January 2008

Following the climactic vicissitudes of early winter, it seems the temperature has settled into just plain cold. Duffy, my tough dog, doesn’t seem to mind the weather – whether it’s stormy or arctic, he’s good to go. But Hobbes has a more delicate constitution, as do some of my dog-hiking gal pals, and that may curtail our canine outdoor adventures until things warm up a bit.

We do have to be careful to keep up the exercise, especially due to the natural tendency to pack on the pounds while warding off winter weather. For example, this weekend friends from drove down for a visit from Burlington, Vermont and we feasted on Saturday night take-out from Bombay Bar & Grill. The next night we ate at Xicohtencatl Mexican Restaurant, which they found entirely welcoming to their two very young daughters—in fact, it seemed as if every table had one or two little kids, at least at the early dining hour of 6:30.

After the weekend’s gluttony, it’s great to know we can always ski off some of the calories. In addition, there are plenty of indoor activities to keep us happily occupied during the cold snap. For example, this Wednesday, 1/23, K & I will head north for a lecture at the Clark called “Museums, Why Should We Care?” by Philippe de Montebello. If that name sounds familiar, it should; de Montebello has been the Director of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City for the past 30 years. And he has been in the news lately, having just announced that he is stepping down.

De Montebello has held the position longer than any of his seven predecessors in the museum’s 135-year history, and I’m sure the question on everyone’s mind is who will be his successor. But even if that were not the question of the day in museum circles, his lecture will certainly attract a crowd.

We’ll be heading north again on Friday for what could turn out to be a triple-header. (It may be common to schedule two or three cultural events in one summer day, but this is a first for me in the winter!)

The first stop will be an afternoon lecture by choreographer Bill T. Jones, who is in residence at Williams College, working on a new dance piece called “Chapel/Chapter.” Jones will discuss his creative process, which should be instructive as “Chapel/Chapter” will be performed at the ’62 Center for Theatre and Dance Mainstage on 2/9, as well as in more fully-fleshed-out form at Jacob’s Pillow this summer.

After that we’ll drive east to MASS MoCA, where singer/composer Terry Allen has been in residence for the past three weeks, working on a new piece based on the ghastly voyage of artist Antonin Artaud’s deportation from Ireland to France in 1937. This new work, “Ghost Ship Rodez,” will be performed by the artist’s wife, Jo Harvey Allen, on both Friday and Saturday evening, 1/25 & 26.

Then it’s back west to Williamstown for the new year’s first Clark After Dark party, “The Sultan’s Palace.” If we didn’t already have so much on our plate, we’d try to squeeze in the Clark’s 6:30 pm screening of “Crossing the Bridge: The Sound of Istanbul,” to provide an introduction to the rich musical landscape of this cultural-crossroads city. Instead, we’ll just show up for the party, which promises whirling dervishes and belly dancers (and lessons for those who want to learn to move their midriff), delectable eats, and music with a middle-eastern groove, as well as opportunities for late-night art-viewing. Since it’s looking like a long day, we’re going to book a room at Jae’s Inn, where I love the pet-friendly policies as much as the food!

The next night we’re staying closer to home, though our outing retains an international flair: Paco Peña Flamenco Music and Dance on 1/26 at the Mahaiwe. Back up north, Café Latino presents another international option with an intriguing name: “Influence.”  It’s a culinary adventure exploring the influence of Japanese cuisine on Peruvian cooking. Café Latino will offer a special “Influence” a la carte menu of small dishes, dreamed up by chef Omar Montoya and Mezze Bistro Chef Joji Sumi from 5-9pm. (Don’t despair if you miss it; South County diners will have the opportunity to experience another “Influence” dining event at Allium on 2/4.)

Sunday morning, 1/27, after stretching my body in yoga, I’ll stretch my mind during Berkshire Living’s “Rest of the Story” discussion at the Triplex with novelist and Williams College professor Jim Shepard.

The next weekend marks the start of February, and the new month brings with it musical options across the country. On Friday 2/1, “Lyrical Blue,” a benefit concert for Greylock ABC (A Better Chance) at the ’62 Center, features distinguished singers and musicians from the realms of opera and the blues.

Saturday night 2/2 presents a tough decision: “A Mardi Gras Celebration” featuring banjo virtuoso and New Orleans native Don Vappie and the Creole Jazz Seranaders at The Colonial; or New York-based jazz-scat singer songwriter Nadine Goellner in MASS MoCA’s Alt Cabaret series. And on both nights Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts presents “Women of Blues and Funk,” with Charmaine Neville, Sue Foley, Sharon Foehl’s Blues Band and the MCLA Jazz Band.

In addition to planning a romantic Valentine’s Day, in February we can begin planning our summer cultural calendar in earnest. Last week Barrington Stage Company announced its 2008 line-up: In addition to “Trumbo,” which plays the Mainstage Feb 14-24, and “I Am My Own Wife” playing from May 21-June 8, plus the previously announced return of the “25^th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” as the Mainstage summer season opener on June 11, Barrington Stage will produce Richard Greenberg’s “The Violet Hour” and Noel Coward’s “Private Lives,” as well as an adaptation of Harper Lee’s “To Kill a Mockingbird” in October.

Barrington Stage’s Musical Theatre Lab will present a full production of “The Mysteries of Harris Burdick,” which was workshopped last summer; other Lab productions will be announced in March. And the much-anticipated BSC Youth Theatre summer production will be “Seussical.”

Next week Berkshire Theatre Festival joins the fray with the announcement of its 80^th anniversary summer season at the Red Lion Inn. Jacob’s Pillow is taking a different tack, letting us know first about the Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane performance and, last week, announcing the premier of Trey McIntyre’s new full-fledged dance company. It’s just a hint of what’s to come in the summer, but even that’s enough to keep me warm in the winter cold.

About Bess Hochstein

Bess J.M. Hochstein came to the Berkshires as a second-homeowner before deciding to move here full time. Previously a communications executive, she's now a freelance writer living in Tyringham with her corgis Duffy and Hobbs and K. She writes for several publications, including Berkshire Living, the Boston Globe, New England Wine Gazette, and Healing Lifestyles & Spas magazine.