Hawthorne Hotel

Hawthorne Hotel's Flags of the Week ~~ May 20 through May 26, 2013

2013-05-19T10:00:00.000-04:00

Monday, May 20 Japan and American Samoa

Tuesday, May 21 Jordan and Arizona

Arizona

Wednesday, May 22 Kazakhstan and Arkansas

Thursday, May 23 Kenya and California

Kenya

Friday, May 24 Kiribati and Colorado

Saturday, May 25 Kuwait and Connecticut

Sunday, May 26 Kyrgyzstan and Delaware

FAQs about our Flag Program

Q. Why do we have a "flag program" here at the Hawthorne Hotel?

A. Our owner instituted this program as a way to encourage anyone who comes in contact with us here in Salem, or at our hotel, to think more globally, rather than parochially, about the world we live in. He believes that the world would be better off if we all thought about the fact that there are other places, other cultures, to understand and appreciate.

Q. How long has this program been in existence?

A. While I do not have the exact date it was started, I know that it was fully operational when I arrived at the Hawthorne Hotel as General Manager in the Spring of 1999, so likely at least since 1998 and possibly longer.

Q. Where are the flags flown?

A. The country flag flies to the right of the front door as you face the hotel, and the state flag flies on the left.

Q. How are the flags chosen?

A. The Hawthorne Hotel owns all of the flags of the member nations of the United Nations, so we fly those flags for the "country" flag, in alphabetical order. The hotel also owns all of the flags of the states and related protected entities of the United States, and those are also flown in alphabetical order.

Q. Are there any exceptions to which flags are flown on a particular day?

A. Yes, we take special requests from guests who will be staying in the hotel, having a function in the hotel, from our staff members, and even from people in the community. If someone calls us with even a mildly compelling request, we generally honor that request, on a first-call basis.

Q. What about "Old Glory" -- the flag of the United States of America?

A. That flag is always flying on the roof of the Hawthorne Hotel. One day a woman marched into my office and gave me a huge piece of her mind along the lines of how dare we fly the flag of XXX country instead of the flag of the USA. She ranted on and on for a few minutes before I could interrupt her to tell her that the flag of the USA was the largest flag we own, and was clearly flying on the roof of the hotel. She quickly mumbled "never mind" and walked out of my office as quickly as she had walked in.

Q. Does the program ever create controversy over the flag(s) that are flying?

A. We have had coincidences of flying flags in our normal alphabetical order, when a flag of a country with which the US had previously been at war, and was now in peace with, was flying on a particularly historic date. For example, one year on December 7, we were flying the flag of Japan. We got a few phone calls that day scolding us for our recognizing that country on the anniversary of Pearl Harbor Day.

Q. What kinds of good things have happened that you can share?

A. In addition to having our guests happily surprised and delighted because we have honored their special requests, we have also had some nice "happy coincidences" where we have inadvertently been flying the flag of a country when we have been visited by a particular group of people who are from that country, and they just happened by. Many photographs have been taken in the front of the Hawthorne Hotel with a special flag.

Q. If I want to request a particular flag or flags be flown, how do I go about making that request?

A. Please call us at 978-825-4444 or 978-825-4322. If you reach our voicemail, leave us a message with the details of your request and we will make every effort to honor your request. Remember we can only fly the flags we have, which are all the flags of the member nations of the UN, and the flags related to the United States of America (states, territories, protectorates, etc.)

We hope to see you here!

Juli

Hawthorne Hotel's Karen O'Kane on NECN

2013-05-18T07:00:00.000-04:00

Yesterday we hosted the grand finale of "Wedding Week" on NECN (New England Cable News) and we were so happy with the results.

Here are some still shots of the shoot. The links to all the video segments are at the end of this post.

Hawthorne Hotel Catering Director, Karen O'Kane with Jackie Bruno of NECN. Karen talked about the trends we are seeing in food choices for weddings. You can see the entire show in segments, using the links at the end of this article.

Wedding Cakes by Montilio's Bakery

Beautiful tabletop by Amy Kimball Events

Montilio's also will make favors such as these cookies, for weddings or other special events.

This dress in the photos above and below was designed and made by the young woman on the left in this photo above. Her name is Erika Williams, from Plympton, Massachusetts, and she is a Junior at Mass Art. This was one of nine projects she had to do this year, and she had two weeks to do it. I would say you should be on the lookout for this delightful artisan.

Wedding Segment on NECN Featuring the Hawthorne Hotel

Wedding Cakes by Montilio's Video

Head-turning Wedding Dresses Video

The Table Makeover

I hope you enjoy all of the information in this post. We certainly enjoyed participating in NECN's Wedding Week.

Juli

Guest Newsletter for Saturday, May 18

2013-05-17T23:06:00.000-04:00

Here is the Hawthorne Guest Messenger for Saturday, May 18.

The digital copy of the Newsletter is unavailable due to technical difficulties. We are sorry for any inconvenience.

The Hawthorne Hotel would like to congratulate Amanda George and Geoff Bettencourt on their wedding today! We are so thrilled to be a part of your special day, and we hope that you and all of your guests have a wonderful night full of memories. Please let us know if there is anything we can do to help make you feel at home! Cheers!

On Saturday, May 25th, the Peabody Essex Museum (PEM) invites you to Tracing A Line a boundary-breaking, immersive performance. Combining literary, theatrical, choral and orchestral elements, Tracing A Line marks the dramatic debut performance of the museum's composer-in-residence, Matt Aucoin.

Hawthorne Hotel guests receive the special price of $10 (regularly priced at $55)

For Reservations call 978-745-9500 extension 3011 and mention you are a guest of the Hawthorne Hotel.

This Day in History

On this day in 1860, Abraham Lincoln, a one-time U.S. representative from Illinois, is nominated for the U.S. presidency by the Republican National Convention meeting in Chicago, Illinois.

I hope to see you here!

Juli

Attention Gardeners!

2013-05-17T13:01:00.001-04:00

Attention all gardeners and gardener-wanna-be people!

As I left the hotel to walk home on Thursday night I spied this row of carts all lined up against the fence on the Common. I knew something was up so I snapped this photo. This morning as I walked to work, I saw the sign below, which tells the rest of the story.

This morning as I walked to work, I saw the sign below, which tells the rest of the story.The City of Salem Beautification Committee is having their annual Plant Sale Fundraiser. Let's all keep Salem looking spiffy.

I hope to see you there, or here.

Juli

Guest Newsletter for Friday, May 17

2013-05-16T23:29:00.000-04:00

Here is the Hawthorne Guest Messenger for Friday, May 17, 2013.

I hope to see you here!

Juli

Salem Common Fence

2013-05-16T17:04:00.001-04:00

Finally after many years the Salem Common Fence issues are being addressed, at least in part. Here are some photos of what we are seeing right now:

Several sections have been removed.

You can see the damage in the photo below:

Work will have to proceed in sections as the money is available. Right now the City has obtained a grant for the first phase.

Stay tuned and I will continue to post here as I see progress.

I hope to see you here.

Juli

Guest Newsletter for Thursday, May 16

2013-05-15T22:32:00.000-04:00

Here is the Hawthorne Guest Messenger for Thursday, May 16, 2013.

I hope to see you here!

Juli

So Much Happening

2013-05-15T21:42:00.000-04:00

PEM/PM party tomorrow night, Thursday May 16 -- free admission to Salem residents. Here is a great blog post about the whole event:

Junk Yard Arts Blog Post about PEM/PM

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What is going on with the Friendship?

This free, 90-minute program will be held on Derby Wharf beginning at 7pm on May 16th.Attendees will see an illustrated slideshow and lecture by Friendship Captain Jeremy Bumagin, Mate John Pydynkowski and Mate John Newman detailing the wide variety of repair work conducted over the last few years.A question and answer session and a physical tour of the ship will follow the lecture. Be sure to click on the link above for more important information.

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

Friday -- The Hawthorne Hotel's own Karen O'Kane will be interviewed about weddings on the NECN Wedding Week special. Be sure to tune in at 7:15 AM on Friday, May 17. New England Cable News Network is available on channel 6 in Salem. Check your own cable directory to see it in other cities and towns.

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So, three things that you don't want to miss, all free for the taking.

I hope you get to enjoy one or all three.

Juli

Guest Newsletter for Wednesday, May 15

2013-05-14T22:37:00.001-04:00

Here is the Hawthorne Guest Messenger for Wednesday, May 15, 2013

The Hawthorne Hotel would like to welcome the Genedata group, many of which are travelling internationally! We are thrilled to be your home away from home while you are here. Please let us know if there is anything we can do for you.

What’s Happening in Salem this week:

“Dirt” -- On Thursday, May 16th from 6:30pm - 9:30pm, head over to the Peabody Essex Museum for an evening party. Members and Salem residents get in free with ID and nonmembers are $10 at the door.

Dig right into this fabulous party that celebrates growing gardens, eating locally and the rootsy sounds of Dan & The Wildfire. Chef Tasting will be provided by the newly opened Naumkeag Ordinary Restaurant and there will be a cash bar.

This Day in History

On this day in 1937, Madeleine Albright, America's first female secretary of state, is born Maria Jana Korbelova in Prague, Czechoslovakia (now the Czech Republic). The daughter of Czech diplomat Josef Korbel, Albright fled to England with her family after the Nazis occupied Czechoslovakia in 1939. Albright was sworn in as Secretary of State under Bill Clinton January 23, 1997.

I hope to see you here!

Juli

A Very Special Mothers Day

2013-05-13T11:02:00.002-04:00

If you are a frequent reader of our Daily Diary, AKA our Blog here at the Hawthorne Hotel, you will already know that I go table to table on the occasions of our Grand Buffets to greet our guests and take their photos. This Mothers Day was no exception, but I did enlist the help of fellow blogger Linda Orlomoski to help me with the photos, because we have gotten so busy that I wanted to make sure we got to as many tables as possible.

While I was greeting the tables in Nathaniel's yesterday I happened across a couple (John and Mary MacDonald) who had just been seated, and I quickly learned that they were here in celebration of their 45th wedding anniversary. Not only was it a special anniversary, but they had actually had their wedding reception here at the Hawthorne Hotel in 1968, on this very day.

I offered to take their photos in a place where they had posed for their wedding photos, and one of those places was on the grand staircase. Here is that photo:

They are still very much in love, as you can see here.

I asked them if they could stop by some time with their wedding album so I could scan a couple of photos into our history archives. They seemed amenable to that idea. But by the time I got home from the hotel they had emailed me with scans they had done themselves, and are allowing me to share them with you right here.

I wish I had known that this was the pose that they had done all those many years ago, as it would be fun to duplicate it today. I love how sweetly young they look in this great photo, and I love seeing the small details of the hotel from 45 years ago.

I hope you enjoy seeing these as well.

Here is the link for all the photos Linda and I took yesterday. Mothers Day Photos from the Hawthorne Hotel. If we took your photo late in the day it will be added to the album on Tuesday.

Juli

Hawthorne Hotel's Flags of the Week ~~ May 13 through 19, 2013

2013-05-12T10:00:00.000-04:00

Monday, May 13 Indonesia and Virgin Islands

Tuesday, May 14 Iran and Washington

Washington

Wednesday, May 15 Iraq and West Virginia

Thursday, May 16 Ireland and Wisconsin

Friday, May 17 Israel and Wyoming

Saturday, May 18 Italy and Alabama

Sunday, May 19 Jamaica and Alaska

Alaska

We hope to see you here!

Juli

Clients Who Know How to Have Fun!

2013-05-11T07:30:00.000-04:00

This week we were host to a group of people who work hard, and also know how to have fun at the same time.

They did a "arcade-theme" for their closing evening event. It was something that was price-conscious, happy and unusual all at the same time. Here are the photos:

Here is the full menu:

A Night at the Arcade

Passed

Mini Sliders, Bacon and Cheese

Sweet Potato Fries Served in Cones

Miniature Corn Dogs with Mustard Dip

Fried Shrimp Tempura, Sesame Orange Dip

Mini Baked Bean and Cheese Tostada, Sour Cream and Jalapeno

Station #1

Grilled Sausage and Peppers

Chili and Cheese Sauce Station with Skin-on French Fries,

Crisp Corn Tortillas, Small Baked Potatoes

with Butter and Sour Cream

Steamed Hot Dogs and Rolls with

Squirt Bottles of Ketchup and Mustard

Relish and Minced Onions

Station #2

Mixed Greens with Dried Fruits, Mixed Seeds and Candied Walnuts

Carnival Dressing, Confetti Vegetables and Herb Dressing

Asian Beef Skewers with Hoisin and Sesame Seeds

BBQ Chicken Skewers with Tangy BBQ and Honey Mustard

Station #3

Fried Dough and Snow Cones

Fried Dough Under Heat Lamps with Cinnamon Sugar

and Sweetened Cocoa Powder

Exotic Snow Cone Rental Machine

Flavors:

Sweet Chai Tea

Watermelon Pomegranate

Raspberry Lime Ricky

Ginger Coconut

Fresh Popped Corn

Seasonings:

Fine Sea Salt

Parmesan Cheese and Rosemary

BBQ Flavor

Melted Butter

Ground Chili and Sugar

Sweet Treats

Whoopee Pies

Fried Snickers Bars

Assorted Nut Brittles

Caramel Apple Bites

Fruit Skewers

Drinks

Lemonade

Basil Lemonade

I hope you enjoy seeing yet another special event that we did here at the Hawthorne Hotel.

Juli

A Special Day

2013-05-10T12:05:00.001-04:00

Yesterday was a special day for one of our staff members. Maria MacLeod has been with the Hawthorne Hotel for a good long time -- 25 years to be exact, and yesterday we celebrated that milestone on her anniversary date by taking her to lunch at the Garden Restaurant at PEM.

While we had lunch we talked about all the changes that she has seen in the past 25 years at the hotel. It was fun to go down memory lane thinking about this person and that person, especially when she was able to recite the 11 different controllers she had worked for over those 25 years. Since I have "only" been here for 14 years, some of the names were a mystery to me, but it was still an enjoyable visit.

Maria and I were joined by Joann Delp, our Controller, and Kathy Whitbeck, our Operations VP, as well as by our owner's representative, Michael Harrington.

Maria works for us as our Payroll Manager, and as you can imagine, that is a very important position that affects each and every one of us.

Thanks, Maria, for all that you do for all of the team members of the Hawthorne Hotel!

Juli

Guest Newsletter for Friday, May 10

2013-05-09T23:21:00.000-04:00

Here is the Hawthorne Guest Messenger for Friday, May 10, 2013.

The Hawthorne Hotel would like to thank Northshore International Insurance Services for making their home here with us this week. We hope that you had an enjoyable and productive time here with us. As always it was a pleasure having you stay at the Hawthorne. We wish you all safe travels home.

The Hawthorne Hotel would like to welcome the guests of the Schellbach-Chatterton wedding. We are so happy to be your home during this special occasion, and we hope that you have a wonderful time tonight celebrating. Congratulations Lindsey & Matthew!

This Saturday, from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm, enjoy a free outdoor music series in Derby Square. Bring a chair or a pillow to sit on and enjoy the music! If it rains the event will still go on at The Vault, 217 Essex St.

Berklee Summer Series on Derby Square takes place on the Second Saturday of each month throughout the summer, produced in partnership with Berklee College of Music. For more information, visit www.SalemJazzSoul.com.

This Day in History:

On this day in 1869, the presidents of the Union Pacific and Central Pacific railroads meet in Promontory, Utah, and drive a ceremonial last spike into a rail line that connects their railroads. This made transcontinental railroad travel possible for the first time in U.S. history.

I hope to see you here!

Juli

Another Upgrade to Our Guest Rooms

2013-05-09T09:23:00.001-04:00

This week we completed installing dimmer switches for the chandeliers in all of the guest rooms. Here is a photos of one of these very simple switches. They have an 'on' and 'off' switch, and a slide to adjust the light to your liking.

We decided to do this because many times we would go in guest rooms and find things like every other bulb in a chandelier being unscrewed, which indicated to us that some guests wanted a lower level of light in their room.

Bright to dim -- you decide!

I hope you enjoy this new "touch" that we have added to your guest experience.

Juli

Guest Newsletter for Thursday, May 9

2013-05-08T23:23:00.001-04:00

Here is the Hawthorne Guest Messenger for Thursday, May 9, 2013.

Looking for a way to celebrate Father’s Day? Come to the first annual “Daddy-Daughter” Dance at the Hawthorne Hotel! Taking place on Saturday June 15, 2013 from 5:30 to 8:30pm, this event includes music, dancing hors d’oeuvres and beverages. Everyone is welcome, and tickets are $35 per couple inclusive of tax and gratuities ($20 per additional person). To make reservations call 978-825-4311.

This Day in History

On this day in 1971, the last original episode of the sitcom The Honeymooners, starring Jackie Gleason as Brooklyn bus driver Ralph Kramden, airs. In a departure from most TV shows of the time, The Honeymooners was filmed in front of a live audience and broadcast at a later date. Shows were taped at New York’s Adelphi Theatre in front of around 1,000 people.

I hope to see you here!

Juli

Catholic Charities "World Markets" Themed Event

2013-05-08T07:30:00.000-04:00

Earlier this year I shared with you a very special event with an extraordinary menu and decorative theme. The theme was "World Markets" and focused in on the fresh produce markets of the USA, France, Greece, Ireland and Hawaii.

We recently executed that event, so I thought you might like to see some photos alongside the menu. Here you go:

Traditional American

Attended Station

Local living salad green station

Locally grown living salad leaves clipped by attendant and served over fresh mozzarella and tomato salad, tossed with herb vinaigrette.

Assorted crudités served in Mason jars in garden basket with handle, assorted fresh dips.

Three local cheeses displayed on brown paper over granite slabs, served with sliced breads, crackers and cheddar biscuits, local honey and mustards.

Chowder Station: Seafood Chowder, oyster crackers

Lemonade Stand: Regular, Basil and Raspberry

Assorted Handmade Sandwiches, wrapped in brown paper, sliced short. Made with ficelle and Iggy’s soft bread sticks. Served in bushel style baskets.

Eggplant, feta, tomato, basil pesto

Prosciutto, fig, goat cheese, arugula

Mozzarella, arugula, tomato, basil

Passed Hors d’Oeuvres

Traditional chicken pot pie

Farmers Market Tart, scallion, goat cheese, apple bacon, cranberry, fig, maple syrup.

Baked stuffed mushrooms with sausage

Waldorf Salad in radicchio “cup”

Faux Crab Salad in mini hot dog bun

Dessert

Chocolate Mousse Cups, crumbled Oreos and gummy worms

Apple Pie

Chocolate Covered Strawberries

~~~

French Farmer’s Market

Three French Cheeses (labeled) displayed on stones; wedges with fruit and berries. Display of breads, baguettes, ficelle olive bread.

Provencal Traditional Sausages, few hanging, remainder sliced on wood, smooth and grained mustards in stoneware crocks .

Two Olives (Provencal and Nicoise) in crocks.

Stationed Chafers

Beef Bourguignon -- Beef braised in red wine with mushrooms and pearl onions.

Filet of Sole Bonne Femme

Attended Caesar Salad: made to order and served by attendant.

Passed Hors d’oeuvres

Escargot, garlic butter in mushroom cap

Balsamic fig flatbread with cheese

Mini Quiche Lorraine

Petit Gougere Farci

~~~

Hawaiian

Two pineapple palm trees decorated with tropical fruit skewers (stuck in pineapple trunk).

Kilauea Chicken Salad -- mixture of greens with crispy chow mein noodles, crushed macadamia nuts, shredded chicken teriyaki with a sweet and tangy soy dressing.

Kim Chee – Marinated Napa Cabbage Salad

Three Chafing Dishes

Kalua Pork, pork cooked in banana leaves (Attendant will unwrap and plate for guest).

Chicken Long Rice -- chicken strips, mushrooms, green onions, cellophane noodles.

Vegetable Fried Rice

Passed Pupus

Crispy vegetable spring rolls, lemongrass vinegar dipping sauce

Maki sushi

Coconut Shrimp, orange ginger dip

Ahi Poke-Raw Tuna, spices, ogo seaweed, diced cucumbers

Beef Teriyaki Skewers

Dessert

Haupia - Coconut Pudding

Pineapple Upside-down Cake

~~~

Ireland - The "English" Market in Cork, Ireland

Attended Mashed Potato Bar:

Three different “mashed” potatoes -- Yukon Gold, Idaho, and Sweet potatoes

Toppings to add:

Caramelized onions, chopped bacon, shredded cheddar, blue cheese crumbles, sour cream, roasted garlic spread, chopped scallions, roasted kernel corn, basil pesto, toasted pepitas.

Attended Carving Station: Steamship Round of Beef with Horseradish Sour Cream Sauce.

Passed Hors d’oeuvres

Mini Shepherd’s Pie

Smoked Salmon Canapé with Fennel on Dark Rye Bread

Stout- and Onion-Braised Irish Sausages.

Dessert

Guinness Ice Cream

Bailey’s and Irish Cream Pistachio Fudge

~~~

Mediterranean, Greek Market

Display of chilled and room temperature mezes

Green Olives, marinated gigandes beans, feta tabbouleh, hummus, assorted peppers, white bean Baba Ganoush, pearl onion escabeche-style, marinated artichokes, flat breads, soft and crispy pitas

Watermelon and Feta Salad with fresh mint.

Three Chafer Dishes

Lamb tagine, raisins and almonds

Spanakorizo – vegetarian green rice with spinach and dill

Roasted garlic and oregano-marinated boneless chicken thighs with olive oil and dry white wine

Passed Hors d’oeuvres

Fried falafel with tahini dip

Seabass ceviche (spoons)

Mediterranean flatbread, arugula and eggplant

Chicken samosas, minted date dipping sauce

Dessert:

Assorted miniature baklava

Loukoumades -- fried yeasted dough, drizzled with cinnamon-honey and walnuts

~~~~

Yesterday we received this lovely thank you note:

We hope you enjoy seeing some of our collective handiwork.

I would like to make special mention of Liz Dube, our Banquet Manager, who created and executed the decor for this event, Steve Nelson, our Executive Chef, who created and cooked this delicious menu, and Jay Gilliss, our Building Chief, who helped Liz by building many of the structures you see here. Of course, there were many more members of the Hawthorne Hotel team who contributed to this special evening -- far too many to mention them all here -- but all of them are so important to the efforts of the Hawthorne Hotel TEAM.

Thank you all!

Jui

Guest Newsletter for Wednesday, May 8

2013-05-07T21:31:00.001-04:00

Here is the Hawthorne Guest Messenger for Wednesday, May 8, 2013.

This Day in History

On May 8, 1970, the New York Knicks defeat the Los Angeles Lakers in the seventh game of the NBA Finals to win their first NBA championship, led by Willis Reed and Walt “Clyde” Fraizer. The Knicks stunned the heavily favored Lakers behind a heroic return from injury by Reed and a dazzling shooting performance by Fraizer.

I hope to see you here!

Juli

Busy Day for the Building Maintenance Team

2013-05-07T07:30:00.000-04:00

It might be a small team, but they get a lot done!

The Building Maintenance Team of the Hawthorne Hotel had an extra busy day yesterday. While they were not doing all of the work themselves, they sure were doing a lot of it, plus coordinating and overseeing the outside contractors who were here as well.

The two entrances, especially the front one, took a beating from the weather this past winter. Having a hurricane and a couple of blizzards come through this area were hard on the exterior. Here are Jay Gilliss and Barry Eliuk patching the front area on Hawthorne Boulevard today.

Left: Barry Eliuk. Right: Jay Gilliss

Mike Herrera

In addition to that, today was the day that we re-coated and re-striped the parking lot. Here are some photos of it completely empty and coated but not yet striped.

This was all in addition to the post-weekend bunch of work orders that the housekeepers generate, and making sure that the chimney sweep did a good job on the Tavern chimney.

I hope you enjoy seeing a little bit of our team at work on your behalf.

Juli

Yummy May Specials in the Tavern

2013-05-06T10:47:00.000-04:00

Every month our chefs create three new specials which are served as a very reasonably priced three-course dinner in our Tavern. These specials are available Sunday through Wednesday nights from 5 pm until closing, all for only $15.50 per person.

Each entrée is served with a small mixed green salad with choice of dressing

-or- Cup of the Soup of the Day

Almond-Crusted Baked Tilapia

curry and honey aioli, buttered garlicky broccoli, fingerling potatoes

Grilled Marinated Chicken Kabobs

tomatoes, sweet onions and mushrooms over basmati rice with lemon-garlic drizzle

Quinoa Pilaf-Stuffed Portabella Mushroom

sautéed baby spinach, melted Swiss cheese, served with steamed asparagus

Each meal concludes with the Chef’s Choice of Dessert

I hope to see you here.

Juli

Hawthorne Hotel's Flags of the Week ~~ May 6 through 12, 2013

2013-05-05T10:00:00.000-04:00

Monday May 6 Guinea and South Carolina

South Carolina

Tuesday May 7 Guyana and South Dakota
Wednesday May 8 Haiti and Tennessee
Thursday May 9 Honduras and Texas
Friday May 10 Hungary and Utah
Saturday May 11 Iceland and Vermont

Iceland

Sunday May 12 India and Virginia

We hope to see you here!

Juli

Guest Newsletter for Sunday, May 5

2013-05-05T00:44:00.000-04:00

Here is the Hawthorne Guest Messenger for Sunday, May 5, 2013.

I hope to see you here!

Juli

Wedding with a "Favorite Movie" Theme

2013-05-04T09:48:00.000-04:00

We love seeing how people can make special "life events" very personal to them. That was the case with this particular wedding. Since many of you would not think to look at our Wedding Blog, but still might be interested in seeing what goes on here at the Hawthorne Hotel, I thought you might enjoying seeing this particular post.

Another personalized wedding -- Movies are the theme.

I hope to see you here.

Juli

Guest Newsletter for Saturday, May 4

2013-05-03T23:16:00.000-04:00

Here is the Hawthorne Guest Messenger for Saturday, May 4, 2013.

Hotel Notes:

The Hawthorne Hotel would like to congratulate Nicole Cooke and Jim Pickering on their wedding today. We are so thrilled to be a part of your special day, and we hope that you and all of your guests have a wonderful time here with us. Please let us know if there is anything else we can do to make you feel at home. Cheers!

The Hawthorne Hotel would also like to congratulate Ann Curtis and Mike Count on their wedding today. We are so happy to be your home away from home this weekend, and we hope that you and all of your friends and family enjoy this very special occasion. Congratulations from all of us to you!

Stop by the Peabody Essex Museum and see the new exhibit by Toshio Shibata. One of Japan's preeminent landscape photographers, Toshio Shibata is known for exploring the delicate balance between human made structures and nature. Photographing water catchments, roads, dams and bridges, he examines the unique appearance of such structures in his native land. Through his lens, river beds can look like origami, and waterfalls resemble kimonos. This exhibition of 28 large-format works will be the artist's first solo show in an American museum since 1995 and the first time his color images will be shown in America. The Peabody Essex Museum is open Tuesday-Sunday from 10am to 5pm, and this exhibit is showing until December 31, 2013.

This Day in History

On this day in 1929, Edda van Heemstra Hepburn-Ruston--who will one day be better known to legions of film fans as Audrey Hepburn--is born near Brussels, Belgium. In 1951, Hepburn was “discovered” by the French writer Colette while in Monaco shooting a film.

I hope to see you here!

Juli

PEM Gift Shop Wins Chamber of Commerce Award

2013-05-03T07:00:00.000-04:00

Salem, MA ~

This past month the Salem Chamber of Commerce recognized businesses and individuals in Salem with their annual "Excellence" awards. The Museum Shop at PEM was the recipient of the Excellence in Retailing Award for 2012. Here you see some of the key members of this great shop with the custom-made etched glass recognition award. If you want to see it for yourself, it is proudly on display in the case located just between the two parts of the shop.

Left to right: Penny Bigmore, Merchandising Special Projects Manager; Stacey Pappas, Museum Store Manager; Cassandra Miller, Weekend Manager; and Lynne Francis-Lunn, Director of Merchandising

Lynne Francis-Lunn, Director of Merchandising

I had the opportunity to ask Lynne Francis-Lunn, the Manager, a few questions, and to take a number of photos of one of my very favorite places to shop in Salem.

1) First off, congratulations on the award presented to you by the Chamber of Commerce. What does an award like this mean to you?

It is wonderful and an honor to be recognized by your peers in the Salem business community to win the Excellence in Retailing Award by the Salem Chamber of Commerce.

2) You have been an important part of the Museum shop for a long time. Can you tell us a little bit about how long you have been with PEM and what brought you to work there?

I started working at the museum on a three-week contract 27 years ago. I was asked to run day-to-day operations while they did a job search for a manager at the store at the Essex Institute, and I never left!

3) What about the Peabody Essex Museum shop makes it different from other gift shops?

The biggest distinction is that the store is a museum shop and that our merchandise mix changes to reflect the mix of exhibitions that are happening at the museum. When buying merchandise for the store, I do look at the item and ask myself, if one can find this at the mall then I probably don't want it for the store? The store needs to be distinctive, welcoming, and reflect the museum, it's mission, it's programming and exhibitions.

4) I'm sure you have many favorites but is there any one exhibit that you feel most passionate about because of the items that came into your shop associated with it?

My personal favorite exhibition was Iris Apfel, Rare Bird of Fashion. The museum shop expanded our clothing and jewelry lines and really established itself as place to shop for fashion on the North Shore.

Iris in her exhibition gave women permission to express their individuality through their dress. We worked closely with Iris buying fashion and accessories for the store.

5) Share with us some of your favorite places to go in Salem

I love to bringing friends to the Tavern on the Green for lunch. I've also been a long time fan of the Grapevine and I'm happy to see it live on under new ownership. J Mode, S and J King, Two Sisters, Rouge, and
Pamplemousse are all great places in Salem.

6) Can you tell our blog readers about some of the upcoming items and specials at the Museum store?

The store has new spring and summer fashions and jewelry arriving daily. We are bringing in an array of jazz music to coordinate with the upcoming In Conversation the African American Art exhibition from the Smithsonian American Art Museum.

Thank you Lynne!
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Here are some photos I took in the shop this week. As you can see, the Museum Shop offers a wide-range of items, from toys to tea towels to men's ties, from candles to clothing, accessories for both home and oneself -- it is a perfect place to shop for anyone.

I asked Stacey Pappas, who is a master of great display, to stand in front of one of her favorite displays. She said "the hats" and then without a moment of hesitation she donned a chapeau and became part of the display. I love her happy attitude!

The shop is an extraordinary place, so I tried to capture the breadth of it using my panoramic camera feature on my iPhone.

In this last of the panoramic shots you see, from the left: Penny Bigmore, Yanitza Thomas, Lynne Francis-Lunn and Stacey Pappas. You also see them again in the middle of the shot, because we were having fun with it -- but it kind of represents how busy these great staff members are, seeming to be in multiple places as one time.

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One thing everyone needs to know about this fab shop -- you DO NOT need to pay admission to the museum if you simply want to shop here. Just come on in and shop til you drop!

I hope to see you here, or there.

Juli