For all boaters and lovers of things nautical, here is a New England Getaway that should not be missed.  From September 16^th to the 19^th, Newport, Rhode Island becomes the center of the yacht world with the fantastic Newport International Boat Show.  Newport has historically been the summer home of the New York Yacht Club, which defended the America’s Cup throughout most of the history of this great racing challenge.  On these few days in September of each year, the entire waterfront area in the heart of Newport is transformed into a gallery of boats, boating supplies and products for every size boat, from dinghy to mega-yacht.  The boat show is an in-the-water affair, with every conceivable boat and yacht on display for your visit.  Manufacturers from around the world are present to show off their newest designs and to get you interested in their boats.  This show clearly takes over Newport with sailors and boaters alike enjoying everything that this amazing place has to offer.  Food, wine and drinks are available at dockside from the many restaurants and bars that are located right on the harbor.  For anyone interested in boating, sailing and yachts, this is a must see!

So make your reservations now to attend this great boat show.  One of the best things about Newport, other than the fabulous mansions that you can also visit while you are there, is the fact that one of our Distinctive Inns, Cliffside Inn, is right in the middle of it all.  Located right nearby the fabulous Newport Cliff Walk, Cliffside Inn is the perfect place to stay while you enjoy Newport and the boat show.  So don’t hesitate, make your reservations now.  This event fills up all of Newport very quickly.  See you on the water!

For those of you who like modern, contemporary art, here is a museum visit that you should definitely schedule this summer or fall.  Like MOMA, its larger counterpart in New York City, the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art (“MoCA”) is a pleasure to visit in any season.  Located in North Adams, Massachusetts, in the heart of the Berkshires, this museum is a joy to all of the senses.  The exhibits change frequently and include not only visual art, but music and tactile experiences which are clearly designed to be stimulating and thought-provoking. 

With respect to the current exhibit of the work of Petah Coyne (see above) Sebastian Smee from The Globe loved the show saying, “MASS MoCA, the most consistently stimulating museum devoted to contemporary art in New England, has space to burn, making it the ideal place to show this kind of work. I admired the fearlessness of her aesthetic, which is the absolute antithesis of minimalist cool.” Read the rest of the review.

Also at the MoCA is a fantastic exhibit of recent photographs by artist/actor Leonard Nemoy, along with many other shows, concerts and presentations.  Visit the MoCA website for more information and a calendar of events.

The greatest thing about visiting the MoCA is that it is located right in the middle of two of our great Distinctive Inns, Deerfield Inn and Gateways Inn.  It is a wonderful, scenic drive from either locations to the MoCA.  Combine your museum visit with a relaxing stay at either Inn and also enjoy the fabulous dining experience that either can offer.  So don’t hesitate to call either inn to schedule your visit this summer or fall.

As soon as Jim & Ibby Cooper crossed the covered bridge to Jackson, New Hampshire, and saw the Inn at Thorn Hill, they knew they wanted to buy it. Hospitality is in Jim’s blood, being from a family in the business and working for 20 years for various hotels. Ibby was a teacher whose skills would be applied to training staff and developing programs.

Yet there were surprises to come. the Coopers had three children in college and one in seventh grade when they bought the inn, and shortly after, Ibby became pregnant with their fifth. Their new son was popular with their guests, as Ibby waited tables with him on her back.

“I thought I could do this for five years,” Ibby says, “but it’s now been 16 years. New England was an adjustment, as we’d lived before where it was warmer. But we’ve learned to enjoy the four seasons.”

An even bigger surprise occurred on October 13, 2002, when a fire destroyed the inn. All guests and staff were safe and sound, but the Coopers faced a decision, whether to walk away or rebuild. They chose to build a new inn like the original but with a long-range vision for growth.

Now the main building at the Inn at Thorn Hill and Spa has 16 guests rooms (up from 12), an award-winning restaurant, a wine cellar, a cooperage, and a spa with exercise room and dry sauna. After more than a year, the inn reopened on December 22, 2003 to welcome new and previous guests.

Jim & Ibby see their warm and attentive hospitality, which they instill in their staff, as key to the fact that 35 percent of their guests have been there before. “They come back to try different rooms, new menu items, and the various seasons here,” Jim explains.

The Coopers were among the three inns in northern New England that founded DINE. The group encouraged Europeans with their long vacations to come to the U.S. and stay at all three inns. The DINE idea grew, and now guests (like you) from anywhere in the world can plan a vacation with stays at Distinctive Inns throughout New England.

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