In early November, the JGL team got together for our 2024 Annual Retreat in Portland, Maine. The retreat is a special time for us to share industry observations, brainstorm on how to best serve our clients and bond over delicious food, cocktails and shopping! Tracy selects locations that provide a calm and reflective energy, and of course, have a vibrant food scene. Portland did not disappoint!
We started our adventure exploring The Portland Head Light within Fort Williams State Park. A Bite Into Maine has a food truck on the park property; obviously we had to get some Lobstah! Hands down, the best lobster rolls we all had ever tasted! We walked off our lunch around the park, took lots of pictures and enjoyed the iconic beauty of costal Maine.
Later that afternoon we walked around Portland and did some shopping! The team spent a good amount of time in LeRoux browsing cookware, olive oil and pantry products! In the evening, we met for our kickoff dinner at Twelve. You know that feeling when you go to a restaurant, and you know it’s going to be a special experience? Twelve nails it! Kudos to Executive Chef, Colin Wyatt and his team for creating an elegant and sophisticated atmosphere with an approachable and delicious menu.
The second day of our time together was focused on our work. The team came together to review all that we accomplished in 2024, share ideas about the future and discuss industry trends. It was truly a great day full of reflection, inspiration and good energy.
Then it was time for a yummy Vietnamese dinner at Cong Tu Bot, followed by amazing cocktails and some 80’s vibes at Cocktail Mary!
The third day was our fun day!!! First stop – The Escape Room. Team JGL was tasked with stopping Max Malone by finding damning evidence in The Blind Tiger, an underground speakeasy. It was a nail biter, but we made it out with less than a minute to spare!
On to lunch at Eventide, where we had oysters, the famed brown butter lobster roll, clam chowder, tuna tartare and Bloody Mary’s! The décor of the space was simple, but perfect. Blue and white, crisp and fresh, picnic tables and a beautiful raw bar.
Later in the day, we tested our team creativity at Muse Paint Bar! Our museum clients will be happy to know that we will not be participating in any curatorial consulting in the near future.
Our final dining experience for the 2024 team JGL retreat was at Chaval . Chaval combines French and Spanish cuisines to create bold and exciting flavors. After stuffing ourselves with caviar fingers, coq au vin and other delicacies, we made our way back to the hotel for a final round of drinks and board games at the hotel bar. Team JGL closed the bar down with a riveting game of Scattergories!
The 2024 retreat is truly one for the record books. We laughed, we played, we worked, we dined, we shopped. In short, it was awesome!! Where to next year? We are open to suggestions!!