Portsmouth!
by anna on January 17, 2013
PORTSMOUTH!
I’ve been meaning to post these pics for about a month now. But you know, the holidays happened and then the New Year, and then I became lost in the new computer gear (literally LOST in translation– new technology can be so confusing!), and now finally (finally!) I feel like I am starting to get the hang of 2013 (and the new technology) and so here I am sharing these pics from December.
Phew!
Sometimes life can be so exhausting.
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Have you ever been to Portsmouth, New Hampshire? I had never been before this little day trip my sister and I took up there right before Christmas. It’s about an hour drive from Boston, which is SO CLOSE, and such an adorable little seacoast town. There are so many different shops and restaurants and we had fun popping into them all.
Our favorites:
Portsmouth Brewery (for beer).
Michelle’s on Market Square (for food).
Breaking New Grounds (for coffee/hot chocolate).
Gus and Ruby (for lovely letterpress and handmade pretties).
And besides the food and shopping, the photo ops were SPOT ON. Love that in a town.
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Have you ever been to Portsmouth? Favorite shops? Favorite restaurants? I want to take Zan back there one of these weekends. I think he’d really like it and it’s the perfect distance for a day trip from the Bean.
Let me know what you love!
46 comments
I grew up in Portsmouth, my dad lives there! Its beautiful and filled with amazingness, your pictures make me miss it even more!
I would HIGHLY suggest the friendly toast for breakfast, its a little diner. Also if you have not been to Flatbread Pizza, oh my gosh it is delicious, the atmosphere is so fun and laid back, the food is heavenly, make sure to try the Free Range Chicken or taco pizza! There is also a stored I think it is called the seven wonders or something like that and they have really interesting stuff from all around the world!
by Jennifer on January 17, 2013 at 7:51 am. #
I saw The Friendly Toast! I think I might even have a picture of it! Thanks for all the suggestions! So awesome.
And how fun is it that you grew up there? It’s such a nice place!
by anna on January 17, 2013 at 10:28 am. #
i haven’t but it look adorable and new england-y and all the things it should look like. also, you got a picture of a golden retriever smiling so you’re awesome.
by colleen on January 17, 2013 at 8:30 am. #
Oh, New England, how I love thee.
And yeah! The dog! I wanted to take him (her?) home!!
by anna on January 17, 2013 at 10:28 am. #
love this, obviously. doesn’t gus and ruby sort of make you want a million dollars so you can buy everything?
next time go to friendly toast. deeelish breakfast.
by bridget on January 17, 2013 at 8:42 am. #
A MILLION AND ONE.
And thanks for the tip on Friendly Toast. Putting that on my must-do list for next time!
by anna on January 17, 2013 at 10:29 am. #
Pictures lovely as usual Anna! I remember you posting some sort of delicious soup on your instagram when you were there so I need to get that exact same soup ASAP. Also Gus & Ruby makes me so happy I could faint. xo L
by Lindsay on January 17, 2013 at 9:57 am. #
Yes! The soup was from Michelle’s and it was SO GOOD. Perfect for a cold day. Aaaaand now I wish I could have some for lunch.
Also, Gus and Ruby? I died and went to heaven. (Rifle Paper Co. Up the wazoo!!)
by anna on January 17, 2013 at 10:30 am. #
Let’s meet there. soon.
an hour from you, an hour from me. a dream come true I would say.
xoxox.
h
by Hannah on January 17, 2013 at 10:11 am. #
Seriously! Why have we never done this before??
SOON.
by anna on January 17, 2013 at 10:31 am. #
Guh, I love Portsmouth! We went on a weekend trip up to see Ingrid Michaelson at The Music Hall. I definitely recommend that venue, it’s so adorable and intimate!
by Mel on January 17, 2013 at 10:14 am. #
Well, everything about your comment is PERFECT.
I love Ingrid Michaelson so much it hurts. And seeing her in a small venue? What a dream.
by anna on January 17, 2013 at 10:32 am. #
I wanna hang out with you and do fun things
by Alex on January 17, 2013 at 10:23 am. #
We need to plan a blogger day-trip somewhere! I’m serious! I think maybe I should organize one. What do you think?
by anna on January 17, 2013 at 10:33 am. #
Yes.
by Melanie on January 18, 2013 at 6:28 pm. #
YES. WHERE SHOULD WE GO FOR OUR FIRST BLOGGER GET-AWAY?
by anna on January 19, 2013 at 12:25 am. #
I love Portsmouth, I had a stint in my career (four months) where I worked in Dover, NH and Portsmouth was a stone’s throw from there. New Hampshire is pretty beautiful – gorgeous photos as usual!
by Jenna | The Paleo Project on January 17, 2013 at 10:50 am. #
“A stint in my career.”
Haha. This made me laugh!
And yes, NH is beautiful! We’re so lucky it’s so close!
by anna on January 17, 2013 at 12:09 pm. #
I have never been to Portsmouth, but these pictures really make me want to visit. I’m in love with towns like these because I grew up in one. I miss it! Great photos, as always
by Lindsay on January 17, 2013 at 1:29 pm. #
Thanks, Lindsay! I did not grow up in a town like this one (Syracuse is bigger and not nearly as adorable)… but we went a lot to Lake Placid when I was younger which WAS as adorable as this one.
Sigh. Now I want to go back to LP… might need to make that happen!
by anna on January 17, 2013 at 3:37 pm. #
The Friendly Toast is in Cambridge as well (but the original is in Portsmouth). There’s a great new restaurant just over the bridge in Kittery, Maine called the Black Birch. Downtown, my favorite restaurants are the Black Trumpet, Poco’s, and the Green Monkey. Also the Spring Hill Tavern (under the Dolphin Striker) is my favorite place for a glass of wine. There is an actual natural spring-fed-well in the bar with fish in it!
I also recommend making a summer trip and go to the beach in Rye (Pirate’s Cove or Cable Beach are two favorites). Then you can hit up Christina’s Crossing in Rye off Washington Street (cute clothes and housewares), and get ice cream at Lago’s Lone Oak on Route 1.
by Sara L. on January 17, 2013 at 3:14 pm. #
THIS IS THE BEST COMMENT EVER, SARA.
I’m serious! Thank you for all the recs! Looks like I might need to go back up there a few more times to get it all in.
So awesome.
by anna on January 17, 2013 at 3:38 pm. #
I neeeed to go here!!! What is Fat Belly’s? I love the sound of it…
And, OMG! The Friendly Toast!!! Please tell me you’ve been to the one in Cambridge. It is MY FAVE FAVE FAVE FAAAAAVE. I didn’t realize the original was in Portsmouth!
by Melanie on January 17, 2013 at 5:30 pm. #
I think it’s a Bar and Grill?
AND NO! I have not been to the one in Cambridge! AHH! I think Meg, Lauren and I tried to go there once last winter in the FREEZING COLD and the wait was like HOURS. We left for something different, but probably should have stayed. Guess I’ll add it to my Boston Bucket List!
by anna on January 17, 2013 at 8:07 pm. #
YOU HAVE TO GO AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. THEIR FOOD IS {droooooooool}. I’m out of words. GO! TOMORROW!
by Melanie on January 17, 2013 at 8:34 pm. #
Maybe this weekend!!!!!
by anna on January 18, 2013 at 10:51 am. #
I second (third, fourth fifth!) Friendly Toast. And your pictures of Portsmouth made me want to take a day trip of my own and go back! They are beautiful and I’m so glad you had a nice time. =)
by Aimee G on January 17, 2013 at 6:05 pm. #
Okay, now I KNOW I need to try it out. My mouth is watering already and I’ve never even been there!
by anna on January 17, 2013 at 8:09 pm. #
Portsmouth looks like a dream! I felt like I just took a walk through it as I scrolled through your pictures. What a good idea to take a day trip there! Such a charming little town.
by Laura on January 17, 2013 at 10:42 pm. #
There are so many places to take day trips to around here (Newport, Portsmouth, Cape Cod, and even Maine!)– I feel lucky!
by anna on January 18, 2013 at 10:49 am. #
Sometimes I don’t leave you comments because I begin to feel like they’re all the same….for example “You take the best pictures! I’m obsessed with your blog! Your writing makes me so happy!” …and so forth. But I hope you know how much I mean it. Your blog is the coolest. And now I’m thinking a weekend trip to Portsmouth is on my agenda for 2013. It looks so darling + cozy! xoxo, eliza
by Eliza on January 18, 2013 at 9:41 am. #
Eliza, you can tell me those things over and over and over and I will never tire of hearing them.
Thank you, friend. Seriously, THANK YOU.
by anna on January 18, 2013 at 10:49 am. #
um. WHAT! why have i never been to this stars hollow/girlmore girls themed wonderland!? oh, lady, how i love that you let us arm chair travel with you! ugh, and you capture it oh so well.
by Mackenzie on January 18, 2013 at 11:55 am. #
And why can’t I be a whimsical with my words as you are? Seriously, you da best.
by anna on January 18, 2013 at 12:42 pm. #
My husband and I recently drove to Maine and we stopped at the Friendly Toast on the way up. We liked it so much that we stopped again on the way home. The food and service was great. On our return trip we were even there during the Sunday lunch rush and we still had good service. We tried the breakfast burrito, the coconut shrimp egg scramble and the cheesy fries which were topped with provolone and blue cheese–yum! I really love the fun vibe of the place and the decor. We would definitely return. I wish our city had a fun and imaginative place like this. It was so much better than eating at a generic chain restaurant.
by Gil French on January 18, 2013 at 12:08 pm. #
Now I know where I will take Zan when I take him to Portsmouth– THe Friendly Toast!
And thank you for all the wonderful food suggestions! The cheesy fries with provolone and blue cheese sounds right up my alley. YUM!
by anna on January 19, 2013 at 12:24 am. #
So adorable! Do cute little towns like this exist all over the country and I am just missing out!?! I need to do some more northeast exploring, obvs! I will have to add Portsmouth to my places to check out.
by Melissa on January 18, 2013 at 12:09 pm. #
I think in New England they do! I can think of enough to count on two hands!
My favorite adorable towns in NE:
Nantucket
Chatham, MA
Newport, RI
Martha’s Vineyard!
Portsmouth, NH
Portland, ME
I’m sure there are even more!
(and I have some NY state ones up my sleeve, too)
(ALSO: I think you may have given me an idea for a future post!)
by anna on January 18, 2013 at 12:45 pm. #
Lovely pictures! New Hampshire is a place that I’ve been interested in visiting. Sometimes I think I just want to live in New England someday so I can visit all the surrounding areas whenever I want.
by Lauren Michelle on January 18, 2013 at 3:15 pm. #
Yes, I very much think you should move here. I know you would ADORE it. I imagine there is writing inspiration everywhere!
by anna on January 18, 2013 at 4:49 pm. #
Hi there, Ana! I’ve just stumble upon your blog today and have to say: I’m in love. I’m digging the archives, ’cause everything you post here is so beautiful! You write with so much care and love – and your pics of Boston… So beautiful and lovely! I really want to be in this city.
About this post, NH seems to be such a calm place to live. I have never been to Portsmouth (neither in Boston… ok, neither in the US haha), but definitely want to visit.
Keep up the good work.
Greetings from Brazil,
Rayana.
by Rayana on January 20, 2013 at 10:15 pm. #
Rayana!
Thanks for saying hi! Hope you get to visit Boston someday!
by anna on January 21, 2013 at 2:10 pm. #
Hey there–I’m really liking your blog! I’m completely new to it but I decided to venture into different blogs and somehow came across yours (don’t you just love the blog world?) I just read your post on your resolution to learn photography and let me just say I am TOTALLY there with you! I’ve had my Nikon D3000 for about two years now and let’s just say we’re in the same boat! I’d love to hear about your photography journey and get inspired to do the same. I recently bought a MAC (for graduate school) but I’m looking forward to the creative possibilities as well! I’m looking forward to your posts!
Oh and by the way, the reason I’m replying to this post is because I’m wondering if you used your Nikon for these photos. They’re amazing, girl! You have some skills. I’d love to know what, if any, editing features you used. Thanks! : )
Evelyn
by Evelyn on January 21, 2013 at 10:41 pm. #
Thank you, Evelyn! So kind!
I did use my Nikon for these pictures! And I edited them in Lightroom! I have the VSCO film pack 01 for Lightroom 4, and I played around with some of the presets and edits to create my own saved presets. Trial and error mostly!
by anna on January 21, 2013 at 11:50 pm. #
Yay, Portsmouth! My new hometown since recently moving out of Cambridge. One of my favorite spots that I didn’t see listed when I skimmed the comments is Ceres Bakery! Your readers have given you so many great suggestions!
by Amanda on January 27, 2013 at 7:12 pm. #
Will put that on the must-do list next time we head up there! Thank you!
by anna on January 27, 2013 at 8:10 pm. #