Check out all the outdoor eating locations
Who doesn’t love grabbing a bite to eat under the sun in the summertime? If you just answered, “Me,” we’re not sure why you’re reading this issue. But for the rest of us, it’s that time of year again – for the most part (what was with all the cold days last week?). Pretty much every restaurant that offers outdoor seating has their stuff out there now, and it’s going to good use. We figured we’d find out as much as we could about each...
Cheers has really beefed up its patio area
Insider staff Cheers has always been a pretty popular spot for outdoor dining in downtown Concord – it just won the top honors for Best Outdoor Dining in the 2016 Cappies.But the folks over at Cheers weren’t content to ride that prestigious and highly coveted award all the way to the promised land. No, they felt they could still do better.That’s why they totally made over their outdoor patio area into a hip, modern hangout with a...
We hit up Concord’s old-school hot dog stands
There’s nothing quite like a good hot dog on a hot summer’s day. The hot dog is basically synonymous with summer. It’s the official food of the Fourth of July and baseball games, and the standard at every beach party or cookout. It takes you back to the days of jumping through the sprinkler in the backyard and sprinting barefoot to the ice cream truck. It’s compact and easy to cook, customize, hold and eat. So it only makes sense that...
Senior video pays tribute to Gene Connolly
Since Nick Skafidas was a freshman, he wanted to be in charge of creating the Concord High senior video. He just had to wait his turn. But it finally came this year, when Skafidas took on the project that has been a longstanding tradition at the high school. But this wasn’t just any senior video that typically features a slide show of pictures set to music. This also just so happened to be the final year for retiring principal Gene...
And the winners are . . .
The Greater Concord Chamber of Commerce celebrated the recipients of the chamber’s 2016 Pinnacle Awards on June 2.The chamber’s Pinnacle Awards recognize businesses and individuals who have demonstrated professional excellence and commitment to the chamber and the community.And here are the winners: Russell Animal Hospital, PA, Small Business of the Year; Cobb Hill Construction, Inc., Business of the Year; Claudia B. Walker (Merrimack...
Try BurgerFest at The Barley House
It’s no secret that we like food around here. Okay, we love food around here.And despite our enjoyable vegan meal not that long ago, we sure do enjoy meat with our meals – especially if its between two buns with bacon, cheese, veggies and whatever else you can think of.Yes, we’re talking about burgers and if you’re affinity for those kinds of tasty creations matches ours, then you’re going to love this. The Barley House is holding its...
Discovery Center to run summer hours
The McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center will be open from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. seven days a week, starting Friday through Labor Day. Visitors this summer will be able to enjoy the Discovery Center’s new exhibit Eat Well, Play Well, permanent exhibits, daily planetarium shows every hour on the hour, solar viewing in the center’s observatory, breakfast and lunch specials in the Countdown Cafe and aviation- and space-related toys, books,...
Food Snob: The Little Creperie
The best way to describe a crepe is a very thin pancake. The major difference is there is no leavening agent, which keeps a crepe flat – so it’s not a pancake. You can thank Christina Hoppe and Melina Ambargis for that little tidbit of knowledge. They’re the owners of The Little Creperie at 138 N. Main St. that opened about a month ago. And like with any new eatery in Concord, we had to check it out and report back to you. Now, we had...
Go Try It: Roller skating at Everett Arena
If you can remember back to a few months ago, you might recall a feature we did on Everett Arena’s “ice out” – the time of the year when the ice is removed and the arena gets ready for its unfrozen portion of life. You might also remember that we then went to the first non-ice event of the year, the antique sale. And now that and old-timey classic – public roller skating – is once again offered at the arena, we had to go and see what...
Brian Tarte sure does enjoy being in nature
The Greater Concord Chamber of Commerce’s Concord Young Professionals Network (CYPN) introduces you to another “Young Professional of the Month,” Brian Tarte. How old are you? 28 Where do you live? New Hampton. Where do you currently work? MRP Construction & Restoration-The Mitigation & Restoration Professionals. Where did you go to school? I graduated Inter-Lakes High School in 2006 and studied...
Grammarnator: After a long hiatus, he sure has been busy
For the Insider For a while now I have been seeing a New Hampshire wine in the supermarkets being sold as coming from the home of Peyton Place. Once upon a time, people would have been trying to hide any association with that infamous book (still interesting enough, by the way, that it should have been a no-brainer as the CPL choice for the Concord Reads program on its 50th anniversary).A couple weeks ago, however, I noticed a new...
Check out Herb and Garden Day
On Saturday, herbal educators and seasoned growers from all walks of life will come together to share their unique knowledge and build upon a tapestry of age old wisdom about herbs and natural medicine, native plants, organic gardening, permaculture, traditional homesteading practices, fermentation, brewing and the power of nature to heal.If you are a curious seeker, intrepid plant lover, herbal entrepreneur, earth lover or natural...
South Church is hosting its final garden tour
Insider staff Don’t you just love the signs of spring.The sun is shining for more hours a day than it’s not, people are walking around in shorts, T-shirts and flip flops and beautiful flowers are popping up everywhere.And even if you’re not the best gardner or forgot to get those early season bulbs in the ground last fall, you can still enjoy the colorful array of blooms. All you have to do is sign up for South Congregational Church’s...
Believe it or not, these are all iPhone photos
If you’re an avid Insider reader, like everyone should be, you’ve seen a lot of art over the years. But never has there been an exhibit solely dedicated to iPhone photography – until now. The Jill C. Wilson Gallery at Kimball-Jenkins is home to iExhibition, where every picture was taken with an iPhone. The exhibit, featuring the work of Dawn Beauchesne, Shelley Fajans, Rob Fried, Sher Kamman, Mary Nichols, Ken Fajans and Jean...
Checking in with the Thomson brothers
A few weeks back, we introduced you to Derek and Dylan Thomson. In case you missed it, here’s a little info on them. They are brothers; they grew up in Concord and both hit big educational milestones this year with Derek graduating from Emerson College in May and Dylan doing the same from Concord Christian this past Saturday, via Skype. That’s because the brothers are currently pedaling their way across the country to raise money for...
Bulletin Board
Youth mentoring orientation Join The Friends Program on June 22 for an introduction to volunteerism as a mentor. This orientation will equip you with relevant information about the Friends Youth Mentoring Program and best practices in the field. This orientation, which runs from 1 to 3:30 p.m. at the Friends Program’s office at 202 N. State St., is designed for teens who are interested in becoming a youth mentor. Contact us at...
Book of the Week: A Taste for Nightshade
A Taste for NightshadeMartine Bailey2016, 464 pagesHistorical fiction When Mary Jebb swindles Michael Croxon’s brother with a fake pound note, she has no idea that it will change her life. Convicted for theft and transported to Australia in 1787, she sends Michael a “Penny Heart” – a copper heart inscribed with a verse – as a token of her revenge. Two years later Michael’s lonely, isolated bride Grace turns to her newly hired cook for...
This Week in Concord History
June 14, 1831: Benjamin Brown French, a rising politico from Chester, goes to a party in Concord with future U.S. Sen. Charles G. Atherton and future President Franklin Pierce. His companions, both in their 20s, are “ ‘smashed’ by a pair of bright eyes, & a beautiful face,” but French “would as soon think of falling in love with an elegant piece of statuary.” He tells his diary: “Give me eyes that can pierce the very soul, & a...