Chowda Fest this Saturday

Join 92.5 the River next Saturday, October 8th for the 1st Annual Salem Chowderfest on Pickering Wharf.  Chowderfest festivities will be held under a large 30’ x 20’ tent at the Salem Waterfront Hotel and Marina.  Proceeds benefit the Avon Foundation 

92.5 The River along with Salem Waterfront Hotel and Marina and Aurora MRI will help promote breast cancer awareness and education during this Chowderfest on Saturday, October 8th from 11am - 2pm.  Chowderfest attendees will have the opportunity to listen to some great live music featuring Air Traffic Controller and local artist Courtney Reed (recent finalists in the Salem Five Music Matters “Battle of the Bands” at the Hard Rock Café) and sample and some of the best chowder on the North Shore.

Participants of Chowderfest  include: Salem Waterfront Hotel, Finz Seafood, Capt’s Waterfront and Vic’s Boathouse.  And 92.5 The River (yes the River too!) will showcase and sample its very own chowder recipe!  There will be a Budlight Beer Garden on the patio at Salem Waterfront Hotel overlooking the concert and Chowderfest.

"Sample Spoons" cost $5 and all proceeds will go to the Avon Foundation for breast cancer awareness and education.

North Shore Wine Week

More than forty restaurants and wine shops  are participating in North Shore Wine Week, a week-long celebration of food and wine north of Boston, August 21 - 27.  Six of the participating businesses are right here in Salem!

Participating restaurants and wine shops will be offering pairings, tasting flights, and tasting events.  There is a detailed calendar of events on NorthShoreWineWeek.com.

You can celebrate North Shore Wine Week in Salem at:

62 Restaurant & Wine Bar
Finz Seafood
Grapevine Restaurant
Nathaniel's (at Hawthorne Hotel)
Pamplemousse
Salem Waterfront Hotel

Short of Restaurant Week, this is the best excuse we've heard to get out and experience the great dining and shopping north of Boston, and especially in Salem. 

Work or Play at the Salem Waterfront Hotel & Marina

The Salem Waterfront Hotel & Marina is a great place to stay, whether it's for work or play.  

Coming to play?  Check out their packages at SalemWaterfrontHotel.com!  Options range from "Pool & Pizza" for families to a very snugly romantic package, to the "Salem Sampler," which is perfect for anyone who is visiting Salem for the first time. 

Coming to work?  You will find luxurious guestrooms and great meeting space options.  The Sales office is running a special right now - stop by for a tour of the property, and receive a $25 gift card to the Regatta Pub, just for stopping by!  And if you book an event, you will get another - bigger - gift card to the Regatta Pub! Events costing $500-$1,000 will earn you a $50 gift card, and events over $1,000 have a $100 gift card reward.  Gift cards for booked events will be sent to you the day after our event.  This offer is good only until April 30, 2011, so now is the time to consider the Salem Waterfront Hotel & Marina for your next meeting!  Call the sales office at 978-619-1115 to schedule a tour or book your meeting.

TV Diner Invades Salem this Friday!

This Friday is shaping up to be an excellent day to shop and dine in Salem!

New England's most watched food and destination television show, TV Diner, will be in Salem for the North Shore Mystery Dine Around event to benefit the North Shore Cancer Walk. This exclusive event - tickets are $75 and available through the Salem Waterfront Hotel - will include cocktails and Hors d'oeuvres at the Salem Waterfront Hotel before guests are whisked away to an undisclosed restaurant for dinner. No need to worry, though, the participating restaurants include 62 Restaurant and Wine Bar, Capts, Victoria Station, Finz, and Green Land Cafe (not too shabby!).

While guests at the North Shore Mystery Dine Around are hob-nobbing with TV Diner host Billy Costa, Jenny Johnson will be talking fashion with the girls at J.Mode on Front Street. This "Girls Night Out" event is free and open to the public from 5:30 - 8:00 pm.

After the Girls' Night Out and the Mystery Dine Around, the TV Diner Salem experience will culminate with a VIP After Party at the Salem Waterfront Hotel. Featuring a DJ, dessert buffet, cash bar, and silent auction to benefit the North Shore Cancer Walk. The After Party will begin at 9:00 pm.

Like any good promotion, there are a few ways to have a unique Salem experience and hang out with Billy Costa and Jenny Johnson on Friday.

1. Buy your tickets for the North Shore Mystery Dine Around and enjoy the fantastic cuisine and the entire evening with Billy Costa, TV Diner and the Salem Waterfront Hotel.
2. Pop into Girls' Night Out at J.Mode on Front Street between 5:30 - 8:00 pm to check out the latest fall fashions and say hi to Jenny Johnson. Or,
3. Shop Salem on Friday, September 10 and show your proof of purchase (of a qualifying amount) at the Salem Waterfront Hotel to get into the VIP After Party. Seven retailers and Historic New England's Phillips House are participating in the promotion, and complete details are online at Salem.org/tvdiner.

Whether you choose to shop or dine, or do both, you are invited to a great party for a great cause at the Salem Waterfront Hotel & Suites this Friday. For more information, visit salem.org/tvdiner or stop into any of these participating businesses: Cornerstone Books; Historic New England, The Phillips House; J. Mode; Pamplemousse; Rouge Cosmetics; Signatures Apparel; Treasures over Time; and Urban Elements.

Chef Antonio Bettencourt from 62 Restaurant & Wine Bar believes, “The North Shore Mystery Dine Around is a great event for a great cause. We look forward to seeing some of our regular customers and many new ones as well.”

Chef Bettencourt's feelings are shared by all of the businesses participating in the Mystery Dine Around and the shopping cross-promotion. This event is a great excuse to discover Salem's unique shop and dine scene and have a great time!

Cancer Walk Beach Party Fundraiser

There is a lot going on this weekend in Salem! Here's the scoop on a fundraiser for the North Shore Medical Center's annual Cancer Walk that is being held at the Salem Waterfront Hotel & Suites.

Join us for Salem Waterfront Hotel Cancer Walk Beach Party with special guests, The Jumbo Circus Peanuts, an 11 piece swing/funk/soul band. The event will take place on June 6th from 2 pm to 6 pm under a tent in the marina parking lot next to the Salem Waterfront Hotel rain or shine.

Food and beverages, including hot dogs, hamburgers, sausages, giant pretzels, cookies, popcorn, chips, and soda will be available for sale with proceeds going to the NSMC Cancer Walk. Beer and wine will also be available.

Tickets are $10 and can be purchased in advance by calling 978-740-8788.

Proceeds from the ticket and food sales will go directly to the North Shore Medical Center (NSMC) Cancer Walk.

Weddings at the Salem Waterfront Hotel & Suites

The Salem Waterfront Hotel & Suites wants to host your wedding or special event!

They would like to bring your vision of a perfect day to reality. From intimate to elaborate, the Salem Waterfront Hotel & Suites is at your service. Their catering staff is dedicated to orchestrating all avenues to create an unforgettable wedding day just for you.

Contact Allyn Gamble, Catering Sales Manager, to help plan your special day at 978-619-1110.

Salem Waterfront Hotel & Suites

Historic Pickering Wharf

225 Derby Street

Salem, MA 01970

Salem on TV Diner with Billy Costa

I told you I would let you all know when TV Diner's big Salem festival aired, and it has aired! It ran on Saturday, October 18 on NECN. It has been running since, though. Last night at 7:30 I caught the first half. I think the second half may run tonight at 7:30, for those of you in the NECN listening region.

Mayor Driscoll was on with Billy Costa, I was interviewed, Finz, Capt.'s, Upper Crust Pizza, The Regatta at the Salem Waterfront Hotel were all featured - among other restaurants. There was also great footage of Salem.

The festival was a lot of fun. Check out the video clips on the TV Diner web site.

These pictures from the festival feature Billy Costa with Mayor Driscoll (top) and with Mike and Rick Rockett, who own the Salem Waterfront Hotel.

Many thanks to TV Diner for putting on such a great show, and thanks to the Salem Waterfront Hotel for pulling the festival together. It was a great day under the tent!

Salem Waterfront Hotel & Suites and TV DIner with Billy Costa

I'm getting ready to head to Pickering Wharf and the Salem Waterfront Hotel & Suites to see the taping of TV Diner with Billy Costa. They are expecting about 750 people at the taping, which will feature tastes from Finz, Capt's, Upper Crust Pizza, The Regatta Pub, and others. If you didn't get a ticket for the taping, you can get a sample of The Regatta Pub's new chef, Paul Goodhue, and TV Diner with Billy Costa on the TV Diner web site.

To get even more of Billy Costa (he's everywhere, it seems!) at the Salem Waterfront Hotel & Suites, buy your tickets for their Wicked Night at the Wharf on October 25th.