Bearduary & Marchstache

Get your beard on people! It's now February AKA the month of Bearduary!

So the deal is you men out there get to refrain from shaving for the month of February. Its good, and warm, although we do admit slightly itchy. However if you can score yourself a nice hunka beard this month then next month you will be all set up for March AKA the month of Marchstache! 

In March 2010 the Gulu will be holding a best / most creative mustache competition!!! Yes! So get your beards growing & stay tuned!

Introducing …. Martini Mondays!

Just in case we forgot to tell ya... each Monday starting at 5:00 we feature a new martini for only 7 bucks!  Come on down & see what our staff comes up with!

Valentine’s Day

You know we’re pretty low-key here at the Gulu, so we’re keeping it simple...  This year we will be showing Casablanca all day and unveiling our new dessert plate featuring three small bites.  Bring your date or just bring yourself!

The Salem Film Festival Returns!

The Salem Film Festival is entering its 3rd year and once again the Gulu is sponsoring one of the films - this year Gulu-Gulu Café will be sponsoring the film Automorphosis! 

From the festival’s website: “What if you could morph your car into a mobile work of art, and drive it down the road for all to see? What would it look like? What would the world think of you? How would you be changed?”  Automorphosis will be playing on the main screen on Sunday, February 28 at 1:40pm. Czech it out!

Calling all artists!
We have two Arty Salem-centric events we thought you might want to know about...

The new South River Basin Harborwalk will be unveiled this June and the City of Salem is looking for artists & craftsmen to bring the ribbon cutting to life with the possibility of the selected work remaining in the park throughout the summer of 2010.  Proposals are due March 4. 
For more information, contact Frank Taormina at the City of Salem, DPCD at ftaormina@salem.com or 978-619-5685.

The Salem Arts Festival is looking for submissions! 
The deadline for proposals is March 15.  This is a great opportunity for all types of artists out there.  From their website: “The Salem Arts Festival will celebrate all the arts: painting, photography, sculpture, dance, music, writing, film, new media, performance, theatre, poetry, culinary and visual art.”  For more information and a proposal application, click here: http://salemartsfestival.com/.

24 Hours of Hardcore Gulu Action!

You know you want it! You know you need it!

Get the latest Gulu information anytime or all the time - follow us on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Salem-MA/Gulu-Gulu-Cafe/92602358091?ref=ts) or Twitter: @gulucafe.

Gulu New Years Eve Party!
December 31, 2009

We hope you'll join us this New Year's Eve for our Masquerade Ball.

Tickets are $8 in advance and $10 the day of the party. Admission will get you in to a night of mystery with music by Big Blue Octopus, appetizers, and a champagne toast at midnight.

Tickets will be available the 2nd week in December and will SELL OUT!!!

What is a masquerade?

Everyone gets dressed up in fancy clothes (and sometimes costumes), all wearing masks. The idea is to be someone else for the night; have fun without revealing your identity. For more information on masquerade balls & their history, check out http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Masquerade_ball.

Just to clarify, this is not a costume party. Don’t come dressed up as Spider-Man or a dead cheerleader. But that doesn’t mean you can’t get creative with your costume. Go modern, go classical Venetian, just GO to this event!

Get your masks and outfits ready for this fabulous night of shameless masquerading!

Gulu Free Wine Tasting!
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
5:00pm - 7:00pm

Come try some great wine for free! Our wine rep, Gary, will be here to chat & tell you about our latest offerings.

Plus... Czech This Out!!!

Martini Mondays!!! Join us each and every Monday evening while we showcase a new martini!  Come down & see what our kooky staff comes up with!  Only $7 bucks!  5PM to closing.

December Closings - Just a FYI

The Gulu will be closing early on Sunday December 13th at 5PM for the annual Gulu Staff party!

We will also be closed for both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day (12/24 - 12/25).

Thanks for being so wonderfully understanding and sweet!

New Stuff to Buy!!!

Just in time for the Holidays we have gotten even more Charlie Ts and Rockin Pup Tote bags - wicked!

Plus we have art work, other Ts, Tea Pots, Gift Certificates, and all kinds of other exciting stuff!

Ho Ho Ho!!!

CEANS presents... The Un-Office at Gulu-Gulu Cafe
Mondays 10am to 12pm

This is the office for those creative companies that work solo, with small groups or from home. Join us at the Gulu-Gulu on Mondays to meet, to collaborate, or just to work solo with other creative people.

The Creative Economy Association of the North Shore (CEANS) supports both the growth of the creative economy on Boston's North Shore and the individuals who work in creative economy businesses.

For more info goto http://www.ceans.org.

Halloween Post Mortem

Thanks to everyone for making Halloween 2009 such a great time!  We’d especially like to thank Saturday night’s performers: the Jeff Savlon trio, The Dejas, and Chapel Perilous for a fantastic evening!  Let’s not forget about Big Blue Octopus’s brilliant performance on Friday night either.  Thanks everyone!  Next year make sure you get your tickets early – we sold out quickly!

Check out the links below to find yourself in the pictures taken throughout the weekend or to see what you missed!

Friday October 30, 2009 | Saturday October 31, 2009

Gobble! Gobble!

Note: we will be closed on Thursday, November 26 in observance of the Thanksgiving holiday.  All of us here at Gulu-Gulu would like to thank YOU for your support and patronage.

New Art

Amy Belanger’s beautiful show will continue adorning the Gulu’s walls for the first half of the month.  Don’t miss it!

Our next featured artist will be Matthew Giuffre, a good friend of the Gulu-Gulu Café.  You never know what you’re going to get with Matt, so make sure you come by to see what crazy art he’s come up with this time.  The same thing can be said for his art opening on November 19th at 7:00.  We aren’t quite sure what entertainment Matt’s going to bring for the evening, but trust us, you won’t want to miss it.  Art hanging on November 15th. 

New Art!

Aimee Belanger's solo show at the Gulu-Gulu Cafe in Salem, MA. went up this past weekend and I must say her work is gorgeous! The official art opening/ meet the artist night is October 1st at 7PM (TONIGHT!).

The soothing beautiful music of Robin Sellin starts at 8PM.

To view a selection of Aimee's featured pieces please click here.

This is Halloween! Everybody make a scream!
It’s coming … Halloween in Salem.  We’re ready.  Are you?!?

We will be hosting two, count ‘em, two parties! Both start at 8:00pm.

Friday, October 30 will be a fun-filled evening of Big Blue Octopus vs. the Gulu-Gulu Café.  No cover, creative dress encouraged.  Expect the band’s psychedelic, freestyle rock to be unleashed with some grandiose props for the evening.

Saturday, October 31 we will host our annual Halloween costume party.  A $15 cover ($12 in advance) will get you some great snacks, an evening of great music by some of the Gulu’s all-stars (the Jeff Savlon trio, The Dejas, and Chapel Perilous), and the best vantage point in the city to watch the craziness that is Halloween night in Salem pass by.  The number of tickets are limited – make sure you get yours!

New Wines!!!!

Not only have we been busy planning our Halloween festivities, but we’ve revamped our wine list for this fall.  Some new additions to our offerings include a Torrontes, a Reisling, and splits of prosecco for whites; a Carménère, a Tempranillo, and a big Cabernet/Syrah blend.  For more information, check out our wine list online, or better yet, come on in and try a glass!

And even Newer Charlie!

Greg Orfanos has blown us away with this portrait of the newest Gulu mascott Charlie!

Thanks Greg!

He's Done it Again!

Greg Orfanos who has exclusively painted portraits of Jack and Max the Gulu mascots, has recently completed his newest piece featuring Jack Fenway and our newest Mascot-in-training Charlie!

Click on the image to view a high-res version.

We Love YOU!!!

The Gulu-Gulu won the BONS (Best of North Shore) Reader’s Choice award for Best Beer Selection! So all you amazing people that took the time to vote at North Shore Magazine’s website – a huge THANK YOU!

We have the best regulars ‘eva!

The Mayor is Coming! The Mayor is Coming!

This year's Heritage Days will once again include a Mayor's Night Out restaurant hors d’oeurves sampler where Salem residents will be able to join Mayor Driscoll on a tour of three of Salem's hot dining spots: Gulu-Gulu Cafe, Tavern in the Square, and Grapevine Restaurant.

The event takes place Monday, August 3; from 5:00 – 7:00 pm. Cost to participate is $20 with proceeds to benefit Salem Main Streets.  Salem Main Streets is a non-profit organization with the goal of revitalizing downtown Salem as a vibrant year-round retail, dining and cultural destination.  Pre-registration for the event is required.

“This is a unique opportunity for residents to spend time with Mayor Driscoll and sample appetizers at a few of the outstanding restaurants in downtown Salem, while supporting the efforts of Salem Main Streets,“ commented Salem Main Street Director, Jennifer Bell.

‘Mayor’s Night Out’ will start at Gulu-Gulu Cafe on 247 Essex Street (5:00pm – 5:30pm); a popular gathering place on the North Shore. The next stop on the sampler tour is Tavern in the Square, 189 Washington Street (5:45pm – 6:15pm), the hot new restaurant in town that everyone is talking about.    The final stop on Mayor’s Night out is Grapevine Restaurant, 26 Congress Street known for serving the finest food in a charming atmosphere (6:30 – 7:00pm). 

For more information or to pre-register contact the Salem Chamber of Commerce or Salem Main Streets at (978)744-0004 or salemmainstreets@salem-chamber.org.

Because YOU Demanded it….

Monday evenings at the Gulu-Gulu Café we are now featuring NOTHING! Absolutely nothing! No movies, no bands, and absolutely no Open Mic! All night long! Enjoy!

New T-Shirts!

The latest and greatest Gulu T-shirts have arrived! All T-shirts are American Apparel and are printed locally by Peace Through Violence in Salem MA. We promise they will make you look wicked cool!

Available for purchase at the Gulu and online here.

Boston Derby Dames Fundraiser
Saturday August 8, 8PM

Come have a great time at our dance party fundraiser for Boston's flat-track roller derby league, the Boston Derby Dames!

The Gulu’s own barista superstar, Alicia (a.k.a. Claire D. Way), skates for the Dames’ traveling team, The Boston Massacre. 

Ruby Khan who skates for the Nutcrackers will be DJing dance beats

Tickets are only $10 if bought in advance online at BrownPaperTickets.com. $12 at the door. 100% of the ticket proceeds are to benefit the Dames! Please be aware that tickets are limited and will SELL OUT.

More info on the Boston Derby Dames can be found here: www.bostonderbydames.com. Click here to read the Derby News Network's recent interview with Alicia.

Save the Music! - Recap!

Thank you to everyone who attended the Salem City Council meeting on Wednesday, July 22.  The meeting set out to assess whether a revision of the city’s Noise Ordinance is necessary given the growth of downtown businesses and residential properties over the last few years.  The danger for those of us who enjoy and/or provide live music and nightlife downtown is that a change in the ordinance could compromise what we are allowed to offer. Live entertainment could potentially be limited to earlier hours, without amplification, or who knows what else.  A handful of residents voiced their opinion of how disruptive the downtown nightlife can be to those living in the area.  Happily well over 100 people from all walks of life attended the meeting stressing how important music and nightlife is to the downtown and the city as a whole.  Thank you again for everyone who were there!

The Gulu couldn’t be what it is without all of you!  Your support is tremendous!

Ultimately the council decided to create a focus group including city officials, police, residents, and musicians to revise the ordinance.  For more information, check out the Salem News article here (the Gulu’s own JD is even quoted!)

BEER! BEER! BEER!

Rain. Rain. Rain.  What can we tell you to lift your spirits?  Hmm … how about:  WE HAVE DOUBLED OUR NUMBER OF DRAFT BEERS FOR A TOTAL OF 14! 

Having more draft lines means we’ll be able to offer you more variety.  Come on down for one of your favorites or try something new.  Not to worry, we still have over 25 bottled beers in our arsenal, not to mention a handful of beer specials.  Did you know we have beer specials?  Well we do.  Please ask your server about them.  Many items are at discounted prices or some are beers auditioning for a spot on our regular menu.  To view our list, go to www.gulu-gulu.com/menu/beer.pdf.  Or better yet, pay us a visit.  We miss you.

FIGHT THE POWER!

MARK YOUR CALENDARS - City Council Meeting - Wednesday, July 22 at 6:30 - OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

You love live music don’t you?  Of course you do.  If you think it is important that the Gulu and other downtown establishments offer live entertainment, we could use your help.  The ordinances committee of the Salem City Council will be discussing the possibility of revising the Noise Control chapter of the Salem Code of Ordinances.  Because of a handful of displeased residents, the law could be changed.  Pardon the expression, but the squeaky wheel gets the grease.  We want to show the city that more people want the live music downtown to stay the way it is rather than to see it changed.  Please attend the city council meeting.  Come early.  We want to pack the house with music-loving residents.

Wednesday, July 22 at 6:30 (get there early!)
93 Washington Street
Council Chambers

For more information on the current noise ordinance go to http://www.municode.com/resources/gateway.asp?pid=11521&sid=21 and click on Chapter 22.

GULU SUMMER WINE TASTING

Tuesday, July 21 6:00 – 8:00
Come to our free wine tasting to try our best libations for the summer.  The weather has to get better by then, right?

KEEP UP TO DATE

Do you use Google Calendars? 

To add the Gulu-Gulu Café Events calendar, go to your Google Calendar page.  Beneath “My calendars” you’ll see “Other calendars.”  Click the “Add” button on the lower right side and choose “Add by URL”.  Then paste the following http://www.google.com/calendar/ical/7tquajc9pcbmtvnidtcie5teso%40group.calendar.google.com/public/basic.ics in the “Public Calendar Address” field and click “Add”.  Now you can view our calendar alongside with any other events you’ve got going on!

Slow News Day?

What was so freaking huge that all the major news outlets had to come to Salem to interview us?

We'll Miss You Little Buddy

Nearly two weeks ago Max, one of the Gulu mascots, passed away. Long time Gulu fans may remember that Marie and I rescued Max nearly 3 years ago from a family in Oklahoma.

A couple months back we noticed Max was having troubles with his breathing. Our vet informed us that Max most likely was much older than we were originally told (they estimated that he was probably around 10 years old) and that he had severe issues with his lungs. With medication he started to get better but then last week he suffered a setback. The doctors did everything they could to save him but he didn’t make it.

The Max that left us last week was a very different dog than the one that came to us 3 years ago. I wanted to thank all the Gulu fans and family that were so patient and sweet to Max over this time. You helped to make the last years of his life really special. Thank you.

Obviously poor Jack was feeling depressed in the aftermath of Max’s passing and we decided to get another dog right away…

Hello World!!!

The Gulu-Gulu Café proudly presents our newest Mascot-In-Training - Charles Maxwell Feldmann aka Charlie!

Charlie is only 9 weeks old and is a pure blooded pug. His interests include chewing on grass, furniture, Jack’s toys, and my fingers. He also enjoys chasing Jack around the house and waking us up in the middle of the night.

Charlie is not a replacement… no one could take the place of Mr. Max. Charlie only hopes that someday he will be embraced by the Gulu fandom and be able to graduate to the level of full-fledged Gulu Mascot (and of course get his own T-shirt!). Only time will tell.

Change is Good
Winter can be hard in the restaurant industry. Its cold outside, business slows up. But the one good thing is that its gives us time to plan improvements for the spring. We are always thriving to make things better at the Gulu.

So here we are – its late April – the sun is shining and we have made some new upgrades!

We have added some new cheeses to our Meat and Cheese Coalition. We have switched over our wine list. The beer list has been expanded once again (and we've added 3 additional taps). We’ve added stage lights for our (nearly) nightly entertainment. And last but not least we’ve replaced all of our patio furniture with stuff that is nice for your bum!

Spring is here ladies and gentlemen! Go Gulu!

Free Comic Book Day! - Saturday May 2nd
We Love Comics!!!! And our favorite local comic shop Harrison’s is hosting a free comic book day! 

We will also be doing a promotion in concert with Harrison's – we’ll be offering 1 small free coffee or $1 off a latte or cappuccino.  You can get our postcard which has been stickered with the promotion information at Harrison's.  Please note that the promotion is good for Saturday, May 2 only.

Radio! Radio! - Live @ the Gulu-Gulu Cafe

Salem’s hardest working man in show business without a doubt Radio Scotvoid. His newest recording "Live @ the Gulu-Gulu Cafe" has now been released on UK net-label Earth Monkey Productions!

Download it now for free here! | Grab the cd cover here!

The Gulu’s weekly event Friday Night Spins has taken on a life of its own. Scott's performances over the past several months have been nothing less than extraordinary. His work transcends the electronica genre and depending who shows up to perform with Scott dictates where the music is going to go. Jazz, Blues, Trip-Hop, Rock... you never know quite what you are going to end up hearing but it always ends up being interesting and very very very cool.

Radio Scotvoid regularly performs at the Gulu-Gulu in Salem on the 1st Friday of every month - please note that this May he'll be performing on the 3rd and 5th Friday!

Good stuff this! Don't miss it!

Later Alligator

“I hate good-byes. I know what I need. I need more hellos.” - Snoopy

I wanted to personally take a second to say goodbye and good luck to two of the Gulu’s closest friends – Ashley and John Nicholls.

John and Ashley have been a fixture at the Gulu-Gulu Café since its inception in Lynn waaaaaaaay back in 2005. John was a Berklee student moonlighting as a bartender at a local restaurant and Ashley was working as a nanny here in Salem. Ashley soon started working for the Gulu and immediately made an impact – all those fun & funky coffee drinks we offer like the “White Cloud”… well that’s all her. John started performing in the evenings a couple times a month as his alter-ego “John the Bartender” – performing blues versions of Nine Inch Nails covers – frakking brilliant!

Time passed, Ashley left the Gulu to get a professional job, and John finished school. Marie and I moved up to Salem and J&A soon moved up here as well (I think they were following us!). John helped Jeff Savlon start the enormously successful Open Mic back in January.

Not only have these two done a lot of great things for the Gulu over the years but more importantly they’ve become really great friends. This weekend our friends are moving to the great state of Vermont to bond with the birds, the bears, and the squirrels. I’m jealous of those damn squirrels.

So tonight at the Gulu we celebrate John and Ashley at the Open Mic where John is the featured performer. Hope to see you all here!

Best of the North Shore: BONS 2009 - Get Out The Vote!

It's the Reader's Choice Awards at North Shore Magazine - it’s up to YOU to choose which business on the North Shore is voted the best at what they do.

So far the Gulu-Gulu Café is in the running for “Best Beer Selection”, “Best Live Music Venue", “Best Sandwiches”, and “Best Coffee Shop”.

To vote swing by North Shore Magazine’s BONS webpage located here and vote. It's easy, it’s free, and it’s patriotic.

Open Mic at the Gulu! UPDATES

Our Open Mic night on Wednesdays has been so well-attended that we would like to invite all of you to stay a little later! Starting Wednesday, March 4, we will be open until 1:00am! We hope this will give everyone a chance to get up on stage and do their thing. Want more details on the Open Mic? Feel free to visit either on myspace or facebook.

New Beer! Beer Tastings! Mardi Gras! Oh My!

If you've been in lately, you may have noticed that we have added 3 more draft lines allowing us to offer an even wider variety of beer! Which brings us to ...

RAPSCALLION BEER TASTING!
Sunday, March 1 from 7:00 to 8:00
Come out & meet the good people from Rapscallion out of Holyoke, MA and Milford, NH and sample some great beer. If you haven't tried them already, the Honey Pale Ale and the golden Belgian-style Premier are fantastic. But the beer tasting is only the beginning. Join us for ...

BETTER LATE MARDI GRAS THAN NO MARDI GRAS!!
Sunday, March 1 at 8:00
Come celebrate New Orleans-style with us and Mickey Bones and the Hot Tamale Brass Band. You never know what can happen when it's Mardi Gras.

Gulu sponsors Salem Film Fest film, Anvil!

Once again, this year the Gulu-Gulu Cafe is sponsoring a film for the Salem Film Festival. You'll want to check this one out folks. The film, Anvil: The Story of Anvil, follows the legendary 1980's Canadian heavy-metal band throughout their last ditch effort to tour for today's audience. Think This is Spinal Tap mockumentary only real. There will be 2 screenings: one on Friday, February 27 at 9:20pm and one on Wednesday, March 4, at 5:30pm.

Please join us here for the Salem Film Festival After Hours Party on February 27 at 10:00. You'll get an extra treat if you swing by because the local musical powerhouse, Machine 457, will be playing along with special guest, Radio Scotvoid. Definitely not to be missed!

Spring Fling Fun & Fun for a Good Cause!

Lastly, we have a lot happening on Saturday, March 21. Gulu-Gulu Cafe will be participating in the 2009 Salem Spring Fling from 1:00 - 4:00. This Roman-themed event takes place at Old Town Hall on Essex Street featuring two floors of wine and beer to sample, hors d'oeuvres from Salem restaurants, and local art. WFNX is our radio sponsor and music will be performed by Salem's own Machine 475.

After the Spring Fling head back to the Gulu to support a very good cause. We will be hosting an MS Benefit including a Silent Auction, Raffle Items, and music by Big Blue Octopus and the Gulu's own Open Mic co-host, Jeff Savlon. Tickets are $10 in advance and $15 at the door. All proceeds will go to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society through the MS Journey of Hope Walk.

Gulu welcomes the Sunday Real Estate Café

Join local RE/MAX Realtor, Soraya E. Cacici, at the Sunday Real Estate Café, where you can indulge her with your real estate questions and concerns. Soraya can also prepare you for open house offerings each Sunday. She'll match you to open houses that fit your criteria, map them out on the spot, and send the customized route to your phone. What better way to be prepared for a productive day of house hunting?

The “Sunday Real Estate Café” takes place every Sunday between 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM. Just look for the sign at Soraya's table, Sunday Real Estate Café.

Free Wine & Chocolate tasting!

Gulu insiders!  We wanted you to be the first to know -- we will be having a free wine & chocolate tasting during this year's Salem So Sweet festival!  While you wind your way around the ice sculptures throughout downtown Salem, stop at the Gulu-Gulu Café between 4-7PM on Sunday, Feb 8.

No SuperBowl Party! - Sunday Feb 1st @ 6PM

Want to avoid the SuperBowl?  Join us at the Gulu-Gulu Cafe for our No SuperBowl party!  No televisions, just some great live music and your friends at the Gulu.  Don't worry, you'll still have your dosage of American culture this SuperBowl Sunday.  The Paul Phillips Band (www.myspace.com/paulphillipsband) blends roots music, southern rock, and Americana into a great live sound.  If you like Wilco, Johnny Cash, Neil Young, or The Jayhawks, you'll want to check this band out.  See you at 6:00!

New Stuff for the New Year!

Starting in January the Gulu-Gulu Café is taking things up a notch with lots of new weekly and monthly events!

As always check out our Events page for all the details.