Don’t have time to bake? Try some of these options
We know some of you might not have the time, resources or know-how to bake your own holiday treats. That’s why we poked around the city to see if we could find some ready-made options for you to pick up on your way to that office Christmas party. Here’s a little selection of what we found.
Granite State has your candy needs covered
Take a walk around Granite State Candy Shoppe this time of year and you’ll certainly find the perfect addition for the chocolate lovers stocking in your life.Or if they really have a sweet tooth, you could put together one heck of a main attraction gift.Because Granite State Candy is a bit of a holiday wonderland – at least when it comes to candy. Just about everywhere you look, there’s holiday sweets just calling out for you to...
Food Snob: We finally did it – we ate an actual fruit cake
Watch enough holiday movies or TV shows, and you’ll probably start to see a trend when it comes to the topic of fruit cake.Let’s just say it doesn’t seem to be on the top of everyone’s favorite holiday treat list. The typical reference is something along the lines of ‘why did they give me this?’But to be perfectly honest, we’ve never tried one. After all those glowing reviews, what would be our motivation to do so?Well, a story. We’ve...
Get your holiday baking needs at Chandler’s
This time of year, though festive and mostly good-natured, can be pretty stressful, especially if you’ve been chosen to bring the big dessert to the family or office Christmas party. Maybe you just started a new job at some fancy law firm or medical practice and you’re really trying to make a good impression on your peers. Or maybe you’re a stay-at-home dad who just wants to make something extra special for his daughter. In any event,...
The library needs warm stuff for its tree
It’s getting pretty cold out there these days and unfortunately, it’s going to stay that way for a long time.And because the fact that winter is officially here, you’ve probably busted out your hats and gloves, scarves and long socks, to ensure you stay as warm as possible over the next few months.But there are people who don’t have the basic necessities to get through another long and cold winter. So the Concord Library is doing...
See ‘The Nutcracker’ at the Audi
If you haven’t caught a performance of The Nutcracker this year, you still have time – but not much. As far as we can tell, there’s only one more show coming to Concord this holiday season and it’s this Friday at the Concord City Auditorium. The New Hampshire School of Ballet of Hooksett will put on a full production of the holiday classic, complete with the growing tree, falling snow and 50 dancers. And unlike some shows, this is a...
Help a senior by grabbing a tag at GoodLife
At this time of year, there are lots of toy drives and secret Santa type programs to ensure all the area youngsters have a nice Christmas. Especially the ones who wouldn’t get a single present under the tree if not for the kind generosity of strangers.Don’t get us wrong, that is a great and wonderful thing, but one age group that seems to get lost in the shuffle when it comes to gift giving is the senior population. And GoodLife...
Go Try It: Make some nice Christmas muffins at home
We figured that since we’re doing an issue all about holiday sweets, we should try to make some ourselves.This Insider isn’t particularly well-versed in the art of baking, so I knew right from the get-go that there was a good chance I’d find myself in over my head on this one. I really couldn’t remember the last time I baked anything.Nonetheless, being a good soldier I went for it anyway. My original idea was to try something from the...
Mr. Aaron is about to launch his new album
If you’ve ever been to a Little Rattlers music class at the Concord Community Arts Center, you’re probably quite familiar with Mr. Aaron (real name Aaron Jones). If not, you’ll have a great chance to learn about him – and his music – at his CD release show this Saturday.The album, All My Friends Are Giants, hit the shelves last week, and Mr. Aaron will be at the community arts center at 4 p.m. Saturday to play some of the songs from...
Tasty Brews: Kirin Ichiban at Beijing & Tokyo
We seem to always be trying beers made right here in the Granite State, over the border in Vermont or farther afield locations like Colorado. These are all fine and good, but we were in the mood for something different last week and decided to try something from the east – the far east.We ended up at Beijing & Tokyo (not the two giant cities on the other side of the world, but the restaurant on South Main Street), as we figured a...
The quilters guild put together stockings
Members of the Capital Quilters Guild are known for their ability to sew.And this time of year, they use it to do some good in the community.It all started in the summer when guild members got together for their annual Christmas in July sit and sew. It’s where they pick out festive holiday fabric and begin to sew Christmas stockings for those in need.Over the ensuing months, they finish their stocking or maybe a few of them, and wait...
Want to make a tiny gingerbread house?
If you haven’t done your annual holiday construction project yet – and by that we mean made a gingerbread house – don’t worry, there’s still time.But if you’d rather share your building experience with others, might we suggest stopping by the library on Wednesday, between the hours of 3 to 7 p.m., for its tiny gingerbread house night. Now while this is being billed as a kids/family craft evening, adults are welcome to take part in the...
Celebrate Festivus with the gang at Area 23
Before Santa embarks on his all night journey to drop off presents to every good girl and boy in the world, there’s another holiday to celebrate.It’s a little something called Festivus. And as the Dec. 18, 1997 episode of Seinfeld taught us, it’s a holiday for the rest of us.In the almost 19 years since it originally aired, the made-up holiday featuring an aluminum pole instead of a decorated tree has become something of a big...
CYPN: Ian Russell has written a superhero story
The Greater Concord Chamber of Commerce’s Concord Young Professionals Network (CYPN) introduces you to another Young Professional of the Month, Ian Russell. How old are you? 24 Where do you live? Epsom Where do you currently work? Harris Family Furniture in Chichester Where did you go to school? University of New Hampshire at Manchester for communication arts. What do you like to do for fun? I like...
Check out this photo we found on Instagram
Instagram user @True_Marketing posted this very festive shot of downtown Concord last week. Looks nice now, but just think – in no time at all, all that snow will be a blackish-brown slushy mess.
Bulletin Board
Stamp collectors to meet in Bow The Merrimack County Stamp Collectors will hold its monthly meeting at the Bow Mills United Methodist Church, 505 South St., Bow, on Dec. 20, beginning at 1 p.m. All who are interested in stamp collecting are welcome to attend. For more information, call Dan Day at 228-1154. Dan Day Audubon seeking grant applications Grants are available to schools with students in pre-kindergarten through grade...
Book of the Week: ‘Big Magic’
Big Magic : Creative Living Beyond FearElizabeth Gilbert2015, 276 pagesNonfictionTold in a casual, conversational tone, filled with anecdotes from the author’s life and advice that is universal across any creative pursuit, Big Magic is the permission slip to indulge in a passion. Being a creative person is not easy. It’s far too easy for responsibilities to get in the way of making something that might bare the soul, or might be...
This Week in Concord History
Dec. 13, 1863: Major Edward E. Sturtevant of Concord, a member of the Fifth New Hampshire Infantry and the state’s first Civil War volunteer, is killed leading his regiment in a suicidal assault during the Battle of Fredericksburg. His body is not found. His men assume it is one of many stripped and buried on the field. Dec. 13, 1999: A move by the Clinton administration to permanently restrict new logging roads on federally...
