A Journalist's Journeys

The first thing I did in CA was go to the Culiver City Farmers Market. I walked around testing organic cheeses, fresh squeezed fruit juice, fresh fruits and vegetables, and Asian pickled vegetables. I admired fresh flowers and open food kiosks. The farmers market is a great spot to do your produce shopping and grab some lunch. I ordered a goat cheese, spinach and sun dried tomato crepe and Tim got BBQ chicken and baked beans. We sat underneath a tent where it was nice and cool! I ended up buying corn on the cob and fresh carrot, passion fruit and apple juice combination. I'm heading back next Sunday for some local honey goat cheese! Yum!

My good friend Carly came to visit me from Boston and I thought it would be a great idea to take her to Hampton Beach. Too bad this journalist didn't check the news that morning! We arrived to a wall of people watching the huge waves hit the shore. With no swimming allowed, and police and life guards make sure people stayed several feet away from the water, we could only join onlookers and watch this storm!

This weekend I traveled to Ogunquit, Maine. This seaside town is a tourist hot spot. Even the fog and light rain couldn't keep people flocking from far and wide to enjoy this rocky coast and village. There were several families from Europe and it wasn't uncommon to walk by someone speaking another language.

There are several outdoor activities to try like deep sea fishing, a lighthouse cruise, kayaking or surfing lessons, to name a few.

There is also plenty of SHOPPING! Browse through jewelry stores, souvenir shops and look through racks of adorable seaside outfits. However, it is very pricey (like, $260 for a zip up hoody pricey). If you don't want to drop some serious dough consider taking a breathtaking (and free!) shoreline walk down the Marginal Way.


Enjoy a leisurely 1.5 mile walk by the rocky shoreline where you can admire the ocean, sailboats, beautiful homes, and maybe even a sea cub! There are also several benches along the way where you can sit down to rest and enjoy the view!





Being the seafood enthusiast that I am I stopped into this tiny cafe for a $5 hot cup of clam chowder, yum!

Another successful weekend of summer family fun!

Last year on the drive to Jonesport, my boyfriend and I passed a beautiful lake where we saw a father and son fishing and children flung into the lake by rope swing. This picturesque, quiet lake stayed in our minds and a few days later we ventured off to find it again with my younger brother and sister in tow. Located south of Route 182 and about seven miles west of the town Cherryfield (which, ironically, is the blueberry capitol of the world) is Tunk Lake. The water is warm (a nice change from the frigid ocean waters) clean and calm. We shared the lake with one other family and two fisherman who floated in a little wooden boat. It feels like you have the whole place to yourself!

The perfect end to the perfect day? A fabulous "crab shack" we found just down the road.


Dallas' Lobstah has fresh seafood delivered daily. I watched the cook steam my mussels over a large fire next to the restaurant. Each dinner comes with a slice of blueberry pie made fresh by a local.

This hard working small town made up of lobstermen and their families has a population of about 1500 people. It is so far Northeast that my GPS and most Mainers have never heard of Jonesport. Therefore, it is the perfect getaway. You most likely won't get cell service and the only way to check your email is by parking outside the public library and "borrowing" their WiFi. The 4th of July is their high tourist season and it is surprising to see that people from all over the country have heard of this hidden seaside town and have been coming back for generations. As one man from NJ said, "We've been coming coming here for years. My granddaughters come up to visit too... with their new boyfriends."

There are two restaurants in town, Tall Barneys (where the lobstermen eat breakfast together in the mornings) and Jonesport Pizza. You can rent movies, buy beer (except on Sundays!) and candy at the local gas station. Movie rentals are done by simply writing your last name in a spiral notebook.
When the lobstermen come back to the docks you can walk on up and purchase lobsters straight out of the boat for $4-$6 a pound (Which makes paying $22 at the local seafood restaurant back home seem like a crime, and it probably should be.).


We enjoy lobster, scallops, mussels, and linguine with clams and clam sauce often. All bought fresh that day!


Their are also a few antique shops in Jonesport (Antiquing is quite popular in Maine and you will find several antiques stores on the drive up.). You can find vintage jewelry, old photographs, furniture, and anything related to the sea. I recently purchased a beautiful silk scarf for $3!



Jonesport is a haven to painters, sculptures and photographers. There is so much beauty here!

There are several unexplored islands to venture to, puffins and seals to make friends with and hiking to be had. More on that soon....

Every year (since last year) my family and I spend the 4th in Jonesport, Maine (my father recently built a summer home there). The 4th of July parade is one of my favorite parts about this small town because the parade participants throw candy at the crowd!

This year I tried to get "action" portraits of Jonesportians- here are my favorites.