New Hampshire Magazine January-February 2020

N E W H A M P S H I R E M AG A Z I N E JAN/ FEB 2 02 0

TACKLING A WINTER CLIMB Mt. Wonalancet looks good in snow, but take care

Page 36

GRANITE STATE CHALLENGE

The show that asks, “Are you as smart as a high schooler?”

Page 54

magazine

THE PRIMARY WINTER HIKING

Presidential Election Superfans Say:

G R A N I T E S TAT E C H A L L E N G E

You've Got to Love It! It’s NH Primary 2020 (Our 100th Year! )

WINTER FUN

Live Free.

LEARN CONTRA DANCE

Jan/Feb 2020 $5.99

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BETHEL

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B E O R I G I N A L . B E I N S P I R E D AT V I S I T M A I N E . C O M

JOURNEY

NO. 357

L A K E S & M O U N TA I N S R E G I O N

It was the kind of winter day you want to tell the world about. But we wouldn’t dare.

We were more than happy to put the phones away and disconnect. Because sometimes, that’s the first step in reconnecting. Especially when you’re with your favorite people in a place like this. Run after exhilarating run, we ‘liked’ and ‘loved’ and ‘lol-ed’ away the day. And tomorrow we’ll do it all over again. This is me.

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Contributing Editor Barbara Coles barbaracoles@comcast.net

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Contents

from left: photos by joe klementovich, elizabeth frantz and kendal j. bush; inset from left: photos by jessica beebe and kendal j. bush

36

44

Jan/Feb 2020

54

First Things

603 Navigator

603 Informer

603 Living

4 Editor’s Note 6 Contributors Page 8 Feedback

10 Winter Escape

THE INN AT MILL FALLS

24 Raise the Curtain

62 A New Old Store

photo by Kathie Fife

by Nicole Cotton photo by Matthew Lambros

photos by P.T. Sullivan

27 Politics

78 Health

by James Pindell

by Karen A. Jamrog

28 Blips

82 How-To

Features 34 Transcript

12 Top Events

OUTDOOR WINTER ACTIVITIES

by Nicole Cotton

Meet Big Top teacher Erin Lovett Sherman.

14 Our Town

by David Mendelsohn

by Barbara Radcliffe Rogers

36 Between Two Worlds

18 Food

TILTON

The Explorers and their friends take a winter hike up Mount Wonalancet.

LACONIA’S COLONIAL THEATRE

A DEFINING YEAR

AVENUE VICTOR HUGO BOOKS MOVES TO NEW HAMPSHIRE

HEART-HEALTHY DIETS

NH IN THE NEWS

by Casey McDermott

29 Artisan

by Jay Atkinson photos by Joe Klementovich

44 Primary Superfans

Not everyone loves (or even likes) our first-in-the-nation primary but for some, it’s the event. On the 100th anniversary, perhaps its biggest fans can convince you to join their celebration.

Or at least tolerate it.

CONTRA DANCING

by Emily Heidt photos by Kendal J. Bush

story and photos by Elizabeth Frantz

84 Calendar of Events

54 Check Your

Devices at the Door

No trivia question goes unanswered in the age of Google and Siri, but the student contestants of Granite State Challenge put aside their phones and test their knowledge the old-fashioned way — on a quiz show.

by Jack Kenny, photos by Kendal J. Bush

BOTANICA RESTAURANT AND GIN BAR

WHAT TO DO THIS MONTH

CARMEN VERDI

edited by Emily Heidt

by Susan Laughlin

90 Dine Out

by Jess Saba photos by Jessica Beebe

30 What Do You Know?

23 Sips

by Marshall Hudson

96 Ayuh

32 Out and About

by Bill Burke

LOCAL DRINK NEWS

by Michael Hauptly-Pierce

DRIVING THE TRAIL GROOMER

DISTILLER’S SHOWCASE

ON THE COVER The cover illustration features an array of past campaign buttons. Read about the 100th anniversary of the first-in-the-nation primary in “Primary Superfans” on page 44.

GOOD EATS

LEAVING NEW HAMPSHIRE

Volume 34, Number 1 ISSN 1560-4949 nhmagazine.com | Jan/Feb 2020

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EDITOR’S NOTE

Thanks, Mrs. Wagner About a year ago this month, my wife and I received a special honor at the New Hampshire Theatre Awards — mostly just for being stage parents who didn’t quit when our kids grew up, but I took advantage of the opportunity.

CUBICLE CONCERTS The Cubicle Concerts series features local musicians as they drop in to the New Hampshire Magazine offices, set up in our tastefully decorated cubicle, and do what they do best.

UP NEXT FROM THE CUBE: MORGAN CLARK

BOBBO BYRNES

Watch all the Cubicle Concerts at www.cubicleconcerts.com.

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nhmagazine.com | Jan/Feb 2020

W

hen you get a trophy and a microphone, it’s your chance to thank some people, and someone I’d always wanted to publicly thank, should such an occasion occur, was my fourth-grade teacher, Mrs. Wagner.

I still remember what she had written on the blackboard for the first day of school: “Welcome to 4th Grade, the Never-again Year.”

When asked to explain what it meant, she said that things change in fourth grade because students have reached an age where they start to understand the world outside and begin to become adults. It turned out to be true for me. It’s probably why, here in New Hampshire, fourth grade is where students start to learn local history with visits to the Statehouse. It’s a corner of life that you turn and suddenly find yourself in a much larger world.

I told the audience at the NHTA that Mrs. Wagner was the first teacher who really “got” me or cared about my point of view. She was probably the last, too, until I got into college.

“Thank your teachers,” I said in my speech.

“You may not get another chance.”

This issue of New Hampshire Magazine is special — a double issue — so we can publish a brand-new magazine concept for the state next month. Titled Lifelong New Hampshire, it’s about people who have experienced major life changes and challenges here — turned the corner on one life and entered another. We want to pass their life lessons along in an age of such intense change that we sometimes forget the days when we had time to process it all, and had people (like Mrs. Wagner) to help us make sense of it.

In Lifelong, you’ll meet guides and spirits who have “been there and done that” and who represent all phases of adulthood, starting with renowned ABC News journalist Jay Schadler, who helped conceive the project and who introduces it in a remarkable opening essay. Schadler has been something of a

guiding spirit for new journalism ever since his “Looking for America” broadcasts, in which he hitchhiked across the country interviewing people for ABC’s “Primetime Live” — a feat that he turned into the “Talelights” series for the Bravo Network in 2000.

Lifelong will offer similar journeys. We’ll traverse our state through the experiences of a young paraplegic woman who became a star athlete, model and spokesperson; a man who ran across the country to return to New Hampshire with a plan for the future; three brilliant actor/entertainers who, in their “retirement” years (one in her 90s!), are still producing some of their best work.

We all know that change is inevitable and hope it’s for the good, but Lifelong seeks to up the ante a bit. Life isn’t about mere change or improvement, it’s about transformation — leaving something you thought was essential behind so you can become something new.

With the whole world seemingly on the cusp of such a transformation, we hope Lifelong is an aid to this process on a personal level for you, our readers, as well as supplying the collection of great local stories that you’ve come to expect from us.

There was another person I thanked from the stage of the NHTA last year: our publisher Sharron McCarthy, who has guided operations here over the past 21 years. She’s undergoing her own transformation in 2020, leaving us to take on the leadership of Girls Inc. It was her courage and vision that enabled this magazine to turn its own corner into a larger world back when she first came on board. Just as every good teacher becomes a permanent part of your life, Sharron will always be a part of New Hampshire Magazine and we proudly dedicate Lifelong New Hampshire to her.

Thanks, teacher. We won’t forget.

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Contributors

Elizabeth Frantz, who wrote and photographed “Primary Superfans,” is an independent photojournalist based in Concord. She’s currently covering the 2020 New Hampshire presidential primary and more for national news outlets after nearly four years as a staff photographer at the Concord Monitor.

for January 2020

The Explorers, photographer and writer team Joe Klementovich (left) and Jay Atkinson, produced the feature story “Between Two Worlds.”

Longtime freelance writer and reporter Jack Kenny wrote the feature story “Check Your Devices at the Door.”

Frequent contributor Kendal J. Bush took the photos for “Check Your Devices at the Door” and “How-To.” See more at kendaljbush.com.

Jess Saba, who wrote “Food & Drink,” grew up between the White Mountains and the Seacoast. She uncovers stories of all types across the state.

Bill Burke, the managing editor of custom publications at McLean Communications (NH Magazine’s parent company) wrote this month’s “Ayuh.”

Seacoast native and photographer P.T. Sullivan took the photos for this month’s “Living.” See more of his work at pt35mm.com.

About | Behind The Scenes at New Hampshire Magazine Probably the biggest behind-the-scenes player here at New Hampshire Magazine, ever since its birth, has been our intrepid, passionate, patient and inspiring publisher, Sharron McCarthy. Since she took the helm, she has kept our efforts focused and our resources flowing during some rough months and through all the victories we’ve scored while putting out the state’s most popular and acclaimed lifestyle magazine. She was the integral force in creating new events like the Best of NH, our Top Doctors and Top Dentists parties, and the New Hampshire Theatre Awards, and has supported plenty of our crazy ideas along the way (many of them turning out to be not so crazy after all). Now, after 21 years, our publisher is departing to become CEO of Girls Inc. It’s a cause that’s dear to her heart. It’s also one of the many nonprofit organizations that she has served as a board member or volunteer over those years, and is so deserving of some goodwill and good fortune that we really can’t begrudge them for poaching our boss. At left is a parting gift “cover” we devised for her, adorned with some inside jokes and a quotation she liked to share with us at meetings: “In the end, it is important to remember we can’t become what we need to be by remaining what we are.” Thanks for everything, Sharron. Whatever we become, you will always remain a part of it.

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nhmagazine.com | Jan/Feb 2020

photo by john hession

Cover Woman

Trust needs to be earned. It comes from meeting the daily needs and care of our residents. It comes through regular preventative healthcare and extra attention when challenges arise. And it’s earned through treating our residents as though they are family.

SM

For over 30 years, The Courvilles have led the community in providing compassionate lifestyles.

We believe that an uncomplicated approach is best for providing healthcare for life.

If you or a loved one has some big decisions to make, it’s time to sit and talk with The Courvilles; in Nashua, Manchester or Bedford, New Hampshire.

Call us at 800.638.5503, and let’s get together.

Feedback

nhmagazine.com, facebook.com/NHMagazine & @nhmagazine

Cheap and Suggestive My husband and I just renewed our New Hampshire Magazine subscription because we generally enjoy it and learn about what’s going on in our beautiful state.

When the December issue arrived, we were both disappointed with the cover. Miss NH [USA] is a very pretty woman — and no doubt bright and talented — but having her on the cover in a cheap and suggestive pose we feel was a very poor choice. The background of a beautiful fireplace with a calming and inviting fire, I feel, would have been lovely on its own. Also, as a feminist, I generally have a problem with photos that seem to imply that a sexy body is still a woman’s greatest asset.

Susan Wolston Newport

Circumferential Zero Regarding “Back to the Drawing Board” in the December 2019 issue, how about the proposed Circumferential Highway around Nashua, which left a pile of dirt east of the “new” bridge across the Merrimack in Hudson, and no bridge north of Nashua?

Also, it finally resulted in the Hudson park where Benson’s Wild Animal Park used to be. This proposed project ran into environmental and local resident objections before being dropped in the 1990s.

Cal Knickbocker Nashua

Impeachment Drama James Pindell wrote [“Politics,” December 2019 issue] that there have been only two American presidents impeached and all impeachment dramas began in their second term. Not true. Andrew Johnson was in his first term.

Rick Weber Nashua

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nhmagazine.com | Jan/Feb 2020

In reading the November “What Do You Know?”, the name Minik stood out to me. I recently read a book entitled “Arctic Adventure” by Peter Freuchen. Freuchen was a man from Denmark who set out for Greenland in the early 1900s and settled there for most of his adult life. He wrote extensively about his time in the Arctic, and as it turns out, Freuchen was familiar with the very same Minik in the New Hampshire Magazine story! Although, Freuchen paints a different picture of poor Minik, as depicted in the excerpt below: “Minik was a great nuisance to all of us. He was an unhappy lad with a bad disposition.

As a boy he, with his father and four others had been taken to America. All except Minik had been stricken with an epidemic in New York and died. He had been adopted by very decent people and been given every opportunity, but he was a born good-for-nothing. He felt that rules did not concern him, and laws were made for him to disobey. After countless attempts to get him interested in something — anything — he was given the opportunity to choose a profession. His choice was to steal money and run away. He was apprehended at the Canadian border, sent back to New York, and finally brought home to Greenland on one of Peary’s relief ships. ... We had taken him into our house, and soon found that he did not remember a thing he had learned in America, and could barely read or write. ... In America he had longed for Greenland, and now that he was in Greenland he wanted to be back in America.” ­— Freuchen pp 79, 80, “Arctic Adventure” Certainly sounds like a man out of place to me.

I do not write this to cast an unfavorable light on Mene “Minik” Wallace. I was merely amazed at what a small world it can be sometimes.

Ashley Benedetto Alton Marshall Hudson responds: Outstanding! There are always two sides to every story, and this additional information not only confirms the basic facts of the story, but also sheds some insight into the perspective of the other side. Thank you for sharing this excerpt.

Stellar

New Hampshire Magazine is always a joy to read every month — packed with information on new products, new businesses, places to visit, newsworthy people, etc. I always look forward to receiving each and every issue.

Keep up the stellar job!

Lois Gilman

Follow-up ...

Guest vs. Ghosts

Regarding the online item “Mt. Washington’s Fatalities: Learn more about the casualties of Mt. Washington” [originally from our June 2019 issue devoted to Mt. Washington], the Nathaniel Hawthorne story referenced is titled “The Ambitious Guest” instead of “The Ambitious Ghost.”

It’s a great bit of historic literature, included, for example, in the “Norton Anthology of American Literature” (first volume), relevant to your readers, but apparently not your editors (?!). ­— John Seward, via email Editor’s Note: Duly noted. Anyone who namechecks the “Norton Anthology of American Literature” is welcome to offer our editors (all three of them) a little snark along with a correction.

Lost Logo

Editor’s Note: Last month’s Spot the Newt prize was provided by Coco’s Coffee of East Kingston.

We usually run a photo of the actual prize or at least a company logo, but a schedule glitch forced us to run without it. Here’s the official logo of Coco’s Coffee so readers will know when they’ve found the right stuff.

december cover photo by jason pietroski

Poor Minik

june cover photo by greg kretschmar

Send letters to Editor Rick Broussard, New Hampshire Magazine, 150 Dow St. Manchester, NH 03101 or email him at editor@nhmagazine.com.

emails, snail mail, facebook, tweets

Spot four newts like the one above (but much smaller) hidden on ads in this issue, tell us where you found them and you might win a great gift from a local artisan or company. To enter our drawing for Spot the Newt, send answers plus your name and mailing address to:

Spot the Newt c/o New Hampshire Magazine 150 Dow St., Manchester, NH 03101 Email them to newt@nhmagazine.com or fax them to (603) 624-1310.

Last month’s “Spot the Newt” winner is Shirley Willey of Hebron.

December issue newts were on pages 17, 105, 113 and 119.

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nhmagazine.com | Jan/Feb 2020

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603 Navigator “Winter’s sky is an old blue soul, weaving dark clouds with wonder.” — Angie Weiland-Crosby

Snowy Stillness Meredith’s winter magic

The quiet of this winter scene is a far cry from Meredith’s summer bustle.

Photographer Kathie Fife captured lakeside icon — the Inn at Mill Falls — blanketed by fresh snow, without another person in sight. Many think of this place as a summer destination, but in the less-crowded winter months it’s nice to stroll alongside the lake to the marketplace, where several cozy shops and restaurants are nestled near a waterfall. You can see more of Fife’s work at kathiefife.com, where this image and others are available as a print or postcard.

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nhmagazine.com | Jan/Feb 2020

Photo by Kathie Fife

Top Events 12 Our Town 14 Food & Drink 18

nhmagazine.com | Janu/Feb 2020

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603 NAVIGATOR

TOP EVENTS

Jan/Feb | Picks

courtesy photo

Outdoor Winter Activities

This year’s Penguin Plunge theme is “Nifty Fifties,” so don’t forget your jeans, neck scarves, poodle skirts and sack suits.

It’s easy to sit indoors by a cozy fire, but if you’re feeling a little too warm and looking for some adventure outside, look no further. In these frigid months, grab a warm coat (or a bathing suit?) and head out to experience the Granite State in winter.

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nhmagazine.com | Jan/Feb 2020

16th Annual Ice Harvest and Winter Festival 2/22, Tamworth Village

Today we no longer rely on ice chests to keep our food cold, but once refrigeration depended on the ice harvest. Get into the 1800s-era mood at the Ice Harvest and Winter Festival, where you can see farm animals, enjoy live music, watch an old-fashioned ice-carving demonstration and much more. remickmuseum.org

Weekly Guided Yoga Snowshoeing Tours Weekends through February, Intervale

Spend a couple of hours of your morning with a relaxing guided snowshoe walk and mind-easing yoga. Escape into the wilderness and find your center in a mountain setting during this mindfulness experience. This is for all levels of snowshoers with beginner yoga poses. crosscountryskinh.com

603 NAVIGATOR

TOP EVENTS

photo by steven lipofsky/ipofsky photography

ice-sculpting demonstration. While your children enjoy activities and games, grab an ice-cold refresher from the ice bar. And don’t forget to stroll around downtown Concord to fulfill any leftover shopping needs from the holiday season. intownconcord.org

Cosmic Tubing

Saturdays, Keene

Instead of staying in on a Saturday night, spend a few hours snow tubing under the lights. Light up your night with glow sticks and music as you glide over the snow under the stars at Granite Gorge. granitegorge.com

Penguin Plunge

2/2, Hampton Beach Check out Winter Fest in Concord for icy fun for the whole family.

Winter Carnival 2/6-9, Dartmouth

Celebrate the season with one of the oldest winter events around — the 110th Dartmouth Winter Carnival. Start your weekend off early with the opening celebration and end it with 99-cent ski day at Oak Hill and Skiway on Sunday. For more weekend fun, test your cold tolerance in the polar bear swim and try out the human dogsled races. students.dartmouth.edu

Winter Fest

1/24-25, Concord

1. 16th Annual Ice Harvest and Winter Festival Tamworth Village 2. Weekly Guided Yoga Snowshoeing Tours Intervale 3. Winter Carnival, Dartmouth

1

3

4. Winter Fest, Concord 5. Cosmic Tubing, Keene 6. Penguin Plunge, Hampton Beach

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4 5

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Participate in traditional ice block cutting, visit with Chinook dogs, listen to live music and more at the 16th Annual Ice Harvest and Winter Festival.

photo courtesy of remick country doctor museum

&

farm

Put on your winter clothing and enjoy a weekend outside with the whole family. Grab some hot cocoa and a s’more, and admire an

Do you have what it takes to jump into the icy Atlantic? Challenge yourself (and a friend) and bear the freezing temperatures for this Special Olympics fundraiser. Make sure to bring a blanket and a mug full of something steamy to warm up afterward. sonh.org

nhmagazine.com | Jan/Feb 2020

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OUR TOWN

photo by stillman rogers

603 NAVIGATOR

Touring Tilton

Find history plus great food and drink

By Barbara Radcliffe rogers

T

ilton’s story is inexorably linked with its namesake family. The earliest settlement, called Sanbornton Bridge, centered around the bridge built across the Winnipesaukee River in 1762.

West of the bridge, a sawmill and gristmill were built, and one of the original settlers, Nathaniel Tilton, established an iron foundry and later a hotel.

The first store opened in 1789, between the bridge and the mill, a route that soon became the Main Street. It wasn’t until 1869 that Sanbornton Bridge separated from the town of Sanbornton and incorporated as Tilton in honor of Nathaniel Tilton. This was proposed by his descendant and textile mill owner Charles E. Tilton, the town’s wealthiest resident. A decade later, he built the handsome town hall as a gift, but on the condition that the town’s name would always remain the same.

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nhmagazine.com | Jan/Feb 2020

Charles Tilton had made his fortune in the West, supplying goods to miners during the California gold rush and later in real estate, banking and railroads. When he returned to his hometown a millionaire, he built a Second Empire mansion on the hill overlooking Main Street. The mansion, almost unchanged, is now part of Tilton School, housing the library. The attached carriage house is the art center.

Charles Tilton’s story is told on the NH Historical Marker near Island Park, also a gift from Tilton. Reach the park and its gazebo, where free band concerts are held at 6:30 p.m. on Sundays in July and August, via an iron bridge. Tilton donated the bridge in 1881, and because of its innovative truss design, it’s on the National Register of Historic Places.

So are several other of Tilton’s gifts to the town, most noticeable of which is the

The 1881 Tilton Arch is a replica of Rome’s Arch of Titus

Tilton Arch. On a trip to Rome in 1881, Tilton was inspired by the Arch of Titus and returned home to build a replica on the hilltop opposite his mansion. The arch is 55 feet tall, made of rusticated Concord granite, and stands on the site of a fort used by the Pemigewassets. At its base is a stone sarcophagus and red granite lion. A park with picnic tables surrounds the arch.

The hill it stands on is actually in the town of Northfield, the river being the town line. Tilton had intended this arch to be his mausoleum, expecting that Northfield would merge as a part of Tilton, since the settled area spreads between the two and many public buildings are shared. But Northfield didn’t want to be part of Tilton, and Charles was determined to be buried in the town that bore his family’s name, so he built another mausoleum for himself in Tilton’s Park Cemetery.

The arch, park, bridge and the elegant brick buildings

603 NAVIGATOR

OUR TOWN

photo by jenn bakos

Kettlehead also offers beer to-go.

Grab a bite to eat and try one of the 11 beers on tap at Kettlehead Brewing Company.

bordering Main Street were not Tilton’s only efforts to beautify his hometown. He commissioned statues that were placed around the town center, four of which remain today. At the intersection of Main and Summer Street is a marble Native American princess representing America, one of four depicting the continents. Europe, represent-

ed by a woman atop a marble arch, stands at the western end of the business district (she used to be at the train station and is still known locally as Timetable Mable). Farther along Main Street, at the high school, is Asia with a lion beside her. The Wampanoag Chief Squantum stands on Main Street at the end of the Tilton Block.

Most buildings Tilton would have seen along Main Street at the end of the 19th century are still there, and a total of 13 are listed on the National Register. Several on the north side were built by Tilton, including the block at 277 Main St., with some of the region’s most elaborate Victorian ornamentation. On the south side, the Bryant and Lawrence Store looks much as it did in the mid-1800s, when Main Street was still a dirt lane. Its third-generation owner, Bill Lawrence Jr., carries everything from sandpaper to faucets (which he can tell you how to install) in the vanishing tradition of a local hardware store.

It’s hard to miss the Gemini Health Emporium next door — with its bright yellow and blue exterior, it’s not a shrinking

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easterseals.com/nhevents THANKS TO OUR MAJOR SPONSORS It’s A Matter Of Trust

nhmagazine.com | Jan/Feb 2020

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violet. Inside are spices, herbs, health foods and bulk grains, as well as local eggs.

Along with these two longtime community-oriented stores are a couple of restaurants that have been part of the Main Street fabric for decades. Pauli’s Bakery and Restaurant serves breakfast and lunch; weekend breakfasts of eggs Benedict or blueberry pancakes are a local tradition.

On the other side of the street, past the Gothic Revival Trinity Episcopal Church (another on the National Register) is Tilton House of Pizza. Known as T-HOP, it’s an informal community center where local school teams go to celebrate. There’s never been a shortage of places to eat in Tilton, but several new kids on the block have added to the choices.

V’s Sandwich specializes in bánh mì, delectable Vietnamese sandwiches layered with meats and pickled vegetables on a baguette. V’s blends their own chai, and the variety of fruit bubble teas is staggering. Across the street, Casamigos serves authentic Mexican dishes in a bright, cheery atmosphere. Near the high school, Kettlehead Brewing Company is getting rave reviews for its 11 on-draft pours and a menu of housemade burgers, pizzas, hearty sandwiches and other bar favorites with a fresh approach.

If you’d like to spend some time admiring all the architecture in Tilton’s Historic District and sample some of its new dining options, the Black Swan Inn is on West Main Street. On three riverside acres with lovely gardens, the 1880s house features stained glass window panels and antique furnishings in a restrained Victorian style. NH

Learn more Pauli’s Bakery and Restaurant (603) 286-7081

Tilton House of Pizza (603) 286–7181

V’s Sandwich (603) 286-8899

Casamigos

(603) 729-0062

Kettlehead Brewing Company (603) 286-8100 kettleheadbrewing.com

Black Swan Inn (603) 286-4524 blackswaninn.net

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4 Color

603 NAVIGATOR

FOOD & DRINK

Slow Down & Savor the French Way Botanica Restaurant and Gin Bar makes dining an occasion again

BY JESS SABA, PHOTOS BY JESSICA BEEBE

Gin-cured salmon tartare with juniper crackers 18

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FOOD & DRINK

B

otanica Gin Bar and Restaurant is special. It’s a French jewel box of a restaurant in Portsmouth’s West End neighborhood where you can steal a special moment for yourself.

Botanica opened this year when a small, street-level space became available in a revitalized mill building on Brewery Lane.

Created by local chef and owner Brendan Vesey, the intimate space offers many delights, and is beautifully lit with calming tones, white-washed brick and tempered light globes, conjuring the atmosphere of a romantic movie scene in 1920s Paris.

You’re welcomed to a time when going out to eat was an occasion.

“I like to think about when our grandparents’ generation went to dinner. They didn’t go as often, so it was a special occasion in itself,” says Vesey. “I want all of our guests to feel like they are part of a celebration, even if it’s just to celebrate the end of a workday alone. You don’t have to dress up, but if you do, you won’t feel out of place.”

The experience I was greeted like a long-lost friend, and my water glass was never below half-full.

The attentive staff checked in at the right

I sat at the bar. The restaurant is small, but doesn’t feel cramped — more cozy and intimate. A group of women across the room propped their elbows on the table, and delighted in thinly sliced toasted baguette served with homemade spreads of smoked trout, duck liver mousse and olive tapenade.

They ordered cocktails and seemed to enjoy their pre-appetizer appetizer, or accompaniment, which is a rare section to find on a menu. The selection of homemade spreads would work well beside an entrée, or to pair with drinks during a lazy cocktail hour.

I emulated the women, but opted for a small bite of agnolotti, a handmade pasta stuffed with corn and topped with Parmesan crisps, while I considered my cocktail options.

What’s so special about gin?

The Empress gin and tonic with Indigo gin and Fever Tree tonic water

frequency so that I felt cared about, but not under surveillance.

Part of the enjoyment of a meal at Botanica is the guidance Vesey gives by minimizing choices and offering only enduring classics, focusing on quality and consistency over range.

“Our craft cocktail bar is constrained by space. We wanted to have a deep selection of one spirit and take it seriously. When I think of cocktails, a gin drink is a neat synergy of its parts,” says Vesey.

The bartender will weave you through a wealth of gin flavor profiles: herbal, floral, spruce, citrus, spicy and crisp.

“We take a classic cocktail, say ‘The Last Word,’” says Vesey of a 1920s citrus and

Duck meatballs with bigarade sauce (a classic French orange sauce traditionally served with duck), zucchini and spinach nhmagazine.com | Jan/Feb 2020

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FOOD & DRINK

“I want all of our guests to feel like they are part of a celebration, even if it’s just to celebrate the end of a workday alone. You don’t have to dress up, but if you do, you won’t feel out of place.”

— Chef Brendan Vesey their go-tos and to try something new.

Duck is a very French protein Chef de Cuisine Christopher Cherim plates the duck confit.

gin beverage. His bartender pours it with New Wave Gin, which is “herby to knock down the sweetness,” says Vesey. The drink is delicious, and decidedly well-balanced.

A new gin drinker might go straight for the increasingly popular cocktail the Negroni, but might also be encouraged to stray outside

To see three duck dishes on the menu is an indicator of a chef who knows the delights of waterfowl, where to source the birds, and how to break them down into a variety of dishes like duck liver mousse, duck meatballs and duck confit. It makes you wonder who’s behind those swinging doors.

“When I’m cooking, time slows down. It’s a beautiful thing to be cooking. When a plate is finished, you just know,” says Vesey. “I don’t

need to invent a new cuisine. I like craft and technique, and to do it again and again and again, to see how good I can make it.”

On his recommendation, I ordered the confit. The duck’s brown, crisp skin and buttery leg meat were delicious. The tender rings of leek bathed in red wine jus and French gnocchi topped the whole meal off perfectly.

I didn’t order the fried pork cutlet, but I’m told by the bartender it should be a priority on return.

Duck confit with French gnocchi, leeks and red wine jus

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FOOD & DRINK

603 NAVIGATOR

Enna Chocolate (of Epping) soufflé with vanilla crème Anglaise

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Share the desserts I made my way slowly to dessert, choosing the cardamom crème brûlée with blueberries and lemon zest. The dish gently unfolded, with the finish of lemon brightening the cardamom in the custard. I wanted to go back in time and tweak every vanilla or caramel crème brûlée I’d ever had.

The woman next to me said that for the last four months she’d been trying to find the time to get to Botanica so she could share the crème brûlée with her husband.

When the dessert came, she let him take the first crack at its sugary shell. “This

FOOD & DRINK

is why I married you,” he laughed. “You always find the best snacks.”

Plan a visit As a chef who focuses on the restorative magic of a great dining experience, Vesey wants people to leave feeling better than they did when they arrived. “Everyone that comes in is a friend we haven’t met yet,” he says.

Try Botanica to remind yourself that dining is an experience, not a habit nor a task. Return for the consistency offered by a dedicated chef and staff who are working together to make each meal better than the last. NH

Find It Botanica Restaurant and Gin Bar

110 Brewery Ln., Portsmouth botanicanh.com (603) 373-0979 Open Tuesday-Saturday 4 p.m.-close Left: Natalee Stimpson serves an Empress gin and tonic.

Below: Stimpson (right) and fellow bartender Brittany Davenport enjoy dinner.

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603 NAVIGATOR

SIPS

Sips

Local beverage news and reviews by Michael Hauptly-Pierce

As the cold weather settles in, warm up with whiskey

Concord speakeasy Chuck’s BARbershop

W

hiskey comes from the Irish Gaelic “usquebaugh” or Scots Gaelic “uisge beatha,” meaning water of life. Whiskey was likely the first thing Europeans distilled after they borrowed the technology from the Persian Alchemists, with the first records of stills in Scotland and Ireland, but our journey begins at CHUCK’S BARbershop, a speakeasy in Concord. To set the scene, one enters through a hidden door in a barbershop. Industrial Revolution-era brickwork and beams greet you, with scattered chalk art of flappers and dandies adorning the walls behind a mix of comfy low seating and high-tops. There are plenty of niches and alcoves, as well as a swoopy bar with a dozen or so seats. After pondering possibilities with Watson the bartender and potentate of potent potables, we decide on a single-barrel bottling of Maker’s Mark Private Select, only available here and two other spots under the same ownership

group. Staves (the long, rounded side pieces) from a selection of varied barrels were put in the aging barrel with the spirit, to create a unique batch with each combination. French oak is the big player here, with a ton of winelike notes of vanilla and light toast.

I sat down with bartender Jeremiah upon arriving at Cheddar and Rye, just off Elm Street in Manchester. They offer over 300 whiskies, and have the knowledgeable staff to back it up. I choose Sagamore Straight Rye, from Maryland. It hit me with a big nose of dried fruit esters, and opened up with a splash of maple syrup. The flavor led with apricot and less rye bite than I expected, and continued with a not-cloying sweetness. The finish was peach and a wisp of ginger. As the closing notes lingered, the place started filling up (I arrived before hours) and I took note of the vibe — repurposed barrels, phone booths for cell

conversations, whiskey bottles beyond my peripheral vision, and happy folks talking about whiskey. Visit Cheddar and Rye. Back in the fall a “foliage” drive with my wife somehow ended up at Cooper’s Hill Public House in Peterborough. Let’s begin by saying they have a 40-page whiskey guide, and my three samplings were spot on.

An Irish pub with a bit of a whiskey problem, it seemed like a place my great-grandmother Dunt would remember from home.

But I drank scotch. And good scotch, at that. My favorite was BenRiach Burgundy, which melded a salty cranberry nose with a smoky toffee middle and a gently warming finish. The Glengarish 12 year was like an alcoholic Earl Grey with a coconut on his head, all bergamot and tropics. The Balvenie Portwood 21 was, for the price, a bit of a letdown. It did everything a port-aged scotch should do, but frankly not as well as the much more affordable Glenmorangie Quinta Ruban. There are many shops and a brewery all within walking distance, so plan an hour to just walk around the dot on the map that inspired “Our Town.”

Neat or with a splash, pot or kettle still, ’Murican or imported, just show me the way to the next whiskey bar.

Michael Hauptly-Pierce is the co-founder of Lithermans Limited Brewery in Concord. nhmagazine.com | Jan/Feb 2020

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603 Informer "I regard the theatre as the greatest of all art forms, the most immediate way in which a human being can share with another the sense of what it is to be a human being.� — Oscar Wilde

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Photo by Matthew Lambros

Politics 27 Blips 28 Artisan 29 What Do You Know? 30 Out and About 32

Raise the Curtain

Renovations for the Colonial Theatre are underway

BY NICOLE COTTON Standing in Laconia’s Colonial Theatre today, you can still imagine how it must have looked when it first opened in 1914. Despite the current disrepair, the bones of a beautiful performing arts space remain. Soon, though, you won’t have to imagine the gilded details and bright paint — renovations to restore the theater to its original state are in progress.

The Colonial was built under the direction of then-owner and Venice, Italy, native Benjamin Piscopo, and was designed by George L. Griffin in the neoclassical style, hence the mural of a Venetian scene pictured here. The 1,400-seat theater used to show a mix of stage shows, vaudeville and even films, and when renovations are complete, the theater will be a multiuse performing arts

nhmagazine.com | Jan/Feb 2020

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center with 750 seats, with 450 at the orchestra level and 300 in the balcony. Renovations began in October, and will include other storefronts and apartment spaces alongside the theater. Justin Slattery, executive director of the Belknap Economic Development Council, which owns the Colonial property, says that the renovations should be a “catalytic project for Laconia and the region.� The project is one of the largest historic preservation projects in state history, and the finished design, performance and technical capacity will make it one of the most advanced civic auditoriums in New Hampshire. NH

courtesy photos

The Colonial Theatre opened in 1914, and is now undergoing renovations that will include modern technology, accessibility upgrades and extensive historic rehabilitation.

The opening photo is from Matt Lambros' book "After the Final Curtain: The Fall of the American Theatre," in which you can learn more about the Colonial Theatre as well as other theaters from around the country. See more at afterthefinalcurtainbook.com and afterthefinalcurtain.net.

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603 INFORMER

illustration by peter noonan

POLITICS

Questions: 2020 Predicting the unpredictable

BY JAMES PINDELL

I

t’s clear that the year 2020 could define the nation for decades, if not longer. The presidential race will likely be the most expressive and potentially hardest-fought, and will take place when America is more divided than at any other time in living history. That’s before even bringing up impeachment.

This year could also help define New Hampshire politics. Here are three reasons why: 1. What will Corey Lewandowski do?

Lewandowski, the Windham resident and campaign manager for Donald Trump’s 2016 presidential run, seems to be quite serious about jumping into the US Senate contest to challenge Democratic incumbent Jeanne Shaheen.

His decision about whether to run will have an impact in two ways beyond just who will represent the Granite State in the Senate.

First, his decision could easily help define the state Republican Party going forward. Yes, in 2019, the state party already fully went into the fold as being a Trump party. Heck, the state Republican

chair was one of Trump’s New Hampshire co-chairs. A Lewandowski Senate run would tie the presidential race as the most high-profile contest in the state, and could have a huge impact down the ballot for Republicans. It could also blunt efforts of any other GOP-ers already running for Senate, minimizing their chances of emerging as rising stars.

Second, if he doesn’t run, most believe that Sen. Shaheen will essentially cruise to a third term. Not only will that allow her to hoard money and scare off opponents for her next reelection (should she seek one), she may also not invest as much in grassroots organizing since national money could be better spent in closer contests.

That might have an impact above her on the ballot as it relates to the Democratic presidential nominee in the swing state.

2. What will Joyce Craig do?

Like Lewandowski, Craig, a Democrat, who was just reelected Manchester mayor, could single-handedly decide whether a major race will be competitive in the state.

In this case, watch for a push to get Craig in the race for governor to take on popular Republican incumbent Chris Sununu.

While there are already two Democrats in the race — State Senate Majority Leader Dan Feltes and Executive Councilor Andru Volinsky — Democrats of late like nominating women for major offices.

3. What exactly will happen with the new state law involving college students and voting?

A new state law, which could potentially be in effect for the February presidential primary, would essentially force college students and other new or transient residents who wish to vote here to register their cars in the state and get drivers’ licenses. As of this issue’s deadline, the law is still hung up in the courts, with Democrats and the ACLU arguing that it’s essentially a poll tax. Republicans, who passed the law, argue that it shouldn’t be too high of a bar for voting to make those domiciled here become actual residents.

There is a lot of confusion over how to implement the law, but it could have a lot of impact in college towns like Durham and Hanover. Yes, they are smaller towns, but consider that the US Senate race between Republican Kelly Ayotte and Democrat Maggie Hassan was only decided by a thousand or so votes. NH nhmagazine.com | Jan/Feb 2020

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IN THE NEWS

Blips Bridge to home: What started as a holiday tradition for a Hollis grandmother has now grown into a gigantic greeting card operation — and attracted worldwide attention, including from CNN. Laura Landerman-Garber was featured in the network’s feel-good series, “The Good Stuff,” for her effort to distribute “over 100,000 cards to all five branches of the US military stationed all over the world.”

“The thought of someone being away at a time when in our culture, in American culture particularly, the holidays are all about gathering together,” she told CNN. “For me, I wanted to be able to reach out and just maybe give a little bit of a bridge so that person who is far away feels a little tiny bit closer to home.”

A wedding ring missing on a mountain and a plea for help

BY CASEY MCDERMOTT Like so many wonderful stories of our time, this one started with a Facebook post. Well, first a hike gone slightly awry — and then a Facebook post.

“After a great Hancock Loop hike today I got back to the car and realized the wedding ring I started the hike with didn’t make it back,” began Bill Giguere’s plea for help in a Facebook group for enthusiasts of the Granite State’s 4,000-footers.

“If anyone is bagging the Hancocks this weekend I would be eternally grateful if you were able to find it,” he continued. “The most likely spot is at the lookout near north peak, as I swapped in a new pair of gloves there.”

The post prompted a few sympathetic comments, but eventually — a few days later — there was an offer to help.

“I will be up there Saturday,” Thomas Gately replied in a comment on Giguere’s public post. “I will definitely give it a long look.”

The pair exchanged a series of comments back and forth — Giguere shared photos of the spots he thought

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the ring might be, Gately mentioned he might have a metal detector he could bring up to assist his search.

When Giguere said he appreciated Gately’s help, the latter responded, “No problem. It adds a little spice to the hike.”

A day after the hikers’ initial conversation, Gately returned to the Facebook thread with good news: “Got it!!”

Giguere quickly replied, “You are my hero!”

The men, who both live in Massachusetts, told WMUR they met up soon after to reunite the ring with its owner.

Before long, their tale got picked up by WMUR and other local outlets, but it was only a matter of time before it made it onto the radar of national news outlets. (“New Hampshire hiker’s plea for help finding lost wedding ring on mountain has surprise ending,” the Fox News headline read.)

As those news outlets reported, Gately’s metal detector turned out to be part of the key to finding the ring. But as he told WMUR, it was a team effort: “Good directions from [the ring’s owner] Bill, a little luck, a little fate and it all came together at that spot.” NH

Pricey: ’Tis the season for year-end rankings — and if two recent internet clickbait lists are any indication, you might want to be careful shopping for real estate in Rye Beach and give thought to settling down in Nashua. A website called PropertyShark, whose veracity we can’t vouch for, put Rye Beach as the 46th most expensive community in the United States and the most expensive in the state, “with a median sale price of $1.9 [million],” according to their data. Meanwhile, USA TODAY spotlighted its own list of the best suburbs in every state, according to another site calling itself 24/7 Wall St. In that index, which examined “commute time, home size, crime rates and income,” Nashua came out on top in the Granite State. (Though given the hometown pride across the state, we’re sure plenty of residents in other communities would be happy to debate for their claim to that title.)

Pumpkin boats: It might be a little cold for pumpkins at the moment — but if winter’s got you dreaming of a more autumnal scene, you can relive one of the state’s best fall traditions thanks to Atlas Obscura, which featured the Goffstown Pumpkin Regatta on its YouTube page. The wildly popular travel site caught up with several local pumpkin craftsmen (and women) to find out what it takes to transform a gourd into a boat capable of carrying someone down the Piscataquog River. We’d recommend watching the video for yourself to see how their efforts to create their own pumpkin ship turned out.

courtesy photos

Lost and Found

courtesy photos

Monitoring appearances of the 603 on the media radar since 2006

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ARTISAN

Drawn to Pencil Making paper come alive

By Susan Laughlin

courtesy photos

T

here is a story between the lines of every pencil drawing by Carmen Verdi.

In his words: “It was October 8, 2005.

Everything was a blur. I had just arrived at jail in Middleton, Massachusetts, an inmate, falsely accused and numb. What I was about to face filled me with dread. From day one, I stayed awake all night and slept all day.

During one of those sleepless nights, I saw it. A light. Of all the cells where I could have been, mine had a small beam of light shining all night from the corridor outside.

I grabbed on that ray of light and retreated to the thing that had given me comfort as a child — drawing. Virtually overnight, I had

a stack of commission work.” Verdi became the Massachusetts House of Corrections bed number 60’s portrait artist, sketching portraits on the back of intake forms and charging $5 in food.

Ninety-one days later, he was found innocent and released. He and his wife moved to Nashua and started a business, but the pull to draw continued, and he sketched into the wee hours. A vindictive ex-wife forbade their sons to visit, and his drawing became a form of therapy. He hid their names in his intricate drawings.

His work caught the eye of a collector, and she encouraged him to get serious and show and sell his work. He had no formal

“Taken,” 10-by-6.75 inches, original, $850

training, but asked every artist he could find how he could improve his work. The more he created, the more he exhibited, and the more people enjoyed it. “It became an obsession. I became an artist,” says Verdi.

Verdi’s medium is simply pencil on paper.

He uses the mechanical variety with complex but controlled scribbles. The shades of gray say it all — the emotion, the passion and the commitment of time. Though he is drawn to busy peoplescapes, he also creates landscapes, seascapes, still lifes and plant studies, each filled with intense detail.

Verdi now exhibits in NYC and at local shows at Greeley Park in Nashua and Art in the Park in Keene. And yes, he still hides his children’s names in each work. NH

Find It

Carmen Verdi | carmenverdi.org Originals: $200 for 4-inch drawings to $3,200 and up for 16-by-20-inch drawings Limited edition and open edition prints: $90 and up nhmagazine.com | Jan/Feb 2020

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WHAT DO YOU KNOW?

Driving the Economy Grooming the way for winter tourism

BY MARSHALL HUDSON

I

’ve heard it said that tourism is the financial engine that drives the New Hampshire economy. If that’s true, then it’s probably fair to say that snowmobiling is the financial engine that drives winter tourism. Snowmobiling, in turn, is driven by the attractiveness of the well-maintained trails crisscrossing New Hampshire.

The trails are maintained by a monster snow-moving machine called a groomer.

The groomer, a bulldozer-like vehicle, is driven by a 400-horsepower Cummings diesel engine, which today is being driven by me. So, does that mean I’m driving the New Hampshire economy?

I snagged a ride aboard a Pittsburg Ridge Runners Snowmobile Club groomer. Most of my time was spent in the co-pilot seat, but I did take a turn driving the machine, moving snow around and filling in bare spots. I’m doing exactly the opposite of what the highway snowplow truck does. Whereas the snowplow driver is trying to push snow off the road be-

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fore it gets packed down, I’m trying to scoop it onto the trail and pack it down.

The groomer is tracked like an army tank, so it steers by dragging the track on one side while the other continues to advance.

This means it has a natural tendency to want to go straight, and when pulling a 40-foot drag it’s not highly maneuverable on sharp corners, but unlike a wheeled vehicle, it’s unstoppable in deep snow or on steep grades. The groomer provides the horsepower to tow the hydraulic drag over the trail, smoothing out washboard bumps and filling in ruts. This groomer also has a 10-foot snowplow blade on the front with hydraulic claws, which extend each end of the blade an additional 3 feet for funneling snow onto the trail. The joystick control lever has multiple buttons that rotate the blade in three directions, operate the claws, and raise and lower the hydraulics on the drag. The driver needs to be looking in multiple directions and performing several

Above: A Pittsburg Ridge Runners Snowmobile Club groomer Right: Writer Marshall Hudson at the wheel

different functions all at the same time. An experienced operator makes it look easy. I’m making it look difficult.

New Hampshire has approximately 7,000 miles of snowmobile trails that wind through wooded valleys and rolling countryside in the southern part of the state, across wide vistas on the ice in the Lakes Region, over the hills in the majestic White Mountains, and into the North Country with its long snow season. It’s easy to see why the state is nationally recognized for its variety of terrain and wealth of ideal trails.

The snowmobiler’s safety and enjoyment are enhanced by the well-groomed trails made suitable for riders of all experience levels.

Good trails are not only desired by snowmobile riders, but also by the businesses that cater to them. Poorly groomed trails mean fewer riders and decreased business.

A well-groomed trail can include establishing a snow base at the beginning of the season, reopening a trail after heavy snowfall has obliterated it, or reestablishing a worn and moguled trail. Trail grooming times, frequencies and methods are influenced by many variables including temperature, type and depth of snow, terrain, traffic

photos courtesy of marshall hudson

603 INFORMER

WHAT DO YOU KNOW?

photos courtesy of marshall hudson

volumes, storms, finances and availability of groomer operators. Decisions as to when, where and how much to groom are based upon the experience and judgment of the local trail manager, but must also follow guidelines by governmental program administrators who control the funding.

The State of New Hampshire Trails Bureau annually grants approximately $1.6 million to local clubs in grooming funds.

This revenue is raised by snowmobile registrations and a gasoline tax from off-road vehicles (snowmobiles). The snowmobile registration revenue is split between NH Fish and Game and the NH Department of Natural & Cultural Resources’ Trails Bureau. Fish and Game is responsible for the administration of the snowmobile registration program, snowmobile safety education and law enforcement out on the trails, and $1 from each registration goes into their search and rescue fund.

The majority of money received by the Trails Bureau is returned to local snowmobile clubs through its Grant-In-Aid

The Pittsburg Ridge Runners groom about 230 of the approximately 7,000 miles of trails in New Hampshire.

Program. Winter grants provide funding to help with the cost of grooming the trails.

Summer grants provide funds for trail construction and maintenance or replacement of grooming equipment.

The state also spends more than $100,000 annually in fuel, equipment repairs, and staff time to operate its own fleet of groomers on trails in Franconia Notch, Berlin, Success, Conway, Evans Notch, Castle in the Clouds, Pillsbury State Park and Pisgah State Park. While there are trails on stateowned land that are maintained by the Bureau of Trails, most trails are on private land and are maintained by local snowmobile clubs. The local clubs are responsible for obtaining landowner permission and then operating and maintaining the trails based on the landowner’s wishes.

The Pittsburg Ridge Runners groom some 230 miles of trails in Pittsburg, Clarksville and the unincorporated township of Atkinson and Gilmanton Academy Grant.

The groomer moves at 7 to 10 mph, usually at night when trail traffic is quieter, and covers 70 to 100 miles each shift. To meet trail condition demand, four groomers work every night, seven days a week from late December to early April. With breakdowns, routine maintenance, weather conditions, illnesses, etc., at times they are reduced to three groomers and the operators’ hours are extended, or additional shifts are added.

The Ridge Runners groomer I’m driving today is a 2015 PistenBully with a price tag new of about $280,000, and an additional

603 INFORMER

Whether you like snowmobiles or hate them, their importance in the northern New Hampshire winter economy is significant. $25,000 for the hydraulic drag I’m towing.

That’s over $300,000 investment before even starting on any trail maintenance. Factor in fuel, insurance, operator salary, maintenance costs, etc., and then quadruple it for the four groomers that the Ridge Runners regularly run, and it quickly adds up to some significant budgeting challenges. Club membership dues, fundraisers, dinners, raffles, donations and sponsorships from area businesses make up the difference from what the Trails Bureau grants in financial aid.

Some people view snowmobiles as a noisy polluting waste of gas that disturbs the quiet stillness of a rural New Hampshire wilderness. To others it offers an exhilarating recreational opportunity during a season when many feel stuck indoors. Snowmobiling also offers a unique mobility to access areas of the state that you would otherwise never be able to see. Whether you like snowmobiles or hate them, their importance in the northern New Hampshire winter economy is significant. Small businesses rely on snowmobile sales, service, rentals and repairs for their winter livelihood. Visiting snowmobilers fill beds in motels and seats in restaurants, and purchase apparel, coffee, gas and groceries in small stores, pumping needed cash flow into the local economy.

When the New Hampshire economy is doing well because of snowmobiling, then I get the credit, because today I’m driving the groomer driving the economy. NH nhmagazine.com | Jan/Feb 2020

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Out and About

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by karyn marquis photography; all others courtesy

You Should Have Been There

11/7 The 7th Annual Distiller’s Showcase of Premium Spirits

The annual Distiller’s Showcase of Premium Spirits featured more than 130 tables of premium and ultra-premium spirits for sampling, fine food from area restaurants, live and silent auctions, and the chance to meet distillers from around the world. In addition, attendees also had the opportunity to meet actor Dan Aykroyd, who posed for photos and signed bottles of his Crystal Head Vodka. The event, which is the culmination of Distiller’s Week, was hosted by the NH Liquor Commission to benefit the Animal Rescue League of NH. It took place at the DoubleTree by Hilton Manchester Downtown hotel.

1 Animal Rescue League of NH president and CEO Katharine Eneguess with Dan Aykroyd 2 Auctioneer Mark Roy of the NH Liquor Commission 3 From left:

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10/30 Rex Theatre Grand Opening

After extensive renovations, Manchester’s historic Rex Theatre is now open. The Rex, which is operated by the nearby Palace Theatre, is now a versatile 300-seat venue for music, comedy, meetings and much more.

1 The exterior of the Rex Theatre on Amherst Street in Manchester 2 Ashley Therrien, Rex Theatre development coordinator 3 From left: David Rousseau, Palace Theatre director of sales and marketing, Peter Ramsey, Palace Theatre executive director, Nathan Saller, president/CEO of Bellwether Community Credit Union, and Neal White from WZID

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courtesy photos

Jocelyn Lencki, Tim Smith of Tim Smith Moonshine, and Kim Lencki, New Hampshire Magazine group sales director

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603 INFORMER

TRANSCRIPT

Big Topper Photos and interview by David Mendelsohn Fed up with your 9-to-5 and planning to run away and join the circus? Before you pack your leotards, take a breath and acquire some skills. Meet Laconia’s Erin Lovett Sherman, a teacher of all things Big Top. Trapeze? Stiltwalking? Juggling? Toddler through senior? You name it. Sherman has performed and taught in joints like Russia, Lithuania, India, Ecuador, Peru, Canada and all throughout the US. So take a workshop, do a retreat or try some local classes. Even if the circus isn’t hiring, you can be the hit of the next neighborhood yard sale by juggling the crockery while riding someone’s discarded unicycle.

As far back as I can remember I was dancing around the house, creating dance pieces and making shows.

I come from a long line of musicians and artists on my dad’s side, and on my mom’s side, an equally long line of teachers, intellectuals and community leaders.

Right after college, I started my company ARTSFEST, and continued to tour the country and the world performing, teaching and directing performing arts, while keeping a home base in the Lakes Region.

I feel so at home in the air, dancing, spinning through space. It’s truly magical.

My husband Michael and I have three boys, Myles, Kameron and Bodhi. Myles and Kameron could both stand on our shoulders and juggle clubs by age 10.

They performed with us at the Statehouse for Gov. Sununu last year.

Circus arts training is a valuable thing for a performing artist’s resume in this new era of Broadway.

You will find circus integrated into many Broadway productions these days, and the fusion is powerful for the audience and for the performers.

This past year I was selected to study with Cirque du Soleil’s Cirque du Monde for a teacher’s training in social circus and adapted dance in Montreal.

We studied and discussed techniques for developing and teaching programming for at-risk populations.

It’s a gift when you can help someone find something in themselves that will empower them to enjoy life more, with a healthier body and mindset.

My advice to young artists is to just keep doing what you love, become an expert in it, work harder than you imagine possible, never stop learning, give back to your community, and your work will bring you joy.

My grandfather, Rev. Dr. Miller C. Lovett, always lovingly and proudly said to people, “This is my granddaughter who ran away to join the circus!”

Joining the circus isn’t as easy as it seemed back in the days of Toby Tyler, but there are good reasons to develop circus skills, ranging from functional fitness and more graceful movement to social skills (even if you hang around with a bunch of clowns).

ARTSFEST of Laconia is a hidden treasure of the Lakes Region, where they teach and demonstrate the magic of aerial dance and other gravity-defying arts. Visit them on Facebook. In the photo on the opposite page is Sherman with her son Myles (13), and aerialists Morgan Maltais (12) and Addison Herward (9). Husband Michael Manning did the rigging and spotting for the shoot. Special thanks to Elwin, who got the ball rolling. nhmagazine.com | Jan/Feb 2020

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Two All adventures are excursions into a mysterious realm between the familiar and the unknown. The best ones end with food and drink by a fire.

Story by Jay Atkinson | Photos by Joe Klementovich

My longtime rugby teammate, Randy “Slippery” Reis, and I were driving from our temporary lodgings in Madison to the trailhead at the foot of Mount Wonalancet.

We hadn’t seen each other in months and were talking nineteen-to-the-dozen, like Jack Kerouac and Neal Cassady digging the scene in a ’49 Hudson. Engrossed in conversation, we missed the turn and found ourselves winding through sparsely populated backroads.

Reaching the crest of a hill, we spotted a middle-aged couple walking their dogs and Randy pulled over. I said good morning, and asked for directions to Wonalancet.

Smiling at me, the woman said, “Go back the way you came, and take a right.”

“Or you can go straight and take a left, but that’s a little longer,” said her companion. We waved to them, and drove off.

So we proceeded along, chattering away, and Randy said, “Take a left here?”

“Nah. I think it’s a right.”

Randy and I were going to meet our friends for a winter hike up Mount Wonalancet. The original plan was to arrive a half hour early to scout the route.

After driving through a patchwork of tiny farms and snow-covered woodlands, we climbed a short, steep hill. The same couple was ambling along the road with their dogs.

Randy gestured at the windshield. “Let’s put on our ski masks and ask for directions again,” he said.

“Some explorers we are,” I said.

Most of New Hampshire’s picturesque, cherished, and remote places are named for its original inhabitants, and rightly so. Wonalancet was the son of the great Pennacook sachem, or chief, known as Passaconaway.

Shortly before Passaconaway’s death, probably in 1669, Wonalancet became the leader of all the Pennacooks clustered along the lower Merrimack River.

In 1675, Metacom, known to the English as King Philip, and the son of the Wampanoag chief, Massasoit, engineered a bloody campaign against the English settlers, drawing warriors from several tribes. However, King Philip’s entreaties to the Pennacooks were unsuccessful, and Wonalancet retreated northward with the remaining one hundred or so of his followers. Between 1675 and 1676, King Philip’s War leveled a dozen English towns and killed an estimated 2,500 settlers, roughly 5% of the local population.

Wonalancet’s decision to stay out of King Philip’s War was the right one for

the Pennacooks. On the Native American side, approximately 5,000 lives were lost in the war, a staggering 40% of their population. The uprising ended in August 1676, when the English finally cornered King Philip and his warriors in a Rhode Island swamp. A Wampanoag acting as guide to the English shot Philip through the heart.

The English soldiers drew and quartered Philip’s corpse, and his head was taken to Boston and put on display.

During the war, Wonalancet had kept peace with the English but refused to fight against the other tribes for reasons of loyalty. Caught between two worlds, Wonalancet and his family were in dire straits. With no real friends among the English, and the fierce Mohawks venturing into his territory, the sachem of the Pennacooks was reduced to living “under the supervision of Mr. Jonathan Ting” near the settlement of Dunstable.

In 1677, Wonalancet and his diminished band retreated to Canada, having received little support from the English. In his place, Wonalancet’s nephew, the fiery, unpredictable Kancamagus became the new sachem of the Pennacooks.

At 2,780 feet, Mount Wonalancet is a stubby, wooded knoll situated about a mile and a half southeast of Mount Passaconaway. Arriving early on the previous day, I’d scouted a few Madison ponds for skating possibilities and then drove over to Tamworth. There was a wooded field tracked for cross-country skiing and a small parking lot near the terminus of Ferncroft Road. I spoke to the lone skier, a middle-aged woman accompanied by a black Lab, and she

advised an early start the next day since the trailhead was quite popular.

It’s always a good idea to talk to the locals and look over the ground, so I studied the map and took a short walk up Old Mast Road to where the trail diverged left onto Wonalancet Range Trail.

Estimating the loop at roughly 4 miles with an elevation gain of 1,650 feet, I figured the hike would be challenging enough for my rugby friends and manageable for our youngest participants, Kaya Pierce, 14, and her brother Will, age 10.

When Randy and I finally showed up at the trailhead, our friends greeted us with derision. Over in the field, photographer Joe Klementovich was flying his drone high above the cross-country course to the delight of the Pierce children.

“I was looking for you with the drone,” Joe said, laughing.

“Glad you could make it,” said Ken “Bubba” McIntosh with his high-pitched giggle.

Bubba had just been telling his friend Kara Gauvin, a new member of our group, how well organized we are.

Mike Zizza and his college-age daughter, Anna, walked over to get their wisecracks in. Then, donning our snowshoes or micro spikes and hefting our packs, 14 eager pilgrims filed down the trail. There was a high, thin cloud cover with a gauzy sun showing through the haze.

The Wonalancet Range Trail runs for a short distance along Spring Brook, and then breaks left, passing through a gently ascending forest. Soon the trail grew quite steep, crossing back and forth against the slope, and eventually climbed a ragged set

Taking a moment to double-check that the group is headed in the right direction home. Paper maps don't run on batteries or get cold and they always work — if you know how to use them. nhmagazine.com | Jan/Feb 2020

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of granite blocks slicked with ice. Patches of blue sky were now visible between the trees, and temperatures were in the low 20s.

Over the first mile, young Will and I were out front. I’ve known the Pierce children a long while, and have spent time outdoors with them in all kinds of weather.

We quickly fell into our natural rhythm, getting a feel for the terrain, not saying very much. An agile fellow who excels in soccer and baseball, Will followed in my track as we meandered among the trees, forever going upward.

Soon the Pierce’s dog, Lenny Kravitz, joined us, trotting out in front. Glancing at Will, I said, “You can go ahead.”

“I’m good,” he said, smiling at me. It was the same deadpan delivery his mother, Tanya, used when we were hiking the Imp Trail in subzero temperatures a while back. Both Tanya and her son are laconic characters, and I laughed at Will’s response.

Eventually, Bridget Freudenberger and her English Cream golden retriever, Mae, caught up to Will and me. With the dogs romping through the snow, Bridget and Will surged ahead, chatting quietly as they hiked.

Back at the trailhead, I’d opted to wear my snowshoes, leaving my micro spikes and trekking poles in Randy’s car. I should’ve known better to make hiking decisions on

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Bridget Freudenberger makes sure her four-legged friend Mae is still following along.

Below: The Pierce family, Tanya, Kaya and Chris, head uphill through the forest.

flat ground. As the trail narrowed, the snow turned to ice, and the ledges grew taller, I began to regret my choice.

But Jackson Spellman and his wife Kristi came breezing up alongside me. Jackson was using a set of poles, and handed me one.

Directly ahead, there was a large boulder that angled to the right. It was 3 feet tall and encased in ice, which formed a hard, smooth shell over the rock. Wearing micro spikes, Jackson took a giant step with his

right foot onto the boulder, and pushed off with his pole, bringing his feet together and landing softly on top.

Resetting his feet, Jackson extended the basket end of his pole toward me. I gripped the pole in my right hand and stepped up as Jackson heaved on his end of the pole. My snowshoes clattering on the icy rock, I got a shaky purchase, and clambered up. Wisely, Kristi departed the trail, circumvented the boulder, and joined us a

moment later, never breaking a sweat.

“There,” she said, glancing around, hands on hips.

Within the larger narrative of our friends, Kristi Spellman and I have a spin-off series, a growing list of comic misadventures that I call “Kristi and Jay Get Lost.” A former competitive dancer and seasoned distance athlete, Kristi and I often meet for open-water swims in late fall. Sleek and fast, Kristi swims like a porpoise, and when I finally catch up to her, we’re usually far from shore.

When I poke my head up, Kristi always says, “Where are we?”

On a cross-country ski excursion at Loon Mountain, Kristi and I decided to break off from the switchback trail we were climbing, descending loop by loop on a straight line down through the trees. When we finally reached the bottom of the mountain and the trail began following the river, Kristi skied ahead, eager to get back to the parking lot.

A brook had riven the hard-packed snow of the trail, creating a chasm that was nearly 4 feet across and just as deep.

When Kristi drew near to the brook, I shouted, “Ski right over it.”

But she turned slightly sideways, tumbling into the brook. For a second, Kristi looked up at me like I’d pushed her. Then I extended one of my ski poles toward her, and we had a good laugh.

During our trek up Mount Wonalancet, Joe Klementovich kept popping up — somehow ahead of us, then 40 yards off to our right, standing on a boulder to the left, halfway up a tree — always gazing at us through the lens of his camera. It’s like there’s a cyborg army of Joe Klementoviches, haunting every one of our adventures. The guy never gets tired.

After an hour of steady climbing, I met up with Joe and several others at the first lookoff point, gazing across long white vistas toward Mount Chocorua. A few hundred yards onward, we stopped in a little clearing on top of Wonalancet, our view of the valley obscured by the surrounding trees.

Bubba and Kara and Mike and Anna kicked aside the snow to make a rudimentary fire pit, and the kids dispersed to scare up a pile of deadwood. While the others busied themselves with the fire, I realized I was shivering. I glanced up from unzipping my pack, and Piercey was staring at me.

“You didn’t thermoregulate,” he said, shaking his head in disgust.

Piercey was right, as he often is. During the hike, I should’ve vented my shell using the zippers running downward from my

Piercey was right. During the hike, I should’ve vented my shell. This allows more of the water vapor to disperse, keeping my base layer dry and my core temperature higher than it ended up.

Bridget and Mae take advantage of some of the Nordic ski trails before they set off on the hike up the mountain.

armpits. This allows more of the water vapor to disperse, keeping my base layer dry and my core temperature higher than it had ended up.

So far, I was 0-3 in my winter decision-making. Sometimes, when trekking with a group, you rely on the aggregated equipment and supplies to get you through.

By deciding not to bring my own trekking poles and micro spikes, and failing to ther-

moregulate, I could end up putting a strain on the others who’d brought along what they deemed necessary.

To remedy my faux pas, I stripped off my base layer, replaced it with a Merino wool pullover, changed out my hat and glove liners, and put my shell back on.

“Gotta do it,” Piercey said.

By now, Joe and Mike had a small fire going and were feeding twigs and sticks into nhmagazine.com | Jan/Feb 2020

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it. New to our collection of friends, Kara Gauvin, a high school science teacher, skier and experienced through-hiker, had dedicated herself to the group effort to stay warm.

Kara and Bubba were finding pieces of deadwood to feed into the fire. While Jackson and I looked on, Kara strode to a nearby tree and snapped off a dead branch that was as thick as a man’s leg. Jackson and I glanced at each other, raising our eyebrows and turning down our mouths in the “I’m impressed” gesture.

“Bubba’s gonna have to raise his game,” said Jackson, and we stifled a laugh.

Standing by the fire, I fished in my pack for one of my better decisions — a Thermos of hot soup. During a previous trip to play pond hockey in subzero temperatures, Joe had produced a vacuum bottle of soup and extolled its virtues.

Now I understood why. Temperatures near the top of Wonalancet had dropped into the low teens and the wind had come up. But the vegetable broth warmed a channel that ran down the center of my torso.

I had a couple energy bars in my pack and broke them in half to share with Bubba. “I like the second one better,” he said.

“I’ll make a note of that,” I said.

I handed the Thermos to Kara. “Have some,” I said.

With steam rising from the soup, Kara took a drink, smiling over the lip of the bottle. “That’s good,” she said.

After we’d rehydrated, warmed ourselves, and ate some calorie dense food — Piercey had the good sense to haul up some burritos from Dos Amigos in Concord — Joe and Anna and Randy kicked snow over the fire.

One by one, members of the group headed down the shortcut trail that circled the top of Wonalancet before descending to the Wonalancet Range Trail.

The extinguished fire sent up waves of steam and smoke from beneath the snow.

One hand darting in front of her and the other behind, Kristi danced over the smoldering coals.

“Come firewalk with me,” she said.

Hands on hips, Jackson and I stood watching her. “That looks vaguely Egyptian,” I said.

After stowing my Thermos and extra clothing in my pack, I was ready to set off.

I’d taken a second look at the map, realizing that the shortcut trail looped around the knoll to rejoin the main trail about 900 yards below where I was standing.

Jay and Randy doing a bit of bushwacking after the lunch break.

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Randy noticed that I was gazing downslope, away from the trail. “What’s up?” he asked.

With Jackson’s trekking pole, I described the trail intersection by drawing a backwards P in the snow. “I’m going to bushwhack down to where I can pick up the trail again,” I said. “It’ll be shorter, softer, and a little riskier.”

“If you say so,” Randy said.

Randy Reis had played tailback at Fordham University, coming off the bench in his debut to score three touchdowns in one half, a school record that still stands. He and I met while playing rugby for the New England Select Side many years ago, and have been friends ever since.

Adjusting my pack straps, I said, “Trust me, Slippery.”

I departed from the trail and Randy followed, heading into a downward sloping glade. The trees were spaced well apart, and for the first time all day, I was making good use of my snowshoes. Soon I was bounding down the soft smooth pillow of snow, an arctic spacewalk that had me yelling and laughing. Randy was wearing micro spikes, but also moving swiftly and we grinned at each other from between the trees.

After floating downhill for several minutes, Randy and I heard the voices of

The band of explorers enjoys some rest and warmth by a small fire.

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Got a mission for The Explorers?

Adventures for 2020 are already in planning and underway. Send suggestions suitable for our hyperliterate outsiders and we’ll pass them along.

our friends coming from the steep, narrow trail to our left. We ended up on the beaten track of the Wonalancet Range Trail, and Randy laughed.

“O, ye of little faith,” I said.

The uneven footing had done a number on my balky right ankle. By the time I reached the parking lot, most of our group had departed, heading back to Madison to change their clothes. Waiting in the parking lot with Randy, Piercey said that Tanya had gone back to Madison to change and would pick up some dry clothes for the both of us.

Off we went to Hobbs Tavern & Brewing Company on Route 16 in Ossipee. There was an abundance of dark wood beams, flights of their own beer, and a giant fieldstone fireplace. Our party was assigned a King Arthur-size table in the glassed-in section of the restaurant. But the north wind was rattling the window casings, and I felt cold again. Without a word to anyone, I slipped back to the main dining area and took a seat by the fire.

Just then, my rugby pal Jason Massa entered the tavern and began chatting with the hostess. He’d been hiking above the tree line in the Presidential Range, but was joining us for dinner.

I called out from the hearth and Jason

Some of the hikers use their break to get some warmth back into their feet.

came over and bear-hugged me. I was soaked to the skin and couldn’t stop shivering, edging as close to the fire as possible.

One by one, my friends drifted in from the other room like blues musicians taking up their instruments. Jackson came over and sat next to me, talking quietly about the hike. Then Piercey walked over, and Jason got up to fetch an employee to stoke the fire.

A few minutes later, Tanya arrived with Kaya and Will. Piercey took up the backpack full of dry clothes, and we retreated to the wood-paneled bathroom off the

main hallway. There wasn’t much room in there, but we kicked off our boots and started to disrobe.

“Oh man, this is good for business,” I said, meaning the business of not getting pneumonia. Whether it was a win for the Hobbs Tavern & Brewing Company was hard to say.

A man wearing a ski parka and glasses entered the bathroom, and Piercey said, “Come in. We’re just changing in here.”

The man looked skeptical but entered the tiny space. I ducked behind the open door of the stall, trying to peel off my base layer. When I was dressed and emerged feeling warm and dry, three more patrons had crowded into the bathroom.

Piercey was seated on the counter that supported the two sinks, pants rolled up to his knees, dunking his bare feet into the double slot of the hand dryer.

A gray-haired man in a windbreaker came in, and Piercey grinned and said, “I’m just drying my toes.” The man turned on his heel, going out as quickly as he’d come in.

“That’s a story he’ll tell his grandchildren,” I said. “They’re right outside.” NH

Winter Hiking Tips

The Explorers love to inspire others to seek outdoor adventure but those considering a winter hike should heed some advice. Winter conditions can change rapidly. Abrupt shifts in temperature, and precipitation can take the fun out of your winter hike — and present certain dangers — if you don’t plan and pack carefully.

• Visit the trailhead and scout the first section of your route in advance. Don’t be shy — ask returning hikers about trail conditions, potential obstacles and the weather higher up.

• Watch the hourly weather forecast leading up to the hike. Pack accordingly.

• Alert friends not included in the hike about your route, departure time and expected return.

Pack list:

• Carry paper maps in your backpack, zipped into a plastic bag. (Maps saved to your phone are subject to battery life, cell tower availability, etc.)

• Lightweight waterproof first aid kit • Plenty of water — winter conditions can speed up dehydration since you’ll be moving fast to stay warm.

• Extra socks, base layer and shell, spare hat, glove liners, chemical warming packets for hands and feet • High-calorie snacks: dried fruit, salted nuts, energy bars, bagels with peanut butter, tea bags, powdered soup, etc.

• Single-burner pop-up stove — a hot drink will provide a boost of energy and optimism.

• Headlamp and extra batteries — it gets dark early during the winter months.

Stopping to smell the fresh air, and take in the views of Tamworth and Wonalancet below. nhmagazine.com | Jan/Feb 2020

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What would the primary be without Vermin Supreme?

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Primary Superfans Not everyone loves our first-inthe-nation-primary status (we’re looking at you, every other state out there) but for some, it’s like having Christmas, Halloween and the Fourth of July all happen at the same time.

Meet some of the biggest fans of our 100-year-old political event.

Story and photos by Elizabeth Frantz nhmagazine.com | Jan/Feb 2020

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the 100th anniversary of New Hampshire’s primary being first in the nation. It’s a status New Hampshire did not initially seek out, but nevertheless has become an identity the Granite State continually defends.

How did it come about? Well, it was essentially an accident.

New Hampshire’s first-ever presidential primary, scheduled three years in advance, was originally to be on the third Tuesday of May 1916. But a year before the inaugural event, the date was moved up to town meeting voting day in March out of convenience for officials who didn’t want to organize two completely separate elections only months apart. The resulting primary, held March 14, 1916, was a week after the Indiana presidential primary and the same day as Minnesota’s. It wasn’t until the next cycle after Indiana had moved its date back to May and Minnesota’s primary had been discontinued that first-in-the-nation status was unlocked for New Hampshire on March 9, 1920.

(Direct voting for presidential candidates, as opposed to convention delegates, didn’t begin until 1952 but details, details.)

What keeps that first-in-the-nation tradition alive? Decades worth of cheerleaders — from Democratic and Republican Party leaders to major players in state government, past and present. From all the presidential hopefuls who keep coming back every four years to all the politically minded Granite State voters who give those candidates, known and unknown, their attention and criticism.

Here are some of those key players and superfans that embody and protect that firstin-the-nation tradition.

Left: The historical marker for New Hampshire’s first-in-thenation primary Above: Secretary of State Bill Gardner pointed out old campaign photos on the walls to Amy Klobuchar when she visited his office to file to be on the New Hampshire ballot.

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Bill Gardner

Though November was busy with candidate filings, Bill Gardner and his staff did find quiet afternoons in between visits to get other work done.

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The most powerful protector of the first-in-the-nation honor is Secretary of State Bill Gardner, a soft-spoken man. In accordance with state law that requires the primary to be held at least seven days before any similar election, it’s Gardner who selects the all-important quadrennial date, sometimes up against incredible national pressures to compromise New Hampshire’s status. For 43 years he’s stood his ground, rooted and unwavering, in contrast to his meek demeanor.

Incredibly proud of the primary’s upcoming centennial, Gardner made sure every presidential candidate who walked into his office last year to file to be on the 2020 ballot knew the full extent of the historic election they would be a part of. His teaching aides included a commemorative poster he had made outlining key founders and dates, the growing collection of wall photos featuring candidates since 1976, and the desk of Stephen A. Bullock, who wrote the 1913 law that created the primary.

Not just a guardian and historian, Gardner is also an ardent believer in the historic inclusivity of the New Hampshire primary and the low barriers the founders created for those that wanted to be on the ballot.

“It was about the little guy and it always has been,” Gardner explained to Montana governor Steve Bullock, who filed as a Democratic candidate (any relation to the New Hampshire Bullocks yet to be determined). “It always gives an opportunity for the person that doesn’t have the most fame or fortune to have a chance here. A fair shot for everyone. That’s what it’s about.”

Jon and James Kelly

Pictured below from left are Jon and James Kelly, who met John Delaney in May (above).

With a record-breaking number of candidates in the field, political junkies in the Granite State have had to act fast and frequently to see and hear what all the presidential hopefuls have to say. Two examples, Jon Kelly and his son James of Penacook, saw four candidates over two days back in May. They started their weekend standing near the front door of a Concord house party, ready to engage former Maryland congressman John Delaney when he walked into the door. After hearing him speak, they drove to Warner to hear New York senator Kirsten Gillibrand, then on to Milford to a potluck with entrepreneur Andrew Yang, then to Laconia the next day to catch New Jersey senator Cory Booker.

Traveling to see candidates is something Jon remembers doing with his father, and while James’ earlier participation as a kid was involuntary (he was once one of those babies thrust into the arms of candidates like Bill Richardson and Gary Johnson), the 14-year-old now comes along to campaign events of his own free will.

“I was a big Bernie fan, and once I saw Bernie and got into his campaign, it got me interested in politics in general,” James says, referring to Sanders’ 2016 run.

The pair are on a quest to see and compare as many candidates as possible. “It doesn’t bother me that they poll low. I think they’re interesting people,” Jon says of some of the lesser-known. And party affiliation isn’t important either, though this cycle is mostly dominated by Democratic candidates since President Donald Trump is the Republican incumbent. He’s unregistered with any party and undecided, but James is all-in with Andrew Yang as a nonvoter.

“It still affects me even though I can’t vote. And a lot of the time it’s fun, and as a kid, you get more attention sometimes,” James says.

James tries to get a handshake in addition to hearing what the candidates have to say. “There’s something cool about knowing that you might be meeting the president.”

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Carlos Cardona

Carlos Cardona and his platter Below: Cardona welcomes a crowd gathered in his front yard to see Bernie Sanders in May.

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House parties, like the one the Kellys attended to see John Delaney, are a staple of New Hampshire’s retail politicking tradition, and Carlos Cardona of Laconia is in line to hold the unofficial record for hosting the most presidential candidates at his home for this cycle.

Among them have been Tulsi Gabbard, Andrew Yang, Amy Klobuchar, John Delaney, Eric Swalwell, Beto O’Rourke, Cory Booker, Elizabeth Warren, Tim Ryan, Seth Moulton, Joe Sestak, Marianne Williamson, Michael Bennet, Pete Buttigieg, Julian Castro, Bill de Blasio, Kirsten Gillibrand, John Hickenlooper, Bernie Sanders and more.

Why does he do it? “I was elected chairman of Laconia City Democrats and thought it should be something as a chair and committee we should do — host and offer our locals a venue for them to meet the candidates,” says Cardona.

His willingness to open his home to campaigns has brought candidates to a city often ignored as smaller and farther away than common campaign stops just off the interstate highways. He treats them all the same, whether they draw a handful of people seated around his dining room table or a rally-sized crowd standing on his front lawn.

He also asks candidates he meets to sign an antique serving platter decorated with painted campaign buttons. The platter was a gift from his daughter’s godmother, who also gave him the idea of adding the autographs as Cardona was hosting Klobuchar. “She came to the event and said to me, ‘You know you should have the platter signed by her. It would be kind of cool and maybe more historic someday.’”

He has become very passionate about the New Hampshire primary and the role it plays in our nation’s elections since moving to the state 14 years ago from Puerto Rico.

“I hope this tradition lasts many more years. It gets neighbors, families and opposite political parties together to discuss, as Americans first, what we want for our country,” he says. “And, of course, the occasional exchange of family recipes and traditions such as this one I started signing a platter for future generations to see we are all part of shaping our democracy.”

Jack Polidoro

Jack Polidoro collects an autograph from Pete Buttigieg in April. Left: Polidoro and his growing collection

Another collector of signatures on the campaign trail is Jack Polidoro of Gilmanton. But while others might bring books and photos, Polidoro most likely has a couple of brand new baseballs stuck in his pockets.

“It’s just a hobby, and I’ve been doing it pretty much since 1996. So that’s quite a few candidates. I’ve only missed a few,” he says.

The collection of more than 80 balls is mostly in storage, but the dozen-plus signed by the current field of candidates are displayed in his condo.

“Who would have thought of having a baseball signed? Because people go ‘Why? Why are you doing this?’ Well, because I can. It’s different.”

In his experience, most candidates say yes if he can get them one-on-one before Secret Service gets involved and a baseball becomes a potential projectile he can’t bring into an event.

“You could go to the Amherst Fourth of July parade. Amherst draws a lot of candidates. You just walk into the center of the street while they’re walking by and just say ‘Would you mind signing?’ ‘Oh sure.’”

He’s got a story behind every signed ball.

When he met Joe Lieberman, Polidoro and his then-wife were the only nonmedia to show up to the advertised campaign stop.

After standing outside John Kasich’s campaign bus for an hour waiting for an event to end, he got his signature along with a drawing of his face that Kasich added before tossing the ball back and forth with a staffer.

Donald Trump asked Jack if he was going to sell the ball on eBay before signing. And while signing, Joe Biden joked about how he once wanted to be a major league pitcher but didn’t have a very good batting average.

These are “only in New Hampshire” moments for Polidoro. “Oh, it’s just so interesting here. I mean, this is the place to be.” nhmagazine.com | Jan/Feb 2020

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Vermin Supreme No list of New Hampshire primary superfans can be complete without the boot-wearing perennial presidential candidate Vermin Supreme.

He’s been taking advantage of the relatively easy ballot process since 1992, in some shape or form, including as both a Democrat and Republican (but not at the same time). “I’m the elder statesman of wing nuts now,” he said during a visit to the Statehouse visitor center in November.

When asked to distinguish between Vermin Supreme the man (it’s his legal name, after all) and the character, the satirist drew a Venn diagram in the air. “There’s always been a little bit of overlap,” he says, and that intersection between reality and his whimsical candidacy of make-believe has grown as Mr. Supreme seeks to be the 2020 Libertarian candidate for president.

Campaigning at Granite State Comicon in September, Vermin wore a rainbow tie-dye T-shirt under a glittery American flag vest and multiple neckties. For his Statehouse visits during the filing period, he mainstreamed his look with simple shirts and a sports jacket.

“It’s been a very interesting sell trying to convince the Libertarian Party that a serious party can take a joke candidate and get their 5% [of the general election vote] without being pegged as a joke party,” he explained, referencing his anecdotal favorability with young people and those in nerd and geek culture (hence the visit to Granite State Comicon). “I’ve been trying to put forth the narrative that it’s not inconceivable, and I’ve had success.”

Vermin Supreme campaigns during Granite State Comicon (top) and at the Statehouse (bottom).

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Challenges new and old continue to keep protectors of New Hampshire’s status on their toes. The invention of television didn’t change the influence of the primary. Will the growing prevalence of social media and nationalization of early voting render retail politics irrelevant?

Many argue the polling and fundraising requirements set by the DNC for the nationally televised primary debates have already winnowed the field before even the first votes are cast.

Could this be the end of the New Hampshire primary as we know it?

Bill Gardner isn’t worried about that. “We’ve made it 100 years with no scandals, blemishes or miscounts,” he wrote on his commemorative poster. “It will last another 100 years if the people of our great state have the will to keep it.”

So no pressure, readers. It’s all up to you, not just the superfans. But for now, fans big and small can celebrate this historic presidential primary milestone on February 11, 2020. NH

From Journalist to Superfan Origins of a New Hampshire Primary Groupie

By Darren Garnick

T

o say that I danced with US Sen. Cory Booker at the most recent New Hampshire Democratic Party convention is a slight exaggeration. But I did have a detectable bounce in my step and involuntarily bopped my head as Booker’s campaign theme song, “Lovely Day” by Bill Withers, blared out of a boombox in downtown Manchester. Along with my nephew Kyle, I marched toward the SNHU Arena with Booker’s dancing supporters and took action pics of the presidential candidate that rivaled anything snapped by the professional news photogs crowded around us.

With his upbeat “Lovely Day” soundtrack fueling him — I challenge you to not bop your head to this 1977 song — Booker’s confident glide and contagious joy made me feel happy to be around him. I have admired the New Jersey senator ever since his keynote speech at the 2016 Democratic National Convention, and quite frankly, would find his delivery inspirational even if he were reading the nutritional information off the side of a cereal box.

These are the kinds of things I would never do or say when I was a full-time journalist covering politics. My first New Hampshire Primary was in 1996 when I covered the presidential campaigns of California governor Pete Wilson and Indiana senator Richard Lugar for The Nashua Telegraph. The newspaper industry was relatively healthy back then and The Telegraph had the resources to put every reporter (minus sports) on the primary. After leaving print journalism, I spent the 2000 and 2004 elections working on political documentaries for PBS. When the 2008 New Hampshire Primary rolled around, I was no longer affiliated with a media organization and focused my freelance writing on offbeat feature stories rather than straight news.

As a lifelong political junkie, this was an absolutely liberating development. I could be a “normal” voter now and was no longer obligated to appear as a stoic observer. I could openly act like a New Hampshire Primary superfan.

My daughter Dahlia was born in 2007 and she immediately became my cute political prop.

Amused by the tradition of baby-kissing politicians — but still germaphobic enough to keep their lips away from my baby — I became obsessed with the idea of photographing Dahlia in the arms of the next president of the United States. Both Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama were innately gentle. Rudy Guiliani freaked out when Dahlia cried in his arms, while John McCain was remarkably calm when he faced a similar meltdown.

Capturing my kids in scenes with tomorrow’s historical figures has been a bottomless source of entertainment for me — a hobby that simply would not exist without the New Hampshire Primary.

In 2012, I followed my then-9-year-old son Ari with a video camera as he asked the candidates which superhero they identified with the most. The resulting magic wasn’t in their answers — almost every politician chose Superman — but in the way they interacted with an inquisitive child.

It was surreal listening to my young son explaining the powers of Martian Manhunter to former Republican Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich.

With both my children tapped out, I turned to my favorite cartoon character for New Hampshire Primary duties in both 2016 and 2020. In what I call the “Dinosaur Primary,” I’ve asked the candidates to playfully pose with a stuffed Dino Flintstone toy, the same one I’ve been photographing in my travels since college. As with my previous photo projects, I seek participation from candidates across the ideological spectrum — it’s a brief opportunity to press the pause button and infuse some levity into an increasingly hostile environment.

I can’t predict how long the New Hampshire Primary will hold onto its coveted first-in-the-nation status, but I hope that Dino and I are still chasing Darren Garnick sets up one of his keepsake down presidential candidates when I’m in my 90s.

New Hampshire primary photos.

Special Exhibit

Manchester and the Path to the Presidency In the Henry M. Fuller State Theatre Gallery in the Millyard Museum Tuesday-Saturday 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Included with museum admission.

The 2020 New Hampshire Primary battles will be over on February 11, but in the Manchester Historic Association’s Millyard Museum the exhibit, “Manchester: Pathway to the Presidency,” will go on through February 29.

“Our premise is that in the precious few days before the primary, the focus is increasingly on Manchester,” says MHA executive director John Clayton.

And why not? The state’s media center is here, the airport is here, Manchester is an hour away from Boston’s media center, and who wants to drive all the way up to Colebrook or Dixville Notch 10 days before the voting?

But let’s not get too parochial: Greater Manchester is included.

“We’ve got a great photo of Ronald Reagan at the podium marked ‘Sheraton Wayfarer, Manchester NH,’” Clayton says, even though the Sheraton was located just over the line in Bedford. And there are many photos on loan from the New Hampshire Institute of Politics at Saint Anselm College, which straddles the boundary between Manchester and Goffstown.

Who can resist a show with stars like Dwight Eisenhower, Gary Hart, Ronald Reagan, Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton, the self-proclaimed “Comeback Kid,” to name just a few of the show-stoppers. Wanna know more? Call (603) 622-7531 or visit manchesterhistoricassociation.org. nhmagazine.com | Jan/Feb 2020

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This colorful fidget tangle was a gift to the kids from Unitil, a sponsor of “Granite State Challenge.�

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A slim device that puts all the world’s knowledge at your fingertips has made such arcane concepts as memorizing historical dates, state capitals and American presidents seem pointless, but at least one screen in your house still requires you to know a thing or two, assuming that screen is tuned in to NHPBS’ long-running student game show.

By Jack Kenny Photos by Kendal J. Bush

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ack in the 1950s, Art Linkletter, host of “Art Linkletter’s House Party” on network television, was daily interviewing small children on TV, from which he authored a pair of books, titled respectively, “Kids Say the Darndest Things” and “Kids STILL Say the Darndest Things.”

And they still do, even after they are no longer small fry. Jim Jeannotte, who hosted New Hampshire’s “Granite State Challenge” TV quiz show for more than 30 years, recalls one query he tossed out when he had run out of prepared questions and still had a minute or two to fill.

“Who was killed at Chappaquiddick?” he asked the competing teams of bright young high school students. The question was a softball for “seasoned citizens” in the TV audience, but not so easy for millennials.

An eager student pushed the buzzer and blurted out his answer.

“Pocahontas!” he declared confidently.

Alas, for the student, the adventures of Pocahontas did not include a midnight ride in Sen. Edward M. Kennedy’s Oldsmobile-turned submarine. In fact, neither did the adventures of Amelia Earhart, who took to the air to meet her apparent demise. But the Pocahontas answer brought an amused response from a viewer and

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supporter of public television, who wrote the station to tell of his enjoyment of the incident, adding, “Tell Jim I’m doubling my contribution in his honor.”

“Granite State Challenge,” the popular TV show, has been on New Hampshire Public Television (now known as simply New Hampshire PBS) since 1984. It pairs teams of high school students in competition to correctly answer questions on subjects ranging from history, literature,

Above: Taping a match between Kingswood High School and Winnisquam High Below: A match between Bow High School and Farmington

science, popular culture and several more categories. Apparently the famous incident on Chappaquiddick happened after the textbooks the students were using had been published. And even old pros can easily lose track of how long ago it was.

“That was probably sometime in the 1980s,” Jeannotte mused. In fact, Kennedy’s splashdown, with the unfortunate Mary Jo Kopechne as his passenger, happened in July 1969, on the same weekend that American astronauts walked on the moon.

“Was it that long ago?” asked the surprised Jeannotte.

When the show started, some high school principals were reluctant to have teams from their schools participate, fearful perhaps of a “Pocahontas moment” that might embarrass students and their respective schools. Actually, the show has brought honor and respect to the educational process. Schools, both public and private, and their students have been well acquitted by their performances on the game show, as students show off their knowledge about matters obscure as well as better-known incidents in history or in popular culture. Those who wonder aloud, “What are they teaching in schools these days?” might be surprised to learn that obviously the subjects are being taught and there are at least some students who are paying attention and learning, though the competitive nature of the program inspires students to do some extra studying and learning on their own. They have to be quick to hit the buzzer, while at the same time accurately expressing the correct answer. Susan Adams,

the network’s education manager and the show’s producer, says the judges manage to be reasonable and strict at the same time.

“If the answer is, say, ‘The Great Gatsby’ and a student says simply ‘Great Gatsby’ [omitting the “The”], that would be accepted as a correct answer. But if the answer is ‘The Red Badge of Courage’ and the response is, ‘Badge of Courage,’ that would be a wrong answer.”

Adams has the burden of finding the questions and verifying the correct answers.

The game may sound like “Trivial Pursuit” but it’s a bit more involved. A trivia question that an old political buff like me could answer is, “Who was Barry Goldwater’s running mate?” Challenge questions need to offer a bit more context than that, says Adams, who was but 4 years old when Goldwater ran for president in — well, never mind what year. Even a question about Goldwater himself would include certain details, like the fact that he was a longtime US senator from Arizona and a popular champion of post-World War II conservatism in American politics. After all, the show’s producer is not trying to confuse the contestants — or is she?

“We once offered hip-hop as a topic,” she recalls. A student/contestant familiar with the musical genre by that name was quick to choose it. So he and his teammates were surprised to find themselves confronted by a series of questions about ... rabbits.

“We try to keep them guessing,” Adams says. “We want them to be creative, to think outside the box.” The idea is not merely to show off how much the students know, but how quick they are to learn. “Is it important for them to know this?” is one of the questions Adams asks herself during her extensive research. Perhaps it’s not important to know, as we near the third decade of the 21st century, that Goldwater’s running mate was Congressman Bill Miller from Upstate New York. Years later, Miller would gain renewed notoriety by doing a commercial for American Express on the importance of having the credit card with one wherever one travels. “Don’t leave home without it,” because “You may not recognize me but I once was ...”

Thanks to the producer’s dogged research, names to be pulled up from the mists of distant past are more apt to be more renowned, From top: Alvirne vs. Merrimack; Host Jim Jeannotte behind the camera; Merrimack vs. Winnacunnet during the 2005-6 season; Host Jim Jeannotte; Hosts Jim Jeannotte and Tom Bergeron from the early days of the Challenge; Tom Bergeron today

Questions from the 2020 Super Saturday Qualifying test for “Granite State Challenge”

1

This prolific composer created nine symphonies, 32 piano concertos and 16 string quartets but only one opera, “Fidelio.”

2

This drummer for the Canadian rock band Rush was known for his drum solos and his massive drum kit.

3

In 2018, this entrepreneur launched a Tesla Roadster manned by a dummy nicknamed "Starman" into space.

4

Before she became the first female secretary of state, this woman served as the US ambassador to the United Nations.

5

The title of this reggae song by Bob Marley and King Sporty refers to black US cavalry regiments.

6 7

How many triangular faces are there on a tetrahedron?

Hamid Karzai served as the president of this country from 2001 until 2014 when Ashraf Ghani replaced him.

8

”Black Panther” director Ryan Coogler has said that Wakanda was inspired by this African country that is surrounded by South Africa.

9

This small European rodent suffers from narcolepsy in the mad tea party in “Alice in Wonderland.”

10

This 1961 novel by Roald Dahl was originally going to feature a giant cherry.

Answers on page 61

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like those of Caesar, Galileo, Mahatma Gandhi or Alexander the Great, none of whom had an American Express card with him in his travels. Popular culture might include anyone from Beethoven to the Beatles to Beck. For some math questions, the contestants are given a brief amount of time to scratch their way to the answer with pencil and paper. But it is television, after all, so 30 seconds might be as much “dead air” as can be allowed.

“We try to choose questions on which we can anticipate about 80% of the answers will be correct,” says Adams. Not all the students become stars, but one of the hosts did. The show’s host/moderator in its very first year was Tom Bergeron, who has since become a fixture on commercial network television, having hosted for years “America’s Funniest Home Videos” and now is on ABC’s “Dancing With the Stars.” Since his one year with the Challenge was 35 years ago, Bergeron does not pretend to have much of a memory of it.

“I was just glad the answers were on the cards,” he says. Bergeron, who years later hosted “Celebrity Jeopardy,” says, “I think it’s always wonderfully fulfilling to moderate a powerful show like ‘Granite State Challenge.’” But don’t expect him to come back to New Hampshire any time soon. “I’m not

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Current “Granite State Challenge” Host Jon Cannon is also a history teacher at Bedford High School. Below, he speaks at the lectern to some of this year’s crop of hopeful students auditioning for a spot on the show.

looking for more work right now,” he insists.

Jon Cannon, about to start his second season as host/moderator of the show, is a history/social studies teacher at Bedford High School. Having been a contestant himself in the 1990s, he stresses the importance of continuing to study and analyze changing events.

“What I try to teach is that perspectives of the past are constantly changing as new evidence comes up,” Cannon says. “We have to spend more time to decide whether the

new evidence is worth listening to in order to change our perspectives.” The format of “Granite State Challenge” does not allow for much in the way of perspective or analysis, but it does reward memorization of a wide range of facts, a pedagogical technique that has often fallen into disfavor among students and teachers alike. Nonetheless, “I think facts are worth knowing,” Cannon insists. While facts can be rather quickly Googled today, knowledge already in the head can be illuminating, the teacher notes.

“If you’re in a boardroom where you’re the one who knows and everybody else is trying to look it up, you’re the one who’s going to shine.”

The show might be considered a mild antidote to popular TV stunts like Jay Leno’s “Jaywalking” routine in which the former “Tonight Show” host would walk about city streets getting incredibly uninformed answers to some very basic questions, as in this exchange between Leno and a rather clueless young man: “What was Hitler’s first name?”

“Hitler.”

“No, his first name.”

“Hitler.”

“Hitler Hitler?”

“No, just Hitler.’”

“He had only one name?”

“Yeah. Like Cher.”

Now it was time to see some of the students who would take the tests that would qualify them and their respective high school teams for entry into the ranks of Granite State Challengers. I arrived early on a Saturday morning at Manchester Community College for the event. Having skipped breakfast, my priority was to find the coffee. Lots of luck with that. Any and all coffee must have gone to the grave with Pocahontas.

“We just prepared for the students,” a PBS official explains to me.

“Don’t students drink coffee?” I ask irritably. Probably not, I later reflected. Not unless they pour that hot liquid into those tiny plastic “juice boxes” that students seem to have in their hands at all times. “Don’t parents who might be with them drink coffee?” The PBS official promises to look for coffee for me. I wish her well, knowing full well that if I don’t get a cup of coffee, I’m going to be grumpy all day.

Eventually a cup of java is brought to me. I take it with thanks. Soon the students arrive and start filling up the multipurpose room. Not long after, Kendal J. Bush the photographer arrives with her small arsenal of cameras, lenses and other equipment. We chat to pass the time while more students, teachers, judges and proctors arrive. I ask Kendal, who was not yet born when Chappaquiddick became a household word, if she had ever heard of the place.

“Is it an Indian or Native American place?” she asks. I tell her the story of Senator Kennedy and Mary Jo and the midnight ride of 50 years ago. Then I tell her about the student who thought the one who lost her life there was Pocahontas. She laughs so

Producer Susan Adams gives a quick thumbnail history of “Granite State Challenge,” from prehistoric 1984 to present — 971 games played; 11,700 questions asked; 6,300 students participating. hard her head nearly hits the table.

Students continue to pour in. They will be tested in waves, with the last wave to be tested scheduled for 3:45. I realize I will not be staying for the whole thing. By 3:45, I will be home in front of my TV set watching Georgia battle Auburn, no questions asked.

Kendal will be back home in Francestown.

Finally the event gets underway. Before the day is over, roughly 222 students from 37 high schools in New Hampshire will participate. Producer Susan Adams gives a quick thumbnail history of “Granite State Challenge,” from prehistoric 1984 to present — 971 games played; 11,700 questions

From left: Becky Zheng and Alssandra Sargent from Bow High School

asked; 6,300 students participating.

There was one year, sometime in the 1990s, when “Granite State Challenge” was off the air. Much of the funding for the program had been provided by the University System of New Hampshire, which holds the station’s broadcasting license. When the state made deep cuts in the University System budget, there was no longer enough money to produce the program. That left NHPBS officials scrambling for more corporate sponsors. Unitil, whose name was prominently displayed at the Saturday event, stepped up and continues to be the primary sponsor, with additional funding by NEA New Hampshire, Heinemann Publishing, Cognia, New Hampshire Lottery, HRCU, and Safety Insurance.

Manchester Community College donated the use of its facility for the Saturday preseason event. With all that, the season has nonetheless been shortened with 15 programs, requiring 16 teams, down from twice those numbers before budget cuts The next season will begin on Saturday, February 1, from 6 to 6:30 p.m. on NHPBS. Rules and procedures are explained. I look for the opportunity to quietly question a few of the early arrivals. Jamie Maddock, a senior at Nashua North, says he was asked by his friend and current tablemate to join the team. “I remember watching kids on the show and thought it was good to see the kids up there,” he adds. The teacher with the team is Tim Bosch, who teaches “world nhmagazine.com | Jan/Feb 2020

59

history, military history, psychology and whatever else they decide,” he says. Especially for students not involved in athletics, it’s “a good opportunity for them to compete on a statewide level,” he adds.

For Christian Page of Stevens High in Claremont, it’s a natural progression from participation in his school’s quiz bowl and working on technical aspects of theatrical productions at Stevens. “It’s fun coming here with some of my friends and meeting other people,” he says. As the names of the different schools are called out, the students roar their response and react as though hailing touchdowns by their respective football teams. Not a problem. Moderator Jon Cannon told them to “make some noise.”

“I feel it will be a good challenge,” Becky Thend of Bow muses. “My math teacher recommended it.”

“I like to challenge myself by trying different things,” says teammate Ali Sargent.

Looking over the students attending the event, I find nothing unusual. They might have been a throwback to the long-ago days when I was in high school, back before students got radical. No long, purple, orange or spiked hair. No mini or micro-miniskirts. In fact no skirts at all. (It was Saturday, after all.) Guys and gals were both resplendent in blue jeans.

But how does a history professor like

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Above: Olivia Bowser and Mercede McIntyre from Belmont High Below: The team from Milford High School

Cannon avoid being discouraged when an Annenberg study shows just under a third of adults surveyed could name the three branches of American government?

“I don’t look at it as discouragement,” Cannon says. “I look at it as an opportunity and challenge. It’s my job to educate kids and it gives me a sense of purpose in my profession.” To make it purposeful to the students, Cannon structures the lessons to include student participation. Though Harry

S. Truman may never know it, a couple of history classes in Bedford, years ago, put the former president on trial for dropping atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki at the end of World War II. Witnesses included students in the roles of Truman, Stalin, Hirohito and others. Even Franklin Roosevelt came back from the dead to testify. Cannon had students in different years do that exercise twice, and though he remembers many of the details, it interesting that he does not

As the names of the different schools are called out, the students roar their response and react as though hailing touchdowns by their respective football teams. remember either verdict.

“The point is, I could have gone over the reasons in 15 minutes.” But that, he says, would likely have bored the students.

For many of them, whose grandparents and great-grandparents may have been in the military at the time, it may have been eye-opening just to discover there is another side of the story.

“I don’t think my job is to move the needle,” Cannon says about the students’ perspectives. “My job is to make them aware

that there is a needle.”

The students from the first wave of testing are returning. Some kids from Manchester Central arrive at our table. What was it like?

“We can’t say much about it,” one of them says. Students in the following waves would be taking the same exams, so students were urged to be circumspect in their comments. Karishma Manchanda, a senior who has been in the challenge twice before, offers her summation.

“It was fun!”

Imagine that! Educators have found a way to make learning fun. Lorraine Mayette, who teaches English as a second language at Manchester Central, tries to do the same.

“My job is to try and teach as many people as I can to be informed and to make it as interesting as possible,” she says. “I try to find something that might clue them in.” For those who watch and listen, “Granite State Challenge” provides lots of clues.

“New Hampshire gets to see some of its best and brightest students.” Mayette says.

“There’s more learning than people realize, and it’s demonstrated by these students on ‘Granite State Challenge.’” NH

Answers from page 57 1 Beethoven 2 Neil Peart 3 Elon Musk 4 Madeleine Albright 5 Buffalo Soldiers 64 7 Afghanistan 8 Lesotho 9 Dormouse 10 “James and the Giant Peach”

Susan Adams, who has been a producer on “Granite State Challenge” since 2013, read encyclopedias for fun when she was a kid.

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603 Living “Reading gives us someplace to go when we have to stay where we are.” — Mason Cooley

Lines of perspective created by shelves seem to extend to infinity at the Avenue Victor Hugo used book store in Lee.

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Photos by P.T. Sullivan

Health 78 How-To 82 Events Listing 84 Dine Out 90 Ayuh 96

The Universe on Shelves A “new” bookstore in Lee treats old books like stars by rick broussard Avenue Victor Hugo Books, once a beloved fixture in Boston’s Back Bay, lives again in an old red barn in Lee. The rustic floorboards are steady underfoot, making not a squeak to distract the minds of those who search the shelves. Each nook and surface and collection of curiosities is arranged by careful hands to facilitate curiosity and a sense of place in this cosmos of books. The labels defining areas of interest are thoughtfully hand-penned, suggesting that there are human guides nearby should a browser decide to come up for air and inquire about a specific title.

The principle guide is owner Vincent McCaffrey, who ran the first edition of this shop on Newbury Street for 40 years. In 2004, when rents got too high, he closed down the shop — much to the dismay of Bostonian bibliophiles — and began writing new books instead of selling old ones, but something about the feel and smell and mere presence of books is hard to get out of your blood when you’ve spent so much time in their company. With some help and encouragement from his daughter and son-inlaw, he reopened Avenue Victor Hugo with about a quarter of his old inventory and many of the same old shelves and signs that had long guided seekers on their personal quests for knowledge or treasure. nhmagazine.com | Jan/Feb 2020

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603 LIVING

Vincent McCaffrey and Thais Coburn in their shop

McCaffrey is pleased, but also surprised by the reception his relocation has received. While only open two days a week, the store is busy with expectant buyers and hopeful sellers most of the time. His wife, Thais Coburn, is his partner in the endeavor, and his son-in-law helped by getting some social media buzz going about the “resurrection” of the once-urban shop in an old post-and-beam structure in the country. Its proximity to the University of New Hampshire campus, just 10 minutes away, accounts for some of the traffic, but McCaffrey has his own theory.

“Books are magic,” said McCaffrey to a crew from “NH Chronicle” when they were taping an episode there earlier this year. If anyone would know of their powers, McCaffrey is a good candidate. He started selling books from a handcart before opening the Newbury Street shop in 1975. At first he slept in the back of the store. At one point, his shop contained about a quarter of a million books. His inventory is more manageable now, as are his hours, Fridays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. He’s 75 now, and he and his wife are increasingly busy in their role as grandparents, sharing the love of old books with a brand new generation. NH 64

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LIVING

THE NEW HAMPSHIRE THEATRE AWARDS celebrating theatre in the granite state

JANUARY 25, 2020 • 7PM CAPITOL CENTER FOR THE ARTS, CONCORD

for tickets, visit: www.nhtheatrealliance.org/2020-awards-show

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EXPERTS

New Hampshire Magazine’s Guide to Retirement Living and Senior Living

Retirement and senior living communities are vibrant, active places that provide a fulfilling lifestyle in a welcoming, attentive atmosphere tailored to a resident’s needs. >

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As parents, loved ones and partners begin to age, it becomes increasingly important to have a plan in place to provide for their medical, social and cultural needs.

Each senior living community is unique and offers different amenities and support options. We asked a number of senior living executives from around the state to provide some advice about what to expect, and what makes their community unique.

OUR EXPERTS: Shannon Lynch, Executive Director Summit by Morrison themorrisoncommunities.org Maria Byrne, Director of Sales at The Baldwin. thebaldwinnh.org Paul Charlton, Vice President – Marketing Taylor Community taylorcommunity.org Cathleen Toomey, Vice President of Marketing, RiverWoods Exeter, RiverWoods Durham and Birch Hill riverwoodsexeter.org, riverwoodsdurham.org, birchhillrc.org Joanne Rizzo, Director of Community Relations Bedford Falls benchmarkseniorliving.com Lynda Brislin, RN, Executive Director Windham Terrace windhamterrace.com Kerri Elliot, Director of Business Development Silverstone Living silverstoneliving.org

Shannon Lynch, Executive Director, Summit by Morrison - Part of The Morrison Communities, Whitefield, NH What makes Summit by Morrison unique?

Lynch: “Those who have always called beautiful northern New Hampshire home now have an option to retire to a senior living community in the location they love!

Building off the five-star rating and legacy of The Morrison Skilled Nursing Facility and Sartwell Place Assisted Living, Summit by Morrison is the new, second campus of The Morrison Communities. Summit is a private pay facility that offers independent living cottages and apartments, assisted living studios and secure memory care units. Our living options are month-tomonth agreements with special respite and day program rates. The Morrison Skilled Nursing Facility can accept Medicaid and offers long- and short-term care, skilled nursing, and physical and occupational rehabilitation services for both inpatients and outpatients. With these two

campuses, we can offer a continuum of care to our residents without the buy-in fees associated with Continuing Care Retirement Communities.”

What types of housing options are available?

Lynch: “At Summit, the living options include independent living, assisted living, a secure memory care community and respite care. Our independent apartments and cottages provide residents with freedom from the challenges of homeownership in a beautiful scenic setting with fabulous amenities. All our assisted living apartments (equipped with kitchenettes) and our memory care studios are private living options with private bathrooms.”

What are some of the design elements included in the Memory Care Household?

Lynch: “Summit’s Memory Care Community was designed to provide residents with a welcoming, homelike environment while providing family nhmagazine.com | Jan/Feb 2020

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members peace of mind that their loved ones are in a safe and secure environment.

This community features an open-concept living room with fireplace and dining area and a fully equipped kitchen. Recently, we added an enclosed outdoor garden that residents and family can enjoy. With a maximum of twelve residents in our memory care program, our staff can specialize in providing individualized care, including a full activities calendar. All employees of Summit by Morrison are trained using the Alzheimer Association’s Habilitation Training, which is a personcentered approach to dementia care.”

Maria Byrne, Director of Sales at The Baldwin, in Londonderry, NH When should I consider a Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC)?

Byrne: “You don’t have to wait until your health needs increase to move to a CCRC. Many CCRC residents are very active and independent and see a move to a community as a way of freeing themselves from the responsibilities of home maintenance so they can spend more time pursuing the activities they love.

Many Continuing Care Communities, such

as The Baldwin, offer rightsized apartment homes with modern features and services that complement the desire for lowmaintenance living, as well as convenient access to amenities that make it easier for residents to engage in the arts, fitness and wellness, lifelong learning and more.

“We’ve seen that the people who tend to get the most out of their experience living at a CCRC are the ones who make the move while they are still in great health.

They’re able to enjoy all the community has to offer with the peace of mind that higher levels of care, such as assisted living and memory care, are available to them on campus should they need them in the future. The sooner you move to a CCRC, the longer you’ll benefit from all the lifestyle and wellness choices and services the community has to offer.”

What type of CCRC is The Baldwin, and what are the benefits of this type of CCRC? Byrne: “There are generally three types of CCRC contracts: Type A, Type B and Type C. Type A (lifecare) contracts offer unlimited healthcare services with minimal increases in residents’ monthly fees.

“Let go of the burden of home ownership”

Type B (modified) contracts offer a set amount of healthcare services residents can access for a set period. Any services received over the set amount will likely cause the monthly fee to increase.

Type C (fee-for-service) contracts include housing, resident services and amenities, like Type A and B contracts, but don’t include the costs of healthcare services.

Residents pay market rates for any healthrelated services they need.

“The Baldwin offers Type B and Type C contracts. This ensures that monthly fees are kept low for residents who are not having to prepay for health services they may not use for years, if at all. Given that The Baldwin’s future residents are all making the move to the community as Independent Living residents, they’ll enjoy lower monthly fees compared to if they had moved to a community offering Type A contracts.”

What are some of the amenities I can expect at The Baldwin?

Byrne: “Life at The Baldwin will include a variety of state-of-the-art amenities designed to enhance our community’s ‘live-work-play’ philosophy. There will be an

Live independently in our NEW Cottages and Apartments!

CALL TODAY TO SCHEDULE YOUR TOUR (603) 837-3500

A Senior Living Community Uproviding nparalleled Senior Living a continuum of care as part of the Morrison Communities Whitefield, NH TheMorrisonCommunities.org This institution is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

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art gallery and studio for our community of creators; indoor and outdoor fitness centers for athletic aspirations; a library, classrooms and auditoriums for lifelong learning; a swimming pool and salon and spa for rest and relaxation; walking trails and raised gardens for the outdoorsy types; and countless other areas for socialization.

the fortune of working with CCRCs where team members went above and beyond to provide avenues for residents to pursue their interests. Residents felt empowered to pursue their hobbies and step out of their comfort zones to try new ones. It was rare that two days were ever alike, and we hope to bring that same spirit to The Baldwin and take it to the next level.”

“We believe that retirement is when the fun starts and want The Baldwin lifestyle to be a reflection of that. The community’s amenities have been carefully thought out to ensure that diverse residents with diverse interests can create the lifestyle they desire with ease.”

What is unique about The Baldwin’s location, and how will that benefit residents?

What would someone be surprised to learn about life at a community like The Baldwin?

Byrne: “I think people are often surprised at how active and resident-driven the lifestyle at a Continuing Care Community, such as The Baldwin, can be. There’s this stigma that life at a CCRC is slow-moving, monotonous and lacking excitement.

There may have been some truth to that in the past, but many modern CCRCs, such as The Baldwin, have turned that notion on its head. In the past, I’ve had

Concerts

Byrne: “The Baldwin is being built in an ideal location in the ever-growing Woodmont Commons neighborhood in Londonderry. This means that residents will be within walking distance or a short drive from dining, retail, wellness, social and cultural attractions in the larger community.

So not only will they have plenty of opportunities to engage in all there is to do on campus, they’ll find even more opportunities to be active and involved in and around Londonderry as well.

“Our community’s close proximity to Boston and Manchester makes venturing into the city a breeze for residents. And for more far-reaching adventures, residents can lock and leave — with the peace of

•

Lectures

•

Movies

•

mind that their homes will be looked after for as long as they are away — and head to the nearby airport to begin their travels.”

Paul Charlton, Vice President of Marketing, Taylor Community, in Laconia and Wolfeboro, NH What are the different levels of care at Taylor Community, and as a resident, can I transition from one to the next?

Charlton: “Like other CCRCs, Taylor Community offers independent living cottages and apartments, assisted living, memory care and full nursing. This continuum is at the core of the CCRC model where seniors can move into vibrant and active retirement living while enjoying the peace of mind that they have access to different levels of care as they age. Often that peace of mind is just as important for the resident’s children as much as for themselves.”

When or why should I consider a CCRC? Charlton: “As far as when, the short answer is better sooner than later. I don’t think anybody ever said they made the

Streaming Opera

•

Music

Friendly Active Senior Living Experience retirement like never before in a vibrant community in New Hampshire’s beautiful Lakes Region.

Taylor Community Benefits include... Maintenance-free living Spacious apartments & single-story cottages Fitness & aquatic facilities & classes Trips, tours, activities & events Beautifully maintained 104-acre campus

Peace of mind for the future

(603) 366-1400 taylorcommunity.com Laconia ❘ Wolfeboro Taylor Community is a not-for-profit 501(c)3 continuing care retirement community.

Call today for more information, or to tour this beautiful campus! nhmagazine.com | Jan/Feb 2020

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counterparts, but the same high-quality level of healthcare and amenities.

“Birch Hill is also the only CCRC in New England that offers a 70% Flex Contract — this contract provides 70% of your entrance fee back to you, to use during your lifetime, which helps defray healthcare costs. All other refundable contracts provide refunds after you have left the community, or passed away.”

What’s unique about Birch Hill’s location?

Toomey: “Although Birch Hill is just 10 minutes from downtown Manchester, its wooded location in north Manchester is idyllic. Situated on 29 acres, off Hackett Hill Road near Hooksett, Birch Hill is across the street from a 600-acre nature sanctuary.” move too soon but have certainly heard from many people, ‘We should have done this years ago.’ Those who move in when they are younger and more active take full advantage of all the CCRC offers. As far as why, there are so many answers that it would be impossible to list all the benefits.

Key reasons include having access to the full continuum of care providing best options now and in the future and living in a community with friends and neighbors who enjoy other’s company and really look out for one another. Maintenancefree living is also very appealing. It’s not that people aren’t capable of maintaining their own homes, they simply prefer to do other things that aren’t such a chore.

That leads to another aspect of CCRC living that appeals to many: There are many amenities like the pool, gym, movie theater, library, billiards lounge, bistro and outdoor parks and recreation. There is also a robust schedule of trips, activities and events, ranging from speakers to zip lining to superb classical, jazz and blues concerts, pub night, fire pit gatherings and more.”

What are some of the recent upgrades at Taylor Community?

Charlton: “Taylor is just now completing construction of six new cottages. These are larger, open-concept design, each with a two-car garage. We are nearing completion of phase one of the creation of a pavilion and outside park and recreation area. Phase two will finish up in spring 2020 to include outside cooking, bocce court, putting green, walking track and expanded garden areas. Longer term, Taylor is pursuing other expansion as part of its overall strategic plan. Future projects have been defined to include adding independent living, assisted living 70

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and memory care in both Laconia and Wolfeboro.”

Cathleen Toomey, Vice President of Marketing, RiverWoods Exeter, RiverWoods Durham and Birch Hill, in Manchester, NH What is CCRC/Life Care and who would it be right for?

Toomey: “A Continuing Care Retirement Community ( CCRC) is a retirement community that generally accepts people 62 years old or better, who are able to live safely on their own. Living at a CCRC as an independent resident means you enjoy many services and amenities, such as one meal a day, housekeeping, transportation, 24-hour emergency response, inside and outside maintenance, and a host of interesting programs and activities.

Once there, if you need additional care in the future, it is available to you, right on campus, at a significantly discounted rate.

Although all CCRCs in New Hampshire are nonprofits, the contract types are different, and therefore it is important to understand what is being offered. (For an Insiders’ Guide that provides more in-depth information on contracts, go to riverwoodsrc.org/what-is-a-ccrc/).”

What type of CCRC is Birch Hill, and how does it differ from other types?

Toomey: “Birch Hill, a member of the RiverWoods Group family is a Type B contract CCRC. The advantage to a Type B contract is that it provides targeted insurance, and therefore you are not paying for care you don’t need. Birch Hill offers a lower entrance fee and a lower monthly service fee than its Type A

What are some of the recent renovations at Birch Hill?

Toomey: “The community has invested $14 million in renovations to the physical plant in the last two years. A brand-new, light-filled fitness center has been added, as well as a spacious resident event space.

The dining rooms have been completely renovated, as have the halls, lighting and carpeting. Now, all private homes feature granite countertops, stainless steel appliances, new lighting and open-plan kitchens, as well as updated washers and dryers. Many homes have private balconies.”

What types of living options are there at RiverWoods Exeter? Can I transition from one to the next should it become necessary?

Toomey: “RiverWoods Exeter offers independent living, assisted living, memory care and skilled nursing. Once you are a resident in independent living, you can transition to any level of support you need at any time.”

What is RiverWoods Exeter’s ‘Speaking for Myself’ program, and what are its benefits for memory care patients?

Toomey: “RiverWoods Exeter residents have the opportunity to participate in the ‘Speaking for Myself’ program when they enter the community, where they identify specific preferences and desires they have.

This document is used in the event that a resident may at some point require memory support or assisted living, so that we can personalize their care. For example, if they are an early riser, or a late riser, if they have a nickname, or a preference for what activities

HOW DO YOU DEFINE INDEPENDENCE? If you define independence as staying in your home, think again.

Choose a life that includes an executive chef, a fitness trainer, housekeeping services and a rock solid plan for your future health care. Visit Birch Hill, Manchester’s only nonprofit continuing care retirement community.

Call us at 603.836.2302 or visit BirchHillRC.org

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bring them the most joy. It is captured in that document while they are still able to speak for themselves, so all care staff know and honor their individual preferences.”

What can I learn from The Insider’s Guide, and how can I get a copy/ read it?

Joanne Rizzo, Director of Community Relations, Bedford Falls, in Bedford, NH What is the best way to introduce the idea of moving to a senior living community, assisted living or memory care facility to a loved one? Who should be involved in the discussion?

Toomey: “We offer the Insider’s Guide for free, to help consumers understand what questions to ask when considering a CCRC. Rizzo: “These situations need to be It is available online at riverwoodsrc.org/ handled delicately as they can be filled what-is-a-ccrc. ” x 7.45 NH mag Franzs ad.qxp_Layout RWD-116 4.625 1 11/15/19 10:12 AM Page 1 with a myriad of emotions, including

A CONCEPT SO SMART, IT BELONGS IN A COLLEGE TOWN.

fear of losing one’s independence and what’s familiar to them. It should be a somewhat gradual process depending upon how urgent of a situation it is. The first conversation should be reassuring and focused on planting seeds, introducing concerns, preferences and priorities. You want your loved one to feel that you are on their side and they are ultimately in control, but that you want what’s best for them. In that initial conversation, you want to uncover what’s most important to them and walk away with some sort of plan, even if it begins with baby steps, that most everyone agrees on. We recently launched an Open Conversations educational blog series that tackles these topics and other pressing concerns.”

What might someone be surprised to learn about senior living communities?

Rizzo: “Many people still equate senior living with nursing homes because that’s what most people who are considering senior living now grew up with. When, in fact, there is a night and day difference between a nursing home and a community like ours. They are often surprised to see how active our community is, how connected and a part of the greater Bedford community we are, and by all of the services and amenities we offer. For example, many of our residents still drive and every day we offer a ton of on- and off-site experiences to keep our residents active, engaged and connected to what matters most in their lives. For us, the surprises really begin from the moment people walk in the door and they see how vibrant and hotel-like our community is with the fine furnishings they are accustomed to.”

What is something unique about the memory care approach at Bedford Falls?

Resident-driven. Socially engaged. Artistically and intellectually stimulating. Everything you could wish for in an independent community, including quality health care if and when you need it in the future. Learn more about this smart new community!

603-868-6000 | RiverWoodsDurham.org 72

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Rizzo: “Every day we give our residents a sense of purpose, a reason to contribute and feel valued. By tapping into each person’s individual interests and passions, they are able to experience successful days and minimize some of the symptoms that can occur with dementia, such as mood changes or confusion, and help them stay connected. For example, recently for Veterans Day, we created cards for veterans on hospice to thank them for their service and also hosted a pinning ceremony to honor all of our veterans and their spouses, which made them feel very special. Off-site activities, like trips to the farm to pick pumpkins to decorate,

“We are so happy Mom is thriving again.”

tA

o

m mu

3 Church Road, Windham, NH 03087 | WindhamTerrace.com | (603) 437-4600

TerraceCommunities.com WhEElock TErracE 32 Buck Road Hanover, NH 03755 (603) 643-7290

Equinox TErracE 324 Equinox Terrace Road Manchester Center, VT 05255 (802) 362-5141

VallEy TErracE 2820 Christian Street White River Junction, VT 05001 (802) 280-1910

WoodsTock TErracE 456 Woodstock Road Woodstock, VT 05091 (802) 457-2228

scarborough TErracE 600 Commerce Drive Scarborough, ME 04074 (207) 885-5568

nity

If you are interested in the finest care and the nicest people, call Lynda at Windham Terrace (603) 437-4600 or, better yet, stop by.

Be s

“As Mom aged, we thought it best if she stayed in her house, but, we were wrong. Even with hours of expensive home care, Mom wasn’t thriving. She needed more. She especially needed more socialization— not isolation. And more affordable and reliable access to care when she needed it. So she made the move to Windham Terrace. She truly loves her elegant new home! Life is more complete in a community with lots of friends and activities, chef-prepared meals, daily care, medication management, and even transportation to appointments and outings. I visit her often, so I know Mom is happier and more relaxed now… and I am too. We only wish she’d moved sooner.” ted Living ssis C

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Connecting to what matters That’s the Benchmark Difference.

5 Corporate Drive | 603.471.2555 BedfordFallsAssistedLiving.com Assisted Living • Memory Care

keep our residents connected to cherished childhood memories. Bringing purpose and meaning to the lives of those with dementia and Alzheimer’s is key to giving them the satisfaction they need and that is our focus every single day.”

When should I start planning to transition to a senior care community?

Rizzo: “Most of us will need assistance as we age so it’s never too early to start planning. The easiest transitions are those that have involved a good deal of planning for the future. Short-term, when it gets too difficult for an individual to live on their own, living on their own is compromising their health or wellness and they can benefit from a more socially rich environment, then we suggest planning a transition. Making the necessary financial plans can take some time so it’s best to start assessing one’s financial situation first to determine affordability and if changes need to be made. Our free Financial Concierge Program can provide needed assistance and resources, including assistance securing VA benefits, short-term bridge loans and other alternative financial solutions.”

When and why should I consider a CCRC?

THE HUNTINGTON AT NASHUA

AT HOME BY HUNT

HUNT COMMUNITY

You’ve worked hard.

You have planned well.

Your time is NOW — You’ve earned it!

The finest in independent living for people 62 and better

Call 603.821.1200 today to learn how Silverstone Living’s Life Plan options offer

“The Freedom to be You!”

SilverstoneLiving.org 74

nhmagazine.com | Jan/Feb 2020

Rizzo: “The ideal candidate for a Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC) is someone who is on the younger side and does not currently need a high level of care. Most CCRCs operate on a buy-in model that requires the resident and/or family to pay an entry fee and, in exchange, they receive access to a wide array of services, amenities and activities within the community as they age and need an increased level of care. By investing in one’s future, a CCRC provides peace of mind that, as you need additional care over time, you won’t have to move to receive it and are able to maintain a continued link to the greater community.

Those who are younger and in relatively good health who don’t yet need assisted living, skilled nursing or rehab generally reap the most financial benefits from investing in a CCRC-type living situation.”

Lynda Brislin, RN Executive Director, Windham Terrace, in Windham, NH What is your No. 1 tip about the moving process?

Brislin: “Seniors are sometimes under the impression that all communities are the

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same and that they offer the same levels of care, the same standards, or the same accommodations. This is most definitely untrue. They’re sometimes afraid that they will lose their freedom or Independence and that remaining in their home is the best place to live as you age. In actuality, it is the environment that provides safety, more freedom and convenience along with more care and certainly less stress or worry than perhaps staying alone in your home can provide. Another misconception is that you will lose connections with family or friends. The reality is that families and friends visit more frequently, and those visits are more enjoyable as they’re not providing care that was needed before moving into a community.”

What are some of the important elements to consider when choosing a retirement community?

Brislin: “Location can be an important consideration, given that quite often the simple objection about moving is to be close to family and friends. Consider the size of the facility; services that are offered for your current needs, as well as the services you may require in the future; costs are always something to consider, and then consider the culture of the community. The culture can be simply defined as the way a facility ‘feels.’”

What is something unique about the approach to memory care at Windham Terrace?

Brislin: “Millstone Inn is a smaller, personal wing — within the same overall community — separated by a keypad code that prevents wandering of those who may have this symptom as part of their dementia. It is a specially designed, lovely and secure unit with an outdoor enclosed courtyard as well as a large, bright three-season sunroom. The goal of our Millstone Inn is twofold: to provide a sense of security and belonging through specially trained staff, within surroundings that look and feel like home; and to add quality of life through a daily routine which incorporates music, laughter, smiles and exercise along with conversation, creativity and reflection.”

The Baldwin

CHEERS

Discover vibrant retirement living from a new perspective at The Baldwin, Londonderry’s first 62+ Continuing Care Community. Enjoy Independent Living complemented by on-campus amenities and programs with the peace of mind that continuing care is available if needed in the future.

DISCOVER MORE: TheBaldwinNH.org/NHMagazine 603.945.7657

How do you recruit and retain top healthcare staff?

Brislin: “Make certain from the start to hire selectively. Also: • Offer adequate pay-salary-benefits — must be competitive. Flexibility.

• Offer praise and recognition to let employees know their worth. Rewarding

NOW RESERVING 1E Commons Drive, No.24, Londonderry, NH 03053 nhmagazine.com | Jan/Feb 2020

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for attitude not just skillset. It’s not always about the money.

• Seek staff input and suggestions.

Elliot: “You should begin planning for life in a retirement community before you need it. Life Plan Communities benefit those individuals who are active and independent while wanting the security and peace of mind of knowing they will have the amenities and resources needed in their later years.”

• Provide employee opportunities to develop their careers.

What are the primary benefits of a Life Plan community?

• Most importantly and simplest — know your employees.

Elliot: “By leaving the stresses of home maintenance and upkeep behind, you will finally, at long last, be focusing on yourself.

With a wide variety of living options, you are still able to maintain your own personal space with peace of mind, knowing if your circumstances change in your later years, you will have access to assisted living and nursing care. Most Life Plan communities offer lifetime care as well.”

• Make new employees feel welcomed by all.

• Be the manager that communicates effectively, be a leader not a boss!

What’s something new at Windham Terrace?

Brislin: “We have recently changed our dining to open seating versus scheduled, timed dining per the request of our residents. We also serve breakfast all day.

It is very important to listen to what your residents are asking for. Younger residents expect and demand a different experience than their older counterparts.”

What type of Life Plan community is Silverstone Living, and what are the primary benefits of that type?

Kerri Elliot, Director of Business Development, Silverstone Living – Hunt Community, The Huntington at Nashua and At Home By Hunt.

Elliot: “Silverstone Living has two active Life Plan communities — Hunt Community and The Huntington at Nashua — and a revolutionary Continuing Care at Home program known as At Home By Hunt.

Silverstone Living provides comprehensive living options based on the individual preferences of adults aged 62 and better.”

When should I begin planning for life in a retirement community?

Elliot: “Silverstone Living’s Hunt Community finished an $11 million dollar renovation in 2018 that upgraded our historic building to include many of the community spaces around our campus.

In early 2019, The Huntington at Nashua enhanced their bistro experience in response to resident feedback. Silverstone Living will continue to make enhancements to improve the resident experience for years to come.”

What do you find most people are concerned about when they first relocate to a retirement community?

How can I ease a family member’s concerns?

Bedford Falls Bedford, bedfordfallsassistedliving.com

$6,000

$6,000 $8,000

Y

0

0

60

24

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Restaurant-style dining, theater, library and pub, all in the spirit of elevating human connections.

Summit by Morrison Whitefield, summitbymorrison.org

$3,500

Starting at $2,950

Y

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47

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Wellness center with fitness classes, auditorium, activity room, full-service salon, lounge, library.

Starting at $212,000

Starting at $3,250

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0

190

40

TBD

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NOW RESERVING! Swimming pool and spa, walkable to shops and restaurants, bocce & pickleball and walking trails.

Wheelock Terrace Hanover, wheelockterrace.com

$7,000$9,500

Y

0

Y

Y

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Gracious setting, spacious sitting areas, chef prepared meals, compassionate caring staff.

Windham Terrace Windham, windhamterrace.com

$7,000$10,700

• • • • • • • • • •

Enriching social, cultural and educational activities, comfortable restaurant-style dining, serene library, holistic wellness/integrated therapy room. We have happy hour!

Fee

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Fee

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Op tio ns nit s (# Ind epe of Bed nd en s) tL ivin Per so gU na nit lC s are Mem Un or i t s yC are Ass ist Un ed its Res Liv ing pit eC Or ga are n Sch ized D ed ay Bea uled Trips Tra ut y Lau /Bar nspo ber rta nd t Ho ry Se Servi ion use rvi ce c k e ee On -sit ping Ser eD On i -sit ning vice Wo e Med Servi ce rsh ic ip Se al Se rvi rvi ce ce

Elliot: “There are many different concerns for people when they relocate to a retirement community — as with any other big decision in a person’s life. However, the peace of mind people experience almost immediately upon arrival in a Life Plan community quickly helps alleviate those concerns. Knowing you have a team of individuals available to support your transition, as well as an entire community offering friendship and social opportunities, helps people quickly acclimate to the new lifestyle.”

Ref un

Featured Retirement Communities in NH

What are some of the recent upgrades at Silverstone Living communities?

Amenities

RETIREMENT COMMUNITIES

The Baldwin Londonderry, thebaldwinnh.org

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Featured Retirement Communities in NH

Op tio ns Un i t s (# Ind e pe of bed nd en s) tL ivin Per so g Un na its lC are Mem Un or i ts yC are Ass ist U n e its Res d Liv i pit e C ng Or ga are n Sch ized D ed ay Bea uled Trips Tra ut y Lau /Bar nspo ber rta nd t Ho ry Se Servi ion use rvi ce c k e ee On -sit ping Ser eD On i -sit ning vice Ser e M Wo rsh edica vice ip Se l Se rvi rvi ce ce

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Amenities

CONTINUING CARE RETIREMENT COMMUNITIES

Birch Hill A RiverWoods Group Community Manchester, birchhillrc.org

Starting at $203,000

Starting at $2,776

Hunt Community Nashua, huntcommunity.org

Starting at $64,000

Starting at $2,240

The Huntington at Nashua Nashua, thehuntingtonatnashua.org

Starting at $137,000

Starting at $2,678

RiverWoods Durham Durham, riverwoodsdurham.org

Starting at $314,900

Starting at $3,295

Y

Y

Y

Y

9

22

24

24

138

116

142

150

41

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$14 million renovation completed in 2018.

New fitness center, updated homes with open floor plans, on-site medical provider, all levels of care in one community, all the conveniences of a CCRC located in serene setting adjacent to a 600-acre nature preserve, just 10 minutes from downtown Manchester.

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A Life Plan Community with library, fitness center, billiards room, woodworking shop, pool, walking paths, theater, multiuse auditorium, coffee bar, outside rooftop dining.

• • • • • • • •

A Life Plan Community with a Life Care component. Indoor pool, exercise center, library, theater, woodworking shop, multiuse auditorium.

•

• • • • • • • • • •

Opened in Nov 2019, a new community for independent, active adults. Spacious fitness center, variety of open, light-filled homes, multiple dining venues, less than 2 miles from UNH. State-of-the-art health center opens in spring of 2020, offering person-directed care and featuring unique small household model.

RiverWoods Exeter Exeter, riverwoodsrc.org

Starting at $197,000

Starting at $2,497

Y

78

393

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Nationally accredited; three distinct campuses in one neighborhood, all featuring indoor pools, fitness centers, art studios, resident activities and a variety of dining venues. Award-winning health center with all levels of care on each campus.

Taylor Community Laconia, taylorcommunity.org

Starting at $139,000

Starting at $1,195

Y

40

180

103

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Activities, special events, concerts, lectures, seminars, pool, gym, movie theater, maintenance free.

AT HOME CARE OPTIONS At Home By Hunt athomebyhunt.org

AT HOME BY HUNT is a Continuing Care program for individuals who want to remain in control of their future longterm care needs, while aging in place at home. Entrance fee starting at $33,900. Monthly fee range is varied. Refundable options. Independent living, assisted living, memory care, skilled nursing, personal care, organized day trips, scheduled transportation

Want to see your community listed here in our July issue? Contact us today to reserve your spot — (603) 624-1442. nhmagazine.com | Jan/Feb 2020

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HEALTH

Skip the Fads

Diets for your waistline — and heart

by Karen A. Jamrog

F

rom the ketogenic (aka the keto) diet to the Paleolithic (aka the paleo) diet and the Mediterranean diet, plus countless weight-loss regimens that have grabbed people’s attention over the years, ardent followers swear by their favored approach’s ability to slim and trim. But which trendy diet most benefits the heart?

“It’s quite confusing for consumers and any of us to figure out all these diets and all these [abbreviated diet names] that stand for different things to figure out which way to go,” says Armin Helisch, MD, a cardiologist at Dartmouth-Hitchcock’s Heart and Vascular Center, especially as we wade through an ever-churning news stream of changeable

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and contradictory diet recommendations.

In truth, there are useful pointers to be gleaned from some of today’s (and yesterday’s) popular diets. For example, while shunning grains à la the paleo diet is not necessary for health or weight loss, limiting consumption of refined carbohydrates is definitely a smart move. Refined carbohydrates such as white bread, white rice and pasta, pastries, and many breakfast cereals and sweets score high on the glycemic index, meaning that they cause blood glucose, or blood sugar, to quickly rise and remain elevated for a time, which is not good for cardiovascular health. Plus, such foods typically leave the eater hungry for more.

The role of carbohydrates in our diet is

“very important,” Helisch says. Eating the same amount of instant oats rather than steel-cut oats, for example, will cause “a much more sudden blood sugar increase,” Helisch says, because instant oats are more processed, making “the carbohydrates inside them ... much more quickly accessible by the body.” The more we incorporate whole grains and less-processed food in our diet, Helisch says, the better for our heart health and weight control.

In general, “[our] diet should emphasize vegetables, fruit, legumes, nuts and seeds, whole grains and fish,” Helisch says, while replacing saturated fat with monounsaturated or polyunsaturated fat. (Saturated fat is found in red meat, butter and other foods; monounsaturated or polyunsaturated fat is present in fish, olive oil, and more.) Adopting this way of eating has been shown “in many studies,” Helisch says, “to reduce our cardiovascular risk.”

Add it all up, and you’ve got a diet that pretty closely mirrors the Mediterranean diet. Helisch confesses he might be biased (“my significant other ... is Italian,” he says), but “the strongest data” points to Mediterranean-style eating as an effective way to lower the risk of heart attack and stroke — and to help keep off excess weight.

Hannah Greulich, RD, LD, a clinical dietitian at the Elliot Center for Advanced Nutrition Therapy and Diabetes Management, agrees. Many of the well-known diets such as the keto and paleo and South Beach “can show short-term weight loss,” she says, but it’s important to look “beyond just the weight-loss aspect to what the overall health effects” of the diet will be, especially over the long term.

“There are a lot of diets out there,” Greulich says. “A lot of the trendy ones are promoting weight loss — not focusing on overall health. The keto, for example, is extremely high fat, extremely low carbs, and we know for general heart health that the type of fat we’re eating really makes a difference, and the [type of] carbohydrates really make[s] a difference, too.” Vegetables, fruits, and whole grains, for example, provide beneficial nutrition along with carbohydrates.

“The Mediterranean [diet] has been shown again and again as having benefits for heart health,” Greulich says, “[and] what I like about [it] is it’s not really a set, restrictive diet. ... It’s more of a dietary pattern that promotes certain types of foods.”

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It’s important to look “beyond just the weight-loss aspect to what the overall health effects” of the diet will be, especially over the long term.

- Hannah Greulich, RD, LD safeguard your heart, or both, the diet you choose must be sustainable, Greulich says. Over-restriction can lead to binge eating and make it less likely that you will stick with the diet. The diet must be compatible with your lifestyle and take into account health conditions that you have.

“Be a knowledgeable consumer,” Greulich advises. If you read on social media about the latest diet, or hear people at the gym talk about how many pounds they’ve lost through a particular eating plan, do your homework to determine whether the diet would be sustainable for you, promotes

long-term health, and is backed by sound research that supports the diet’s effectiveness and safety. “Focus more on what’s going to offer some sort of benefit [beyond weight loss],” Greulich says. And rather than concentrating only on a list of foods that you must eliminate or reduce, find out what you can add to your diet to improve your health.

Lastly, don’t overlook a key piece to the puzzle. “It’s not just the food we eat,” Helisch says. “It’s also whether we move, and whether we move enough, which is important for weight control but also for cardiovascular health.” NH

Helpful Resources For dietary guidance, Armin Helisch, MD, a cardiologist at Dartmouth-Hitchcock’s Heart and Vascular Center, recommends that his patients read “Always Hungry,” a book by Harvard endocrinologist David Ludwig. “I think he’s done wonderful research on the subject,” Helisch says, “and is a true researcher but also writes books for the general public,” complete with recipes. Helisch also gives a thumbs-up to Ludwig’s subsequent book, “Always Delicious,” for more recipes, noting that Ludwig’s advice is grounded in science, and acknowledges the important role that carbohydrates play in our diet.

For more nutrition advice, see the website of the American Heart Association: heart.org/en/healthy-living/healthy-eating/ eat-smart?uid=1846.

Help New Hampshire Magazine, in partnership with the New Hampshire Nurses Association, honor the unsung heroes of the state’s medical community by nominating nurses in a variety of vital specialties.

Nurses are key members of any health care team, but their skills and contributions are often unrecognized. We want to celebrate the very best in nursing – those who go above and beyond to comfort, heal and educate – to bring to light how critical nursing is to achieving comprehensive health care. If you know of such a nurse, please consider nominating him or her in one of the award categories.

Do you know a nurse who deserves recognition?

Finalists will be honored at a special awards event in May, and featured in the June 2020 issue of New Hampshire Magazine.

To nominate, visit: NHMagazine.com/NursingAwards

• Ambulatory Care Nursing

• Nurse Leader

LAST CHANCE! The deadline for nominations is January 10, 2020.

• Cardiovascular Nursing

• Public Health Nursing

Sponsored by:

• Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing

Excellence in Nursing categories:

• Gerontologic & Long Term Care Nursing • Medical-Surgical Nursing • Maternal-Child Health Nursing • Pediatric & School Nursing

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• Nurse Educators • Emergency Nursing • Hospice and Palliative Care Nursing • Advanced Practice Registered Nurse

For sponsorship information, contact Kimberly Lencki at klencki@mcleancommunications.com or call (603) 413-5154.

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• Consultative Cardiology and Follow Up • Invasive, Non-Invasive, and Interventional Cardiology • Nuclear Cardiology • Peripheral Vascular Disease Testing and Treatment • Pacemaker Implantation and Follow Up • Defibrillator Implantation and Follow Up • Electrophysiology Studies and Ablation • In-Office Finger Stick Coumadin Testing

For more information, call (603) 627-1669 Visit www.elliothospital.org or call Physician Finder at 603-663-4567. nhmagazine.com | Jan/Feb 2020

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Contra dancers at the Nelson Town Hall

Folk Footwork How to contra dance

By Emily Heidt

W

ith the dawn of New Year’s Day and the freezing temperatures that go with it come opportunities to get out of the house and try something new. Instead of letting the snow keep you in, what if you went out and experienced the charm of contra dancing?

You don’t need years of experience, a specific type of shoe, or even a strong sense of rhythm to have fun contra dancing. It’s easy — if you can walk and smile at the same time, then you can contra dance. We spoke with Lisa Sieverts, a director of the Monadnock Folklore Society, and asked her about the ins and outs of contra dancing and its historical roots at the Nelson Town Hall.

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The Dance

Contra dances are done in long lines, either with or without a partner, to the sounds of a fiddle, piano and a variety of other live instruments. Before the dancing begins, the caller will pick a dance from a collection of hundreds, and then spend a few minutes teaching and walking the dancers through the series of steps, also called “figures,” of the dance. Once the music starts, the caller will then prompt the dancers in time to the music and give instruction just before the dancers need to follow it. The goal is for the caller to stop calling the figures as the dancers become more familiar with the steps as the dance goes on. “It might be a bit

overwhelming for beginners at first, but you learn everything the first night and it gets progressively more exciting with time,” says Sieverts. “I love being able to watch those who were brand-new come back and help out the new dancers with their figures.”

It’s the simplicity that makes it fun for dancers no matter if it is their first time dancing or their 100th. “I’ve been dancing since I was a little kid,” says Sieverts. “I love the feeling of moving to the music and interacting with familiar faces and those who are at the town hall for the first time. It’s a beautiful opportunity to listen to the music and calls and get out of your head and into your feet. Don’t think, just do. It’s refreshing.”

The dance selections vary from week to week, but the community favorite that has been danced every week for 150 years is the chorus jig. “The dance is very ritualistic,” says Sieverts. “It is played every week after announcements, and it always has a certain

photo by kendal j. bush

HOW-TO

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Tips for new dancers -Bring a pair of comfy shoes to dance in, and preferably not the snowy, dirty ones that you wear every day.

-Grab an experienced dancer to help you with the figures for your first dance.

-Don’t be afraid to go alone. You will be switching partners throughout the night.

More information Mondadnock Folklore Society Keene monadnockfolk.org Live Free and Dance nh.gov/folklife/learning-center/traditions/live-free-dance.htm

Where to contra dance photo by kendal j. bush; bottom photo courtesy

Nelson Town Hall 7 Nelson Common Rd. Nelson (603) 762-0235 Dances every Monday night from 8-10:30 p.m.

Peterborough Town House 1 Grove St., Peterborough First Saturday of every month from 8-11 p.m.

Things haven't really changed all that much since 1941 when the above photo of the Nelson Town Hall dance (with the legendary Ralph Page calling) was taken. The key elements remain: an able caller, a tight band and a packed dance floor. Want to learn even more? Check out our 2017 feature “The Communal Charms of Contra Dancing” online at nhmagazine.com.

tune that goes with it, which is typical of the older contra dances. You get this sense that the walls are dancing with you because the walls of our hall have seen us dance that dance hundreds of times.”

The History Contra dancing dates back to the 17th century, and many believe New Hampshire to be the contra dance capital of the world. For hundreds of years, communities have come together to swing, dance, and stomp to live music at local community centers and town halls. Nelson Town Hall has been the hot spot for contra dancing since 1799. “The town hired a dance master in 1799, and we

even have records of dances in the style we do today that date all the way back to 1850,” says Sieverts. “It’s amazing to be able to look back and see how the enthusiasm and wonder of the dance has stayed consistent for all of these years.”

While Nelson is (relatively) famous for its contra dancing history, it has become even more well-known for the Monday night dances at the Nelson Town Hall. Dancers who range from young and old to beginner and experienced come from all over New Hampshire, and even the country, to dance the night away. “We’ve been dancing every Monday night since 1978,” says Sieverts.

“Our floors have seen lots of happy feet over

the years, and thanks to the town, our dancers and local professionals, we just finished the installation of our new wood floors in October. We are excited to keep dancing for years to come.” NH

Contra dancing is fun for everyone. nhmagazine.com | Jan/Feb 2020

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OUR FAVORITE EVENTS FOR JAN/FEB 2020

Winter Fun 1/18

Evening Snowshoe Tours What could be more magical than a snowshoe walk? A winter wonderland nighttime walk. Join a naturalist from the Appalachian Mountain Club as they take you on a guided snowshoe tour of Great Glen Trails. You will use your senses (no flashlights of any kind) to navigate through the trails while listening for owls. $12. 7 p.m., Great Glen Trails, 1 Mount Washington Auto Rd., Gorham. (603) 466-3988; greatglentrails.com

1/19

World Snow Day While we delight in any snow day in New Hampshire, this might be the snow day to end all snow days. Founded by the FIS World Snow Day Association, this event will be held at Arrowhead Ski Area in Claremont. You can even take a “Sleboggan” ride on sleds that resemble steerable toboggans. Prices vary. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Arrowhead Recreation Area, 18 Robert Easter Way, Claremont. (603) 748-6205; world-snow-day.com

1/20

1/24-26

NH Sanctioned & Jackson Invitational Snow Sculpting Competition Sculptors from around the Northeast transform cylinders of snow into works of art for this annual contest. Watch the artisans at work, roast some marshmallows by a communal bonfire, take part in the scavenger hunt, and don’t forget to take pictures because these sculptures won’t last long. Free. Jackson Village, Jackson. (603) 383-9356; jacksonnh.com

1/25

Upper Valley Area Special Olympic Games Special Olympians from around New Hampshire hit the slopes for this annual competition. Sign up to volunteer or cheer on the athletes in alpine and cross-country skiing, snowboarding and snowshoeing competitions. Dartmouth Skiway, 39 Grafton Tpke., Lyme. (603) 624-1250; sonh.org

1/31–2/2

Mt. Washington Valley Ice Fest This annual weekend festival features three full days of demos and clinics, plus keynote talks from ice climbing legend Raphael Slawinski. Seasoned climbers can try advanced tours like the one-day Mount Washington ascent, while newbies can opt for classes like Ice Climbing 101. Prices, times and locations vary with the event. North Conway.

(603) 356-7064; mwv-icefest.com

2/6-9

2/12-16 Newport Winter Carnival The small town of Newport will be transformed into a winter wonderland for four days of winter activities. There will be events ranging from a winter carnival pageant and midnight ice skating to winter parades and pancake breakfasts. Don’t miss out on the endless amount of fun and the opportunity to celebrate 104 years of community this weekend. Free. Times vary, Downtown Newport.

(603) 863- 1332; newportcarnival.org

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Dartmouth Winter Carnival Dating back to 1911, this annual fête celebrates Dartmouth’s impressive winter sports history and the beauty of the Upper Valley in the snow. This year’s theme is “A Blizzard of Unbelievable Beast.” Organizations around campus host events during the carnival, so make the rounds to enjoy an ice-sculpting contest, a concert and quirky traditions like a human dogsled race on the green. Prices and times vary, Dartmouth College, Hanover.

(603) 646-3399; students.dartmouth.edu

courtesy photo

Sunrise SnowCoach Tours While getting up at 6 a.m. is a drag, a breathtaking winter sunrise at tree line is worth it. SnowCoach drivers will take you to tree line to witness an incredible scene.

Even though you will be in a heated van, it is recommended that you dress warmly should you want to get out and take pictures. 6:30 a.m., Great Glen Trails, 1 Mount Washington Auto Rd., Gorham. (603) 466-3988; greatglentrails.com

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16th Annual Ice Harvest and Winter Carnival Find a new appreciation for your freezer’s icemaker by trying your hand at this old-fashioned ice harvest. Visitors can hit the pond to help haul in chunks of ice (oxen included) or stick to the tamer activities, such as visiting the bobhouse, listening to live music or admiring the festival’s fleet of antique snowmobiles. $2-$10. 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Remick Country Doctor Museum & Farm, 58 Cleveland Hill Rd., Tamworth. (603) 323-7591; remickmuseum.org

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Food and Drink 1/17-2/16

Winter Wine Festival The team at the historic Wentworth by the Sea Hotel will be pairing wine from around the globe with delicious food in this grand setting. From multi-course Grand Vintner’s Dinners or the Big Tasting in the Grand Ballroom to weekday Flight Nights or Shell Shocked, the oyster event in SALT’s lounge to the lavish Bubbles and Jazz Brunches, the common thread that runs throughout is excellence and fun. You won’t want to miss this month of celebrating these masters of their craft. Times and prices vary.

Wentworth by the Sea, 588 Wentworth Rd., New Castle. winterwinefestival.com

photo by susan laughlin

2/23

Mt. Washington Valley Ski Touring Chocolate Festival North Conway inns and eateries will open their doors and offer up chocolate goodies. You’re welcome to drive or take advantage of the complementary festival shuttle, but the real fun comes from making your own transportation. The fest is a fundraiser for the Mt. Washington Valley Ski Touring & Snowshoe Foundation, so tour stops are conveniently located along 45 km of cross-country paths. Strap on your snowshoes or skis and enjoy this delectable event known as “The Sweetest Day on the Trails.” mwvskitouring.org

3/9

Steel Chef Challenge Yes, this is a March event, but this one is sure to sell out soon. This year the New Hampshire Food Bank’s Steel Chef Challenge will feature Food Network celebrity chef Michael Symon. The Food Bank will transform the Armory Ballroom at the DoubleTree by Hilton Manchester Downtown into a grand dining room, seating approximately 682 guests. Attendees will watch live as the competition between chefs heats up, and enjoy a fabulous dinner created by chef Symon and his staff. The VIP portion of the event will take place before the competition, where VIPs can meet and greet Symon and get autographs.

General admission tickets are $125, and VIP tickets are $225. General admission begins at 6 p.m. with a cocktail hour. The VIP meet-and-greet begins at 5 p.m. DoubleTree by Hilton Manchester Downtown, 700 Elm St., Manchester. nhfoodbank. org/steelchef New Hampshire Magazine is a proud sponsor of this event.

Miscellaneous 1/1-2/29

Signs of the Times Signs are important tools of communication that guide people through their daily lives. For more than a century, the New Hampshire Historical Society has collected signs that have marked the landscape and culture of the state of New Hampshire. The society’s new exhibition features an array of advertising, political, informational and directional signs, ranging from a toll sign for the Cornish Bridge, dated

You never know who you might meet at the Winter Wine Spectacular. Last year Detroit Pistons legend and NBA Hall of Famer Isiah Thomas was in attendance, talking about and sampling the champagne from his collaboration with Cheurlin Champagne.

1/23 Winter Wine Spectacular The Easterseals New Hampshire’s Winter Wine Spectacular, which features over 1,800 wines, is definitely a can’t-miss event, but did you know it’s just one event of many taking place throughout the week? During New Hampshire Wine Week, meet winemakers and other experts at special dinners, smaller tastings and other happenings all around the state, and then top it all off with the Spectacular on Thursday evening. At the Spectacular you can also enjoy food from local restaurants, a silent auction (with mobile bidding) and a raffle. For an upgraded experience, purchase tickets to the Bellman’s Cellar Select VIP room, where you can taste premium wines (it also includes admission to the Grand Tasting). 6-9 p.m.

DoubleTree by Hilton Downtown Manchester, 700 Elm St., Manchester. Bellman’s Cellar Select tickets are $135, and include admission to the VIP room at 5:30 p.m. plus the Grand Tasting. Grand Tasting tickets are $65 with admission at 6 p.m. Information about events and tickets can be found at nhwineweek.com. New Hampshire Magazine is a proud sponsor of this event.

1796, to a 1920s advertising sign for the “honest” brand of underwear and hosiery manufactured by the Contoocook Mills Corporation in Hillsborough, to a 20th-century highway sign marking a stretch of Interstate 93 named for Alan B. Shepard Jr. of Derry, the first American to travel into space (1961) and the fifth to walk on the moon (1971). $7. 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., New Hampshire Historical Society, 30 Park St., Concord.

(603) 228-6688; nhhistory.org

1/5

New England Reptile Expo If you’re a reptile lover, then this event is for you. There will be thousands of reptiles on display and for sale as pets at this event. Vendors will also be selling reptile-related items. $5-$10. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Manchester Downtown Hotel, 700 Elm St., Manchester. reptileexpo.com

1/9

Reel Rock Film Tour 14 In “The High Road,” the powerful and bold Nina Williams tests herself on some of the highest, most difficult boulder problems ever climbed. In “United States of

Joe’s” climbers collide with a conservative coal mining community in rural Utah, to surprising results. And in “The Nose Speed Record,” legends Tommy Caldwell and Alex Honnold battle Jim Reynolds and Brad Gobright in a high-stakes race for greatness in Yosemite. $15. 7 p.m., The Music Hall, 28 Chestnut St., Portsmouth.

(603) 436-2400; themusichall.org

1/22

Home Design Awards Throughout the year, our sister publication New Hampshire Home lets you in on all the latest trends in building and design for homes around the state. Now, they’ll honor the very best in the business. Mix and mingle with the experts, enjoy a cocktail reception and live entertainment, and watch as prizes are awarded. $75. 5-8 p.m., Manchester Country Club, 180 South River Rd., Bedford. (603) 4135113; nhhomemagazine.com/homedesignawards

1/25

NH Theatre Awards Celebrate the best in New Hampshire theatre in this swanky ceremony.

Enjoy performances from theatre companies nhmagazine.com | Jan/Feb 2020

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Sat 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Radisson Hotel Manchester Downtown, 700 Elm St., Manchester. (603) 2311396; nhfarmandforestexpo.org

2/14-15

2/29

1/1-31 Time for a Change This exhibit honors how winter is a good time to step back and reevaluate what is going on in your life. Over 70 artists are challenged to change their style or medium as well. Free. Mon-Fri 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., 44 West Brook St., Manchester. (603) 668-6650; art3gallery.com around the state, and see who takes home the prize in categories such as Best Director and Best Actor among youth, community and professional productions. Attendees are encouraged to dress up and join in the glamour and fun. $38.50-$50. 7 p.m. Capitol Center for the Arts, 44 S. Main St., Concord. (786) 529-2737; ccanh.com New Hampshire Magazine is a proud sponsor of this event.

2/1

Pirates of the High Skis! Ahoy, mateys! In this fundraiser for the Adaptive Sports Partners of the North Country, participants are invited to suit up in pirate and wench gear and hit the mountain to search for hidden treasure. Scallywags can also check out a silent auction, a Pirate Portrait Gallery photo booth and even a (temporary) tattoo parlor. 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Cannon Mountain Ski Area, 260 Tramway Dr., Franconia. (603) 8235232; adaptivesportspartners.org

2/2

Penguin Plunge Join hundreds of people for this fun event that benefits the Special Olympics New Hampshire. Dress in costume (this year’s theme is Nifty Fifties), a bathing suit, or whatever will keep you warm as you jump in the cold Hampton Beach waters. Funds raised are used to provide year round sports training and athletic competition to over 3,000 athletes across the Granite State. After you warm up, don’t forget to check out the post plunge party at the Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom where there will be food, music and fundraising awards. $50. Plunge starts at 12 p.m., Hampton Beach, 115 Ocean Blvd., Hampton.

(603) 624-1250; sonh.org

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2/9

Abby Hutchinson’s Sweet Freedom Songs: Songs and Stories of the Struggle for Abolition and Woman Suffrage Deborah Anne Goss appears as Abby Hutchinson Patton, recalling mid-19th-century US and New Hampshire history and performing rousing anthems, heartfelt ballads, and humorous ditties sung during anti-slavery and early women’s rights struggles.

In the 1840s and 1850s, the Hutchinson Family Singers strongly influenced the opinions of the era with their popular songs promoting healthy living and social justice — most prominently the abolition of slavery. Participants are encouraged to join in the singing on several choruses or read a poem or political diatribe of the time. Free. 2 p.m., New Hampshire Historical Society, 30 Park St., Concord. (603)228-6688; nhhumanities.org

Performing Arts 1/3-5

Granite State Gallery: New Hampshire Art and Artists through the Years New Hampshire has attracted and inspired artists since the Colonial era. What is distinctive about the art made here?

This program will consider works by itinerant and folk painters, landscape artists drawn to the state’s scenic vistas, and modern artists that adopted bold styles to depict everyday life in the Granite State. Augustus Saint-Gaudens, Childe Hassam, and Maxfield Parrish are some of the artists discussed in the program. Free. 2 p.m., Tucker Free Library, 31 Western Ave., Henniker.

(603) 428-3471; nhhumanities.org

“The Good Doctor” This Broadway hit is a composite of Neil Simon and Anton Chekhov. In one sketch, a feisty old woman storms a bank and upbraids the manager for his gout and lack of money. In another, a crafty seducer goes to work on a wedded woman, only to realize that the woman has been in command from the first overture. And let us not forget the classic tale of a man who offers to drown himself for three rubles. The dinner menu includes sliced ham and creamy chocolate mousse with fresh mint for dessert. $40-$42. Shows at 1:30 and 7 p.m., Executive Court Banquet Facility, 1199 South Mammoth Rd., Manchester. majestictheatre.net

2/14

1/4

Valentine’s Sleigh Ride Cuddle up on the sleigh of your choosing and get cozy for a ride out to the Sugar Shack. Once you get there, you will be able to enjoy a bowl of homemade chicken noodle soup sitting around a fire. There will also be an assortment of tasty chocolate treats and hot cocoa. You may also bring your own refreshments and beverages if you so desire. $42. Times vary, Charmingfare Farm, 774 High St., Candia.

(603) 483-5623; visitthefarm.com

2/14-15

NH Farm & Forest Expo With 36 years in the business, this show rightly bills itself as “New Hampshire’s greatest winter fair.” Farmers and city slickers alike are welcome at the expo, which includes a vendor fair with dozens of farm-totable-style products, two days of agricultural programming and a live farm animal zone run by New Hampshire 4-Hers. $7. Fri 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.,

Kashmir In 2000, Jean Violet created the live Led Zeppelin show. It has grown from the streets of New York City to now being one of the top Led Zeppelin tribute bands touring nationally and internationally. Their primary focus is to capture the live performance and raw energy of a Led Zeppelin show. $35-$40. 8 p.m., The Tupelo Music Hall, 10 A St., Derry. (603) 437-5100; tupelohall.com

1/10-2/2

Piano Men As the timeless music of Billy Joel, Elton John, Stevie Wonder, Freddie Mercury, Barry Manilow, Phil Collins and many more come together again, Piano Men will introduce piano greats to the Palace Theatre stage and have you dancing in the aisles. Featuring a live band, top vocalists and dancers straight from across the country, the tributes to these bands are nothing short of stellar. $25-$46. Times vary,

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Murder Mystery Weekend Who did it? And with what? Was it Miss Scarlett in the garage with the candlestick? Enjoy a night of extortion, bribery and murder at The Silver Fountain Inn where you and the other guests are the characters in this live version of “Clue.” Every guest gets a packet with details on their character, suggested dress and secrets about themselves and others. Along with the murder mystery fun, there will be a fivecourse dinner and breakfast the next day. Come alone or get your own group together for this experience that you won’t soon forget. $100 a person (dinner and game only). Times vary, Silver Fountain Inn and Tea Parlor, 103 Silver St., Dover.

(603) 750-4200; silverfountain.com

603 LIVING

CALENDAR The Palace Theatre, 80 Hanover St., Manchester.

(603) 668-5588; palacetheatre.org

The Colonial, 95 Main St., Keene. (603) 352-2033; thecolonial.org

1/17-18

1/24

Recycled Percussion Recycled Percussion returns to New Hampshire for three performances that you won’t want to miss. This show is packed full of surprises and crowd favorites, and there will also be dinner services available for the evening shows. Tickets sell out well in advance every year, so what are you waiting for? Prices and times vary. The Flying Monkey Movie House & Performance Center, 39 Main St., Plymouth. (603) 536-2551; flyingmonkeynh.com

1/17-19

“Crippled Inside” In 1965, President Lyndon Johnson signed the Immigration Reform Act into law. The signing took place in front of a number of political dignitaries at the Statue of Liberty, and it changed the face of America.

Lawrence Hennessy’s play “Crippled Inside” takes a look at the author of this landmark piece of legislation, not so much through the lens of American history as through the lens of an intimate and personal portrait of one example of a typically nameless and faceless population — government bureaucrats. $12-$18. Times vary, Hatbox Theatre, 270 Loudon Rd., Concord.

(603) 715-2315; hatboxnh.com

1/24

Apple Hill String Quartet This quartet has earned accolades from around the world for their interpretive mastery of such traditional repertoire as Haydn, Mozart, Schubert and Ravel, along with their special dedication to masterworks and contemporary music. $29-$37. 8 p.m.,

Jeff Dunham For more than 12 years, Jeff Dunham and his delightfully irreverent cohorts, Peanut, Walter, Bubba J. and Achmed the Dead Terrorist, have filled arenas across the US and the world with their multiple blockbuster tours. They are now out on their brand new international tour where “Larry” will be giving his hilarious take on what it’s like to work at the White House as the President’s personal advisor. Prices vary. 7 p.m., SNHU Arena, 555 Elm St., Manchester. (603) 644-5000; snhuarena.com

1/25

Imagination Movers In 2003, four New Orleans friends created a show that focused around giving kids the music that they deserved. In 2005, they had become the latest sensation as they attracted parents and children alike with an eclectic pop sensibility and lyrical tunes about healthy snacks, playing catch and more. In 2007, they partnered with Disney and filmed 75 episodes of their Emmy-Award winning series over three seasons. Over the last decade, they have entertained more than 1 million fans in North America, Europe and Asia. Add on a meet-and-greet if you want to have a moment behind the scenes with the guys. $22. 11 a.m., Tupelo Music Hall, 10 A St., Derry. (603) 437-5100; tupelomusicall.com

1/29

Mat Kearney To celebrate the 10th anniversary of his breakout album “City of Black & White,” platinum-selling, boundary-breaking artist Mat Kearney decided to revisit some of his favorite

songs off of the record and re-record them with a new perspective. Similarly, the “City of Black & White” Revisited tour will feature the Nashville-based musician’s extensive, award-winning catalog in a rare, intimate acoustic performance. $38-$42. 7:30 p.m., The Music Hall, 28 Chestnut St., Portsmouth. themusichall.org

1/31-2/29

“Ragtime the Musical” This sweeping musical portrait of early 20th-century America tells the story of three families in pursuit of the American dream as their lives intersect and they navigate social inequity and racism. This is a spectacular Tony Award-winning show that is alive with history and great music. Prices and times vary.

Seacoast Repertory Theatre, 125 Bow St., Portsmouth. seacoastrep.org

2/1

KISS Rock n roll legends KISS have announced the last legs of their final tour, the “End of the Road” tour. The initial tour announcement was met with huge fan demand for added shows, but this tour will officially come to a close on July 21, 2021 in New York. Produced by Live Nation, the tour will continue to wow audiences in 2020. KISS will be offering VIP experiences.

Prices start at $100. 7:30 p.m., SNHU Arena, 555 Elm St., Manchester. (603) 644-5000; snhuarena.com

2/1-6

Oscar-nominated Shorts 2020 For the 15th consecutive year, Shorts HD and Magnolia Pictures present the Oscar-Nominated short films. With all three categories offered — animated, live action and documentary — this is

March 28 & 29,

2020

Whittemore Center Arena, UNH, Durham, NH

SATURDAY 10-5

SUNDAY 10-4

Adults $8 l Seniors (65+) $6 l Youths 6-16 yrs. $5 l Under 6 Free

• Over 150 Exhibitors- Discover the latest products and services for your home • Seminars and Clinics- Get expert advice and helpful tips on a variety of home improvement topics • Meet the Chefs Cooking Series- Taste the culinary creations from the best Seacoast area chefs • Artisan Marketplace- Shop unique products from local artisans

NewEnglandExpos.com nhmagazine.com | Jan/Feb 2020

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your annual chance to predict the winners (and have the edge in your Oscar pool)! A perennial hit with audiences around the country and the world, don’t miss this year’s selection of shorts.

The Academy Awards take place Sunday, Feb. 9th. $10-$13. Times vary, The Loft, 131 Congress St., Portsmouth. themusichall.org “Charlotte’s Web” This show is based on E.B. White’s classic and loving story of the friendship between a pig named Wilbur and a little gray spider named Charlotte. Wilbur has a problem: how to avoid winding up as pork chops.

Charlotte plans to fool Farmer Zuckerman by creating a “miracle,” weaving a solution that makes Wilbur a prize pig and ensures his place on the farm forever. $7. Shows at 10 a.m. and 12 p.m., Capitol Center for the Arts, 44 South Main St., Concord. (603) 225-1111; ccanh.com

2/14

2/15 & 22 Snowshoe with a naturalist In conjunction with the Appalachian Mountain Club, Great Glen Trails offers you the chance to really get to know Pinkham Notch with a free tour (trail pass is required). When you snowshoe with a naturalist, you will learn about the flora and fauna that make our corner of the world so special.

You’ll scout for tracks in the snow and learn about the different trees in the Glen. While listening for distinct bird calls, you’ll truly begin to understand how the ecosystem works in Pinkham Notch. 10:30 a.m., Great Glen Trails, 1 Mount Washington Auto Rd., Gorham. (603) 466-3988; greatglentrails.com

Mike McDonald’s 19th Annual Comedy Extravaganza This show is sure to be a no-holds-barred laugh slap to your funny bone. Jimmy Shubert, Christine Hurley, Robbie Printz and Tina Friml will join Mike McDonald on stage for this night of Valentine’s Day fun. $25-$42. 7:30 p.m., The Historic Theater, 28 Chestnut St., Portsmouth.

(603) 436-2400; themusichall.org

2/14-16

“Mamma Mia!” ABBA’s hits tell the hilarious story of a young woman’s search for her birth father. This sunny and funny tale unfolds on a Greek island paradise. The storytelling magic of ABBA’s timeless songs propels this enchanting tale of love, laughter and friendship, creating

NEW HAMPSHIRE LIQUOR & WINE OUTLET’S SEVENTEENTH ANNUAL

TO BENEFIT

Presented by TO BENEFIT

January 23rd 6pm-9pm Doubletree by Hilton

easterseals.com/nhevents THANKS TO OUR MAJOR SPONSORS It’s A Matter Of Trust

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2/5

an unforgettable show. A mother. A daughter.

Three possible dads. And a trip down the aisle you’ll never forget. $20-$29. Times vary, The Colonial Performing Arts Center, 95 Main St., Concord. (603) 352-2033; thecolonial.org

2/14-23

“Love/Sick” This show is a collection of nine slightly twisted and completely hilarious short plays. Set on a Friday night in an alternate suburban reality, this 80-minute romp explores the pain and the joy that comes with being in love.

It is an unromantic comedy for the romantic in everyone. $12-$15. Fri-Sat 7 p.m., Sun 2 p.m., The Majestic Studio Theatre, 880 Page St., Manchester. (603) 669-7469; majestictheatre.net

THE NH PRIMARY - PAST & PRESENT

photo by b.sisson

2/15

Fanfare ’20 Arts patrons, this one’s for you. The annual fundraising gala for Symphony NH will feature cocktails, dinner, live and silent auctions and dancing to plenty of live, jazzy tunes. Enjoy a swanky night on the town while supporting the concerts and educational programs of New Hampshire’s native symphony. $95. 5:30 p.m., Crowne Plaza Nashua, 2 Somerset Pkwy., Nashua. (603) 595-9156; symphonynh.org

Visual Arts & Museums 1/1-2/16

The Shakers and the Modern World: A Collaboration with Canterbury Shaker Village This unique exhibition will highlight the work of the Canterbury Shaker Village. See items like a red-stained sewing desk from 1830 and a Shaker rocking chair from 1840. Free. The Currier Museum of Art, 150 Ash St., Manchester. (603) 669-6144; currier.org

1/21-2/15

Nourish? Arts Address Mind, Body, Spirit The arts can provide personal sanctuaries, life-giving inspiration and physical therapy. Simultaneously, art experiences can create common ground and opportunities to connect us to each other. This exhibit brings together creative work from all over New Hampshire that tells the story of the power of art at this time in this place. Free. Mon to Fri 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sat 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Museum of the White Mountains, 34 Highland St., Plymouth. plymouth.edu

FIND IT WHEREVER YOU LISTEN TO PODCASTS & AT

STRANGLEHOLDPODCAST.ORG

2/7-3/29

mirror IV This interactive installation asks participants to complete the imagery, and perpetuate and resolve the installations in specific ways.

Once dismantled, each work will exist through the documentation and memory of its participants. Each installation uses guidance to influence, alter, maintain, progress and distinguish each part of the work. Free. Tues-Fri 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday and Sunday 12 p.m. to 5 p.m., 3S Artspace, 319 Vaughan St., Portsmouth.

(603) 766-3330; 3sarts.org

Find additional events at nhmagazine.com/ calendar and more winter fun at nhmagazine.com/guide-to-winter. Submit events eight weeks in advance to Emily Heidt at eheidt@nhmagazine.com or enter your own at nhmagazine.com/calendar. Not all events are guaranteed to be published either online or in the print calendar. Event submissions will be reviewed and, if deemed appropriate, approved by a New Hampshire Magazine editor.

TAPROOM HOURS:

BREWERY & TAPROOM 126B HALL ST., CONCORD, NH

WED-FRI 4-8 P.M. SAT 12-8 P.M. SUN 12-4 P.M. Also available for functions lithermans.beer (603) 219-0784

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Good Eats

The Birch On Elm

931 Elm St., Manchester (603) 782-5365 thebirch.restaurant

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photo by jenn bakos

OUR GUIDE TO FINE DINING

603 LIVING

DINE OUT Our restaurant listings include Best of NH winners and advertisers along with others compiled by the New Hampshire Magazine editorial department. Listings are subject to change from month to month based on space availability. Expanded and highlighted listings denote advertisers. For additional and more detailed listings, visit nhmagazine.com.

H Best of NH

2019 Editor’s Picks

H Best of NH

2019 Reader’s Poll

$$$$ Entrées cost more than $25 $$$ Entrées cost between $18 and $25 $$ Entrées cost between

B Breakfast L Lunch D Dinner b Brunch ( Reservations recommended

New – Open for one year or less

$12 and $18

$ Entrées cost less than $12

MERRIMACK VALLEY 603 Brewery H

BEER HALL 42 Main St., Londonderry; (603) 404-6123; 603brewery.com; $–$$ L D

900 Degrees H

PIZZERIA 50 Dow St., Mancheste; 900degrees.com; $–$$$ L D

1750 Taphouse

AMERICAN TAVERN/PIZZERIA 170 Rte. 101, Bedford; (603) 488-2573; Facebook; $-$$ B L D

Angelina’s Ristorante Italiano

ITALIAN 11 Depot St., Concord; (603) 228-3313; angelinasrestaurant. com; $$–$$$ L D (

The Bedford Village Inn H

AMERICAN/TAVERN 2 Olde Bedford Way, Bedford; (603) 472-2001; bedfordvillageinn.com; $$–$$$$ L D (

Big Kahunas Café & Grill

HAWAIIAN 380 Daniel Webster Hwy., Merrimack; (603) 494-4975; nhkahuna.com; $–$$ L D

The Birch on Elm H

NEW AMERICAN/TAPAS 931 Elm St., Manchester; (603) 782-5365; Facebook; $–$$ L D

The Bistro at LaBelle Winery

BISTRO 345 Route 101, Amherst; (603) 672-9898; labellewinerynh. com; $$–$$$ L D (

Buba Noodle Bar

VIETNAMESE 36 Lowell St., Manchester; (603) 232-7059; Facebook; $-$$ L D

Buckley’s Great Steaks H

STEAKHOUSE 438 Daniel Webster Hwy., Merrimack; (603) 424-0995; buckleysgreatsteaks.com; $$–$$$$ D

Campo Enoteca

ITALIAN/MEDITERRANEAN 969 Elm St., Manchester; (603) 625-0256; campoenoteca.com; $$–$$$ L D

Canoe Restaurant and Tavern

AMERICAN 216 S. River Rd., Bedford; 935-8070; 232 Whittier Hwy., Center Harbor; (603) 253-4762; magicfoodsrestaurantgroup.com/canoe-restaurant-and-tavern $$-$$$ L D (

Consuelo’s Taqueria

MEXICAN 36 Amherst St., Manchester; (603) 622-1134; consuelostaqueria.com; $ L D

The Copper Door H

AMERICAN 15 Leavy Dr., Bedford; (603) 488-2677; 41 S Broadway, Salem; (603) 458-2033; copperdoorrestaurant.com; $$–$$$ L D (

Cotton H

AMERICAN 75 Arms St., Manchester; (603) 622-5488; cottonfood.com; $$–$$$$ L D (

The Crown Tavern H

GASTROPUB 99 Hanover St., Manchester; (603) 218-3132; thecrownonhanover.com; $$ L D b

Cucina Toscana

ITALIAN 427 Amherst St., Nashua; (603) 821-7356; cucinatoscananashua. com; $ L D (

The Foundry

AMERICAN/FARM-TO-TABLE 50 Commercial St., Manchester; (603) 8361925; foundrynh.com; $$-$$$ D b

Giorgio’s Ristorante

MEDITERRANEAN 707 Milford Rd., Merrimack; (603) 883-7333; 524 Nashua St., Milford; (603) 673-3939; 270 Granite St., Manchester; (603) 232-3323; giorgios.com; $$–$$$ L D (

Granite Restaurant and Bar

NEW AMERICAN 96 Pleasant St., Concord; (603) 227-9000; graniterestaurant.com; $$–$$$$ B L D b (

Grazing Room

FARM-TO-TABLE/NEW AMERICAN 33 The Oaks, Henniker; (603) 428-3281 colbyhillinn.com; $$–$$$$ D (

Grill 603

AMERICAN 168 Elm St., Milford; (603) 213-6764; grill603.com; $–$$$ LDb

Halligan Tavern

AMERICAN 32 West Broadway, Derry; (603) 965-3490; halligantavern.com; $–$$ L D

Hanover St. Chophouse H

Manchester; (603) 836-5878; Facebook; $-$$ L D

Portsmouth; (603) 294-0965; cornerstonepizzaandbeer.com; $–$$ L D

O Steaks & Seafood

CR’s the Restaurant

STEAKHOUSE/SEAFOOD 11 South Main St., Concord; (603) 856-7925; 62 Doris Ray Court, Lakeport; (603) 524-9373; magicfoodsrestaurantgroup.com; $$–$$$ L D

Republic H

MEDITERRANEAN 1069 Elm St., Manchester; (603) 666-3723; republiccafe.com; $–$$$ L D

Revival Kitchen and Bar

AMERICAN 11 Depot St., Concord; (603) 715-5723; revivalkitchennh. com; $$–$$$ D (

Riverside BBQ

BBQ 53 Main St., Nashua; (603) 2045110; riversidebarbeque.com $–$$ L D

Stella Blu

TAPAS 70 East Pearl St., Nashua; (603) 578-5557; stellablu-nh.com; $$–$$$ D

Surf Restaurant H

SEAFOOD 207 Main St., Nashua; (603) 595-9293; 99 Bow St., Portsmouth; (603) 334-9855; surfseafood.com; $$–$$$$ D b

Trattoria Amalfi

ITALIAN 385 S Broadway, Salem; (603) 893-5773; tamalfi.com; $–$$ D (

Tuckaway Tavern H

AMERICAN/TAVERN 58 Rte. 27, Raymond; (603) 244-2431; thetuckaway.com; $–$$ L D

Tuscan Kitchen

ITALIAN 67 Main St., Salem; (603) 952-4875; 581 Lafayette Rd., Portsmouth; (603) 570-3600; tuscan-kitchen.com; $$–$$$ L D b

Villaggio Ristorante

ITALIAN 677 Hooksett Rd., Manchester; (603) 627-2424; villaggionh.com; $–$$ L D (

STEAKHOUSE 149 Hanover Street, Manchester; (603) 644-2467; hanoverstreetchophouse.com; $$$–$$$$ L D (

SEACOAST

Kathmandu Spice

SEAFOOD 5 Pioneer Rd., Rye; (603) 433-3000; theatlanticgrill.com; $$-$$$ L D

NEPALESE/INDIAN 379 S Willow St., Manchester; (603) 782-3911; kathmanduspicenh.com; $–$$ L D

Mangia

ITALIAN 33 Elm St., Manchester; (603) 647-0788; gomangia.com; $–$$ D (BYOB

Mediterrano

TURKISH/MEDITERRANEAN 24 Henniker St., Hillsborough; (603) 6804319; mediterranoo.com $ L D

Mint Bistro

Atlantic Grill

Bali Sate House

INDONESIAN 44 High St., Somersworth; (603) 740-3000; Facebook; $LD

Black Trumpet Bistro

FRENCH 29 Ceres St., Portsmouth; (603) 431-0887; blacktrumpetbistro. com; $$–$$$$ D (

Botanica Restaurant & Gin Bar

FUSION/JAPANESE 1105 Elm St., Manchester; (603) 625-6468; mintbistronh.com; $$–$$$ L D b (

NEW AMERICAN 110 Brewery Ln., Ste. 5, Portsmouth; (603) 373-0979; Facebook; $$-$$$$ D

MT’s Local Kitchen & Wine Bar

CAVA

AMERICAN 212 Main St., Nashua; (603) 595-9334; mtslocal.com; $–$$$ LD

TAPAS 10 Commercial Alley, Portsmouth; (603) 319-1575; cavatapasandwinebar.com; $–$$$ L D

New England’s Tap House Grille H

Chapel+Main

TAVERN 1292 Hooksett Rd., Hooksett; (603) 782-5137; taphousenh.com; $–$$ L D b

Noodz H

RAMEN/ASIAN 968 Elm St.,

NEW AMERICAN 83 Main St., Dover; (603) 842-5170; chapelandmain. com; $$–$$$ D (

Cornerstone Artisanal Pizza & Craft Beer PIZZERIA 110 Brewery Ln.,

NEW AMERICAN 287 Exeter Rd., Hampton; (603) 929-7972; crstherestaurant.com;. $$-$$$ L D b (

Cure

NEW AMERICAN 189 State St., Portsmouth; (603) 427-8258; curerestaurantportsmouth.com; $$-$$$ L D (

Durbar Square

NEPALESE/HIMALAYAN 10 Market St., Portsmouth; (603) 294-0107; durbarsquarerestaurant.com $-$$ L D (

Ember Wood Fired Grill

AMERICAN 1 Orchard St., Dover; (603) 343-1830; emberwfg.com; $$-$$$ D b (

Epoch

NEW AMERICAN 2 Pine St., Exeter; (603) 772-5901; theexeterinn.com; $$$–$$$$ B L D b (

Franklin Oyster House

SEAFOOD 148 Fleet St., Portsmouth; (603) 373-8500; franklinoysterhouse. com; $-$$$ D

Fuki Fusion H

ASIAN 2 Bow St., Portsmouth; (603) 610-4227; fukinh.com; $$–$$$ L (Fri-Sun) D

Galley Hatch

AMERICAN/SEAFOOD 325 Lafayettte Rd., Hampton; (603) 926-6152; galleyhatch.com; $–$$ L D

Goody Cole’s Smokehouse

BBQ 375 Rte. 125, Brentwood; (603) 679-8898; goodycoles.com; $–$$ L D

Green Elephant H

VEGETARIAN 35 Portwalk Place, Portsmouth; (603) 427-8344; greenelephantnh.com; $–$$ L D

Holy Grail Restaurant & Pub

IRISH PUB 64 Main St., Epping; (603) 679-9559; holygrailrestaurantandpub.com; $–$$ L D

Hop + grind H

BURGERS 17 Madbury Rd., Durham; (603) 244-2431; hopandgrind.com; $–$$ L D

Joinery

NEW AMERICAN 55 Main St., Newmarket; (603) 292-0110; joineryrestaurant.com; $$$–$$$$ D (

Jumpin’ Jay’s Fish Café

SEAFOOD 150 Congress St., Portsmouth; (603) 766-3474; jumpinjays.com; $$$–$$$$ D (

La Maison Navarre

CAFÉ 121 Congress St., Portsmouth; (603) 373-8401; mnpastry.com; $BLD

Laney & Lu Café

VEGETARIAN & VEGAN/CAFÉ 26 Water St., Exeter; (603) 580-4952; laneyandlu.com; $–$$ B L D

Library Restaurant

STEAKHOUSE 401 State St., Portsmouth; (603) 431-5202; libraryrestaurant.com $$$–$$$$ D b (

Lure Bar and Kitchen

TAPAS/SEAFOOD 100 Market St., Portsmouth; (603) 373-0535; lureportsmouth.com; $$–$$$ D

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DINE OUT Martingale Wharf

AMERICAN 202 Pitman Rd., Center Barnstead; (603) 269-4151; crystalquail.com; $$$–$$$$ D (

Mombo

Sue's Korean Kitchen

KOREAN 74 Portsmouth Ave., Somersworth; (603) 777-7604; sueskoreankitchen.com; $–$$ L D

Faro Italian Grille

ITALIAN 7 Endicott St., Laconia; (603) 527-8073; faroitaliangrille. com; $–$$ D (

Surf Seafood H

Garwood’s

Moxy

TAPAS 106 Penhallow St., Portsmouth; (603) 319-8178; moxyrestaurant.com; $$–$$$ D(

Mr. Kim's

KOREAN 107 State St., Portsmouth; (603) 373-6000; mrkimsrestaurant.com; $$–$$$ L D

Native Coffee + Kitchen H

CAFÉ 25 Sagamore Rd., Rye; (603) 501-0436; nativenh.com; $–$$ B L D

Oak House

AMERICAN 110 Main St., Newmarket; (603) 292-5893; oakhousenewmarket.com; $–$$ LDb

Visit www.nhmade.com for a list of the state’s finest specialty foods

OBA Noodle Bar

ASIAN 69 Water St., Exeter; (603) 693-6264; obanoodlebar. com; $–$$ L D

The Office Lounge

NEW AMERICAN 150 Lafayette Rd., Rye; (603) 379-2175; theofficeloungenh.com; $$–$$$ D

Ohana Kitchen

It’s Your Day to Shine.

HAWAIIAN 800 Islington St., Portsmouth; (603) 319-8234; 75 Portsmouth Ave., Exeter; (603) 580-2485; ohana.kitchen; $–$$ L D New in Exeter

Otis

NEW AMERICAN 4 Front St., Exeter; (603) 580-1705; otisrestaurant.com; $$–$$$ D (

Paty B's H

ITALIAN 34 Dover Point Rd., Dover; (603) 749-4181; pattybs. com; $–$$$ L D

The Portsmouth Brewery

BREWPUB 56 Market St., Portsmouth; (603) 431-1115; portsmouthbrewery.com; $-$$ L D

Raleigh Wine Bar + Eatery H

NEW AMERICAN 67 State St.,Portsmouth; (603) 4278459; raleighwinebar.com; $$–$$$ D b (

All for the New Hampshire bride

Visit us at bridenh.com.

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SEAFOOD 99 Bow St., Portsmouth; (603) 334-9855; surfseafood.com; $$–$$$$ D

Tasya’s Kitchen

INDONESIAN 230 High St., Somersworth; (603) 841-7182; Facebook; $-$$ L D

Three Chimneys Inn

AMERICAN 17 Newmarket Rd., Durham; (603) 868-7800; threechimneysinn.com; $$–$$$ LDb(

Tinos Greek Kitchen

GREEK 325 Lafayette Rd., Hampton; (603) 926-5489; galleyhatch.com; $$–$$$ L D

Tuscan Kitchen

ITALIAN 67 Main St., Salem; (603) 952-4875; 581 Lafayette Rd., Portsmouth; (603) 570-3600; tuscan-kitchen.com; $$–$$$ L D b

Vida Cantina

MEXICAN 2456 Lafayette Rd., Portsmouth; (603) 501-0648; vidacantinanh.com; $–$$ L D

Vino e Vino

ITALIAN 163 Water St., Exeter; (603) 580-4268; vinoevivo.com; $$–$$$ D (

WHYM Craft Pub & Eatery

GASTROPUB 853 Lafayette Rd., Hampton; (603) 601-2801; whym.beer; $$–$$ L (Sat-Sun) D

The Wilder

GASTROPUB 174 Fleet St., Portsmouth; (603) 319-6878; wilderportsmouth.com; $$–$$$ LDb

LAKES Burnt Timber Tavern

BREWPUB/TAVERN 96 Lehner St., Wolfeboro; (603) 630-4186; burnttimbertavern.com; $–$$ L D

Canoe Restaurant and Tavern

ITALIAN 59 Penhallow St., Portsmouth; (603) 436-4000; ristorantemassimo.com; $$-$$$ D (

AMERICAN 232 Whittier Hwy., Center Harbor; (603) 2534762; 216 S. River Rd., Bedford; 935-8070; magicfoodsrestaurantgroup.com/canoe-restaurant-and-tavern; $$-$$$ L D (

Roost

Casamigos

Ristorante Massimo

The Fall/Winter issue of New Hampshire Magazine’s BRIDE is now on newsstands. Inside you’ll find real weddings, inspiration, New Hampshire venues, the latest gown styles and much more.

Crystal Quail

NEW AMERICAN 328 Central Ave., Dover; (603) 343-4332; sonnystaverndover.com; $–$$ D b

INTERNATIONAL 66 Marcy St., Portsmouth; (603) 433-2340; momborestaurant.com; $$–$$$ LD(

Take Pride in N.H.

Sonny’s Tavern

AMERICAN/SEAFOOD 99 Bow St., Portsmouth; (603) 4310901; martingalewharf.com; $$–$$$ L D

NEW AMERICAN 50 Pointe Place, Dover; (603) roostdover. com; roostdover.com; $$-$$$ L Db(

MEXICAN 276 Main St., Tilton; (603) 729-0062; Facebook; $–$$ L D

Row 34

MEXICAN 50 S. Main St., Bristol; (603) 744-2044; cielitomexicanrestaurant.com; $–$$ L D

SEAFOOD 5 Portwalk Place, Portsmouth; (603) 319-5011; row34nh.com; $-$$$ L D b (

Shalimar India H

INDIAN 80 Hanover St., Portsmouth; (603) 427-2959; shalimarindia.com; $-$$ L D

Cielito

Corner House Inn

AMERICAN 22 Main St., Center Sandwich; (603) 284-6219; cornerhouseinn.com; $$ L D b (

AMERICAN 6 North Main St., Wolfeboro; (603) 569-7788; garwoodsrestaurant.com; $–$$ LD(

Hart’s Turkey Farm

AMERICAN 233 Daniel Webster Hwy., Meredith; (603) 279-6212; hartsturkeyfarm.com $–$$ L D

Hermit Woods Winery

DELI 72 Main St., Meredith; (603) 253-7968; hermitwoods.com; $–$$ L

Hobbs Tavern & Brewing Co.

BREWPUB 2415 White Mountain Hwy., West Ossipee; (603) 539-2000; hobbstavern.com; $–$$ L D

Inn Kitchen + Bar

AMERICAN/FARM-TO-TABLE 28 Shepard Hill Rd., Holderness; (603) 968-4417; innkitchen.com; $–$$$ D (

Kathleen's Irish Pub

IRISH PUB 90 Lake St., Bristol; (603) 744-6336; kathleensirishpub.com; $–$$ L D

Kettlehead Brewing H

BREWPUB 407 West Main St., Tilton; (603) 286-8100; kettleheadbrewing.com; $–$$ L D

Lakehouse

AMERICAN 281 Daniel Webster Hwy., Meredith; (603) 279-5221; thecman.com; $–$$ B L D b

Lemongrass

ASIAN 64 Whittier Hwy., Moultonborough; (603) 253-8100; lemongrassnh.net; $–$$ L D

Local Eatery

FARM-TO-TABLE 17 Veterans Square, Laconia; (603) 5278007; laconialocaleatery.com; $$–$$$ D (

Mise en Place

ITALIAN/AMERICAN 96 Lehner St., Wolfeboro; (603) 569-5788; miseenplacenh.com; $$-$$$$ LD(

The New Woodshed

AMERICAN 128 Lee Rd., Moultonborough; (603) 476-2700; newwoodshed.com; $–$$$ D

O Bistro at the Inn on Main

AMERICAN 200 North Main St., Wolfeboro; (603) 515-1003; innnewhampshire.com/our-bistro; $$–$$$ D

O Steaks & Seafood

STEAKHOUSE/SEAFOOD 11 South Main St., Concord; (603) 856-7925; 62 Doris Ray Court, Lakeport; (603) 524-9373; magicfoodsrestaurantgroup. com; $$–$$$ L D

603 LIVING

DINE OUT Osteria Poggio

Bellows Walpole Inn Pub

ITALIAN 18 Main St., Center Harbor; (603) 250-8007; osteriapoggio.com; $$–$$$ D (

NEW AMERICAN 297 Main St., Walpole; (603) 756-3320; bellowswalpoleinn.com; $$ L D (

Pasquaney Restaurant at the Inn on New Found Lake

Chesterfield Inn

AMERICAN Inn on New Found Lake, 1030 Mayhew Turnpike, Bridgewater; (603) 744-9111; newfoundlake.com/ restaurant-tavern; $$–$$$ D (

Patrick’s Pub and Eatery H

AMERICAN 18 Weirs Rd., Gilford; (603) 293-0841; patrickspub.com; $–$$ L D

Rubbin’ Butts BBQ

BBQ 313 Whittier Hwy., Center Harbor; (603) 253-4953; rubbinbuttsbbqnh.com; $–$$ L D

Tavern 27

TAPAS/PIZZA 2075 Parade Rd., Laconia; (603) 528-3057; tavern27. com; $–$$ L D (

Wolfe’s Tavern

NEW ENGLAND TAVERN 90 N. Main St., Wolfeboro; (603) 569-3016; wolfestavern.com; $$–$$$ B L D b (

MONADNOCK Alberto’s Restaurant

ITALIAN 79 Antrim Rd., Bennington; (603) 588-6512; albertosnh.com; $–$$ D (

Bantam Grill

ITALIAN 1 Jaffrey Rd., Peterborough; (603) 924-6633; bantam-peterborough.com; $$–$$$ D (

AMERICAN 20 Cross Rd., West Chesterfield; (603) 256-3211; chesterfieldinn.com; $$-$$$ D (

Cooper’s Hill Public House

PUB 6 School St., Peterborough; (603) 371-9036; coopershillpublichouse.com; $-$$$ L D

Del Rossi’s Trattoria

ITALIAN Rte. 137, Dublin; (603) 5637195; delrossis.com $$–$$$ D (

Fireworks

PIZZA 22 Main St., Keene; (603) 9031410; fireworksrestaurant.net; $–$$ D (

Fritz the Place To Eat

AMERICAN 45 Main St., Keene; (603) 357-6393; fritztheplacetoeat. com; $–$$ L D

The Grove

AMERICAN 247 Woodbound Rd., Rindge; (603) 532-4949; woodbound.com; $$–$$$ B L D b (

The Hancock Inn

AMERICAN 33 Main St., Hancock; (603) 525-3318; hancockinn.com; Prix fixe, $48.; $$–$$$$ D (

The Hungry Diner

FARM-TO-TABLE 9 Edwards Ln., Walpole; (603) 756-3444; hungrydinerwalpole.com; $–$$ B L D

Kristin’s Bistro & Bakery H

CAFÉ 28 Washington St., Keene; (603) 352-5700; kristinsbistroandbakery.com; $–$$ B L

Lee & Mt. Fuji

ASIAN 50 Jaffrey Rd., Peterborough; (603) 626-7773; leeandmtfujiatboilerhouse.com; 314 Main St., Marlborough; (603) 876-3388; leeandmtfuji. com; $–$$ L D (

Luca’s Mediterranean Café

MEDITERRANEAN 10 Central Sq., Keene; (603) 358-3335; lucascafe. com; $$–$$$ L D (

Nicola’s Trattoria H

ITALIAN 51 Railroad St., Keene; (603) 355-5242; Facebook; $$$–$$$$ D

pickityplace.com — A historic place to lunch located in a quaint, 1786 red cottage that Elizabeth Orton Jones used as inspiration for her "Little Red Riding Hood" illustrations.

Fresh, local ingredients are used, including herbs grown onsite. There are three seatings at 11:30 a.m., 12:40 p.m. and 2 p.m. $$ L (

Piedra Fina

LATIN 288 Main St., Marlborough; (603) 876-5012; piedrafina.com; $–$$ L D (

Restaurant at Burdick’s

FRENCH 47 Main Street, Walpole; (603) 756-9058; burdickchocolate. com; $–$$$ L D b (

The Stage H

The Old Courthouse

AMERICAN 30 Central Sq., Keene; (603) 357-8389; thestagerestaurant. com; $-$$ L D

Parker's Maple Barn H

AMERICAN 379 Main St., Jaffrey; (603) 532-7800; monadnockinn. com; $–$$$ D (

NEW AMERICAN 30 Main St., Newport; (603) 863-8360; eatatthecourthouse. com; $$–$$$ L D b ( BREAKFAST 1316 Brookline Rd., Mason; (603) 878-2308; parkersmaplebarn.com; $ B L

Papagallos Restaurant

ITALIAN/MEDITERRANEAN 9 Monadnock Hwy., Keene; (603) 3529400; papagallos.com; $–$$ L D (

Pearl Restaurant & Oyster Bar

ASIAN 1 Jaffrey Rd., Peterbrough; (603) 924-5225; pearl-peterborough. com $$–$$$ D (

Pickity Place

FARM-TO-TABLE 248 Nutting Hill Rd., Mason; (603) 878-1151;

Thorndike’s & Parson’s Pub

Waterhouse

AMERICAN 18 Water St., Peterborough; (603) 924-4001; waterhousenh.com; $-$$$ L D b (

DARTMOUTH/ LAKE SUNAPEE

Appleseed Restaurant

AMERICAN 63 High St., Bradford; (603) 938-2100; appleseedrestaurant.com $-$$ D

Base Camp Café

Come in from the Cold for some family-friendly dining and award-winning brews

• Perfect spot for apres ski from Mt. Sunapee or Ragged Mountain • 20 handcrafted brews on tap • Farm-fresh ingredients and locally sourced menu • NH's first solar powered brewery • Panoramic views of Mt. Kearsarge • Family-run restaurant since 1993

Serving Lunch and Dinner Daily

40 Andover Road, New London | 603-526-6899 | flyinggoose.com nhmagazine.com | Jan/Feb 2020

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DINE OUT Little Brother Burger Co.

NEPALESE 3 Lebanon St., Hanover; (603) 643-2007; basecampcafenh. com; $-$$ L D

BURGERS 420 Main St., New London; (603) 877-0196; Facebook; $–$$ L D

Bistro Nouveau

Market Table

AMERICAN 6 Clubhouse Ln., Grantham; (603) 863-8000; bistronouveau.com; $–$$$$ L D (

FARM-TO-TABLE 44 Main St., Hanover; (603) 676-7996; markettablenh.com; $–$$ B L D b

Candela Tapas Lounge

Millstone at 74 Main

TAPAS 15 Lebanon St., Hanover; (603) 277-9094; candelatapas.com; $$-$$$ D (

AMERICAN 74 Newport Rd., New London; (603) 526-4201; 74mainrestaurant.com; $–$$ L D b

Canoe Club Bistro

Oak & Grain at the Inn at Pleasant Lake H

AMERICAN 27 South Main St., Hanover; (603) 643-9660; canoeclub.us; $–$$ L D (

Coach House at the New London Inn

PRIX FIXE, 853 Pleasant St., New London; (603) 526-6271; innatpleasantlake.com; D (

The Old Courthouse

AMERICAN 353 Main St., New London; (603) 526-2791; thenewlondoninn.com/the-coach-houserestaurant;$ $–$$$$ D (

AMERICAN 30 Main St., Newport; (603) 863-8360; eatatthecourthouse.com; $-$$$ L D b (

Farmer’s Table Café

AMERICAN/TAVERN 195 Main St., New London; (603) 526-2964; peterchristiansnh.com; $-$$ L D

FARM-TO-TABLE 249 Rte. 10, Grantham; (603) 863-9355; farmerstablecafe.com; $–$$ L D

Flying Goose Brew Pub H

BREW PUB 40 Andover Rd., New London; (603) 526-6899; flyinggoose.com — Choose from the many creative beer options made onsite to pair with items from the varied pub menu that offers something for every taste. $–$$ L D

Latham House Tavern

TAVERN 9 Main St., Lyme; (603) 795-9995; lathamhousetavern.com; $–$$ L D

Peter Christian's Tavern

PINE at the Hanover Inn

AMERICAN 2 South Main St., Hanover; (603) 643-4300; hanoverinn.com/dining.aspx; $$$–$$$$ B L Db(

The Refinery

NEW AMERICAN 4 Mill Rd., Andover; refinerynh.com; 977-0194; $–$$$ L

Revolution Cantina

CUBAN AND MEXICAN 38 Opera House Square, Claremont; (603) 504-6310; Facebook; $-$$ L D b

Suna

AMERICAN 6 Brook Rd., Sunapee; (603) 843-8998; magicfoodsrestaurantgroup.com; $$–$$$ D (

Taverne on the Square

AMERICAN 2 Pleasant St., Claremont; (603) 287-4416; claremonttaverne. com; $–$$$ L D

NORTH COUNTRY 27 North

CAFÉ 27 Seavey St., North Conway; (603) 730-5318; 27northnh.com; $-$$ B L b

Abenaki Trail

PUB 2284 White Mountain Hwy., North Conway; (603) 356-6565; abenakitrai.com; $-$$ L D

Bailiwicks

AMERICAN 106 Main St., Littleton; (603) 444-7717; bailiwicksfinerestaurant.com; $-$$$ L D (

Barley & Salt Tap House

GASTROPUB/INTERNATIONAL 1699 White Mountain Hwy., North Conway; (603) 307-1037; barleyandsalt.com; $-$$$ L D

The Beal House Inn

PUB 2 W. Main St., Littleton; (603) 444-2661; thebealhouseinn. com; $$-$$$ D

Biederman’s Deli & Pub

PUB 83 Main St., Littleton; (603) 5363354; biedermansdeli.com; $-$$ L D

Black Cap Grill

PUB 1498 White Mountain Hwy.,

North Conway; (603) 356-2225; blackcapgrille.com; $-$$ L D

The Burg H

PIZZA 8 Back Lake Rd,. Pittsburg; (603) 538-7400; Facebook; $-$$ D

Cabin Fever Restaurant

AMERICAN 1395 Route 302, Bartlett; (603) 374-9104; cabinfeverrestaurant.com; $-$$ L D

Chang Thai Café

THAI 77 Main St., Littleton; (603) 4448810; changthaicafe.com; $-$$ L D

Chef’s Bistro

NEW AMERICAN 2724 White Mountain Hwy., North Conway; (603) 3564747; chefsbistronh.com; $-$$ L D

Cresh's Italian Country Kitchen

ITALIAN 2190 White Mountain Hwy., North Conway; (603) 730-5650; creshs.com; $$-$$$ D (

Contoocook Covered Bridge Restaurant

NEW AMERICAN 16 Cedar St., Contoocook; (603) 746-5191; coveredbridgerestaurant.com; $-$$ L D

Deacon Street Martini & Whiskey Bar

AMERICAN 32 Seavey St., Conway; (603) 356-9231; deaconst.com; $$–$$$ D

Delaney’s Hole in the Wall

AMERICAN/ASIAN 2966 White Mountain Hwy., North Conway; (603) 356-7776; delaneys.com; $–$$ L D

JOIN FOOD NETWORK CELEBRITY CHEF

Michael Symon

as he hosts the ultimate cooking showdown between the best chefs in NH – all to benefit NH Food Bank!

T he New Hampshire Food Bank will transform the

armory into a grand dining room where you will enjoy a fabulous dinner created by Chef Michael Symon as you watch the competition heat up before your eyes!

VIP tickets include a meet-and-greet with the chefs!

More information: nhfoodbank.org/steelchef

Get tickets at .org/ nhfoodbankef h steelc

MARCH 9, 2020 AT THE DOUBLETREE BY HILTON MANCHESTER DOWNTOWN 94

nhmagazine.com | Jan/Feb 2020

603 LIVING

DINE OUT Gypsy Café

Max’s Restaurant and Pub

INTERNATIONAL 111 Main St., Lincoln; (603) 745-4395; gypsycaferestaurant.com; $–$$ L D

AMERICAN Snowvillage Inn, 36 Stewart Rd., Eaton Center; (603) 447-­ 2818; snowvillageinn.com; $$-$$$ D (

Horse & Hound Inn

May Kelly’s Cottage

TAVERN 205 Wells Rd., Franconia; (603) 823-5501; horseandhoundnh. com; $$–$$$$ L D (

IRISH PUB 3002 White Mountain Hwy., North Conway; (603) 3567005; Julykellys.com; $–$$ L D (

Horsefeathers

Moat Mountain Smokehouse H

AMERICAN 2679 White Mountain Hwy., North Conway; (603) 3562687; horsefeathers.com; $–$$ L D

Jonathon’s Seafood

SEAFOOD/AMERICAN 280 East Side Rd., North Conway; (603) 447-3838; jonathonsseafood.com; $–$$$ L D (

The Last Chair

AMERICAN/BREW PUB 5 Rte. 25,Plymouth; (603) 238-9077; thelastchairnh.com; $-$$ L D

Libby’s Bistro & SAaLT Pub

NEW AMERICAN 115 Main Street on Rte. 2, Gorham; (603) 466-5330; libbysbistro.org; $$–$$$ L D (

Littleton Freehouse Taproom & Eatery

NEW AMERICAN 28 Cottage St., Littleton; (603) 575-5410; littletonfreehouse.com; $-$$$ L D

Luchador Tacos

MEXICAN 1833 White Mountain Hwy., North Conway; (603) 7305429; Facebook; $ L D

Margarita Grill

MEXICAN Rte. 302, Glen; (603) 3836556; margaritagrillnh.com; $–$$ L D

BREW PUB 3378 White Mountain Hwy., North Conway; (603) 356-6381; moatmountain.com; $–$$ L D (

Ore Mill Bar & Grille

AMERICAN 17 Lake Tarleton Rd., Warren; (603) 764-6069; oremill17. com; $–$$ D

Peyton Place Restaurant

AMERICAN 454 Rte. 10, Orford; (603) 353-9100; peytonplacerestaurant. com; $$-$$$ D

Purple Tomato Market and Café

CAFÉ 78 Main St., Lincoln; (603) 7288356; Facebook; $ B L D

Rainbow Grille & Tavern H

AMERICAN/TAVERN 609 Beach Rd., Pittsburg; (603) 538-9556; rainbowgrille.com — Offering a variety of comfort food from seafood to ribs. The tavern serves appetizers, hearth-baked pizzas and more. A famil-friendly restaurant. $–$$ D (

Red Fox Bar & Grille

PUB 49 Route 16, Jackson; (603) 383-4949; redfoxbarandgrille.com; $–$$ D

Red Parka Steakhouse

Tavern at the Sunset Hill House

STEAKHOUSE 3 Station St., Glen; (603) 383-4344; redparkapub.com; $–$$ L D

TAVERN 231 Sunset Hill Rd., Sugar Hill; (603) 823-7244; thesunsethillhouse.com; $$–$$$ D (

Rek'•lis Brewing

Thompson House Eatery

BREWPUB 2085 Main St., Bethlehem; (603) 869-9696; redparkapub. com; $–$$ L D

Rustic River

AMERICAN 5 Main St., North Woodstock; (603) 745-2110; rusticriverrestaurant.com; $-$$ L D

Schilling Beer Co.

BREW PUB/PIZZERIA 18 Mill St., Littleton; (603) 444-4800; (603) 4444800; schillingbeer.com; $-$$ L D

Shannon Door Pub

PUB Rte. 16 and 16A, Jackson; (603) 383-4211; shannondoor.com; $-$$ L D

Shovel Handle Pub

PUB 357 Black Mountain Rd., Jackson; (603) 383-8916; shovelhandlepub.com; $-$$ L D

Six Burner Bistro

AMERICAN 13 South Main St., Plymouth; (603) 536-9099; sixburnerbistro.com; $-$$ L D

Table + Tonic

NEW AMERICAN/FARM-TO-TALBE 3358 White Mountain Hwy., North Conway; (603) 356-6068; tableandtonic.com; $-$$$ B L D (

The Tap House

AMERICAN GRAND SUMMIT HOTEL, 104 Grand Summit Rd., Bartlett; (603) 374-6700; grandsummitattitash.com; $-$$ B L D (

FARM-TO-TABLE 139 Main St., Jackson; (603) 383-9341; thompsonhouseatery.com; $$-$$$ L D (

Tony’s Italian Grille

ITALIAN 3674 Rte. 3, Thornton; (603) 745-3133; $$ L D (

Tuckerman's Restaurant & Tavern

TAVERN 336 Route 16A, Intervale; (603) 356-5541; tuckermansrestaurant.com; $-$$ D

Vito Marcello’s Italian Bistro

ITALIAN 45 Seavey St., North Conway; (603) 356-7000; vitomarcellositalianbistro.com; $$-$$$ D

The Wayside Inn

EUROPEAN 3738 Main St., Bethlehem; (603) 869-3364; thewaysideinn.com; $$–$$$ D (

White Mountain Cider Co.

AMERICAN 207 Route 302, Glen; (603) 383-9061; ciderconh.com; $-$$ D (

Woodstock Brewery H

BREW PUB Rte. 3, North Woodstock; (603) 745-3951; woodstockinnnh. com; $–$$ L

Visit nhmagazine.com/food for listings, food and drink features or to sign up for the Cuisine E-Buzz.

M aso n , N H • ( 6 03 ) 8 7 8-115 1 • p ickityplace.com

Winter is the time for comfort; for good food and friends. Our five-course creative, herbal cuisine brings good cheer to guests from all over New England and beyond. Join us at one of our private seatings: 11:30, 12:45 and 2:00 p.m.

Have a Pickity Day!

nhmagazine.com | Jan/Feb 2020

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Leaving New Hampshire Is it time to throw in the shovel and move south?

96

nhmagazine.com | Jan/Feb 2020

in-the-Pemi, UNH grad, fisher-cat-snuggling wife who once put “Old Man in the Mountain” as her life insurance beneficiary isn’t interested. She tells me she’d miss the crisp, fall air, driving through corridors of vivid foliage and the quiet beauty that comes when fresh snow blankets the landscape and crushes all joy beneath it in a murderous, frozen assault.

Maybe not that last part.

The fact is that if I want to stay married, I’ll have to stay in New Hampshire.

There’s a certain segment of the population that sees the world like I do. Put this magazine down for a moment and go look out the window. You saw a gray landscape that’s brittle, dry and icy cold. When it’s not cold, there are ticks. When there aren’t ticks — actually, it seems like there are always ticks.

Yet there’s plenty here that I haven’t found in the Mouse’s embrace. Growing up in the ’70s, our family had a cottage in Barrington. Everything about it was idyllic. Watching the green and red lights on the boats lazily drift by after dark and fishing in our rowboat across the smooth-

as-glass surface of the water was nothing short of perfect.

In fact, my wife and daughter point out another unassailable truth: I don’t necessarily love Florida, I love the idea of Florida.

They remind me it’s not really a place where everything smells like the water in Pirates of the Caribbean and everyone eats grits served by a college kid in a Donald Duck costume every morning. In reality, there are likely more Walmarts and Publixes (Publixi?) and snakes than castles sitting at the end of idealized American Main Streets.

We have a family friend from Plaistow who moved to Tampa a few years back.

You know what he told me? They don’t have steak tips down there. Maybe Florida is less a tropical paradise and more of a steak tipless hellscape.

Realizing that I’ll likely die within a snow shovel’s length of I-93 isn’t necessarily a bad thing, though. I love steamers as much as the next Eaton/Dow/Fowler, and Florida doesn’t have good Chinese food or inexpensive liquor stores. Or my wife. NH

illustration by brad fitzpatrick

I

’ve lived in New Hampshire for nearly 30 years, and grew up close enough to Seabrook where I could huck a clam and hit the fireworks store in front of the nuke plant. My wife is an Atkinson native and my daughter was born here 17 years ago.

There are a lot of reasons to cling to my New Hampshire roots, but as I flail about in middle age/become a walking stereotype, I keep coming to an indisputable conclusion: I want to move to Florida.

Here’s the thing — I go to Walt Disney World. A lot. Think of an excessive number of trips to Disney. Now double it. You’re getting close. I’ve written three books about the place and I’m a little insulted there isn’t a Bill character meet-and-greet. (Kind of the 8th Dwarf — squat, big head, smells like biscuits and gravy. Not that far removed from the real me.)

I spend enough time in Florida each year that I get asked the same question at least once a week: “Why don’t you move there?”

Oh, I want to, person who doesn’t share my strange obsession. It’s just that my baptized-

BY BILL BURKE

WINNER

WINNER

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WINNER

WINNER

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