Category: Featured Content

Mank (R)

Mank (R)

Screenwriter Herman Mankiewicz writes Citizen Kane while recuperating from injury and Citizen Kane-ily reflecting on his career in Hollywood in Mank, the most made-for-Oscar-nominations movie I have ever seen.

It is a movie about the movies featuring a character whose name is on one of the Academy Awards’ prizes (that being the Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award; the Irving Thalberg played by Ferdinand Kingsley here is worth his own biopic). Many of the towering figures of 1930s Hollywood appear in this movie set in southern California that somehow captures, despite being in black and white, the sunny California-ness. And you get the intersection of California politics and Hollywood (and the conservative politics of corporate Hollywood clashing with the liberal politics of creative Hollywood) and a testament/cautionary tale about the power of movie magic storytelling in a real political world. There’s a “fake newsreel”! This movie has everything!

When we meet Herman Mankiewicz (Gary Oldman) in 1940, he has recently been in a car accident and has been given a place out toward the southern California desert to recuperate, a nurse (Monika Gossman) to care for him and an assistant, Rita Alexander (Lily Collins), for him to dictate his screenplay to. All of this comes courtesy Orson Welles (Tom Burke), who has hired him to write a screenplay (or begin the writing that the two would complete; look, the authorship of Citizen Kane is a whole thing — what I’m talking about here is what this movie tells us about a screenplay that would ultimately have both Mankiewicz’s and Welles’ names). John Houseman (Sam Troughton) is to work as editor on the project and it seems understood by everybody, immediately, that what Mank is doing is a potentially dangerous undertaking.Even Alexander, a British lady who is more concerned about her RAF pilot husband’s survival than Mank’s career woes, immediately knows that the great man in decline that Mank is writing about is a thinly veiled riff on media magnate William Randolph Hearst (Charles Dance), which would make his ditzy showgirl wife a take on Marion Davies (Amanda Seyfried), even though Mank insists he doesn’t mean it to be her.

In flashbacks we see how Mank used to be a writer at MGM for Louis B. Mayer (Arliss Howard) and used to be a friend of Hearst and his mistress Marion Davies, having met her through her nephew, the writer Charles Lederer (Joseph Cross). The witty Mank was, for a while, a regular at gatherings at Hearst’s house in San Simeon, where he hung out with the likes of Mayer and Thalberg and saw their influence beyond media and into the world of state and national politics. Mank seems to want to appear above politics, playing the sarcastic wiseguy role, but the 1934 governor’s race and Mayer’s and Hearst’s opposition to the Democratic candidate Upton Sinclair seems to make it increasingly hard for Mank to follow his wife Sara’s (Tuppence Middleton) “if you don’t have anything nice to say” advice. And then there’s his own self-destructive behavior — drinking and gambling and a fair amount of what seems like self-loathing.

This feels like such a movie-nerd’s movie I’m not even sure how to judge it. I mean, do I love it? Sure, it checks all the boxes for a movie geek, with movie nostalgia (or not nostalgia, really, because I’m not 110 years old but, like, reveling in the fantasy, mostly built by movies, of the early days of Hollywood) that packs an extra punch both because I haven’t been seeing big Hollywood movies in theaters and because the industry and its future are suddenly, here in 2020, so much in flux. I like all the technical elements of this movie, how in look and sound and scene transitions it looks like a 1940s film. Specifically, it uses a lot of Citizen Kane visual and storytelling elements and, sure, it does so very self-consciously, but it doesn’t make me like it any less.

Oldman’s performance feels, well, Oscar-bait-y in the extreme but captivating nonetheless. He’s not just Herman Mankiewicz; he’s a Herman Mankiewicz-y version of the Herman Mankiewicz character in highly stylized movie. It is not a natural performance, I guess is what I’m saying, nor is anybody else’s, but I bought it.

Look, this is 2020 and for those of us out in the movie fan universe (i.e. not going to virtual film festivals or working for film studios) this glossy Netflix bit of concession stand candy is probably as Hollywood as it’s going to get for us. This was probably always going to be an enjoyable movie to me, but under these circumstances it felt like an extra special bit of movie magic. A-

Rated R for some language. Directed by David Fincher with a screenplay by Jack Fincher, Mank is two hours and 11 minutes long and distributed by Netflix.

Hillbilly Elegy
Ron Howard directed this adaptation of J.D. Vance’s 2016 memoir and it’s streaming on Netflix now. It stars Glenn Close and Amy Adams — both of whom seem to be trying hard for their elusive Oscar wins. Find Amy Diaz’s thoughts on Hillbilly Elegy at hippopress.com, available for free thanks to our members and contributors.

Featured Photo: Mank

Theresa Zwart

Theresa Zwart of Derry is the owner of 603 Charcuterie (603charcuterie.com, find them on Facebook and Instagram), a new business specializing in customizable charcuterie to-go platters, featuring a variety of cheeses, meats, crackers, jams and other items. She currently operates on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays as well as most holidays, accepting orders via phone, email or social media messages. Charcuterie platters are available in several sizes. 603 Charcuterie is currently offering a special antipasto charcuterie wreath for the holidays.

What is your must-have kitchen item?

The only utensil I use — a knife!

What would you have for your last meal?

Fancy cheeses. Manchego is my favorite. It’s a very dry cheese, similar to Parmesan.

What is your favorite local restaurant?

Gauchos Churrascaria Brazilian Steakhouse [in Manchester]. I love all of the yummy meat and fish choices brought around to you by the waiters. Probably why I love charcuterie boards so much.

What celebrity would you like to see ordering a charcuterie platter from you?

Jennifer Lawrence. I feel like she would aggressively and wholeheartedly love these cheeses and meats.

What is your personal favorite type of platter you’ve made for someone since starting this business?

My first one. I brought it in as a gift for my co-workers … and they all encouraged me to sell these. … It was basically similar to my extra-large order, so it had seven different cheeses, five different meats and a couple of different jams. It was a pretty big variety.

What’s the biggest food trend in New Hampshire right now?

I’m going with breweries. They’re popping up all over the place and almost everyone I know of goes to them. I personally love them as well.

What is your favorite thing to cook at home?

Anything on the grill! Steak tips, turkey tips, any vegetable, chicken, pizza, all of it.

Caramelized onion and fig jam baked brie

From the kitchen of Theresa Zwart of 603 Charcuterie (603charcuterie.com)

1 wheel of brie cheese (4 to 5 inches in diameter)
½ large sweet yellow onion
1 tablespoon light brown sugar
2 tablespoons olive oil
Pinch of salt and pepper
3 tablespoons fig jam
1 container/tube store-bought puff pastry
1 tablespoon flour
1 egg
Choice of dipping items (such as apple slices, crackers or baguettes)

Slice onion, then heat in a skillet on medium-high heat with olive oil. After five minutes, turn on low to medium heat, then add brown sugar, salt and pepper. Keep stirring occasionally for 15 to 20 minutes, until onions are nice and caramelized. Preheat the oven at 400 degrees. Roll pastry dough out with the flour, big enough to cover the whole wheel of brie. Place brie in the center of the dough. Top with fig jam and caramelized onions. Wrap the dough all the way on top of the brie, overlapping the edges of dough for full coverage. Paint an egg wash on the outside of the dough. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the dough is golden brown. Let it sit for 15 minutes and serve with dipping choices.

Featured Photo: Theresa Zwart

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.

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..

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.

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.

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.

Stay in the loop!

Get FREE weekly briefs on local food, music,

arts, and more across southern New Hampshire!