Dining – Page 5 – Salem Main Streets

January is the Punch Line for Salem Comedy Festival

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Jan 022016

January may be a grim, gray month for most people, but we laugh at that notion in Salem. No, really, we laugh, as with the First Annual Salem Comedy & Spirits Festival, set for January 14 – 17, 2016.

Festival producer and comedian Mark Scalia got the idea from a somewhat similar humor fest he had attended in New Orleans. It was a celebration of comedy for both the comics and the audience.

“New England in January tends to be dark and cold and can make people get a little stir-crazy. Comedy is a great way to get out on a cold night and laugh! Besides, it’s the ONLY month that Salem doesn’t have another festival.”

The Salem Comedy & Spirits Festival features top area performing comedians, an improv show, locally crafted spirits and cider, and related special events at a variety of Salem venues (Koto, Far From the Tree, Opus, and Gallows Hill Theatre).

1/14, 7pm
Enjoy a delicious dinner from Koto before enjoying opening night hilarity with 10 great comedians. Hosted by Mark Scalia and closing the show will be comedian Chris Pennie.

Among the comics: Kristin O’Brien, Niraj Shah, Dan Gilbert, Mark Turcotte, Andy Lester & Kyle Daley

1/15, 7pm
Enjoy samples from Salem’s own Far From The Tree cidery before a showcase of 10 top comedians. Hosted by Mark Scalia and closing the show will be comedian Matt Barry.

Among the comics: Tyler Moore , Ryan Chani, Pete Wolynec, Danny Rathbun, Jess Miller & Drew Dunn

1/16, 6pm
Enjoy an exclusive private 3-course dinner with the show’s three headlining comedians, Dave Rattigan, Jay Grove & Mark Scalia at Opus Underground, as well as VIP seating for the comedy show!

1/17, 6:30 and 8:30pm
The evening at the Gallows Hill Theater begins with an Improv show with the hilarious “Accidentally on Purpose” featuring Erik Rodenhiser.

Then at 8:30pm, Ace Comedy Hypnotist Steve Coppola will take the stage with his interactive and comedic show!

Don’t let snow (or lack of it) get you down in January. Just come down to Salem MA and treat yourself to a laugh or two, or three or four at the The Salem Comedy & Spirits Festival. For tickets and additional info, go to http://salemcomedyfestival.com/

Better to Give Than Receive: Volunteer for SMS

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Nov 172015

As many of you know — or may not know — Salem Main Streets is responsible for a fair share of the holiday fun and cheer to be found/experienced in downtown Salem in November & December. But, as you can well imagine, it is far too much for one person to orchestrate, and way more fun to do with friends! Therefore, here are just a few (seriously) of our upcoming volunteer needs.

Ribbon Wrapping around downtown – this Saturday, Nov. 21
9 am – Ribbon pre-measuring and cutting – Salem Main Streets office, 265 Essex Street
10 am to 12 pm – Meet at East India Fountain on Essex Street Mall
Needed – as many as possible!
Kylie Sullivan, Executive Director of Salem Main Streets reveals, “This is one of my favorite volunteer days of the year – it’s always cold and blustery, but we always have the best group of people, and the more people, the faster we go! Volunteers should be able to handle the cold for 2 hours (while moving around); ability to climb ladders comfortably is a plus, and ‘ability’ to bring your own ladder is even better!”

Salem Winter Market – November – this Sunday, Nov 22.
1:30 to 3 pm and 6:30 to 8 pm
217 Essex Street
Needed – 4 to 6 people
We need help unloading and setting up vendors for our indoor winter market, in addition to breaking down and loading out at the end of the evening. Volunteers should ideally be able to lift up to 25 pounds.

Santa’s Arrival at Hawthorne and Holiday Tree Lighting at Lappin Park, Friday, Nov. 27
5 pm to 7 pm
Needed – 2 or 3 volunteers
We’re combining two beloved annual events into one night this year – and that means it will be even harder for Kylie to be everywhere at once! We could use a couple extra hands to help carry and set up/break down tables and sound systems at the different sites. Again, volunteers should be relatively able to handle the cold for 2 hours, and need to be able to lift and carry tables, sound equipment, etc.

Salem Winter Market – December, Saturday, Dec. 19
11:30 to 1 pm and 4:30 to 6 pm
217 Essex Street
Needed – 4 to 6 volunteers
We need help unloading and setting up vendors for our indoor winter market, in addition to breaking down and loading out at the end of the evening. Volunteers should ideally be able to lift up to 25 pounds.

New Year’s Eve LAUNCH! Thursday, Dec. 31
2:30 pm to 7
Old Town Hall, 32 Derby Square
Needed – As many as possible!
Kyle requests, “Help us ring in the New Year at Old Town Hall! The City of Salem and Salem Main Streets are teaming up to throw a New Year’s Eve party at Old Town Hall, with live music and family-friendly activities. There will be an early countdown promptly at 6 pm.”

Volunteers are needed for a variety of jobs:

Set up (2 to 4pm): Volunteers should be able to lift up to 25 pounds.
Greeters (4 to 6 pm): Greet people at the door and collect optional donations.
Craft activity support (4 to 6 pm): Help activity leaders as needed.
Break down (5:45 to 7pm): Volunteers should ideally be able to lift up to 25 pounds.

One other thing, Kyle adds, “Have an idea for a fun (and inexpensive) NYE activity that you would like to lead? Even better – just let me know.”

If you are interested in filling any of these needs, please contact her by email at kylie@salemmainstreets.org, or by phone at 978-744-0004, or in person at 265 Essex Street.

Just think of all those happy faces on kids & adults at events where you gave a little of your time.

Fall Restaurant Week to Highlight Salem’s Changing & Growing Dining Scene

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Nov 072015

In keeping with Salem’s emerging position as a favored dining destination, Fall Restaurant Week returns with a diverse menu of chefs, locations, cuisines and value pricing, Nov. 8-12 and Nov. 15-19.

If you’ve never tried the offerings of a certain Salem restaurant but always wanted to, this is your chance.

For 10 days only, participating Salem restaurants will offer either a two-course prix-fixe dinner menu for $18, or a three-course prix-fixe dinner menu for $28, or both (note that this price does not include drinks, taxes or gratuities).

And if you’ve tasted what Salem has to offer in the past, you will find old reliables as well as a number of new dining selections with names such as A MANO, Aurora, Bambolina, and Koto.

This an annual event of the Salem Chamber of Commerce, which has stated on its website that “Salem has become a culinary destination and people really look forward to this event. Expect a wide variety of delicious foods – from steak to seafood, American to ethnic, there is something for everyone.”

The full list of participating restaurants (subject to change) is listed on the Chamber website.

Restaurants may offer multiple choices for appetizers and entrees, as well as desserts. Contact the restaurants directly to make reservations, which are strongly encouraged. Also, please mention “Restaurant Week” when making your reservations.

There are many reasons to walk around Salem, why not let Fall Restaurant Week give you the opportunity to find reasons to sit and enjoy Salem?

Best Chef: Salem, We’re Cooking Up Another Must See Event

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Nov 052015

Blending food, competition and a fundraising event, the Salem YMCA and Creative Salem have partnered to host the 2nd annual Salem’s Best Chef competition, Nov. 7th from 6:30 – 9:30pm at Ames Hall within the Y building.

You are invited to be on hand to observe local Salem chefs facing off to see who reigns supreme.

“Salem is a force in the culinary scene,” explains John Andrews of Creative Salem. “The one constant we have all year long (through Haunted Happenings, the Maritime Festival, cultural happenings, growth in the city, etc.) is an ever growing and changing culinary scene.”

He continues “With those plethora of events throughout the year, the ever expanding culinary scene and the popularity of cooking competitions, it was a unique but logical choice to not only highlight some awesome local chefs but to give a little sample to people to try out some of the offerings in Salem.”

Adding to the local theme, each chef will create three dishes utilizing ingredients from local vendors that participate in the Salem Farmers Market!

Also included in the Best Chef event will be a “Taste of Salem” featuring local restaurants, brewers, and cider masters offering samples to attendees. These include:

Far From the Tree Cider
AMano Italian Kitchen
Ken Rothwell Catering
In A Pig’s Eye
The Lobster Shanty
Opus
The Cheese Shop of Salem
Deacon Giles Distillery
KOTO

This event supports the Salem YMCA and its Annual Campaign which helps fund community initiatives in the areas of the achievement gap, teens, aging population and childhood obesity. It also supports greater access to Y programs in health and wellness, aquatics, camp, child care and in the areas of arts and theater through scholarships and financial assistance.

Guest judges include: the 2014 winner Antonio Bettencourt; 2014 Businesswoman of the year Brandi Dion, owner of B&S Fitness; and the creator of Nosh Northshore and Dinner Dealer Jessica Brand Alves.

Andrews points out that last year’s event revealed that “Putting the focus on the chefs in a city where we don’t really do the ‘celebrity chef’ thing didn’t involve some of the ego that can usually go into these events.”

In fact, it was just the opposite, providing a chance for the locals to really see who is cooking for them in their favorite local restaurants.

Andrews, a former chef himself reveals, “One of the wonderful things about the culinary scene in this city is that a lot of the staff that work in these places frequent each others establishments so there is a real wonderful sense of camaraderie at events like this.”

Additional entertainment at Best Chef will be provided by DJ Noel Snow and a fun-filled photo booth.

Andrews adds, “With Mayoral visions of a shared kitchen incubator space.. An exciting artisanal beer, cider and spirit scene… A vibrant and thriving Farmers Market…The potential turning of the page on the possibility of food trucks… and some really wonderful new options for people to dine… we need residents & visitors to support all these initiatives and new businesses; hopefully events like this and the upcoming Salem Restaurant week will encourage people all over the region to start seeing Salem as the culinary destination that it is.”

Tickets are $35 or $50 for VIP access! (VIP access includes a drink ticket and balcony seating!)
Call 978-740-9622 for more info.

(Photos courtesy of Social Palates Photography)

And Now for Something Completely Different in Salem MA

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Oct 282015

What isn’t different in Salem MA during Halloween what with all the witch-stuff, ghostbusters, zombie nurses, etc.? How about these two alternative events for Friday Oct. 30th evening: the First Annual Spice Eating Challenge at Artists’ Row and the Salem Classical production Songs of the Supernatural, produced with support from Salem Main Streets and Creative Salem.

Deborah Greel, Public Art Planner for the City of Salem (Department of Planning and Community Development) describes both events as having an “appeal to tourists but definitely geared for locals too.”

The Heat is ON

Step up to the 1st Annual #Salem MA Wicked Hot Spice Tasting Challenge!!! It will be conveniently located in one of our hottest creative spaces, Artists’ Row, and hosted by Karen Scalia of Salem Food Tours (which is itself located at Artists’ Row). The Challenge will run from 6-7pm, rain or shine. Sign up sheet to be a taster available night of the event.

“The tastings will be four types of mashed chili peppers,” explains Scalia. “Four levels of hot fun – from mild, medium, hot, and SUPER HOT!”

Too afraid to try the heat??? Then just come on down to cheer the poor souls on!! Bwahahahahahaha

The chilis are being supplied by Salem Spice, which also will have them for sale during the event.

“We are thrilled to stage this free community event,” states Scalia. “It’s a fun and exciting way to start Halloween weekend in Salem, a fantastic way to celebrate Artists’ Row, and a great way to support our local fire department.”

Salem Fire Department Local 172 will be in attendance selling tee shirts to raise money for local fire station amenities (which are usually paid for out of pocket by fire-fighters).

As for just what makes chili peppers such a hot deal? According to the website chilipeppermadness.com, “That spiciness we all love and crave comes from a compound called capsaicin that is found in all hot peppers. Interestingly enough, capsaicin is found in no other plant than the chili pepper. A single drop of this substance combined with 100,000 parts water is still noticeably spicy.”

As for advice when the heat is too much to beat? The website advises “Don’t Drink The Water! Pure capsaicin is soluble in alcohol but not soluble in cold water. Hence, instead of dousing the raging flame on your tongue, the water will only spread the spices around in your mouth and make the situation worse. Instead, try sugar or milk to curb that luscious heat.”

For more info, check out the Challenge website.

And if you DARE for more, The Lobster Shanty (also on Artists’ Row) will be serving some delicious spicy HOT specials to get your taste buds roaring.

Coldly Haunting Classical

A siren haunts a rock on the river Rhine.
A princess, locked away in a Bronze Room.
A charlatan conducts sham séances.
A teenage girl, driven to suicide by cruel fate…

The Salem Witch Trials are not the only persecutions fixated on the supernatural. Explore dark magic and tragic heroines, set to hauntingly gorgeous music by Schubert, Berlioz, Liszt, Menotti, Lees, and Rorem, when Salem Main Streets and Salem Classical present the Salem debut of Songs of the Supernatural at the First Church in Salem (316 Essex Street) at 8pm.

Kate Kostopoulos will be the performing soprano; she is from Boston and has been pursing vocal performance for the past six years and simultaneously maintaining a career in Arts Administration.

She is a recent graduate of the Cleveland Institute of Music where she received her Master of Music degree in Vocal Performance. Earlier this year Kostopoulos was a Young Artist at the Atlantic Music Festival performing opera and art song repertoire.

Brendon Shapiro will be her pianist; he is a vocal coach, musical director, and conductor based in Boston. Currently serving as a staff pianist at Boston University and organist for First Parish in Arlington, MA, he has additionally been hired by numerous opera companies, recitalists, choral ensembles, and religious organizations in the area.

He also is on faculty as a vocal coach at the Boston University Tanglewood Institute. Shapiro holds a Master of Music degree in Collaborative Piano Performance from Boston University and a Bachelor of Music degree from the Ithaca College School of Music where he won the Mary Hayes North Piano Competition Award.

Salem Classical is the home of classical music located in the heart of the pedestrian zone of historic downtown Salem. The mission of Salem Classical is to remove the boundary between the public and performers, bringing some of the greatest music ever composed to Salem. Audiences are invited to frequent concerts as a compliment to the overall cultural experience in the city of Salem that includes dozens of restaurants, shops, and museums. And witches, ghostbusters, etc., etc.

For more info go to the Classical Salem website.

This upcoming Friday night is the “calm before the storm,” so why not venture out for chili and classical? Only in Salem MA would saying that make any sense.

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