Kennebunkport, Maine begins to bloom in the springtime
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DESSERT FIRST. IT’S A A TIME WHEN THINGS STARTO KIND OF REAWAKEN FROM ITS WINTER SLUMBER. SPRING HAS ARRIVED IN COASTAL KENNEBUNKPORT, MAINE, AND THE TOWN SLOWLY COMES TO LIFE AGAIN. YOU CATCH THE BUSINESS AT THE BEGINNING OF THEIR SEASON, WHERE EVERYTHING IS FRESH. EVERYTHING IS NEW, INCLUDING THE NEW ROCOCO DESSERT BAR, AN EXTENSION OF ROCOCO SCOOP SHOP. SO THE DESSERT BAR IS SUPER EXCITING. FINALLY, TAKE THESE ICE CREAM FLAVORS AND EVOLVE THEM TO THE NEXT LEVEL SO SOME BECOME MILKSHAKES, SOME BECOME FLOATS. WE ALSO HAVE A FULL COFFEE PROGRAM COCKTAIL PROGRAM, WINE, BEER, AND OBVIOUSLY DELICIOUS DESSERTS. WHILE LIVING IN ARGENTINA, ROCOCO OWNER AND MAINE NATIVE LAUREN GUPTILL FELL IN LOVE WITH THE ARGENTINE ICE CREAM CULTURE. EVERY CORNER SHOP IS AN ICE CREAM SHOP AND I LOVE THOSE FLAVORS. AND SO I JUST HAD THIS AHA MOMENT ONE DAY THAT I WANTED TO MOVE BACK TO MAINE AND START AN ICE CREAM COMPANY, AN ANTHROPOLOGY MAJOR IN COLLEGE, LAUREN HAD NO EXPERIENCE IN MAKING ICE CREAM. I FIGURED IF I MADE FLAVORS THAT WERE REALLY FUN AND UNIQUE AND HAD A CATCH TO THEM, THEN N WE WOULDN’T HAVE TO STAY IN THE CATEGORY OF WHAT PEOPLE KNEW ALREADY. WE’RE TALKING OUT OF THIS WORLD FLAVORS. EARL GRAY SOUR CHERRY JAM AND PISTACHIO CUBAN COFFEE, AND THE ULTIMATE FAN FAVORITE GOAT CHEESE, BLACKBERRY, SHAMBO. I REMEMBER HAVING SOME GOAT CHEESE AND A BOTTLE OF CHAMBORD, AND I JUST SAW THEM TOGETHER ON THE SHELF, AND I THOUGHT, WHY NOT? THAT’S THAT’S AWESOME. YEAH. THANK YOU. IN THIS QUAINT TOWN, 90 MINUTES NORTH OF BOSTON, YOU CAN DINE, SHOP AND SOAK IN THE COASTAL CHARM. MANY SAY DOCK SQUARE IS THE HEART OF KENNEBUNKPORT. EACH CORNER STEEPED IN CHARACTER. MINKA QUICKLY CATCHES OUR EYE. EVERYBODY THAT COMES IN IS LIKE, OH MY GOD, THIS FEELS GOOD. INSIDE, THE SMELL OF LAVENDER, MINT AND ARTISAN BOUTIQUE IS A LABOR OF LOVE FOR MARRIED COUPLE MICHELLE ROSE AND CHRIS LA ROCHELLE. WHAT’S IT LIKE WORKING WITH EACH OTHER? IT’S GREAT BECAUSE WE DON’T ACTUALLY SEE EACH OTHER THAT OFTEN. YEAH, I WORK OUT OF MY STUDIO, WHICH IS IN KENNEBUNK. HE’S IN CHARGE OF THE STORE. WE WAKE UP IN THE MORNING, WE HAVE OUR COFFEE, WE HAVE OUR LITTLE MEETING, AND THEN WE GO OUR SEPARATE WAYS. YEAH, TWO FORMER CORPORATE RETAIL MERCHANDIZER SAYS THEIR MISSION IS TO FILL THE STORE WITH GOODS THAT FEEL RIGHT. I TRY TO SOURCE THINGS THAT ARE HANDMADE FROM AROUND THE COUNTRY. NATURAL. WE’RE LOOKING FOR MICHELLE DESIGNS. MANY OF THEIR PRODUCT LINES FROM STERLING SILVER AND SEMI-PRECIOUS GEMSTONE JEWELRY TO THEIR NATURAL BODY CARE LINE, WHICH MICHELLE CREATED TO HELP CURE HER OWN ECZEMA. SO HAND SALVE NUMBER ONE SELLER GOOD FOR ECZEMA, PSORIASIS, ALL NATURAL ESSENTIAL OILS, BODY BUTTER. SAME THING. AND THEN IT’S A CASTILE SOAP. AND THEN SALT SCRUB UM SALT ST AND KELP. UM, AS WELL AS ALL OILS TO KIND OF SLOUGH OFF THE SKIN. SO IT SMELLS SO GOOD. MEANTIME, CHRIS, IS THE STORE VISIONARY ARTIST AND FASHION DESIGNER CREATING THIS CLOTHING LINE EAST COASTING. THIS IS OUR NEWEST, UH, SWEATSHIRT. THAT’S GREAT WITH THE SCRIPTS. KIND OF AN OLD SCHOOL SCRIPT. THEIR SIGNATURE LITTLE G THERE. SO I’M PRETTY HAPPY WITH THIS. JUST CAME OUT. I’M LILIKING THIS TOO. YEAH. IT’S GOOD. MINKA’S NEXT DOOR NEIGHBOR, THE KENNEBUNKPORT INN DATES BACK TO THE EARLY 1800S. IT WAS A PRIVATE RESIDENCE IN 1801, AND THEN CERTAINLY CHANGED HANDS SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE IT BECAME AN INN IN 1926. WE ALSO HAVE 36 ROOMS ON SITE, ALL NAMED AFTER FAMILIES THAT HAVE A HISTORY TO THE BUILDING. ALSO ON SITE, THE BURLEY TAVERN. RIGHT NOW WE’RE FEATURING OUR BOTANICAL BAR, WHICH IS A VERY SPRING INSPIRED. IT’S REALLY FUN AND KIND OF TRANSFORMS THE SPACE HERE. VISITORS ARE WELCOME YEARR ROUN. PULL IN AND PARK YOUR CAR AND WALK EVERYWHERE OR EXPLORE ON A BIKE. THAT’S A FUN OPTION TOO. THE INN IS OWNED BY THE KENNEBUNKPORT RESORT COLLECTION. THEY NOW OWN TEN PROPERTIES AROUND THE KENNEBUNKS, AS WELL AS EIGHT RESTAURANTS, INCLUDING THE BOATHOUSE. IT’S A REALLY FUN, HIP PLACE. ON THIS DAY, IT’S HAPPY HOUR, FEATURING TWO SEASONAL DRINKS. THE CRUEL SUMMER AND GIN SOUR. SITUATED ON THE KENNEBUNK RIVER, THIS JOINT’S DINING EXPERIENCE REFLECTS THE AREA’S MARITIME HISTORY, SAYS EXECUTIVE CHEF JOHN SHAW. WE OFFER AN EXCELLENT OYSTER. BAR AND WE HAVE SOME UNIQUE TWISTS ON SOME LOCAL DISHES, OFFERING SOME ASIAN CUISINE AND FUN DIFFERENT VARIETIES AS WELL, INCLUDING ITS SIGNATURE TUNA POKE BOWL AND AND OBVIOUSLY, YOU CAN’T COME TO MAINE AND NOT HAVE A LOBSTER ROLL. IT’S A TOASTED NEW ENGLAND STYLE BUN. UM, WE DRESSED THE LOBSTER MEAT WITH A JAPANESE STYLE MAYONNAISE. SERVED WITH CLASSICALLY FRENCH FRIES AND SOME COLESLAW. DELIGHTFUL. JUST LIKE A VISIT TO KENNEBUNK PORT. WE HAD A GOOD TIME. AND BACK TO MINKA. WHAT IS THE MEANING BEHIND THE NAME? WELL, MICHELLE AND CHRIS SAY IT ACTUALLY MEANS DIFFERENT THINGS IN DIFFERENT LANGUAGES. IN JAPANESE. IT MEANS A TYPE OF HOME THAT ARTISTS AND FARMERS LIVED IN, AND THAT’S MADE FROM NATURAL MATERIALS IN THE NATIVE LANGUAGE OF PERU. IT MEANS THE COMMUNITY WORKING TOGETHER. MICHELLE AND CHRIS SAY THE NAME REPRESENTED WHAT THEY WERERE TRYING TO CREATE