Free Concert on September 19th

Cornerstone Bookstore in Salem, MA presents a fun evening of a cappella singing with two of the area’s premier ensembles: None of the Above and Fretless. There will be something for every musical taste from classical to pop to jazz. And best of all, it’s free! Details: September 19, 2009 7:00pm — Cornerstone Bookstore 45 Lafayette St Salem, MA.

Links:

• None of the Above
• Fretless
• Cornerstone Books

Living Green & Renewable Energy Fair

If you’re interested in learning more about sustainable living, you should stop by the Living Green & Renewable Energy Fair this Saturday, June 13th at Salem’s Old Town Hall.  The fair will be held from 10am to 3pm.  Among many other things, there will be solar powered toys on display.

A series of lectures will help you learn how to find green materials for renovations, how to be green by eating green and how to use solar energy in your home.

Your kids will love the “Kids Green Scene” where they can take part in earth friendly activities. Sponsored by Crunchy Granola Baby, you’ll find a place to relax while soaking in all the great information at hand.

DD Saturation in Vinnen Square

I’m on the second day of a caffeinne-detox.  So my senses are at a heightened sense of alert… I immediately saw the pink and orange sign in the Staples shopping center in Vinnen Square.  The first thought in my head was “isn’t it odd for the Dunkin’ Donuts across the street to have their sign in this center parking lot.”  My second thought was, “oh no, they didn’t just put a Dunkin’ Donuts directly across the street from an existing one.”

But there is was– a tiny new Dunkin’ Donuts nestled among the stores in the strip mall.  I couldn’t believe it, as the large DD across the street is always bustling with customers.  And my son always looks for the man who sells newspapers in the doorway.  He’s nice– he holds the door open for us.

I’ve seen this all over the place in New England.  And the problem exists with Starbucks in our urban centers.  Does each new proprietor hope they can steal customers from their neighborhood competition?   They better be some nice smiles behind the counter! If they build it, they will drink it…. I suppose.

What other “saturation” centers are there on the North Shore?

Celebrate the Olympics with PEM!

[Editor's Note: The following was provided by the Public Relations office of the Peabody Essex Museum.]

On August 9 - 10, the Peabody Essex Museum is pleased to celebrate the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics with a special ATRIUM ALIVE focused on Chinese Art and Culture.  The public is invited to explore PEM’s renowned Chinese art collection while taking part in an array of free activities planned for the weekend, including:

• Ping-pong matches led by MIT’s nationally-ranked players in the forecourt of Yin Yu Tang
• Traditional Chinese music performances by Silk Road Project musician, Hu Jianbing
• Tai Chi family workshops held in the PEM’s stunning East India Marine Hall
• Lion Dance performances and martial art demonstrations in the atrium
• Documentaries, readings, art activities, and more!

Visitors are also encouraged to explore Yin Yu Tang, an authentic Chinese merchant’s house from the Qing dynasty and the only example of its kind in North America.  For more information on Yin Yu Tang, please visit: http://pem.org/yinyutang

A schedule of the weekend’s events can be found here: August 9, August 10.

Polar Attractions at the Peabody Essex Museum’s Art & Nature Center

[Editor's Note: The following was provided by the Public Relations office of the Peabody Essex Museum.]

Salem, Mass. — The Peabody Essex Museum invites you to discover our planet’s polar regions in a new exhibition at the museum’s Art & Nature Center.

As magnificent as they are vulnerable, the Arctic and Antarctic inspire contemporary artists to capture the expansive panoramas, sculptural ice formations and resilient life thriving at the ends of the earth.

Polar Attractions explores creative responses to the polar environment and the science of climate change through 47 works of contemporary art and interactive stations.

“This exhibition encourages families to experience the polar regions through artwork and activities that demonstrate how nature and human influences have shaped these distinct, biologically important ecosystems over time,” said Jane Winchell, The Sarah Fraser Robbins Director of the Art & Nature Center and PEM curator of natural history. “Visitors will be surprised by the range of color, scale and texture in the show. We hope they will think of this exhibition as an opportunity to see parts of the world most of us will never have a chance to visit.”

Works conveying the unique viewpoints of more than 30 North American artists — including Native Alaskans and Canadian Inuit — are presented in four interconnected thematic sections: Ice, Landscape, Wildlife, and Human Interaction. Continue reading »

Discovering the North Shore: Forest River Conservation Area in Salem

What: A series of hiking trails along the salt marsh of the Forest River in Salem.

Where: Off Loring Avenue; behind the South Campus of Salem State College. Here’s a link to a map pinpointing the place where you can park.

Description: A great place to bring the dog and older kids, you will enjoy a hike through a second-growth New England forest. Be sure to wear sneakers and bug-repellent. At times the trees close in on the trail, so it may not be the best place to bring young kids in child carriers. Older kids, however, will enjoy navigating the maze of trails. I haven’t been able to find trail maps, but the park is small enough that you can navigate on your own.