Retro Tuesday: Vacation Memories New England 1976

Finding something to write about for Retro Tuesdays is sometimes a challenge...I had no idea what to post.Then it hit me! I had a vintage postcard from Pier II restaurant in Portsmouth NH so it just took off from there....1976 was the first year I went to Ogunquit with my family for a vacation. We stayed 6 weeks. Ogunquit was a little sleepy village back then with most of the visitors over 60. Not the gay fun mecca (loud!traffic!noise!) it is now. We would take day trips and visit Portsmouth, Kennebunk Port or if we stayed for a couple of days Boston....

Pier II restaurant in Portsmouth NH was (for me a 10 year old) the epitome of chic. It had dark blue carpet in the foyer and an antique diving suit and a Barbie like hostess with long blond hair and a floor lenght white dress. I might be imagining this but that is what I remember....I would always eat the same thing ...Fried Maine shrimp and a piece of Boston cream pie...Boy was it good! we went quite often over the years and it felt magical everytime! Except the last time....It was in 1993...I was there with my mother in law,my step daughter and Dan. The carpet was frayed and dirty, the hostess was flabby and had roots and the decor was tacky/dated. There was the poorest wedding party I'd ever seen...rented ill fitting dress, horrible makeup with sparkles (in the afternoon) and each guest paid their own way. It was sad. The restaurant closed a couple of years after and a developper bought the land and last I read there was a big fight because nobody wanted condos on the water front....

 

The Old Grist Mill Kennebunk Port, Me. Yes the same Kennebunk  Port the Bush have a compound. In 1976 for a 10 year old they didn't exist. I love Kennebunk Port it was so quaint, full of little shops and a candy house! This restaurant was in an old mill. The original floors had planks so wide....And the food was delicious. I mostly remember the sweet rolls, the chocalate mints and the house dressing. All were made on the premises and you could buy them in the gift shop. My Mom would open her purse and shove the rolls and the mints in there. They would mingle with old bits of tobaco and paper tissues (EEEWWWW).
This restaurant burned down in the 80's and was never rebuilt. It made me very sad....

Café Marliave Boston Mass.

This was a gem! It was my Dad's favorites. He would eat raw cherry stone clams. I remember having rolled up veal with bacon or something. I remember that I found it very mysterious because it was in an alley, and most of the cabbies could'nt find it.It was a Boston institution.It opened in 1875. The atmosphere was old world italian. It was great. Some yahoo decide not to pay the taxes and the restaurant was seized! How crazy is that?

I hope you enjoyed this trip back in time. Head over to my friend Tracy's blog Crazy Suburban Mom for some AWESOME Retro Tuesday fun!