If you’re looking for something more low-key and meditative, try The Yoga Center (www.maineyoga.com; 137 Preble Street). The center offers classes based primarily on the Iyengar method of yoga, which is great for relieving tension and stress. (Hmmm, sound familiar?) Sometimes free introductory classes are offered. Whole Heart Yoga Center (www.wholeheartyoga.com; 150 St. John Street, 207-871-8274) holds classes based on the Kripalu tradition, which uses a three-stage approach to strengthen your body, mind, and spirit.
Sometimes we all just need someone to lend an ear. The Community Counseling Center: The Center for Emotional Health (www.commcc.org; 343 Forest Ave., 207-874-1030) is an accredited nonprofit agency.
Time to get out and EXorcise? Hit the Portland Public Market. Here you’ll find all sorts of delectable goodies, including specialty cheeses and bagel sandwiches at K. Horton Specialty Foods and Maine wines and microbrews. Pick up some fresh fruit, baked goods, and gourmet chocolates, and throw yourself a party! If you get hungry just browsing, stop for a bite at Scales, where you can indulge in a fresh lobster roll that will knock your socks off.
Not too far away is Victoria Mansion (www.victoriamansion.org; 109 Danforth St., 207-772-4841; open May-Oct., Tues.-Sat. 10 AM – 4 PM, Sun. 1 PM – 5 PM; $10. Holiday tours in Dec.), a gorgeous Italianate brownstone rich with frescoes, stained glass, and more than 90% of its original furnishings.
EXplore a bit at the impressive Portland Museum of Art (www.portlandmuseum.org; 7 Congress Square, (207) 775-6148; Tues.-Thurs. and weekends 10 AM – 5 PM, Fri. 10 AM – 9 PM, Mon. 10 AM – 5 PM summers only; $8). And honor your literary side at the Wadsworth-Longfellow House (487 Congress Street), where the bard wrote his early poetry.
For real adventure, check out the L.L. Bean Outdoor Discovery School (www.llbean.com). Tours and courses are available in paddling, biking, fly-fishing, sport shooting, outdoor photography, and leadership.
