Jet Set: Maine Idea

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Clay Surovek - Surovek Gallery , Palm Beach - insider's travel guide to Maine

LILA Photo

Perhaps it’s gallery owner Clay Surovek’s eye for art that has kept him returning to the natural beauty of Maine. Growing up, his Palm Beach-based family summered there, endearing Surovek to the area so much he chose to study at Colby College in Waterville. Today, the tradition continues as Surovek, his wife and his three children make a summer sojourn to Rockport, where his father, John, also a Palm Beach gallerist, now owns a home. Far from any pretense or forced structure, Maine has become a relaxing haven perfect for escape.

 

Vibe: Rugged independence

 

Buddy HollySoundtrack: As a kid in the backseat while we explored the state, I was listening to songs like “Stand by Me” and Buddy Holly hits.

 

Rockport harbor - insider's travel guide to Maine - luxury travel in the northeast and New England

Best way to spend a free morning: I love exploring the shore near the Rockport harbor with my children, on the lookout for the perfect piece of driftwood or a flat rock for skipping.

 

Grace restaurant in Portland, Maine - Insider's Travel Guide in Maine

Signature Taste: We love Shepherd’s Pie in Rockport or Grace in Portland (above), a restaurant that was formerly a church, where the cocktails are infused with locally grown fruits. For a taste of Maine at home, we toss some fresh blueberries into a local microbrew.

Fresh Maine Blueberries

 

Best seat in the area: The top of Cadillac Mountain or Mount Katahdin. The early bird who catches a sunrise will find no greater feeling of peace anywhere.

Best seat in the area: The top of Cadillac Mountain or Mount Katahdin. The early bird who catches a sunrise will find no greater feeling of peace anywhere.

 

Hometown good to sample and stockpile: Freeze some of the homemade peanut butter balls from Fresh Off The Farm Market.Hometown good to sample and stockpile: Freeze some of the homemade peanut butter balls from Fresh Off The Farm Market.

Photo by Melanie Leo

 

Gritty McDuff's - Maine's Best IPA - local flavor from MaineMeal to dream about: Lunch at McLaughlin’s Lobster Shack in Lincolnville. It’s beachside and has huge, fresh lobster rolls and Ipswich clams—perfect with Gritty McDuff’s Maine’s Best IPA.

 

Maine Fashion essential: L.L. Bean flannelsFashion essentials: L.L. Bean flannels and a Patagonia fleece

 

A must-do experience not in the guide books: Visit the Colby Museum of Art in Waterville. I don’t think there is a better American art collection in the Northeast.

A must-do experience not in the guide books: Visit the Colby Museum of Art in Waterville. I don’t think there is a better American art collection in the Northeast.

 

Miaine summer travel - sightseeing and nature - moose

Something you do while in Maine that might surprise people who know you: Any free time is spent off the beaten path in hopes of spotting a moose.

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