Culinary Salem...

FINZ presents a Pacific Northwest Wine Dinner on Wednesday, March 11, 2009 6:30pm
$49.99 per person (tax & gratuity not included). Make your reservations now! 978-744-8485 or www.hipfinz.com

Here's the menu...

Starter
Oysters on the Half Shell Topped with Yuzo ice and wasabi caviar
Served with
Mercer Estate Reisling, Yakima Valley, Washington State

First Course
Venison Tartare
Rosemary buttermilk biscuit, Clementine marmalade and house dried blackberry and juniper vinaigrette
Served with
Lange Pinot Noir Reserve, Willamette Valley

Entree Course
Cedar Plank Salmon
With smoked salmon gratinee, savory pommery whipped cream and crisp Okinawan potato
Served with
Lange Pinot Gris, Willamette Valley

Finale
Washington Apple and Wild Berry Cobbler With black raspberry ice cream
Served with
Taylor Fladgate Late Bottle Vintage Port

2009 Salem Visitor & Travel Guide is Available

Shortly after I first started working for Destination Salem, my grandmother asked me what I did. At the time, we were working on the 1999 Visitor Guide, so I talked about creating the visitor guide for Salem. I will never forget her looking at me and exclaiming, "People DO that?"

Yes, they do. Yes, we do.

The creation of a visitor guide is nearly a six-month process that involves design, photography, layout, copy-writing, editing, proof-reading, proof-reading, proof-reading, and (finally!) printing.

All this is why I am so delighted to tell you that the 2009 Salem Visitor & Travel Guide is now available! If you have requested visitor information during the past 8 weeks, you will receive one automatically. You can also find them at visitor centers and attractions in Salem, and we are shipping them out to visitor information centers throughout the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

It's a great guide this year. I firmly believe that every year we should look at the visitor guide and say, "This is the best ever!" And, I've gotta tell you, This is the BEST ever! Salem is better than ever - there are more shops and restaurants in this guide then ever before. There are walking tours, harbor cruises, attractions, museums, cultural institutions, entertainment, and events - so many events!

We expanded the calendar pages to nearly double the space it had last year. We added editorial on 10 Free Things to do in Salem (because we are all counting pennies, aren't we?), and the map - oh, the glorious map! - is a 3-panel fold-out that will help you navigate from the Witch House to the Ferry to Pickering Wharf to the Common to the MBTA Commuter Rail.

Finally, the beautiful cover image of The Witch House was shot by visitor Michele Mayrose from Chicago, IL. We found Michele's image on Flickr (she gave us permission to use it, don't worry), and her beautiful photograph has inspired us to run a photography contest for the cover of the 2010 visitor guide. So, start taking pictures in Salem and stay tuned for more information on the photo contest!

You can request your free copy of the 2009 Salem Visitor & Travel Guide at Salem.org.

Since it takes so many people to do this, I want to thank everyone who contributed to the 2009 Visitor Guide (you know who you are). It is a real team effort. And, for business development purposes, I will tell you that the graphic design and layout was done by Kishgraphics, and the printing was done by ACME Printing. Both are excellent companies that bring talent and professionalism to the table.

Discover the magic of Salem!

Salem Film Fest Schedule

Here it is - the schedule for Salem Film Fest. Visit salemfilmfest.com for more information! Come to Salem - see the world!

ANVIL! THE STORY OF ANVIL
Fri, Feb 27, 9:20 pm —w/I Met the Walrus (short)
Screening Room: Wed, March 4, 5:30 pm
A timeless, hilarious tale of survival and the unadulterated passion it takes to follow your dream. Anvil rocks—it has no other choice.

ARCHEOLOGY OF MEMORY: VILLA GRIMALDI
Sun, March 1, 8:30 pm
Screening Room: Thurs, March 5, 5:30 pm
A poignant, impressionistic and important story following an exiled Chilean musician as he explores healing through art.

BLAST!
Fri, Feb 27, 2:00 pm
Screening Room: Mon, March 2, 5:30 pm
Astrophysics Indiana Jones style! From Arctic Sweden to Antarctica comes a story of space exploration, obsession and sacrifice.

BIG DREAMERS
Sat, Feb 28, 11:00 am—w/Muskrat Lovely
Screening Room: Tue, March 3, 7:35 pm
A witty tale of an Aussie town’s attempt to salvage its economic future through the building of The World’s Biggest Gumboot.

BRICK BY BRICK: A CIVIL RIGHTS STORY
Fri, Feb 27, 4:15 pm w/City of Cranes (short)
Screening Room: Tue, March 3, 6:00 pm
A story of Northeast racism told from a first person perspective.
A contemporary American battle for civil rights.

BURNING THE FUTURE: COAL IN AMERICA
Tue, March 3, 8:00 pm
Environmental conflict between the coal industry and residents of West Virginia. A local story with national resonance

CHILDREN OF THE AMAZON
Sun, March 1, 1:40 pm
Brazil’s Amazon rainforest and its Indigenous people—a meditation on environ-mental devastation, resistance and renewal

CHRIS AND DON, A LOVE STORY
Mon, March 2, 8:00 pm
Screening Room: Thurs, March 5, 7:30 pm
Celebration of an extraordinary couple—British writer Christopher Isherwood and American painter Don Bachardy, thirty years his junior.

CIRCUS ROSAIRE
Sun, March 1, 11:00 am w/Beauty School (short)
Screening Room: Mon, March 2, 7:45 pm
Lions, tigers, bears, chimpanzees and “Tony the Wonder Horse”—a most unusual Family Circus.

DAUGHTERS OF WISDOM
Mon, March 2, 4:00 pm
Screening Room: Fri, Feb 27, 7:30 pm; Sat, Feb 28, 1:40 pm & 7:00 pm; Sun, March 1, 11:30 am
A quiet and intimate look at Tibetan nuns as they preserve their rich cultural heritage, while also reshaping it.

THE ENGLISH SURGEON
Wed, March 4, 5:45 pm
In the Ukraine, a British brain surgeon confronts dilemmas of doctor/patient relationships and his own humanity.

IN A DREAM
Sat, Feb 28, 9:30pm w/Intimacy of Strangers (short)
Screening Room: Wed, March 4, 7:45 pm
An unblinking, beautifully rendered, disturbing look at a celebrated Philadelphia mural artist by his filmmaker son.

KASSIM THE DREAM
Sat, Feb 28, 2:00 pm
World Champion Boxer, Kassim “The Dream” Ouma—born in Uganda and trained to be a child soldier. A stunning story of survival against incredible odds.

LIFE, SUPPORT, MUSIC
Sat, Feb 28, 7:00 pm, w/Bigger Than Me (short)
An amazing, mystifying and uplifting journey about life, music and the power of one family’s love.

MAKING THE RIVER
Fri, Feb 27, 7:00 pm
Raised by the state, institutionalized as a youth, imprisoned as an adult—a Native American story about injustice transformed.

MARINA OF THE ZABBALEEN
Tue, March 3, 4:30 pm
Screening Room: Fri, Feb 27, 9:30 pm; Sat, Feb 28, 12:00 pm; Sun, March 1, 3:30 pm
A squalid Egyptian landfill village transformed into a dream-like portrait of family, childhood, and spirituality.

MUSKRAT LOVELY
Sat, Feb 28, 11:00am w/Big Dreamers
Screening Room: Tue, March 3, 7:35 pm
A sweet and amusing look at a small town beauty pageant/muskrat-skinning competition.

POLIS IS THIS
Wed, March 4, 7:45 pm w/Uno Degli Ultima (short)
A portrait of Gloucester’s legendary poet Charles Olson as he fights to save his town from the bulldozer of change.

RECYCLE
Wed, March 4 @4:30 pm
Screening Room: Fri, Feb 27, 5:45 pm; Sat, Feb 28, 3:15 pm; Sun, March 1, 5:10 pm
In Jordan, an ex—mujahideen attempts to build a normal life in the impoverished town where Al Qaiada leader Al Zarqawi grew up.

SHADOW OF THE HOUSE
Sun, March 1, 3:45 pm
Photographer Abelardo Morell’s artistic process is divulged in a narrative that skips across time and space.

1000 JOURNALS
Sun, March 1, 6:00 pm
1000 blank Journals are shipped to random worldwide locations—connecting, provoking and inspiring.

TROUBLE THE WATER
Tue, March 3, 6:00 pm
An aspiring rap artist and her streetwise husband, trapped in New Orleans by deadly floodwaters.

UMBRELLA
Screening Room: Fri, Feb 27, 2 pm; Sat, Feb 28, 5:05 pm;
Sun, March 1, 7:00 pm; Tue, March 3, 4:00 pm
Set in five different regions of China and filmed in purely observational style—a telling look at vast changes in Chinese society.

THE WOMEN OF BRUKMAN
Sat, Feb 28, 4:30 pm w/Land of Opportunity (short)
An Argentine factory is transformed from a symbol of worker exploitation to a site of revolutionary labor participation.

WOODPECKER
Mon, March 2, 5:30 pm
Screening Room: Fri, Feb 27, 4:00 pm; Sat, Feb 28, 9:15 pm; Sun, March 1, 1:30 pm
At the intersection of fact and fiction a tragic comedy about hope, perception, and some very strange birds.

For more information on the events and schedule, visit www.salemfilmfest.com/

Salem Film Fest Opens on Friday

The email from CinemaSalem today was so great, I'm posting it here. If you want to sign up for the CinemaSalem mailing list, you can do so at cinemasalem.com.

Now Showing: the Salem Film Fest! Academy Award Winner Slumdog Millionaire (R); He's Just Not That Into You (PG-13).

Now would be a great day to move into one of Salem's marvelous hotels, like the Hawthorne or the Waterfront, so you don't miss a moment of the next ten days at CinemaSalem. To warm up, there's the LOST Party tonight and the "A Quest for the Best" Talent Show on Thursday, and then the Salem Film Fest starts screening an awesome slate of the world's best documentary films on Friday.

Rather than give you a rundown here, we'll send you over to SalemFilmFest.com for everything you need to know. Or you can just pick up The Salem News, the Boston Globe North section, or The Salem Gazette, all of whom are providing excellent coverage.

Here's my take on this great festival: Because of the way it's organized (with local sponsors directly underwriting the filmmakers) and because of Salem's reputation around the world, and because of the Fest's focus on filmmakers and the high caliber and sophistication of both the films and the audiences, and because of a yawning hole in the worldwide documentary festival circuit at this time of year, I foresee this event becoming a major national cultural event over the next several years. My confidence in this vision is strengthened by the particular global moment, when our shared challenges make us more and more curious about each other, and hungry for experiences that helps us truly glimpse each other's lives - such as engrossing and brilliant documentary films.

But that's enough prognosticating. I CAN predict with uncanny accuracy that Academy Award tidal wave SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE and HE'S JUST NOT THAT INTO YOU, will play with astonishing regularity in the two other movie theaters at CinemaSalem not devoted to the Fest. You can find their showtimes by visiting CinemaSalem.com.

We hope you will enjoy the Salem Film Fest and our other features over the next week, and thanks for supporting CinemaSalem!

Paul Van Ness, CinemaSalem

A Perfect Souvenir

Photographer Ulrike Welsch published, Salem At Its Best at the end of 2008. It's a perfect souvenir! The book includes beautiful images taken around Salem.

You can buy it at many of Salem's gift shops, including The Trolley Depot (Essex Street at Central Street), The Salem Witch Museum Shop, and The Peabody Essex Museum shop.

To see more images by Ulrike Welsch, visit http://www.UlrikeWelschPhotos.com. You can also order the book online from Commonwealth Editions.

Save the Date for Literally Salem!

Literally Salem
Salem Literature Festival
Friday, March 27 to Sunday, March 29
www.salemlitfest.com

From March 27th through March 29, Salem, Massachusetts will take the weekend to celebrate the literary arts with author readings, writing workshops, open mics, word-game tournaments, parties, and more!

HISTORIC DOWNTOWN SALEM will provide the setting for Literally Salem, Salem's annual literary festival, with events taking place at several centralized downtown locations.

Preview of Events

Authors
Brunonia Barry (The Lace Reader, Harper Collins, 2008)
Hannah Tinti (The Good Thief, Dial Press, 2008)
Adam Braver (Mr. Lincoln’s Wars, Divine Sarah,
November 22,1963 and others)
Jan Elizabeth Watson (Asta in the Wings, Tin House Books, 2009)
Laurie Stolarz (Deadly Little Secret, Project 17,
Blue is for Nightmares and others)
Stacy DeKeyser (Jump the Cracks, Flux, 2008)
The Best Women’s Travel Writing 2009

Writing Workshops
Poetry Prompts
Creativity and Sense of Place
Writing with the Senses
Finding an Agent

Other Events
Thursday’s Theater of Words & Music
Scrabble Tournament
Tribute to John Updike
Storytelling
Papermaking
Dream Interpretation
Salem Theatre Company’s An Evening of Pinter
Literary Marketplace

Please visit www.salemlitfest.com often over the upcoming weeks...
new events are being added daily!

Amelia Payson & Salem Trolley Celebrate 25 Years Together

This just in from Don and Ada at The Amelia Payson House:

The Amelia Payson House B&B and The Salem Trolley are partnering to offer guests at the Amelia Payson House a special promotion. Book your April reservation before March 25th, and you will receive a complimentary Salem Trolley tour!

Get inspired by this video of the Amelia Payson House, and then call Don and Ada (at (520) 744-2365) for more information and details!

Upcoming Events at the PEM

Don't miss the acclaimed exhibition To the Ends of the Earth, Painting the Polar Landscape at the Peabody Essex Museum - it closes on March 1.

“A marvelous show”

–– Boston Globe

Capturing the high drama and stark beauty of historic polar expeditions, To the Ends of the Earth, Painting the Polar Landscape presents more than 50 works by prominent artist-explorers, from monumental romantic canvases to early modernist works in pastel.

Art at the South Pole –– Lita Albuquerque Connects Heaven and Earth
Saturday, February 28th, 3 - 4:30
Internationally renowned environmental artist, Lita Albuquerque, is a painter and sculptor whose visual language translates the vastness of time and space to a human scale. In 2006, she received an Artist and Writers Program Grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) for Stellar Axis: Antarctica, which brought the stars to earth. In collaboration with NSF astronomer, Dr. Simon P. Balm, Albuquerque installed 99 ultramarine spheres on the Antarctic ice, mapping a mirror image of the stars above. Join us for an engaging conversation and film presentation by Lita Albuquerque and Dr. Balm. Jane Winchell, curator of the interactive Polar Attractions exhibition, moderates the discussion. Members $8, nonmembers $15.


9th Annual ECHO Performing Arts Festival
Saturday, March 7th, noon - 4:30
Acclaimed storytellers, musicians and performing artists representing the native cultures of Alaska, Hawaii, Mississippi and Massachusetts return to PEM for the 9th Annual ECHO Performing Arts Festival. This year’s performance, The Way to the Heart: Changing Food, Foodways, and Culture, features live music, dance, humor and stories, as well as an afternoon of hands-on art making activities. First-time festival performers include actor and musician, M. Cochise Anderson (Chickasaw/Mississippi Choctaw), storyteller, Nitana Hicks (Mashpee Wampanoag), and poet, Cathy Redford (Iñupiaq).

About the Peabody Essex Museum
The Peabody Essex Museum presents art and culture from New England and around the world. The museum's collections are among the finest of their kind, showcasing an unrivaled spectrum of American art and architecture (including four National Historic Landmark buildings) and outstanding Asian, Asian Export, Native American, African, Oceanic, Maritime and Photography collections. In addition to its vast collections, the museum offers a vibrant schedule of changing exhibitions and a hands-on education center. The museum campus features numerous parks, period gardens and 24 historic properties, including Yin Yu Tang, a 200-year-old house that is the only example of Chinese domestic architecture on display in the United States.

HOURS: Open Tuesday-Sunday and holiday Mondays, 10 am-5 pm. Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day.

ADMISSION: Adults $15; seniors $13; students $11. Additional admission to Yin Yu Tang: $5. Members, youth 16 and under and residents of Salem enjoy free general admission and free admission to Yin Yu Tang.

INFO: Call 866-745-1876 or visit our Web site at http://www.pem.org/.

Salem Trolley to run during vacation week!

The Salem Trolley will be running tours and offering discounted rates during school vacation week next week.

From Sunday, February 15 through Saturday, February 21 The Salem Trolley will run from 10am - 5pm, weather permitting. Ticket prices for this week will be $10/adults, $10/seniors, $5/children.

Salem Trolley Stops include the Salem Regional Visitor Center (2 New Liberty Street), Salem Witch Museum, Pickering Wharf, House of the Seven Gables, Salem Wax Museum, and The Phillips House/Chestnut Street. Trolley tickets are good all day for on-and-off travel and for the one-hour narrated historical tour of Salem.

America's Beautiful National Parks Quarter

You are invited to vote for an image of Salem to be on the reverse side of the US Quarter! The House of the Seven Gables (left) and Salem Maritime National Historic Site (right) are among the sites being considered by Governor Deval Patrick.

For complete information on the program, and to vote, visit http://www.mass.gov/?pageID=gov3utilities&sid=Agov3&U=quarters_program. Vote for the Salem site of your choice under Essex County!

Celebrate Valentine’s Day at The House of the Seven Gables

The House of the Seven Gables is celebrating the legendary love shared by Nathaniel Hawthorne and his wife Sophia this Valentine’s Day. Warm up from the cold with a theatrical performance of Dearest Dove: The Courtship of Nathaniel and Sophia Hawthorne written exclusively for The House of the Seven Gables by actress and Marblehead resident Anne Lucas. Witness this historic romance in a 30 minute production featuring the fabled love letters exchanged by the Hawthornes in the 19th Century.

This event will take place at The House of the Seven Gables on Saturday, February 14th, from 5:00pm – 7:00pm. Tickets for this special evening are $15 for members of The House of the Seven Gables and $20 for non-members. To purchase tickets, please call Heidi Webb at 978-744-0991, ext. 104.

A reception, featuring traditional wedding music performed by “The Quintessential Quartet” a string quartet from Salem High School’s music program and hors d’oeuvres graciously provided by Capt’s Waterfront Grill, will follow the performance.

Finish your romantic evening with a delicious meal and view of Salem Harbor at Capt’s Waterfront Grill on Pickering Wharf. Attendees of this event will receive a 15% discount on their Valentine’s Day dinner. Reservations at Capt’s can be made in advance by calling the restaurant at 978-741-0555.

Salem's So Sweet DEALS!

Salem's So Sweet year-round, but especially this weekend. I've listed all of the promotions below for you, and you can find them on the brochure, which is online and available at participating businesses around town. Thanks to Salem Main Streets for organizing this great weekend... again!

This is one of my favorite weekends in Salem - especially when the weather looks good for walking around outside! (Although not so good for ice, so come early to see the ice sculptures!)

Here are this year's in-store promotions:

Clothing and Accessories

Coon's, 226 Essex St. - Receive 25% off your purchase with Golden Ticket during Salem's So Sweet and enjoy some delicious complimentary chocolate.(Offer cannot be combined with discounted items)

Crunchy Granola Baby, 72 Washington St. - "Feb. 13 - 15 20% off all red and pink items (some restrictions apply).

J. Mode, 17 Front St. - Friday, February 6th, J. Mode's ladies night out and J. Mode Gifts. Meet & Greet Jenny Johnson from NECN's TV Diner. Receive a $25 Gift Certificate, Wine, Chocolates & Cheese 5:30 - 8:00 pm.

Quint Essentials, 96 Wharf St. - Taste our delicious, fudgilcious brownies, and register to win a Baggallini Travel Cosmetic bagg, a $39.95 retail value! Plus, get a free rain poncho or travel umbrella with every $25 purchase!

Salemdipity, 86 Wharf St. - Free Kisses!!! (of the chocolate variety!) and special discounts Feb 6 - 14 Valentine gifts like Zip Hoodies, Cute Tees and Salem Charms Winter Hours 11-5 closed Tues and Wed (978)745-5556.

Signatures, 181 Essex St. - Stop in for a sweet treat and a sweet deal take 20% off all full priced clothing, winter clearance in progress.

Trolley Depot, 191 Essex St. - Stop by for chocolate treats and discounts! Great gifts for your Valentine? Sparkly Jewelry? Cute Teeshirts? We've got them and more! 9:30 - 6 Mon-Sat 11-5 Sundays (978)745-3003

Witch City Consignment and Thrift, 301 Essex St. -Shop for your sweetheart at our storewide 50% sale during Salem’s So Sweet Festival. Free gift with chocolate with any purchase.

Food and Dining

Caffe Graziani , 133 Washington St. – Come enjoy our Valentine Wine Dinner on Thursday, February 12 at 6 pm. Join us for this four course meal plus dessert and you will enjoy delicious wines from around the world with each course.

Capt's – 94 Wharf St. -Capt’s will be pleased to offer 10% off your lunch and dinner plus a free special Salem So Sweet dessert when any 2nd dessert is purchased.

Coffee Time Bake Shop – 96 Bridge St. Sunday & Monday 2 pm - 6 pm Kids decorate their own valentine cookie ($2 Donations to St. Josephs Food Pantry).

Gulu-Gulu Café, 247 Essex St. - Gulu-Gulu Café wine tasting! Sunday Feb. 8 from 4 - 7 p.m. Come in for free samples of some of our delicious wines from around the world.

Hawthorne Hotel, 18 Washington Sq. W. - Visit us at award winning Nathaniels at the Hawthorne Hotel and receive a free chocolate raspberry bonbon dessert with melba sauce whipped cream with the purchase of any dinner entrée!

Maria's Sweet Somethings - INDULGE…at our giant chocolate fountain, no double-dipping please. Come sample some of our favorite gourmet items including chocolates, jellies, finishing sauces and more. We have something special for al your valentines! Enter to win a gourmet valentine gift basket. Please visit and join in the fun! (February 7 & 8)

Rockafellas, 231 Essex St. – Your choice between Rockafellas raspberry chocolate mousse Muddy Berry Bowl or bittersweet chocolate infused with orange Grand Sequoia offered ½ price at lunch and complimentary for 2 or more at dinner.

Salem Beer Works, 278 Derby St. - You're going to LOVE Beer Works this February…Featuring deep dark stouts and chocolate infused menu specials. Come in during the chocolate festival and sample our "Milk Chocolate Stout"

Salem Waterfront Hotel & Suites, 225 Derby St. - Enjoy luscious desserts and cocktails in the Regatta Pub. Romance your sweetheart in a luxurious room with our special Valentine’s Package! For reservations, call 978-740-8788

Sixty2 on Wharf, 62 Wharf St. - Sixty2 on Wharf is a casual neighborhood bistro serving rustic modern Italian cuisine in downtown Salem. Chef Antonio Bettencourt and his team are dedicated to using the best locally-sourced, all natural and organic ingredients in season and at the peak of flavor. The cooking at Sixty2 on Wharf shows true soul and a dedication to the “craft” of cooking.

Thai Place, Museum Place Mall - Come celebrate the 18th Anniversary, of Thai Place the 2008 Viewer's Choice #1 Thai restaurant in Salem 2008, and receive a discount card and valentine gift.

Turtle Alley Handmade Chocolates, Museum Place Mall - Featured in Gourmet, the Boston Globe, on the Food Network and soon to be featured on Rachel Ray Turtle Alley tempts with Handmade treats. (978)740-0660

Arts, Events and More

Awakening Guild, 66 Wharf St. - Stop into the Awakening Guild a store dedicated to love and mention the Salem So Sweet brochure and receive a free small crystal.

Cat N The Fiddle Uniques, 61 Wharf St. – Home to Maryanne Piro whimsical prints. Come browse through our selection of both old and new treasures. Coming soon delicious specialty treats.

CinemaSalem - 1 East India Sq, Museum Place Mall Buy two tickets at CinemaSalem during Valentine's day weekend and ask for the Lovebirds special: a large popcorn, two medium drinks, M&Ms for just $6.75.

Cornerstone Books – 45 Lafayette St. Come by and see Cornerstone's ice sculpture. Stop in with your golden ticket for a free hot chocolate and browse books or sit by the fire.

Goddess Treasure Chest, 173 Essex St. - $5 off psychic reading when you pay cash and enjoy a sweet treat while you shop.

Gulu-Gulu Café, 247 Essex St - “The First Romance Show” Feb. 7 & 8 at. 2:00 – 3:00 p.m. Be swept off your feet while First Place winners from DEBRA CROSBY’S Talent Quest TV Show sing a variety of Romantic songs from POP, Rock, and Broadway to old time classics. Come and be serenaded. For more information go to: www.talentquesttvshow.com.

Peabody Essex Museum Shop, East India Square - The Peabody Essex Museum Shop will be handing out samples of Salem's handmade chocolate from Harbor Sweets. Try their new sail mix, while supplies last.

Red Lion Smoke Shop, 94 Washington St. - Show him he’s special this Valentine’s Day with a Handmade Imported Premium Cigar – receive a FREE cigar cutter with brochure.

Salem Witch Museum, Washington Sq. - Show your Golden Ticket at the Salem Witch Museum Gift Shop and save! Spend up to $50 and receive 25% off your total purchase. Spend over $50 and receive 35% off.

Sophia’s, 105 Essex St. - Celebrate Salem’s So Sweet at Sophia’s enter a drawing to win a Memory Block of your choice by Vancouver artist Sid Dickens. Enjoy complimentary sweets and a 20% discount on any Valentines Day purchase over $100.

The Art Corner, 231 Washington St. - Members of Salem Arts Association will demonstrate their crafts throughout the day Saturday, February 7 from 10 – 5.

The Picklepot, 75 Wharf St. - Free gift with every purchase over $20.

Health and Beauty

Body and Soul, 60 Washington St., Ste. 201 – Indulge in Something Sweet with many Rewards:1 hour Couples Massage $165 Even sweeter: Mention this brochure with your gift certificate purchase and receive a free herbal eye pillow.

Laura Lanes Skin Care - 242 Essex St. - We specialize in facials, massage therapy, make-up and bare as you dare bikini waxing. Gift cards are available for your Valentine.

Rouge, 322 Derby St. – Come find out for yourself why Rouge is THE place to buy all your makeup & skincare! Enjoy free chocolates & glominerals gift with any glominerals $50 purchase while supplies last Feb. 6 – Feb. 8

Pet Care

Living With Pets, 73 Wharf St. - Come by with your favorite canine and sample a valentine doggie truffle from our extensive organic natural treat bar. Pets are always welcome!

Penelope’s Pet Boutique, 99 Washington St. - Pet lover's and pets, warm up with 25% off your purchase with the Golden Ticket, and enjoy coffee, chocolate, and treats for your pet. (Offer cannot be combined with discounted items)

Upcoming Events at Gulu-Gulu

Have you been to Gulu-Gulu Cafe? It's a great place to hang out... lunch, dinner, post work cocktails, afternoon snacks. It has comfy chairs and a mellow atmosphere - and great food.

I highly recommend the Bruschetta - it's chock full of garlic, though, so don't eat it before an important meeting. The panini sandwiches are yummy, too, as are the crepes (I really like the Czech Traditional with plum jam and whipped cream). And the warm cookies are perfect for an afternoon treat!

In addition to the atmosphere and the food, Gulu-Gulu has events! Check these out:

Free Wine & Chocolate Tasting

Sunday, February 8 from 4 - 7 pm

We will be having a free wine & chocolate tasting during this year's Salem's So Sweet Festival.

Gulu Wednesday Night Open Mic!

Wednesday, February 4 at 8 pm

An Open Mic for all the wild and crazy musicians out there!

Audrey Ryan - 28 degrees Taurus

Thursday, February 5 at 9 pm

Audrey Ryan performs an eclectic form of experimental folk, singer-songwriter indie rock of some alien breed using backwards loops, finger pianos, and other unique instrumentation.

Radio Scotvoid

Friday, February 6 at 8 pm

Scott uses and arranges using minimal computer technology, sample-based software and records with old mics, budget keyboards, limiter/compressor, dual tape deck, a 70's receiver, turntables and bass guitare.

Wicked Pitches - A Capella

Saturday, February 7 at 8 pm

CD release party! The Wicked Pitches is a Boston-based mixed a cappella sextet that has been entertaining audiences since 1993.

For more information on these events visit http://www.gulu-gulu.com/.

Winter Packages at the Hawthorne Hotel

It's snowing out again, which makes for lovely walks around Salem Common. It is also perfect weather for getting lost in the galleries of the Peabody Essex Museum. And it's February - which means romance is high on the agenda. For all of these reasons, I'm sending you two very appealing packages that are being featured at the Hawthorne Hotel.

To see all of the Hawthorne Hotel's packages, visit the hotel online at HawthorneHotel.com.

To the Ends of the Earth Package

Check availability for this package now!
(On booking site, if "Package" button is not visible, it means this package is not available. Standard rate is not the package rate.)

The To the Ends of the Earth Package takes you through one of America’s premier museums of art and culture for one of its most exciting exhibits. Discover more than 50 paintings, sketches and photographs by artists who journeyed through the Arctic and Antarctic during the 18th to mid-20th centuries. This exhibition presents the range of artistic response to this unique landscape.

Package Includes: Overnight Accommodations for Two; Admission to the Peabody Essex Museum; $10 gift certificate towards lunch at the Atrium at the Peabody Essex Museum (or in Nathaniel's or the Taven at the Hawthorne Hotel) and a complimentary Baked Alaska dessert in Nathaniel's with the purchase of any entree. Perfect for couples or families visiting Salem for one night only. Package price for two adults starts at $131, plus tax. (and will vary based on the number of people and room type). Available through February 28

Say "I love you" in the perfect setting!

Check availability for this package now!

(On booking site, if "Package" button is not visible, it means this package is not available. Standard rate is not the package rate.)

Treat your sweetie to our Sweetheart package. This includes deluxe overnight accommodations, dinner for two in Nathaniel’s Restaurant, sparkling wine & chocolate covered strawberries delivered to your room after dinner. Just $249, plus tax and gratuities per couple.

Salem is SO SWEET!

Salem Main Streets and the Salem Chamber have announced the 7th annual Salem’s So Sweet Chocolate and Ice Sculpture Festival, which will run February 6 – 14.

The festival kicks off with a Chocolate and Wine Tasting Event on Friday, February 6 at Hamilton Hall, 9 Chestnut St. from 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. Tickets are $20 and can be purchased at the door or at the Salem Chamber of Commerce in advance. This luscious tasting event features wine, beer and chocolate samplings from restaurants, stores and sweet shops.

Participating businesses providing samples include: Salem Wine Imports, Salem Beer Works, Capt's Waterfront Grill, Finz Seafood & Grill, the Regatta Pub, Maria's Sweet Somethings, Coffee Time Bake Shop, Rockafellas, Ye Olde Pepper Company, Spirits @ 300 Derby, Pamplemousse, Rose Medallion Tea Room, Rita's Water Ice, Captain Dusty's Ice Cream, Sixty2 on Wharf and Victoria Station.

The Ice Sculpture viewing starts Saturday, February 7th at noon. Come downtown Salem and view all 12 ice sculptures ranging from Curious George to a dancing polar bear for free. Stop in downtown stores and restaurants to enjoy chocolate, special events and great shopping discounts. This is a great opportunity to shop for your special Valentine.

The Golden Ticket will be back this year, as well. Pick up your free golden ticket at any participating business during the festival. Visit 10 participating businesses and have your Golden Ticket validated and you will be entered to win a Salem ’s So Sweet gift basket. Last year’s basket was valued at over $700!

Many downtown businesses will also be competing in another window display contest so be sure to take a look at the windows while you are downtown.

Yes, it is almost time for Salem ’s So Sweet – the fabulous Chocolate and Ice Sculpture Festival so mark your calendars now! For more information and updates visit salemmainstreets.org