Feeding our neighbors - Seacoast Scene - 12/10/20

SOUTHERN BLUE TRAIN EATS COCKTAIL P. 10 P. 14 DECEMBER 10, 2020

Feeding our neighbors Helping families keep their pantries stocked and more ways Granite Staters are supporting each other

INSIDE: HAMPTON RESIDENT PENS CHILDREN’S BOOK

A WORD FROM LARRY

Goodbye It is with a saddened heart that I am writing this today.

The Seacoast Scene will not be published in January, February and March of 2021, and while it is scheduled to start up again in April, I will probably not be back.

I love running the Scene; Larry Marsolais this has been the best job I’ve had in my 50 years of working. It has been an amazing six years of meeting people and being able to do what I could to help out all of our small local businesses. I am a people person, and being the general manager of a newspaper is just an amazing job. I have met so many business owners and have made a connection with all of them.

Writing this little column, A Word from Larry, has given me a great feeling of being able to help out and let you know what is going on.

I want to thank the owners of the Scene for giving me this great opportunity back in February

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SEACOAST SCENE | DECEMBER 10, 2020 | PAGE 2

Larry Marsolais is the general manager of the Seacoast Scene and the current president of the Hampton Rotary Club.

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of 2015 — it has been an amazing ride. In all of my job careers I would have never thought that I would have been involved in publishing such a great product each and every week. I can’t say enough about our editor! She is a wonderful person and made my little column look great every week.

Because of her I have become a much better writer. The rest of the staff, from production to sales and all of the office staff in Manchester, thank you!

To all of our loyal readers, it is because of you, continuing to pick up your copy each week that has made this paper the great product that it is, and your comments will be missed. So many of you have come up to me on many occasions and said, “I love the Scene, and you’re doing a great job.”

That means a lot, and I will miss all of this.

Goodbye, and thanks for the memories.

Advertising Staff Larry Marsolais Seacoast Scene General Manager 603-935-5096 larry@seacoastscene.net

Editorial Staff Editor Meghan Siegler msiegler@hippopress.com Editorial Design Tristan Collins Contributors Shane Jozitis, Michael Witthaus, Matt Ingersoll, Angie Sykeny, Jennifer Graham, Jeff Mucciarone, Michelle Pesula Kuegler

Production Tristan Collins, Alex Kusnarowis

Circulation Manager Doug Ladd, 625-1855, Ext. 135 dladd@hippopress.com

COVER STORY 4 Feeding our neighbors

PEOPLE & PLACES 8 The coolest Seacoast dwellers and scenes

FOOD 12 Eateries and foodie events

POP CULTURE 16 Books, art, theater and classical

NITE LIFE 18 Music, comedy and more

BEACH BUM FUN 20 Puzzles, horoscopes and crazy news

Have an event or a story idea for the 132710

Seacoast Scene? Let us know at: editor@seacoastscene.net Unsolicited submissions are not accepted and will not be returned or acknowledged.

Unsolicited submissions will be destroyed.

Your weekly guide to the coast.

Published every Thursday (1st copy free; 2nd $1).

Seacoast Scene PO Box 691 Hampton NH 03843 603-935-5096 | www.seacoastscene.net

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Feeding neighbors Helping families keep their pantries stocked and more ways Granite Staters are supporting each other

This year’s need for volunteers has been next-level, with shelters, food pantries, healthcare facilities and other nonprofit organizations dealing with increasingly higher numbers of people seeking not only the basics, like food and housing, but also masks and other personal protective equipment, plus in-home services due to stay-at-home orders and quarantining. Meanwhile, nonprofits have had to get creative in order to provide those services safely, and to continue raising the money that supports their programs. Gretchen Stallings, executive director of Volunteer NH,

said Granite Staters have really stepped up. “Volunteers quickly engaged, helping with tasks such as distributing food and checking on neighbors during the pandemic,” she said. “Organizations across the state acted nimbly, mobilizing technology and establishing safety protocols.” Here, we asked some all-star volunteers — several of whom were honored with Volunteer NH’s 2020 Spirit of NH awards during a virtual ceremony on Dec. 9 — to tell us via email what they’ve been doing, how the pandemic has affected their work, and what you can do to help.

community service much differently. For the past several years, most of our charitable funds have been raised through our participation in the Hampton Seafood Festival and Reach the Beach Road Marathon. With the cancellation of both events due to the pandemic, our club has had to really think outside the box and adapt to these unprecedented times. We started off the Rotary year with a good old-fashioned car wash in July, where 20 or so masked Rotarians volunteered an afternoon to wash cars. We didn’t raise a lot of money, but it was a good day of fellowship. Then in September our club hosted a Virtual Charity Day, and currently we are holding a raffle for Rotary-themed Cornhole boards.

We’ve actually been pretty busy trying to come up with new fundraising ideas, while staying safe. With social distancing being the new temporary “norm,” we’ve had to make some tough decisions this year, while some were decided for us. For many years our club members have enjoyed visiting the classrooms at the Centre School in Hampton once a week and reading to the kids. Unfortunately, with remote learning and safety guidelines, this is not happening this year. Hopefully, next year we’ll be back in the classroom! Another of our community service projects we’ve had to alter this year is our annual delivery of poinsettias to our community’s shut-ins. For some of these people, this is the only joy of the season they would have received, and it was disheartening to think they would not be receiving one this year. As an alternative, our club will be sending out nearly three hundred holiday cards with a hand-written note in each, to let the recipients know we are thinking of them.

between 8- to 12-hour shifts, filling the role of an LNA and helping out wherever I could. At times I had to jump into EMT mode as residents started to destabilize and the nurse and I would do everything in our power to get them stable again.

Deb Marsolais. Courtesy photo.

Deb Marsolais

Hampton Rotary Club What is your role in the organization?

Currently, I am serving as secretary of our club. I first joined Hampton Rotary in 2005, and became secretary in 2007, and membership chair in 2008. The following year, I found myself on track to become club president, which is a three-year process. I served as president in 2011-2012. Over the years, I’ve held a number of board positions.

What kinds of things do you do?

As secretary, I’m responsible for updating membership info, tracking attendance, club correspondence, taking notes and transcribing the minutes of our board meetings. A lot of the stuff you’d expect a secretary to do.

Why did you get involved?

I first became interested in Rotary when my employer joined in 2000. Before that, I had never heard of the organization. As he got more involved, he would ask me to help out with some of Hampton Rotary’s community service projects, and I was “bitten” by the volunteer bug!

How has the pandemic affected your efforts, both personally and within your organization?

Since the start of the pandemic, we have had to approach both our charitable fundraising and

Why did you get involved?

I got involved because I have skills and training that were in high demand (and still are) and I couldn’t just stand by and do nothing. I believe in leading by example and I hope my actions will inspire others to do the right thing, even if it’s scary. I am a stay-at-home mom Jaimie Adams. Courtesy photo. with a 2½-year-old, at the time, and my mothWhat are you doing to take care of your own er was able to take care of my daughter while I was gone and my husband worked. I try to take well-being during this crazy time?

Family is very important to me, and I became care of people and help out whenever I can — a first-time grandmother in January of this year. it’s just who I am.

Basically, right before everything was shut How has the pandemic affected your efforts, down. It was very hard not seeing my grandboth personally and within your organization? son Ryder for those first few months, but now The pandemic has taken a normally slow I enjoy watching him every Thursday. He has brought a lot of joy into our family, which has organization, business-wise, and increased helped keep our spirits up. So between Rotary, the workload exponentially. There are limited Ryder and working, I’ve been keeping myself amounts of people to help and a lot of help is needed right now so resources are thin. I started focused and pretty busy. out early in the pandemic volunteering for the Metropolitan Medical Response System, conJaimie Adams ducting testing, and training others on how to Spirit of Seacoast Medical Reserve NH Award Corps/Central New Hampshire do the testing. I did this before I began my work winner in the nursing home and also a few times while Medical Reserve Corps working in the nursing home. Being gone for so long had a negative impact on my daughter, What is your role in the organization?

My role in the organization is to respond to which has been [difficult] to overcome. I just requests for help as a licensed EMT or any oth- pray as she gets older she will understand what er duties that fall under my scope of practice, I did and why I did it. I was a hospice volunteer and volunteer firefighter prior to the pandemic whenever available.

What can others do to help? and I have had to give everything up because The Hampton Rotary Club is always lookI simply do not have the time any longer. This What kinds of things do you do? ing for new members to join us in our efforts, A request was put out asking for LNAs to was tough for me because I absolutely loved and to bring fresh ideas to the table. Please visit work in an Assisted Living Care Facility for volunteering in both organizations. our website at hamptonrotary.org for informa- a couple weeks with the possibility of being tion about our club. If you’d like to donate to extended, as they had active Covid cases withWhat can others do to help? our charitable account, our mailing address is in the facility. I volunteered to help out, with Others can help by signing up for NH Hampton Rotary Club, PO Box 353, Hampton, the agreement that the State could get me hous- Responds and see if you have any of the skills NH 03843-0353. ing so I didn’t pass Covid on to anyone else in that are desired: doctors, nurses, LNAs, parathe event I became infected. I worked anywhere medic, EMTs, the list goes on. Even if you don’t

SEACOAST SCENE | DECEMBER 10, 2020 | PAGE 4

Noelle Prince, 10, of the Team Bronze Award Project.

Courtesy photo.

Isabel Povey. Courtesy photo.

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mined, and they always find a way to meet have any medical background you can still be new challenges. an active member in a support role. If you have the time, please take that step because everyWhat can others do to help? one is already exhausted and we are just hitting Girl Scouting is open to any girl — and adult wave 2. volunteers — and provides many ways to not just help during the pandemic, but to make their What are you doing to take care of your own community a better place in which to live at any well-being during this crazy time? time. See girlscoutsgwm.org.

I am just trying to keep a toddler alive, entertained and learning and support my husband as Isabel Povey much as I can as he works long hours. My wellSpirit of Seeds of Hope being? Sleep would be nice but I will just enjoy

whatever life [my toddler] throws at me day by day. I met some amazing people through this, and for that I will always be grateful.

Team Bronze Award Project

Ginger Koslowski, representing the Girl Scouts of the Green and White Mountains

What is your role in the organization?

This is a team of Girl Scout Juniors (those in grades 4 and 5), who stepped up to provide personal protective equipment and other items to help out during the pandemic. A team of 103 Girl Scouts, 67 of them from across New Hampshire, formed the team to work on this project.

It is called the Team Bronze Award Project because each girl earned Girl Scouting’s Bronze Award, the highest achievement for a Girl Scout Junior, for participating in this effort.

What kinds of things do you do?

The Girl Scouts chose to make face masks, ear savers, face shields, hand sanitizer and care packages. They also created websites and tutorials on how to make PPE and the best way to wear a face mask. They worked remotely but together.

Why did you get involved?

Girl Scouting is all about making the world a better place, and as soon as the pandemic hit girls got busy trying to help. Our council decided a team project would make a significant impact.

How has the pandemic affected your efforts, both personally and within your organization?

The pandemic has definitely forced changes in the way Girl Scouts meet and conduct activities, but our girls are resilient and deter-

NH Award winner

What is your role in the organization?

I am the president and founder.

What kinds of things do you do?

Seeds of Hope is a nonprofit organization that works to end hunger on both a local and global scale. We provide vegetable seeds to schools, churches and orphanages overseas to serve as a reliable source of nutrients. Here in New Hampshire, I work every weekend in various food pantries throughout the state and focus on keeping their shelves stocked for those who need it.

One example of this would be the ‘Povey Power’ virtual 5K I organized back in April, which raised enough to feed nearly 9,000 New Hampshire families after just a few days! Aside from eliminating food insecurity, it is my biggest goal to spread hope and ignite change in others, as noted from the Seeds of Hope motto, ‘From the smallest of seeds grow the mightiest of trees,’ because we all have the power to make a difference!

Why did you get involved?

I have been working to end hunger since I was 7 years old, after giving my dinner leftovers to a kind homeless man. Immediately after I met him, I was determined to help others who were struggling and visited my local soup kitchen. There, I was turned away for being ‘too young’ to help, so instead I decided to go home and decorate placemats with positive messages for everyone getting served! I then began initiating food drives and it wasn’t too long until I watched this simple hobby turn into a passion, then ultimately my true purpose. I decided to start my own organization with the goal to help more people and make change everywhere.

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SEACOAST SCENE | DECEMBER 10, 2020 | PAGE 5

How has the pandemic affected your efforts, both personally and within your organization?

As soon as there was talk at school of a potential shutdown, I started spending my lunch periods in our campus food pantry, preparing take-home bags for the kids of food-insecure households. Then, once the switch to remote was announced, I immediately spearheaded a food drive to help out another local school takehome program and continued to work hard to keep multiple food pantries stocked. ... Now, every Saturday I work at a mobile food pantry and we serve more than 350 families right in Manchester, and I am always helping with other organizations throughout the state. With the unprecedented need that surfaced along with the Covid pandemic, this has truthfully been the busiest I’ve ever been!

What are you doing to take care of your own well-being during this crazy time?

Like so many others, I have been taking advantage of our beautiful state and spending lots of extra time outdoors! I have been hiking a lot and am on my way to climbing all 48 of New Hampshire’s 4,000-footers. I even incorporated a new project I like to call ‘Kindness Rocks’ and have left painted rocks with inspirational messages on each peak.

What can others do to help?

Food insecurity can impact anyone; it might be your friends, neighbors, or even family members who must decide between paying the bills or paying for groceries. It is incredibly important that we work together and share our strength especially after we have all been through so much this year. For information on how to help those struggling around you, visit isabelpovey. com. Giving back means so much more than raising thousands of dollars. It can be as simple as holding the door for someone. Sharing a meal, a smile, an hour, or donating some of your allowance to a food pantry … it all helps.

What kinds of things do you do?

As one of several Community Impact Committee members, we meet monthly with staff members of Granite United Way to receive program ... updates that the organization has undertaken or is considering. We are fortunate to hear directly from community leaders with organizations such as the Friendly Kitchen, the Concord Coalition to End Homelessness, the Concord Police department, Health and Human Services and Concord Hospital. They share insight regarding trends, challenges and success that they are experiencing and how these are impacting our greater Concord residents. Often during these meetings we are

Jay Schumacher Granite United Way

What is your role in the organization?

I serve on the Community Impact Committee, as a Community Grant Reviewer and volunteer with various other projects.

SEACOAST SCENE | DECEMBER 10, 2020 | PAGE 6

asked for our input and ideas, as well as brainstorming and vetting of the action plans GUW is considering for action.

Why did you get involved?

Several years ago I wanted to provide more volunteer support within the Concord area.

Granite United Way has been a longtime partner with my employer and it seemed like a natural fit when one of the GUW representatives asked if I would like to participate with the annual Grant Review Committee process.

After that initial experience I was hooked! … The organizations seeking funding during these times are truly doing all they can to support residents in every corner of our community. ... It’s nice to be able to offer some of my time to this imitative in particular because I can quickly understand and see the results of our efforts, helping these wonderful organizations help our community members in our local area.

Jay Schumacher. Courtesy photo.

and who would take on each one. Normally we would have gathered in person for these sessions and we probably would have assembled the libraries together as a team. Instead we have all worked remotely and in very small groups of only two or three people. This is surely different than normal, but nonetheless I believe we have been effective, installing our first of How has the pandemic affected your four Little Free Libraries just recently. efforts, both personally and within your organization?

What can others do to help?

Very quickly we shifted to all remote for The best suggestion I can offer is to visit the meetings and ... have taken strides to find cre- Granite United Way website at graniteuw.org ative work-arounds for all of our volunteerism. … [which] provides quick links to how anyWe recently took on a part of the Concord one can give, advocate or volunteer. A little Reads initiative to build and install several Lit- help from everyone goes a long way and the tle Free Libraries with Granite United Way information from within these links provides providing leadership. Several of us met virtual- several ways that we can all contribute! ly, discussed and planned the required actions

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Service is what we are about

Volunteer NH provides training, recognition, and a central site for volunteers and volunteer programs to connect. As the state’s administrator for federal AmeriCorps funds we work with community partners to develop programs that strengthen our communities and offer opportunities for citizens to serve locally.

New Hampshire Volunteers Are you looking to volunteer? Get Connected is our online hub for volunteerism in New Hampshire, brought to you by Volunteer NH in partnership with Granite United Way. Volunteers use Get Connected to find nearby opportunities that fit their interests and schedules.

Nonprofits use it to attract, manage, and report on volunteer activities in their organizations. Needs are searchable and categorized by location, organization, and/or focus (such as animals, disaster relief, etc.).

With Get Connected, both volunteering and volunteer recruitment have never been easier!

National Service Meets Local Needs As the designated State Service Commission for New Hampshire, Volunteer NH supports AmeriCorps State programs addressing critical community needs across a range of focus areas. These programs offer powerful powerful experiences focused on gaining new skills, workforce development, and civic engagement.

Volunteer NH also partners with other National Service programs, including AmeriCorps VISTA, AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC), and AmeriCorps Seniors.

National Service resources maximize the impact that New Hampshire’s nonprofit and public service organizations are able to make. These low-cost services provided by passionate, driven AmeriCorps members and AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers are often the reason that a student finds success, a survivor of domestic violence finds safety, or an older adult is able to remain independent in their home.

Contact Andrea Johnston at Andrea@VolunteerNH.org or 603-271-6098 to learn how you can utilize these resources within your organization.

Spirit of NH Awards Celebrate Volunteerism Volunteer NH has hosted the Spirit of NH Awards as an annual celebration of volunteerism since 2003. This event recognizes those who go above and beyond the call to serve throughout the Granite State, shining a spotlight on the often unsung heroes among us in front of an audience of their families, friends, colleagues, and the greater community.

When: Wednesday, December 9, 2020, from 6:00 – 8:00 PM Where: Virtual; live-streamed from the Bank of NH Stage in Concord, NH. Who: This event will be FREE for everyone to tune into. Attendees will include award recipients and their families/friends/colleagues, along with anyone else who wants to join in on this celebration of service!

Introducing: the People’s Choice Award! This year, for the first time ever, YOU can have a say in who receives special recognition. Voting will be open November 30 - December 9.

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PEOPLE AND PLACES

The ducks to my squirrel

Hampton behavioral consultant publishes kids’ book

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Some people seem to have all of their ducks in a row. Certified Behavioral Consultant Megg Thompson of Hampton finds that this isn’t the case for many, including herself.

“I saw a post on Facebook a long time ago that said, ‘I don’t have ducks and I don’t have a row, I have squirrels and they’re drunk,” Thompson said.

It was this post that eventually led to the publication of Scoot ’n Newton, the brainchild of Thompson and her son, Brennan.

The book follows the antics of two friends, a duck and a squirrel, with opposite mentalities as they teach each other new skills with the help of other animals along the way. The children’s book is influenced by Thompson’s experience with children’s behavioral psychology, specifically children who have metaphorical squirrels in their head, and ones who need all of their ducks in a row.

“Ninety-eight percent of the time, a challenging behavior is a lack of skill or an unmet need,” Thompson said. “I’m trying to teach the adults that through this book, while making it fun and lighthearted.”

Thompson’s goal is for kids and their parents to realize it’s OK to be like Scoot, and to learn how to function with a swift brain.

“It’s helpful for people to know that your brain goes fast, and it doesn’t mean that you’re wrong or right,” Thompson said.

Moreover, Thompson hopes that Scoot ’n Newton will inspire parents to sit and read with their children, have more conversations and instill higher self-awareness in them.

Each book comes with a set of behavioral strategies in the back for parents to try with their kids.

“I hope there’s laughter, quality family time and I hope it brings the family closer together,” Thompson said. “If it’s a ‘Newton’ mom and a ‘Scoot’ kid, I hope this book helps them understand each other.”

After receiving her bachelor’s degree in communications, Thompson veered off the beaten path and taught kindergarten for 10 years. After finding success in aiding children with challenging behaviors, she decided to pursue a career in behavioral psychology.

“I was always good with the really hard kids because of my sense of humor and my patience,” Thompson said. “I realized that doing the silly things that teachers usually do with hard kids wasn’t working, so I left teaching and got my master’s in early childhood development and a certificate in behavior.”

Thompson’s strategies stem from Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, a pyramid of essential childhood development components such as safety, love and belonging and self-realization.

“Every kid wants to belong somewhere,”

Megg Thompson and her son, Brennan.

Courtesy photo.

Thompson said. “That’s just part of human nature, and a lot of people tend to put that before their basic needs. We want kids to have all of those components so they can focus on academics.”

With one book published and a second expected to be released soon, Thompson hopes these characters will have their own cartoon show someday, and a four-book set with teacher guides is on the horizon.

Thompson is also teaching a mask curriculum at multiple schools, an effort raised to teach kids the importance of health and safety during the current pandemic. Her approach makes masks seem not so mystical.

“I went to my son’s school in a unicorn outfit,” Thompson said. “The owner of the school asked me to come in and teach the kids about masks and I asked if I could wear a unicorn outfit. People started asking me to come to their schools and do teacher workshops and videos on how to help kids, but I have to wear the outfit as part of the contract.”

As Thompson finds success in writing children’s books and helping kids, she gives credit to her son, Brennan (who is the Newton to her Scoot, she said).

“All of the ideas were actually his,” Thompson said. “I just helped him put it all together.”

Brennan is the mastermind behind the short and long thinker dynamic in the books. The duo is already planning out the storyline for future books, along with their illustrator, Jana Borja, whom Thompson discovered through Facebook.

“I rarely have my squirrels in a row, but I’m always finding people through social media that are the ducks to my squirrel,” Thompson said.

For resources on child development, visit meggthompson.com. Updates on Scoot ’n Newton can be found on their Facebook page.

— Shane Jozitis

CAR TALK

Should I trust oil level light?

Dear Car Talk: My 2019 Alfa, with a 2-liter engine, doesn’t have a dipstick to check the oil level.

Can I trust the oil level light on the dash?

Thank you. — Luke

By Ray Magliozzi

You don’t have much choice, Luke.

Unless you have a gastroenterologist in the family who doesn’t mind getting his colonoscope oily. I’m a bit old-fashioned, and I like having a dipstick, too. But it’s going the way of the roll-down window.

Most people are only too happy to never have to open the hood of their car, so carmakers are responding accordingly. In fact, if you do open the hood now just to look at your engine, you can’t even see it anymore. It’s covered by a big piece of plastic called the “engine cover.” They might as well emboss it with “Nothing to see here, folks!”

The oil level on your car, Luke, and on most new cars these days, is measured electronically, with a sensor inside the crank case. And it is reliable. Put it this way: If you ran out of oil in the next few years and didn’t know it, Alfa would owe

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you a very expensive engine. So THEY trust the sensor enough to protect their financial interests.

If the level gets too low, the sensor triggers an “oil level” light on your dashboard and tells you to add a quart.

They usually build in sufficient leeway so that when the light comes on, it’s not a dire emergency.

Unless it’s pouring out the bottom of the engine (in which case other warning lights will soon join that oil level light), you have time to mosey to a gas station or a Walmart and buy a quart of oil. And on some cars, including your Alfa, Luke, you can even perform an oil level test on your touch screen. And you don’t even have to be able to read Italian.

If you burrow into your screen menus, you’ll find one that says “Car Status.” In there, you’ll see an option for “Oil Level.”

Park the car on a level surface, follow the prompts, wait a couple of minutes while the sensor reads your oil level, and — Che Bellezza! — you’ll see a graphic representation of your dipstick on the screen.

And if you miss the part of the experience where you burn the tips of your fingers touching the hot dipstick, you can always touch the car’s cigarette lighter.

Dear Car Talk: What moves the brake pads away from the brake rotor when you remove your foot from the brake pedal? — Jaime

Not much, Jaime.

First of all, when brakes are working properly, the difference between the brake pads when they’re “away” from the disc rotor and when they’re touching the disc rotor is a few thousandths of an inch. That’s thinner than a Kate Moss (that’s the mechanical engineering term, I think). So the pads don’t have to move much either way.

When you step on the brake pedal, hydraulic fluid applies hundreds of pounds of pressure to the brake caliper pistons. Then, each piston moves the pads on that particular wheel toward the disc rotor. There’s a seal around each caliper piston that keeps the fluid from leaking out. And that seal has a sort of physical memory, and when you stop applying pressure, the seal naturally wants to go back to its original shape — and take the caliper piston a few thousandths of an inch with it.

I suspect that the vibrations involved — going over bumps, engine vibrations,

any slight warp in the disc rotor — also contribute to pushing the pads back from the rotors. And as I say, they don’t have to go far. In fact, if they were more than a few thousandths of an inch away from the disc rotors, when you stepped on the brake pedal, it would sink to the floor.

That’s why whenever we do brake work on the car, after we put everything back together, we have to return the calipers to their proper position, just a few whiskers away from the rotors.

And we do that by getting in the car and stepping on the brake pedal. The first time we step on it after a brake job, the pedal goes to the floor, but the fluid pushes the piston a little closer to the rotors.

When we step again, the pedal goes maybe 80 percent of the way to the floor, and the pads get closer. Eventually, after five or six pumps, the pads make contact, and that’s when we know it’s OK to give the car back to the customer.

Before we figured that out, we lost a couple of garage doors and a soda machine as customers were driving out of the shop after brake jobs.

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SEACOAST SCENE | DECEMBER 10, 2020 | PAGE 9

FOOD

AT SAVANNAH KITCHEN Chris Caddy got his start in the food service industry at the age of 15, going on to graduate from culinary school in Philadelphia and work in restaurants all over the country. He soon found a love of Southern, Cajun and Creole cuisines while working in eateries in the New Orleans area, like Commander’s Palace and K-Paul’s Louisiana Kitchen. After coming up to New Hampshire to be near family members, Caddy eventually found the space that would become Savannah Kitchen (55 Main St., No. 216, Newmarket, 292-5158, savannahkitchennewmarket.com), his first restaurant as owner. Featuring various comfort dishes with Southern, New Orleans, Cajun and Creole influences in a casual environment, Savannah Kitchen is fast becoming a spot known for its shrimp and grits, fried oysters, andouille sausage and chicken thigh gumbo, and other items, plus a full-service bar with local craft beers, specialty cocktails and a “Tiki corner,” featuring drinks served in traditional Tiki mugs with bamboo straws and paper umbrellas. The Scene recently spoke with Caddy about his personal favorite offerings at the Savannah Kitchen and what you ought to try Photos courtesy of Savannah Kitchen in Newmarket when you visit.

How long has Savannah Kitchen been almost a completely gluten-free or glutenWhat is a dish everyone should try? around?

The shrimp and grits. We call them the free adaptable menu, except for the buns Oct. 9 was the day that we opened. “soft and sexy” grits for a reason. You and for the dark roux that’s in the gumbo. taste them and you’ll forget all about What makes Savannah Kitchen unique? mashed potatoes.

What is your personal favorite dish?

I love the deep resonant flavors of SouthThere are a few really good ones that I ern, New Orleans, Cajun and Creole, and I love, [like] the fresh-shucked grilled oysWhat is an essential skill to running a wanted to have a space where those were ters with raw butter, Louisiana crystal restaurant? accessible. What was key to me was for it to hot sauce and applewood-smoked bacon.

I think it’s in how you interact with your be attractive to foodies while also not scar- The crispy pork belly appetizer and the staff. The communication needs to be horiing away conservative diners. … We try to braised Creole pork shoulder are also zontal, not downward, and there needs to be keep everything at a reasonable price point, amazing dishes. mutual respect. One of the biggest things, so there’s nothing that’s over $19. It’s also I think, is hiring the people with the right

SEACOAST SCENE | DECEMBER 10, 2020 | PAGE 10

attitude. You can teach people the skills, but not the attitude, and I’m so lucky to have the staff that I have.

What is your favorite thing about being on the Seacoast?

The people, especially here in Newmarket. We’ve received an incredible amount of support from everyone in town, which has been encouraging and nice.

— Matt Ingersoll

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Savory mini cheesecakes If I say cheesecake, your first thought is probably a sweet dessert topped with strawberries or hot fudge. Today I want to have you think about cheesecake as a savory dish.

Take a moment, and think about what makes cheesecake so enjoyable. Is it the creamy consistency? Or perhaps it is the rich indulgence of the dish? Maybe it’s the fact that it usually is served for a special occasion.

Now, consider this. Do all of those great reasons have to wait until dessert?

Absolutely not! Why not have an appetizer that is creamy and indulgent and makes the occasion feel special, even if it’s watching TV in your pajamas at home on a Friday night?

Although cheesecake may seem daunting, in this mini version it’s almost foolproof. Follow the directions and you’ll have a delicious appetizer with about 30 minutes of work (and a few hours of waiting).

What’s nice about these savory mini cheesecakes is that you can use an assortment of toppings. While testing this recipe, I enjoyed tomato jam on mine. My husband opted for an Italian olive relish.

You also could use hot pepper jam, salsa or chutney. If you start thinking about all of the salsa and chutney options available, your choices are almost limitless.

1 1/2 cups butter cracker crumbs 6 tablespoons melted butter 8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature* 1 cup ricotta cheese 1 1/2 cups shredded Parmesan cheese 2 eggs Pinch salt

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FOOD

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Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Grease the sides and bottoms of a muffin pan, or place a cupcake liner in each cup.

Combine cracker crumbs and butter in a small mixing bowl, mixing well.

Divide evenly among 12 muffin cups.

Press firmly into bottom. (I used a 1/4cup measuring cup to press.)

Bake for 5 minutes.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine

Make a batch, and discover why cheesecake needs to be on your appetizer menu.

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

cream cheese, ricotta, Parmesan, egg and salt.

Using paddle attachment, mix on speed 4 for 2 minutes, scraping down sides occasionally.

Remove muffin pan from oven, and allow to cool for 5 minutes.

Reduce oven to 300°F. Divide cheesecake mixture evenly among the muffin cups.

Bake for 18 minutes. Edges should be firm, and middle should jiggle slightly.

Cool on counter for 30 minutes.

Cover, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

Serve with tomato jam, cranberry sauce or a savory chutney. *You can use whole or low-fat cream cheese.

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Shortly after the end of the First World War, it became fashionable for wealthy British to spend at least part of their winter in Southern France. Their money went further there and the Riviera had been spared the worst of the destruction during the War. They could see and be seen by their peers, while sitting in the sunshine and pretending to be bored by their privilege.

This was so common that a train service developed to pick the Smart Set up in Calais, on the other side of the English Channel, then take them, via Paris, to different stops along the Mediterranean.

Because the sleeper cars were painted blue, this train became known as The Blue Train.

One interesting aspect of this was that upper-class British adventurers started challenging each other to race the Blue Train across France in their cars. For a brief period of time this became a standing challenge, like swimming the Channel, or shooting leopards — a chance to show off for their peers and look good doing it.

Because, of course, the other members of their social circle would be on the Blue Train itself.

“I say,” one of the passengers might say, pointing at a cloud of dust in the distance, “do you think that is Waldo and Reggie?’

“I believe it is! Oh, jolly good; we must drink a toast to them! Waiter!”

Which, theoretically, is where we get The Blue Train Cocktail.

If you go searching for a recipe for a Blue Train, you will find dozens, which vary wildly in their ingredients and methodology, but the oldest ones are extremely simple: • Three parts brandy • One part pineapple juice (Pineapple juice? Where did that come from?)

• An unspecified amount of Champagne I like the romance of this drink and such a simple formula seemed extremely flexible, so I decided to try various riffs on it.

Instead of Champagne, I substituted prosecco – because what am I, fancy? – and several different types of brandy: • Several sources suggested using apricot brandy and that seemed promising. As it turns out, not so much.

• Ginger brandy was even worse.

• Then I decided to return to the fruit theme and made a batch with blackberry brandy. Please, for the sake of everything that is good and wholesome, do not do this.

The Blue Train. Photo by John Fladd.

After a great deal of experimentation and heartache, I was able to fine-tune this recipe to its ideal proportions: • Three parts brandy • One part pineapple juice • An unspecified amount of Champagne (1) Shake the brandy and pineapple juice over ice.

(2) Strain into glasses (3) Top with Champagne

This is not a drink that is meant to be sweet. If you use prosecco and a sweet brandy, it ends up tasting like cider, which is fine, but then, why not just drink cider? This drink calls for a drier, more bracing, more refined set of ingredients. I am a big proponent of using bottom-shelf alcohols; when you are making cocktails with strong-flavored ingredients, the subtler nuances of more serious, expensive labels can easily get overwhelmed and covered up.

Not in this case. If you’ve got good brandy, self-respecting brandy, this is a good time to break it out. The same with the Champagne. I’m not saying to buy the best Champagne, but this is a good opportunity to use a dry Champagne that isn’t afraid to look at itself in the mirror.

This is not a drink that was developed by people who cut corners.

Serve this with something salty, like caviar. Or Cheez-Its.

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

DRINK

Mulled wine by the fire

Looking for a winter drink? Warm up with spices The days are getting shorter and the nights cooler. The holiday season is upon us and the first snow has arrived. Wish to gather with friends? One way to gather with another couple or two is in your driveway or back yard around the firepit sipping on mulled wine.

Hot spiced wine, or mulled wine, has been around forever, it seems. Depending on its cultural origins, it may be known as glühwein, vino caliente, glögg, vin brulé, bisschopswijn, vin chaud, candola, vinho quente, or by other monikers. Mulled wine exists in just about every European culture and the recipes for making it appear to be limitless. In England mulled wine is known as Wassail, a name whose origins are Anglo Saxon. Like Christmas, this hot punch transformed itself from pagan rites to revolve around the coldest, darkest nights of the year.

In its earliest form it was a drink made from mulled ale, curdled cream, roasted apples, eggs, cloves, ginger, nutmeg and sugar. It was served from huge bowls on New Year’s Eve and Twelfth Night (Jan. 6). This warm drink took on a significant cultural identity as through the centuries it was used to toast the holidays.

Hot mulled wine can be a simple concoction prepared in a slow cooker or over the flames of that fire pit. In its simplest forms the ingredients consist of a bottle of robust red wine, an orange (or oranges) sliced into rounds, a half dozen whole cloves, a couple of cinnamon sticks, some star anise, honey to taste, and if you want, a measure of brandy. It takes literally five minutes to make and is scalable from two servings to enough for a large holiday gathering (for next year).

For the wine, I selected Petite Petit by Michael David (originally priced at $19.99, on sale at the New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlets at $12.95). This wine is 85 percent petite sirah and 15 percent petit verdot. It is large and fruity with aromas of dark fruit, raspberry and plum. To the taste the black cherry “jammy” flavor comes through with some oak on the edges. This wine is perfect to use as a base for this concoction, as it will hold up well with the additions of fruit and spices. It is well-stocked throughout the state, and the price is so attractive!

The petite sirah produces a deep-colored, robust, full-bodied peppery wine, with some tannins, that ages well. The petit verdot, used in blending the famous Bordeaux wines, has a dry, full-bodied taste of blackberry. Like the petite sirah, the strong tannins and high alcohol in the wine from this varietal allow it to age beautifully. It is perfectly matched to the petite sirah! These grapes are grown in Lodi, in San Joaquin County, in the center portion of California’s Central Valley. With

long hot summers, these grapes are allowed to ripen well to produce a lot of sugar.

Now, how to make mulled wine: Combine your ingredients in a saucepan and give them a stir. Heat the wine until it just barely reaches a simmer over medium heat. Remember, alcohol boils off at 173 degrees (F), so be careful. Reduce the heat, cover and let simmer for 15 minutes or so. Using a strainer remove the cloves, cinnamon sticks and star anise, and serve in heat-proof mugs garnished with the fruit and cinnamon sticks.

Remember, this recipe is very flexible. You can include apple cider or orange juice in the mix. You can use sugar instead of the honey for a sweetener, although it is not as rich as honey. Additional fruit can include thinly sliced apples or frozen pitted cherries. Additional spices can include ginger, peeled and sliced, and a vanilla bean cut open from end to end. The options are limitless and the possibilities endless.

Don’t let the cold, dark December days (and Covid) get to you. Invite a couple or two to gather around the fire pit and share the warmth of the holidays with a steaming mug of hot mulled wine. Savor the moments and cherish the memories of this time when we must be ever so creative in how we can remain connected.

Fred Matuszewski is a local architect and a foodie and wine geek, interested in the cultivation of the multiple strains and varieties of grapes and the industry of wine production and sales. Chief among his travels is an annual trip to the wine-producing areas of California.

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Screenwriter Herman Mankiewicz writes Citizen Kane while recuperating from injury and Citizen Kane-ily reflecting on his career in Hollywood in Mank, the most made-for-Oscarnominations movie I have ever seen.

It is a movie about the movies featuring a character whose name is on one of the Academy Awards’ prizes (that being the Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award; the Irving Thalberg played by Ferdinand Kingsley here is worth his own biopic). Many of the towering figures of 1930s and 1940s Hollywood appear in this movie set in southern California that somehow captures, despite being in black and white, the sunny California-ness of it all. And you get the intersection of California politics and Hollywood (and the conservatism of corporate Hollywood clashing with the progressivism of creative Hollywood) and a testament/cautionary tale about the power of movie magic storytelling in a real political world. There’s a “fake newsreel”! This movie has everything!

When we meet Herman Mankiewicz (Gary Oldman) in 1942, he has recently been in a car accident and has been given a place out toward the southern California desert to recuperate, a nurse (Monika Gossman) to care for him and an assistant, Rita Alexander (Lily Collins), for him to dictate his screenplay to. All of this comes courtesy Orson Welles (Tom Burke), who has hired him to write this screenplay (or begin the writing that the two would complete; look, the authorship of Citizen Kane is a whole thing — what I’m talking about here is what this movie tells us about a screenplay that would ultimately have both Mankiewicz’s and Welles’ names).

John Houseman (Sam Troughton) is to work as editor on the project and it seems understood by everybody, immediately, that what Mank is doing is a potentially dangerous undertaking.

Even Alexander, a British lady who is more concerned about her RAF pilot husband’s survival than Mank’s career woes, immediately knows that the sad old man that Mank is writing about is a thinly veiled riff on media magnate William Randolph Hearst (Charles Dance), which would make his ditzy showgirl wife a take on Marion Davies (Amanda Seyfried), even though Mank insists he doesn’t mean it to be her.

In flashbacks we see how Mank used to be a writer at MGM for Louie B. Mayer (Arliss Howard) and used to be a friend of Hearst and his mistress Marion Davies, having met her through her writer nephew Charles Lederer (Joseph Cross). He was, for a while, a favorite at gatherings at Hearst’s house in San Simeon, where he hung out with the likes of Mayer and Thalberg and saw their influence beyond media and into the world of state and national politics.

Mank seems to want to appear above politics, playing the sarcastic wiseguy role, but the 1934 governor’s race and Mayer’s and Hearst’s opposition to the Democratic candidate Upton Sinclair seems to make it increasingly hard for Mank to follow his wife Sara’s (Tuppence Mid-

Mank

dleton) “if you don’t have anything nice to say” advice. And then there’s his own self-destructive behavior — drinking and gambling and a fair amount of what seems like self-loathing.

This feels like such a movie-nerd’s movie I’m not even sure how to judge it straight. I mean, do I love it? Sure, it checks all the boxes for a movie geek, with movie nostalgia (or not nostalgia, really, because I’m not 110 years old but, like, reveling in the fantasy, mostly built by movies, of the early days of Hollywood) that packs an extra punch both because I haven’t been seeing big Hollywood movies in theaters and because the industry and its future are suddenly, here in 2020, so much in flux. I like all the technical elements of this movie, how in look and sound and scene transitions it looks like a 1940s film. Specifically, it uses a lot of Citizen Kane visual and storytelling elements and, sure, it does so very self-consciously, but it doesn’t make me like it any less.

I don’t even like it less for its “great man” framing — this movie has at least three “great men” rattling around in it, all of them with big talent and big flaws. But I feel like that is self-conscious too, like that is a 1940s storytelling approach the movie is using rather than that Mank is telling us that Mankiewicz is a Great Man. Oldman’s performance feels, well, Oscarbait-y in the extreme but interesting nonetheless.

He’s not just Herman Mankiewicz; he’s a Herman Mankiewicz-style version of the Herman Mankiewicz character in highly stylized movie. It is not a natural performance, I guess is what I’m saying, nor is anybody else’s, but I bought it.

Look, this is 2020 and for those of us out in the movie fan universe (i.e. not going to virtual film festivals or working for film studios) this glossy Netflix bit of concession stand candy is probably as Hollywood as it’s going to get for us. This was probably always going to be an enjoyable movie to me, but under these circumstances it felt like an extra special bit of movie magic. ARated R for some language. Directed by David Fincher with a screenplay by Jack Fincher, Mank is two hours and 11 minutes long and distributed by Netflix.

POP CULTURE BOOKS

No Time Like the Future, by Michael J. but the chaos caused by the disease. He freFox (Flatiron, 238 pages) quently suffers from injuries caused by falling, a finger swollen so badly that doctors feared If Michael J. Fox hasn’t been on your radar they might have to amputate; a pinched sciatscreen since the 1980s, you’ve missed a lot. ic nerve that renders him unable to go on the You probably know that he has Parkinson’s beach during a family vacation to the Caribbedisease, a diagnosis he announced in 1998, an; a broken arm that required a stainless-steel and started a foundation to plate and 19 screws to fix. fund research, and that he And he also suffered a continued to work, acting tumor on his spinal cord that and writing. required a dangerous surBut because he appears gery two years ago. eternally youthful, it’s still The recounting of all jarring to learn that Marthese woes may seem like ty McFly, that Alex P. a proposal for the world’s Keaton, is the father of worst book. Who, save the four adult children and sits schadenfreudeans among around mourning his empus, wants to read 238 pagty nest. Children are time es of a likeable person’s machines, he writes in his suffering? But Fox pulls latest memoir No Time it off, because the book is Like the Future, describing well-crafted, beginning and the “cruel velocity” with ending with a catastrophic which our offspring catafall, and the existential cripult us into a future where, sis that it represents, and it he says, “I wish away my time while I wait for reveals an admirable mind, one that can fire off my children to come and visit.” smart comic lines (“If Mike fell in the kitchen Well. Didn’t see that coming when Fox was and no one was there to see him, would he still zipping around in Doc Brown’s DeLorean. break his arm?”) while admitting despair.

But Fox is now 59 and while that is young It is the broken arm, not the disease, that as Boomers go, he has been suffering the pushes Fox to question whether his half-full effects of a progressive neurological disease philosophy of life is useful, to question whethfor 30 years, so the subtitle of this memoir is er being a “hopeaholic” (a term coined by artist “an optimist considers mortality.” Optimism Anna Deavere Smith) is actually harmful, both has been part of his brand since the diagnosis to him and to his fans.

— his previous books were titled Lucky Man “Have I oversold optimism as a panacea, and Always Looking Up, the latter of which commodified hope? Have I been an honest became a documentary called “Adventures of broker with the Parkinson’s community?” he an Incurable Optimist.” wonders in anguish. “The understanding I’ve Lately, however, Fox says, there are days in reached with Parkinson’s is sincere, but the which he wonders if he is out of the lemonade expression of it risks being glib. … In telling business, if it’s time to succumb to the lemons. other patients, ‘Chin up! It will be okay!’ did He writes of possessing a body that has been I look to them to validate my optimism? Is it weaponized — even with medication and reg- because I needed to believe it myself?” ular physical therapy, his mobility and balance This is particularly relevant, because Fox’s is so unpredictable that he is nervous about get- reminiscing makes it clear that, despite his ting too close to his 90-year-old mother, for fear harsh trials, he dwells on a plane distant from of knocking her over. “I love my mother too most suffering mortals. When he drinks pina much to give her a hug,” he writes. coladas in the Caribbean, he does so with Keith It’s not just Parkinson’s that’s the problem, Richards; he is wealthy, able to afford the best

B R OW N S

of care and exotic vacations. It’s easier to view the glass as half full when it contains Dom Perignon, not vinegar.

But Fox is markedly self-aware and comes to believe that his attitude has become too cavalier, that he has spent too much time focusing on his body and its assorted travails, and that he needs to spend more time examining his mindset. He notes that while Franklin D. Roosevelt is known for saying, “We have nothing to fear but fear itself,” in the same speech Roosevelt said, “Only a foolish optimist can deny the dark realities of the moment.”

I’ll not spoil the ending by revealing Fox’s

conclusion, only say that No Time Like the Future is occasionally disjointed but assembles itself nicely by the end and is a surprisingly thoughtful memoir by one of America’s most beloved celebrities. Michael J. Fox is not Alex P. Keaton but for the earnestness; he is not Marty McFly, but for the zeal; but he is the rare enduring celebrity who deserves a platform, and continued applause. (His foundation has funded $1 billion in Parkinson’s research.) Still, this memoir, his fourth, is gritty and maybe not the inspiration that people newly diagnosed with Parkinson’s might want. Gift carefully. B — Jennifer Graham

BOOK NOTES Books can be the best gift — or the worst.

On the plus side they are easy to wrap and relatively cheap to mail. You have literally millions of choices and are not limited to books published recently. Vintage signed copies of an author someone loves makes a wonderful gift, which leads to another plus: Books endure and are a tangible sign of your affection.

And a gift book can easily be made to pop with a few thoughtful additions, such as a book light to attach for night reading. (Note to my mother: I am all about the fingerless gloves imprinted with passages from A Christmas Carol on the literati website Storiarts.)

But a book is only a good gift if chosen with a high degree of sensitivity. How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi (One World, 320 pages), is popular this year, but it’s difficult to give because of the implication. Same with Joel Osteen’s Empty Out the Negative (Faithwords, 160 pages) or any kind of self-improvement book. Novels, too, tough. For a few years, I tried giving friends a copy of the best book I’d read that year but found they don’t always share my enthusiasm. And J.K. Rowling has a new children’s book out, but we have to tiptoe around her this year. That said, there are some books that are pretty much guaranteed to please people in certain categories. Below is a roundup of suggestions from a serial book giver.

For Democrats: A Promised Land, by Barack Obama (Crown, 768 pages) or My Own Words by Ruth Bader Ginsburg (Simon & Schuster, 400 pages)

For Trumpy Republicans: Liberal Privilege

by Donald Trump Jr. (self-published, no word count available) or Live Free or Die by Sean Hannity (Threshold, 352 pages) For Never-Trump Republicans: It Was All a Lie, How the Republican Party Became Donald Trump by Stuart Stevens (Knopf, 256 pages) or Reaganland: America’s Turn Right, by Rick Perlstein (Simon & Schuster, 1,120 pages, not a typo) For Health Geeks: Clean, the New Science of Skin by James Hamblin (Riverhead, 288 pages) For Nature Lovers: What It’s Like to Be a Bird, by David Allen Sibley (Knopf, 240 pages) or The Hidden Life of Trees by Peter Wohlleben, (Greystone, 288 pages) For Shakespeare Buffs: Shakespeare in a Divided America by James Shapiro (Penguin, 320 pages) For Beatles Buffs: 150 Glimpses of the Beatles, by Craig Brown (Farrar, Straus & Giroux, 592 pages) For Young Children (and Their Parents): No More Naps! by Chris Grabenstein (Random House Books for Young Readers, 40 pages) For Animal Lovers: Dog Songs by Mary Oliver (Penguin, 144 pages) or Feline Philosophy: Cats and the Meaning of Life by John Gray (Farrar, Straus & Giroux, 128 pages) For Anyone Who Loves Christmas: Christmas at the Vinyl Cafe by Stuart McLean (Penguin, 272 pages) or A Literary Holiday Cookbook by Alison Walsh (Skyhorse, 272 pages) — Jennifer Graham

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OPEN Year Round Call Ahead Take Out Service 603-474-3331

April 1st - November 15th every day / November 15 - April Fri, Sat, Sun & Holidays 099132

845 Lafayette Rd. (Seacoast Plaza) Hampton NH 603-967-4833 Email: T3SCB@comcast.net

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Always Discounts !!!

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SEACOAST SCENE | DECEMBER 10, 2020 | PAGE 17

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Epping The Community Oven 24 Calef Hwy. 734-4543

Hampton Community Oven 845 Lafayette Road 601-6311

Holy Grail 64 Main St. 679-9559

CR’s The Restaurant 287 Exeter Road 929-7972

Telly’s Restaurant & Pizzeria 235 Calef Hwy. 679-8225

The Goat 20 L St., 601-6928

Exeter Sawbelly Brewing 156 Epping Road 583-5080

We Deliver 7 Days!

Sea Dog Brewery 9 Water St.

USDOT #385723

Shane’s BBQ 61 High St. 601-7091 Wally’s Pub 144 Ashworth Ave. 926-6954 WHYM 853 Lafayette Road 601-2801

Thursday, Dec. 10 Epping Telly’s: Matt Luneau, 7 p.m.

OBriensGeneralStore.com

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1.800.800.2580 • shipcar.com 1033 Turnpike St., Rte. 138 • Canton, MA Text- 617- shipcar (617-744-7227) 132887

SEACOAST SCENE | DECEMBER 10, 2020 | PAGE 18

The Goat 142 Congress St. 590-4628 The Statey Bar & Grill 238 Deer St. 431-4357

Red’s 530 Lafayette Road 760-0030 Stratham Tailgate Tavern 28 Portsmouth Ave. 580-2294

Stratham Tailgate: Musical Bingo Nation, 6:30 p.m.

Newmarket Stone Church: Richard Armion, 6 p.m.

Exeter Sawbelly: Tombstone, 1 p.m.; Alan Roux, 5 p.m.

Wednesday, Dec. 16 Hampton Wally’s: Chris Toler, 9 p.m.

Rochester Mitchell Hill BBQ: Game Time Trivia, 6 p.m.

Hampton Goat: David Campbell, 9 p.m.

Wally’s: Chris Toler, 9 p.m.

WHYM: Eric Grant, 5 p.m.

Portsmouth The Goat: MB Padfield, 9 p.m.

The Striker: George Belli, 7 p.m.

Portsmouth Gas Light: Alex Roy, 7:30 p.m.

The Goat: Chris Toler, 9 p.m.

Rochester Mitchell Hill Barbecue: Max Sullivan, 5 p.m.

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Seabrook Chop Shop Pub 920 Lafayette Road 760-7706

Saturday, Dec. 12 Epping Telly’s: Justin Jordan, 8 p.m.

Newmarket Stone Church: Luke & Babe Condon of Town Meeting, 7 p.m.

603-967-4889 or 978-518-9008 favoritefuels.com

The Gas Light 64 Market St. 430-9122

Hampton CR’s: Ross McGinnes, 6 p.m.

Shane’s BBQ: Brad Bosse, 5 p.m.

Hampton CR’s: Ross McGinnes, 6 p.m.

The Goat: Rob Pagnano, 9 p.m.

Wally’s: Pat Dowling, 9 p.m.

WHYM: Justin Jordan, 5 p.m.

CALL US TODAY!

Rye Atlantic Grill 5 Pioneer Road 433-3000

Dolphin Striker 15 Bow St. 431-5222

Portsmouth The Goat: Isaiah Bennett, 9 p.m.

Exeter Sawbelly: Elijah Clark, 5 p.m.

You can save money, get great customer service and homemade cookies with each delivery - switch to Favorite Fuels!

Porter’s Pub 19 Hanson St. 330-1964

Stratham Tailgate: Chad Verbeck, 7 p.m.

Friday, Dec. 11 Epping Community Oven: Brad Bosse, 5 p.m.

Telly’s: Brian Johnson, 8 p.m.

We offer one-time delivery or regular scheduled deliveries. We offer both heating oil and mobile home blend.

Portsmouth Cisco Brewers 1 Redhook Way 430-8600

Tuesday, Dec. 15 Hampton Wally’s: Musical Bingo Nation, 7:30 p.m.

Seabrook Red’s: Max Sullivan, 7 p.m.

A family owned business, A part of your community

Rochester Mitchell Hill BBQ 50 N. Main St. 332-2537

Seabrook Chop Shop: Whammer Jammer (a tribute to the J. Geils Band), 7 p.m.

Exeter Sawbelly: Chad Verbeck, 5 p.m.

Sea Dog: Gabby Martin, 5 p.m.

8 Batchelder Rd, Seabrook | 474-2722 856 US Rte 1 Bypass, N. Portsmouth | 431-8280

Newmarket Stone Church 5 Granite St. 659-7700

Newmarket Stone Church: Ryan Montbleau celebrates 50th birthday for Stone Church Music Club, at 6 & 9 p.m.

Portsmouth Cisco: Gabby Martin, 4 p.m.

Gas Light: Rebecca Turmel, 7:30 p.m.

The Goat: Mike Forgette, 9 p.m.

Statey: Woodland Protocol, 8 p.m.

Rochester Porter’s: Max Sullivan, 6 p.m.

Seabrook Chop Shop: ADHD, 7 p.m.

Sunday, Dec. 13 Exeter Sawbelly: Sunday Blues & Brews with Max Sullivan, 5 p.m.

Portsmouth The Goat: Rob Pagnano, 9 p.m.

Monday, Dec. 14 Portsmouth The Goat: Musical Bingo Nation, 7 p.m.; Alex Anthony Band, 9 p.m.

Thursday, Dec. 17 Epping Telly’s: Clint LaPointe, 7 p.m.

Exeter Sawbelly: Chad Verbeck, 5 p.m.

Hampton CR’s: Steve Subulkin, 6 p.m.

Community Oven: Brad Bosse, 5 p.m.

Shane’s BBQ: Max Sullivan, 6 p.m.

Newmarket Stone Church: Dave Gerard, 6 p.m.

Portsmouth The Goat: Isaiah Bennett, 9 p.m.

Rochester Mitchell Hill BBQ: Game Time Trivia, 6 p.m.

Rye Atlantic Grill: Jodee Frawlee, 5:30 p.m.

Beer, Wine, Lottery Tickets & Tobacco 4 Convenient Locations- Rochester • Seabrook • Plaistow & Sanford, ME

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NH’S # 1 INDEPENDENT WINE RETAILER 7 YEARS IN A ROW! 621 Lafayette Rd (Rte. 1) | Seabrook NH | Open 6 Days 8am to 9pm Sun 8am to 8pm | 603 474 5337 Follow us on Facebook and Instagram! @thecityseabrook

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BEACH BUM FUN HOROSCOPES

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Adult Super Store

All quotes are from When Santa Fell to Earth, by Cornelia Funke, born Dec. 10, 1958.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22 – Dec. 21) The snow machine was still purring quietly on the table, and from the workshop he could hear hammering … and swearing. Snow made the elves lively. It’s a lively time.

Capricorn (Dec. 22 – Jan. 19) Only the loudspeakers were still blaring out their Christmas music. Men, women, and children gazed silently into the air as Ben and Charlotte floated through the Christmas decorations on the invisible reindeer. An invisible reindeer would explain a lot, but either way you don’t owe an explanation.

Aquarius (Jan. 20 – Feb. 18) ‘Phew, we’re frozen through!’ Matilda moaned….

‘I told you to put on more clothes!’ Niklas said. ‘Look at Emmanuel. He’s wearing his coat.’ ‘Oh, that silly coat,’ Matilda muttered.

‘Angels look stupid in coats. Anyway, the hood always knocks off my halo.’ This is why outfits need coordination.

Pisces (Feb. 19 – March 20) Of course Ben’s father had no idea that Ben’s improved math performance was only thanks to Santa Claus and two momentous bets. Improvement is coming your way.

Aries (March 21 – April 19) As they passed the houses, Niklas popped pinecones into the mailboxes, sprinkled ash from the Christmas fire onto the doormats, and hung red apples on the shadowy tree branches — just within reach of children’s hands. A little decoration goes a long way.

Taurus (April 20 – May 20) The store was one big crush. … Exhausted, they finally

reached the escalator to the basement level: groceries and sweets. Christmas music hung like syrup in the stuffy air, and there were Santas and angels with glittery hair everywhere.

Ben stumbled off the escalator and ran into a huge plastic Christmas tree. Make a plan to get some fresh air.

Gemini (May 21 – June 20) But Ben didn’t want fish. You can’t cuddle a fish. No matter how hard you try.

Cancer (June 21 – July 22) Ben put another piece of smoked fish in his mouth. Matilda’s gingerbread had definitely tasted so much better. Sure, but is it a fair comparison?

Leo (July 23 – Aug. 22) But when the elves had finally dragged the wheels inside the caravan, they were all so cold and drenched that none of them felt like fixing anything. A big project might go more easily if you break it into steps and recharge yourself when needed.

Virgo (Aug. 23 – Sept. 22) And his reindeer were nowhere to be seen, either. Which was no surprise. All Christmas reindeer are invisible…. Niklas took a few bits of gingerbread from his pocket and held them out hopefully into the darkness. When carrots don’t work, gingerbread might.

Libra (Sept. 23 – Oct. 22) ‘Booger-burps and reindeer poo!’ What kind of a mess is this?’ cried the largest of [the elves]. ‘What happened?’ If the elves make a mess, the elves can clean it up.

Scorpio (Oct. 23 – Nov. 21) Ben’s mother wanted mountains; his father wanted the beach. Ben’s mother wanted luxury; his father wanted a bargain. Compromise is possible!

Or maybe also taking turns.

SUDOKU

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

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11/26

Open 7 Days a Week 10am - 10pm 851 US Route 1 Bypass, Portsmouth 603-436-1504 | fifthwheeladultsuperstore.com SEACOAST SCENE | DECEMBER 10, 2020 | PAGE 20

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BEACH BUM FUN ROCKANDROLLCROSSWORDS.com BY TODD SANTOS

I JUST CALLED TO SAY YOU’RE PUZZLED Across 1. Stevie Wonder “No matter how far I travel, no matter how far I __” 5. Rick Springfield saw the Tin Man and thought he was ‘Living __ __’ (2,2) 9. Wardrobe stitches or does this 13. Van Halen smelled the bacon and got ‘__ __ Breakfast’ (2,3) 15. Maroon 5 saw us tearing up and sang ‘__ Your Eyes’ w/Kleenex in hand 16. Wings ‘Live & Let Die’ b-side ‘__ __ Around’ (1,3) 17. ‘97 Harvey Danger ‘Flagpole

Sitta’ album ‘Where Have All The __ __?’ (11,4) 20. ‘A Bit Of What You Fancy’ The __ Quireboys 21. Schoolhouse Rock song subject that’s not a verb 22. Iconic female singer James 24. Penniless band is like a boxer up against these 28. Inductees get validation in the Rock And __ (4,4,2,4) 33. A star’s autobiographical one can be partially fiction 34. Elton John’s close friends had to keep them on secrets

35. Prince band he did ‘Cream’ with (abbr) 36. Three Days Grace ‘Pain’ album (3,1) 37. Longed for new album or did this 39. Van Morrison “Like a full force __, I was lifted up again” 40. Skynyrd song about “outlaws, renegades, rebels” (abbr) 41. Sing/songer Puthli from India 42. A smiling Darren Hayes has a great ‘Sense Of __’ 43. ‘97 Richie Kotzen album he finally spoke up on? (9,2,3) 47. Female-fronted death metal band Arch __ 48. What ‘The Show Must’ do, to Three Dog Night (2,2) 49. Dylan & Clearmountain 52. Depeche Mode ‘It __ Matter Two’ 56. ‘71 Stevie Wonder classic “__ me won’t you tell me?” (2,3,6,4) 61. ‘Love’s In __ Of Love Today’ Stevie Wonder 62.‘Things That __ You Go Hmm-

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mm’ C+C Music Factory 63. Beatles White Album song that goes with ‘Truffle’ 64. ‘81 Def Leppard album left us ‘High __ __’ (1,3) 65. Country ‘Live Until I Die’ singer Walker 66. Iron And Wine wrote of a flowy ‘Lion’s’ Down 1. Phillip Lynott got drunk on ‘Jamaican __’ 2. Former Skatalite Jackie 3.70s bushy disco do 4. Neil Diamond classic softrock staple ‘September __’ 5. Weird Al’s Huey Lewis parody ‘__ New Duck’ (1,4,1) 6. ‘Wouldn’t It Be Good’ Kershaw 7. ‘96 Tonic hit ‘__ Up Your Eyes’ 8. Smashing Pumpkins song that didn’t amount to even 1?

9. ‘07 Queensryche ‘Best Of’ ‘__ __ The Times’ (4,2) 10. Jeff Lynne ‘Out Of The Blue’ band (abbr) 11. Allman Bros ‘__, Lose Or Draw’ 12. Some say Stevie Wonder can actually do this 14. ‘Wild One’ teen idol Bobby 18. Audioslave song about eater of sweaters?

19. What Jack Johnson does at the beach 23. Hombres didn’t care what we thought and just “Let it __ __ out!”

(3,4) 25. ‘84 “Jump back, what’s that sound?” Van Halen smash 26. To give work to a roadie or do

this 27. ‘Still The Same’ icon Bob 28. “I met him on a Monday and my heart stood still: Da do __ __” (3,3) 29. Stevie Wonder ‘Joy (Takes __ __)’ (4,2) 30. ‘12 Hives album ‘__ Hives’ 31. Fabrication you tell folks to get to show with buddies 32. ‘08 Panic! At The Disco album ‘Pretty. __’ 33. Otep ‘__ And Nail’ 37. Irish band that smokes then flicks off the end?

38. ‘A Lonely Man’ __-Lites 39. Simon & Garfunkel told him to “Get on the bus” 41. Stevie Wonder “When I look at love, I look __ __” (2,3) 42. Jesus & Mary Chain ‘__ Dead’ 44. A tribute artist will personify or do this completely 45. ‘Cry’ __ And Creme 46. Adam Jones ‘10,000 Days’ band 50. ‘Take Them On, On Your Own’ band that’s also a biker gang? (abbr) 51. ‘Prayer For The Dying’ singer 53. Brutal “dance” at punk shows 54. Canuck ‘Fantasy’ guitarist Aldo 55. Brooklyn rockers __ __ The Radio (2,2) 56. Where a weary musician will crash on the highway 57. Devo saw a larger gal and sang “I can see that you are very well __” 58. Oasis “Put __ Money Where...’

59. Comes before stage name (abbr) 60. Killswitch Engage headed straight into the ‘__ Of The Storm’ © 2020 Todd Santos

SUDOKU

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

Puzzle A

Puzzle B

Sudoku Puzzle A answer from pg 21 of 11/26

Sudoku Puzzle B answer from pg 21 of 11/26

SEACOAST SCENE | DECEMBER 10, 2020 | PAGE 21

NEWS OF THE WEIRD BY ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

Names in the news

• After more than 1,000 years, the Austrian town of F***ing is getting a new name, The Local reported. English-speaking tourists have had a field day snapping selfies with city signs, even stealing them, and the 100 residents of modern-day F***ing have had enough. According to the minutes of a municipal council meeting published on Nov. 16, the town will change its name to Fugging as of Jan. 1. “I can confirm that the village is being renamed,” said Andrea Holzner, mayor of the surrounding municipality. “I really don’t want to say anything more.”

• A newly elected local councilman in Ompundja, Namibia, is assuring constituents that he has no plans for world domination, despite his unfortunate name: Uunona Adolf Hitler. The 54-year-old, who prefers to be called Mr. Uunona, told a German news website that his father named him without an understanding of the Nazi leader, Sky News reported. Namibia is a former German colony, so many streets, places and people have German names. “It was a perfectly normal name for me when I was a kid,” Uunona said.

Cliches come to life

After a heated argument with his wife in late November, a 48-year-old unnamed man from Como, Italy, stepped outside to walk it off and kept on walking until he was stopped

a week later by police officers patrolling after curfew in Gimarra, more than 260 miles away, Oddity Central reported. The man said he had walked the entire way, without using any other modes of transportation and relied on the kindness of strangers for food and drink. “I’m fine. I’m just a little tired,” he said. His wife, who had reported him missing, picked him up the next day but had to pay a fine of almost $500 for his violation of the curfew.

Speaking of ...

• The recent unexplained appearance of a silver monolith in the deserts of Utah has made headlines all around the world. It also seems to have attracted imitators, including one in Romania’s mountainous Neamt region. The 9-foot-tall metal structure mysteriously appeared on Nov. 27 and vanished on Dec. 1, leaving “just a small hole covered by rocky soil,” a local reporter told Reuters. “An unidentified person, apparently a bad local welder, made it.” Georgiana Mosu, a spokeswoman for the local police, said officers are investigating the incident because the monolith was placed in a protected archaeological area.

• Germany has also experienced a recent monolith mystery, according to the Associated Press. Local media in southern Germany reported the disappearance on Nov. 30 of a wooden phallus sculpture about 7 feet tall that

inexplicably appeared on Gruenten Mountain several years ago and had became a destination for hikers and tourists, even appearing on Google Maps as a “cultural monument.” But over the weekend, someone chopped it down, leaving only a pile of sawdust. Police in the town of Kempten are investigating.

Turnabout is fair play

Least competent criminal

Daniel M. Rizza, 20, of McKeesport, Pennsylvania, driving a gray Audi SUV, ran out of gas on Nov. 27 and called state police to ask for help, but when he was told a trooper would be responding, he abruptly said he’d changed his mind and hung up, according to court documents. WTAJ reported the trooper responding to the call learned en route that a gray Audi had been reported stolen nearby earlier in the day, and after a check of the SUV’s make, model, identification number and registration, he arrested Rizza, who was charged with a felony count of receiving stolen property.

An unnamed hunter near the Czech Republic village of Horni Plana contacted police in late November after a deer startled by the man’s dogs charged him, snagging his .22-caliber rifle on its antlers before running into the woods, United Press International reported. The gun was unloaded, and police said another hunter saw the stag more than Awesome! a half-mile away with the rifle still hanging An unnamed North Korean man in his from its antlers. late 20s told officials his training as a gymnast enabled him to jump almost 10 feet high over a fence on Nov. 3 to escape into South Sounds like a fairy tale Police in Kansas City, Kansas, responded Korea, National Public Radio reported. After to a call on Nov. 27 from a man who said he crossing the fence, the man evaded capture returned home around 4 p.m. that day to find for about 14 hours before being detained a stranger in his house. The unnamed suspect by South Korean soldiers, whom he told he was wearing the victim’s clothing, had made wanted to defect. Skeptical officials made a sandwich and cooked and ate ramen noo- him jump the same height again twice to help dles, and when police arrived, was fast asleep prove his story. Amazingly, he successfully in the victim’s bed, Fox4 reported. The man avoided land mines and sensors around the was arrested and booked into the Wyandotte border.

County Jail, where the beds surely were too Visit newsoftheweird.com. hard.

BEACH BUM FUN JONESIN’ CROSSWORDS BY MATT JONES

“You’re Getting Sleepy” — some ways to get there Across 1 Raccoon relative 6 BTS or Blackpink genre 10 Lawn mower’s spot 14 “It’s just ___ those things” 15 Edison’s middle name

16 Jekyll’s alter ego 17 Make yourself sleepy, in a way 19 “1917,” for one 20 Writer Vonnegut 21 Thicke of “Growing Pains” 22 ___ Domingo (capital of the

SEACOAST SCENE | DECEMBER 10, 2020 | PAGE 22

Dominican Republic) 23 Seed for flavoring soft drinks 25 Gp. with a Brussels HQ 26 “Whose ___ was this?”

27 “Well done” 30 Got angry 33 Concave cooker 34 Title said by Zazu in “The Lion King” 35 Tall prez, for short 36 Clothing item that I suppose could make you sleepy (if it’s really comfy) 40 Poseidon’s realm 41 Soften up 43 Acne medication brand 44 Tank covering 46 Synthpop duo that released an album of ABBA covers 48 Transport

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50 Senatorial stretch 51 Snarky, but less fun 54 Lagoon locale 56 “Star Trek: TNG” counselor Deanna 57 Egyptian fertility goddess with a cow’s head 59 Rice-A-___ 60 Chemical in turkey that makes many people sleepy 62 ZZ Top, e.g.

63 Pueblo dwellers 64 “Once Upon a Time in the West” director Sergio 65 Email app folder 66 “Let’s Roll” blues singer James 67 “Melrose Place” actor Rob Down 1 Scar 2 Actress Aimee of “La Dolce Vita” 3 Brain surgeon’s prefix 4 “Be honest” 5 Back, on a boat 6 Liqueur used in a Black Russian 7 Feature of some khakis 8 Major kitchen appliance 9 Soft food for babies 10 Sword holders 11 Demonstration where you might hear the line “You’re getting sleepy ...”

12 Fix 13 Style from about 100 years ago 18 “Aladdin ___” (David Bowie

album) 22 Give in to gravity 24 Tacks on to a friends list 25 “Swoosh” company 27 Go off in the kitchen?

28 Cookie with a jokey November tweet showing itself in mashed potatoes 29 Warm, in a way 30 Prominence 31 Service with an “Eats” offshoot 32 Supplement that can help make you sleepy 33 Method 37 Early bird’s prize 38 Application file suffix 39 George’s sitar teacher 42 “The Hollow Men” poet 45 “Follow me for more ___” (snarky meme of late) 47 Website necessity 48 Nearsightedness 49 “Get Down ___” (Kool & the Gang song) 51 Burial vault 52 “It’s worth ___!”

53 “Big Little Lies” author Moriarty 54 Sunday newspaper section 55 Ripped (off) 56 Relaxed pace 58 1990s game console, initially 60 Chance ___ Rapper 61 Cheer for Cristiano Ronaldo © 2020 Matt Jones

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287 Lafayette Road (Rte 1) Seabrook, New Hampshire (next to Starbucks) Phone: (603) 474-1900 132746

STORE YOUR BOAT WITH US At Hampton River Marina, we can store your boat at an affordable rate for the summer and winter.

Full Service Public Retail Seafood Market

WINTER STORAGE SERVICES

Wet Storage • Dry Storage Winterization Shrink Wrapping • Travelift up to 25 tons Dockside Water & Electric

The Freshest Lobsters, Crabs & Fish

SUMMER STORAGE SERVICES

144 Boat Slips • Storage on Boat Trailers Transient Slips • Rack Storage • Showers Laundry • Ice & Soda Machines

Direct from our fishermen to the public!

Lobsters • Clams • Fillets Whole Fish • Live Crabs • Shrimp

ELIGIBILITY TO JOIN NEARBY WATERS EDGE YACHT CLUB

We will steam your lobster & crabs - By request.

Open Year Round 7 Days a Week • 10am-6pm

Hampton River Marina

603.474.9850 ext. 6 Located across the Hampton Bridge going into Seabrook/right side of the street

55 Harbor Road, Hampton, NH • hamptonmarinanh.com • 603. 929.1422

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The Community Oven Wood Fire Pizza & More For family fun meet us at the Community Oven!

A one-stop shop for your sweet tooth!

Offering Ice cream, soft serve, dessert smoothies and an assortment of candies. Open 7 days a week 12-9

Serving Lunch & Dinner Monday-Sunday 11-close (603) 601-6311 | thecommunityoven.com | 845 Lafayette Rd. Hampton, NH

845 Lafayette Rd, Hampton, NH 03842

The Community Oven For family fun meet us at the Community Oven!

Lovin the Oven Serving Lunch & Dinner Monday-Sunday 11-close (603) 601-6311 | thecommunityoven.com | 24 Brickyard Square, Epping, NH

61 High St, Hampton, NH (603) 601-7091

Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner 7 days a week - 7am

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ORDER ONLINE! Find us on ToastTab.com