And now, the moment you’ve all been waiting for. . . . Main Street!
After a long construction process, work has finally wrapped up on North Main Street. No more trucks, slabs of bricks and pavers, crews of (friendly) construction workers or open ditches. No more one-way traffic on the main road, either, which is nice. But really it was worth it cause the whole thing looks nice, so kudos to the city and Severino Trucking for doing such a fine job. Also, kudos to everyone else who showed patience during...
We wanted to find out exactly how different Main Street is now
You’ve probably noticed by now that Main Street is a bit different. There’s new pavement, new crosswalks, new sidewalks, new stores. Heck, even the traffic light fixtures got some new bling. But just how different is Main Street – North Main Street, to be exact – now compared with the way it was before construction began? We wondered the same thing, and we hit up City Engineer Ed Roberge for all the details. We could have told you...
We got an up-close look at how a pie is made at The Crust & Crumb
You can’t really bring up Thanksgiving without your favorite pie combination creeping into the conversation. Pies are as big a part of the holiday tradition as football, turkey and family. So we went down to The Crust & Crumb Baking Co. and watched owner Alison Ladman make some of her tasty creations. In the 24 hours before Crust & Crumb closes for Thanksgiving, the ovens will be cranking out pies in staggering numbers to...
If you like Christmas tree lightings, then you’re in the right place
While you’re always amazed at the job you do of stringing the lights on your Christmas tree each year, there’s probably never a big tadoo like Clark Griswold got. It’s just not practical to openly invite the community to your house cause it’s likely not as entertaining as you might think. Plus, think about the parking nightmare and all the nasty looks you’d get from your neighbors. So it’s probably a good thing that Concord, Bow and...
Take a tour of the nation, region at these two new shops downtown
During all the hubbub of construction on Main Street, you may not have realized that a few new shops opened up. After all, it’s tough to notice when the street and sidewalks are littered with slabs of bricks, scaffolding, huge trucks and crews of construction workers. But now that all of that stuff is out of the way (for the winter, anyway) and you can get back to poking around downtown without having to step over ditches and gravel...
Now that North Main Street is done, attention turns to the south
Now that North Main Street is all shiny and new, you’re probably curious as to what the deal is for South Main Street. We’re glad you asked – we were also kinda wondering when that area of downtown was going to get an upgrade. It’s looking a little behind the times compared with its neighbor to the north, if you smell what we’re stepping in. Well, the plan is to tackle that side of Main Street starting in the spring. It’s slated to...
City of Concord receives the gift of art in the form of four paintings
As the holidays get closer and closer, there’s one big thing on everybody’s mind: giving gifts. So we know the Guide to Gifts and Giving was last week’s issue, but that doesn’t mean we can’t tell you about another act of giving this week, does it? This gift is a little different from anything we talked about last week, so it’s okay that we didn’t include it in that issue. What we’re talking about here is the gift of art, from a...
Take a trip through the ‘Seasons’ with Sandy Wadlington
New England is known for its four seasons, and Sandy Wadlington has spent years capturing the scenery spring, summer, fall and winter create. And if the impending winter has got you missing the other three seasons a little bit more these days, then check out Wadlington’s exhibit at McGowan Fine Art. It includes a variety of media, pastel, caran d’ache and colored pencil drawings and will be on display through Dec. 19.
Shop local this week during Plaid Friday, Small Business Saturday
As you well know, once the clock strikes midnight on Thanksgiving night the focus turns exclusively toward Christmas shopping. Black Friday has been a thing for a long time, where people wake up well before the crack of dawn, go to (insert name of big-box store here) and wait in line for the doors to open. In the last few years, the crazy shopping tradition even spilled into Thanksgiving night. But who wants to end their holiday...
Book of the Week: ‘Ana of California’
Ana of California Andi Teran 2015, 353 pages Fiction Ana of California, which is “inspired” by Anne of Green Gables, is both familiar and fresh. Ana Cortez is an orphan from Boyle Heights in East L.A. She’s almost 16, the age when she can “emancipate” out of the foster care system. In the meantime, she’s in trouble for telling off her latest foster mother. Her social worker suggests Garber Farm in northern California, owned by brother...
This Week in Concord History
Nov. 24, 1812: The first inmate, John Drew of Meredith, is brought to Concord’s first state prison. The prison was built near Washington Street after legislative approval in 1810. During a visit to the city, the Rev. Timothy Dwight, president of Yale, called it “a noble edifice in beautiful granite.” How Drew found it is not recorded. He was sentenced to four years for stealing a horse. Nov. 24, 1989: The temperature in Concord falls...
City Briefly
Last week, City Manager Tom Aspell spent much of his time walking up and down North Main Street admiring all the shiny new amenities while taking breaks to pen his last city memo before the Thanksgiving holiday on the strategically placed red benches. And here it is for your consumption. Just think of it as your turkey day appetizer that you can’t eat. Holiday time City offices closed In observance of Thanksgiving, all city offices...
Instagram photo of the week
Instagram user @steffiezera took this shot of a crane putting up a gigantic Christmas tree in front of the State House last week. It sure will be nice not to see that crane again for a few months.
The Bulletin Board
Concord Chorale to perform holiday concerts The Concord Chorale welcomes the holiday season with “Laud to the Nativity.” The chorale will perform Saturday, Dec. 5, at 7 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 6, at 3 p.m. at South Congregational Church, 27 Pleasant St. The concert is also performed on Friday, Dec. 4, at 7:30 p.m., at Christ Church, 43 Pine St., Exeter. Tickets are $20 general admission, $15 for seniors and students, and available at...
