Pop (up) Art

I had briefly mentioned that N. and I had spent some recent time in North Adams, MA. I’m back now with all the deets, because you just might want to take some notes and replicate the experience we had. It was really that good.

Honestly, though, I can’t remember which event came across my radar first – HAEMA Hospitality’s Pop-Up at Tourists Welcome or the Carly Glovinski installation at MASS MoCa, but the two combined to make for an excellent and undeniable Sunday afternoon drive to North Adams.

We started at the museum by taking in the 100 ft long floral timeline installation in the gallery off of the museum’s cafe and shop. It was truly spectacular, taking the viewer from spring in the northeast through autumn in flowers. The beauty was tempered slightly by the accompanying text which included a statement about how climate change is altering the growing season of native plants. Despite this sobering fact, we were thoroughly transported through the cycle of flowers depicted upon the wall. You really should see this!

We next explored the James Turrell exhibit and I must admit that I impressed myself by recognizing his work from when we visited DIA last year. It’s pretty remarkable stuff that makes one question dimension and perspective in a very tantalizing fashion. The collection of photographs of musicians, curated by Wilco during their recent Solid Sound Fest, was fantastic. While I had viewed some of these images before in the media, like the John Lennon/Statue of Liberty photo, most were new to me. I particularly loved the photo of Prince against a backdrop of a wall covered in musical notes and the Elvis pic.

After a couple of hours of exploring the galleries, we were hungry – and thirsty. We headed backdown the road a couple of miles and parked at Tourists with enough time to sip a cocktail on the back deck before dinner. As you know, we’re civilized folks and a tasty cocktail, such as the Pollinator which I completely enjoyed, along with some conversation, makes for an auspicious beginning to a dining experience.

It was our first time checking this place out and it looked pretty impressive, albeit a little confusing. The accommodations seem to be oriented so that the front, parking lot facing rooms are designed to maximize privacy and minimize noise from the road. The Lodge, where live music is offered along with lighter fare, is on the south end while the restaurant is on the northern side. Behind the motel there is a pool and some pockets of seating, all facing greenery. It’s cool – and pet friendly. We met a couple of sweet pups who seemed to be enjoying the setting just as much as their people.

We approached the restaurant known as The Airport Rooms, from the back and were swiftly greeted and seated. The interior of what was presumably formerly a home, has a shabby coziness that is immediately comfortable. Our server matched that vibe and efficiently took care of us for the duration of our meal, making us feel welcome and relaxed.

The menu was large enough to entice us with options, yet small enough that had we been there with friends we could have easily ordered one of everything. It’s that style of food – shareable, palate stimulating and hyper seasonal. Ultimately, we chose the dip with trout roe, the octopus salad, the duck, and a scallop, shrimp, rice and peas dish, finishing with a refreshing granita. We were completely satiated – as well as blown away by each of the items. I seriously could have licked the dish the dip was served in and the perfectly seared duck with an ever so thin layer of succulent fat was the stuff dreams are made of. So good.

A full bar is available, including wine by the glass, carafe and bottle, and the white we ordered easily carried us through the meal. As we ate, we enjoyed conversation with nearby diners, as well as the excellently curated playlist. It really was lovely and we’d be very happy to get back there before the end of summer. Anyone up for a mid August road trip?