by Shera Cohen
Gift Shops, everywhere – Years ago, I wrote an article on performing art, museum, and historic home gift shops. Why? Because I am a souvenir store fanatic. My mug collection can no longer fit in my kitchen. But everyone sells mugs. Unique in variety, quantity, and themes related to the particular venue are: The Mount’s Book/Gift Shoppe, Tanglewood’s Glass House, and Ventfort Hall’s Parlor of period items.
Jacob’s Pillow Visitors Center, Becket – There’s more to the Pillow than dance. Guests can enjoy art shows, videos, talks, displays, and one-shot seminars all free. Films and photos about the Pillow’s founding as well as snippets of dance to take the stage in upcoming weeks are always on display. Suggestion -- arrive early.
Museum Outlets, Pittsfield – Around the corner from Berkshire Museum is this attractive store aesthetically jam-packed with mid-range and unique chachka. It never fails that I don’t purchase a gift for someone and a gift for myself. The store’s primary business is framing book binding images of antique novels.
Signage, everywhere – Realizing that a huge percentage of Berkshire art lovers reside elsewhere and realizing that the Berkshires is not just one dot on a map (do they still make maps?) but large in geographic land mass, it would be extremely helpful to see more signage. I don’t mean highway signs and arrows, but location markers once near or at the venue. Great Barrington Public Theatre, located on a college campus, is a tough site to navigate.
St. Francis Church Gallery, Lee – I would change the name of this art show/gallery to one less clerical. Yes, the location is an old church, but a whimsical metal sculpture of Jack Benny at the violin stands by the front door. Nearly three-quarters of the art is that of local professionals. The balance are artifacts from Kenya. Annually, the gallery’s owner travels to African to help educate and promote the talents of young people in pursuit of expressing their artforms. Eclectic best describes this venue.
Rehearsals, Tanglewood, Lenox – What once seemed like a secret, has become the best secret that everyone knows – Tanglewood’s Saturday morning rehearsals. Tix are far less expensive, dress is ultra-casual, lots of kids on the lawn, and sometimes the music unexpectedly stops. The reason is that the conductor, with his deft ear, needs to make changes during rehearsal so that the end product is perfection.
Shakespeare & Company’s Outdoor Theatres, and any other outdoor venues, Lenox – One of my least favorite things on the planet are mosquitos, although the Berkshires seems to have been taken over by gnats this year. Patrons at S&Co. tented plays must deal with the elements. As for me, my jewelry of choice are yellow twisty bracelets on each arm. I’m not sure if they are loaded with DEET, but it works.
Ice Cream, everywhere – I once read that MA is one of the highest per capital ice cream devourers’ states. Seems odd, but apparently, we eat the treat in all seasons; even winter. Whether in a cone, a dish, as a sundae, or a drink, downtown Lee, Lenox, and Stockbridge have small stores selling locally churned ice cream. Yummy.
Explore these and more Berkshire destinations at: https://berkshires.org