Ever heard of the Berkshires of western Massachusetts?
I hadn’t.
Not until I was challenged to plan a weekend there centered entirely around the concept
of eco-friendly and sustainable travel.
Everything from how I drove there, where I stayed, what I ate, and what I did all had
to fit the theme of green travel.
Here’s how I spent my green getaway to the Berkshires.
To get to the Berkshires, I had to drive there from New York City.
To do it the eco-friendly way, I drove the 2017 Ford Fusion Energi, a plug-in hybrid car.
Plug-in hybrids are cool options because they’re designed to travel extended distances with
little or no assistance from the gas tank.
Next, I needed some green accommodations.
I chose to stay at Hotel on North because of its creative use of recycled and upcycled
materials in the décor.
The hotel also had charging stations for those who arrive in electric or hybrid cars like
I did.
Y'all.
I gotta show you my room.
So I'm actually going to give you like a little tour.
Now for the yummy part.
Food in the Berkshires is just amazing.
Mainly because most restaurants in the area are farm-to-table, meaning what you eat is
sourced from local farms, not some giant food factory.
I found what I believe is a hidden gem out here.
It's a restaurant called Cantina 229 and their slogan is world fare made local.
And all the dishes are inspired by world dishes but everything is sourced locally and I actually
got a chance to sit down with the owner Josh and he answered all my questions about food
in the Berkshires as well as this restaurant.
The beauty about the Berkshires is if you’re not farm-to-table, you’re McDonald’s because
there is nothing in between.
What is this?
This is a small taste of the beet tzatziki.
Ooh!
I wonder what it tastes like.
You can just tell a lot of heart went into creating these dishes.
Delicious.
The menu, we come up with nightly, weekly, based on the email list that our farmers send
us or text us or what they drop by with.
One of my farmers just shows up with a basket and says hey here's the best stuff I picked
for you today.
And then my sous-chef and I sit down and say what can we make with this?
You know, what would be really awesome.
We really do spend a lot of time trying to think how do we balance flavors, textures,
temperatures, and all these things that make people want another bite of something.
Wow.
I also ate at a restaurant called Mezze, another farm-to-table restaurant with amazing food.
This is really really good dessert.
Lastly, there are plenty of activities you can enjoy in the Berkshires that fit in with
the theme of green and sustainable travel.
First, I went to the Downtown Pittsfield Farmers Market.
If you guys watched my Lima, Peru videos, then you know I'm very big on going to farmers
markets when I travel.
Well right down the street from my hotel is the Downtown Pittsfield Farmers Market and
it's just a really great venue for local farmers, food producers, and artisans to bring fresh,
locally grown food and products to the community.
Afterwards, I put on some boots and tackled the Monument Mountain Hiking Trail.
It was an all-natural, eco-friendly adventure that allowed me to become “one” with nature
for a few glorious and sweaty hours.
I really hope I'm going the right way.
Because if not, then I'm lost.
[Snapchat Recap]: What up Snapchat?
I am currently in the Berkshires climbing Monument Mountain and I am trying to get to
Devil's Pulpit because I hear the views are amazing.
Oh man. This looks kinda scary.
[Instagram Replay]: Guys, I made it to Devil's Pulpit. Check this out.
Welcome to Devil's Pulpit.
For those of you out there who can appreciate a place that cares about the environment and
sustainability, plan a visit to the Berkshires.
You’ll feel and taste the difference when you choose to travel green.
And thank me later when you do.
Oh and while you're here, don't forget to like, comment, and share this video if you
liked it.
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