FEATURED HEADLINES
Food: A French Tradition
FEATURED FOOD
A French Tradition
Wine Pairing Dinner Highlights Beaujolais Nouveau.
Written by Angie Sykeny (asykeny@hippopress.com)
Images: Courtesy Photo
Each year on the third Thursday in November, wine drinkers from France and beyond celebrate Beaujolais Nouveau Day, when Georges Duboeuf’s famed Beaujolais Nouveau wine is released. On Saturday, Nov. 19, the Franco-American Centre will bring a piece of that tradition to the Granite State with its seventh annual Beaujolais Nouveau Wine Pairing Dinner held at Stonebridge Country Club’s Drumlins Restaurant in Goffstown.
A red wine made from gamay grapes in the Beaujolais region of France, Beaujolais Nouveau is the most popular and widely distributed vin de primeur, a term used for French wines with a short fermentation period that can be sold the same year they’re harvested.
“All over the world, people have parties for this,” said Maurice Demers, committee chairman for the event. “It’s a table wine. It’s not fancy, not expensive, [and] not something you put in your wine cellar for years, but it’s a nice excuse to party, so why not?”
The Beaujolais Nouveau will be one of four wines paired with the four-course dinner prepared by Drumlins’ Executive Chef Tracey Couture-Fitts. Hors d’oeuvres will include a fresh roasted butternut squash soup topped with creme fraiche and crispy sage, followed by a chicken cordon bleu beggars purse with chive oil. The main course will be pan-seared prosciutto wrapped pork medallions over creamy polenta and beet greens with maple vin. For dessert, there will be fruit-filled crepes with house-made maple walnut ice cream. Couture-Fitts will introduce and discuss each course as it is served.
“She’ll explain how the food was prepared, and she’ll talk about the wine’s properties and why it was chosen to go with that course, and people really seem to find that interesting,” Demers said. “I think that’s what they enjoy about [the dinner]. It’s not a rushed thing.”
Attire is black tie optional, and there will be some raffles and musical entertainment between courses. This year’s theme song, “Parlez-moi d’amour,” will be performed by Franco-American Centre member and vocalist Carolyn Maheu. Local pianist Roger L’Heureux will also perform, and the evening will close with a French carol sing-along to welcome the holiday season.
Demers said the dinner is a unique opportunity for people to get dressed up and experience French culture and cuisine “beyond poutine.”
“Despite the large number of people with French roots in town, Manchester lacks a good French restaurant,” he said, “so this is your chance to try French cuisine that you wouldn’t get to otherwise.”
7th Annual Beaujolais Nouveau Wine Pairing Dinner
When: Saturday, Nov. 19, from 6 to 10 p.m.
Where: Drumlins Restaurant at Stonebridge Country Club, 161 Gorham Pond Road, Goffstown
Cost: $105. Space is limited. Call to reserve.
Contact: 641-7114, facnh.com
News: More Residents, More Customers
FEATURED NEWS
More Residents, More Customers
Manchester Looks to Grow its Downtown Business Community by Growing its Downtown Neighborhoods.
Written by Ryan Lessard (news@hippopress.com)
Images: Stock Photo
On a recent Wednesday morning, Manchester Mayor Ted Gatsas was checking out a new apartment. He perused the staged bedroom, furnished with bed sheets that matched the throw pillows on the living room couch, opened the spacious closet and enjoyed the view of Manchester’s downtown from 10 stories up.
Gatsas isn’t in the market for a new crash-pad; he was taking a tour following a ribbon-cutting of the newly renovated Citizens Bank building at 875 Elm St. with developer and local media mogul Bill Binnie, the CEO of Carlyle Capital Corp. and owner of cable news channel NH1.
“We’re going to be bringing two to three hundred people through our almost 100 apartments into Manchester and onto Elm Street, which we think is great, good for everybody,” Binnie said.
He said he thinks the apartments will give downtown restaurants and retailers more business. The idea is that more downtown residents means more money spent in downtown restaurants and retail stops. While Elm Street now has more at least four commercial vacancies (plus a fifth by the end of the year) the city seems poised to remedy that soon with an influx of new downtown rental units.
People = Dollars
About 25 percent of the new units, which range in price from $1,300 to $3,000 a month for one and two bedrooms, have been filled already, and the average income of the residents is $210,000, Binnie said.
Binnie said he took what was unwanted office space in the old Amoskeag Bank high rise, the first “skyscraper” in Manchester, and converted it into highly sought-after residential space. It’s hoped that projects like these will help support Elm Street’s ailing businesses with increased foot traffic.
Getting more residential apartments downtown has been one of Gatsas’ economic planks since he first ran for mayor.
“As I said seven years ago, if I can get 2,000 more people to live downtown, retail will come back,” Gatsas said. “So, I think with the addition of these 91 apartments [at 875 Elm], with the addition of the micro-apartments that are up on Hanover Street, the 20 units that are going in across the street, that’s going to start making retail really start to think about coming back to the downtown.”
The logic behind that is simple, according to Susan Silberberg, and urban planner with CivicMoxie, an urban planning firm in Boston.
“The more households you have, the more spending. The more discretionary spending that happens, the more foot traffic for businesses that rely on foot traffic,” Silberberg said.
She has been spending the past several months on the Manchester Connects project to come up with ways to improve the city’s downtown. Manchester Connects was a project started by the Southern New Hampshire Planning Commission to craft a transportation and land use plan that creates a more vibrant and interconnected city core.
Pat Long, the chairman of the board of aldermen, said in 2006 there were about 8,000 residents downtown. The latest study shows about 12,000 residents and researchers have suggested the city will start to attract more businesses in the area when it reaches 14,000. The initial study area skims the north end up to Webster Street, goes across the river along West Side’s Main Street, uses Queen City Ave as its southern border and extends as far east as Beech Street.
Between 1990 and 2000, the main strip of Elm saw negative or zero population growth. The millyard and a few blocks eastward saw only 1 to 24 percent growth. Only the southernmost part of the study area saw growth above 50 percent.
Part of the problem had been zoning, since most of the city’s core was zoned for commercial use. But as city planners have seen the benefits of mixed use zoning in recent years, that’s started to change.
Long sees how fast vacant residential units are getting snatched up by young professionals and empty-nesters, and he’s optimistic.
“I don’t see any falling back in the downtown area,” Long said.
Retail & Restaurants
For a variety of reasons specific to each business, Elm Street recently saw a spate of business closings.
The Queen’s Pub at 641 Elm St. closed in August after opening just the year before. CVS moved out of its 947 Elm St. space, and so did Spite, a nightclub nextdoor at 941 Elm St.
The downtown location of Manchester Community College at 889 Elm closed its doors recently, as did Maggie’s Restaurant at 866 Elm St. and Eliza’s Weepeats, a consignment store at 950 Elm. Finesse Pastries at 968 Elm St. has stopped operating as a cafe. And the space that held the Ted Herbert’s Music Mart, a landmark storefront at 922 Elm St., has been mostly empty save for a portion used for music lessons.
But many of these locations have new businesses coming in. Part of Binnie’s 875 Elm project is using the south building, currently used by Citizens Bank, for an as-yet-unnamed café and a third location for BRGR Bar, an upscale burger restaurant from Portsmouth.
The former Maggie’s Restaurant space will become a Mediterranean restaurant called Matbah Cuisine. During the election, the old Eliza’s space is being occupied by the Shawn O’Connor for Congress campaign. Meanwhile, the Ted Herbert’s space is being converted into a southern-style restaurant called Dixie Blues and the upper floors will see the addition of more apartments.
A juice bar called Milk & Honey Juicer and Café is planning to move into 889 Elm. The CVS space has been up for sale for the past eight months or so, according to Long. He thinks it will sell fairly quickly. Commercial spaces changing hands is not unusual.
“I think in any downtown area, and this goes for any urban center … there is always going to be, at some level, a natural turnover among downtown businesses,” Skelton said.
But most agree that the retail market is not as strong as it could be.
“I think it’s a lack of residents, I really do,” said downtown restaurateur Joel Soucy. “The more people that live down here … it would actually sustain a retail environment.”
Soucy is co-owner of the newest restaurant on Elm Street, the Birch on Elm at 931 Elm. Before he started up, the space was occupied by the tapas place Funktion for less than a year following the departure of Dos Amigos.
Soucy is also part of the influx of downtown residents. Recently, he closed on an apartment at The Flats on 235 Hanover St., walking distance from his restaurant. The Flats recently opened with 24 trendy micro-apartments geared toward young professionals.
The Millyard
Manchester chamber of commerce president Michael Skelton said the influx of residential is coming from a few different groups of people.
“I think it’s going to be a mix going forward of young professionals, students and also more established members of the workforce, perhaps people who are looking to downsize as they enter the later half or third of their careers,” Skelton said. “What the market is telling us is that there is demand for high quality units at a price point that is different from what we’ve seen in the past.”
Skelton thinks the millyard is city’s greatest asset and one of the major reasons for its economic growth.
“We have a thriving millyard area that present mixed use opportunities for companies, start-ups and residents. We have a main street downtown area that offers entertainment options, arts and cultural options, residential options, dining options, all at a very high quality level,” Skelton said. “In the short term right now, the growth in the millyard from technology companies has been the incentive, … the thing that has lit the fuse to start this growth in new residential options downtown.”
Skelton said he’s not necessarily concerned about retail or restaurants moving out, but looks at how long it takes for those spaces to get filled again.
“And what we’ve seen is … the window is very short where desireable space is sitting on the market,” Skelton said.
Sustainable retail growth, Skelton said, is particularly sensitive to the number of nearby residents because retail relies more heavily on spontaneous visitors from foot traffic.
“Density is the key to supporting business growth of all different shapes and sizes,” Skelton said.
Silberberg said the challenge is getting the Elm street area connected with the millyard.
“The millyards right now are one of the strong economic engines for the city. … Being able to read downtown and the millyard as one is pretty important,” Silberberg said. “Of course, the millyards were built intentionally to be very separate from the downtown.”
The difficulty today, according to Skelton is not the proximity of the millyard but its relative walkability. In order to create a more vibrant millyard area, Skelton said the city can consider minor things like improved signage for pedestrians, bike lanes, improved sidewalks and traffic calming measures on busy streets. It can also embark on some infrastructure projects like a flyover pedestrian bridge at the Granite Street and Commercial Street intersection, which sees a lot of workers and students crossing every morning.
Forward Momentum
There are some positive signs that things might be at the cusp of a more thriving downtown ecosystem.
“Manchester’s got some momentum going with the residential projects that are going on,” Silberberg said. “And what we see nationally are trends with empty nesters who really want to stay in the communities in which they raised their kids but they don’t want their house. They want to be free of the maintenance, and they do love urban living and all of the things that it can get them.”
Binnie said he plans on doing more projects like the one in the Citizens building in Manchester’s downtown.
“We’re actually in the process, negotiating with one other very large landowner and building in the city and we hope to be making an announcement on that in the coming weeks,” Binnie said.
Gatsas would like to see a movie theater downtown, and he thinks the Old Sol Music Hall, a music concert venue that’s being proposed at the historic Rex Theatre building at 23 Amherst St., will be good for the area. Skelton is excited about Cabonnay, an upscale wine house coming to Bridge Street.
Arts: Time To Celebrate
FEATURED ARTS
Time To Celebrate
NHIA Commemorates 100 Years of Emma Blood French Hall.
Written by Kelly Sennott (ksennott@hippopress.com)
Images: Courtesy Photo
When the New Hampshire Institute of Art — formerly the Manchester Institute of Arts and Sciences — turned 100 in 1998, there was a lot going on. At the time, the school was gaining authorization to award bachelor of fine arts degrees and in the midst of getting rebranded and renamed.
“At that time, they were celebrating much more than 100 years,” Betsy Holmes, the school’s library director, said during an interview at the school.
But about two years ago, as the Manchester City Library’s Carpenter Memorial Library Building was turning 100, NHIA staff realized the 100th birthday of the school’s iconic Emma Blood French Hall was approaching too — another opportunity for a centennial celebration. And so, the school hosts a show, “Emma Blood French Hall 100th Anniversary Exhibition,” on view through Dec. 17 and curated by Holmes, photography chair Gary Samson and gallery director Sam Trioli.
Technically, it’s two exhibitions; the first, on view in the Emma Blood French Gallery, looks at history, particularly the early 1900s, when Manchester was becoming an industrial powerhouse.
“Once they had a strong industrial base … the next thing was to bring a cultural life to the city. So the institute was formed [in 1898],” said Jan Sutcliffe, a filmmaker and Manchester history enthusiast who is working with NHIA on an oral history project.
About 20 years later, the institute needed a permanent venue. In came Emma Blood French, who underwrote, built and gifted Emma Blood French Hall in 1916 to the organization as a place to hold lectures, concerts, art exhibits, film presentations, etc.
Hanging in the gallery are historic photos of the founders and its first students, plus early building blueprints, where viewers will see that not much has changed in the past 100 years, said Holmes. Alongside the images are text boxes offering more information about French and her family, who’ve played an enormous role in the city’s cultural scene.
French’s father, Aretas Blood, developed many millyard buildings and chartered Manchester Locomotives Works. Her mother, Lavinia Kendall, helped establish the Women’s Aid and Relief Society, and her sister, Eleanora, married Frank Carpenter, who would eventually build the city library building in her memory. French’s granddaughter Mary Fuller Spencer bequeathed the college a $26 million endowment, and her grandson Henry Melville Fuller willed the Currier Museum $43 million.
“So you have this family who’s had a huge impact on the Manchester culture, and not just with the institutions,” Holmes said.
The other show, at the nearby Amherst Street Gallery, is an art exhibition featuring about 30 pieces by faculty past and present. A few days before the opening, Trioli was working with senior Christin Graham, who helps manage the Manchester galleries, placing finishing touches on the walls.
“This is a good example of the future of the school,” Trioli said, pointing to a book by new faculty member Erin Sweeney. “Since she’s come to the school, student interest in book arts has been amazing.”
They pointed to a print by Elizabeth Cameron and a handful of pieces by Patrick McCay. On the walls was art by Earl Schofield, Alison Williams, Marcus Greene, among others. Former artist laureate James Aponovich, who taught at the institute years back, would be dropping off a piece soon, and Chris Archer would be creating an installation piece going through the gallery wall.
Trioli, a former student who began taking classes at the institute in high school, said he’s been trying to create a balanced show with a variety of media, from paintings and photos to jewelry and mixed media. Graham said she’s been enjoying seeing her teachers’ work.
“A lot of teachers, in my experience, don’t want to show you their work because they don’t want to influence you in one way or another,” Graham said. “So this is cool because you can see what they’re doing in their own time.”
The anniversary also presents cause for the school to look further into NHIA history outside the French building, as many records were lost over the years due to fires and school transitions.
Sutcliffe said research has involved digging through archives and interviewing locals (18 so far) about the institute’s earliest days. One man was at the school from 1935 to 1940 and knew Maud Briggs Knowlton, who went on to become a director of the Currier Museum of Art, an unusual role for a woman at the time. Another woman remembered walking by the institute and hearing the symphony playing.
“One hundred years sounds like a long time, but one of the most interesting things was interviewing a woman whose great-grandfather was instrumental in building the Carpenter Memorial Library right next door — and so it was her great-great-aunt who was the one who donated the money and had the institute built. It’s not so far away,” Sutcliffe said. “It’s terrific to be able to sit down and really bring people’s attention to something that is still so alive in the midst of this city.”
See "Emma Blood French Hall 100th Anniversary."
Where: Emma Blood French Gallery, 148 Concord St., Manchester; Roger Williams Gallery, 77 Amherst St., Manchester
When: On view through Dec. 17; hours for both galleries are Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon
Contact: nhia.edu, exhibitions@nhia.edu, 623-0313
Music: Jig's Gig
FEATURED MUSIC
Jig's Gig
Three Band Show on Local Promoter's Birthday
Written by Michael Witthaus (music@hippopress.com)
Images: Courtesy Photo
After the Kinks recorded “You Really Got Me” in the summer of 1964, producers insisted on polishing up the song, an act that infuriated the band’s front man and songwriter, Ray Davies. He wanted a sound that evoked the sweaty London clubs his band performed in, even going so far as to slice an amplifier cone with his knife to achieve a raspier sound. Davies paid from his own pocket to re-do a rougher version of the song — which, of course, became a classic hit.
Chromatropic had the opposite idea for its first album. The Brooklyn jamtronica band has a reputation for performances full of depth and improvisational spark. They entered the studio craving something different — more controlled, less spontaneous. They wanted a reflection of the musical chemistry they’d honed together, but unlike the Kinks, polish and finishing touches were definitely desired.
“We’ve been a band five years, and we wanted to hone that discipline even further,” drummer Mark Potter said in a recent phone interview. “We wanted to use the studio as an instrument ... explore new and contemporary concepts that we’ve never done live. It’s Chromatropic at the core, but a lot more layering and production. We’re not worrying about whether it’s an example of what we can do live.”
Titled Abundance, the new disc is also a statement about long-playing music in a short-attention-span world.
“There are individual tracks, but it’s more about how it flows from one end to the other,” Potter said. “We’re a singles culture and bands kind of drip-feed songs to their audiences. We wanted to put something together that has movement, like a classical piece, running from one end to the other. It’s kind of like a book for us.”
They worked with New York producer Phil Duke.
“He’s a genius, especially in the way he sets up his studio and the way he mikes drums, “ Potter said. “He’s really taken our recording to a level that we didn’t even know existed. The gear he uses, he has ... analog gear that really helped us bring an element of high fidelity out of our sound.”
The new disc will come out on Nov. 11. The release date nicely coincides with an appearance one week later at Penuche’s, their first local show in six months.
“It’s the longest we’ve gone without playing Manchester,” said Potter. “We’ve been holding off because we knew this was coming up ... new album, new merch, we’ll probably give away some copies. So come in and get down; we’ll do what we love to do.”
The Hanover Street bar is a favorite of the band, particularly since lighting director Clay Doggett became a permanent member of Chromatropic.
“He really brings it to life,” Potter said, “and Penuche’s is one of those places that’s so open we can do whatever we want with the visuals, so we bring the full rig in. The venue is awesome.”
The show is a birthday celebration for Jordan Paul, whose promotion company Jig’s Music typically books two shows a week at Penuche’s. Playing just prior to Chromatropic is Trichromes, which Paul described as “a very versatile band that plays a mix of funk fusion mashed up with some hip-hop and a side dish of reggae to serve all music fans.” The Boston quartet formed in 2014 and just released a new album, Frank’s Dank Super No. 1 Hits.
Also performing is William Lombardelli, a.k.a. Friendship, a trombone layer and human beatbox who’s now solo after 10 years with Hornitz. The brass and synth duo announced a breakup on Facebook with a statement that sounded a lot like a marriage ending.
“It just stopped working ... sad indeed,” Lombardelli wrote in recent text exchange. “We’re both moving forward regardless; I’m confident that we’ll both find our way.”
Friendship recently posted his first solo song, a spacey funk number called “Look At Me,” on SoundCloud, and indicated he may sit in with Chromatropic at the upcoming show.
“It’s forcing me to grow and work harder on writing than I have for some time,” he said. “I’m playing with people that I haven’t, and I’m performing genres that I haven’t for a long while. Returning to one’s roots in times of change provides grounding and fresh ears on familiar territories.”
Jig’s Birthday Bash w/ Chromatropic, Trichromes & Friendship
When: Saturday, Nov. 19, 9 p.m.
Where: Penuche’s, 96 Hanover St., Manchester
Tickets: $29-$49
Film: Review of Doctor Strange
FEATURED FILM
Film Review
Dr. Strange (PG-13)
Written by Amy Diaz (adiaz@hippopress.com)
Images: Screenshot of Dr. Strange
Benedict Cumberbatch gets the full superhero treatment — powers, cape and a couple of villains — in Doctor Strange, an exploration of yet another part of the Marvel cinematic universe.
In what feels like a pretty meta discussion of exactly what Doctor Strange is in relation to that universe, the movie does a lot of talking about multiverses. Who are you in this vast multiverse, a character even asks Strange at one point. A guy whose fan base will forgive a lot just for the fun of seeing him on screen, is my guess at an answer.
Dr. Stephen Strange (Cumberbatch) is a brilliant neurosurgeon — think sort of a mix of Hugh Laurie on House and Robert Downey Jr.’s Tony Stark. He knows more than anybody else, is willing to take extraordinary risks and is a massive jerk. His ex, fellow doctor Christine Palmer (Rachel McAdams), might turn to him when all hope seems lost on a patient, but she’s no longer interested in having all of that ego and ambition follow her home.
When Strange is injured in a car accident, however, Christine does try to help him. The damage to his hands means the end of his career but Strange is unwilling to accept that. He sets off on a journey to find what he thinks is a clinic in Nepal that will help him medically. Instead, what he finds is a temple, of sorts, helmed by the Ancient One (Tilda Swinton). Her discussions about working on his spirit initially sound like hooey to him, but then she shows Strange what they’re really all about: a group that has learned to access a supernatural realm where space and time can be manipulated, where Strange can project himself outside his body and where spells can help this small army of sorcerers protect the globe from magical threats, just as the Avengers protect it from physical ones.
Threats such as Kaecilius (Mads Mikkelsen), a former student (but of course) who went rogue. He is looking to learn some of the sorcerers’ strongest magic to help give Earth over to Dormammu, a CGI character I thought was the Thanos guy who keeps showing up in Marvel movie post-credits scenes but apparently isn’t. Dormammu’s plan is to, er, eternally freeze-frame the Earth in the Phantom Zone or something. The Ancient One and her sorcerers, including Wong (Benedict Wong) and Mordo (Chiwetel Ejiofor), can stop them with the magical global spirit-world-repelling wi-fi created by the Sanctums, three temple-y type buildings, one each in New York, London and Hong Kong. So naturally Kaecilius and his henchmen are attacking the various Sanctums.
Though not particularly interested in this wizard-on-wizard war, Strange gets involved in part because, as it turns out, he’s kinda good at this magic business, grasping some of the more difficult, existentially dicier parts of the dark arts. He also gets aided by a swell cape that turns out to be a magical thingamabob, a good sign for any sorcerer.
The cape is apparently sentient and can drag him in the right direction and suggest weaponry. It is also the movie’s best sidekick and most consistent purveyor of comic relief — and comedy in general feels pretty randomly applied in this movie. When the movie isn’t being super-intense, it’s giving us the long-form of the “Wizarding Guide to Exposition and Detailed World Building” lecture. There is a lot of information about mystical la-dee-das and magical whosiwhatsits unnecessarily delivered in this movie. “Because of magic” is a pretty easy way to get around whatever time manipulation or spatial fiddling characters do; adding a bunch of junk about books and ancient spells and what looked like kung fu movie filler to a story like this just makes you feel like you should have waited to see this until you had the ability to fast forward. What humor is available added as an afterthought, as though someone said, “Hey, wait, aren’t these Marvel movies usually kind of light?” and a few “Is this my mantra? No, it’s our Wi-Fi password”-type lines were added. (I will say that even the overly dramatic intensity of this movie is preferable to the for-no-reason grimness of every DC movie I’ve seen lately.)
Benedict Cumberbatch is perfectly fine as Doctor Strange, a character I knew nothing about going in. He isn’t a Chris Pratt-in-Guardians of the Galaxy revelation, but he’s entertaining, as always, and seemed to find his footing as the character by the end of the movie. This, to me, suggests that most of what I found tiresome about this movie — and I did find big chunks of it tiresome — was possibly more about the burdens of the origin-story movie than the character itself. To put it another way, I am more enthusiastic about seeing the further adventures of Doctor Strange than I am about telling you to check out this initial outing.
Grade: B-
Pop: Pop Culture Gaming *
FEATURED POP - * COVER STORY *
Pop Culture Gaming
Comic Book Store Hosts "Geeky" Game Nights.
Written by Ryan Lessard (news@hippopress.com)
Images: Courtesy Photo
While the video game industry has blown up in the past decade, it has not been to the detriment of classic real-world gameplay. In fact, in just the past few years, gamers have been putting down their console controllers in favor of a more extroverted experience. And so-called “geek culture” has built havens for these kind of games.
“Video games can be a very solitary experience, but the games we have tend to bring people together across the table, and it’s a very interactive and fun way to meet people and hang out with your friends,” said Double Midnight Comics co-owner Chris Proulx.
He breaks down the games commonly associated with geek culture and comic book stores into three categories: board games, trading card games and role-playing games. But a fourth type of game, miniature war games, crosses into both the board game and role-playing categories. It even blends into the hobbyist world, since many miniatures are sold to be assembled, painted and customized by the players.
And this isn’t just for kids, despite common perceptions. Millennials and even folks from previous generations are joining in the fun. Gordon Pittsley, owner of Adler Hobby, a board game café in Manchester, caters mostly to older players.
“There’s a growing group of … millennials who are looking for a social interaction that doesn’t include a bar. And I thought I would tap into that a little by branching off a little … and provide also a board game library,” Pittsley said. “I’d say our age group is 16 to 89.”
He said most other game and comic book stores tend to focus more on trading card games, which he said are more appealing to a younger crowd.
And players are always eager to welcome newcomers, even if they don’t know how to play the games.
Here are some of the many places in southern New Hampshire where you can grab a seat at the table.
• Adler Hobby (266 Mammoth Road, Manchester, 606-1946, adlerhobby.net) is a board game café that boasts a game library of more than 250 games. Gamers pay an $8 cover charge. Geared more toward adult players and focused primarily on board games and miniature war games, it’s open Tuesday through Saturday, noon to 9 p.m., and Sunday, noon to 6 p.m. Mondays are closed. Free play is available during regular hours, and special weekly and monthly events are held regularly. Every Thursday is a tabletop gaming day.
• Alpha Titan Gaming (216 Central St., Hudson, 204-5669, check Facebook) is a gaming store and gaming space with a special emphasis on trading card games like Magic: The Gathering. It’s open to players every day with regular nights for different gameplay types of Magic for $5. Mondays at 7 p.m. is standard play, Tuesdays at 7 p.m. is non-sanctioned legacy play, Wednesdays at 7 p.m. is modern play and Thursdays at 7 p.m. is for standard sealed league games. Friday at 6:30 p.m. for $14, players come in for draft, where they trade cards to build their decks. Weekends are open to free play and Saturdays are also set aside for Magic game type commander.
• Chris’ Comics (341 South Broadway, Salem, 898-4151, chriscardscomics.com) is a comic book store that also sells games. It focuses mostly on trading card games like Yu-Gi-Oh!, Pokemon and Magic, but they also sell some miniature games like HeroClix. There is no gaming space in its Salem location. It’s open Monday 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Tuesday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Wednesday 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Thursday 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., Friday 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Saturday and Sunday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Collectibles Unlimited (25 South St., Concord, 228-3712, collectiblesunlimited.biz) is a gaming store and gaming space that specializes in Magic: The Gathering and miniature war games. Every Tuesday is a gaming night for Warhammer 40K, a miniature war game, Wednesday night is for Dungeons & Dragons, a role-playing game, and every Friday they host a Friday Night Magic event. Every Thursday there’s an open gaming night. The store is closed on Mondays and Sundays.
• Comics Plus (865 Second St., Manchester, 782-8559, comicsplusnh.com) is a comic book store that also focuses on trading card games. It hosts a Friday Night Magic event every Friday and is open every day for free play. It’s open Monday 4 to 7 p.m., Tuesday through Thursday 4 to 10 p.m., Friday 4 to 11 p.m., Saturday 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• The Comic Store (115 Northeastern Blvd, Nashua, 881-4855, check Facebook) is a comic book store with a wide array of games and collectibles. The gaming space is open for free play any time during regular store hours, and it hosts Friday Night Magic events every Friday. On Wednesdays, they play the pauper Magic, and Thursdays are set aside for role-playing games. The store is open Monday and Tuesday 10:30 a.m. to 7 p.m., Wednesday 10:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., Thursday and Friday 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday noon to 5 p.m.
• Double Midnight Comics (345 Maple St., Manchester, 669-9636, 67 S. Main St., Concord, 715-2683, dmcomics.com) is a comic book store with collectibles, games and a gaming space (at both locations) open for free play every day. While they carry some miniature games like HeroClix and Star Wars X-Wing, and some role-playing games, their gaming tends to focus on trading card games. There are Magic: The Gathering events every weeknight plus Dungeons & Dragons, a role-playing game, on Wednesdays and Sundays. A regular Pokemon event is held on Sundays.
• Myriad Games (1525 S. Willow St., Manchester, 623-4263, myriadgames.com) is a game store and gaming space for all different kinds of games. Every Monday is a miniatures night for war gamers, Tuesdays are set aside for tabletop beta testing, Wednesdays are for players of Pathfinder, a trading card game, every Thursday is a board game night and Fridays are host to a regular Friday Night Magic event.
• The Game Castle (125 Nashua Road, Londonderry, 425-7400, thegamecastle.com) is a game store that offers free gameplay space to visitors every day. Every Wednesday, the store hosts an adventurer league Dungeons & Dragons game (fifth edition), and players come every Friday for Friday Night Magic. Pokemon league play happens on Saturday mornings starting at 10 a.m.
• Nex-Gen Comics (122 Bridge St., Pelham, 751-8195, check Facebook) is a comic book and game store that sells collectibles, trading card packs and board games. The gaming space is open to players of Magic for draft night on Mondays plus non-sanctioned legacy and standard tournaments. Every Tuesday is for Force of Will tournaments, another trading card game, Wednesdays are open for a Magic draft and Dungeons & Dragons adventure league play, Thursdays players come for modern Magic and HeroClix, and every Friday is Friday Night Magic, standard play and draft. Saturdays are open for commander Magic league play and Sundays are open for HeroClix players.
• Merrymac Games and Comics (550 Daniel Webster Highway, Merrimack, 420-8161, check Facebook) is a full-service retail store that focuses on comic books and games of all sorts, from trading card games and board games to video games. Every Tuesday is board game night, Wednesdays are host to a Magic: The Gathering draft night, Thursdays players come for commander Magic and every Friday the store hosts Friday Night Magic. Saturday is another draft day and Sundays are set aside for Yu-Gi-Oh! and Vanguard players.
• Neonbomb (710 Somerville St., Manchester, 505-8098, neonbomb.com) is a retail gaming store that ships specialty fandom merchandise nationally and internationally. The gaming space is open every Tuesday for Star Wars X-Wing and Pokemon, every Wednesday for Dungeons & Dragons, every Thursday for Force of Will and every Friday for a Learn to Play Magic tutorial at 5 p.m. and Friday Night Magic at 6 p.m. Saturday is open for Vanguard league play and board game night and Sunday is open for all kinds of games including Magic.
• Pop Culture: Cards, Comics, Collectibles and Gaming (66 Route 27, Raymond, 244-1850, check Facebook) is a comic book and games store that specializes in trading card games, board games and miniatures. They also buy and trade collectibles and signed movie memorabilia. Visitors can come for free play every day and try out a board game library with 40 to 50 games. Every Monday is a Dungeons & Dragons and Pathfinder night, Wednesdays are for Star Wars X-Wing and players of a board game called Shadowrun Crossfire and war games, Thursday is for role-playing games like Dungeons & Dragons and Savage Worlds, Friday is for Friday Night Magic, Saturday is for Warhammer 40K all day long and commander Magic and Sunday is for Dice Masters, HeroClix and adventure league Dungeons & Dragons.
• Relentless Dragon (483 Amherst St., Nashua, 204-5275, relentlessdragon.com) is a game store with space to accommodate more than 80 players. Visitors can come in for free play every day. Magic: The Gathering tournaments are held every Monday and Friday, Dungeons & Dragons players come to play every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday night and a Pokemon league plays every Saturday night. Thursday night is also host to miniature war gamers and Warhammer 40K players come every Sunday afternoon.
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Pinball Resurgence
Pinball Resurgence
Retro Arcade Game Finds New Popularity.
Written by Kelly Sennott (ksennott@hippopress.com)
Images: Stock Photo
After years of dormancy, pinball is back and bigger than ever.
Surprised? You’re not alone. Many players — especially those who’ve been at it for years — can’t believe it.
“I had no thoughts it would ever come back like it did,” Chuck Webster, a member of the Southern New Hampshire Pinball Club, said via phone. “Now it’s bigger than it’s ever been, which is really saying something, since it was virtually dead about six years ago. It’s been an amazing ride to see how fast it’s grown and continues to grow.”
Webster’s been collecting pinball machines for 25 years, with an emphasis on rock bands like Metallica and AC/DC. The game was big, he said, in the ’70s, ’80s and ’90s but was on its last breath as people turned primarily to video games moving into the 21st century. Many arcades and restaurants weeded their places of pinball machines, but the games didn’t disappear entirely; most of the time, they relocated to people’s homes.
Then, about six years ago, something happened. Pinball came back. Why, players can only guess. Webster suspects gamers were looking for ways to get out of the house and meet people.
“This is a way you can get outside and … interact with people instead of talk to them on the computer. And it’s a really competitive environment,” Webster said. “I don’t want to call it a sport, but it is kind of like a sport. … There’s physics to the ball, which makes every game unique. Each game has a different set of rules, and there’s a lot to it.”
In 2011, Sarah St. John started the Pinball Wizard Arcade in Pelham, which really put it back on the map. According to its Facebook page, it’s one of the world’s largest arcades with more than 300 games — a third of which are pinball.
“Millennials discovered it. Old-timers like myself never left the scene, but now we had a place to play. Now there are tournaments all over New Hampshire, all over New England,” Webster said.
About four years ago, a group of enthusiasts started the New England Pinball League, which now has 225 members and is run by Matt Guay, who lives in Lawrence, Mass. The Pinball Wizard Arcade acts as headquarters, with league meetings every Monday night and major tournaments three times a year. Competitors range in age from 8 to 70. Guay said many members have enormous personal collections, with as many as 40 machines.
“If you were to go back a couple years ago, there was one company left making pinball machines. Now, there are four or five. And there are a bunch of manufacturers making new games,” Guay said. “Leagues are popping up all over the country.”
Every New England state has at least one league affiliate, but in New Hampshire, there are two other major places to play besides Pelham.
One is at Jim’s Wheelhouse in Wakefield, not far from Lake Winnipesaukee, which merges pizza, craft beer and pinball. Jim Farris started the business about a year and a half ago after retiring from the military, and here, visitors will find more than 20 machines. Themes include Avatar, Pirates of the Caribbean, The Lord of the Rings, The Addams Family and, the newest, KISS and Ghostbusters.
During the off season of the New England Pinball League, he holds regular tournaments, for which his youngest competitors are in their 20s, his oldest in their 70s. Farris said via phone that some regulars drive almost two hours just to play there.
“For being out in the middle of nowhere, we’re doing pretty well. We do lots of different tournaments,” Farris said.
Austin Chenelle started the Southern New Hampshire Pinball Club in early 2016, which people access like a gym — members can come in and use the 30-plus machines at the Nashua venue 24/7. Webster said there are open houses two Tuesdays a month. On the third Friday of the month, the group hosts a tournament.
These venues are great places to play if you’re a beginner, but they also see regulars who do very well in national and international competitions.
“My attraction is, it’s never the same game twice, whereas I could play PacMan two times in a row, and it will be the same patterns every time,” Guay said. “It’s a very physical game. Anything can happen.”
Where To Play!
• Pinball Wizard Arcade, 150 Bridge St., Pelham, 635-1677, pinballwizardarcade.com
• Jim’s Wheelhouse, 3431 Province Lake Road, East Wakefield, 871-8382, jimswheelhouse.com
• Southern New Hampshire Pinball Club, 134 Haines St., Nashua, 765-387-6472 (membership required to play here, about $30 per month at the moment)
• Funspot, 579 Endicott St., N. Laconia, 366-4377, funspotnh.com
• Funworld, 200 DW Highway, Nashua, 888-1940, funworldnh.com
Upcoming Events
Most events require RSVP and admission to play; contact the respective organizations for more information. There’s no admission to watch.
New England Pinball League Final: Saturday, Nov. 19, at the Pinball Wizard Arcade; Guay said the first round typically starts around 11 a.m.
Quest for the Anchor Pinball Tournament: Sunday, Nov. 13, at Jim’s Wheelhouse, at 11 a.m.
Pinball Organizations:
Southern New Hampshire Pinball Club, snhpinball.com;
New England Pinball League, nepl.org;
Professional & Amateur Pinball Association, papa.org;
International Flipper Pinball Association, ifpapinball.com
Smarten Up
Smarten Up
Where to go for Trivia Night.
Written by Angie Sykeny (asykeny@hippopress.com)
Images: Stock Photo
If you’re looking for something fun to break up the week, try teaming up with some friends for a battle of the brains at these local trivia nights. There are prizes and giveaways, food and drink specials for players and, of course, plenty of opportunities to show off your knowledge and impress your teammates.
• Area 23 (254 N. State St., Unit H in the Smokestack Center, Concord, 552-0137, thearea23.com) has weekly Trivia Tuesday starting at 7 p.m.
• British Beer Co. (1071 S Willow St, Manchester, 232-0677, britishbeer.com/location/manchester) has Trivia Night with Sean every Tuesday starting at 8:30 p.m.
• Downtown Cheers Grille & Bar (17 Depot St., Concord, 228-0180, cheersnh.com) has general trivia every Friday starting at 9 p.m., open to individuals and groups.
• The Farm Bar & Grille (1181 Elm St., Manchester, 641-3276, farmbargrille.com) has trivia every Wednesday starting at 8:30 p.m., featuring prizes and free beer.
• Fody’s Tavern (9 Clinton St., Nashua, 577-9015, fodystavern.com) has Tavern Trivia every Wednesday starting at 8 p.m., open to individuals and teams. Gift certificates and other prizes are awarded. Players can also sign up for Fody’s local tavern championship for a chance to advance to nationals and win up to $10,000 in prizes.
• Halligan Tavern (32 W. Broadway, Derry, 965-3490, halligantavern.com) has trivia every Tuesday starting at 8 p.m.
• J’s Tavern Under the Bridge (63 Union Square, Milford, 554-1433, jstavernnh.com) has Trivia with Jake every Tuesday, from 8 to 9 p.m., open to teams of up to five people. There are weekly and monthly prizes and draft specials for players.
• Jade Dragon Restaurant (The Commons Plaza, 515 Daniel Webster Hwy., Merrimack, 424-2280, jadedragon-nh.com) has Trivia Night with DJ Laura every Thursday starting at 9 p.m.
• Kimball’s Cav’ern (351 Pembroke St., Pembroke, 485-7777, kimballscavern.com) has weekly Tuesday Night Trivia hosted by Stump Trivia starting at 7 p.m., which includes $2 beers and prizes from different beer sponsors each week.
• La Carreta Mexican Restaurant (35 Manchester Road, Suite 5A, Derry, 421-0091, lacarretamex.com) has trivia every Wednesday from 8 to 10 p.m., with prizes and drink specials.
• Margaritas Manchester (1037 Elm St., Manchester, 647-7717, margs.com/locations/new-hampshire/manchester) hosts team trivia with Stump Trivia every Monday starting at 7:30 p.m. Prizes are awarded to the top teams.
• Margaritas Nashua (1 Nashua Drive, Nashua, 883-0996, margs.com/locations/new-hampshire/nashua) hosts team trivia every Wednesday from 8 to 10 p.m.
• Margaritas Salem (1 Keewaydin Drive, Salem, 893-0110, margs.com/locations/new-hampshire/salem) has team trivia with Stump Trivia every Monday starting at 6:45 p.m., with prizes for the first place team.
• Molly’s Tavern and Restaurant (35 Mont Vernon Road, New Boston, 487-1262, mollysnh.com) has Tavern Trivia Night every Thursday starting at 7 p.m.
• Murphy's Taproom (494 Elm St., Manchester, 644-3535, murphystaproom.net) has trivia every Thursday from 8 to 10 p.m.
• Nashua Garden (121 Main St., Nashua, 886-7363, facebook.com/thenashuagarden603) has trivia every Thursday from 8 to 10 p.m.
• New England Tap House Grille (1292 Hooksett Road, Hooksett, 782-5137, taphousenh.com) has Trivia Night with Bill & Cody every Tuesday from 7 to 9 p.m., along with $3 drafts. During November, players will receive $1 off beers from the trivia sponsor of the month, Founders Brewing Co., and prizes for the winning teams.
• O’Shea’s Irish Tavern & Cigar Bar (449 Amherst St., Nashua, 943-7089, find them on Facebook) is currently looking for a host for Wednesday night trivia. Call or check Facebook for updates on when trivia will return.
• The Pasta Loft Restaurant (241 Union Square, Milford, 672-2270, pastaloft.com) has trivia every Tuesday starting at 6:30 p.m., hosted by Steve Erdody.
• The Peddler’s Daughter (48 Main St., Nashua, 821-7535, thepeddlersdaughter.com) hosts a Geeks Who Drink trivia night every Tuesday from 8:30 to 10:30 p.m.
• Salona Bar & Grille (128 Maple St., Manchester, 624-4020, facebook.com/salona) has Family Feud Trivia with DJ Davey K for teams on the last Saturday of the month starting at 8 p.m. Winners are awarded Salona gift cards.
• The Shaskeen Pub and Restaurant (909 Elm St., Manchester, 625-0246, theshaskeenpub.com) hosts a Geeks Who Drink pub quiz every Monday starting at 7:30 p.m.
• Stark Brewing Co. (500 Commercial St., Manchester, 625-4444, starkbrewingcompany.com) will begin hosting trivia next week. More information is TBA. Call or check facebook.com/starkbrewingcompany for updates.
• Strange Brew Tavern (88 Market St., Manchester, 666-4292, strangebrewtavern.net) hosts team trivia every Thursday from 8 to 11 p.m., with prizes and giveaways and $3 beer specials.
• Thirsty Moose Taphouse (795 Elm St., Manchester, 792-2337, facebook.com/thirstymoosemanchester) has trivia every Monday starting at 8 p.m., with $1 samples and 69-cent chicken wings.
• Tuscan Kitchen (67 Main St., Salem, 952-4875, tuscanbrands.com) hosts weekly Trivia Tuesday with Stump Trivia from 7 to 9 p.m., in the upstairs wine bar, with prizes for the winning teams.
• The Wild Rover (21 Kosciuszko St., Manchester, 669-7722, wildroverpub.com) has trivia on the last Monday of the month from 7 to 9 p.m.
Sample Trivia Questions
Courtesy of Bill Seney, co-host of Tuesday night trivia at New England’s Tap House Grille
Q1: Name the beer brand that is receiving backlash for publicly endorsing Donald Trump.
Q2: The classic Shakespearean quote “To be or not to be” comes from what play?
Q3: Known early in the series as “McDreamy,” Patrick Dempsey’s character on Grey’s Anatomy has what specialty?
Q4: What is the name of the bus driver on The Simpsons?
Q5: The layout of the great pyramids are set to mirror the stars in what constellation?
Q6: In the TV show Sons of Anarchy, what is the name of the town the characters call home?
Trivia Question Answers
Courtesy of Bill Seney, co-host of Tuesday night trivia at New England’s Tap House Grille
A1: Yuengling
A2: Hamlet
A3: He’s a neurosurgeon.
A4: Otto
A5: Orion
A6: Charmingtown
Checkmate
Checkmate
Nashua Hosts Annual Chess Championship.
Written by Matt Ingersol (listings@hippopress.com)
Images: Courtesy Photo
New Hampshire’s top chess players — some of whom rank highest in the entire country — will compete for prize money at the 66th annual New Hampshire Open in Nashua.
It’s the United States Chess Federation’s championship in the Granite State, and all players must be registered members of the USCF. But anyone who enjoys playing chess and is interested in competing can become a member by registering at the door on the first day of the two-day event, which is Saturday, July 23, and Sunday, July 24, at the Radisson Hotel in Nashua.
The Open is split into four rounds, with two being held on each of the two days, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday and 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Sunday.
“Each state has its own state chapter of the national federation, and one of the responsibilities of all these chapters is to run a state championship each year,” said event organizer Hal Terrie of the New Hampshire Chess Association. “But anybody who is a member of the federation can participate, so we’ve had people from Maine, from Massachusetts, and even from much further away than that.”
Terrie said individual players will be sorted by their levels of expertise.
“The national federation maintains a ranking system. Basically, you get a three- to four-digit number that expresses your performance compared to all the other members in the country,” he said. “So roughly speaking, the higher the number, the more advanced you are.”
Players will compete in sections of either under 1350, under 1650, under 1950 or the most advanced “open” section.
“The under 1350 section is for beginners ...,” Terrie said. “1650 is for players who are around the average level but may be a little bit better than average. 1950 is for players who are fairly strong or better than average, and the open section is for players who are anywhere from the low pro to the high pro level. We’ve had some players ranked to be around 2500 to 2600 in the past. This number can go up or down depending on your performance.”
For first-time competitive chess players who may be unsure about which section to sign up for, Terrie said it may come down to that player’s own confidence and judgment.
“You sort of have to evaluate your own experience as a player,” he said, “so someone who loves to play chess online all the time or who has taken lessons before may be better. But I will say that it’s fairly rare for someone who has never played in a tournament to be good enough for the top two sections, although it does happen sometimes and has before.”
But the good news for all players is that there are no eliminations in this tournament.
“Everybody gets to play all four of the games that are scheduled, so if you lose the first time, that doesn’t mean you have to go home,” Terrie said. “After the first game, people with the same score will be paired together.”
The Open is one of several events the New Hampshire Chess Association holds each year. Terrie said although the NHCA was founded in 1975, the Open dates back to 1950, when it was known as both a chess and checkers championship. But a predecessing organization called the New Hampshire Chess and Checker Association kept logbooks all the way back to the turn of the 20th century.
“This is a more serious type of event,” Terrie said. “It’s very common these days to have single-day events in which timers are used. But this tournament spreads over two days, with two games per day, so you get more time to think.”
Prizes will be given out to the winner of each section, which range from $80 to $350, depending on the level of advancement. The top scoring New Hampshire resident will also be crowned the New Hampshire champion for this year.
Advance entry fees start at $49 for the under 1350 section and $59 for each of the other three sections. Players can register online in advance as late as 6 p.m. on Friday, July 22. Registrations will also be accepted at the hotel just before the start of the event for an additional $6 fee.
Terrie added that spectators may attend to watch any of the competitions free of charge, as long as they keep their cell phones turned off and do not disturb the players. A registration table will be set up in the hallway near the front door of the hotel.
Game Plan
Game Plan
Libraries Offer Board Game Nights.
Written by Matt Ingersol (listings@hippopress.com)
Images: Courtesy Photo
Why play the same old tabletop and card games you have around the house when you can find new games and new competition — and even learn some new techniques — from your local library?
“[Analog games] may require a lot more demands on your time, but they are also a really efficient and fun way of engaging with other people who have the same interests as you,” said Glenn Given, co-founder of the locally owned Games by Play Date.
Started in 2013 with the design of five different original tabletop and card games, Games by Play Date now distributes them to stores locally and nationally and also online through its website and Amazon. The games have developed a following through the several conventions attended by the company's founders each year and through smaller events sometimes attended by Given or the company's other two founders.
One of those smaller events will be at the Nashua Public Library on Saturday, Nov. 19. It’s one of thousands of libraries across the country to be holding such events as an initiative of the American Library Association.
“I had actually gone to speak with the New Hampshire Library Association last month,” Given said. “What I'm going to be doing is supporting the library and sharing their collection of games and teaching people how to play different games. … If there is a barrier of entry it's learning some of these systems and games, because they can be a steep learning curve. So it's always helpful to have someone there who is patient and has knowledge of understanding them for new people.”
But Given said the quality time spent with other players when it comes to analog games is sometimes even more important than the rules of the games themselves.
“It's a bit of a misnomer these days to say this person's a gamer and that person's not, because all of us are either playing games on our phones or we grew up with a Nintendo or a Sega,” he said. “There isn't that line of demarcation, but what does exist is this real holdover stigma from 20 years ago. … Whether it's chess or Dungeons & Dragons, it really just comes down to having an enjoyable time with other people.”
Board Game Nights
Cutler Memorial Library
What: Kid’s Table Top Game Night
When: Third Wednesday of every month, 6 to 8 p.m. (next meeting is Wednesday, Nov. 16)
Where: 269 Charles Bancroft Highway, Litchfield
Visit: cutlerlibrary.blogspot.com or call 424-4044
Derry Public Library
What: Teen Tabletop Gaming night, featuring Betrayal at House on the Hill, Pandemic, Consulting Detective, Carcassonne and more.
When: Tuesday, Nov. 15, 3:30 to 4:45 p.m.
Where: 64 E. Broadway, Derry
Visit: derrypl.org or call 432-6140
Griffin Free Public Library
What: International Game Day and Game Night
When: Saturday, Nov. 19, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and Wednesday, Nov. 30, 6:30 to 8 p.m.
Where: 22 Hooksett Road, Auburn
Visit: griffinfree.com or call 483-5374
Hollis Social Library
What: Weekly Dungeons & Dragons Club for tweens and teens
When: Fridays, 3:45 to 5 p.m. (next meeting is Friday, Nov. 11)
Where: 2 Monument Square, Hollis
Visit: hollislibrary.org or call 465-7721
Nashua Public Library
What: Family Board Game Night, featuring Scrabble, mancala, pictionary, chess, checkers and more
When: Mondays, 6:30 to 9 p.m. (next meeting is Monday, Nov. 14)
Where: 2 Court St., Nashua
Visit: nashualibrary.org or call 589-4600
Manchester City Library
What: Family Game Night in the children’s room
When: Tuesdays, 5:30 to 8 p.m. (next meeting is Tuesday, Nov. 15)
Where: 405 Main St., Manchester
Visit: manchester.lib.nh.us or call 624-6550
Rodgers Memorial Library
What: Analog Gaming for Teens, featuring Quelf, Superfight, Monopoly, Life, Battleship and more
When: Thursdays, 4 to 5 p.m. (next meeting is Thursday, Nov. 10)
Where: 194 Derry Road, Hudson
Visit: rodgerslibrary.org or call 886-6030
Wilton Public & Gregg Free Library
What: International Game Day
When: Saturday, Nov. 19, 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Where: 7 Forest Road, Wilton
Visit: wiltonlibrarynh.org or call 654-2581
Love Stories
Love Stories
Peacock Players Presents Aida This Weekend & Next.
Written by Kelly Sennott (ksennott@hippopress.com)
Images: Courtesy Photo
Love stories are “terribly important,” in Peacock Players Artistic Director Keith Weirich’s opinion — it’s one of the reasons he wanted Aida as the youth theater company’s next major production.
Aida, which hits Janice B. Streeter Theatre Nov. 11 through Nov. 20, is based on Giuseppe Verdi’s opera of the same name. It follows an Ethiopian princess, Aida, held prisoner in Egypt. She falls for the captain of the Egyptian army, and he falls for her too. The problem: he’s already engaged to the pharoah’s daughter.
The show features music by Elton John and Tim Rice and a book by Linda Woolverton, Robert Falls and David Henry Hwang.
The Peacock Players performed Aida about 10 years ago. Weirich doesn’t repeat shows often, but this tale about forbidden love is a favorite. It’s tragic, almost Shakespearean, but also beautiful and uplifting, which he thinks a lot of people are looking for in theater right now.
“I’m a sucker for a love story,” Weirich said during an interview at a recent rehearsal. “I have true love in my life, so I’ve seen that power, but I also like the fact that the show doesn’t offer a suggestion that love answers any problems. … It compounds issues. It’s certainly a worthwhile endeavor, but it doesn’t magically make anything okay. … You don’t get to choose who you fall in love with. It chooses you, in a sense.”
Weirich also thought teens would relate to Aida; all its main characters are wrestling with obligations to parents, their nations’ people and what they want personally.
“And all those things are in direct conflict with each other at any given moment,” Weirich said. “Three of the leads are seniors, and they’re on the verge of deciding what they want to do. … They’re at a place where they’re learning who they are as individuals, and where they meet and rock against their parents.”
And of course, there’s the timeless theme of young love.
“I think a big part of the show is the romance of it — that idea of forbidden love. As teenagers, we’re going through all these different kinds of relationships, so I think everyone can kind of relate to this in some way,” said Eliza Richards, 17, who performs as Amneris, the pharoah’s daughter.
The story is told in a flashback; the first scene occurs in a modern-day archeological dig site (different from the original script’s museum setting), where actors will sport shorts, hard hats and headlamps, and will dig up props audiences will see in action by the show’s end.
The scenery includes one unit set depicting an Egyptian tomb burial chamber, with paintings by Jessie McCoy, and the choreography is modern with a hip-hop, tribal flair, courtesy of Valerie Psoinos Nelson. The tunes are modern, which the kids like.
“I like that it’s not super musical theater. It’s very rock and roll,” said Aly Aramento, 18, who performs as Aida.
Richards said she joined the cast because she loved being part of Chicago last year, her first production with Peacock Players, and Aramento agreed. They said a strange thing happens when rehearsal begins — everything else melts away. It’s the kind of reaction they hope audiences have as well.
“It’s a nice love story, which you can watch for a couple of hours and get away from everything else,” Aramento said.
See Aida
Where: Janice B. Streeter Theatre, 14 Court St., Nashua
When: Friday, Nov. 11, at 7 p.m.; Saturday Nov. 12, at 2 and 7 p.m.; Sunday, Nov. 13, at 2 p.m.; Friday, Nov. 18, at 7 p.m.; Saturday, Nov. 19, at 2 and 7 p.m.; Sunday, Nov. 20, at 2 p.m.
Admission: $12-$17
Contact: peacockplayers.org, 886-7000
Weekly Review: Zi & More
Weekly Review: Zi & More
Written by Eric Saeger (news@hippopress.com)
Images: Album Artwork
Negura Bunget, Zi (Prophecy Productions)
I can understand why black metal fans are ticked off about Deafheaven — hipsters love them for some reason, that’s why. It’s actually a thing nowadays, “hipster black metal,” and it’s somehow seen to include Myrkur, which ventures off into snap-dance territory (man, do the die-hard Beelzebub-rockers hate that girl!). Nugura Bunget, however, is the real deal, in every way — they’re even from Transylvania (OK, Romania, but if you ordered the special edition of their 2010 album Vîrstele Pămîntului, it came in a burnt box that also held genuine Transylvanian soil), which gives them a ton of style points. Why, all these guys have to do for videography is walk outside and shoot film of their spooky forests, which sums up the 10-minute film they tabled for this new one, their seventh. Like Deafheaven, this stuff is part ambient Sunn(((O))) and part extreme/math, with a lot of tortured but shiny riffing, all topped off with vocals that sound like a giant angry Viking who wants to throw you in a skillet. Stupid in some ways, magnificent in others.
Grade: B
Derek Brown, Beatbox Sax (self-released)
Proper release of the album that’s already become this Chicago-based journeyman’s brand on a YouTube channel and other venues. Just as it looks, this is actually a technique, a blend of beatboxing and using the sax as a found instrument, which in this case means Brown might tap it, double-tongue it or even attach an egg shaker to the bell. No, this isn’t exactly a Blue Man Group thing, and neither is it a Mingus-wannabe skronk-fest of pointless noise; these are mostly cover versions of familiar pop trinkets such as “Every Breath You Take” and “What is Love” with special attention paid to the original melodies and percussion, though not quite to the extent that it becomes a novelty record. Brown does some decent-enough traditional beatboxing on “Blueberry Jam,” one of four originals on hand here, and shows off some admirable horn chops, for example the extended arpeggios of Herbie Hancock’s “Chameleon” and a pretty freaking brilliant rub of Bach’s Cello Suite No. 1, which you’ll recognize from many pop-cultural appearances, the movie Master and Commander for one.
Grade: A
Vet Run
Vet Run
Penmen for Patriots 5k Returns for SNHU for Second Year.
Written by Matt Ingersol (listings@hippopress.com)
Images: Courtesy Photo
Run, party and give back to those who’ve served — that’s the idea behind the Penmen for Patriots 5K.
Retired Army colonel and Southern New Hampshire University Veteran Support Services Coordinator Michael McGandy organized the first Penmen for Patriots 5K to give students and the community a chance to support veterans.
“We wanted to do some stuff that was open to the community and not just to our students, and were also looking for a tie-in to our Veterans Week celebration,” McGandy said. “I happen to be an avid runner myself, so we decided to go with [a race].”
The second annual event will be held rain or shine on Saturday, Nov. 12, at 10:30 on the SNHU campus.
All proceeds will benefit Veterans Count, a program of Easter Seals New Hampshire that provides financial assistance to local service members and their families.
“Veterans Count started out as a partnership with the New Hampshire Army National Guard to help soldiers during the post-deployment process,” McGandy said. “Now they do substance abuse counseling, financial counseling and psychological counseling … and one of the things that I’ve found compelling about them is that if you look at their financials, close to 90 percent of the money they receive actually goes directly to veterans rather than other things like administrative fees.”
McGandy said past events with partnerships between Veterans Count and SNHU have included dinners and veterans networking workshops on campus. The inaugural Penmen for Patriots 5K in 2015 raised more than $5,200 for Veterans Count, and the goal this year is to surpass that as more runners than last year have already registered.
“It’s a great course, and it’s actually going to be passing some of the new construction sites for the new dorms and the Welcome Center,” McGandy said, “so folks that have never been to SNHU or haven’t in a few years will get to see those new installments. We see this kind of as an opportunity to show the campus off, and of course we welcome walkers as well as runners.”
McGandy said another unique feature that separates the 5K from other late season races is the opportunity to stay warm in the Student Center both before the race and at the post-race party.
“The race physically starts and ends in front of the Student Center, and the post-race party will be in the Last Chapter Pub,” he said. “All runners will be given a tear-off coupon on their running bib that will be redeemable for a free beer or smoothie at the Pub. … One of the cool tie-ins this year is that we’ll have special-ordered beer from Able Ebenezer Brewery in Merrimack. That brewery is veteran-owned and the owner is a SNHU grad.”
Several other local sponsors will also be participating in the post-race party, including Granite Group Benefits, Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, the VFW, Northeast Delta Dental and more. Millennium Running will be returning to officially time the race for the second consecutive year.
“We have Sodexo, who does all of the food service at SNHU, providing bagels and fruit,” McGandy said. “We’ll also have Coca-Cola Bottling Co. of Northern New England providing water, Stonyfield Yogurt providing yogurt, and we’ve reached out to the new Whole Foods that just opened in Bedford, and they’ll be providing snacks as well.”
Cash prizes of $150, $50 and $25 will be given out at the party for the first, second and third male and female finishers, as well as medals for the top three division finishers by age and gender. McGandy said the top SNHU student finishers will also receive complimentary prizes like gift cards to the campus bookstore.
Runners can expect a heavy student presence and participation in the management of the race, McGandy said.
“We’ll have three classes on campus that are involved in the race,” he said. “A communications class will be putting together a PR Power Point presentation and report, an introduction to sports management class will be taking care of all of the traditional volunteer stuff on registration day and will be setting food out at the race party as well, and a management class will be designing a survey for all of the runners. … So it’s unique in that it allows our students to get some real-world experience while all still on campus.”
Penmen for Patriots 5K
When: Saturday, Nov. 12, 10:30 a.m. (race day registration is from 8 to 10 a.m.; online registration closes on Friday, Nov. 11, at noon)
Where: Begins and ends at the Student Center of Southern New Hampshire University, 2500 N. River Road, Manchester
Cost: $25 general registration, and $20 for SNHU students, military personnel and veterans
Visit: snhu.edu/patriots5k
Stand Up (Comedy) For Animals
Stand Up (Comedy) For Animals
Amber Moonlit Funny Fundraiser Returns.
Written by Matt Ingersol (listings@hippopress.com)
Images: Courtesy Photo
Laughter is the best medicine for people and animals at the eighth annual Amber Moonlit Night gala and fundraiser.
Hundreds of cats and dogs at the Salem Animal Rescue League will benefit from the event, being held on Saturday, Nov. 12, from 6 to 11 p.m., at the Castleton in Windham and featuring food, prizes and stand-up comedy.
This year features New Hampshire resident Jimmy Dunn, who will take the stage at 8:30 p.m., and Stephen Bjork about an hour later, at 9:30 p.m.
Jimmy Dunn grew up in Beverly, Mass., and, in addition to performing stand-up for corporate audiences and at clubs and theaters, is an actor best known for his role as Sean McCarthy in the CBS sitcom The McCarthys.
Stephen Bjork is a Boston-based comedian who regularly performs at several clubs across the country and has more recently turned his focus to venues in New England. He specializes in observational comic routines from everyday life situations.
Former WZID radio personality Mike Morin, who served as last year’s event host, will be returning to Amber Moonlit Night this year. Morin is also an author and regular humor columnist for New Hampshire Magazine.
Dinner will be served at 7 p.m. with the Castleton handling all of the food.
“We’ll be having lemon chicken and chicken broccoli alfredo options, and there will also be a vegetarian menu. … We will have a cash bar available too,” said Kristie Nardini, SARL’s director of development.
Several items will be up for auction during this time, including health and wellness packages, beauty-related items, vacation packages and sports memorabilia.
“We try to always have enough that will appeal to different crowds,” Nardini said, “so we’ll have tickets for a trip to Disney World, gift certificates for the Palace Theatre … and we’ll have a signed glove from [boxer] Micky Ward.”
A feature of Amber Moonlit Night for the past several years, the Fund-a-Need presentation will also be returning. Nardini said funds from this year’s event will specifically go toward medical expenses for the close to 800 cats and dogs the League adopts out each year.
“One hundred percent of our animals are spayed or neutered, and we rely largely on fundraising to be able to take care of the animals we adopt,” she said.
Cooking For A Cause
Cooking For A Cause
Nashua Rainbow Girls Hold Their First Community Cook-Off.
Written by Ashley Sykeny (asykeny@hippopress.com)
Images: Courtesy Photo
Whether you’re curious about how your prized family recipe would do in a competition or you’re looking to taste others’ recipes and get inspiration for your own kitchen, you’ll have the opportunity at the Nashua Rainbow Cook-off happening Sunday, Nov. 20, from 2 to 4 p.m., at the Children's Dyslexia Center of Nashua. It’s open to everyone for both competing and tasting, and entrants can submit one or more dishes in three separate categories: entrees, appetizers and desserts.
The cook-off is a fundraiser for the Dyslexia Center, hosted by the Nashua sector of the New Hampshire Order of the Rainbow for Girls, a leadership and service organization for young women. The idea was suggested by Nashua Rainbow’s youth president, 16-year-old Jackie Desrosiers, who said she was inspired to create and coordinate a cook-off on the local level in Nashua after New Hampshire Rainbow held a state charity cook-off last year.
“I think it’s a good time to meet new people and talk with old friends about something that basically everyone loves, which is food,” she said.
Upon arrival, chefs will be assigned to individual tables where they can set up their food. Creative table decorations are also welcome and encouraged. Tasters can enjoy up to 10 samples for a $10 admission fee and vote on their favorite dishes by putting a dollar in the cup set on each chef’s table. The chef in each category with the most money in his or her cup will win the people’s choice award.
“Last year there were cupcakes, peanut butter pie, Swedish meatballs, hamburger stew, all kinds of different things,” Desrosiers said. “And since this is right before Thanksgiving, it would be a good opportunity to get ideas for different dishes to make in your own home.”
Each category will also have a panel of three judges that will include food-savvy individuals from partnering organizations and possibly some local restaurant personalities. The judges will score the dishes based on appearance, taste and general quality and will choose one winner for their respective categories. Winners of the people’s choice awards and judges’ picks will receive trophies and bragging rights.
If you’re interested in competing, you’ll need to submit your entry form by Sunday, Nov. 13, along with the registration fee of $10 per dish. Chefs can compete as individuals, pairs or teams of up to four people. To ensure that there are enough samples for the tasters and the judges, you should make a minimum of 20 servings for each dish. A setup area, serving vessels, drinks and seating for tasters will be provided at the cook-off.
“If you like to cook or bake, it’s a good opportunity show off your skills and raise money for a good cause,” Desrosiers said.
A Week to Dine Out
A Week to Dine Out
Seacoast Restaurants Offer Special Deals.
Written by Ashley Sykeny (asykeny@hippopress.com)
Images: Courtesy Photo
The culinary celebration known as Restaurant Week Portsmouth & the Seacoast is back for another 10 days of special deals at more than 40 Seacoast area restaurants. From Thursday, Nov. 10, through Saturday, Nov. 19, all participating restaurants will feature three-course prix fixe meals at $16.95 for lunch and $29.95 for dinner per person, as well as exclusive menu items and drinks.
Portsmouth Chamber of Commerce events coordinator Sara Dahlen said the biyearly event attracts between 60,000 and 75,000 diners every spring and fall.
“It just keeps getting bigger and bigger,” she said. “It’s really exploded into this great week when all the restaurants can show off what they can do and put Portsmouth on the map as a restaurant destination.”
Most of the participating restaurants are located in Portsmouth, but there are others from all around the Seacoast including Dover, Hampton, New Castle, Rye, Exeter and Kittery, Maine. The cuisine runs the gamut: Greek, Mexican, Italian, contemporary American, pub food, tapas, seafood, fine dining, comfort food, farm-to-table and more. Dahlen said it’s that diversity that makes Portsmouth a unique dining destination worth celebrating.
“We have such an eclectic variety of restaurants here,” Dahlen said. “There’s really something for everyone.”
Restaurants may offer either lunch or dinner or both, and some may apply the same $16.95 lunch deal price to dinner as well. The prix fixe menus typically consist of an appetizer, main dish and dessert, with several different choices for each course. Optional add-ons may also be available. Throughout the week, restaurants will also be highlighting certain drinks including Michter’s Whiskey, Jack’s Abby brews and wine from M.S. Walker.
Because many of the restaurants utilize local ingredients, the Restaurant Week menus often feature seasonal dishes, making this a culinary experience distinct from the Restaurant Week held in the spring.
“Some of these menus look amazing. It’s really [the restaurants’] time to shine,” Dahlen said. “All these fall- and winter-based [dishes] with the local apples and pumpkin just sound delicious.”
Links to all of the participating restaurants’ Restaurant Week menus will be posted on the event website as they become available. Reservations are strongly recommended as the restaurants will have more diners than usual.
Labor of Love
Labor of Love
Kenison Ditches Traditional Publishing for Moments.
Written by Kelly Sennot (ksennott@hippopress.com)
Images: Book Cover
It’s probably fair to call Peterborough writer Katrina Kenison a publishing expert. The former Houghton Mifflin Co. employee was the series editor of The Best American Short Stories anthology from 1990 to 2006, and in 2000 was co-editor of The Best American Short Stories of the Century with John Updike. She’s also seen the process from other side — she’s got three books under her belt, all published by Grand Central Publishing, a division of the Hachette Book Group.
But for her latest project, Moments of Seeing: Reflections from an Ordinary Life, Kenison wanted total creative control. She wanted to choose the title, cover art, paper, typeface size and style, in addition to content. So she did.
The book, released Nov. 1, is a collection of essays from her blog, which she started in 2009 at the request of her publisher to promote The Gift of an Ordinary Day: A Mother’s Memoir. At the time she didn’t know what a blog was and felt dubious after her first entry.
“I thought, who’s ever going to find this?” Kenison said via phone last week.
She needn’t have worried. Readers of her books found her. It helped that her memoirs — which also include Mitten Strings for God: Reflections for Mothers in a Hurry and Magical Journey: An Apprenticeship in Contentment — received rave reviews from prolific writers, like Ann Patchett, and popular magazines, like O: The Oprah Magazine.
Kenison wrote about children growing up and leaving home, about loss — of friends, family pets — and about midlife changes. Mostly, she wrote about everyday moments. Today she has almost 6,000 subscribers.
“I discovered that I love the essay form. It was so liberating to just get to sit down and, every week, write about what was going on in my life,” Kenison said. “And to my surprise, this community of readers just grew. … The blog became, in a way, almost like an online notebook. And unlike so many other blogs about one specific thing, like gardening, cooking or parenting, mine is just about life as it unfolds.”
Four years ago, she thought about collecting these essays in a book, but her husband beat her to the punch and created 50 copies for her 2012 Christmas present. Kenison dispersed them to friends and family and offered a couple to website readers. Leave comments, she told them, and she’d pick a winner at random.
“I got hundreds of comments from people saying they wanted to buy it,” Kenison said. “I realized [the essays] really do tell a story about a certain time in a person’s life that’s pretty universal, certainly for mothers. … I wrote about some pretty challenging middle-age losses that everybody I knew had experienced some version of.”
While recovering from two hip replacement surgeries last spring, she got her chance to spend more time with these pieces, choosing the ones that best contributed to the narrative. Regular readers might notice an energy in them different from what’s in her memoirs.
“These are even more intimate and more personal because, working on a book, you’re working in hindsight; you’re looking back and you’re writing about things you’ve kind of figured out. But these are very much of the moment,” Kenison said.
Peterborough artist Sue Callihan painted the cover image, her friend Rickie Harvey edited, Kase Printing in Hudson did the printing and Hancock book designer Ellen Klempner-Beguin helped create the perfect balance of beauty and comfort.
“It’s really important to me that this book be a beautiful object, not only that the content be beautiful, but the book itself be physically beautiful. Ellen, the designer, and I spent a couple hours at the Toadstool Bookstore looking at all these beautiful books,” Kenison said. “Even though I was an editor in New York for years and published books with New York publishers, I never got to make these choices before — the type of paper, the cover design. I got complete artistic control.”
Kenison got to make decisions a big publishing house might not.
“We weren’t going for the cheapest price. ... I was out to make the most beautiful book I could,” she said.
It’s a gamble, to publish this way. Writers who work with big companies get advances; this project had up-front costs. It’s also up to her to make it sell. But it’s the kind of work she enjoys, and already she’s sold more than half her first printing of 2,100.
“The book was a labor of love but also a labor of joy,” Kenison said.