News & Notes 21/03/25

Covid-19 updateAs of March 15As of March 22
Total cases statewide78,81380,750
Total current infections statewide2,0642,334
Total deaths statewide1,1991,217
New cases1,753 (March 9 to March 15)1,937 (March 16 to March 22)
Current infections: Hillsborough County640756
Current infections: Merrimack County211195
Current infections: Rockingham County509633
Information from the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services

Covid-19 news

On March 15, the New Hampshire Department of Health & Human Services issued a notice of potential community exposures connected to positive Covid-19 cases associated with the King of the Mat wrestling tournament, which was held on March 6 at The Rim Sports Complex in Hampton. Anyone who attended the tournament between 5 and 10 p.m. that day, according to health officials, should be monitoring symptoms and should seek testing.

The state launched its new Vaccine & Immunizations Network Interface website on March 17, at 8 a.m., according to a press release, just in time for Phases 2A and 2B vaccine appointment scheduling to begin. The new VINI platform is a state-run site, transitioning New Hampshire away from the federally run VAMS portal. During the state’s public health update in a March 18 press conference, Gov. Chris Sununu said the system was loaded with about 200,000 first-dose appointments through the month of April. He said the state is on pace to expand vaccine access to all adults over the age of 16 in New Hampshire within weeks. “We don’t have a firm date on that yet,” he said, “but it really is just weeks away that any adult citizen in the state of New Hampshire will be able to go to VINI and sign up for their vaccine as well.” As of March 18, about 12 percent of the state’s population has been fully vaccinated, according to Dr. Beth Daly, Chief of the Bureau of Infectious Disease Control of the New Hampshire Department of Health & Human Services. “To date, 31 regional clinics have been held with 6,500 people in Phase 2A vaccinated,” Daly said later during the press conference. “An additional 36 regional clinics are scheduled through the end of March, with plans to vaccinate another 20,000 people.”

Registration for Phase 2B, which includes people between the ages of 50 and 64, opened on March 22, with the first appointments beginning on March 25. Hundreds of thousands of newly eligible registrants encountered problems on the site as soon as they were able to log in at 8 a.m., according to a report from WMUR, with many others who called 211 not being able to get through on the phone. “An unprecedented volume of web traffic was experienced this morning, a good sign that Granite Staters are ready and eager to receive their vaccine,” Sununu said in the March 22 report. “Registrations have been accepted and continue to be processed at an increasing pace, with over 35,000 having scheduled an appointment within the first three hours.”

Funding input

The office of Manchester Mayor Joyce Craig issued a press release last week asking Queen City residents to share ideas on how to spend the federal funds that the city will be getting from the American Rescue Plan Act. According to the press release, Manchester will receive approximately $44 million over two years. Though it’s waiting for more guidance from the U.S. Department of the Treasury on how exactly the funds can be used, the idea is to help with local economic recovery, which includes things like assistance to households, small businesses and nonprofits, assistance to hard-hit industries like tourism, travel, and hospitality, premium pay for essential workers and infrastructure investment. Craig is asking residents to share their Covid-19 stories, specifically how it’s impacted them and how they’d like to see the funds used. “For over a year, our community has felt the widespread negative impacts of Covid-19. This is the first time the City of Manchester is receiving direct funding, and we want to ensure it’s used to best meet the needs of our community,” Craig said in the release. Contact the mayor’s office or fill out a form at bit.ly/ARP4MHT.

Homeless Assessment

Last week the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development released its 2020 Annual Homeless Assessment Report Part 1 and, according to a press release, the report found that 1,675 people experienced homelessness in New Hampshire on a single night in 2020, which is an increase of 20 percent from 2019. HUD releases its report in two parts; Part 1 is a snapshot of homelessness on a single night, conducted during the last 10 days of January each year, so these numbers are pre-Covid. Other key findings in New Hampshire: Unsheltered homelessness increased 133 percent, with 199 people counted in 2019 compared to 348 in 2020. Also seeing increases were family homelessness, veteran homelessness and chronic homelessness. Youth homelessness is down 22.6 percent, according to the press release.

Rachel Budd from Bow High School has been selected as the alternate winner of the 2021 New Hampshire Poetry Out Loud High School Championship, according to a press release from the New Hampshire State Council on the Arts. Budd will fill in for winner Lilla Bozek from Newmarket High School if Bozek can’t participate in the national finals. Bozek received $200 and Newmarket High School got a $500 stipend for the purchase of poetry books, while Budd received $100, plus a $200 stipend for Bow High School’s poetry book collection.

Detective Justin Breton has been named 2020 Officer of the Year for the Manchester Police Department, where he’s served since 2010, according to a press release. He has been a patrol officer, a juvenile detective, a detective with the Investigative Division and a SWAT negotiator, he is the director of the Manchester Police Critical Incident Stress Management Team, and he’s the primary handler of Manchester’s comfort dog, Patch.

Beth Greenwood of Amherst is the first American-born female catcher of an NCAA baseball team. According to a report from WMUR, Greenwood is a junior at the University of Rochester in New York, and she has earned a spot on the roster of her school’s baseball team. She has never played softball; she was on the baseball team at Souhegan High School, according to the report.

The CHaD NH East-West High School All-Star Football Game, which will feature more than 80 of New Hampshire’s best football players taking the field to raise money for Children’s Hospital at Dartmouth-Hitchcock, will also be a tribute to Londonderry High School football captain Jacob Naar, who was killed in a car accident on March 12. According to a press release, his family has chosen to fulfill his wishes of fundraising for the game, and his team will not replace Naar on the roster; instead his teammates will honor his memory at the game, which is scheduled for July.

Frayed social circles

Walking and talking is the new coffee date. I’m glad; I relish any opportunity to combine fresh air, movement and conversation. By necessity, though, many interactions now take place online, either Zoom meetings where you can’t really talk, even when unmuted, or FaceTime chats. This got me thinking about who I have or have not been keeping up with during the pandemic. 

To our surprise, a professional friend and I recently found ourselves bemoaning the loss of rubber chicken dinners. If you haven’t had the pleasure, these were large-scale annual meetings, fundraisers and award ceremonies hosted by organizations from nonprofits to political groups to media outlets. In spring there were a handful of must-attend events where leaders and lobbyists, mentors and movers, accomplished honorees and ambitious newcomers alike would gather. Frequent flyers might run into each other at functions every week or two in the fall. We used to grumble mildly about lukewarm food or lengthy speakers; nowwe yearn for a chance to mill around in a room full of even tangential acquaintances. In this year of social distancing, we’ve been keeping up pretty well with our family and close friends, but our circle has frayed at the edges. 

Why does this matter? The Atlantic’s Amanda Mull recently explored the issue. While close relationships have long been recognized as essential to well-being, the pandemic has underscored that casual friends are important, too. They make us feel part of a community, part of the world. They make mundane errands enjoyable. They introduce us to new business and recreational opportunities, information, issues and ideas. “Peripheral connections tether us to the world at large; without them, people sink into the compounding sameness of closed networks.” 

Even before the pandemic, surveys by StayWorkPlay, the organization that helps New Hampshire attract young workers, revealed many found it hard to make friends here. Some cited a lack of gathering places, others the lack of diversity. They felt a sense of “aloneness.” The pandemic has exacerbated this. When asked what she seeks going forward, a college student I know from church said, “If I could change something, [it would be] getting those little intimate connections back, the ones that make us a community, the greetings on the street, catching up with an old friend, the feeling that you are intimately part of a larger group.” 

It’s time to rekindle our acquaintanceship. Want to go for a walk?

Susan Hatem, former Director of Programs and Grant Making at New Hampshire Humanities, is a CASA of NH guardian ad litem and a connector, mentor and writer. Email her at susanh8m@gmail.com.

Eats for Easter

Where to go for dine-in or takeout brunch for Easter Sunday

Easter Sunday is fast approaching (Sunday, April 4), and if you’re wondering where to go to celebrate it this year, check out this list of local restaurants, bakeries and homestead companies offering specialty items. Many that are accepting dine-in reservations for brunch or dinner are also offering takeout orders to go this year. Do you know of a local eatery offering Easter specialties that’s not on this list? Let us know at food@hippopress.com.

603 Charcuterie (Derry, 603charcuterie.com) is taking orders for Easter-themed charcuterie boards, featuring Bell and Goose Cheese Co. cheeses, assorted meats, preserves, jams and jellies, nuts and candies. A larger-sized option also includes Easter-themed cupcakes and doughnuts from the Bearded Baking Co. of Manchester. Pickups will be on Saturday, April 3, and Sunday, April 4, at Creative Chef Kitchens (35 Manchester Road, Derry).

Alan’s of Boscawen (133 N. Main St., Boscawen, 753-6631, alansofboscawen.com) will serve an Easter brunch buffet on Sunday, April 4, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Call to make a reservation.

Ashley’s Eats & Sweets (Raymond, ashleys.eats.and.sweets@gmail.com, find them on Facebook) is taking orders for a variety of specialty items for Easter, like macarons, iced sugar cookies, crinkle cookies, M&M cookies, cookie kits and cocoa bombs. Specialty Easter baskets are also available, featuring one cocoa bomb, three iced cookies, three crinkle cookies and three M&M cookies. Order by March 30.

Atkinson Resort & Country Club (85 Country Club Drive, Atkinson, 362-8700, atkinsonresort.com) is accepting Easter Sunday reservations now for both Merrill’s Tavern and the Stagecoach Grille, featuring specialty menu items like baked ham, baked haddock, prime rib, stuffed filet mignon, seared scallops, grilled vegetable ravioli and more.

Bedford Village Inn (2 Olde Bedford Way, Bedford, 472-2001, bedfordvillageinn.com) will serve an Easter brunch buffet in its Great Hall on Sunday, April 4, from 9:30 a.m. to 2:15 p.m., as well as a three-course prix fixe dinner from 2 to 7 p.m. The brunch menu will include chef-attended omelet and Belgian waffle stations, charcuterie and cheese displays, smoked ham and roasted leg of lamb carved to order, and other assorted breakfast and lunch items. The dinner will include your choice of a first course (celery root bisque, New England clam chowder, pea tendril and watercress salad or spring bean and arugula salad); an entree (grilled tournedos, pistachio and matcha-crusted Icelandic cod loin, smoked North Country ham, herb crusted leg of lamb, herb-marinated Scottish salmon, or house-made casarecce); and a dessert (Irish cream torte, vanilla bean creme brulee, buttermilk panna cotta, strawberry Charlotte royale, or lemongrass ice cream). The cost for the brunch buffet is $65 for adults and $32 for kids ages 10 and under. The cost for the dinner is $65 for adults and $34.95 for kids ages 10 and under. Reservations are required for both.

The Black Forest Cafe & Bakery (212 Route 101, Amherst, 672-0500, theblackforestcafe.com) is taking orders for a variety of items for Easter, including pies (apple, Dutch apple, strawberry rhubarb, cherry, grasshopper or chocolate cream); cakes (carrot, coconut, chocolate mousse, lemon daisy and Black Forest gateaux); Easter egg or bunny shortbread cookies, lemon tarts and more. Order by March 27. Pickups will be on Friday, April 2, or Saturday, April 3.

Buckley’s Bakery & Cafe (436 Daniel Webster Hwy., Merrimack, 262-5929) and Buckley’s Market & Cafe (9 Market Place, Hollis, 465-5522) are taking orders for several items for Easter, including cakes (carrot, hummingbird, double chocolate or gluten-free lemon blueberry); and pies (chocolate cream, key lime or mixed berry crumble); as well as assorted breakfast and dessert pastry trays, Parker House rolls, cinnamon rolls and hot cross buns. Order by March 31 via phone or online at buckleysbakerycafe.com.

Buckley’s Great Steaks (438 Daniel Webster Hwy., Merrimack, 424-0995, buckleysgreatsteaks.com) will be open on Easter (Sunday, April 4) from noon to 5 p.m.

Caroline’s Fine Food (132 Bedford Center Road, Bedford, 637-1615, carolinesfood.com) is taking orders for dinners of either maple-glazed pork loin or herb and Dijon-encrusted leg of lamb for Easter, both of which can come in two sizes (servings of four or of six to eight) and feature shallot whipped potatoes, lemon honey caramelized carrots and sauteed asparagus. Order by March 29 at 2 p.m.

Castleton Waterfront Dining on Cobbetts (58 Enterprise Drive, Windham, 898-6300, castletonbcc.com) is taking orders for a variety of to-go items for Easter, including dinner packages of spiral glazed ham or roast leg of lamb with herbs. Both serve eight to 10 people and come with various sides, like roasted red bliss potatoes, spring peas, pan gravy and dinner rolls. Other a la carte items include tenderloin of beef, roast pork loin with cranberry apple stuffing, sides by the quart, assorted hors d’oeuvres like scallop and bacon skewers and crabmeat stuffed mushrooms, and desserts like carrot cake or ice cream pie with Kahlua sauce. Order by March 31 at noon. Pickups will be on Saturday, April 3, from 9 a.m. to noon.

City Moose Cafe & Catering Co. (30 Temple St., Nashua, 943-5078, citymoosenh.com) is taking orders for Easter dinners featuring maple-glazed ham, garlic mashed potatoes and buttered tri-colored carrots, as well as a “rabbit munch” salad with local hydroponic greens, strawberries, feta cheese, sunflower seeds and balsamic vinaigrette, and pineapple upside-down cake for dessert. Order by March 29 at noon. Pickups will be on Saturday, April 3, from 1 to 2 p.m.

The Coach Stop Restaurant & Tavern (176 Mammoth Road, Londonderry, 437-2022, coachstopnh.com) is taking reservations for dine-in Easter meals on Sunday, April 4, with seatings at 11:30 a.m., 2:30 p.m. or 5:30 p.m., as well as takeout pre-ordering and free delivery. Items include first courses like French onion soup, spinach and artichoke dip and bacon-wrapped scallops; and entrees like chicken marsala, roast prime rib of beef, seafood linguine alfredo and lobster macaroni and cheese.

Colby Hill Inn (33 The Oaks, Henniker, 428-3281, colbyhillinn.com) will serve a three-course prix fixe dinner menu for Easter, with seatings on Sunday, April 4, between noon and 6 p.m. Items include your choice of a first course (lemon chicken noodle soup, slovak beet and buttermilk soup, spring greens salad, asparagus and chioggia beet salad, local farmer’s cheese and spinach pierogi, or red beet deviled eggs); an entree (Greek-style roasted leg of lamb, maple and cider mustard glazed ham, prime rib, scallops, rabbit pot pie or carrot spaetzle) and a dessert (Easter chocolate trio of a chocolate mousse, mini chocolate peanut butter cake and a chocolate bunny, maple walnut carrot cake, strawberry rhubarb pie, lavender creme brulee or rose sorbet).

The Common Man (25 Water St., Concord, 228-3463; 304 Daniel Webster Hwy., Merrimack, 429-3463; 88 Range Road, Windham, 898-0088; Lakehouse Grille, 281 Daniel Webster Hwy., Meredith, 279-5221; 10 Pollard Road, Lincoln, 745-3463; 21 Water St., Claremont, 542-6171; Foster’s Boiler Room, 231 Main St., Plymouth, 536-2764; 60 Main St., Ashland, 968-7030; Lago, 1 Route 25, Meredith, 279-2253; Italian Farmhouse, 337 Daniel Webster Hwy., Plymouth, 536-4536; Lakehouse Grille, 281 Daniel Webster Hwy., Meredith, 279-5221; Camp, 300 Daniel Webster Hwy., Meredith, 279-3003; Airport Diner, 2280 Brown Ave., Manchester, 623-5040; Tilt’n Diner, 61 Laconia Road, Tilton, 286-2204; 104 Diner, 752 Route 104, New Hampton, 744-0120; thecman.com) is taking orders for Easter dinners for four to go, featuring oven-roasted ham with honey glaze, creamy leek scalloped potatoes, roasted asparagus, cider-infused mashed sweet potatoes, maple-roasted Brussels sprouts, house baked rolls and carrot cake for dessert. Additional optional a la carte items include oven-roasted turkey with pan gravy, macaroni and cheese and a Sriracha deviled eggs kit (makes one dozen). Order by March 29. Pickups will be on Saturday, April 3.

Crosby Bakery (51 E. Pearl St., Nashua, 882-1851, crosbybakerynh.com) is taking orders for several specialty items for Easter, like pies (apple, apple crumb, blueberry, chocolate cream, pumpkin, lemon meringue and many others), as well as pastries, like muffins, doughnuts, cinnamon buns and Danishes; assorted pastry platters, cookies, cheesecakes, and savory offerings, like gorton, meat pie with pork and beef, salmon pie and Boston baked beans. Order by March 31 for pickup on Friday, April 2, or by April 1 for pickup on Saturday, April 3.

The Crust & Crumb Baking Co. (126 N. Main St., Concord, 219-0763, thecrustandcrumb.com) is taking orders for several specialty baked goods and sweet treats for Easter, like hot cross or cinnamon buns, pies (flavors include coconut cream, chocolate cream, lemon meringue, apple streusel, forest berry crumb and many others); cakes (flavors include carrot, blueberry lemon mousse, raspberry coconut and flourless chocolate torte); and quiches available with a variety of filling options, like bacon, sausage, marinated tomato, onion, cheddar cheese, Swiss cheese, Pepper Jack cheese or goat cheese. Pickups will be on Saturday, April 3.

The Derryfield Restaurant (625 Mammoth Road, Manchester, 623-2880, thederryfield.com) will serve an Easter brunch buffet on Sunday, April 4, with seatings every half hour from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Reservations are required due to limited seating availability.

Fratello’s Italian Grille (155 Dow St., Manchester, 624-2022, fratellos.com) will serve an Easter brunch buffet on Sunday, April 4, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., featuring an egg and omelet station, a carving station with slow-roasted prime rib of beef and baked ham with a honey and maple glaze, various other breakfast and lunch options, and assorted drinks and desserts. Reservations are required.

Frederick’s Pastries (109 Route 101A, Amherst, 882-7725; 25 S. River Road, Bedford, 647-2253; pastry.net) has several specialty seasonal offerings available for Easter, like assorted Easter egg cookies, cottontail bunny cakes, carrot cake cheesecake or cheesecake cups, cupcakes, mini pies, cream puff pastry trays and more.

Gauchos Churrascaria Brazilian Steakhouse Butchery (62 Lowell St., Manchester, 669-9460, gauchosbraziliansteakhouse.com) will serve an Easter brunch buffet on Sunday, April 4, with seatings from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., featuring a variety of breakfast and lunch items, a salad bar, pastries, parfaits and more. Reservations are required. Starting March 28, Gauchos will also be opening for brunch every Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Granite State Candy Shoppe (13 Warren St., Concord, 225-2591; 832 Elm St., Manchester, 218-3885; granitestatecandyshoppe.com) has several specialty seasonal offerings available for Easter, like blue, pink and lavender marshmallow Peeps, milk, dark or white chocolate Easter bunnies and eggs, and Easter baskets of assorted chocolate.

Just Like Mom’s Pastries (353 Riverdale Road, Weare, 529-6667, justlikemomspastries.com) is taking orders for a variety of specialty baked goods and sweet treats for Easter, like cakes (carrot, spring sherbert mousse, lemon cheesecake with strawberry topping or raspberry coconut cake); assorted breakfast pastries, like sticky buns, cinnamon sticks and filled croissants; quiches (ham and Swiss, bacon, tomato and onion, spinach and feta or broccoli and cheddar); and fruit pies (strawberry rhubarb, three-berry, raspberry or cherry). Other specialty pies include the Elvis, with peanut graham cracker, chocolate pastry cream, Bananas Foster and a whipped peanut butter topping); and a blueberry and strawberry pie with an oat almond crumb topping. Order by March 27. Pickups will be on Saturday, April 3.

LaBelle Winery (345 Route 101, Amherst, 672-9898; 14 Route 111, Derry; labellewinerynh.com) will serve a three-course plated brunch for Easter on Sunday, April 4, with seatings from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in Amherst and one seating at 11 a.m. at its new location in Derry. Menu offerings include your choice of herb-marinated Statler chicken breast, mustard-crusted Atlantic salmon, apricot-glazed smoked ham, and spring vegetable and goat cheese quiche, as well as multiple optional add-ons, like an artisan cheese and charcuterie board, smoked salmon or freshly sliced fruit. Reservations are required. The Easter Bunny will also be in attendance to take socially distanced photos.

Mile Away Restaurant (52 Federal Hill Road, Milford, 673-3904, mileawayrestaurantnh.com) is taking reservations now for Easter, offering special meals that include your choice of one appetizer, salad, entree and dessert. Menu staples include appetizers like tomato bisque, Swedish meatballs, fresh fruit plates with sorbet; Caesar salad or garden salad with blue cheese, house ranch, raspberry vinaigrette or balsamic vinaigrette dressing; entrees like roast leg of lamb, baked honey glazed ham, baked stuffed jumbo shrimp, maple salmon or vegetarian baked eggplant Parmesan; and desserts like lemon mascarpone cake, chocolate ganache cake, carrot cake, tiramisu cake and bread pudding.

MT’s Local Kitchen & Wine Bar (212 Main St., Nashua, 595-9334, mtslocal.com) will be open on Easter (Sunday, April 4) from noon to 5 p.m.

Nelson’s Candy and Music (65 Main St., Wilton, 654-5030, nelsonscandymusic.com) has several specialty seasonal offerings available for Easter, like handmade chocolate egg “boxes” and assorted Easter baskets filled with chocolate foil eggs, gummy bears, jelly beans and other assorted candies.

Oak & Grain Restaurant (Inn at Pleasant Lake, 853 Pleasant St., New London, 873-4833, innatpleasantlake.com) will serve a three-course prix fixe brunch menu for Easter on Sunday, April 4, with open seating between 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., followed by a five-course dinner menu from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Takeout is also available.

Presto Craft Kitchen (168 Amory St., Manchester, 606-1252, prestocraftkitchen.com) is taking orders for a variety of seasonal items for Easter, including pizzagaina (ricotta pie with Italian meats), wood-fired lamb tips, brown sugar glazed ham, chicken Parmesan and shrimp and scallop scampi, plus desserts through its sister company Custom Eats & Sweets, like giant breakable chocolate eggs filled with gourmet treats, Easter egg-sicles, fresh filled cannolis and assorted Italian cookie platters. Order by March 28. Pickups will be on Friday, April 2, and Saturday, April 3.

Van Otis Chocolates (341 Elm St., Manchester, 627-1611, vanotis.com) has several specialty seasonal offerings available for Easter, like milk chocolate-dipped marshmallow Peeps, milk, dark or white chocolate bunnies, and chocolate Easter baskets filled with a variety of treats.

Wolfe’s Tavern (Wolfeboro Inn, 90 N. Main St., Wolfeboro, 569-3016, wolfestavern.com) will serve an Easter brunch on Sunday, April 4, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., featuring items like pancakes, eggs Benedict, croissant French toast, roasted half chicken, sangria ham, deviled eggs, shrimp cocktail, coconut cream pie, lemon curd bars and more.

Woodstock Inn Brewery (135 N. Main St., North Woodstock, 745-3951, woodstockinnbrewery.com) is offering a two-night Easter getaway package, with an Easter brunch buffet on Sunday, April 4, that will include an omelet bar, a waffle bar, a carving station with ham and prime rib, and other items like eggs Benedict, vegetable lasagna and salmon. Reservations are accepted but not required.

Zorvino Vineyards (226 Main St., Sandown, 887-8463, zorvino.com) will serve an Easter brunch buffet on Sunday, April 4, with seatings at 10 a.m., noon and 2 p.m. Offerings will include a carving station with slow roasted prime rib of beef and apricot-glazed Easter ham, plus assorted warm croissants and pastries, stuffed crepes, pan scrambled eggs, smoked bacon and maple sausage, and a dessert display with assorted seasonal cookies and brownies, miniature carrot cupcakes with coconut frosting, bite-size filled cannolis and house made personal-sized pies and tartlets.

This story was possible with the generous financial support of Hippo readers. Hippo is very grateful to have the support of its readers. If you haven’t contributed yet, please consider a small contribution. Your contributions allow Hippo to write more stories and gets you access to additional stories and columns. 

Find your Book Joy

Find your Book Joy

If you’ve lost your love of reading — or never had it in the first place — there are so many reasons why now is the perfect time to pick up a book, whether it’s a paper copy, an ebook or an audiobook. With genres ranging from classics and memoirs to sci-fi and romance, there’s something for everyone.

Also on the cover, enjoy a maple adventure this weekend, p. 20. Try the new Elm House of Pizza in Manchester or Destination India in Derry, p. 24 & 25. And head out for the night for some live music, p. 34.

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At the Sofaplex 21/03/18

Coming 2 America (R)

Eddie Murphy, Arsenio Hall.

Murphy’s 1988 comedy gets a sequel that feels like, essentially, one of those EW movie reunion photo shoots with a few next-generation people sprinkled throughout (Leslie Jones, KiKi Lane, Tracy Morgan). Everybody looks great — I highly recommend checking out the Hollywood Reporter story about the costumes, which were created by Ruth E. Carter, the Oscar-winning designer behind the Black Panther costumes. I maybe recommend it (and a forthcoming Coming 2 America fashion lookbook? Please?) more than the movie, about which I had these thoughts: (1) I honestly don’t know if I ever saw the original all the way through or if it was one of those movies I just sort of absorbed parts of over the years. Or maybe it’s just been that long since 1988. (2) As many have noted, all the actors (including Wesley Snipes, Shari Headley, James Earl Jones, John Amos and random cameos, like Trevor Noah) seem like they’re having a great time. (3) In addition to the Coming 2 America lookbook, I’d like a whole album of new En Vogue/ Salt-N-Pepa collaborations (we get a cute reworking of “Whatta Man” here). (4) With everybody having such a great time while wearing such fun looks, does it really matter if the movie felt kinda “meh” most of the time?

The plot just barely holding everything together is that with the death of King Jaffee (Jones), Prince Akeem (Murphy) needs to return to America to find his long lost son to serve as his heir, as he and his wife, Lisa (Headley), only ever had daughters, who apparently can’t take the throne. This movie features less “2 America” and more of the American, newly-titled Prince Lavelle (Jermaine Fowler) coming to Akeem’s African country of Zamunda. Lavelle learns the ways of his new royal family, Akeem’s wife Lisa deals with her annoyance at having Akeem show up with his new son (and the son’s mom, played by Jones) and Akeem’s oldest daughter Meeka (Lane) chafes at having what she feels is her rightful role as future monarch usurped. The movie throws this all out there but, in keeping things light and jokey, never deals with its story points with much depth, which can make the story feel thin overall.

But, again, with wardrobe items like the red-and-gold wedding dress that appears at the end of the movie (Google it), does it really matter? B- primarily for fashion, En Vogue and Salt-N-Pepa and general nostalgia Available on Amazon Prime.

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