Find Out Why House of Seven Gables Is One of the Oldest Buildings in Salem

 Business Spotlight, History, Salem Event, Workshops  No Responses »
Feb 182018
 

While there are a lot of Do-It-Yourself books, videos and TV shows today to help you build your house, back in 1668 when sea captain John Turner was having the Turner Mansion constructed in Salem Ma, there was a lot of trial and error. With limited material resources at hand and no power tools, building a house in Colonial Massachusetts required skill, ingenuity and a lot more. Luckily, Turner’s team would even make the hosts of PBS’ “This Old House” happy, as the structure still stands. Today it is known as The House of Seven Gables. And you are invited to tour it during February School Vacation Week, Feb. 17-25.

Designated a National Historic Landmark District in 2007, The House of the Seven Gables is best known today as the setting of world-renowned American author Nathaniel Hawthorne’s 1851 novel.

But, before that, it was to be a home and the question is what tools and designs worked best in 1668?  What failed? How did they learn from their mistakes?

Children and their families will find out. Tools, as you can well imagine, are part of the intrigue — some will look familiar 350 years later. Some won’t. Those attending will learn about the tools of the trade and which materials were used most often in Colonial Salem.

It gets even better. This is an interactive event. All in attendance will also get the chance to experiment with different construction techniques at each of The Gables’ workshop stations.

Plus, as an extra special treat for the kids (and perhaps adults) you’ll be able to fold and decorate your own paper house to take home!

Special interactive presentations— Why Do We Have Gables? — are scheduled at 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. when Museum staff explore the construction of historic buildings and which parts of these structures are strongest.

School vacation programming is included with admission from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily. Check 7gables.org for hours, and rates. The program is free for Salem residents with valid identification and Museum members.

The House of Seven Gables is located at 115 Derby St., Salem. For more information, call 978-744-0991 or check out the Museum website.

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24 Reasons Why Salem Ma Is a Cool Valentine’s Day Weekend Destination

 Salem Event, Salem Festivals, Salem Shopping, SMS News  No Responses »
Jan 312018
 

Ice Sculpture from 2017

Looking for something really cool to do as a Valentine’s Day gift for sweetie pie? How about spending a day — or an illuminated evening — exploring ice sculptures in Salem Ma during our 16th annual Salem’s So Sweet Chocolate & Ice Sculpture Festival, Feb. 9-11, 2018.

There are Ice Sculpture festivals throughout the world at different times of the year, but we uniquely tie ours to the Valentine’s celebration and make it easy for couples to stroll through our walkable streets, hand in hand, oohing and aahing the creativity and craftsmanship to turn what is essentially water into works of art.

This year, we have 24 beautiful ice sculptures that will grace downtown Salem starting February 10.  Some of the themes for this year’s ice sculptures will include “Love Potion #9,” a Dragon, the Salem State University Superfan, the Gloucester Fisherman, Princess and Frog, and more! A map can be found in the brochure (available in shops around town) during the festival and online at www.salemsosweet.com.

Be sure to make plans for a special evening stroll on Saturday, Feb. 10, from 5 pm to 9 pm, when the sculptures will be illuminated by Retonica! This is always a crowd-pleaser.

Weather permitting, The Salem Trolley offers trolley rides around the festival route on February 10 & 11 from 12 pm to 4 pm for only $2 an adult (free for children).

Ice Sculptures

#01 – Universe – Sponsored by The Journeymasters

#02 – Han Solo – Sponsored by Gulu-Gulu Café and Flying Saucer Pizza Company

#03 – Snowflake – Sponsored by Laura Lanes Skin Care

#04 – The Superfan – Sponsored by Salem State University

#05 – Tank – Sponsored by Army Barracks

#06 – Kissing Fish – Sponsored by Adriatic Restaurant & Bar

#07 – Piggy Bank – People’s United Bank

#08 – Princess & Frog – Sponsored by Maria’s Sweet Somethings

#09 – Dragon – Sponsored by Coon’s Card and Gift Shop

#10 – Page the Dog – Sponsored by Bella Research Group

#11 – Gloucester Fisherman – Sponsored by Turner’s Seafood

#12 – Love Potion #9 – Sponsored by The Coven’s Cottage, Emporium 32, Modern Millie, Pamplemousse, Salem Trolley, and Trolley Depot

#13 – Basset Hound – Sponsored by Witch City Mall: A Sacred Place Wellness Center, Badabing Barbershop and Shave Parlor, Bewitched in Salem, Escape Room Salem, Essex’s NY Deli & Pizza, Jodi Bee Bakes, Lotus Gifts, nAGLY, Omen, Polonus European Deli, Primary Residential Mortgage, Remix Church, Thai Place, Village Tavern, Witch Pix, Witch Tee’s

#14 – Cactus – Sponsored by Peabody Essex Museum

#15 – Super Mario Bros.  – Sponsored by Bit Bar Salem

#16 – Cauldron – Sponsored by Salem Witch Museum

#17 – Bakery – Sponsored by Coffee Time Bake Shop

#18 – Financial Wizard – Sponsored by St. Jean’s Credit Union

#19 – Lion – Sponsored by Jolie Tea Company

#20 – Mug – Sponsored by Notch Brewery & Taproom

#21 – Waterfront Hotel – Sponsored by Regatta Pub at Salem Waterfront Hotel & Suites

#22 – Rumson’s Rum – Sponsored by Pirate Dog Brand LLC / Rumson’s Rum

#23 – The Friendship – Sponsored by Waite & Peirce National Park Service Information Center and Park Store

#24 – 350th Anniversary – Sponsored by The House of Seven Gables and Ye Olde Pepper Companie

Ice Sculpture also from 2017

Many downtown businesses will offer chocolate samplings and sweet discounts around downtown Salem all weekend in celebration of Valentine’s Day.  Check to see who is participating in the “Golden Ticket Promotion” – make a full-price purchase at one participating downtown business and get 10% off your purchase at the next participating business!  Offer is good Feb. 10 and 11 only, some restrictions may apply. In addition, many of Salem’s finest restaurants and retailers will be offering their own luscious chocolate and love-inspired specials and events.

A full list of ice sculptures, participating businesses, and promotions are also listed online, and will be available in brochures around town during the festival. Salem’s So Sweet is organized by Salem Main Streets and the Salem Chamber of Commerce, and supported by Creative Salem, Destination Salem, Retonica, Scarlet Letter Press, and Rockafellas. Visit our website for more events and details as they become available – www.salemsosweet.com – or follow our Facebook page for all the latest updates – https://www.facebook.com/salemsosweet.

 

 

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LAUNCH! Is Back to Help Salem Residents & Friends Ring in New Year

 History, Salem Event, Salem Festivals, SMS News, Volunteer Opportunities  No Responses »
Dec 302017
 

The family-friendly count down to the New Year, known as LAUNCH! is gearing up for a great party in Salem, this Sunday, Dec. 31 from 4 pm to 6 pm at Old Town Hall on Derby Square.

Programming will include hat making, face painting, a photo booth, and more!  There will be an early countdown just before 6 pm. Ring in the New Year with family members that can’t or don’t want to stay up ‘til midnight

“When we organized LAUNCH! for the first time a few years ago, it was immediately clear that there was a strong community desire to come together on New Year’s Eve,” states Kylie Sullivan, Salem Main Streets’ Executive Director. “Plus, there’s still plenty of time after our early countdown to get to your own party, or catch one of the many other great events happening all over town on New Year’s Eve!”

New Year’s Eve Stats

History.com and Column Five put together a very interesting “New Year’s by the numbers” Infographic from which we pulled these figures.

  • Each New Year’s Eve, one million people gather in NYC Times Square to watch the famous ball drop.
  • Closed to one billion people around the word watch the festivities on TV.
  • And 22% of adults admit they fall asleep before midnight!

No falling asleep at our New Year’s alternative event, which is in its 5th year and produced again by Salem Main Streets and the City of Salem.

This event is free to all and family-friendly, with a $5 suggested donation to help support Salem Main Streets’ “Holiday Happenings” initiatives, including Santa’s Arrival at the Hawthorne, the Tree Lighting, and the wreaths and ribbons around the downtown district. LAUNCH! is also made possible thanks to our Salem Main Streets volunteers and the continued involvement of our partners at Creative Salem and the Phoenix School.

So, bring friends, co-workers and bring the kids to say goodbye to 2017 and hello 2018, this Sunday at Old Town Hall, 32 Derby Sq. in Salem.

 

 

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End the Week by Finding That Elusive, Unusual Gift

 Haunted Happenings, New Businesses, Resources, Salem Event, Salem Farmers Market, Salem Festivals, Salem Shopping  No Responses »
Dec 142017
 

Looking for that “last gift” or stocking stuffer? Something really unusual? May we suggest you check out Salem Ma this Friday and Saturday for your holiday shopping needs?

Festive Fridays is an on-going December promotion designed to make shopping fit your schedule; many Salem merchants will be keeping their businesses open later on Friday night. Why drive all the way to a crowded mall, only to fight for a parking space? Everything in Salem is within walking distance, and there is abundant parking.

You may have browsed some of our stores during October’s Haunted Happenings and thought “I’d like to come back and check this store out when I had more time and not so many party-goers around.” Well, now’s your chance.

Then on Saturday, a wide range of local vendors will be present at The Salem Winter Market. Patrons can expect to fill their shopping bags with an assortment of foods and artisan crafts including seasonal produce, pasture-raised poultry, locally-caught lobster, baked goods, wreaths, handmade soaps, honey, pickles, gourmet ravioli, and artisan chocolates.

The Salem Winter Market takes place from 1-5pm at the Witch City Mall (formerly the Museum Place Mall, 1 Church Street) for your shopping convenience.

“The Winter Market is a fantastic opportunity to support local farms and artisans through the holiday season, and is a chance to find some truly unique holiday gifts,” states Kylie Sullivan, executive director of Salem Main Streets and organizer of the market.

For further information regarding current vendors and Winter Market updates, refer to the Market’s website, Facebook, and Twitter pages, or contact Kylie Sullivan directly at 978/744-0004 x115.

Happy Shopping!

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Dynamic Dining Destination: Salem Ma During Fall Restaurant Week

 Business Spotlight, Salem Dining, Salem Event, Salem Festivals  No Responses »
Dec 032017
 

No more compelling reason to come to Salem Ma in December than the opportunity to dine in any of 17 restaurants offering special prices during  Salem Fall Restaurant Week, Dec. 3-7.

From steak to seafood, American to ethnic, there will be something for everyone as Salem offers not just numerous restaurants but different ethnic and styles of food. All within walking distance of each other. It’s been said you could eat at a different location each night and discover new tasty delights each night.

This Salem Chamber of Commerce project encourages participating Salem restaurants to offer specially priced menus for Salem Fall Restaurant Week during a 5-day span. It is hoped this enticement will encourage not only Salem residents but visitors from along the North Shore to sample the dynamic dining options our creative chefs create.

Participating Restaurants

List is correct as of posting time, but subject to change.

Adriatic Restaurant and Bar – click here for menu
155 Washington Street, Salem, MA – (978) 594-1832
Click here to make a reservation.
Offering 3 courses for $30

A warm interior and excellent cuisine– a winning combination that defines the Adriatic Restaurant & Bar. The brick oven pizzas are always a hit, and imaginative libations make customers come back time and again. Excellent market-fresh fish dishes inspired by regions surrounding the Adriatic Sea give this Mediterranean eatery something to boast about. A lengthy wine list featuring imported varietals and blends bring every meal’s flavors to fore and make patrons hunger for more.

Aurora Restaurant Vietnamese Cuisine & Wine Bar
140 Washington Street, Salem, MA – (617) 510-6116
Click here to make a reservation.

Offering the best Vietnamese cuisine around, Aurora believes in featuring regional Asian dishes with fresh, high-quality vegetables, meats, traditional spices, and herbs and is renowned for their seafood phos. If you are looking for healthy dishes and authentic Vietnamese fare, Aurora Restaurant and Wine Bar is the place to go. Great for lunch or dinner, or simply enjoy their wine bar and sample authentic appetizers with your friends.

Bella Verona – click here for menu
107 Essex Street, Salem, MA – (978) 825-9911
Offering 3 courses for $30

Chef-owner Giorgio Manzana hails from Lake Garda, Italy in the Provence of Verona and has a hotel-restaurant background that goes back over 35 years. Bella Verona enjoys catering to their clients, creating new dishes and continuing the simple good and authentic home-style cooking of Manzana’s region as well as other parts of Italy. As an Italian restaurant in the heart of Salem, they will bring you back to Verona, the home of Romeo and Juliet, to lose yourselves in the atmosphere and excellent food. In keeping to their traditional roots, they offer creative options with homemade pastas, and great daily specials.

BonChon – click here for menu
299 Essex Street, Salem, MA – (978) 594-8256
Offering 3 courses for $20

“Bonchon” means “my hometown” in Korean. True to their original roots, Bonchon Downtown Salem is a family friendly establishment, offering an affordable casual dining experience along with lively atmosphere.  Enjoy the flavorful chicken wings that are their signature dish and then wash that down with a local Notch brew.

Finz Seafood & Grill – click here for menu
76 Wharf Street, Salem, MA – (978) 744-0000
Click here to make a reservation.
Offering 3 courses for $30

Innovative and inspired menus, fresh raw bar, and a carefully chosen wine list all lead to an extraordinary dining experience at Finz. Their menu emphasizes creatively prepared fresh seasonal seafood. Raw bar offers the freshest local oysters, clams, chilled lobster, colossal crab and jumbo shrimp. With indoor and outdoor waterfront dining, Finz is a great place to relax and enjoy outstanding food and drinks. Zagat’s rated Finz Seafood & Grill one of the Top 10 Waterfront restaurants in New England.

Ledger Restaurant – click here for menu
125 Washington Street Salem, MA – (978) 594-1908
Click here to make reservations on Open Table.
Offering 3 courses for $30

Ledger, located in the former Salem Savings Bank building (circa 1818), opened just this year by chef-owner Matt O’Neil and is already being touted by Zagat as one of the six sexiest new restaurants in Boston! Ledger is known for its progressive New England concept of traditional 19th-century dishes, cocktails, and techniques that are elevated with 21st-century resources. This is high-style cuisine, whether it’s the artful plating of each colorful dish or the creative take on wood-fired dishes, house-made charcuterie, and raw bar items.

Longboards Restaurant & Bar – click here for menu
72 Wharf St, Salem, MA – (978) 745-6659
Offering 3 courses for $20 and 3 courses for $30 (lunch or dinner)

Located on Pickering Wharf, Longboards Restaurant & Bar serves up award-winning sandwiches, lobster rolls and their new signature flatbreads, all with the promise that you won’t leave hungry. Longboards is your staple neighborhood bar with a full bar and a great list of local beers – check them out during your favorite game, or come grab a drink and dinner with some friends!

Nat’s at the Hawthorne Hotel – click here for menu
18 Washington Street, Salem, MA – (978) 825-4300
Click here to make reservations on Yelp.
Offering 3 courses for $30

For an unforgettable fine dining experience in Salem, enjoy the ambiance, warmth and hospitality of award-winning seasonal cuisine from Nathaniel’s restaurant. The menu features contemporary dining in a historic setting, while offering a carefully crafted wine menu and scrumptious desserts that will complete any night out or special occasion.

Opus  – click here for menu
87 Washington Street, Salem, MA – (978) 744-9600
Offering 2 courses for $20

With what can only be described as a maverick kitchen, Opus’ cuisine boasts unexpected flavor combinations that simply taste amazing. The restaurant’s dynamic sushi team draws on both east and western influences to create sushi rolls that are truly unique. The upstairs dining room is centered around an oversized, glowing glass bar where guests can meet for a drink or enjoy a three-course meal. Downstairs, in Opus Underground, guests can enjoy nightly entertainment in a Moroccan-inspired space filled with cozy seating and thought-out details. Opus is a go-to destination for live music, dinner, and cocktails seven days a week.

Regatta Pub at the Waterfront Hotel – click here for menu
225 Derby Street, Salem, MA –  (978) 740-8788
Offering 2 courses for $20; or 3 courses for $30

The Regatta offers casual dining with flair. Try their signature “Regatta Blue” martini with your favorite burger or fresh seafood with a glass of chilled wine. The Regatta Pub offers an eclectic choice of appetizers, salads, sandwiches, and entrees in a relaxed and nautical inspired atmosphere, or chose to dine outside on their patio, weather permitting.

Rockafellas
231 Essex Street, Salem, MA – (978) 745-2411

Rockafellas established a new tradition in dining in the center of historic Salem in 2003. As the most delicious occupant of the renowned Daniel Low Building, Rockafellas restaurant follows several other institutions of reputation including a department store, a bank (the vault now stores wines) and one of the first churches in America. Their menu features fresh seafood and Black Angus steaks and offers everything from burgers and salads and tapas to gourmet presentations. The wait staff assures a relaxed atmosphere where everyone feels at home.

Salem Beer Works – click here for menu
278 Derby Street, Salem, MA – (978) 745-2337
Offering 2 courses for $20

Located in Historic Downtown Salem since 1996, Salem Beer Works has something for everyone. With 15 freshly brewed beers on tap each day, guests enjoy the seasonal patio (weather permitting) and proximity to the Salem waterfront.   Whether you’re visiting from out of town, or live in the area, Salem Beer Works is the place to go for good food, good beer and good times.

Sea Level Oyster Bar – click here for menu
94 Wharf Street, Salem, MA – (978) 741-0555
Click here to make reservations on Yelp.
Offering 3 courses for $30

Located on Pickering Wharf, Sea Level Oyster Bar boasts two floors of fun while offering comfortable dining and great waterfront views. Sea Level also features a sit down raw bar packed with the freshest shellfish around. With an extensive beer list and creative cocktails that will quench your thirst while the kitchen cooks up fabulous seafood, gourmet pizzas and more, you are guaranteed to leave satisfied! Don’t forget to try their scrumptious desserts stamped in approval.

Smokin’ Betty’s BBQ + Bar – click here for menu
94 Lafayette St. Salem, MA – (978) 594-1132
Offering 2 courses for $20

Owner and restaurateur Steve Feldmann and chef Todd Bekesha have brought good ‘ol southern food to Salem’s thriving restaurant scene. Smokin’ Betty’s BBQ + Bar opened just this year in what was known as the Klondike Club and is already recognized for its fun, rockabilly-roadhouse vibe with colorful murals, communal tables where you can get to know the locals, and a circa-1950s bowling-shuffleboard lane. Choose from plenty of Southern-inspired eats, craft beers and tasty ‘cue accompanied by a half-dozen regional sauces, ranging from mayo-based Alabama style to mustard-and-vinegar South Carolina sauce!

Thai Place – click here for menu
Museum Place Mall, Salem, MA – (978) 741-8008
Offering 2 courses for $20, or 3 courses for $30

Thai Place Restaurant has been open since 1990. Being the first Thai Restaurant in the North Shore area of Massachusetts, they are proud to be one of the first establishments to present the unique taste, culture and sincerity of Thailand. Thai Place’s dedication to prepare the finest Thai food comes with experience, care for their customers and careful selection of the freshest ingredients.

Turner’s Seafood at Lyceum Hall  – click here for menu
43 Church Street, Salem, MA – (978) 745-7665
Click here to make reservations on Open Table.
Offering 2 courses for $20, or 3 courses for $30

Turner’s Seafood at Lyceum Hall is an authentic New England seafood house in an iconic 1843 building with noted cultural history, complementing their family’s seafood heritage spanning four generations. This is where they prepare the catch-of-the-day becoming classic appetizers, entrees and creative daily specials. Turner’s shucks and serves the finest local and regional oysters & clams in their classic raw bar. And, their seafood market, Salem’s only, offers fresh, raw and prepared seafood to enjoy at home. It’s important to get to the docks early as good fish go fast but, the best go to Turner’s… then to you…. “dock to table” … same day!

Victoria Station & Vic’s Boathouse
86 Wharf Street, Salem, MA – (978) 745-3400
Overlooking Salem harbor, Victorian Station has established itself as a destination for friends and family for decades and is committed to providing lasting memories for generations to come. Offering a wide variety of fine American cuisine from succulent steaks to the freshest seafood and one of the last remaining “All you can eat” salad bars, there is something for every member of the culinary community.

There you have it. Two and three course special meals. Motivation to checkout a place you’ve driven or walked by. And no October-like crowds. Great time to sample Salem. You have to eat anyway, right? Reservations recommended and please mention Salem Fall Restaurant Week. Table for two, please.

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