Arts & Shopping

You'll be blown away by what you learn in this book.Wait a minute - that's what you do in New England if you don't like the weather. And the old saw is apt - nor'easters, hurricanes, blizzards, floods, tornados, we…

A fine example of painting in a tonalist style.Thank you for sending me an image of your winter landscape painting by the American artist Gilbert Riswold (1911-2001). It is an appropriate painting for this time of year as it depicts…

Keep the icy winter weather away with a steaming, hearty bowl of chili.And the Winner Is...1. Suddenly Soupy'sNearly everyone who tried the chili from Suddenly Soupy's said, "This is just what Mom used to make." It's a classic chili with…

The many reasons Charles Simic was chosen as the country's poet laureate."It was such a sad story, it made everyone laugh" - it is a signature Simic sentence that neatly illustrates what makes his Pulitzer Prize-winning poetry so stimulating, evidenced…

A look inside ReRuns - The Best of the PastHow can you tell if someone is really your friend? They take you to ReRuns and let you browse for hours. This charming yellow house, set back from Rte. 102 in…

First example of modern modular furniture.Thank you for sending me an image of your bookcase. It is a Globe-Wernicke Elastic Bookcase, one of the first examples of "modern" modular furniture that could be ordered to suit one's office or home…

Craving a snack? Try one of these N.H.-made granolas for a healthy and tasty alternative.Me & Ollie's Heavenly GranolaThe Heavenly Granola from Me & Ollie's is well suited to snacking right out of the bag - it's almost like half-smashed…

A rare bill of sale dates the parlor set to the Civil War.Thank you for sending me an image of your Victorian parlor set. It is a great example of its type and is unusual in that it is a…

Macaroni and cheese is the quintessential winter comfort food. Here are four great places you can get it quickly and on the go. And the winner is...Mr. Mac's Macaroni and CheeseWe tried the Classic All American with cheddar cheese that…

In time for the mid-term elections, O'Rourke ruminates anew on exactly why and just how badly politics stink.Politics is a familiar beat for Peterborough's P.J. O'Rourke, whose book titles alone ("Parliament of Whores," "Give War a Chance," "Age and Guile…