Rainy Days in Portland

It has been rainy for three days straight in Portland, Maine, but don't despair as there is still lots you can do. Friday nights are great because the Portland Museum of Art, http://www.portlandmuseum.org/ is free to visit so I always suggest this to my guests when they check in. The Biennial exhibit is still going on until June 7th, 17 Maine artist exhibit their art. The museum also has great movies on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights. This weekend "Shall We Kiss" is playing. The Portland Player are performing "Sweeney Todd" this weekend.
USM Southworth Planetarium, 96 Falmouth Street Portland Friday evening have a new solar system program, Eight Planets and Counting", There are plenty of choices for music around the city, check out North Star Cafe, http://www.northstarmusiccafe.com/ or One Longfellow Square, http://www.onelongfellowsquare.com/. So come visit Portland just bring your umbrella and have some fun!
Diane Edwards
Wild Iris Inn
273 State Street
Portland, ME 04101
800-600-1557
www.wildirisinn.com
Diane@wildirisinn.com

Great Restaurants in Portland Maine

Portland is becoming known as a food lovers city. We are lucky to have so many wonderful restaurant within walking distance of our inn. Some of my favorites are Local 188, http://www.local188.com/ and Five Fifty Five, http://www.fivefifty-five.com/ and Norm's which are with about a five minute walk from the Wild Iris Inn. Chef Rob Evans of Hugo’s just was won James Beard Award for Best Chef in the Northeast , http://www.seacoastonline.com/articles/20090506-FOOD-90506026. This is the second time a Portland chef has been given this coveted honor.

Portland has a restaurant for everyone taste and budget. If you just want to eat a Maine lobster on the wharf or are a vegan or want to have a fine dining experience, we have the perfect place for you. If you would like to learn more about Portland's food scene then go to this great new website, http://www.portlandfoodmap.com/ . It is a great site that has every restaurant, food event and reviews of restaurants. Bon Appetit!

Diane Edwards
Wild Iris Inn
273 State Street
Portland, ME 04101
800-600-1557
www.wildirisinn.com
Diane@wildirisinn.com

Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens

This week I had a night with no guests so I decided to visit another innkeeper friend in Boothbay Harbor and walk around the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens, http://www.mainegardens.org/ in Boothbay. The gardens are about an hour and fifteen minute drive from Portland. It is a great day trip for my guests. There are 248 acres of waterfront property to wander and explore. In any season they are a treat to see. They have created various themed gardens throughout the property. They also have children's and fairy garden to enchant your kids. I love springtime at the gardens when all the flowers and plants are pushing up through the earth. The Tulips were in bloom and what a magnificent display. It was raining lightly while we were there but I did not mind as it is all part of the Maine coastal experience. We walked down to the Meditation Garden and along a new path they are creating along the waterfront. They are building a five senses garden that is going to sensational. They just completed a beautiful handcrafted bridge for it. If you are in Maine you should must make time to take a trip to experience these special gardens!

Diane Edwards
Wild Iris Inn
273 State Street
Portland, ME 04101
800-600-1557
www.wildirisinn.com
Diane@wildirisinn.com

Spring is here!

The hardest thing I had to adjust to when I moved to Portland was the long Maine winters and the short growing season. After living in California for 19 years I got spoiled with the short winters and incredible variety of local produce available. Last fall I decided to plant a hundred daffodils at the Wild Iris Inn to welcome in the spring. People in living in Maine by March are craving spring. The first promise of nice weather Mainers are out in shorts and t-shirts. It surprises my guests when they come up in early spring and they are all bundled up and see people walking around like this. I go the the flower show in March just to see and smell the flowers as I am pretty deperate by then for spring as we still had snow on the ground this year. Now I know spring is really here when my daffodils bloom and the Farmers Market opens! Tomorrow I will go to my first Farmer's Market of the year at Deering Oaks Park and stroll through the wide variety of vendors and pick up some lettuce starts. So this is my first pictures of my daffodils and next the Iris' will bloom!

Diane Edwards
Wild Iris Inn
273 State Street
Portland, ME 04101
800-600-1557
www.wildirisinn.com
Diane@wildirisinn.com