Weekends away in New England this time of the year are tough. We've already been to Kennebunkport. The Cape can be depressing during the off season and we've done the off season down there more once. NYC seemed like too long of a drive (4 hours) and all the mountain areas up north are busy with skiers. We did discuss a 4 day trip to a tropical location but eventually decided that it would be too much time away given everything going on right now.
We ended up driving two hours west to the Berkshires. Rich and I had an odd experience at a B&B years ago and they don't really appeal to us now. We found an inn online in Lenox with very high ratings and I'm so happy we decided to stay there. It was absolutely perfect.
(I have a thing for old houses. Garden Gables Inn)
Our room was in the cottages, which were separate from the main house and offered a bit more privacy.
Rich and I loved everything about this place. The innkeeper was warm and friendly and a gourmet chef. Breakfast both mornings was so delicious. I had an omelette one morning and blueberry pancakes the next. I also sampled some of Rich's french toast. I think I consumed at least a half cup of organic pure maple syrup. That stuff is the real deal.
I don't know if I can fully explain how relaxing it is to just sit and not have to think and know that I don't have to move unless I want to. Sitting in front of a warm fire makes me very lazy too. We didn't really have set plans, which was nice. We deal enough with schedules and rushing around as it is. After our leisurely breakfast Saturday morning, we visited the Normal Rockwell Museum. Admittedly, I have a greater appreciation for his artwork now after having seen his orginal paintings, which are amazingly detailed.
(My favorite)
We also spent a few hours shopping at a nearby outlet mall. I hardly ever have any free time to shop for myself so this was my suggestion and Rich, being the awesome husband that he is, was completely fine with it. I don't need an extensive (or an expensive) wardrobe but after having the girls, I had to buy almost all new clothes. And then I had to do it again as my body continued to change and I finally returned to my pre-baby weight (give or take a few pounds.) Same weight doesn't mean same shape though. I was able to salvage some pre-baby clothes, which are now 8+ years old. As long as it's a classic piece, I wear it until it dies. (Sometimes it's a slow death.) For the past 3-4 years, I've been searching for nice looking riding boots that can be worn to work with a skirt or on the weekends. I wasn't about to pay $200 for them though. I finally scored big time at Ann Taylor with a pair on sale for $38. I have small feet so I usually can't find any left in my size during super sales.
Friday night, we simply grabbed a pizza for dinner but Saturday evening was spent dining at an italian restaurant. (Frankie's) So so very delicious and nice without being over-the-top fancy. The only negative of this getaway was that I wasn't feeling 100% after having been so sick the week before. I had just started eating normal meals a few days earlier. I'd spent most of the week eating dry cereal and bagels. I really needed more time to recover but life (and work) goes on. So there were a few moments when I didn't feel so great (and some of that was due to unrelated stomach problems I have) and then I ended up with a terrible headache right behind my eyes Saturday night, which made me want to puke. (I hate being whiny about not feeling well.)
So that was my wonderful birthday weekend. (And it was wonderful despite the "I feel like puking" moments.) We obviously missed the girls a lot but they had a fun little adventure of their own staying at my parents' house. I would love to go back out to the Berkshires during an on season, like autumn. I'm sure leaf viewing is spectacular. I'll leave you with pictures of people ice fishing and taking walks on this frozen lake. I was questioning how frozen it actually was because where I was standing on the shoreline, it wasn't frozen solid. I pushed the ice with my boot and it dropped right into the water. This guy was walking with his kid and dog. When they came close to the shore where I was, he told the kid to stay behind him in case the ice wasn't safe. Hmmm.... You couldn't pay me to walk across a frozen anything.
2 comments:
Wow, so cool! I have been reading your blog for several years now so it's so strange to think you were in my town! I live and work in Lenox. What a small world, glad you enjoyed you visit! And yes, it is spectacular in the fall!
I really like these pictures! You should send them to the Inn you were staying at! And happy belated birthday!
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