Our BerkshireTimes, Dec 2014 - Jan 2015

Dec 2014-Jan 2015, vol 17 (28)

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Our BerkshireTimes

™

Local Events | Art & Culture | Home & Garden | Vibrant Living

O Real Estate & Professionals  Buy Local Marketplace & Gift Guides O O Online Coupons at www.OurBerkshireTimes.com/Coupons! O

Community matters.

Buy local food.

42 Bridge Street, Great Barrington 413.528.9697 www.berkshire.coop

FOOD SHOPPING WITH VALUE(s)

December - January 2015

Our BerkshireTimes™ PUBLISHERS Kathy I. Regan publisher@ourberkshiretimes.com Kevin J. Regan kevin@ourberkshiretimes.com _______________ EDITORIAL Kathy I. Regan editor@ourberkshiretimes.com Rodelinde Albrecht rodelinde@ourberkshiretimes.com Copyeditor/Proofreader Rodelinde Albrecht _______________ DESIGN Magazine Design/Layout Kathy I. Regan Ads–Independent Designers Katharine Adams, Rural Ethic Studio katmail@ruralethicstudio.com Christine Dupre cedupre@msn.com Elisa Jones, Berkshire Design Studio elisa@berkshiredesignstudio.com _______________

Contents 4 6

BUSINESS SPOTLIGHTS

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COVER ILLUSTRATION

There is No Finer Place

by Carol Frances, Artist

Carol Frances’ oil paintings are richly layered with a variety of mixed media including gold leaf, phototransfer, and text. Her current work focuses on birds, flowers, and goldfish.

She has gallery representation in CT, MA, NY, and NM, and is in collections in the United States and Europe. Carol sells giclee prints of her work and beautiful notecard sets, which can be found at www.carolfrances.com

IT'S TIME TO DETOX YOUR PET

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TINY WORLDS AND MINIATURE GARDENS

real estate & professionals PILASTERS, PLINTHS & PALLADIO BUSINESS SPOTLIGHTS

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education & workshops LEARNING BY DOING

home & garden GIFT GUIDE

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animal talk GIFT GUIDE

holiday marketplace!

reflections GRACIE

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health & wellness DETOXIFICATION 101

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food & drink BRETON-STYLE BUTTERY SABLÉES

featured advertisers

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his publication is printed with soy ink on FSC-certified paper.

Our BerkshireTimes™ The Voice of Our Community! Like Us On

Savings! Go to:

TO ADVERTISE CONTACT Our BerkshireGreen, Inc. P.O. Box 133, Housatonic, MA 01236 Phone: (413) 274-1122 advertise@OurBerkshiretimes.com www.OurBerkshireGreen.com www.OurBerkshireTimes.com www.OurBerkshireCalendar.com _______________

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art, culture & entertainment EVENT SAMPLER

www.OurBerkshireTimes.com/coupons to find advertisers who are offering additional online coupons and deals with fantastic savings! Join our mailing list to receive our informative eNewsletter and coupons directly.

Our BerkshireTimes magazine is a bimonthly publication (six issues yearly, starting in February), free to the public, and is enjoyed by community members and visitors alike. Most of our editorial content is contributed by our readers. We welcome your ideas, articles, and feedback, and encourage you to submit original material for consideration through our website. To find out more about advertising, submitting editorial, and posting events on our free community calendar, see our websites at left, and join our mailing list to receive our free monthly eNewsletter.

This month�s cover illustration, There is No Finer Place, measures 18" x 34". Many of Carol Frances� paintings are available in limited edition giclee prints – both on canvas and on paper. Contact the artist through her website at left for more information.

All content in Our BerkshireTimes ™ is accepted in good faith. We do not necessarily advocate and cannot be held responsible for opinions expressed or facts supplied by our authors, illustrators, and advertisers. We reserve the right to refuse advertising for any reason. For printing errors of the publisher's responsibility, liability is limited to the cost of the ad space in which it first appeared. Unless otherwise noted, we use a Creative Commons License in place of a standard copyright.

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art, culture & entertainment

event sampler

Take Her Breath TakeAway!

Her Breath Away!

SEE MORE EVENTS OR POST YOUR EVENT FOR FREE AT www.OurBerkshireCalendar.com

Fine Jew s ’ n ele a i b rs a Est. 1985 Z 15 Main Street, Lee 413-243-0508 www.zabians.com

Open 7 days a week until Christmas.

NOW ON SALE S NOW ON SALE S NOW ON SALE S NOW ON SALE S NOW ON SALE

NOW ON SALE S NOW ON SALE S NOW ON SALE S NOW ON SALE S NOW ON SALE

S NOW ON SALE S NOW ON SALE S NOW ON SALE S

S NOW ON SALE S NOW ON SALE S NOW ON SALE S

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December | January 2015

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Holiday Market and Tree Lighting Date: Fri, Dec 5, 2014, 4:30-8pm Place: Gallery Space at 6 Harris Street, West Stockbridge, MA - Price: Free.

Tree lighting and Indoor Holiday Market sponsored by the West Stockbridge Farmers Market. Live music, tree lighting with Santa and caroling at 6pm on Center Street. Bring your own camera for free photos with Santa.

Find handmade holiday gifts, decorations, party foods, and more! Warm up with a hot beverage and do some holiday shopping.

Most village stores will be open late. www.weststockbridgefarmersmarket.org Breakfast with Santa Weekend Date: Sat, Dec 6, and Sun Dec 7, 2014 Place: Ioka Valley Farm, Rt. 43, Hancock, MA Come join us for breakfast with Santa. We offer a free hayride on our Santa�s Cap wagon to the Christmas tree plantation where you may cut your own Christmas tree. You will receive our traditional annual Ioka Valley Farm ornament with the purchase of a tree.

Delicious hot cocoa and cider donuts will be available for sale again this season. www.iokavalleyfarm.com It's A Wonderful LIfe: A Live Radio Play Date: Sat, Dec 20, 2014, 2pm Place: Elayne P. Bernstein Theatre, 70 Kemble Street, Lenox, MA - (413)637-3353 Price: $14.50-$39.50 Now’s your chance to catch the return of our hit holiday production that enthralled audiences with its live sound effects and rapid character changes. Follow George Bailey as he journeys to discover the value of this wonderful life, guided by “angel second-class,” Clarence who is on his own quest to earn his wings . . . and remember, no man is a failure who has friends. www.shakespeare.org Chanukah Family Festival Date: Sun, Dec 21, 2014, 4pm Place: Berkshire Mall at Macy�s Court, Rt. 8, Old State Road, Lanesborough, MA Price: Free. Chabad of the Berkshires, cosponsored by the Jewish Federation of

art, culture & entertainment the Berkshires, invites you to join the festivities including Menorah lighting, children�s crafts, live music, family entertainment, hot latkes, dreidels, donuts - sufganiyot, face painting, a raffle, and more!

All are invited. To find out more, call (413) 499-9899, or visit their website at www.jewishberkshires.com.

Christmas at Ventfort Hall Date: Fri, Dec 26 through Mon, Dec 29, 2014 Place: Ventfort Hall, 104 Walker Street, Lenox, MA - (413) 637-3206. Price: $15 adults, $7 children ages 5 to 17, and free for children age 4 and under.

Puppeteer Carl Sprague will bring to life the classic fairy tale titled “Sleeping Beauty.” The audience will have the opportunity to meet this wizard for childrens’ holiday punch and cookies. Performances on Fri, Dec 26, and Sun, Dec 28, both at 3:30pm.

Gifted musician, artist, teacher, and storyteller Tom Hooker Hanford will present ancient Christmas and Winter Solstice traditions of the British Isles and the United States. Tom delights audiences young and old with his highly interactive performances accompanied by guitar, harmonicas, and violin. Tom will appear on Saturday, Dec 27, at 3:30pm, and will meet the audience for childrens’ holiday punch and cookies. www.gildedage.org

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Tea & Portrayal

Lecture Series Queen VictoriA reiGnS, PreSentAtion AnD teA: Sun., Dec. 7, 3:30 PM.

Holiday Week Children’s Programs Sleeping Beauty MArionette ShowS Fri., Dec. 26 and Sun., Dec. 28, 3:30 pm by puppeteer Carl Sprague.

StorieS & SonGS, Sat., Dec. 27, 3:30 pm.

Wassail, Wassail, All Over the Town! Tom Hooker Hanford presents ancient Christmas and Winter Solstice traditions MAGic Show, Mon., Dec. 29, 3:30 pm.

Pete and Chris present Two-Man Kid’s High Energy Magic Show.

104 Walker Street, Lenox, MA

413-637-3206

GildedAge.org

on

main

7 2 5 N O R T H M A I N S T R E E T, S H E F F I E L D M A 413-229-8900 • WWW.MIXONMAIN.COM

725 NORTH MAIN STREET SHEFFIELD, MA ● 413-229-8900 www.MIXONMAIN.COM

Arts HotcHkiss The

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VINTAGE ● MODERN DECORATIVE

All are welcome!

hotchkiss.org/arts (860) 435 - 4423

programs september through July The Hotchkiss School, Lakeville, CT

guest concert series ~ tremaine gallery dance ~ hotchkiss dramatic association

~ film screenings ~ summer portals

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December | January 2015

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holiday marketplace!

THE

BOOKLOFT

Celebrating our 40th year as an independent bookstore. Thank you!

We sell eBooks! for your iPad, iPhone, Android or Kobo device Great Barrington 413 528 1521 thebookloft.com

make a wish!

WE CAN MAKE HOLIDAY GIFT SHOPPING FUN AND EASY

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his holiday season, take the frustrating guesswork out of gift shopping! Have your friends and family (and you too) come in and fill out a Wish List at The Bookloft. We’ll keep track of your wished-for books and products, so anyone asking for your Wish List can see exactly what to get you. We’ll also make sure to cross off items as they get bought, so you don’t end up with doubles. It’s handy for the holiday season, but don’t forget birthdays, anniversaries, and other holidays and events too!

fresh christmas trees

Meadow Farm Market

AND DELICIOUS HOME-BAKED TREATS FOR THE HOLIDAYS

Procuring exceptional organic and conventional produce and goods, both locally and regionally grown, as to ensure the best quality offerings for our customers.

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

Serving certified free trade organic coffee, nitrate free meats and cheeses, dairy from local farms, bakery fresh breads and of course sundries.

(413) 394-4308 | MidgesMarket@yahoo.com Route 102, 905 Pleasant Street, South Lee, MA

www.MeadowFarmMarket.com

LIKE US ON

facebook

ome get your fresh Christmas tree, wreaths, and delicious holiday treats at Meadow Farm Market. Print and bring in our coupon (found at www.OurBerkshireTimes.com/coupons) to get a 10 percent discount off any tree. Our farmer’s section offers a wide variety of the Berkshires’ freshest and tastiest food and many delicious homemade pastries and delicious ice-cream for your holiday gatherings. We are open year round and look forward to welcoming you with down-to-earth hospitality.

silver and gold MAKE YOUR JEWELS SPARKLE FOR THE HOLIDAYS!

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rown Jewelers has been a solid jewelry business for more than 35 years, in our Allendale Shopping Center location.

We have earned our stellar reputation by adhering to our motto: “Treat every customer better than you expect to be treated; to include respect, honesty, and impartiality.” This philosophy, combined with an extraordinary selection of jewelry – from $25 to $25,000 – makes holiday shopping truly joyful! Pandora jewelry, LeVian chocolate diamonds, and many other wonderful designers will make your holidays bright!

Everyone likes clean, sparkling jewelry for the holidays. The best option is to bring your jewels to a reputable jeweler to be cleaned and checked. Prongs break off, components wear out, and you chance losing your jewelry. If you prefer to clean your jewelry at home, there are specific jewelry solutions available for gold or silver jewelry.

There are many options now to buy jewelry on line, but we can’t stress how important personal, face-to-face service is at Crown Jewelers. You know what you’re purchasing and customer service doesn’t end after the purchase is made.

Extended Holiday Hours

Allendale Shopping Center | Pittsfield, MA | 413-442-9073 *Ask about our interest free financing.

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December | January 2015

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Happy Holidays!

holiday marketplace! festive holiday beer & food A BERKSHIRE HOLIDAY TRADITION

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arrington Brewery & Restaurant, Berkshire County�s only brew pub, offers great one-stop shopping for the beer and food lovers in your lives. T-shirts, sweatshirts, hats, posters, glasses, growlers, 22-oz. bottles, and more. Don�t forget our signature Yule Fuel, our Holiday Barley Wine, that has become a Berkshire holiday tradition and is available for purchase at area package stores and at the brewery. Gift certificates are also available for purchase right up until Christmas Eve. Best wishes for the holiday season!

BARRINGTON BREWERY

Join us for LUNCH & DINNER DAILY

& RESTAURANT

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E BREWED B

ER

420 Stockbridge Road, Great Barrington, MA

www.barringtonbrewery.net • (413) 528-8282

topnotch entertainment

42 Wendell Ave Pittsfield, MA

THE WHIT IS YOUR TICKET TO AFFORDABLE ART EXHIBITIONS

413-443-0289

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ocated in the Cultural District of Pittsfield in a historic mansion, Whitney Center for the Arts entertains audiences with its impressive, unique, and high-quality programming and art exhibitions. Crowd favorites are musical concerts and the Whit�s regular musical series such as Opera Notte (an evening of arias) and NYC Style Cabaret taking place in a bistro setting, allowing audiences to enjoy tapas, wine, and beer. Average ticket $20, food $7, and beverage $6. Reservations recommended.

Holiday Gift Ideas Gift Certificates Beer to go, Hats Sweatshirts, T-shirts

For more Info

www.TheWhit.org

Theatre . Opera Nights . Cabaret . Art Exhibits Chamber Music . Private Events . Office Space

hosting a holiday party?

WE CAN HELP WITH CUSTOMIZED EVENT PACKAGES

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aving a special event or hosting a holiday party? Let us help you with your plans. We have a wonderful banquet room located in our Pittsfield restaurant.

Baba Louie�s Pizza is a family owned and operated business. We strive to treat everyone like a member of our own family. Every meal we serve comes from the highest-quality ingredients. We select the freshest veggies, fruits, cheeses, and meats to create our wood-fired pizzas and heaping salads. Let our team help you host your special event in our Pittsfield restaurant; from the planning stages to the final wrap-up, whether 20 to 100 people attend, we are here to serve you.

Event packages can be as simple as pizza and salad, or customized to include special pastas, appetizers, and desserts. We have hosted many wonderful events from business luncheons and meetings to baby showers and bar or bat mitzvahs.

Call our Catering Manager at (413) 499-2400 or just stop by and check out the space. www.babalouiespizza.com www.OurBerkshireTimes.com

December | January 2015

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gift guide

Our Berkshire Marketplace

HOLIDAY SHOPPING 2014!

ENJOY

Cellarbration Wine, Beer & Spirits

Cellarbration offers a unique hand-picked wine selection, generally retailing for $15 or less, craft and domestic beer, and a great selection of spirits. Cellarbration Wine, Beer & Spirits, formerly called Grape Finds, offers "Big-City" sophistication with the warmth of a small-town store. We are located inside Great Barrington's Big Y Worldclass market and are perfect for all of your one-stop shopping needs. Cellarbration also offers entertaining and educational wine classes (taste wines from diverse regions, learn about wine and food pairing, enjoy access to special pricing on select wines, and more). Gift cards available. Open seven days a week, Monday -Saturday, 9am-9pm, and Sunday Noon -8pm. (413) 528-6600, www.cellarbrationwinebeerspirits.com

ENHANCE

Karen Keenan Gifts & Home - Frasier Fir Reed Diffuser

This holiday season, spread your favorite home fragrance in a festive, ecofriendly way. Evoking Frasier Fir’s forest inspiration, this pinecone-shaped diffuser enhances any dÊcor.

Fill the 3-inch-tall bronze receptacle with the fragrant oil; reeds layer the air with fresh-cut fragrance.

Karen Keenan Gifts & Home is located in downtown Lee in the heart of the Berkshires, and is filled with items that will enliven your senses. We carry well-known brands such as, Vera Bradley, Alex and Ani, Crabtree & Evelyn, Willowtree, Wilton Armetale, Gund, Bunnies by the Bay, and Brighton, just to name a few. You can find a gift here for everyone on your list and we are happy to gift wrap. Vsit us at 69 Main Street, Lee, MA. (413) 243-2689, www.karenkeenangifts.com

TREASURE

Mix on Main - Antique French Book-bar Tantalus

This antique French book-bar tantalus is an example of the type of item used by the master of the house to secretly secure his favorite libation and to keep it out of the hands of snoopy servants and other thirsty interlopers. At Mix on Main, our emphasis is on 20th Century furnishings and accessories, but our constantly changing collection often features an eclectic array of antiques and collectibles of every vintage. Our store is located at 725 N. Main Street on Route 7 in Sheffield, and our prices are within reach of most design-oriented collectors. We may not be the largest shop, but our distinctive pieces are not likely to be found in most other shops in the region.

(413) 229-8900, www.mixonmain.com.

CREATE

Wonderful Things - Yarn, Kits, and Gift Certificates

Soon to celebrate their forty-third year, Wonderful Things, owned by Harry and Debbie Sano, has the largest selection of yarn, needlework, and craft supplies in the Berkshires. Give the creative person in your life a fabulous selection of yarn, a kit, or a gift certificate. Make sure to go to their Annual Yarn Sale, starting on January 22, 2015. Wonderful Things is also well known for its large selection of American-made and artisan gifts, so you will find just the right gift for everyone on your list. Visit Wonderful Things at 232 Stockbridge Road, Great Barrington, MA. Open Mon-Sat 9:30-5 and Sun 12-4. (413) 528-2473, www.wonderful-things.com

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home, garden & landscape

tiny worlds and miniature gardens CREATE YOUR OWN ENCHANTED SPACE / By Kathy I. Regan

to buy your plants and supplies from a place that offers specific materials for this purpose so they can also give you helpful advice (I recommend Ward�s Nursery and Gardening Center in Great Barrington or Guido�s Fresh Marketplace in Pittsfield).

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f you miss gardening in the winter, or simply do not have the time, ability, or funds to outdoor garden, consider the enchanted and magical world of miniature indoor gardening.

Tiny World Terrariums ($19.95), by Michelle Inciarrano and Katy Maslow, offers a 120-page, step-by-step guide to create tiny themed worlds that even the green-thumb-challenged among us will be able to make and maintain. With the addition of miniature figurines (available at many hobby shops) Michelle and Katy apply a sense of humor and whimsy to their creations. Along with thorough, easy-to-understand instructions and advice, 100 vibrant imaginative full-color images will inspire you to create miniature worlds beyond your wildest dreams.

` If your terrarium does not have drainage holes, you must supply a one-to-four-inch drainage layer (gravel, small stone, or broken pottery) with a thin layer of charcoal on top. The depth of the drainage material, charcoal, and soil should be equal to about one-third the height of the container. Make sure the root ball of each plant is completely covered. ` The type of soil used will depend on the type of plants you wish to grow. This is where consulting your garden center will be most helpful. Do not over water. For plants that like moist soil, the top earth should feel barely moist before you add water. For cacti and succulents, touch below the surface layer. Lower soil should be only slightly damp. Closed terrariums rarely need water. ` Start with a clean container and keep your container clean. Be sure to remove excess moisture and algae on the glass as well as dead leaves, to prevent fungi growth. Prune plants as needed and enjoy!

Gardening in Miniature ($19.95) by Janit Calvo – one of my very favorite books – is a complete guide to creating lush, living, smallscale gardens. If you have been longing to add a luxurious patio, outdoor living space, wood or waterscape, or secret garden to your home, consider the fun of living out your fantasy in miniature. This colorful book has everything you need to know, including scaled-down garden designs, techniques for creating tiny hardscapes, valuable miniature garden care and maintenance advice, and where to find lifelike accessories, along with detailed instructions.

Do you have a valued possession that is damaged beyond repair?

Antique Repair Good as Old

Small Container Gardening Tips ` The container you choose can be open or closed. Open gardens can tolerate some direct sunlight, but too much sun may burn the edges of leaves. Closed terrariums should be placed where they will receive bright light, but no direct sunlight (also keep away from radiators) so the temperature inside the container does not cook your plants. Consider artificial light (compact plant lights) where needed.

I can fix it! I will restore it to“Good as Old.” ~ Peter K. Lilienthal

Porcelain/Statues • Marble/Stone • Furniture Signs • Frames • Paintings • Leather Professional Mending by Peter K. Lilienthal, Stockbridge, MA (413) 298-1051 • (413) 854-7803 • pklilienthal@gmail.com Before

After

Before

After

` Choose healthy, slow-growing plants carefully. Plants should have similar light, moisture, and soil needs. If you want to grow sun-loving plants, use an open container. If you want to grow plants that require high humidity, use a closed container. It is best www.OurBerkshireTimes.com

December | January 2015

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Real Estate & Professionals

House Proud

Pilasters, Plinths & Palladio / By Gladys Montgomery

Georgian Federal Facade

Palladian Window, Tracery Sidelights

Greek Revival Temple & Wing

Colonial Revival Style

Doorway with Fanlight & Pilasters

Greek Revival Style

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onsider a Berkshire porch with tall columns, a fireplace with a mantel supported by fluted pilasters, crown moldings where walls meet ceiling in a room – these details come to us from ancient Greece and Rome. How they found their way into American homes is a great story. It begins in northeast Italy, where architect Andrea Palladio (1508-1580) began designing villas for the aristocracy, based upon the work of Roman architect Vitruvius, who lived in the first century BC. Though Palladio had a profound influence on architects throughout Europe, the Neoclassical style didn�t become widely fashionable until the 1730s and �40s when excavations began in Herculaneum and Pompeii (Greek towns destroyed by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD). Pompeii was hit by hot ash and burned, but Herculaneum was submerged by mud slides, so its buildings and furnishings were miraculously well preserved. These excavations ignited the Neoclassical fashion in architecture and design, which was enthusiastically embraced by the well-to-do.

In America, the Neoclassical style went through three phases.

The first, from 1725-1785, during the Colonial period, is the Georgian style. Bringing a new elegance and symmetry to homes of the wealthy, Georgian architecture featured weighty details: strong dentil moldings, heavy pediments, substantial multi-tiered crown moldings, and raised-field paneling and bolection molding around fireplaces. It also gave us the split pediment overmantel and Connecticut River Valley doorway, including the one at Mission House, added in about 1750. By 1790, the United States had achieved independence. The Georgian taste ceded to the more refined Federal style, which brought a lightness and grace to dentil moldings and other details, and added embellishments that included fanlights (semicircular windows), the fireplace mantel, and

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Federal Style with Hip Roof

Federal Style

applied decorations featuring floral swags, urns, bell flowers, and sheaves of wheat.

The Neoclassical style didn�t become truly democratic and affordable until the Greek Revival period (1825-1860), when bold architectural elements mirrored the bold mood of the new nation. Borrowing the designs of public buildings, churches, and banks, homes featured prominent triangular front gables facing the street and outlined with moldings, along with wide fascia boards, blocky corner pilasters, and columned porches. Thanks to factory-made goods, shipping via new canals and railroads, and newfound prosperity, middle-class people could copy the homes of the rich. This was a first: because of its egalitarian character, the Greek Revival was known as America�s “national style.”

By 1850, Victorian styles had captured the public imagination, and the Neoclassical fell out of favor. But fast forward to the late19th and early-20th centuries: Neoclassical details emerged again during America�s Colonial Revival. In the 21st century, these details are still creating grace notes in new traditional homes. To see them online, search Federal and Greek Revival styles on the Library of Congress Historic American Buildings Survey and check out sources on www.traditionalbuilding.com.

~ Gladys Montgomery is a Realtor with William Pitt Sotheby's International Realty in Great Barrington. Attuned to the needs of buyers and sellers, and specializing in architecturally distinctive homes in all price ranges, she is licensed in Massachusetts and New York State. Her background includes a 30-year career as a marketing specialist and as a writer/editor/author specializing in architecture, design, and lifestyle topics.

Real Estate & Professionals

THE PREMIERE SECOND-HOME MARKET IN THE NORTHEAST

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ince the Gilded Age when America�s wealthiest families built summer “cottages” in Lenox and Stockbridge, the Berkshires has been one of the premiere second-home markets in the Northeast, attracting buyers from Boston, New York, Europe, and other parts of the globe. Our smart, savvy agents and full staff at BPA are as worldly and well-educated as their savvy clients, both local and worldwide, providing an unrivaled level of customer service that has made BPA one of the leading real estate agencies in the area.

BERKSHIRE GLOBAL REACH PROPERTY BOLD TARGETED MARKETING AGENTS.COM MAXIMUM

INTERNET MARKETING AND SELLING BERKSHIRE, EXPOSURE

413 528 6800

COLUMBIA, AND LITCHFIELD COUNTIES 12 RAILROAD ST GREAT BARRINGTON MA

income tax credits

Berkshire Photovoltaic Services, BPVS

FEDERAL AND STATE INCENTIVES THAT WILL MAKE YOU SMILE

46 Howland Avenue, Adams, MA 01220 www.bpvs.com 413-743-0152 Berkshire Photovoltaic Services, BPVS Solar Energy Industries Association.

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•

id you know that Massachusetts has an income tax credit for individuals who install renewable energy systems (solar or wind power) for their primary residences? The credit is 15 percent of your cost of the system, including installation, up to a maximum of $1,000. Additionally, the purchase of a PV system to be installed on a primary residence is exempt from MA sales tax.

BPVS will be happy to explain other federal and state incentives to commercial owners or non-Massachusetts residents.

46 Howland Avenue, 01220 Association, Solar Energy Business Adams, AssociationMA New England, MA LIC #’s HIC131996, CSL of 73150 Member: American Solar Energy Society, Northeast Sustainable Energy Tel. 413-743-0152 • www.bpvs.com

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MA LIC #'s HIC131996, CSL 73150

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since the gilded age

efficient and reliable.

electric systems userdesigns, friendly, SBPVS incesolar 1985, recognized for are careful provencomponents componentsand andhigh highquality qualityworkmanship, workmanship, proven Sincesolar1985, recognized for careful designs, BPVS electric systems are user friendly, efficient and reliable.

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MA LIC #'s HIC131996, CSL 73150

413-743-0152 • www.bpvs.com Member:Tel. American Solar Energy Society, Northeast Sustainable Energy Association, Solar Energy Avenue, Business Association New01220 England, 46 Howland Adams,ofMA Solar Energy Industries Association.

Berkshire Photovoltaic Services, BPVS

Berkshire Photovoltaic Services, BPVS

baby it's cold outside SMART ADVICE TO HELP PUT YOUR MIND AT EASE

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rrrr it�s cold outside!

But is it cold inside too? Furnace out? No power? How do you know if you leave your Berkshire home unattended for even a few days in the winter? Frozen pipes can cause damage that rivals a fire. Temperatures drop quickly if the heat is off. What can you do to put your mind at ease? If you do plan to leave your home unattended for even a few days, turn the main water feed off. If there is a break for any reason, the only water that will leak is the small amount left in your pipes.

Always keep your thermostat to a minimum of 55 degrees. To be warned if the temperature is low, the power is out, or there is water leaking, install a cost-effective, reliable system that can notify you in time.

46 Howland Avenue, Adams, MA 01220

Tel. 413-743-0152 • www.bpvs.com MA LIC #'s HIC131996, CSL 73150

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ince 1985, recognized for careful designs, proven components and high quality workmanship, BPVS solar electric systems are user friendly, efficient and reliable.

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Member: American Solar Energy Society, Northeast Sustainable Energy Association, Solar Energy Business Association of New England, Solar Energy Industries Association.

Call us today, sleep better tonight.

413.442.5647 www.nedynamark.com

Since 1978 MA 982 C

DYNAMARK SECURITY CENTERS

Do you want the convenience of checking or even controlling the temperature in your home or office remotely? This is possible from your phone or computer. New England Dynamark can help.

Give a call today and we will he happy to answer your questions.

®

“ We Protect America” ® www.OurBerkshireTimes.com

December | January 2015

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Real Estate & Professionals

own a piece of history HISTORIC BUILDING FOR SALE IN NEW MARLBOROUGH

A Historic Building for Sale in Hartsville, Massachusetts

circa

Your Resource for Big City Style in The Berkshires Your Resource for Big City Style in The Berkshires

Danish and Mid-Century Modern Furnishings and Lighting Danish and Mid-Century Modern Furnishings and Lighting

circaberkshires.com 436 North Street circaberkshires.com 436 Street, North Street 436 North Pittsfield, MA circaberkshires.com 436 North Street, Pittsfield, MA circaberkshires.com 413-445-7200

413-445-7200 413-445-7200

413-445-7200 Now Open Sundays!

re you looking for the ideal place for your new antique shop, café, country store, wood shop/showroom, art studio, museum, or unique home? Originally built as a Methodist church in 1849, this historic building is permitted for both commercial and residential use. It has a massive chestnut post and beam frame situated on its original stone foundation. Interior renovations include new insulation, drywall, 400-amp electric service, and new heating system. (413)-274-1122, kevin@hartsvilledesign.com

shop local for the holidays UNIQUE GIFT IDEAS FOR YOUR HOME AND THEIRS

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n addition to carrying the largest selection of Quality Midcentury and Danish Modern furnishings, circa has a great selection of gift items. Locally made soy candles, handblown glass items, vintage clothing and jewelry, local artisan wares, collectibles, local Berkshire items, and much more. We also have gift certificates! As always, plenty of parking. We look forward to your visit.

luxury property

The newest development from LD Builders...

BARRINGTON BROOK  From $499K  Now in pre-construction  Minutes from downtown GB  Set on 156 acres  Swim club with heated pool  Furnished model open daily

SINGLE FAMILY CONDOS IN THE HEART OF THE BERKSHIRES

B

Barringtonbrook.com 413-637-0843

arrington Brook is an open space residential development set on 156 acres of scenic beauty and privacy, only minutes from Main Street in Great Barrington and many of the Berkshires� most cherished cultural attractions. These single-family condos have 3-5 bedrooms, 2-3 baths, and range from 2,000-3,500 sq. feet in size. Spacious great room has an 11-foot ceiling. All units have garages, screened-in porches, an open deck, and Energy Star Rated appliances. Enjoy maintenance-free living with lovely common grounds. www.barringtonbrook.com

General een Minds, Gre ducts, GrContractors

we do it all!

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Pro

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ANY JOB LARGE OR SMALL WE DO IT RIGHT OR NOT AT ALL

M

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et ect ou plan r u o r g f u n ture by pOr ti At All rotecNot We Do It Right 674 North St Pittsfield MA 413-442-3001

MorrisonsHomeImprovement.com

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December | January 2015

www.OurBerkshireTimes.com

orrison�s Home Improvement has been serving the residences and improving the homes of Berkshire County since 1992. Our goal is to provide the people of the area with outstanding customer service, coupled with the highest quality products, resulting in complete customer satisfaction. We have a variety of products and services available to fit any need and budget and we do all phases of home improvements! Call us today for your FREE estimate and see what we can do for you!

Real Estate & Professionals

experience the difference IT'S ABOUT THE PEOPLE AND SATISFYING THEIR NEEDS

R David St. Laurent Berkshire Realtor®

ealLiving is a brand of The Berkshire Hathaway Home Services with stateof-the-art technology and both national and international advertising. This coupled with 13 years of real estate sales experience specializing in country and waterfront properties has resulted in the creation of a new real estate office with already proven results.

We don’t just want to list your house or land, we want to sell it!

We don’t just want to find you a house, we want to find you your dream home!

I have spent 40 years in sales, have built and contracted beautiful homes in the area, and learned many fundamental lessons about successfully selling real estate in this specialized market.

We at Country & Waterfront Properties understand that real estate practice is not just about the sale of real estate, it’s about the people and satisfying their wants and needs. This mindset becomes a tool which makes the personal difference to a quick smooth real estate transaction. Come and experience the difference!

more than you expect WE ARE NOT JUST A DISASTER RESTORATION COMPANY

S

erviceMaster of the Berkshires has been proudly, confidently, and professionally serving Berkshire County residents for more than 20 years. While we are primarily a disaster restoration company which simply means we clean up after water and fire damage, we also do so much more.

Country &Waterfront Properties

COUNTRY AND WATERFRONT PROPERTIES 413-269-4040 413-528-2020 COUNTRY WATERFRONTPPROPERTIES 48 East AND Otis Road O Box 600 Otis, MA 01253 (413) 269-4040 • (413) 528-2020 countryandwaterfronts@gmail.com 48 East Otis Road, Otis MA Visit us: www.countryandwaterfronts.com

countryandwaterfronts@gmail.com

www.countryandwaterfronts.com

COUNTRY AND WATERFRONT PROPERTIES 413-269-4040 413-528-2020 48 East Otis Road P O Box 600 Otis, MA 01253 countryandwaterfronts@gmail.com Visit us: www.countryandwaterfronts.com

ally

Loc

ned rated Ope And

Ow

Over 20 Years Experience In

Disaster Restoration

CERTIFIED & TRAINED

TECHNICIANS WITH OVER 15 YEARS EXPERIENCE GREEN CLEANING PRODUCTS AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST Emergency Water Damage Remediation House Wide & Post Construction Cleaning ● Carpet & Upholstery Cleaning Floor Maintenance ● Animal Debris & Odor Clean Up ● Sewer & Septic Clean Up

• We detail clean new homes after the contractor has finished (post construction cleaning).

• We detail clean homes for buyers purchasing an existing home.

• We detail clean homes for existing homeowners looking for that one-time big cleaning.

• We professionally steam clean carpets and upholstery – in your home.

• We clean out and clean up homes in hoarding situations.

We are not a janitorial company and we are not a housekeeping company, we are the cleaning professionals you need to handle the job! If you are overwhelmed with the task, we can help! If you don’t have the time, we can do the job! If the unexpected occurs, we can help!

We are the professionals to call for your home’s large cleaning needs in addition to disaster restoration.

Fire, Soot & Smoke Remediation ● Mold & Odor Remediation

ServiceMASTER of the Berkshires, ServiceMASTER of Columbia County, NY 3 Westview Road, Pittsfield, MA

www.servicemasteroftheberkshires.com

413-445-5678 800-707-1441 • Licenced • Bonded • Insured

800-707-1441

24 HOURS A DAY, 7 DAYS A WEEK

EMERGENCY ON CALL SERVICE www.OurBerkshireTimes.com

December | January 2015

13

food & drink

breton-style buttery sablées

A

SIMPLE AND UNADORNED YET AMAZINGLY DELICIOUS! / By Rachel Portnoy, Chez Nous Bistro

s a baker, I live for the holidays. What better way to fight off any blues coming on from the shorter days or cooler temperatures than lighting up the oven and giving yourself a good reason to stay in by watching your cookies bake and enjoying the results?

Icing covered, sprinkled, jam filled, I love them all! The simple, unadorned Breton Sablée, however, is really my ultimate cookie.

Despite their humble appearance, these cookies are the most amazing and delicious cookies in the world!

Ingredients - Makes approximately 24 cookies 2 sticks soft butter ½ cup (100 g) sugar ¼ cup (30 g) powdered sugar ½ tsp (3 g) salt 2 egg yolks 2¼ cup (350 g) Einkorn flour (available locally at Berkshire Organics - see ad at left. Or use 320 g all-purpose flour) Directions 1. Cream butter with sugars and salt until very fluffy. Add yolks one at a time to make an emulsion, then add the flour. Mix just to thoroughly combine, scraping down the bowl to make sure there

aren’t any stray butter lumps. Chill dough until firm, then form into rolls about 1½ inches in diameter. Wrap each roll in plastic wrap and then roll on the counter into the roundest shape you can. At this point you can freeze the dough, or just chill it well so that it keeps its shape when you slice it.

2. Heat oven to 350◦F. Pull dough logs out of the fridge and unwrap. Brush lightly with lightly beaten egg and then roll in decorating sugar crystals. Use a sharp knife to cut through the dough, making just under ½-inch-thick sliced rounds.

3. Place cookies on a greased or parchment-lined cookie tray, spacing them about 1½ inches apart. Bake for about 14-17 minutes until the edges start to brown, and they smell delicious. Your oven, the thickness of your baking tray, the actual size that your logs ended up being, all of this will affect the baking, so you need to use my guidelines, but verify well for yourself before pulling them out.

4. I think that these cookies actually taste best when completely cool, and the butter has set up again so that it melts in your mouth. This doesn’t mean that you can’t try a warm one if you want to, though!

La Fogata Restaurant

Hawthorne Valley Farm Store

Colombian and Latin Cuisine Lunch & Dinner

Biodynamic, organic, and local

770 Tyler Street Pittsfield, MA 01201 (413) 443-6969 443-6969 (413)

This holiday season, experience our full-line natural foods store featuring Biodynamic, organic, and local foods. From artisan breads and pastries to cheese and lacto-fermented vegetables, we have everything you need for your holiday table, all made on our farm.

Order your organic turkey and holiday pies today!

518-672-7500 x 253

Farm Store | www.hawthornevalleyfarm.org 327 County Route 21C, Ghent, NY 12075 | 518-672-7500 14

December | January 2015

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Come Visit Us at Our Brand New Second Location in Stockbridge!

Hand Cut Home Made Doughnuts Bagels • Homemade Soups • Wraps Breakfast Sandwiches All Day

(413) 298-0272

31 Main Street, Stockbridge, MA Original Location (413) 717-4144 258 Stockbridge Road, Great Barrington, MA

food & drink

NORTH EGREMONT COUNTRY STORE Wholesome ● Homestyle ● Delicious Warm & Friendly Service

We offer a full line of groceries and spirits.

Let us help you with your holiday needs!

Photo by John Phelan

Monday-Thursday: 6a-6p Friday-Saturday: 6a-7p Sunday: 6a-5p

Route 71, North Egremont, MA (Near Prospect Lake)

Call (413) 528-4796

Leon & Sons’

Taste, Quality, Service, and Respect for the Environment “Our mission is to offer a beautiful selection of local, grass fed, and sustainably raised fresh cuts of meat, charcuterie, and salumi made from traditional recipes. We believe that eating local foods is a definitive way to support physical health, our farming community, and the earth.”

389 Stockbridge Road, Great Barrington, MA

413-528-2022 • www.themeatmarketgb.com

HIGHLAND RESTAURANT

Serving the Best in Italian American Cuisine Take out Available • Daily Specials (closed Mon)

Family Dining • Family Prices • Since 1936 Buy Your Holiday Gift Certificates Now! 413.442.2457 • 100 Fenn Street, Pittsfield, MA

Off North Street Across From City Parking Lot Your hosts, the the Arace Your hosts, Arace Family, Family, wish wishyou you“Buon “BuonAppetito” Appetito”

Local and Organic Home Delivery or Market Open 7 Days a Week

413.442.0888

813 Dalton Division Rd., Dalton, MA www.BerkshireOrganics.com

½

entrées available

M-m-m-yum! casual french dining

dinner only • 150 Main St., Lee 413.243.6397 cheznousbistro.com www.OurBerkshireTimes.com

December | January 2015

15

gift guide

Our Berkshire Marketplace

HOLIDAY SHOPPING 2014!

FEED

Wild Birds Country Store - Squirrel-Proof Feeder

This attractive bird feeder is guaranteed squirrel-proof as well as large-bird-proof and has a lifetime warranty. Effective against red and gray squirrels, as well as grackles, starlings, doves, and more. It is dishwasher safe, built-to-last rust-proof construction with powder-coated aluminum and stainless steel components.

Wild Birds Country Store is a birding supply center that specializes in all the essentials for your backyard bird watching and feeding. Owners Dave and Jody Soules carry a complete line of products to enjoy bird watching, bird feeding, and species preservation. The store carries many unique birdfeeders, birdhouses, birdbaths, fountains, and outdoor furniture. Many of the products they carry are created by local artists and artisans here in the Berkshires.

783 South Main Street, Great Barrington, MA 01230. 413-644-9007, www.wild-birdstore.com

PLAY

BensDotters Pet - SmartCat Peek & Play Toy Box

The SmartCat Peek & Play Toy Box requires cats to paw and pull their toys out to play, satisfying their desire to hunt and stalk, and providing much-needed mental stimulation. The fun starts even before they get the toys out! The toy box comes with two toys, but can be used with any appropriately-sized toy or treat. Durable wood construction. Specially priced for this holiday gift guide at just $20. BensDotter's Pet carries a full range of foods, equipment, and supplies for dogs, cats, and parrots. In addition to carefully selected conventional canned and kibbled foods, BensDotter's specializes in granular and raw food diets for both cats and dogs.

A little bit conventional. A little bit alternative. A whole lot different! 940 Main Street, Great Barrington, MA. (413) 528-4940, www.bensdotters.com

RELAX

Camp Wagalot - Boarding & Daycare for Dogs

Going away for the holidays, or just planning a day at the mall? In the frantic rush of the season we often forget how our pets feel when we leave them behind. They become bored, and this can bring out the naughty side of man's best friend! Instead, bring your dog to Camp Wagalot for a day of exercise and mental stimulation, or board them for a week or more.

Your animal companion can play in a safe, supervised environment (it's like giving your dog a vacation too!) and it will put your mind at ease. After a healthy day of activity, your pooch will have visions of sugarplum bones dancing in their head while sleeping safe and sound at night. Gift certificates make a terrific gift for that hard-to -buy-for relative or friend. Call for an appointment or more information.

Rte 7, Stockbridge, MA. (413) 298 5300, www.lovecampwagalot.com

DRESS

CATWALK Boutique - Eclectic Clothing, Jewelry & Accessories

If you are looking for just the right holiday gift items including lovely woolen sweaters, fanciful scarves, gorgeous handbags, and fun, funky jewelry, Great Barrington's upscale women's resale shop, CATWALK Boutique, is the place to visit! All items are carefully curated to provide our customers with an exciting and adventurous shopping experience. If you are looking for that perfect holiday outfit, our experienced staff will assist you in putting together a beautiful ensemble culled from our extensive inventory.

All CATWALK profits directly benefit Berkshire Humane Society . . . this is truly guilt-free, fun shopping! So this holiday season please help support the homeless animals of Berkshire County by shopping at CATWALK. 325 Stockbridge Road, Great Barrington, MA (next to Happy Nails). Prices vary, with many items under $15. (413) 717-4005, www.catwalkboutique.org 16

December | January 2015

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animal talk

it's time to detox your pet CHALLENGING CONVENTIONAL VETERINARY PRACTICE

M

By Kristina Dow

any pet owners routinely use topical applications of insecticides to ward off and eradicate the fleas, ticks, and mosquitoes that can plague their pets during the warm times of year, and some of those pet owners, on the advice of their veterinarians, use those topical applications yearround, and use them in conjunction with flea bombs in their houses, tick collars on their pets, and oral deworming medications. Add to that the oral parasiticides prescribed for heartworm prevention, vaccinations administered for Lyme disease prevention, and all the other “routine” annual vaccinations for all manner of disease prevention, and we find that our pets’ bodies are carrying substantial toxic loads.

Many veterinarians are dismissive of the intuitively sensible thought that the repeated use of toxins on and in our pets’ bodies could have serious consequences for their quality of life, vitality, and longevity. Moreover, many of those same veterinarians will chastise pet owners as not being responsible in the care of their pets should they come to question the sensibility of prescribed toxic regimens.

But who is the irresponsible party in that equation? Is it the loving pet owner concerned about toxic overload, or is it the dismissive veterinarian who follows insecticide, parasiticide, and vaccine producers’ protocols without question, and who offers yet another toxic prescription to mask the effects of toxic overload?

So what can we concerned pet owners do to eliminate, or at least mitigate, the bombardment of toxins to which we are expected to routinely expose our pets, and still feel that we are being responsible in the care of our pets? First, we must find a truly holistic veterinarian who is supportive of identifying safe and effective alternative solutions to the routine toxic veterinary regimens, and if the best we can do is find a veterinarian who is at least amenable to thinking intuitively, to questioning, and to working with us through that process, we’ve struck gold well worth our time and money to mine. Here are a few of the nuggets I’ve mined over the years . . .

Use food-grade diatomaceous earth (DE) and phenolfree cedar oil with hydrated silica, labeled for use on pets, for general pest and parasite control. Phenol-free cedar oil with hydrated silica is for external use only, and eradicates pretty much every bug in existence. Food-grade diatomaceous earth, however, can be used both on the pet for external pest control, and orally to eradicate intestinal parasites (but be especially careful not to breathe in the dust). Using the protocols for general pest and parasite control described above, be especially vigilant in protecting your pet from the carriers of heartworm (mosquitoes) and Lyme disease (ticks). Blood test (titer) for heartworm and Lyme disease at least twice a year, and treat conventionally as required. Itchy, flaky, and weeping skin can be the first sign of a body in detoxification crisis. A pet manifesting detox crisis is likely severely immune-compromised, and should never be vaccinated or otherwise exposed to additional toxins, nor should the detoxification process be suppressed. Consult your holistic veterinarian for supportive protocols. ~ Kristina ‘Tina’ Dow is sole

CARING FOR PETS SINCE 1957 Your trusted source for quality foods and supplies.

Your trusted resource for raw-feeding information and advice.

BENSDOTTER’S PET 413-528-4940 940 MAIN STREET, GREAT BARRINGTON, MA 01230

Convenient Location with Ample Parking on Route 7 less than a minute south of Guido’s

Mon-Fri 10a-6p

Sat-Sun 10a-4p

www.bensdotters.com

proprietor of BensDotter’s Pet, a pet supply store in Great Barrington.

www.OurBerkshireTimes.com

December | January 2015

17

“Children are human beings to whom respect is due, superior to us by reason of their innocence and of the greater possibilities of their future.”

Maria Montessori

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Now enrolling for the 2015-2016 school year.

Call to schedule a time to visit the school and observe classes in session.

15 months through 8th grade — Only a few spots left for the current school year.

Individual tours daily by appointment

We are located at 21 Patterson Road in Lenox Dale, MA. To register, visit www.BerkshireMontessori.org or call (413) 637-3662.

education & workshops

learning by doing TAKING OWNERSHIP OF YOUR SCHOOL

A

By Justina Trova

t Buxton School, students take pride in the fact that they are the ones who are central to sustaining it. Work Program is a twice-a-week community gathering where a variety of different tasks are carried out around campus. Both students and faculty break into crews and tackle whatever it is that needs to be done, whether it is seasonal tasks, such as chopping wood to heat some of the buildings, harvesting vegetables, mowing lawns, shoveling, raking, composting, picking apples to make cider, or general maintenance such as cleaning bathrooms and building spaces, helping out in the offices, and the overall enhancement of the facilities around campus. In addition, they make all of the costumes and sets for the school plays.

Intentionally, the school does not have a hired maintenance crew in charge of these duties. “There is no nameless janitor,” explains Ben Gross, a senior at Buxton. It is the students who are accountable for the upkeep of the school. “Work Program is about giving back to the school that gives so much to us. It also adds a connection to the community, a sense of responsibly that you can't find anywhere else,” Gross says. Giving the students the opportunity to take on these responsibilities allows them to grow, not only as a community, but also as individuals who are acquiring invaluable life skills.

In addition to Work Program, students are assigned to everyday jobs as well as volunteer services. On a day-to-day basis, students take charge of chores similar to what they may do at home, such as taking out the garbage, cleaning a toilet, vacuuming a hallway, or making snacks for other students. On Saturdays the kitchen staff takes the day off and the students are in charge of all of the meals that day. They order the ingredients/food ahead of time, and prepare breakfast, lunch, and dinner for the entire school and faculty.

“Work program teaches us to be aware of our campus . . . we appreciate it because it teaches us how to problem solve and learn new skills,” states Nyasha Franklin, also in her senior year at Buxton.

Learning by doing is a way of life at Buxton School. Not only is this philosophy present during Work Program, it is also fundamental in the classroom, with a model that encourages studentdriven discussion. The passionate faculty equips students with the confidence to solve problems and disentangle this complicated world in which we live. Buxton produces students who think independently, and who mature in a way that prepares them for life after high school. “Experience is a powerful teacher: At Buxton, kids learn in an interactive, participatory environment, where they are expected to contribute as much as they take away,” explains Franny Shuker-Haines, Associate Director of the school.

Once a year, the students and faculty take part in their Annual Urban Intensive, where students get to use the practical skills they are gaining at school, and put them into practice. The all-school trip consists of traveling to either a North or Latin American city. While there, the students are able to delve into the social and political concerns of the area and obtain an immediate and personal experience through this journey. ~ Justina Trova is an

Admissions and Communications Associate at Buxton School. For more information, visit buxtonschool.org, or call 413-458-3919 ext. 109.

Buxton

Meet our students and faculty, tour the campus, and see us in action!

Admissions Open House Monday, January 19, 2015

To RSVP and for more details: admissions@buxtonschool.org, 413-458-3919 GRADES 9-12 CO-ED • BOARDING & DAY • COLLEGE-PREPARATORY

Educating Progressively and Living Intentionally Since 1928 291 South Street, Williamstown, MA • www.BuxtonSchool.org

Great Barrington Rudolf Steiner School

Parent-Baby • Pre-K • Kindergarten 1st-8th Grade • Summer Program Waldor f Education in the Berkshires for over 40 years We educate our students to meet life with courage, impart meaning and purpose to their lives, and respond with creativity and integrity to the needs of the world. Our well-rounded, hands-on education prepares students for their choice of high school and college – and to reach their full potential.

(413) 528-4015

www.gbrss.org

www.OurBerkshireTimes.com

Great Barrington, MA

December | January 2015

19

reflections

gracie

MEMORIES OF GRANDMA / Painting and Essay By Deborah Hanson Greene

M

y grandmother Grace, known to close friends and family as “Gracie,” was a gentle steady presence in my childhood. She lived with our family in rural East Lenox more or less until she died around my twelfth birthday. A handsome soft-spoken woman with silver wavy hair pulled back in a bun, her stern demeanor, upright posture, and New England stoicism intimidated my mother but belied the tenderness and love she bestowed on me – her first granddaughter.

Gracie had been destitute most of her early life, raising herself and her tow-haired brother on the city streets of Boston mill towns while her widowed mother worked as a housekeeper.

She learned early to hide her feelings, and I remember seeing her face often frozen in a grimace as she stared blankly at a wall. But most of all, I remember her hands – wide with short fingers and paper-thin skin – hands that expressed tenderness. Never once were they raised to anyone in anger, although I later was told that they fended off blows from her former husband.

When I think of Grandma Gracie, I often see myself as a wide-eyed six-year-old pixie perched high on a stool at an enameltop kitchen counter, entranced as her white-floured hands kneaded the dough, inviting me to do the same, and then enjoying our first

Tis The Season To B e Stressless!

Give The Gift Of Relaxation Body & Soul Gift Certificates MASSAGE | FACIALS | NAIL CARE FACE & BODY CARE PRODUCTS

Call us for weekly specials.

Stop by or call to have your gift certificate mailed or emailed.

And while you’re at it . . . get something for yourself too! Mention this ad for 10% off any full priced service or gift certificate – one discount per person.

slices of warm bread from the oven, smothered in butter.

I remember those broad hands brushing my long tangled hair in slow easy strokes – a daily ritual passed on to my father. Whenever I was sad or angry, her hands beckoned me, and then she lightly caressed my shoulders in ever-widening circles. I recall most fondly sitting on a worn leather hassock, my back to her, anticipating her gentle back rubs.

She performed this and other small rituals with all her grandchildren as she visited each of her sons, always careful not to stay too long, living among their young broods in towns nestled in mountain river valleys of New England. She traveled with very few possessions, took up residence in a spare sewing room or a small bedroom, and quietly blended into the fabric of a household. She never complained. Year after year, it seemed she wore the same shoes, the same winter coat, and the same housedresses.

I never heard Grandma sing, but she whistled beautifully – the only person in our home to do so. Always the same tune – perhaps a hymn from the Methodist church. Today, whenever I wash dishes or fold laundry, I hear in my mind the same few bars she whistled as she mended or ironed or puttered about. After she died, when I was a grown woman, I appreciated how poor she must have been, and how enriched I was by her presence and her memory.

Many years later, far away from my childhood home, I taught my new husband Grandma’s gentle caress. I worked hard to build a friendship even after he and I parted ways. And one time, he came to my hospital bedside as I recovered from emergency surgery for a lifethreatening tumor – his hands caressing my feet just as I had once caressed him. Gracie’s ritual of touch always quieted my racing thoughts and brought me back to center, just as Grandma herself once had.

When I moved to Baltimore some time later, I bought a tiny old row-house and soon began inviting neighbors and other strangers to my cozy kitchen for tea or supper. Like Grandma Gracie, I blended quietly into the fabric of a new community, a new job, a new life. The gift of a smile, a few measures of conversation with neighbors who also lived alone or faced big challenges, or a small kindness made my own life less empty. Local merchants started calling me by name whenever I dropped in.

And I began to forge new relationships.

Some time later, in the autumn, I began dating again – a gamble with my still fragile heart. Our relationship evolved slowly.

One evening as he readied to leave, he asked, “Could you rub my back?” I grinned. And so began a conversation rooted in the vocabulary of touch. Months later, sitting in my cheerful kitchen at my green enamel-top table, sipping mugs of chamomile tea, our conversation drifted to our chance meeting . . . “I feel I’ve known you all my life,” I said. “That’s nice,” he said shyly, surprised. But by the spring he left. And as the crisp autumn nights brought full circle another year, and the leaves blushed scarlet and orange once more, I sat quietly in the amber glow of my kitchen in the evenings, letting go of grief, inviting stillness, invoking grace.

Visions of Grandma Gracie – her steady gaze, her quiet voice, her silver hair pulled up off her neck, and silk fingers caressing my shoulders – drifted into my consciousness, into a canary yellow kitchen infused with the smell of chamomile and fresh Christmas narcissus, into the light warm home I recreated in memory of her – and all she had been, all she had given. ~ A Berkshire native, Deborah Han-

son Greene is a writer and painter. A graduate of Vassar college, she lived and worked in the Washington metro area and the Midwest, and now lives and works in the Berkshires.

20

December | January 2015

www.OurBerkshireTimes.com

health & wellness

S

heilaa Hite Intuitive Counselor

Featured in Paulette Cooper’s directory, ‘THE 100 TOP PSYCHICS in AMERICA’

Tarot • Astrology • Palmistry • Psychometry Mediumship • Past Life Regression Hypnotherapy • Life Coach Consultations in Person, by Phone or Skype Classes, Parties and Events

413-637-0085

“SHEILAA’s accuracy rate is 95-100%.”

MANAGER

– MALIBU SHAMAN BOOKSTORE – MALIBU, CA

www.SheilaaHite.com

Upcoming Program Dates

Holistic Massage & Facial

Way to Health: Jan 4-10 and Feb 15-21 Way to Health Plus: Jan 11-17 and Feb 22-28 Healthy Weight Loss: Jan 18-24 Yoga Retreat: Feb 1-7

Jennifer A. Coppola

Licensed Massage Therapist/Esthetician

Bring in the New Year with a Retreat!

Hot Stone • Swedish Massage • Reiki

Learn Meditation, Palm Reading, and the Art of Empowerment: Dec. 28-Jan 2

Dr. Hauschka Facial Treatments Infant Massage Instruction On-Site Seated Massage Pregnancy Massage

Phone: (413) 499-0916 1063 North Street, Pittsfield, MA

sauna

therapy

46 Main Street South Egremont, MA Behind Zorn Chiropractic

Convenient | Private | Single Sessions | Packages

Infrared Sauna Health Benefits • Lyme Symptom Relief

gol dm an / tripp osteopathic healthcare

• Detoxification • Pain Relief • Weight Loss

As osteopathic physicians, we use our comprehensive knowledge of anatomy and physiology to promote health and healing. We work gently

• Relaxation

with our hands to help your body restore optimal function – based on optimal structure – to help solve musculoskeletal problems and health issues of all kinds.

• Improved Circulation • Skin Purification

As fully licensed physicians, we have all of the full and current medical pharmacopeia, nutritional science and medical training at our disposal.

Your individual treatment may include a wide range of approaches,

Winter Special!

One month of unlimited sessions for only $100.

Call for appointment.

but is always founded on our gentle hands-on work.

Andrew M. Goldman, DO, Osteopathic Physician Kim E. Tripp, DO, PhD, Osteopathic Physician www.goldmantripp.net Great Barrington, ma 413-528-3334 | Sharon, ct 860-364-5990

(518)-965-3315 • www.enlightensauna.net www.OurBerkshireTimes.com

December | January 2015

21

health & wellness

detoxification 101

W

Flowing Form Bodywork Deborah Gerard

e are exposed to an astronomical number of toxic substances every day including natural toxins such as mold, yeast and fungus, bad bacteria and viruses, spirochetes, parasites, and negative thoughts (fear and anger that can create very real biochemical changes), and man made toxins including pesticides, genetically modified foods (GMOs), heavy metals, dirty electric, WiFi frequencies, and countless chemicals.

We regularly consume these harmful substances, inhale them inadvertently or on purpose, absorb them through our skin, and expose ourselves to them by proximity. Our body is designed and able to detoxify (neutralize, transform, or get rid of) many (but not all) of these toxins so that they do not impair our health.

However, when our detox system is compromised in any way, impurities are not properly filtered and every cell in the body is adversely affected. The result can be as mild as just not feeling our best, or a much more serious degenerative condition.

Performing procedures to assist your body�s natural detoxification process is said to be an absolute necessity by some health care professionals, and yet others firmly believe some can be harmful. So, it is best to obtain advice and guidance from a professional, carefully listen to your body, and do your own research.

In a future issues of Our BerkshireTimes magazine we will include specific detox procedures recommended by local professionals. But for now, we feel that reviewing a few basic (and sometimes overlooked) health practices that can have a profound effect on your health over time is an important step in the right direction.

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December | January 2015

IT JUST MAKES SENSE / By Kathy I. Regan

www.OurBerkshireTimes.com

1) The Joy Factor. Make a conscious effort to pay attention to how you feel and flood your body (and your body�s biochemistry) with positive emotions throughout each day. Learn how to forgive others (for your sake) and take time out to pamper yourself and relax. Treat yourself to massage at Body and Soul Thera-Spa (see ad page 20), Jennifer Coppola (see ad page 21), and Flowing Form Bodywork (see ad this page). Learn how to meditate or experience a yoga retreat at the Kushi Institute (see ad page 21). Contact Sheilaa Hite for intuitive counseling (see ad page 21).

2) Heal Your Gut. Consider the GAPS nutritional protocol by Dr. Natasha CampbellMcBride, www.gapsdiet.com. A healthy gut will allow your body to clear out unwanted substances by restoring and switching on your natural detoxification system. In addition, your body needs the right nutrition to function properly. Try adding fresh, raw, organic juices to your diet, and use natural food-based supplements available at Lenox Village Integrative Pharmacy (see ad this page). To help your body restore optimal function on every level, we also highly recommend Goldman/Tripp Osteopathic Healthcare (see ad page 21).

3) Exercise, Breathe, Sweat. More than just a means to maintain a healthy cardiovascular system and weight, regular movement and working up a sweat can greatly assist your detoxification system. Contact exercise and movement specialist Ming Lash (see ad below). Walk whenever you can, combine with deep breathing exercises, and be sure to drink enough pure water.

Infrared sauna sessions are extremely beneficial – try Enlighten Sauna Therapy (see ad page 21). Drink bone broths to replace minerals and to help your body and gut heal.

4) Reduce Your Exposure to Toxins. It just makes sense. Eat organic food and use organic products. Reduce your exposure to heavy metals, dirty electric, and WiFi, and educate yourself about the toxicity of fluoride.

Carefully avoid sugar, cancer-causing GMOs, and chemical additives like aspartame that disrupt your entire system. Empower yourself by reading back issues of Our BerkshireTimes magazine to learn more about specific topics from local professionals (click on the magazine cover on the home page of www.OurBerkshireTimes.com).

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December | January 2015

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