Tag: 240502

Meal for mom

Where to find special brunches and dinners on Mother’s Day

Time to make those dinner and/or brunch reservations for Mother’s Day, which is Sunday, May 12. Know of a special meal or offering not mentioned here? Let us know at adiaz@hippopress.com to run in next week’s Weekly Dish column.

• 110 Grill (80 Storrs St., Concord, 802-6110; 875 Elm St., Manchester, 836-1150; 27 Trafalgar Square, Nashua, 943-7443; 110grill.com) will serve brunch from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The menu will include crab and egg flatbread, yogurt parfait, the 110 Frittata, chicken ’n’ waffles, steak and eggs Benedict, bananas Foster-stuffed French toast, the Cure Burger and brunch cocktails. Reservations are recommended.

• Alamo Texas Barbecue and Tequila Bar (99 Route 13 in Brookline; 721-5500, alamobarbecue.com) has a Mother’s Day menu that includes eggs Benedict, berry salad, cherry-glazed pork tenderloin, strawberry shortcake and a peach bellini. Brunch starts at 10 a.m.; call for reservations.

• Alan’s of Boscawen (133 N. Main St., Boscawen, 753-6631, alansofboscawen.com) will serve brunch from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., featuring a variety of breakfast items, an omelet station, salads, carving stations and more, as well as traditional plated meals including honey-baked ham, roast leg of lamb, prime rib and baked stuffed haddock. Dinner specials will run from noon to close. Call for reservations.

• Alpine Grove Banquet Facility (19 S. Depot Road, Route 111A, Hollis, 882-9051, alpinegrove.com) will serve brunch. Seating starts at 10 a.m.; the buffet will close at 2 p.m. The menu will include various breakfast items, roast top round of beef with demi-glace, Mediterranean chicken, mac and cheese, a pastry and dessert buffet and more. The cost is $35 for adults, $15 for children ages 5 through 12 (free for children under age 5). Reservations are required and can be made through Alpine Grove’s website.

• Artisan Hotel (17 Via Toscana in Salem, 912-8450, tuscanbrands.com) will hold a Mother’s Day celebration from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Enjoy a complimentary Mom-osa. There will be a smoked salmon display, an omelet station, a carving station, a full buffet and more. Mother’s Day will have communal seating in the Grand Ballroom; full tables of six or more guests are available for advance purchase. There will be seatings at 11 and 11:30 a.m. and 1, 1:30, 3, 3:30, 5, and 5:30 p.m. Each seating is 90 minutes long. Tickets are $90 per person. Reservations are available at tuscanbrands.com.

• Atkinson Resort and Country Club (85 Country Club Drive, Atkinson, 362-8700, atkinsonresort.com) will serve brunch from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., featuring breakfast items, a carving station, entrees like baked haddock and chicken Milanese, a dessert table and more. The cost is $80 for adults and $30 for kids ages 3 through 10 (free for children under age 3). Reservations are required, and available through Atkinson’s website.

• Averill House Vineyard (21 Averill Road, Brookline, 244-3165, averillhousevineyard.com) will host a Mother’s Day High Tea Brunch and Wine Pairing at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Each guest will receive a cup of hot tea, a pre-set four-course High Tea-inspired brunch, and a pre-selected flight of four wine samples (must be 21+). Non-alcoholic flight available upon request. Tickets are $59 each and available through the Vineyard’s website.

• The Bakeshop on Kelley Street (171 Kelley St. in Manchester; 624-3500, thebakeshoponkelleystreet.com) offers doughnuts and other goodies that can be ordered in advance. The shop is open Sundays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

• Bedford Village Inn (2 Olde Bedford Way, Bedford, 472-2001, bedfordvillageinn.com) will serve a special Mother’s Day dinner from 2 to 7 p.m. Dishes will include bacon, shrimp and corn chowder, pea salad, asparagus bisque, veal saltimbocca, cider-brined Duroc pork tenderloin, and much more. The cost is $79 for adults and $42 for children 10 and under. Reservations are required and can be made through the Inn’s website.

• Belmont Hall and Restaurant (718 Grove St., Manchester, 625-8540, belmonthall.net) will serve an all-you-can-eat breakfast buffet with seatings at 8:30 a.m., 10:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. The cost is $18.99 per person. Additionally, the restaurant will be open for walk-ins only that day — no reservations are required.

• Chez Vachon (136 Kelley St. in Manchester; 625-9660, chezvachon.com) will be open from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. and will offer moms a free drink.

• The Coach Stop (176 Mammoth Road, Londonderry, 437-2022, coachstopnh.com) will serve a special Mother’s Day dinner with seatings at 11:30 a.m., 2:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. Offerings include shrimp cocktail, escargot, prime rib of beer, veal Oscar and much more. Call for reservations, which are required.

• Colby Hill Inn (33 The Oaks, Henniker, 428-3281, colbyhillinn.com) will serve Mother’s Day supper, with seatings from noon to 4 p.m. The three-course prix-fixe meal will include oysters on the half-shell, ricotta gnocchi with fiddleheads, coq au vin, grilled lamb chops, maple-bourbon panna cotta and more. The cost is $75 per person. Seating is available in the Grazing Room or in the gardens. Reservations are available through the Inn’s website.

• Copper Door (15 Leavy Drive, Bedford, 488-2677; 41 S. Broadway, Salem, 458-2033; copperdoor.com) will offer a prix fixe Mother’s Day menu featuring bosc pear salad, prime rib, blackened salmon, wild berry shortcake and more, and extended hours. Brunch and lunch will be available from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The prix fixe menu will be available from 2 p.m. to closing at 9 p.m.

• The Derryfield (625 Mammoth Road, Manchester, 623-2880, thederryfield.com) will serve brunch from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m, featuring a carving station, bread station, salad station, dessert station and main buffet line with various breakfast items and entrees including chicken, turkey, seafood and more. The cost is $36.95 for adults, $34.95 for seniors 65+ and $21.95 for children under age 12. Call for reservations.

• Firefly (22 Concord St., Manchester, 935-9740, fireflynh.com) will serve Mother’s Day brunch from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and dinner from 4 to 8 p.m. Reservations are recommended.

• The Flying Goose Brew Pub (40 Andover Road in New London; 526-6899, flyinggoose.com) will celebrate Mother’s Day with brunch specials from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. and dinner specials from 2 to 8 p.m. The regular menu will also be available.

• The Foundry Restaurant (50 Commercial St., Manchester, 836-1925, foundrynh.com) will be open for brunch from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

• Fratello’s Italian Grille (155 Dow St., Manchester, 641-6776, fratellos.com) will serve a brunch buffet, with seatings at 11 a.m and 2 p.m. There will be an omelet station, a waffle bar, a grand buffet, a carving station, and more. Reservations are required and can be made through Fratello’s website.

• Fulchino Vineyard (187 Pine Hill Road, Hollis, 438-5984, fulchino-vineyard-inc.square.site) will host a celebration of its new sparkling wine on Mother’s Day. The event will take place from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Each participant will have one glass of wine (your choice of sparkling, or still wine or granita) and enjoy an assortment of six gourmet small plates including Caesar salad, New England clam chowder, arancinis, butterfly shrimp, burrata, ravioli and a meatball. Finish with a signature Italian dessert. A children’s menu is available for ages 12 and under for $25; this will include chicken tenders, mac and cheese, french fries and a beverage. The cost for adults is $69. Tickets are available through Fulchino’s website.

• Gauchos Churrascaria Brazilian Steak House (62 Lowell St., Manchester, 669-9460, gauchosbraziliansteakhous.com) will serve a Mother’s Day brunch from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Call for reservations or make them through Gauchos’ website.

• Giorgio’s (524 Nashua St., Milford, 673-3939; 270 Granite St., Manchester, 232-3323; 707 Milford Road, Merrimack, 883-7333; giorgios.com) will serve brunch from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., featuring salads, breads, appetizers, entrees, a carving station, omelet station, dessert station and more. Reservations can be made through Giorgio’s website.

• Granite Restaurant (The Centennial Hotel, 96 Pleasant St., Concord, 227-9000, graniterestaurant.com) will serve a special Mother’s Day dinner menu on Friday, May 10, and Saturday, May 11, from 5 to 9 p.m. with dishes including New England crab cakes with avocado and blood orange, Faroe Island salmon, petite filet mignon with shrimp, honey-mascarpone cheesecake and more. Each mother will receive a special gift.

• Granite State Candy Shoppe (13 Warren St. in Concord, 225-2591; 832 Elm St. in Manchester, 218-3885; granitestatecandyshoppe.com) is offering 15 percent off select gift boxes of chocolate, in-store and online, through Sunday, May 12.

• The Hills Restaurant (Hampshire Hills Athletic Club, 50 Emerson Road, Milford, 673-7123, hampshirehills.com/the-hills-restaurant) will serve a Mother’s Day brunch from 9 a.m. to noon. Dishes will include pulled pork eggs Benedict, swordfish tacos, a Korean BBQ breakfast burger, coconut cake and more. Reservations are available through the website.

• The Homestead Tavern & Restaurant (641 DW Highway, Merrimack, 429-2022, homesteadnh.com) will feature a special Mother’s Day menu featuring dishes including bacon-wrapped scallops, beef tenderloin, rack of lamb and more. Make reservations through the Homestead’s website.

• Jamison’s Restaurant (472 Route 111, Hampstead, 489-1565, jamisonsrestaurant.com) will feature a special Mother’s Day menu with dishes including seafood stuffed halibut, shrimp scampi, goat cheese stuffed roast chicken and more. Call for reservations.

• KC’s Rib Shack (837 Second St., Manchester, 627-7427, ribshack.net) will serve an all-you-can-eat Mother’s Day buffet from noon to 6 p.m. The buffet will feature smoked spare ribs, pulled pork, beef brisket, smoked sausage, mashed potatoes, cornbread, and more. Moms eat free.

• LaBelle Winery (345 Route 101, Amherst, 672-9898; 14 Route 111, Derry, 672-9898, labellewinerynh.com) offers a la carte dining on Mother’s Day at The Bistro in Amherst and Americus in Derry. Brunch, lunch and dinner menus will be offered, plus special Mother’s Day dining specials and add-on upgraded dining experiences.

• Makris Lobster & Steak House (354 Sheep Davis Road, Concord, 225-7665, eatalobster.com) will serve a Mother’s Day buffet from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The buffet will include peel-and-eat shrimp, roasted lamb, maple-Dijon salmon, homemade pastries and more. The cost is $36.99 for adults, $31.99 for seniors, and $14.99 for children under 12. Call for reservations.

• Manchester Distillery (284 Willow St., Manchester, 978-308-2867, manchesterdistillery.com) will host a Mums & Mimosas event Saturday, May 11, from noon to 5 p.m. Enjoy cocktails and mocktails from the distillery’s tasting room as you sip, shop and hang out on the patio and backyard.

• Mike’s Italian Kitchen (212 Main St., Nashua, 595-9334, mikesitaliannh.com) will feature a special Mother’s Day menu in addition to its regular menu. Make reservations through Mike’s website.

• Mile Away Restaurant (52 Federal Hill Road, Milford, 673-3904, mileawayrestaurantnh.com) will serve a prix fixe dinner that includes one appetizer, such as a fresh fruit with sorbet or Swedish meatballs; a salad; an entree, with options like pork tenderloin, veal Marsala, maple-glazed salmon and more; and one dessert, such as chocolate mousse cake, carrot cake or flourless chocolate ganache cake. The cost is $49. Call to make a Mother’s Day reservation with a credit card. Table size is limited to eight guests or fewer.

• Mr. Mac’s (497 Hooksett Road in Manchester; 606-1760, mr-macs.com) is open Sundays from 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. with dine-in or Take and Bake that can be ordered in advance.

• New England’s Tap House Grille (1292 Hooksett Road, Hooksett, 782-5137, taphousenh.com) will serve brunch from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The entire restaurant will be converted into “Brunch Heaven.”

• Pembroke Pines Country Club (45A Whittemore Road in Pembroke, 210-1365, pembrokepinescc.com) will offer a Mother’s Day Brunch from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The cost is $29.95 for adults and $12.95 for children.

• Van Otis Chocolates (341 Elm St., Manchester, 627-1611, vanotis.com) has many seasonal Mother’s Day chocolates available on its website, from floral gift boxes to gift assortments of all sizes and chocolate shoes and purses.

The Weekly Dish 24/05/02

News from the local food scene

• Duck-fat fries and adoptable dogs: The Rockingham Brewing Co. (1 Corporate Park Drive, Derry, 216-2324, rockinghambrewing.com) will host the Darbster Dog Derby on Friday, May 3, from 2 to 4 p.m. Meet, and possibly adopt, a new best friend courtesy of Darbster Doggy (109 Dover Road, Chichester, 635-4495, darbsterfoundation.com/darbster-doggy), drink good beer, and eat special pizzas and duck-fat fries from pop-up caterers Abeetz and Frites.

• Kentucky Derby party: Break out your seersucker suits and giant hats. On Saturday, May 4, The Peddler’s Daughter (48 Main St., Nashua, 821-7535, thepeddlersdaughter.com) will host a Kentucky Derby party from 2 to 7 p.m. with prizes, giveaways, and samples from Bellavance Beverage and Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits. Proper attire is strongly encouraged.

• If you’re feeling fancy: The Oscar Barn Wedding Venue (191 W. River Road, Hooksett, 340-8361, oscarbarnweddingvenue.com) will host a Champagne High Tea Sunday, May 5, at 1 p.m. Tickets are $65; this includes one glass of Champagne, food, tax and gratuity. This is a 21+ event and formal attire is requested. Tickets are available through the Oscar Barn’s website.

• Three-Dollar Tuesday: Every Tuesday home game at Northeast Delta Dental Stadium (1 Line Drive, Manchester, 641-2005, milb.com/new-hampshire) is Three Dollar Tuesday. Hot dogs are $3. Popcorn Is $3. Sodas are $3. On Tuesday, May 7, the New Hampshire Fisher Cats will play against the Harrisburg Senators at 6:05 p.m.

On The Job – Dr. John Schuessler

Doctor of Chiropractic at Crossroads Chiropractic at Bedford

Explain your job and what it entails.

As chiropractors we analyze the spine or what we call subluxations, so misalignments in the spine, putting pressure on the nervous system. … Our main goal here is to remove interference from the nervous system…

How long have you had this job?

We graduated in June and we had an externship that we had to complete, so we officially graduated in September.

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

Within chiropractic we have what’s called our chiropractic why. A lot of people associate chiropractic with, ‘Oh, my back hurts, I need to come in and get checked.’ For me, I actually grew up in a not so great home in Cincinnati, Ohio … I always grew up wanting more for myself. I was in Boy Scouts, attained Eagle Scout. I joined the Air Force … chiropractic actually kind of found me. Before my first adjustment I was experiencing anxiety on a very consistent basis … I also experienced GERD, [gastroesophageal] reflux disease…. After being adjusted and being adjusted consistently, I don’t experience those things anymore.

What kind of education or training did you need?

As chiropractors, it’s a doctorate of chiropractors so we had to go get our undergraduate degree. My undergraduate degree was exercise sciences. … After your bachelors you go for three and a half years for your doctorate and we went to, both Dr. Brooke [Mills, also a lead chiropractor at Crossroads in Bedford] and I, went to Sherman College of Chiropractic down in Spartansburg, South Carolina.

What is your typical at-work uniform or attire?

I usually wear dress pants, dress shirt. Brooke will be usually in the same, maybe a sundress.

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

I want to be able to take care of every single person in my community. … we’re definitely trying to attain that … go out to the community and meet new people and explain to them what chiropractic is and why we want to care for them….

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

I wish I had known about chiropractic right off the bat … I would have gotten out a little bit quicker.

What do you wish other people knew about your job?

I wish that people knew it wasn’t just for aches and pains. I wish that they knew that caring for your spine, spinal hygiene is just as important as going to the gym and brushing your teeth. It’s not something that you do only when you’re in pain.

What was your first job?

I actually had a landscaping business when I was 14 I started on my own.

– Zachary Lewis

Five favorites
Favorite book: Atomic Habits by James Clear
Favorite movie: Avengers: Endgame
Favorite music: country music
Favorite food: steak
Favorite thing about NH: I love the lakes because I grew up in Cincinnati, like I said, and we judged our lakes [by] the Ohio River, and don’t swim in the Ohio River because you might come out with a third arm. And up here you can pretty much drink the water. I love it.

Featured photo: Dr. John Schuessler and Dr. Brooke Mills.

Kiddie Pool 24/05/02

Family fun for whenever

May the Fourth

• Celebrate the other pop culture holiday happening this Saturday with a screening of Star Wars Episode I — The Phantom Menace (PG, 1999). The now 25-year-old film will begin screening at O’neil Cinemas at Brickyard Square in Epping (oneilcinemas.com) on Friday, May 3. Multiple screenings per day are listed through May 9.

Make a wood craft

• The Canvas Roadshow (25 S. River Road, Bedford) invites kids and adults to join them for a fun craft time at their open studio walk-in on Sunday, May 5, at 11 a.m. Visitors can choose from a variety of wood projects and craft it right then and there, according to their website. Most projects take 45 to 90 minutes depending on what you choose, and price is based on project but no registration or reservation is needed to attend, according to the same website. Projects start at $10. Visit thecanvasroadshow.com

Animals

• Head to Strawbery Banke Museum (14 Hancock St. in Portsmouth) for Baby Animals: Heritage Breeds at the Banke to learn about domestic livestock typical on coastal northern New England farms on May 5, from 10 a.m to 4 p.m., according to their website. Demonstrations are included with event tickets. Combo tickets are available to access Baby Animals and tour Strawbery Banke Museum’s historic houses, exhibits and heirloom gardens, according to their website. Adults ages 18 and older are $36, seniors and students are $32, children between ages 5 and 17 are $22, children ages 1 to 4 are $12, children under 1 are free, and family tickets (two adults plus children) are $80, according to their website. Baby Animals Event tickets by themselves are $12 for nonmembers and children under 1 are free, and general admission to the museum is free for members, according to the same website. Visit strawberybanke.org/baby-animals or call 433-1100.

Gaelic sports

• Eight teams are slated to play in the Saturday, May 4, hurling tournament held by the New Hampshire Wolves Hurling Club at the Anheuser-Busch Sports Fields (221 DW Highway in Merrimack), according to the club’s Facebook page. The first match starts at 9 a.m. Kids can get involved at 2 p.m. when the club will host an “Intro to Gaelic sports” featuring football, hurling and camogie. according to a post, which says the event is free for kids to “jump in and learn.” Find the club on Facebook for more information.

Scottish dance

• New England Scottish Arts Centre is offering a free Highland dance course called “Tartan Tots” for kids ages 4 to 6 starting Sunday, May 19, at 1 p.m. at the Creative Dance Workshop (1355 Route 3A, Bow) with instructor Marielle Webster, who was the Highland dance instructor at Lyon College. Dancers typically start with the basic motions and then begin the first Highland dance that all beginners learn, the Highland Fling. The first lesson is free; after that, the charge is $15 per class, with family discounts available, according to the site’s FAQ. Visit nhssa.org/dance.

• Scottish Arts also has ongoing Highland dance classes for kids 7 and older with the first lesson always free and subsequent lessons $15 per class, according to their website. Classes are held on Sundays at noon and will be at the same Creative Dance Workshop in Bow, according to the website. Visit nhssa.org/dance.

Review books, read books

• Gibson’s Bookstore (45 S. Main St., Concord) is looking for aspiring book reviewers for their Student Reviewers Club. Interested readers under age 18 can sign up at gibsonsbookstore.com/student-reviewers-club. Gibson’s will provide the book, and they ask that you bring it back with a short review telling them what you thought about it and a star rating of 1-5. When the book is released, Gibson’s will include your review on display. Reviewers will be given a $2 certificate toward a new book.

• The Whipple Free Public Library will host a junior book club for children in grades 1 to 3 on Monday, May 6, from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. The group is limited to 20 members, who will enjoy a book, have fun and eat snacks, with parents taking turns to provide snacks and drinks, according to their website. The book for this Monday is Mr. Tony Is Full of Baloney by Dan Gutman, copies of which are available to be picked up, according to the same website. Visit whipplefreelibrary.org or call 487-3391. — Zachary Lewis

The Art Roundup 24/05/02

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

• Spring fair: The Craftworkers’ Guild in Bedford will open their spring fair on Thursday, May 2, at the Oliver Kendall House (3 Meetinghouse Road in Bedford, at the bottom of the library parking lot). The guild’s fair is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily through Saturday, May 11. See thecraftworkersguild.org.

• Tribute, with laughs, to Broadway: Forbidden Broadway, a musical spoof of Broadway shows and stars, will come to Stockbridge Theatre (5 Pinkerton St., Derry; stockbridgetheatre.showare.com) on Thursday, May 2, at 7 p.m. A theatrical institution since 1982 when Gerard Alessandrini created the first edition, lampooning the Broadway shows and stars of the day, Forbidden Broadway in its newest edition includes good-natured shots at Moulin Rouge, the all-Yiddish Fiddler on the Roof, Hadestown, and this season’s dark Oklahoma! revival, along with Dear Evan Hansen, Tootsie, Beetlejuice, Frozen and a whole new generation of Broadway stars, plus some classic laughs from The Lion King, Phantom of the Opera, Les Miz and others, according to a press release. Tickets cost between $35 and $45. Call 437-5210 for tickets.

• Tale as old as time: Windham Actors Guild brings Disney’s Beauty and the Beast to the stage for audiences at Windham High School Auditorium (64 London Bridge Road in Windham) on Friday, May 3, at 7 p.m.; Saturday, May 4, at 7 p.m., and Sunday, May 5, at 2 p.m. This classic musical is brought to life by a talented cast of adults and youth, a live orchestra, beautiful settings, and costumes, according to a press release. Ticket prices are $22 for those 18 and older, $18 for students and seniors, and $15 for children under 12, according to the same release. Visit windhamactorsguild.com or call 247-8634.

• Fiddles! The New Hampshire Fiddle Ensemble begins a series of performances this Friday, May 3, in Rochester. This community orchestra made up of approximately 100 musicians of all ages and abilities plays a variety of acoustic instruments, according to their website. Performance dates include Friday, May 3, at 6:30 p.m. at the Rochester Opera House (31 Wakefield St. in Rochester); Saturday, May 11, at 6:30 p.m. at Interlakes High School Auditorium (1 Laker Lane in Meredith); Saturday, May 18, at 6:30 p.m. at Exeter Town Hall (9 Front St.) and Sunday, May 19, at 2 p.m. at the Derryfield School (2108 River Road in Manchester). The ensemble features fiddles, guitars, banjos, mandolins, basses, harps, cellos and more, according to a press release. See nhfiddleensemble.org for tickets.

• Classical meets folk: The Rex Theatre (23 Amherst St in Manchester; palacetheatre.or) will feature The Kruger Brothers on Saturday, May 4, at 7:30 p.m. Their remarkable discipline, creativity and their ability to infuse classical music into folk music has resulted in a unique sound that has made them a fixture within the world of acoustic music, according to the event’s website. Tickets range from $35 to $49. Gold Circle tickets include a meet-and-greet with the band after the show. Visit palacetheatre.org.

Art Stroll
This year’s May Gallery Stroll in New London includes two new locations, Whipple Hall and Grounds Coffee, making six locations during this First Friday Gallery Stroll’s artist’s reception scheduled for Friday, May 3, from 5 to 7 p.m. at each gallery location, according to a press release. This event is free and allows guests to meet local artists, enjoy art, and connect with the community, according to the release. Starting at Whipple Hall there will be an exhibit of Ruth Wynn’s work as a ‘memoriam’ of her talent; Grounds Coffee will host emerging artists such as Emily Philbrick of Artsy Em Designs, who strives to provoke emotion and transform spaces with her abstract work, landscape scenes and linework; teen artist Grace Scarlet will be featured at the Bar Harbor Bank; Blue Moon Bakery will showcase artists Debbie Campbell and Sherie Dowsett; The Tatewell Gallery will feature works by New York City native Tom Barber; the New London Inn will host artwork from Alison Vernon, who has been painting for over 40 years, and The Fleming Center Connolly Gallery at the New London Barn will host art by Timothy Sievers. Visit centerfortheartsnh.org/microgalleries.

• On stage, part 1: The Players’ Ring (105 Marcy St., Portsmouth) presents The Legend of Georgia McBride by Matthew López, directed by Joe Juknievich, from Friday, May 3, to Sunday, May 19, with shows on Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Saturdays and Sundays at 2:30 p.m., according to their website. The show follows Casey, an Elvis impersonator who has everything until in a flash he loses his gig, his rent is overdue and his wife announces a baby on the way. So when Elvis leaves the building and a drag show moves in, “The King” transforms into an all-out queen with the help of some new friends who become the second family Casey never saw coming. Tickets are $31, $28 for students and seniors. Visit playersring.org or call 436-8123.

• On stage, part 2: Spring Awakening opens at the Seacoast Repertory Theatre (125 Bow St. in Portsmouth; seacoastrep.org, 433-4472) on Thursday, May 2, and runs through Sunday, May 26. Shows this weekend are at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, 8 p.m. on Friday, May 3, and 2 and 8 p.m. on Saturday, May 4. Tickets cost $37 to 68, according to the website. The Rep is also continuing its run of Willy Wonka, which is on stage through Sunday, May 19. This weekend catch it on Sunday, May 5, at 2 and 7:30 p.m.

A truth Universally Acknowledged
The Community Players of Concord will presents Pride and Prejudice at Concord City Auditorium (2 Prince St. in Concord, 228-2793, theaudi.org) Friday, May 3, and Saturday, May 4, at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday, May 5, at 2 p.m. Adapted by Kate Hamill from the novel by Jane Austen, the Players describe the adaption as “fresh and funny, hip and hilarious” on their Facebook page, where you can see photos of the cast in costume. “This is not your usual Pride and Prejudice. There are a couple of balls, lovely costumes, but there’s also disco, modern music and Mr. Darcy’s shirt stays absolutely dry, ” according to the director’s notes as quoted in a Players’ Facebook post. Tickets cost $20 for adults, $18 for age 17 and under and seniors 65+. See communityplayersofconcord.org. At left, Travis Laughlin is Mr. Darcy, Julia Kehr is Elizabeth Bennet. Photo by Michael von Redlich.

• Makers market: Shop the Squam Lake Vintage & Makers Market at Cottage Place at Squam Lake (1132 Route 3 in Holderness; cottageplaceonsquam.com) on Saturday, May 4, and Sunday, May 5, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day. Admission is $5. The market will feature vendors, live music, food and a mobile bar, according to an email.

•ARTalk: Registration is open for an ARTalk with London-based artist Hew Locke on Sunday, May 19, at 2 p.m. at the Currier Museum of Art (150 Ash St. in Manchester; currier.org, 669-6144). The cost is $30 for adults, $25 for 65+ or students with ID, $15 for ages 13 to 17, $10 for museum members and free for children (the cost includes museum admission). Locke’s sculptural installation “Gravesend” is on display at the Currier and he has an exhibition, “The Procession” at the Institute of Contemporary Art Watershed in Boston on May 23, the website said.

Whose Town?
Take in a classic when the Nashua Theatre Guild presents Thornton Wilder’s Our Town on Friday, May 3, and Saturday, May 4, at 8 p.m. and Sunday, May 5, at 2 p.m. at the Court Street Theater (14 Court St. in Nashua). Our Town shares the idea that we live life without really appreciating what it has to offer, according to a press release. The Nashua Theatre Guild asks that if you dine in at the Margaritas in Nashua on Saturday, May 4, between noon and 11 p.m., you mention the Nashua Theatre Guild — if you do, 20 percent of your bill will be donated to NTG, according to the release. Tickets to the show are $20 for adults (18 and older), $18 for students and seniors. Visit nashuatheatreguild.org.

Not your mother’s family portrait

Manchester artist creates dream-like synthesis of photos

By Zachary Lewis
zlewis@hippopress.com

Self-taught photographer Karen Jerzyk invites families of all shapes and sizes to head over to her studio space at Morgan Self Storage (400 Bedford St. in Manchester) to partake in an alternative to the generic family portrait. Jerzyk is a true artist and her work has appeared on the Tonight show with Jimmy Fallon, but this is just icing on the surreal and fantastical cake that is her style.

“People come, they have fun, they get their pictures,” Jerzyk said.

She mentioned that one family in particular told her, “We’ve been looking for something like this to do … family photos are strange, we feel uncomfortable having a picture of us on the wall not portraying our personalities. We feel better putting this kind of stuff on the wall.”

One family consisting of a mother, father, son and daughter are taking part. “The son, he did green, the girl did pink” and the parents are going to do different colors, Jerzyk said.

People can dress up and even bring their pets.

“I have a lot of accordions over there … people can use props…. I have like 10 tons of wardrobe,” she said.

Jerzyk had “wanted to do another monochromatic color series,” so she thought, “I’ll do it again and invite the public to come and get their portrait taken. Which is a kind of win-win because it also helps me pay for the materials to actually do this stuff for my portfolio.”

Jerzyk just did the color green, is now focusing on pink and will move into blue later in May. Those who sign up can expect to spend a half hour of their time and $40 plus a small eventbrite fee to receive a movie-quality portrait that captures their essence.

“I get a lot of inspiration from movies,” Jerzyk said. “I grew up in the ’80s. … I like the sci-fi, like, that vaporwave, neon-y, just the vibe of the ’80s I’ve always loved.” One aspect of that time period was the practical and analog effects needed to create a realistic version of unreality.

“It’s always important to me that when I do this … that it’s real, that I don’t Photoshop anything.” With the growth of artificial intelligence in image creation and the charlatans who wield it for profit, Jerzyk wants to assure clients of her authenticity. “They’re getting what I say is going to happen.”

She does use Lightroom software for some color-correcting and shoots with a Canon R5C, usually with some type of wide-angle lens. “I’ve always loved using Canon.”

Jerzyk buys tons of paint for her monochromatic color series too, as the saturation of color is crucial to the design. “It’s very strange when things are painted all the same color. It’s very surreal,” she said.

“For pink, I kind of wanted to not go the typical what people would think pink would be, so I had two skeletons in here — and it killed me to paint those ’cause they’re kinda expensive, they’re poseable skeletons. I just like building stuff that is just surreal, that people wouldn’t necessarily get a chance to insert themselves into or experience or get their photo taken in.”

Apart from the color series, her studio has a collection of permanent sets that range from a prototypical grandparents’ home from the early ’80s to a retro-futuristic diner complete with a bar and barstools, a jukebox, and a neon breakfast sign.

Before getting into portraiture, Jerzyk did around 10 years of music photography. She enjoyed album covers and art, and started by sneaking disposable cameras into concerts, so when she graduated from the University of New Hampshire in 2003 her parents gifted her a digital camera. But the music scene was not where Jerzyk was destined to stay.

“I started getting bored with it because I think deep down I was just missing a creative outlet … it was definitely awesome getting a photo pass, especially for bands I really like,” Jerzyk said, but she was looking for something more. “If I can’t say or show people what’s in my head, it’s not something I can keep doing.”

“I expressed [this] to a friend around 2008 and he was like, ‘How come you never shoot portraits of people?’ I was like, I don’t know, I’m kind of awkward and introverted … meeting up with a stranger and directing them, back then it seemed like a nightmare to me.”

It was a long but necessary road to take to get where she is today. “I think it’s important for people to know that when I started doing this stuff it was not good. I think that self-realization is good, though, because then you know you can be better…. It took a while to get, I guess I’d call it an aesthetic voice or just an aesthetic in general,” Jerzyk said.

Jerzyk’s vision is solid and at the same time fluid, abstract yet concrete, and a pleasure to experience. “Now when people see my work they know it’s mine,” she said, “but it took a couple years to get that.”

Karen Jerzyk photography
karenjerzykphoto.zenfolio.com
$40 for a 30-minute portrait session.
Tickets are available at Eventbrite:
eventbrite.com/e/karen-jerzyk-presents-tickets-870680748557.

Featured Photo: Photo by Karen Jerzyk

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