By: Kimberley Haas, Union Leader

The Carriage House in Rye is under new ownership and is closed for renovations.

Former owner Paul Mackey made the official public announcement Friday, saying R.J. Joyce and James Woodhouse from Louie’s in downtown Portsmouth will be taking over the historic restaurant.

Louie’s was damaged during the State Street Saloon fire in April of last year and never reopened.

“I have no doubt they will continue on in the traditions and bring their own talents and flair. I have dined with them many times and think they are two of the best in the area,” Mackey posted to Facebook. “I’m proud to be leaving it in great hands.”

According to The Carriage House website, the restaurant at 2263 Ocean Boulevard was built in 1931 and owned by a native of Sweden. Swenson’s Grill was designed to resemble a house so it would blend in with other buildings and preserve the integrity of the neighborhood.

By: Elizabeth Dinan, Seacoast Online

Ten months after flooding from firefighting efforts closed Louie’s restaurant, co-owner James Woodhouse said he still plans to reopen at the 86 Pleasant St. location, but it’s going to be months before that occurs.

Louie’s closed after an April 10, 2017, fire destroyed two adjacent State Street buildings, damaged a third and soaked the interior of the Louie’s building. Woodhouse said Tuesday he and co-owner R.J. Joyce still plan to re-open, but they don’t own the building, so they’re “at the mercy of the landlord.”

“We absolutely are” reopening at the same location, he said, “but it’s at least a year away.”

The property owner -- a realty trust with co-owners Keith and Kathleen Malinowski -- has recently been meeting with the Historic District Commission for work sessions about plans to renovate the building. Through McHenry Architecture, they’re seeking approvals to remove the Louie’s storefront and replace it with a new design that’s flush with the rest of the building. The plans also call for renovating the portion of the building on the Church Street side.

By: Elizabeth Dinan, Seacoast Online

Matt Louis, chef and owner of Moxy restaurant, has been named a semifinalist for a 2017 James Beard Award in the category of “Best Chef Northeast.”

Also owner of Portsmouth’s Franklin Oyster House restaurant, Louis was chosen among a list of national candidates for the award established in 1990 to recognize culinary professionals for excellence and achievement. This is the fourth time Louis has been selected as a James Beard finalist, from a national culinary talent pool. He’s the only New Hampshire chef nominated this year.

“I am very grateful that our team and community is being recognized by such an important organization and foundation,” Louis said. “It’s a diverse list, which shows the amazing creative talent that is out there.”
Louis said he believes there are many people who are not on the finalist list who deserve to be, “so when you are on it, you have to be grateful.”

He said the selection committee is comprised of food writers, chefs and past winners, all of whom are well respected in the culinary world. At Moxy, Louis said, he’s inspired by New England’s culinary history and product, creating new dishes nightly to be shared.

By: John Koziol, New Hampshire Union Leader

Some of New Hampshire’s alpine ski resorts are reporting a sluggish, mixed start of the 2017-18 season, but are looking forward to a positive finish thanks to the expected snows of February and March.

In the White Mountains, ski season traditionally begins in mid-November and lasts into mid-April, and this year, according to representatives of Bretton Woods, Loon Mountain and Cannon, that remains the case.

The ski areas, with Bretton Woods foremost among them, are some of the largest in New Hampshire. Each reported Wednesday that the current season began strong, but was then hit with a cold-weather wall over the Christmas holiday. Warm temperatures followed and now it seems the weather has returned to what is usually expected this time of year.

“We’ve been doing very well. The temperatures rebounded and the skiers returned,” said Craig Clemmer, director of marketing at the Omni Mount Washington Resort/Bretton Woods. Although company policy precluded his disclosing actual numbers, Clemmer said the Saturday of the Martin Luther King holiday week was “one of the Top 5” at the resort.