Berkshire Mountain Distillers, Sheffield, Massachusetts

Berkshire Mountain Distillers

Address:
356 S Main Street (118.96 miles from Boston)
Sheffield, Massachusetts 01257

Established in 2007, Berkshire Mountain Distillers (BMD) has created a line of award-winning artisanal spirits including Greylock Gin, Ethereal Gins, Ragged Mountain Rum, Ice Glen Vodka, Berkshire Bourbon and New England Corn Whiskey, currently available in 19 different states. All products are handcrafted in small batches in Sheffield, Massachusetts at the Berkshire’s first legal distillery since prohibition. BMD is one of the founding members of the craft distiller movement and is embraced by several of the nation’s leading mixologists. Our products have received numerous high accolades including Gold Medal Awards from the Beverage Tasting Institute and San Francisco Spirits Competition and national praise from publications like GQ, Details, New York Times, Wine Enthusiast and Jim Murray’s Whiskey Bible. As supporters of local agriculture and business, BMD uses regional materials in many of our products, creating a truly authentic, artisanal brand.

Tours are available at selected times, but the store is also open for tastings and shopping.





"Greylock Gin. #1 Gin in the country," NY TIMES.







Just like making beer, but different. ;-)

Speaking of that, Berkshire Mountain Distillers collaborates with craft brewers to make whiskeys out of beer.





We did a tasting with the staff, and then got a tour from Jon Height, Plant Manager/ Distiller. It was really interesting and the hand made stills reminded me of steampunk, and the stills we had seen on our trip to Ireland.

Big Elm Brewing, Sheffield, MA

Big Elm Brewing.

Address: 65 Silver St, Sheffield, MA 01257

"We (Bill & Christine) met working for Victory Brewing Company in 2003. We both had some experience at smaller breweries before, and one of us (Christine) actually has a diploma for brewing from the Siebel Institute and the Doemens Academy! With this background we set out to start our own brewpub and in 2005 we opened the Pittsfield Brew Works. After five years of fun and hard work we decided to leave the brewpub business to try to start a production brewery dedicated to making just beer and smiles. It took some time and we had a couple of kids along the way, but with a ton of help and support from our friends and family just as we were about to give up we found our new home. 65 Silver St. needed a bit of elbow grease to get it to what it is now, and in the fall of 2012 we brewed our first batch of beer. Since then we have been focused on bringing our neighbors fresh quality beer."

Inside the tap room. These new high top tables are nice.









Beer list.



The beers:

413 Farmhouse Ale - This Belgian ale is brewed with barley, wheat, chamomile, orange zest, hops, water and a Saison yeast. Our unique recipe is meant to highlight some familiar farmhouse flavors while also breaking from the mold of the traditional. 6% ABV

IPA - This west coast style IPA packs a well balanced one-two punch. Brewed with barley, water, American ale yeast and a whole lot of west coast hops. This IPA has hint maltiness to back up the bitter style letting the piney & citrusy flavors of some of the best American hops shine through. This beer is Double Dry-Hopped! 7% ABV

Gerry Dog Stout - Our oatmeal stout is an ode to our loyal companion Gerry. This smooth dark beer is brewed with barley, wheat, oats, water, American ale yeast, and hops. The reserved use of dark malts and the addition of oats help to make this beer amazingly easy to drink, even for those who usually stay away from the dark side. 6.5% ABV

American Lager - Brewed with American corn, barley, hops, water and a super clean American Lager yeast, this beer is the definition of easy drinking. The use of corn is a classic American technique that helps give this beer a light sweetness and harkens back to simple days. 5% ABV

Lion's Ale - We brew this smooth English-style amber ale with our good friends at The Red Lion Inn in Stockbridge, MA. This beer has been crafted to pair greatly with most every meal and works well during any season, it is most often enjoyed at the historic inn with food and friends. 5.3% ABV

FAT BOY - Our super hopped Double IPA is bursting at the seams with heaps of piney, citrusy and tropical fruit flavors and aromas. During the brewing process we add a massive amount of hops to give you big bitterness as well as all the flavor of joy. Once fermentation is complete we dry hop this big boy a ton, giving you the awesome hop explosion. We use Citra, Simcoe and other hop varieties to create this monster. We hope you enjoy our FAT BOY! 8% ABV

Bagel & Brew, Lenox, MA

Bagel & Brew, Lenox, MA

Classic New York-style bagels with a range of toppings & spreads, plus draft brews & a beer garden.

Address: 18 Franklin St, Lenox, MA 01240

We weren't there in the morning for the bagel part, but we did enjoy a nice cold beer outside in the beer garden on a sunny afternoon. There was live music too. Really good live music. You could tell, the guitar player was selling THREE CD's. ;-)

This is a great place to bring kids. Lots of things on the menu that they'd enjoy.



Bar inside.



Beer garden outside.

Design Menagerie, Home goods store in Lenox, Massachusetts

Design Menagerie

Home goods store in Lenox, Massachusetts

Address: 26 Housatonic St, Lenox, MA 01240

"At design menagerie, we have an abiding love for objects of utility and beauty—extraordinary things that elevate ordinary tasks. We prize things that are crafted by hand; that bear the maker’s mark. We find perfection in the less-than-perfect. We seek products made of soulful, sustainable stuff.

We feel fortunate to be working with passionate and committed artisans and designers, both in the U.S. and Europe, who share our ethics and esthetic, and are excited to share our finds with you!

The team that brings you design menagerie is helmed by a European expat hailing from Vienna and her American husband. First launched amidst the rolling hills and valleys of rural Wisconsin, design menagerie now makes its home between the beautiful Berkshire Mountains and the banks of the Housatonic River in Western Massachusetts."

We spoke with co-owner Birgit Marko and found her thoroughly unique, She shared her story with us and talked us through a few perfect gift purchases.

Read an interview with Birgit here.

Nudel Restaurant, Lenox, MA

Nudel Restaurant
Cozy, casual place serving a seasonally inspired New American menu that changes nightly.

"Nudel’s menu is a creative reflection of the food being grown and harvested in our beautiful region, the weather outside and the feeling inside. We collaborate with small, passionate farms and food producers to source the best ingredients. We cherish the abundance of crops as they arrive at our back door and honor the fleeting season of each ingredient.

The experience here is a little different. Our menu is reflective of our creative team, which thrives on bringing ingredients together thoughtfully on each plate.

The team at Nudel is passionate and proud of what we do here. Our long-time service staff focuses on generosity, hospitality and the guest experience. In the back of house, which is actually out front, our team is a talented motley crew of raw enthusiasm for knowledge about food in its freshest and finest form."

Address: 37 Church St, Lenox, MA 01240

Reservations required.





We split the salead and meal. Everything was amazingly fresh. Super fast and friendly service.

One of the top restaurants in Lenox, MA. Take a look at their menu, it changes daily.

Mayflower Brewing Company Plymouth, MA

Mayflower Brewing Company.

"We invite you to come visit our brewery in historic Plymouth, Massachusetts. Conveniently located near Route 3 and Route 44, we are easy to find and always welcoming. Our brewery includes our 9,000 square foot production facility, where we brew and package all of our beer, as well as our tasting room with retail store, where you can sample all of our beers, purchase retail items, and join us for tours. From time to time, we also host special events at the brewery, including our annual Open House in May and various other food and music events throughout the year."

Address:
12 Resnik Road
Plymouth, MA 02360

Cape Cod Beer Hyannis MA

Cape Cod Beer is about beer. "It’s about brewing the best beer possible, on Cape Cod, for the people who love Cape Cod. Its about having fun, and following Todd’s calling to brew beer professionally. It’s about sharing that experience with those we meet along the way that feel the same way about beer as we do."

Address:
1336 Phinney’s Lane, Hyannis MA 02601

The Sacred Cod at the Chatham Bars Inn (Cape Cod)

At The Sacred Cod, Cape Cod charm and sophistication meet in this classic upscale tavern. Our innovative menu encourages our guest to explore the regions finest fisheries, farms and foragers including produce from the Chatham Bars Inn farm. The warm, cozy bar an extensive craft beer menu and barrel-aged cocktails showcasing products from the region’s best brewers and distillers.

Address:
297 Shore Road Chatham, MA 02633

Phone:
1.800.527.4884

Cold Beer:


Cape Cod Mussels
White Wine Broth, Fine Herbs, Grilled
Country Bread $16

Devil's Purse Brewing Co. South Dennis, MA (Cape Cod)

Devil's Purse Brewing Co. is a craft brewery dedicated to the pursuit of making exceptional handcrafted beers on Cape Cod located in South Dennis.

Address:
120 Great Western Road
South Dennis, MA 02660

Great beers and super friendly people.

Lin-Manuel Miranda & Ben Platt "Found Tonight" [Official Video]

GO PATS!

Great GO PATS sign in COPLEY SQUARE.

@patriots cheerleaders set up in Copley Square today for selfies. #gopats #doyourjob

A post shared by Christopher S. Penn (@cspenn) on Jan 10, 2018 at 6:17pm PST

That's how to make a selfie friendly sign.

My Three Words for 2018: IMPEACHMENT, CONVICTION and REMOVAL. #My3Words for 2018 [UPDATE]

My Three Words for 2018:

IMPEACHMENT, CONVICTION and REMOVAL.



#My3Words

My three words for 2018: Engage, Share, Hold

Just found my three words for 2018: Engage, Share, Hold

Make 2018 the year you engage, share facts, and hold elected officials accountable for their statements, decisions and actions. #FactsMatter #My3Words

Looking Back on the Results from a Year of Personal Training at Equinox

My personal trainer, Zack Gray at Equinox Chestnut Hill, helped me "Take it to the next level," this year.

Without it, I wouldn’t be the better person that I am today.

His training for balance came in handy when I was cleaning out my garage of piles of wood and garden hoses. I turned to walk, and tripped on the hose, then stumbled onto the pile of wood, landing on my feet in the middle of the driveway. Unscathed. It was like ballet!

On our trip to Iceland, we had a roundtrip 50 minute walk through a dormant lava field, to a dormant volcano, which we entered and descended down to walk on the volcano floor. Again, his balance training came in handy on the uneven and loose rocky volcano floor. Once down there I demonstrated some balancing exercises for the family.

Traveling was made easier too. When I first came to Equinox, I had sciatica, a sore shoulder, and back pain. Now I don’t have any of those ailments. Lifting carry-on luggage was easier.

Before starting my exercise program, my wife had to tell the grand nephews that Uncle Steve couldn’t pick them up. Now, they fling themselves at me from the stairs and can I catch them and carry them around when needed with no problems.

Last year I could barely get up off the ground after weeding the garden. Now, no more problems.

Finally, before starting, I had poor posture from sitting at a computer for years. Now I stand taller and am aware of my posture. A longtime friend asked, “Have you gotten taller?”

Thanks to Zack for all his guidance, including eating advice. I enjoy our sessions. Zack is a great representative for Equinox.

How to Connect brother HL-L2380DW printer to an Orbi Network

To connect a brother HL-L2380DW printer to your home network, where a Netgear Orbi is present, enable Wired LAN on the printer, then ensure that both your computer and printer are connected to the Orbi. They need to be on the same network to see each other.

If you have your computer connected to your modem, it won't see the printer.

ICELAND: My Travel Agent, I Heart Reykjavik

My family was very happy with all the trips we have taken on this vacation in Iceland.



I want to give most of the credit to Auður and my travel company, I Heart Reykjavik, who listened to what we wanted and helped us pick out the perfect tour operators to plan every day.



We paid her, and then she handled paying all the tour companies and getting us all the vouchers for our tours.

She used a very cool online system to compile all our tours.



Also, definitely do one of their walking tours of the city with them. We learned so much from Hrannar, in a casual non-scripted way. It was a great introduction to Iceland on our first day.

Because some people have asked, the tour companies pay her a commission, and we don't have to pay her anything.

So please go through her to book your trips. It will make all of your Iceland trip planning so much easier. And she responds quickly to emails.

Here are some of the tours we chose:

Private Super Jeep Tour of Northern Lights



Inside the Volcano



Golden Circle and Magical Nights



Blue Lagoon and Airport Transfer


Image: Courtesy Blue Lagoon

ICELAND: The Best Places to Eat in Reykjavik

We had an amazing trip to Iceland and were not disappointed in the food. We had great meals everywhere, for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Here's a list of places we ate and enjoyed. All good!



The Laundromat Cafe
Great for breakfast! It was so good, we went here twice. In addition to the breakfast, the coffee was delicious.







My cousin said that these were the best pancakes she's ever had in her life!





From their website:

We opened in 2004 in Elmegade 15 in Nørrebro, Copenhagen.

The idea was to combine laundry and socializing in nice, comfortable surroundings where you could eat, drink, read, do your laundry and browse the Internet.

Then we opened some more ;)!

2006 Århusgade 38 Østerbro Copenhagen.

2011 Austurstræti 9 in Reykjavik Iceland.

2011 Gammel Kongevej 96 Frb Copenhagen.

We offer a varied menu off homemade food, cakes, juices, milkshakes, coffee, tea, wine and around 40 kinds of beer, all served with a smile.

BRAUD & CO BAKERY

Everything fresh baked and amazing!





Hverfisgata 12


Image: Courtesy hverfisgata12



Casual pizza place. Famouse for their locationa dn not having a sign. We heard that they secretly opened up, and people started coming to them, and they became popular. We were lucky to get a provate room for our table of eight.

I went upstairs to the MIKKELLER & FRIENDS bar, to chat with the bartender and grab a beer from their amazing selection, and bring it back to the restaurant.

From their website:

Located in one of the most iconic buildings of downtown Reykjavik, Hverfisgata 12 restaurant & bar is an eclectic mix of American rustic, old carnival and part museum, designed by renowned set designer Hálfdán Pedersen.

MIKKELLER & FRIENDS - REYKJAVÍK, ICELAND



Great beer bar! Really fun, Came here twice and would have made it three days, but they weren't open in the afternoon on our last day.

The English Pub



My friend who has been to Iceland every year for hte past 15 years told me, “You MUST go and spin the BEER Wheel.” Well, according to my calculation, it wasn’t worth it for us to try. ;-)

My friends and I gave the Guinness a thumbs up, then we switched to Gull. I din't have a bad beer in Iceland.

Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur - Best Hot Dog in Iceland
Tryggvatagata 1, 101 Reykjavík, Iceland






Next door to Raddison Blu 1919. The way to order here is to get a one with everything, which means a pork, bef and lamb hot dog with onions, sauted onions, ketchup, sweet mustard and mayo relish. You can give your index finger a twirl when ordering. There's also a special that includes soda, but I don't drink soda. There is always a line here and people are eating hot dogs morning, noon and night.

Fun!

Jamie’s Italian

New restaurant by Jamie Oliver. Tourists love it which requires you to make a reservation in advance.

Good Italian.













I had Icelandic Cod, which was served in a spicy red sauce. Everyone in my group loved what they had. We again got a private room.

STEIKHÚSIÐ — THE STEAK HOUSE
Tryggvagata 4-6 101 Reykjavík
Tel: +354 561 1111





Opening hours:
Sunday - Thursday 17 to 22
Friday - Saturday 17 to 23


We ate here. Excellent steak. Seriously. So good. The unique thing for us to see on the menu was a steak choice of LAMB, BEEF, or HORSE.