Quality of Life 20/06/25

Happy campers

The New Hampshire Division of Parks and Recreation announced in a press release that existing campsite reservations for the remainder of the 2020 season will be honored at the following campgrounds: Bear Brook State Park, Franconia Notch State Park-Cannon Mountain RV Park, Crawford Notch State Park-Dry River Campground, Ellacoya State Park, Greenfield State Park, Hampton Beach State Park (South), Jericho Mountain State Park, Franconia Notch State Park-Lafayette Place Campground, Lake Francis State Park, Monadnock State Park-Gilson Pond, Moose Brook State Park, Pawtuckaway State Park, Pillsbury State Park and White Lake State Park. The department will continue to evaluate whether to open additional reservations and campgrounds as the season progresses, but there are plenty of private campgrounds that have opened as well.

Comment: QOL headed up to the White Mountains for two nights at a campground last weekend and found the brief retreat to be very relaxing — and easy enough to maintain social distancing.

Let the games begin

The Nashua Silver Knights, part of the Futures Collegiate Baseball League, will begin regular season play on Thursday, July 2, the league announced Monday. The league includes five other teams (four based in Massachusetts and one from Connecticut). The Silver Knights will host 21 of its 39 games at home in Holman Stadium, starting with three days of games July 2, July 3 and July 5. The regular season will conclude on Aug. 19 and will be followed by a best-of-three series to determine this season’s league champion. Visit nashuasilverknights.com.

Comment: This league features a “Home Run Derby Wins It” tiebreaker — if a game is still tied after one extra inning, the teams each get three minutes to hit as many home runs as possible, and the winner of the shootout-style derby wins the game.

Watch your water

As of June 18, the entirestate of New Hampshire has been categorized as abnormally dry, according to a press release from the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services, and drought development is likely in the state’s southern counties, including Merrimack, Rockingham and Hillsborough counties, which had received 50 to 75 percent less precipitation than normal over the past 60 days. Because of these conditions, the department is urging those with private wells to start conserving water now to avoid the need for well improvements or new wells. Suggestions include limiting outdoor water use and staggering water use for things like doing laundry and showering to allow the well time to recharge. For more suggestions, visit des.nh.gov, click on “A-Z list” and scroll down to Drought Management.

Comment: For those who have city or town water, municipalities and water utilities will likely impose outdoor water use restrictions as dry conditions continue, according to the release, and the department is asking the public to “be conservation-minded and abide by restrictions.”

Celebrate seafood all summer long

The 31st annual Hampton Beach Seafood Festival has been canceled, the Hampton Area Chamber of Commerce announced in a press release last week. The Chamber decided to cancel the event, which typically draws more than 100,000 people throughout its three days, “in the best interest of the public safety and public health,” according to the release.

Comment: It’s not all bad news for seafood lovers: The Chamber is creating the “Summer Long Hampton Beach Seafood Celebration Guidebook,” which will direct people to the businesses that normally participate in the festival. The free guidebooks will be available at businesses along the coast and at the Chamber’s beach office on Ocean Boulevard starting July 6.

QOL score: 63 (the score is temporarily suspended, but QOL will still be keeping tabs on New Hampshire’s well-being each week)

What’s affecting your Quality of Life here in New Hampshire? Let us know at [email protected].

Questions follow reopening

The major sports leagues went about their business last week planning to open their respective seasons. In baseball, basketball and hockey it will be with no fans, with the latter two doing it from one site to reduce exposure to infection to the coronavirus. In football, despite last week’s warning from Dr. Anthony Fauci that we’re not done with the virus and with a second wave likely it’s risky, they’re still planning on games with fans socially distanced.
As usual, those who either don’t like that news or live in fantasy land pushed back on Fauci. Like Boston Globe NFL reporter Ben Volin with a column last week citing several other medical experts who say it can work. He also laid out the extensive plans NFL teams have for creating safe havens at their facilities through social distancing and the like.
I’m no expert, but sorry, I’m not buying it. Somebody explain to me how they can social distance in the huddle. Ditto on the line of scrimmage and while tackling someone about 80 times a game. How about on quarterback sneaks for that big first down that leave 12 people lying on top of each other for a minute or so as they untangle? TD celebrations? Yeah, that can be discouraged or even penalized. Though given that roughly 20 percent of the people I see walking around the grocery store are either clueless or of the “I’m more important than anyone else” types without masks, I don’t think that will take for all.
Throw in everyone on the field perspiring all through the game and violent exhales from ball carriers after getting drilled unexpectedly by a 260-pound guy running at full speed, and the physics just don’t add up. Or is it the chemistry? Or is it the biology? Or maybe it’s all three. As you can see, science was never a strong suit, so that’s why I listen to Fauci on these issues, particularly for what we should do in the grocery store if you get my drift. But I digress.
Then there was the news last week that five Philadelphia Phillies and someone from the Blue Jays tested positive before their teams even officially gathered at their ultra-sanitized facilities to begin pre-season. Both have been shut down indefinitely. That does not portend a smooth start, and baseball is the sport that most easily translates to adopting a social distancing program.
What happens if an NFL team gets hit with a mass of positive tests at one time? Like the six Cowboys who tested positive last week. Can just see it now — NEWS FLASH: Dak Prescott, star runner Ezekiel Elliott (again) and all five starting offensive linemen are among 10 Dallas Cowboys to test positive today and they’re now on 14-day quarantine. How do you replace 10 guys on offense at once when that’s added to the usual three or four normally out every week in a sport where injuries ravage lineups as the season progresses? Especially if among the 10 are also their two other QB’s. Then what? To survive all that they’ll need 80 players on the roster.
Since all their pitchers sit together in the bullpen or dugout it could be the same in baseball. As John Madden used to say — BOOM, there goes the pitching. How are you going run a team with 80 percent of the pitchers gone?
Hockey? What would have happened to the 1970 Bruins if both Gerry Cheevers and Eddie Johnston went down together? Especially after they somehow had let future Vezina Trophy and multiple Stanley Cup winning goalies Bernie Parent and Ken Dryden get away to Philadelphia and Montreal respectively. As an aside, since that was right around the time I checked out on hockey, that’s about as recent an example as I can come up with. Basketball can probably survive the best, because it needs fewer players and there are a million of them around. But it still raises the question of what the product is actually going to be like.
Of course this isn’t the first time sports has had to deal with a possible dire talent drain. With almost every able-bodied man drafted into the Army, baseball was so stretched during World War II that one-armed outfielder Pete Gray played 77 games for the St. Louis Browns in 1945. That he was able to bat .218 with just one arm is remarkable. Though since lefty hurler Jim Abbott is the only player since to make the majors with that disability it does speak to the shortage of available players during the war.
After Pearl Harbor, Commissioner Landis asked President Roosevelt if baseball should be shut down. To which FDR said no, it was important for the nation’s morale to keep playing, and they then did the best they could with the likes of Ted Williams, Joe DiMaggio and most everyone else off to war. Of course they weren’t charging $200 a ticket to watch that product in a risky health environment.
Mixed in to all this is the need to restart the economy, which is a very important factor in everyday life. Whether sports fits into the “need” category is up for debate. But not to the folks whose livelihood depends on sports going forward or who have huge investments on the line with the teams. Fortunately, we can watch it all on TV. That brings the risk down to the players, coaches and all the others those involved in playing and broadcasting. And their participation is up to them, as it should be.
Will it work without stopping midway through? The Reggie Lewis case from many moons ago taught us it’s better to go with the pack of docs who agree against the one in dissent. But those docs were on the side of caution for Reggie, which is what Dr Fauci is pushing. I’m with him, because I don’t see it working.
Hopefully, I’ll be wrong.
Email Dave Long at [email protected].

Helping families cope

A funeral director talks about the impact of Covid-19

The Covid-19 pandemic put funeral homes in a unique predicament; while the increased number of deaths in the state led to an increased demand for end-of-life services, emergency orders from the governor significantly limited the services that the funeral homes could provide. Buddy Phaneuf, fourth-generation funeral director and president of Phaneuf Funeral Homes & Crematorium, which has five locations throughout New Hampshire and Vermont, discussed how funeral homes and families of deceased have been getting through the pandemic, and how funeral arrangements will be handled moving forward.

What restrictions were put on funeral homes during the state’s Stay-at-Home Order?

We were considered an essential business, so we were never legally mandated to close. … The original restrictions imposed by the state up until Monday [June 15] were that gatherings or services at funeral homes had to have under 10 people. We were also affected by restrictions on churches — a lot of them were closed and not allowing services — and cemeteries, which, at one point, only allowed two people to gather close to a grave.

What restrictions are in place now that the Stay-at-Home Order has been lifted?

The governor is limiting funeral homes to [using] 50 percent of their capacity, but we’re still not comfortable having that [many people]. Our main location in Manchester can accommodate 400 people. That means we are still allowed to have as many as 200 people there, and you just can’t effectively [enforce] social distance with 200 people. We’re doing everything on a case-by-case basis right now based on what makes the most practical sense for us. … We’re also doing all the common-sense stuff: social distancing, wearing masks, providing hand sanitizer, cleaning public rooms multiple times a day, using signage and multiple entrances and exits to manage the flow [of visitors].

What are some of the biggest challenges funeral homes have had to face during the pandemic?

Nearly a third of New Hampshire’s Covid-positive patients [who died] came through one of our facilities. Dealing with an extra 40 to 50 deaths a month is significant, plus all of the mixed messages we were getting from state, national and international [health organizations] about how Covid is spread. Can you get Covid from a deceased body? Can you have an open casket [service] for a deceased Covid patient? Some [health organizations] were saying one thing, and others were saying something else. … Another thing is that our staff has been on the frontlines [of the pandemic]. … They’ve had to go to homes where a person may have died of Covid, and the family members in those homes could potentially have Covid. We didn’t always have all of the PPEs [personal protective equipment] … so funeral home staff really put their neck on the line.

How has the pandemic impacted funeral homes, business-wise?

Funeral homes aren’t unique; they’ve been just as impacted by this pandemic as restaurants and retail shops and so many other businesses [have]. … We’ve lost hundreds of thousands of dollars of revenue. … Even though we’ve been serving more families, the families are downgrading their services. Instead of a traditional funeral, they’re doing a cremation. Instead of having a wake, they’re just going to the cemetery. The flowers, the limos, the processions — people aren’t doing that right now, and funeral homes rely on that to pay their basic expenses. … The reality is, a lot of the smaller mom-and-pop funeral homes have not been able to cover their expenses, and they will have to close.

How have families been handling funeral arrangements during the pandemic?

It runs the gamut. Some people want to have the big public service at a church with a big wake and a luncheon, so they’ve decided to wait a few months until they can have that. Other people didn’t want to delay things or drag things on for months. They said, ‘It is what it is, and we need to deal with it,’ and they had a small, private service. Some people decided to do a private service now and are planning to do a more public, celebration-of-life event later on.

Have you been able to accommodate families with special requests or unique circumstances during this time?

[We have been] thinking outside the box and coming up with some really interesting and creative ideas. … In one case, we had an open casket for a young person who passed away, and there were 200 people here. Of course, we couldn’t let 200 people in, so we let 10 people in at a time, and it was a whole-day event, but that was what we needed to do to help [the deceased’s] family and friends grieve and say goodbye. … We also have a camera in our chapel, so we’ve been able to do some livestream services. Families can either just watch the service or … we can set them up on Zoom. We actually did that for an immigrant family who wanted to have an overnight vigil because that’s part of their customs and traditions, but of course everyone couldn’t spend the night together, and a lot of family members were still in their native country, so we set up a camera in front of the casket with a Zoom [session]. Around 50 or 60 family members signed in over the course of the evening.

News & Notes 20/06/25

Governor’s updates

Covid-19 updateAs of June 15As of June 22
Total cases statewide5,3455,558
Total current infections statewide984929
Total deaths statewide320339
New cases321 (June 9 – June 15)233 (June 16 – June 22)
Current infections: Hillsborough County621586
Current infections: Merrimack County7466
Current infections: Rockingham County199185
Information from the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services

On June 16, Sununu issued Executive Order 2020-11, establishing the New Hampshire Commission on Law Enforcement Accountability, Community and Transparency. According to a press release, the commission is composed of members of the public, representatives of the NAACP and the ACLU, as well as members of the state’s Police Standards and Training Council and Commission for Human Rights. The newly established commission is being given 45 days to engage with stakeholders in the community and develop recommendations for reforms to enhance transparency, accountability and community relations in law enforcement in the state. Its report will be posted publicly on the governor’s website.

On June 17, Sununu issued Emergency Order No. 53, an amendment to Emergency Order No. 36, which had been issued on April 24, ensuring worker’s compensation coverage of state first responders who have been exposed to the coronavirus. Per Emergency Order No. 53, “first responder” includes any individual covered by the definition of “emergency response/public safety” worker and any member of the New Hampshire National Guard ordered into active state service.

On June 18, Sununu issued Executive Order 2020-12, an order directing the formal establishment of the Governor’s Youth Advisory Council on Substance Misuse and Prevention. Members of the council advise Sununu, from a youth perspective, on legislation, events and media pertaining to substance misuse. The council consists of up to 21 members, each appointed by Sununu, in grades 9 through 12 in the state. The council meets monthly and will submit a report of its activities to Sununu on or before Nov. 30.

On June 22, Sununu issued Executive Order 2020-13, an order amending Executive Order 2020-11, an order issued six days earlier that establishes the New Hampshire Commission on Law Enforcement Accountability, Community and Transparency. Per Executive Order 2020-13, a criminal defense attorney will be added as a member of the commission.

Details of all Emergency and Executive Orders can be found at governor.nh.gov.

DCYF
The New Hampshire Division for Children, Youth, and Families has made “substantial progress” over the past few years, according to new data released by the Department of Health and Human Services. “When I took office in 2017, New Hampshire’s DCYF was in crisis with unacceptable results for our kids,” Gov. Sununu said in a press release. “We made children a top priority, created a new set of standards, made the right investments and have exceeded expectations with our outcomes.” DCYF Director Joseph Ribsam said in the release that the department has rebuilt its Child Protection System, and in doing so has seen positive trends like caseloads going down, workforce numbers going up, and the number of children finding permanent homes going up. For example, the average assessment caseload per social worker reached 93 in January 2016 and is now at 17, and the number of overdue open assessments has gone from 3,500 in November 2015 to 747 as of June, according to the press release. Ribsam said in the release that these trends were evident even prior to the pandemic, during which fewer calls have been coming in.

Food access
A new website, neighborhoodprovisions.org, has been created to help elderly and immunocompromised patients and community members in need find food options that can be delivered to their homes. According to a press release, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Health is collaborating with community partners to facilitate food distribution to those populations during the pandemic. Locally, that includes Granite United Way, the Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce, Families in Transition and the office of Manchester Mayor Joyce Craig. “It’s been difficult for some of my patients to know what resources exist,” Roshani R. Patel, M.D., a surgeon at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Manchester, said in the release. “They are overwhelmed. Many can pay for food but can’t find a central location to see what their options are.” The website includes a list of restaurants, small grocers and farms, support and delivery help, according to the release.

Septic troubles
The New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services has seen an increased percentage of applications to replace failed individual septic systems over the last few months compared to 2019, according to a press release. With more people staying home due to the pandemic, there is an increased use of home septic systems, and system overload may be contributing to the increased number of failures, according to the release. In addition, disposing of antibacterial cleaning materials in septic systems can also lead to premature system failure. Visit getpumpednh.com for information about proper septic system maintenance.

Ride on
The Manchester Mounted Patrol Unit — police officers Kelly McKenney and Andrew Choi along with horses General Stark and Valor — has received a $1,200 donation from Members First Credit Union, a sponsorship that helps keep the self-funded unit on patrol, according to a press release. The unit has been patrolling the city, including the downtown area, since 1999 and serves as an ambassador of the Manchester Police Department by attending public events, parades, schools and police demonstrations, according to the release. Donations like these help cover expenses associated with operating the unit. Find “Friends of Manchester Mounted Patrol” on Facebook.

Teacher of the Year
The New Hampshire Department of Education has chosen 11 semifinalists for the 2021 New Hampshire Teacher of the Year award, selected from 30 nominees, according to a press release. The semifinalists are Alyssa Balboni, third-fourth grade, Parker-Varney, Manchester; Danielle Boutin, ELL, Ledge Street School, Nashua; Sarah Carlson, third grade, Plymouth Elementary; Maryanne Cullinan, Enrichment, Great Brook Middle School, Antrim; Christina Duffy, Social Studies, Hampton Academy; Lauren Elliott, first grade, Winchester School; Steven Juster, English, Londonderry High School; Jay Keough, Criminal Justice, Spaulding High School and R.W. Creteau Regional Technology Center, Rochester; Kathleen McCaffrey-Pomerleau, second grade, Main Street School, Exeter; Benjamin Rodon, Humanities, Amherst Middle School; and Tina Sturdivant, Biology, Pinkerton Academy, Derry. This year, instead of site visits, candidates submitted videos that showed how they transitioned to remote instruction. Now the semifinalists will be tested on their public speaking skills by visiting the department to answer this question: “What is your platform and how can you use that to elevate the teaching profession?” From there, finalists will be visited in their schools in September, if schools are open, with a final recipient selected in October, according to the release.

The Warner Historical Society will present a free online talk about the effect of the railroad on farming and mill development along the Warner River on Friday, June 26, at 7 p.m., according to a press release. Email [email protected] to register. During the discussion, you will be able to ask questions and talk to the presenters.

City Hall in Manchester has resumed in-person services, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday, according to a press release. Masks are required for employees who work with the public and are strongly recommended for anyone entering the building. Masks and hand sanitizer will be available. Using online services is still recommended if possible, and processing fees will now be waived temporarily for all online services, according to the release.

Get your dog some ice cream and help the canines of Second Chance Ranch Rescue in New Boston at the same time. Throughout the month of July, Dairy Queen on Second Street in Manchester will be donating 100 percent of proceeds from every pup cup sold at the drive-thru, according to a press release.

Free bagged lunches will be available to kids under 18 on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Nashua Public Library this summer, according to a press release. There will also be bags of nonperishable foods available Monday to Thursday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Fridays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The library parking lot will have a designated space with a curbside pickup sign. You can either use the intercom to request food or call 589-4600, and there is no ID required.

Connect in real life

Facebook has been advertising how it creates community — how it brings people together. Dads can share dad stuff with other dads, like going to a baseball game with their kids. Or at least that’s what the ads say.
But there is also a darker side. According to recent reporting from the Wall Street Journal, Facebook is helping radicalize extremists and has known that its algorithms move people deeper down a radical rabbit hole. Facebook’s recommendation tools actually suggested more radical groups to join. According to the Journal, Facebook executives found that, in their words: “Our algorithms exploit the human brain’s attraction to divisiveness.”
On top of that, a 2019 study by professors at New York University and Stanford demonstrated that people were happier and less polarized when they stayed off Facebook.
So what does this mean for us?
I would hope it would give us pause to put down the phone, close the app and engage in your community in real life. Yes, the pandemic has temporarily made it harder to get out and see people, but Facebook is right about one thing: We crave community, in a good way. We enjoy the company of others even if we don’t know them. So as soon as you feel it’s safe, engage in a conversation with a stranger. Join a service group, like Rotary, and enjoy the community it provides. Volunteer. Volunteer to be around people unlike yourself.
Let’s not let Facebook use our desire for connections as a way to suck us online, divide us and sell us stuff.

Best Of 2017

The results are in! Throughout February, you voted for your favorite things about southern New Hampshire, from your favorite breakfast to your favorite place to take visiting relatives.

After hand-counting your votes, we now present you with the results, which include return champions as well as first-time winners.

Put them all together and you have a great resource of the best things to see and do right where you live. (Descriptions of the locations mentioned here are based on information available on their websites. Call ahead to verify they have the dish, salon service or fitness class you’re looking for.)

You also came up with some fantastic responses to “Best thing we forgot to ask about” — you’ll find stories about the Top 3 in these pages.

Once you’re done perusing this list, keep an eye out for our annual magazine, coming out in May, where we’ll expand on some of the people and places that make southern New Hampshire a great place to live.

The Arts

Best Performing Arts Venue

Best of the Best: The Palace Theatre, 80 Hanover St., Manchester, 668-5588, palacetheatre.org (The 890-seat venue is more than 100 years old and is best known for its mainstage professional productions and Palace Youth Theatre company. In addition, it hosts musical and comedy acts and film screenings. The next mainstage musical is Saturday Night Fever April 14 through May 6.)

Best of Concord: Capitol Center for the Arts, 44 S. Main St., Concord, 225-1111, ccanh.com (The arts venue contains the 1,304-seat Chubb Theatre, Governor’s Hall and the adjacent Kimball House. The venue sees Broadway national shows; concerts; and HD screenings of the Met, the National Theatre and Bolshoi Ballet. The next big production is Pippin Thursday, May 11.)

Best of Manchester: Tupelo Music Hall, 10 A St., Derry, 437-5100, tupelohall.com (The recent move from Londonderry enables tiered seating but with dancing and tables on the lowest level. It sees concerts and comedy events every weekend. Melissa Etheridge performs April 26.)

Best of Nashua: The Amato Center for the Performing Arts, 56 Mont Vernon St., Milford, 672-1002, svbgc.org (Built in 2005 around the former home of the American Stage Festival, the 460-seat theater houses the Riverbend Youth Company and the Riverbend School of Theater Arts plus productions by the Milford Area Players; the next big one is Seussical May 4 through May 7.)

Best Art Gallery

Best of the Best: McGowan Fine Art, 10 Hills Ave., Concord, 225-2515, mcgowanfineart.com (The contemporary gallery features work by New England artists of various media, styles and price ranges. Owner and director Sarah Chaffee celebrates her 20th year as the gallery director with a show, “Twenty Years of a Singular Vision,” on view through April 28 and a reception Friday, March 31, from 5 to 7 p.m.)

Best of Concord: Mill Brook Gallery & Sculpture Garden, 236 Hopkinton Road, Concord, 226-2046, themillbrookgallery.com (It’s perhaps best known for its summer outdoor sculpture exhibit, but owner Pam Tarbell also curates several indoor exhibitions each year with work by New England artists in all media, including sculpture, paintings, jewelry, etc. It opens for the season May 4.)

Best of Manchester: Studio 550 Art Center, 550 Elm St., Manchester, 232-5597, 550arts.com (It’s primarily a ceramics studio for beginner and advanced artists, but the space sees monthly rotating curated or non-curated shows. On view now through April 25 is “Upcycled Art: A New Life for Old Things.”)

Best of Nashua: Wild Salamander Creative Arts Center, 30 Ash St., Hollis, 465-9453, wildsalamander.com (The art center is primarily for classes, workshops and summer camps but also hosts art shows almost every month. On view April 1 through April 22 is “Dueling Landscapes: Traditional vs. Industrial” with work by Stephen L. Previte.)

Best Art in a Public Space

Best of the Best: Downtown Concord (The newest pieces include the sculpture of a boy with a turtle by Beverly Benson Seamans on South Main St. Other downtown art includes the Eagle Square gateway tree sculpture, the new Haley Rae Martin mural created by local high school students, located on the CVS on Main Street, and the statues and memorials on the State House lawn, including Gen. John Stark, Daniel Webster and Franklin Pierce, among others.)

Best of Concord: Concord Arts Market, Bicentennial Square, concordartsmarket.net (It happens almost every Saturday from June 3 through Sept. 30 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Bicentennial Square, hosting local artists selling art, crafts, jewelry and more.)

Best of Manchester: Currier Museum of Art, 150 Ash St., Manchester, 669-6144, currier.org (Outside are four sculptures: “Fusion II,” a stainless steel piece by George Sherwood, “Thank You Silence” and “Bench #XIII,” both by Gary Haven Smith, and “Origins,” a bright red and black piece by Mark di Suvero. Inside are permanent and rotating art exhibitions; on view now are “Deep Cuts: Contemporary Paper Cutting” and “Soo Sunny Park: BioLath.”)

Best of Nashua: Downtown Nashua (Downtown contains a variety of murals and sculptures courtesy of Positive Street Art, City Arts Nashua and the Nashua International Sculpture Symposium. The most recent addition is a mural on Main St. honoring famous Hollywood flicks, like It’s A Wonderful Life and The Blob; you can find all the city’s downtown murals and sculptures at downtownnashua.org/live/cultural-groups/. Three artfully-decorated downtown pianos will also be installed for the spring season starting May 6, one confirmed for Bicentennial Park, the other locations TBD.)

Shopping

Best Florist

Best of the Best: Cobblestone Design Company, 89 Fort Eddy Road, Concord, 228-5980, cobblestoneflorist.com

Best of Concord: D. McLeod Florist, 49 S. State St., Concord, 225-3721, dmflowers.com

Best of Manchester: Chalifour’s Flowers, 46 Elm St., Manchester, 623-8844, chalifours.com

Best of Nashua: Fortin Gage Flowers & Gifts, 86 W. Pearl St., Nashua, 882-3371, fortingage.com

Best Independent Clothing Store

Best of the Best: Gondwana & Divine Clothing Co., 13 N. Main St., Concord, 228-1101, clothingnh.com (More than 100 lines of women’s clothes, jewelry and accessories, made in the U.S. or purchased fair trade.)

Best of Concord: Indigo Blues & Co., 902 Main St., Contoocook, 660-9290, indigobluesandco.com (Women’s jeans boutique with other clothes, jewelry and accessories.)

Best of Manchester: Alapage, 25 S. River Road, Bedford, 622-0550, alapageboutique.com (Contemporary upscale women’s boutique with clothing, jewelry, accessories and a “jeans bar,” with an extensive denim selection.)

Best of Nashua: Fresh of Nashua, 178 Main St., Nashua, 821-9888, freshofnashua.com (Upscale women’s fashion apparel and accessory boutique.)

Best Independent Jewelry Store

Best of the Best: Capitol Craftsman & Romance Jewelers, 16 & 18 N. Main St., Concord, 224-6166, capitolcraftsman.com

Best of Concord: Speer’s Fine Jewelry, 24 N. Main St., Concord, 224-1582, speersfinejewelry.com

Best of Manchester: Bellman Jewelers, 1650 Elm St., Manchester, 625-4653, bellmans.com

Best of Nashua: Scontsas Fine Jewelry & Home Decor, 169-173 Main St., Nashua, 882-3281, scontsas.com

Best Independent Shoe Store

Best of the Best: Alec’s Shoes, 1617 Southwood Drive, Nashua, 882-6811, alecs-shoes.com

Best of Concord: Joe King’s Shoe Shop, 45 N. Main St., Concord, 225-6012, joekings.com

Best of Manchester: Benton Shoe Co., 814 Elm St., Suite 102, Manchester, 644-2550, bentonshoeco.com

Best of Nashua: The Shoebox, 17 Route 101A, Amherst, 672-6570, shoeboxnh.com

Best Secondhand Store

Best of the Best: Mother & Child Clothing and Gifts, 135 Route 101A, Amherst, 886-6727, mothersays.shoprw.com

Best of Concord: OutFITters Thrift Store Boutique, 20 S. Main St., Concord, 219-0027, outfittersnh.org (Its second OutFITters Thrift Store is in Manchester at 394 Second St.)

Best of Manchester: Deja Boutique, 553 Mast Road, Goffstown, 222-7000, dejaboutiquenh.simpl.com

Best of Nashua: Dress 2 Impress Consignment, 650 Amherst St., Nashua, 589-9536, dress2impressconsignment.com

Fitness

Best Gym

Best of the Best: Get Fit NH, 287 S. Main St., Concord, 344-2651, getfitnh.com (In addition to its coached workouts, the gym offers nutrition coaching, sport-specific training and small group training. Its second location is in Epsom at 167 New Orchard Road.)

Best of Concord: Concord YMCA, 15 N. State St., Concord, 228-9622, concordymca.org (Membership comes with classes like spinning, yoga, pilates and Zumba, water exercise courses for adults and seniors and exercise machinery.)

Best of Manchester: Executive Health & Sports Center, 1 Highlander Way, Manchester, 668-4753, ehsc.com (It has a second location in Hooksett at 1328 Hooksett Road.)

Best of Nashua: Dynamic Strength and Conditioning, 115 Northeastern Blvd., Nashua, 882-2348, dynamicsc.com (Private group training facility aimed at training everyone from beginners to athletes, with everything from fitness to nutritional training.)

Best Workout Class

Best of the Best: “Small Group Training” at Get Fit NH, 287 S. Main St., Concord, 344-2651, getfitnh.com (One-hour class occurs most mornings and evenings during the week and comprises strength and metabolic training.)

Best of Concord: “Jeremy’s Boot Camp” atJeremy’s Boot Camp, 153 Manchester St., Suite 3 and 4, Concord, 721-2830, jeremysbootcamp.com (Combination of strength and high-intensity interval training.)

Best of Manchester: “Jazzercise” at Jazzercise Manchester Fitness Center, 32 Hayward St., Manchester, 624-9122, jcls.jazzercise.com/facility/jazzercise-manchester-fitness-center (Jazzercise classes are based in jazz and aerobics and occur early- and mid-morning and most evenings during the week.)

Best of Nashua: “Adult Group Training” at Dynamic Strength and Conditioning, 115 Northeastern Blvd., Nashua, 882-2348, dynamicsc.com (The one-hour sessions occur Monday through Friday in the early morning, mid-day and evening, plus Saturday mornings, and focus on all aspects of fitness, from mobility to strength training.)

Best Yoga Studio

Best of the Best: YogaBalance, 135 Hooksett Road, Manchester, 625-4000, yogabalance.info

Best of Concord: Ohana Yoga, 44 Cedar St., Contoocook, 748-1539, ohanayoganh.com

Best of Manchester: Mountain Base Yoga, 3 Church St., Goffstown, 660-0823, mountainbaseyoga.com

Best of Nashua: NH Power Yoga, 704 Milford Road, Merrimack, 594-2494, nhpoweryoga.com

Fix It

Best Car Repair Shop

Best of the Best: Duncan’s European Automotive, 3 Liberty Drive, Londonderry, 434-5769, duncansauto.com

Best of Concord: Weed Family Automotive, 124 Storrs St., Concord, 225-7988, weedfamilyautomotive.com

Best of Manchester: Black Widow Customs, 51 Kosciuszko St., Manchester, 624-0400, blackwidowcustoms.com

Best of Nashua: Gurney’s Automotive Repair, 83 Broad St., Nashua, 886-5800, gurneysautomotive.com (Gurney’s Automotive has a second location in Milford at 419 Elm St.)

Beauty

Best Barbershop

Best of the Best: The Polished Man, 707 Milford Road, Unit 3A, Merrimack, 233-8685, thepolishedmannh.com

Best of Concord: Lucky’s Barbershop & Shave Parlor, 50 S. State St., Concord, 715-5470, luckysbarbershop.biz (Its second location is in Portsmouth at 801 Islington St., Suite 28.)

Best of Manchester: Handsome Devil’s Barber Shop & Shave, 1100 Hooksett Road, Hooksett, 232-7024, handsomedevilsnh.com

Best of Nashua: Wilfred’s Barbershop, 90 W. Pearl St., Nashua, 880-8805, wilfredsbarbershop.com

Best Salon

Best of the Best: Salon K, 18 Pleasant St., Concord, 225-0099, salonkconcord.com

Best of Concord: Creative Color & Cuts Salon and Day Spa, 259 S. Main St., Concord, 228-1158, creativecolorandcuts.com

Best of Manchester: 5 Diamond Salon, 915 Holt Ave. Suite 4, Manchester, 459-3367, 5diamondsalon.com

Best of Nashua: Fancy Nancy’s Elite Hair Designers Salon & Day Spa, 295 DW Highway, Nashua, 891-0202, fancynancyssalon.com

Best Spa

Best of the Best: Serendipity Day Spa, 23 Sheep Davis Road, Pembroke, 229-0400, serendipitydayspa.com

Best of Concord: Salon K, 18 Pleasant St., Concord, 225-0099, salonkconcord.com

Best of Manchester: Renew MediSpa, 29 Indian Rock Road, Windham, 894-0070, renewmedispa.com

Best of Nashua: Innovations The Salon & Spa, 228 Naticook Road, Merrimack, 880-7499, innovationsnh.com

Best Tattoo Shop

Best of the Best: Spider-Bite Tattoo & Body Piercing, 179 Elm St., Manchester, 645-1449, spider-bite.com

Best of Concord: Arrows & Embers Tattoo, 117 Manchester St., Concord, 988-6067, arrowsandemberstattoo.com

Best of Manchester: Tattoo Angus, 1279 S. Willow St., Manchester, 935-9398, tattooangus.com

Best of Nashua: Precision Body Arts, 3 Elm St., Nashua, 889-5788, precisionbodyarts.com

Best restaurants

Best Restaurant Overall

Best of the Best: The Tuckaway Tavern & Butchery,58 Route 27, Raymond, 244-2431, thetuckaway.com. The menu features traditional American pub fare with a modern twist and a focus on fresh ingredients. Favorites include their burgers, mac and cheese and steak tips.

Best of Concord: The Barley House, 132 N. Main St., Concord, 228-6363, thebarleyhouse.com. Known for their burgers and french fries, The Barley House offers upscale pub cuisine and comfort food favorites with a wide selection of craft beer and whiskeys. (The Barley House also has a location at 43 Lafayette Road in North Hampton.)

Best of Manchester: Republic, 1069 Elm St., Manchester, 666-3723, republiccafe.com. The cafe features eclectic Mediterranean cuisine with a farm-to-table, seasonal focus. Menu items include paninis and flatbreads, unique vegan and vegetarian dishes, creative cocktails and more.

Best of Nashua: MT’s Local Kitchen & Wine Bar, 212 Main St., Nashua, 595-9334, mtslocal.com. MT’s offers fine dining in a casual atmosphere and features a menu of New American cuisine with a variety of entrees, wood-grilled pizzas and wines.

Best New Eatery

Best of the Best: Gale Motor Co. Eatery, 36 Lowell St., Manchester, 232-7059, galemotoreatery.com. Opened April 2016. The menu features culinary fusion cuisine with tapas and shareable plates and inventive craft cocktails. (A new Gale Motor Co. “Pit Stop” location is set to open at Mel’s Funway Park in Litchfield in early April.)

Best of Concord: Revival Kitchen & Bar, 11 Depot St., Concord, 715-5723, revivalkitchennh.com. Opened January 2017. Revival presents reimagined New England and Old World classic dishes with a farm-to-table focus.

Best of Manchester: The Birch on Elm, 931 Elm St., Manchester, 782-5365, facebook.com/thebirchonelm. Opened September 2016. Serves globally inspired small- and medium-sized plates and handcrafted classic cocktails with a twist.

Best of Nashua: Bar One, 40 Nashua St., Milford, 249-5327, facebook.com/baronenh. Opened June 2016. The gastropub features New American and elevated tavern cuisine centered around unique craft cocktails.

Best Fine Dining Restaurant

Best of the Best: Hanover Street Chophouse, 149 Hanover St., Manchester, 644-2467, hanoverstreetchophouse.com

Best of Concord: Granite Restaurant & Bar, located at The Centennial Hotel, 96 Pleasant St., Concord, 227-9000, graniterestaurant.com

Best of Manchester: Copper Door Restaurant, 15 Leavy Drive, Bedford, 488-2677, copperdoorrestaurant.com (a second Copper Door location is set to open later this year at 41 South Broadway in Salem)

Best of Nashua: Buckley’s Great Steaks, 438 Daniel Webster Highway, Merrimack, 424-0995, buckleysgreatsteaks.com

Best Pub

Best of the Best: The Shaskeen, 909 Elm St., Manchester, 625-0246, theshaskeenpub.com

Best of Concord: The Barley House, 132 N. Main St., Concord, 228-6363, thebarleyhouse.com (The Barley House also has a location at 43 Lafayette Road in North Hampton)

Best of Manchester: The Wild Rover, 21 Kosciuszko St., Manchester, 669-7722, wildroverpub.com

Best of Nashua: The Peddler’s Daughter, 48 Main St., Nashua, 821-7535, thepeddlersdaughter.com

International cuisine

Best Asian Restaurant

Best of the Best: Lilac Blossom, 650 Amherst St., Unit 22, Nashua, 886-8420; 385 E. Dunstable Road, Nashua, 888-9588, lilacblossomrestaurant.com

Best of Concord: Siam Orchid Thai Bistro, 12 N. Main St., Concord, 228-1529, siamorchid.net

Best of Manchester: Asian Breeze, 1328 Hooksett Road, Hooksett, 621-9298, asianbreezenh.com

Best of Nashua: Sweet Ginger, 6 Dobson Way, Merrimack, 424-8035, sweetgingerthai.com

Best Italian Restaurant

Best of the Best: Angelina’s Ristorante Italiano, 11 Depot St., Concord, 228-3313, angelinasrestaurant.com

Best of Concord: Fratello’s Italian Grille, 799 Union Ave., Laconia, 528-2022, fratellos.com (Fratello’s also has locations in Manchester and Nashua)

Best of Manchester: Fratello’s Italian Grille, 155 Dow St., Manchester, 624-2022, fratellos.com

Best of Nashua: Fratello’s Italian Grille, 194 Main St., Nashua, 889-2022, fratellos.com

Best Mexican/Latin American

Best of the Best: La Carreta Mexican Restaurant, 1875 S. Willow St., Manchester, 623-7705; 545 Daniel Webster Highway, Manchester, 628-6899, lacarretamex.com (La Carreta also has locations in Derry, Nashua and Londonderry)

Best of Concord: Hermanos Cocina Mexicana,11 Hills Ave., Concord, 224-5669, hermanosmexican.com

Best of Manchester: La Carreta Mexican Restaurant, 35 Manchester Road, Suite 5A, Derry, 421-0091, lacarretamex.com

Best of Nashua: La Carreta Mexican Restaurant, 139 Daniel Webster Highway, Nashua, 891-0055, lacarretamex.com

More eateries

Best Barbecue

Best of the Best: KC’s Rib Shack, 837 Second St., Manchester, 627-7427, ribshack.net

Best of Concord: Smokeshow Barbeque, 89 Fort Eddy Road, Concord, 227-6399, smokeshowbbq.com

Best of Manchester: Goody Cole’s Smokehouse, 374 Route 125, Brentwood, 679-8898, facebook.com/goodcoles

Best of Nashua: Riverside Barbeque Co.,53 Main St., Nashua, 204-5110,riversidebarbeque.com

Best Diner

Best of the Best: Red Arrow Diner, 61 Lowell St., Manchester, 626-1118, redarrowdiner.com (Red Arrow also has locations in Milford and Londonderry; a new location in Concord is set to open this year)

Best of Concord: Tilt’n Diner, 61 Laconia Road, Tilton, 286-2204, thecman.com/restaurants/tilton-diner

Best of Manchester: Airport Diner, 2280 Brown Ave., Manchester, 623-5040, thecman.com/restaurants/airport-diner

Best of Nashua: Red Arrow Diner, 63 Union Square, Milford, 249-9222, redarrowdiner.com

Best Restaurant for Kids

Best of the Best: Tucker’s, 1328 Hooksett Road, Hooksett, 206-5757, tuckersnh.com (Tucker’s also has locations in Concord and New London)

Best of Concord: Tucker’s, 80 South St., Concord, 413-5884, tuckersnh.com

Best of Manchester: Puritan Backroom, 245 Hooksett Road, Manchester, 669-6890, puritanbackroom.com

Best of Nashua: Tiebreakers Family Grille/Wickets on the Green, located at Hampshire Hills Athletic Club, 50 Emerson Road, Milford, 673-7123, hampshirehills.com (Wickets is outdoor dining open May through September)

Best Seafood Restaurant

Best of the Best: Surf Restaurant, 207 Main St., Nashua, 595-9293, surfseafood.com (Surf also has a location at 99 Bow St. in Portsmouth)

Best of Concord: Makris Lobster & Steak House, 354 Sheep Davis Road, Concord, 225-7665, eatalobster.com

Best of Manchester: Hooked Seafood Restaurant, 110 Hanover St., Manchester, 606-1189, hookedonignite.com

Best of Nashua: The Lobster Boat Restaurant, 453 Daniel Webster Highway, Merrimack, 424-5221, lobsterboatrestaurant.com (Lobster Boat also has locations at 273 Derry Road in Litchfield and 75 Portsmouth Avenue in Exeter)

Best Steakhouse

Best of the Best: Hanover Street Chophouse, 149 Hanover St., Manchester, 644-2467, hanoverstreetchophouse.com

Best of Concord: O Steaks & Seafood, 11 S. Main St., Concord, 856-7925, magicfoodsrestaurantgroup.com/osteaks (O Steaks & Seafood also has a location at 62 Doris Ray Court in Laconia)

Best of Manchester: The Tuckaway Tavern & Butchery,58 Route 27, Raymond, 244-2431, thetuckaway.com

Best of Nashua: Buckley’s Great Steaks, 438 Daniel Webster Highway, Merrimack, 424-0995, buckleysgreatsteaks.com

Drinks

Best Beer Selection

Best of the Best: New England’s Tap House Grille, 1292 Hooksett Road, Hooksett, 782-5137, taphousenh.com

Best of Concord: The Barley House, 132 N. Main St., Concord, 228-6363, thebarleyhouse.com (There’s another location at 43 Lafayette Road in North Hampton)

Best of Manchester: Thirsty Moose Taphouse, 795 Elm St., Manchester, 792-2337, thirstymoosetaphouse.com (Also has locations at 21 Congress St. in Portsmouth and 83 Washington St. in Dover)

Best of Nashua: The Flight Center, 97 Main St., Nashua, 417-6184, flightcenterbc.com

Best Beer Shop

Best of the Best: Bert’s Better Beers, 1100 Hooksett Road, Hooksett, 413-5992, bertsbetterbeers.com

Best of Concord: Concord Craft Brewing Co.,117 Storrs St., Concord, 856-7625,concordcraftbrewing.com

Best of Manchester: Lazy Dog Beer Shoppe, 27 Buttrick Road, Londonderry, 434-2500, lazydogbeer.com

Best of Nashua: The Beer Store, 433 Amherst St., Nashua, 889-2242, thebeerstorenh.com

Best NH Brewery

Best: Able Ebenezer Brewing Co., 31 Columbia Circle, Merrimack, 844-223-2253, ableebenezer.com. The Ale Room is open for tasting and tours Monday through Friday, 4 to 8 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, noon to 8 p.m. Beers are offered at numerous southern New Hampshire restaurants and bars and at select specialty beer stores.

Runner-up: 603 Brewery, 12 Liberty Drive, Londonderry, 630-7745, 603brewery.com. The brewery has an on-site tasting bar with a view of the brewing area open Thursday and Friday, 4 to 8 p.m.; Saturday, noon to 8 p.m., and Sunday, noon to 5 p.m. Tours are offered on Saturdays. Beers are available at select food markets, convenience stores and specialty beer shops in Derry, Londonderry and Manchester.

Honorable Mention: Henniker Brewing Co.,129 Centervale Road, Henniker, 428-3579, hennikerbrewing.com. The tap room is open Monday through Friday, noon to 6 p.m., and Saturday, noon to 4 p.m. Tours are offered on Saturdays. Beers are available at many bars and restaurants, specialty beer shops, food markets and convenience stores in New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Maine.

Best Cocktail

Best of the Best: Mudslide, Puritan Backroom, 245 Hooksett Road, Manchester, 669-6890, puritanbackroom.com. The original Mudslide has Baileys Irish Cream, Kahlua Coffee Liqueur and vodka. Variations include mudslides with other flavors (Almond Joy, cherry, churro/cinnamon, espresso, Milky Way and Snickers) and ones highlighting other liquors (Captain Morgan Spiced Rum, Fireball Cinnamon Whiskey, Jack Daniel’s Whiskey and Jack Daniel’s Honey Whiskey).

Best of Concord: Margarita, Hermanos Cocina Mexicana,11 Hills Ave., Concord, 224-5669, hermanosmexican.com. The original Hermanos Margarita has white tequila and triple sec. Variations include margaritas with different flavors (pomegranate, amaretto, raspberry, orange) and ones highlighting different brands of tequila (Cuervo, 1800, Horni, Patron, Sauza). There are also specialty margaritas substituting other liquors for tequila, including the citrus vodka-based Citrita (with triple sec) and Aligarita (with Alize), the limon rum-based Limonrita and the Key Lime, which has vanilla vodka and a splash of club soda.

Best of Manchester: Moroccan Old-Fashioned, Republic, 1069 Elm St., Manchester, 666-3723, republiccafe.com. The drink has straight rye, Berber spiced syrup and orange oil.

Best of Nashua: Espresso Martini, Giorgio’s Ristorante & Bar, 707 Milford Road, Merrimack, 883-7333, giorgios.com. (Giorgio’s also has locations at 524 Nashua St. in Milford and 270 Granite St. in Manchester.) The drink is made with Giorgio’s secret blend.

Best Cup of Coffee

Best of the Best: True Brew Barista and Cafe, 3 Bicentennial Square, Concord, 225-2776; 45 S. Main St., Concord, 715-5833, truebrewbarista.com

Best of Concord: Schoodacs Coffee & Tea, 1 E. Main St , Warner, 456-3400, schoodacs.com

Best of Manchester: Cafe la Reine,915 Elm St., Manchester, 232-0332, cafelareine.com

Best of Nashua: A&E Coffee Roastery & Tea, 135 Route 101A, Amherst, 578-3338, aeroastery.com (A&E also has a cafe location at 1000 Elm St. in Manchester)

Best NH Hard Liquor

Best: Flag Hill Distillery & Winery, 297 N. River Road, Lee, 659-2949, flaghill.com. Visiting and tasting hours are Wednesday through Sunday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., with tours offered on Saturdays and Sundays. Flag Hill spirits include General John Stark Vodka, Karner Blue Gin, Flag Hill White Rum, Flag Hill Spiced Rum, Sugar Maple Liqueur, Cranberry Liqueur, Blueberry Liqueur, Raspberry Liqueur, White Mountain Moonshine, Graham’s Grappa and Josiah Bartlett Barrel Aged Apple Brandy. Liquor is available at select NH Liquor & Wine Outlet locations and New Hampshire restaurants and bars.

Runner-up: Stark Vodka by Stark Brewing Co., 500 Commercial St., Manchester, 625-4444, starkbrewingcompany.com. Tours are offered by appointment. Vodka is available at select NH Liquor & Wine Outlet locations and New Hampshire restaurants and bars. Stark is also currently aging a bourbon which will be released later this year.

Honorable Mention: Djinn Spirits, 2 Townsend West, Suite 9, Nashua, 262-1812, djinnspirits.com. Visiting hours and tours are held Saturday and Sunday, noon to 5 p.m. Djinn liquors include Krupnik Spiced Honey Liqueur, Single Malt Whiskey, Beat 3 White Whiskey, Beat 3 Reserve Whiskey and Distilled Gin. Liquor is available at select NH Liquor & Wine Outlet locations and New Hampshire restaurants and bars.

Best NH Tasting Room

Best: Able Ebenezer Brewing Co., 31 Columbia Circle, Merrimack, 844-223-2253, ableebenezer.com. The Ale Room is open for tasting and tours Monday through Friday, 4 to 8 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, noon to 8 p.m.

Runner-up: LaBelle Winery, 345 Route 101, Amherst, 672-9898, labellewinerynh.com. Visiting and tasting hours are Monday and Tuesday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Wednesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., with tours offered on Saturday and Sunday.

Honorable Mention: Great North Aleworks, 1050 Holt Ave., Unit 14, Manchester, 858-5789, greatnorthaleworks.com. The tasting room is open Thursday and Friday, 3 to 7 p.m., Saturday, noon to 6 p.m., and Sunday, noon to 4 p.m., with tours offered on Saturdays.

Best Restaurant Wine List

Best of the Best: Bedford Village Inn, 2 Olde Bedford Way, Bedford, 472-2001, bedfordvillageinn.com

Best of Concord: O Steaks & Seafood, 11 S. Main St., Concord, 856-7925, magicfoodsrestaurantgroup.com/osteaks (O Steaks & Seafood also has a location at 62 Doris Ray Court in Laconia)

Best of Manchester: Cask and Vine, 1.5 E. Broadway, Derry, 965-3454, caskandvine.com

Best of Nashua: MT’s Local Kitchen & Wine Bar, 212 Main St., Nashua, 595-9334, mtslocal.com

Best NH Winery

Best: LaBelle Winery, 345 Route 101, Amherst, 672-9898, labellewinerynh.com. Visiting and tasting hours are Monday and Tuesday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.; Wednesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., with tours offered on Saturday and Sunday. Wines are available at NH Liquor & Wine Outlet, Hannaford, Shaw’s and Market Basket stores as well as independent food markets and wine shops throughout the state.

Runner-up: Zorvino Vineyards, 226 Main St., Sandown, 887-8463, zorvino.com. Tastings and tours are offered daily from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wines are available at NH Liquor & Wine Outlet, Hannaford, Shaw’s and Market Basket stores as well as independent food markets and wine shops throughout the state.

Honorable Mention: Flag Hill Distillery & Winery, 297 N. River Road, Lee, 659-2949, flaghill.com. Visiting and tasting hours are Wednesday through Sunday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., with tours offered on Saturdays and Sundays. Wines are available at NH Liquor & Wine Outlet stores and select New Hampshire food markets, bars and restaurants.

Delicious dishes

Best Bagels

Best of the Best: Bagel Cafe, 373 Hanover St., Manchester, 647-2233, nhbagelcafe.com (Bagel Cafe also has a location at 19 S. River Road in Bedford)

Best of Concord: The Works Bakery Cafe, 42 N. Main St., Concord, 226-1827, worksbakerycafe.com (The Works also has locations at 5A Mill Road Plaza in Durham and 9 Congress St. in Portsmouth)

Best of Manchester: Brooklyn Bagel House, 11 Manchester Road, Derry, 432-3300, brooklynbagelrestaurant.com

Best of Nashua: Bagel Alley, 1 Eldridge St., Nashua, 882-9343, find them on Facebook

Best Breakfast

Best of the Best: Tucker’s, 1328 Hooksett Road, Hooksett, 206-5757, tuckersnh.com (Tucker’s also has locations in Concord and New London)

Best of Concord: Tucker’s, 80 South St., Concord, 413-5884, tuckersnh.com

Best of Manchester: Purple Finch Cafe, 124 S. River Road, Bedford, 232-1953, purplefinchcafe.com

Best of Nashua: The Riverhouse Cafe, 123 Union Square, Milford, 249-5556, theriverhousecafe.com (The Riverhouse also has a location at 4 Slip Road in Greenfield)

Best Burgers

Best of the Best: The Barley House, 132 N. Main St., Concord, 228-6363, thebarleyhouse.com (The Barley House also has a location at 43 Lafayette Road in North Hampton)

Best of Concord: Vibes Gourmet Burgers, 25 S. Main St., Concord, 856-8671, vibesgourmetburgers.com

Best of Manchester: The Tuckaway Tavern & Butchery,58 Route 27, Raymond, 244-2431, thetuckaway.com

Best of Nashua: Papa Joe’s Humble Kitchen, 237 South St., Milford, 672-9130, papajoeshumblekitchen.com

Best Burrito

Best of the Best: Dos Amigos Burritos, 26 N. Main St., Concord, 410-4161, dosamigosburritos.com (Dos Amigos also has locations at 286 Central Ave. in Dover and 107 State St. in Portsmouth)

Best of Concord: Hermanos Cocina Mexicana,11 Hills Ave., Concord, 224-5669, hermanosmexican.com

Best of Manchester: La Carreta Mexican Restaurant, 1875 S. Willow St., Manchester, 623-7705; 545 Daniel Webster Highway, Manchester, 628-6899, lacarretamex.com (La Carreta also has locations in Derry, Nashua and Londonderry)

Best of Nashua: California Burritos,101 Factory St., Nashua, 718-8745, facebook.com/californiaburritosnh

Best Clam Chowder

Best of the Best: Collins Brothers Chowder Co.,59 Temple St., Nashua, 883-2347, collinsbrotherschowder.com

Best of Concord: Newick’s Lobster House, 317 Loudon Road, Concord, 225-2424, newicks.com (Newick’s also has a location at 431 Dover Point Road in Dover)

Best of Manchester: Lobster Tail Restaurant,4 Cobbetts Pond Road, Unit 2, Windham, 890-5555, facebook.com/lobstertail

Best of Nashua: Surf Restaurant, 207 Main St., Nashua, 595-9293, surfseafood.com (Surf also has a location at 99 Bow St. in Portsmouth)

Best French Fries

Best of the Best: Republic, 1069 Elm St., Manchester, 666-3723, republiccafe.com

Best of Concord: The Barley House, 132 N. Main St., Concord, 228-6363, thebarleyhouse.com (The Barley House also has a location at 43 Lafayette Road in North Hampton)

Best of Manchester: Caesario’s, 1057 Elm St., Manchester, 669-8383, caesariospizza.com

Best of Nashua: Tiebreakers Family Grille/Wickets on the Green, located at Hampshire Hills Athletic Club, 50 Emerson Road, Milford, 673-7123, hampshirehills.com

Best Menu Item

Best of the Best: Chicken Tenders, Puritan Backroom, 245 Hooksett Road, Manchester, 669-6890, puritanbackroom.com

Best of Concord: Garlic Chicken Nachos, Hermanos Cocina Mexicana,11 Hills Ave., Concord, 224-5669, hermanosmexican.com

Best of Manchester: Fat Boy Steak Tips, The Tuckaway Tavern & Butchery,58 Route 27, Raymond, 244-2431, thetuckaway.com

Best of Nashua: Carmen Fries, Tiebreakers Family Grille/Wickets on the Green, located at Hampshire Hills Athletic Club, 50 Emerson Road, Milford, 673-7123, hampshirehills.com

Best Mac & Cheese

Best of the Best: Mr. Mac’s Macaroni & Cheese, 497 Hooksett Road, Manchester, 606-1760, mr-macs.com (Mr. Mac’s also has a location at 2600 Lafayette Road in Portsmouth)

Best of Concord: O Steaks & Seafood, 11 S. Main St., Concord, 856-7925, magicfoodsrestaurantgroup.com/osteaks (O Steaks & Seafood also has a location at 62 Doris Ray Court in Laconia)

Best of Manchester: The Tuckaway Tavern & Butchery,58 Route 27, Raymond, 244-2431, thetuckaway.com

Best of Nashua: The Homestead Restaurant & Tavern, 641 Daniel Webster Highway, Merrimack, 429-2022, homesteadnh.com (The Homestead also has a location at 1567 Summer St. in Bristol)

Best Pizza, Takeout

Best of the Best: Alley Cat Pizzeria, 486 Chestnut St., Manchester, 669-4533, alleycatpizzerianh.com. Delivery available.

Best of Concord: Constantly Pizza, 39 S. Main St., Concord, 224-9366; 108 Fisherville Road, Penacook, 227-1117, constantlypizza.net. Delivery available.

Best of Manchester: The Pizza Man, 254 W. River Road, Hooksett, 626-7499, thepizzamandelivers.com. Delivery available. (The Pizza Man also has a location at 850 E. Industrial Park Drive in Manchester)

Best of Nashua: Espresso Pizza, 85 Main St., Nashua, 889-9826, find them on Facebook. Delivery available.

Best Pizza, Dine-In

Best of the Best: 900 Degrees Neapolitan Pizzeria, 50 Dow St., Manchester, 641-0900, 900degrees.com (900 Degrees also has a location in Brickyard Square at 24 Calef Highway in Epping)

Best of Concord: Tilton House of Pizza, 298 Main St., Tilton, 286-7181, find them on Facebook

Best of Manchester: The Pizza Man, 254 W. River Road, Hooksett, 626-7499, thepizzamandelivers.com. Delivery available. (The Pizza Man also has a location at 850 E. Industrial Park Drive in Manchester)

Best of Nashua: Pig Tale Restaurant, 449 Amherst St., Nashua, 864-8740, pigtalerestaurant.com

Best Salads

Best of the Best: Live Juice, 5 S. Main St., Concord, 226-3024, livejuicenh.com

Best of Concord: Downtown Cheers Grille & Bar, 17 Depot St., Concord, 228-0180, cheersnh.com

Best of Manchester: Puritan Backroom, 245 Hooksett Road, Manchester, 669-6890, puritanbackroom.com

Best of Nashua: Pressed Cafe, 108 Spit Brook Road, Nashua, 718-1250, pressedcafe.com

Best Sandwich

Best of the Best: Korean Pork Tenderloin Burrito, Wellington’s Marketplace, 124 N. Main St., Concord, 715-1191, wellingtonsmarketplace.com

Best of Concord: Roast Beef, Beefside Restaurant, 106 Manchester St., Concord, 228-0208, beefsidenh.com

Best of Manchester: Steak and Cheese Sub, Sub Station, 1292 Hooksett Road, Hooksett, 625-1800, substationhooksett.com

Best of Nashua: Big Poppy, Nashua Garden, 121 Main St., Nashua, 886-7363, facebook.com/thenashuagarden603. Hot sandwich includes turkey, pepperoni and Muenster cheese.

Best Subs

Best of the Best: Nadeau’s Subs, 776 Mast Road, Manchester, 623-9315; 100 Cahill Ave., Manchester, 669-7827; 805 Canal St., Manchester, 644-8888; 1095 Hanover St., Manchester, 606-4411, nadeaussubs.com (Nadeau’s also has locations at 81 S. Main St. in Concord and 48 Portsmouth Avenue in Exeter)

Best of Concord: Cimo’s South End Deli, 250 South St., Concord, 856-8020, find them on Facebook

Best of Manchester: Sub Station, 1292 Hooksett Road, Hooksett, 625-1800, substationhooksett.com

Best of Nashua: Bill Cahill’s Super Subs, 8 Kimball Road, Hudson, 882-7710

Food shops

Best Bakery

Best of the Best: Bread & Chocolate, 29 S. Main St., Concord, 228-3330, find them on Facebook.

Best of Concord: Crust & Crumb, 126 N. Main St., Concord, 219-0763, thecrustandcrumb.com

Best of Manchester: Klemm’s Bakery, 29 Indian Rock Road, Windham, 437-8810, klemmsbakery.com

Best of Nashua: Buckley’s Bakery & Cafe, 436 Daniel Webster Highway, Merrimack, 262-5929, buckleysbakerycafe.com

Best Butcher Shop

Best of the Best: The Tuckaway Tavern & Butchery, 58 Route 27, Raymond, 224-2431, thetuckaway.com

Best of Concord: Concord Beef & Seafood, 75 S. Main St., Concord, 226-3474, find them on Facebook.

Best of Manchester: Mr. Steer, 27 Buttrick Road, Londonderry, 434-1444, mrsteermeats.com

Best of Nashua: The Flying Butcher, 124 Route 101A, Amherst, 598-6328, theflyingbutcher.com

Best Neighborhood Market

Best of the Best: Sully’s Superette, 10 N. Mast Road, Goffstown, 497-8176, sullyssuperette.com

Best of Concord: Quality Cash Market, 11 Eastman St., Concord, 225-9661, qualitycashmarket.com

Best of Manchester: Angela’s Pasta and Cheese Shop, 815 Chestnut St., Manchester, 625-9544, angelaspastaandcheese.com

Best of Nashua: Jeannotte’s Market, 2 Courtland St., Nashua, 882-0161, find them on Facebook.

Sweets

Best Candy/Chocolate Shop

Best of the Best: Granite State Candy Shoppe, 13 Warren St., Concord, 225-2591, granitestatecandyshoppe.com

Best of Concord: Kellerhaus, 259 Endicott St. North, Weirs Beach, 366-4466, kellerhaus.com

Best of Manchester: Van Otis Chocolates, 341 Elm St., Manchester, 627-1611, vanotischocolates.com

Best of Nashua: Nelson’s Candies, 65 Main St., Wilton, 654-5030, nelsonscandieswilton.com

Best Cupcakes

Best of the Best: Queen City Cupcakes, 790 Elm St., Manchester, 624-4999, qccupcakes.com

Best of Concord: Concord Food Co-op, 24 S. Main St., Concord, 225-6840, concordfoodcoop.coop

Best of Manchester: Carina’s Cakes, 38 Crystal Ave., Derry, 425-9620, find them on Facebook.

Best of Nashua: Frederick’s Pastries, 109 Route 101A, Amherst, 882-7725, pastry.net

Best Desserts

Best of the Best: Bread & Chocolate, 29 S. Main St., Concord, 228-3330, find them on Facebook.

Best of Concord: Crust & Crumb, 126 N. Main St., Concord, 219-0763, thecrustandcrumb.com

Best of Manchester: Carina’s Cakes, 38 Crystal Ave., Derry, 425-9620, find them on Facebook.

Best of Nashua: Buckley’s Bakery & Cafe, 436 Daniel Webster Highway, Merrimack, 262-5929, buckleysbakerycafe.com

Best Locally Made Donuts

Best of the Best: Klemm’s Bakery, 29 Indian Rock Road, Windham, 437-8810, klemmsbakery.com

Best of Concord: Brothers Donuts & Deli, 426 Central St., Franklin, 934-6678, find them on Facebook.

Best of Manchester: The Local Moose Cafe, 124 Queen City Ave., Manchester, 232-2669, thelocalmoosecafe.com

Best of Nashua: Crosby Bakery, 51 E. Pearl St., Nashua, 882-1851, crosbybakerynh.com

Best Ice Cream

Best of the Best: Hayward’s Homemade Ice Cream, 7 Daniel Webster Highway, Nashua, 888-4663, haywardsicecream.com

Best of Concord: Arnie’s Place, 164 Loudon Road, Concord, 228-3225, arniesplace.com

Best of Manchester: Puritan Backroom, 245 Hooksett Road, Manchester, 666-9893, puritanbackroom.com

Best of Nashua: King Kone, 336 Daniel Webster Highway, Merrimack, 420-8312, find them on Facebook.

Best Whoopie Pies

Best of the Best: Crust & Crumb, 126 N. Main St., Concord, 219-0763, thecrustandcrumb.com

Best of Concord: Gould Hill Farm, 656 Gould Hill Road, Contoocook, 746-3811, gouldhillfarm.com

Best of Manchester: Carina’s Cakes, 38 Crystal Ave., Derry, 425-9620, find them on Facebook.

Best of Nashua: Buckley’s Bakery & Cafe, 436 Daniel Webster Highway, Merrimack, 262-5929, buckleysbakerycafe.com

Locally grown

Best Farm Stand

Best of the Best: Lull Farm, 65 Broad St., Hollis, 465-7079, livefreeandfarm.com

Best of Concord: Dimond Hill Farm, 315 Hopkinton Road, Concord, 496-8218, dimondhillfarm.com

Best of Manchester: LaValley Farms, 1801 Hooksett Road, Hooksett, 485-3541, lavalleyfarms.com

Best of Nashua: Fitch’s Corner, 182 Center Road, Milford, 801-8368, find them on Facebook.

Best Farmers Market

Best: Concord Farmers Market. It begins Saturday, May 6 and is open every Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to noon on Capitol Street, Concord

Runner-up: Salem Farmers Market. It is open year-round every Sunday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 14 Main St., Salem, until Sunday, May 7, when it moves to 224 N. Broadway, Salem.

Honorable Mention: Bedford Farmers Market. It begins June 6 and is open every Tuesday from 3 to 6 p.m. at 190 Meetinghouse Road, Bedford.

Best NH-Made Food Product

Best: Laurel Hill Jams and Jellies of Bedford, available at their home address at 47 Birchwood Circle, Bedford, Bedford Fields Garden Center & Home Decor, the Farm & Flower Market in Manchester, several other stores and online at laurelhilljams.com. Check the website for more locations and call 472-5388 for more info.

Runner-up: Blackwater Mustard of Contoocook, available at local farm stands, small markets and delis around southern New Hampshire. You can also purchase at blackwatermustardco.com. Contact [email protected] or call 746-2349 for more info.

Honorable Mention: Parker’s Maple Barn of Mason maple syrup, available at their gift shop at 1316 Brookline Road, Mason, or online at parkersmaplebarn.com.

Entertainment

Best Radio Show

Best: Greg and the Morning Buzz, Rock 101 WGIR-FM/100.3 WHEB-FM, airs weekdays from 5:30 to 10 a.m., hosted by Greg Kretschmar, morningbuzz.com

Runner-up: The Exchange, New Hampshire Public Radio (NHPR), 89.1 FM Concord/Manchester, 88.3 FM Nasua, airs weekdays live from 9 to 10 a.m. and re-airs at 8 p.m., hosted by Laura Knoy, nhpr.org.

Honorable Mention: New Hampshire in the Morning, 95.7 WZID-FM, airs mornings from 5 to 10 a.m., hosted by Neal White and Marga Bessette, wzid.com

Best Radio Station

Best: 95.7 WZID-FM, today’s variety, wzid.com

Runner-up: New Hampshire Public Radio (NHPR), airs local and national news and programming from NPR and other public radio stations on various frequencies around the state, including 89.1 FM Concord/Manchester and 88.3 FM Nashua. Visit nhpr.org.

Honorable Mention: Rock 101 WGIR-FM, Manchester’s rock station, rock101fm.com

Best Local Movie Theater

Best: Red River Theatres, 11 S. Main St., Concord, 224-4600, redrivertheatres.org. A three-screen cinema that shows independent films, classics, foreign films, cult favorites and local projects.

Runner-up: Chunky’s Cinema Pub, 151 Coliseum Ave., Nashua, 880-8055, chunkys.com. A unique movie-viewing experience offering leather reclining seats from Lincoln Town Cars with food and drink table service during first-run major motion pictures.

Honorable Mention: Wilton Town Hall Theatre, 40 Main St., Wilton, 654-3456, wiltontownhalltheatre.com. An arthouse theater located in an old town hall building that shows a combination of modern indie flicks and classics.

Best Bookstore/Comic Book Store

Best of the Best: Gibson’s Bookstore, 45 S. Main St., Concord, 224-0562, gibsonsbookstore.com

Best of Concord: Main Street BookEnds of Warner, 16 E. Main St., Warner, 456-2700, mainstreetbookends.com

Best of Manchester: Double Midnight Comics, 245 Maple St., Manchester, 669-9636, dmcomics.com

Best of Nashua: The Toadstool Bookshop, 614 Nashua St., Lorden Plaza, Milford, 673-1734, roadbooks.com

Best Community Event

Best: Market Days Festival, held in downtown Concord every summer, features food, shopping and free entertainment. This year’s festival is Thursday, June 22, through Saturday, June 24. Hosted by Intown Concord, intownconcord.org.

Best of Concord: Warner Fall Foliage Festival, held in downtown Warner every fall, is a free, family-friendly event that highlights rural life and colorful foliage. The Festival features live entertainment, parades, a 5K, amusement rides and food. This year’s event goes from Friday, Oct. 6, through Sunday, Oct. 8, wfff.org.

Best of Manchester: Hippo de Mayo Taco Challenge, held in downtown Manchester, is the largest Cinco de Mayo celebration in New England. Dozens of restaurants create their own unique tacos that visitors can try for $2 each. This year’s event will be on Thursday, May 4 (always the first Thursday of May). Hosted by the Hippo, hippodemayo.com.

Best of Nashua: Winter Holiday Stroll, held in downtown Nashua, features music, food, shopping, live entertainment and a candlelight stroll down Main Street. This year’s stroll is on Saturday, Nov. 25. Hosted by Great American Downtown Nashua, downtownnashua.org.

Best Food Event

Best of the Best: Hampton Beach Seafood Festival. With more than 150,000 annual attendees, it’s the largest seaside festival in New England and features seafood from more than 60 restaurants, plus family activities. This year’s festival is scheduled for Friday, Sept. 8, through Sunday, Sept. 10, at Ocean Boulevard on Hampton Beach, hamptonbeachseafoodfestival.com.

Best of Concord: Market Days Festival, held in downtown Concord every summer, features food, shopping and free entertainment. This year’s festival is Thursday, June 22, through Saturday, June 24. Hosted by Intown Concord, intownconcord.org.

Best of Manchester: Hippo de Mayo Taco Challenge, held in downtown Manchester, is the largest Cinco de Mayo celebration in New England. Dozens of restaurants create their own unique tacos that visitors can try for $2 each. This year’s event will be on Thursday, May 4. Hosted by the Hippo, hippodemayo.com.

Best of Nashua: Rock’n Ribfest. A celebration of ribs and barbecue food made by nationally renowned smokers and local restaurants. The festival, put on by Rotary Club of Nashua West, also features live concerts, a road race, hot air balloon rides and more. This year’s event is scheduled for Friday, June 16, through Sunday, June 18, at the Anheuser-Busch Brewery, 221 Daniel Webster Highway, Merrimack, ribfestnh.com, rotarynashuawest.com.

Best Place to Take Your Kids

Best of the Best: Cowabungas, an indoor inflatable playground. 1328 Hooksett Road, Hooksett, 625-8008, mycowabungas.com

Best of Concord: Krazy Kids, an indoor play center and party venue, 60 Sheep Davis Road, Pembroke, 228-7529, gokrazykids.com

Best of Manchester: SEE Science Center, an interactive science museum modeled after the Exploratorium in San Francisco, 200 Bedford St., Manchester, 669-0400, see-sciencecenter.org

Best of Nashua: Nuthin’ But Good Times!, an indoor playground and party venue, 746 Daniel Webster Highway, Merrimack, 429-2200, nuthinbutgoodtimes.com

Best Place to Take Kids on a Rainy/Snowy Day

Best of the Best: Cowabungas, an indoor inflatable playground, 1328 Hooksett Road, Hooksett, 625-8008, mycowabungas.com

Best of Concord: Krazy Kids, an indoor play center and party venue, 60 Sheep Davis Road, Pembroke, 228-7529, gokrazykids.com

Best of Manchester: SEE Science Center, an interactive science museum modeled after the Exploratorium in San Francisco, 200 Bedford St., Manchester, 669-0400, see-sciencecenter.org

Best of Nashua: Nuthin’ But Good Times!, an indoor playground and party venue, 746 Daniel Webster Highway, Merrimack, 429-2200, nuthinbutgoodtimes.com

Best Place to Take Visiting Relatives

Best: Currier Museum of Art, 150 Ash St., Manchester, 669-6144, currier.org. An art museum founded in 1929 that features European and American paintings, decorative arts, photographs and sculptures, including works by Picasso, Monet, O’Keeffe and other notable artists.

Runner-up: Anheuser-Busch Brewery, 221 Daniel Webster Highway, Merrimack, 595-1202, budweisertours.com. The center of Northeast operations for beer production and distribution for brands like Budweiser and the home of the famous Budweiser Clydesdales. Tours are available Thursday through Monday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., after April 14, tours are available daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and between September and December tours are offered daily from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Biergarten is open Monday through Saturday 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Honorable Mention: Canterbury Shaker Village, 288 Shaker Road, Canterbury, 783-9511, shakers.org. A museum preserving an original Shaker village built in 1792 that includes 25 restored and four reconstructed buildings where visitors can learn about Shaker life. Museum exhibit and tours open this year on May 6 and is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. through Oct. 27. Guided tours are available on Oct. 28 and 29 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and on weekends in November from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (including Friday Nov. 24). The museum store is open April 1 through May 5 Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. From May 6 through Oct. 27, the store is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and between Oct. 28 and Dec. 23 it’s open daily from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Closed on Thanksgiving.

Pets

Best Pet Store

Best of the Best: Woof Meow Family Pet Center, 19A Manchester Road, Derry, 965-3218, woofmeownh.com

Best of Concord: Sandy’s Pet Food Center, 141 Old Turnpike Road, Concord, 225-1177, sandyspetfood.com

Best of Manchester: Friendly Pets, 40 Concord Road, Lee, 868-1800, friendlypets.com (Its second location in Exeter at 81 Portsmouth Ave. at is set to open later this spring.)

Best of Nashua: Pet’s Choice, 454 DW Highway, Merrimack, 424-7297, petschoicenh.com

Best Doggie Day Care

Best of the Best: Woof Woof Doggie Daycare Boarding & Training, 47 Rockingham Road, Windham, 890-6239, woofwoof.net

Best of Concord: Paws on Pine, 913 Pine St., Contoocook, 568-4022, pawsonpinenh.com

Best of Manchester: The Barking Dog Ltd., 208 Londonderry Turnpike, Hooksett, 222-2275, thebarkingdog.com (There are also locations in Derry at 210 Rockingham Road and Exeter at 7 Beech Hill Road.)

Best of Nashua: Superdogs Daycare, 637 DW Highway, Merrimack, 424-1515, superdogsdaycare.com

Best Place to Walk Your Dog

Best of the Best: Benson Park, 19 Kimball Hill Road, Hudson (Formerly the site of Benson’s Wild Animal Farm, it’s a 166-acre municipal park in Hudson housing trails, a 9/11 memorial, dog park and Little Free Library.)

Best of Concord: White Park, 1 White St., Concord (In the winter, the 20-acre park houses a sledding hill and skating rink, and in the summer, visitors come for its baseball field, basketball court, picnic shelter, playground equipment, pool, soccer field and walking trails.)

Best of Manchester: Livingston Park, Hooksett Road, Manchester (It houses a baseball diamond, playground, pool, soccer field, running track, picnic shelter and Dorr’s Pond, which you can fish in during the summer and skate on during the winter.)

Best of Nashua: Mine Falls Park, Whipple St., Nashua (The 325-acre park includes forest, wetlands and open fields and is bordered on the north by the Nashua River.)

Nightlife

Best Bar For Live Music

Best of the Best: TheShaskeen, 909 Elm St., Manchester, 625-0246, theshaskeenpub.com

Best of Concord: True Brew Barista, 3 Bicentennial Square, Concord, 225-2776, truebrewbarista.com (It also has a location inside Concord’s Gibson’s Bookstore at 45 S. Main St.)

Best of Manchester: Strange Brew Tavern, 88 Market St., Manchester, 666-4292, strangebrewtavern.net

Best of Nashua: Riverwalk Cafe & Music Bar, 35 Railroad Square, Nashua, 578-0200, riverwalknashua.com

Best Bar With Outside Deck

Best of the Best: The Derryfield Restaurant, 625 Mammoth Road, Manchester, 623-2880, thederryfield.com (The deck opens when the adjacent golf course is open — typically in April, when the ground is dry.)

Best of Concord: Downtown Cheers Grille & Bar, 17 Depot St., Concord, 228-0180, cheersnh.com (It opens when the weather warms up.)

Best of Manchester: Murphy’s Taproom, 494 Elm St., Manchester, 644-3535, murphystaproom.com (The deck opens when the weather is consistently warm.)

Best of Nashua: The Pasta Loft, 241 Union Square, Milford, 672-2270, pastaloft.com (Its deck will open once the snow has melted. Pasta Loft also has another location in Hampstead at 220 E. Main St.)

Best Sports Bar

Best of the Best: Billy’s Sports Bar and Grill, 34 Tarrytown Road, Manchester, 622-3644, billyssportsbar.com

Best of Concord: The Draft Sports Bar and Grill, 67 S. Main St., Concord, 227-1175, draftsportsbar.com

Best of Manchester: Thirsty Moose Taphouse, 795 Elm St., Manchester, 792-2337 (Thirsty Moose Taphouse also has locations in Portsmouth at 21 Congress St. and Dover at 83 Washington St.)

Best of Nashua: Tilted Kilt Pub, 345 Amherst St., Nashua, 204-5531, tiltedkilt.com

Best Pub Trivia Night

Best of the Best: Monday nights at TheShaskeen, 909 Elm St., Manchester, 625-0246, theshaskeenpub.com (Trivia starts at 7:30 p.m., with a maximum of six to a team.)

Best of Concord: Tuesday nights at Area 23, 254 N. State St., Concord, 552-0137, thearea23.com (Trivia starts at 7 p.m., no team size limit.)

Best of Manchester: Wednesday nights at The Farm Bar & Grille, 1181 Elm St., Manchester 641-3276, farmbargrille.com (Trivia starts at 8:30 p.m., with a maximum of six people per team.)

Best of Nashua: Tuesday nights at The Peddler’s Daughter, 48 Main St., Nashua, 821-7535, thepeddlersdaughter.com (Trivia starts at 8:30 p.m.; there’s no team size limit, and you can sign up the night of.)

Best Karaoke Night

Best of the Best: Yee Dynasty Chinese Restaurant, 830 S. Willow St., Manchester, 625-5500, yeedynasty.com (Karaoke is seven nights a week from 9:30 p.m. to 1 a.m.; sign up is at the door.)

Best of Concord: Beijing & Tokyo, 61 S. Main St., Concord, 228-0888, beijingtokyoconcordnh.com (Karaoke is Friday and Saturday night at 9 p.m.)

Best of Manchester: McGarvey’s Saloon, 1097 Elm St., Manchester, 627-2721, mcgarveysnh.com (Karaoke is every day except Monday night at 9:30 p.m.)

Best of Nashua: Grand Buffet, 350 Amherst St., Nashua, 881-9799, 350grandbuffet.com (Karoake is Friday and Saturday from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m.)

Best Date Place

Best of the Best: 815 Cocktails and Provisions, 815 Elm St., Manchester, 782-8086, ivotewet.com

Best of Concord: Angelina’s Ristorante Italiano, 11 Depot St., Concord, 228-3313, angelinasrestaurant.com

Best of Manchester: Mint Bistro, 1105 Elm St., Manchester, 625-6468, mintbistronh.com

Best of Nashua: Stella Blu, 70 E. Pearl St., Nashua, 578-5557, stellablu-nh.com

Outdoors

Best Local Hiking Trail

Best of the Best: Mine Falls Park, Whipple Street, Nashua, 589-3400, ext. 5005, nashuanh.gov. A 325-acre park that includes about eight miles of walking trails in the forest, as well as wetlands and open fields, in the heart of the Gate City, near the Nashua River.

Best of Concord: Marjory Swope Park, Long Pond Road, Concord, 225-8515, concordnh.gov. A two-mile loop near Penacook Lake.

Best of Manchester: Lake Massabesic, Route 101, Exit 2, Bypass 28, Manchester, 624-6444, manchesternh.gov. Several marked trails that range in length from a half mile to more than three miles.

Best of Nashua: Beaver Brook, 117 Ridge Road, Hollis, 465-7787, beaverbrook.org. Features 35 miles of trails along more than 2,000 acres of forest, wetlands and fields.

Best City Park

Best of the Best: White Park, 1 White St., Concord, 225-8690, concordnh.gov. A 20-acre park with features that include White Park Pond, an ice skating rink during the winter months, and the Monkey Around Playground, the largest playground in the Capital City.

Best of Concord: Rollins Park, 116 Broadway St., Concord, 225-8690, concordnh.gov (parking is at 33 Bow St., Concord). Features walking trails, a full-sized playground, baseball, softball and field hockey fields, and the city’s largest public pool, open during the summer months.

Best of Manchester: Livingston Park, Hooksett Road, Manchester, 624-4444, manchesternh.gov. The park features a baseball diamond, a soccer field, walking paths, a running track and two playgrounds. A recently constructed swimming pool is also available during the summer months.

Best of Nashua: Benson Park, 19 Kimball Hill Road, Hudson, 880-1600, hudsonnh.gov. Features more than 150 acres of land and includes ponds, walking trails in the woods, a playground and a dog park.

Best State Park

Best: Bear Brook State Park, 61 Deerfield Road, Allenstown, 485-9869, nhstateparks.org. The largest developed state park in New Hampshire, with more than 10,000 acres of land and 40 miles of trails.

Runner-up: Pawtuckaway State Park, 128 Mountain Road, Nottingham, 895-3031, nhstateparks.org. Features more than 5,000 acres of land and hiking trails.

Honorable Mention: Wellington State Park, 614 West Shore Road, Bristol, 744-2197, nhstateparks.org. Features volleyball and horseshoe courts, and a peninsula nature trail with picnic areas, fishing areas and more.

Best Sledding Hill

Best of the Best: Derryfield Country Club, 625 Mammoth Road, Manchester, 669-0235, derryfieldgolf.com. A popular hill for sledding next to the golf course.

Best of Concord: White Park, 1 White St., Concord, 225-8690, concordnh.gov. A sledding hill is located within the park.

Best of Manchester: Mack’s Apples, 230 Mammoth Road, Londonderry, 434-7619, macksapples.com. Multiple hills around the property are available for sledding.

Best of Nashua: Roby Park, Spit Brook Road, Nashua, 589-3370, nashuanh.gov. A large hill behind the park is often used for sledding.

Best Local Ski Hill

Best: Pats Peak Ski Area, 686 Flanders Road, Henniker, 428-3245, patspeak.com. Features 28 trails and slopes, 11 chair lifts, and one of the highest capacity computer-controlled snowmaking systems in the Northeast.

Runner-up: McIntyre Ski Area, 50 Chalet Court, Manchester, 622-6159, mcintyreskiarea.com. Features 200 vertical feet of terrain, nine skiing trails and an eight-lane snow tubing park.

Honorable Mention: Crotched Mountain, 615 Francestown Road, Bennington, 588-3668, crotchedmountain.com. Features 100 acres of skiing terrain, with 25 trails and three terrain parks.

Best Golf Course

Best: Derryfield Country Club, 625 Mammoth Road, Manchester, 669-0235, derryfieldgolf.com. Derryfield is a public golf course. Rates are $43 for 18 holes everyday and $27 for 9 holes. Additional fees apply for golf carts.

Runner-up: Beaver Meadow Golf Course, 1 Beaver Meadow Drive, Concord, 228-8954, beavermeadowgolfcourse.com. Beaver Meadow is open to the public and offers walk-in rates and seasonal memberships. 2017 rate information TBA.

Honorable Mention: Manchester Country Club, 180 S. River Road, Bedford, 624-4096, manchestercountryclub.com. Manchester Country Club is open to the public but requires memberships to use the facilities. A variety of memberships are available that include access to golf courses and events, player development and indoor simulator and more.

Favorite Farm

Best: Lull Farm, 65 Broad St., Hollis, 465-7079, livefreeandfarm.com, grows a variety of fruits and vegetables, like apples, kiwi, potatoes, carrots, zucchini and more.

Runner-up: Sunnycrest Farm, 59 High Range Road, Londonderry, 432-7753, sunnycrestfarmnh.com, has pick-your-own apples, strawberries, blueberries and cherries, as well as a farmers market with fruits, vegetables, milk, honey, syrup and more.

Honorable Mention: J&F Farms, 108 Chester Road, Derry, 437-0535, jandffarms.com, produces fruits, vegetables, beef, eggs and more.

Food Personalities

Best Bartender

Best of the Best: Jack Wholey, Republic, 1069 Elm St., Manchester, 666-3723, republiccafe.com

Best of Concord: Jonathan Emmons, The Barley House Restaurant & Tavern, 132 N. Main St., Concord, 228-6363, thebarleyhouse.com

Best of Manchester: Patrick Graham, Romano’s Pizza, 27 Colby Road, Litchfield, 424-0500, romanosnh.com

Best of Nashua: Michael Day, Giorgio’s Ristorante & Bar, 707 Milford Road, Merrimack, 883-7333, giorgios.com

Best Chef

Best of the Best: Bobby Marcotte, The Tuckaway Tavern & Butchery, 58 Route 27, Raymond, 244-2431, thetuckaway.com

Best of Concord: Corey Fletcher, Revival Kitchen & Bar, 11 Depot St., Concord, 715-5723, revivalkitchennh.com
Best of Manchester: Edward Aloise, Republic, 1069 Elm St., Manchester, 666-3723, republiccafe.com

Best of Nashua: Kimmy Lavoie, Bar One, 40 Nashua St., Milford, 249-5327, find them on Facebook at facebook.com/baronenh

Best Waiter/Waitress

Best of the Best: Josee Bilodeau, Republic, 1069 Elm St., Manchester, 666-3723, republiccafe.com

Best of Concord: Bill Wishart, Revival Kitchen & Bar, 11 Depot St., Concord, 715-5723, revivalkitchennh.com
Best of Manchester: Sarah Archambault, The Wild Rover, 21 Kosciuszko St., Manchester, 669-7722, wildroverpub.com
Best of Nashua: Amanda Hudon, Tiebreakers Family Grille, Hampshire Hills Athletic Club, 50 Emerson Road, Milford, 673-7123, ext. 232, hampshirehills.com

Health & Beauty Personalities

Best Fitness Instructor

Best of the Best: Nancy Carlson (who coaches Athlete Academy), Get Fit New Hampshire, 287 S. Main St., Concord, and 167 New Orchard Road, Epsom, 344-2651, getfitnh.com

Best of Concord: Jeremy Woodward (who coaches boot camp), Jeremy’s Boot Camp, 153 Manchester St., Concord, 721-2830, jeremysbootcamp.com

Best of Manchester: Nancy Brodeur, Jazzercise Manchester Fitness Center, 32 Hayward St., Manchester, 624-9122, jcls.jazzercise.com/facility/jazzercise-manchester-fitness-center

Best of Nashua: Matt Skeffington, Dynamic Strength & Conditioning, 115 Northeastern Blvd., Nashua, 882-2348, dynamicsc.com

Best Hair Stylist

Best of the Best: Kae Mason, Salon K, 18 Pleasant St., Concord, 225-0099, salonkconcord.com

Best of Concord: Denise Jewell, Salon K, 18 Pleasant St., Concord, 225-0099, salonkconcord.com

Best of Manchester: Samantha Courtois, 5 Diamond Salon, 915 Holt Ave., No. 4, Manchester, 459-3367, 5diamondsalon.com

Best of Nashua: Erin Crowley, Fancy Nancy’s Elite Hair Designers, 295 Daniel Webster Highway, Nashua, 891-0202, fancynancyssalon.com

Best Barber

Best of the Best: Rick Lindof, The Polished Man, 707 Milford Road, Unit 3A, Merrimack, 233-8685, thepolishedmannh.com

Best of Concord: Josh Craggy, Lucky’s Barbershop & Shave Parlor, 50 S. State St., Concord, 715-5470, luckysbarbershop.biz

Best of Manchester: Josh Smith, Handsome Devil’s Barbershop & Shave, 1100 Hooksett Road, Hooksett, 232-7024, handsomedevilsnh.com

Best of Nashua: Hannah Coleman, The Polished Man, 707 Milford Road, Unit 3A, Merrimack, 233-8685, rlcuts.com

Friendliest Dentist

Best of the Best: Dr. Elizabeth Spindel (Elizabeth Spindel, D.M.D.), 862 Union St., Manchester, 669-9049, elizabethspindel.com

Best of Concord: Dr. Ray Orzechowski (R. Orzechowski Jr. D.M.D. General Dentistry) 280 Pleasant St., Concord, 228-4456

Best of Manchester: Dr. John J. Ahern (Ahern, Nichols, Ahern, Hersey & Butterfield Family Dentistry), 30 Pinkerton St., Derry, 432-5039, ahearn-nichols.com

Best of Nashua: Dr. Harvey Weener (Landmark Dental Care), 283 Broad St., Nashua, 882-7312, landmarkdentalnashua.com

Notable Locals

Best Mechanic

Best of the Best: Justin Lemay, Black Widow Customs, 51 Kosciuszko St., Manchester, 624-0400, blackwidowcustoms.com

Best of Concord: Ryan Arsenault, Pellerin Motorsports, 219 Pembroke St., Pembroke, 210-1637, pellerinmotorsports.com

Best of Manchester: Ralph Brutus, Brutus Auto Repair & Service, 148 Merrimack St., Manchester, 624-8881, brutusauto.com

Best of Nashua: Nathan Fogg, Nathan Fogg’s Auto, 475 Daniel Webster Highway, Merrimack, 670-4986, nathanfoggsauto.com

Best Teacher

Best of the Best: Carole Bilodeau (first grade), Epping Elementary School, 17 Prospect St., Epping

Best of Concord: Emily Crompton (physical education), Coe-Brown Northwood Academy, 907 1st New Hampshire Turnpike, Northwood

Best of Manchester: Jeffrey Normandin (English), Manchester Memorial High School, 1 Crusader Way, Manchester

Best of Nashua: Amanda Eaton (first grade), Clark-Wilkins Elementary School, 80 Boston Post Road, Amherst

Entertainers

Best Local Band

Best: Miketon & The Night Blinders (folk-country), miketon.net

Runner-up: Pat & the Hats (rock-pop), patandthehats.com

Honorable Mention: enCircle (alternative-progressive rock), encircleband.com

Best Local Solo Performer

Best: Brad Bosse of Milford (acoustic-rock), facebook.com/bradbossemusic. Next local show is at Fratello’s in Nashua on Friday, March 31, at 6:30 p.m.

Runner-up: Ryan Williamson of Concord (acoustic-rock), rwilliamsonmusic.com. Next local show is at Telly’s in Epping on Friday, March 31, at 7 p.m.

Honorable Mention: Tristan Omand of Manchester (Americana), tristanomand.com. Next local show is at The Country Spirit in Henniker on Friday, March 31, at 8:30 p.m.

Best Local Comedian

Best: Nick Lavallee, theotherdude.com. Next local show is at the Shaskeen in Manchester on Wednesday, April 26, at 9 p.m.

Runner-up: Juston McKinney, justonmckinney.com. Next local show is at the Capitol Center for the Arts in Concord on Saturday, May 6, at 8 p.m.

Honorable Mention: Greg Boggis of Milford, facebook.com/GBoggis. Boggis is the host of The Boggis Hour, which airs on Access Nashua (Channel 96 in the Nashua area). He also appears at the Thursday Comedy Nights at Fody’s in Nashua; the next one is Thursday, March 30, at 8 p.m..

Best Local Radio Show Host

Best: Greg Kretschmar from Greg and the Morning Buzz, Rock 101 WGIR-FM/100.3 WHEB-FM, morningbuzz.com. Show airs weekdays from 5:30 to 10 a.m.

Runner-up: Laura Knoy from The Exchange, New Hampshire Public Radio (NHPR), 89.1 FM Concord/Manchester/88.3 FM Nashua, nhpr.org. Show airs weekdays from 9 to 10 a.m. and re-airs at 7 p.m.

Honorable Mention: Nazzy from Morning Wake Up, 98.3 WLNH-FM, wlnh.nh1media.com. Show airs weekdays from 6 to 10 a.m.

Best Local NH Sports Team

Best: New Hampshire Fisher Cats, Manchester-based AA affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays Major League Baseball team, miilb.com. The 2017 season home opener is Thursday, April 6, against the Binghamton Mets. Home field is Northeast Delta Dental Stadium, 1 Line Drive, Manchester.

Runner-up: Manchester Monarchs, Manchester-based East Coast Hockey League affiliate of the NHL’s Los Angeles Kings, manchestermonarchs.com. The next and final two home games of the season are Saturday, April 1, and Sunday, April 2, against the Elmira Jackals. Home ice is at the SNHU Arena, 555 Elm St., Manchester.

Honorable Mention: Nashua Silver Knights, Nashua-based Futures Collegiate Baseball League team, nashuasilverknights.com. The 2017 season home opener is Friday, June 2, against the Pittsfield Suns. Home field is Holman Stadium, 67 Amherst St., Nashua.

Local Attractions

Best Historical Site or Museum

Best of the Best: Currier Museum of Art, 150 Ash St., Manchester, 669-6144, currier.org. An internationally renowned art museum founded in 1929 that features American and European paintings, sculptures, photographs and more.

Best of Concord: Canterbury Shaker Village, 288 Shaker Road, Canterbury, 783-9511, shakers.org. One of the original Shaker museums that has since turned into a museum preserving several of the original buildings.

Best of Manchester: Millyard Museum, 200 Bedford St., Manchester, 622-7531, manchesterhistoric.org/millyard-museum. This museum is operated by the Manchester Historic Association and features exhibits pertaining to the Queen City’s history.

Best of Nashua: Monson Center, Federal Hill Road, Milford, 224-9945, forestsociety.org/property/monson-center. The site of an early colonial settlement in the mid-1700s that has since been preserved.

Coolest-looking Building

Best of the Best: New Hampshire Statehouse, 107 N. Main St., Concord, nh.gov. The oldest statehouse in the United States in which the state legislature still sits in its original chambers, the capitol building first opened in 1814. Tours for the NH State house can be booked online at gencourt.nh.state.us or by calling the Visitor Center at 271-2154.

Best of Concord: Gasholder House, South Main St., Concord, concordnh.gov. One of 11 known gasholder houses in the United States built in the 1800s to store gas surrounded by an iron gasholder, the Gasholder House is a round brick building that was used from 1888 to 1952 and is the last structure of its kind in the U.S. still containing its original gasholder. It has not been in service for decades.

Best of Manchester: Black Widow Customs, 51 Kosciuszko St., Manchester, 624-0400, blackwidowcustoms.com. A family-owned company selling Jeep and off-road parts, the brick building features the back of a car jutting out from above the garage door entry.

Best of Nashua: Hunt Memorial Building, 6 Main St., Nashua, nashuanh.gov, is a former library that was recently renovated for office space and event rentals.

Best Thing About Living in NH

Best: Natural beauty and splendor. The beauty of New Hampshire and its lakes, mountains and coast ranked high on why people love living here. “Breathtaking views,” “Beautiful state for camping, hiking, skiing,” “Clean air and open spaces,” “Mountains, ocean, city, farmland all within an hour or so,” were some of the raves.

Runner-up: Seasons, yes all four of them. Even winter had its supporters — “winter and snow,” said one reader specifically. (Here’s another recipe for winter contentment: “Snow, fireplace, birds, wildlife, reading.”) “The scenery of the four seasons,” and comments praising not just the seasons themselves but the transition of seasons were common. Of the individual seasons, fall and the fall foliage probably received the most praise.

Honorable mention: Quality of Life. “Live free or die, baby!” and “Freedom” were popular answers, as were variations on “awesome friggin people.”

This story was possible with the generous financial support of Hippo readers. Hippo is very grateful to have the support of its readers. If you haven’t contributed yet, please consider a small contribution. Your contributions allow Hippo to write more stories and gets you access to additional stories and columns.

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