Ready for St. Patrick’s Day?

Ready for St. Patrick’s Day?
It’s been just about a year since restaurants were ordered to close, or to offer only takeout or delivery, interrupting many plans for St. Patrick’s Day. Since then, eateries have adapted in all kinds of ways. Find out how local restaurants have adapted, and what their plans are for this year’s St. Paddy’s Day and beyond.

Also on the cover, maybe it’s time to try a Big Boo Boo, p. 23. The Jordan Tirrell-Wysocki Trio celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with a virtual show, p. 28. If you’re looking for live music, find it in our Music This Week listing, starting on p. 30.

In 1999 the Supreme Court declared New Hampshire’s system of taxation “unconstitutional” based on the Claremont education funding decision. The ...
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Covid-19 updateAs of February 22As of March 1Total cases statewide73,66575,588Total current infections statewide2,8832,363Total deaths statewide1,1541,170New cases2,648 (Feb. 16 - 22)1,923 ...
Youth artwork highlights mental health issues New Hampshire middle school and high school students are invited to submit original artwork ...
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The start of the new NFL year is two weeks away when free agent signings begin. With $65 million to ...
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NH is 2021’s 8th most educated state The Granite State is smart! A recent study from personal-finance website WalletHub looked ...
The latest from NH’s theater, arts and literary communities Theatre Kapow presents a virtual production of Gidion’s Knot. Photo by ...
Light gray desk and bench chair in furniture shop
Restored furniture store to open in Plaistow Kerri Durkee of Atkinson is taking her upcycled furniture business to the next ...
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Manchester museum displays Pandora Sweaters exhibit Between 1940 and 1990, a bold neon sign that read “Home of Pandora Sweaters” ...
Family fun for the weekend Scientific discoveries After being closed for renovations for a couple months, the McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center ...
ceramic pot with flowers on it
Dear Donna, This is a bath set (commode set?) that we believe is from the 1800s. Any information you could ...
Gardening books on flower
Basic books to get you started I know that many people, especially gardeners under the age of 40, use the ...
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News from the local food scene • Derry market to return this June: After taking a one-year hiatus last year ...
Corned beef brisket from Presto Craft Kitchen in Manchester
Restaurants get ready for March 17 and beyond Guinness stew from New England’s Tap House Grille in Hooksett. Courtesy photo ...
2 women in pink tank top smiling
Hopkinton native Emily Knowlton is the owner of BB Take Home Kitchen (bbtakehomekitchen.com, and on Facebook and Instagram @bbtakehomekitchen), also ...
two fancy wine bottles
Napa and Sonoma offer a perfect spot for pinots and chards Napa and Sonoma counties, known for producing some of ...
cocktail drink
I’m finally attacking the intimidatingly large stack of books I’ve bought over the past year and never actually read. One ...
album covers
Scolex, “Black Pyramid Ritual,” and Mortuous, “Dessicated”(Split Single) (Carbonized Records) As every underground metalhead in New Hampshire knows, I’m pretty ...
Book cover
People Like Her by Ellery Lloyd (Harper, 275 pages) I don’t resent Mark Twain for using a pen name, so ...
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Minari (PG-13) A Korean-American family seeks a path to financial security in rural Arkansas in Minari, an excellent family drama ...
Tom & Jerry (PG) Chloë Grace Moretz, Michael Peña. Cartoon cat Tom and mouse Jerry (along with other animated animals) ...
• Starman: Along with his occasional David Bowie tribute act, George Belli performs with The Retroactivists, a band that mines ...
3 men playing guitar, upright bass and violin stand in field.
Enjoy St. Patrick’s Day music virtually A year ago Jordan Tirrell-Wysocki was heading into his busy season and primed to ...

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The year of pets

The year of pets

With more time at home in the past year, many people took the opportunity to welcome new pets — and it wasn’t just cats and dogs (though there were plenty of those too). Check out stories of owners who brought home canines and felines, sugar gliders, a bearded dragon, a parakeet and even a potbellied pig.

Also on the cover, the Hippo’s Best of readers’ poll closes Feb. 28, so don’t forget to vote for your favorite people, places and events in southern New Hampshire. See details on p. 39. And find local music, in-person or virtually, starting on p. 31.

I’ve been hearing and thinking about annual cycles lately including Black History Month, the Lunar New Year, Mardi Gras, and ...
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Covid-19 updateAs of February 15As of February 22Total cases statewide71,01773,665Total current infections statewide2,9532,883Total deaths statewide1,1351,154New cases2,518 (Feb. 9 to Feb ...
The latest recommendations for proper mask use State Epidemiologist Dr. Benjamin Chan gives an update on best mask-wearing practices. What ...
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Following their latest loss, where they blew a 20-plus-point lead again, the 15-15 Celtics are straddling a line between their ...
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Bedford boy appears on Ellen “This is awesome! I never thought I would hear my voice and now it’s on ...
Walker Lecture Series goes virtual After canceling its events in 2020, the Walker Lecture Series will return for its 124th ...
The latest from NH’s theater, arts and literary communities “Loves Me” and “Loves Me Not,” paired colored pencil drawings by ...
The tales of puppies, sugar gliders, a potbelly pig and other animals that found new homes in the last year ...
Mid-winter care for sad indoor plants Are you suffering from the mid-winter blahs? More importantly, are your houseplants? We can’t ...
Family fun for the weekend Bounce and climbCowabunga’s (725 Huse Road, Manchester, 935-9659, cowabungas.com) has extended hours for February vacation ...
Dear Donna, I had considered having this clock converted to battery-operated and then began to research. I believe it is ...
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News from the local food scene • More drive-thru Greek meals: Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church (68 N. State St., ...
Shepherds-pie
Red Beard’s Kitchen offers ready-made farm-to-fork meals From soup, chowder and chili to beef stew, veal Bolognese and shepherd’s pie, ...
Game of Thrones-inspired cafe now open in Amherst A new cafe in Amherst is inviting you to transport to the ...
What is your must-have kitchen item? Definitely a knife. What would you have for your last meal? A spaghetti and ...
What you eat or drink affects your brew In sort of a famous family incident several years ago during a ...
Sana Nagano, Smashing Humans (577 Records) Hey man, if I have to get introduced to an avant punk-jazz record by ...
The Bad Muslim Discount, by Syed M. Masood (Doubleday, 368 pages) The Bad Muslim Discount is the second book by ...
Nomadland (R) Frances McDormand gives one of the year’s great performances in Nomadland, a movie based on the non-fiction book ...
I Care A Lot (R) Rosamund Pike, Peter Dinklage. This recent Netflix release feels like half of a good idea: ...
• Returning: A vital force in the region’s live music scene is back, virtually. Parsonsfield, now a duo of Antonio ...
Fable finds Leaving Eden in fine form Since forming in 2011, Leaving Eden has remained among the most dedicated bands ...
Bars across New Hampshire offer trivia fun By Sadie [email protected] If you’re full of seemingly useless information, you can put ...

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From couch to cardio

Local fitness pros talk about their shift to virtual classes. Find out why you might want to get off the couch and try Zumba, Pound, yoga, group personal training and more, all without leaving your house.

Also on the cover, voting is now open for the Hippo’s Best of readers’ poll! Vote for your favorite people, places and events in southern New Hampshire. See details on p. 35. And if you can whip up a delicious bowl of chili, you may want to check out the Virtual Chili Cook-Off being hosted by the Merrimack and Amherst Lions Clubs, p. 18.

We’re now deep into the pandemic hoping against hope that 2021 will be the year that we’ll get to see ...
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Covid-19 updateAs of February 8As of February 15Total cases statewide68,49971,017Total current infections statewide3,2452,953Total deaths statewide1,1061,135New cases2,441 (Feb. 2 to Feb ...
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With the Super Bowl in the rear view mirror after Tom Brady’s quest for No. 7 took up a lot ...
Animal shelter observes anniversary, plans expansion The Manchester Animal Shelter has found homes for more than 25,000 animals since it ...
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Youth protest peacefully with art installation A group of youth organizers hung posters and banners on the chain link fence ...
Mother and son create interactive kids book about Covid-19 Deer orienteer Stephen Stagg is on a new kind of hunt ...
The latest from NH’s theater, arts and literary communities “Winter Blues” art exhibit at The Lane House Arts Center in ...
Tone up, stretch and sweat at home with virtual fitness classes and local teachers There are so many reasons to ...
Winter veggies by the bowlful There is something about a bowl of warm soup on a cold winter day that ...
Family fun for the weekend Vacation week fun Let the kids explore hands-on exhibits that show the science behind motion, ...
Dear Donna, My 95-year-old father recently sent me this antique creamer. (At least I think it’s a creamer!) It was ...
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News from the local food scene • Local Greek eats: Assumption Greek Orthodox Church (111 Island Pond Road, Manchester) will ...
Amherst, Merrimack Lions Clubs to host “virtual” chili cook-off If a hot bowl of chili has been one of your ...
Mola Foods to open new tasting room and kitchen Since launching Mola Foods in 2016, Jeannette Bryant of Nashua has ...
Jason Duffy is the executive chef of Bistro 603 (345 Amherst St., Nashua, 722-6362, bistro603nashua.com), which opened last August. Born ...
Veggies and seafood pair well with white wines Grilled steak or spaghetti and meatballs call for a robust wine such ...
Early on in the Covid lockdown, I decided to take ice cream to the workers at my dump. I wanted ...
Disco Shrine, xxoo Disco (self-released) Man, the world just needs to stop a second so I can catch my breath ...
Doomed Romance: Broken Hearts, Lost Souls and Sexual Tumult in Nineteenth-Century America, by Christine Leigh Heyrman (Knopf, 304 pages) Perform ...
Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar (PG-13) Everybody is wonderfully game in the delightfully silly Barb and Star ...
• Serenading: Check out a recent Facebook Live stream from Jessica Olson for an idea of her musical outlook. The ...
Tyler Allgood shines on soul-baring Through The Empty Surgery and its aftermath are often challenging; for a recovering addict, the ...

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Small acts of kindness

This Valentine’s season, spread the love from home. We’ve got 14 ideas that will help you show your loved ones, friends, neighbors and strangers that you care, safely.

Also on the cover, It’s time for the Best of 2021 readers’ poll! Voting is open, so let us know your favorite places, people and events in southern New Hampshire; see details on p. 9. And find some funny this weekend, p. 28 & 30.

Some Republicans in the New Hampshire House are pushing legislation that could give about $4,100 to anyone sending their kids ...
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Covid-19 updateAs of February 1As of February 8Total cases statewide66,05868,499Total current infections statewide4,6623,245Total deaths statewide1,0591,106New cases3,290 (Jan. 26 to Feb ...
student playing competitive video games
Esports alive and well at New England College Whereas many college sports have been suspended, competitive video gaming, known as ...
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On Saturday night before Sunday’s Super Bowl I got this overwhelming feeling in picking Kansas City to beat Tampa Bay ...
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Acts of kindness On this week’s theme of acts of kindness: The Bedford Starbucks has recently changed the traffic flow ...
14 ways to spread a little happiness this Valentine’s season This Valentine’s Day, spread the love without spreading Covid with ...
Local musician creates new version of “America the Beautiful” What started as a song for a children’s choir to sing ...
The latest from NH’s theater, arts and literary communities Art by Chris Reid, featured in “The View Through My Eyes” ...
pine grosbeak bird
NH Audubon needs your help counting backyard birds By Sadie Burgess There are rules when it comes to counting birds ...
Family fun for the weekend L.O.V.E. bingo Have a sweet Valentine’s Day celebration at Chunky’s Cinema Pub. The theater is ...
Dear Donna, Can you give me an idea what this crock might be worth or how I can find out? ...
Flower buds
Holly, hemlock and more seasonal favorites I recently asked a few readers, garden friends and tree experts a question: “What ...
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News from the local food scene • Rally for restaurants: On Feb. 1, the New Hampshire Lodging & Restaurant Association ...
tiki cocktail drink
Industry East Bar opens in Manchester Jeremy Hart and Dan Haggerty have around four decades of combined bartending experience across ...
NOFA-NH’s annual winter conference returns (virtually) Whether you’re looking for advice on how to grow your own organic food at ...
Corayma Correa’s family launched the Tropical Food Truck (tropical-food-truck.business.site, find them on Facebook) last October, its primary location at 80 ...
full glass of beer on a table
Beer can be a critical component to pair with Netflix The problem is that when one episode on Netflix ends, ...
Ashnikko, Demidevil (Parlophone/Warner) Eh, this is OK for what it is, a nauseating wad of enthusiastically moronic, hip-hop-infused bubblegum roughly ...
book cover
Chatter, by Ethan Kross (Crown, 229 pages) Ethan Kross had a problem, and not one you’d expect to plague a ...
movie scene
The Little Things (R) A couple argue in Malcolm & Marie, a movie somewhat reminiscent of the talky (if mannered) ...
Locked Down (R) Anne Hathaway, Chiwetel Ejiofor. A couple stuck in lockdown in London eventually plan a half-baked diamond heist ...
• Truffle man: Leading one of the Seacoast’s most enduring bands, Dave Gerard brings the same good-time vibe and constant ...
Comedy showcase features Francis Birch In standup comedy, a weekend booking represents validation. Francis Birch’s first was at Veronica Laffs ...

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The Bomb

Warm up this winter with a savory steak bomb. Find out what a basic bomb is made of and why you might want to try one of the sub’s many variations, plus check out which local eateries have bombs on the menu.

Also on the cover, the Nashua Choral Society is looking for new members — no experience necessary, p. 10. It’s time for the Best of 2021 readers’ poll! Voting is open, so let us know your favorite places, people and events in southern New Hampshire; see details on p. 25.

WMUR reported that on Jan. 22, nearly 150,000 people signed up within the first 10 hours of Phase 1b opening ...
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Covid-19 updateAs of January 25As of February 1Total cases statewide62,76866,058Total current infections statewide5,6274,662Total deaths statewide9901,059New cases4,904 (Jan. 19 to Jan ...
Richard Lannan President of Nashua Community Arts
Performing Arts Center moves into construction phase After four years of planning, construction on the Nashua Performing Arts Center is ...
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The 55th Super Bowl comes your way on Sunday to conclude a season marked by disruptions, limited fans in the ...
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Lots of student loans A recent study that looked at student loan debt nationwide ranked New Hampshire ninth for the ...
Band storage trailer in parking lot
Nashua Choral Society sings together from a distance The Nashua Choral Society is inviting new singers to join its 2021 ...
The latest from NH’s theater, arts and literary communities Watercolor by Barbara London, featured in “Let Me Show You What ...
Superbowl football marathon run
Second-annual 4-Miler online and in person With the Patriots done for the season weeks ago, New Hampshire football fans may ...
Family fun for the weekend Celebrate Apollo 14 Celebrate the 50th anniversary of Apollo 14 with the McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center ...
gardening books information catalogs
What to get, when to plant and how to make them last I hate to be the one to give ...
creepy doll
Dear Donna,I recently acquired this “Emma Doll.” It was said to be a fine reproduction of an antique doll, purchased ...
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News from the local food scene • Meals for sweethearts: Still haven’t made your Valentine’s Day plans yet? Visit hippopress.com ...
Steak bomb sub from The Common Man Roadside Deli & Market
A deep dive into the steak bomb and its many variations What is a steak bomb? Visit nearly every pizza ...
couple posing together
Paul Lynn of Raymond and his partner, Carolyn D’Amico, launched Java Joe’s (59 Route 27, Raymond, find them on Facebook ...
bottle of wine, boxes of chocolate
Celebrate with chocolate and red wine How to celebrate Valentine’s Day? With red wine and chocolate, of course! The wine ...
orange cocktail drink
During the 1920s and 1930s, if you were young and had the means, Paris was the place to be. The ...
Practice, Not A Game (self-released) Practice is the stage name of one Michael Tapper, a New Yorker who’s played drums ...
this is the voice book cover
This Is the Voice, by John Colapinto (Simon & Schuster, 320 pages) John Colapinto can blame his raspy voice on ...
movie scene at crime scene in street
The Little Things (R) Three difficult loners find themselves in each other’s orbit during the investigation into a serial killer ...
Finding ‘Ohana (PG) Kea Peahu, Alex Aiono. Pili (Peahu), a geocaching champion, sets out on a real treasure hunt to ...
• Song pull: A weekly open mic night continues apace, hosted by Brian “Burnout” Peasley. The middle moniker is a ...
musical artists
Record release show among Area 23 events An off-the-beaten-path Concord restaurant and taproom is doing all it can to keep ...

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The continuing adventures of NH’s comic creators

We talked to artists and authors to find out what they’re working on, how the pandemic has affected their work and their aspirations for the future.

Also on the cover, weddings may have been downsized in 2020, but brides and grooms have discovered the advantages of elopements and micro weddings (less stress! less money!), p. 20. And it’s time for the Best of 2021 readers’ poll! Voting starts Feb. 1; see details on p. 43.

At a religious ceremony last weekend, in the beautiful woods of New Hampshire, the priest counseled us to come together ...
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Covid-19 updateAs of January 18As of January 25Total cases statewide57,86462,768Total current infections statewide6,4445,627Total deaths statewide933990New cases5,557 (Jan. 12 to Jan ...
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Well, who can be surprised Tom Brady did it again? Despite a very shaky second half, he’s headed to his ...
Volunteers needed for youth STEM learning program The University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension is currently looking for new volunteers ...
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Inspiring teen gets a book deal Thirteen-year-old Brayden Harrington of Concord will write a picture book called Brayden Speaks Up, ...
Artists and authors talk about their latest comic books and more New Hampshire comics creators have faced plenty of challenges ...
The latest from NH’s theater, arts and literary communities Art by new NHAA member John Kessler, featured in “A New ...
Winter Fest returns to downtown Concord Winter fun is still on the schedule as The Hotel Concord and Intown Concord ...
Why growing — and eating — organic is important I’ve been growing vegetables organically all my life. I use no ...
Dear Donna, I have an assortment of older comics. They are not in the best condition, but I thought you ...
Family fun for the weekend Hike by the light of the moon Beaver Brook (117 Ridge Road in Hollis; 465-7787, ...
Elopements and micro weddings are the next big, er, small thing Dreams of elaborate weddings with hundreds of guests were ...
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News from the local food scene • Drive-thru Greek meals: Join Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church (68 N. State St., ...
Delicious ways to celebrate Valentine’s Day this year Valentine’s Day is right around the corner, and whether you’re looking for ...
New Milford business offering NYC-inspired artisan bagels A new business based in Milford is paying homage to the traditional New ...
Jordan Reynolds of Concord is the owner of Col’s Kitchen (55 S. Main St., Concord, 227-6778, colsplantbased.com), a plant-based restaurant ...
Five beers to enjoy during the big game I know you’re sullen because the Patriots aren’t in the Super Bowl ...
Cyrrca, Cyrrca (self-released) By now, you’re probably in the habit of heading for the hills whenever I start talking up ...
The Listening Path, by Julia Cameron (St. Martin’s Essentials, 190 pages) Julia Cameron is a national treasure. Part creativity coach, ...
The White Tiger (R) A young man from an impoverished town in India tries to grab his piece of his ...
We Can Be Heroes (PG)Pedro Pascal, Priyanka Chopra. Other adults include Christian Slater and Adriana Barraza. But really, this movie ...
• Soulful: Along with winning a NEMA for best male performer a few years back, Munk Duane is skillful at ...
Live entertainment figures share memories When the Hippo launched 20 years ago, Granite Staters often had to drive to Boston ...

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