St. Stanislaus School benefit, 9 to 4 in Kolbe Hall, Adams. Bake sale, snack bar, games, Chinese auctions, money raffle, crafts, and pierogi.
Blackinton Union Church, 1373 Massachusetts Ave., North Adams; 10 to 2. Crafts table, bake sale, Chinese auction, the Christmas table, and kid's grab bag. Lunch $4, $2 kids.
First Congregational Church, North Adams, 9-2.
Nov. 28 Becket Federated Church, Route 8, holiday bazaar from 9-3. Lunch, crafts, baked goods, holiday and other items. Information: Mary Peltier, Parish House, 413-623-5217.
Dec. 5
Holiday Fair at First Congregational Church, 25 Park Place, Lee, from 10 to 3; handcrafted items, raffles, children's shop, bake sale, cut Christmas trees and lunch from 11 to 1. Includes angel-themed goods from SERRV. Information, 413-243-1033 or www.ucc-lee.org.
Dec. 12-13
North Adams Country Club, crafts 9-4; food from That's a Wrap from 11-2. Information: Sheryl Morehouse at 413-822-3329.
Planning a bazaar this season? Submit information to info@iberkshires.com to have it listed here.
We're trying out blogs to offer shorter, easy-to-find news. Let us know what you think.
Send press releases and announcements to info@iberkshires.com. Need to contact someone at iBerkshires? Here's how.
Mammography Dispute The government's issued controversial new guidelines stating that women shouldn't get annual mammograms until age 50, rather than age 40.
iBerkshires will be meeting with local medical experts Monday. Have a question you'd like answered on this issue? Send it info@iberkshires.com with "mammogram" in the subject line.
By Sharon Mack iBerkshires Columnist 02:05PM / Sunday, April 05, 2009
PITTSFIELD, Mass.
I like to write at home in my living room with my laptop on my knees. My pug dog asleep on my left, my Maltese snuggled on my right.
There's a quiet that comes from their little warm bodies that allows my often frantic brainwaves to quiet and go into another zone. My creative zone. The place where no one else can go. Where I alone set the scene, create the characters and write life into them.
But sometimes, that's not good enough. I need more; I need motion. I need noise to get the old brain cells working. To rejuvenate them. That's when I move to a busier setting.
One of those settings is the East Side Cafe, especially early on a Wednesday night before the crowd begins to show up. I walk over at 4:30 or so since it's located next door to me, and take my usual seat in the first booth.
Wednesday is the best night because it's on Wednesdays that they serve the best of my favorite comfort foods: a plateful of manicotti, raviolis, gnocchi or linguini with extra sauce and extra meatballs, served with green salad and crusty Italian bread. A glass of Merlot doesn't hurt either.
I love that I can go there and they already know what I will order for my beverage. It's comfortable. It's easy. "Merlot?" Ann asks. And she's off to fill my glass before taking my pasta order for the evening.
Courtesy Capitano family
The booths fill up quick on Wednesday nights at East Side Cafe in Pittsfield.
After the salad, a few bits of bread and sips of wine, I get myself ready to write.
I pull out my pad and pencil — it is time for the old-fashioned way — and as I slowly chew and drink my way through my dinner, I again find I can bring on those scenes and characters.
Often, I am inspired by the folks around me. The mother and her two kids, the family that comes in with grandparents and all, the men at the bar laughing and enjoying a beer together after a day's work — a habit they've developed a long time ago, the warmth of the owners who cook, wait the tables and tend the bar. It's the atmosphere, I think, that inspires me. A "family and friend's" atmosphere, a local atmosphere.
And then when I am finished, I pick up my evening's work and head back home. I am ready to type it into my computer and I am surprised to learn that there is very little I need to edit.
Hmm, it must have been the atmosphere ... .
East Side Cafe is located on the corner of Lombard and Newell streets and serves homemade pastas on Wednesday night during the winter months and pizza (voted the Best in the Berkshires) on Thursday through Sunday from 4:30 to closing.
Sharon Mack is a member of the Berkshires Writers Room and is working on a mystery novel.
Backtracking here...don't want to miss out leaving a comment, even if a bit late.
Hope they keep you writing and posting and entertaining the readers for a long time.
Dinah
from: Dinah
on: 05-27-2009
I love reading about places which inspire Sharon to write. Of course these are dreamy places for me as I live far, far away from the Berkshires of my youth.
from: Peggy
on: 05-24-2009
I completely understand the need for quietness some times and the need for a vibrant experience other times. Sharon, you are an excellent wordsmith. Keep up the fine writing...
from: Joel
on: 05-11-2009
mmmmmm...love the pizza at East Side Cafe. It's always one of the highlights when I visit the Berkshires. The atmosphere reeks of good ole days when life was simple....(when was that??)
from: Jen MD
on: 04-15-2009
this is you cuz, sounds like great food, but the wine is what i would go for, I love Merlot. Give the dogs a hug for me.
Sue
from: Susan
on: 04-15-2009
Sounds like a delicious place to write a delicious novel. Makes your pencil flow & are you using yellow lined pads of paper? They set the mood & give the pencil ease in writing.
-Peggy
from: Peggy in MN
on: 04-12-2009
This is your couz must run in the family dogs...snuggled in my lap right now is the Gabby ( wheaton scotty) and to my right the main character Gilly ( my black scotty we all look alike here. Although barking isn't my game snorting is though. Love ya cuz proud of you!
from: Zoe
on: 04-09-2009
sounds like you have it all worked out, good for you
from: Lynda
on: 04-06-2009
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