SALEM — The Anderson family of Salem just wanted a dog to replace their beloved Ralph, a German shepherd who passed away more than a year ago.
They had planned for some time to go to the Northeast Animal Shelter on Highland Avenue but put off the trip until after their recent vacation.
So imagine their surprise when they went to pick up their puppy the other day and discovered that their little dog was the 100,000th pet adopted from the shelter since it opened in 1976. Suddenly, they found themselves in the middle of a celebration that included cake, applause, door prizes and photographers.
Lisa Anderson, accompanied by daughters Faith, 8, and Marena, 10, both students at Saltonstall School, chose an 8-week-old puppy that had just arrived from Georgia.
As a tribute to their late dog, they named the puppy R.J.
As in Ralph Jr.
Rock Lobster renovations
A kitchen makeover will change up the mix at the Lobster Shanty over the next week or so, says Sarah Stellato, the restaurant's front-of-the-house manager.
Shanty regulars needn't fear. The bar will still be serving libations over the 10 or so days of renovations, she said.
Today and tomorrow, customers can order takeout from participating restaurants and chow down and toast at the Front Street location. The eatery will be grilling meals outdoors Sunday from a shortened menu, which will include its namesake staple, lobster.
As has been its annual custom, Lobster Shanty will shut down Labor Day and Tuesday.
The eatery will reopen Wednesday with its grilling menu and continue outdoor cooking until the upgrades are complete, Stellato said.
For customers, renovations mean the return of the Guinness-soaked steak tips and the restaurant's signature burgers, though the cooking staff may be the ones to appreciate the changes the most.
The new-fangled equipment won't change a thing about the restaurant's well-earned reputation for "surly waitresses" and "cranky cooks."
"It will still be the Shanty," Stellato says confidently.
A good egg
Maitland Mountain Farm, off Loring Avenue, draws a lot of customers at the weekly Salem Farmers Market — and fields a lot of questions.
"Where is this place?" shopper Joanne Kowalski asked.
"You know where Fantasy Island is?" replied produce seller Andy Varela.
Customers come for a lot of things produced at the 2-acre farm, especially the fresh eggs. Owner Peter Maitland said he usually sells out the 35 or 40 dozen eggs he brings every week. Has he thought of selling more?
"I only have 35 chickens," he said, "and I don't want to get any more because it becomes too much of a job."
Customers seem to love the organic, free-range eggs.
"They're the most local eggs around," customer Kristin Rodgers said.
And they're hatched a long way from Iowa, where the huge egg farms have been linked to salmonella outbreaks and had to recall 500 million eggs. Fortunately, all the egg news in Salem is good.
"You can visit the chickens" at Maitland Farm, Rodgers said, "and see how healthy they are."
Homework help
The Boys & Girls Club of Greater Salem got some good news this week.
The Verizon Foundation has given the club $10,000 to help implement a project aimed at helping club members, especially teens, with homework. The funds will be used to upgrade computers and purchase software for the club's after-school program.
The check from Verizon was presented by a familiar face — former Mayor Stan Usovicz, who is Verizon's regional director of public affairs.
Usovicz, by the way, has abandoned that clean-shaven, City Hall look for a mustache and goatee. Looking good, Stan.
Off the wall
Another Salem artist is making her mark.
Salem native Andrea Bellomo, who goes by Andy, is living in Chicago, where she creates dazzling murals using an art form called bricolage, which she describes as a fusion of mosaic, painting and sculpture.
Her projects range from large-scale murals to smaller projects. She works with at-risk youths, the majority of whom are homeless and parenting teens.
"We all work together to build the mural based on an educational theme," said Bellomo, who graduated from Salem High School in 1997 and moved to Chicago in 2008. "They become employed for the project, educated about the art, learn social skills and work together as a team."
Check out her work at www.andybmurals.com.
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