Dec 142014
 

How many parties have you been to already this holiday season? Office party. Friend party. Family party. There is one more on your calendar— “Raise A Glass,” the theme for this month’s PEM/PM event, 6-9 pm, Dec. 18th.

Raise A GlassThis is an evening at the Peabody Essex Museum dedicated to the art of mixology; you get a fantastic opportunity to learn ways to impress your guests (you are going to be hosting a party yourself at some point this year or next, aren’t you?) with unique and traditional punch recipes demonstrated by local mixologists.

For example, which drinks should be shaken and which stirred? Or, what makes a great toast? To be entertained and educated is the continuing theme of these PEM/PM late night events, held on the third Thursday of every month. The museum is open until 9pm as well.

Also on tap for “Raise A Glass” will be comic stories of feasting and drinking by Jason Wilson, author of Boozehound, and Molly Birnbaum, author of Season to Taste, presented by The Tannery Series.

PEM’s first Maker-in-Residence will be on hand with a lesson about wearable technology and festive 3-D-printed designs. Consider distinguishing your wine glass with a design you personally create that night.

Entertainment and mood will be set by the sounds of smooth jazz by local trumpeter and New England Conservatory professor Peter Kenagy and his trio. There will be a cash bar and special small plate items from the Hawthorne Hotel.

Free admission to Salem residents and museum members; $10 for non members at the door. For more info go to the museum website or call 978-745-9500.

Dec 122014
 
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Elaborate “Frozen” themed window at Delande Lighting

 

We can’t wait for the Holiday Stroll this Saturday so that we can finally take care of our holiday shopping!  For our first ever Holiday Stroll, the only stipulation for participating businesses was that they had to stay open till 8 pm – but so many of them are going above and beyond to improve your shopping experience.  Do you know where to go for everyone on your holiday gift list?  We did the leg work for you:

The History Lover – The House of Seven Gables Museum Store – 115 Derby St.
The Gables store will be staying open late for the stroll, and will be serving cookies and wassail in the lobby.

The Art Lover – Kensington-Stobart Gallery – 18 Washington Square W
Visit one of Salem’s finest galleries and enter a free drawing for a beautiful framed photo of Salem Common at Christmastime.

The Steampunk or Downton Abbey Lover – The Marble Faun Books and Gifts – 131-1 Essex St.
One of our favorite unique Salem boutiques carries all manner of Victorian, Brit-loving, literary fun – and tea!

The Harry Potter Lover – Remember Salem – 127 Essex St., Wynott’s Wands – 127 Essex St
Remember Salem and Wynott’s Wands will have their wonderful Crown and Shield Hall open and decorated, with a special visit from Dumbledore himself.

The Salem Lover – Coon’s Card & Gift Shop – 226 Essex St., Salemdipity – 86 Wharf St., Trolley Depot – 191 Essex St., Witch Tees – 173 Essex St. and Museum Place Mall
Uniquely Salem-ized gifts you can’t find anywhere else – or as the window at Trolley Depot says about shopping local, “It’s all about the bats, ‘bout the bats, no travel!”

The Craft Fiend – Crafters Market Candles & Gifts – 82 Wharf St.
While the Crafters Market carries much more than crafts, you’ll find plenty here for the crafty folks on your list.

The Wine-Loving Craft Fiend – Boston Bead Company – 10 Front St.
Not only can you find any type of bead you could imagine here, Boston Bead will be offering a special Make-Your-Own wine stopper project.

The Wiccan or Mystic – Angel’s Landing – 192 Essex St., The Coven’s Cottage – 190 Essex St., Pyramid Books – 214 Derby St.
Admit it, most locals have never visited the Wiccan or New Age stores that attract so many of our visitors. Spend just a few seconds in any of these three very different stores, and you’ll wonder what took you so long.

The Interior Designer – Delande Lighting – 22 New Derby St., Edward John Home Décor – 100 Wharf St., Hedrington’s – 61 Wharf St.
From little pops of flair to big-ticket items, these stores have plenty to help homes sparkle and shine.

The Friend with a New Baby – The Happy Sunflower – 78 Wharf St.
The Happy Sunflower’s section of baby items is possibly one of the best-kept retail secrets in Salem. Plus, Santa’s visit to the Winter Walk on the Wharf starts at this store at 1 pm!

The Fashionista – J. Mode – 17 Front St., Modern Millie Vintage & Consignments – 3 Central St., Ocean Chic Boutique – 96 Wharf St., Re-Find – 72 Washington St.
From funky to fashion-forward to functional, our amazing women’s retailers have options for any style on your list.

The Male Fashionista – Re-Find Men’s – 244 Essex St.
Trust us, it’s a thing. Also, you’ve never seen so many dashing hats in your life.

The “Under 12” Set – Mud Puddle Toys – 221 Essex St.
Our local toy store is pure happiness. Enough said.

The Fisherperson – Joe’s Fresh Fish Prints and Tomo’s Tackle – 104 Wharf St.
From specific equipment to fish-print art, you can find anything and everything the fisher on your list could want.

The Chef – SalemSpice – 75 Wharf St
More varieties of salt than you could possibly imagine, plus free mulling spices with every purchase of $25.

The Collector – Glass and Etc. – Museum Place Mall , Witch City Thrift & Consignment Shop – 301 Essex St.
Find the un-findable at either of these two unique stores.

The Cyclist – The Urbane Cyclist – 144 Washington St.
As the Urbane Cyclist changes starts focusing more on custom bikes, their remaining stock is all available for an astounding 50% off.

The Knitter – Seed Stitch Fine Yarn – 21 Front St.
Knitter’s paradise Seed Stitch will also be giving drop spindle demonstrations for the Holiday Stroll

That Special Someone – RJ Coins & Jewelry – 68 Wharf St., Treasures Over Time – 139 Washington St
The perfect destinations whether you need a one-of-a-kind gift, or a repair to a beloved piece, plus you’ll get a free Christmas ornament or Hanukkah dreidel with every purchase over $25

The Book Worm – Wicked Good Books – 215 Essex St.
Salem’s new bookstore is the place to be for any literary lover, and will always place special orders for anything they don’t have.

The Choco-holic – Ye Olde Pepper Companie – 122 Derby St.
America’s oldest candy shop is still pushing the boundaries with new, delicious goodies, plus you might catch a candy-making demonstration throughout the day.

Your Four-Legged Friend – Day of the Dog – 63B Wharf St., New England Dog Biscuit Company – 7 Central St., Penelope’s Pet Boutique – 99 Washington St.
It’s no secret that Salem-ites love our pets. Don’t forget your favorite fuzzy friend while shopping!

The Family – Salem’s Vintage Photography – 172 Essex St.
Didn’t get a holiday card picture yet? Salem’s Vintage Photography will offer 15% off certificates and any customers on Saturday.

Everyone Else – Roost & Company – 40 Front St.
Not sure who you’re looking to buy for, or what they might like? Roost always seems to have that thing you didn’t know you needed, plus you can keep any receipts from December to treat yourself to discounts in January.

Yourself – Melita Fiore – 83 Washington St.
Speaking of treating yourself, local patisserie Melita Fiore will be open late with hot chocolate and nibbles to reward dedicated shoppers.

 

And don’t forget to vote for the Holiday Window Contest while you’re out there!

 Posted by at 11:02 am
Dec 102014
 

HolidayCan you remember a simpler time when holiday shopping was a simple stroll through friendly hometown stores and not a race through impersonal, giant, crowded malls? We do. And we are bringing that back.

Salem Main Streets is introducing a Holiday Stroll on Saturday, Dec. 13th to encourage residents to shop local and enjoy their downtown during the holiday season. Over 40 downtown retailers have committed to staying open until 8 pm on the 13th, and most will be offering special holiday discounts, promotions, and yummy refreshments all day.

How’s that for customer appreciation and “small town” ambiance.

A full list of participating retailers is available for your use.

In keeping with our goal of this being a total community effort, Boy Scout Troop 83 will be running a gift-wrapping station on Derby Square throughout the day, and will be joined by Troop 24, which will be selling wreaths in part to benefit the restoration of the Arch on Salem Common.

And while we are promoting all things Salem for Dec. 13th, don’t miss the Pickering Wharf businesses’ Winter Walk of the Wharf, including a stroll with Santa from 1-4 pm.

But that’s not the only event we have to make your trip worth your time. To add that extra bit of spice to our holiday gift to shoppers, Main Streets is once again conducting the Salem Holiday Window Contest, which runs now thru Dec. 13th.

Over 40 downtown businesses will be participating in the annual Holiday Window Contest, and this year the public can vote on their favorites at a participating business, or online at www.salemmainstreets.org/windows. These retailers go all out to do up their windows to entertain you, and if past entries are any indications (and they are!), we have many, many creative minds— and a couple of far out ones, as you would expect from Salem, MA. A full map of participating windows can be found here.  Voting ends on Dec. 13th.

And one more thing. Creative Salem is giving us an extra promotional boost (…thank you, John…) with a related photo contest. For your chance to win a Creative Salem prize pack (valued at $150) take a picture while you are strolling through town or looking at store windows. Share it on social media (Twitter, Instagram, Vine); use the hashtag #salemwindows when posting! Winner will be chosen on the 14th.

Shop, vote, take pictures, find bargains, chat with friendly sales people. All courtesy of your downtown merchants of Salem, MA.

For additional info, contact Kylie Sullivan, Salem Main Streets Manager, at 978-744-0004 or kylie@salemmainstreets.org.

Dec 072014
 

Indeed there is much going on. Where do we start… some may be sold out, so call ahead, but there are so many today, you should find one (or two, or three) that will interest you and the family.

  • {11 am -2 pm} Benefiting the Northeast Animal Shelter is an event taking place at the Hawthorne Hotel, simply called Santa Paws. Bring your furry little pet to have his or her own “photo op” with the man of the hour (or month) Santa Claus.
  • {11:30 am – 4 pm} Chocolate tastings and festive holiday shopping are the order of the day if you happen to stop by the Harbor Sweets Open House and Tours.
  • Christmas in Salem{11:30 am-4:30 pm} Historic homes, decorated for the holidays by local designers, florists and garden clubs await you on the 35th Annual Christmas in Salem House Tour. Each year, the tour features a different neighborhood in historic Salem, seeking to promote & explore unique histories and architectural tales. Proceeds from the event support historic preservation in Salem and the mission of Historic Salem, Inc. This year the focus is on South Salem showing Victorian residences that escaped the Great Salem Fire of 1914 and those that were rebuilt with beautiful Colonial Revival details. For more info call 978-745-0799
  • {2 pm, 3:30 pm, 5 pm, 6:30 pm, 8 pm} Experience Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol with a twist. Ride along with Scrooge on the Salem Trolley as the classic tale is brought to life in a completely unexpected way. Presented by The Salem Trolley and the Griffen Theatre. As these sell out quickly, we will add that these shows runs until Dec. 23rd, so if not today, possibly another day. Tour departs from Salemdipity, 86 Wharf Street (Pickering Wharf).
  • {3 pm} Take the kids (young and older…) to the Salem YMCA today for a special screening of Elf! It’s something different, take a break from football and spend it with the kids. Santa and his elves will be serving hot cocoa as well!
  • {3 pm – 6 pm} Christmas scenes from famous works of literature, such as Little Women, A Christmas Carol and A Child’s Christmas in Wales are brought to life for visitors as they weave there way among the rooms of the House of the Seven Gables. Tickets at the Admissions Desk in the Visitor Center on day of performance. More info by calling (978) 744-0991, x104.

And one more item. Need some greenery for your home or business? We will have Boy Scout Troop 24 selling wreaths on Derby Square today from 11 am to 1 pm. A portion of proceeds will go towards supporting the restoration of the historic Arch on Salem Common.

Dec 022014
 

People always ask us what we think is the most popular costume seen in Salem Ma. Witch? Ghostbuster? Vampire? We like to say that it depends on the time of year. And for the winter season, without a doubt it is the bright red outfit worn by a certain Kris Kringle during his annual landing atop the Hawthorne Hotel on the first Friday of December.

This year at 6 pm on Dec. 5th, hundreds of on-lookers, children and adults, will be stationed around the Hawthorne on Washington Sq., looking up, up, up to the roof to await Santa’s arrival.

Assisted by the Salem Fire Department, the jolly one will climb down the side of the hotel on a ladder to meet/greet his fans. There will be a procession to the Salem Gazebo for cocoa and caroling, then the parade heads over to the Museum Place Mall for pictures with Santa.

Weather forecast as of today calls for partly cloudy skies on Friday, with temperatures in the mid to low 30s. Perfect weather for reindeer. And kids too, of all ages.

For those of you who have never seen this: here is a Vine video we ran last year (thank you Salem News & Hawthorne Hotel).