Krisha

The minute we drove over the bridge into downtown I closed my eyes and breathed in the heavy salt air. There was no mistaking it. That harbor fish smell mixed with the scent of food frying and hoppy beer meant only one thing: we had crossed into Old Port – the heart of Portland, Maine.
Tourists come to Maine for many reasons, but rarely leave without trying the lobster. Before we ventured out to Casco Bay to try our luck trapping one, we hit up The Holy Donut to taste some famous fresh potato donuts with sea salt and dark chocolate. On a sugar high, we followed the directions given by the friendly staff at Inn by the Sea. They arranged for us to join Captain Tom Martin and his crew on the Lucky Catch. Captain Tom, who is recognized all over town and is characterized in a local coloring book, has been lobstering since he was 14. Smiley and optimistic, he runs traps year-round in accordance to the Maine fishery regulations and operates tours in the summers.
We sail out to sea for more than an hour, lifting traps and inspecting the lobster’s belly for eggs. If the lobster is showing her eggs or measures less than 3.25″ or more than 5″, we have to throw it back; the small ones grow, and the large ones add vigor to the gene pool. To further protect the population, Captain Tom demonstrates tagging a female we caught with eggs. He cuts a V-notch on her tail before releasing her in the sea indicating to other fishermen that she’s a fertile breeder. Using special pliers, we band the lobster’s claws and put them in a tank.
We can pay market rate for the lobster we catch but we opt to head back toward the unmistakable Portland Headlight – the oldest lighthouse in Maine built in 1791 – to eat next door at the Lobster Shack at Two Lights. Nothing fancy out front, this award-winning hot spot will take your breath away from the back. Perched above the ocean, overlooking the lighthouse, you can enjoy the signature lobster roll right on a picnic table as the waves crash on nearby rocks. Cozy indoor seating offers a view of fishermen and ships entering the harbor.
As my husband declares his goal to eat lobster in one form or another for every meal, we scan choices online for dinner. Portland was declared Bon Appetit’s 2018 Restaurant City of the Year where even the “beer geeks get giddy” about the variety of tasting rooms. Everything is good, and Street & Co. and 555 do not disappoint.
Not far from Old Port is Cape Elizabeth where we stayed in a charming boutique resort called Inn by the Sea. All 61 newly redesigned suites are outfitted with modern amenities but have the look of old-world, coastal architecture. From a garden suite on the first floor, you can walk out from your porch to the pool. Upper level suites have lofts that overlook the ocean and for inter-generational visits, the two-bedroom suites boast a fireplace, full kitchen and dining area. In winter, Santa visits the Inn for brunch and in summer, the kids roast marshmallows around the firepit.
The Inn prides itself in pairing luxury and natural beauty with eco-friendly initiatives and sustainable design. Rauni Kew, director of public relations, strolls with me on the edge of the stately lawn overlooking the Atlantic Ocean and accented with Adirondack chairs and lawn games. A wooden plank walkway leads to the marsh and ultimately to the sandy, Crescent State Beach where umbrellas and folding chairs await guests. The marsh is a restoration habitat for the New England Cottontail Rabbit that is listed as endangered in both Maine and New Hampshire.
The main restaurant on property, the Sea Glass Inn, is just as conscientious. Lobster is on the menu in many forms, but the executive chef makes a point to serve underutilized seafood and works in a program called OUT OF THE BLUE to identify abundant local fish and help preserve diversity and health of the Gulf of Maine.
The gorgeous establishment has been a destination tradition for families from all over the country – pets included. Bring your own – or adopt a pet. The Inn fosters dogs from the Animal Rescue League of Greater Portland, and more than 115 dogs have been adopted by guests.
Other quintessential Maine activities are a stone’s throw from the Inn. We book an unforgettable sunset sail (BYOB) on a schooner from Portland Schooner Company and watched fireworks from the water along the Eastern Promenade. We visited the L.L. Bean flagship store, headquarters and outlet in the small village of Freeport. To punctuate the true Maine experience, go lighthouse hopping while cruising the coast on Highway 1 all the way to Camden. Just remember, if the coastal folk of Maine know one thing it is how to relax. So it is perfectly authentic if you just opt to sit and watch the ocean, close your eyes and breathe in the air.

Text and Photos by Krisha Chachra

First published in NRV Magazine www.nrvmagazine.com/

Krisha Chachra served eight years on the Blacksburg Town Council and has written for NRV Magazine for a decade. She is a community advocate & connector and runs an event production organization that hosts Up on the Roof. She writes the travel column for the magazine and occasional human-interest pieces. Krisha has reported and hosted shows for public radio and television and has freelanced for USA Weekend Magazine and The Honolulu Advertiser Email her at kchachra@aol.com

Our daughter happens to be a water baby. She loves splashing in anything – kicking her feet in the bath, slapping her hands under a running faucet, jumping in small puddles and lately, slushing through melted snow. Pool season can’t come fast enough – it’s hard to resist those pleading eyes asking: “Mommy, is it splash, splash time yet?”
Many people rave about the indoor water park at Great Wolf Lodge, and I had seen it on Undercover Boss. Friends cautioned that it is a little pricey. The attractions are only open to overnight guests, so a day trip to save money wouldn’t work.
Honestly, the idea of an indoor water park didn’t appeal to me. I envisioned the thick smell of chlorine and mold growing on the walls due to all the humidity. But the Great Wolf Lodge marketing – commercials of little kids splashing joyously on water slides — did me in. There are special offers for booking early, staying multiple nights or being flexible on weekdays.
Great Wolf Lodge has 15 locations across the US and Canada with two more on the way. There is one in Williamsburg, but the closest one to the New River Valley is in Concord, N.C., about three hours away.
The Concord Great Wolf Lodge is the second largest and the eighth largest indoor theme park in North America. It is conveniently near the popular Carowinds amusement park and close to restaurants, malls and shops. Before checking in, you might pop in to a grocery store for snacks, drinks or cereal as every room has a sink, microwave and fridge. You can stretch your budget if you eat something in your room in the morning, hit the water slides and then take a break for lunch at one of the cafes. I recommend getting dinner out and maybe ordering one of the special desserts on the room service menu later. The water park also has an outdoor section and ropes course, so don’t forget sunscreen.
There is no valet service, so grab a cart and unload at the entrance before self-parking. At check-in, pick up wolf ears for the kids and get the lay of the land. In Concord, the Great Clock Tower comes alive throughout the day with woodland characters that are the central theme to the parks, lending awareness to the outdoors and wildlife preservation. Evening story time, as well as character shows, adult and child dancing and yoga instruction all take place at the clock tower. Surrounding it are the two main restaurants – a buffet and a more formal (but still family casual) choice – along with a gift shop and Dunkin’ Donuts.
Youngsters are running around the resort waving wands and pointing them at the walls. Besides the wilderness theme, the lodge has a “magical forest” undertone with fairy holograms, talking trees and shiny amulets. Children’s imaginations soar when battling the “Shadowlord” on their quest to collect evidence, uncover secrets and cast spells to save the light before it vanishes forever. Questing is an extra cost – at least $35 per child – but if you are staying for a few nights, it definitely adds another dimension to the experience.
The real fun, however, is the water park. It only takes moments to understand that this concept holds water. Although the place does smell of chlorine, it is not overpowering and it IS clean – no mold despite the warm water mist and wet, rubber padded floors. There is a large wave pool, cabanas for rent and a warm pool with an obstacle course. The eight, fast water slides are tucked in the back corner and although you enter them on the inside, they are built on the outside of the water park and require either a mat or a two or four-person inner tube that you pick up before you climb to the top. Most memorable of the slides is the Howlin’ Tornado. Using a four-person tube, you twist and turn until you are dropped six stories into a funnel where you swing your way down the walls before a splashdown going through the last tunnel.
The cute cub paw pool is for little ones, complete with gently sloping water slides and toddler-sized jet skis that squirt water. There are towel stations and floaties all over the park. Arrive early and find a seat with a table or stake your claim to the few lounge chairs by the wave pool. Remember to first see how far the giant water bucket at the top of the interactive tree fort dumps every 10 minutes after the bell tolls. You don’t want to be sitting in the thunderous water’s wake.
Take a break from the water and indulge in a massage at the Elements Spa – they have a pampering experience for little girls at Scoops kid’s spa where young ladies are treated to ice cream-themed fizzy scrubs and delicious nail color manicures.
Still, the most exciting sound is your kid’s laughter that lasts throughout the trip. Our daughter slept soundly every night, exhausted by the day’s excitement. Every morning she awoke refreshed asking: “Mommy, is it splash, splash time?” And this time I could look into those eyes and say: “Yes, it is splash, splash time – always at the Great Wolf Lodge!”

Text and Photos by Krisha Chachra

Originally published in NRVMagazine

Although you don’t need a passport to get there, a trip to Sedona, Ariz., may feel like a foreign experience. There aren’t many places in the country that claim to be built on a vortex – an area where electromagnetic lines intersect to enhance linear energy flow. Although Sedona is enveloped by them, the city has four main vortex sites, which are havens for spiritual meditation and finding balance – Bell Rock, Cathedral Rock, Airport Mesa and Boynton Canyon.
The native American population, including members of the Hopi, Navajo and Yavapai tribes, consider Sedona sacred ground and recognized the power and energy of the vortexes long before Page Bryant, a local medium, named them in the 1980s. Once detected, a vortex is said to have an upward flow which boosts the expansion of one’s spiritual energy or an inward flow which enhances spiritual introspection. It is said that the life within a vortex is amplified; everything that grows in its radius is more beautiful and robust.
People from worlds away come to sit among the giant red rocks that look like they’re on fire during the sunset. The landscape feels magical with nothing but rust colored land and towering mountains that look like they’ve been built out of sand. Walt Disney was so taken by the site line in Sedona as he sat on a ledge overlooking Thunder Mountain that it inspired him to design his popular train-like roller coaster. So much energy, creativity and spiritual balance is centered here that even the local government doesn’t want development to compete with the perfection of nature’s surroundings. Strict ordinances and style books forbid retail and restaurants from building higher than two stories or deviating from the acceptable earth-tone colors for signs or paint.
If you’re not in Sedona to find spiritual fulfillment, it is still a beautiful place to replenish your energy, even if you don’t believe in sitting in energy fields.

Take a Pink Jeep Tour

The Pink Jeeps pop out against the red mountainside. This off-road adventure tour has thrilled visitors for more than 50 years taking up to seven passengers in a souped-up Jeep up and down the steep terrain. Definitely not designed for babies (although they do provide car seats for infants, I wouldn’t recommend it) or anyone with health issues, we opted for the Broken Arrow tour which took us in the heart of Sedona’s outback. During a thrilling ride of bumping and bouncing over steep hillsides into canyons, we learned the history of this great land from our knowledgeable adventure guide who managed to get us back in one piece despite driving down a dried out waterfall as a shortcut. Tamer, scenic options are available – pinkjeeptourssedona.com

Get a Spa Treatment

This city is a magnet for those who study the art of mindfulness and massage therapy. The resort spas are over-the-top exquisite – The Enchantment Resort being the most decadent and aesthetically pleasing. Boutique spas downtown, however, can restore and relax just as nicely. We chose Sedona’s New Day Spa which offered some desert nature body treatments with local flair such as the Turquoise Sage Mountain Arnica or Cedarwood Citrus Wild Chaparral. A traditional sweat lodge steam experience is also on the spa list. Come early to dunk yourself in the outdoor hot tub and sit around the table fire while you sip healing stone infused water and learn about your spirit animal.

Have a Fabulous Meal

If all this New Age living isn’t your cup of tea, try a modern dinner. Honestly, the restaurants in Sedona are top-notch – up there with what I know to be the best of the best. The experience at L’Auberge might most accurately be described as ethereal. In dining on the banks of Oak Creek, listening to water rushing by, you might feel like you’re in your very own Thomas Kincaid painting. The fairytale backdrop sets the scene for the rustic dishes, beautifully presented and garnished with elements of nature for dramatic effect (think moss and tiny twigs surrounding a smoky mushroom and onion soup bowl). The spectacular views from Che Ah Chi restaurant at Enchantment Resort go unmatched. The name comes from what Apaches call Boynton Canyon which is said to have prehistoric ruins, sacred spaces and healing waters. Get there a few hours before dark and grab a drink on the expansive patio. When the sun hits the rocks, the deep reds, oranges and yellows glow around you like a warm fire and you instantly feel at peace. That’s Sedona – energetic, breathtaking, spiritual – a place that’s good for your mind, body and soul.

Originally published in NRVMagazine