Food Snob: Pulled Pork Sliders from Federal’s Cafe
We got a tip that a new café across from the federal courthouse downtown was open, so we did some investigating and discovered the rumor to be true. The new place is called Federal’s Café (62 Pleasant St.), and the little eatery does breakfast and lunch and serves gourmet Italian coffee. We stopped in on a sunny day last week to check out the lunch options.Before even entering the café, a sign out front listing specials caught our...
This week in Concord history
April 29, 1948: The New Hampshire Christian Civic League, formerly known as the New Hampshire Anti-Saloon League, faces the prospect of disbanding after 50 years of fighting for prohibition. Donations have fallen off, and the organization cannot pay its bills. Nowadays, on the issue of reducing the number of people who drink alcoholic beverages, “even some of the church groups are easy-going,” laments league official...
Bulletin Board: Big trees, yoga and wine, meetings and more
Music school to host seminars During May, Mental Health Awareness Month, Concord Community Music School is partnering with Riverbend Community Mental Health with a choral concert, panel discussion and weekly presentations that highlight the use of music in mental and behavioral health treatment. The music school will host free weekly “Good Vibes: Music & Mental Health” presentations by licensed expressive arts therapists and...
Bulletin board
Poetry night Poet Jennifer Militello will visit Gibson’s Bookstore virtually on April 29 at 7 p.m. to share her newest volume of verse, The Pact. In this, her newest collection, award-winning poet and memoirist Militello confronts obsession, intimacy, and abuse. Through love poems inspired by such disparate spaces as a British art museum and the reptile house of a local zoo, poems comparing a romantic affair to the religious cult at...
City Manager’s Newsletter: Beaver Meadow in full swing, public works celebration and more
On Friday, Stefanie Breton, the city’s public information officer, sent out the weekly City Manager’s Newsletter. Here are some of the highlights: Beaver Meadow in full swing The driving range and the course at Beaver Meadow Golf Course are open, as well as the patio. Get out and enjoy some golf! A reminder that our 2019 Chet Wheeler Red, White & Blue Golf Tournament is coming up May 25 to 27. A unique tradition with this event is...
Book: Darkness creeping
Darkness Creeping By Neal Shusterman (291, youth fiction, 2007) Love a good scare, but tired of the same old stories? Appropriately named, Darkness Creeping will keep you up at night. The best part is it’s a collection of short stories, so you can read it in between the dullness of your life and choose how much thrill you want. It will make you say, “Glad I’m not them,” as their stories eat at your mind. There’s something unsettling...
Entertainment: John Cusack comes to the Cap Center for ‘Say Anything’ screening
Music Tuesday Michael Loughlin at Hermanos Cocina Mexicana at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday Dave Gerard at Hermanos at 6:30 p.m. Open mic at Area 23 at 7 p.m. Sign-ups start at 6 p.m. Thursday Paul Hubert at Hermanos at 6:30 p.m. Klose Shave at Penuche’s at 9 p.m. Walker Smith at Cheers at 5 p.m. Friday Audio Jam at Pit Road Lounge at 8 p.m. Change 5 at Makris Lobster & Steak House at 8 p.m. These Trees at True Brew Barista at 8 p.m....
Book: Beginner’s Icelandic
Beginner’s Icelandic By Helga Hilmisdóttir & Jacek Kozlowski (221 pages, nonfiction, 2009) The possibility of seeing the northern lights this December — followed by subsequent disappointment — made travel restriction realities hit differently. Remember when Icelandic airline companies plastered images of the aurora borealis and crystal blue hot springs on seemingly every vertical surface in Boston? Since the dud light display in...
Making Good Health Simple: Have trouble getting yourself to the gym? Get a workout buddy
Exercise: “Yeah!” for some, and “Ugh” for others. The dichotomy among people’s attitudes toward exercise is clear. From the obsessive, early-morning rooster crowd (that arrive to the gym several minutes before the doors are open), to the people whose friends have to lure them to the gym with promises of post-workout nachos and margaritas, motivation seems to be the issue. To help us answer this age-old question of “How do I get myself...
City newsletter: Washington St. bridge work begins Monday
The city manager’s office sent out the City Manager’s Newsletter last Friday. The full newsletter can be found by going to concordnh.gov and clicking the “Newsletter” button. Here are some highlights: Upcoming meetings Zoning Board of Adjustment: May 5, 7 p.m. City Council: May 10, 7 p.m. These meetings are being held virtually via Zoom and are also live streamed via the City of Concord’s YouTube channel. Agendas and access...
CYPN: State employee Noah Hodgetts is the Young Professional of the Month
The Greater Concord Chamber of Commerce’s Concord Young Professionals Network introduces you to our Young Professional of the Month, Noah Hodgetts. Each month the CYPN Steering Committee recommends a young professional in the community it thinks readers would enjoy getting to know better.How old are you? 31.Where do you live? Concord.Where do you currently work? I am an Assistant Planner in the Planning Division at the New Hampshire...
Entertainment April 29-May 5
April 29 Brian Booth at Hermanos Cocina Mexicana at 6:30 p.m. Caamp 5 Year Anniversary (online live) via the Capitol Center for the Arts at 9 p.m. April 30 OBB at Penuche’s Ale House at 8 p.m. Mr. Aaron at Kimball Jenkins Estate at 10 a.m. May 1 Talent Show to benefit the Concord Coalition to End Homelessness at the Bank of N.H. Stage at 7 p.m. (doors at 6 p.m.) Andrew North and the Rangers at Area 23 at 7:30 p.m. Mr....
Poet Deborah Brown to present ‘The Human Half’ at Gibson’s Bookstore
Poet Deborah Brown will visit Gibson’s Bookstore on Wednesday at 6 p.m. to share the intimate poems from her new volume of verse, The Human Half. Threaded with echoes of familial trauma – a sister’s battle with cancer, a brother’s struggles with depression – the lyric poems in The Human Half reveal an open-hearted speaker who finds solace in the beauties of celestial navigation, the flowers along the railroad tracks, and the brushwork...
Entertainment
April 22 Crag Fahey at Hermanos Cocina Mexicana at 6:30 p.m. Mariacha Divas (online) via the Capitol Center for the Arts at 7 p.m. April 23 Mariacha Divas (online) via the Capitol Center for the Arts at 7 p.m. Queen City Improv at the Hatbox Theatre at 7:30 p.m. BYOB Masceo Williams at Penuche’s Ale House at 8 p.m. Reverend Mike and Crazy Steve at Area 23 at 7:20 p.m. April 24 Comedy Out of the Box at the Hatbox Theatre at 7:30 p.m....
Book of the Week: ‘Unto Us a Son is Given’
Donna Leon 2019, 259 pages Mystery Detective Guido Brunetti is asked by his father-in-law, Count Falier, to look into something for him. One of the Count’s oldest friends, Gonzalo, a wealthy man, wants to adopt a good-looking and much younger man as his son. If he is adopted, this man would inherit Gonzalo’s entire fortune, which greatly concerns his friends. Count Falier is very concerned about this and hopes that Guido can help him....
Bulletin board: Community programs and events
Middle reader author talk Author Dayna Lorentz visits Gibson’s Bookstore virtually April 22 at 7 p.m. to present “Of a Feather!” In the vein of Barbara O’Connor’s “Wish,” a moving, poignant story told in alternating perspectives about a down-on-her-luck girl who rescues a baby owl, and how the two set each other free. Dayna is joined in conversation by her friend and fellow author Alex London (“Black Wings Beating”). Great horned owl...
This Week in Concord History
May 14, 1726: Having made camp near the Merrimack River the night before, a surveying party of 34 men from Haverhill, Mass., fans out in the fields and woods of what will one day be Concord. May 14, 1846: The New Hampshire Patriot advises Concord that the United States has declared war on Mexico. New Hampshire will enlist a battalion of 389 men, including Concord’s Fire Engine Co. No. 2 and three Patriot printers. May 14, 1977: Two...
Looking back: School constructed on historic lot
In the year 1910 the Walker School building that we all know from our childhoods was constructed. The deep history of this location dates back many years before the construction of this beautiful building, the Old North Church and meeting house graced the lot as our ancestors arrived and many decisions were concluded here. Religious services attended, political agendas addressed and a fine institute of learning established. In the...
Come along on the ‘Insider’ Field Trip to Tilton and Northfield
If you’re not from Tilton, what are some of things that come to mind when you think of that town? The Tanger Outlets? The slew of fast-food joints? The car dealerships? The big fireworks store?Nobody would blame you for associating these things with Tilton. After all, Exit 20 off Interstate 93 dumps you right into the heart of all that commercial stuff that makes up a good chunk of Tilton. But if you drive around a little more, you’ll...
City newsletter: Lifeguards sought for city pools
The city manager’s office sent out the City Manager’s Newsletter last Friday. The full newsletter can be found by going to concordnh.gov and clicking the “Newsletter” button. Here are some highlights: Face covering ordinance Though Governor Sununu announced that New Hampshire’s mask mandate ends on April 16, the City of Concord face coverings ordinance will remain in effect through June 1 (vote by City Council at their January 2021...
Take a drive to Lochmere Country Club in Tilton and take in the beauty of the course
Among the many ways Tilton is similar to Concord is the presence of a golf course. Sure, Concord has two courses, but one is a members-only country club. In Tilton (technically the village of Lochmere, within Tilton), all they have is the Lochmere Golf and Country Club, and this club is open to the public. Lochmere is certainly a picturesque course, with all kinds of changes in elevation providing a variety of pleasant views from many...
Book: Inspector of the Dead
Inspector of the Dead By David Morrell (342, historical fiction/thriller, 2015) I’ve been on a Victorian murder-mystery kick lately, and this book was a great selection to continue fulfilling those literary cravings. Inspector of the Dead is the second installment in David Morrell’s Thomas De Quincey Mystery series, but I found it to be a perfectly suitable stand-alone read, even without having read Book 1, Murder as a...
Kettlehead Brewing Co. is a must-stop destination for any trip to Tilton
There are plenty of places to grab a beer and a bite to eat in Tilton. If you’re after Bud Light and Michelob Ultra, you can probably find endless supplies of those fine libations at the 99, Uno’s, Applebee’s and Chili’s, just to name a few. Those establishments also no doubt offer staple menu items like burgers, mac and cheese, salads and pasta.But if you’re in the mood for something a little more adventurous, something a little less...
Poetry: Feelings
We no longer shake hands, we don’t embrace, people have become anonymous, behind that mask on their face. We no longer see a smile, or hear a whisper behind the mask, feelings are not expressed, because expressions are now a task. In our most secret state, we still have feelings to share, it is only human nature, even in darkness we still care. People will once again feel love, the days in the shadows will end, the old days will be...
We tried a tuna burger and a Great North Tie Dyed at Onions Pub in Tilton
Over the course of our field trip, we had some hot wings at Kettlehead and some pulled pork potato skins at Tilt’n Diner, both of which were excellent. While they were good, neither dish was meant to be a full meal, so we knew we had to find a place to have an honest, sit-down lunch experience. We ended up in the quaint downtown center, where we found Onions Pub and Restaurant, which occupies the lower level of the Tilton Inn. The...
Book: Indo-European Cognate Dictionary
Indo-European Cognate Dictionary By Fiona McPherson (539 pages, nonfiction, 2018) Forget harrowing tales of sold-out yeast and sourdough starter gone awry—give your Quarantine Skill staying power for the (eventual) party small-talk: read (or just flip through) this cognate dictionary. It is brimming with fun facts ready for you to whip out and amaze party goers. What do you call a male sibling, in English? “Brother.” And in German?...
Tilt’n Diner has some tasty pulled pork potato skins
If there’s one truth in life, it’s that the skin is often the best part. Whether we’re talking turkey, fried chicken, grilled trout or anything else that has skin, there’s something about a thin, crispy outer layer that just hits the spot.This is rarely more true than with potatoes. While potatoes are pretty great in virtually any style of preparation, it’s hard to do better than loading up some skins with cheese, meat and whatever...
This week in Concord history
April 22, 1943: Denis Parker is born in Manchester. He will be named director of the State Employees Association, the union representing New Hampshire’s 10,000 state workers, in 1972. April 22, 1965: State Senator Bill Johnson of Hanover testifies in favor of a bill making jury duty a service for women as well as men. Before the bill, the law allowed women to serve on juries if they wanted to, but it wasn’t required. ...
We had fun in Tilton and Northfield, but there were some things we missed
It was a whirlwind trip trough Tilton and Northfield, and what a trip it was. For as much fun as we had, there were a few things we didn’t have enough time to get around to. For instance, we wanted to check out Smoke N Barley, a country store that stocks all kinds of exotic craft beer, beer-brewing supplies and a wide range of tobacco products. We weren’t able to get in touch with an owner to show us around. We also had high hopes of...
Bulletin board: Virtual performances
Online performances The Capitol Center for the Arts and Bank of N.H. Stage both remain closed but continue to offer virtual programming. Upcoming shows and concerts, which can be found at ccanh.com, include: The Sorcerer’s Apprentice: Multiple dates, times. This enchanting new British musical explores the extraordinary world of a sorcerer and his rebellious daughter, as she discovers the explosive possibilities of her newfound magical...
