President & CEO Beej Das Elected to Massachusetts Lodging Association Board

Boston East India Hotels is pleased to announce that President and CEO Beej Das has been elected to the Massachusetts Lodging Association Board of Directors.

Das will serve as North of Boston Director and will begin his two-year term on Jan. 1, 2015.

“I look forward to working with the Massachusetts Lodging Association, which represents the interests of a wide range of hospitality properties in Massachusetts, as Boston East India Hotels continues to grow our business in the region and globally,” Das said.

MLA is a trade association representing and promoting the lodging industry in Massachusetts.

It has more than 400 active property members, which include hotels, motels, resorts, inns and bed and breakfasts, comprising more than 35,000 rooms. Membership also includes more than 200 companies that supply products and services to the lodging industry. In addition, more than 15 colleges and universities that have hospitality programs are members, as well as a number of corporate members that represent companies which own or manage properties.

MLA’s first commitment is to create and implement an aggressive program to develop the business and leisure travel industry in Massachusetts. Its second commitment is to create a better business environment through legislative efforts and networking with related associations.

The association is also a member state association partner with the American Hotel & Lodging Association, which represents the lodging industry on a national level.

Das was elected to the MLA board at the association’s 2014 Annual Business Meeting on Dec. 16 at the Four Seasons Hotel.

Thanksgiving Travel Trends and a New Tradition at The Daniel

Thanksgiving is a time to celebrate family, friends and all those around you who make life better and fill up your days with the pleasure of their acquaintance. Nothing beats that decadent Thanksgiving dinner spread filled with both the traditional fare that harkens back to this country’s early days and also family favorites that have made the holiday meal special over the years.

While thoughts of Thanksgiving past may conjure up warm memories of a crowded table at grandparents’ house, the increasing trend now is for Thanksgiving dinner out or for families to take the holiday on the road for an extra-long weekend vacation. AAA Travel is predicting that 46.3 million Americans will travel this Thanksgiving holiday — the most since 2007.

At Boston East India Hotels, we are ever aware of the changing desires of our guests and customers. But we also wanted to jump at the chance to celebrate Thanksgiving with the family and friends that fill up our days and for whom we are very grateful. That is why our Maine property The Daniel is offering a Thanksgiving Dinner on Nov. 27 at Coast Bar + Bistro. 

Our culinary experts are in the holiday mood and they created a very special menu for a family feast as good as grandmother used to make it, but updated to bring a special feel to Thanksgiving dinner this year!

Coast Bar + Bistro has set up a fixed-price menu for $36 per person, $18 for children 10 and under, and kids under 3 eat for free. More details HERE.

Here’s what Coast Bar + Bistro can offer you for Thanksgiving eats — a mouthwatering experience that will allow you to enjoy the conversation and company of family and friends, but let your mouth savor same seriously good food, prepared 100 percent in the spirit of the holiday.

First dig in to some Butternut Apple Bisque with Nutmeg Crème Fraiche or Salad of Seasonal Greens, Roasted Beets, Herbed Goat Cheese and Pomegranate Vinaigrette.

Then loosen up those chops for three tremendous options.

Go for the traditional Thanksgiving bird with a Cider Brined Roast Turkey with Cranberry Apple Stuffing, Candied Carrots, Sautéed Green Beans, Home-style Gravy and Cranberry Compote.

Feeling in a pork mood? Try Maple Mustard Glazed Ham with Whipped Sweet Potatoes and Garlic Roasted Brussels Sprouts.

Or finally, get the flavor of fall in a wonderful pasta package with Pumpkin and Butternut Squash Ravioli with Sage Cream Sauce.

And don’t forget to make some room at the end to top off the meal with a dessert of Traditional Pumpkin Pie or Dark Chocolate Layer Cake.

In honor of Thanksgiving, Boston East India Hotels has compiled a list of some of the most popular Thanksgiving trends over the last several decades:

• In 2013, led by advice from food gurus such as Martha Stewart and magazines such as Bon Appetit and Saveur, bruleed pumpkin pies were all the rage.
• In 2012, the kale craze pushed many traditional greens off the plate, with creamed kale being the most popular dish served.
• Turkey glazes dominated in 2010, with everything from molasses, pomegranate, maple, cider, soy sauce and even malt beer dousing everyone’s favorite holiday bird.
• Sudden reports of the dangers of undercooked stuffing inside turkeys around Thanksgiving in 2006 had cooks across America taking the stuffing out of the bird and going with pan-roasted dressing.
• Thanksgiving 2005 was the year that the pig tried to take over and as a result bacon-draped turkey was popular, with recipes such as maple-roasted turkey with smoked bacon.
• The year 2002 has the distinction of owning the most outrageous Thanksgiving trend in the last 20 years with the “turducken,” a boneless monstrosity composed of a chicken stuffed into a duck stuffed into a turkey.
• Riding a late 1990s’ wave, balsamic vinegar took over 2001 Thanksgiving, with the dark liquid a popular glaze for everything on the table from carrots to sweet potatoes to squash to the turkey, itself.
• Right before the turn of the century the hip Thanksgiving trends might have gone a little too far. The result — truffle mashed potatoes, which rendered a timeless classic unrecognizable with copious truffle oil.
• In the mid-1990s, deep-fried turkey was all the rage, with the Food Network pushing the high-fat trend out across America.
• In 1995, the most recent Thanksgiving trends hit kicked off with an interesting note — faux turkey — as Tofurky, a vegan rendition of a roast turkey, stuffing included, was devised by an Oregon company.

We hope you will make your 2014 Thanksgiving trend to eat with us at Coast Bar + Bistro!

Partnership with Clean the World at the Heart of Boston East India Hotel's Mission

At Boston East India Hotels, we care first and foremost about our guests and providing a curated hospitality experience that is second to none. However, we are also dedicated to sustainability and the world we live in. We do not toss around words like green, eco-friendly and sustainability lightly, nor do we half-heartedly attempt to make a difference in the world today — case in point, our partnership with Clean the World at The Daniel.

Clean the World is a nonprofit organization that is committed to reducing the waste created by discarded soap and shampoo products, as well as helping to prevent the millions of deaths caused by hygiene-related illnesses around the world.

The organization does this by collecting, recycling and distributing discarded soaps, shampoos, conditioners, lotions and gels from hotels. The guest room hygiene items are recycled by Clean the World’s recycling operations centers in Orlando, Las Vegas and Toronto, and distributed, for humanitarian purposes, to children and families in communities around the globe.

Clean the World partners with some of the world’s largest nonprofit organizations and NGO’s, including World Vision, World Food Program and Harvest Time International, as well as numerous U.S. partners to help distribute soap and shampoo.

As simple as it might sound, soap saves lives and we are proud to be part of Clean the World’s Bed and Breakfast Partners and help the organization save lives around the globe.

Medical research has shown that hand washing with soap significantly reduces the impact of two fatal diseases: acute respiratory infection and diarrheal disease. These are the top two killers of children less than 5-years-old. By distributing recycled soap to those who need it the most Clean the World’s efforts can have a massive impact in the global hygiene revolution.

We also love that Clean the World has a tremendous track record of success.

Started in 2009, Clean the World has collected and distributed more than 18 million bars of soap to more than 65 countries worldwide including Zimbabwe, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Swaziland, Mali, Mongolia, Uganda, Honduras and Romania. The organization has operations in 50 states across the United States and 10 provinces in Canada. Its main recycling operations center in Orlando has the capacity to produce over 80,000 bars a day.

Clean the World’s recycled soap has been tested by TriTech Laboratories, a Florida state-certified testing facility, and given a 100 percent clean bill of health. TriTech infects soap to run through the standard Clean the World recycling process and checks to see what happens. The tests have found that all pathogens are successfully removed by the organization’s recycling process.

Clean the World has also become a natural disaster first responder — in January 2010, as part of our Haiti Earthquake relief efforts, it collected and distributed over 150 tons of hygiene products, medical supplies, water and other essentials to Haiti.

The green and eco-friendly benefits of working with Clean the World are also substantial. Since it was founded, the organization has eliminated more than 1.4 million pounds of hotel waste from polluting local landfills.

At The Daniel, partnering with Clean the World will help produce an estimated 250 pounds of recycle bars of soap annually, which equates to about 1,400 recycled soap bars distributed to children and families in need. The efforts will produce an estimated 200 pounds of recycled bottled amenities, which equals about 1,400 recycle bottled amenities distributed to children and families and need.

Annually, about 275 people are provided with soap from materials that are recycled from The Daniel.

Clean the World estimates that since the organization began its efforts more than 17 million children have died of diseases preventable with proper hygiene. With 18 million bars of soap distributed over that same time, it is clear that the organization’s mission to wipeout hygiene-related fatalities is an achievable goal — as a doubling of its efforts over the same time period moving forward could do it.

While The Daniel is just one of Clean the World’s 1,600 hospitality partners through North America — including giants such as The Walt Disney World Resorts, Starwood Hotels and Resorts, Caesars Entertainment, IHG, Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group, Best Western International, Joie de Vivre Hotels, Hilton and Hyatt — we are glad to play our part in the massive impact this effort is having.

We also want our guests to know that when they visit any Boston East India Hotels property they are also part of this effort to impact the health and well-being of so many around the globe. We know many of our guest do their part at home to contribute to the sustainability of our planet and improve the health of all in it, but when they stay with us they are continuing to do their part even when they are on the road!

The Daniel at the Heart of Maine's Foliage Season

Camden Harbor, Maine (Photo by Cornexo)

Fall in New England is famous for many things, but above all else, is the yearly pilgrimage of the “leaf peepers” as they are known by some. It is the time of year when the color and beauty of New England foliage draws travelers from all over to see nature in its most vibrant state.

Mid-Coast Maine has its fair share of options to see colorful foliage and at our hotel The Daniel the staff is more than happy to help any fall enthusiasts find their way to visions of New England at its fall finest.

The foliage traditionally peaks around mid-October in the Mid-Coast region so you still have time to plan that perfect trip.

Maine’s state parks are some of the best places to target for leaf peeping.

Camden Hills State Park provides spectacular views of fall foliage and travelers can do so from the road to the top Mt. Battie, as well as from hiking trails on Mt. Megunticook and Bald Rock Mountain. 

The Donnell Pond Public Reserved Land in Hancock County near Sullivan and Franklin offers ambitious foliage enthusiasts hiking trails up Schoodic Mountain and Black Mountain that provide vistas on surrounding woodland, lakes and Acadia National Park across Frenchman's Bay.

For most, foliage viewing is traditionally an activity on the road and viewed through the auto window and Mid-Coast Maine has no shortage of options for a scenic foliage highway.

The Daniel recommends:

• Tourism Driving Tour: Windjammers & Water Views
  Start in Brunswick and head north along the coast to Camden, then inland to Unity and south through Union and Damariscotta State Park.
• Tourism Driving Tour: Acadia Harbors & Heights
  Begins in Bangor and then travel along the coast from Acadia National Park south, with many scenic lighthouse, water and wildlife viewing opportunities.
• Million Dollar View (Route 1)
  This stretch of U. S. Route 1 offers travelers unsurpassed views of the Chiputneticook chain of lakes including East Grand, Brackett and Deering.
• The Bold Coast Scenic Byway
  The 125-miles long Bold Coast route extends from the coastal fishing community of Milbridge eastward along the coast to Lubec, the easternmost town in the United States, and then scoops around Cobscook Bay to Eastport.
• Blackwoods Byway
  The towns of Cherryfield and Franklin, which serve as gateways to this byway, offer many good examples of 18^th century and 19^th century architecture, as well as the chance to experience rural small town life. 
• Schoodic National Scenic Byway
  This route passes through the only mainland section of Acadia National Park and beautiful Schoodic Point.
• Acadia Byway All-American Road
  Following Route 3, this byway follows Route 3 into Bar Harbor, and then follows the park loop road thereafter.

If leaves aren’t your thing there are plenty of other things to do as well.

The Coast Bar +Bistro has a killer lineup of music throughout October.

On Oct. 3 is James Good Eye offering up a unique blend of alternative and rock, inspired by Lucinda Williams, Gillian Welch, Tom Petty, Bruce Springsteen and Emmylou Harris, among others.

On Oct. 9, is Aaron Nadeau, a rising young artists from Maine who combines masterful guitar with his own blend of poetic lyrics.

On Oct., 10 is Andrew Yankowsky, a singer/songwriter from Portland, Maine, who specializes in a unique vocal style and a mix of folk, rock, reggae and jam music.

What we do expect at The Daniel is a busy fall season and the numbers back us up.

According to a recent consumer survey by AAA, the fall is a popular time to travel and that — depending on the region — as many as three of four people plan to take at least one, overnight trip of more than 50 miles in the next three months. AAA has also reported that as many as 45 percent of the public reports they prefer “off-season” based on the potential for savings versus peak travel periods.

Mark Jenkins, a spokesman for AAA, said that people like to travel in the fall because they can find great deals, a lot of this stemming to school being back in session, allowing for hotels and other attractions not being as crowded and lower rates. He added that fall travel prices can be at some of the lowest rates you can find all year.

New research from Enterprise Rent-A-Car suggests that brief road trips and long weekends — of which the fall is a popular time for — may actually be the most desired vacations of all, even more than the traditional vacation of summer weeks at the beach. Enterprise found that two-thirds of Americans prefer to take a one-day or weekend-road trip as opposed to the one-third who prefer to take a least a week-long trip.

Whatever your fancy, Boston East India Hotels and The Daniel are ready to be the center of your fall getaway!

Reveling In a Truly Unique Musical Experience

For those that were at Boston East India Hotels’ properties The Daniel or the Stonehedge Inn & Spa last weekend, and caught one of the first-ever New England performances of the Gypsy All Stars it was an event not soon to be forgotten.

On Sept. 19, the Gypsy All Stars played at The Coast Bar +Bistro and on Sept. 20 the band lit up the Stonehedge Inn & Spa. Finally, the band helped launch Sunday Brunch at Stonehedge on Sept. 21.

A collaboration between former Gipsy Kings members Mario Reyes and Cedric Leonardi, the band explores the origins of gypsy culture in India and merges Indian and Gypsy rhythms.

We felt that bringing the Gypsy All Stars to New England was a reflection of the cultural collaboration we seek in combining Western processes with Eastern hospitality at our hotels. At the same time though, as their performances attested, listening to the Gypsy All Stars marry the classical Gypsy sound with Indian folk music is a truly unique experience and the result of an amazing collaboration.

We knew coming into the shows that the Gypsy All Stars was a band full of incredible musicians that put on a tremendous show.

But seeing them live exceeded all expectations.

Mario Reyes’ Flamenco-infused guitar playing is a treat to any musical palate and when he took the lead during shows the notes plucked by his able fingers floated about the air like proclamations to the world that this Indo-Gypsy fusion dream that the band is chasing is a beautiful reality.

Reyes singing is equally lush and layered and has an old-world vibe that resonated with the audiences on hand to experience sounds that were new to many, but welcomed by all.

Cedric Leonardi drove the band forward with drumming and direction that revealed his passion for the fusion-project. His approach to percussion is subtle and smooth and he has a light touch that is revealed as even more impressive when he shifted into denser passages and brought the full range of the drum kit into play.

His hi-hat rhythmic work, snare drumming and bass pedal footwork kept the band floating along on a smooth wall of percussive sound. It was also great to hear Leonardi’s input between songs on the band, the work they are doing and the song-writing process that is an ever-evolving master craft.

A real treat was the presence of the three Rajasthani folk musicians that helped the Gypsy All Stars first kick off their Indo-fusion odyssey last year. The band really burst onto scene with a headline performance at the Rajasthan International Folk Festival. During this performance, the Gypsy All Stars played, for the first time, with Rajasthani folk musicians. The infusion of Indian folk music into their sound has drawn universal praise and acclaim.

When the band traveled to the U.S. for its current tour, including performing at The Kennedy Center in Washington on September 12, and a number of West Coast dates, the Rajasthani musicians came along for their first performances in this country.

Joining the band at The Daniel and Stonehedge were Manjoor Khan, Nehru Khan and Dilawar Khan. Their presence definitely thrilled the audience.

While the Manganiars blended in perfectly into the overall sound created by the Gypsy All Stars, the times when they were able to step out on their own were a rare exposure to the tones of folk music that has echoed throughout India’s villages for thousands of years.

The folk musicians contributed just three examples of Rajasthani folk instruments — dholak, harmonium and khartal — but when they all really got grooving together it transported the listener to a different time and place.

The percussive drum beat of the dholak is difficult to resist and its rhyme was a real fancy for those that wanted to venture out on the dance floor.

The wafting tones of the harmonium layered a sound on top of which the haunting Indian vocals sat perfectly in line, the highest notes hitting with a power not often heard in Western music.

Lastly, the truly unique sound of the khartal — at least to U.S. music lovers’ ears — was a real pleasure as the hand-percussive instruments were teased into moments of pure repetitive brilliance. The simplistic instruments seem like they should not be to carry the impressive full rhythm that they can, yet in the hands of true folk masters the claps became all that mattered in the room.

While the Gypsy All Stars are a huge hit in Asia and parts of Europe, U.S. listeners are only just now discovering the band and Boston East India Hotels was proud to bring this cultural exchange and fusion musical experience to American audiences!

Bringing a Cultural Exchange to our New England Hotels with the Gypsy All Stars

Boston East India Hotels is proving it is more than just a world-class, global hotel investment, development and management company with our efforts to bring a unique cultural exchange with the groundbreaking, first-ever New England performances of world renowned Indo-Gypsy fusion band Gypsy All Stars  at The Daniel and the Stonehedge Inn & Spa.

The Gypsy All Stars will first perform a special acoustic show at The Daniel on Friday, September 19 at 8 p.m. The band will perform a second live show at Stonehedge Inn & Spa on Saturday, September 20 at 8 p.m. The band's final appearance in New England will be on Sunday, September 21 when the band will help launch Sunday Brunch at Stonehedge Inn & Spa.

Info and tickets for the show at The Coast Bar +Bistro are HERE.

Info and tickets for the show at Stonehedge Inn & Spa are HERE.

The Gypsy All Stars is a recent collaboration featuring former Gipsy Kings members Mario Reyes and Cedric Leonardi. The band explores the origins of gypsy culture in India and merges Indian and Gypsy rhythms.

Check out this VIDEO on the band. 

And check out this VIDEO of the band performing.

The Gypsy All Stars have built on the legacy of the legendary Gipsy Kings, a band that emerged out of the South of France in the early 1980s when the Reyes and Baliardos families garnered world acclaim for music featuring Gypsy beats and sensual rhythms.

Described as Gipsy Kings-rumba-meets-India-folk music, the Gypsy All Stars includes a fusion-music super group of musicians. In addition to Reyes and Leonardi, the shows at The Daniel and Stonehedge Inn & Spa will feature Zakir Hussein tabla prodigy Salar Nader, guitarist Alfredo Cáceres, bassist Hadrien Feraud, singer Amy Keys and Flamenco dancer Arleen Hurtado.

The Gypsy All Stars have also been invited to perform at The Kennedy Center in Washington on September 12, 2014 and are set to be showcased on upcoming specials on PBS and the Discovery Channel. The band also has swung through some West Coast dates on its visit to the United States.

Playing in the U.S. has helped the band build on the momentum it created last fall with a headline performance at the Rajasthan International Folk Festival. During this performance, the Gypsy All Stars played, for the first time, with Rajasthani folk musicians. The infusion of Indian folk music into their sound has drawn universal praise and acclaim.

We at Boston East India Hotels can promise you, listening to the Gypsy All Stars marry the classical gypsy sound with Indian folk music in an amazing collaboration is a truly unique experience. The band is full of incredible musicians and makes for an incredible act.

While the Gypsy All Stars are a huge hit in Asia and parts of Europe, U.S. audiences are only just now discovering the band. We are proud to help bring this cultural exchange and fusion musical experience to American ears at two of our hotels.

We feel that bringing the Gypsy All Stars to perform in New England is a reflection of the cultural collaboration we seek in combining Western processes with Eastern hospitality at our properties.

The New England shows will be the place to be and one of the most talked about music events in the region. Don’t miss it!

As Summer Nears End, Hoteliers Ready for Busy Surge

It’s that time of year again — the kids are starting to pack their book bags and add to their wardrobe for the start of the new school year and vacationers are eying Labor Day plans for that last big summer hurrah before the fall. Like most in the hotel industry, we at Boston East India Hotels are prepping for what promises to be a big Labor Day.

Based on booking data, Expedia is predicting that Labor Day 2014 will see a considerable increase in travelers booking air tickets, hotel room and rental cars compared to Labor Day weekend 2013. AAA  is predicting 34.7 million travelers will hit the road on Labor Day weekend. Last year, AAA said 34.1 million travelers hit the road — the highest number in five years.

So if they are right, this year promises to be another watermark!

In Brunswick, and at our hotel, The Daniel, late summer also means one big thing — the arrival of Bowdoin College students! When the college gets back to full swing it will bring just under 1,800 students to the area. From Aug. 26, the first arrival day, through Sept. 4, when classes start, all these students will make the trek back to Brunswick. This stretch is full of students and their families throughout Brunswick.

Bowdoin’s Class of 2018 arrives on Aug. 26 with a full day of activities and excitement to start of their collegiate careers. Orientation and First Year Programming includes Orientation Trips that send first-year Bowdoin students out into the local region for activities that including backpacking, hiking, kayaking and trips to coastal islands.

Bowdoin’s President Barry Mills will host a reception for parents on the evening of Aug. 26, which is always a big draw. Also, popular during the college’s orientation are visits to the unique Peary MacMillan Arctic Museum & Arctic Studies Center and well respected Bowdoin College Museum of Art.

Aside from those connected to Bowdoin, the local Maine community will certainly be keeping itself busy soaking up the waning rays of sunshine this summer.

Locals and visitors alike will not want to miss the last few August and early September weekends at the beach. In the Brunswick area, this often means treks to nearby Georgetown and the beaches at Reid State Park or the ever popular Popham Beach State Park in Phippsburg.

Another very popular attraction, as the heat dies down and the nights cool, is ArtWalk Maine, which allows guests to explore artist studios, galleries, museums, and assorted venues in beautiful downtowns across the state. ArtWalk Maine is a passport to discover the creative communities and working artists of Maine, from Biddeford to Bangor, Portland to Presque Isle.

Each year, about 80 communities take part in ArtWalk Maine. Traditionally, held on Friday evenings between 5-9 p.m., the events often include receptions, street performances and specials at local restaurants.

Our expectations for a busy end-of-summer stretch falls right in line with what hoteliers are expecting around the country.

In 2014, demand for air tickets over Labor Day weekend has increased 20 percent, with the majority of travelers departing on Friday, Aug. 29, according to Expedia. Demand for hotel rooms is up more than 30 percent and hotel room rates have increased as well, averaging just over $180 per night over this holiday weekend, up approximately 3 percent from 2013. While demand for car rentals has increased more than 35 percent, rental rates are slightly lower this Labor Day weekend.

While Labor Day has traditionally been more of a “stay local” holiday versus some of the summer’s other big weekends, the data suggests that it is becoming an increasingly popular travel option.

Expedia’s Sarah Gavin offers a few tips for saving over Labor Day weekend: consider off-the-beaten track destinations — the most popular destinations are often the most expensive; and be flexible with your flying schedule — consider flying on Saturday morning or extending your trip through Monday evening.

The 10 most popular destinations for Labor Day weekend are: Las Vegas; Chicago; New York City; Atlanta; San Diego, Calif.; Seattle; Orange County, Calif.; Los Angeles; Miami; and Houston.

According to Expedia, the best deals for Labor Day weekend can be found in:

Palm Springs, Calif. — Hotel rates are down 12 percent from last year
Charleston, S.C. — Hotel rates are down 10 percent from last year
Virginia Beach, Va. — Hotel rates are down nearly 9 percent from last year
Ocean City, Md. — Hotels rates are down 4 percent from last year
Austin, Texas — Average hotel rates are $177 per night, down 8 percent from last year
New Orleans — Average hotel rates are $172 per night
Washington — Average hotel rates are $145 per night
Denver — Average hotel rates are $144 per night

We at Boston East India Hotels say there is no place better for a Labor Day trip than Brunswick, Maine! Some of the most popular Labor Day activities for travelers in the U.S. include dining and shopping — which Brunswick has plenty of. For returning Bowdoin students, we say welcome back! For the new students and their parents, we hope your first collegiate send-off trip is a great one!

Coastal Living: Collection from Local Photographer offers Guests a Window into Maine’s Ocean Culture

Land's End on Bailey Island. (Pepper Gross)

Guests at Boston East India Hotels Brunswick, Maine, hotel The Daniel or visitors to the Coast Bar +Bistro can get a picturesque window into the soul of life on Maine’s coast and they have local photographer Pepper Gross to thank. Gross is the perfect example of the kind of local talent we want to use to inflect the spirit of the region into the guest experience at our hotels.

A native of Brunswick, Gross is in her senior year at Wheaton College in Chicago, studying international business with a minor in fine art photography and digital arts.

The 21-year-old has a passion for travel and has visited almost 30 countries throughout the Middle East, Asia, Europe and Africa, using her keen eye for landscape and the essence of local environment to document her travels with photos. She loves exploration, discovery and the use of photography to capture the diverse people and landscapes that the world has to offer.

For The Daniel, she turned this passion and vision toward the coast of Maine and the places she grew up. She contributed about 60 photos that are placed throughout The Daniel and the Coast Bar + Bistro.

The setting is mostly Harpswell, including Bailey Island, Orr’s Island, and popular local spot Popham Beach.

“For these photos I focused on the coastal area of Maine. I have grown up around here and I know all the scenic spots to take pictures,” Gross says. “I tried to take pictures that will engage both the locals and people who have not seen these types of places.”

The photos emphasize the variances of light in an oceanic setting, the ocean’s interaction with nature and the infusion of man-made objects representing the connection of people to the sea.

Gross calls the photos classic Maine images, similar to travel photography with a mixture of landscapes and close ups. They incorporate fine art, macro shot and still life photography techniques.

The motif of images connected to the ever-present lobster industry is common throughout the photos, as is the capture of trivial tidbits of the coast life set against the omnipresence of the ocean.

Gross’ favorite photo is a black and white capture of the statue of a fisherman in Land’s End on Bailey Island. The statue is an ode to fishermen, living and dead, and the lives they lead and the importance of their contributions to the local culture.

“That kind of just typifies the area I grew up in,” she says. “It is a classic statue that pays tribute to fishermen, who work hard all their lives.”

Another favorite is the shadow and light infused image of the Cribstone Bridge in Harpswell that connects Bailey Island and Orr’s Island. The bridge has a unique design that uses granite slabs from local quarries in an open cribbing placement that allows the tidal water to ebb and flow freely through

Cribstone Bridge, Orr's Island. (Pepper Gross)

the bridge. The bridge looms prominently in the background of the photo with a parking and boat launching sign detailing cost and payment information in the foreground.

“This picture shows the way that Maine-ards make a living off of tourism and also shows what the locals do — it is a combination of these two things,” Gross said.

The photos include both black and white, but Gross does profess a particular affinity to the black and white images. “I really love black and white. The ones that look best in black and white are generally my favorites,” she says.

One of the things Gross also loved about the assignment was the chance to revisit places familiar to her with a critical eye. “It was really neat just kind of looking at what I have grown up with in a different light,” she added.

At Boston East India Hotels we want to help guests at all our Troca Hotels collection properties experience the local culture. At The Daniel, the way Gross was able to walk through the region with her photos helps guests to experience coastal Maine living. The photos have already received numerous compliments and there is no doubt they will be a talking point for all visitors at The Daniel.

See below for more samples of Pepper Gross’ photos currently at The Daniel and the Coast Bar + Bistro.

Lobsterman's wharf, Bailey Island. (Pepper Gross)

Bailey Island. (Pepper Gross)

Popham Beach. (Pepper Gross)

To check out some of Pepper Gross’ other photography visit: Pepperspray.