Gramercy Bistro

Led by museum director, Joe Thompson, we joined a 'hard hat tour" of the final phase of MASS MoCA renovation and construction. The $65 million project will be completed with a Memorial Day, 2017 weekend of opening celebrations.

There have been several incarnations of restaurants at 26 Marshall Street opposite the North Adams campus of MASS MoCA. On a Saturday night four foodies visited the recently launched Grazie Italian Ristorante. There were mistakes but overall we plan to return to an affordable Northern Berkshire dining option.

Many recall the fine cuisine of Chef Gerhard Schmid from his Gateways Inn in Lenox in the late ‘70s and ‘80s, and the Devonfield Inn, formerly known as Haus Andreas in Lee, from 1980-1994. He is now presiding over the kitchen of Haflinger Haus an elegant mansion in Adams, Mass. Some 40 members of the Berkshire International Club gathered there to enjoy his special Octoberfest menu.

The Williamstown Film Festival's 14th season will run October 17 through 21. On the schedule: 37 films (many of them premieres) a half-dozen parties, and events at MASS MoCA, the Clark Art Institute, and Images Cinema.

In a storefront on Summer Street in Adams, Ma., formerly a clothing store, five years ago the multi media artists Matt Belanger and Marianne Petit opened the alternative Greylock Arts. This summer they are celebrating with an anniversary exhibition including many of the artists from New York and the Berkshires that have been included in their edgy program. Their alternative, artist run space, is, hands down, the best in the Berkshires.

Over two weekends (October 21-23 and 27-29), the Williamstown Film Festival's "Lucky 13th" season will include two East Coast and four New England premieres, family and late-night slots, titles from Sundance, Tribeca, and Toronto, and films featuring Tilda Swinton, John C. Reilly, Carol Channing, Ezra Miller, Lewis Black, Kate Burton, Tony Shalhoub, Campbell Scott, and Christo. WFF will conclude with a salute to legendary director Sidney Lumet at the Clark Art Institute.

Up to 5,000 attended the Wilco Solid Sound Festival at Mass MoCA on Saturday. The day ended with a two hour plus Wilco performance on Joe's Field. The three day event winds down this afternoon with an acoustic set by Wilco leader Jeff Tweedy.

With seven additional visual art destinations over last year’s offerings and 11 new galleries, this year’s DownStreet Art initiative â€" organized by the Berkshire Cultural Resource Center (BCRC) at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (MCLA) â€" not only will increase in scope and size; its installations will highlight communities from around the world.

There will be just tons of live music blasting from Mass MoCA this summer from a rock festival with Wilco, to the perennial Woodstocker, Richie Havens, to Carolina Chocolate Drops and a reggae dance party. Oh yes, there will also be some exhibitions. A show by Petah Coyne will open on May 29 and remain on view forever. But not quite for 25 years like Sol Lewitt.

North Adams City Council incumbent and candidate for reelection Lisa M. Blackmer held a meet and greet at the Freight Yard. While drinking and snacking the rumors were flying in an ever more contentious Mayoral campaign between incumbent, John Barrett, and challenger Dick Alcombright. They both dropped by to press the flesh.

John Barrett, the "Dean of Massachusetts Mayors" is fighting to see his vision for North Adams fulfilled. In this, his 14th run for Mayor, he faces off against challenger Richard Alcombright. We asked him about the race and his hopes for the city he loves.