Get Rheal

Think there's nothing worse than a Maine winter? Try walking around the streets of Manhattan on a January night. When the wind whips through those corridors of skyscrapers, there is nothing more bone-chilling.

On Saturday night, The Maven strode past Central Park, bundled up like a more stylish version of Cartman, arms weighted down with shopping bags. She could feel the skin on her face burning from the wind. She could also tell that the skin on the rest of her body was going to be a dry, flaky mess when all was said and done.

Suddenly, her thoughts turned to the healing body wrap she had last summer at Rheal Day Spa in Rockland. It was delicious. Is there anything unappealing about the idea of having a salt rub, being covered with soothing oils, wrapped in warm, well, wrap, and left to cocoon for a while? Not that we can think of. The wrap is then followed up by a relaxing massage, and right about now, it sounds like heaven.

Speaking of heaven, Rheal couldn't be more peaceful. Owned by Rhonda Nordstrom (formerly of the nördstrom spa in Rockland), the spa is anchored in a waterfront building on Main Street that has been renovated in a chic, eco-friendly way. A combination of low-VOC paints, sustainable surfaces such as bamboo and recycled glass, and organic textiles provide a tranquil, almost Eastern feel. Fittingly for Rockland, Nordstrom also uses the common areas as a place to showcase the work of local artists. And the view of the city's working harbor is absolutely gorgeous.

This morning, The Maven can't think of anyplace she'd rather be than Rheal. It's the perfect antidote to a long weekend on the cold (yet wonderful) streets of New York — and the cold (yet wonderful) Maine outdoors.

Rheal Day Spa is located at 453 Main St. in Rockland. For more information, visit www.RhealDaySpa.com.

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Our Favorite Made-in-Maine Products

Black Dinah Chocolates
There must be something about Maine islands — the dramatic cliffs that plunge into the ocean, perhaps, or maybe the isolation — that makes them a hotbed of creativity. Black Dinah Chocolatiers of Isle Au Haut is no exception. Here, Kate and Steve Shaffer create artisanal chocolates that look and taste like tiny works of art. We recommend the lavender or Earl Grey truffles and the salted caramels, but really, you can't go wrong with anything you order.
blackdinahchocolatiers.com


Sea Bags
Want to stand out in a sea of overdone Coach bags and Louis Vuitton knockoffs? Hannah Kubiak and Beth Shissler can help. Kubiak started creating totes out of recycled sails and hand-spliced rope a few years back, and when they took off, Shissler, a biz wiz, came aboard. The bags are gorgeous — one-of-a-kind, with loads character — and they've been featured in such publications as Vogue, Lucky and Elle. Come sail away...
www.seabags.com


Quoddy Trail Moccasins
The gals from Sex and the City can have their Manolos and their Louboutins. We’re sticking to Quoddy Trail Moccasins, and we’re in good — and stylish — company. Supermodel and frequent Vogue cover girl Daria Werbowy discovered them on a trip to Maine and became a convert, they’ve graced the feet of Camilla Staerk’s models during Fashion Week, and they’re a favorite of GQ’s Sartorialist. We can see why. They’re super-comfortable, incredibly well made and gorgeously handcrafted in the Washington County town of Perry and a handsewing factory in Lewiston. Far from Fifth Avenue — and far from ordinary.
www.quoddy.com


Naturally Bee-Ewe-Tiful
The Maven has dealt with dry skin and cracked cuticles for years, and despite trying almost every product on the market, she couldn't find a hand cream that worked — until she discovered Naturally Bee-Ewe-Tiful's Natural Baby Bum Balm. Handmade in Houlton by Sandra Hare-Estabrook, this thick, luxurious cream absorbs instantly and will leave your skin soft as a baby's bottom.
www.naturallybee-ewe-tiful.com

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Our Favorite Maine Shops

LeRoux Kitchen
For the people who work at LeRoux Kitchen, this isn't just a job. It's a passion. A way of life. A vocation. They know everything about the products they sell and aren't afraid to make recommendations. We're wild about the olive oil and vinegar bar, where you can buy either in bulk. The stunning array of high-end cookware, obscure gadgets (A tortilla press? In Maine?) and alluring edibles are all part of the appeal. But what makes this our favorite cooking store in Maine is the staff. They're really amazing.
www.lerouxkitchen.com
161 Commercial Street
Portland, ME
(207) 553-7665
Get Directions


Rogues Gallery
Pretty much anything Alex Carleton touches turns to gold. Take, for instance, Rogues Gallery, his nautical-inspired clothing line that has legions of stylish male fans worldwide. Then there's Neversleep, the preppy-meets-goth label he created for Urban Outfitters. Next up? Bringing L.L. Bean into the 21st century.
101 Exchange Street
Portland, ME
(207) 773-5227
Get Directions


Yo Mamma's Home
Eclectic doesn't even begin to describe Yo Mamma's Home in Belfast. Equal parts kitschy and chic, this shop is the perfect place to find a gift for the person who has everything (including a great sense of humor). Oh, and the jewelry is to die for.
96 Main Street
Belfast, ME
(207) 338-4884
Get Directions


Blanche & Mimi
Hilary Sinauer knows what women want — gorgeous linens, adorable baby clothes, interesting antiques and beautiful housewares. She has assembled all of this and more in her bright, airy Old Port boutique, named for her two grandmothers, who also had great taste.
www.blancheandmimi.com
184 Middle Street
Portland, ME
(207) 774-3900
Get Directions


Bliss
This is and has always been our favorite women's boutique in Portland. We love the designer labels, the lack of attitude, the stunning party dresses and the absolutely wearable selection of clothing.
blissboutiques.com
58 Exchange Street
Portland, ME
(207) 879-7125
Get Directions


Monica's
Whenever we're in the County, Monica's is a must. The area has a rich and vibrant Swedish heritage, and this shop celebrates it in style. Owner Megan Olson has amazing taste, and you'll find Swedish and Danish imports here that you won't see anywhere else in Maine.
www.monicasscandinavianimports.com
176 Sweden Street
Caribou, ME
(207) 493-4600
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Ingrid's German Shop
Whenever we need something elegant, perfect and beautiful, we head to Ingrid's German Shop in Bangor. There, owner Ingrid Perkins draws from her German heritage for inspiration — it's especially magical at Christmastime, when she transforms her tiny shop into a winter wonderland with imported glass ornaments, nutcrackers and other festive frills. In addition to a lovely selection of cookbooks, European imports abound — we love the Venetian glass. Next door, Ingrid's partner Rick Gilbert runs Sunnyside Greenhouse, home to Bangor's most beautiful bouquets.
www.ingridsgermangiftshop.com
117 Buck Street
Bangor, ME
(207) 947-4232
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Allen, Sterling, & Lothrop
Why is AS&L in Falmouth our favorite garden center in Maine? The ever-changing selection of tasteful, garden-themed gifts; the bulk seeds; the "swag bar" — with its mind-boggling array of holiday greenery; the nursery full of plants we've never seen before. We could go on and on, but go see for yourself. It is such a treat, even if you have a black thumb.
www.www.allensterlinglothrop.com
191 US Rt 1
Falmouth, ME
(207) 781-4142
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412
This impossibly stylish, impeccably edited shop in Rockland is the brainchild of Maine native and Manhattan fashion designer Beth Bowley. Her partners in crime are Jin Lawrence (a Maven if ever there was one) and Sandy Crow (a former Anthropologie buyer). And their taste is spot-on. Bowley's feminine designs have been featured in Lucky, In Style and Glamour, to name a few. And the other labels at 412 reflect a similar, elegant aesthetic.
www.fourtwelve.com
412 Main Street
Rockland, ME‎
(207) 596-2412
Get Directions

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Our Favorite Spots to Get a Tasty Beverage

Novare Res Bier Cafe
Tucked away in an alley off Exchange Street in Portland, Novare Res Bier Cafe waits like a beer lover's reward. With more than 25 rotating taps, more than 300 bottled beers, tequila, single malt scotch and wine, there's truly something for everyone, but we stick to the beer, usually the Belgians. And if you're lost, the beertender will be more than happy to offer a recommendation and a sample pour. Read More
www.novareresbiercafe.com
4 Canal Plaza
Portland, ME
(207) 761-2437
Get Directions


The Corner Room
There is a reason why John Myers is a legend. Watching him behind the bar is like watching an intricately choreographed ballet. In this case, Myers, who looks like a cross between a blues musician and a well-groomed biker and mixes drinks like a magician, is the premier danseur. Yes, the food here is good — we recommend the Wild Boar Ragu — but the drinks are out of this world. Order the Kiss, The Elder and by all means, sit at the bar.

110 Exchange Street
Portland, ME
(207) 879-4747
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Armory Lounge at the Portland Regency
We used to slip into the Armory Lounge at the Portland Regency, tuck into a corner table — surrounded by that bizarro library book wallpaper — and sip a hot toddy in silent solitude. Those days are over. On our last visit, it was dripping with beautiful people who have discovered the Armory’s quirky charm. If you go, be sure to accessorize accordingly — we recommend a giant Angela Adams bag in one hand, a glass of Zardetto Prosecco in the other.
www.theregency.com/ctail2.htm
20 Milk Street
Portland, ME
(207) 774-4200
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Woodman's Bar & Grill
At 3 p.m., any day of the week, you will find Abe Furth behind the bar at Woodman's in Orono, juicing lime after lime after lime. After that, it's the lemons. Next up, twists and fruit wedges. Freshness — and an old-fashioned commitment to proper drink-making — make the bar at Woodman's outstanding. Thanks to the restaurant's proximity to UMaine, Furth is known far and wide for his mojitos — we've tried many, if not all, in the state and are convinced Abe's are the best.
www.woodmansbarandgrill.com
31 Main Street
Orono, ME
(207) 866-4040
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The Old Port Sea Grill
Known for its raw bar and ridiculously fresh seafood, which is all well and good, but the bar here — a poured concrete creation that looks like a piece of art — is the place to be. Bar manager Laura Romasco gives traditional drinks a modern, restrained twist. We're especially fond of the not-too-sweet tea martini, with Earl Grey-infused Ketel One, lemon and simple syrup. Mmmm.
www.theoldportseagrill.com
93 Commercial Street
Portland, ME
(207) 879-6100
Get Directions

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Our Favorite Dining Spots in Maine

Primo
It's so easy to be a foodie in Maine. But between Arrows in Ogunquit, Fore Street and Hugo's in Portland and about a hundred other contenders, it's so hard to choose just one favorite fine-dining restaurant. Still, the place we keep coming back to again and again is Primo in Rockland. For Melissa Kelly and Price Kushner, this farm-to-table restaurant is a labor of love and the meals — unfussy preparations of ridiculously fresh meats, fish and produce, taste like Maine.
www.primorestaurant.com
2 S. Main Street
Rockland, ME
(207) 596-0770
Get Directions


Francine
Francine! Francine! Francine! This tiny little gem of a restaurant off the main drag in Camden is one of our favorite places. Chef Brian Hill turns uber-fresh, mostly local ingredients into wonderful, welcoming meals and the ambiance can't be beat.
www.francinebistro.com
55 Chestnut Street
Camden, ME‎
(207) 230-0083‎
Get Directions


Local 188
People have one of two reactions when they walk into Local 188, the eclectically furnished tapas bar in Portland's West End: love it or hate it. We love it. Everything about it. The food — Spanish with a dash of Middle Eastern thrown in — is great (we're big fans of the Mezze Plate, and if Kibbeh is on the menu, order it). And the drinks are sublime — we can't stop thinking about the white sangria.
www.local188.com
685 Congress Street
Portland, ME‎
(207) 761-7909
Get Directions


Cleonice
Sink your teeth into a medium-rare lamb burger, slathered with garlic whipped feta and tzatziki sauce. Sip a Tunisian spiced lemonade. Nibble marinated olives or a roasted beet and gorgonzola salad. No matter what you order, know you're in the capaable hands of James Beard nominee Rich Hanson, who creates Mediterranean specialties from the freshest locally grown and raised ingredients. Besides, where else in Maine will you find Timpano on the menu, not as a special?
www.cleonice.com
112 Main Street
Ellsworth, ME‎
(207) 664-7554‎
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Nostrano
Every night is Big Night at Nostrano, the reservations-only restaurant of Bar Harbor food fanatic Frank Pendola. He's truly like a character from a movie, and the scene — watch him cook in an open kitchen that resembles a Food Network set — is intentionally theatrical. But it's not all show. Pendola grew up in an Italian-American household where the dinner table was the center of the house and meals were an all-day affair. Today, he continues the tradition by bringing people together, family-style (Nostrano means "ours") over course after course of incredible food. The flavor of his Sunday Gravy — that's marinara, kids — is worth every hour it takes to prepare.
www.nostrano.com
Bar Harbor, ME
(207) 288-0269


Chase's Daily
We've been known to stop at Chase's Daily in Belfast when we're not even hungry. Why? The food — much of which is grown on the Chase family's farm in nearby Freedom — is that good. The tacos alone are worth the trip, as is the white bean bruschetta. After your meal, head to the market at the back of the restaurant for produce and other goodies straight from the farm.

96 Main Street
Belfast, ME
(207) 338-0555
Get Directions

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Our Favorite Local Ingredients

Houlton Farms Dairy butter
If butter is an afterthought to you, clearly you haven't tried Houlton Farms Dairy butter. It is loaded with butterfat and the flavor is sublime. For the uninitiated, it's a bit saltier than traditional butter and a bit more colorful — Houlton Farms Dairy adds a natural dye because the yellower product was better received in the market. Do not let this deter you, because you'll be missing out. It's wonderful for baked goods, such as scones, but our favorite way to serve it is melted with a freshly steamed Maine lobster. Available throughout Aroostook County, at McLaughlin's Seafood in Bangor and, apparently, the IGA in Eastport.


Maine-ly Poultry
Anyone who says "tastes like chicken" when referring to some nondescript meat product has never tried Maine-ly Poultry. Here, the chickens actually have flavor (delicious) and texture (moist and succulent). At their farm in Warren John and Sheila Barnstein raise free-range turkeys (Thanksgiving only), chicken and eggs free from hormones and antibiotics, and they're better than any poultry we've had, anywhere.


Wolfe's Neck Farm
There's nothing quite like a really great hamburger, and for that, we turn to Wolfe's Neck Farm in Freeport/New Gloucester. We usually buy it frozen at our local gourmet shop. But how psyched were we to discover that all of Hannaford's Nature's Place beef hails from Wolfe's Neck, too? Very. And unlike the meats we buy at the farmers market, the gorgeous steaks at Hannaford weren't frozen. They were fresh, organic and hormone-free, just the way we like 'em.


Appleton Creamery
With all due respect to all of the other cheesemakers in Maine, this is so easy: Appleton Creamery. Caitlin, Brad and Fiona Hunter have been doing this long enough that they know exactly what they're doing. The cheeses from Appleton Creamery are refined, sophisticated and, frankly, delicious. They started with goat cheese and have since expanded their repertoire to include elegant cheeses crafted from cow and goat milk. If you ever spot a chunk of their Penobscot Fog cheese, buy it immediately.
www.appletoncreamery.com


Meadowsweet
We're wild about lamb, especially ground lamb, and whenever we find it, we stock up on it. We've tried many locally raised options, and Meadowsweet's is our clear favorite. Paula and Sumner Roberts of Swanville produce ground lamb that has an optimal fat content — most of it burns off on the grill, but enough is left over to leave the meat moist and tender. Plus, it doesn't have the gamy flavor that so many lamb products do. The chops are also sublime. You can find Meadowsweet (and, usually, Paula) at the Orono and Belfast farmers markets.
meadowsweet@prexar.com


Cornerstone Farm
Run by Hanne and Dan Tierney, a young couple committed to sustainable farming, this small operation offers pasture-raised pork and beef, free-range eggs and home-roasted coffee. The Tierneys couldn't be nicer, and we're hog wild about their pork products. Their pigs are fed a mixture of Maine corn and barley, as well as soybeans. In addition, the Tierneys plant barley, field peas and purple-top turnips for their pigs to forage. As a result, Cornerstone's pork chops and sausages (we're partial to sweet Italian) are lean, with a distinct pork flavor. The meat is flash-frozen at the butcher, so it tastes super-fresh at home.
www.cornerstonefarm.us

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Our Favorite Maine Designers

Angela Adams
We're such Angela Adams homers it's kind of ridiculous. But there's a reason why we collect and display her handbags like art: we can't afford her rugs. Only half-kidding. But seriously, Angela Adams' geometric designs with a Midcentury Modern flair make ME proud.
www.angelaadams.com

Meredith Alex/MadGirlWorld
In the world of eco-fashion, Meredith Alex is a superhero: MadGirl, to be exact. In her Portland studio, she creates sustainable new clothes under the SuperG line (the G spot thong is hilarious) and re-envisions older clothing. The results are fabulous. Down East named Meredith its eco-green wedding dress designer of the year in 2009, and with good reason.
www.madgirlworld.com

Mallory Bruns/Sophronia Design
Mallory Bruns named her Sophronia Design label after her grandmother, but her clothing is anything but frumpy. Bruns studied fashion design at Syracuse, had her work featured in Teen Vogue and did the runway circuit before returning to her hometown of Bangor. On the rack, her designs look drapey and comfy; on the body, the cuts are drop-dead sexy — quite a combination.
www.sophroniadesign.com

Alex Carleton/Rogues Gallery, L.L. Bean, Neversleep
Pretty much anything Alex Carleton touches turns to gold. Take, for instance, Rogues Gallery, his nautical-inspired clothing line that has legions of stylish male fans worldwide. Then there's Neversleep, the preppy-meets-goth label he created for Urban Outfitters. Next up? Bringing L.L. Bean into the 21st century.
www.roguesgallery.com

Jessi Sader/FX Design
Recycling has long been Jessi Sader's passion. She previously owned Past Lives Boutique, an Orono vintage shop, and she sells sought-after antique clothing through her eBay store, as well. But Studio, her new Orono venture, allows her to showcase her own funky, sustainable, hippie-chic aesthetic. We adore her tees — bamboo adorned with vintage lace — and column dresses in retro patterns.
www.fxdressed.com

Hannah Tarkinson/Ponomo
Hannah Tarkinson's Ponomo line (slang for poor no more, as in, "I don't wanna be ...") started with handmade leather bags and has since grown to include one-of-a-kind jewelry. Her look is a little posh, a little bit rock 'n roll, and completely gorgeous.
www.ponomostyle.com

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