Discovering the Upper Valley’s hidden gems, inspiring adventures, and local favorites with the LOH family.

Maureen moved to the Upper Valley in 2005 to follow a boyfriend. Although that relationship didn’t last, she met her husband a few years later and the community turned out to be a keeper. Now married with two school-age kids, Maureen is an LOH donor and a well-known member of the Upper Valley community. “I love that I can contribute to, and benefit from, the vibrancy here through my work,” she said.

Breakfast on the weekends
We’ve been eating at Four Aces Diner in Old West Leb since my daughter was an infant. We love to sit at the counter and play “I Spy” while waiting for our food. The quality of the food is consistently good — my kids love the pancakes, I tend to favor the Florentine Benedict, while my husband is a bit less predictable and mixes up his order. It can be busy on a weekend, but it’s worth the wait because of the food and company — it’s such a melting pot.

We all scream for ice cream
We ride bikes to Red Kite Candy or Scoops in Hanover, NH. Red Kite is all homemade and feels like you’re supporting a maker. I am a big fan of their signature caramel ice cream. Scoops is the kids’ preference; I think it’s because they tend to be more generous with their scoops.

Favorite hidden gem
Dartmouth Skiway on a Friday morning: access to fresh snow in 25 minutes from home and the mountain almost all to yourself. It’s where my kids learned, but it’s also where I learned to ski as an adult. They offer a women’s group and adult learn-to-ski lessons.

Escape for moms
The best way to pamper myself is a day in Woodstock, VT. Grab breakfast at Mon Vert Cafe and then arrive with some time to relax at the Spa at the Woodstock Inn. Indulge in a massage and enjoy some quiet time at the pool. From there, take a walk down Main Street and just browse. Woodstock is a nice escape.

Entertaining kids
My kids have learned so much by cheering on the Dartmouth Big Green athletics teams. It’s cool to have access to D1 sports in our backyard. The Lil’ Green Kids Club provides access to all sports all year for just $50 per kid. We optimize our club status, attending as many games as possible throughout each season.

Supporting LOH as a family
Our family feels fortunate to live in a community that offers so many opportunities for our children to explore new experiences, including the performing arts. We believe in supporting the organizations that help make our community vibrant and special. We support Lebanon Opera House because we value the impact they have and the diverse programming that brings people together.

Favorite events & memories

  • Béla Fleck, Edmar Castañeda, Antonio Sánchez Trio – My father-in-law especially enjoyed being part of this show with us.
  • Red Baraat – This was an extra special night for my son, Henry, and me, we enjoyed dancing to the music together.
  • Sheng Wang – Our first comedy show, we had a blast laughing with friends.


Share your recommendations on what makes the Upper Valley great!

LOH launched the Art & Soul Ambassadors campaign as an effort to shine a spotlight on the people, places, and things that make life in this community interesting, unique, and rewarding. Now, we’re looking for more people to join in.

The campaign will appear in LOH’s social media channels, emails, and other outlets regularly throughout the year.

Ready to share? Just fill out this form.