Salem Massachusetts insiders information guide to restaurants, bars, nightlife, shopping and living for tourists and residents.

Salem Farmers Market initial review

Written by Glen Hughes on June 29th, 2009 No Comments

In Salem we kick it old school. Very old school. Busting out the “everything old is new again” mantra, Thursday saw Salem’s first Farmers Market of the 21st century. The resurgence of the outdoor market proved to be a common interest for much of the city, as it was a mob scene from beginning to end.

Salem Farmers Market

Featuring fresh produce from eight different farms, many residents gathered armfuls of leafy lettuce, radishes, potted herbs, flowers and the one stand that had something different to offer in the form of strawberries and tomatoes, had quite a line to wait in.

Waiting in line

Anyone hoping for the great variety of fruits and veggies you might find in Boston’s Haymarket will be sadly disappointed. Due to the time of year, available foods were limited to mainly “green stuff”. However, not too many people seemed to mind. Most were just happy to be able to take advantage of shopping for fresh, farm grown produce in their own back yard.

Fresh greens

We are looking forward to a larger and changing selection of available food stuffs from the local farms as the seasons progress. If you are interesting in scooping up some treats make sure you get to Derby Square early for the best selections and to beat the crowds.

More than just fruits and veggies

you can get magickly clean

Hot fun in the summer time?

Written by Glen Hughes on June 24th, 2009 1 Comment

Salem Common durring Snow Storm

Did you hear? It is officially summer.  I wouldn’t blame you for not knowing, if you look outside its been gloomy, dreary, rainy and all around craptastic.  People have been on the twitters moaning about having only three days of sun in June and how they want to beat up the weather man with a sack full of oranges.

Usually as-soon-as summer arrives I give you a brief overview of some fun things that are happening in Salem.  But this year I feel a little guilty telling you about the Rockmore being open when I haven’t even made my first trip over there this year.  I wouldn’t want you to get all jazzed up about the Salem Jazz and Soul Festival and their free events around town. It would be sour grapes to talk about the Salem Farmers Market that starts up tomorrow.

Maybe when the weather breaks I can give you more info on a weekly group motorcycle ride starting in Salem.  Show you some new photos of life around town. And introduce you to a few new faces in town including one rather famous blogger. Until then enjoy some of the fun things to do in Salem when mother nature is kicking you in the teeth.

Tavern in the Square

Written by Mr. Salem on May 29th, 2009 19 Comments

Tavern in the Square
Corner of New Derby & Washington
Salem, MA 01970
www.taverninthesquare.com

Tavern in the Square

The much awaited Tavern In The Square opened this week and we ran over to check it out. The first thing you will notice is that this place is big huge. The generically unimpressive front door opens to a cavernous restaurant/bar. The interior is clean and new with wood floors and unassuming striped carpet but the true nature of this establishment as a sports bar shines through from the plethora of flat screen and projection TVs on almost every inch of the walls.

Interior of Tavern in the Square

We started with one of their featured appetizers Buffalo Calamari ($9.99). The heaping plate came with full calamari as-well-as rings, jalapenos, a healthy dose of blue cheese and an unusual topping of carrot shavings. The buffalo sauce is fairly mild and shouldn’t dissuade anyone from trying this tasty treat.

Buffalo Calamari

For main courses we chose the staple of all sports bars: a burger and, for those who are less meat-centric, a marinated feta and avocado salad with grilled chicken.  The burger choice was the Bacon and Blue Cheese stuffed Burger ($11.99). Grilled to a perfect medium rare and loaded up with heaps of blue cheese the burger and side of waffle fries were just what I was looking for, juicy, full of flavor and delicious.

Close-up of the Bacon Blue Burger

The marinated feta and avocado salad ($9.99) was just as massive as the burger. We added the grilled chicken ($2.99) but found that it was not needed because the salad was stocked with white beans and pistachio nuts giving a healthy dose of protein. The greens were fresh and snappy and the salad had interesting and surprisingly good mix of flavors.

Feta Salad with grilled chicken

Even though we were stuffed from our meals (we even took 1/2 the salad home) one item on the desert menu was too tempting to pass up.  Super decedent and loaded with more calories than I can even imagine, the Fried Snickers dessert ($6.99) is a Southern treat. Wrapped in a light crust and deep fried, a snickers candy bar never tasted so good.

Fried Snickers

Tavern in the Square is not your typical Salem eatery, it’s a little too polished and forced.  Hopefully its personality will emerge over time.  With pub trivia on Wednesday and DJ’s Thursday – Saturday, I’m sure the twenty-something crowd that goes to places like Sylvan Street Grille in Danvers will flock to down town Salem and enjoy our newest tavern.

Price: $$
Atmosphere: B
Drinks & wine selection: B
Food: B+
Service: B+
Overall:  B+

I hope that when the good weather gets here and the Taverns doors open up that all the condo owners who buy directly above will understand what they have done and not bitch and moan about it like some other new down town condo owners.

Weekend Warrior

Written by Glen Hughes on May 22nd, 2009 1 Comment

Us peeps at the Salem Insider seem to have gotten absorbed in our little microcosms recently and have realized that we haven’t done a
“Weekend Warrior” post in a long time, but with the long weekend and things heating up in Salem what better time to post than now.

The kick-off for summer has reinvigorated us and now that Memorial Day weekend is upon us, there is LOTS of great stuff to do! PLUS, we have an extra night to go out and have some fun.

Special Events / Festivals

The Salem Ferry
A welcome site to see, the Salem Ferry will resume operations on Friday, May 22, 2009. Round trip service to and from Boston – a scenic 45-minute trip of New England coastline on a high speed catamaran with 6-8 round trips daily, 7 days a week. (978) 741-0220

Rockmore Floating Restaurant Opens For Season
Season opening of The Rockmore Floating Restaurant (May 22 – September 7, 2009). Hope to see you there! Catch a launch at The Congress Street Bridge. Launches board from 11:00 am – 9:00 pm daily. 781-639-0600 (seasonal)

Griffen Theatre is hosting comedy shows
Griffen Theatre will host several comedy events at its location at 7 Lynde St. in Salem. For tickets or information call 978-317-1169 or e-mail griffentheatre@gmail.com. Seating is limited in most cases, so reserve tickets early. Friday and Saturday, May 22-23, 8 p.m. Stand-up with New York comic Mike Reardon. Hosted by Erik Rodenhiser. This is a night of stand up with headliner Mike Reardon and other comics from the Boston comedy scene. Tickets are $20 and include complimentary beverages.

Young-adult author event
Steve Kluger, author of “My Most Excellent Year,” will speak on Saturday, May 23, 7:30 p.m., at Cornerstone Books, 45 Lafayette St. Admission is free.

Last spring’s No. 1 Book Sense young-adult pick is now in paperback. Romance, real life challenges and frequent hilarity follow three Boston-area teens in “My Most Excellent Year: A Novel of Love, Mary Poppins and Fenway Park.” Written in a series of school essays, diary entries, e-mails and instant messages, this novel about family, friendships, politics, baseball and musical theater is a heartwarming book for people who hate heartwarming books. For more information, call 978-744-1831 or visit cornerstonebooks-salem.com.

Memorial Day Events:

Sunday, May 24
There will be a wreath laying ceremony at the Veterans Memorial in St. Mary’s Cemetery at 10:30 a.m. At 11:30 a.m. there will be a Memorial Day Mass at St. John the Baptist Church, 28 St. Peter’s St.

Immediately following the Mass, there will be a Ceremony of Remembrance for those Lost at Sea on the Winter Island Pier. After this service, there will be a collation at the Stefan Starzynski Polish Legion of American Veterans Post No. 55, 9 Daniels St.

Monday, May 25
The annual Salem Memorial Day Parade will kick off from in front of North River Cycles, 83 North St., at 10:30 a.m., then will proceed down North Street to Orne Street and into Greenlawn Cemetery.

At the Civil War Monument will be held the Annual Ceremony of Remembrance beginning at 11 a.m. This year’s keynote speaker will be Major Martha L. Ryan, Nurse Corps, U.S. Army Reserves, who has been in the service for 22 years, most recently being assigned to the 323rd Combat Support Hospital in Iraq.

Also expected are state Rep. John D. Keenan and U.S. Rep. John F. Tierney.

Following the ceremonies, there will be a collation at the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Witch City Post 1524, 95 Derby St.

Music

Friday, May 22

• The Intermission, Metavari 9:30pm @ Bangkok Paradise
• Neurological Damage & The Force @ Dodge Street
• Los Sugar Kings (mambo-salsa dance party 9:30pm) @ Edgewater Cafe
• Machine 475 @ Gulu Gulu
• Afternoon Blues Jam @ In a Pig’s Eye
  
• Traditional Irish Music (6-9pm) DJ Lost Daze (dance, pop, hip-hop 10pm) @ O’Neill’s
• Moonglow @ Rockafellas
• Phat Maxx 8:30 @ Black Lobster (Stromberg’s)

Saturday May 23

• DARQ (goth/industrial) @ Bangkok Paradise
• Sour D @ Dodge Street
• Standing Wave @ Gulu Gulu
• Traditional Irish Music (6-9pm) DJ (dance, pop, hip-hop 10pm) @ O’Neill’s
• The Spinz @ Rockafellas
• Reggae Vision 8:30 @ Black Lobster (Stromberg’s)

Sunday May 24

Salem Ferry

Written by Glen Hughes on May 4th, 2009 3 Comments

A good number of Salemites who commute to Boston hop on the rail and ride down to North Station each morning. Others spend their time in the parking lot that is route 128 and 93 or money cutting over the Tobin bridge or through the Ted Williams Tunnel. But from May to November there is another option.

Salem Ferry the Bowditch

As a person who has to travel to Boston more often come June 1st, I’ve been looking at taking the Salem Ferry once in a while.  The Salem Ferry is a 92-foot high-speed catamaran with a capacity of 149 passengers. It makes the trip between Salem and Boston in 45 minutes that’s about 10 minutes longer than the commuter rail but if you are going to the financial district your overall trip may be shorter.

As with any method of transportation the Salem Ferry has it’s pros and cons. Aside from a season opening fire a few years back, some of the obvious cons are price, weather and schedule.

The price of a round trip ferry ride is $24 ($20 off season) commuters can get a 10 ride pass (one week) for $54.  Compared to the commuter rail which is $163 a month the ferry costs $53 dollars MORE!

If you are a 9 to 5 worker you would have to take the boat at 7am getting you to Long Wharf at 7:55 (that’s 10 minutes longer than they claim it takes, maybe it’s the “new math”).  Then heading out of Boston there is a 5:10 or 7:10.  It’s like they missed the obvious departure times.  For this to be worthwhile to the commuter it should depart Salem around 8am and arrive in Boston around 8:45 then for the evening commute depart around 6 and arrive in Salem around 6:45.

Is the Salem Ferry only for tourists?

It looks like the schedule and time isn’t very conducive for the daily Salem to Boston commuter but what about tourists?

The Boston dock for the Salem ferry is centrally located at Long Wharf, right near the Aquarium, Faneuil Hall, the North End and plenty of other tourist locations, hotels and restaurants.  If you are a tourist going to Boston you will no-doubt find yourself near they ferry so it’s quite convenient.  Let’s face it, taking a boat through the harbor islands and up along the coast is much more fun than the MBTA’s Orange line to North Station then a commuter train through Everett, Chelsea and Lynn on your way to Salem.  Sure it costs a few bucks more but when you get off the boat in Salem you are right by the House of Seven Gables, a big attraction for Salem tourists.

Splitting the difference

If you are someone who prefers a more enjoyable commute but can’t fathom a 7am departure, maybe splitting the difference is the way to go.  Why not take the train in to Boston in the morning and then decompress with a leisurely cruise home?  We forgot to mention one of the Salem Ferry’s strong points – their on board bar.  What would be better than soaking up the late afternoon rays, enjoying the ocean scenery as you zip away from Boston sipping on an adult beverage?  Looks like for us Salemites taking the ferry once in a while could be the best of both worlds.

The Salem Ferry opens for service on May 22 with its summer schedule going into effect on June 20.  Tickets can be purchased at the ferry or online.  Visit salemferry.com for schedule and other info.