Sun, Dec 7th '08, The Colonial Theatre in Pittsfield, Massachusetts

7:30PM A: $40 B: $25

With Special Guests Susan McKeown and Boo Reiners

The Klezmatics have forever transcended genres, blending klezmer with aching shtetl melodies, raucous Latin stomps, wild jazz riffs and provocative Arabic, African, American and Balkan rhythms. The Klezmatics present a contagious celebration of Hanukkah—a marriage of the group’s soulful and ebullient Jewish roots to Woody Guthrie’s poignantly mesmerizing and newly discovered lyrics. This program highlights the band’s two most recent CD releases: the multicultural folk sounds of Wonder Wheel and the ecstatically danceable, hoedown-worthy Woody Guthrie’s Happy Joyous Hanukkah. Special guests include acclaimed Celtic singer Susan McKeown and multi-instrumentalist Boo Reiners.

Combine this special show with a visit to the Berkshires….just 2 hours from Boston and less than 3 hours from New York City.   Hampton Terrace is considered the top-rated Lenox inn by Trip Advisor rankings and one the leading Berkshire bed and breakfasts.   Our off-season rates apply until mid-June 2009, and a weekend stay includes a $30 Gift Certificate to Nejaimes, the gourmet wine and food shop in Lenox.

Quite different this year…..New Year's Eve falling mid-week.   Typically we fold New Year"s Eve into the weekend and create a weekend package.

But for the 2009 New Year, we acknowledge that most of you will only get one night off….so we are allowing (for the first time ever) a single night stay on New Year's Eve.

We have always very much enjoyed the type of guests we attract for New Year's.   Most do not want a party, or any commotion.   They could stay in their home town for that.   And over the years, the Berkshires seem to have recognized this and have created a certain atmosphere that accommodates.

Most of the restaurants will create special limited menus and will have an early seating and a late seating.   There will probably be snow on the ground and fairy lights everywhere…so it will be magical walking back to the inn from the more than a dozen restaurant choices within walking distance.   At midnight, we always offer champagne toasts (complimentary) in our private bar….and usually a few couples join us to watch the ball drop in Times Square.  But we put hats, noise makers, and horns in each of our guest rooms and suspect that the rest of our guests are already celebrating their New Year privately.

The next day, in lieu of normal breakfast, we always offer a complimentary New Year's Day brunch from 10 am until noon and allow late check-out.

New Year's at Hampton Terrace always sells out….and we do not charge a premium for the additional amenities.   Just use the in-season weekend rate quoted on our website.    Most of our rooms have fireplaces and Jacuzzis (14 rooms in total) and to get a rate quote, call 800-203-0656.   IMPORTANTLY, even though we are accepting single nights this year….it does not mean that you cannot stay longer.   For the additional nights, we can use our off-season, mid-week rate, making a multiple night stay quite a value.

Hampton Terrace is the #1 rated Lenox inn according to Trip Advisor reviews, was chosen by BedandBreakfast.com as one of their Editor's Picks for viewing fall foliage, is one of only four Berkshire inns recommended by the Michelin Green Guide, and has been welcoming guests since 1937.   For a great Berkshire bed and breakfast experience, give us a call.

It's too late to turn back now.   For at least 6 years, we have offered a $30 Gift Certificate to our local wine/gourmet food shop to every couple who stays at Hampton Terrace for 2 weekend nights (or more) from November 1 to June 20, plus September.  For starters, Nejaimes is a GREAT shop, full of the best choices in wine, beer and spirits and a trained staff that can help our guests find exactly what they want.   But more than that, Nejaimes is also 50% gourmet food….a by-product of the fact that it is a key place for people who are shopping for their lawn picnics at Tanglewood.   Huge selection of cheeses, breads, home-made sides and other things that compliment your bottle of wine.

What I mean, "it's too late to turn back now" is that this is such a popular amenity, that people come back year after year to Hampton Terrace because they feel the gift certificate is such an integral part of their stay.   We have a family heirloom bar that is open only to our guests and is stocked with glasses, openers, plates, knives, etc., and we have four public room fireplaces where our guests can settle in and enjoy their bounty.

The owners of Nejaimes told us that another local inn asked if they could start offering the gift certificates as well.   The inn said that one of their inquirers had chosen Hampton Terrace over them because of the promotion.   But that was several years ago, we know we are still the only ones doing it.

So the Romantic Weekend Package is here to stay and we welcome anyone who is looking for a Lenox bed and breakfast to give us a call and lock in your weekend.   Most of our rooms feature fireplaces and Jacuzzis and we are very proud to be currently rated #1 in the Trip Advisor rankings from over 30 Lenox inns.  

Hampton Terrace is a proud member of the Berkshire Visitors Bureau,and  the Lenox Chamber of Commerce and was recently chosen by the editors of BedandBreakfast.com as one of the top places to stay for foliage.  

As of the November 1st weekend, our rates drop 30% from the current level and include the $30 gift certificate mentioned and full breakfast buffet.

Internationally celebrated director Irina Brook and her company of talented Shakespeare & Company artists have freely adapted Oscar Wilde's story about a very American family that blusters its way into a haunted English manor, thoroughly annoying the stuffy old ghost who can't seem to scare them a whit. In this roaringly original adaptation, Sir Simon the Canterville Ghost is re-imagined as an over-the-hill illusionist reliving his glory days in the 1940's. Beneath the outrageous veneer of Wilde's achingly funny story is a depth of emotion, as the old ghost's long-delayed salvation rests upon a family's ability to trust, and a young girl's desire to believe.

This show runs from now through November 9th and tickets can be purchased by e-mailing boxoffice@shakespeare.org, going to their website and buying on-line, or calling 413-637-1199.

Hampton Terrace is located a block from Shakespeare & Company and frequently serves as a place the company houses its special guests and actors.   We are ranked #1 by Trip Advisor from among 30 Lenox inns, and recommended by BedandBreakfast.com as one of the top places in the country to stay while viewing fall foliage.

So pick a beautiful fall foliage weekend, choose a fireplace/Jacuzzi room at Hampton Terrace, one of the premier Berkshire inns, and prepare for Halloween with The Canterville Ghost at Shakespeare & Company.

We've been doing this for ten years:   (1) taking a hundred calls in September and October asking "are the leaves turned yet?, and (2)  getting 40 requests for our 14 rooms once they do…

So I am letting you know right now…..it's okay.   We are happy to steer you toward the perfect time to come….and remember….the leaves are no redder on Saturday.   If you have the flexibility to come mid-week, you'll save 30% here on our room rates.

First, our location, in case you run across this entry on the Internet (I hope you did), we are located in the Berkshire mountains….two hours west of Boston and 2 1/2 hours north of New York City.   We are in Lenox, the summer home of the Boston Symphony.    2.5 million people come to this area each year….so there are great restaurants, shops, galleries, museums, hiking, horseback….   and everything in Lenox is a two block walk or less from our door.

Here is the first report:   Over the past several years, the summer has been VERY dry and the cold came late…so the leaves turned in late October.

It takes rain and cold to turn leaves, so the first requirement is met……THIS was the rainiest summer on record.   As far as the cold…..yes…we've had some nights in the 30s and some trees are yellow.   So we are not quite there yet…but a cold snap will do it, I think.

The good thing about the Berkshires, is that you do not have to hit it perfectly.   The are mountains (Greylock is the second highest peak in New England) and there are valleys 4000 feet below..   Vermont is 45 minutes north and Connecticut is 30 minutes south (drives through historic villages and great vistas).    So depending on when you stay here, you can drive up or down, north or south and see the optimum pop of tree colors.

So beginning today….give us a call at 800-203-0656 or e-mail me at stan@hamptonterrace.com.   I will let you know how things look out my window….when I think things will be best….and look up our availability.

P.S.   We were just named by BedandBreakfast.com as "one of the 10 best undiscovered inns in New England for viewing foliage" and we are rated #1 by Trip Advisor in Lenox out of 30+ inns.   We look foward to hearing from you.

 We know that from time to time, everyone needs the perfect place for a meeting, holiday party, family gathering or even a special celebration.  Chances are you’d rather not worry about having it in your home.

We’d like to suggest you consider holding your next gathering at Lenox’s Hampton Terrace, in the grand setting of an original Gilded Age Berkshires cottage. We are debuting our beautifully appointed public spaces, available for the first time, for your private parties, receptions, holiday gatherings, meetings, showers…you name the occasion, and we have the space.

Hampton Terrace, built in 1897, has been one of Lenox’s premier inns since 1937.   Guest experiences here have been so positive, that we are rated #1 on Trip Advisor from over thirty Lenox inns. Combined with  fourteen plush guest rooms, we also can host family celebrations or reunions, business retreats or extended stays for your visiting business associates.  Because we are open year-round and hosting guests, Hampton Terrace is always beautifully decorated for each season. You may use your own caterer, or, we will provide a list. Feel free to contact us for more information on planning your party here by calling us, or sending an e-mail to info@hamptonterrace.com.

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.