My favorite part of this shot is the soft glow of the tugboats’ light on their maroon hull. The long reflections of the Middle Bridge and the silhouettes of the cranes on the waterfront make this a subtle shot, and one that I think is powerful and beautiful because it doesn’t need any adjustments to bring more to the scene.
In a simple glimpse, you can catch the beauty of the Portsmouth waterfront as seen from a harbor cruise. The tugboats, the Decks, the North Church, and the windswept surface of the Piscataqua River. It doesn’t get much better.
It has been finished. After many years of starts and stops, the building has finally arrived in all of its waterfront glory. Tenants include a few office users, and Portsmouth’s newest seafood restaurant, Surf Portsmouth. The building has an expansive deck with an incredible view of the water, and I’m sure all tenants on the upper floors will appreciate the knockout views on the water side. It’s wonderful to have our city street back intact on Bow Street, with a very cool staircase leading down to the waterfront. I’d encourage you to check it out, or peek through the windows to see the lush finishes in the entryways – or stop in to Surf for a drink. While the view of the water from Bow Street has disappeared from the old parking lots that once stood in the place of the Martingale, it’s looking infinitely better from the water side and from Kittery, where this shot was taken.
The Decks in Portsmouth have seen quite a change in the past few years. Poco’s no longer has its waterside locale, but has a new rooftop perch – as does River House and a few new restaurants likely to show up at the Martingale Wharf. In this shot you can picture the laid back afternoon as people enjoy the return of a tugboat and some ice cream by the waterfront. The Old Ferry Landing’s easily recognized bright red canvas (and logo) is a nice touch of vibrancy in this warm weather image.
In the latest installation of Portsmouth’s restaurants – Poco’s Bow Street Cantina is featured. Poco’s is probably best known for its nachos and outdoor deck/watering hole with delicious margaritas and Smuttynose on draft – but they also have a beautiful interior. Every time I eat indoors, I’m drawn to this beautiful painting with its curvaceous shape – mirroring the street the restaurant is located on (Bow Street). Looking forward to many outdoor visits throughout the spring/summer as long as mother nature is willing to make it comfortable, but it’s good to know inside I’ll be greeted by some old school New England interior.
I finally got out for a few evenings on the decks, including a nice dinner at the River House. Shame that it’s not really warm enough yet to enjoy a lazy night outside at 8pm…but it was gorgeous enough to warrant taking this shot of the spring sunset over the shoulders of the Moran Towing tugboats. I thought it was a little overdue to feature the tugs again. Stay tuned through the week for more shots from the Street AKA Museum exhibit as well as a new location I haven’t yet featured here on the site.
After chronicling the progress of the The Martingale Wharf project over the past couple years, it is finally in its final phase – and I must say, it looks like it’s going to be an awesome addition to the waterfront. The modern details (wire balconies and some granite on the facade) on the brick structure help it stand out from an otherwise ordinary addition. The new deck is absolutely massive, which is accessed from a nice granite/cement/brick stairwell that leads down to the waterfront and provides access to all the other decks. I can’t wait to enjoy a few evenings outside while watching the sunset and doing some top notch people watching. This looks like it will be a great spot to do all of the above.
