Creative Window Boxes To Be Honored For Helping Beautify Salem

 Contests, History, New Businesses, Salem Event, Volunteer Opportunities  No Responses »
Jul 202015
 

Window Box 2015Windows have an artistic value beyond the utilitarian of keeping cold out and letting fresh air in. Walk down any street in Salem and you’ll see windows as the backdrop and support for creative & colorful flowered window boxes. To honor the businesses and homes that go the extra mile to help beautify Salem, the City has been holding an annual Window Box Competition since 1993.

Modesty aside, did you work hard on your window box design and placement? Then you deserve recognition and an award.  The Salem Beautification Committee, along with The Salem Garden Club and Mayor Kimberley Driscoll, have issued an open invitation for submissions.

Or if you are very creative, you’ve got time to make one very quickly for the Window Box Competition.

Wood of course is the traditional material with which to build a window box. But what kind of wood should be used? For example you might want to remove pine, which rots relatively quickly (and we do get a lot of rain & snow) from your options. And add cedar or redwood because of their rot-resistant qualities.

Of course people have gone away from wood totally with fiberglass, brick, metal, vinyl, and cellular PVC!

But time is running out! Registration for the Window Box Competition concludes Wednesday, July 22, 2015. Judging will take place July 25-31. Then the Awards Ceremony & Reception will be held during Heritage Days on Thursday, August 6th at 5:30 pm. in the garden of the Brookhouse, which is located at 180 Derby St.

For more information, rules and to register, call 978-619-5676. Or email: etalkowsky@salem.com with the subject: Window Box Competition registration. Please include your name, street address and telephone number.

The mission of the Salem Beautification Committee is to assist the City in developing and pursuing initiatives that promote the beautification of the City.  The goal of the Committee is to create civic pride and to motivate the City’s diverse population to participate in the beautification process.

(Photo courtesy of the Salem Beautification Committee Facebook page)

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Can Robots Trust Humans? PEM Offers You A Chance to Meet One!

 Contests, Salem Event, Volunteer Opportunities, Workshops  No Responses »
Jul 132015
 

hitchbotIf you’ve driven a vehicle for enough years or miles, then you’ve seen all kinds of hitchhikers. Young, old, attractive and scarey. One thing they had in common was that they were all human. But setting off across America soon will be hitch-Bot, a robot hitching its way across America (he made it through Canada last year). And the launch party will be on Thursday, July 16, 6-9pm at our own Peabody Essex Museum during PEM/PM, the museum’s monthly evening party series.

In celebration of the season, the theme for July is Take Back Summer, with an opportunity to rediscover classic and wild ways to have fun, while also taking advantage of after-hours access to museum exhibitions. And what better tie-in is a summer road-trip?

On Thursday, July 16, the party-going public will also hear from hitchBOT’s co-creators. The next day hitchBOT will bid them farewell on a nearby highway as it begins its adventure by putting up its thumb to ask for a ride. The final destination is the Exploratorium in San Francisco.

hitchBOT is an outgoing and charismatic robot that began hitchhiking in July 2014. In less than four weeks, hitchBOT charmed its way into rides across Canada, depending on the help of kind strangers. hitchBOT cannot move by itself — except for its hitchhiking thumb — but can converse thanks to Cleverscript speech technology, which allows it to answer questions about where it comes from or its favorite pastimes.

hitchBOT’s family consists of a collaborative, interdisciplinary team of researchers from the fields of visual arts, engineering, computer science and communication. The project was originally co-designed by Dr. David Harris Smith, assistant professor in the Department of Communication Studies and Multimedia at McMaster University (Hamilton), and Dr. Frauke Zeller, assistant professor in the School of Professional Communication at Ryerson University (Toronto), to see whether robots could trust humans.

People picked HB up and took it to bars, diners, concerts and then left it on the side of the road for someone else to take it further on down the road.

For example, hitchBOT hung out with the British Columbia rock band The Wild, which took it to their next performance. Another time it was taken to a wedding.

No one broke it, defaced it or stole it.

“hitchBOT was very well received as it made its way across Canada, Germany and the Netherlands – proving that robots can indeed trust humans,” said Dr. Zeller. “Given that hitchBOT is built out of a bucket, we thought it would be only natural if we let it have a bucket list for this exciting new adventure.”

hitchbot bucket listThe list includes Times Square in New York City, Millennium Park in Chicago, Mount Rushmore in South Dakota and the Grand Canyon in Arizona.

In the PEM blog Connected, the creators commented “In the case of hitchBOT, we have launched a type of robotic proxy, set forth not to explore the surface of Mars, but to explore a cultural terrain here on earth that is underwritten by evolved human curiosity, empathy and altruism. hitchBOT literally rides from place to place on a tide of goodwill, developing a personal history of face-to-face interpersonal interactions and a trail of social media participation. ”

Fans are encouraged to follow hitchBOT’s journey at hitchbot.me, and on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. hitchBOT also invites users to share their hitchhiking stories and pictures using #hitchbot on Twitter and Instagram.

PEM’s evening parties, with music and dance performances, lectures and art-making stations take place on the 3rd Thursday of the month. Admission is free to PEM members and Salem residents (with ID), while nonmembers pay $10 at the door. There will be a cash bar and special small plates menu items available courtesy of the Hawthorne Hotel.

(Cover photo courtesy David Harris Smith)

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Welcome to Salem MA, Home of Award-Winning Businesses & Events

 Contests, History, New Businesses, Salem Dining, Salem Event, Salem Shopping  No Responses »
Jul 082015
 

BONS 2015Another week, another set of votes by you the customers of North Shore businesses & events. You have spoken again; this week we present the Best of North Shore survey by North Shore Magazine which indicates we must be doing something right in Salem MA. Over 30 top awardees!

Scan down the alphabetical list (typed up by our own tireless Kylie Sullivan, Executive Director of Salem Main Streets – TY Kylie!) to find your favorite dining choice, business or service. Perhaps you’ll see a place you’ve wanted to try but never have. Now’s as good a time as any! And congratulations to all the merchants & business owners, managers and staff!

62 Restaurant & Wine Bar – Best Italian – Editors’ Choice
Most Romantic – Reader’s Choice
Best Donut – Editors’ Choice

A&J King – Best Bakery, Bread – Editors’ AND Readers’ Choice
Best Bake Shop, Pastry – Readers’ Choice

The Barking Cat – Best Pet Boutique – Editors’ Choice AND Readers’ Choice

CinemaSalem – Best Movie Theater – Editors’ AND Readers’ Choice

The Cookie Monstah – Best Cookies – Editors’ Choice (tied) * Note – not Salem based, but a staple of the Salem Farmers’ Market

Finz Seafood & Grill – Best Seafood, Prepared – Editors’ Choice (tied)

Gulu-Gulu Café – Best Beer Menu – Readers’ Choice

Harbor Sweets – Best Confectionary – Readers’ Choice

2014_Guide_CoverHaunted Happenings (city-wide event) – Best Festival, Fall – Readers’ Choice

Hawthorne Hotel – Best Hotel – Readers’ Choice

Landry & Arcari – Best Rugs – Editors’ AND Readers’ Choice

Life Alive – Best Vegetarian – Editors’ AND Readers’ Choice

Mahi Mahi Harbor Cruises – Best Charter Boat – Readers’ Choice

Melita Fiore – Best Bake Shop, Pastry – Editors’ Choice (tied)

Mighty Aphrodite Maternity Consignment – Best Maternity Clothing – Editors’ Choice AND Readers’ Choice

Milk and Honey – Best Gourmet – Honorable Mention

Mud Puddle Toys – Best Toy Shop – Editors’ Choice AND Readers’ Choice

North Shore Boot Camp (at B&S Fitness) – Best Boot Camp – Editors’ Choice

Olde Main Street Pub – Best Pub Food – Editors’ Choice (tied)

Opus – Best Sushi – Editors’ Choice Best After-Work Drinks, Readers’ Choice

Passage to India – Best Indian – Readers’ Choice

Paxton – Best Barber Shop – Editors’ Choice

Peabody Essex Museum – Best Museum – Editors’ AND Readers’ Choice Best Tourist Attraction – Readers’ Choice

Roost & Company – Best Home Décor – Readers’ Choice Best Gifts – Editors’ Choice (tied) AND Readers’ Choice

Rouge Cosmetics – Best Beauty Products – Readers’ Choice Best Makeup Selection – Editors’ Choice (tied) AND Readers’ Choice

Salem Willows – Best Family Hangout – Editors’ AND Readers’ Choice


Salem’s So Sweet (joint event by Salem Main Streets/Salem Chamber of Commerce/Destination Salem) – Best Festival, Winter – Editors’ AND Readers’ Choice

Scratch Kitchen – Best BBQ – Editors’ Choice

Sea Level Oyster Bar – Best Seafood, Prepared – Editors’ Choice (tied)
Best Waterview Restaurant, Year-Round – Editors’ Choice

Tavern in the Square – Best Sports Bar – Readers’ Choice

Tri-City Sales – Best Kitchen Appliances – Readers’ Choice

Turner’s Seafood at Lyceum Hall – Best Seafood, Prepared – Editors’ Choice (tied) AND Readers’ Choice

The Ugly Mug Diner – Best Breakfast – Editors’ Choice (tied)
Best Brunch – Readers’ Choice

Witch City 5K (organized by Salem YMCA) – Best Community Walk/Run – Editors’ AND Readers’ Choice

Ye Olde Pepper Companie – Best Confectionary  – Editors’ Choice (tied)

Yoga Sakti – Best Yoga Studio – Editors’ AND Readers’ Choice
Best Yoga Apparel – Editors’ Choice AND Readers’ Choice

Readers’ Choice Awards are those establishments who received the most votes through the open, online voting system. Editors’ Choices were selected by the North Shore magazine internal team and based on research / site visits. Voting was conducted February 1st through March 1st, 2015.

Changes This Year

While regional and national chains have been allowed in previous years to qualify as nominees, this year only local organizations and locally owned franchises were qualified to be nominees. Also, businesses with multiple locations were recognized by their specific location. For example, if a business had locations in Salem, Peabody, etc. then each location would have its own nomination process.

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Salem Places Well in Reader’s Choice Awards

 Contests, New Businesses, Salem Dining, Salem Event, Salem Shopping  1 Response »
Jul 052015
 

logoNorth Shore customers were recently asked to vote on their favorite businesses for the annual (20th this year!) Wicked Local Reader’s Choice Awards. Salem placed very nicely in a number of the categories, especially businesses in the Downtown District.

There were far too many categories (75!!!) and winners to list in this blog. Easier to provide you with links to pages that carried the results and you can focus on specific areas of interest to you.

But, before you click on the links for the list, some legal provisos… Reader’s Choice ballots were published in January & February…. winners were verified by an independent firm hired to tabulate votes & results… the survey was conducted as a reader poll and not as a scientific research poll.

In other words, it was for fun but there’s more than enough weight to tip the scales to attract your interest to visit the Salem businesses mentioned.

  • This link will take you to Salem “Local Services” category (Dentists, Dry Cleaners, Auto Repair, etc)
  • This link is for Salem “Local Shopping” (Consignment Store, Furniture Store, Bookstore, etc)
  • This link is for Salem “Local Flavor” (Restaurants, Bakeries, Ice Cream Shops, etc.)
  • This link is for how Salem-based businesses placed over-all in the “Regional” categories.

Congratulations to the winners, Gold, Silver, Bronze, #1 Choice and Honorable Mentions.

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Salem Arts Festival Gets “Real” for Submissions Applications

 Contests, History, Salem Event, Salem Festivals, Workshops  No Responses »
May 052015
 
image4-ACCEPTED

Work by Denny Tentindo, 2014 Festival

Attention!  Visual artists considering “showing” their works at the 7th annual Salem Arts Festival (June 5-7) in the juried gallery should take note of a big change in the submission process. Rather than electronic submissions of work as has been conducted in the past, the Festival is moving to an on-site review of works the weekend before the Festival (May 29 – June 1).

According to Kylie Sullivan, Executive Director of Salem Main Streets, which oversees the Festival, this new process “will hopefully better serve the artists by letting their work speak for itself.  Using electronic images in the past has been so problematic – colors can appear differently on different screens and printers, the impact of 3-D work is often lost in a 2-D format, and inevitably, an unfair advantage is given to the individuals who are better at presenting their work digitally. Members of the festival committee have been advocating for this type of jury process for several years, and we’re excited that we finally have the capacity this year to make the change.”

Over 5,000 people attended last year’s family-friendly Festival which transformed downtown Salem, MA into an opportunity for the arts community to showcase a wide range of talents: painting, photography, sculpture, dance, music, writing, film, new media, performance, theatre, poetry, and more!

Artists this year may submit up to 3 pieces; at least two of which must be for sale. Dates/times for drop off at Old Town Hall (32 Derby Sq.) will be May 29 from 5-8pm and May 30 from 9am-noon.

Hung artwork may not exceed 36″ in any direction (including frame) and must be wired to hang – no sawtooth hangers. Larger artwork must have an easel or a stand. While installations are welcome, be mindful that Salem’s historic spaces come with some limitations.  Accepted work will be presented at Old Town Hall during the Salem Arts Festival (June 5 through June 7).

For full details of requirements and regulations, please see the admission form.

This special exhibit is to be judged and juried for prizes by a panel comprised of individuals from the Salem arts community and beyond. Jurors will made up of regional artists representing diverse media, including Karen Ristuben, Bob Packert, and Denny Tentindo.

The Salem Arts Festival is organized by Salem Main Streets and a collaboration of Salem organizations which provide support for the festival, including the City of Salem, Salem State University Center for the Creative and Performing Arts, Peabody Essex Museum, Salem Arts Association and Creative Salem.

SALEM303 Salem_Arts_Fest_Logo_Final

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