The Westchester, New York society magazine, WAG, has featured Hampton Terrace in its September issue.    The #1 getaway destination is the Berkshires, and Hampton Terrace receives centerpiece attention as the place to stay.

Following a lengthy article about actress Glenn Close's Bedford home, the article displays two large Hampton Terrace photos and describes our inn as "being full of cottage-y charm."   It goes on to paint a diversified and flattering picture of the Berkshires, mentioning Barrington Stage Company, the Colonial Theater, the Ferrin Gallery, the Berkshire Museum, Trattoria Rustica, Alta Restaurant and Wine Bar (walking distance from us), Shakespeare & Company (also walking distance), Mount Greylock and the Clark Art Institute.    Finally, ice cream from SoCo Creamery (yes, again, close to us) receives raves.

Hampton Terrace was recently showcased in USA Today, and was also just chosen by the German version of "Discover New England" magazine as the featured lodging property for the Berkshires.    As we enter our off-season, look for our Romantic Weekend Special, which includes full breakfast by candlelight, a $30 gift certiticate to Nejaimes Wine Shop, and a comfortable room with a fireplace and Jacuzzi.

Planning on sticking close to home this summer and want to save up to 30% as well?   Stay multiple nights at Hampton Terrace Bed and Breakfast during the summer between Sunday through Thursday, and pay our off-season rate of $190/night per room.   We include full breakfast and we have an outdoor heated pool.     Hampton Terrace Inn is rated #1 by Trip Advisor, so a discounted stay does not mean a discounted experience.

During the week, you will have access to the same great attractions:   Berkshire Theatre Festival, Williamstown Theater Festival, Shakespeare & Company, Jacob's Pillow, Barrington Stage Company, The Mount, Ventfort Hall, The Clark Art Institute, Norman Rockwell Museum, Tanglewood shows in Ozawa Hall, Hancock Shaker Village, summer activities at Jiminy Peak, the Berkshire Museum, Mass MoCA., and all of the Berkshires' great restaurants and shops.   Call 800-203-0656 for availability.

One of the premier theater presenters in the Berkshires, Barrington Stage, has announced their 2009 summer season and tickets are now on sale.

Barrington Stage Company's Artistic Director, Julie Boyd is well known for tackling ambitious musicals, and this season does not disappoint.   Their new, state-of-the-art theater on North Street in Pittsfield, is perfect for large productions and all seats are good.

This year's line-up includes "Carousel," but also popular shows "Sleuth," and "Streetcar Named Desire."    During the summer, BSC will also feature cabaret and experimental musical theater, with a series dedicated to exposing young emerging musical theater talent.

For tickets and information, www.barringtonstageco.org.

When considering a visit to the Bekshires, chose Hampton Terrace Bed and Breakfast Inn, #1 rated by Trip Advisor in Lenox from 30+ local inns.   We feature fireplace and Jacuzzi rooms, full hot breakfast buffet, an outdoor heated pool, and a 30% mid-week discount during the summer theater season.  

Sure, how can you avoid the jaw-dropping vistas.   But what do you do when the roll of film is finished, or the sun goes down?    Let me count the ways:

THEATER:   Shakespeare & Company, walking distance from Hampton Terrace, is featuring "The Canterville Ghost" in its new Elayne Bernstein Theater.    Barrington Stage Company in Pittsfield is presenting "To Kill A Mockingbird."   The Berkshire Theater Festival has Eleanor, Her Secret Journey in October.   Can't make it back so soon?   Come in December and enjoy their annual A Christmas Carol. 

 MUSIC:   Surprising number of things going on:   At the Mahaiwe in Great Barrington, there is a long list of September-October musical events, including The Indigo Girls, Dar WIlliams, the Metropolitan Opera LIVE Series, and a concert honoring Daniel Pearl, who spent much of his career at the Berkshire Eagle.  For a listing, Mahaiwe Schedule.  Also, the Colonial Theater in Pittsfield is matching the quantity, starting with a tribute to the "Rat Pack," music from Ireland and Africa and numerous classical options in a gloriously restored turn-of-the-century theater:  Colonial Schedule.    Most of the summer classical music presenters also have come up with something, so to see those choices, take a LOOK at the Berkshire Visitors Bureau music page.   For a more comprehensive look at music in the clubs, or at the mixed media venues like MASS MOCA, look at the entertainment links in the Berkshire Eagle and click on "Entertainment."

HISTORIC HOUSE TOURS:   They called us the "Inland Newport," but I am not sure even Newport had 80+ Gilded Age homes so large that they could cleverly be called "cottages."   All will still be open during October, including The Mount, Ventfort Hall, Naumkeag, Chesterwood, and Herman Melville's Arrowhead.

 MUSEUMS:   All open:   The Clark Art Institute, Hancock Shaker Village, The Berkshire Museum, Mass Moca, and  the Norman Rockwell Museum.

 RESTAURANTS:  Just last week, we completely rewrote our restaurant recommendation list.   Yes, we have an ever-expanding database of guest experiences to consider, but mainly there are SO MANY new restaurant openings we are once again struck by the fact that the Berkshires is a rural version of New York City.   I mean, take the music, dance, theater, museums, art galleries, restaurants and interesting lodging….substitute mountains for skyscrapers…and you have us.   Back to food:   there are the old reliables where you will always get a great meal, like "The Old Mill" in Egremont, but now you have to add The Mission Bar and Grill and Jae's Spice in Pittsfield, Allium, Napa (moved from Lenox) and Xicohtencatl Mexican (not that new, but new to our radar) in Great Barrington, Alta, Barrood's, Jonathans, Chocolate Springs and Haven in Lenox, and Viva in Housatonic.   It is worth a stay at Hampton Terrace just to see our restaurant recommendation list!   Last, but not least, dine with the Shakers!   Six times from October 11/12  through December there are special Shaker dinners at the Hancock Shaker Village.

I believe I mentioned that theatre in the Berkshires is not limited to Barrington Stage Company, Berkshire Theatre Festival, Shakespeare & Company, Williamstown Theatre Festival, and the stages of the Colonial and Mahaiwe Theaters.  When a guest at Hampton Terrace asks "what is there to do once I get there?" I  find myself almost speechless.   Where do I start?    Or, more often, a guest will start by announcing that they plan to go to Tanglewood on Saturday night and they were wondering if there is something to do on the other two nights of their stay.   This is why everyone who stays at our Lenox inn gets several attachments on their confirmation:   a list of dining options and a list of other activities to consider, including spas, museums, hikes, theater, music, night life, etc.   We also provide links to the Berkshire Visitors Bureau website, the Berkshire Eagle website, the Lenox Chamber of Commerce and other resources to help our guests plan their stay. More on Theatre in the Berkshires: Berkshire Fringe, Capital Steps, Chester Theatre Company, Mac-Hayden Theatre, Mass Moca, The Theater Barn, Ventfort Hall

 For purposes of this column, I am lumping Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival in the "theatre" category, although it differs greatly from Barrington Stage Company, Berkshire Theatre Festival, Shakespeare & Company and Williamstown Theatre Festival.   The latter groups all stage their own productions wheras Jacob's Pillow serves as a "host" to dozens of the most influential dance companies in the world.   On any given week between June 14th and August 24th, at least two companies will perform daily on several stages, sprinkling in lectures, demonstrations, master classes and community interaction.   For Jacob's Pillow is as concerned with dance education as it is with performance, and it stands alone as the oldest and most prestigious dance festival in the world.

Daresay any major dance organization who is not approached by Jacob's Pillow had better question its world standing.    Begun in 1933 by Ted Shawn as a retreat to train male dancers, his intent was to show that dancing could be an honorable male occupation as he strove to end stereotypes by emphasizing strong masculine roles for his dancers.   Over the years, the original buildings from this 1800s farm were converted into performance and rehearsal spaces…and that is the feel that is carried up to this day.   A visit to Jacob's Pillow is a vicseral experience that begins with the fact that it is 20 minutes from any visible civilization.   It is really you, the dancers and nature.  Even the largest venue, the Ted Shawn Theater has the option of opening doors behind the stage to reveal distant mountain views.    For a complete list of performances see www.jacobspillow.org.

One of the great things about Jacob's Pillow is that their performances occur all week, meaning you can combine a mid-week discount, a romantic getaway and Jacob's Pillow by staying at Hampton Terrace, one of the top rated Berkshire inns.   A Lenox inn since 1937, Hampton Terrace is located about 20 minutes from Jacob's Pillow, but as stated before, there are not many Berkshire bed and breakfasts within a 20 minute drive anyway.   But since you will probably combine your dance evening with several other evenings of theater and dining, you will be hard pressed to find a Berkshires lodging option more centrally located, within walking distance of Lenox's heralded restaurants and shops.

Many people remember the Barrington Stage Company bravely mounting their seasons at a local high school in South County.   Julianne Boyd had a pedigree, and all knew it was just a matter of time before this theatre company earned its break….

And the break came from an unlikely place…an improvisational theater lab that quickly moved from Barrington Stage to Broadway and now to leading cities of the world, while picking up two Tony Awards along the way.  The success of "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee" led to Barrington Stage's purchase and renovation of a 1912 playhouse in downtown Pittsfield.  Julie Boyd's vision of having a stage capable of handling the large productions she loved was fulfilled.   This year marks a return of "Spelling Bee" to its creator, and other offerings include "The Violet Hour", "Private Lives" and "To Kill a Mockingbird."   And that is just the Main Stage.   There are a dozen other options through the summer, including the very workshops that might spawn the next Tony Award- winning play or musical.  

Barrington Stage Company joins Shakespeare & Company, Williamstown Theater Festival, Berkshire Theatre Festival and other important theater companies within minutes of Hampton Terrace, a well-reviewed bed and breakfast in Lenox.  Top rated among Berkshire lodging, Hampton Terrace features 14 rooms with private baths and is located within steps of Lenox's heralded shops and restaurants.  When considering a Lenox inn while visiting theater in the Berkshires, check out www.hamptonterrace.com.

80 Years!   If that is not sustainability, what is?   The Berkshire Theatre Festival is the lone presenting organization that matches Tanglewood's tenure, and its stage has featured some of the most important actors of the century.   The 2008 schedule includes "Candida," opening next week and showcasing Jayne Atkinson, most recently famous for playing CTU Director Karen Hayes on 24. 

Other important offerings on the Main Stage include "The Book Club Play," "A Man for All Seasons," "Noel Coward in Two Keys," "Oliver!,"  and six plays in the Unicorn Theater.   BTF will feature "A Christmas Carol" in December….what a great opportunity for a Romantic Getaway at a Berkshire inn, such as Hampton Terrace, which is located just a ten minute drive from Stockbridge and the Berkshire Theatre Festival.   TripAdvisor.com ranks Hampton Terrace among the top two Lenox inns based on unsolicited guest reviews.

Unquestionably Tanglewood is the most internationally known attraction in the Berkshires, but our theater offerings are an embarrassment of riches:   Shakespeare & Company, Barrington Stage Company, Williamstown Theater Festival, Jacob's Pillow and many others.   This column will feature a different theatre company each day, and while attending shows and considering Berkshires lodging, check out Hampton Terrace, located just steps from Lenox's heralded restaurants and shops.  

Tanglewood fills the Berkshires every weekend during the summer.   If you want to avoid the large crowds and enjoy a wide range of theater offerings while staying in a romantic b&b, consider a mid-week visit and save 30% compared to our normal room rates.

When considering Lenox or the Berkshires, many people think Tanglewood and the Boston Symphony.   But of equal stature (and actually exceeding Tanglewood in total audience) are the local theater companies, including Shakespeare and Company, Berkshire Theater Festival, Williamstown Theater Festival, Jacob's Pillow (dance), Barrington Stage Company, and many others.   All are kicking off their seasons this week and next.

Shakespeare & Company, founded by Tina Packer, is in its 31st season, and is located just one block from Hampton Terrace Bed and Breakfast.   Their large campus includes multiple theater options, including their main stage, The Founder's Theater.   This year, they are opening with "The Ladies Man," a French farce that we saw last Thursday night.   It was GREAT!   At our Lenox bed and breakfast, we get feedback every morning at breakfast about what our guests did the night before, where they ate, etc.   At least eight of our guests have now seen "The Ladies Man" and agree with us.   It has all the things you would expect from this genre:   double entrendres, mistaken identities and maniacal (and I mean really maniacal) action.   I was exhausted from the energy on stage…no daily gym workouts needed for these actors.   "The Ladies Man" is being performed all summer, alternating with other significant productions including "Othello," "All's Well that Ends Well," "The Goatwoman of Corvis County," "The Canterville Ghost," "Bad Dates," and numerous free presentations on their outdoor stage.   You can see, this industrious group is not limited to Shakespeare.   Importantly, they are opening a new venue, The Elayne Bernstein Stage in August.    So for those of you who are looking to avoid the weekend crowds associated with Tanglewood, consider coming to the Berkshires Sunday to Thursday and entertaining yourselves with these exciting theater options.

And as always, combine at visit to Shakespeare and Company with a fine bed and breakfast experience by staying at Hampton Terrace Bed and Breakfast……located just one block from Shakespeare and Company.   Stay multiple nights mid-week and save up to 30%.