Hudson Valley (New York)/The Berkshires
(Massachusetts)
June 26 - 30 or August 7 - 11, 2008
Escape the falling dollar and explore America's
treasures. The Hudson Valley in New York and The Berkshires in
Massachusetts offer a wealth of diversions.
See performance details of chosen tour below.
Day 1
Hudson’s
Historic Warren Street and Olana:
•
57 antique
shops, 27 Art Galleries, Artists’ Studios…I will lead you to the best. My
favorite Hudson shop has an eclectic mix of furniture, home accessories plus
jewelry, scarves, and tempting miscellany.
•
The story of
Hudson…the city has gone through many boom to bust cycles. Its history includes
periods ranging from a whaling, merchant economy to an infamous period of
prostitution and corruption to its present thriving stance.
•
A dictionary of
American architecture…Fine examples of Federal, Greek Revival, Second Empire and
Italianate styles. As a member of Historic Hudson, an organization devoted to
preservation of Hudson architecture, I rely on their extensive research to tell
Hudson’s architectural history.
•
Performing arts
venues…At the Hudson Opera House, see the first theater in New York State, a
huge theater waiting for renovation. Time & Space Limited is a factory-like
space that hosts edgy movies, controversial speakers and quirky music.
•
Lunch at a
favorite restaurant…The chef-owner, a New York City émigré, has created an
informal restaurant serving delicious salads and sandwiches and more substantial
entrees.
•
After lunch,
visit Olana, just a few minutes by car, from Warren Street. Olana is the former
home of Frederic Church, one of the leading painters, in the famed Hudson River
School of painting. Olana is a Moorish villa with spectacular views of the
Catskills and the Hudson River, a landscape that was the inspiration for the
Hudson River painters.
•
Farmer’s
Market, the best in the area. You might want to stock up on farm grown
vegetables here.
•
Back to Warren
Street, for afternoon tea, at our new tea salon and art gallery. I favor their
lavender lemonade and chocolate biscotti.
Overnight: Hudson Bed & Breakfast
Day 2
Bard College…a treasure just a half hour from Hudson. Frank
Gehry’s magnificent Performing Arts Center, the newly reinvigorated Hessel
Museum of Art that thanks to its new director has won praise from the New
York Times and New York magazine. Bard hosts a wide range of
concerts with its acclaimed American Symphony Orchestra and its graduate music
and voice programs and lectures on a variety of fascinating topics.
 |
 |
Garden Overlooking Hudson River |
Frank Gehry-Designed Arts Center at Bard
College |
Kaatsbaan International Dance Center…a 153-acre complex that is a studio and
living facility for dance companies to hone their skills before performances in
large cities. There are three summer free performances of their teen-age summer
dance programs plus performances by leading companies in the fall.
Rhinebeck…The Fairgrounds is home to antique and craft fairs and wine and food
festivals. You can plan your visit to coincide with these fairs. The town has
a good mix of boutiques.
Overnight: Hudson Bed & Breakfast
 |
The Mount, Edith Wharton's Home |
Day 3
On to
The Berkshires…We attend a morning rehearsal at Tanglewood. Then we explore
Lenox and its many great shops and/or visit The Mount, Edith Wharton’s home that
has been undergoing extensive renovation and its beautiful gardens.
Overnight Hudson Bed & Breakfast
Day 4
Williamstown…Visit the Clark Institute of Art, an amazing museum with a renowned
Impressionist collection that includes 30 Renoirs. Afternoon matinee at the
Williamstown Theatre or Berkshire Theatre Festival. If time allows, a brief
stop at the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporay Art (Mass MOCA), a factory
building that has been transformed into the home of avant-garde, often
controversial contemporary art.
Overnight: Hudson Bed & Breakfast
Day 5
Leave
for home
June
26 – 30: Itinerary & Concert and/or Theater details
Thursday, June 26: Hudson
Friday,
June 27: Friday evening at Tanglewood, Mark Morris Dance Group
Mark
Morris is a giant among choreographers of modern dance. The Mark Morris Dance
Group, based in Brooklyn, was formed in 1980 and performs around the world. He
has choreographed works for leading dance companies everywhere including the
American Ballet Theatre and the Paris Opera Ballet. In addition, Morris has
worked extensively in opera for both the Metropolitan Opera and the English
National Opera.
Saturday, June 28: Lenox Mass. -- The Mount, Chesterfield, Venforth Hall
Sunday, June 2: Williamstown
& Williamstown Theatre Festival or Berkshire Theatre
August 7 – 11: Itinerary &
Concert and/or Theater details
Thursday, August 7: Hudson
Friday,
August 8: Bard Music Festival, the World of Prokofiev
Saturday, August 9: Tanglewood :10;30 AM rehearsal All Mozart program, Andre
Previn conducts,,,Lenox The Mount and Venforth Hall
Sunday,
August 10: Williamstown, Clark Institute of Art, and Mass MOCA
Costs
$1,050 (USD) for four days
activities as outlined in the itinerary, two performances, transportation by
private mini-van and/or Honda compact (Tanglewood, Lenox, Williamstown are about
an hour from Hudson), three dinners, entrance to Olana and The Mount.
Not
included: Bed & Breakfast for four nights. The bed and breakfast we recommend is
$200 for the first night, $100 for each additional night. If they are filled
similar prices at other Hudson bed and breakfasts. Remember, Hudson is a small
town so it is advisable for us to make your hotel reservations as soon as
possible. Also not included are transportation to Hudson, lunches, alcoholic beverages, tea in Hudson. |