“Gee, that looks like the car I had in college,” was heard over and over again, especially when spying a Triumph or MG. The festival evoked many old memories and created new ones.

Saturday’s competition yielded many “best in class” winners as well as the coveted “Best in Show,” awarded to Birchwood Inn guest Dave Hutchinson and his red 1961 Triumph Italia 2000 Coupe.

The Italia 2000, also called the TR3, was manufactured between 1959 and 1962, combining Italian artistry and British craftsmanship. Due to the car’s expensive price tag of $5,000!!!, only 329 were produced and a handful of 30 or so were sold in the US. Dave has babied his TR3 for more than 30 years. It’s a real beauty!

Congratulations to the festival’s organizers, the participants, the many car fans, and of course, the grand prize winner Dave Hutchinson!

"Best in Show" winner Dave Hutchinson, his wife Charlene, and his 1961 Italian 2000 Coupe.

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 THE Winner!.

The Berkshire International Film Festival (BIFF) continues to grow in popularity and in the number of films screened.
The 7th annual season is a celebration of the latest in independent feature, documentary, short, and family films. This year’s festival, with more than 70 films, runs from May 31 to June 3 in Great Barrington and Pittsfield.
The festival opens with the screening of the full-length documentary “Ethel” and will be presented by members of the Kennedy family, who will providing a special question and answer session.
Other festival highlights include the exclusive screening of “Marina Abramovic: The Artist Is Present,” with the producers and director present; and “Gregory Crewdson: Brief Encounters,” presented by the film’s director and the iconic local artist himself. Enjoy a romantic getaway and a good film during your stay at our Berkshires Bed and Breakfast!

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 Berkshire International Film Festival 2012 Showcases 70+ Independent Films.

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.

Shakespeare & Co’s 35th season is one of rebellion and revolution, and features one of Lenox’s favorite visitors, Academy Award-winning Olympia Dukakis (she loves Cafe Lucia!), in “The Tempest” and OBIE Award-winning actor John Douglas Thompson in “Satchmo at the Waldorf.”

“The season is designed to look at who we were, who we are, and where we’re going,” said artistic director Tony Simotes. “Revolution and rebellion, that the energy of the theater. That’s what we do.”

The summer portion of the company’s 35th anniversary season runs from May 25 through Labor Day.

Highlights include “The Tempest,” mid-July-mid-August; “Satchmo at the Waldorf,” mid-August-Labor Day; and “King Lear,” mid-June-mid-August.

The season also features “Endurance,” the story of the unlikely survival of Sir Ernest Shackleton and crew in Antarctica; and “Red,” a play based on painter Mark Rothko.

“Cassandra Speaks,” a play about controversial journalist Dorothy Thompson; “Parasite Drag,” a dark comedy of two estranged brothers; and “The Tale of the Allergist’s Wife”; a comedy about a depressed, unfulfilled Upper West Side wife, round out the season.

A star-studded season for a star-studded anniversary! We hope you have the chance to enjoy this exciting season during your stay at our Bed and Breakfast in Lenox!

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 Shakespeare & Co. Celebrates 35th Anniversary.

(Illustration above by Jesse Lefkowitz)

They are the first family of folk with deep Berkshire roots. With the

holidays coming, it was not too big of a surprise when the Berkshire

Theatre Group announced Arlo Guthrie and his family had reserved

the Saturday before Thanksgiving for their annual appearance.

The Guthrie Family Rides Again, which has been on the road, is

coming home to The Colonial Theatre on Saturday, November 19 at

8pm.

“He’s becoming a beloved Thanksgiving tradition,” said Artistic

Director and CEO Kate Maguire. “We are so fortunate to have Arlo

return again to our Colonial, with the whole Guthrie family.”

Like most Americans, the urge to return to their Berkshire farm,

and their family roots, is strong. The family travels much of the year,

and coming home to a dining room table piled high with some of

their own produce makes the week around Thanksgiving especially

nostalgic. Dad and Grandad Arlo had to give up the livestock

when it became too much to properly maintain along with an

intensive concert schedule.

Tickets for the Guthrie concert are $15–$55 and VIP tickets are

$65 (premium seating). Tickets may be purchased in person at the

Colonial Ticket Office at 111 South Street near our Berkshires Inn or by calling

(413) 997-4444 or online.

The Ticket Office is open Monday–Friday 10am–5pm, Saturdays 

10am–2pm or on any performance day from 10am until intermission.

A Legendary Family

Arlo Guthrie was born with a guitar in one hand and a harmonica in

the other, the eldest son of America’s most beloved singer/writer

Woody Guthrie, Arlo has made sure to pass on this passion for

music to all the generations of Guthries that came after. Arlo Guthrie

carries on the Guthrie Family legacy as he travels to communities

far and wide sharing timeless stories and unforgettable classic tunes.

A celebrated artist in American music, his artistic ventures help bridge

an often-divided world through his powerful spirit of song. With

songs like “Alice’s Restaurant,” “Coming into Los Angeles,” and “City

of New Orleans,” Arlo’s music has proved itself sustainable

throughout the years.

“The Guthrie Family Rides Again” brings his singular voice as both a

singer-songwriter and social commentator to the stage alongside his

beloved children and grandkids.

This Family concert spotlights three generations of Guthries including

Arlo’s son Abe, who has contributed keyboards and backing vocals to his

father’s live shows since the ’80s. His daughters Cathy, Annie and

Sarah Lee Guthrie, all of who have their own bustling music careers,

will support by singing songs and accompanying on acoustic guitars.

Even the youngest generation of Guthrie kids will join in the fun on

select songs.

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 Arlo Is Home in the Berkshires 11/19.

Quinn says: Lenox, MA, in the heart of The Berkshires, has been

compared to a Currier and Ives sketch. This is especially true during

the December holiday period. And there’s nothing that says New

England better than Lenox village dressed in holiday-style.

Catch the spirit on the weekend of December 10 when the village hosts

the Lenox Caroling Festival. The festival is a gala weekend, a

Christmas stocking filled with holiday events. The celebration

of seasonal songs begins on Saturday, December 10. Thirty or more

of the Northeast’s finest choirs and choral groups have been invited

to lift their voices in a day-long songfest and competition, 10 am to

noon and 1:30 pm to 4 pm throughout the village (in case of

inclement weather, the festival will move to indoor venues).

During the weekend you can also tour many of the village’s renown

bed and breakfast inns, including Birchwood Inn (Our Lenox Bed and Breakfast is

offering holiday special rates this weekend — and throughout most

of November and December as well) and sample holiday treats from

our special local restaurants (Quinn notes that this is her favorite event,

ever optimistic that there will be some cookies that drop on the floor!)

Lenox’s unique shops and restaurants will also be featuring festival specials.

On Saturday, from 6 pm to 7 pm, enjoy the Carolers’ Reception,

award presentations, and sing-a-long at Shakespeare & Co. For a

great feel-good experience, moreover, see David Sedaris’ “Santaland

Diaries” 7:30 pm on Saturday as well as two matinee performances,

Friday and Saturday at 2 pm.

Trinity Church invites everyone to its Holiday Fair and Silver Tea

on Saturday from 10 am to 3 pm.

And what are the holidays without a gingerbread house? The Lenox

Library hosts the annual Gingerbread Contest on Sunday, 10 am to

3 pm.

This is a most special weekend, for sure, but everyday is special

in Lenox during the holidays. Come and celebrate the season of

lights with us at our Lenox MA 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 Hot Time in the Old Lenox December 9, 10 & 11.

And there are bears in Beartown State Forest (in the towns of Lee and Monterey). This area is “bear aware” country. Do not feed or provoke the bears.
Bears have acute hearing — seven times more acute than a dog! — and can smell food more than a mile away. They are curious, resourceful, and have one of the best memories of all animals. They can run up to 35 mph and climb a tree faster than some primates.
If you encounter a bear, don’t startle it; make noise, and give the bear plenty of room.
I know about bears from personal experience! We have had bears visit every once in a while. The first time I met up with a bear, I thought it was a big dog and wagged my magnificent tail. I think I should have barked!

Bear Aware

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 Do Bears….?.

Meandering through Greylock's forests

Quinn reports: Janice (Ellen’s great friend since 2nd Grade), Ellen and I were on our way to Williamstown the other day to celebrate Ellen’s birthday and to take Janice to the Clark Art Institute‘s Pissarro’s People exhibit. It was a beautiful Indian Summer day, so we left Birchwood Inn and took the scenic route via Mount Greylock.

Greylock, at 3491 feet, is the highest point in MA. But it is also so much more! 12,500 acres. Mountains. Forests. Valleys. Streams. 70 miles of trails for hiking, mountain biking, back country skiing, snowshoeing, and snowmobiling. At the summit you can find Bascom Lodge and the Veterans War Memorial.

A view from the summit

But that doesn’t begin to describe the Greylock experience. In fall, the air is crisp, the foliage vibrant, the light streaming through the trees inspiring, the tranquility soothing, the only sounds are of trickling streams and inhaling the fresh tree-scented air. In the spring experience nature bursting and awakening from the long winter. In summer savor the leafy shade. And the views are awesome year-round. From the summit you can see up to 135 miles in the distance and 5 different states — MA, CT, NY, VT, and NH.

Of course we weren’t the first nor the last to savor the experience. Native Americans hunted and traveled through the Greylock area. The Machicans’ travels created a traditional footpath through Greylock, now known as the Mohawk Trail.

Standing at an Appalachian Trail marker

Another historic footpath runs through the Greylock area, the 2100-mile Appalachian Trail, which follows the Appalachian chain of mountains and hills from Springer Mountain in Georgia to Mount Katuhdin in Maine. 11.5 miles of the trail wend their way through the tranquil wilderness.

Greylock has been a Siren, luring hundreds of those seeking to savor the experience, including Hawthorne, Oliver Wendell Holmes, William Cullen Bryant, Thoreau and Melville.

Where the only sounds you hear are trickling streams

Melville could see Greylock from his writing desk at Arrowhead in neighboring Pittsfield, and it is said that the fall snow on Greylock inspired his description of the white whale breaching the waves in Moby Dick.

Even driving the newly restored roads, up to the summit from just north of Pittsfied, and down to North Adams, is a heady ooh-aah experience. We meandered around one corner and “oohed” at the view and then turned another corner and aahed.

Please note that the grass on Greylock is quite tasty!

We never did get to The Clark, but what a magic day Greylock shared with us before we headed back to our Lenox MA Bed and Breakfast.

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 A Memorable Day on Mount Greylock.

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!

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 It Was the Best of Times.

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

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 Dog Days? I’m Insulted.