Archive for Sunapee
Crafter’s Market
If you didn’t find what you were looking for at the Craftsmen’s Fair last week, there’s a great shop in Sunapee Harbor with unique, hand crafted creations by local artisans. It’s called the Crafter’s Market and it’s new this year. I was pleased to see Deb Flander’s artwork, June Erla’s fantastic weaving, Steve and Sue Russell’s pottery, and lots of folks I hadn’t seen before. But it’s only open until mid-September, so make it a point to stop by. (Lucky for us it’s open seven days a week!)
Happy birthday Deck Dock
In March 2000, Deck Dock first opened its doors in Sunapee Harbor. It’s been in two locations (harbor and Route 103B). It had primarily gifts, then added a successful outdoor furniture line (or two or three). Now its March 2009, and Deck Dock is still here. The big red barn is full of treasures, including local artwork, birdhouses, wind chimes, jewelry, outdoor furniture (including beautiful mosaic tables) and lakeside accents. (Check out the wooden signs designed for Lake Sunapee, like the one pictured here. Love it!) Happy 10th birthday to Lynne and Mary and the rest of the Deck Dock staff – may you have many, many more!
Blue skies are back
Look up and you’ll see blue, blue skies, like this one behind the Community United Methodist Church in Sunapee. Makes you hopeful that spring is on the way. But don’t look down. Then you’ll see the mud ruts filled with ice, like the one here in front of the Sawyer Trail, just down the road in Sunapee.
Where customers come first
I had an hour of free time, so I thought I’d take myself out to lunch. I stopped at Double Diamond Cafe, located at 563 Route 103 in Sunapee, where the menu items have a ski theme. A “mogul” is not a mound of snow, but three eggs scrambled with sausage, ham and cheese. I had a lodge for lunch – not a building filled with skiiers but a club sandwich with turkey and bacon from North Country Smokehouse in Claremont. I was plowing through my fries when I realized that I had better eat my sandwich. I took a bite, and no bacon. I kept eating the wedge, thinking that it must be in there somewhere, but it wasn’t. I asked the waitress – maybe it didn’t say bacon on the menu? – but she apologized and gave me the sandwich for free. It was not necessary, but very much appreciated. I mean, how many times have you been at a restaurant, pointed out a mistake – and they do nothing? Or make you feel bad for pointing it out? Customer service really stands out these days – and it’s a rare gem when you find it. So do stop by the cafe and support a local restaurant who treats their customers well. You can get their hours and directions on the Web at www.doublediamondcafe.com 
Local community heroes
Have you seen the new The Infinite Persistence Life Television Show with Gordon Weinberger? Well, I haven’t and I really, really want to. I can’t figure out where Grantham fits in the whole local cable channel line up. In the Newport and Sunapee areas, Gordon’s new show is on Channel 10 on Sunday at 12 p.m. and 8 p.m. and in the New London, Wilmot, Warner, Bradford, Sutton and Newbury areas it is on Channel 10 daily at 1 p.m., 2 p.m., 10 p.m., and 11 p.m. Did you see Grantham on this list? No, me either. But every so often I can catch Kearsarge Valley Magazine so I know other local programming should be available in Grantham.
Anyway, when I can figure out the wonders of my cable box I’ll be able to see Gordon and his guests talk about topics such as the local economy, the New England Handicap Ski Association and Sunapee Recreation programs. I’ll be able to see him make his famous apple pie and watch local bands make some music. But right now, I’ll have to be content with the photos that Beth Rexford, an amazing Newport-based photographer, takes. 
Just imagine the skiing
With all this snow, you can imagine what a great skiing season this has been. These photos are of Mount Sunapee in Newbury. My son skis every Thursday with a school group. With the exception of one day, the skies have been clear and the sun has been shining brightly. Add a base of awesome snow (their web site www.mountsunapee.com says 3 to 4 feet of base snow) and he’s had a great time this year.
Grantham isn’t the only school district taking advantage of the mountain; I learned that Sunapee also has a five-week ski program for $50. School kids can take the bus over with a group every Thursday and try out a new sport. Man, I wish I had that opportunity as a kid. I took downhill lessons in my teens – and I was old enough to have some fear and know that falling could be a bad thing. So it was cross country from there on out for me.
Anyway, these kids range in age from 5 to 11, and it is pretty spectacular to see them zooming down the mountain. No fear and having a great time. There were quite a few out-of-town families trying to give their kids the same experience. I chatted with a dad from New Jersey in the warming hut; he and his wife brought their three kids to Sunapee for a week to learn to ski. It was his daughter’s first time on the mountain (she was taking lessons from a Mount Sunapee instructor) and he had the camera clicking away. I realized how lucky I was to live here (we live 20 minutes from the mountain) and it was a good reminder to take advantage of all the opportunities we have here in the Kearsarge area.
Sunapee’s HeyDay
Old timers got a look at some old machinery at Sunapee’s HeyDay. This restored 1928 Buffalo-Springfield gas road roller was a highlight. The owner of the machine, proudly seated in a lawn chair next to it, was regaling the crowd with stories of seeing it when he was a kid. (Apparently he and his brother would ride it for “hours in their mind” when it was stored near their house.) When it came up for sale, he bought and restored it. What I would have liked to see: this machine being driven down to the harbor. With no blinkers or hazard lights, I bet oncoming traffic wasn’t quite sure what to make of the old machine!
Where does she get the energy?
I stopped into Wire Whisk (the New London location) to see what was new, besides the store that is. I love kitchen stores – I love to look at all the gadgets. I’m a baker, so I have cake pans in every size and type – bundt, bundt with designs (square-ish, round, etc.) giant cupcake and cupcake tins in several sizes, square (8, 9 and 10 inch), round (8 and 9 inch), rectangular, loaf and mini loaf, the list goes on. This store will be one of my favorites. I was psyched to see the cuisinarts and a panini grill. I can’t wait to see what else Zoie will order. Speaking of Zoie, girl, where do you get the energy for not one (MoRae), not two (MoRae and Natalie’s), but THREE retail stores in TWO locations (the Wire Whisk is in New London and Sunapee)?? I have one location, my office, and can barely keep up with that. My hat’s off to a fellow entrepreneur. And I’ll see you next week when my King Arthur supplies run out. 
Center Gallery
There are some beautiful things in the Center Gallery in Sunapee Harbor. Pictured here is pottery by Carr Robertson. I used to work with Carr at DHMC, and I had no idea she was so talented. I drooled over several of her pieces, including a porcelain trivet and crackle glazed mugs. There’s also some wonderful folk art by Barbara McAllister of Canaan. She is a super nice person and her work is whimsical – just plain fun. I have one of her roosters in my office; it was used in a photo shoot for an article in Upper Valley Life and she let me keep it. That rooster makes me smile every time I look at it. Work by June Latti, a portrait artist, is hung throughout the gallery. Her impressionistic work is quite beautiful. I tried to take a few photos but I couldn’t seem to get it right. (And I didn’t want to post it on the Web if it wasn’t right.) It’s a lovely shop, so do stop in if you are in the area.
Visiting my peeps
It was such a nice day that I decided to leave the my desk and visit some folks. I asked my mom to go with me – a great way to combine work with a little mother/daughter time. We headed off to Newbury, where I stopped in to take some photos at Sunapee Landing Trading Company (see April xx blog). No matter how many times we circled the store, I still don’t think we saw everything. Bill even opened a new room and filled it with antiques.
Then we went to Bubba’s for lunch. I ordered a shrimp appetizer and a cobb salad, and both were really yummy. My mom ordered the cobb sandwich and sweet potato fries. The service was great – our waitress didn’t rush us nor did she forget about us. We were done in an hour.
After Bubba’s, we headed to Sunapee Harbor to check out MoRae’s new location (lovely) and Harbor Gallery’s progress in the new first-level space (getting there). Then we actually had time to stop at Artisan’s and get a baby gift for one of the magazine’s writers. Although it wasn’t a sales day for me (I didn’t sell ads), I sure did provide some sales for other folks! Just doing my job to support the local economy…ha ha.
