Way Out West

Saying bye-bye to the ocean BUT just for today!

Western Massachusetts that is.

Ten and I are heading out to Stockbridge. For why? In part. it’s because we’re engaging in a bit of musical nostalgia. You know – songs of our youth and shit.

You can get anything you want at Alice's restaurant
You can get anything you want at Alice's restaurant
Walk right in, it's around the back
Just a half a mile from the railroad track
You can get anything you want at Alice's restaurant
Alice's Restaurant – Arlo Guthrie

Did you know? Her restaurant was originally named The Back Room. Likely called this because it was located in an alley behind a row of stores on Stockbridge's tiny main drag. You know, walk right in, it's around the back?

Incidentally, it was also on the first floor, directly beneath Norman Rockwell’s studio.

Cool, no?

Dunno if there’s still a restaurant there but we’ll stop by and have a look see.

Apart from that we’ll hit a few museums. MAYBE the Norman Rockwell Museum but MOST def  and mega naturalmente we’re stopping in at the Dr. Seuss Museum and Sculpture Garden and, as long as we're there, maybe the Michele and Donald D’Amour Museum of Fine Arts (which I know less than nothing about) and the George Walter Vincent Smith Art Museum, which has “one of the largest collections of Chinese cloisonné outside of Asia.” Huh. Cool.

Also, song-wise, there’s sweet baby James running through my bean as we make ready for our little road trip.

Now the first of December was covered with snow
So was the turnpike from Stockbridge to Boston
The Berkshires seemed dream-like on account of that frosting
With ten miles behind me and ten thousand more to go

Goodnight you moonlight ladies
Rockabye sweet baby James
Deep greens and blues are the colors I choose
Won't you let me go down in my dreams
And rockabye sweet baby James
Sweet Baby James – James Taylor

It’s the end of December and there ain’t no snow and we don’t have ten thousand miles to drive but the song’s still playing. Happily.

'scuse me, I gotta go get dressed for today's Art Road Trip.