Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with Salem

Looking for more details of Salem-as-Arkham

robocop is bleeding — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 06:37:38 -0800

I'm looking for details about H.P. Lovecraft's visits to Salem, MA. Thanks to Google Books and Scholar, I know HPL visited the Salem area pretty routinely (1923, 1929), basing his fictional towns of Arkham and Kingsport off of Salem and Marblehead respectively. I'm looking for details of his visits - where he went, where he stayed, etc. Being a true 'man of letters' I'm pretty sure he would have written about his visits in some of his correspondence.

However, the sheer volume of correspondence (and surprisingly high cost of bound editions of his selected letters) is pretty daunting. So before I unleash the dogs of ILL, I was hoping that there was some sort of online guide or resource I could consult first in order to better target my interlibrary loans.

An Index to the Selected Letters of H.P. Lovecraft by Joshi seems like a place to start, but my best source for the volume is prying it from Harvard's cold, dark vaults and I'm a'feared of the hound, so I'm looking for other options.

The eventual goal is to produce a pamphlet and/or podcast walking tour of Salem-as-Arkham, sort of a ghost walk through a bit of Lovecraft country. It would combine details from his fiction ("Here's where Carter sat in The Unnamable, watch out for shoggoths."), his life ("Lovecraft slept here."), and city sites that are evocative of the Mythos ("This building is not Arkham Asylum - that's in Danvers - but it is architecturally similar." or "The Peabody-Essex has a vast collection of items imported from the Orient by Salem merchants. What dread stone idols lie moldering in its basement, whispering their secrets to the empty air?").

I've got all the references from his tales that I need (although more are always welcome) and my fertile imagination can produce enough eldritch symmetry between the Mythos and Salem. It's the hard biographical data that I need a leg up on.

Are there any local Pilates classes?

thatbrunette — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 15:51:25 -0800

Any good Pilates classes to be found on the cheap in Portland/Salem areas? I'm a student looking to get into Pilates, but aside from forking over $200 for a gym membership (just to get the classes) I'm not finding anything local. I'm actually in McMinnville, but can travel to Portland or Salem once a week for classes if need be. I already have access to a gym, I just want the in-person Pilates experience!

Looking for House Painter

bungalowbabe — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 08:03:28 -0800

Can anyone reccomed a house painter in Salem, Oregon? I am restoring a lovely old bungalow and want someone who will do a really good job and is sensitive to old houses. Reasonably priced is good too.

Move to Salem OR?

saragoodman3 — Wed, 05 Jul 2006 09:20:55 -0800

Considering moving to Salem Oregon. Do you live there? Have you lived there before? How can I learn more about the area before we visit? There is My husband and I are 30-ish. We might move and rent for a year or two, and then buy a house. We can swing a $250k mortgage. If we could live below our means that would be ideal. I don’t mind living in a suburb as long as everyone minds their own business (no associations). I would love a large yard and a tall fence; I am willing to sacrifice ‘culture’ for privacy and low crime. We want to have a kid, in 2-3 years. I want a fireplace, a dining room/area, a ‘master suite’, a basement. I like museums, books, dogs, bikes, roses. We are foodies, home bodies, but like to have friends over for dinner. We live in So Cal and housing prices here are prohibitive. Four years ago we moved here from Brooklyn. Before that we lived in the Midwest. I do like sun but also appreciate a light rain and a cloudy day. We don’t need night clubs or sport teams or amusement parks. We need the internet, home depot, a good grocery store. At least one of us would have to find a job, before we could move, but we are both reasonably intelligent and employable. I am a records department supervisor for a medical company. I like to organize stuff, I have management experience. My husband is the IT guy, currently building the infrastructure from the ground up at an office. I would like to hear your opinions, but would also value links to relevant info. I don’t want to drive more than a half hour to get to work, the subway or bus is cool too. Will it be likely that we can find more happiness in Salem? Which parts of Salem are sketchy, which are boring and suburban? Please tell me about your experiences. Sorry for the long post; I wanted to give as much info about me as I thought was relevant.

Where should I live in Oregon?

saragoodman3 — Fri, 12 May 2006 15:57:26 -0800

I want to move to Oregon. I have heard good things about Ashland, Medford, Roseburg, Eugene, Corvallis, Salem, Beaverton, and Portland. How can I choose where to try first? We have ‘up and moved’ before (without plans, no jobs waiting at new city) and I don’t want to do that again. I can see us moving summer 2007. I am a twenty-something white female. I am married and we have a cat. I want to move to Oregon and rent for a year or two, and then buy a house. We can swing a $250k mortgage. If we could live below our means that would be ideal. I don’t mind living in a suburb as long as everyone minds their own business. I would love an acre surrounded by a tall fence. I am willing to sacrifice ‘culture’ for privacy. I want to get a dog, and eventually we want to have a kid, in the next 5-6 years. I want a fireplace, a dining room/area, a ‘master suite’, a basement. I like museums, books, bikes. We are foodies, home bodies, but like to have friends over for dinner. We live in So Cal and I cant take it here anymore. Four years ago we moved here from Brooklyn, before that we lived in the Midwest.

Another Ask MeFi is in here somewhere about Portland, so I don’t really need Portland advice, but does anyone else have any thoughts about the other cities, or ones I don’t know about? I don’t know if Portland will be too big of a city for me, with my dreams of a tall fence.

At least one of us would have to find a job, before we could move, but we are both reasonably intelligent and employable. I am a records department supervisor for a medical company. I like to organize stuff, I have management experience. My husband is the IT guy, currently building the infrastructure from the ground up at an office. I would like to hear your opinions, but would also value links to relevant info. I don’t want to drive more than a half hour to get to work, the subway or bus is cool too. Sorry for the long post; I wanted to give as much info about me as I thought was relevant.

What's the best cell phone for Salem, Oregon?

jdroth — Wed, 29 Jun 2005 08:20:01 -0800

A question for a friend: "What can you tell me regarding cell phone coverage in Salem, Oregon? Specifically, I'm looking for recommendations as to which company has the best coverage in the area. (I'll be moving to a new house a few miles south of town, toward Independence.) I don't want to get a new phone and then never use it because the coverage sucks. The three companies I'm thinking about are Cingular, Verizon, and T-Mobile." We realize this is a long-shot, but it cannot hurt to ask.