Outer Space Arts in Concord will be showing the work of Emma cc Cook and Em Kettner in a show titled “Caterpillar” until Saturday, Jan. 18. The gallery is open on Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Roger Buttles opened Outer Space Arts in 2023 and has an MFA in painting and drawing from the Art Institute of Chicago. He has worked in the gallery world in San Francisco, Chicago and New York City.
“I just wanted something a little more intimate and quiet. People can sit and enjoy the work,” Buttles said. He has his own art studio in a room across the hall from the gallery. The building itself was built in 1854 and was once the residence of Col. Benjamin Grover. Buttles likes to spark conversation with the art he chooses.
“I’m always pairing two artists together to create a dialogue between their work…,” he said. “These two artists, they didn’t know each other before, but they knew each other’s work, and they both loved it. Emma’s a Los Angeles-based artist. She does all the paintings. And then Em is a sculptor who’s in San Francisco. I actually went to grad school with Em. That’s what feels good to me, the most exciting thing about the gallery is promoting work that I love. I’ve collected both of these artists. A lot of the work that I show are artists who I’ve either collected or really do want to collect. I never feel like I’m pushing things that I don’t fully believe in,” he said.
The gallery is a labor of love that gained inspiration from a former teacher.
“The original idea of opening Outer Space is actually based on one of my mentors from grad school, Michelle Grabner. She was the chair of the painting department at the Art Institute in Chicago when I was there. She lived in the suburbs of Chicago with her husband and three kids, and she converted her tool shed and little garage into an exhibition space.”
His mentor untangled an art knot for Buttles. “I’d never seen anything like that before, and it struck a chord with me. It’s been really interesting that art can be presented anywhere, in any space. She became very known for her curating, and she ended up curating a Whitney Biennial based on what she was doing in her tool shed and that is so inspiring.” The Whitney Biennial is an exhibition held at the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York City.
But someone should not need to be in New York to experience art.
“I don’t think that art and galleries should be an elitist exclusive thing,” Buttles said. “It should be inclusionary. I love at the openings when people bring their kids and they’re running around. I bring my daughters and my son, and ours are all young, obviously. I want them to be at the openings, because that’s something I was never exposed to as a kid, I wasn’t exposed to any art, so I want that exposure and education for them,” he said.
Many of the artists who exhibit at Outer Space show in those big city galleries as well.
“Em, she’s in a show at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts right now. She has a similar sculpture as this one in the show…. There’s like a gentleness and a specificity to her work that I love and you can see that in some of the ceramics on the wall. They’re very specific scenes.”
As with most things in life, it is better in person, especially with Cook’s work. Outer Space holds about four exhibits a year; the next one will be in February or March.
Emma cc Cook & Em Kettner: ‘Caterpillar’ When: Saturdays through Jan. 18 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Where: Outer Space Arts, 35 Pleasant St., Concord More: outerspacearts.xyz
Featured photo: “Caterpillar” installation. Photo by Morgan Karanasios.
Here’s an idea for a first date: Break some glass. Then gather it up and fuse it into a work of art. It’s a great way to loosen up and find a creative impulse. That’s the idea at Art Escape, a Laconia walk-in studio offering everything from shattered glass and glass-blowing classes to working a pottery wheel, clay sculpture, ceramics and splatter painting.
Inviting your Bumble match to spin a clay bowl or paint and fire a ceramic fish not only has happened at Art Escape, but one such meetup led to an in-studio marriage proposal, owner Jean Cox recalled recently. Not only that; the couple later returned to celebrate their anniversary.
“This was his date’s favorite place to go,” she said. “He set it up with us ahead of time, so when she was in a paint class he walked in and said, ‘Will you marry me?’ We got it on video, it was very cool. Then they came back a year later to say, ‘Hey, we’re still married here.’”
Making art and memories is Art Escape’s mission. Cox and her husband, both Air Force veterans, opened a location near Laconia High School in 2007, and moved to Union Avenue 10 years later. The couple wanted a family-friendly studio for artistic creation, as existing spaces catered primarily to adults.
It’s become an intergenerational bridge, much to Cox’s delight.
“I’ve got a grandmother painting with her two grandkids right now,” she said. “It’s a way not only to spend time with the family, but one of the kids has a little ceramic axolotl she’s painting. Ten years from now they’ll look at it and remember doing it with their grandmother.”
Another popular attraction at Art Escape is the Splatter Room, where customers put on ponchos and shoe covers, then get their colors and a paint blaster with cups of paint. They stick the blaster in the cup, suck it up and spray it, not always aiming at a canvas. Jackson Pollock would likely be shocked, but it’s a great place to let off steam.
“You’re painting either a canvas or a shirt,” Cox said. “You literally throw paint at each other, or you throw paint at the canvas. It’s almost like family therapy if you come in with your kids … I mean, who doesn’t want to throw paint at their parents?”
When it debuted, Cox brought her two young sons in to test it out. “My son took a whole bottle of paint and threw it at me, and I was like, oh, this is how it’s going to go. We’re in there for I don’t know how long, and next thing you know, he’s like, ‘Gosh, mom, we never decorated our canvas.’ I’m like, ‘Well, let’s throw some paint on that.’”
It’s also a fun place for adults to unwind. Customers are allowed to bring food and beverages.
“Sometimes it’s a group of girls that just needs time off, since they work all week long. They just come in and hang out and bring wine. I had a group of them the other day. They brought a little charcuterie board, and wine, and stuff like that,” Cox said.
One thing it isn’t is a place for serious artists to work toward having a gallery someday.
“It’s not like fine art, it’s fun art, it’s a place to come with your grandkids or your girlfriends,” Cox said, while stressing that some of the higher-level classes that may seem daunting are surprisingly accessible.
“Everybody walks in thinking, I can’t do this, my project’s not going to look like hers, and when they leave, half the time, they’re better than mine,” she said. “They can customize them, and the projects come out so amazing. It’s nice that they’re going home with something that they can be proud of.”n front of a piece of artwork and whether you love it, or you don’t get it, or you hate it, you still have an opinion about it. It’s really interesting to me that people can get together and celebrate each other, discuss artwork, see where those ideas would come from. Part of my fun and part of my joy is making a space that’s really approachable and that is very welcoming…. So as much as it’s an experiment to showcase the artist, I also want to make sure that the patrons feel really supported and want to come in and check out and see what’s going on at See Saw,” Regan said.
Art Escape Where: 636 Union Ave., Laconia More: artescape.com
New Hampshire’s biggest wine event, New Hampshire Wine Week, will take place from Jan. 17 through Jan. 23, culminating in the New England Wine Spectacular, a wine expo featuring more than 1,700 different wines from around the world. According to Justin Gunter, a wine specialist with the New Hampshire Liquor Commission, New Hampshire’s influence in the wine industry has grown continually over the past 20 years.
“The first Winter Wine Spectacular took place with a few winemakers sitting around a kitchen table and some dining,” Gunter said. “And it’s grown to be one of the largest wine events in New England. We’ve got an amazing array of winemakers that are coming here to New Hampshire. What the [Liquor] Commission has done over the course of the past 20 years has not only strengthened its wine offerings for consumers but, you know, really caught the attention of the entire wine industry.”
According to Gunter, over the course of New Hampshire Wine Week, wine representatives will make appearances throughout the state, building to two central events.
“We have winemakers coming from all over the world — winemakers, wine personalities, owners, people from all aspects of winery coming to our state to visit for Wine Week. They’ll be crisscrossing the state that week for wine dinners and bottle signings and two really great signature events: the Viva la France event as well as the Winter Wine Spectacular. So this is really a story about the evolution of not only this event and the growth of the event but also the state of New Hampshire’s prominence in the world of wine and the offerings that we’re able to provide to consumers.”
One of the goals of Wine Week is to expose wine enthusiasts to as large a variety of wines as possible. There will be offerings from huge, well-established producers and from small family-owned vineyards. “For instance,” Gunter said, “Randy Ullom of Jackson Family Wines will be at our event. He’s an icon in the industry, the head winemaker for Kendall-Jackson Wines, a very big name in the industry. He’ll be working directly with his table, which will have the Jackson family wines along with a couple of side projects that the Jackson family wines are doing that he’s heading as well. So you’ve got somebody like that who is taking time out of his schedule, probably with worldwide demands. And then you’ve got folks like Maria Helm Sinskey from Robert Sinskey Vineyards, who’s been coming here for decades. And they’ve got a much smaller winery but a really high-quality product. The thing to note is that they’re head winemakers. They’re involved in the industry; they’re involved in their wineries. These people have their hands in the dirt. They’re farmers. They’re heavily involved in every aspect of wine. Everybody who comes to this event will have an opportunity to get to speak with them and talk to them about their wine specifically and really pick their brains and celebrate wine.”
Despite the level of expertise on tap at the Wine Week events, Gunter said they are for wine enthusiasts of all levels of experience.
“These events are perfect for someone just getting to know wines all the way up to an aficionado,” he said. “These winemakers are so passionate about what they do, and the products that they make, they’re more than happy to guide you and ask you [about] the types you know and the flavor profiles you like. It really offers something for anybody at any end of the spectrum.”
The Wine Spectacular will fill a lot of floor space. “There’s actually two rooms that we’ve used for the past few years,” Gunter said. “There’s one room that is the primary expo that will have the vast majority of the tables. There are more than 200 tables of wines to choose from with up to 12 wines per table. That’s how we can get so many wines available for people to try. We also have the Bellman Cellar Select Room, which is for some more refined, more higher-end offerings. And there’s about 40 tables in that room as well. Along with that, we have food that will be prepared by local restaurants. And ultimately it all comes back to this, it’s really all garnered in passion. Every one of these people that you will meet, it’s not about explaining nuances of wine; it’s a passion for the product.”
Richard Jacob is an account manager with Vinilandia NH, a wine import company in Portsmouth focusing on niche, organic, family-owned and generational vineyards around the world. In his view, New Hampshire Wine Week is a way for wine professionals and enthusiasts to keep up with what is available in a constantly changing wine landscape.
“It’s a chance for distributors in the area that work with the Liquor Commission to get an opportunity to showcase some of their products,” Jacob said. “It’s really exciting because the wine in people’s portfolios are constantly changing, so it’s important that these events happen so people can get a fresh taste of the new vintages or the newest wines that have been added to the state. It’s a good opportunity for people to learn and see the types of wines that are around the corner.”
Jacob clarified the term “portfolio.” “The portfolio is pretty much our book,” he explained. “It’s the list of the wines that we sell. Our portfolio at Vinilandia, just as an example, has about 480 wines.” That can make keeping track of wines in New Hampshire easy to lose sight of, he said. And that makes events like NH Wine Week important to industry professionals and consumers alike, he said. Although wine sales in general have fallen recently, “companies that sell more independent winemaker products, family-run wineries, wines that have a story and that are sustainable …[those] are doing much better. I feel like there is a shift in the culture because people are realizing that these sustainably produced wines can compete with the pricing of mass-produced wines.” And events that bring story-worthy wines to the public’s attention benefit everyone.
Emma Round, owner of Unwined Wine Bar in Milford, says those wines-with-stories help her give value to her customers.
Previous Wine Week. Photo by Timothy Courtemanche
“I think frequently people see what there is in the liquor store,” Round said, “and their imagination can be limited by that.” They see the prices that restaurants have to charge for a bottle of wine, and wonder why they should pay so much more for a bottle that they could buy much less expensively on their own, she said. “But many of the wineries that are well-recognized have smaller portfolios of restaurant-only wines. These events give you the opportunity to see those, which is really important and it’s really good. I highly encourage the public to go to these things to kind of broaden their horizons. I know some of the restaurants try to do that ourselves, but I think when [wine producers] do that on their own back is awesome, too.”
Genevieve Wolfe is the Wine Director for Vine 32 Wine and Graze Bar in Bedford. She said New Hampshire Wine Week’s timing is auspicious.
“It’s fun for the restaurant side of things to have Wine Week [now],” Wolfe said, “because, obviously, with dry January, typically [wine sales] slow down a little bit. So Wine Week being in January is always great for us. It’s just a little bit of a push. We love serving new people and especially ones who want to explore. Those who are attending any of the Wine Week events that usually are the ones who are willing to kind of go outside the box from what they know. Having 32 taps [at Vine 32] allows us to really help them out of their comfort zone and to try something new. So we always look forward to Wine Week.”
19th Annual New England Winter Wine Spectacular When: Thursday, Jan. 23, from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Where: Doubletree Expo Center, 700 Elm St., Manchester, 625-1000 Tickets: There are three tiers of tickets available for the event: Bellman’s Cellar Select, which includes access to a VIP room, product samples, gourmet food pairings and early access to the main expo area, for $135; Grand Ballroom Advanced Entrance, which allows ticket holders early access to the main expo area, for $95 per person; and Grand Ballroom General Admission for $75.
Visit nhwineweek.com. Proceeds from the event go to support the New Hampshire Food Bank.
Sponsored by Pine State Beverage New Hampshire, the organizers of the Wine Spectacular will arrange for a safe ride home within 20 miles for any guest, free of charge.
French wine in the spotlight
The “Viva la France” wine tasting and panel discussion on Wednesday, Jan. 22, at the Manchester Country Club in Bedford will focus on French wines.
Three major importers and distributors of French wines will be on hand to lead guests through the breadth and subtleties of some of their favorite wines: Marnie Old, Director of Vinlightenment of Boisset Collections, Serge Doré, Wine Importer of Serge Doré Collections, and Dominique Giovine, SVP of iconic Moët Hennessy.
According to Justin Gunter, a Wine Specialist with the New Hampshire Liquor Commission, this event will be a special opportunity for wine enthusiasts to learn from experts.
“There’s going to be a cocktail hour,” Gunter said, “where we’ll be pouring two wines from each of these representatives and we’ll be able to mingle with and speak to the representatives and talk to them about these wines that they’ve brought. And then after that first hour at about 6:30 … they’ll be sitting at the front in a panel type of presentation and we’ll have hors d’oeuvres and some food pairings to go along with the different wines. These panelists will walk all of our guests through these expressions of these specific regions in France. And I’ve got to tell you they are pouring some powerhouse wines. In fact …I’ve received word that vintage Dom Perignon will be poured.”
Serge Doré will be one of the featured panelists. He is the owner of Serge Doré Collections, which specializes in importing boutique French wines. He is excited about this all-French event. “Well, ‘Vive la France,’ first of all, it’s a big statement,” he said, “because it is an expression that is very important. It’s a commitment. ‘Vive la France’ is like when we say over here in the U.S., ‘God bless America.’ It’s exactly the same thing, but Vive la France goes back to the revolution, and this goes to the best … of French wine.”
“The event on Thursday night is absolutely spectacular for the consumers,” Doré said, “because, when you prepare a dish, what do you do while you’re cooking it or baking it? You taste and you taste and you taste. There’s no other way to understand a product. It is the same thing with wine, but now with wine, you have to open a bottle to have a sip. So how many bottles can you open at night? There’s a limit to what we can do. But now when you go to an event like on Thursday, a public event, that’s the perfect time to come and understand or discover or confirm things that you know or things that you want to know. You go from table to table and you focus on something and you walk out of there and say, oh my God, I’ve tasted 62 different wines tonight and now I understand why I like this or why I don’t like that. Because at the end it becomes very personal. It’s a matter of taste.”
For Doré, French wines capture a celebratory approach to life, and this event is for people who have that same sort of outlook.
“As long as you have people that do enjoy wines, that’s all that matters,” he said. “People who enjoy life, that’s all that matters. People that enjoy time with family and friends at the table, that’s what we want to have. That’s what I want to see in front of me. Life is about being at the table, technically three times a day at the table. You don’t spend more time in your life anywhere else but on the table. When you sit down normally, you have guests at home, people are nice, they talk not too loud, but after a few sips of wine the sound goes up, down, the conversation is all over the place, one cuts the other one and it’s joy to joy of the moment. It is created by the wine, not by the food. You say cheers with a glass, not with a fork.”
Viva la France wine tasting and panel discussion When: Thursday, Jan.22, from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Where: Manchester Country Club, 180 S. River Road, Bedford, 624-4096, manchestercountryclub.com Tickets: $65 at eventbrite.com
New Hampshire Wine Week events
Here are some of the events slated for NH Wine Week. See nhwineweek.com/events for updates.
Saturday, Jan. 18
Wine Dinner with Brian Pruett, Dry Creek Vineyards Winemaker from 6 to 9 p.m. at Wentworth By the Sea (588 Wentworth Road, New Castle, 422-7322, opalcollection.com/wentworth)
Wednesday, Jan. 22
Wine Tasting with Brian Pruett, Winemaker of Dry Creek Vineyards, noon to 2 p.m., NH Liquor and Wine Outlet, Portsmouth Store #38 (500 Woodbury Ave, Portsmouth Traffic Circle, Portsmouth, 436-4806, liquorandwineoutlets.com)
Wine Dinner with Brian Pruett, Dry Creek Vineyards Winemaker, 5 to 8 p.m., Martingale Wharf Restaurant (99 Bow St., Portsmouth, 431-0901, martingalewharf.com)
“Viva la France” Wine Tasting and Panel Discussion, 5:30 to 8:30 p.m., Manchester Country Club (180 S. River Road, Bedford, 624-4096, manchestercountryclub.com). See page 13.
Truchard Vineyards wine dinner at Prime at 6 p.m. Sky Meadow Country Club (6 Mountain Laurels Drive, Nashua, 888-9000, skymeadow.com)
Wine Tasting with Nicole Hitchcock, Winemaker of J Vineyards, 6 to 7 p.m., NH Liquor & Wine Outlet, Store #50 (Willow Spring Plaza, 294 DW Highway, Nashua, 888-0271, liquorandwineoutlets.com)
Wine Tasting with Battle Creek Winemaker Sarah Cabot, Winderlea Vineyard owners Bill Sweat and Donna Morris, and Peter Paul Wines Winemaker Mike Tracy, 6 to 7 p.m., NH Liquor & Wine Outlet,Store #69 (25 Coliseum Ave., Nashua, 882-4670, liquorandwineoutlets.com).
Wine Dinner with Joseph Spellman, Justin Vineyards and Winery Master Sommelier, 6 to 9 p.m., Coyote Grill (98 Valley Road, Waterville Valley, 236-4919, wildcoyotegrill.com)
Thursday, Jan. 22
19th Annual New England Winter Wine Spectacular. 6 to 8:30 p.m., Doubletree Expo Center (700 Elm St., Manchester, 625-1000), nhwineweek.com
Other wine happenings
Here are some other wine related events in January.
Wine on Main (9 N. Main St. in Concord; wineonmainnh.com) has several wine events on its January schedule. A Wine of the Isles class will be offered Tuesday, Jan. 14, and Wednesday, Jan. 15, at 6:30 to 8 p.m. and focus on wines of the islands off the coast of Italy, Croatia, France and more ($35 per person). A free wine tasting will be held during Winterfest on Saturday, Jan. 25, from 1 to 4 p.m. There will also be a Cupcake and Wine Pairing on with sessions Wednesday, Jan. 29, and Thursday, Jan. 30, 6:30 to 8 p.m. ($35 per person).
Global Flights & Bites Series at The Grazing Room at Colby Hill Inn in Henniker, colbyhillinn.com, running Fridays, Jan. 17 through Feb. 7, 4 to 8 p.m. For $59 per person, enjoy a flight of three wines presented with four appetizers. Each week will feature a region: Jan. 17 is Portugal, Jan. 24 is the Mediterranean, Jan. 31 is West Coast and Feb. 7 is Japan.
Cakebread Cellars Wine Dinner a five-course wine dinner with speaker Niki Williams at Bedford Village Inn (2 Olde Bedford Way in Bedford; bedfordvillageinn.com) on Wednesday, Jan. 22, starting at 6 p.m. Price is $125 per person (plus tax and gratuity). Find the menu and the listings of wines to be paired online.
Savor the Season: Big Reds and Bold Flavors, a tasting of seven reds, at WineNot Boutique (25 Main St. in Nashua; winenotboutique.com) on Thursday, Jan. 30, from 6 to 8 p.m. Admission costs $45.
The 21st Annual Winter Wine Festival at Wentworth by the Sea (588 Wentworth Road in New Castle; opalcollection.com/wentworth, 422-7322) runs Friday, Jan. 17, through Sunday, Feb. 9. Happenings include a Big Tasting with MS Walker and Pine State on Friday, Jan. 17, 6 to 8:30 p.m. ($69.95 per person); a Vintner’s Dinner with Dry Creek Vineyards on Saturday, Jan. 18, at 7 p.m. ($99.95 per person); a Vintner’s Dinner with Jackson Family Wines on Saturday, Jan. 25, at 7 p.m. ($159.95 per person); a Vintner’s Dinner with Banfi Wines on Friday, Jan. 31, at 7 p.m. ($149.95 per person); Vintner’s Dinner with Orin Swift Cellars & Winery on Saturday, Feb. 8, at 7 p.m. ($149.94 per person); and a Bubbles and Jazz Brunch on Sunday, Feb. 9, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. ($69.95).
Wines to look for at NH Wine Week events this year
Here are some wines that the experts will be keeping their eyes on during this year’s New Hampshire Wine Week.
Justin Gunter, New Hampshire Liquor Commission “We definitely have some smaller vineyards represented. We have Donna Morris and Bill Sweat; they’re the owners of Winderlea Vineyards in Oregon, and they make some beautiful, beautiful pinot noirs. It’s a smaller operation. They’re not one of the giant conglomerates.” Another producer Gunter is excited about is “Christof Höpler and the Höpler Winery. It’s not a massive operation, but it is worldwide and we do import a fair amount and they concentrate on more of the Zweigelt and rieslings and a lot of the German varietals.”
Richard Jacob, Vinilandia NH “Recently we’ve had some wines that are from the northern part of Italy that we just brought on to our portfolio that are from this wonderful family with a fantastic [passion for] their culture and their history and their winemaking philosophy. Those kinds of connections are the things that help make a bottle of wine more special and not just, you know, a glass of alcohol. It just makes it good for conversation.”
Emma Round, Unwined Wine Bar “I favor a lot of South African wines. The flagship grape of South Africa is a pinotage. So many people have never tried a pinotage because they don’t know what it is. It’s a fantastic grape. It’s delicious and it pairs well with so much food. So I try and lead people down paths like that. It’s the same for a plavac mali from Croatia, which is very similar to a pinot noir but with just a little bit more, a little bit more flavor. It’s far and above been one of my most popular cider glass wines. And most people have never heard of it before, but you give them a taste and they’re like, ‘Oh! It’s fun; it’s exciting.’ And wine should be like that. Life should be fun and exciting. It should be about trying new things.”
Genevieve Wolfe, Vine 32 “We have all classic examples that people would normally come in and ask for. But then I also like wines from Croatia or Slovenia, something a little bit different. We’re changing over our menu again in January, so I’m always excited to bring in new stuff that’s a little bit different, a little bit off the beaten path, so I can bring in those who might be set in their ways and kind of show them something different.”
Emma Stetson, owner of Wine on Main “There is a wine importer called Massonais. They’re brand new to the state, and I’m looking forward to trying the new wines from them. They have a bunch of wines, but they specialize in eclectic, unique Italian wines. For example, they have a producer called Graci. They make Sicilian wines that are grown in volcanic soil, which is unique and fun. You can almost taste like that graphite, smoky character from the soil.”
The New Boston Historical Society (2 Central Sq., New Boston, 487-2526, newbostonhistoricalsociety.com) will host a lecture by Mary Adams of the New Hampshire Historical Society called “Redcoats & Rebels: New Hampshire and the American Revolution” tonight at 7 p.m. in the Community Church, 2 Meetinghouse Hill Road, New Boston. This event is sponsored by the NH Humanities Council.
Friday, Jan. 10
The Tupelo Music Hall (10 A St., Derry, 437-5100, tupelomusichall.com) will host a Night of Comedy tonight, starting at 8 p.m. The comedians will include Paul Nardizzi, Kyle Crawford (pictured) and Jolanda Logan. Tickets are $22 through the Tupelo website.
Friday, Jan. 10
Jewel Music Venue (61 Canal St., Manchester, 819-9336, jewelmusicvenue.com) will host Boston Flowmies presents: Bass Blizzard, a night of local talent, flow arts, craft vendors, raffles and more, tonight from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. All flow props and levels of experience welcome. Tickets are $15 through eventbrite.com.
Saturday, Jan. 11
The “Library of Things” at the Derry Public Library (64 E. Broadway, Derry, 432-6140, derrypl.org) has a loom and library trustee Monica Cataldo will give a demonstration on how to use it today from 2 to 3:30 p.m. Ms. Cataldo has demonstrated loom technique many times, even at the League of NH Craftsmen fair. Watch the demonstration and try it out for yourself. All are welcome at this free demonstration.
Tuesday, Jan. 14
Join Positive Street Art (48 Bridge St., Nashua, 589-9003, positivestreetart.org) for its monthly free Art Social this evening from 6 to 8 p.m. Attendees can bring their art projects and supplies to work on in a supportive environment. Tables and seating will be provided, and there will be snacks and drinks for purchase. The space is wheelchair-accessible with ramps and an elevator.
Wednesday, Jan. 15
The audience at Dancing with the Stars: Live! will have the opportunity to experience the excitement, athleticism and artistry they see in the TV show’s famed ballroom live, up-close and personal at the SNHU Arena (555 Elm St., Manchester) tonight at 7:30 p.m. The tour delivers a night of electrifying dance performances from world-renowned dancers who topped the leaderboard, including Emma Slater, Alan Bersten, Brandon Armstrong, Britt Stewart, Daniella Karagach, Gleb Savchenko, Pasha Pashkov and Rylee Arnold. Tickets start at $54.50 through ticketmaster.com.
Save the Date! Wednesday, Jan. 22 Legendary comedian Sarah Silverman returns to the stage at the Chubb Theatre (Chubb Theatre at CCA, 44 S. Main St, Concord, 225-1111, ccanh.com) Wednesday, Jan.22, at 8 p.m. The show, “Postmortem” focuses on the deaths of her father and stepmother two weeks apart from each other in 2023. Tickets start at $63.75 through the Capitol Center website.
As reported on Dec. 30 by Manchester Ink Link, New Hampshire’s inventory of fresh eggs has been hit hard by bird flu. “Avian flu, officially H5N1 bird flu, continues to cause issues for supermarket chains, bakeries and restaurants,” the story read, noting that area Hannaford supermarkets have been adversely affected, as well as many other wholesalers and retailers. “
QOL score: -1
Comment:“Prices are up 20 to 22 cents for Extra Large [eggs], up 24 cents for Large, and unchanged for Medium,” the USDA wrote in a Dec. 30 press release. Visit mymarketnews.ams.usda.gov/viewReport/1427.
Is the bird flu going to last for-heiffer?
In a Jan. 1 online article, New Hampshire Public Radio reported that the state will join a federal program to test dairy herds for aggressive strains of avian influenza. While the only instances of bird flu that have been detected in New Hampshire were in wild birds about a year ago, other states have reported infections in dairy cattle. “Concern about Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza is spreading,” NHPR reported. “At least 875 dairy cattle herds in 16 states have tested positive…”
QOL score: -1
Comment:On its website, the United States Department of Agriculture has stated that the dairy testing is part of a coordinated strategy to “facilitate comprehensive H5N1 surveillance of the nation’s milk supply and dairy herds. The strategy is designed to increase our understanding of the virus’ spread …, decrease the risk of transmission to other livestock …, and protect farm workers, to help lower their risk of exposure.” Visit aphis.usda.gov/livestock-poultry-disease/avian/avian-influenza/hpai-livestock.
Electrical service was gone with the wind
WMUR reported in a Jan. 3 online story, “As winds gusted above 40-45 mph, thousands of New Hampshire customers lost power.” More than 10,000 customers were left without electricity, as high winds picked up Thursday afternoon, Jan. 2.
QOL score: -1
Comment: “The National Weather Service issued a wind advisory for all of New Hampshire,” the article read; that lasted until 9 p.m.
A stronger community through flowers
Fortin Gage Flowers in Nashua announced in a Jan. 6 press release that it has launched a new initiative called “Flowers for Good” to “support local nonprofits through unique floral arrangements.” Each month the Nashua florist will design a unique flower arrangement for a particular area organization, the announcement said. “Proceeds from the sale of these exclusive arrangements will directly benefit the featured nonprofit, fostering community engagement, connection and support.”
QOL score: +1
Comment:Sales of January’s arrangement will go to support Bridges: Domestic & Sexual Violence Support. “The exclusive arrangement for January, titled ‘Flowers for Change,’ features a harmonious blend of purple hydrangea and purple veronica in a white vase, symbolizing purity, hope, and courage,” Fortin Gage wrote in its announcement, “reflecting the resilience of those affected by domestic and sexual violence.”
QOL score: 53
Net change: -2
QOL this week: 51
What’s affecting your Quality of Life here in New Hampshire?
The Big Story – Mayo Out After Final: Well, that didn’t take long. But seeing MikeVrabel interviewing to be HC of the NYJ’s last week likely gave Pats owner BobKraft the sense of urgency he needed to do the right thing and put JerodMayo out of his misery immediately. Stay tuned to see what, if any, changes are coming next, over what should be the eventful weeks ahead.
Sports 101: Name the NFL team and players that had their QB named MVP one year and his backup win it for them the next year.
News Item – Ohio State Rolls in CFP: You’ve got to love what Ryan Day’s OSU Buckeyes have done in dismantling Tennessee (41-17) and Oregon (43-23) in the first two CFP rounds. And it wasn’t just ChipKelly’s offense, which pretty much ended it for the undefeated Ducks by midway through the second quarter. The D did their part in holding OU to an astonishing minus 23 yards rushing on 28 carries.
Up next: Texas in Dallas on Friday night.
News Item – QB controversy in Foxboro: While it was an exhibition kind of game, it’s hard to say anything bad about the debut of rookie sixth-round pick JoeMilton in the Pats’ franchise-damaging 23-16 win over Buffalo. And to think he had to transfer out of Michigan to start elsewhere his senior season after struggling in Ann Arbor. He was cool, calm, athletic and dynamic in going 22 for 29 for 241 yards and a TD while running for another. Which pretty much matched anything DrakeMaye did all year. Throw in the standing back flip the 6’5” 250-pounder did after scoring his TD and it’s a legend in the making. Hey, wait, a sixth-round pick from Michigan competing with a more highly drafted guy for the QB job. That sounds familiar. Hmmm.
News Item – Darnold Seeing Ghosts Returns: Did the clock strike 12 on SamDarnold’s Cinderella season? He sure looked like he did in his Jets days during Sunday’s showdown for the NFC Central title, where he was 18-41 for 166 yards and an 0-fer on TD’s the five times Minnesota got in the red zone. The easy 31-9 Detroit win gave the top-seeded 15-2 Lions home field throughout the playoffs and a Week 1 bye while 5-seed Minnesota face the Rams in L.A.
The Numbers:
24.1 – Christmas Day Chiefs-Steelers TV rating on Netflix, compared to the 5.25 NBA games averaged on ABC/ESPN the same day.
57,471 – careerminutes played by LeBronJames as he passed KareemAbdulJabbar’s all-time record.
… Of the Week Awards
Thumbs Up – Detroit Lions Trick Plays: The best was the “stumble bum” just before Christmas where JaredGoff faked like he stumbled and fumbled as RB JahmyrGibbs dove on the ground like he was trying to recover the fumble. After the Bears bought it hook line and sinker, Goff straightened up and threw a 21-yard TD pass to a wide open SamLaPorta. And the hook and ladder from Amon-Ra St. Brown to Jameson Williams vs. SF the next week for another shock TD was sweet too.
If it ain’t gonna be Vrabel, Bob Kraft, make it the guy who thunk them up to be the next HC of the NEP’s: Detroit OC BenJohnson.
Thumbs Down – JimmyButler: Hearing a guy who forced his way out of Chicago, Minnesota and Philadelphia demanding a trade because he “lost his joy” in Miami is beyond laughable.
Best Commercial on NFL Broadcasts – Uber Eats:Matthew McConaughey is very funny in the clever spot as a guy seeing NFL games as conspiracies for getting viewers to buy food.
Random Thoughts:
I hate that the portal transfer rule allows senior QB’s, like Ohio State and Oregon had, to pick a team to move to alter the balance of college football every year.
Latest example why I hate Nike’s influence on the tradition of sports were the garishly awful red pants worn by Ohio State last week over their beautiful silver pants with the red jerseys.
Sports 101 Answer: JohnnyUnitas was the 1967 MVP and after he went down in pre-season EarlMorrall stepped in to win it by leading Baltimore to the league’s best record at 13-1 in 1968.
Final Thought – Pats’ Plan Going Forward: Give BobKraft credit for admitting his mistake and firing his hand-picked not-ready-for-prime-time head coach JerodMayo after just one season.Mistake 2 was keeping the staff in place who helped BillBelichick the GM compile an abysmal drafting record dating back to 2014. Which is why they came up with a 2024 draft that gave them nothing after Maye (and maybe Milton). The next step is getting a GM with a track record for creatively finding, acquiring and drafting talent to maximize their huge cap space edge and draft position. Then hire a coach who can help a young team grow into a winner.
