Birchwood Inn » Art

We’ve Got Snow and The Arts

innkeeper — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 10:19:50 +0000

In Winter, Berkshires Culture Moves Indoors

Nathaniel Brooks for The New York Times

Top: Ventfort Hall in Lenox, Mass., where Anne Undeland performs “Open Marriage” in the library, right. Above: A work by Adrian Paci, left, at Mass MoCA in North Adams.

Original Article By Mark Vanhoenacker

There’s far more to the Berkshire Mountains than Tanglewood, and the arts and culture do continue after Labor Day all around our Lenox Bed and Breakfast. As Mark Vanhoenacker says in The NYT, “even in January, cultural life here thrives, at museums, theaters and music halls. And when it’s time for a little après-edification, you’ll find acres of elbow-room on area slopes.”

Why not start your cultural tour in North Adams, at Mass MoCA, one of the largest museums of contemporary art in the world? There are currently some exciting exhibits. And Mass MoCA’s performance stages are busy as well, such as jazz vocalist Catherine Russell on Feb. 18.

“The grande dame of Berkshire museums, the Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute, just down the roadin Williamstown. The Rembrandt and Degas exhibition runs until February 5. “Clark Remix” opens Feb. 12. Pittsfield, which celebrated its 250th birthday in 2011, Pittsfield host 10×10 on North, the county’s first-ever winter contemporary arts festival, Feb. 16 to 26, featuring “exactly 10 of a number of things, including short pieces by two theatrical groups, Barrington Stage and New Stage; performances by poets, tango dancers and singer-songwriters; and short films.”At the Colonial Theater, a treasure from the Gilded Age, offers a busy winter calendar, including the Turtle Island Quartet (Feb. 17) and the Cajun masters BeauSoleil Avec Michael Ducet (Feb. 24).

In Lenox, Shakespeare & Co., as Vanhoenacker notes, “never lets the floorboards cool.” This season’s winter programming includes Molière’s comedy “The Learned Ladies,” which opens Feb. 3.

We hope you have the opportunity to enjoy some of these fantastic cultural events during your stay at our Berkshires Inn!

Our Inn in Lenox, MA offers 12 accommodations enjoy Berkshires, Bed & Breakfast,Inn in Lenox MA featuring private baths, cozy fireplaces and more. You can read the original blog post here We’ve Got Snow and The Arts.

It Was the Best of Times

innkeeper — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 09:19:14 +0000

Says Quinn: Despite Irene’s unwelcome end-of-summer visit, this was one of the best of my 12 summers at Birchwood Inn.

Ellen and I have created a Top Ten Best of Summer 2011 list:

# 10 -Best play we missed: “Sylvia” — about a dog of course — at the Berkshire Theatre Festival

# 9 -Best Tanglewood Concert we missed: “Porgy and Bess”

# 8 -Best book read this summer: “The Greater Journey”

# 7 -Best exhibit: Pissarro at The Clark Art Institute (until Oct. 6)

# 6 -Best new Lenox food experience: Berkshire Gelato next door to Prime

# 5 -Best new breakfast recipe: Peach Croissant French Toast Panini

# 4 -Best breakfast fruit course: Honeydew “Gazpacho” and Bircher Muesli

# 3 -Best food blog: Eight Broads in the Kitchen at Bed and Breakfast Foodies

8 Broads... and a Dog

# 2 -Best park for hiking or walking a dog: Kennedy Park

# 1 -Best summer weekend: James Taylor and the annual 4th of July Party Time at our Lenox MA Bed and Breakfast!

Dog Days? I’m Insulted

innkeeper — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 07:53:11 +0000

As a most fine and upstanding canine, I am not at all happy that these miserably hot days in the Northeast, with unheard of temperatures in the 90s and humidity that even curls my hair, are called Dog Days. Dogs are cool!

Here in Lenox, in the heart of the Berkshire Hills in Western Massachusetts, there are gentle breezes in the garden and on the front porch at Birchwood Inn.

The leafy hiking trails in Kennedy Park across the street are very pleasant. There is plenty of shade under the ancient oaks at Tanglewood, and fortunately the air-conditioning is working mighty fine at Shakespeare & Co., Jacob’s Pillow, Berkshire Theatre Festival, Barrington Stage Co., The Colonial, and Williamstown Theatre Festival. I also love taking a cool respite at The Norman Rockwell Museum, The Clark Art Institute, and MASS MoCA.

And there’s nothing more refreshing than a swim in one of the many nearby mountain lakes.

Nothing doggy about it. Why not the Cat Days of Summer?

And that’s the way I see it. Quinn

Berkshire International Film Festival: The New Sundance East??

innkeeper — Fri, 06 May 2011 13:22:05 +0000

Couldn’t get to the Sundance Film Festival this year? Then come visit our Inn in Lenox, MA and head to the 6th annual Berkshire International Film Festival from June 2nd-5th. Seventy feature-length and short feature films and documentaries by independent filmmakers from the US and abroad will be shown in Great Barrington and Pittsfield over the 4-day festival.

Andrew Rossi’s documentary “Page One: Inside the NY Times” opens the festival on June 2nd and the festival closes on June 5th with the Sundance Audience Award-winning “Buck,” Cindy Meehl’s documentary about real-life horse whisperer Buck Brannaman (also being shown on June 3rd). Other highlights include a special screening of “A Letter to Elia,” a documentary about Elia Kazan, and a series of films from the Human Rights Film Festival.

“And,” Quinn adds, “there will be some of the best popcorn east of Sundance. I know because I eat the popcorn off the floor!”

Sorry! Robert Redford will not be in attendance, but guests at our Berkshires Inn are sure to have a great time and enjoy some memorable films and discussions.

Go Latin This Weekend in the Berkshires!

innkeeper — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 18:08:30 +0000

Latin dancers are heating up the Berkshires this weekend and visitors to our Bed and Breakfast in Lenox, MA are in for a real treat!

Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival and the Massachusetts Museum of Modern Art (MASSMoCA) co-present Los Munequitos de Matanzas at MASSMoCA in North Adams, in the Berkshires beautiful North County. This company from Cuba is the world’s best rumba group, has the leading percussionists, and is world renowned for its Afro-Cuban rituals, dance, and rumba. The performances are getting down this Saturday, April 30th at 8 pm and Sunday, May 1st at 1 pm. Buy your tickets Here!

Photo by Zarmik Moqtaderi

Another exciting event is happening in Great Barrington, where Soledad Barrio and Noche Flamenca heat up the south county at the Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center. Through music, song, and dance, this award-winning group from Spain is intensely theatrical in expressing the art of Flamenca. This one-time performance is happening on Sunday, May 1st at 7 pm.

Come relax at our cozy and romantic Berkshires Inn, enjoy the blooming of Spring, and experience one of these unique events happening only in The Berkshires!

Frelinghuysen-Morris House and Studio – A Hidden Treasure

innkeeper — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 20:58:54 +0000

Frelinghuysen-Morris House and Studio

Some people come to the Berkshires year after year and don’t know about the Frelinghuysen-Morris House and Studio. Pity. Because it is a very special place that belonged to two very special artists and art collectors.

Located on Hawthorne, the Bauhaus design home is a treasure in itself, and there are even more treasures inside. The art deco painters – George L.K. Morris and his wife Suzy Frelinghuysen — collected art created by their very well-known friends. They also liked to photograph their artist friends, and this summer’s exhibit pairs these photographs of their abstract artist friends with their art work.

And who might these friends be? As much as I hate to name drop, the friends include Matisse, Leger, Picasso and Miro. The photograph of Miro in front of his dining room mural, which was later destroyed by the Nazis. This is the only known photograph to survive.

The house will also offer talks about modern paintings, furniture, and architecture on July weekends.

Don’t miss Lenox’s “hidden” gem.

All right here in Lenox!