We know that many of you are taking advantage of this "destination wedding" for some touring of the Berkshires and Theresa's home town of Pittsfield. So we've selected a few of our favorites for you to consider.
Golf
Those interested in a morning round of 9 holes of golf at the Donnybrook gold links, Rt. 7 Lanesboro MA can join brothers Tom O'Keefe & Jim O'Keefe (and maybe Theresa). Email Tom (tomo@vtinfo.com) to join in on a round.
Chesterwood - Stockbridge summer home and studio of Daniel Chester French, important sculptor who designed the "sitting Lincoln" in the Lincoln Memorial, Washington DC. Our friend Patricia is the museum shop manager. Say hello.
Clark Art Institute - A gem of a museum in Williamstown. Worth the 25 minute drive from Pittsfield, and it's FREEE to the general public until May 31! Take advantage.
Of course there is Pittsfield itself, Theresa's home town. It has always been a pretty place as the "heart of the Berkshires" and the county seat, but in the past few years the city center has really developed into an interesting and vibrant cultural, dining, and retail area. A walk down North and South streets are worth it, especially if you haven't been there in some time.
A walk down North Street for some of our favorites:
While it's not on North Street, the Berkshire Museum is right across the street from the Crowne Plaza on South St. It's a great little museum, and even great for our small neices and nephews.
Need a coffee? Go to Bagels Too, at 166 North Street - for coffee and the best bagels ever! Our friend Susan Gordon owns this great shop, so be sure to say Hello.
A ways down on the other side there's Museum Facsimilies at 429 North Street which has great gifts, cards, and stationary. Did you like our invitations and "Save the Date" cards? Our friends Ken and Laurie Green designed and printed them. Check out the other treats in store, including the mirrors. You might find a last minute wedding gift!
If you are in need of a little lunch by now, we would recommend you walk a few doors down to 455 North St. and drop in at The Lantern . The "Lantern Salad" is great, as are the flame grilled burgers!
While it's unlikely you will need any hardware for the weekend, we still want to recommend one of Theresa's favorite stores: Carr Hardware. Since it's just a short walk down from the Lantern you may want to wander through anyway. Who knows what handy thing you might find; a skill saw can make a good wedding gift!
Trying to relax? How about a massage?
A few of our friends are massage therapists and are willing to take appointment from wedding guests on the weekend. Contact them individually if you're interested.
Jennifer Coppola - Swedish relaxation massage, facial, hot stone, and more. For more details or appointments, call her at 413-499-0916.
OR
Sweep Voll and Suzie Sacco of On Call Massage offer traditional Swedish, hot stone, or deep tissue massage. Call for details 413-443-6627.
Want to relax by other means? There's a couple very good places to go for a drink.
For the beer lovers we would recommend Brew Works, a brewpub a few blocks from the hotel on Depot Street. The food is good and the beer is great and made on the premises. Walk out the front door of the hotel, cross West Street, go straight down McKay street a block until it ends at the brew pub. A favorite with our neighbors.
If you can't walk that far, right on Park Square, facing the hotel, is Patrick's Pub, where they pour a find Guiness.
And if you're a wine drinker, try Brix, right across West Street from the hotel. Small, intimate, and a great and intelligent wine selection. Eat and learn!
A Walk in the Woods.
If getting closer to nature is your idea of time well spent we would recommend a few places for a walk in the woods. There are two Audubon sanctuaries in the area: Canoe Meadows in Pittsfield and Pleasant Valley in Lenox.
We would also recommend Ashintully, the site of beatiful gardens and ruins of a stately home in Tyringham.
Another good source for general information on the area is the Berkshire Visitors' Bureau.
