#downtown portsmouth

[fieriframes]

[So I'm here in downtown Portsmouth, New Hampshire, about a third of a mile from the Piscataqua River to check out a joint where a chef from New Jersey and a chef from Connecticut, well, they migrated north and opened up a not-so-common deli.]

[mariacallous]

Growing up in Lancaster, Ohio, I remember discovering a book in the local library that ultimately helped to change how I viewed my hometown’s history. The book, “Jewish Literacy” by Joseph Telushkin, had a small sticker on the inside cover indicating it was purchased through the B’nai Israel Synagogue of Lancaster Jewish Book Fund. This was surprising, as there hadn’t been an organized Jewish community in Lancaster for years.

I later learned that the fund had been established by the remaining members of the synagogue after its sale in 1993, with the intention of ensuring that the tradition of Jewish education continued in Lancaster, even in the absence of a physical synagogue.

This discovery, along with other signs like a Star of David engraved next to a cross on the town’s war memorial and the presence of the building that once housed the B’nai Israel synagogue downtown, hinted at Lancaster’s former Jewish community. During its nearly seven decades of existence, B’nai Israel not only served its congregants but also hosted groups — including church youth organizations and civic societies — to educate others about Judaism. As in many small towns across the United States, the synagogue provided the only accessible resources for learning about Jewish culture, history and theology.

For the last several years, I’ve dedicated myself to documenting the Jewish histories of small towns in both my home state of Ohio and my adopted state of New York. I am drawn in by the realization that many of these once-active communities, despite their contributions, were in danger of fading into obscurity. As a volunteer, I have spent countless hours piecing together the stories of Jewish families, tracing their lives and legacies in over 20 small towns. In most of these places, the written record of their Jewish past was sparse, with local historical organizations often lacking the resources or staffing to fully explore these stories. These constraints also create opportunities for volunteers and community members to engage in uncovering stories still waiting to be told.

Small-town synagogues often function not just as religious institutions but as unique centers for education and community engagement. In Lancaster, the B’nai Israel synagogue opened its doors to various groups seeking to learn about Judaism. Its book fund ensured that, even after the synagogue’s closure, locals could continue to conveniently access resources devoted to Jewish culture and history.

Eighty miles to the south, in Portsmouth, Ohio, the Jewish community was also engaged in interfaith efforts from its earliest days. When Beneh Abraham, the local synagogue, was consecrated in 1858, Christian residents of the town supported the construction, and the First Presbyterian Church choir even sang during the dedication. Such partnerships went both ways, with Jews contributing to the building funds for nearby churches.

The local rabbi, Judah Wechsler, taught in both English and German. Wechsler’s leadership helped Beneh Abraham function as more than a religious space — it became a center for community engagement in Portsmouth. Portsmouth’s first synagogue, like many other historic religious structures in America, no longer stands today, but this early story from the town’s Jewish community reminds us of how intertwined religious groups in small towns can be. Beneh Abraham continues to exist in Portsmouth and is one of Ohio’s oldest Jewish congregations.

In Auburn, New York, the former B’nai Israel Synagogue played a crucial role in bringing neighbors together and fostering understanding. Throughout much of the 20th and early 21st centuries, B’nai Israel welcomed interfaith activities, particularly through its long-standing relationship with St. Luke’s United Church of Christ. This engagement included an annual exchange of pulpits, novel when it began in 1939, where the rabbi of B’nai Israel and the minister at St. Luke’s would preach at each other’s congregations. This effort, undertaken each year during the national Brotherhood Week campaign, continued for over 30 years, helping strengthen ties between Jewish and Christian communities in Auburn.

In both Auburn, New York, and Lancaster, Ohio, the B’nai Israel synagogues’ efforts to educate non-Jewish neighbors about Judaism often left lasting impressions, in keeping with studies showing that ​​the more people know about Jews, the less they embrace antisemitic tropes. With the closure of these small-town synagogues in the late 20th and early 21st centuries, the physical presence of Jewish life in these towns has largely disappeared, raising questions about how this loss impacts interfaith understanding and broader cultural awareness.

As small-town Jewish communities across America continue to contract, preserving their histories becomes not just an act of remembrance, but also an essential part of understanding the broader American story. Though often small in numbers, small-town Jewish communities have played crucial roles in shaping the civic, cultural and economic landscapes of their communities.

As the physical reminders of small-town Jewish life — such as synagogues, social centers and long standing family-owned businesses — fade, there is a danger that their stories will disappear, a loss not only for Jewish history but American history. They remind us that America’s heartland is not as monolithic as it is often portrayed, and that diversity has long been part of the stories of many communities.

In Lancaster and Auburn, the efforts of individuals and institutions to preserve local Jewish histories stand as models of how this work can be done. In its last years, members of Auburn’s former B’nai Israel synagogue donated many of the congregation’s religious artifacts, including the synagogue’s historic stained-glass windows, to the Cayuga Museum of History & Art, ensuring that the congregation’s memory would live on in a public space.

But in most of the communities I’ve studied, there was no such effort until recently. In some towns, synagogues were demolished or fell into disrepair, their histories largely unrecorded. It wasn’t until I began this work as an undergraduate  that the stories of these Jewish communities began to be gathered and pieced together, bringing their legacies back into the light.

Preservation alone is not enough. These histories must be shared and integrated into broader conversations about American identity. We not only honor Jewish families who helped to build and sustain so many small-town communities but also ensure that future generations understand the complexity and richness of small-town life in America.

In a time when debates about national identity dominate our public discourse, preserving the histories of small-town Jewish communities offers a crucial reminder: that the American story is, and always has been, one of diversity and change.

[thethirdman8]

My nephew put up this Christmas tree in downtown Portsmouth, New Hampshire 🎄

[birdfriend-theband]

SOMEWHERE YOU DID, SOMEWHERE YOU WILL: Bird Friend's Our Gods at 10; or, Last Thoughts on the Albuquerque House Show Scene

Author’s note:

Okay - bear with me on this one. Ten years have passed since the events in this piece occurred. In those ten years I’d like to think I’ve picked up a few scraps of wisdom here and there, and while our culture has built an industry around depictions of untamed youth, I’m inclined to believe that those years aren’t always what they’re cracked up to be. I was far from perfect as a young man, and this memoir is not designed to suggest any differently. It is, however, partly an attempt to express gratitude towards those folks who gave me the opportunity to live something like the rich life of an artist. If this work has found its way to you, I will say this: my inbox is always open.

G. Himsel

Funeral Hill, Portsmouth, New Hampshire

Autumn 2024

I. 

Halfway through the last-ever show at the old Vassar house, someone called the cops.

Cheap Time was playing in the living room when the police banged on the door, and when the hostess took over the mic to warn the crowd, the whole place fell apart. The music shambled to a halt, and the living room - which was painted floor-to-ceiling in graffiti - became the scene of a mad scramble for the exits. Young punks spilled into the backyard, clambering over the cinderblock walls and into the alleyways, or sprinting drunkenly past the squad cars blocking the driveways. Underage kids tossed bottles and dime bags onto the neighbors’ side of the fence before disappearing into the darkness themselves. The band stood around, dumbfounded, as the room cleared, their audience disappeared, and a pair of tired-looking cops wandered into the house with their hands on their hips. The night was over, prematurely - and while the old house’s closing ceremonies were supposed to have some sort of significance, the chaos of the evening was befitting of the chaos of its era. The street was full of wasted kids, running from the cop lights. With three beers in my body, I ran, too - into the cool bronze night of the neighborhood, past the bungalows and pueblo revivals, holding my half-empty pack of cigarettes in the breast pocket of my flannel shirt. It was the fall of 2013 in Albuquerque, New Mexico, I was nineteen years old, and it was the first house show I’d ever attended. 

II.

Albuquerque is about a day’s drive from anything; eight hours east of Las Vegas, seven hours out from Phoenix. Denver lies six miles to the north, and Mexico five hours south. The city rests on a massive alluvial plain and straddles the Rio Grande at its midpoint, where droughts and water-rights battles often reduce the river to a trickle. It’s bright: the sun shines four out of every five days, and at a mile above sea level, the sun can feel intimately close. Isolated by miles of Southwestern desert, it’s nonetheless a city of intersections - intersections of North American cultures, of rivers and railroads, and of highways. I-40 and I-25 collide here at the “Big I,” an engineering feat that doubles as a towering monument to the car culture of the American West. Nearly thirty percent of residents speak Spanish, and another significant portion speaks Navajo or Vietnamese. In the last hundred and fifty years, it’s grown from a railroad depot to nearly two-hundred miles of low-density urban sprawl - and many parts retain an odd 1960s or ‘70s feel. Outside of the city, they make movies and television, and test weapons for the military. Passenger trains still clatter through downtown, and bands play under gazebos in the historic district. In Barelas, Chicano pride shines. In Rio Rancho, suburban tract homes bump up against the stark, high desert. But while the city glows with a sort of mid-century American-ness, it more often feels far, far away from the mainstream culture and customs of the rest of the U.S. It’s a weird place, especially if you - like me - grew up amidst the urban renewal and suburban gloom of post-industrial New England. Out in New Mexico, you sort of get the feeling that you’ve traveled off the map.

I lived in Albuquerque from 2012 to 2016. I wanted to make art and play my guitar, and I got my wish; I spent most of those years submerged in the city’s weird subculture of underground house shows. Our neighborhood of University Heights - more generally known as the Student Ghetto, due to its huge population of off-campus UNM students - was the kind of starving-artist paradise peculiar to college towns. The neighborhood was made up of cheap, low-density rental housing. Landlords and neighbors were generally tolerant of the 18-25 crowd and whatever noise and chaos it generated. Homes were usually single-unit, with spacious yards and a sense of relative privacy. Rents were in the high hundreds, and we often had more space than we needed. The infrastructure supported public transit and cyclists and the whole area was anchored by a commercial strip with cheap food and plenty of intellectual resources.

But while while the Student Ghetto was typical of any neighborhood near a big college campus, the fact that the college campus happened to be located right in the middle of a major city - a city that, in turn, was an isolated stop on the way to the rest of the world - meant that a disproportionate amount of creative energy was funneled directly into the laps of the people living there. In 2014-15 a five-block stretch of Gold Avenue alone boasted five house venues, each with distinct programming, that sometimes threw shows on the same nights. The most important of them, Gold House, changed hands countless times but survived for over a decade as a magnet for nationally-recognized punk and indie acts. I saw Kid Congo play at Gold House, in the living room; I saw Kimya Dawson play on the porch. The loudest show I’ve ever seen in my life was at Gold House: the Cosmonauts blew my eardrums there, on a Sunday night in the summer of 2014.

A culture existed around these places. Different houses were home to different sub-families of the city’s greater punk community, and often had one or two of their own house bands in addition to a few touring favorites. My immediate neighbors hosted murky, reverb-washed psych rock bands like L.A. Witch, while the legendary Bungalow was something like a fraternal organization for strange, outer-limits outsider punk. 

Beyond that, different houses had different philosophies about live music, different levels of permissiveness surrounding drugs and drinking, and varying levels of preparedness for interactions with the police. At some venues, “rules” were looked upon suspiciously. At one Fourth of July show in 2015, the entertainment options were split between outdoor American flag-burning and a basement set by a band that played completely naked. But there were more often attempts to establish some order. At the Bungalow, there was generally a volunteer at the door who checked IDs and marked hands accordingly; this protected the house and its inhabitants when the cops were called, as they were during the second Mountain Blood Fest when one hardcore punk vocalist ended up on the roof. 

My Albuquerque experience eventually reached its zenith at the Bungalow, where Bird Friend recorded Cibola and I probably attended more shows than anywhere else, but it was Wagon Wheel - a miniscule pueblo house on Stanford Drive - where I first found my footing as a writer and musician. 

III. 

Wagon Wheel’s house band was Arroyo Deathmatch, an insane hardcore/folk-punk band that played a weird assemblage of uncommon and handmade instruments and acted as the essential masthead for the local Goathead Record Collective. Besides being the band that I most closely identify with this space, they were the first group I encountered in the Southwest who really completely embodied a DIY ethic. A lot of people coming into music feel as if they need to gather a certain amount of abstract necessities in order to reach a performance level - things like promotional materials, or a clear idea of genre, style, influence, etc. These guys didn’t even need proper instruments. They played a kind of shambling punk on a frankenstein lineup of homemade drums, bass guitars, flutes and ukuleles that was nonetheless really literary and challenging and rousingly political. They hand-printed their own CD jackets, did all their own distribution, and created their own music network before Spotify was a thing and when social media as we now know it was in its infancy. 

The first time I caught them was at Wagon Wheel, on their own turf - in the sweaty, postage-stamp sized living room that felt like it was ready to burst with bodies dancing, jumping, singing along. I have no idea how long they had been a band before I encountered them, but the scene that I wandered into felt completely fully-formed by the time I arrived. Folks knew the words to their songs, knew the breaks, wore the fashion and participated fully in the music. The audience was committed to this local band in a way that I had never considered, let alone encountered, in the fragile, decentralized, conservative and suburban music community back home in New England.

Seeing Arroyo Deathmatch for the first time completely reordered my idea of what was possible as a performer - instead of meeting the expectations of an entrenched music scene, as most fledgling musicians attempt to do, they created their own scene, with its own internal logic and set of rules. Obviously this wasn’t the first time this had ever happened in punk history, but to see it happening on such a grassroots level - and with an audience that was so ready to be a part of their thing - was incalculably influential on my soft, teenage brain. I sent them an email, asking how to be a part of that thing, and they set me up with my first show in town. It was the first Bird Friend show - a last-minute addition to the opening ceremonies of the first-ever Mountain Blood Fest. I banged my way through six or seven solo songs, completely unamplified, met our lifelong friend and collaborator Nikki Barva, and was at a Goathead Collective meeting two weeks later.

IV.

Goathead Record Collective was an non-hierarchical affiliation of artists and musicians that organized gear shares, music promotion, and operated a sort of mobile recording studio whose equipment was free to use amongst collective members. They organized a weekly meeting - on Wednesday nights - where participants drew up show schedules and local promo stuff and organized workshops on everything from tour booking and zine-making to discussions about scene politics and self-policing. The location rotated, sometimes taking place at the Bungalow, sometimes at my own place, Coffee House, and most often at Wagon Wheel. A ton of stuff came out of the GRC: an organized network of merch sales, three iterations of Mountain Blood Fest, countless shows at venues ranging from living rooms to warehouses, clubs, and karate studios. That’s not to mention the recorded output: GRC was involved in early releases by bands like Days ‘N’ Daze, and a distinguished list of Albuquerque artists like the Leaky Faces, Manuka Piglet, the Vassar Bastards, and Arroyo Deathmatch themselves. Using the DIY studio setup and a refurbished 10-CD duplicator from the flea market, the collective did hand-made CD releases and promoted them in local newspapers. 

If it sounds utopic, it was - and the collective disbanded after a few years. But when I stumbled into it, it was in its halcyon days. At Wagon Wheel and the other houses it felt as though there was an endless parade of bands who, although now fading into history, left a permanent impression on us. Far from the cultural centers of the country, and far even from the curated, “professional” music community of Albuquerque, the weirdest bands in the world summoned magic, effortlessly, night after night. These houses glowed with creative energy, and the more music they contained, the more their myths assumed legendary proportions.

V. 

I hoped that some of that magic would rub off when Alexster, of Arroyo Deathmatch, invited Bird Friend to record an album at Wagon Wheel. Our band was - as it’s always been - a pretty loose unit. I had one record out already, a self-titled release that I’d cobbled together with my high school band. It was a gloomy, navel-gazing collection of bummers and breakup songs that nevertheless featured “Parting Gifts,” a song that’d soon become a singalong staple of our years in Albuquerque. I’d been playing solo shows in the city for about six months, and had recruited Cody and Peach of the Leaky Faces to play with me when they were available. My then-roomate (now wife) Carson would sit in on harmony vocals every now and then. 

I booked a weekend at Wagon Wheel to bang out some songs I’d been working on; I’d recently read Hesiod’s Theogony & Works and Days and some of Edith Hamilton’s classic Mythology and become really interested in the weird, flawed gods and heroes of ancient Greece. I was a young dude, very far from home and trying to figure things out pretty much completely on my own; I was very aware that I was going through a transitional period, twenty years old and particularly susceptible to self-mythologizing. I began to think of myself as entering a new epoch of my life, and through my involvement in the Collective and the music community I felt as if I were making a full break from the expectations and orthodoxies of my “old life” in New England. It became very important to me to write down what I was seeing unfold all around me.

Reading the ancient stories - which really feel so contemporary at times - pushed me to mythologize what I was living through. The writers, artists, strangers and cities of the Southwest lived on one hand, with the folks I left back in New England on the other. I started to try and fit them into the contours of very, very old stories. I may have been trying to make some sense of the weird new world I found myself in. But I was more certainly writing to my older self; caught in that present utopia, I had the bright idea to create a sort of Myth of Ages that would elevate that fleeting moment to the status of folklore. After all, the excitement of the music community back then felt so much bigger than the sum of its parts. If this radical moment of mass self-actualization was, in its essence, just a bunch of people hanging out in living rooms, it felt huge, important, essential. That meant the only way to write about it was mythologically. 

Once again, it’s not like this idea was itself a radical development. Storytelling and tall tales are as old as anything in the folk tradition. But if Bird Friend’s love for the folk tradition has often pitted us against the prevailing currents of popular music, it was - in this instant - the most appropriate vessel.

We only had two days to record the material that would become Our Gods. Some elements of my music life never change, and the matter of scheduling is one of them. Alexster had a day job, a venue to run, and other groups to record; Cody had his other band, Carson was still in school, and I worked nights at the 66 Diner. Peach, who at that point had already played shows with us, may have been out of town or otherwise occupied, and didn’t get to join us at all. As it were, we had two days back-to-back in mid-October to crank out whatever songs we could. We planned a double release with the Leaky Faces in December, so the feeling was that whatever we committed to tape that weekend would pretty much be the album. The “the studio” was set up in the empty living room, and was limited to two microphones and a dining room chair. Alexster’s bedroom served as the control booth.

VI.

A few days before the release, the Collective got together in the basement of the Bungalow, and we had a CD-making party for Our Gods and the Leaky Faces�� Freak Tree. We burned blank discs ten at a time on the duplicator, and cut album covers that we’d printed for free with someone’s UNM library card. We did some beers and carefully glued the covers onto plain black CD jackets, each one stamped with the Goathead Records logo. It was December, and it was cold; in photos from that night, everyone’s wearing jackets and sweaters indoors. I wonder now if the heat was on, or if it was ever on in that house. 

We did the show at Wagon Wheel a few nights later - something like eight bands played, and our resident videographer Isaac “Boose” Vallejos got the whole evening on film. That night was Wagon Wheel as I remember it: packed, sweaty, and electric with creative energy. In those days, getting a show at all felt like a blessing - every single performance felt vital, essential, and to attach a whole album to it felt triumphant. I have the videos of the Bird Friend set, and we’re loose, sloppy, full of humor, and backed against the wall by a big crowd of happy people.

The Goathead thing began to splinter apart a few months after Our Gods. Social friction amidst the growing proportions of the scene, not to mention the exhausting undertaking of Mountain Blood Fest II, contributed to a slow drift towards other projects. The atmosphere of idealism was hard to sustain as more people joined the fold, and the collective itself felt more beholden to a sense of expectation and accountability that quickly overwhelmed it.

It was tough to let it all go. It’s not like the shows and the bands simply vanished, but a growing sense of dislocation and disunity began to take over. The essential loss of a mutual support network returned the music scene back to a landscape of unfocused cliques. At this point, I was 21 years old, totally untethered and spinning my wheels. I started drinking a lot, and entered a dark stretch, turning out songs that were long, desperate, and heavy with a sense of doom. I fell down for a while. Eventually I left Albuquerque, in order to hit the reset button before I went too far down an ugly path.

A friend of mine once said that writing is a selfish act. Before he passed away, I often thought about asking him what he meant - and now that I don’t have the chance, I meditate on it often. And writing down these memories so long after the fact, I find myself meditating on it all over again. Maybe it’s selfish to attach too much significance to this brief period of my life. Or maybe it’s selfish to view something that touched so many people through the narrow window of my own, meager experience. After all, the world of New Mexican music was so much bigger than the record collective. Or perhaps it’s selfish to talk about those days like they belonged to some perfect, unspoiled era; for they most certainly did not. All of this history took place against the confused, chaotic backdrop of about a thousand peoples’ early twenties - not generally known as a peaceful or self-assured time in life. Not everyone got out in one piece, or even alive.

Yet I’ve been playing my guitar in front of people for a long time now, and Bird Friend has been around in some form for over a decade. And though I’ve started to suspect that we’re not going to be famous (not that that’s the point), in navigating a whole range of music scenes I’ve started to double back to the questions leftover from the days of Goathead. How do we celebrate each other, and our art? How do we inhabit the role of audience, critic, and creator all with the same grace? And now, in a world whose modernity is more disenfranchising than ever, how do we do it all with dignity?

As musicians, we’re constantly being assaulted by statistics: our plays, our listeners, and their level of engagement is constantly being tracked in extreme, granular detail. Promoters use these numbers to gauge your marketability, an important task in a world where the profitability of a music venue is considered life-or-death. Less people are going to shows, less people are consuming physical media, and the network of music discovery is essentially in the hands of algorithms and AI. The context of a piece of music is often lost when a ���user” only spends a few seconds with it on a reel or social media post. The act of creation is its own reward, yet I sometimes find myself asking the most frightening question: what’s the fucking point?

What are we supposed to do as artists? Why do we make music? Who’s it for? In a perfect world, it’s one pathway to building a shared philosophy. That’s what the Goathead era was for me: a forum in which a little music scene was foundational to ideas about culture, community, and mutual support. But what’s the benefit of creating a shared philosophy, if it only exists in a digital space? The town I live in now is supposedly full of artists - and I don’t see a united front against the behemoth of corporate development that’s shuttered a frightening number of venues these last few years. Art as content, art as corporate culture, art supposedly made “accessible” by an internet machine designed primarily to make money are all more dominant than ever - and I sometimes wonder if the concept of an art community actually stands a chance. When I worry, I think of the extremely unlikely success we had in Albuquerque. If it warms me just a little, I also remember that it was all a very long time ago.

Our Gods is not the greatest album ever made. It’s not even the best album Bird Friend ever made. But for myself, and my own personal history (here comes the selfish act again), it represents a little glory that we got to participate in, if only for a while. I wonder if I’ll ever experience that intensity again, but if your time is still yet to come, hear this: somewhere you did, somewhere you will - somewhere you are all together still.

VII. Belated Liner Notes

Listen to “OUR GODS” on Spotify or Bandcamp.

Overture (Muses)

The idea with “Overture” was to start the record with a reference to Greek poetry and to Hesiod’s work by including a rip-off of the kind of invocation that would commonly begin a piece of ancient literature. This little prayer was meant, in the old days, to set the tone and context of a piece and to assure the audience that a storyteller knew what they were talking about.  Performed a cappella in one take, I don’t think this song was ever performed again. I still like the concept, and still think it’s clever to flip this old convention on its head by admitting in the first line of the album that the writer of these songs is an unreliable narrator.

Where Are You?

I spent a lot of my younger years wandering around the woods of New England. This is the oldest part of the country, and if a historical site isn’t preserved, it’s quickly swallowed up by nature. The area I grew up in was clear-cut in the 19th century for sheep grazing, and by the early 1900s was completely forested again. There are really no such thing as historical ruins out here, and if you do find something abandoned out in the forest, it’s probably only a few decades old.  I saw some coincidence in the idea that, in both the Mediterranean and the Southwest, researchers are constantly finding throwaway evidence of really old civilizations - potsherds, petroglyphs, architectural stuff that’s all just been sitting out in the desert for hundreds or thousands of years that gives you an idea of the everyday lives of people who lived and died generations ago. You can actually just wander out into the desert and see this stuff. It doesn’t get washed away by the rain or the ocean or torn up by a tree root after fifty years. That’s the idea behind “Where Are You?,” a song that supposes what will be left of our lives a thousand years from now. When you’re young, you feel things so, so intensely - how much of that intensity lives in the objects we leave behind? What kind of half-life does it have?

Oh, Pilgrim!

This is a pretty straightforward song, message-wise. It was most likely written before I began to fixate on the “concept” of this album, and it’s more of a clear-cut celebration of my independence and my Big Desert Adventure than anything else. It’s very important in our catalog, however, as the first-ever recorded Carson performance. Her natural gift for harmony is obvious here, and I remember Alexster being somewhat stunned that she pulled her part off in one take.  Recording vocals can be the most nerve-wracking element of the studio experience, and her fearlessness in performance and ability to write complex vocal harmonies is as stunning now as it was then. 

The Wheel

I haven’t talked much about the dominance of folk punk in the Albuquerque scene of those days. It had already been around for years by that time, and the blank-canvas nature of the genre was well-suited to the limited resources of our little scene. For a while, it felt like folk punk was all there was in the neighborhood, since it could be played convincingly on cheap instruments, by folks with limited chops, and didn’t require anything as burdensome as an amplifier. The minor-key inertia of “The Wheel” owes something to the prevailing folk punk conventions of the day, and seems to be particularly indebted to The Leaky Faces’ “Steam,” even if it doesn’t match the energy of that band. 

The Road (Forever Returns to the Heart)

“The Road” flirts with bluegrass, a style whose strict conventions and average level of musicianship are completely foreign to a band as ramshackle and inconsistent as Bird Friend. This was one of the songs that was supposed to include percussion, which is blasphemous in the bluegrass world, and there are live recordings out there that include Peach on the drums. Nevertheless, any listener of “The Road” can probably tell that I’d discovered Ralph Stanley by this point.  This is one of the songs from Our Gods that I vividly remember working on; I recall flipping through Tom Robbins’ Jitterbug Perfume as quietly as I possibly could while Cody recorded the freewheeling banjo parts. “The Road” is probably only second to “Parting Gifts” when it comes to its popularity, as well as the number of times it was caught on video during this era. It’s featured in the Before You Burn documentary and on the Mountain Blood Fest II compilation. 

Granite & Gold

This is an interesting track. I don’t remember much of what motivated me to write this one, although it strikes me now as some hand-wringing over the future legacy of the Goathead scene. Ten years later, Goathead is long gone, and the artists that are still active have completely evolved. Looking back at that time in such depth feels like going back to a place you used to live in; everything’s different, and a lot of people are gone, but the light still falls in the same way. An uncanny feeling, I guess. Like visiting your old elementary school. 

The Fear, The Fear

“The Fear” is a weird composite of a lot of my influences at the time of recording. The title is, of course, ripped from the Defiance, Ohio album of the same name. The guitar part is totally indebted to Bob Dylan’s version of “House Carpenter,” which I played often back when I spent my Sundays busking in Santa Fe. I’m not entirely sure where we got the idea to attempt the weird, sitar-like banjo part, but I suspect it was from Mark Fry’s “The Witch,” which was on heavy rotation at Coffee House. I do also remember Cody joking that the banjo part came out “sounding like Donovan.” Our Gods is a pretty spare record, and I think this is the most ambitious we got during those recording sessions. It’s another comment on the fleeting nature of the community and the anxieties and social pressures that motivate people to choose a life of convention over a life of art. 

Our Gods

The title track features Kylee Jo on fiddle. Kylee was staying overnight at Wagon Wheel during the Our Gods sessions; it wasn’t uncommon for house venues to host traveling musicians (or just travelers) even if they weren’t performing there, and Kylee was just on the way to somewhere else when we met. Having never met us before, and certainly never hearing of our band, she agreed to play fiddle on “Our Gods.” I played the song once through to teach the changes, we recorded one fiddle track, I wrote her name down on a piece of receipt paper for the album credits, and we never saw each other again.  Some of the most intimate exchanges of ideas happen in your own home, far from performance spaces, and Carson and I have always tried to keep our home open to other artists. It’s a tough world out there, and a little sanctuary can go a long way. Sometimes you even make new friends, or collaborators. 

Sucker & St. Joan

Sometimes you look back at a song you wrote and surprise yourself, and in revisiting Our Gods after so many years, this song seems to stand taller among the others. The intent behind this album is clearer here than anywhere else, and the composition, harmony, and structure are all about as highly-developed as I was capable of at age 20. The playing’s good, too; but what really strikes me on “Sucker” is its clarity. Hearing the chorus again, recognizing that even a decade ago we were aware of our community as a temporary junction of lives, is awfully moving - and revisiting this song is what encouraged me to write this piece in the first place. When listening to this song, I can feel my present self looking back, my past self looking forward - and we meet each other somewhere in the middle.  I do my best to catch up with people from the old scene, engage with their art, listen to their bands and see what’s going on in their lives. Some folks are still permanent fixtures in the Bird Friend family, while some are like distant relatives. Still others I check in with once a year or so, or catch their shows when they’re in town. Others just cross my mind from time to time, or pass by in the social media parade. 

IIX. 

Spotify, music streaming, and social media all belonged to a very different landscape a decade ago. Many bands of the Albuquerque community never made it to Spotify for logistical or philosophical reasons; others never recorded much at all, or produced anything that sounded like their live performances. Practically none of the bands of those days are still active - although most of the artists involved are still working, the vast majority of them have moved onto other projects. Much of the Goathead Record Collective’s web presence has been lost over time.

Below, I’ve listed a few songs that are representative of Bird Friend’s world during the 2013-2016 era. Some of it comes from bands we played with, and most of it comes from Albuquerque. All of the bands featured were, in some significant way, affiliated with the house show scene. Bandcamp is still the best way to listen to these artists. If you have the paper edition of this piece, the QR code on the bottom will take you to the web version where you can listen to the music.

If you want the authentic experience, you can download these songs as mp3s, drag them into an iTunes playlist, load them onto an iPod Mini with a cracked screen and listen to them on a skateboard.

The Leaky Faces - Steam 

Arroyo Deathmatch - Swimming the Witch

Bella Trout - Coffee Stains

Human Behavior - Crag

Smoke & Mirrors - The Godslayer

Manuka Piglet - Mr. Kelp

Crushed!? - Ethereal Horizon

Soviet Science Fair - Toast (Live 2014)

lemurtween - pee van/no one understands me

Lindy Vision - Bad Things

The Vassar Bastards - Dead Cat

Nobody Particular - Cage Wreck

Colour Me Once - 10,000 Miles to Graceland

Marissa. - Running For The Gates

Klondykes - BTSD

[middleland]

Streich Apartments, Portsmouth, OH by Tim Stewart

Via Flickr:

The building, constructed in 1924-25, is significant as a representation of 1920s apartment building design. The apartment building was built by Philip M. Streich, a pharmacist who was co-proprietor with George Fisher of the Fisher & Streich Pharmacy in the downtown area of Portsmouth. Streich purchased the site in 1910, but did not build the Strelch Apartments until 1924-25. He died shortly after its completion in 1926, and the property was transferred to his widow, Louisa Streich, who maintained ownership until 1940.     

[undescribed1mage]

Every March-April RTC Production that I know of !! (If you go to any of these, please get an audio !!)

Apex Theatre Studio, St Augustine, Florida — March 3rd — March 5th, then again March 9th — 10th.

Fed's Backyard Theatre, Bradenton, Florida — March 10th — 12th (Sold out in person tickets — $5 Streaming tickets !!)

Bridges Theater Co, Point Park University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania — March 24th — 26th

College Of The Holy Cross, Worcester, Massachusetts — March 30th — April 2nd.

The Playhouse Collective, Toronto, Ontario — March 29th — April 1st.

RGC Theatre, Portsmouth, New Hampshire — April 14th — April 16th (Revival performance, also being livestreamed !!)

Emerson College, Boston, Massachusetts — April 14th — 16th

Roxy's Downtown LLC, Wichita, Kansas — April 6th — April 29th (according to the rights website — dates may be off).

Phoenix College, Phoenix, Arizona — April 20th — April 23rd.

The Hill School, Pottstown, Pennsylvania — April 21st — April 23rd.

Framingham State University, Framingham, Massachusetts — April 21st — April 22nd !!

Southwestern University, Georgetown, Texas — April 21st — April 30th.

Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana — April 28th — 30th

[georgedpr]

Commonplace Notebook

In mid-summer, I filled up the last page in my commonplace notebook while on vacation in New Hampshire, and I needed a new one. I had been using a pretty standard moleskin notebook (graph lined) though I happen to go by an amazing mercantile in downtown Portsmouth, Pickwicks, and I found the Voyager Notebook line from Peter Pauper Press.

The Voyager notebook is larger than the smaller moleskin I had been using though still fits inside my pocket (more in my joggers than jeans) and easily within my everyday carry bag. My mechanical pencil with the .7 lead easily fits within the folio and the drawstring keeps it closed tightly.

The great design behind the Voyager is that it is more folio than a true notebook. Inside it holds several thin softbound notebooks secured together you can have different styles for different purposes. The Voyager I bought came with three notebooks (lined, dotted, and unlined) as well as two small pouches. These have been perfect as I am often bifurcating my thoughts into different buckets (e.g. one notebook for quick lists, another for writing notes, etc.) to help calm my chaotic thoughts. The company also sells different notebook options on its website as well as other inserts so once I fill up the smaller notebooks I can refill the Voyager and keep writing.

[salamanderinspace]

Downtown Portsmouth

[voicearth]

Oh What Fun!

Santa peddling a pedicab training for sleigh ride.

Caught next to the Xmas tree in Market Square.

Nice little touch to Downtown Portsmouth, NH!

Wishing everyone a very merry Christmas!

[travelloverr]

A Portsmouth NH Christmas: A Winter Wonderland

The Historic Downtown Holiday Experience

The heart of Portsmouth’s Christmas festivities lies in its historic downtown. As you stroll through the cobblestone streets, you’ll be captivated by the twinkling lights, festive decorations, and the aroma of spiced cider and roasted chestnuts.

Window Displays: Many of the shops and boutiques in downtown Portsmouth showcase stunning Christmas window displays, creating a festive atmosphere.

Holiday Music: Local musicians and choirs often perform Christmas carols and other holiday tunes in the streets and squares.

Ice Skating: Check local ice rinks and parks for outdoor skating opportunities.

Strawbery Banke Museum’s Candlelight Stroll

A beloved holiday tradition, the Candlelight Stroll at Strawbery Banke Museum is a magical experience. As darkness falls, the museum is illuminated by candlelight, transporting visitors back to the 18th and 19th centuries.

Historical Performances: Actors portray historical figures and reenact traditional holiday customs.

Festive Decorations: The museum is adorned with festive decorations, including wreaths, garlands, and Christmas trees.

Warm Drinks and Treats: Enjoy hot cocoa, cider, and other festive treats at the museum’s shops and cafes.

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Market Square’s Christmas Magic

Market Square, the historic heart of Portsmouth, is transformed into a winter wonderland during the Christmas season.

Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony: A festive event featuring live music, caroling, and a visit from Santa Claus.

Holiday Market: A bustling market offering unique gifts, handcrafted items, and delicious treats.

Ice Skating Rink: A popular spot for families and friends to enjoy ice skating under the twinkling lights.

Portsmouth NH Christmas Parade

The Portsmouth Christmas Parade is a beloved annual event that brings the community together.

Colorful Floats: The parade features colorful floats, marching bands, and festive characters.

Santa Claus: The highlight of the parade is the arrival of Santa Claus, who waves to the crowds from his sleigh.

Holiday Cheer: The parade is filled with holiday cheer, music, and excitement.

Dining During Christmas in Portsmouth

Portsmouth offers a diverse range of dining options, perfect for a festive meal.

Seafood Restaurants: Indulge in fresh seafood, such as lobster, oysters, and clams.

Cozy Cafés: Enjoy a warm cup of cocoa or a delicious pastry at a cozy café.

Fine Dining: Savor a gourmet meal at one of Portsmouth’s fine dining restaurants.

Seacoast Repertory Theatre’s Holiday Productions

The Seacoast Repertory Theatre often presents festive holiday productions, including classic Christmas plays and musicals.

Family-Friendly Shows: Enjoy heartwarming performances suitable for all ages.

Live Music: Experience the magic of live music, including carols and holiday tunes.

Christmas by the Sea: Nearby Attractions

Portsmouth’s coastal location offers additional opportunities for holiday fun.

Odiorne Point State Park: Enjoy stunning ocean views, winter walks, and birdwatching.

Rye Harbor State Park: Explore the park’s trails and beaches, or simply relax by the fire.

Holiday Shopping in Portsmouth

Portsmouth’s unique shops and boutiques offer a variety of holiday gifts and souvenirs.

Local Artisans: Discover handcrafted items, jewelry, and artwork.

Antique Shops: Find vintage treasures and one-of-a-kind gifts.

Bookstores: Browse a wide selection of books, including holiday classics.

Portsmouth NH Christmas Tips

Dress Warmly: Pack warm clothing, including hats, gloves, and scarves.

Book Accommodations in Advance: Popular hotels and inns book up quickly during the holiday season.

Check Event Schedules: Confirm the dates and times of specific events and activities.

Embrace the Festive Atmosphere: Enjoy the holiday spirit and make lasting memories.

With its historic charm, festive atmosphere, and abundance of holiday activities, Portsmouth, New Hampshire, is the perfect destination for a magical Christmas experience.

Do you want to know more details about in Portsmouth NH Christmas? Click here

FAQs: Portsmouth, NH Christmas

Q: What is the best time to visit Portsmouth for Christmas?

A: The best time to visit Portsmouth for Christmas is late November and early December, when the city is fully decorated and holiday events are in full swing.

Q: Are there any special Christmas events in Portsmouth?

A: Yes, Portsmouth offers a variety of Christmas events, including the Candlelight Stroll at Strawbery Banke Museum, the Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony in Market Square, and the Portsmouth Christmas Parade.

Q: Where can I go for Christmas shopping in Portsmouth?

A: Portsmouth’s historic downtown is a great place to shop for unique gifts and souvenirs. Market Square and the North End are popular shopping areas.

Q: Are there any Christmas markets in Portsmouth?

A: Yes, there are often holiday markets in Market Square, where you can find handmade crafts, local products, and festive treats.

Q: What are some good places to eat during Christmas in Portsmouth?

A: Portsmouth offers a variety of dining options, including seafood restaurants, cozy cafes, and fine dining establishments. The River House and The Rosa are popular choices.

Q: What are some nearby attractions to visit during the Christmas season?

A: Odiorne Point State Park and Rye Harbor State Park are both beautiful places to enjoy the winter scenery and take a walk.

[mollydsails]

October 30 - Winyah Bay to Charleston, 50 miles. Today Molly D once again transited the ICW. Offshore wind was ok, but the 3-5’ seas would’ve made the offshore trip of 60 miles quite uncomfortable. Our ICW transit wasn’t smooth, as there were numerous shallow (as in 7’-8’) spots to navigate through. Our transit today took us through “wilderness” and populated areas.

A fire watch station along the ICW (?)

A passing IP owner took these beautiful photos of Molly D.

Beautiful boat!

Molly D and a trawler type boat named Escape have been passing each other on the ICW since Portsmouth, VA. We have, by chance, stopped in many of the same towns at night. Today when Escape passed Molly D, I heard the captain yell “See ya tomorrow!” How funny! Only Molly D won’t be moving on the ICW again until Saturday.

Today most of our passage occurred during low tide. Great for bridge clearances, but not so great for shallower parts of the ICW. Molly D followed the Bob423 tracks and avoided the shallowest of water.

Yep. Low tide.

No water not too far from the ICW channel

A Barbie boat!

My other boat is a former commercial lifeboat.

The hardest part of today’s trip was the Isle of Palms portion of the ICW. Timing is everything in this area as high tide has plenty of water for passage but any tide lower than high tide is very shallow in spots. As in a 3’ depth. Molly D was grounded in this stretch of the ICW last year, with only 4’ of water under her keel (she needs 5’). We avoid traveling the Isle of Palms as often as possible by going offshore. Offshore was not a good option for Molly D today. Bob423, who is THE authority on ICW travel, developed a bypass around the shoaling in IOP. He found a side channel (which really looks like a shallow creek) that had plenty of water, even at low tide, to bypass the shallows. Molly D took that bypass route today. She never had less than 7’ under her keel. Most of the bypass had water depths from 10’ to over 20’!! If it weren’t for Bob’s efforts, no one would even think of trying this bypass. As the saying goes, “In Bob We Trust”!

When in Charleston, Molly D likes to dock at the Charleston Maritime Center. Unfortunately, the Maritime Center suffered significant damage to its docks during the last hurricane. Our second marina choice is the City Marina (a Safe Harbor Marina). Their dockage rates have soared. We ended up booking a slip at the Charleston Resort and Marina across the river in Mt Pleasant. It cost us $200 less than the Safe Harbor Marina! Safe Harbor is close to downtown Charleston, and the marina offers a free shuttle into town. The Charleston Resort Marina is across the river from downtown Charleston. The resort provides hourly free shuttle bus transportation into downtown Charleston. We will check that out tomorrow.

After Molly D was docked, David and I desperately wanted a shore shower. What a huge disappointment!!! The shower ”room” was about the size of a closet. Not kidding! When the room’s doors was closed, there was about 2’ of floor space between the door and the shower curtain. No bench for your stuff. Plenty of hooks, but if your stuff falls off a hook, it ends up on the wet floor. There was no air circulation in that tiny room. So humid! You want to dry your hair?? Well get out of the shower “room” and head to the adjacent restroom to dry your hair. Not an ideal shower situation! Molly D has more shower room than the shore shower! It’s settled. Shower on Molly D.

Tonight we ate at one of the marina’s restaurants. Big mistake. Mediocre “bar” food. Lesson learned.

Tomorrow night we will be having supper with boat friends that we met 2 years ago in Annapolis. This couple lives in Mt Pleasant (about 10 minutes from the marina) and they dock their boat in Charleston. Yeah, we kinda sorta have boat friends in many ports along the east coast.

Molly D at the dock.

Only 740 miles to Key West!!!

The drinks were the best part of our evening meal

[fieriframes]

[The only thing wrong with that dish, yet, there’s a woman he’s connected with, Ushikawa groaned. So I'm here in downtown Portsmouth, New Hampshire, about a third of a mile from the Piscataqua River]

[thelistingteammiami]

Top New Hampshire Cities for Young Professionals Seeking Urban Vibes

New Hampshire is known for its picturesque landscapes, charming small towns, and excellent quality of life. For young professionals seeking an urban vibe, this state offers vibrant cities with good real estate options, rich cultural scenes, thriving job markets, and plenty of recreational activities. With this in mind, let's explore some of the top New Hampshire cities perfect for young professionals looking to blend career growth with a dynamic lifestyle.

Portsmouth: A Seacoast Gem

Portsmouth is a historic seacoast city that attracts young professionals with its unique blend of old-world charm and modern amenities. Known for its vibrant arts scene, Portsmouth offers many cultural attractions, including the Music Hall, Prescott Park Arts Festival, and numerous galleries and theaters. The city’s economy is diverse, with strong technology, healthcare, and tourism sectors. Major employers include Portsmouth Regional Hospital and Lonza Biologics. Its location along the coast also provides opportunities in the maritime and shipping industries.

Furthermore, downtown Portsmouth is a bustling area filled with boutiques, cafes, and award-winning restaurants. The city is also known for its lively nightlife, with various bars and live music venues catering to different tastes.

Manchester: A Vibrant Haven for Young Professionals

Manchester is a dynamic city that blends the charm of New Hampshire with a bustling urban atmosphere. It’s an ideal destination for young professionals. The city’s thriving tech industry and numerous startups offer ample career opportunities. Despite this, living costs remain more affordable than in larger cities. Downtown Manchester is full of energy. It boasts various trendy restaurants, breweries, and entertainment venues catering to a youthful crowd. Outdoor enthusiasts will appreciate the city's proximity to the scenic White Mountains and Lakes Region, which provide endless opportunities for weekend adventures. Manchester’s rich history, diverse cultural scene, and strong sense of community create a vibrant and welcoming environment. It’s perfect for young professionals seeking career growth and an exciting urban lifestyle. For those planning a move, Manchester-based movers are a convenient and reliable option, ensuring a smooth transition to this dynamic city.

Nashua: The Hidden Gem for Young Urban Professionals

Nashua stands out for its unique blend of urban excitement and suburban comfort, making it an excellent choice for young professionals. Known for its picturesque downtown filled with historic architecture, Nashua offers a charming backdrop to a vibrant social scene.  Nashua is also celebrated for its impressive outdoor activities, from hiking trails in Mine Falls Park to kayaking on the Nashua River. Its convenient location near the Massachusetts border allows for quick trips to Boston, enhancing its appeal. With its affordable living, rich history, and welcoming community, Nashua provides a distinctive and appealing urban experience for young professionals.

Concord: A Hub for Young Professionals Seeking Growth and Opportunity

Concord stands out for its unique blend of professional opportunities and supportive infrastructure, making it an ideal city for young professionals. Known for its strong economy and proximity to major business centers, Concord offers many career possibilities, particularly in healthcare, education, and technology. The city's excellent public transportation system ensures efficient commutes, while its commitment to sustainability is evident in its extensive network of bike lanes and green initiatives. Additionally, it boasts top-notch coworking spaces and professional development resources, providing a nurturing environment for career growth. With its emphasis on innovation and progress, Concord is a city where young professionals can truly thrive.

Lebanon: A Launchpad for Young Professionals in Tech and Healthcare

Lebanon offers a unique environment for young professionals, especially those in the tech and healthcare sectors. Home to Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center and near Dartmouth College, the city provides abundant opportunities for career growth and professional development. Lebanon's commitment to innovation is evident in its thriving tech startups and research facilities, which attract ambitious professionals looking to make a mark. The city’s picturesque surroundings and commitment to sustainability create an inspiring backdrop for work and relaxation.

Hanover: A Nexus for Academic and Professional Excellence

Hanover is an exceptional city for young professionals, particularly those drawn to academia and research. Anchored by the prestigious Dartmouth College, Hanover offers many opportunities for career advancement and intellectual growth. The city's close-knit collaboration between the college and local businesses fosters an environment ripe for innovation and entrepreneurship. Hanover also boasts cutting-edge research facilities and numerous professional development programs catering to ambitious individuals.

Rochester: A City of Opportunity

Rochester is a city of opportunity, attracting young professionals with its affordable housing, growing job market, and vibrant community. Located in the Seacoast region, Rochester offers easy access to both the coast and the nearby city of Portsmouth. The city’s economy is diverse, with strong sectors in healthcare, education, and manufacturing. Major employers include Frisbie Memorial Hospital and Albany International.

Rochester’s downtown area is bustling with activity, offering a range of restaurants, bars, and shops. The city hosts community events like the Rochester Farmers Market and the Rochester Fair. These events provide excellent networking opportunities and foster a strong sense of community.

Conclusion: The Beauty of New Hampshire Cities

New Hampshire cities are perfect for young professionals seeking urban vibes. Whether you're looking for a bustling city with a diverse job market, a charming college town with a vibrant cultural scene, or a city that offers a unique blend of outdoor recreation and urban amenities, New Hampshire has something to offer. With its excellent quality of life, vibrant communities, and diverse job opportunities, the Granite State is ideal for young professionals to live, work, and thrive.

  Photos used: https://www.pexels.com/photo/woman-in-black-suit-jacket-facing-man-in-blue-denim-dress-shirt-same-standing-165907/

https://unsplash.com/photos/a-boat-on-a-lake-k_nw_cJeXhQ

https://www.pexels.com/photo/st-paul-school-in-concord-18299338/

[exitrealtycentral]

Property Details For 2116 Parker Avenue, Portsmouth, Virginia 23704 Welcome home to this beautifully renovated 3-bedroom gem, nestled in Portsmouth, mere minutes from downtown and the interstate. This charming abode boasts a brand-new kitchen complete with a stainless steel appliance package, including a refrigerator, flat top stove, dishwasher, and microwave. A newly added half bathroom […]

See More Information at https://is.gd/BCvRVT

[brookstonalmanac]

Beer Events 6.1

Events

1st written record of Scotch Whisky (1495)

The disbanded Virginia Legislature, defying the Royal Governor, met in a tavern and declared they would no longer "import from Great Britain ... beer, ale, porter, malt" thus setting the stage for the American brewing industry (1774)

Thrale Brewery, co-owned by Dr. Samuel Johnson, offered for sale (1781)

Louis Pasteur published Studies on Fermentation: The Diseases of Beer, Their Causes, and the Means of Preventing Them (1876)

Otto Zwietusch patented a Vent for Beer-Barrels (1880)

Prohibition of Alcohol in Manitoba, Canada Went into Effect (1916) Moerlein Brewing stopped production due to the impending Prohibition (1919)

Supreme Court ruled the 18th Amendment constitutional, which allowed Prohibition to proceed (1920)

Weber Brewery reopened after Prohibition (Waukesha, Wisconsin; 1934)

Frederick Siebel patented a Brewing Process (1937)

Superman debuts (1938)

Schaefer Brewing patented a Design for a Holder for Beer Foam Scrapers (1943)

Labatt introduces the six pint carton (1948)

International Cheese Treaty signed (1951)

1st issue of CAMRA’s newspaper What’s Brewing published (1972)

West Bend Brewing dissolved (Wisconsin; 1972)

Heimlich Maneuver introduced (1974)

Hoppy Brewing's Sacramento brewpub opened (1999)

Brewery Openings

Latrobe Brewing (Pennsylvania; 1939)

Capitol Brewing (Wisconsin; 1986)

Olde Heurich Brewing (Washington, DC; 1986)

Cherryland Brewing (Wisconsin; 1988)

Gordon Biersch (Palo Alto, California; 1988)

Highland Pub & Brewery (Oregon; 1988)

Les Brasseurs Du Nord brewery (Quebec, Canada; 1988)

Santa Fe Brewing (New Mexico; 1988)

Algonquin Brewery (Ontario; 1989)

Bohannon Brewing (Tennessee; 1989)

Market Street Brewery & Public House (Tennessee; 1989)

Etna Brewing (California; 1990)

Atlantic Brewing (Maine; 1991)

Burkhardt Brewing (Ohio; 1991)

Portsmouth Brewery (New Hampshire; 1991)

Beach Brewing (Florida; 1992)

H.C. Berger Brewing (Colorado; 1992)

Hazel Dell Brewpub (Washington; 1993)

Old Bear Brewery (England; 1993)

Redondo Beach Brewing (California; 1993)

Red, White & Brew (California; 1993)

Riverside Brewing (California; 1993)

Spring Street Brewing (New York; 1993)

Vino's brewery (Arkansas; 1993)

El Dorado Brewing (California; 1994)

Estes Park Brewing (Colorado; 1994)

Saint Arnold Brewing (Texas; 1994)

Valley Brewing (California; 1994)

Backwater Brewing (Minnesota; 1995)

Carlsbad Brewery (California; 1995)

Dave's Brewpub (Kansas; 1995)

Downtown Brewing (South Carolina; 1995)

Front Street Brewery (North Carolina; 1995)

Mill Street Brewing (Minnesota; 1995)

Old Raleigh Brewing (North Carolina; 1995)

Rockford Brewing (Delaware; 1995)

Twisted Pine Brewing (Colorado; 1995)

Brewers Union (California; 1996)

Butte Creek Brewing (California; 1996)

Flossmoor Station Brewing (Illinois; 1996)

FMI Brewing (Kansas; 1996)

Gluek Brewing (Minnesota; 1996)

La Brasserie Aux Quarte Temps (Canada; 1996)

Lakes of Muskoka Brewery (Canada; 1996)

Lawler Brewing (Arizona; 1996)

Microbrasserie Bas St. Laurent (Canada; 1996)

Moab Brewery (Utah; 1996)

Sleeping Giant Brewing (Montana; 1996)

Stone Brewing (California; 1996)

Sunrise at the Oasis (California; 1996)

B.O.B.'s House of Brews (Michigan; 1997)

Brewery Creek Brewing (Wisconsin; 1997)

Copperhead Ale Co. (California; 1997)

Cottage City Brewing (Massachusetts; 1997)

Flying Pig Brewing (Washington; 1997)

Globe Brewery & Barbecue Co. (Arizona; 1997)

Kappatsu Brewing (California; 1997)

Local Color Restaurant, Brewing & Distilling (Michigan; 1997)

Mackinaw Brewing (Michigan; 1997)

Sacketts Harbor Brewing (New York; 1997)

Sausalito Brewing (California; 1997)

So Yo Brewing (California; 1997)

Glasscock Brewing (Texas; 1998)

Mount Nittany Brewing (Pennsylvania; 1998)

Propeller Brewing (Canada; 1998)

Scotch Irish Brewing (Canada; 1998)

Uncle Tucker's Brewhouse (Maryland; 1998)

Bragdy Ynys Men brewery (Wales; 1999)

Hoppy Brewpub (California; 1999)

Ice Breakers Brewery & Restaurant (Georgia; 1999)

Ketchikan Brewing (Arkansas; 1999)

Komanosato Brewery (Japan; 1999)

Moon River Brewing (Georgia; 1999)

Buntingford Brewery (England; 2000)

Goldthorn Brewery (England; 2000)

Slout Brothers Public House (Wisconsin; 2000)

Ramapo Valley Brewing (New York; 2001)

Greenland Brewhouse (Greenland; 2006)

[sandwich-inn-and-suites]

Experience Portsmouth & Kittery

The charm of discovering something local…nestled in a pine grove just 1.5 miles outside of downtown Portsmouth and Kittery Foreside, the Kittery Inn and Suites has been restored to keep the rustic charm of the original 1950s inn, but with all the tasteful style and upgraded amenities that the modern traveler has come to expect. Located in Kittery, ME, the oldest town in Maine and home of the…