Ken Roht, artistic director at the Daniel Center, has spearheaded a number of groundbreaking community-integrated art projects. He's working on a show with the local public television channel, and he's staged ballroom dancing events with the local dance school, broadcast radio plays, and facilitates the Daniel's Art Party spring festival.
Nature's Draw
You can't talk about the architectural or cultural aesthetic of Great Barrington without first acknowledging the awe-inspiring beauty of the town's natural surroundings, even in gloomy, leafless winter. "Bartholomew's Cobble and Monument Mountain are integral to this place's understanding of itself," says H. Emerson Blake, editor-in-chief at Orion magazine, which is based out of an office on Main Street and explores humanity's relationship with nature through literary expression.Lake Mansfield, Alford Springs, the Housatonic River Walk, and so many other beautiful spots inform life in Great Barrington. Of course, the art, restaurants, and distinctive small businesses of the town are a huge draw but, if you don't pack your boots for your next trip here, you're missing out.
Think Global, Shop Local
There's a new term of art in the business world and it suits the vibrant tapestry of shops that wind through Main Street and Railroad Street. Great Barrington is "Amazon Proof." You just can't match the feeling of shopping in Great Barrington online, or in few other places for that matter.Home goods and clothing shops like Karen Allen's Fiber Arts (owned and run by the actress, who lives nearby), One Mercantile, Mistral's, Hammertown, The Chef's Shop, and many more exude the individuality and skilled dedication of their local owners.
High-end antiques are also a big part of the local business scene. None are bigger than Asia Barong, an Asian furniture, art, and antiques importer with an unmatched selection of beautiful pieces from tableware to massive sculptures and full temples. "We are probably the biggest draw in Great Barrington. We are somewhere between a museum and a gallery," says owner Bill Talbott. "We have so much depth to our collection that anyone can find that piece that will be a spark of inspiration for them. We also do things like supply temples of Asian organizations within the US that help them preserve their culture here, and that is a pretty special thing to be a part of."
A Town with Taste
Just down the road from Asia Barong is Shiro Kitchen and Asian Market. Along with their excellent restaurant and bar, they are now offering cooking classes to show folks how to use the ingredients on their shelves at home. Bizen on Railroad Street, is also serving some of the best sushi and Japanese cuisine in the region. Serious and beautifully designed, Bizen makes Great Barrington a destination for lovers of Asian fare all by itself.The diversity and quality of the 60 restaurants, cafes, and coffee shops here is truly impressive. Everyone has a list of different favorites, but some stalwarts rise to the top of the recommendation list again and again. First, Guido's Fresh Marketplace has been keeping the area eating well, healthier, and locally, at home since 1979. Everyone's getting coffee each morning at Rubi's, tucked stylishly behind the decadent Rubi's Cheese Shop and the Great Barrington Bagel Co. and Deli.
When it comes to fine dining, there is a nuanced but distinct Berkshire style of cuisine and it's on full display here. Restaurants everywhere claim to be farm-to-table these days, but the produce and animals Great Barrington chefs are getting from local farmers and how they adapt to seasonal inspiration is creating a food culture as singular and affecting as the surrounding landscape.
Places like Mark Firth's Prairie Whale, Field and Cellar, 20 Railroad Public House, and others are making the absolute most of a good thing. The ingredients the Berkshires gift these chefs are so good they deserve to be treated this well.
"People really appreciate food here," says Adam Zieminski, chef and owner of Cafe Adam, one of the originators of the Berkshire style. "It's a great area to cook in, because the farm community has grown amazingly. Through requests from us and the farmers' creative minds there are new varieties being grown. We get to put things on the plate people have never tasted. People have come to expect a level of quality from us, and that's a good reputation to have to live up to." (Longtime Great Barrington resident Alan Chartock, President and CEO of WAMC, claims Cafe Adam is the best restaurant in town. "I had the best sandwich of my life there," says Chartock.)
