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Check out our what to do section for a complete list of Berkshire cultural attractions.
Of Mothers, Movies, Music & More
By Bess Hochstein
May 2008
 Spring is bursting out all over; flocks of forsythia, herds of hyacinths and droves of daffodils now color the landscape. The Berkshire Museum has demonstrated excellent timing, scheduling its Galleries in Bloom event to coincide with Mother’s Day.
This “Celebration of Arts and Flowers” begins with an opening gala on Friday evening, May 9, featuring a presentation by Renny Reynolds, who has designed spectacular gardens across America, followed by a reception with music, cocktails and sumptuous hors d’oeuvres in the recently restored art deco Crane Room. (If you don’t go for the flowers, go for the food. The menu includes such temptations as fig & walnut tapenade with goat cheese; minted fava bean tartines with shaved pecorino;  wild mushroom, leek & Gruyere tarts; house-cured gravlax with beet tartare; and grilled polenta “pizza” with caramelized onions and gorgonzola: yum!)
The celebration continues Saturday morning, May 10, with floral designer Ron Morgan creating original arrangements based on containers brought by guests, signing copies of his books and then hosting an elegant luncheon in the Crane Room, with a demonstration by florist Miriam Landsman. Mother’s Day is dedicated to family fun, with art workshops, hands-on activities, live entertainment and a screening of The Secret Garden.
 We’re also planning to celebrate spring at the Berkshire Botanical Garden, which is holding its annual plant sale this weekend; early-bird buyers will get there on Friday morning, May 9, but the sale continues until Sunday. I’m looking forward to this not only to score some new plants and decorative items for my garden, but also to see the exhibit Homes for Birds, which opened last weekend, featuring functional and fanciful bird houses.
 We’ll probably go Saturday, May 10, so on the same drive we can stop by the spring Open House & Art Sale at IS183 Art School of the Berkshires. I’m hoping to pick up a crafty Mother’s Day gift while I’m there, as well as more information on the school’s upcoming lecture by furniture-maker Tommy Simpson on the evening of May 14.
I t’s shaping up to be a busy weekend; also on our agenda is an afternoon visit to Pearl’s, where book publicist David Carriere (a neighbor and fellow dog-lover) is publicizing his own book, Publicity: 7 Steps to Publicize Just About Anything. Since he’s a veteran of the field, he’s doing this in a very creative manner: with a panel discussion on—can you guess?—publicity called Art & Commerce: From film to farming… How publicity can work for you.
The event is sponsored by the Berkshire International Film Festival, which is also hosting a wine & cheese hour after the discussion, during which David will sign advance copies of his book.
 And speaking of BIFF, the film festival kicks off next week on May 15 with opening night cocktails and light dinner at Pearl’s, followed by a screening of the award-winning documentary Man on Wire, featuring an appearance by Philippe Petit, whose 1974 tight-rope-traipse across the Twin Towers (with no safety net) is the subject of the film.
 The festival continues with three more days jam-packed with independent films from across the world, most of which will be screened at The Triplex, as well as other special events. These include Friday evening’s tribute to Kevin Bacon at the Mahaiwe, with cocktails and light supper by Castle Street Café preceding the screening of a special film to be announced; and a screening the new digital edition of Blade Runner at the Mahaiwe, featuring the magic of local FX wizard Douglas Trumbull, who will make a special presentation that evening.
 But before the festival takes over Great Barrington, the Mahaiwe has plenty of its own star power, including a performance of Gluck’s Orfeo ed Euridice by the Berkshire Bach Society on Friday May 8; a high-definition broadcast of the Metropolitan Opera’s La Fille du Regiment (preceded by an 11 a.m. lecture at St. James Church and noon lunch at Castle Street Café); a screening of Black Orpheus on May 12; an appearance by the Southern Utah University Ballroom Dance Company on May 14; and Jean Cocteau’s masterpiece Beauty and the Beast on May 19.
 Incidentally, the Mahaiwe has just announced its lineup through the end of the year. Season highlights include appearances by Judy Collins, Jim Bouton (speaking during a special Father’s Day screening of Field of Dreams), The Daryl Hall Band; Los Lobos; Dar Williams; and America. The fall brings Duncan Sheik with Stars of Spring Awakening and the David Parsons Dance Company to the stage, as well as the resumption of the Met’s Live in HD broadcasts. Friends of the Mahaiwe can secure their seats now; tickets go on sale to the public on May 17.
Another event is happily resuming next week: Third Thursdays in Pittsfield, when the downtown streets come alive with musicians, artists, family activities, after-hours shopping, and sidewalk dining. This month’s theme is South of the Border, and with Pittsfield’s plethora of Latino restaurants and musicians, I’m sure it’s going to be a delicious and dance-happy event.
 Cultural Pittsfield will have a different theme for Third Thursdays all the way through October. One of the cornerstone participants is the Ferrin Gallery, whose opening reception last week for FRESH: new art, new artists drew 200 attendees. There will be a new exhibition up for the May 15 Third Thursday, the second in its series of Firing Partners shows, featuring Sam Taylor of Dog Bar Pottery, and other artists who have worked with him. I happen to love Sam Taylor’s work, and May 15 just happens to be my birthday, so maybe K will be doing some secret shopping next week at the Ferrin Gallery!
And here’s another happy return: The Farmers’ Markets open for the season May 9. Thanks to Berkshire Grown and our local farmers, we’ll be able to get our fresh-picked fruits and greens on Friday afternoons either in Sheffield at Massini’s or in Lenox at Aspinwell, and on Saturday at Great Barrington’s historic Train Station (which affords us the opportunity to check out what’s new at the Kasten Gallery). While produce may be limited this early in the season, there are plenty of plants for sale. Maybe I’ll pick up a few hanging petunias to add a little more color to my own landscape! 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.
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