My wife and I decided this would be the year we would beautify our landscaping. Mulch! Fresh loam! Grass seed! New shrubs! Flowers! And even a fancy sprinkler that sits on a tripod! This would be the year.
Well, some of those things have actually happened but others, sadly, have not. The area right in front of my house looks like a construction site. No, not a construction site; it looks like something exploded in front of my house.
There are two giant holes from removing a couple stumps, except that I’ve only been able to get one of the stumps out. I’m told I need a “come-along” and a “winch.” And then I guess I’m going to crank it right out, so says YouTube. I can’t imagine anything could go wrong.
OK, so there’s been a lot of digging and just generally tiresome labor, and that means I’ve needed to whet my whistle with some beer from time to time. My selections have been completely random and maybe even questionable but I regret nothing.
I know I’m not alone in trying to beautify lawns and landscaping this year and so I know I’m also not alone in needing something to quench my thirst.
Here’s a look at some brews that helped reward me after attacking some stumps.
Harpoon UFO by Harpoon Brewery (Boston)
I found this in the back of my dad’s fridge and when I saw it I immediately harkened back to the college days when I had far too many Blue Moons and UFOs with orange slices sitting on the brim of the glass. I think we all went to the well on this style too frequently and just got sick of it. So, probably 15 or maybe more years since I last had one of these, I dove in, and it was refreshing and tasty. There is absolutely nothing offensive about this beer. It’s definitely got a little sweetness but it’s not nearly as overpowering as I remembered. On a hot day, yeah, I think this is a winner.
Holy Donut Imperial Stout by Lone Pine Brewing Co. (Portland, Maine)
Brewed in collaboration with the famed Portland doughnut shop that gives this beer its name, this is an imperial stout brewed with dark chocolate toasted coconut doughnuts. Honestly, I’m not sure whether it’s dessert or breakfast and who really cares anyway? The main problem with this beer is that I was halfway through it when I realized it was 10.5 percent ABV — that sort of made for an interesting afternoon. This is a rich, decadent bomb of a beer that still manages to be dangerously easy to drink.
Newcastle Brown Ale by Lagunitas (Chicago)
This is another one I found in the back of my dad’s fridge — honestly, what’s in the back of this guy’s fridge is absolutely wild: Mike’s Hard Raspberry Lemonade from probably 2008, some kind of hard root beer and then some Heady Topper sitting right next to it. It’s incredible. This was one of my first favorite beers during and after college. My whole family loved Newcastle. We got kegs of this stuff for all family graduation parties, I think. And then one day I bought a six-pack and every beer in the pack was skunked, and it’s just really hard to come back to a beer once that happens to you. But you know, again, years later, this was perfectly fine! (It’s also now brewed with a different recipe.) It’s got a subtle nuttiness and a little bit of malt — extremely easy to drink. This is a perfectly pleasing if not especially remarkable beer.
What’s in My Fridge Wachusett Blueberry Ale by Wachusett Brewing Co. (Westminster) My wife saw this in the fridge and asked why I don’t keep the fridge stocked with this beer at all times. It’s a great question and there’s really no excuse for my lapse. If you’ve never tried this, please do. It’s super-refreshing, very easy to drink and features the extremely pleasing but not at all overpowering flavor of blueberry. Cheers!
Featured photo: Holy Donut by Lone Pine Brewing Co.
Lorna Aouad of Auburn is the owner of Loulou’s Bakery (loulousbakery.com, and on Facebook and Instagram @loulousbakery.nh), a wholesale and catering business she started two years ago that specializes in Mediterranean sweet cookies, savory pies and other handcrafted items. Her cookies, which include flavors like date, almond tea, sesame tea and chocolate sable, are all made from scratch and can be found in most Hannaford Supermarket locations in southern New Hampshire, as well as McKinnon’s in both Salem and Portsmouth. Aouad, who is originally from Lebanon, also makes small meat pies, spinach and feta pies, and cheese or thyme flatbreads, and offers catering for several meat, vegetarian or dessert platters with three-day advance ordering notice.
What is your must-have kitchen item?
Measuring cups and spoons, and also my spices, which I cannot cook without.
What would you have for your last meal?
My meat flatbread. It has ground beef, tomatoes and onions and a squeeze of lemon on top, and it’s on a thin crust, almost like a pizza crust. It’s to die for.
What is your favorite local restaurant?
My favorite is Cotton [in Manchester]. I love their steak and their salad and popcorn shrimp. It’s such a cozy little place. I also really like Piccola Italia [Ristorante in Manchester].
What celebrity would you like to see trying something you’ve made?
I would love to have Gov. [Chris] Sununu try some of my food, definitely my flatbread or my stuffed grape leaves or kibbeh.
What is your personal favorite menu item?
I love my kafta soup. It’s ground meat, almost like meatballs, and inside of them there’s parsley, onion and some special spices. The soup itself has rice and tomato paste and some parsley in it.
What is the biggest food trend in New Hampshire right now?
Definitely comfort food, especially because it’s such a stressful time right now.
What is your favorite thing to cook at home?
I like to make appetizers, not just Lebanese appetizers but a bunch of different things. I make the best Seven Layers, which has refried beans, guacamole, cheese, tomatoes, scallions, olives and then a special sauce in the middle with different spices in it.
Easy hummus recipe From the kitchen of Lorna Aouad of Loulou’s Bakery in Auburn, loulousbakery.com
15 ounces broiled chickpeas, warm 1 large squeezed lemon 1 clove peeled fresh garlic ½ teaspoon salt 2 tablespoons tahini sauce 3 Tablespoons warm water 1 teaspoon olive oil
Featured photo: Lorna Aouad of Loulou’s Bakery in Auburn with husband Rami Kattar
Farmers markets open with plans for a more lively summer
Ledge Top Farm in Wilton is a vendor at this year’s Milford Farmers Market. Courtesy photo.
Adrienne Colsia wasn’t sure what the Milford Farmers Market’s first day back outdoors would bring. The market canceled its entire indoor season this winter — though to make up for some lost dates, it remained outdoors for six additional weeks through Nov. 21 last year.
On May 8, the market kicked off its summer season more than a month earlier than normal, at its usual outdoor spot at 300 Elm St. across from the New Hampshire Antique Co-op.
“Usually you never know with that first market, but it was very well-attended. I had a lot more people come out than I was expecting,” said Colsia, who manages the market and also co-owns Paradise Farm in Lyndeborough, one of its featured vendors. “I actually had several vendors that day tell me that they had broken their own sales records for one market.”
At least 19 vendors are on the schedule each week, offering a wide variety of items from beef, poultry and fresh produce to prepared meals, cheeses, baked goods, craft beer and wine.
For the time being, Colsia said, masks are still required and sampling is not allowed. But other features of the market, such as live music in the center of the lot, may be returning soon.
As the summer market season returns in the Granite State, pandemic regulations and restrictions that were implemented last year may still be in effect or may be eased a bit. According to Gail McWilliam Jellie, director of agricultural development for the New Hampshire Department of Agriculture, Markets & Food, it will all likely vary depending on where you go — each individual market, she said, can have its own guidelines encouraging masks or one-way shopping, or temporarily suspending product sampling, live entertainment or demonstrations.
Here’s a look at some farmers markets that have already kicked off their outdoor seasons and others due to start in the coming weeks, plus a couple new local markets debuting in 2021.
Markets underway
Khadija A. with Fresh Start Farms, vending at the Milford Farmers Market. Courtesy photo.
When it comes to creating a vendor list for the Milford Farmers Market, Colsia aims for variety.
“We try to limit things like crafts or jewelry,” she said. “We want people to feel like they can do their grocery shopping here. That’s what I strive for.”
This year’s roster includes Lone Wolf Cheese of Harrisville, which makes many of its own cheeses, butters and yogurts; Quarter Moon Farm of Hancock, which offers a line of certified organic black garlic products; and Mola Foods of Nashua, offering world-inspired spice blends.
In mid-June, a few additional vegetable vendors will be joining the market too once their products reach their peak growing season — among them will be Groh Farm of Wilton, a biodynamic farm established by Temple-Wilton Community Farm co-founder Trauger Groh.
After a few months indoors from January to April, the Concord Farmers Market also kicked off its summer season at its usual spot on Capitol Street, steps away from the Statehouse. Market president Wayne Hall said the board has been closely following guidelines from the City of Concord, which still has a mask ordinance in effect through June 1.
“Samples are allowed now … but the vendor has to hand it to the person rather than them just reaching for it,” said Hall, who also owns Rockey Ole Farm in Concord, a purveyor of leafy greens, fresh berries and other produce in addition to eggs and cut flowers.
The Contoocook Farmers Market moved back outdoors on May 1, a few weeks earlier than normal, to its normal spot by the gazebo next to the Contoocook Railroad Museum. Many of the same guidelines from the start of the last summer season remain in effect, such as the encouragement of one shopper per household to visit the market to promote social distancing. Most of the vendors also offer several types of alternative payment methods to limit cash use.
Another market that recently moved back outdoors, the Salem Farmers Market is in a new spot as of May 16, according to president Bonnie Wright — the Tuscan Village shopping plaza. You’ll find it there every Sunday behind Drive Fitness and adjacent to the building housing Williams Sonoma and the new Tuscan Market. For the first time in more than a year, Wright said, the Salem market has extended its hours back to its usual 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. time frame.
Salem also has the distinction of being one of the only year-round markets in New Hampshire that has remained nearly uninterrupted. From March 2020 all the way until January of this year, the market had been outdoors, before finding a temporary indoor spot at 369 S. Broadway.
“Our market is so critical to the livelihood of our customers … that our vendors agreed to keep coming out,” Wright said. “Other farmers markets have used us as a model, because we were proactive right at the beginning. We were strict about social distancing and masks from the start.”
Markets on deck
Fresh vegetables from Kearsarge Gore Farm in Warner, a vendor at Concord and Warner’s markets. Courtesy photo.
As Memorial Day weekend approaches, more outdoor markets across New Hampshire are set to begin their summer seasons. Next up are the Henniker Community Market, kicking off on May 20, and the Weare Real Food Farmers Market, due to hold its first outdoor market on May 29.
Henniker is coming off the heels of an “outstanding” inaugural Handmade & Homegrown event on May 8 in the Community Center park, a primarily arts-focused market that also featured a few local prepared food vendors, according to market manager Monica Rico. The Henniker Community Market will continue every Thursday in that spot through Oct. 21.
The Weare Real Food Farmers Market held its first year outdoors last July through the weekend before Thanksgiving, and a new indoor space opened March 15, owner Marek Rivero said. Outdoors, the market has received clearance from the Town to remain open from Memorial Day weekend through the entire rest of the year, weather permitting. You’ll find vendors’ products from right in town as well as in neighboring communities — Warner River Produce of Webster, for example, has been featuring items like spinach, carrots, microgreens and shiitake mushrooms, while the New Hampshire Doughnut Co. has been dropping off deliveries of its fresh doughnuts.
On Wednesday, June 2, the Derry Homegrown Farm & Artisan Market will return for the first time since the 2019 season. Just one day before its original opening date last year, the market’s board announced it had unanimously voted to sit the 2020 season out.
“Most of our vendors have been with us since the beginning, and just about everybody is back with us and equally excited as us to be back,” market manager and board vice president Neil Wetherbee said. “The community response also has been great so far.”
New vendors are expected, like Meta Microgreens of Dracut, Mass., and Mimi Rae’s Gluten Free Bakery of Chester, which offers cookies, brownies and other treats.
With Derry holding its first farmers market since the onset of the pandemic, Wetherbee said several critical decisions were made early on, among them to permit vendors to give out samples.
“We usually have alcohol vendors … and it’s a huge thing for them to come but not be able to do samples,” he said, “and the alcohol has to be in a roped off section of the market anyway.”
Live music performances and art demonstrations are returning to the Derry market too, thanks to a grant the board received from the New Hampshire State Council on the Arts.
Also on June 2 will be the return of the Canterbury Community Farmers Market, which is set up in the parking lot of the Elkins Public Library. Like in Contoocook, the market is continuing to observe its best practices from last year, which can be viewed on the website.
The New Boston Farmers Market is due to return on June 12, co-manager Allison Vermette said.
“We have a few of our craft vendors coming back who had taken last year off,” she said. “We do have a few new vendors coming too, which is always exciting. … We have one right here in town called Coyote’s Kitchen that will be bringing vegan organic pizza crusts.”
Similar to last year, Vermette said live musicians will be performing from the nearby gazebo each week throughout the season. One-way entrances and exits for customers are also in effect.
“We’re going to see if we can get food trucks like we have at the market in the past, and we’ll kind of have a separate eating area where there’s enough space,” she said.
On June 15, the Bedford Farmers Market will begin its season. The market had moved to the parking lot at 209 Route 101 in Bedford last year out of necessity, but according to manager Lauren Ritz, it was such a success that they decided to keep it there.
Because Wicked Good Butchah and Flight Coffee Co. are both located in the shopping plaza, Ritz said, this year’s market does not have a meat or coffee vendor. Instead, there will be around 20 local vendors selling everything from fresh produce to maple syrup, baked goods, seafood and more. New faces to the Bedford market this year include Jajabelles of Nashua offering fresh pastries; Sunfox Farm, which will have sunflowers and sunflower oil; and Oasis Springs Farm, also of Nashua, offering its own hydroponically grown lettuce and microgreens.
Intown Manchester is also planning on bringing back its farm stand, which debuted at Victory Park last year, executive director Sara Beaudry said. Intown Manchester’s Farm Stand & Artisan Shop will be held on Thursdays from June 17 through Aug. 26, with produce from Fresh Start Farms, as well as a small selection of other vendors, like DJ’s Pure Natural Honey and Dandido Hot Sauce.
New markets for 2021
Shortly after the formation of the Pelham Agricultural Commission, chairwoman Jenny Larson said its board members began planning to organize a subcommittee for a farmers market.
“We got involved in the community and asked citizens what they’d like to see from us … and the overwhelming response was for a farmers market,” Larson said. “So that was the No. 1 thing we immediately put on our agenda, and it went off without a hitch from there. … Pelham had had one years ago, but it just kind of fell apart due to a lack of volunteers.”
The new Pelham Farmers Market, expected to feature more than a dozen vendors, is set to begin June 19 outside the First Congregational Church of Pelham, continuing on Saturdays through October.
“We’re going to have something pretty much for everyone,” Larson said. “Farmer Dave’s over in Dracut, [Mass.,] will have all kinds of fruits and veggies. We’re going to have a meat vendor, some breads, baked goods, some microgreens, some honey, and some organic soaps. Our applications for vendors are on a continuous basis, so they can send one in three months from now if they just want to sell in the fall.”
The market will be held rain or shine from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Larson said additional events such as live music and demonstrations have also been in discussion for future markets.
Candia’s Agricultural Commission is also planning a new Candia market that will begin on June 19. According to market manager Pattie Davis, it will be on the grounds of the Smyth Public Library on the third Saturday of each month, from 9 a.m. to noon, wrapping up Oct. 16.
“The original idea … was for people with farms in town to be able to sell their wares once a month if they didn’t have enough stuff to come every week,” Davis said. “At this point, there’s one bakery and one crafter, and after that it’s all fruits and vegetables.”
She added that each market will feature a booth highlighting a different community organization — the first one will be the local gardening club, which will be there selling perennials.
Local farmers markets Here’s a list we’ve compiled by the day of the week of summer farmers markets happening in southern New Hampshire this year. Some markets are rain or shine while others may be postponed or canceled due to weather — be sure to visit their websites or Facebook pages for the most up-to-date information on each individual date.
Sundays • Gilmanton Community Farmers Market will be from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Gilmanton Year-Round Library (1385 Route 140) beginning June 13 and through Sept. 26. Visit gilmantonfarmersmarket.com or find them on Facebook @gilmantoncommunityfarmersmarket.
• Nashua Farmers Market will be from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at City Hall Plaza (229 Main St.) beginning June 20 and through Oct. 17. Visit downtownnashua.org or find them on Facebook @nashuafarmersmarket.
• Salem Farmers Market is from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. As of May 16 the market has moved to a new outdoor location at Tuscan Village South, behind Drive Fitness (12 Via Toscana Drive). Visit salemnhfarmersmarket.org or find them on Facebook @salemnhfarmersmarket.
Mondays • Durham Farmers Market will be from 2:15 to 5:30 p.m. in the parking lot of Sammy’s Market (5 Madbury Road) beginning June 7 and through Oct. 4. Visit seacoastgrowers.org or find them on Facebook @market03824.
Tuesdays • Bedford Farmers Market will be from 3 to 6 p.m. in the parking lot of Wicked Good Butchah (209 Route 101), beginning June 15 and through Oct. 12. Visit bedfordfarmersmarketnh.org or find them on Facebook @bedfordfarmersmarketnh.
• Rochester Farmers Market will be from 3 to 6 p.m. on the Rochester Town Common (Route 108 and South Main Street) beginning June 15 and through Sept. 28. Visit rochesternhfarmersmarket.com or find them on Facebook.
Wednesdays
• Canterbury Community Farmers Market will be from 4 to 6:30 p.m. in the parking lot of the Elkins Public Library (9 Center Road) beginning June 2 and through Sept. 29. Visit canterburyfarmersmarket.com or find them on Facebook @ccfma.
• Derry Homegrown Farm & Artisan Market will be from 3 to 7 p.m. at 1 W. Broadway beginning June 2 and through Sept. 29. Visit derryhomegrown.org or find them on Facebook @derryhomegrown.
• Dover Farmers Market will be from 2:15 to 5:30 p.m. in the parking lot of the Greater Dover Chamber of Commerce (550 Central Ave.) beginning June 2 and through Oct. 6. Visit seacoastgrowers.org or find them on Facebook @market03820.
• Peterborough Farmers Market is from 3 to 6 p.m. on the lawn of the Peterborough Community Center (25 Elm St.) now through October. The market moves indoors during the winter months. Find them on Facebook @peterboroughnhfarmersmarket.
Thursdays • Exeter Farmers Market is from 2:15 to 5:30 p.m. at Swasey Parkway (off Water Street) now through Oct. 28. Visit seacoastgrowers.org or find them on Facebook @market03833.
• Franklin Farmers Market will be from 3 to 6 p.m. at Marceau Park (Central Street) beginning June 24 and through Sept. 30. Visit franklinnh.org or find them on Facebook @franklinlocalmarket.
• Henniker Community Market is from 4 to 7 p.m. in the town’s Community Center park (57 Main St.) now through Oct. 21. Find them on Facebook @hennikercommunitymarket.
• Intown’s Farm Stand & Artisan Shop will be from 3 to 6 p.m., at Victory Park (Concord and Chestnut streets, Manchester) beginning June 17 and through Aug. 26. Find them on Facebook @manchesterfood.
• Rindge Farmers & Crafters Market is from 3 to 6 p.m. at West Rindge Common (Route 202 North) now through Oct. 7. Find them on Facebook @rindgefarmersandcraftersmarket.
• Wolfeboro Area Farmers Market is from 12:30 to 4:30 p.m. at Clark Park (233 S. Main St.) now through Oct. 28. Visit wolfeborofarmersmarket.com or find them on Facebook @wolfeboroareafarmersmarket.
Fridays • Francestown Community Market is from 4 to 7 p.m. at the horse sheds near the Francestown Police Station (15 New Boston Road). Find them on Facebook @francestowncommunitymarket.
• Newport Farmers Market will be from 3 to 6 p.m. on the Newport Town Common (N. Main and Park streets) beginning June 11 and through Oct. 1. Visit newportfarmersmarketnh.com or find them on Facebook @newportfarmersmarketnh.
Saturdays • Barnstead Farmers Market will be from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 96 Maple St. in Center Barnstead beginning June 12 and through Sept. 25. Visit barnsteadfarmers.weebly.com or find them on Facebook @barnsteadfarmersmarket.
• Candia Farmers Market will be from 9 a.m. to noon outside the Smyth Public Library (55 High St., Candia) beginning June 19. (Note: This market will only be held on the third Saturday of each month through October. Dates are June 19, July 17, Aug. 21, Sept. 18 and Oct. 16). Visit candianh.org or email agcomm@candianh.org.
• Cole Gardens Farmers Market is from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Cole Gardens (430 Loudon Road, Concord) now through Oct. 30. Visit colegardens.com or find them on Facebook @colegardens.
• Concord Farmers Market is from 8:30 a.m. to noon on Capitol Street (near the New Hampshire Statehouse) now through Oct. 30. Visit concordfarmersmarket.com or find them on Facebook @concordfarmersmarketnh.
• Contoocook Farmers Market is from 9 a.m. to noon at 896 Main St. (by the gazebo behind the train depot) now through October. Find them on Facebook @contoocookfarmersmarket.
• Milford Farmers Market is from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 300 Elm St. (across the street from the New Hampshire Antique Co-op) now through Oct. 9. Visit milfordnhfarmersmarket or find them on Facebook @milfordfarmersmarketofnh.
• New Boston Farmers Market will be from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the corner of Route 13 and Meetinghouse Hill Road beginning June 12 and through Oct. 9. Visit newbostonfarmersmarket.webs.com or find them on Facebook @newbostonfarmersmarket.
• New Ipswich Farmers Market is from 9 a.m. to noon in the parking lot of New Ipswich Town Hall (661 Turnpike Road) now through October. Beginning in November the market typically moves indoors to the New Ipswich Congregational Church. Find them on Facebook @newipswichfarmersmarket.
• Pelham Farmers Market will be from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. outside the First Congregational Church of Pelham (3 Main St.) beginning June 19 and through Oct. 30. Search “Friends of Pelham NH Farmers Market” on Facebook.
• Portsmouth Farmers Market is from 8 a.m. to noon in the parking lot of Little Harbour Elementary School (50 Clough Drive, Portsmouth) now through Nov. 6. Visit seacoastgrowers.org or find them on Facebook @market03801.
• Warner Area Farmers Market is from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the Warner Town Hall lawn (5 E. Main St.). Visit warnerfarmersmarket.org or find them on Facebook @warnerareafarmersmarket.
• Weare Real Food Farmers Market will be outdoors from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 65 N. Stark Hwy. in Weare beginning May 29. Visit wearerfm.com or find them on Facebook @wearerealfoodfarmersmarket.
• Wilmot Farmers Market will be from 9 a.m. to noon on the Wilmot Town Green (9 Kearsarge Valley Road) beginning June 26 and through Sept. 25. Visit wilmotfarmersmarket.com or find them on Facebook.
Feautred photo: Lakonian Olive Oil is a vendor at this year’s Milford Farmers Market. Courtesy photo.
• ’Cue it up: The Grazing Room at The Colby Hill Inn (33 The Oaks, Henniker) launched its Sunday Night Out event series earlier this month — every Sunday now through Aug. 29, the eatery will serve a local seafood raw bar, a special barbecue-themed a la carte menu, and flight trios of beer, wine and sake, in addition to hosting a different live music act each week courtesy of the New Hampshire Music Collective. Items include New Hampshire oysters on the half shell, jumbo shrimp cocktail or crab claws with cocktail sauce, grilled marinated octopus with tzatziki, a fried clam po’ boy with spicy kimchi and chili mayonnaise, and a cider-braised pulled pork sandwich with coleslaw. Seatings are outdoors, from 4 to 7 p.m. each evening, with reservations required. Visit colbyhillinn.com.
• Ready for tacos: Londonderry-based food trailer B’s Tacos is now open for its ninth season — you can find it outside the BP Gas Station (2 Mohawk Drive, Londonderry) every Tuesday through Saturday (exact times vary) through about October, serving up fresh items from tacos and burritos to taco salads and quesadillas, with fillings that include slow-cooked pork, seasoned ground beef, grilled chicken and chorizo sausage. B’s Tacos also now has a brick and mortar location at 372 Kelley St. in Manchester that is open year-round. Visit nhtacotruck.com or find them on Facebook and Instagram @bstacos.
• Foraged foods: Join the Beaver Brook Association for Wild Edibles, a program to be held at Maple Hill Farm (117 Ridge Road, Hollis) on Sunday, May 23, from 1 to 3 p.m. Presenter and clinical herbalist Rivka Schwartz will talk about the best methods and times for harvesting herbs and how to preserve them. The vitamins, minerals and health benefits of all kinds of wild edibles found in your garden will also be discussed. Attendees will participate in a wild harvest hike followed by preparing and eating foods they harvested. The cost is $22 for Beaver Brook members and $25 for non-members. Visit beaverbrook.org.
• New pasta-bilities: Table 8 Pasta in Bedford, a fast casual eatery specializing in customizable pasta dishes with scratch-made sauces and other ingredients, has assumed new ownership after three years in business. “We are passing the torch … [to] Lisa DeSisto, owner of Rig A Tony’s Italian Takeout and Catering, who we trust will keep our pasta lovers in good hands,” reads a May 9 Facebook post from Table 8 founders Mitch and Stacey DeBonville. “Table 8 will continue to operate during our normal business hours, serve our usual menu offerings and employ our regular … staff.” The post goes on to say that new menu items are expected to be added in the coming weeks, including sandwiches and salads, while catering orders with those expanded items can be placed by phone. Table 8 opened in the summer of 2018 in a 2,600-square-foot space that formerly housed the Royal Bouquet flower shop. DeSisto, who also took over ownership of Clam Haven in Derry last year, has owned Rig A Tony’s for two decades.
• A taste of Haiti: Pre-orders are available now for the next installment of Ansanm, a Haitian-themed dinner series brought to you by owner and executive chef Chris Viaud of Greenleaf and Culture in Milford, along with his family. Viaud, along with his parents Myrlene and Yves, siblings Phil, Kassie and Katie, wife Emilee and sister-in-law Sarah, all work together to create a menu of authentic Haitian dishes each month, offering both dine-in and takeout options at Greenleaf on Sunday, May 23. Items will include poule nan sós (stewed chicken in creole sauce) and griot (marinated pork), each available with side choices of rice, plantains or pikliz, a spicy vegetable slaw of carrots, cabbage, onions and peppers; as well as diri djon djon, a black mushroom rice dish popular in Haiti, potato and beet salad, a Haitian-style spaghetti, and pineapple upside down cake. Order by Saturday, May 22, at 5 p.m., by visiting toasttab.com/greenleaf/v3.
Jillian Kalosky is a criminal defense investigator based in Concord, investigating state and federal criminal cases on behalf of the accused.
Explain what your job is and what it entails.
After someone gets arrested, they either hire an attorney or one is appointed by the court. I’m then hired by the attorney to help prepare the defense. I start by reviewing the investigation conducted by the police. Then oftentimes I talk to people who have information about the case and document what they know. Sometimes they’ve already spoken to the police. Other times, I’m the first person they speak to. If there’s relevant information on social media about the case, I track it down. If my client has an alibi, I track it down. If it makes sense to check out the scene — and it often does — I do that. My work on any given day is driven by the needs of the case.
How long have you had this job?
Over 10 years.
What led you to this career field and your current job?
I was always that weird kid fascinated by crime. When I was fairly young, I saw a TV show about a child who had been murdered. The killer had hidden the body by rolling a huge log on top of it in the woods. It blew my mind. I grew up in a safe, normal, loving household; I couldn’t imagine that sort of thing happening to a child. That always stuck with me. I so deeply wanted to understand it.
What kind of education or training did you need?
I studied sociology and justice studies as an undergrad at UNH. Then, in grad school there, I earned a master’s degree in sociology with a focus in criminology. Nothing compared, though, to the hands-on training I received at the New Hampshire Public Defender. I was an intern there during the summer between undergrad and grad school. Then I was offered a full-time position after my master’s program. I spent almost seven years at the Public Defender. That time was invaluable. I now run my own PI business.
What is your typical at-work uniform or attire?
I dress for the occasion, whether that’s going to court, knocking on doors to try to find a witness, going to the jail, or sitting down for a Zoom meeting with an attorney. You can most often find me in a turtleneck, jeans and Doc Martens.
How has your job changed over the last year?
Throughout the pandemic my work shifted to mostly phone interviews and Zoom meetings. Now that I’m fully vaccinated I’ve been able to resume in-person meetings, visiting clients in jail and interviewing people in their homes.
What do you wish you’d known at the beginning of your career?
How to meditate.
What do you wish other people knew about your job?
I wish people knew that miscarriages of justice do happen. Eyewitnesses get it wrong. People plead guilty to crimes they didn’t commit. People confess to crimes they didn’t commit. About a third of people exonerated through DNA testing gave false confessions. Criminal cases are complicated. It’s rarely ever black-and-white like on TV.
What was the first job you ever had?
I started at the Gap when I was 15. I still fold my clothes the Gap way.
What’s the best piece of work-related advice you’ve ever received?
Don’t take it personally.
Five favorites Favorite book: The Power of Now Favorite movie: The Grand Budapest Hotel Favorite type of music or musician: Classic soul/motown Favorite food: Indian Favorite thing about NH: Birdwatching
Sing and dance your way through fun story songs and jams with Mr. Aaron during a free virtual interactive musical journey hosted by the Stockbridge Theatre in Derry on Saturday, May 22, at 3 p.m. Award-winning musician Mr. Aaron will perform pop favorites, kids’ classics and hits from his latest release, Intergalactic Music Spectacular. You can access the livestream at youtu.be/Yl6vWe31EdY. There is no cost, but a $10 donation is encouraged at stockbridgetheatre.showare.com.
Live festival
Enjoy food, live music and arts vendors during the first installment of the 2021 Exeter Arts & Music Fest, happening Saturday, May 22, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. in Swasey Parkway. Throughout the day there will be 30 artist vendors, 15 musical acts and eight food vendors. TEAM (Town.Exeter.Arts.Music) has expanded the festival to feature an event each month, June 19, July 17, and Aug. 21, with a final event on Sept. 18 to coincide with its annual Fall Equinox Festival. Food at the May event will include Cafe El Camino, Memories Ice Cream, Sweet Crunch Bakeshop and Vernon Family Farm. Musical acts on the main stage will be Qwill at 11 a.m., Bitter Pill at 12:30 p.m., Red Tail Hawk at 2 p.m., Groove Lounge at 3:30 p.m. and Cold Engines at 4:30 p.m. There is a $10 suggested donation per person and $20 per family (pre-event cashless donations are recommended via TeamExeter.org).
Go fly a kite
On Saturday, May 22, from 1 to 3 p.m., head to the Word Barn (66 Newfields Road, Exeter) for an afternoon of kite-flying, food and live music to support the Beyond the Rainbow Fund, which helps Exeter Hospital cancer patients in need. You can bring your own kite or buy one at the event for $10. The Reconstructed will perform, and there will be a food truck there to serve those who don’t want to pack a picnic. The event is free for kids 10 and under, but registration is required at thewordbarn.com.
Get messy
Get ready for water play and messy art when the Children’s Museum of New Hampshire (6 Washington St. in Dover; children’s-museum.org, 742-2002) opens its new outdoor Play Patio exhibit on Thursday, May 20, with features like sensory tables, a water circuit wall, an oversized paint wall and a chalk spinner. The outdoor space is meant to allow kids to get wet and get messy with hands-on activities. There’s the Evaporation Zone, a three-sided wall for brush painting with water, a giant Color Caster sculpture with colorful lenses shading the ground, two sensory tables with materials that will change over time, starting with kinetic sand and tools for molding and creating designs in one, and water beads with hidden sea creatures in the other. For musical fun, Tube Tones is a series of connected PVC tubes that let you pound out a musical beat in the manner of the Blue Man Group. Access to the Play Patio is included with museum admission, which is $11 for adults and children over 1, $9 for seniors 65+, and free for museum members and children under 1. Current hours are Wednesdays and Sundays from 9 to 11:30 a.m. and Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 9 to 11:30 a.m. or 1 to 3:30 p.m.
Books for the family
The Nashua Public Library (2 Court Street, 589-4610) is hosting a Pop-Up Book Sale Saturday, May 22, from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on the library plaza. The book sale will include mainly fiction for all ages, and most items will be $1 or $2. The rain date is Saturday, June 5.
New camp for theater-loving kids
The Community Players of Concord and the Boys & Girls Clubs of Central New Hampshire have announced that they are offering a new theater camp at the Christa McAuliffe School in Concord. The camp is for any kids in grades K through 5, with or without theater experience. There will be five two-week sessions, and campers can register for one or more: Acting and Intro to Theatre, Improv Theatre, Musical Theatre, Acting (Part 2) and Improv (Bigger and Better!). Each session will be led by camp counselors from the Boys & Girls Club who are skilled in theater, and Community Players volunteers will offer help with everything from acting and singing to set design. There will be opportunities for outdoor recreation and other non-theater fun each day as well. The fee is $320 per session, with financial assistance available. Space is extremely limited. Registration is online at centralnhclubs.org or contact Cady Hickman at 268-9568 or chickman@centralnhclubs.org.
I have this necklace that is marked 925. I am wondering if it is real silver or not and what the value might be. Meg
Dear Meg,
Your necklace is real sterling silver; that is what the 925 stands for. The piece is 92.5 percent real silver and then other metals. The tough part here is to figure out the age of your necklace and a maker without any other markings to help us. So to give it a value it could be done by the weight of it (for silver value), or judging it by size and the quality of it.
Sterling silver jewelry is common to find, old or new, and some being very unique and signed can bring really high value in today’s market. Whether it’s from long ago or today, it’s all about the craftsmanship.
Your necklace looks to be in great condition so I would think it should be in the $60 to $100 range in today’s retail market.
Spring puts a spring in my step, quite literally. I bounce out of the house in the morning to see what is blooming, and since early March I have never been disappointed. You know the regular cast of characters in early spring: first snowdrops with their tiny white blossoms, then glory-of-the-snow in blue, white or pink, and winter aconite in brilliant yellow — all blossoming near ground level. But there are lots of other plants to consider, especially now, in May.
One of my favorites is a wildflower called bloodroot (named for its irritating red sap when the roots are disturbed). It has white blossoms that stay closed at night or on cold, wet mornings. It has broad light green leaves that can curl around the blossoms like cigars when they first come up. The leaves can serve as a nice groundcover most of the summer.
I also have a double bloodroot. This was given to me by a friend, and it is quite rare. I found one for sale online, but it is quite expensive. It does not produce viable seed because it is a tetraploid, meaning it has double the number of chromosomes that the ordinary one does. But mine has spread by root over the years, allowing me to dig plants to move to new spots. The blossoms look like miniature double peonies, and it stays in bloom longer than the common one.
I grew up in Connecticut, where we had masses of trout lilies blooming in our hardwood forest. The small yellow lily-like blossoms nod and look down. Here I see plenty of them, but few blossoming. I have learned that only once they have two leaves will they blossom, and mostly I see those with just one leaf.
A few years ago I ordered bulbs from K. van Bourgondian bulb company for a hybrid Western trout lily that is much bigger than the wild ones. The hybrid Erythronium‘Pagoda’ has been an amazing success! The leaves are large and each plant produces two to four flowers on each tall stalk. The blossoms are yellow, but much larger than the wild form I grew up with. They are blooming now, but bulbs are shipped in fall.
Lungwort is a perennial flower that starts blooming very early in the season and persists for many weeks. Not only that, the leaves are interesting all summer long: They are a nice green and most varieties are decorated with white spots. The flowers on any given plant may be blue, pink or peach. Often a patch will have flowers of all three colors — even appearing on a single plant. It spreads by root, and some gardeners avoid it, thinking it will take over the garden, but I love it.
Corydalis or fumewort is a delicate flower that blooms for me in lavender or yellow, spreading by seed to serve as a groundcover. I have never heard anyone call it fumewort so I invite you to use its scientific name. It does well in shade or part shade, and tolerates moist soils well. The leaves are finely cut, almost fern-like, and each blossom is small and downward-looking. Some varieties will re-bloom later in the summer.
Our celandine poppies are starting to bloom in shady areas now. These are not true poppies but are in the poppy family. These are native to North America and do well in shade or part shade, exhibiting bright yellow one- to two-inch-wide four-petaled flowers. The leaves stand up about 20 inches and are handsome all summer. Celandine poppies do best in moist, humus-rich soil but will perform even in dry shade, once established. There is a weedy relative that pops up all over in my garden. Celandine poppies will re-bloom if you cut off the stems after flowering.
One of my favorite early summer flowers is the Forget-Me-Not. It is a rambunctious spreader but pulls easily if it gets where you don’t want it. It stands 6 to 12 inches tall and has lovely bright blue, upward-looking flowers less than half an inch across, with yellow and white eyes. It does best in rich, moist soil in either sun or shade, but will bloom in dry shade if it has to.
It is not clear to me whether forget-me-ots are annuals, biennials or perennials. They self-seed readily, and I generally treat them as annuals. They transplant easily and can serve as a groundcover. But I pull them often to plant other things, and more will show up in the general area the next summer. They even appear along the banks of my brook, where they bloom much of the summer.
I love primroses of all sorts, and my dramatic candelabra primroses (Primula japonica) have their own bed under old apple trees. But they will not bloom until June, so right now I make do with early yellow primroses (Primula eliator) that have been blooming for weeks and show no signs of finishing up their bloom cycle. They stay in tidy clumps.
Now starting to bloom are my Primula kisoana, with lovely pink or magenta-colored flowers. They have no common name, unless you call them, as my wife does, “I wanna kiss-ya,” which is not found in books. They spread vigorously by root in shade, either moist or dry. Probably most vigorous in moist, rich soil, they are polite, going around other plants as they spread, not pushing them out of the way.
Visit your local nursery to see what is in bloom now, or ask your friends for divisions. There are lots of great flowers out there blooming now!
Nashua to host its second pandemic-era Sculpture Symposium
After a successful rescheduled and pandemic-adapted event last summer, the 2021 Nashua International Sculpture Symposium will resume its traditional time in the spring, with sculptors starting work on Monday, May 24.
“Last year, we were able to provide a model for a safe, community-oriented program within a pandemic setting,” artistic director Jim Larson said. “[Having a model] that easily met all of the safety requirements, combined with the amazing and exciting artwork we saw produced, meant that we were excited to try [the symposium] again this year, even while we’re still within a pandemic scenario.”
Started in 2008, the Nashua International Sculpture Symposium was inspired by the Andres Institute of Art International Sculpture Symposium, a similar event held in Brookline every fall. It is the only international sculpture symposium in the U.S. that is held in a city, with the sculptures being placed on public property.
“More public art — and more accessibility to public art — is the name of the game,” Larson said
The symposium invites three experienced sculptors to spend three weeks in Nashua, creating outdoor sculptures for permanent installation in the city. Historically, it has welcomed sculptors from all over the world, but with the pandemic increasing restrictions on international travel, the symposium will, for the second time, feature three sculptors from the U.S. Aside from the discrepancy it creates with the event’s name, Larson said, the absence of an “International” component, though not ideal, doesn’t diminish the impact of the symposium. There’s even an upside, he said: Hosting U.S. sculptors allows Nashua to “build connections with local and somewhat-local similar-minded organizations and artists,” ultimately strengthening the arts community in New Hampshire.
“What’s really exciting about inviting local artists to the symposium is that the resources we collect through grants and donations to support our artists stay right here in our community through that artist and their work,” Larson said.
The sculptors — Gavin Kenyon from New York, Sam Finkelstein from Maine, and Nora Valdez, from Boston, Mass., originally from Argentina — are all mid-career, Larson said, and were chosen based in part on how the symposium could benefit them and their artistic growth. Finkelstein, for example, has worked in stone for many years but has never made a large-scale piece because he lacks the studio infrastructure needed to move thousands of pounds of stone; and Kenyon, whose 20 years as a professional artist has consisted mostly of commission work and private projects, hasn’t had many opportunities to create public art or art in the public domain.
“We’re supporting them and providing what they need to make work that they couldn’t or wouldn’t otherwise,” Larson said.
This year’s sculptors have been challenged to interpret the theme “Introspection” through their pieces — a theme that has emerged in many artists’ work during these pandemic times, Larson said.
“Artists have been isolated in their own studios, more productive than ever, but not having as much dialogue … about their work and ideas, so, in that way, art has become very introspective,” Larson said. “[For the symposium,] we want to keep art within the context of that introspection while bringing it back out into the public realm.”
Working from cast concrete, white marble, red granite and Indiana limestone, all three sculptors have planned figurative pieces depicting elements of the human form. But, as symposium president Gail Moriarty can attest, it’s not uncommon for sculptors to find new inspiration once they’re able to physically engage with the installation site and materials.
“They come with ideas that they’re ready to begin working on, but nothing is finalized until they [start working],” Moriarty said. “It’s really cool to see how those ideas manifest themselves, because we’re never quite sure how they will.”
The sculptors will work six days a week, Monday through Saturday, outside The Picker Artists studios on Pine Street from Monday, May 24, through Friday, June 4, and relocate to the installation site on Saturday, June 5, where they will resume working for one more week. As always, the public is encouraged to stop by the work site to observe and interact with the sculptors, so long as they wear a mask and keep a safe distance.
This “constant viewership and dialogue” surrounding the sculptors while they work is just as integral to the symposium as the sculptures that are produced, Larson said.
“[The way in which] artists physically enact their intentions on their work becomes part of the piece, and being able to watch that makes it easier to engage with the piece of art,” he said.
Moriarty recommends visiting the work site multiple times over the course of the symposium to follow the sculptures’ transformation.
“The materials look different every single day,” she said. “It’s always exciting to come back and see how much they’ve changed.”
The finished sculptures will be revealed during a closing ceremony (not open to the public, but it will be videoed and available to watch online) on Saturday, June 12. The sculptures will be installed collectively in the courtyard at the corner of Church and Court streets in downtown. A quiet, low-traffic space that branches a block off Main Street, the site enables an “intimate viewing experience” of the sculptures, Larson said.
“It’s not like looking at the pieces on Main Street, where there’s traffic whizzing by,” he said. “This is a place where someone can have their own personal time with the pieces.”
14th annual Nashua International Sculpture Symposium Opening and closing receptions: The opening reception will take place on Thursday, May 20, and the closing reception will take place on Saturday, June 12. Neither event is open to the public, but both will be videoed and available to watch online. Visit the sculptors: Sculptors will work Monday through Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., outside The Picker Artists studios (3 Pine St., Nashua) from Monday, May 24, through Friday, June 4, and at the installation site at the corner of Church and Court streets in downtown Nashua from Saturday, June 5, through Saturday, June 12. More info: nashuasculpturesymposium.org
Featured photo: A previous Nashua International Sculpture Symposium. Courtesy photo.
The latest from NH’s theater, arts and literary communities
Howling Wolf by Francine Poitras Jone featured in “Alnôbak Moskijik Maahlakwsikok: Abenaki People Emerging from Ashes” exhibit. Courtesy photo.
• Celebrating Abenaki culture: “Alnôbak Moskijik Maahlakwsikok: Abenaki People Emerging from Ashes,” an art show and sale presented by Two Villages Art Society, Abenaki Trails Project and Vermont Abenaki Artists Association, is on view now through Friday, May 28, at the Two Villages gallery (846 Main St., Contoocook). The show features traditional and contemporary art created by tribal members of the Abenaki people and their community partners, including beading, pottery, birch bark building, fabric art, basketry, print making, painting, jewelry, painted gourds and leather work. “We are excited to amplify the voices, culture, history and present experiences of the Abenaki people … and provide professional development to Abenaki artists,” Alyssa McKeon, Two Villages president, said in a press release. Twenty-five percent of the art sales will be donated to the Abenaki Trails Project and Vermont Abenaki Artists Association to help further their mission of raising awareness about present-day Abenaki people and culture. Gallery hours are Wednesday through Friday, from 1 to 5 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Visit twovillagesart.org.
• Excellence in NH literature: The New Hampshire Writers’ Project is accepting nominations for its biennial New Hampshire Literary Awards now through Monday, June 21. The awards recognize recently published works written about New Hampshire and works written by New Hampshire natives or residents. Fiction, nonfiction, poetry, children’s picture books and middle grade/young adult books published between Jan. 1, 2019, and Dec. 31, 2020, are eligible. All entries will be read and evaluated by a panel of judges assembled by the NHWP. Visit nhwritersproject.org/new-hampshire-literary-awards.
• Youth art on mental health: In honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, the Magnify Voices Expressive Arts Contest Celebration will take place on Thursday, May 20, from 4 to 6:30 p.m. at the Tupelo Drive-In (10 A St., Derry) and virtually via livestream. Now in its third year, the contest invites middle school and high school students in the state to submit original artwork that expresses their experiences with or observations of mental health. “Art lets children express themselves in a way that they may not be able to do in a conversation,” said Michele Watson, family network coordinator for the National Alliance on Mental Illness New Hampshire Chapter, which co-sponsors the event with the New Hampshire Office of the Child Advocate and other mental health- and youth-focused organizations throughout the state. “It’s good not only for them to be able to share their voice, but also because it gives [adults] a better understanding of what they are feeling.” The celebratory event will feature an on-screen display of all 43 works of art submitted this year. Ten finalists chosen by a panel of judges will each be awarded a framed certificate and a $250 cash prize, and the audience, including those watching the livestream from home, will have a chance to vote for their favorite of those finalists to win a People’s Choice Award. Additionally, there will be information booths for around a dozen local organizations involved with youth mental health, as well as a series of presentations by guest speakers, including mental health awareness advocate and former New Hampshire Chief Justice John Broderick; 10-year-old New Hampshire Kid Governor Charlie Olsen, whose platform is childhood depression; and Dr. Cassie Yackley, a specialist in trauma-informed mental health care, discussing the importance of art in mental health. Visit sites.google.com/view/magnify-voices and facebook.com/magnifyvoicesexpressivearts.
• A family issue: The New Hampshire Theatre Project’s Elephant in the Room Series, in partnership with the Seacoast Mental Health Center, presents a reading of A Wider Circle virtually over Zoom on Thursday, May 20, from 7 to 9 p.m. Written by local playwright and social studies teacher Mary Ellen Hedrick, the play centers on the family of a woman in the aftermath of her opioid overdose death. There will be a panel discussion on the opioid crisis’ effect on families with Hedrick, Rebecca Throop of Seacoast Mental Health Center and other opioid addiction and recovery experts following the reading. The event is free, but registration is required. Visit nhtheatreproject.org.
New dates set for Miriam premiere
After being on hold for more than a year, Miriam: First Woman Prophet is ready for the stage. The Manchester Community Theatre Players’ Second Stage Professional Company will present the musical’s world premiere, originally set to run in March 2020, Friday, May 21, through Sunday, May 23, at the MCTP Theatre (North End Montessori School, 698 Beech St., Manchester). The show will be open to a limited live audience and livestreamed for a virtual audience. The musical follows the biblical story of Miriam, a prophetess and the sister of Moses and Aaron, from when she was a young woman who rescued Moses from the river when he was a baby, to helping lead the Israelites out of Egypt and through their 40-year journey to the Promised Land. It features a book co-written by local playwrights Alan Kaplan, MCTP artistic director, and Tom Anastasi, MCTP vice president, and music by Debbie Friedman, a prolific Jewish singer-songwriter who recorded 22 albums of Jewish liturgy music that has been adopted by churches and synagogues throughout the world. According to Kaplan and Anastasi, the idea for Miriam was born out of a conversation between Kaplan and Friedman while they were chaperoning a Jewish history youth trip in Israel in 2002. Friedman, who admired Miriam as a spiritual role model, told Kaplan there were no musicals that centered on a Jewish biblical woman. Knowing that Friedman’s musical catalog contained a number of pieces about notable women from Jewish history, Kaplan volunteered to write the book for a musical about Miriam that would feature Friedman’s music. When he returned home, he invited Anastasi to co-write the book, and they and Friedman collaborated on the musical until Friedman’s death in 2011. Kaplan and Anastasi spent the next several years acquiring the rights to Friedman’s discography and consulting experts on the Bible and on Friedman’s music to ensure that the musical was biblically accurate and that the songs they selected fit the story. They recruited internationally known composer Or Oren to arrange Friedman’s songs for a four-part vocal harmony and full orchestra to give the musical more of a Broadway feel. Miriam is a full-scale production with a 17-person cast, high-tech digital scenery, elaborate costumes and more. “Many people know parts of the story, but being able to experience it live with music … and choreography … will make for an unforgettable night,” Anastasi said in a press release. Showtimes are on Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday at 2 p.m. Tickets cost $20 per person at the theater or $20 per device for the virtual show. Visit manchestercommunitytheatre.com or call 327-6777
Art
Exhibits
• “ALNOBAK MOSKIJI MAAHLAKWSIKIK: ABENAKI PEOPLE EMERGING FROM ASHES” Art show and sale presented by Two Villages Art Society, Abenaki Trails Project and Vermont Abenaki Artists Association. Features traditional and contemporary art created by tribal members of the Abenaki People and their community partners, including beading, pottery, birch bark biting, fabric art, basketry, printing making, painting, jewelry, painted gourds and leather work. On view now through Friday, May 28. Two Villages gallery (846 Main St., Contoocook). Gallery hours are Wednesday through Friday, from 1 to 5 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Visit twovillagesart.org.
• 35TH ANNUAL OMER T. LASSONDE JURIED EXHIBITION The New Hampshire Art Association presents a group art show featuring works in a variety of media by NHAA members and non-members. NHAA’s Robert Lincoln Levy Gallery (136 State St., Portsmouth). On view now through May 30. Call 431-4230 and visit nhartassociation.org.
• DUO ARTIST EXHIBIT Features oils by Jim Ryan and watercolors by Lorraine Makhoul. On view during May. Seacoast Artist Association, 130 Water St., Exeter. Call 778-8856 or visit seacoastartist.org.
• “GEOMETRIC ABSTRACTION THROUGH CUT AND PASTE” City Arts Nashua and The Nashua Telegraph present an exhibition featuring the works of Meri Goyette, including statement collages and collectible greetings cards that she crafted from paper, fabric and glue during the pandemic. On display in the windows and lobby of the Telegraph offices (110 Main St., Suite 1, Nashua). Now through June 11. Visit cityartsnashua.org.
• “TRANSFORMATIONS: NATURE AND BEYOND” The New Hampshire Art Association presents works by digital artist William Townsend. Greater Concord Chamber of Commerce Gallery, 49 S. Main St., Concord. On display now through June 17. Gallery hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Visit nhartassociation.org or call 431-4230.
• “RETABLOS RECONSIDERED” Exhibit features works by 12 artists inspired by retablos, the honorific art form of devotional paintings that relate to miraculous events. Twiggs Gallery (254 King St., Boscawen).On view now through June 6. Gallery hours are Thursday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. Call 975-0015 or visit twiggsgallery.wordpress.com.
• “THE BODY IN ART: FROM THE SPIRITUAL TO THE SENSUAL” Exhibit provides a look at how artists through the ages have used the human body as a means of creative expression. On view now through Sept. 1. Currier Museum of Art, 150 Ash St., Manchester. Museum admission tickets cost $15, $13 for seniors age 65 and up, and must be booked online. Call 669-6144 or visit currier.org.
• GALLERY ART A new collection of art by more than 20 area artists on display now in-person and online. Creative Ventures Gallery (411 Nashua St., Milford). Call 672-2500 or visit creativeventuresfineart.com.
• “TOMIE DEPAOLA AT THE CURRIER” Exhibition celebrates the illustrator’s life and legacy through a collection of his original drawings. On view now. Currier Museum of Art, 150 Ash St., Manchester. Museum admission tickets cost $15, $13 for seniors age 65 and up, and must be booked online. Call 669-6144 or visit currier.org.
Theater
Shows
• A WIDER CIRCLE The New Hampshire Theatre Project’s Elephant-in-the-Room Series, in partnership with the Seacoast Mental Health Center, presents a reading of the play, written by local playwright and social studies teacher Mary Ellen Hedrick. Virtual, via Zoom. Thurs., May 20, 7 to 9 p.m. Free. Registration is required. Visit nhtheatreproject.org.
• FUN HOME The Seacoast Repertory Theatre presents. 125 Bow St., Portsmouth. Now through May 28. Visit seacoastrep.org or call 433-4472.
• GODSPELL The Seacoast Repertory Theatre presents. Virtual and in person at 125 Bow St., Portsmouth. Now through May 30. Visit seacoastrep.org or call 433-4472.
• QUEEN CITY IMPROV The Hatbox Theatre (Steeplegate Mall, 270 Loudon Road, Concord). Fri., May 21 and June 4, and Thurs., June 17, 7:30 p.m. Tickets cost $22 for adults, $19 for seniors and students. Call 715-2315 or visit hatboxnh.com.
• COMEDY OUT OF THE ’BOX The Hatbox Theatre (Steeplegate Mall, 270 Loudon Road, Concord). Sat., May 22 and June 5, and Thurs., June 24, 7:30 p.m. Tickets cost $22 for adults, $19 for members, seniors and students, and $16 for senior members. Call 715-2315 or visit hatboxnh.com.
• TRUE TALES LIVE Monthly showcase of storytellers. Held virtually via Zoom. Last Tuesday of the month, 7 p.m., now through June, and September through December. Visit truetaleslivenh.org.
• ROTARY PARK PLAY FESTIVAL Presented by Powerhouse Theatre Collaborative and Community Players of Concord. Features short original plays by New Hampshire playwrights. Sat., May 29, and Sun., May 30. Outdoors at Rotary Park, 30 Beacon St., E. Laconia. See Powerhouse Theatre Collaborative on Facebook or email powerhouse@belknapmill.org.
