Entertaining

Summer in Northern New England is always an enjoyable time. And an evening spent on the baseball diamond makes the summer season even more memorable.

Our real estate agents share what makes them so passionate about the New Hampshire Fisher Cats, our region's minor league team.

Team History and Highlights

It may be hard to believe now, but by the time the 2000s rolled around, professional baseball had yet to establish a presence in New Hampshire. A new era was born in 2003 when Drew Weber bought the New Haven (CT) Ravens and moved them to Manchester. 

Management turned the naming situation into a public relations opportunity by conducting a "Name the Team" promotion. Fisher Cats, a nod to the furry forest-dwelling mammal, ultimately won out over Millers, Mountain Men, and Granite.

In July 2008, the Fisher Cats had the honor of hosting the Eastern League All-Star Game and Home Run Derby. The Midsummer Classic returned to Manchester in 2011 and again in 2017, celebrating the million-dollar renovation of Northeast Delta Dental Stadium.

Since 2004, nearly 150 Fisher Cats have gone on to play in the major leagues. This illustrious group includes Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Cavan Biggio, and Bo Bichette, second-generation players who were the most highly anticipated rookies of recent years.

The Fisher Cats' significance to New Hampshire goes beyond sports and entertainment. In addition to maintaining partnerships with Children's Hospital at Dartmouth-Hitchcock and the Ted Williams Museum, the team has conducted numerous fundraising activities over the years, resulting in millions of dollars in charitable contributions. 

Affiliations and Titles

The Fisher Cats are a Double-A team in the Northeast Division of the Eastern League. In their previous existence as the New Haven Ravens, the team went through affiliations with the Colorado Rockies, Seattle Mariners, and St. Louis Cardinals, earning a single league championship in 2000.

Since moving to Manchester, the team has been affiliated with the American League's Toronto Blue Jays. The team has claimed three division titles, in 2003, 2004, and 2011, along with league championships in 2004, 2008, and 2011.

Northeast Delta Dental Stadium

During the inaugural season in 2004, they played their home games in Gill Stadium, one of the oldest concrete-and-steel ballparks in the country. But that was just a temporary home, as they moved to the newly constructed Fisher Cats Stadium the following year. 

Known for a time as Merchantsauto.com Stadium, the venue gained its current name thanks to a partnership with Northwest Delta Dental, a major insurance company. The stadium features an open concourse design that lets fans keep an eye on the game wherever they are.

Here are some of the modern amenities that make Northeast Delta Dental Stadium such a popular destination:

• Seating capacity is 6,500, more than double that of Gill Stadium. The park really stretched its limits on May 26, 2009, when a record crowd of 8,903 came to watch Hall of Fame pitcher John Smoltz make a rehab start with the Portland Sea Dogs.
  
  
• The venue is the only ballpark in the country that shares its location with a hotel. Out-of-town visitors can enjoy the convenience of the Hilton Garden Inn, situated just past the stadium's outfield.
  
  
• With its great view overlooking left field, Samuel Adams Brewhouse is the place to be. Open two hours before game time, the full-service restaurant includes an 85-foot mahogany bar, 11 high-definition LCD TVs, and a made-to-order menu. The Tiki Bar Stage hosts live music every Thursday through Saturday.
  
  
• The upper level holds 32 luxury suites. Perks include a basic food and beverage package, individual climate control, two VIP parking passes, and a visit from either Fungo or Slider, the team's mascots. Having a work function or other large gathering? There are two private 100-person party decks behind first and third bases.
  
  
• Dinner on Deck is an exclusive section right alongside the field with four 4-person tables. Guests enjoy table service, complimentary drinks, and snacks, and VIP parking passes.

Promotions and Giveaways

In minor league baseball, nearly every game is a special event, which is one of the reasons why it's such a family-friendly activity. Mark your calendar for these exciting upcoming promotions and giveaways:

• Monday, July 4 @ 7:05 p.m. vs. Hartford Yard Goats - Independence Day Fireworks
  
  
• Friday, July 22 @ 7:05 p.m. vs. Portland Sea Dogs - Christmas in July, with a Christmas socks giveaway
  
  
• Friday, August 5 @ 7:05 p.m. vs. Richmond Flying Squirrels - Sumo Wrestling Night
  
  
• Sunday, August 14 @ 1:35 p.m. vs. Erie SeaWolves - Puzzle Day, with a 3D stadium puzzle giveaway

Individual tickets range from $10-$16, with a $2 discount for advance purchase.

Ready to round the bases and head for your new Northern New England home? Contact us at The Masiello Group to get started.

November 23rd is National Espresso Day. What better way to celebrate than with a delicious latte? There are plenty of coffee shops in the area, but if you've just moved to a new place, it might be nice to try out your new kitchen and make one yourself. Here are some tips for making the perfect latte.

Ingredients and Equipment Needed

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With its incomparable natural beauty and impressive historical legacy, New England is a great backdrop for a wide range of literary genres, from young adult series to mysteries and thrillers. Here's a look at some top books set in New England that our real estate agents will be reading for Book Lovers Day on Monday, August 9th.

Add These New England Books to Your Reading List

• Keep the Lights Burning, Abbie by Peter and Connie Roop
  Keep the Lights Burning, Abbie became a favorite of many when it was featured on the iconic PBS show Reading Rainbow. Set in the mid-19th century, 16-year-old Abbie faces the challenge of "keeping the lights burning" when her father, the lighthouse keeper, finds himself caught in a storm. This is a great choice to read aloud for kids during evening storytime. 

• The Cider House Rules by John Irving
  John Irving is considered one of the top contemporary writers in America, and The Cider House Rules is one of his best-known novels. The story of Homer Wells, who learns the truths of life while growing up in a Maine orphanage, has been compared to the works of Dickens in its themes and scope. In 2000, Irving won an Academy Award for his screenplay adaptation.
  
  

• It by Stephen King
  Even non-horror fans know the work of Stephen King, a literary legend whose books have sold more than 350 million copies worldwide. One of the signature elements of his works is their New England setting, such as the fictional town of Derry, Maine, where the terrifying events of It take place. Seven people, now scattered across the country, are drawn back to their hometown for a final showdown with the evil being they first faced together as teenagers. Woven throughout the story is a commentary on the bittersweet yet enduring bonds of childhood friendship.

• Clammed Up by Barbara Ross
  New England is renowned for its variety of fresh seafood, so it's only natural that it would be incorporated into locally-set literature. Clammed Up is a delightful hybrid of mystery and romance that revolves around Julia Snowden and her family's clambake business. In this introductory volume of the Maine Clambake series, Julia fights to clear the name of her childhood crush, who is the prime suspect in a murder. Other titles in the nine-volume series include Musseled Out, Fogged In, and Steamed Open.

• A Separate Peace by John Knowles
  As a longtime staple of high school reading lists, A Separate Peace has truly earned the designation of "classic." Author John Knowles based the story on his experiences as a student at Phillips Exeter Academy, a prestigious prep school in New Hampshire. During the years of World War II, odd-couple best friends Gene and Phineas experience a tragic event that tests their relationship and shatters their innocence. Gore Vidal, a famous author in his own right, was one of Knowles' classmates at Phillips Exeter and the model for one of the secondary characters.

• A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail by Bill Bryson
  Spanning Maine to Georgia, the Appalachian Trail is the Holy Grail for hikers. A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail is essential reading for anyone planning a hike on this route, even if it's just in their imagination. Author Bill Bryson, who has made a name for himself writing about an eclectic assortment of non-fiction topics, mixes fascinating facts about the trail with engaging stories of fellow hikers he meets along the way.

• The Carpenter's Lady by Barbara Delinsky
  When you're craving the escapism of some light reading, pick up The Carpenter's Lady. You'll quickly be caught up in the story of Debra Barry, a TV writer who flees the fast pace of New York for the quiet charms of New Hampshire, seeking some post-divorce healing. After hiring carpenter Graham Reid to help renovate her house, Debra is surprised to find that her own damaged psyche is slowly becoming repaired as well. A Boston native who spent many childhood summers at a camp in Maine, Barbara Delinsky uses her lifelong love of the region to add realistic color to the settings of her books.

• The Secret History by Donna Tartt
  Home to elite educational institutions such as Harvard, Yale, Brown, and Dartmouth, New England, is academic nirvana. This background is used to incredible effect in The Secret History, one of the most highly anticipated and successful debut novels of all time. Told as an inverted detective story, the novel begins years after a murder has been committed and relates the events leading up to the crime. The story takes place at fictional Hampden College, a small liberal college in Vermont. Donna Tartt patterned Hampden after Bennington College, also in Vermont, where she studied classics from 1982 to 1986. Tartt's classmates at Bennington included noted writers Bret Easton Ellis, Jonathan Lethem, and Jill Eisenstadt.

Is your New England story waiting to be written? Contact us at The Masiello Group for help with all your real estate needs.

When the weather gets warm, sweet summer breezes carry amazing fragrances that beckon us to head outdoors and fire up our grills. Our real estate agents are thrilled to show you beautiful New England properties that boast patios and spacious gardens that make perfect spaces for summer grilling. If this sounds like your ideal way to spend a lazy weekend, check out these tips to make your summer grilling extra delicious this year. 

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