The Music Hall and Strawbery Banke Museum Present Vintage Christmas

New this year: Vintage Christmas Pop-Up Market, extended free trolley service, Market Square Carolers

PORTSMOUTH—
“We have a real shot at becoming the Christmas Capital of North America.” That’s how Music Hall executive director Patricia Lynch put it to the hearty agreement of the community collaborators who make Vintage Christmas in Portsmouth happen each year. At a gathering to start planning for the seventh year of this citywide event, they agreed that Vintage Christmas in Portsmouth steeps the entire destination in the incomparable, authentic sense of a classic New England holiday.
Presented by cultural anchors The Music Hall and Strawbery Banke Museum, it’s a month of Strolls, Shows and Stayovers in the historic seaport of Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Listed as “one of the Top 100 Events in North America” (ABA) and “one of the Top Ten Things not to miss in New England” (Boston Globe), Vintage Christmas in Portsmouth has people returning year after year to the small city that Travel Guide of America calls “the crowning glory of the New Hampshire Seacoast.” Now in its seventh year, Vintage Christmas in Portsmouth will once again offer the irresistible Candlelight Stroll that Strawbery Banke Museum has created for 32 years, the live holiday shows, opera broadcasts and films in The Music Hall’s landmark Historic Theater and the new intimate Music Hall Loft on Congress Street, and the welcoming stays in the elegant and delightful holiday downtown. There are many components to the event that stretches over the month of December. In addition to the live holiday programs, The Music Hall this year adds the new Music Hall Loft to the party, with a Vintage Christmas Pop-Up Market in the Loft to make it easy for visitors and locals to get in the spirit of the season.
Now in its 32nd year, the Candlelight Stroll at Strawbery Banke Museum continues to bring alive family holidays through nearly 400 years of Portsmouth history with each century’s own local traditions: harpsichords in the Chase House, fiddles in the Cider Shed, a dramatic Victorian Christmas tree at the Goodwin’s and sizzling potato latkes in the Russian Jewish 1920s home of the Shapiros. Each historic house vignette is lit by flickering candles in wood and glass lanterns and tiny white lights (a perfect atmosphere for a romantic proposal, which is exactly what happened a year ago).
Connecting these sparkling moments in holiday time are the vibrant streets of Portsmouth, brick sidewalks hung with wreaths, 19th century storefronts (tax-free shopping in New Hampshire!) festooned with the makings for the Greater Portsmouth Chamber of Commerce Holiday Doors of Portsmouth competition. New this year are the Market Square Carolers, middle school choirs who will be serenading shoppers in the downtown. The City of Portsmouth itself adds a free Vintage Christmas Trolley to the mix, providing a comfortable ride around the downtown loop of shops, hotels, parking, and performance sites—with two new stops this year, one at Vaughan Mall with access to both Music Hall venues on Chestnut and Congress Streets, and the other at the Sise Inn, providing access to the parking at the Masonic lot. The popular Trolley shuttles patrons around the historic seaport each Saturday and Sunday afternoon and evening for the first three weekends in December. And hotels, including the Sheraton Portsmouth, offer packages that tie the whole experience up with a bow.
Lynch continues, “Make your plans now for the perfect holiday visit during Vintage Christmas in Portsmouth. Get ready to cuddle up with a free trolley ride through red-bricked Market Square, stroll through the snowflakes to the many eclectic shops, step back in time through living history at the festively decorated Strawbery Banke Museum, sample Portsmouth’s famous culinary specialties, or enjoy a first-class show at The Music Hall. Portsmouth is the perfect town for Vintage Christmas since it’s a charming mix of the contemporary and historical. It’s all about celebrating the winter, the warmth, the light, and our collective memories of holidays past.”
Joining the two nonprofits this year will be Presenting Sponsors Churchill’s Garden Center; the City of Portsmouth; LunaChics; Upper Crust; Greater Portsmouth Chamber of Commerce; and Seacoast Media Group; Lead Sponsors: Sheraton Portsmouth Harborside Hotel and Weather Partner 107.1 WERZ. Great Bay Academy of Dance, which produces “An 1836 Portsmouth Nutcracker,” will be participating as a Community Partner. A handy calendar/map will be available to visitors to make it easy to get around town.
For a full schedule of events, updates and more information, visit the Vintage Christmas in Portsmouth website: www.vintagechristmasnh.org.
Photo caption: Illuminated Gazebo at Goodwin Mansion. (Photo courtesy David Murray Clear Eye Photo)

Opening Scenes: ‘J. Edgar’

By Chip Schrader

Staff Movie Critic
“J. Edgar” begins with an exterior shot of the FBI headquarters in downtown Washington, D.C. A man’s voice laments the “disease” of communism that plagues this country. After the shot of the building pans up showing its looming presence, the scene changes to a shot of Dillinger’s death mask and a confiscated machine gun. The voice continues to rant about radicals and their danger to society in an almost Nixon-esque manner. We finally see J. Edgar Hoover pacing in his office while narrating his life story just beyond the machine gun and death mask on display.
At first, it is difficult to match Leonardo DiCaprio’s nearly child-like voice with the elderly Hoover he is made up to portray. For the first scene or two, he isn’t believable. Once the film settles into Hoover’s recollections, and DiCaprio plays the younger Hoover, the seeds of believability are planted and begin to flourish. Scenes after this, DiCaprio fits the elderly Hoover as well as he does the young one.
Eventually, we are introduced to a young Helen Gandy, played by Naomi Watts, whom Hoover unsuccessfully courts as a mate, but successfully finds her to be a lifelong secretary and confidant. Watts transforms herself in this role to the point she is unrecognizable, but the most interesting, and possibly most important introduction in Hoover’s life was when he met Clyde Tolson. Skillfully portrayed by Armie Hammer, the depth of Tolson’s connection to Hoover was subtly portrayed, and as they grow together, there is a tenderness between these men that has never been seen before in cinema.
“J. Edgar” is among many of director Clint Eastwood’s fine films: “Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil,” “Mystic River,” “Unforgiven” and “Bird” to name a few. The cinematography is haunting and hypnotic, two qualities that have been Clint Eastwood’s signature.
Drawing from a bright gray color scheme and heavy use of shadows, “J. Edgar” might have an evenly paced story line, but the intensity of the imagery is where some of the greatest drama is created. Hoover’s career spans Al Capone’s St. Valentine’s Massacre, the kidnapping of the Lindberg baby, and takes America through the turbulent Kennedy, Johnson and Nixon administrations.
With “J. Edgar” being one of the earlier Oscar contenders, it is hard to speculate how it will be recognized. The acting is excellent, particularly with the performance of Armie Hammer. The screenplay and cinematography deserve a nod, as does the direction. Watts and DiCaprio turn out excellent performances, but Watts’ performance represents a fuller transformation. The film’s slow pace and lack of edginess may cause it to be overlooked.
Bottom line, “J. Edgar” is a rock solid film by a director whose career is as distinguished as a director as Eastwood is an actor. Like with many biopics, the action is slow but the intrigue and unraveling of world history outside of the walls is gripping. While the quietness of the film might come off boring to casual filmgoers, those who love classic film noir and American history need to see this movie. It is finely crafted and deserves savoring. 4 out of 5.
Photo caption: (Courtesy movie poster image)

Passport to Prizes Kicks Off Holiday Shopping

DOVER—
The Greater Dover Chamber of Commerce begins its Passport to Prizes holiday raffle program on Black Friday, November 25. The program encourages residents and visitors of the Garrison City to shop in Dover this upcoming holiday season.
Passports can be picked up at any of the eighteen participating businesses or the Chamber Visitors Center starting November 25. Shoppers may have their Passport stamped at any five participating businesses and then turn their completed Passport into the Chamber to be entered into a holiday raffle.
Five raffle prizewinners will be selected starting Monday, December 19, with the Grand Prize drawing taking place on Friday, December 23. The Grand Prize winner will receive a rocking chair (Ross Furniture), a $25 gift certificate to Red’s Shoe Barn, a $25 gift certificate to the Dover Adult Learning Center, a $10 gift certificate to Lucy’s Emporium and $10 in parking tokens donated by the City of Dover Parking Commission. Additional raffle prize winners will receive a combination of gift baskets and gift certificates from participating businesses.
“The Passport to Prizes program is designed to promote what most residents already know; it is easier to accomplish your holiday shopping here in Dover,” commented Chamber Executive Director Molly Hodsdon Smith. “You can find everything you need from our friendly, local merchants, and you can’t beat the warm holiday ambience that has been created by our colleagues at Dover Main Street.”
Shoppers are encouraged to turn in their completed Passports to the Chamber of Commerce on 550 Central Avenue by December 16 to be eligible for all of the raffle drawings. Anyone with questions about the Passports to Prizes program are encouraged to contact Chamber of Commerce Community Events Manager, Michael Mengers at 742-2218 or at michael@dovernh.org. Also, follow the Chamber on Facebook for additional Passport to Prizes information and for raffle prizewinner updates.
Participating businesses include: Red’s Shoe Barn, Jewelry Creations, One Second Computers, Ross Furniture, Janetos Suprette, Naser Jewelers, Nicole’s Hallmark, Central Paint & Coatings, Photosmith, K-9 Kaos, Strafford Appliance, Herbal Path, Noggin Factory, Philbrick’s Sports, Ralph’s House of Tone, Lucy’s Emporium, Dover Cyclery, PagePro Wireless and Dover Wine.