Hit the ice

Hit the ice

Local ponds are open throughout southern New Hampshire for ice skating fun. Find out why you might want to lace up and hit the ice, plus where to go and how to find the perfect pair of skates.

Also on the cover, it’s time for the Best of 2021 readers poll! Voting starts Feb. 1; see details on p. 22. As part of its anniversary celebration, the Hippo looks back at the last 20 years in local food happenings, p. 16. And a purple zombie might be just what you need to de-stress, p. 24.

What kind of state do we have and what kind of state do we want? At a time in the ...
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Covid-19 updateAs of January 11As of January 18Total cases statewide52,30757,864Total current infections statewide6,1186,444Total deaths statewide869933New cases4,979 (Jan. 5 to Jan ...
Black Heritage Trail of NH receives new sculpture The Black Heritage Trail of New Hampshire (blackheritagetrailnh.org) now includes the town ...
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News Item: Inmates Running The Asylum Doug Pederson loses a showdown with his owner because he wanted rookie Jalen Hurts ...
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It’s cookie time! Girl Scouts of the Green and White Mountains have officially kicked off Girl Scout cookie season, with ...
The latest from NH’s theater, arts and literary communities Art by Roberta Woolfson, on display at Creative Ventures Gallery. Courtesy ...
Your guide to skating outside A month into winter, outdoor ice skating rinks across the state are open for the ...
Family fun for the weekend Planes and iBOTs Take a hike Beaver Brook Association is offering a Kids Fitness Hiking ...
Help your plants make it through winter If you are like me, you buy new perennials, trees and shrubs every ...
Dear Donna, Might you be able to suggest a good reference document or catalogue for Lionel Antique Trains (1950s)? Louis ...
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News from the local food scene • Soup’s on: Assumption Greek Orthodox Church (111 Island Pond Road, Manchester) will host ...
How the food scene in New Hampshire has grown since the Hippo’s debut The local food scene looked a lot ...
New authentic pizzeria opens in Milford Wood-fired Pizza Nights at the Hilltop Cafe in Wilton on Fridays and Saturdays became ...
Laura Fucella of Concord is the owner of E(at)xactly Cakes (eatxactlycakes.com), a homestead business specializing in custom designed cakes, cupcakes ...
How grape varietals come together in wine blends Courtesy photo. Most wines produced today are made up of a blend ...
One fairly common New Year’s resolution is to read more classics of literature. I didn’t actually make that resolution this ...
M Ward, Think of Spring (Anti Records) Sorry I missed the PR email when this CD came out officially on ...
Olive, Mabel & Me: Life and Adventures with Two Very Good Dogs by Andrew Cotter (The Countryman Press, 205 pages) ...
Promising Young Woman (R) Carey Mulligan plays a woman who can’t move on from the wrong done to her friend ...
• Rocker: When playing plugged in with his band, Max Sullivan can positively wail, channeling guitar gods from Jimmy Page ...
Winter Warmer showcases regional talent The spark for Winter Warmer, a virtual music festival that kicked off Jan. 16, came ...

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Nice Buns!

Nice Buns!

Ooey-gooey cinnamon buns are the perfect treat for a cold winter’s day. Find out how local bakers make theirs, and get some tips for how to make your own from scratch.

Also on the cover, as part of our month-long series looking back at some of the subjects Hippo has covered since it started 20 years ago, we talked to a few key players who have been part of the arts scene during that time, p. 10. Take a guided walk through the woods and immerse yourself in nature, p. 15. And find the perfect beer to pair with your DIY home project, p. 23.

A few weeks ago, the Union Leader printed a story with the bold headline “NH scores among the top when ...
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Covid-19 updateAs of January 4As of January 11Total cases statewide47,32852,307Total current infections statewide6,2006,118Total deaths statewide781869New cases5,658 (Dec. 29 to Jan ...
NH’s Lisa Gardner discusses her new thriller Lisa Gardner of Jackson, known for her bestselling Detective D.D. Warren, FBI Profiler ...
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Time to go to the mailbag. Dear Dave: What are your biggest takeaways from NFL playoffs Week 1?Fred D. Mercury, ...
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More turkeys, or just more people noticing turkeys? The New Hampshire Fish & Game Department recently released the results of ...
A look back at what’s happened in art galleries, theaters and other cultural spots since the Hippo started A lot ...
The latest from NH’s theater, arts and literary communities Emma Cahoon performs in Theatre Kapow’s virtual production of A Hundred ...
Milford resident leads forest bathing walks for wellness For Laura Putnam, walking through the woods isn’t about burning calories or ...
Family fun for the weekend Planes and iBOTs Beat three-day-weekend boredom at the museum! Along with their regular exhibits, two ...
Winter is a good time to get outside and explore This is a good time to be outdoors exploring the ...
Dear Donna, I have an assortment of these wood block letters in many sizes. I collected them for years and ...
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News from the local food scene • Tastes of yore: Join the Goffstown Public Library virtually for a medieval cooking ...
Nothing says comfort on a winter morning like a warm tray of freshly baked cinnamon rolls — and, while it ...
Good beer to help with home improvement projects Over the course of several weeks, my wife painstakingly and tediously removed ...
Frank Sonic & L-Ex, “Talamanca Beach, Ming (Ger) Remix” (Amber Blue Recordings) As if I don’t mention it every other ...
Beginners, by Tom Vanderbilt (Knopf, 320 pages) If you’ve ever considered learning something after the age of 8, chances are ...
A jazz musician winds through the life of a woman who loves him in Sylvie’s Love, an almost miraculously good ...
Herself (R) Clare Dunne, Harriet Walter. Also Conleth Hill, probably best known as Lord Varys from Game of Thrones. Dunne ...
• Strumming: Offering a range of tunes from pop to rock, reggae and country, Acoustic Tandem features Tom Colantuoni and ...
Virtual tribute show promises the best of Garth There’s an emphatic mood these days at the Palace Theatre: The show ...

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Hippo’s 20th anniversary

Hippo’s 20th anniversary
We take a look back at the Hippo’s two most challenging years — the first one (because starting a brand new paper is hard), and the most recent one (because global pandemic) — and we talk to some of the biggest proponents of the downtowns of Manchester, Concord and Nashua to see how far they’ve come in the past 20 years.

Also on the cover, Milford has a new spot for Texas-style barbecue, p. 24. Whip up a caramelized onion dip that won’t ruin your New Year’s eat-better resolution, p.27. And, yes, there is still live music, all week long, p. 34.

Twenty years ago Hippo published its first print issue — that’s about 1,040 issues ago. At the time, we had ...
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Covid-19 updateAs of December 28As of January 4Total cases statewide41,67047,328Total current infections statewide5,5086,200Total deaths statewide715781New cases4,282 (Dec. 22 to Dec ...
Jessica Martin joins Intown Concord Jessica Martin is the new executive director of Intown Concord, a nonprofit organization that promotes ...
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It’s Jan. 7 and the Patriots are already on vacation. But that’s a problem to discuss another day. Instead we’ll ...
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More turkeys, or just more people noticing turkeys? The New Hampshire Fish & Game Department recently released the results of ...
A look at Hippo’s beginnings in 2001 and at Hippo in 2020 December 27, 2001 Once we committed to publishing ...
Manchester, New Hampshire ,USA Skyline, city, urban, building, high rise, metropolis, downtown, office building
Two decades of revitalization in Manchester, Concord and Nashua’s downtowns When the Hippo started in 2001 with the intention of ...
Robinson decries white supremacy, pays homage to the ’80s in Exo-Hunter Science fiction, sociopolitical satire and 1980s nostalgia are the ...
The latest from NH’s theater, arts and literary communities Art by Chris Reid, featured in “The View Through My Eyes” ...
What worked last year and what didn’t This past year was a tough one for many of us: isolation due ...
Family fun for the weekend Math discoveries Have “Phun With Math,” a virtual program from the McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center (2 ...
Dear Donna, For years I’ve been meaning to contact you regarding my curiosity about a basket that was found in ...
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News from the local food scene • Salem market moves indoors: The Salem Farmers Market will move indoors for the ...
Texas-style BBQ food truck opens restaurant space in Milford Regina and Jeremy Davison gained a devoted following after the launch ...
Trio’s Cafe & Cantina to open in Salem A new eatery coming to Salem later this month will offer family-sized ...
Meredith Touma of Derry is the owner of Sal Terrae Seasonings (salterraeseasonings.com, and on Facebook and Instagram @salterraeseasonings), a company ...
Laraaji, Moon Piano (self-released) In news from the weird, we present this New York pianist, an 80-year-old cult artist whose ...
Exercised, by Daniel Lieberman(Pantheon, 464 pages) Your resolution is to exercise. Hasn’t it always been? Harvard professor Daniel Lieberman, however, ...
Soul (PG) A middle-aged man hangs between life and “the Great Beyond” just as his dreams of being a working ...
Wolfwalkers (PG) Voices of Sean Bean, Maria Doyle Kennedy. In 1650, young girl Robin Goodfellowe (voice of Honor Kneafsey) and ...
• Twang: Enjoy country music from singer and guitarist Jackie Lee, who borrows nicely from Tammy Wynette, Loretta Lynn and ...
Lakes Region brewery hosts Charlie Chronopoulos Amidst the challenges of 2020, Twin Barns Brewing Co. in Meredith continued to offer ...

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Goodbye, 2020!

Goodbye, 2020! We take a look back at how the pandemic affected the arts, food and music scenes in New Hampshire, and we (attempt to) look ahead at what we can (maybe, possibly) expect in the early part of 2021 and beyond.

Also on the cover, find in-person fun for the whole family, p. 14, or make your own beef stew with beer, p. 21. And flex your mind with all kinds of puzzles, starting on p. 31.

Now that 2020 is heading into the history books it seems appropriate to look forward to 2021 and predict with ...
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Covid-19 updateAs of December 21As of December 28Total cases statewide37,38841,670Total current infections statewide6,6885,508Total deaths statewide656715New cases5,513 (Dec. 15 to Dec ...
Where we’re headed with Covid-19 Beth Daly, chief of New Hampshire’s Bureau of Infectious Disease Control and director of Public ...
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With the year coming to a close, it’s time for the Hippo Sports unorthodox awards that annually focus on things ...
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Tons of toys Hundreds of kids in Manchester and Nashua got to open presents this Christmas thanks to two very ...
2020 became a year of unexpected innovation for arts organizations In 2020, we saw art galleries and performance venues closed, ...
The latest from NH’s theater, arts and literary communities • A gift from the harp: Salem resident Dr. Diana Kolben ...
How to make cut flowers last Snow is finally here in Cornish Flat. The cardinals and blue jays are providing ...
Family fun for the weekend Fun at the museum The iBOT wheelchair is SEE’s newest demonstration. Photo courtesy of SEE ...
Dear Donna, This cast iron plaque was mounted on our shed door. We removed it when the shed was replaced ...
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News from the local food scene • Free coffee for health care workers: Now through Jan. 31, participating Aroma Joe’s ...
A look at the food scene in 2020, plus a preview of 2021 In what has been a tough year ...
Jared DeBernardo’s family has been in the restaurant business for more than three decades, dating back to the mid-1980s, when ...
A conversation with winemaker Mark Neal On several Napa Valley winery tours, my wife and I were asked by the ...
Let’s get cooking Usually, we make New Year’s resolutions that involve eating less food or at least less of the ...
Real Numbers, Brighter Then (Slumberland Records) …Or at least the two advance singles from the third EP from this Minneapolis-based ...
The Office of Historical Corrections, by Danielle Evans (Riverhead, 288 pages) The late science fiction writer Harlan Ellison once said ...
It was a horrible and great year for movies What even is a 2020 movie? This year’s Oscar race will ...
Wonder Woman 1984 Diana Prince suits up in her golden armor for an all-too-brief fight sequence in the otherwise extremely ...
Local music news & events • Junk out: Ever since America’s Got Talent made them a national sensation, Recycled Percussion ...
The good parts of a not great year, and what’s (maybe, possibly) ahead The year 2020 began well enough, as ...

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Yule love it

Yule love it

A look at the history of this decadent seasonal dessert, plus tips for making them yourself and a few local shops where you can buy a professionally baked version of the holiday treat.

Also on the cover, Nashua students exhibit their “Brave New World” art outdoors, p. 12. Laugh your way out of 2020 with New Year’s Eve comedy, p. 32. And when all else fails, do puzzles! We have plenty, starting on p. 34.

Delicious ways to ring in 2021 Let’s face it — 2020 wasn’t the year any of us hoped for. So ...
2020 is not going silently into the night. It’s going out kicking and screaming. And let’s not be nice about ...
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Covid-19 updateAs of December 14As of December 21Total cases statewide31,87537,388Total current infections statewide6,7526,688Total deaths statewide604656New cases6,059 (Dec. 8 to Dec ...
An update on homelessness in NH The New Hampshire Coalition to End Homelessness released its annual State of Homelessness in ...
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The NBA season kicked off yesterday and goes into high gear on Christmas Day. With a late start, Covid concerns, ...
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More shelters in state’s biggest cities The Concord Coalition to End Homelessness announced last week that it has purchased the ...
Nashua students create uplifting art for the community Nashua high school students are using art to spread messages of hope ...
The latest from NH’s theater, arts and literary communities Holiday vignettes at Canterbury Shaker Village. Courtesy photo. • Currier closed ...
Still a few things left to do in the garden Our gardens are put to bed for the winter: Veggie ...
Family fun for the weekend Just plane fun The Aviation Museum of New Hampshire (27 Navigator Road, Londonderry, 669-4820, aviationmuseumofnh.org) ...
Dear Donna,I am wondering if you can give me information and perhaps a value on this stove. It belonged to ...
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News from the local food scene • Concord winter market moves online: The Downtown Concord Winter Farmers Market has transitioned ...
A look at the holiday indulgence that is the Yule log Growing up in Québec, Nathalie Hirte of Litchfield doesn’t ...
Athanasios Sioras is the owner of Ya Mas Greek Taverna & Bar (125 Bridge St., Pelham, 635-4230, yamasgreektaverna.com), which opened ...
Do you remember reading those Choose Your Own Adventure books when you were a kid?You’d get to a turning point ...
H.P. Lovecraft (read by Andrew Leman), The Festival (Cadabra Records) I’d be more than happy to make part of this ...
Perestroika in Paris, by Jane Smiley (Knopf, 288 pages) My daughter asked what I was reading this week, and I ...
Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (R) The late Chadwick Boseman probably secures his Oscar with Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, a new ...
Dolly Parton’s Christmas on the Square (TV-PG) Dolly Parton, Christine Baranski. Dolly Parton is an angel and Christine Baranski is ...
Local music news & events • Holiday green: Trying to make the best of the worst year ever, Celtic Thunder ...
Three comedy shows celebrate New Year’s Eve Most years Headliners Comedy Club is a many-headed monster on New Year’s Eve, ...

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Definitely try this at home

Definitely try this at home

Between Covid, cold and snow, you might be spending a lot of time at home in the coming months. We have a few ideas to keep you from going stir crazy, from growing succulents to creating an indoor obstacle course that’s fun for the whole family.

Also on the cover, if you’re looking for some holiday cheer, there’s a home in Nashua that’s lighting up the night, p. 15. Find new Thai eats in Manchester and new Italian eats in New Boston, p. 22 & 23. And there are lots of holiday brews that can help you get through the rest of 2020, p. 26.

Why is school choice and expansion of the charter school system in New Hampshire such a political hot spot? If ...
A graphic the shape of the state of New Hampshire, filled in with the New Hampshire flag made up of the crest of New Hampshire on a blue field.
Covid-19 updateAs of December 7As of December 14Total cases statewide25,81631,875Total current infections statewide5,3866,752Total deaths statewide566604New cases4,822 (Dec. 1 to Dec ...
Hillsboro man helping kids learn money management Dan Hebert of Hillsboro has been named a winner of the 2020 Myra ...
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With the Patriots’ 10-day trip to Wallyworld hitting the high point of the season — a 45-0 beatdown of the ...
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Light at the end of the tunnelOn Dec. 14, the first doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine arrived in New ...
The latest from NH’s theater, arts and literary communities • Catch a holiday show: The Majestic Theatre presents a show, ...
7 IDEAS FOR PROJECTS TO LIVEN UP YOUR WINTER Between Covid, snowstorms and shorter days, we’ll all likely be spending ...
Christmas lights at Countryside Drive Turn down Countryside Drive in Nashua and you’ll find your way to a festive display ...
Family fun for the weekend A Shaker Christmas Take a A Magic Journey through the North Shop Barn at Canterbury ...
Trees and plants for your feathered friends By now many of us are providing seeds to the neighborhood birds. Of ...
Thai Food Connection opens in Manchester Chicken krapow. Courtesy photo. Not long after Republic Cafe moved all its operations down ...
The Chef opens in New Boston For more than two decades, Angel Santiago has built his culinary resume at restaurants ...
Courtney Parker of Nashua is the owner of Simple Sweets Bakery (simplesweetsbakery0.wixsite.com, or on Facebook @simplesweetsbakery11), a homestead business specializing ...
Beers for the holidays You need some beer to get you through the rest of 2020. Has a truer statement ...
Sculptor, Untold Secrets (Frontiers Music) Is “melodic death metal” an oxymoron, a shameless way to sell out, or a sure ...
The Sentinel by Lee Child and Andrew Child (Delacorte Press, 253 pages) As I settled down in a chair with ...
The Croods: A New Age (PG) The Neanderthal-ish cave family the Croods meets some yuppie helicopter-parent homo sapiens in The ...
Let Them All Talk (R) Meryl Streep, Candice Bergen. Also starring Dianne Wiest, Gemma Chan and Lucas Hedges. Famous serious ...
Local music news & events • Food music: Though Covid-19 ate his annual booze cruise, Chad LaMarsh is still performing ...
Dan Blakeslee celebrates Christmas LP with show It takes real Grinch-iness to resist the ebullient charms of Christmasland Jubilee, the ...

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