Openings: Celebrating the Sol LeWitt Retrospective at Mass MoCA
Sally Zunino and Jane Nichols at the LeWitt opening on November 15
At Saturday’s gala opening of the monumental exhibition Sol LeWitt : A Wall Drawing Retrospective, at Mass MoCA in North Adams, many of the guests’ outfits, whether by accident or by design, coordinated with the paintings, which made for wonderful and unexpected juxtapositions. Conceived by Jock Reynolds of the Yale University Art Gallery, who worked on the retrospective with the artist until just before LeWitt’s death in April 2007, the breathtaking installation is a collaboration among Yale, Mass MoCA, and the Williams College Museum of Art, and it will remain on view for at least the next 25 years.
Thanksgiving: Thank Heaven for Top-Notch Take-Out
The ante on Thanksgiving dinner seems to go up every year. Trust us; that bird being served by the sweet little old granny in Norman Rockwell’s iconic Freedom From Want hadn’t been brined, nor was it glazed with Grande Marnier. What’s more, we’d lay money that she wasn’t about to return to the kitchen to fetch a steaming bowlful of maple-pumpkin polenta. Cooks and non-cooks alike can use all the help they can get preparing this greatest of all American feasts, and the region’s chefs stand ready to lend a hand. The quality and range of their take-out offerings boggles the mind and whets the appetite.
Style: A Mega-Sale at TraditionsFor 32 years, Traditions, the luxury linens wholesaler headquartered in Claverack, has conducted a mega-sale on the Friday and Saturday after Thanksgiving. “Loyal customers wait for it,“ says Pamela Kline, who admits that watching expensive merchandise leave the outlet at such bargain prices is “painful for me. I know how much I paid for it.“ |
Kids: A Nutcracker in Every Nook & CrannyOne of the most reassuring and enduring holiday traditions is taking children to see The Nutcracker, which always fills them with a sense of wonder. Tchaikovsky’s classic is being performed in multiple locations in all four counties of our region this year by the Berkshire Albany Ballet, the Nutmeg Ballet and the New Paltz Ballet. And there are plenty of early shows so it’s easy to take even the youngest children. |
Spirits: A New Vodka that's Local to the CoreWhen Derek Grout (right) returned to Columbia County to help out with the family business, Golden Harvest Farms, he didn’t have fruit distillation in mind. But when his friend (now business partner) Tom Crowell suggested turning blemished apples into vodka, he recognized that the idea had limitless potential. Core Vodka is already the brand of choice among Columbia County cognoscenti and word is spreading. |
From our Archives: Heritage Breed Turkeys at Turkana FarmsTurkana Farms raises and sells all manner of fruits and vegetables, but the thing that makes it unique is its heritage breed turkeys, guinea fowl, chickens, beef, pork and lamb. But for their virtue at table, these ancient breeds would no longer exist. Since this story first ran last January, we’ve experimented further with roasting heritage turkeys, and our revised technique is even easier. |
Recipes: A Prelude to ThanksgivingPaige Orloff, The Bountiful Harvest blogger, believes that how you commence the Thanksgiving feast is as important as any other part of the meal. She proposes beginning with a Cranberry Bellini and sweet-and-spicy nuts, which just happen to make a much appreciated host or hostess gift if you are spending the holiday at a friend or relative’s house. |
Movies: Rankings & Local SchedulesThe critics are fairly unanimous in their praise for Jonathan Demme’s latest, Rachel Getting Married. Want to know what they’re saying and where it is playing near you, check out the Rural Intelligence weekly movie guide, which lists all the movies playing in our regions and links to theaters. |
