The Dream Away Lodge: a one-of-a-kind place with food, music and history

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Nestled in the woods of Becket is a place that draws people from all walks of life: bikers, artists, the old, the young, locals, out-of-towners, music enthusiasts and casual listeners. It is the Dream Away Lodge, which has been up in the Berkshire Mountains at 1342 County Rd. for some 60 years, according to Daniel Osman, the owner of the lodge for nearly five years. Part restaurant; part music performance space; part bar; completely unique. The lodge is divided into those three main areas. All areas of the lodge are decorated with unique pictures, furniture and knickknacks, giving the Dream Away a coziness and a “feels like home” atmosphere. The décor of the lodge, Osman said, can mostly be attributed to its previous owners, Maria “Mama” Frasca and her three daughters: Theresa, Leonora and Regina. Discovered by Jacob’s Pillow dancers in the late 1930s and early 1940s, the Dream Away was bought by “Mama” Frasca in the early 1940s, he said. The contemporary Dream Away Lodge cannot be separated from its long history, for the two go hand-in-hand, Osman said. In an interview, Osman wanted to separate the truth from what he calls ”the legend of Dream Away.” The lodge had its heyday and a “hippie moment” in the 1970s, Osman said. During that decade was the Dream Away’s “most famous moment,” he said. Bob Dylan stopped by the lodge while on his Rolling Thunder Revue tour. Dylan, along with Joan Baez and Jack Elliott, spent the day at the lodge during which time, footage was filmed for a Dylan movie, Osman said. “Mama” Frasca and her daughters left the lodge after the 1970s, and it fell into a period of decline, he said. A patron of the lodge for over 20 years, mostly during its decline, Osman discovered in 1997 that the Dream Away was for sale when he saw an ad in the Berkshire Eagle. An actor with Shakespeare and Company since its opening in 1979, the Los Angeles native had recently decided that he did not want to act for a living anymore and was trying to figure out what he wanted to do with the rest of his life. Considering it “a golden piece of Berkshire history,” Osman bought the Dream Away in October 1997 when it was “on its last legs,” he said. Today it is a successful restaurant, although Osman said he does not consider himself a restaurant owner. The phone rang pretty consistently throughout the interview with people wanting more information about the lodge and directions on how to get there. His reservation book seemed pretty full too. The Dream Away serves a “very European” four course dinner, Osman said. The first course is one of a number of soups or pastas. Three to five choices are available for the main course, either chicken, pork or a vegetarian dish. It is served with vegetable and potato. Following the main course is a salad, and the dinner is concluded with coffee and desert. It costs $25, but bring cash because the Dream Away does not accept credit cards. Osman, who resides on the second floor of the lodge, said he has a vision for the Dream Away which includes artist retreat space, camping and lodging, the latter being part of his “short-range plan.” Behind the lodge is a 150-year-old barn, which Osman renovated from a couple of rooms to one large space and which he now rents out. One of the amenities of the barn is a sauna. Surrounding the lodge and the barn is a serene setting including a lawn area with a pretty, recently prepared garden full of flowers and vegetables, which are used in the restaurant. Ringing the property is lush, beautiful woods with some paths. Some couples have their weddings on the Dream Away property, Osman said; they tailor the ceremony to a spot on the property that they like, he said. Music is a big part of what the Dream Away is all about. Osman described the Dream Away’s music room as a “studio performance space” and ”not a venue” of the likes of Club Helsinki. He said musicians tell him they like to play there because it is an intimate setting. There are many local musicians with a “Dream Away history,” many of whom refer people from different states and countries, he said. Wednesday night is open acoustic night and the “most crazy night” of the week at the lodge, Osman said. Performance in the music room is “very democratic” and includes musicians of all levels of experience and talent, he said. There are usually about 50 people in the music room — a room that is not tremendously big — and a bonfire burning outside with people congregated around it, Osman said. There is a full plate of music at the Dream Away this coming weekend with Rick and Lavina Ross performing the night of Friday, August 16; Rick Tiven and Friends performing the night of Saturday, August 17; and The Mammals and Tao’s birthday party being featured on Sunday, August 18. The Dream Away Lodge is only open on weekends and for private parties from New Year’s Day to Valentine’s Day, Osman said. It is open five days a week, from Wednesday to Sunday, during the period between Mother’s Day and Halloween. Dinner is served Wednesday through Saturday starting at 6 p.m. On Sunday brunch is served, starting at noon, and dinner is served, starting at 5 p.m. Reservations are encouraged. To make them or for more information call: 623-8725.
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North Adams School Committee Applauds Award Winner, Hears Budget

By Tammy DanielsiBerkshires Staff

Superintendent Timothy Callahan presents his first Superintendent's Award to Brayden Canales. 
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The School Committee on Tuesday voted to send a recommending fiscal 2027 budget to a public hearing and congratulated the newest recipient of the Superintendent's Award. 
 
Drury High School senior Brayden Canales is graduating at the top of his class with 33 college credits and a grade-point average of 4.3.
 
"In addition to his impressive list of college courses, he has rounded out his transcript with several Advanced Placement and project based learning courses," said Superintendent Timothy Callahan, adding, "I had the honor to be Brayden's principal when he began a Drury."
 
Canales is a member of both the Nu Sigma and Pro Merito honor societies and received the Principal's Award for having the top five average in his class all four years and the Rensselaer (N.Y.) Institute of Technology award for science and math as a junior outside of the classroom.
 
He's also been a member of the soccer, hockey and baseball teams and this year was presented the Berkshire County Ice Hockey Officials Association's Sportsmanship Award for his leadership. Canales has also been a peer mediator, student ambassador, among other activities.  
 
He plans to pursue a major in architecture but has not yet selected a college. 
 
The Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents Certificate of Academic Excellence is awarded to students who have achieved not only academically but in leadership and community service. 
 
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