Location: Salem Common, Washington Square, Salem, MA
Highlights: people (and dogs) dressed in vintage clothing, dance floor, lawn games
Flappers, parasols and the Charleston may seem like things of a bygone era. But, they were all the rage earlier this month at Salem Common (Salem, MA).
The first and hopefully annual free Vintage Lawn Party had family friendly events and entertainment from an earlier day.
People came dressed in their best vintage clothing and vendors sold their wares, mostly from the olden days.
I thought these two visitors had a cool steampunk look.
Leeann of Making Faces With Leann, looked smashing in her vintage attire. If you’re in need of a face for your Halloween haunts stop by her page.
In keeping with the theme of the party, I thought it was only appropriate to process some of these photos in black and white.
There was a dance floor for people to test their skills and learn a how to swing dance with some help from the instructors at Northshore Swing Dance.
Suddenly, out of nowhere, a conga line began.
If dancing or shopping for vintage items, there were vintage lawn games such as croquet, badminton and hand bag toss.
Dogs were also welcome to the vintage party. The two visitors were dressed in their Sunday bests.
From left to right are Bjorn, a 4 and a half year old Aussie Lab mix (or Aussiedor). Ellie is a 14 and a half year old Westie.
While I was strolling around Salem before the party began I met two dogs and their parents.
This fluffy cutie is Cinco, a 4 month old Eurasier.
Russell is an 8 month old Treeing Tennessee. I love his coat. He reminded me of my mom’s dog. So, of course I had to take his photo!
Maisy is an 8 year old half Shih-Tzu and half Pug. Look at that cute smile!
Below is a video of some of the dance instructors teaching the guests some vintage dance moves at the lawn party.
Highlights: dog friendly events, dog agility course, vendors, “pitty march”, costume contest
Everyone had a howling good time at the third annual Bow Wow Bark In The Park festival September 1 at Rockwell Park.
The festival included vendors selling all sorts of wares such as this vendor who makes home made wreaths.
There was also a kissing booth and a stand-in for your pooch to stick his or her head out of. Our dog Holly wasn’t impressed by it.
There was an agility course at the park for dogs to test their balance and jumping skills. Most dogs just looked at the bars and obstacles and walked around them. But some dogs were able to successfully manage the course. The best part may be watching the parents smile, encourage their pets and take photos as they crossed the obstacles.
One of the biggest events at the festival is the “pitty march”. But, all dogs are invited to march. Not just pit bulls.
Of course, there were many cute dogs to photograph at the event. I was able to photograph quite a few of them and some other visitors at the festival.
Echo is a 13 year old Italian Greyhound. Love his bandanna!
Sophia, a 3 and a half year old “Shorkie” (Shitzu Yorkie). But, she is no normal Shorkie. She is also a seizure service dog.
You may not notice it, but Phoenix, a 4 year old Border and Australian Cattle dog, has 3 legs. But, he’s all smiles and beautiful anyways!
Boeheim, named after Jim Boeheim (the coach of the Syracuse college basketball team), is a 5 month old Cavalier King Charles and Poodle mixed breed (Cavapoo). He is standing next to the sign for his mom’s store, Pink Pineapple Boutique.
Winnie is a 10 week old Golden Retriever.
Dahlia, a 3 year old Staffordshire Terrier, was dressed up for the costume contest.
Maggie is a 4 and a half year old Landseer Newfoundland dog.
But, there weren’t just dogs at this event. These very brave cats also made it out to Rockwell Park.
Lagertha (named after a character from the show Vikings) is a 2 and a half year old Chestnut Oriental Short Hair.
I think I got too close to Daisy, a 3 or 4 year old cat.
Storm is a 2 week old kitten.
Below is a video of a dog successfully completing the seesaw agility obstacle, with a little help from some friends.
Highlights: statue of Christopher Columbus, memorial, scenic, fountain, trellis, family friendly
Although he is not from the area, Christopher Columbus can be considered an adopted son of the North End, a once, and still somewhat, largely Italian neighborhood (although Columbus may have been more likely Spanish they will still claim him).
Dedicated in 1974, Christopher Columbus Park is a family friendly park with open spaces for tanning, reading or just sitting and enjoying a very summer-like day as was the case during my two visits. There are also wonderful views at the park.
The park offers beautiful views of the harbor. Harbor boats can be seen coming and going on their scheduled trips.
The views from the waterfront are very pretty.
A statue of the explorer who the park was named after is located along the trellis.
The 6x3x2 (12 feet tall in total if you include the base) monument is made out of white Carrara marble, the same marble that is mined in Carrara, Italy. It is the very same marble from which Michelangelo sculpted the statues “Pieta,” “Moses,” and “David.” There appears to be ropes and a piling with a float on it by his legs. He is clutching a book or manuscript and a dagger is attached to his belt. The statue was designed by Andrew J. Mazzola and it was fabricated by Norwood Monumental Works in 1979.
A fountain dedicated to Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy and next to the Rose Kennedy Garden, is a peaceful place to sit and watch the water.
Or, you can use it to cool down like Teagan a 6 month old Golden Retriever.
Lilly, an 8 year old Golden Retriever, didn’t like the fountain as much as Teagan but she still liked the park. I love how Golden retrievers always seem to look like they are smiling. Probably because they are.
The Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Garden, dedicated to the matriarch of the Kennedy family, has a wide variety of flowers.
But, the pretty flowers are not only located in the garden. There are beautiful flowers throughout the park.
The other main attraction, beside the statue of Columbus, is the trellis. Ivy and white lights are attached to the trellis. During the holiday season, blue lights are attached to it.
During my visit, there was a scavenger hunt by the Dragon Of Bostonshire. This lady was giving a speech with hints for all of the participants.
There’s lots of entertainment at the park. This musician played a heartbreaking instrumental of Vincent by Don McLean.
Another more famous musician was playing at the park during my visit. I could write a blog post just about him. The most interesting thing about Keytar is his identity. Or the mystery behind his identity. Keytar Bear is a local celebrity. But, little else is known about him. Keytar plays at a variety of different locations in the Boston area, unannounced. You could see him at a train station (I’ve seen him at South Station) or any other venue in the Boston area, particularly during the warmer seasons. In fact, it’s so normal to see him people really aren’t fazed by his presence. No one knows what he (I am pretty sure I read the musician is a male in an article) looks like or his name. But, everyone knows him when they see him.
If music isn’t your thing, there are other ways to entertain yourself like a game of hop scotch.
Or, you could climb a tree.
There is also a memorial dedicated to the 9 marines from Massachusetts who were killed in the Beirut bombing (220 U.S. Marines, 241 US Service personnel and 305 people in total were killed that day by the bombers). It’s easy to miss if you don’t know it is there. It is next to the children’s playground and close to the Average Joe’s restaurant. The memorial is easy to miss if you don’t know it’s there. In fact, I made a second trip to find it after I missed it the first time.
It always strikes me when I read the names and ages of just how young these soldiers are when they die. They had so much more to live for.
The nine Marines from Massachusetts names are inscribed on the memorial. They are:
LCP Bradley J. Campus – Lynn, 1962-1983
LCP Michael J. Delvin – Westwood, 1962-1983
SGT MAJ Frederick B. Douglass – Cataumet, 1936-1983
CPT Sean R. Gallagher – North Andover, 1952-1983
SGT Edward J. Gargano – Quincy, 1962-1983
CPT Richard J. Gordon – Somerville, 1961-1983
CPT Michael S. Haskell – Westborough, 1950-1983
SGT Steven B. LaRiviere – Chicopee, 1961-1983
LCP Thomas S. Perron – Whitinsville, 1964-1983
Below is a video of Keytar Bear playing his keytar with a background track. His music is very chill.
Parking: there is some street parking available at some parts of the Greenway (particularly on Atlantic Ave) and several parking garages in the area. There are also several MBTA train stations within walking distance to the Greenway such as South Station
The Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway is not just known for its beautiful art and flowers. The Greenway also has a lot to entertain all of the people who visit.
With its water play areas, swings and carousel, in addition to all of the other attractions along the way, it is possible to spend an entire day on the Greenway.
One of the biggest perks of the Greenwayis the free Wi-Fi. I tried it and it does work!
The biggest attraction of the Greenway is the Greenway Carousel. It is open during the spring summer and fall and part of the winter, specifically during the holiday season.
The Greenway Carousel is a handicapped accessible ride that children and parents, aunts, uncles and friends can ride together. All of the characters on the carousel are based on animals that are idengenous to the area.
I especially like the attention to detail in the art work on the carousel
Anther fun attraction for kids and adults are the water play areas. There are two water splash parks on the Greenway. One of the fountains is on Milk St . The other one is located at the Hanover and Cross St in the North End.
There are also small patches of grass for people and dogs to play on. They also show film at on of the larger grassy fields. Or, if movies aren’t your thing, you can just play some corn hole with friends.
If you need a little rest or if you want to spend some time chatting with one of your loved ones, the swings in the North End section of the Greenway are a great place to sit and enjoy some good conversation and fun.
The Greenway has lots of animal activity, particularly at night. I spotted this rabbit during one of my nightly visits to the Greenway.
And I saw these cuties during one of my daytime visits to the
Harley is an 8 year old part Shepherd and Spaniel mixed breed.
Max, a 2 year old Pit/Lab mix, loved the water play areas also.
Thank you for joining me on my visits to the truly special place!
Parking: there is some street parking available at some parts of the Greenway (particularly on Atlantic Ave) and several parking garages in the area. There are also several MBTA train stations within walking distance to the Greenway such as South Station
Like it or not, the morning and evening temperatures are beginning to plummet and the days are growing shorter. Since I only have a short window to visit some of the more interesting outdoor venues for this season, I finally made it out to Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway.
Named after the matriarch of the Kennedy family, the Greenway has a wide variety of attractions. From a carousel to works of to the beautiful gardens and flowers along the trail, the Greenway has something for everyone.
Since there is so much to see and photograph along the Greenway, I decided to break up this blog series into three parts. The first part, which I will post today, is going to include the gardens and flowers at the Rose Kennedy Greenway. Part 2 will include the art on the Greenway and Part 3 will include the entertainment along the Greenway. And, of course, there will be dogs included in each post as well!
Once upon a time, specially from 1959 when the elevated John F Fitzgerald Kennedy-Central Artery construction ended and 1981 when the “Big Dig” (an underground tunnel project) began, an elevated highway spanned what is now the Greenway. Fun fact: some of the dirt from the “Big Dig” tunnel project was used to resurface Spectacle Island in Boston Harbor.
The first thing you’ll notice on the Greenway, particularly during the spring and summer, are the bright, beautiful plants and flowers.
The gardens and flowers along the Greenway are all treated organically so people do not have to worry about their children and pets being affected by any pesticides and make the flowers look beautiful.
There are pollinators along the Greenway. The pollinators, which were installed in 2016, are designed to attract and support pollinator species. Since pollinating insects are important to all seed propagated plants, the pollinators provide an important role in the growth of the plants.
The Greenway also has a garden where they grow edible fruits and vegetables such as bluberries. The blueberries and other fruits and vegetables are a big hit with the birds.
I especially like how the buildings provide such a stark contrast to the beauty of the plants and flowers.
In fact, the buildings are so impressive I couldn’t help but take a few photos of the buildings as well.
Although it is only 1.5 miles long, the Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway is full of surprises and special areas such as “Mothers’ Walk.”
Along the The Mothers’ Walk are engraved bricks with the names of loved ones. For a measley $500 donation people could have names inscribed on bricks along the walk.
Along the wall there is an inscription that reads, “To all who have cared, encouraged, inspired, laughed and loved, this Mothers’ Walk is dedicated to you and to those who have supported this beautiful Greenway.”
There is also a park along the Greenway called The Carolyn Lynch Garden. The garden was dedicated in Summer 2018 to Carolyn Hoff Lynch, an avid gardener and a leading philanthropist, who passed away in 2015. The garden is bursting with colors in the spring and summer and has some scenic views.
Along Carolyn Lynch Park and other parts of the Greenway you will find historic events summarized on a timeline about the area. The dates and events vary depending on where the timeline along the fences appear. For instance in the part of the Greenway located in the North End, there are dates of events that took place in that area and quotes from people in the area.
The Greenway is a wonderful place to take your leashed pet. Below are a few of the dogs I saw on the Greenway.
Tommy is a 6 year old Boxer, Labrador, Retriever, Beagle mix rescue dog. Tommy is a social media star. You can find him at bostondogtommy on Instagram.
Locations: 470 Liberty Street Braintree MA, 390 Summer Street, Weymouth, MA
Hours: Open daily year round from sunrise to sunset. The entrance gates are open 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM (or sunset) during the summer, and 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM (or sunset) during the winter
Cost: Free
Parking: There are two parking areas. The main parking area at the address listed for the park is in Braintree. There is another parking area in Weymouth as well.
From Weymouth, vehicle parking is available in the parking lot off Summer Street. From Braintree, vehicle parking is available in the upper lots near the park office, and the lower lots near the start of the bike path.
There are about 5 or 6 parking spots in front of the gate in the Braintree entrance. So you can park and enter the park before the gate is opened at that entrance.
Since 1976, Pond Meadow Park has been a source for fun, adventure and beauty for generations in the Braintree and Weymouth (MA) area.
Initially built as a flood control project for the Weymouth Landing area, Pond Meadow officially opened as a park in May of 1976. While the park has changed over the years, especially from its initial design as a flood prevention. But the dam is still there. In fact, you can actually walk along the dam.
There is beauty all around at Pond Meadow Park.
Benches with phrases on plaques attached to them for loved ones who have passed are located along the trails. They are located in peaceful areas at the park.
While I was hiking the trails and taking my photographs, I met this nice lady who had an interesting story about this park.
Dawn has been coming to this park ever since she was a kid. Her mom loved the park as well. She still comes to the park regularly for a hike and to look at a bench. It turns out the bench I was photographing and the plaque on it was dedicated to her mom.
She was kind enough to sit on the bench dedicated to her mother with her friend (possibly her significant other but I’m not one to assume) and her dog Toby, a 10 year old rescue Beagle. “Always In Our Hearts” and Dawn’s mother’s name are inscribed on the plaque on the bench. What a wonderful way to remember someone.
Along the trail near the entrance is a rock dedicated to Joseph D’Ambrosio, an avid cyclist and engineer who was instrumental in the development of the bike and walking trails at the park. So, next time you are cycling along the trails at Pond Meadow, don’t forget to thank Joseph!
There is an abundance of wildlife at Pond Meadow. During my visit I saw a swan,
a rabbit
A snake. This is the “non deadly” North Atlantic Water Snake but it also bears a striking similarity to the venomous Water Moccasin. They are both common to the New England area, although the North Atlantic Water Snake is more common. And they do look similar. So do be careful and don’t go trying to sneak up on them and photograph them. Oops.
A frog
You don’t see the frog? How about now?
How about now?
Don’t get too close to the other side of the pond, buddy.
And, of course some cute chipmunks, or this may very well be the same one in each photo for all I know.
A pretty butterfly
and, of course, there were also Canadian Geese and ducks at the park.
There were some other cute animals there as well. The trails at the park are easy with very few inclines for your dog to walk and play on (try the Ranger Trail if you do go). The dogs below had a wonderful time on the trails.
Lincoln is a one and a half year old Boxer.
Molly is a 2 year old mixed breed dog.
Oakley (on the left) is a 4 and a half month old Golden Retriever and Cooper (on the right) is a 6 month old Chocolate Labrador.
Dates of Event: July 20-22, 2018 (annually, the third weekend off July)
Location: Revere Beach, 350 Revere Beach Blvd, Revere, MA
Cost: Free
Parking: a section of Revere Blvd is shut down for the event. I found free street parking on Ocean Ave which runs parallel to Revere Beach Blvd. parking restrictions are relaxed during the weekend on this street. There are also parking lots near Wonderland Train station. More info below:
Wonderland Greyhound Track
1300 North Shore Road, Revere MA 02151
$5 and a short walk to the festival
Suffolk Downs
525 William F McClellan Highway, Boston MA 02128
Free Parking Saturday and Sunday
There will be a shuttle in the parking lot to
Park in the lot and take the T from Suffolk Downs to Wonderland or Revere Beach
Stops.
Handicap Parking: Limited handicap parking is available on Revere Beach Boulevard
on a first come, first serve basis from Eliot Circle to Shirley Ave.
Highlights: sand sculptures, family friendly, dog friendly, activities for children, food trucks
Ravens, frogs and sea gods are considered unusual things to see on a beach. But they were only a few of the figures sculpted at the International Sand Sculpting Festival last month in Revere.
The theme of the sand sculpting festival was literacy. This sand sculpture has a variety of fictional literary characters as well as some well known advertising logos in it.
It always seems you can’t ever photograph all of the highlights of an event or place as hard as you tr. Although I didn’t seem to find it in the sculpture, there was a memorial to Sgt. Michael Chesna, a slain Weymouth (MA) police officer who was killed this summer by a perpetrator who stole his weapon and fired upon him. Chesna was a veteran of the U.S. Army. He joined shortly after the Sept. 11 attacks. He was 42 years old when he was shot and killed. A gofundme page has been set up for his family.
The sand used for the competition was delivered from a quarry in Hudson, NH. Each artist was given 15 tons of sand to work with. They were given 26 hours to sculpt their work.
There were 16 sand sculptures (counting at the festival with competitors from all over the world.
Fifth place and the People’s Choice Award went to Rachel Stubbs of the United Kingdom for “A Nouveau Love.”
Breeze In, Breathe Out…” by Fergus Mulvaney of Ireland snagged fourth place.
Third place went to Ilya Filimontsev of Russia, for “The Fall Of Icarus.”
“It’s About Time” by Steve Topazio of Tiverton, Rhode Island.
“Goddess Rising” by Remy Hoggard, wife or “sand partner” of Paul Hoggard. Remy said her sculpture was influenced by healing powers and inner beauty. She also said the influence for this model was Kylie Jenner.
“The Raven And The Frog” by David Mac. Keeping with the literary theme of the sand sculpture theme, Mac positioned Edgar Allen Poe (the raven on the left) and Ralph Waldo Emerson (the frog on the right). In an article I found on itemlive, Mac said he chose these two writers to sculpt because they are so diametrically different. It’s also noteworthy to mention they were both born in Boston, MA. It may be hard to see, without enlarging the photo, but Emerson, on the right, has a feather or quill in his mouth.
“The Beat” by Jaku (Kabu) Zimacek of the Czech Republic. One thing I love about most of these sand sculptures are the little things you may miss at your first view. You may see two people, or at least their heads, at the top of the sculpture.
“Making Beautiful Music” by Deborah Barrett/Cutulle of Saugus, Massachusetts.
“An American Dream” by Helena Bangert of the Netherlands.
Unfortunately, I had to leave before this sculpture was built.
“Divide And Conquer” by Abe Waterman of Prince Edward Island, Canada.
The sand sculptures, which have been demolished long ago, stay up for about a week and they are lit up during the evening for viewing.
The sand sculpture festival is just that: a festival. It is not just a sand sculpture competition. There are food trucks, a merry-go-round and other activities such as a treasure hunt, cornhole game, hula hoop and sand sculpting classes for children (and big kids) to participate in or play with.
There were also a number of musical acts at the festival.
A group of artists from Cirque Du Soleil also performed at the festival. These two performers did some amazing tricks with a soccer ball.
They also posed for some photos in front of the sand sculpture advertising their show. I like how it looks like she is blowing a kiss to all of you reading this post.
And, of course, the beach is as beautiful as the sand sculptures. For those of you not in the know, Revere Beach, and Revere as a city, gets an undeserved bad rep in some parts of MA. It’s a beautiful city with highly regarded restaurants, especially Italian restaurants, that I would love to visit if I had the time, and appetite. It all stems from an unfair, and frankly simmering ethnically biased, stereotype of the people of the area. But, enough of my soap box.
Just look at the beach to see for yourself. I really liked how the woman’s pretty aquamarine dress in the bottom photo looked against the water.
The web site for the event states that upwards of one million visitors stop by at some point to view the sculptures and I think they all showed up during my visit. To get a sense of just how popular of an event the sand sculpture festival is look at this photo I took of the crowd at the event. That is the only real issue I have with the event. The road is too narrow and the area is really not big enough for the huge crowd and the crowds have only gotten bigger and bigger over the years. I do worry, for instance, how hard it may be for medical personnel to get to someone if there was a medical emergency of some kind.
Dogs apparently like sand sculptures as well. These guys and girls had a great time checking out the sculptures.
Karma is an 11 week old Armenian Gampr mixed breed dog.
Topper is a 6 year old Jack Russell rescue mix.
Zorro (on the left) an 8 year old hairless Chinese Crested dog. Jackie (on the right) is a 14 year old Powder Puff dog.
Duese is a 2 month old Pit Bull.
His family was so happy to see that he would be on the internet!
Obie is a 3 year old Tree Walker Coon hound, Lab and Basset mix.
This shy cutie is Cocoa, a 2 year old rescue Chihuahua.
Lyla is a 2 year old mixed breed dog.
Cookie is a 1 year old Louisiana Coon Hound and Cattle Dog mixed breed dog.
Dogs weren’t the only animals who made it out to the sand sculpting festival.
Hindu is an adult bearded dragon.
Loki is an adult Chinese Water Dragon.
I patted Hindu and I still have all of my fingers. Actually Loki and he were very docile and cute!
As much fun as the sand sculpting festival is, Revere Beach is a great place to go anytime. Maybe I’ll see you there on my way to one of their fine restaurants!
Below is a video clip of some of the entertainment at the festival. Some of the people from Cirque Du Soleil performed on one of the main stages during the event.
Location: 33 Lothrop St, Beverly, MA (about 30 minutes northeast of Boston, MA)
Hours: Open daily sunrise to sunset
Parking: On street parking is available but limited. I did not see a parking lot at or near the beach.
Handicapped Accessible: Yes, certain areas are handicapped accessible. The beach is accessible through a paved walkway to the right of the beach.
Dog Friendly: Yes
Highlights: scenic, boating and other water activities, historical memorials, fishing, wildlife
History, beauty and recreation await you at Independence Park.
The picturesque park offers scenic views and benches to sit.
Although the bench and path at the park are pretty and provide beautiful views, they do not lead to the beach.
I don’t usually take artistic license with the photos I take. But as I was editing this photo, I noticed how the red really stood out in the boat at the front of the group of boats.
Although it may be possible to get to the beach from the path by the benches, a fence and rocky area prevent easy access to the beach.
There are entrances to beach are a short jaunt to the right and left of the monuments at the park. And, to the right of the park is a paved walkway to the beach.
The beach offers beautiful views, a clean beach area and a jetty to fish off. Rumor has it striped bass (“stripers”) are abundant in the area.
There are a lot of birds and other wildlife at the beach.
The beach is a popular spot for paddle boarders, surfers and boaters.
If you’re in the area and you want to try paddle boarding, kayaking or even winter paddling or snow shoeing during the winter, try Coast To Coast Paddle. Aaron, seen in the photo below, was getting ready to take a few paddlers out while I was taking photographs.
As the name would suggest, Independence Park is more than just a haven for sun seekers and paddle boarders. It also has a rich history.
One of the plaques at the park states that in 1775 the first authorized armed ship, The Hanna, set sail in those waters to capture British vessels. Just standing in an area that played such a pivotal role in our history is pretty freegin cool when you think about it.
There are also cannons, monuments and flags on the grounds of the park.
The park is dog friendly and there were quite a few dogs at the beach while I was there.
Below are just a few of the cute dogs I saw during my visit.
Koa (on the left) is a 3 month old mixed breed dog. Frank (on the right) is a Golden Retriever.
Polly is a 13 year old mixed breed dog.
Willow is a 4 month old Englisg Cream Golden Retriever.
(Oliver) Twist is a 5 year old Schnauzer Cairn Terrier mix (aka Carnauzer).
Highlights: Trail of fairy doors hidden in a variety of stores in the downtown Salem area
Tips:
the Fairy door trail exhibit is expected to continue all year long
if a business is not open when you come to look at the door, they are supposed to post it in an area that is visible to people walking past the store can view it
There are some new doors in Salem. Really, really tiny doors.
Hosted by the Witch’s Education League, the fairy door trail is a family friendly trail door hunt. Every door in the trail is able to be viewed at all of the stores on the map, even when the stores are closed. The stores are supposed to show of the doors by a window when they are closed so people can still see them. Everyone is allowed to look for and photograph the doors. But don’t expect the workers at the stores to help you. You’re supposed to find them yourself. You may get a “warm” or “cold” from some of the people working at the stores.
As an example of how well the doors are often hidden, can you find the door here in these photos?
Okay, in retrospect, some of them stand out. But, considering you have to look throughout the store for them, they can be hard to find sometimes. I love walking through these stores, especially since many of the wares being sold were made by Salem residents or people who live in the Salem area. They have such are so quaint and different, even while Salem seems to become less quaint with each passing year.
Don’t be like me and look for doors attached to trees, buildings or some other structure. I spent a good half hour doing this while people gave me a sideways look. No, these doors are not actual doors. They are artistic renditions of doors located inside the stores of certain merchants throughout Salem.
The 14 doors were made by 6 different artists: Kendra D’Angora, Hope Hitchcock, Meghan Kalgren, Jane Kelly, Harry Lancaster, Kosat Pslakis.
I am posting the doors in the order they are listed on the attached map. But, you do not have to look for them in any particular order and it may be best look for them by location rather than the way they are numbered on the map.
Keep in mind the map I have attached from the official website for the event is not accurate to the map I used when I went to visit. There isn’t a fairy door at The Hawthorne Hotel (instead I have replaced that listing with The Witch & Fairy Emporium at number 5 which is the one on the handout I received). Also, the fairy door listed as being at The Happy Sunflower is actually at The Happy Home which is located across the street. I have done my best to match up the doors with the listing on the map I attached while making the corrections as needed.
1.
The first door is located at The Witch House. It was made by Harry Lancaster.
The Witch & Fairy Emporium in the Museum Mall is host to this door by Jane Kelly.
6.
The Happy Home is home to this Fairy door made by Marcia Nickerson. It is listed as being at the Happy Sunflower in the original map. But, it was actually located at the Happy Home during my visit.
7.
This door, made by Marcia Nickerson, is on display at one of my favorite shops along the trail; Enchanted.
8.
Yet another door by Marcia Nickerson, this door can be found at Circle Of Stitches.
9.
Harry Lancaster made this door located at The Coven’s Cottage. Just as fyi, they do not allow photography at the Coven’s Cottage usually. But, they do allow people to photograph the fairy door.
This door, which is a little hard to see but is located behind the goblin or troll like figure, is located at The Salem Witch Museum. It was made by Marcia Nickerson.
There were also faeries out and about to help the kids (big and small) find the doors. As an aside, there are fairies and then there are faeries. Stop by my friend Joey’s and her faerie friends website at Moonrise Fae.
The dogs in Salem were busy looking for the fairy door trails as well.
Sammy is a 3 year old Pitbull
Cocoa, a 4 month old Chocolate Pomeranian, showed off her pretty flower.
Fenway is a 2 year old Rat Terrier and Heeler mixed breed.
Sweet Pea is a 2 to 4 year old Dashalier (Dachshund, Cavalier mix).
Fiona is a 13 week old Golden Retriever.
These two Golden Retrievers (from left to right) Lynes (pronounced “Li-nus”) 8 years old and Charley 1 year old shared a bowl of water. They drank it all too! They are father and son.
I also have posted some photos from a couple of my favorite shops on my Facebook page. There are so many awesome little shops along the trail and to be honest I could photograph all of them. But, I just focused on two for this particular visit. Maybe next time I will photograph some other shops. So stop by my page to see a few of the shops I stopped by and give my page a like if you want to see more like that!
What is a better place to spend Friday the 13th than Salem, MA? Well, maybe Camp Crystal Lake would be more appropriate. But, I’m not stepping one foot there!
I actually spent the weekend in Salem and it was not at all scary during my visit. In fact, it was downright peaceful.
The city of Salem was holding their annual window box competition that was judged at the end of July by the Salem Garden Club. Roughly 40 people compete. I was able to capture some of the prettier flower boxes. I am not sure if all or any of these flower boxes were involved in the competition. But, all of the window boxes and other flower baskets definitely looked like winners to me.
As an aside, Salem’s buildings are not always straight which can make photographing them difficult. It’snot just an excuse for the photographer. Well, maybe a little. But, due to soil erosion and the age of some of the buildings in the area, the buildings have shifted. So, while a window may look straight, the building may, in fact, not be.
I didn’t want to spend the entire day photographing the usual sites. Well, maybe I did include a few popular places in this post. But, I mostly wanted to get some photos of buildings that don’t get as much attention like the Essex Bank Building (built by Charles Bulfinch in 1811).
And the Stepping Stone Inn (built in 1933).
This is the back side of the Old Town Hall in Salem. You may recall seeing this building in the Hocus Pocus movie athough it may look more familiar from the front. It is the oldest municipal building in Massachusetts dating back to 1816. It is now used to display art and historical exhibits. The second floor of the building, called Great Hall, has always been used as a public hall, and contained Town offices until 1837.
Located across from historic Derby Wharf, the Custom House has a
The eagle on top of the house is actually a replica of the original. The original eagle was painted black during the second World War so that it would not be easily detected by any foreign fighters should they attack us on U.S. soil.
Built in 1810 for the prominent Salem merchant Benjamin Crowninshied, The Home For Aged Women (it now operates as the Brookhouse Home) is another one of the more majestic buildings on Derby St. The Brookhouse Home continues to offer assisted living and support to senior women
There’s always a feeling of Halloween in the air in Salem as these doors and windows show. After all, it’s never too early to count down the days until Halloween.
One of the more popular places in Salem, especially during Halloween, the Crow Haven Corner is Salem’s oldest witch shop. Make sure to stop by the next time you’re in the area!
The Salem Witch Museum from a different angle. I love the angles and shapes of the wall and windows.
These doors on an apartment complex on Derby St caught my attention. They both seemed to keep the old style of Salem in their designs.
One of the really cool things about Salem are the old buildings that have survived. While the offices and stores are different than the what was originally housed there, the structures are still the same.
This building, where Rockafella’s restaurant is now located, was used as the first meeting house in Salem from 1634 to 1673. Prior to that, as the sign suggests, it was used for worship in July and August of 1629.
The sign for Daniel Low & Co is a sign from a store which operated on Washington St. It operated from 1874 until 1995.
Named after Aaron Waite and Jerathmiel Peirce, the Salem Maritime Museum store on Derby Street sells wares associated with your trip to Salem. There are also helpful park rangers there to help you during your visit.
Dogs weren’t afraid to venture out to Salem on the 13th either.
Luna is a 6 month old liver pepper mini Schnauzer.
Bella is a 14 year old American Pitbull Terrier.
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New England Nomad 