New Playground on Salem Common

Today is a glorious day, weather-wise, in Salem. It seemed particularly like an appropriate time for me to go take photos of the new children's playground on Salem Common. The playground is intended for little ones who are 5 to 12 years old. There is even a special surface that is helpful to children of all abilities in being able to use this area.

The money for the playground was raised by two community groups -- the Salem Common Neighborhood Association, and Parents United of Salem. While I was president of the Salem Rotary Club, our Club donated $6,000 to the effort as well.

The results are certainly worthy of a great little city like Salem, Massachusetts.

If you are planning to visit the Hawthorne Hotel, and have little ones traveling with you, you will be happy to know about this excellent new addition to the neighborhood.

I hope to see you here.

Juli

Exciting New Tours at PEM

I recently learned about three new "House Tours" that are offered by the Peabody Essex Museum. These are being offered in addition to an existing tour which is shown as number four in my list.

Here is an overview:

1. Setting Salem’s Table: Three Centuries of Cooking and Dining

Compares kitchens and dining spaces in three historic houses from three centuries, considering changes brought about by global trade, cultural influences, technology, fads and fashion.

This one looks very interesting to me, given how much I enjoy cooking and entertaining!

2. Elegance and Innovation in Federal-Era Salem

Focuses on style and how trends in style reflect what is happening at the time — politically, economically and culturally.

3. From Shelter to Showpiece: Three Centuries of Salem

Compares architecture and design from three centuries, and considers how these make a house a home.

4. Two Merchants’ Homes: Yin Yu Tang and Gardner-Pingree

The Chinese house at PEM and the Gardner-Pingree House were both built by wealthy merchants around the same time — about 8,000 miles apart. See how the architecture and art in each of these early 19th-century houses reflect the personal wealth, taste and cultural values of their owners.

>Please note that not all of these tours are always going to be available on any given day. The tours at PEM are given by volunteer docents, and they will be offered in a rotation, so it will depend on which docents are available on a particular day.


Generally tour times are 12:30 pm, 2:00 pm and 2:45 pm. You should check with the desk as soon as the Museum opens for the day to find out which tours are going to be available, and to sign up, as space is limited.
We are very excited about these tours and cannot wait to get your feedback, so be sure to let me know after you go. You can always post your comments right here on my blog.

I hope to see you here (or there!)

Juli

More Nathaniel's SUMMER Dinner Items

Food Photos are Fun! If that is something you enjoy, you will love this post. These are some of the new items from the Summer Nathaniel's Dinner Menu.





Tangerine-Grilled Sea Scallops


Heirloom Tomatoes, Mozzarella,Balsamic Drizzle, Walnuts and Basil

Oven-Roasted Salmon topped with mint and basil gremolata,
served with two-pea risotto, sautéed watercress and asparagus (this photo shows green beans which our kitchen happily substituted for a guest who did not count asparagus among his top-ten favorite vegetables.)

Vegetarian Entree -- Layers of Eggplant, Goat Cheese, Heirloom Tomatoes, with Fresh Tomato Sauce, Gigandes Beans and Fresh Basil



Bone-In Pork Chop, Tonkatsu Broth, Braised Nappa Cabbage, and Two Kinds of Peas. ~~ Deliciousness Squared!

I hope you plan to catch some of these excellent summer specials before our fleeting summer season segues to fall. It will happen before we know it!

For reservations in Nathaniel's, call 978-825-4311

I hope to see you here.

Juli

Salem Theatre Company's Upcoming Season

Salem, MA is blessed with so many options for entertainment. The Salem Theatre Company is one of those blessings. In a tiny, intimate theater, only a few blocks from the Hawthorne Hotel, you will find productions that are incredibly entertaining and professionally presented. The "bang-for-your-buck is unbeatable if you enjoy live theater productions.

I hope to see you here (or there!)

Juli

Salem, MA – July 19, 2010 – Salem Theatre Company marks its eighth season with a series of plays by and about women. The season celebrates the power of the female spirit, presenting the works of such contemporary playwrights as Paula Vogel, Margaret Edson, Judith Black, Sarah Ruhl, and Tina Howe. The plays explore such universal themes as friendship, mortality, morality, and redemption.
All performances are held at Salem Theatre Company, 90 Lafayette Street, in historic downtown Salem. To purchase tickets or for more information, the public can call Salem Theatre Company at 978-790-8546, or go online http://www.salemtheatre.com/

Here is Salem Theatre Company’s 2010-2011 season (dates, artists, and titles, subject to change):

Bittersweet Midnight
Written by Judith Black
Directed by John Fogle
September 30 - October16, 2010
Opening night fundraiser to benefit HAWC.
Nationally acclaimed storyteller Judith Black scorches a path from local history and hysteria to contemporary hilarity and hysterics as she explores the power of female hungers and relationships- both here and in the hereafter. From dances with ancient witches to the physic joys of window washing, this show will honor the howling season while it unpacks your funny-bone.

The Long Christmas Ride Home
Written by Paula Vogel
Directed by John Fogle
December 1 - 19, 2010
Opening night fundraiser to benefit Lifebridge.
Past, present, and future collide on a snowy Christmas Eve, for a troubled family of five, in Pulitzer Prize winning playwright, Paula Vogel’s The Long Christmas Ride Home. Incorporating both puppets and actors, this beautifully written drama by the author of How I Learned to Drive, tackles “good cheer anxiety” and family foibles with humor and heartbreaking honesty.

W;t
Written by Margaret Edson
Directed by Sarah Carlin
January 19 - February 13, 2011
Opening night fundraiser to benefit Hospice of the North Shore.

Vivian Bearing, Ph.D., is a renowned and respected professor of seventh century poetry who has spent years studying the sonnets of John Donne. Diagnosed with terminal ovarian cancer, Vivian is forced to reassess her life, her relationships, and her priorities. Winner of the 1999 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, W;t is a transformative journey celebrating the power of the human spirit.

Dead Man’s Cell Phone
Written by Sarah Ruhl
Directed by John Fogle
March 10 - April 3, 2011
Opening night fundraiser to benefit Salem Cyberspace.

A man dies at a café. His cell phone begins to ring incessantly. Exasperated, the woman at the next table answers the phone, only to find herself thrust into the dead man’s drama. Written by Sarah Ruhl, this wildly imaginative comedy is the odyssey of a woman forced to confront her assumptions about morality, and the need to connect in a technologically obsessed world.

Painting Churches

Written by Tina Howe
Directed by TBD

May 5 – 29, 2011
Opening night fundraiser to benefit Salem Arts Association.
Gardner and Fanny Church are packing up their beloved Beacon Hill brownstone with the help of daughter Mags, to retire on the Cape. Written by Tina Howe, this semi-autobiographical play paints a portrait of three characters in transition. Gardner, a Pulitzer-Prize winning poet, slowly loosing his mental abilities. Fanny, a Boston Brahmin, mourning the loss of her urban existence. And Mags, an absentee daughter, and budding New York artist who needs to reconcile the past to face the future. Winner of the Outer Critics Circle Award for Best Play, Time Magazine calls Painting Churches, “A radiant, loving and zestfully humorous play.”

Ticket Information

Salem Theatre Company season passes go on sale Monday, July 19, 2010. Individual tickets go on sale on month prior to opening night. Call 978-790-8546, or go online at http://www.salemtheatre.com/

Cool New Shop is Buzzing in Salem, MA

Beehive -- A cool new place for both queen bees and drones alike to visit! The owners describe their own store as "the sassier side of cards and gifts", and "a unique, laugh-out-loud shopping experience."

Yesterday I needed a laugh. It was a tough day, so I headed over to a new shop that I knew had opened up that might provide just what I needed. I am happy to report that I started smiling almost as soon as I walked in the door, and was laughing out loud by time I left. Their ad is "truth in advertising" for certain.



How many places do you know that sell "squirrel's underpants"?



I bought a friend who is slightly in the doghouse with me (and who has several cats) a car air freshener that is "cat butt" scented. Now who couldn't laugh at something like that?

I hope to see you here (or there) because I definitely plan to go back.

Juli

P.S. It is located at 38 Front St. which is a lovely stroll of about 4 blocks from the Hawthorne Hotel.

Summer Dinner Menu in Nathaniel's at the Hawthorne Hotel

Summer produce is finally available, and our new dinner menu in Nathaniel's is full of great menu items highlighting these wonderful flavors.


Tuna Tartare with Summer Tomatoes, Ponzu-Shiso Dressing
Barbecued Baby Back Ribs with Crispy Vidalia Onion Strings


Warm Goat Cheese with Pumpkin Seeds, Mixed Greens with Blackberry Verjus, EVOO, and Grilled Fresh Asparagus


"Two if by Land and Sea" - Tenderloin Steak with Mustard Seed-Encrusted Sea Scallops (Demi Portion)

Toasted Pound Cake with Rhubarb-Strawberry Compote and Rich Vanilla Ice Cream and Creme Chantilly

This past week we got to try our new Summer Dinner Menu in Nathaniel's. It is delicious, I can assure you. So many wonderful new choices. See below to check out the entire menu:

Appetizers, Soups and Salads

The Demi Portions of our Entrees also make great Appetizers

Tuna Tartare
native tomatoes, ponzu-shiso dressing, won ton crisps
Eleven dollars

Shrimp and Bananas Wrapped in Bacon
tamarind sauce, and red onion-balsamic marmalade
Eleven-fifty ~~ Bananas only, Seven-Fifty

Tangerine-Seared Scallops
sugar snap peas, watercress and ginger-pinot gris reduction
Ten

Barbequed Baby Pork Riblets
cranberry-plum barbecue sauce with fried, shaved Vidalia onions
Nine-fifty

Baked Spinach- and Goat Cheese-Stuffed Local Tomato
aged Grafton cheddar and toasted crumbs
Nine

Soup du Jour
an ever-changing creation
Seven

Steve’s Seafood Chowder
of historic proportion, our well-loved version includes shrimp, scallops, haddock, clams and potatoes in a creamy New England-style soup
Seven-fifty

Native Heirloom Tomato Salad
fresh mozzarella, local basil, balsamic glaze, walnut oil, toasted walnuts
Nine-fifty

Warm Goat Cheese Salad
pumpkin seed-encrusted goat cheese, grilled asparagus, summer greens, blackberry verjus and EVOO
Nine-fifty


Caesar Salad
Parmesan cheese, garlic croutons
choice of Mediterranean white anchovies or apple-smoked bacon
Eight-fifty

Raspberry Field Green Salad
raspberries, spiced pecans, Mandarin oranges, and raspberry vinaigrette
Nine-fifty


Early Dining Special: Guests ordering a full-sized entree before 5:30 will
receive a complimentary small mesclun salad and a Chef’s choice of dessert.
This may not be combined with any other special promotion, coupon or discount.

Entrees

“Two if by Land and Sea”
tenderloin medallions and mustard seed-encrusted scallops seared in Maine mustard seed oil, red wine butter sauce, garlic mashed potatoes and roasted zucchini
Thirty ~~ Demi-Portion Twenty

Shrimp and Scallops Sophia
Our signature dish, named for Sophia Peabody Hawthorne
sautéed shrimp and seared scallops with sauce Béarnaise,
grilled asparagus, steamed spinach, herbed risotto
Twenty-eight ~~ Demi-Portion Eighteen

Herb-Encrusted Haddock
lemon and fresh herbes de Provence encase locally-sourced fresh haddock,
lemon lavender butter, asparagus and basmati rice
Twenty-four ~~ Demi-Portion Sixteen

Oven-Roasted Salmon
topped with mint and basil gremolata,
served with two-pea risotto, sautéed watercress and asparagus
Twenty-two ~~ Demi-Portion Fifteen

Grilled Free-Range Chicken Breast
native peach and Pajarito fig marmalade, roasted Yukon gold potatoes,
and local green beans
Twenty-two ~~ Demi-Portion Fifteen

Grilled Pork Chop
tonkatsu broth, nappa cabbage, mixed mushrooms, peas and snap peas
Twenty-two

Grilled New York Sirloin
with barbeque demi-glace, chefs mushroom sauté, mashed potatoes and
grilled summer vegetables
Twenty-six

Heirloom Tomato, Eggplant and Vermont Goat Cheese Tower
native greens, gigandes beans, local tomato and fresh basil sauce
*Vegan version with roasted Yukon gold potatoes and mixed mushrooms
Eighteen ~~ Demi-Portion Eleven

For reservations (always appreciated but usually space is available for walk-ins) please call 978-825-4311. If you mention that you saw this post on our Blog, Twitter or Facebook, we will treat you to a complimentary espresso drink, or a lovely deluxe tea including a selection from our herbal and decaffeintated teas.

I hope to see you here.

Juli

P.S. Don't forget to include us in your "Foodspotting" efforts. Special bonus for those of you spotted taking photos for that purpose in our dining room.

Hawthorne Hotel's Flags of the Week ~~ July 26 through August 1, 2010

This week we do have a special request for Saturday. Otherwise, we are doing our usual alphabetical order.

Monday , July 26 ~~ Malawi and West Virginia
Tuesday , July 27 ~~ Malaysia and Wisconsin
Wednesday , July 28 ~~ Maldives and Wyoming
Thursday , July 29 ~~ Mali and Alabama
Friday , July 30 ~~ Malta and Alaska
Saturday , July 31 ~~ Syrian Arab Republic and Massachusetts -- These two flags are by special request in honor of one of our wedding couples this weekend.
Sunday , August 1 ~~ Marshall Islands and American Samoa

Please call 978-825-4444 if you have a special request.

Juli

Cirque du Soleil "Ovo" in Boston

I had to snap these photos from the programme I bought, since there were no photos allowed.

I LOVED the Creatura, despite the fact that my brain is on slow-mo right now and I cannot get this photo of the program book to turn sideways for you, so you will just have to turn your head to see it better.

These were the three main characters of the show, Ladybug, The Foreigner, and Master Flipo

I usually stick to writing about things to do in Salem, but I have to tell you I went to see Cirque du Soleil's production, "Ovo" in Boston today, and it was terrific!

I have seen other similar-type entertainment before, but never the real deal, and I must say it was so special. Now I can see what all the excitement is about when I talk to other people who have seen Cirque du Soleil before.

It is playing through August 29, and it appears there are still tickets available. You can easily stay at the Hawthorne Hotel and take the commuter train into Boston, or make the drive down 1A, through the Ted Williams Tunnel, and right up into the heart of South Boston where the show is playing. Parking all around the pavilion is reasonable for Boston ($11 or $12), although we got lucky and found a metered space that only cost $1.50.

Here is a link to be able to buy tickets, and to see a short video preview: http://www.cirquedusoleil.com/en/shows/ovo/tickets/boston/prices.aspx

I hope you have the opportunity to see it before it is gone. Definitely one that is "worth the trip".

I hope to see you here.

Juli

Yummy New Menu in the Garden Restaurant

Do you enjoy food photos and menus? This blog post is for you!


Marinated Seared Beef, Cooked to order, served on Romaine, grilled corn, avocado, tomatoes, black beans and cumin vinaigrette

Watermelon and Goat Cheese Salad with Ice Wine Vinaigrette

Trio of Chilled Soups, Changes with the Chef's Whim
Bibb and Mixed Lettuce Salad with Toasted Almonds, Strawberries, Mandarin Oranges, and Red Onions. Triple-Citrus Vinaigrette

Asian-Style Shrimp, Basmati Rice, and Fresh Local Green Beans

Grilled Vegetable and Goat Cheese Stack, Lovely Herbed Spicy Sauce called Italian Salsa Verde, Basmati Rice

Chicken Breast with Fresh Strawberry Sauce and Walnuts

Salem, MA ~~ The Garden Restaurant at the Peabody Essex Museum (PEM) is absolutely one of my favorite restaurants anywhere. Now, I know you might expect me to say that because Hawthorne Catering runs that restaurant, but really, it is terrific!

Here are some photos of the newest menu items for you to enjoy with your eyes. However, I highly recommend that they are much tastier when you actually enjoy them with your mouth! Mmmmm. . . see items above, and the entire menu below:

Peabody Essex Museum
Garden Restaurant

New England Clam Chowder
Cup, Five ~~ Bowl, Six-Fifty

Soup of the Day
Cup, Four-fifty ~~ Bowl , Six

Caesar Salad
Romaine, Parmesan, sun-dried tomato crostini
Demi Portion, Six ~~ Entrée Portion, Ten

Chilled Asian Five-Spice Shrimp
basil-ponzu sauce, julienned cucumbers
Eight-Fifty

Trio of Chilled Soups
A sampling of three varieties of chilled soups in petite cups
Six-Fifty

Boston Bibb Lettuce and Mixed Greens
strawberries, Mandarin oranges, red onions, toasted almond slivers
and triple-citrus vinaigrette
Demi Portion, Six ~~ Entrée Portion, Ten

Watermelon Salad
red and yellow watermelon, goat cheese and ice wine vinaigrette,
Eight

Soup and Salad
Choose a bowl of chowder, soup of the day,
or trio of chilled soups
and a demi-portion Caesar or mixed greens salad
Twelve

Raspberry Chicken Salad
chicken, raspberries, Mandarin oranges, spiced pecans, mixed greens and raspberry vinaigrette
Demi Portion, Nine-Fifty ~~ Entrée Portion, Thirteen

Chicken Caesar Salad
Romaine, chicken breast, Parmesan,
sun-dried tomato crostini
Demi-Portion, Nine-Fifty ~~ Entrée Portion, Thirteen

Citrus-Chive Crab Salad
avocado, orange wheels, julienned tomatoes,
Bibb lettuce and triple-citrus vinaigrette
Sixteen

Seafood Special ~~Panini Specials
See the daily special sheet for today’s choices
We offer a vegetarian panini too!

Lobster Roll
fresh lobster tossed in light lemon aioli and celery,
served with Chef’s choice of accompaniments
Eighteen

Pan-Seared Chicken Breast
balsamic-strawberry relish, walnuts, steamed basmati rice and green beans
Sixteen

Marinated Seared Beef
Cooked to order, served on
Romaine, grilled corn, avocado, tomatoes, black beans and cumin vinaigrette
Seventeen

Grilled Vegetable Stack
Italian salsa verde, goat cheese and basmati rice
Fifteen

Asian Five-Spice Shrimp
served warm with basil-ponzu sauce, julienned cucumbers
basmati rice and green beans
Fifteen

Reservations for this popular spot are always a good idea, but if you want to try dropping by, do so early. Opens at 11:30, Wednesday through Sunday. The direct line for reservations is: 978-542-1618

I hope to see you there (or here!)

Juli

More of the Story on Art in the Park

Please see yesterday's blog post and today's Salem News for more information on this story about art installed in Leslie's Retreat Park.

This sculpture "dog" trying to dig its way into the fenced area of the dog park drew typical dog-attention from my two dogs this morning. Why do dogs like to approach newcomers by sniffing the back end, anyway?

This is a more ethereal installation. A pillow anchored to the ground, so you can lay under this willow tree and gaze at the world through the sparkling strings of beads hung from the tree.

Unfortunately one of the sculptures as already "down" this morning -- hopefully from the weather last night, and not vandalism!

And now we know how all these pieces of art came to be here -- students attending a special summer art class made and installed them. Way to go, Salem State University Art Department!!!

They will be up until August 3, so if you want to see them, get there soon.

Juli

There's an APP for that! -- Salem, MA

(above) Screen shot of Hawthorne Hotel's page under the accommodations listing.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Yay, the first version of our iPhone app for Salem was just released today. Here is a link to Destination Salem's news release that will give you more information.

If you have an iPhone, this is a FREE APP, and if you are planning to visit Salem, you should have it. Need I say more?



http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fbit.ly%2FaXiubK&h=f1fbb

If you find anything that you think would be an improvement, please send your thoughts to Kate Fox at Destination Salem (info@Salem.org) and we will make sure they are considered in the next release, which is already in the works.

We are pretty happy with this first iteration, but as with all things electronic, there is always room to improve.

Once we get the iPhone version working well, we promise to consider those of you with other kinds of smart phones.

Thanks!

Juli (and my friends at Destination Salem)

Salem's Surprise of the Day

Here is Annie, a friend from our neighborhood, who is admiring the "flowers" being "watered" by a "faucet" that appears to be bringing them water directly from the North River.

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

Salem, Ma. -- There always seems to be a new surprise in store for me, each and every day I am in Salem. I have been here over 11 years, and I have not been disappointed yet!

Sometimes the surprises are only a surprise to me, and other times they are most certainly blog-worthy. That, I believe, is the case today.

As I walked my two dogs in the "dog park" called Leslie's Retreat Park, not far from the Hawthorne Hotel this morning, I happened upon a number of sculptures that were not there on our walk yesterday. It seems that they just sprang up in one day, with seemingly no fanfare, no press release, and no signage to say what they are or who did them.

All of the pieces appear to have been made with recycled or re-purposed items, making this reminiscent of the "Trash Menagerie" exhibit that just left the Peabody Essex Museum.

Here are a few photos I snapped, along with a couple that my friend posted on her FaceBook page after she saw my FB post earlier today. I plan to go back tomorrow, because I understand there are more that I missed. I hope you enjoy this new (and possibly fleeting) aspect of Salem.

Inside this gigantic flower you will see what I saw, pictured below.

The black specks appear to be real watermelon seeds.

A recycled materials "kite" is mounted in a tree. Appears to have gotten bloodied along the way. . .


These "fishing poles" are anchored to the edge of the North River, that runs through the park. Each line appears to have caught something. The closeup below is of a fish, fashioned from mostly trash.





This appears to be a combination birdbath and bird feeder, all made of recycled plastic things.

I hope you enjoy this new and unique aspect of Salem.

And I hope to see you here.

Juli

Flowers with Old Fence

The historic McIntire District is located just a few blocks from the Hawthorne Hotel. I love the look of beautiful hydrangeas set against this old fence. I hope you enjoy this photo break today, too.

Juli

Food, Beautiful Fresh, Summery Food!

New Summer Menu in Nathaniel's starting tonight! For reservations call 978-825-4311.

Here it is, loaded with local, fresh ingredients to whet your appetite during these warm days of summer ~~

Appetizers, Soups and Salads

Tuna Tartare
native tomatoes, ponzu-shiso dressing
Eleven dollars

Shrimp and Bananas Wrapped in Bacon
tamarind sauce, and red onion-balsamic marmalade
Eleven-fifty ~~ Bananas only, Seven-Fifty

Tangerine-Seared Scallops
sugar snap peas, watercress and ginger-pinot gris reduction
Ten

Barbequed Baby Pork Riblets
cranberry-plum barbecue sauce with fried, shaved Vidalia onions
Nine-fifty

Spinach- and Goat Cheese-Stuffed Local Tomato
aged Grafton cheddar and toasted crumbs
Nine


Soup du Jour
an ever-changing creation
Seven

Steve’s Seafood Chowder
of historic proportion, our well-loved version includes shrimp, scallops, haddock, clams and potatoes in a creamy New England-style soup
Seven-fifty

Native Heirloom Tomato Salad
fresh mozzarella, local basil, balsamic glaze, walnut oil, toasted walnuts
Nine-fifty

Warm Goat Cheese Salad
pumpkin seed-encrusted goat cheese, grilled asparagus, summer greens, blackberry verjus and EVOO
Nine-fifty


Caesar Salad
Parmesan cheese, garlic croutons
choice of Mediterranean white anchovies or apple-smoked bacon
Eight-fifty

Raspberry Field Green Salad
raspberries, spiced pecans, Mandarin oranges, and raspberry vinaigrette
Nine-fifty

Early Dining Special: Guests ordering a full-sized entree before 5:30 will
receive a complimentary small mesclun salad and a Chef’s choice of dessert.
This may not be combined with any other special promotion, coupon or discount.

Entrees

“Two if by Land and Sea”
tenderloin medallions and mustard seed-encrusted scallops seared in Maine mustard seed oil, red wine butter sauce, garlic mashed potatoes and roasted zucchini
Thirty ~~ Demi-Portion Twenty

Shrimp and Scallops Sophia
Our signature dish, named for Sophia Peabody Hawthorne
sautéed shrimp and seared scallops with sauce Béarnaise,
grilled asparagus, steamed spinach, herbed risotto
Twenty-eight ~~ Demi-Portion Eighteen


Herb-Encrusted Haddock
lemon and fresh herbes de Provence encase locally-sourced fresh haddock,
lemon lavender butter, asparagus and basmati rice
Twenty-four ~~ Demi-Portion Sixteen

Oven-Roasted Salmon
topped with mint and basil gremolata,
served with two-pea risotto, sautéed watercress and asparagus
Twenty-two ~~ Demi-Portion Fifteen

Grilled Free-Range Chicken Breast
native peach and Pajarito fig marmalade, roasted Yukon gold potatoes,
and local green beans
Twenty-two ~~ Demi-Portion Fifteen

Grilled Pork Chop
tonkatsu broth, nappa cabbage, mixed mushrooms, peas and snap peas
Twenty-two

Grilled New York Sirloin
with barbeque demi-glace, chefs mushroom sauté, mashed potatoes and
grilled summer vegetables
Twenty-six

Heirloom Tomato, Eggplant and Vermont Goat Cheese Tower
native greens, gigandes beans, local tomato and fresh basil sauce
*Vegan version with roasted Yukon gold potatoes and mixed mushrooms
Eighteen ~~ Demi-Portion Eleven

Foodspotting

Raspberry Chicken Salad with Spiced Pecans at PEM's Garden Restaurant. Also available in our Tavern at the Hawthorne Hotel.

Vegetable Frittata in Nathaniel's for breakfast, each and every day. So delicious (and big enough for two meals!) Yummy!!

One of our most fabulous breakfast menu dishes -- Seafood Eggs Benedict. Grilled Crab & Cod Cakes, topped with luxurious smoked salmon, two cooked-to-order poached eggs, and dilled Hollandaise sauce. Served with fresh asparagus. Breakfast does not get any better than this, anywhere!


Dishes like the two pictured above are likely the reason that Nathaniel's for breakfast is considered to be THE place for a "Power Breakfast" by all of the movers and shakers in Salem. That's you, right?

Chilled Asian Shrimp on Cucumber Salad, in the Garden Restaurant at PEM. Such a terrific dish, we are expanding its horizons! Right now it is offered as an appetizer, but our new menu, coming out mid-August, will also offer this as a hot entree dish as well. I cannot wait!

There is a new service available both online and for your smart phone. It is called "Foodspotting" and NO, it is not what happens when your napkin slips off of your lap!

Now, on to what FOODSPOTTING is all about:

It is a cool application that lets you browse for food "near you" by looking at photos of food that others have posted there.

I have found that the iPhone version actually seems easier to use than the on-line version, but will leave that judgement up to you.

Here is a synopsis of how it works:

Find a food and "Want it!" by zooming in to see your neighborhood or out to see
sightings around the world.

Spot something you've eaten lately by adding
a sighting or emailing a photo to food@foodspotting.com.

Nom a
food you've tried and loved by finding it or adding it.

Earn tips
whenever someone Compliments (+10), Wants (+20), or Noms (+25) a food you've spotted.

Check back often because more ways to
spot foods are coming soon!

We think our food is especially good looking (as well as yummy) so we are hoping that you will take photos and post them up on this site. As a little incentive, if we SPOT YOU taking photos to post on FoodSpotting, we may offer you a little something extra for your next visit. So, snap away!

To get you inspired, I'm posting some photos of some of our great dishes that are now on Foodspotting.

I hope to see you here.

Juli