Tasty Brews: Humboldt Brewing Nectar from Barley House
We got a text a couple weeks ago from the Barley House’s Barley Club promotion (text BeerMe to 313131 to be added to the list) saying the downtown watering hole had a new beer on tap.Always on alert for beer updates, we bolted out the door as soon as we read the text to try the latest offering: Humboldt Brewing Co.’s Nectar IPA. The Nectar IPA is a hoppy and floral IPA that’s extremely light, crisp and easy to drink. The floral notes...
Look who’s trying to find love on Craigslist
We took to Craigslist last week to see who had been posting on the missed connections pages in our neck of the woods during the month of February. And lo and behold, we found all these great entries to share. So here’s a sampling of what we found and could print, unedited, of course. 99 Restaurant – m4w (Concord) – Feb. 26 You are a waitress at the 99 Restaurant in Concord. You worked on Saturday night. You are friendly....
Bulletin Board
Moose Plate grants now open The Department of Cultural Resources’ three Conservation License Plate grant programs are now open for the 2017 grant round. Cultural Resources’ “Moose Plate” grants support the restoration, preservation and/or conservation of publicly owned items significant to New Hampshire’s cultural heritage. The first step in the process is to submit a letter of intent to apply, providing a brief description of the...
Book of the Week: ‘IQ’
IQ Joe Ide 2016, 336 pages Fiction They call him IQ. Isaiah is a loner and a high school dropout, his quiet nature disguising a relentless determination and a fierce intelligence. He charges his clients whatever they can afford, so to get by, he’s forced to take on clients that can pay. This time, it’s a rap mogul whose life is in danger. As Isaiah investigates, he encounters a vengeful ex-wife, a crew of notorious cutthroats, a...
This Week in Concord History
March 7, 1780: Concord town meeting voters elect a prosecutor to find out who “pulled down the house of Andrew Stone, and see what provision they will make for the support of his wife.” Stone was a soldier from Concord in the Continental Army. Apparently in his absence, a town history reports, “one of Stone’s daughters did not behave so well as the neighbors thought a faire and chaste maiden should do and they undertook to correct her...
Here’s the lowdown on all things burgers
Who doesn’t love a good burger? In today’s get-up-and-go world, there isn’t always enough time in the day to sit down for a proper multicourse meal. When time is tight, you need something that’s quick and easy to eat that will still fill you up. Enter the burger, the official food of people on-the-go everywhere. The burger is the obvious go-to option when you need a quick bite, and Concord just so happens to have a few places where...
You can’t have burgers without French fries
Some things are just meant to be together – peanut butter and jelly, corned beef and cabbage, Ross and Rachel.And, of course, burgers and fries.While the meat and bread of the burger provide the bulk of the filling portion of the meal, the fries are the conduit that makes everything work. You can be sure that if somebody is selling a burger, you can get fries with that, too.Here’s a little sampling of some of the more intriguing...
We hit up the Big 3 for some signature burgers
There are so many great places to grab a burger in Concord, it can be pretty overwhelming sometimes.Whether you’re looking for something downtown or more in the sticks, whether you want something basic or fancy, there’s something for you at one of the plethora of local eateries in town.But since we are an equal opportunity publication, we felt bad about doing a whole issue on burgers while leaving out the three most successful burger...
Former sergeant to speak at Gibson’s
Sgt. 1st Class William Graser, U.S. Army (retired), will be at Gibson’s Bookstore on Saturday at 2 p.m. to discuss his book, Veterans’ Reflections: History Preserved.The military service of millions of Americans is reflected in Veterans’ Reflections, which puts you in the middle of the action of our nation’s wars. Through firsthand accounts of veterans who served during World War II, the Cold War, Korean War, Cuban Missile Crisis,...
The city cut down a swath of trees at Rollins
Last Thursday, a crew went to Rollins Park to cut down hundreds of pine trees in the area near the playground. About 200 red pines in the South End park were infected with tiny, invasive bugs called scales and were expected to die this year. The trees are being harvested along with an adjacent plantation of white pines, which were not infected with scales but were also cut down. The city council signed off on a plan in December...
Music is back in full swing at True Brew Barista
Music at True Brew Barista has never really “gone anywhere,” but the café/bar/ music venue wants you to know that it’s going all-out on that front from here on out. On Thursday nights, it’s all-original open mic featuring local celebrity Dusty Gray. Remember, no covers are allowed at True Brew, so this isn’t your ordinary open mic night. Then, there are Full-on Fridays, featuring some of the best local and nationally touring bands....
The Capitol Steps are coming to the Cap Center
Join CATCH Neighborhood Housing for a hilarious evening of political musical satire on Friday as the Capitol Steps return to the Capitol Center for the Arts.The Steps, a Washington D.C.-based comedy troupe that began as a group of Senate staffers, will present a show featuring songs from their newest album, What to Expect When You’re Electing. Their songs parody current events and the political climate, and include “The Leader is a...
Mandolin Festival returns to music school
Get excited mandolin fans – because the 15th annual March Mandolin Festival is this weekend, so you’ll have two chances to catch a killer show.The first concert is Friday at 7 p.m. at the Stone Church in Newmarket, which we understand is not in Concord, but the second mandolin showcase will take place here on Saturday at the Concord Community Music School, 23 Wall St.Saturday night’s concert will be held at 7:30 p.m. with tickets...
On Display: The work of Valerie Hird at McGowan Fine Art
Valerie Hird has traveled all over the world – and all you have to do is look at her art to see it. “Dreaming of Another World, Nomadic Reflections” is the latest exhibit at McGowan Fine Art, a solo show of Hird’s work. Traveling through the East and Central Asia, Hird documented the stories of these nomadic people and their cultures. Her work portrays the people, landscape and the unique visual language she came across. The show will...
Bulletin Board
Bow Mills offering Lenten Luncheons Bow Mills United Methodist Church, 505 South St., Bow, is hosting a Lenten Luncheon series sponsored by the Greater Concord Interfaith Council. Luncheons are held on Thursdays, March 9, 16, 23, 30, and April 6, from noon to 1 p.m. with different speakers each series. The March 9 talk features Peter Evers, CEO of Riverbend Community Mental Health Center and Co-Chair of Change Direction N.H. Ticket...
This Week in Concord History
Feb. 28, 1894: At Sewalls Falls, George and Charles Page of the Page Belting Co. open the second hydroelectric dam of its kind in the United States. The powerhouse is equipped with four 2,300-volt, 225-kilowatt generators driven by leather belts from reaction-wheel water turbines. Sewalls Falls will generate power until 1968. Feb. 28, 2003: Two men have been charged with brutally beating a McDonald’s night janitor earlier in...
Book of the Week: ‘Family Plot’
The Family PlotCherie Priest2016, 368 pagesFiction Chuck Dutton is living on the financial edge. His business, Music City Salvage, is about to go under and with it his family’s livelihood unless he can sell some of his stock. Enter Augusta Withrow, with an offer he really should refuse: a grand family estate about to go under the wrecking ball, in a remote location, with a troubled history. Falling to temptation, Chuck sends his...
Go Try It: Go sledding at White Park
You know that old saying, “When life gives you lemons, make lemonade,”? Well, around here it’s more like, “When life gives you snow, go sledding.” So that’s exactly what I did last week. After the region was pelted once again with more of the white stuff, it was time to (finally) head out there and enjoy some of the snow while we had the chance – for a little while there it was kind of looking like we wouldn’t get any at all this...
Concord has lots of great spots for winter hiking
As cabin fever starts to set in, and you’re looking for a fun, free adventure – don’t forget that the Concord trail system does not close down for the winter. Spending time outdoors is one of the best ways to banish those winter blues. The winter season is also a great time to see the natural open spaces of Concord, and perhaps catch views that are hidden by leaves and underbrush during the rest of the year. For example, grab your...
Jon gave cross-country skiing the ol’ college try
Since I basically mastered snowbiking on my first-ever attempt for last week’s issue, I figured I should keep up the snow-sport conquering with a little foray into the world of cross-country skiing. This was yet another snow sport I had never tried, and since it’s so easy to do in Concord, I figured I should give it a shot.My first stop was Carter Hill Orchard. You probably know this place for its apples, pumpkins and famous cider...
Make sure to hit up Everett Arena to skate
We know that it’s winter and most people associate ice skating with the great outdoors.And Concord is home to some great locations to lace up the ol’ skates, like White Park, Beaver Meadow Golf Course, Merrill Park and Rollins Park.But some people prefer the comforts of the indoors, where they don’t have to deal with the elements. Although you better hurry up if you want to enjoy it, because there’s not a lot of time in the Everett...
Check out memoirist Melanie Brooks at Gibson’s
In her attempt to write a memoir about her father’s death from a secret AIDS infection in 1985, Melanie Brooks was left with some painful questions: What does it take to write an honest memoir? And what happens to us when we embark on that journey? Would she manage it?Brooks sought guidance from the memoirists who most moved her, including Andre Dubus III, Joan Wickersham, Mark Doty, Marianne Leone, Richard Hoffman, Edwidge Danticat,...
We went to our first CYPN networking event
The Monitor and Insider are members of the Greater Concord Chamber of Commerce, meaning any of the employees are entitled to certain benefits that come with membership, including monthly networking events put on by the Chamber’s Concord Young Professionals Network. Despite this fact, neither of us had ever been to one of these events before, and since we’ve been in the mood for first-evers lately, we decided to give it a shot. The...
Check out this cool wintry shot we found on Instagram
There were a lot of great Instagram shots of winter scenes and sunsets over the past few weeks, but this one, by user @Putnam18, seemed to best capture both in one photo. Nice shootin’!If you’ve taken a cool photo in Concord, post it to Instagram using the hashtag #concordnh to put it on our radar. If you absolutely want us to see it, throw #concordinsider in there, too.
Rundlett Middle School students made little Strandbeests
Do you remember any of your class projects from middle school? Maybe you made rockets using soda bottles, baking soda and vinegar. Maybe you built a bridge out of popsicle sticks. Or perhaps you remember making paper mache sculptures of your own head, or something of the sort. Well, the kids of today are up to a whole lot more than that, as evidenced by a quick visit to a pair of eighth-grade art classrooms at Rundlett Middle School...
Check out some Oscar-nominated shorts at Red River
Sure, you’ve probably heard about some of the big-name films up for Academy Awards this year – The likes of Hacksaw Ridge, Hell or High Water, La La Land, Lion and Manchester by the Sea, to name a few. Whether you’ve seen them or not, odds are you’ve heard someone at the office talking about them or caught a preview on TV.Over the last month or so, you’ve even seen us review a few of the nominees in Manchester By the Sea (Best...
It’s important to bring your kids to the dentist
Did you know that the American Academy of Pediatricians and the American Academy of Pediatric Dentists recommend that all children have their first dental visit by age 1? Studies show that there is a substantially greater risk of developing dental decay for children who don’t receive dental care in their early years. The Women, Infant and Children Program (WIC) clinics are an ideal place to develop community partnerships to provide...
Here’s an example of what to make for the Big Bicycle Project
The Big Bicycle Project is in full swing, and, in an effort to give people an idea of what to create, Ryan Linehan, managing director of Kimball-Jenkins Estate, made this Ode to Dechamp sculpture for people to check out in the Carriage House of the estate. Artists of all levels are invited to create an original sculpture from bicycle parts or decorate a bicycle. Parts and entire bikes are available for people to use and at...
Don’t miss Colin Callahan’s work at NHTI
St. Paul’s School fine arts faculty member Colin Callahan is now displaying his artwork in the NHTI Library. You’ll find some of his famous fruit paintings mixed in with a few picturesque landscapes. There’s even a series of paintings that show just how he creates a piece. The work will be on display through February.
Concord native Troy Patoine has a new book
We went quite a while around here without finding any local authors, but now it seems like we discover one every few weeks. Our latest discovery in this field is Concord native Troy Patoine, who has written two books, the latest being Nalapazoo. The book was released in August, but we only learned of it last week when Patoine reached out to us, wondering whether we might be interested in writing something about it. Of course, we were....
