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My Company CostPro's October Newsletter

I'm not just an author, I own CostPro, a construction cost estimating company, with my husband Chris.
We feature Boston's Omni Parker House and its fascinating history in the October CostProGram, and read about the strange image in the mezzanine mirror that we got right after a ghost tour!

The CostProGram   CostPro, Inc. Cambridge, MA 617-576-5878 www.costpro.net www.costpro.net October 2015 Dear Diana,    In October we always enjoy the walking tours, the apple picking, the spectacular foliage--all New England has to offer. We hope you'll enjoy reading about the historic Omni Parker House, the last stop on the Haunted Boston walking tour we took the other night. Aside from its beautiful architecture, it has a few stories of its own to tell about its 160-year history. The events in Salem are a lot of fun, if you get there early enough to get a parking space and don't mind the First Night-like crowds. Hint: Drive down Washington Street; it becomes Canal Street, which always has plenty of on-street parking. Enjoy the article and a happy Halloween!            Boston's Historic Omni Parker House Hotel    The nation's oldest continuously operating hotel celebrated its 160th anniversary this year. We all know the distinctive landmark with its gold awning resembling a theater marquee. The guide on our walking tour told us a few facts I'd never known about the hotel--it's the home of the first Boston cream pie, every president from Grant to Clinton has passed through its doors to 'lobby' in the press room, imbibe in one of the bars, or stay in one of the 551 rooms. JFK made good use of the place over the last century---he announced his candidacy for Congress in 1946, held his bachelor party and proposed to Jackie in 1953. John Wilkes Booth checked in for a visit, ten days before assassinating President Lincoln. Charles Dickens stayed there in 1867-68, where he performed "A Christmas Carol", and rehearsed before a large mirror in his suite which is now on the mezzanine level...and more about that strange mirror:  THE MEZZANINE MIRROR   First Photo of Mirror--Perfectly Normal Photo of Diana Rubino & Paula Tate by Steve Page   Our October newsletter wouldn't be complete without an inexplicable tale: The guide told us that the mezzanine mirror has some strange 'properties' that can't be explained away, even though it's been sent away for testing twice...you may not see your reflection in it, another oddity is that Dickens himself might appear if you look long enough... I took a few photos, not expecting anything otherworldly to appear in my camera, and nothing did...until the photo my friend took, below. The tour company didn't have an explanation for it, either. Oh, well, it sure isn't Dickens!   Fourth Photo of Mirror--what the Dickens is that????   Next time you're at the Omni Parker House, just keep an open mind--especially around Halloween!