Winthrop Estate Fountain, photo by Kevin Sprague

The weather in Lenox has been glorious this week.  The summer-like days bring warming sun to the daffodils and trees and they are blooming everywhere.  We uncovered our fountain, taking off the heavy winter tent, and we are into spring cleaning on the grounds, and getting tan too. We are looking forward to the families who will be coming for their vacations or special occasions this season and have been busy on email, being in touch with the guests to answer questions, and make plans and reservations.  Spring time brings a flurry of activity from everyone thinking about the summer.    Happy Spring!

Wedding ceremony on the Winthrop Estate Lawn, early summer

We are thinking about the upcoming summer weddings as the snow is melting and flowers are beginning to emerge.  Some couples are making their final menu choices, signing off on the floral designs, getting their welcome gift items, and drafting their programs, etc.  I like to focus the planning of the wedding on what type of environment and experience the couple wants to create for their friends and family.   Though there are many decisions to make and people to seat, the couple will remember the time with their friends and their families, not what color their napkins were. Still, most of the design and details they put time and money into do show up in their pictures or  videos or keepsakes, but we focus on creating an ideal environment for the guests to celebrate this couple and for all to enjoy, with a beautiful backdrop for their wedding memories.  Weddings are very special occasions, and we are looking forward to this summer and the celebrations at the Winthrop Estate!  photo by Scott Barrow.

A Weekend with Friends, A Laugh, Some Music

Driving from NYC up to Winthrop Estate is a treat.  Once I leave the city traffic behind, I turn on the music and start to relax.  The journey becomes part of the destination. I drive alongside wide rivers, rushing streams, lush hillsides and farms. The trip itself is candy for the eyes. I revel in the journey.  The rewards of the weekend retreat with my friends are plentiful.  And Lenox, with all its history and luxuries, awaits me every time.  The Winthrop Estate rooms are exquisitely decorated and the public spaces are inviting. I treasure my retreat at the Winthrop Estate and look forward to next year’s.

Skiing in the Berkshires

Imagine the possibilities…after a day of skiing at one of the local ski resorts such as Butternut, Catamount or Jiminey Peak, you are mesmerized by the Berkshires beautiful mountain scenery.  You experience the excitement that comes with shushing down the mountainside with the snap of brisk air-  its a dream ski day.

After the invigorating day outdoors, there’s nothing more luxurious and inviting then returning to the Winthrop Estate where you options include slipping away into the sanctuary of a warm bath with candles softly glowing, a glass of your favorite wine and classical music in the background, a good book by the library fire and hot chocolate, a massage scheduled for eight o’clock to soothe your muscles– an hour of bliss.

A winter weekend at the Winthrop Estate, enjoying friends and family, is a magical, wonderful getaway… .you’ll remember it always.

Fun in the Snow, a winter family vacation smile

What fun kids can have in the snow!  Dress them up, and send them outside.  At the Winthrop Estate, they can step onto the back lawn and tumble, build, sled, chase eachother, throw snowballs, make snow angels and more.  An hour later, then will return, unwrap their wet layers, and collapse by the blazing fire with hot chocolate and cookies.  Ah… a family winter vacation in the Berkshires at the Winthrop Estate.

The Christmas Tree at the Winthrop Estate

The whole family, all 24 of them, gathered in Lenox at the Winthrop Estate a few days before Christmas.  They brought bags of gifts for the kids and home-made cookies to share.  They made the estate their home for the holiday.  They sang Christmas carols, they enjoyed meals (that they didn’t have to cook or clean up after, as the estate took care of that), they stayed up late talking after the little ones went to bed upstairs.  The kids went sledding on the great lawn, and got dizzy on the tree swing, then came in for hot chocolate.  Most everyone enjoyed an afternoon nap, whether it was in their beds or a leather chair by the fire in the library after reading a book.  The Winthrop Estate is a magical place for families to enjoy each other over the holidays.

Winthrop Estate Foyer, ready for the party

This foyer picture looks South, through the French doors to the verandah and Great Lawn. This room stays quite cool in the summer, and was lovely on hot days even before we added the a/c. The building is mostly a stone façade on the first floor, and this room does not get much passive solar hear and it is the coolest place in the whole house. I remember hanging out with friends in the foyer the first year we were at the estate, before we did any restoration, one summer evening marveling at the heat outside. Now the estate is fully air-conditioned and we revealed the wood floor you see here a few years ago. This space is very popular for mingling and socializing. It’s ready for you. Photo by Konrad Brattke

Verandah with Mist, early morning

This picture was taken in 2004 and continues to evoke the morning magic of being at a country estate. When you see the mist rising from the ground in the morning, and rising up from the valley to the west, you can hear many birds singing.

One of the charms of the estate is that every room has a unique purpose. This is the music room, home to our magnificent Steinway. Being in the Berkshires, we’ve seen a lot of musical talent come out of this area. At the estate, sometimes we host chamber music or lectures in the music room. Find out more about our programs at www.LenoxAthenaeum.org.

Fun fact – the room needs to be a certain temperature to preserve the Steinway, and you’ll find this room a lot cooler and quieter than the others. It’s perfect for playing for a small intimate audience.