Author: foxstudiosri

LONGFELLOW’S WAYSIDE INN: History, Dining and yes…even Ghosts!

While all of us at Silver Fox work very hard day-t0-day on advertising and graphic design projects it is certainly part of our lives to enjoy family time. Every year we make the annual trip to Sudbury, Massachusetts to visit the lovely Longfellow’s Wayside Inn and this year we did so around the Christmas holiday.

America’s oldest operating inn, Longfellow’s Wayside has been showing hospitality to travelers since 1716 and was run for generations by the Howe family until 1861. Originally known as Howe Tavern with innkeeper David Howe, it was later passed on to his son Ezekiel (a Lieutenant Colonial who led the Sudbury Minute and Militia to Concord center at the beginning of the Revolutionary War on April 19, 1775) who then passed it on to son, Adam, in 1796, who in turn handed it down to his son, Lyman, in 1830.

In 1862, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow visited the inn and was so inspired by the atmosphere and beautiful landscape, he wrote a series of poems on a group of fictitious characters that regularly attended the old Sudbury tavern. The poems were published in 1863 as the Tales of a Wayside Inn. Innkeeper Lyman Howe was the inspiration for “The Landlord’s Tale,” more widely known as “The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere.” Hence the name was morphed into “Longfellow’s Wayside Inn”.

 

What we enjoy so much about the inn is its quiet charm and quaint cozy ambiance. Dining in one of their little rooms, complete with old hardwood floors and warming fireplaces, is a bit like dining in the colonial days. The Inn serves lunch and dinner and the food is a tasty treat to the palate.

 

Along with it’s important history, the Inn even has its own supposed ghosts. According to the Inn, “reports of unexplained foot steps, soft music, and perfumed scents have led some people to believe that our “ghost” is the last Howe innkeeper’s sister, Jerusha. Jerusha was born in 1797 and died in 1842. While living at the Inn she occupied rooms 9 and 10, and most reports of a mysterious presence have come from houseguests who have stayed in those two rooms!” Even if this isn’t true, the kids love to take adventures around the Inn to see what mysteries they can unravel!

After a hearty meal, we spend time walking the lovely grounds and sites nearby such as the Martha-Mary chapel and the Grist Mill. Or on occasion, we will venture out to nearby historic Concord to Minute Man National Park and other historic landmarks in the area.

There is so much more history that surrounds the Inn that we cannot mention it all here. For us the Inn is not only about our own personal family tradition but also about America’s rich history and how proud we are to be living in such a wonderful country!

To visit Longfellow’s Wayside Inn for dining or staying, or any of the local historic sites, visit their website at: www.wayside.org

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The Art of Tradition…

As many of you know, Fred stands very strong on the values of tradition both in his personal and professional life. Even in the 32 years we have been in business, he has always kept certain traditions alive. One tradition that we have been enjoying for the past several years is our monthly visits to the Providence Art Club (and there we are seated in the famous Cabaret Room for lunch). As an illustrative artist himself, Fred became a member to support other local artists.

Located on Thomas Street in the heart of downtown Providence, surrounded by steep hills and brick sidewalks, The Providence Art Club evokes old fashioned charm for its visitors. It was founded in 1880 by 16 men and women as a way to appreciate the art of the local community and within a month they had already enlisted 128 members. Since then, membership has grown and the Providence Art Club has maintained its important place in the Providence art community.

What we love so much about the Providence Art Club is the ambiance. When the heavy wood door opens you are brought instantly back to a moment in time where artists and scholars lingered and socialized over Brandy and a good cigar. With its low ceilings, dark wood trimmings and walls bordered with painted silhouettes of past members you cannot help but feel like you are living a little bit of history.

Though the Art Club has grown and expanded considerably since its beginning, amazingly enough the inner decor has kept much of its originality. The Green Room (shown left, circa 1920-30) still looks very much the same even to this day. And the dining area, once serving Johnny Cakes for lunch (still a tradition at the Art Club) now serves a full lunch and dinner with some of the most delicious entrees. A brand new, state-of-the-art kitchen along with a fabulous chef, ensures members a truly wonderful dining experience they can look forward to coming back to time and time again.

 

However, it’s not just the food that brings members back…it’s the total package. Every inch and corner of the Art Club could be photographed and made into a postcard. Rich leather chairs, burning fireplaces and beautiful art hanging everywhere leaves you tempted to skip work and spend the rest of the day basking in its atmosphere. The Art Club has ongoing gallery showings of various local artists as well as several events where artwork can be viewed and purchased. From abstract to realism art, there is much to see at The Art Club.

General Manager, Seb Borges (pictured with Fred right) is diligent in maintaining The Art Club’s personality as well as its prominent standing within the art community. And its members, like Fred, are an important part in keeping that tradition alive. What is really the most treasured experience is taking a break from a busy work day and escaping to a place that brings you back in time. A place when cell phones didn’t exist, and you could sit back and enjoy a tasty lunch and rich conversation. This is one tradition we hope to keep for many years to come.

For more information on the Providence Art Club, visit their website at: www.ProvidenceArtClub.org.

A FAMILY THAT MAKES CREATIVITY THEIR BUSINESS…

Many of you may have seen our recent mailing promoting how at Silver Fox Studios, we offer clients creativity they can’t refuse. And while we think we did a god job of replicating a ‘Godfather’ and ‘Sopranos’ type of image (with those powerful poses and serious expressions), we all really had a lot of fun putting this promotional piece together. The truth is, we enjoy nothing more than working on new and exciting projects with our clients…whether big or small…the fun for us is in the creativity and it is after all what makes us unique.

THE FOX THROUGH THE AGES…

Welcome to the official news blog of Silver Fox Studios. We will be using this blog to post news of special interest related to our studio.

For our very first post, we felt it fitting to give some attention to the Fox, well our Fox logo that is, and how it was created and evolved over the years.

It’s an interesting story on how the name Silver Fox came about. Back in 1973, after working as a creative director for several large advertising agencies throughout Rhode Island and Massachusetts, Fred Marzocchi decided to venture out on his own as a freelancer. The fun and creative person he is, Fred asked his fellow advertising friends to come up with a name for his studio and they all agreed it should be Silver Fox Studios. After all, Fred with his distinguished ‘silver’ hair had been called the Silver Fox for several years. Hence, Silver Fox Studios was born.

In 1979, he took his successful freelance business and went incorporated, renting a nice size building in Pawtucket with artist space and a photography studio.  He took along several of his previous co-workers, one of them being Mary Machado. Being a huge fan of Walt Disney’s he strived to keep Silver Fox Studios, Inc. a specialty, creative design studio which was one of the first of its kind in the state. Together, he and his team flourished and brought in many clients. Thirty-two years later, we are still here servicing clients throughout the area.

The logo over the years has gone through subtle transitions, reflecting the style of the times yet always being one step ahead.

 1973 – The Original Fox

Fred created the original Fox to have a sleek, yet simple design. Incorporating it onto letterhead, envelope and business card. It became so popular with clients that it instantly turned into a brand.

1979 – The First Fox Makeover

Many years later, Fred decided the Fox needed a change. Something fresh and new. Using special airbrushing techniques he gave the Fox more detail, changed the shape and added an overall more artistic feel to it. This version was so well liked, it was used well into the 90’s.

1991 – The Fox Gets Streamlined

Now that metallic inks were fast becoming a hit in the design/print industry, Fred decided to use the look to upgrade the Fox once again. Using the version from 1979, he cleaned up the Fox and gave him a chrome/metallic feel. This is when the Fox started to look more futuristic.

2011 – Present Day Fox

Our current Fox logo is a combination of all its predecessors; silver, sleek yet much more simplified. The eyes have changed, the details more elegant. It’s a look that really reflects the times and one we are proud of going forward as we launch our new website!