a reservation and we look forward to hosting you and your family.

Visit the Saco Bay and Camp Ellis Beach at Cristina’s

The Maine Ocean has been remarkably tranquil the past few days. I only wish that I had time to go kayaking, the sport I love second to playing a good game of racquetball. Cristina’s, our Maine bed and breakfast, offers easy access to Saco Bay and the best kayaking in Southern Maine.

The Wood Island Lighthouse is a two mile paddle that challenges both strength and stamina. Within easier reach is Hills Beach, around the jetty and across the Saco River. Beginners can easily enjoy the safety of hugging the coast while paddling in Saco Bay. For those without kayaks of their own, Bare Knee Point Kayak Rentals is only a three minute walk from Maine’s Best bed and breakfast, Cristina’s in Camp Ellis Beach, Saco.

Safety and caution is always emphasized. Beginners should take the time to learn about their kayaks, best done in shallow water in case of a wet mishap. Life jackets are mandatory; a skirt to keep water out while paddling is encouraged. Obey all water safety rules and enjoy the experience.

Cristina’s offers multiple lodging options for your Maine coastal rental vacation. Though we concentrate on Weekly Rentals during the Prime Summer Weeks, we offer long-term packages throughout the Fall, Winter, and Spring months. We also have bed and breakfast availability for shorter stays. We recommend calling in advance to confirm openings.
Call us to make a reservation and we look forward to hosting you and your family.

Maine & New England Weather at the B&B

The weather this past week has gone from remarkable to tornado warnings. Yesterday, the temperature was 88 degrees. With a temperature inversion – all I know is that the temp dropped 15 degrees in the matter of one hour – we had severe thunderstorm warnings throughout the night. Great to say that we only had an hour-or-so of boomers. Regardless, George, the bed and breakfast resident Golden retriever, had a fitful night. George does not like thunder OR lightening.

Last week’s project during the glorious weather was the building of a new back deck. With help from Luke, we installed a new Choice Deck adjacent to the kitchen. A new teak table and chairs followed. The view overlooks Saco Bay and the Gulf of Maine, Cristina’s is one of the most stunning Maine oceanfront lodgings in the state. Cristina’s is a fantastic getaway for a romantic Maine bed and breakfast week or weekend.

Cristina’s offers multiple lodging options. Though we concentrate on Weekly Rentals during the Prime Summer Weeks, we offer long-term packages throughout the Fall, Winter, and Spring months. We also have bed and breakfast availability for shorter stays. We recommend calling in advance to confirm openings.
Call us to make a reservation and we look forward to hosting you and your family.

East Point Audubon Sanctuary, Biddeford Pool, Maine

Cristina and I spent the afternoon at the East Point Audubon Sanctuary, Biddeford Pool, Maine. It was a way for us to escape another dreary, cloud-covered day. The sun, you know that yellow thing that’s sometimes in the sky, made a brief appearance; maybe a nanosecond! Just to get a change of scenery, we sometimes take a drive south, along Route 9, passing the University of New England and into Cape Porpoise.

This time we stopped and had clam and Maine shrimp dinners at the Cape Porpoise Lobster Company, secluded and nicely nestled in another true Maine fishing village. It is important to note that each and every Maine fishing village is different and has its own characteristics and personality.

On the drive home, and only moments away from Cristina’s B and B, we stopped for ice cream at Garside’s ice cream shop on the Ferry Road. Another Saco institution, Garside’s Ice Cream has been serving homemade product since 1956. We don’t indulge often but when we do, the ice cream is always fantastic.

Cristina’s Bed & Breakfast offers multiple lodging options for various occasions. Though we concentrate on Maine Weekly Rentals during the Prime Summer Weeks, we offer long-term packages throughout the Fall, Winter, and Spring months. We also have bed and breakfast nightly rentals and availability for shorter stays. We recommend calling in advance to confirm openings.
Call us to make a reservation and we look forward to hosting you and your family.

Planting Cristina’s Garden

We spent two full days planting and transplanting.  Cristina’s Gardens look beautiful, colorful, and, surprisingly, tranquil.  Weeping cherry and pear trees, azaleas, rhodies, coleus, (or is that colei?), and a dump truck’s worth of mulch.  Of course, the last five days have been filled with rain and winds and little chance to take pictures with the new, high resolution Nikon camera.

Plans are in store to replace the back deck with TREX and to delineate the fire pit area a bit more.  Cristina also has a plan for me to lay slate and pavers as a better way to access the beach; we’ll see if there’s time and a break in the weather.

Regardless, Cristina’s Bed & Breakfast lodging offers multiple options.  Though we concentrate on Weekly Rentals during the Prime Summer Weeks, we offer long-term packages throughout the Fall, Winter, and Spring months.  We also have bed and breakfast availability for shorter stays.  We recommend calling in advance to confirm openings.

Call us to make a reservation and we look forward to hosting you and your family.

Spring is here at Cristina’ Bed and Breakfast, Camp Ellis Beach, Saco, Maine!

Spring is here at Cristina’s bed and Breakfast, Camp Ellis Beach, Saco, Maine.  If you are a birder or a nature lover, come and stay at Cristina’s Bed and Breakfast, Camp Ellis Beach located at Saco Bay. Here, all the signs of birds migrating back north announces that spring is here in Maine.  Just today, I saw our favorite bird, the northern mockingbird. Each year just as May arrives, and I get a chance to open my windows on a sunny day, and sure enough I can hear our friend, the mockingbird, chirping away, sitting pretty up on the highest pitch pine tree along the shore. As I watched it today, all of a sudden it jumped up off the pine limb up in the air and spread and fluttered its black, white and gray wings and then jump back to the limb. It jumped again and again as if it was dancing with joy that it knew spring was here! And what a view this mockingbird had! Right up above on the tree looking out on Camp Ellis Beach and at our house, Cristina’s Bed and Breakfast. All the signs are here, the flowers, the dune grass is getting greener and the birds have arrived. What a song repertoire our friend just sang, here at Cristiana’s Bed and Breakfast.

Cristina’s offers multiple lodging options.  Though we concentrate on Weekly Rentals during the Prime Summer Weeks, we offer long-term packages throughout the Fall, Winter, and Spring months.  We also have bed and breakfast availability for shorter stays.  We recommend calling in advance to confirm openings.

Call us to make a reservation and we look forward to hosting you and your family.
Cristina’s offers multiple lodging options.  Though we concentrate on B&B Weekly Rentals during the Prime Summer Weeks, we offer long-term packages throughout the Fall, Winter, and Spring months.  We also have bed and breakfast availability for shorter stays.  We recommend calling in advance to confirm openings.

Call us to make a reservation and we look forward to hosting you and your family.

Cinco de Mayo at the B & B!

It’s two days from Cinco de Mayo and Portland, Maine’s numerous brew pubs are awaiting the rush.  With college semesters winding down, students and faculty are looking forward to Thirsty Thursday which coincides with the Mexican holiday.

In the states, Cinco de Mayo has become a day of Spanish pride and heritage, though cynics see it as more of an American marketing event and a way to sell more Coronas, Dos Equis, tequila, and mescal.  The date, however, the 5th of May, recalls the surprising Mexican victory over the French army at the Battle of Puebla in 1862.  Regardless, it is a day for controlled partying and camaraderie.  Portland has more restaurants per capita than almost any city in the United States.  With this statistic also comes some of the best food, especially the best seafood, in the world.
Enjoy the day and celebrate the evening but celebrate with intelligence and safety.

Cristina’s offers multiple lodging options.  Though we concentrate on Weekly Rentals during the Prime Summer Weeks, we offer long-term packages throughout the Fall, Winter, and Spring months.  We also have bed and breakfast availability for shorter stays.  We recommend calling in advance to confirm openings.
Call us to make a reservation and we look forward to hosting you and your family.