My Weekend in the Berkshires
 

My Yankee husband and I decided to send Pup to the sitter and escape to the Berkshires for a long weekend. Here is the not-so-long-weekend, short and sweet.
Left Friday afternoon, it wasn't raining! We took the Taconic Pkway all the way, it was hell.
Driving fast on a winding road that just fits a small car is tough enough but at the time of this trip it was filled with large SUV's and an occassional Hummer that defies my imagination in figuring out What Do These People Need A Vehicle That Large For???? Besides, running small German Sports cars off the road..hmmm, maybe that is the purpose.
So we made it there in 2 1/2 hours. Then it began to rain.
We stayed at a NoTell Motel that was clean, small and sort of pathetic, but we figured, hey~you only sleep there, so we dumped our belongings and rushed out to have dinner at the Old Mill in South Egremont Mass.
They do not take reservations, there is always a line and the food is amazingly good!
And not bad prices either!
I won't bore you with the details but there was pasta with lobster in cream sauce and roasted red snapper and chocolate mousse cake that is guaranteed to delight anyone with a chocolate craving.
Then a walk around Great Barrington which still lives up to their "Tourist Trap of Mass" reputation.
Back to the hotel where we got to listen to the kids in the room next door jumping on the bed to the rhythm of the television until 1 am then we were too tired to even care and slept. (so much for thinking that a motel is only somewhere to sleep)
Woke to a sort of grey day but NO Rain!! so we rushed out to breakfast at Moms! Moms Country Cafe in Egremont!What can one say about Banana pancakes and fresh orange juice? Actually, I said no, but they sure sounded good.
Off to Williamstown, Mass, the home of the Clark Museum where we saw the Turner exhibit.
Oh my, there was never anyone so gifted at painting light! The museum itself is lovely, and never crowded, the guards are vigilant but friendly, it was a pleasure.
Then we browsed the small Main street with all the shops, a Subway, a Thai restaurant, a couple of nice places to shop, some neat galleries, then back into the car as the sky opened up and it rained again.
We decided on the drive back to the motel that things were just looking too soggy so we checked out and drove home.
So that is the trip report, do go to the Berkshires when the sun shines. It is lovely and there is something for everyone, even in the rain.
Now what are we going to do Sunday, no Pup, still raining....pondering this and thinking that a desert sounds pretty tempting.

My God what IS happening on the East Coast these days?! I'm starting to think its time to see Ark builders advertising in Boston, NYC, and DC LOL
I hope its done by the time I hit the Vineyard next month!

Did you make it to Lenox or Lee? Those are definitely on my list for the future.

Scarlett I had to laugh when I read your Hummer reference; when I lived in the Balto/DC area I lived in a highrise that rented a lot of its condo's out as interim lodging for transient, relocating business people and also ball players. Well, one of the ball players had a Hummer that wouldnt fit in the regular part of the parking garage nor could it get up into the little circle out front! The building was also a hotel so they had valet parking and I think the guys just kept moving the thing from one side of the street to the other with a permit in the window so it wouldnt get towed. Later on I'd see the thing in a new part of the garage where different commercial vehicles would be. I used to laugh everytime I saw the thing on one historic cobblestone street or the other. This was back when they didnt have but two models and both were REALLY big, now Hummer makes at least a little smaller and faster models.

Scarlett...I'm jealous! I forgot this was the weekend you were going! I'm sorry for the rain, but hey, that's the Berkshires and even here in the Sunshine State we are under a coastal flood watch and our eyes burn at the occasional (5 min) glimpse of sun. Tomorrow was to be nice, but now the forecast is for 80% chance of rain.

I know the Turner exhibit was wonderful despite all else. How does an artist from England paint light the way he does? They must have had more of it than NE does. I'd have loved to have been there...NoTell Motel and all.

So Egremont--former home of my favorite antique shop, Splendid Pheasant...run by a NYC psychiatrist and his wife, escaping the stress of the city. I think they went back, after determining that stress free existence was in truth detrimental to one's health! :LOL Haven't eaten at the Mill, but know exactly where it is and have made notes for return visit...DH is talking about going this fall.

Great Barrington...can't even begin to tell you what that was like "when I was a kid". Mill town: avoid at all costs. That and North Adams too. Wish I had a dollar for all the Mill Towns we passed up that now have proven to be great investments--yet we still hold our Enron stock for use when we run out of other write-offs :( . These were the dregs of the county, truly! Lee as well--maybe there is still time to invest there?

I've got a Z3 so know exactly how you feel about the SUVs and Hummers. If they err, I'm a gonner! My biggest concern is that they have no idea I even exist, let alone that I'm beside them but below their side view mirrors, in the next lane.

We just returned from our favorite club/folk singers and before we left I requested "Sweet Baby James" from the JT friendly duo...

"Now the first of December was covered with snow
And so was the turnpike from Stockbridge to Boston
Lord, the Berkshires seemed dream-like on account of that frosting
With ten miles behind me and ten thousand more to go"

....came back here and found your note on your trip. Things like this, even the not-so-positive reports, make me miss that area and being able to go as easily as you all can, just be there for a day! I'm obviously the Yankee, Scarlett, married to a Rhett, who was born and bred in the deeeeep south...but who truly learned to love that area as much as I do, and he now, is the one who insists we get back there...and never even suggests returning to his birth place. It's a unique area. Thanks for posting your trip report--not all postive, but I got a kick out of reading it none-the-less.

Now Surfer, I don't even want Word One from you. You must at least visit the places you high-handedly poop on. The Berkshires can't hold a candle in the over-done categories you listed. Wanna talk about great restaurants (oxymoron) in St Pete(s)? Sheesh! Prepare yourself, Surfer, it's going to be a rude awakenting!

Hi Jon Eric, no, we skipped Lenox and Lee, having a destination in mind for the day. We had figured we would spend Sunday, antiquing, foolishly thinking that the rain would end.
These new Hummers are so big, they are twice the size of those original silly looking ones. These are especially silly looking when driven by some delicate mom with a child in the back, all ready to do some grocery shopping. As if a Hummer were needed to get food and bottled water!

Olive, darlin!
I did not realize that you were from that very area! Yes, those small mill towns, reek charm and money these days. All except Pittsfield, which to my mind is more depressed and depressing than any others in the area.
We took Rt.22 to Williamstown, so it was a lovely drive, past dairy farms, huge fields of corn just planted, many fields of flowers, Christmas tree farms.
I can whine for hours about the weather, and how touristy some of the towns are, but the area is truly beautiful, those mountains today with clouds sitting right on top! Hawks circling and hunting. Even in the rain it is something to appreciate.
We will go back for a weekend in August, go to Tanglewood and take a picnic and enjoy the music and I will forget all about this dreary wet time we are having!
Or I will come to Florida and surely there will be sun by then! :)

Olive, btw-I have emailed you at aggiemom3~

I was in Chicago a couple weekends ago and saw a Hummer parked outside the Swissotel.I thought it was the greatest looking Vehicle I've ever seen! It was huge,black,and had gigantic bumpers in the front.It was love at first sight! I even looked in to renting one! Best deal: Zero down,$698 a month...Whew!!
It's a Mortgage....not a car payment.
Even still,I would love a Hummer and maybe one day if I win Lotto (yeah,big chance of that ever happening!)I'll buy me one.Not so I can 'Crush' everything on the road in front of me but because it's such a wonderful looking,heavy duty Vehicle and it gets my attention every time!
Scarlett,sorry for getting off the topic of your discussion but when you commented on them I had to throw in my two cents.
Debbie

Hi Debbie!
I am sure when I am stuck in traffic somewhere, I would love to have a huge black thing with chrome all over it and I too could tail gate and scare the beejeezus out of some poor soul in a normal sized or even small car!
But just for everyday driving, which really, most of us do , why would anyone need a Hummer?
It is still raining, perhaps the Hummer can be converted into a small, Ark for 3, if you count a Pup?

Scarlett...LOL on Pup. He's a cutie! Thanks for the heads up...I don't look at that mailbox unless I've give it out for a specific purpose...then ignore it 'til next time.

Yes..I grew up there but an era when Pittsfield was still a city, (even a nice one) albeit a very minor one by most standards, but for the Berkshires, it qualified as "The City" LOL, with an alive downtown. Lenox, Stockbridge, and Williamstown were nice even then, (but to be avoided at all costs in the summer) but gawd forbid you had to go to Great Barrington or Lee for any reason! And Adams and North Adams...fo'get about it--slums (so we thought anyway :)). Then shopping centers came, GE (my dad's bread and butter) started closing divisions, and the demise of "The City" began. I left after college and before the decline, for warmer climes and never really looked back. Now we love to go back and play tourist.

Odd, I know that area like the back of my hand, but my knowledge doesn't extend at all beyond the MA/NY border, so when you said you went up 22, I had to look it up on the map--and the border was only 11 miles from my home! That is really weird. Goes to show, we were a contained little society--NY was alien territory. We went over a handful of times as my Dad was an RPI alum and we went to some of their hockey games...felt like it was a big trip...all the way to Troy! :)

As for this weather, I don't think there will ever be sun again in FL. We are going to have to change our license plate slogan!! We have roof leaks in both our LR and DR now, went down to the boat this afternoon and that had a hatch leak and another from a grab rail. Lawsy! The casita I can just turn over to engineering to be fixed, but the boat--it'll be all mine. Once caulked though, it will suffice as an ark. You are welcome to join us if Pup can be friends with Hobie Cat.

Debden, you are only allowed a Hummer if you get that cool reddish-orange one. Please no yellow or black. But really, it's about as aerodynamic as a seawall on wheels!! 8-10 mph is the guesstimate on their gas mileage, undeclared as they are over the poundage limit. I just filled my diesel car at 1.61/gal so computed on those prices you can count on $100 per month for gas if you drive only 20 miles a day. Compound that with the problem that not every station carries diesel (I have to plot my gas stops). You'll need to add the IV gas pump hose option. :) But hey, other than that, it's a great little car.

So Scarlett, when you do Tanglewood do you do Shed or lawn? I loved the era I lived there...Arlo Gutherie, Alice's Restaurant, folk singers on every other corner it seemed in the summer, and Buffy St Marie and Taj Mahal were UMass students playing at our coffee house in Amherst. Great era to Be There, bra-less, husbandless, and childless--lawsy, all 3 the furthest things from my mind! :D

OMG, Olive Oyl, I do love your postings!
Bra-less, child-less and husband-less, sounds like something familiar but it was sooooo long ago~
I knew Taj Mahal !! I lived in Hollywood once upon a time and as it goes in Hollywood-a friend of a friend, etc. We used to go watch him play all the time:)
Too bad about the leaks, we keep checking here, cannot believe that this much rain has somewhere left to go! I expect to see the neighbors floating past one morning~
If and when you and your Rhett go to the Berkshires for a holiday, if I can supply names of good restaurants or galleries/shops, just let me know..you can count on Scarlett for shopping info LOL ~

Just read this thread - glad you had a nice time Scarlet!

But had to say, Olive mentioned one of my favorite songs of all time....

There's a song that they sing when they take to the highway
A song that they sing when they take to the sea
A song that they sing of their home in the sky
Maybe you can believe it if it helps you to sleep
But singing works just fine for me

Ahhh. JT. Saw him at Saratoga Springs in the 70's. You could hear a pin drop at that place when he picked up his guitar...

Woooo, Olive, don't recall any serious poop on the Berkshires. Or that tone. As far as rude awakenings, I wouldn't worry. I'm not especially dependent on anyplace or anyone being terrific. I just keep smiling.

Personally I think the Berkshires are simply wonderful. My sister and I lease a house there each July, as an escape from this awful nyc humidity. Annual Tanglewood tickets are de regieur. The food is delicious. The services are up to the quality we require. We've never had occasion to seek anyone's termination. We even find our pets are welcomed and treated with courtesy. We are leaving next week, and talk about excitement. We are!

Timeisonmyside..
btw-Looove your screenname:)
What town do you rent in?
We rented last year on the Mt in So Egremont. Big mistake, would like to try again some year.
Where do you go to eat that is not like being on the Upper East side ?
Great Barrington is waaay too tourist trappish for us! Although it is something to do in the evening if you don't have tickets for something.
We have a standard poodle, he goes where we go, do you find it difficult renting with a pup?
Last year at Tanglewood, it was in the high 90's in the Shed at Tanglewood, this time we will sit outside under a tree or umbrella!
I hope you have a lovely time, how nice to spend a whole month away, no?

Please don't drop the i's - Tiiiiime... just think how the Micker would sing it.

Just wanted to say how much I like the way you tell your stories, Scarlett!! Any by the way... I've visited the Berkshires in the rain (the constant and steady kind) and thought it was pretty poopy and depressing!

Merci , Michelle!!

Sorry Tiiiiimeisooonmysiiiide~

Tiiimeisonmyside I'm so happy I found these boards. I desperately need help with the Berkshires and you must be the expert staying there a whole month each year! WOW

What are your favorite places to eat close to Lenox or Stockbridge? How far in advance do I need to get Tanglewood tickets and are there concerts each night? Also, is there preferred seating? Have you been to Jacobs Pillow and is it worth it? I love English antiques. Any suggestions for not to miss shops? How did you go about finding a house to rent? Did you go through an agent? Ha ha. I have lots of questions, I'm sorry, but I'm so excited to find someone who must have the answers with all that time every year! Thank you for any help! When do you leave?

MsHera, your presence enhances this board. WOW, all those questions! Now that's what a real travel board is all about. For a firsttimer you know how to get right into that batter's box and hit them right out of the park. But, you rascal, you, don't you get all that information and not share it around, you heah! I detect a bit of the ole southern charm in your posting. Are you a child of our lower tier, or did you simply marry well? Welcome to Fodors!!

Ms Hera,
my husband and I both enjoy antiquing also. Rt#7 will take you out out of Great Barrington towards Sheffield Mass and along that highway are one antique store after another! Antiques Paradise!
I like finding old glass and in one of those antique malls, I found some lovely cobalt blue apothocary bottles at a good price.
I do recommend going online and looking up Tanglewood and Jacobs Pillow and seeing what is available. We will be back up there in late August, maybe we will see you there!
In the meantime, I would love to hear more about renting from Tiimeisonmyside!
Are you still there??

Thank you for replying Scarlett! I didn't intend to limit responses to Tiiimeisonmyside, but knew his long stays would make him a valuable resource. He seems to have left the park, though! Poof. Right into thin air.

I looked at schedules for beginning of August. Looked at all summer really, and see we just missed JT. He was there Tuesday. The beginning of August looks good, including Yo-Yo Ma and Itzhak Perlman. Have you done lawn seating and if so, did you enjoy it? According to the website they have screens for portions of the lawn so it might be nice. There are interesting programs the end of August too. When will you be there?

We will antique Rt 7 for certain. "Smalls" are fun especially for traveling folk, but there is always shipping too, thankfully, for that irresistible something. Do you think prices are reasonable or are they there to make hay while the sun shines?

Now, where do we eat, if you don't mind more questions! We will be staying in Stockbridge but willing to travel. We are not choosy about which cuisine, but enjoy fine dining. Thank you Scarlett, I appreciate your help.