The Weekly Dish 24/01/11

News from the local food scene

• Cookie decorating: Decorate winter-themed cookies at Station 101 (193 Union Square, Milford) on Tuesday, Jan. 23, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. with Kate Saleau from Posy Cottage Cookies. For additional charge, Station 101 offers beer, beverages and snacks, and all necessary supplies will be provided for you to take home a box of six to seven cookies. Tickets are $70 and can be purchased on eventbrite.com.

• Willy Wonka wine dinner: Enjoy a four-course Willy Wonka-inspired dinner and wine pairing at LaBelle Winery’s (14 Route 111, Derry) Vineyard Ballroom on Saturday, Jan. 27, from 6:30 to 9 p.m. Tomato, basil and smoked Gouda bisque will be paired with a fizzy lifting drink for the first course, followed by baby green beans, shaved Brussels sprouts, roasted squash, cranberries, farro, herbs and honey rosemary balsamic for the second course with LaBelle Rose. The entree will include LaBelle Red Wine braised short ribs with whipped potato, roasted herbed carrots and demi glace paired with LaBelle Malbec, and blueberry crumble cheesecake with red wine blueberry jam and streusel crumble paired with blueberry pie martini for dessert. Tickets are $85 and can be purchased at labellewinery.com.

• 17th annual Chocolate Madness Wine Pairing Dinner: Zorvino Vineyards (226 Main St., Sandown) hosts its 17th annual Chocolate Madness Wine Pairing Dinner on Thursday, Feb. 1, starting at 6:30 p.m. with a cocktail hour and dinner at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $85 and can be purchased via eventbrite.

• Wines of Italy: From the Vine to Wine hosts The Wonderful Wines of Italy at Stroll Café & Wine Bar in Portsmouth (15 Portwalk Place) on Thursday, Feb. 1, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. led by wine expert Anne Arnold. Tickets range from $50 to $65 on eventbrite.

• Farm to table tasting: Enjoy a farm-to-table tasting hosted by Restoration Acres Farm at Black Swan Inn (354 W. Main St., Tilton) on Saturday, Feb. 3, from 4:30 to 8 p.m. featuring food from local farmers and artisans, wine and mead sampling from Hermit woods winery and live music by Audrey Drake. Tickets are $85 and can be purchased via eventbrite.

On The Job – Nora Rwatangabo

Braider/loctician

Nora Rwatangabo is a braider/loctician and owner of Nora’s Locs Haven in Nashua.

Explain your job and what it entails.

A day in the life of a braider/loctician is a dynamic blend of creativity, client care and personal connections. From morning preparations to evening clean-up, the day revolves around managing diverse client appointments, offering services ranging from braiding and wig installations to dreadlocks maintenance and specialized kids’ styles. Each session with a client is akin to spending time with a best friend — filled with laughter, conversation, catching up and bonding. The unique aspect of this profession lies in the diverse experiences with each client, as every individual is different. These personal connections not only contribute to client satisfaction but also create a vibrant and enjoyable work atmosphere.

What led you to this career field and your current job?

Starting at the young age of 9, my skills were nurtured by a salon tenant back home, sparking a hobby that has seamlessly intertwined with my career. Despite considering it more as a hobby than a job, I’ve been braiding hair alongside my human services profession. The unique blend of my professional expertise in human services and my creative flair for braiding has not only allowed me to work with diverse hair types but has also empowered me to train and uplift others. I’ve extended my skills to financially challenged individuals, providing them with the means to earn a living as braiders and locticians back in Africa.

What do you wish you’d known at the beginning of your career?

I wish I knew more about the business side of things. Balancing my passion for braiding with practical aspects like marketing and finances would have been helpful. Learning about industry trends early on and realizing the potential of my skills for training and empowerment would have been great.

What is the most challenging thing about your work, and how do you deal with it?

The toughest part of my work is sometimes managing a lot of things at once. To deal with it, I make sure to stay organized and prioritize tasks. Taking breaks when needed helps me recharge, and I ask for help from my team when things get overwhelming. Keeping a positive mindset and focusing on one thing at a time makes it easier to handle challenges.

What do you wish other people knew about your job?

That my job is more than braiding hair. It’s about making a connection and helping people feel happy. I also have some rules, like if someone is rude or doesn’t appreciate the service, I might choose not to work with them. I believe in creating a positive and respectful environment for everyone.

What was the first job you ever had?

Administrative assistant in a nonprofit organization working with individuals with special needs and brain injury.

What’s the best piece of work-related advice you’ve ever received?

Always do what you love.

Five favorites
Favorite book: The 5 AM Club
Favorite movie: The Wolf of Wall Street
Favorite music: ‘In Case You Didn’t Know’ by Brett Young — my wedding song
Favorite food: Matooke and groundnuts with avocado and green vegetables
Favorite thing about NH: People are friendly.

Featured photo: Nora Rwatangabo. Courtesy photo.

Treasure Hunt 24/01/11

Hi, Donna,

I have two old school desks I acquired several years ago from a small New Hampshire elementary school that was undergoing renovations. They’re both for young children and two different sizes. Do you know if there is any value, demand or interest in these old desks?

Thank you for your help, Donna, I really appreciate it!

Susan in Nashua

Dear Susan,

Your two school desks are from the 1930s. Imagine how many fun stories they could tell. They were made to last and take lots of use. Today you can find many of them still around in the secondary market.

I think the value of desks like yours would be in having a new purpose for them. They look structurally good but would probably be refinished, painted etc. to fit in a new home.

Because school desks were made in mass amounts their values run around $20 each. Older ones bring more, but mostly if they have a new purpose within a home.

I hope this answers your question, Susan. I think all cleaned up they could be a great desk for a toddler at home.

Thanks for sharing.

Kiddie Pool 24/01/11

Family fun for whenever

Storytime at the museum

Local author Marti Fuerst is scheduled to visit the Children’s Museum of New Hampshire (6 Washington St. in Dover; childrens-museum.org) on Saturday, Jan. 13, to read her book That’s Not a Hat!at 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. for visitors in the museum’s morning play session, which runs from 9 a.m. to noon. There will also be a hat craft to take home, according to a press release. Admission costs $12.50, $10.50 for seniors, and is free for kids under 1 year of age, according to the website, where you can purchase advance admissions.

Also at the museum, every Thursday in January will feature cultural crafts related to the Chinese New Year, with crafts at 10:30 a.m. (for the morning play session, 9 a.m. to noon) and 2:30 p.m. for the afternoon play session (1 to 4 p.m.), the release said.

Learning the classics

The Rock and Roll Playhouse will present Music of Tom Petty For Kids on Sunday, Jan. 14, at noon at the Bank of NH Stage (16 S. Main St. in Concord; ccanh.com). Tickets cost $18.75. Find videos of The Rock and Roll Playhouse on their social media via therockandrollplayhouse.com, where the shows are described as giving the core audience of families, particularly those with kids ages 1 to 7, “games, movement, stories and most importantly an opportunity to rock out.”

Connect with the natural world

Tanglewood Hollow offers classes, products and time with nature

Growing up, Allyson Speake developed a fascination with and appreciation for the natural world, something that she wanted to bring to others in the community. In March of last year Speake established Tanglewood Hollow, an educational supply store offering classes on a variety of nature-oriented topics for kids, toys and more on Storrs Street in Concord, to do just that.

“My grandfather was a naturalist and he grew wild cottage gardens for attracting wildlife and so I spent … many years alongside him as he taught me more about wonder and curiosity and seeing nature through that lens,” Speake said. “He just opened my eyes to what an amazing world we live in, and his home was called Tanglewood Hollow, so that’s … where the name came from.”

As a former teacher, Speake noticed that kids were struggling with what she called nature deficit disorder, and she wanted to find a way to foster natural curiosity and help them find connection to the natural world. Prior to opening Tanglewood Hollow, Speake would teach groups of homeschooled students from her home. She wanted to find a way to reach more of the community.

“I think it’s absolutely vital for us to build that relationship with nature,” she said. “If kids aren’t given that opportunity or are uncomfortable getting outside, how can we expect for them to really be the next stewards of our Earth and care for it and love it in that same way? Right now, it’s of utmost importance to care for our Earth and to do things to help it, so really I would say that’s probably the overall mission for us [is] helping to build the next stewards of our Earth.”

At Tanglewood Hollow, kids get hands-on experience during classes in the Nature Lab on topics like microscopes, dissecting owl pellets, raptors, making slime as well as nature crafts and activities. In one class, children were able to build a rotting log community where they could hold creatures like beetles, millipedes and pill bugs before adding them to the community to observe the breakdown. They will also have the opportunity to see the leopard gecko, Berry, and the jumping spider, as well as Clementine the corn snake, who sometimes comes out for interaction.

“I’m a big proponent of teaching kids to love the unloved things, and these creatures are things that are very often misunderstood, and people are scared and fearful of them,” Speake said.

“We try as often as we can to get [Clementine] out with the kids so they can have a good, positive experience.”

Many items are available in the shop, such as stuffed animals, life cycle kits, rocks, minerals, foraging tools, bug catching nets, butterfly kits, and curiosities, which are monthly mystery boxes that contain four different items from nature, previously including North American porcupine quills and fossils, that come with a newspaper written by Speake that gives information about the items.

“We would love to do some special things for the solar eclipse that’s happening in April, some star viewing at night … [and] more off-site classes for children and families,” Speake said. “We’ve got lots of plans for things. … You never know what you’re going to find here.”

Tanglewood Hollow
Where: 93 Storrs St., Concord
When: Open Wednesday through Saturday, 10 a.m to 5 p.m.

Featured image: Courtesy photo.

The Art Roundup 23/01/11

The latest from NH’s theater, arts and literary communities

• At the Currier: It’s the final days to view “Sanaa Gateja: Selected Works,” an exhibit of “large-scale compositions … primarily created using beads made from recycled paper, which Ugandan artist Sanaa Gateja rolls, dyes and affixes to bark cloth,” according to a newsletter from the Currier Museum of Art (150 Ash St. in Manchester; currier.org). The exhibition is open through Monday, Jan. 15 (when the museum will be open for Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebrations). Catch tours of the exhibition on Thursday, Jan. 11, and Friday, Jan. 15, the newsletter said.

Coming up later this winter are the exhibitions “Kara Walker: Harper’s Pictorial History of the Civil War (Annotated),” which opens on Thursday, Feb. 29, and “I Live A Journey of A Thousand Years,” featuring about 20 works by Raphaël Barontini, which opens on Thursday, March 7, the newsletter said.

Returning through April are the “Art Conversations From Home” Zoom conversations about Currier collections and current exhibitions, according to the newsletter. The events take place Wednesdays at 1 p.m., are free and last 30 minutes; registration is required (go online), the newsletter said. On Wednesday, Jan. 17, the planned discussion will focus on “Santa Casilda, after Francisco de Zubaran” by Roméo Mivekannin, which is on display in the Contemporary gallery, the newsletter said.

• At Cue Zero Theatre: On Friday, Jan. 12, at 7 p.m. Cue Zero Theatre (cztheatre.com) will present a reading of two new plays — Murder in Residence by MT Cozzola and Meeting Mr. Right by Stephen de Ghelder — as part of the Laboratory Series. The reading is pay-what-you-can and takes place at Arts Academy of New Hampshire (19 Keewaydin Drive, No. 4, in Salem). The playwrights will be available for a brief talk-back after each reading, according to a press release.

Also on the schedule at Cue Zero is Cue Zero Cabaret with the theme of villains and anti-love songs on Friday, Feb. 9. Cue Zero is also offering a workshop series, starting with an introduction to directing on Sunday, Jan. 14, with Dan Pelletier and Crystal Welch and a “foundations of improv comedy workshop” on Sunday, Feb. 18; register online (the cost is a suggested donation of $40), the release said.

The mainstage season begins with a production of Blood Relations that will run Friday, March 1, through Sunday, March 3 (shows at 7:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. on Sunday). Tickets cost $15.

• More at Mosaic: In addition to its new exhibition “This Is Us Plus Some,” the Mosaic Art Collective (66 Hanover St., Suite 201, in Manchester; 512-6309, moasaicartcollective.com) has several events slated for January. Music night is scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 20, from 7 to 10 p.m. and will feature Abner II (take a listen at instagram.com/Abner_ii) and Regals (hear them at regalsrock.bandcamp.com), according to a press release.

On Thursday, Jan. 25, learn eraser printmaking with Jackie Hanson from 5:45 to 8 p.m. The cost is $35.

On Friday, Jan. 26, Mosaic will host an artist talk with Gary Samson, filmmaker and photographer, from 5:40 to 7 p.m.

MLK Day at the Currier
The Currier Museum of Art (150 Ash St. in Manchester; currier.org, 669-6144) will open on Monday, Jan. 15, with free admission from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and programing from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., according to the museum’s newsletter. At 11 a.m., a curator-led tour “Black Abstraction” will be led by Bruce McColl, director of engagement, and a paper bead-making workshop (which will run until 2 p.m.) will take place in the Green Studio on the Lower Level. At noon, Rachael Kane, curator of education and interpretation, will hold a tour of Kara Walker’s works, the newsletter said. At 1 p.m., chief curator Lorenzo Fusi will lead a tour of “Sanaa Gateja: Selected Works.” At 2 p.m., the Racial Unity Team of NH will offer a spoken word performance and screening of the “I Have A Dream” speech, the newsletter said. The museum will also offer free programing on Thursday, Jan. 11, from 5 to 7 p.m. related to King. At 5 p.m. Kane will offer the tour of Kara Walker’s works on view. At 5:30 p.m. Fusi will tour “Sanaa Gateja: Selected Works” and at 6 p.m. the Manchester Community Music School will offer a special performance.

• New show: “Nature In Focus: Images of Flora, Fauna and Landscapes of New England” was slated to open Tuesday, Jan. 9, at the McLane Center (84 Silk Farm Road in Concord; nhaudubon.org) and will be on display through Friday, March 8 (an artist reception for the show was scheduled for Wednesday, Jan. 10, from 4 to 6 p.m.). The show features nature photography by Bob Fleck, a New Hampshire author and photographer, according to a press release. Visit the exhibition Tuesdays through Fridays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

• Art opening: The Nashua Area Artists Association will hold an artists’ reception for the exhibit at the Nashua Public Library (2 Court St. in Nashua) on Saturday, Jan. 13, from 1 to 2:30 p.m. The show, featuring works by local NAAA artists, will be on display through the end of January, according to a Facebook post about the event. Find out more at nashuaarts.org.

• Join the choir: The Manchester Community Music School (2291 Elm St. in Manchester; mcmusicschool.org) is putting out a call for an Adult Community Choir that will meet Thursdays 7 to 8:30 p.m. starting Jan. 25, according to a press release. The choir is open to ages 18+ and tuition costs $200, the newsletter said. There is no requirement to read music or audition, but you will be asked to sing for the conductor to determine your choral part and singers should be able to meet the time commitment and have the ability to match pitch, the newsletter said. For more information email [email protected] or, to register, [email protected].

• Upcoming show and a call for art: “Blossoming Beyond,” an exhibition that “showcases work that embodies the resilience, strength and beauty of both the natural world and the LGBTQ+ community,” according to queerlective.com, will open Wednesday, Jan. 24, at the New Hampshire Audubon Massabesic Center (26 Audubon Way in Auburn). The NH Audubon is partnering with Queerlective for the exhibit, which is taking artists’ submissions for the exhibition through Monday, Jan. 15, at 11:59 p.m., according to the website, where you can find details about how to submit work. The exhibit will be on display through Saturday, March 30, with an opening reception Saturday, Jan. 27, from 2 to 5 p.m.

• Just keep auditioning: The Palace Youth Theatre will hold auditions for performers in grades 2 through 12 for its upcoming production of Finding Nemo Jr. on Saturday, Jan. 13, with slots at 1, 2 and 3 p.m. at Forever Emma Studios (516 Pine St. in Manchester), according to an email from the theater. Rehearsals will be Friday evenings and Saturday afternoons in January and then Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays until the production on March 13 and March 14. Come prepared to sing a short section of a song a cappella, according to the email. Schedule an audition time by emailing [email protected] with the performer’s name, age and preferred audition time, the email said.

• Call for teen musicians: Ted Herbert Music School will hold auditions for its Ted Herbert Community Big Band for ages 13 to 19 on Sunday, Jan. 14, from 3 to 6 p.m. at Ted Herbert Music School and Rentals (880 Page St. in Manchester). Students in the band can rehearse, perform and learn in an ensemble setting and will be mentored by professional working musicians, according to a press release. The audition will feature sight reading and improvisation, the release said. Auditions are open to kids who are not students at Ted Herbert Music School. Band rehearsals will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. on the second Sunday of each month from February through June, the release said, with a final performance held on June 9 at the Majestic Studio Theatre (at the Page Street location). Reserve an audition spot by emailing [email protected] or calling 669-7469. See tedherbert.com for more.

• Author talk: Concord author and doctor Lloyd Sederer will discuss his book Caught in the Crosshairs of American Healthcare at Gibson’s Bookstore (45 S. Main St. in Concord; gibsonsbookstore.com, 224-0562) on Wednesday, Jan. 24, at 6:30 p.m.

• On stage at the Players’ Ring: The original surrealist drama You, Me and The Woodsmoke, by Catherine Stewart, finishes a two-week run at the Players’ Ring Theatre (105 Marcy St. in Portsmouth; 436-8123, playersring.org) on Sunday, Jan. 14, with shows at 7:30 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays and 2:30 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. In the play, which runs two hours and has an intermission, two women are on a camping trip to rekindle a long-lost friendship, but the forest holds secrets, according to a press release. Tickets cost $28, $25 for students and 65+.

Up next at the Players’ Ring is The Poor Rich, written and performed by Gemma Soldati, on Friday, Jan. 19, and Saturday, Jan. 20, at 8 p.m. and Sunday, Jan. 21, at 7 p.m. See a trailer for the show, which is billed as 18+, at gemmasoldati.com/work/thepoorrich. Tickets cost $28, $25 for 65+ and students.

‘This Is Us Plus Some’
Mosaic Art Collective (66 Hanover St., Suite 201, Manchester; 512-6309, mosaicartcollective.com) was slated to open its exhibit “This Is Us Plus Some” with an opening reception scheduled Saturday, Jan. 13, from 4 to 8 p.m. The show features “the distinct voices of select board members and esteemed guest artists” and “highlights the power of unity, shared passion, and the profound impact of art on communities,” according to a press release. The exhibition will be on display through Monday, Jan. 29.

• On stage at the Rep: This is also the final weekend for Cheap Thrills, a show billed as “an evening of Janis in concert” featuring Alyssa Dumas and The Stu Dias Band recreating the music of Janis Joplin, at the Seacoast Repertory Theatre (125 Bow St. in Portsmouth; seacoastrep.org, 433-4472), according to a press release. Shows are at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 11; 8 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 12, and 2 and 8 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 13. Tickets start at $37.

Next up at the Rep is Children of Eden, running Thursday, Jan. 25, through Sunday, Feb. 25. The website describes the production as “the story of Genesis from Adam and Eve through Noah” and a “compelling blend of theater and tech, where ancient stories meet modern possibilities.” Tickets start at $37. Shows are Thursdays at 7:30 p.m.; Fridays at 8 p.m.; Saturdays at 2 and 8 p.m.; Sundays at 8 p.m. and Wednesday, Jan. 31, at 7:30 p.m.

• On stage at New Hampshire Theatre Project: The New Hampshire Theatre Project (959 Islington St. in Portsmouth, nhtheatreproject.org, 431-6644) will present In the Garden of Z (tagline: “Family. Propaganda. War.”) written by Sean and Jelizaveta Robinson and directed by Sean Robinson from Friday, Jan. 19, through Sunday, Feb. 4, with shows Thursdays and Fridays at 7:30 p.m.; Saturdays at 4 p.m., and Sundays at 2:30 p.m. The play “tells the story of a Russian girl’s reaction to the horrors of the war in Ukraine,” according to the press release, which says the Jan. 19 show will be the play’s world premiere. Tickets cost $28 to $32.

• See the queen in (New) London: The Center for the Arts (centerfortheartsnh.org) will present Queen Victoria at the Fleming Center at the New London Barn Playhouse (84 Main St. in New London) on Sunday, Jan. 21, from 2 to 3:30 p.m. Sally Mummey portrays the queen for the program, which uses Queen Victoria’s diary and letters to reveal “the personal details of a powerful yet humane woman,” according to a press release. Tickets cost $23 per person ($5 for students). Make reservations at [email protected] and purchase tickets at centerfortheartsnh.org, the release said.

• Tax help for artists: Queerlective (queerlective.com) will present “Taxes for Artists, Freelancers, and Creative Businesses with Hannah Cole,” a virtual workshop, on Thursday, Feb. 8, from 6 to 8 p.m. See bit.ly/taxes4artists to register; the workshop is free with a suggested donation of $15.

• Join the Granite State Choral Society: Registration for the Granite State Choral Society will be held on Sunday, Jan. 14, at the First Church Congregational (63 S. Main in Rochester), with rehearsals set to begin the next week, Sunday, Jan. 21, from 4 to 6:30 p.m., according to a press release. The chorus is open to singers of all levels ages 12 and up, the release said. Annual membership dues cost $100, according to gschoralsociety.org, where you can find all the details about joining and chorus membership. Scheduled performances are April 28 and May 5, the release said.

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