With the completion of our state-of-the-art 22,000 sq. ft. expansion, we are more equipped than ever to serve our patients with the latest technology, infection control, equipment and privacy; allowing us to provide the highest level of care in a comfortable and modern environment.
As the region’s only American College of Surgeons verified Level II Trauma Center, our experienced team of emergency board-certified physicians, advanced practice providers and Trauma & Critical Care specialists are relentlessly dedicated to providing innovative, life-saving care every day. For generations, Elliot Hospital’s Emergency Department has been a trusted member of the community providing emergency care for 55,000 residents in our community every year.
Learn more at ElliotHospital.org/ER
There’s no time for doubt.Pictured: Suzanne Griffin, MD, Matt Dayno, MD
Who says kids should have all the fun? At The Baldwin — an all-new Life Plan Community (CCRC) — we say this is your time. Make a splash in the pool. Dance, stretch, lift, and box in the fitness center. Learn for the love of it. Take to the nearby trails, then top off your day at the local brewery. Define life on your terms and do whatever you choose — whether that’s everything or nothing at all.
Opening fall 2023!
To learn more, call 603.404.6080 or visit TheBaldwinNH.org today.
Ordinary
You don’t need to be an expert to speak up for a child who experienced abuse or neglect.
If you have the heart to help, we’ll teach you the rest. Join us. Sign up for an info session at www.casanh.org/infosessions Funded by
people can do extraordinary things for children.
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10 Editor’s Note
12 Contributors
14 Feedback Features
32 Transcript
Meet Vern Gray who has been scaring the bejesus out of little kids at Clark’s Bears for seven years.
By David Mendelsohn40 Jerry Jamming
To some it’s a nostalgic trip, to others it’s a joyous reunion but anyone who spends a day or two at Jerry Jam will get a potent shot of good old-fashioned peace and love (and rock ‘n’ roll).
By Rick Broussard
46 Where Cocktail Is King
An exploration of bars where the star of the show is a refined drinking experience. A welcoming atmosphere — sophisticated but not phony — is the only other requisite.
By Brion O’Connor
56 Best of NH 2023
The results of the annual Best of NH Readers’ Poll and the Editor’s Picks are your ultimate guide to exploring New Hampshire, from restaurants and resorts to shops and music venues.
16 Curtain Call
Spotlight of greatness shines on this year’s Granite State summer theater
By Robert Cook
20 Our Town
Adventuring through Canterbury
By Barbara Radcliffe Rogers24 Power of the Pod
NHPR’s Jason Moon reflects on the success and second season of his critically acclaimed “Bear Brook” podcast
By Caleb Jagoda
28 Politics
The Power of Presence
By James Pindell
30 What Do You Know
Cattle thieves of Hobo Junction
By Marshall Hudson88 Flower Power
New Hampshire “cut-yourown” flower gardens provide a vibrant mix of lively blooms to keep your summer style fresh, fragrant and relaxed
By Matthew Mead
93 Calendar Summer events
Compiled by Caleb Jagoda
102 Health Safe Travels
By Krysten Godfrey Maddocks
104 Ayuh Granite State merit badges
By Fred Marple
The new guy was smart and engaging and he asked good questions, but it was one of his toss-off question that I’m still mulling. “What is it about the job that you most enjoy?” he asked me (or words to that effect). I glibly responded with my usual answer: I love being able to help reveal just how different and cool a place New Hampshire is.
It’s a true and earnest reply, but it seems trite, reading it back to myself. I’ve been candid about my far-flatlander status over the 30 years I’ve been doing this. My very first Editor’s Note, back in 1993, referenced my Southern roots and even indulged a “Hi, Mom” shout out to my Louisiana mama, so my affection for the state comes from on-the-job experience, not from being brought up here.
My first job in the Granite State, when my wife, new son and I were still just settling in, was driving delivery for Domino’s Pizza in Concord. I quickly learned my way around town, but tips barely paid for gas. The boss, Rik Yeames, also played (and made) steel drums. He started a local “pan” band and, years later, performed at one of our Best of NH Parties. Recently, I discovered that he and another old acquaintance are involved in promoting the state as a perfect spot to view the total eclipse of the sun scheduled to sweep directly over our North Country next April, so our paths have crossed again.
After Domino’s, I worked for a tiny independent boarding and day school in Canterbury called Horizon’s Edge. It was one of those hippie “experimental” schools, but with a distinctly Yankee attitude. I learned that the woods and farmlands of New Hampshire were populated by as many backto-the-land progressive types as old Yankee farmers. The history of Shaker Village, next door to the school, revealed the alternative edginess inherent here: a woman-led religious society that practiced celebacy but was so wildly inventive and productive they’d still be around if they had just figured out a sexless way to reproduce themselves.
I knew that politics was part of life here, so when I started writing and editing a little newspaper for the town of Bow, I met some local operators, like Dean Dexter, a former state rep who was running for a seat in the U.S House of Representatives. His campaign went nowhere, but Dean’s stories of the weird and fascinating history of New Hampshire politics left an impression and Dean went on to write for me.
Bow (birthplace of another iconoclastic and groundbreaking female religious leader) was a property-tax haven back then, with the Merrimack Power Station paying a huge part of the town’s bills. Many residents in nice homes on two-acre residentially zoned plots were VIPs from the Capitol City and the Queen City, so at the planning board, town meeting and the recreation center, I got to know people who would become priceless contacts and story subjects.
And there followed so, so many more connections and plot twists involving a fantastic and expansive cast of characters of which, quite likely, you are a part. Our small state is a wellspring of such singularities, exceptionalities and peculiarities.
Even just getting hired for the job that morphed into this job was a serendiptous miracle and fluke. (Ask me about it some day.) Since taking over the chair of prior Editor Dan Ryan (Hi, Dan!), it’s been stories upon stories within stories; with people and more people, some forgotton, some unforgettable, all conspiring to weave me into the fabric of the state that I had chosen — as though the state itself had chosen me.
Why am I so fond of New Hampshire and so proud to share it with others? It seems I’m really just returning a favor. And I’ll never get a better chance to say it, so thanks, New Hampshire, it’s been a trip.
I got to meet my replacement the other day. He hadn’t been hired yet, but there’s not a lot of objectivity in such an encounter so no one was seeking my approval. Still, for what it’s worth, I approve. Mike Cote (see page 12 for more on him) seems tailor made for the job.
Photographer Jared Charney’s work has appeared in numerous national and regional publications, including The Wall Street Journal, The Boston Globe, Yankee Magazine, Northshore Magazine, AAA Travel Magazine and many more. He took the photos for this month’s feature, “Where Cocktail Is King.”
By the time you are reading this, our faithful, longtime editor Rick Broussard will be starting his new adventures in retirement after 30 years with New Hampshire Magazine. As he makes his way toward a well-deserved season of catching up on life and playing with his (five, going on six!) grandkids, we welcome Mike Cote aboard as our new executive editor. Mike was born and raised in Manchester and he comes to us with over 30 years of experience working in magazines and newspapers from Colorado to Florida to New Hampshire. Not only is he a fellow UNH Wildcat (as many of our staffers are), but he has interviewed a Beatle, shaken hands with both Michelle Obama and Donald Trump, learned to ski on Loon Mountain in Lincoln at an age when most people’s knees have called it quits, and toured not one but two chicken pie factories in New Hampshire (Mrs. Budd’s and Blake’s). If this photo of him rappelling down the side of the 24-story Brady Sullivan Plaza last year is any indication of the sense of fun and adventure that he will bring to the magazine, then we can’t wait to follow along for the ride.
Thank you for your insights on General Stark’s famous quote [July Editor’s Note], which I have been reciting incorrectly for many years. I like your interpretation “Death has greatness, but Evil has powers that put even death to shame”.
Have a glorious summah,
— Mark Coryea, AtkinsonCongratulations on your retirement! We have met a few times at the NH Magazine sponsored Top Doc celebrations, and I wanted you to know that over the years I have truly appreciated your magazine, and your Editor’s Notes.
You and your staff produce a really wonderful and informative magazine. I too will be retiring on June 30th and look forward to the many adventures to come.
Best of luck, and Godspeed.
— Lou Fink MD N.E. Heart and Vascular Institute CMCI was pleased to see your story about Littleton. I’ve noticed that much, if not all, of the magazine focuses on southern NH. We have so many beautiful towns, scenery, homes and activities up here. I think NH Magazine should include all of NH.
— Leslie O’Brien, FranconiaEditor’s Note: We live in state that’s small on landmass but huge in terms of nature, culture and enterpirse, so covering it all can be tough, but whenever we fail in that mission it’s your duty as readers to remind us. That said, we think we do a decent job of keeping our different region in touch and aware of the shared richness. Thanks for the reminder, just the same.
Thank you so much for believing in what we do. TIGER, in its 20th year, has been trying to reach as many students as we can by spreading the importance of positive change through the arts. We are very honored and there are no words to fully express how thankful we are that you feel we are worthy of one of your [Best of NH] picks.
Rise and Shine
I found out about the Live Free and Rise T-shirt design challenge from my grandmother who read about it and sent me the information.
I was born and raised in PlymouthI graduated from PSU with a bachelor’s degree in graphic design in 2014. About five years ago I moved out to Fort Collins, Colorado where I am currently residing. I have worked as a designer for about 10 years now. I started at a print shop in Plymouth and when I first came to Colorado I was a designer for a sign shop. I recently had my personal artwork published for the first time in a book titled “Women of Type” which I am very happy about. I am in the beginning stages of opening an Etsy shop, selling stickers and other items with my designs and artwork.
— Sarah Dickson, Ft. Collins, ColoradoEditor’s Note: Thanks for the T-shirt design for our Live Free and Rise art challenge hosted by our partner magazine 603 Diversity. Anyone interested in submitting a design can learn more at 603diversity.com
We are constantly trying to get the word out about TIGER, and you have touched us so much by wanting to help to do that. Please let us know if you need anything at all from us. Thank you Thank you...
Editor’s Note: TIGER and the countless contributions of founder Trish Lindberg have been on our radar for many years and most deserving of the Best of NH award that appears in this issue. (Note to readers: we send notice of awards out well in advance of the publication of our Best of NH issue — thus the “early” thank-you note).
I’m writing in response to your reply to “Turned Off in Keene” in the Feedback column of the May 2023 issue of New Hampshire Magazine.
I am offended by “Diversity 603.” Your response was it’s “about getting to know some people and cultures … that you might not otherwise meet.” I agree it’s interesting to learn about these people and cultures, but they should be integrated into the regular magazine. By putting them
in their own magazine you are saying one of two things. Either they are not worthy of the main magazine. Or they are more special than the people included in the main magazine. Either of these offends me. I would love to read about them as part of the regular content but not if they are relegated or elevated to separate content.
“Diversity 603” goes straight to my recycle bin. I would like to elect not to receive it. Is there a way to do this? If not, I will be thinking hard about whether or not to renew my subscription to New Hampshire Magazine when it expires.
— Linda, WindhamEditor’s Note: It’s ironic how a publication designed to enhance understanding across divisions appears so divisive to some. And while I understand your argument that by not “integrating” these stories into the larger magazine we might be seen as fostering that division, we respectfully disagree. Magazines specialize to do justice to a subject, not to diminish other specialties. New Hampshire’s impression of itself (and others’ impression of it) as “non-diverse” is, in our opinion, misleading — so the goal of 603 Diversity is largely to set that record straight in a thoughtful and positive manner.
Spot four newts like the one here 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, visit spotthenewt.com and fill out the online form. Or, send answers plus your name and mailing address to: Spot the Newt c/o New Hampshire Magazine 250 Commercial St., Suite 4014 Manchester, NH 03101
You can also email them to newt@nhmagazine.com or fax them to (603) 624-1310.
Last month’s “Spot the Newt” winner is Consuelo Carver of Hillsborough June issue newts were on pages 7, 19, 43, 91
The June prize is a gift certificate for $50 to use online at nhmade.com or at the New Hampshire Made Store, 28 Deer St., Portsmouth. New Hampshire Made is our state’s official promoter of products and services created here in the Granite State, and the online store and downtown shop are packed with delightful gifts and specialty foods made with Granite State pride. nhmade.com
“The theater is so endlessly fascinating because it’s so accidental. It’s so much like life.”
— Arthur MillerThe New London Barn Playhouse production of “Catch Me If You Can”
The Granite State continues to offer a vibrant diversity of summer theater in nearly every corner of the state, appealing to year-round residents and tourists alike. Not having to travel to Boston or Broadway to catch beloved musicals and plays, theater-lovers can rejoice just about everywhere — from New London and Wolfeboro to Cornish and Portsmouth. Unbeknownst to many, New Hampshire’s summer theaters have attracted their share of Hollywood and Broadway star power, lending them a true air of greatness.
Academy Award-Winner Estelle Parsons
“Loves” Village Players and Barnstormers Vibrant summer theater and Lake Winnipesaukee’s resort community of Wolfeboro are a match made in heaven. Thanks to The Village Players, summer theater is an arts and cultural mainstay enjoyed by summer residents, tourists and native Granite Staters since the 1930s.
This summer Edward Albee’s “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf” will grace the stage with a full complement of local, regional and national actors. Later this fall “Oliver!” is on the playbill, followed by “Ho, Ho, Ho! The Santa Claus Chronicles” during the holiday season.
One of their well-known supporters is Academy Award-winning actress Estelle Parsons, whose film credits include “Bonnie and Clyde” (1967), “Rachel, Rachel” (1968), and a made-for-television movie co-starring James Earl Jones in 1975, “The UFO Incident,” which tells the story of the 1961 White Mountains alien abduction of Betty and Barney Hill, a Portsmouth couple who subsequently became cultural icons. Parsons, who is now 95, summers in Wolfeboro and often brings great shows from The Actors Studio to the Lakes Region community.
Her love affair with The Village Players and The Barnstormers Theatre began at a very early age. Parsons says she grew up in Wolfeboro and saw her first play at age seven when The Barnstormers came to town.
“I love it and I love The Barnstormers, too,” Parsons says. She adds that when peo-
ple attend The Village Players shows, they witness “a marvelous group of actors doing what they really love to do when they get home from work. It’s a wonderful group of people. Theater is like that. You get together in a group and you solve all your differences through discussion, and it’s a home away from home.”
She brings two of her shows to Wolfeboro each summer to raises money for The Village Players. This summer she will stage “Re-Entry,” a play where five actors portray felons who use jazz and theater to construct new lives for themselves. “Re-Entry” will be performed at The Village Players during the first week of September. “American Rot,” a play that centers on how racism erodes society, will be performed in Wolfeboro on August 10 and 11.
The village Tamworth is a beautiful gateway to the White Mountains and an important arts and cultural center that has provided scintillating summer theater for 93 years and counting.
As many as 40 actors, directors, technicians and stage managers come together for a tour de force of Broadway musicals and plays at Tamworth’s The Barnstormers Theatre. This summer, The Barnstormers has five shows on the playbill, including the musical “Nunsense,” “Arsenic and Old Lace,” Agatha Christie’s “The Stranger,” “Fully Committed” and “Ken Ludwig’s Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery.”
The theater has been located in the former Tamworth Main Street store since 1935. Today, it features a 28-foot proscenium stage, 282 comfortable seats, air-conditioning and superb acoustics. The theater is wheelchair accessible and has a hearing-assistance loop with headsets available. The façade remains mostly unchanged. Nearby, theater-goers can check out Tamworth Distilling & Mercantile for some locally made spirits and art in the Age Café for their espresso fix.
The Barnstormers was founded by Francis
and Alice Cleveland and Ed Goodnow. Francis, the youngest child of President Grover Cleveland, was already pursuing a career on Broadway when The Barnstormers made its debut in the family’s Tamworth summer home.
The Creator of “Godspell” and “Wicked” Really Digs New London Barn Playhouse
For those curious to where New Hampshire’s oldest continuously operating summer theater is located, it’s a community situated halfway between Lebanon and Concord off I-89: New London.
Stephen Schwartz — a nationally successful actor, playwright and composer whose credits include “Godspell,” “Pippin” and “Wicked” — knows exactly where it is. According to New London Barn Playhouse staff members (New London’s preeminent performing arts theater), Schwartz has been involved in a selection of their productions, and counts Playhouse staff among his friends.
Entering its 91st season, the New London Barn Playhouse promises to deliver funfilled and engaging theatrical entertainment performed by a dedicated legion of local and national actors, directors, technicians and stage crews. This summer the Barn will feature “Guys and Dolls,” “Fully Committed,” “Beautiful: The Carole King Musical,” “The Wedding Singer” and “Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill.”
Here, “see you on the porch” means get ready to be enthralled with lively entertainment that rivals Broadway in an intimate, renovated barn where the seats are situated no more than 30 feet from the stage. Like many other summer theaters in the Granite State, the New London Barn Playhouse was created from a desire to offer this brand of arts and culture to rural communities located in the heart of vacationland. It began in the summer of 1933 and has been going strong ever since.
About an hour west of New London lies
the charming village of Cornish, situated on the New Hampshire–Vermont border, dividing the Connecticut River. Besides the Cornish-Windsor Covered Bridge that connects the states, the town is also home to Opera North at Blow-Me-Down Farm on a hillside overlooking the iconic river.
Inside a large, circus-style tent, patrons can enjoy a variety of performances; this summer, Opera North will be showing “Cavalcade,” “Carmen” and “Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Carousel.” Summerfest 2023 also includes “Disco Inferno: A ’70s Celebration” and a special Pops concert.
Stephanie Seacord, Opera North’s marketing and public relations coordinator, said the combination of their fabulous circus tent, singers, orchestra and acrobats create an unforgettable experience inspired by the intimacy of their audiences. One patron had this to say last summer: “I usually prefer traditional opera, but this one was great fun, with superb music.”
Thanks to Louis Burkot, a glee club director and voice teacher at Dartmouth College, and David Strohmier, who directed the Parish Players, in Thetford, Vermont, Opera North was born in 1984. Eventually, a resident artist program was established as the group’s reputation grew. By the mid1990s, Opera North’s popularity inspired the restoration of the Lebanon Opera House. Its summer theater at Blow-Me-Down Farm began in 2017, when the U.S. National
Park Service selected Opera North from a litany of organizations to partner in the creation of a park for the arts. The farm is a 46-acre property that was deeded to the adjacent Saint-Gaudens National Historical Park in the early 2000s.
“Best Theater North of NYC”: The Rep The Seacoast Repertory Theatre in Portsmouth has only been around since 1988, but it’s quickly earned a reputation for staging New Hampshire’s most brilliant produc-
tions. In fact, many believe The Rep to be the best theatrical experience north of New York City. So much so that many Big Apple actors have relocated to the Granite State to be part of the group.
In fact, The Rep has actually launched the careers of many Broadway stars, according to a statement by Executive Artist Directors Ben Hart and Brandon James.
”The Rep hires professionals from Broadway and beyond. We regularly have big names in our shows. This season we started
with a one-man show of a Robert Frost piece staring Gordon Clapp, and followed it up with ‘On Golden Pond’ with Ernest Thompson as production consultant. A college performer who was featured in last summer’s ‘Anything Goes ‘and ‘Rent’ productions just recently made his Broadway debut in ‘Funny Girl’ last week. And many, many current Broadway performers got their start at Seacoast Rep. Constantine Maroulis, Josh Young, just to name a couple.”
The Rep offers Seacoast residents and visitors musicals and plays year-round. This summer, the iconic 60s musical, “Hair,” will take center stage on the heels of “Newsies: The Musical.”
With a large assortment of talented Seacoast-area actors, The Rep doesn’t disappoint, delivering Broadway-quality shows that appeal to new theater-goers and the most seasoned drama critics alike.
To support its mission, The Rep Academy offers young aspiring actors the opportunity to study dance, musical theater, acting and voice via classes, workshops and theater camps. These actors and actresses also have a chance to showcase their talents when The Rep stages its teen and youth productions. In May, The Rep Academy staged the musical, “Guys and Dolls.”
The Rep also runs The Seniors Repertory Theatre by Theatre for Seniors. This program was curtailed by the recent pandemic, but Rep officials say it will make its return soon.
Summer theater not only lives in New Hampshire, it thrives here. If you have never experienced it, take in a performance and see for yourself. NH
BY BARBARA RADCLIFFE ROGERS / PHOTOGRAPHY BY STILLMAN ROGERS
The Shakers were part of the fabric of Canterbury almost from its beginnings. The first converts began meeting only 55 years after the town was granted in 1727, and by the time the Canterbury Shaker Society was founded in 1792, more than 40 of them were living on Benjamin Whitcher’s farm. That 100-acre farm became the Canterbury Shaker Village.
Shakers here had a different relationship with the town than Shakers in other places. Unlike Shaker communities that began with groups moving into a town, Canterbury’s Shakers were largely home-grown. So instead of the mistrust, suspicion and ridicule that Shakers met elsewhere, here they were treated as the neighbors they’d always been. Many were from prominent local families; one of their leaders was Henry Clough, son of Canterbury’s first settler, Capt. Jeremiah Clough.
Canterbury was already a thriving town. By 1750, more than 30 families had settled here, carving farms out of the forested hills. A road was built from Durham, and Canterbury had a fort and a trading post where native people exchanged furs. At the time of
the Revolution, Canterbury had blacksmith shops, saw and grist mills, schools, taverns and stores. By 1786, the population stood at 860.
Most were farmers, some were artisans and others operated small industries. Many were a bit of everything. Although the sawmills, blacksmith shops and coopers are long gone, Canterbury still nurtures its farms and small family businesses.
The Shakers were known for their fine workmanship, making wooden and metal ware, furniture, boxes, farm tools, brooms, handwoven fabrics, clothing and fancy-work, some of which they sold to outsiders. Canterbury Shakers left a legacy of crafts and furniture still admired today.
Fine hand-crafted furniture is still made in Canterbury, in the cabinetry studio of David Lamb on Shaker Road. Although his designs are inspired by 18th-century European styles and not those of the Shakers, Lamb’s work shows the same attention to detail of fine cabinetmaking. Forms are reminiscent of fine antiques for their graceful lines, exquisite use of wood grain,
inlay and carved details, such as flowers or ferns that appear to grow organically from the wood of a table leg.
The farming that was essential to the lives of early settlers and the Shakers is still alive in Canterbury, as are other small family businesses that have found a nurturing community.
Since 1969, Fox Country Smoke House has been producing bacon, smoked salmon, kielbasa and smoked cheeses. Just around the corner on Baptist Hill Road, Steven Allman opened Canterbury Aleworks in 2012, brewing “worldly beer with hyper-local flare” in a wood-fired brewery. In the tasting room, open on weekends, he explains his unique brewing process and has more than a dozen brews on tap. Among them might be an old Bavarian peasant beer, or a British countryman’s beer brewed with English toffee. Allman’s Granite Ledge Stout is brewed with Granite Ledge Coffee beans, roasted in Canterbury. Granite Ledge began in the 1990s, when
Christopher Evans roasted coffee beans in an iron skillet heated over an electric oven, selling them at a farmstand down the road. Today, he roasts specialty-grade beans in a state-of-the-art system sourced from farmers around the world, selling wholesale or direct to customers by mail.
Newer in town is Cold Garden Spirits, where, in 2016, Greg Meeh set up a distillery in the barn of his childhood home on Shaker Road and began producing bourbon
and eau de vie from locally sourced fruits and grains. The latest is his sour cherry eau de vie, made with cherries grown on the property. Working with his brother Tim, at North Family Farm, Meeh produces maple bourbon, while Tim and his wife Jill use retired bourbon barrels to age their unique bourbon-aged maple syrup. The only place to taste and purchase Cold Garden’s spirits is at the distillery, open Saturday afternoons.
A fall tradition for families, Hackleboro Orchards grows apricots, peaches, nectarines and plums, but their claim to fame is PYO apples. On September and October weekends, the orchards are filled with families pulling wagons piled high with shiny red apples, seeing the land via hayride, petting baby animals and munching cider doughnuts. Food trucks and picnic tables encourage visitors to spend the day.
Other Canterbury farms are less participatory but equally active. The 600-acre Brookford Farm sits alongside the Merrimack River, where owners Luke and Catarina Mahoney raise certified organic vegetables, chickens and grass-fed beef and lamb. The creamery produces yogurt and farmstead cheeses, sold along with
New Hampshire Magazine, in partnership with the New Hampshire Nurses Association, would like to thank our sponsors and attendees for making this year’s event a night to remember! We appreciate your support, and look forward to next year’s celebration!
Thursday, May 18, 2023 • 5:30-7:30 p.m. DoubleTree by Hilton, Manchester, NH
fresh produce at the farm store, open daily year-round.
On Baptist Road, Donna Miller nurtures seven acres of native plants and woodlands at Petals in the Pines, a blend of native landscape and cultivated gardens. First opened to the public in 2010, Petals in the Pines sells bouquets and offers a PYO flower field, flower-arranging workshops, labyrinths and natural play spaces designed to connect children to nature.
At Clough Tavern Farm, Naomi Scanlon no longer grows garlic but still makes and sells garlic seasoning blends and jellies under the label of Two Sisters Garlic. She also peddles woolen hats, scarves, blankets, throws and yarn made from the wool of her flock of Teeswater sheep, an endangered heritage breed. For 10 days before the holidays, her 1777 Clough Tavern, one of the most historic homes in Canterbury, becomes a five-room boutique featuring her garlic and sheep products and the work of 50 other New Hampshire artisans, artists and authors.
More small farms dot the Canterbury landscape: At Marsh Meadow Bison on Scales Road, Wally and Katie Archer raise grass-fed buffalo. Kathy and Scott Doherty
sell honey and free-range eggs at Sanborn Meadow Farm and at the Canterbury Country Store. Kevin Bragg, at Canterbury Plantation, raises plants that he sells wholesale and at the farm stand on Baptist Road.
To see the wide amalgamation of Canterbury farms and products all in one place, stop by the Canterbury Community Farmers Market every Wednesday from June through September (and on July 29 at the 65th annual Canterbury Fair).
Following the Civil War, townsfolk formed the Farmers and Mechanics’ Association to promote agriculture and town industries. As a way to feature agricultural products and the work of local artisans and households, they initiated a town fair. In 1958, the fair was expanded to include a chicken barbecue, drawing a huge crowd and starting the Canterbury Fair as it’s known today. Now sponsored by several community groups, the fair can draw as many as 10,000 visitors.
Canterbury Center — a picturesque assembly of white buildings bounded by the Canterbury Country Store, the United Community Church, the Canterbury Center Bed and Breakfast and a cemetery — overflows with activities and 37 booths featuring local artisans. Musicians perform on the bandstand, and surrounding buildings sell antiques, books and “whatnots.” The Canterbury Historical Society displays exhibits in the Elkins Memorial Building, and opens up Center School House — a one-room brick building from 1845 — for the fair. NH
Canterbury Shaker Village (603) 783-9511 shakers.org
David Lamb Furniture (603) 783-9912
davidlambfurniture.com
Fox Country Smoke House (603) 783-4405
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Canterbury AleWorks (603) 491-4539
canterburyaleworks.com
Granite Ledge Coffee (603) 545-2053
graniteledgecoffee.com
Cold Garden Spirits (603) 273-6505
coldgardenspirits.com
Hackleboro Orchards (603) 783-4248
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Brookford Farm (603) 742-4084
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Petals in the Pines (603) 783-0220
petalsinthepines.com
Clough Tavern Farm (603) 783-4287
cloughtavernfarm.com
Canterbury Fair canterburyfair.com
“I was attracted to the story because there’s this enormous but simple mystery at the center of it: Did he or didn’t he do it?” — Jason Moon
The year is 1985. A hunter walking through the woods of Allenstown’s Bear Brook State Park discovers two decaying bodies in a blue barrel. There are no leads, no tips, no suspects and no real clues. The case remains static — until 2005, when two more bodies are found, 100 yards from the first two.
In 1989, 19-year-old Jason Carroll is convicted for a Bedford murder he later says he didn’t commit. There’s no evidence — except his own taped confession.
Sound intriguing? Jason Moon thought so, too. “You can’t make this stuff up,” Moon says. “Sometimes I get this sense of: People need to know about this.”
Moon, a senior reporter and producer at New Hampshire Public Radio (NHPR), released his narrative investigative podcast “Bear Brook” in 2018, digging deep into the mystery of Allenstown’s four unidentified corpses. Unraveling a time-hopping true crime case that perplexed investigators for decades, “Bear Brook” made headlines as a must-listen podcast of 2018. The New Yorker, Vulture and even Stephen King praised “Bear Brook” as thrilling and thoughtful long-form audio journalism. Now, in 2023, Moon is back at it again, dissecting the uncertainty around Jason Carroll’s 1989 murder confession in “Bear Brook Season Two: A True Crime Story.”
“To the second season, there’s this essential mystery at the heart of the story that has really high stakes attached to it — I would say even higher stakes than the first season,” Moon says. “This guy has been in prison for 35 years and he could be let out. I was attracted to the story because there’s this enormous but simple mystery at the center of it: Did he or didn’t he do it?”
As a journalist, Moon is driven by these kinds of human-centric, labyrinthine puzzles. Before starting at NHPR in 2015, he interned at a slew of audio journalism organizations, including a radio station in his native Alabama, a Texas podcast and Brooklyn-based StoryCorps. Moon cut his teeth at an NHPR fellowship and earned a promotion to newsroom radio reporter, where he covered health and education for six years. Then, “Bear Brook” happened. But it certainly didn’t happen overnight.
“It started as a 45-second piece, ironically,” Moon says. Covering a local press conference, Moon was reporting on new forensic-generated evidence concerning the Bear Brook cold case. What started as a short newscast item expanded into a four-minute news feature; soon Moon realized he’d need even more time. “The problem was that I had two angles on one story,” he says. “I had this very science-y, isotopes and neutrons, forensic evidence, and then I had this very human, character-based story about a woman (Ronda Randall, amateur investigator) who would stop at nothing to solve this case. I originally tried to cram both of those things into four minutes, and, to no surprise, it didn’t work. Credit to my editors at the time who basically said, ‘Maybe this is something longer. Maybe this is a documentary, or maybe it’s a podcast with different episodes.’”
“Bear Brook” became Moon’s self-coined “pet project.” He chipped away slowly, toiling during off-hours and in the lulls between other assignments. As time passed, he came to understand the startling undertaking a project like this deserved. “That went on for a couple of years and I hadn’t finished it,” Moon says. “I would actually joke that it didn’t really matter how long it took me to do the story — it’s a 30-year-
old cold case, it’s not like anything’s going to happen. And then, of course, it did. I regretted tempting fate in that way.”
In 2018, investigators connected the unidentified Bear Brook bodies to a California case via genetic genealogy — and, just like that, the case burst open. Moon and his editors sat down to hatch a plan. Ultimately, he was given six months to fully dedicate to the endeavor, turning his 45-second news quip into a full-fledged, multi-episode podcast season. The fruits of his labor would garner him national recognition as a “young beat reporter… with remarkable sensitivity and a knack for scene-setting,” as The New Yorker called him. “Getting that kind of feedback and seeing the story reach bigger audiences and really capture people’s minds and emotions…it’s a validation of what we do,” Moon says. “It’s a validation of this as a medium, of this kind of storytelling approach to journalism.”
Along with effusive praise and millions of listeners, “Bear Brook” also partially birthed NHPR’s “Document” team, which Moon now exclusively works on. A long-form narrative podcast series, “Document” lends more time and space to flesh out complex stories. Moon, by all accounts, revels in these kinds of expansive, emotive projects. “When I was a kid and first started listening to ‘This American Life,’ that’s what made me want to be in radio,” he says. “Those stories were the ones that made me care, and I really connected to them on an emotional as well as intellectual level. It’s just nice to be on the other side of that equation and create a story that’s rooted in rigorous journalism but also uses these tools of storytelling to grab people and make them connect to what’s happening in a more complete way. It’s one thing to put in print that a man has been in prison for 35 years or that a woman was murdered, but when you can take the audience there, when they can hear the voices and feel the inherent human drama of those situations, that’s the power of this sort of approach.”
Five years after his big breakthrough, Moon’s second season of “Bear Brook” explores new territory — dissecting the vagaries of the court system, the psychology of false confessions and Jason Carroll’s alleged murder of Sharon Johnson. Moon initially planned to create an entirely separate entity for the story — a sort of “spiritual successor” to “Bear Brook.” The deeper he dug, he explains, the more it made sense to tack on the “Bear Brook” label. While the case doesn’t actually take place in Bear Brook State Park,
the murder and initial investigation also occur in 1980s rural New Hampshire; other throughlines include return appearances from season one interviewees and a similarly executed style and format. Apart from the story’s scaffolding, Moon feels that season two divulges deeper, more philosophical quandaries. “There’s something about the concept of season two that gets you into really profound
It’s one thing to put in print that a woman was murdered, but when you can take the audience there, when they can hear the voices and feel the inherent human drama of those situations, that’s the power of this approach.
territory really quickly,” he says, “where it’s like, someone says a thing and then they’re put into a cell for 35 years. It really makes you think about the standards of how we know things happen. It’s almost funny how big the questions get really quickly in this case.”
While Moon is carving out quite the reputation as a true crime specialist, he, ironically, has never been a particularly big fan of the genre. He says it’s the great paradox of his career — but, also, possibly a strong suit of the podcast. “I’ve tried to avoid some of the aspects of true crime that are off-putting to me and not retell these stories just for their entertainment value,” Moon says. “I was trying to stay away from that kind of stuff and have a bigger point — have a bigger idea — we were trying to communicate. We wanted to use this opportunity to learn from the cases and leave people with something.”
Even in conversation, Moon possesses an insatiable curiosity and an inherent impulse to educate. Thorough and demonstrative, pointed and fervent, Moon embodies the classic axiom of journalists as watchdogs of society. He describes himself as “the guy at the party asking you what you do for work, and then 15 more questions about your job.” “There are moments when I’m reminded of that special role in society that reporters have,” Moon says. “Those are the moments I’m most filled with purpose as a reporter, where I’ve talked to people and have these interviews that leave me thinking, ‘Gosh, people really need to know this.’ And then it’s like, ‘Right, yeah, I’ve got to let them know. I’ve got to get to work.’” NH
The unique circumstances surrounding New Hampshire’s legislature often culminate in surprise
The most contentious bill of the New Hampshire legislative session came up for a vote in May. The results preserved the most unique situation for any legislative chamber in the entire country. Nothing like it comes remotely close.
The bill was a so-called “parental rights” legislation that would have required public school teachers and administrators to inform parents of their child exploring a gender identity different from the one they were assigned at birth.
Similar bills were filed in just about every state house around the country this year. The fate of each bill in each state house was usually a foregone conclusion before the bill was even debated. All one had to do was count the number of Republicans or Democrats (and factor in some defections) to get a pretty good sense on whether the bill would become law.
Except in the New Hampshire House, especially this year.
There are two reasons why.
First, the Republican majority is extremely thin. As of this writing, the current breakdown of the 400-member House is 200 to 197, with three vacancies.
Second, the New Hampshire legislature is a completely volunteer organization. Elected members make $100 a year and
most have no staff to assist them. So, members miss votes all the time for all kinds of reasons — and mainly because they keep their day jobs.
And what happened with the “parental rights” bill? Even though Republicans have a majority in the chamber, it lost 195-190. But let’s break that down.
Yes, some didn’t even vote. One Democrat was at Disney World with his fiancée. Another, David Cote, a Nashua Democrat, has yet to even get sworn in because he is dealing with an illness and refuses to resign. Two Republicans did vote with Democrats.
Add it up and it is clear: None of the endless letter writing and protests for or against the bill were really about persuading representatives to vote a certain way. It was about persuading them to show up. This bill may be the most high-profile example, but it’s been the norm this year.
Republicans have been theoretically opposed to expanding Medicaid, which was part of Obamacare. However, when re-authorizing the program and making it permanent came up for a vote this year, more Democrats showed up than Republicans in the House. Republicans attempted to slow down and poison the bill with a lot of amendments. They failed. Medicaid expansion passed.
The narrow margin even led to a wild situation on the most important thing the legislature does every two years: pass a budget.
House Republican leaders decided that the unpredictable nature of the institution meant that squeaking a Republican budget bill through the House would be quite difficult, despite its surface-level probability. They decided to work directly with Democrats to come up with a budget that would pass easily — and it did, by a margin of 326 to 63.
Here’s the thing: All 192 Democrats who showed up that day voted for it in the Republican-led chamber. Only 134 Republicans voted for it, while 63 did not.
To be sure, other states also have close margins between parties in their legislature. In Pennsylvania, Democrats hold a 102 to 101 majority. But the sheer size of their 203-person House is half the size of New Hampshire and showing up is always expected. No one schedules a vacation to Disney World during a session day.
In New Hampshire, however, it’s an odd regularity — one that makes politics in the Granite State one of the most interesting phenomena to watch in the nation. NH
BY JAMES PINDELL / ILLUSTRATION BY PETER NOONAN
I’m in the southwestern-most corner of New Hampshire, where the border town of Hinsdale butts up against the state lines of both Vermont and Massachusetts, and I’m reading an old newspaper clipping that tells the story of a crime that took place here in 1965. The farm and barn described in the newspaper article are gone now, but in the 1960s, Hinsdale had a few working dairy farms up and down the Connecticut River. Hinsdale also had busy papermills along the Ashuelot River, but much of the commerce in this small border town was tied to activities that were restricted or illegal just across the border in the neighboring states. The sale of liquor, cigarettes, fireworks and NH sweepstakes tickets generated a lot of commerce, as did betting on racehorses at the Hinsdale racetrack.
The Fort Hill Railroad line came across the border from Northfield, Massachusetts, briefly cut through Vernon, Vermont, and then entered the southwestern corner of Hinsdale. Turning north, it followed
the bends of the Connecticut River until it reached Dole Junction. Here, the rail line splits in two. The northwestern track continued following the river, heading for Brattleboro and Bellows Falls, Vermont. The northeastern branch of the fork went to the Hinsdale Depot and then on to Ashuelot and Keene hauling freight for all the mills in the southern Cheshire County towns. Dole Junction was not an important passenger terminal or freight depot, just a small switching station with a couple of employees that oversaw the shuttling of boxcars from one track to the other. In the early 1900s there was also a telegraph office at this tiny way station, but it was closed and gone by the mid-1940s.
Ticketless hobos hopping a free ride aboard the boxcars were not welcomed at Dole Junction, so the tramps disembarked the moving train before it reached the switching station, jumping off about a mile south of the junction. Here, the freight trains slowed to a crawl as they navigated through an “S” curve when the tracks
crossed over the Northfield road. There were two railroad overpass bridges here, impressive granite block abutments topped by massive steel girders that supported the weight of the freight trains and allowed automobiles to pass below them through a narrow opening. Frustrated truck drivers with tall loads worried about headroom when squeezing under these overpasses.
Locals wryly referred to the area as “Hobo Junction” because of the ticketless riders leaping off the northbound trains or laying low while waiting to hop aboard a southbound train before it picked up speed.
A family dairy farm operated at Hobo Junction in the 1960s, situated between the two railroad overpasses. The fertile river floodplain was good for growing hay and silage corn, and the farmer had a barn full of hay and Holsteins. The farmer’s home was up the road and out of sight of the barn, so hobos who thought no one was around would sometimes attempt to spend the night sleeping in the hayloft. This usually didn’t work out for them, as farm chores started at 4 a.m. and the sleeping-butuninvited guests were rousted and told to move along.
The old newspaper clipping tells the story of a thwarted cow theft at this barn late one night. The farmer’s son, Rodney, had just seen a cowboy movie on the big screen at the Northfield drive-in outdoor movie theater. Passing the barn on his late-night return home, he noticed a light on in the barn. Thinking that hobos had broken into the barn and needed to be run off, he started to turn in to the dooryard — but he quickly changed his plan when he saw a truck backed up to the barn door and another truck parked nearby in waiting. Rodney drove past the barn, parked in a cornfield and slipped through the corn rows coyote-like, back to the barn. A broken window revealed how the thieves had gained entry. Peeking through a different window, he saw four men with a rope around a protesting heifer, attempting to
move her to the truck. A bawling calf was already tied up in the truck.
Stealthily moving away from the barn and back to his car, Rodney stopped long enough to lift the keys out of the ignition of one truck and let the air out of a tire on the other. He also read the license plate numbers, and when he got back to his car, wrote them in the dust on his dashboard with his index finger. Scooting home, he awakened the rest of the family, and they called the police.
In those days the chief of police was a part-time position, elected every year along with all the other town officials. Police
officers were also part-time, and you called them at their homes or full-time employment when you needed them. The chief worked full-time as a used car salesman and the responding officer on-call was the janitor at the high school. Both were in bed asleep, and their response time would be slow. Rodney and his family drove back to the barn and confronted the four stranded rustlers who were busy changing tires and searching pockets for missing car keys. Two took off running. Two didn’t have a chance to. The police arrived and apprehended the two that were detained by the less-thanhappy farmers, then went searching for the two on the run. The officers stopped two hitchhikers nearby, scurrying for the border and trying to get across the state line. When questioned by the officers, the hitchhikers said they “had been out hunting” … at night … in the dark … without a hunting license … on a road. The hitchhiking hunter story didn’t add up.
The newspaper clipping indicates all four were found guilty at a special session of the Municipal Court held just a few days later. The judge ordered the men to pay a $75 fine for theft of the calf, and $5 each in damages for the window broken to gain entry. The judge also ordered a “mittimus” be served on them by the county sheriff. I had to look that one up. Mittimus means: a warrant issued to the sheriff by the court, commanding the delivery to prison of the persons named in the warrant. In this case, it also meant a six-month sentence at the house of corrections in Westmoreland. Cattle thieves at Hobo Junction were not welcomed in this southwestern border town. NH
Serious trouble is boiling up at Clark’s Bears in Lincoln. Seems that some foul-smelling, one-eyed hermit keeps chasing a train full of children with an ax, loaded rifle and car straight out of “Mad Max.” Blood-draining howls, thunderous shotgun booms and threats are hurled. Often, the kids reciprocate with their own withering insults. Irresponsible parents choose laughing at — instead of comforting — their terrified kids. Meet Vern Gray, who has been scaring the bejesus out of little children at Clark’s for seven years while protecting his rich Unobtanium mine and sacred privacy. The Wolfman is good for a laugh until the authorities finally catch wind. Nothing good can come of this. Nothing.
The Wolfman has to be hard workin’, hate kids, be witty and hate kids. On a serious note, you must have a fun, even temper, despite the fact you’re running around screaming at a train all day.
The role of the Wolfman has essentially been the same since its conception. Be scary. Be funny. Chase the train. Make it interesting. What the Wolfman can do, however, has changed.
Once upon a time the Wolfman would get on the train, kidnap a woman or gal planted on the train. When I was a kid the faux kidnapping had stopped, but he could still get on the train.
[The Wolfman] told me once that he was going to take my mother. I was red as a beet, veins popping out of my face, screaming, “Don’t you dare touch my mother!”
Shortly after that, I knew what I wanted to be when I grew up. Now, however, there is no getting on the train, but when you tell a kid they are going to work the mine, eat toenail soup and their mother is your new housewife, it gets the point across.
After seven years being the Wolfman, it is just as fun, sometimes even more so now than the first time I ever chased the train.
Kids have thrown a variety of things at me. One kid threw his ice cream cone. That turned out to be amazing, I was able to catch it by the cone, and the ice cream stayed on top.
I made sure to eat it in front of him every time his car went by me.
It has been said that I eat children. I would like to set the record straight. I don’t make a habit of eating kids, just the ones that aren’t pulling their weight laboring at the bottom of the mine. Needless to say, I am currently out of child laborers. Good help is so hard to find these days.
Back in the 1700s, the mine was lost to time, but local legend told of a rare earth mineral called Unobtainium. The ore is the most valuable and rare of any on earth. A space-traveling acquaintance says there is a planet in another galaxy where a bunch of blue, cat-faced alien hippies hoard it.
You know, I may smell like a goat, but I get to be all-natural. I think the only time I’ve washed my clothes is when it rains. I can say I haven’t bathed in 20 years, but it’s likely a hell of a lot longer than that.
I work Tuesday through Friday. Saturday, Sunday and Monday I get my forty hours in, working my “real job” as a campus safety officer at New England College in Henniker.
I love being the Wolfman. Scaring kids and watching their parents laugh at them instead of comforting them while they cry is the ultimate win; I strive for this reaction each day.
Honestly, there are more kids that laugh than cry. Some families have done so many family vacations where their kids don’t remember a Disney princess, but they remember me.
Clark’s Bears does indeed have bears. Talented and hungry bears (though their favorite food seems to be ice cream, not small, tender children). Their website explains, “In 1949, brothers Edward M. and W. Murray Clark started teaching and training bears for show work, a tradition that Clark family members continue to this day. The late W. Murray Clark developed a rapport and understanding of these intelligent animals, which he passed on to his children, the current trainers, Maureen and Murray Clark.
“‘Each performance is unique,’ Murray says. ‘The weather, dynamics in the den, audience reaction — any number of things can affect the bears’ attention and distract them from the performance.’
“Truly a tradition among White Mountain vacationers, this entertaining and educational half-hour show is a thrill for all. Unmuzzled and unleashed, the bears enjoy performing for you in our covered show arena.” clarksbears.com
Someof the most important decisions for New Hampshire retirees to make include where and how they want to live, and whether to stay in their own homes or to transition to a retirement community. We reached out to some retirement living and legal experts to learn about the planning process and what they have to offer, so New Hampshire residents can ask the right questions as they enter this stage of their life journey.
AIntimate, unique living spaces where residents feel like part of a family, a neighborhood, and a community are at the heart of the As Life Goes On, LLC (ALGO) model for “boutique style” assisted living and memory care homes. Our communities embrace a small footprint, averaging only sixteen residents per home. This ensures each resident feels like part of a family instead of getting lost in a crowd.
Each of our six homes is situated in a family neighborhood. They are each unique, creating a true sense of place. While the transition to assisted living can be challenging, that stress is greatly reduced when the new residence truly feels like home.
We’ve learned that smaller is better. In our homes, everyone knows your name, anyone can and will lend a hand. We’re a local, family-owned business, and we choose to be smaller to nurture that sense of family
only possible in a small-home setting. We learn each of our resident’s interests, needs, and wants and this deeper understanding results in stronger relationships, more personalized service, a stronger sense of connection, and quicker responses to the changes we all experience through age… as life goes on.
— Barbara Fay, Director of Sales and Marketing, As Life Goes On, LLCTHEBALDWINNH.ORG
AThe Baldwin is incorporating cutting-edge knowledge about senior living and wellness into an all-new, one-of-a-kind Life Plan Community. It’s a philosophy that’s all about choices and empowering residents to design their lives for the way they want to live now, while creating a secure plan for the future.
With opening planned this fall, there are so many exciting features coming to life. The Baldwin’s walkable, intergenerational location will keep residents connected to the larger community. Our southern New Hampshire location creates the perfect home base for all kinds of adventures. And then there are the exceptional amenities including farm-to-table dining, a fitness center, an indoor aquatic
center, lifelong learning programs, and so much more. Another significant distinction is The Baldwin’s flexible system of health care. The Baldwin will offer independent living but also on-site health care with personal care, home health care, assisted living, short-term rehabilitation, memory support, and hospice services. No resident will ever be shuttled through a predetermined sequence of healthcare levels, but our resources will make it possible for residents to remain in the community through almost any health challenge, without ever needing to move to a stereotypical clinical nursing home.
— Maria Byrne, Director of Sales, The BaldwinTAYLORCOMMUNITY.COM
Why would I choose a Continuing Care Retirement Community over other senior living options?
A: New Hampshire is fortunate to have a number of excellent senior living options for you to consider as you plan for your next step. What makes Continuing Care Retirement Communities (CCRC’S) unique is that they don’t just address your next step—CCRC’s address every step you may need to take to carry you through the rest of your life. CCRC’s like Taylor o er a vibrant, active, maintenance-free and worry-free independent living experience that residents may enjoy for many years. ey also o er those same residents the peace of mind that comes with knowing that if they should ever need higher levels of care in the future, they will have access to high quality assisted living, memory care, and nursing care within their community. And depending upon contract type, some CCRC’s, like Taylor, o er a nancial bene t that ensures that even if a resident exhausts their resources in the future, they can remain in the community for the rest of their life. at’s a great comfort to residents and their families!
QWhat are Franklin Pierce University’s plans for the fall semester?
A“Fueled by our successful operations throughout the last academic year, we are planning to continue full in-person learning and operations in August 2021. This will include the continuation of in-person classes, athletic competition and reintroduction of other university events, including robust visitation opportunities. Our students want to be here, and proved that by their adaptability in abiding by strict health and safety guidelines over the last year that made our in-person living and learning possible through the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Every one of our students, faculty and staff made adjustments to ensure our continued operations and continuity of learning, and it’s exciting to be looking ahead to the fall with in-person events and activities returning, safely and responsibly.”
al costs, which average $1,000 per year. Students may utilize a combination of Federal Direct student loans, private scholarships, tuition payment plans, and other educational loans to cover these costs.
I’m still doing okay in my home; why would I consider a move to independent living in a retirement community?
— Kim Mooney, President, Franklin Pierce UniversityHow is the university making higher education
“Through our Pierce Promise New Hampshire award, Franklin Pierce University demonstrates our commitment to providing access to an affordable education. This program is just one of the ways I can connect with New Hampshire students and their fami lies and show them that a pathway to a Franklin Pierce education is not only affordable, but well within reach.
A: Choosing when to move to a retirement community is a very individual decision. Some people choose to wait until they begin feeling some of the stress of taking care of a home; others choose to move sooner because they want to take full advantage of all of the social, cultural, and wellness opportunities a community like Taylor can provide. Ask yourself these questions: If I didn’t need to take care of my home and property maintenance, would I enjoy having the time that would free up for me each day? Do I ever wish I had more time or energy to pursue my hobbies? Would I enjoy living in a community with likeminded friends and neighbors with whom I could enjoy a more vibrant social life? If you answered yes to any of these questions, a move to a retirement community may be right for you. Even if you don’t feel ready yet, many CCRC’s run full with waitlists, so it’s never too early to start the process.
“Our Pierce Promise New Hampshire (PPNH) program provides eligible students with free tuition and fees for all four years of undergraduate studies. A student receiving a Pierce Promise New Hampshire award is responsible for room, board, books and other supplies, for an estimated average cost of about $17,000. The average cost to live on campus in our residential halls with a full meal plan for a freshman student is $15,000. Books and additional supply costs will vary by
“Should costs increase, the PPNH program will still deliver free tuition and fees for all four years of undergrad uate studies at Franklin Pierce University, provided the student continues to qualify for the award.”
— Jacob Rogenski, Associate Director of Admissions, Franklin Pierce University
QWho qualifies for the program, and how do I qualify?
A“To qualify for the Pierce Promise New Hampshire program, a student must meet the following criteria:
• Be a first-time, full-time, incoming student for the fall 2021 semester.
• Be a resident of New Hampshire and plan to be a residential student at Franklin Pierce’s Rindge campus. Students who choose to commute will be eligible for a prorated discount.
A: ere are a number of things that will factor into your decision. Clearly the cost and nancial details are important to consider, but it is equally important to think about what your life will be like while living in the community. Whether you are looking for a community that emphasizes an active lifestyle, cultural engagement, or social opportunities, it is important to know what you’re personally seeking in your dream retirement. Location is also important—for example, many of our residents choose Taylor in part because of our proximity to New Hampshire’s beautiful lakes and mountains. Make sure the community you choose has all of the services you will need—not just today, but in the future. Taylor o ers a full continuum of care on our Laconia campus, and beginning this fall, will o er the same services in brand new facilities on our Wolfeboro campuses. And last, but certainly not least, all CCRC’s have their own unique feel and personality—don’t underestimate the value of your gut. Pay attention to where you feel most comfortable and at home.
rn a 3.0 or higher high school cumulative GPA. le the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and demonstrate a household gross income of parate application is not required for the Pierce Promise New Hampshire program. Once a student has been accepted to Franklin Pierce University and has submitted the FAFSA form, the University will deter mine eligibility and notify the student of the award as
“Students remain eligible for the Pierce Promise New Hampshire award by maintaining a 3.0 GPA at Franklin Pierce University. Should a student’s family’s AGI (Adjusted Gross Income) as reported on the FAF SA, which is filed annually, remain under $100,000, the Pierce Promise Program will continue to cover tuition and fees for all four years of attendance at Franklin Pierce University. If the AGI changes over time, the award will be prorated.”
— Ken Ferreira, Associate Vice President, Student FinanIt’s exciting to be looking ahead to the fall with in-person events and activities returning, safely and responsibly.”
— Kim Mooney, President, Franklin Pierce University
QWhat makes Silverstone Living a life plan community for its residents?
AYou’ve reached retirement. You worked so hard to get to this point, but what about retiring from the worry of housekeeping, fixing the roof, or shoveling snow? What if you could spend time discovering new hobbies, making new friendships, and focusing on health? Find fun in new fitness classes, swimming laps in the pool, brisk trail walks, or planting flowers in your own raised-bed garden. Imagine a life where chefs prepare and serve locally sourced, restaurant-style meals every night.
Silverstone Living communities allow you to continue your independent lifestyle, but with more fun and less worry. As a life plan community, Silverstone Living offers independent living options focusing on active, healthy living with the security of on-site health care services should you need them in the future. Located in Nashua, you’ll discover New Hampshire’s tax advantages and the convenience of living just minutes from
QWhat is the most important thing about your community?
AThe Morrison Communities offers a continuum of care between our two campuses which are both located in Whitefield, NH. Services include independent living, assisted living, memory care, respite stays, long-term care, and skilled nursing. Our residents receive top priority in transferring to a higher level of services when needs change. At Morrison communities we believe in the importance of continued care in the place you love.
QWhen should someone start researching for a retirement community?
AWe recommend starting long before you think you want to make a move. Researching your options, visiting communities, and sharing your wishes with family sooner than later can make the transition much easier. This also allows you to be the driving force for the change rather than an urgent need that may necessitate a quick move. Lastly, if looking at Independent Living, make sure to make the move while you are still fully independent. You will want to be able to take advantage of all your new free time to pursue hobbies, visit family, and travel!
Massachusetts with easy access to Boston, the New Hampshire Seacoast and the White Mountains. Interested in attending one of Silverstone Living’s upcoming open houses? RSVP via the events page at silverstoneliving.org or 603-821-1200.
— Kristin Mattheson, Director of Sales & Marketing, Silverstone Living
QHow can you aid someone in the search for a suitable community?
AThe felt need is not always the true need. For example, someone that says they need assisted living may be fine in independent living if they just need help with cooking and cleaning. We work carefully with the potential residents and their families to make sure their new living and care options meet their needs while keeping them as independent as possible.
QWhat’s your number one tip for the move in process?
AWe highly encourage the process of downsizing in the years leading up to a move. All your possessions have meaning so don’t expect to do this all at once. You will want time to sort through your belongings to decide what to keep, sell, donate, or pass on to grandchildren. We recommend the “snowball method”: start with something easy that you know you will be successful with—maybe one drawer or one collection—and build momentum from there. Before you know it, you will be downsizing like a professional!
— Shannon Lynch, Executive Director, The Morrison CommunitiesQW hat are the options when considering retirement benefits while planning for persons with special needs ?
ADetermining available options for an estate plan requires understanding the goals of those undertaking the planning, the types of assets involved and the needs of the persons inheriting. Special care must be taken when planning for individuals with disabilities, especially if a person qualifies for government benefits based on financial need. If the recipient of an estate qualifies for cash assistance like Supplemental Security Income, or a medical benefit like Medicaid, receiving an inheritance outright could negatively impact critical benefits. Rather than disinheriting a person with disabilities, it is possible to direct an inheritance to a third-party special needs trust. Because a qualifying third-party special needs trust grants an independent trustee sole discretion regarding distributions, trust assets are not considered personally owned by the beneficiary when determining eligibility for “needs-based” benefits.
A large portion of many individuals’ wealth currently is comprised of retirement assets, such as IRAs and 401(k) plans. When loved ones with disabilities inherit retirement assets, it is important to consider the interplay of government benefits, income tax issues and charitable intentions, as well as two federal laws that passed in recent years — the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement (SECURE) Act, effective in 2020, and the Special Needs Trust Improvement Act (SECURE 2.0) which passed in 2023.
Before passage of the SECURE Act, a “designated beneficiary” of a traditional retirement account or IRA was allowed to stretch payments out over that individual’s life expectancy; and, since a properly drafted third-party special needs trust qualified as a “designated beneficiary,” required payments from an inherited retirement account could be paid over the trust beneficiary’s lifetime. Since payments were made directly to the trust, and not the person with disabilities, the payout would not impair the individual’s needs-based public benefits.
The SECURE Act changed the rules regarding lifetime stretch previously available to most beneficiaries inheriting retirement assets by setting a 10-year payout period after an account owner’s death for the designated
beneficiary, but it also created a new class of inheriting beneficiaries — “eligible designated beneficiaries” (EDBs) — who remained eligible to stretch payout on traditional retirement assets past the 10-year mark. A disabled or chronically ill individual qualifies as an EDB, as does a carefully drafted third-party special needs trust. Consequently, a qualifying special needs trust still can receive payments over the beneficiary’s lifetime; and, since the trust is not required to make distributions directly to the beneficiary, the beneficiary’s financial eligibility for public benefits is not at risk from the payments to the trust.
Although naming a charity as a beneficiary of a retirement asset generally will shorten the payout period to only 5 years, passage of SECURE 2.0 ensured that most charities can be named as a remainder beneficiary of a third-party special needs trust without changing the lifetime stretch for the primary, disabled beneficiary. This 2023 modification to the SECURE Act therefore enables families to use their retirement assets to benefit both their loved ones with disabilities and those nonprofit organizations who offer critical support to the disability community.
— Ann N. Butenhof, Esquire, CELA and Judith L. Bomster, Esquire, Sheehan Phinney
Let there be songs, to fill the air.
— “Ripple” by Grateful Dead
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To some it’s a nostalgic trip, to others it’s a joyous reunion — but anyone who spends a day or two at Jerry Jam will get a potent shot of good old-fashioned peace and love (and rock ‘n’ roll).
The two mottoes of Jerry Jam are “Kind Minds, Good Times” and “Let the music be the drug.” Both mottoes were in strong evidence at the big party in Bath last July — the 25th anniversary of this festival created in honor of Jerry Garcia, band leader for the Grateful Dead who died in 1995. People helping people seemed to be the rule as folks found their parking spots, stretched their tie-dyed awnings and positioned their tents, coolers and folding chairs, many taking side trips to help vendors set up on the green, rolling hills of Bath, New Hampshire.
The success of such a sprawling affair seems secure now, but at least a few of those souls could still remember the first Jerry Jam in founder Dan Webb’s barn in Bethlehem, where 40 friends and fellow Deadheads gathered to bid a musical farewell to the leader of their band.
Last year, the clear country air of Bath was scented with plenty of patchouli, while the skunkier smells associated with such festivals mostly emanated from spots deeper in the thickets and trails around the camping sites and the stage area. People smiled at people. Kids found friends and played in the grass, while the scene closer to the stage had an energy that made you want to loosen up, find the groove and then get lost in motion — like leaves riding an invisible swirl stirred up by the cascading melodies and rhythms.
My photographer and I, blending in as best we could (it wasn’t hard), had a similarly fluid objective. Both of us in our sixties, we were there just to see how our generation was doing by attending an event that somehow preserves what was good and noble and blissful about the American era known as the 1960s. The invisible swirl that was started by bands like the Grateful Dead had long ago morphed into the phenomenon of the Deadheads: followers of the music of Garcia and his musical counterparts, continuing on even after Garcia’s death. And the flow continues on today in the proliferation of jam bands, like Phish and Moe, that still mine the musical firmament that the Dead staked out for decades.
A quarter century is a long time to keep anything going, but Jerry Jam? In the woods of New Hampshire? What a long strange trip, indeed. At the end of our search, all we really found during our time among the fields of Jammers and Deadheads was some new friends, but with kind minds and amid good times we took photos and rounded up stories from a few of them to help explain the attraction (see the online version for more).
According to the music of the Grateful Dead, at the heart of the world dwells a love story. It may be twisted or tragic or triumphant, but it really is love that makes the world go round.
So, when writing about a festival that honors the music and spirit of bands like the Dead, it’s fitting to start with a love story — maybe call it a peace and love story. Sure enough, among the festive flock at the 2022 Jerry Jam, we found Don and Trish.
Their story begins back in 2007, when the world bore little resemblance to the freewheeling hippie era. Steve Jobs had just dropped the iPhone into the hands and pockets of the first all-digital generation. J.K. Rowling had just published the last volume of her Harry Potter series that was turning millions of youngsters into broom-flying sorcerers. No brooms for this couple, though. It was a different form of transport that brought them together.
“Motorcycles,” says Don Morse. He had put out a Craigslist notice saying he was looking for a female wanting to ride bikes, “but not on the back,” he says. “And strictly
BY RICK BROUSSARD ❂ PHOTOGRAPHY BY DAVID MENDELSOHNplatonic,” he adds. About that same time in Concord, Trish Gordon was wondering how she might meet someone who liked motorcycles. She didn’t want to ride alone, and her Sportster was getting dusty. “I didn't want to store it, so I either had to find someone to ride with or I was going to get rid of it,” she says. Then a friend told her, “There’s this thing called Craigslist.”
Neither had to wait long to make a connection. “Swear to God,” says Trish, “I responded to his post at 10:15 and by 10:18 we were talking motorcycles. His question was, 'do you want to ride the mountains, or do you like to ride the ocean?' I said the ocean has water, so let’s go for the mountains.”
They were going to meet up at Friendlys on the Concord Heights. Trish, feeling cautious, decided to drive by first so she could arrive from the other direction rather than from her home. “I was living alone,” she explains. She saw the man who must be Don sitting astride a Triumph as she passed and felt some relief that he wasn’t sitting on a Harley. “I knew he wasn’t going to be polishing his bike more than driving,” she says.
Parked out front, Don watched as an attractive woman rumbled past on a motorcycle. He felt a sting of disappointment that it wasn’t his Craigslist date — then a thrill to see that same woman roll into the lot a few minutes later.
“We just hit it off,” says Trish. “He had a great smile.” She must have been nervous, because her engine started running out of gas once they were out on the road, but she confidently reached down and switched on her reserve tank, “And he was like, ‘she knows how to ride a bike,’” she says. “I was very confident in my riding, and he was a bunch of fun.”
“We went for a cool, sunset ride,” she recalls, noting that, on
your bikes there’s not a lot of awkward first-date small talk.
“Also, she could leave if she wanted,” says Don with a chuckle.
Don grew up in Gilmanton on what Trish affectionately calls Walton’s Mountain — a reference to a popular folksy TV series from the 1970s. Don had a steady job as a machinist for the paper mill industry — a well-rooted New Hampshire industry if ever there was one and he put down his own roots on the triangle of Pittsfield land where he built his home and workshop. Trish had grown up with separated parents and two families, and lived what might now be called an alternative lifestyle. “We ended up in a commune in Hooksett called Earthstar,” she says. “It was on Whitehall Road.” About 12 people were living there, off and on, she recalls. “It was a nice little community there for years and years. It turned into Dovestar Massage School, and now it's an apartment building.
“So, he had the Walton's life, and I had the gypsy life, and we both kind of put the two together, and music really became our core.”
Don had already built a stage and listening space into the top level of a barn that was his workspace for tinkering on bikes and car engines. That has since expanded into a large, furnished music loft with ample space for jamming and dancing when the mood is right. Their extensive collection of record albums had occupied boxes and fruit crates so long they’d forgotten what they had, so Don installed supporting rails into the ceiling so all those records could be displayed like ceiling tiles and taken down as desired for listening. For any lover of classic rock and pop, glancing up at that ceiling is a hypnotic trip into the past.
But it was another artifact of bygone ages that brought them to Jerry Jam. When Trish first visited Don’s house, she was blown away by his classic green 1985 Volkswagen Vanagon. “I had grown up
Editor's Note: Interviews with a number of the attendees at Jerry Jam 2022 can be found in the online version of this story.
around VWs, but I had not seen a bus like that, so I was just wow,” says Trish. It was the perfect vehicle and accommodation for music festivals, so they started following a few.
Soon the couple was recognized for their enthusiasm and general helpfulness on the circuit. After encountering a large, friendly group of bus owners at a campout in Vermont, they knew they’d found their tribe and never looked back, but most of the places to rally with their fellow VW devotees were out of state. Hearing of Jerry Jam, right nearby in Bath, New Hampshire, was mind-expanding, says Trish, so they went.
It was a small festival, but they loved the intimacy. When they met the founder, Dan Webb, he and Don hit it off (“They had the same beard, they had the same energy,” says Trish). Dan also loved VW buses and even would put notes on the windshields of nice ones he would encounter, inviting their pilots to come to Jerry Jam for free if they arrived in a bus. Trish and Don got involved in that effort, promoting it among fellow VW bus pilots, and before long there were dozens of classic VWs rolling in to Jerry Jam and setting up in a special area on a ridge over the event. Trish would coordinate them a colorful rainbow lineup — she called them “Skittles” — with a balcony view of the stage. The buses themselves became part of the attraction (and bus pilots are still admitted free to Jerry Jam).
The rolling tribe that took shape now meets annually at Don’s place in Pittsfield, dubbed the Catamount Bus Stop, for a “dust-off,” every spring before a major VW bus rally in Maine. Dozens of VW
microbuses, vans and tricked-out campers fill the lot and road in front of the home for a huge potluck and jam session with riders and bus pilots from all over the Northeast coming to reunite. Local musicians and bands come to play just for the fun, the community and the intensity of the music that lasts into the wee hours.
Many of the vehicles at the dust-off have a small oval bumper sticker with a tie-dyed background and the words “I Know Trish” on it. The sticker started as a joke, created by a friend to celebrate Trish’s famous organizing energy at festivals like Jerry Jam. Now those three words on that psychedelic background are a sure sign that whoever is driving the vehicle is a member of a warm, supportive family.
Such creative energy was everywhere when my photographer and I dropped by for this year’s dust-off. Food overflowed from tables, music and laughter radiated out into the hills of Pittsfield, and every bus seemed to have its own story to tell with owners nearby happy to share it. Musicians and artists, young and old, poured in from neighboring towns. It was astonishing to realize that this network of talented and remarkable people had been gathering and operating for years without any marketing or promotion beyond simple word of mouth (and a colorful bumper sticker).
So, fate, or maybe the spirit of Jerry Garcia himself, had led us to the perfect people to introduce us to this musical tribute and rolling phenomenon that is Jerry Jam.
And I suppose the flashbacks were inevitable in the following days. Enjoying the music and the attitudes of a multigenerational
crowd dressed and behaving in ways so rooted in a distant time brought my own younger days back in a euphoric rush of memory.
The youth culture of the 1960s era was indulgent and ecstatic but also purposeful. Our goal was simple: to rethink and change everything and in so doing save the planet from the mess our parents had bequeathed to us.
The culture that my hippie friends and I were trying to foment was one of child-like acceptance of people mixed with adults-only adventure and experimentation. We shared the sense that anything was possible and that art and music could heal and transform things just by applying it like ointment. It didn’t even have to be that good. Paint a peace sign on a rock in the woods, and it became a local landmark for happenings, parties and, eventually, weddings.
The world was our playground and a temple where we actively, sometimes passionately, worshiped. Our minds were puzzles awaiting expansion and revelation. We truly believed the lunacy of the “straight” world of politics and aggressive capitalism would fade under our tender assault as we merged with and transformed the control systems. And, yes, we had bizarre taste in fashion and hair (that continues to influence today’s hipsters), but the canon of all popular
music forms was forged in those early years of my generation.
The hippies and gentle revolutionaries back then weren’t trying to crush the status quo so much as to build a system within a system, good-hearted and peace loving, always friendly but formidable when it needed to be. It was a DIY revolution that ignored the Babylon influences of the popular culture of its time (“squares” like Anita Bryant, Ed Sullivan and Laurence Welk) but also the politicians and elites of both parties, i.e The Man. (Whatever yet-unnamed generation that is going to have to clean up the current psycho-political mess might want to take note.)
The good news is that the “subculture” that was created never went away. It operates full force in special places and in clusters where the spirit of freedom and acceptance, peace and love, still rules — places like the Catamount Bus Stop and Jerry Jam.
Maybe the hippies of the Baby Boomer generation, pretentious and annoying as they are so often portrayed, maybe they were on to something. And if that hopeful movement still lives on in art, music and community of a new generation, then who knows? Maybe the magic in the music can still fulfill its expressed mission of saving this mad, mad, mad, mad world from itself. NH
Then God way up in heaven, for whatever it was worth, thought he’d have a big old party, thought he’d call it planet Earth. Don’t worry about tomorrow, Lord, you’ll know it when it comes, when rock and roll music meets the risin’ sun.
— “One More Saturday Night” by Grateful DeadLocal musicians perform for an attentive audience in the Catamount Music Loft at this year's dust-off Touch of Gray: (From left) The photographer and the author pose with Trish Gordon and artist Carolina Davidson. Plush Jerry Garcia and a lady sun painted by Trish Gordon for the side of the barn.
Apparently bar preference, much like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder. Or, in this case, the imbiber. Researching this feature, I cast a wide net, asking friends from Nashua to Pittsburg for recommendations. But my request often got lost in translation; I got the names of all kinds of bars, from neighborhood dives to wine-tasting establishments. And while those spots all have redeeming qualities, that’s not what I was looking for.
My goal was to uncover real bars, genuine bars, places that put a premium on a well-crafted cocktail and a top-notch setting. Essentially, bars where the star of the show was a refined drinking experience. A welcoming atmosphere — sophisticated but not phony — was the only other requisite. ☞
BY BRION O'CONNOR Primary Photography by Jared Charney
Sian Quinn makes the Commissioner Gordon at 815 Cocktails & Provisions on Elm Street in Manchester.
Now, before going any further, I should explain how I got here. I came of age in the mid-1970s, when the drinking age was 18, and have a treasure trove of fond memories of bars from Manchester to Nashua, and of course Durham, home of our flagship university. The bars of my youth — such as the dearly departed Salty Dog Tavern and Red Onion, located just a few steps from one another in downtown Manchester, and Scorpion’s in Durham — had character: sticky floors, spotty lighting, less-thanantiseptic restrooms, pitchers of cold beer and rudimentary cocktails (can you say Tequila Sunrise or Sloe Gin Fizz?). The atmosphere was really what you made it, with lively, often raucous banter between friends present and future.
So, I’ve still got a keg-size spot in my heart for the quintessential dive bar — or “neighborhood bar,” if we’re being kind — that defined my late teen and early adult years. I’m not casting aspersions. But things changed as I grew older, more, dare I say, “mature.” That evolution actually started in the newsroom in the early '80s, when I was a cub reporter. My editor would chide me for my “regular” Dunkin’ coffee (the morning equivalent of the Puritan Backroom’s famous “Frozen Mudslide”).
“You should drink it black,” he told me. “Then you’d actually taste the coffee, not the sugar and cream.”
He was right. Soon, I applied the same thinking to my choices in cocktails. I learned to drink scotch neat, acquiring an appreciation for single malts and peat content. I made my margaritas simply, with good
I sometimes think of us as the grandparents of the cocktail movement in New Hampshire, bringing an elevated cocktail awareness into the state.
— Sarah Maillet
tequila, Cointreau and fresh lime (no sour mix). I took Anthony Bourdain’s advice and tried a Negroni (though my preference today is the drink’s bourbon cousin, the Boulevardier).
Interestingly enough, over time, I found I didn’t drink more; in fact, I drank less. But I began to drink better. I developed a more refined palate, enjoying the subtle differences between my spirits of choice. And I’m not alone.
“Our guests are, by and large, quite knowledgeable,” says Ryan McCabe, who, with business partner Sarah Maillet, opened 815 Cocktails & Provisions in Manchester in early 2014. “The great thing about our industry is there is always something to learn on
both sides of the bar. We have a cocktail in the menu called the ‘Mixed Tape,’ which is basically an at-whim cocktail that our staff will make for our guests after a quick conversation and some parameters.”
In a scenario straight out of “Field of Dreams,” Manchester circa 2014 didn’t have the type of bar that McCabe and Maillet envisioned. So they created their own, believing customers would come.
“Ryan had always wanted to own a whiskey bar, and it seemed like prime opportunity to get the ball rolling,” says Maillet. “We used to travel into the bigger cities out of state for good cocktails, and decided it was our chance to bring both the classics and the creative to New Hampshire.
“We had visited some cocktails bar in
New York City and thought our space fit the speakeasy vibe,” she says. “I sometimes think of us as the grandparents of the cocktail movement in New Hampshire, bringing an elevated cocktail awareness into the state.”
In a nutshell, that was what I was looking for. It wasn’t just a matter of “what” I drank, but also “where.” I sought out quiet, low-key settings of a “real” bar, places where I could enjoy a nice conversation with my wife or friends without shouting over the din of a large crowd or blaring sound system, or being inundated with big-screen TVs. Those bars could be attached to restaurants, since it’s always important to avoid imbibing on an empty stomach, but it needed to stand on its own merits.
Essentially, a bar shouldn’t be an append-
age to the restaurant. It should be a place where the cocktail is king.
“We felt that the art of bartending had, for the most part, been lost,” says Jeremy Hart, who owns Industry East in Manchester along with business partner Dan Haggerty. “We wanted to open a craft cocktail bar, and we've stayed very true to that vision.”
In two short years, this small spot on Hanover Street has established itself as a force in a crowded bar scene. Hart and Haggerty have a combined 45 years of restaurant experience, and have employed that know-how.
“We've found that people are generally more mindful of what they spend their money on, and are looking for something a little more creative,” says Hart. “We set out to
create a bar that we would want to hang out at, a place where you could get a great cocktail, but also where you could get a shot and a beer, and feel comfortable either way.”
Comfort is crucial. That’s why I was yearning for the low-lit, ambiance-rich bars of yesteryear, places with an understated vibe and sumptuous leather furnishings. Just as important, I wanted knowledgeable bartenders who would engage curious customers. It wasn’t enough to get good service; I wanted an experience that included not only a good drink in a nice setting but also a chance to broaden my own horizons.
“Consumers now are definitely more informed about what they are ordering, although that doesn't stop us from trying to change their mind about certain ingredi-
We place a great deal of emphasis in the bar side of the business, as that’s an important component to our guest experience.
— Michael Paquette
❛❛PHOTO COURTESY INDUSTRY EAST
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ents,” says Hart. “Whenever someone tells me they ‘don't like gin,’ my normal response is, ‘Challenge accepted.’ We offer a drink called, ‘Lemme Get Uuhhhhh,’ where our bartenders will ask you what you like, or what you don't like, or about any allergies, and create a drink just for you.”
My shifting bar preferences dawned on me a few decades back, during my clan’s mid-winter romps through New Hampshire’s North Country, at places like The Balsams in Dixville Notch, the Inn at Thorn Hill in Jackson, the Stonehurst Manor in North Conway and Omni Mount Washington Resort in Bretton Woods — places with an aura of relaxed sophistication from a bygone era.
Among my favorites was The Cave at Omni Mount Washington Resort. Originally built as squash courts, The Cave was later transformed into a speakeasy before Prohibition. With its rough-hewn stone walls, arched brick ceilings and large wood bar, the
place bleeds history (Joseph Kennedy, sire of the famed Kennedy clan, reportedly sold the hotel bootlegged liquor during the 1920s). You can still see the secret windows where staff could watch for local authorities coming up the main drive.
“Everyone was prepared to change out gin for tea in the event of a raid,” says Michael Paquette, Mount Washington’s food and beverage manager. “The Cave remains popular due to its historic nature.”
But a rich history, without staying current, would be an exercise lost to time. Instead, the best bars blend the two seamlessly.
“We place a great deal of emphasis in the bar side of the business, as that’s an important component to our guest experience,” says Paquette. “Guests are becoming more knowledgeable and discerning about their cocktail choices, and we find that, while guests are becoming acquainted with more traditional classic brands, some focus on the new trends in the industry.”
This shouldn’t be surprising. Many of
Originally opened as a modern-day speakeasy, 815 has since moved away from that ambiance toward something more familiar. “The vibe is like a warm, artsy, kind of funky, dim-lit living room with couches and leather chairs,” says co-owner Sarah Maillet. “From cocktails to the décor, it feels like home.” And it’s getting a makeover. Co-owners Maillet and Ryan McCabe decided to roll up their sleeves and do a full remodel. But expect the same commitment to artisan cocktails.
815 Elm St., Manchester / (603) 782-8086 / 815nh.com
Unlike many speakeasy newcomers, The Cave, dating back more than a century, is the real deal. “It’s a cultural thing,” says Craig Clemmer, Mount Washington’s marketing director. “We have this romanticized vision of the era that people can’t get enough of. But they also want authenticity, and that’s what makes the Mount Washington so special. You can come here and walk the same spots that the Rockefeller and Vanderbilts once did. It’s not a hotel built to look like it comes from that era — it’s from that era, and The Cave really brings that out for people.”
Omni Mount Washington Resort, Bretton Woods 603-278-1000 omnihotels.com/hotels/bretton-woodsmount-washington/dining/the-cave
This fabulous spot, wedged right into a back alley in downtown Concord, celebrates its Prohibition Era heritage with a mural of Al Capone, heavy drapes, brick walls, wood-planked floors, a beautifully-shaped bar, entertaining staff and a cocktail menu that would make Scarface proud. Weekly specials keep things fresh and interesting.
90 Low Ave., Concord / (603) 856-7071 facebook.com/ChucksBARbershopNH
The “B.A.R.” stands for Books, Antiques and Rarities, continuing owner Liu Vaine’s penchant for clever names and entertaining speakeasies. Yet few bars tiptoe the tightrope between traditional and trendy quite as deftly as CodeX, with it’s pitch-perfect period décor as a nod to the Roaring '20s. The CodeX crew focuses on craft bartending using classic cocktail recipes with ingredients handmade in-house, including freshsqueezed juice, bitters, sour mixes and syrups. You’d be hard pressed to find a finer Whiskey Sour, Old-Fashioned, Sazerac or Negroni than the ones served up at CodeX. Live piano on Friday and Saturday nights.
1 Elm St., Nashua / (603) 864-0115 / codexbar.com
The CrowBar Hardware Store is clearly a labor of love for owners Liu Vaine, Michelle Dionne and Elizabeth Gallacher. The 1920’s décor is absolutely exquisite, with plush period furnishings and soft jazz music practically begging you to relax. And although the food is very, very good, the cocktails (in my humble opinion) are even better. In addition to the classics, you’ll typically find more than a dozen wildly creative specialty drinks. Don’t believe me? Sample the “Earl Grey Marteani” (Earl Grey tea, London Dry gin, lavender simple syrup, lemon, egg white and bitters), and then we can talk.
38 Opera House Sq., Claremont / (603) 504-6085 facebook.com/CrowbarHardware
Industry East, despite its small space, comes up big with anything placed in front of you, whether an adult beverage or locally-sourced food. Though bourbon is my typical go-to when I’m craving something south of the border, I’ll opt for Industry East’s “Thousand Dollar Pillow Fight" (mezcal, Cointreau, lime, orgeat syrup, snap pea, pineapple and habanero) or “C.R.E.A.M.,” which means Cucumber Rules Everything Around Me (Tequila Mi Campo Blanco, Ancho Reyes Verde, cucumber, lemon and jalapeno). Look for the opening of their new venture, The Stash Box, on Elm Street in Manchester.
28 Hanover St., Manchester / (603) 232-6940 / industryeastbar.com
The quiet grace of the Library Lounge is difficult to duplicate. That might explain why this upscale watering hole draws both hotel guests and locals. “The massive ornate wood fireplace and leather-upholstered chairs makes for a bar that takes your breath away,” says Library Lounge Manager Michael Rego. The same can be said for some of Rego’s signature martinis, like “Lola's New Groove” (mandarin vodka, St. Elder elderflower liqueur and fresh lime juice) or “Mr. Bigelow's Basil-tini” (basil-infused vodka, pineapple juice, lemon juice and Peychaud's Bitters).
3351 White Mountain Hwy., North Conway (603) 356-3113 / thewildroserestaurant.com/library-lounge
This bar is situated off Interstate 93, in what looks to be a split-level, white-collar office building. Don't be fooled. Downstairs is Twins Smoke Shop, with “one of the largest walk-in humidors in the country, housing more than 250,000 cigars,” says owner Kurt Kendall. Upstairs, the open and expansive K.A. Kendall’s 7-20-4 Lounge “features a massive collection of whiskey, tequilas and signature cocktails crafted by our expert bartenders,” says Kendall. “We pride ourselves in cultivating a relaxed and inviting atmosphere.”
80 Perkins Rd., Londonderry / (603) 421-0242 twinssmokeshop.com/7-20-4-lounge
If any bar could give The Cave a run for top honors in the “Most Historic Bar” category, it would be Portsmouth’s Slow Burn Lounge, tucked below street level, underneath Federal Cigar’s flagship store, in a building dating back to the 1700s. The lounge boasts the largest selection of fine bourbon, whiskey and scotch in New England (more than 150), including many label blends. Pricey, but worth it. Patrons can smoke cigars on the premises, where a stateof-the-art filtration system routinely refreshes the air. 36 Market St., Portsmouth / (603) 319-6920 slowburnlounge.com
What it might lack in terms of character compared to its sister establishment in Portsmouth, Dover’s Slow Burn Lounge makes up for with its long marble bar and tall wood-and-leather chairs that invite guests to rub elbows, as well as well-appointed tables for more private conversation. I love the portraits adorning the walls with celebrities — ranging from Jack Nicholson to Morgan Freeman to Madonna — savoring a good smoke, and an air-circulation system that reduces the heavy cigar scent. 505 Central Ave., Dover / (603) 742-4427 slowburnlounge.com
New Hampshire’s great “grand hotels” were the standard bearers more than a century ago, when New Hampshire was a playground for the rich and famous from Boston and the New York metropolitan belt. They were defined by a sense of refinement and soft-spoken elegance. And when you’re in a place that clearly cares about appearances, it’s easy to feel good about yourself.
“It’s impossible not to feel important at the Library Lounge,” says Michael Rego, longtime bar manager at Stonehurst Manor in North Conway, home of the Library Lounge.
Of course, that’s the whole idea. You want to feel good and have a good time. Claremont native Liu Vaine knows this and, together with various partners, has created an amusing collection of whimsical speakeasies that not only serve great drinks, but serve as a reminder that having a cocktail isn’t serious business. Vaine and company operate Chuck’s BARbershop in Concord, CodeX B.A.R. in Nashua, the CrowBar
Hardware Store in his hometown of Claremont, and Sole’s B.A.R. in Keene. All require a little imagination and ingenuity to get into (they are, after all, speakeasies).
But, once inside, you’ll be transported back in time, to a place that’s a veritable candy store for cocktail fans. And you’ll find well-educated staffers who know how to enjoy themselves and know how to help their customers “laissez le bon temps rouler.”
“The reception has been amazing,” says CrowBar’s Executive Chef Michelle Dionne, who co-owns the establishment with Vaine and Liz Gallacher.
Plus, it’s important to note that many bars have shuttered in the past three years, often due to the onerous weight of the COVID pandemic and its subsequent restrictions on public gatherings. But most of the bars mentioned here have not only survived but managed to thrive. That speaks volumes.
“We have been grateful to have the support of the community throughout all of it,”
says 815’s Maillet. “We think it’s important to keep growing and evolving overtime.”
But not all high-end bars follow the same tried-and-true formula. My search also led me to an establishment I knew little about, but won’t soon forget: the cigar bar. Unlike many of my friends, I never took to cigar smoking. The taste just never agreed with me. I did, however, enjoy that distinct cigar aroma.
“People enjoy cigars and pipes to relax, de-stress and reflect, and are looking for ways to do so now more than ever,” says Kurt Kendall, owner of K.A. Kendall’s 7-20-4 Lounge in Londonderry. “We prioritize creating an atmosphere where men and women can enjoy the cigar and pipe-smoking experience to its fullest, with the help of friendly and knowledgeable staff."
In New Hampshire, the cigar bar is a different animal compared to restaurants. Licensed by the New Hampshire Liquor Commission (as opposed to the Department of Health and Human Services), these establishments must maintain a balance of 60 percent cigar sales to 40 percent liquor sales. But that’s for the bean counters to worry about. For the cocktail enthusiast, it’s more important to know that these bars pride themselves on offering drinking options that match their cigar choices.
“The vibe is a relaxing ‘make yourself at home’ atmosphere, providing excellent service with a range of spirits for everyone to enjoy,” says Kendall, who founded Twins Smoke Shop 26 years ago. “We specialize in ‘barrel picks’ from all major distillers, from Tennessee, Kentucky and Mexico, making this a very busy destination for cigar and spirit lovers.”
Speaking of destinations, the venerable Federal Cigar (first established in 1921, the oldest cigar retailer in the state) has launched a pair of cigar bars closer to the Seacoast. Few bars can match the genuine speakeasy atmosphere of the first, the Slow Burn Lounge in Portsmouth. With its subtle side-street entrance, basement bar and Colonial-era red brick and stone décor featuring heavy wooden beams across the ceiling, this lounge is a gem for cigar and cocktail connoisseurs alike. Dover’s Slow Burn, which opened four years later in 2015, features a Federal Cigar store out front and more of a Madison Avenue vibe reminiscent of “Mad Men” in the back.
“Both locations have state-of-the-art,
Bar One
40 Nashua St., Milford / (603) 249-5327
Castro’s Back Room
972 Elm St., Manchester / (603) 606-7854
Cigar Shenanigan’s
1903 White Mountain Hwy., North Conway (603) 307-1036
Cotton
75 Arms St., Manchester / (603) 622-5488
Forty Below Lounge and Wine Cellar
The Inn at Thorn Hill
40 Thorn Hill Rd., Jackson / (603) 383-4242
Harvest Tavern Bar
Mountain View Grand Resort
101 Mountain View Rd., Whitefield (855) 837-2100
Moxy
106 Penhallow St., Portsmouth (603) 319-8178
The Original Cigar & Bar
3425 White Mountain Hwy., North Conway (603) 356-7755
Sole’s B.A.R.
8 Winter St., Keene / (716) 551-0983
Stella Blu
70 East Pearl St., Nashua / (603) 578-5557
Tavern 27
2075 Parade Rd., Laconia / (603) 528-3057
The Wilder
174 Fleet St., Portsmouth / (603) 319-6878
hospital-grade ventilation systems that are the most important component in having a space that’s enjoyable for our patrons,” says general manager Jeremy Soares. “We specialize in brown spirits, and have multiple ‘barrel picks' of exclusive whiskeys. In fact, we will have the first collaboration between Bob Dylan and the Heaven's Door brand.” Get a membership and your own private locker with a $1,000 Federal Cigar gift card purchase. And if Aphrodite-Michael Cotoulas is behind the bar at either location, treat yourself to one of her specialty Manhattans. (I had mine made with Old Forester 100-proof bourbon. Literally, the best I’ve ever had.)
So, there you have it. The drinking scene in New Hampshire is a wonderfully eclectic collection of high-end bars, taverns, pubs and lounges. The establishment that best suits you may not be in your backyard, but you can find one with minimal effort. And when you get there, enjoy yourself, responsibly. Cheers. NH
Who doesn’t love a good dive bar? Throw candlepin bowling into the mix and now we’re talking. Rumors Sports Bar & Bowling in Newmarket delights in the sort of local grime that can’t be bought — you’ve got to earn that kind of character. Cheap pitchers of beer, old-school candlepin bowling (seriously, the bowling alley is straight from the ’80s, without any screens or digitization) and karaoke several nights a week, Rumors is a throwback to simpler times. Let your guard down and go have fun with the locals. instagram.com/rumorsnh
While New Hampshire doesn’t exactly have “bodegas” the way a big city might, Katz’s Deli and Market in Dover is as close as you can get. Selling household goods like laundry detergent and ketchup, grilling up wonderfully greasy creations on their grill (with the cheapest egg sandwiches around and a solid selection of burgers, pizza and fried food) and featuring a great local beer selection, you can find just about anything you’d need in a pinch at Katz’s. katzdelis.com
The query of who makes the best breakfast sandwich in New Hampshire (or anywhere, really) is a hot topic. Everyone has their opinion — and we can only state ours: Bubby’s Bagel & Deli in Dover has our heart. Bubby’s runs out of the Dover Transportation Center, making for great grab-and-go if you’re hopping on the Amtrak or a bus. Inevitably, that leads to more Bubby’s trips when you’re not leaving town. Its bagels are New York style; its creative breakfast sandwich options are tasty and unexpected; its owner, Gregg Schweitzer, is charming and wry. Bubby’s first held court on the corner of Portsmouth’s Hanover and Bridge streets from 2015 to 2019 and is just starting to gain serious traction in Dover, having opened in April of 2020. If our opinion means anything, they’ve got the best breakfast sandwich in the Granite State. Don’t believe us? Stop by and see for yourself. bubbysdeli.com
BAKERY ★★★★★★★
OVERALL WINNER
Bearded Baking Co. Manchester beardedbaking.com
BAKERY ★★★★★★★
OVERALL WINNER
Multilocation Regional Frederick’s Pastries Amherst & Bedford pastry.net
BAKERY Concord Area The Crust & Crumb Baking Co. Concord thecrustandcrumb.com
BAKERY
Dartmouth/Lake Sunapee Region Blue Loon Bakery New London blueloonbakery.com
BAKERY Great North Woods Region Polish Princess Bakery Lancaster polishprincessbakery.com
BAKERY Lakes Region Basic Ingredients Bristol basicingredientsnh.com
BAKERY Manchester Area Black Forest Café & Bakery Amherst theblackforestcafe.com
BAKERY Monadnock Region Eat More Cake Keene eatmorecake.org
BAKERY Nashua Area Buckley’s Bakery & Café Merrimack buckleysbakerycafe.com
BAKERY Salem Area Klemm’s Bakery Windham klemmsbakery.com
BAKERY Seacoast Region Harvey’s Bakery & Coffee Shop Dover harveysbakery.com
BAKERY White Mountains Region Leavitt’s Country Bakery Conway facebook.com/LeavittsBakery
BARBECUE
KC’s Rib Shack Manchester ribshack.net
BREAKFAST PLACE
OVERALL WINNER
Polly’s Pancake Parlor Sugar Hill pollyspancakeparlor.com
BREAKFAST PLACE
OVERALL WINNER Multilocation Local Tucker’s tuckersnh.com
BREAKFAST PLACE Concord Area
The Windmill Restaurant Concord Facebook
BREAKFAST PLACE Dartmouth/Lake Sunapee Region Lou’s Restaurant & Bakery Hanover lousrestaurant.com
BREAKFAST PLACE
Great North Woods Region Full Send Bar and Grill Pittsburg fullsendbarandgrill.com
BREAKFAST PLACE
Lakes Region
The Farmer’s Kitchen Farmington farmerskitchen-nh.com
BREAKFAST PLACE Manchester Area The Purple Finch Café Bedford purplefinchcafe.com
BREAKFAST PLACE Manchester Area Multilocation Regional
The Friendly Toast Bedford thefriendlytoast.com
BREAKFAST PLACE Monadnock Region Parker’s Maple Barn Mason parkersmaplebarn.com
BREAKFAST PLACE
Nashua Area
Suzie’s Diner Hudson suziesdiner.com
BREAKFAST PLACE
Nashua Area Multilocation Local Red Arrow 24 Hr Diner Nashua redarrowdiner.com
BREAKFAST PLACE
Salem Area
Maddie’s Salem maddiesnh.com
BREAKFAST PLACE
Salem Area Multilocation Local
MaryAnn’s Diner
Salem
maryannsdiner.com
BREAKFAST PLACE
Seacoast Region
The Airfield Café North Hampton theairfieldcafe.com
BREAKFAST PLACE
Seacoast Region
Multilocation Regional
The Friendly Toast Portsmouth thefriendlytoast.com
BREAKFAST PLACE
White Mountains Region
The Sunrise Shack Glen sunriseshack.com
BREWERY
OVERALL WINNER 603 Brewery
Londonderry 603brewery.com
BREWERY Concord Area
Northwoods Brewing Company
Northwood northwoodsbrewingcompany.com
BREWERY
Dartmouth/Lake Sunapee Region
Flying Goose Brew Pub & Grille New London flyinggoose.com
BREWERY
Great North Woods Region
Copper Pig Brewery Lancaster copperpigbrewery.com
BREWERY Lakes Region
Kettlehead Brewing Co. Tilton kettleheadbrewing.com
BREWERY
Manchester Area
Pipe Dream Brewing
Londonderry pipedreambrewingnh.com
BREWERY Monadnock Region
Modestman Brewing
Keene modestmanbrewing.com
BREWERY
Nashua Area
Spyglass Brewing Co.
Nashua spyglassbrewing.com
BREWERY
Salem Area
Kelsen Brewing Company
Derry kelsenbrewing.com
BREWERY Seacoast Region
Throwback Brewery
North Hampton throwbackbrewery.com
BREWERY
White Mountains Region
Woodstock Inn Brewery North Woodstock woodstockinnbrewery.com
BREWPUB
Woodstock Inn Brewery
North Woodstock woodstockinnbrewery.com
BRUNCH The Old Salt Hampton oldsaltnh.com
BURGER OVERALL WINNER
Tuckaway Tavern & Butchery Raymond thetuckaway.com
BURGER Concord Area The Barley House Concord thebarleyhouse.com
BURGER Concord Area Multilocation Local T-BONES Great American Eatery Concord t-bones.com
BURGER Dartmouth/Lake Sunapee Region Little Brother Burger Company New London Facebook
BURGER Great North Woods Region Full Send Bar and Grill Pittsburg fullsendbarandgrill.com
BURGER Lakes Region
Surfside Burger Bar Meredith surfsideburgerbar.com
BURGER Lakes Region Multilocation Local T-BONES Great American Eatery Laconia
t-bones.com
BURGER
Manchester Area
New England’s Tap House Grille Hooksett taphousenh.com
BURGER
Manchester Area
Multilocation Local
T-BONES Great American Eatery
Bedford t-bones.com
For anyone tired of the side-eye they get when they take their kids to coffee shops, the Nest Family Café in Londonderry is the spot for you. Enjoy a lavender cold brew oat latte and turkey and cheese bagel for yourself while your kiddos sample from the “Picky Chickies” menu with items ranging from smoothies to snack boxes. The free nest play area, reading lounge and chalk wall are perfect sensory-friendly spaces for your kids to hang out while you do, too. (Don’t forget to ask a barista to join you in a chalk wall picture contest.) thenestfamilycafe.com
As you know, Manchester is the Chicken Tender Capital of the World (see our March-April “Informer”), and the Puritan Backroom Restaurant is the literal inventor of the chicken tender. While their tenders are the original, to be revered above all else, they’re not the only Manchester establishment serving up world-class tendies. Charlie’s of Goffstown specializes in chicken tenders with a twist; incorporating Ritz Crackers, Cheetos and even Cap’n Crunch cereal into their breading, and using a smaller, more tender cut of chicken for their meat, Charlie’s has become a Queen City-adjacent favorite for a reason. Their coconut-breaded tenders just might be their best. charliesgoffstown.com
With over 100 craft breweries in New Hampshire, it’s nearly impossible to single out the best — but Back Hill Beer Co. in Rochester truly feels like a “hidden gem.” Buried deep within the Gonic Mill complex, one must walk through a labyrinth of living New England history to arrive at the warm, welcoming taproom — and, of course, it’s worth it. Brewer and owner Peter LaPlante specializes in hazy New England IPAs but makes a solid range of venerable brews, from fruited sours and brown ales to American stouts and lagers. Back Hill also serves locally-baked soft pretzels from Potter’s House Bakery and Café alongside house-made beer cheese, a hearty snack to accompany the tasty pours. backhillbeer.com
Danielle and Joe were disappointed in the lack of options for Japanese cuisine in the valley, so they decided it was time to take matters into their own hands. They started Sushki in North Conway and hope to bring some fresh variety to the local food scene by asking, “What’s better after a day on the slopes than a steaming hot bowl of ramen, or after a beautiful day leaf peeping than some delicious sushi?” If you agree with those sentiments, you’ll probably want to buy one of Sushki’s signature T-shirts that read, “If there is no sushi in Heaven, I’m not going.” That’s the kind of devotion that makes (and seeks out) great sushi — even in the New Hampshire North Country. sushkinorthconway.com
BURGER Monadnock Region Papa Joe’s Humble Kitchen Milford papajoeshumblekitchen.com
BURGER Nashua Area Buckley’s Great Steaks Merrimack buckleysgreatsteaks.com
BURGER Nashua Area Multilocation Local T-BONES Great American Eatery Hudson t-bones.com
BURGER Salem Area The Copper Door Salem copperdoor.com
BURGER Salem Area Multilocation Local T-BONES Great American Eatery Salem and Derry t-bones.com
BURGER Seacoast Region Hop + Grind Durham hopandgrind.com
BURGER Seacoast Region Multilocation Regional Lexie’s Restaurants Exeter, Portsmouth, Epping and Dover peaceloveburgers.com
BURGER White Mountains Region Black Mountain Burger Co. Lincoln blackmtnburger.com
BURRITO Dos Amigos Burritos Concord dosamigosburritos.com
BURRITO Multilocation Local California Burritos Nashua californiaburritosnh.com
BUTCHER SHOP
Tuckaway Tavern and Butchery Raymond thetuckaway.com
CAKES
Jacques Fine European Pastries Pembroke jacquespastries.com
CAKES
Multilocation Regional Frederick’s Pastries Amherst and Bedford pastry.net
CHICKEN TENDERS
The Puritan Backroom Manchester puritanbackroom.com
CHINESE RESTAURANT
Lilac Blossom Nashua lilacblossomrestaurant.com
CHOCOLATIER Van Otis Manchester vanotis.com
CLAM CHOWDER
Petey’s Summertime Seafood Rye peteys.com
COCKTAILS
The Copper Door Bedford and Salem copperdoor.com
COFFEE ROASTER Blue Harbor Coffee Co. Hampton blueharborcoffee.com
COFFEE ROASTER
Multilocation Local A&E Coffee & Tea Amherst aeroastery.com
COFFEE SHOP ★★★★★★★
OVERALL WINNER Blue Harbor Coffee Co. Hampton blueharborcoffee.com
COFFEE SHOP
Concord Area
Revelstoke Coffee Concord revelstokecoffee.com
COFFEE SHOP
Dartmouth/Lake Sunapee Region
Lucky’s Coffee Garage Lebanon luckyscoffeegarage.com
COFFEE SHOP
Great North Woods Region The Granite Grind Lancaster facebook.com/thegranitegrind
COFFEE SHOP
Lakes Region
Wayfarer Coffee Roasters Laconia wayfarerroasters.com
COFFEE SHOP
Manchester Area
O’Shea’s Caife & Tae Londonderry osheasnh.com
COFFEE SHOP
Monadnock Region
Union Coffee Company Milford unioncoffee.co
COFFEE SHOP
Nashua Area
Riverwalk Bakery & Café
Nashua riverwalknashua.com
COFFEE SHOP
Salem Area
Farmhouse Roasters
Salem farmhouseroasters.com
COFFEE SHOP
Seacoast Region
Caffe Kilim
Portsmouth caffekilim.com
COFFEE SHOP
White Mountains Region Metropolitan Coffee House North Conway metcoffeehouse.com
CRAB CAKES
Surf Seafood Nashua and Portsmouth surfseafood.com
CRAB CAKES
Multilocation Local The Common Man thecman.com
CUPCAKES
Queen City Cupcakes Manchester qccupcakes.com
DELICATESSEN
Biederman’s Deli Plymouth biedermansdeli.com
DINER
OVERALL WINNER
Tilt’n Diner Tilton thecman.com
DINER
OVERALL WINNER
Multilocation Local Red Arrow 24 Hr Diner redarrowdiner.com
DINER
Concord Area
Northwood Diner Northwood facebook.com/NorthwoodDinerNH
DINER
Dartmouth/Lake Sunapee Region
Four Aces Diner West Lebanon 4acesdiner.com
DINER
Lakes Region
George’s Diner Meredith georgesdiner.com
DINER
Manchester Area Airport Diner Manchester thecman.com
DINER
Monadnock Region
Peterborough Diner
Peterborough peterboroughdiner.com
DINER
Nashua Area
Suzie’s Diner Hudson suziesdiner.com
DINER
Nashua Area Multilocation Local
MaryAnn’s Diner maryannsdiner.com
DINER Salem Area
The Bacon Barn Londonderry baconbarndiner.com
DINER Salem Area Multilocation Local MaryAnn’s Diner Salem, Derry and Windham maryannsdiner.com
DINER Seacoast Region Roundabout Diner and Lounge Portsmouth roundaboutdiner.com
DINER White Mountains Region Littleton Diner Littleton littletondiner.com
DISTILLERY Tamworth Distilling & Mercantile Tamworth tamworthdistilling.com
DOUGHNUTS Klemm’s Bakery Windham klemmsbakery.com
FAMILY-FRIENDLY DINING
The Puritan Backroom Manchester puritanbackroom.com
FAMILY-FRIENDLY DINING Multilocation Local T-BONES Great American Eatery t-bones.com
FAMILY-FRIENDLY RESORT
The Inn at East Hill Farm Troy east-hill-farm.com
FAVORITE RESTAURANT
OVERALL WINNER Pickity Place Mason pickityplace.com
FAVORITE RESTAURANT
Concord Area
Revival Kitchen & Bar Concord revivalkitchennh.com
FAVORITE RESTAURANT
Concord Area Multilocation
The Common Man thecman.com
FAVORITE RESTAURANT
Dartmouth/Lake Sunapee Region
The Refinery Andover refinerynh.com
Not a lot of competition is such a niche, but that doesn’t keep The Sleazy Vegan food truck from striving for gourmet excellence. To counter the “lunch coach” ambiance of the food truck world, Sleazy Vegan strives for hyper-local produce and partners with local purveyors for delicacies like their popular lettuce cups (including a spicy Thai peanut spin) or their many soups (try the roasted tomato soup with a “Grilled Sleaze,” aka vegan grilled cheese). Want something hearty? Our publisher says he had a “spicy vegan sausage that makes this committed carnivore sublimely satisfied.” thesleazyvegan.com
Cakes, macarons, monster cookies and jumbo cupcakes? Don’t mind if we do. Christy Skinner creates Mystic Sugar Bakery masterpieces at her North Conway shop where you can delight in enchanted forest décor while sampling a variety of fairy-tale-inspired treats. Unique cupcake flavors like Enchanted Forest, a chocolatefilled cake with tart sweet cherries, vanilla buttercream and dark chocolate ganache, and cookie flavors like campfire s’mores and peanut butter and jelly are Hansel and Gretel-like breadcrumbs leading you back for more. mysticsugarbakery.com
FAVORITE RESTAURANT
Great North Woods Region Rainbow Grille & Tavern Pittsburg rainbowgrille.com
FAVORITE RESTAURANT Lakes Region Patrick’s Pub & Eatery Gilford patrickspub.com
FAVORITE RESTAURANT Lakes Region Multilocation Local The Common Man Ashland thecman.com
FAVORITE RESTAURANT Manchester Area The Copper Door Bedford copperdoor.com
FAVORITE RESTAURANT Monadnock Region Greenleaf Milford greenleafmilford.com
FAVORITE RESTAURANT Nashua Area Surf Seafood Nashua surfseafood.com
FAVORITE RESTAURANT Nashua Area Multilocation The Common Man Derry thecman.com
FAVORITE RESTAURANT Salem Area The Copper Door Salem copperdoor.com
FAVORITE RESTAURANT Salem Area Multilocation The Common Man Windham thecman.com
FAVORITE RESTAURANT Seacoast Region Surf Seafood Portsmouth surfseafood.com
Kaffee Vonsolln, an Old World German-style café located on Daniel Street in Portsmouth since 2011, serves fresh roasted coffee from around the globe and is the sole coffee roaster left in downtown Portsmouth. The café’s ambiance and décor transport patrons to a streetside coffee house in Berlin or Munich as they enjoy fine pastries like German strudels and Bienenstiches. The café also has outdoor dining and sliding glass windows that allow patrons to enjoy the fresh air during the warmer months. A woman-owned café purchased in 2016 by a mom-dadand-daughter team, Vonsolln enjoys a great local and national following with people all over the country ordering their esteemed beans. kaffeevonsolln.com
GLUTEN-FREE OPTIONS
Multilocation Regional 110 Grill 110grill.com
GOURMET TO GO Angela’s Pasta & Cheese Shop Manchester angelaspastaandcheese.com
ICE CREAM ★★★★★★★
OVERALL WINNER Lago’s Ice Cream Rye lagosicecream.com
ICE CREAM Concord Area Johnson’s Dairy Bar Northwood Facebook
ICE CREAM Dartmouth/Lake Sunapee Region Sanctuary Dairy Farm Ice Cream Sunapee icecreamkidbeck.com
ICE CREAM Great North Woods Region Moose Alley Cones Pittsburg Facebook
ICE CREAM Lakes Region Jordan’s Ice Creamery Belmont facebook.com/jordansic
ICE CREAM Manchester Area Moo’s Place Homemade Ice Cream Derry moosplace.com
ICE CREAM Monadnock Region Walpole Creamery Walpole walpolecreamery.com
FAVORITE RESTAURANT White Mountains Region Woodstock Inn Brewery Woodstock woodstockinnbrewery.com
FAVORITE RESTAURANT White Mountains Region Multilocation The Common Man thecman.com
FINE DINING RESTAURANT Hanover Street Chophouse Manchester hanoverstreetchophouse.com
GLUTEN-FREE OPTIONS
Troy’s Fresh Kitchen and Juice Bar Londonderry and Derry troysfreshkitchen.com
ICE CREAM Monadnock Region Multilocation Regional Kimball Farm Jaffrey kimballfarm.com
ICE CREAM Nashua Area The Big 1 Ice Cream Stand Nashua thebig1icecream.com
ICE CREAM Nashua Area Multilocation Local Hayward’s Ice Cream Nashua haywardsicecream.com
ICE CREAM Salem Area Jay Gee’s Ice Cream Salem jaygees.com
ICE CREAM
Seacoast Region
Annabelle’s Natural Ice Cream
Portsmouth annabellesicecream.com
ICE CREAM
Seacoast Region
Multilocation local
The Beach Plum
North Hampton and Portsmouth thebeachplum.net
ICE CREAM White Mountains Region
Super Secret Ice Cream Bethlehem supersecreticecream.com
INDIAN RESTAURANT
Shalimar India Portsmouth shalimarindia.com
IRISH PUB
The Peddler’s Daughter Nashua thepeddlersdaughter.com
ITALIAN RESTAURANT
Villaggio Ristorante Manchester villaggionh.com
ITALIAN RESTAURANT
Multilocation
Fratello’s Italian Grille Manchester and Laconia fratellos.com
JAPANESE RESTAURANT
Masa Japanese Steak House Manchester masanh.com
LOBSTER ROLL
Tuckaway Tavern & Butchery Raymond thetuckaway.com
LOBSTER ROLL
Multilocation Local
The Beach Plum thebeachplum.net
LOCALLY SOURCED MENU Pickity Place Mason pickityplace.com
MAC AND CHEESE
Mr. Mac’s Macaroni and Cheese Manchester mr-macs.com
MEDITERRANEAN RESTAURANT
Amphora
Derry amphoranh.com
MEXICAN RESTAURANT
Vida Cantina Portsmouth vidacantinanh.com
MEXICAN RESTAURANT
Multilocation Local La Carreta lacarretamex.com
NEW HAMPSHIRE BREWER’S IPA Stoneface Brewing Co. Newington stonefacebrewing.com
NEW HAMPSHIRE BREWER’S LAGER 603 Brewery Londonderry 603brewery.com
NEW HAMPSHIRE BREWER’S SOUR BEER Pipe Dream Brewing Londonderry pipedreambrewingnh.com
NEW RESTAURANT The Nest Family Café Londonderry thenestfamilycafe.com
OUTDOOR DINING (Tie) Bar Salida Laconia barsalida.com
OUTDOOR DINING (Tie) Town Docks Meredith thecman.com
PIZZERIA ★★★★★★★
OVERALL WINNER
La Festa Brick & Brew Pizza Dover lafestabrickandbrew.com
PIZZERIA ★★★★★★★
OVERALL WINNER Multilocation Regional Sal’s Pizza sals.com
PIZZERIA Concord Area
Constantly Pizza Concord constantlypizza.net
PIZZERIA
Dartmouth/Lake Sunapee Region
Charlie Mac’s Pizzeria Warner cmacsderry.com
PIZZERIA
Dartmouth/Lake Sunapee Region Multilocation
Ziggy’s Pizza
Sunapee ziggys.pizza
PIZZERIA Gourmet 900 Degrees
Neapolitan Pizzeria
Manchester 900degrees.com
PIZZERIA
Great North Woods Region
Gold House Pizza & Greek Restaurant
Littleton goldhousepizza.com
PIZZERIA Lakes Region
Tilton House of Pizza
Tilton tiltonhouseofpizza.com
Candia Road Brewing Co. in Manchester keeps it crispy serving up craft beer at their brewery and taproom. Pairing a chicken bacon ranch crisper with a subtle banana wheat ale or a basket of nachos with a pint of sidewalk chalk may be great, but the best combination may be any of their hot dog varieties with an IPA or lager. Can’t get any better than that. candiaroadbrewingco.com
Alexandre Waddell, the chef and owner of Crémeux French Patisserie in Merrimack, brings a full knowledge and experience of learning his craft in Paris to New Hampshire. While there are plenty of cafés that serve pastries and sweets, Céemeux takes it’s a step further thanks to its owner. Besides macarons, eclairs and croissants, patrons can enjoy specialty items such as Verrine Tropicale and Tarte Tatin, fresh baked French breads and delightful Viennoiserie coupled with authentic French gourmet coffees and teas in a cozy café setting. Don’t forget about their selection of Belgium chocolates, which Waddell calls “the best in the world.” cremeuxfrenchpatisserie.com
In our state’s fast-growing food truck community, PEAKS Food Truck offers something special: REAL shaved ice. Unlike the crushed ice “snow cone” version, authentic Hawaiian shaved ice creates softer, flakier textures to deliver flavor to tastebuds with maximum impact. PEAKS hand-cranks their own ice and makes syrups from local fruits, honey and maple syrup. They also offer a variety of international “street foods” (like Filipino lumpia, bao buns, Korean fried chicken, falafel wraps and chicken tikka naan) scratch-made with local ingredients. Find them at Wolfeboro’s weekly (and excellent) farmers market, where they’re consummate regulars. peaksfoodtruck.com
Learn about Italy while feeling like you’re at home in Tuscany at Gusto Italian Café in Center Harbor. Owners Elena and Nick met on a train in Florence, and hope to give you a taste of their origins with noteworthy menu items like their authentic gusto panini. Grab fresh homemade pasta and traditional soup, or stop by Gusto Market to pick up a to-go meal for dinner. They also offer weekly cooking classes that round out this “all purpose” home away from home. gustocafenh.com
PIZZERIA Manchester Area Alley Cat Pizzeria Manchester alleycatpizzerianh.com
PIZZERIA Monadnock Region Zizza Pizza Milford zizzapizza.com
PIZZERIA Nashua Area OakCraft Pizza Nashua oakcraftpizza.com
PIZZERIA
Nashua Area Multilocation Local Kendall Pond Pizza Hudson kendallpondpizza.com
PIZZERIA Salem Area Granfanallys Pizza Pub Salem granfanallys.com
PIZZERIA Seacoast Region The Community Oven Epping thecommunityoven.com
PIZZERIA Seacoast Region Multilocation Regional The Flatbread Company Portsmouth flatbreadcompany.com
PIZZERIA White Mountains Region Elvio’s Pizzeria North Conway elviospizzeria.com
PIZZERIA White Mountains Region Multilocation Regional The Flatbread Company flatbreadcompany.com
RESTAURANT WITH BEST BEER LIST New England’s Tap House Grille Hooksett taphousenh.com
RESTAURANT WITH BEST BEER LIST
Multilocation Local Thirsty Moose Taphouse thirstymoosetaphouse.com
RESTAURANT WITH BEST WINE LIST Vino e Vivo Exeter vinoevivo.com
SANDWICH Biederman’s Deli Plymouth biedermans.com
SANDWICH Multilocation Local Wrap City Sandwich Co. wrapcitysandwiches.com
SANDWICH
Multilocation Regional Pressed Café Bedford, Nashua and Salem pressedcafe.com
SEAFOOD RESTAURANT Surf Seafood Nashua and Portsmouth surfseafood.com
SPECIALTY FOOD STORE
Angela’s Pasta & Cheese Shop Manchester angelaspastaandcheese.com
SPORTS BAR
Billy’s Sports Bar & Grille Manchester facebook.com/billys.sportsbar
SPORTS BAR
Multilocation Local Thirsty Moose Taphouse thirstymoosetaphouse.com
STEAKHOUSE
Buckley’s Great Steaks Merrimack buckleysgreatsteaks.com
TACOS Los Reyes Street Tacos & More Derry losreyesstreettacos.com
TACOS Multilocation Local La Carreta lacarretamex.com
THAI RESTAURANT Sweet Ginger Merrimack sweetgingerthai.com
THAI RESTAURANT Multilocation Regional Thai Smile Plymouth and Durham thaismilenh.com
VEGETARIAN Green Elephant Vegetarian Bistro & Bar Portsmouth greenelephantnh.com
WINERY OR VINEYARD Zorvino Vineyards Sandown zorvino.com
WINERY OR VINEYARD Multilocation Local LaBelle Winery Amherst and Derry labellewinerynh.com
WINGS
Stark House Tavern Weare starkhousetavern.com
WINGS
Multilocation local Wing-itz Hampton, Dover and Newmarket wing-itz.com
A lovely little vintage clothing store, HELLO AGAIN on Dover’s Central Avenue plucks the quirky and quixotic from the past and makes it new once more. Jackets, jeans, sweaters and vintage tees galore, HELLO AGAIN hand-tags each item with a small description, explaining from what aesthetic and era each piece derives. Driving by the storefront, animal-mask-clad mannequins posing in the display window — sporting vintage thrifty outfits, of course — are sure to catch your eye. The great selection inside will keep you coming back. instagram.com/ hello_again_dover
“My folks visited Pittsburg, New Hampshire and all I got was this lousy T-shirt” would not be a popular fashion statement, so Up North Trading Company in Pittsburg has upped its “top of the World of New Hampshire” marketing game with home décor, apparel, candles, dog bandanas, camp signs (like their Indian Stream Republic longitude and latitude coordinates sign) and gifty stuff for everyone. This sweet little shop on Main Street is owned and run by a mother/daughterin-law team, proving that in our North Country people stick together for the greater good. upnorthtrade.com
Bill is an award-winning trivia host and Alli is a professional musician, which makes them the perfect tour guides to take you and your friends around the local craft beer scene in the Manchvegas Brew Bus. They offer private and customizable four-hour tours around New Hampshire breweries, wineries, distilleries and meaderies complete with pretzel necklaces and snacks to enjoy as you travel around. manchvegasbrewbus.com
Even for car lovers, vehicle storage is not a sexy topic, but in a four-season state with vast regions of land, lake and sea to explore (by powered vehicle), it can be a hot commodity. Along with car collectors’ restored road machines of bygone ages to keep pristene, there are countless types of seasonal vehicles, boats, bikes, ORVs etc. in New Hampshire. Vault Motor Storage in Merrimack and Belmont is designed to store them all efficiently and safely in a secure, indoor and heated facility. Onsite detailing services are also available. vaultmotorstorage.com
ANTIQUE OR VINTAGE SHOP
Antiques on Elm Manchester antiquesonelmmanchester.com
AUTOMOTIVE GROUP
Grappone Automotive Group Concord grappone.com
BARBERSHOP
Homegrown Barber Co. Londonderry homegrownbarber.com
BEER STORE
The Beer Store Manchester and Hooksett thepackienh.com
BICYCLE SHOP
Gus’ Bike Shop North Hampton gusbike.com
BICYCLE SHOP Multilocation Local Goodale’s Bike Shop Nashua goodalesbikeshop.com
CATERER
Celebrations
Distinctive Catering Manchester celebrationsmenu.com
CBD SHOP
Clearly Balanced Days Bedford clearlybalanceddays.com
CIGAR SHOP
Twins Smoke Shop & Lounge
Londonderry and Hooksett twinssmokeshop.com
COMIC BOOK STORE
Double Midnight Comics Manchester dmcomics.com
DAY SPA (Tie)
Innovations
The Salon & Spa Merrimack innovationsnh.com
DAY SPA (Tie)
The Wingate Salon & Spa Stratham wingatespa.com
EVENT VENUE (LARGE)
LaBelle Winery Amherst & Derry labellewinery.com
EVENT VENUE (SMALL)
FLORIST
Ford Flower Co. Salem fordflower.com
FORMAL DRESS SHOP
Madeleine’s Daughter Bridal Portsmouth madeleinesdaughter.com
GARDEN CENTER Wentworth Greenhouses & Garden Center Rollinsford wentworthgreenhouses.com
HAIR SALON (SPECIAL OCCASION) Salon Bogar Londonderry salonbogar.com
HAIR SALON (Tie) Cassandra Salon & Spa Nashua cassandrasalon.com
HAIR SALON (TIE) Salon Bogar Londonderry salonbogar.com
HOME DÉCOR SHOP Junction 71 Merrimack junction71.business.site
INDEPENDENT BOOKSTORE
Gibson’s Bookstore Concord gibsonsbookstore.com
INDEPENDENT BOOKSTORE Multilocation Local Toadstool Bookshops Peterborough and Keene toadbooks.com
INDEPENDENTLY OWNED FITNESS CENTER Drive Custom Fit Salem drivecustomfit.com
INVITATIONS
Gus & Ruby Letterpress Portsmouth gusandruby.com
JEWELER Bellman Jewelers Manchester bellmans.com
JEWELER FOR ENGAGEMENT RING
Bellman Jewelers Manchester bellmans.com
Billed as “eclectic and affordable art for the masses,” BAD ART in Littleton is truly — and we cannot express truly enough — a unique spot. Jaunting through the spilled-over shop aisles is what entering Jimi Hendrix’s garage must’ve felt like. Cassettes, vinyl, boomboxes, quirky local art and as many baubles as the eye can see, the old soul with a knack for the far-out will feel right at home. facebook.com/BADARTGALLERY
Castle in the Clouds
Moultonborough castleintheclouds.org
FARMSTAND Lull Farm
Hollis and Milford livefreeandfarm.com
KID’S CLOTHING SHOP M&C Clothing and Gifts Amherst mcclothingandgifts.com
MEDICAL SPA
Ariya Aesthetics Bedford ariyamedspa.com
MEN’S CLOTHING SHOP
George’s Apparel
Manchester georgesapparel.com
OUTFITTER/GUIDE SERVICE
Redline Guiding
Intervale / redlineguiding.com
PET BOARDING
Pawquet’s Play & Stay
Londonderry pawquetsplaystay.com
PET GROOMER
Mac & Copper’s Pet Supply Outlet Portsmouth macandcoppers.com
PET SUPPLIES STORE
Four Your Paws Only North Conway fouryourpawsonly.com
PET TRAINING
No Monkey Business Dog Training
Concord / nomonkeybusinessdogtraining.com
RESORT/HOTEL SPA
Spa at Omni Mount Washington
Bretton Woods brettonwoods.com/activities/ spa/overview
SECONDHAND CLOTHING SHOP
M&C Clothing and Gifts
Amherst mcclothingandgifts.com
SKI SHOP
Ken Jones Ski Mart Manchester kenjonesskimart.com
TATTOO PARLOR
Arrows and Embers Concord arrowsandemberstattoo.com
TOY STORE
G. Willikers! Toys & Books
Portsmouth / g-willikersbooks-toys.myshopify.com
WINE SHOP
Wine on Main Concord / wineonmainnh.com
WOMEN’S CLOTHING SHOP
Gondwana & Divine Clothing Co. Concord gondwanaclothing.com
YOGA STUDIO
Humble Warrior Yoga Manchester humblewarriorpoweryoga.com
Sheafe Street Books in Portsmouth is what an indie bookstore should aspire to be: a labor of love and intellectual curiosity. This one-man-shop run by Ken Kozick, who lives in the second-floor apartment above the store, specializes in Beat-era literature, simply because that’s what Ken enjoys. But his selection extends way beyond Beatnik; Sheafe Street features a surprising range given its small space, including new, popular hardcovers, New England authors and a thoughtful curation of cookbooks — not to mention first-editions, old paperbacks and other rare versions of beloved classics and lesser-known gems alike. Take your time perusing the charmingly-crooked, overflowing shelves, and you might even spot Petunia (Ken’s cat) darting through the aisles. bookshop. org/shop/sheafestreet
Freeze dried candy is basically just candy with its extra moisture removed, enhancing its sweetness and flavors and giving it a lighter crunch. But why read about it when you can sample it yourself? Granite State Freeze Dried Candy operates a family-owned production facility in Manchester and is known for good customer service (a lot of their orders are for gifts). Their business plan took flight when owner Ed Wachenfeld started sharing his candy obsession on TikTok. Ed’s energy and the colorful array of treats were irresistible. Soon orders were flying in for freeze-dried gummy worms, jelly beans, Jolly Ranchers and such. granitestatefreezedriedcandies.com
A visit to a haberdashery was once a right of passage as a youngster matured and needed a suitable set of fashionable garments to wear into the frays of career and courtship. While things have changed — with T-shirts and dungarees now accepted even at church functions — Britches of Concord carries on the grand traditions. And they’ve done so now for two solid generations. Owner Ray Boucher learned the trade from his dad and grandfather, and the store continues to counsel customers and sell measure-to-wear suits for men (and women) along with professional attire, fine caual clothes and sportswear. britchesconcord.com
The digital revolution shows no signs of slowing down, but the human brain is still, essentially, an analog contraption that prefers atoms to electrons. This may explain the resurgence of popularity for vinyl records (and magazines you hold in your hands) and for the existence of Photo Retro of Amherst. Aspiring to be the “destination and source for film and analog photography,” Photo Retro provides darkrooms, studios, classes, supplies and a gallery, all to promote the art and science of “real” photography using film and paper and the economy of vision that was once required before you could take a gazillion images at every single event. (Analog film rolls often held only 24 exposures – can you believe it?) photoretro.biz
The Baby Boom was born with the moves to shake things up and that’s remained the case even while new generations (from X to Z) have lined up to take the generational reins. Now these “movers and shakers” are transforming the realms of senior living options. Best case example: our Lakes Region’s Taylor Community. This retooling of the concept of continuing care works both ways. They provide increased focus on the concerns of aging as residents live longer while also reconnecting seniors to the meaningful joys of their younger years with activities that don’t just entertain but challenge them to experience new growth and learning. Along with fully equipped fitness centers and an on-site pub, Taylor encourages such peak experiences as a Mt.Washington climb in June and their new outdoor pavilion draws townies as well as residents for entertainment, outdoor activities and al fresco dining. Maybe the beat really does go on. taylorcommunity.org
The Chaos and Kindness store in Laconia declares that they sell “the softest hoodies and t-shirts” but the F-word messaging on some of them might seem a little harsh. But that’s only for those who don’t “get” the Chaos and Kindness scene of human empowerment. Led by the same crew that brought you the Recycled Percussion shows (that sell out, predictably, wherever they are staged), Chaos and Kindness lives up to its three-word mission statement by showing that, even in this mad world, each person, no matter how humble or dysfunctional, has a stake and can make a positive difference. chaosandkindness.store
When the Dartmouth Ski Team had beautiful custom merino ski sweaters made for them by the New Hampshire business Delaine, they immediately became objects of desire for friends of the Dartmouth Ski Team and alumni. So, Delaine made them available to such insiders via a hidden page on their website. But it turns out we can all show our appreciation for the presence of Dartmouth’s Ivy League glory in our state if we choose, so we’re revealing the link to that “secret” page, below. Just don’t try to bluff a real Dartmouth grad by claiming alumni status unless you know the secret handshake and password.
skidelaine.com/ dartmouth
North Conway’s Cold River Radio Show has been celebrating the arts and culture of New England (with an emphasis on New Hampshire artists, authors, comics, storytellers and bands) for the last decade. Now they hope to provide the richness of their live-performance broadcasts to a growing audience, attracted by the sheer brilliance of the talent on tap, via their YouTube channel. “Lots of people say they didn’t really understand the show until they came to see it live at the theater,” says the show’s empresario and chief crooner, Jonathan Sarty. “We believe a strong YouTube channel will change that by giving people a sense of what the show is all about with our high-quality production and exciting performances.” Here’s a link to subscribe to updates when new shows are available: youtube.com/@coldriverradioshow?sub_confirmation=1
ART GALLERY Jackson Art Studio & Gallery Jackson jacksonartnh.com
MUSEUM Currier Museum of Art Manchester currier.org
MUSIC VENUE (LARGE) Bank of NH Pavilion Gilford banknhpavilion.com
MUSIC VENUE (SMALL)
Tupelo Music Hall Derry tupelomusichall.com
NH PODCAST NHPR’s Bear Brook bearbrookpodcast.com
Things have changed since a cameraman (almost always a man) had to skillfully crank the moving picture film at just the right speed to make a silent film. But then, as in the YouTube-saturated now, the capture of visual details was also the capture of current events, lifestyles, technology, celebrity, fashion, horror, sex and other flights of fantasy. Jeff Rapsis curates and preserves the vast array of silent films still available from the early years of last century (some just recently restored) and reveals just how rich and fascinating they still are with his improvised keyboard accompaniment and talks. jeffrapsis.com
NH RADIO MORNING SHOW Greg and the Morning Buzz morningbuzz.com
NH RADIO TALK SHOW
NHPR’s The Exchange nhpr.org
NH RADIO STATION
NH Public Radio
nhpr.org
NH SPORTS TEAM
The New Hampshire Fisher Cats Manchester milb.com/new-hampshire
TV NEWS ANCHOR
Erin Fehlau, WMUR wmur.com
TV NEWS REPORTER
Ray Brewer, WMUR wmur.com
TV SPORTS ANCHOR
Mike Cronin, WMUR wmur.com
THEATER/PERFORMING
ARTS VENUE
The Palace Theatre Manchester palacetheatre.org
As Portsmouth continues its inexorable climb into development, tourism and gentrification, now’s as important as ever for grassroots organizations to provide inexpensive community spaces for year-round Seacoast residents. Enter Drift Art House in Portsmouth. An offshoot of the stoner-surfer boutique retail shop The Drift Collective on Daniel Street, Drift Art House brings together community galleries (with a focus on young New England artists), artist studios and summer concerts via their backyard event space. Complete with a makeshift wooden stage, atmospheric hand-hung string lights and just enough legroom to really get to know other concert-goers (half of its charm is how small the backyard is), the whole operation feels so endearingly DIY — something Portsmouth’s in dire need of. Support local artists. Stop by Drift Art House on Fleet Street. drift-gallery.com
Todd Bookman started with NH Public Radio in 2009, so his name is somewhat familiar here in the Granite State, but increasingly his knack for finding important national stories with local angles has found it ringing bells in ears across the nation. Bookman’s report on a local shaman who was leading ayahuasca retreats in the woods of Canterbury hit just as interest in psychedelic therapies was peaking. His report on Rainbow Reload, a New Hampshire “LGBTQ gun club that offers experts and the gun-curious a chance to practice firearms skills in a supportive environment,” was picked up by former Fox News commentator Tucker Carlson whose protestations helped to spread the story even further. Great storytelling will always find a way, and Bookman seems to be just warming up his vocal cords. nhpr.org
The Strand, Dover’s performing arts center on Third Street, which first opened in 1919 — is Dan Demers’ eager passion project. Reopening the space in 2015, Demers (The Strand’s board president) has injected the lofty space with heaping amounts of new life and historical reverence; screening old and new movies (including a classic horror movie marathon each October) and hosting performers of every stripe on their stage (from independent filmmakers and hypnotists to comedians, psychic mediums and musicians), The Strand embodies old-school downtown New England history. It’s a lovely community fixture that feels simultaneously fixed in the past and present, with eyes toward the future. We’re lucky to have it. thestranddover.com
The Scott Spradling Big Band, a 12-piece band (w/ lots of horns!) plays tunes from Chicago, Billy Joel, Sinatra, Bublé and Huey and the News. Led by Scott Spradling, a former WMURTV political reporter known for his coverage of the New Hampshire Primary, this Big Band can really swing. Catch them in concert at several venues, including the Palace Theatre and Rex Theatre in Manchester. Visit their Facebook page to see where they’re playing (or have played — like our Best of NH Party last month). facebook.com/Thescottspradlingband
TIGER Theatre at Plymouth State is here to integrate guidance, education and responsibility through their programs so that local communities don’t have to face the social issues and concerns in their schools alone. Yeah, that’s a movement we can get behind. Their performances and workshops empower young people to make good choices and help teachers and counselors explore solutions to bullying and intolerance in their environments. facebook.com/Thescottspradlingband
Randy Armstrong is one of the leading lights of the world music genre, having practically birthed it with his band Do’a back in the 1980s. That band went on to recognition from the United Nations promoting the International Year of Peace in 1986. Armstrong’s new WorldBeat Marimba project performs on handmade South African marimbas as well as Trinidad/ Tobago steel pans and other exotic instruments, and it was inspired by a marimba band performance Armstong witnessed with Archbisop Desmond Tutu and his family in attendance. When even Tutu got up to dance, Armstrong commissioned a set of them from an ethnomusicologist in Cape Town. The unifying rhythm and uplifting melodies performed in them exert an influence on the mood and perhaps even the soul of listeners, drawing each one closer to the peace they possess within, beyond the reach of the clamoring world. randyarmstrong.com
NH Gay Men’s Chorus has been joyously promoting acceptance and diversity for a quarter of a century. “Despite overcoming fears and doubts in its early years, when acceptance of gay people in New Hampshire was scarce, today the NHGMC is more popular than ever all over the state and beyond,” reads a recent statement, while NH Governor Christopher Sununu calls them “truly a Granite State musical treasure.” This not-for-profit musical group performs two concert series per year — a Holiday series in December and a Spring series in May. The Chorus also gives Outreach performances throughout the year at assisted living centers, at interfaith services, at sports events, for government and civic groups and at Pride events. nhgmc.com
Glamping lovers and adventure seekers need to know about Lumen Nature Retreat in Woodstock. The gorgeous location and private environment create a sense of exploration, and their mix of Nordic cabins, spacious Safari tens and cozy A-frames give you that true “bedroom” in the woods experience. They are smaller than most campgrounds in the area, but that just makes it an even more private and cozy opportunity to enjoy a late night campfire after a day of kayaking around nearby Echo Lake. stayatlumen.com
Chef Stephen Nass moved here from the midwest where, he says, indigenous restaurants served a variety of foods honoring the original inhabitants of the great plains. Seeing nothing quite like it in New Hampshire, he consulted with local Abenaki leaders and has hosted two Indigenous Dinner Nights at the Independence Inn in Strafford, where he is chef and owner. Specialties like cranberry and duck pemmican over winter greens with shaved root vegetables or trout cake with scape oil and tree leaf dust were served with blueberry fritters with sugar maple frosting. As a farm-to-table restaurant, Nass took the additional step of boosting local farmers with a farmers market at the inn, every Sunday through October. Dinners are limited to 20 guests. theindependenceinn.com/happenings
Nearly half of the adults in New Hampshire have guns in their homes, yet the firearm-related death rate here is one of the lowest in the country. This has a lot to do with traditions of gun ownership in our sports-minded, hunter-friendly culture. But with gun ownership increasing among less experienced sectors of the population, there’s increased need for training and knowledge to keep guns secure and in the right hands. The Sig Sauer Academy offers a firearms educational experience at their facilities located on 140 acres in Epping with state-of-the art indoor and outdoor ranges, tactical training areas, urban environments, a shoot house, a maritime training area and a “force-onforce village.” It’s part of a selection of more than 110 courses for civilians, law enforcement agencies, and military professionals. sigsaueracademy.com
BED AND BREAKFAST
Inn at Ellis River
Jackson / innatellisriver.com
GOLF COURSE (PRIVATE)
Laconia Country Club
Laconia / laconiacountryclub.com
GOLF COURSE (PUBLIC)
Sagamore Hampton Golf Club
North Hampton / sagamoregolf.com
SKI RESORT
Loon Mountain
Lincoln / loonmtn.com
SUMMER OUTDOOR ATTRACTION
OVERALL WINNER
Santa’s Village
Jefferson / santasvillage.com
SUMMER OUTDOOR ATTRACTION
Dartmouth/Lake Sunapee Region
Mount Sunapee Resort
Newbury / mountsunapee.com
SUMMER OUTDOOR ATTRACTION
Great North Woods
Bear Rock Adventures
Pittsburg / bearrockadventures.com
SUMMER OUTDOOR ATTRACTION
Lakes Region
Gunstock Mountain Resort
Gilford / gunstock.com
SUMMER OUTDOOR ATTRACTION
Manchester Area
Canobie Lake Park
Salem / canobie.com
SUMMER OUTDOOR ATTRACTION
Monadnock Region
The Inn at East Hill Farm
Troy / east-hill-farm.com
SUMMER OUTDOOR ATTRACTION
Seacoast Region
Hampton Beach
Hampton / hamptonbeach.org
SUMMER OUTDOOR ATTRACTION
White Mountains Region
Storyland
Glen / storylandnh.com
The Farm at Wolf Pine Hollow in Hancock has it all — 100-plus acres, barnyard, farmstand, flowers, fruit, produce, events, kitchen, tasting house and even farm stay accommodations. Owners Tom and Ariane offer an authentic and unspoiled FarmLuxe experience where you can smell, taste and touch an agrarian lifestyle with products and experiences crafted for your enjoyment and lasting memories. Whether you are in town for a quick drive by or for a long weekend, this farm will leave you coming back for more pastoral life-meets-modern luxury adventures. wolfpinehollow.com
The self-proclaimed largest attraction center in the Seacoast, Somersworth’s Hilltop Fun Center is cut from the very fabric of a 10-year-old’s wildest summertime dreams. With go-karts, laser tag, mini golf, an arcade and a full bar for accompanying adults, there’s a whole lot of school-breakfun to be had for patrons of all ages. The batting cages also give hitters of all ages and abilities to conquer a mini-replica of the Green Monstah at Fenway Park. hilltopfuncenter.com
The metropolis of New York wouldn’t be the same without the huge natural space in its heart known as Central Park. Similarly, the sprawling Gate City of New Hampshire would seem a lot less leafy and family-oriented without the Mine Falls Park in Nashua for walking/biking. New Hampshire may be one of the most forested states in the country, but having greenspaces nearby is even more important for those who dwell in our concrete forests. A trip through the 325-acre park includes forest, wetlands, and open fields and provides the forest bathing experience to any city-dweller willing to take a walk and breathe it all in. nashuanh. gov/491/Mine-Falls-Park
While the digital gaming revolution gets blamed for social isolation and even anti-social behavior, it’s part of a world of modern game play where folks gather on tabletops and consoles as well as world-wide networks. It’s that kind of next-level social bonding that informs the mission of The Fourth Place in Hanover. The goal was to “create spaces where people feel at home sharing hobbies and passions, and where everyone is welcome.” That includes an online community, pop-up gaming events, geeky celebrations like Free Comic Book Day and fun sidetrips like their Sticker Club where a $15 subscription supplies a monthly envelope filled with iconic fandom and other club privileges. thefourthplacehanover.com
Can you believe it? The Children’s Museum of New Hampshire is officially middleaged, and celebrating 40 years of offering inquisitive kids learning to enjoy the world around them. Look for play groups for kids to makerspaces for anyone plus summer camps, autism-friendly programming and military appreciation with free entry during specified days. The museum includes interactive exhibits like their yellow submarine, where kids can operate the periscope to secretly search the museum above their heads, identify mysterious deep-sea sounds at the listening station, and use sonar to measure the distance of approaching objects. childrens-museum.org
Top doctors and a local health plan: A great combination for New Hampshire. Harvard Pilgrim’s robust coverage includes access to high quality doctors and specialists throughout the Granite State. Combined with unparalleled customer service and flexible programs, members can experience superior health care – right in their own neighborhood.
Learn more at HarvardPilgrim.org
“All the doctors I have seen in my network have been excellent. I appreciate Harvard Pilgrim very much.”
–Harvard Pilgrim member
If the idea of going to see a movie at the Wilton Town Hall Theatre in Wilton sounds like a rustic trip back in time, well, you’re half right. There’s a timelessness to this two-screen theatre that once featured vaudeville and silent films, but their standards for displaying the best of current cinema (and the occasional vintage silent film) are high and their popcorn is fresh with real melted butter. Residents of the Wilton area and fans of the Town Hall Theatre are aware of what a cinematic treasure they have. Folks from all over the state are getting the message. facebook.com/wiltontownhalltheatre
The Savory Lane takes the love of family road trips up a notch with their passion for food, travel and community, and their renovated school bus turned tour bus, Freddie. Owned by a group of mothers and daughters, this tour company offers unforgettable adventures that showcase the best of New England. Savor, gather, journey and dine your way through a birdwatching tour, tea party adventure to Portsmouth, farm-totable farm hopping experience, lavender picking at Pumpkin Blossom Farm and more. thesavorylane.com
Start your vacation with a trip to StoryLand in Bartlett, and then pop by next-door to Living Shores Aquarium that offers over 32,000 square feet of ocean life at their indoor walk-through aquarium. Visit touch pools, meet real-life sea creatures at a variety of exhibits, feed the Lorikeets, attend one of the many daily talks and stop by the Bistro for a flat bread and Gifford’s ice cream on your way home. livingshores.com
From body care to culinary oils to teas and animal feed, Sunfox Farm in Concord specializes in all things sunflower. Enjoy the taste and beauty of sunflowers while you connect with nature at the farm or during a farm-to-table dinner where you can indulge in delicious dishes crafted from locally sourced ingredients. Stop by their annual Sunflower Bloom Festival from August 12-20 where you can see their fields in all their golden glory, enjoy live music, sample local food and drinks and cut your own sunflowers. sunfoxfarm.org
Whether you are a fishing novice or pro, sight-seer or enthusiast, Eastman’s Docks in Seabrook has the tour adventure for you. The family-run business offers fishing tours, deep sea fishing, whale watching tours, firework cruises and even private charters for a memorable birthday celebration, family reunion or company outing. Don’t forget to stop by their restaurant, The Tuna Striker Pub for fresh seafood, steaks and chicken to close out your day at sea. eastmansdocks.com
Not many people love being from New Hampshire as much as Nick Lavallee does. His art-toy and apparel brand, Wicked Joyful, distills every ounce of that Granite State passion into for-purchase collectibles, including jokey, handmade action figures of New England heroes, shirts with regional slogans and his whimsical campaign to publicly declare Manchester the Chicken Tender Capital of the World (which, it is). As a former stand-up comedian, Lavallee knows the power that happiness and laughter hold. With Wicked Joyful, he’s hoping to spread that power throughout the state — and, hopefully, the world. shop.wickedjoyful.com
Did you know that January is New Hampshire Mocktail Month? Non-alcoholic drinks are all the buzz, and New Hampshire Liquor Commission has started teaming up with Brown-Forman and nearly 40 local restaurants to promote mocktails throughout the state during January. Past creations have included The Rooftop at the Envio in Portsmouth’s “Merry Christmas, Johnny Rose”, made with seedlip spice, raspberry syrup, rosemary honey, lemon and Q Mixers Club Soda, and The Barn at Bull Meadow in Concord’s “Forest in the Meadow,” made with maple syrup, orange spritz, orange soda and cola. The month’s libation festivities include an online recipe guide, featuring recipes from each participating restaurant, complete with all of the ingredients, garnishes and tips needed to create your own craft mocktail from home. explore.liquorandwineoutlets.com
There’s nothing like a good café — but not all cafés are created equal. There’s that rare, special café, filled to the brim with neighbors and community members happy to be sipping beverages, nibbling on pastries, talking shop and at leisure.
Newmarket’s Crackskull’s Coffee and Books is, indubitably, that special café. The odd, mismatched furniture, typewriter (inexplicably) glued to the wall, rows of carefully-curated used books and bins of carefully-curated used records concoct
an ever-soothing potion that could cure even the worst of days. Over 20 years in business, and home to an ever-growing number of community meetings and events, Crackskull’s is a lovely space to slow down, read a book, play a boardgame or simply converse with a friend or stranger. It’s that rare, special café that feels like home. crackskulls.com
The Highland cattle at Loudon’s Miles Smith Farm are all Scottish at heart (or at least have not denied it) but none quite as Scottish as Curious Bleu. Bleu was singled out early for his charming demeanor (and immortalized in the children’s book: The Curious Little Calf Named Bleu) but this young bull is most famous for clopping into the NH Scottish Highland Games opening ceremonies each September wearing a N.H. Tartan sash and carrying a young Scottish lass on his back. Afterwards he sits in the shade to pose for photos with hundreds of kids each year. His next parade might expand his fame, nationally. Organizers are hoping to bring Bleu to New York City for the Tartan Day Parade that put Scottish pride on display in all its many colors (and species) NHscot.org
Steve Paquin of Concord has almost single-handedly (actually, he uses both hands) added a new artistic dimension to the music festival experience. While concert-goes squander billions of pixels on thousands of bad digital photos and movies, Paquin sits quietly in view of the stage and creates permanent works of art — paintings on canvas — that immortalize the ephemeral bliss of noodle-dancing in a field while a jam band cuts a deep groove. He posts the images he creates and sells prints to fans (and often to band members) as colorful tributes (and useful reminders about when and where a favorite concert took place). He also livepaints for other events, weddings and such. Find him on Facebook under Steve Paquin Art. steviepaquin68@gmail.com
North Country Hard Cider in Dover produces seven hard ciders that can also be enjoyed in their Tasting Room year-round. The cidery recently was recognized as the first one in the New Hampshire Sustainable Craft Beverage Program for their work to produce eco-friendly beverages. The cidery takes great pride in the apples they use to make their delightful ciders and,roduces nine winter ciders, three fall ciders, 11 summer ciders and seven spring ciders northcountryhardcider.com
The social quest for global harmony finds a natural groove at the World Fellowship Center, Conway, where progressives and liberals and anyone, really, seeking a little peace and hope in this dubious and violent age can at least get away from it all for a while. For 80 years the camp has maintained a rich history of “speaking truth to power, defending civil liberties and promoting peace.” Along with providing space for gatherings and workshops on social issues, the center hosts performances, “Fun Nights,” events and weddings. “We envision a world where people are deeply rooted in our shared humanity and the pursuit of justice,” reads the mission statement (in part). worldfellowship.org
Red’s Good Vibes serves the local community with good food and “good vibes.” You won’t be able to miss the big red food truck when it rolls into town, but the hearts behind it are even bigger. Started by three siblings in honor of keeping their brother’s dream of owning a food truck alive, the nonprofit provides free, delicious meals to his community year-round with no questions asked. Their mission is to provide support and relief with kindness and no judgement for those currently living unsheltered, seniors, veterans, families or anyone with food security. Visit their website to learn more about how you can help and where they will be stopping by next. redsgoodvibes.com
Tucked along the Merrimack River in Hooksett is a picturesque gathering space for not only weddings, but collaborative community events, too. The Oscar Barn was built to celebrate all phases of life. Whether you are getting married under the foliage in the fall or sitting back and relaxing during a club meeting or 60th birthday party with family and friends, the multifaceted venue provides unique and quality meeting opportunities, ranging from Scottish spring celebrations to corporate get togethers that keep guests, nonprofits and businesses alike coming back for more. oscarbarnweddingvenue.com
New Hampshire Muscle Cars is the largest muscle car club in New England with over 9,500 muscle car owners, racers and enthusiasts from all New England states, but the majority its activity is in the State of NH. It’s all run by a group of 25 dedicated volunteers and seeks to promote the love of these gas guzzling road monsters (and their more elegant kin) through a Facebook group, a website, at local club events, at car shows, at the track, and at club organized car cruises. In the process they support local charities and causes, which is nice, but the thing that really fuels the passion of muscle car enthusiasts is getting those amazing hunks of metal out where they belong‚ on the rumbling road to adventure. nhmusclecars.com
A professional cook and his son set out in 2019 to open a hot dog shack on Hampton Beach and conjured up an idea so radical that might forever change the way that lobster lovers consume their favorite white meat — the Lobster Dog! This quirky amalgam of iconic beach and baseball foods quickly gripped the imaginations of the Hampton Beach crowd and even won first place for Lobster Roll and took the first place “Anything But” award at last year’s Seacoast Seafood Festival. Pat’s World Famous is now an embedded feature of Hampton Beach life, serving lobster rolls, lobster dogs, French fries and smoothies. And the simple world of the standard seaside lobster roll will never be the same. patsworldfamous.com
Know that you can dine, shop and explore with confidence — all of these advertisers are certified as the best, either as voted by our readers or selected by the editors of New Hampshire Magazine. You can’t go wrong with these current and past Best of NH winners.
Congratulations once again to all of our past and present winners.
We will bring you back to when life was simple. Since 1786 our quaint little red cottage has graced the hills of southern New Hampshire, seemingly untouched by time. The enchanting cottage was chosen by Elizabeth Orton Jones as the model for her illustrations in Little Red Riding Hood (Little Golden Books, 1948.) Today it is a mecca for gardeners, foodies, and anyone looking for inspiration and relaxation. Have a Pickity day!
"Cut flowers are the riches of summer's bounty"
— Anonymous
Health 102
Ayuh 104
STEM SELLS
Question: What's better than a pre-made bouquet of grocery store buds? Answer: The absolute freedom to select and pick your own fresh flowers outside in the open air. Nothing could be more inspiring than your own flower garden with row after row of beautiful blossoms. But if you don't have the time or space (or the green thumb), visit a local fresh-cut flower farm where you can pick and personalize your own beautiful bouquet.
Take a drive and visit New Hampshire cut-flower farms all over the state. Why not pack a picnic and spend a little time alfresco selecting your favorite herbs and flowers? Bring along a couple buckets and some flower snips to cut your bouquets. Twine is useful for hand-tying a mix of stems, and you'll likely want a hat and sunscreen for protection while traipsing through the petal patch. For both you and the blooms, remember to hydrate.
A cut-flower garden at the height of bloom offers so many shapely flowers in a decadent array of colors, but don't overlook the lovely and leafy foliage you can use as a foil to your blossoms. Fragrant mint, basil and lavender make wonderful accents, while bay leaves, heather and lambs ear add shapely color and style. For foolproof arranging, focus on a monochromatic arrangement of just one flower. Sometimes one blossom in a vessel is all you need to create a showy, unfettered display.
Go for flowers that will last for days on end.
• Larkspur
• Hydrangeas
• Zinnias
• Daisies
• Peonies
• Carnations
These are just a few of the many blooms to consider. Single blossoms like roses, poppies, sunflowers and coneflowers are all excellent choices.
Flower vases and vessels can be inspiring and add style to the final arrangement. Let the color, texture or pattern of the vase lead the way to create a showpiece worthy of the bounty of the season. For long-lasting fresh arrangements, change the water in the vase every other day.
Hampshire "cut-your-own" flower gardens provide a vibrant mix of lively blooms to keep your summer style fresh, fragrant and relaxed
Littleton Farmers Market > Littleton / littletonfarmersmarket.com
Littleton Food Co-Op > Littleton / (603) 444-2800 / littletoncoop.com
Mountain Roots Farm > Bethlehem / (603) 686-0296
mountainrootsfarm.org
Rosaly’s Garden and Farmstand > Peterborough (603) 924-7774 / rosalysgarden.com
Tarrnation Flower Farm > Sugar Hill / (603) 348-2223
tarrnationflowerfarm.com
Riverview Farm > Plainfield / (603) 298-8519 / riverviewnh.com
raphy, arts, crafts and flower shows. $3-$60. 5 to 10 p.m. on Wednesday and Thursday, 12 to 5 p.m. on Friday and Sunday, 1299 Dartmouth College Highway, North Haverhill. (603) 989-3305; nohaverhillfair.com
July 28-August 6
Freedom Old Home Week > Every summer the community of Freedom is one of only five NH towns that celebrate an “Old Home Week.” Freedom’s 124th Old Home Week will feature ducky day, a lawn party, a parade, an ice cream social, a 5K and more. Free. Times vary, Freedom. freedomoldhomeweek.com
July 29-August 6
July 6, 13, 20, 27
Atlantic Grill Music by the Sea > This summer concert series brings some of New England’s hottest bands to the Seacoast on Thursday nights. Enjoy great tunes from bands like Jumbo Circus Peanuts (seen above) or Joshua Tree in the seaside setting while supporting the Seacoast Science Center and their ocean education mission. Bring a blanket or chair, pack a picnic or purchase freshly grilled dinner food and cold beverages on site. Concertgoers can also enjoy the Center and its exhibits, free with concert admission. $15-$20. 6 to 8:30 p.m., 570 Ocean Blvd., Rye. (603) 436-8043; seacoastsciencecenter.org
July 1-2
Hampton Falls Liberty Craft Festival > More than 75 juried artisans from all over New England come to Hampton Falls to display and sell their American-made works. Crafts include pottery, fine art, aprons, ladies apparel, cutting boards, soaps, dolls, scarves, fine jewelry, country wood crafts, floral arrangements, vintage chic décor, mixed media, metal sculpture, glass garden art and more. Free. Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sunday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Town Common, 4 Lincoln Ave., Hampton Falls. castleberryfairs.com
July 8
Keep NH Brewing Festival > For a beer fest that’s all New Hampshire, all the time, look no further than this annual fête. The event features more than 50 Granite State breweries and over 130 craft beers on tap making it the largest single collection of NH breweries found at any event in 2023. $20-$65. 12 to 4 p.m., Kiwanis Waterfront Park, 15 Loudon Rd., Concord. (334) 603-2337; nhbrewers.org
July 15
American Independence Festival > If you didn’t get all the patriotism out of your system on the Fourth, then try this later homage to America. Activities at this 33-year-old fest include battle reenactments, lawn games, live music and enough
kids activities to keep the little ones entertained all day. Prices vary. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., American Independence Museum, 1 Governors Ln., Exeter. (603) 772-2622; independencemuseum.org
July 21-23
Great American Ribfest & Food Truck Festival > This amazing festival features great food, music, kids’ activities and beer. While you enjoy pulled pork, other delicious barbecue and games, your kids can take part in bounce houses, obstacle courses and more. Proceeds from the event will support the Merrimack Rotary Club. New for 2023 is an expanded kids area, kids 16 and under free on Saturday and Saturday, an exclusive Friday night concert with Slaughter and The Ben Cote Band, an exclusive people’s choice rib sampler and the final 90 minutes of Saturday and Sunday free, presented by the New Hampshire Army National Guard. $10-$59. Times vary, Budweiser Brewery, 221 Daniel Webster Highway, Merrimack. greatamericanribfest.com
July 26-30
North Haverhill Fair > Described as “Christmas in July,” the North Haverhill Fair features a boatload of free events. Crowd pleasers include concerts on Friday and Saturday nights, horse, pony and oxen stone boat pulling, a demolition derby, tractor and pulling events with transfer sleds, dairy, sheep, goat and dog shows for 4-H, an open horse show and art, photog-
Sunflower Festival > Coppal House Farm’s annual Sunflower Festival is a special event put on every summer to celebrate their beautiful sunflower fields. The farm harvests the sunflowers every fall to press the seeds into culinary oil — but they’re a sight to behold while blooming. Oilseed sunflowers blooms begin to turn their heads after only 12 days, so this week-long festival is a special, ephemeral time for flower lovers. Enjoy a sunrise in the sunflowers on July 30, an artisan craft fair, live local musicians, local food vendors and a series of mini-events while gazing on the sunflowers’ natural beauty. $6-$12. 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. each day, Coppal House Farm, 118 North River Rd., Lee. nhsunflower.com. New Hampshire Magazine is a proud sponsor of this event.
July 29
New England Hot Sauce Fest > Coming back for their second year, Spicy Shark presents a New England destination and celebration for hot sauce lovers. Featuring hot sauce samples from over 20 craft companies, music, food trucks, food challenges (including a hot pepper eating contest and a hot wing contest), craft vendors, Smuttynose Brewing Co. beer, bouncy houses and more, don’t miss out on the spicy-sweaty fun. Proceeds support the Blue Ocean Society and Seacoast Science Center. $11-$20. 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Smuttynose Brewing Co., 105 Towle Farm Rd., Hampton. newenglandhotsaucefest.com. New Hampshire Magazine is a proud sponsor of this event.
July 29
24th Annual Chocolate Fest > Enjoy an evening of chocolate temptations in Town Square accompanied by a free outdoor concert as the sun sets. Pack a picnic, or just bring a bottle of your favorite red or white libation and enjoy an indulgent evening in the square, on a blanket or with your toes in the sand. 6 to 9 p.m. Town Square, 33 Village Rd., Waterville Valley. waterville.com
July 9
Loon Mountain Race > This Granite State race is the race to end all races. It is 6.03 miles, 10.62 kilometers, has an elevation gain of 3,125 feet and an average slope of 14 percent. It has a reputation
as one of the country’s toughest mountain races in large part due to the kilometer ascent of North Peak, known as Upper Walking Boss. “The Boss,” as it’s colloquially termed, is around a kilometer of grassy slope with angles that exceed a 40-percent grade. Voted as one of the five classic vertical trail races in the U.S., this race is no joke. If you are feeling daring this summer, be sure to check this one out. $50. 7:30 a.m., Loon Mountain Resort, 60 Loon Mountain Rd., Lincoln. loonmountainrace.com
July 14-15
The Prouty > If you enjoy outdoor recreation of just about any kind, then you’ll find something to suit your tastes at this annual mega-fundraiser for the Dartmouth Hitchcock Norris Cotton Cancer Center. Cyclists can opt for 20- to 100-mile rides on the road or the 200-mile, two-day Prouty Ultimate; walkers can traverse anything from a 3K stroll through Hanover to an 11K walk in the woods; rowers can hit the Connecticut River for 5 to 15 miles; and golfers can enjoy a four-person scramble at the Hanover Country Club. Don’t like any of those? They also need volunteers. Prices, times and locations around Hanover vary. (603) 646-5500; theprouty.org
July 16
Crayon 301 > If you haven’t taken the plunge to attend a NASCAR race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, here’s your chance. New England’s only NASCAR weekend is July 14-16 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. The NASCAR Cup Series will make its traditional mid-summer visit to “The Magic Mile” on Sunday, July 16 for the Crayon 301. $10-$59. 2:30 to 5:30 p.m., New Hampshire Motor Speedway, 1122 Route 106, Loudon. (603) 783-4931; nhms.com
July 30
14th Annual Sunrise Ascent on Mount Washington > Get your hiking shoes and cameras ready for this sunrise hike. Before dawn, teams ascend the Mount Washington Auto Road to reach the 6,288-foot summit. Each team includes an athlete with a disability and a team of crew, who support the athlete as they climb to the summit. After the teams complete their hike to the summit, roadrunners help to transport athletes and their crew back down to the base area. Volunteers help throughout the event, with set up, registration and the celebratory after-party at the base of the Mount Washington Auto Road. Together, the teams are inspired by the beauty of the sunrise, the majesty of the Presidential Range and the determination shared amongst them.
The goal for this event is to raise over $200,000 to help fund the operating budget of Adaptive Sports Partners. Donations accepted. 3:45 a.m., Auto Road, Gorham. (603) 823-5232; adaptivesportspartners.org
Tuesdays through Fridays
2023 Bank of New Hampshire Children’s Summer Series > Are you a Disney fan? This summer play list is for you. The Summer Children’s Series boasts a variety of well-known and beloved stories that include music, dancing, audience participation and more. Even better? Your kiddos have the
opportunity to meet the characters at the end of every show. This year’s lineup includes magician BJ Hickman, Beauty and the Beast, Rapunzel and more. $10. Shows at 10 a.m. and 6:30 p.m., The Palace Theatre, 80 Hanover St., Manchester. (603) 668-5588; palacetheatre.org
July 7, 8, 14, 21, 23 28
Vernon Family Farm Live Music Series > This favorite family farm is known as a one-stop spot for shopping local, but their outdoor music series is one for the books, too. Every Friday and second Saturday of the month from May to October, the farm hosts live music, including bands like High Range and Superfrog, and offers delicious local food from their very own farm-to-table restaurant, Vernon Kitchen. New to 2023, the farm plans on hosting a Sunday brunch on the fourth Sunday of each month. Grab your friends and family and head over for a night (or morning) of community, rotisserie chicken and music at a space that nurtures the human desire to connect and love. Prices vary. 5 to 8 p.m., Vernon Family Farm, 301 Piscassic Rd., Newfields. (603) 340-4321; vernonfamilyfarm.com. New Hampshire Magazine is a proud sponsor of this event.
July 14-August 27
HAIR at the Seacoast Rep > For decades, audiences have flocked to the brilliant shooting star that is HAIR — the American tribal love rock musical. Against the backdrop of the Vietnam war, the counterculture of the ’60s is melted into a psychedelic tapestry of
ence that defies description. A celebration of life, love and radical peace, this 1968 musical has remained relevant for half a century, featuring billboard hits like “Aquarius,” Good Morning Starshine” and “Let the Sunshine In.” Join the glorious rock revolution that defined a generation: HAIR! Prices and times vary, Seacoast Repertory Theatre, 125 Bow St., Portsmouth. (603) 433-4472; seacoastrep.org
July 15, 22
Lynda Cohen Performing Arts Series > Originating from her love of music and the mountains, Lynda Cohen imagined a series where people from far and wide can come together nestled among the mountains of Crawford Notch to enjoy live tunes. July performers are Della Mae, on July 15, and Dwight + Nicole, on July 22. Free. 7 to 9 p.m., AMC Highland Center, Bretton Woods. (603) 466-2727; visitwhitemountains.com
July 29
New London Historical Society Antique Show & Sale > Get ready for the 55th annual Antique Show and Sale on the New London Historical Society’s grounds. Goosefare Antiques and Promotions of Saco, Maine, is helping bring over 50 quality dealers to the show. The proceeds of the event will help the historical society. $8. 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., New London Historical Society, 179 Little Sunapee Rd., New
Throughout July 603 History Hunt > See New Hampshire in ways you never have before. Held during the month of July, the New Hampshire Historical Society’s 603 History Hunt is a statewide scavenger hunt that tests your knowledge of the Granite State and takes you on the road to complete a series of challenges. Visit the world’s longest candy counter, locate a scene from the movie “Jumanji,” or find an 8,000-year-old summer camp — all located right here in the Granite State. Choose which challenges to accept based on your own interests and abilities, with hundreds of challenges to choose from. It’s a great activity for families, friends, couples or on your own, as people can participate as a team or as individuals. Prizes will be awarded in a variety of categories. Participation in the 603 History Hunt is free and open to the general public. This event is sponsored by Merrimack County Savings Bank. nhhistory.org
Find additional events at nhmagazine.com/ calendar. Submit events eight weeks in advance to Caleb Jagoda at cjagoda@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.
New Hampshire’s attractions, beaches, wineries, galleries and more are ready to welcome you for an epic season of warm-weather excitement. The following advertisers are a great resource for starting your summer plans.
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pared to have those on hand prior to travel, Dayno says.
Elliot Hospital, part of the SolutionHealth system, uses the Epic electronic medical records system, which holds the medical records of most patients in the United States and can “talk” to any health care system that uses that system. If you have an app on your phone that gives you access to your medical records, it will help get you the right medications and assist any health care provider who may need to treat you, says Dr. Brett Sweeney, an emergency medicine doctor and medical director of the emergency department at Southern New Hampshire Medical Center in Nashua, also part of SolutionHealth. Even if you don’t have an EMR app, you can also protect yourself by plugging health information into your smartphone.
“The iPhone wellness app lets you go in and put all of your pertinent information, so if you’re assessed during an emergency, we have a list of all your allergies and medical history,” Sweeney says.
Whether you’re envisioning an action-packed vacation or one that mostly involves lounging in your beach chair, emergencies can pop up any time you travel. Visits to the emergency room ramp up as temperatures rise. Top reasons for emergency visits in the Granite State include injuries incurred by car and motorcycle accidents, sunburn, heat exhaustion and tick bites. While you can’t anticipate accidents or illnesses, you can stay safe during your vacation by planning accordingly and knowing what to do in the event of an injury or health scare.
Engage in Pre-Trip Recon
Planning ahead can be your best course of action to avoid an emergency room visit.
Even if you’re staying closer to home, you should understand your medical conditions and the medicines you should take along with you, according to Dr. Matt Dayno, an emergency medicine doctor and medical director of the emergency department at Elliot Hospital in Manchester. He also suggests bringing a list of your medications and any allergies you might have. Should you forget your medication or suffer from allergies while you’re away, there are actions you can take.
“If you have an existing relationship with a primary care provider in your region, reach out to them first,” Dayno says. “Many prescriptions can easily be called into a local pharmacy if it’s an existing medication.”
However, controlled drugs can’t be called into a pharmacy, and you should be pre-
Preparing for health care emergencies can be trickier if you’re traveling outside the United States. While health insurance usually covers you throughout the country, that’s often not the case if you travel internationally. Sweeney suggests that travelers strongly consider buying international trip insurance.
“If you’re seriously injured, and you need to get back to the U.S., that would be your insurance coverage,” he says. “When you’re young and healthy, you think it can’t happen to you, but as you get older, you need to think about these things.”
When the Unexpected Happens
Emergency rooms are notorious for long waits, but there are alternatives. Oftentimes, less serious injuries or health concerns — such as sprains, cuts, insect bites and ear infections — can be treated in an urgent care, or “immediate care” setting. Dr. Dayno encourages travelers to map out urgent care locations before they arrive at their vacation destinations. He also warns
that not all urgent care centers are staffed with emergency physicians, and some might not be open when you need them. The three Elliot Urgent Care centers in Bedford, Londonderry and Manchester are all overseen by board-certified emergency physicians, he says, whereas others might be staffed with family practice providers or physician assistants.
“You can go on our online portal and preschedule an appointment for same-day, based upon the volume of patients we’re seeing,” he says. “It’s helpful for staff and patients to be aware of the timing of their arrival. We take walk-ins, too.”
You may need to visit a hospital emergency department for major injuries and illnesses. Although people faced long wait times over the winter, Sweeney says staffing has improved over the past few months.
“Rest assured, if you show up to the emergency room and require immediate care, you’ll get priority first,” he says.
In response to the COVID pandemic, Elliot Hospital recently doubled the size of its emergency room, adding 28 new private patient exam rooms, three new state-of-theart trauma rooms, three new triage rooms
and nine new dedicated bays for rapid triage and treatment.
“We are better equipped for enhanced infection prevention and handling surges in demand,” said Kelly Scargill, SolutionHealth’s public relations and communications director. “We made modifications to allow us to better isolate infectious patients, increase ventilation and air filtration systems, and add additional oxygen ports to care for an increased number of patients, making it better equipped to handle future surges in demand for care.”
It’s easy to let your guard down while you’re enjoying much-needed R&R. And it can be scary to contemplate requiring medical care away from home. However, thinking ahead and making wise choices can keep you safer and healthier. Here are a few tips from the Centers for Disease Control:
· Remember to reapply sunscreen and stay out of the sun during peak hours to avoid sunburn and heat stroke.
· Pay close attention to loved ones during
water activities, including swimming and boating.
· Avoid speeding and wear a helmet on your motorcycle or four-wheeler. Remember to buckle up in your car.
Take an emergency first-aid kit with you that contains bandages, antibacterial ointment, prescription medications and insect repellent.
Practice frequent handwashing to avoid stomach and respiratory illnesses.
You should also be on the lookout for ticks, which are prevalent in our area, Dayno says. Should you get bitten, you risk Lyme disease transmission after 24 hours unless you can get a dose of doxycycline. After 72 hours, providers start to get more concerned and have patients take a longer course of antibiotics, he says.
Sweeney says that staying aware of changing weather conditions will also keep you safer.
“It may be 85 degrees and sunny at the bottom of Mount Washington, but when you get to the top, you should have a plan to handle Mother Nature and the environment around you,” he says. NH
Thursday
best show of its kind in New England…” – MAINE ANTIQUE DIGEST
Iwas never a Boy Scout. Frankly, it sounded like too much work, and I figured my knobby knees would look funny in those short pants. This meant that I missed out on all those fun activities like starting a fire without matches on a rainy day, or setting up a tent on top of an ant hill, or spying on the Girl Scout camp to check out their knobby knees.
Of course, what I really missed out on was getting merit badges, not to mention a classy sash to display them on. However, as a lifelong resident of New Hampshire, I have developed a list of semi-useful skills and habits that, to my mind, deserve recognition. So, I’ve come up with Granite State Merit Badges, awarded only to those who have striven to achieve the highest standards of New Hampshire living, or who simply have too much time on their hands. In keeping with the times, these badges are gender neutral. If you’re brave enough to wear one, I don’t care what bathroom you use.
To earn this badge, you must own a minimum of five items of flannel clothing, and you must wear them throughout the year. In New Hampshire, flannel is our major fashion statement. All right, let’s be honest, it’s our only fashion statement, unless you count L.L. Bean boots, which only count if they are more than 10 years old.
To earn this one, you must eat lobster from the shell and eat it all, every little bit, down to the last morsel in the last leg. (No, you don’t have to eat the green stuff, called tomalley. We’re not monsters.) Note: Eating a lobster roll does not count, nor does lobster served in a fancy restaurant with a reduction of organic Romanian raspberry sauce. You have only melted butter, the way God intended lobster to be eaten.
To be worthy of this badge, you must demonstrate frugality on a master’s level. Examples of prize-winning parsimony include: refusing to part with an item of clothing simply because it has holes in it; saving and reusing aluminum foil, rubber bands or string; bringing home those little bottles of shampoo and conditioner from motels; and repairing your car with so much Bondo that a magnet will no longer stick to it.
To earn this badge, you must demonstrate an ability — nay, an enthusiasm — for driving on roads that would make people from Florida and southern California break out in a cold sweat. Acceptable conditions include snow-covered, black-iced, mud-mired, washboarded, and roads subject to bars and gates.
Successful recipients of this badge will be able to respond with simple one- or twoword expressions to any and all situations including: proposals of marriage, the house catching fire, winning the megabucks lottery and the unplanned arrival of triplets.
This badge is awarded only to those who have eaten baked beans made from scratch. Applicants from uncivilized areas, where beans only come in cans, may apply for a special exemption. An additional ribbon is attached for those who actually make the beans themselves, and a special double ribbon for using salt pork and a real bean pot. We’ll be right over.
For this badge, you must have used duct tape for something other than fixing a duct, including auto body work, shoe repair, patching window screens and emergency first aid. Thanks to a recent ruling from the merit badge council, colors other than the original grey are now allowed in the interest of diversity.
For this one, you must swear that you will only abide 100% maple syrup, preferably from New Hampshire. (If stranded on a desert island and only out-of-state syrup is available, you’re excused.) You must also present a minimum of five ways to use maple syrup other than on pancakes and waffles. I can think of a dozen without even straining my brain. If you make your own syrup, you get a special ribbon and our heartfelt admiration. That is not a pastime for sluggards. NH
BY FRED MARPLE
Improve cancer outcomes by up to 25%
Getting treatment at an NCI-Designated Comprehensive Cancer Center means you have access to the very best care and research in the nation. With only 53 centers in the U.S. and three in New England, Dartmouth Cancer Center is the only one close to home.
Dartmouth Cancer Center combines advanced treatments, better outcomes and compassionate care. Our patients consistently rank us in the top 98th percent nationally for exceptional patient experience.
When you have been diagnosed with cancer, hope starts here.
Learn more at cancer.dartmouth.edu
A diagnosis of cancer is hard. Getting
best treatment shouldn’t be.
