Gifts for foodies

Delicious gift ideas this holiday season

Looking for some gift-giving ideas for the foodie in your life? Local shops have all kinds of treats and tools that would make great gifts, while many local eateries are offering promotions on gift cards.

Bombs away

Scott Watson of Loon Chocolate in Manchester had never made a “cocoa bomb” before the beginning of November — now he’s making about 1,000 of them per week and can barely keep them in stock for each of his wholesale accounts. A trend that went viral on TikTok back in October, cocoa bombs are small hollow balls of chocolate filled with marshmallows, flavored mixes or other ingredients that you place in any type of heat-safe mug or container. Pouring hot milk or water over the bomb will cause it to “explode” with flavor inside the mug.

“The heat penetrates through the hollow bomb … and as it slowly fills up, the bomb begins to melt from the inside out and you have one of the most decadent cups of hot chocolate you’ve ever tasted,” Watson said. “It’s basically some of the freshest chocolate melted in a cup that’s single-served. It’s both interactive and tastes amazing.”

Watson started making them to sell at the Manchester Craft Market in the Mall of New Hampshire and has since expanded to feature them at other local businesses, like Cafe la Reine on Elm Street in Manchester and The Country Store at the Tilton Outlets. Loon Chocolate’s cocoa bombs come in packages of four — each one is made with 70 percent dark chocolate, filled with eight vegan marshmallows and coated with the company’s house-made cocoa mix.

“We thought [four] was a nice gift size that would work for us, for a family to share them on a special evening during the holidays,” Watson said. “They’ve taken off very quickly. Our wholesale accounts have received an incredible demand from their customers for them and we’ve been running out of chocolate as fast as we can make it.”

In Milford, Emilee Viaud of Culture also started making cocoa bombs of her own less than two months ago. She now offers several flavors, including milk, white or dark chocolate, but also cookies and cream, peppermint bark, peanut butter, gingerbread and salted caramel.

“I actually didn’t even know what they were until my mother-in-law mentioned them to me,” Viaud said. “I started making a few, and all of a sudden I had about 100 orders for them within one day. So that made me say, ‘OK, this is definitely something that people want.’”

You can find cocoa bombs for sale at Culture or at the Manchester Craft Market in tin containers of four, as part of a mug set, or inside of a clear ornament you can put on your tree. Viaud is also offering shipping through her personal business, Emilee’s Sweet Treats (find her on Facebook @emileessweettreats).

Presto Craft Kitchen in Manchester also offers multiple flavors of cocoa bombs, from salted caramel and peanut butter cup to Almond Joy, peppermint and cookies and cream. They’ll be available through about March, owner and chef Joe Grella said.

More local eats

Even though most craft fairs, expos and winter farmers markets across New Hampshire have been cancelled or postponed or have turned virtual, there are still opportunities to support local businesses by purchasing products in-store or online.

Antrim’s Deer Meadow Homestead, for instance, features a line of wine, beer and coffee jellies, in addition to granolas and pancake, biscuit or beer bread mixes, according to owner Grace Rowehl. Around the holidays she’ll have specialty flavors like a hot pepper jelly and cranberry and strawberry jam with orange zest. You can find most of her products at the Manchester Craft Market as well as the Mont Vernon General Store and at Locally Handmade, a store that’s inside both the Mall at Rockingham Park in Salem and the Mall at Fox Run in Newington.

“People always come up with their own ideas to use my jellies,” Rowehl said. “The wine jellies go great on cheese boards. Some people use them for glazes when they’re cooking chicken or fish, or they put them in salads or sandwiches. … I myself like to spread some of the coffee jelly on a nice hearty piece of toasted pumpernickel sourdough bread.”

In Concord, Local Baskit has partnered with the Exeter-based Cherry Bomb Cookie Co. over the last couple of years to offer scratch-made Christmas cookie platters. This year, there are also paint-your-own cookie kits and custom charcuterie board kits available for ordering.

LaBelle Winery of Amherst is once again rolling out its holiday catering packages, which include home cocktail kits for options like white or red sangrias, mulled apple wine and more.

Salem’s Cucina Aurora Kitchen Witchery is offering its own “magical meals” gift set, which can be purchased online and delivered directly to your recipient. The set comes with two bottles of rosemary garlic and oregano olive oils, a bag of garlic and Italian herb risotto, a cookie cutter, an apron and a signed copy of owner Dawn Hunt’s recently released cookbook.

For the at-home cook

Local cooks say kitchen tools and utensils can make good gifts. Chef Keith Sarasin of The Farmer’s Dinner said Wusthof, Miyabi and Shun are all great options for a knife set. For those who already have their own set of knives that they love, a knife sharpener or a bamboo cutting board could also work.

Susan Nye of Around the Table, a New Hampshire-based recipe blog, said one of her favorite kitchen tools to give as a gift is a mini food processor from either Cuisinart or KitchenAid.

“I use it all the time for things like salad dressings, salsas, tapenades, that type of thing,” Nye said. “It also has an attachment for chopping, so I use that to chop things like garlic or nuts.”

Vitamix-brand blenders, Sarasin said, are great tools if you’re making bisques. He also has an Instant Pot multicooker he uses all the time, which can cook anything from rice to slow-cooked meats. They also have air frying attachments.

Silicone baking mats are a favorite of Casie Ulliani of Sweet 23 Confections & Treats, a homestead business based in Derry — she specializes in French macarons and prefers the silicone mats over parchment paper for its reusability and uniformity in baking. Silpat and Fat Daddio’s are her two favorite brands.

When it comes to saving and storing food, Sarasin said reusable meal prep containers have started becoming popular. There are also a variety of vacuum sealers on the market.

Gift cards

It’s been a tough year for local restaurateurs, and you can support them while getting some of your holiday shopping done at the same time. Purchasing a gift card helps ensure cash flow for restaurants in the short term, and several are offering special promotions.

For the first time this season, outdoor holiday sheds have been built and placed outside each of the Great New Hampshire Restaurants locations, which include each of the T-Bones, Cactus Jack’s and Copper Door eateries. On most busy Friday and Saturday evenings, staff members inside the heated sheds sell gift cards to anyone not comfortable going inside, marketing coordinator Raquel Gawron said. From Dec. 19 through Dec. 24 the sheds will be staffed daily, and each location is running a “buy $25, get $5 free” gift card promotion through the end of the year.

At each of the five Tucker’s restaurants, guests are receiving $5 in bonus credit for $25 in gift card purchases, now through Dec. 24, business development manager Meghann Clifford said.

You can also get a free $5 bonus card with every $25 gift card purchase at each of The Common Man’s locations throughout the state. New this year, according to communications and community relations director Erica Auciello Murphy, is an option that allows gift card purchasers to send electronically to their recipients via email.

The year 2021 will also mark the 50th anniversary since the first Common Man location opened in the Granite State. To commemorate the milestone, Murphy said the company’s annual “Do Good” coupon book has been updated with additional offers, like two entrees for $19.71. The books are $10 each, with a portion of the proceeds donated to the New Hampshire Food Bank.

Dark chocolate cocoa bombs from Loon Chocolate in Manchester. Courtesy photo.

Explosive flavors
Here are some more local bakers and chocolatiers offering their own cocoa bombs available to order this holiday season.
• Ashley’s Eats & Sweets (ashleys.eats.and.sweets@gmail.com, find them on Facebook) is a homestead baking business based in Raymond, currently offering multiple flavors of its own cocoa bombs, like milk or dark chocolate with marshmallow or peppermint.
• Bearded Baking Co. (819 Union St., Manchester, 647-7150, beardedbaking.com) has a limited supply of homemade hot chocolate bombs, with flavors that include S’mores, peppermint, Funfetti and cookies and cream.
• Benson’s Bakery & Cafe (203 Central St., Hudson, 718-8683, bensonsbakeryandcafe.com) offers multiple flavors of homemade cocoa bombs, like peppermint, Snickers, peanut butter and maple cinnamon. Custom orders are also available.
• Bite Me Kupcakez (4 Mound Court, Merrimack, 674-4459, bitemekupcakez.com) offers milk or white chocolate cocoa bombs that are dairy-free.
• Granite State Candy Shoppe (13 Warren St., Concord, 225-2591; 832 Elm St., 218-3885; granitestatecandyshoppe.com) offers multiple flavors of homemade cocoa bombs, including salted coffee, candy cane, and cocoa trio, or a combination of milk, white and dark chocolates.
• Hannah’s Bakery and Cafe (401 Main St., Salem, 898-2233, hannahsbakery.com) offers multiple flavors of homemade cocoa bombs, including classic marshmallow, cinnamon, peppermint and mocha. Pre-ordering by phone is available.
• La Cascade du Chocolat (109 Water St., Exeter, 777-5177; 214 State St., Portsmouth; lacascadeduchocolat.com) offers a hot cocoa dreidel, or a family-sized hot cocoa bomb made from 68 percent single origin dark chocolate. One dreidel makes between four and six cups of hot cocoa when adding hot water or milk.
• Sugar and Slice NH (find them on Facebook @sugarandslicenh) is a homestead baking business based in Milford, currently offering milk chocolate or peppermint chocolate cocoa bombs.
• Sweet 23 Confections & Treats (find them on Facebook and Instagram @sweet23confections) is a homestead baking business based in Derry, currently offering milk or dark chocolate cocoa bombs, with or without peppermint.
• The Wicked Sweet Sugar Boutique (580 Lafayette Road, Suite 1, Hampton, 601-7204, thewssugarboutique.com) offers multiple flavors of hot chocolate bombs available to order, like milk, white or dark chocolate, cookies and cream and toasted coconut.

Featured photo: Cocoa bombs from Culture in Milford. Courtesy photo..

The Weekly Dish 20/12/10

News from the local food scene

Easy as pie: Join chef and cooking instructor Liz Barbour of The Creative Feast in Hollis for Demystify the Pie, a hands-on virtual class she’ll be holding via Zoom on Monday, Dec. 14, from 5:30 to 7 p.m. During the class, Barbour will walk participants through how to prepare your own pie dough and apple pie filling. While that’s baking in the oven, Barbour will demonstrate how to prepare a fruit galette you can make on your own. The cost to pre-register is $25; after registering, participants will receive equipment and ingredient lists needed for the class. Visit thecreativefeast.com.

Go fish: Get your tickets now for a Feast of the Seven Fishes dinner at the Bedford Village Inn (2 Olde Bedford Way, Bedford) on Thursday, Dec. 17, from 6 to 10 p.m. In addition to a chef-attended pasta station and an Italian dessert station, the dinner will feature several house fish dishes, like haddock puttanesca with roasted Yukon potatoes; oysters on the half shell with cocktail sauce, citrus mignonette, horseradish and lemon; grilled calamari salad with pickled vegetables, radicchio and arugula; and lobster- and crab-stuffed sole with shaved fennel salad and blood orange butter. Tickets are $85 per person and reservations are required (dinner is 21+ only and tables are limited to a maximum of six guests each). Visit bedfordvillageinn.com.

Tea and a show: LaBelle Winery (345 Route 101, Amherst) will host a Nutcracker ballet family tea event on Sunday, Dec. 13, with two sessions available, from 9:30 to 11 a.m. and from 12:30 to 2 p.m. Each will feature hot tea and a menu of sandwiches and sweet treats, as well as choreographed reenactments from Southern New Hampshire Dance Theater performers. Tickets are sold by tables of six only, priced at $25 per person. Also available for purchase will be Nutcracker-inspired cocktails for adults and themed non-alcoholic beverages for kids. Visit labellewineryevents.com.

Procrasti(baking): Now through Christmas, Barrington baker and author Erin Gardner is running the “Procrastibakers Super Snuggly Socially Isolated Holiday Baking Club,” a community gathered around her Instagram account @erin.bakes, according to a press release. Gardner is the author of Procrastibaking: 100 Recipes for Getting Nothing Done in the Most Delicious Way Possible, which was released in March and features creative low-stress ways to approach a variety of recipes. Every Wednesday, Gardner posts reduced-size recipes from her book and other pandemic isolation-friendly baking ideas. Users who post pictures of their baked goods with the hashtag #procrastibakersclub will be automatically entered to win weekly book giveaways and other prizes, according to the release. Visit erinbakes.com.

Kiddie Pool 20/12/10

Family fun for the weekend

Let there be lights

The Gift of Lights is open now through Jan. 3 at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway (1122 Route 106 North, Loudon). The drive-thru Christmas light park spans 2.5 miles and features 80 holiday scenes and 520 light displays. It’s open Sunday through Thursday from 4:30 to 9 p.m., and Friday and Saturday from 4:30 to 10 p.m. Purchase tickets online or at the gate. The cost is $25 per car. Visit nhms.com/events/gift-of-lights.

The Southern New Hampshire Tour of Lights will run from Dec. 11 through Dec. 27. A list of addresses will soon be released for the public to visit holiday light displays at homes throughout Amherst, Antrim, Fitzwilliam, Jaffrey, Merrimack, Milford, Peterborough and Rindge. Visit merrimackparksandrec.org/holiday-happenings or call 882-1046.

Fun with gingerbread

The Culinary Playground (16 Manning St., Derry) is hosting a parent-child gingerbread house decorating workshops on Sunday, Dec. 13, from 10 to 11 a.m. or from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., and Sunday, Dec. 20, from 4 to 5 p.m. or from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Adults and kids will work together with royal icing and all types of colorful treats and edible decorations to design their own houses. The cost is $45 per team and registration is required. Visit culinary-playground.com.

The Amherst Town Library is holding two virtual family gingerbread house workshops via Zoom on Thursday, Dec. 10, from 6:30 to 8 p.m. and on Saturday, Dec. 12, from 10 to 11:30 a.m. The library will provide a take-home kit for you to make graham cracker gingerbread houses at home. Registration is required, as space is limited. Visit amherstlibrary.org.

Meet Santa

Santa Claus will arrive by helicopter at the Aviation Museum of New Hampshire (27 Navigator Road, Londonderry) on Saturday, Dec. 12, at 11 a.m., where he’ll greet families and take gift requests until 1 p.m. The outdoor event is free and open to the public. Hot chocolate will also be provided courtesy of the Airport Diner in Manchester. Visit aviationmuseumofnh.org.

Get a golden ticket

Chunky’s Cinema & Pub (707 Huse Road, Manchester, 206-3888; 151 Coliseum Ave., Nashua, 880-8055; 150 Bridge St., Pelham, 635-7499) will host multiple Polar Express golden ticket screenings on Saturday, Dec. 12, and Sunday, Dec. 13. Showtimes vary depending on the location, but there are several throughout the morning, afternoon and evening at each theater. Kids will be given a special “golden ticket” to hole-punch prior to entering the theater. Visit chunkys.com.

Christmas celebrations

Enjoy Christmas at the Farm, reimagined, at Forgotten Farm (23 Goffstown Road, Hooksett). Families can visit from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturdays, Dec. 12 and Dec. 19, for cookies, cocoa, visits with the farm animals and a free take-home craft. Visit forgottenfarm.weebly.com.

Vintage Christmas in Portsmouth is an ongoing citywide celebration of the holidays featuring a number of shows at The Music Hall (28 Chestnut St., themusichall.org, 436-2400); shopping in Market Square; Candlelight Stroll Under the Stars, happening weekends from Dec. 11 through Dec. 20 at Strawbery Banke Museum (14 Hancock St., 433-1100, strawberybanke.org); Labrie Family Skate at Strawbery Banke’s Puddle Dock Pond; the 30th annual Gingerbread House Contest and Exhibit at the Portsmouth Historical Society (10 Middle St., 436-8433, portsmouthhistory.org) now through Dec. 22, and more throughout the holiday season. Visit vintagechristmasnh.org.

Tree talk

Holiday gifts for the gardener

I love the holiday season: the lights, the carols, the cookies and more. It’s a good antidote to the news, and to the gray and chilly weather. Last summer many gardening necessities sold out as so many people were quarantined at home and took to gardening. So I recommend getting presents now, before everything is sold out. Here are some ideas for presents to gardeners.

Nice pots are good presents, for growing plants on the deck or just for their sheer beauty. For my birthday this year my wife gave me an urn made by Brattleboro, Vermont, potter Stephen Procter. It is 20 inches tall, a foot wide in the middle and tapering to a six-inch neck. His website, stephenprocter.com, shows mostly huge pots, some six feet tall, but he makes smaller things like mine, too. And your garden center will offer a wide variety of nice pots for growing things, too.

We all need hand tools, and sometimes we lose them. So you can always give a weeder to your loved one. The best of these, in my opinion, is the CobraHead weeder with its curved single tine that is great for teasing out roots of grasses and invasive weeds, or for use at planting time to loosen the soil. It’s available locally or from CobraHead.com for about $28 including shipping, and made in America.

Last summer was dry, so watering devices and accessories were hard to buy locally much of the time. One item that is a bit of luxury, for me, is a three-way or four-way splitter for the hose. Look for a good, heavy-duty metal one at your local garden center. Why four-way? One for each hose. No more disconnecting and reconnecting hoses. Price? Around $30. Give a five- or six-foot hose to go with it, to attach to the spigot and the splitter. Under $10.

Another watering device is a watering wand. Dramm is the best because their wands deliver a lot of water in a gentle fashion. I like a 30-inch wand with a built in on-off controller. Around $25.

I like adding height to the garden, and an easy way to do this is with Gardener’s Supply’s “Essex Round Trellis.” It comes in five-foot and seven-foot heights, and I selected the taller one to grow my morning glories next year. Metal, easy to assemble, $60 or $80. It will look good in the garden all winter, too.

Also from Gardener’s Supply I got some metal edging. It comes in a variety of lengths and assembles and installs easily; it’s sold as 12- to 24-foot kits in a variety of metals and finishes for $43 to $80. These bend nicely and create a finished look for a flower bed.

I love gardening books. I realize that the web has a lot of information, but nothing beats a book in my hands as I settle in on a cold and snowy day.

Norwich, Vermont, garden designer Bill Noble came out with a beautifully illustrated book this year, Spirit of Place: The Making of a New England Garden (Timber Press, $35). It is a lovely description of his gardens – and the thought processes that went along with doing this over a long period of time.

I have a few cases of my last book, Organic Gardening (not just) in the Northeast: A Hands-On, Month-by-Month Guide (Bunker Hill Publishing, 2015) collecting dust. It came out at $17.50 in paperback, but I am offering it now at $15 including shipping. It’s a collection of my best articles arranged by month. Send me a check at P.O. Box 364, Cornish Flat, NH 03746.

Storey Publications (storey.com) is one of my favorite publishers for garden books, not only because their books are practical and well-written, but because many are in paperback and very affordable. Their Vegetable Gardener’s Bible by Ed Smith ($24.95 in paper) is a classic and a must-have even for experienced gardeners.

New to me this year are these, all looking interesting. Best of all is a great book on soil by Dianne Miessler, Grow Your Soil: Harness the Power of the Soil Food Web to Create Your Best Garden Ever. It explains very well how soils work, what soil test results mean, and how to correct deficiencies. You don’t need to be a scientist to read this one ($16.95 in paperback).

The Gardener’s Weed Book and The Gardener’s Bug Book, both by Barbara Pleasant ($14.95 each) are very useful No color illustrations, but the drawings are fine. It’s written for organic gardeners.

Saving Container Plants by Alice and Brian McGowan is a useful book for all of us in New England that want to winter over tender perennials that we have grown in pots on the deck all summer, but that can’t survive the winter outdoors. A stocking stuffer at $9.95 in paperback.

Lastly, give your loved one a pile of … manure. Farmers and garden centers sell hot-composted or aged manure that is great for the garden. It will improve the soil and nurture soil organisms. Three yards is a small dump truck load, or you can go get a load in a pickup truck.

All my best to you, my readers, in this holiday season. Don’t be naughty, and Santa may bring you what you want.

Featured Photo: Courtesy photo

Creative gifts

Perfect presents for the art-, science- and nature-lovers in your life

Art and craft shops and holiday markets are full of unique gifts for art-lovers, and, for art-makers, art and craft studios sell gift certificates that can be used for all kinds of classes and workshops, many of which have in-person and remote options. You can get your budding musician a gift certificate or package for private lessons in all kinds of instruments at a music school. Performing arts venues offer gift certificates that can be put toward tickets for any show, as well as memberships, which come with all kinds of exclusive benefits for a theater enthusiast. If your gift recipient is more into nature or science, there are gift certificates and memberships for them, too.

Holiday art and craft markets/exhibits

You’ll find one-of-a-kind gifts like jewelry, woodwork, pottery, fiber art, paintings, photography and more at these holiday art and craft markets and special exhibitions.

• The Warner Historical Society has a virtual holiday shop online now at warnerhistorical.org/store, with curbside pickup on Saturday, Dec. 12, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Upton Chandler House Museum (10 W. Main St., Warner). The shop features hand-painted holiday ornaments, calendars, mugs and drinking glasses, T-shirts, books, jigsaw puzzles and more, plus a holiday raffle. Call 456-2437 or email info@warnerhistorical.org.

• Twiggs Gallery (254 King St., Boscawen) presents its annual “Sleighbell Studio” exhibit now through Dec. 12. It features a curated collection of fine art and crafts affordably priced for holiday gift giving. Gallery hours are Thursday and Friday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday from noon to 4 p.m. Visit twiggsgallery.wordpress.com or call 975-0015.

• Two Villages Art Society and the Hopkinton Historical Society present “Home for the Holidays: an Art Show & Sale” now through Dec. 20 in Contoocook and online. The show will feature all kinds of art, including oil and watercolor paintings, ceramics, tapestry, woodworking, wearable art, book making and more, created by local artists and artisans. The show will be held in person at the Bates Building (846 Main St.; masks required) on a drop-in and by-appointment basis and virtually at shop.twovillagesart.org. Show hours at the Bates Building are Tuesday through Friday from noon to 4 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Visit twovillagesart.org.

• The Seacoast Artist Association presents its holiday exhibit, “Big Gifts in Small Packages, now through Dec. 26, at 130 Water St. in Exeter. The exhibit features a variety of artwork priced under $100 for gift buying. Gallery hours are Wednesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and by appointment. Visit seacoastartist.org or call 778-8856.

• Creative Ventures Gallery in Milford presents its annual holiday exhibit, “Small Works Big Impact, virtually now through Dec. 31. The exhibit features small works of art in various media, priced affordably for gift buying. Visit creativeventuresfineart.com or call 672-2500.

The Craftworkers’ Guild’s Holiday Fair is being held virtually now through Dec. 22, with curbside pickup at the historic Kendall House (3A Meetinghouse Road, Bedford) daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The fair features seasonal decor, photography, fine art and prints, cards, gourmet treats, woodworking, fiber and fabric, stained and fused glass, mixed media, jewelry and more by more than 40 juried artisans and craftspeople. Visit craftworkersguild.org.

• Wrong Brain (55 Third St., Dover) is having its ninth annual “Holidaze Bizaare” alternative craft fair now through Dec. 30, with fair hours Wednesday through Sunday from noon to 7 p.m. It features art, apparel, jewelry, ceramics, stuffies, candles, candy and more by dozens of emerging local artists. Virtual shopping with curbside pickup is also be. Call 834-9454 or visit wrongbrain.net.

• The New Hampshire Art Association hosts its holiday exhibition, “This Merry Moment,” online and at the NHAA’s Robert Lincoln Levy Gallery (136 State St., Portsmouth) now through Jan. 2. The exhibit and sale features a variety of artwork and greeting cards created by NHAA members. Gallery hours are Monday and Tuesday by appointment; Wednesday and Thursday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.; and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. Call 431-4230 or visit nhartassociation.org.

• Pop-up holiday shop Concord Handmade is open now at 2 Capital Plaza in downtown Concord, Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. It features handmade gifts by artists from New England and beyond. Visit concordhandmade.com.

Art and craft shops

Stop by these art and craft shops, which sell handmade items by local artists and craftspeople year round.

Currier Museum of Art gift shop (150 Ash St., Manchester, 669-6144, currier.org, open Thursday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Friday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.)

The League of New Hampshire Craftsmen Fine Craft Galleries (nhcrafts.org):

Concord (36 N. Main St., 228-8171, open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.)

Hooksett (530 W. River Road, 210-5181, open daily from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.)

Nashua (98 Main St., 595-8233, open Tuesday and Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Thursday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.)

Meredith (279 Daniel Webster Hwy., 279-7920, open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m.)

Manchester Craft Market (Mall of New Hampshire, 1500 S. Willow St., Manchester, manchestercraftmarket.com, open Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 6 p.m.)

Spriggs Shoppe (Twiggs Gallery, 254 King St., Boscawen, 975-0015, twiggsgallery.wordpress.com, open Thursday and Friday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday from noon to 4 p.m.)

Studio 550 Art Center (550 Elm St., Manchester, 232-5597, 550arts.com, open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from noon to 8 p.m. and Saturday from 3 to 8 p.m.)

Wild Little Art Shop (Wild Salamander Creative Arts Center, 30 Ash St., Hollis, 465-9453, wildsalamander.com, open Thursday and Friday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Private shopping hours for groups of five or less are available by reservation on Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday.)

Art and craft classes/workshops

For a more hands-on art gift, try a gift certificate for an art or DIY craft studio, where the recipient can participate in various session classes, one-day workshops and paint-and-sip events. Some studios also offer online instruction and take-and-make kits.

AR Workshop Manchester (875 Elm St., Manchester, 573-9662, arworkshop.com/manchester) Offers DIY workshops and take-home kits for creating custom wood signs, canvas pillows, centerpiece boxes, canvas tote bags and more.

The Canvas Roadshow (25 S. River Road, Bedford, 913-9217, thecanvasroadshow.com) Offers DIY workshops and take-home kits for creating custom wood signs, canvas paintings, sea glass art and more.

Creative Ventures Gallery (411 Nashua St., Milford, 672-2500, creativeventuresfineart.com) Offers various weekly art classes and one-day workshops for all experience levels.

Currier Museum of Art, Art Center (180 Pearl St., Manchester, 669-6144, currier.org) Offers seasonal weekly classes, master classes and one-day workshops for kids and adults in all kinds of media.

Kimball Jenkins School of Art (266 N. Main St., Concord, 225-3932, kimballjenkins.com) Offers weekly classes, master classes and one-day workshops for kids and adults in all kinds of media, starting in 2021.

The League of New Hampshire Craftsmen Fine Craft Galleries (98 Main St., Nashua, 595-8233; 279 Daniel Webster Hwy., Meredith, 279-7920, nhcrafts.org) Offer weekly classes and one-day workshops for a variety of crafts, starting again in 2021.

Muse Paintbar (42 Hanover St., Manchester, 421-6500, musepaintbar.com) Offers paint-and-sip workshops in person as well as take-home kits with instructional videos.

Studio 550 Art Center (550 Elm St., Manchester, 232-5597, 550arts.com) Offers private parties, classes, workshops and camps for all ages and experience levels in pottery, clay, painting, stained glass and more.

Time to Clay (228 Daniel Webster Hwy., Nashua, 888-0482, timetoclay.com) Offers in-studio pottery workshops and take-home kits for all ages.

The Voice of Clay (16 Meetinghouse Hill Road, Brookline, 672-2626, voiceofclay.com) Offers in-studio and online pottery classes for all ages and experience levels.

You’re Fired (25 S. River Road, Bedford, 641-3473; 133 Loudon Road, No. 101, Concord, 226-3473; 264 N. Broadway, Salem, 894-5456; yourefirednh.com) Offers open studio times and materials for pottery and mosaic projects.

Music lessons

Nashua Community Music School (5 Pine St. Extension, Nashua, 881-7030, nashuacms.org) Offers in-person and remote private lessons for all ages and experience levels in piano, guitar, ukulele, violin, viola, cello and percussion; music therapy sessions and instrument rentals.

Manchester Community Music School (2291 Elm St., Manchester, 644-4548, mcmusicschool.org) Offers in-person and remote private lessons for all ages and experience levels in woodwind, brass, percussion and string instruments, as well as voice, music theory and music composition.

Concord Community Music School (23 Wall St., Concord, 228-1196, ccmusicschool.org) Offers private lessons, remotely only until further notice, for all ages and experience levels in all instruments and voice, as well as chorus and ensemble opportunities.

Shows

These performing arts venues have several gift options. You can buy someone tickets to a particular show, or let them choose their own shows with a season package or general gift certificate. If you’re looking for a larger gift for someone who frequents the theater, consider a membership package. There are usually different tiers to choose from, with perks like reserved seats, access to pre-sales, discounts on tickets, admission to members-only events and more.

Capitol Center for the Arts (44 S. Main St., and Bank of New Hampshire Stage, 16 S. Main St., Concord, 225-1111, ccanh.com) Features traveling theater shows, dance performances, musical and comedy acts, film screenings and more. The 2021 schedule includes comedian Juston McKinney, Celtic Woman, Queen and Eagles tribute bands, the Capital Jazz Orchestra performing music of Frank Sinatra, That Golden Girls Show: A Puppet Parody and more.

Hatbox Theatre (270 Loudon Road, Concord, 715-2315, hatboxnh.com) Features live music, theater, comedy and more. The schedule for 2021 is TBA.

Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St., Manchester, 668-5588, palacetheatre.org) Features shows by its own professional and youth and teen performing companies as well as visiting theater, music, dance and comedy acts. The schedule for 2021 is TBA.

The Music Hall (Historic Theater, 28 Chestnut St., and Loft, 131 Congress St., Portsmouth, 436-2400, themusichall.org) Features live music, theater, comedy, on-screen events, literary events and more. The 2021 schedule includes the Portsmouth Symphony, comedian Kevin Nealon, Giraffes Can’t Dance – The Musical and more.

Science, nature & history

If you’re looking for a gift outside of the arts, think about a gift certificate or membership for a science, history or nature center.

Aviation Museum of New Hampshire (27 Navigator Road, Londonderry, 669-4820, aviationmuseumofnh.org) A museum dedicated to the science, technology, history and culture of aviation, with interactive exhibits and educational programs. Members receive a 10-percent discount at the gift shop, a monthly e-magazine, a quarterly newsletter and invitations to special events.

New Hampshire Audubon (Massabesic Audubon Center, 26 Audubon Way, Auburn, 668-2045; McLane Audubon Center, 84 Silk Farm Road, Concord, 224-9909, nhaudubon.org) A wildlife sanctuary and nature center with live animals, exhibits and educational programs. Members receive discounts on NH Audubon camps, programs and Nature Store purchases; a monthly electronic newsletter; invitations to members-only events and more.

SEE Science Center (200 Bedford St., Manchester, 669-0400, see-sciencecenter.org) A museum focused on technology, engineering, mathematics and more with interactive exhibits, demonstrations and educational programs. Members receive priority admission and discounts to special programs; a discount on a child’s birthday party; 10 percent off purchases at the gift shop; a members-only newsletter and more, depending on the package.

McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center (2 Institute Drive, Concord, 271-7827, starhop.com) A museum focused on astronomy and aviation with interactive exhibits, simulations, an observatory, a planetarium and more. Members receive free admission to exhibit halls, Super Stellar Fridays series and regular planetarium shows; an e-newsletter; discounts on workshops and programs; discounts at the gift shop and more, depending on the package.

Millyard Museum (200 Bedford St., Manchester, 622-7531, manchesterhistoric.org/millyard-museum) A museum dedicated to Manchester history, particularly the history of the Amoskeag Millyard. Members receive unlimited visits to the museum, free or discounted admission to special programs and events, invitations to members-only events and more, depending on the package. The museum is also selling original, limited edition brass-plated holiday ornaments that celebrate Manchester’s history.

New Hampshire Historical Society (30 Park St., Concord, 228-6688, nhhistory.org) Members receive free admission to exhibits and the research library, free or discounted admission to special programs, invitations to members-only events, a subscription to the biannual Historical New Hampshire magazine and more, depending on the package. The museum is also selling bobbleheads of famous figures from New Hampshire history, such as the sled dog Chinook, John Stark, the Old Man of the Mountain and others.

Featured photo: “Sleighbell Studio” at Twiggs Gallery. Courtesy photo.

The Art Roundup 20/12/10

The latest from NH’s theater, arts and literary communities

Theater suspended …: The Palace Theatre in Manchester has reclosed its doors due to “the surge in Covid-19 cases in Manchester and surrounding areas,” according to an announcement on its website. “After careful consideration of current circumstances, the Palace Theatres announce an intermission in our live performances for December and into the New Year,” it said. “We will continue to monitor the situation and provide updates.” The Palace Theatre’s Holiday Spectacular concert, which was set to run through Dec. 20, and the New Hampshire School of Ballet’s performance of The Nutcracker that was scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 26, are among the shows that have been canceled. Visit palacetheatre.org or call 668-5588.

The Hatbox Theatre in Concord has also closed for the remainder of the year, stating on its website that it is “going on hiatus until the end of February [and] will reevaluate conditions in January and announce plans to resume operations when they are feasible.” Call 715-2315 or visit hatboxnh.com.

• … or gone virtual: The Seacoast Repertory Theatre and The Players’ Ring in Portsmouth both announced that they have suspended live shows and will feature view-at-home content only until further notice. The Winter Wonderettes, presented by The Seacoast Repertory Theatre, will give live streamed performances of iconic ’60s versions of classic holiday tunes from Dec. 10 through Dec. 19, with showtimes on Thursday at 7:30 p.m., Friday at 8 p.m., and Saturday at 2 and 8 p.m. Tickets cost $20 per viewer. Call 433-4472 or visit seacoastrep.org.

The Players’ Ring will present its one-man adaptation of A Christmas Carol, performed by Christopher Savage, virtually, with a rentable video available starting on Friday, Dec. 11. Tickets cost $24 for adults, $20 for students and seniors and $15 for kids under age 12. Visit playersring.org or call 436-8123.

Christmastime at the Village: Canterbury Shaker Village (228 Shaker Road, Canterbury) will host A Magic Journey through the North Shop Barn from Dec. 11 through Dec. 23, and from Dec. 27 through Dec. 30, daily from 1 to 5 p.m. The North Shop Barn, which has been transformed into a winter wonderland, will feature art vignettes like a Shaker Christmas, a dollhouse, a skating panorama and snowy forest scenes; a Find-the-Elf treasure hunt; hot cocoa and cider; and shopping at the Village Store. Additionally there will be a Christkindlmarkt-inspired artisan market of handcrafted holiday gifts on weekends; food trucks with sweet treats on Saturdays, Dec. 12 and Dec. 19, and a live musical performance by Massimo Paparello and his Brass Quartet on Saturday, Dec. 12, from 3 to 4 p.m. Admission costs $10 for adults and is free for youth. Visit shakers.org or call 783-9511.

Different kinds of nature art: The New Hampshire Art Association has three exhibitions going in Concord through Thursday, Dec. 17. “Moments in Nature,” on view at the gallery in the Concord Chamber of Commerce Visitor Center (49 S. Main St.) features oil paintings by BJ Eckardt that capture brief encounters with nature. Gallery hours are Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. In the Lobby at 2 Pillsbury St., there’s the exhibit “Unseen Light,” featuring infrared photography of New England seaside vistas, pastoral farmland, stark mountain landscapes and other scenery by Mark Giuliucci; and “An Extrapolation of Close Observation,” featuring prints of ponds, meadows and secluded places in nature by Kate Higley, created by painting or rolling inks to a surface which is then printed on paper. Lobby hours are Monday through Friday from 5 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., Saturday from 5 a.m. to 3 p.m., and Sunday from 7 to 11 a.m.Visit nhartassociation.org or call 431-4230.

Shop antiques: New Hampshire Antique Co-op (323 Elm St., Milford) has a holiday sale going on now through Jan. 3, with up to 65 percent off prices on vintage ornaments, holiday decor, jewelry, books, fine art, collectibles and more. The shop is open Wednesday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday by appointment, and Christmas Eve from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Call 673-8499 or visit nhantiquecoop.com.

Orchestrating a comeback

Symphony NH presents virtual holiday pops, monthly concerts through May

After its 2019-2020 season was cut short in the spring, New Hampshire’s oldest professional orchestra, Symphony New Hampshire, is returning to a regular schedule of shows albeit virtually beginning with its holiday pops concert, which will be recorded and livestreamed from St. Mary and Archangel Michael Coptic Orthodox Church in Nashua on Saturday, Dec. 12.

“It’s a lot different from what we had in mind, but at the same time we’re fortunate that we can still perform live music in some way, and that we can provide some work for our musicians,” said music director Roger Kalia, who joined Symphony NH in the fall of 2019. “That’s rare right now, because most orchestras have canceled or postponed their seasons. We’re one of very few orchestras still performing during this time.”

Since musical performances in New Hampshire are currently limited to no more than 15 musicians in a shared space, Kalia said, he decided to feature the symphony’s brass ensemble for the holiday pops.

“I think brass has become synonymous with the holidays,” Kalia said. “There is, at least for me, just a real connection between brass and holiday music, because when I was growing up I played in brass choirs and brass quintets during Christmastime, and I remember those times very fondly.”

The musicians will perform at a safe distance from each other with bell covers on their instruments, a new Covid-era accessory for brass and woodwind musicians that acts as a “mask” covering the opening of the instrument from which aerosol would be projected.

“When [Covid] first happened, we knew that any instrument with a bell would be a real superspreader and that we would have to limit their involvement,” Kalia said. “Then these bell covers came out and we said, ‘This is great. The sound might be a little softer, but at least we can incorporate them now.’”

The holiday pops concert program will include holiday favorites like “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” “Frosty the Snowman” and “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year,” as well as sacred works like “O Holy Night” and “O Come, All Ye Faithful,” performed in “a variety of different styles and moods,” Kalia said.

“It’s going to be a fresh take on the traditional holiday repertoire,” he said. “It’s not just classical music; there are also hints of jazz, pop, big band, you name it.”

After the pops, Symphony New Hampshire will continue to perform once a month, virtually until it is safe to perform in person, through May. The following show will be “Mozart Flute Concert, Golijov, and Piazzola” on Saturday, Jan. 30, featuring Symphony NH’s principal flutist, Kathleen Boyd.

“I’d be lying if I said that I don’t miss having the full orchestra,” Kalia said, “but one of the silver linings of that is when we have less musicians we’re able to put more musicians in the spotlight and in soloist roles, which is really exciting.”

February’s show will center on a new hour-long work by American composer Sarah Kirkland Snider that Kalia described as “Radiohead meets Bjork” in that it combines classical music with elements of indie pop and electronic music.

Another perk of the virtual concerts is that with videography they can create a more intimate experience for the audience than a live concert can, Kalia said. Various camera angles will be used and close-up shots of the musicians will be shown throughout the livestream.

“You’re going to see the orchestra up close and personal,” he said. “You can see the musicians’ fingers and faces and emotions as they play.”

Symphony NH concerts beyond February are still in the works, and the 15-musician limit has made developing the programming a challenge, Kalia said, but a welcome one.

“Everything has had to be reimagined,” he said. “Smaller groups [of musicians] means we’ll be doing mostly smaller repertoire and chamber repertoire a variety of new music that we don’t normally do, and we’re excited about that.”

Symphony NH presents Holiday Pops
When
: Saturday, Dec. 12, 7:30 to 8:30 p.m.
Where: Virtual livestream via YouTube with a shared link
Cost: Minimum donation of $10 per household
More info: Visit symphonynh.org/events/holidaypopsnashua or call 595-9156

Art

Exhibits

• “SLEIGHBELL STUDIO” Exhibit features a curated collection of fine art and crafts affordably priced for holiday gift giving. Twiggs Gallery (254 King St., Boscawen). On view now through Dec. 12. Gallery hours are Thursday and Friday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. Visit twiggsgallery.wordpress.com or call 975-0015.

• “BIG GIFTS IN SMALL PACKAGES” Artwork priced under $100. Presented by the Seacoast Artist Association. On display now through Dec. 26. 130 Water St., Exeter. Gallery hours are Wednesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and by appointment. Visit seacoastartist.org.

Fairs and markets

VIRTUAL HOLIDAY SHOP The Warner Historical Society presents an online shop at warnerhistorical.org/store featuring hand-painted holiday ornaments, calendars, mugs and drinking glasses, T-shirts, books, jigsaw puzzles and more, plus a holiday raffle. Curbside pickup on Sat., Dec. 5, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sat., Dec. 12, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., at the Upton Chandler House Museum (10 W. Main St., Warner). Call 456-2437 or email info@warnerhistorical.org.

• “HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS: AN ART SHOW & SALE Features all kinds of art, including oil and watercolor paintings, ceramics, tapestry, woodworking, wearable art, book making and more, created by local artists and artisans. Up now through Dec. 20. In person at the Bates Building (846 Main St., Contoocook; masks required) on a drop-in and by-appointment basis and virtually at shop.twovillagesart.org. Show hours at the Bates Building are Tuesday through Friday from noon to 4 p.m., and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.Visit twovillagesart.org.

THE CRAFTWORKERS’ GUILD HOLIDAY FAIR Virtual shop features seasonal decor, photography, fine art and prints, gourmet treats, woodworking, stained and fused glass, mixed media, jewelry and more. Now through Dec. 22, with curbside pickup at the Kendall House (3A Meetinghouse Road, Bedford) daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Visit craftworkersguild.org.

HOLIDAZE BIZAARE Alternative craft fair features art, apparel, jewelry, ceramics, stuffies, candles, candy and more by dozens of emerging local artists. Wrong Brain (55 Third St., Dover). Now through Dec. 30, with fair hours Wednesday through Sunday from noon to 7 p.m. Virtual shopping with curbside pickup will also be available. Call 834-9454 or visit wrongbrain.net.

Special events

NHAA 80TH YEAR ANNIVERSARY New Hampshire Art Association hosts a silent art auction fundraiser. Bidding runs through Dec. 11. Visit nhartassociation.org or call 431-4230.

Featured photo: Symphony NH. Courtesy photo.

Quality of Life 20/12/10

First storm of the season

Last weekend we got our first real taste of what’s expected to be a cold, snowy winter (says The 2021 Farmer’s Almanac). Heavy snow and wind caused more than 100,000 power outages throughout the state, according to a report from WMUR, with some residents still in the dark as of Monday evening. The hardest-hit towns where restoration efforts took longer included Raymond, Rochester and Wakefield, and downed trees in roadways had a significant impact on crews’ abilities to restore power, according to the report.

Score: -1

Comment: At least we’re all used to being stuck at home…

All kinds of cancellations

With the increasing number of people testing positive for Covid-19 in New Hampshire, more venues and businesses are shutting down through at least the end of the year. Public places like libraries are reverting back to shutdown days; Nashua Public Library, for example, announced last week that it will close until at least Jan. 5. Many of the closures are arts venues: Capitol Center for the Arts had made the decision to close a couple weeks ago, and it’s been joined by places like Hatbox Theatre, Tupelo Music Hall and the Palace Theatre, all of which announced last week that their programs scheduled for the rest of the year have been canceled (see more about that on p. 11, where you’ll also find some virtual arts options).

Score: -2

Comment: The most wonderful time of the year? Not in 2020.

Building a Tower of Toys

The pandemic isn’t stopping the annual Tower of Toys, which is collecting unwrapped children’s toys, sports equipment, cosmetics and gift cards for children and families in need. Now through Thursday, Dec. 17, the donations will be formed into a toy-filled tower at the Atrium of the Beacon Building at 814 Elm St. in Manchester, according to a press release. On that final day of collection, there will be a socially distanced open house to view the tower, from 5 to 10 p.m. Last year, the toy drive benefited nearly 350 children, and the event’s sponsors expect there will be even more need this year.

Score: +1

Comment: With so many community events and live fundraisers being canceled, it’s great to see that local kids in need will still get gifts this year. You can drop off donations at Red Arrow Diner headquarters (or shop online and have them shipped there directly: the full address is 814 Elm St., Suite 102, Manchester, 03101) or at Alley Cat Pizza or OrangeTheory in Manchester. Families looking for assistance can send a private message requesting toys at facebook.com/toweroftoysnh.

Help is on the way

Last Saturday, the New Hampshire Veterans Home in Tilton sent out an urgent call for help due to “very serious staffing challenges” due to the pandemic. “We need more people to step up and help our veterans get through this,” Margaret LaBrecque, commandant of the NH Veterans Home, said in a press release. “This is an all-hands-on-deck response. We are shifting resources and … calling in federal resources to assist, but some positions remain to be filled.” Positions include everything from registered nurses to food service workers and recreational assistants, the release said. On Sunday, WMUR reported that there was an immediate response to that call for help; staff from state agencies will be stepping in to fill numerous non-clinical positions, while the VA is sending extra medical personnel and the National Guard is helping with testing and building maintenance.

Score: +1

Comment: There’s still plenty of opportunities to help with both clinical and non-clinical positions; the Veterans Home asks anyone interested to email their resume and contact information to helpnhvh@nh.gov.

QOL score: 68

Net change: -1

QOL this week: 67

What’s affecting your Quality of Life here in New Hampshire? Let us know at news@hippopress.com.

Hayward’s explanation

I’ve never been a professional athlete and certainly have never been involved with a business decision where I could get an additional $20 million if I took a new job. But, while I understand the entire business and playing situation, I must say the Gordon Hayward free agent defection to the Hornets for a boatload of dough after opting out of the final year of his contract with the Celtics really irked me.
That’s me the “fan” talking, not me the sports writer. The sports writer gets the business decision thing. Ditto for what should go through any Celtics player’s mind after how Danny Ainge and the brass kicked Isaiah Thomas to the curb after he put his earning power/career on the line after taking one for the team by playing through a severely deteriorating hip injury during the 2017 playoffs. Not to mention doing it while playing through the pain of his sister’s death in real time and a face plant that forced extensive dental surgery that would have been a season-ender for me-firsters like the guy he was traded for a few months later. He’s still trying to come back from the damage that caused, which probably cost him somewhere between $50 million and $100 million.
But for me the fan, it irked me because it’s a reminder why fans should treat players as they treat them – as disposable commodities. I could give a lengthy speech about why things were better back in the day, but it’s not relevant. Today is what it is. Red Auerbach held on to his Big 3 because he felt they earned the right to retire in Boston and I was OK with that. But that led to 22 years without a title. Conversely, I must also admit I was in the chorus singing Danny’s praises for not doing that with his Big 3 after the haul he got back produced Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and others to give much more promise to the future than Red’s approach.
The being irked part comes in because isn’t getting attached to favorite players part of being a sports fan? It always has been that for me. I like the winning, but I also want to like the players on that team. That’s one reason I was cool to bringing Cam Newton to the Patriots, as I wasn’t sure about him. Turns out he’s a good guy and he gets extra slack because of it.
Now, on to specifically why Hayward’s leaving irked me. It was two-fold. First, while his horrific broken ankle wasn’t his fault, people in these parts invested a lot in him and his recovery. That included, if you read this space, infinite patience by me repeatedly sticking up for him to critics who didn’t get how long it would take to physically and especially mentally come back from that terrible injury. Ditto for the Celtics brass, especially Brad Stevens, who took a lot of heat inside the locker room for playing him when he clearly wasn’t the same. That led to a tumultuous 2018-19 Celtics season and if you want to insert toxic for tumultuous feel free. When a guy everyone did that for just up and leaves it makes one say what’s the point? Though smarter, more realistic people might say grow up because that’s the way it is.
The second part is the bigger issue, and no it wasn’t that I was bothered he was leaving. After all they beat Philly and Toronto and made it to Game 6 of the conference finals vs. Miami with very little help from him after getting hurt (again) in Game 1 of the playoffs. Plus, somewhere in the middle of last season I’d decided he was the guy to trade to help them get to a higher level. That’s because while I liked how he played at point forward, he’s just not mentally tough enough for me.
What I didn’t like was that his abruptly leaving as a free agent for the aforementioned extra $20 million scuttled a sign and trade being lined up with Indiana. And while I wasn’t in love with getting Myles Turner back, as the rumor mill said was being proposed, I knew he could be flipped for a better fit later. Which certainly was better than the talent drain of losing Hayward without getting anything back, as players of his caliber are hard to replace for a capped out team as the rising Celtics are. That irked me because it left fans who stuck by him during the dark times holding the bag for a lesser team.
However, by turning it into a sign and trade (for a mere second-round pick) Danny got back a valuable $28 million trade exception instead. That lets teams over the cap make trades involving contracts up to that amount without having to give matching salaries back. That’s even better than having Hayward’s contract to trade because it can be broken up into separate deals to fill their multiple pressing needs for bench scoring, long-range shooting and a deeper overall team.
Which brings me to the point of this diatribe regarding fans investing emotion in players who don’t return the favor. I’m not sure if it’s being willing to give up a piece of being a fan to avoid being irked in the way I was over the ungrateful way Hayward bolted. Or hanging in there because all’s well that ends well as this one may turn out to be. The only thing I do know is it’s not going to end here. Hayward joined far greater players named Brady and Betts in the exodus out of town for greener pastures this year and since the system isn’t likely to change any time soon they won’t be the last ones to do it. So all I’ll say to players going forward is just be honest. Say, “I couldn’t pass up the extra $20 million.”
Because most fans respect that and almost all know the rest of it is BS.

News & Notes 20/12/10

Covid-19 updateAs of November 30As of December 7
Total cases statewide20,99425,816
Total current infections statewide5,1455,386
Total deaths statewide526566
New cases3,396 (Nov. 23 to Nov. 30)4,822 (Dec. 1 to Dec. 7)
Current infections: Hillsborough County2,2462,015
Current infections: Merrimack County462703
Current infections: Rockingham County1,1181,296
Information from the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services

Covid-19 news

In line with the CDC’s updated Dec. 2 guidance for quarantining, state epidemiologist Dr. Benjamin Chan announced during a Dec. 3 press conference that the required quarantining period for people in New Hampshire who have potentially been exposed to Covid-19 has been decreased from 14 days to 10 days. If someone has not experienced symptoms after the 10th day, the quarantining period can end. However, because of the continued rates of community transmission in the state, Chan said the state is not adopting the CDC’s option to allow people to end quarantining early with a negative test result. “If we were to start implementing a test out of quarantine option, the risk of missing somebody with Covid-19 and of spreading it … within our communities increases even further,” Chan said, “and that is not acceptable to us at this point in time.”

Later in the press conference, Gov. Chris Sununu reported that the first doses of Covid-19 vaccines will be arriving “very, very shortly” to New Hampshire. “The Pfizer vaccine will be the first one to arrive in the state of New Hampshire, sometime probably in the third week of December, with the Moderna vaccine to arrive likely sometime in the fourth week of December, early in that fourth week,” he said. The first doses will primarily be distributed to health care workers and those in long-term care facilities.

On Dec. 5, the New Hampshire Department of Health & Human Services issued a notice of potential community exposures connected to positive virus cases. At least eight people who have tested positive for Covid-19 visited Filotimo Casino & DraftKings Sportsbook in Manchester between Nov. 19 and Nov. 29. At least nine people who tested positive visited MacDougall’s Tavern in Keene between Nov. 20 and Nov. 24, and at least two people who tested positive visited the Chop Shop Pub in Seabrook during a live music event on the night of Nov. 21. Anyone who visited either of the three businesses on any of those days should be monitoring symptoms and should seek testing.

On Dec. 7, state health officials reported 1,045 new positive test results of Covid-19, the greatest number in a single day to date.

Also on Dec. 7, Sununu announced on his Facebook and Twitter pages that a member of his staff has tested positive for the coronavirus. According to Sununu, the individual was last in the governor’s office on Dec. 2. “Contact tracing found only one close contact within the office, who is currently quarantining,” Sununu said. “I will continue to monitor for symptoms, as will all other members of my staff.”

Finally, Sununu has joined several other governors in urging Congress to pass a new Covid-19 relief package immediately, according to a press release.

School funding report

Last week the Commission to Study School Funding released its final report, which includes policy recommendations for the 2021 legislative session. The commission was established in 2019 and was appropriated $500,000 for comprehensive research and public engagement processes, according to a press release. “For the first time in decades, this Commission engaged a national research team with expertise in education, public policy, and data analysis to help us understand the problem,” Commission Chair Representative David Luneau said in a statement. According to the press release, student outcomes “vary widely” based on the amount spent per student, as well as unique student needs and the characteristics of each school district. “For New Hampshire to meet its constitutional responsibility where all students have equal opportunity to an adequate education, its state aid distribution funding formula needs to be altered. Currently, most state aid is allocated to districts as a flat universal cost per student. The state can more effectively use its education funds by distributing higher portions of state aid to districts with greater student needs and less capacity to raise funds due to lower property valuations,” Sen. Jay Kahn said in a statement. The report proposes an Education Cost Model that would “assist state budget decisions regardless of the amount of funding distributed.”

DCYF Data Book

The state Division for Children, Youth and Families has released the second DCYF Annual Data Book, which shows that, for the first time ever, DCYF’s child protection workforce is approaching national caseload standards, according to a press release. Right now, the average number of assessments per Child Protective Service Worker is 16 — down from 90 in 2016. Recent legislation has funded more CPSW and supervisor positions, and DCYF’s staff now includes the largest number of CPSWs and supervisors ever, the release said. The Data Book also shows that there has been a reduction in the number of children in out-of-home care, more children being cared for in their own homes with their own families, more foster homes available, and, for the first time since 2015, fewer assessments involving caregivers struggling with substance use disorder, according to the release.

Manchester is holding its first Holiday Lights Contest this year, with anyone interested in participating asked to fill out a registration form prior to 5 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 10, at manchesternh.gov. According to a press release, all registered lights displays will be included in a Manchester Holiday Lights Map. Any Manchester resident can vote online starting Monday, Dec. 14, and there will be a Virtual Holiday Lights Tour online as well.

Jack Barry of Bedford is being recognized for his work with the Aviation Museum of New Hampshire, where he volunteers as the build manager for a student plane-building program that the museum hosts in partnership with the Manchester School of Technology. According to a press release, Barry, 72, is being honored with an Outstanding Volunteer Service Award from VolunteerNH in the senior category.

Make the most of the shortest day of the year with a Winter Solstice Luminary Walk, being held Sunday, Dec. 20, from 2 to 4 p.m. at Beaver Brook Nature Center in Hollis. There are six time slots for groups of 10 to 12 people, and the cost is $12 per person. Register at beaverbrook.org.

Last week, the City of Nashua held a ribbon-cutting ceremony at Dr. Crisp Elementary School and turned on the school’s new 534-panel solar array. According to a press release, that solar array, along with the 1,760 panels that were just installed on the roof of Fairgrounds Middle School, is part of the city’s transition to 100-percent clean energy. The two projects were completed at no cost to taxpayers by ReVision Energy, and they are the first public schools in the state to get all of their annual electricity needs from solar power, the release said.

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