Author: New Hampshire Magazine Staff

Learning New Tricks

Regular exercise … check. Five to nine servings of fruit and vegetables a day … check. Blood pressure 120 over 80 … check. Strong personal relationships … check. Learned something new this week … hmm? Lifelong learning has been added…

Skiing Without the Fear Factor

As we leaf through the latest issue, we learn where we can throw ourselves off headwalls, defy mogul fields that more closely resemble detonated mine fields and hurdle down inclines that are 10 degrees short of perpendicular. What about skiing…

Time Warps?

We have been hearing for years, nay decades, that one of the most distinctive features of our time is its rapid pace of life. Events, it seems, move at warp speed in our time, compared to the slower, more leisurely…

Merry Christmas, Lothar

Both of my parents were psychologists. This sounds like something you might say while standing anonymously before a 12-step gathering, but I’m actually proud of the fact. It infused my growing up with experiences that I appreciate, and probably a…

Bright Idea?

Nothing says “Peace on Earth” like a giant flashing electronic sign from Target that says “Peace on Earth.” Or an inflatable Santa in a popcorn popper. Or the ghostly illuminated outlines of caribou grazing on your dead lawn. Such is…

Holiday Appetizers

The lights are low. Holiday music is in the air and you are ready to welcome your guests. As you put a drink in their hand they coo over the bountiful display of hors d'oeuvres on the countertop — always…

What a Star

Above: Photo by Lucas Allen That Martha Stewart has impeccable taste everybody knows, but it was confirmed when she (or, at least, her editors) selected The Rocks Estate in New Hampshire to feature (eight pages worth) in the December issue…

Hooked on Christmas

Above: A Vietnam-era helicopter that also saw service in the Persian Gulf War is on display along with a Sassy Racing engine built in Weare and a Cog Railway car and engine. When Eddie and Beth Gilbert “deck the halls”…

Lilies Bloom in Wolfeboro

The lily lights with their organic stems seem to grow right from the table. These signature works of ceramic artist Doug Blum start on the potter’s wheel and are then “pulled” upward, echoing the lines of nature. Finally a globe…

A Log Cabin Christmas

John and Donna Bissonette lived in a contemporary home in Manchester for many years. In fact, they had both grown up in the city. But it wasn’t really “them.” It wasn’t where they wanted to be in their retirement years,…

Letters to the Editor

The Beholder’s Eye Concerning the November 2007 edition's article titled "Dirty Laundry," I want to know why you allowed a photo of a woman's bare breasts to be easily seen in your magazine! I was under the impression this is…

Matthew Keene – Cardiac Crusader

A year ago, Matt Keene was playing football for his Kimball Union Academy team when he went into cardiac arrest. Fortunately the school had an automatic external defibrillator (AED) device on hand and Matt’s life was saved. Since then he’s…

Sully Erna – School of Hard Rocks

Above: Photo by Kevin Pletcher, Concert-pictures.com It’s not often that the local band breaks out onto the national and international music scenes, never mind earning three Grammy Award nominations, selling millions of records and headlining major tours. But Godsmack and…

Mark Constance – The Producer

Above: Photo by PT Sullivan Mark Constance left the Seacoast to make his mark in the music business, began directing music videos, then migrated into film, helping direct hits like "Terminator 3," "Being John Malkovich" and "Charlie's Angels." Now he’s…

Lee Lynd – Waking the Green Giant

Above: photo courtesy of Dartmouth College A potentially limitless source of energy is right beneath our feet. It’s not secret coal or oil reserves, it’s grass, plant life — just about anything with cellulose, and cellulose is the most abundant…

Charles Simic – Premier Poet

Above: Photo courtesy of the University of New Hampshire The nation’s newest Poet Laureate already had quite a resumé: 18 books of poetry, one Pulitzer Prize (for “The World Doesn’t End”), finalist for the National Book Award for Poetry (for…

David Christie – Bagpipe Dreamer

Above: Photo courtesy of David Christie Scottish roots go deep into New Hampshire rocky soil, and the fruits of that rugged tree are such popular attractions as the Scottish Highland Games at Loon Mountain, the Southern Highland Games, the Scottish…

Ken Burns – Civil Warrior

Above: Photo courtesy of Dan Klores Communications He swore, after producing “The Civil War,” he would never do another documentary about war. But 17 years later the legendary Ken Burns of Walpole was persuaded to do another by the aging…

A Better Holiday Table

Nothing says festive and traditional Thanksgiving like hues of orange and brown, gourds everywhere, turkeys on all available surfaces, from plates to platters and napkins, happy little pilgrim salt and pepper shakers and a cornucopia centerpiece practically spewing food, leaves…

Know Your Numbers

The blood pressure cuff — that familiar low-tech tool — was introduced to the U.S. medical community in 1903. But don’t be fooled by its age and simplicity — it serves a critical function. “Let’s check your pressure” is often…

Salem Scene

Tell people you’re heading to Salem for the weekend and invariably someone will assume you’re looking to indulge your inner consumer. It’s hard to ignore the presence of the Mall at Rockingham Park, which, with almost 150 shops, is the…

Dirty Laundry

Political scandals in the Granite State are infrequent, at least compared to those of our Bay State neighbor to the south, but we do have them. Usually, you have to wait for all the affected parties to die before you…