Mangia ... Mangia ... Mangia

Submitted by Lorry Young, Granite State Ambassador
Radisson Hotel Class of 2006

Mangia Italian Restaurant recently re-located from Londonderry Turnpike in Hooksett to 33A Elm St. in Manchester, NH. Angelo Bruno is the proprietor, and a native of Campana, Italy. Angelo uses many recipes that have been in his family for years. 


The menu is full of authentic homemade Italian cuisine. One of his delectable appetizers is Bruschetta, the toppings are made daily with fresh ingredients. Quite a selection of salads are offered, you can also create your own salad. Zuppa del Giorno, soup of the day, the minestrone is wonderful. Ciabatta Bread Panino (sandwiches served warm and toasted). If you choose to make your own Panino, that is O.K., too. I counted at least sixteen Entree's meals to choose from. My choice was Pollo Valdostana, chicken topped with Italian ham, asparagus, and mozzarella cheese baked in a demy glaze sauce. The Portions are huge, so you will be bringing a doggie bag home. A variety of desserts are offered as well.
Mangia, is a small cozy place, seating twenty five customers. The restaurant will be BYOB until Bruno is approved for a liquor license.

Hours are: Lunch is served Tuesday through Thursday. 11:30 a.m.-2:00 p.m. and Friday noon-2:00p.m. Dinner is served Tuesday through Thursday, 5:00 p.m. to 9:00p.m. and Friday through Saturday 5:00p.m. -9:30p.m. Reservations are recommended.

To see the recommendation on the previous location of Mangia, please visit NHGSA Louise's blog post!

Visiting “Arts Heaven”: The League of New Hampshire Craftsmen headquarters

Andy Mack Jr. - GSA, League of NH Craftsmen Class 2012
Did you know that one of the top organizations for fine craft in the country can be found right here in New Hampshire? Formed in 1932 to help craftspeople make a living during the Depression, the League of New Hampshire Craftsmen is now widely recognized for its high standard of craft, the creativity of its members and the excellence of their work.

An arts destination, the League headquarters is on Main Street in Concord, NH, right in the midst of an art “heaven” of sorts; sharing the same city block as the Capitol Center for the Arts and the independent Red River Theaters. Housed inside a beautiful, green-engineered building, called the “Smile” building, League visitors will find plenty to smile about inside and out. Impressive artwork is everywhere. A towering, totem-like moose figure made of interwoven sticks stands guard in front of the entrance. Inside, ever-changing galleries display some of the very best craft New Hampshire has to offer. On a recent visit an arching bench, made from a single piece of wood by master woodworker, Jon Brooks, was among the many extraordinary pieces on display. In the museum rooms, pottery, glasswork, metal work, carvings, furniture and mixed media celebrate the true art that comes from the hands of master craftspeople. It’s hard not to “ooo and ahh” when you visit the gallery, which also hosts numerous educational events, demonstrations and exhibits.

The League of New Hampshire Craftsmen may be best known for holding one of the largest and most prestigious craft events in the country: the Craftsmen’s Fair, held each year in August, at the foot of Mount Sunapee.

Should you want to take home some of New Hampshire’s finest craft, two-tenths of a mile north of the Smile building is the League’s Concord retail store, one of 7 such stores that can be found around the state.To find out more about the League, the Fair, or for news of new gallery exhibits, openings, and demonstrations, log onto www.nhcrafts.org

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Andy Mack Jr. is not only a Granite State Ambassadors and NH native, but he grew up on his family apple farm in Londonderry NH. He is a former radio broadcaster and program director with over 25 years of experience in marketing and promotions. He runs workshops on social media, marketing and promotions...and constantly works on creating local connections where small businesses, artists and charities can join forces to their advantage. www.andymackjr.com

Best Western in Hampton Convenient and Hospitable

Submitted by Kelly Bryer
Granite State Ambassador, Museum of NH History Class of 2003

I recently visited the Best Western Inn at Hampton with a group of families. We were in town for a school competition and I was charged with locating the ideal hotel. Being a GSA, the first thing I did was call a seacoast GSA for a recommendation. Thank you, Paul L!! The hotel was great and everyone in our group was very pleased (phew). From the first phone call I knew all was going to be perfect. The desk staff were incredibly friendly and helpful.

Once we checked in and dropped our gear in our room the kids changed and we headed off to the pool. The indoor pool went from 3 feet to 9 feet and had plenty of comfortable seats for the parents to unwind while the kids played and wore themselves out.

Even dinner was relaxing. The local Dominoes delivered right to our door. Perfect ending to the long day -- eating pizza (that I didn't have to make), sprawled on a comfy bed, watching HBO… ahhh.

In the morning we were excited to see that the complimentary hot breakfast was filled with yummy choices. They had it all from eggs & sausage to waffles & pastries to yogurt & cereal. The staff was again very accommodating and friendly, especially important since all of the competing teams swamped the dining room when they opened at 6:30am.

The Best Western Inn at Hampton had exceptional hospitality. Our room was clean, elegant, quiet and just the right size. The beds had down comforters and loads of pillows. The TV was big and I especially loved the high, wood ceilings the second floor rooms had. It was appointed with air conditioning, free Wireless Internet, cable television, complimentary HBO, MicroFridge and individual heat control. They have 72 rooms total that included 51 double queen/king rooms, 20 executive suites with efficiency kitchenettes and 1 suite with a large kitchenette. There was even a gym if I thought chasing around a team of kids wasn't enough of a workout.

The Hampton Inn was located right on Route 1 in downtown Hampton. It was easy to find and get to and was near everything. The main beach was just a couple miles up the road. Being early spring, it was empty and had just the right amount of wind for a morning of serious kite flying before heading home again. I can't wait to go back again and visit. When I do, I will definitely be calling the Inn at Hampton!

A Visit to Planet Marshmallow is Both Sweet and Savory

Submitted by Lorry Young, Granite State Ambassador
Radisson Hotel Class of 2006

Planet Marshmallow Dessert Cafe is an out-of-the-box creation by Heather Cox. It is located across the street from our historic Palace Theater on 81 Hanover Street. I recently had the pleasure of enjoying hand-crafted marshmallows sandwiched between homemade gourmet grahams and Hershey's chocolate known as s'mores. The cafe' provides a mini toaster so you can make your own at the table. It only takes seconds. Planet Marshmallow has a vast variety of specialty marshmallow flavors, quite unique and irresistable. They can be purchased at other speciality stores throughout the U.S. and on their website at www.planetmarshmallow.com.

An array of other delectable desserts are offered as well at the cafe. To go along with your dessert are a variety of coffees, loose leaf teas, hot chocolate, and pop. Savory items can be enjoyed as well. Winter time sausage and spinach soup. Quiche of the day or maybe baked brie and assorted crackers paired with a glass of wine. Yes, they offer a nice selection of wines. What a great place to go after the theater for a snack.

Green Dash is a Convenient, Easy Way to Tour Manchester

Submitted by Jean McGiffin 
Granite State Ambassador, Radisson Hotel Class of 2006

Green and Dash....two words near and dear to the GSA's.....we love Green and we certainly Dash around the state assisting all our wonderful visitors....so today we had a wonderful tour of Manchester and we rode on the Manchester Transit Authority's Green Dash.....the Manchester circulator (hop on, hop off) bus.

The Green Dash operates Monday through Friday, every 10 minutes from 7:00-9:00 A.M; 11:30-1:30 P.M. and 4:00-7:00 P.M. Other times it is every 20 mins.

What's not to like....it has a Hybrid engine so environmentally friendly....I did mention the word Green didn't I?...it is Free....and on a very user friendly schedule.....It follows a figure 8 pattern from Granite St. to Elm with a left on Spring St. and then a right on Commercial and back to Elm by West Brook and back to Spring to catch the other end of Commercial St. and back to Granite Street.....You can't miss it literally and figuratively....bright Green with Mr. Dash painted on the side and his character and the creative art on the side of the bus were both donated by two wonderful NH craftsmen!!! It is, of course, handicapped accessible and on a wintery day you can be "Dashing through the snow" to that old, familiar tune!




So......ALL ABOARD!!!

McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center Designed for Children to Adults

By Jan Moe, Granite State Ambassador, Comfort Inn Airport, Class of 2011

The McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center is a wonderful destination! I assumed before my visit that this was designed for elementary school children; I was only partially correct. It is designed for all of us...children, young adults, adults, and NHGSAs!

The Discovery Center has added a Navy plane; a real test plane that traveled to NH by flatbed and was brought into the Center by taking out the nine large windows at the end of the building. Alan Shepard flew a similar plane before heading to space.

I was a bit concerned when our tour took us into the planetarium at 2 pm. Could I stay awake in a dark room with comfy chairs? No problem. The program, Tonight's Sky, displayed the night sky for THAT evening in NH. The knowledgeable presenter made it was fascinating. It was doubly fascinating when I took the dog out for a walk that evening & sure enough, the moon, Orion, The Big Dipper, planets were all waiting for me to just look up!

Thanks again to NHGSA and The McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center for an enjoyable afternoon. It will be a pleasure to recommend this delightful Center to our NH guests!

Loon Mountain Offers Something for Every Snow Sport Enthusiast

By: Nathan Pasquale NHGSA Intern and PSU Student

I know a lot ofpeople may have forgotten about it, but along with winter generally comes snow.This season Mother Nature has been holding out on us, but we have managed tomake do with what we’ve got. This happens to be a whole lot of snowmachines.  Being a student from PlymouthState University, there are a variety of mountains that are close by, includingone of my favorites, Loon Mountain. I have the privilege to ride two or threedays a week at Loon, and over the past four years, I have learned a lot aboutthe mountain and the area surrounding it. 

Between the Kancamagus Highway and exit 32 on Route 95 liesLincoln and Woodstock NH.  This area is aclassic ski town. As you drive in from 93 you are bombarded with ski shops andlocal restaurants. All of which I drive by without a glance in anticipation ofgoing snowboarding.  However, if you’relooking for a new board, skis, or you’re new to the sport and are looking forrentals, make a quick stop at Lahout’s. Their customer service is great, andthey have an amazing selection of gear, and knowledgable people who love thesport. Don’t let their multiple locations fool you, look for the one with theold gondola outside, that’s where their skis and snowboards are located.

Moving on down the road and keeping your speed under thelimit (strictly in forced), Loon’s entrance comes into view. Once across theriver, make sure to check the main lot for spots. Although on a busy day theymay have a sign saying the lot is closed, take a spin through anyways, you maybe surprised of how close a parking spot you can find.

Once situated, it’s time to hit the slopes. I usually startwith a quick Gondola ride to the summit. Iif you don’t mind meeting new people,hop in the singles line with your friends and you can skip the whole wait.Loon’s peak provides the most trail options with all difficulties. If you’relike me and want to head to the terrain park, trails like Flying Fox and BearClaw provide a fun easy ride down to the main park.  If you are more of an all mountain rider andall you want to do is find some soft open trails, South Peak is a great escapefrom both lines and tracked out trails. South Peak, a new addition to Loon, hasintermediate and advanced trails.  Forthose up to the task, you can take Rip Saw, a double black diamond, which willkeep you coming back for more.  I reallyenjoy a few runs on South Peak but when it really snows, and it’s time for someglade and tree skiing, I bear right at the top and head over to North Peak.

NorthPeak, in my opinion contains some of the most exciting and fun trails atLoon. Can’t Dog and Bucksaw, both woodstrails, contain some great lines.  Staying to the center of Bucksaw has never leadme wrong - you can usually always find some deep snow in there. On a busy day,the solitude of the woods, along with the wind protection, can turn a cold busyday around. Hopefully with a little luck, we will have enough snow to enjoythis trail this season.

After a long day of fun in the snow, I like to relax on theporch of the Bunyan Room, grab the special of the day, and watch people comedown the mountain. If you’re looking to take advantage of some après specials,head to Gordi’s.  Here you can helpyourself to some complimentary popcorn, crackers and cheese. Gordi’s offers specialsfrom 4-5:30 every day.  I stopped in theother day, and they had 25¢ Buffalo wings!  Ofcourse if you’re looking for a refreshing beverage, there is an accompanyingbeer special as well.

I have been going to Loon now for 4 years, and each year Iseem to find something else interesting and fun. The Mountain is a great placeto ski and ride, and the town of Lincoln is a friendly environment whereeveryone is welcome. Next time you’re looking for a place to ski or ride, headto Loon, you won’t be disappointed.