Fresh Basil Mini Travel Guide T H E
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I S S U E ONE A l it t le t a st e o f t h e b e st in t he B er ks h ir es
Favorite restaurants Best bang-foryour-buck sites and activities Small collection of fantastic shops List of books (for a bit of extra credit reading!)
BEST BITES DreamAway Lodge is everything quirky and fantastic about the Berkshires under one big roof – a fire pit outside, live music every night, and a casual, cozy menu. 1342 County Road, Becket * 413.623.8725 Haven Bakery serves creative, fresh, fairly reasonable brunch and lunch in a lovely downtown Lenox space – a rare and highly coveted combination of things! 8 Franklin Street, Lenox * 413.637.8948 Moe’s Tavern boasts a truly impressive beer selection – and serves little else. But the knowledgeable owner will charm you into forgetting you ever desired anything else. 10 Railroad Street, Lee * 413.243.6637 Rouge, situated in the itty bitty center of West Stockbridge, oozes charm with its mismatched tables and chairs, tiny bar area, and fantastic take on French classics. Order the duck – you won’t be sorry. 3 Center Street, West Stockbridge * 413.232.4111 Mezze is clean and modern in décor, and inventive in cuisine. The bar menu is slightly more casual, and just as high in quality. 777 Cold Spring Road, Williamstown * 413.458.0123 Baba Louie’s serves fancy pizza and giant salads. Perfect for families and dates and dinners with friends. 34 Depot Street, Pittsfield and 286 Main Street, Great Barrington * 413.499.2400 Mission Bar & Tapas succeeds where they intend to – a very good wine list and very good small plates. 438 North Street, Pittsfield
KEEPIN’ BUSY Butternut Ski offers reasonable lift tickets and lessons for people young and old looking to learn. 380 State Road, Great Barrington, MA * 413.528.2000 For a swankier alpine experience, try Jiminy Peak. More shops, nicer lodges, and bigger and better-maintained trails. 37 Corey Road, Hancock, MA * 413.738.5500 MASS MoCA is an inspired modern art museum that regularly features large-scale installations from new artists, alongside their impressive ongoing collections. 1040 MASS MoCA Way, North Adams * 413.662.2111 Wahconah Golf Course is a semi-private, beautiful maintained 18-hole course that offers spectacular views of the Berkshire hills. 20 Orchard Road, Dalton * 413.684.2864 The newly renovated public Waubeeka Golf Course has great views and a few fun, funky holes. 137 New Ashford Road, Williamstown * 413.458.5869 Mount Greylock has dozens of trails for a variety of skill levels, from those who want to drive up to the summit and take in the view of four surrounding states to the most intrepid among us who are up for a full day of hiking. 30 Rockwell Road, Lanesborough * 413.499.4262 From late June through the end of August, Tanglewood – summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra – is just about the perfect spot to spend an afternoon or evening listening to music on their impressive, rolling lawn. 297 West St, Lenox * 413.637.1600
SHOP AROUND
BOOKS & NOOKS
EXTRA READING
The Bookstore: A cozy space that may lack massive inventory, but has an uncanny ability to stock the book you never knew you always wanted. 11 Housatonic Street, Lenox * 413.637.3390
Edith Wharton’s Ethan Frome The Mount, Wharton’s breathtaking estate and gardens, is at 2 Plunkett St., Lenox, MA. Admission: $16 * 413.551.5111
History: Susan Cheever’s American Bloomsbury
Different Drummer Kitchen Co.: Offers a wide range of kitchen and cooking goodies, including everything from that Emile Henry tagine you’ve been coveting to the perfectly designed French whisk. 374 Pittsfield Road, Lenox * 413.637.0606 Pinecone Hill Outlet: The cutest duvets, linens, pajamas, and Dash & Albert rugs, all at deeply discounted prices. 125 Pecks Road, Pittsfield * 800.442.8157
Herman Melville’s Moby Dick Melville’s home, Arrowhead, is the site where he wrote Moby Dick, at 780 Holmes Road, Pittsfield, MA. Admission: $13 * 413.442.1793 Suzi Forbes Chase’s The New Red Lion Inn Cookbook The Red Lion Inn, at 30 Main St., Stockbridge, MA, where you can sit on their front porch for a drink or head to cavernous Lion’s Den for pub fare. * 413.298.5545
David Levering Lewis’ W.E.B. Du Bois, 1868 – 1919: Biography of a Race Fiction: Phillip Roth’s Human Stain Nathanial Hawthorne's House of Seven Gables House & Home: Annie Selke’s Fresh American Spaces (owner of Pine Cone Hill!) Tom Rockwell’s Best of Norman Rockwell
Fresh Basil Mini Travel Guide T H E
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Fresh Basil Mini Travel Guide ABOUT THIS SERIES Most seasoned travellers can successfully book flights and hotels for their destination of choice. The hard part comes later, when sifting through massive amounts of information to find the best restaurants, things to do, and places to shop. This mini guide travel series will offer a taste of the best recommendations a friend would offer, including a mix of hand selected restaurants that range in style and cost, the best bang-foryour-buck sites to see, a small collection of favorite shops, and a list of books – both fiction and non-fiction – for a bit of extra credit reading. Thank you for reading! For more travel tips, visit http://fresh-basil.blogspot.com.
UPCOMING ISSUES
Boston Martha’s Vineyard New England day-trips And more!