Parking: There is both metered parking and parking garages and lots in the area.
Summary: 17 new works of art adorn the walls on Peabody St in the “punto” area of Salem, MA
Salem, MA, is a diverse community . And the “El Punto” (“The Point”) neighborhood is proof of this diversity. Comprised largely of Latinx and other new immigrants, El Punto is the sight of many art projects by the Punto Urban Art Museum (PUAM), a program of North Shore Community Development Coalition.
The Roots/Raices mural art project is meant to reflect on the layered histories of place and people. The aim of the project is to honor both the original inhabitants and the newer generations who have made Salem home.
The project, which is presented in partnership with Salem 400+, Salem Maritime National Historic Site, and the Peabody Essex Museum, unites arts, history, and community to honor Salem’s past while envisioning its future. Selected artists received a $1,000 stipend to create 8-by-8-foot mural works that will become part of PUAM’s semi-permanent outdoor collection. Artists were asked to share their stories and to seek out and bring together their different experiences and beliefs.
These murals are usually painted every year or few years. In fact, I photographed the last group of murals there which were part of a project called A Dream Called Home. The works of art do not have titles. But, most of the artists left their Instagram or other contact info in the artwork.
From the Old Salem Depot, the old Salem train that used to run through the center of the city, to the famous lighthouse (Fort Pickering Light) and the trolley which takes its passengers past all of the historical sites in Salem, some of the works of art pay tribute to parts of Salem and its history.
While it’s unofficial history can be dated back to 1760 when members of two institutions started combining the latest scientific works into a joint collection, it wasn’t until 1810 when they decided to merge together to form the Salem Athenaeum.
There was no permanent location for the athenaeum for many decades. Then, in 1850, at the bequest of Caroline Plummer, a philanthropist and founder of Plummer Professorship of Christian Morals, a brick building was constructed in the Italianate style at 132 Essex St. The Athenaeum stayed at this location for 50 years. Then, in 1905, the Athenaeum sold the building to the Essex Institute. It would later become what is now the Peabody Essex Museum.
With the proceeds from the sale of the building at 132 Essex St, the Salem Athenaeum was built at at its current location of 337 Essex St. Dedicated in 1907, the current red brick building was modeled after the Homewood Estate in Maryland which was built by Charles Carroll one of the signers (and longest living survivor) of the Declaration of Independence.
Over the years, many people of note have been members of the Salem Athenaeum. Nathaniel Hawthorne, mathematician Nathaniel Bowditch, former Supreme Court Justice Joseph Story, Impressionist painter Frank W. Benson and Charles Grafton Page, an early inventor of the electric motor, have all been members of the Athenaeum.
The name “Athenaeum” is derived from the Greek goddess of wisdom, “Athena.” And, according the tour guide, the translation for “Athenaeum” is loosely “private library.”
From time to time, the athenaeum will feature speakers, presenters and other people of note to speak. This book tree consists of books written by people who have spoken at the athenaeum.
Because of a certain famous theatrical release from last year, there were a few exhibits dedicated to The Wizard Of Oz and other related works.
The Athenaeum has many interesting pieces of decor.
This may look familiar to some. It is a drawing taken from the Chronicles of Narnia (The Last Battle). I got the feels when I saw that as it was one of my favorite books I read as a younger person. This is one of the treasures of going to a library like this. It can not only open doors of learning. It can also revive old dormant feelings.
The athenaeum also has a special vault where books, pamphlets and other publications with high appraisal values are kept. But, the small climate-controlled storage area can only hold a fraction of the highly prized documents.
While the library is open and free to everyone during their normal hours of operation, members get perks such as borrowing books or magazines without overdue fines, advanced notice and reduced fee or free admission to programs and events and other bonuses.
Location: Naumkeag, 5 Prospect Hill Rd, Stockbridge, MA (2 hours west of Boston, MA)
Cost: $25 for adults, $12 for children
Universally Accessible” No, the trail includes stairs and some hilly inclines
Summary: Hundreds of thousands of lights lit up Naumkeag in Stockbridge, MA
Ranked one of the top 10 winter attractions in the country, Naumkeag’s Winterlights display lived up to its hype this year!
The estate, which boasts a home with a 44 rooms and 40 acres of land, kept visitors in awe with its grandeur.
Every time I photograph a low light event like this I wish I could take my tripod with me. It would be easier from a technical standpoint and the photos would look better. But, for good reasons, they are not usually allowed on the grounds. So, I did my best with my Canon 5D Mark IV with my 24 mm prime (1.4 aperture).
In the garden area, there was a “wish tree.” People could write their wishes for the upcoming year and hang them on a tree.
I wouldn’t mind extra pizza rolls either. And best wishes, Scott.
So many wishes…
There was also an igloo like structure in the garden. You may see some fog that was piped into the area. (to the left of the third photo)
Everything was lit up and very festive looking!
Along the trail there was a cute little greenhouse that was decorated for the holidays!
Along the main trail, there were a variety of lights and objects that were lit up!
This tree to the right of the photo reminded me of the trees un the Wizard Of Oz for some reason!
These very unique lights looked like insects.
There were also these brightly lit hut like structures you could walk through.
From a distance, the main attraction of the display, the trees along the path looked majestic all lit up!
But, they looked even better up close.
There were also places to sit by the fire and get a beverage or two.
There were also decorations and a piano player at the home at Naumkeag.
The case in the photo below has a special collection of nutcrackers.
It’s hard to believe yet another holiday has come and gone! But, don’t fret! If you’re in New England, you only have 3 or 4 more moths of bone chilling weather!
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!
Summary: The Mehla Shriners hosted their annual Feztival of Trees to raise funds for their charitable causes.
Trees were aglow in Springfield at the 2024 Feztival of Trees. As the name suggests, the festival was run by the Melha Shriners.
There were an array of different trees and wreaths to see.
The trees that lit up were fun to watch!
Visitors could enter a raffle for their favorite trees. And there were many to chose from!
Some of my favorite decorations were not traditional trees or not even trees at all like this “ladder tree” and some of the inflatable decorations.
The ornaments and decor were very festive and at times inspiring!
Some of the trees had themes. This tree had a bee theme.
This was a Halloween tree!
And there was this Irish/St Patrick’s Day tree!
One particular themed tree stood out. “Snacking Around the Christmas Tree” was decorated by Ed Lyons in memory of his wife of 49 years. A variety of snacks such as M&M’s, Lay’s potato chips and Frito’s (his wife especially liked chips) hung from the tree. Ed used to jokingly call them “stinky snacks” because of their strong odors!
The Ornament Lady was taking orders for handmade ornaments…unless you wanted a Yankees ornament!
Mr. and Mrs. Clause stopped by to make sure everyone was still on the “nice” list! But, don’t worry if you’re not on the list! You still have a few more weeks to get on the list!
All of the proceeds generated from the event went to the Mehla Shriners to assist with their charitable endeavors!
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!
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!
During one weekend in July, fifteen sand sculptors from all over the world showed off what they can do with sand at Revere Beach Sand Sculpture Festival.
To celebrate the 20th annual festival, there were sculptures of, of course, cake.
This sculpture incorporated themes and elements of previous sand sculptures at the event, and, of course, some of the sponsors.
While there were sculptors from all over the world at the event, there were also some familiar faces there. If you go to the Hampton Beach Sand Sculpture Classic or read my posts about that festival, some of the names of the sculptors from this competition may sound familiar. In fact, 4 of the participants in the Revere Sand Sculpture Festival also participated in the Hampton Beach Sand Sculpture Classic.
The 3 day festival, which includes entertainment acts, food stations and carnival rides, took place from Fri, July 19 until Sunday, July 21. The awards were presented Saturday evening. Speaking of awards, I am going to list the sculptures with the award winning sand sculptures first.
1st Place & Sculptor’s Choice – “Blend In” by Jobi Bouchard (Canada)
2nd Place – “Untitled” by Slavian Borecki (Poland)
3rd Place – “Dinner” by Susanne Ruseler (The Netherlands)
4th Place – “Barn Swallow, Swallow Barn” by Bouke Atema
5th Place – “Fish Fantasy” by Karen Fralich
The remaining sand sculptures that did not win any awards but were still very impressive are listed below.
“Pray” by Matsu Yoshi (Japan)
“Reflower” by Abe Waterman (Canada)
“Embrace Your Shadows To See Wholeness” by Hanneke Supply (Belgium)
“Say More” by Morgan Rudluff (California)
“Phoenix Rising” by Bruce Philips (California)
“Cat Burglar” by Patrick Harsch (Florida)
“Dice Of Destiny” by Greg Grady (New Hampshire)
“The Special Selfie” by Ndricim (Jimmy) Bejko
“A Butterfly’s Playground” by Deb Barret-Cutulle (Saugus, MA)
“Space Child” by Jeroen Advocaat (The Netherlands)
While all of the sculptures were great, everyone usually has a favorite. For what it’s worth, “The Cat Burglar” won me over. Which sculpture is your favorite?
Summary: 16 art exhibits are located throughout downtown Boston.
While this winter weather may have been a difficult one for many of us, there was a bright spot in the downtown Boston area. The walkable art exhibit known as Winteractive brought some color and fun to what can be a dreary and frigid Boston winter.
The exhibits, which were inspired by the winter art festivals in Quebec, Canada, are located throughout the downtown Boston area. However, they are mainly located near Downtown Crossing train station, City Hall Plaza and High Street as well as Summer St. near the South Station train station. You can view the locations on this map. While it is possible to walk to all of the exhibits, it may be a good idea to use public transportation or rideshare services to view some of the exhibits off the beaten path.
As you will see, some of the exhibits are interactive. Whenever possible, I got some friendly people to help use the interactive devices for filming. I am listing these exhibits in the order of their locations. Eleven exhibits are are located in or near the Downtown Crossing area. Two more are located in or near City Hall Plaza and the last 2 are located in the Financial District on or near Summer St. Consult the map on the attached link above if you plan on visiting these exhibits.
Echoes: A Voice From Unchartered Waters
1 Franklin St
Mathias Gmachl (United Kingdom)
Steel structure on base
As you emerge from the Downtown Crossing train station, the first exhibit you will see ifs Echoes: A Voice From Unchartered Waters. This exhibit in the shape of a whale is meant to ask us to consider our everyday activities on nature and the environment and to make us be more aware of its fragility. The exhibit not only lights up. It also makes sounds that you can only hear if you’re very close to it.
The artist Mathias Gmachl said he wanted to create a space for people to discuss the future of our planet.
The next 5 works of art were all completed by the same artist; Mark Jenkins. These are all listed below. Mark uses common household or personal items such as tape, wigs, fabrics, fishing rods (yes fishing rods) and rope among other items in his work. Although there is not ,more information available for all of these exhibits, I have included some info when I can find it. Since some of the exhibits relied on their lighting to add to their artistic value, I only went either at night or just before night time. I did like how the sunset or pre sunset light reflected on some of the installations.
Fisherman (Untitled #1)
Summer St at Chauncy St
It is not fish, but love, this person is trying to catch. Good luck, there!
The Swing (Untitled # 2)
Winter St at Tremont St
Woman Suspended (Untitled #3)
Temple Pl
*this exhibit is temporarily unavailable
Stairwalker (Untitled # 4)
31 Bromfield St
Clothesline (Untitled #5)
9 West St (the site of the outdoor lot at Brattle Book Shop)
Blissful Rendezvous
Summer Street Pedestrian Plaza
Kezna Dalz
Vinyl digital print
This exhibit was meant to show the commonalities between the Boston and Quebec provinces by including the flora and fauna of both locations and using Boston as its backdrop. You may notice some of the more notable landmarks and things common in Massachusetts and New England such as lobsters, deer and colorful flowers.
There are also 5 “play feature” exhibits made by LeMonde Studio. They make sounds, light up or do some other fun things based on user interaction.
Light Lane Bikes
Summer Street Pedestrian Plaza
I tried to get someone to ride these bikes so I could display the way the lights change but I had no takers. The colored lines on the bikes light up and moved as people pedal. That’s it!
Guitar Slide
City Hall Plaza
As the name suggests, there is a slide on the neck of this guitar
Music Box
High Street Place Entrance
Photo Frame
Summer Street Pedestrian Plaza
I was able to persuade someone to crank the lever on the device next to the frame and light up this picture frame!
Bird House
Hyatt Regency, One Avenue De Lafayette
This is another interactive exhibit. You simply crank the lever on the box and the bird makes some interesting sounds!
“End Game” (Nagg & Nell)
Max Streicher
Recycled vinyl signs, fans, steel cable
This was certainly my, and many other people’s, favorite exhibit. There were always a group of people stopping by to photograph it whenever I passed by the area. However, the back story of the characters in this exhibit is pretty grim. The inflatable heads are based on characters in the play by Irish novelist Samuel Beckett; End Game. In this play, the characters Nell and Nagg are forced to live out their lives in a dumpster after losing their legs. Yikes.
The mythical unicorn stands behind a frosted glass display. This was a tricky photo to take. I wanted to photograph it at night to show off the light in the display. Yet, the display did tend to reflect the glare from the street lights and lights from the storefronts. In retrospect, I should have photographed it from the other side.
Island Of Warmth
125 Summer St
ATOMIC3
Steel and light elements
Two hundred and twenty bulbs light up intermittently on this visual, musical and luminous display. The Island of Warmth is a tribute to Montreal’s festive tradition. But, despite the name, it’s not going to keep you warm. So, don’t try to warm up by it!
Territories 2.0
175 Federal St
Olivier Roberge
Steel, polycarbonate, paint, miniature models, LED lighting
Described as a “true narrative microcosm”, this walk in exhibit is a diorama which depicts a natural environment that has been abundantly transformed by human intervention and climate change.
Although it’s more like Springactive at this point, this exhibit is a must see if you’re in the Boston area! But, don’t wait. The displays will only be up until April 15!
Summary: The family friendly Irish Festival at Patriot Place included Irish step dancers, musical acts, face painting and many people dressed in their best Irish themed attire!
Everyone was Irish at the Irish Festival at Patriot Place!
Music, dancing and colorful costumes were in abundance last weekend at the 13th annual Irish Festival at Patriot Place in Foxborough, MA.
The festival included Irish musical acts such as Fenian Sons. I especially like how the musician in the background made sure he got in the photo!
But, the highlight of the Irish Festival for most of visitors were the Irish Step Dancers. The festival featured dancers the Sullivan-Stewart School of Irish Dance, Greene-O’Leary School of Irish Dance, Keane O’Brien Academy of Irish Dance and Harney Academy of Irish Dance.
The lighting at the event was challenging. But, at least at the beginning of the event, the lighting gave some great color and highlights to the dancers. I especially like how the rays of sun hit off the dancer’s hair.
The pure joy and concentration the dancers expressed was great to see and photograph.
The acrobatics, twirls and other dance moves were very impressive.
The dancers gave the event quite a kick. The Rockettes have nothing on them!
In between the dancing schools performances, some of the visitors took to the dance floor.
There were also special guests at the event such as Blades, the official mascot of the Boston Bruins.
And Nauset, named after the popular beach in Orleans, MA, also made an appearance.
Perhaps the most fun part of the event to photograph were the visitors. Some of the visitors dressed up for the event. While others decided to wear fancy headwear and get their faces painted!
Although I didn’t partake, there were many restaurants and bars to rest and fuel up at during the event. However, I don’t know if corned beef was on their menus.
New England Nomad 