Our successful trip to the Berkshires concluded with a plan: We need another one soon!
“What’s for dinner?”, “Who is dropping kids off today?”, “Oh no!, did I forget about a birthday of a friend (again)?”…
These and many similar questions were gone that memorable weekend at the Playhouse ….
Yes. Let’s still keep the conversation going about
The Playhouse. It's worth it. This house, I'm still there, daydreaming at times ….
It surpassed all of my visions and imagined picture that I had carved in my head before we stepped foot in it.
The architecture as well as the artwork displayed on walls and floors of this "friendly monster" were breathtaking.
I called the house a "friendly monster" as sometimes a big house creates a cold vibe, seems unwelcoming and not too homey. Not this house! We fit right in!
The 220 acre estate was the first residence in the world powered by AC electricity and when built, the home with the most incandescent light bulbs in the world. It was originally developed and built by George Westinghouse, an early innovator of electrical inventions. The lighting fixtures in the archways that you can see in pictures from the trip, are the original Westinghouse lighting fixtures, some of the first ever available!
We all got in. By 6 pm we set in, raised the toast and proceeded to tour the house.
We chose bedrooms with no drama, as each area of the house presented something new and unique (also: worth noting- the ladies were amazing, not caring much where they slept that weekend:)
Both lofts had dome ceiling where you could watch stars at night if that was what you liked.
Free standing bathtub in one of the bedrooms allowed for a bath with a view of an entire downstairs area. On a lower level we were close to a yoga studio and the playroom with a wide variety of games and books to chose from.
The idea behind this trip was to find time for yourself. To relax, to stop for a second and just live in a moment. It was also to build on an important need we all have - a need to belong.
In a world full of superficial relationships and never ending chase for things that, in many cases, do not define us and don’t make us truly happy, we forget about simple pleasures and (not really huge) steps and habits that make all the difference in our daily routine.
During our weekend we took pleasure in sharing meals, and talking for hours with no rush, with absolutely nowhere to go. We could center ourselves without these running thoughts that show up often at the back of our minds …
Some of us fell asleep during relaxing sound journey, I, during yoga, caught myself smiling as I experienced a glorious feeling of ease and total chill with nowhere to be…
There was no need for a watch or a phone close by…. For once, we didn’t have to check what time it was or answer any messages!
It truly was special to see all of us fully present and leaving our daily, structured and organized existence behind, at least for a weekend.
We enjoyed conversations, good food and amazing wine, we tasted prepared drinks, we watched “Love Actually”, because we just love the movie (and we did not have to fight husbands or boyfriends who don’t like watching romantic comedy, let alone the same one for a 100th time ;).
We dressed up for dinner, just to change into pjs quickly after.
We got closer to our spiritual selves, and mentally we finally got a chance to rest as well. We listened to our bodies and stretched the muscles we forgot we have. Massages Johanna provided, eased the pain and tension we carry from everyday routine. She showed us how to fly( not literally🤪), but I definitely felt weightless for a moment, and that was an experience in itself for sure!
The rain did not bother us at all. Of course a week after, when I saw gorgeous weather and almost 80 degrees outside, I would have loved to be back in the Berkshires, but, in a way, rain made our group even tighter. We stayed together, we did not experience the rush of trying to check multiple options from the itinerary…I felt at ease seeing all of the Girls happy and satisfied with the activities planned inside of our gorgeous home.
On Saturday, while some od us were getting massages, the rest left the house in the rain to visit a nearby farm which was , despite the wet and chilly aura, so much fun!
We walked through gorgeous grounds covered in fog, ate ice cream, grabbed delicious goodies for later, and skipped like little girls along the street on our way home.
Partners selected to work with us that weekend spoiled us rotten. We felt like princesses with people catering to all of our needs. Fruit and vegetable platters, delicious salads and spreads waited or us whenever we felt hungry. After great breakfasts/ brunches, we could always come back to eating (again),all dishes fresh and prepared to our liking. Dinner as well as wine tasting were both the experiences that allowed to learn and discover something new.
The best feeling for me was to see the girls "click" so quickly.
We all talked from the beginning, shared important moments from our lives, laughed, and cried ( me!!!), we got inspired by our stories. In this, I found the most beauty of all. We are all women, we all were there for the same reason. We all came apprehensive and uneasy first, a little shy, but within seconds, we all connected, bonded and appreciated the process….
The trip to the Berkshires allowed to check all the boxes, and now, fulfilled and encouraged, I am already in initial stages of planning a new gateway. That, Ladies and Gentlemen, will be a perfect material for my next blog, so stay alert! February is the time to pack your bags and set off for a new journey with me, and it can’t come soon enough!
