A local favorite for barbecue pork spareribs and sausages, residents of Concord have been frequenting Arnie's since 1960. If you're still in town and on the hunt for summer eats like barbecue plates and home-made ice cream and yogurt, try Arnie's Place on 164 Loudon Road.

Connected to the Centennial Hotel, Granite Restaurant & Bar is an upscale establishment, and a great place to suggest to your parents if they're looking for something different from chain hotels/motels and visiting in the upcoming weeks. Granite, located on 96 Pleasant Street in Concord, has been newly renovated and has updated its menu items to include traditional dishes as well as Caribbean, Pacific Rim and Latino influenced-style cuisine. It's definitely a lesser-known business of Concord, but well-worth to check out for a fine dining experience.

Questions? Call (603) 227-9000.

Take advantage of the warm weather to cool off at the pool or the beach. Portsmouth has got two great venues for summer fun - Water Country and Hampton Beach.

Water Country is just what it sounds like; it's a huge amusement park with rides and slides some of which are called the Black Hole and Warp 8, Ollie Octopus, and Whirlpool. Tickets are $36 for a full day pass.

Looking for a cheaper way to hit the water? Portsmouth's Hampton Beach is the busiest beach in New Hampshire, and free and open to the public. Hampton Beach also hosts several annual festivals and other events including the Hampton Beach Seafood Festival, Hampton Beach Master Sand Sculpting Competition, and fireworks on every Wednesday at 930 PM during the summer.

If you're in the area, Portsmouth offers some great ways to spend a relaxing summer afternoon.

America's Stonehenge is an archaeological site of stone structures on thirty acres. On a self-guided tour, visitors walk on a trial with a gradual incline of rocky terrain for about half a mile. The trial usually takes up to an hour to finish, and admissions is about $10.

If you're interested, check out more information at http://www.stonehengeusa.com/index.html.

Remember in Bambi - after the forest got burned down - and all the animals started to come out of hibernation? Then they started to pair off because spring/love was in the air? Yeah, cities that are awesome enough to have all four seasons have this pattern as well.

Winters always feel so long, and when spring finally emerges, you feel an renewed sense of energy. Some may take this energy and get back into shape. Still others may take up a new hobby that's outdoors to take advantage of the nice weather. If you're the kind of person that has a renewed sense of energy for dating, I've got just the place for you right here in Concord.

Featuring a wide array of local, New England artists with both indoor and outdoor facilities, Mill Brook Gallery and Sculpture Gardens have a permanent collection as well as a seasonal collection. Currently from April 1 to May 10, there is a contemporary painting exhibit featuring four artists from the area. Along with the art exhibitions, the gardens have unique sculptures to gander at to create an overriding atmosphere to promote conversation and reflection.

It's a great place to bring a date, or have a girls-day picnic. I can't quite see two dude friends going on a Saturday afternoon, but prove me wrong men of Pierce Law. If you have any questions, contact (603) 226-2046 or email us at artsculpt@mindspring.com.

Remember, the beauty of graduation weekend is that your parents are in town ... and they pay for most of your meals. You're used to living on a budget during your three years, and pretty much all the times you went out to eat lunch were through the McDonald's drive-thru and ordering off the dollar menu. Here are some recommended options for breakfast, lunch, and dinner that are a bit higher scale than Micky D's.

The Windmill and Friendly's are both neighborhood favorites, and provide all the fixings for a traditional and hearty American breakfast. Both are great places to get food for the 'rents and other family members that travel from near or far. The Windmill Restaurant is located at 172 Loudon Road, and Friendly's is at two locations -147 Loudon Road and 203 N. Main Street.

If you're more comfortable with perhaps a restaurant chain that's reliable and familiar, you can't go wrong with the Olive Garden's free salad and bread sticks deal with any purchase of a lunch or dinner meal. Make sure to call ahead for a reservation because the wait time may be long without one.

If you're looking to change it up, you may want to suggest an ethnic meal. House of India, at 6 Pleasant Street, cooks up the best plate of chicken tikka masala and vindaloo. There is plenty of seating to go around, and it's usually a quiet restaurant around lunch time so you basically have the entire place to yourselves - making it an ideal place to take a large party.

Dinner is always the big focus of graduation weekend's meals. Take your parents and family to a place that's native to New Hampshire. The Common Man as well as Red Blazer are restaurants that serve contemporary inspirations from traditional dishes. Both are also just fancy enough to be a venue for celebrating your graduation, but are down-to-earth enough to avoid breaking (your parent's) budgets.

Congratulations to this year's graduating class of 2009. Hope I've helped to make planning your graduation weekend a little easier.

Everyone's a little different in what they want in an apartment. Carpet or wood floors, ground floor or no preference, and furnished or un-furnished are only a few of the choices you consider when trying to find the right place to live.

Personal style preferences aside, I have a few of my own tips for those moving to Concord for the first time this upcoming fall.

Live close to school. There will be times when you have an 8:30 A.M. class, and you wake up around the usual time to find out there's four feet of snow in front of your front door AND on your car. Living close to school will make your commute shorter as well as making your life easier. Most students at Pierce Law know this fact of life as the majority of the student body live within walking distance of the main building.

Get heating included. Of the utilities that you want to get included in your rent, heating is a must. Depending on the type of windows and insulation your building has, heating can add up to steep costs during the winter months. Unless your rent is dirt cheap without the heating as to even out to a median rent price for a comparable apartment relative to the number of bedrooms, size, location (etc), try to get heating included in your utilities.

Don't over-commit. Moving is a hassle, and it's ideal to live in the same apartment for the three years you're in Concord. Although there are advantages to signing a multi-year lease like locking in a current rate, you may decide later on the apartment that you signed up for wasn't all that it was cracked up to be, or that you may want to do an externship out-of-state for a semester. So, I suggest you sign a one-year lease, and then make a longer term decision afterwards.

How to find an apartment. The most recommended way of finding an apartment in town is Pierce Law Housing Marketplace. Local landlords that prefer leasing to law students post available apartments on the website, and the search option to scroll through listings by filters such as price range and number of bedrooms making the Housing Marketplace both easy and convenient.

Other options for students to search for an apartment include the old fashion patrolling around the streets to see "For Rent" signs, craigslist.com, or asking locals or current students for the best deals. If you opt to ask around, I suggest hitting up graduating 3Ls because that's a guaranteed vacant apartment come July.

How to find a roommate. For students coming to visit during the spring Open House, see who you hit it off with and ask them if they'd be interested in finding housing together. For students unable to visit prior to moving to town in the fall, Pierce Law Housing Marketplace offers a listing of recently accepted students in the same position looking for the right person to share living quarters with so that you can get in touch with prospective roomies via the Marketplace web site. Another option is to see who in the Pierce Law - 2012 Facebook group for admitted students would be interested as that worked for some last year.

There is a cycle of the life of a student. Fall semester is exciting, and you feel refreshed after summer sun and fun. Things get going, and you realize that the excitement is over and you're stressed out from preparing outlines and preparing for finals. Winter break gives you a breather, and the beginning of the spring semester is mostly kept busy by your counting down the days til spring break.

All of a sudden, you're at the last week of classes and the weather becomes more welcoming than the long days of New Hampshire winter. What does this mean? Some people take this opportunity to take a day or two off for a trip down to Boston or Portsmouth or spending a day watching movies at home. Another great idea to give you that last breath before spring finals is camping. More specifically, camping at Bear Brook State Park.

The largest developed state park in New Hampshire, Bear Brook is located in Allenstown. The state park offers a plentiful variety of activities from canoeing on the Catamount Ponds,, 15-target archery ranges, a one and quarter mile, twenty station fitness course, and hiking trails throughout the over 10,000 acres.

Camping is offered to individuals, families, and youth groups with your choice of camping experiences such as primitive camping, cabin rentals, full-service RV hookups, and lean-to's. Online reservations can be made 24 hours a day at the New Hampshire State Parks website. Rates at Bear Brook are $23 per night, and $10 per additional person so going in a group is more economical (as well as fun anyways).

Talk it up and talk it out, and you'll likely to find a handful of people that'd be interested to share the New Hampshire outdoors with you. It's a great way to get out of town for a while to clear your head before you plunge yourself into a few weeks of finals delirium.

Quick service, quick delivery pizza places There are days that drag on like the time-space continuum has stopped, and then you realize you can't even get lunch for yourself between classes at the Jury Box because you forgot your wallet with all your cash. On days that you want a quick meal after you get home from a long (and hungry) day and you're looking for fast delivery, try Domino's Pizza. Domino's provides the quickest turnover time among all the pizza delivery services in town. I recommend the online ordering particularly because Domino's has added an online tracker that shows you when your pizza's being baked, boxed, and in the process of being delivered.

Places to get specialty pizza Pizza isn't known to be the most high-class meal especially when you eat it cold in the mornings. It's a different story when it comes to gourmet pizza. Although more expensive than your run-of-the-mill cheese with pepperoni, Checkmate Pizza and Sal's Pizza offer specialty pizza with toppings that range from buffalo chicken, pineapple, and broccoli. Add some spice to your regular pizza slice. For menus, check out http://checkmatepizza.com/pizzas.html and http://www.sals-pizza.com/pizza.html.

Offering fresh baked breakfast goods, gourmet sandwiches and salads, and coffee, In a Pinch Cafe and Bakery is Panera but without the nation-wide chain element. Employees are extremely friendly and prices are reasonable in this neighborhood cafe bakery.

What further sets In a Pinch apart from other cafe bakeries in the area? Locals love the desserts that range from layered carrot cake, a wide selection of pies and flavored squares,and not to mention, In a Pinch's signature cream cheese brownies.

If you're going to Panera anyways, try In a Pinch Cafe to support local businesses. There are two locations at 2 Pillsbury Street as well as 146 Pleasant Street.

Candlepins is a style of bowling unique to Canada and the New England area where each player uses smaller balls to knock down thinner pins. Because of this combo, scoring points is much more difficult than your standard ten-pin bowling. Wiki tells me the highest official sanctioned score ever recorded is a 245 out of 300.

Interested in trying your hand at candlepin bowling? Thirty minutes away in Nashua, Leda Lanes that still offers candlepins. Shoe rentals are only $2.25, and one string (one game of candlepin bowling) is $3.00 per person. Leda also offers glow, or cosmic, bowling so call ahead at (603) 889-4884 for schedules.

Other bowling alleys in the area that offer candlepin bowling include:
Boutwells Bowling Center 152 N State St, Concord, NH, (603) 224-0941

Tucked away in Eagle Square just past the huge clock on Main Street, New Hampshire's History Museum offers a variety of programs and exhibitions on the state. Current exhibitions include "Abraham Lincoln and New Hampshire" and "The Drawings and Watercolors of Marian Cannon Schlesinger." It may not be your Saturday night activity, but keep the New Hampshire History Museum in mind if your parents are ever in town and they're interested to learn about the state you live in.

The New Hampshire History Museum is open Tuesday through Saturday, 930AM to 5PM, and Sundays, 12PM to 5PM. There's a special admissions offer: Buy One Admission, Get One Free. Check it out.

Local Harvest CSA consists of eight New Hampshire organic farms that prepares fresh organic and locally grown fruits and vegetables to members. How does it work? Its a food subscription in two steps: 1) You pay the farmers in winter or spring for a share in the upcoming harvest, and 2) You receive a weekly box of naturally grown food on Wednesday from 2:30 to 6:30PM at the Unitarian-Universalist Church in Concord, 274 Pleasant Street. There are different share options that vary in prices, sizes, and functions, from single to family shares and vacation to bread packages.

If you're interested, submit a membership application to join Local Harvest CSA. For more information, visit http://localharvestnh.com/.

Not many people know of it because its one of Concord's quiet neighborhood establishments. Just north on Main Street past Barb's Beer Emporium, there's a small restaurant with a yellow sign and flower curtains called The Gaslighter Restaurant. Serving reasonably priced souvlaki, Syrian pockets, and grilled burgers, the Gaslighter has an overwhelming theme of simplicity - A fresh home-cooked taste and good service. Its easy to overlook because its not flashy, but the quality of the food and friendly atmosphere is worth visiting at least once.

The Gaslighter Restaurant, located at 204 N. Main Street, is open Mon-Tue,Thu-Fri 11AM to9 PM, and Sat 11AM to 10 PM.

Capital Center for the Arts, located at 44 S.Main Street, is Concord area's largest venue for the performing arts. Opened in 1927, Capital Center presents a wide variety of events including Broadway shows, dance performances, and family shows. On a budget? The William H. Gile Concert Series is a feature program that offers free tickets to members of the community upon request. If you're interested, the month of March features free performances by the Harlem Gospel Choir as well as the United States Army Field Band scheduled tonight at 730PM.

For a list of other performances, check out http://ccanh.com/all-performances/61. For directions or questions, call Capitol Center for the Arts at (603) 225-1111.

The Barley House is offering a full Irish breakfast buffet this upcoming Monday from 7-930a. What is an Irish breakfast you ask? It's a full-plate of Irish sausages, eggs, Irish bacon, potatoes, and Irish beans seasoned with Saxa white pepper and grated Dubliner cheese. In other words, a hearty full-breakfast plate and a good start to your St. Patty's Day celebrations awaits you for $10.99.

All proceeds will benefit Concord Main Street, Inc. If you have any questions, call (603) 228-6363 to get more information.

For fair trade coffee, organic produce and meats, and fresh baked treats, visit the Concord Cooperative Market at 24 S. Main Street. Specializing in providing customers products for special diet needs, meat and dairy alternatives, and local, home-grown items, the Cooperative has affordable prices for a selection not offered by big-name grocery stores in town.

Join the Membership program if you find yourself as a frequent shopper to get 10% discount on all purchases - including beverages at the Celery Stick Cafe in the Cooperative - on Member Appreciation Days.

It's one of Concord's best-kept secrets quietly snugged on the same block as Margarita's and Artisan Tattoos. From homemade chocolates and candy to nuts, Granite State Candy Shoppe & Ice Cream is a charming small-town boutique that offers treats fresh and prepared daily.

Established in 1927, Granite Candy has been owned and family-run for three generations. Their signature chocolates in the shape of New Hampshire are cute (and delicious) souvenirs for friends and family. If you're too busy to visit though, the shop also takes online orders on their website and delivers to your doorstep.

My personal favorites - and recommendations - are the almond butter crunches and the hand-made peanut brittle. Schedule a visit because 1) The chocolates are tasty, 2) In-house service is quick, and 3) Small, family-owned shops exemplify the charm of downtown Concord.

Washington Street Cafe has been working on improving its decor and menu selection. With a roomier space for customers to enjoy their fresh deli sandwiches, the Cafe is also offering five course Middle Eastern dinners every Friday and Saturday evening. The menu options include your choice of an appetizer, choice of soup, salad, one entree, and Baklava dessert. All portions of the meal are homemade and authentic for under $25 per person. Seating is available at 6 and 8 PM, and customers are welcome to bring their own wine.

No other venue offers Middle Eastern cuisine in Concord, and it just so happens it's being offered across the street at 88 Washington. For reservations or information, call (603) 228-2000, or (603) 235-4229.

Most yoga centers will give beginners or new customers a free pass. I got mine from Living Yoga on 120 N. Main. As expected, there were a lot of ladies and one brave (and some may say lucky) man. The atmosphere kind of reminds you of being at church because everyone that you meet is uncomfortably nice to you, but at least there's no need to be intimidated by anything. Classes are usually an hour long, and mats are supplied to newbies.

One thing is true though; Yoga is a sneaky workout. For an hour, you follow the instructor's directions, replicate her demonstrations, and hold positions. Afterward, you feel fine and start to think that yoga means paying someone to play a game of "Simon Says" with you, and Simon Says to stretch. Another hour passes, and your muscles begin to get sore. After two, you realize that yoga is as effective as your workout on the Stairmaster because you feel the burn in your arms, abs, and thighs. Yoga does what it promises; It provides low-impact exercise focusing on tone and strength.

There are different types of yoga, and some may be more suitable to you based on your experience level. If you haven't tried it, I encourage you to do so at least once.

Smitty's Cinema in Tilton provides restaurant-style food and service while you watch a movie on the big screen to create a "one-stop entertainment solution." Based in Massachusetts, Tilton is Smitty's only location in New Hampshire to boast large leather recliners and menu items like the Godzilla Burger and Momma Mia Mozzarella Sticks. Alcoholic beverages are also served with ID, and movie popcorn is served separately at the concession stand. The idea is simple - eat, drink, and enjoy - but the fact that no other theater does it, will make the half an hour drive well worth it for the experience.

If you're going to visit this weekend, check out Taken starring Liam Neeson. You get an impressive hour and half of Neeson punching his way through Paris, and the film.

Although it's covered in snow nowadays, White Park is still good to visit for old-fashioned "ice pond" skating and sledding. Unlike the scene in Little Women where Kirsten Dunst almost drowns and freezes to death after she falls through a thin patch of ice, I've been reassured by townsfolk that ice skating on White Park's pond is safe. Skate rentals are available Friday nights and weekends. If you're not much for ice skating, bring a sled (or make-shift snowboard) just past the playground and near the baseball field. The incline isn't steep by any means, but sledding along with skating are a few good ideas to pass an afternoon while enjoying winter at White Park.

This happens every year. After the holidays roll through with its delicious offerings of pastries, home-cooking, and wine and cheese parties, the pants that were loose before finals and Christmas vacation fit just a little snugger than you remember. Big coats and sweaters are forgiving on your figure, but winter doesn't last forever.

Pierce law students have two main options - each with its advantages and downsides. Nobody is the wiser, but Concord does have young people in town. And apparently, they all go to Planet Fitness to work out. For $20/mo with a year-long commitment, Planet Fitness offers a large selection of cardio and weight-training equipment. Other services include personal training, massage chairs, and tanning. It's affordable, and open 24 hours to accommodate any schedule. On the flip side, Planet Fitness is a five minute drive away which may be a deterrent for students without a car, and the year-long agreement may be too much, too quickly for some.

The second option in town is the Concord YMCA. Pierce law students have a discounted membership for $22/mo to get access to cardio and weight-training equipment, lap swimming, squash courts, and free programs included in the membership like yoga and rock climbing. Membership is renewable on a monthly basis. The Y offers more variety to your workout, but the equipment is noticeably older and program schedules vary by time and day.

Personal preferences will ultimately decide how you choose to get exercise into your schedule. Get a day pass, and ask around if you do want to join a gym.

Eating out can be an expensive habit, but not when you pick and choose restaurants by their dinner specials like a vulture. Cheers Restaurant, located at 17 Depot Street, hosts Pasta Nights every Wednesday from 5-9 PM. For $13, Cheers provides an all you can eat three course meal that includes your choice of homemade soup or fresh salad with Tuscan bread, a variety of pasta dishes to sample pasta and sauces alike, and evening desserts. The wait staff can be a bit cold, but you can't beat this deal. So skip lunch today to save room for what awaits tonight.

College was a time when eating ramen for nearly every meal, and bumming free pizza off of informational meetings was common-place behavior and kind of fun. If you're just as broke now as a law student, salty instant meals and prowling informational meetings like a scavenger may have lost some of its charm. Although every student is looking forward to having a week-long hiatus from the grind, some may be more on a budget than others. Here are a couple of ideas for the money conscious.

A mini road trip to Vermont. It's a small state that out-ranks only Wyoming in population size, but it's well known for a handful of distinctive features like covered bridges, Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream, and maple syrup. Plan a drive, and schedule a Ben & Jerry's factory tour between 10a to 6p for $3/person. Tours last about half an hour, and the last one leaves at 5p. If you're also interested in visiting a sugar house, Bragg Farm House came recommended as an authentic source for maple soft serve creamies, maple milkshakes, and Vermont cheeses. Don't forget to enjoy the mountain views and spotting Vermont's trademark covered bridges along the way.

A day at a Connecticut casino: Mohegan Sun. Connecticut's Mohegan Sun is an impressive venue with all the glitz of a high-price luxury hotel casino. Some visitors are enthusiasts that are in it to win anything between spending change to big bucks. Others, like me, would rather take my stash of pennies, and see what chance has to offer me with the slot machines. Free drinks are offered to all visitors, and there are also smoke-free areas on the floor. Only a three hour drive away, a visit to Mohegan Sun is nonetheless a great way to feel like you're on an expensive and exotic trip away.

Staying in town: New Hampshire's Fun World and Space Center. Fun World and Space Center are two New Hampshire spots that provide a bigger, better, and grander version of your local Chuckee Cheese's. Bumper cars, intensely large arcades, and indoor rides galore is the only way to describe Fun World and Space Center. Located in Nashua and Hookett respectively, both amusement parks are focused on catering to children and pre-teens but that doesn't mean you can't visit to enjoy a round of slurpees from the concession stand and couple games of skee ball.

Go home to your mom. You'll always likely have a free place to stay and warm home-cooked meals when you go home. Sure, it's not a trip with your pals to Miami or Cancun, but the price is too much of a bargain and the meals are too delicious to be passed up. Catch up with the 'rents, see your high school and college mates, and take the opportunity to relax before the rest of semester ahead.

Whatever your plans, don't forget the "break" in spring break. Try not to work during the entire nine glorious days of freedom we have, or stress out about all the work that you should be doing or need to do when you get back. Remember -- as Chief Judge Broderick reminded us in his talk a couple weeks ago -- that everyone needs a breather.

A neighborhood's businesses are created and shaped by the dynamics of its citizenry, and contemporary downtown areas have universal features - two of which are bookstores and cafes. I look down Main and all I see are what I believe to be antiquated businesses. Instead of a Starbucks on every block and a giant Barnes & Noble (with a Starbucks cafe inside), I see a shoe repair shop and a store that apparently makes fruit look like flower arrangements.

But again, neighborhood businesses and a town's central hub is inherently established, supported, and sustained by its people. Loudon Road is littered with chain restaurants, big box retail stores, and the like. Main Street, on the other hand, is peculiar in that it's a downtown area is dominated by its local establishments. Its bookstores and cafes don't have the brand name recognition because they are owned and operated by locals. As refreshing as it is to support neighborhood businesses, some are a bit difficult to find.

My recommendations for top bookstore and cafe in town are Gibson's Bookstore and Caffenio. Concord's largest independent bookstore, located at 27 S. Main Street, holds a sizable collection. Gibson's Bookstore also organizes a book club, poetry readings, and book signings. Their frequent customer program gives a 20% discount for every ten books you purchase at the store. Caffenio, 84 N. Main Street, offers fresh brewed coffee and homemade pastries -- plus free wi-fi. The one drawback to Caffenio is that it only accepts cash, particularly because I only carry plastic.

Try them out and get to know the town that you live and go to school in.

As much as you love Chad, there is a breaking point of how many Jury Box salads one can consume for lunch. Within a semester, a student will come to understand that there are only a few places in Concord that he or she can hussle to and from between classes to get quality off-campus eats. There are those that enjoy paying twelve dollars for a piece of bread and salad; they go to Panera. Some like $2 Taco Tuesdays at Dos Amigos. Still others like pizza so they travel to Pizza Hut for its lunch buffet specials on Mondays, or walk just around the corner to Checkmate Pizza.

For a change of pace, try Moritomo Japanese Restaurant at 32 Fort Eddy Rd. The best bargain that you can get there is the bento box lunch special. Priced at $10 per bento, the serving portions are only slightly smaller than the dinner bento but the prices are much cheaper. If there's room for dessert, try the green tea ice cream because Moritomo's is the only restaurant in town that serves it.

With Valentine's Day nearing within a month, singles and committed folks alike may want to (or need to) work on their dance moves for a successful Hallmark holiday.

Near the intersection of Main Street and Pleasant, Let's Dance Studio of Concord, NH offers private lessons and group classes in ten dances including the foxtrot, waltz, and social ballroom dancing. Classes are reasonably priced, and times vary.

If you're looking to check out the studio and talk to the instructors before making the commitment, stop by on a Thursday night from 8 to 10 PM for a free dancing session. Open to the public, and there's no need to bring a partner if you don't have one already.

Be aware that the clientele of Let's Dance is skewed to your parents' age. But don't be afeared; They don't bite.

You got your refund check, and you're disappointed to find that you overestimated the amount you'd receive to offset the Christmas season and New Year's celebrations (The handmade pinata and custom-made wine seemed like a good idea at the time.) Like every law student across the blessed continental Forty Eight, you are "living on a budget," "watching your expenses," or in other words, you are bum broke and most likely ready and willing to dance for the highest bidder if they offered to cover your books for the semester.

Located at 21 Central St, Manchester, TJ's offers patrons $2 basket of French fries and onion rings each and $5 pitchers of High-Life everyday for the poor and hungry twenty-something year old. The staff is extremely friendly even if they are busy as a result of understaffing. And the best part of TJ's is, is that it attracts the most eclectic collection of residents that you would only encounter in a neighborhood hotspot. So treat yourself to some fries or rings and share a pitcher with a friend before you buckle down for another semester of case briefs, study group sessions, and late nights.

Tired of playing Rockband 2 on Xbox? Have the crazy notion of getting up and getting out with a group of friends? A ten minute drive away is Crossfire Paintball NH. Offering outdoor and indoor paintball, Crossfire is open Tuesday through Sunday with discounts on Friday nights with school ID. I recommend the outdoor setup. There's something about an artificial turf in a climate controlled setting that takes away from pumping adrenaline and blood thirst.

So you have a date for the week, what do you do if you have only a couple of dollars to spare to put together a fun and romantic shindig? Try Everett Arena on15 Loudon Road during their public skating hours-Sundays from 530 PM to 730 PM or Mondays through Friday from 1130 AM to 1 PM. Five dollar admissions plus four dollar ice skate rentals for two people is a bargain, and gives you the perfect opportunity to recreate that scene in yoru favorite romantic comedy where the two protagonists decide to go ice skating impromptu to ultimately fall on each other for an awkward (and dangerously) close moment intimate smooching. If you're more interested in recreating the "Flying V" from the Mighty Ducks, Everett Arena also has stick practice.

Since the beginning of the semester, you've parked yourself at the library and have hardly seen your bed for more than four hours on a weekday. You decide to let loose for one night this weekend to remind yourself that you used to have fun outside of making crude and bizarre law school jokes. If you have the time and a friend, head down to Boston's Roxy Club. The decor theme is a touch of old world while the sound system is definitely a product of the 21st century. Bar service is quicker than you'd expect, and the bathroom lines aren't ridiculously long. Just remember to get there before 11 PM because that's when the line to get into Roxy exponentially increases like the price of the cover. Even if you do get there a little later, the wait in line and cover will be worth it if you're in the mood to dance in a club that's reminiscent of Euro-style discotheques. Roxy isn't your typical nightclub if you make the most of your experience and have fun. Plus it's a lot better than working on outlines on a Saturday night.

Emeril Lagasse. Iron Chef. Rachael Ray. You can do things to ramen that even the best chefs would balk at. But this week, you're going to stretch your talents and experiment with international ingredients beyond the ethnic aisle at Shaw's.

Looking for Indian markets? Here are your closest options.
Desi Bazar (126 Kelley St, Manchester, NH) Ph: (603) 641-0160
India Palace (575 S Willow St, #F6, Manchester, NH) Ph: (603) 641-8413
Spice Center (245 Maple St, Manchester, NH) Ph: (603) 626-7290
Dar Groceries (295 Daniel Webster Hwy, Nashua, NH) Ph: (603) 888-7521
Food & Fashion of India (427 Amherst St, Nashua, NH) Ph: (603) 595-0022
Palika Bazaar (427 Amherst St, #139, Nashua, NH) Ph: (603) 595-6400
Apna Bazar (326 S Broadway, Salem, NH) Ph: (603) 898-8677

European products:
Moscow European Gourmet Food Store (42 Harbor Ave, Nashua, NH) Ph: (603) 579-6939

Recommended Asian grocery stores include:
Seoul Oriental Market (245 Maple Street, Manchester, NH) Ph:(603) 626-1334
Merlion Asian Market (433 Amherst St, Nashua, NH) Ph: (603) 578-0438
CommunityWalk Map - NH - Living > Foods > International Foods

There are a handful of things that New England does best—plowing snow, throwing 'tea parties,' and making the best old fashioned kettle-cooked potato chips that feed the young and old across these blessed continental united States.

Winter hasn't hit New Hampshire quite yet so there's no occasion to break out your snow shovel. Boston apparently hasn't found another cause to host another tea party since its last one, two hundred thirty five years ago. So if you're in the mood to get out of town for a while and see an institution that puts (or should put) New England on the map, visit the Cape Cod Potato Chip Factory for a free tour, Monday through Friday from 9 AM to 5 PM. You'll get to walk through and see firsthand how the potatoes disappear in large machines, and then get made into your favorite snack to munch on. When you're finished, don't forget to take a look at the rest of Cape Cod, too.

Just over an hour's drive away, Portsmouth's streets brim with the charm of a small New England town reminiscent of a postcard. Driving through the downtown area, one cannot help but notice that the city is not in want of bars and pubs-a quality not uncommon for a seaport town.

There are several stops that are worth an investment. I recommend making Portsmouth Brewery, New Hampshire's first brewpub, your first stop where you can find beer sampler options for reasonable prices. Down the street, Fat Belly's Bar & Grill, serves beer in huge fishbowls to give you a bigger bang for your buck. Fat Belly's also has specials during Red Sox games for local fans. A great location to finish off a low-key barcrawl is at The Rusty Hammer where loyal regulars swear is one of the friendliest bars in town.

Portsmouth is beautiful. Don't overlook it during your three years in New Hampshire.
CommunityWalk Map - NH - Living > Nightlife

So you're tired of watching DVDs on your laptop and the low quality made-for-TV movies on the box and ignoring the obvious hole in your pocket, you've decided to shell out some cash to go see a film on the big screen in town. You have a few options.

The Concord 10 on Loudon Road has all the new film releases in a run-of-the-mill theatre. The greatest feature of this theatre is it's location - close and in Concord. If you have a little more time to make a drive out to Hooksett, check out Cinemagic Hooksett with a larger screen and available seating in each theatre. And if the name of your game is keeping the admissions price as cheap as possible, Hooksett 8 Theatres at100 Technology Drive schedules film showings that have been out for a while at discounted prices-$3.50 for general admission.

Wondering about a couple movies that are out? For a bad cop-good cop movie, watch Pride and Glory. For slapstick comedy, opt for Zack & Miri Make a Porno. Thinking about going to see House Bunny? Scratch that, because it's not worth the $3.50 to see it at Hooksett 8.
CommunityWalk Map - NH - Living > Theatres

You have a car. You have a dollar. And maybe a friend that wouldn't mind to go on a mini road trip. Get out to the Redhook Brewery in Portsmouth this weekend.

Tours cost a dollar per person with a guided tour by a humorous tour guide, and included in the tour is a handful of ale samplings, a free souvenir logo glass, and a walk through the brewery to see how the ale is made. Friday, Saturday, and Sunday tour times are from 12 or 1PM through 4P on the hour, every hour.

If you end up getting the munchies during the tour, Redhook has a restaurant on site, too.

The Tilt'n Diner, near the Tanger Outlet Center, is a traditional 50s style diner from menu, decor, and music. If you go between the lunch and dinner rushes, the wait and kitchen staff are sure to make friendly chat with you while you're eating a hearty meal with all the "classic comfort" fixings. Try the restaurant's signature dish-"Cadillac" breakfast-because you get more quality and quantity than you'd expect for the price. Open until 10 PM and with plenty of parking, a trip outside of town to get away for a bit and escape to relive a scene from the movie Grease provides for a quirky change of pace.

Located at 1 Bicentennial Square, Margaritas is a great place to get your girlfriends together and unwind over drinks, or to bring a date to share a plate of all-you-can-eat house made chips and salsa. Thursday nights are 40% off all food for ladies, and a good opportunity to check out the friendly and quick service as well as the eclectic crowd that Margaritas attracts for a taste of the weekend to come.

Halloween weekend is coming up, and we all know what that means folks. Students that have been holed up in the library's third floor during midterms re-enter civilization... in costumes. After Friday and Saturday's festivities, you will inevitably wake up realizing that you can't look at the Domino's pizza that you ordered the night before without some kind of bodily reflex and you don't have the energy to put together a coherent breakfast. But you want breakfast - a juicy and greasy breakfast with the fixings to make you forget about the tab you racked up at the bars which at the time, "seemed like a good idea."

Most of Main Street is still asleep Sunday mornings before 11 AM. There are two options nonetheless which serve as great alternatives - Friendly's and The Works. If you want to go for carb-loading with some gourmet bagels, sandwiches with fresh ingredients, and grab a coffee to go, try The Works on 42 Main. Depending on how early you go, you can avoid the rush consisting mostly of families around the noon hour. (Apparently kids love bagels, too.)

Or if you're craving that omelet with bacon with a tall glass of OJ, stop by Friendly's on 203 N. Main or at 147 Loudon Road in the Heights. The service is usually quick, and the portions are big enough to split a dish. Local favorites the Corner View in McKee Square, and The Windmill on Loudon Road are also sure to please with their homestyle cooking and inexpensive prices.

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Wine and beer tastings are a great way to try new styles and brands of your beverage of choice. Wikipedia defines wine tasting as, "...The sensory examination and evaluation of wine..." (Thanks Wiki.) But unless you're an aspiring wine connoisseur, what you'll most likely be looking for is a tasting around town that will be the right price - free. As you're wondering what to do for your Thursday evening outside of spending time on the second floor of the library "studying," try Butter's Fine Food & Wine located on 70 N. Main from 4:30-6 PM. And if beer is more up your alley, head to 208 N. Main on Fridays from 5-7 PM to visit Barb's Beer Emporium (a.k.a. Capitol Convenience) which boasts the largest gourmet beer selection in the Concord area.

When I first moved to Concord, I told myself that I'd visit that gold domed building before school started. Orientation began, and the semester picked up. Midterms came around, and the weekends became a time to catch up on sleep, the latest 'Office' episode, and remembering that I have family and friends outside of law school, or at all. Nearly three months had passed, and I still had not seen the inside of that building until this past weekend.

It's open to the public and has self guided walk-throughs or guided tours by appointment. The tours include the Hall Of Flags, Representatives Hall, Senate Chambers and State House Plaza inside. It's kind of nerdy, but visiting the State House reminds you that downtown Concord is a bit more than the Barley House and Subway; its got history as old as any other New England state capital.

A fun fact I learned was that the State House prior to 1866 was quarried by prisoners that were housed at the New Hampshire State Prison that was located nearby. If you have the time and opportunity, schedule a tour rather than the self guided walk-thru because you'll learn a lot more.

It's almost the weekend, and it's been stressful. You want to get out of the library, get out of your apartment, and be around people that live in what you've heard as the 'real world.'

Two of downtown Concord's bars have happy hour specials that won't break your bank. Check out The Green Martini, 6 Pleasant Street, between 4 and 6 P.M. for two dollar drafts. Across the street and around the corner, Penuche's Ale House has the same deal but between 5 and 7 P.M. You could hit up both if you're feeling especially ambitious for a double power hour with your friends to hit the books after dinner.

I've eaten in every day for the past two weeks, and there comes a point where you want something quickly prepared for you that isn't from a drive-thru and will give you five or seven pounds on your upper thighs and gut.

Tea Garden, 184 Main, has prompt service dine-in and pick-up. Their quantities are huge for the price they charge while their imported Asian beer and mixed drink prices are among the most competitive prices even against 'Happy Hour' specials. Siam Orchid , on the other hand, is a bit pricier for smaller portions but its a good 'date' venue because it's a fine dining experience. Appetizers were the best feature at this restaurant, and there's also a bar area for an after-meal cool down.

You can get the usual bacon cheeseburger with fries at any restaurant on Main Street. If you're looking for a change of pace, try these two Asian cuisine sit-downs.

The triple header of Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's celebrations provides for a heart-warming holiday season for many people. But I look forward to every year's October 31st-my favorite holiday. And if you're anything like me, you're going to want to make the drive to Keene, NH this Saturday because it's downtown will be decked out with almost 600 hand-carved Jack-O'Lanterns on display and the entire city celebrates Halloween. There will be food vendors, craft sellers, live music as well as old fashioned smack talk during the seed spitting and pie eating contests. You may or may not see me in the pie eating contest; you may or may not see me winning the pie eating contest. The Keene Pumpkin Festival begins at 10 A.M. sharp. Check it out.

It's no secret; Concord has a minuscule selection of ethnic restaurants. In fact, you'd be hard pressed to find a restaurant in Concord that isn't one that makes their employees have a minimum number of pieces of flair during their shifts.

Craving Indian food, I headed to Manchester last weekend to a restaurant named India Palace that had come highly recommended. The twenty minute drive—in lieu of finishing some readings—was not in vain. The atmosphere was cozy with dimmed lights and Indian music being played in the background. The service was extremely helpful and prompt. And most importantly, the food was both delicious and came in epic quantities. The combination dinner comes as six dishes and desserts of your choice. There is also a lunch buffet that ends at 2 PM if you get there in time.

Don't have the time to drive to Manchester? You could also try House of India on 6 Pleasant Street. Remember to go for the lunch hour though because prices are cheaper with only slightly less quantity than the same dish at dinner.

I went to go watch Transsiberian last week at Red River Theaters, and I couldn't have asked for more for a mid-week break; it was within walking distance and clean with discount admissions price of $6 for students and reasonable prices for popcorn. The movie itself wasn't that fantastic, but I got to kick back in one of the most comfortable theatre seats you will ever find-beer in hand-and be away from any mention of a contracts midterm or legal memorandum assignment for a solid 111 minutes.

Red River Theatres, 11 S. Main St., is a non-profit, community-based organization that promotes independent films with an emphasis on films with New England themes or origins. If you need a Thursday get-together to celebrate getting over 'Hump' Day, popularly known as 'Wednesdays,' you should stop by Red Rivers to catch a flick.

The hustle and bustle of the 'back to school' season has already gone and passed as midterms are beginning to loom in the not-to-distant future. You're already light-headed with anticipation for the festivities to come with Halloween and the relaxation of Thanksgiving break. As the weather becomes cooler, you also realize that you are sorely in need of winter boots with as much traction and water-proof quality to brave Alaskan territory, heavier sweaters and coats, and those wool long Johns that will keep you warm in the infamous Northeast winters.

You have two main options. On 270 Loudon Road, Steeplegate Mall has over 75 specialty shops and department stores and is open Monday through Saturday from 10 AM to 9 PM and Sundays from 11 AM to 6 PM. It's worth at least one visit during your three year tenure in Concord. I recommend going in between classes during the weekdays to attempt to avoid the pre-teen mall rats that seem to be in larger packs than usual at Steeplegate particularly during evening hours and weekends.

If Steeplegate doesn't do enough for you, just 30 minutes away driving is the Tanger Outlet Mall in Tilton where you'll find a wider selection of shops in diversity and in number. Tanger is another small shopping area that looks almost like a strip mall if you're looking for it for the first time but it does provide for a relaxing break from studying on a Saturday afternoon even if you're window shopping.

Grab a friend this weekend to treat yourself, and splurge on the winter essentials that will come in handy sooner than you think.

Boston's Allston-Brighton neighborhood is the equivalent of Chicago's Lincoln Park - a neighborhood for fresh twenty-somethings with restaurants and bars as delicious and wild as the imagination can conjure up.

Sunset Bar and Grill has the nation's second largest selection of beer in the fine United States of America with 130 taps and brewery specials every month. A full menu is served until late night if you'd like to enjoy your cold drink with a hearty plate of eats.

There is a bit of a waiting period if you decide to go during the weekend that averages 30-45 minutes. If you're like me, you'll pass the waiting time at Sunset's combination pool hall and smaller bar-Big City-which is just next door. The prompt bartenders and the casual crowd will make you second guess returning to Sunset when your Panera-esque buzzer goes off to let you know that they're ready to seat you at your table and right before you remember that there is a free beer card and 20 beer samplers with your name on them on the other end of the buzzer.

The combination of 'Allston's Finest' provides for a night out in a bustling city whenever you need it. Sometimes you need a break from school and your regular hangouts. Head to Boston because the city will re-energize you in a way that only Boston can.

Just south of Wrigleyville and west of Boystown in Chicago, there's a strip of stores that cater to the more eclectic needs of consumers that Concord's Neo Tokyo speaks to. Located on the second floor of 8 Main Street, Tokyo targets comic lovers, video gamers with a preference for imports, and to those with a sweet tooth for Japanese candy and snacks.

In a town of mainstream stores and restaurants, it was refreshing to visit an establishment with an air of uncommon flair even if comic books and video games are admittedly not my areas of forte. It's a bit tucked away, but if you're running errands around the area Neo Tokyo is definitely worth a peruse.

Think Cracker Barrel decor but inject an ambiance of authenticity that oozes from everything from cuisine to wait staff to the general crowd that frequents New Hampshire's chain restaurant, Common Man. Serving seafood dishes, roasted prime ribs, heart soups, and filling sandwiches, Concord's Common Man is located on 25 Water St.

Enjoying a Sunday brunch, the corn chowder was beyond fantastic. Patrons of the restaurant have a habitual saying of, "(Insert name of Common Man dish) is to die for!" as apparent from speaking to a number of them on my visit.

The upstairs holds a bar and lounge area as well as offering three event rooms for family affairs, wedding receptions, conferences and business events.

And the icing on the cake? Common Man serves the most delicious white chocolate at the end of the meal on the house.

With a population of a little over 40,000 residents in the town of Concord, I wasn't anticipating a mass transportation system. Much to my surprise when I first arrived to New Hampshire, I spotted several bus stop benches along Main Street. Failing to see a regular stream of buses however, I thought that the benches were somewhat of a practical joke on the part of city officials-"If we did have a transit system, this is wear the bus stop would be."

After a little detective work, I was pleasantly surprised to find out that Concord does have public transportation. Adults ride for a dollar each time with fixed route from Penacook to Manchester Street, Concord Hospital to the Steeplegate Mall, and St.Paul's School to Trailways and the Opportunity Corridor at Horseshoe Pond with an hourly service to New Hampshire Technical Institute.

Enjoy the area transit, Concord-style. Don't forget to check schedules on your way out.

The hilly inclines of New Hampshire work my quadriceps, hamstrings, and calves just as much as a workout on the Stairmaster. Being from the Midwest or an area of the United States that is flat enough to sustain a standing egg, New England boasts an impressive amount of elevation gain - a quality that attracts beginner to advanced mountain bikers to the region.

Take an afternoon during the weekends while the weather is pleasant enough to enjoy a bike ride, and possibly even venture to finally drop by the bike shop to check out equipment.

Just south on Fisherville Road, right at the cemetery onto Rumsford, and take the first right into the Chubb Life Insurance Park, Rattle Snake Hill is a fifteen mile single trail of sweat and thrills. The route is rocky with steep hills requiring bunny hopping and switchbacks with a sound level of endurance and bike handling skills that will undoubtedly take your mind off of your readings and relieve some stress.

If you ask Pierce Law students, you'll hear a spectrum of positive to not-so-positive reviews of Main Street's Concord Grille, formerly known as Capital Grille and endearingly referred to as 'Cap Nasty' by those that are less than fans.

I, on the other hand, first visited Concord Grille after an overhaul in cooking staff this past summer and caught the staff at an off hour. Enjoying one of the best Philly Steak sandwiches that I've had outside of ...well, Philly, I found the food, conversation, and service to be succinctly summarized as, "Good eats, good peoples, and strong drinks."

On weekends, Concord Grill packs a decent number of townsfolk along with adventurous Pierce students for the de facto competitive karaoke that grows increasingly so as any Friday and Saturday night progresses, of course. That is to say, there are the more reserved performances just after 9 P.M. when karaoke begins. Come 'round 11:30 or 12 P.M. though, it is not uncommon to see the admittedly impressive 'dice throw' dance and borderline excessive fist pumping from the stage and crowd alike. The Grill offers a full bar with daily specials to give that extra boost of encouragement and support for shy or first-time karaoke patrons.

If you decide to go out this weekend with your friends, I recommend you head down to Concord Grill. Tell staff that Sarah sent you, and hopefully you'll get a little bit more of your money's worth on your next drink. And lastly, don't be afraid to belt out a tune in public. Stop feeling like you need to be the next American Idol, and have fun because karaoke will never make you feel as self-conscious as when you're called on in class only to find out you did the wrong reading.

Moving to Concord from Chicago has been a regional shock for me. People peer at me with one head cocked to the side as if they've seen a unicorn when I ask politely for the nearest washroom. Buildings and homes in New England are seemingly as old as time compared to the freshly rooted condominiums and business towers back in the Midwest. And the fact that establishments on Main Street close at ridiculously early hours regardless of it being a weekday or weekend will be the end of me.

One of the pleasant distinguishing markers of New Hampshire, however, has been the abundance of friendly outdoor festivals. I made it out to Hampton Beach this weekend for the 19th Annual Seafood Festival that featured fifty of the Seacoast's top restaurants serving fried clams, shrimp, and lobster cooked to your fantasy's preference. Eighty art and craft vendors, local entertainment with a backdrop of the always gorgeous North Atlantic Ocean provided for a cute little playdate with friends on a beautiful Sunday afternoon.

My two cents? Before Concord becomes buried by snow and your will to climb out of your bed for things outside of food and other basic necessities fails you, take advantage of the weather for the upcoming festivals at New Hampshire's upcoming Deerfield Fair and Sandwich Fair. Both are extremely accommodating by providing shuttles from parking areas to and from the fairs with affordable admission prices. Check it out before you forget what fun is during midterms.

Are you a fan of Nascar? Do you know someone who would love the opportunity to see a Nascar Race? Here is your chance!

$10 will buy you a chance for a pair of tickets for this Sunday's, Sept 14, Nascar Sylvania 300 Race at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway in neighboring Loudon, NH.

Tickets are valued at $180! Experience the thrill - the Chase for the Sprint Cup starts here, this weekend.

Purchase your tickets ($10 per raffle ticket, unlimited) at the Alumni Office, 2nd floor, 10 White Street! Drawing for the pair of tickets will be held this Friday at 12:30 during the Jury Box Bar-B-Que. You need not be present to win. We will email you if your name is drawn.

Thank you to our anonymous donor who contributed this pair of tickets to help us launch this year's fundraising efforts for the Pierce Law Annual Fund!

WHITE PARK, PIERCE LAW'S NEIGHBOR AND AN HISTORIC LANDMARK, GETTING A MUCH-NEEDED FACELIFT

The following is a portion of Shira Schoenberg's article in the Concord Monitor on April 12, 2008

"...A $1.2 million renovation plan, set to begin this summer, would install a new drainage system. It would also renovate and move the parking lot, and open up the hockey rink for year-round use.

"It will dramatically change White Park, and the public will be quite satisfied," predicted City Engineer Ed Roberge.

The project is part of a White Park master plan, completed in 2005. The master plan recommended reconstructing the parking lot, improving the fields, court and play areas, building a new skate house and improving pond access. The first phase of the project, and the only one funded so far, will focus on the parking lot and baseball diamond.

Last year, the City Council set aside $511,500 for the project, just under one-third of that coming from recreational impact fees. The city also received a $148,500 federal grant from the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Next month, the city council will decide whether to set aside the additional $477,800 needed to fully fund the first phase of improvements.

The project was designed by McFarland Johnson of Concord, and the city plans to begin advertising for bids by the end of the month. If funding is approved, a contract could be finalized by late May, with construction beginning in early June and continuing for about six months, Roberge said.

Gill said visitors may see roving closures and disturbances this summer, depending on the construction schedule, but he hopes to keep the playground, pool, basketball courts and as much of the park as possible open. "We're asking residents to be flexible," he said.

White Park was given to the city in 1884 by Armenia White in memory of her husband Nathaniel, who was a philanthropist and founder of the American Express Co. In 1982, it was put on the National Register of Historic Places. City officials have referred to it as Concord's "Boston Common," and as the "crown jewel" of the park community.

Matt Walsh, city assistant for special projects, said the investment is necessary "to maintain it at a level it deserves to be maintained, and make it more user friendly."

The often-waterlogged field is used by an adult baseball league, a youth soccer league, the high school and other local groups. Roberge said the changes will be mostly in drainage, although there will also be a new backstop and dugouts. Erik Newman, a member of the board of Friends of White Park, which has advocated for the improvements, said the plan calls for elevating the infield so the water flows toward the northeast corner of the park, and installing drainage facilities in that corner.

The parking lot would be changed even more noticeably. Currently, the lot extends lengthwise through the park, cutting it in two. It is made of dirt, gravel, and pavement studded with potholes and puddles. No lines mark the parking spots, and there are no designated spaces for handicapped parking. There is only one entrance.

"The parking lot's always been horrendous," said Jen Towle, 31, a stay-at-home mom who was feeding her baby recently at a picnic table in the park. She pointed to the potholes, and said the dirt parts of the lot are often muddy in the spring and icy in the winter. "It could use some revamping," she said.

The new plan would turn the lot 90 degrees and move it closer to White Street, so pedestrians could walk across the park without crossing the parking lot. There would be both an entrance and an exit. There would be room for 92 cars, about the same as the current lot, but spots will be clearly delineated and there would be designated handicapped spots. The lot will be paved and landscaped, with walking paths leading pedestrians from the parking lot to the hockey rink, playground, pool and ballfields. Roberge hopes it will have the city's first pervious pavement surface, an environmentally friendly type in which storm water permeates the pavement and goes back into the ground."

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