Less than 50 days!

Exciting! Scary! Yesterday, Amy got a specially-designed dog collar for Martin to wear up in Maine. You'll have to wait and see what it's for... For any of you on the fence and reading this blog (?), sign up! It'll be a good time.

Hugh L. Dwelley's "A History of Little Cranberry Island, Maine," p. 184, describes the lobster business on Little Cranberry in recent years:

After 1996, Maine fishermen were limited by law to fishing gangs of no more than 1200 traps. At Islesford, this was not a hardship. A usual gang, fished by captain and sternman in a 36-40 foot diesel-powered boat, ran more like 700 wire-box traps. There were about fifteen boats out of Islesford and three out of Great Cranberry. Catches were good with the fisherman being paid from $3 to $5 per pound. In 1998, the co-op purchased 565,393 pounds of lobsters which it subsequently sold to individuals and mainland dealers at a good profit. In 1996 and 1997 the co-op invested a significant amount to substantially rebuild and strengthen its dock.

Marian Baker: Islesford Pottery

Next door to the Islesford Dock restaurant is Marian Baker's Islesford Pottery shop. We think her stuff is beautiful and have bought a few pieces over the years. Amy commissioned a beautiful bowl as a Christmas present to me to commemorate our engagement. I highly recommend stopping in her shop while you're there and picking out something nice.

Marian says that inspiration for her pottery

comes from many sources: nature (rocks, the colors of moss and lichens, the sea); some traditional English and Japanese pottery; and the material itself (the way clay can hold a mark and appear soft, the way glaze can be rich, layered, watery or stone-like.

S‘il vous plaît

It's been an eventful few days here. Amy keeps buying things for her dress (and that's all I know, except it's keeping her busy). We've just about planned one more trip up to Maine next month to get sorted out. In the meantime I'm sneaking off to Montreal for the weekend.

Also, we've been getting back RSVPs. Sadly a few of those have been No, but that's to be expected. The highlight of the week, though, no question, is finding out that Tristan is coming all the way over from Switzerland for the event. Isn't that amazing? We've added him to the guestbook today.

Wendell Gilley Museum in Southwest Harbor

From Lisa Gollin Evans's "An Outdoor Family Guide to Acadia National Park," p. 45: "Wendell Gilley Museum features intricate wooden bird carvings by the master Wendell Gilley in a beautiful building. Children enjoy the live carving demonstrations. Located on Route 102 in Southwest Harbor. Open Thursday through Sunday, 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Admission fee (207-244-7555)."

Amy and Bill go for a bike ride

It was either a brilliant way to enjoy the nice weather, or a futile attempt to get in shape, but Amy and I went for a long bike ride yesterday all the way to the very tip top of Manhattan. It was 25 miles, round trip, so we were happy with our effort! Photos here.

Doing well by doing well

In my email today there's official word that Troy McKenzie is an NYU professor. Go Troy!

Faculty News

• Arthur Miller, Samuel Scheffler and Troy McKenzie have joined the NYU School of Law faculty. Miller will become University Professor, Scheffler (beginning in Fall 2008) will become an NYU professor of philosophy and law and be affiliated with the Law School; McKenzie will join the faculty as an assistant professor of law.

Trash the Wedding Dress

According to the New York Times, the hot new thing is to get married and then take pictures of you ruining the dress you got married in. Just sayin:

FORGET throwing your wedding dress into a plastic bag and storing it in the attic. Enter the Trash the Dress photo session, in which the bride, post-wedding, jumps back into her gown and puts it through its paces — swimming in it, wearing it on horseback, even burning it — all while her photographer clicks away.

Brides have long had an admittedly complicated relationship with their wedding gowns, which they struggle to find, spend a small fortune on, and sweat over making fit properly — all for a fabric confection that is typically worn once.
...
So, what of the tradition of saving the dress, possibly to pass on? Ms. Becker said: “I felt a little nostalgic for a second, but then I thought it was so cool to have that photo. I’d rather have that than to look at a dress in a box that is perfectly preserved.”

Lobsters in New York

A few days ago we posted great places for lobster in Bar Harbor, but that's no help to anyone right now is it? So, for all of you New Yorkers, here's an article listing some great new places for lobster rolls right here in the city:

June 3, 2007 -- IF you can find two New Yorkers, you can find an argument: Mets vs. Yankees, East Side vs. West Side, Mary’s Fish Camp vs. Pearl Oyster Bar. I’ll go with the Mets and the West Side, but in terms of lobster rolls I’ve decided to leave the battle for another day and instead get familiar with the newest contenders. After eating rolls of crustacean mayo-globbed goodness for two weeks straight, I can no longer fit into my jeans. I have, however, figured out which rolls catch the wave and which ones wipe out.

Ed’s Lobster Bar

222 Lafayette St.; (212) 343-3236

Chef Ed McFarland of the newly opened Ed’s Lobster Bar is the guy you can thank for the world’s best lobster roll - a hot buttered bun filled with a mound of deliciously sweet claw meat. McFarland worked with Rebecca Charles (of Pearl Oyster Bar) for six years, and his pedigree shows. His lobster roll (market price) is a masterpiece of pulled and shredded lobster that’s so sweet, it tastes like it’s been soaked in cream. It’s glossed with just the right amount of mayo, and served with a side of piping hot sea-salted hand-cut fries.

Penelope

159 Lexington Ave.; (212) 481-3800

This neighborhood spot brings a summertime Maine vibe to our concrete city, with its blue-and-white awning, worn wood-plank flooring, mix ’n’ match antique tables, and walls covered in aqua wainscoting. To complete the dream, owner Jennifer Pootenza has whipped up one heavenly under-the-radar lobster roll. Overloaded with lobster meat dressed in lemony mayo, her Turtle Cove Lobster Roll ($16.50, named for one of her favorite surf spots in Montauk) is served on buttered and griddled Tom Cat Bakery brioche.

Ditch Plains

29 Bedford St.; (212) 633-0202

While chef Marc Murphy’s lobster roll ($25) is served in a pedestrian hotdog roll (grilled and amply buttered), its modesty is in bun only. He loads up this pup with a substantial helping of lobster salad fashioned from knuckle-size hunks of sweet lobster meat tossed with aioli and a smattering of tarragon, celery, parsley and just a touch of Old Bay.

The Mermaid Inn

96 Second Ave.; (212) 674-5870

While a classic lobster roll technically calls for a split bun (a squared-off hotdog roll), there’s always room for creativity. Chef Jose Luis Martinez at The Mermaid Inn uses his with an oversize brioche roll the size of a catcher’s mitt that’s stuffed with a heap of lobster salad (market price). The salad itself is heavy on the mayo, but the warmth of the roll makes the lobster meat more succulent.

BLT Fish

21 W. 17th St.; (212) 691-8888

You might expect a high-class version of the lobster roll from a fancy chef like Laurent Tourondel, but you won’t find it in his downstairs fish shack at BLT Fish. His lobster roll ($24) is no-frills and beach-ready. The lobster salad is lavished with celery, capers, tarragon and chives, all spooned into a warm brioche sub, sliced in two and tucked into a red plastic basket crowded with skinny fries. It’s tasty, but for $24 the kitchen should be more generous with its meat.

The Black Pearl

37 W 26th St.; (212) 532-9900

While this lobster roll is boldly described on the menu as “The Best in Town,” clearly someone’s not eating out a lot. For $20 at lunchtime and Market Price at dinner, you get a cold lump of bubble-gum pink lobster meat - without an inkling of seasoning - served on a dry bun.

Page 3 done, Page 4 started!

Windy and Katie were complaining this weekend that we hadn't added any guests for awhile. Which is true, but we've been kinda waiting for a couple of things. Photos, actually, from Liam and Doreen at work. Well, Martin decided she didn't want to keep her aunts waiting anymore so she posed for Liam & Doreen & Ken's photos for them. Plus, we also had Troy waiting to be posted. Amy's picture with Troy resulted from a random meeting in the subway this past winter. Previously, the only pictures we had of Troy were of him sleeping on our old papa-san chair. Ultimately though it's not the photos that matter but that they're all coming to our wedding, and we couldn't wait any longer to thank them and introduce them to the other guests! Visit Liam on page 3 and then check out the new page 4!

Seventy Days

That counter on our website kinda freaks me out. Every day there's one day less (and usually every time I check it feels like I've lost 5 or 6 days). I should be looking forward to it (and don't get me wrong, I am!), but in the everyday context it's one less day to get things done that need to get done.

We have a few more things to get done this weekend. A couple more friends from work have signed up for the wedding, and as soon as we have photos I'll introduce them to the gang. We haven't gotten many official RSVPs back but we have a pretty good sense by now of who else is coming that's not already up. Hopefully everybody! We shall see.

We met with Mayur last night to discuss the wedding ceremony for a bit. We're really happy to have him do it and he's paid us a huge compliment by the amount of work he's put into it already. Kudos Mayur!

Here's to the weekend!

Good news!

We got our wedding rings today!

A triumphal parade: End of war on Islesford

From Hugh L. Dwelley's "A History of Little Cranberry Island, Maine," p. 170:

On July 3, 1944, a U.S. Navy blimp went down while searching for a German submarine near Mount Desert Rock. The wreck of the blimp was towed into Bunker's Head Cove where divers removed bodies and the gondola and the engines salvaged. Few herring visited the cove in late 1944 or for years after and many blamed oil that leaked from the blimp's engines.

Japan surrendered on August 10, 1945 and World War II was over. The Islesford community celebrated. Hillis Bryant rang the bell at the Congregational Church and islanders gathered to hear a talk of thankfulness from Ray Dwelley, church president. As the young people left the church, they piled onto Irving Spurling's wagon or fell in behind it. Irving, tipping his hat and urging on his plodding horse, Peggy, led a triumphal parade around the square. In the evening, Coast Guardsman Calvin Alley led a group to Sandbeach and burned an effigy of Tojo at the water's edge. To end the celebration, Mary Morse distributed fireworks to island youths. Islanders serving in the military were safe and would be home soon!

Booking at The Drydock

Just a note to let you know that if you wish to book at the Café Dry Dock & Inn, you should call or email Marty directly, at (207) 244-5842 or (800) 246-5842, or info@cafedrydockinn.com. Skip using the online service on their website because it will only show up as booked (for our wedding, naturally).

Lobsters in Bar Harbor

The Washington Post Travel Q&A recently answered a question on where to get the best lobster in Bar Harbor. These are sound choices:

I'm looking for seafood restaurants in Bar Harbor, Maine. Lobster is at the top of our list.

Gail Heimes, Middletown

Lobster is the king crustacean in Bar Harbor. Hard-shell lobsters are available year-round, whereas soft-shell lobsters, known for their sweeter meat, are in season July through September. Bar Harbor restaurants also prepare other creatures of the sea and shore. Here are some local faves:

* At the Trenton Bridge Lobster Pound (1237 Bar Harbor Rd., Trenton, 207-667-2977), pick your own lobster, then watch it boil in ocean water on an outdoor wood-fire cooker. Leave room for sides and pie.

* Galyn's (17 Main St., 207-288-9706), which overlooks the harbor, dresses up its seafood -- though you can also get your lobster plain-old boiled.

* Sample Down East cuisine at the Rinehart Dining Pavilion (50 Eden St., 207-288-5663), on the grounds of Fairview, the former summer estate of mystery writer Mary Roberts Rinehart.

* The Jordan Pond House (Park Loop Road, 207-276-3316) is the only restaurant in Acadia National Park. Stop by for afternoon tea with popovers and jam.

* Jordan's Restaurant (80 Cottage St., 207-288-3586) cooks breakfast into the next mealtime. Try anything smothered in blueberries, such as the pancakes.

* At Tapley's Variety and Grill (317 Main St., 207-288-8185), share breakfast with lobstermen before they head out to sea.

Engagement Party in Oklahoma

While we were in Oklahoma last weekend, we had a little barbecue for folks down there, and had a great time. We even had a Maine lobster (sic) come by! Go see the pictures HERE.

Keeping up with developments

We've made a couple small changes to the website. New photos for Tim, Andrew, and Shook, plus we've confirmed that Amy's cousin Lisa is bringing Caroline and Lauren, and Elaine is bringing Joseph and Melanie. We're psyched to have a younger generation there with us!