J'ai un nouveau jouet - I Have A New Toy

July 5, 2006

Food & Travel

Back from Bar Harbor, Maine.

We spent 5 superb days hiking in Acadia National Park, discovering new trails, enjoying the cool sea breeze and the fresh air at the top of the mountains.

We followed Michel's tip (merci Michel!) for a unique night out, to have dinner at Havana's restaurant in Bar Harbor. We had nice latin food, between a marinated rare tuna for me, duck empanadas as appetizers and a soy marinated hanger steak for P. We spotted a few places we will try next time, such as Seasons on Roderick street and Mâche bistro. But for most of our stay this time, we cooked dinners in the little cabin we rented by the sea in Salisbury Cove, and prepared lovely picnics for lunches taken at the top of les sommets. Those summits included Dorr mountain, Mt Cadillac, Gorham mountain, Pemetic mountain, and Mt Saveur amongst others.

I also found a super cool new hiking gadget that I just love: a spork! Called this way although it is 3 things in one, spoon, fork and knife. Maybe it should be called sporknif!

I know I did not really need it, but I don't always need to have a need to buy a new gadget! Agreed! It made the perfect utensil for us to cut our sandwiches if need be, eat our salade de carottes quotidienne (daily carrot salad) -- Gosh, I am so French!-- and Liberty yogurts. Merci aux canadiens ! Liberty yogurts are amongst my favorite ones around here.

Even at the top, the seagulls knew where to find us and our crumbs!

Well well, would I almost forget to share the purchase of my new toy? I did not take it on the hikes as oh boy, my toy is heavy! I have only started to play with it, and I know already that there is a lot to learn! Oh, what is its name? A new Canon 30D! And I can say that I am a very happy girl, ready to play and have fun with it! Wish me luck! There are a lot of settings!

39 Comments

Melissa · July 5, 2006
Wow, that is definitely a nice new toy! Congratulations! And here I thought you were teasing us with your new toy being the "sporknif". ;-)
sam · July 5, 2006
oh, Bea - lucky you. How about I'll swap it with you for a pink sporknif???? ;) Allez les bleues! bisous x
Geneve · July 5, 2006
It looks like you had such a fun trip! I used to always go to Ogunquit, ME - but Acadia Nat'l Park looks so great! I love the sporknif too by the way. Where can I find one? It's the perfect thing for a foodie to carry around in case of food emergencies ;).
Tanna · July 5, 2006
Well, I count two and I like them both. Now, maybe you'll use one more than the other. Oh, joy Béa!!! It looks like such a wonderful trip. I love mountain tops. Thanks for taking us along.
Kat · July 5, 2006
wow! I like the new gadget and you are right you don't have to have a need to get one!! and I also like the new camera, very snazzy! Can't wait to see your photos get even better than they already are!
bron · July 5, 2006
Oh you are a lucky girl! Much jealous of your warm weather!!
mercotte · July 5, 2006
tes photos sont déjà superbes alors maintenant on se demande ce que tu vas faire, celles de ce jour sont à tomber !
Laudy · July 6, 2006
Les photos sont superbes !!!!! Belle acquisition !
Ingrid · July 6, 2006
Bea, je vois que ces quelques jours de randonnée ont été agréables, on espère nous aussi pouvoir faire quelques belles randos d'ici un petit mois ! Super ton nouveau jouet: tes photos déjà magnifiques avant vont être sublimes...
Débo · July 6, 2006
Au départ, j'ai cru que le jouet était l'ensemble pic nic vraiment pratique... et puis j'ai vu arriver cette merveille de Canon (y'a pas à dire, ce sont vraiment des appareils extra: j'en ai un argentique depuis 10 ans et il n'a aps bougé) Merci pour ces superbes photos et amuse toi bien !!
David · July 6, 2006
Enjoy your new toy! ...et Allez les Bleus!!
venor · July 6, 2006
Tes photos sont absolument superbes. Moi, aussi, j'adore les ustensiles insolites.
Rosa · July 6, 2006
Your pictures are stunning and Maine is really a beautiful place! I'm sure that your new toy will offer us great photos! Your pictures were already gorgeous, so I wonder what they'll be like now that you have a new camera...
Alhya · July 6, 2006
j'ai cru d'abord que The new toy était la cuillère multi usages! mais waouhh, c'est autrement plus conséquent comme nouveau jouet: je lui souhaite la bienvenue et j'ose à peine imaginer ce que tu vas en faire!! merci pour les jolies photos d'aujourd'hui, ça fait du bien de voyager au moins par les yeux!
Ester · July 6, 2006
Moi aussi, j'ai cru qu'il s'agissait de la cuillère... J'en avais vu une chez un traiteur, et il paraît que ca s'appelle un ambigu (j'adooooooooooooore !). Et non seulement tu as du super nouveau matos, mais aussi... les nattes te vont bien, tu as de la chance !!!
Papilles&Pupilles · July 6, 2006
Encore une fois, quelles magnifiques photos !
liliravioli · July 6, 2006
comme plusieurs ici, j'ai vraiment cru au jouet-spork (lol) qui m'a déjà étonné...mais l'appareil...magnifique! idem pour tes photos, elles sont splendides!
Orchidea · July 6, 2006
Beautiful photos... I am also thinking to buy a Canon 30D... we will see. Ciao.
Gamelle · July 6, 2006
Oh Béa!...I Don't know Maine. It seems so Gorgeous through your "eyes"! What a new toy! I can't imagine the photos you'll do from now, your are so talented!!!
Fabienne · July 6, 2006
You're a lucky girl : a beautiful new toy and a fantastic hiking...
menus propos · July 6, 2006
le Canon ne fait pas tout, c'est surtout ton oeil et ton talent! Magnifique!
pdc · July 6, 2006
Congrats on the new camera! The photos and scenery look spectacular. Have fun with your new toy!
Melissa · July 6, 2006
Wow, congratulations on your new toy and I'm glad to see you've already put it to good use - your photos are just gorgeous! I've never been to Maine but it looks impossibly beautiful...
Lilo · July 6, 2006
tes photos sont splendides Béa... et tu as bien dû en profiter, la montagne, c'est apaisant et grandiose :)
iamchanelle · July 6, 2006
how pretty! (the camera, too!) congrats on your new toys!
Natalie · July 6, 2006
I like both of your new toys. The photos are beautiful too.
kim · July 6, 2006
wow- big The Holga is really a toy camera and a whole lot lighter! Gotta tape though! Have fun with it! You make great photos K
ces · July 6, 2006
lovely photos! i want that sporknife!
Michel · July 6, 2006
Glad you enjoyed Acadia. It *is* a beautiful place. (To think that Martha Stewart has a house there.) Sporks can be found at almost any camping/outdoor store. They're mostly used to cut down weight when hiking. They remind me of eating pie at my granny's; she had spoons with cutting edges.
bonheursdesophie · July 6, 2006
superbe pour ton nouvel appareil, tu vas vrainent réussir à faire de plus belles photos ??? J'adore le petit ustensile qui va avec la bague ;-)
Béa · July 6, 2006
Melissa, I know, I feel spoiled! I guess you would love the sporknif too!
Sam, how pink is it? Really really pink? ;-) Et oui, allez les bleus ! On va gagner !
Geneve, thanks. It was a great trip indeed. Check any outdoor store, this is where I found mine!
Tanna, yes you are right. This was pure joy!
Kat, cannot wait to play more with it!
Bron, yes I know. I am a lucky girl!
Mercotte, ah merci, tu es trop gentille. J'ai des progres a faire, crois-moi! En fait, c'est bien, ca me motive!
Laudy, merci!
Ingrid, merci a toi! Bonnes randos a toi! C'est le pur bonheur, cela!
Debo, oui c'est vrai, Canon, c'est quand meme cool!
David, thanks, I cannot wait indeed...I mean to see the match on Sunday!
Venor, merci de ta visite!
Rosa, thanks to you! I wish it will give our great pictures indeed! I already like it!
Alhya, ah mais oui, la cuillere est pas mal, je t'assure!
Ester, ahah, oui, cette cuillere a un nom marrant en francais! Ah oui mes nattes, merci! Pratique pour etre tranquille! Zou, nouees et sous le chapeau!
Anne, merci encore a toi!
Liliravioli, merci!
Orchidea, go for it!
Gamelle, Maine is beautiful in this part, and others that I have seen. Such beautiful fresh sceneries. Oddily enough, Acadia reminds me a lot of hiking in Corsica! Thanks for your sweet note!
Fabienne, merci!
Menus Propos, tu es trop gentille!
Pdc, thanks! I look forward to a lot of shots!
Melissa, thanks my dear! I think you would love Maine!
Lilo, oui grandiose, comme tu dis!
Iamchanelle thank you!
Natalie, thanks!
Kim, thanks my dear!
Ces, ahah, yes cool toy, eh? Both of them!
Michel, yes indeed. Love it. This is our 5th time there, we start making it a yearly trip!
Sophie, merci. Ah oui, la bague, elle vient de Nouvelle-Zelande, donc elle m'est precieuse! ;-)
Ben · July 6, 2006
The pictured green object is some sort of fabulous spork 2.0+. The original spork of years ago was just a spoon with a jagged front edge. Now that's progress!
AnneE · July 7, 2006
magnifique balade et tu t'es bien amusée avec ton nouveau jouet.
rowena · July 7, 2006
Your new toy is proving its worth with those absolutely beautiful photos! The toy that I like most though is that spork! How cool is that?!
Ivonne · July 7, 2006
You are such a cutie!
Béa · July 7, 2006
Hi Ben, ca va?? ah oui, c'est le progres, pour sur!
Oui Anne, superbe balade! ET je ne fais que commencer avec l'appareil!
Rowena, thank you. These were actually still taken with the old one ;-) I love the sporknif!
Ivonne, merci mon amie!
stephen · July 8, 2006
Hi Béa...glad you enjoyed our beautiful state so much! Now you can understand the urge to live here... By the way, next time you're in the Acadia area, make a note to try Burning Tree, just outside of town...fresh ingredients, wood fired grill, emphasis on creative vegetables and fish, and very comfortable, with casual but attentive service. We ate at Havana and a couple of other "recommended" retaurants there but Burning Tree was the best, by far. Something to look forward to for the next visit.... Best, Stephen
Gracianne · July 10, 2006
Merci pour ces fabuleuses photos Bea, quel beau voyage tu nous fais faire - I love your spork :)
Béa · July 10, 2006
Stephen, thanks for the great tip. Next time, I will check this place out!
Gracianne, ah oui, tu en aimerais bien une , une spork! ;-)