Why didn't I think of that?

When we moved to Portland, Maine, last summer, we were excited about trying out an urban lifestyle - yet a gentle one at that. Portland is a small, friendly, and very walkable city with close proximity to spectacular natural beauty (Eastern Promenade!) and an abundance of outstanding restaurants. (So many, in fact, that Bon Appetit Magazine named Portland the "Best Restaurant City in the US" last year.) My husband, Bernard, who grew up in France, said half-jokingly that his primary requirement for choosing a new hometown was the ability to "walk to a bakery." Well, he can walk to at least 10! Walking at a brisk pace, it takes him just under four minutes to walk to his fave: Standard Baking Company. Good thing that we can also walk to a gym!

So when friends, many of whom are alums from our Provence tours, suggested we host food tours in our new hometown, it made perfect sense.

And so we did! In early April, we hosted our first Portland tour, and it was a huge success. See posted reviews. To inquire about bringing your own group to Portland for a culinary tour, either for a day or a weekend, contact Jenn at melimelotravel@gmail.com.