Pentagoet Inn

The Flowers are opening and so is the Pentagoet Inn

  After a record winter of snowfall and ice, Castine has enjoyed a mild and even warm month of April.  Several consecutive days of 60 and 70 degree weather have managed to eliminate all that snowy groundcover and convinced the buds to open.  This unseasonable string of sunny days has also encouraged us to get outside and tend to the gardens and begin our yearly round of painting and "sprucing up".

We're looking forward to seeing return guests from seasons past as well as meeting new friends who we know will come to love the small town atmosphere here in Castine.   Town and area events are already being planned for the summer and as always our bikes are being prepared for leisurely tours of local historical sites.  The porch is also being set up for a relaxing rest in the morning sun although our cats Max and Sky prefer the warm bench in the bay window beneath the turret.

Our chef Gina is also back for another summer to entice us with interesting entrees such as last season's "lollipop lambchops".  We're savoring the aromas wafting from the kitchen already.

The inn and restaurant open for the season on Friday, May 23rd.  We look forward to seeing you all.

Celebrate Castine Events

The Castine Merchant's Association is planning a 5 day event to be held Friday, July 11th through Tuesday, July 15th.  Many activites will be provided for adults and children to enjoy.  Click here for a detailed list of events.

On Saturday the Castine Merchant's Association will sponsor a "Street Fair" on Main Street.  During the day you can also take part in a Kayak Symposium hosted by Karen Francoeur or enjoy a Big Band Dance sponsored by the Castine Arts Association at Emerson Hall on Court Street.

If you enjoy croquet, there will be a tournament held at The Manor Inn Sunday from 2-5pm.

On Monday night don't miss the "Flash in the Pan" steel drum performance on the Town Dock.  This event will benefit the Bagaduce Ambulance Corp

From 10-2 pm Tuesday The Castine Post Office will celebrate  175 years of continuous service.  A Special Cancellation Stamp will be available.  Garden Tours will be held from 10-2 pm sponsored by the Castine Garden Club and featuring the gardens of Jim and Leila Day, the Castine Inn and the Pentagoet Inn.  At 5:30 there will be a Lobster Fest offering the chance to get a real "taste" of the coast of Maine. 

Portland Magazine

Legendary yacht designer Olin Stephens is featured in this short article from Portland Magazine.  This article chronicles the appearance of well-known individuals at bed and breakfasts throughout Maine.  The content of the article is quoted below.

PENTAGOET INN

Nothing can slow down legendary naval architect Olin Stephens. "He's nearly 100 years old, and he's still making million-dollar boats and coming to Maine every summer," marvels Jack Burke, owner of the Pentagoet Inn. "Whenever he comes, he insists on eating in our Passports Pub"-an eclectic room covered ceiling to floor with photographs of 20th-century world leaders, including one of Stephens himself in his younger days, when he designed the 1937Americas-Cup-winning J-sloop Ranger, the pride of Bath Iron Works, with W. Starling Burgess. "He's a statesman, very old school-and, mind you-very humble. Celebrities today may have the bling, but this man can walk into a room and be respected like a god among sailors," Burke says. Stephens will be back in Maine for the July 31 Eggemoggin Reach Regatta.

Castine Yacht Club Races 2008

Castine is abuzz with plans for the upcoming summer season.  Here are two events scheduled for the Castine Yacht Club. 

Marblehead to Castine Race

The Castine Yacht Club (CYC) and Eastern Yacht Club (EYC), with the assistance of Sparkman & Stephens and Doyle Sails, are sponsoring the Marblehead to Castine Race, with a start off Marblehead at 1035 hrs. on Sunday, July 27. The 145nm course will run east to Monhegan Island and then north into East Penobscot Bay to Castine. This race is designed to bring Classic and Spirit of Tradition yachts downeast for a week of camaraderie and great sailing on Penobscot Bay.

Saturday, July 26:

     1800 hrs.- Reception and Cookout at EYC celebrating Olin Stephens' Centennial (advanced reservations required.)

                             1900 hrs.- Skippers Meeting at EYC at which sailing instructions will be provided

Sunday, July 27:     

     1035 hrs.- Race start

Castine Classic Yacht Race

The Castine Yacht Club, in cooperation with the Eggemoggin Reach Regatta, is sponsoring the ninth annual Classic Yacht Race from Castine to Camden on Thursday, July 31, with the first start at about 1130 hours. Last year’s race attracted a magnificent fleet of Classic and Spirit of Tradition yachts. This 19.6nm race will be the first of three day races culminating in the Eggemoggin Reach Regatta on August 2. The race is open to all Classic and Spirit of Tradition yachts with a valid CRF rating certificate. Each yacht must tow a dinghy.

Thursday, July 29:

     1630 hrs.- Gary Jobson at MMA: Sailing in America/Tribute to Olin Stephens

Wednesday, July 30: 

      1300 hrs.- Exhibition at Town Dock of Buzzards Bay 30s restored by French & Webb   

      1800 hrs.- Reception ay CYC

Thursday, July 31:    

     0830 hrs.- Skippers Meeting at CYC at which sailing instructions will be provided

     1130 hrs.- Race starts (first class)

Friday, August 1:    Camden Classic Yacht Race to Brooklin

Saturday, August 2:  Eggemoggin Reach Regatta

    

Maine Food & Lifestyle

Our chef Gina Melita has recently been featured in Maine Food & Lifestyle magazine.  Her recipe for grilled lobster was selected to be part of an article about lobster preparation in Maine restaurants.  Gina was one of only three chefs chosen for this unique honor.  It's hard to imagine grilled lobster while eighteen inches of snow cover the grounds around the inn, but summer is on the way.  Follow this link to our website to view the article and recipe.  Visit Maine Food & Lifestyle's website.

Peninsula Potters Annual Studio Tour and Sale

Columbus Day Weekend will see the return of the annual Blue Hill Peninsula Potters Tour and Sale.  The Fifth annual event will be open to the public October 6 & 7 from 10 am to 6 pm and will feature kiln openings, new work and guest artists.  15 studios, galleries and showrooms will be available for viewing in the towns of Blue Hill, Sedgwick, Brooksville, Deer Isle and Stonington. 

Locations listed:

1. Down to Earth Pottery  119 Ellsworth Rd, Blue Hill

2. Mark Bell Pottery  Rt 15 Blue Hill

3. Carole Beal  90 Ackerley Farm Road, Blue Hill   www.fiveacrefield.com

4. Clay Forms Pottery Rt 15 sedgwick

5. Goldberg-Heroux Studio  2032 Coastal Rd, N Brooksville

6. R-Place Studio  3 South Crossroad, Sedgwick

7. Greene-Ziner Gallery  73 Reach Rd, Deer Isle   www.melissagreene.com

8. Dowstudio Showroom  Dow Rd, Deer Isle   www.dowstudiodeerisle.com

9. Bunzy Sherman, the Potter  56 Pressey Village Rd, Deer Isle

10. Blue Heron Gallery  49 Sand Beach Rd, Stonington   www.blueherondeerisle.com

11. Ken Bovee Pottery  (showing at Blue Heron Gallery)

12. Frank Pitcher, Potter  (showing at Blue Heron Gallery)

13. Mountainville Studio  19 Winding Hill Rd, Deer Isle

14. Barbro Chapman Pottery  34 Chamberlin Dr, Deer Isle

15. The Kilnkat  (Showing at Bunzy Sherman, the Potter)

Foliage Food and Wine Festival

The 2nd annual Foliage, Food and Wine Festival is being held October 11-14 in Blue Hill, Maine.

Join us for this exciting weekend of superb food and drink from our area’s restaurants, chefs and food producers. Spend a restful weekend traveling the lovely country roads. Feed your soul with the sights of crisp fall foliage in its prime and your body with the culinary creations of the award-winning chefs and food producers for which we are famous.

For further details and schedules please visit www.bluehillpeninsula.org/foodandwine

Photograhy Workshop at the Pentagoet

Nina Fuller will be hosting a photography workshop at the Pentagoet Inn October 6 -10.

This workshop includes four nights at the Pentagoet, discussion and photography with photojournalist nina Fuller.

During your stay you will be visiting the islands, touring a working horse farm, hiking coastal trails and enjoying a traditional lobster feast.

View more of Nina's work at http://ninafuller.imagekind.com

For further details please contact the Pentagoet 800-845-1701

Pentagoet Innkeeper Jack interviewed on Good Morning America

The Good Morning America Weekend Window TV crew landed in Castine and stayed at the Pentagoet Inn as they toured the Blue Hill Peninsula area last week.  Innkeeper Jack is featured in this 2-3 minute video which spans from the local harbor and its sailing vessels to the working lobster boats of Stonington.

To view the video, follow this link to ABC's Good Morning America website.

Author Jeff Lewis Reading at Emerson Hall

Jeff Lewis of Castine will be reading from his new novel, "Theme Song for an Old Show", Tuesday August 28, 7:00 PM at Emerson Hall, Court St., Castine.

Jeff has won many awards, including the Emmy twice, as a writer and producer of Hill Street Blues.  His "Meritocracy Quartet," is intended to chart the progress of a generation.  The first volume of the quartet, "Meriticracy: A Love Story", won both the independent Publishers Book Award for General Fiction and the ForeWard Book of the Year Silver Award for Fiction.

2007 Blue Hill Fair

  The annual Blue Hill Fair is a traditional down-to-earth country fair featuring livestock and agricultural exhibitions scheduled for August 30th through Labor Day at the fairgrounds in Blue Hill, Maine.

Among the many attractions featured at the fair is a large livestock area, full of the usual farm animals. Young at heart will enjoy the popular “Zuckerman’s Farm” animal exhibit, as well as the llamas and alpacas on display. A short distance from the livestock area, one may take in the powerful Draft Horse and Oxen Pulling.  The Blue Hill Fair also features a full carnival and midway. The fair is unique in the number of local groups that participate with all sorts of great food and games, and Smokey’s Greater Shows provides all kinds of mechanical thrills.

The fair also includes many unique attractions such as  Timber Tina, of Survivor Fame, with the Great Maine LumberJack Show,  long time Blue Hill Fair favorite Rick Charette and the Bubble Gum Band, the Imperial Hell Drivers, with their international array of dare devil “Danger Angels”, and of course there's always a mammoth fireworks display.

For a full list of events and times and directions  please visit  www.bluehillfair.com.