Federal Jack’s is the birthplace of my favorite Shipyard beers, and its second-story restaurant offers great views of the Kennebunk River. Picture this: We’re sitting outside on the deck in the sunshine, the river flowing by below us, a cold beer in front of us, awaiting a great lunch. Heavenly.

Some of my favorite dishes here are the beef and bean chili, the grilled crab and havarti sandwich and the Mediterranean sampler. Yes, the menu is long and creative. And yes, we always eat here when we are in the area.

Downstairs, they brew some great beers and many customers stop in at the store there to take home the brew they just enjoyed in the restaurant. I tried one of their special seasonal ales, Solstice, and it was refreshing on this hot afternoon. My sandwich featured chunks of golden-fried North Atlantic haddock in a delicious tartar sauce, served with crispy fries. You can get a half portion, and Linda encouraged that, but I went for the full portion — and ate it all. I love any meal you can eat with your fingers.

Our quick trip to Winthrop for lunch turned out to be a real treat. The friendly Kim Phinney does it all here, although her husband, Clark, helps on weekends and a daughter will be working there this summer.

From the colorful exterior featuring comfortable chairs, to the art on the walls featuring a different artist each month, this is an inviting place. While Linda encouraged me to order a low-calorie drink, I went with the Irish Creme Freeze ($4.10) and yes, it was a dreamy drink — cold, refreshing and sweet.

I was impressed when I saw the Red Barn’s famous seafood stew on the menu, but opted to try one of Kim’s creations, the turkey, Swiss cheese and bacon grilled sandwich ($8.80). It was delicious and filling. Thankfully, because we were too full (according to Linda) to enjoy dessert, Kim sent us home with her popular carrot cake.

Kim donates all the restaurant’s tips to various projects and charities, a wonderful gesture. We hope to get back for one of her five-course monthly dinners, and she told us she’s planning to offer brunch on Sundays this summer. Another reason to visit here. Thankfully, Winthrop’s a short drive from home.

Linda

The Cafe@130 Main in Winthrop has been open for a year now. I entered through the magnetized door screen (what a great invention) to be charmed by the bright tasteful wall colors and the smell of coffee and chocolate. You might not know you want coffee until you enter, but one whiff will convince you that you do.

The blackboard menu abounds with a variety of coffee creations, both hot and cold. Customize your selection by adding one of the many flavors. There are also smoothies, teas and even handmade sodas with seltzer water and flavoring of your choice, similar to Italian sodas.

Kim does it all. She makes the soups and enticing bakery delights, takes and whips up your order and serves your food. She is friendly, engaging and clearly loves what she does.

I tried the chicken Caesar wrap (on a spinach wrap) and was happy with my choice. Fresh, tender chicken combined with shredded cheese, romaine lettuce and Caesar dressing was made special with the addition of croutons. That crunch made the sandwich for me.

At Federal Jack’s, I immensely enjoyed the Buffalo chicken sandwich. Battered chicken was dunked in hot sauce and served with blue cheese dressing, tomato and lettuce. Yum. Sandwiches come with a choice of fries, fresh potato chips or coleslaw. Loved the fries — crispy perfection.

This restaurant can seat a lot of people. On a beautiful day it is likely that you may have to wait for a table on the deck, but inside seating offers nice views of the water as well. Our server told us that they double the capacity of seating in the summer. We love this place.

Music Theater — George

This summer’s first performance at the awesome Maine State Music Theater is “Ghost The Musical,” adapted from the hit film and rewritten for this production by Academy Award-winning screenwriter Bruce Joel Robinson. The large cast is superb, the story both romantic and wrenching, the singing fantastic and, if you’ve been there before, you know this is an intimate theater where every seat is a good one.

“Ghost the Musical” is playing through June 25, so you’ve still got time to see it. Actually, every performance here is wonderful, and we’ve already reserved tickets for the last musical of the summer, “Mama Mia.” Linda will have a tough task at that one to keep me from singing along.