A New "Game" In Town

I had to steal this photo from the Destination Salem FaceBook page today because it features the historic Hawthorne Hotel with a wonderful new adventure to do here -- touring Salem with Witch City Segway.

If you follow this blog, you will already know that I LOVE riding on Segways, and so I am thrilled that we have this adventurous touring method available to visitors to our city -- Salem, MA.

If you go, and are staying at the Hawthorne Hotel, be sure to say so.  You will get a nice discount.

I hope to see you here.

Juli

Buzzz...I'm Back!

Hope you enjoyed the nice long holiday weekend. I just returned from Nashville, Tennessee, where I attended my nephew's high school graduation.

While spending time with my husband's family was fun, one thing horrified me. The cicada bugs. Have you ever seen them?

These creepy bugs have returned to Nashville (they visit every 13 years) and won't be leaving until the end of June. They're ugly, annoying, and louder than you can imagine. Let me tell you, they were flying in my hair, buzzing around my head. I was stepping on dead cicadas which made a big crunch sound. Not fun. They are so loud that the sky sounded like a million rattlesnakes!

Cicadas live on tree roots underground for 13 years and generally arrive in the world by crawling up a tree trunk in nymph form, then crawl out of their shells, which get left behind on flowers and patio furniture, and within days, completely morph into flying adults. EW!

antique Chinese jade cicada necklace

Obsessed with these creatures, I took a close-up look at one, and it was actually quite pretty. The wings have an Art Nouveau look to them. I wondered, was anyone making jewelry out of these locusts? Apparently so.

I stumbled across this lovely antique Chinese silver and jade cicada necklace. The five early hand-carved jade cicadas are surrounded by solid silver repoussé floral frames.

John Urban at Jurbanrings makes these earrings (above) using real cicada wings embedded into lightweight resin. They are quite interesting.

Rachael Sudlow cicada jewelry

Rachael Sudlow traces a cicada wing to reveal every vein & line, laser cuts it onto thick brass or stainless steel, and the spindly lines become the framework for a beautiful wing pendant or earrings.

I understand that some of the folks in Nashville are frying and eating these cicadas. Apparently they are low-fat and have a lot of protein. Can you say "ew" again?

I'm happy to be home with some noise-free atmosphere, that is, except for the darn kid next door who never stops strumming his guitar.


If you have a hankering to hear what cicadas sound like, I've included this little video just for you...watch if you must!!!

Have a great week!

Returning for an Anniversary Stay

We recently had yet another couple stay with us to celebrate their wedding anniversary. This was just a second anniversary, but it was very special for our couple who were married here in 2009.

While they weren't ready for my camera's lens this time, they did share these photos that they just love of their wedding here, and I thought I would put them up for you to see:

If you got married here, and are planning to return for a special anniversary, please let us know so we can feature you right here on our blog.

I hope to see you here.

Juli

Pretty in Pink -- Wedding at the Hawthorne Hotel

A few weeks ago there was a wedding here at the Hawthorne Hotel that used PINK in a big way.  We thought you might enjoy seeing a couple of photos.

These photos certainly show that the Hawthorne Hotel's Ballroom, while beautiful in its own right, is also neutral enough to serve as a stunning backdrop for virtually any color one wishes to use in there.

I hope you enjoy seeing another aspect of the Hawthorne Hotel.

Juli

Hawthorne Hotel's Flags of the Week ~~ May 30 through June 5, 2011

As always, we will be flying our huge American flag on the roof today.  And also as usual, we are flying the flags of the members countries of the United Nations on the front of the hotel.  They fly on one side of the entrance, and a flag of one of the States flies on the other, rotated in alphabetical order unless there is a special request.  There is always information posted in the lobby, to the right of the elevators, telling a little about the countries and states, changed daily.

Monday , May 30 ~~ Bahrain and Louisiana


Tuesday , May 31 ~~ Bangladesh and Maine

Wednesday , June 1 ~~ Barbados and Maryland

Thursday , June 2 ~~ Belarus and Massachusetts

Friday , June 3 ~~ Belgium and Michigan

Saturday , June 4 ~~ Belize and Micronesia

Sunday , June 5 ~~ Benin and Minnesota

I hope to see you here.

Juli

Another Update on Flags of the Week

We had a relatively last-minute request to fly the following flags on Sunday, May 29:

Army and Pennsylvania

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Juli

Special Arts Festival Event Here at the Hawthorne Hotel

Mark your calendars for Thursday evening, June 2.

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As its contribution to the 2011 Salem Arts Festival, Kensington-Stobart Gallery has mounted a small exhibition entitled “Painters and Painting in Salem, 1850-1950” that will run from June 2 through July 1. An opening reception will be held next Thursday, June 2 from 5-8 p.m. and will be followed by a lecture on area artists and art organizations from that period by local historian Jim McAllister.

"The intent of this show is to help local residents discover or rediscover a small piece of Salem's wonderful art heritage" says gallery Director Sandra Heaphy." It features paintings or works on paper by a number of former Salem residents, like Frank Weston Benson, Philip Little, Ross Sterling Turner, and Mariquita Gill, who built national reputations during their lifetimes. But it also introduces a pair of other other Salem painters who devoted their lives to their art but shunned the spotlight: long-time Salem High School art teacher Festus Rousseau, and his reclusive Broad Street neighbor, Quinton Jones."

Rounding out the show are works by printmaker Philip Kappel, Philip Von Saltza, Henry Orne Ryder, Harry Powers, Warren Butler and Ross Turner's brother-in-law, Henry Blaney. All lived in Salem at some point in their careers.

The exhibition was curated by Jim McAllister, who over the years has written and lectured on many of these artists. His 8 p.m. talk will focus on the greater Salem art scene between the years 1850 and 1950 but also briefly survey other important artists and their organizations in Cape Ann and Ipswich.

The talk will be held in the Hawthorne Hotel's Essex room at 8 p.m. Admission is $10. Seating is limited. Reservations may be made by telephone at 978-745-6314 or e-mail at culturecorner@gmail.com.

The Kensington-Stobart Gallery is located in Salem’s historic Hawthorne Hotel and is open from 10-5 on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays, 10-8 on Thursdays, and 12-5 on Saturdays and Sundays. For more information about the exhibit or gallery visit www.kensingtonstobartgallery.com

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I hope to see you here.

Juli

Having a Nice Weekend?

Hope you're enjoy the start of your weekend. For those of you in the US, it's Memorial Day weekend, when our country pauses for a moment to remember our hero's, both known and unknown. A way to honor our American service members who have fought and continue to fight for our country. And, it generally marks the beginning of Summer!

Whether you're having a barbecue or simply relaxing, enjoy the nice long weekend and back with you next week!

image: Alice B. Gardens

A Chef's Garden

It was around six years ago when I first saw chef Melissa Kelly's garden just outside her Primo restaurant at the JW Marriott Orlando Grande Lakes. The garden is chef Melissa's tribute to her grandfather who was a butcher. This commitment to local farming is evident in the freshness of food served at Primo. It was this project that inspired me to create our own chef's garden at the JW Marriott Grand Rapids.

Planning Your Summer?

There are many festivals and celebrations taking place this summer on the North Shore.  Staying at the Hawthorne Hotel is the perfect location for attending any and all of them.  Here is a list of some of them so you can mark your calendar:

Salem Arts Festival -- June 3 through 5.  For more information go to www.SalemArtsFestival.com

Danvers Family Festival -- June 18 through July 4 -- Fireworks on July 3.  For more information go to www.Danversfamilyfestival.com

Marblehead Festival of Arts -- July 1 through 4.  For more information go to www.MarbleheadFestival.org

Beverly Homecoming -- July 29 through August 7.  For more information go to www.beverlyhomecoming.com

Salem's Heritage Days -- August 5 through 14.  For more information go to www.SalemMainStreets.org

Crane Beach Sand Sculpting Competition -- August 6.  For more information or to register, go to www.ttor.org

Salem Jazz and Soul Festival -- August 20 and 21.  For more information go to www.SalemJazzSoul.org

Peabody's International Festival -- September 18 -- International food, entertainment that celebrates the diversity of the people who have made Peabody what it is today.

The Topsfield Fair -- September 30 through October 10.  For more information go to www.topsfieldfair.org

We hope to see you here this summer.  By the way, if you make your reservation now, on our website, you can get a 15% discount for prepaying your room reservation.  Use the Advance Purchase Rate Code in the drop-down menu.  This special rate is only available on our website.

Juli

Nice News! Hawthorne Hotel Wins Awards

Our Director of Sales and Marketing, Kristie Poehler, just received this email today, and we are very excited to be selected for these awards.

They are due in great measure to the efforts of our outstanding staff members.  Thank you to all of them!!

Thanks so much to our loyal customers and supporters who voted for us!  You are the best!!!

Juli

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Hi Kristie,

The Readers Choice ballots are in and Hawthorne Hotel won "North of Boston Favorite" and Regional Gold in the hotel category.

Congratulations!

Kevin

Kevin J Smith

Account Executive serving Salem and Swampscott

GateHouse Media New England

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A Special Hotel Silver Giveaway!

Do you remember our mirror giveaway on Cote de Texas blog? Well, Joni and I have teamed up once again to offer this special giveaway with TWO WINNERS.... one receives a rare early 1900s serving piece from the old Alexander Young Hotel, Hawaii, the other, a set of forks from San Francisco's Palace Hotel, both from Paris Hotel Boutique!!!

But, before I send you over to Joni's blog, let me tell you a bit about her...


Houston-based interior designer Joni Webb shares her love of house & garden, antiques, interior design, and country French decor interpreted for the Texas coast in her popular blog, Cote de Texas.

The blog is mixed with a bit of history and a lot of humor. Joni's blog has won several awards including The Washington Post's top 10 blogs in 2008. Additionally, she has been featured in publications such as Better Home & Gardens, Houston House & Home, and HGTV.

Joni Webb

And Joni c0-hosts a fabulous blogging and interior design weekly radio show, The Skirted Roundtable, with the fab Megan from Beach Bungalow 8 & Linda from Surroundings. They have interviewed some of the most influential designers and editors including Margaret Russell, editor-in-chief of Elle Decor, and Stephen Drucker, editor-in-chief of House Beautiful to name a few.

So go visit Joni at Cote de Texas, check out her lovely blog, and enter our giveaway! Deadline to enter is Saturday May 28th.

Good luck to all!

I'm on my way out of town tomorrow for my nephew's graduation, so wishing you all a fantastic holiday weekend!

Sandy Sinagra Named Part-Time Employee of the Month

Here at the historic Hawthorne Hotel in Salem, Massachusetts, we really do value our team members. One of the ways we show that is in our Employee of the Month program. Each month we select one full-time and one part-time team member to honor with this award. We go wherever that person is working at the time, and surprise them with their honor.

Here you see us surprising Sandy Sinagra, one of our long-time banquet captains. You can see by the expression on her face how delighted she was to be chosen for this recognition again (she last received it in 2009.)

Left to right:  Liz Dube, Banquet Manager; Sandy Sinagra; Claire Kallelis, Assistant General Manager and Director of Food and Beverage.

Sandy is one of those team members who truly seem delighted to work here, and it shows in everything she does.  Sandy is a veteran, and is often the person training a new team member in the ways of the Hawthorne Hotel's banquet department.  We all love having her work for us and with us, and are so happy to be able to honor her.

Congratulations, Sandy!

Juli

Pretty Eye Candy...

Okay, no more etiquette talk today. Instead, take a look at these gorgeous coastal shots by Claire Brocato, with the help of designers, Deb Hodge and Debi Beard. Such talent!

Summer's almost here!!

images: Claire Brocato Photography

Change to Flags of the Week

We are flying the flag of Bermuda today by special request.  Many of you know Thomas MacDonald, our Assistant Director of Sales.  He is from Bermuda, and provided the flag and information for us to post in the lobby today.  The reason?  Today is Bermuda Day and he wants all of us to share in that special day with him.

http://twitpic.com/51vpq1

I drew this digital post card to wish him well.  Will you join me?

BTW, here is a link to Bermuda.com:  http://www.bermuda.com/ so you can get more information on this glorious destination.

Juli

JW Marriott Chicago Shines in the Spotlight

If hosting an event for hotel general managers is scary, try hosting one for JW Marriott, Ritz Carlton, Edition, Renaissance and Marriott hotels and resorts GM's. Well, the JW Marriott Chicago had no problem with that task by putting on quite a reception to open the three-day conference. Elaborate food action stations, cozy lounge seating, booming music and dramatic lighting set the stage for what is already a successful conference. More WOW moments are expected as each meal and breakouts garner accolades from this discriminating group of hoteliers.