Babes in the Berks
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- Written by: Stacie M. Waldman
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When we think of a girls' weekend, often a spa getaway comes to mind. In fact, with a big birthday around the corner and a plan for my first-ever girls' weekend, a spa was what came to mind because hey, that's what girls do, right?
But as I looked at spas, it just didn't seem like the weekend I always wanted. The cost would be high, (I aimed to keep it low,) and we'd be spending a lot of our time "together" in different treatment rooms having different experiences. My friends were from different points in my life and no one had met before so I wanted to make the weekend as comfortable as possible for all.
The Berkshires quickly seemed like the perfect option since friends were coming from both Boston and New York. We decided to rent a house in order to have the most privacy and space for drinking goblets (and goblets) of wine. Two great sites for house rentals are VRBO and HomeAway. We found a beautiful, fully renovated house in the heart of Great Barrington that slept seven of us comfortably for $60 per night per person.
Friday night we ordered in from the best pizza joint in town, Baba Louie's. Each pizza is topped with mounds of gourmet toppings and is worth the calorie intake (Coconut, shrimp, pineapple, and Canadian bacon on a pizza sounds weird but tastes great.)
Saturday morning we awoke to crisp mountain air and the most perfect blue skies. After downing donuts from the delectable Home Sweet Home Doughnut Shoppe we headed to what was hands-down the best part of the entire weekend, Catamount Trees. Catamount Trees is an aerial zip line and ropes course high up in the mountains that was a challenge, even for the experienced rock climber and the marathoner in our group. Catamount is on the border of New York and Massachusetts, less than a two-hour drive from Scarsdale.
Adrenaline is the best-known antidote to a stomach stuffed with donuts. Each person was fitted for a harness and we were given a brief safety talk and a few instructions on how to work the gear that was now attached to us. We walked up the mountain to the base of the aerial ropes course and were amazed at the intricacy, organization, and (admittedly) perceived difficulty of it. The course is unguided, so you must attach, reattach, and detach yourself to the lines along the way including the zip lines.
Everyone must start on the easier courses (yellow then green) and as you move to more difficult ones (blues and black diamonds), increased strength, agility, and balance are needed...as is more courage! There are 12 courses and over 170 elements in total. We all cheered one another on and had to help each other figure out the optimal way to get across, up, down, or through the various elements since there are numerous ways to tackle each. No element is the same. There are bridges, ladders, obstacles, and zip lines and just when you think you've done it all, another element pops up that offers a completely new challenge. We moved from platform to platform and sailed high through the tree tops on zip lines together which made this really special to do as a group.
After free falling (holy crap!) and then auto-belaying 
down the last element of our last course (difficulty level blue), we regrouped and headed to Tripadvisor's number on pick for food in Great Barrington. The Bistro Box is a roadside stand that has picnic tables and great music coming out of funky speakers. Their garlic and herbed French fries and grated Parmesan and truffle oil French fries are to die for (see picture), and this is coming from a person who (no joke) has never liked fries, even as a kid. The chefs trained at the Culinary Institute of America and are the real deal. They serve the freshest food imaginable out of their "box." It was so good we returned for lunch the next day. Why mess with perfection?
With a sense of accomplishment, we headed back to the house and took turns taking the owners' kayaks for a sunset paddle around Lake Mansfield while the rest of us reminisced about the day and drank good wine. We ordered in again and played "fact or fiction," a game in which we each had to give the others a chance to guess which absurd or outrageous fact was true versus the two that weren't. We had many laughs and learned a lot about each other.
Sunday morning we had local bagels comparable to New York's finest and went apple picking at Windy Hill Farm. The apple orchard is well laid out with signs that show what's ripe for the picking. The farm is beautiful, facing Monument Mountain. Unlike orchards in the Hudson Valley, there were no crowds. The apple varieties were pleasing and there were lots of ripe apples easy to pick. There weren't many rotting apples under the trees so there were very few bees and flies.
Finally, we headed out on one last adventure to Bash Bish Falls, a pristine waterfall in the Taconic Mountains on the Massachusetts/New York border. A short but steep hike led us to an area that you could boulder your way around to get closer to the falls. It also got us a little too close to a rather long copperhead snake, one of the few poisonous snakes in the region.
The Berkshires is packed with many other options for girls' weekend fun. There is the Norman Rockwell Museum, the Mass MOCA art museum, hiking at Monument Mountain and Mt. Greylock, biking, lots of restaurant options, the Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health, and much else. Oh, and of course, if you'd rather be fully pampered, there's always the spa option at Canyon Ranch.
Pollan Family to Share Kitchen Wisdom at Scarsdale Library
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- Written by: Joanne Wallenstein
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The community is invited to step into the "kitchen" with the authors of "The Pollan Family Table: The Best Recipes and Kitchen Wisdom for Delicious, Healthy Family Meals" on Thursday, October 22 at 7:30 p.m. The Scarsdale Public Library will host matriarch Corky Pollan and daughters Lori, Dana, and Tracy for an evening of stories, tips, and a cooking demonstration.
Known best for their individual accomplishments as writers, actors, and health and fitness experts, the Pollan Family came together to publish a cookbook that focuses on their belief that home cooked meals can and should be a central part of family life – even while balancing busy schedules and picky eaters.
The cookbook has drawn the attention of celebrity chefs, with accolades from Mario Batali and Ina Garten, as well as praise from Michael J. Fox, Tracy's husband. The Pollans' cookbook seeks to simplify the process for those who want to make delicious food that doesn't require extensive preparation. The book offers recipes using fresh and simple ingredients as well as tips for making time in the kitchen more efficient.
"We have received many requests from library patrons for a Ladies' Night Out," said Library Director Elizabeth Bermel. "We are delighted to host this distinguished family for our first event designed specifically for the women of Scarsdale. The format of the program will resemble a cooking talk show. After a brief discussion, the Pollans will prepare some of their favorite dishes for sampling, with ample time for questions from the audience."
Copies of "The Pollan Family Table" will be available for purchase and a book signing will follow the program.
The program is free and open to the public, but registration is required as space is limited. To register, visit www.scarsdalelibrary.org or call the Reference Desk at 914-722-1302.
Scarsdale Concours Scheduled for Sunday October 4th
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- Written by: Joanne Wallenstein
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The 12th Anniversary Scarsdale Concours d'Elegance car show is scheduled for Sunday, October 4, 2015 in Scarsdale Village. If the weather fails to cooperate, the raindate is Sunday October 11.
The Scarsdale Concours d'Elegance is the second longest running Concours in the Eastern United States. This year's show follows the success of last years event with over 125 cars participating (plus 25 new vehicles from our various sponsors, including BMW, Miller Motorcars, McLaren Greenwich, Jaguar/Land Rover of Larchmont, Pepe Porsche, Mercedes Benz, Cadillac and Infiniti. Last year over $24,000 was raised for charity for Scarsdale and Edgemont Family Counseling Service, The Warrior and Family Assistance Fund and the Scarsdale Foundation.
Once again our beneficiaries are very worthy local charities, and will include Scarsdale and Edgemont Family Counseling Service and The Warrior and Family Assistance Fund.
This year's panel of judges will be comprised of distinguished members of the automotive press from various media outlets, including Top Gear, Consumer Reports and Car & Driver.
Public viewing will begin at 10:30 a.m. and will feature over 130 American and European automobiles as well as displays of new vehicles from various manufacturers and dealerships. Viewing ends at 4:00 p.m. with Final Judging and an Awards Ceremony, followed by a champagne toast to the winners.
For more information visit www.scarsdaleconcours.org.
Thousands of Books at the Library Book Sale
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- Written by: Joanne Wallenstein
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The Friends of the Library Book Sale is in full swing. Volunteers report that over 60,000 books were donated and sales are brisk. The sale is bringing in more money this year than last, which will mean more funds for the library.
On Friday night September 11, the Friends held their preview for members and buyers were leaving with bags full of books.
The half price sale begins on Wednesday and extends through Friday with the Blow-Out Sale on Saturday and Sunday. For more information, click here:
Friends of the Library Book Sale Kicks Off on September 11
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- Written by: Joanne Wallenstein
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Westchester County's premier book sale begins with a members' preview on Friday September 11 from 6 – 9 pm and is open daily through Sunday September 20 at the Scarsdale Library. *New members may join at the door that evening. Memberships begin at $25.
This popular and important fundraising event offers more than 60,000 books, from almost new to out-of-print, including bestsellers, classics, biographies, fiction, parenting, cooking, art, graphic novels, humor self-help, drama, religion, philosophy, poetry, history, political science, and business. There is also a huge selection of children's books, plus DVDs, CDs, LPs, audiobooks and sheet music. New books are added daily as space permits.
The Scarsdale Public Library is located at 54 Olmsted Road, corner of Post Rd. & Route 22, Scarsdale, NY, 10583. Phone: (914) 722-1300. Website: www.scarsdalelibrary.org.
Book Sale Daily Schedule (also available on the library's website)
Members' Preview*
Friday Sept. 11 6pm – 9:00 pm
Regular Sale
Saturday Sept. 12 9 am – 4:30 pm
Sunday Sept. 13 10 am – 4:00 pm
Monday Sept. 14 11 am – 8:00 pm
Tuesday Sept. 15 11 am – 8:00 pm
Half-Price Sale
Wednesday Sept. 16 11 am – 8:00 pm
Thursday Sept. 17 11 am – 5:00 pm
Friday Sept. 18 10 am – 4:30 pm
Blow-Out Sale
Saturday Sept. 19 9 am - 4:00 pm
Sunday Sept. 20 11am – 4:00 pm
About The Friends of Scarsdale Library
The Friends of the Scarsdale Library was formed in 1968, with the primary goal of supporting the library as it serves our community. They strive to focus public attention on the Library's services, facilities, and needs. Check out their membership page to see how you can be a part of all we do for our library.
About The Scarsdale Public Library
The Scarsdale Public Library serves a central role in the cultural and intellectual life of the Scarsdale community and encourages the joy of reading, the exploration of ideas and the pursuit of lifelong learning for children and adults. The Library offers print and electronic books, magazine, music, films, audio books and online resources; provides accurate and timely information in person, by telephone and email; and in collaboration with other local organizations, gathers and preserves local history information; presents programs that appeal to all ages and interests; and sponsors a wide variety of cultural events.
