Hangin’ in Housy

Have you been to Housy? Housy (pronounced who-zee), a/k/a  Housatonic, is a gem of  a neighborhood that’s often overlooked by Berkshires weekenders & visitors. Housatonic is a village within Great Barrington that was formed in the early 1800s around textile & paper mills. The Housatonic River runs through the center of Housy and magnificent old brick mill buildings dot its landscape. You owe it to yourself to at least take a ramble through Housatonic (on Route 183, just off of Route 7, in Great Barrington), & experience it’s blend of natural splendor, the beautiful architecture & local arts vibe.

Housy Water Tower

Iconic

And, while you’re in Housy, be sure to stop in at these great spots:

Berkshire Mountain Bakery

Housy BMB

Berkshire Mountain Bakery (“BMB”), located at 367 Park St. (Rte 183), is one of the best bakeries – anywhere.  If you don’t believe me, stop in and try any of their breads – all made from grains milled right at the bakery. BMB also does amazing croissants & baked goods & has great seasonal homemade soups (my favorite is their butternut squash). Their chocolate bread is to die for & I love a special bread they make during holiday season. Aptly named Holiday Bread, it’s studded with dried fruits & has marzipan (almond paste) in the center. I like to toast it and then spread the marzipan over the warm bread. Nothing like a slice with a cup of hot coffee, in front of the fireplace, on a Berkshires winter morning.

BMB also makes a wonderful assortment of home made take-away pizzas that bake quickly in your home oven (they’ll cook them there too, if you prefer).  We have a tradition of calling in our take-away pizza order as we’re finishing up a day on the slopes at Ski Butternut – so it’s ready for pick up when we swing by on our way home. The pizzas barely make it out of our oven before they’re devoured by our kids and weekend guests.

Housie Market Cafe

Housy Market 2

Housie Market Cafe opened recently at 226 Pleasant Street & we just love it. They’ve got awesome meals & coffee & this place has a genuine, local vibe. They also sell staples such as milk, eggs, bread, etc. One of my favorite things there is the peanut butter & kimche sandwich. Yes, you read that right – peanut butter & kimche!  It’s the perfect mix of salty/spicy & sweet in a sandwich pressed on the grill & served warm. The kimche is from Hosta Hill  – made just a stone’s throw away, in Housatonic – & is some of the best I’ve had, anywhere. Housie Market also has plenty of more traditional items on its breakfast & lunch menu. And, as a bonus, they serve wine & beer too.

Brick House Pub

Housy Brick House

Brick House Pub, located at 425 Park Street North (Rte 183), is far more than a pub. Sure, they’ve got lots of awesome local craft beers on tap, but they also have a nice menu with great pub food including really good burgers & pizza. It’s a great place for a casual meal – even if you aren’t drinking.  And, they have live music most weekends (check their website or call for the schedule).

Pleasant & Main

Pleasant & Main, located at 1063 Main Street, recently opened in the former Jack’s Grill space, with former Manhattan restaurateur Craig Bero at the helm. The decor is super cool & they have a great breakfast & lunch menu. Pleasant & Main serves community suppers Thursday-Saturday.  The food is good & is very reasonably priced. Call or check their website for the nightly menu.  And, make sure to order the crepes for dessert. Our kids live for them.

Enjoy Housy!

 

 

Hanging in Great Barrington’s NoRo

Over the last year or so, NoRo – the northern section of Great Barrington’s Main Street has really taken off, with the opening of some super cool businesses & a really great restaurant.  I’m referring to the section of Main Street that’s just north of Rosseter Street (get it – NoRo?). To me, NoRo, with its new, fun & creative businesses truly embodies what’s been termed the New Berkshires.  Here are 3 of my favorite places to go in NoRo:

Prairie Whale Restaurant

If you’re looking for awesome farm-to-fork dining, Prairie Whale Restaurant, located at 178 Main Street, Great Barrington, is your place. Mark Firth (co-founder of Diner, Marlow & Sons & Marlow & Daughters, in Williamsburg, Brooklyn) & wife Bettina Schwartz opened Prairie Whale in 2013 (it was originally called Bell & Anchor). Prairie Whale has been a huge draw to locals & weekenders alike. The menu has so many great great choices & includes awesome meat, poultry, seafood & vegetarian options. You can’t get more locavore than Prairie Whale. Many of the vegetables come directly from the restaurant’s own vegetable garden (when you’re there, walk out back & check it out) & from Mark & Bettina’s farm in nearby Monterey.  And, yes, they’re even raising their own lambs & pigs now. Our personal menu favorites are the Brick Chicken, Duck Confit, Burgers, Tuna Tartare & Kale Salad. Because everything is sourced locally, the seasonal menu changes frequently. The other night we had the crostini with local goat cheese, mint & roasted peaches as an appetizer – off the charts delicious! Their salads are also super fresh & tasty. And, they’ve got a great bar with seating that offers a full range of wine & cocktails along with several locally brewed craft beers on tap – including Wandering Star Brewing Company & Glass Bottom Brewery.

Prairie Whale Front

Farm to Fork in NoRo

What we especially love about Prairie Whale is that its got a super fun vibe. There’s plenty of outdoor seating, a ping pong table & yes, corn hole! (If you don’t know what the heck corn hole is, you’ll have to pay a visit & learn. No cheating & checking Wikipedia!).  We always bump into friends at the bar, some of them the very farmers who supply the restaurant’s produce or local artists who are part of the Berkshires burgeoning art scene. And, Prairie Whale also has live music some evenings (check the link above to confirm) by great local band The Lucky Five.

Griffin

When I first walked in to Griffin, located at 177 Main Street (across from Prairie Whale), I was super excited to see such a fun, stylish shop right here in Great Barrington. Owners Connie Griffin & partner (in life & business) Paul Giroux feature so many unique clothing items for adults & kids, great shoes & super cool, one-of-a-kind furniture pieces. They’ve also got a nice vinyl collection for sale. And, while you’re there, be sure to check out their art gallery next door to the shop.

Griffin 4

Great one-of-a-kind clothing at Griffin

Griffin 3

NoRo’s Griffin

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

LabSpace

What’s amazed me about the Berkshires since moving here is the number of amazing local artists with their fun, funky & often thought provoking work. In the past, the work of these artists was rarely exhibited or sold within the Berkshires. I’m happy to report that Susan Jennings & Slink Moss co-owners of LabSpace, located at 177 Main Street (across from Prairie Whale) are helping to change that with their new gallery, LabSpace. You owe it to yourself to stop into Lab Space – where you can admire work by super talented local artists like Huckleberry Delsignore or to catch one of their special events (check website above for schedule).

LabSPace

LabSpace’s Current Exhibit

See you out in NoRo!

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Most Amazing Coffee – Right Here in West Stockbridge!

If you haven’t been yet, you owe it to yourself to visit Six Depot Café & Roastery located at Six Depot Street in West Stockbridge. They not only roast all of the coffee beans on site but also serve a full breakfast & lunch menu. I love the Chicken Mechado (the Miami salsa is amazing) & the egg sandwich is off the charts. My kids love the waffles with dulce de leche or Nutella for breakfast but I prefer the local Berle Farm yogurt with fresh fruit, granola & a touch of local honey on top. My favorite coffee is their Seck-Sie, Sumatra Three Ways Blend – but all of their coffees are awesome! They can do a pour over of any of their coffees– so tasty and fun to watch! They also have a large selection of teas. The design and décor of the space – by Adam Medina – is also awesome. And be sure to say hello to owners Flavio Lichtenthal & Lisa Landry who will happily share their vast knowledge & passion of all things coffee, tea & Berkshires with you.

Service with Smile!

Service with a Smile!

They’re also serving dinner on Friday nights now & be sure to check out the rotating exhibits & the concerts & tango dancing going on in their beautiful gallery space.  And, word has it they’ll be broadcasting the World Cup soccer matches in their gallery this summer!

Bachman’s in the Berkshires!

This past August, my wife & I, two kids (9 & 11), traded our suburban NYC life for one in the Berkshire hills of Massachusetts.  How many times have you asked yourself while vacationing somewhere amazing: Why does our time in this awesome place always have to end? My wife & I found ourselves asking this so often while vacationing here that it got us thinking: Hmm….maybe it doesn’t. And, after much debate & discussion, we decided to take the leap & make the move. I’ll continue to work as a realtor here, at Sotheby’s, helping people buy & sell their dream weekend home in the Massachusetts Berkshires & neighboring Columbia County, NY (for my realtor site, click here).

Our Kids Skiing at Butternut

Our Kids Skiing at Butternut in Great Barrington

We’re loving our new life in the Berkshires for so many different reasons. For us, it’s the perfect blend of country relaxation & city sophistication. The natural beauty alone creates a more relaxed pace of life – being surrounded by majestic mountains with tons of hiking & biking trails & crystal clear lakes with soaring hawks & bald eagles. At the same time, the area is chock-full of interesting, creative people, first-rate cultural offerings & an endless array of year-round outdoor activities. Plus, we get to enjoy & experience the evolution of what’s been dubbed the “New Berkshires”, characterized by fresh, innovative arts & haute yet humble locavore cuisine. After a few cups of incredible locally roasted coffee, dinner at one of the many outstanding farm-to-table restaurants or a visit to the world renowned Mass Museum of Contemporary Art (MASS MoCA), we almost forget that we’re not in NYC anymore. If it weren’t for the rolling farmland right outside our window, we totally would. Let’s just say this definitely is not your father’s Berkshires.

So many of the people & places here have fascinating stories, & I’ve hand-picked the most unique of those stories to share with you.  Whether you’re planning a weekend getaway, a second home purchase or a permanent move here, let Bachman’s Berkshires be your go-to resource for the New Berkshires.  And, be sure to sign up to receive regular email updates.

Thanks for joining me on my adventure!