Just Because...

It's pretty...

It sparkles...

And it's by one of my favorite photographers, Jamie-- From Me to You...

You must visit her site!

image: From Me to You

Hercules Restaurant- Saugatuck

Grey Goose Martini at Hercules

Hercules is my new favorite hangout in Saugatuck. You have to get past the name of the restaurant. There is nothing herculean about this garden restaurant tucked away from the bustling sidewalks of this artsy community. In fact, Hercules is cozy and intimate and a delightful setting for  drinks or dinner with friends. A group of us took the 45-minute drive from Grand Rapids to Saugatuck; finding ourselves spending a good four hours in conversation, martini's and indulging in small plates. Later on, two other friends joined us for a drink, and to our delight, they

picked up our entire four-hour tab. If that isn't a herculean task, I don't know what is. It's good to have wonderful friends.

The backyard garden

Jimmy, Sin, Marike, Elena and me

Check-In: CityFlatsHotel - Grand Rapids

Check-In: CityFlatsHotel, Grand Rapids

The Scenario: My wife and I invited a Dutch friend(from Netherlands) who works in the Caribbean to the cozy CitySen Lounge at the hotel to start off our weekend this past Friday night. My good friend Jimmy happened to be dining with another friend, Chip, so we joined them. I contacted my friend Sin, who was dining in six.one.six at the JW, to join us. Sin brought two people with him. Another friend, Bonzi, happened to call Jimmy from The BOB, so he
joined us with his girlfriend Shelly and their entourage of four friends. We were later joined by friends Nick and Ashley after they called Chip. Forget the fact that between our group, we had other friends sitting in the bar, in booths and friends who happened to just walk-by the lounge. What was meant to be a chill-night at a new establishment, turned out to be quite the get-together of friends and new acquaintances.

The Vibe: CFGR evokes a more personal charm than its sister property in Holland. The designer did a wonderful job of creating an inviting space out of a small footprint. CFGR reminds me a lot of the boutique hotels you may discover in Zurich, Amsterdam and Berlin. The lounge itself, with its illuminated bar, exposed brick walls, booth seatings and outdoor terrace, is stylized to reflect a hotel in a younger urban center. The staff in the lounge were friendly and accommodating and were gracious enough to offer our party a room tour. The rooms are smartly appointed with glass showers, flat screens, cork floors and bathroom fixtures worth photographing (as you can see below). CFGR is a very cool place and MHL highly recommends staying here.

Bonus Points: LEED certified, sidewalk terrace, original "FOX" jewelers sign behind the bar, good small plates, friendly staff, modern rooms, and nice touches with the interiors such as warm lighting, layout design and bathroom sinks.

Tweak: dim lighting in the lounge (they are working on adding dimmers), intentional music program, better task chair in guest room, scenting, flatscreens in rooms we toured were not optimal for bedside viewing.

CityFlatsHotel - Grand Rapids
83 Monroe Center NW
Grand Rapids, MI 49503
616.608.1720
cityflatshotel.com

28 Guest Rooms; starting at $149

Hawthorne Hotel's Flags of the Week ~~ August 2 through 7, 2011

This week we are flying Hawaii's flag by special request.  If you have a special request, call us at 978-825-4444 or 978-825-4322.

Monday , August 1 ~~ Hungary and Hawaii*


Tuesday , August 2 ~~ Iceland and Minnesota

Wednesday , August 3 ~~ India and Mississippi

Thursday , August 4 ~~ Indonesia and Missouri

Friday , August 5 ~~ Iran and Montana

Saturday , August 6 ~~ Iraq and Nebraska

Sunday , August 7 ~~ Ireland and Nevada

I hope to see you here.

Juli

Golfing on the North Shore

(Hanging in the Clubhouse at Cape Ann Golf Course)

This is the signature seventh hole at Cape Ann Golf Course in Essex, Massachusetts.  It presents a challenge no matter which set of tees you play from, as you are hitting to an almost island green, well-trapped in the front, and falling away to salt marshes on three sides.
This course actually has two signature holes, this one, and the fourth hole which is a long par-four with spectacular views of the water and salt marshes of Cape Ann.  
The price to play this wonderfully scenic course is very reasonable, they take advance tee times, and even the ride from Salem is beautiful.  I highly recommend this lovely, historic 9-hole golf course to any golfer visiting the area.  
You can combine a round of golf there with a visit to Essex, which may boast one of the highest number of antique stores per capita than anyplace in Massachusetts, as well as some excellent, casual seafood restaurants.  My favorite, which is only open seasonally, is Farnham's Clam Shack.
I hope you enjoy this visit just a little bit north of Salem.
Juli

Historic House Tour at PEM

After all of these years, I finally had the opportunity to go on the tour of the interiors of three of the historic homes owned by the PEM (Peabody Essex Museum) and located only a stone's throw away from the historic Hawthorne Hotel.

The three homes currently available to tour (by ticket, as specified times) are:  John Ward House, 1683; Crowninshield-Bentley House, 1727, and the Gardner-Pingree House, 1805.

Here are some photos, mainly of the interiors, for those of you who might not be able to obtain one of the limited tour tickets:

 Crowninshield-Bentley House Dining Area

 John Ward House Interior

  John Ward House Interior

  John Ward House Interior, Kitchen above and below

  John Ward House Interior

  John Ward House Interior with our very knowledgeable tour guide.

 Crowninshield-Bentley House Exterior
(More information:  http://www.pem.org/press/press_release/157-pem_announces_re-opening_of_crowninshield-bentley_house)

 Crowninshield-Bentley House Kitchen, above and below

Crowninshield-Bentley House Parlor

Another link to more information on these historic homes:

http://pem.org/visit/historic_houses

I will post more photos in the coming days.

I do highly recommend that you attend one of these tours in person.  Certainly no camera can catch all of the nuances of three historic homes such as these in a little more than an hour.

I hope to see you here (and don't forget that the Hawthorne Hotel does offer a nice package with PEM!

Juli

Whatcha Doing this Weekend?

Rise and shine! I'm up and out at estate sales looking for new inventory. Looks like it's going to be a "working" weekend for me. Not too much play...

What plans do you have?


image: Nani Oei

Doughnuts, Anyone?

I don't know about you, but I adore a good doughnut for breakfast. It's not something I make a habit of, but once in awhile...

Isn't this a great old photo?

What's your favorite kind of doughnut? I think I like them all, although a glazed maple bar is at the top!


image from here

That's Entertainment! Right in the Neighborhood!!

If you have never attended a production at the North Shore Music Theatre, perhaps this would be the time to begin.  The theater always does a great job with all their productions, and since it is theater-in-the-round every seat is a great seat.  Speaking of seats, their auditorium chairs are extremely comfortable and well-spaced, so you will be very pleased with your environment as well as your entertainment.

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

NORTH SHORE MUSIC THEATRE CUTS LOOSE WITH

‘FOOTLOOSE’

Live On Stage - August 16 - 28,

Tickets On Sale Now

BEVERLY, MA: The award-winning North Shore Music Theatre continues its 2011 season with the high-energy dance musical, FOOTLOOSE, opening Tuesday, August 16 – and playing through Sunday, August 28.  Press night is scheduled for Wednesday, August 17 at 7:30 p.m.

“Footloose is the perfect summer musical. It is packed with high-spirited dancing, eye-popping vintage ‘80s costumes and a score full of the music that defined the ‘80s. It is simply a fun night at the theatre, and we all need that,” says NSMT’s owner and producer, Bill Hanney. “Director Mark Martino and choreographer Vince Pesche have assembled an outstanding cast of talented young performers, and I am especially happy to be welcoming George Dvorsky back to the NSMT stage. As we said in the ‘80s, it’s going to be ‘totally awesome!’”

Inspired by the wildly popular 1984 movie, FOOTLOOSE thrilled Broadway audiences for nearly two years. It’s a story of American spirit — a carefree city kid transplanted to a conservative rural town where rock ’n roll and dancing are forbidden, who takes on the authorities, makes all the right moves, and wins the girl.

FOOTLOOSE, the stage adaptation by Dean Pitchford and Walter Bobbie, is based on the original screenplay by Dean Pitchford. The musical features all the chart-topping music from the film (“Almost Paradise,” “Holding Out For A Hero,” “Let's Hear It For The Boy,” etc.) mixed with new material written specifically for the stage musical. The score contains music and lyrics by Tom Snow and Dean Pitchford, with additional music by Eric Carmen, Sammy Hagar, Kenny Loggins, and Jim Steinman.

The cast of FOOTLOOSE will be led by John Jeffrey Martin (Broadway’s Hairspray, Rocky Horror Show and Good Vibrations) as Ren McCormack and Chelsea Morgan Stock (Broadway’s The Little Mermaid and Baby Its You!) as Ariel Moore. Also featured will be long time NSMT audience favorite George Dvorsky as Reverend Shaw Moore, Maureen Brennan as Vi Moore, Marci Reid as Ethel McCormack, Stephen Berger as Principal Clark, Matthew Dorsey as Willard, Gwen Hollander as Rusty, Gary Lynch as Uncle Wes/Cowboy Bob, Marissa Rosen as Wendy Joe and Sean Watkins as Chuck Cranston.

The company of FOOTLOOSE also includes Meredith Akins as Tammy, Steven Boyd Baker as Lyle, Garrett Broadwell as Garvin, Andrea Collier as Urlean, Katharine Heaton as Eleanor Dunbar, Erin Mary Henry as Belinda, AJ Hughes as Bickle, Jen Jenkins as Aunt Lulu/Betty Blast, Kara Kimmer as Ruthann, Nathan Thomas Madden as Jeter, Joe Moeller as Travis and Terry Moore as Coach Dunbar.

           

FOOTLOOSE will be directed by Mark Martino (NSMT’s Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, A Chorus Line), with choreography by Vince Pesce. The creative team also includes Musical Director Eric Alsford, Scenic Designer Michael Schweikardt, Costume Designer Jose Rivera, Lighting Designer Chris Chambers, and Sound Designer James McCartney, Production Stage Manager Natalie A. Lynch, Assistant Musical Director James Olmstead and Assistant Stage Manager Maggie Kayes.

Tickets for FOOTLOOSE are priced from $35 - $65. Performances are August 16 – August 28, Tue – Thurs at 7:30 pm, Fri & Sat at 8 pm, matinees Wed, Sat and Sun at 2 pm.  For tickets and information call (978) 232-7200, visit www.nsmt.org, or visit the box office in person at 62 Dunham Rd. Beverly. 3- Show Trio Packages are available to purchase. FOOTLOOSE is produced in association with The Cape Playhouse, Dennis, MA.

Additional Free Audience Enrichment events: Meet the Theatre:  post-show audience discussion with the artists on August 23 after the 7:30 pm performance August 27 after the 2 pm performance; OUT at the North Shore, an evening for the Gay and Lesbian Community with a post-show reception (sponsored in part by Ryan & Wood Inc. Distilleries and Sparkling Soirées) on August 25 after the 7:30 pm performance.

The 2011 season continues with The King and I (September 27 – October 19), Legally Blonde (November 1 - 13), and concludes with the return of New England’s brightest holiday tradition A Christmas Carol, December 2 –23, starring David Coffee as Ebenezer Scrooge.

An Indian Buffet worth visiting in Sedona

There is no question that my favorite pig-out food is Indian Cuisine. Forget the fact that I always end up smelling like a Bombay market once I leave the restaurant. Or the sad reality that I ate a lot more than what my stomach wanted me to, Indian food is just simply incredible.

I love discovering Indian dive restaurants in every corner of the earth. One of my favorites is this restaurant in one of

the passages of Paris where the restaurant is next door to a barber shop. The food is good despite its "hairy" location.

So right smack in the middle of the Sedona, Arizona strip is India Palace. It looks the same as most Indian restaurants where the lunch buffet is the main attraction. It's tacky yet charming. The food is usually pretty good and India Palace is no different or no better than most places. Yet, it is a jewel of a find in the middle of the Red Rocks if you are craving the aromatic dishes. 

India Palace buffet included items such as Madarsi Lamb, Chicken Tikka Masala, Daal Mahrani, Aloo Mattar, Saag Paneer and of course, freshly baked naan bread. Typing the menu just makes me salivate. Indian food beats out burgers and ham sandwiches any day. Don't you agree?

Craig Kent Named Employee of the Month

Today we surprised Craig Kent of our Housekeeping Department with the Part-Time Employee of the Month Award for June.

His supervisor and department head, Megan Campbell, spoke about why she nominated Craig for this honor.  She mentioned that Craig has demonstrated the ability to learn quickly, works very fast and thoroughly, is both a people-pleaser in his attitude, has been able to help out all over the hotel, and that he has shown a maturity uncommon for someone of his age.

You can see how surprised Craig was when we showed up in the lunchroom to give him his award.

He immediately stood up, at attention and stood there, smiling broadly as we talked about his nomination.

If you happen to see Craig around the hotel, please be sure to give him a shout-out about this honor.  I know he will be pleased!

I hope to see you here.

Juli

New "Painting" Show at PEM

Today I was privileged to be able to preview the newest exhibit at PEM, entitled "Painting the American Vision" which is simply yet another amazing show.

I especially love the guided tours of these exhibits given by the curators, in this case Sam Scott.  I learn so much, take furious notes, hoping to convey to you, fair blog reader, all I have learned, rush back to the hotel, get to my computer and become mute for the right words to really tell the story as eloquently as he does.

So the best I can do is to share with you my interpretation of what he said, a sort of "Juli Notes" version that will hardly do the subject justice, but I hope it will help you understand a little bit more of this subject than you knew before you read this post.

The American painters at the time were schooled in the European style, were craving recognition and attention, and while painting in the European style, began to paint in a fresh newness our young and relatively untouched landscape.  Over time they really did develop their own style, which has become known as the "Hudson River School".  To me it seemed the defining and unifying issues were a passion for "nature", the importance of preserving natural sites for future generations, a depth of field that brings the viewer's eye from the detail in the foreground to the far-away vista and a dedication to making the viewer really care about the land they were viewing.

I have included some images, generously provided by the wonderful staff at PEM, but honestly, images such as these really need to be seen to be appreciated.  There is nothing like seeing grand paintings in the wonderful light-filled galleries of the new wing of PEM to really appreciate them.

Albert Bierstadt (1830-1902) Donner Lake from the Summit, 1873
Oil on canvas, 72 1/8 x 120 3/16 in. (183.2 x 305.3 cm)
Gift of Archer Milton Huntington, 1909.16
Courtesy of The New-York Historical Society

The Solitary Oak, 1844
Oil on canvas, 36 x 48 in. (91.4 x 121.9 cm)
Gift of The New-York Gallery of the Fine Arts, 1858.75
Courtesy of The New-York Historical Society

Jasper Francis Cropsey (1823-1900) Sunset, Lake George, New York, 1867

Oil on canvas, 24 1/4 x 44 in. (61.6 x 111.8 cm)

Robert L. Stuart Collection, S-126

Courtesy of The New-York Historical Society

Shrewsbury River, New Jersey, 1859
Oil on canvas, 18 1/2 x 30 1/2 in. (47 x 77.5 cm)
Robert L. Stuart Collection, S-229
Courtesy of The New-York Historical Society

Thomas Cole (1801-1848) Catskill Creek, N.Y., 1845
Oil on canvas, 26 1/2 x 36 in. (67.3 x 91.4 cm)
Robert L. Stuart Collection, S-157
Courtesy of The New-York Historical Society









I hope you will make plans to get here soon, for I predict that this show will become wildly popular, very quickly.  The sooner you come, the more likely you will have plenty of time to really relax and take in the powerful beauty of each piece.

Remember that we do always offer a PEM package here at the Hawthorne Hotel which includes passes to the museum, as well as a gift certificate to use in their outstanding gift shop.

I hope to see you here soon.

Juli