The Great Lost Bear (review)

Food review in Portland, Maine! So I've mentioned before that my husband and I are new to Maine. Moved here several months ago and are still finding beat places. This St. Patrick's day my husband decided we would try something new. He looked up bars in Maine and saw The Great Lost Bear had a 3.9 star review. So we got dressed up and went out.

Parking: Off street parking woo who! My husband hates parking on the street and since we had never been there before was worried that since it's in Portland we would have to. Turns out they have a parking lot to the left of the building. It's a bit small but we found a spot and went inside.

Building & Decor: is a little worn and the inside wood, walls, and artwork are as well. Even though everything looks like it's been there a while, everything looks like it's supposed to. I don't know how to explain it but as soon as we stepped in we felt comfortable and chill. The overall atmosphere was bar you would bring family and friends too. The lights weren't to dark, the music wasn't to loud, and spacing wasn't to crowded. 

Service: Our waitress was pretty cool. All the servers were wearing green on account of the holiday I assume. They were pretty friendly and really patient answering our awkward questions. Having never been there before we had a lot of questions. My husband is really picky about his food and his beer. They explained sizes, sides, and their favorite foods and beers. Overall fairly friendly, but again just right, no fake smiles.

Menu: For such a small looking place they had a rather large menu! And my eyes were definitely bigger than my stomach.  I just couldn't decide and neither could my husband. They had salads that sounded tasty, burgers that sounded mouth watering, chicken that sounded delicious. There was a lot to choose from. The menu itself was pretty entertaining also. Little drawings all over the place and funny phrases to describe the food. It took us forever to order, not just because we couldn't decide but because we were having so much fun commenting about the look of the menu.

Food: Was amazing. Brought out to us hot & melting. My husband and I finally decided on 2 Philly Cheesesteak bombs. Shaved steak, grilled with green peppers, onions, and mushrooms. Melted on top was their seasoned cheese sauce. I didn't even add mayo to mine! The fries were great too. Not fancy, but definitely sliced and cooked, not from a bag. However, we did see some mean looking burger at the table next to us were a lil jealous. But that's for round 2!

Top it off: So I guess you figured it out. That my husband and I had a lot of fun and loved The Great Lost Bear. But there was something else that I couldn't keep my eyes off while there. Glass Etching Windows . . . as part of the walls separating the dining areas. If you've seen some of my other blogs particularly the Glass Etched Mason Jar one, you'll know I love etching glass. Now there's a reason these etching were so interesting to me. First they are on huge pieces of window panes and second none of of them were alike. Someone had designed them. And I'm dying to know how, who and how long did it take to do!?

So there you have it. If your in the Portland area and want great food and a relaxing place to chill and hang The Great Lost Bear has my vote. Hey! And let us know when you're in town. My husband and I always like good food and a good time!

Thanks for reading! 

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Have a Sweeter Day Than Yesterday! 

Glass Etched Mason Jar - Wedding Center Piece

Do it yourself crafts for everyday decor is pretty popular. I have always liked to make things myself, rather than spend top dollar for something brand new.

My wedding was no different. My husband and I were going through a financial slump around the time we were planning our wedding. But due to a waiting period of six years we were just ready to get the marriage over with. Both of us had lost a grandparent, him a year before and me a month before the wedding. We didn't want to wait till we had enough money for the perfect wedding, but no one able to fly or drive to be there for our special day. So we found the cheapest place that looked decent, bought a wedding dress on the sale rack, and looked into youtube for "how to" tutorials

At the time I didn't know what I was going to do for center pieces. I kind of wanted mirrors with candles laying on top but was a little nervous of little hands wanting to play with them or starting a fire. Then one of my bridesmaids called me and said she was at a yard sale and she found 12 mason for a dollar. It was a no brainer, 12 mason jars for a dollar or glass mirrors $5.00 each. I told her to grab them and I would figure it out. Most brides have the perfect wedding already all planned out. I was lucky enough to have no idea and tons of crafty ideas to decide from. I was ready for cheap and compromise, compromise. 

So I didn't want to spend the money on ribbon or lace because that can add up as well. I do glass etching in my free time and already owned Armour Etch Cream. Once I found sticker I wanted as my stencil I was in business. I found them at Walmart for $1.00 a pack. So a total of $12.00. Also I wanted more than just the mason jar sitting in the middle of a large table, I wanted a candle on the inside so my guests could see the leaf shape so I found candles at the dollar store. 10 tea lights for $1.00. Grabbed 4 packs just in case and then I needed to get to work. 

Step 1: Wash the Jars surface of all dirt or smudges. 

Step 2: Place the stickers on the jar in the arrangement that you want.

Step 3: Apply the etching cream on the surface areas you wish to frost/etch. Be sure to not let the cream touch your skin! The cream has chemicals in it that burn the glass surface, which means it's going to burn your skin. I like to wear rubber yellow gloves when I work with the cream. 

Step 4: Let the cream sit on the surface for 1 minute. 

Step 5: Wash off the cream and peel the stickers off the jar and wash well if it's on something you will be drinking or eating from. 

For a video tutorial [click here]

So after all the jars were done I still wanted some some added width because the mason jar clearly had height but on such a large table, not enough width. So I found Silk Leaves to place on the table. It added color and width to the table. The final touch? My aunt asked me what I was going to do with the screw on lids from the mason jars. I told her nothing, I didn't think I was going to use them at all. My aunt suggested I spray them with Glitter Blast Spray Paint . My uncle sprayed them and I loved the added detail.  

So here is the finished product:

Supplies:

                      



I hope this gave you some inspiration and some ideas for your future Do it Yourself projects.

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Have a Sweeter Day Than Yesterday