Category: Featured Content

Books to give

Looking to gift a book? Here are some of the books our reviewers loved this year:

William, by Mason Coile I don’t like horror, but I loved this absorbing, disturbing little book. —Jennifer Graham

Funny Story, by Emily Henry This isn’t all fluff and love, and I don’t think I rolled my eyes once. It is definitely funny, but it’s so much more than that, too: It’s a story of human relationships and all of the messiness and intensity that come along with them, how they can start and end in the most unpredictable ways, and how we all have the capacity to overcome heartbreak and learn to love again. —Meghan Siegler

Playground, by Richard Powers This novel wants us to to think deeply about the unintended consequences of the development of AI and human dominance of the planet as we wade through the events of each character’s life, laid out in constantly changing points of view. For those willing to rise to the challenge Playground is a wholly immersive experience [that] gives the reader a mental workout. —JG

The Women, by Kristin Hannah Hannah superbly blends the heaviness of war with the frailty of humans at their most vulnerable — and often at their best. —MS

Bird Milk and Mosquito Bones, by Priyanka Mattoo Mattoo’s writing is exquisite …. It’s been a while since I enjoyed a collection of essays so much. —JG

The Demon of Unrest, by Erik Larson Larson tells stories that explain the onset of the Civil War better than any AP history course ever could. Nobody does it better when it comes to putting readers in the trenches of history, in this case with cannonballs whizzing over our heads. —JG

And here are a few more recent releases that may make good gifts.

What the Chicken Knows: A New Appreciation of the World’s Most Famous Bird, by Sy Montgomery (96 pages) Montgomery is also the author of The Soul of an Octopus and other books about animals. She lives in New Hampshire.

Heartbreak is the National Anthem: How Taylor Swift Reinvented Pop Music, by Rob Sheffield “An impassioned dissertation on (almost) all things Swiftian,” says the Washington Post of this book by a veteran Rolling Stone writer.

Atlas Obscura: Wild Life, by Cara Ciaimo and Joshua Foer A guide to giant Gippsland earthworms, hot springs snow monkeys, vampire finches and other amazing creatures of the world. “The perfect tome to get lost in on a rainy day,” said Taste of Home. Check out AtlasObscura.com.

Webb’s Universe, by Dr. Maggie Aderin-Pocock A catalog of images from the James Webb Space Telescope along with backstory on the science behind them, from a British space scientist.

Kitchen toys

Gifts for all budgets and levels of culinary nerdery

If you’ve been trying to think of a holiday gift for the cook, baker or mad scientist in your life, here are a few suggestions that you might not have thought of.

• Anova Sous Vide starting at $69.99 at anovaculinary.com. A sous vide is a fun toy for a kitchen gadget enthusiast. Originally designed for use in science labs, it keeps a water bath at a constant temperature, allowing a cook to bring a food to an exact temperature. If, for instance, you want to have a boiled egg with a yolk at just the right level of runniness, this will help you do it. If you want to pasteurize a particular food at an exact temperature, boom! Anova sous vides clamp onto the side of any deep vessel, like a soup pot, and are controlled via an app on your smartphone. Search for “sous vide” on YouTube, and you will be hooked.

• Victorinox Swiss Classic 8-Inch Chef’s Knife with Straight-Edge Blade and Black Handle $61 at victorinox.com.The best, most useful tool in any kitchen is a sharp, high-quality chef’s knife. Watch any non-baking cooking competition, and most of the contestants will make a bit of a production of unrolling their canvas knife carrier. Victorinox is the company that makes Swiss Army Knives, and this is their beginner’s kitchen knife that is perfect for culinary students and 98 percent of the rest of us. It is comfortable in the hand, holds an edge well, and chops, cuts and slices like a dream. Send it out to be sharpened two or three times per year, and the cook on your list will be 15 to 18 percent happier in the kitchen.

product photo of man wearing toolshop apron filled with woodworking and repair tools
Shop apron

• Apron. A good apron is a necessity in any kitchen and probably gives a cook the most latitude for self-expression. There are classics, like a solid or pinstriped professional apron available from any restaurant supply store, or the iconic “Kiss the Cook” apron. You can easily find aprons designed to reflect any personality, from the NRA to NPR, from a favorite sports team to obscure anime characters. Personally, I love my shop apron, originally designed for woodworkers; it is made from sturdy canvas and has more pockets than any one cook is likely to need.

• Bar tools about $25 online or from a restaurant supply store. Almost any chef will tell you to buy your pots and pans or knives individually, rather than in a set, so you get exactly the tools you need and very few of the ones that will sit around cluttering up your cabinet. If you are shopping for someone looking to learn how to mix drinks, there are four basic tools that will allow them to make virtually any cocktail: a Boston shaker (a two-part big cup and little cup for shaking drinks with ice), a long-handled bar spoon for drinks like martinis that shouldn’t be shaken, a small strainer (I like a simple $3 mesh drain strainer; it fits well over almost any glass) and a hand-held citrus juicer. Any of these will make good stocking stuffers, or as a set, with a bottle of liquor, they will be an excellent wrapped present.

• The Flavor Bible: The Essential Guide to Culinary Creativity, Based on the Wisdom of America’s Most Imaginative Chefs by Karen Page and Andrew Dornenburg (2008, Little, Brown and Co.) hardcover $45. This reference book is the authoritative guide to pairing flavors with each other. It is perfect for the cook in your life who enjoys developing their own recipes.

product image of King Arthur Baking Company book, titled All purpose baker's companion

• The All-Purpose Baker’s Companion by King Arthur Baking Co. (2021, Countryman Press) hardcover $40. Cooking is fun, because most of the time you can throw things together on a whim and see how they work together (especially if you own a copy of The Flavor Bible). Baking can be intimidating, because recipes need to be exact to achieve the chemical reactions needed to produce proper cookies, cakes and breads. Every recipe in this book has been rigorously tested by the staff at King Arthur. There are chapters devoted to technique, and the science of baking, and useful, easy to understand charts and descriptions of tools and ingredients.

• Cast-iron Dutch oven starting at $34.95 at lodgecastiron.com. A cast-iron Dutch oven is the Swiss army knife of kitchen pots. It is perfect for braising a pork shoulder, deep-frying corn fritters or baking a loaf of sourdough bread. Many cooks prefer Dutch ovens that have been coated with enamel, but properly seasoned, a plain iron one will give several generations’ worth of service. Lodge is the go-to for cast-iron cookware. You could easily spend $400 or more for a French, enameled Dutch oven and worry about damaging it, or you can spend less than $100 for a no-nonsense one that you can break out the same morning you unwrap it.

• An expensive, over-the-top kitchen gift: A KitchenAid Stand Mixer starting at $249 at KitchenAid.com. A KitchenAid mixer is the gold standard of kitchen tools. It will probably work perfectly for 30 years or more, and if it ever does break down KitchenAid will happily repair it, often under warranty. They are available in a range of colors and sizes, and a short search online will reveal an infinite number of decals to personalize your mixer. This is a solid investment. KitchenAid sells reconditioned mixers for as little as $200, and you can find them for even less at flea markets. Because of their sterling reputation, an old used KitchenAid carries as much cachet as a new one, maybe more.

• A completely ridiculously expensive holiday kitchen gift: A Reconditioned Taylor Commercial Soft-Serve Ice Cream Machine with Three-Flavor and Twist Capability $8,995 at New Hampshire Restaurant Equipment (783 Second St., Manchester, nhrestequip.com). Is it ridiculous to spend $9,000 on a soft-serve machine? That depends. Is it more ridiculous than parking a new car with one of those giant red bows on it in your driveway? If you want a perfect, once-in-a-lifetime present for the soft-serve extremist in your life, this is it. When other parents are bringing trays of brownies to a PTA fundraiser, your newly retired father will be selling his patented mango-fudge ripple ice cream and slipping freebies to kids when their parents aren’t looking.

Looking to give a cookbook? Here are a few standout recent releases.

• America’s Test Kitchen 25: 500 Recipes That Change the Way America Cooks (2024, America’s Test Kitchen) This book feels like it could be a winner with kitchen novices and your family’s best cook — you get cast Q&As and discussions of some dishes as well as “why it works” explanations and thorough methods for every dish.

• Bake Club, 101 Must-Have Moves for Your Kitchen by Christina Tosi and Shannon Salzano (2024, Alfred A. Knopf) Tosi, of Milk Bar fame, is a fun baker who makes fun things — in this book that includes Ice Cream Loaf Cake, Cinnamon Buns with Brown Sugar Goo and Pop Rocks.

• Easy Weeknight Dinners from New York Times Cooking by Emily Weinstein (2024, Ten Speed Press) The New York Times Cooking recipes are almost as sure-bet as America’s Test Kitchen; the pico de gallo (made to go with hot dogs) is already one of my go-tos.

• Pan Y Dulce, The Latin American Baking Book By Bryan Ford (2024, Voracious Books) Even breads and desserts that seem specific to one country or region — a Chilean bread, a Mexican cookie — have history that weaves together native ingredients and methods, colonial influences and often origins even beyond Spain or Portugal, as Ford explains.

• My Mexican Kitchen by Eva Longoira (2024 Clarkson Potter) Taking the Stanley-Tucci-in-Italyapproach to food in Mexico on her CNN show, Eva Longoria has become one of my favorite aspirational food exploration people, both on her show and in her podcast, Hungry for History.

• Turkaz Kitchen, Traditional & Modern Dough Recipes for Sweet & Savory Bakers by Betül Tunç (2024, Ten Speed Press) Tunç gained a following for her bakes on Instagram but what grabbed me about the book was that it both offers Turkish bakes (Turkish Pistachio Baklava, the sesame and molasses coated Simit) and things like Raspberry Key Lime Bars, Beef Empanadas with Salsa Roja and Salsa Verde, and Garlic Naan.

• What Goes with What: 100 Recipes, 20 Charts, Endless Possibilitiesby Julia Turshen (2024, Flatiron Books) On their own, this book’s charts are a valuable resource, breaking down something like a sandwich into its parts — bread, main thing, creamy layer, crunchy layer and extra acidic thing — and then giving suggestions for what each thing could be used to create, for example “Best Ham Sandwich.” We get her recipes to go with these charts.

• When Southern Women Cook edited by Morgan Bolling (2024, America’s Test Kitchen) You normally don’t read cookbooks cover to cover but this book, as much a history book as a cookbook, is an exception. You get the stories of a dish, and its many variations, and ingredients and their connections to Native, African, Latin, European and Asian cultures and specific women who had a hand in popularizing the foods. — Amy Diaz

Give the gift of fun

Give memberships to local museums

Compiled by Zachary Lewis
[email protected]

Give a year of experiences with membership to an area museum. Many of the museums listed here are geared to families or have family-fun activites, making membership a yearlong gift for families looking for something to do (and to maybe sneak in a little learning). Up the fun factor by adding a gift from the gift shop.

• SEE Science Center (see-sciencecenter.org, 669-0400, 200 Bedford St., Manchester) Memberships are available as gifts and gift cards are available too. Membership plans range from $30 to $150 per year. All membership levels include priority admission and discounts to SEE special programs and summer camp; $50 discount on a child’s birthday party at SEE; 10 percent off purchases at the SEE gift shop over $10; and reciprocal membership with the Millyard Museum, which is in the same building. Membership also includes occasional special benefits; for example, in January 2025 SEE members may save on admission fees at the Seacoast Science Center in Rye, and in May SEE members can receive free admission for up to four people one time at the Squam Lakes Natural Science Center in Holderness.

The SEE Science Center is open from Tuesday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. with last admission 3 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m with last admission at 4 p.m. SEE will be closed on Tuesday, Dec. 24, and Wednesday, Dec. 25, but will be open on select Mondays and holidays/school vacations including Mondays, Dec. 23 and Dec. 30. The SEE Gift Shop has science souvenirs, books, science kids and other toys.

• McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center (2 Institute Drive, Concord, starhop.com, 271-7827) Membership packages range from $35 a year to $300 a year depending on the level; a family membership, for example, admits a member and four guests and costs $120 per year. All member levels are 10 percent off until Saturday, Dec. 14. They will have special shopping hours from Monday, Dec. 16, through Friday, Dec. 20, and the Science Store gift shop will be open from 10:30 a.m. until 4 p.m. each day (the exhibits and planetarium will be closed on those days).

According to their website, all membership levels include free admission to the Discovery Center exhibit halls, the Science Playground, and regularly scheduled planetarium shows; free admission to their monthly Super Stellar Fridays series; and free or reduced admission to more than 300 science centers that are part of the Association of Science-Technology Centers (ASTC) reciprocal program. Membership also includes discounts on Discovery Center workshops and programs, and discounts at the Science Store. For more information contact Kelly Thompson at [email protected] or call 415-1657.

At the Science Store, find a variety of space- and science-themed toys and items including stuffed spacecraft and space-themed socks.

• The Aviation Museum of New Hampshire (27 Navigator Road, Londonderry, 669-4820, aviationmuseumofnh.org) This museum dedicated to the science, technology, history and culture of aviation features interactive exhibits and educational programs. Youth programs include the ‘Flights of Discovery’ Summer Camp as well as the high school student plane-building project.

Membership is open to anyone, and membership benefits include free admission to the Aviation Museum; a subscription to the quarterly Aeronaut publication; borrowing privileges in the Slusser Aviation Lending Library; regular email updates about museum activities and events; and a 20 percent discount at the Aviation Museum store, according to the Museum’s website.

Individual memberships are $50 and a membership for two is $100. Three premium levels of membership range from $250 to $1000.

The Aviation Museum is open Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Sunday, 1 to 4 p.m. It is open to appointments or private group tours as well. Admission costs $10 for adults, $5 for seniors age 65 and over, veterans, active duty and kids ages 6 through 12, and is free for kids age 5 and under, with a $30 maximum for families.

The gift shop will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily Monday, Dec. 16, through Sunday, Dec. 22. The shop features airplane and aeronautical themed toys and stuffed animals as well as museum merch.

The museum also sells Heritage Trail passports which cost $30 and offer one free admission each to 21 New Hampshire museums (see nhmuseumtrail.org).

• The Children’s Museum of New Hampshire (6 Washington St., Dover, 742-2002, childrens-museum.org) This family museum features unique interactive exhibits with a focus on art, science and culture.

The Children’s Museum has various membership levels, according to their website. A family membership is $125 and allows unlimited visits to CMNH for one year for two parents and their dependent children under 18 living in the same household; 10 percent off museum shop purchases, classes, camps, and museum rentals; and pre-sale access and invitations to special events. Guest options can be added to a membership. You can also gift one-time passes for $12.50 each.

The museum offers a variety of special programs throughout the year. Coming up: Jingle Bell Extravaganza will take place on Sunday, Dec. 22, at 1 and 3 p.m. Participants will meet Santa for a photo opportunity and receive a special gift, and there will be hands-on holiday craft activities and a magical science experiment. Tickets are $18 for members, $22 for nonmembers, and free for kids under 12 months.

On Tuesday, Dec. 31, parents, children and extended families can “ring in 2025 together while the sun is shining” at the Museum’s Family New Year’s Eve Celebration. The countdown to midnight will be held at 10:30 a.m. during the morning play session and at 2 p.m. during the afternoon play session. Tickets are $6.50 for members, $13 for nonmembers, and free for kids under the age of 12 months.

Museum hours are Tuesday through Sunday, 9 a.m. to noon, with an additional session from 1 to 4 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday. The gift shop features games, toys, a variety of kinds of putty, stuffed animals and more.

• Currier Museum of Art (150 Ash St., Manchester, 669-6144, currier.org) The Currier is open Wednesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Children 12 and under always have free gallery admission.

The second Saturday of each month from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. is designated for special art-making activities whole family designed to relate to an exhibition or the collection, complemented by a 20- to 30-minute interactive family tour devoted to the month’s theme.

Currier Museum membership grants special access to exhibitions, invitations to special events, and a behind-the-scenes look at art. Individual membership costs $65 and includes unlimited free admission; invitations to member-only openings and events; 10 percent discount at the Museum Shop, café, and art classes; a special price for Frank Lloyd Wright tours; and one free admission pass for a friend. College students with a valid ID and seniors 65+ save $5 on an individual membership.

Dual membership costs $100 and applies to two adult cardholders. Seniors 65+ save $10 on a dual membership.

Household membership costs $120 and includes unlimited free admission for two adult cardholders and all family members under 18; two additional free general admissions for accompanying guests for each visit; invitations to member-only openings and events for the two cardholders; a special price for Frank Lloyd Wright tours; a 10 percent discount at the Museum Shop, café, and art classes; and two free admission passes for friends. Other membership levels range from $300 to $900. The museum shop offers gifts for all ages.

• The Millyard Museum (200 Bedford St., Manchester, manchesterhistoric.org, 622-7531 ) The Museum has two games that can be printed off or picked up at the museum: the Millyard Museum Fun Book, which has word searches, drawing, and more, and Mystery Objects, which is an I Spy-type scavenger hunt.

Admission is $10 for adults, $8 for seniors and college students, $5 for children between the ages of 12 to 18, and free for children under 12; Manchester Historic Association members are admitted at no charge. The Millyard Museum is generally open Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Membership categories range from $40 to $1,000. A family/duel membership (covering a household) costs $75. Membership benefits according to the website include unlimited visits to the Millyard Museum and MHA Research Center; notice of exhibits, lectures, walking tours, concerts and special events; free or discounted admissions to MHA programs and events; special invitations to exhibit previews and special members-only events; 10 percent or greater discount on research services, photocopies and photograph orders and on purchases in the Museum Shop, and more. The museum shop sells a variety of items including Manchester and New Hampshire history-related books and souvenirs, old-fashioned kids’ toys and the Association’s 2025 calendar (which costs $18).

Henry can be reached at [email protected]. His column appears here monthly.

Holiday gifts for the gardener

Books, seeds and tools for digging in the dirt

I am a bit embarrassed to admit this, but I believed in Santa Claus longer than anyone I have ever met. Fifth grade, maybe sixth. To this day, some 70 years later, I still believe in the mystery and joy of giving wonderful gifts that suit the receiver, things that will surprise and delight the recipient — just as Santa always did for me. Let’s look at some great gifts you might consider for your loved ones this holiday season.

Books are always wonderful gifts. My favorite new book is by Barbara Damrosch, author of the fabulous The Garden Primer. It is called A Life in the Garden: Tales and Tips for Growing Food in Every Season. It imparts lots of information from a lifetime of gardening and farming in Maine alongside her husband, author Eliot Coleman. Along with good information, it has delightful snippets about her life and views. I learned that I can plant rows of carrots just 2 or 3 inches apart — each carrot needs just 4 square inches. I’ve been wasting space! Reading it is like sitting down with a knowledgeable Auntie and listening to stories and tips. Unlike most gardening books, it made me laugh out loud, too. Hardback $40.

Another favorite this year is Plants for the Winter Garden: Perennials, Grasses, Shrubs, and Trees to Add Interest in the Cold and Snowby Warren Leach. Since we have five months or more of cold, this book is very useful. Leach is a prize-winning garden designer, and his book is nicely illustrated with lots of photos and useful information. Hardback $40.

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that I have re-printed my book Organic Gardening (not just) in the Northeast: A Hands-On Month-by-Month Guide. It is a collection of my articles gleaned from 10 years of this column. Each of the 12 chapters has eight articles relevant to a month in the garden. Get a signed copy by sending $24 to Henry Homeyer, PO Box 364, Cornish Flat, NH 03746.

It’s not just regular visits to the garden that make a good gardener: It’s also tools. Good tools make gardening more efficient, less work and more fun. Every year I mention my favorite weeding tool: the CobraHead weeder (www.CobraHead.com). It is a curved single-tine weeder that easily gets under weeds and allows you to tease out all the roots. Mine is a steel extension of my hand, and I use it for planting, weeding and more.

New to me this year is the 10-tine bedding fork. The one I use is made by Ames and comes with a sturdy wooden handle (which is better than fiberglass, I believe). Originally made for cleaning manure out of stalls, it is perfect for moving mulch, wood chips, straw and compost. It can also be used to smooth out the mulch after spreading it.

Watering cans are often a disappointment. I no longer will buy plastic ones — the material often breaks down in the sun after just a few years. But good galvanized metal watering cans can be expensive and are not often sold at your local garden center or hardware store. Here’s what to look for: Get one with a handle that runs from the front to the back of the can. This allows you to easily carry it and to water with one hand. Handles going from side to side require two hands. Size is important. I like big: 2.5 gallons. Smaller people may want smaller cans. Water weighs 8 pounds per gallon. Make sure the rose (nozzle) is removable for cleaning out leaves. Mine is antique, and you might find a good one in a second-hand store.

Seeds are good stocking stuffers and offer friends new varieties to try. I started cardoon seeds indoors under lights this year, starting in early February. At maturity the plants stood up to 3 feet tall with handsome gray-green leaves. Best of all, the ribs of the leaves, when cooked properly, taste just like their relative, artichoke, and provide much more food. Got a favorite winter squash? Give a packet of seeds. Kohlrabi is another lesser-known veggie with seeds you might give to a friend to try.

Heirloom, self-harvested tomato seeds you saved can also be shared if your recipient is willing to start seedlings indoors. Or give seeds from your favorite annual poppies or morning glories.

canvas bag with wheat design on bottom and word Bread across the front, laying flat on table, ties at top for closing.
This bread bag is an alternative to plastic for home made bread.

My wife Cindy and I are committed to minimizing our use of plastic, both for the environment and for our health. Plastic is a petroleum product and has been found to exude micro-particles of plastic that we ingest. If you agree, think about buying glass containers for leftovers and store purchases. I get all my deli meats wrapped in paper and transfer them to glass containers when I get home. I recently solved the problem of how to keep bread fresh from the bakery without using a plastic bag for storage: King Arthur Flour makes cloth bags with an inner bag of waxed fabric. It really works!

Fend Off: Deer and Rabbit Repellent is another good gift. A package contains 25 small cylinders with a close pin attachment. They contain garlic oil and last all winter! These really work for me.

A gift certificate to your local, family-run gardening center is another great choice. It helps them make it through the winter, and it provides choice for your loved one.

Henry can be reached at [email protected]. His column appears here monthly.

Homemade gifts

Where to make your own one-of-a-kind gift

Compiled by Zachary Lewis
[email protected]

Not sure what to give? Make an original gift of your own or give a gift certificate for someone to make their own something special.

• Manchester Craft Market (Mall of New Hampshire, 1500 S. Willow St., manchestercraftmarket.com) On Friday, Dec. 13, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. “In My Cookie Decorating Era” Cookie Decorating Class will be presented by Sweet Treats by Emilee. Included in the ticket price is everything you need to fully decorate six professionally baked sugar cookies, according to the website. Tickets are $65. On Saturday, Dec. 14, from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. Dash of Creativity will present Macrame Yarn Gnomes. Tickets are $50. On Tuesday, Dec. 17, from 10 a.m. to noon Fluid Art will be presenting their Ornament Class. Tickets are $35. On Friday, Dec. 20, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Sweet Treats by Emilee will be hosting a Christmas Cookie Decorating Class. Tickets are $60. Also Dec. 20, from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. Fluid Art will hold their Fluid Art Christmas Ornaments Class.

• Studio 550 Art (550 Elm St., Manchester, 232-5597, 550arts.com) Participants who make three crafts will receive a $15 digital gift card. This applies to mosaics, paint-your-own, and any of the art-at-home-kits.

Art at Home Project Kits include Watercolor Bundles, which lead purchasers step-by-step through three paintings in a themed bundle with an introductory tutorial video and guided exercises; Open-Ended Clay, which includes a 1 1/2-pound ball of clay and basic tools; Mosaic Coasters, and Paint Your Own Pottery.

The Maker’s Lounge service offers a making session with the final cost to be based on the pieces chosen. Base shapes range from $7 to $80 but most are between $20 and $30, according to the website. All youth must be accompanied by a responsible and watchful adult, and while directions for the steps will be provided, this will be unstructured making time without a guided lesson or teacher, according to the website.

Studio 550’s Handmade Holiday Market will run the week of Monday, Dec. 16, through Monday, Dec. 23. Participants will find pottery, stained glass, ornaments, and more from noon to 8 p.m. The Studio will be closed Sunday, Dec. 22.

• You’re Fired (25 S. River Road, Bedford, 641-3473; 133 Loudon Road, Concord, 226-3473; and 264 N. Broadway, Salem, 894-5456; yourefirednh.com) Walk-ins are always welcome at this pottery painting studio and various daily promotions are held, such as Mini Mondays (half off from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. they provide half off studio fees for children 12 and under), Ladies Night on Tuesday and Thursday from 5 to 9 p.m, Senior Wednesdays from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. (seniors receive half off their studio fee) and Teen Fridays (from 5 to 9 p.m. when teens get half off studio fees).

• The Canvas Roadshow (25 S. River Road, Bedford, thecanvasroadshow.com, 913-9217) Workshops include sea glass art, canvas painting and wood crafts. Registration is typically required and closes a few days before the project date. Upcoming projects include: Tuesday, Dec. 17, 6:30 to 9:30 p.m.: Cozy Knit Blanket Workshop, $95; Wednesday, Dec. 18, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.: Pick Your Project, $45 to $75; Thursday, Dec. 19, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.: Resin Art Ocean Wave – Trays and Shapes, $55 to $75; Friday, Dec. 20, 6:30 to 9 p.m.: Tumbled Sea Glass Holiday Tree, $58 to $72; Saturday, Dec. 21, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.: Open Studio/Walk-in (no registration required, kid-friendly); Saturday, Dec. 21, 6 to 8 p.m.: Crushed Glass Ornaments, Snow Globes & Trees, $35 to $60; Sunday, Dec. 22, 2 to 4 p.m.: Sea Glass Creations, $50 to $60; and Sunday, Dec. 22, 6 to 8 p.m.: Resin Art Ocean Wave – Trays and Shapes.

• Creative Ventures ( 411 Nashua St., Milford, 672-2500, creativeventuresfineart.com) Creative Ventures offers multi-session art classes and workshops for all ages, taught by professional artists and art teachers. Call or check the website for the current schedule.

• Currier Museum of Art ( 150 Ash St., Manchester, 669-6144, currier.org) On Saturday, Dec. 14, from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. the workshop Tantalizing Textures with Rachel Montroy allows participants to “take a deep dive into the rich textures found within the realm of fiber arts,” according to their website. Inspired by the Currier’s current exhibition, “Olga de Amaral: Everything is Construction and Color,” the class will explore a variety of textile media, including fabric, wool and yarn, to create a dimensional wall hanging, and students will be introduced to basics such as hand sewing, weaving and felting, and then be given the option to focus on one technique or combine them all. No experience is necessary and those with fiber/art knowledge will be creatively challenged. All materials and tools will be provided. Cost is $144 for members, $160 for non-members.

Featured image: Courtesy photo.

News & Notes 24/12/12

Hospital partnership

According to a press release, the State of New Hampshire will enter a public-private partnership with Dartmouth Health to operate Hampstead Hospital and Residential Treatment Facility under a proposed agreement.

In a statement, Gov. Sununu said that “in 2022, the State of New Hampshire purchased Hampstead Hospital to ensure that critical mental health care services for children were not lost.This partnership with Dartmouth Health will ensure one of the country’s most prestigious health systems is taking care of New Hampshire’s kids. This is an amazing win-win opportunity that ensures world-class care while saving an estimated $20 Million annually in overhead costs to the state. Without this contract, the long-term stability of the state’s only mental health hospital for children is at significant risk.”

Hampstead Hospital and Residential Treatment Facility will provide inpatient psychiatric care, partial hospitalization services and psychiatric residential treatment center services, and Dartmouth Health will ensure that these services are available to children and young adults in alignment with New Hampshire Children’s Behavioral Health System of Care, according to the release.

Dartmouth Health currently provides behavioral health services at New Hampshire Hospital and the Youth Detention Center, according to the same release.

Home ski home

According to a press release, the New Hampshire Division of Travel and Tourism (DTTD) is anticipating an estimated three million people will visit New Hampshire this winter, with spending by those visitors expected to reach a record $1.6 billion.

In a statement, Taylor Caswell, commissioner of the NH Department of Business and Economic Affairs, said, “New Hampshire’s winter season is an integral part of our tourism industry, driving jobs, and supporting businesses in every corner of the state. Whether here for an experience on the slopes or off, every winter visitor is helping support the region’s economy and build on New Hampshire’s reputation as a premiere vacation destination.”

The news was announced as part of Ski New Hampshire’s Ski 603 Winter Kickoff at McIntyre Ski Area in Manchester, according to the press release.

In a statement, President of Ski NH Jessyca Keeler said that “our resorts are ready to welcome skiers and riders regardless of the forecast, after making capital improvement investments in snowmaking over the past year. Newer, more efficient equipment has made a dramatic difference, improving snow production and snow quality, while at the same time increasing sustainability and reducing energy impact. It enables ski areas to open earlier and stay open even when Mother Nature isn’t producing as much snow as we’d like.”

New Hampshire’s winter marketing campaign platform features outdoor adventures for all levels and abilities, indoor adventures, and the beauty of New Hampshire’s natural landscapes, according to the press release, and will fully launch in January in New England and eastern Canada.

No wait

According to a press release, The New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and New Hampshire Hospital announced that on Friday, Dec. 6, there were no adults in hospital emergency departments (ED) waiting for inpatient psychiatric treatment and this marks the first time this has happened since DHHS began collecting data on the waitlist nearly four years ago.

In a statement, Gov. Sununu said, “Mission Zero set New Hampshire on a path to ensuring timely access to mental health care. Our work is not yet finished, but it is clear that our efforts have made great progress and are delivering results.”

In a statement, DHHS Commissioner Lori Weaver said that “for the past 14 months, our Mission Zero partnership has worked across the mental health system to develop new solutions to the issue. While we still have much work to do to eliminate the wait list for good, reaching zero today demonstrates that Mission Zero is working for the people of New Hampshire.”

The press release said that between Nov. 1, 2023, and Nov 1, 2024, the average daily waitlist declined 35 percent.

In October of this year, patients waited less than two days, three fewer days than the year prior, according to the same release.

Information on the number of adults waiting involuntarily in the Emergency Department for an Acute Psychiatric Bed can be found under the Inpatient Care & Coordination tab of the Mission Zero Dashboard on the DHHS website. Visit dhhs.nh.gov/programs-services/mental-health/mission-zero.

Holiday scams

According to a press release, the Consumer Protection and Antitrust Bureau of the New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office is alerting residents about potential scams this holiday shopping season, specifically with online shopping and gift card frauds. Shoppers are advised to verify websites and to be cautious of “too good to be true” deals, and use credit cards for added protection; never buy gift cards for someone you don’t know, and avoid sharing card details with anyone; and confirm charity registration with the New Hampshire Charitable Trusts Unit before donating, according to the website.

New England Vegetable and Fruit Conference and Trade Show takes place from Tuesday, Dec. 17, to Thursday, Dec. 19, at the DoubleTree by Hilton Manchester Downtown (700 Elm St.). Visit newenglandvfc.org.

The Ugly Sweater 4-Miler will take place Saturday, Dec. 14, at Backyard Brewery and Kitchen (1211 S. Mammoth Road, Manchester, 623-3545, backyardbrewerynh.com) at 9 a.m. All race proceeds will go to benefit three local animal rescue groups: the HumaneSociety of Greater Nashua, New Hampshire SPCA, and the Monadnock Humane Society. This 21+ event will include a post-race party. Registration is $40 ($50 on race day). Visitrunscore.runsignup.com.

The 10th Annual Hollis Luminaria Stroll & Town Band Concert on Saturday, Dec. 14, will include more than 2,000 luminaria lanterns, a Santa tractor parade,holiday craft shopping, a chili and cornbread dinner, music performances in Monument Square, a gingerbread house contest and bake sale. The stroll and tree lighting will be at 4 p.m. at Monument Square. The LitTractor Parade will begin at 4:30 p.m. Visithollisluminaria.org

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