Every Day I Write the Book – Days one and two of a week in the Berkshires

I started this blog to write about my travels, and while there’s a lot of travel content in here, nothing I’ve done post-pandemic, and post my pretend culinary road trip in included, but I’m trying to get back in the writing habit.

Lockdown was the same for me as it was for everyone else who didn’t get sick. Long and lonely, with surprising slivers of fun and treasured opportunities to connect with loved ones in new, meaningful ways.

Post pandemic, I got back on the road – Montana, Tulum, Northern Norway, and, most recently, a magnificent journey through Jordan, with a quick stop in the UK and another planned for the end of the year. I have slept in deserts, done yoga as the sun rises over ruins, taken two unanticipated swims in the Arctic Ocean, hiked so, so much, and seen old friends and made new and wonderful ones.

I’ve also, once again, chosen to call a new city home – this time Cleveland, a place where I’ve found an unexpected sense of belonging. And I was beyond lucky to be able to spend two full summers in my favorite place on earth – Berkshire County in Western MA.

And I’m happily back in the Berks now, though for a much shorter visit. I arrived on Friday after a long, but easy and uneventful drive. I turned left and then right from my Cleveland loft building to get on I-90, then drove in a basically straight line (with a slight right at Niagara Falls) for eight hours, then another right turn and just like that, Great Barrington, MA.

I got in in time to catch a bit of one of the most vibrant new arts festivals – Berkshire Busk – and soaked in the musicians, dancers, magicians, and happy audiences. I reunited with my friends and had a celebratory toast, then a dip in the hot tub under the stars, before sleeping til late the next morning and starting the crazy week pr-ing for the BSO.

Saturday morning took me along the oh so familiar streets to my spiritual home, Tanglewood. It has been a long time since I was a full time BSO employee and I thank the universe daily that they still turn to me for support when they need it. I partly credit the universe – I also credit my extreme hard work, reliability, and likability.

I’ve always likened Tanglewood to Brigadoon – it emerges from the mist every June, gathering music lovers of all stripes, and then fades away when the leaves start to turn. But it always returns. I’m not a spiritual being in any way, but as I walk the grounds – the same grounds where Leonard Bernstein walked with Aaron Copeland, before that Nathaniel Hawthorne and Herman Melville strolled, and more recently Wilco relaxed on the lawn and listened to the Boston Symphony – I feel like I am part of a continuum of creativity and collaboration.

I probably hugged 20 people in the first hour I was back. And so many more over the past two days. As I was traipsing up a hill from one side of the campus to another, one of the many senior citizen volunteers stopped me to introduce me to her companion, “You’ll like her – she’s always very smiley and spins on the pathways.” A nicer compliment I could not think of.

Night one at Tanglewood was Nick Lowe and Elvis Costello and was so great. Nick Lowe exuded charisma and whimsy. Costello came out looking like a battered Irish fisherman and wowed with a 2plus hour set. Night two was Robert Plant and Allison Krauss. I did not know a single one of their songs, but I now have every one of them on my spotify list.

Days one and two also included reunion lunches with Berkshire, Boston, and New York friends, a walk around the local lake, and some light shoe shopping!

Life is good. Next up, two days with JT.