Did you miss your chance to devour delicious seafood in Hampton last weekend?  You are in luck!  The Prescott Park Arts Festival is hosting the NH Fish & Lobster Festival in Prescott Park today from 12-4 pm.  This is a brand new event to the area and supports the local fishing industry.  Admission is FREE!  This “Fishival” features seafood tastings, games, music, and more.  Seafood tastings will run you $3, so make sure to bring cash.  For more info, visit http://www.prescottpark.org/fish.cfm.

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I’m embarrassed by how long it’s been since I’ve blogged.  My vacation flew by and now we are firmly into September!  One of my favorite organizations based in Portsmouth is noting the change of seasons with an end of summer barbecue at Portsmouth Kayak tomorrow evening (Sept. 9) from 5:30 – 7:00 pm.  Catapult is a young professional networking group on the seacoast that host seminars and social events to help those early in their careers build valuable networks and grow professionally.  I encourage you to check out the organization and its events if you are a young professional looking to connect with your peers in the community (www.catapultseacoast.org).

To give you an idea of what a Catapult event is like, I will recap my last attendance at the organization’s wine tasting and networking event in August.  The wine tasting took place at Maine-ly New Hampshire, an adorable little shop on Deer Street in Portsmouth that I couldn’t believe I hadn’t heard of before that night.  I’m a sucker for locally made goods and services, and this store is local through and through.  The store sells locally made foods, home décor and souvenirs, as well as wine from local vineyards.  On the night of Catapult’s event, Jewell Towne Vineyards, New Hampshire’s oldest vineyard, featured samples of their delicious reds and whites.  Their South Hampton red wine is divine and I picked up a bottle at the Portsmouth Farmer’s Market this past Saturday.

So while enjoying some wine and checking out the store, I met new people who lived, worked, and played on the Seacoast.  And hopefully I’ll be meeting even more people at tomorrow’s event.  It’s co-sponsored by The Meat House, so you can’t loose!  Seriously, if you have not tried The Meat House’s steaks, chicken, or turkey tips, you are missing out. Even if you have no interest in checking out Catapult's event this week, I encourage you to have a barbeque of your own after stopping by The Meat House.

 

Also, I want to use this post to start advertising the Hampton Beach Seafood Festival that is THIS WEEKEND! It’s a great way to indulge in all of your favorite seafood at once, and enjoy the surf and sand before summer slips away.  For more info and parking information, check out www.hamptonbeachseafoodfestival.com.  I recommend trying to park as close as you can to the beach, pay the extra cash for the lot parking, and walk down to the event.  The buses that shuttle you from the beach to the free parking lots take forever.

 

Links of interest:
http://www.catapultseacoast.org

http://www.maine-lynewhampshire.com/

http://www.jewelltownevineyards.com/

http://www.themeathouse.com/

http://www.hamptonbeachseafoodfestival.com/

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So, this post was suppose to be about the awesome time I had on the Reggae Boat Cruise on the Thomas Laighton Wednesday night.  However, the first official heat wave of the summer put me over the edge by Wednesday evening and I was in no mood to be anywhere that didn’t have air conditioning.  I’ll definitely be shooting for next Wednesday’s cruise – as long as those monster waves subside off the coast!

So, what did I do instead? I decided it was time to get out of the city and go for some cheap eats and ice cream in Rye.  My roommate recommended the Ice House Restaurant off Route 1B heading towards the Wentworth by the Sea.  I had never been there and she lured me with the promise of good ice cream and air conditioning. Sold.
 
The Ice House harks back to the days of simple, kid friendly dining that didn’t involve chain restaurants, loud music, or electronic entertainment.  They had crayons! You know I dived into that bucket and turned my place mat into quite the work of art.  And I love how the restaurant decorates its walls with cool vanity license plates.  I couldn’t believe how nostalgic I felt in the Ice House – I’m only in my mid-twenties! But local, family oriented restaurant establishments like the Ice House are rapidly dying out.  If only Weeks were still around in Dover.  Most people my age that live around here don’t even know that what is called “Weeks Crossing” in Dover used to be the “Weeks Traffic Circle”, and there was a popular local restaurant in the middle of the circle that delighted children with simple things like crayons and classic hot fudge sundaes.  And way before the chain restaurants started decorating their walls with local pictures and novelties to look like they were a part of the community; Weeks did that just to show off its Dover heritage and pride.
 
Okay, back from my time warp.  The point is, the Ice House was exactly were I wanted to be that Wednesday – cool air, cool eats, and cool memories.  Go check it out on your way to the beaches.  Everything is well priced, and they have your traditional fried seafood, salads, burgers & dogs, grilled cheese anyway you like it, and of course – ice cream! And they have a few outside take out windows if you are looking to order your food to go.  But the Ice House is cash only – so bring your bills!

http://theicehouserestaurant.com/
 
Open April - October
 
Summer Hours

Open at 11am

Food to 8:30pm

Ice Cream to 9:30pm

Closed Mondays
 

School/Spring & Fall Hours

Food to 8:00

Ice Cream to 8:30

Closed Mondays & Tuesdays

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I just read yesterday that the record for the world’s largest cupcake was broken on August 15th at a car show in Detroit.  The cupcake was 1,224 pounds, 4 foot tall by 10 foot wide.  What’s really cool about this record is the fact that proceeds from the sale of the cupcake went to Susan G. Komen's Passionately Pink for the Cure.

800 miles away from the monster Detroit cupcake, my roommate and I are polishing off two more modestly sized cupcakes in our new apartment in Portsmouth.  We celebrated our new downtown digs at the end of last week by checking out The Old Stove Bake Shoppe on Ladd Street.  Located on the little stretch of road connecting the parking garage and Market Street, this tiny bake shop oozes old fashion New England charm with a 1940s flare and, you guessed it, an old green stove.  Just don’t anticipate being able to enjoy your cupcake purchase inside the shop - there is no seating inside.

The shop offers several varieties of cupcake you can buy on demand and have packaged up to go in simple, brown cardboard containers.  My roommate and I each purchased half a dozen cupcakes for $15 per person to get a fair assessment of the shop’s goods. We began with the traditional – a vanilla for her and a double chocolate for me.  Big thumbs up.

Our cupcake roster included the s’more, key lime, orange creamsicle, lemon, turtle, peanut butter, and the highly coveted red velvet.  All the options were visually satisfying, and I applaud the shop’s culinary creativity.  However, sometimes when you stray from the traditional, you come across a cake or two that doesn’t live up to tasty perfection. It’s always a trade off, and one that is worthwhile when you want to offer something new, which is what The Old Stove Bake Shoppe does for Portsmouth.

I highly recommend checking out The Old Stove Bake Shoppe for your sugar fix.  The butter crème frosting will be sure to satisfy any sweet tooth.  The frosting was almost too overwhelming if you were not prepared for the intense sugar rush – so consider yourself warned!  Also, in the summer heat, I recommend sticking these treats in the fridge. Just a personal preference.

The store also offers a significant amount flavors you can choose from to special order for any occasion.  All available options are listed inside the shop.  The store’s hours are 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Tuesday – Saturday, and then noon to 7 p.m. on Sunday.  I have to applaud the owner’s decision to keep the store open well into the evening.  It gives us all an option when we’ve over done the Annabelle’s ice cream trip after dinner but still want something sweet while cruising downtown.

http://www.oldstovebakeshoppe.com/

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Preview – on Wednesday night, weather permitting, I am finally checking out the Reggae Party Ship with the Isle of Shoals Steamship Company. Stormy Wednesday's w/ The Green Lion Crew should be jammin’ – stay tuned! http://www.islesofshoals.com/

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Moving is not an enjoyable experience.  And if moving isn't stressful enough, it becomes more so when you inherit a filthy fridge full of dust and rust.  That’s what happened to me last Friday night when I picked up my set of keys to an adorable apartment in downtown Portsmouth.

Okay, it’s a Friday night and this blog is about “all the ways to play” on the Seacoast.  Well, things aren’t looking very good as I need to throw my groceries into something cold.  Time to roll up the sleeves and call it a night in.

Well, almost.  I needed some major caffeination before taking on this tall order.  How convenient that Breaking New Grounds is only a 5 minute walk away!  Breaking New Grounds is a fabulous destination for your coffee cravings.  It’s local, friendly, and they have plenty of tables inside and outside for catching up with friends or doing work on your laptop.  You can’t miss it downtown with all the motorcycles and bikes in front on the corner of Pleasant and Market streets.

Downtown Portsmouth has always been a social destination for me.  Going into town meant going out on the town. This was going to be boring without meeting up with some friends.  My thoughts were just to get in town, grab coffee, and turn right around to return to the evening’s task.

But Portsmouth was a hopping place!  It was a classic New England summer night.  Sun setting, slight breeze, and people buzzing about and taking in all that downtown offers.  I found myself absorbed into observing what people were doing, saying, and eating.  Shopping was popular.  It was nice to see stores like Serendipity, Second Time Around, and Making Faces open past 6:00 pm.  I overheard people taking about the tall ships that were docked nearby, moving (apparently I’m not the only one!), and the beauty of the Prescott Park gardens.  People were consuming BNG gelato, Annabell’s ice cream out of cones, and Popovers iced coffee.  It was a wonder to take in, even if I was by myself.  My short walk into town turned into an hour and a half of bopping around and taking in the tourism.

So, instead of recommending what you should check out or how you can have some local fun, I am using this post to encourage you to slow down and take a leisurely walk wherever you are.  Take in the sights around you; it can be quite entertaining in itself.  In this season of endless BBQs, beach outings, and bonfires – don’t forget to take a peaceful, reflective look around.

Now – about that fridge…

Preview: The roommate and I are celebrating our new digs with cupcakes.   Cupcake specialty store on Ladd Street - The Old Stove Bake Shoppe.

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It has somehow already turned into August and I am quite panicked.  Where has the summer gone? I remember spending the endless frigid days of winter dreaming of the sun soaked sandy beaches in Rye, pilgrimages to consume copious amounts of ice cream at Lagos or Golicks, and cruising down the Portsmouth Harbor on the Thomas Laighton. Now it’s August and I haven’t remotely touched upon those summer plans dreamed up earlier in the year.

After the endless weeks of rain in June and early July, I did manage to venture out to a few of the decks that make summer on the Seacoast a true delight.  To make up for lost time, I crammed in four deck dining nights in Portsmouth, Dover, and Newburyport to wrap up an otherwise dismal July.

First up, the deck at Portsmouth Gas Light Co.  Yes, this deck is not located on the water, but you would be foolish to not check out its fabulous ambiance and live music scene.  The tiki torches alone are candy to my beach deprived eyes.  The recent night I went had a great band performing covers of Hootie and the Blowfish, Collective Soul, and other pop rock – perfect for sipping beverages and catching up with friends.  The Gas Light website lists its entertainment schedule, so check it out before heading over to know what your ears will be treated too at this prime deck dining location.

Now, when it came time to enjoy a view of the Portsmouth Harbor while satisfying my hunger, I always looked to the Stockpot for my fix for many years.  However, this favorite restaurant establishment of mine no longer exists and has since been replaced by the River House Restaurant.  After much internal debate, I decided to let go of the past and open myself up to this new waterfront dining establishment.  Besides, it’s not like they can change the view from the deck.

I was not disappointed.  The food was delicious and the service superb, just as the Stockpot before it. It even feels like there is more space now on this prime piece of dining real estate.  And come to find out, the River House Restaurant hosts a weekly concert series in Prescott Park on Wednesday nights at 7:00 pm, so you can enjoy a dinner and a show!

Portsmouth isn’t the only place to enjoy great deck dining.  Kelly’s Row is a Dover establishment and its location on the mighty Cochecho River should not be overlooked in the summer. The deck’s iconic green awnings sell Kelly’s Irish flare, and this deck gives off a great intimate feel.  You can also proceed to wander inside to check on the Red Sox score or enjoy the live music.  Irish sessions are on Monday nights with great music to sing and dance to!

If you venture down the coast into Massachusetts to dine, I highly recommend checking out Michael’s Harborside Restaurant in Newburyport.  Just off Route 1, Michael’s has been voted best outdoor dining by Northshore Magazine two years in a row.  Michael’s has a great “Tiki Deck” with sweeping views of the numerous boats navigating the Merrimac River out towards Plum Island.

There are certainly more deck dining opportunities on the Seacoast than my post could possibly cover, so consider this more as a reminder that when deciding where to dine out in August – keep in mind that fall will be knocking on New England’s door soon.  Don’t miss out on our local restaurants’ efforts to provide a unique outdoor dining experience during our brief window of warmth.

Gas Light: http://www.portsmouthgaslight.com/deck_landing.cfm
River House Restaurant Concert Series: http://www.prescottpark.org/events/weekly_series/index.asp
Kelly’s Row: http://www.kelleysrow.com/
Michael’s Harborside: http://www.michaelsharborside.com/

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Katie Mack is a young professional who lives, works, and plays in greater Seacoast NH. Raised in Dover, educated in Durham, and employed in Newburyport – Katie is also a new resident to downtown Portsmouth! Follow her blog to read up on all the different ways to play on the Seacoast.

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