Guest Newsletter for Friday, March 1

Here is the Hawthorne Guest Messenger for Friday, March 1, 2013.

Hotel Notes

Join us on Wednesday, March 6th from 6:00pm-8:00pm in the Ballroom for our special Wedding Open House! Come meet our professional wedding consultants and preferred vendors. Sample Wedding Cake and enjoy Hors d'oeuvres. See the creative flowers included in our package. Tour a newly-renovated sleeping room. You'll have everything you need to plan your perfect wedding at the Hawthorne Hotel. Please pre-register and be entered into a drawing by calling 978-825-4358.

Tonight is First Friday in Downtown Salem. Over 30 stores stay open late tonight! This month Salem First Friday partners with Disney's new movie "Oz The Great and Powerful", to offer a special scavenger hunt with a prize drawing afterwards at Cinema Salem. The hunt begins at 5:00pm tonight. The first 20 people who mention our First Friday parking special at the Front Desk tonight will receive free parking at the Hotel throughout the event. Have fun and happy hunting!

Join us in the Tavern today from 4:30-6:00pm for our Happy Hour Appetizer – Baked Stuffed Clams, just 90 cents each!

On this day in 1932 aviation hero Charles Lindbergh’s 20-month-old son was kidnapped from the family’s mansion in Hopewell, New Jersey. Lindbergh, who became an international celebrity when he flew the first solo flight across the Atlantic Ocean in 1927, and his wife Anne discovered a ransom note demanding $50,000 in their son's empty room.

I hope to see you here!

Juli

More Fun in Salem, This Friday!!! And Free Parking Too!!

How great is this?

 Salem + Scavenger Hunt + Disney + Oz = FUN!!!

Salem First Friday / “Oz The Great and Powerful*” Scavenger Hunt!

Friday March 1, 2013

Over 30 stores stay open late this Friday! Salem First Friday partners with Disney's "Oz The Great and Powerful*", a new Disney movie, to offer special promotions and prizes during Salem First Friday. There will be a special “Oz the Great and Powerful*” scavenger hunt! Check into at least 8 of the 30-plus participating businesses on the Salem First Friday listing and bring your completed card (available online or in the stores) to Cinema Salem between 6:30-8:30pm that night to enter a special drawing for a "Oz in Salem" prize package. Additional prizes will be drawn including special 3D pre-screening tickets and swag! Cinema Salem will be showing an exclusive extended cut trailer to the movie and you can enjoy a face painter in the Cinema Café. No purchase necessary and you do not need to be present to win. For more information please visit Salem First Friday on Facebook and on the web! *©2013 Disney Enterprises Inc.

SPECIAL FOR OUR SOCIAL MEDIA FRIENDS
If you are a friend on FaceBook, or a follower on Twitter, or read this blog, here is a special offer just for you, just for this FIRST FRIDAY evening.  Mention this post at the hotel front desk, anytime after 5 pm, and we will give you a "free parking" pass for the evening of this First Friday.  You can park here and walk all around downtown Salem to participate in this scavenger hunt, and the parking is "on us".  Just make sure you stop in for your pass.  This special offer is available to the first 20 people who ask, so be sure to get here early.    
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Don't forget that the Tavern serves our wonderful all-day dining menu from 11 am to 11 pm every day.  I hope to see you here.

Juli

Guest Newsletter for Thursday, February 28

Here is the Hawthorne Guest Messenger for Thursday, February 28, 2013.   

Hotel Notes

Join us on Wednesday, March 6th from 6:00pm-8:00pm in the Ballroom for our special Wedding Open House! Come meet our professional wedding consultants and preferred vendors. Sample Wedding Cake and enjoy Hors d'oeuvres. See the creative flowers included in our package. Tour a newly-renovated sleeping room. You'll have everything you need to plan your perfect wedding at the Hawthorne Hotel. Please pre-register and be entered into a drawing by calling 978-825-4358.

Join us in the Tavern today from 4:30-6:00pm for our Happy Hour Appetizer – Garlic Shrimp Cozy with Sesame-Garlic Dip, just 90 cents each!

On this day in 1953, Cambridge University scientists James D. Watson and Francis Crick announced that they have determined the double-helix structure of DNA, the molecule containing human genes.  Watson later claimed that Crick announced the discovery by walking into the nearby Eagle Pub and blurting out that "we had found the secret of life."

I hope to see you here!

Juli

Before and After, on the Second Floor

If you will remember, exactly one year ago today we suffered a catastrophic accident when a contractor working on our guest bathroom renovations broke a supply pipe in the attic while that pipe was "live".  Tens of thousands of gallons of water poured through every floor of the hotel, with the majority of it deciding that the second floor was a good place to end up.

Here are some photos of the second floor:

Because of that accident, we had to replace all of the carpet that was damaged.  It took awhile to get the carpet ordered and made (it is a custom pattern made just for us) and then we had to wait for our business levels to be slow enough to be able to install it.

That finally happened and the carpet was installed the week of February 18.  I thought it was appropriate to blog about it on this date, since it is the one-year anniversary of the big flood.

I hope you enjoy these panoramic views of the function space on the second floor showing how it looks now..

I hope to see you here.

Juli

Guest Newsletter for Wednesday, February 27

Here is the Hawthorne Guest Messenger for Wednesday, February 27, 2013.   

Hotel Notes

The Hawthorne Hotel team would like to welcome our friends from Exit Realty! We are so happy to be your destination while visiting Historic Salem, MA. We hope that you have a fun and productive visit here with us, and please let us know if there is anything we can do to make you feel at home!

Join us on Wednesday, March 6th from 6:00pm-8:00pm in the Ballroom for our special Wedding Open House! Come meet our professional wedding consultants and preferred vendors. Sample Wedding Cake and enjoy Hors d'oeuvres. See the creative flowers included in our package. Tour a newly-renovated sleeping room. You'll have everything you need to plan your perfect wedding at the Hawthorne Hotel. Please pre-register and be entered into a drawing by calling 978-825-4358.

Join us in the Tavern today from 4:30-6:00pm for our Happy Hour Appetizer – Beef Burger Sliders, Just 90 cents each!

This Day in History: On this day in 1980, Gloria Gaynor’s hit song “I Will Survive” won the Grammy Award for Best Disco Recording. It was the first time the award was ever presented, and it would also be the last – the Disco category has never been included in the Grammy’s again. 

I hope to see you here!

Juli

TV Show "Chronicle" Visits Salem and the Hawthorne Hotel TONIGHT

About 2 weeks ago I received a phone call from the television show "Chronicle" on WCVB Channel 5 Boston. They wanted to do a show based in Salem and centered around what our concierge would recommend for visitors to Salem to see -- some things that they might not otherwise find out about. They also wanted to know about some of the "weirder" requests that our front-line staff members get from visitors to Salem. After some thought and conversation with my staff, we decided that Melissa Kelly would be an ideal person for the TV show to interview. She works at the front desk, lives in Salem, and has had a number of unusual requests from guests.

Here are some photos of the day of the shoot, which took place about 10 days ago.

The first series were about the time that a large international company had a multi-day meeting in the hotel.  They wanted their attendees to have a little bit of fun while they were here, so they enlisted Melissa's aid in writing a message to each guest with fake blood on each of their bathroom mirrors.

Here is Melissa re-enacting that special service she helped to provide.

This next series of shots is from their visit to Ziggy's Donuts. It is a neighborhood gem of a place, and one that our tourists are very unlikely to find, since it is not located right near anything that they would ordinarily visit.  It is, however, just a few block walk to get there from the Hawthorne Hotel.  Believe me when I tell you their donuts are worth walking for, but you actually do not need to go there yourself, since we get a delivery of Ziggy's which we serve in Nathaniel's as part of our Continental Breakfast Buffet each and every morning.  We love supporting local businesses, and hope you will too.

These next photos may look like juicy hamburgers and tangy hot dogs, but they are actually special-order donuts from Ziggy's.  They are such FUN and so delicious.  If you want these as part of your special event or meeting here at the Hawthorne Hotel, just inquiry with your catering sales manager at 978-825-4358 when you are booking your event.

Last but not least, here are the photos of Melissa's stop at Ye Olde Pepper Companie (the Oldest Candy Company in America) to watch how Gibralters are made.

Craig Berkinshaw working the candy into Gibralters

The finished product comes in Lemon and Peppermint

One of the most fascinating things about a visit to this cool old shop is this jar of Gibralters that is supposed to be 181 years old.  Be sure to check it out in the shop when you visit.  It even has a connection to the Hawthorne Hotel.  Here is a link to their website history page:  History of Ye Olde Pepper Companie

Still edible after all these years!

Melissa was pretty happy to be surrounded by all the candies in this cool shop.

Our special thanks to Melissa for stepping way outside of her job description to help host this cool show.

I hope you will check out the show tonight as there is even more to see.  And of course, I hope to see you here.

Juli

Pretty Day in Salem

Yesterday morning we awoke to Salem covered with just the right amount of snow.  Only about an inch fell here, creating a clean look to the snow we already had, with much of it clinging to the branches of the trees.  I managed to get this photo of the Salem Common before it all began to quickly melt.

It is a panoramic shot, so the building is a bit distorted, and you may need to click on the photo to see it all.

I hope you enjoy this view.

Juli

Food, Glorious Food and Midnight to the Boom

For the Members' Opening of this great exhibit, our PEM Chef, Rhiannon Nowak, created an exciting menu of contemporary Indian-style foods.  Here is the menu and some photos:

EIMA Midnight to the Boom

Passed Hors d’ Oeuvres

-          Sunflower and Jerusalem Artichoke Hummus with Chile Oil and Chive on a Cucumber Round

-          Raclette on Crostini with Apricot and Pistachio Relish

-          Petite Turkey Koftas with Lemongrass and Ginger-Infused Barbecue Sauce Dunk

-          New Potato Stuffed with Paneer, Crisp Bacon and Tomato, Onion and Coriander Salsa

Stationed By-The-Bite Plates

-          IPA Braised, Sliced Chicken Breast, Chile-Infused Basmati Rice and Sweet and Spicy Cucumber-Sambal Relish, Crispy Ginger

-          Braised, Shredded Lamb, Cilantro-Mint and Coconut Chutney, Black Lentils

-          Roasted Eggplant, Goat Cheese, Spiced Tomatoes, Orange and Fennel Salsa

-          Seared Salmon, Spiced Potato Round, Wilted Arugula, Masala-Infused Mango Pickle

Dessert Station

-Coffee and Tea Service including Masala Tea

-Warm, Petite Cardamom Bread Pudding with Grand Marnier-Infused Crème-Anglaise

- -Assorted Indian-Inspired Tea Cookies

Melted Raclette Cheese on Crostini with Apricot and Pistachio Relish

On the right and top side of the plate above, you see Roasted Eggplant topped with Curried Goat Cheese,
Spiced Tomatoes, Orange-Fennel Salsa.  On the bottom of the plate you see the item noted in the photo.

-          IPA-Braised, Sliced Chicken Breast, Chile-Infused Basmati Rice and (not shown) Sweet and Spicy Cucumber-Sambal-Relish, Crispy Ginger

-          Seared Salmon, Spiced Potato Round, Wilted Arugula, Masala-Infused Mango Pickle

Are you a member of PEM?  If not, shouldn't you be?

I hope to see you here, or there.

Juli

Hawthorne Hotel's Flags of the Week ~~ February 25 through March 3, 2013

Here are the flags that will fly on the front of the Hawthorne Hotel this week.  We have no special requests this week.  FAQs about our Flag Program

Monday February 25 Yemen and Mississippi

Mississippi

Tuesday February 26 Zambia and Missouri
Wednesday February 27 Dominican Republic* and Montana

Dominican Republic

Thursday February 28 Zimbabwe and Nebraska

Zimbabwe

Friday March 1 Afghanistan and Nevada

Saturday March 2 Albania and New Hampshire
Sunday March 3 Algeria and New Jersey

I hope to see you here.

Juli

Guest Newsletter for Sunday, February 24

Here is the Hawthorne Guest Messenger for Sunday, February 24, 2013.

I hope to see you here!

Juli

Today's Princess Tea at the Hawthorne Hotel

As usual we were sold out for this event!  The next and only other Princess Tea in 2013 will take place on April 13, so get your reservations made early if you do not want to miss out this year.

Here is a link to all the photos we took of the attendees;  Princess Tea at the Hawthorne Hotel

Here are some photos and videos of today's event:

First the videos, which are shot in "Vine" style -- 6 quick seconds of vignettes that represent the Princess Tea

Waiting for the first "face" to paint

Coloring station

Temporary tattoos were very popular

The "sparkles and jewels" station was also VERY popular

The dance floor is always "the" place to be as soon as the party gets going

A "Panoramic" shot caused the huge buffet table to look like it was turning a corner.

I hope you enjoy this look at our Grand Princess Tea, and I hope to see you here at the next one, on Saturday April 13, 2013.

For tickets please call 978-825-4360.

Juli