Museum Celebrates Irish Heritage Day with Music, Dance and More

DOVER—
The Children’s Museum of New Hampshire will celebrate its second annual Irish Heritage Day on Sunday, March 20 from 12 – 5 pm. This family-friendly event comes on the heels of St. Patrick’s Day and highlights the vibrant Irish heritage of the Greater Dover community.
Irish Heritage Day will feature traditional live music and step-dancing performances throughout the afternoon, and children are invited to try their hand at traditional Irish crafts with free make-and-take activities. There will be other opportunities around the museum to learn about the culture of the Emerald Isles as well.
Regular museum admission applies for all Irish Heritage Day festivities: $8 for children and adults, $7 for adults age 65 and over, and there is no charge for museum members or children under 12 months old.
Photo caption: Irish step-dancing and live Gaelic music will be featured at the Children’s Museum of NH on Sunday, March 20 as part of the museum’s annual Irish Heritage Day. (Courtesy photo)

Chamber Kicks Off Grand Sports Raffle

SOMERSWORTH—
The Greater Somersworth Chamber of Commerce recently kicked off its annual Grand Sports Raffle, a fundraising raffle that offers the winner a number of tickets to major sports events. One lucky winner takes all tickets to three different sporting events.
Up for grabs this year are two box seat tickets to a 2011 Red Sox game with a value of $240 as well as four tickets valued at $800 to a Boston Celtics game next season with center court, club seats and a parking pass included. Two UNH Hockey tickets for the 2012 season will also go to the one winner. Price for the raffle tickets is one for $5, six for $25, and 12 for $40. The drawing takes place on May 20 at the Chamber’s Annual Dinner and Awards event, but the winner does not to need to be present to win.
Sponsors of this year’s raffle are Digital Ink Printing, Waste Management, and Seacoast Orthopedics and Sports Medicine. For information on purchasing raffle tickets, contact the Chamber at 603-692-7175 or info@somersworthchamber.com.
Photo caption: Ann French of Profile Bank and Chair of the Chamber’s Board of Directors, buys the first six tickets for the Grand Sports raffle from Peter Juneau of Waste Management, one of the raffle’s sponsors. (Courtesy photo)

Opening Scenes: ‘The Adjustment Bureau’

By Chip Schrader
Movie Reviewer
“The Adjustment Bureau” begins with Matt Damon standing alone in a cathedral like room with the light seeping through ornate windows. The key words are “Next Senator David Norris” as a montage showing dailies and GQ with his face on the cover, an appearance on “The Daily Show,” and New York mayor Michael Bloomberg endorsing him all accompanied by Norris’ speech at a rally. The last headline to drop across the screen regards a college prank that could cost his election.
Set in New York and inside some of the most palatial buildings, “The Adjustment Bureau” follows the handsome political hopeful through the early stages of his career. But, through a misstep of chance interfering with “The Plan,” his career is sidetracked by a woman with whom he is forbidden to fall in love. The Bureau is employed, like guardian angels of a sort, to ensure that “The Plan” is followed through and properly executed. When David Norris is in the wrong place at the wrong time, he finds himself having to choose between the greatness he is fated to become or the woman he loves.
Norris is genuinely and articulately played by Matt Damon. While this role provides little challenge to Damon, he comes off naturally as the Kennedy-like politician. Elise, played by Emily Blunt, is seductive but with an organic soul. Blunt’s performance is so intimate the viewers feel they are in the room with her whenever she speaks. Like Damon’s performance, Elise is not a difficult character to manage, but Blunt brings about very natural portrayal, as well.
The characters are likeable, charming, and interesting to watch, but there is little psychology in their development. Other than loving Elise, we really aren’t shown what makes David Norris tick. We see his public side and his yearning for this woman, but we don’t see much about who David Norris really is, other than a well groomed politician with a relatively squeaky clean image. Much of the same can be said about Elise. We learn she is a passionate dancer and has a wit that equals that of Norris, but there is little development beyond that.
The wide-angle shots, visual effects, and shots from various angles are dazzling. The pacing of the film is even, but it never gets dull. While one might expect more action from a film like this, the intrigue and interplay between chance and “The Plan” are more than enough to keep the audience invested in the story. The wide-angle shots that show Norris inside a palatial room or a giant warehouse nicely parallels the concept that one man is very small portion of a much larger architecture. The imagery, setting and design are stunning!
“The Adjustment Bureau” has the soul of a classic Hitchcock thriller coupled with a postmodern edge like “North by Northwest” meets “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.” The story that inspired the film came from the same author who inspired the science fiction cult classic “Blade Runner.” While this film sets its aim high, the movie falls just short of the mark needing a deeper back-story to make the need for the characters’ success more compelling. With that said, the combination of romance and intrigue make “The Adjustment Bureau” a date movie well worth the price of admission. 3.5 out of 5.
Photo caption: (Courtesy movie poster of “The Adjustment Bureau”)

Local Celebrities Step Up for Dancing with the Dover Stars

DOVER—
Some of Dover’s biggest names are lining up to strut their stuff and win the title of top dancer.
Dancing with the Dover Stars, a fundraiser for the Dover Community Senior Center, pits 13 celebrity dancers against one another on stage during an evening of entertainment. Dancing with the Dover Stars will be held Saturday, March 12 at 6 p.m. in the Dover High School auditorium.
Celebrity dancers have been rehearsing for weeks in anticipation of the competition. Ready to tango are Mayor Scott Myers, City Councilor Bob Carrier, City Councilor Gina Cruikshank, Fire Chief Perry Plummer, Dover Police Officer Jason Feliciano, Public Library Director Cathy Beaudoin, Community Services Director Doug Steele, Recreation Director Gary Bannon, Dover High School Dean of Students Kimberly Stephens, Recreation Advisory Board President and Dover Middle School tutor Joe Tenuta, Woodman Park Elementary School teacher Jill Sears, Dover Community Senior Center member Alice Clark, and Kirt Schuman.
Each celebrity dancer has been paired with a professional dancer from several area studios. During the competition at Dover High School, three guest judges, along with the audience, will vote to determine the winner.
In addition to an evening of dancing, the event includes a concession stand and a raffle featuring prizes donated by local merchants, including one round of golf and cart for four at the Cochecho Country Club; a family pack of passes to the Children’s Museum of New Hampshire; and gift certificates to Ross Furniture, Jewelry Creations, Nicole’s Hallmark and Dover Wine Company. More prizes are arriving each day.
Tickets to Dancing with the Dover Stars are $10 and available at the Dover Recreation Department and Dover Community Senior Center, both located at the McConnell Center, 61 Locust St., Dover. Proceeds from the event will benefit the Community Senior Center. For more information, call 603-516-6436.
Photo caption: Dover Recreation Director Gary Bannon rehearses at the McConnell Center for Dancing with the Dover Stars, along with his instructor, Sue Dunlavey of Seacoast Set Dancers. (Courtesy photo)

Slow Food Seacoast and Friends Present ‘Taste of Place’

PORTSMOUTH—
Come celebrate our shared roots with great local food and fun upstairs at The Press Room on Thursday, March 10 from 5-7:45 p.m. Learn more about Terra Madre, known as the “farmers’ United Nations,” from local delegates who represented the Seacoast region at the Terra Madre conference in October 2010: John Forti of Slow Food Seacoast, Jean Jennings of Meadow’s Mirth, and Evan Mallett of Black Trumpet Bistro. These Seacoast representatives joined more than 5,000 delegates from 150 countries at the Olympic Stadium in Turin, Italy, to discuss how to create new economies and artisanal products around local agriculture, horticulture, and fisheries.
During the “Taste of Place” social, the local delegates will share the hope that they saw at Terra Madre in models of sustainable local practices in Italy and around the world. Evan Mallett will talk about being cleaner and greener, balancing aquaculture and wild fish stocks, and encouraging children to eat local and fresh ingredients in their school lunches. Jean Jennings will discuss the cost of good food and accessibility issues. She also is organizing some local musicians to entertain us! John Forti will talk about inspired land use, the Salone del Gusto (the world’s largest artisanal food marketplace), the Renewing America’s Food Traditions (RAFT) Alliance (preserving at-risk heirloom produce and heritage-breed foods), and creating new traditions that will lead us to a better future.
In addition, Slow Food Seacoast will be distributing free seeds of native heirloom fruits and vegetables featured in the RAFT Alliance to anyone who is willing to grow, eat, and save seeds of these varieties to preserve them for the future, because the best way to restore at-risk varieties is to grow and eat them.
Admission to Terra Madre “Taste of Place” A Slow Food Seacoast Social is free. Black Trumpet Bistro will provide sumptuous internationally flavored appetizers made with local ingredients. Please patronize the cash bar to thank The Press Room for hosting this event. The Press Room is located at 77 Daniel Street, Portsmouth.
Photo caption: Beautiful produce in Eataly! (Photo by Jean Jennings)

National Weather Service Meteorologist to Speak on Storms

RYE—
The Seacoast Science Center’s Heritage Dinner Series brings John Cannon, Senior Meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Gray, Maine to speak on Thursday, March 24, at 6:00 p.m. In his presentation, “Tornados, Tsunamis and Nor’easters: the Challenges of Forecasting Coastal New England Weather,” Cannon will regale you with accounts of some of the region’s most dramatic storms. You’ll hear about and see rare images of the infamous storms including the longest track tornado to hit New England, the “meteo” tsunami in Boothbay Harbor, hurricane Bob and the famous Patriots’ Day storm.
Ever since Mark Twain’s famous quip about New England weather, “If you don’t like it, wait a minute,” we New Englanders have taken a certain amount of pride in our ability to withstand, and appreciate, a wide variety of weather. Along the coast, we are “lucky” enough to be impacted by ocean storms, which add drama, destruction and danger to our lives. Although we rely on our local weather forecasters, they rely on National Weather Service (NWS) meteorologists to provide data and information for their predictions. Cannon is our regional weather forecasters’ weatherman.
Join us to hear the inside story on when and how the NWS works, what affects the accuracy of forecasts and how technology is improving our ability to understand weather patterns from one of the best. John grew up in New England, enjoying every Nor’easter and the rapid changes in the weather that Mother Nature could muster. He later moved to upstate New York and learned to love the extreme conditions of Lake Effect Snowstorms while earning a degree in meteorology from the State University of New York at Oswego. John worked as a weather forecaster in Albany, New York and is currently a senior meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Gray, Maine. A resident of Gray, ME, John received NOAA’s prestigious national “Isaac Cline Award” for meteorology in 2009.
The cost is $45/person for Seacoast Science Center members; $55/person for non-members. The reception begins at 6:00 p.m., followed by dinner and presentation. Reservations must be made by March 18. Full payment is required to reserve your seat; please contact Nichole at 603-436-8043, ext. 26 or n.rutherford@seacentr.org to sign up. Sponsored by McLane, Graf, Raulerson & Middleton, PA, all proceeds support the Seacoast Science Center. Visit www.seacoastsciencecenter.org for details.

Renowned Swimmer and Musician Dives in for a Cause

RYE/KITTERY, ME—
Beginning at about 1:30 p.m. on February 26, well-known accordionist and “Creekman” Gary Sredzienski will swim four miles in icy water (roughly 35 degrees “warm”) to raise funds for the preservation of historic lighthouses. While Gary swims in local waterways year-round, this route has particular significance, bringing attention - and funding - to the nonprofit American Lighthouse Foundation and its local chapter, Friends of Portsmouth Harbor Lighthouses. Gary will start out swimming from Odiorne Point (Rye, NH) to Whaleback Lighthouse (Kittery, ME) to Portsmouth Harbor Lighthouse (New Castle, NH) to the Kittery Point Town Dock behind Captain and Patty’s restaurant on Pepperrell Road (Route 103).
Gary has been swimming all his life and has done three other long distance winter swims for charities. In his spare time, he pursues his other calling as a professional accordion player, having picked up the instrument at the age of 9. He performs 1960s surf rock, traditional ethnic, and original accordion compositions with the Portsmouth-based group, the Serfs, and he also hosts a radio show, “Polka Party,” weekly on WUNH-FM in Durham.
Following the swim on February 26, Gary and his band, the Serfs, will play at a celebration party upstairs at Captain and Patty’s restaurant in Kittery Point. The 5 p.m. party is sold out, but the public can still come to the restaurant to dine downstairs and listen to the music during the party.
The funds raised will be split evenly between the American Lighthouse Foundation (ALF), and the foundation’s local chapter, Friends of Portsmouth Harbor Lighthouses (FPHL). ALF, a nonprofit organization based in Rockland, Maine, cares for 23 historic lighthouses in the Northeast. FPHL cares for Portsmouth Harbor Lighthouse in New Castle, NH, and Whaleback Lighthouse in Kittery, Maine. Whaleback is in dire need of restoration that will cost in the hundreds of thousands of dollars.
See www.portsmouthharborlighthouse.org for more information about the event, and to find out how to donate in honor of Gary’s incredible commitment.
Photo caption: Gary Sredzienski playing his accordion at the top of Portsmouth Harbor Lighthouse. Gary will swim four miles from Rye, NH to Kittery Point, ME on Feb. 26 in order to raise money for this and Whaleback Lighthouse. (Photo by Jeremy D’Entremont)