The Art of Shopping: Working Warren with a Pair of Pros
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Warren Street, that mile-long boulevard of retailing dreams in Hudson, is the scene. The protagonists are interior designer Paul Siskin of Siskin Valls Inc. in New York and his friend and frequent collaborator, the architect Joan Chan (left, photographing a set of chairs through the window of Doyle Antiques, at 711 Warren). The action: a full day of shopping for their clients and themselves. Rural Intelligence‘s Marilyn Bethany tagged along to learn how the pros do it differently.
Restaurants: Cross Roads Food Shop is a Hit in Hillsdale
David Wurth at Cross Roads Food Shop in Hillsdale, NY
David Wurth is a familiar face to foodies in the Hudson Valley and the Berkshires. He was the first chef at Local 111 in Columbia County, where he dished up spectacular locavore cuisine, and then he helped Bjorn Somlo open the extraordinary Nudel in Lenox. Now, Wurth is the chef/owner of the new Cross Roads Food Shop in Hillsdale, NY, which has become an overnight sensation, reports RI‘s Dan Shaw. Serving breakfast and lunch five days a week and dinner on weekends, Cross Roads is an unpretentious place where Wurth prepares intensely flavorful but simple fare that showcases the bounty of local ingredients that our region’s farmers have to offer.
Lodgings: At Chesterwood, Meadowlark Gets a Makeover
Photography by Paul Rocheleau, courtesy of Chesterwood
Looking for your own mid-summer night’s dream? Get thee to Chesterwood, where you can follow in the famous footsteps of artist Daniel Chester French and steal away to his secluded “Little Studio” in the woods. French’s secret getaway, now called Meadowlark, is one of the region’s most distinctive guesthouses. Gladys Montgomery reports that Meadowlark has a fresh new look, courstey of Joan Osofsky of Hammertown, that’s on par with the thrill of spending the night in the very place where French worked on many of his most famous sculptures, including the iconic seated figure central to the Lincoln Memorial. Overnight guests also have free run of Chesterwood’s glorious grounds, which can only be even more enchanting under the midnight moonlight.
Garden: Are Green Thumbs Inherited?Liza Gyllenhaal, novelist, poet, and founder of an advertising company specializing in the publishing industry, invites us into her garden and shares her theory on the green thumb gene.Though she calls herself a late bloomer, from the looks of her garden it would seem she was born trowel in hand. She’s also got a few timely suggestions for garden growers and gawkers. |
Recipes: Springtime Frittata with RampsWhen life hands you ramps—and we should all be so lucky—take a look at what other ingredients are at hand, and what else is at peak season. That’s the path that led The Homemade Pantry author Alana Chernila to whip up a ramp and asparagus frittata with the fresh ricotta she had made at that afternoon’s booksigning and cooking demo. Perfect for your Mother’s Day brunch. |
Parties: Ramps Celebrated; Langella's Memoir SignedIn Hudson, foodies converged on the Basilica, where local and NYC chefs served up ramp-inspired culinary creations. In Millerton, Frank Langella signed copies of his new memoir at Hunter Bee, in an event sponsored by Oblong Books, after the actor screened a sneak peek of his new film, Robot and Frank. |
Movies: Met Ring Cycle Encores in HDThe Mahaiwe, the Clark, and Time & Space Limited are presenting encore screenings of Robert Lepage’s visionary staging of Wagner’s Ring Cycle, captured live in HD at the Met. Each venue has a different schedule for this four-part epic; TSL and the Mahaiwe are also screening Wagner’s Dream, Susan’s Froemke’s behind-the-scenes documentary. Plus updated movie info every Friday. |
AgriCulture: The Secret Language of FarmsFrom poults to shoats, from keets to gilts, from farrows to barrows, and heifers to whethers, the farm has a vocabulary all its own, and it’s a bit more complicated than what our parents taught us from children’s books. According to blogger Peter Davies, when it comes to having any street cred as a farmer, you’ve got to learn to talk the talk. |
Music: Arlo Guthrie ReturnsThe legendary Arlo Guthrie is back in town for a three-night stand at the Guthrie Church, which many of us still know as Alice’s Church. But don’t expect to walk right in; this hero of the hippie era still has many fans, so advance reservations are a must. Because Arlo has a lot of friends in the region, you never know who may join him onstage. |
Instant Intelligence
Through May 20 - Berkshire County Berkshire Farm & Table presents Where the Wild Things Are, Foraging Walks in the Berkshires.
Through May 31 - Lenox Cranwell Day Spa offers a 10% discount spa treatments when you donate clothing to Zonta Club of the Berkshires or the Soldier On Berkshire Veterans Residence.
Through May 19 North Adams The First Annual Bike North Berkshire BIKEfest in association with MASS MoCA.
May 17 - Pittsfield 3rd Thursdays downtown street fair features music, food, performances, art, and family fun with the theme Celebrating Youth.
May 18 - 19 - Norfolk Zaanha Trunk Show of clothing, accessories, and toys made in Afghanistan to benefit Afghan children.
May 18 -24 - Rhinebeck Upstate Films presents UpDocs, a week of under-the-rader documentaries from around the world.
May 19 - 20 - Hudson Historic Hudson will open the Dr. Oliver Bronson House for New York Heritage Weekend.
May 19 - 20 - Sharon Trade Secrets, the annual antiques and rare plant sale at Lion Rock Farm on Saturday and a tour of four gardens on Sunday.
May 20 - Great Barrington Arlo Guthrie’s 12th Annual “Historic Garbage Trail” Walk to Massacree to fight Huntington’s Disease.
May 20 - Hudson Cruise-in 2012 Classic custom cars and trucks show begins with a parade down Warren Street at 10 a.m.
May 26 - Hudson Basilica Hudson presents This Is Congo, a photo exhibit and preview of the documentary film Shortcut to Heaven.
May 27 - Livingston Columbia Lands Conservancy’s 2012 Country Barbecue, a fundraiser at David Rockefeller’s Clum And Patchen Farm.
May 29 - Pittsfield The Summer Celebration of Jewish Music kicks off at Congregation Knesset Israel with a Jewish/African-American Fusion performance featuring Charles Neville.
May 31 - June 4 - Great Barrington & Pittsfield The Berkshire International Film Festival 2012
at the Beacon Cinema, Mahaiwe, and Triplex Cinema.
June 1 - 17 - Lenox Lenox Library hosts Brushes for Books, featuring a range of framed artwork, sculpture, and antiques.
June 2 - Hudson Bossa Triba Berkshire Bateria: Hudson Cruises’ Brazilian style Samba cruise.
June 2 - 3 - Lenox The First Annual Spring Antiques Fair at Ventfort Hall Mansion and Gilded Age Museum in collaboration with the Rhinebeck Antiques Fair. Preview party: June 1.
