Welcome to the totally awesome eighties — a decade that brought us an actor in the White House, the first home computers, Ninetendo, designer jeans, and hair so big it required an entire can of hairspray just to keep the mountains of crimped waves in place. The holiday season during the 1980’s channeled the yuletide […]
new england
Slip on your bell bottoms and mood ring and say hello to the groovy 1970’s, an era marked by the Vietnam War, women’s liberation, the release of Star Wars, and the resignation of President Nixon. Holiday parties during the 1970’s may have been lit by lava lamp with a soundtrack fueled by The Jackson 5 […]
Saving the rural New England bookstore is more than a pastime for Richard F. Wright; it’s a passion that drives him to visit, patronize, and write about local independent bookshops selling used and rare volumes. Here are his ten honorable mentions. To see his five favorite venues, visit Best Used Bookstores in New England. Big […]
New Hampshire
Mt. Washington Valley Inn to Inn Cookie Tour
If your idea of the perfect way to kick off the holiday season includes sweet treats, overflowing Christmas decorations, snow-capped mountain views, and the (optional but encouraged) cozy charm of a New England bed and breakfast, then the annual Mt. Washington Valley Inn to Inn Cookie Tour is exactly what you’re looking for! Taking place […]
Desserts
Cranberry Surprise Pie
Can you guys believe it’s almost Thanksgiving! This year has really flown by. I know some people plan their Thanksgiving menus weeks or even months in advance. And some people just throw things together at the last minute. Whatever your menu is for the big day, you need to make room for this recipe for […]
Gardens
How to Plant a Cranberry Bed
Cranberries were first discovered in New England by Native Americans centuries ago. The berries were used for food, fabric dye and medicinal purposes. Today cranberries are one of the top three native fruit crops harvested in New England. High in vitamin C and loaded with antioxidants, cranberries are a beneficial and relatively easy fruit to […]
Beverages
Favorite Hard Ciders from New England
In honor of Cider Days, I take a look at some of the great new hard ciders being made in New England from the makers Bantam, Carr’s, Eden, Pup’s, and Still River. It’s Cider Days time again! I’ve written about this fantastic festival in Western Massachusetts before, and I’m thrilled to be going back again. […]
Massachusetts
Shelburne Falls, Massachusetts
The sun was just peeking over the hills as I headed south on Route 10 toward Shelburne Falls, Massachusetts, painting the landscape in hues of rust and burnt umber. The end of October is a bit late in the season to expect the fiery reds and yellows of peak foliage in the northern New England […]
Desserts
Cheesy Dapper Apple Squares
As the catchy saying goes, “Apple pie without cheese is like a kiss without the squeeze!” A classic sweet meets salty pairing, the combination of cheese (most often cheddar) and apple pie has long been a New England favorite — raised eyebrows from other parts of the country be darned! The cheese and apple pie […]
Maine
Alan Bray’s Maine Magic
As we were driving up the coast and then inland to Bangor last week to see some art shows, Portland gallerist Andy Verzosa, who is co-editing a new book on contemporary art in Maine with me, asked me who I would select if I had to name one living artist to represent contemporary Maine […]
At the end of a dirt path winding gently south from the Old Sturbridge Village green, a worn yet tidy farmhouse sits humbly upon the land. For some 23 years of its long life, it belonged to one Pliny Freeman Sr., who settled here with his wife, Delia, and their two youngest children in 1828. […]
History
Red Chair Visits Yankee Magazine
On a late September day, the Red Chair made its way to the small town of Dublin, New Hampshire, population less than 2,000. In the shadow of Mount Monadnock, the second most-climbed mountain in the world, tiny Dublin is one of those places where the town hall, the fire station, the library and the police […]