Anyone who has stayed at Hampton Terrace Bed and Breakfast Inn in Lenox knows we are tied at the hip to our local wine shop, Nejaimes.    All guests who take advantage of our Romantic Weekend Special, head there with $30, compliments of us.

For the month of November, those same guests have the chance to leverage their $30 up to 30%!    Nejaimes stocks their three stores for a strong summer season each year, then in November they run everything on sale.   This year they are adding a new twist:   Every bottle of wine priced OVER $50 automatically gets a 30% reduction.   Wow.   A chance to try those 92+ point Cabernet's without so much guilt.

One of the hallmarks of Nejaimes….and I am most familiar with the Lenox shop…..is that all of the sales people are knowledgeable about their inventory, and are eager to help you pick the right bottle of wine.   You can find scores of beers from around the world.    Liquors in all sizes and price ranges.   They also specialize in cheeses, single-serving containers of anti-pastas and salads, smoked meats and sausages, desserts including locally made ice cream…..I can't even cover the tip of the iceberg.   www.nejaimeswine.com

How can you start your discount shopping spree with $30 already in the bank?    By staying at Hampton Terrace any weekend between November 1st and mid-June for at least two nights.    And to add value….a third night is 30% off.   We include full breakfast buffet and most of our rooms have fireplaces and Jacuzzis.    Rated #1 on Trip Advisor from 25+ Lenox inns and b&bs.   Early check-in and late check-out available.    Members of the Lenox Chamber of Commerce and the Berkshire Visitors Bureau.   Call 800-203-0656.

Tonight on SCI FI: Watch Shakespeare & Company Artists on "Ghost Hunters"

Turn on your TV or set your TiVo for SCI FI Channel's popular "Ghost Hunters" tonight at 9/8c. Tonight, they uncover the mysteries of Shakespeare & Company’s former home, The Mount, during their Wednesday, March 25th broadcast at 9 PM EST. Company members Dennis Krausnick, Kevin Coleman and Elizabeth Aspenlieder were all interviewed for the show.

The Mount, former home of author, Edith Wharton, housed Shakespeare & Company for twenty years.  They took over the abandoned mansion and based their growing theater company in its main rooms and surrounding acreage until renovations of the mansion itself were almost complete.   They have moved since to a new property, and The Mount is now run by a not-for-profit that exists for its continued renovation and maintenance.   Meanwhile, many stories have been collected over the years about this historic house, and no one better to tell them than Shakespearean actors.

Both Shakespeare & Company and The Mount are located in Lenox, Massachusetts, literally less than two minutes from Hampton Terrace Bed and Breakfast Inn.   Both are worthy of a trip to the Berkshires, so consider Hampton Terrace as your home base while exploring what Lenox has to offer.

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.  

I love every time this happens.

For the Valentine's Weekend, Randy and Heather checked in.   They've stayed here twice before, in our king suites.   This morning at breakfast, Heather held out her hand and showed me a new addition to her finger, a beautiful engagement ring!   I asked Randy where he had proposed…and they said in their room, the Rosalyn Elkan Suite.

I am estimating this is the tenth time or so that we have hosted couples who have become engaged here.   It really makes us proud that we have played a tiny role in such an important milestone in their lives.   Susan and I were engaged in New York City under a streetlight about midnight on the upper East Side.    That was not my plan.

I had an engagement ring in  my pocket and I had flown Susan to NYC from Macon, GA to give her the ring at Studio 54 (this was 1978).  Unfortunately, there was a large crowd at the door and we did not seem to pass the minimum "coolness" criteria from the doormen.   Susan had no idea I was looking for the right place to propose, and we tried about four places before I gave up.    One place was too dark, one had a cover charge too high.   Another wasn't located where we were told.   I wish I had had a better Plan B.

At Hampton Terrace, you won't need a Plan B.   Let us help make this important occasion what it should be.