Bittersweet Midnight at the Salem Theatre Company

Last night I had the opportunity to attend the first performance of this one-woman play at the Salem Theatre Company on Lafayette Street. 

It was both written by, and performed in its entirety by Judith Black.  And it was excellent.

This video is just a tiny snippet of the story that is Act 1 -- Old Towne, and is set in Marblehead in 1689, 1692, and the present day.  It is a look at not only the witch trials, but also the rich history of this area, with many interesting twists and turns.  It is only meant to give you a bit of a look at Judith Black, who is quite amazing.

For one woman to act, non-stop, in so many roles, one would think at some point she must miss what character she is, but that did not happen, and after awhile you could easily imagine all of the people in her tale.

From my perspective, Act 2 should not be called that.  It is really an entirely different genre, not having anything to do with Act 1, except for the fact that it is the same actress, and she just keeps on going, kind of like the Energizer bunny.  It is quite enjoyable as well, but does not seem well-matched to Act 1.

So if you understand that walking in the door, and can wrap your head around these two very different entertainments, that just happen to be provided by the same actress, you should have an excellent time.

As always, I enjoy the very intimate feeling that such a small theater provides, and the entire evening was very entertaining and interesting.  The value is certainly there for live entertainment, and I give it an enthusiastic recommendation.  Just know what you are getting in to, and relax and enjoy.

Juli

Beautiful Decay

Is that an oxymoron? Is there such a thing as "beautiful decay?"

Nothing pains me more than watching old buildings being demolished. Abandoned homes. Theaters. The most beautiful architecture is being replaced with, in most cases, cheesy modern structures, strip malls and the like.

So tell me, why do I see some sort of beauty in these images? Do you? Perhaps it's the photography, or is there some sort of beauty in decay?

Some of these images are from Beauty of Decay; a special photo community site dedicated to all who are addicted to urban exploration and art. Its main focus is not the location itself, but the outstanding photos.

Most of our communities have preservation groups where we can donate money or volunteer our time to protect, preserve and celebrate the beautiful workmanship of the past. Let's keep the beauty alive before it becomes decay...

Cheers to the wonderful photographers! 1. never ends 2. Rosita Moerkens 3. Roman Solowiej 4. Raymond Larose 5. Diane dc 6. Jon DeBoer 7. Daniel Cheong 8. Alain Dejealfve 9. Rosita Moerkens 10. Sven Fennema 11. antitude 12. Noel Kerns

Escape to Varadero, Cuba

This is part of John Kim's post on Cuba. This time, he takes us to the resort town of Varadero. According to John, he couldn't refuse the thought of diving in the Bay of Pigs and taste the creole-inspired cuisine that is a specialty of the area. Here are some more beautiful photos during John and his sister, Julie's, getaway to Varadero.

Cinema Salem's Upcoming Movies and Special Events

As you know, Cinema Salem has a very special place in our town of Salem.  Here is their newsletter just to keep you, fair blog reader, in the know about the events taking place there.  Whatever you do, don't miss THE TOWN which is playing there right now.  I have seen it, and it is terrific.

By the way, since we are only one block away from Cinema Salem, stopping in the Tavern for a bite to eat or an adult beverage might be just the thing to do before or after a show.

I hope to see you here or there!

Juli

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Besides our regular awesome movies, we have a few special events this week, such as the free screening of Fringe tomorrow night at 9PM.

Then on Saturday morning at 10AM, you and your family can kick off the Halloween season in style with a charity showing of the classic, Salem-set film, Hocus Pocus. The cost is only $5, and $1 from each ticket will support the North Shore Cancer Walk. This great film was directed by Kenny Ortega, who has gone on huge success by creating the High School Musical franchise.

Okay, here's this coming week's lineup!

Now Playing: The Girl Who Played With Fire (R); Legends of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole 3D; Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps (PG13); and Ben Affleck's amazing The Town (R)!

Opening in the Screening Room is part two of the Stieg Larssen trilogy, The Girl Who Played With Fire, which Rolling Stone loves: "Relentless suspense allows The Girl Who Played With Fire to hold you in a viselike grip. But it's the performances of Nyqvist and especially Rapace that keep you coming back for more." Time Magazine likewise has a crush on the female lead: "In Rapace, it has an actress who brings a memorable literary character to indelible movie life, as Vivien Leigh did for Scarlett O'Hara."

TGWPWF will screen on Friday at (4:30), 7:15 and 9:45; Saturday at (11:40am), (2:00), (4:30), 7:15 and 9:45; Sunday at (11:40am), (2:00), (4:30) and 7:15; and Monday-Wednesday at (4:30) and 7:15; and Thursday at (4:30).

If you love French culture, you'll want to catch French Film Night next Thursday night in the Screening Room!

Legends of the Guardians is one of the most beautiful films you'll ever see and the first film since Avatar that uses 3D subtly, always in order to propel the story forward. The Los Angeles Times likes what it sees: "The animation itself is startlingly beautiful, as is the ancient owl world it imagines. The battles are complex and, in true Snyder tradition, heavy on the action." Be aware that the action is intense, and the film earns it's PG rating.

Legends of the Guardians will screen on Friday at (5:00), 7:10 and 9:20; Saturday at (12:00), (2:20), (5:00), 7:10 and 9:20; Sunday at (12:00), (2:20), (5:00) and 7:10; and Monday-Thursday at (5:00) and 7:10.

Time Magazine also loves Oliver Stone's Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps: "Moving as fast and recklessly as a trillion-dollar fat-finger stock-market transaction, the film has the drive, luxe and sarcastic wit of the snazziest Hollywood movies for most of its two-hours-plus running time." A.O. Scott of the New York Times delivers perhaps the most accurate and career-encompassing summary of Stone's current film and oeuvre in this well-formed quasi-rave: "This movie is by turns brilliant and dumb, naive and wise, nowhere near good enough and something close to great."

Wall Street 2 will screen on Friday at (4:00), 6:45 and 9:30; and Saturday at (12:30), (4:00), 6:45 and 9:30; Sunday at (12:30), (4:00) and 6:45; and Monday-Thursday at (4:00) and 6:45.

Hurtling toward Oscar nominations (my early prohibitive favorite for Best Supporting Actress is Blake Lively) and $100m in box office revenue is The Town, which is gaining Ben Affleck amazing reviews like this one in the Houston Chronicle: "Affleck's direction is clipped when the plot requires, but he lingers on character-driven scenes (at a garden, a restaurant, a corner) in no apparent rush. Why hurry, after all? He's arrived." Time Magazine has uncovered the secret of his success: "Ben Affleck has a good brain for filmmaking -- he's clearly a smart and avid student of the medium -- but the elements that make his second outing as a director, The Town, such an enjoyable and exciting movie have more to do with what's in his heart."

The Town will screen on Friday at (4:40), 7:20 and 10:00; Saturday at (11:30 AM), (2:00), (4:40), 7:20 and 10:00; Sunday at (11:30 AM), (2:00), (4:40) and 7:20; and Monday-Thursday at (4:40) and 7:20.

Don't forget that you can reward yourself or your employees, friends, and family with a CinemaSalem Movie Card. It never expires and can be redeems for movie admissions, concessions, specialty drinks in the Café, even tickets to our upcoming live music concerts. Keep these useful Movie Cards in mind as the holidays approach.

Thanks for supporting CinemaSalem!







Paul Van Ness

CinemaSalem



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Strolling through the streets of Havana

Beyond the overwhelming scandals, conflicts, and other “Castroisms” that have obscured our perception of the Caribbean island-nation of Cuba lies a rich, unique culture filled with beautiful beaches, antique cars, classic architecture, and some of the best rum in the entire world.  From Sammy Sosa to Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights, Cuba has been the central hub for some of the world’s greatest baseball players, the cool, endless-summer style of linens and fedoras, the world’s finest tobacco and cigars, and of course, the ever-so-famous Mojito.



Early in 2010, my sister, Julie, and I had the unique opportunity to visit this beautiful nation.  As American citizens, we were subject to the US embargo and prohibited from spending any US dollars on Cuban soil.  So, with our pockets lined with Euro dollar bills and a ticket booked to Cancun, Mexico, we were off on one of the most culturally enriching adventures of our lives.  Once in Cancun, we purchased our flights to Havana, but Americans can also fly to Cuba from Canada or Nassau, Bahamas… just be sure to never miss your return flight home (like I did) because you may be stuck there for a very long time.

Our first stop was the famous beach town of Varadero (see next blog post).  Known for all of its amazing Creole-inspired restaurants and salsa-dancing open air bars, Varadero is Cuba’s number one resort destination for locals and extranjeros alike.  While I tend to stray away from resort destinations, I couldn’t pass up this opportunity solely because of the opportunity to scuba dive the infamously historic Bay of Pigs.  The beaches are filled with some of the finest and softest sand in the world with water bluer than the sky.                                              

After a few days in Varadero, we headed back to Havana for the following week to soak in the authentic Cuban experience.  The best way I can describe Havana would be by comparing it to a beautiful 1950’s pinup girl.  It’s like the movie Scarface meets Dick Tracy.  With antique American cars lining all the streets and neoclassical buildings painted in bright summer colors, downtown Havana quite possibly is one the most romantic, beautiful cities in the world.  Walking down cobblestone roads with a Cohiba in one hand and my camera in the other, it was hard to not find things worthy to capture on film.  With European-inspired restaurants and bars, an entire museum dedicated making and selling every kind of chocolate, and a shop where you can mix and bottle your own fragrances, people from all over the world find themselves pleasantly getting lost in Old Havana every day.

While there is definitely no shortage of hotels in Havana, including the famous Hotel Nacional, many backpackers like my sister and I found our accommodations at one of the many “Casa Particulares”.  To boost tourism and create a market for budget housing, the Cuban government grants certain families a license to convert their homes into hostel like B&B’s.  Essentially, it’s like living with a host family who prepares your meals and who can show you around town or simply talk to you for hours about Cuban culture and life as a Cuban national.  By staying in a Casa Particulares, we were able to catch a glimpse of what it was like to live as a local… one of the many joys of traveling the world as a backpacker.

About the Guest Blogger: 

John Kim is one of my dim sum buddies in Grand Rapids. I am so excited to share his account of his recent trip to

Cuba - a place so foreign to us in the states. John is currently a 3^rd year medical student at Michigan State University College of Human Medicine in Grand Rapids.  He originally hails from Los Angeles, CA.

Do you want to submit a travel or cooking post? 

Send photos with captions and a short description of your post (on word document) to georgeaquino@mac.com

 Cohiba at Hotel Nacional

 A revolutionary mural in Havana

 Hand rolling stand in downtown Havana

 The Coco Taxi - a unique Cuban experience

 The adoration of Che Guevarra is in every corner

of Havana

 The great theater of Havana

 Old Havana

 Classic American cars line the streets of Havana

 Julie talking to one of the locals on the Malecon

 Old Havana

 Destination for many of the world’s celebrities and politicians:  

Hotel Nacional in Havana

The famous Malecon in Havana

 Being an American pastime and a Cuban pastime, 

it’s no wonder we’re always battling it out 

for the gold at the Olympics.

 Julie enjoys the bleachers at a baseball game

 Cuban baseball league

 A quiet street in Old Havana

Havana at night

Julie and I with our host family at our Havana Casa Particulares

Elizabeth Manzi Named Employee of the Month for Hawthorne Hotel

This week we finally caught up with Elizabeth Manzi honor her as our Full-time Employee of the Month for August.  At the presentation I noted that if you could look up the word "hospitality" in our hotel dictionary, you would see a photo of Elizabeth there.  She really embodies that quality to our guests, and even to her co-workers.

Elizabeth was so startled when I walked up behind the desk.  Here you see her scolding the rest of the management team for surprising her. 

As one of our lead desk agents, Elizabeth does everything from take reservations to check our guests in and out of the hotel, and many, many other tasks in between.  You can always count on her to handle things with the utmost precision and kindness.

Elizabeth was honored for August, but she is a star in any month.  Here she is with her supervisor, Lucie Ogeron.

Congratulations, Elizabeth, and thank you for all that you do.

Juli

Flower Power at Versailles

Currently on display at the Château de Versailles are the works of Japanese artist Takashi Murakami. Murakami has created a juxtaposition of of 17th century monarchy against contemporary modern Japan and it's quite controversial.

While some French monarchists have denounced the exhibition as “illegal,” the artist himself says that he is quite used to what he calls “Murakami-bashing.”

Many tourists who have came to the palace for its history are unimpressed by the novelty juxtaposition. Others see it as whimsical and refreshing. The museum’s director is well aware of the controversy these exhibits provoke, but insists on drawing a line between debate and censorship.

What do you think? Do you like pop-art inhabiting the palace?

"Murakami Versailles" runs from now until December 12th and is part of the standard museum entrance fee.

images via RSVP Gallery & design boom