Portsmouth, NH, Weekend Winter Getaway
By Richard Frisbie
 Family
and friends mean the most to me - after food - that is, so I was happy to spend
a mild Holiday weekend with my friend in Portsmouth, New Hampshire - our
favorite New England city. Portsmouth has it all: a young population of
20,000, great restaurants, a vibrant music scene, and 400 years of history
visible on nearly every street corner. It's a totally walkable city, with a
working harbor and working-class roots, beautifully situated on the New
England coast.
 Portsmouth
is wonderful any time of year, but the spring-like weather the Northeast enjoyed
in early January made us most comfortable as we rediscovered the city on foot.
We walked everywhere. I was sorry to see the used book stores closed on State
Street, but the new bookshop and the many and varied gift and specialty shops
throughout the city offered new destinations. And, of course, the exceptional
eateries and pubs vied for our time and dinero. In a pro-tourism move, the local
businesses chipped in for a colorful folding map of this section of coast. Each
can be located on the street grids, and their ads, with hours and contact info,
make up the border. Be sure to pick one up when you arrive (they are everywhere)
and you'll never get lost!
 We
chose to stay at the Sheraton Portsmouth Harborside because it's waterview
location is on the edge of downtown. Food, music and shopping were all within a
few blocks, and the Sheraton's genial ambiance and quality of service don't
decrease with the off-season rates. This was our winter holiday, the first joint
days off in months. Where better to spend it than lying beside a pool or on a
sandy beach? Okay, warm as it was, it was still the wrong season for New
Hampshire's beautiful beaches, and the pool is indoors, but that meant the
crowds were elsewhere (presumably much farther south than we could afford) and
the prices were the lowest of the year. Peace and quiet at a bargain rate - who
could complain? There are cheaper places to stay, most notably out by the
traffic circle where rooms start at $50 a night in a strip motel. On the higher
end there is Sise Inn on Court Street, and a new rival hotel chain nearby, but
for $99 a night I'll take the style and service of a Sheraton any day.
It was the afternoon of New Year's Day, and a piano was playing softly in the
lobby of the Sheraton. It was peaceful, as if the excesses of the previous
evening had everyone as subdued as we felt after the long drive. The hotel was
nearly deserted, so after checking in I enjoyed a leisurely swim and sauna - we
had the pool to ourselves the whole time we were there - then rested before
dinner.
Come nightfall we walked down Market Street from the Sheraton is an eatery
called the Portsmouth Gas Light Company. It has a restaurant upstairs and a
great pub downstairs in the basement of the old gas & light building - hence the
name. Their award winning pizzas, paired with huge salads and local brews, are
perfect for lunch or dinner. They had no music that night, but the food,
service, and fellow diners were
enough excitement after our long drive. Then we walked the streets, sightseers
enjoying the last of the Holiday decorations in this beautifully lighted city.
The pool at the Sheraton opens at 5 AM. After an early morning swim we walked
around the city, somehow ending up at Ceres Bakery, on Penhallow Street, in time
for breakfast. The bakery moved here from Ceres Street, but was actually named
after Ceres, the Goddess of grain, not its old address. Wherever the name came
from, the place is a magnet for locals. Judging by the overheard conversations
of professionals and contractors seated around the tables, as many deals are
struck here as on the job.
And why not? The coffee is great, the muffins and pastries tasty, and the thick
flavorful sandwiches bring everyone back for lunch. If I lived in Portsmouth I'd
be here everyday.
 It
was a record warm spell while we were there. The days rang with the sounds of
saws, hammers and generators as if it was May and not January. Everywhere we
turned ladders and construction barricades tried to impede our progress.
Nevertheless, our long walks were as enjoyable as they were necessary. With so
much good eating I heartily recommend the exercise. That is, unless you like the
way those calories look on you. Besides, people-watching and window-shopping can
be so much fun. Portsmouth is crowded with unusual shops filled with great stuff
and that odd item that I simply had to have. Yes, there is a large Banana
Republic, but otherwise the mostly independent shops each offer unusual and
artistic gifts, plus the staples life insists we cannot live without. For more
serious shopping, a scant two miles north on Rt. One into Maine are the famous
outlet malls of Kittery. I hate to admit it, but we drove there one afternoon
and "did" the kitchen and clothing shops until we couldn't fit anything else in
the car. Definitely, GO! When you tire of shopping, there is always the food.
And speaking of food! During our short excursion into Maine we drove up Rt. One
to Wells seeking the elusive Maine classic, the lobster roll. I'd read
somewhere that the best lobster roll in Maine could be had at the Maine Diner,
in Wells. On previous visits we'd had breakfast there many times, but somehow
missed the numero uno dining experience they offered. It was an error we
happily corrected that day. There's nothing
like a buttered toasty-warm hotdog roll filled with succulent chunks of cold
lobster that have been lightly tossed with mayonnaise. It is the pure simplicity
of exquisite taste. We also had the companion bowl of seafood chowder, thick and
creamy, with large chunks of seafood and potatoes, for a meal combination not to
be missed. Thus fortified, we
shopped our way back down the coast to Portsmouth, and another swim at the
Sheraton before dinner.
Warren's Lobster House is a longish walk from the Sheraton, over the Piscataqua
River, across the Memorial Drawbridge on Rt. One. It has the best salad bar on
the coast, with over 50 items, including soup. It's a great buy at well under
$10, even less with a meal. No matter how often I resolve to just have the salad
bar, I always find entrees and specials to melt away my resistance, if not the
pounds. You can see for yourself how much willpower you have. Warren's can be
very crowded in peak summer
season, but on a winter's day, a booth by the fireplace is peaceful. The warm
and cordial staff always makes me feel at home, and the prices are reasonable.
Since Warren's is on a pier over the tidal waters, I usually order the seafood.
No regrets here. Even the lobster rolls are good.
 My
favorite restaurant in Portsmouth is the Blue Mermaid Island Grill. It has a
funky Caribbean pulse with an eclectic and adventuresome menu on 'The Hill',
just off Deer Street behind the Sheraton. Unfortunately, the evening we went was
not its best night. Every restaurant has them, but even on an off-night the food
is at least good here, and you never know what surprises await. There's live
music on weekends, and the staff
is always entertaining. Give it a try when you are in town. I know I'm
definitely going back.
 While
nosing around Portsmouth we discovered where the food is good and the people are
friendly. The Press Room is a great people place for a drink and some music
during the winter months. Then, in the warmer months the 'Decks', which refers
to 4 bars, side-by-side, with large decks on the water, have the music and the
action. The Stockpot is one of them. It offers home-style cooking, simply good
coastal comfort food,
besides a lively bar scene. If you're lucky enough to be there during the
Summer, be sure to stroll through the Strawbery Banke section. It is the oldest
part of the city. The parks, gardens and museum there are a wonderful waterfront
destination, and they hold outdoor music concerts there too.
The heart of the city is Market Square. For the last several years it was
dominated by the scaffolded and shrouded steeple of North Church. Soon the
renovations will be complete, and the bright white steeple with its antique
weathervane will be seen from as far away as the Isle of Shoals. When we were
there work vehicles crowded the public area in front, corralling the dripping
ice sculptures left over from first night. The unseasonable warmth speeded the
work on the church, but was melting last year's frozen art. We splashed through
the puddles they made on our way back to the Sheraton. With all our shopping,
sightseeing and dining fulfilled, there was time for one last swim before the
long drive home.
NOTE: Everywhere we went was smoke-free
www.edgenewengland.com
www.siseinn.com
www.bluemermaid.com
www.portsmouthchamber.org
www.sheratonportsmouth.com/
Photos by the author
Back to TravelLady Magazine |
|
