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.

This is a unique way to spend Valentine’s Day weekend in Deerfield, Massachusetts.  The seventh annual American Heritage Chocolate Celebration will be exploring everything chocolate including a sumptuous array of gourmet chocolate desserts, foods, and beverages provided by the Deerfield Inn.  Step back and learn the history of chocolate and enjoy this chocolate-filled weekend that will delight chocolate lovers of all ages.   

 In addition to the tasting of chocolate treats, there will be demonstrations and lectures on learning on how cacao grows, open hearth cacao roasting, and American Heritage Chocolate tasting as you learn about the history of chocolate.  The Historic Division of Mars, Inc. will be recreating chocolate the way it was done by early New Englanders and it will also be featured in a wide variety of dishes.   Then attend one of the many demonstrations including an experienced silversmith as they recreate a silver chocolate pot.  This is only a sampling of the days events, but just think chocolate, chocolate, chocolate!    

The Celebration begins at 10:00 and continues until 4:30 on Saturday, February 13.  Tickets can be purchased the day of the event and are $12 for adults and please note that food tickets are additional.  Happy Valentine’s Day!

by Rebecca, Quantum Hospitality

Jazz and Sunday Brunch go hand-in-hand at any time, especially during the busy Holiday Season.  Unwind from the hustle and bustle and visit historic Deerfield Inn for a weekend and enjoy a relaxing Sunday Brunch at Champney’s Restaurant.  Sit by the fire, snuggle up with the newspaper and why not sip a mimosa as you choose from a wide variety of items from their a la carte menu.  Additionally, you can choose from their great list of 101 martinis or 20 wines offered by the glass while local Jazz artists play for your enjoyment.

Local Jazz artists for December Sunday Brunch will include Larry Klein, Dave Bilodeau, Mark Dunlap, and Scott Paquette on December 6th;  John Kozinski and John Stowell Duo, December 13th; and Interplay Jazz Band will perform on December 20th.  Brunch will be served from 11 A.M. thru 2 P.M. and reservations can be made on-line.  Sunday Jazz Brunch will also continue through the month of March and Jazz artists will be updated shortly.

Just perfect for the Holiday Season! 

Rebecca, Quantum Hospitality

During your romantic getaway at the Deerfield Inn, take the time to visit the Memorial Hall Museum in Old Deerfield, MA. Explore nineteen exhibition rooms at your own pace with self-guided tours. Current exhibits running through November 1st  include Don’t Smile for the Camera: Another Angle on Early Photography; 2009 Sixth Biennial Old Deerfield Quilt Challenges; and Covered Bridges. A complete schedule of events is also listed on their website.

One of the greatest treasures in Memorial Hall Museum is the extensive collection of Allen sisters’ prints and glass plate negatives. Frances Allen and Mary Allen are renowned for idealized photographs of country scenes, figure and child studies, and landscapes dating from 1885 to 1920.

The Memorial Hall Museum is open seasonally (May 1 – November 1) from 11 am – 5 pm, 7 days a week. Admission is $6 for adults and $3 students and children aged 6 – 21.  Surely a treasure to be visited in Deerfield, Massachusetts.

by Rebecca, Quantum Hospitality

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Often times, Deerfield, Massachusetts is referred to as New England’s gem. Deerfield is home to thirteen beautifully restored, historic homes built in the 18th century, as well as the Flynt Center of Early New England Life Museum and two memorial libraries.

The Flynt Center of Early New England Life is a great place to visit if you are interested in learning about 18th and 19th century New England, with its constantly rotating exhibitions and knowledgeable staff. Currently, the Flynt Center is showing the following exhibits:

“Clothes Make the Man: The Colonial Gentleman in New England.”
“Engraved Powder Horns from the French and Indian War and the American Revolution: The William H. Gutham Collection.”
“Celebrating the Fiber Arts: The Helen Geier Flynt Textile Gallery.”

Just this past weekend, the Flynt Center opened a new exhibit – “Into the Woods: Crafting Early American Furniture,” where visitors can learn about antique furniture.

Deerfield is also home to the jointly administered Henry N. Flynt Memorial Library and the Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association Library with volumes totaling 41,000 combined. These volumes include not only books, periodicals and microforms, but also local account books, diaries and letters.

To top off a visit to Deerfield, be sure to relax at the Deerfield Inn. The Inn offers 23 guest rooms and an award winning dining room that serves both lunch and dinner.

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Many people often wonder the difference between bed and breakfasts, country inns, and historic inns. One kind of bed and breakfast, known as a homestay, is usually a private home with just a few rooms and offers a simple breakfast to its visitors. Homestays are often a part-time operation run as a means of extra family income.

Most bed and breakfasts, however, are professionally run and offer more rooms than homestays. The Camden Maine Stay has nine rooms, while the Cliffside Inn in Newport, Rhode Island, and Captain’s House Inn, in Chatham Massachusetts, have around sixteen. B&Bs are owner managed and operated, and usually employ additional staff to help with cooking, housekeeping, and guest services.

Country inns are bed & breakfast inns that offer dinner service as well as breakfast. Often, their dining rooms are open to the public like Gateway’s Inn in Lenox, Massachusetts, which is an ideal getaway for conferences and weddings. Country inns tend to have between five to thirty rooms and, like the Windam Hill Inn and Rabbit Hill Inn in Vermont, or the Chesterfield Inn in New Hampshire, can have a staff of 20-30 people to maintain the inn and care for their guests. Some inns go one step further by offering on-site spas like those found at New Hampshire’s Manor on Golden Pond and Inn at Thorn Hill.

Many inns and bed & breakfasts are also historic inns as they are located in historic areas or are themselves a National Historic Landmark like the Deerfield Inn located in Deerfield, Massachusetts. The Deerfield Inn opened in 1884, and is part of a 350 year old village that is home to an assortment of 18th and 19th century museum houses.

Whether you are looking to visit a quaint bed and breakfast, a renowned country inn, or an inn that is part of history, New England is your destination and the Distinctive Inns of New England offer it all.

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