Things I Remembered During My Time Away in the Berkshires

Slowing Down, Featured

 

Sometimes I look at my work schedule and think I really really need a break, to see girlfriends and laugh and see some culture outside of my own area: New England-fare, museums, restaurants, concerts, country coffee shops, that sort of thing.

I drove simply two hours to the Berkshires in Massachusetts, I have to admit that I didn’t know it was this close to my home. I also drove to another spot in New York, I’ll blog about that next week. Stay tuned.

What I remembered from my time away:

  • Culture is not just in New York City.
  • Taking a break from social media–Twitter, Tumblr, Facebook–for a few days won’t kill me.
  • I still had my work projects when I returned home and my clients still liked me even though I had boundaries.
  • Going off technology for a week is on my list to do in September.
  • Sometimes seeing a girlfriend is the best medicine.
  • Like-minded friends can feed the soul.
  • I rediscovered eating well, food co-ops and people that smile a lot.
  • Coffee shop tea and coffee seems to taste better in the country.
  • Driving in a car with no distractions — alone time — is the best.
Edward Hopper.

Edward Hopper. Through October 26, 2014 at the Norman Rockwell Museum, Stockbridge MA.

 

I was looking so forward to seeing American Masters Rockwell & Hopper with my friend Elisa, currently at the Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge MA. Here is a wonderful display of Norman Rockwell pieces on Pinterest.

I look all the time for something that suggests something to me. I think about it. Just to paint a representation or a design is not hard, but to express a thought in a painting is…I’ve never been able to paint what I set out to paint.” — Edward Hopper

Edward Hopper

Early Sunday Morning, Edward Hopper, 1930. Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge MA.

 

Boy and Moon, Edward Hopper, 1906-7.

Boy and Moon, Edward Hopper, 1906-7. Norman Rockwell Museum, Stockbridge MA.

 

Norman Rockwell.

The Runaway, by Norman Rockwell.

 

Family at the Norman Rockwell Museum.

Family at the Norman Rockwell Museum. Smart mother.

 

Norman Rockwell.

The Gossips by Norman Rockwell, 1948. Norman Rockwell Museum, Stockbridge MA.

A highlight of my 24 hours in the Berkshires was seeing my friend Suzi Banks Baum, artist, writer, teacher and mom. Now that I am writing and taking photographs for my own blog, being with uber-creatives like Suzi really lights me up. I had a chance to see her colorful work space, divine. We went to an estate sale, ate lunch at the healthiest spot imaginable in Great Barrington, and of course she took me to a spot to take photographs. Bliss.

Suzi Banks Baum.

Here I am with Suzi Banks Baum, our hands are filled with estate sale finds.

 

Suzi Banks Baum finds.

Suzi’s finds. I don’t know where I was, but I didn’t see these when I was rummaging about at the estate sale.

 

Suzi Banks Baum finds.

Suzi’s finds, again. And I REALLY didn’t know where I was when she found these. Jealous.

 

Suzi Banks Baum on our photo walk in the Berkshires.

Suzi on our photo walk in the Berkshires.

When I first moved to New York City, I ventured north to the Red Lion Inn which is still adorable and very New Englandy. Stolling through town was such a joy.

 

Red Lion Inn, looking up.

Red Lion Inn, Stockbridge MA….. looking up.

 

Me at the Red Lion Inn, Stockbridge, MA.

Me at the Red Lion Inn, Stockbridge, MA.

 

Stockbridge street.

Stockbridge, MA.

 

Woman watering flowers at the Chamber of Commerce in Stockbridge.

Woman watering flowers at the Chamber of Commerce in Stockbridge, MA.

 

Great Barrington, MA.

A street in Great Barrington, MA.

 

Peonies from Red Hook NY.

Flowers at Elisa’s. I bought these the day before, look how they opened up!

 

Great Barrington.

Great Barrington, MA.

 

I visited a family with a fun 9 year old daughter, so of course we had to take pictures for Instagram.

I stayed with my friends and their two great kids. Here, their daughter is perfecting her photo taking with an iPad.

All photos above are taken with my iPhone 5s.

 

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22 responses to “Things I Remembered During My Time Away in the Berkshires”

  1. lorie says:

    I feel it !!!!friggen amazing moon,you have done it again !!xo

  2. Grinning. Sharing. Looking forward to more visits with the Moon. xooxox Tons of love, S

    • Nancy Moon says:

      Visiting your home @suzibanksbaum:disqus was magical. So happy we made the time, and I am forever changed by that. Thanks, and thanks for being in my blog 🙂

  3. Pamela Miles says:

    Love the Berkshires. I’m inspired to book our seasonal fall foliage trip before the Hopper exhibit moves out of town, thanks for the head’s up!

    • Nancy Moon says:

      I hope you get up there @disqus_K1AYMssge5:disqus, two hour drive, so very close. Enjoy and always appreciate you reading the blog!

  4. Doreen Birdsell says:

    Ahhh….summertime and your taking advantage of the season — an inspiration 😉

  5. Your inspiration is contagious, Nancy! Reading your post makes me want to escape up there right now!! Looking forward to reading about the second part of your adventure.

  6. Emily says:

    Nancy, you are so very talented! I adore your photos, and now want more than anything to wander around the Berkshires with you! Really looking forward to part two!

    • Nancy Moon says:

      Hi @Emily:disqus! Thanks for stopping by my blog post to read about my latest …. walking around with you anywhere would be great. I’m finally going to Africa in September. Oh my.

      • Emily says:

        Nancy! Your dream is coming true, as we talked about!!! I’m so happy for you! More in my email back … love you

  7. janepollak says:

    Travel writer! These are gorgeous, and you look like you’re having the best time. Thanks for giving me a girlfriend break without having to leave the office.

    • Nancy Moon says:

      @janepollak:disqus Hi and thanks, I see the words “Travel Writer” and I got excited and smiled! You know how to make a gal feel like they are on a good track. Happy to see you got on Disqus.

  8. Denise DiGrigoli says:

    So fabulous, I grew up in West Stockbridge and my parents still live in our family homestead! @nancymoonpr:disqus We are there about 1x a month and every weekend during the ski season because Ava is on the Butternut Ski Race Team… SO… we’ll have to meet there one day and show them our swag 🙂 OXOXOX

    • Nancy Moon says:

      Oh @denisedigrigoli:disqus what a great way to spend the ski season. It is special up there, I’ll go back for sure. Have you ever seen James Taylor play there?

  9. Karen Nedler Quinn says:

    What a fabulous trip! Thanks for sharing your adventures. I love the pictures. And I’m so jealous that you got to see all those Hoppers and Rockwells. “The Five Little Peppers and How they Grew” was one of my favorite books growing up!

  10. Raffie says:

    Looks like you had a great time! Loved the ‘things you remembered’. I also love the Edward Hopper painting of the boy in bed looking out the window 😉

  11. Jacqueline Boone says:

    This sounds wonderful, Nancy! Going off technology for a whole week–wow! I remember being a wilderness camp counselor in college. We used to be on the trail for a week at a time with no technology (the days when Facebook was just starting). Recently I took 36 hours away from my phone and found it completely liberating. I look forward to reading your blog post about it when you come back from the technology detox! 😉

    And as always, lovely photos! Especially like the one of the old books and flowers!