Cinnamon rolls and soul music — #Berkshireweekend

What does comfort look like this week? We may have some real cold coming, and some fires need fuel. Even a small thing can add tinder, like the day the Break Room offered my interns and me the last pastries left before they closed — not knowing who we were, just in spontaneous generosity.

Dede Webber talked with me about that feeling, walking through town and offering warmth and feeling it return. She has said this weekend may be her last day as Bohemian Nouveau Bakery at the North Adams farmers market, so anyone who has had one of her chocolate biscotti or honey wheat rolls — still warm, with chocolate chips melting in the cinnamon swirl — may want to come down on Saturday morning.

In a season for hot soup, Ramen’s on the menu now at Thistle and Mirth in Pittsfield and Steam in Great Barrington.

Music’s warming up around us — Wanda Houston’s at the Egremont Barn, belting out blues and soul, and Florencia Cuenda is at Mass MoCA, raising her voice in Hamilton or Frida Kahlo:

‘Wearing the flowers you picked from the fields —
they’ve grown wild and free in my mind …’

And on come of these cold nights, after all these weeks of cloudy days, we may see a clear sky, enough to light the way for a snowshoe on the night of the full moon. …

Shrimp sit temptingly on pad thai at Steam noodle cafe in Great Barrington.
Photo by Kate Abbott

Shrimp sit temptingly on pad thai at Steam noodle cafe in Great Barrington.

Winter comfort food — croissants at the Break Room (top) and Pad Thai at Steam.

Shrimp sit temptingly on pad thai at Steam noodle cafe in Great Barrington.
Photo by Kate Abbott

Shrimp sit temptingly on pad thai at Steam noodle cafe in Great Barrington.

Events coming up …

Find more art and performance, outdoors and food in the BTW events calendar.

Beech trees unfurl new leaves in spring at Berkshire Botanical Garden in Stockbridge.
Mar 30 2024 @ 9:00 am
Spring is a great time to assess woody shrubs for shape, structure, and winter damage and to renovate, rejuvenate, and shape small ornamental trees.
Birch trees stand close together on the shore of Lake Paran in North Bennington.
Mar 30 2024 @ 10:00 am
Berkshire Botanical Garden invites you to treat yourself to a beautiful afternoon of fun inspired by the Equinox — relax, meet new friends and discover the world of herbal skin care.
Purple crocuses bloom in Williamstown.
Mar 30 2024 @ 10:00 am
Berkshire Botanical Garden begins its 90th season festivities with its second annual celebration, with egg hunts, a story walk, crafts, pony rides, games, food trucks and more.

By the Way Berkshires is a digital magazine exploring creative life and community — art and performance, food and the outdoors — and I’m writing it for you, with local voices, because I’ve gotten to know this rich part of the world as a writer and journalist, and I want to share it with you.

If you’d like to see the website grow, you can join me for a few dollars a month, enough for a cup of coffee and a cider doughnut. Members get access to extra stories and multimedia, itineraries a bookmark tool. Let me know what you're looking for, and we’ll explore together.

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