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A Cultural Tour of The Berkshires - Berkshires

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Western Massachusetts, an area of exceptional natural beauty, is also one of the country's premier cultural destinations. We returned to the area recently, spending several days in each of two delightful inns--The Red Lion and Porches. Both have the same owners, although there's not much more they have in common. Both are well located to explore the best of the Berkshires.

The Red Lion has been a fixture in the social life of Stockbridge, MA since 1773, and a more picturesque New England inn would be difficult to find. At least five presidents have put up at the Inn not to mention a host of writers, artists and celebrities. Resplendent with antiques and prized collections of Colonial china, paintings, prints and memorabilia, it's tempting to stay close, but just as pleasurable to return to after a day's explorations.

If you come for a winter visit, you'll find The Red Lion specially appealing, with roaring fires in several parlors, carol singing during the holidays and a re-creation, in gum drops, of Norman Rockwell's 1968 painting "Stockbridge Main Street at Christmas." Rockwell lived across the street from the inn.

In summer there's an outdoor heated pool, patio dining surrounded by flowers and a seat in a wicker rocker on the inviting veranda--a perfect spot for a cool drink while watching the world stroll by. Needless to say, the Berkshires' foliage season is spectacular, and there's a year-round chairlift that takes hikers and skiers to the top of Jiminy Peak at 1,150 feet.

In 1773, Anna and Silas Bingham established a general store and tavern on the site of the present-day inn. The property continued in use in various capacities through the years, surviving a succession of owners, changing business tides and a devastating fire. Since 1968, it's been owned by the Fitzpatrick family of Stockbridge, who rescued it from scheduled destruction. Today, it consists of a complex of buildings with various accommodations. Inn guests are lodged in 109 individually decorated rooms, some of which do not have private baths. Best are the deluxe suites, with a canopy bed (with Mascioni linens, a feather duvet and a plush mattress), period red-and-blue wallpaper and a cozy parlor overlooking Main Street. Alternatively, you can choose from several distinctive 19th century Stockbridge houses, such as the Firehouse, which has been converted into a duplex suite with a double whirlpool bath; the Stafford House, popular for small weddings; and the O'Brien House, where the village schoolteacher once lived, and which has its own fitness room.

The Red Lion's executive chef, Brian Alberg, bases his menus on the freshest ingredients available from the region's producers. During our visit, he was offering roast prime rib with popovers, pan-seared lamb, chicken medallions with wild mushrooms and--our choice--pan-seared sea bass served with carrot and coriander purée and lobster-infused mashed potatoes. Dinner for two, before wine, about $80. Lighter meals are available in the Widow Bingham's Tavern, and drinks and late-night snacks are served in the Lion's Den on the lower level. Deluxe rooms start at $135 ($210 on weekends). 30 Main Street. Tel: 413-298-5545. Fax: 413- 298-5130. www.redlioninn.com.

While in Stockbridge, be sure to see Naumkeag, a 44-room, shingled "cottage" designed for the Choate family by Stanford White in 1885. The house and eight acres of gorgeous gardens are just minutes from Main Street and can be toured from Memorial Day weekend to Columbus Day. Tel: 413-298-3239. www.thetrustees.org.

Norman Rockwell spent the last 25 years of his life in Stockbridge. A museum housing the world's largest collection of his work is sited in a pastoral setting overlooking the Housatonic River Valley. His studio was moved to the grounds and remains just as the artist left it with easels and brushes intact. Open year round. Admission: $12.50; Children free. 9 Glendale Rd., Stockbridge. Tel: 413-298-4100. www.nrm.org.

While in Stockbridge, look for the sign directing you to a property of the Marian Fathers. It's another impressive "cottage," this one an English Tudor house on Eden Hill. It serves as the National Catholic Shrine of Divine Mercy. You can tour the mansion and its adjacent chapel, which is adorned with beautiful stained glass windows and woodcarvings by local craftsmen. The house occupies the site where, in the 1700s, Stockbridge Indians first heard the Gospels preached. Norman Rockwell used to walk the grounds, and visitors are welcome to do the same. The estate covers 310 wooded acres supporting a variety of wildlife including golden eagles and an occasional bear. Large groups of pilgrims congregate here on the weekend after Easter, and there are retreats throughout the year as well as sleigh rides after Christmas and carriage competitions on Father's Day. It's also known as a spectacular spot for watching meteor showers, the Northern Lights and waves of fireflies in the fens on summer nights. 2 Prospect Hill Road. Tel: 413-298-3931. www.marian.org.

Finding your way to Jacks Grill in Housatonic may be a bit of a challenge, but it's worth the effort to have lunch or dinner at this diner, which is owned by the Red Lion's Fitzpatrick family. The décor is pure kitsch--walls filled with bric-a-brac and a miniature railway buzzing overhead. The food, which is overseen by the Red Lion's Brian Alberg, is of the comfort variety--dollops of mashed potatoes, tater tots, Jacks famous pot roast with a rich gravy and an "infamous" meatloaf; for dessert, there's a hot fudge sundae, Jello and creamy chocolate pudding. Dinner for two, before beverage, about $45. Main Street. Tel: 413-274-1000.

You'll find Edith Wharton's hideaway, The Mount, a few miles north in Lenox. Henry James, an honored guest, described it best: "a delicate French chateau mirrored in a Massachusetts pond." Renowned as an interior designer as well as a Pulitzer Prize-winning author, Wharton created the house and its stately gardens in 1902. Both have been splendidly restored with interiors refurbished by various leading designers in a tribute to this pioneer of interior decoration. Wharton's prized library of some 2,600 volumes was returned to The Mount from her home in Paris. It provides intriguing insights into this extraordinary woman and her famous friendships. Tel: 413-637-1899. Open May through October. Admission to house and garden: $16. www.edithwharton.org.

When in the Lenox area, depending on the time of year, you may be able to attend the summer performances of the Boston Symphony Orchestra at nearby Tanglewood. Each year, from June to September, more than 350,000 music lovers come to the park, many to picnic on the lawn before the concert. Specific concert information is available at Tel: 888-266-1200, and a complete season schedule at www.bso.org. Also in this area, near the town of Becket, the Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival, performs from mid-June through August. This acclaimed cultural institution, begun in 1940 by Ted Shawn, the husband of dance icon Ruth St. Denis, is considered the country's leading dance presentation.

Traveling north on Route 7 brings you to Pittsfield and the Hancock Shaker Village--a living history museum and National Historic Landmark. The Shaker way of life, as it was practiced on this site, is informatively presented, with artifacts, demonstrations and explanations. Delicious family meals are served in the Round Stone Barn. For children, there are wagon rides and the opportunity to help with animal chores. Admission $15; Children 12 and under free. Tel: 800-817-1137. www.hancockshakervillage.org.

The Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute in the picturesque college town of Williamstown ranks among the finest private art collections in the world. Housed in a white marble, temple-style building, you'll see works by Homer, Sargent, Remington and Cassatt in addition to Old Masters and English porcelain and silver. For many visitors the museum's highlight is its collection of 19th century French Impressionists including paintings by Degas, Monet, Manet, Pissarro, Corot, Millet and fully 36 Renoirs--a stunning array by any standard. Woodland views from the windows add to the appeal of this intimate museum, one of the country's best. Admission $10. (Free November to May). Tel: 413-458-2303. www.clark.edu.

Williamstown is also the location of a respected theater festival that's been staging an annual series of performances since 1955. The current season's schedule is available at www.wtfestival.org. Tel: 413-597-3400.

An urban renaissance of sorts has been taking place in nearby North Adams. Since its opening in 1999, the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Arts, usually referred to as MASS MoCA, has proved wildly successful and transformed the down-on-its-luck industrial town into an unlikely but dynamic tourist attraction. Trendy shops, restaurants and a stylish new inn have followed in its wake. Expect the unexpected at MASS MoCA's 13-acre formerly industrial complex, which now incorporates buildings, bridges, viaducts and courtyards into the largest center for contemporary visual and performing arts in the country. Trees growing upside down at the entrance alert you about what's to come. Artists here have the luxury of vast spaces to create super-sized spectacles too large to be shown elsewhere. Exhibits change frequently, and there's a permanent 17-ft. tall walk-through aviary. During the last two weeks of July, MASS MoCA is the venue for the Bang on a Can Summer Music Festival. Lickety Split, one of two restaurants on the site, serves breakfast, light lunches and good ice cream. Café Latino serves lunch and dinner with a Peruvian accent, including terrific empanaditas and a delicious seafood chowder. Free recitals take place in the galleries. 1040 MASS MoCA Way, North Adams. Tel: 413-662-2111. Admission: $10. www.massmoca.org.

The best place to stay in the area is Porches, across the street from MASS MoCA. It's an engaging inn that combines retro-industrial and contemporary-chic styling in an inspired makeover of a derelict building. The creator was the Red Lion's Nancy Fitzpatrick, who took disused 1890s workmen's housing, retained the Victorian façade and created an innovative, 50-room inn. Each room, decorated in muted hues, has lots of personality--metal dressers, curtains strung with grommets and wire and all sorts of accessories bought on eBay. You'll find vintage plates, lamps, postcards from the '40s and '50s, paint-by-numbers pictures, cleverly concealed wall safes and lots more. Beds and baths are wonderfully comfortable and rooms are supplied with high-speed Internet access, free DVDs and portable phones. Some bathrooms have Jacuzzi tubs, others high-powered showers and still others old-fashioned claw-footed baths. And of course, there's a comfortable porch with rockers. Complimentary continental breakfast is delivered in a worker's lunch pail. For longer stays there are duplex suites with kitchenettes and spiral staircases. Facilities include a business nook with computer and printer, a fitness center, sauna, hot tub and a heated outdoor pool. In-room massages are available. Bedding, bathrobes, towels, rugs and rockers are for sale. Ask for a front room with a view of MASS MoCA. Doubles from about $170 (about $230 on weekends). 231 River Street, North Adams. Tel: 413-664-0400. Fax: 413-664-0401. www.porches.com.

Gideon's, within walking distance of Porches, is an unexpected find. It's operated by Bill Gideon, whose career included cooking for Julia Child, the Kennedys and King Hussein. His signature dishes include Asian roasted sea bass served with gingered wild rice cake; herb-crusted rack of lamb paired with cheddar bread pudding; and Maine lobster martini. Desserts are worth the calories; two of the best are luscious strawberry shortcake and molten chocolate cake with a hot liquid center, served with vanilla bean ice cream and fresh raspberries. Dinner for two, before beverage, about $75. 34 Holden Street. Tel: 413-664-9449. Bill also runs Gideon's Luncheon & Nightery nearby where you'll find live music, casual dining, creative panini and, after 5:00 p.m., a tapas bar. 23 Eagle Street. Tel: 413-664-0404.

Date: 06/05/2006

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