These brave souls took a plunge to raise money for families in need
Womenade of Concord held its second annual fundraiser Sunday, where several dozen brave men, women, snowmen and tooth fairies got cold for a cause. The event raised $8,000 for short-term, emergency financial assistance for Concord area families.
Easter’s great and all, but don’t forget about St. Patrick’s Day
So although we may be focusing on Easter in this issue, we haven’t forgotten that another big March holiday is right around the corner: St. Patrick’s Day. Yes, it’s that one day a year when “everybody’s Irish.” It’s not really a gift-giving kind of holiday, but it’s certainly a fun one (especially if you’re at least 21 years old). The holiday is Thursday, and a lot of places around town have some special events going on to celebrate....
Students at Rundlett Middle School make cool underwater robots
If one thing is apparent in today’s world, it’s that technology isn’t going anywhere any time soon. From self-driving cars to proposed drone delivery services, it’s clear that machines are becoming more and more prevalent in daily life. Although we may not have reached Terminator levels of the machine takeover just yet, we’re getting pretty close. But that’s a depressing thought. Let’s not dwell on that. Instead, let’s focus on what’s...
NHTI’s annual Pizza Wars fundraiser was a delicious showdown
NHTI held its annual Pizza Wars fundraiser last week, and it was a cheesy good time. NHTI invited eight pizza shops to come down and showcase their work, with the goal of earning the most votes to be named the best in Concord. Although six pizzerias accepted the invitation, only three showed up – Domino’s, Papa John’s and Sal’s Pizza. The others had to back out at the last minute due to staffing shortages. But that didn’t stop the 160...
Did you know there are six places to get inked up right in Concord?
You might not believe it, but Concord (including Penacook) has a whopping six tattoo shops. That’s approaching Dunkin’ Donuts territory in terms of volume. Since there are so many to choose from, we decided to get the low-down on each spot and find out all the important details for you. You can use this as your guide when you’re thinking about where to get your next neck piece or half-sleeve. Arrows & Embers Tattoo 7 Pleasant St....
We checked out the start-to-finish tattoo process at Buzz Ink
With this being the Tattoo Issue, we figured we’d go to one of Concord’s six tattoo shops and see how the process all goes down. Neither of us Insiders has any tats, so we had to go to see what it’s all about. We stopped by Buzz Ink on Manchester street – which is a rare barber shop/tattoo shop combo – where Joel Ste. Croix was ready to add to his collection of ink. He came in with his own design – an anime version of the late, great...
We asked around the ‘Monitor’ to find out who had some tats
Since neither of us Insiders has any tattoos, we decided to ask everyone at the Monitor to pony up and lend us theirs for our issue. Here’s what they said: Nick Reid, news reporter (top left): My tattoo is of two geometric-themed mandalas on my upper left arm. It was custom-drawn by Abby Williams, an artist who previously worked out of Brilliance Tattoo in Boston. Grechen Askins, human resources manager (second from left): My daughter...
Here’s some work each Concord tattoo shop has shared online
Thanks to Facebook and Instagram, we were able to find some work done at each tattoo shop in Concord. Have a gander!
While you’re on vacation, check out some of these cool things
So it’s not summer yet – or even spring – and Christmas is definitely long over. We’re kind of in that awkward part of the year right now when there’s not really a whole lot going on. Except school vacation. February vacation might not have the same pizazz as summer or Christmas vacation, but time off is time off. It’s nice to get a little break to kind of recharge the batteries. And with February vacation, the nice thing is that when...
There are plenty of places to puff – or kick the habit – downtown
We’re not really in the business of telling you to go out and do something unhealthy or dangerous. After all, you are our readership, and without you we wouldn’t have jobs. But there are plenty of things that are either unhealthy or even dangerous that people do every day by choice. Think of construction workers, miners, oil drillers, jay-walkers. And smokers. Now we all know smoking is unhealthy, but it is legal (if you’re of age, of...
Take a little time each day to focus on what’s most important
Well, it is finally here, the cold winter weather! Yes, winter, also referred to as “cold and flu season.” So take some time each day to focus on you, your overall health, wellness and boosting your immune system. The top five ways to stay healthy during cold and flu season are: Great nutrition – good clean eats support our digestive tract and support our immune system; vitamins and immune supporting supplements – your primary care...
Here it is: The ‘Young Love Part 2’ video you’ve all been waiting for
If you’ve been an Insider fan long enough, you might remember a cool Valentine’s Day-inspired video taken with a group of 12 third-graders at the Kimball-Walker School five years ago. It was done so long ago that neither of the Insiders who shot the video have worked at the paper for more than two years and the elementary school isn’t even open anymore. But that didn’t stop us from doing our best to re-create the heartwarming...
We checked out the police academy, where every N.H. officer trains
New Hampshire has hundreds of police and corrections officers from Pittsburg to Pelham, and they all learn the ropes at the same place: the police academy right here in Concord. Officially called the Arthur D. Kehas Criminal Justice Training Facility & Campus (which, for the sake of saving ink, we’ll refer to as the police academy from here on out), the sprawling complex right next to NHTI and the McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery...
The academy’s bad-guy scenario simulator gets the blood flowing
If you’re training to be a police officer, you need to be prepared for anything and everything you might come across in the line of duty – from wayward emus and pigs to gun-toting troublemakers. But given that police officers often encounter dangerous, life-threatening situations, it’s tough to truly replicate that danger without putting recruits in harm’s way. Until now. The Arthur D. Kehas Criminal Justice Training Facility and...
Ladies – learn how to defend yourself with RAD System classes
One of the sad realities of life is that not everybody is as nice as we are here at the Insider. In fact, some people are downright evil and wouldn’t hesitate to attack a woman for any number of absurd reasons. Nobody – man or woman – should have to feel afraid to go to the ATM, grocery store or anywhere else for that matter. And if you’re a woman who wants to learn how to defend yourself in case you find yourself in a dangerous or...
Two Concord guys to perform the quirky ‘Gutenberg! The Musical!’
Musicals are a staple in the world of theater. Singing and dancing tend to add some extra oomph to stage shows that might otherwise lack energy. But musicals aren’t for everybody. Maybe you’re too macho to be seen at a musical theater show, or maybe you just prefer comedy to drama. Well, there’s a two-man show coming to town Friday that’s sure to please everyone. It’s called Gutenberg! The Musical!, but it doesn’t have anything to do...
Constantly Pizza whips up heart-shaped pies for Valentine’s Day
Constantly Pizza has been in the pizza-making business since 1990. It’s safe to say they know a thing or two about making a delicious pie. You probably already know that though. What you might not know is that since the beginning, John and Dave Constant have been offering heart-shaped pizzas for Valentine’s Day. “We never advertise it,” Dave Constant said. “We don’t even put it on the menu.” Instead, it’s one of those things that you...
Haven’t found a Valentine’s Day gift yet? Don’t worry, we did the shopping for you
A wise man once said, “If not for the last minute, I’d never get anything done.” That’s sort of our mantra over here, and we imagine we’re not the only ones. Valentine’s Day is right around the corner (or in some cases, already over), and there’s no doubt plenty of you still have to get something for that special someone. Luckily, we went out around downtown Concord and did the shopping for you. You don’t have to thank us, it’s our...
Jon lit up the scoreboard at the NHTI Wheelchair Basketball Benefit
During the middle of winter, it’s not as easy to stay active and have fun as it is in the warmer months. My days are often spent entirely indoors, with little to no physical activity whatsoever. But last week I had the chance to get a good, fun workout in at NHTI’s 14th annual Wheelchair Basketball Benefit. The wheelchair basketball game, which features a team of NHTI staff and a team of students, is a fundraiser for the NHTI Student...
Everything you need to know about the McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center
To commemorate the 30th anniversary of the Challenger disaster, we decided to do an issue all about the McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center, the museum that bears the name of Concord High School teacher Christa McAuliffe, who tragically perished in the explosion. We figured we’d go down there and see what was going on and what they had to offer. But it occurred to us that maybe some of you don’t know about the Discovery Center at all....
Food Snob: The CountDown Cafe is serving up food that’s out of this world
If you haven’t stopped into the McAuliffe-Shepard Discover Center since the latter stages of 2014, you’ve missed out on a lot of cool things related to space stuff. And you also probably didn’t know the little cafe on the left as you walk in the door has gone through quite a transition. Back in September 2014, the former operator of the cafe ended its contract after opening a new restaurant in Manchester. So for about the next 10...
Discovery Center keeps kids entertained for light years on end
The McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center is no stranger to school field trips – it sees about 10,000 school kids every year – and Chichester Central School just took one there last week. Those kids really love space-type stuff!
The Harlem Wizards blew the doors off Bishop Brady High School
The Harlem Wizards took their high-flying basketball road show to Bishop Brady High School last week as a fundraiser for Tedy’s Team, a Boston Marathon team started by former Patriot Tedy Bruschi to raise awareness about strokes. The house was packed, and a great time was had by all.
There’s a whole lot that goes into setting up the Black Ice tourney
The 1883 Black Ice Pond Hockey Championship has become a signature event in Concord every year. When late January rolls around, a chill fills the air and excitement fills the hearts and minds of the city. Everybody knows that a weekend of classic outdoor hockey – and general good times – is about to get under way. But the tournament is a big undertaking – eight rinks have to be set up on solid ice, tents need to be put up, boards and...
We tasted 603 Brewery’s Black Ice American Ale for you
You have to admit, we get to try some pretty cool food at the Insider. In addition to the occasional baked goods that get dropped off for us (thanks again), we’ve eaten at a lot of restaurants in the area as the world famous Food Snob and been given plenty of tasty samples at events like the Taste of Concord and the annual Mac and Cheese Bake Off. And with the 1883 Black Ice Pond Hockey Championship set to begin this Friday, we wanted...
Check out the print edition!
So we have a special Black Ice edition of the Insider this week, but a lot of the “special” content isn’t exactly formatted to go online, unfortunately. But don’t worry – our print edition is all over the city, and it’s very free. Grab a copy from one of those cool red boxes around town (but not Redbox) and check it out. There’s lots of useful stuff in there, like schedules, times and other...
Time to start thinking about your taxes
We know the deadline to file your taxes is months away, but it’s hard not to think about what you’d do with that refund. Will you go on vacation? Make an extra car payment? Or put it away in your savings account for a rainy day? It’s kinda like when you dreamt about what you’d do if you won the $1.5 billion Powerball jackpot, only this is real money we’re talking about and not something 99.99999 percent of us will never see. And let’s...
Let us be your guide to all the live music venues in the capital city
In the winter, it can sometimes be a little bit harder to find something fun to do in your spare time. It’s not exactly the ideal time of year to go throw the ball around at White Park or break in that new bike you got for Christmas. And nobody feels like doing work around the house, either – after all, what is there to do besides shovel? Well, for one, there’s always tons of live music to be heard all over Concord and Bow. The...
Granite State of Mind: An intimate setting for great local music
So you just learned about many of the cool places around Concord to catch some live music. And there sure are plenty of options. But all of those venues offer a fairly similar experience: You watch a loud show and maybe have some food and a couple drinks while you’re at it. Not that there’s anything wrong with that experience, it’s just that sometimes, some people are looking for a more relaxed setting. If you count yourself as one of...
Strings & Things is your one-stop shop for all things music
So we’ve gone to great lengths to tell you all about how to listen to some music around here. You can go to a bar, a restaurant, a theater, a community college or a coffee shop, among other places. But what about all of you musicians out there? All of you who actually play and contribute to the area’s active and passionate music scene? Where can you go to sharpen your skills or pick up some new instruments, or even catch a little...
