Celebrations to remember

Bedford’s Boho Pop-Up Picnic offers luxury picnic setups

A new business based in Bedford is aiming to take away the stress of planning a special event while turning celebrations into uniquely customizable experiences.

Boho Pop-Up Picnic — short for “bohemian,” which is the style of the company’s locally built picnic tables — is owned and operated by Tanya Tobin and her husband, Matt. Since their launch earlier this year, the couple has provided elevated picnic setups for events large and small with all kinds of themes and add-ons to fit the occasion. They’ll also often partner with local businesses for small food enhancements like cakes, cupcakes and charcuterie boards.

Tobin, who has always had a passion for the holidays and for hosting events, said she became inspired after following other similar luxury picnic setup concepts out on the West Coast.

“I hadn’t seen anything like this on the East Coast and in New Hampshire, so I wanted to bring it to this area,” she said. “It has had a bigger and quicker response than I anticipated. … I’ve found that a lot of people either didn’t know about it or they came across it during a search of trying to find ways to celebrate an anniversary or a birthday or a bridal or baby shower.”

Whether it’s a romantic indoor or outdoor picnic for two or a more involved gathering in a public park, Tobin has handled it all. Inquiries can be filled out on Boho Pop-Up Picnic’s website.

A standard picnic setup would include low sitting tables and all plates, utensils, placemats and napkins, plus any wine glasses, baskets, and small chalkboards with a custom written message. Umbrellas, fresh flowers, bar carts, cornhole sets and ice buckets can be added too.

“They tell me what the theme is, and I try to incorporate their idea the best that I can to match what’s being celebrated,” Tobin said. “I do the setup about an hour before the event, and then they have the event for two hours. Then I pick up and clean up everything after.”

Tobin has also formed relationships with local bakeries like Frederick’s Pastries, Queen City Cupcakes and the Bearded Baking Co., as well as 603 Charcuterie and The Grazing State, which offer customizable charcuterie boards and boxes to go. Personal snack-sized charcuterie boxes, boxed waters or seltzers are provided to each member of the party.

While many of the more specialized picnics take place at clients’ homes, Tobin has done setups in public places. A recent picnic she organized overlooked Lake Massabesic in Manchester, and she’s also travelled to the Seacoast to put together picnics by the beach.

You don’t even need to wait for someone’s birthday or baby shower to come up either, as Tobin offers a few of her own preset picnic themes. The “Game Day” pop-up, for instance, is football-themed with a faux green grass football field table runner and a mini chalkboard scoreboard, while the “Popcorn & Movie Night” pop-up, available for up to four hours, features a popcorn machine, a movie projector and a 10-foot screen all provided by Tobin herself. She has also done sleepover pop-up parties for kids that will often have themes of their own.

Indoor and outdoor events can still be booked both now and during peak dates early next year.

Boho Pop-Up Picnic

Visit bohopopuppicnic.com or follow them on Facebook and Instagram @bohopopuppicnicnh to submit an event inquiry.

Featured photo: Photos courtesy of Tanya Tobin.

Clams on wheels

Former Clam Haven owner returns with new seafood truck

Lobster Roll

For more than three decades Derry native Rick Metts owned and operated Clam Haven, a seasonal takeout eatery that has served generations of fried seafood lovers since 1954. Now, after passing the Clam Haven torch on to Lisa DeSisto of Rig A Tony’s in early 2020, Metts has returned to the local food scene with his newest business venture.

It’s called the One Happy Clam food truck, and more than a catchy play on words, its name perfectly suits Metts, who views the experience as a new chapter of a career doing what he loves. The truck officially hit the road last month and has made appearances at several spots across Derry and Londonderry since then, its menu items featuring the culinary prowess of Metts, with his children, grandchildren and wife of 45 years all helping out.

“I had talked about possibly doing a food truck … [and] had done a lot of research and spent a lot of the time my last few years at Clam Haven planning it,” Metts said. “My wife and I took a trip down to Florida. … We went to a couple of food truck builders down there, looked at what it would cost and came back home with lots of ideas.”

He found what would become One Happy Clam, a truck with a nearly brand new kitchen built out in mid-2019, through a private seller on Facebook Marketplace.

Grilled Cheese with Lobster

In many ways Metts has simply picked up where he left off — he’s using the same seafood suppliers he has been in touch with since his first season at Clam Haven back in 1987. Each and every menu item is made to order, and while it’s a scaled back version of what Metts cooked at the restaurant, you’ll still find many of his tried and true staples here, from lobster rolls with mayonnaise or butter to whole belly clam rolls and fried haddock sandwiches.

“We tried a new item that’s called a clam cake down in Rhode Island, but basically everywhere else it’s called a fritter,” Metts said. “It’s just a fried dough ball and I put bacon in it.”

Other options have included fried pickles, chicken tenders, burgers and lobster grilled cheeses, and Metts is looking into adding a few more seafood dishes like shrimp rolls and fish and chips.

While he hasn’t yet found a regular spot to park the truck, Metts said his goal is to eventually get into a routine, cooking at four or five designated locations in and around Derry and Londonderry while also scheduling some private catering jobs.

“It’s been a good experience so far, not being tied to a brick and mortar,” he said. “If I can get four or five years out of this, I can walk away and go do something else.”

One Happy Clam food truck

Follow owner Rick Metts on Facebook @onehappyclam and on Instagram @1happyclam for updates, or email him at [email protected].

Featured photo: Rick Metts. All photos courtesy of One Happy Clam.

The Weekly Dish 21/11/04

News from the local food scene

• Fire up your immunity: Learn to make fire cider during one of two upcoming workshops at the Beaver Brook Nature Center’s Brown Lane Barn (52 Brown Lane, Hollis) on either Sunday, Nov. 7, from 10 a.m. to noon, or Thursday, Nov. 11, from 6 to 8 p.m. Fire cider is a traditional New England remedy and preventive medicine made with apple cider, honey, garlic, onions, ginger and horseradish, an immune stimulant that’s also a great added flavor to salads, stir-fries and veggies. Participants in each class will learn about the history of vinegar and honey remedies, then taste and fire cider to take home. Ingredients are provided — you bring your own grater, cutting board, knife, vegetable peeler and measuring cup. Masks are required when indoors, regardless of vaccination status. The cost is $22 for Beaver Brook Association members and $25 for non-members. Visit beaverbrook.org.

• Turning the page: The Bookery (844 Elm St., Manchester) has partnered with Restoration Cafe owner Tom Puskarich to reimagine the store’s food and drink menu. According to a press release, Puskarich now operates the Bookery’s cafe as a satellite location for his brand, allowing the store to shift its business model and focus exclusively on sourcing books, gifts and cards, and hosting community events. “Tom was instrumental in the build-out of the kitchen and has come full circle as he now operates in the kitchen he envisioned,” Bookery owner Liz Hitchcock said in a statement. Menu options include a variety of grab-and-go sandwiches, salads, pastries and snacks, many of which are rotated out weekly, as well as coffees, teas and espresso drinks. Visit bookerymht.com/cafe-menu.

• Farmers market news: The Deering Winter Market is set to return on Friday, Nov. 5, from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Deering Fish & Game Club (Fish & Game and Long Woods roads, Deering), with both new and returning vendors selling items like baked goods, jellies, jams, eggs, milk, maple products and more. Markets in Milford, Contoocook and Concord, meanwhile, are all scheduled to resume their indoor seasons this week. The Milford Farmers Market begins inside the Milford Town Hall Auditorium (1 Union Square, Milford) on Saturday, Nov. 6, and will continue every other Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., through April 9 (except for Jan. 1). The Contoocook Farmers Market also moves indoors beginning Saturday, Nov. 6, to Maple Street Elementary School (194 Maple St., Contoocook) — that market will take place every Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon through the winter. The Downtown Concord Winter Farmers Market returns on Saturday, Nov. 6, as well, continuing at 7 Eagle Square in the Capital City every week from 9 a.m. to noon through April.

• NHLC recognized: The New Hampshire Liquor Commission has been nominated for Retailer of the Year in Wine Enthusiast magazine’s 22nd annual Wine Star Awards, according to a press release. Each year the publication honors individuals and retailers from around the world for their contributions to the wine and alcohol beverage industry. Winners will be announced in the magazine’s Best of Year issue and celebrated at an annual event in February 2022. The NHLC, according to the release, also received two national awards from StateWaysmagazine in the 2021 Control State Best Practices Awards and was recently named one of the Top 10 retailers in the country by Beverage Dynamics for the second time.

On The Job – Trisha Craig

Trisha Craig

Flutist and flute instructor

Trisha Craig is a flute instructor at Ted Herbert Music School in Manchester and a professional flutist performing in solo and chamber concerts throughout the region.

Explain your job.

I practice the flute every day, and I may have rehearsals. At the [music school] studio, I have private lessons with students of all ages and levels … one-on-one, teaching them music.

How long have you had this job?

About 40 years, and I’ve been at Ted Herbert for around 25 years.

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

I always knew I wanted to be involved in music. I initially went [to college] to become a band director in a public school setting. I quickly realized that wasn’t quite for me. … I started teaching privately on the side and realized that was where I really belonged. … It grew from there … after college. I was teaching more and more until it became one of my primary things.

What kind of education or training did you need?

I have a bachelor of music from Ithaca College and master of music in Flute Performance from Longy School of Music.

What is your typical at-work uniform or attire?

People expect [musicians] to be in formal black and white [attire] on stage, but I eschewed that regalia a long time ago; I usually go with something far more colorful. … When I’m teaching I go with an artsy casual outfit adorned with handmade jewelry by New Hampshire artists.

How has your job changed over the course of the pandemic?

Pre-pandemic, I always struggled with losing income [due to] blizzards; somehow, there were always the biggest snowstorms on my biggest teaching days. I had started using Zoom a few years before the pandemic so I could give lessons when there was a blizzard. When the pandemic hit and we couldn’t teach in person, I just told my students, ‘OK, we’re going to start doing lessons the same way we do on snow days,’ so the transition was pretty seamless for me. … It is challenging, though, teaching a musical instrument online, because it’s hard to hear exactly what’s going on with the tone and the sound, so I was anxious to get back to teaching in person.

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

Marketing is all about building relationships; it doesn’t work if people don’t have a relationship with you or an understanding of your art form. People say, ‘The arts are dead,’ but they aren’t; we just aren’t telling anyone about it. … So many people are surprised to learn that new music is currently being written for orchestra. As artists, we need to be … starting those conversations to enlighten people and get them interested in what we do.

What do you wish other people knew about your job?

What goes on behind the scenes of the arts … and the level of skill that is needed [for artists] to express themselves through their art. … People … say, ‘Oh, you’re so gifted.’ I’m not gifted; I work really hard to play well. My students aren’t just talented; they’re hardworking.

What was the first job you ever had?

Teaching private flute lessons to a young girl who lived down the street from me.

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

My longtime [music] professor … told us to do all of the work in advance so that when it’s time to perform you can just let it flow. You shouldn’t be thinking about your technique while you’re performing. Trust in the hard work you’ve done to make that moment possible, and just play.

Five favorites

Favorite book: The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz
Favorite movie: Doctor Zhivago
Favorite music: Modern orchestral
Favorite food: Nachos
Favorite thing about NH: All of the different seasons and temperatures

Featured photo: Trisha Craig. Courtesy photo.

Treasure Hunt 21/11/04

Dear Donna,

Can you provide me with any information on this pair of earrings? Are they gold?

Karen

Dear Karen,

Your set of earrings was put out in 1997 by the United States Postal Service, representing 32-cent stamps and characters from Warner Bros. They are not real gold but have a beautiful golden color to them. The top has Tweety Bird and the stamps have Bugs Bunny.

Yours appear to be in great shape, but the value of the ones I found is not very high, maybe because so many were made. It is possible that time might increase the values. For now, though, they are under $10. I would wrap them with this information and check on them in another 10 years, or pass them to someone who will.

Kiddie Pool 21/11/04

Family fun for the weekend

Getting out while the getting is still good

All but the south-southeastern-iest parts of the state are decidedly past peak foliage, according to the state’s foliage tracker (visitnh.gov/seasonal-trips/fall/foliage-tracker) on Nov. 1. But there are still some fun autumnal views worth viewing out in the natural world. (And, as of Nov. 1, WMUR is predicting a mild weekend in the low 50s.)

• Find a list of the New Hampshire Audubon’s 39 wildlife sanctuaries across the state at nhaudubon.org/lands/sanctuaries. The sanctuaries are free and open to the public for “passive recreation” (like hiking) and rules about dogs vary by location. Find locations, descriptions and maps for the sanctuaries on the website.

• Beaver Brook Association’s (117 Ridge Road in Hollis; beaverbrook.org) 35 miles of trails and 12 themed gardens are also free and open from dawn to dusk, the website said. Find trail guides on the website, as well as (on the “visit us” page) descriptions of four stroller-friendly hikes.

• And get some art and nature at the Andres Institute of Art (106 Route 13 in Hollis; andresinstitute.org) open daily from dawn to dusk. There are printable trail maps online, where you can also find a rundown of all the sculptures in the park and view the sculptures on each trail.

Science on their day off

• Looking ahead to next Thursday, Nov. 11, when many schools may be closed: Check out the SEE Science Center (200 Bedford St. in Manchester; see-sciencecenter.org, 669-0400) from noon to 2 p.m. when the UNH students from Team Cooke, who are taking part in a research project that will go to the International Space Station, will be at SEE to discuss doing science experiments in space and lead hands-on activities, according to the website. Make reservations for museum admission online; sessions are available at 10 a.m., noon and 2 p.m. Admission costs $10 for visitors ages 3 and up. The center is open Tuesdays through Fridays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

• The McAuliffe-Shepard Planetarium (2 Institute Dr. in Concord; starhop.com, 271-7827) is open Fridays through Sundays (with admission times at 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.) during the school year. It will also be open Thursday, Nov. 11. Go online to reserve a time slot; admission costs $11.50 for adults, $8.50 for children (ages 3 to 12), $10.50 for students ages 13 through college and for seniors.

More midweek entertainment

• The Pembroke Town Library (313 Pembroke St. in Pembroke; 485-7851, pembroke-nh.com/library) will present the Toe Jam Puppet Band Variety Show in the library’s parking lot on Thursday, Nov. 4, at 1 p.m. Dress warmly and bring chairs for a show with the “wacky and wild” band, a release from the library said.

• The Palace Teen Company will present The Little Mermaid on Tuesday, Nov. 9, and Wednesday, Nov. 10, at 7:30 p.m. The show will feature actors ages 12 to 18, according to the website. Tickets cost $12 to $15.

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