I made you look – Days 5 and 6, just trying to be a tourist

I had big plans for the day couple of days between the chaotic fabulousness of the JT concerts and the delight of the BSO and Boston Pops opening nights. I was gonna be a Berkshire tourist.

And I was a little bit, but not all day. I started with my all-time favorite way to shake out the cobwebs when in the Berkshires – a hike up Monument Mountain. I have a love / hate relationship with walking uphill. I love the idea of it, I hate it while I’m doing it, I love it when I’m at the top (this blog was named for my desire to hike mountains I’m not qualified to be on). But Monument Mountain, which I have hiked many, many times, I alway love. It is not a hard climb, but it is a historic one. Herman Melville and Nathanial Hawthorne were once caught in a storm on the mountain, looking out at the peak of Mt Graylock, which resembled the humpback of a whale and gave Melville an idea for a book…

I always take the same route up the mountain, the long, rambling path that doesn’t get hard til the very top when you have to scramble up rocks to the summit, then the shorter, steeper route down. After two days of torrential rain, the trails were muddy, the rocks slippery, and the mosquitos hungry. By the time I was at the top, I was covered with sweat and dirt and bliss.

After returning to my car, I zipped to Leobs Foodtown, a longtime staple in Lenox for one of their famous sandwiches. I’ve only been eating them for 17 years, so I’m a relative newcomer, but they are an area favorite and I definitely have my preferred order. The Big Jim has ham, apples, honey mustard, and sharp red onions. I have one a summer and it was worth climbing the mountain for.

I spent some time doing press and just getting to know the BSO’s music director Andris Nelsons (I had already left when he was appointed).

He was, unsurprisingly, but yet surprisingly, delightful. Then sent the photo of the Taylors and Coxs out to media, which resulted in my first published photo credit, in my hometown paper no less, the Boston Globe.

Finally Gene and I were off to the tourist part of the day – dinner at the hard to find, possibly former brothel (which I don’t believe, because no one would work that hard to find a brothel), the DreamAway Lodge. My favorite, favorite restaurant. The food was…fine. It’s alway just fine, but holy cow the atmosphere! Then off to Jacob’s Pillow to see the Dutch National Ballet be brilliant. One piece actually made me gasp repeatedly. It was a great night.

Day six started with a Pilates class with Gene in which I found myself getting very competitive, to the surprise of no one. Pilates actually was refined at Jacob’s Pillow where Joe Pilates spent much of his later life, so it is always special to do it in the Berkshires. Then I hit the road to Connecticut to see my step mom and sister. I don’t love the state of Connecticut, but I do love the little town of Old Saybrook, where my mom lives. We went out for a seafood lunch (lobster roll number two for me, with a bloody mary) and then they indulged my great love of a summer blockbuster, and we went to see the latest Indiana Jones flick. It was great because I will always love Indie, but they did John Williams dirty with the scoring. My favorite of J-Dubs music, Indie’s Theme, was all but missing from the movie. A small quibble, but it must be said.

After my sister left for home, Linda and I decided to sort out her closet. With a bottle of wine, we sat in our bras and leggings trying on various items which she’d keep, give to me, or put in a pile for Karen (don’t worry, Kar, you did well). We shared deep thoughts and silly ones. I told her about a recent visit with an old love, she told me about one who had contacted her recently after 60 years. Drohan women are hard to get over!

Then she said, “I think it’s time,” and handed me the thing I’ve coveted my entire life – her vintage Louis Vuitton purse. Though it was obtained in the late 60s for less than $200, I spent my childhood thinking it was the height of luxury, and, of course, now it is. After some tears and hugs, I sang some Meghan Trainor a little too loudly “I could have my Gucci on, I could wear my Louis Vuitton, but even with nothing ohhhooooohhhnnnnn, I made you look”. I’m sure if we wanted to, we could make Kevin Bacon and his daughter look like amateurs!

Tomorrow it is back to work with the BSO, but oh what a great couple days!