Featured Folks for NH.com...we want to hear what you think

[Morgen Thiboult]

Hey everyone,

For the redesign of NH.com we want to feature folks from around the state to see what they have to say about it including where they eat, shop, play and drive. To get the ball rolling I thought we could tap into our Area 603 talent to get some feedback. Ideally, we'd be featuring your thoughts, suggestions and picks in a regularly rotated section (along with a photo if that's okay with you, of course).

Basically, we need some opinions on the Granite State and I know you all must have something to say.

For now, copy and paste the questions into your forum response and fill in your answers. If you don't know or have an answer to a field, simply leave it blank.

Thanks in advance for helping us out and I can't wait to hear what you have to say.

What region/city are you from?:

Favorite region and why:
* Great North Woods
* White Mountains
* Lakes
* Dartnouth/Sunapee
* Monadnock
* Merrimack Valley
* Seacoast

Favorite city/town:

Favorite restaurant:

Favorite bar:

Favorite park or tourist spot:

Most overrated thing/feature about NH:

Most underrated thing/feature about NH:

Favorite (non-chain) store or place to shop:

Favorite farm, apple orchard, strawberry field, etc.:

Weirdest/strangest thing you know about NH:

Favorite art gallery:

Favorite music venue:

Best fair in the state:

Best spot(s) to take the kids:

Why you love NH:

(Feel free to add any other opinions, tidbits or Granite State feedback!)

[Lisa Jackson]

Favorite region and why:
I have three:
* White Mountains - because of the history (Old Man and history of the early settlers in that area) and the hiking
* Merrimack Valley - because I've always lived here!
* Seacoast - because I love the ocean, collecting shells and sea glass, and walking the beach

Favorite city/town:
I love Hudson for the history (grew up there, too) , the former Benson's Wild Animal Farm.
I also love Wilmot - it's still so 'old'. I'm sure there are other small towns like it in the state, but I'm drawn to Wilmot for the quiet and serenity it evokes.

Favorite restaurant:
Suzie's Diner, Hudson

Favorite bar:
Cotton, Manchester

Favorite park or tourist spot:
Greeley Park, Nashua (does that count?)

Most overrated thing/feature about NH:
How cheap it is to live here.

Most underrated thing/feature about NH:
Bike trails

Favorite (non-chain) store or place to shop:
Anyplace that carries NH-crafted art, jewelry, etc. I love admiring other people's talent and creativity. No one particular shop, I'm always seeking them out when I travel.

Favorite farm, apple orchard, strawberry field, etc.:
Mac's Apples

Weirdest/strangest thing you know about NH:
Not sure - I know a few stories from my grandparent's days in Hollis, Nashua, and Hudson, but wouldn't call any of them weird or strange.

Favorite art gallery:
McGowan, Concord

Favorite music venue:
Meadowbrook

Best fair in the state:
Deerfield

Best spot(s) to take the kids: I don't have any, but I am part of Big Brothers Big Sisters, and the best place for my (now) 12-year-old Little Sis is the book store or library. She loves getting pulled into stories. And there's always the corn mazes in the fall - but that's seasonal. :)

Why you love NH:
There's everything here - all four seasons (even if winter is expanding); valleys; mountains; friendly people; lots of natives; so much great history; great outdoor venues for sports, art, fun, relaxation; independent book stores; coffee shops; independent thinkers; small towns; cities; camping; luxury; drive-ins; lots of places to explore; lakes, oceans; rivers, ponds; conservation land; lots of forest; incredible beauty; wildlife; I could go on and on.

I've considered moving out of the state, but no matter where I look nothing pulls me as much as NH. I like to visit other places, but it's NH that has my heart. :)

[Adam]

What region/city are you from?: Portsmouth

Favorite region and why:
* Seacoast
I feel lucky to live so close to the ocean.

Favorite city/town:
Portsmouth

Favorite restaurant:
Shalimar India

Favorite bar:
At Flatbread Pizza on Congress Street

Favorite park or tourist spot:
Great Island Common on New Castle

Most overrated thing/feature about NH:
The lack of sales and income taxes

Most underrated thing/feature about NH:
The quality of life, which unfortunately is getting more and more expensive.

Favorite (non-chain) store or place to shop:
RiverRun Books

Favorite farm, apple orchard, strawberry field, etc.:

Weirdest/strangest thing you know about NH:

Favorite art gallery:

Favorite music venue:

Best fair in the state:

Best spot(s) to take the kids:
Wallis Sands Beach, sledding at Wagon Hill, the Lee corn maze

Why you love NH:
It feels like home should

[Jacqueline]

What region/city are you from?: Nashua

Favorite region and why:
* Great North Woods
* White Mountains
* Lakes
* Dartnouth/Sunapee
* Monadnock
* Merrimack Valley
* Seacoast

The seacoast has it all -- vibrant culture, quaint towns, and close proximity to the beaches and ocean!

Favorite city/town:

Portsmouth
Favorite restaurant:
Flatbread Pizza in Portsmouth (great food with a focus on locally grown organic ingredients; cool atmosphere)
Favorite bar:
The bar inside Flatbread Pizza (lots of elbow room!)

Favorite park or tourist spot: Greeley Park in Nashua is an urban jewel. Love the community gardens, shady playground, and all the free concerts!

Most overrated thing/feature about NH: Though many people (including me) move here from Massachusetts to live more cheaply, the cost of living in Southern NH and Massachusetts is pretty much the same.

Most underrated thing/feature about NH: How much people love living here. Sure we complain about just about everything, but state pride is the glue holding us all together.

Favorite (non-chain) store or place to shop:Mother and Child in Nashua -- a maternity and kids new and resale clothing store.

Favorite farm, apple orchard, strawberry field, etc.: Kearsage Vegetable Ranch in Warner -- organic farm run by a retired lawyer and his wife. Produce is sold weekly at the Concord Farmers' Market.

Weirdest/strangest thing you know about NH: I'll have to defer to Fritz Wetherbee on this one. Speaking of Fritz, maybe the weirdest thing I know is that Fritz has a brother who could be his twin (maybe he is?). The other Wetherbee (Chick) runs a natural foods coop in Amherst and has a bobblehead doll of his famous brother prominently displayed on the store's front counter.

Favorite art gallery: The annual summer art show in Greeley Park. It's a temporary outdoor gallery of area artists and is a great way to introduce kids to art.

Favorite music venue: Music Hall in Portsmouth

Best fair in the state: Wow, I just realized I've never been to a NH fair.

Best spot(s) to take the kids: Children's Museum of Portsmouth (you'll be missed!), Children's Met in Derry, Hampton Beach tide pools, Livingston Park (Manch.), Greeley Park, White Park (Concord), Pierce Island (Portsmouth), Rey Center Curious George Festival (Waterville), Children's Day (Portsmouth)... Too many to list! NH is a great place to raise a family!

Why you love NH: Beautiful landscapes, friendly people (with some resistant pockets in Southern NH), and a really strong sense no matter where you go that this small state is someplace special and unique.

[Robert]

What region/city are you from?:

Favorite region and why:
* Great North Woods
* White Mountains
* Lakes
* Dartnouth/Sunapee
* Monadnock
* Merrimack Valley
* Seacoast I like it because i live near it

Favorite city/town: Downtown Portsmouth

Favorite restaurant: Longhorn

Favorite bar: Molly Malones

Favorite park or tourist spot: Presscott Park

Most overrated thing/feature about NH:

Most underrated thing/feature about NH: No sales tax

Favorite (non-chain) store or place to shop: formerly Mustard seed

Favorite farm, apple orchard, strawberry field, etc.:

Weirdest/strangest thing you know about NH: Hauntings

Favorite art gallery:

Favorite music venue:

Best fair in the state:

Best spot(s) to take the kids:

Why you love NH: NH is a very eclectic state High tech next to mom and pop stores I can be myself

(Feel free to add any other opinions, tidbits or Granite State feedback!)

Tags: tourism, hampshire, survey, new

Weirdest/strangest thing you know about NH: I'll have to defer to Fritz Wetherbee on this one. Speaking of Fritz, maybe the weirdest thing I know is that Fritz has a brother who could be his twin (maybe he is?). The other Wetherbee (Chick) runs a natural foods coop in Amherst and has a bobblehead doll of his famous brother prominently displayed on the store's front counter.

Favorite art gallery: The annual summer art show in Greeley Park. It's a temporary outdoor gallery of area artists and is a great way to introduce kids to art.

Favorite music venue: Music Hall in Portsmouth

Best fair in the state: Wow, I just realized I've never been to a NH fair.

Best spot(s) to take the kids: Children's Museum of Portsmouth (you'll be missed!), Children's Met in Derry, Hampton Beach tide pools, Livingston Park (Manch.), Greeley Park, White Park (Concord), Pierce Island (Portsmouth), Rey Center Curious George Festival (Waterville), Children's Day (Portsmouth)... Too many to list! NH is a great place to raise a family!

Why you love NH: Beautiful landscapes, friendly people (with some resistant pockets in Southern NH), and a really strong sense no matter where you go that this small state is someplace special and unique.

[Danielle York]

What region/city are you from?: Born and raised in Nashua, currently living in Manchester.

Favorite region and why:
* White Mountains-So much to see and just a short drive to get there!
* Lakes-I spent my college years in the Lakes Region and have so many great memories of this area.
* Merrimack Valley-My roots are here! 03060!
* Seacoast-Who doesn't love the seacost? The sand, the sea, and the salty air?

Favorite city/town: Manchester

Favorite restaurant: Richard's Bistro, Manchester (This restaurant is absolutely fantastic and grossly underrated!)

Favorite bar: Nashua Garden

Favorite park or tourist spot: Livingston Park

Most overrated thing/feature about NH: The cost of living.

Most underrated thing/feature about NH: There are so many great restaurants!

Favorite (non-chain) store or place to shop: Mother & Child, Nini Bambini

Favorite farm, apple orchard, strawberry field, etc.: Brookdale Fruit Farm, Hollis

Weirdest/strangest thing you know about NH: Nashua is one of the only cities in the country to have triangular manhole covers.

Favorite art gallery: East Colony

Favorite music venue: Verizon Wireless Arena

Best fair in the state: Hopkinton State Fair

Best spot(s) to take the kids: Discovery Stop, Livingston Park, Nashua Public Library

Why you love NH: There is so much to do and see here! There are endless opportunities for spontaneous trips because of the size of the state. You can be almost anywhere in two hours or less! You can see the mountains and the beach all in the same day!

[Chris]

What region/city are you from?:
Manchester but grew up all over Southern NH.


Favorite city/town: I love Keene! I consider Keene my hometown. I went to Keene High.


Favorite restaurant: Mama Mia's!

Favorite bar: Margarahita's in Keene. They make these Itailian Margarahita's -- so awesome!

Favorite park or tourist spot: I don't really have one.

Most overrated thing/feature about NH: Santa's Village - Hate it and it looks just like it did in the 70's!

Most underrated thing/feature about NH: Historic NH

Favorite (non-chain) store or place to shop: none

Favorite farm, apple orchard, strawberry field, etc.:

Weirdest/strangest thing you know about NH: How people in the small towns drive!



Favorite music venue: Verizonwireless in Manchester.

Best fair in the state:???

Best spot(s) to take the kids: The swimming/ area's

Why you love NH: The since of calmness. I lived in MA for 8 years - IT WAS HORRIBLE!