Summer time is a great time to get together with friends, have a few beers, and play your favorite sport without having too much pressure. Softball, basketball, and wiffle ball are all fun sports, but why not go and hang out in an ice-cold rink and play the best sport in the world. Summer hockey leagues are the best way to stay in shape, keep cool, and have a good time with your friends. 

One of the ideal places around to find someone to play with, is The Rinks at Exeter, located in Exeter, NH. They have a number of great leagues and competition never ceases, as there are games of every caliber almost every night. 

They recently announced a new type of league where they play 3 on 3 instead of the traditional 5 on 5. This allows for more open ice and gives players more opportunity to get more ice time and exercise. They have openings now for teams through June, so head over to their website and check them out. You won’t be disappointed. Teams from all over New Hampshire show up in Exeter for competitive hockey. Grab a few mates and you have a team. 

The Rinks at Exeter also have two men’s leagues where anyone 16 and up can play. Last year that had an ‘A’ and a less competitive ‘B’ league. The ‘A’ will normally have 8 teams or so, with a number of ex-professional players heading up the teams. The season usually runs all summer and players who can pay for the $250 are usually guaranteed a 16 game schedule plus at least one playoff game. The winners of the playoffs get great t-shirts and a trophy that is displayed at the rink.
The ‘B’ league is for players that are a little less experienced, but still have that desire to play competitive hockey and get some exercise. Last year there were 15 teams including teams from Exeter and as far away as Concord and Manchester. That means plenty of games and lots of ice time. Players of any level can sign up for ‘B’ league and are sure to spend plenty of time on the ice. Seasons usually start in May and go through August. 

The highlight of the rec. hockey leagues has to be the Granite Cup at the end of the summer. For $750, you and as many friends as you like can put a team together and play for the distinctive title of being the best rec. team in New England as teams from Boston, Providence, and Portland all show up. It’s a guaranteed 3 game tournament, and the winners can have as many as 3 more playoff games. It usually brings out the best players in the state, but like the summer leagues, there is a ‘B’ level for the less experienced players. An added coupon is the Red Hook Beer tent that is set up outside and provides thirsty players with all the free beer that they can handle! Red Hook ships over kegs from Portsmouth and keeps every one happy with ice cold beer all weekend. 

The Rinks at Exeter is a great place to join a rec. hockey league and get into shape while hanging out with some of your buddies. Check them out at www.therinksatexeter.com, or give them a call at 603-775-7423.

No other room of the house works harder, is used more frequently, or is more versatile than the kitchen. It serves multi-purposes and is the heart of the home. Just one reason why a kitchen remodeling project is among the most popular type of home renovation. Another reason why homeowners are willing to invest substantial amounts of money in a kitchen makeover is because it increases the real estate market value of their property. This is especially true when remodeling is to update and modernize the kitchen. Even if updates are purely aesthetic, features such as a natural stone custom kitchen counter top or custom kitchen cabinet design using quality oak, maple, or an exotic wood will prove a good marketing investment.

A More Professional Kitchen Design

Perhaps your kitchen renovation idea is a do it yourself project. Or, you may plan on hiring a home interior designer or kitchen and bath contractor for the job. Regardless, why not consider the following tips and ideas for a more efficient, innovative kitchen design? One with multi-purpose features to save space and make your kitchen even more efficient and versatile.

Kitchen Cabinet Remodeling:

Whatever your budget, always opt for the best quality cabinetry possible; whether factory or custom made. This includes drawer runners made from metal instead of plastic, drawers with closer dampeners (preventing drawers from forcefully slamming shut), quality wood cabinet doors instead of laminated materials or engineered wood, etc. Select a style that compliments your new kitchen design – which should compliment and fit in with the rest of the house décor. When it comes to custom built cabinetry, have the kitchen cabinet contractor incorporate as many space saving and ease-of-use features as possible. Including wall cabinets with doors that lift up instead of opening sideways, swing out base cabinet doors that open to reveal additional shelving on the inside of the doors, corner lazy Susan components, drawers with sectioned components that lift out, cupboards with vertical stacking slots for plates, saucers, and bowls, and butcher block-type cutting boards located by the sink area that pull out from under the counter.

The Work Triangle

If designing your own kitchen, incorporate into the plan the basic work triangle – a design that sets the sink, cooking area, and refrigerator at the tips of an imaginary triangle. Saving steps and time when preparing foods; preventing “traffic jams” when more than one person uses the kitchen at the same time. Many times the kitchen also serves as space for accomplishing other tasks; such as homework, family discussions, entertaining, or paperwork. A work triangle at one end of the room with a corner breakfast nook or kitchen table at the opposite end will work best. Any outside entryway should open at the opposite end of the kitchen. Not in a location where persons entering would have to pass through the work triangle area to access other areas of the kitchen. The same is true for entry ways that lead from other rooms in the house into the kitchen.

Meal Preparation and Clean-up
When more than one person handles meal preparation and after meal cleanup at the same time, the following might be considered. More than just one sink; a second located outside the work triangle, to avoid traffic jams. Consider a kitchen island design, for instance. One that includes a small food rinsing sink, butcher block top for cutting foods, and storage cabinets below. Kitchen remodeling tip: an undersized round design works best for a small kitchen makeover. If you opt to omit a sink in the small kitchen island design, consider having the island built on locking casters so it can easily be repositioned, according to need. A separate cook top and oven, with an additional two-burner cook top located outside the work triangle might prove helpful. Consider a stationary kitchen island that includes a rinsing sink and a small cook top.

Cut Down on Kitchen Remodeling Cost
There are ways to cut down on overall kitchen remodeling project cost. One way without compromising on best-possible features such as kitchen counter tops, flooring, and new appliances is to handle some of the work yourself. Read the following article for DIY kitchen remodeling tips and ideas; Kitchen Renovation Design. Also note links at the bottom of the page to other related articles. Another way to cut back on costs without compromising on quality is to hire a professional kitchen design expert or kitchen and bath contractor for other aspects of your project. This will insure the best kitchen design and workmanship possible. Instead of new cabinetry, however, opt for do it yourself kitchen cabinet refinishing; updating the appearance of existing wood cabinets; whether refacing to bring back the natural beauty and luster of the wood, painting, or sanding and re-finishing using a different color stain. Crown molding added to the tops of soffits or the cabinets themselves can drastically change their appearance; giving them stunning design appeal. Especially when the molding is painted a complimentary contrasting color or a shade slightly darker than the cabinetry.

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