Happy Monday & Thank You!

Thanks to all of you for the sweet birthday wishes yesterday! So appreciated and heartfelt! I was really touched.

It was a great day, starting with little Vito greeting me with his birthday hat. Then my husband had our traditional little birthday table with cards and gifts before he rushed off to work.

Went with the girls to see The King's Speech and so glad I did! What a great ending to a birthday-- cozying up at home and watching Colin Firth win his Oscar!

The rest of the show was a bit of a sleeper, my highlight being an appearance of Billy Crystal and the Bob Hope hologram.

What were your best and worst Oscar moments?

Activities at the Peabody Essex Museum (PEM) for March & April

I recently received this listing from the Peabody Essex Museum and was amazed at how many special events are taking place at this marvelous museum over the next two months.  There is seriously something for everyone, from children to adults, from people who want to "do" to folks who want to look.  There are films, talks about anime, workshops on blending spices, jazz, Indian music dances, and of course, my favorite, "Slow Art Day", and many, many more events.

You will do yourself a great favor to look over this extensive list and make some plans to attend at least one of these events.

Juli

MARCH – APRIL 2011 CALENDAR

PLEASE NOTE: Information is current as of February 7, 2011. All information is subject to change.  To make a program reservation, please call 978-745-9500 x3011

MARCH
Tuesday, March 1
9:30 am $15
Reservations by 2/27
Members-Only Gallery Talk: Golden: Dutch and Flemish Masterworks from the Rose-Marie and Eijk van Otterloo Collection

Curator Karina Corrigan leads this tour of 17th-century Dutch and Flemish masterworks and period furniture.
Thursday, March 3
Morse Auditorium
Reservations by 3/1
SALEM FILM FEST
PEM is a major sponsor of Salem Film Fest, one of the region’s largest documentary film festivals featuring remarkable works from around the world. Visit salemfilmfest.com or pem.org/calendar for full film descriptions. Adults $10; students and seniors $8; all Film Fest pass holders admitted FREE.

7pm
Bill Cunningham New York

Bill Cunningham New York chronicles a man who is obsessively interested in only one thing — the pictures he takes that document the way people dress. The film’s cast of characters includes downtown eccentrics, uptown fixtures of New York culture (Iris Apfel, Tom Wolfe, Anna Wintour and others) and pillars of “New York Society.”

Friday, March 4
8 pm
Members $20, nonmembers $24, students $12

BOSTON ARTISTS ENSEMBLE CONCERT

Boccherini Quintet in E minor, Opus 15, No.5; Judith Weir String Quartet (1990); Beethoven Serenade for String Trio in D, Opus 8; and Schubert String Quartet in B flat, D112. Reservations by 3/2.

Saturday, March 5
Noon - 4 pm

11th Annual ECHO Performing Arts Festival

Celebrate – Song, Dance & Story! takes you on a journey down life’s paths with performances by Native cultural artists from ECHO partner regions of Alaska, Hawaii, Mississippi and Massachusetts. Beginning at noon, artists perform individually in the galleries. The main stage performance follows at 3 pm.

Sunday, March 6
Morse Auditorium
Reservations by 3/1
FILM FEST (See March 3 listing)

1 pm
The Woodmans

The Woodmans paints an incisive portrait of a family broken and then healed by its art. Photographer daughter Francesca’s worldwide acclaim came only after a tragedy that would forever scar the family. Best known for her dreamy black-and-white stills and videos, Woodman has entranced art insiders for 30 years, and now her mystique is spreading to the cinema world as well. Photography historian Cerys Wilson introduces the film.

3:15 pm
Pink Saris

Sampat Pal, married as a young girl into a family who made her work hard and who beat her often, fought back and became a champion for beleaguered women throughout Uttar Pradesh. Meet Rekha, a 14-year-old “untouchable” who is pregnant and homeless, and 15-year-old Renu, abandoned by her husband from an arranged marriage, raped by her father-in-law and suicidal. Both young women reach for their only hope: Pal and her Gulabi Gang, Northern India’s women vigilantes in pink.

Saturday, March 12
1 pm - 3 pm
Art Studios
For all ages

Studio Saturdays: Create a Creature

ook at illustrator Liz Chernov’s work, then create your own magical illustrations for an accordion book. Made possible by American Dental Partners.

Saturday, March 19 & Sunday, March 20
Reservations by 3/17

TOURFEST: All Aboard for Adventure

How do you create a carving inside a walnut? Have you ever seen a ship model made from chicken bones? Where did the Chinese get cobalt blue for their porcelain? To find out, ask a docent!

Explore the galleries in the spirit of adventure, during TourFest ­­–– PEM’s annual weekend of docent-led tours. Experience art you may not have noticed, or appreciate favorites in a new context. This year, PEM docents have devised six new TourFest journeys, plus a visit to the Phillips Library. Unique 45-minute museum tours begin on the half hour.

Away We Go
Saturday 10:30 am & Sunday 3:30 pm

Land, sea, sky! See how artists and technicians have portrayed the ingenious use of humans, beasts of burden and an array of technologies in order to move, explore, trade, and travel to exotic and dangerous locations.

Vanity Fair
Saturday 11:30 pm and Sunday 2:30 pm

Decorating your body is an art in itself. Explore concepts of beauty and some of the objects used to enhance personal appearance across time and cultures.

Earth and Fire
Saturday 12:30 pm and; Sunday 1:30 pm

What magic turns earth and fire into ceramics? Learn how porcelain, stoneware, earthenware and clay are shaped and decorated, while examining the messages they send us.

The Library Connection
Saturday 1:30 pm

Explore the far-ranging influence of the renowned Phillips Library at PEM through its treasure-trove of art, architecture and astonishing collection of books, manuscripts and ephemera.

Playful Art, Artful Play
Saturday 2:30 pm & Sunday 11:30 am

You’re never too old to play! PEM is the perfect place to appreciate art while enjoying a romp through childhood around the world. Toys, games and lighthearted fun, here we come!

Written on the Waves
Saturday 3:30 pm & Sunday 10:30 am

Ship logs and journals evoke drama, terror, courage, information. In East India Marine Hall explore Figurehead, Charles Sandison’s transformative installation inspired by the words of mariners themselves and PEM’s collection of shipboard writings and drawings.

A Craving for Carving
Sunday 12:30 pm

The urge to carve solid materials crosses centuries and cultures. Look more closely at PEM’s sculpture, from work so delicate it looks like silk to powerful gods hewn from whole trees.

Saturday, March 26
1 pm - 2 pm
Reservations by 3/25

Art Tells Us about the Brain

Over the properties of visual perception that artists learned before scientific research proved them, in this presentation in conjunction with Golden: Dutch and Flemish Masterworks from the Rose-Marie and Eijk van Otterloo Collection. Margaret Livingstone, author of Vision and Art: The Biology of Seeingand professor of neurobiology at Harvard University Medical School, explains how the human brain extracts information about faces and objects and why certain learning disabilities may be associated with artistic talent. A book signing follows. Made possible by the Lyceum Lecture Fund.

Sunday, March 27
2 pm - 3 pm
Reservations by 3/25

STORY TRAILS
Historietas: Name That Folktale

Can three tamales that don’t want to be eaten outwit a hungry lobo? Find out in this folktale by Eric Kimmel. Create a cornhusk figure and sample tamales for yourself! For children ages 5 to 8 with accompanying adult.

APRIL

Saturday, April 2
All programs FREE with museum admission

WEEKEND FESTIVAL: SENSATIONAL INDIA!

Sensational India! honors PEM’s longstanding relationship with India and features India’s remarkable arts — visual art, dance and music. Ongoing art activities, gallery tours, storytelling and more. Made possible in part by Samir and Nilima Desai; The Desai Family Foundation.

Art Activity: Food and Memory
10 am - noon

Krina Patel, founder of a community food and art project called Stir a Memory, leads this drop-in activity.

Demonstration: Rangoli
10 am - 3 pm

Gowri Savoor creates a rangoli, or traditional decorative design, on the floor of the Atrium. Help fill it in.

Drop-in Art Activity: Paisley Patterns
10:30 am - 1 pm

Explore paisley patterns and their origins, then design your own.

Dance Workshop: Garba and Dandiya Folk Dance
Noon - 12:45 pm

The Sa Dance Company incorporates Indian and contemporary dance movements and music from Bollywood and America. Afterward, join the dancers in an interactive Garba workshop.

Interactive Gallery Tour
1 - 1:30 pm
Reservations by 3/29

Author Vanita Shashtri leads a tour focusing on works of art that are featured in her book The Salem-India Story: Maritime Trade between Salem, Massachusetts, and India, 1788–1845. For ages 10 and up.

Indian Classical Music Demonstration
1 - 2 pm
Reservations by 4/1

Sitar virtuoso Kartik Seshadri talks about the history, theory, performance and practice of Indian classical music.. He demonstrates instruments and welcomes questions. For adults and teens.

Drop-in Art Activity: Indian Peacock
1:30 - 3:30 pm

Create your own work of art referencing a mounted peacock.

Story Time: Mama’s Saris
2 - 2:30 pm

A mother and daughter talk about each of the mother’s saris won for special occasions, including the little girl’s seventh birthday party, in Mama’s Saris by Pooja Makhijani.

Workshop: Spice Blends
2 - 2:45 pm
Reservations by 3/29

Krina Patel talks about dry spice blends used in the cuisine of Bengal and Gujurat. Create your own blend to take home.


Concert: Sitar Virtuoso Kartik Seshadri
3 - 4 pm
Reservations by 4/1

Kartik Seshadri is a world-renowned force as a composer, educator and performer in the field of Indian classical music.. The sitar prodigy blossomed into an “amazingly accomplished” musical powerhouse, praised the Washington Post.

Dance Performance: Sa Dance Company
4:15 - 5 pm

Sa Dance Company performs its five-part signature piece, combining traditional Indian folk, classical, and Bollywood-inspired dance forms with ballet, jazz and contemporary styles.

Sensational Bollywood Dance Party
8:30 pm - midnight
21+
$10

New York’s hottest Indian dance group transforms the Atrium into a nightclub with the latest in Indian dance fusion. DJ, Bollywood movies, lounge areas and a cash bar set the stage so you can join the party on the dance floor. Advance tickets available at pem.org/bollywood

Sunday, April 3
All programs FREE with museum admission

WEEKEND FESTIVAL: SENSATIONAL INDIA! (See April 2 listings)

Art Activity: Food and Memory
10 am - noon

Demonstration: Rangoli
10 am - 3 pm

Drop-in Art Activity: Paisley Patterns
10:30 am - 1 pm

Interactive Gallery Tour: The Salem-India Story
11:30 am - noon

Dance Workshop: Garba and Dandiya Folk Dance
Noon - 12:45 pm

Concert: Sitar Virtuoso Kartik Seshadri
1 - 2 pm
Reservations by 4/1

Story Time: Mama’s Saris
2 - 2:30 pm

Drop-in Art Activity: Indian Peacock
2 - 4 pm

Workshop: Spice Blends
2:30 - 3:15 pm
Reservations by 3/29

Presentation: Author Bharati Mukherjee
2:30 pm
Reservations by 4/1

Bharati Mukherjee, a distinguished and prolific author and social commentator, has established herself as a powerful constituent of the American literary scene. Mukherjee considers herself a writer of the Indian diaspora who cherishes the “melting pot” of America. Winner of the National Book Critics Circle Award for Fiction and recipient of a National Endowment of the Arts grant. Her twelfth novel, Miss New India, is due in May. Made possible by the George Swinnerton Parker Memorial Lecture Fund.

Dance Performance: The Sa Dance Company
4:15 - 5 pm

Friday, April 8
7:45 am - 9 pm
FREE
For adults and teens

Nature Program: Bird Love

Naturalist and award-winning author Bernd Heinrich talks about his latest book, The Nesting Season (2010), which delves into the intimate life of birds. A book signing follows the program. Co-sponsored by the Essex County Ornithological Club. The E.C.O.C. meeting is held from 7:30–7:45 pm.

Saturday, April 9
8 pm (doors open at 7:30 pm)
Reservations by 4/7

SALEM JAZZ AND SOUL FEST: Swing into Spring with Dwight and Nicole

Dwight and Nicole highlight a night of dancing to their original music that spans the blues, soul and jazz. Backed by Boston Horns Big Band. All proceeds benefit the Salem Jazz and Soul Festival’s mission to support music education in the Salem area. Visit www.salemjazzsoul.org. Members $45, nonmembers $50.

Sunday, April 10
2 - 3 pm
Reservations by 4/8
For children ages 5 to 8 with adult

STORY TRAILS: Artful Gardens

Discover two paths to creating lush gardens as we read The Curious Garden, by Peter Brown, and The Imaginary Garden, by Andrew Larsen. Sculpt an ivy topiary to take home!

Friday, April 15
8 pm
Members $20, nonmembers $24, students $12

CONCERT: Boston Artists Ensemble

Brahms Trio in B, Opus 8; Scott Wheeler Tango for Three (2009); Piazzolla Le Grand Tango for cello and piano; and Schumann Quintet for piano and strings, Opus 44.

Saturday, April 16
10 am - 5 pm
12:30 pm lunchtime meeting

Slow Art Day

Slow Art Day is a global grassroots arts celebration designed to inspire new ways of seeing art. Drop in anytime during the day to look at a few great pieces of art for 10 minutes or more; then meet others in the Atrium Café at 12:30 pm and talk about the experience. Please register at http://slowartpem2011.eventbrite.com/
Saturday, April 16
1 - 2:30 pm
Reservations by 4/14
For ages 10 and up

Studio Saturdays: Digital Flip Book Animation Workshop

Discover the thrill of traditional and computer animation with award-winning animator Pell Osborn. You’ll design and animate individual sequences to build a two-to three-minute group project. Made possible by American Dental Partners.

Monday, April 18 - Friday, April 22

April School Vacation Week: HAMAMI - Arts of Japan

Celebrate hanami, the Japanese custom of enjoying flowers and explore Japanese art and culture. Taiko drumming and lion dances all week long.

MONDAY

Drop-in Art Activity: Cherry Blossoms
11 am - 4 pm

Transform the Atrium into a beautiful space with flowers.

Lion Dance and Taiko Drumming performances
11:30 am - noon & 3:30 - 4 pm

Shishimai (lion dance) performances by Stephen Long and taiko drumming by Odaiko New England.

Drop-in Art Activity: Little Lion
Noon - 3 pm

Create your own dancing lion.

Family Gallery Tour: Rare Objects
1 - 1:30 pm
Reservations by 4/15

Explore special objects on view in the Japanese Art Gallery.For families with children ages 5 and up.

Workshop: Taiko Drumming
2 - 3 pm
Reservations by 4/16

Join drummers from Odaiko New England for this dynamic workshop. For adults and children ages 9 and up.

TUESDAY

Drop-in Art Activity: Cherry Blossoms
11 am - 4 pm
(See April 18 listing)

Lion Dance performance
11:30 am - noon

Stephen Long performs a shishimai (lion dance) in the Japanese Art Gallery and talks about the dance and its significance.

Drop-in Art Activity: Little Lion
Noon - 3 pm
(See April 18 listing)

Family Gallery Tour: Rare Objects
1 - 1:30 pm
(See April 18 listing)

Anime and Storytelling
2 - 3:45 pm
Reservations by 4/17

Stephen Long tells stories from Japan that inspire anime today. Watch anime clips and ask questions. For adults and children ages 10 and up.

WEDNESDAY

Story Time: PEM Pals
10:30 - 11:30 am

Focus on springtime during this fun program with stories and movement, designed for preschoolers and their caregivers.

Drop-in Art Activity: Cherry Blossoms
11 am - 4 pm
(See April 18 listing)

Demonstration: Kimonos
Noon - 3:30 pm

See various types of kimonos and learn the correct way to wear one. Try one on!

Drop-in Art Activity: Design a Paper Kimono
Noon - 3:30 pm

Learn about kimono styles and traditions and design your own.

Family Gallery Tour: Rare Objects
1 - 1:30 pm
(See April 18 listing)

THURSDAY

Drop-in Art Activity: Cherry Blossoms
11 am - 4 pm
(See April 18 listing)

Family Gallery Tour: Rare Objects
1 - 1:30 pm
(See April 18 listing)

Collaborative Art: River of Words, with Christine Destrempes
10 am - 1 pm

On the eve of Earth Day, join artist Christine Destrempes, founder of Art for Water awareness programs, to create a River of Words installation out of torn paper for this summer’s Water as Art exhibition.

FRIDAY

Demonstrations: Calligraphy
11 - 11:30 am & 3 - 3:30 pm

Master calligrapher Michiko Imai demonstrates the skill that earned her the highest rank of Shihan in 1998.

Drop-in Art Activity: Cherry Blossoms
11 am - 4 pm
(See April 18 listing)

Kamishibai Performance and Storytelling
1 - 1:30 pm
Reservations by 4/18

Japanese art and culture expert Midori Oka reads a story using large, colorful kamishibai cards, accompanied by Sumie Kaneko on the koto.

Family Gallery Tour: Rare Objects
1 - 1:30 pm
(See April 18 listing)

Koto Musical Performance
2:30 - 3 pm
Japanese Art Gallery

Sumie Kaneko performs on the six-foot-long stringed instrument that is a member of the zither family.

Wednesday, April 20
9:30 am
$15
Reservations by 4/18

Members-Only Gallery Talk (See March 1 listing)

Golden: Dutch and Flemish Masterworks from the Rose-Marie and Eijk van Otterloo Collection

Thursday, April 28
7:30 pm
FREE
Reservations by 4/26
Morse Auditorium

Worlds in Miniature: 17th-century Dutch Doll’s Houses presentation

Wealthy Dutch women commissioned artists and furniture makers to create doll’s houses, elaborate and expensive miniatures that were a fashionable adult hobby. In conjunction with Golden: Dutch and Flemish Masterworks from the Rose-Marie and Eijk van Otterloo Collection, Dutch curator Jet Pijzel-Dommisse, the world’s authority on the subject, discusses these detailed works of art. Golden will be open for viewing between 5 - 7:30 pm.

Saturday, April 30
3:30 - 4:30 pm
Reservations by 4/29
Morse Auditorium

Still Life and Trade in the Dutch Golden Age presentation

Julie Berger Hochstrasser offers an engaging perspective on the compositions in Dutch still-life paintings. Her book, Still Life and Trade in the Dutch Golden Age, explores the significance of the French wine, Baltic grain (for bread), Dutch cheese and butter, tropical shells, South American tobacco, and Asian porcelain and pepper in these paintings.A book signing follows. Made possible by the Margaret Nowell Graham Memorial Lecture Fund.

Del Seoul - Korean Street Food Arrives in Chicago

Bulgogi and Kalbi Tacocs $2.50

Chicago Magazine rates Del Seoul as one of the 10 hottest restaurants in the city at the moment. Unlike the other 9 restaurants with higher end pricing, Del Seoul is street food pricing with a storefront. A year after Kogi BBQ food truck in Los Angeles took off, Chicago can now claim her version of the Korean taco - Korean BBQ served with
cilantro, onions, chili sauce, secret slaw and grilled white corn tortillas.

Located in the epicenter of Lincoln Park's yuppie corner on Clark and Wrightwood, Del Seoul is destined to be a keeper of a restaurant with the young college graduates in the area. In addition to the tacos, del Seoul also offers Korean BBQ plates of kalbi, bulgogi and spicy bbq pork. Korean style "Bahn Mi" sandwiches are also on the docket along with specialties such as Bibimbop, Kimchi fries and Seoul style dumplings.

Starving from our drive from Grand Rapids to Michigan, my daughter Margaux and I devoured our own kalbi and bulgogi plates, shared two tacos and munched on the kimchi fries. The plates and tacos were right on while the kimchi fries could have used a little more kimchi. I regret not ordering the 100 year-old-recipe street dumplings which most of the tables ordered. Eight pieces of small pork dumplings are served on top of a steam plate with a sake-soy dipping sauce. It looked delicious.

If you're looking for a quick and appetizing meal on your next trip to Chicago, you won't regret a trip to this Asian street food haven.

Can Filipino tacos take off next? Tocino and longaniza tacos...hmm, sounds mouth watering.

Kalbi Plate - Grilled Beef Short Ribs with Sweet Soy, Soju Marinade $10.50

Kimchi Fries - fries topped with Kimchi, Pork Belly, Onions, Scallions, Melted Cheddar
and Jack, Sour Cream $6.95

Margaux enjoying her Bulgogi Plate $9.85 

Korean Street Art

"Hi Tech" menu screens

Hawthorne Hotel's Flags of the Week ~~ February 28 through March 6, 2011

In case you are wondering, and missed our midweek post, today we switched out our regular rotation's flag to fly the flag of the Dominican Republic, in honor of our staff members from that island nation.  Today is their independence day.  Happy February 27!

Here is the coming week's list:

Monday , February 28 ~~ Mozambique and Rhode Island


Tuesday , March 1 ~~ Myanmar and South Carolina

Wednesday , March 2 ~~ Namibia and South Dakota

Thursday , March 3 ~~ Nauru and Tennessee

Friday , March 4 ~~ Nepal and Texas

Saturday , March 5 ~~ Netherlands and Utah

Sunday , March 6 ~~ New Zealand and Vermont

I hope to see you here.

Juli

It's My Birthday...

...and I'll hide if I want to! ♬♩♪♬♪♪♯

No, actually going to see The King's Speech with my girlfriends, so at least I can see a couple of Oscar nominees before the big show tonight.

What was your favorite movie of the year?

Enjoy the Academy Awards if you're watching!

photo: twnklmoon

Artists and Authors Show a Big Hit

On Thursday night the Hawthorne Hotel hosted a new event, called Artists and Authors: A Winter Exhibit. It was very well-attended, and a great success given the first-time nature of the event, and the relatively last-minute development of it.

Here are some photos of some of it.

 Ralph Newhall, one of the artists in "residence" at our event on Thursday night.

 Sheila Billings, whose coloring books we carry in our gift shop at the Hawthorne Hotel -- does many other things as you can see.

 Our good friend, Wendy Snow-Lang seemed dressed to "go" with her art.

 Poetess Claire Keyes, who gave a reading to a very receptive audience.

 Chris Cuddy

 A shot of the Ballroom just as things were getting going. 

 Stephen Stolfors, Shirley Stolfors, and our very own Kristie Poehler, who was here as our own Author in Residence.  She has written a book called The Cause -- a Civil War novel that has an interesting perspective, colored by Kristie's scholarship and knowledge.

 Special Edition played several sets for an audience appreciative of their Big Band sound.

Ellen Hardy, Jim Singletary, Wendy Snow-Lang all worked with our own Thomas MacDonald, whose brain-child this event was, and who did all the organization and set-up here at the Hawthorne Hotel.

Congratulations to Thomas for all he did to make this a happy event.

Juli

More on "Golden" Exhibit at PEM

When I first returned to the Hawthorne Hotel after seeing the newest PEM exhibit "Golden:  Dutch and Flemish Masterworks from the Rose-Marie and Eijk Van Otterloo Collection" I was feeling so energized, I had to tell you all right away how wonderful it was.  So I did, with an initial blog post, and promised to write more.

This is the more.

I thought maybe after I settled down, I would lose a little bit of my initial enthusiasm, but I most certainly did not.  However, I now almost feel like not sharing, because I don't want it to get too crowded over there.  I want to be able to go back again and again, and really pore over these masterful works, and soak them in and enjoy them all to myself.  Fair?  Not really, but that is how I feel.

I have already gone back once, with my husband, and now he is also very enthusiastic about the show.  As we left the museum, he commented yet again to me about how lucky we are to be living here in Salem, with this fabulous museum right in our back yard.

One of the terrific things about PEM is that you can get up close and personal with the exhibit's pieces.  This does not happen at every museum, but especially with this show -- it is exactly what you will want to do.  To facilitate that approach, PEM has graciously even provided magnifying glasses for you to use while you are there visiting.  Wow!  What a nice touch.  Such an appropriate detail for this exhibit especially.

I am including some more images for you in this blog post, but AGAIN, I can only say that images do not do any show real justice, and you need to come and see it for yourself.

Don't forget that the Hawthorne Hotel offers a PEM package at all times that we have space available.  It includes tickets to the museum, a gift certificate to spend in the gift shop, and your accmmodations here a the hotel.

The book of this show is wonderful, and since it is available both in hard cover and soft cover, the price is within reach to most everyone.  You could get our package and uset the gift certificate to pay for most of the book!  What a nice remembrance of a fabulous experience, and what a terrific learning tool as well.

I hope to see you here, whether to spend the night, or to have a bite to eat, or to enjoy an adult beverage.

 Old Woman Eating Porridge, c 1657 Gabriel Metsu (1629 - 1667) Oil on panel, 14 x 11 inches.  The Rose-Marie and Eijk van Otterloo Collection, image courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington

Orpheus Charming the Animals, c 1640, Aelbert Cuyp (1620 - 1691) Oil on Canvas, 44-1/2 x 65-3/4 inches.  The Rose-Marie and Eijk van Otterloo Collection

(Notice that the artist painted this when he was but 20.  The guest curator mentioned that he might have done this piece to show off how talented he was -- that he could paint people and animals and landscape and trees and nearly everything -- all showcased in this one very large, for the time, painting.)

Portait of Aeltje Uylenburgh, 1632.  Rembrandt van Rijn (1606-1669) Oil on panel.  29 x 22 inches.  The Rose-Marie and Eijk van Otterloo Collection, image courtesy Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.

This piece is as amazing as you would expect from Rembrandt.  Again, you simply have to go and see it in person to really SEE it, and to understand what an fabulous artist he was.

Still smiling at the thought of all this fabulous art, so close to us,

Juli

Whatever Your Plans Are...

Have a dreamy weekend!

image: Stephanie Rausser (Kiki & Coco)

The Glam Life ~ Behind the Scenes at PHB

I know a lot of you folks that deal with vintage/antique items can relate to people saying "Oh, your business is so glamorous." I need to tell you, it's really not! (see the big Alleve bottle on the desk?)

Take a look at Erin here. She's been packing boxes (with the help of Dianna and myself) for several days straight...

I think more of our time is spent emailing and packing/shipping, as opposed to travel and glamour. But, that's the nature of the biz. And I still love it.

Poor Vito spends his days sleeping as we do our thing...

And still, there is so much more to box, schlep and ship, so I better sign off!

Hope you're having a great week!

A Change for Some of Our Staff Members

Usually when we get a request for a particular flag to be flown on the front of the hotel, when I have already posted the week's list, I just change the flags of the week post from that Monday, and note it.

However, today we received a request from one of our Kitchen Staff Members, Ramon Rodriguez.  Ramon is from the Dominican Republic, and while he has become a U.S. citizen, and speaks English very well, he is still very attached to his home, and to his fellow Dominicans here in Salem.

Therefore, when he asked us today if we would fly the flag of the Dominican Republic this coming Sunday, February 27, because it is Independence Day, we totally understood why, and happily granted his request.

Ramon is one of a number of staff members here at the Hawthorne Hotel who hail from the Dominican Republic, and we are flying the flag in respect to all of them, and as a small thank you for all the work they do for us, and for you dear guests, here at the Hawthorne.

I hope to see you here.

Juli

Five Guys and A Bowl of Phô

My friend, Jimmy Le, invited several of the guys for a chill night of steaming hot bowl of his homemade Vietnamese phô that's been cooking on his stove for two days. Phô (fuh), like no other soup, is the most satisfying soup for me.  The aroma of star anise, clove and ginger seduces me into hypnotic submission. Jimmy uses ox tails as the base for his stock; simmering the ox tails until its meat softens and releases its flavors inside the pot of perfection.

I was immediately transported to the bustling street food scene in Ho Chi Minh city the moment I stepped into Jimmy's
house. Friends Todd Ernst, Jason Essex and Scott Erickson made up our informal dinner of five in the table in Jimmy's kitchen. He served us each a bowl of steaming hot pho filled to the rim with ox tails, sliced beef, meatballs, tendons, spring onions, sprouts, basil, cilantro, rice noodles and a host of accompaniments including sriracha, lime and hoisin.

We bowed our heads toward the bowl and with chopsticks and Asian soup spoon, we slurped, scooped and bit into each piece of protein as if it was our last meal. At one point, we had to chuckle as George Michael's Father Figure song played on the radio. But no one cared. Tonight was all about the pho and not even Celine Dion could have interfered with our focus in enjoying this amazing soup.

Our conversations around the table ranged from discussing memorable facebook posts to my youngest daughter's 9,000 text messages in one month. From parties we have hosted at the JW to Mega 80's at the Intersection. From home cooked meals to exotic restaurants in Asia.

Between the five of us, there isn't a night when at least one of us is out on the town. However, on this cold winter evening, there were no people to meet, no crowds to worry about and no out-of-town guests to entertain. Just five guys chilling with a bowl of Jimmy's pho. It was perfect.

How about playing some Careless Whisper, Jimmy?

Artists and Authors Winter Exhibit

Hawthorne Hotel Presents

Artists and Authors Winter Exhibit

FREE TO THE PUBLIC

Thursday, February 24, 2011, 5:00pm – 9:00pm
Drop in any time during the evening.

Hawthorne Hotel Grand Ballroom

PROGRAM

Artists:

Nancy Barnes – Paintings & Photography Sheila Billings – Paintings & Books

Dan Browne – Sculpture Keith Doiron – Paintings

Karen Hallion – Paintings Ellen Hardy – Paintings & Photography

Ziggy Hartfelder – Photography Charles Lang – Paintings & Photography

Ralph Newhall – Paintings Elaine Snow - Photography

Wendy Snow-Lang – Paintings & Photography Jack Walsh – Sculpture

Authors:

Christopher Jon Luke Dowgin, Matthew Fraser, Claire Keyes, Kristie Poehler

North Shore Writers Group

Pam Bradbury Alan Hanscom Dorothy Malcolm Chris O’Brien Linda Tietel

Music by SPECIAL EDITION

Special Edition will perform at 7::30 pm and  8:30pm

Poetry Reading by Claire Keyes at 8:00pm

The Tavern and Nathaniel’s are featuring specially created entrees for this evening.

We invite you to stay for dinner. (See menu specials below)

Please speak with the individual artist or author if you would like to purchase their work.

Special Menu Offerings in Our Restaurants:

 

Cocktail of the Week

Arty Cocktail

Stuff.  More stuff

$8.00

Soup of the Day

Novella

Pumpkin Bisque “Modern Art”

$6.50

Salad of the Day

Elements of Art

baby greens and Belgian endive, goat cheese, candy cane beets, toasted pine nuts and white balsamic vinaigrette

$9.95

Burger Collage

Angus sirloin, cheddar, Swiss, sautéed mushrooms, caramelized onions, pickles, lettuce and tomato, French fries

$10.00

Sandwich of the Day

Metaphoric Plagiarism – Chicken of the Sea

tuna salad, lettuce and tomato in a wheat wrap, choice of cucumber salad, French fries or potato salad

$8.95

Epigram of Fish

“Give a man a fish, he eats. Show him how to fish and he steals your fishing hole.”

Painted Salmon: sun-dried tomato pesto and basil pesto, broccoli and wild rice

$16.95

Dessert of the Day

Hyperbolic Mile High Apple Pie

a la mode

$5.95

I hope to see you here.

Juli

Wow! Preview of "Golden" at PEM was Stunning!!!

If you read the Hawthorne Hotel blog even fairly regularly, you will already know I am a big fan of the Peabody Essex Museum (PEM) here in Salem. I think the museum is spectacular in many ways -- from the way it is designed, to the breadth of the collections, to the great staff, and most importantly in the way they blend art with culture to put things more in context for the viewers.

However the exhibit that is opening there this weekend absolutely blew me away -- it is so spectacularly beautiful that it literally brought tears to my eyes to see it -- actually the term I want to use is BEHOLD, because you cannot just see this exhibit, you must behold it. 

I felt that I was given a huge gift today -- the gift of such beauty and magnitude that it is hard to describe.  While these works are being displayed at PEM, they all belong to Rose-Marie and Eijk van Otterloo, who have collected them and have generously allowed PEM to display them for all of us to enjoy.  What a gift to everyone who comes!

There are a couple of images included with this post, but I can only say this about the images -- while they are very well done, they are NOTHING like what you will see in person. You must see how beautiful these lovely works of art are in person. You must see how wonderfully PEM's team has displayed them.  You simply must go.

 Winter Landscape near a Village, c 1610-15.  Hendrick Avercamp (1585 - 1634) Oil on panel. 21 x 37- 1/4 inches.  The Rose-Marie and Eijk van Otterloo Collection.  Image courtesy of Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

 Young Girl in Profile, c 1631 - 32.  Jan Lievens (1607 - 32) Oil on panel.  17-2/4 x 15 inches The Rose-Marie and Eijk van Otterloo Collection. Image courtesy of National Gallery of Art, Washington

Sleeping Dog, 1650 Gerrit Dou (1613 - 1675)  6 - 1/2 x 8 - 1/2 inches. The Rose-Marie and Eijk van Otterloo Collection. Image courtesy of Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I must write much more about this exhibit, but I am going to stop right here, and promise you that I will write again. I need to figure out how to really convey what a huge event this was in my life.

I hope to see you here (or there because I will surely go back, several times, to take in all there is to see!)

Juli

PHB Sale on One Kings Lane!

I'm honored (and so excited!) to be part of One Kings Lane Tastemaker Tag Sale beginning this evening. It's been in the works for a while now and I'm thrilled to finally share it with you!

If you're new to One Kings Lane, OKL partners with top brands and designers to give their members insider access to designer décor, fantastic gift selections, and exclusive tag sales curated by today's top tastemakers - at up to 70% off retail.

Paris Hotel Boutique will have major markdowns of items so please do check it out. This three day event starts tonight at 6pm PST / 9pm EST. You must be a member of One Kings Lane to access the sale. And...membership is free!

Click here to join One Kings Lane &

Click here to shop our sale!

New Hawthorne Hotel Pet Gifts

If you follow our blog, or have stayed here with a pet, you likely already know that we give each pet a special gift upon arrival. Our standard dog gift has been a faux shearling stuffed "dog bone" with squeaker. They are lovely toys, but somewhat too big for a small dog.

So we ordered smaller gifts, and they have just arrived. We thought you might like to see them, so here are the photos:

Now we have this tiny orange dog with a Pilgrim-style hat, just made for a little dog (like mine!)

We also have these little darling bears with their own built-in blankets -- exactly the right kind of toy for a tiny little pet who is a tad bit chilly, or for a big dog who likes to toss things around.

If you cannot bring your pet for a visit, you are welcomed to buy either or both of these.  They will be up on our on-line gift shop very shortly.  Go to http://www.hawthornehotel.com/

By the way, these little toys are created for us by Grriggles, a producer of pet toys for independent pet stores.  You can find similar items at your local independent pet store under that name.  But if you want these toys with our Hawthorne Hotel logo, you will need to come here, or go on our website.

I hope to see you here.

Juli

Happy Monday!

Did you all have a great weekend? I sure hope so! Time to delve into a new week...Hope it's a great one!

image: lesliee!!

Hawthorne Hotel's Flags of the Week -- February 21 through 27, 2011

On Tuesday and Wednesday we will fly the flags of The Netherlands and Belgium, at the special request of the Peabody Essex Museum (PEM) due to the opening events associated with their latest special exhibit.

Monday , February 21 ~~ Mexico and North Carolina


Tuesday , February 22 ~~ The Netherlands and North Dakota

Wednesday , February 23 ~~ Belgium and Ohio

Thursday , February 24 ~~ Monaco and Oklahoma

Friday , February 25 ~~ Mongolia and Oregon

Saturday , February 26 ~~ Montenegro and Pennsylvania

Sunday , February 27 ~~ Morocco and Puerto Rico

If you have a special request, call us at 978-825-4444.  We will always do our best to honor your special flag requests.

I hope to see you here.

Juli

San Chez Bistro - Still Buzzing After 18 Years

Downtown Grand Rapids was a whole different city in 1992. The restaurant and entertainment scene was non existent outside of the Amway Grand Plaza hotel. Sure, there were a few decent restaurants that were scattered on the outskirts of center city such as Gibsons, the Thornapple in Ada and the Sandpiper in Holland; but downtown, it was slim picking.


I was a Chicago transplant that year. While I was very happy with my job as the assistant director of food and beverage at the Amway Grand, life outside of work was not even a fraction of my social activities in Chicago. So when San Chez Bistro opened in 1992, it gave this self proclaimed foodie a glimpse of hope of the possible transformation my new hometown would eventually experience in the years to follow.

My wife and I were still dating at the time and this Spanish tapas oasis on Fulton street became our culinary destination until we moved to the British Virgin Islands in the summer of 1993. Opening a tapas restaurant was a huge gamble that paid off, not just for the owners, but for the entire city.

We celebrated Valentine's Day last Monday with our three kids. It was a spur of the moment deal which my wife and daughter Margaux initiated and the rest of the family obliged to their delight. After 18 years, it was good to see San Chez still humming with loyal patrons.

Two orders of the Gambas Al Ajillo kicked off our meal with a burst of garlic infused sauteed shrimp with olive oil and red pepper flakes ($10.99). A classic bar snack for the Spaniards, this dish did not disappoint in its simplicity of preparation and robust seasoning. With local bread in hand, we all dipped our breads in its juices until the cast iron skillet was bone dry.

Two plates of Calamaritos Fritos ($9.99) followed on a bed of Serrano ham, pork belly, onion, orange zest and squid ink ailoi. The calamaritos' crispy batter glowed to a golden brown, perhaps a few seconds too long in the deep fryer, nevertheless, was tasty especially with the accompaniment of the pork belly and Serrano ham. The squid ink aioli was too think and heavy for this Galician seafood staple. It was good, but I would have preferred a lighter sauce or even no sauce with the dish. We ordered a third helping of the dish, only this time, we asked the kitchen to hold the aioli.

Margaux and I still remember the medjool at Avec in Chicago. Avec's medjool - dates stuffed with spicy sausage and a tomato sauce to die for - was the single most memorable dish we had last year. Such high expectations may have influenced our reaction to San Chez's Medjool Rellenas Picantes ($6.99) which was delicious, however, we would have preferred a lot more sausage inside each date.

The Empanadas De Pato Gordito ($9.99) - duck confit, mushroom duxelle, grilled asparagus, goat cheese & piquillo pepper stuffed empanada - was the dish my wife was raving about for she and a friend were in heaven after tasting the special empanada a few weeks earlier. The empanada with black bean soup and lime sour cream was a sure winner.

My favorite tapas on this visit was the Bistec Lomo ($12.99). The medium rare tenderloin sliced like butter and the saffron onions and blueberry demi-glace that accompanied the lomo was a fandango in my palette. A sure hit on your next visit to San Chez.

The Himalayan black sea salt espresso flan ($5.99) was very tempting but to my better judgement, I held back simply because I was stuffed. I definitely have something to look forward to on my next visit.

Gambas Al Ajillo

Calamaritos Fritos

Medjool Rellenas Picantes

Empanadas de Pato Gordito 

Bistec de Lomo

Princess Tea is a Positively Perfect Time

 Hawthorne Hotel Princesses:  Chavani, Julianne, Melaney and Kate

 Staff Cheryl, Claire Kallelis and Mike

 Karen and Kelly Ann

 Each Princess received a certificate certifying her as a Princess for the Day!

 As the Princesses were introduced into the Grand Ballroom, they were escorted by a Hawthorne Hotel Princess to their table.  This is Princess Tina.

 Princesses posed and danced with the little ones during the entire tea.

 Dancing to live piano music and their very own singer is always a hugely popular activity at the Hawthorne Hotel Princess Tea.

Today we hosted our Annual Princess Tea in the Ballroom of the Hawthorne Hotel.  It was a huge hit with everyone there.

https://picasaweb.google.com/HawthorneHotel/PrincessTea2011?authkey=Gv1sRgCNCwzei71-6CMQ#


Here are some photos for you to enjoy.

Because this one sold out so early, and we have had such high demand, we are going to do a second one later this spring -- on April 9.  So if you missed this one, there is still the opportunity to experience this event for the young, and young-at-heart.

I hope to see you here.

Juli