Grand Adventure August-October 2024

    Leaving Nantucket

The first to leave this year were Hank and Mark. Hank finished year 4 at the Juice Bar and will begin his sophomore year at Syracuse.

 Barbara left the next day with the car. 

   The Berkshires August 22

Red Lion's porch

We drove to Stockbridge on a gorgeous day and stayed for one night at one of the cottage rooms at the Red Lion Inn, a beautiful old-fashioned inn where we've never stayed before. It was a nice start to our grand adventure and relaxation after a busy time leaving the island with the preparation to leave for 2+ months and with 5 sets of company scheduled to be at our house while we are gone. We had a nice meal in the dining room there.   

Outside of The Shed at Tanglewood

Q

Day 1 August 23

We checked into the Oak n' Spruce timeshare in S. Lee, after having mailed Barbara's official birth certificate to England by Global Express mail ($96!) We had a bountiful meal at Nan and Jim's in the evening.

Jacob's Pillow

Day 2  August 24 

Dancers Rehearsing at Jacob's Pillow

Goofing around with dancers in the background

In the morning we tried to figure out how to get the new Covid vaccine which just came out. We did not succeed.

We went with Nan and Jim to Jacob's Pillow in Becket. Only Nan had been there before. It's an impressive complex with youth and high spirits. We ate at their cafe and walked around historic exhibits.

We saw the end of an outdoor dance presentation and then went to a short lecture by one of the directors at the Dance Theater of Harlem who gave a history of the company.

Then, we went to the  performance. Wow - we were all very impressed. The program included modern dance, funk and classical ballet with classical music, Stevie Wonder, Radiohead and techno music. 

New York, Finale, and home - April 12, 13, 14, 15

 April 12

     We had a slow morning and walked to a different subway station -36 & 5th. It is a bit longer, but a nicer walk. Mark got a HUGE deli sandwich at Lioni's. He ate half on the subway, with a bit of help from Barbara. (Later, he gave the other half to a homeless woman in Central Park.) We took the express N train which was great. We got off at 59th Street and walked over 20 blocks (!) to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. We went to the Harlem Renaissance Exhibit which was fabulous.

That's a sandwich!

Central Park in the Spring

   Then, Mark went outside to meet Weldon and Patti and they headed toward the Impressionists. Barbara met them when she was finished with the Harlem Renaissance.

   We walked to Weldon and Patti's where we had a lovely conversation. Patti has been retired only 2 weeks. 

    Then, we went in Weldon's car to Tulohache, a Mexican restaurant that they like. It was very good. Mark had a fish entree and Barbara and Patti shared fish & vegetarian tacos. 

Matisse

Picasso

Cezanne, 1894 "The House with the Cracked Walls"

Van Gogh

Picasso in his Blue Period

    We took an Uber home. Barbara left the Harlem Renaissance cards that she bought in their car.

    April 13

   We had an easy go out of NYC on the FDR parkway to the Merritt Parkway to Route 15 through Connecticut. We stopped at Katz's Diner en route. Mark had a hot dog; Barbara had French Onion soup. (yummy) We bought bagels and pastrami for later and to also leave at Jec and Willy's. We slept at their house; they were in Maine for a short break because they have Patriots' Day off.

  April 14

    Drove to Hyannis with a quick stop in Bridgewater. We bought garden supplies.

April 15

      Clarity at the Honda dealer where we waited a while. Boat home.