Short weekend Ct. to the Berkshires?
Sep 30th, 2013, 05:07 AM
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Short weekend Ct. to the Berkshires?
This next weekend we are doing a theatre weekend starting with a drive to East Haddam, Ct. on Saturday and seeing Most Happy Fella at Goodspeed Opera House. After the late matinee we will head into Hartford to spend the night at the Hilton Downtown. Planning on dinner at Max Downtown (good idea?)
The next morning we'll head up to the Berkshires. We're spending Sunday night at The Crown Plaza in Pittsfield and at 3 PM Sunday afternoon we see Clybourne Park at Great Barrington Stage Company.
Any suggestion for a nice brunch between Hartford and Pittsfield? Maybe one of the inns around Lennox or somewhere? Where should we have dinner in Pittsfield or very near by that night. Searching, I mainly come up with what look like pretty "mediocre" places. We'd like really good food NOT in a family style restaurant. Atmosphere, food quality, and service and more important than price or any specific type of cuisine. Every place I look at (Trattoria Rustica, for example) that looks nice comes up with tons of really dismal reviews, and the best reviewed places seem to be totally lacking in anything special. What am I missing here.
Sadly we won't have much time to really visit much -- unless we stick around for a little while on Monday morning before heading back to NJ. Or we might have a couple hours before a 3 PM matinee if we have an earlier brunch. Any suggestions of what we should see or do in a short time?
The next morning we'll head up to the Berkshires. We're spending Sunday night at The Crown Plaza in Pittsfield and at 3 PM Sunday afternoon we see Clybourne Park at Great Barrington Stage Company.
Any suggestion for a nice brunch between Hartford and Pittsfield? Maybe one of the inns around Lennox or somewhere? Where should we have dinner in Pittsfield or very near by that night. Searching, I mainly come up with what look like pretty "mediocre" places. We'd like really good food NOT in a family style restaurant. Atmosphere, food quality, and service and more important than price or any specific type of cuisine. Every place I look at (Trattoria Rustica, for example) that looks nice comes up with tons of really dismal reviews, and the best reviewed places seem to be totally lacking in anything special. What am I missing here.
Sadly we won't have much time to really visit much -- unless we stick around for a little while on Monday morning before heading back to NJ. Or we might have a couple hours before a 3 PM matinee if we have an earlier brunch. Any suggestions of what we should see or do in a short time?
Sep 30th, 2013, 05:22 AM
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I stayed at The Briarcliff Motel this past July. It is a motel/B&B which has been redone. It isn't a typical cozy B&B but was nice and met our needs and breakfast was better than a typical B&B. I don't know what availability is like at this late date.
http://thebriarcliffmotel.com/
Had a nice dinner:
http://alliumberkshires.com/
Nudel was also highly recommended:
http://nudelrestaurant.com/
http://thebriarcliffmotel.com/
Had a nice dinner:
http://alliumberkshires.com/
Nudel was also highly recommended:
http://nudelrestaurant.com/
Sep 30th, 2013, 05:24 AM
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You cannot go wrong with any of the Max's restaurants including Max Downtown or Trumbull Kitchen (both will be right near your hotel). If you have time before your matinee, the Goodspeed is right near Gillette Castle (former home of William Gillette) which gives you a great place to walk around and a a great viewpoint above the river. Would be worth the time checking out.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gillette_Castle_State_Park
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gillette_Castle_State_Park
Sep 30th, 2013, 05:35 AM
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You're not missing anything. Pittsfield is an old, northeast US industrial town with a very mixed demographic that's seen better days. It's not a rejuvenated, large upscale community that can support special restaurants.
Trattoria Rustica is perfectly ok. Nice atmosphere, traditional although non memorable Italian restaurant menu, but not a bad choice if you set your expectations appropriately.
Trattoria Rustica is perfectly ok. Nice atmosphere, traditional although non memorable Italian restaurant menu, but not a bad choice if you set your expectations appropriately.
Sep 30th, 2013, 05:46 AM
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Herman Melville's house, Arrowhead, (in Pittsfield) is open through Memorial Day. Interesting visit. http://www.mobydick.org/
Sep 30th, 2013, 06:01 AM
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Got great rates at both the Hartford Hilton and Pittsfield Crown Plaza (under $100 each)-- cheaper than the B&B's, small inns and even "cheaper" motels for a weekend. So that's all set.
Gee, have been to Goodspeed many times, but didn't know about Gillette Castle, so will check that out. And thanks for the go ahead on Max -- it sure looks great on the website.
OK, looks like Trattoria Rustica may be the best answer for dinner. The menu sounds good, but so many negatives about service, attitude, etc., etc.
Any thoughts for brunch on the way to Pittsfield. I was thinking Red Lion Inn in Stockbridge, but it seems they don't have a brunch.
Gee, have been to Goodspeed many times, but didn't know about Gillette Castle, so will check that out. And thanks for the go ahead on Max -- it sure looks great on the website.
OK, looks like Trattoria Rustica may be the best answer for dinner. The menu sounds good, but so many negatives about service, attitude, etc., etc.
Any thoughts for brunch on the way to Pittsfield. I was thinking Red Lion Inn in Stockbridge, but it seems they don't have a brunch.
Sep 30th, 2013, 08:04 AM
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Definitely agree on Gillette Castle.
Also, there's a scenic train ride that was fun, and a riverboat ride as well in the area, if you're into that sort of thing - altho' it might be chilly out on the river in October.
Also, there's a scenic train ride that was fun, and a riverboat ride as well in the area, if you're into that sort of thing - altho' it might be chilly out on the river in October.
Sep 30th, 2013, 12:28 PM
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I liked the traditional breakfast at the Red Lion Inn in Stockbridge a couple of years ago. But the room is kind of tired, its a bit expensive, and the last time we went there for dinner the service was atrocious.
Check out Cafe Adam in Great Barrington (http://cafeadam.org/). That's the last place I had brunch out there and thought it was excellent.
We don't usually have dinner in Pittsfield, I know there are a few nice places in Lenox, and I'm more familiar with Great Barrington, but those might be out of the way. I agree with both of DebitNM's recommendations, though...Allium and Nudel are both very good.
If you have an hour or 2 to kill, I think I might head over to the Norman Rockwell museum. I always like looking at his stuff more than I expect to. I see things in the paintings that I didn't notice the first time around. Its not a very big museum, so you can probably spend just a little while.
Check out Cafe Adam in Great Barrington (http://cafeadam.org/). That's the last place I had brunch out there and thought it was excellent.
We don't usually have dinner in Pittsfield, I know there are a few nice places in Lenox, and I'm more familiar with Great Barrington, but those might be out of the way. I agree with both of DebitNM's recommendations, though...Allium and Nudel are both very good.
If you have an hour or 2 to kill, I think I might head over to the Norman Rockwell museum. I always like looking at his stuff more than I expect to. I see things in the paintings that I didn't notice the first time around. Its not a very big museum, so you can probably spend just a little while.
Sep 30th, 2013, 03:34 PM
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I like Nudel a lot, but recommend Elizabeth's , a hidden gem in Pittsfield beloved by locals. Small lovingly prepared locally based menu, worth the trip and unlike anyplace I have ever been. Extremely gay friendly too.
Red Lion food is less than mediocre. Spoon in Lenox serves a very nice breakfast but not brunch.
Red Lion food is less than mediocre. Spoon in Lenox serves a very nice breakfast but not brunch.
Sep 30th, 2013, 05:05 PM
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Patrick, I strongly recommend Alta Restaurant in Lenox. Reservations recommended.
As for places to visit, I agree about Melville's home Arrowhead. Also Ventfort Hall in Lenox. The latter is a restored mansion from the gilded era. The exterior of the building was in the movie The Cider House Rules. And those two are just a tip of the iceberg as far as places to see. Do a google search. There's an excellent website for the Bershires tourist bureau. I'll try to find it and repost the info.
As for places to visit, I agree about Melville's home Arrowhead. Also Ventfort Hall in Lenox. The latter is a restored mansion from the gilded era. The exterior of the building was in the movie The Cider House Rules. And those two are just a tip of the iceberg as far as places to see. Do a google search. There's an excellent website for the Bershires tourist bureau. I'll try to find it and repost the info.
Oct 8th, 2013, 04:40 AM
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We're back. Weather had been expected to be great until it all started falling apart on Friday. We still took the little convertible and drove under overcast skies with the top down and the heat on on Saturday to Goodspeed. Great show, nice lunch at Gelston House, and a walk up at the beautiful Gillete Castle. We didn't pay to do the house, but were surprised you could walk up to the open but roped off doors to the great room and see the inside of the house.
We drove to Hartford in the rain. Loved our dinner at Max Downtown. Weird thing -- got a super rate for club level including cocktails and breakfast in the lounge via Booking.com.
But it was for Saturday night only, and the lounge is CLOSED on weekends. Huh? When I spoke to them at the front desk, they gave us coupons for breakfast buffet downstairs instead.
Poured rain, alternating with thick fog driving to Pittsfield on Sunday. We took our time leaving in the morning, but go to Lenox in time for a nice light lunch at Pattiserie, explored a few galleries, and walked with our umbrellas. Got to Pittsfield, checked into our hotel and just got to the theatre by 3 PM for our matinee. So we really had no time to explore. Dinner at Trattoria Rustica was really great. Split a caprese salad, Peter had an "American Kobe" steak from the wood grill and some sort of butternut squash and potato cake. I had spectacular lamb chops from the wood oven, with a bit of pesto, and served with wood oven roasted kale and vegetables. Loved the atmosphere, had a charming server. Couldn't have been happier.
So we left on Monday morning, again with rain off and on. Stopped in Lenox for breakfast at Shots. Drove through Stockbridge and Great Barrington, waiting to see if I could catch my "niece-in-law?" who manages Bra and Girl in Great Barrington, but alas it was her day off. So headed home in the rain.
Still had a good time, and anxious to make a trip in better weather. It was perhaps the height of the fall color (until the rain started making most of the leaves drop), and the surroundings were gorgeous. Our view from the top floor of the Crown Plaza was spectacular out to the countryside.
We drove to Hartford in the rain. Loved our dinner at Max Downtown. Weird thing -- got a super rate for club level including cocktails and breakfast in the lounge via Booking.com.
But it was for Saturday night only, and the lounge is CLOSED on weekends. Huh? When I spoke to them at the front desk, they gave us coupons for breakfast buffet downstairs instead.
Poured rain, alternating with thick fog driving to Pittsfield on Sunday. We took our time leaving in the morning, but go to Lenox in time for a nice light lunch at Pattiserie, explored a few galleries, and walked with our umbrellas. Got to Pittsfield, checked into our hotel and just got to the theatre by 3 PM for our matinee. So we really had no time to explore. Dinner at Trattoria Rustica was really great. Split a caprese salad, Peter had an "American Kobe" steak from the wood grill and some sort of butternut squash and potato cake. I had spectacular lamb chops from the wood oven, with a bit of pesto, and served with wood oven roasted kale and vegetables. Loved the atmosphere, had a charming server. Couldn't have been happier.
So we left on Monday morning, again with rain off and on. Stopped in Lenox for breakfast at Shots. Drove through Stockbridge and Great Barrington, waiting to see if I could catch my "niece-in-law?" who manages Bra and Girl in Great Barrington, but alas it was her day off. So headed home in the rain.
Still had a good time, and anxious to make a trip in better weather. It was perhaps the height of the fall color (until the rain started making most of the leaves drop), and the surroundings were gorgeous. Our view from the top floor of the Crown Plaza was spectacular out to the countryside.
Oct 8th, 2013, 05:35 AM
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Ghost town does describe it. Wow. At 8 PM on Saturday night, it seemed like 4 AM in an abandoned city!
Yes, the lounge is always closed weekends, which begs the question -- then why sell a special rate (only an additional $10) to get the lounge on a weekend night? Sort of like selling parking for only $5 when they don't have any parking at all. Which reminds me that the $18 a night parking fee seemed rather extreme for a DEAD city!
Yes, the lounge is always closed weekends, which begs the question -- then why sell a special rate (only an additional $10) to get the lounge on a weekend night? Sort of like selling parking for only $5 when they don't have any parking at all. Which reminds me that the $18 a night parking fee seemed rather extreme for a DEAD city!
