Berkshire Penny Saver by Hersam Acorn

There’s Something In It For You!

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Berkshire

Penny Saver www.berkshirepennysaver.com

February 4, 2010

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CLASSIFIEDS 413.243.2341 or

TOLL FREE

888.307.0839 Auto ....................................... 13 Business Directory ................ 10 Help Wanted .......................... 14 Weather .................................. 12 Home Improvement .............. 11 Real Estate ............................. 11

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POSTAL CUSTOMER POST OFFICE BOXHOLDER STAR or RURAL ROUTE BOXHOLDER

PITTSFIELD, MA PERMIT NO. 122

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CAR-RT PRESORTED STANDARD U.S. POSTAGE PAID

Sudoku ................................... 13

editorial email berkshire@hersamacornma.com advertising email art@hersamacornma.com Editorial Deadline: 20th at noon the month before publication. Classiﬁed Deadline: Wednesday, February 22, 2010 Display Deadline: Wednesday, February 22, 2010

Manager’s Memo Here we are already one full month into 2010, it is truly amazing how fast time flies. When my daughters were young people would always tell me to enjoy them because they grow up so fast, but when they are little time just seemed to stand still. Now, they are both in college and there are some days that I have a hard time remembering when they were babies. Of course my memory seems to be going as fast as my eyes and my hearing, just ask any of my coworkers. I hope Renee Tassone, General Manager things slow down a little and I hope that 2010 is a better year for everyone. Last year just seemed to be such a tough year on so many people, that most were glad to see the year come to an end. Things do seem to be pointing in the right direction, so let’s hope that it continues.

Thanks for picking up our paper and we hope you enjoy it. If you visit any of the businesses that advertise with us please tell them you saw their ad in our paper. In this issue you will find a special Valentine’s Day and Health & Fitness section. We all know January is a popular month for resolutions and many people try to improve on their health for the new year, so we hope you find this section helpful. Honestly, I just can’t seem to find any extra time in the day to work out. I taught aerobics and personal trained for many years and would help people make fitness a priority in their lives and these days I can’t seem to get myself to do any kind of workout routine. Maybe 2010 is my year, maybe it will be the year that I will actually get some use out of my gym membership. If they served Miller Lite at the gym I would be more likely to go, maybe I will add that to their suggestion box. The month of February is also Super Bowl time, I love to watch football. Super Bowl is almost like a holiday for me, of course that does go well with Miller Lite. Are you starting to see a pattern here? Super Bowl is always better when the Patriots are playing but they just didn’t have it this year. So now I am rooting for the Colts. Actually I am just rooting for one of my many pools to hit. Wish me luck! I wish all of you good luck this year, I hope it is a healthy, prosperous 2010 for each and every one of you.

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Berkshire Penny Saver

February 4, 2010

Berkshire

Penny Saver

Radar Race on Otis Reservoir

888.633.0333 Classiﬁeds 800.234.1432 editorial email berkshire@hersamacornma.com

The Brett Robert Peck Scholarship Fund will be holding a Radar Race on Otis Reservoir at 10 a.m. on Saturday, February 20. Following the races there will be a night of fun at The Locker Room Sports Pub at 232 Main Street in Lee. Beginning at 4 p.m. there will be great food, live music and raffles. There is a $10 donation for the evening.

advertising email art@hersamacornma.com

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Renee Tassone, General Manager Linda Devlin, Circulation Manager Sarah Masiero, Advertising Sales Sheryl Gibson, Advertising Sales Carrie Devlin, Advertising Sales Melissa Miller, Art Director Mary A. Garcia, Artist Jen Hathaway, Artist Chris Sobolowski, Artist

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Deadline*: 20th of Prior Month *Deadlines will change due to Holidays. See special deadline notices published before major holidays.

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Submission Guidelines: Those wishing to submit event listings or editorial content may email berkshire@hersamacornma.com.

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Notice: The Berkshire Penny Saver will not knowingly accept or publish advertising which is fraudulent or misleading in nature. The publisher reserves the sole right to edit, revise, or reject any and all advertising, with or without cause being assigned, which in the publisher’s judgement is contrary to the interests of this publication. The opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the publisher. ©2008, Hersam Acorn Newspapers. All contents of the Berkshire Penny Saver News are copyrighted, and any reproduction without permission is prohibited.

Martin Hersam, Chief Operating Ofﬁcer Thomas B. Nash, Publisher

– Telly Halkias

Bombay Bar and Grill

Submitted Photo A view of the lakeside dining room at Bombay Bar and Grill in Lee.

Laurel Lake in Lee is one of those spots that crosses over into the realms of serenity and activity. At its southern most point, one of the Berkshire’s most satisfying dining experiences awaits locals as well as

the multitude of visitors that passes through the area annually. Don’t be deceived by the Quality Inn on the site in question. Tucked away on one end of the establishment is the Bombay Bar and Grill, one of Lee’s longest running and successful ethnic restaurants. That success is well earned. Since its establishment, Bombay has combined scenic lakeside dining and culinary achievement with its Northern Indian Cuisine. The menu rivals any in the area with the breadth of selection of its principal entrees, side dishes, breads, and desserts, and its full service bar. It also features a lunch buffet, where on any given day the main dishes offered are half vegetarian and half meat. If you are looking for a hearty, affordable meal consumed with premier ambiance, Bombay Bar and Grill will meet your needs. The staff is friendly and quick to meet the needs of the most discerning fan of Indian food. Group and special events are most welcome. Bombay Bar and Grill is located at 435 Laurel St. in Lee, and is open for lunch 11:30 A.M. – 2:30 P.M. Tuesday through Saturday; Sunday brunch from noon – 3:00 P.M.; dinner at 5:00 – 9:30 P.M. on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Sunday; 5:00 – 10:00 P.M. Friday and Saturday. Info: 413243-6731 or visit www.fineindiandining.com/bombaylee Telly Halkias is a writer and editor from Vermont. E-mail: tchalkias@aol.com

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Monday •9:30 a.m. - Caregiver support group, for those who provide care to a loved one, sponsored by the Lee Regional Visiting Nurse Association, Inc. Phone: 413-243-1212 Lee Regional VNA Offices, 32 Park Street, Lee. •6p.m. – 7:30 p.m. – Knitting/Crochet North Adams Public Library, 74 Church St., North Adams. For information phone 413-662-3133 or visit www.naplibrary.com. Tuesday •9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. - Blood Pressure Clinic: Blood pressure and health counseling sponsored by the Lee Regional Visiting Nurse Association, Inc. and the Becket Board of Health, at the Becket Town Hall. Information: 413-243-1212 •9:30 a.m. - Toddler Time. For one to two-and-a-half years. North Adams Public Library, 74 Church St., North Adams. For information phone 413-662-3133 or visit www.naplibrary.com. Wednesday •9 to10 a.m. - Blood pressure and health counseling sponsored by the Lee Regional Visiting Nurse Association, Inc. and the Lee Board of Health. Phone: 413-243-1212. Lee Regional VNA offices, 32 Park Street, Lee.

•10 a.m. - Preschool Story Time. North Adams Public Library, 74 Church St., North Adams. For information phone 413-662-3133 or visit www.naplibrary.com. •11 a.m. - 12. - Blood Pressure Clinic: Blood pressure and health counseling sponsored by the Lee Regional Visiting Nurse Association, Inc. and the Chester Board of Health, at the Chester Town Hall, Chester, MA. Information: 413-243-1212 •6:30 p.m. - Bingo - Non-Smoking - Refreshments Available Progressive Jackpots. Info: 413-443-7135 - ITAM Lodge #564, 22 Waubeek Road, Pittsfield. Friday •4:30 p.m. - Bingo - with food, Speedball, Horserace and Bingo Nut 2 Tickets. Weekly progressive game prize of $1,199, plus weekly door prize. St. Mary’s School, 115 Orchard St., Lee. •6:30 p.m. – Bingo every Friday. Doors open at 4:30, games begin at 6:30. St. Mary’s School, 115 Orchard �� Street, Lee. 413-243-1079. •6:30 p.m. – Bingo every Friday. LLC Doors open at 4:30. Elks Lodge Come see us for allALL #487 in North Adams, Ma, 413NOW SERVICING 664-9039

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413-443-6987

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VALENTINE’S DAY AT VENTFORT HALL - A FAMILY CELEBRATION! Valentine’s Day at Ventfort Hall Mansion and Gilded Age Museum will be a family affair on Sunday, February 14, with a variety of activities and events offered throughout the day. The family fun begins at noon, with a roaring bonfire on the hill behind the mansion with free hot chocolate and roasted marshmallows. Bring your sleds for sledding on the Great Lawn hill. The bonfire is courtesy of the US Green Building Council, and this free portion of the day runs from noon to 3pm. Then at 3pm, enjoy indoor family entertainment with “The Nutshell Playhouse Fest” featuring an hour-long performance of Nutshell Playhouse’s best-loved songs and characters. With clowns, puppets, mime, and dance, this festival of song is designed for ages 3 to 9 but appropriate for children of all ages. A Victorian Tea will follow the program. The group of performers, headed by Don Jordan and including Alexia Trainor, Wendy Walraven and Matt Coviello, photo courtesy of www.gildedage.org

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VALENTINE’S DAY AT VENTFORT HALL - A FAMILY CELEBRATION! continued from page 6 will appear in costume as the clowns Shmurple, Mambo, Bowtie and Fumble, singing such songs as “If I Were a Clown,” “I’m Three Year Old,” “The Big Dark Scary Cave,” “The Breakfast Song,” “The Captain Fangle Song” and “Dance with a Clown.” Jordan has performed throughout Europe and the US, on Broadway with Mummenschanz, and as Artistic Director of San Francisco’s Picke Family circus. He has taught at Juilliard School of Music, Instituto De Teatro in Barcelona, Teatro Studio in Rome, Ohio University, Shakespeare and Company, and Smith College. Guided tours of the mansion will also be offered, as they are year-round, every hour on the hour from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm, with the last tour scheduled for 2:00 pm. Tour guides will be on hand to relay the story of the original owners, George Hale Morgan, born on Valentine’s Day 1840, and his wife Sarah Morgan, sister of JP Morgan, who built Ventfort Hall in 1893. The romantic couple also married on Valentine’s Day! Included with tours is the popular exhibit of “Les Petites Dames de Mode” (“The Little Ladies of Fashion”), sixty fabulous 29-inch mannequins fitted with exquisitely detailed Gilded Age costumes

representing fashion from 1855 to 1914. And Valentine’s Day will also be the last day to view Something Old, Something New - 200 Years of Berkshire Brides, a romantic exhibit of wedding gowns and accoutrements on loan from the Berkshire Historical Society. The exhibit closes on February 14th. Admission for the performance and Victorian Tea is $12 for members, $15 for adult non-members, $7 for children, and free for children 3 and under. Guided tours of the mansion for both floors with exhibits are $20 per person, $11 for children ages 5 to 17 and free for children 4 and under. For further information and reservations call Ventfort Hall at (413) 637-3206 or email info@GildedAge.org. The historic mansion is located at 104 Walker Street in Lenox.

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From my Corner — by Susan J. Coons

...full body scan... When I first started flying I was 18 and that flight was on a sea-plane. I love to fly. In the 1960s when I was flying from Losa Angeles to Chicago, Miami, New York, Washington D.C. or the Bahamas, I carried a makeup overnight case, garment bag, hair dryer, and Samsonite suitcase. All my luggage was checked except my garment bag, which I handed to the stewardess when I boarded the plane. Motion pictures on the 1930s, 40s, and 50s created a mystique and drama of flying. My husband always wore a suit, sometimes three-piece, and tie and I wore a dress, nylon stockings, heels, hat and gloves. Flying was a special and somewhat formal event. No jeans, shorts, or sneakers. We had drinks in the lounge while we waited to board the plane. Once boarded we sat in leather seats that were wide and comfortable with only two on each side of the aisle. The pull-down trays were larger, and when they were pulled down, there was still room to move around in your seat. (Of course, I was thinner then!) We were served magnificent meals that included dessert, and two drinks. Flying was still fun in the 1970s. I took the kids along to the airport to see my husband off on business trips. They watched as the plane taxied

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down the runway and ascended into the sky. By the time I flew to Albany, from Los Angeles in 1983, the plane then sat three seats on each side of the aisle, the trays were smaller, and the distance from seat to seat front to back, was narrower. Pity the guy who had a window seat and had to use the lavatory. They still served a meal on cross-country flights, but it was meager. Today the planes are not only cramped with many more seats per aisle, but there are no meals. You can’t bring your own beverage on board. We have to take off our shoes, pass everything through the scanners, sometimes we’re patted down after going through screening, we open our suitcases for investigation, and now we’re going to be exposed to a full body screen. Holy Cow! There are so many ways to “look” at the prospect of “exposing” myself to a full body scan. First, I will tell you that from viewing one naked body after another in an eight-hour stretch the scanner will surely be aghast at the sight and eager to punch out at the end of the day. I think if I had that job I would sit in the dark when I get home, and try to put the memory of what I’ve seen out of my mind with a good, strong Rusty Nail. There are very few well-toned bodies in the world. Ninety-nine percent of us are out of shape with the natural sagging of age, the addition of pounds, surgeries, wrinkles, and the scars and scrapes of living. Screening offers an unlimited supply of naked body jokes. Just sitting here, at the computer I can think of several which I won’t tell you. This is a family paper, after all! My son did say that next time he comes to visit, he’s going to wear his underwear on the outside. I don’t know anyone my age who has a perfect body, man or woman. Shakespeare spoke of the old duffer wearing hose on shrunken shanks. Sagging socks. Aging gracefully? Well, I guess so. My mind is still good. I have a good attitude about life. If I was young and lovely, I don’t think I would mind the full body scan except for the sake of modesty. Now it’s no longer only modesty that rules but extreme embarrassment. Oh well. If they can stand it, so can I. I feel like I should buy the screener a drink or something for exposing her to such a catastrophic view.

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Something Old, Something New: 200 years of Berkshire Brides LENOX Ventfort Hall Mansion and Gilded Age Museum is pleased to announce a one-month extension of “S ome t hing Old, Something New: 200 years of Berkshire Brides.” The exhibit presents an incomparable collection of rarely-viewed wedding gowns and related accessories on loan from the Berkshire Historical Society, plus a few treasures belonging to Ventfort Hall. “The exhibit has proven to be very popular,” said Jeffrey Folmer, Ventfort Hall’s Executive Director, adding, “We are lucky to have the opportunity, and thought it fitting, to carry the romance forward to Valentine’s Day.” “Something Old, Something New: 200 years of Berkshire Brides” is displayed on the newly-restored second floor of the Gilded Age mansion. These rooms opened to the public for the first time in decades with the opening of this exhibit in May, 2009. The exhibit showcases more than two dozen wedding gowns –the oldest from 1815—along with shoes, veils, gloves, invitations and photographs. One prominent family whose gowns are on display is that of Zenas Crane, founder of Crane & Company. They developed financial bond paper for the U.S. Mint and have produced all of the paper used for U.S. currency since 1879. The Crane family gowns and accessories span the years from 1850 to 1906. The exhibit also features a rare wedding gown by famed designer, Charles Frederick Worth, a name still familiar to many today. Born in London, Worth moved to Paris, where his prized gowns sold for $10,000 each in the Gilded Age. Ventfort Hall, one of the first Berkshire “cottages” (built in 1893 by the sister of J.P. Morgan) is also home to a separate, but related exhibit, Les Petites Dames de Mode (The Little Ladies of Fashion). This exhibit complements nicely “Something Old, photo courtesy of www.gildedage.org

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Something New: 200 years of Berkshire Brides” and features 61 exquisite 29-inch tall costumed Victorian Ladies. The creation of John R. Burbidge, retired senior designer of 40 years at the prestigious bridal gown firm Priscilla of Boston, it includes eight petite wedding gowns among the 61 dresses. Also on display is Mr. Burbidge’s personal memorabilia related to his designing wedding gowns for both Presidents Johnson’s and Nixon’s daughters, plus another Burbidge ‘Little Lady’ – a replica of the wedding dress worn by Fergie, Duchess of York. And last but certainly not least, John’s wife Mrs. Cile Bellefleur-Burbidge is a world-renowned wedding cake designer. She has created, expressly for this exhibit, a new 3’-high wedding cake that is a work of art. Her cakes sell for up to $20,000 and this is the latest addition to her works created for heads of state, multimillion dollar weddings, and exhibits at The Smithsonian Institution, Tiffany’s, the Peabody and Essex Museum, and others. Ventfort Hall is open daily, year-round and “Something Old, Something New: 200 years of Berkshire Brides” will be on display until February 14th (Valentine’s Day). For admission prices, hours of operation or more information, contact Ventfort Hall at 413-637-3206 or www.GildedAge.org.

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