Who will be named the next Iron Chef Concord?
Cooking a nice dish is an art form, and that’s why only a small portion of the population can do it at a high level.Just about any of us can put together a meal, given the right mix of ingredients and time to prepare, but under the bright lights of competition, that’s where it would get a little tricky for us.Luckily, we weren’t asked to take part in the third annual Iron Chef Concord competition put on by GoodLife Programs &...
Donate a basket for the Easter Eggstravaganza
Unlike most holidays, we never really know when Easter is going to be celebrated from year to year. Some years it’s in March and others April.So we decided to look it up, and learned that Easter is celebrated on the first Sunday following the full moon after the vernal equinox on March 21. In other words, Easter can be observed anywhere between March 22 and April 25.Just an FYI, Easter will be on April 16 this year, but before the...
GoodLife is hosting a food drive for the SPCA
It’s well known that many people out there need help when it comes to putting food on the table.We sure wish that wasn’t the case, but that is unfortunately the reality of life.Local food drives do a great job of helping bring awareness – and much needed supplies –in the fight to keep everyone fed.But, you might not always think about the fact that there are lots of animals out there in need of food, especially at the Pope Memorial...
Thanks to all the snow, skiers are quite happy
While many of us have seen just about enough of all this February snow, the same cannot be said for local cross-country skiing enthusiasts.After what amounted to a busted winter last year, and a real slow start to this one, the local hot spots were bustling last week thanks to more than 2 feet of new white stuff over the course of a week.People couldn’t wait to strap on their skis and hit the freshly groomed trails at White Farm, so...
N.H. has the oldest state library in the U.S.
Despite being one of the smaller states, New Hampshire is pretty well-known for some important moments in history. We hold the distinct honor of being the First in the Nation Primary, we were the first of the original 13 colonies to declare its independence from England and the state house is the oldest state capitol in which the legislature still meets in its original chambers. And those are just a few fun facts we came up with....
Red River wants you to walk the red carpet
Walking the red carpet at the Oscars is a pretty big deal, and unfortunately we haven’t heard of anyone from Concord who will be strutting their stuff this Sunday.But that’s okay, you don’t need the bright lights of Hollywood to feel like you’re at the biggest film party of the year. That’s because Red River Theatres is hosting an Oscars night get-together with Hollywood to Main Street: Concord’s Own Red Carpet.“It’s going to be a...
We’re taking the ‘Insider’ show on the road
As you well know, it’s no secret how much we enjoy Concord. For more than a decade, the Insider has thrived covering anything and everything that happens with the Concord city limits. There’s no shortage of things to try, food to eat and stories to tell. About a year and a half ago, we ventured into Bow and recently we got an idea. What if the Insider – just for one week at a time – left the city to see what’s happening in all these...
Take a day trip to Henniker and explore
There’s nothing quite like embarking on a new adventure. Jumping in the old family sedan and hitting the open road to a place you’ve only heard about, but have never experienced for yourself. So you can only imagine our excitement when we left the confines of our office (and Concord) for a day trip to the town of Henniker – which if you didn’t know, is the only Henniker on Earth. It’s about 40 minutes from the ol’ Insider pod to the...
You’ve got to sample some of the local fare in Henniker
Whenever you visit a new place, the top thing on your to do list has to be trying some of the local eating establishments.Food is a great way to get a lay of the land, and you gotta eat, right? Unfortunately, there’s only so much time in the day and space in the ol’ stomach, so while we wanted to taste a little bit of everything on our trip to Henniker, it just wasn’t in the cards.But don’t worry, we ate as much as we could and took...
You’ve got to experience the new Simchik Cinema
It’s been a few months since Red River Theatres has been at full strength.That’s because a capital campaign project – the first since Red River opened its doors almost 10 years ago – had temporarily shutdown use of the Simchik Cinema.But the wait is over – and was well worth it. During the first week of February, the screening room was reopened for public use, and after taking a little tour of it last week, we can’t wait to go catch a...
We found out how the Hobey Sticks are made
Like most tournaments, the teams who takes on all comers in their division in the Black Ice Pond Hockey Championships are rewarded with some hardware.But this isn’t some boring plaque or trophy – the winners of the seven Black Ice divisions are given a Hobey Stick. Named, of course, for the hockey legend from St. Paul’s School, Hobey Baker.Sure trophies are nice to display and polish when company comes over, but this is a pond hockey...
Go Try It: Pick out flowers for that special someone
I’ve always thought that in my previous life, I was probably a florist.For some reason, I’ve always enjoyed flowers and especially picking out a nice arrangement for that special someone. When I was much younger, that person was my mom, and these days it’s my wife, Mary.So whenever Valentine’s Day rolls around, I look forward to taking a trip to a local flower shop, looking through the selection of fresh cut flowers and putting...
We learned about the spots to go ice fishing in Concord and Bow
When it comes to being outside for an extended period of time in the winter months, we usually find any excuse in the book to avoid it.But the reality is that some people out there really enjoy it – like the ones who find a frozen lake, drill a hole and try to catch fish.If you live in New Hampshire, you have to experience ice fishing at least once and it turns out that around these parts there are some prime locations to drop a line...
If you like good basketball, then this is for you
If you’re a big hoops fan, then you’ll want to make your way to Bishop Brady this Sunday.Five of the top 15 prep school teams in the country will play in the fourth annual Frank Monahan Foundation Basketball Showcase, along with a couple local squads.In addition to four prep school matchups, the Bishop Brady and Pembroke Academy boys teams will play, giving fans the opportunity to see five games in one day – and for a very affordable...
Community Players to perform ‘Noises Off’
Ever wonder what goes on behind the scenes of a theater production? Especially one that’s got a cast engulfed in turmoil. Well, look no further than the Community Players of Concord’s performance of Noises Off at the Concord City Auditorium this weekend. Noises Off is a play within a play, and has been referred to as one of the funniest plays ever written. Director Pat Delzell is so confident in what audiences will think of it, she’s...
You should go check out the Concord Ukes
It’s a Friday evening in the Oates Performing Arts Center on the campus of St. Paul’s School and if you listen closely, you can hear the light strumming of a few ukuleles.But it isn’t a concert or a class; rather it’s just members of the Concord Ukes – or CUkes – during their bi-weekly jam session.The jams happen on Fridays (the next one is this week), and really, all it consists of is a group of ukulele enthusiasts, of all abilities,...
Looking for a new TV to enhance the big game?
Now that the holidays are in the rearview mirror, you can finally get back to buying things for yourself.And assuming you didn’t buy a new one during Black Friday or dip into your new TV fund to buy all those Christmas presents, you’re probably ready to grab that new flat-screen to totally change the way you watch your favorite programs.If you’re like us, sports are an important part of your daily life, which means any chance you get,...
The Stratford Club is all about Shakespeare
It’s hard to admit to a bunch of Shakespeare enthusiasts that you’ve never really read much of the famed author, but that’s exactly what I had to do last week when I met up with the Stratford Club in the Shakespeare Room of the Concord Public Library.If you’re not familiar with the Stratford Club, don’t worry, you’re not alone. We had never heard of them until a few weeks back when I got an email about an upcoming reading of...
Concord has a new spot to taste craft beer
For years, the good people of Concord have been essentially begging for locally made beer.And it appears as though at least a few people have been listening, because in less than a year, the city is now the proud home to two breweries.Just over a week ago, the Concord Craft Brewing Co. became an official spot to taste some locally made brews after months of anticipation, joining Lithermans Limited on Hall Street. But things always...
From the Crowd: You’ll want to watch ‘Jackie’ before it’s gone
It’s a week after the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, and the former first lady, Jackie Kennedy, is ready to talk about her husband. She invites a journalist to the Kennedy’s estate in Hyannis Port, Mass., for an interview. That’s where the story of Jackie begins to unfold. The recently released film takes you through the twists and turns of Jackie Kennedy’s life, from being first lady to the time immediately following...
It’s not easy interpreting art with flowers
For us, it’s hard enough to interpret what an artist is trying to say with their work, let alone trying to represent it – through flowers nonetheless. We’ll be the first to admit that’s a little out of our league.So it’s a good thing that the Concord Garden Club and some local floral designers took care of the arrangements for last week’s Art & Bloom at McGowan Fine Art. Nobody would want to see what we came up with, unless they...
News flash: Black Ice has been postponed
This week was supposed to be the Black Ice Pond Hockey issue. And the key phrase there is supposed to.Every year in the week leading up to the tournament, we have a section that’s chock-full of all the information you need to enjoy a weekend of great hockey at White Park.And with the tournament slated for next weekend, right about now you should be laughing at the funny team names, mapping out what days you want to go and getting...
Go Try It: Sing with the Concord Chorale
Usually in this space, we tell you all about something that we’ve gone out and tried – and that you should do the same. But occasionally, we want you to go try something that we just frankly can’t do. And that’s the case when it comes to singing. Sure, in the shower and belting out Disney tunes with our daughters is one thing, but in front of a room full of talented singers is just not something we’re prepared to jump into. A few...
N.H. is home to some pretty great theater
Actors, actresses, directors and all the other important roles in theater productions across New Hampshire came together at the Capitol Center for the Arts on Saturday for the 15th annual N.H. Theatre Awards. The best and brightest on stage performers, performances and behind–the– scenes folks were honored in a night that featured short recreations from production companies around the state, special awards and from what we heard, one...
Chandler’s Cake & Candy Supplies is closing its doors
Not long after moving to New Hampshire a decade ago, Jen Evans started going to Chandler’s Cake & Candy Supplies.At first she took classes, and then two years later, with a wedding on the horizon, she asked Chandler’s owner Sue Chandler to make her wedding cake – because she’s pretty good at baking cakes.Chandler has since made Christening cakes for both of Evans’s children, as well as offered countless tips for other baking...
Just because it’s cold out doesn’t mean you can’t have a little fun
These days, going outside isn’t exactly at the top of the list of things we want to do. But we’re not bears so we can’t just hibernate all winter – or can we? Unfortunately, no, so instead of just sitting around watching TV and waiting for the temperatures to rise, we decided to see what Concord had to offer in the area of indoor fun. Just because leaving the house requires a jacket, scarf, winter hat and gloves, doesn’t mean you...
If sports is your thing, we’ve got you covered
As you know, we get to try some pretty cool stuff with this job. And as past our prime, wannabe professional athletes, taking part in any athletic endeavor takes us back to the glory days when we thought competing at the highest level was a real possibility – even though looking back, we all know it was never really in the cards. But that doesn’t mean we can’t have fun, which is pretty much what being an Insider is all about. So over...
If entertainment is what you’re looking for . . .
Concord is kind of a hot spot for entertainment, whether it be live or on the big screen. With a plethora of great spots to catch a play, a film or comedy show, there’s always something going on to get you through the cold days and nights of winter. So if you’re looking for something to do, check out one of these establishments – odds are you’ll find something that catches your eye. The Audi The Concord City Auditorium, more...
Educational stuff sure can be for fun, too
While some may say that learning isn’t fun, we tend to disagree with the premise.We sure had a lot of fun in college, although most of that was outside of the classroom, and it’s not like we went all that often anyway (just kidding, stay in school kids).And when it comes to fun around here, there’s plenty that falls into the educational realm. Don’t believe us? Keep reading.Discovery Center When you walk into the Discovery Center, it...
McGowan Fine Art is hosting Art & Bloom
Are you sick of putting on layers upon layers of clothing before leaving the house? Have you been daydreaming about an exotic vacation to escape winter? Is looking at brown snow on a daily basis getting you down? Well, while we can’t make spring come any sooner (sorry), there is something coming up that will help brighten your day – and it’s Art & Bloom.The annual collaboration between the Concord Garden Club and McGowan Fine Art,...
