Category Archives: photography

December 19, 2024

2024 Christmas In Salem Part 1 – The Cotting-Smith Assembly House (Salem, MA)

By New England Nomad

Date Of Visit: December 7, 2024

Location: 138 Federal St, Salem, MA

Parking: There are several parking lots and garages in the Salem area

Universally Accessible: No, many of the homes do not have ramps or universally accessible entry

When you ask most people what they think of when they think of Salem, MA they will most likely reply with something about Halloween and witches. However, Salem has become an all year round attraction. In fact, the Christmas in Salem event has quickly become one of the more popular events in Salem.

Christmas In Salem is a series of guided tours at 13 historic homes and buildings in Salem, MA. In these series of posts, I will take you all on these tours and give some observations from my perspective through my photos and the information provided by the informative tour hosts and the literature from this event.

The first home on the Christmas In Salem tour is the Cotting-Smith Assembly House (aka as the Assembly House) on Federal St. This house was used as the headquarters of the tour. People registered for the tour by showing their receipt and, upon registering, were given a handbook with the addresses and writeups for each building.

Built in 1782 as a “Federalist Clubhouse”, the Cotting-Smith Assembly House was used as a ballroom and concert venue as well as a place to host lectures and other events for Salem’s elite. The Marquis de Lafayette was said to have danced in that very house in 1784 and it is said that George Washington dined there in 1789. While the original documentation for the building is not available, it is believed the house was essentially plain and functional in its original state in 1782.

The building was originally funded as a joint stock venture. Once it was rendered obsolete in 1792, Jonathan Waldo, one of the original developers, obtained full ownership. Waldo then sold the house to Samuel Putnam in 1794. Either Waldo or Putnam hired renowned Salem architect and craftsman Samuel_McIntire to remodel it as a private home. McIntire added 4 pillar of iconic pilasters to the second floor facade and a pediment centered above. The Assembly House is said to the the only wooden structure designed by McIntire with a pavilion front. The house was later remodeled during the 1830s or 40s. During this time the Greek Revival portico was added to the front of the house featuring an ornate frieze of carved grape vines by master carpenter Joseph True. The Assembly House, which is now owned by the Peabody Essex Museum, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The building acted as the meeting place for visitors to get their handbook of houses to visit and map of all of the buildings on the tour. So, there wasn’t much decor at this particular home. However, I did see some photo worthy things.

Sometimes the little things can tell a lot about a home. For instance, this wallpaper spoke to the trade relations between Salem and other countries. This wallpaper, which shows what looks like a rendition of life and culture of the people of Asia, may have been an example of how the owners traveled to certain parts of Asia. It was not unusual for people to put up wallpaper that reminded them of places they traveled to or traded with.

This is not an original print, though. It is a stylized representation of wallpaper from that time.

While wallpaper may not be in vogue now, it was a treasured possession of the wealthy at the time this house was built.

According to Historic New England, the earliest record of wallpaper in America is in the estate inventory of a Boston stationer in 1700, where “7 quires of painted paper and three reams of painted paper” were listed. But, only one wallpaper in Historic New England’s collection with a history in New England dates back to the 1700s. Like all early references, this was more descriptive of quantity than of design. Only one wallpaper in Historic New England’s collection with a history in New England dates to this early period. This wallpaper was later used to cover a copy book of poetry in 1783.

Initially, paper hangings, as wallpaper was called in the eighteenth century, were only available from stationer and book sellers. Or they could be custom ordered from merchants who specialized in importing luxury goods. Eventually, wall paper could be purchased from upholsterers.

Prior to 1760, only the wealthiest colonists in urban areas in New England could afford wallpaper. Wallpaper was expensive because of the process involved in making it. The rolls the wallpaper was printed on had to be made of individual sheets of paper. These sheets were glued together. Then, they were hand printed with wood blocks, one block for each color of the design.

That is what makes the Christmas In Salem event so interesting. You can learn so much about the history of wallpaper just by touring a historic home!

Please join me on my tours of all of these historic homes!

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14 Comments   |  tags: , , , , , , , , , , , | posted in Christmas, Christmas In Salem, historical, Massachusetts, New England, photographs, photography, photos, travel, Uncategorized

December 16, 2024

Holiday Kingdom (Downtown Crossing, Boston, MA)

By New England Nomad

Date Of Visit: December 6, 2024

Location: Downtown Crossing, Boston, MA

Cost: Free

Parking: There are several parking garages in the area

Hours: They are visible 24 hours a day until Jan. 2

Universally Accessible: Yes

Dog Friendly: Yes

Summary: Twelve 16 foot nutcrackers with animal characteristics have been

Website: Holiday Kingdom

The nutcrackers have taken over Boston!

Just in time for the holiday season, 12 sixteen foot nutcrackers have been placed throughout in Boston’s Downtown Crossing area. But, these are not any regular nutcrackers.

The nutcrackers, which are fashioned with similar attire one would find on an actual nutcracker, have one significant difference…they have animal heads!

The animals for the designs of the nutcrackers were selected by children during a visit with Downtown Boston Alliance President Michael J. Nichols at a local Boston day care center. Some of the animals they suggested using for that statues include an elephant, a bear, an eagle, a duck (specifically a mallard) and a dog among other animals.

Most of the nutcrackers, 7 to be exact, are located on Washington St. For a point of reference, I am showing the statues from the area of Washington St near the Paramount and going up Washington St. I’m including a photo of the Paramount just because, even though it’s arguably one of the most over photographed spot in Boston (I see you Acorn St and Fan Pier).

The first statue is a polar bear. It is located by the Suffolk University Modern Theater (and the Paramount Theater).

This cute little cat is located near the WINDR Museum on Washington St. I don’t like that smile. It looks like he or she got into some cat nip!

This mallard is located near Snipes (467 Washington St). Sometimes it was difficult to get a straight on photo of these statues because cars were parked in front of them. I actually just walked around and waited for the vehicles to move. But, taking a photo from an angle was a better option for this statue because the bill of the duck looks better from an angle.

I found this unicorn on Winter St after I took the next left after the mallard.

Then, I walked back towards Washington St and crossed over to Winter St where I found these 4 statues of a rhino, a horse, an elephant and an eagle near Macy’s (450 Washington St).

Then, I continued back onto Washington St to photograph the remaining statues. I found this deer near the Gap and DSW stores.

Just as an fyi, the attached map is not accurate. The map shows the dog as being at this location.

These 2 statues of a dog and another duck are located at the popular stairs between the TJ Maxx and Old Navy. I liked how the buildings looked in the background.

The last statue I found was of this beer near the Jewelers Building (333 Washington St)

All of the statues are easy to find and accessible to all. And I love the little accessories like the hats and the epaulets on their shoulders! I also appreciate how some of the animals seem to be talking or making faces in some cases. The best part, though, is the lights, of course. While you can view them day or night, the best time to view them is at night when the colors stand out more. However, the features may be easier to see during the daylight hours. But, don’t wait too long to see them. The statues will only be there until Jan. 2, 2025.

Of course, Boston was decked out with Christmas decor during my visit! So, as a bonus, I am adding this photo of one of the stars installed near one of the main streets in the city.

21 Comments   |  tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , | posted in Animal Kingdom, animals, Boston, Christmas, Holiday Kingdom, Massachusetts, New England, photographs, photography, photos, statues, travel

December 8, 2024

First Harbor Company Christmas Tree

By New England Nomad

Date Of Visit: December 7, 2024

Location: 3 Beacon St, Marblehead, MA

Cost: Free

Parking: There are a limited amount of parking spaces (about 5 total spots)

Universally Accessible: Yes

Summary: Each year at Christmas time, the First Harbor Company anchors a lit up Christmas tree in Marblehead Harbor.

For some people Christmas season begins right after they finish their last serving of sweet potatoes. I know…yuck!

But for me, Christmas time starts when the First Harbor Company drops anchor on their Christmas tree dinghy in Marblehead Bay. The First Harbor Company makes a variety of hand made products such as wreaths, leashes and buoys. They also sell other products such as books and prints. The dinghy is owned by Tom and Samantha Peach. They decorate the tree and launch it from the launching area at the Little Harbor Company.

I planned my arrival early in the morning before the sunrise to get photos that would accentuate the lights on the tree. I loved how peaceful the water seemed.

I used the other boats and buoys in the harbor to give perspective and frame the photo.

As the sun began to rise, the colors made the landscape so pretty. The pink, black and blue colors in the clouds gave both a warming and ominous feeling.

During my previous visits, the lights on the tree usually went out shortly after the sun rise. But, during this visit the lights stayed on well past sunrise. Although, they do not stay on for most of the day light hours.

If you do plan on seeing the tree in all its splendor, keep in mind parking is limited and because there are trailers and boats sometimes parked near the parking area, it can be hard to find parking there. I parked on the side of the access road at the entrance to avoid being stuck in the narrow parking spots.

14 Comments   |  tags: , , , , , , , , | posted in Christmas, Marblehead, Massachusetts, New England, photographs, photography, photos

November 23, 2024

Phantoms By Firelight (Old Sturbridge Village, Sturbridge, MA)

By New England Nomad

Date Of Event: October 26, 2024

Location: Old Sturbridge Village, 29 Stallion Hill Road, Sturbridge, MA (1 hour southwest of Boston, MA)

Cost: Prices tanged from $14 to $45 depending on your age and when you bought them. More information can be found at the link below

Ticket prices

Universally Accessible: Yes

Parking: Free parking is included in the ticket price

Website: Phantoms By Firelight

Summary: Performers entertained visitors with gravity defying acts, fire breathing and other jaw dropping tricks!

Fiery frights awaited all at this year’s Phantoms By Firelight event at Old Sturbridge Village.

An array of performers, dare devils and acrobats entertained countless visitors last month at Old Sturbridge Village.

Perhaps this event should have been titled, “don’t try this at home.”

The family friendly event included card tricks by Magnus The Magnificent.

There were also games like this World Scramble game. Can you guess the phrase hidden in this world scramble?

After all the fun and games, it was off to the Village Common to watch Alexander the Upside Down Man.

The feats of strength by Andrew were very impressive!

Whew! I got sore and tired just watching Alexander!

Next on the list of things I’ll never be able to do was the rope climbing extraordinaire Philomena.

But, before the show got started, the ring master got the crowd pumped up for the event!

After all that climbing, Philomena took a well deserved rest!

After the show, I was able to take a photo of the star of the show!

As the evening wore on and darkness fell upon the village, The performers kept everyone warm and entertained! Ignatius and Anastasia, aka the Masters Of The Flame, kept everyone enthralled with their fiery tricks! I liked the contrast of the agility and graceful of Philomena and the pure rock and roll daredevil action of Ignatius and Anastasia!

After that breath taking display, it was on to the Cyrkus Vampyr Finale Ultimo. As the name would seem to suggest, this was the finale of the evening.

This performance included some awesome acrobatics and more fun with fire!

There were also additional shows at the event. In the spirit of the Halloween season, there were some macabre events like this re-enactment and info session about wakes. This event was both respectful and informative.

There was a lot of differences from wakes during the early 1800s. For instance, during the early 1800s, which is the time frame Old Sturbridge Village is based, people didn’t take visitors for wakes. People’s wakes were very different. People mourned and reflected on their own. A casket with a mannequin represented how the people would mourn.

The lighting and decor added to the atmosphere of the event.

The performers at the event were not the only people who dressed up! Some of the visitors also wore costumes or other decorative items.

In addition to all of the performances, there was a Clues & Candy game where they had to collect stamps to complete a picture. The lucky ones who completed the tasks were rewarded with a treat pick up! There were also demonstrations of casket making, musicians and spooking story telling!

Despite all of the fire and death defying acrobats (or maybe because of it), the Phantoms By Firelight event was a big hit with both old young!

Please see below for videos from the event!

19 Comments   |  tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , | posted in acribatic, fire, Halloween, Massachusetts, New England, Old Sturbridge Village, photographs, photography, photos, Sturbridge, Uncategorized

November 15, 2024

6th Annual Farm Parade (Southwick, MA)

By New England Nomad

Date of Event: October 19, 2024

Location: College Highway, Southwick, MA (2 hours southwest of Boston, MA, 30 minutes northwest of Hartford, CT)

Cost: Free

Parking: Free parking was available at some of the local establishments including the shopping center on College Highway

Universally Accessible: Yes

Pet Friendly: Yes

Summary: Horses, cows, dogs, chickens and even a few people marched in the 6th annual animal parade to raise funds for the Polverari-Southwick Animal Shelter.

Parades usually feature people as the main participants. However, the Farm Parade in Southwick, MA, is a little different. Animals were the main attraction at this parade. Officials projected that 75 to 100 animals of all kinds were expected at the parade.

The parade was free for all who came to watch. But, there was a $20 fee to enter the parade. The proceeds went to help the Polverari-Southwick Animal Shelter.

The Powder Mill School marching band provided the musical entertainment for the event.

Another big attraction of the parade were the tractors, cars and other modes of transportation in the parade.

Since the parade was just before Halloween, there were lots of people dressed up and some of the vehicles were also decorated for the season!

But, out of all of the vehicles in the parade, the ones posted below are my favorites.

What fun it must have been to ride around in your own mini tractor or vehicle.

The people who went to the parade weren’t left out of the fun! As you may have noticed in the photo above, some of the people on the vehicles threw candy and beads to the onlookers!

Although it wasn’t required, some of the visitors dressed up for the event!

The farm parade has been growing in size over the years and I look forward to seeing what the following years have in store!

14 Comments   |  tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , | posted in animals, Massachusetts, New England, parade, photographs, photography, photos, travel

October 29, 2024

2024 Zombie Walk (Salem, MA)

By New England Nomad

Date Of Event: October 5, 2024 (held annually the first Saturday of October)

Location: Salem Commons, Salem MA (about half an hour northeast of Boston, MA)

Website: 2024 Salem Zombie Walk

Summary: The zombies took over Salem, MA, earlier this month!

Zombies of all shapes, sizes and ages gathered in Salem, MA, to feast upon some of the brains of the city folk. They originally planned to go to Washington, DC. But, they would have gone hungry.

All of the zombies, monsters and other ghouls met up at Salem Commons for some photo opportunities. From prom queens to fear leaders, the costumes were as creative as they were scary!

Some of the zombies got tired even before the walk began.

Eventually, the zombies lumbered their way through downtown Salem. Over the years, the walk has really grown in popularity. hundreds if not thousands of people lined the streets, many of them recording the walkers on their cellphones. And the zombies didn’t disappoint. They moaned, leaned into the cameras and shuffled their way through the streets. I love how they get into the spirit of the event!

In some of the photos, you may notice the participants were given buttons that state “I Survived the Zombie Walk!”…or did they? We may never know.

Despite all the moaning, shrieking and close calls with the zombies, the city survived the zombie walk just fine. This time.

The zombie in the video below usually brings his laboratory experiment with him each year!

12 Comments   |  tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , | posted in horror, Massachusetts, New England, photographs, photography, photos, Salem, travel, Uncategorized, zombie walk

October 17, 2024

2024 Haunted Happenings Grand Parade (Salem, MA)

By New England Nomad

Date Of Event: October 3, 2024

Location: Salem, MA (about 30 minutes northeast of Boston, MA)

Cost: Free

Summary: Salem, MA, officially kicked off their Haunted Happenings season last week with their annual Haunted Happenings Grand Parade.

Website: Haunted Happenings Grand Parade

It’s official! Spooky season has come to Salem, MA!

To usher in the Halloween season, Salem, MA, recently held their 42nd Haunted Happenings Grand Parade! But, even before the parade began, there was plenty to photograph. The sun set just as the parade was getting underway providing some beautiful photo opportunities.

It wasn’t just the parade marchers who got dressed up for the event! These spectators were also dressed up!

A variety of aliens, dinosaurs, pirates and an assortment of other ghoulish characters marched or drove in the festive event!

The theme of the parade this year was “Our Time On Earth.” and some parade floats had decoration reflecting this theme.

Parade participants spend a lot of time and effort preparing their floats for the parade. Some of these floats and vehicles were weeks or months in the making. These vehicles and floats of all kinds, some with interesting passengers, were decorated for the event.

But, not all of the participants were in vehicles or floats. Some of the characters walked or used other modes of transportation to get around.

You may have noticed some Halloween pails in some of the photos. During the parade, some of the people marching in the parade would pass out candy or just give high fives!

As if all that wasn’t enough below is some video from the parade!

23 Comments   |  tags: , , , , , , , , , , | posted in Halloween, Massachusetts, New England, parade, photographs, photography, photos, Salem, Uncategorized

September 20, 2024

6th Annual Salem Vintage Lawn Party (Salem, MA)

By New England Nomad

Date Of Event: September 14, 2024

Location: Salem Commons , North Washington Square, Salem, MA (35 minutes northeast of Boston, MA)

Cost: Free

Dog Friendly: Yes

Universally Accessible: Yes

Summary: Salem Commons transformed into the days of the 1920s for a very special event.

It was a swinging good time last weekend at Salem Commons.

For the past 6 years, the Salem community Neighborhood Association has hosted the Vintage Lawn Party. The party included dancing, antique cars, music and vendors selling all things vintage.

On my way to the event, I noticed this sky writer. Only in Salem!

While dressing up for the event is not required, it is encouraged and appreciated! Many people came dressed up in their best vintage wear! In fact, it seems like each year more guests decide to don their best attire. I used some special settings such as black and white and sepia to give some of the photos an old timey feel.

Annie and the Fur Traders kept the people dancing with their swinging sounds.

And, of course, there was dancing.

If dancing isn’t your thing, there were some cool cars to check out. In previous years, there was only one or two cars at the party. But, over time as word about the party spread, more and more cars began to show up. I love the curves, shape and sleekness of the cars.

This 1966 Excalibur has a special connection to Salem. It was the very same car used in the Bewitched episodes filmed in Salem, MA. The owner of the vehicle, “Sid” posed with his car.

Below is a photo of the very same car from the Bewitched episode filmed in 1970.

There were also lawn games for everyone to enjoy. Although it may seem like a new sensation, cornhole has existed since the 1880s in different forms.

Croquet, another game that has been around since the 1800s, was also a popular game played by both the young and old.

This 5 year old is quite the croquet prodigy.

There were a number of merchants selling everything from clothing, art ceramics and everything in between.

After a long day of partying and dancing, this pooch was all partied out!

17 Comments   |  tags: , , , , , , , , | posted in cars, dancers, dancing, Massachusetts, New England, photographs, photography, Salem, Uncategorized, vintage, vintage lawn party

September 10, 2024

Great Elephant Migration (Newport, RI)

By New England Nomad

Date Of Event: July through August, 2024

Location: Cliff Walk, Newport, RI

Cost: Free

Summary: 100 elephants were placed along the Cliff Walk in Newport, RI.

The elephants have come to Rhode Island.

No, these isn’t a tagline for the next Hollywood blockbuster. The Great Elephant Migration was a display of 100 elephants made from lantana, a plant common in the southern and northeast part of India. It’s truly incredible to think the artists could make such incredible artistic renderings of elephants.

The 100 Indian elephants, which have since been transported to New York City, were displayed at 3 locations along the Cliff Walk in Newport, Rhode Island; The Breaker’s Mansions, Salve Regina University, Doris Duke/Rough Point Mansion and there was a solitary elephant on display a little farther away from the Cliff Walk at the Great Friend’s Meeting House at 21 Farewell Street, Newport, RI, which is posted below.

The elephants were made in the shape of actual elephants. The herd consists of replicas of real-life elephants personally known to The Coexistence Collective. The Coexistence Collective is a community of around 200 artisans in southern India who made them. And, most of the elephants had names and, in some instance a matriarch twin. For instance, Sarah, the Duchess of York, is the matriarchal twin of Mayflower, who had a darker shade than most other elephants because she is a darker shade in real life.

It took 6 to 7 years for the artists to complete each elephant. So, a lot of care was taken to get all of the details right for each elephant.

The first place I visited to photograph the displays was The Breaker’s Mansion. It is a beautiful mansion inside and out. There were 28 elephants at this location. Initially, I was going to photograph every elephant and include their name for each of them. However, that seemed like pure drudgery and not necessarily much fun for people to look at. So I scrapped that idea. I did, however, photograph all of the elephants. Very often, I think I shouldn’t photograph something. Then, after looking at it a second time, I am glad I did. That is one thing I’ve learned from taking so many photographs. There are no shortcuts and you really shouldn’t always go with your gut instinct. Something that looks like a dull or “mid” photo can actually look very nice after a second look.

The elephants were on sale! The sales would go to raise funds for the 22 conservation organizations around the country. The prices ranged from $8,000 for a baby elephant to $22,000 for the largest tusked elephant. I heard from a volunteer that almost all have already been sold.

I particularly liked how they kept the parents and babies together in some of the displays.

They also seemed to show the elephants smiling or possibly talking. As though they were happy to be there.

I couldn’t help myself from taking a few photos of the architecture and art at The Breaker’s. I hope to get more photos another time when I go on a tour.

I made several trips to the exhibits, particularly the elephant display at Salve Regina University because it was easily accessible off the Cliff Walk. My favorite photos were from when I visited just after sunrise. I particularly liked how the sun shone on the elephants. Plus, there were less people there to get in the way of the photos. And, that was the most difficult part of the photo shoot. It was a very popular display and some of the elephants were located at mansions that didn’t open until 10 am. So it was almost impossible to photograph those elephants without people being there. I noticed in many of my photos some of the elephants had a few extra legs and feet. And human at that!

However, my favorite place to photograph the elephants was at The Doris Duje Estate (aka Rough Point). The wide open lawn and scenic background was very pretty. It almost made you feel like you were in India photographing them. Well, sort of.

Elephants weren’t the only animals on display at the Rough Point Mansion. Flowery depictions of Princess and Baby were also on display on the front lawn. Princess and Baby were Doris Duke’s pet camels.

The displays at Salve Regina University were pet friendly. Fiona a 4 year old mixed breed, got in the shade under this elephant.

As I mentioned above, the elephants are now in New York City. They will eventually go on to Miami South Beach, the Buffalo Pastures in Browning, Montana, and Los Angeles. 

28 Comments   |  tags: , , , , , , , , | posted in great elephant migration, New England, Newport, photography, photos, Rhode Island

August 26, 2024

Dancing On The Greenway (Rose Kennedy Greenway, Boston, MA)

By New England Nomad

Date Of Event: August 6, 2024

Location: Rose Kennedy Greenway, Boston, MA

Summary: For the past 2 years, Facone has been holding dancing events along the Greenway.

They were dancing on the Greenway this summer. Specifically, the Dancing on the Greenway, a series of dancing events along the Rose Kennedy Greenway, took center stage every Tuesday during the summer months.

The event attracted dancers of all capabilities and a few curious onlookers.

The best part of the event was watching everyone just having fun. It didn’t matter if they were good dancers, not so good or somewhere in the middle.

Each dancing event featured a different type of dancing. The theme of the dancing event during my visit was Scottish Ceilidh. Pronounced as kay-lee, Ceilidh is a gaelic word meaning gathering or party. And the dance event seemed more like a gathering and party. While technique and style were a bonus, it was really all about having fun and learning about this Scottish Ceilidh dance genre. A dance instructor and experienced Scottish dancers helped lead the dancers during this event.

Some of the music for these dance events the summer were recordings played on a sound system. But, I made sure to stop by while there was a live band performing. Susie Petrov, Stephen Thomforde and Marnen Laibow-Koser provided the music for the event I attended.

AS darkness fell upon the Greenway, the lights of the city lit up the dance area.

In yet another sign that summer is indeed winding down, the final Dancing on the Greenway event is Tuesday, August 27. But, they may be back again next year! So, don’t forget to stop by next summer! Just don’t forget to bring your dance shoes!

17 Comments   |  tags: , , , , , | posted in Boston, dancers, dancing, Massachusetts, New England, photographs, photography, photos, Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway, Uncategorized