Sip and Savor — Seacoast Scene — 06/08/23

june 8 - 14, 2023

vol 48 No 3

Advertising Staff

Charlene Nichols

seacoast scene advertising sales Manager (603) 625-1855, ext.126 Charlene@seacoastscene.net

Roxanne Macaig

seacoast scene account executive (603) 625-1855 ext. 127 rmacaig@hippopress.com

Editorial Staff Editor

Angie Sykeny editor@seacoastscene.net

Editorial Design

Brooke Fraser

Contributors Betty gagne, Matt Ingersoll, jennifer graham, amy Diaz, john Fladd Michelle Pesula Kuegler,

Production

Brooke Fraser, Jennifer Gingras

Circulation Manager

Doug Ladd, 625-1855, ext. 135 dladd@hippopress.com

Have an event or a story idea for the seacoast scene? Let us know at: editor@seacoastscene.net

unsolicited submissions are not accepted and will not be returned or acknowledged. unsolicited submissions will be destroyed.

cover story

4 NH Wine Week people & places

9 NH Dance Collaborative food

14 Eateries and ideas for foodies pop culture

18 Film and book reviews Nite life

21 Live music, comedy and more beach bum fuN

24 Puzzles, horoscopes and crazy news

Your weekly guide to the coast. Published every thursday (1st copy free; 2nd $1).

seacoast scene Po Box 691 Hampton nH 03843 603-935-5096 | www.seacoastscene.net

Write for the Seacoa S t Scene!

The Seacoast Scene is looking for adventurous freelance writers to cover food, arts, entertainment, lifestyle and culture on the seacoast. If you're passionate about uncovering the best stories and experiences the seacoast has to offer, we want to hear from you! Summer internship opportunities for college students are also available. Send your resume, writing samples and story interests to Angie Sykeny at editor@seacoastscene.net.

Savor and Sip

New Hampshire Wine Week makes a summer splash

By Matt Ingersoll mingersoll@hippopress.com

New Hampshire Wine Week, traditionally a late January affair, has been moved to June for the first time in its nearly 20-year history. Internationally renowned winemakers will once again travel from near and far to the Granite State to participate in a celebratory week of tastings, seminars and dinners, culminating with the rebranded New England Wine Spectacular. The annual expo-style wine tasting is returning for an 18th year on Thursday, June 15, and will feature thousands of wines to taste from around the world — usually poured and handed out by the winemakers themselves — plus a variety of locally prepared food options for pairing.

Last held in its traditional format in January 2020, New Hampshire Wine Week transitioned to a series of virtual tastings at the height of the pandemic the following year. Rising Covid-19 numbers by early January 2022 again forced the cancellation of the event, just two weeks before it was scheduled to take place. Now, following a three-plus-year hiatus, anticipation for the Spectacular’s return in full force is high among winemakers and organizers.

“What we’re seeing is an anxiousness for people to congregate again. I definitely get that sense with a lot of the winemakers and the brokerage community,” said Justin Gunter, wine beverage marketing specialist for the New Hampshire Liquor Commission. “We really want to take the foundation of the event that has been built over all this time and keep increasing that visibility.”

Lorrie Piper, the NHLC’s chief marketing officer, said that despite the date changes, the plan is to keep New Hampshire Wine Week mostly in the same format as in pre-pandemic years. While the Spectacular is on that Thursday, it will be surrounded by a week’s worth of other events, from wine dinners at local restaurants to bottle signings at several of the nearly 70 Liquor & Wine Outlet stores statewide.

The NHLC regularly monitors consumer trends that sometimes influence what you may discover at these events. Wines and spirits in the ready-to-drink category, for instance, are on the rise — Piper said the sheer number of RTD products on the shelves of each store rose by about 30 percent in 2022 from 2021.

“For the RTDs, I think you’re seeing people who are going to get out this summer, and they are looking for that kind of grab-and-go, thrown in your cooler sort of thing, heading out to your picnic or whatever you’re doing outside,” she said. “We continually get presented with new concoctions and things that are brand new to the market. … I think customers are leaning toward the brands that they already know and are comfortable with, and just kind of parlaying that into these ready-todrink options as well.”

A spectacle of wines

The premier event of New Hampshire Wine Week, the New England Wine Spectacular will take place at the DoubleTree by Hilton Manchester Downtown. Since its inception, the Spectacular has become known as one of the largest wine tasting events in the country, boasting around 1,700 different products to try

from regions all over the world. Attendees will also be able to meet face to face with many of the wine industry’s most well-known personalities throughout the evening, and can learn more or ask questions about their products.

“It’s really a great opportunity to get everybody together again, and to celebrate wine and everything that is,” Gunter said. “Wine enthusiasts of any level, from the very beginner who is starting to explore the world of wine … all the way to the wine aficionado, will have that opportunity to go to places they’ve never been able to go.”

Expected visitors of this year’s Spectacular hail from all over the West Coast, including in California’s Napa and Sonoma counties, as well as some European countries like France and Italy, and even

below the equator in nations like Argentina. New Hampshire winemakers also join in on the fun with offerings of their own.

Along with the thousands of wines, the Spectacular will have a variety of exclusive silent auction items available to bid on, and food samples from around 30 participating restaurants.

“They will primarily have … dishes on single-serve plates. It’s basically hors d’oeuvres, amuse-bouche types of servings,” Gunter said. “[The food is] not really designed to be the feature of the show, but it is designed to enhance the pairings of the two. … Most of the restaurants that are going to be supporting us are local, and so it’s an opportunity for them to present some of their fare and get their name out as well.”

The NHLC has developed an app

Photo by Timothy Courtemanche

for this year’s Spectacular that will be designed to help attendees navigate the wine purveyors. Gunter added that each table will offer a recipe submitted by the winemakers or wine representatives themselves for an item that pairs with at least one of their wines.

“From what I’ve seen, the recipes are all over the place from desserts to main courses. It really does run the gamut,” he said. “It’ll be a little bit more of an immersive experience our guests can take with them … that doesn’t just fade away over the course of the next week. … We’ve collected well over 100 recipes already and ultimately the goal is to have one at every single table.”

Proceeds from this year’s Spectacular will benefit the New Hampshire Food Bank, a program of Catholic Charities New Hampshire. According to Nancy Mellitt, the Food Bank’s director of development, the nonprofit distributed more than 16 million pounds of food statewide in 2022.

“We are thrilled to be partnering with the New Hampshire Liquor Commission … [and] to be the nonprofit beneficiary,” Mellitt said. “Our primary focus is the distribution of food to more than 400 partner agencies throughout the state, so that is your food pantries, your soup kitchens, your after-school and senior programs and more. Then in addition to that, we have our outreach programs, and so this … will help support all that we encompass.”

new hampshire Wine Week 2023

Monday, June 12, through Friday, June 16. Visit nhwineweek.com for the most up-to-date information and upcoming events Be sure to contact each restaurant or liquor store outlet directly for the most up-to-date details on bottle signings and wine dinners.

More Wine Week happenings

If you can’t make either the Spectacular, New Hampshire Wine Week is filled with dozens of other events. The multi-course wine dinners, for instance, are often attended by the winemakers themselves, the food served in a uniquely intimate setting.

Piper said one of their own wines is served with each course, and they will typically go over the notes detected in that wine and the reasoning behind its food pairing.

Many winemakers will also hold bottle signings and wine tastings at various Liquor & Wine Outlet stores — most of those run for two hours and are free to walk-in visitors.

“I think you’ll find that most of the winemakers like being out in stores as much as we love having them there,” Gunter said. “They like the representation of the product and the partnership that we try to create.”

Piper said a master list of each bottle signing and wine dinner can be found online at nhwineweek.com and will continue to be updated right up until the week begins.

“We’re making it sort of the destination for Wine Week activity, so it’s one place to learn everything that they want to learn about what’s going on that week,” she said.

3 Great Shops in One Seacoast NH Destination!

3 Great Shops in One Seacoast NH Destination!

Come

Route 1 Antiques

Meet the wine expert:

Cristina Mariani-May

President and CEO, Banfi Wines, banfiwinesusa.com

Cristina Mariani-May is the third-generation proprietor of Banfi, the company founded by her grandfather, John Mariani Sr., in 1919. The globally recognized wine brand is perhaps best known for its more than 7,000-acre Castello Banfi vineyard estate in Montalcino, Tuscany, Italy. Banfi’s domestic portfolio also

Photo by Timothy Courtemanche

includes Pacific Rim & Co. and Rainstorm, two Pacific Northwest-based collections of brands respectively located in Washington State and Oregon, and its ownership even extends to Natura wines, produced by Emiliana Organic Vineyards in Chile. Mariani-May joined Banfi in 1993, shortly after completing her studies at Columbia University’s Graduate School of Business. She is a longtime participant of New Hampshire Wine Week — you’ll find her both at this year’s Spectacular and during a special “Perfect Pairings” sampling event at the Manchester Country Club in Bedford on Wednesday, June 14, presenting Banfi’s wines alongside a thoughtfully crafted multi-course menu from award-winning chef Edward Aloise.

What will you be pouring at the New England Wine Spectacular?

We’ll be pouring our flagship, which is our Castello Banfi Brunello di Montalcino. [It’s made with] 100 percent sangiovese [grapes] and is one of our most beautiful wines. … We’ll be having our Gavi, [which is] called Principessa Gavia Gavi, and our Rosa Regale, which is our red sparkling dessert wine. [It’s] a little sweet. That one comes from Piedmont, Italy, and is always a hit at the show. [We will also have] our San Angelo pinot grigio, [and] our Chianti Classico Riserva, so quite a broad selection.

What makes your wines unique?

The ones we make from Italy have been developed over 40 years, really with pioneering research. We came to

the area as Americans, which is very unusual. We ended up amassing 7,100 acres, so it’s one of the largest contiguous properties in all of Italy, but only one-third of it is dedicated to vineyards. The rest is a sustainable estate with agriculture. … So, what is so unique about our wines is that when we came to the area it was all virgin soil. From 1978 going forward, we paired up with the greatest oenology universities in the world — Bordeaux, Pisa, Milan, Davis — and we became a research center. We researched not only the Sangiovese grapes for brunello, but also with pinot grigio, merlot, syrah, [and] a lot of French varieties that had never existed in Italy. … So, really why Banfi Wines has done so well over time is because we have this constant, consistent and outstanding quality while also being 100 percent sustainable from when my family came to virgin land. …

Because we are an experimental center, we are constantly improving and adjusting so that we can have the most outstanding quality in the most sustainable manner, vintage after vintage.

What are some trends you have noticed recently in the wine world?

Italian white wines that are alternatives to pinot grigio are definitely very trendy. … We have two whites that we look forward to showing. One is our Principessa Gavia Gavi, which is made from cortese grapes, and the other one that is doing so well is our La Pettegola Vermentino. … The Brunello di Montalcino, which is a classic red wine, has also not slowed down. People want heritage, they want authenticity, they want provenance, and they get that from the Brunello di Montalcino. … There’s definitely a premiumization that’s still continuing.

18th annual new england Wine Spectacular

When: Thursday, June 15, 6 to 9 p.m.

Where: DoubleTree by Hilton Manchester Downtown, 700 Elm St., Manchester

Cost: $65 per person general admission to the Grand Tasting, and $135 for access to the Bellman’s Cellar Select VIP tasting room, featuring a more intimate experience from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. (VIP availability is limited); all tickets can be purchased in advance online

More info: Visit nhfoodbank.org/wine

Event is 21+ only. A limited number of rooms are available to event attendees at a special Sip & Stay rate at the Tru by Hilton Manchester Downtown (135 Spring St., Manchester)

Photo by John Hession

What do you look forward to the most about New Hampshire Wine Week?

What I like the most, really, is just the camaraderie and the joy that all the consumers get from coming to this event. … I’ve been to tastings all over the world, and sometimes you get people that just don’t really care much — they just want to drink. The difference I’ve always found in New Hampshire is that people come from all over New England, and they are really interested in learning even if they don’t know a lot about wine. And, I think that’s the most fun, is that we really resonate well with consumers.

apple blend, which is fabulous. … One of our top-selling wines for as long as I can remember is a strawberry blend. We call it Fragole Z — we use Z in everything we can — and Fragole means strawberry in Italian. We’ll be pouring that one too. We are the first ones in New Hampshire to make a peach wine and a pear wine. We’ll have those available as well.

What makes your wines unique?

When I came into the business I was already into wine and I was already a food ie. You can make wine when the grapes grow, which is in the spring in South Amer ica and in the fall up here. However, in order to keep wine rolling all the time, we really got into making fruit wines, because you can do fruit wines at all different times of the year if you have the juice. … One of the things I wanted to do is to not make sweet fruit wines. I wanted our fruit wines to be off-dry, so they would work well with all kinds of different foods. That’s a trend that we started a long time ago, and pretty much everybody up here has followed suit.

What are some trends you have noticed recently in the wine world?

Meet the wine expert:

Tom Zack

Wine director, Zorvino Vineyards, zorvino.com

Located on 80 acres in the quiet town of Sandown, Zorvino Vineyards began as a hobby for founders Jim and Cheryl Zanello. They purchased the property in 2000 after retiring, planting a few wines in their new backyard. More than two decades later Zorvino Vineyards has grown to now offer around 75 types of wines and host all kinds of events from private wedding ceremonies and receptions to Sunday brunches, special multi-course dinners and more. Tom Zack has served as Zorvino’s wine director since 2005 and has been involved in many facets of the wine business, from marketing and sales to graphic and label design, event hosting and advising on wine production. Zack has also been a board member of the New Hampshire Winery Association since 2010. Earlier this year Zorvino Vineyards was named New Hampshire Winery of the Year in 2023 by the state’s Liquor Commission.

What will you be pouring at the New England Wine Spectacular?

We have seven different varietals that are in the state system. We’ll probably bring six of the seven. … One of the ones I’m touting right now is one we call Black Widowz, which is a black currant and

One of the trends that I’ve noticed is I’m seeing a lot more 20-somethings and early 30s folks who are really getting into wine now. … I think part of that came from the pandemic. Our patio has been rocking since the pandemic … and it’s just become a crazy place to be. We typically sell it out a week in advance, when it starts getting busier in the summer. … We wanted to set some trends in the wine industry, and that’s why we created what we call the Z Wine Labs releases. What’s really cool about them is that they are meant to come out every couple of weeks and then sell out. Every year, we run through the season with a whole different list of these wines that are really kind of exciting and new — things like peanut butter and jelly, lemon lavender and honey, and a mojito wine we have that just came out. … Kudos for Z Wine Labs go to our young winemakers, Dave Sexton and Sam Breslin.

What do you look forward to the most about New Hampshire Wine Week?

The thing I look most forward to is renewing old acquaintances. I’ve been in this business for a long time now, [and] I know some of the great winemakers that have been around. I don’t get to see them, but they show up in our backyard now at this great expo. … I also love to see what new wines the New Hampshire wineries have, and to get to try them myself, so you’ll find me behind my booth but you’ll also find me chatting with some of my compatriots in the business.

More dancers

New program seeks to help dancers get on stage

Joan Brodsky, founder of NH Dance Collaborative, talked about a new program to expand opportunities for dancers.

What is NH Dance Collaborative?

I’m a former dancer, and when I retired I opened a Pilates studio. I’ve always felt that dance is a very vital part of the human condition. ... I became increasingly worried about the fact that ... we have no real vehicle for [dancers in the state] to dance — not a big audience, and not a lot of financial support. … I ended up doing this really fun pop-up art show with [other artists] ... and I brought in dancers. I saw the audience really tune in [to the dance performance]. I thought that maybe this is the ingredient that has been needed — a small dose of dance in a social setting, where it’s intimate and real. I went on to form a nonprofit, NH Dance Collaborative. … We bring dance to artistic venues and cultural and educational institutions ... with the goal of providing fun, creative gigs for dancers, and exposing people who would otherwise be pretty limited [in exposure to dance] to all ranges of dance.

What is the NH Dance Accelerator pro-

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gram, and how did you come up with the idea?

I started thinking that I really needed a more developed, concrete product to strengthen and formulate my goals … and [facilitate] marketing and donations, because the arts can feel very esoteric to many people. … For the accelerator, NH Dance Collaborative will invest up to $10,000 directly in accelerating [dancers]. … I’m also going to be providing dancers with artistic coaching and mentorship, help with grant writing, help with ticket sales and things like that.

What kinds of costs will the Accelerator help to offset?

These dancers have so much energy to create dance [and can] pay for the studio and rehearsal time; they just can’t afford the theater rentals, and paying dancers is very expensive. … You could pay, like, $2,500 to rent a [performance] space. Then you have to pay the dancers; many of these dancers are so hungry for an opportunity that they will dance for very little [compensation]. They should be paid for rehearsals, but if they aren’t paid for rehearsals, then at the very least they should

be paid $500 for their performance. If you have 12 dancers, and you’re paying $500 per dancer, plus the $2,500 for the theater, plus the costs of having social media and marketing done, you can see how cost-prohibitive it is.

Who is a candidate for the program?

It could be dance companies or solo artists. They should be based in NH ... and have an established product that’s ready for market. For a dance company, that means having a repertory of original choreography and a group of dancers who know the work well, and for a solo artist, that means having an established style of dance and a target audience — and a rudimentary business plan.

What is your long-term vision for the program?

NH is still ripe grounds for dance; there are few opportunities for dancers here. I used to look at that as a bummer, but now I look at it as an opportunity to create a really unique ecosystem of dance here. I want [to accelerate] dancers who are doing interesting and transformative things. Some are using dance

for political or social activism work. Some are bringing dance into schools. Those are the dancers I want to work with. I’m interested in fostering innovative ideas. We have many new Americans throughout the state … who have cultural dance forms. These are just some of the ideas that I’m envisioning cultivating, but there could be other ideas; who knows what artists are formulating? … In 10 years from now, if I had my dream, there would be more dance in New Hampshire on all kinds of levels: dance supported by the state, dance in schools, therapeutic use of dance, dance companies having regular seasons at theaters. — Angie Sykeny

To make a donation to support the New Hampshire Dance Accelerator program, or if you are a dancer who is interested in applying, visit nhdancecollaborative.com/ accelerator.

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elevating their experiences

Black Heritage Trail of NH celebrates Juneteenth

By Katelyn Sahagian ksahagian@hippopress.com

The Black Heritage Trail of New Hampshire has partnered with The Currier Museum of Art in Manchester to host a panel discussion about the lives of Black immigrants and refugees in the Granite State.

The discussion, which will take place at the museum on Wednesday, June 16, at 6 p.m., with a coffee hour before the panel at 5 p.m., is based around Uprooted: Heartache and Hope in New Hampshire, a 2009 documentary produced and created by the University of New Hampshire.

“It’s a great documentary and it tells stories of life in refugee camps,” said Anne Romney, one of the organizers for the event.

Romney said the plan originally was to invite the subjects of the documentary to discuss where they are now, but it became clear that due to the passage of time it wouldn’t be possible. She sawid several of the people in the documentary were now elderly and at least one had died.

Organizers reached out to younger refugees and immigrants to create the new panel. Romney said they are just as impressive and just as incredible to hear speak.

“It’s very powerful to hear these stories, based on real people and real experiences,” Romney said. “We had a Zoom meeting to make sure everyone [on the panel] is on the same page and it was an amazing hour I spent with these folks.”

The speakers are Rashida Eltag Mohamed, a domestic sexual violence advocate through the Manchester

Police Department; Anzura Gakwaya, a community building specialist with NeighborWorks Southern New Hampshire, and Fisto Ndayishimiye, the lead organizer for Change for Concord. The panel will be moderated by Grace Kindeke, a program coordinator for American Friends Service Committee NH.

Romney said it was important for the panel to be a discussion, not just a series of questions each expert was answering. She said the Black Heritage Trail wanted to highlight the human element and the lived experience each person brings to the table.

“You can read an article about immigration and it might be interesting, but you can start and stop reading,” Romney said. “If you’re talking and listening to some human being talk and you can feel the humanity of it, you get drawn in.”

Romney said the Black Heritage Trail is about educating people on Black history in New Hampshire and also on what the current Black experience is. This panel, she said, brings to light the modern experience for Black refugees and immigrants coming to this state.

“I think it takes courage and it’s exhausting to people to always be educating, to help others understand,” Romney said. “[But] I think it felt that there’s an appreciation of having a platform to speak, as hard and exhausting it is, I think it’s necessary and I think they believe it’s necessary.”

a month of celebration

The Black Heritage Trail of NH has a variety of other events scheduled as part of its Juneteenth Celebration. Visit blackheritagetrailnh.org/juneteenth-celebration-2023 for more information and to register.

•“African Roots: Herbal Medicine, Inoculation & The Shaker Connection” This tour at the Canterbury Shaker Village starts at 11 a.m. on Friday, June 10 (with a bus pickup in Portsmouth at 9:15 a.m). The day will feature a talk and tour on the history of medicine at the Canterbury Shaker Village and Sister Edith Green, an African American Shaker who lived at Canterbury Shaker Village, according to the website. Tickets cost $35 for the tour; $45 with the bus ride.

• “If You Knew, Let It Be Us” An opening reception for this exhibit at 3S Artspace in Portsmouth will take place Friday, June 16, at 5 p.m. The exhibit features McKinley Wallace III, “a mixed-media painter and art educator,” who “paints, draws and collages to tell stories of power manifested in resilient peoples,” according to the website. The event is free.

• “Chanting Down Babylon: Redemption Songs of the Diaspora” This Reggae Festival will take place Saturday, June 17, from noon to 10 p.m. at the Strawbery Banke Museum grounds in Portsmouth. In addition to music (see the line-up of scheduled artists online), the day will include food and craft vendors, drumming, dance, kids’ activities and more, according to the website. Tickets cost $60 general admission, $10 for kids ages 6 to 18; kids 5 and under get in free.

• “Camille A. Brown & Dancers: Reclaiming Black Narratives” This dance performance will take place at the Music Hall in Portsmouth on Sunday, June 18, at 4 p.m. Tickets cost $30 to $70.

• The Healing Rhythm of the Drums This African drumming performance featuring Akwaaba Ensemble will take place at the Portsmouth African Burying Ground on Monday, June 19, at 11 a.m. and include a ceremony by Rev. Robert Thompson, according to the website. The event is free and open to the public.

• “From Africa to America: We Are the Drums” The Howard Gospel Choir will perform at the South Church Unitarian Universalist Church in Portsmouth on Monday, June 19, at 2 p.m. Tickets cost $35.

What do you like to eat when you visit the beach?

“For an appetizer, I usually go for oysters. I also love surf and turf, preferably steak with fried whole belly clams. I try to eat healthy, so sometimes I’ll just go for a grilled chicken sandwich.”

Have you ever skydived?

“No, but I have done paragliding when I was on a road trip with some friends. It was unplanned, but I tried it. I was 33. I probably would have tried skydiving at that age, too, but not now.”

If you could go back to any age, which age would you choose?

“I would love to be 19 again. That’s when I played guitar in a band. We did a lot of rock ’n’ roll, and I was always influenced by Bon Jovi. Also, I wouldn’t mind being 52 again; that’s when I met my darling Sophie.”

What comic books did you read growing up?

“Superman was my favorite. I liked Archie comics, too. I wish I knew then what I know now; I would have saved all those comic books.”

— a lan of Pelham

What is your all-time favorite band?

“The Alan Parsons Project. I saw them in concert in Boston some years ago. I still have their albums, but I no longer have a turntable.”

— tom of mancheSter, connecticut

Where did you eat the best seafood ever?

“At Lord’s Lobster Pound in Wells, Maine. Their boiled lobster is delicious. Our daughter was introduced to eating lobster there at one-and-a-half years old.”

— dale of mancheSter, connecticut

S B R O W N

Compiled by Betty Gagne at Hampton Beach.

— Gary of St. croiX, u.S. VirGin iSlandS

— yVeS of montreal, canada

— SoPhie of montreal, canada

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Handheld tarts

bursting

with blueberries

It isn’t quite blueberry season in New Hampshire, but there’s no reason to delay planning. Never mind that you probably can find some decent berries that were grown elsewhere available in the produce department of your grocery store.

These tarts are easy to make; the cooking portion is done in under 20 minutes. The longest part of the recipe is chilling the finished product. You could eat them right away, but the chilling time allows both fillings to set up a bit more firmly. No judgment if you want to eat them as soon as they are done!

For the ingredients, there are three notes. First, you want phyllo tart shells, which I did have to search for. My local grocery store didn’t carry them, but my Walmart superstore did. Fresh blueberries are the ideal ingredient for this recipe. You can use frozen, but I would start with just one tablespoon of water when making the sauce. Finally, for cream cheese, be sure to use full fat. Do not buy Neufchâtel; it has a slightly grainy texture, which you’ll notice. You want these tarts to be ultra creamy.

Feel free to make these now, but keep the recipe handy for blueberry season. They make a perfect dessert to bring to a cookout this summer.

Handheld tarts bursting with blueberries

Makes 15 tarts

15 phyllo tart shells

⅓ cup granulated sugar

2 Tablespoons cornstarch

3 Tablespoons water

½ Tablespoon lemon juice

1½ cups blueberries

4 ounces cream cheese

⅓ cup powdered sugar

2 Tablespoons whole milk

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place tart shells in the cups of a mini muffin pan or on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake for 4 minutes.

*Not available 5-8pm daily

While shells bake, combine granulated sugar, cornstarch, water and lemon juice in a small saucepan, whisking until smooth. Stir in the blueberries, and bring to a boil over high heat.

Michele Pesula Kuegler has been thinking about food her entire life. Since 2007 the New Hampshire native has been sharing these food thoughts and recipes at her blog, Think Tasty. Visit thinktasty.com to find more of her recipes.

Reduce heat to low, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until the blueberries release some of their juices and the sauce thickens.

Remove the sauce from the heat, and allow to cool to room temperature. Remove tart shells from the oven. Combine cream cheese, powdered sugar and 1 tablespoon of milk in a small bowl. Stir until smooth, adding the additional tablespoon of milk if needed. Divide cream cheese mixture evenly among the cups.

Top with a layer of blueberry sauce. Store tarts in a sealed container for at least 4 hours before serving.

Handheld tarts bursting with blueberries. Photo by Michele Pesula Kuegler.

Drinks wiTh John FlaDD

The Musketeer

In my youth, in the late 18th century, I watched a television show about stunt performers. One of the things that stuck with me was a stunt man getting ready to be thrown off a roof, and after going over all his safety protocols, the last thing he did before the fall was to make sure he had his “buddy” with him — in this case, a tiny, dog’s squeaky toy. Apparently, many stunt people have a superstition about carrying a small toy with them during a stunt, so they have a friend with them and don’t have to go through something harrowing alone.

Most driving is somewhat harrowing for me, so for many years I’ve carried a “buddy” with me. In my case he is a 2-inch-high figurine of a musketeer, holding a sword in his right hand and a dagger in his left. Having him with me has always made me feel slightly cooler. I like to imagine myself raising an eyebrow, twirling my mustache with one hand and nonchalantly placing my other on the hilt of my sword. In my daydream, an alley full of street toughs — or, more likely, a clerk at the DMV — would scuttle away, completely intimidated.

Apparently I’m not the only one to feel that way. For three cars and several mechanics, I’ve dropped my car off to be serviced, only to find my musketeer on the dashboard waiting for me, obviously placed there when the mechanic was done playing with him.

Last week, my teenager asked me to drive them to school. It was the morning of the AP Literature Exam, and the apprehension was palpable. When I pulled into the parking lot of the school, we just sat in silence for a moment or two. Eventually, lacking any practical advice, I pulled my musketeer from his spot under my dashboard and held him out.

“Would you like to take The Musketeer with you?”

A moment’s silence.

“Yes, please.”

I’ve been facing down a few challenges lately, and I for one, could stand a little more insouciance in my life, right now.

The Musketeer

This is a riff on a cocktail called The Aramis, after one of the title characters in The Three Musketeers. Apparently there already is a drink called The Three Mus-

keteers, but it is a sweet, ice creamy, after-dinner affair named after the candy bar. That’s not really what I’m going for here, so I’ve adapted something a bit more specific.

2 ounces very cold gin — I put mine in the freezer for several hours

1 ounce fresh squeezed lime juice

¼ ounce simple syrup

½ ounce blue Curaçao

Combine the gin, lime juice and simple syrup over ice, in a cocktail shaker. Shake until the shaker starts to frost over.

Pour into a cocktail glass.

Using a spoon, touching the inside of the glass, slowly pour the blue Curaçao down the side of the glass. Because it is denser than the rest of the cocktail, it should sink to a puddle in the bottom.

Ask your digital assistant to play the William Tell Overture at volume 9. Sip your drink like a boss.

In theory, blue Curaçao is orange-flavored. The reality is that it just tastes blue. The gin and lime juice are pretty bracing, but the hint of syrup and the Curaçao round it out. It will help you feel like a musketeer named after a Greek philosopher.

John Fladd is a veteran Hippo writer, a father, writer and cocktail enthusiast, living in New Hampshire.

The Musketeer. Photo by John Fladd.

oUT For a BiTe

at Sin-a-loa tacoS & tequiila

WITH M aTT IN ge R soll

New to Salisbury Beach, Sin-a-loa Tacos & Tequila (3 Broadway, Salisbury, Mass., 978-961-7310, sin-a-loa.com) is gearing up for its first full summer of serving up authentic Mexican street foods and creative cocktails in a uniquely vibrant atmosphere. The eatery, which arrived at the tail end of last season, is part of the same restaurant family that owns two Bar 25 locations, one of which is in neighboring Newburyport, according to corporate general manager Sydney Wyman. Sin-a-loa is named after the northwestern Mexican state and offers everything from tacos, burritos, bowls and quesadillas to its own house bottled hot sauces and desserts, like Mexican flan and churros with a milk chocolate dipping sauce. “The name … is hyphenated, and it kind of stems from our third floor at Bar 25, which is a play on words called ‘Es-co-bar,’” Wyman said. “Sin-a-loa kind of just rolled off the tongue, and we liked the way it was broken up.” The Scene recently caught up with Wyman to ask her some fun questions, including what she thinks diners ought to seek out when they visit.

How long has Sin-a-loa Tacos & Tequila been around?

We opened in the middle of August of 2022. … It’s open year-round, and in the slower, colder season we were open Thursday through Saturday, but now we’ve gone up to six days a week, where we’re only closed on Wednesdays.

What makes Sin-a-loa Tacos & Tequila unique?

Everything [owner] Reza [Rahmani] does over at Bar 25 … [featured] authentic, fresh ingredients, and that same theme has essentially followed

over to Sin-a-loa. … The concept is authentic Mexican street food. I’d say it’s pretty unique just due to the balance of the fresh ingredients that we use in the food and the cocktail menus, and then also … the attention to detail within the service that we provide.

What is something that everyone should try?

Similar to my favorite food item, I’m going to say anything with the al pastor. It just kind of hits the core of Mexican street food, and the marination perfectly blends into the meat as it’s roasting on that spit. … It comes

on the tacos, and you can also add it to our nacho dish.

What is your favorite thing on your menu?

The al pastor burrito is really good. It just has a burst of flavors and it’s wrapped into a fresh tortilla.

What is an essential skill to running a restaurant?

I think one of the most important things is just creating an atmosphere that’s coupled with a well-balanced menu that really focuses on and satisfies the needs of your demographic

and also the community that you’re in. If it doesn’t tailor to them, it’s probably not going to do well.

What celebrity would you like to see eating at Sin-a-Loa Tacos & Tequila?

This one stumped me, but myself and the owner both have a love for The Office and so we’d say Michael Scott [played by Steve Carell], in character.

What is your favorite thing about being on the Seacoast?

I love smelling the ocean and feeling the ocean breeze. I just love being near the water.

Courtesy photos.

the little mermaid (PG) halle Bailey is a mermaid who wants to be up where the people are in disney’s the little mermaid, another one of these live-action “oK, sure, but why?” adaptations of a classic animated movie.

Yes, I know, “money, dummy” is the “why” of the existence of these live-action adaptations. I just think some additional motivation to revisit these stories would also be cool.

Mermaid Ariel (Bailey) likes collecting the human stuff she finds from shipwrecks in ye olde ocean and is generally curious about the human world. Humans and their world are garbage, stay away — is her father King Triton’s (Javier Bardem) point of view because humans killed your mother! Which feels like a thing the movie should really unpack more but that’s not the way it goes.

Ariel sees a Pirates of the Caribbean-y ship one evening and hangs out to watch the men shoot fireworks, carouse and just generally be human-y. But then a storm rolls in fast and tosses the boat around and stuff catches fire and it’s a big “abandon ship!” mess. Prince Eric (Jonah Hauer-King), the cute human whom Ariel had been watching, gets everyone to safety, even his friendly dog, but then is tossed deep into the ocean. Ariel rescues him and takes him back to the shore, singing her mermaid siren song at him to wake him up. He falls in love with the music and the

fuzzy image he gets of her as he wakes up; she takes off as soldiers show up to rescue him.

Eric gets a little more to him than I remember from the cartoon that, admittedly, I haven’t seen since forever. Here, he’s not so much a “to the manor born” guy but an adopted child of the Queen (Noma Dumezweni) and he is really intent on opening his country’s trade ports. Also he gets his own “I wish” song all about wanting to find the woman who saved him. It feels at first like the movie is setting up some kind of significant plot thing for Eric but it isn’t really — it’s just giving him an inch more dimension without really working that in to the way the story unfolds.

Back to Ariel. Ursula (Melissa McCarthy), who is the sister of Triton (but an octo-person rather than a merperson like him), slinks around the dark recesses of the ocean, still mad that her brother got the ocean crown rather than her. Again, seems like an interesting bit of story but the movie just sort of leaves it hanging out there. When she learns of Ariel’s new love for a human person in addition to her long-known desire to be in the land of whozits and whatzits and forks, Ursula has her eel buddies drag Ariel to her creepy lair and convinces her to make a trade — Ursula will give Ariel a three-day loaner pair of human legs if Ariel will leave her voice as collateral. Also, she has to get Eric to kiss her in those three days or Ariel will be Ursula’s, er, indentured servant? Unpaid

intern? In the movie she says something like “you’ll be mine” and Ariel agrees. As we learn, Ursula just wants custody of Ariel so that she can bargain with Triton and this feels like a whole lotta business to go through just to get to that point, especially for a sea witch who can do magic.

Human Ariel makes it to the surface of the ocean and gets hauled into a boat by a fisherman who brings her to the palace. She is given food and clothes and introduced to the prince and they become buds, even though Ariel can’t talk and Eric is still looking for the mystery girl with the pretty singing voice. Along to provide chat to the audience when Ariel can’t are crab Sebastian (voice of Daveed Diggs), fish Flounder (voice of Jacob Tremblay) and bird Scuttle (voice of Awkwafina).

There is a moment when Eric sees Ariel and she’s all excited that It’s Happening, her plan to be a person and find her crush is working out, and then he doesn’t recognize her. He’s looking for the voice and she’s given that up. Her letdown is a nice emotional note — she understands in that moment that her decisions made in a fit of teenage-like anger and longing have consequences she hadn’t considered. It’s also maybe the only time that I felt like I was watching a person in a life and not a character on a set. A really well-costumed character on a very pretty set in a world that has been crafted as, like, a little bit Jamaica, a little bit Bridgerton. I mean,

cool, but this is still largely a movie that feels like all the thinking really went in to the look of things and then the rest of the movie, including any emotional heart it might have, was just left to float along. The talking fish is impressive, the mermaids are eye-catching, the underwater scenes mostly look good and have a kind of logic to their physical nature. The characters, their emotions and even the songs are flat and feel like they have the volume turned down.

Which brings me back to the “why.” The movie seemed to have some thoughts on “why” to tell this story — there’s the “kid going into the world over parental objections” bit and some riffing on the idea of one’s voice, both literal and metaphoric. But it never picks a lane and gets specific — even about whose desires are driving the plot. I feel like the movie did a lot of laudable work to get everybody there, to find talented people and put them in the position to look credibly like sea creatures and olden-day people in a visually interesting physical space. Now it just needs to figure out why they are there and what story they are telling. C+

Rated PG for action/peril and some scary images, according to the MPA on filmratings.com. Directed by Rob Marshall with a screenplay by David Magee, The Little Mermaid is two hours and 15 minutes long and distributed in theaters by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. If between now and when this movie inevitably hits Disney+ you need

The Little Mermaid

two hours and 15 minutes of air conditioning in a dark room where you (the adult) can relax and maybe snooze while the children in your care eat popcorn and are basically entertained, this is probably fine for that. Little kids might get freaked out by a brief shark chase at the beginning and some Ursula villainy by the end.

booK RevIeW

Halcyon, by Elliot Ackerman (Deckle Edge/Knopf, 256 pages)

In a recent poll, fewer than 10 percent of young Americans said they were interested in military service, according to an NBC News story. This makes Elliot Ackerman one of a disappearing breed of writers, writers in the mold of Vonnegut, Hemingway and Salinger, who bring an intimacy with military life to their work.

Ackerman, a decorated Marine who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, used his experience in his 2022 nonfiction book The Fifth Act, America’s End in Afghanistan. But in his new novel, Halcyon, Ackerman offers a more subtle slice of military history, that of the Civil War, through a protagonist who is studying postbellum attitudes at a time of dizzying biotechnological change.

The change: Scientists have just figured out how to resurrect cryonically preserved organisms — first mice, then humans. This isn’t set in the future, but in 2004, in an alternate universe in which Al Gore is president and under fire for pardoning Bill Clinton.

If this sounds mind-blowingly complex, yes, on some levels it is. But in sparse, logical prose, Ackerman has created a completely plausible universe and characters who grapple with

books

Author events

• GERALDINE BROOKS

will discuss her latest novel, Horse , at The Music Hall Historic Theater (28 Chestnut St., Portsmouth; 436-2400, themusichall.org) on Wednesday, June 21, at 7 p.m. Tickets cost $15, and copies of the book will be available for purchase.

• DR. LUANA MARQUES

will discuss her book Bold Move: A 3-Step Plan to Transform Anxiety into Power at The Music Hall Lounge (131 Congress St., Portsmouth; 436-2400, themusichall.org) on Wednesday, June 28, at 7 p.m. Tickets cost $47 and include a signed book.

• ANDRE DUBUS III will

seemingly disparate questions, such as whether it is morally right to tear down old monuments (such as the Virginia Monument at Gettysburg) and what are the unforeseen consequences of bringing dead people back to life.

The story revolves around a historian and college professor, Martin Neumann, who is recently divorced and has been granted a semester-long sabbatical to advance his research, which is inspired, in part, by the work of the late (real-life) historian Shelby Foote.

Neumann has rented a cottage on an estate in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Virginia. It turns out that the property is owned by one of the 134 people who have been recently resurrected — a World War II veteran turned prosecutor named Robert Abelson.

Neumann doesn’t know from the start — he simply thinks the nonagenarian is remarkably healthy: “His face was high-boned, his cheeks rosy and vital, his features distinct. … He was possessed by a vigor that he insisted was the result of his daily walks.”

Fortuitously, Abelson had long ago married a woman 20 years his junior, so they weren’t unusually matched. And as the couple grow closer to their tenant, Abelson’s wife suggests that Martin go meet with their physician, where he learns not only more about

discuss his new novel, Such Kindness , in conversation with Elizabeth Strout, at The Music Hall Lounge (131 Congress St., Portsmouth; 436-2400, themusichall.org) on Saturday, July 8, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets cost $47 and include a signed book.

• COLSON WHITEHEAD will discuss his latest novel Crook Manifesto at The Music Hall Historic Theater (28 Chestnut St., Portsmouth; 436-2400, themusichall.org) on Thursday, July 20, at 7 p.m. Tickets cost $5 plus fees and the required purchase of a $30 book voucher per one or two tickets.

• RICHARD RUSSO will discuss his novel Somebody’s Fool at The Music Hall Lounge (131 Congress

St., Portsmouth; 436-2400, themusichall.org) on Tuesday, Aug. 8, at 7 p.m. Tickets cost $46 and include a signed book.

Writer events

• KATHY GUNST will lead a one-day writing workshop, “Finding Voice in Food Writing,” on Sunday, July 9, from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at The Word Barn (66 Newfields Road, Exeter; thewordbarn.com). Tickets cost $200 plus fees; visit thewordbarn. com to purchase tickets.

• TIME TO WRITE writing workshop is held on the first Monday of every month from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at The Word Barn (66 Newfields Road, Exeter; thewordbarn.com). Writers of all genres are welcome; registration

Abelson’s life (both pre- and post-resurrection) but also about Mary’s condition.

Meanwhile, the public, which had not known that the processes that had resurrected a brood of “Lazarus mice” had already been practiced on humans, is just now learning that human beings had also been “reborn.” In a press conference that is surreal on multiple levels, President Gore has announced that “Before death, a family would soon be able to apply to the Department of Health and Human Services for a ‘rebirth grant.’ Based on suitability — a vague criterion he did not fully define — the government would defray a portion, if not all, of the medical costs, making rebirth a possibility for ‘most any American’ …”

The resurrection storyline is fascinating enough on its own, as Ackerman’s characters work through the complexities of what this development would mean in a practical sense. At one point, for example, Ableson has to go to a Richmond courthouse to have his own death annulled, much like a marriage. His stepsons (who did not know that their stepfather was alive again until about the time the press got the story) have to mull what the news means for what they’d thought was their inheritance. And as the novel slowly reveals, there can be a troubling tension about what’s acceptable for people born, say, in 1915, and those born in 1995, when one lives in “a

is required and space is limited.

Writer submissions

• UNDER THE MADNESS Magazine designed and managed by an editorial board of New Hampshire teens under the mentorship of New Hampshire State Poet Laureate Alexandria Peary. features creative writing by teens ages 13 to 19 from all over the world, including poetry and short fiction and creative nonfiction. Published monthly. Submissions must be written in or translated into English and must be previously unpublished. Visit underthemadnessmagazine.com for full submission guidelines.

film

present that was not his own.”

But Halcyon also has a complex understory about alternative timelines — both in the past and in the present. The existence of a President Gore is one; the narrator suggests that the resurrection of the dead would not have been funded under a Republican president, and in one conversation with his daughter Ableman debates whether he owes Gore his vote by virtue of benefiting from government-funded science.

But there is also a running thread about what would have happened to America if certain aspects of the Civil War had gone differently — if, for example, Confederate General Stonewall Jackson had not died of pneumonia eight days after he was shot by his own troops, who’d mistaken him for a Union soldier. And Ackerman touches on current debates over what history is and how it should be represented. In touring a Civil War site with a fellow historian, Martin is disturbed by something his friend said: “The study of history shouldn’t be backward looking. To matter, it has to take us forward.”

In this, the novel is remarkably complex and intelligent, while retaining the aura of a science-fiction thriller.

The historian who argued that history shouldn’t be “backward looking,” also said, “Every ethicist knows that death isn’t such a bad thing. For mice. For people. Or for certain ideas.”

That is ultimately what Halcyon (the name comes from the Abelson estate) wants us to consider. While Ackerman’s no-frills prose won’t make anyone swoon, he has constructed a page-turner that doesn’t feel slickly commercial or dumbed-down, with a conclusion that is surprisingly satisfying. B+ — Jennifer Graham

O’neil Cinemas at Brickyard Square

24 Calef Hwy., Epping, 6793529, oneilcinemas.com

Regal Fox Run Stadium 15 45 Gosling Road, Newington, regmovies.com

• Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (PG, 2023) will screen at O’neil Cinemas in Epping on Saturday, June 10, at 10 a.m. as a sensory-friendly screening.

Venues

Cinemark Rockingham Park 12 15 Mall Road, Salem

• Hairspray (PG, 1988) 35th anniversary screenings via Fathom Events will take place Sunday, June 11, at 4 p.m. at O’neil Cinemas in Epping, AMC Londonderry and Cinemark Rockingham Park in Salem as well as Regal Fox Run in Newington (where

it will also screen at 7 p.m) as well as all of those locations on Wednesday, June 14, at 7 p.m.

• Kiki’s Delivery Service (G, 1989) will screen via Fathom Events’s GKIDS Presents Studio Ghibli Fest 2023 on Sunday, June 11, at Cinemark Rockingham Park in Epping at 4:15 p.m. and Regal Fox Run in Newington at 4 and 7 p.m.; Monday, June 12, at 7 p.m. at Regal Fox Run and Cinemark Rockingham Park, and on Wednesday, June 14, at Regal Fox Run at 7 p.m. and Cinemark Rockingham Park at 7:10 p.m.

Thursday,

Epping

Railpenny: Thomas Boisse, 6 p.m.

Telly’s: Sam Hammerman, 7 p.m.

Hampton

Bernie’s: Adam Luffkin, 7 p.m.; Granite Lion, 8 p.m.

Bogie’s: live music, 7 p.m.

CR’s: Just the Two of Us +1, 6 p.m.

L Street: Justin Federico, 7 p.m.

Smuttynose: Rob & Jody, 6 p.m.

Wally’s: Karaoke, 8 p.m.

Whym: music bingo, 6 p.m.

Portsmouth

The Goat: Erika Van Pelt Duo, 7 p.m.; Isaiah Bennett, 9 p.m.

Seabrook

Backyard Burgers: Jennifer Mitchell, 6 p.m

friday, June 9

Dover

Fury’s: Farinas and Blanco

comedy

Exeter

Shooters: Groove Cats, 6 p.m.

Hampton

Bernie’s: Alex Anthony, 8

p.m.

Bogie’s: live music, 7 p.m.

CR’s: Ross McInnes, 6 p.m.

The Goat: Alex Anthony, 8 p.m.

L Street: Chris Powers, 8 p.m.

Smuttynose: The Conniption

Fits, 6 p.m.

Wally’s: Chris Toler, 3 p.m.

Whym: Matt Luneau, 6:30 p.m.

Portsmouth

Gas Light: David Corson, 2 p.m.; Radio Daze, 7 p.m.; Scottty Cloutier, 9:30 p.m.

The Goat: Chris Toler, 9 p.m.

Mojo’s: live music, 7 p.m

s aturday, June 10

Hampton

Bernie’s: Joe Samba, 8 p.m.

Bogie’s: live music, 7 p.m.

L Street: Keith Crocker, 8 p.m.

Sea Ketch: Dave Gerard, 1 p.m.

Smuttynose: Ryan WIllliamson, 6:30 p.m.

Wally’s: Chris Tolyer, 9 p.m.

Whym: Chris Cavanaugh, 6 p.m.

Portsmouth

Gas Light Pub: Jodee

Frawlee, 2 p.m.; Amanda

Dane Band, 7 p.m.; Matt Luneau, 9:30 p.m.

The Goat: Mike Forgette, 9 p.m.

s unday, June 11

Hampton

Bernie’s: Alex Anthony, 8 p.m.; Harsh Armadillo, 8 p.m.

Bogie’s: live music, 7 p.m.

L Street: Johnny Angel, 9 p.m.

Sea Ketch: Ray Zer, 8:30 p.m.

Smuttynose: 21st & 1st, 1 p.m.; The Drift Duo, 1 p.m.

Whym: live music, 1 p.m.

Portsmouth Gas Light: Jordan Quinn, 2 p.m.; Dave Ayotte Band, 6 p.m.

The Goat: Rob Pagnano, 9 p.m.

Monday, June 12

Hampton

Bernie’s: Francoix Simard, 8 p.m.

L Street: Dave Clark, 4 p.m.

Smuttynose: Jonny Friday, 4 p.m.

Portsmouth Gas Light: Tim Theriault, 7:30

The Goat: Alex Anthony, 9 p.m.

Seabrook

Red’s: music bingo, 7 p.m.

Tuesday, June 13

Hampton

Bernie’s: Brooks Hubbard, 7 p.m.; Chris Toler, 7 p.m.

L Street: Craig Lacrassa, 4 p.m.

Shane’s: music bingo, 7 p.m.

Portsmouth Gas Light: Dave Gerard, 7:30 p.m.

The Goat: Isaiah Bennett, 9 p.m.

Seabrook

Backyard Burgers: music bingo w/ Jennifer Mitchell, 7 p.m.

Red’s: country night, 7 p.m.

Wednesday, June 14

Portsmouth

Gas Light: Jodee Frawlee, 7;30 p.m.

The Goat: Alex Anthony, 9 p.m.

Press Room: open mic, 5:30 p.m.

Hampton

Bernie’s: Mike Pinto, 8 p.m.

Bogie’s: live music, 7 p.m.

CR’s: Greg DeCoteau, 6 p.m.

L Street: Carl Chloros, 4:30 p.m.

Smuttynose: Jodee Frawlee, 6 p.m.

Wally’s: Karaoke, 8 p.m.

Whym: music bingo, 6 p.m.

Portsmouth

The Goat: Dapper Gents Duo, 7 p.m.; Isaiah Bennett, 9 p.m.

Exeter

Shooters: Chris Bartell & Joe Leweck, 6 p.m.

Hampton

Bernie’s: Mike Pinto, 8 p.m.; Pulse, 8 p.m.; Riff Johnson, 8 p.m.

Bogie’s: live music, 7 p.m.

CR’s: John Irish, 6 p.m.

The Goat: Alex Anthony, 8 p.m.

L Street: Craig Lagrassa, 8 p.m.

Smuttynose: Jamsterdam, 6 p.m.

Wally’s: Chris Toler, 3 p.m.

Whym: Andrew Kavanagh, 6:30 p.m.

Portsmouth

Gas Light: Pete Peterson, 2 p.m.; Samx4 Band, 7 p.m.; Jamie Hughes, 9:30 p.m.

The Goat: Chris Toler, 9 p.m. Mojo’s: live music, 7 p.m

Venues

Casino Ballroom

169 Ocean Blvd., Hampton Beach 929-4100, casinoballroom.com

The Music Hall Lounge

131 Congress St., Portsmouth 436-2400, themusichall.org

Rochester Opera House

31 Wakefield St., Rochester 335-1992, rochesteroperahouse.com

events

• Rachel Feinstein Music Hall Lounge, Friday, June 16, 8:30 p.m.

• Juston McKinney Rochester Opera House, Saturday, June 17, 8 p.m.

• Kathleen Madigan Casino Ballroom, Saturday, July 22, 8 p.m.

• Robert Kelly Music Hall Lounge, Thursday, July 27, 8:30 p.m.

concerts

The Music Hall Lounge

131 Congress St., Portsmouth, 436-2400, themusichall.org

Press Room 77 Daniel St., Portsmouth, 4315186, pressroomnh.com

• Caitlin Canty Friday, June 9, 7 p.m., Word Barn

• Keyon Harold Sextet Friday, June 9, 7:30 p.m., Jimmy’s

• Billy Gilman Friday, June 9, 8 p.m., Music Hall Lounge

• Leslie Odom Jr. Saturday, June 10, 8 p.m., Music Hall

• Alastair Greene Saturday, June 17, 7:30 p.m., Jimmy’s

• Yellowjackets Saturday, June 18, 7:30 p.m., Jimmy’s

• Chief Adjuah Tuesday, June 20, Jimmy’s

• Liz Frame and the Kick-

• Revolution Taproom and Grill (61 N. Main St., Rochester, 244-3042, revolutiontaproomandgrill.com/upcoming-events) at 6:30 p.m.

Venues

Casino Ballroom

169 Ocean Blvd., Hampton Beach, 929-4100, casinoballroom.com

Jimmy’s Jazz and Blues Club

135 Congress St., Portsmouth, 888-603-JAZZ, jimmysoncongress.com

The Music Hall 28 Chestnut St., Portsmouth, 436-2400, themusichall.org

3S Artspace 319 Vaughan St., Portsmouth, 766-3330, 3sarts.org

The Word Barn 66 Newfields Road, Exeter, 244-0202, thewordbarn.com events

• Mark Hummel & the Blues Survivors Thursday, June 8, 7:30 p.m., Jimmy’s

• Thick Thursday, June 8, 8 p.m., Press Room

• Buddy Guy Thursday, June 8, 8 p.m., Casino Ballroom

• Bitter Pill Saturday, June 10, 8 p.m., Music Hall Lounge

• Samara Joy Sunday, June 11. 7:30 p.m., Jimmy’s

• The Happy Together Tour Sunday, June 11, 8 p.m., Casino Ballroom

• Deer Tick Wednesday, June 14, 7 p.m., Press Room

• The James Hunter Six Thursday, June 15, 7:30 p.m., Jimmy’s

• Melody Gardot Thursday, June 15, 8 p.m., Music Hall

• Rickie Lee Jones Friday, June 16, 7:30 p.m., Jimmy’s

ers Wednesday, June 21, 7:30 p.m., Jimmy’s

• Jackie Venson Thursday, June 22, 7:30 p.m., Jimmy’s

trivia

Monday

• Red’s (530 Lafayette Road, Seabrook, 760-0030, redskitchenandtavern.com), signup at 8:30 p.m., from 9 to 11 p.m. Hosted by DJ Zati.

Wednesday

• Smuttynose (105 Towle Farm Road, Hampton, 436-4026, smuttynose.com) at 6 p.m.

• Community Oven (845 Lafayette Road, Hampton, 601-6311, thecommunityoven.com) at 6 p.m.

• The Thirsty Moose (21 Congress St., Portsmouth, 4278645, thirstymoosetaphouse. com) at 7 p.m.

Thursday

• Mitchell BBQ (50 N. Main St., Rochester, 332-2537, mitchellhillbbq.com) at 6 p.m.

Friday

• Gibb’s Garage Bar (3612 Lafayette Road, Portsmouth, gibbsgaragebar.com) from 8 to 10 p.m.

Mystery lever benefits from a two-step system

Dear Car Talk: Hello I am Tahsin from Bangladesh! I have a question regarding my car. It’s my first car, and I don’t know much about cars.

My car is a Toyota Starlet, model year 1992, right-hand drive. On the floor of the driver side just near to the door, there are two levers, one small one, and a larger one in front of it.

By Ray Magliozzi

The smaller one I know is the fuel door release lever. But what is the larger one for? —

Tahsin

That’s the ejector seat, Tahsin. Try it. Actually, that’s the hood release. Or as you may call it in Bangladesh with your righthand drive habits, the “bonnet” release. If you pull on it, it should move 4 or 5 inches. You’ll feel some tension, and then hear a distant “thunk” and feel the tension go away. That noise is the hood latch releasing. So why isn’t the hood up after you pull the hood release? Well, for safety reasons, it’s a two-step release system. To actually release the hood, you have to pull that lever, and

then go to the front of the car, and hold a second part of the latch with one hand, while you open the hood with the other hand. Here’s why: Let’s say you stop for fuel and accidentally pull the wrong lever. Then you get on the highway with your hood unlatched. At some point, due to the air currents, that hood will go flying up. And it’ll either fully block your vision at highway speed, or if you’re going fast enough, it’ll tear off its hinges and smash into the car behind you.

We don’t want either of those things to happen. So, to actually get the hood to open, the latch system requires you to be standing in front of the car and holding a second lever while opening the hood. Presumably, you can’t do that if your car is speeding down the highway. Unless you Bangladeshis have figured out something that we haven’t. Enjoy your car, and be careful out there, Tahsin.

Dear Car Talk:

I have a 2017 Chevy Volt that I bought in May 2016. It only has 36,000 miles on it. Now that the rainy season is here where I live, and the car has abundant low-RPM torque, I notice that the front tires break

loose with relatively modest acceleration. My concern is that my “low rolling resistance” tires may not stop very well in an emergency. They also seem to be getting noisy. Should I replace these tires? — Jim

Probably, Jim. First of all, the tires that come as original equipment on cars are often not that great. The cheaper the car, the more likely they’ll come with cheap, original tires.

So, it’s not at all unusual for original tires to need replacement at 30,000 miles. Plus, in my experience, some low rolling resistance tires — while increasing your mileage — do seem to wear out a bit faster than standard tires.

Second, as cheaper tires wear out, their treads get choppier, which is what increases tire noise. So, the noise is another clue that it may be time for new galoshes. And, most importantly, you’ve noticed that, in the rain, you’re losing traction. That’s the tire’s most important job — to maintain constant contact with the road.

Now, front wheel drive EVs, like the Volt, are more likely to spin their tires in the rain. The electric motor produces a lot of lowend torque. But if you’ve noticed a change

— that it’s easier to spin the wheels when starting off than it used to be — that’s probably due to tires. And if that’s the case, you’re right that stopping will be compromised as well.

Keep in mind that you have no obligation to buy the same brand or model of tires when you buy replacements. You can and should do your research. If you want to stick with low-rolling-resistance tires, go to a site like tirerack.com, and use their research function to see which Volt replacement tires perform best.

Tires have different attributes — some offer longer life, some better braking or roadholding, others more comfort or quiet. And you don’t even have to get low-rolling-resistance tires, Jim. You can trade a little bit of efficiency and have your pick of any passenger car tire that fits your car.

But it’s best to do your research before you head over to a tire shop. They may try to sell you whatever they have in stock or can get easily, rather than exactly what you want. And since you’ll be living with the decision for the next 30,000-40,000 miles, give it some thought first.

Visit Cartalk.com

44 Years of Pleasure

To our Military, Veterans and First Responders COMFORTABLE,

BRAND AMBASSADOR/PROMOTER PART-TIME, CONTRACT

Do you Love Interacting with People? We have a fun Weekend Gig for you! Stone Fence is looking to grow our promotions team! We are looking for RELIABLE, outgoing and enthusiastic representatives to sample and advocate for our brands at NH and ME based liquor store tastings. Our Brand Ambassadors will promote brand awareness and drive sales through live featured product demo’s/ tastings. The ideal candidate represents Stone Fence’s values of unique and authentic products through sales and customer engagement. This is a great opportunity for anyone with a flexible schedule looking to make extra money! **Must be at least 21 years of age to apply.** Tastings are typically 2 hours. Pay: $30 per hour. Please send us a copy of your resume to krissy@stonefencebev.com

ABOUT STONE FENCE BEVERAGE

We represent local and craft-oriented brands. Stone Fence was formed to support craft spirit makers who don’t have the recognition of national brands, and therefore tend to be dismissed by big name distributors. Our mission is simple: To promote the authenticity of craft spirits, and introduce cool and unique brands to our audience. www.stonefencebev.com

beaCH bUM fUN HOROSCOPES

All quotes are from Second Wind: A Sunfish Sailor, an Island, and the Voyage that Brought a Family Together, by Nathaniel Philbrick, born June 11, 1956.

Gemini (May 21 – June 20) After an unsatisfactory fling with a flashy Olympic-class dinghy, I had decided to return to the boat that had given me my real start. Awww.

Cancer (June 21 – July 22) I never thought I would have a midlife crisis. As far as I was concerned, all of life was a crisis. Crisis cake with a crisis frosting?

Leo (July 23 – Aug. 22) I was reserving judgment. Appearances, particularly when you’re looking at a distant beach, can be deceiving. Is that a sand castle or a pile of seaweed?

Virgo (Aug. 23 – Sept. 22) I might not have sailed on absolutely every pond the island had to offer, but I’d come as close as I needed to. And that’s what’s important.

Libra (Sept. 23 – Oct. 22) But then I began to wonder: What possible relevance could a two-person race with garbage bags on deck have to racing in the Sunfish North Americans? The skills will transfer.

Scorpio (Oct. 23 – Nov. 21) I should have known better. You can’t just ‘get’ a life. But you can cook dinner.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22 – Dec. 21) Now that the island has made the transition from a world-renowned whaling port to an equally famous summer resort, it is still globally connected. Stay connected.

Pringle!

Pringle was surrendered to the NHSPCA when he and 70 other mice were found on the side of the road in a box. Despite a rocky beginning, he’s ready to live his best life in his forev er home. Since coming to the shelter, Pringle has been spoiled with handling and cuddling, strawberry snack ies, running on his wheel constantly and napping in his little hidey house. Would you like to continue giving Pringle the love and care he’s always deserved? Stop by the adoption cen ter, open every day except Wednesday, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Email info@ nhspca.org or call at 772-2921.

Capricorn (Dec. 22 – Jan. 19) If I couldn’t sail Lily Pond, I could at least walk it. Or roll, scoot, or hop.

Aquarius (Jan. 20 – Feb. 18) That weekend I would voyage not only in space but also in time. I would sail from the new to the old harbor. Actually, you’re always voyaging in time.

Pisces (Feb. 19 – March 20) Did I know how cold it was out there? How windy? Find out.

Aries (March 21 – April 19) I zipped myself into my new dry suit. … Compared to my old one, the new jacket looked like the kind of thing Schwarzenegger himself might wear. It was tight and rode up high on the chest, making me look impossibly well muscled. … I was my own kind of superhero. I was Pondman. You can make it work.

Taurus (April 20 – May 20) I was watching the America’s Cup on ESPN. The thing of it was, I hated the America’s Cup. Having grown up racing little sailboats on lakes, I had nothing but contempt for what the announcers kept calling ‘the holy grail of sailing.’ … Then what was I doing in front of the television? Yes, what?

PeT of THe WeeK

g overnment in action

A central India food inspector, Rajesh Vishwas, lost more than his phone on May 21, NBC News reported. While snapping a vacation selfie at Kherkatta Dam, Vishwas dropped his phone into the water. According to him, his device contained sensitive governmental information, so he ordered the reservoir to be drained. Vishwas said he got permission from R.C. Dhivar, a local water resources official, but Dhivar argued that he’d given permission to drain only 3 or 4 feet of water. Instead, “They had emptied the water up to 10 feet.” It took three days to drain the 530,000 gallons of water, but in the end, it was all for naught: Vishwas’ phone was unusable. As was he: He was suspended from his job pending an investigation.

That rule doesn’t apply to me

An unnamed woman in Tacoma, Washington, was arrested and detained in a negative pressure room at the Pierce County jail on June 1 after refusing for more than a year to get treatment for tuberculosis, KOMO-TV reported. A judge issued 17 orders for her to be involuntarily detained before police caught up with her. “We believe she was trying to avoid being captured,” said Sgt. Darren Moss. Officers sur-

veilled her while she was still at home and observed her riding a city bus to a casino. “The health department had asked her to just do it on her own ... now she’s going to have to do it in our facility, unfortunately,” Moss said. He said TB was once common in the jail, hence the negative pressure rooms, which “isolate the air within the room so it doesn’t infect the rest of the rooms within the facility.”

l ucky!

A piglet got a second chance at life on May 25, according to KVVU-TV. As Lars Gradel, Rebecca Zajac and her son, Colton, drove along the interstate that day near Las Vegas, they witnessed a baby pig as it was thrown from a truck. “We saw a pig fly out the side of the truck, and he tumbled about 10, 15 times down the side of the freeway,” Gradel said. They stopped to rescue the pig, who didn’t seem to be hurt.

“Lucky,” as he was named, was given a new home at the All Friends Animal Sanctuary, where he’ll eventually meet fellow porcine Mister Picklesworth.

“Now Lucky’s going to be wallowing in mud and rooting around in the ground and ... eating watermelon and popsicles in the summer,” said sanctuary founder Tara Pike.

b right idea

Coffee Smile, a cafe chain in Russia, knows how to milk social media. Owner Maxim Kobelev put up posters in his stores in May that announced plans to start offering human breast milk in their lattes and cappuccinos. Oddity Central reported that Kobelev claimed to have contracted with lactating mothers whose milk is tested for safety. “The child eats just a little,” one supplier said in a promotional video, “so I thought, why not earn extra money? I even made coffee with my breast milk for my husband; he liked it.” Turns out, it’s all an attention-seeking hoax. “There were many of my friends who wanted to try this coffee,” Kobelev said. “For them, I prepared a drink with a mixture of goat and almond milk. The taste is very similar -- I know this because, as the father of two children, I also tasted the real thing.”

fixer-uppers

• Looking for a bargain home in Burbank, Oklahoma? “Bargain,” as in: more than 17,000 square feet for only $60,000. United Press International reported on May 30 that the former Burbank High School is on the market and listed as a single-family home. The building, constructed in 1924, features five “bedrooms,” four bathrooms and an indoor basketball court, along with an auditorium. The school closed in 1968,

and conditions are pretty rough inside. “There is plenty of opportunity to make this property your own,” the listing promises.

• Meanwhile, in Fort Meade, Maryland, high school seniors listed their school building on Zillow as a graduation prank, United Press International reported. They described the 12,000-square-foot school as a “half-working jail”: “All 15 bathrooms come with sewage issues ... (and) trash-scented air freshener and water issues!” The listing was removed several hours after appearing, said Bob Mosier, spokesperson for the Anne Arundel County Public Schools.

Wrong place, wrong time

At Knott’s Berry Farm in Buena Park, California, riders of the Silver Bullet roller coaster were rudely interrupted in their fun on May 26 when one passenger “indicated they wanted to get off the attraction,” Fox News reported. The unnamed guest signaled their need to bail right after leaving the station. Operators stopped the ride, and all guests had to be evacuated, the park said, “following standard exit procedure.” The roller coaster resumed operation about 30 minutes later.

Sources according to uexpress.com. From the editors at Andrews McMeel Syndication. See uexpress.com/contact.

Fill in the grid so that every row, every column, and every 3x3 box contains the digits 1 through 9. Answers will appear in next week’s paper.

Puzzle a from 6/01

Puzzle b from 6/01

Puzzle b

Puzzle a

CROSSWORdS By MATT JONES

“Now in 3-d”— I think it’s solid reasoning.

Across

1. Long Island resort town

6. Stereotypical librarian admonition

9. Disperse

14. Actress Kelly of “One Tree Hill”

15. Split tidbit

16. Garlicky spread

17. Like some religious schools

19. “Jurassic Park” actor Sam

20. Like trash that’s tampered with?

22. Sit around

23. Negative vote

24. Got confused about the meaning of “horsepower” when fixing a car?

30. Wear down

31. “None of it is true!”

32. National Coming ___ Day

35. Actor Elwes

36. Watch brand featured in the movie “UHF”

38. “Render ___ Caesar ...”

39. ___-Therese, Quebec

40. DVR brand

41. Absurd

42. European capital in a bewildered state?

46. “The missing clue!”

47. Aunt Bee’s grandnephew

48. What happened at the coronation of Charles III?

55. Put on a second time

56. Home to the Komodo dragon

58. ^ mark

59. “Lemonade” singer, to fans

60. Playful water dweller

61. Prepares for a boxing match

62. “Dynamite” K-pop group

63. Sports franchises

Down

1. Rapscallion

2. Reach the sky

3. 100 centesimi, once

4. Thatcher nickname

5. Box that gets shipped

6. Cactus features

7. Keep it under your hat

8. 30 minutes, in a handball match

9. Footwear for the beach

10. Retro fashion trend

11. Churn up

12. Glamour alternative

13. Feral

18. Atmospheric obscurer

21. Alphabetical listing

24. “Doritos & Fritos” duo 100

25. “I smell ___!” 26. “Our Town” composer Ned 27. Give permission for

Conk out 29. Actor Logue who played himself on “What We Do in the Shadows”

___ Reader (quarterly digest)

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