2010 Season is Underway!

After a weekend full of events- Spring Fling, Land Trust, wedding reception- the Fisherman's Wharf Inn in Boothbay Harbor, Maine, is in full swing. Today, Sunday the 23rd of May, is the first day for our dining room to be open. There are some new menu items, as always, a fabulous view, and even some new faces taking care of customers in the dining room. The weather for opening weekend was flawless- this does not include Sunday, which has dawned foggy and a bit grey- which always has been and will always be one of the most important factors in bringing in guests to the hotel.

       Speaking of bringing guests into the hotel, I want to take a moment and reflect on bookings so far. This is always the first question anyone asks you about the business. "How are bookings looking this year?" I have been asked this on several occasions, and am never really sure how to answer. Unbridled enthusiasm is not the way to go; answering that particular question with the energy of Tony the Tiger, that famous breakfast advocate, would go a long way in making me look mad. However, responding like Chicken Little, that infernal pessimist, would also not be appropriate.  I have set up camp, unwaveringly, in the middle of the road, sitting on top of a fence. Essentially, advanced bookings, especially in this economy, are somewhat a misnomer. The window for these “advanced” bookings has shrunk; much of the time guests will call and book just a few days before they arrive. This is fine, of course, but does not help much for peace of mind or planning in advanced.  The best we here at the Fisherman’s Wharf Inn can hope for is bright blue skies, low gas prices, the wanderlust of summer and the allure of the sea; all of these factors combining in one way or another hopefully will bring in lots of customers, old and new.

So if you are sitting in front of your computer reading this blog, and somewhere in your heart there is a soft voice telling you to hit the open road, to throw caution to the wind and take an adventure, then perhaps you should travel up to Boothbay Harbor, Maine. Drive into town and listen for the sound of gulls off the water, the smell of salt in the air, and bustle of downtown. Make your way into town and come visit us at the Fisherman’s Wharf Inn. You will not be disappointed.  

First event, under our belt, signs point to successful season

The day dawned sunny and blue, and just like that, the one part of the day that we cannot control was taken care of. It is Saturday, May 15^th, and the Fisherman’s Wharf Inn is getting set up for its first official event of the 2010 season. The Downeast Yacht Club has held their Commodores’ Luncheon in our dining room for several years. The festivities kicked off at around 11, with a cocktail hour, featuring cheese and crackers- the cheese, a specialty of Executive Chef John Reed, is worth the price of admission by itself. As at all events like these, the attendees spent much of the early period mingling, catching up with friends, and enjoying the spectacular view of the harbor from the dining room. And speaking of the dining room, it has never looked better. Our dining room manager, and a duo of hardworking lads, have cleaned, dusted, folded, swept, swept again, dusted again, polished and primped the lounge and restaurant for the last couple of weeks, and they have it looking like the belle of the ball.                

               

The aroma’s wafting from the kitchen were sure to set the guests taste buds to quivering, so the staff wasted no time- shortly after the speeches and awards, food began to stream from the kitchen. Our well trained staff had the food out in a matter of minutes- all the better for the yachters and boaters to satisfy their culinary cravings. The options were a Baked Salmon en Croute, stuffed with Lobster Boursin over mixed greens; a Roast Loin of Pork with Root-vegetable ragout and a Rosemary Demi-glaze, or a Roast Chicken Breast with Cranberry-Walnut Stuffing and Orange-Maple Glaze. Now I don’t know about my readers, but I would certainly order one of each. Maybe two. Either way, the food was a success, and the dessert- Mousse with fruit topping in an edible chocolate shell- was a perfect topper for the delightful meal.             We here at the Fisherman’s Wharf Inn would like to thank the folks from the Downeast Yacht Club for their patronage. There are lots of choices in Boothbay Harbor, and we appreciate you choosing us. We are looking forward to serving you next year.  

               

                Our first event went off without a hitch- except for a leaky water tap, fixed with a rubber band and dish rag – and the guests were happy. We can only hope the success of our first event in 2010 is a precursor of better things to come. We know that the slow economy and state of the world these days leave people a bit leery of traveling. We here at the Fisherman’s Wharf Inn invite you to come join us this summer for a relaxing escape to the rocky coast of Maine. We will do our best to provide you with reasonable prices, friendly staff, and memories that you will treasure for a lifetime. That is our goal, and we aim high. We open May 21^st for the hotel and May 23^rd for the dining room. Give us a chance and I am positive you will like what you fin.

                

The pieces are falling into place

Though it is a day late, happy Cinco de Mayo! The deadline for opening is rapidly approaching. We here at the Fisherman’s Wharf Inn are hard at work, preparing the inn and grounds for our 65th season. Decking is being replaced, carpets are being cleaned and refreshed, and a good number of rooms are getting some much needed upgrades. I was handed the new dinner menu just the other day, a clear sign that are approaching the season. Our executive chef, John Reed, back from another successful season at Sugarloaf, has done some adding and some subtracting- all in efforts to please your palettes and delight you stomach. I am most looking forward to the Macaroni & Cheese, with penne pasta, lobster and white truffle oil. And to be honest, I am not sure what white truffle oil is, but it sounds delicious. This will be my first stop on the new menu. I will hold out on you for a little while on the rest of the new items- this is in hopes that each and every one of you that is reading this will take the time to come and sample it for yourself. I know we will appreciate it, and I am sure that your tummy will too.


If you had not heard yet, our own Laura Honey took home another award. She was honored, justifiably, by the Rotary for Lifetime achievement. This new award has taken its place with the many other honors that have been bestowed upon this wonderful lady. If you have never had a chance to meet her, stop in at the Fisherman’s Wharf. You are sure to find her busy coordinating a rehearsal dinner, greeting guests in the lounge, or perhaps if you are lucky, you can take a peek behind the curtain, catching her unwinding with a quick game of solitaire. She is, as they say, living history- she could fill volumes, I am sure, with her knowledge of the Boothbay Harbor region, the Fisherman’s Wharf Inn and Maine in general. For forty five years, Mrs. H has toiled away within the walls of the Fisherman’s Wharf- lending her heart, soul and intellect to the operation. I would daresay that Mrs. Laura Honey is as much a part of the Fisherman’s Wharf, as the Wharf is a part of her. Mrs. H and all the staff at the Fisherman’s Wharf Inn in Boothbay Harbor, Maine, invite you to join us during the upcoming season to experience Maine at its finest. Call now, 800-628-6872, for reservations.

The Wharf Awakens

Happy Spring, everyone! We are on the cusp of the May; April’s final days have been passing in a blur as we prepare to open our doors for the 2010 season. The folks here at the Fisherman’s Wharf Inn have been hard at work this past week, painting and dusting, moving and shaking, all in efforts to get the hotel and restaurant open in time for our first function on May 15th. The office has moved back to the main building, and though we are fighting the chill in the air, three tiny, brave heaters are allowing us to do our jobs without blue fingers and steaming breath. One would hope, as we progress deeper into spring that the air will warm itself, and the wind off the Atlantic will lose some of its teeth, but for now, warm coats are still part of the uniform here.


Fisherman’s Festival here in Boothbay Harbor was a rousing success, again. The weather remained flawless for all three days. The Fisherman’s Wharf Inn would like extend congratulations to all those young ladies who vied for the title of Ms. Shrimp Princess Pageant; the title was carried home by Noelle Timberlake. The top three finishers’ talents were on display all day at the Fishermen’s Fest activities, as at various times, the ladies displayed their singing skills to the crowd. Young Ms. Timberlake will keep herself busy this summer with the duties of Ms. Shrimp Princess, gracing most of the important local events with her presence. If anyone has not had a chance to catch Fisherman’s Festival, 2011 would be a great time to start. There is no way to beat the local flavor of the festival, and who can complain about hot fish sandwiches and cold mudslides at the Boothbay Lobster Wharf, or the reality bending yarns spun at Tall Tales.

There are whispers in the quiet hallways of the Fisherman’s Wharf that we may see some new, tasty items on the menu this year. Yours truly hopes to speak with Executive Chef John Reed in the coming days to see if I can get some details that I can share with everyone. We have also been digging in the bar closet, and have pulled out various tasty elixirs that we will need to run through early in the season, so stay tuned for special drink specials, such as frozen Tarantula Margaritas. We are attempting to stream line the bar inventory a bit- the remaining items will be creatively turned into drink specials to tantalize the taste buds.

I know I have asked you to “stay tuned” several times, and I apologize for this. But at this time of year, everyone is working feverishly (most everyone, anyway) to prepare for the upcoming season. I will do my best to fill my loyal readers in with the new and exciting things for the upcoming season, and some that have remained the same for those people who like to find things unchanged, familiar, year after year. Till my next update, please stay healthy, wealthy and wise, and failing that, keep breathing and take each day as it comes.

The Fools of April lead to the Merriment of May

Welcome, loyal readers- I know the blog has been on hiatus, but have you looked out the window? The weather, for the most part, has been quite lovely. The sun has been shining down on us, the grass is growing rampant, and the music of birds chirping fills the air. And that means it is almost time to move back to our regular season office, back to the main building, to blow the dust of winter off the old hotel, and bring it back to life for another season.


Now, for those who have never worked in a hotel, there is a lot to this process. As is any good business, the Fisherman's Wharf Inn is a multi-limbed organism that must operate with coordination to maximize efficiency. All departments have their own ways of preparing for the season, but it is a must that all departments pull their weight, or the hotel as a whole will fall short of the finish line, or as it is in this case, the starting line. Come high water or the turning of the tides, the whole operation must be ready to go when the first guests walk through the door. In the end, the middle and the beginning, the guests are what it is all about.

I am off to a conference tomorrow about the burgeoning role of social media in the hospitality industry, and the far reaching hand of Google in it all. Hopefully, I will learn many things that will benefit both my employers and me. This is second such conference that I am attending- shortly after this first, this blog was born. Stay tuned to any changes after this second conference.

April 22nd through April 25th is Fisherman’s Festival in Boothbay Harbor, ME. Though we here at the Fisherman’s Wharf Inn are not open, we would encourage everyone that can to come visit town for this special event. It is a local celebration of the sea and the community, with events ranging from Tug O’ War to Dory Bailing. Unique in its character and flavor, Fisherman’s Festival reveals the true character of the town, the region and the people that live within it.

The Spring has Sprung

Good day, my loyal readers- or reader, as it may be- and welcome to spring. The first day of spring was a glorious celebration of sunshine and growth. Three days later, it snowed. Thus is the brilliant confusion that is spring in New England. As we shrug off the dustig of snow, and look hopefully towards our gardens, our convertibles, our boats and our picnic blankets, we are creeping ever closer to the warm summer sun. Sooner than we know, store fronts in Boothbay Harbor will be opening their doors to greet eager patrons. Bars and restaurants will be open their menus for hungry customers, eager to delight their taste buds with new selections.
In local news, the ugly building that squatted atop the hill by the Congregational Church has been demolished. An interesting blight on the landscape, this former doctor's office was full of intrigue- it is to be a parking lot, which should tend to be less dramatic and more practical than a doctor accused of spying on his tenents.We here at Fisherman's Wharf have planned some changes of our own; we have planned renovations to about twenty or so rooms, which, we hope, will add to the enjoyment that our guests experience here on their vacations.
This spring, as you endevour to grow living things in your garden, clean up the yard after the lastest weather vulgarity, even if its just sitting and grilling on your back deck to take advantage of the longer days, remember please, that soon enough it will be summer. Fisherman's Wharf will be open for business on the 21st of May, and the summer in Boothbay Harbor, Me will have arrived.

Spring is around the corner

I looked out into my yard just the other day. The last vestige of snow, which had been desperately clinging to life, had vanished. The weather has been so unseasonably warm, it makes one worried about the future of the weather in our region. Will we pay for it with another rainy May and June? I hope not, as last season, the rains washed away vacations, boat trips, and in general, smiles. We here at Fisherman's Wharf hope that those smiles are firmly in place this summer, with a few new cruises available in the harbor, new stores and restaurants to tantilize the senses, and, it seems, many weddings for happy couples looking to spend the rest of their lives together. It seems that this is something one can count on when the economy is slow, and everyone is looking for the silver lining: Trouble is often better faced when you have someone you love by your side. That being said, grab your loved one close, and think about the warm summer sun; think about that first steamed lobster of the summer, succulent and hot; remember the good times on the Reggae Cruise with the Boothbay Harbor Whale Watch; a plate of the best onion rings in the harbor while sipping a cocktail in the Fisherman's Wharf lounge; most of all, think about the smiles and memories that you will make this summer in Boothbay Harbor. And I invite you to start those memories at the Fisherman's Wharf Inn.