Want to search the skies, day or night? You can with the new observatory telescope at the McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center in Concord.  The observatory dome has two telescopes – one for tracking planets, galaxies and other nighttime objects and one for solar viewing. Both telescopes can be hooked up to the 58-inch plasma screen, so the images can be seen by anyone in the observatory. Today is the grand unveiling of the telescopes, and the public is invited to a celebration starting at noon. For more information, including directions, visit www.starhop.com

As I walked down a side street, I had a flashback to my college days in Boston. A little side street in Boston reminded me so much of the little side street in Beacon Hill, where I used to have an apartment. Sigh. I took a photo, and shook off my nostalgia to try something new: I visited the McGowan Fine Art Gallery on Hills Avenue. Everyone was in the midst of putting up a new show, but I was helpfully directed to a back room where you could look through framed paintings and matted prints. I was thrilled to see two Bradford artists – Sandy Wadlington and J. Ann Eldridge. Check out their web site to learn more about their artists and upcoming shows: www.mcgowanfineart.com

Looking for something different to do with mom? The Concord City Auditorium has a unique idea. On Saturday, May 9, from 8 a.m. to noon, they will be hosting the 9th Annual Perennial Exchange. Hundreds of gardeners bring their perennial plants to the Prince Street parking lot where they split and swap plants.

All you have to do is dig a few plants out of your garden, split them into handfuls, put them into cans or newspapers, and water them well. Add them to the selection on the table, then choose among the varieties brought by other gardeners. The assortment changes all morning, which adds to the fun of the swap. There’s even a master gardener on hand if you need advice or ideas, and a raffle with prizes.

Plan to come back in the evening for “Broadway on Prince Street” with the Granite State Symphony Orchestra and Concord Chorale. It will be a great day for mom! More information is on www.concordcityauditorium.org

Ever wonder what you’d look like as a television weather forecaster? Want to plan an expedition to Mars? Visit the McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center in Concord. The Christa McAuliffe Planetarium, originally built in 1990, has just completed Phase One of its transformation into a 45,000-square-foot discovery center with a new name and interactive exhibits on aviation, astronomy, and Earth and space sciences. I visited on opening night and watched a movie in a full-dome planetarium (pretty cool) and watched a big kid (in his late 40s) refuse to leave his post in a full-scale model of the Mercury 7 Capsule. Just goes to show that the discovery center is for kids of all ages!

I have a new favorite food: garlic nachos. I met a friend for lunch in Concord and we went to Hermanos Cocina Mexicana on 11 Hills Avenue. The nachos came first (and fast) and they were so very good. A layer of homemade corn tortilla chips topped with jalapenos, cheese (a Monterey jack/cheddar blend), and garlic. Lots and lots of garlic. I actually couldn’t talk for several minutes as each nacho tasted better than the last. I thought maybe I could duplicate it at home, but my friend said there was a secret ingredient – garlic infused olive oil – drizzled on the top. All I know is that I’ll be driving down to Concord much more frequently now. Thanks, Bruce and Jane, for a wonderful lunch.

PS: For those of you who watch television commercials, like I do, you’ll recognize num yummy. An office worker is in his cubicle eating soup for lunch, and the name plate maker (for lack of a better word) comes along and asks him his name. All he can say is “yum, num yummy.” And that is what his name plate ends up reading: num yummy. Cracks me up every time. When I was an office worker, I would have loved to have a silly name on my cubicle wall!

I needed a baby gift so I headed down to New London to find something for a newborn boy. I knew I had it right when I stopped into Artisan’s in New London and found Pookie’s Playclothes. The knitted items from Camille Gibson’s new peasant collection are adorable. And you can’t go wrong supporting a New Hampshire company (Pookie’s is based in Concord). See more of the knitted wonders for your own little cutie at www.pookiesplayclothes.com

My family took a trip to Concord yesterday to go to the grand opening of the Vintner’s Cellar Winery of Concord, located on 133 Loudon Road. Owners Larry and Virginia had quite a few events scheduled – I entered to win a wine tasting party for 8 people ($120 value), which teaches wine-tasting techniques and offers samples of a variety of their handcrafted wines. That’s right – wines are made right there on the premises. (Larry will give you a tour if you ask.) You can make a batch of wine specifically for you, or you can name a tank already in the making, such as a black current merlot that will be ready soon. It’s a really lovely store – definitely worth the drive down I-89 to check it out. I picked up bottles of Kearsarge White and Capitol Red to try out this week.  

My mom and I escaped on Saturday. We decided to go to Concord. Our first stop was Company C, because we received one of those colorful direct mail postcards. Company C is one of those stores where you want to ask, “Can I move in?” My mom and I were sitting so long, making a decision over a rug and calling husbands on the cell phone to check measurements, that an employee asked us if we were waiting for coffee. (Sure, if you have some send it this way!) But I was sad to see that we were the only shoppers in the store. It was a pretty nice sale on rugs and there should have been more people to take advantage of the deals.

We decided to go to Steeplegate Mall to check some sale racks. (I always shop locally, but there’s nothing like a mad dash through Target or pawing through 50% off racks at Lands End.) In every store we received great service – greetings from a salesperson, offers of help, and no lines at the cash register. It was a little disconcerting, but you couldn’t beat the customer service!